Exploring Common Misconceptions and Errors about Fractions among College Students in Saudi Arabia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alghazo, Yazan M.; Alghazo, Runna

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate what common errors and misconceptions about fractions exist among Saudi Arabian college students. Moreover, the study aimed at investigating the possible explanations for the existence of such misconceptions among students. A researcher developed mathematical test aimed at identifying common errors…

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

PubMed Central

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

2015-01-01

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

Integrated Analyses of Gene Expression Profiles Digs out Common Markers for Rheumatic Diseases

PubMed Central

Wang, Lan; Wu, Long-Fei; Lu, Xin; Mo, Xing-Bo; Tang, Zai-Xiang; Lei, Shu-Feng; Deng, Fei-Yan

2015-01-01

Objective Rheumatic diseases have some common symptoms. Extensive gene expression studies, accumulated thus far, have successfully identified signature molecules for each rheumatic disease, individually. However, whether there exist shared factors across rheumatic diseases has yet to be tested. Methods We collected and utilized 6 public microarray datasets covering 4 types of representative rheumatic diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, ankylosing spondylitis, and osteoarthritis. Then we detected overlaps of differentially expressed genes across datasets and performed a meta-analysis aiming at identifying common differentially expressed genes that discriminate between pathological cases and normal controls. To further gain insights into the functions of the identified common differentially expressed genes, we conducted gene ontology enrichment analysis and protein-protein interaction analysis. Results We identified a total of eight differentially expressed genes (TNFSF10, CX3CR1, LY96, TLR5, TXN, TIA1, PRKCH, PRF1), each associated with at least 3 of the 4 studied rheumatic diseases. Meta-analysis warranted the significance of the eight genes and highlighted the general significance of four genes (CX3CR1, LY96, TLR5, and PRF1). Protein-protein interaction and gene ontology enrichment analyses indicated that the eight genes interact with each other to exert functions related to immune response and immune regulation. Conclusion The findings support that there exist common factors underlying rheumatic diseases. For rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, ankylosing spondylitis and osteoarthritis diseases, those common factors include TNFSF10, CX3CR1, LY96, TLR5, TXN, TIA1, PRKCH, and PRF1. In-depth studies on these common factors may provide keys to understanding the pathogenesis and developing intervention strategies for rheumatic diseases. PMID:26352601

Signature and Mechanism of the Epitehlial-to-Mesenchymal Transition. Addendum

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-01

as breast cancer . This study seeks to identify genes commonly regulated in the EMT, and identify key regulators of the process. An EMT core gene...Introduction Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women in the United States (1). Mortality results not from the primary tumor, but from...complications arising from metastases that have spread beyond the breast itself. Hence, the study of breast cancer progression and metastasis is

Reframing Student Affairs Leadership: An Analysis of Organizational Frames of Reference and Locus of Control

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tull, Ashley; Freeman, Jerrid P.

2011-01-01

Examined in this study were the identified frames of reference and locus of control used by 478 student affairs administrators. Administrator responses were examined to identify frames of reference most commonly used and their preference order. Locus of control most commonly used and the relationship between frames of reference and locus of…

Quality Online Resources and Supports for Educators Teaching the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walters, Kirk; Smith, Toni; Leinwand, Steve; Ford, Jennifer; Scheopner Torres, Aubrey

2015-01-01

This study was designed in response to a request from rural educators in the Northeast for support in identifying high-quality online resources to implement the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM). The process for identifying online resources included selecting resources that had an easily navigable CCSSM organizational structure…

Comparative transcriptome analysis of pepper (Capsicum annuum) revealed common regulons in multiple stress conditions and hormone treatments.

PubMed

Lee, Sanghyeob; Choi, Doil

2013-09-01

Global transcriptome analysis revealed common regulons for biotic/abiotic stresses, and some of these regulons encoding signaling components in both stresses were newly identified in this study. In this study, we aimed to identify plant responses to multiple stress conditions and discover the common regulons activated under a variety of stress conditions. Global transcriptome analysis revealed that salicylic acid (SA) may affect the activation of abiotic stress-responsive genes in pepper. Our data indicate that methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and ethylene (ET)-responsive genes were primarily activated by biotic stress, while abscisic acid (ABA)-responsive genes were activated under both types of stresses. We also identified differentially expressed gene (DEG) responses to specific stress conditions. Biotic stress induces more DEGs than those induced by abiotic and hormone applications. The clustering analysis using DEGs indicates that there are common regulons for biotic or abiotic stress conditions. Although SA and MeJA have an antagonistic effect on gene expression levels, SA and MeJA show a largely common regulation as compared to the regulation at the DEG expression level induced by other hormones. We also monitored the expression profiles of DEG encoding signaling components. Twenty-two percent of these were commonly expressed in both stress conditions. The importance of this study is that several genes commonly regulated by both stress conditions may have future applications for creating broadly stress-tolerant pepper plants. This study revealed that there are complex regulons in pepper plant to both biotic and abiotic stress conditions.

The essential and downstream common proteins of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A protein-protein interaction network analysis.

PubMed

Mao, Yimin; Kuo, Su-Wei; Chen, Le; Heckman, C J; Jiang, M C

2017-01-01

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a devastative neurodegenerative disease characterized by selective loss of motoneurons. While several breakthroughs have been made in identifying ALS genetic defects, the detailed molecular mechanisms are still unclear. These genetic defects involve in numerous biological processes, which converge to a common destiny: motoneuron degeneration. In addition, the common comorbid Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) further complicates the investigation of ALS etiology. In this study, we aimed to explore the protein-protein interaction network built on known ALS-causative genes to identify essential proteins and common downstream proteins between classical ALS and ALS+FTD (classical ALS + ALS/FTD) groups. The results suggest that classical ALS and ALS+FTD share similar essential protein set (VCP, FUS, TDP-43 and hnRNPA1) but have distinctive functional enrichment profiles. Thus, disruptions to these essential proteins might cause motoneuron susceptible to cellular stresses and eventually vulnerable to proteinopathies. Moreover, we identified a common downstream protein, ubiquitin-C, extensively interconnected with ALS-causative proteins (22 out of 24) which was not linked to ALS previously. Our in silico approach provides the computational background for identifying ALS therapeutic targets, and points out the potential downstream common ground of ALS-causative mutations.

Methodological flaws introduce strong bias into molecular analysis of microbial populations.

PubMed

Krakat, N; Anjum, R; Demirel, B; Schröder, P

2017-02-01

In this study, we report how different cell disruption methods, PCR primers and in silico analyses can seriously bias results from microbial population studies, with consequences for the credibility and reproducibility of the findings. Our results emphasize the pitfalls of commonly used experimental methods that can seriously weaken the interpretation of results. Four different cell lysis methods, three commonly used primer pairs and various computer-based analyses were applied to investigate the microbial diversity of a fermentation sample composed of chicken dung. The fault-prone, but still frequently used, amplified rRNA gene restriction analysis was chosen to identify common weaknesses. In contrast to other studies, we focused on the complete analytical process, from cell disruption to in silico analysis, and identified potential error rates. This identified a wide disagreement of results between applied experimental approaches leading to very different community structures depending on the chosen approach. The interpretation of microbial diversity data remains a challenge. In order to accurately investigate the taxonomic diversity and structure of prokaryotic communities, we suggest a multi-level approach combining DNA-based and DNA-independent techniques. The identified weaknesses of commonly used methods to study microbial diversity can be overcome by a multi-level approach, which produces more reliable data about the fate and behaviour of microbial communities of engineered habitats such as biogas plants, so that the best performance can be ensured. © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

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

PubMed

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

2015-09-09

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

Prevalence of Synchronous and Metachronous Aneurysms in Women With Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm.

PubMed

Wallinder, Jonas; Georgiou, Anna; Wanhainen, Anders; Björck, Martin

2018-06-20

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is three to five times more common among men compared with women, yet up to 38% of all aneurysm related deaths affect women. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of synchronous or metachronous aneurysms among women with AAA, as diagnosis and treatment could improve survival. This is a retrospective study of prospectively registered patients. All women operated on, or under surveillance for, AAA were identified at two Swedish hospitals. Aneurysms in different locations were identified using available imaging studies. Aneurysms were defined according to location: thoracic ascending aorta ≥42 mm, descending ≥33 mm, abdominal aorta ≥30 mm, common iliac artery ≥20 mm or 50% wider than the contralateral artery, common femoral artery ≥12 mm, popliteal artery ≥10 mm. A total of 339 women with an AAA were included. The median follow up was 2.8 (range 0-15.7) years. Thirty-one per cent had an aneurysm in the thoracic aorta (67 of 217 investigated, 84% were located in the descending aorta), 13 (19%) underwent repair. Twelve per cent had a common iliac artery aneurysm (24/259, 76% were investigated). Common femoral artery aneurysms were identified in 4.3% (8/184, 54% investigated). Popliteal artery aneurysms were identified in 4.0% (6/149, 44% investigated). The prevalence of infrainguinal aneurysms was higher among patients with synchronous iliac aneurysms (40% vs. 1.6%, OR 42, 95% CI 6.4-279, p < .001). Thoracic aortic aneurysms are common among women with AAA, most commonly affecting the descending aorta, and detection frequently results in repair. Popliteal and femoral aneurysms are not rare among women with AAA, and even common if there is a synchronous iliac aneurysm. Copyright © 2018 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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

PubMed Central

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

2017-01-01

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

Joint representation of consistent structural and functional profiles for identification of common cortical landmarks.

PubMed

Zhang, Shu; Zhao, Yu; Jiang, Xi; Shen, Dinggang; Liu, Tianming

2018-06-01

In the brain mapping field, there have been significant interests in representation of structural/functional profiles to establish structural/functional landmark correspondences across individuals and populations. For example, from the structural perspective, our previous studies have identified hundreds of consistent DICCCOL (dense individualized and common connectivity-based cortical landmarks) landmarks across individuals and populations, each of which possess consistent DTI-derived fiber connection patterns. From the functional perspective, a large collection of well-characterized HAFNI (holistic atlases of functional networks and interactions) networks based on sparse representation of whole-brain fMRI signals have been identified in our prior studies. However, due to the remarkable variability of structural and functional architectures in the human brain, it is challenging for earlier studies to jointly represent the connectome-scale structural and functional profiles for establishing a common cortical architecture which can comprehensively encode both structural and functional characteristics across individuals. To address this challenge, we propose an effective computational framework to jointly represent the structural and functional profiles for identification of consistent and common cortical landmarks with both structural and functional correspondences across different brains based on DTI and fMRI data. Experimental results demonstrate that 55 structurally and functionally common cortical landmarks can be successfully identified.

Self-Reported Eating Disorders of Black, Low-Income Adolescents: Behavior, Body Weight Perceptions, and Methods of Dieting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balentine, Margaret; And Others

1991-01-01

Study identified African-American low-income adolescents who thought they had bulimia or anorexia nervosa, identified common behaviors, and compared actual and perceived body weight and dieting methods. About 12 percent suspected an eating disorder and perceived themselves as heavier more often than their peers. Fasting was the most common dieting…

A scoping review of biopsychosocial risk factors and co-morbidities for common spinal disorders.

PubMed

Green, Bart N; Johnson, Claire D; Haldeman, Scott; Griffith, Erin; Clay, Michael B; Kane, Edward J; Castellote, Juan M; Rajasekaran, Shanmuganathan; Smuck, Matthew; Hurwitz, Eric L; Randhawa, Kristi; Yu, Hainan; Nordin, Margareta

2018-01-01

The purpose of this review was to identify risk factors, prognostic factors, and comorbidities associated with common spinal disorders. A scoping review of the literature of common spinal disorders was performed through September 2016. To identify search terms, we developed 3 terminology groups for case definitions: 1) spinal pain of unknown origin, 2) spinal syndromes, and 3) spinal pathology. We used a comprehensive strategy to search PubMed for meta-analyses and systematic reviews of case-control studies, cohort studies, and randomized controlled trials for risk and prognostic factors and cross-sectional studies describing associations and comorbidities. Of 3,453 candidate papers, 145 met study criteria and were included in this review. Risk factors were reported for group 1: non-specific low back pain (smoking, overweight/obesity, negative recovery expectations), non-specific neck pain (high job demands, monotonous work); group 2: degenerative spinal disease (workers' compensation claim, degenerative scoliosis), and group 3: spinal tuberculosis (age, imprisonment, previous history of tuberculosis), spinal cord injury (age, accidental injury), vertebral fracture from osteoporosis (type 1 diabetes, certain medications, smoking), and neural tube defects (folic acid deficit, anti-convulsant medications, chlorine, influenza, maternal obesity). A range of comorbidities was identified for spinal disorders. Many associated factors for common spinal disorders identified in this study are modifiable. The most common spinal disorders are co-morbid with general health conditions, but there is a lack of clarity in the literature differentiating which conditions are merely comorbid versus ones that are risk factors. Modifiable risk factors present opportunities for policy, research, and public health prevention efforts on both the individual patient and community levels. Further research into prevention interventions for spinal disorders is needed to address this gap in the literature.

A scoping review of biopsychosocial risk factors and co-morbidities for common spinal disorders

PubMed Central

Smuck, Matthew; Hurwitz, Eric L.; Randhawa, Kristi; Yu, Hainan; Nordin, Margareta

2018-01-01

Objective The purpose of this review was to identify risk factors, prognostic factors, and comorbidities associated with common spinal disorders. Methods A scoping review of the literature of common spinal disorders was performed through September 2016. To identify search terms, we developed 3 terminology groups for case definitions: 1) spinal pain of unknown origin, 2) spinal syndromes, and 3) spinal pathology. We used a comprehensive strategy to search PubMed for meta-analyses and systematic reviews of case-control studies, cohort studies, and randomized controlled trials for risk and prognostic factors and cross-sectional studies describing associations and comorbidities. Results Of 3,453 candidate papers, 145 met study criteria and were included in this review. Risk factors were reported for group 1: non-specific low back pain (smoking, overweight/obesity, negative recovery expectations), non-specific neck pain (high job demands, monotonous work); group 2: degenerative spinal disease (workers’ compensation claim, degenerative scoliosis), and group 3: spinal tuberculosis (age, imprisonment, previous history of tuberculosis), spinal cord injury (age, accidental injury), vertebral fracture from osteoporosis (type 1 diabetes, certain medications, smoking), and neural tube defects (folic acid deficit, anti-convulsant medications, chlorine, influenza, maternal obesity). A range of comorbidities was identified for spinal disorders. Conclusion Many associated factors for common spinal disorders identified in this study are modifiable. The most common spinal disorders are co-morbid with general health conditions, but there is a lack of clarity in the literature differentiating which conditions are merely comorbid versus ones that are risk factors. Modifiable risk factors present opportunities for policy, research, and public health prevention efforts on both the individual patient and community levels. Further research into prevention interventions for spinal disorders is needed to address this gap in the literature. PMID:29856783

Identification of Genetic Differentiation between Waxy and Common Maize by SNP Genotyping

PubMed Central

Hao, Derong; Zhang, Zhenliang; Cheng, Yujing; Chen, Guoqing; Lu, Huhua; Mao, Yuxiang; Shi, Mingliang; Huang, Xiaolan; Zhou, Guangfei; Xue, Lin

2015-01-01

Waxy maize (Zea mays L. var. ceratina) is an important vegetable and economic crop that is thought to have originated from cultivated flint maize and most recently underwent divergence from common maize. In this study, a total of 110 waxy and 110 common maize inbred lines were genotyped with 3072 SNPs to evaluate the genetic diversity, population structure, and linkage disequilibrium decay as well as identify putative loci that are under positive selection. The results revealed abundant genetic diversity in the studied panel and that genetic diversity was much higher in common than in waxy maize germplasms. Principal coordinate analysis and neighbor-joining cluster analysis consistently classified the 220 accessions into two major groups and a mixed group with mixed ancestry. Subpopulation structure in both waxy and common maize sets were associated with the germplasm origin and corresponding heterotic groups. The LD decay distance (1500–2000 kb) in waxy maize was lower than that in common maize. Fourteen candidate loci were identified as under positive selection between waxy and common maize at the 99% confidence level. The information from this study can assist waxy maize breeders by enhancing parental line selection and breeding program design. PMID:26566240

Association of genetic variants of GRIN2B with autism.

PubMed

Pan, Yongcheng; Chen, Jingjing; Guo, Hui; Ou, Jianjun; Peng, Yu; Liu, Qiong; Shen, Yidong; Shi, Lijuan; Liu, Yalan; Xiong, Zhimin; Zhu, Tengfei; Luo, Sanchuan; Hu, Zhengmao; Zhao, Jingping; Xia, Kun

2015-02-06

Autism (MIM 209850) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social communication impairments and restricted repetitive behaviors. It has a high heritability, although much remains unclear. To evaluate genetic variants of GRIN2B in autism etiology, we performed a system association study of common and rare variants of GRIN2B and autism in cohorts from a Chinese population, involving a total sample of 1,945 subjects. Meta-analysis of a triad family cohort and a case-control cohort identified significant associations of multiple common variants and autism risk (Pmin = 1.73 × 10(-4)). Significantly, the haplotype involved with the top common variants also showed significant association (P = 1.78 × 10(-6)). Sanger sequencing of 275 probands from a triad cohort identified several variants in coding regions, including four common variants and seven rare variants. Two of the common coding variants were located in the autism-related linkage disequilibrium (LD) block, and both were significantly associated with autism (P < 9 × 10(-3)) using an independent control cohort. Burden analysis and case-only analysis of rare coding variants identified by Sanger sequencing did not find this association. Our study for the first time reveals that common variants and related haplotypes of GRIN2B are associated with autism risk.

Familial Lung Cancer: A Brief History from the Earliest Work to the Most Recent Studies

PubMed Central

Musolf, Anthony M.; Simpson, Claire L.; de Andrade, Mariza; Mandal, Diptasri; Gaba, Colette; Yang, Ping; Li, Yafang; You, Ming; Kupert, Elena Y.; Anderson, Marshall W.; Schwartz, Ann G.; Pinney, Susan M.; Amos, Christopher I.; Bailey-Wilson, Joan E.

2017-01-01

Lung cancer is the deadliest cancer in the United States, killing roughly one of four cancer patients in 2016. While it is well-established that lung cancer is caused primarily by environmental effects (particularly tobacco smoking), there is evidence for genetic susceptibility. Lung cancer has been shown to aggregate in families, and segregation analyses have hypothesized a major susceptibility locus for the disease. Genetic association studies have provided strong evidence for common risk variants of small-to-moderate effect. Rare and highly penetrant alleles have been identified by linkage studies, including on 6q23–25. Though not common, some germline mutations have also been identified via sequencing studies. Ongoing genomics studies aim to identify additional high penetrance germline susceptibility alleles for this deadly disease. PMID:28106732

Feasibility of Combining Common Data Elements Across Studies to Test a Hypothesis.

PubMed

Corwin, Elizabeth J; Moore, Shirley M; Plotsky, Andrea; Heitkemper, Margaret M; Dorsey, Susan G; Waldrop-Valverde, Drenna; Bailey, Donald E; Docherty, Sharron L; Whitney, Joanne D; Musil, Carol M; Dougherty, Cynthia M; McCloskey, Donna J; Austin, Joan K; Grady, Patricia A

2017-05-01

The purpose of this article is to describe the outcomes of a collaborative initiative to share data across five schools of nursing in order to evaluate the feasibility of collecting common data elements (CDEs) and developing a common data repository to test hypotheses of interest to nursing scientists. This initiative extended work already completed by the National Institute of Nursing Research CDE Working Group that successfully identified CDEs related to symptoms and self-management, with the goal of supporting more complex, reproducible, and patient-focused research. Two exemplars describing the group's efforts are presented. The first highlights a pilot study wherein data sets from various studies by the represented schools were collected retrospectively, and merging of the CDEs was attempted. The second exemplar describes the methods and results of an initiative at one school that utilized a prospective design for the collection and merging of CDEs. Methods for identifying a common symptom to be studied across schools and for collecting the data dictionaries for the related data elements are presented for the first exemplar. The processes for defining and comparing the concepts and acceptable values, and for evaluating the potential to combine and compare the data elements are also described. Presented next are the steps undertaken in the second exemplar to prospectively identify CDEs and establish the data dictionaries. Methods for common measurement and analysis strategies are included. Findings from the first exemplar indicated that without plans in place a priori to ensure the ability to combine and compare data from disparate sources, doing so retrospectively may not be possible, and as a result hypothesis testing across studies may be prohibited. Findings from the second exemplar, however, indicated that a plan developed prospectively to combine and compare data sets is feasible and conducive to merged hypothesis testing. Although challenges exist in combining CDEs across studies into a common data repository, a prospective, well-designed protocol for identifying, coding, and comparing CDEs is feasible and supports the development of a common data repository and the testing of important hypotheses to advance nursing science. Incorporating CDEs across studies will increase sample size and improve data validity, reliability, transparency, and reproducibility, all of which will increase the scientific rigor of the study and the likelihood of impacting clinical practice and patient care. © 2017 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Large-scale integrative network-based analysis identifies common pathways disrupted by copy number alterations across cancers

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Many large-scale studies analyzed high-throughput genomic data to identify altered pathways essential to the development and progression of specific types of cancer. However, no previous study has been extended to provide a comprehensive analysis of pathways disrupted by copy number alterations across different human cancers. Towards this goal, we propose a network-based method to integrate copy number alteration data with human protein-protein interaction networks and pathway databases to identify pathways that are commonly disrupted in many different types of cancer. Results We applied our approach to a data set of 2,172 cancer patients across 16 different types of cancers, and discovered a set of commonly disrupted pathways, which are likely essential for tumor formation in majority of the cancers. We also identified pathways that are only disrupted in specific cancer types, providing molecular markers for different human cancers. Analysis with independent microarray gene expression datasets confirms that the commonly disrupted pathways can be used to identify patient subgroups with significantly different survival outcomes. We also provide a network view of disrupted pathways to explain how copy number alterations affect pathways that regulate cell growth, cycle, and differentiation for tumorigenesis. Conclusions In this work, we demonstrated that the network-based integrative analysis can help to identify pathways disrupted by copy number alterations across 16 types of human cancers, which are not readily identifiable by conventional overrepresentation-based and other pathway-based methods. All the results and source code are available at http://compbio.cs.umn.edu/NetPathID/. PMID:23822816

Research funders' roles and perceived responsibilities in relation to the implementation of clinical research results: a multiple case study of Swedish research funders.

PubMed

Brantnell, Anders; Baraldi, Enrico; van Achterberg, Theo; Winblad, Ulrika

2015-07-17

Implementation of clinical research results is challenging, yet the responsibility for implementation is seldom addressed. The process from research to the use of clinical research results in health care can be facilitated by research funders. In this paper, we report the roles of ten Swedish research funders in relation to implementation and their views on responsibilities in implementation. Ten cases were studied and compared using semi-structured interviews. In addition, websites and key documents were reviewed. Eight facilitative roles for research funders in relation to the implementation of clinical research results were identified. Three of them were common for several funders: "Advocacy work," "Monitoring implementation outcomes," and "Dissemination of knowledge." Moreover, the research funders identified six different actors responsible for implementation, five of which belonged to the healthcare setting. Collective and organizational responsibilities were the most common forms of responsibilities among the identified actors responsible for implementation. The roles commonly identified by the Swedish funders, "Advocacy work," "Monitoring implementation outcomes," and "Dissemination of knowledge," seem feasible facilitative roles in relation to the implementation of clinical research results. However, many actors identified as responsible for implementation together with the fact that collective and organizational responsibilities were the most common forms of responsibilities entail a risk of implementation becoming no one's responsibility.

"Neither we are satisfied nor they"-users and provider's perspective: a qualitative study of maternity care in secondary level public health facilities, Uttar Pradesh, India.

PubMed

Bhattacharyya, Sanghita; Issac, Anns; Rajbangshi, Preety; Srivastava, Aradhana; Avan, Bilal I

2015-09-27

Quality of care provided during childbirth is a critical determinant of preventing maternal mortality and morbidity. In the studies available, quality has been assessed either from the users' perspective or the providers'. The current study tries to bring both perspectives together to identify common key focus areas for quality improvement. This study aims to assess the users' (recently delivered women) and care providers' perceptions of care to understand the common challenges affecting provision of quality maternity care in public health facilities in India. A qualitative design comprising of in-depth interviews of 24 recently delivered women from secondary care facilities and 16 health care providers in Uttar Pradesh, India. The data were analysed thematically to assess users' and providers' perspectives on the common themes. The common challenges experienced regarding provision of care were inadequate physical infrastructure, irregular supply of water, electricity, shortage of medicines, supplies, and gynaecologist and anaesthetist to manage complications, difficulty in maintaining privacy and lack of skill for post-delivery counselling. However, physical access, cleanliness, interpersonal behaviour, information sharing and out-of-pocket expenditure were concerns for only users. Similarly, providers raised poor management of referral cases, shortage of staff, non-functioning of blood bank, lack of incentives for work as their concerns. The study identified the common themes of care from both the perspectives, which have been foundrelevant in terms of challenges identified in many developing countries including India. The study framework identified new themes like management of emergencies in complicated cases, privacy and cost of care which both the group felt is relevant in the context of providing quality care during childbirth in low resource setting. The key challenges identified by both the groups can be prioritized, when developing quality improvement program in the health facilities. The identified components of care can match the supply with the demand for care and make the services truly responsive to user needs. The study highlights infrastructure, human resources, supplies and medicine as priority areas of quality improvement in the facility as perceived by both users and providers, nevertheless the interpersonal aspect of care primarily reported by the users must also not be ignored.

Whole exome sequencing for familial bicuspid aortic valve identifies putative variants.

PubMed

Martin, Lisa J; Pilipenko, Valentina; Kaufman, Kenneth M; Cripe, Linda; Kottyan, Leah C; Keddache, Mehdi; Dexheimer, Phillip; Weirauch, Matthew T; Benson, D Woodrow

2014-10-01

Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is the most common congenital cardiovascular malformation. Although highly heritable, few causal variants have been identified. The purpose of this study was to identify genetic variants underlying BAV by whole exome sequencing a multiplex BAV kindred. Whole exome sequencing was performed on 17 individuals from a single family (BAV=3; other cardiovascular malformation, 3). Postvariant calling error control metrics were established after examining the relationship between Mendelian inheritance error rate and coverage, quality score, and call rate. To determine the most effective approach to identifying susceptibility variants from among 54 674 variants passing error control metrics, we evaluated 3 variant selection strategies frequently used in whole exome sequencing studies plus extended family linkage. No putative rare, high-effect variants were identified in all affected but no unaffected individuals. Eight high-effect variants were identified by ≥2 of the commonly used selection strategies; however, these were either common in the general population (>10%) or present in the majority of the unaffected family members. However, using extended family linkage, 3 synonymous variants were identified; all 3 variants were identified by at least one other strategy. These results suggest that traditional whole exome sequencing approaches, which assume causal variants alter coding sense, may be insufficient for BAV and other complex traits. Identification of disease-associated variants is facilitated by the use of segregation within families. © 2014 American Heart Association, Inc.

Predictors of clinical-pathologic stage discrepancy in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma: A National Cancer Database study.

PubMed

Kılıç, Sarah S; Kılıç, Suat; Crippen, Meghan M; Varughese, Denny; Eloy, Jean Anderson; Baredes, Soly; Mahmoud, Omar M; Park, Richard Chan Woo

2018-04-01

Few studies have examined the frequency and survival implications of clinicopathologic stage discrepancy in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Oral cavity SCC cases with full pathologic staging information were identified in the National Cancer Database (NCDB). Clinical and pathologic stages were compared. Multivariate logistic regressions were performed to identify factors associated with stage discrepancy. There were 9110 cases identified, of which 67.3% of the cases were stage concordant, 19.9% were upstaged, and 12.8% were downstaged. The N classification discordance (28.5%) was more common than T classification discordance (27.6%). In cases of T classification discordance, downstaging is more common than upstaging (15.4% vs 12.1% of cases), but in cases of N classification discordance, the reverse is true; upstaging is much more common than downstaging (20.1 vs 8.4% of cases). Clinicopathologic stage discrepancy in oral cavity SCC is a common phenomenon that is associated with a number of clinical factors and has survival implications. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Prokaryotic regulatory systems biology: Common principles governing the functional architectures of Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli unveiled by the natural decomposition approach.

PubMed

Freyre-González, Julio A; Treviño-Quintanilla, Luis G; Valtierra-Gutiérrez, Ilse A; Gutiérrez-Ríos, Rosa María; Alonso-Pavón, José A

2012-10-31

Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis are two of the best-studied prokaryotic model organisms. Previous analyses of their transcriptional regulatory networks have shown that they exhibit high plasticity during evolution and suggested that both converge to scale-free-like structures. Nevertheless, beyond this suggestion, no analyses have been carried out to identify the common systems-level components and principles governing these organisms. Here we show that these two phylogenetically distant organisms follow a set of common novel biologically consistent systems principles revealed by the mathematically and biologically founded natural decomposition approach. The discovered common functional architecture is a diamond-shaped, matryoshka-like, three-layer (coordination, processing, and integration) hierarchy exhibiting feedback, which is shaped by four systems-level components: global transcription factors (global TFs), locally autonomous modules, basal machinery and intermodular genes. The first mathematical criterion to identify global TFs, the κ-value, was reassessed on B. subtilis and confirmed its high predictive power by identifying all the previously reported, plus three potential, master regulators and eight sigma factors. The functionally conserved cores of modules, basal cell machinery, and a set of non-orthologous common physiological global responses were identified via both orthologous genes and non-orthologous conserved functions. This study reveals novel common systems principles maintained between two phylogenetically distant organisms and provides a comparison of their lifestyle adaptations. Our results shed new light on the systems-level principles and the fundamental functions required by bacteria to sustain life. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Identification of multi-criteria for supplier selection in IT project outsourcing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fusiripong, Prashaya; Baharom, Fauziah; Yusof, Yuhanis

2017-10-01

In the increasing global business competitiveness, most organizations have attempted to determine the suitable external parties to support their core and non-core competency, particularly, in IT project outsourcing. The IT supplier selection is required to apply multi-criteria which comprised tangible criteria and intangible criteria in consider optimal IT supplier. Most researches attempted to identify optimal criteria for selecting IT supplier, however, the criteria cannot be the considered common criteria support the variety of IT outsourcing. Therefore, the study aimed to identify a common set of criteria being used in the various types of IT outsourcing. The common criteria are constructed by multi-criteria and success criteria, which were collected by literature review with comprehensive and comparative approach. Consequently, the researchers are able to identify a common set of criteria adopted in the variety of selection problem IT outsourcing supplier.

Multi-breed and multi-trait co-association analysis of meat tenderness and other meat quality traits in three French beef cattle breeds.

PubMed

Ramayo-Caldas, Yuliaxis; Renand, Gilles; Ballester, Maria; Saintilan, Romain; Rocha, Dominique

2016-04-23

Studies to identify markers associated with beef tenderness have focused on Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) but the interplay between the genes associated with WBSF has not been explored. We used the association weight matrix (AWM), a systems biology approach, to identify a set of interacting genes that are co-associated with tenderness and other meat quality traits, and shared across the Charolaise, Limousine and Blonde d'Aquitaine beef cattle breeds. Genome-wide association studies were performed using ~500K single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 17 phenotypes measured on more than 1000 animals for each breed. First, this multi-trait approach was applied separately for each breed across 17 phenotypes and second, between- and across-breed comparisons at the AWM and functional levels were performed. Genetic heterogeneity was observed, and most of the variants that were associated with WBSF segregated within rather than across breeds. We identified 206 common candidate genes associated with WBSF across the three breeds. SNPs in these common genes explained between 28 and 30 % of the phenotypic variance for WBSF. A reduced number of common SNPs mapping to the 206 common genes were identified, suggesting that different mutations may target the same genes in a breed-specific manner. Therefore, it is likely that, depending on allele frequencies and linkage disequilibrium patterns, a SNP that is identified for one breed may not be informative for another unrelated breed. Well-known candidate genes affecting beef tenderness were identified. In addition, some of the 206 common genes are located within previously reported quantitative trait loci for WBSF in several cattle breeds. Moreover, the multi-breed co-association analysis detected new candidate genes, regulators and metabolic pathways that are likely involved in the determination of meat tenderness and other meat quality traits in beef cattle. Our results suggest that systems biology approaches that explore associations of correlated traits increase statistical power to identify candidate genes beyond the one-dimensional approach. Further studies on the 206 common genes, their pathways, regulators and interactions will expand our knowledge on the molecular basis of meat tenderness and could lead to the discovery of functional mutations useful for genomic selection in a multi-breed beef cattle context.

What do consistently high-performing in vitro fertilization programs in the U.S. do?

PubMed

Van Voorhis, Bradley J; Thomas, Mika; Surrey, Eric S; Sparks, Amy

2010-09-01

To identify common clinical and laboratory practices among consistently high-performing IVF programs. Questionnaire study of selected IVF programs. Academic and private practice IVF programs. Ten of 12 programs identified as having consistently high singleton delivery rates per cycle. None. Common clinical practices. Common clinical practices identified among these programs included testing all patients for ovarian reserve, endometrial defects, and hydrosalpinges; use of a mixed LH and FSH stimulation protocol with step-down dosing; and use of ultrasound guidance for ET. Common laboratory practices included selective use of intracytoplasmic sperm injection, group culture of embryos in microdrops, and use of blastocyst ET in selected cases. Common laboratory features included good air quality using filtration and heated stages for oocyte and embryo work. Although a number of factors were identified in this best-practices questionnaire, programs often differed in many aspects of care. However, high-performing programs cited experience of physicians, embryologists, and staff members as well as consistency of approach, attention to detail, and good communication as being vital to excellent outcomes. Copyright (c) 2010 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Signature and Mechanism of the Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-05-01

such as breast cancer . This study seeks to identify genes commonly regulated in the EMT, and identify key regulators of the process. An EMT core...Appendices…………………………………………………………………………… NA 4 Introduction Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women in the United...Hence, the study of breast cancer progression and metastasis is as important as the study of what causes the cancer to arise in the first place. The

Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) Hardware Commonality for Exploration Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carrasquillo, Robyn; Anderson, Molly

2012-01-01

In August 2011, the Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) technical community, along with associated stakeholders, held a workshop to review NASA s plans for Exploration missions and vehicles with two objectives: revisit the Exploration Atmospheres Working Group (EAWG) findings from 2006, and discuss preliminary ECLSS architecture concepts and technology choices for Exploration vehicles, identifying areas for potential common hardware or technologies to be utilized. Key considerations for selection of vehicle design total pressure and percent oxygen include operational concepts for extravehicular activity (EVA) and prebreathe protocols, materials flammability, and controllability within pressure and oxygen ranges. New data for these areas since the 2006 study were presented and discussed, and the community reached consensus on conclusions and recommendations for target design pressures for each Exploration vehicle concept. For the commonality study, the workshop identified many areas of potential commonality across the Exploration vehicles as well as with heritage International Space Station (ISS) and Shuttle hardware. Of the 36 ECLSS functions reviewed, 16 were considered to have strong potential for commonality, 13 were considered to have some potential commonality, and 7 were considered to have limited potential for commonality due to unique requirements or lack of sufficient heritage hardware. These findings, which will be utilized in architecture studies and budget exercises going forward, are presented in detail.

Special Education Teachers' Knowledge and Use of Brain-Based Teaching, Common Core State Standards, Formative Feedback Practices and Instructional Efficacy for the Diverse Learning Needs of Students in High and Low Proficiency Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker-Thompson, Malasia

2014-01-01

This study examined special education teachers' knowledge and use of: brain-based teaching strategies, Common Core State Standards, formative feedback, and instructional efficacy for diverse students. The study identified the differences amongst special education teachers' responses on the dimensions of brain-based teaching strategies, Common Core…

Matching student personality types and learning preferences to teaching methodologies.

PubMed

Jessee, Stephen A; O'Neill, Paula N; Dosch, Robert O

2006-06-01

The purpose of this study was to identify teaching styles that complement the learning preferences of undergraduate dental students while enhancing the quality of patient care. A formidable challenge to reform in dental education has been overcoming the resistance by faculty and administration to recommended changes. The organizational structure of dental institutions, with their independent departments, makes obtaining consensus on educational issues difficult. For beneficial change to occur, clear evidence of the benefits to all within the organization must be presented. The objectives of the study were to 1) identify the most common personality types among first- and second-year undergraduate dental students at the University of Texas Dental Branch at Houston using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI); 2) identify the learning preferences of these personality types; and 3) determine a more effective approach to teaching clinical dentistry based upon student personality types and learning preferences. Four common personality types were identified among respondents: ISTJ, ESFJ, ESTJ, and ISFJ, with a predisposition for Sensing (S) (desire for facts, use of senses) over Intuition (N) (look for possibilities, relationships) and Judging (J) (prefers decisiveness, closure) over Perceiving (P) (desire flexibility, spontaneity). The most common occurring personality type, ISTJ, represents an Introverted, Sensing, Thinking, Judging individual. Specific clinical curricular techniques that would appeal to these common personality types are identified, and an explanation of their benefit is provided. Results of this study demonstrate the importance of faculty understanding and acknowledging different student personality types and related learning preferences as a way to initiate improvement of undergraduate dental education, promote student motivation, and allow for an expression of learning style preference.

Genome-wide association study of CNVs in 16,000 cases of eight common diseases and 3,000 shared controls.

PubMed

Craddock, Nick; Hurles, Matthew E; Cardin, Niall; Pearson, Richard D; Plagnol, Vincent; Robson, Samuel; Vukcevic, Damjan; Barnes, Chris; Conrad, Donald F; Giannoulatou, Eleni; Holmes, Chris; Marchini, Jonathan L; Stirrups, Kathy; Tobin, Martin D; Wain, Louise V; Yau, Chris; Aerts, Jan; Ahmad, Tariq; Andrews, T Daniel; Arbury, Hazel; Attwood, Anthony; Auton, Adam; Ball, Stephen G; Balmforth, Anthony J; Barrett, Jeffrey C; Barroso, Inês; Barton, Anne; Bennett, Amanda J; Bhaskar, Sanjeev; Blaszczyk, Katarzyna; Bowes, John; Brand, Oliver J; Braund, Peter S; Bredin, Francesca; Breen, Gerome; Brown, Morris J; Bruce, Ian N; Bull, Jaswinder; Burren, Oliver S; Burton, John; Byrnes, Jake; Caesar, Sian; Clee, Chris M; Coffey, Alison J; Connell, John M C; Cooper, Jason D; Dominiczak, Anna F; Downes, Kate; Drummond, Hazel E; Dudakia, Darshna; Dunham, Andrew; Ebbs, Bernadette; Eccles, Diana; Edkins, Sarah; Edwards, Cathryn; Elliot, Anna; Emery, Paul; Evans, David M; Evans, Gareth; Eyre, Steve; Farmer, Anne; Ferrier, I Nicol; Feuk, Lars; Fitzgerald, Tomas; Flynn, Edward; Forbes, Alistair; Forty, Liz; Franklyn, Jayne A; Freathy, Rachel M; Gibbs, Polly; Gilbert, Paul; Gokumen, Omer; Gordon-Smith, Katherine; Gray, Emma; Green, Elaine; Groves, Chris J; Grozeva, Detelina; Gwilliam, Rhian; Hall, Anita; Hammond, Naomi; Hardy, Matt; Harrison, Pile; Hassanali, Neelam; Hebaishi, Husam; Hines, Sarah; Hinks, Anne; Hitman, Graham A; Hocking, Lynne; Howard, Eleanor; Howard, Philip; Howson, Joanna M M; Hughes, Debbie; Hunt, Sarah; Isaacs, John D; Jain, Mahim; Jewell, Derek P; Johnson, Toby; Jolley, Jennifer D; Jones, Ian R; Jones, Lisa A; Kirov, George; Langford, Cordelia F; Lango-Allen, Hana; Lathrop, G Mark; Lee, James; Lee, Kate L; Lees, Charlie; Lewis, Kevin; Lindgren, Cecilia M; Maisuria-Armer, Meeta; Maller, Julian; Mansfield, John; Martin, Paul; Massey, Dunecan C O; McArdle, Wendy L; McGuffin, Peter; McLay, Kirsten E; Mentzer, Alex; Mimmack, Michael L; Morgan, Ann E; Morris, Andrew P; Mowat, Craig; Myers, Simon; Newman, William; Nimmo, Elaine R; O'Donovan, Michael C; Onipinla, Abiodun; Onyiah, Ifejinelo; Ovington, Nigel R; Owen, Michael J; Palin, Kimmo; Parnell, Kirstie; Pernet, David; Perry, John R B; Phillips, Anne; Pinto, Dalila; Prescott, Natalie J; Prokopenko, Inga; Quail, Michael A; Rafelt, Suzanne; Rayner, Nigel W; Redon, Richard; Reid, David M; Renwick; Ring, Susan M; Robertson, Neil; Russell, Ellie; St Clair, David; Sambrook, Jennifer G; Sanderson, Jeremy D; Schuilenburg, Helen; Scott, Carol E; Scott, Richard; Seal, Sheila; Shaw-Hawkins, Sue; Shields, Beverley M; Simmonds, Matthew J; Smyth, Debbie J; Somaskantharajah, Elilan; Spanova, Katarina; Steer, Sophia; Stephens, Jonathan; Stevens, Helen E; Stone, Millicent A; Su, Zhan; Symmons, Deborah P M; Thompson, John R; Thomson, Wendy; Travers, Mary E; Turnbull, Clare; Valsesia, Armand; Walker, Mark; Walker, Neil M; Wallace, Chris; Warren-Perry, Margaret; Watkins, Nicholas A; Webster, John; Weedon, Michael N; Wilson, Anthony G; Woodburn, Matthew; Wordsworth, B Paul; Young, Allan H; Zeggini, Eleftheria; Carter, Nigel P; Frayling, Timothy M; Lee, Charles; McVean, Gil; Munroe, Patricia B; Palotie, Aarno; Sawcer, Stephen J; Scherer, Stephen W; Strachan, David P; Tyler-Smith, Chris; Brown, Matthew A; Burton, Paul R; Caulfield, Mark J; Compston, Alastair; Farrall, Martin; Gough, Stephen C L; Hall, Alistair S; Hattersley, Andrew T; Hill, Adrian V S; Mathew, Christopher G; Pembrey, Marcus; Satsangi, Jack; Stratton, Michael R; Worthington, Jane; Deloukas, Panos; Duncanson, Audrey; Kwiatkowski, Dominic P; McCarthy, Mark I; Ouwehand, Willem; Parkes, Miles; Rahman, Nazneen; Todd, John A; Samani, Nilesh J; Donnelly, Peter

2010-04-01

Copy number variants (CNVs) account for a major proportion of human genetic polymorphism and have been predicted to have an important role in genetic susceptibility to common disease. To address this we undertook a large, direct genome-wide study of association between CNVs and eight common human diseases. Using a purpose-designed array we typed approximately 19,000 individuals into distinct copy-number classes at 3,432 polymorphic CNVs, including an estimated approximately 50% of all common CNVs larger than 500 base pairs. We identified several biological artefacts that lead to false-positive associations, including systematic CNV differences between DNAs derived from blood and cell lines. Association testing and follow-up replication analyses confirmed three loci where CNVs were associated with disease-IRGM for Crohn's disease, HLA for Crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes, and TSPAN8 for type 2 diabetes-although in each case the locus had previously been identified in single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based studies, reflecting our observation that most common CNVs that are well-typed on our array are well tagged by SNPs and so have been indirectly explored through SNP studies. We conclude that common CNVs that can be typed on existing platforms are unlikely to contribute greatly to the genetic basis of common human diseases.

Concluding Comments about Student Transition to Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cole, James S.

2017-01-01

This special issue of Transition to Higher Education contained studies from nine countries across the globe. The following provides a brief review of all nine studies, identifying common themes. These common themes include the importance of student expectations regarding their first-year experiences, as well as the importance of student academic…

Post-Secondary Analysis of Clothing/Textiles Technology Programs in Texas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glosson, Linda R.; And Others

A study examined postsecondary occupational programs in clothing and textiles technology in Texas in order to (1) identify common essential competencies taught in postsecondary clothing/textiles technology programs, (2) develop and distribute student competency profiles of essential common competencies shared by the eight areas of study within…

Common Perceptions of Parents Requesting Personal Exemption from Vaccination

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luthy, Karlen E.; Beckstrand, Renea L.; Meyers, Carly J. H.

2013-01-01

School nurses, as vaccination advocates, need to be aware of parents' common concerns regarding vaccines, so the nurse can develop strategies to communicate with parents. The purpose of this cross sectional, descriptive study was to identify common reasons parents in Utah seek exempting rather than vaccinating their children. Data were collected…

Lumbosacral Transitional Vertebrae and Its Prevalence in the Australian Population

PubMed Central

French, Heath D.; Somasundaram, Arjuna J.; Schaefer, Nathan R.; Laherty, Richard W.

2014-01-01

Study Design Retrospective cohort study. Objective Lumbosacral transitional vertebrae (LSTV) are a common congenital anomaly, and they can be accurately identified on anteroposterior (AP) radiographs of the lumbosacral spine. This study attempts to determine the prevalence of this congenital anomaly and to increase awareness among all clinicians to reduce the risk of surgical and procedural errors in patients with LSTV. Methods A retrospective review of 5,941 AP and lateral lumbar radiographs was performed. Transitional vertebrae were identified and categorized under the Castellvi classification. Results The prevalence of LSTV in the study population was 9.9%. Lumbarized S1 and sacralized L5 were seen in 5.8 and 4.1% of patients, respectively. Conclusion LSTV are a common normal variant and can be a factor in spinal surgery at incorrect levels. It is essential that all clinicians are aware of this common congenital anomaly. PMID:25396103

Rare variants and cardiovascular disease.

PubMed

Wain, Louise V

2014-09-01

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in the Western world. Large genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, stroke and dilated cardiomyopathy have identified a number of common genetic variants with modest effects on disease risk. Similarly, studies of important modifiable risk factors of CVD have identified a large number of predominantly common variant associations, for example, with blood pressure and blood lipid levels. In each case, despite the often large numbers of loci identified, only a small proportion of the phenotypic variance is explained. It has been hypothesised that rare variants with large effects may account for some of the missing variance but large-scale studies of rare variation are in their infancy for cardiovascular traits and have yet to produce fruitful results. Studies of monogenic CVDs, inherited disorders believed to be entirely driven by individual rare mutations, have highlighted genes that play a key role in disease aetiology. In this review, we discuss how findings from studies of rare variants in monogenic disease and GWAS of predominantly common variants are converging to provide further insight into biological disease mechanisms. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

NORTHEAST LOON STUDY WORKING GROUP PARTNERSHIP TO ASSESS ENVIRONMENTAL RISK

EPA Science Inventory

The Northeast Loon Study Working Group (NELSWG) was formed in 1994 to proactively identify threats to one of the Northeast's most popular waterbirds, the common loon, Gavia immer. Seventeen institutions have come together to identify strategy, coordinate the work load, and share ...

Identifying Opportunities for Vertical Integration of Biochemistry and Clinical Medicine.

PubMed

Wendelberger, Karen J.; Burke, Rebecca; Haas, Arthur L.; Harenwattananon, Marisa; Simpson, Deborah

1998-01-01

Objectives: Retention of basic science knowledge, as judged by National Board of Medical Examiners' (NBME) data, suffers due to lack of apparent relevance and isolation of instruction from clinical application, especially in biochemistry. However, the literature reveals no systematic process for identifying key biochemical concepts and associated clinical conditions. This study systematically identified difficult biochemical concepts and their common clinical conditions as a critical step towards enhancing relevance and retention of biochemistry.Methods: A multi-step/ multiple stakeholder process was used to: (1) identify important biochemistry concepts; (2) determine students' perceptions of concept difficulty; (3) assess biochemistry faculty, student, and clinical teaching scholars' perceived relevance of identified concepts; and (4) identify associated common clinical conditions for relevant and difficult concepts. Surveys and a modified Delphi process were used to gather data, subsequently analyzed using SPSS for Windows.Results: Sixteen key biochemical concepts were identified. Second year medical students rated 14/16 concepts as extremely difficult while fourth year students rated nine concepts as moderately to extremely difficult. On average, each teaching scholar generated common clinical conditions for 6.2 of the 16 concepts, yielding a set of seven critical concepts and associated clinical conditions.Conclusions: Key stakeholders in the instructional process struggle to identify biochemistry concepts that are critical, difficult to learn and associated with common clinical conditions. However, through a systematic process beginning with identification of concepts and associated clinical conditions, relevance of basic science instruction can be enhanced.

Investigation of common, low-frequency and rare genome-wide variation in anorexia nervosa

PubMed Central

Huckins, L M; Hatzikotoulas, K; Southam, L; Thornton, L M; Steinberg, J; Aguilera-McKay, F; Treasure, J; Schmidt, U; Gunasinghe, C; Romero, A; Curtis, C; Rhodes, D; Moens, J; Kalsi, G; Dempster, D; Leung, R; Keohane, A; Burghardt, R; Ehrlich, S; Hebebrand, J; Hinney, A; Ludolph, A; Walton, E; Deloukas, P; Hofman, A; Palotie, A; Palta, P; van Rooij, F J A; Stirrups, K; Adan, R; Boni, C; Cone, R; Dedoussis, G; van Furth, E; Gonidakis, F; Gorwood, P; Hudson, J; Kaprio, J; Kas, M; Keski-Rahonen, A; Kiezebrink, K; Knudsen, G-P; Slof-Op 't Landt, M C T; Maj, M; Monteleone, A M; Monteleone, P; Raevuori, A H; Reichborn-Kjennerud, T; Tozzi, F; Tsitsika, A; van Elburg, A; Adan, R A H; Alfredsson, L; Ando, T; Andreassen, O A; Aschauer, H; Baker, J H; Barrett, J C; Bencko, V; Bergen, A W; Berrettini, W H; Birgegard, A; Boni, C; Boraska Perica, V; Brandt, H; Breen, G; Bulik, C M; Carlberg, L; Cassina, M; Cichon, S; Clementi, M; Cohen-Woods, S; Coleman, J; Cone, R D; Courtet, P; Crawford, S; Crow, S; Crowley, J; Danner, U N; Davis, O S P; de Zwaan, M; Dedoussis, G; Degortes, D; DeSocio, J E; Dick, D M; Dikeos, D; Dina, C; Ding, B; Dmitrzak-Weglarz, M; Docampo, E; Duncan, L; Egberts, K; Ehrlich, S; Escaramís, G; Esko, T; Espeseth, T; Estivill, X; Favaro, A; Fernández-Aranda, F; Fichter, M M; Finan, C; Fischer, K; Floyd, J A B; Foretova, L; Forzan, M; Franklin, C S; Gallinger, S; Gambaro, G; Gaspar, H A; Giegling, I; Gonidakis, F; Gorwood, P; Gratacos, M; Guillaume, S; Guo, Y; Hakonarson, H; Halmi, K A; Hatzikotoulas, K; Hauser, J; Hebebrand, J; Helder, S; Herms, S; Herpertz-Dahlmann, B; Herzog, W; Hilliard, C E; Hinney, A; Hübel, C; Huckins, L M; Hudson, J I; Huemer, J; Inoko, H; Janout, V; Jiménez-Murcia, S; Johnson, C; Julià, A; Juréus, A; Kalsi, G; Kaminska, D; Kaplan, A S; Kaprio, J; Karhunen, L; Karwautz, A; Kas, M J H; Kaye, W; Kennedy, J L; Keski-Rahkonen, A; Kiezebrink, K; Klareskog, L; Klump, K L; Knudsen, G P S; Koeleman, B P C; Koubek, D; La Via, M C; Landén, M; Le Hellard, S; Levitan, R D; Li, D; Lichtenstein, P; Lilenfeld, L; Lissowska, J; Lundervold, A; Magistretti, P; Maj, M; Mannik, K; Marsal, S; Martin, N; Mattingsdal, M; McDevitt, S; McGuffin, P; Merl, E; Metspalu, A; Meulenbelt, I; Micali, N; Mitchell, J; Mitchell, K; Monteleone, P; Monteleone, A M; Mortensen, P; Munn-Chernoff, M A; Navratilova, M; Nilsson, I; Norring, C; Ntalla, I; Ophoff, R A; O'Toole, J K; Palotie, A; Pante, J; Papezova, H; Pinto, D; Rabionet, R; Raevuori, A; Rajewski, A; Ramoz, N; Rayner, N W; Reichborn-Kjennerud, T; Ripatti, S; Roberts, M; Rotondo, A; Rujescu, D; Rybakowski, F; Santonastaso, P; Scherag, A; Scherer, S W; Schmidt, U; Schork, N J; Schosser, A; Slachtova, L; Sladek, R; Slagboom, P E; Slof-Op 't Landt, M C T; Slopien, A; Soranzo, N; Southam, L; Steen, V M; Strengman, E; Strober, M; Sullivan, P F; Szatkiewicz, J P; Szeszenia-Dabrowska, N; Tachmazidou, I; Tenconi, E; Thornton, L M; Tortorella, A; Tozzi, F; Treasure, J; Tsitsika, A; Tziouvas, K; van Elburg, A A; van Furth, E F; Wagner, G; Walton, E; Watson, H; Wichmann, H-E; Widen, E; Woodside, D B; Yanovski, J; Yao, S; Yilmaz, Z; Zeggini, E; Zerwas, S; Zipfel, S; Collier, D A; Sullivan, P F; Breen, G; Bulik, C M; Zeggini, E

2018-01-01

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a complex neuropsychiatric disorder presenting with dangerously low body weight, and a deep and persistent fear of gaining weight. To date, only one genome-wide significant locus associated with AN has been identified. We performed an exome-chip based genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in 2158 cases from nine populations of European origin and 15 485 ancestrally matched controls. Unlike previous studies, this GWAS also probed association in low-frequency and rare variants. Sixteen independent variants were taken forward for in silico and de novo replication (11 common and 5 rare). No findings reached genome-wide significance. Two notable common variants were identified: rs10791286, an intronic variant in OPCML (P=9.89 × 10−6), and rs7700147, an intergenic variant (P=2.93 × 10−5). No low-frequency variant associations were identified at genome-wide significance, although the study was well-powered to detect low-frequency variants with large effect sizes, suggesting that there may be no AN loci in this genomic search space with large effect sizes. PMID:29155802

Investigation of common, low-frequency and rare genome-wide variation in anorexia nervosa.

PubMed

Huckins, L M; Hatzikotoulas, K; Southam, L; Thornton, L M; Steinberg, J; Aguilera-McKay, F; Treasure, J; Schmidt, U; Gunasinghe, C; Romero, A; Curtis, C; Rhodes, D; Moens, J; Kalsi, G; Dempster, D; Leung, R; Keohane, A; Burghardt, R; Ehrlich, S; Hebebrand, J; Hinney, A; Ludolph, A; Walton, E; Deloukas, P; Hofman, A; Palotie, A; Palta, P; van Rooij, F J A; Stirrups, K; Adan, R; Boni, C; Cone, R; Dedoussis, G; van Furth, E; Gonidakis, F; Gorwood, P; Hudson, J; Kaprio, J; Kas, M; Keski-Rahonen, A; Kiezebrink, K; Knudsen, G-P; Slof-Op 't Landt, M C T; Maj, M; Monteleone, A M; Monteleone, P; Raevuori, A H; Reichborn-Kjennerud, T; Tozzi, F; Tsitsika, A; van Elburg, A; Collier, D A; Sullivan, P F; Breen, G; Bulik, C M; Zeggini, E

2018-05-01

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a complex neuropsychiatric disorder presenting with dangerously low body weight, and a deep and persistent fear of gaining weight. To date, only one genome-wide significant locus associated with AN has been identified. We performed an exome-chip based genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in 2158 cases from nine populations of European origin and 15 485 ancestrally matched controls. Unlike previous studies, this GWAS also probed association in low-frequency and rare variants. Sixteen independent variants were taken forward for in silico and de novo replication (11 common and 5 rare). No findings reached genome-wide significance. Two notable common variants were identified: rs10791286, an intronic variant in OPCML (P=9.89 × 10 -6 ), and rs7700147, an intergenic variant (P=2.93 × 10 -5 ). No low-frequency variant associations were identified at genome-wide significance, although the study was well-powered to detect low-frequency variants with large effect sizes, suggesting that there may be no AN loci in this genomic search space with large effect sizes.

Identifying airborne fungi in Seoul, Korea using metagenomics.

PubMed

Oh, Seung-Yoon; Fong, Jonathan J; Park, Myung Soo; Chang, Limseok; Lim, Young Woon

2014-06-01

Fungal spores are widespread and common in the atmosphere. In this study, we use a metagenomic approach to study the fungal diversity in six total air samples collected from April to May 2012 in Seoul, Korea. This springtime period is important in Korea because of the peak in fungal spore concentration and Asian dust storms, although the year of this study (2012) was unique in that were no major Asian dust events. Clustering sequences for operational taxonomic unit (OTU) identification recovered 1,266 unique OTUs in the combined dataset, with between 223᾿96 OTUs present in individual samples. OTUs from three fungal phyla were identified. For Ascomycota, Davidiella (anamorph: Cladosporium) was the most common genus in all samples, often accounting for more than 50% of all sequences in a sample. Other common Ascomycota genera identified were Alternaria, Didymella, Khuskia, Geosmitha, Penicillium, and Aspergillus. While several Basidiomycota genera were observed, Chytridiomycota OTUs were only present in one sample. Consistency was observed within sampling days, but there was a large shift in species composition from Ascomycota dominant to Basidiomycota dominant in the middle of the sampling period. This marked change may have been caused by meteorological events. A potential set of 40 allergy-inducing genera were identified, accounting for a large proportion of the diversity present (22.5᾿7.2%). Our study identifies high fungal diversity and potentially high levels of fungal allergens in springtime air of Korea, and provides a good baseline for future comparisons with Asian dust storms.

Citizenship for the Common Good: The Contributions of Mary Ritter Beard (1876-1958)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bair, Sarah D.

2007-01-01

In its 1995 definition of social studies, the National Council for the Social Studies (NC SS) explicitly identifies "citizenship for the common good" as the purpose of social studies education. The roots of this perspective can be traced to early twentieth-century educators. In their introduction to the seminal "1916 Report of the Committee on…

Factors Associated with Student Withdrawal from Community College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scoggin, Donna; Styron, Ronald

2006-01-01

Research was designed to identify commonalities of personal, enrollment, withdrawal, and evaluative factors as they relate to student withdrawal from community college. The study sought to identify interrelationships between identified reasons for student withdrawal and the variables of gender, race, classification status, degree sought, plans for…

Interrelatedness of Proactive Coping, Reactive Coping, and Learned Resourcefulness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

2011-01-01

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

Conditional clustering of temporal expression profiles

PubMed Central

Wang, Ling; Montano, Monty; Rarick, Matt; Sebastiani, Paola

2008-01-01

Background Many microarray experiments produce temporal profiles in different biological conditions but common cluster techniques are not able to analyze the data conditional on the biological conditions. Results This article presents a novel technique to cluster data from time course microarray experiments performed across several experimental conditions. Our algorithm uses polynomial models to describe the gene expression patterns over time, a full Bayesian approach with proper conjugate priors to make the algorithm invariant to linear transformations, and an iterative procedure to identify genes that have a common temporal expression profile across two or more experimental conditions, and genes that have a unique temporal profile in a specific condition. Conclusion We use simulated data to evaluate the effectiveness of this new algorithm in finding the correct number of clusters and in identifying genes with common and unique profiles. We also use the algorithm to characterize the response of human T cells to stimulations of antigen-receptor signaling gene expression temporal profiles measured in six different biological conditions and we identify common and unique genes. These studies suggest that the methodology proposed here is useful in identifying and distinguishing uniquely stimulated genes from commonly stimulated genes in response to variable stimuli. Software for using this clustering method is available from the project home page. PMID:18334028

Identification and characterization of microRNAs in Phaseolus vulgaris by high-throughput sequencing

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenously encoded small RNAs that post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression. MiRNAs play essential roles in almost all plant biological processes. Currently, few miRNAs have been identified in the model food legume Phaseolus vulgaris (common bean). Recent advances in next generation sequencing technologies have allowed the identification of conserved and novel miRNAs in many plant species. Here, we used Illumina's sequencing by synthesis (SBS) technology to identify and characterize the miRNA population of Phaseolus vulgaris. Results Small RNA libraries were generated from roots, flowers, leaves, and seedlings of P. vulgaris. Based on similarity to previously reported plant miRNAs,114 miRNAs belonging to 33 conserved miRNA families were identified. Stem-loop precursors and target gene sequences for several conserved common bean miRNAs were determined from publicly available databases. Less conserved miRNA families and species-specific common bean miRNA isoforms were also characterized. Moreover, novel miRNAs based on the small RNAs were found and their potential precursors were predicted. In addition, new target candidates for novel and conserved miRNAs were proposed. Finally, we studied organ-specific miRNA family expression levels through miRNA read frequencies. Conclusions This work represents the first massive-scale RNA sequencing study performed in Phaseolus vulgaris to identify and characterize its miRNA population. It significantly increases the number of miRNAs, precursors, and targets identified in this agronomically important species. The miRNA expression analysis provides a foundation for understanding common bean miRNA organ-specific expression patterns. The present study offers an expanded picture of P. vulgaris miRNAs in relation to those of other legumes. PMID:22394504

Establishing the role of rare coding variants in known Parkinson's disease risk loci.

PubMed

Jansen, Iris E; Gibbs, J Raphael; Nalls, Mike A; Price, T Ryan; Lubbe, Steven; van Rooij, Jeroen; Uitterlinden, André G; Kraaij, Robert; Williams, Nigel M; Brice, Alexis; Hardy, John; Wood, Nicholas W; Morris, Huw R; Gasser, Thomas; Singleton, Andrew B; Heutink, Peter; Sharma, Manu

2017-11-01

Many common genetic factors have been identified to contribute to Parkinson's disease (PD) susceptibility, improving our understanding of the related underlying biological mechanisms. The involvement of rarer variants in these loci has been poorly studied. Using International Parkinson's Disease Genomics Consortium data sets, we performed a comprehensive study to determine the impact of rare variants in 23 previously published genome-wide association studies (GWAS) loci in PD. We applied Prix fixe to select the putative causal genes underneath the GWAS peaks, which was based on underlying functional similarities. The Sequence Kernel Association Test was used to analyze the joint effect of rare, common, or both types of variants on PD susceptibility. All genes were tested simultaneously as a gene set and each gene individually. We observed a moderate association of common variants, confirming the involvement of the known PD risk loci within our genetic data sets. Focusing on rare variants, we identified additional association signals for LRRK2, STBD1, and SPATA19. Our study suggests an involvement of rare variants within several putatively causal genes underneath previously identified PD GWAS peaks. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

In-Space Cryogenic Propellant Depot (ISCPD) Architecture Definitions and Systems Studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fikes, John C.; Howell, Joe T.; Henley, Mark

2006-01-01

The objectives of the ISCPD Architecture Definitions and Systems Studies were to determine high leverage propellant depot architecture concepts, system configuration trades, and related technologies to enable more ambitious and affordable human and robotic exploration of the Earth Neighborhood and beyond. This activity identified architectures and concepts that preposition and store propellants in space for exploration and commercial space activities, consistent with Exploration Systems Research and Technology (ESR&T) objectives. Commonalities across mission scenarios for these architecture definitions, depot concepts, technologies, and operations were identified that also best satisfy the Vision of Space Exploration. Trade studies were conducted, technology development needs identified and assessments performed to drive out the roadmap for obtaining an in-space cryogenic propellant depot capability. The Boeing Company supported the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) by conducting this Depot System Architecture Development Study. The primary objectives of this depot architecture study were: (1) determine high leverage propellant depot concepts and related technologies; (2) identify commonalities across mission scenarios of depot concepts, technologies, and operations; (3) determine the best depot concepts and key technology requirements and (4) identify technology development needs including definition of ground and space test article requirements.

A comparison of leading and lagging indicators of safety in naval aviation.

PubMed

O'Connor, Paul; Cowan, Shawn; Alton, Jeffrey

2010-07-01

The purpose of this paper is to examine the results of two different methods of identifying human factors safety concerns in U.S. Naval aviation. In both studies, the information was collected using the Department of Defense Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (DoD-HFACS). In the first study, aviation mishap data (a lagging indictor) was obtained on 47 F/A-18 and 16 H-60 mishaps. In the second study, the responses of 68 squadrons to a survey regarding the human factors issues that they considered to be of the greatest safety concern were examined (a leading indicator). First study results revealed that skill-based errors were the most commonly cited factors for both F/A-18 and H-60 mishaps (70.2% and 81.3%, respectively). More specifically, the most commonly used nanocodes were 'over control/ under control' (27.7% and 56.3%, respectively), 'breakdown in visual scan' (27.7% and 12.5%, respectively), and 'procedural errors' (23.4% and 37.6%, respectively). The second study identified that the main concern of F/A-18 and H-60 aviators was workload and operational tempo (identified by 85% of squadrons). It can be concluded that the nanocodes that were most commonly used to classify the causes of past mishaps were not identified as major concerns by the squadrons who responded to the survey. The findings from these studies emphasize the importance of examining a number of performance metrics to ensure that effective measures are being taken to improve safety.

Persistent Factors Facilitating Excellence in Research Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalpazidou Schmidt, Evanthia; Graversen, Ebbe Krogh

2018-01-01

The study presented here identifies robust and time-invariant features that characterise dynamic and innovative research environments. It takes as its point of departure the results of an empirical study conducted in 2002 which identified the common characteristics of 15 dynamic and innovative public research environments, and focusses on their…

Mix and Switch Effects in Bilingual Language Processing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koeth, Joel T.

2012-01-01

This study utilized a novel task design in an effort to identify the source of the second language processing advantage commonly reported in mixed language conditions, investigate switch cost asymmetry in non-balanced bilinguals, and identify task-related variables that potentially contribute to inconsistent results across studies with similar…

Secondary School Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge of Some Common Student Errors and Misconceptions in Sets

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kolitsoe Moru, Eunice; Qhobela, Makomosela

2013-01-01

The study investigated teachers' pedagogical content knowledge of common students' errors and misconceptions in sets. Five mathematics teachers from one Lesotho secondary school were the sample of the study. Questionnaires and interviews were used for data collection. The results show that teachers were able to identify the following students'…

Renal diseases in adults with cystic fibrosis: a 40 year single centre experience.

PubMed

Wilcock, M J; Ruddick, A; Gyi, K M; Hodson, M E

2015-10-01

There is a sizable literature describing renal disease in patients with cystic fibrosis. Previous studies have focused on single disease processes alone, most commonly renal stone disease or acute kidney injury. In this study we report for the first time on the prevalence of all forms of renal disease in a cystic fibrosis population. A retrospective review of adult patients with cystic fibrosis attending the Adult Cystic Fibrosis Department at the Royal Brompton Hospital was carried out by searching the department's database to identify patients with renal problems and subsequently retrieving clinical information from medical notes. The prevalence of all renal diseases in our population was 5.1 %. The most commonly identified problem was renal stones. At 2.0 % the prevalence of renal stones in adult patients with cystic fibrosis was comparable to the general population. A range of other renal diseases were identified, the next most common being drug-induced acute kidney injury. A range of cystic fibrosis independent and attributable diseases has been identified but no cystic fibrosis specific disease. In contrast to other cystic fibrosis centres no increased prevalence of renal stones was found.

Patient and Healthcare Provider Barriers to Hypertension Awareness, Treatment and Follow Up: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Qualitative and Quantitative Studies

PubMed Central

Khatib, Rasha; Schwalm, Jon-David; Yusuf, Salim; Haynes, R. Brian; McKee, Martin; Khan, Maheer; Nieuwlaat, Robby

2014-01-01

Background Although the importance of detecting, treating, and controlling hypertension has been recognized for decades, the majority of patients with hypertension remain uncontrolled. The path from evidence to practice contains many potential barriers, but their role has not been reviewed systematically. This review aimed to synthesize and identify important barriers to hypertension control as reported by patients and healthcare providers. Methods Electronic databases MEDLINE, EMBASE and Global Health were searched systematically up to February 2013. Two reviewers independently selected eligible studies. Two reviewers categorized barriers based on a theoretical framework of behavior change. The theoretical framework suggests that a change in behavior requires a strong commitment to change [intention], the necessary skills and abilities to adopt the behavior [capability], and an absence of health system and support constraints. Findings Twenty-five qualitative studies and 44 quantitative studies met the inclusion criteria. In qualitative studies, health system barriers were most commonly discussed in studies of patients and health care providers. Quantitative studies identified disagreement with clinical recommendations as the most common barrier among health care providers. Quantitative studies of patients yielded different results: lack of knowledge was the most common barrier to hypertension awareness. Stress, anxiety and depression were most commonly reported as barriers that hindered or delayed adoption of a healthier lifestyle. In terms of hypertension treatment adherence, patients mostly reported forgetting to take their medication. Finally, priority setting barriers were most commonly reported by patients in terms of following up with their health care providers. Conclusions This review identified a wide range of barriers facing patients and health care providers pursuing hypertension control, indicating the need for targeted multi-faceted interventions. More methodologically rigorous studies that encompass the range of barriers and that include low- and middle-income countries are required in order to inform policies to improve hypertension control. PMID:24454721

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

PubMed Central

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

2016-01-01

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

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

PubMed Central

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

2017-01-01

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

Strategies in treatment of suicidality: identification of common and treatment-specific interventions in empirically supported treatment manuals.

PubMed

Weinberg, Igor; Ronningstam, Elsa; Goldblatt, Mark J; Schechter, Mark; Wheelis, Joan; Maltsberger, John T

2010-06-01

Many reports of treatments for suicidal patients claim effectiveness in reducing suicidal behavior but fail to demonstrate which treatment interventions, or combinations thereof, diminish suicidality. In this study, treatment manuals for empirically supported psychological treatments for suicidal patients were examined to identify which interventions they had in common and which interventions were treatment-specific. Empirically supported treatments for suicidality were identified through a literature search of PsychLit and MEDLINE for the years 1970-2007, employing the following search strategy: [suicide OR parasuicide] AND [therapy OR psychotherapy OR treatment] AND [random OR randomized]. After identifying the reports on randomized controlled studies that tested effectiveness of different treatments, the reference list of each report was searched for further studies. Only reports published in English were included. To ensure that rated manuals actually correspond to the delivered and tested treatments, we included only treatment interventions with explicit adherence rating and scoring and with adequate adherence ratings in the published studies. Five manualized treatments demonstrating efficacy in reducing suicide risk were identified and were independently evaluated by raters using a list of treatment interventions. The common interventions included a clear treatment framework; a defined strategy for managing suicide crises; close attention to affect; an active, participatory therapist style; and use of exploratory and change-oriented interventions. Some treatments encouraged a multimodal approach and identification of suicidality as an explicit target behavior, and some concentrated on the patient-therapist relationship. Emphasis on interpretation and supportive interventions varied. Not all methods encouraged systematic support for therapists. This study identified candidate interventions for possible effectiveness in reducing suicidality. These interventions seem to address central characteristics of suicidal patients. Further studies are needed to confirm which interventions and which combinations thereof are most effective. 2010 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

Identifying common values among seven health professions: An interprofessional analysis.

PubMed

Grace, Sandra; Innes, Ev; Joffe, Beverly; East, Leah; Coutts, Rosanne; Nancarrow, Susan

2017-05-01

This article reviews the competency frameworks of seven Australian health professions to explore relationships among health professions of similar status as reflected in their competency frameworks and to identify common themes and values across the professions. Frameworks were compared using a constructivist grounded theory approach to identify key themes, against which individual competencies for each profession were mapped and compared. The themes were examined for underlying values and a higher order theoretical framework was developed. In contrast to classical theories of professionalism that foreground differentiation of professions, our study suggests that the professions embrace a common structure and understanding, based on shared underpinning values. We propose a model of two core values that encompass all identified themes: the rights of the client and the capacity of a particular profession to serve the healthcare needs of clients. Interprofessional practice represents the intersection of the rights of the client to receive the best available healthcare and the recognition of the individual contribution of each profession. Recognising that all health professions adhere to a common value base, and exploring professional similarities and differences from that value base, challenges a paradigm that distinguishes professions solely on scope of practice.

Common Viral Integration Sites Identified in Avian Leukosis Virus-Induced B-Cell Lymphomas

PubMed Central

Justice, James F.; Morgan, Robin W.

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT Avian leukosis virus (ALV) induces B-cell lymphoma and other neoplasms in chickens by integrating within or near cancer genes and perturbing their expression. Four genes—MYC, MYB, Mir-155, and TERT—have previously been identified as common integration sites in these virus-induced lymphomas and are thought to play a causal role in tumorigenesis. In this study, we employ high-throughput sequencing to identify additional genes driving tumorigenesis in ALV-induced B-cell lymphomas. In addition to the four genes implicated previously, we identify other genes as common integration sites, including TNFRSF1A, MEF2C, CTDSPL, TAB2, RUNX1, MLL5, CXorf57, and BACH2. We also analyze the genome-wide ALV integration landscape in vivo and find increased frequency of ALV integration near transcriptional start sites and within transcripts. Previous work has shown ALV prefers a weak consensus sequence for integration in cultured human cells. We confirm this consensus sequence for ALV integration in vivo in the chicken genome. PMID:26670384

Common Student Misconceptions in Exercise Physiology and Biochemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morton, James P.; Doran, Dominic A.; MacLaren, Don P. M.

2008-01-01

The present study represents a preliminary investigation designed to identify common misconceptions in students' understanding of physiological and biochemical topics within the academic domain of sport and exercise sciences. A specifically designed misconception inventory (consisting of 10 multiple-choice questions) was administered to a cohort…

A HapMap harvest of insights into the genetics of common disease

PubMed Central

Manolio, Teri A.; Brooks, Lisa D.; Collins, Francis S.

2008-01-01

The International HapMap Project was designed to create a genome-wide database of patterns of human genetic variation, with the expectation that these patterns would be useful for genetic association studies of common diseases. This expectation has been amply fulfilled with just the initial output of genome-wide association studies, identifying nearly 100 loci for nearly 40 common diseases and traits. These associations provided new insights into pathophysiology, suggesting previously unsuspected etiologic pathways for common diseases that will be of use in identifying new therapeutic targets and developing targeted interventions based on genetically defined risk. In addition, HapMap-based discoveries have shed new light on the impact of evolutionary pressures on the human genome, suggesting multiple loci important for adapting to disease-causing pathogens and new environments. In this review we examine the origin, development, and current status of the HapMap; its prospects for continued evolution; and its current and potential future impact on biomedical science. PMID:18451988

Early In-Theater Management of Combat-Related Traumatic Brain Injury: A Prospective, Observational Study to Identify Opportunities for Performance Improvement

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-05-18

Head computed tomographic scan most commonly found skull fracture (68.9%), subdural hematoma (54.1%), and cerebral contusion (51.4%). Hypertonic saline...were common on presentation. Head computed tomographic scan most commonly found skull fracture (68.9%), subdural hematoma (54.1%), and cerebral con...reported was skull fracture, occurring in 68.9% of patients. The most common type of intracranial hemorrhage was subdural hematoma (54.1%). Multiple

A Profile of Injuries Sustained by Law Enforcement Officers: A Critical Review.

PubMed

Lyons, Kate; Radburn, Cameron; Orr, Robin; Pope, Rodney

2017-02-03

Due to the unpredictable, varied and often physical nature of law enforcement duties, police officers are at a high risk of work-related physical injury. The aim of this critical narrative review was to identify and synthesize key findings of studies that have investigated musculoskeletal injuries sustained by law enforcement officers during occupational tasks. A systematic search of four databases using key search terms was conducted to identify potentially relevant studies, which were assessed against key inclusion and exclusion criteria to determine studies to be included in the review. Included studies were critically appraised and the level of evidence determined. Relevant data were extracted, tabulated and synthesized. The 16 identified studies ranged in percentage quality scores from 25.00% to 65.00%, with a mean score of 41.25% and high interrater agreement in scores reflected in a Cohen's Kappa coefficient, κ = 0.977. The most common body site of injury was the upper extremity, the most common injury types were soft-tissue sprains and strains and the most common cause of injury was a non-compliant offender, often involving assault. However, there was limited peer reviewed research in this area and the published research had a narrow focus and was of low to fair methodological quality.

A Profile of Injuries Sustained by Law Enforcement Officers: A Critical Review

PubMed Central

Lyons, Kate; Radburn, Cameron; Orr, Robin; Pope, Rodney

2017-01-01

Due to the unpredictable, varied and often physical nature of law enforcement duties, police officers are at a high risk of work-related physical injury. The aim of this critical narrative review was to identify and synthesize key findings of studies that have investigated musculoskeletal injuries sustained by law enforcement officers during occupational tasks. A systematic search of four databases using key search terms was conducted to identify potentially relevant studies, which were assessed against key inclusion and exclusion criteria to determine studies to be included in the review. Included studies were critically appraised and the level of evidence determined. Relevant data were extracted, tabulated and synthesized. The 16 identified studies ranged in percentage quality scores from 25.00% to 65.00%, with a mean score of 41.25% and high interrater agreement in scores reflected in a Cohen’s Kappa coefficient, κ = 0.977. The most common body site of injury was the upper extremity, the most common injury types were soft-tissue sprains and strains and the most common cause of injury was a non-compliant offender, often involving assault. However, there was limited peer reviewed research in this area and the published research had a narrow focus and was of low to fair methodological quality. PMID:28165373

Improving Outcomes for Students with Disabilities: Identifying Characteristics of Successful Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeVries, Melissa; Tkatchov, Oran

2017-01-01

The common characteristics among Arizona districts and charters with high academic outcomes for student disabilities were identified in a qualitative study involving site visits and interviews. In 2014, the Arizona Department of Education examined over three years of state testing data to identify districts and charter schools that closed the…

De novo Transcriptome Assembly of Common Wild Rice (Oryza rufipogon Griff.) and Discovery of Drought-Response Genes in Root Tissue Based on Transcriptomic Data.

PubMed

Tian, Xin-Jie; Long, Yan; Wang, Jiao; Zhang, Jing-Wen; Wang, Yan-Yan; Li, Wei-Min; Peng, Yu-Fa; Yuan, Qian-Hua; Pei, Xin-Wu

2015-01-01

The perennial O. rufipogon (common wild rice), which is considered to be the ancestor of Asian cultivated rice species, contains many useful genetic resources, including drought resistance genes. However, few studies have identified the drought resistance and tissue-specific genes in common wild rice. In this study, transcriptome sequencing libraries were constructed, including drought-treated roots (DR) and control leaves (CL) and roots (CR). Using Illumina sequencing technology, we generated 16.75 million bases of high-quality sequence data for common wild rice and conducted de novo assembly and annotation of genes without prior genome information. These reads were assembled into 119,332 unigenes with an average length of 715 bp. A total of 88,813 distinct sequences (74.42% of unigenes) significantly matched known genes in the NCBI NT database. Differentially expressed gene (DEG) analysis showed that 3617 genes were up-regulated and 4171 genes were down-regulated in the CR library compared with the CL library. Among the DEGs, 535 genes were expressed in roots but not in shoots. A similar comparison between the DR and CR libraries showed that 1393 genes were up-regulated and 315 genes were down-regulated in the DR library compared with the CR library. Finally, 37 genes that were specifically expressed in roots were screened after comparing the DEGs identified in the above-described analyses. This study provides a transcriptome sequence resource for common wild rice plants and establishes a digital gene expression profile of wild rice plants under drought conditions using the assembled transcriptome data as a reference. Several tissue-specific and drought-stress-related candidate genes were identified, representing a fully characterized transcriptome and providing a valuable resource for genetic and genomic studies in plants.

47 CFR 2.925 - Identification of equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... sections assembled in a common enclosure, on a common chassis or circuit board, and with common frequency controlling circuits. Devices to which a single FCC Identifier has been assigned shall be identified pursuant... circuit boards with independent frequency controlling circuits. The FCC Identifier assigned to any...

Motivators, Facilitators, and Barriers to Physical Activity in Older Adults: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Miller, Wendy; Brown, Patrick R

In this descriptive, qualitative research study, the researchers used semistructured interviews with older adults who engaged in regular physical activity to identify common motivators, facilitators, and barriers to participating in regular exercise. The authors used these interviews to identify major themes and discuss implications for population health.

Replacement Behaviors for Identified Functions of Challenging Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matson, Johnny L.; Shoemaker, Mary E.; Sipes, Megan; Horovitz, Max; Worley, Julie A.; Kozlowski, Alison M.

2011-01-01

Functional assessment has become a major feature of learning-based research. A critical element of the majority of these studies includes not only methods and procedures to identify the cause of the challenging behavior, but to establish replacement treatment methods. By far the most common intervention in the 176 studies we reviewed was…

Psychometric evaluation of commonly used game-specific skills tests in rugby: A systematic review

PubMed Central

Oorschot, Sander; Chiwaridzo, Matthew; CM Smits-Engelsman, Bouwien

2017-01-01

Objectives To (1) give an overview of commonly used game-specific skills tests in rugby and (2) evaluate available psychometric information of these tests. Methods The databases PubMed, MEDLINE CINAHL and Africa Wide information were systematically searched for articles published between January 1995 and March 2017. First, commonly used game-specific skills tests were identified. Second, the available psychometrics of these tests were evaluated and the methodological quality of the studies assessed using the Consensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments checklist. Studies included in the first step had to report detailed information on the construct and testing procedure of at least one game-specific skill, and studies included in the second step had additionally to report at least one psychometric property evaluating reliability, validity or responsiveness. Results 287 articles were identified in the first step, of which 30 articles met the inclusion criteria and 64 articles were identified in the second step of which 10 articles were included. Reactive agility, tackling and simulated rugby games were the most commonly used tests. All 10 studies reporting psychometrics reported reliability outcomes, revealing mainly strong evidence. However, all studies scored poor or fair on methodological quality. Four studies reported validity outcomes in which mainly moderate evidence was indicated, but all articles had fair methodological quality. Conclusion Game-specific skills tests indicated mainly high reliability and validity evidence, but the studies lacked methodological quality. Reactive agility seems to be a promising domain, but the specific tests need further development. Future high methodological quality studies are required in order to develop valid and reliable test batteries for rugby talent identification. Trial registration number PROSPERO CRD42015029747. PMID:29259812

A scoring strategy combining statistics and functional genomics supports a possible role for common polygenic variation in autism

PubMed Central

Carayol, Jérôme; Schellenberg, Gerard D.; Dombroski, Beth; Amiet, Claire; Génin, Bérengère; Fontaine, Karine; Rousseau, Francis; Vazart, Céline; Cohen, David; Frazier, Thomas W.; Hardan, Antonio Y.; Dawson, Geraldine; Rio Frio, Thomas

2014-01-01

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are highly heritable complex neurodevelopmental disorders with a 4:1 male: female ratio. Common genetic variation could explain 40–60% of the variance in liability to autism. Because of their small effect, genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have only identified a small number of individual single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). To increase the power of GWASs in complex disorders, methods like convergent functional genomics (CFG) have emerged to extract true association signals from noise and to identify and prioritize genes from SNPs using a scoring strategy combining statistics and functional genomics. We adapted and applied this approach to analyze data from a GWAS performed on families with multiple children affected with autism from Autism Speaks Autism Genetic Resource Exchange (AGRE). We identified a set of 133 candidate markers that were localized in or close to genes with functional relevance in ASD from a discovery population (545 multiplex families); a gender specific genetic score (GS) based on these common variants explained 1% (P = 0.01 in males) and 5% (P = 8.7 × 10−7 in females) of genetic variance in an independent sample of multiplex families. Overall, our work demonstrates that prioritization of GWAS data based on functional genomics identified common variants associated with autism and provided additional support for a common polygenic background in autism. PMID:24600472

Identification of common immunodominant antigens of Eimeria tenella, Eimeria acervulina and Eimeria maxima by immunoproteomic analysis

PubMed Central

Liu, Jianhua; Li, Wenyu; Ji, Yihong; Tian, Di; Tian, Lu; Yang, Xinchao; Xu, Lixin; Yan, Ruofeng; Li, Xiangrui; Song, Xiaokai

2017-01-01

Clinical chicken coccidiosis is mostly caused by simultaneous infection of several Eimeria species, and host immunity against Eimeria is species-specific. It is urgent to identify common immunodominant antigen of Eimeria for developing multivalent anticoccidial vaccines. In this study, sporozoite proteins of Eimeria tenella, Eimeria acervulina and Eimeria maxima were analyzed by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2DE). Western bot analysis was performed on the yielded 2DE gel using antisera of E. tenella E. acervulina and E. maxima respectively. Next, the detected immunodominant spots were identified by comparing the data from MALDI-TOF-MS/MS with available databases. Finally, Eimeria common antigens were identified by comparing amino acid sequence between the three Eimeria species. The results showed that analysis by 2DE of sporozoite proteins detected 629, 626 and 632 protein spots from E. tenella, E. acervulina and E. maxima respectively. Western bot analysis revealed 50 (E. tenella), 64 (E. acervulina) and 57 (E. maxima) immunodominant spots from the sporozoite 2DE gels of the three Eimeria species. The immunodominant spots were identified as 33, 27 and 25 immunodominant antigens of E. tenella, E. acervulina and E. maxima respectively. Fifty-four immunodominant proteins were identified as 18 ortholog proteins among the three Eimeria species. Finally, 5 of the 18 ortholog proteins were identified as common immunodominant antigens including elongation factor 2 (EF-2), 14-3-3 protein, ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme domain-containing protein (UCE) and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). In conclusion, our results not only provide Eimeria sporozoite immunodominant antigen map and additional immunodominant antigens, but also common immunodominant antigens for developing multivalent anticoccidial vaccines. PMID:28432276

Identification of common immunodominant antigens of Eimeria tenella, Eimeria acervulina and Eimeria maxima by immunoproteomic analysis.

PubMed

Liu, Lianrui; Huang, Xinmei; Liu, Jianhua; Li, Wenyu; Ji, Yihong; Tian, Di; Tian, Lu; Yang, Xinchao; Xu, Lixin; Yan, Ruofeng; Li, Xiangrui; Song, Xiaokai

2017-05-23

Clinical chicken coccidiosis is mostly caused by simultaneous infection of several Eimeria species, and host immunity against Eimeria is species-specific. It is urgent to identify common immunodominant antigen of Eimeria for developing multivalent anticoccidial vaccines. In this study, sporozoite proteins of Eimeria tenella, Eimeria acervulina and Eimeria maxima were analyzed by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2DE). Western bot analysis was performed on the yielded 2DE gel using antisera of E. tenella E. acervulina and E. maxima respectively. Next, the detected immunodominant spots were identified by comparing the data from MALDI-TOF-MS/MS with available databases. Finally, Eimeria common antigens were identified by comparing amino acid sequence between the three Eimeria species. The results showed that analysis by 2DE of sporozoite proteins detected 629, 626 and 632 protein spots from E. tenella, E. acervulina and E. maxima respectively. Western bot analysis revealed 50 (E. tenella), 64 (E. acervulina) and 57 (E. maxima) immunodominant spots from the sporozoite 2DE gels of the three Eimeria species. The immunodominant spots were identified as 33, 27 and 25 immunodominant antigens of E. tenella, E. acervulina and E. maxima respectively. Fifty-four immunodominant proteins were identified as 18 ortholog proteins among the three Eimeria species. Finally, 5 of the 18 ortholog proteins were identified as common immunodominant antigens including elongation factor 2 (EF-2), 14-3-3 protein, ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme domain-containing protein (UCE) and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). In conclusion, our results not only provide Eimeria sporozoite immunodominant antigen map and additional immunodominant antigens, but also common immunodominant antigens for developing multivalent anticoccidial vaccines.

Exploring rear-end roadway crashes from the driver's perspective

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-10-01

This pilot study examined rear-end crashes from the driver's perspective to identify self-reported reasons and causes of such crashes, to identify commonalities in the self-reported causes and locations and circumstances of these crashes, and to expl...

Biology Undergraduates' Misconceptions about Genetic Drift

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andrews, T. M.; Price, R. M.; Mead, L. S.; McElhinny, T. L.; Thanukos, A.; Perez, K. E.; Herreid, C. F.; Terry, D. R.; Lemons, P. P.

2012-01-01

This study explores biology undergraduates' misconceptions about genetic drift. We use qualitative and quantitative methods to describe students' definitions, identify common misconceptions, and examine differences before and after instruction on genetic drift. We identify and describe five overarching categories that include 16 distinct…

The genetic architecture of type 2 diabetes.

PubMed

Fuchsberger, Christian; Flannick, Jason; Teslovich, Tanya M; Mahajan, Anubha; Agarwala, Vineeta; Gaulton, Kyle J; Ma, Clement; Fontanillas, Pierre; Moutsianas, Loukas; McCarthy, Davis J; Rivas, Manuel A; Perry, John R B; Sim, Xueling; Blackwell, Thomas W; Robertson, Neil R; Rayner, N William; Cingolani, Pablo; Locke, Adam E; Tajes, Juan Fernandez; Highland, Heather M; Dupuis, Josee; Chines, Peter S; Lindgren, Cecilia M; Hartl, Christopher; Jackson, Anne U; Chen, Han; Huyghe, Jeroen R; van de Bunt, Martijn; Pearson, Richard D; Kumar, Ashish; Müller-Nurasyid, Martina; Grarup, Niels; Stringham, Heather M; Gamazon, Eric R; Lee, Jaehoon; Chen, Yuhui; Scott, Robert A; Below, Jennifer E; Chen, Peng; Huang, Jinyan; Go, Min Jin; Stitzel, Michael L; Pasko, Dorota; Parker, Stephen C J; Varga, Tibor V; Green, Todd; Beer, Nicola L; Day-Williams, Aaron G; Ferreira, Teresa; Fingerlin, Tasha; Horikoshi, Momoko; Hu, Cheng; Huh, Iksoo; Ikram, Mohammad Kamran; Kim, Bong-Jo; Kim, Yongkang; Kim, Young Jin; Kwon, Min-Seok; Lee, Juyoung; Lee, Selyeong; Lin, Keng-Han; Maxwell, Taylor J; Nagai, Yoshihiko; Wang, Xu; Welch, Ryan P; Yoon, Joon; Zhang, Weihua; Barzilai, Nir; Voight, Benjamin F; Han, Bok-Ghee; Jenkinson, Christopher P; Kuulasmaa, Teemu; Kuusisto, Johanna; Manning, Alisa; Ng, Maggie C Y; Palmer, Nicholette D; Balkau, Beverley; Stančáková, Alena; Abboud, Hanna E; Boeing, Heiner; Giedraitis, Vilmantas; Prabhakaran, Dorairaj; Gottesman, Omri; Scott, James; Carey, Jason; Kwan, Phoenix; Grant, George; Smith, Joshua D; Neale, Benjamin M; Purcell, Shaun; Butterworth, Adam S; Howson, Joanna M M; Lee, Heung Man; Lu, Yingchang; Kwak, Soo-Heon; Zhao, Wei; Danesh, John; Lam, Vincent K L; Park, Kyong Soo; Saleheen, Danish; So, Wing Yee; Tam, Claudia H T; Afzal, Uzma; Aguilar, David; Arya, Rector; Aung, Tin; Chan, Edmund; Navarro, Carmen; Cheng, Ching-Yu; Palli, Domenico; Correa, Adolfo; Curran, Joanne E; Rybin, Denis; Farook, Vidya S; Fowler, Sharon P; Freedman, Barry I; Griswold, Michael; Hale, Daniel Esten; Hicks, Pamela J; Khor, Chiea-Chuen; Kumar, Satish; Lehne, Benjamin; Thuillier, Dorothée; Lim, Wei Yen; Liu, Jianjun; van der Schouw, Yvonne T; Loh, Marie; Musani, Solomon K; Puppala, Sobha; Scott, William R; Yengo, Loïc; Tan, Sian-Tsung; Taylor, Herman A; Thameem, Farook; Wilson, Gregory; Wong, Tien Yin; Njølstad, Pål Rasmus; Levy, Jonathan C; Mangino, Massimo; Bonnycastle, Lori L; Schwarzmayr, Thomas; Fadista, João; Surdulescu, Gabriela L; Herder, Christian; Groves, Christopher J; Wieland, Thomas; Bork-Jensen, Jette; Brandslund, Ivan; Christensen, Cramer; Koistinen, Heikki A; Doney, Alex S F; Kinnunen, Leena; Esko, Tõnu; Farmer, Andrew J; Hakaste, Liisa; Hodgkiss, Dylan; Kravic, Jasmina; Lyssenko, Valeriya; Hollensted, Mette; Jørgensen, Marit E; Jørgensen, Torben; Ladenvall, Claes; Justesen, Johanne Marie; Käräjämäki, Annemari; Kriebel, Jennifer; Rathmann, Wolfgang; Lannfelt, Lars; Lauritzen, Torsten; Narisu, Narisu; Linneberg, Allan; Melander, Olle; Milani, Lili; Neville, Matt; Orho-Melander, Marju; Qi, Lu; Qi, Qibin; Roden, Michael; Rolandsson, Olov; Swift, Amy; Rosengren, Anders H; Stirrups, Kathleen; Wood, Andrew R; Mihailov, Evelin; Blancher, Christine; Carneiro, Mauricio O; Maguire, Jared; Poplin, Ryan; Shakir, Khalid; Fennell, Timothy; DePristo, Mark; de Angelis, Martin Hrabé; Deloukas, Panos; Gjesing, Anette P; Jun, Goo; Nilsson, Peter; Murphy, Jacquelyn; Onofrio, Robert; Thorand, Barbara; Hansen, Torben; Meisinger, Christa; Hu, Frank B; Isomaa, Bo; Karpe, Fredrik; Liang, Liming; Peters, Annette; Huth, Cornelia; O'Rahilly, Stephen P; Palmer, Colin N A; Pedersen, Oluf; Rauramaa, Rainer; Tuomilehto, Jaakko; Salomaa, Veikko; Watanabe, Richard M; Syvänen, Ann-Christine; Bergman, Richard N; Bharadwaj, Dwaipayan; Bottinger, Erwin P; Cho, Yoon Shin; Chandak, Giriraj R; Chan, Juliana C N; Chia, Kee Seng; Daly, Mark J; Ebrahim, Shah B; Langenberg, Claudia; Elliott, Paul; Jablonski, Kathleen A; Lehman, Donna M; Jia, Weiping; Ma, Ronald C W; Pollin, Toni I; Sandhu, Manjinder; Tandon, Nikhil; Froguel, Philippe; Barroso, Inês; Teo, Yik Ying; Zeggini, Eleftheria; Loos, Ruth J F; Small, Kerrin S; Ried, Janina S; DeFronzo, Ralph A; Grallert, Harald; Glaser, Benjamin; Metspalu, Andres; Wareham, Nicholas J; Walker, Mark; Banks, Eric; Gieger, Christian; Ingelsson, Erik; Im, Hae Kyung; Illig, Thomas; Franks, Paul W; Buck, Gemma; Trakalo, Joseph; Buck, David; Prokopenko, Inga; Mägi, Reedik; Lind, Lars; Farjoun, Yossi; Owen, Katharine R; Gloyn, Anna L; Strauch, Konstantin; Tuomi, Tiinamaija; Kooner, Jaspal Singh; Lee, Jong-Young; Park, Taesung; Donnelly, Peter; Morris, Andrew D; Hattersley, Andrew T; Bowden, Donald W; Collins, Francis S; Atzmon, Gil; Chambers, John C; Spector, Timothy D; Laakso, Markku; Strom, Tim M; Bell, Graeme I; Blangero, John; Duggirala, Ravindranath; Tai, E Shyong; McVean, Gilean; Hanis, Craig L; Wilson, James G; Seielstad, Mark; Frayling, Timothy M; Meigs, James B; Cox, Nancy J; Sladek, Rob; Lander, Eric S; Gabriel, Stacey; Burtt, Noël P; Mohlke, Karen L; Meitinger, Thomas; Groop, Leif; Abecasis, Goncalo; Florez, Jose C; Scott, Laura J; Morris, Andrew P; Kang, Hyun Min; Boehnke, Michael; Altshuler, David; McCarthy, Mark I

2016-08-04

The genetic architecture of common traits, including the number, frequency, and effect sizes of inherited variants that contribute to individual risk, has been long debated. Genome-wide association studies have identified scores of common variants associated with type 2 diabetes, but in aggregate, these explain only a fraction of the heritability of this disease. Here, to test the hypothesis that lower-frequency variants explain much of the remainder, the GoT2D and T2D-GENES consortia performed whole-genome sequencing in 2,657 European individuals with and without diabetes, and exome sequencing in 12,940 individuals from five ancestry groups. To increase statistical power, we expanded the sample size via genotyping and imputation in a further 111,548 subjects. Variants associated with type 2 diabetes after sequencing were overwhelmingly common and most fell within regions previously identified by genome-wide association studies. Comprehensive enumeration of sequence variation is necessary to identify functional alleles that provide important clues to disease pathophysiology, but large-scale sequencing does not support the idea that lower-frequency variants have a major role in predisposition to type 2 diabetes.

The genetic architecture of type 2 diabetes

PubMed Central

Ma, Clement; Fontanillas, Pierre; Moutsianas, Loukas; McCarthy, Davis J; Rivas, Manuel A; Perry, John R B; Sim, Xueling; Blackwell, Thomas W; Robertson, Neil R; Rayner, N William; Cingolani, Pablo; Locke, Adam E; Tajes, Juan Fernandez; Highland, Heather M; Dupuis, Josee; Chines, Peter S; Lindgren, Cecilia M; Hartl, Christopher; Jackson, Anne U; Chen, Han; Huyghe, Jeroen R; van de Bunt, Martijn; Pearson, Richard D; Kumar, Ashish; Müller-Nurasyid, Martina; Grarup, Niels; Stringham, Heather M; Gamazon, Eric R; Lee, Jaehoon; Chen, Yuhui; Scott, Robert A; Below, Jennifer E; Chen, Peng; Huang, Jinyan; Go, Min Jin; Stitzel, Michael L; Pasko, Dorota; Parker, Stephen C J; Varga, Tibor V; Green, Todd; Beer, Nicola L; Day-Williams, Aaron G; Ferreira, Teresa; Fingerlin, Tasha; Horikoshi, Momoko; Hu, Cheng; Huh, Iksoo; Ikram, Mohammad Kamran; Kim, Bong-Jo; Kim, Yongkang; Kim, Young Jin; Kwon, Min-Seok; Lee, Juyoung; Lee, Selyeong; Lin, Keng-Han; Maxwell, Taylor J; Nagai, Yoshihiko; Wang, Xu; Welch, Ryan P; Yoon, Joon; Zhang, Weihua; Barzilai, Nir; Voight, Benjamin F; Han, Bok-Ghee; Jenkinson, Christopher P; Kuulasmaa, Teemu; Kuusisto, Johanna; Manning, Alisa; Ng, Maggie C Y; Palmer, Nicholette D; Balkau, Beverley; Stančáková, Alena; Abboud, Hanna E; Boeing, Heiner; Giedraitis, Vilmantas; Prabhakaran, Dorairaj; Gottesman, Omri; Scott, James; Carey, Jason; Kwan, Phoenix; Grant, George; Smith, Joshua D; Neale, Benjamin M; Purcell, Shaun; Butterworth, Adam S; Howson, Joanna M M; Lee, Heung Man; Lu, Yingchang; Kwak, Soo-Heon; Zhao, Wei; Danesh, John; Lam, Vincent K L; Park, Kyong Soo; Saleheen, Danish; So, Wing Yee; Tam, Claudia H T; Afzal, Uzma; Aguilar, David; Arya, Rector; Aung, Tin; Chan, Edmund; Navarro, Carmen; Cheng, Ching-Yu; Palli, Domenico; Correa, Adolfo; Curran, Joanne E; Rybin, Denis; Farook, Vidya S; Fowler, Sharon P; Freedman, Barry I; Griswold, Michael; Hale, Daniel Esten; Hicks, Pamela J; Khor, Chiea-Chuen; Kumar, Satish; Lehne, Benjamin; Thuillier, Dorothée; Lim, Wei Yen; Liu, Jianjun; van der Schouw, Yvonne T; Loh, Marie; Musani, Solomon K; Puppala, Sobha; Scott, William R; Yengo, Loïc; Tan, Sian-Tsung; Taylor, Herman A; Thameem, Farook; Wilson, Gregory; Wong, Tien Yin; Njølstad, Pål Rasmus; Levy, Jonathan C; Mangino, Massimo; Bonnycastle, Lori L; Schwarzmayr, Thomas; Fadista, João; Surdulescu, Gabriela L; Herder, Christian; Groves, Christopher J; Wieland, Thomas; Bork-Jensen, Jette; Brandslund, Ivan; Christensen, Cramer; Koistinen, Heikki A; Doney, Alex S F; Kinnunen, Leena; Esko, Tõnu; Farmer, Andrew J; Hakaste, Liisa; Hodgkiss, Dylan; Kravic, Jasmina; Lyssenko, Valeriya; Hollensted, Mette; Jørgensen, Marit E; Jørgensen, Torben; Ladenvall, Claes; Justesen, Johanne Marie; Käräjämäki, Annemari; Kriebel, Jennifer; Rathmann, Wolfgang; Lannfelt, Lars; Lauritzen, Torsten; Narisu, Narisu; Linneberg, Allan; Melander, Olle; Milani, Lili; Neville, Matt; Orho-Melander, Marju; Qi, Lu; Qi, Qibin; Roden, Michael; Rolandsson, Olov; Swift, Amy; Rosengren, Anders H; Stirrups, Kathleen; Wood, Andrew R; Mihailov, Evelin; Blancher, Christine; Carneiro, Mauricio O; Maguire, Jared; Poplin, Ryan; Shakir, Khalid; Fennell, Timothy; DePristo, Mark; de Angelis, Martin Hrabé; Deloukas, Panos; Gjesing, Anette P; Jun, Goo; Nilsson, Peter; Murphy, Jacquelyn; Onofrio, Robert; Thorand, Barbara; Hansen, Torben; Meisinger, Christa; Hu, Frank B; Isomaa, Bo; Karpe, Fredrik; Liang, Liming; Peters, Annette; Huth, Cornelia; O'Rahilly, Stephen P; Palmer, Colin N A; Pedersen, Oluf; Rauramaa, Rainer; Tuomilehto, Jaakko; Salomaa, Veikko; Watanabe, Richard M; Syvänen, Ann-Christine; Bergman, Richard N; Bharadwaj, Dwaipayan; Bottinger, Erwin P; Cho, Yoon Shin; Chandak, Giriraj R; Chan, Juliana C N; Chia, Kee Seng; Daly, Mark J; Ebrahim, Shah B; Langenberg, Claudia; Elliott, Paul; Jablonski, Kathleen A; Lehman, Donna M; Jia, Weiping; Ma, Ronald C W; Pollin, Toni I; Sandhu, Manjinder; Tandon, Nikhil; Froguel, Philippe; Barroso, Inês; Teo, Yik Ying; Zeggini, Eleftheria; Loos, Ruth J F; Small, Kerrin S; Ried, Janina S; DeFronzo, Ralph A; Grallert, Harald; Glaser, Benjamin; Metspalu, Andres; Wareham, Nicholas J; Walker, Mark; Banks, Eric; Gieger, Christian; Ingelsson, Erik; Im, Hae Kyung; Illig, Thomas; Franks, Paul W; Buck, Gemma; Trakalo, Joseph; Buck, David; Prokopenko, Inga; Mägi, Reedik; Lind, Lars; Farjoun, Yossi; Owen, Katharine R; Gloyn, Anna L; Strauch, Konstantin; Tuomi, Tiinamaija; Kooner, Jaspal Singh; Lee, Jong-Young; Park, Taesung; Donnelly, Peter; Morris, Andrew D; Hattersley, Andrew T; Bowden, Donald W; Collins, Francis S; Atzmon, Gil; Chambers, John C; Spector, Timothy D; Laakso, Markku; Strom, Tim M; Bell, Graeme I; Blangero, John; Duggirala, Ravindranath; Tai, E Shyong; McVean, Gilean; Hanis, Craig L; Wilson, James G; Seielstad, Mark; Frayling, Timothy M; Meigs, James B; Cox, Nancy J; Sladek, Rob; Lander, Eric S; Gabriel, Stacey; Burtt, Noël P; Mohlke, Karen L; Meitinger, Thomas; Groop, Leif; Abecasis, Goncalo; Florez, Jose C; Scott, Laura J; Morris, Andrew P; Kang, Hyun Min; Boehnke, Michael; Altshuler, David; McCarthy, Mark I

2016-01-01

The genetic architecture of common traits, including the number, frequency, and effect sizes of inherited variants that contribute to individual risk, has been long debated. Genome-wide association studies have identified scores of common variants associated with type 2 diabetes, but in aggregate, these explain only a fraction of heritability. To test the hypothesis that lower-frequency variants explain much of the remainder, the GoT2D and T2D-GENES consortia performed whole genome sequencing in 2,657 Europeans with and without diabetes, and exome sequencing in a total of 12,940 subjects from five ancestral groups. To increase statistical power, we expanded sample size via genotyping and imputation in a further 111,548 subjects. Variants associated with type 2 diabetes after sequencing were overwhelmingly common and most fell within regions previously identified by genome-wide association studies. Comprehensive enumeration of sequence variation is necessary to identify functional alleles that provide important clues to disease pathophysiology, but large-scale sequencing does not support a major role for lower-frequency variants in predisposition to type 2 diabetes. PMID:27398621

Scoping the common antecedents of job stress and job satisfaction for nurses (2000-2013) using the job demands-resources model of stress.

PubMed

McVicar, Andrew

2016-03-01

To identify core antecedents of job stress and job satisfaction, and to explore the potential of stress interventions to improve job satisfaction. Decreased job satisfaction for nurses is strongly associated with increased job stress. Stress management strategies might have the potential to improve job satisfaction. Comparative scoping review of studies (2000-2013) and location of their outcomes within the 'job demands-job resources' (JD-R) model of stress to identify commonalities and trends. Many, but not all, antecedents of both phenomena appeared consistently suggesting they are common mediators. Others were more variable but the appearance of 'emotional demands' as a common antecedent in later studies suggests an evolving influence of the changing work environment. The occurrence of 'shift work' as a common issue in later studies points to further implications for nurses' psychosocial well-being. Job satisfaction problems in nursing might be co-responsive to stress management intervention. Improving the buffering effectiveness of increased resilience and of prominent perceived job resource issues are urgently required. Participatory, psychosocial methods have the potential to raise job resources but will require high-level collaboration by stakeholders, and participative leadership and facilitation by managers to enable better decision-latitude, support for action planning and responsive changes. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Screening of Viral Pathogens from Pediatric Ileal Tissue Samples after Vaccination

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

Hewitson, Laura; Thissen, James B.; Gardner, Shea N.

In 2010, researchers reported that the two US-licensed rotavirus vaccines contained DNA or DNA fragments from porcine circovirus (PCV). Although PCV, a common virus among pigs, is not thought to cause illness in humans, these findings raised several safety concerns. In this study, we sought to determine whether viruses, including PCV, could be detected in ileal tissue samples of children vaccinated with one of the two rotavirus vaccines. A broad spectrum, novel DNA detection technology, the Lawrence Livermore Microbial Detection Array (LLMDA), was utilized, and confirmation of viral pathogens using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was conducted. The LLMDA technologymore » was recently used to identify PCV from one rotavirus vaccine. Ileal tissue samples were analyzed from 21 subjects, aged 15–62 months. PCV was not detected in any ileal tissue samples by the LLMDA or PCR. LLMDA identified a human rotavirus A from one of the vaccinated subjects, which is likely due to a recent infection from a wild type rotavirus. LLMDA also identified human parechovirus, a common gastroenteritis viral infection, from two subjects. Additionally, LLMDA detected common gastrointestinal bacterial organisms from the Enterobacteriaceae , Bacteroidaceae , and Streptococcaceae families from several subjects. This study provides a survey of viral and bacterial pathogens from pediatric ileal samples, and may shed light on future studies to identify pathogen associations with pediatric vaccinations.« less

Screening of Viral Pathogens from Pediatric Ileal Tissue Samples after Vaccination

DOE PAGES

Hewitson, Laura; Thissen, James B.; Gardner, Shea N.; ...

2014-01-01

In 2010, researchers reported that the two US-licensed rotavirus vaccines contained DNA or DNA fragments from porcine circovirus (PCV). Although PCV, a common virus among pigs, is not thought to cause illness in humans, these findings raised several safety concerns. In this study, we sought to determine whether viruses, including PCV, could be detected in ileal tissue samples of children vaccinated with one of the two rotavirus vaccines. A broad spectrum, novel DNA detection technology, the Lawrence Livermore Microbial Detection Array (LLMDA), was utilized, and confirmation of viral pathogens using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was conducted. The LLMDA technologymore » was recently used to identify PCV from one rotavirus vaccine. Ileal tissue samples were analyzed from 21 subjects, aged 15–62 months. PCV was not detected in any ileal tissue samples by the LLMDA or PCR. LLMDA identified a human rotavirus A from one of the vaccinated subjects, which is likely due to a recent infection from a wild type rotavirus. LLMDA also identified human parechovirus, a common gastroenteritis viral infection, from two subjects. Additionally, LLMDA detected common gastrointestinal bacterial organisms from the Enterobacteriaceae , Bacteroidaceae , and Streptococcaceae families from several subjects. This study provides a survey of viral and bacterial pathogens from pediatric ileal samples, and may shed light on future studies to identify pathogen associations with pediatric vaccinations.« less

Wanted: Schoolyard Plants.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Callison, Priscilla L.; Wright, Emmett L.

1992-01-01

Describes an activity for studying weeds in grades four through nine. "Wanted" posters are prepared with the scientific name of a common weed and a few identifying features. Students find the plant, give it an "alias" or common name, and then draw the "wanted" picture. Presents six wanted posters and describes expansion lessons and follow-up…

Comprehensive Evaluation of the Association of APOE Genetic Variation with Plasma Lipoprotein Traits in U.S. Whites and African Blacks

PubMed Central

Radwan, Zaheda H.; Wang, Xingbin; Waqar, Fahad; Pirim, Dilek; Niemsiri, Vipavee; Hokanson, John E.; Hamman, Richard F.; Bunker, Clareann H.; Barmada, M. Michael; Demirci, F. Yesim; Kamboh, M. Ilyas

2014-01-01

Although common APOE genetic variation has a major influence on plasma LDL-cholesterol, its role in affecting HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides is not well established. Recent genome-wide association studies suggest that APOE also affects plasma variation in HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides. It is thus important to resequence the APOE gene to identify both common and uncommon variants that affect plasma lipid profile. Here, we have sequenced the APOE gene in 190 subjects with extreme HDL-cholesterol levels selected from two well-defined epidemiological samples of U.S. non-Hispanic Whites (NHWs) and African Blacks followed by genotyping of identified variants in the entire datasets (623 NHWs, 788 African Blacks) and association analyses with major lipid traits. We identified a total of 40 sequence variants, of which 10 are novel. A total of 32 variants, including common tagSNPs (≥5% frequency) and all uncommon variants (<5% frequency) were successfully genotyped and considered for genotype-phenotype associations. Other than the established associations of APOE*2 and APOE*4 with LDL-cholesterol, we have identified additional independent associations with LDL-cholesterol. We have also identified multiple associations of uncommon and common APOE variants with HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides. Our comprehensive sequencing and genotype-phenotype analyses indicate that APOE genetic variation impacts HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides in addition to affecting LDL-cholesterol. PMID:25502880

Overlap of proteomics biomarkers between women with pre-eclampsia and PCOS: a systematic review and biomarker database integration

PubMed Central

Khan, Gulafshana Hafeez; Galazis, Nicolas; Docheva, Nikolina; Layfield, Robert; Atiomo, William

2015-01-01

STUDY QUESTION Do any proteomic biomarkers previously identified for pre-eclampsia (PE) overlap with those identified in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). SUMMARY ANSWER Five previously identified proteomic biomarkers were found to be common in women with PE and PCOS when compared with controls. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Various studies have indicated an association between PCOS and PE; however, the pathophysiological mechanisms supporting this association are not known. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION A systematic review and update of our PCOS proteomic biomarker database was performed, along with a parallel review of PE biomarkers. The study included papers from 1980 to December 2013. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS In all the studies analysed, there were a total of 1423 patients and controls. The number of proteomic biomarkers that were catalogued for PE was 192. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Five proteomic biomarkers were shown to be differentially expressed in women with PE and PCOS when compared with controls: transferrin, fibrinogen α, β and γ chain variants, kininogen-1, annexin 2 and peroxiredoxin 2. In PE, the biomarkers were identified in serum, plasma and placenta and in PCOS, the biomarkers were identified in serum, follicular fluid, and ovarian and omental biopsies. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION The techniques employed to detect proteomics have limited ability in identifying proteins that are of low abundance, some of which may have a diagnostic potential. The sample sizes and number of biomarkers identified from these studies do not exclude the risk of false positives, a limitation of all biomarker studies. The biomarkers common to PE and PCOS were identified from proteomic analyses of different tissues. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS This data amalgamation of the proteomic studies in PE and in PCOS, for the first time, discovered a panel of five biomarkers for PE which are common to women with PCOS, including transferrin, fibrinogen α, β and γ chain variants, kininogen-1, annexin 2 and peroxiredoxin 2. If validated, these biomarkers could provide a useful framework for the knowledge infrastructure in this area. To accomplish this goal, a well co-ordinated multidisciplinary collaboration of clinicians, basic scientists and mathematicians is vital. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) No financial support was obtained for this project. There are no conflicts of interest. PMID:25351721

Convergence of circuit dysfunction in ASD: a common bridge between diverse genetic and environmental risk factors and common clinical electrophysiology.

PubMed

Port, Russell G; Gandal, Michael J; Roberts, Timothy P L; Siegel, Steven J; Carlson, Gregory C

2014-01-01

Most recent estimates indicate that 1 in 68 children are affected by an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Though decades of research have uncovered much about these disorders, the pathological mechanism remains unknown. Hampering efforts is the seeming inability to integrate findings over the micro to macro scales of study, from changes in molecular, synaptic and cellular function to large-scale brain dysfunction impacting sensory, communicative, motor and cognitive activity. In this review, we describe how studies focusing on neuronal circuit function provide unique context for identifying common neurobiological disease mechanisms of ASD. We discuss how recent EEG and MEG studies in subjects with ASD have repeatedly shown alterations in ensemble population recordings (both in simple evoked related potential latencies and specific frequency subcomponents). Because these disease-associated electrophysiological abnormalities have been recapitulated in rodent models, studying circuit differences in these models may provide access to abnormal circuit function found in ASD. We then identify emerging in vivo and ex vivo techniques, focusing on how these assays can characterize circuit level dysfunction and determine if these abnormalities underlie abnormal clinical electrophysiology. Such circuit level study in animal models may help us understand how diverse genetic and environmental risks can produce a common set of EEG, MEG and anatomical abnormalities found in ASD.

Annotation and sequence diversity of transposable elements in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris).

PubMed

Gao, Dongying; Abernathy, Brian; Rohksar, Daniel; Schmutz, Jeremy; Jackson, Scott A

2014-01-01

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) is an important legume crop grown and consumed worldwide. With the availability of the common bean genome sequence, the next challenge is to annotate the genome and characterize functional DNA elements. Transposable elements (TEs) are the most abundant component of plant genomes and can dramatically affect genome evolution and genetic variation. Thus, it is pivotal to identify TEs in the common bean genome. In this study, we performed a genome-wide transposon annotation in common bean using a combination of homology and sequence structure-based methods. We developed a 2.12-Mb transposon database which includes 791 representative transposon sequences and is available upon request or from www.phytozome.org. Of note, nearly all transposons in the database are previously unrecognized TEs. More than 5,000 transposon-related expressed sequence tags (ESTs) were detected which indicates that some transposons may be transcriptionally active. Two Ty1-copia retrotransposon families were found to encode the envelope-like protein which has rarely been identified in plant genomes. Also, we identified an extra open reading frame (ORF) termed ORF2 from 15 Ty3-gypsy families that was located between the ORF encoding the retrotransposase and the 3'LTR. The ORF2 was in opposite transcriptional orientation to retrotransposase. Sequence homology searches and phylogenetic analysis suggested that the ORF2 may have an ancient origin, but its function is not clear. These transposon data provide a useful resource for understanding the genome organization and evolution and may be used to identify active TEs for developing transposon-tagging system in common bean and other related genomes.

Errors Analysis of Solving Linear Inequalities among the Preparatory Year Students at King Saud University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

El-khateeb, Mahmoud M. A.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study aims to investigate the errors classes occurred by the Preparatory year students at King Saud University, through analysis student responses to the items of the study test, and to identify the varieties of the common errors and ratios of common errors that occurred in solving inequalities. In the collection of the data,…

Predicting recreational water quality advisories: A comparison of statistical methods

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brooks, Wesley R.; Corsi, Steven R.; Fienen, Michael N.; Carvin, Rebecca B.

2016-01-01

Epidemiological studies indicate that fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) in beach water are associated with illnesses among people having contact with the water. In order to mitigate public health impacts, many beaches are posted with an advisory when the concentration of FIB exceeds a beach action value. The most commonly used method of measuring FIB concentration takes 18–24 h before returning a result. In order to avoid the 24 h lag, it has become common to ”nowcast” the FIB concentration using statistical regressions on environmental surrogate variables. Most commonly, nowcast models are estimated using ordinary least squares regression, but other regression methods from the statistical and machine learning literature are sometimes used. This study compares 14 regression methods across 7 Wisconsin beaches to identify which consistently produces the most accurate predictions. A random forest model is identified as the most accurate, followed by multiple regression fit using the adaptive LASSO.

Introducing Dynamic Mathematics Software to Secondary School Teachers: The Case of GeoGebra

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hohenwarter, Judith; Hohenwarter, Markus; Lavicza, Zsolt

2009-01-01

This paper describes a study aimed to identify most common impediments related to the introduction of an open-source mathematical software package GeoGebra. We report on the analysis of data collected during a three-week professional development programme organised for middle and high school teachers in Florida. The study identified challenges…

Identifying Belief-Based Targets for the Promotion of Leisure-Time Walking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rhodes, Ryan E.; Blanchard, Chris M.; Courneya, Kerry S.; Plotnikoff, Ronald C.

2009-01-01

Walking is the most common type of physical activity (PA) and the likely target of efforts to increase PA. No studies, however, have identified the belief-level correlates for walking using the theory of planned behavior. This study elicits salient beliefs about walking and evaluates beliefs that may be most important for walking-promotion…

Systematic Prioritization and Integrative Analysis of Copy Number Variations in Schizophrenia Reveal Key Schizophrenia Susceptibility Genes

PubMed Central

Luo, Xiongjian; Huang, Liang; Han, Leng; Luo, Zhenwu; Hu, Fang; Tieu, Roger; Gan, Lin

2014-01-01

Schizophrenia is a common mental disorder with high heritability and strong genetic heterogeneity. Common disease-common variants hypothesis predicts that schizophrenia is attributable in part to common genetic variants. However, recent studies have clearly demonstrated that copy number variations (CNVs) also play pivotal roles in schizophrenia susceptibility and explain a proportion of missing heritability. Though numerous CNVs have been identified, many of the regions affected by CNVs show poor overlapping among different studies, and it is not known whether the genes disrupted by CNVs contribute to the risk of schizophrenia. By using cumulative scoring, we systematically prioritized the genes affected by CNVs in schizophrenia. We identified 8 top genes that are frequently disrupted by CNVs, including NRXN1, CHRNA7, BCL9, CYFIP1, GJA8, NDE1, SNAP29, and GJA5. Integration of genes affected by CNVs with known schizophrenia susceptibility genes (from previous genetic linkage and association studies) reveals that many genes disrupted by CNVs are also associated with schizophrenia. Further protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis indicates that protein products of genes affected by CNVs frequently interact with known schizophrenia-associated proteins. Finally, systematic integration of CNVs prioritization data with genetic association and PPI data identifies key schizophrenia candidate genes. Our results provide a global overview of genes impacted by CNVs in schizophrenia and reveal a densely interconnected molecular network of de novo CNVs in schizophrenia. Though the prioritized top genes represent promising schizophrenia risk genes, further work with different prioritization methods and independent samples is needed to confirm these findings. Nevertheless, the identified key candidate genes may have important roles in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia, and further functional characterization of these genes may provide pivotal targets for future therapeutics and diagnostics. PMID:24664977

Dietary pattern as identified by factorial analysis and its association with lipid profile and fasting plasma glucose among Iranian individuals with spinal cord injury.

PubMed

Sabour, Hadis; Soltani, Zahra; Latifi, Sahar; Javidan, Abbas Norouzi

2016-07-01

Plasma lipids (triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C)) may be associated with dietary intakes. The purpose of this study was to identify the most common food patterns among Iranian persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) and investigate their associations with lipid profile. Cross-sectional. Tertiary rehabilitation center. Referred individuals to Brain and Spinal Injury Research Center (BASIR) from 2011 to 2014. Dietary intakes were assessed by 24-hour dietary recall interviews in three non-consecutive days. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to identify dietary patterns. Total of 100 persons (83 male and 17 female) entered the study. Four food patterns were detected. The most common dietary pattern (Pattern 1) included processed meat, sweets desserts and soft drink and was similar to 'Western' food pattern described previously. Pattern 1 was related to higher levels of TC and LDL-C (r = 0.09; P = 0.04 and r = 0.11; P = 0.03 for TC and LDL-C, respectively) only in male participants. Pattern 2 which included tea, nuts, vegetable oil and sugars had a positive association with TC level (r = 0.11; P = 0.02) again in male participants. Pattern 3 which represented a healthy food pattern showed no significant influence on lipid profiles. In this study, the four most common dietary patterns among Iranian individuals with SCI have been identified. Western food pattern was the most common diet and was associated with increased TC and LDL-C. The healthy food pattern, in which the major source of calories was protein, was not associated with variance in lipid profile.

Mining the LIPG Allelic Spectrum Reveals the Contribution of Rare and Common Regulatory Variants to HDL Cholesterol

PubMed Central

Raghavan, Avanthi; Neeli, Hemanth; Jin, Weijun; Badellino, Karen O.; Demissie, Serkalem; Manning, Alisa K.; DerOhannessian, Stephanie L.; Wolfe, Megan L.; Cupples, L. Adrienne; Li, Mingyao; Kathiresan, Sekar; Rader, Daniel J.

2011-01-01

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have successfully identified loci associated with quantitative traits, such as blood lipids. Deep resequencing studies are being utilized to catalogue the allelic spectrum at GWAS loci. The goal of these studies is to identify causative variants and missing heritability, including heritability due to low frequency and rare alleles with large phenotypic impact. Whereas rare variant efforts have primarily focused on nonsynonymous coding variants, we hypothesized that noncoding variants in these loci are also functionally important. Using the HDL-C gene LIPG as an example, we explored the effect of regulatory variants identified through resequencing of subjects at HDL-C extremes on gene expression, protein levels, and phenotype. Resequencing a portion of the LIPG promoter and 5′ UTR in human subjects with extreme HDL-C, we identified several rare variants in individuals from both extremes. Luciferase reporter assays were used to measure the effect of these rare variants on LIPG expression. Variants conferring opposing effects on gene expression were enriched in opposite extremes of the phenotypic distribution. Minor alleles of a common regulatory haplotype and noncoding GWAS SNPs were associated with reduced plasma levels of the LIPG gene product endothelial lipase (EL), consistent with its role in HDL-C catabolism. Additionally, we found that a common nonfunctional coding variant associated with HDL-C (rs2000813) is in linkage disequilibrium with a 5′ UTR variant (rs34474737) that decreases LIPG promoter activity. We attribute the gene regulatory role of rs34474737 to the observed association of the coding variant with plasma EL levels and HDL-C. Taken together, the findings show that both rare and common noncoding regulatory variants are important contributors to the allelic spectrum in complex trait loci. PMID:22174694

Ice in the Outback: the epidemiology of amphetamine-type stimulant-related hospital admissions and presentations to the emergency department in Hedland, Western Australia.

PubMed

Monahan, Caitriona; Coleman, Mathew

2018-03-01

Despite research showing higher use of amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) in rural areas, limited research has examined the epidemiology of ATS-related presentations and admissions to remote regional centres. To determine the epidemiology of ATS-related (a) Emergency Department (ED) presentations and (b) inpatient admissions over a five-year period at the Hedland Health Campus (HHC) in remote Western Australia. A retrospective review of medical records was conducted. Demographic data including gender, age and indigenous status were captured. Four hundred and eighty-two ATS-related hospital presentations were identified during the study period. The most common reason for ED presentation was mental and behavioural problems. Of those presenting, 66% were male and 69% identified as Aboriginal. ATS-related ED presentations increased seven-fold over the study period. Ninety-nine ATS-related inpatient admissions were identified during the study period. Psychotic disorder was the most common reason for admission. Males made up 75% of admissions and 53% identified as Aboriginal. This study showed a disproportionally high burden of ATS-related harm among Aboriginal people. The number of ATS-related ED presentations and inpatient admissions increased significantly over the study period.

Diagnostic dilemma of unicystic ameloblastoma: novel parameters to differentiate unicystic ameloblastoma from common odontogenic cysts.

PubMed

Gunawardhana, Kuda Singappulige Niluka Darshani; Jayasooriya, Primali Rukmal; Tilakaratne, Wanninayake Mudiyanselage

2014-08-01

Diagnostic criteria that have been specified for unicystic ameloblastomas (UAs) are not always helpful to differentiate these cystic tumors from common odontogenic cysts. The aim of this study therefore was to identify additional histopathological features (other than the features considered for the diagnosis of UA at present) that would be helpful to differentiate UA from odontogenic cysts. One hundred histopathologically confirmed unicystic ameloblastomas and 20 cases each of radicular, inflamed dentigerous and non-inflamed dentigerous cysts were selected. Histopathological features of the UAs that are not used as diagnostic criteria at present were identified. Hyperplastic arcading epithelial proliferations with stellate-reticulum-like and vacuolated cells were always seen associated with inflammation in odontogenic cysts, while in UA plexiform-like areas were also seen without inflammation (P < 0.001). In addition, a spiky rete pattern was observed in non-inflamed UA while this pattern was observed only in inflamed odontogenic cysts. Furthermore, spiky retes together with subepithelial hyalinization were usually observed in UAs while only subepithelial hyalinization was observed in non-inflamed dentigerous cysts. Combinations of histopathological features were identified to differentiate non-inflamed UA from common odontogenic cysts. However, presence of inflammatory changes in UA precludes the use of features identified in the present study for diagnostic purposes. © 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

High Prescription Drug Utilization and Associated Costs among Medicaid-eligible Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders Identified by a Population-based Surveillance Network

PubMed Central

Logan, Sarah L.; Nicholas, Joyce S.; Carpenter, Laura A.; King, Lydia B.; Garrett-Mayer, Elizabeth; Charles, Jane M.

2011-01-01

Purpose This study assessed medication use and associated costs among 8- and 15-yearold children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) identified by the South Carolina Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (SCADDM) Network. Methods All Medicaid-eligible SCADDM-identified children with ASD from surveillance years 2006 and 2007 were included (n=263). Children were classified as ASD cases when documented behaviors consistent with the DSM-IV-TR criteria for autistic disorder, Asperger disorder, or pervasive developmental disorder- not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) were present in health and education evaluation records. Medication and cost data were obtained by linking population-based and Medicaid data. Results All 263 SCADDM-identified children had Medicaid data available; 56% (n=147) had a prescription of any type, 40% (n=105) used psychotropic medication, and 20% (n=52) used multiple psychotropic classes over the study period. Common combinations were (1) attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications and an antihypertensive, antidepressant or antipsychotic; and (2) antidepressants and an antipsychotic. Multiple psychotropic classes were more common among older children. Both the overall distribution of the number of prescription claims and medication costs varied significantly by age. Conclusions Results confirm that medication use in ASD, alone or in combination, is common, costly, and may increase with age. PMID:22153288

Why Do Medial Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasties Fail Today?

PubMed

van der List, Jelle P; Zuiderbaan, Hendrik A; Pearle, Andrew D

2016-05-01

Failure rates are higher in medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) than total knee arthroplasty. To improve these failure rates, it is important to understand why medial UKA fail. Because individual studies lack power to show failure modes, a systematic review was performed to assess medial UKA failure modes. Furthermore, we compared cohort studies with registry-based studies, early with midterm and late failures and fixed-bearing with mobile-bearing implants. Databases of PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane and annual registries were searched for medial UKA failures. Studies were included when they reported >25 failures or when they reported early (<5 years), midterm (5-10 years), or late failures (>10 years). Thirty-seven cohort studies (4 level II studies and 33 level III studies) and 2 registry-based studies were included. A total of 3967 overall failures, 388 time-dependent failures, and 1305 implant design failures were identified. Aseptic loosening (36%) and osteoarthritis (OA) progression (20%) were the most common failure modes. Aseptic loosening (26%) was most common early failure mode, whereas OA progression was more commonly seen in midterm and late failures (38% and 40%, respectively). Polyethylene wear (12%) and instability (12%) were more common in fixed-bearing implants, whereas pain (14%) and bearing dislocation (11%) were more common in mobile-bearing implants. This level III systematic review identified aseptic loosening and OA progression as the major failure modes. Aseptic loosening was the main failure mode in early years and mobile-bearing implants, whereas OA progression caused most failures in late years and fixed-bearing implants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Defining adherence to therapeutic exercise for musculoskeletal pain: a systematic review.

PubMed

Bailey, Daniel L; Holden, Melanie A; Foster, Nadine E; Quicke, Jonathan G; Haywood, Kirstie L; Bishop, Annette

2018-06-06

To establish the meaning of the term 'adherence' (including conceptual and measurement definitions) in the context of therapeutic exercise (TE) for musculoskeletal (MSK) pain. Systematic review using a search strategy including terms for: adherence, TE and MSK pain. Identified studies were independently screened for inclusion by two researchers. Two independent researchers extracted data on: study type; MSK pain population; type of TE used; definitions, parameters, measurement methods and values of adherence. Seven electronic databases were searched from inception to December 2016. Any study type featuring TE for adults with MSK pain and containing a definition of adherence, or a description of how adherence was measured. 459 studies were identified and 86 were included in the review. Most were prospective cohort studies and featured back and/or neck pain. Strengthening and stretching were the most common types of TE. A clearly identifiable definition of adherence was provided in 40% of the studies, with 12% using the same definition. Exercise frequency was the most commonly measured parameter of adherence, with self-report logs the most common measurement method. The most common value range used to determine satisfactory adherence was 80%-99% of the recommended exercise dose. No single definition of adherence to TE was apparent. We found no definition of adherence that specifically related to TE for MSK pain or described the dimensions of TE that should be measured. We recommend conceptualising adherence to TE for MSK pain from the perspective of all relevant stakeholders. © 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.

Identification of Metabolic Modifiers That Underlie Phenotypic Variations in Energy-Balance Regulation

PubMed Central

Chang, Chia Lin; Cai, James J.; Cheng, Po Jen; Chueh, Ho Yen; Hsu, Sheau Yu Teddy

2011-01-01

OBJECTIVE Although recent studies have shown that human genomes contain hundreds of loci that exhibit signatures of positive selection, variants that are associated with adaptation in energy-balance regulation remain elusive. We reasoned that the difficulty in identifying such variants could be due to heterogeneity in selection pressure and that an integrative approach that incorporated experiment-based evidence and population genetics-based statistical judgments would be needed to reveal important metabolic modifiers in humans. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS To identify common metabolic modifiers that underlie phenotypic variation in diabetes-associated or obesity-associated traits in humans, or both, we screened 207 candidate loci for regulatory single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that exhibited evidence of gene–environmental interactions. RESULTS Three SNPs (rs3895874, rs3848460, and rs937301) at the 5′ gene region of human GIP were identified as prime metabolic-modifier candidates at the enteroinsular axis. Functional studies have shown that GIP promoter reporters carrying derived alleles of these three SNPs (haplotype GIP−1920A) have significantly lower transcriptional activities than those with ancestral alleles at corresponding positions (haplotype GIP−1920G). Consistently, studies of pregnant women who have undergone a screening test for gestational diabetes have shown that patients with a homozygous GIP−1920A/A genotype have significantly lower serum concentrations of glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) than those carrying an ancestral GIP−1920G haplotype. After controlling for a GIPR variation, we showed that serum glucose concentrations of patients carrying GIP−1920A/A homozygotes are significantly higher than that of those carrying an ancestral GIP−1920G haplotype (odds ratio 3.53). CONCLUSIONS Our proof-of-concept study indicates that common regulatory GIP variants impart a difference in GIP and glucose metabolism. The study also provides a rare example that identified the common variant-common phenotypic variation pattern based on evidence of moderate gene–environmental interactions. PMID:21300845

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

PubMed

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

2016-09-01

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

Copy number variation in metabolic phenotypes.

PubMed

Lanktree, M; Hegele, R A

2008-01-01

Despite successes in identifying genetic contributors to common metabolic phenotypes, only part of the heritable component of these traits has thus far been explained. Copy number variation (CNV) is likely to be responsible for some of the unexplained variation. As observed with single nucleotide changes, it is probable that both rare and common CNVs will contribute to susceptibility to metabolic disease. For instance, CNVs in the LDLR gene underlie a substantial portion of disease in patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia. As well, a common CNV in LPA encoding apolipoprotein(a) is the primary determinant of plasma lipoprotein(a) concentrations, a risk factor for atherosclerosis. Recent efforts to map CNVs in control populations have defined their size, frequency and distribution. Many of the identified CNVs overlap genes with important functions in metabolic pathways. The overlap of CNVs that were found in control datasets with functional candidate genes or genes with previous evidence of association with metabolic syndrome presents an important subset for future CNV association studies. Finally, we describe an approach to search for CNVs in a rare high-penetrance metabolic disorder, namely lipodystrophy. As methods to identify CNVs increase in precision and accuracy, the prospect of identifying their role in both rare Mendelian and common complex metabolic phenotypes will become a reality. Copyright 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.

A Penalized Robust Method for Identifying Gene-Environment Interactions

PubMed Central

Shi, Xingjie; Liu, Jin; Huang, Jian; Zhou, Yong; Xie, Yang; Ma, Shuangge

2015-01-01

In high-throughput studies, an important objective is to identify gene-environment interactions associated with disease outcomes and phenotypes. Many commonly adopted methods assume specific parametric or semiparametric models, which may be subject to model mis-specification. In addition, they usually use significance level as the criterion for selecting important interactions. In this study, we adopt the rank-based estimation, which is much less sensitive to model specification than some of the existing methods and includes several commonly encountered data and models as special cases. Penalization is adopted for the identification of gene-environment interactions. It achieves simultaneous estimation and identification and does not rely on significance level. For computation feasibility, a smoothed rank estimation is further proposed. Simulation shows that under certain scenarios, for example with contaminated or heavy-tailed data, the proposed method can significantly outperform the existing alternatives with more accurate identification. We analyze a lung cancer prognosis study with gene expression measurements under the AFT (accelerated failure time) model. The proposed method identifies interactions different from those using the alternatives. Some of the identified genes have important implications. PMID:24616063

The most common nursing diagnosis among adults/seniors hospitalised with cancer: integrative review.

PubMed

Jomar, Rafael Tavares; de Souza Bispo, Vitória Régia

2014-01-01

The nursing process, with emphasis on the diagnosis phase, is essential to oncology hospital services due to a high frequency of physical and psychological problems that compromise the quality of life of patients undergoing cancer treatment. The goal of this study was to identify, according to NANDA International, the most common nursing diagnosis among adults/seniors with cancer who are hospitalised. This study is an integrative review of the literature completed in 2013 using five electronic databases, resulting in the selection and analysis of nine articles. This review identified the following eight actual diagnoses and two risk diagnoses that are more common among hospitalised adults/seniors with cancer: anxiety, deficient knowledge, constipation, self-care deficit for bathing/hygiene, body image disturbance, acute/chronic pain, fear, disturbed sleep pattern, risk of infection, and risk of deficient fluid volume. The heterogeneity of the studies used in this review may not have allowed the identification of all the common nursing diagnoses in the practice of oncology nursing in hospitals. However, even though the results are not based on the highest possible level of scientific evidence, their correlation to clinical practice can contribute to the enhancement of the nursing process in oncology services provided by hospitals.

Lessons from rare diseases of cartilage and bone.

PubMed

Gallagher, James A; Ranganath, Lakshminarayan R; Boyde, Alan

2015-06-01

Studying severe phenotypes of rare syndromes can elucidate disease mechanisms of more common disorders and identify potential therapeutic targets. Lessons from rare bone diseases contributed to the development of the most successful class of bone active agents, the bisphosphonates. More recent research on rare bone diseases has helped elucidate key pathways and identify new targets in bone resorption and bone formation including cathepsin K and sclerostin, for which drugs are now in clinical trials. By contrast, there has been much less focus on rare cartilage diseases and osteoarthritis (OA) remains a common disease with no effective therapy. Investigation of rare cartilage syndromes is identifying new potential targets in OA including GDF5 and lubricin. Research on the arthropathy of the ultra-rare disease alkaptonuria has identified several new features of the OA phenotype, including high density mineralized protrusions (HDMPs) which constitute a newly identified mechanism of joint destruction. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Time-saving impact of an algorithm to identify potential surgical site infections.

PubMed

Knepper, B C; Young, H; Jenkins, T C; Price, C S

2013-10-01

To develop and validate a partially automated algorithm to identify surgical site infections (SSIs) using commonly available electronic data to reduce manual chart review. Retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing specific surgical procedures over a 4-year period from 2007 through 2010 (algorithm development cohort) or over a 3-month period from January 2011 through March 2011 (algorithm validation cohort). A single academic safety-net hospital in a major metropolitan area. Patients undergoing at least 1 included surgical procedure during the study period. Procedures were identified in the National Healthcare Safety Network; SSIs were identified by manual chart review. Commonly available electronic data, including microbiologic, laboratory, and administrative data, were identified via a clinical data warehouse. Algorithms using combinations of these electronic variables were constructed and assessed for their ability to identify SSIs and reduce chart review. The most efficient algorithm identified in the development cohort combined microbiologic data with postoperative procedure and diagnosis codes. This algorithm resulted in 100% sensitivity and 85% specificity. Time savings from the algorithm was almost 600 person-hours of chart review. The algorithm demonstrated similar sensitivity on application to the validation cohort. A partially automated algorithm to identify potential SSIs was highly sensitive and dramatically reduced the amount of manual chart review required of infection control personnel during SSI surveillance.

Specific Proteins in Nontuberculous Mycobacteria: New Potential Tools.

PubMed

Orduña, Patricia; Castillo-Rodal, Antonia I; Mercado, Martha E; Ponce de León, Samuel; López-Vidal, Yolanda

2015-01-01

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) have been isolated from water, soil, air, food, protozoa, plants, animals, and humans. Although most NTM are saprophytes, approximately one-third of NTM have been associated with human diseases. In this study, we did a comparative proteomic analysis among five NTM strains isolated from several sources. There were different numbers of protein spots from M. gordonae (1,264), M. nonchromogenicum type I (894), M. nonchromogenicum type II (935), M. peregrinum (806), and M. scrofulaceum/Mycobacterium mantenii (1,486) strains, respectively. We identified 141 proteins common to all strains and specific proteins to each NTM strain. A total of 23 proteins were selected for its identification. Two of the common proteins identified (short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase SDR and diguanylate cyclase) did not align with M. tuberculosis complex protein sequences, which suggest that these proteins are found only in the NTM strains. Some of the proteins identified as common to all strains can be used as markers of NTM exposure and for the development of new diagnostic tools. Additionally, the specific proteins to NTM strains identified may represent potential candidates for the diagnosis of diseases caused by these mycobacteria.

Biodegradation of Trihalomethanes and Other Halogenated Aliphatic Compounds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, G. B.

1996-01-01

The biological dehalogenation of common water pollutants such as trichloromethane (chloroform) and other halogenated aliphatic compounds was the subject of this project. Samples from diverse water environments such as from groundwater contaminated with halogenated compounds and wastewaters from regional treatment plants were studied to identify conditions that favor certain dehalogenation reactions over others. Gene probe analyses of DNA extracted from the dichlormethane-degrading wastewater indicated the presence of the gene coding for dichloromethane dehalogenase, indicating the genetic basis for the dechlorination activity observed. These studies indicate that methanogenic bacteria are the organisms responsible for the chloroform dechlorination. Dechlorination of a common chlorofluorocarbon (CFC-11) was identified in samples taken from a regional aquifer contaminated with halogenated aliphatic compounds.

Cellular signaling identifiability analysis: a case study.

PubMed

Roper, Ryan T; Pia Saccomani, Maria; Vicini, Paolo

2010-05-21

Two primary purposes for mathematical modeling in cell biology are (1) simulation for making predictions of experimental outcomes and (2) parameter estimation for drawing inferences from experimental data about unobserved aspects of biological systems. While the former purpose has become common in the biological sciences, the latter is less common, particularly when studying cellular and subcellular phenomena such as signaling-the focus of the current study. Data are difficult to obtain at this level. Therefore, even models of only modest complexity can contain parameters for which the available data are insufficient for estimation. In the present study, we use a set of published cellular signaling models to address issues related to global parameter identifiability. That is, we address the following question: assuming known time courses for some model variables, which parameters is it theoretically impossible to estimate, even with continuous, noise-free data? Following an introduction to this problem and its relevance, we perform a full identifiability analysis on a set of cellular signaling models using DAISY (Differential Algebra for the Identifiability of SYstems). We use our analysis to bring to light important issues related to parameter identifiability in ordinary differential equation (ODE) models. We contend that this is, as of yet, an under-appreciated issue in biological modeling and, more particularly, cell biology. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Implementation of Common Core State Standards: Voices, Positions, and Frames

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pense, Seburn L.; Freeburg, Beth Winfrey; Clemons, Christopher A.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to describe the voices heard, positions portrayed, and frames of newspaper messages regarding the implementation of Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The dataset contained 69 articles from 38 community newspapers in 24 states (n = 62) and from three national newspapers (n = 7). Researchers identified five voices…

Exploring the Common Ground of Rhetoric and Logic.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lamb, Catherine E.

In teaching the principles of rational discourse in advanced expository writing, it is necessary to clarify the similarities and differences between the logic and rhetoric of Aristotle and to identify a common ground between the two. The study of logic within rhetoric focuses on the inductive standards used to support two kinds of argument: the…

The Role of District Office Leaders in the Adoption and Implementation of the Common Core State Standards in Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Durand, Francesca T.; Lawson, Hal A.; Wilcox, Kristen Campbell; Schiller, Kathryn S.

2016-01-01

Purpose: This multiple case study investigated district leaders' orientations and strategies as their elementary schools proceeded with state-mandated implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). We identified differences between schools achieving above-predicted outcomes on state CCSS assessments ("odds-beaters") and…

Bioenergetics and the Epigenome: Interface between the Environment and Genes in Common Diseases

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wallace, Douglas C.

2010-01-01

Extensive efforts have been directed at using genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to identify the genes responsible for common metabolic and degenerative diseases, cancer, and aging, but with limited success. While environmental factors have been evoked to explain this conundrum, the nature of these environmental factors remains unexplained.…

Uncovering Common Stressful Factors and Coping Strategies among Childcare Providers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baumgartner, Jennifer J.; Carson, Russell L.; Apavaloaie, Loredana; Tsouloupas, Costas

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify the common stress factors among childcare providers and the coping strategies they use to relieve work stress feelings throughout the day. Qualitative data was gathered from a random sample of ten local childcare providers across different races, years of experience, and licensed childcare centers who…

Characterisation of soil microtopography effects on runoff and soil erosion rates under simulated rainfall

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Soil surface roughness is commonly identified as one of the dominant factors governing runoff and interrill erosion. Yet, because of difficulties in acquiring the data, most studies pay little attention to soil surface roughness. This is particularly true for soil erosion models which commonly don't...

Competency Commonalities and Accompanying Job Titles Derived from the Six Montana Agricultural Manpower Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amberson, Max L.; And Others

The report provides essential information for curriculum development relevant to manpower demands for agricultural production and agribusiness in Montana. It focuses on an analysis of 3,500 competency statements to determine the existence of duplication, commonalities, and uniqueness among 76 identified job titles derived from six Agricultural…

QTL variations for growth-related traits in eight distinct families of common carp (Cyprinus carpio).

PubMed

Lv, Weihua; Zheng, Xianhu; Kuang, Youyi; Cao, Dingchen; Yan, Yunqin; Sun, Xiaowen

2016-05-05

Comparing QTL analyses of multiple pair-mating families can provide a better understanding of important allelic variations and distributions. However, most QTL mapping studies in common carp have been based on analyses of individual families. In order to improve our understanding of heredity and variation of QTLs in different families and identify important QTLs, we performed QTL analysis of growth-related traits in multiple segregating families. We completed a genome scan for QTLs that affect body weight (BW), total length (TL), and body thickness (BT) of 522 individuals from eight full-sib families using 250 microsatellites evenly distributed across 50 chromosomes. Sib-pair and half-sib model mapping identified 165 QTLs on 30 linkage groups. Among them, 10 (genome-wide P <0.01 or P < 0.05) and 28 (chromosome-wide P < 0.01) QTLs exhibited significant evidence of linkage, while the remaining 127 exhibited a suggestive effect on the above three traits at a chromosome-wide (P < 0.05) level. Multiple QTLs obtained from different families affect BW, TL, and BT and locate at close or identical positions. It suggests that same genetic factors may control variability in these traits. Furthermore, the results of the comparative QTL analysis of multiple families showed that one QTL was common in four of the eight families, nine QTLs were detected in three of the eight families, and 26 QTLs were found common to two of the eight families. These common QTLs are valuable candidates in marker-assisted selection. A large number of QTLs were detected in the common carp genome and associated with growth-related traits. Some of the QTLs of different growth-related traits were identified at similar chromosomal regions, suggesting a role for pleiotropy and/or tight linkage and demonstrating a common genetic basis of growth trait variations. The results have set up an example for comparing QTLs in common carp and provided insights into variations in the identified QTLs affecting body growth. Discovery of these common QTLs between families and growth-related traits represents an important step towards understanding of quantitative genetic variation in common carp.

Guidelines and Capabilities for Designing Human Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, Christopher S.; Burnett, Rebeka; Charles, John; Cucinotta, Frank; Fullerton, Richard; Goodman, Jerry R.; Griffith, Anthony D., Sr.; Kosmo, Joseph J.; Perchonok, Michele; Railsback, Jan;

Lung Cancer and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Needs and Opportunities for Integrated Research

PubMed Central

Szabo, Eva; Croxton, Thomas L.; Shapiro, Steven D.; Dubinett, Steven M.

2009-01-01

Lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States and worldwide. They share a common environmental risk factor in cigarette smoke exposure and a genetic predisposition represented by the incidence of these diseases in only a fraction of smokers. The presence of COPD increases the risk of lung cancer up to 4.5-fold. To investigate commonalities in disease mechanisms and perspectives for disease chemoprevention, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) held a workshop. The participants identified four research objectives: 1) clarify common epidemiological characteristics of lung cancer and COPD; 2) identify shared genetic and epigenetic risk factors; 3) identify and validate biomarkers, molecular signatures, and imaging-derived measurements of each disease; and 4) determine common and disparate pathogenetic mechanisms. These objectives should be reached via four research approaches: 1) identify, publicize, and enable the evaluation and analysis of existing datasets and repositories of biospecimens; 2) obtain phenotypic and outcome data and biospecimens from large studies of subjects with and/or at risk for COPD and lung cancer; 3) develop and use animal and other preclinical models to investigate pathogenetic links between the diseases; and 4) conduct early-phase clinical trials of potential chemopreventive agents. To foster much needed research interactions, two final recommendations were made by the participants: 1) incorporate baseline phenotyping and outcome measures for both diseases in future longitudinal studies of each disease and 2) expand collaborative efforts between the NCI and NHLBI. PMID:19351920

The epidemiology of homicide-suicide in Italy: a newspaper study from 1985 to 2008.

PubMed

Roma, Paolo; Spacca, Antonella; Pompili, Maurizio; Lester, David; Tatarelli, Roberto; Girardi, Paolo; Ferracuti, Stefano

2012-01-10

Homicide-suicide is an event in which the murderer commits suicide after the homicide. There are at least 14 epidemiological studies on the topic, and all have found that homicide-suicide is more common among family members. The murderers are most often males and the victims females. There is no recent research on this phenomenon in Italy. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the incidence of homicide-suicide in Italy over a period of 24 yrs and to compare Italian data with published international data. We used information gathered by press agencies and from the four major Italian newspapers. Between 1985 and 2008, 662 cases of homicide-suicide were identified, with 1776 deaths. The murderer was male in 84.6% of the cases, typically using a firearm. The most common motivation was romantic jealousy, followed by socio-economic stress. The rate of homicide-suicide was 0.04%. Comparison with international studies is not always possible due to the lack of information for certain categories. The common factors identified may be helpful for prevention. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identifying Creativity during Problem Solving Using Linguistic Features

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skalicky, Stephen; Crossley, Scott A.; McNamara, Danielle S.; Muldner, Kasia

2017-01-01

Creativity is commonly assessed using divergent thinking tasks, which measure the fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration of participant output on a variety of different tasks. This study assesses the degree to which creativity can be identified based on linguistic features of participants' language while completing collaborative…

Identifying Effective Strategies to Providing Technical Support to One-to-One Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Mark W.

2013-01-01

The problem of this study was that while one-to-one initiatives in the K-12 environment are growing, the technical support personnel that work in these environments are experiencing problems supporting these initiatives. The purposes of this study were to: (a) identify common problems of providing technical support in a one-to-one laptop program,…

High-Quality Traineeships: Identifying What Works. A National Vocational Education and Training Research and Evaluation Program Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Erica; Comyn, Paul; Kemmis, Roslin Brennan; Smith, Andy

2009-01-01

This study explores the common features of high-quality traineeships using case studies from the cleaning, child care, construction, retail, finance and insurance, and meat processing areas. The research identifies a range of policy measures that could improve both the practice and image of traineeships. A good practice guide has also been…

An Analysis of the Financial and Political Consequences Experienced by School Corporations when Closing a School or Consolidating Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morikis, Peter

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify the common consequences experienced by school corporations when closing or consolidating schools. The primary focus of the study was to identify the financial and political consequences experienced by school corporations when closing a school closing or consolidating schools. Specific questions regarding…

Reporting of Randomized Trials in Common Cancers in the Lay Media.

PubMed

Ribnikar, Domen; Goldvaser, Hadar; Ocana, Alberto; Templeton, Arnoud J; Seruga, Bostjan; Amir, Eitan

2018-01-01

Limited data exist about the role of the lay media in the dissemination of results of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in common cancers. Completed phase III RCTs evaluating new drugs in common cancers between January 2005 and October 2016 were identified from ClinicalTrials.gov. Lay media reporting was identified by searching LexisNexis Academic. Scientific reporting was defined as presentation at an academic conference or publication in full. Associations between reporting in the lay media before scientific reporting and study design and sponsorship were evaluated using logistic regression. Of 180 RCTs identified, 52% were reported in the lay media and in 27%, lay media reporting occurred before scientific reporting with an increasing trend over time (p = 0.009). Reporting in the lay media before scientific reporting was associated with positive results (OR: 2.10, p = 0.04), targeted therapy compared to chemotherapy (OR: 4.75, p = 0.006), immunotherapy compared to chemotherapy (OR: 7.60, p = 0.02), and prostate cancer compared to breast cancer (OR: 3.25, p = 0.02). Over a quarter of all RCTs in common cancers are reported in the lay media before they are reported scientifically with an increasing proportion over time. Positive trials, studies in prostate cancer, and trials of immunotherapy are associated with early reporting in the lay media. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Sexually transmitted diseases in Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom.

PubMed

Wright, Johnnie; Albright, Todd S; Gehrich, Alan P; Dunlow, Susan G; Lettieri, Christine F; Buller, Jerome L

2006-10-01

To identify the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in a female active duty population deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom was the objective of this study. Retrospective chart review was completed on all soldiers seeking outpatient gynecologic care at Camp Doha, Kuwait, from September 2003 through March 2004. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed on data from all patients identified as having an STD. Forty-four soldiers (2.5% of all encounters) were diagnosed with STDs during the study period. Genital herpes, Condyloma acuminata, and chlamydia were the most commonly identified infections accounting for 30, 25, and 21% of the diagnoses, respectively. Transmission of STDs in the deployed environment continues to be problematic. Viral infections were more commonly encountered than were bacterial infections. Patient education and prevention should be emphasized. Consideration should be given to STD screening upon redeployment.

Development of a hybrid pollution index for heavy metals in marine and estuarine sediments.

PubMed

Brady, James P; Ayoko, Godwin A; Martens, Wayde N; Goonetilleke, Ashantha

2015-05-01

Heavy metal pollution of sediments is a growing concern in most parts of the world, and numerous studies focussed on identifying contaminated sediments by using a range of digestion methods and pollution indices to estimate sediment contamination have been described in the literature. The current work provides a critical review of the more commonly used sediment digestion methods and identifies that weak acid digestion is more likely to provide guidance on elements that are likely to be bioavailable than other traditional methods of digestion. This work also reviews common pollution indices and identifies the Nemerow Pollution Index as the most appropriate method for establishing overall sediment quality. Consequently, a modified Pollution Index that can lead to a more reliable understanding of whole sediment quality is proposed. This modified pollution index is then tested against a number of existing studies and demonstrated to give a reliable and rapid estimate of sediment contamination and quality.

Nerve Entrapment in Ankle and Foot: Ultrasound Imaging.

PubMed

Chari, Basavaraj; McNally, Eugene

2018-07-01

Peripheral nerve entrapment of the ankle and foot is relatively uncommon and often underdiagnosed because electrophysiologic studies may not contribute to the diagnosis. Anatomy of the peripheral nerves is variable and complex, and along with a comprehensive physical examination, a thorough understanding of the applied anatomy is essential. Several studies have helped identify specific areas in which nerves are commonly compressed. Identified secondary causes of nerve compression include previous trauma, osteophytes, ganglion cysts, edema, accessory muscles, tenosynovitis, vascular lesions, and a primary nerve tumor. Imaging plays a key role in identifying primary and secondary causes of nerve entrapment, specifically ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging. US is a dynamic imaging modality that is cost effective and offers excellent resolution. Symptoms of nerve entrapment may mimic other common foot and ankle conditions such as plantar fasciitis. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

The global prevalence of common mental disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis 1980–2013

PubMed Central

Steel, Zachary; Marnane, Claire; Iranpour, Changiz; Chey, Tien; Jackson, John W; Patel, Vikram; Silove, Derrick

2014-01-01

Background: Since the introduction of specified diagnostic criteria for mental disorders in the 1970s, there has been a rapid expansion in the number of large-scale mental health surveys providing population estimates of the combined prevalence of common mental disorders (most commonly involving mood, anxiety and substance use disorders). In this study we undertake a systematic review and meta-analysis of this literature. Methods: We applied an optimized search strategy across the Medline, PsycINFO, EMBASE and PubMed databases, supplemented by hand searching to identify relevant surveys. We identified 174 surveys across 63 countries providing period prevalence estimates (155 surveys) and lifetime prevalence estimates (85 surveys). Random effects meta-analysis was undertaken on logit-transformed prevalence rates to calculate pooled prevalence estimates, stratified according to methodological and substantive groupings. Results: Pooling across all studies, approximately 1 in 5 respondents (17.6%, 95% confidence interval:16.3–18.9%) were identified as meeting criteria for a common mental disorder during the 12-months preceding assessment; 29.2% (25.9–32.6%) of respondents were identified as having experienced a common mental disorder at some time during their lifetimes. A consistent gender effect in the prevalence of common mental disorder was evident; women having higher rates of mood (7.3%:4.0%) and anxiety (8.7%:4.3%) disorders during the previous 12 months and men having higher rates of substance use disorders (2.0%:7.5%), with a similar pattern for lifetime prevalence. There was also evidence of consistent regional variation in the prevalence of common mental disorder. Countries within North and South East Asia in particular displayed consistently lower one-year and lifetime prevalence estimates than other regions. One-year prevalence rates were also low among Sub-Saharan-Africa, whereas English speaking counties returned the highest lifetime prevalence estimates. Conclusions: Despite a substantial degree of inter-survey heterogeneity in the meta-analysis, the findings confirm that common mental disorders are highly prevalent globally, affecting people across all regions of the world. This research provides an important resource for modelling population needs based on global regional estimates of mental disorder. The reasons for regional variation in mental disorder require further investigation. PMID:24648481

Sensitization to common allergens among patients with allergies in major Iranian cities: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Moghtaderi, Mozhgan; Hosseini Teshnizi, Saeed; Farjadian, Shirin

2017-01-01

Various allergens are implicated in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases in different regions. This study attempted to identify the most common allergens among patients with allergies based on the results of skin prick tests in different parts of Iran. Relevant studies conducted from 2000 to 2016 were identified from the MEDLINE database. Six common groups of allergen types, including animal, cockroach, food, fungus, house dust mite, and pollen were considered. Subgroup analysis was performed to determine the prevalence of each type of allergen. The Egger test was used to assess publication bias. We included 44 studies in this meta-analysis. The overall prevalence of positive skin test results for at least one allergen was estimated to be 59% in patients with allergies in various parts of Iran. The number of patients was 11,646 (56% male and 44% female), with a mean age of 17.46±11.12 years. The most common allergen sources were pollen (47.0%), mites (35.2%), and food (15.3%). The prevalence of sensitization to food and cockroach allergens among children was greater than among adults. Pollen is the most common allergen sensitization in cities of Iran with a warm and dry climate; however, sensitization to house dust mites is predominant in northern and southern coastal areas of Iran.

Sensitization to common allergens among patients with allergies in major Iranian cities: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Farjadian, Shirin

2017-01-01

Various allergens are implicated in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases in different regions. This study attempted to identify the most common allergens among patients with allergies based on the results of skin prick tests in different parts of Iran. Relevant studies conducted from 2000 to 2016 were identified from the MEDLINE database. Six common groups of allergen types, including animal, cockroach, food, fungus, house dust mite, and pollen were considered. Subgroup analysis was performed to determine the prevalence of each type of allergen. The Egger test was used to assess publication bias. We included 44 studies in this meta-analysis. The overall prevalence of positive skin test results for at least one allergen was estimated to be 59% in patients with allergies in various parts of Iran. The number of patients was 11,646 (56% male and 44% female), with a mean age of 17.46±11.12 years. The most common allergen sources were pollen (47.0%), mites (35.2%), and food (15.3%). The prevalence of sensitization to food and cockroach allergens among children was greater than among adults. Pollen is the most common allergen sensitization in cities of Iran with a warm and dry climate; however, sensitization to house dust mites is predominant in northern and southern coastal areas of Iran. PMID:28171712

Large-scale genotyping identifies 41 new loci associated with breast cancer risk.

PubMed

Michailidou, Kyriaki; Hall, Per; Gonzalez-Neira, Anna; Ghoussaini, Maya; Dennis, Joe; Milne, Roger L; Schmidt, Marjanka K; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Bojesen, Stig E; Bolla, Manjeet K; Wang, Qin; Dicks, Ed; Lee, Andrew; Turnbull, Clare; Rahman, Nazneen; Fletcher, Olivia; Peto, Julian; Gibson, Lorna; Dos Santos Silva, Isabel; Nevanlinna, Heli; Muranen, Taru A; Aittomäki, Kristiina; Blomqvist, Carl; Czene, Kamila; Irwanto, Astrid; Liu, Jianjun; Waisfisz, Quinten; Meijers-Heijboer, Hanne; Adank, Muriel; van der Luijt, Rob B; Hein, Rebecca; Dahmen, Norbert; Beckman, Lars; Meindl, Alfons; Schmutzler, Rita K; Müller-Myhsok, Bertram; Lichtner, Peter; Hopper, John L; Southey, Melissa C; Makalic, Enes; Schmidt, Daniel F; Uitterlinden, Andre G; Hofman, Albert; Hunter, David J; Chanock, Stephen J; Vincent, Daniel; Bacot, François; Tessier, Daniel C; Canisius, Sander; Wessels, Lodewyk F A; Haiman, Christopher A; Shah, Mitul; Luben, Robert; Brown, Judith; Luccarini, Craig; Schoof, Nils; Humphreys, Keith; Li, Jingmei; Nordestgaard, Børge G; Nielsen, Sune F; Flyger, Henrik; Couch, Fergus J; Wang, Xianshu; Vachon, Celine; Stevens, Kristen N; Lambrechts, Diether; Moisse, Matthieu; Paridaens, Robert; Christiaens, Marie-Rose; Rudolph, Anja; Nickels, Stefan; Flesch-Janys, Dieter; Johnson, Nichola; Aitken, Zoe; Aaltonen, Kirsimari; Heikkinen, Tuomas; Broeks, Annegien; Veer, Laura J Van't; van der Schoot, C Ellen; Guénel, Pascal; Truong, Thérèse; Laurent-Puig, Pierre; Menegaux, Florence; Marme, Frederik; Schneeweiss, Andreas; Sohn, Christof; Burwinkel, Barbara; Zamora, M Pilar; Perez, Jose Ignacio Arias; Pita, Guillermo; Alonso, M Rosario; Cox, Angela; Brock, Ian W; Cross, Simon S; Reed, Malcolm W R; Sawyer, Elinor J; Tomlinson, Ian; Kerin, Michael J; Miller, Nicola; Henderson, Brian E; Schumacher, Fredrick; Le Marchand, Loic; Andrulis, Irene L; Knight, Julia A; Glendon, Gord; Mulligan, Anna Marie; Lindblom, Annika; Margolin, Sara; Hooning, Maartje J; Hollestelle, Antoinette; van den Ouweland, Ans M W; Jager, Agnes; Bui, Quang M; Stone, Jennifer; Dite, Gillian S; Apicella, Carmel; Tsimiklis, Helen; Giles, Graham G; Severi, Gianluca; Baglietto, Laura; Fasching, Peter A; Haeberle, Lothar; Ekici, Arif B; Beckmann, Matthias W; Brenner, Hermann; Müller, Heiko; Arndt, Volker; Stegmaier, Christa; Swerdlow, Anthony; Ashworth, Alan; Orr, Nick; Jones, Michael; Figueroa, Jonine; Lissowska, Jolanta; Brinton, Louise; Goldberg, Mark S; Labrèche, France; Dumont, Martine; Winqvist, Robert; Pylkäs, Katri; Jukkola-Vuorinen, Arja; Grip, Mervi; Brauch, Hiltrud; Hamann, Ute; Brüning, Thomas; Radice, Paolo; Peterlongo, Paolo; Manoukian, Siranoush; Bonanni, Bernardo; Devilee, Peter; Tollenaar, Rob A E M; Seynaeve, Caroline; van Asperen, Christi J; Jakubowska, Anna; Lubinski, Jan; Jaworska, Katarzyna; Durda, Katarzyna; Mannermaa, Arto; Kataja, Vesa; Kosma, Veli-Matti; Hartikainen, Jaana M; Bogdanova, Natalia V; Antonenkova, Natalia N; Dörk, Thilo; Kristensen, Vessela N; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Slager, Susan; Toland, Amanda E; Edge, Stephen; Fostira, Florentia; Kang, Daehee; Yoo, Keun-Young; Noh, Dong-Young; Matsuo, Keitaro; Ito, Hidemi; Iwata, Hiroji; Sueta, Aiko; Wu, Anna H; Tseng, Chiu-Chen; Van Den Berg, David; Stram, Daniel O; Shu, Xiao-Ou; Lu, Wei; Gao, Yu-Tang; Cai, Hui; Teo, Soo Hwang; Yip, Cheng Har; Phuah, Sze Yee; Cornes, Belinda K; Hartman, Mikael; Miao, Hui; Lim, Wei Yen; Sng, Jen-Hwei; Muir, Kenneth; Lophatananon, Artitaya; Stewart-Brown, Sarah; Siriwanarangsan, Pornthep; Shen, Chen-Yang; Hsiung, Chia-Ni; Wu, Pei-Ei; Ding, Shian-Ling; Sangrajrang, Suleeporn; Gaborieau, Valerie; Brennan, Paul; McKay, James; Blot, William J; Signorello, Lisa B; Cai, Qiuyin; Zheng, Wei; Deming-Halverson, Sandra; Shrubsole, Martha; Long, Jirong; Simard, Jacques; Garcia-Closas, Montse; Pharoah, Paul D P; Chenevix-Trench, Georgia; Dunning, Alison M; Benitez, Javier; Easton, Douglas F

2013-04-01

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. Common variants at 27 loci have been identified as associated with susceptibility to breast cancer, and these account for ∼9% of the familial risk of the disease. We report here a meta-analysis of 9 genome-wide association studies, including 10,052 breast cancer cases and 12,575 controls of European ancestry, from which we selected 29,807 SNPs for further genotyping. These SNPs were genotyped in 45,290 cases and 41,880 controls of European ancestry from 41 studies in the Breast Cancer Association Consortium (BCAC). The SNPs were genotyped as part of a collaborative genotyping experiment involving four consortia (Collaborative Oncological Gene-environment Study, COGS) and used a custom Illumina iSelect genotyping array, iCOGS, comprising more than 200,000 SNPs. We identified SNPs at 41 new breast cancer susceptibility loci at genome-wide significance (P < 5 × 10(-8)). Further analyses suggest that more than 1,000 additional loci are involved in breast cancer susceptibility.

Large-scale genotyping identifies 41 new loci associated with breast cancer risk

PubMed Central

Michailidou, Kyriaki; Hall, Per; Gonzalez-Neira, Anna; Ghoussaini, Maya; Dennis, Joe; Milne, Roger L; Schmidt, Marjanka K; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Bojesen, Stig E; Bolla, Manjeet K; Wang, Qin; Dicks, Ed; Lee, Andrew; Turnbull, Clare; Rahman, Nazneen; Fletcher, Olivia; Peto, Julian; Gibson, Lorna; Silva, Isabel dos Santos; Nevanlinna, Heli; Muranen, Taru A; Aittomäki, Kristiina; Blomqvist, Carl; Czene, Kamila; Irwanto, Astrid; Liu, Jianjun; Waisfisz, Quinten; Meijers-Heijboer, Hanne; Adank, Muriel; van der Luijt, Rob B; Hein, Rebecca; Dahmen, Norbert; Beckman, Lars; Meindl, Alfons; Schmutzler, Rita K; Müller-Myhsok, Bertram; Lichtner, Peter; Hopper, John L; Southey, Melissa C; Makalic, Enes; Schmidt, Daniel F; Uitterlinden, Andre G; Hofman, Albert; Hunter, David J; Chanock, Stephen J; Vincent, Daniel; Bacot, François; Tessier, Daniel C; Canisius, Sander; Wessels, Lodewyk F A; Haiman, Christopher A; Shah, Mitul; Luben, Robert; Brown, Judith; Luccarini, Craig; Schoof, Nils; Humphreys, Keith; Li, Jingmei; Nordestgaard, Børge G; Nielsen, Sune F; Flyger, Henrik; Couch, Fergus J; Wang, Xianshu; Vachon, Celine; Stevens, Kristen N; Lambrechts, Diether; Moisse, Matthieu; Paridaens, Robert; Christiaens, Marie-Rose; Rudolph, Anja; Nickels, Stefan; Flesch-Janys, Dieter; Johnson, Nichola; Aitken, Zoe; Aaltonen, Kirsimari; Heikkinen, Tuomas; Broeks, Annegien; Van’t Veer, Laura J; van der Schoot, C Ellen; Guénel, Pascal; Truong, Thérèse; Laurent-Puig, Pierre; Menegaux, Florence; Marme, Frederik; Schneeweiss, Andreas; Sohn, Christof; Burwinkel, Barbara; Zamora, M Pilar; Perez, Jose Ignacio Arias; Pita, Guillermo; Alonso, M Rosario; Cox, Angela; Brock, Ian W; Cross, Simon S; Reed, Malcolm W R; Sawyer, Elinor J; Tomlinson, Ian; Kerin, Michael J; Miller, Nicola; Henderson, Brian E; Schumacher, Fredrick; Le Marchand, Loic; Andrulis, Irene L; Knight, Julia A; Glendon, Gord; Mulligan, Anna Marie; Lindblom, Annika; Margolin, Sara; Hooning, Maartje J; Hollestelle, Antoinette; van den Ouweland, Ans M W; Jager, Agnes; Bui, Quang M; Stone, Jennifer; Dite, Gillian S; Apicella, Carmel; Tsimiklis, Helen; Giles, Graham G; Severi, Gianluca; Baglietto, Laura; Fasching, Peter A; Haeberle, Lothar; Ekici, Arif B; Beckmann, Matthias W; Brenner, Hermann; Müller, Heiko; Arndt, Volker; Stegmaier, Christa; Swerdlow, Anthony; Ashworth, Alan; Orr, Nick; Jones, Michael; Figueroa, Jonine; Lissowska, Jolanta; Brinton, Louise; Goldberg, Mark S; Labrèche, France; Dumont, Martine; Winqvist, Robert; Pylkäs, Katri; Jukkola-Vuorinen, Arja; Grip, Mervi; Brauch, Hiltrud; Hamann, Ute; Brüning, Thomas; Radice, Paolo; Peterlongo, Paolo; Manoukian, Siranoush; Bonanni, Bernardo; Devilee, Peter; Tollenaar, Rob A E M; Seynaeve, Caroline; van Asperen, Christi J; Jakubowska, Anna; Lubinski, Jan; Jaworska, Katarzyna; Durda, Katarzyna; Mannermaa, Arto; Kataja, Vesa; Kosma, Veli-Matti; Hartikainen, Jaana M; Bogdanova, Natalia V; Antonenkova, Natalia N; Dörk, Thilo; Kristensen, Vessela N; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Slager, Susan; Toland, Amanda E; Edge, Stephen; Fostira, Florentia; Kang, Daehee; Yoo, Keun-Young; Noh, Dong-Young; Matsuo, Keitaro; Ito, Hidemi; Iwata, Hiroji; Sueta, Aiko; Wu, Anna H; Tseng, Chiu-Chen; Van Den Berg, David; Stram, Daniel O; Shu, Xiao-Ou; Lu, Wei; Gao, Yu-Tang; Cai, Hui; Teo, Soo Hwang; Yip, Cheng Har; Phuah, Sze Yee; Cornes, Belinda K; Hartman, Mikael; Miao, Hui; Lim, Wei Yen; Sng, Jen-Hwei; Muir, Kenneth; Lophatananon, Artitaya; Stewart-Brown, Sarah; Siriwanarangsan, Pornthep; Shen, Chen-Yang; Hsiung, Chia-Ni; Wu, Pei-Ei; Ding, Shian-Ling; Sangrajrang, Suleeporn; Gaborieau, Valerie; Brennan, Paul; McKay, James; Blot, William J; Signorello, Lisa B; Cai, Qiuyin; Zheng, Wei; Deming-Halverson, Sandra; Shrubsole, Martha; Long, Jirong; Simard, Jacques; Garcia-Closas, Montse; Pharoah, Paul D P; Chenevix-Trench, Georgia; Dunning, Alison M; Benitez, Javier; Easton, Douglas F

2013-01-01

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. Common variants at 27 loci have been identified as associated with susceptibility to breast cancer, and these account for ~9% of the familial risk of the disease. We report here a meta-analysis of 9 genome-wide association studies, including 10,052 breast cancer cases and 12,575 controls of European ancestry, from which we selected 29,807 SNPs for further genotyping. These SNPs were genotyped in 45,290 cases and 41,880 controls of European ancestry from 41 studies in the Breast Cancer Association Consortium (BCAC). The SNPs were genotyped as part of a collaborative genotyping experiment involving four consortia (Collaborative Oncological Gene-environment Study, COGS) and used a custom Illumina iSelect genotyping array, iCOGS, comprising more than 200,000 SNPs. We identified SNPs at 41 new breast cancer susceptibility loci at genome-wide significance (P < 5 × 10−8). Further analyses suggest that more than 1,000 additional loci are involved in breast cancer susceptibility. PMID:23535729

Child Disaster Mental Health Interventions: Therapy Components

PubMed Central

Pfefferbaum, Betty; Sweeton, Jennifer L.; Nitiéma, Pascal; Noffsinger, Mary A.; Varma, Vandana; Nelson, Summer D.; Newman, Elana

2015-01-01

Children face innumerable challenges following exposure to disasters. To address trauma sequelae, researchers and clinicians have developed a variety of mental health interventions. While the overall effectiveness of multiple interventions has been examined, few studies have focused on the individual components of these interventions. As a preliminary step to advancing intervention development and research, this literature review identifies and describes nine common components that comprise child disaster mental health interventions. This review concluded that future research should clearly define the constituent components included in available interventions. This will require that future studies dismantle interventions to examine the effectiveness of specific components and identify common therapeutic elements. Issues related to populations studied (eg, disaster exposure, demographic and cultural influences) and to intervention delivery (eg, timing and optimal sequencing of components) also warrant attention. PMID:25225954

Perceived barriers to smoking cessation in selected vulnerable groups: a systematic review of the qualitative and quantitative literature

PubMed Central

Twyman, Laura; Bonevski, Billie; Paul, Christine; Bryant, Jamie

2014-01-01

Objectives To identify barriers that are common and unique to six selected vulnerable groups: low socioeconomic status; Indigenous; mental illness and substance abuse; homeless; prisoners; and at-risk youth. Design A systematic review was carried out to identify the perceived barriers to smoking cessation within six vulnerable groups. Data sources MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and PsycInfo were searched using keywords and MeSH terms from each database's inception published prior to March 2014. Study selection Studies that provided either qualitative or quantitative (ie, longitudinal, cross-sectional or cohort surveys) descriptions of self-reported perceived barriers to quitting smoking in one of the six aforementioned vulnerable groups were included. Data extraction Two authors independently assessed studies for inclusion and extracted data. Results 65 eligible papers were identified: 24 with low socioeconomic groups, 16 with Indigenous groups, 18 involving people with a mental illness, 3 with homeless groups, 2 involving prisoners and 1 involving at-risk youth. One study identified was carried out with participants who were homeless and addicted to alcohol and/or other drugs. Barriers common to all vulnerable groups included: smoking for stress management, lack of support from health and other service providers, and the high prevalence and acceptability of smoking in vulnerable communities. Unique barriers were identified for people with a mental illness (eg, maintenance of mental health), Indigenous groups (eg, cultural and historical norms), prisoners (eg, living conditions), people who are homeless (eg, competing priorities) and at-risk youth (eg, high accessibility of tobacco). Conclusions Vulnerable groups experience common barriers to smoking cessation, in addition to barriers that are unique to specific vulnerable groups. Individual-level, community-level and social network-level interventions are priority areas for future smoking cessation interventions within vulnerable groups. Trial registration number: A protocol for this review has been registered with PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (Identifier: CRD42013005761). PMID:25534212

Using Economic Evidence to Set Healthcare Priorities in Low‐Income and Lower‐Middle‐Income Countries: A Systematic Review of Methodological Frameworks

PubMed Central

Mitton, Craig; Doyle‐Waters, Mary M.; Drake, Tom; Conteh, Lesong; Newall, Anthony T.; Onwujekwe, Obinna; Jan, Stephen

2016-01-01

Abstract Policy makers in low‐income and lower‐middle‐income countries (LMICs) are increasingly looking to develop ‘evidence‐based’ frameworks for identifying priority health interventions. This paper synthesises and appraises the literature on methodological frameworks – which incorporate economic evaluation evidence – for the purpose of setting healthcare priorities in LMICs. A systematic search of Embase, MEDLINE, Econlit and PubMed identified 3968 articles with a further 21 articles identified through manual searching. A total of 36 papers were eligible for inclusion. These covered a wide range of health interventions with only two studies including health systems strengthening interventions related to financing, governance and human resources. A little under half of the studies (39%) included multiple criteria for priority setting, most commonly equity, feasibility and disease severity. Most studies (91%) specified a measure of ‘efficiency’ defined as cost per disability‐adjusted life year averted. Ranking of health interventions using multi‐criteria decision analysis and generalised cost‐effectiveness were the most common frameworks for identifying priority health interventions. Approximately a third of studies discussed the affordability of priority interventions. Only one study identified priority areas for the release or redeployment of resources. The paper concludes by highlighting the need for local capacity to conduct evaluations (including economic analysis) and empowerment of local decision‐makers to act on this evidence. PMID:26804361

The Place of Rock and Mineral Identification in Geoscience Programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nicholls, J.

2011-12-01

Geoscience programs traditionally required a significant amount of class and laboratory time for students to learn to identify Earth materials: minerals, rocks, soils, and fossils. Two decades ago, courses devoted to the mineral sciences, mineralogy and petrology, constituted approximately 20% of a geoscience program. Today, they make up between 5% and 10% of the courses in such a program. Two decades ago students spent their laboratory time learning to identify Earth materials. Today, they do the same thing, even though the time set aside for students to achieve proficiency is limited. A typical learning objective for a geoscience program reads: Identify common Earth materials and interpret their composition, origin and uses. The three underlined words convey the essence of the objective: We ask students to identify and interpret common Earth materials, which begs the questions: Do the common Earth materials provide adequate information for interpreting the composition, origin, and use of Earth materials? Do modern curricula contain enough laboratory time for students to learn to identify Earth materials? Do all geoscientists need to be able to identify Earth materials? The assemblage kyanite plus sillimanite is crucial for interpreting metamorphic history yet they are not common minerals. The IUGS classification contains 179 rock names yet we expect students to identify only a handful of them. The upper mantle is dominated by peridotite yet do geophysicists need to be able to identify peridotite in order to study the upper mantle? All geoscientists should be able to interpret Earth materials, at least at some level, and deduce the information Earth materials provide about Earth history and processes. Only a subset of geoscientists needs to learn how to identify them. Identification skills can be learned in upper level courses designed for those who will become mineral scientists. Many of the interpretations derived from Earth materials can be learned in the lower level courses required of all geoscience students.

Multi-site study of diffusion metric variability: effects of site, vendor, field strength, and echo time on regions-of-interest and histogram-bin analyses.

PubMed

Helmer, K G; Chou, M-C; Preciado, R I; Gimi, B; Rollins, N K; Song, A; Turner, J; Mori, S

2016-02-27

It is now common for magnetic-resonance-imaging (MRI) based multi-site trials to include diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) as part of the protocol. It is also common for these sites to possess MR scanners of different manufacturers, different software and hardware, and different software licenses. These differences mean that scanners may not be able to acquire data with the same number of gradient amplitude values and number of available gradient directions. Variability can also occur in achievable b-values and minimum echo times. The challenge of a multi-site study then, is to create a common protocol by understanding and then minimizing the effects of scanner variability and identifying reliable and accurate diffusion metrics. This study describes the effect of site, scanner vendor, field strength, and TE on two diffusion metrics: the first moment of the diffusion tensor field (mean diffusivity, MD), and the fractional anisotropy (FA) using two common analyses (region-of-interest and mean-bin value of whole brain histograms). The goal of the study was to identify sources of variability in diffusion-sensitized imaging and their influence on commonly reported metrics. The results demonstrate that the site, vendor, field strength, and echo time all contribute to variability in FA and MD, though to different extent. We conclude that characterization of the variability of DTI metrics due to site, vendor, field strength, and echo time is a worthwhile step in the construction of multi-center trials.

DNA barcode identification of commercial fish sold in Mexican markets.

PubMed

Sarmiento-Camacho, Stephanie; Valdez-Moreno, Martha

2018-04-24

The substitution of high-value fish species for those of lower value is common practice. Although numerous studies have addressed this issue, few have been conducted in Mexico. In this study, we sought to identify fresh fillets of fish, sharks, and rays using DNA barcodes. We analyzed material from "La Viga" in Mexico City, and other markets located on the Gulf and Caribbean coasts of Mexico. From 134 samples, we obtained sequences from 129, identified to 9 orders, 28 families, 38 genera, and 44 species. The most common species were Seriola dumerili, Pangasianodon hypophthalmus, Carcharhinus falciformis, Carcharhinus brevipinna, and Hypanus americanus. Pangasianodon hypophthalmus was most commonly used as a substitute for higher-value species. The substitution rate was 18% of the total. A review of the conservation status of the specimens identified against the IUNC list enabled us to establish that some species marketed in Mexico are threatened: Makaira nigricans, Lachnolaimus maximus, Hyporthodus flavolimbatus, and Isurus oxyrinchus are classified as vulnerable; Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps and Sphyrna lewini are endangered; and the status of Hyporthodus nigritus is critical. These results will demonstrate to the Mexican authorities that DNA barcoding is a reliable tool for species identification, even when morphological identification is difficult or impossible.

The Data Gap in the EHR for Clinical Research Eligibility Screening.

PubMed

Butler, Alex; Wei, Wei; Yuan, Chi; Kang, Tian; Si, Yuqi; Weng, Chunhua

2018-01-01

Much effort has been devoted to leverage EHR data for matching patients into clinical trials. However, EHRs may not contain all important data elements for clinical research eligibility screening. To better design research-friendly EHRs, an important step is to identify data elements frequently used for eligibility screening but not yet available in EHRs. This study fills this knowledge gap. Using the Alzheimer's disease domain as an example, we performed text mining on the eligibility criteria text in Clinicaltrials.gov to identify frequently used eligibility criteria concepts. We compared them to the EHR data elements of a cohort of Alzheimer's Disease patients to assess the data gap by usingthe OMOP Common Data Model to standardize the representations for both criteria concepts and EHR data elements. We identified the most common SNOMED CT concepts used in Alzheimer 's Disease trials, andfound 40% of common eligibility criteria concepts were not even defined in the concept space in the EHR dataset for a cohort of Alzheimer 'sDisease patients, indicating a significant data gap may impede EHR-based eligibility screening. The results of this study can be useful for designing targeted research data collection forms to help fill the data gap in the EHR.

Identification of Candida species isolated from vulvovaginitis using matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Alizadeh, Majid; Kolecka, Anna; Boekhout, Teun; Zarrinfar, Hossein; Ghanbari Nahzag, Mohamad A; Badiee, Parisa; Rezaei-Matehkolaei, Ali; Fata, Abdolmajid; Dolatabadi, Somayeh; Najafzadeh, Mohammad J

2017-12-01

Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is a common problem in women. The purpose of this study was to identify Candida isolates by matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) from women with vulvovaginitis that were referred to Ghaem Hospital, Mashhad, Iran. This study was conducted on 65 clinical samples isolated from women that were referred to Ghaem Hospital. All specimens were identified using phenotyping techniques, such as microscopy and culture on Sabouraud dextrose agar and corn meal agar. In addition, all isolates were processed for MALDI-TOF MS identification. Out of the 65 analyzed isolates, 61 (94%) samples were recognized by MALDI-TOF MS. However, the remaining four isolates (6%) had no reliable identification. According to the results, C. albicans (58.5%) was the most frequently isolated species, followed by C. tropicalis (16.9%), C. glabrata (7.7%), C. parapsilosis (7.7%), and guilliermondii (3.1%). As the findings indicated, MALDI TOF MS was successful in the identification of clinical Candida species. C. albicans was identified as the most common Candida species isolated from the women with VVC. Moreover, C. tropicalis was the most common species among the non- albicans Candida species.

Post-Thalamic Stroke Movement Disorders: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Gupta, Navnika; Pandey, Sanjay

2018-06-05

After a stroke, movement disorders are rare manifestations mainly affecting the deep structures of the brain like the basal ganglia (44%) and thalamus (37%), although there have been case studies of movement disorders in strokes affecting the cerebral cortex also. This review aims to delineate the various movement disorders seen in association with thalamic strokes and tries to identify the location of the nuclei affected in each of the described movement disorders. Cases were identified through a search of PubMed database using different search terms related to post-thalamic stroke movement disorders and a secondary search of references of identified articles. We reviewed 2,520 research articles and only 86 papers met the inclusion criteria. Cases were included if they met criteria for post-thalamic stroke movement disorders. Case-cohort studies were also reviewed and will be discussed further. Key Messages: The most common post-stroke abnormal movement disorder reported in our review was dystonia followed by hemiataxia. There was a higher association between ischaemic stroke and movement disorder. Acute onset movement disorders were more common than delayed. The posterolateral thalamus was most commonly involved in post-thalamic stroke movement disorders. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Alcohol in the life narratives of women: Commonalities and differences by sexual orientation

PubMed Central

Trocki, Karen F.

2013-01-01

Aim The aim of this study was to explore social representations of alcohol use among women, with a focus on possible differences between sexual minority and heterosexual women. Methods This qualitative study was part of a larger study examining mediators of heavier drinking among sexual minority women (lesbian identified, bisexual identified, and heterosexual identified with same sex partners) compared to heterosexual women based on the National Alcohol Survey. Qualitative in-depth life history interviews were conducted over the telephone with 48 women who had participated in the 2009–2010 National Alcohol Survey, including respondents representing different sexual orientation groups. Questions explored the lives and experiences of women, and how use of alcohol may connect to those experiences. Findings Representations about normative and risky use included social use, use in relation to community connection, addictive use and self-medication. Other representations common across groups included articulation of boundaries that were defined by negative exemplars, marked by indicators of loss of control, and maintained through selective engagement of social networks. Although representations across groups were similar, some representations, such as alcohol use in fostering community connection, appeared to be more salient for sexual minority women. The findings of the study underscore the importance of considering both commonalities and potential differences among women by sexual orientation in meanings and perceived risks associated with alcohol use in future research and intervention efforts. PMID:24955083

Vitamin C and common cold-induced asthma: a systematic review and statistical analysis.

PubMed

Hemilä, Harri

2013-11-26

Asthma exacerbations are often induced by the common cold, which, in turn, can be alleviated by vitamin C. To investigate whether vitamin C administration influences common cold-induced asthma. Systematic review and statistical analysis of the identified trials. Medline, Scopus and Cochrane Central were searched for studies that give information on the effects of vitamin C on common cold-induced asthma. All clinically relevant outcomes related to asthma were included in this review. The estimates of vitamin C effect and their confidence intervals [CI] were calculated for the included studies. Three studies that were relevant for examining the role of vitamin C on common cold-induced asthma were identified. The three studies had a total of 79 participants. Two studies were randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trials. A study in Nigeria on asthmatics whose asthma attacks were precipitated by respiratory infections found that 1 g/day vitamin C decreased the occurrence of asthma attacks by 78% (95% CI: 19% to 94%). A cross-over study in former East-Germany on patients who had infection-related asthma found that 5 g/day vitamin C decreased the proportion of participants who had bronchial hypersensitivity to histamine by 52 percentage points (95% CI: 25 to 71). The third study did not use a placebo. Administration of a single dose of 1 gram of vitamin C to Italian non-asthmatic common cold patients increased the provocative concentration of histamine (PC20) 3.2-fold (95% CI: 2.0 to 5.1), but the vitamin C effect was significantly less when the same participants did not suffer from the common cold. The three reviewed studies differed substantially in their methods, settings and outcomes. Each of them found benefits from the administration of vitamin C; either against asthma attacks or against bronchial hypersensitivity, the latter of which is a characteristic of asthma. Given the evidence suggesting that vitamin C alleviates common cold symptoms and the findings of this systematic review, it may be reasonable for asthmatic patients to test vitamin C on an individual basis, if they have exacerbations of asthma caused by respiratory infections. More research on the role of vitamin C on common cold-induced asthma is needed.

Vitamin C and common cold-induced asthma: a systematic review and statistical analysis

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Asthma exacerbations are often induced by the common cold, which, in turn, can be alleviated by vitamin C. Objective To investigate whether vitamin C administration influences common cold-induced asthma. Methods Systematic review and statistical analysis of the identified trials. Medline, Scopus and Cochrane Central were searched for studies that give information on the effects of vitamin C on common cold-induced asthma. All clinically relevant outcomes related to asthma were included in this review. The estimates of vitamin C effect and their confidence intervals [CI] were calculated for the included studies. Results Three studies that were relevant for examining the role of vitamin C on common cold-induced asthma were identified. The three studies had a total of 79 participants. Two studies were randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trials. A study in Nigeria on asthmatics whose asthma attacks were precipitated by respiratory infections found that 1 g/day vitamin C decreased the occurrence of asthma attacks by 78% (95% CI: 19% to 94%). A cross-over study in former East-Germany on patients who had infection-related asthma found that 5 g/day vitamin C decreased the proportion of participants who had bronchial hypersensitivity to histamine by 52 percentage points (95% CI: 25 to 71). The third study did not use a placebo. Administration of a single dose of 1 gram of vitamin C to Italian non-asthmatic common cold patients increased the provocative concentration of histamine (PC20) 3.2-fold (95% CI: 2.0 to 5.1), but the vitamin C effect was significantly less when the same participants did not suffer from the common cold. Conclusions The three reviewed studies differed substantially in their methods, settings and outcomes. Each of them found benefits from the administration of vitamin C; either against asthma attacks or against bronchial hypersensitivity, the latter of which is a characteristic of asthma. Given the evidence suggesting that vitamin C alleviates common cold symptoms and the findings of this systematic review, it may be reasonable for asthmatic patients to test vitamin C on an individual basis, if they have exacerbations of asthma caused by respiratory infections. More research on the role of vitamin C on common cold-induced asthma is needed. PMID:24279478

The Implicit Contract: Implications for Health Social Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCoyd, Judith L. M.

2010-01-01

Identifying common patient dynamics is useful for developing social work practice sensitivity in health social work. This article draws on findings from a study of women who terminated desired pregnancies because of fetal anomalies and identifies dynamics that may be applicable to many health settings. Data suggest that women have expectations…

Place of Environmental Print in Reading Development: Evidence from Nonliterate Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cardoso-Martins, Claudia; Rodrigues, Larissa A.; Linnea C. Ehri, Linnea C.

2003-01-01

This study investigated the knowledge and strategies that nonliterate adults use to identify print. Participants were 20 low-socioeconomic status Brazilian adults ranging in age from 20 to 74 years. Participants' ability to identify common environmental signs displaying varying degrees of contextual information was investigated along with their…

Propensity Score Matching within Prognostic Strata

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelcey, Ben

2013-01-01

A central issue in nonexperimental studies is identifying comparable individuals to remove selection bias. One common way to address this selection bias is through propensity score (PS) matching. PS methods use a model of the treatment assignment to reduce the dimensionality of the covariate space and identify comparable individuals. parallel to…

Cancer Information Seeking and Scanning: Sources and Patterns

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnes, Laura L. B.; Khojasteh, Jam J.; Wheeler, Denna

2017-01-01

Objective: This study aimed to identify predominant search patterns in a recent search for health information and a potential search for strongly needed cancer information, to identify the commonly scanned sources of information that may represent stable elements of the information fields characteristic of these patterns, and to evaluate whether…

Multilevel Propensity Score Matching within and across Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelcey, Benjamin

2011-01-01

A central issue in nonexperimental studies is the identification of comparable individuals (e.g. students) to remove selection bias. One such increasingly common method to identify comparable individuals and address selection bias is the propensity score (PS). PS methods rely on a model of the treatment assignment to identify comparable…

Potential for bias in using hybrids between common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and goldfish (Carassius auratus) in endocrine studies: a first report of hybrids in Lake Mead, Nevada, U.S.A

USGS Publications Warehouse

Goodbred, Steven L.; Patino, Reynaldo; Orsak, Erik; Sharma, Prakash; Ruessler, Shane

2013-01-01

During a 2008 study to assess endocrine and reproductive health of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) in Lake Mead, Nevada (U.S.A.) we identified two fish, one male and one female, as hybrids with goldfish (Carassius auratus) based on morphology, lateral line scale count, and lack of anterior barbels. Gross examination of the female hybrid ovaries indicated presence of vitellogenic ovarian follicles; whereas histological evaluation of the male hybrid testes showed lobule-like structures with open lumens but without germ cells, suggesting it was sterile. Because common carp/goldfish hybrids are more susceptible to gonadal tumors and may have different endocrine profiles than common carp, researchers using common carp as a model for endocrine/reproductive studies should be aware of the possible presence of hybrids.

Common Mental Disorders among Occupational Groups: Contributions of the Latent Class Model

PubMed Central

Martins Carvalho, Fernando; de Araújo, Tânia Maria

2016-01-01

Background. The Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20) is widely used for evaluating common mental disorders. However, few studies have evaluated the SRQ-20 measurements performance in occupational groups. This study aimed to describe manifestation patterns of common mental disorders symptoms among workers populations, by using latent class analysis. Methods. Data derived from 9,959 Brazilian workers, obtained from four cross-sectional studies that used similar methodology, among groups of informal workers, teachers, healthcare workers, and urban workers. Common mental disorders were measured by using SRQ-20. Latent class analysis was performed on each database separately. Results. Three classes of symptoms were confirmed in the occupational categories investigated. In all studies, class I met better criteria for suspicion of common mental disorders. Class II discriminated workers with intermediate probability of answers to the items belonging to anxiety, sadness, and energy decrease that configure common mental disorders. Class III was composed of subgroups of workers with low probability to respond positively to questions for screening common mental disorders. Conclusions. Three patterns of symptoms of common mental disorders were identified in the occupational groups investigated, ranging from distinctive features to low probabilities of occurrence. The SRQ-20 measurements showed stability in capturing nonpsychotic symptoms. PMID:27630999

Convergence of circuit dysfunction in ASD: a common bridge between diverse genetic and environmental risk factors and common clinical electrophysiology

PubMed Central

Port, Russell G.; Gandal, Michael J.; Roberts, Timothy P. L.; Siegel, Steven J.; Carlson, Gregory C.

2014-01-01

Most recent estimates indicate that 1 in 68 children are affected by an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Though decades of research have uncovered much about these disorders, the pathological mechanism remains unknown. Hampering efforts is the seeming inability to integrate findings over the micro to macro scales of study, from changes in molecular, synaptic and cellular function to large-scale brain dysfunction impacting sensory, communicative, motor and cognitive activity. In this review, we describe how studies focusing on neuronal circuit function provide unique context for identifying common neurobiological disease mechanisms of ASD. We discuss how recent EEG and MEG studies in subjects with ASD have repeatedly shown alterations in ensemble population recordings (both in simple evoked related potential latencies and specific frequency subcomponents). Because these disease-associated electrophysiological abnormalities have been recapitulated in rodent models, studying circuit differences in these models may provide access to abnormal circuit function found in ASD. We then identify emerging in vivo and ex vivo techniques, focusing on how these assays can characterize circuit level dysfunction and determine if these abnormalities underlie abnormal clinical electrophysiology. Such circuit level study in animal models may help us understand how diverse genetic and environmental risks can produce a common set of EEG, MEG and anatomical abnormalities found in ASD. PMID:25538564

Deaf Autism: Common Instructional Practices Described by Deaf Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rutledge, Felicia

2017-01-01

The purpose of this research study was to identify common instructional practices described by teachers of the deaf with students who are deaf with autism that increase both student engagement and instructional outcomes. As the diversity of students increase within deaf/hard of hearing programs, research is emerging in the area of deaf autism.…

Preservice Secondary Teachers Perceptions of College-Level Mathematics Content Connections with the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olson, Travis A.

2016-01-01

Preservice Secondary Mathematics Teachers (PSMTs) were surveyed to identify if they could connect early-secondary mathematics content (Grades 7-9) in the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) with mathematics content studied in content courses for certification in secondary teacher preparation programs. Respondents were asked to…

Applying Common Latino Magazine Cover Line Themes to Health Communications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delaney, Colleen L.; Barrios, Pamela; Lozada, Carolina; Soto-Balbuena, Kenlly; Martin-Biggers, Jennifer; Byrd-Bredbenner, Carol

2016-01-01

This study aimed to describe strategies used in magazine cover lines to capture the attention of Latino consumers. A content analysis of cover lines (n = 581) from six top-selling Latino women's and parenting magazines (n = 217 issues) sold in the United States identified 12 common themes: great/inspiring, beauty/health, bad/negative,…

Single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with coronary heart disease predict incident ischemic stroke in the atherosclerosis risk in communities study.

PubMed

Morrison, Alanna C; Bare, Lance A; Luke, May M; Pankow, James S; Mosley, Thomas H; Devlin, James J; Willerson, James T; Boerwinkle, Eric

2008-01-01

Ischemic stroke and coronary heart disease (CHD) may share genetic factors contributing to a common etiology. This study investigates whether 51 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with CHD in multiple antecedent studies are associated with incident ischemic stroke in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. From the multiethnic ARIC cohort of 14,215 individuals, 495 validated ischemic strokes were identified. Cox proportional hazards models, adjusted for age and gender, identified three SNPs in Whites and two SNPs in Blacks associated with incident stroke (p

Assessing the Balance Capabilities of People with Profound Intellectual Disabilities Who Have Experienced a Fall

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hale, L.; Bray, A.; Littmann, A.

2007-01-01

Background: Although it is common for people with intellectual disability (ID) to fall, the reasons for this have not yet been identified. This pilot study aimed to explore the balance capabilities of a sample of adults with profound ID who had experienced a fall, in order to identify possible reasons for falling and to identify potential tests…

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

PubMed

Wu, Jing; Wang, Lanfen; Wang, Shumin

2016-09-07

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

Exploring one aspect of pedagogical content knowledge of teaching assistants using the Conceptual Survey of Electricity and Magnetism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karim, Nafis I.; Maries, Alexandru; Singh, Chandralekha

2018-06-01

The Conceptual Survey of Electricity and Magnetism (CSEM) has been used to assess student understanding of introductory concepts of electricity and magnetism because many of the items on the CSEM have strong distractor choices which correspond to students' alternate conceptions. Instruction is unlikely to be effective if instructors do not know the common alternate conceptions of introductory physics students and explicitly take into account common student difficulties in their instructional design. Here, we discuss research involving the CSEM to evaluate one aspect of the pedagogical content knowledge of teaching assistants (TAs): knowledge of introductory students' alternate conceptions in electricity and magnetism as revealed by the CSEM. For each item on the CSEM, the TAs were asked to identify the most common incorrect answer choice selected by introductory physics students if they did not know the correct answer after traditional instruction. Then, we used introductory student CSEM post-test data to assess the extent to which TAs were able to identify the most common alternate conception of introductory students in each question on the CSEM. We find that the TAs were thoughtful when attempting to identify common student difficulties and they enjoyed learning about student difficulties this way. However, they struggled to identify many common difficulties of introductory students that persist after traditional instruction. We discuss specific alternate conceptions that persist after traditional instruction, the extent to which TAs were able to identify them, and results from think-aloud interviews with TAs which provided valuable information regarding why the TAs sometimes selected certain alternate conceptions as the most common but were instead very rare among introductory students. We also discuss how tasks such as the one used in this study can be used in professional development programs to engender productive discussions about the importance of being knowledgeable about student alternate conceptions in order to help students learn. Interviews with TAs engaged in this task as well as our experience with such tasks in our professional development programs suggest that they are beneficial.

Dynamic transcriptome profiling of Bean Common Mosaic Virus (BCMV) infection in Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.).

PubMed

Martin, Kathleen; Singh, Jugpreet; Hill, John H; Whitham, Steven A; Cannon, Steven B

2016-08-11

Bean common mosaic virus (BCMV) is widespread, with Phaseolus species as the primary host plants. Numerous BCMV strains have been identified on the basis of a panel of bean varieties that distinguish the pathogenicity types with respect to the viral strains. The molecular responses in Phaseolus to BCMV infection have not yet been well characterized. We report the transcriptional responses of a widely susceptible variety of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L., cultivar 'Stringless green refugee') to two BCMV strains, in a time-course experiment. We also report the genome sequence of a previously unreported BCMV strain. The interaction with the known strain NL1-Iowa causes moderate symptoms and large transcriptional responses, and the newly identified strain (Strain 2 or S2) causes severe symptoms and moderate transcriptional responses. The transcriptional profiles of host plants infected with the two isolates are distinct, and involve numerous differences in splice forms in particular genes, and pathway specific expression patterns. We identified differential host transcriptome response after infection of two different strains of Bean common mosaic virus (BCMV) in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Virus infection initiated a suite of changes in gene expression level and patterns in the host plants. Pathways related to defense, gene regulation, metabolic processes, photosynthesis were specifically altered after virus infection. Results presented in this study can increase the understanding of host-pathogen interactions and provide resources for further investigations of the biological mechanisms in BCMV infection and defense.

Signature and Mechanism of the Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-05-01

breast cancer . This study seeks to identify genes commonly regulated in the EMT, and identify key regulators of the process. The transcription factor...8 Introduction Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death in women of the developed world. Mortality...results not from the primary tumor, but from complications arising from metastases that have spread to vital organs. The study of breast cancer

Is Pain Intensity Really That Important to Assess in Chronic Pain Patients? A Study Based on the Swedish Quality Registry for Pain Rehabilitation (SQRP)

PubMed Central

Bromley Milton, Maria; Börsbo, Björn; Rovner, Graciela; Lundgren-Nilsson, Åsa; Stibrant-Sunnerhagen, Katharina; Gerdle, Björn

2013-01-01

Background Incorporating the patient's view on care and treatment has become increasingly important for health care. Patients describe the variety of consequences of their chronic pain conditions as significant pain intensity, depression, and anxiety. We hypothesised that intensities of common symptoms in chronic pain conditions carry important information that can be used to identify clinically relevant subgroups. This study has three aims: 1) to determine the importance of different symptoms with respect to participation and ill-health; 2) to identify subgroups based on data concerning important symptoms; and 3) to determine the secondary consequences for the identified subgroups with respect to participation and health factors. Methods and Subjects This study is based on a cohort of patients referred to a multidisciplinary pain centre at a university hospital (n = 4645, participation rate 88%) in Sweden. The patients answered a number of questionnaires concerning symptoms, participation, and health aspects as a part of the Swedish Quality Registry for Pain Rehabilitation (SQRP). Results Common symptoms (such as pain intensity, depression, and anxiety) in patients with chronic pain showed great variability across subjects and 60% of the cohort had normal values with respect to depressive and anxiety symptoms. Pain intensity more than psychological symptoms showed stronger relationships with participation and health. It was possible to identify subgroups based on pain intensity, depression, and anxiety. With respect to participation and health, high depressive symptomatology had greater negative consequences than high anxiety. Conclusions Common symptoms (such as pain intensity and depressive and anxiety symptoms) in chronic pain conditions carry important information that can be used to identify clinically relevant subgroups. PMID:23805183

Common Allergens Identified Based on Patch Test Results in Patients with Suspected Contact Dermatitis of the Scalp

PubMed Central

Aleid, Nouf M.; Fertig, Raymond; Maddy, Austin; Tosti, Antonella

2017-01-01

Background Contact dermatitis of the scalp is common and might be caused by many chemicals including metals, ingredients of shampoos and conditioners, dyes, or other hair treatments. Eliciting a careful history and patch tests are necessary to identify the responsible allergen and prevent relapses. Objectives To identify allergens that may cause contact dermatitis of the scalp by reviewing patch test results. Methods We reviewed the records of 1,015 patients referred for patch testing at the Dermatology Department of the University of Miami. A total of 226 patients (205 females and 21 males) with suspected scalp contact dermatitis were identified, and the patch test results and clinical data for those patients were analyzed. Most patients were referred for patch testing from a specialized hair clinic at our institution. Results The most common allergens in our study population were nickel (23.8%), cobalt (21.0%), balsam of Peru (18.2%), fragrance mix (14.4%), carba mix (11.6%), and propylene glycol (PG) (8.8%). The majority of patients were females aged 40–59 years, and scalp itching or burning were reported as the most common symptom. Conclusion Frequent sources of allergens for metals include hair clasps, pins, and brushes, while frequent sources of allergens for preservatives, fragrance mix, and balsam of Peru include shampoos, conditioners, and hair gels. Frequent sources of allergens for PG include topical medications. PMID:28611994

Does common prescription medication affect the rate of orthodontic tooth movement? A systematic review.

PubMed

Makrygiannakis, Militiadis A; Kaklamanos, Eleftherios G; Athanasiou, Athanasios E

2018-03-06

As the taking of any medication may theoretically affect the complex pathways responsible for periodontal tissue homeostasis and the events leading to orthodontic tooth movement, it is considered important for the orthodontist to be able to identify prospective patients' history and patterns of pharmaceutical consumption. To systematically investigate and appraise the quality of the available evidence regarding the effect of commonly prescribed medications on the rate of orthodontic tooth movement. Search without restrictions in eight databases and hand searching until June 2017. Controlled studies investigating the effect of commonly prescribed medications with emphasis on the rate of orthodontic tooth movement. Following study retrieval and selection, relevant data was extracted and the risk of bias was assessed using the SYRCLE's Risk of Bias Tool. Twenty-seven animal studies, involving various pharmacologic and orthodontic interventions, were finally identified. Most studies were assessed to be at unclear or high risk of bias. The rate of orthodontic tooth movement was shown to increase after the administration of diazepam, Vitamin C and pantoprazole, while simvastatin, atorvastatin, calcium compounds, strontium ranelate, propranolol, losartan, famotidine, cetirizine, and metformin decreased the rate of orthodontic tooth movement. No interference with the rate of orthodontic tooth movement was reported for phenytoin, phenobarbital and zinc compounds, whereas, inconsistent or conflicting effects were noted after the administration of L-thyroxine, lithium compounds, fluoxetine and insulin. The quality of the available evidence was considered at best as low. Commonly prescribed medications may exhibit variable effects on the rate of orthodontic tooth movement. Although the quality of evidence was considered at best as low, raising reservations about the strength of the relevant recommendations, the clinician should be capable of identifying patients taking medications and should take into consideration the possible implications related to the proposed treatment. PROSPERO (CRD42015029130).

Limitations of Surface Mapping Technology in Accurately Identifying Critical Errors in Dental Students' Crown Preparations.

PubMed

Furness, Alan R; Callan, Richard S; Mackert, J Rodway; Mollica, Anthony G

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Planmeca Compare software in identifying and quantifying a common critical error in dental students' crown preparations. In 2014-17, a study was conducted at one U.S. dental school that evaluated an ideal crown prep made by a faculty member on a dentoform to modified preps. Two types of preparation errors were created by the addition of flowable composite to the occlusal surface of identical dies of the preparations to represent the underreduction of the distolingual cusp. The error was divided into two classes: the minor class allowed for 1 mm of occlusal clearance, and the major class allowed for no occlusal clearance. The preparations were then digitally evaluated against the ideal preparation using Planmeca Compare. Percent comparison values were obtained from each trial and averaged together. False positives and false negatives were also identified and used to determine the accuracy of the evaluation. Critical errors that did not involve a substantial change in the surface area of the preparation were inconsistently identified. Within the limitations of this study, the authors concluded that the Compare software was unable to consistently identify common critical errors within an acceptable degree of error.

An assessment of US microbiome research.

PubMed

Stulberg, Elizabeth; Fravel, Deborah; Proctor, Lita M; Murray, David M; LoTempio, Jonathan; Chrisey, Linda; Garland, Jay; Goodwin, Kelly; Graber, Joseph; Harris, M Camille; Jackson, Scott; Mishkind, Michael; Porterfield, D Marshall; Records, Angela

2016-01-11

Genome-enabled technologies have supported a dramatic increase in our ability to study microbial communities in environments and hosts. Taking stock of previously funded microbiome research can help to identify common themes, under-represented areas and research priorities to consider moving forward. To assess the status of US microbiome research, a team of government scientists conducted an analysis of federally funded microbiome research. Microbiomes were defined as host-, ecosystem- or habitat-associated communities of microorganisms, and microbiome research was defined as those studies that emphasize community-level analyses using 'omics technologies. Single pathogen, single strain and culture-based studies were not included, except symbiosis studies that served as models for more complex communities. Fourteen governmental organizations participated in the data call. The analysis examined three broad research themes, eight environments and eight microbial categories. Human microbiome research was larger than any other environment studied, and the basic biology research theme accounted for half of the total research activities. Computational biology and bioinformatics, reference databases and biorepositories, standardized protocols and high-throughput tools were commonly identified needs. Longitudinal and functional studies and interdisciplinary research were also identified as needs. This study has implications for the funding of future microbiome research, not only in the United States but beyond.

Crowd-sourced Ontology for Photoleukocoria: Identifying Common Internet Search Terms for a Potentially Important Pediatric Ophthalmic Sign.

PubMed

Staffieri, Sandra E; Kearns, Lisa S; Sanfilippo, Paul G; Craig, Jamie E; Mackey, David A; Hewitt, Alex W

2018-02-01

Leukocoria is the most common presenting sign for pediatric eye disease including retinoblastoma and cataract, with worse outcomes if diagnosis is delayed. We investigated whether individuals could identify leukocoria in photographs (photoleukocoria) and examined their subsequent Internet search behavior. Using a web-based questionnaire, in this cross-sectional study we invited adults aged over 18 years to view two photographs of a child with photoleukocoria, and then search the Internet to determine a possible diagnosis and action plan. The most commonly used search terms and websites accessed were recorded. The questionnaire was completed by 1639 individuals. Facebook advertisement was the most effective recruitment strategy. The mean age of all respondents was 38.95 ± 14.59 years (range, 18-83), 94% were female, and 59.3% had children. An abnormality in the images presented was identified by 1613 (98.4%) participants. The most commonly used search terms were: "white," "pupil," "photo," and "eye" reaching a variety of appropriate websites or links to print or social media articles. Different words or phrases were used to describe the same observation of photoleukocoria leading to a range of websites. Variations in the description of observed signs and search words influenced the sites reached, information obtained, and subsequent help-seeking intentions. Identifying the most commonly used search terms for photoleukocoria is an important step for search engine optimization. Being directed to the most appropriate websites informing of the significance of photoleukocoria and the appropriate actions to take could improve delays in diagnosis of important pediatric eye disease such as retinoblastoma or cataract.

The etiologies of non-CF bronchiectasis in childhood: a systematic review of 989 subjects.

PubMed

Brower, Kelly S; Del Vecchio, Michael T; Aronoff, Stephen C

2014-12-10

While cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common cause of bronchiectasis in childhood, non-CF bronchiectasis is associated with a wide variety of disorders. The objective of this study was to determine the relative prevalence and specific etiologies on non-CF bronchiectasis in childhood. EMBASE, Medline, OVID Cochrane Reviews, Directory of Open Access Journals, Open Science Directory, EPSCO information services, and OAlster were searched electronically and the bibliographies of selected studies were searched manually. The search was conducted independently by 2 authors. (1) any clinical trial, observational study or cross-sectional case series of 10 or more patients with a description of the conditions associated with bronchiectasis; (2) subjects aged 21 years or younger; (3) cystic fibrosis was excluded and; (4) the diagnosis was confirmed by computed tomography of the chest. Patient number, age range, inclusion criteria, diagnostic criteria, patient source, and categorical and specific etiology. From 491 studies identified, 12 studies encompassing 989 children with non-CF bronchiectasis were selected. Sixty-three percent of the subjects had an underlying disorder. Infectious (17%), primary immunodeficiency (16%), aspiration (10%), ciliary dyskinesia (9%), congenital malformation (3%), and secondary immunodeficiency (3%) were the most common disease categories; 999 etiologies were identified. Severe pneumonia of bacterial or viral etiology and B cell defects were the most common disorders identified. The majority of children with non-CF bronchiectasis have an underlying disorder. A focused history and laboratory investigated is recommended.

Event-related fMRI studies of false memory: An Activation Likelihood Estimation meta-analysis.

PubMed

Kurkela, Kyle A; Dennis, Nancy A

2016-01-29

Over the last two decades, a wealth of research in the domain of episodic memory has focused on understanding the neural correlates mediating false memories, or memories for events that never happened. While several recent qualitative reviews have attempted to synthesize this literature, methodological differences amongst the empirical studies and a focus on only a sub-set of the findings has limited broader conclusions regarding the neural mechanisms underlying false memories. The current study performed a voxel-wise quantitative meta-analysis using activation likelihood estimation to investigate commonalities within the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) literature studying false memory. The results were broken down by memory phase (encoding, retrieval), as well as sub-analyses looking at differences in baseline (hit, correct rejection), memoranda (verbal, semantic), and experimental paradigm (e.g., semantic relatedness and perceptual relatedness) within retrieval. Concordance maps identified significant overlap across studies for each analysis. Several regions were identified in the general false retrieval analysis as well as multiple sub-analyses, indicating their ubiquitous, yet critical role in false retrieval (medial superior frontal gyrus, left precentral gyrus, left inferior parietal cortex). Additionally, several regions showed baseline- and paradigm-specific effects (hit/perceptual relatedness: inferior and middle occipital gyrus; CRs: bilateral inferior parietal cortex, precuneus, left caudate). With respect to encoding, analyses showed common activity in the left middle temporal gyrus and anterior cingulate cortex. No analysis identified a common cluster of activation in the medial temporal lobe. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Validation of Demographics, Etiology, and Risk Factors for Chronic Pancreatitis in the USA: A Report of the North American Pancreas Study (NAPS) Group.

PubMed

Conwell, Darwin L; Banks, Peter A; Sandhu, Bimaljit S; Sherman, Stuart; Al-Kaade, Samer; Gardner, Timothy B; Anderson, Michelle A; Wilcox, C Mel; Lewis, Michele D; Muniraj, Thiruvengadam; Forsmark, Christopher E; Cote, Gregory A; Guda, Nalini M; Tian, Ye; Romagnuolo, Joseph; Wisniewski, Stephen R; Brand, Randall; Gelrud, Andres; Slivka, Adam; Whitcomb, David C; Yadav, Dhiraj

2017-08-01

Our aim was to validate recent epidemiologic trends and describe the distribution of TIGAR-O risk factors in chronic pancreatitis (CP) patients. The NAPS-2 Continuation and Validation (NAPS2-CV) study prospectively enrolled 521 CP patients from 13 US centers from 2008 to 2012. CP was defined by definitive changes in imaging, endoscopy, or histology. Data were analyzed after stratification by demographic factors, physician-defined etiology, participating center, and TIGAR-O risk factors. Demographics and physician-defined etiology in the NAPS2-CV study were similar to the original NAPS2 study. Mean age was 53 years (IQR 43, 62) with 55% males and 87% white. Overall, alcohol was the single most common etiology (46%) followed by idiopathic etiology (24%). Alcohol etiology was significantly more common in males, middle-aged (35-65 years), and non-whites. Females and elderly (≥65 years) were more likely to have idiopathic etiology, while younger patients (<35 years) to have genetic etiology. Variability in etiology was noted by participating centers (e.g., alcohol etiology ranged from 27 to 67% among centers enrolling ≥25 patients). Smoking was the most commonly identified (59%) risk factor followed by alcohol (53%), idiopathic (30%), obstructive (19%), and hyperlipidemia (13%). The presence of multiple TIGAR-O risk factors was common, with 1, 2, ≥3 risk factors observed in 27.6, 47.6, and 23.6% of the cohort, respectively. Our data validate the current epidemiologic trends in CP. Alcohol remains the most common physician-defined etiology, while smoking was the most commonly identified TIGAR-O risk factor. Identification of multiple risk factors suggests CP to be a complex disease.

New model framework and structure and the commonality evaluation model. [concerning unmanned spacecraft projects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

The development of a framework and structure for shuttle era unmanned spacecraft projects and the development of a commonality evaluation model is documented. The methodology developed for model utilization in performing cost trades and comparative evaluations for commonality studies is discussed. The model framework consists of categories of activities associated with the spacecraft system's development process. The model structure describes the physical elements to be treated as separate identifiable entities. Cost estimating relationships for subsystem and program-level components were calculated.

Nineteen Victims of Homicide and Attempted Homicide in Sweden-Their Injuries, Cause of Death, and Offender Relationship.

PubMed

Khoshnood, Ardavan; Väfors Fritz, Marie; Ekelund, Ulf

2017-09-01

Victims of homicide and attempted homicide are not uncommon in Sweden. We therefore aimed to study these victims to understand their injuries, their cause of death, and their relationship to the offender. All cases during five years in a district court in Sweden, where an offender had been convicted for homicide or attempted homicide, were identified and the court documents reviewed. Nineteen victims were identified; 14 males and five females, with an average age of 39.1 years. Although knife/sharp weapon was the most common weapon used, the use of firearm caused more deaths. Our study shows higher rates of firearm use than many other countries. The most common anatomical site to be injured by knife/sharp weapon and firearm was the thorax followed by the head. The most common cause of death was hypovolemia, followed by intracranial injuries. The high rate of firearm use shows that firearms are common modus operandi in Sweden often causing lethal injuries, if the offender intends to kill the victim. Our results support other studies showing that it is foremost injuries to the vessels, intracranial injuries, and injuries to intrathoracic organs, which causes a victim's death when assaulted with knife/sharp weapon or firearm.

The most common nursing diagnosis among adults/seniors hospitalised with cancer: integrative review

PubMed Central

Jomar, Rafael Tavares; de Souza Bispo, Vitória Régia

2014-01-01

The nursing process, with emphasis on the diagnosis phase, is essential to oncology hospital services due to a high frequency of physical and psychological problems that compromise the quality of life of patients undergoing cancer treatment. The goal of this study was to identify, according to NANDA International, the most common nursing diagnosis among adults/seniors with cancer who are hospitalised. This study is an integrative review of the literature completed in 2013 using five electronic databases, resulting in the selection and analysis of nine articles. This review identified the following eight actual diagnoses and two risk diagnoses that are more common among hospitalised adults/seniors with cancer: anxiety, deficient knowledge, constipation, self-care deficit for bathing/hygiene, body image disturbance, acute/chronic pain, fear, disturbed sleep pattern, risk of infection, and risk of deficient fluid volume. The heterogeneity of the studies used in this review may not have allowed the identification of all the common nursing diagnoses in the practice of oncology nursing in hospitals. However, even though the results are not based on the highest possible level of scientific evidence, their correlation to clinical practice can contribute to the enhancement of the nursing process in oncology services provided by hospitals. PMID:25228918

Common schizophrenia alleles are enriched in mutation-intolerant genes and in regions under strong background selection

PubMed Central

Pardiñas, Antonio F.; Holmans, Peter; Pocklington, Andrew J.; Escott-Price, Valentina; Ripke, Stephan; Carrera, Noa; Legge, Sophie E.; Bishop, Sophie; Cameron, Darren; Hamshere, Marian L.; Han, Jun; Hubbard, Leon; Lynham, Amy; Mantripragada, Kiran; Rees, Elliott; MacCabe, James H.; McCarroll, Steven A.; Baune, Bernhard T.; Breen, Gerome; Byrne, Enda M.; Dannlowski, Udo; Eley, Thalia C.; Hayward, Caroline; Martin, Nicholas G.; McIntosh, Andrew M.; Plomin, Robert; Porteous, David J.; Wray, Naomi R.; Caballero, Armando; Geschwind, Daniel H.; Huckins, Laura M.; Ruderfer, Douglas M.; Santiago, Enrique; Sklar, Pamela; Stahl, Eli A.; Won, Hyejung; Agerbo, Esben; Als, Thomas D.; Andreassen, Ole A.; Bækvad-Hansen, Marie; Mortensen, Preben Bo; Pedersen, Carsten Bøcker; Børglum, Anders D.; Bybjerg-Grauholm, Jonas; Djurovic, Srdjan; Durmishi, Naser; Pedersen, Marianne Giørtz; Golimbet, Vera; Grove, Jakob; Hougaard, David M.; Mattheisen, Manuel; Molden, Espen; Mors, Ole; Nordentoft, Merete; Pejovic-Milovancevic, Milica; Sigurdsson, Engilbert; Silagadze, Teimuraz; Hansen, Christine Søholm; Stefansson, Kari; Stefansson, Hreinn; Steinberg, Stacy; Tosato, Sarah; Werge, Thomas; Collier, David A.; Rujescu, Dan; Kirov, George; Owen, Michael J.; O’Donovan, Michael C.; Walters, James T. R.

2018-01-01

Schizophrenia is a debilitating psychiatric condition often associated with poor quality of life and decreased life expectancy. Lack of progress in improving treatment outcomes has been attributed to limited knowledge of the underlying biology, although large-scale genomic studies have begun to provide insights. We report a new genome-wide association study of schizophrenia (11,260 cases and 24,542 controls), and through meta-analysis with existing data we identify 50 novel associated loci and 145 loci in total. Through integrating genomic fine-mapping with brain expression and chromosome conformation data, we identify candidate causal genes within 33 loci. We also show for the first time that the common variant association signal is highly enriched among genes that are under strong selective pressures. These findings provide new insights into the biology and genetic architecture of schizophrenia, highlight the importance of mutation-intolerant genes and suggest a mechanism by which common risk variants persist in the population. PMID:29483656

Neonatal hypoglycemia in term, nondiabetic pregnancies.

PubMed

DePuy, Amy M; Coassolo, Kara M; Som, Dara A; Smulian, John C

2009-05-01

To define the incidence of hypoglycemia and identify risk factors in neonates from term, singleton, nondiabetic pregnancies. We conducted a matched case-control study of term, singleton infants weighing more than 2500 g in nondiabetic pregnancies. Cases with hypoglycemia (glucose < 50 mg/dL) were identified by International Classification of Diseases, ninth revision, codes. Two controls per case were matched on race, maternal age, and birthweight. Conditional logistic regression analyses were performed. There were 116 cases and 232 controls studied. The incidence density of neonatal hypoglycemia was 24.7 per 1000 infant-days at risk. Hypoglycemia was less commonly associated with later gestational age (odds ratio [OR], 0.66; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.53-0.85 per week of gestation). Maternal fever during labor was more common with hypoglycemia (OR, 4.08; 95% CI, 1.39-11.79). Public insurance was more than twice as common with hypoglycemia compared with those privately insured (OR, 2.31; 95% CI, 1.17-4.58). Neonatal hypoglycemia was associated with earlier gestational age, intrapartum fever, and public insurance.

Key principles of community-based natural resource management: a synthesis and interpretation of identified effective approaches for managing the commons.

PubMed

Gruber, James S

2010-01-01

This article examines recent research on approaches to community-based environmental and natural resource management and reviews the commonalities and differences between these interdisciplinary and multistakeholder initiatives. To identify the most effective characteristics of Community-based natural resource management (CBNRM), I collected a multiplicity of perspectives from research teams and then grouped findings into a matrix of organizational principles and key characteristics. The matrix was initially vetted (or "field tested") by applying numerous case studies that were previously submitted to the World Bank International Workshop on CBNRM. These practitioner case studies were then compared and contrasted with the findings of the research teams. It is hoped that the developed matrix may be useful to researchers in further focusing research, understanding core characteristics of effective and sustainable CBNRM, providing practitioners with a framework for developing new CBNRM initiatives for managing the commons, and providing a potential resource for academic institutions during their evaluation of their practitioner-focused environmental management and leadership curriculum.

Arab-Levantine personality structure: A psycholexical study of modern standard Arabic in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and the West Bank.

PubMed

Zeinoun, Pia; Daouk-Öyry, Lina; Choueiri, Lina; van de Vijver, Fons J R

2018-06-01

The debate of whether personality traits are universal or culture-specific has been informed by psycholexical (or lexical) studies conducted in tens of languages and cultures. We contribute to this debate through a series of studies in which we investigated personality descriptors in Modern Standard Arabic, the variety of Arabic that is presumably common to about 26 countries and native to more than 200 million people. We identified an appropriate source of personality descriptors, extracted them, and systematically reduced them to 167 personality traits that are common, are not redundant with each other, and are familiar and commonly understood in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and the West Bank (Palestinian territories). We then analyzed self- and peer ratings (N = 806) and identified a six-factor solution comprising Morality (I), Conscientiousness (II), Positive Emotionality (III), Dominance (IV), Agreeableness/Righteousness (V), and Emotional Stability (VI) without replicating an Openness factor. The factors were narrower or broader variants of factors found in the Big Five and HEXACO models. Conceptual and methodological considerations may have impacted the factor structure. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Identification of common features of vehicle motion under drowsy/distracted driving: A case study in Wuhan, China.

PubMed

Chen, Zhijun; Wu, Chaozhong; Zhong, Ming; Lyu, Nengchao; Huang, Zhen

2015-08-01

Drowsy/distracted driving has become one of the leading causes of traffic crash. Only certain particular drowsy/distracted driving behaviors have been studied by previous studies, which are mainly based on dedicated sensor devices such as bio and visual sensors. The objective of this study is to extract the common features for identifying drowsy/distracted driving through a set of common vehicle motion parameters. An intelligent vehicle was used to collect vehicle motion parameters. Fifty licensed drivers (37 males and 13 females, M=32.5 years, SD=6.2) were recruited to carry out road experiments in Wuhan, China and collecting vehicle motion data under four driving scenarios including talking, watching roadside, drinking and under the influence of drowsiness. For the first scenario, the drivers were exposed to a set of questions and asked to repeat a few sentences that had been proved valid in inducing driving distraction. Watching roadside, drinking and driving under drowsiness were assessed by an observer and self-reporting from the drivers. The common features of vehicle motions under four types of drowsy/distracted driving were analyzed using descriptive statistics and then Wilcoxon rank sum test. The results indicated that there was a significant difference of lateral acceleration rates and yaw rate acceleration between "normal driving" and drowsy/distracted driving. Study results also shown that, under drowsy/distracted driving, the lateral acceleration rates and yaw rate acceleration were significantly larger from the normal driving. The lateral acceleration rates were shown to suddenly increase or decrease by more than 2.0m/s(3) and the yaw rate acceleration by more than 2.5°/s(2). The standard deviation of acceleration rate (SDA) and standard deviation of yaw rate acceleration (SDY) were identified to as the common features of vehicle motion for distinguishing the drowsy/distracted driving from the normal driving. In order to identify a time window for effectively extracting the two common features, a double-window method was used and the optimized "Parent Window" and "Child Window" were found to be 55s and 6s, respectively. The study results can be used to develop a driving assistant system, which can warn drivers when any one of the four types of drowsy/distracted driving is detected. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Febrile Urinary Tract Infection after Radical Cystectomy and Ileal Neobladder in Patients with Bladder Cancer.

PubMed

Kim, Kwang Hyun; Yoon, Hyun Suk; Yoon, Hana; Chung, Woo Sik; Sim, Bong Suk; Lee, Dong Hyeon

2016-07-01

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common complications after radical cystectomy and orthotopic neobladder reconstruction. This study investigated the incidence and implicated pathogen of febrile UTI after ileal neobladder reconstruction and identify clinical and urodynamic parameters associated with febrile UTI. From January 2001 to May 2015, 236 patients who underwent radical cystectomy and ileal neobladder were included in this study. Fifty-five episodes of febrile UTI were identified in 46 patients (19.4%). The probability of febrile UTI was 17.6% and 19.8% at 6 months and 24 months after surgery, respectively. While, Escherichia coli was the most common implicated pathogen (22/55, 40.0%), Enterococcus spp. were the most common pathogen during the first month after surgery (18/33, 54.5%). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, ureteral stricture was an independent risk factor associated with febrile UTI (OR 5.93, P = 0.023). However, ureteral stricture accounted for only 6 episodes (10.9%, 6/55) of febrile UTI. Most episodes of febrile UTI occurred within 6 months after surgery. Thus, to identify risk factors associated with febrile UTI in the initial postoperative period, we assessed videourodynamics within 6 months after surgery in 38 patients. On videourodyamic examination, vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) was identified in 16 patients (42.1%). The rate of VUR presence in patients who had febrile UTI was not significantly different from those in patients without febrile UTI (50% vs. 39.3%, P = 0.556). Patients with febrile UTI had significantly larger residual urine volume (212.0 ± 193.7 vs. 90.5 ± 148.2, P = 0.048) than those without. E. coli and Enterococcus spp. are common pathogens and ureteral stricture and residual urine are risk factors for UTI after ileal neobladder reconstruction.

Loss-of-function DNA sequence variant in the CLCNKA chloride channel implicates the cardio-renal axis in interindividual heart failure risk variation.

PubMed

Cappola, Thomas P; Matkovich, Scot J; Wang, Wei; van Booven, Derek; Li, Mingyao; Wang, Xuexia; Qu, Liming; Sweitzer, Nancy K; Fang, James C; Reilly, Muredach P; Hakonarson, Hakon; Nerbonne, Jeanne M; Dorn, Gerald W

2011-02-08

Common heart failure has a strong undefined heritable component. Two recent independent cardiovascular SNP array studies identified a common SNP at 1p36 in intron 2 of the HSPB7 gene as being associated with heart failure. HSPB7 resequencing identified other risk alleles but no functional gene variants. Here, we further show no effect of the HSPB7 SNP on cardiac HSPB7 mRNA levels or splicing, suggesting that the SNP marks the position of a functional variant in another gene. Accordingly, we used massively parallel platforms to resequence all coding exons of the adjacent CLCNKA gene, which encodes the K(a) renal chloride channel (ClC-K(a)). Of 51 exonic CLCNKA variants identified, one SNP (rs10927887, encoding Arg83Gly) was common, in linkage disequilibrium with the heart failure risk SNP in HSPB7, and associated with heart failure in two independent Caucasian referral populations (n = 2,606 and 1,168; combined P = 2.25 × 10(-6)). Individual genotyping of rs10927887 in the two study populations and a third independent heart failure cohort (combined n = 5,489) revealed an additive allele effect on heart failure risk that is independent of age, sex, and prior hypertension (odds ratio = 1.27 per allele copy; P = 8.3 × 10(-7)). Functional characterization of recombinant wild-type Arg83 and variant Gly83 ClC-K(a) chloride channel currents revealed ≈ 50% loss-of-function of the variant channel. These findings identify a common, functionally significant genetic risk factor for Caucasian heart failure. The variant CLCNKA risk allele, telegraphed by linked variants in the adjacent HSPB7 gene, uncovers a previously overlooked genetic mechanism affecting the cardio-renal axis.

Common and Rare Coding Genetic Variation Underlying the Electrocardiographic PR Interval.

PubMed

Lin, Honghuang; van Setten, Jessica; Smith, Albert V; Bihlmeyer, Nathan A; Warren, Helen R; Brody, Jennifer A; Radmanesh, Farid; Hall, Leanne; Grarup, Niels; Müller-Nurasyid, Martina; Boutin, Thibaud; Verweij, Niek; Lin, Henry J; Li-Gao, Ruifang; van den Berg, Marten E; Marten, Jonathan; Weiss, Stefan; Prins, Bram P; Haessler, Jeffrey; Lyytikäinen, Leo-Pekka; Mei, Hao; Harris, Tamara B; Launer, Lenore J; Li, Man; Alonso, Alvaro; Soliman, Elsayed Z; Connell, John M; Huang, Paul L; Weng, Lu-Chen; Jameson, Heather S; Hucker, William; Hanley, Alan; Tucker, Nathan R; Chen, Yii-Der Ida; Bis, Joshua C; Rice, Kenneth M; Sitlani, Colleen M; Kors, Jan A; Xie, Zhijun; Wen, Chengping; Magnani, Jared W; Nelson, Christopher P; Kanters, Jørgen K; Sinner, Moritz F; Strauch, Konstantin; Peters, Annette; Waldenberger, Melanie; Meitinger, Thomas; Bork-Jensen, Jette; Pedersen, Oluf; Linneberg, Allan; Rudan, Igor; de Boer, Rudolf A; van der Meer, Peter; Yao, Jie; Guo, Xiuqing; Taylor, Kent D; Sotoodehnia, Nona; Rotter, Jerome I; Mook-Kanamori, Dennis O; Trompet, Stella; Rivadeneira, Fernando; Uitterlinden, André; Eijgelsheim, Mark; Padmanabhan, Sandosh; Smith, Blair H; Völzke, Henry; Felix, Stephan B; Homuth, Georg; Völker, Uwe; Mangino, Massimo; Spector, Timothy D; Bots, Michiel L; Perez, Marco; Kähönen, Mika; Raitakari, Olli T; Gudnason, Vilmundur; Arking, Dan E; Munroe, Patricia B; Psaty, Bruce M; van Duijn, Cornelia M; Benjamin, Emelia J; Rosand, Jonathan; Samani, Nilesh J; Hansen, Torben; Kääb, Stefan; Polasek, Ozren; van der Harst, Pim; Heckbert, Susan R; Jukema, J Wouter; Stricker, Bruno H; Hayward, Caroline; Dörr, Marcus; Jamshidi, Yalda; Asselbergs, Folkert W; Kooperberg, Charles; Lehtimäki, Terho; Wilson, James G; Ellinor, Patrick T; Lubitz, Steven A; Isaacs, Aaron

2018-05-01

Electrical conduction from the cardiac sinoatrial node to the ventricles is critical for normal heart function. Genome-wide association studies have identified more than a dozen common genetic loci that are associated with PR interval. However, it is unclear whether rare and low-frequency variants also contribute to PR interval heritability. We performed large-scale meta-analyses of the PR interval that included 83 367 participants of European ancestry and 9436 of African ancestry. We examined both common and rare variants associated with the PR interval. We identified 31 genetic loci that were significantly associated with PR interval after Bonferroni correction ( P <1.2×10 -6 ), including 11 novel loci that have not been reported previously. Many of these loci are involved in heart morphogenesis. In gene-based analysis, we found that multiple rare variants at MYH6 ( P =5.9×10 -11 ) and SCN5A ( P =1.1×10 -7 ) were associated with PR interval. SCN5A locus also was implicated in the common variant analysis, whereas MYH6 was a novel locus. We identified common variants at 11 novel loci and rare variants within 2 gene regions that were significantly associated with PR interval. Our findings provide novel insights to the current understanding of atrioventricular conduction, which is critical for cardiac activity and an important determinant of health. © 2018 American Heart Association, Inc.

Specific Proteins in Nontuberculous Mycobacteria: New Potential Tools

PubMed Central

Orduña, Patricia; Castillo-Rodal, Antonia I.; Mercado, Martha E.; Ponce de León, Samuel; López-Vidal, Yolanda

2015-01-01

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) have been isolated from water, soil, air, food, protozoa, plants, animals, and humans. Although most NTM are saprophytes, approximately one-third of NTM have been associated with human diseases. In this study, we did a comparative proteomic analysis among five NTM strains isolated from several sources. There were different numbers of protein spots from M. gordonae (1,264), M. nonchromogenicum type I (894), M. nonchromogenicum type II (935), M. peregrinum (806), and M. scrofulaceum/Mycobacterium mantenii (1,486) strains, respectively. We identified 141 proteins common to all strains and specific proteins to each NTM strain. A total of 23 proteins were selected for its identification. Two of the common proteins identified (short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase SDR and diguanylate cyclase) did not align with M. tuberculosis complex protein sequences, which suggest that these proteins are found only in the NTM strains. Some of the proteins identified as common to all strains can be used as markers of NTM exposure and for the development of new diagnostic tools. Additionally, the specific proteins to NTM strains identified may represent potential candidates for the diagnosis of diseases caused by these mycobacteria. PMID:26106621

Opportunities to Foster Efficient Communication in Labor and Delivery Using Simulation.

PubMed

Daniels, Kay; Hamilton, Colleen; Crowe, Susan; Lipman, Steven S; Halamek, Louis P; Lee, Henry C

2017-01-01

Introduction  Communication errors are an important contributing factor in adverse outcomes in labor and delivery (L&D) units. The objective of this study was to identify common lapses in verbal communication using simulated obstetrical scenarios and propose alternative formats for communication. Methods  Health care professionals in L&D participated in three simulated clinical scenarios. Scenarios were recorded and reviewed to identify questions repeated within and across scenarios. Questions that were repeated more than once due to ineffective communication were identified. The frequency with which the questions were asked across simulations was identified. Results  Questions were commonly repeated both within and across 27 simulated scenarios. The median number of questions asked was 27 per simulated scenario. Commonly repeated questions focused on three general topics: (1) historical data/information (i.e., estimated gestational age), (2) maternal clinical status (i.e., estimated blood loss), and (3) personnel (i.e., "Has anesthesiologist been called?"). Conclusion  Inefficient verbal communication exists in the process of transferring information during obstetric emergencies. These findings can inform improved training and development of information displays to improve teamwork and communication. A visual display that can report static historical information and specific dynamic clinical data may facilitate optimal human performance.

Common variants in Mendelian kidney disease genes and their association with renal function.

PubMed

Parsa, Afshin; Fuchsberger, Christian; Köttgen, Anna; O'Seaghdha, Conall M; Pattaro, Cristian; de Andrade, Mariza; Chasman, Daniel I; Teumer, Alexander; Endlich, Karlhans; Olden, Matthias; Chen, Ming-Huei; Tin, Adrienne; Kim, Young J; Taliun, Daniel; Li, Man; Feitosa, Mary; Gorski, Mathias; Yang, Qiong; Hundertmark, Claudia; Foster, Meredith C; Glazer, Nicole; Isaacs, Aaron; Rao, Madhumathi; Smith, Albert V; O'Connell, Jeffrey R; Struchalin, Maksim; Tanaka, Toshiko; Li, Guo; Hwang, Shih-Jen; Atkinson, Elizabeth J; Lohman, Kurt; Cornelis, Marilyn C; Johansson, Asa; Tönjes, Anke; Dehghan, Abbas; Couraki, Vincent; Holliday, Elizabeth G; Sorice, Rossella; Kutalik, Zoltan; Lehtimäki, Terho; Esko, Tõnu; Deshmukh, Harshal; Ulivi, Sheila; Chu, Audrey Y; Murgia, Federico; Trompet, Stella; Imboden, Medea; Kollerits, Barbara; Pistis, Giorgio; Harris, Tamara B; Launer, Lenore J; Aspelund, Thor; Eiriksdottir, Gudny; Mitchell, Braxton D; Boerwinkle, Eric; Schmidt, Helena; Hofer, Edith; Hu, Frank; Demirkan, Ayse; Oostra, Ben A; Turner, Stephen T; Ding, Jingzhong; Andrews, Jeanette S; Freedman, Barry I; Giulianini, Franco; Koenig, Wolfgang; Illig, Thomas; Döring, Angela; Wichmann, H-Erich; Zgaga, Lina; Zemunik, Tatijana; Boban, Mladen; Minelli, Cosetta; Wheeler, Heather E; Igl, Wilmar; Zaboli, Ghazal; Wild, Sarah H; Wright, Alan F; Campbell, Harry; Ellinghaus, David; Nöthlings, Ute; Jacobs, Gunnar; Biffar, Reiner; Ernst, Florian; Homuth, Georg; Kroemer, Heyo K; Nauck, Matthias; Stracke, Sylvia; Völker, Uwe; Völzke, Henry; Kovacs, Peter; Stumvoll, Michael; Mägi, Reedik; Hofman, Albert; Uitterlinden, Andre G; Rivadeneira, Fernando; Aulchenko, Yurii S; Polasek, Ozren; Hastie, Nick; Vitart, Veronique; Helmer, Catherine; Wang, Jie Jin; Stengel, Bénédicte; Ruggiero, Daniela; Bergmann, Sven; Kähönen, Mika; Viikari, Jorma; Nikopensius, Tiit; Province, Michael; Colhoun, Helen; Doney, Alex; Robino, Antonietta; Krämer, Bernhard K; Portas, Laura; Ford, Ian; Buckley, Brendan M; Adam, Martin; Thun, Gian-Andri; Paulweber, Bernhard; Haun, Margot; Sala, Cinzia; Mitchell, Paul; Ciullo, Marina; Vollenweider, Peter; Raitakari, Olli; Metspalu, Andres; Palmer, Colin; Gasparini, Paolo; Pirastu, Mario; Jukema, J Wouter; Probst-Hensch, Nicole M; Kronenberg, Florian; Toniolo, Daniela; Gudnason, Vilmundur; Shuldiner, Alan R; Coresh, Josef; Schmidt, Reinhold; Ferrucci, Luigi; van Duijn, Cornelia M; Borecki, Ingrid; Kardia, Sharon L R; Liu, Yongmei; Curhan, Gary C; Rudan, Igor; Gyllensten, Ulf; Wilson, James F; Franke, Andre; Pramstaller, Peter P; Rettig, Rainer; Prokopenko, Inga; Witteman, Jacqueline; Hayward, Caroline; Ridker, Paul M; Bochud, Murielle; Heid, Iris M; Siscovick, David S; Fox, Caroline S; Kao, W Linda; Böger, Carsten A

2013-12-01

Many common genetic variants identified by genome-wide association studies for complex traits map to genes previously linked to rare inherited Mendelian disorders. A systematic analysis of common single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes responsible for Mendelian diseases with kidney phenotypes has not been performed. We thus developed a comprehensive database of genes for Mendelian kidney conditions and evaluated the association between common genetic variants within these genes and kidney function in the general population. Using the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man database, we identified 731 unique disease entries related to specific renal search terms and confirmed a kidney phenotype in 218 of these entries, corresponding to mutations in 258 genes. We interrogated common SNPs (minor allele frequency >5%) within these genes for association with the estimated GFR in 74,354 European-ancestry participants from the CKDGen Consortium. However, the top four candidate SNPs (rs6433115 at LRP2, rs1050700 at TSC1, rs249942 at PALB2, and rs9827843 at ROBO2) did not achieve significance in a stage 2 meta-analysis performed in 56,246 additional independent individuals, indicating that these common SNPs are not associated with estimated GFR. The effect of less common or rare variants in these genes on kidney function in the general population and disease-specific cohorts requires further research.

Graduate Writing Assignments across Faculties in a Canadian University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shi, Ling; Dong, Yanning

2015-01-01

This study examines 143 graduate assignments across 12 faculties or schools in a Canadian university in order to identify types of writing tasks. Based on the descriptions provided by the instructors, we identified nine types of assignments, with scholarly essay being the most common, followed by summary and response, literature review, project,…

Multi-ethnic meta-analysis identifies RAI1 as a possible obstructive sleep apnea related quantitative trait locus in men

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common heritable disorder displaying marked sexual dimorphism in disease prevalence and progression. Previous genetic association studies have identified a few genetic loci associated with OSA and related quantitative traits, but they have only focused on single et...

Model Based Usability Heuristics for Constructivist E-Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katre, Dinesh S.

2007-01-01

Many e-learning applications and games have been studied to identify the common interaction models of constructivist learning, namely: 1. Move the object to appropriate location; 2. Place objects in appropriate order and location(s); 3. Click to identify; 4. Change the variable factors to observe the effects; and 5. System personification and…

Universal Leadership Behaviors and the Occupational Information Network's Generalized Work Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hurt, Andrew C.; Homan, Scott R.

2008-01-01

Recent leadership literature suggests that there is a growing trend to explore the idea of identifying universally accepted leadership behaviors. Before common leadership behaviors can be identified a standardized set of descriptors must be utilized. This study looks at the potential role of the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Information…

An Analysis of Instructional Expenditures for Institutions of Higher Education in the Northeast United States.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

State Univ. of New York, Buffalo.

In the past decade institutions have been troubled with problems of increasing enrollment and increasing expenditures. This study proposes to identify common cost patterns as a guideline in determining approach to full utilization of resources. This research will assist government policy makers to identify institutional educational resource…

Using Data Mining Results to Improve Educational Video Game Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kerr, Deirdre

2015-01-01

This study uses information about in-game strategy use, identified through cluster analysis of actions in an educational video game, to make data-driven modifications to the game in order to reduce construct-irrelevant behavior. The examination of student strategies identified through cluster analysis indicated that (a) it was common for students…

Using lice to identify cowbird hosts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hahn, D.C.; Osenton, P.C.; Price, R.W.

1995-01-01

Avian lice may link fledgling Brown-headed Cowbirds to the host species that raised them. Lice, if host-specific and transferred to nestling cowbirds, could serve to identify the principal host species raising cowbirds in a local area. This approach of trapping cowbird fledglings in a feeding flock, then collecting and identifying the lice they carry is economical. The alternative requires a team of people to locate large numbers of parasitized host nests. We trapped 250 cowbird fledglings during June-August 1994 on Patuxent Research Center, and from them we collected 426 lice identified as representing 6 genera and 12 species. We. also collected and identified 347 lice from 30 known host species that were mist-netted on our Center. The lice found on cowbird fledglings in this population can be linked to Wood Thrush, Red-eyed Vireo, Common Yellowthroat, Rufous-sided Towhee, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Song Sparrow, Field Sparrow, and Tree sparrow, based on this study and also on published reports.

Hedyotis diffusa Combined with Scutellaria barbata Are the Core Treatment of Chinese Herbal Medicine Used for Breast Cancer Patients: A Population-Based Study

PubMed Central

Yeh, Yuan-Chieh; Chen, Hsing-Yu; Yang, Sien-Hung; Lin, Yi-Hsien; Chiu, Jen-Hwey; Lin, Yi-Hsuan; Chen, Jiun-Liang

2014-01-01

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which is the most common type of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) used in Taiwan, is increasingly used to treat patients with breast cancer. However, large-scale studies on the patterns of TCM prescriptions for breast cancer are still lacking. The aim of this study was to determine the core treatment of TCM prescriptions used for breast cancer recorded in the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. TCM visits made for breast cancer in 2008 were identified using ICD-9 codes. The prescriptions obtained at these TCM visits were evaluated using association rule mining to evaluate the combinations of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) used to treat breast cancer patients. A total of 37,176 prescriptions were made for 4,436 outpatients with breast cancer. Association rule mining and network analysis identified Hedyotis diffusa plus Scutellaria barbata as the most common duplex medicinal (10.9%) used for the core treatment of breast cancer. Jia-Wei-Xiao-Yao-San (19.6%) and Hedyotis diffusa (41.9%) were the most commonly prescribed herbal formula (HF) and single herb (SH), respectively. Only 35% of the commonly used CHM had been studied for efficacy. More clinical trials are needed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of these CHM used to treat breast cancer. PMID:24734104

Hedyotis diffusa Combined with Scutellaria barbata Are the Core Treatment of Chinese Herbal Medicine Used for Breast Cancer Patients: A Population-Based Study.

PubMed

Yeh, Yuan-Chieh; Chen, Hsing-Yu; Yang, Sien-Hung; Lin, Yi-Hsien; Chiu, Jen-Hwey; Lin, Yi-Hsuan; Chen, Jiun-Liang

2014-01-01

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which is the most common type of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) used in Taiwan, is increasingly used to treat patients with breast cancer. However, large-scale studies on the patterns of TCM prescriptions for breast cancer are still lacking. The aim of this study was to determine the core treatment of TCM prescriptions used for breast cancer recorded in the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. TCM visits made for breast cancer in 2008 were identified using ICD-9 codes. The prescriptions obtained at these TCM visits were evaluated using association rule mining to evaluate the combinations of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) used to treat breast cancer patients. A total of 37,176 prescriptions were made for 4,436 outpatients with breast cancer. Association rule mining and network analysis identified Hedyotis diffusa plus Scutellaria barbata as the most common duplex medicinal (10.9%) used for the core treatment of breast cancer. Jia-Wei-Xiao-Yao-San (19.6%) and Hedyotis diffusa (41.9%) were the most commonly prescribed herbal formula (HF) and single herb (SH), respectively. Only 35% of the commonly used CHM had been studied for efficacy. More clinical trials are needed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of these CHM used to treat breast cancer.

Older Adults' Coping with Negative Life Events: Common Processes of Managing Health, Interpersonal, and Financial/Work Stressors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moos, Rudolf H.; Brennan, Penny L.; Schutte, Kathleen K.; Moos, Bernice S.

2006-01-01

This study examined how older adults cope with negative life events in health, interpersonal, and financial/work domains and whether common stress and coping processes hold across these three domains. On three occasions, older adults identified the most severe negative event they faced in the last year and described how they appraised and coped…

Gearing up to Teach the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics in Rural Northeast Region Schools. REL 2015-031

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walters, Kirk; Torres, Aubrey Scheopner; Smith, Toni; Ford, Jennifer

2014-01-01

This study describes key challenges and necessary supports related to implementation of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) identified by rural math educators in the Northeast. The research team interviewed state and district math coordinators and surveyed teachers in Maine, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont, to assess their…

[Prevalence of sensitization to inhalant allergens in the immunology department from Hospital de Especialidades Pediátricas María, Honduras, 2016].

PubMed

Gonzales-González, Victoria Alejandra; Díaz-Flores, Adolfo Martín; Fernández-Zelaya, Karla Zobeyda; Rivera-Reyes, María Félix

2017-01-01

Allergic diseases are a public health problem; estimates indicate that between 30% and 40% of the world population is affected by some allergy. Knowing the prevalence of allergen sensitization allows for adequate diagnoses and treatments to be offered. In Honduras there are no studies available in pediatric patients. The purpose of this research was to identify the most common types of sensitization in children and their correlation with the most common allergic diseases in patients on immunotherapy at the Maria Hospital of Pediatric Specialties. Cross-sectional, descriptive, retrospective study in which medical records and databases of patients on allergic immunotherapy at the Maria Hospital of Pediatric Specialties were reviewed between January 2015 and June 2016. 215 children on immunotherapy were assessed; ages ranged from 3 to 18 years, with a mean of 10.8 years. Aeroallergen-positive epicutaneous tests were identified in 73.02%. The most common aeroallergens were Dermatophagoides farinae and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus mix (96.74%), American cockroach 37.21%, and Aspergillus fumigatus and Homodenderum cladosporioides (16.28%). House dust mites and American cockroach were the most common causes of sensitization in patients on immunotherapy.

Copy number variation signature to predict human ancestry

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Copy number variations (CNVs) are genomic structural variants that are found in healthy populations and have been observed to be associated with disease susceptibility. Existing methods for CNV detection are often performed on a sample-by-sample basis, which is not ideal for large datasets where common CNVs must be estimated by comparing the frequency of CNVs in the individual samples. Here we describe a simple and novel approach to locate genome-wide CNVs common to a specific population, using human ancestry as the phenotype. Results We utilized our previously published Genome Alteration Detection Analysis (GADA) algorithm to identify common ancestry CNVs (caCNVs) and built a caCNV model to predict population structure. We identified a 73 caCNV signature using a training set of 225 healthy individuals from European, Asian, and African ancestry. The signature was validated on an independent test set of 300 individuals with similar ancestral background. The error rate in predicting ancestry in this test set was 2% using the 73 caCNV signature. Among the caCNVs identified, several were previously confirmed experimentally to vary by ancestry. Our signature also contains a caCNV region with a single microRNA (MIR270), which represents the first reported variation of microRNA by ancestry. Conclusions We developed a new methodology to identify common CNVs and demonstrated its performance by building a caCNV signature to predict human ancestry with high accuracy. The utility of our approach could be extended to large case–control studies to identify CNV signatures for other phenotypes such as disease susceptibility and drug response. PMID:23270563

Identifying Common Practice Elements to Improve Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Outcomes of Young Children in Early Childhood Classrooms.

PubMed

McLeod, Bryce D; Sutherland, Kevin S; Martinez, Ruben G; Conroy, Maureen A; Snyder, Patricia A; Southam-Gerow, Michael A

2017-02-01

Educators are increasingly being encouraged to implement evidence-based interventions and practices to address the social, emotional, and behavioral needs of young children who exhibit problem behavior in early childhood settings. Given the nature of social-emotional learning during the early childhood years and the lack of a common set of core evidence-based practices within the early childhood literature, selection of instructional practices that foster positive social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes for children in early childhood settings can be difficult. The purpose of this paper is to report findings from a study designed to identify common practice elements found in comprehensive intervention models (i.e., manualized interventions that include a number of components) or discrete practices (i.e., a specific behavior or action) designed to target social, emotional, and behavioral learning of young children who exhibit problem behavior. We conducted a systematic review of early childhood classroom interventions that had been evaluated in randomized group designs, quasi-experimental designs, and single-case experimental designs. A total of 49 published articles were identified, and an iterative process was used to identify common practice elements. The practice elements were subsequently reviewed by experts in social-emotional and behavioral interventions for young children. Twenty-four practice elements were identified and classified into content (the goal or general principle that guides a practice element) and delivery (the way in which a teacher provides instruction to the child) categories. We discuss implications that the identification of these practice elements found in the early childhood literature has for efforts to implement models and practices.

Synchronization of world economic activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Groth, Andreas; Ghil, Michael

2017-12-01

Common dynamical properties of business cycle fluctuations are studied in a sample of more than 100 countries that represent economic regions from all around the world. We apply the methodology of multivariate singular spectrum analysis (M-SSA) to identify oscillatory modes and to detect whether these modes are shared by clusters of phase- and frequency-locked oscillators. An extension of the M-SSA approach is introduced to help analyze structural changes in the cluster configuration of synchronization. With this novel technique, we are able to identify a common mode of business cycle activity across our sample, and thus point to the existence of a world business cycle. Superimposed on this mode, we further identify several major events that have markedly influenced the landscape of world economic activity in the postwar era.

Synchronization of world economic activity.

PubMed

Groth, Andreas; Ghil, Michael

2017-12-01

Common dynamical properties of business cycle fluctuations are studied in a sample of more than 100 countries that represent economic regions from all around the world. We apply the methodology of multivariate singular spectrum analysis (M-SSA) to identify oscillatory modes and to detect whether these modes are shared by clusters of phase- and frequency-locked oscillators. An extension of the M-SSA approach is introduced to help analyze structural changes in the cluster configuration of synchronization. With this novel technique, we are able to identify a common mode of business cycle activity across our sample, and thus point to the existence of a world business cycle. Superimposed on this mode, we further identify several major events that have markedly influenced the landscape of world economic activity in the postwar era.

Patient selection for day case-eligible surgery: identifying those at high risk for major complications.

PubMed

Mathis, Michael R; Naughton, Norah N; Shanks, Amy M; Freundlich, Robert E; Pannucci, Christopher J; Chu, Yijia; Haus, Jason; Morris, Michelle; Kheterpal, Sachin

2013-12-01

Due to economic pressures and improvements in perioperative care, outpatient surgical procedures have become commonplace. However, risk factors for outpatient surgical morbidity and mortality remain unclear. There are no multicenter clinical data guiding patient selection for outpatient surgery. The authors hypothesize that specific risk factors increase the likelihood of day case-eligible surgical morbidity or mortality. The authors analyzed adults undergoing common day case-eligible surgical procedures by using the American College of Surgeons' National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database from 2005 to 2010. Common day case-eligible surgical procedures were identified as the most common outpatient surgical Current Procedural Terminology codes provided by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Medicare publications. Study variables included anthropometric data and relevant medical comorbidities. The primary outcome was morbidity or mortality within 72 h. Intraoperative complications included adverse cardiovascular events; postoperative complications included surgical, anesthetic, and medical adverse events. Of 244,397 surgeries studied, 232 (0.1%) experienced early perioperative morbidity or mortality. Seven independent risk factors were identified while controlling for surgical complexity: overweight body mass index, obese body mass index, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, history of transient ischemic attack/stroke, hypertension, previous cardiac surgical intervention, and prolonged operative time. The demonstrated low rate of perioperative morbidity and mortality confirms the safety of current day case-eligible surgeries. The authors obtained the first prospectively collected data identifying risk factors for morbidity and mortality with day case-eligible surgery. The results of the study provide new data to advance patient-selection processes for outpatient surgery.

Antibiotics are the Most Commonly Identified Cause of Perioperative Hypersensitivity Reactions

PubMed Central

Kuhlen, James L.; Camargo, Carlos A.; Balekian, Diana S.; Blumenthal, Kimberly G.; Guyer, Autumn; Morris, Theresa; Long, Aidan; Banerji, Aleena

2016-01-01

Background Hypersensitivity reactions (HSR) during the perioperative period are unpredictable and can be life threatening. Prospective studies for evaluation of perioperative HSR are lacking and data on causative agents varies between different studies. Objective To prospectively determine the success of a comprehensive allergy evaluation plan for patients with HSR during anesthesia, including identification of causative agent and outcomes during subsequent anesthesia exposure. Methods All patients referred for perioperative HSR between November 2013 and March 2015, from a Boston teaching hospital, were evaluated using a standardized protocol with skin testing (ST) within 6 months of HSR. Comprehensive allergy evaluation included collection of patient information, including characteristics of HSR during anesthesia. We reviewed results of ST and/or test doses for all potential causative medications Event-related tryptase levels were reviewed when available. Results Over 17 months, 25 patients completed the comprehensive allergy evaluation. Fifty-two percent (13/25) were female with a median age of 52 (IQR 43–66) years. The most frequently observed HSR systems were cutaneous (68%), cardiovascular (64%), and pulmonary (24%). A culprit drug, defined as a positive ST, was identified in 36% (9/25) of patients. The most common agent identified was cefazolin (6/9). Following our comprehensive evaluation and management plan, seven (7/8, 88%) patients tolerated subsequent anesthesia. Conclusions Cefazolin was the most commonly identified cause of perioperative HSR in our study population. Skin testing patients within 6 months of a perioperative HSR may improve the odds of finding a positive result. Tolerance of subsequent anesthesia is generally achieved in patients undergoing our comprehensive evaluation. PMID:27039234

A genome-wide association meta-analysis identifies a novel locus at 17q11.2 associated with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

PubMed Central

Fogh, Isabella; Ratti, Antonia; Gellera, Cinzia; Lin, Kuang; Tiloca, Cinzia; Moskvina, Valentina; Corrado, Lucia; Sorarù, Gianni; Cereda, Cristina; Corti, Stefania; Gentilini, Davide; Calini, Daniela; Castellotti, Barbara; Mazzini, Letizia; Querin, Giorgia; Gagliardi, Stella; Del Bo, Roberto; Conforti, Francesca L.; Siciliano, Gabriele; Inghilleri, Maurizio; Saccà, Francesco; Bongioanni, Paolo; Penco, Silvana; Corbo, Massimo; Sorbi, Sandro; Filosto, Massimiliano; Ferlini, Alessandra; Di Blasio, Anna M.; Signorini, Stefano; Shatunov, Aleksey; Jones, Ashley; Shaw, Pamela J.; Morrison, Karen E.; Farmer, Anne E.; Van Damme, Philip; Robberecht, Wim; Chiò, Adriano; Traynor, Bryan J.; Sendtner, Michael; Melki, Judith; Meininger, Vincent; Hardiman, Orla; Andersen, Peter M.; Leigh, Nigel P.; Glass, Jonathan D.; Overste, Daniel; Diekstra, Frank P.; Veldink, Jan H.; van Es, Michael A.; Shaw, Christopher E.; Weale, Michael E.; Lewis, Cathryn M.; Williams, Julie; Brown, Robert H.; Landers, John E.; Ticozzi, Nicola; Ceroni, Mauro; Pegoraro, Elena; Comi, Giacomo P.; D'Alfonso, Sandra; van den Berg, Leonard H.; Taroni, Franco; Al-Chalabi, Ammar; Powell, John; Silani, Vincenzo; Brescia Morra, Vincenzo; Filla, Alessandro; Massimo, Filosto; Marsili, Angela; Viviana, Pensato; Puorro, Giorgia; La Bella, Vincenzo; Logroscino, Giancarlo; Monsurrò, Maria Rosaria; Quattrone, Aldo; Simone, Isabella Laura; Ahmeti, Kreshnik B.; Ajroud-Driss, Senda; Armstrong, Jennifer; Birve, Anne; Blauw, Hylke M.; Bruijn, Lucie; Chen, Wenjie; Comeau, Mary C.; Cronin, Simon; Soraya, Gkazi Athina; Grab, Josh D.; Groen, Ewout J.; Haines, Jonathan L.; Heller, Scott; Huang, Jie; Hung, Wu-Yen; Jaworski, James M.; Khan, Humaira; Langefeld, Carl D.; Marion, Miranda C.; McLaughlin, Russell L.; Miller, Jack W.; Mora, Gabriele; Pericak-Vance, Margaret A.; Rampersaud, Evadnie; Siddique, Nailah; Siddique, Teepu; Smith, Bradley N.; Sufit, Robert; Topp, Simon; Vance, Caroline; van Vught, Paul; Yang, Yi; Zheng, J.G.

2014-01-01

Identification of mutations at familial loci for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has provided novel insights into the aetiology of this rapidly progressing fatal neurodegenerative disease. However, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of the more common (∼90%) sporadic form have been less successful with the exception of the replicated locus at 9p21.2. To identify new loci associated with disease susceptibility, we have established the largest association study in ALS to date and undertaken a GWAS meta-analytical study combining 3959 newly genotyped Italian individuals (1982 cases and 1977 controls) collected by SLAGEN (Italian Consortium for the Genetics of ALS) together with samples from Netherlands, USA, UK, Sweden, Belgium, France, Ireland and Italy collected by ALSGEN (the International Consortium on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Genetics). We analysed a total of 13 225 individuals, 6100 cases and 7125 controls for almost 7 million single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). We identified a novel locus with genome-wide significance at 17q11.2 (rs34517613 with P = 1.11 × 10−8; OR 0.82) that was validated when combined with genotype data from a replication cohort (P = 8.62 × 10−9; OR 0.833) of 4656 individuals. Furthermore, we confirmed the previously reported association at 9p21.2 (rs3849943 with P = 7.69 × 10−9; OR 1.16). Finally, we estimated the contribution of common variation to heritability of sporadic ALS as ∼12% using a linear mixed model accounting for all SNPs. Our results provide an insight into the genetic structure of sporadic ALS, confirming that common variation contributes to risk and that sufficiently powered studies can identify novel susceptibility loci. PMID:24256812

Antibiotics Are the Most Commonly Identified Cause of Perioperative Hypersensitivity Reactions.

PubMed

Kuhlen, James L; Camargo, Carlos A; Balekian, Diana S; Blumenthal, Kimberly G; Guyer, Autumn; Morris, Theresa; Long, Aidan; Banerji, Aleena

2016-01-01

Hypersensitivity reactions (HSRs) during the perioperative period are unpredictable and can be life threatening. Prospective studies for the evaluation of perioperative HSRs are lacking, and data on causative agents vary between different studies. The objective of this study was to prospectively determine the success of a comprehensive allergy evaluation plan for patients with HSRs during anesthesia, including identification of a causative agent and outcomes during subsequent anesthesia exposure. All patients referred for a perioperative HSR between November 2013 and March 2015, from a Boston teaching hospital, were evaluated using a standardized protocol with skin testing (ST) within 6 months of HSR. Comprehensive allergy evaluation included collection of patient information, including characteristics of HSR during anesthesia. We reviewed the results of ST and/or test doses for all potential causative medications Event-related tryptase levels were reviewed when available. Over 17 months, 25 patients completed the comprehensive allergy evaluation. Fifty-two percent (13 of 25) were female with a median age of 52 (interquartile range 43-66) years. The most frequently observed HSR systems were cutaneous (68%), cardiovascular (64%), and pulmonary (24%). A culprit drug, defined as a positive ST, was identified in 36% (9 of 25) of patients. The most common agent identified was cefazolin (6 of 9). After our comprehensive evaluation and management plan, 7 (7 of 8, 88%) patients tolerated subsequent anesthesia. Cefazolin was the most commonly identified cause of a perioperative HSR in our study population. Skin testing patients within 6 months of a perioperative HSR may improve the odds of finding a positive result. Tolerance of subsequent anesthesia is generally achieved in patients undergoing our comprehensive evaluation. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Aspergillus otitis in small animals--a retrospective study of 17 cases.

PubMed

Goodale, Elizabeth C; Outerbridge, Catherine A; White, Stephen D

2016-02-01

Aspergillus spp. are saprophytic opportunistic fungal organisms and are a common cause of otomycosis in humans. Although there have been case reports of Aspergillus otitis externa in dogs, to the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first retrospective case series describing Aspergillus otitis in dogs and cats. To characterize signalment, putative risk factors, treatments and outcomes of a case series of dogs and cats with Aspergillus otitis. Eight dogs and nine cats diagnosed with Aspergillus otitis. A retrospective review of medical records from 1989 to 2014 identified animals diagnosed with Aspergillus otitis based on culture. All dogs weighed greater than 23 kg. The most common putative risk factors identified in this study were concurrent diseases, therapy causing immunosuppression or a history of an otic foreign body. Aspergillus otitis was unilateral in all study dogs and most cats. Concurrent otitis media was confirmed in three dogs and one cat, and suspected in two additional cats. Aspergillus fumigatus was the most common isolate overall and was the dominant isolate in cats. Aspergillus niger and A. terreus were more commonly isolated from dogs. Animals received various topical and systemic antifungal medications; however, otic lavage under anaesthesia and/or surgical intervention increased the likelihood of resolution of the fungal infection. Aspergillus otitis is uncommon, typically seen as unilateral otitis externa in cats and larger breed dogs with possible risk factors that include immunosuppression and otic foreign bodies; previous antibiotic usage was common. © 2015 ESVD and ACVD.

Can work make you mentally ill? A systematic meta-review of work-related risk factors for common mental health problems.

PubMed

Harvey, Samuel B; Modini, Matthew; Joyce, Sadhbh; Milligan-Saville, Josie S; Tan, Leona; Mykletun, Arnstein; Bryant, Richard A; Christensen, Helen; Mitchell, Philip B

2017-03-01

It has been suggested that certain types of work may increase the risk of common mental disorders, but the exact nature of the relationship has been contentious. The aim of this paper is to conduct the first comprehensive systematic meta-review of the evidence linking work to the development of common mental health problems, specifically depression, anxiety and/or work-related stress and to consider how the risk factors identified may relate to each other. MEDLINE, PsychInfo, Embase, the Cochrane Collaboration and grey literature databases were systematically searched for review articles that examined work-based risk factors for common mental health problems. All included reviews were subjected to a quality appraisal. 37 review studies were identified, of which 7 were at least moderate quality. 3 broad categories of work-related factors were identified to explain how work may contribute to the development of depression and/or anxiety: imbalanced job design, occupational uncertainty and lack of value and respect in the workplace. Within these broad categories, there was moderate level evidence from multiple prospective studies that high job demands, low job control, high effort-reward imbalance, low relational justice, low procedural justice, role stress, bullying and low social support in the workplace are associated with a greater risk of developing common mental health problems. While methodological limitations continue to preclude more definitive statements on causation between work and mental disorders, there is now a range of promising targets for individual and organisational-level interventions aimed at minimising mental health problems in the workplace. 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/.

Critical appraisal of nonrandomized studies-A review of recommended and commonly used tools.

PubMed

Quigley, Joan M; Thompson, Juliette C; Halfpenny, Nicholas J; Scott, David A

2018-02-27

When randomized controlled trial data are limited or unavailable, or to supplement randomized controlled trial evidence, health technology assessment (HTA) agencies may rely on systematic reviews of nonrandomized studies (NRSs) for evidence of the effectiveness of health care interventions. NRS designs may introduce considerable bias into systematic reviews, and several methodologies by which to evaluate this risk of bias are available. This study aimed to identify tools commonly used to assess bias in NRS and determine those recommended by HTA bodies. Appraisal tools used in NRS were identified through a targeted search of systematic reviews (January 2013-March 2017; MEDLINE and EMBASE [OVID SP]). Recommendations for the critical appraisal of NRS by expert review groups and HTA bodies were reviewed. From the 686 studies included in the narrative synthesis, 48 critical appraisal tools were identified. Commonly used tools included the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, the methodological index for NRS, and bespoke appraisal tools. Neither the Cochrane Handbook nor the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination recommends a particular instrument for the assessment of risk of bias in NRS, although Cochrane has recently developed their own NRS critical appraisal tool. Among HTA bodies, only the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health recommends use of a specific critical appraisal tool-SIGN 50 (for cohort or case-control studies). Several criteria including reporting, external validity, confounding, and power were examined. There is no consensus between HTA groups on the preferred appraisal tool. Reviewers should select from a suite of tools on the basis of the design of studies included in their review. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Using Economic Evidence to Set Healthcare Priorities in Low-Income and Lower-Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review of Methodological Frameworks.

PubMed

Wiseman, Virginia; Mitton, Craig; Doyle-Waters, Mary M; Drake, Tom; Conteh, Lesong; Newall, Anthony T; Onwujekwe, Obinna; Jan, Stephen

2016-02-01

Policy makers in low-income and lower-middle-income countries (LMICs) are increasingly looking to develop 'evidence-based' frameworks for identifying priority health interventions. This paper synthesises and appraises the literature on methodological frameworks--which incorporate economic evaluation evidence--for the purpose of setting healthcare priorities in LMICs. A systematic search of Embase, MEDLINE, Econlit and PubMed identified 3968 articles with a further 21 articles identified through manual searching. A total of 36 papers were eligible for inclusion. These covered a wide range of health interventions with only two studies including health systems strengthening interventions related to financing, governance and human resources. A little under half of the studies (39%) included multiple criteria for priority setting, most commonly equity, feasibility and disease severity. Most studies (91%) specified a measure of 'efficiency' defined as cost per disability-adjusted life year averted. Ranking of health interventions using multi-criteria decision analysis and generalised cost-effectiveness were the most common frameworks for identifying priority health interventions. Approximately a third of studies discussed the affordability of priority interventions. Only one study identified priority areas for the release or redeployment of resources. The paper concludes by highlighting the need for local capacity to conduct evaluations (including economic analysis) and empowerment of local decision-makers to act on this evidence. © 2016 The Authors. Health Economics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Co-Occurrence Patterns of Common and Rare Leaf-Litter Frogs, Epiphytic Ferns and Dung Beetles across a Gradient of Human Disturbance

PubMed Central

Oldekop, Johan A.; Bebbington, Anthony J.; Truelove, Nathan K.; Tysklind, Niklas; Villamarín, Santiago; Preziosi, Richard F.

2012-01-01

Indicator taxa are commonly used to identify priority areas for conservation or to measure biological responses to environmental change. Despite their widespread use, there is no general consensus about the ability of indicator taxa to predict wider trends in biodiversity. Many studies have focused on large-scale patterns of species co-occurrence to identify areas of high biodiversity, threat or endemism, but there is much less information about patterns of species co-occurrence at local scales. In this study, we assess fine-scale co-occurrence patterns of three indicator taxa (epiphytic ferns, leaf litter frogs and dung beetles) across a remotely sensed gradient of human disturbance in the Ecuadorian Amazon. We measure the relative contribution of rare and common species to patterns of total richness in each taxon and determine the ability of common and rare species to act as surrogate measures of human disturbance and each other. We find that the species richness of indicator taxa changed across the human disturbance gradient but that the response differed among taxa, and between rare and common species. Although we find several patterns of co-occurrence, these patterns differed between common and rare species. Despite showing complex patterns of species co-occurrence, our results suggest that species or taxa can act as reliable indicators of each other but that this relationship must be established and not assumed. PMID:22701730

[Frequency of the most common mutations of the CFTR gene in peruvian patients with cystic fibrosis using the ARMS-PCR technique].

PubMed

Aquino, Ruth; Protzel, Ana; Rivera, Juan; Abarca, Hugo; Dueñas, Milagros; Nestarez, Cecilia; Purizaga, Nestor; Diringer, Benoit

2017-01-01

To determine the frequency of the ten most common mutations of the CFTR gene reported in Latin Americausing amplification-refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction (ARMS-PCR) in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) in two referral hospitals in Peru during the year 2014. The frequency of the ten most common mutations of the CFTR gene was assessed in patients of the Hospital Nacional Edgardo Rebagliati Martins and the Instituto Nacional de Salud del Niño, both located in Lima, Peru. Blood samples were collected from 36 patients with CF, and the ARMS-PCR technique was used to determine the presence of these mutations. The study group included 73.5% of patients with a known diagnosis of CF in the country when the study was carried out. ARMS-PCR allowed three of the mutations to be identified in a combined 30.6% of the alleles from patients with CF, and 64.9% of the mutated alleles were not identified. The mutations found were p.Phe508del (22,2%), p.Gly542* (6,9%), and p.Arg1162* (1,4%). There is significant variability in both the frequency and type of mutations present in our study population and in what has been reported in other Latin American countries. It is necessary to perform studies that use complete sequencing technology for the CFTR gene to identify other mutations present in our population.

A Study of Nigerian Pupils' Understanding of Selected Biological Concepts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Okeke, Eunice A. C.; Wood-Robinson, Colin

1980-01-01

Describes results of a study investigating the nature of Nigerian secondary school pupils' (N=120) difficulties in understanding the biological concepts of growth, reproduction, and transport mechanisms within living organisms. Identifies examples of common misconceptions. (CS)

Isolated Deep Venous Thrombosis: Implications for 2-Point Compression Ultrasonography of the Lower Extremity.

PubMed

Adhikari, Srikar; Zeger, Wes; Thom, Christopher; Fields, J Matthew

2015-09-01

Two-point compression ultrasonography focuses on the evaluation of common femoral and popliteal veins for complete compressibility. The presence of isolated thrombi in proximal veins other than the common femoral and popliteal veins should prompt modification of 2-point compression technique. The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence and distribution of deep venous thrombi isolated to lower-extremity veins other than the common femoral and popliteal veins in emergency department (ED) patients with clinically suspected deep venous thrombosis. This was a retrospective study of all adult ED patients who received a lower-extremity venous duplex ultrasonographic examination for evaluation of deep venous thrombosis during a 6-year period. The ultrasonographic protocol included B-mode, color-flow, and spectral Doppler scanning of the common femoral, femoral, deep femoral, popliteal, and calf veins. Deep venous thrombosis was detected in 362 of 2,451 patients (14.7%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 13.3% to 16.1%). Thrombus confined to the common femoral vein alone was found in 5 of 362 cases (1.4%; 95% CI 0.2% to 2.6%). Isolated femoral vein thrombus was identified in 20 of 362 patients (5.5%; 95% CI 3.2% to 7.9%). Isolated deep femoral vein thrombus was found in 3 of 362 cases (0.8%; 95% CI -0.1% to 1.8%). Thrombus in the popliteal vein alone was identified in 53 of 362 cases (14.6%; 95% CI 11% to 18.2%). In our study, 6.3% of ED patients with suspected deep venous thrombosis had isolated thrombi in proximal veins other than common femoral and popliteal veins. Our study results support the addition of femoral and deep femoral vein evaluation to standard compression ultrasonography of the common femoral and popliteal vein, assuming that this does not have a deleterious effect on specificity. Copyright © 2014 American College of Emergency Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Missing data may lead to changes in hip fracture database studies: a study of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program.

PubMed

Basques, B A; McLynn, R P; Lukasiewicz, A M; Samuel, A M; Bohl, D D; Grauer, J N

2018-02-01

The aims of this study were to characterize the frequency of missing data in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database and to determine how missing data can influence the results of studies dealing with elderly patients with a fracture of the hip. Patients who underwent surgery for a fracture of the hip between 2005 and 2013 were identified from the NSQIP database and the percentage of missing data was noted for demographics, comorbidities and laboratory values. These variables were tested for association with 'any adverse event' using multivariate regressions based on common ways of handling missing data. A total of 26 066 patients were identified. The rate of missing data was up to 77.9% for many variables. Multivariate regressions comparing three methods of handling missing data found different risk factors for postoperative adverse events. Only seven of 35 identified risk factors (20%) were common to all three analyses. Missing data is an important issue in national database studies that researchers must consider when evaluating such investigations. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2018;100-B:226-32. ©2018 The British Editorial Society of Bone & Joint Surgery.

A Groupwise Association Test for Rare Mutations Using a Weighted Sum Statistic

PubMed Central

Madsen, Bo Eskerod; Browning, Sharon R.

2009-01-01

Resequencing is an emerging tool for identification of rare disease-associated mutations. Rare mutations are difficult to tag with SNP genotyping, as genotyping studies are designed to detect common variants. However, studies have shown that genetic heterogeneity is a probable scenario for common diseases, in which multiple rare mutations together explain a large proportion of the genetic basis for the disease. Thus, we propose a weighted-sum method to jointly analyse a group of mutations in order to test for groupwise association with disease status. For example, such a group of mutations may result from resequencing a gene. We compare the proposed weighted-sum method to alternative methods and show that it is powerful for identifying disease-associated genes, both on simulated and Encode data. Using the weighted-sum method, a resequencing study can identify a disease-associated gene with an overall population attributable risk (PAR) of 2%, even when each individual mutation has much lower PAR, using 1,000 to 7,000 affected and unaffected individuals, depending on the underlying genetic model. This study thus demonstrates that resequencing studies can identify important genetic associations, provided that specialised analysis methods, such as the weighted-sum method, are used. PMID:19214210

[Identification of alloantibodies and their associations: balance sheet of a year at the Auvergne-Loire French Blood Establishment].

PubMed

Duboeuf, S; Flourié, F; Courbil, R; Benamara, A; Rigal, E; Cognasse, F; Garraud, O

2012-12-01

Some alloantibodies and their combinations can lead to delays or even an impasse in a transfusion, owing to the necessity of finding compatible red blood cell concentrates. The aim of this study was to determine the specificities of the most common alloantibodies, as well as the most common combinations of alloantibodies. A retrospective study analysed erythrocyte alloantibodies identified in 2008 in the immunohematology laboratories at the Auvergne-Loire French Blood Establishment. The following data were studied: frequency, specificities of the alloantibodies, date of discovery, and patient age and sex. One thousand eight hundred and fifteen alloantibodies were identified in 1575 patients (median age: 63.5years, female/male ratio: 3.03). The most common alloantibodies were directed against the following antigens: RH3/E (18.7%), KEL1/K (17.3%), RH1/D (16.4%), MNS1/M (9.4%), FY1/Fya (6.9%), RH2/C (6.1%), KEL3/Kpa (4.7%), JK1/Jka (4.3%) and RH4/c (4.1%). In 13.1% of patients, at least two alloantibodies were identified. The pairs most frequently combined were anti-RH1/RH2, anti-RH3/RH4 and anti-RH3/KEL1. Specific associations of paired alloantibodies were identified. The main combinations provide indications on the choice of red cell concentrates in the inventory for a given patient. The data collected in our study show that when an antibody is identified, it is recommended for subsequent transfusion episodes to respect the phenotype RH 1-5 (D, C, E, c, e) and KEL1 (K) of the patient, and if possible antigens JK1 (Jka) and FY1 (Fya), and to a lesser extent MNS3 (S). Detailed knowledge of the immunological mechanisms leading to the formation of these alloantibodies and their combinations would allow better prevention of erythrocyte alloimmunization. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Student Conceptions of Ionic Bonding: Patterns of thinking across three European contexts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taber, Keith S.; Tsaparlis, Georgios; Nakiboğlu, Canan

2012-12-01

Previous research has reported that students commonly develop alternative conceptions in the core topic of chemical bonding. Research in England has reported that students there commonly demonstrate an alternative 'molecular' conceptual framework for thinking about ionic bonding: in terms of the formation of molecule-like ions pairs through electron transfer, which are internally bonded, but not bonded to other ions. The present study reports the use of translated versions of a diagnostic instrument to elicit the conceptions of bonding in NaCl (commonly used as the teaching example of an ionic compound) from two samples of students setting out on university courses in Greece and Turkey. The study reports that students in these two contexts displayed high levels of support for statements based upon the alternative conceptual framework identified in the English context. Students commonly develop similar alternative conceptions of ionic bonding in these three different educational contexts. The study also found some quite large differences in the specific response patterns across these three contexts, some of which could reflect specific features of the different curriculum contexts. The study reinforces the cross-national nature of the challenge of effectively teaching the abstract models of chemistry at the submicroscopic level. It also provides intriguing suggestions that a close study of the interactions between specific curriculum contexts and specific patterns in students' thinking offers much potential for identifying particular aspects of subject pedagogy that either support or impede the learning of accepted scientific models.

Study and design of laser communications system for space shuttle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

The design, development and operation are described of the laser communications system developed for potential space shuttle application. A brief study was conducted to identify the need, if any, for narrow bandwidth space-to-space communication on the shuttle vehicles. None have been specifically identified that could not be accommodated with existing equipments. The key technical features developed in this hardware are the conically scanned tracker for optimized track while communicating with a single detector, and the utilization of a common optical carrier frequency for both transmission and detection. This latter feature permits a multiple access capability so that several transceivers can communicate with one another. The conically scanned tracker technique allows the received signal energy to be efficiently divided between the tracking and communications functions within a common detector.

Self-Consistency of Rain Event Definitions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teves, J. B.; Larsen, M.

2014-12-01

A dense optical rain disdrometer array was constructed to study rain variability on spatial scales less than 100 meters with temporal resolution of 1 minute. Approximately two months of data were classified into rain events using methods common in the literature. These methods were unable to identify an array-wide consensus as to the total number of rain events; instruments as little as 2 meters apart with similar data records sometimes identified different rain event totals. Physical considerations suggest that these differing event totals are likely due to instrument sampling fluctuations that are typically not accounted for in rain event studies. Detection of varying numbers of rain events impact many commonly used storm statistics including storm duration distributions and mean rain rate. A summary of the results above and their implications are presented.

Identification of Candida species isolated from vulvovaginitis using matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry

PubMed Central

Alizadeh, Majid; Kolecka, Anna; Boekhout, Teun; Zarrinfar, Hossein; Ghanbari Nahzag, Mohamad. A; Badiee, Parisa; Rezaei-Matehkolaei, Ali; Fata, Abdolmajid; Dolatabadi, Somayeh; Najafzadeh, Mohammad. J

2017-01-01

Background and Purpose: Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is a common problem in women. The purpose of this study was to identify Candida isolates by matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) from women with vulvovaginitis that were referred to Ghaem Hospital, Mashhad, Iran. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted on 65 clinical samples isolated from women that were referred to Ghaem Hospital. All specimens were identified using phenotyping techniques, such as microscopy and culture on Sabouraud dextrose agar and corn meal agar. In addition, all isolates were processed for MALDI-TOF MS identification. Results: Out of the 65 analyzed isolates, 61 (94%) samples were recognized by MALDI-TOF MS. However, the remaining four isolates (6%) had no reliable identification. According to the results, C. albicans (58.5%) was the most frequently isolated species, followed by C. tropicalis (16.9%), C. glabrata (7.7%), C. parapsilosis (7.7%), and guilliermondii (3.1%). Conclusion: As the findings indicated, MALDI TOF MS was successful in the identification of clinical Candida species. C. albicans was identified as the most common Candida species isolated from the women with VVC. Moreover, C. tropicalis was the most common species among the non-albicans Candida species. PMID:29707675

Prescription patterns of Chinese herbal products for post-surgery colon cancer patients in Taiwan.

PubMed

Chao, Te-Hsin; Fu, Pin-Kuei; Chang, Chiung-Hung; Chang, Shih-Ni; Chiahung Mao, Frank; Lin, Ching-Heng

2014-08-08

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is commonly provided to cancer patients, however, the patterns of prescriptions for this type of medicine in Taiwan are unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the use of traditional Chinese medicine products in colon cancer patients post-surgery in Taiwan and to research patterns of TCM. This was a cross-sectional study of newly diagnosed colon cancer patients who received surgery between 2004 and 2008 identified from the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan. The prescription patterns and reasons for the use of TCM for colon cancer were analyzed. The results showed that "symptoms, signs and ill-defined conditions" (23.3%) and diseases of the digestive system (16.9%) were the most common reasons for using Chinese herbal medicine. Xiang-sha-liu-jun-zi-tang (7.1%), Bu-zhong-yi-qi-tang (4.3%), Jia-wei-xiao-yao-san (4.1%), Shen-Ling-Bai-Zhu-San (3.7%), Ban-Xia-Xie-Xin-Tang (3.4%), Gui-pi-tang (2.4%), Ping-Wei-San (2.4%), Gan-Lu-Yin (2.0%), Bao-He-Wan (1.9%), and Zhen-Ren-Huo-Ming-Yin (1.8%) were the most commonly prescribed single Chinese herbal formulae (CHF) for colon cancer patients post-surgery. Hedyotis diffusa Willd (Bai Hua She She Cao) (5.1%) and Scutellaria barbata (Ban Zhi Lian )(4.8%) were the most commonly prescribed single Chinese herbs. This study identified patterns of TCM use in colon cancer patients post-surgery in Taiwan. The herbal ingredients were most commonly used for stimulate ghrelin secretion to increase food intake and had potential anti-tumor effect. However, further research is required to evaluate any beneficial effects which could identify leads for the development of new treatment strategies using TCM. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Women with HIV are more commonly infected with non-16 and -18 high-risk HPV types.

PubMed

McKenzie, Nathalie Dauphin; Kobetz, Erin N; Hnatyszyn, James; Twiggs, Leo B; Lucci, Joseph A

2010-03-01

To review and summarize evidence from clinical, translational and epidemiologic studies which have examined the clinically relevant aspects of HPV type prevalence and cervical dysplasia in HIV-infected women. Relevant studies were identified through a MEDLINE search. References of identified reports were also used to identify additional published articles for review. HIV-infected women in different geographic regions (such as Zambia, Brazil, Rochester NY) appear to be infected with less prevalent types of HR-HPV as compared to the general population who, across all continents, are more commonly infected with types 16 and 18. Secondly, integration of HPV DNA into the host genome is no longer thought to be a necessary cause of malignant transformation of cervical cells. However, rate of integration appears to differ by the type of HPV. In fact, the types of HPV which appear to be more common in cervical dysplasia of HIV-infected women are the same types which are more likely to require integration for malignant transformation. Finally, HPV types found in HIV-infected women are relatively common and likely to persist. The most common among these types belong to the alpha-9 and -7 species which are the most carcinogenic species. Given that current vaccines target HR-HPV-16/18, the findings from the above mentioned studies may have important implications for the design of HPV vaccines that target the types of HPV associated with disease risk in HIV-infected women. HPV typing and assessment of the physical state (whether it is integrated or episomal) appear to be two valuable parameters for the prognostic evaluation of dysplastic lesions of the uterine cervix. This, however, has not yet been assessed in HIV-infected women. Recent data about the immune response in HPV/HIV co-infection may lead to understanding potential mechanisms for less virulent HPV causing malignant transformation in HIV-infected women.

Physical activity and exercise training in multiple sclerosis: a review and content analysis of qualitative research identifying perceived determinants and consequences.

PubMed

Learmonth, Yvonne C; Motl, Robert W

2016-01-01

This systematic review was conducted to provide rich and deep evidence of the perceived determinants and consequences of physical activity and exercise based on qualitative research in multiple sclerosis (MS). Electronic databases and article reference lists were searched to identify qualitative studies of physical activity and exercise in MS. Studies were included if they were written in English and examined consequences/determinants of physical activity in persons with MS. Content analysis of perceived determinants and consequences of physical activity and exercise was undertaken using an inductive analysis guided by the Physical Activity for people with Disabilities framework and Social Cognitive Theory, respectively. Nineteen articles were reviewed. The most commonly identified perceived barriers of physical activity and exercise were related to the environmental (i.e. minimal or no disabled facilities, and minimal or conflicting advice from healthcare professionals) and related to personal barriers (i.e. fatigue, and fear and apprehension). The most commonly identified perceived facilitators of physical activity were related to the environment (i.e. the type of exercise modality and peer support) and related to personal facilitators (i.e. appropriate exercise and feelings of accomplishment). The most commonly identified perceived beneficial consequences of physical activity and exercise were maintaining physical functions, increased social participation and feelings of self-management and control. The most commonly identified perceived adverse consequences were increased fatigue and feelings of frustration and lost control. Results will inform future research on the perceived determinants and consequences of physical activity and exercise in those with MS and can be adopted for developing professional education and interventions for physical activity and exercise in MS. Physical activity and exercise behaviour in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) is subject to a number of modifiable determinants. Healthcare professionals working to promote physical activity and exercise in those with MS should choose to endorse the positive benefits of participation. Future physical activity interventions for those with MS may be improved by incorporating behavioural management strategies.

Evidence for prospective associations among depression and obesity in population-based studies.

PubMed

Faith, M S; Butryn, M; Wadden, T A; Fabricatore, A; Nguyen, A M; Heymsfield, S B

2011-05-01

Obesity may lead to depression or be one of its consequences. We reviewed population-based studies in order to, first, identify the most commonly used research methods, and, second, to evaluate the strength of evidence for prospective associations among obesity and depression. We examined 25 studies, of which 10 tested 'obesity-to-depression' pathways, and 15 tested 'depression-to-obesity' pathways. Descriptive statistics summarized the frequency with which various measurements, designs and data analytic strategies were used. We tallied the number of studies that reported any vs. no statistically significant associations, and report on effect sizes, identified moderating variables within reports, and sought common findings across studies. Results indicated considerable methodological heterogeneity in the literature. Depression was assessed by clinical interview in 44% of studies, weight and height were directly measured in 32%, and only 12% used both. In total, 80% of the studies reported significant obesity-to-depression associations, with odds ratios generally in the range of 1.0 to 2.0, while only 53% of the studies reported significant depression-to-obesity associations. Sex was a common moderating variable. Thus, there was good evidence that obesity is prospectively associated with increased depression, with less consistent evidence that depression leads to obesity. Recommendations for future research regarding study samples, measurement and data analysis are provided. © 2011 The Authors. obesity reviews © 2011 International Association for the Study of Obesity.

Prevalence of chronic liver disease and cirrhosis by underlying cause in understudied ethnic groups: The multiethnic cohort.

PubMed

Setiawan, Veronica Wendy; Stram, Daniel O; Porcel, Jacqueline; Lu, Shelly C; Le Marchand, Loïc; Noureddin, Mazen

2016-12-01

Chronic liver disease (CLD) and cirrhosis are major sources of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Little is known about the epidemiology of these two diseases in ethnic minority populations in the United States. We examined the prevalence of CLD and cirrhosis by underlying etiologies among African Americans, Native Hawaiians, Japanese Americans, Latinos, and whites in the Multiethnic Cohort. CLD and cirrhosis cases were identified using Medicare claims between 1999 and 2012 among the fee-for-service participants (n = 106,458). We used International Classification of Diseases Ninth Revision codes, body mass index, history of diabetes mellitus, and alcohol consumption from questionnaires to identify underlying etiologies. A total of 5,783 CLD (3,575 CLD without cirrhosis and 2,208 cirrhosis) cases were identified. The prevalence of CLD ranged from 3.9% in African Americans and Native Hawaiians to 4.1% in whites, 6.7% in Latinos, and 6.9% in Japanese. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) was the most common cause of CLD in all ethnic groups combined (52%), followed by alcoholic liver disease (21%). NAFLD was the most common cause of cirrhosis in the entire cohort. By ethnicity, NAFLD was the most common cause of cirrhosis in Japanese Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Latinos, accounting for 32% of cases. Alcoholic liver disease was the most common cause of cirrhosis in whites (38.2%), while hepatitis C virus was the most common cause in African Americans (29.8%). We showed racial/ethnic variations in the prevalence of CLD and cirrhosis by underlying etiology; NAFLD was the most common cause of CLD and cirrhosis in the entire cohort, and the high prevalence of NAFLD among Japanese Americans and Native Hawaiians is a novel finding, warranting further studies to elucidate the causes. (Hepatology 2016;64:1969-1977). © 2016 by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

Prevention of 3 "never events" in the operating room: fires, gossypiboma, and wrong-site surgery.

PubMed

Zahiri, Hamid R; Stromberg, Jeffrey; Skupsky, Hadas; Knepp, Erin K; Folstein, Matthew; Silverman, Ronald; Singh, Devinder

2011-03-01

This study sought to identify and provide preventative recommendations for potentially devastating safety violations in the operating room. A Medline database search from 1950 to current using the terms patient safety and operating room was conducted. All topics identified were reviewed. Three patient safety violations with potential for immediate and devastating outcomes were selected for discussion using evidence-based literature. The search identified 2851 articles, 807 of which were directly related to patient safety in the operating room. Topics addressed by these 807 included infectious complications (26%), fires (11%), communication/teamwork (6%), retained foreign objects (3%), safety checklists (1%), and wrong-site surgery (1%). Fires, gossypiboma, and wrong-site surgery were selected for discussion. Although fire, gossypiboma, and wrong-site surgery should be "never events" in the operating room, they continue to persist as 3 common patient safety violations. This study provides the epidemiology, common etiologies, and evidence-based preventative recommendations for each.

The most common problem facing by the maintenance department: A case Study between Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Norazam Yasin, Mohd; Mohamad Zin, Rosli; Halid Abdullah, Abd; Shafiq Mahmad, Muhammad; Fikri Hasmori, Muhammad

2017-11-01

From time to time, the maintenance works become more challenging due to construction of new building and also aging of the existing buildings. University buildings without any exception require proper maintenance services to support their function requirements and this can be considered as major responsibilities to be fulfilled by the maintenance department in the universities. Maintenance department specifically will face various kinds of problems in their operation works and thus this might influence the maintenance work operations itself. This study purposely to identify the common problem facing by the maintenance department and also to examine the current status of the maintenance department. In addition, this study would also propose any suitable approach that could be implemented to overcome the problem facing by the maintenance department. To achieve the objectives of this study, a combination of deep literature study and carrying out a survey is necessary. Literature study aimed to obtain deeper information about this study, meanwhile a survey aimed at identifying the common problem facing by the maintenance department and also to provide the information of the maintenance department’s organization. Several methods will be used in analyzing the data obtained through the survey, including Microsoft Office Excel and also using mean index formula. This study has identified three categories of problem in the maintenance department, which are management problems, human resource problem, and technical problems. Following the findings, several solutions being proposed which can be implemented as the solution to the problem facing. These suggestions have the potential to improve the maintenance department work efficiency, thus could help to increase the department productivity.

Identification of Echinococcus granulosus strains using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism amongst livestock in Moroto district, Uganda.

PubMed

Chamai, Martin; Omadang, Leonard; Erume, Joseph; Ocaido, Michael; Oba, Peter; Othieno, Emmanuel; Bonaventure, Straton; Kitibwa, Annah

2016-07-29

A descriptive study was conducted to identify the different strains of Echinococcus granulosus occurring in livestock in Moroto district, Uganda. Echinococcus cysts from 104 domestic animals, including cattle, sheep, goats and camels, were taken and examined by microscopy, polymerase chain reaction with restriction fragment length polymorphism and Sanger DNA sequencing. Echinococcus granulosus genotypes or strains were identified through use of Bioinformatics tools: BioEdit, BLAST and MEGA6. The major finding of this study was the existence of a limited number of E. granulosus genotypes from cattle, goats, sheep and camels. The most predominant genotype was G1 (96.05%), corresponding to the common sheep strain. To a limited extent (3.95%), the study revealed the existence of Echinococcus canadensis G6/7 in three (n = 3) of the E. granulosus-positive samples. No other strains of E. granulosus were identified. It was concluded that the common sheep strain of Echinococcus sensu stricto and G6/7 of E. canadensis were responsible for echinococcal disease in Moroto district, Uganda.

Genes and (Common) Pathways Underlying Drug Addiction

PubMed Central

Li, Chuan-Yun; Mao, Xizeng; Wei, Liping

2008-01-01

Drug addiction is a serious worldwide problem with strong genetic and environmental influences. Different technologies have revealed a variety of genes and pathways underlying addiction; however, each individual technology can be biased and incomplete. We integrated 2,343 items of evidence from peer-reviewed publications between 1976 and 2006 linking genes and chromosome regions to addiction by single-gene strategies, microrray, proteomics, or genetic studies. We identified 1,500 human addiction-related genes and developed KARG (http://karg.cbi.pku.edu.cn), the first molecular database for addiction-related genes with extensive annotations and a friendly Web interface. We then performed a meta-analysis of 396 genes that were supported by two or more independent items of evidence to identify 18 molecular pathways that were statistically significantly enriched, covering both upstream signaling events and downstream effects. Five molecular pathways significantly enriched for all four different types of addictive drugs were identified as common pathways which may underlie shared rewarding and addictive actions, including two new ones, GnRH signaling pathway and gap junction. We connected the common pathways into a hypothetical common molecular network for addiction. We observed that fast and slow positive feedback loops were interlinked through CAMKII, which may provide clues to explain some of the irreversible features of addiction. PMID:18179280

Analyzing Gene Expression Profiles with Preliminary Validations in Cardiac Hypertrophy Induced by Pressure-overload.

PubMed

Gao, Jing; Li, Yuhong; Wang, Tongmei; Shi, Zhuo; Zhang, Yiqi; Liu, Shuang; Wen, Pushuai; Ma, Chunyan

2018-03-06

The aim of this study was to identify the key genes involved in the cardiac hypertrophy (CH) induced by pressure overload. mRNA microarray dataset GSE5500 and GSE18801 were downloaded from GEO database, and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened using Limma package; then, functional and pathway enrichment analysis were performed for common DEGs using DAVID database. Furthermore, the top DEGs were further validated using qPCR in the hypertrophic heart tissue induced by Isoprenaline (ISO). A total of 113 common DEGs with absolute fold change >0.5, including 60 significantly up-regulated DEGs and 53 down-regulated DEGs were obtained. GO term enrichment analysis suggested that common up-regulated DEG mainly enriched in neutrophil chemotaxis, extracellular fibril organization and cell proliferation, and the common down-regulated genes were significantly enriched in ion transport, endoplasmic reticulum and dendritic spine. KEGG pathway analysis found that the common DEGs were mainly enriched in ECM-receptor interaction, phagosome, and focal adhesion. Additionally, the expression of Mfap4, Ltbp2, Aspn, Serpina3n, and Cnksr1 were up-regulated in the model of cardiac hypertrophy, while the expression of Anp32a was down-regulated. The current study identified the key deregulated genes and pathways involved in the CH, which could shed new light to understand the mechanism of CH.

Systematic analysis of microarray datasets to identify Parkinson's disease‑associated pathways and genes.

PubMed

Feng, Yinling; Wang, Xuefeng

2017-03-01

In order to investigate commonly disturbed genes and pathways in various brain regions of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), microarray datasets from previous studies were collected and systematically analyzed. Different normalization methods were applied to microarray datasets from different platforms. A strategy combining gene co‑expression networks and clinical information was adopted, using weighted gene co‑expression network analysis (WGCNA) to screen for commonly disturbed genes in different brain regions of patients with PD. Functional enrichment analysis of commonly disturbed genes was performed using the Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery (DAVID). Co‑pathway relationships were identified with Pearson's correlation coefficient tests and a hypergeometric distribution‑based test. Common genes in pathway pairs were selected out and regarded as risk genes. A total of 17 microarray datasets from 7 platforms were retained for further analysis. Five gene coexpression modules were identified, containing 9,745, 736, 233, 101 and 93 genes, respectively. One module was significantly correlated with PD samples and thus the 736 genes it contained were considered to be candidate PD‑associated genes. Functional enrichment analysis demonstrated that these genes were implicated in oxidative phosphorylation and PD. A total of 44 pathway pairs and 52 risk genes were revealed, and a risk gene pathway relationship network was constructed. Eight modules were identified and were revealed to be associated with PD, cancers and metabolism. A number of disturbed pathways and risk genes were unveiled in PD, and these findings may help advance understanding of PD pathogenesis.

Common components of evidence-based parenting programs for preventing maltreatment of school-age children.

PubMed

Temcheff, Caroline E; Letarte, Marie-Josée; Boutin, Stéphanie; Marcil, Katherine

2018-06-01

Child maltreatment can lead to a variety of negative outcomes in childhood including physical and mental health problems that can extend into adulthood. Given the transactional nature of child maltreatment and the difficulties that many maltreating families experience, child protection services typically offer various kinds of programs to maltreated children, their parents, and/or their families. Although the specific difficulties experienced by these families may vary, sub-optimal parenting practices are typically part of the picture and may play a central role in maltreated children's development. Hence, to deal with child maltreatment, programs that focus on parenting practices are essential, and identifying the common components of effective programs is of critical importance. The objectives of the present study were to: 1) describe the components of evidence-based parenting programs aimed at parents who have maltreated their elementary school-aged children or are at-risk for doing so and 2) identify the components that are common to these programs, using the approach proposed by Barth and Liggett-Creel (2014). Fourteen evidence-based parenting programs aimed at parents who had maltreated their elementary school-aged children (ages 6-12) or were at-risk for doing so were identified using both a review of relevant online databases of evidence-based programs (California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare, Blueprints for Healthy Youth Development, Youth.gov, and the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices). Common components were identified (operationalized as components present in two thirds of programs) and discussed. The identification of common components of evidence-based programs may help clinicians choose the best intervention methods. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Resequencing of the CETP gene in American whites and African blacks: Association of rare and common variants with HDL-cholesterol levels

PubMed Central

Pirim, Dilek; Wang, Xingbin; Niemsiri, Vipavee; Radwan, Zaheda H.; Bunker, Clareann H.; Hokanson, John E.; Hamman, Richard F.; Barmada, M. Michael; Demirci, F. Yesim; Kamboh, M. Ilyas

2015-01-01

Background Cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) plays a crucial role in lipid metabolism. Associations of common CETP variants with variation in plasma lipid levels, and/or CETP mass/activity have been extensively studied and well-documented; however, the effects of uncommon/rare CETP variants on plasma lipid profile remain undefined. Hence, resequencing of the gene in extreme phenotypes and follow-up rare-variant association analyses are essential to fill this gap. Objective To identify common and uncommon/rare variants in the CETP gene by resequencing the entire gene and test the effects of both common and uncommon/rare CETP variants on plasma lipid traits in two genetically distinct populations. Methods and Results The entire CETP gene plus flanking regions were resequenced in 190 individuals comprising 95 non-Hispanic Whites (NHWs) and 95 African blacks with extreme HDL-C levels. A total of 279 sequence variants were identified, of which 25 were novel. Selected variants were genotyped in the entire samples of 623 NHWs and 788 African blacks and 184 QC-passed variants were tested in relation to plasma lipid traits by using gene-based, single-site, haplotype and rare variant association analyses (SKAT-O). Two novel and independent associations of rs1968905 and rs289740 with HDL-C were identified in African blacks. Using SKAT-O analysis, we also identified rare variants with minor allele frequency <0.01 to be associated with HDL-C in both NHWs (P=0.024) and African blacks (P=0.009). Conclusions Our results point out that in addition to the common CETP variants, rare genetic variants in the CETP gene also contribute to the phenotypic variation of HDL-C in the general population. PMID:26683795

Genome wide association identifies common variants at the SERPINA6/SERPINA1 locus influencing plasma cortisol and corticosteroid binding globulin.

PubMed

Bolton, Jennifer L; Hayward, Caroline; Direk, Nese; Lewis, John G; Hammond, Geoffrey L; Hill, Lesley A; Anderson, Anna; Huffman, Jennifer; Wilson, James F; Campbell, Harry; Rudan, Igor; Wright, Alan; Hastie, Nicholas; Wild, Sarah H; Velders, Fleur P; Hofman, Albert; Uitterlinden, Andre G; Lahti, Jari; Räikkönen, Katri; Kajantie, Eero; Widen, Elisabeth; Palotie, Aarno; Eriksson, Johan G; Kaakinen, Marika; Järvelin, Marjo-Riitta; Timpson, Nicholas J; Davey Smith, George; Ring, Susan M; Evans, David M; St Pourcain, Beate; Tanaka, Toshiko; Milaneschi, Yuri; Bandinelli, Stefania; Ferrucci, Luigi; van der Harst, Pim; Rosmalen, Judith G M; Bakker, Stephen J L; Verweij, Niek; Dullaart, Robin P F; Mahajan, Anubha; Lindgren, Cecilia M; Morris, Andrew; Lind, Lars; Ingelsson, Erik; Anderson, Laura N; Pennell, Craig E; Lye, Stephen J; Matthews, Stephen G; Eriksson, Joel; Mellstrom, Dan; Ohlsson, Claes; Price, Jackie F; Strachan, Mark W J; Reynolds, Rebecca M; Tiemeier, Henning; Walker, Brian R

2014-07-01

Variation in plasma levels of cortisol, an essential hormone in the stress response, is associated in population-based studies with cardio-metabolic, inflammatory and neuro-cognitive traits and diseases. Heritability of plasma cortisol is estimated at 30-60% but no common genetic contribution has been identified. The CORtisol NETwork (CORNET) consortium undertook genome wide association meta-analysis for plasma cortisol in 12,597 Caucasian participants, replicated in 2,795 participants. The results indicate that <1% of variance in plasma cortisol is accounted for by genetic variation in a single region of chromosome 14. This locus spans SERPINA6, encoding corticosteroid binding globulin (CBG, the major cortisol-binding protein in plasma), and SERPINA1, encoding α1-antitrypsin (which inhibits cleavage of the reactive centre loop that releases cortisol from CBG). Three partially independent signals were identified within the region, represented by common SNPs; detailed biochemical investigation in a nested sub-cohort showed all these SNPs were associated with variation in total cortisol binding activity in plasma, but some variants influenced total CBG concentrations while the top hit (rs12589136) influenced the immunoreactivity of the reactive centre loop of CBG. Exome chip and 1000 Genomes imputation analysis of this locus in the CROATIA-Korcula cohort identified missense mutations in SERPINA6 and SERPINA1 that did not account for the effects of common variants. These findings reveal a novel common genetic source of variation in binding of cortisol by CBG, and reinforce the key role of CBG in determining plasma cortisol levels. In turn this genetic variation may contribute to cortisol-associated degenerative diseases.

Genome Wide Association Identifies Common Variants at the SERPINA6/SERPINA1 Locus Influencing Plasma Cortisol and Corticosteroid Binding Globulin

PubMed Central

Direk, Nese; Lewis, John G.; Hammond, Geoffrey L.; Hill, Lesley A.; Anderson, Anna; Huffman, Jennifer; Wilson, James F.; Campbell, Harry; Rudan, Igor; Wright, Alan; Hastie, Nicholas; Wild, Sarah H.; Velders, Fleur P.; Hofman, Albert; Uitterlinden, Andre G.; Lahti, Jari; Räikkönen, Katri; Kajantie, Eero; Widen, Elisabeth; Palotie, Aarno; Eriksson, Johan G.; Kaakinen, Marika; Järvelin, Marjo-Riitta; Timpson, Nicholas J.; Davey Smith, George; Ring, Susan M.; Evans, David M.; St Pourcain, Beate; Tanaka, Toshiko; Milaneschi, Yuri; Bandinelli, Stefania; Ferrucci, Luigi; van der Harst, Pim; Rosmalen, Judith G. M.; Bakker, Stephen J. L.; Verweij, Niek; Dullaart, Robin P. F.; Mahajan, Anubha; Lindgren, Cecilia M.; Morris, Andrew; Lind, Lars; Ingelsson, Erik; Anderson, Laura N.; Pennell, Craig E.; Lye, Stephen J.; Matthews, Stephen G.; Eriksson, Joel; Mellstrom, Dan; Ohlsson, Claes; Price, Jackie F.; Strachan, Mark W. J.; Reynolds, Rebecca M.; Tiemeier, Henning; Walker, Brian R.

2014-01-01

Variation in plasma levels of cortisol, an essential hormone in the stress response, is associated in population-based studies with cardio-metabolic, inflammatory and neuro-cognitive traits and diseases. Heritability of plasma cortisol is estimated at 30–60% but no common genetic contribution has been identified. The CORtisol NETwork (CORNET) consortium undertook genome wide association meta-analysis for plasma cortisol in 12,597 Caucasian participants, replicated in 2,795 participants. The results indicate that <1% of variance in plasma cortisol is accounted for by genetic variation in a single region of chromosome 14. This locus spans SERPINA6, encoding corticosteroid binding globulin (CBG, the major cortisol-binding protein in plasma), and SERPINA1, encoding α1-antitrypsin (which inhibits cleavage of the reactive centre loop that releases cortisol from CBG). Three partially independent signals were identified within the region, represented by common SNPs; detailed biochemical investigation in a nested sub-cohort showed all these SNPs were associated with variation in total cortisol binding activity in plasma, but some variants influenced total CBG concentrations while the top hit (rs12589136) influenced the immunoreactivity of the reactive centre loop of CBG. Exome chip and 1000 Genomes imputation analysis of this locus in the CROATIA-Korcula cohort identified missense mutations in SERPINA6 and SERPINA1 that did not account for the effects of common variants. These findings reveal a novel common genetic source of variation in binding of cortisol by CBG, and reinforce the key role of CBG in determining plasma cortisol levels. In turn this genetic variation may contribute to cortisol-associated degenerative diseases. PMID:25010111

Discovery and molecular characterization of a new luteovirus identified by high-throughput sequencing from apple

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

‘Rapid Apple Decline’ (RAD) is a newly emerging problem of young, dwarf apple trees in the northeastern USA. The affected trees show trunk necrosis, bark cracking and canker formation before collapsing in the summer. In this study, a new luteovirus and three common viruses were identified from apple...

Beyond Super Heroes and Talking Animals: Social Justice in Graphic Novels in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenfield, David

2017-01-01

The primary goal of this study was to investigate, document, and understand the reasons that educators who use graphic novels in their classrooms choose to use them, rather than traditional text. Secondary goals were to identify the classes they teach, and to identify commonalities and shared best practices. Interviews were scheduled, to provide…

An Analysis of Cognitive Style Profiles and Related Science Achievement Among Secondary School Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ogden, William R.; Brewster, Patricia M.

The purpose of this study was to identify cognitive styles for successful and unsuccessful science students at the secondary level. Additional purposes were to identify common and unique elements in these composite cognitive styles and to substantiate the description of the groups of successful and unsuccessful science students according to the…

Critical Thinking Skills among Elementary School Students: Comparing Identified Gifted and General Education Student Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kettler, Todd

2014-01-01

Education reform efforts, including the current adoption of Common Core State Standards, have increased attention to teaching critical thinking skills to all students. This study investigated the critical thinking skills of fourth-grade students from a school district in Texas, including 45 identified gifted students and 163 general education…

Inter-observer variation in identifying mammals from their tracks at enclosed track plate stations

Treesearch

William J. Zielinski; Fredrick V. Schlexer

2009-01-01

Enclosed track plate stations are a common method to detect mammalian carnivores. Studies rely on these data to make inferences about geographic range, population status and detectability. Despite their popularity, there has been no effort to document inter-observer variation in identifying the species that leave their tracks. Four previous field crew leaders...

Survey of Poetry Reading Strategy as the Modern Tool to Identify Poetry Reading Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ebrahimi, Shirin Shafiei; Zainal, Zaidah

2016-01-01

This study examines common strategies that English as a Foreign language (EFL) students employ when reading English poetry. To identify the strategies, a survey was designed for data collection from TESL students. The result shows that students significantly tend to use the strategies that require their creativity to construct new ideas in the…

Functional SNP associated with birth weight in independent populations identified with a permutation step added to GBLUP-GWAS

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study was conducted as an initial assessment of a newly available genotyping assay containing about 34,000 common SNP included on previous SNP chips, and 199,000 sequence variants predicted to affect gene function. Objectives were to identify functional variants associated with birth weight in...

User community development for the space transportation system/Skylab

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Archer, J. L.; Beauchamp, N. A.

1974-01-01

The New User Function plan for identifying beneficial uses of space is described. Critical issues such as funding, manpower, and protection of user proprietary rights are discussed along with common barriers which impede the development of a user community. Studies for developing methodologies of identifying new users and uses of the space transportation system are included.

A Phenomenological Study of Non-LGBT Students with LGBQ Parents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bourdon, Thomas

2013-01-01

There is a lack of qualitative research that has sought to uncover the lived experiences of students who identify as heterosexual/cisgender (i.e., non-LGBT) but have at least one parent who identifies as LGBQ. This phenomenological analysis aimed to uncover common themes for students who have gone through their educational journey with this…

The Relationship between Elementary Teachers' Background in Mathematics, Teaching Self-Efficacy, and Teaching Outcome Expectancy When Implementing the Common Core State Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stuart, Jennifer Lynn

2017-01-01

The purpose of this correlation study was to identify a possible relationship between elementary teacher background in mathematics as measured by completed college math credit hours, district-provided professional development hours of training in Common Core math standards, and years of teaching experience, and teacher efficacy in math as measured…

Identifying Future Sacred Heart Administrators by Examining the Characteristics, Commonalities, and Personal Motivations of Current School Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teixeira, Julie Brill

2012-01-01

Since their inception, all schools of the Sacred Heart have been headed by nuns of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Jesus [RSCJ]. As the years have passed, many RSCJ nuns have aged and retired leaving vacancies that have proven difficult to fill. In this qualitative study, the characteristics, commonalities, and personal motivations of Sacred…

THE IDENTIFICATION OF COMMON BEHAVIORAL FACTORS AS BASES FOR PRE-ENTRY PREPARATION OF WORKERS FOR GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT. FINAL REPORT.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

SJORGREN, DOUGLAS; AND OTHERS

THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY WAS TO DETERMINE WHETHER COMMON BEHAVIORS COULD BE IDENTIFIED ACROSS OCCUPATIONS TO SERVE AS A BASIS FOR CURRICULUM BUILDING. INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED WITH INCUMBENTS IN 47 AGRICULTURAL OCCUPATIONS AND 36 OCCUPATIONS IN THE METAL FABRICATING INDUSTRY FOR A TOTAL OF 466 INTERVIEWS IN COLORADO AND NEBRASKA. THE INTERVIEW…

Gearing up to Teach the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics in the Rural Northeast Region. Stated Briefly. REL 2015-066

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirk, Walters; Smith, Toni M.; Ford, Jennifer; Scheopner Torres, Aubrey

2014-01-01

This study describes key challenges and necessary supports related to implementation of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) identified by rural math educators in the Northeast. The research team interviewed state and district math coordinators and surveyed teachers in Maine, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont, to assess their…

Medially placed vagus nerve in relation to common carotid artery: a pointer to a non-recurrent laryngeal nerve.

PubMed

Sagayaraj, A; Deo, Ravi Padmakar; Merchant, Shuaib; Mohiyuddin, S M Azeem; Nayak, Abhishek C

2015-10-01

The aim of this study was to highlight a medialized vagus in relation to common carotid artery as an operative marker to a non-recurrent laryngeal nerve during thyroid surgeries. Three patients who underwent thyroidectomy, in who per operative diagnosis of right non-recurrent laryngeal nerve was made and the findings were confirmed radiologically by demonstration of aberrant subclavian artery were included in the study. A medially placed vagus nerve in relation to common carotid artery was the common observation in all the 3 patients. With no operative marker to identify a non-recurrent laryngeal nerve, it is more prone to injury during thyroidectomies. Vagus nerve which was constantly seen medial to the common carotid artery in all our three patients can be used as an operative marker to a non-recurrent laryngeal nerve.

Genome-wide screening identifies a KCNIP1 copy number variant as a genetic predictor for atrial fibrillation

PubMed Central

Tsai, Chia-Ti; Hsieh, Chia-Shan; Chang, Sheng-Nan; Chuang, Eric Y.; Ueng, Kwo-Chang; Tsai, Chin-Feng; Lin, Tsung-Hsien; Wu, Cho-Kai; Lee, Jen-Kuang; Lin, Lian-Yu; Wang, Yi-Chih; Yu, Chih-Chieh; Lai, Ling-Ping; Tseng, Chuen-Den; Hwang, Juey-Jen; Chiang, Fu-Tien; Lin, Jiunn-Lee

2016-01-01

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia. Previous genome-wide association studies had identified single-nucleotide polymorphisms in several genomic regions to be associated with AF. In human genome, copy number variations (CNVs) are known to contribute to disease susceptibility. Using a genome-wide multistage approach to identify AF susceptibility CNVs, we here show a common 4,470-bp diallelic CNV in the first intron of potassium interacting channel 1 gene (KCNIP1) is strongly associated with AF in Taiwanese populations (odds ratio=2.27 for insertion allele; P=6.23 × 10−24). KCNIP1 insertion is associated with higher KCNIP1 mRNA expression. KCNIP1-encoded protein potassium interacting channel 1 (KCHIP1) is physically associated with potassium Kv channels and modulates atrial transient outward current in cardiac myocytes. Overexpression of KCNIP1 results in inducible AF in zebrafish. In conclusions, a common CNV in KCNIP1 gene is a genetic predictor of AF risk possibly pointing to a functional pathway. PMID:26831368

New York City pedestrian safety study & action plan

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-08-01

This landmark study is the most statistically ambitious of its kind ever undertaken by a US city. : The researchers worked to identify the causes, common factors, and geographic distribution of : over 7,000 pedestrian crashes in New York City. These ...

Family medicine residents’ perceived level of comfort in treating common sports injuries across residency programs in the United States

PubMed Central

Amoako, Adae O; Amoako, Agyenim B; Pujalte, George GA

2015-01-01

Background and objective Family physicians are expected to be comfortable in treating common sports injuries. Evidence shows a limited level of comfort in treating these injuries in pediatric and internal medicine residents. Studies are lacking, however, in family medicine residents. The purpose of this study is to assess the comfort level of family medicine residents in treating common sports injuries in adults and children based on their perceived level of knowledge and attitudes. Methods This is a cross-sectional study of family medicine residents in the United Sates. A written survey of 25 questions related to sports injury knowledge and factors affecting comfort level were collected. A chi-square test was implemented in calculating P-values. Results Five hundred and fifty-seven residents responded to the survey. A higher percentage of doctors of osteopathy (86.6%, 82.5%, 69.6%, and 68.7%) compared to doctors of medicine (78.5%, 71.6%, 53.4%, and 52.8%) respectively identified ankle sprain, concussion, plantar fasciitis, and lateral epicondylitis as common injuries, and felt comfortable in treating them (P-values =0.015, 0.004, 0.0001, and 0.0002, respectively). Residents with high interest in sports medicine correctly identified the injuries as common and felt comfortable treating them as well (knowledge, P=0.027, 0.0029, <0.0001, and 0.0001, respectively; comfort level, P=0.0016, <0.0001, 0.0897, and 0.0010, respectively). Conclusion Medical education background, factors that affect training, and an interest in sports medicine contribute to residents’ knowledge and comfort level in treatment of common sports injuries. PMID:25848326

Association of genetic and non-genetic risk factors with the development of prostate cancer in Malaysian men.

PubMed

Munretnam, Khamsigan; Alex, Livy; Ramzi, Nurul Hanis; Chahil, Jagdish Kaur; Kavitha, I S; Hashim, Nikman Adli Nor; Lye, Say Hean; Velapasamy, Sharmila; Ler, Lian Wee

2014-01-01

There is growing global interest to stratify men into different levels of risk to developing prostate cancer, thus it is important to identify common genetic variants that confer the risk. Although many studies have identified more than a dozen common genetic variants which are highly associated with prostate cancer, none have been done in Malaysian population. To determine the association of such variants in Malaysian men with prostate cancer, we evaluated a panel of 768 SNPs found previously associated with various cancers which also included the prostate specific SNPs in a population based case control study (51 case subjects with prostate cancer and 51 control subjects) in Malaysian men of Malay, Chinese and Indian ethnicity. We identified 21 SNPs significantly associated with prostate cancer. Among these, 12 SNPs were strongly associated with increased risk of prostate cancer while remaining nine SNPs were associated with reduced risk. However, data analysis based on ethnic stratification led to only five SNPs in Malays and 3 SNPs in Chinese which remained significant. This could be due to small sample size in each ethnic group. Significant non-genetic risk factors were also identified for their association with prostate cancer. Our study is the first to investigate the involvement of multiple variants towards susceptibility for PC in Malaysian men using genotyping approach. Identified SNPs and non-genetic risk factors have a significant association with prostate cancer.

Is anybody listening? A phenomenological study of pain in hospitalized persons with AIDS.

PubMed

Newshan, G

1998-01-01

Pain is a common problem among hospitalized persons with AIDS (PWAs), yet it has not been well studied. The purpose of this study was to understand, using the phenomenological method, the experience of pain in hospitalized PWAs. Multiple sources of data, including interviews with 11 hospitalized PWAs, literature, poetry, and film, were used to investigate the phenomenon. Five broad themes emerged: knowing pain, battling pain, having AIDS, pain's influence, and being a drug user. Multiple barriers to effective pain management were identified. Although there were commonalities in the experience of pain in chemically dependent and nonchemically dependent PWAs, unique challenges for the chemically dependent PWAs were identified. The findings indicate the importance of listening to and believing reports of pain. In addition, the findings underscore the delicate balance that exists between pain relief and relapse in PWAs with a history of chemical dependency.

Risk Factors for Chronic Disease in Viet Nam: A Review of the Literature

PubMed Central

Rao, Chalapati; Nhung, Nguyen Thi Trang; Marks, Geoffrey; Hoa, Nguyen Phuong

2013-01-01

Introduction Chronic diseases account for most of the disease burden in low- and middle-income countries, particularly those in Asia. We reviewed literature on chronic disease risk factors in Viet Nam to identify patterns and data gaps. Methods All population-based studies published from 2000 to 2012 that reported chronic disease risk factors were considered. We used standard chronic disease terminology to search PubMed and assessed titles, abstracts, and articles for eligibility for inclusion. We summarized relevant study information in tables listing available studies, risk factors measured, and the prevalence of these risk factors. Results We identified 23 studies conducted before 2010. The most common age range studied was 25 to 64 years. Sample sizes varied, and sample frames were national in 5 studies. A combination of behavioral, physical, and biological risk factors was studied. Being overweight or obese was the most common risk factor studied (n = 14), followed by high blood pressure (n = 11) and tobacco use (n = 10). Tobacco and alcohol use were high among men, and tobacco use may be increasing among Vietnamese women. High blood pressure is common; however, people’s knowledge that they have high blood pressure may be low. A high proportion of diets do not meet international criteria for fruit and vegetable consumption. Prevalence of overweight and obesity is increasing. None of the studies evaluated measured dietary patterns or total caloric intake, and only 1 study measured dietary salt intake. Conclusion Risk factors for chronic diseases are common in Viet Nam; however, more recent and context-specific information is required for planning and monitoring interventions to reduce risk factors and chronic disease in this country. PMID:23306076

Confounding factors in using upward feedback to assess the quality of medical training: a systematic review.

PubMed

Zhou, Anli Yue; Baker, Paul

2014-01-01

Upward feedback is becoming more widely used in medical training as a means of quality control. Multiple biases exist, thus the accuracy of upward feedback is debatable. This study aims to identify factors that could influence upward feedback, especially in medical training. A systematic review using a structured search strategy was performed. Thirty-five databases were searched. Results were reviewed and relevant abstracts were shortlisted. All studies in English, both medical and non-medical literature, were included. A simple pro-forma was used initially to identify the pertinent areas of upward feedback, so that a focused pro-forma could be designed for data extraction. A total of 204 articles were reviewed. Most studies on upward feedback bias were evaluative studies and only covered Kirkpatrick level 1-reaction. Most studies evaluated trainers or training, were used for formative purposes and presented quantitative data. Accountability and confidentiality were the most common overt biases, whereas method of feedback was the most commonly implied bias within articles. Although different types of bias do exist, upward feedback does have a role in evaluating medical training. Accountability and confidentiality were the most common biases. Further research is required to evaluate which types of bias are associated with specific survey characteristics and which are potentially modifiable.

A systematic review of patient-reported outcome measures in clinical vestibular research

PubMed Central

Fong, Eric; Li, Carol; Aslakson, Rebecca; Agrawal, Yuri

2014-01-01

Objective To identify the most commonly-used patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures in clinical vestibular research, and assess their test characteristics and applicability to study age-related vestibular loss (ARVL) in clinical trials. Data Sources We performed a systematic review of the PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO databases from 1950 to August 13, 2013. Study Selection PRO measures were defined as outcomes that capture the subjective experience of the patient, such as symptoms, functional status, health perceptions, and quality of life. Two independent reviewers selected studies that used PRO measures in clinical vestibular research. Disparities were resolved with consensus between the reviewers. Of 2260 articles initially found on literature search, 255 full-text articles were retrieved for assessment. One-hundred and four studies met inclusion criteria for data collection. Data Extraction PRO measures were identified by two independent reviewers. The four most commonly used PROs were evaluated for their applicability to the condition of ARVL. Specifically, for these four PROs, data were collected pertaining to instrument test-retest reliability, item domains, and target population of the instrument. Data Synthesis A total of 50 PRO instruments were identified. The four most frequently utilized PROs were the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), the Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale, the Vertigo Symptom Scale (VSS), and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Of these four PROs, three were validated for use in patients with vestibular disease, and one was validated in community-dwelling older individuals with balance impairments. Items across the four PROs were categorized into three domains based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health: Activity, Participation, and Body Functions and Structures. Conclusions None of the most commonly-used PRO instruments were validated for use in community-dwelling older adults specifically with ARVL. Nevertheless, the three common domains of items identified across these four PRO instruments may be generalizable to older adults and provide a basis for developing a PRO instrument designed to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions targeted to ARVL. PMID:25305629

TURNING POINTS IN THE LIVES OF LESBIAN AND GAY ADULTS AGE 50 AND OVER

PubMed Central

Fredriksen-Goldsen, Karen I.

2016-01-01

Little is known about how lesbians and gay men perceive the turning points that define their life trajectories. This study uses qualitative interview data to understand which experiences lesbian women and gay men age 50 and older identify as turning points and explore gender differences. In depth, face-to-face qualitative interviews were conducted with a subset of participants (n=33) from the Caring and Aging with Pride survey. The most common turning points identified were relationship and occupation related. Lesbians more frequently identified the break-up of a relationship and occupational and educational related experiences as turning points. Gay men more commonly indicated that the beginning of a relationship and HIV/AIDS related experiences were turning points. The turning points were analyzed according to principles of the life course theory and narrative analysis. PMID:28066158

Marker-Assisted Molecular Profiling, Deletion Mutant Analysis, and RNA-Seq Reveal a Disease Resistance Cluster Associated with Uromyces appendiculatus Infection in Common Bean Phaseolus vulgaris L.

PubMed

Todd, Antonette R; Donofrio, Nicole; Sripathi, Venkateswara R; McClean, Phillip E; Lee, Rian K; Pastor-Corrales, Marcial; Kalavacharla, Venu Kal

2017-05-23

Common bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is an important legume, useful for its high protein and dietary fiber. The fungal pathogen Uromyces appendiculatus (Pers.) Unger can cause major loss in susceptible varieties of the common bean. The Ur-3 locus provides race specific resistance to virulent strains or races of the bean rust pathogen along with Crg , (Complements resistance gene), which is required for Ur-3 -mediated rust resistance. In this study, we inoculated two common bean genotypes (resistant "Sierra" and susceptible crg) with rust race 53 of U. appendiculatus , isolated leaf RNA at specific time points, and sequenced their transcriptomes. First, molecular markers were used to locate and identify a 250 kb deletion on chromosome 10 in mutant crg (which carries a deletion at the Crg locus). Next, we identified differential expression of several disease resistance genes between Mock Inoculated (MI) and Inoculated (I) samples of "Sierra" leaf RNA within the 250 kb delineated region. Both marker assisted molecular profiling and RNA-seq were used to identify possible transcriptomic locations of interest regarding the resistance in the common bean to race 53. Identification of differential expression among samples in disease resistance clusters in the bean genome may elucidate significant genes underlying rust resistance. Along with preserving favorable traits in the crop, the current research may also aid in global sustainability of food stocks necessary for many populations.

Marker-Assisted Molecular Profiling, Deletion Mutant Analysis, and RNA-Seq Reveal a Disease Resistance Cluster Associated with Uromyces appendiculatus Infection in Common Bean Phaseolus vulgaris L.

PubMed Central

Todd, Antonette R.; Donofrio, Nicole; Sripathi, Venkateswara R.; McClean, Phillip E.; Lee, Rian K.; Pastor-Corrales, Marcial; Kalavacharla, Venu (Kal)

2017-01-01

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is an important legume, useful for its high protein and dietary fiber. The fungal pathogen Uromyces appendiculatus (Pers.) Unger can cause major loss in susceptible varieties of the common bean. The Ur-3 locus provides race specific resistance to virulent strains or races of the bean rust pathogen along with Crg, (Complements resistance gene), which is required for Ur-3-mediated rust resistance. In this study, we inoculated two common bean genotypes (resistant “Sierra” and susceptible crg) with rust race 53 of U. appendiculatus, isolated leaf RNA at specific time points, and sequenced their transcriptomes. First, molecular markers were used to locate and identify a 250 kb deletion on chromosome 10 in mutant crg (which carries a deletion at the Crg locus). Next, we identified differential expression of several disease resistance genes between Mock Inoculated (MI) and Inoculated (I) samples of “Sierra” leaf RNA within the 250 kb delineated region. Both marker assisted molecular profiling and RNA-seq were used to identify possible transcriptomic locations of interest regarding the resistance in the common bean to race 53. Identification of differential expression among samples in disease resistance clusters in the bean genome may elucidate significant genes underlying rust resistance. Along with preserving favorable traits in the crop, the current research may also aid in global sustainability of food stocks necessary for many populations. PMID:28545258

An ultra-high density linkage map and QTL mapping for sex and growth-related traits of common carp (Cyprinus carpio)

PubMed Central

Peng, Wenzhu; Xu, Jian; Zhang, Yan; Feng, Jianxin; Dong, Chuanju; Jiang, Likun; Feng, Jingyan; Chen, Baohua; Gong, Yiwen; Chen, Lin; Xu, Peng

2016-01-01

High density genetic linkage maps are essential for QTL fine mapping, comparative genomics and high quality genome sequence assembly. In this study, we constructed a high-density and high-resolution genetic linkage map with 28,194 SNP markers on 14,146 distinct loci for common carp based on high-throughput genotyping with the carp 250 K single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array in a mapping family. The genetic length of the consensus map was 10,595.94 cM with an average locus interval of 0.75 cM and an average marker interval of 0.38 cM. Comparative genomic analysis revealed high level of conserved syntenies between common carp and the closely related model species zebrafish and medaka. The genome scaffolds were anchored to the high-density linkage map, spanning 1,357 Mb of common carp reference genome. QTL mapping and association analysis identified 22 QTLs for growth-related traits and 7 QTLs for sex dimorphism. Candidate genes underlying growth-related traits were identified, including important regulators such as KISS2, IGF1, SMTLB, NPFFR1 and CPE. Candidate genes associated with sex dimorphism were also identified including 3KSR and DMRT2b. The high-density and high-resolution genetic linkage map provides an important tool for QTL fine mapping and positional cloning of economically important traits, and improving common carp genome assembly. PMID:27225429

Prediction of common epitopes on hemagglutinin of the influenza A virus (H1 subtype).

PubMed

Guo, Chunyan; Xie, Xin; Li, Huijin; Zhao, Penghua; Zhao, Xiangrong; Sun, Jingying; Wang, Haifang; Liu, Yang; Li, Yan; Hu, Qiaoxia; Hu, Jun; Li, Yuan

2015-02-01

Influenza A virus infection is a persistent threat to public health worldwide due to hemagglutinin (HA) variation. Current vaccines against influenza A virus provide immunity to viral isolates similar to vaccine strains. Antibodies against common epitopes provide immunity to diverse influenza virus strains and protect against future pandemic influenza. Therefore, it is vital to analyze common HA antigenic epitopes of influenza virus. In this study, 14 strains of monoclonal antibodies with high sensitivity to common epitopes of influenza virus antigens identified in our previous study were selected as the tool to predict common HA epitopes. The common HA antigenic epitopes were divided into four categories by ELISA blocking experiments, and separately, into three categories according to the preliminary results of computer simulation. Comparison between the results of computer simulations and ELISA blocking experiments indicated that at least two classes of common epitopes are present in influenza virus HA. This study provides experimental data for improving the prediction of HA epitopes of influenza virus (H1 subtype) and the development of a potential universal vaccine as well as a novel approach for the prediction of epitopes on other pathogenic microorganisms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Common Variants in Mendelian Kidney Disease Genes and Their Association with Renal Function

PubMed Central

Fuchsberger, Christian; Köttgen, Anna; O’Seaghdha, Conall M.; Pattaro, Cristian; de Andrade, Mariza; Chasman, Daniel I.; Teumer, Alexander; Endlich, Karlhans; Olden, Matthias; Chen, Ming-Huei; Tin, Adrienne; Kim, Young J.; Taliun, Daniel; Li, Man; Feitosa, Mary; Gorski, Mathias; Yang, Qiong; Hundertmark, Claudia; Foster, Meredith C.; Glazer, Nicole; Isaacs, Aaron; Rao, Madhumathi; Smith, Albert V.; O’Connell, Jeffrey R.; Struchalin, Maksim; Tanaka, Toshiko; Li, Guo; Hwang, Shih-Jen; Atkinson, Elizabeth J.; Lohman, Kurt; Cornelis, Marilyn C.; Johansson, Åsa; Tönjes, Anke; Dehghan, Abbas; Couraki, Vincent; Holliday, Elizabeth G.; Sorice, Rossella; Kutalik, Zoltan; Lehtimäki, Terho; Esko, Tõnu; Deshmukh, Harshal; Ulivi, Sheila; Chu, Audrey Y.; Murgia, Federico; Trompet, Stella; Imboden, Medea; Kollerits, Barbara; Pistis, Giorgio; Harris, Tamara B.; Launer, Lenore J.; Aspelund, Thor; Eiriksdottir, Gudny; Mitchell, Braxton D.; Boerwinkle, Eric; Schmidt, Helena; Hofer, Edith; Hu, Frank; Demirkan, Ayse; Oostra, Ben A.; Turner, Stephen T.; Ding, Jingzhong; Andrews, Jeanette S.; Freedman, Barry I.; Giulianini, Franco; Koenig, Wolfgang; Illig, Thomas; Döring, Angela; Wichmann, H.-Erich; Zgaga, Lina; Zemunik, Tatijana; Boban, Mladen; Minelli, Cosetta; Wheeler, Heather E.; Igl, Wilmar; Zaboli, Ghazal; Wild, Sarah H.; Wright, Alan F.; Campbell, Harry; Ellinghaus, David; Nöthlings, Ute; Jacobs, Gunnar; Biffar, Reiner; Ernst, Florian; Homuth, Georg; Kroemer, Heyo K.; Nauck, Matthias; Stracke, Sylvia; Völker, Uwe; Völzke, Henry; Kovacs, Peter; Stumvoll, Michael; Mägi, Reedik; Hofman, Albert; Uitterlinden, Andre G.; Rivadeneira, Fernando; Aulchenko, Yurii S.; Polasek, Ozren; Hastie, Nick; Vitart, Veronique; Helmer, Catherine; Wang, Jie Jin; Stengel, Bénédicte; Ruggiero, Daniela; Bergmann, Sven; Kähönen, Mika; Viikari, Jorma; Nikopensius, Tiit; Province, Michael; Colhoun, Helen; Doney, Alex; Robino, Antonietta; Krämer, Bernhard K.; Portas, Laura; Ford, Ian; Buckley, Brendan M.; Adam, Martin; Thun, Gian-Andri; Paulweber, Bernhard; Haun, Margot; Sala, Cinzia; Mitchell, Paul; Ciullo, Marina; Vollenweider, Peter; Raitakari, Olli; Metspalu, Andres; Palmer, Colin; Gasparini, Paolo; Pirastu, Mario; Jukema, J. Wouter; Probst-Hensch, Nicole M.; Kronenberg, Florian; Toniolo, Daniela; Gudnason, Vilmundur; Shuldiner, Alan R.; Coresh, Josef; Schmidt, Reinhold; Ferrucci, Luigi; van Duijn, Cornelia M.; Borecki, Ingrid; Kardia, Sharon L.R.; Liu, Yongmei; Curhan, Gary C.; Rudan, Igor; Gyllensten, Ulf; Wilson, James F.; Franke, Andre; Pramstaller, Peter P.; Rettig, Rainer; Prokopenko, Inga; Witteman, Jacqueline; Hayward, Caroline; Ridker, Paul M.; Bochud, Murielle; Heid, Iris M.; Siscovick, David S.; Fox, Caroline S.; Kao, W. Linda; Böger, Carsten A.

2013-01-01

Many common genetic variants identified by genome-wide association studies for complex traits map to genes previously linked to rare inherited Mendelian disorders. A systematic analysis of common single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes responsible for Mendelian diseases with kidney phenotypes has not been performed. We thus developed a comprehensive database of genes for Mendelian kidney conditions and evaluated the association between common genetic variants within these genes and kidney function in the general population. Using the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man database, we identified 731 unique disease entries related to specific renal search terms and confirmed a kidney phenotype in 218 of these entries, corresponding to mutations in 258 genes. We interrogated common SNPs (minor allele frequency >5%) within these genes for association with the estimated GFR in 74,354 European-ancestry participants from the CKDGen Consortium. However, the top four candidate SNPs (rs6433115 at LRP2, rs1050700 at TSC1, rs249942 at PALB2, and rs9827843 at ROBO2) did not achieve significance in a stage 2 meta-analysis performed in 56,246 additional independent individuals, indicating that these common SNPs are not associated with estimated GFR. The effect of less common or rare variants in these genes on kidney function in the general population and disease-specific cohorts requires further research. PMID:24029420

Unbiased screen for interactors of leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 supports a common pathway for sporadic and familial Parkinson disease

PubMed Central

Beilina, Alexandria; Rudenko, Iakov N.; Kaganovich, Alice; Civiero, Laura; Chau, Hien; Kalia, Suneil K.; Kalia, Lorraine V.; Lobbestael, Evy; Chia, Ruth; Ndukwe, Kelechi; Ding, Jinhui; Nalls, Mike A.; Olszewski, Maciej; Hauser, David N.; Kumaran, Ravindran; Lozano, Andres M.; Baekelandt, Veerle; Greene, Lois E.; Taymans, Jean-Marc; Greggio, Elisa; Cookson, Mark R.; Nalls, Mike A.; Plagnol, Vincent; Martinez, Maria; Hernandez, Dena G; Sharma, Manu; Sheerin, Una-Marie; Saad, Mohamad; Simón-Sánchez, Javier; Schulte, Claudia; Lesage, Suzanne; Sveinbjörnsdóttir, Sigurlaug; Arepalli, Sampath; Barker, Roger; Ben-Shlomo, Yoav; Berendse, Henk W; Berg, Daniela; Bhatia, Kailash; de Bie, Rob M A; Biffi, Alessandro; Bloem, Bas; Bochdanovits, Zoltan; Bonin, Michael; Bras, Jose M; Brockmann, Kathrin; Brooks, Janet; Burn, David J; Charlesworth, Gavin; Chen, Honglei; Chong, Sean; Clarke, Carl E; Cookson, Mark R; Cooper, J Mark; Corvol, Jean Christophe; Counsell, Carl; Damier, Philippe; Dartigues, Jean-François; Deloukas, Panos; Deuschl, Günther; Dexter, David T; van Dijk, Karin D; Dillman, Allissa; Durif, Frank; Dürr, Alexandra; Edkins, Sarah; Evans, Jonathan R; Foltynie, Thomas; Gao, Jianjun; Gardner, Michelle; Gibbs, J Raphael; Goate, Alison; Gray, Emma; Guerreiro, Rita; Gústafsson, Ómar; Harris, Clare; van Hilten, Jacobus J; Hofman, Albert; Hollenbeck, Albert; Holton, Janice; Hu, Michele; Huang, Xuemei; Huber, Heiko; Hudson, Gavin; Hunt, Sarah E; Huttenlocher, Johanna; Illig, Thomas; München, Helmholtz Zentrum; Jónsson, Pálmi V; Lambert, Jean-Charles; Langford, Cordelia; Lees, Andrew; Lichtner, Peter; München, Helmholtz Zentrum; Limousin, Patricia; Lopez, Grisel; Lorenz, Delia; McNeill, Alisdair; Moorby, Catriona; Moore, Matthew; Morris, Huw R; Morrison, Karen E; Mudanohwo, Ese; O’Sullivan, Sean S; Pearson, Justin; Perlmutter, Joel S; Pétursson, Hjörvar; Pollak, Pierre; Post, Bart; Potter, Simon; Ravina, Bernard; Revesz, Tamas; Riess, Olaf; Rivadeneira, Fernando; Rizzu, Patrizia; Ryten, Mina; Sawcer, Stephen; Schapira, Anthony; Scheffer, Hans; Shaw, Karen; Shoulson, Ira; Sidransky, Ellen; Smith, Colin; Spencer, Chris C A; Stefánsson, Hreinn; Steinberg, Stacy; Stockton, Joanna D; Strange, Amy; Talbot, Kevin; Tanner, Carlie M; Tashakkori-Ghanbaria, Avazeh; Tison, François; Trabzuni, Daniah; Traynor, Bryan J; Uitterlinden, André G; Velseboer, Daan; Vidailhet, Marie; Walker, Robert; van de Warrenburg, Bart; Wickremaratchi, Mirdhu; Williams, Nigel; Williams-Gray, Caroline H; Winder-Rhodes, Sophie; Stefánsson, Kári; Hardy, John; Heutink, Peter; Brice, Alexis; Gasser, Thomas; Singleton, Andrew B; Wood, Nicholas W; Chinnery, Patrick F; Arepalli, Sampath; Cookson, Mark R; Dillman, Allissa; Ferrucci, Luigi; Gibbs, J Raphael; Hernandez, Dena G; Johnson, Robert; Longo, Dan L; Majounie, Elisa; Nalls, Michael A; O’Brien, Richard; Singleton, Andrew B; Traynor, Bryan J; Troncoso, Juan; van der Brug, Marcel; Zielke, H Ronald; Zonderman, Alan B

2014-01-01

Mutations in leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) cause inherited Parkinson disease (PD), and common variants around LRRK2 are a risk factor for sporadic PD. Using protein–protein interaction arrays, we identified BCL2-associated athanogene 5, Rab7L1 (RAB7, member RAS oncogene family-like 1), and Cyclin-G–associated kinase as binding partners of LRRK2. The latter two genes are candidate genes for risk for sporadic PD identified by genome-wide association studies. These proteins form a complex that promotes clearance of Golgi-derived vesicles through the autophagy–lysosome system both in vitro and in vivo. We propose that three different genes for PD have a common biological function. More generally, data integration from multiple unbiased screens can provide insight into human disease mechanisms. PMID:24510904

Finding erotic oases: locating the sites of men's same-sex anonymous sexual encounters.

PubMed

Tewksbury, Richard

2008-01-01

Because anonymous sexual relations between two men are widely considered deviant many men seeking such activities look to erotic oases-natural environments appropriated for covert, often furtive sexual purposes. Previous research on erotic oases has focused on characteristics of involved men and processes of locating, negotiating with, and consummating sexual relations with others. This study draws on one major Web site listing of "cruising places" in the United States to identify common locations for erotic oases. Results show that the most common locations identified as erotic oases by users are public parks, adult bookstores, health clubs, and college campuses. Locations most likely to be listed as believed to be under law enforcement surveillance are outdoor, high traffic locations. Based on these results existing research has only begun to examine the most common locations for this highly stigmatized, deviant behavior and subculture.

Common variants at the CHEK2 gene locus and risk of epithelial ovarian cancer

PubMed Central

Lawrenson, Kate; Iversen, Edwin S.; Tyrer, Jonathan; Weber, Rachel Palmieri; Concannon, Patrick; Hazelett, Dennis J.; Li, Qiyuan; Marks, Jeffrey R.; Berchuck, Andrew; Lee, Janet M.; Aben, Katja K.H.; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Antonenkova, Natalia; Bandera, Elisa V.; Bean, Yukie; Beckmann, Matthias W.; Bisogna, Maria; Bjorge, Line; Bogdanova, Natalia; Brinton, Louise A.; Brooks-Wilson, Angela; Bruinsma, Fiona; Butzow, Ralf; Campbell, Ian G.; Carty, Karen; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Chenevix-Trench, Georgia; Chen, Ann; Chen, Zhihua; Cook, Linda S.; Cramer, Daniel W.; Cunningham, Julie M.; Cybulski, Cezary; Plisiecka-Halasa, Joanna; Dennis, Joe; Dicks, Ed; Doherty, Jennifer A.; Dörk, Thilo; du Bois, Andreas; Eccles, Diana; Easton, Douglas T.; Edwards, Robert P.; Eilber, Ursula; Ekici, Arif B.; Fasching, Peter A.; Fridley, Brooke L.; Gao, Yu-Tang; Gentry-Maharaj, Aleksandra; Giles, Graham G.; Glasspool, Rosalind; Goode, Ellen L.; Goodman, Marc T.; Gronwald, Jacek; Harter, Philipp; Hasmad, Hanis Nazihah; Hein, Alexander; Heitz, Florian; Hildebrandt, Michelle A.T.; Hillemanns, Peter; Hogdall, Estrid; Hogdall, Claus; Hosono, Satoyo; Jakubowska, Anna; Paul, James; Jensen, Allan; Karlan, Beth Y.; Kjaer, Susanne Kruger; Kelemen, Linda E.; Kellar, Melissa; Kelley, Joseph L.; Kiemeney, Lambertus A.; Krakstad, Camilla; Lambrechts, Diether; Lambrechts, Sandrina; Le, Nhu D.; Lee, Alice W.; Cannioto, Rikki; Leminen, Arto; Lester, Jenny; Levine, Douglas A.; Liang, Dong; Lissowska, Jolanta; Lu, Karen; Lubinski, Jan; Lundvall, Lene; Massuger, Leon F.A.G.; Matsuo, Keitaro; McGuire, Valerie; McLaughlin, John R.; Nevanlinna, Heli; McNeish, Iain; Menon, Usha; Modugno, Francesmary; Moysich, Kirsten B.; Narod, Steven A.; Nedergaard, Lotte; Ness, Roberta B.; Noor Azmi, Mat Adenan; Odunsi, Kunle; Olson, Sara H.; Orlow, Irene; Orsulic, Sandra; Pearce, Celeste L.; Pejovic, Tanja; Pelttari, Liisa M.; Permuth-Wey, Jennifer; Phelan, Catherine M.; Pike, Malcolm C.; Poole, Elizabeth M.; Ramus, Susan J.; Risch, Harvey A.; Rosen, Barry; Rossing, Mary Anne; Rothstein, Joseph H.; Rudolph, Anja; Runnebaum, Ingo B.; Rzepecka, Iwona K.; Salvesen, Helga B.; Budzilowska, Agnieszka; Sellers, Thomas A.; Shu, Xiao-Ou; Shvetsov, Yurii B.; Siddiqui, Nadeem; Sieh, Weiva; Song, Honglin; Southey, Melissa C.; Sucheston, Lara; Tangen, Ingvild L.; Teo, Soo-Hwang; Terry, Kathryn L.; Thompson, Pamela J.; Timorek, Agnieszka; Tworoger, Shelley S.; Nieuwenhuysen, Els Van; Vergote, Ignace; Vierkant, Robert A.; Wang-Gohrke, Shan; Walsh, Christine; Wentzensen, Nicolas; Whittemore, Alice S.; Wicklund, Kristine G.; Wilkens, Lynne R.; Woo, Yin-Ling; Wu, Xifeng; Wu, Anna H.; Yang, Hannah; Zheng, Wei; Ziogas, Argyrios; Coetzee, Gerhard A.; Freedman, Matthew L.; Monteiro, Alvaro N.A.; Moes-Sosnowska, Joanna; Kupryjanczyk, Jolanta; Pharoah, Paul D.; Gayther, Simon A.; Schildkraut, Joellen M.

2015-01-01

Genome-wide association studies have identified 20 genomic regions associated with risk of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), but many additional risk variants may exist. Here, we evaluated associations between common genetic variants [single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and indels] in DNA repair genes and EOC risk. We genotyped 2896 common variants at 143 gene loci in DNA samples from 15 397 patients with invasive EOC and controls. We found evidence of associations with EOC risk for variants at FANCA, EXO1, E2F4, E2F2, CREB5 and CHEK2 genes (P ≤ 0.001). The strongest risk association was for CHEK2 SNP rs17507066 with serous EOC (P = 4.74 x 10–7). Additional genotyping and imputation of genotypes from the 1000 genomes project identified a slightly more significant association for CHEK2 SNP rs6005807 (r 2 with rs17507066 = 0.84, odds ratio (OR) 1.17, 95% CI 1.11–1.24, P = 1.1×10−7). We identified 293 variants in the region with likelihood ratios of less than 1:100 for representing the causal variant. Functional annotation identified 25 candidate SNPs that alter transcription factor binding sites within regulatory elements active in EOC precursor tissues. In The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset, CHEK2 gene expression was significantly higher in primary EOCs compared to normal fallopian tube tissues (P = 3.72×10−8). We also identified an association between genotypes of the candidate causal SNP rs12166475 (r 2 = 0.99 with rs6005807) and CHEK2 expression (P = 2.70×10-8). These data suggest that common variants at 22q12.1 are associated with risk of serous EOC and CHEK2 as a plausible target susceptibility gene. PMID:26424751

Estimating the Cost and Payment for Sanitation in the Informal Settlements of Kisumu, Kenya: A Cross Sectional Study.

PubMed

Simiyu, Sheillah; Swilling, Mark; Rheingans, Richard; Cairncross, Sandy

2017-01-06

Lack of sanitation facilities is a common occurrence in informal settlements that are common in most developing countries. One challenge with sanitation provision in these settlements is the cost and financing of sanitation. This study aimed at estimating the cost of sanitation, and investigating the social and economic dynamics within Kisumu's informal settlements that hinder provision and uptake of sanitation facilities. Primary data was collected from residents of the settlements, and using logistic and hedonic regression analysis, we identify characteristics of residents with sanitation facilities, and estimate the cost of sanitation as revealed in rental prices. Our study finds that sanitation constitutes approximately 54% of the rent paid in the settlements; and dynamics such as landlords and tenants preferences, and sharing of sanitation facilities influence provision and payment for sanitation. This study contributes to general development by estimating the cost of sanitation, and further identifies barriers and opportunities for improvement including the interplay between landlords and tenants. Provision of sanitation in informal settlements is intertwined in social and economic dynamics, and development approaches should target both landlords and tenants, while also engaging various stakeholders to work together to identify affordable and appropriate sanitation technologies.

Estimating the Cost and Payment for Sanitation in the Informal Settlements of Kisumu, Kenya: A Cross Sectional Study

PubMed Central

Simiyu, Sheillah; Swilling, Mark; Rheingans, Richard; Cairncross, Sandy

2017-01-01

Lack of sanitation facilities is a common occurrence in informal settlements that are common in most developing countries. One challenge with sanitation provision in these settlements is the cost and financing of sanitation. This study aimed at estimating the cost of sanitation, and investigating the social and economic dynamics within Kisumu’s informal settlements that hinder provision and uptake of sanitation facilities. Primary data was collected from residents of the settlements, and using logistic and hedonic regression analysis, we identify characteristics of residents with sanitation facilities, and estimate the cost of sanitation as revealed in rental prices. Our study finds that sanitation constitutes approximately 54% of the rent paid in the settlements; and dynamics such as landlords and tenants preferences, and sharing of sanitation facilities influence provision and payment for sanitation. This study contributes to general development by estimating the cost of sanitation, and further identifies barriers and opportunities for improvement including the interplay between landlords and tenants. Provision of sanitation in informal settlements is intertwined in social and economic dynamics, and development approaches should target both landlords and tenants, while also engaging various stakeholders to work together to identify affordable and appropriate sanitation technologies. PMID:28067812

Whole-exome sequencing identifies common and rare variant metabolic QTLs in a Middle Eastern population.

PubMed

Yousri, Noha A; Fakhro, Khalid A; Robay, Amal; Rodriguez-Flores, Juan L; Mohney, Robert P; Zeriri, Hassina; Odeh, Tala; Kader, Sara Abdul; Aldous, Eman K; Thareja, Gaurav; Kumar, Manish; Al-Shakaki, Alya; Chidiac, Omar M; Mohamoud, Yasmin A; Mezey, Jason G; Malek, Joel A; Crystal, Ronald G; Suhre, Karsten

2018-01-23

Metabolomics-genome-wide association studies (mGWAS) have uncovered many metabolic quantitative trait loci (mQTLs) influencing human metabolic individuality, though predominantly in European cohorts. By combining whole-exome sequencing with a high-resolution metabolomics profiling for a highly consanguineous Middle Eastern population, we discover 21 common variant and 12 functional rare variant mQTLs, of which 45% are novel altogether. We fine-map 10 common variant mQTLs to new metabolite ratio associations, and 11 common variant mQTLs to putative protein-altering variants. This is the first work to report common and rare variant mQTLs linked to diseases and/or pharmacological targets in a consanguineous Arab cohort, with wide implications for precision medicine in the Middle East.

Evaluation of ERTS-1 imagery for mapping Quaternary deposits and landforms in the Great Plains and Midwest

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morrison, R. B. (Principal Investigator); Hallberg, G. R.

1973-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. The main landform associations and larger landforms are readily identifiable on the better images and commonly the gross associations of surficial Quaternary deposits also can be differentiated, primarily by information on landforms and soils. Maps showing the Quaternary geologic-terrain units that can be differentiated from the ERTS-1 images are being prepared for study areas in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota. Preliminary maps at 1:1 million scale are given of two of the study areas, the Peoria and Decatur, Illinois, 1 deg x 2 quadrangles. These maps exemplify the first phase of investigations, which consists of identifying and mapping landform and land use characteristics and geologic-surficial materials directly from ERTS-1 images alone, without input of additional data. These maps shown that commonly the boundaries of geologic-terrain units can be identified more accurately on ERTS-1 images than on topographic maps of 1:250,000 scale. From analysis of drainage patterns, stream-divide relations, and tone and textural variations on the ERTS-1 images, the trends of numerous moraines of Wisconsinan and possibly some of Illinoian age were mapped. In the Peoria study area the trend of a buried valley of the Mississippi River is revealed.

A SPRY2 mutation leading to MAPK/ERK pathway inhibition is associated with an autosomal dominant form of IgA nephropathy.

PubMed

Milillo, Annamaria; La Carpia, Francesca; Costanzi, Stefano; D'Urbano, Vanessa; Martini, Maurizio; Lanuti, Paola; Vischini, Gisella; Larocca, Luigi M; Marchisio, Marco; Miscia, Sebastiano; Amoroso, Antonio; Gurrieri, Fiorella; Sangiorgi, Eugenio

2015-12-01

IgA nephropathy (IgAN) represents the most common primary glomerulonephritis worldwide with a prevalence of 25-50% among patients with primary glomerulopathies. In ~5-10% of the patients the disease segregates with an autosomal dominant (AD) pattern. Association studies identified loci on chromosomes 1q32, 6p21, 8p23, 17p13, 22q12, whereas classical linkage studies on AD families identified loci on chromosomes 2q36, 4q26-31, 6q22, 17q12-22. We have studied a large Sicilian family where IgAN segregates with an AD transmission. To identify the causal gene, the exomes of two affected and one unaffected individual have been sequenced. From the bioinformatics analysis a p.(Arg119Trp) variant in the SPRY2 gene was identified as the probable disease-causing mutation. Moreover, functional characterization of this variant showed that it is responsible for the inhibition of the MAPK/ERK1/2 pathway. The same effect was observed in two sporadic IgAN patients carriers of wild-type SPRY2, suggesting that downregulation of the MAPK/ERK1/2 pathway represents a common mechanism leading to IgAN.

Barcode ITS2: a useful tool for identifying Trachelospermum jasminoides and a good monitor for medicine market.

PubMed

Yu, Ning; Wei, Yu-Long; Zhang, Xin; Zhu, Ning; Wang, Yan-Li; Zhu, Yue; Zhang, Hai-Ping; Li, Fen-Mei; Yang, Lan; Sun, Jia-Qi; Sun, Ai-Dong

2017-07-11

Trachelospermum jasminoides is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine. However, the use of the plant's local alternatives is frequent, causing potential clinical problems. The T. jasminoides sold in the medicine market is commonly dried and sliced, making traditional identification methods difficult. In this study, the ITS2 region was evaluated on 127 sequences representing T. jasminoides and its local alternatives according to PCR and sequencing rates, intra- and inter-specific divergences, secondary structure, and discrimination capacity. Results indicated the 100% success rates of PCR and sequencing and the obvious presence of a barcoding gap. Results of BLAST 1, nearest distance and neighbor-joining tree methods showed that barcode ITS2 could successfully identify all the texted samples. The secondary structures of the ITS2 region provided another dimensionality for species identification. Two-dimensional images were obtained for better and easier identification. Previous studies on DNA barcoding concentrated more on the same family, genus, or species. However, an ideal barcode should be variable enough to identify closely related species. Meanwhile, the barcodes should also be conservative in identifying distantly related species. This study highlights the application of barcode ITS2 in solving practical problems in the distantly related local alternatives of medical plants.

A systematic review of persuasive marketing techniques to promote food to children on television.

PubMed

Jenkin, G; Madhvani, N; Signal, L; Bowers, S

2014-04-01

The ubiquitous marketing of energy-dense, nutrient-poor food and beverages is a key modifiable influence on childhood dietary patterns and obesity. Much of the research on television food advertising is focused on identifying and quantifying unhealthy food marketing with comparatively few studies examining persuasive marketing techniques to promote unhealthy food to children. This review identifies the most frequently documented persuasive marketing techniques to promote food to children via television. A systematic search of eight online databases using key search terms identified 267 unique articles. Thirty-eight articles met the inclusion criteria. A narrative synthesis of the reviewed studies revealed the most commonly reported persuasive techniques used on television to promote food to children. These were the use of premium offers, promotional characters, nutrition and health-related claims, the theme of taste, and the emotional appeal of fun. Identifying and documenting these commonly reported persuasive marketing techniques to promote food to children on television is critical for the monitoring and evaluation of advertising codes and industry pledges and the development of further regulation in this area. This has a strong potential to curbing the international obesity epidemic besieging children throughout the world. © 2014 The Authors. obesity reviews © 2014 International Association for the Study of Obesity.

Immunotherapy Targets Common Cancer Mutation

Cancer.gov

In a study of an immune therapy for colorectal cancer that involved a single patient, researchers identified a method for targeting the cancer-causing protein produced by a mutant form of the KRAS gene.

Comparison of mosquito control programs in seven urban sites in Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas.

PubMed

Impoinvil, Daniel E; Ahmad, Sajjad; Troyo, Adriana; Keating, Joseph; Githeko, Andrew K; Mbogo, Charles M; Kibe, Lydiah; Githure, John I; Gad, Adel M; Hassan, Ali N; Orshan, Laor; Warburg, Alon; Calderón-Arguedas, Olger; Sánchez-Loría, Victoria M; Velit-Suarez, Rosanna; Chadee, Dave D; Novak, Robert J; Beier, John C

2007-10-01

Mosquito control programs at seven urban sites in Kenya, Egypt, Israel, Costa Rica, and Trinidad are described and compared. Site-specific urban and disease characteristics, organizational diagrams, and strengths, weaknesses, obstacles and threats (SWOT) analysis tools are used to provide a descriptive assessment of each mosquito control program, and provide a comparison of the factors affecting mosquito abatement. The information for SWOT analysis is collected from surveys, focus-group discussions, and personal communication. SWOT analysis identified various issues affecting the efficiency and sustainability of mosquito control operations. The main outcome of our work was the description and comparison of mosquito control operations within the context of each study site's biological, social, political, management, and economic conditions. The issues identified in this study ranged from lack of inter-sector collaboration to operational issues of mosquito control efforts. A lack of sustainable funding for mosquito control was a common problem for most sites. Many unique problems were also identified, which included lack of mosquito surveillance, lack of law enforcement, and negative consequences of human behavior. Identifying common virtues and shortcomings of mosquito control operations is useful in identifying "best practices" for mosquito control operations, thus leading to better control of mosquito biting and mosquito-borne disease transmission.

Comparison of mosquito control programs in seven urban sites in Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas

PubMed Central

Impoinvil, Daniel E.; Ahmad, Sajjad; Troyo, Adriana; Keating, Joseph; Githeko, Andrew K.; Mbogo, Charles M; Kibe, Lydiah; Githure, John I.; Gad, Adel M.; Hassan, Ali N.; Orshan, Laor; Warburg, Alon; Calderón-Arguedas, Olger; Sánchez-Loría, Victoria M.; Velit-Suarez, Rosanna; Chadee, Dave D.; Novak, Robert J.; Beier, John C.

2007-01-01

Mosquito control programs at seven urban sites in Kenya, Egypt, Israel, Costa Rica, and Trinidad are described and compared. Site-specific urban and disease characteristics, organizational diagrams, and strengths, weaknesses, obstacles and threats (SWOT) analysis tools are used to provide a descriptive assessment of each mosquito control program, and provide a comparison of the factors affecting mosquito abatement. The information for SWOT analysis is collected from surveys, focus group discussions, and personal communication. SWOT analysis identified various issues affecting the efficiency and sustainability of mosquito control operations. The main outcome of our work was the description and comparison of mosquito control operations within the context of each study site’s biological, social, political, management, and economic conditions. The issues identified in this study ranged from lack of inter-sector collaboration to operational issues of mosquito control efforts. A lack of sustainable funding for mosquito control was a common problem for most sites. Many unique problems were also identified, which included lack of mosquito surveillance, lack of law enforcement, and negative consequences of human behavior. Identifying common virtues and shortcomings of mosquito control operations is useful in identifying “best practices” for mosquito control operations, thus leading to better control of mosquito biting and mosquito-borne disease transmission. PMID:17316882

Genome-wide Association Studies from the Cancer Genetic Markers of Susceptibility (CGEMS) Initiative | Office of Cancer Genomics

Cancer.gov

CGEMS identifies common inherited genetic variations associated with a number of cancers, including breast and prostate. Data from these genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are available through the Division of Cancer Epidemiology & Genetics website.

Characterization of Adverse Events Detected in a Large Health Care Delivery System Using an Enhanced Global Trigger Tool over a Five-Year Interval

PubMed Central

Kennerly, Donald A; Kudyakov, Rustam; da Graca, Briget; Saldaña, Margaret; Compton, Jan; Nicewander, David; Gilder, Richard

2014-01-01

Objective To report 5 years of adverse events (AEs) identified using an enhanced Global Trigger Tool (GTT) in a large health care system. Study Setting Records from monthly random samples of adults admitted to eight acute care hospitals from 2007 to 2011 with lengths of stay ≥3 days were reviewed. Study Design We examined AE incidence overall and by presence on admission, severity, stemming from care provided versus omitted, preventability, and category; and the overlap with commonly used AE-detection systems. Data Collection Professional nurse reviewers abstracted 9,017 records using the enhanced GTT, recording triggers and AEs. Medical record/account numbers were matched to identify overlapping voluntary reports or AHRQ Patient Safety Indicators (PSIs). Principal Findings Estimated AE rates were as follows: 61.4 AEs/1,000 patient-days, 38.1 AEs/100 discharges, and 32.1 percent of patients with ≥1 AE. Of 1,300 present-on-admission AEs (37.9 percent of total), 78.5 percent showed NCC-MERP level F harm and 87.6 percent were “preventable/possibly preventable.” Of 2,129 hospital-acquired AEs, 63.3 percent had level E harm, 70.8 percent were “preventable/possibly preventable”; the most common category was “surgical/procedural” (40.5 percent). Voluntary reports and PSIs captured <5 percent of encounters with hospital-acquired AEs. Conclusions AEs are common and potentially amenable to prevention. GTT-identified AEs are seldom caught by commonly used AE-detection systems. PMID:24628436

Thirteen year retrospective review of the spectrum of inborn errors of metabolism presenting in a tertiary center in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Alfadhel, Majid; Benmeakel, Mohammed; Hossain, Mohammad Arif; Al Mutairi, Fuad; Al Othaim, Ali; Alfares, Ahmed A; Al Balwi, Mohammed; Alzaben, Abdullah; Eyaid, Wafaa

2016-09-15

Inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs) are individually rare; however, they are collectively common. More than 600 human diseases caused by inborn errors of metabolism are now recognized, and this number is constantly increasing as new concepts and techniques become available for identifying biochemical phenotypes. The aim of this study was to determine the type and distribution of IEMs in patients presenting to a tertiary care center in Saudi Arabia. We conducted a retrospective review of children diagnosed with IEMs presenting to the Pediatric Department of King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia over a 13-year period. Over the 13- year period of this retrospective cohort, the total number of live births reached 110,601. A total of 187 patients were diagnosed with IEMs, representing a incidence of 169 in 100,000 births (1:591). Of these, 121 patients (64.7 %) were identified to have small molecule diseases and 66 (35.3 %) to have large molecule diseases. Organic acidemias were the most common small molecule IEMs, while lysosomal storage disorders (LSD) were the most common large molecule diseases. Sphingolipidosis were the most common LSD. Our study confirms the previous results of the high rate of IEMs in Saudi Arabia and urges the health care strategists in the country to devise a long-term strategic plan, including an IEM national registry and a high school carrier screening program, for the prevention of such disorders. In addition, we identified 43 novel mutations that were not described previously, which will help in the molecular diagnosis of these disorders.

Myophosphorylase (PYGM) mutations determined by next generation sequencing in a cohort from Turkey with McArdle disease.

PubMed

Inal-Gültekin, Güldal; Toptaş-Hekimoğlu, Bahar; Görmez, Zeliha; Gelişin, Özlem; Durmuş, Hacer; Ergüner, Bekir; Demirci, Hüseyin; Sağıroğlu, Mahmut Ş; Parman, Yeşim; Deymeer, Feza; Yılmaz-Aydoğan, Hülya; Pençe, Sadrettin; Bekircan-Kurt, Can Ebru; Tan, Ersin; Erdem-Özdamar, Sevim; Üstek, Duran; Giger, Urs; Öztürk, Oğuz; Serdaroğlu-Oflazer, Piraye

2017-11-01

This study aimed to identify PYGM mutations in patients with McArdle disease from Turkey by next generation sequencing (NGS). Genomic DNA was extracted from the blood of the McArdle patients (n = 67) and unrelated healthy volunteers (n = 53). The PYGM gene was sequenced with NGS and the observed mutations were validated by direct Sanger sequencing. A diagnostic algorithm was developed for patients with suspected McArdle disease. A total of 16 deleterious PYGM mutations were identified, of which 5 were novel, including 1 splice-site donor, 1 frame-shift, and 3 non-synonymous variants. The p.Met1Val (27-patients/11-families) was the most common PYGM mutation, followed by p.Arg576* (6/4), c.1827+7A>G (5/4), c.772+2_3delTG (5/3), p.Phe710del (4/2), p.Lys754Asnfs (2/1), and p.Arg50* (1/1). A molecular diagnostic flowchart is proposed for the McArdle patients in Turkey, covering the 6 most common PYGM mutations found in Turkey as well as the most common mutation in Europe. The diagnostic algorithm may alleviate the need for muscle biopsies in 77.6% of future patients. A prevalence of any of the mutations to a geographical region in Turkey was not identified. Furthermore, the NGS approach to sequence the entire PYGM gene was successful in detecting a common missense mutation and discovering novel mutations in this population study. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Psychosocial work environment and mental health--a meta-analytic review.

PubMed

Stansfeld, Stephen; Candy, Bridget

2006-12-01

To clarify the associations between psychosocial work stressors and mental ill health, a meta-analysis of psychosocial work stressors and common mental disorders was undertaken using longitudinal studies identified through a systematic literature review. The review used a standardized search strategy and strict inclusion and quality criteria in seven databases in 1994-2005. Papers were identified from 24,939 citations covering social determinants of health, 50 relevant papers were identified, 38 fulfilled inclusion criteria, and 11 were suitable for a meta-analysis. The Comprehensive Meta-analysis Programme was used for decision authority, decision latitude, psychological demands, and work social support, components of the job-strain and iso-strain models, and the combination of effort and reward that makes up the effort-reward imbalance model and job insecurity. Cochran's Q statistic assessed the heterogeneity of the results, and the I2 statistic determined any inconsistency between studies. Job strain, low decision latitude, low social support, high psychological demands, effort-reward imbalance, and high job insecurity predicted common mental disorders despite the heterogeneity for psychological demands and social support among men. The strongest effects were found for job strain and effort-reward imbalance. This meta-analysis provides robust consistent evidence that (combinations of) high demands and low decision latitude and (combinations of) high efforts and low rewards are prospective risk factors for common mental disorders and suggests that the psychosocial work environment is important for mental health. The associations are not merely explained by response bias. The impact of work stressors on common mental disorders differs for women and men.

Epidemiological profile of sports-related knee injuries in northern India: An observational study at a tertiary care centre.

PubMed

John, R; Dhillon, M S; Syam, K; Prabhakar, S; Behera, P; Singh, H

2016-01-01

Sports-related knee injuries occur commonly in athletes. However, there is no published epidemiological study from India till date. The purpose of this study was to identify common injuries sustained by Indian athletes participating in different sports and to study various associated demographic features. A secondary objective was to investigate different factors, which may affect return to sport by the athlete. Cross-sectional study (observational study). Sports injury clinic, PGIMER, Chandigarh. Out of 465 athletes who presented to us with sports-related knee injuries over a 5-year period, 363 athletes (from 24 different sports) with complete records were identified. Data were analysed for demographic features, type of sport, mechanism of injury, injury scenario, athlete's level of play, injury duration at presentation, injury patterns and type of management. Telephonic interviews were conducted with each athlete to enquire about return to sport and time lost in sport due to the knee injury. Factors associated with return to sport were investigated using statistical tests of association. Soccer was found to be the most common sport associated with knee injuries accounting for 30.6% of the injuries followed by kabaddi (20.9%). The most common mechanism was non-contact injury (64.4%). Competitive injuries were found to be significantly more than practice/training injuries (p < 0.0001). The most common injuries noted were ACL tears (n = 314) followed by meniscus injuries (n = 284) and the most common combination of injuries were an ACL tear with medial meniscus tear (n = 163). Only 39.8% of the athletes returned to sport. Mean duration of time lost in sport among those who returned to sport was 8.84 months. Return to sport was significantly associated with body mass index, level of competitiveness of the athlete and type of management (p = 0.017, 0.045 and <0.0001, respectively). Knee injuries take a huge toll on an athlete's career as observed in this study. Prevention of knee injuries is of paramount importance and more focussed epidemiological studies are needed for formulating policies to prevent sports injuries in both professional and amateur athletes. IV.

Identifying Knowledge Gaps in Clinicians Who Evaluate and Treat Vocal Performing Artists in College Health Settings.

PubMed

McKinnon-Howe, Leah; Dowdall, Jayme

2018-05-01

The goal of this study was to identify knowledge gaps in clinicians who evaluate and treat performing artists for illnesses and injuries that affect vocal function in college health settings. This pilot study utilized a web-based cross-sectional survey design incorporating common clinical scenarios to test knowledge of evaluation and management strategies in the vocal performing artist. A web-based survey was administered to a purposive sample of 28 clinicians to identify the approach utilized to evaluate and treat vocal performing artists in college health settings, and factors that might affect knowledge gaps and influence referral patterns to voice specialists. Twenty-eight clinicians were surveyed, with 36% of respondents incorrectly identifying appropriate vocal hygiene measures, 56% of respondents failing to identify symptoms of vocal fold hemorrhage, 84% failing to identify other indications for referral to a voice specialist, 96% of respondents acknowledging unfamiliarity with the Voice Handicap Index and the Singers Voice Handicap Index, and 68% acknowledging unfamiliarity with the Reflux Symptom Index. The data elucidated specific knowledge gaps in college health providers who are responsible for evaluating and treating common illnesses that affect vocal function, and triaging and referring students experiencing symptoms of potential vocal emergencies. Future work is needed to improve the standard of care for this population. Copyright © 2018 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pearls and pitfalls in genetic studies of migraine.

PubMed

Eising, Else; de Vries, Boukje; Ferrari, Michel D; Terwindt, Gisela M; van den Maagdenberg, Arn M J M

2013-06-01

Migraine is a prevalent neurovascular brain disorder with a strong genetic component, and different methodological approaches have been implemented to identify the genes involved. This review focuses on pearls and pitfalls of these approaches and genetic findings in migraine. Common forms of migraine (i.e. migraine with and without aura) are thought to have a polygenic make-up, whereas rare familial hemiplegic migraine (FHM) presents with a monogenic pattern of inheritance. Until a few years ago only studies in FHM yielded causal genes, which were identified by a classical linkage analysis approach. Functional analyses of FHM gene mutations in cellular and transgenic animal models suggest abnormal glutamatergic neurotransmission as a possible key disease mechanism. Recently, a number of genes were discovered for the common forms of migraine using a genome-wide association (GWA) approach, which sheds first light on the pathophysiological mechanisms involved. Novel technological strategies such as next-generation sequencing, which can be implemented in future genetic migraine research, may aid the identification of novel FHM genes and promote the search for the missing heritability of common migraine.

Feature extraction across individual time series observations with spikes using wavelet principal component analysis.

PubMed

Røislien, Jo; Winje, Brita

2013-09-20

Clinical studies frequently include repeated measurements of individuals, often for long periods. We present a methodology for extracting common temporal features across a set of individual time series observations. In particular, the methodology explores extreme observations within the time series, such as spikes, as a possible common temporal phenomenon. Wavelet basis functions are attractive in this sense, as they are localized in both time and frequency domains simultaneously, allowing for localized feature extraction from a time-varying signal. We apply wavelet basis function decomposition of individual time series, with corresponding wavelet shrinkage to remove noise. We then extract common temporal features using linear principal component analysis on the wavelet coefficients, before inverse transformation back to the time domain for clinical interpretation. We demonstrate the methodology on a subset of a large fetal activity study aiming to identify temporal patterns in fetal movement (FM) count data in order to explore formal FM counting as a screening tool for identifying fetal compromise and thus preventing adverse birth outcomes. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Human attribute concepts: relative ubiquity across twelve mutually isolated languages.

PubMed

Saucier, Gerard; Thalmayer, Amber Gayle; Bel-Bahar, Tarik S

2014-07-01

It has been unclear which human-attribute concepts are most universal across languages. To identify common-denominator concepts, we used dictionaries for 12 mutually isolated languages-Maasai, Supyire Senoufo, Khoekhoe, Afar, Mara Chin, Hmong, Wik-Mungkan, Enga, Fijian, Inuktitut, Hopi, and Kuna-representing diverse cultural characteristics and language families, from multiple continents. A composite list of every person-descriptive term in each lexicon was closely examined to determine the content (in terms of English translation) most ubiquitous across languages. Study 1 identified 28 single-word concepts used to describe persons in all 12 languages, as well as 41 additional terms found in 11 of 12. Results indicated that attribute concepts related to morality and competence appear to be as cross-culturally ubiquitous as basic-emotion concepts. Formulations of universal-attribute concepts from Osgood and Wierzbicka were well-supported. Study 2 compared lexically based personality models on the relative ubiquity of key associated terms, finding that 1- and 2-dimensional models draw on markedly more ubiquitous terms than do 5- or 6-factor models. We suggest that ubiquitous attributes reflect common cultural as well as common biological processes.

Integrative Analysis to Identify Common Genetic Markers of Metabolic Syndrome, Dementia, and Diabetes

PubMed Central

Zhang, Weihong; Xin, Linlin; Lu, Ying

2017-01-01

Background Emerging data have established links between systemic metabolic dysfunction, such as diabetes and metabolic syndrome (MetS), with neurocognitive impairment, including dementia. The common gene signature and the associated signaling pathways of MetS, diabetes, and dementia have not been widely studied. Material/Methods We exploited the translational bioinformatics approach to choose the common gene signatures for both dementia and MetS. For this we employed “DisGeNET discovery platform”. Results Gene mining analysis revealed that a total of 173 genes (86 genes common to all three diseases) which comprised a proportion of 43% of the total genes associated with dementia. The gene enrichment analysis showed that these genes were involved in dysregulation in the neurological system (23.2%) and the central nervous system (20.8%) phenotype processes. The network analysis revealed APOE, APP, PARK2, CEPBP, PARP1, MT-CO2, CXCR4, IGFIR, CCR5, and PIK3CD as important nodes with significant interacting partners. The meta-regression analysis showed modest association of APOE with dementia and metabolic complications. The directionality of effects of the variants on Alzheimer disease is generally consistent with previous observations and did not differ by race/ethnicity (p>0.05), although our study had low power for this test. Conclusions Our novel approach showed APOE as a common gene signature with a link to dementia, MetS, and diabetes. Future gene association studies should focus on the association of gene polymorphisms with multiple disease models to identify novel putative drug targets. PMID:29229897

The Genomic Architecture of Sporadic Heart Failure

PubMed Central

Dorn, Gerald W

2011-01-01

Common or sporadic systolic heart failure (heart failure) is the clinical syndrome of insufficient forward cardiac output resulting from myocardial disease. Most heart failure is the consequence of ischemic or idiopathic cardiomyopathy. There is a clear familial predisposition to heart failure, with a genetic component estimated to confer between 20 and 30% of overall risk. The multifactorial etiology of this syndrome has complicated identification of its genetic underpinnings. Until recently, almost all genetic studies of heart failure were designed and deployed according to the common disease-common variant hypothesis, in which individual risk alleles impart a small positive or negative effect and overall genetic risk is the cumulative impact of all functional genetic variations. Early studies employed a candidate gene approach, focused mainly on factors within adrenergic and renin-angiotensin pathways that affect heart failure progression and are targeted by standard pharmacotherapeutics. Many of these reported allelic associations with heart failure have not been replicated. However, the preponderance of data support risk-modifier effects for the Arg389Gly polymorphism of β1-adrenergic receptors and the intron 16 in/del polymorphism of angiotensin converting enzyme. Recent unbiased studies using genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) microarrays have shown fewer positive results than when these platforms were applied to hypertension, myocardial infarction, or diabetes, possibly reflecting the complex etiology of heart failure. A new cardiovascular gene-centric sub-genome SNP array identified a common heat failure risk allele at 1p36 in multiple independent cohorts, but the biological mechanism for this association is still uncertain. It is likely that common gene polymorphisms account for only a fraction of individual genetic heart failure risk, and future studies using deep resequencing are likely to identify rare gene variants with larger biological effects. PMID:21566223

Cosmetic medicine: facial resurfacing and injectables.

PubMed

Nguyen, Alexander T; Ahmad, Jamil; Fagien, Steven; Rohrich, Rod J

2012-01-01

After studying this article, the participant should be able to: 1. Describe the most common options available for minimally invasive facial rejuvenation. 2. Identify key elements essential to each treatment option. 3. Know how to avoid and manage complications for these procedures. Minimally invasive cosmetic procedures continue to increase in popularity. This article is intended to provide a broad and practical overview of common minimally invasive cosmetic techniques available to the plastic surgeon.

The major types of added sugars and non-nutritive sweeteners in a sample of Australian packaged foods.

PubMed

Probst, Yasmine C; Dengate, Alexis; Jacobs, Jenny; Louie, Jimmy Cy; Dunford, Elizabeth K

2017-12-01

Limiting the intake of added sugars in the diet remains a key focus of global dietary recommendations. To date there has been no systematic monitoring of the major types of added sugars used in the Australian food supply. The present study aimed to identify the most common added sugars and non-nutritive sweeteners in the Australian packaged food supply. Secondary analysis of data from the Australian FoodSwitch database was undertaken. Forty-six added sugars and eight non-nutritive sweetener types were extracted from the ingredient lists of 5744 foods across seventeen food categories. Australia. Not applicable. Added sugar ingredients were found in 61 % of the sample of foods examined and non-nutritive sweetener ingredients were found in 69 %. Only 31 % of foods contained no added sugar or non-nutritive sweetener. Sugar (as an ingredient), glucose syrup, maple syrup, maltodextrin and glucose/dextrose were the most common sugar ingredient types identified. Most Australian packaged food products had at least one added sugar ingredient, the most common being 'sugar'. The study provides insight into the most common types of added sugars and non-nutritive sweeteners used in the Australian food supply and is a useful baseline to monitor changes in how added sugars are used in Australian packaged foods over time.

Correlation of genetic and clinical findings in Spanish patients with X-linked juvenile retinoschisis.

PubMed

Riveiro-Alvarez, Rosa; Trujillo-Tiebas, Maria-Jose; Gimenez-Pardo, Ascension; Garcia-Hoyos, Maria; Lopez-Martinez, Miguel-Angel; Aguirre-Lamban, Jana; Garcia-Sandoval, Blanca; Vazquez-Fernandez del Pozo, Silvia; Cantalapiedra, Diego; Avila-Fernandez, Almudena; Baiget, Montserrat; Ramos, Carmen; Ayuso, Carmen

2009-09-01

X-linked juvenile retinoschisis (XLRS) is one of the most common causes of juvenile macular degeneration in males, characterized by microcystic changes, splitting within the inner retinal layer (schisis), and the presence of vitreous veils. This study was conducted to describe and further correlate specific genetic variation in Spanish patients with XLRS with clinical characteristics and additional ophthalmic complications. The study was performed in 34 Spanish families with XLRS, comprising 51 affected males. Thorough clinical ophthalmic and electrophysiological examinations were performed. The coding regions of the RS1 gene were amplified by polymerase chain reaction and directly sequenced. Haplotype analyses were also performed. Twenty different mutations were identified. Ten of the 20 were novel and 3 were de novo mutational events. The most common mutation (p.Gln154Arg; 6/20) presented a common haplotype. RS1 variants did not correlate with ophthalmic findings and were not associated with additional ophthalmic complications. The prevalent p.Gln154Arg mutation is first reported in this work and presents a common origin in Spanish patients with XLRS. In addition, de novo mutations mainly occur in CG dinucleotides. Despite the large mutational spectrum and variable phenotypes, no genotype-phenotype correlations were found. Identifying the causative mutation is helpful in confirming diagnosis and counseling, but cannot provide a prognosis.

Presence and Image of Women in the Information Media Aimed at Adolescents Aged 10 to 16.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dansereau, Stephanie; Maranda, Jeanne

An exploratory study identified the areas of information most commonly featured in the printed and electronic media designed specifically for adolescents aged 10-16 and also identified the presence and role of women in the information targeted to this age group. A content analysis was made of both French- and English-language television programs…

Applying Response to Intervention to Identify Learning Disabilities in Students with Visual Impairments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Beth A.; Smith, Heather Haynes; Hensley-Maloney, Lauren; Gansle, Kristin A.

2015-01-01

When visual impairments (VI) and learning disabilities (LD) coexist, it is common for one (i.e., typically LD) to go unidentified. Some school districts may be reluctant to identify students with both VI and LD, potentially causing students to miss out on much-needed services. Child study teams can find support to address this dual diagnosis using…

Increasing organizational energy conservation behaviors: Comparing the theory of planned behavior and reasons theory for identifying specific motivational factors to target for change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finlinson, Scott Michael

Social scientists frequently assess factors thought to underlie behavior for the purpose of designing behavioral change interventions. Researchers commonly identify these factors by examining relationships between specific variables and the focal behaviors being investigated. Variables with the strongest relationships to the focal behavior are then assumed to be the most influential determinants of that behavior, and therefore often become the targets for change in a behavioral change intervention. In the current proposal, multiple methods are used to compare the effectiveness of two theoretical frameworks for identifying influential motivational factors. Assessing the relative influence of all factors and sets of factors for driving behavior should clarify which framework and methodology is the most promising for identifying effective change targets. Results indicated each methodology adequately predicted the three focal behaviors examined. However, the reasons theory approach was superior for predicting factor influence ratings compared to the TpB approach. While common method variance contamination had minimal impact on the results or conclusions derived from the present study's findings, there were substantial differences in conclusions depending on the questionnaire design used to collect the data. Examples of applied uses of the present study are discussed.

Human genetics as a tool to identify progranulin regulators.

PubMed

Nicholson, Alexandra M; Finch, NiCole A; Rademakers, Rosa

2011-11-01

Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder that predominantly affects individuals under the age of 65. It is known that the most common pathological subtype is FTLD with TAR DNA-binding protein 43 inclusions (FTLD-TDP). FTLD has a strong genetic component with about 50% of cases having a positive family history. Mutations identified in the progranulin gene (GRN) have been shown to cause FTLD-TDP as a result of progranulin haploinsufficiency. These findings suggest a progranulin-dependent mechanism in this pathological FTLD subtype. Thus, identifying regulators of progranulin levels is essential for new therapies and treatments for FTLD and related disorders. In this review, we discuss the role of genetic studies in identifying progranulin regulators, beginning with the discovery of pathogenic GRN mutations and additional GRN risk variants. We also cover more recent genetic advances, including the detection of variants in the transmembrane protein 106 B gene that increase FTLD-TDP risk presumably by modulating progranulin levels and the identification of a potential progranulin receptor, sortilin. This review highlights the importance of genetic studies in the context of FTLD and further emphasizes the need for future genetic and cell biology research to continue the effort in finding a cure for progranulin-related diseases.

Components of Effective Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Pediatric Headache: A Mixed Methods Approach

PubMed Central

Law, Emily F.; Beals-Erickson, Sarah E.; Fisher, Emma; Lang, Emily A.; Palermo, Tonya M.

2017-01-01

Internet-delivered treatment has the potential to expand access to evidence-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for pediatric headache, and has demonstrated efficacy in small trials for some youth with headache. We used a mixed methods approach to identify effective components of CBT for this population. In Study 1, component profile analysis identified common interventions delivered in published RCTs of effective CBT protocols for pediatric headache delivered face-to-face or via the Internet. We identified a core set of three treatment components that were common across face-to-face and Internet protocols: 1) headache education, 2) relaxation training, and 3) cognitive interventions. Biofeedback was identified as an additional core treatment component delivered in face-to-face protocols only. In Study 2, we conducted qualitative interviews to describe the perspectives of youth with headache and their parents on successful components of an Internet CBT intervention. Eleven themes emerged from the qualitative data analysis, which broadly focused on patient experiences using the treatment components and suggestions for new treatment components. In the Discussion, these mixed methods findings are integrated to inform the adaptation of an Internet CBT protocol for youth with headache. PMID:29503787

Components of Effective Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Pediatric Headache: A Mixed Methods Approach.

PubMed

Law, Emily F; Beals-Erickson, Sarah E; Fisher, Emma; Lang, Emily A; Palermo, Tonya M

2017-01-01

Internet-delivered treatment has the potential to expand access to evidence-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for pediatric headache, and has demonstrated efficacy in small trials for some youth with headache. We used a mixed methods approach to identify effective components of CBT for this population. In Study 1, component profile analysis identified common interventions delivered in published RCTs of effective CBT protocols for pediatric headache delivered face-to-face or via the Internet. We identified a core set of three treatment components that were common across face-to-face and Internet protocols: 1) headache education, 2) relaxation training, and 3) cognitive interventions. Biofeedback was identified as an additional core treatment component delivered in face-to-face protocols only. In Study 2, we conducted qualitative interviews to describe the perspectives of youth with headache and their parents on successful components of an Internet CBT intervention. Eleven themes emerged from the qualitative data analysis, which broadly focused on patient experiences using the treatment components and suggestions for new treatment components. In the Discussion, these mixed methods findings are integrated to inform the adaptation of an Internet CBT protocol for youth with headache.

EPA Scientists Develop Research Methods for Studying Mold Fact Sheet

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

In 2002, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency researchers developed a DNA-based Mold Specific Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction method (MSQPCR) for identifying and quantifying over 100 common molds and fungi.

Postpartum stressors: a content analysis.

PubMed

Jevitt, Cecilia M; Groer, Maureen W; Crist, Nancy F; Gonzalez, Lois; Wagner, V Doreen

2012-05-01

A qualitative content analysis was conducted on narratives written by 127 mothers at four to six weeks postpartum. This study aimed to identify and compare postpartum stressors to the Tennessee Postpartum Stress Scale (TPSS). The TPSS is a guide to common postpartum stressors and an instrument to assess postpartum stress. Most participants in this study were white (91%), married (72%), and not working (70%). Eighteen stressor categories aggregated into two themes: Stressors Arising within the Maternal-Newborn Dyad and Stressors External to the Maternal-Newborn Dyad. Sixteen of 20 items on the TPSS were identified in the narratives. No stressor categories outside the TPSS were identified.

[Fine mapping of complex disease susceptibility loci].

PubMed

Song, Qingfeng; Zhang, Hongxing; Ma, Yilong; Zhou, Gangqiao

2014-01-01

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers have identified more than 3800 susceptibility loci for more than 660 diseases or traits. However, the most significantly associated variants or causative variants in these loci and their biological functions have remained to be clarified. These causative variants can help to elucidate the pathogenesis and discover new biomarkers of complex diseases. One of the main goals in the post-GWAS era is to identify the causative variants and susceptibility genes, and clarify their functional aspects by fine mapping. For common variants, imputation or re-sequencing based strategies were implemented to increase the number of analyzed variants and help to identify the most significantly associated variants. In addition, functional element, expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) and haplotype analyses were performed to identify functional common variants and susceptibility genes. For rare variants, fine mapping was carried out by re-sequencing, rare haplotype analysis, family-based analysis, burden test, etc.This review summarizes the strategies and problems for fine mapping.

Chloride/bromide ratios in leachate derived from farm-animal waste.

PubMed

Hudak, Paul F

2003-01-01

Ratios of conservative chemicals have been used to identify sources of groundwater contamination. While chloride/bromide ratios have been reported for several common sources of groundwater contamination, little work has been done on leachate derived from farm-animal waste. In this study, chloride/bromide ratios were measured in leachate derived from longhorn-cattle, quarterhorse, and pygme-goat waste at a farm in Abilene, Texas, USA. (Minimum, median, and maximum) chloride/bromide ratios of (66.5, 85.6, and 167), (119, 146, and 156), and (35.4, 57.8, and 165) were observed for cattle, horses, and goats, respectively. These ratios are below typical values for domestic wastewater and within the range commonly observed for oilfield brine. Results of this study have important implications for identifying sources of contaminated groundwater in settings with significant livestock and/or oil production.

Evidence Base Update: 50 Years of Research on Treatment for Child and Adolescent Anxiety.

PubMed

Higa-McMillan, Charmaine K; Francis, Sarah E; Rith-Najarian, Leslie; Chorpita, Bruce F

2016-01-01

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health disorder among children and adolescents. We examined 111 treatment outcome studies testing 204 treatment conditions for child and adolescent anxiety published between 1967 and mid-2013. Studies were selected for inclusion in this review using the PracticeWise Evidence-Based Services database. Using guidelines identified by this journal (Southam-Gerow & Prinstein, 2014), studies were included if they were conducted with children and/or adolescents (ages 1-19) with anxiety and/or avoidance problems. In addition to reviewing the strength of the evidence, the review also examined indicators of effectiveness, common practices across treatment families, and mediators and moderators of treatment outcome. Six treatments reached well-established status for child and adolescent anxiety, 8 were identified as probably efficacious, 2 were identified as possibly efficacious, 6 treatments were deemed experimental, and 8 treatments of questionable efficacy emerged. Findings from this review suggest substantial support for cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) as an effective and appropriate first-line treatment for youth with anxiety disorders. Several other treatment approaches emerged as probably efficacious that are not primarily CBT based, suggesting that there are alternative evidence-based treatments that practitioners can turn to for children and adolescents who do not respond well to CBT. The review concludes with a discussion of treatments that improve functioning in addition to reducing symptoms, common practices derived from evidence-based treatments, mediators and moderators of treatment outcomes, recommendations for best practice, and suggestions for future research.

Examination of Association to Autism of Common Genetic Variation in Genes Related to Dopamine

PubMed Central

Anderson, B.M.; Schnetz-Boutaud, N.; Bartlett, J.; Wright, H.H.; Abramson, R.K.; Cuccaro, M.L.; Gilbert, J.R.; Pericak-Vance, M.A.; Haines, J.L.

2010-01-01

Autism is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by a triad of complications. Autistic individuals display significant disturbances in language and reciprocal social interactions, combined with repetitive and stereotypic behaviors. Prevalence studies suggest that autism is more common than originally believed, with recent estimates citing a rate of one in 150. Although this genomic approach has yielded multiple suggestive regions, a specific risk locus has yet to be identified and widely confirmed. Because many etiologies have been suggested for this complex syndrome, we hypothesize that one of the difficulties in identifying autism genes is that multiple genetic variants may be required to significantly increase the risk of developing autism. Thus we took the alternative approach of examining 14 prominent dopamine pathway candidate genes for detailed study by genotyping 28 SNPs. Although we did observe a nominally significant association for rs2239535 (p=.008) on chromosome 20, single locus analysis did not reveal any results as significant after correction for multiple comparisons. No significant interaction was identified when Multifactor Dimensionality Reduction (MDR) was employed to test specifically for multilocus effects. Although genome-wide linkage scans in autism have provided support for linkage to various loci along the dopamine pathway, our study does not provide strong evidence of linkage or association to any specific gene or combination of genes within the pathway. These results demonstrate that common genetic variation within the tested genes located within this pathway at most play a minor to moderate role in overall autism pathogenesis. PMID:19360691

Genetics of Venous Thrombosis: Insights from a New Genome Wide Association Study

PubMed Central

Germain, Marine; Saut, Noémie; Greliche, Nicolas; Dina, Christian; Lambert, Jean-Charles; Perret, Claire; Cohen, William; Oudot-Mellakh, Tiphaine; Antoni, Guillemette; Alessi, Marie-Christine; Zelenika, Diana; Cambien, François; Tiret, Laurence; Bertrand, Marion; Dupuy, Anne-Marie; Letenneur, Luc; Lathrop, Mark; Emmerich, Joseph; Amouyel, Philippe; Trégouët, David-Alexandre; Morange, Pierre-Emmanuel

2011-01-01

Background Venous Thrombosis (VT) is a common multifactorial disease associated with a major public health burden. Genetics factors are known to contribute to the susceptibility of the disease but how many genes are involved and their contribution to VT risk still remain obscure. We aimed to identify genetic variants associated with VT risk. Methodology/Principal Findings We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) based on 551,141 SNPs genotyped in 1,542 cases and 1,110 controls. Twelve SNPs reached the genome-wide significance level of 2.0×10−8 and encompassed four known VT-associated loci, ABO, F5, F11 and FGG. By means of haplotype analyses, we also provided novel arguments in favor of a role of HIVEP1, PROCR and STAB2, three loci recently hypothesized to participate in the susceptibility to VT. However, no novel VT-associated loci came out of our GWAS. Using a recently proposed statistical methodology, we also showed that common variants could explain about 35% of the genetic variance underlying VT susceptibility among which 3% could be attributable to the main identified VT loci. This analysis additionally suggested that the common variants left to be identified are not uniformly distributed across the genome and that chromosome 20, itself, could contribute to ∼7% of the total genetic variance. Conclusions/Significance This study might also provide a valuable source of information to expand our understanding of biological mechanisms regulating quantitative biomarkers for VT. PMID:21980494

A Synthesis of Research on Psychological Types of Gifted Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sak, Ugur

2004-01-01

In this study, the author synthesizes results of studies about personality types of gifted adolescents. Fourteen studies were coded with 19 independent samples. The total number of identified participants in original studies was 5,723. The most common personality types among gifted adolescents were "intuitive" and "perceiving." They were higher on…

Genome-Wide Association Studies of Anthracnose and Angular Leaf Spot Resistance in Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

PubMed Central

Perseguini, Juliana Morini Küpper Cardoso; Oblessuc, Paula Rodrigues; Rosa, João Ricardo Bachega Feijó; Gomes, Kleber Alves; Chiorato, Alisson Fernando; Carbonell, Sérgio Augusto Morais; Garcia, Antonio Augusto Franco; Vianello, Rosana Pereira; Benchimol-Reis, Luciana Lasry

2016-01-01

The common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is the world’s most important legume for human consumption. Anthracnose (ANT; Colletotrichum lindemuthianum) and angular leaf spot (ALS; Pseudocercospora griseola) are complex diseases that cause major yield losses in common bean. Depending on the cultivar and environmental conditions, anthracnose and angular leaf spot infections can reduce crop yield drastically. This study aimed to estimate linkage disequilibrium levels and identify quantitative resistance loci (QRL) controlling resistance to both ANT and ALS diseases of 180 accessions of common bean using genome-wide association analysis. A randomized complete block design with four replicates was performed for the ANT and ALS experiments, with four plants per genotype in each replicate. Association mapping analyses were performed for ANT and ALS using a mixed linear model approach implemented in TASSEL. A total of 17 and 11 significant statistically associations involving SSRs were detected for ANT and ALS resistance loci, respectively. Using SNPs, 21 and 17 significant statistically associations were obtained for ANT and angular ALS, respectively, providing more associations with this marker. The SSR-IAC167 and PvM95 markers, both located on chromosome Pv03, and the SNP scaffold00021_89379, were associated with both diseases. The other markers were distributed across the entire common bean genome, with chromosomes Pv03 and Pv08 showing the greatest number of loci associated with ANT resistance. The chromosome Pv04 was the most saturated one, with six markers associated with ALS resistance. The telomeric region of this chromosome showed four markers located between approximately 2.5 Mb and 4.4 Mb. Our results demonstrate the great potential of genome-wide association studies to identify QRLs related to ANT and ALS in common bean. The results indicate a quantitative and complex inheritance pattern for both diseases in common bean. Our findings will contribute to more effective screening of elite germplasm to find resistance alleles for marker-assisted selection in breeding programs. PMID:26930078

Genome-Wide Association Studies of Anthracnose and Angular Leaf Spot Resistance in Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.).

PubMed

Perseguini, Juliana Morini Küpper Cardoso; Oblessuc, Paula Rodrigues; Rosa, João Ricardo Bachega Feijó; Gomes, Kleber Alves; Chiorato, Alisson Fernando; Carbonell, Sérgio Augusto Morais; Garcia, Antonio Augusto Franco; Vianello, Rosana Pereira; Benchimol-Reis, Luciana Lasry

2016-01-01

The common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is the world's most important legume for human consumption. Anthracnose (ANT; Colletotrichum lindemuthianum) and angular leaf spot (ALS; Pseudocercospora griseola) are complex diseases that cause major yield losses in common bean. Depending on the cultivar and environmental conditions, anthracnose and angular leaf spot infections can reduce crop yield drastically. This study aimed to estimate linkage disequilibrium levels and identify quantitative resistance loci (QRL) controlling resistance to both ANT and ALS diseases of 180 accessions of common bean using genome-wide association analysis. A randomized complete block design with four replicates was performed for the ANT and ALS experiments, with four plants per genotype in each replicate. Association mapping analyses were performed for ANT and ALS using a mixed linear model approach implemented in TASSEL. A total of 17 and 11 significant statistically associations involving SSRs were detected for ANT and ALS resistance loci, respectively. Using SNPs, 21 and 17 significant statistically associations were obtained for ANT and angular ALS, respectively, providing more associations with this marker. The SSR-IAC167 and PvM95 markers, both located on chromosome Pv03, and the SNP scaffold00021_89379, were associated with both diseases. The other markers were distributed across the entire common bean genome, with chromosomes Pv03 and Pv08 showing the greatest number of loci associated with ANT resistance. The chromosome Pv04 was the most saturated one, with six markers associated with ALS resistance. The telomeric region of this chromosome showed four markers located between approximately 2.5 Mb and 4.4 Mb. Our results demonstrate the great potential of genome-wide association studies to identify QRLs related to ANT and ALS in common bean. The results indicate a quantitative and complex inheritance pattern for both diseases in common bean. Our findings will contribute to more effective screening of elite germplasm to find resistance alleles for marker-assisted selection in breeding programs.

Oral Antibiotics for Meibomian Gland-Related Ocular Surface Disease: A Report by the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

PubMed

Wladis, Edward J; Bradley, Elizabeth A; Bilyk, Jurij R; Yen, Michael T; Mawn, Louise A

2016-03-01

To review the existing medical literature on the role of oral antibiotics in the management of ocular surface disease (OSD) that arises from disorders of the meibomian glands and to assess the efficacy of oral antibiotics in the management of this common ocular disease. A literature search was last conducted on August 12, 2015, in the PubMed and Cochrane databases for English-language original research investigations that evaluated the role of doxycycline, minocycline, and azithromycin in OSD among adult patients. The searches identified 87 articles, and 8 studies ultimately met the criteria outlined for this assessment. The 8 studies identified in the search documented an improvement in meibomian gland-related OSD after treatment with these agents, although side effects were common. This search identified only 1 randomized, controlled trial to assess the efficacy of these medications. Although oral antibiotics are used commonly in the management of OSD, there is no level I evidence to support their use. There are only a few studies that have assessed the efficacy of oral antibiotics in clinically meaningful ways in the management of OSD that arises from disorders of the meibomian glands. The current level of evidence is insufficient to conclude that antibiotics are useful in managing OSD arising from disorders of the meibomian glands. The few existing studies on the topic indicate that oral antibiotics may be an effective treatment for OSD that results from meibomian gland disease. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Examination of association to autism of common genetic variationin genes related to dopamine.

PubMed

Anderson, B M; Schnetz-Boutaud, N; Bartlett, J; Wright, H H; Abramson, R K; Cuccaro, M L; Gilbert, J R; Pericak-Vance, M A; Haines, J L

2008-12-01

Autism is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by a triad of complications. Autistic individuals display significant disturbances in language and reciprocal social interactions, combined with repetitive and stereotypic behaviors. Prevalence studies suggest that autism is more common than originally believed, with recent estimates citing a rate of one in 150. Although multiple genetic linkage and association studies have yielded multiple suggestive genes or chromosomal regions, a specific risk locus has yet to be identified and widely confirmed. Because many etiologies have been suggested for this complex syndrome, we hypothesize that one of the difficulties in identifying autism genes is that multiple genetic variants may be required to significantly increase the risk of developing autism. Thus, we took the alternative approach of examining 14 prominent dopamine pathway candidate genes for detailed study by genotyping 28 single nucleotide polymorphisms. Although we did observe a nominally significant association for rs2239535 (P=0.008) on chromosome 20, single-locus analysis did not reveal any results as significant after correction for multiple comparisons. No significant interaction was identified when Multifactor Dimensionality Reduction was employed to test specifically for multilocus effects. Although genome-wide linkage scans in autism have provided support for linkage to various loci along the dopamine pathway, our study does not provide strong evidence of linkage or association to any specific gene or combination of genes within the pathway. These results demonstrate that common genetic variation within the tested genes located within this pathway at most play a minor to moderate role in overall autism pathogenesis.

Pattern of distant extrahepatic metastases in primary liver cancer: a SEER based study.

PubMed

Wu, Wenrui; He, Xingkang; Andayani, Dewi; Yang, Liya; Ye, Jianzhong; Li, Yating; Chen, Yanfei; Li, Lanjuan

2017-01-01

Background and Aims : Primary liver cancer remains still the common cause of cancer-related deaths globally and the prognosis for patients with extrahepatic metastasis is poor. The aim of our study was to assess extrahepatic metastatic pattern of different histological subtypes and evaluate prognostic effects of extrahepatic metastasis in patients with advanced disease. Methods: Based on the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database, eligible patients diagnosed with primary liver cancer was identified between 2010 to 2012. We adopted Chi-square test to compared metastasis distribution among different histological types. We compared survival difference of patients with different extrahepatic metastasises by Kaplan-Meier analysis. Cox proportional hazard models were performed to identify other prognostic factors of overall survival. Results: We finally identified 8677 patients who were diagnosed with primary liver cancer from 2010 to 2012 and 1775 patients were in distant metastasis stages. Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma was more invasive and had a higher percentage of metastasis compared with hepatocellular carcinoma. Lung was the most common metastasis and brain was the least common site for both hepatocellular carcinoma and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Extrahepatic metastasis could consider as an independent prognostic factor for patients with liver cancer. Patients with brain metastasis had the worst prognosis, compared with other metastasis in overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) analysis. Conclusions: Different histological subtypes of liver cancer had different metastasis patterns. There were profound differences in risk of mortality among distant extrahepatic metastatic sites. Results from our studies would provide some information for follow-up strategies and future studies.

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

PubMed

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

2017-03-01

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

Transcriptional profiling of human femoral mesenchymal stem cells in osteoporosis and its association with adipogenesis.

PubMed

Choi, Yong Jun; Song, Insun; Jin, Yilan; Jin, Hyun-Seok; Ji, Hyung Min; Jeong, Seon-Yong; Won, Ye-Yeon; Chung, Yoon-Sok

2017-10-20

Genetic alterations are major contributing factors in the development of osteoporosis. Osteoblasts and adipocytes share a common origin, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and their genetic determinants might be important in the relationship between osteoporosis and obesity. In the present study, we aimed to isolate differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in osteoporosis and normal controls using human MSCs, and elucidate the common pathways and genes related to osteoporosis and adipogenesis. Human MSCs were obtained from the bone marrow of femurs from postmenopausal women during orthopedic surgeries. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was carried out using next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology. DEGs were identified using RNA-seq data. Ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) was used to elucidate the common pathway related to osteoporosis and adipogenesis. Candidate genes for the common pathway were validated with other independent osteoporosis and obese subjects using RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) analysis. Fifty-three DEGs were identified between postmenopausal osteoporosis patients and normal bone mineral density (BMD) controls. Most of the genetic changes were related to the differentiation of cells. The nuclear receptor subfamily 4 group A (NR4A) family was identified as possible common genes related to osteogenesis and adipogenesis. The expression level of the mRNA of NR4A1 was significantly higher in osteoporosis patients than in controls (p=0.018). The expression level of the mRNA of NR4A2 was significantly higher in obese patients than in controls (p=0.041). Some genetic changes in MSCs are involved in the pathophysiology of osteoporosis. The NR4A family might comprise common genes related to osteoporosis and obesity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Measures of Retail Food Store Environments and Sales: Review and Implications for Healthy Eating Initiatives.

PubMed

Glanz, Karen; Johnson, Lauren; Yaroch, Amy L; Phillips, Matthew; Ayala, Guadalupe X; Davis, Erica L

2016-04-01

This review describes available measures of retail food store environments, including data collection methods, characteristics of measures, the dimensions most commonly captured across methods, and their strengths and limitations. Articles were included if they were published between 1990 and 2015 in an English-language peer-reviewed journal and presented original research findings on the development and/or use of a measure or method to assess retail food store environments. Four sources were used, including literature databases, backward searching of identified articles, published reviews, and measurement registries. From 3,013 citations identified, 125 observational studies and 5 studies that used sales records were reviewed in-depth. Most studies were cross-sectional and based in the US. The most common tools used were the US Department of Agriculture's Thrifty Food Plan and the Nutrition Environment Measures Survey for Stores. The most common attribute captured was availability of healthful options, followed by price. Measurement quality indicators were minimal and focused mainly on assessments of reliability. Two widely used tools to measure retail food store environments are available and can be refined and adapted. Standardization of measurement across studies and reports of measurement quality (eg, reliability, validity) may better inform practice and policy changes. Copyright © 2016 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Strategic Management of Educational Technology--The Importance of Leadership and Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moser, Franziska Zellweger

2007-01-01

Through case study research critical leadership and management tasks are identified regarding the integration of educational technology in teaching at research universities. The institutions studied, regardless their different characteristics and approaches, face common difficulties in engaging "second-wave" faculty. Furthermore, the coordination…

Employee problems and their consequences in the technology industry: evidence from surveys and counseling records.

PubMed

Wang, Ching-Wen; Lin, Po-Chang; Sha, Chyuan

2014-06-01

To support employees' work and health, organizations should help employees cope with common problems. Previous studies have focused primarily on work-related problems across multiple industries rather than on evaluating industry-specific issues. Here, two approaches identified common work and non-work employee problems in the technology industry with the strongest correlations with psychosomatic health and life satisfaction. Study 1 used questionnaires to identify the problems that were perceived as the most frequent by lower-level employees (N = 355) working in the technology industry. Study 2 evaluated employees' coping behaviors by analyzing (with permission) counseling records collected from an employee assistance service company (N = 276). Employees reported a variety of problems; work problems were the only problems (of the top 5 problems) reported in both studies. Several problems emerged in the counseling records (e.g., legal issues, career development, family and marriage problems, and emotional problems) but not in the surveys. Future research should apply these observations to develop scales for measuring employee stressors.

Addiction Genetics and Pleiotropic Effects of Common Haplotypes that Make Polygenic Contributions to Vulnerability to Substance Dependence

PubMed Central

Uhl, George R.; Drgon, Tomas; Johnson, Catherine; Liu, Qing-Rong

2016-01-01

Abundant evidence from family, adoption, and twin studies point to large genetic contributions to individual differences in vulnerability to develop dependence on one or more addictive substances. Twin data suggest that most of this genetic vulnerability is shared by individuals who are dependent on a variety of addictive substances. Molecular genetic studies, especially genomewide and candidate gene association studies, have elucidated common haplotypes in dozens of genes that appear to make polygenic contributions to vulnerability to developing dependence. Most genes that harbor currently identified addiction-associated haplotypes are expressed in the brain. Haplotypes in many of the same genes are identified in genomewide association studies that compare allele frequencies in substance dependent vs. control individuals from European, African, and Asian racial/ethnic backgrounds. Many of these addiction-associated haplotypes display pleiotropic influences on a variety of related brain-based phenotypes that display 1) substantial heritability and 2) clinical cooccurence with substance dependence. PMID:19152208

Case studies, cross-site comparisons, and the challenge of generalization: comparing agent-based models of land-use change in frontier regions

PubMed Central

Parker, Dawn C.; Entwisle, Barbara; Rindfuss, Ronald R.; Vanwey, Leah K.; Manson, Steven M.; Moran, Emilio; An, Li; Deadman, Peter; Evans, Tom P.; Linderman, Marc; Rizi, S. Mohammad Mussavi; Malanson, George

2009-01-01

Cross-site comparisons of case studies have been identified as an important priority by the land-use science community. From an empirical perspective, such comparisons potentially allow generalizations that may contribute to production of global-scale land-use and land-cover change projections. From a theoretical perspective, such comparisons can inform development of a theory of land-use science by identifying potential hypotheses and supporting or refuting evidence. This paper undertakes a structured comparison of four case studies of land-use change in frontier regions that follow an agent-based modeling approach. Our hypothesis is that each case study represents a particular manifestation of a common process. Given differences in initial conditions among sites and the time at which the process is observed, actual mechanisms and outcomes are anticipated to differ substantially between sites. Our goal is to reveal both commonalities and differences among research sites, model implementations, and ultimately, conclusions derived from the modeling process. PMID:19960107

Case studies, cross-site comparisons, and the challenge of generalization: comparing agent-based models of land-use change in frontier regions.

PubMed

Parker, Dawn C; Entwisle, Barbara; Rindfuss, Ronald R; Vanwey, Leah K; Manson, Steven M; Moran, Emilio; An, Li; Deadman, Peter; Evans, Tom P; Linderman, Marc; Rizi, S Mohammad Mussavi; Malanson, George

2008-01-01

Cross-site comparisons of case studies have been identified as an important priority by the land-use science community. From an empirical perspective, such comparisons potentially allow generalizations that may contribute to production of global-scale land-use and land-cover change projections. From a theoretical perspective, such comparisons can inform development of a theory of land-use science by identifying potential hypotheses and supporting or refuting evidence. This paper undertakes a structured comparison of four case studies of land-use change in frontier regions that follow an agent-based modeling approach. Our hypothesis is that each case study represents a particular manifestation of a common process. Given differences in initial conditions among sites and the time at which the process is observed, actual mechanisms and outcomes are anticipated to differ substantially between sites. Our goal is to reveal both commonalities and differences among research sites, model implementations, and ultimately, conclusions derived from the modeling process.

Large-scale analyses of common and rare variants identify 12 new loci associated with atrial fibrillation

PubMed Central

Christophersen, Ingrid E.; Rienstra, Michiel; Roselli, Carolina; Yin, Xiaoyan; Geelhoed, Bastiaan; Barnard, John; Lin, Honghuang; Arking, Dan E.; Smith, Albert V.; Albert, Christine M.; Chaffin, Mark; Tucker, Nathan R.; Li, Molong; Klarin, Derek; Bihlmeyer, Nathan A; Low, Siew-Kee; Weeke, Peter E.; Müller-Nurasyid, Martina; Smith, J. Gustav; Brody, Jennifer A.; Niemeijer, Maartje N.; Dörr, Marcus; Trompet, Stella; Huffman, Jennifer; Gustafsson, Stefan; Schurman, Claudia; Kleber, Marcus E.; Lyytikäinen, Leo-Pekka; Seppälä, Ilkka; Malik, Rainer; Horimoto, Andrea R. V. R.; Perez, Marco; Sinisalo, Juha; Aeschbacher, Stefanie; Thériault, Sébastien; Yao, Jie; Radmanesh, Farid; Weiss, Stefan; Teumer, Alexander; Choi, Seung Hoan; Weng, Lu-Chen; Clauss, Sebastian; Deo, Rajat; Rader, Daniel J.; Shah, Svati; Sun, Albert; Hopewell, Jemma C.; Debette, Stephanie; Chauhan, Ganesh; Yang, Qiong; Worrall, Bradford B.; Paré, Guillaume; Kamatani, Yoichiro; Hagemeijer, Yanick P.; Verweij, Niek; Siland, Joylene E.; Kubo, Michiaki; Smith, Jonathan D.; Van Wagoner, David R.; Bis, Joshua C.; Perz, Siegfried; Psaty, Bruce M.; Ridker, Paul M.; Magnani, Jared W.; Harris, Tamara B.; Launer, Lenore J.; Shoemaker, M. Benjamin; Padmanabhan, Sandosh; Haessler, Jeffrey; Bartz, Traci M.; Waldenberger, Melanie; Lichtner, Peter; Arendt, Marina; Krieger, Jose E.; Kähönen, Mika; Risch, Lorenz; Mansur, Alfredo J.; Peters, Annette; Smith, Blair H.; Lind, Lars; Scott, Stuart A.; Lu, Yingchang; Bottinger, Erwin B.; Hernesniemi, Jussi; Lindgren, Cecilia M.; Wong, Jorge; Huang, Jie; Eskola, Markku; Morris, Andrew P.; Ford, Ian; Reiner, Alex P.; Delgado, Graciela; Chen, Lin Y.; Chen, Yii-Der Ida; Sandhu, Roopinder K.; Li, Man; Boerwinkle, Eric; Eisele, Lewin; Lannfelt, Lars; Rost, Natalia; Anderson, Christopher D.; Taylor, Kent D.; Campbell, Archie; Magnusson, Patrik K.; Porteous, David; Hocking, Lynne J.; Vlachopoulou, Efthymia; Pedersen, Nancy L.; Nikus, Kjell; Orho-Melander, Marju; Hamsten, Anders; Heeringa, Jan; Denny, Joshua C.; Kriebel, Jennifer; Darbar, Dawood; Newton-Cheh, Christopher; Shaffer, Christian; Macfarlane, Peter W.; Heilmann, Stefanie; Almgren, Peter; Huang, Paul L.; Sotoodehnia, Nona; Soliman, Elsayed Z.; Uitterlinden, Andre G.; Hofman, Albert; Franco, Oscar H.; Völker, Uwe; Jöckel, Karl-Heinz; Sinner, Moritz F.; Lin, Henry J.; Guo, Xiuqing; Dichgans, Martin; Ingelsson, Erik; Kooperberg, Charles; Melander, Olle; Loos, Ruth J. F.; Laurikka, Jari; Conen, David; Rosand, Jonathan; van der Harst, Pim; Lokki, Marja-Liisa; Kathiresan, Sekar; Pereira, Alexandre; Jukema, J. Wouter; Hayward, Caroline; Rotter, Jerome I.; März, Winfried; Lehtimäki, Terho; Stricker, Bruno H.; Chung, Mina K.; Felix, Stephan B.; Gudnason, Vilmundur; Alonso, Alvaro; Roden, Dan M.; Kääb, Stefan; Chasman, Daniel I.; Heckbert, Susan R.; Benjamin, Emelia J.; Tanaka, Toshihiro; Lunetta, Kathryn L.; Lubitz, Steven A.; Ellinor, Patrick T.

2017-01-01

Atrial fibrillation affects more than 33 million people worldwide and increases the risk of stroke, heart failure, and death.1,2 Fourteen genetic loci have been associated with atrial fibrillation in European and Asian ancestry groups.3–7 To further define the genetic basis of atrial fibrillation, we performed large-scale, multi-racial meta-analyses of common and rare variant association studies. The genome-wide association studies (GWAS) included 18,398 individuals with atrial fibrillation and 91,536 referents; the exome-wide association studies (ExWAS) and rare variant association studies (RVAS) involved 22,806 cases and 132,612 referents. We identified 12 novel genetic loci that exceeded genome-wide significance, implicating genes involved in cardiac electrical and structural remodeling. Our results nearly double the number of known genetic loci for atrial fibrillation, provide insights into the molecular basis of atrial fibrillation, and may facilitate new potential targets for drug discovery.8 PMID:28416818

School Grounds Guide: A Pictured Guide for Identifying Common Organisms Found In and Around the School Ground.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bain, Rodney

Designed for quick, easy identification of some of the most commonly encountered organisms found in and around the school ground, this illustrated guide identifies by a picture and a short biological description the common animals and plants found in and around school lawns, house lawns, parks, fence rows, flower gardens, vacant lots, and…

Nonsyndromic cleft palate: An association study at GWAS candidate loci in a multiethnic sample.

PubMed

Ishorst, Nina; Francheschelli, Paola; Böhmer, Anne C; Khan, Mohammad Faisal J; Heilmann-Heimbach, Stefanie; Fricker, Nadine; Little, Julian; Steegers-Theunissen, Regine P M; Peterlin, Borut; Nowak, Stefanie; Martini, Markus; Kruse, Teresa; Dunsche, Anton; Kreusch, Thomas; Gölz, Lina; Aldhorae, Khalid; Halboub, Esam; Reutter, Heiko; Mossey, Peter; Nöthen, Markus M; Rubini, Michele; Ludwig, Kerstin U; Knapp, Michael; Mangold, Elisabeth

2018-06-01

Nonsyndromic cleft palate only (nsCPO) is a common and multifactorial form of orofacial clefting. In contrast to successes achieved for the other common form of orofacial clefting, that is, nonsyndromic cleft lip with/without cleft palate (nsCL/P), genome wide association studies (GWAS) of nsCPO have identified only one genome wide significant locus. Aim of the present study was to investigate whether common variants contribute to nsCPO and, if so, to identify novel risk loci. We genotyped 33 SNPs at 27 candidate loci from 2 previously published nsCPO GWAS in an independent multiethnic sample. It included: (i) a family-based sample of European ancestry (n = 212); and (ii) two case/control samples of Central European (n = 94/339) and Arabian ancestry (n = 38/231), respectively. A separate association analysis was performed for each genotyped dataset, and meta-analyses were performed. After association analysis and meta-analyses, none of the 33 SNPs showed genome-wide significance. Two variants showed nominally significant association in the imputed GWAS dataset and exhibited a further decrease in p-value in a European and an overall meta-analysis including imputed GWAS data, respectively (rs395572: P MetaEU  = 3.16 × 10 -4 ; rs6809420: P MetaAll  = 2.80 × 10 -4 ). Our findings suggest that there is a limited contribution of common variants to nsCPO. However, the individual effect sizes might be too small for detection of further associations in the present sample sizes. Rare variants may play a more substantial role in nsCPO than in nsCL/P, for which GWAS of smaller sample sizes have identified genome-wide significant loci. Whole-exome/genome sequencing studies of nsCPO are now warranted. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Toxicogenomic effects common to triazole antifungals and conserved between rats and humans.

PubMed

Goetz, Amber K; Dix, David J

2009-07-01

The triazole antifungals myclobutanil, propiconazole and triadimefon cause varying degrees of hepatic toxicity and disrupt steroid hormone homeostasis in rodent in vivo models. To identify biological pathways consistently modulated across multiple timepoints and various study designs, gene expression profiling was conducted on rat livers from three separate studies with triazole treatment groups ranging from 6 h after a single oral gavage exposure, to prenatal to adult exposures via feed. To explore conservation of responses across species, gene expression from the rat liver studies were compared to in vitro data from rat and human primary hepatocytes exposed to the triazoles. Toxicogenomic data on triazoles from 33 different treatment groups and 135 samples (microarrays) identified thousands of probe sets and dozens of pathways differentially expressed across time, dose, and species--many of these were common to all three triazoles, or conserved between rodents and humans. Common and conserved pathways included androgen and estrogen metabolism, xenobiotic metabolism signaling through CAR and PXR, and CYP mediated metabolism. Differentially expressed genes included the Phase I xenobiotic, fatty acid, sterol and steroid metabolism genes Cyp2b2 and CYP2B6, Cyp3a1 and CYP3A4, and Cyp4a22 and CYP4A11; Phase II conjugation enzyme genes Ugt1a1 and UGT1A1; and Phase III ABC transporter genes Abcb1 and ABCB1. Gene expression changes caused by all three triazoles in liver and hepatocytes were concentrated in biological pathways regulating lipid, sterol and steroid homeostasis, identifying a potential common mode of action conserved between rodents and humans. Modulation of hepatic sterol and steroid metabolism is a plausible mode of action for changes in serum testosterone and adverse reproductive outcomes observed in rat studies, and may be relevant to human risk assessment.

A Systems Biology Approach Reveals Converging Molecular Mechanisms that Link Different POPs to Common Metabolic Diseases.

PubMed

Ruiz, Patricia; Perlina, Ally; Mumtaz, Moiz; Fowler, Bruce A

2016-07-01

A number of epidemiological studies have identified statistical associations between persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and metabolic diseases, but testable hypotheses regarding underlying molecular mechanisms to explain these linkages have not been published. We assessed the underlying mechanisms of POPs that have been associated with metabolic diseases; three well-known POPs [2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzodioxin (TCDD), 2,2´,4,4´,5,5´-hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB 153), and 4,4´-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p´-DDE)] were studied. We used advanced database search tools to delineate testable hypotheses and to guide laboratory-based research studies into underlying mechanisms by which this POP mixture could produce or exacerbate metabolic diseases. For our searches, we used proprietary systems biology software (MetaCore™/MetaDrug™) to conduct advanced search queries for the underlying interactions database, followed by directional network construction to identify common mechanisms for these POPs within two or fewer interaction steps downstream of their primary targets. These common downstream pathways belong to various cytokine and chemokine families with experimentally well-documented causal associations with type 2 diabetes. Our systems biology approach allowed identification of converging pathways leading to activation of common downstream targets. To our knowledge, this is the first study to propose an integrated global set of step-by-step molecular mechanisms for a combination of three common POPs using a systems biology approach, which may link POP exposure to diseases. Experimental evaluation of the proposed pathways may lead to development of predictive biomarkers of the effects of POPs, which could translate into disease prevention and effective clinical treatment strategies. Ruiz P, Perlina A, Mumtaz M, Fowler BA. 2016. A systems biology approach reveals converging molecular mechanisms that link different POPs to common metabolic diseases. Environ Health Perspect 124:1034-1041; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1510308.

Suicide in Children: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Soole, Rebecca; Kõlves, Kairi; De Leo, Diego

2015-01-01

The objective of this study was to provide a review of studies on suicide in children aged 14 years and younger. Articles were identified through a systematic search of Scopus, MEDLINE, and PsychINFO. Key words were "children, suicide, psychological autopsy, and case-study." Additional articles were identified through manual search of reference lists and discussion with colleagues. Fifteen published articles were identified, 8 psychological autopsy studies (PA), and 7 retrospective case-study series. Suicide incidence and gender asymmetry increases with age. Hanging is the most frequent method. Lower rates of psychopathology are evident among child suicides compared to adolescents. Previous suicide attempts were an important risk factor. Children were less likely to consume alcohol prior to suicide. Parent-child conflicts were the most common precipitant.

A systematic review of the quality of statistical methods employed for analysing quality of life data in cancer randomised controlled trials.

PubMed

Hamel, Jean-Francois; Saulnier, Patrick; Pe, Madeline; Zikos, Efstathios; Musoro, Jammbe; Coens, Corneel; Bottomley, Andrew

2017-09-01

Over the last decades, Health-related Quality of Life (HRQoL) end-points have become an important outcome of the randomised controlled trials (RCTs). HRQoL methodology in RCTs has improved following international consensus recommendations. However, no international recommendations exist concerning the statistical analysis of such data. The aim of our study was to identify and characterise the quality of the statistical methods commonly used for analysing HRQoL data in cancer RCTs. Building on our recently published systematic review, we analysed a total of 33 published RCTs studying the HRQoL methods reported in RCTs since 1991. We focussed on the ability of the methods to deal with the three major problems commonly encountered when analysing HRQoL data: their multidimensional and longitudinal structure and the commonly high rate of missing data. All studies reported HRQoL being assessed repeatedly over time for a period ranging from 2 to 36 months. Missing data were common, with compliance rates ranging from 45% to 90%. From the 33 studies considered, 12 different statistical methods were identified. Twenty-nine studies analysed each of the questionnaire sub-dimensions without type I error adjustment. Thirteen studies repeated the HRQoL analysis at each assessment time again without type I error adjustment. Only 8 studies used methods suitable for repeated measurements. Our findings show a lack of consistency in statistical methods for analysing HRQoL data. Problems related to multiple comparisons were rarely considered leading to a high risk of false positive results. It is therefore critical that international recommendations for improving such statistical practices are developed. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Prediction of breast cancer risk based on common genetic variants in women of East Asian ancestry.

PubMed

Wen, Wanqing; Shu, Xiao-Ou; Guo, Xingyi; Cai, Qiuyin; Long, Jirong; Bolla, Manjeet K; Michailidou, Kyriaki; Dennis, Joe; Wang, Qin; Gao, Yu-Tang; Zheng, Ying; Dunning, Alison M; García-Closas, Montserrat; Brennan, Paul; Chen, Shou-Tung; Choi, Ji-Yeob; Hartman, Mikael; Ito, Hidemi; Lophatananon, Artitaya; Matsuo, Keitaro; Miao, Hui; Muir, Kenneth; Sangrajrang, Suleeporn; Shen, Chen-Yang; Teo, Soo H; Tseng, Chiu-Chen; Wu, Anna H; Yip, Cheng Har; Simard, Jacques; Pharoah, Paul D P; Hall, Per; Kang, Daehee; Xiang, Yongbing; Easton, Douglas F; Zheng, Wei

2016-12-08

Approximately 100 common breast cancer susceptibility alleles have been identified in genome-wide association studies (GWAS). The utility of these variants in breast cancer risk prediction models has not been evaluated adequately in women of Asian ancestry. We evaluated 88 breast cancer risk variants that were identified previously by GWAS in 11,760 cases and 11,612 controls of Asian ancestry. SNPs confirmed to be associated with breast cancer risk in Asian women were used to construct a polygenic risk score (PRS). The relative and absolute risks of breast cancer by the PRS percentiles were estimated based on the PRS distribution, and were used to stratify women into different levels of breast cancer risk. We confirmed significant associations with breast cancer risk for SNPs in 44 of the 78 previously reported loci at P < 0.05. Compared with women in the middle quintile of the PRS, women in the top 1% group had a 2.70-fold elevated risk of breast cancer (95% CI: 2.15-3.40). The risk prediction model with the PRS had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.606. The lifetime risk of breast cancer for Shanghai Chinese women in the lowest and highest 1% of the PRS was 1.35% and 10.06%, respectively. Approximately one-half of GWAS-identified breast cancer risk variants can be directly replicated in East Asian women. Collectively, common genetic variants are important predictors for breast cancer risk. Using common genetic variants for breast cancer could help identify women at high risk of breast cancer.

Life Support Baseline Values and Assumptions Document

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, Molly S.; Ewert, Michael K.; Keener, John F.

2018-01-01

The Baseline Values and Assumptions Document (BVAD) provides analysts, modelers, and other life support researchers with a common set of values and assumptions which can be used as a baseline in their studies. This baseline, in turn, provides a common point of origin from which many studies in the community may depart, making research results easier to compare and providing researchers with reasonable values to assume for areas outside their experience. This document identifies many specific physical quantities that define life support systems, serving as a general reference for spacecraft life support system technology developers.

Background and design of the profiling biobehavioral responses to mechanical support in advanced heart failure study.

PubMed

Lee, Christopher S; Mudd, James O; Gelow, Jill M; Nguyen, Thuan; Hiatt, Shirin O; Green, Jennifer K; Denfeld, Quin E; Bidwell, Julie T; Grady, Kathleen L

2014-01-01

Unexplained heterogeneity in response to ventricular assist device (VAD) implantation for the management of advanced heart failure impedes our ability to predict favorable outcomes, provide adequate patient and family education, and personalize monitoring and symptom management strategies. The purpose of this article was to describe the background and the design of a study entitled "Profiling Biobehavioral Responses to Mechanical Support in Advanced Heart Failure" (PREMISE). PREMISE is a prospective cohort study designed to (1) identify common and distinct trajectories of change in physical and psychological symptom burden; (2) characterize common trajectories of change in serum biomarkers of myocardial stress, systemic inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction; and (3) quantify associations between symptoms and biomarkers of pathogenesis in adults undergoing VAD implantation. Latent growth mixture modeling, including parallel process and cross-classification modeling, will be used to address the study aims and will entail identifying trajectories, quantifying associations between trajectories and both clinical and quality-of-life outcomes, and identifying predictors of favorable symptom and biomarker responses to VAD implantation. Research findings from the PREMISE study will be used to enhance shared patient and provider decision making and to shape a much-needed new breed of interventions and clinical management strategies that are tailored to differential symptom and pathogenic responses to VAD implantation.

Candidate Gene Identification with SNP Marker-Based Fine Mapping of Anthracnose Resistance Gene Co-4 in Common Bean.

PubMed

Burt, Andrew J; William, H Manilal; Perry, Gregory; Khanal, Raja; Pauls, K Peter; Kelly, James D; Navabi, Alireza

2015-01-01

Anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum lindemuthianum, is an important fungal disease of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris). Alleles at the Co-4 locus confer resistance to a number of races of C. lindemuthianum. A population of 94 F4:5 recombinant inbred lines of a cross between resistant black bean genotype B09197 and susceptible navy bean cultivar Nautica was used to identify markers associated with resistance in bean chromosome 8 (Pv08) where Co-4 is localized. Three SCAR markers with known linkage to Co-4 and a panel of single nucleotide markers were used for genotyping. A refined physical region on Pv08 with significant association with anthracnose resistance identified by markers was used in BLAST searches with the genomic sequence of common bean accession G19833. Thirty two unique annotated candidate genes were identified that spanned a physical region of 936.46 kb. A majority of the annotated genes identified had functional similarity to leucine rich repeats/receptor like kinase domains. Three annotated genes had similarity to 1, 3-β-glucanase domains. There were sequence similarities between some of the annotated genes found in the study and the genes associated with phosphoinositide-specific phosphilipases C associated with Co-x and the COK-4 loci found in previous studies. It is possible that the Co-4 locus is structured as a group of genes with functional domains dominated by protein tyrosine kinase along with leucine rich repeats/nucleotide binding site, phosphilipases C as well as β-glucanases.

Candidate Gene Identification with SNP Marker-Based Fine Mapping of Anthracnose Resistance Gene Co-4 in Common Bean

PubMed Central

Burt, Andrew J.; William, H. Manilal; Perry, Gregory; Khanal, Raja; Pauls, K. Peter; Kelly, James D.; Navabi, Alireza

2015-01-01

Anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum lindemuthianum, is an important fungal disease of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris). Alleles at the Co–4 locus confer resistance to a number of races of C. lindemuthianum. A population of 94 F4:5 recombinant inbred lines of a cross between resistant black bean genotype B09197 and susceptible navy bean cultivar Nautica was used to identify markers associated with resistance in bean chromosome 8 (Pv08) where Co–4 is localized. Three SCAR markers with known linkage to Co–4 and a panel of single nucleotide markers were used for genotyping. A refined physical region on Pv08 with significant association with anthracnose resistance identified by markers was used in BLAST searches with the genomic sequence of common bean accession G19833. Thirty two unique annotated candidate genes were identified that spanned a physical region of 936.46 kb. A majority of the annotated genes identified had functional similarity to leucine rich repeats/receptor like kinase domains. Three annotated genes had similarity to 1, 3-β-glucanase domains. There were sequence similarities between some of the annotated genes found in the study and the genes associated with phosphoinositide-specific phosphilipases C associated with Co-x and the COK–4 loci found in previous studies. It is possible that the Co–4 locus is structured as a group of genes with functional domains dominated by protein tyrosine kinase along with leucine rich repeats/nucleotide binding site, phosphilipases C as well as β-glucanases. PMID:26431031

The value of self-medication: summary of existing evidence.

PubMed

Noone, Joshua; Blanchette, Christopher M

2018-02-01

The aim of this review was to identify the international evidence that is currently available on the economic value of self-care through responsible self-medication, in terms of the measures related to access to treatment, time, and productivity. A targeted literature search was conducted for 1990-2016, including data gathered from members of the World Self-Medication Industry and searches on PubMed, EBSCOHost, and Google Scholar. Specific searches of individual drug classes known to be switched to non-prescription status in this period were also conducted. A total of 71 articles were identified, of which 17 (11 modeling studies, six retrospective analyses) were included in the review. Evidence from modeling studies and retrospective analyses of grouped data across a range of common conditions for which non-prescription medications are available in different countries/regions showed that the use of non-prescription products for the treatment of common conditions or for symptom management (e.g. allergies, chronic pain, migraine, vaginitis, gastrointestinal symptoms, or common cold symptoms) had considerable value to patients, payers, and employers alike in terms of cost savings and improved productivity. Potential benefits of self-medication were also identified in preventative healthcare strategies, such as those for cardiovascular health and osteoporosis. This review was limited by a targeted, but non-systematic approach to literature retrieval, as well as the inclusion of unpublished reports/white papers and patient self-reported data. The evidence identified in this literature review shows that responsible, appropriate self-medication with non-prescription products can provide significant economic benefits for patients, employers, and healthcare systems worldwide.

Healthcare-associated infections among pediatric oncology patients in Pakistan: risk factors and outcome.

PubMed

Siddiqui, Naveed-ur-Rehman; Wali, Rabia; Haque, Anwar-ul; Fadoo, Zehra

2012-05-14

Pediatric oncology patients are at increased risk of contracting healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), which are responsible for increased morbidity and mortality rates as well as treatment costs.  This study aimed to identify the frequency of HAIs among pediatric oncology patients and their outcome. Pediatric oncology patients admitted between January 2009 and June 2010 in a pediatric ward at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan, who developed HAIs, were analyzed. A total of 90 HAIs were identified in 32 patients in 70 admissions. The HAI rate among pediatric oncology patients was 3.1/100 admission episodes. Bloodstream infections (63 episodes, 90.0%) were the most common, followed by urinary tract infection (two episodes, 2.9%). Gram-positive infections were seen in 54 (60%) patients, followed by Gram-negative infection in 34 (37.8%), and fungi in 2 (2.8%) cases. Coagulase negative staphylococci was the most common Gram-positive and Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were most common Gram-negative infections. Mortality rate among pediatric oncology patients who developed HAIs was 12.5% (4/32). Total parental nutrition use and length of stay longer than 30 days were the identified risk factors associated with increased mortality among pediatric oncology patients who developed HAIs. We report an HAI rate among pediatric oncology patients of 3.1/100 admission episodes with a mortality rate of 12.5% in Pakistan. Further studies should be done, especially in the developing world, to identify the risk factors associated with increased mortality among pediatric oncology patients so that adequate measures can be taken to reduce the mortality among these patients.

Salmonella infection and carriage in reptiles in a zoological collection.

PubMed

Clancy, Meredith M; Davis, Meghan; Valitutto, Marc T; Nelson, Kenrad; Sykes, John M

2016-05-01

OBJECTIVE To identify important subspecies and serovars of Salmonella enterica in a captive reptile population and clinically relevant risk factors for and signs of illness in Salmonella-positive reptiles. DESIGN Retrospective cross-sectional study. ANIMALS 11 crocodilians (4 samples), 78 snakes (91 samples), 59 lizards (57 samples), and 34 chelonians (23 samples) at the Bronx Zoo from 2000 through 2012. PROCEDURES Data pertaining to various types of biological samples obtained from reptiles with positive Salmonella culture results and the reptiles themselves were analyzed to determine period prevalence of and risk factors for various Salmonella-related outcomes. RESULTS Serovar distribution differences were identified for sample type, reptile phylogenetic family, and reptile origin and health. Salmonella enterica subsp enterica was the most common subspecies in Salmonella cultures (78/175 [45%]), identified across all reptilian taxa. Salmonella enterica subsp diarizonae was also common (42/175 [24%]) and was recovered almost exclusively from snakes (n = 33), many of which had been clinically ill (17). Clinically ill reptiles provided 37% (64) of Salmonella cultures. Factors associated with an increased risk of illness in reptiles with a positive culture result were carnivorous diet and prior confiscation. Snakes had a higher risk of illness than other reptile groups, whereas lizards had a lower risk. Bony changes, dermatitis, and anorexia were the most common clinical signs. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE This study provided new information on Salmonella infection or carriage and associated clinical disease in reptiles. Associations identified between serovars or subspecies and reptile groups or clinical disease can guide management of Salmonella-positive captive reptiles.

Using genome wide association studies to identify common QTL regions in three different genetic backgrounds based on Iberian pig breed.

PubMed

Martínez-Montes, Ángel M; Fernández, Almudena; Muñoz, María; Noguera, Jose Luis; Folch, Josep M; Fernández, Ana I

2018-01-01

One of the major limitation for the application of QTL results in pig breeding and QTN identification has been the limited number of QTL effects validated in different animal material. The aim of the current work was to validate QTL regions through joint and specific genome wide association and haplotype analyses for growth, fatness and premier cut weights in three different genetic backgrounds, backcrosses based on Iberian pigs, which has a major role in the analysis due to its high productive relevance. The results revealed nine common QTL regions, three segregating in all three backcrosses on SSC1, 0-3 Mb, for body weight, on SSC2, 3-9 Mb, for loin bone-in weight, and on SSC7, 3 Mb, for shoulder weight, and six segregating in two of the three backcrosses, on SSC2, SSC4, SSC6 and SSC10 for backfat thickness, shoulder and ham weights. Besides, 18 QTL regions were specifically identified in one of the three backcrosses, five identified only in BC_LD, seven in BC_DU and six in BC_PI. Beyond identifying and validating QTL, candidate genes and gene variants within the most interesting regions have been explored using functional annotation, gene expression data and SNP identification from RNA-Seq data. The results allowed us to propose a promising list of candidate mutations, those identified in PDE10A, DHCR7, MFN2 and CCNY genes located within the common QTL regions and those identified near ssc-mir-103-1 considered PANK3 regulators to be further analysed.

Medical malpractice web advertising: a qualitative, cross-sectional analysis of plaintiff medical malpractice firms in Suffolk County, Massachusetts.

PubMed

Ghobadi, Comeron W; Gevorgyan, Ofelya; Bednarski, Caroline E; Hayman, Emily L; Walter, Jessica R; Xu, Shuai

2017-01-01

Medical malpractice plaintiff firms play a central role in the prosecution of malpractice claims. There have been limited studies on the online advertising practices of plaintiff medical malpractice firms. The Martindale-Hubbell directory was used to identify all plaintiff medical malpractice firms in Suffolk County, Massachusetts. Each firm's website was individually mined for relevant data. Thirty-one unique medical malpractice law firms were identified. Seventy-seven percent of law firms advertised awards with the Martindale-Hubbell AV rating, AVVO, and Super Lawyer being the three most common. The second most common method of advertising was accomplished through descriptions of successful verdicts and settlements (61%). A total of 408 verdicts, settlements, and arbitrations collectively representing $1.4 billion dollars were advertised by all law firms. Median awarded values for verdicts was advertised as $4.5 million, while the median awarded values for settlements was $1.25 million. Defendants most commonly practiced obstetrics (18%), followed by primary care (14%). Law firms report treatment and diagnosis delay as the most common successful claim (50%), followed much further by misdiagnosis (8%), and communication error (4%). Our sample correlates with larger claims-based studies surrounding the most commonly sued specialties, however, median reported settlement and verdict values were significantly higher in our cohort. Considerations should be made to provide advertising guidelines for medical malpractice plaintiff firms. Copyright © 2017 by the National Legal Center for the Medically Dependent and Disabled, Inc.

Molecular characterization of the presence of Eubacterium spp and Streptococcus spp in endodontic infections.

PubMed

Fouad, A F; Kum, K-Y; Clawson, M L; Barry, J; Abenoja, C; Zhu, Q; Caimano, M; Radolf, J D

2003-08-01

Eubacterium spp. and Streptococcus spp. are virulent, commonly identified microorganisms in endodontic infections. The purpose of this study was to use molecular methods to identify these organisms in 22 infected root canals that include eight cases with preoperative clinical symptoms and five cases with a history of diabetes mellitus. The presence of Streptococcus spp. and Eubacterium spp. was examined using two sets of PCR primers specific with multiple species within the respective genera. Positive specimens had their PCR products sequenced and phylogenetically analyzed to identify the specific species. Sixteen specimens (73%) contained Eubacterium spp. and nine (41%) were positive for Streptococcus spp. Eubacterium infirmum was the most prevalent Eubacterium sp. This organism was significantly associated with a history of diabetes (OR = 9.6; P = 0.04). Streptococcus anginosus was the most common Streptococcus sp., but neither it nor any of the other streptococci were significantly associated with the clinical parameters evaluated.

Data sharing platforms for de-identified data from human clinical trials.

PubMed

Huser, Vojtech; Shmueli-Blumberg, Dikla

2018-04-01

Data sharing of de-identified individual participant data is being adopted by an increasing number of sponsors of human clinical trials. In addition to standardizing data syntax for shared trial data, semantic integration of various data elements is the focus of several initiatives that define research common data elements. This perspective article, in the first part, compares several data sharing platforms for de-identified clinical research data in terms of their size, policies and supported features. In the second part, we use a case study approach to describe in greater detail one data sharing platform (Data Share from National Institute of Drug Abuse). We present data on the past use of the platform, data formats offered, data de-identification approaches and its use of research common data elements. We conclude with a summary of current and expected future trends that facilitate secondary research use of data from completed human clinical trials.

Potential targets for lung squamous cell carcinoma

Cancer.gov

Researchers have identified potential therapeutic targets in lung squamous cell carcinoma, the second most common form of lung cancer. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Research Network study comprehensively characterized the lung squamous cell carcinoma gen

Retrospective evaluation of methionine intoxication associated with urinary acidifying products in dogs: 1,525 cases (2001-2012).

PubMed

Hickey, Mara C; Son, Tolina T; Wismer, Tina

2015-01-01

To describe the signalment, clinical findings, timing of signs, outcome, and prognosis in a population of dogs exposed to methionine through the ingestion of urine acidifying products. Retrospective observational study from January 1, 2001 to December 31, 2012. Animal Poison Control Center. A total of 1,197 case calls yielding 1,525 dogs identified with presumed methionine ingestion. None. Records of dogs with presumptive methionine ingestion were reviewed from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Animal Poison Control Center database. Ingested methionine doses ranged from 3.9 mg/kg to 23,462 mg/kg. Clinical signs developed in 47% of dogs. The most common clinical signs were gastrointestinal (GI) and neurologic. The mean onset of GI signs was 2.8 hours following ingestion. The mean onset of neurologic signs was 6.8 hours following ingestion. GI signs were identified with ingested doses ≥22.5 mg/kg. Vomiting was the most common GI sign. Neurologic signs were identified with ingested doses ≥94.6 mg/kg. Ataxia was the most common neurologic sign. Resolution of clinical signs occurred within 48 hours of ingestion, and no fatalities were reported. Prognosis for dogs with methionine intoxication is excellent. Vomiting and ataxia were the most common clinical signs associated with methionine toxicosis. © Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society 2015.

Clinical characteristics of canine fibrocartilaginous embolic myelopathy (FCE): a systematic review of 393 cases (1973-2013).

PubMed

Bartholomew, K A; Stover, K E; Olby, N J; Moore, S A

2016-12-24

Fibrocartilaginous embolic myelopathy (FCE) is common in dogs; however, there is conflicting information in the veterinary literature regarding clinical characteristics and data on recovery in severe cases is sparse. A systematic review of canine FCE was performed to delineate the natural history of this disease. 322 previously reported cases and 71 previously unreported cases were identified for inclusion. Source publications were identified via PubMed central search and by references from review articles. Previously unreported cases were identified via computerised medical records search at two veterinary institutions. FCE was most common in middle-aged large breed dogs (30 per cent); however, the miniature schnauzer was the most frequently reported individual breed and small breeds comprised 24 per cent of all reported cases. The most common neuroanatomical localisation was a T3-L3 myelopathy (33.1 per cent). Prognosis for recovery of ambulation was good to excellent with 85 per cent of cases regaining the ability to walk unassisted, most within 3 weeks. Persistent neurological deficits were common in patients that recovered ambulation (49.1 per cent). When nociception was absent in the affected limbs at initial presentation, rate of recovery was lower (10 per cent); however, this data is likely biased by limited follow-up in more severe cases. Future prospective studies should evaluate prognosis for more severely affected patients. British Veterinary Association.

Systematic review of health-related quality of life models

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background A systematic literature review was conducted to (a) identify the most frequently used health-related quality of life (HRQOL) models and (b) critique those models. Methods Online search engines were queried using pre-determined inclusion and exclusion criteria. We reviewed titles, abstracts, and then full-text articles for their relevance to this review. Then the most commonly used models were identified, reviewed in tables, and critiqued using published criteria. Results Of 1,602 titles identified, 100 articles from 21 countries met the inclusion criteria. The most frequently used HRQOL models were: Wilson and Cleary (16%), Ferrans and colleagues (4%), or World Health Organization (WHO) (5%). Ferrans and colleagues’ model was a revision of Wilson and Cleary’s model and appeared to have the greatest potential to guide future HRQOL research and practice. Conclusions Recommendations are for researchers to use one of the three common HRQOL models unless there are compelling and clearly delineated reasons for creating new models. Disease-specific models can be derived from one of the three commonly used HRQOL models. We recommend Ferrans and colleagues’ model because they added individual and environmental characteristics to the popular Wilson and Cleary model to better explain HRQOL. Using a common HRQOL model across studies will promote a coherent body of evidence that will more quickly advance the science in the area of HRQOL. PMID:23158687

Identification of HIV Mutation as Diagnostic Biomarker through Next Generation Sequencing.

PubMed

Shaw, Wen Hui; Lin, Qianqian; Muhammad, Zikry Zhiwei Bin Roslee; Lee, Jia Jun; Khong, Wei Xin; Ng, Oon Tek; Tan, Eng Lee; Li, Peng

2016-07-01

Current clinical detection of Human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) is used to target viral genes and proteins. However, the immunoassay, such as viral culture or Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), lacks accuracy in the diagnosis, as these conventional assays rely on the stable genome and HIV-1 is a highly-mutated virus. Next generation sequencing (NGS) promises to be transformative for the practice of infectious disease, and the rapidly reducing cost and processing time mean that this will become a feasible technology in diagnostic and research laboratories in the near future. The technology offers the superior sensitivity to detect the pathogenic viruses, including unknown and unexpected strains. To leverage the NGS technology in order to improve current HIV-1 diagnosis and genotyping methods. Ten blood samples were collected from HIV-1 infected patients which were diagnosed by RT PCR at Singapore Communicable Disease Centre, Tan Tock Seng Hospital from October 2014 to March 2015. Viral RNAs were extracted from blood plasma and reversed into cDNA. The HIV-1 cDNA samples were cleaned up using a PCR purification kit and the sequencing library was prepared and identified through MiSeq. Two common mutations were observed in all ten samples. The common mutations were identified at genome locations 1908 and 2104 as missense and silent mutations respectively, conferring S37N and S3S found on aspartic protease and reverse transcriptase subunits. The common mutations identified in this study were not previously reported, therefore suggesting the potential for them to be used for identification of viral infection, disease transmission and drug resistance. This was especially the case for, missense mutation S37N which could cause an amino acid change in viral proteases thus reducing the binding affinity of some protease inhibitors. Thus, the unique common mutations identified in this study could be used as diagnostic biomarkers to indicate the origin of infection as being from Singapore.

DUID prevalence in Colorado's DUI citations.

PubMed

Wood, Ed; Salomonsen-Sautel, Stacy

2016-06-01

There are limited studies that measure the prevalence of driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) based upon impairment measures because most prevalence studies are based on drug tests. The aim of this study was to provide the first estimate of DUID prevalence in Colorado using data collected by Colorado law enforcement officers in vehicular homicide (VH) and vehicular assault (VA) cases, and reported in court records. The four research questions of this study were answered by completing independent t-tests or Mann-Whitney U tests, Pearson chi-square analyses or Fisher's exact tests, and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Seventy percent (119 out of 170) of the cases involved alcohol only and 30% (51 out of 170) involved drugs. Of the latter cases, 32 cases involved a combination of alcohol and drugs and 19 cases identified drugs only, with no alcohol. Marijuana was the most commonly cited drug (23 cases); however, it was the sole impairing substance identified in only three cases. Polydrug use was very common among DUID cases, which makes it difficult to identify which drug or drugs caused the impairment responsible for the Driving Under the Influence citation. This study revealed tha (a) drugged driving is a frequent cause of DUI citations in cases charged with VH or VA; (b) that polydrug use, rather than marijuana, is the most common cause of drugged driving in Colorado; and (c) that current warrant procedures render blood test results meaningless in cases of marijuana-impairment. States should collect and analyze DUID data to ensure legislators focus on the right DUID problems to improve biological testing for drugs, adopt more appropriate roadside testing, and enact stronger DUID laws to protect the public. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and National Safety Council. All rights reserved.

Correlates of meal skipping in young adults: a systematic review.

PubMed

Pendergast, Felicity J; Livingstone, Katherine M; Worsley, Anthony; McNaughton, Sarah A

2016-12-01

Meal skipping rates may be highest during young adulthood, a period of transition and development. Although these dietary behaviours may increase future risk of chronic disease, limited research has investigated correlates of meal skipping in young adults. A systematic literature search was conducted to identify studies that investigated correlates of meal skipping behaviours in young adults (aged 18-30 years). EBSCO host, MEDLINE Complete, Global Health, Scopus, EMBASE, Web of Science and Informit platforms were searched for eligible articles. Correlates were defined as any factor that was either associated with meal skipping or was self-reported by the participant to have an influence on meal skipping. Randomised controlled trials, prospective cohort studies, case-control studies, nested case-control studies, cross-sectional studies, and longitudinal studies were eligible for inclusion. Three-hundred and thirty-one articles were identified, 141 full-text articles assessed for eligibility, resulting in 35 included studies. Multiple methodological and reporting weaknesses were apparent in the reviewed studies with 28 of the 35 studies scoring a negative rating in the risk of bias assessment. Meal skipping (any meal), defined as the skipping of any meal throughout the day, was reported in 12 studies with prevalence ranging between 5 and 83%. The remaining 25 studies identified specific meals and their skipping rates, with breakfast the most frequently skipped meal 14-88% compared to lunch 8-57% and dinner 4-57%. Lack of time was consistently reported as an important correlate of meal skipping, compared with correlates such as cost and weight control, while sex was the most commonly reported associated correlate. Breakfast skipping was more common among men while lunch or dinner skipping being more common among women. This review is the first to examine potential correlates of meal skipping in young adults. Future research would benefit from stronger design and reporting strategies, using a standardised approach for measuring and defining meal skipping.

Trends in health sciences library and information science research: an analysis of research publications in the Bulletin of the Medical Library Association and Journal of the Medical Library Association from 1991 to 2007.

PubMed

Gore, Sally A; Nordberg, Judith M; Palmer, Lisa A; Piorun, Mary E

2009-07-01

This study analyzed trends in research activity as represented in the published research in the leading peer-reviewed professional journal for health sciences librarianship. Research articles were identified from the Bulletin of the Medical Library Association and Journal of the Medical Library Association (1991-2007). Using content analysis and bibliometric techniques, data were collected for each article on the (1) subject, (2) research method, (3) analytical technique used, (4) number of authors, (5) number of citations, (6) first author affiliation, and (7) funding source. The results were compared to a previous study, covering the period 1966 to 1990, to identify changes over time. Of the 930 articles examined, 474 (51%) were identified as research articles. Survey (n = 174, 37.1%) was the most common methodology employed, quantitative descriptive statistics (n = 298, 63.5%) the most used analytical technique, and applied topics (n = 332, 70%) the most common type of subject studied. The majority of first authors were associated with an academic health sciences library (n = 264, 55.7%). Only 27.4% (n = 130) of studies identified a funding source. This study's findings demonstrate that progress is being made in health sciences librarianship research. There is, however, room for improvement in terms of research methodologies used, proportion of applied versus theoretical research, and elimination of barriers to conducting research for practicing librarians.

Identification of drug combinations administered by continuous subcutaneous infusion that require analysis for compatibility and stability.

PubMed

Dickman, Andrew; Bickerstaff, Matthew; Jackson, Richard; Schneider, Jennifer; Mason, Stephen; Ellershaw, John

2017-03-23

A continuous subcutaneous infusion (CSCI) delivered via syringe pump is a method of drug administration used to maintain symptom control when a patient is no longer able to tolerate oral medication. Several classes of drugs, such as opioids, antiemetics, anticholinergics, antipsychotics and benzodiazepines are routinely administered by CSCI alone or in combinations. Previous studies attempting to identify the most-common CSCI combinations are now several years old and no longer reflect current clinical practice. The aim of this work was to review current clinical practice and identify CSCI drug combinations requiring analysis for chemical compatibility and stability. UK pharmacy professionals involved in the delivery of care to palliative patients in hospitals and hospices were invited to enter CSCI combinations comprised of two or more drugs onto an electronic database over a 12-month period. In addition, a separate Delphi study with a panel of 15 expert healthcare professionals was completed to identify a maximum of five combinations of drugs used to treat more complex, but less commonly encountered symptoms unlikely to be identified by the national survey. A total of 57 individuals representing 33 separate palliative care services entered 1,945 drug combinations suitable for analysis, with 278 discrete combinations identified. The top 40 drug combinations represented nearly two-thirds of combinations recorded. A total of 23 different drugs were administered in combination and the median number of drugs in a combination was three. The Delphi study identified five combinations for the relief of complex or refractory symptoms. This study represents the first step towards developing authoritative national guidance on the administration of drugs by CSCI. Further work will ensure healthcare practitioners have the knowledge and confidence that a prescribed combination will be both safe and efficacious.

Genomic Regions Associated with Root Traits under Drought Stress in Tropical Maize (Zea mays L.)

PubMed Central

Zaidi, P. H.; Krishna, Girish; Krishnamurthy, L.; Gajanan, S.; Babu, Raman; Zerka, M.; Vinayan, M. T.; Vivek, B. S.

2016-01-01

An association mapping panel, named as CIMMYT Asia association mapping (CAAM) panel, involving 396 diverse tropical maize lines were phenotyped for various structural and functional traits of roots under drought and well-watered conditions. The experiment was conducted during Kharif (summer-rainy) season of 2012 and 2013 in root phenotyping facility at CIMMYT-Hyderabad, India. The CAAM panel was genotyped to generate 955, 690 SNPs through GBS v2.7 using Illumina Hi-seq 2000/2500 at Institute for Genomic Diversity, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA. GWAS analysis was carried out using 331,390 SNPs filtered from the entire set of SNPs revealed a total of 50 and 67 SNPs significantly associated for root functional (transpiration efficiency, flowering period water use) and structural traits (rooting depth, root dry weight, root length, root volume, root surface area and root length density), respectively. In addition to this, 37 SNPs were identified for grain yield and shoot biomass under well-watered and drought stress. Though many SNPs were found to have significant association with the traits under study, SNPs that were common for more than one trait were discussed in detail. A total 18 SNPs were found to have common association with more than one trait, out of which 12 SNPs were found within or near the various gene functional regions. In this study we attempted to identify the trait specific maize lines based on the presence of favorable alleles for the SNPs associated with multiple traits. Two SNPs S3_128533512 and S7_151238865 were associated with transpiration efficiency, shoot biomass and grain yield under well-watered condition. Based on favorable allele for these SNPs seven inbred lines were identified. Similarly, four lines were identified for transpiration efficiency and shoot biomass under drought stress based on the presence of favorable allele for the common SNPs S1_211520521, S2_20017716, S3_57210184 and S7_130878458 and three lines were identified for flowering period water-use, transpiration efficiency, root dry weight and root volume based on the presence of favorable allele for the common SNPs S3_162065732 and S3_225760139. PMID:27768702

In-depth characterization of the salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma transcriptome with emphasis on dominant cell type.

PubMed

Bell, Diana; Bell, Achim H; Bondaruk, Jolanta; Hanna, Ehab Y; Weber, Randall S

2016-05-15

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC), 1 of the most common salivary gland malignancies, arises from the intercalated ducts, which are composed of inner ductal epithelial cells and outer myoepithelial cells. The objective of this study was to determine the genomic subtypes of ACC with emphasis on dominant cell type to identify potential specific biomarkers for each subtype and to improve the understanding of this disease. A whole-genome expression study was performed based on 42 primary salivary ACCs and 5 normal salivary glands. RNA from these specimens was subjected to expression profiling with RNA sequencing, and results were analyzed to identify transcripts in epithelial-dominant ACC (E-ACC), myoepithelial-dominant ACC (M-ACC), and all ACC that were expressed differentially compared with the transcripts in normal salivary tissue. In total, the authors identified 430 differentially expressed transcripts that were unique to E-ACC, 392 that were unique to M-ACC, and 424 that were common to both M-ACC and E-ACC. The sets of E-ACC-specific and M-ACC-specific transcripts were sufficiently large to define and differentiate E-ACC from M-ACC. Ingenuity pathway analysis identified known cancer-related genes for 60% of the E-ACC transcripts, 69% of the M-ACC transcripts, and 68% of the transcripts that were common in both E-ACC and M-ACC. Three sets of highly expressed candidate genes-distal-less homeobox 6 (DLX6) for E-ACC; protein keratin 16 (KRT16), SRY box 11 (SOX11), and v-myb avian myeloblastosis viral oncogene homolog (MYB) for M-ACC; and engrailed 1 (EN1) and statherin (STATH), which are common to both E-ACC and M-ACC)-were further validated at the protein level. The current results enabled the authors to identify novel potential therapeutic targets and biomarkers in E-ACC and M-ACC individually, with the implication that EN1, DLX6, and OTX1 (orthodenticle homeobox 1) are potential drivers of these cancers. Cancer 2016;122:1513-22. © 2016 American Cancer Society. © 2016 American Cancer Society.

Health disparities among common subcultural identities of young gay men: physical, mental, and sexual health.

PubMed

Lyons, Anthony; Hosking, Warwick

2014-11-01

Researchers, policymakers, and health agencies have tended to treat gay men as a relatively homogeneous population, with little attention given to its many subcultural identities. In this study, we focused on young gay men and investigated a range of health-related differences according to common subcultural identities, such as Bear, Cub, and Twink. In a nationwide cross-sectional online survey of 1,034 Australian gay men aged 18-39 years, 44% reported a subcultural identity, the two most common being Cub (9%) and Twink (20%). Logistic and linear regression analyses compared Cub- and Twink-identified men and those without a subcultural identity (Non-identified) on a range of health-related outcomes. After adjusting for differences in age and body mass index (BMI), Twink-identified men had the highest risk profile overall, including significantly higher rates of smoking tobacco and alcohol consumption. They were also significantly more likely to report engaging in receptive anal sex. In addition, Cub-identified men were significantly more likely to report being in an ongoing relationship while Non-identified men were significantly less likely to report experiences of discrimination in the past 12 months. Differences on measures of mental health between the three groups were no longer significant after adjusting for age and BMI. In summary, we found numerous health-related differences according to subcultural identity that warrant further investigation by researchers, health agencies, and others concerned with further understanding and addressing health-related challenges of gay men.

"Cultural Responsiveness": A Framework for Re-Thinking Students' Interculturality through Study Abroad

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giovanangeli, Angela; Oguro, Susan

2016-01-01

While intercultural competence is commonly a goal of university study abroad programmes, debates around criteria for assessing this competence have highlighted the challenges in appropriately identifying students' intercultural learning in relation to specific university programmes. To overcome these issues, this research moves beyond…

Meta-QTL analysis of seed iron and zinc concentration and content in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.).

PubMed

Izquierdo, Paulo; Astudillo, Carolina; Blair, Matthew W; Iqbal, Asif M; Raatz, Bodo; Cichy, Karen A

2018-05-11

Twelve meta-QTL for seed Fe and Zn concentration and/or content were identified from 87 QTL originating from seven population grown in sixteen field trials. These meta-QTL include 2 specific to iron, 2 specific to zinc and 8 that co-localize for iron and zinc concentrations and/or content. Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is the most important legume for human consumption worldwide and it is an important source of microelements, especially iron and zinc. Bean biofortification breeding programs develop new varieties with high levels of Fe and Zn targeted for countries with human micronutrient deficiencies. Biofortification efforts thus far have relied on phenotypic selection of raw seed mineral concentrations in advanced generations. While numerous quantitative trait loci (QTL) studies have been conducted to identify genomic regions associated with increased Fe and Zn concentration in seeds, these results have yet to be employed for marker-assisted breeding. The objective of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis from seven QTL studies in Andean and Middle American intra- and inter-gene pool populations to identify the regions in the genome that control the Fe and Zn levels in seeds. Two meta-QTL specific to Fe and two meta-QTL specific to Zn were identified. Additionally, eight Meta QTL that co-localized for Fe and Zn concentration and/or content were identified across seven chromosomes. The Fe and Zn shared meta-QTL could be useful candidates for marker-assisted breeding to simultaneously increase seed Fe and Zn. The physical positions for 12 individual meta-QTL were identified and within five of the meta-QTL, candidate genes were identified from six gene families that have been associated with transport of iron and zinc in plants.

Genome-wide association study identifies novel breast cancer susceptibility loci

PubMed Central

Easton, Douglas F.; Pooley, Karen A.; Dunning, Alison M.; Pharoah, Paul D. P.; Thompson, Deborah; Ballinger, Dennis G.; Struewing, Jeffery P.; Morrison, Jonathan; Field, Helen; Luben, Robert; Wareham, Nicholas; Ahmed, Shahana; Healey, Catherine S.; Bowman, Richard; Meyer, Kerstin B.; Haiman, Christopher A.; Kolonel, Laurence K.; Henderson, Brian E.; Marchand, Loic Le; Brennan, Paul; Sangrajrang, Suleeporn; Gaborieau, Valerie; Odefrey, Fabrice; Shen, Chen-Yang; Wu, Pei-Ei; Wang, Hui-Chun; Eccles, Diana; Evans, D. Gareth; Peto, Julian; Fletcher, Olivia; Johnson, Nichola; Seal, Sheila; Stratton, Michael R.; Rahman, Nazneen; Chenevix-Trench, Georgia; Bojesen, Stig E.; Nordestgaard, Børge G.; Axelsson, Christen K.; Garcia-Closas, Montserrat; Brinton, Louise; Chanock, Stephen; Lissowska, Jolanta; Peplonska, Beata; Nevanlinna, Heli; Fagerholm, Rainer; Eerola, Hannaleena; Kang, Daehee; Yoo, Keun-Young; Noh, Dong-Young; Ahn, Sei-Hyun; Hunter, David J.; Hankinson, Susan E.; Cox, David G.; Hall, Per; Wedren, Sara; Liu, Jianjun; Low, Yen-Ling; Bogdanova, Natalia; Schürmann, Peter; Dörk, Thilo; Tollenaar, Rob A. E. M.; Jacobi, Catharina E.; Devilee, Peter; Klijn, Jan G. M.; Sigurdson, Alice J.; Doody, Michele M.; Alexander, Bruce H.; Zhang, Jinghui; Cox, Angela; Brock, Ian W.; MacPherson, Gordon; Reed, Malcolm W. R.; Couch, Fergus J.; Goode, Ellen L.; Olson, Janet E.; Meijers-Heijboer, Hanne; van den Ouweland, Ans; Uitterlinden, André; Rivadeneira, Fernando; Milne, Roger L.; Ribas, Gloria; Gonzalez-Neira, Anna; Benitez, Javier; Hopper, John L.; McCredie, Margaret; Southey, Melissa; Giles, Graham G.; Schroen, Chris; Justenhoven, Christina; Brauch, Hiltrud; Hamann, Ute; Ko, Yon-Dschun; Spurdle, Amanda B.; Beesley, Jonathan; Chen, Xiaoqing; Mannermaa, Arto; Kosma, Veli-Matti; Kataja, Vesa; Hartikainen, Jaana; Day, Nicholas E.; Cox, David R.; Ponder, Bruce A. J.; Luccarini, Craig; Conroy, Don; Shah, Mitul; Munday, Hannah; Jordan, Clare; Perkins, Barbara; West, Judy; Redman, Karen; Driver, Kristy; Aghmesheh, Morteza; Amor, David; Andrews, Lesley; Antill, Yoland; Armes, Jane; Armitage, Shane; Arnold, Leanne; Balleine, Rosemary; Begley, Glenn; Beilby, John; Bennett, Ian; Bennett, Barbara; Berry, Geoffrey; Blackburn, Anneke; Brennan, Meagan; Brown, Melissa; Buckley, Michael; Burke, Jo; Butow, Phyllis; Byron, Keith; Callen, David; Campbell, Ian; Chenevix-Trench, Georgia; Clarke, Christine; Colley, Alison; Cotton, Dick; Cui, Jisheng; Culling, Bronwyn; Cummings, Margaret; Dawson, Sarah-Jane; Dixon, Joanne; Dobrovic, Alexander; Dudding, Tracy; Edkins, Ted; Eisenbruch, Maurice; Farshid, Gelareh; Fawcett, Susan; Field, Michael; Firgaira, Frank; Fleming, Jean; Forbes, John; Friedlander, Michael; Gaff, Clara; Gardner, Mac; Gattas, Mike; George, Peter; Giles, Graham; Gill, Grantley; Goldblatt, Jack; Greening, Sian; Grist, Scott; Haan, Eric; Harris, Marion; Hart, Stewart; Hayward, Nick; Hopper, John; Humphrey, Evelyn; Jenkins, Mark; Jones, Alison; Kefford, Rick; Kirk, Judy; Kollias, James; Kovalenko, Sergey; Lakhani, Sunil; Leary, Jennifer; Lim, Jacqueline; Lindeman, Geoff; Lipton, Lara; Lobb, Liz; Maclurcan, Mariette; Mann, Graham; Marsh, Deborah; McCredie, Margaret; McKay, Michael; McLachlan, Sue Anne; Meiser, Bettina; Milne, Roger; Mitchell, Gillian; Newman, Beth; O'Loughlin, Imelda; Osborne, Richard; Peters, Lester; Phillips, Kelly; Price, Melanie; Reeve, Jeanne; Reeve, Tony; Richards, Robert; Rinehart, Gina; Robinson, Bridget; Rudzki, Barney; Salisbury, Elizabeth; Sambrook, Joe; Saunders, Christobel; Scott, Clare; Scott, Elizabeth; Scott, Rodney; Seshadri, Ram; Shelling, Andrew; Southey, Melissa; Spurdle, Amanda; Suthers, Graeme; Taylor, Donna; Tennant, Christopher; Thorne, Heather; Townshend, Sharron; Tucker, Kathy; Tyler, Janet; Venter, Deon; Visvader, Jane; Walpole, Ian; Ward, Robin; Waring, Paul; Warner, Bev; Warren, Graham; Watson, Elizabeth; Williams, Rachael; Wilson, Judy; Winship, Ingrid; Young, Mary Ann; Bowtell, David; Green, Adele; deFazio, Anna; Chenevix-Trench, Georgia; Gertig, Dorota; Webb, Penny

2009-01-01

Breast cancer exhibits familial aggregation, consistent with variation in genetic susceptibility to the disease. Known susceptibility genes account for less than 25% of the familial risk of breast cancer, and the residual genetic variance is likely to be due to variants conferring more moderate risks. To identify further susceptibility alleles, we conducted a two-stage genome-wide association study in 4,398 breast cancer cases and 4,316 controls, followed by a third stage in which 30 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were tested for confirmation in 21,860 cases and 22,578 controls from 22 studies. We used 227,876 SNPs that were estimated to correlate with 77% of known common SNPs in Europeans at r2>0.5. SNPs in five novel independent loci exhibited strong and consistent evidence of association with breast cancer (P<10−7). Four of these contain plausible causative genes (FGFR2, TNRC9, MAP3K1 and LSP1). At the second stage, 1,792 SNPs were significant at the P<0.05 level compared with an estimated 1,343 that would be expected by chance, indicating that many additional common susceptibility alleles may be identifiable by this approach. PMID:17529967

Implementing Set Based Design into Department of Defense Acquisition

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-01

challenges for the DOD. This report identifies the original SBD principles and characteristics based on Toyota Motor Corporation’s Set Based Concurrent...Engineering Model. Additionally, the team reviewed DOD case studies that implemented SBD. The SBD principles , along with the common themes from the...perennial challenges for the DOD. This report identifies the original SBD principles and characteristics based on Toyota Motor Corporation’s Set

Building Bridges in Social Studies Education: Professional Development School Partnerships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vontz, Thomas S.; Franke, Jim; Burenheide, Brad; Bietau, Lisa

2007-01-01

The authors explore the extent to which a mature professional development school (PDS) partnership at Kansas State University (KSU) helps link the disparate parts of the social studies education community. The authors initially identify and describe the divisions or "gulfs" that commonly plague social studies education, such as the gulfs…

An Evaluation of Programmed Treatment-integrity Errors during Discrete-trial Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carroll, Regina A.; Kodak, Tiffany; Fisher, Wayne W.

2013-01-01

This study evaluated the effects of programmed treatment-integrity errors on skill acquisition for children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) during discrete-trial instruction (DTI). In Study 1, we identified common treatment-integrity errors that occur during academic instruction in schools. In Study 2, we simultaneously manipulated 3…

Study Sheds Light on Qualities of Best Training for Principals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olson, Lynn

2007-01-01

It is widely accepted that principals are vital to school success, but few studies have closely examined how to train effective school leaders. Now, a report has identified the common features of exemplary programs for preparing principals who can guide instruction and foster school improvement. The study examined eight programs, chosen on the…

A genome-wide study of lipid response to fenofibrate in Caucasians: a combined analysis of the GOLDN and ACCORD studies

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

BACKGROUND: Fibrates are commonly prescribed for hypertriglyceridemia, but they also lower LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol. Large interindividual variations in lipid response suggest that some patients may benefit more than others and genetic studies could help identify such patients. M...

An Analysis of Demotivators in the EFL Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sakai, Hideki; Kikuchi, Keita

2009-01-01

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

Identifying common pressure pathways from a complex network of human activities to support ecosystem-based management.

PubMed

Knights, Antony M; Koss, Rebecca S; Robinson, Leonie A

2013-06-01

The marine environment is heavily exploited, but unintentional consequences cause wide-ranging negative effects to its characteristics. Linkage frameworks (e.g., DPSIR [driver-pressure-state-impact-response]) are commonly used to describe an interaction between human activities and ecological characteristics of the ecosystem, but as each linkage is viewed independently, the diversity of pressures that affect those characteristics may not be identified or managed effectively. Here we demonstrate an approach for using linkages to build a simple network to capture the complex relationships arising from multiple sectors and their activities. Using data-analysis tools common to ecology, we show how linkages can be placed into mechanistically similar groups. Management measures can be combined into fewer and more simplified measures that target groups of pressures rather than individual pressures, which is likely to increase compliance and the success of the measure while reducing the cost of enforcement. Given that conservation objectives (regional priorities) can vary, we also demonstrate by way of a case study example from the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, how management priorities might change, and illustrate how the approach can be used to identify sectors for control that best support the conservation objectives.

The role of general and specific stressors in the health and well-being of call centre operators.

PubMed

Mellor, David; Moore, Kathleen A; Siong, Zhong Ming Benjamin

2015-01-01

The call centre industry has developed a reputation for generating a highly stressful work environment with high absenteeism and turnover rates. Research has identified role ambiguity, role conflict, role overload, and work-family conflict as common stressors in other settings. Call centre research has additionally identified performance monitoring, job design and job opportunities as call centre specific stressors. This study investigated the impact of the identified stressors on burnout, somatic symptomology, and turnover intent among 126 call centre representatives (CCRs) from 11 call centres in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses found that the common organizational stressors significantly explained between 10% and 53% of the variance in somatic symptomology, burnout (all 3 dimensions) and turnover intent. An additional amount of variance, between 6% and 22% in each of these dependent measures was significantly accounted for by the grouped call centre specific stressors. Overall, common organizational stressors and call centre specific stressors both significantly and independently contributed to burnout, somatic symptomology and turnover intent. These findings are discussed in relation to previous research, and suggestions for improved practice within call centres to safeguard the well-being of workers and for future research are provided.

A systematic literature search to identify performance measure outcomes used in clinical studies of racehorses.

PubMed

Wylie, C E; Newton, J R

2018-05-01

Racing performance is often used as a measurable outcome variable in research studies investigating clinical diagnoses or interventions. However, the use of many different performance measures largely precludes conduct of meaningful comparative studies and, to date, those being used have not been collated. To systematically review the veterinary scientific literature for the use of racing performance as a measurable outcome variable in clinical studies of racehorses, collate and identify those most popular, and identify their advantages and disadvantages. Systematic literature search. The search criteria "((racing AND performance) AND (horses OR equidae))" were adapted for both MEDLINE and CAB Abstracts databases. Data were collected in standardised recording forms for binary, categorical and quantitative measures, and the use of performance indices. In total, 217 studies that described racing performance were identified, contributing 117 different performance measures. No one performance measure was used in all studies, despite 90.3% using more than one variable. Data regarding race starts and earnings were used most commonly, with 88.0% and 54.4% of studies including at least one measure of starts and earnings, respectively. Seventeen variables were used 10 times or more, with the top five comprising: 'return to racing', 'number of starts', 'days to first start', 'earnings per period of time' and 'earnings per start'. The search strategies may not have identified all relevant papers, introducing bias to the review. Performance indices have been developed to improve assessment of interventions; however, they are not widely adopted in the scientific literature. Use of the two most commonly identified measures, whether the horse returned to racing and number of starts over a defined period of time, would best facilitate future systematic reviews and meta-analyses in advance of the development of a gold-standard measure of race performance outcome. © 2017 EVJ Ltd.

Actinobaculum schaalii, a Common Uropathogen in Elderly Patients, Denmark

PubMed Central

Jensen, Anders; Hansen, Thomas M.; Søby, Karen M.; Prag, Jørgen

2010-01-01

Actinobaculum schaalii can cause urinary tract infections and septicemia but is difficult to identify by cultivation. To obtain a fast diagnosis and identify A. schaalii, we developed a TaqMan real-time quantitative PCR. Routine urine samples were obtained from 177 hospitalized patients and 75 outpatients in Viborg County, Denmark, in 2008–2009. The PCR detected A. schaalii in 22% of samples from patients >60 years of age. This assay showed that A. schaalii is more common than implied by routine cultivation. In 90% of PCR-positive urine samples, other common uropathogens were identified. This finding suggests that A. schaalii is a common, undetected, bacterial pathogen. Our results suggest that A. schaalii may be a more common pathogen than previously thought, especially in patients with unexplained chronic urinary tract infections, who are often treated with trimethoprim or ciprofloxacin, to which A. schaalii is resistant. PMID:20031046

Bardet-Biedl syndrome gene variants are associated with both childhood and adult common obesity in French Caucasians.

PubMed

Benzinou, Michael; Walley, Andrew; Lobbens, Stephan; Charles, Marie-Aline; Jouret, Béatrice; Fumeron, Frédéric; Balkau, Beverley; Meyre, David; Froguel, Philippe

2006-10-01

Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) is a rare developmental disorder with the cardinal features of abdominal obesity, retinopathy, polydactyly, cognitive impairment, renal and cardiac anomalies, hypertension, and diabetes. BBS is genetically heterogeneous, with nine genes identified to date and evidence for additional loci. In this study, we performed mutation analysis of the coding and conserved regions of BBS1, BBS2, BBS4, and BBS6 in 48 French Caucasian individuals. Among the 36 variants identified, 12 were selected and genotyped in 1,943 French-Caucasian case subjects and 1,299 French-Caucasian nonobese nondiabetic control subjects. Variants in BBS2, BBS4, and BBS6 showed evidence of association with common obesity in an age-dependent manner, the BBS2 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) being associated with common adult obesity (P = 0.0005) and the BBS4 and BBS6 SNPs being associated with common early-onset childhood obesity (P = 0.0003) and common adult morbid obesity (0.0003 < P < 0.007). The association of the BBS4 rs7178130 variant was found to be supported by transmission disequilibrium testing (P = 0.006). The BBS6 variants also showed nominal evidence of association with quantitative components of the metabolic syndrome (e.g., dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia), a complication previously described in BBS patients. In summary, our preliminary data suggest that variations at BBS genes are associated with risk of common obesity.

Complicated malaria in children and adults from three settings of the Colombian Pacific Coast: A prospective study.

PubMed

Arévalo-Herrera, Myriam; Rengifo, Lina; Lopez-Perez, Mary; Arce-Plata, Maria I; García, Jhon; Herrera, Sócrates

2017-01-01

Complicated malaria remains an important public health problem, particularly in endemic settings where access to health services is limited and consequently malaria fatal outcomes occur. Few publications describing the clinical course and outcomes of complicated malaria in Latin America are found in the literature. This prospective study approached the clinical and laboratory characteristics of hospitalized patients with complicated malaria in different endemic areas of the Colombian Pacific Coast with the aim to provide epidemiological knowledge and guide to further reducing malaria severity and mortality. A prospective, descriptive hospital-based study was conducted in 323 complicated malaria patients (median age 20 years) enrolled in Quibdó, Tumaco and Cali between 2014 and 2016. Clinical evaluation was performed and laboratory parameters were assessed during hospitalization. Plasmodium falciparum was the most common parasite species (70%), followed by P. vivax (28%), and mixed malaria (Pf/Pv; 1.9%). Overall, predominant laboratory complications were severe thrombocytopenia (43%), hepatic dysfunction (40%), and severe anaemia (34%). Severe thrombocytopenia was more common in adults (52%) regardless of parasite species. Severe anaemia was the most frequent complication in children ≤10 years (72%) and was most commonly related to P. vivax infection (p < 0.001); whereas liver dysfunction was more frequent in older patients (54%) with P. falciparum (p < 0.001). Two deaths due to P. vivax and P. falciparum each were registered. Treatment provision before recruitment hindered qPCR confirmation of parasite species in some cases. The study identified a high prevalence of complicated malaria in the Pacific Coast, together with more frequent severe anaemia in children infected by P. vivax and hepatic dysfunction in adults with P. falciparum. Results indicated the need for earlier diagnosis and treatment to prevent complications development as well as more effective attention at hospital level, in order to rapidly identify and appropriately treat these severe clinical conditions. The study describes epidemiological profiles of the study region and identified the most common complications on which clinicians must focus on to prevent mortality.

Association Studies of Sporadic Parkinson’s Disease in the Genomic Era

PubMed Central

Labbé, Catherine; Ross, Owen A

2014-01-01

Parkinson’s disease is a common age-related progressive neurodegenerative disorder. Over the last 10 years, advances have been made in our understanding of the etiology of the disease with the greatest insights perhaps coming from genetic studies, including genome-wide association approaches. These large scale studies allow the identification of genomic regions harboring common variants associated to disease risk. Since the first genome-wide association study on sporadic Parkinson’s disease performed in 2005, improvements in study design, including the advent of meta-analyses, have allowed the identification of ~21 susceptibility loci. The first loci to be nominated were previously associated to familial PD (SNCA, MAPT, LRRK2) and these have been extensively replicated. For other more recently identified loci (SREBF1, SCARB2, RIT2) independent replication is still warranted. Cumulative risk estimates of associated variants suggest that more loci are still to be discovered. Additional association studies combined with deep re-sequencing of known genome-wide association study loci are necessary to identify the functional variants that drive disease risk. As each of these associated genes and variants are identified they will give insight into the biological pathways involved the etiology of Parkinson’s disease. This will ultimately lead to the identification of molecules that can be used as biomarkers for diagnosis and as targets for the development of better, personalized treatment. PMID:24653658

Most genetic risk for autism resides with common variation.

PubMed

Gaugler, Trent; Klei, Lambertus; Sanders, Stephan J; Bodea, Corneliu A; Goldberg, Arthur P; Lee, Ann B; Mahajan, Milind; Manaa, Dina; Pawitan, Yudi; Reichert, Jennifer; Ripke, Stephan; Sandin, Sven; Sklar, Pamela; Svantesson, Oscar; Reichenberg, Abraham; Hultman, Christina M; Devlin, Bernie; Roeder, Kathryn; Buxbaum, Joseph D

2014-08-01

A key component of genetic architecture is the allelic spectrum influencing trait variability. For autism spectrum disorder (herein termed autism), the nature of the allelic spectrum is uncertain. Individual risk-associated genes have been identified from rare variation, especially de novo mutations. From this evidence, one might conclude that rare variation dominates the allelic spectrum in autism, yet recent studies show that common variation, individually of small effect, has substantial impact en masse. At issue is how much of an impact relative to rare variation this common variation has. Using a unique epidemiological sample from Sweden, new methods that distinguish total narrow-sense heritability from that due to common variation and synthesis of results from other studies, we reach several conclusions about autism's genetic architecture: its narrow-sense heritability is ∼52.4%, with most due to common variation, and rare de novo mutations contribute substantially to individual liability, yet their contribution to variance in liability, 2.6%, is modest compared to that for heritable variation.

Genome-Wide Association Study Identifies NBS-LRR-Encoding Genes Related with Anthracnose and Common Bacterial Blight in the Common Bean.

PubMed

Wu, Jing; Zhu, Jifeng; Wang, Lanfen; Wang, Shumin

2017-01-01

Nucleotide-binding site and leucine-rich repeat (NBS-LRR) genes represent the largest and most important disease resistance genes in plants. The genome sequence of the common bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.) provides valuable data for determining the genomic organization of NBS-LRR genes. However, data on the NBS-LRR genes in the common bean are limited. In total, 178 NBS-LRR-type genes and 145 partial genes (with or without a NBS) located on 11 common bean chromosomes were identified from genome sequences database. Furthermore, 30 NBS-LRR genes were classified into Toll/interleukin-1 receptor (TIR)-NBS-LRR (TNL) types, and 148 NBS-LRR genes were classified into coiled-coil (CC)-NBS-LRR (CNL) types. Moreover, the phylogenetic tree supported the division of these PvNBS genes into two obvious groups, TNL types and CNL types. We also built expression profiles of NBS genes in response to anthracnose and common bacterial blight using qRT-PCR. Finally, we detected nine disease resistance loci for anthracnose (ANT) and seven for common bacterial blight (CBB) using the developed NBS-SSR markers. Among these loci, NSSR24, NSSR73, and NSSR265 may be located at new regions for ANT resistance, while NSSR65 and NSSR260 may be located at new regions for CBB resistance. Furthermore, we validated NSSR24, NSSR65, NSSR73, NSSR260, and NSSR265 using a new natural population. Our results provide useful information regarding the function of the NBS-LRR proteins and will accelerate the functional genomics and evolutionary studies of NBS-LRR genes in food legumes. NBS-SSR markers represent a wide-reaching resource for molecular breeding in the common bean and other food legumes. Collectively, our results should be of broad interest to bean scientists and breeders.

Genome-Wide Association Study Identifies NBS-LRR-Encoding Genes Related with Anthracnose and Common Bacterial Blight in the Common Bean

PubMed Central

Wu, Jing; Zhu, Jifeng; Wang, Lanfen; Wang, Shumin

2017-01-01

Nucleotide-binding site and leucine-rich repeat (NBS-LRR) genes represent the largest and most important disease resistance genes in plants. The genome sequence of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) provides valuable data for determining the genomic organization of NBS-LRR genes. However, data on the NBS-LRR genes in the common bean are limited. In total, 178 NBS-LRR-type genes and 145 partial genes (with or without a NBS) located on 11 common bean chromosomes were identified from genome sequences database. Furthermore, 30 NBS-LRR genes were classified into Toll/interleukin-1 receptor (TIR)-NBS-LRR (TNL) types, and 148 NBS-LRR genes were classified into coiled-coil (CC)-NBS-LRR (CNL) types. Moreover, the phylogenetic tree supported the division of these PvNBS genes into two obvious groups, TNL types and CNL types. We also built expression profiles of NBS genes in response to anthracnose and common bacterial blight using qRT-PCR. Finally, we detected nine disease resistance loci for anthracnose (ANT) and seven for common bacterial blight (CBB) using the developed NBS-SSR markers. Among these loci, NSSR24, NSSR73, and NSSR265 may be located at new regions for ANT resistance, while NSSR65 and NSSR260 may be located at new regions for CBB resistance. Furthermore, we validated NSSR24, NSSR65, NSSR73, NSSR260, and NSSR265 using a new natural population. Our results provide useful information regarding the function of the NBS-LRR proteins and will accelerate the functional genomics and evolutionary studies of NBS-LRR genes in food legumes. NBS-SSR markers represent a wide-reaching resource for molecular breeding in the common bean and other food legumes. Collectively, our results should be of broad interest to bean scientists and breeders. PMID:28848595

A New Look at Multiple Goal Pursuit: The Promise of a Person-Centered Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wormington, Stephanie Virgine; Linnenbrink-Garcia, Lisa

2017-01-01

The current study reviewed and synthesized studies employing a person-centered approach to studying achievement goals. Towards this end, a common labeling scheme was developed for goal profiles. Ten profile types were identified across studies and compared via meta-analytic techniques in terms of academic motivation, social/emotional well-being,…

A Study of Business Student Choice to Study Abroad: A Test of the Theory of Planned Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Presley, Adrien; Damron-Martinez, Datha; Zhang, Lin

2010-01-01

Study abroad experiences are becoming increasingly common with business students. In this study, we build upon previous research into the motivations of students to study abroad by using Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behavior as a theoretical basis for identifying the factors which might influence their intention to study abroad. A survey administered…

Reaction of common bean lines and aggressiveness of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum isolates.

PubMed

Silva, P H; Santos, J B; Lima, I A; Lara, L A C; Alves, F C

2014-11-07

The aims of this study were to evaluate the reaction of common bean lines to white mold, the aggressiveness of different Sclerotinia sclerotiorum isolates from various common bean production areas in Brazil, and comparison of the diallel and GGE (genotype main effect plus genotype-by-environment interaction) biplot analysis procedures via study of the line-by-isolate interaction. Eleven common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) lines derived from 3 backcross populations were used. Field experiments were performed in the experimental area of the Departamento de Biologia of the Universidade Federal de Lavras, Lavras, MG, Brazil, in the 2011 and 2012 dry crop season and 2011 winter crop season through a randomized block design with 3 replications. This study was also set up in a greenhouse. Inoculations were performed 28 days after sowing by means of the straw test method. The reaction of the bean lines to white mold was assessed according to a diagrammatic scale from 1 (plant without symptoms) to 9 (dead plant). Estimations of general reaction capacity (lines) and general aggressiveness capacity (isolates) indicated different horizontal levels of resistance in the lines and levels of aggressiveness in the isolates. Therefore, it was possible to select more resistant lines and foresee those crosses that are the most promising for increasing the level of resistance. It was also possible to identify the most aggressive isolates that were more efficient in distinguishing the lines. Both diallel and GGE biplot analyses were useful in identifying the genotypic values of lines and isolates.

Discovering transnosological molecular basis of human brain diseases using biclustering analysis of integrated gene expression data.

PubMed

Cha, Kihoon; Hwang, Taeho; Oh, Kimin; Yi, Gwan-Su

2015-01-01

It has been reported that several brain diseases can be treated as transnosological manner implicating possible common molecular basis under those diseases. However, molecular level commonality among those brain diseases has been largely unexplored. Gene expression analyses of human brain have been used to find genes associated with brain diseases but most of those studies were restricted either to an individual disease or to a couple of diseases. In addition, identifying significant genes in such brain diseases mostly failed when it used typical methods depending on differentially expressed genes. In this study, we used a correlation-based biclustering approach to find coexpressed gene sets in five neurodegenerative diseases and three psychiatric disorders. By using biclustering analysis, we could efficiently and fairly identified various gene sets expressed specifically in both single and multiple brain diseases. We could find 4,307 gene sets correlatively expressed in multiple brain diseases and 3,409 gene sets exclusively specified in individual brain diseases. The function enrichment analysis of those gene sets showed many new possible functional bases as well as neurological processes that are common or specific for those eight diseases. This study introduces possible common molecular bases for several brain diseases, which open the opportunity to clarify the transnosological perspective assumed in brain diseases. It also showed the advantages of correlation-based biclustering analysis and accompanying function enrichment analysis for gene expression data in this type of investigation.

Discovering transnosological molecular basis of human brain diseases using biclustering analysis of integrated gene expression data

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Background It has been reported that several brain diseases can be treated as transnosological manner implicating possible common molecular basis under those diseases. However, molecular level commonality among those brain diseases has been largely unexplored. Gene expression analyses of human brain have been used to find genes associated with brain diseases but most of those studies were restricted either to an individual disease or to a couple of diseases. In addition, identifying significant genes in such brain diseases mostly failed when it used typical methods depending on differentially expressed genes. Results In this study, we used a correlation-based biclustering approach to find coexpressed gene sets in five neurodegenerative diseases and three psychiatric disorders. By using biclustering analysis, we could efficiently and fairly identified various gene sets expressed specifically in both single and multiple brain diseases. We could find 4,307 gene sets correlatively expressed in multiple brain diseases and 3,409 gene sets exclusively specified in individual brain diseases. The function enrichment analysis of those gene sets showed many new possible functional bases as well as neurological processes that are common or specific for those eight diseases. Conclusions This study introduces possible common molecular bases for several brain diseases, which open the opportunity to clarify the transnosological perspective assumed in brain diseases. It also showed the advantages of correlation-based biclustering analysis and accompanying function enrichment analysis for gene expression data in this type of investigation. PMID:26043779

Creating a Common Table: Using Peer Mediated Intervention to Promote Social Communication Skills with At-Risk and Autism Spectrum Disorder Populations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Craig-Unkefer, Lesley; Loncola Walberg, Jennifer

2015-01-01

Identifying an intervention that is effective for multiple populations can be a challenge. Given the potential range of students in an inclusive setting, the need to identify common strategies that promote skill development for multiple populations is essential. Professionals need to identify those strategies that promote skill development that…

In silico comparison of genomic regions containing genes coding for enzymes and transcription factors for the phenylpropanoid pathway in Phaseolus vulgaris L. and Glycine max L. Merr

PubMed Central

Reinprecht, Yarmilla; Yadegari, Zeinab; Perry, Gregory E.; Siddiqua, Mahbuba; Wright, Lori C.; McClean, Phillip E.; Pauls, K. Peter

2013-01-01

Legumes contain a variety of phytochemicals derived from the phenylpropanoid pathway that have important effects on human health as well as seed coat color, plant disease resistance and nodulation. However, the information about the genes involved in this important pathway is fragmentary in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). The objectives of this research were to isolate genes that function in and control the phenylpropanoid pathway in common bean, determine their genomic locations in silico in common bean and soybean, and analyze sequences of the 4CL gene family in two common bean genotypes. Sequences of phenylpropanoid pathway genes available for common bean or other plant species were aligned, and the conserved regions were used to design sequence-specific primers. The PCR products were cloned and sequenced and the gene sequences along with common bean gene-based (g) markers were BLASTed against the Glycine max v.1.0 genome and the P. vulgaris v.1.0 (Andean) early release genome. In addition, gene sequences were BLASTed against the OAC Rex (Mesoamerican) genome sequence assembly. In total, fragments of 46 structural and regulatory phenylpropanoid pathway genes were characterized in this way and placed in silico on common bean and soybean sequence maps. The maps contain over 250 common bean g and SSR (simple sequence repeat) markers and identify the positions of more than 60 additional phenylpropanoid pathway gene sequences, plus the putative locations of seed coat color genes. The majority of cloned phenylpropanoid pathway gene sequences were mapped to one location in the common bean genome but had two positions in soybean. The comparison of the genomic maps confirmed previous studies, which show that common bean and soybean share genomic regions, including those containing phenylpropanoid pathway gene sequences, with conserved synteny. Indels identified in the comparison of Andean and Mesoamerican common bean 4CL gene sequences might be used to develop inter-pool phenylpropanoid pathway gene-based markers. We anticipate that the information obtained by this study will simplify and accelerate selections of common bean with specific phenylpropanoid pathway alleles to increase the contents of beneficial phenylpropanoids in common bean and other legumes. PMID:24046770

Anti-P1: the most common unexpected antibodies in northeastern-Thais.

PubMed

Romphruk, A V; Wanhagij, C; Akahat, J; Tantanapornkul, P; Anuphan, T; Pattayaso, P; Puapairoj, C

1999-08-01

The prevalence of unexpected antibodies in the Northeastern-Thai population was studied. Sera were collected from 25,673 blood donors including 18,209 males and 7,464 females. The sera were screened for unexpected antibodies by saline and enzyme techniques. The sera which gave a positive antibody screening test were identified for specificity of antibody. The result demonstrated that 3,928 from 25,673 samples (15.30%) were positive for the antibody screening test and only 3,883 samples could be identified for specificity of antibody. The most common unexpected antibodies were anti-P1, anti-lewis and anti-P1 + anti-lewis with the frequency of 70.8, 18.6 and 10.1 per cent, respectively. The prevalence of anti-P1 in this study was higher than that reported in Central Thailand and Southeast Asia which may due to the high prevalence of liver fluke infection in the Northeastern-Thai population.

Conserved genetic pathways associated with microphthalmia, anophthalmia, and coloboma

PubMed Central

Reis, Linda M.; Semina, Elena V.

2016-01-01

The human eye is a complex organ whose development requires extraordinary coordination of developmental processes. The conservation of ocular developmental steps in vertebrates suggests possible common genetic mechanisms. Genetic diseases involving the eye represent a leading cause of blindness in children and adults. During the last decades, there has been an exponential increase in genetic studies of ocular disorders. In this review, we summarize current success in identification of genes responsible for microphthalmia, anophthalmia and coloboma (MAC) phenotypes, which are associated with early defects in embryonic eye development. Studies in animal models for the orthologous genes identified overlapping phenotypes for most factors confirming the conservation of their function in vertebrate development. These animal models allow for further investigation of the mechanisms of MAC, integration of various identified genes into common developmental pathways and, finally, provide an avenue for the development and testing of therapeutic interventions. PMID:26046913

Conserved genetic pathways associated with microphthalmia, anophthalmia, and coloboma.

PubMed

Reis, Linda M; Semina, Elena V

2015-06-01

The human eye is a complex organ whose development requires extraordinary coordination of developmental processes. The conservation of ocular developmental steps in vertebrates suggests possible common genetic mechanisms. Genetic diseases involving the eye represent a leading cause of blindness in children and adults. During the last decades, there has been an exponential increase in genetic studies of ocular disorders. In this review, we summarize current success in identification of genes responsible for microphthalmia, anophthalmia, and coloboma (MAC) phenotypes, which are associated with early defects in embryonic eye development. Studies in animal models for the orthologous genes identified overlapping phenotypes for most factors, confirming the conservation of their function in vertebrate development. These animal models allow for further investigation of the mechanisms of MAC, integration of various identified genes into common developmental pathways and finally, provide an avenue for the development and testing of therapeutic interventions. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Eyes Have It: Sex and Sexual Orientation Differences in Pupil Dilation Patterns

PubMed Central

Rieger, Gerulf; Savin-Williams, Ritch C.

2012-01-01

Recent research suggests profound sex and sexual orientation differences in sexual response. These results, however, are based on measures of genital arousal, which have potential limitations such as volunteer bias and differential measures for the sexes. The present study introduces a measure less affected by these limitations. We assessed the pupil dilation of 325 men and women of various sexual orientations to male and female erotic stimuli. Results supported hypotheses. In general, self-reported sexual orientation corresponded with pupil dilation to men and women. Among men, substantial dilation to both sexes was most common in bisexual-identified men. In contrast, among women, substantial dilation to both sexes was most common in heterosexual-identified women. Possible reasons for these differences are discussed. Because the measure of pupil dilation is less invasive than previous measures of sexual response, it allows for studying diverse age and cultural populations, usually not included in sexuality research. PMID:22870196

Thrombosis in Philadelphia negative classical myeloproliferative neoplasms: a narrative review on epidemiology, risk assessment, and pathophysiologic mechanisms.

PubMed

Ball, Somedeb; Thein, Kyaw Zin; Maiti, Abhishek; Nugent, Kenneth

2018-05-01

Thrombosis is common in cancer patients and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) are common malignancies in elderly individuals and are known for a high incidence of thrombotic complications. Different risk factors have been identified in studies, and risk models have been developed to identify patients with MPN at higher risk for thrombosis. Several pathophysiological mechanisms help explain the increased likelihood of thrombosis in these patients. Factors, such as leukocyte and platelet activation leading to the formation of leukocyte-platelet aggregates, activation of the coagulation cascade by microparticles, high levels of inflammatory cytokines, and endothelial dysfunction have a crucial role in thrombosis in MPN patients. Recent studies have demonstrated a significant association between the allele burden of specific genetic mutations (mainly JAK2V617F) associated with MPN and the incidence of thrombotic events, thus suggesting a possible role for these mutations in thrombogenesis.

Protocol of the PLeural Effusion And Symptom Evaluation (PLEASE) study on the pathophysiology of breathlessness in patients with symptomatic pleural effusions.

PubMed

Thomas, Rajesh; Azzopardi, Maree; Muruganandan, Sanjeevan; Read, Catherine; Murray, Kevin; Eastwood, Peter; Jenkins, Sue; Singh, Bhajan; Lee, Y C Gary

2016-08-03

Pleural effusion is a common clinical problem that can complicate many medical conditions. Breathlessness is the most common symptom of pleural effusion of any cause and the most common reason for pleural drainage. However, improvement in breathlessness following drainage of an effusion is variable; some patients experience either no benefit or a worsening of their breathlessness. The physiological mechanisms underlying breathlessness in patients with a pleural effusion are unclear and likely to be multifactorial with patient-related and effusion-related factors contributing. A comprehensive study of the physiological and symptom responses to drainage of pleural effusions may provide a clearer understanding of these mechanisms, and may identify predictors of benefit from drainage. The ability to identify those patients whose breathlessness will (or will not) improve after pleural fluid drainage can help avoid unnecessary pleural drainage procedures, their associated morbidities and costs. The PLeural Effusion And Symptom Evaluation (PLEASE) study is a prospective study to comprehensively evaluate factors contributing to pleural effusion-related breathlessness. The PLEASE study is a single-centre prospective study of 150 patients with symptomatic pleural effusions that require therapeutic drainage. The study aims to identify key factors that underlie breathlessness in patients with pleural effusions and develop predictors of improvement in breathlessness following effusion drainage. Participants will undergo evaluation pre-effusion and post-effusion drainage to assess their level of breathlessness at rest and during exercise, respiratory and other physiological responses as well as respiratory muscle mechanics. Pre-drainage and post-drainage parameters will be collected and compared to identify the key factors and mechanisms that correlate with improvement in breathlessness. Approved by the Sir Charles Gairdner Group Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC number 2014-079). Registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12616000820404). Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at scientific meetings. ACTRN12616000820404; Pre-results. 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/

Public health campaigns and their effect on stroke knowledge in a high-risk urban population: A five-year study.

PubMed

Metias, Maged M; Eisenberg, Naomi; Clemente, Michael D; Wooster, Elizabeth M; Dueck, Andrew D; Wooster, Douglas L; Roche-Nagle, Graham

2017-10-01

Background The level of knowledge of stroke risk factors and stroke symptoms within a population may determine their ability to recognize and ultimately react to a stroke. Independent agencies have addressed this through extensive awareness campaigns. The aim of this study was to determine the change in baseline knowledge of stroke risk factors, symptoms, and source of stroke knowledge in a high-risk Toronto population between 2010 and 2015. Methods Questionnaires were distributed to adults presenting to cardiovascular clinics at the University of Toronto in Toronto, Canada. In 2010 and 2015, a total of 207 and 818 individuals, respectively, participated in the study. Participants were identified as stroke literate if they identified (1) at least one stroke risk factor and (2) at least one stroke symptom. Results A total of 198 (95.6%) and 791 (96.7%) participants, respectively, completed the questionnaire in 2010 and 2015. The most frequently identified risk factors for stroke in 2010 and 2015 were, respectively, smoking (58.1%) and hypertension (49.0%). The most common stroke symptom identified was trouble speaking (56.6%) in 2010 and weakness, numbness or paralysis (67.1%) in 2015. Approximately equal percentages of respondents were able to identify ≥1 risk factor (80.3% vs. 83.1%, p = 0.34) and ≥1 symptom (90.9% vs. 88.7%, p = 0.38). Overall, the proportion of respondents who were able to correctly list ≥1 stroke risk factors and stroke symptoms was similar in both groups.(76.8% vs. 75.5%, p = 0.70). The most commonly reported stroke information resource was television (61.1% vs. 67.6%, p = 0.09). Conclusion Stroke literacy has remained stable in this selected high-risk population despite large investments in public campaigns over recent years. However, the baseline remains high over the study period. Evaluation of previous campaigns and development of targeted advertisements using more commonly used media sources offer opportunities to enhance education.

Exome sequencing-driven discovery of coding polymorphisms associated with common metabolic phenotypes.

PubMed

Albrechtsen, A; Grarup, N; Li, Y; Sparsø, T; Tian, G; Cao, H; Jiang, T; Kim, S Y; Korneliussen, T; Li, Q; Nie, C; Wu, R; Skotte, L; Morris, A P; Ladenvall, C; Cauchi, S; Stančáková, A; Andersen, G; Astrup, A; Banasik, K; Bennett, A J; Bolund, L; Charpentier, G; Chen, Y; Dekker, J M; Doney, A S F; Dorkhan, M; Forsen, T; Frayling, T M; Groves, C J; Gui, Y; Hallmans, G; Hattersley, A T; He, K; Hitman, G A; Holmkvist, J; Huang, S; Jiang, H; Jin, X; Justesen, J M; Kristiansen, K; Kuusisto, J; Lajer, M; Lantieri, O; Li, W; Liang, H; Liao, Q; Liu, X; Ma, T; Ma, X; Manijak, M P; Marre, M; Mokrosiński, J; Morris, A D; Mu, B; Nielsen, A A; Nijpels, G; Nilsson, P; Palmer, C N A; Rayner, N W; Renström, F; Ribel-Madsen, R; Robertson, N; Rolandsson, O; Rossing, P; Schwartz, T W; Slagboom, P E; Sterner, M; Tang, M; Tarnow, L; Tuomi, T; van't Riet, E; van Leeuwen, N; Varga, T V; Vestmar, M A; Walker, M; Wang, B; Wang, Y; Wu, H; Xi, F; Yengo, L; Yu, C; Zhang, X; Zhang, J; Zhang, Q; Zhang, W; Zheng, H; Zhou, Y; Altshuler, D; 't Hart, L M; Franks, P W; Balkau, B; Froguel, P; McCarthy, M I; Laakso, M; Groop, L; Christensen, C; Brandslund, I; Lauritzen, T; Witte, D R; Linneberg, A; Jørgensen, T; Hansen, T; Wang, J; Nielsen, R; Pedersen, O

2013-02-01

Human complex metabolic traits are in part regulated by genetic determinants. Here we applied exome sequencing to identify novel associations of coding polymorphisms at minor allele frequencies (MAFs) >1% with common metabolic phenotypes. The study comprised three stages. We performed medium-depth (8×) whole exome sequencing in 1,000 cases with type 2 diabetes, BMI >27.5 kg/m(2) and hypertension and in 1,000 controls (stage 1). We selected 16,192 polymorphisms nominally associated (p < 0.05) with case-control status, from four selected annotation categories or from loci reported to associate with metabolic traits. These variants were genotyped in 15,989 Danes to search for association with 12 metabolic phenotypes (stage 2). In stage 3, polymorphisms showing potential associations were genotyped in a further 63,896 Europeans. Exome sequencing identified 70,182 polymorphisms with MAF >1%. In stage 2 we identified 51 potential associations with one or more of eight metabolic phenotypes covered by 45 unique polymorphisms. In meta-analyses of stage 2 and stage 3 results, we demonstrated robust associations for coding polymorphisms in CD300LG (fasting HDL-cholesterol: MAF 3.5%, p = 8.5 × 10(-14)), COBLL1 (type 2 diabetes: MAF 12.5%, OR 0.88, p = 1.2 × 10(-11)) and MACF1 (type 2 diabetes: MAF 23.4%, OR 1.10, p = 8.2 × 10(-10)). We applied exome sequencing as a basis for finding genetic determinants of metabolic traits and show the existence of low-frequency and common coding polymorphisms with impact on common metabolic traits. Based on our study, coding polymorphisms with MAF above 1% do not seem to have particularly high effect sizes on the measured metabolic traits.

A novel genomic signature with translational significance for human idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

PubMed

Bauer, Yasmina; Tedrow, John; de Bernard, Simon; Birker-Robaczewska, Magdalena; Gibson, Kevin F; Guardela, Brenda Juan; Hess, Patrick; Klenk, Axel; Lindell, Kathleen O; Poirey, Sylvie; Renault, Bérengère; Rey, Markus; Weber, Edgar; Nayler, Oliver; Kaminski, Naftali

2015-02-01

The bleomycin-induced rodent lung fibrosis model is commonly used to study mechanisms of lung fibrosis and to test potential therapeutic interventions, despite the well recognized dissimilarities to human idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Therefore, in this study, we sought to identify genomic commonalities between the gene expression profiles from 100 IPF lungs and 108 control lungs that were obtained from the Lung Tissue Research Consortium, and rat lungs harvested at Days 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, 42, and 56 after bleomycin instillation. Surprisingly, the highest gene expression similarity between bleomycin-treated rat and IPF lungs was observed at Day 7. At this point of maximal rat-human commonality, we identified a novel set of 12 disease-relevant translational gene markers (C6, CTHRC1, CTSE, FHL2, GAL, GREM1, LCN2, MMP7, NELL1, PCSK1, PLA2G2A, and SLC2A5) that was able to separate almost all patients with IPF from control subjects in our cohort and in two additional IPF/control cohorts (GSE10667 and GSE24206). Furthermore, in combination with diffusing capacity of carbon monoxide measurements, four members of the translational gene marker set contributed to stratify patients with IPF according to disease severity. Significantly, pirfenidone attenuated the expression change of one (CTHRC1) translational gene marker in the bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis model, in transforming growth factor-β1-treated primary human lung fibroblasts and transforming growth factor-β1-treated human epithelial A549 cells. Our results suggest that a strategy focused on rodent model-human disease commonalities may identify genes that could be used to predict the pharmacological impact of therapeutic interventions, and thus facilitate the development of novel treatments for this devastating lung disease.

Examination of the association of sex and race/ethnicity with appearance concerns: a Scleroderma Patient-centered Intervention Network (SPIN) Cohort study.

PubMed

Jewett, Lisa R; Kwakkenbos, Linda; Carrier, Marie-Eve; Malcarne, Vanessa L; Bartlett, Susan J; Furst, Daniel E; Gottesman, Karen; Mayes, Maureen D; Assassi, Shervin; Harcourt, Diana; Williamson, Heidi; Johnson, Sindhu R; Körner, Annett; Steen, Virginia; Fox, Rina S; Gholizadeh, Shadi; Mills, Sarah D; Molnar, Jacqueline C; Rice, Danielle B; Thombs, Brett D

2016-01-01

Appearance concerns are common in systemic sclerosis (SSc) and have been linked to younger age and more severe disease. No study has examined their association with sex or race/ethnicity. SSc patients were sampled from the Scleroderma Patient-centered Intervention Network Cohort. Presence of appearance concerns was assessed with a single item, and medical and sociodemographic information were collected. Of 644 patients, appearance concerns were present in 72%, including 421 of 565 women (75%), 42 of 79 men (53%), 392 of 550 patients who identified as White (71%), 35 of 41 who identified as Black (85%), and 36 of 53 who identified as another race/ethnicity (68%). In multivariate analysis, women had significantly greater odds of reporting appearance concerns than men (odds ratio (OR)=2.97, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.78-4.95, p<.001). Black patients had significantly greater odds of appearance concerns than White patients in unadjusted (OR=2.64, 95% CI=1.01-6.34, p=.030), but not multivariate analysis (OR=1.76, 95% CI=0.67-4.60, p=.250). Compared to a general population sample, appearance concerns were substantially more common in SSc, particularly for men across all age groups and for younger women. The most commonly reported features of concern were related to the face and head, followed by the hands and fingers; this did not differ by sex or race/ethnicity. Appearance concerns were common in SSc. Women were substantially more likely than men to have appearance concerns. Although non-significant in multivariate analysis, Black patients were more likely to have concerns than White patients, likely due to more severe changes in appearance.

A Novel Genomic Signature with Translational Significance for Human Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

PubMed Central

Tedrow, John; de Bernard, Simon; Birker-Robaczewska, Magdalena; Gibson, Kevin F.; Guardela, Brenda Juan; Hess, Patrick; Klenk, Axel; Lindell, Kathleen O.; Poirey, Sylvie; Renault, Bérengère; Rey, Markus; Weber, Edgar; Nayler, Oliver; Kaminski, Naftali

2015-01-01

The bleomycin-induced rodent lung fibrosis model is commonly used to study mechanisms of lung fibrosis and to test potential therapeutic interventions, despite the well recognized dissimilarities to human idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Therefore, in this study, we sought to identify genomic commonalities between the gene expression profiles from 100 IPF lungs and 108 control lungs that were obtained from the Lung Tissue Research Consortium, and rat lungs harvested at Days 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, 42, and 56 after bleomycin instillation. Surprisingly, the highest gene expression similarity between bleomycin-treated rat and IPF lungs was observed at Day 7. At this point of maximal rat–human commonality, we identified a novel set of 12 disease-relevant translational gene markers (C6, CTHRC1, CTSE, FHL2, GAL, GREM1, LCN2, MMP7, NELL1, PCSK1, PLA2G2A, and SLC2A5) that was able to separate almost all patients with IPF from control subjects in our cohort and in two additional IPF/control cohorts (GSE10667 and GSE24206). Furthermore, in combination with diffusing capacity of carbon monoxide measurements, four members of the translational gene marker set contributed to stratify patients with IPF according to disease severity. Significantly, pirfenidone attenuated the expression change of one (CTHRC1) translational gene marker in the bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis model, in transforming growth factor-β1–treated primary human lung fibroblasts and transforming growth factor-β1–treated human epithelial A549 cells. Our results suggest that a strategy focused on rodent model–human disease commonalities may identify genes that could be used to predict the pharmacological impact of therapeutic interventions, and thus facilitate the development of novel treatments for this devastating lung disease. PMID:25029475

Systematic identification of an integrative network module during senescence from time-series gene expression.

PubMed

Park, Chihyun; Yun, So Jeong; Ryu, Sung Jin; Lee, Soyoung; Lee, Young-Sam; Yoon, Youngmi; Park, Sang Chul

2017-03-15

Cellular senescence irreversibly arrests growth of human diploid cells. In addition, recent studies have indicated that senescence is a multi-step evolving process related to important complex biological processes. Most studies analyzed only the genes and their functions representing each senescence phase without considering gene-level interactions and continuously perturbed genes. It is necessary to reveal the genotypic mechanism inferred by affected genes and their interaction underlying the senescence process. We suggested a novel computational approach to identify an integrative network which profiles an underlying genotypic signature from time-series gene expression data. The relatively perturbed genes were selected for each time point based on the proposed scoring measure denominated as perturbation scores. Then, the selected genes were integrated with protein-protein interactions to construct time point specific network. From these constructed networks, the conserved edges across time point were extracted for the common network and statistical test was performed to demonstrate that the network could explain the phenotypic alteration. As a result, it was confirmed that the difference of average perturbation scores of common networks at both two time points could explain the phenotypic alteration. We also performed functional enrichment on the common network and identified high association with phenotypic alteration. Remarkably, we observed that the identified cell cycle specific common network played an important role in replicative senescence as a key regulator. Heretofore, the network analysis from time series gene expression data has been focused on what topological structure was changed over time point. Conversely, we focused on the conserved structure but its context was changed in course of time and showed it was available to explain the phenotypic changes. We expect that the proposed method will help to elucidate the biological mechanism unrevealed by the existing approaches.

Anorectal complications in patients with haematological malignancies.

PubMed

Loureiro, Rafaela V; Borges, Verónica P; Tomé, Ana L; Bernardes, Carlos F; Silva, Mário J; Bettencourt, Maria J

2018-04-13

Anorectal complications are common in patients with haematological malignancies. The objectives are to characterize anorectal complications in these patients, identify risk factors and shed light on treatment, morbidity and mortality rates. A retrospective, observational study that included 83 inpatients with haematological malignancies and proctological symptoms from January 2010 to September 2015 was conducted. Clinical outcomes were obtained through a detailed review of medical records. The median age was 56 years, and 52 (62.7%) patients were men. Fifty-six (67.5%) patients had nonseptic anorectal complications and 27 (32.5%) patients had septic anorectal complications. Patients with septic anorectal complications were more commonly male, older, and had lower absolute neutrophil counts, but the differences were not statistically significant (P=0.79, 0.67 and 0.89, respectively). In positive blood cultures [23/70 (32.9%)], Enterococcus faecium, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Escherichia coli were the most common isolated agents. In nonseptic anorectal complications, conservative treatments/minor proctological procedures were adopted, and patients with septic anorectal complications were treated with antibiotics±major proctological procedures and/or surgical drainage/debridement. Forty-eight (85.7%) patients in the nonseptic complications group improved compared with 23 (85.2%) patients in the septic complications group. The overall mortality rate was 2.4% (n=2), with one (1.2%) death related to perianal sepsis. Enterococcus spp. were more commonly identified in this study and can be increasing in this specific population. In contrast to other reports, we did not identify an association between septic anorectal complications and possible risk factors such as male sex, younger age or a low absolute neutrophil count. Most patients had nonseptic anorectal complications. A major proctological procedure/surgical debridement should always be applied in septic complications, which have better prognoses now than in the past.

Considering common sources of exposure in association studies - Urinary benzophenone-3 and DEHP metabolites are associated with altered thyroid hormone balance in the NHANES 2007-2008.

PubMed

Kim, Sujin; Kim, Sunmi; Won, Sungho; Choi, Kyungho

2017-10-01

Epidemiological studies have shown that thyroid hormone balances can be disrupted by chemical exposure. However, many association studies have often failed to consider multiple chemicals with possible common sources of exposure, rendering their conclusions less reliable. In the 2007-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from the U.S.A., urinary levels of environmental phenols, parabens, and phthalate metabolites as well as serum thyroid hormones were measured in a general U.S. population (≥12years old, n=1829). Employing these data, first, the chemicals or their metabolites associated with thyroid hormone measures were identified. Then, the chemicals/metabolites with possible common exposure sources were included in the analytical model to test the sensitivities of their association with thyroid hormone levels. Benzophenone-3 (BP-3), bisphenol A (BPA), and a metabolite of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) were identified as significant determinants of decreased serum thyroid hormones. However, significant positive correlations were detected (p-value<0.05, r=0.23 to 0.45) between these chemicals/metabolites, which suggests that they might share similar exposure sources. In the subsequent sensitivity analysis, which included the chemicals/metabolite with potentially similar exposure sources in the model, we found that urinary BP-3 and DEHP exposure were associated with decreased thyroid hormones among the general population but BPA exposure was not. In association studies, the presence of possible common exposure sources should be considered to circumvent possible false-positive conclusions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Co-authorship network analysis in health research: method and potential use.

PubMed

Fonseca, Bruna de Paula Fonseca E; Sampaio, Ricardo Barros; Fonseca, Marcus Vinicius de Araújo; Zicker, Fabio

2016-04-30

Scientific collaboration networks are a hallmark of contemporary academic research. Researchers are no longer independent players, but members of teams that bring together complementary skills and multidisciplinary approaches around common goals. Social network analysis and co-authorship networks are increasingly used as powerful tools to assess collaboration trends and to identify leading scientists and organizations. The analysis reveals the social structure of the networks by identifying actors and their connections. This article reviews the method and potential applications of co-authorship network analysis in health. The basic steps for conducting co-authorship studies in health research are described and common network metrics are presented. The application of the method is exemplified by an overview of the global research network for Chikungunya virus vaccines.

Liquid Rocket Booster (LRB) for the Space Transportation System (STS) systems study. Volume 2: Addendum 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

The potential of a common Liquid Rocket Booster (LRB) design was evaluated for use with both the Space Transportation System (STS) and the Advanced Launch System (ALS). A goal is to have a common Liquid Oxygen/Liquid Hydrogen (LO2/LH2) engine developed for both the ALS booster and the core stage. The LO2/LH2 option for the STS was evaluated to identify potential LRB program cost reductions. The objective was to identify the structural impacts to the external tank (ET), and to determine if any significant ET re-development costs are required as a result of the larger LO2/LH2 LRB. The potential ET impacts evaluated are presented.

Orbital transfer vehicle launch operations study. Volume 2: Detailed summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1986-01-01

A series of Operational Design Drivers were identified. Several of these could have significant impact(s) on program costs. These recommendations, for example, include such items as: complete factory assembly and checkout prior to shipment to the ground launch site to make significant reductions in time required at the launch site as well as overall manpower required to do this work; minimize use of nonstandard equipment when orbiter provided equipment is available; and require commonality (or interchangeability) of subsystem equipment elements that are common to the space station, Orbit Maneuvering Vehicles, and/or Orbit Transfer Vehicles. Several additional items were identified that will require a significant amount of management attention (and direction) to resolve. Key elements of the space based processing plans are discussed.

Physical demands, injuries, and conditioning practices of stock car drivers.

PubMed

Ebben, William P; Suchomel, Timothy J

2012-05-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the physical demands, injuries, and conditioning practices of stock car drivers. Forty stock car drivers from 27 states in the United States participated in the interviews for 43.9 ± 13.9 minutes. The interviews examined background information, the physical demands of racing, injuries associated with racing, and the athletic and fitness background and practices of the subjects. Numerical data were analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficients. Responses to open-ended questions were analyzed using inductive content analysis. Results revealed significant correlation between track points standings and the length of the resistance training sessions (R = -0.71, p = 0.002) and subject self-assessment of their fitness (R = -0.53, p = 0.045). Results also revealed that "upper-body strength" was identified as the most important physical demand. Extreme fatigue was the most common feeling after a demanding race. Subjects reported that shoulder fatigue was the most common form of muscle soreness experienced after a race. Back and torso injuries were the most common injury, although head injuries most frequently required medical attention. The subjects' biggest fear was fire, followed closely by head and neck injury. The bench press and running were the most commonly performed resistance training and cardiovascular exercises, respectively. Subjects reported that their highest motivation for training was to improve their racing performance. Many subjects had athletic backgrounds with football identified as the sport they had most commonly participated in. This study provides additional detailed information. Results of this study can assist strength and conditioning professionals in the development of strength and conditioning programs for performance enhancement and injury prevention that are specific to the needs of this population of athletes.

A Case Study in Organizational Culture: Administrator's Shared Values, Perceptions, and Beliefs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papalewis, Rosemary

1988-01-01

This case study aims to identify the organizational culture of an effective California school district's management style as experienced by its administrators. Questions addressed shared values, common perceptions, and beliefs. Data showed that a strong culture based on cooperative competition exists among district administrators. Includes the…

Genome-wide association study of anthracnose resistance in Andean beans

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Anthracnose is a seed-borne disease of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) caused by the fungus Colletotrichum lindemuthianum, and the pathogen is cosmopolitan in distribution. The objectives of this study were to identify new sources of anthracnose resistance in a diverse panel of 230 Andean beans ...

Situational Interest of Fourth-Grade Children in Music at School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, J. Christopher

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify the characteristics of common elementary music class activities that elicit situational interest, the short-term interest that emerges spontaneously in learners when faced with environmental factors in an educational experience. An instrumental case study approach was employed, with 24 fourth-grade…

Multiple Images, Common Threads. Case Studies of Good Practice in Adult Community Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bradshaw, Delia

This document presents 10 case studies of adult community education programs (ACE) in the state of Victoria, Australia, in the mid 1990s, that were identified as exemplifying the following principles of good practice in ACE: expansiveness, integration, responsiveness, innovation, belonging, explicitness, autonomy, accessibility, synthesis, and…

Investigating the Relationship of Library Usage to Student Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stemmer, John K.; Mahan, David M.

2016-01-01

This study connects library user surveys, a common library assessment technique, to institutional data to demonstrate the value an academic library brings to student learning and student outcomes. Using regression techniques, the study identifies multiple significant correlations, both positive and negative, between student use of the library and…

EMP: A Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stephens, Jill

A 2-year study examined the relevance of English-as-a-second-language instructional materials for students in health care fields. The study gathered specific information on common medical activities requiring the use of English and identified problem areas. A random sample of students of medicine, pharmacy, and research science was surveyed, the…

[The role of international comparison in surveying divorce trends].

PubMed

Cseh-szombathy, L

1982-04-01

In this study, the main survey methods and approaches to analyzing data on divorce in different countries are described. Some problems concerning the international comparability of divorce statistics are examined, and the value of international comparative studies for identifying common factors affecting divorce is stressed. (summary in ENG, RUS)

(Re)Conceptualizing Design Approaches for Mobile Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoven, Debra; Palalas, Agnieszka

2011-01-01

An exploratory study conducted at George Brown College in Toronto, Canada between 2007 and 2009 investigated language learning with mobile devices as an approach to augmenting ESP learning by taking learning outside the classroom into the real-world context. In common with findings at other community colleges, this study identified inadequate…

Employee reactions and adjustment to euthanasia-related work: identifying turning-point events through retrospective narratives.

PubMed

Reeve, Charlie L; Spitzmuller, Christiane; Rogelberg, Steven G; Walker, Alan; Schultz, Lisa; Clark, Olga

2004-01-01

This study used a retrospective narrative procedure to examine the critical events that influence reactions and adjustment to euthanasia-related work of 35 employees who have stayed in the animal care and welfare field for at least 2 years. The study analyzed adjustment trajectory graphs and interview notes to identify turning-point events that spurred either a positive or negative change in shelter workers' psychological well-being. Analysis of the identified turning-point events revealed 10 common event themes that have implications for a range of work, personnel, and organizational practices. The article discusses implications for shelter, employee, and animal welfare.

Strategies for improving antibiotic use in Qatar: a survey of pharmacists' perceptions and experiences.

PubMed

Pawluk, Shane; Black, Emily; El-Awaisi, Alla

2015-02-01

The objectives of this study were to identify antimicrobial stewardship activities in Qatar, identify pharmacist involvement in activities and summarize perceived barriers for implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs). A cross-sectional survey was developed based on study objectives and completed by pharmacists in Qatar. Most hospital settings have implemented components of ASP. Lack of infectious disease specialists and training of healthcare providers was the most common barrier to implementation or expansion of ASP identified in the hospital and community settings respectively. Pharmacists report some components of ASP have been implemented; however, barriers must be overcome to further expand ASPs. © 2014 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

Patient perception and knowledge of acetaminophen in a large family medicine service.

PubMed

Herndon, Christopher M; Dankenbring, Dawn M

2014-06-01

The use of acetaminophen is currently under increased scrutiny by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) due to the risk of intentional and more concerning, unintentional overdose-related hepatotoxicity. Acetaminophen is responsible for an estimated 48% of all acute liver failure diagnoses. The purpose of this study is to evaluate patient perception and knowledge of the safe use and potential toxicity of acetaminophen-containing products. The authors conducted a descriptive, 2-week study using a convenience sample from a large family medicine clinic waiting room. Survey questions assessed ability to identify acetaminophen, knowledge of the current recommended maximum daily dose, respondent acetaminophen use patterns, common adverse effects associated with acetaminophen, and respondent self-reported alcohol consumption. Acetaminophen safety information was provided to all persons regardless of participation in the study. Of the 102 patients who chose to participate, 79% recognized acetaminophen as a synonym of Tylenol, whereas only 9% identified APAP as a frequently used abbreviation. One third of respondents thought acetaminophen was synonymous with ibuprofen and naproxen. Approximately one fourth of patients correctly identified the then maximum recommended daily acetaminophen dose of 4 g. Seventy-eight percent of patients correctly identified hepatotoxicity as the most common serious adverse effect. We conclude that patient deficiencies in knowledge of acetaminophen recognition, dosing, and toxicity warrant public education by health professionals at all levels of interaction. Current initiatives are promising; however, further efforts are required.

Veterinary Medicine and Multi-Omics Research for Future Nutrition Targets: Metabolomics and Transcriptomics of the Common Degenerative Mitral Valve Disease in Dogs.

PubMed

Li, Qinghong; Freeman, Lisa M; Rush, John E; Huggins, Gordon S; Kennedy, Adam D; Labuda, Jeffrey A; Laflamme, Dorothy P; Hannah, Steven S

2015-08-01

Canine degenerative mitral valve disease (DMVD) is the most common form of heart disease in dogs. The objective of this study was to identify cellular and metabolic pathways that play a role in DMVD by performing metabolomics and transcriptomics analyses on serum and tissue (mitral valve and left ventricle) samples previously collected from dogs with DMVD or healthy hearts. Gas or liquid chromatography followed by mass spectrophotometry were used to identify metabolites in serum. Transcriptomics analysis of tissue samples was completed using RNA-seq, and selected targets were confirmed by RT-qPCR. Random Forest analysis was used to classify the metabolites that best predicted the presence of DMVD. Results identified 41 known and 13 unknown serum metabolites that were significantly different between healthy and DMVD dogs, representing alterations in fat and glucose energy metabolism, oxidative stress, and other pathways. The three metabolites with the greatest single effect in the Random Forest analysis were γ-glutamylmethionine, oxidized glutathione, and asymmetric dimethylarginine. Transcriptomics analysis identified 812 differentially expressed transcripts in left ventricle samples and 263 in mitral valve samples, representing changes in energy metabolism, antioxidant function, nitric oxide signaling, and extracellular matrix homeostasis pathways. Many of the identified alterations may benefit from nutritional or medical management. Our study provides evidence of the growing importance of integrative approaches in multi-omics research in veterinary and nutritional sciences.

Microplastic Abundance and Composition in Western Lake Superior As Determined via Microscopy, Pyr-GC/MS, and FTIR.

PubMed

Hendrickson, Erik; Minor, Elizabeth C; Schreiner, Kathryn

2018-02-20

While plastic pollution in marine and freshwater systems is an active area of research, there is not yet an in-depth understanding of the distributions, chemical compositions, and fates of plastics in aquatic environments. In this study, the magnitude, distribution, and common polymers of microplastic pollution in surface waters in western Lake Superior are determined. Analytical methodology, including estimates of ambient contamination during sample collection and processing, are described and employed. Microscopy, pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Pyr-GC/MS), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to quantify and identify microplastic particles. In surface waters, fibers were the most frequently observed morphology, and, based upon PyGC/MS analysis,  polyvinyl chloride was the most frequently observed polymer, followed by polypropylene and polyethylene. The most common polymer identified by FTIR was polyethylene. Despite the low human population in Lake Superior's watershed, microplastic particles (particularly fibers, fragments, and films) were identified in western-lake surface waters at levels comparable to average values reported in studies within Lake Michigan, the North Atlantic Ocean, and the South Pacific Ocean. This study provides insight into the magnitude of microplastic pollution in western Lake Superior, and describes in detail methodology to improve future microplastics studies in aquatic systems.

Polymorphisms in the ghrelin gene are associated with serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level and not with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Koreans.

PubMed

Choi, Hyung Jin; Cho, Young Min; Moon, Min Kyong; Choi, Hye Hun; Shin, Hyoung Doo; Jang, Hak Chul; Kim, Seong Yeon; Lee, Hong Kyu; Park, Kyong Soo

2006-11-01

Ghrelin is known to play a role in glucose metabolism and in beta-cell function. There are controversies regarding the role of ghrelin polymorphisms in diabetes and diabetes-related phenotypes. The objective of this study was to examine polymorphisms of the ghrelin gene in a Korean cohort and investigate associations between them and susceptibility to type 2 diabetes and its related phenotypes. The ghrelin gene was sequenced to identify polymorphisms in 24 DNA samples. Common variants were then genotyped in 760 type 2 diabetic patients and 641 nondiabetic subjects. Genetic associations with diabetes-related phenotypes were also analyzed. Nine polymorphisms were identified, and four common polymorphisms [g.-1500C>G, g.-1062G > C, g.-994C > T, g.+408C > A (Leu72Met)] were genotyped in a larger study. The genotype distributions of these four common polymorphisms in type 2 diabetes patients were similar to those of normal nondiabetic controls. However, these four common polymorphisms were variably associated with several diabetes-related phenotypes, such as high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, fasting plasma glucose, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance. In particular, subjects harboring g.-1062C were associated with a lower serum HDL cholesterol level after adjusting for other variables (P = 0.0004 or 0.01 after Bonferroni correction for 24 tests). The aforementioned four common polymorphisms in the ghrelin gene were not found to be significantly associated with susceptibility to type 2 diabetes mellitus in the Korean population. However, the common polymorphism g.-1062G > C in the promoter region of the ghrelin gene was found to be significantly associated with serum HDL cholesterol levels.

Vitamin D insufficiency and subclinical atherosclerosis in non-diabetic males living with HIV.

PubMed

Portilla, Joaquín; Moreno-Pérez, Oscar; Serna-Candel, Carmen; Escoín, Corina; Alfayate, Rocio; Reus, Sergio; Merino, Esperanza; Boix, Vicente; Giner, Livia; Sánchez-Payá, José; Picó, Antonio

2014-01-01

Vitamin D insufficiency (VDI) has been associated with increased cardiovascular risk in the non-HIV population. This study evaluates the relationship among serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels, cardiovascular risk factors, adipokines, antiviral therapy (ART) and subclinical atherosclerosis in HIV-infected males. A cross-sectional study in ambulatory care was made in non-diabetic patients living with HIV. VDI was defined as 25(OH)D serum levels <75 nmol/L. Fasting lipids, glucose, inflammatory markers (tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein) and endothelial markers (plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, or PAI-I) were measured. The common carotid artery intima-media thickness (C-IMT) was determined. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was made to identify factors associated with the presence of VDI, while multivariate linear regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with common C-IMT. Eighty-nine patients were included (age 42 ± 8 years), 18.9% were in CDC (US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) stage C and 75 were on ART. VDI was associated with ART exposure, sedentary lifestyle, higher triglycerides levels and PAI-I. In univariate analysis, VDI was associated with greater common C-IMT. The multivariate linear regression model, adjusted by confounding factors, revealed an independent association between common C-IMT and patient age, time of exposure to protease inhibitors (PIs) and impaired fasting glucose (IFG). In contrast, there were no independent associations between common C-IMT and VDI or inflammatory and endothelial markers. VDI was not independently associated with subclinical atherosclerosis in non-diabetic males living with HIV. Older age, a longer exposure to PIs, and IFG were independent factors associated with common C-IMT in this population.

Self-Regulated Learning Study Strategies and Academic Performance in Undergraduate Organic Chemistry: An Investigation Examining Ethnically Diverse Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lopez, Enrique J.; Nandagopal, Kiruthiga; Shavelson, Richard J.; Szu, Evan; Penn, John

2013-01-01

This study sought to identify ethnically diverse students' study strategies in organic chemistry and their relationships to course outcomes. Study diaries, concept maps, and problem sets were used to assess study outcomes. Findings show that students engage in four commonly used reviewing-type strategies, regardless of ethnic group affiliation.…

Comprehensive genotyping in dyslipidemia: mendelian dyslipidemias caused by rare variants and Mendelian randomization studies using common variants.

PubMed

Tada, Hayato; Kawashiri, Masa-Aki; Yamagishi, Masakazu

2017-04-01

Dyslipidemias, especially hyper-low-density lipoprotein cholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia, are important causal risk factors for coronary artery disease. Comprehensive genotyping using the 'next-generation sequencing' technique has facilitated the investigation of Mendelian dyslipidemias, in addition to Mendelian randomization studies using common genetic variants associated with plasma lipids and coronary artery disease. The beneficial effects of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol-lowering therapies on coronary artery disease have been verified by many randomized controlled trials over the years, and subsequent genetic studies have supported these findings. More recently, Mendelian randomization studies have preceded randomized controlled trials. When the on-target/off-target effects of rare variants and common variants exhibit the same direction, novel drugs targeting molecules identified by investigations of rare Mendelian lipid disorders could be promising. Such a strategy could aid in the search for drug discovery seeds other than those for dyslipidemias.

Identification of genetic loci shared between schizophrenia and the Big Five personality traits.

PubMed

Smeland, Olav B; Wang, Yunpeng; Lo, Min-Tzu; Li, Wen; Frei, Oleksandr; Witoelar, Aree; Tesli, Martin; Hinds, David A; Tung, Joyce Y; Djurovic, Srdjan; Chen, Chi-Hua; Dale, Anders M; Andreassen, Ole A

2017-05-22

Schizophrenia is associated with differences in personality traits, and recent studies suggest that personality traits and schizophrenia share a genetic basis. Here we aimed to identify specific genetic loci shared between schizophrenia and the Big Five personality traits using a Bayesian statistical framework. Using summary statistics from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on personality traits in the 23andMe cohort (n = 59,225) and schizophrenia in the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium cohort (n = 82,315), we evaluated overlap in common genetic variants. The Big Five personality traits neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness were measured using a web implementation of the Big Five Inventory. Applying the conditional false discovery rate approach, we increased discovery of genetic loci and identified two loci shared between neuroticism and schizophrenia and six loci shared between openness and schizophrenia. The study provides new insights into the relationship between personality traits and schizophrenia by highlighting genetic loci involved in their common genetic etiology.

Transcriptome Sequencing of Lima Bean (Phaseolus lunatus) to Identify Putative Positive Selection in Phaseolus and Legumes

PubMed Central

Li, Fengqi; Cao, Depan; Liu, Yang; Yang, Ting; Wang, Guirong

2015-01-01

The identification of genes under positive selection is a central goal of evolutionary biology. Many legume species, including Phaseolus vulgaris (common bean) and Phaseolus lunatus (lima bean), have important ecological and economic value. In this study, we sequenced and assembled the transcriptome of one Phaseolus species, lima bean. A comparison with the genomes of six other legume species, including the common bean, Medicago, lotus, soybean, chickpea, and pigeonpea, revealed 15 and 4 orthologous groups with signatures of positive selection among the two Phaseolus species and among the seven legume species, respectively. Characterization of these positively selected genes using Non redundant (nr) annotation, gene ontology (GO) classification, GO term enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses revealed that these genes are mostly involved in thylakoids, photosynthesis and metabolism. This study identified genes that may be related to the divergence of the Phaseolus and legume species. These detected genes are particularly good candidates for subsequent functional studies. PMID:26151849

The Glass Houses of Attending Surgeons: An Assessment of Unprofessional Behavior on Facebook Among Practicing Surgeons.

PubMed

Langenfeld, Sean J; Sudbeck, Craig; Luers, Thomas; Adamson, Peter; Cook, Gates; Schenarts, Paul J

2015-01-01

Our recent publication demonstrated that unprofessional behavior on Facebook is common among surgical residents. In the formulation of standards and curricula to address this issue, it is important that surgical faculty lead by example. Our current study refocuses on the Facebook profiles of faculty surgeons involved in the education of general surgery residents. The American College of Surgeons (ACS) web site was used to identify general surgery residencies located in the Midwest. Departmental web sites were then searched to identify teaching faculty for the general surgery residency. Facebook was then searched to determine which faculty had profiles available for viewing by the general public. Profiles were then placed in 1 of the 3 following categories: professional, potentially unprofessional, or clearly unprofessional. A chi-square test was used to determine significance. In all, 57 residency programs were identified on the ACS web site, 100% of which provided an institutional web site listing the surgical faculty. A total of 758 general surgery faculty were identified (133 women and 625 men), of which 195 (25.7%) had identifiable Facebook accounts. In all, 165 faculty (84.6%) had no unprofessional content, 20 (10.3%) had potentially unprofessional content, and 10 (5.1%) had clearly unprofessional content. Inter-rater reliability was good (88.9% agreement, κ = 0.784). Clearly unprofessional behavior was found only in male surgeons. For male surgeons, clearly unprofessional behavior was more common among those in practice for less than 5 years (p = 0.031). Alcohol and politics were the most commonly found variables in the potentially unprofessional group. Inappropriate language and sexually suggestive material were the most commonly found variables in the clearly unprofessional group. Unprofessional behavior on Facebook is less common among surgical faculty compared with surgical residents. However, the rates remain unacceptably high, especially among men and those in practice for less than 5 years. Education on the dangers of social media should not be limited to residents but should instead be extended to attending surgeons as well. Copyright © 2015 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Systemic vulnerabilities to suicide among veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan Conflicts: review of case reports from a National Veterans Affairs Database.

PubMed

Mills, Peter D; Huber, Samuel J; Vince Watts, Bradley; Bagian, James P

2011-02-01

While suicide among recently returned veterans is of great concern, it is a relatively rare occurrence within individual hospitals and clinics. Root cause analysis (RCA) generates a detailed case report that can be used to identify system-based vulnerabilities following an adverse event. Review of a national database of RCA reports may identify common vulnerabilities and assist in the development of more robust prevention strategies. Our objective was to identify and compare common themes among reports of suicide among veterans of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF) in the Veterans Affairs system. Common themes among root causes of suicide as identified in RCA reports were collected and compared as the primary outcome--systematic vulnerabilities. Actions recommended within the reports were coded as the secondary outcome--prevention strategies. Fifty-one RCA reports of OIF/OEF suicides were identified by our search. Coding generated 16 common categories among 132 root causes, and 13 categories among 108 recommended actions. Assessment of suicidal risk, coordination of care, timely access to care, and communication among providers were the most common root causes. Actions identified by RCA teams to reduce suicide included improving referral processes, staff education in suicide assessment, and follow-up with suicidal veterans. Review of multiple RCA reports can identify organizational vulnerabilities detected at the local level that may be applicable system wide. Attention to improving suicide assessment, coordination of care, and timely access may have the largest impact on reducing suicide among OIF/OEF veterans. © 2011 The American Association of Suicidology.

Noncompliance with Public Health Service (PHS) policy on humane care and use of laboratory animals: an exploratory analysis.

PubMed

Gomez, Leah M; Conlee, Kathleen M; Stephens, Martin L

2010-01-01

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is a major biomedical research-funding body in the United States. Approximately 40% of NIH-funded research involves experimentation on nonhuman animals (Monastersky, 2008). Institutions that conduct animal research with NIH funds must adhere to the Public Health Service (PHS) care and use standards of the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW, 2002a). Institutions deviating significantly from the PHS's animal care and use standards must report these incidents to the NIH's OLAW. This study is an exploratory analysis of all the significant deviations reported by animal-research facilities to OLAW during a 3-month period. The study identifies the most common issues reported and species involved. The study found that the majority of the incidents resulted in animal pain and distress and that 75% ended in animal death. This study offers preliminary recommendations to address the most common problems identified in this analysis. This study urges OLAW and other stakeholders to analyze larger, more recent samples of reported deviations to compare with these results and ultimately improve adherence to animal welfare standards.

Fluvial sediments, concretions, evaporates at Hanksville, Utah: An analogue field study for Gale crater, Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orgel, C.; Battler, M.; Foing, B. H.; Van't Woud, H.; Maiwald, V.; Cross, M.; Ono, A.

2013-09-01

On 6th August 2012, Curiosity landed in Gale crater, Mars. Initial measurements and pictures showed sedimentary rocks that had been deposited by fluvial activity, e.g., alluvial fan and stream deposits. Such deposits are common in desert environments on Earth. The goal of the ILEWG EuroMoonMars project (February 23rd-March 9th,2013)was to conduct field studies in order to identify and study environments that are analogous to those that Curiosity has studied and will study at Gale crater. Several field campaigns (EuroGeoMars2009 and DOMMEX/ILEWG EuroMoonMars from November 2009 to March 2010) had been conducted at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) [3] near Hanksville, Utah, in the vicinity of the San Rafael swell. The aim of the ILEWG EuroMoonMars 2013 project was to identify terrestrial analog sites for Curiosity exploration. The stratigraphy of the area consists of Jurassic and Cretaceous strat a[5] of which the Summerville Formation, the Brushy Basin Member of the Morrison Formation, and the Dakota Sandstone were studied. Widespread inverted channels on Mars have been identified through orbiter imagery data [6], e.g., at Gale crater. Concretions also appear to be common on Mars and have been found by the Opportunity rover at Meridiani Planum [4] and the Curiosity rover at Yellowknife Bay (Fig. 1).

Are Financial Incentives for Lifestyle Behavior Change Informed or Inspired by Behavioral Economics? A Mapping Review.

PubMed

McGill, Bronwyn; O'Hara, Blythe J; Bauman, Adrian; Grunseit, Anne C; Phongsavan, Philayrath

2018-01-01

To identify the behavioral economics (BE) conceptual underpinnings of lifestyle financial incentive (FI) interventions. A mapping review of peer-reviewed literature was conducted by searching electronic databases. Inclusion criteria were real-world FI interventions explicitly mentioning BE, targeting individuals, or populations with lifestyle-related behavioral outcomes. Exclusion criteria were hypothetical studies, health professional focus, clinically oriented interventions. Study characteristics were tabulated according to purpose, categorization of BE concepts and FI types, design, outcome measures, study quality, and findings. Data Synthesis and Analysis: Financial incentives were categorized according to type and payment structure. Behavioral economics concepts explicitly used in the intervention design were grouped based on common patterns of thinking. The interplay between FI types, BE concepts, and outcome was assessed. Seventeen studies were identified from 1452 unique records. Analysis showed 76.5% (n = 13) of studies explicitly incorporated BE concepts. Six studies provided clear theoretical justification for the inclusion of BE. No pattern in the type of FI and BE concepts used was apparent. Not all FI interventions claiming BE inclusion did so. For interventions that explicitly included BE, the degree to which this was portrayed and woven into the design varied. This review identified BE concepts common to FI interventions, a first step in providing emergent and pragmatic information to public health and health promotion program planners.

Biology Myth-Killers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lampert, Evan

2014-01-01

"Biology Myth-Killers" is an activity designed to identify and correct common misconceptions for high school and college introductory biology courses. Students identify common myths, which double as biology misconceptions, and use appropriate sources to share the "truth" about the myths. This learner-centered activity is a fun…

DENTAL LESIONS IN THE LOWLAND TAPIR (TAPIRUS TERRESTRIS).

PubMed

Tjørnelund, Karen B; Jonsson, Lena M; Kortegaard, Hanne; Arnbjerg, Jens; Nielsen, Søren S; Bertelsen, Mads F

2015-06-01

Dental ailments, mandibular swelling, and dentoalveolar abscesses are common in tapirs, but knowledge about prevalence or etiology of these lesions in the Tapiridae family in general, and in lowland tapirs (Tapirus terrestris) in particular, is scarce. A recent study identified resorptive lesions of unknown etiology as a common problem in the Malayan tapir (Tapirus indicus). In order to investigate the type and prevalence of dental lesions occurring in lowland tapirs, and to compare these with findings with the Malayan tapir, skulls and teeth from 46 deceased lowland tapirs were visually and radiographically examined. The specimens were divided into subpopulations according to age (juveniles, young adults, adults) and origin (free-range or captive). Dental lesions were identified in 24% (11/46) of the study population. The most common pathologic findings were complicated dental fractures with associated periapical reaction (15%) and periapical reactions of various degrees without associated detectable dental pathology (13%). All these lesions likely originated from dental trauma. As in Malayan tapirs, juveniles had significantly fewer lesions than adults. This study shows that dental lesions present frequent problems for lowland tapirs, occurring both in captive and in free-ranging individuals, and indicates that increasing age should be considered a risk factor for the development of these lesions. Notably, the predominant dental problems in lowland tapirs and Malayan tapirs are not the same.

Allergenicity and cross-reactivity of booklice (Liposcelis bostrichophila): a common household insect pest in Japan.

PubMed

Fukutomi, Yuma; Kawakami, Yuji; Taniguchi, Masami; Saito, Akemi; Fukuda, Azumi; Yasueda, Hiroshi; Nakazawa, Takuya; Hasegawa, Maki; Nakamura, Hiroyuki; Akiyama, Kazuo

2012-01-01

Booklice (Liposcelis bostrichophila) are a common household insect pest distributed worldwide. Particularly in Japan, they infest 'tatami' mats and are the most frequently detected insect among all detectable insects, present at a frequency of about 90% in dust samples. Although it has been hypothesized that they are an important indoor allergen, studies on their allergenicity have been limited. To clarify the allergenicity of booklice and the cross-reactivity of this insect allergen with allergens of other insects, patients sensitized to booklice were identified from 185 Japanese adults with allergic asthma using skin tests and IgE-ELISA. IgE-inhibition analysis, immunoblotting and immunoblotting-inhibition analysis were performed using sera from these patients. Allergenic proteins contributing to specific sensitization to booklice were identified by two-dimensional electrophoresis and two-dimensional immunoblotting. The booklouse-specific IgE antibody was detected in sera from 41 patients (22% of studied patients). IgE inhibition analysis revealed that IgE reactivity to the booklouse allergen in the sera from one third of booklouse-sensitized patients was not inhibited by preincubation with extracts from any other environmental insects in this study. Immunoblotting identified a 26-kD protein from booklouse extract as the allergenic protein contributing to specific sensitization to booklice. The amino acid sequence of peptide fragments of this protein showed no homology to those of previously described allergenic proteins, indicating that this protein is a new allergen. Sensitization to booklice was relatively common and specific sensitization to this insect not related to insect panallergy was indicated in this population. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Transcriptional landscape of human cancers.

PubMed

Li, Mengyuan; Sun, Qingrong; Wang, Xiaosheng

2017-05-23

The homogeneity and heterogeneity in somatic mutations, copy number alterations and methylation across different cancer types have been extensively explored. However, the related exploration based on transcriptome data is lacking. In this study we explored gene expression profiles across 33 human cancer types using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data. We identified consistently upregulated genes (such as E2F1, EZH2, FOXM1, MYBL2, PLK1, TTK, AURKA/B and BUB1) and consistently downregulated genes (such as SCARA5, MYOM1, NKAPL, PEG3, USP2, SLC5A7 and HMGCLL1) across various cancers. The dysregulation of these genes is likely to be associated with poor clinical outcomes in cancer. The dysregulated pathways commonly in cancers include cell cycle, DNA replication, repair, and recombination, Notch signaling, p53 signaling, Wnt signaling, TGFβ signaling, immune response etc. We also identified genes consistently upregulated or downregulated in highly-advanced cancers compared to lowly-advanced cancers. The highly (low) expressed genes in highly-advanced cancers are likely to have higher (lower) expression levels in cancers than in normal tissue, indicating that common gene expression perturbations drive cancer initiation and cancer progression. In addition, we identified a substantial number of genes exclusively dysregulated in a single cancer type or inconsistently dysregulated in different cancer types, demonstrating the intertumor heterogeneity. More importantly, we found a number of genes commonly dysregulated in various cancers such as PLP1, MYOM1, NKAPL and USP2 which were investigated in few cancer related studies, and thus represent our novel findings. Our study provides comprehensive portraits of transcriptional landscape of human cancers.

Transcriptional landscape of human cancers

PubMed Central

Li, Mengyuan; Sun, Qingrong; Wang, Xiaosheng

2017-01-01

The homogeneity and heterogeneity in somatic mutations, copy number alterations and methylation across different cancer types have been extensively explored. However, the related exploration based on transcriptome data is lacking. In this study we explored gene expression profiles across 33 human cancer types using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data. We identified consistently upregulated genes (such as E2F1, EZH2, FOXM1, MYBL2, PLK1, TTK, AURKA/B and BUB1) and consistently downregulated genes (such as SCARA5, MYOM1, NKAPL, PEG3, USP2, SLC5A7 and HMGCLL1) across various cancers. The dysregulation of these genes is likely to be associated with poor clinical outcomes in cancer. The dysregulated pathways commonly in cancers include cell cycle, DNA replication, repair, and recombination, Notch signaling, p53 signaling, Wnt signaling, TGFβ signaling, immune response etc. We also identified genes consistently upregulated or downregulated in highly-advanced cancers compared to lowly-advanced cancers. The highly (low) expressed genes in highly-advanced cancers are likely to have higher (lower) expression levels in cancers than in normal tissue, indicating that common gene expression perturbations drive cancer initiation and cancer progression. In addition, we identified a substantial number of genes exclusively dysregulated in a single cancer type or inconsistently dysregulated in different cancer types, demonstrating the intertumor heterogeneity. More importantly, we found a number of genes commonly dysregulated in various cancers such as PLP1, MYOM1, NKAPL and USP2 which were investigated in few cancer related studies, and thus represent our novel findings. Our study provides comprehensive portraits of transcriptional landscape of human cancers. PMID:28427185

Good documentation practice in clinical research

PubMed Central

Bargaje, Chitra

2011-01-01

One of the most common inspection findings in investigator site inspections is lack of reliable, accurate and adequate source documentation. This also happens to be the most common pitfall identified during sponsor audits. The importance of good documentation practice needs to be emphasized to investigator sites to ensure that the study results are built on the foundation of credible and valid data. This article focuses on the key principles of good documentation practice and offers suggestions for improvement. PMID:21731856

Good documentation practice in clinical research.

PubMed

Bargaje, Chitra

2011-04-01

One of the most common inspection findings in investigator site inspections is lack of reliable, accurate and adequate source documentation. This also happens to be the most common pitfall identified during sponsor audits. The importance of good documentation practice needs to be emphasized to investigator sites to ensure that the study results are built on the foundation of credible and valid data. This article focuses on the key principles of good documentation practice and offers suggestions for improvement.

Etiology of parapneumonic effusion and pleural empyema in children. The role of conventional and molecular microbiological tests.

PubMed

Krenke, Katarzyna; Sadowy, Ewa; Podsiadły, Edyta; Hryniewicz, Waleria; Demkow, Urszula; Kulus, Marek

2016-07-01

An increasing incidence of parapneumonic effusion and pleural empyema (PPE/PE) has been reported in recent studies. As only few data on etiology of PPE/PE in Central Europe have been reported, we undertook a study on the etiology of PPE/PE in children, using both standard culture and molecular techniques. This prospective study was conducted between June 2011 and December 2013. Consecutive children with PPE/PE complicating community acquired pneumonia, who required diagnostic/therapeutic thoracentesis were included. Blood and pleural fluid samples for microbiological cultures were collected. Molecular methods were applied to identify Streptococcus pneumonia, Haemophilus influenzae, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydophila pneumoniae, and respiratory viruses in pleural fluid. The study group included 64 children, median age 4 (1-15). Seven of 64 (10.9%) blood cultures and 11 of 64 (17.2%) pleural fluid cultures revealed bacterial growth. The most common bacteria detected was S. pneumoniae (13 blood and pleural fluid samples from 11/64 (17.2%) children). DNA sequences of typical bacteria were found in 29/64 (45.3%) pleural fluid samples. S. pneumoniae was identified in 90% of these samples. The most common serotypes were: serotype 6B in 9/26 (36.6%), 19A in 6/26 (23%), serotype 3 in 3/26 (11.5%), 6A and 23F (both in 2/26 i.e. 7.7%) patients. Molecular methods identified atypical bacteria in 8/58 (13.8%) and respiratory viruses in 12/58 (20.7%) pleural fluid samples. S. pneumoniae, in particular serotype 6B and 19A, is the most common etiologic agent of PPE/PE in Polish children. The use of PCR significantly improves pathogen identification in pleural fluid. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clinical utility of magnetic resonance imaging radiographs for suspected organic syndromes in adult psychiatry.

PubMed

Erhart, Stephen M; Young, Alexander S; Marder, Stephen R; Mintz, Jim

2005-08-01

In psychiatric practice, adult patients are most commonly referred for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to screen for suspected organic medical diseases of the central nervous system that can mimic psychiatric syndromes. We identified the most common signs and symptoms prompting MRIs to establish the predictive value of these signs and symptoms for clinically pertinent organic syndromes. This study was a retrospective chart review of psychiatric patients at the Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Health Care Center (Los Angeles, Calif.) who were referred for MRI of the brain between 1996 and 2002. Patients referred for evaluation of dementia were excluded. The specific indications leading clinicians to obtain MRI were identified and grouped. In order to offset the uncertain significance of many MRI findings, for this study, the predictive value of each indication was calculated based on the percentage of patients in whom clinical management changed in response to MRI findings rather than on the percentage with any abnormal MRI results. Of 253 patients who had MRIs, 38 (15%) incurred some degree of treatment modification as a result of MRI findings, including 6 patients in whom MRI identified a medical condition that became the focus of treatment. Six indications appeared most likely to prompt clinicians to obtain MRIs. Because pertinent results were associated with each of these indications, statistical evaluation did not reveal significant differences in their predictive values (chi(2) = 4.32, df = 5, p = .505). Unlike prior studies showing no value to screening radioimaging, this study shows MRI can be a useful screening test among patients suspected of having organic psychiatric disorders and that the common indications for MRI employed at one institution were predictive.

Cognitive Task Analysis of the Battalion Level Visualization Process

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-10-01

of the visualization space are identified using commonly understood doctrinal language and mnemonic devices. a Degree to which the commander and staff...the elements of the visualization space are identified using commonly understood doctrinal language and mnemonic devices. Visualization elements are...11 skill areas were identified as potential focal points for future training development. The findings were used to design and develop exemplar

Data-driven approach to detect common copy-number variations and frequency profiles in a population-based Korean cohort.

PubMed

Moon, Sanghoon; Kim, Young Jin; Hong, Chang Bum; Kim, Dong-Joon; Lee, Jong-Young; Kim, Bong-Jo

2011-11-01

To date, hundreds of thousands of copy-number variation (CNV) data have been reported using various platforms. The proportion of Asians in these data is, however, relatively small as compared with that of other ethnic groups, such as Caucasians and Yorubas. Because of limitations in platform resolution and the high noise level in signal intensity, in most CNV studies (particularly those using single nucleotide polymorphism arrays), the average number of CNVs in an individual is less than the number of known CNVs. In this study, we ascertained reliable, common CNV regions (CNVRs) and identified actual frequency rates in the Korean population to provide more CNV information. We performed two-stage analyses for detecting structural variations with two platforms. We discovered 576 common CNVRs (88 CNV segments on average in an individual), and 87% (501 of 576) of these CNVRs overlapped by ≥1 bp with previously validated CNV events. Interestingly, from the frequency analysis of CNV profiles, 52 of 576 CNVRs had a frequency rate of <1% in the 8842 individuals. Compared with other common CNV studies, this study found six common CNVRs that were not reported in previous CNV studies. In conclusion, we propose the data-driven detection approach to discover common CNVRs including those of unreported in the previous Korean CNV study while minimizing false positives. Through our approach, we successfully discovered more common CNVRs than previous Korean CNV study and conducted frequency analysis. These results will be a valuable resource for the effective level of CNVs in the Korean population.

Targeting agr- and agr-Like Quorum Sensing Systems for Development of Common Therapeutics to Treat Multiple Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections

PubMed Central

Gray, Brian; Hall, Pamela; Gresham, Hattie

2013-01-01

Invasive infection by the Gram-positive pathogen Staphylococcus aureus is controlled by a four gene operon, agr that encodes a quorum sensing system for the regulation of virulence. While agr has been well studied in S. aureus, the contribution of agr homologues and analogues in other Gram-positive pathogens is just beginning to be understood. Intriguingly, other significant human pathogens, including Clostridium perfringens, Listeria monocytogenes, and Enterococcus faecalis contain agr or analogues linked to virulence. Moreover, other significant human Gram-positive pathogens use peptide based quorum sensing systems to establish or maintain infection. The potential for commonality in aspects of these signaling systems across different species raises the prospect of identifying therapeutics that could target multiple pathogens. Here, we review the status of research into these agr homologues, analogues, and other peptide based quorum sensing systems in Gram-positive pathogens as well as the potential for identifying common pathways and signaling mechanisms for therapeutic discovery. PMID:23598501

The association between Diabetes mellitus and Depression.

PubMed

Bădescu, S V; Tătaru, C; Kobylinska, L; Georgescu, E L; Zahiu, D M; Zăgrean, A M; Zăgrean, L

2016-01-01

Depression occurrence is two to three times higher in people with diabetes mellitus, the majority of the cases remaining under-diagnosed. The purpose of this review was to show the links between depression and diabetes, point out the importance of identifying depression in diabetic patients and identify the possible ways to address both diseases. Possible common pathophysiological mechanisms as stress and inflammation were explained, while emphasis was made on screening for depression in diabetic patients. An important aspect for the diabetic specialist would be the understanding of the common origins of diabetes and depression and the awareness of this quite common comorbidity, in order to improve the outcomes of both diseases. DALYS = disability adjusted life years, DSM-5 = American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, DM1 = Type 1 diabetes mellitus, DM2 = Type 2 diabetes mellitus, HPA-axis = hypothalamus - pituitary - adrenal axis, SNS = sympathetic nervous system, BDI = Beck Depression Inventory, CES-D = Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, HADS = Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, PHQ = Patient Health Questionnaire.

Common breast cancer susceptibility loci are associated with triple negative breast cancer

PubMed Central

Stevens, Kristen N.; Vachon, Celine M.; Lee, Adam M.; Slager, Susan; Lesnick, Timothy; Olswold, Curtis; Fasching, Peter A.; Miron, Penelope; Eccles, Diana; Carpenter, Jane E.; Godwin, Andrew K.; Ambrosone, Christine; Winqvist, Robert; Schmidt, Marjanka K.; Cox, Angela; Cross, Simon S.; Sawyer, Elinor; Hartmann, Arndt; Beckmann, Matthias W.; Schulz-Wendtland, Rüdiger; Ekici, Arif B.; Tapper, William J; Gerty, Susan M; Durcan, Lorraine; Graham, Nikki; Hein, Rebecca; Nickels, Stephan; Flesch-Janys, Dieter; Heinz, Judith; Sinn, Hans-Peter; Konstantopoulou, Irene; Fostira, Florentia; Pectasides, Dimitrios; Dimopoulos, Athanasios M.; Fountzilas, George; Clarke, Christine L.; Balleine, Rosemary; Olson, Janet E.; Fredericksen, Zachary; Diasio, Robert B.; Pathak, Harsh; Ross, Eric; Weaver, JoEllen; Rüdiger, Thomas; Försti, Asta; Dünnebier, Thomas; Ademuyiwa, Foluso; Kulkarni, Swati; Pylkäs, Katri; Jukkola-Vuorinen, Arja; Ko, Yon-Dschun; Van Limbergen, Erik; Janssen, Hilde; Peto, Julian; Fletcher, Olivia; Giles, Graham G.; Baglietto, Laura; Verhoef, Senno; Tomlinson, Ian; Kosma, Veli-Matti; Beesley, Jonathan; Greco, Dario; Blomqvist, Carl; Irwanto, Astrid; Liu, Jianjun; Blows, Fiona M.; Dawson, Sarah-Jane; Margolin, Sara; Mannermaa, Arto; Martin, Nicholas G.; Montgomery, Grant W; Lambrechts, Diether; dos Santos Silva, Isabel; Severi, Gianluca; Hamann, Ute; Pharoah, Paul; Easton, Douglas F.; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Yannoukakos, Drakoulis; Nevanlinna, Heli; Wang, Xianshu; Couch, Fergus J.

2012-01-01

Triple negative breast cancers are an aggressive subtype of breast cancer with poor survival, but there remains little known about the etiological factors which promote its initiation and development. Commonly inherited breast cancer risk factors identified through genome wide association studies (GWAS) display heterogeneity of effect among breast cancer subtypes as defined by estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) status. In the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Consortium (TNBCC), 22 common breast cancer susceptibility variants were investigated in 2,980 Caucasian women with triple negative breast cancer and 4,978 healthy controls. We identified six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) significantly associated with risk of triple negative breast cancer, including rs2046210 (ESR1), rs12662670 (ESR1), rs3803662 (TOX3), rs999737 (RAD51L1), rs8170 (19p13.11) and rs8100241 (19p13.11). Together, our results provide convincing evidence of genetic susceptibility for triple negative breast cancer. PMID:21844186

Neural Bases Of Food Perception: Coordinate-Based Meta-Analyses Of Neuroimaging Studies In Multiple Modalities

PubMed Central

Huerta, Claudia I; Sarkar, Pooja R; Duong, Timothy Q.; Laird, Angela R; Fox, Peter T

2013-01-01

Objective The purpose of this study was to compare the results of the three food-cue paradigms most commonly used for functional neuroimaging studies to determine: i) commonalities and differences in the neural response patterns by paradigm; and, ii) the relative robustness and reliability of responses to each paradigm. Design and Methods functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies using standardized stereotactic coordinates to report brain responses to food cues were identified using on-line databases. Studies were grouped by food-cue modality as: i) tastes (8 studies); ii) odors (8 studies); and, iii) images (11 studies). Activation likelihood estimation (ALE) was used to identify statistically reliable regional responses within each stimulation paradigm. Results Brain response distributions were distinctly different for the three stimulation modalities, corresponding to known differences in location of the respective primary and associative cortices. Visual stimulation induced the most robust and extensive responses. The left anterior insula was the only brain region reliably responding to all three stimulus categories. Conclusions These findings suggest visual food-cue paradigm as promising candidate for imaging studies addressing the neural substrate of therapeutic interventions. PMID:24174404

Measuring missing heritability: Inferring the contribution of common variants

PubMed Central

Golan, David; Lander, Eric S.; Rosset, Saharon

2014-01-01

Genome-wide association studies (GWASs), also called common variant association studies (CVASs), have uncovered thousands of genetic variants associated with hundreds of diseases. However, the variants that reach statistical significance typically explain only a small fraction of the heritability. One explanation for the “missing heritability” is that there are many additional disease-associated common variants whose effects are too small to detect with current sample sizes. It therefore is useful to have methods to quantify the heritability due to common variation, without having to identify all causal variants. Recent studies applied restricted maximum likelihood (REML) estimation to case–control studies for diseases. Here, we show that REML considerably underestimates the fraction of heritability due to common variation in this setting. The degree of underestimation increases with the rarity of disease, the heritability of the disease, and the size of the sample. Instead, we develop a general framework for heritability estimation, called phenotype correlation–genotype correlation (PCGC) regression, which generalizes the well-known Haseman–Elston regression method. We show that PCGC regression yields unbiased estimates. Applying PCGC regression to six diseases, we estimate the proportion of the phenotypic variance due to common variants to range from 25% to 56% and the proportion of heritability due to common variants from 41% to 68% (mean 60%). These results suggest that common variants may explain at least half the heritability for many diseases. PCGC regression also is readily applicable to other settings, including analyzing extreme-phenotype studies and adjusting for covariates such as sex, age, and population structure. PMID:25422463

A comprehensive engineering analysis of motorcycle crashes in Maryland.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-12-01

The goal of this study was to identify recurring or common road characteristics of motorcycle crashes : in Maryland from 1998 to 2007. Motorcycle crash data was obtained from the National Highway : Traffic Safety Administrations Crash Outcome Data...

Deep Proteome Profiling Reveals Common Prevalence of MZB1-Positive Plasma B Cells in Human Lung and Skin Fibrosis.

PubMed

Schiller, Herbert B; Mayr, Christoph H; Leuschner, Gabriela; Strunz, Maximilian; Staab-Weijnitz, Claudia; Preisendörfer, Stefan; Eckes, Beate; Moinzadeh, Pia; Krieg, Thomas; Schwartz, David A; Hatz, Rudolf A; Behr, Jürgen; Mann, Matthias; Eickelberg, Oliver

2017-11-15

Analyzing the molecular heterogeneity of different forms of organ fibrosis may reveal common and specific factors and thus identify potential future therapeutic targets. We sought to use proteome-wide profiling of human tissue fibrosis to (1) identify common and specific signatures across end-stage interstitial lung disease (ILD) cases, (2) characterize ILD subgroups in an unbiased fashion, and (3) identify common and specific features of lung and skin fibrosis. We collected samples of ILD tissue (n = 45) and healthy donor control samples (n = 10), as well as fibrotic skin lesions from localized scleroderma and uninvolved skin (n = 6). Samples were profiled by quantitative label-free mass spectrometry, Western blotting, or confocal imaging. We determined the abundance of more than 7,900 proteins and stratified these proteins according to their detergent solubility profiles. Common protein regulations across all ILD cases, as well as distinct ILD subsets, were observed. Proteomic comparison of lung and skin fibrosis identified a common upregulation of marginal zone B- and B1-cell-specific protein (MZB1), the expression of which identified MZB1 + /CD38 + /CD138 + /CD27 + /CD45 - /CD20 - plasma B cells in fibrotic lung and skin tissue. MZB1 levels correlated positively with tissue IgG and negatively with diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide. Despite the presumably high molecular and cellular heterogeneity of ILD, common protein regulations are observed, even across organ boundaries. The surprisingly high prevalence of MZB1-positive plasma B cells in tissue fibrosis warrants future investigations regarding the causative role of antibody-mediated autoimmunity in idiopathic cases of organ fibrosis, such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

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

PubMed Central

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

2015-01-01

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

HUMAN GENETICS AS A TOOL TO IDENTIFY PROGRANULIN REGULATORS

PubMed Central

Nicholson, Alexandra M.; Finch, NiCole A.; Rademakers, Rosa

2012-01-01

Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder that predominantly affects individuals under the age of 65. It is known that the most common pathological subtype is FTLD with TAR DNA-binding protein 43 inclusions (FTLD-TDP). FTLD has a strong genetic component with about 50% of cases having a positive family history. Mutations identified in the progranulin gene (GRN) have been shown to cause FTLD-TDP as a result of progranulin haploinsufficiency. These findings suggest a progranulin-dependent mechanism in this pathological FTLD subtype. Thus, identifying regulators of progranulin levels is essential for new therapies and treatments for FTLD and related disorders. In this review, we discuss the role of genetic studies in identifying progranulin regulators, beginning with the discovery of pathogenic GRN mutations and additional GRN risk variants. We also cover more recent genetic advances, including the detection of variants in the transmembrane protein 106 B gene that increase FTLD-TDP risk presumably by modulating progranulin levels and the identification of a potential progranulin receptor, sortilin. This review highlights the importance of genetic studies in the context of FTLD and further emphasizes the need for future genetic and cell biology research to continue the effort in finding a cure for progranulin-related diseases. PMID:21626010

Patient and Stakeholder Engagement in the PCORI Pilot Projects: Description and Lessons Learned.

PubMed

Forsythe, Laura P; Ellis, Lauren E; Edmundson, Lauren; Sabharwal, Raj; Rein, Alison; Konopka, Kristen; Frank, Lori

2016-01-01

Patients and healthcare stakeholders are increasingly becoming engaged in the planning and conduct of biomedical research. However, limited research characterizes this process or its impact. We aimed to characterize patient and stakeholder engagement in the 50 Pilot Projects funded by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), and identify early contributions and lessons learned. A self-report instrument was completed by researchers between 6 and 12 months following project initiation. Forty-seven principal investigators or their designees (94 % response rate) participated in the study. MAIN MEASURES Self-report of types of stakeholders engaged, stages and levels of engagement, facilitators and barriers to engagement, lessons learned, and contributions from engagement were measured. Most (83 %) reported engaging more than one stakeholder in their project. Among those, the most commonly reported groups were patients (90 %), clinicians (87 %), health system representatives (44 %), caregivers (41 %), and advocacy organizations (41 %). Stakeholders were commonly involved in topic solicitation, question development, study design, and data collection. Many projects engaged stakeholders in data analysis, results interpretation, and dissemination. Commonly reported contributions included changes to project methods, outcomes or goals; improvement of measurement tools; and interpretation of qualitative data. Investigators often identified communication and shared leadership strategies as "critically important" facilitators (53 and 44 % respectively); lack of stakeholder time was the most commonly reported challenge (46 %). Most challenges were only partially resolved. Early lessons learned included the importance of continuous and genuine partnerships, strategic selection of stakeholders, and accommodation of stakeholders' practical needs. PCORI Pilot Projects investigators report engaging a variety of stakeholders across many stages of research, with specific changes to their research attributed to engagement. This study identifies early lessons and barriers that should be addressed to facilitate engagement. While this research suggests potential impact of stakeholder engagement, systematic characterization and evaluation of engagement at multiple stages of research is needed to build the evidence base.

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

PubMed

Maxwell, Kara N; Nathanson, Katherine L

2013-12-20

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

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

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

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

Quality indicators of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) care in critically ill patients: a systematic review.

PubMed

Rewa, Oleksa G; Villeneuve, Pierre-Marc; Lachance, Philippe; Eurich, Dean T; Stelfox, Henry T; Gibney, R T Noel; Hartling, Lisa; Featherstone, Robin; Bagshaw, Sean M

2017-06-01

Renal replacement therapy is increasingly utilized in the intensive care unit (ICU), of which continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is most common. Despite CRRT being a relatively invasive and resource intensive technology, there remains wide practice variation in its application. This systematic review appraised the evidence for quality indicators (QIs) of CRRT care in critically ill patients. A comprehensive search strategy was developed and performed in five citation databases (Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and PubMed) and select grey literature sources. Two reviewers independently screened, selected, and extracted data using standardized forms. Each retrieved citation was appraised for quality using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) and Cochrane risk of bias tool. Data were summarized narratively. Our search yielded 8374 citations, of which 133 fulfilled eligibility. This included 97 cohort studies, 24 randomized controlled trials, 10 case-control studies, and 2 retrospective medical audits. The quality of retrieved studies was generally good. In total, 18 QIs were identified that were mentioned in 238 instances. Identified QIs were classified as related to structure (n = 4, 22.2 %), care processes (n = 9, 50.0 %), and outcomes (n = 5, 27.8 %). The most commonly mentioned QIs focused on filter lifespan (n = 98), small solute clearance (n = 46), bleeding (n = 30), delivered dose (n = 19), and treatment interruption (n = 5). Across studies, the definitions used for QIs evaluating similar constructs varied considerably. When identified, QIs were most commonly described as important (n = 144, 48.3 %), scientifically acceptable (n = 32, 10.7 %), and useable and/or feasible (n = 17, 5.7 %) by their primary study authors. We identified numerous potential QIs of CRRT care, characterized by heterogeneous definitions, varying quality of derivation, and limited evaluation. Further study is needed to prioritize a concise inventory of QIs to measure, improve, and benchmark CRRT care for critically ill patients. PROSPERO CRD42015015530.

Of 20,376 Lumbar Discectomies, 2.6% of Patients Readmitted Within 30 Days: Surgical Site Infection, Pain, and Thromboembolic Events Are the Most Common Reasons for Readmission.

PubMed

Webb, Matthew L; Nelson, Stephen J; Save, Ameya V; Cui, Jonathan J; Lukasiewicz, Adam M; Samuel, Andre M; Diaz-Collado, Pablo J; Bohl, Daniel D; Ondeck, Nathaniel T; McLynn, Ryan P; Grauer, Jonathan N

2017-08-15

A retrospective cohort study of prospectively collected data. As an initial effort to address readmissions after lumbar discectomy, reasons for hospital readmission are identified and discussed. Lumbar discectomy is a commonly performed procedure. The Affordable Care Act codifies penalties for hospital readmissions. New quality-based reimbursements tied to readmissions call for a better understanding of the causes of readmission after procedures such as lumbar discectomy. Lumbar discectomies performed in 2012 to 2014 were identified in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Patient demographics, surgical variables, and reasons for readmissions within 30 days were recorded. Pearson chi square was used to compare rates of demographics and surgical variables between readmitted and nonreadmitted patients. Multivariate regression was used to identify risk factors for readmission. Of 20,376 lumbar discectomies, 533 patients (2.62%) were readmitted within 30 days of surgery. The most common reasons for readmission were surgical site infections (n = 130, 0.64% of all discectomies, 24.4% of all readmissions), followed by pain issues (n = 89, 0.44%, 16.7%), and thromboembolic events (43, 0.21%, 8.1%). Overall time to readmission was 13.0 ± 8.0 days (mean ± standard deviation). Factors most associated with readmission after lumbar discectomy were higher American Society of Anesthesiologists class (relative risk = 1.49, P < 0.001) and prolonged operative time (relative risk = 1.41, P = 0.002). Surgical site infection, postoperative pain, and thromboembolic events were the most common reasons for readmission after lumbar discectomy. These findings identify potential areas for quality improvement initiatives. 3.

Root Cause Analyses of Suicides of Mental Health Clients: Identifying Systematic Processes and Service-Level Prevention Strategies.

PubMed

Gillies, Donna; Chicop, David; O'Halloran, Paul

2015-01-01

The ability to predict imminent risk of suicide is limited, particularly among mental health clients. Root cause analysis (RCA) can be used by health services to identify service-wide approaches to suicide prevention. To (a) develop a standardized taxonomy for RCAs; (b) to quantitate service-related factors associated with suicides; and (c) to identify service-related suicide prevention strategies. The RCAs of all people who died by suicide within 1 week of contact with the mental health service over 5 years were thematically analyzed using a data collection tool. Data were derived from RCAs of all 64 people who died by suicide between 2008 and 2012. Major themes were categorized as individual, situational, and care-related factors. The most common factor was that clients had recently denied suicidality. Reliance on carers, recent changes in medication, communication problems, and problems in follow-through were also commonly identified. Given the difficulty in predicting suicide in people whose expressions of suicidal ideation change so rapidly, services may consider the use of strategies aimed at improving the individual, stressor, support, and care factors identified in this study.

Space shuttle program information control and retrieval system feasibility study report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lingle, C. P.

1973-01-01

The feasibility of having a common information management network for space shuttle data, is studied. Identified are the information types required, sources and users of the information, and existing techniques for acquiring, storing and retrieving the data. The study concluded that a decentralized system is feasible, and described a recommended development plan for it.

Relationships of French and English Morphophonemic Orthographies to Word Reading, Spelling, and Reading Comprehension during Early and Middle Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abbott, Robert D.; Fayol, Michel; Zorman, Michel; Casalis, Séverine; Nagy, William; Berninger, Virginia W.

2016-01-01

Two longitudinal studies of word reading, spelling, and reading comprehension identified commonalities and differences in morphophonemic orthographies--French (Study 1, n = 1,313) or English (Study 2, n = 114) in early childhood (Grade 2)and middle childhood (Grade 5). For French and English, statistically significant concurrent relationships…

Perceptions of Quality in Higher Education: A Comparative Study of Turkish and Australian Business Academics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalayci, Nurdan; Watty, Kim; Hayirsever, Fahriye

2012-01-01

Finding a common definition of "quality" in studies of quality and quality improvement in higher education institutions is very important. This study identifies the views of a key stakeholder group, academics, with reference to their beliefs (what is currently occurring) and their attitudes (what ought to be occurring) in relation to…

Wildland fire research: Future Search conference notes

Treesearch

Jim Saveland; Dave Thomas

1998-01-01

This conference provided an arena for identifying common key issues that are shaping wildland fire research. Commonly identified desired outcomes include: research, integrated across disciplines, and management form partnerships; communication between management and research is effective and continuous; responsive and proactive research balances long-term scientific...

Genetic mapping of common bunt resistance and plant height QTL in wheat.

PubMed

Singh, Arti; Knox, Ron E; DePauw, R M; Singh, A K; Cuthbert, R D; Kumar, S; Campbell, H L

2016-02-01

Breeding for field resistance to common bunt in wheat will need to account for multiple genes and epistatic and QTL by environment interactions. Loci associated with quantitative resistance to common bunt are co-localized with other beneficial traits including plant height and rust resistance. Common bunt, also known as stinking smut, is caused by seed borne fungi Tilletia tritici (Bjerk.) Wint. [syn. Tilletia caries (DC.) Tul.] and Tilletia laevis Kühn [syn. Tilletia foetida (Wallr.) Liro.]. Common bunt is known to cause grain yield and quality losses in wheat due to bunt ball formation and infestation of the grain. The objectives of this research were to identify and map quantitative trait loci (QTL) for common bunt resistance, to study the epistatic interactions between the identified QTL, and investigate the co-localization of bunt resistance with plant height. A population of 261 doubled haploid lines from the cross Carberry/AC Cadillac and checks were genotyped with polymorphic genome wide microsatellite and DArT(®) markers. The lines were grown in 2011, 2012, and 2013 in separate nurseries for common bunt incidence and height evaluation. AC Cadillac contributed a QTL (QCbt.spa-6D) for common bunt resistance on chromosome 6D at markers XwPt-1695, XwPt-672044, and XwPt-5114. Carberry contributed QTL for bunt resistance on chromosomes 1B (QCbt.spa-1B at XwPt743523) 4B (QCbt.spa-4B at XwPt-744434-Xwmc617), 4D (QCbt.spa-4D at XwPt-9747), 5B (QCbt.spa-5B at XtPt-3719) and 7D (QCbt.spa-7D at Xwmc273). Significant epistatic interactions were identified for percent bunt incidence between QCbt.spa-1B × QCbt.spa-4B and QCbt.spa-1B × QCbt.spa-6D, and QTL by environment interaction between QCbt.spa-1B × QCbt.spa-6D. Plant height QTL were found on chromosomes 4B (QPh.spa-4B) and 6D (QPh.spa-6D) that co-located with bunt resistance QTL. The identification of previously unreported common bunt resistance QTL (on chromosomes 4B, 4D and 7D), and new understanding of QTL × QTL interactions will facilitate marker-assisted breeding for common bunt resistance.

Intracardiac Shunting and Stroke in Children: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Dowling, Michael M.; Ikemba, Catherine M.

2017-01-01

In adults, patent foramen ovale or other potential intracardiac shunts are established risk factors for stroke via paradoxical embolization. Stroke is less common in children and risk factors differ. The authors examined the literature on intracardiac shunting and stroke in children, identifying the methods employed, the prevalence of detectible intracardiac shunts, associated conditions, and treatments. PubMed searches with keywords related to intracardiac shunting and stroke in children identified articles of interest. Additional articles were identified via citations in these articles or in reviews. The authors found that studies of intracardiac shunting in children with stroke are limited. No controlled studies were identified. Detection methods vary and the prevalence of echocardiographically detectible intracardiac shunting appears lower than reported in adults and autopsy studies. Defining the role of intracardiac shunting in pediatric stroke will require controlled studies with unified detection methods in populations stratified by additional risk factors for paradoxical embolization. Optimal treatment is unclear. PMID:21212453

Using genome wide association studies to identify common QTL regions in three different genetic backgrounds based on Iberian pig breed

PubMed Central

Martínez-Montes, Ángel M.; Fernández, Almudena; Muñoz, María; Noguera, Jose Luis; Folch, Josep M.

2018-01-01

One of the major limitation for the application of QTL results in pig breeding and QTN identification has been the limited number of QTL effects validated in different animal material. The aim of the current work was to validate QTL regions through joint and specific genome wide association and haplotype analyses for growth, fatness and premier cut weights in three different genetic backgrounds, backcrosses based on Iberian pigs, which has a major role in the analysis due to its high productive relevance. The results revealed nine common QTL regions, three segregating in all three backcrosses on SSC1, 0–3 Mb, for body weight, on SSC2, 3–9 Mb, for loin bone-in weight, and on SSC7, 3 Mb, for shoulder weight, and six segregating in two of the three backcrosses, on SSC2, SSC4, SSC6 and SSC10 for backfat thickness, shoulder and ham weights. Besides, 18 QTL regions were specifically identified in one of the three backcrosses, five identified only in BC_LD, seven in BC_DU and six in BC_PI. Beyond identifying and validating QTL, candidate genes and gene variants within the most interesting regions have been explored using functional annotation, gene expression data and SNP identification from RNA-Seq data. The results allowed us to propose a promising list of candidate mutations, those identified in PDE10A, DHCR7, MFN2 and CCNY genes located within the common QTL regions and those identified near ssc-mir-103-1 considered PANK3 regulators to be further analysed. PMID:29522525

Characteristics of vibrator use by gay and bisexually identified men in the United States.

PubMed

Reece, Michael; Rosenberger, Joshua G; Schick, Vanessa; Herbenick, Debby; Dodge, Brian; Novak, David S

2010-10-01

Recent reports indicate that vibrator use during solo and partnered sexual activities is common among heterosexual men and women in the United States. However, little research has comprehensively assessed vibrator use among gay and bisexually identified men. This study sought to document the extent to which gay and bisexually identified men report using vibrators, the sexual and relational situations within which they use them, and how men use vibrators on their own and their partners' bodies. Data were collected from 25,294 gay and bisexually identified men from 50 U.S. states and from the District of Columbia via an internet-based survey. Measures included sociodemographics, health-related indicators, sexual behaviors, and those related to recent and past use of vibrators during solo and partnered sexual interactions with other men. Approximately half (49.8%) of gay and bisexually identified men reported having used vibrators. Most men who had used a vibrator in the past reported use during masturbation (86.2%). When used during partnered interactions, vibrators were incorporated into foreplay (65.9%) and intercourse (59.4%). Men reported frequent insertion of vibrators into the anus or rectum when using them during masturbation (87.3%), which was also common during partnered interactions (∼60%), but varied slightly for casual and relationship sex partners. For both masturbation and partnered interactions, men overwhelmingly endorsed the extent to which vibrator use contributed to sexual arousal, orgasm, and pleasure. Vibrator use during both solo and partnered sexual acts was common among the gay and bisexually identified men in this sample and was described by men as adding to the quality of their sexual experiences. © 2010 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

A meta-analysis of 87,040 individuals identifies 23 new susceptibility loci for prostate cancer.

PubMed

Al Olama, Ali Amin; Kote-Jarai, Zsofia; Berndt, Sonja I; Conti, David V; Schumacher, Fredrick; Han, Ying; Benlloch, Sara; Hazelett, Dennis J; Wang, Zhaoming; Saunders, Ed; Leongamornlert, Daniel; Lindstrom, Sara; Jugurnauth-Little, Sara; Dadaev, Tokhir; Tymrakiewicz, Malgorzata; Stram, Daniel O; Rand, Kristin; Wan, Peggy; Stram, Alex; Sheng, Xin; Pooler, Loreall C; Park, Karen; Xia, Lucy; Tyrer, Jonathan; Kolonel, Laurence N; Le Marchand, Loic; Hoover, Robert N; Machiela, Mitchell J; Yeager, Merideth; Burdette, Laurie; Chung, Charles C; Hutchinson, Amy; Yu, Kai; Goh, Chee; Ahmed, Mahbubl; Govindasami, Koveela; Guy, Michelle; Tammela, Teuvo L J; Auvinen, Anssi; Wahlfors, Tiina; Schleutker, Johanna; Visakorpi, Tapio; Leinonen, Katri A; Xu, Jianfeng; Aly, Markus; Donovan, Jenny; Travis, Ruth C; Key, Tim J; Siddiq, Afshan; Canzian, Federico; Khaw, Kay-Tee; Takahashi, Atsushi; Kubo, Michiaki; Pharoah, Paul; Pashayan, Nora; Weischer, Maren; Nordestgaard, Borge G; Nielsen, Sune F; Klarskov, Peter; Røder, Martin Andreas; Iversen, Peter; Thibodeau, Stephen N; McDonnell, Shannon K; Schaid, Daniel J; Stanford, Janet L; Kolb, Suzanne; Holt, Sarah; Knudsen, Beatrice; Coll, Antonio Hurtado; Gapstur, Susan M; Diver, W Ryan; Stevens, Victoria L; Maier, Christiane; Luedeke, Manuel; Herkommer, Kathleen; Rinckleb, Antje E; Strom, Sara S; Pettaway, Curtis; Yeboah, Edward D; Tettey, Yao; Biritwum, Richard B; Adjei, Andrew A; Tay, Evelyn; Truelove, Ann; Niwa, Shelley; Chokkalingam, Anand P; Cannon-Albright, Lisa; Cybulski, Cezary; Wokołorczyk, Dominika; Kluźniak, Wojciech; Park, Jong; Sellers, Thomas; Lin, Hui-Yi; Isaacs, William B; Partin, Alan W; Brenner, Hermann; Dieffenbach, Aida Karina; Stegmaier, Christa; Chen, Constance; Giovannucci, Edward L; Ma, Jing; Stampfer, Meir; Penney, Kathryn L; Mucci, Lorelei; John, Esther M; Ingles, Sue A; Kittles, Rick A; Murphy, Adam B; Pandha, Hardev; Michael, Agnieszka; Kierzek, Andrzej M; Blot, William; Signorello, Lisa B; Zheng, Wei; Albanes, Demetrius; Virtamo, Jarmo; Weinstein, Stephanie; Nemesure, Barbara; Carpten, John; Leske, Cristina; Wu, Suh-Yuh; Hennis, Anselm; Kibel, Adam S; Rybicki, Benjamin A; Neslund-Dudas, Christine; Hsing, Ann W; Chu, Lisa; Goodman, Phyllis J; Klein, Eric A; Zheng, S Lilly; Batra, Jyotsna; Clements, Judith; Spurdle, Amanda; Teixeira, Manuel R; Paulo, Paula; Maia, Sofia; Slavov, Chavdar; Kaneva, Radka; Mitev, Vanio; Witte, John S; Casey, Graham; Gillanders, Elizabeth M; Seminara, Daniella; Riboli, Elio; Hamdy, Freddie C; Coetzee, Gerhard A; Li, Qiyuan; Freedman, Matthew L; Hunter, David J; Muir, Kenneth; Gronberg, Henrik; Neal, David E; Southey, Melissa; Giles, Graham G; Severi, Gianluca; Cook, Michael B; Nakagawa, Hidewaki; Wiklund, Fredrik; Kraft, Peter; Chanock, Stephen J; Henderson, Brian E; Easton, Douglas F; Eeles, Rosalind A; Haiman, Christopher A

2014-10-01

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified 76 variants associated with prostate cancer risk predominantly in populations of European ancestry. To identify additional susceptibility loci for this common cancer, we conducted a meta-analysis of > 10 million SNPs in 43,303 prostate cancer cases and 43,737 controls from studies in populations of European, African, Japanese and Latino ancestry. Twenty-three new susceptibility loci were identified at association P < 5 × 10(-8); 15 variants were identified among men of European ancestry, 7 were identified in multi-ancestry analyses and 1 was associated with early-onset prostate cancer. These 23 variants, in combination with known prostate cancer risk variants, explain 33% of the familial risk for this disease in European-ancestry populations. These findings provide new regions for investigation into the pathogenesis of prostate cancer and demonstrate the usefulness of combining ancestrally diverse populations to discover risk loci for disease.

Factor analysis of some socio-economic and demographic variables for Bangladesh.

PubMed

Islam, S M

1986-01-01

The author carries out an exploratory factor analysis of some socioeconomic and demographic variables for Bangladesh using the classical or common factor approach with the varimax rotation method. The socioeconomic and demographic indicators used in this study include literacy, rate of growth, female employment, economic development, urbanization, population density, childlessness, sex ratio, proportion of women ever married, and fertility. The 18 administrative districts of Bangladesh constitute the unit of analysis. 3 common factors--modernization, fertility, and social progress--are identified in this study to explain the correlations among the set of selected socioeconomic and demographic variables.

Coastal groundwater/surface-water interactions: a Great Lakes case study

USGS Publications Warehouse

Neff, Brian P.; Haack, Sheridan K.; Rosenberry, Donald O.; Savino, Jacqueline F.; Lundstrom, Scott C.

2006-01-01

Key similarities exist between marine and Great Lakes coastal environments. Water and nutrient fluxes across lakebeds in the Great Lakes are influenced by seiche and wind set-up and set-down, analogous to tidal influence in marine settings. Groundwater/surface-water interactions also commonly involve a saline-fresh water interface, although in the Great-Lakes cases, it is groundwater that is commonly saline and surface water that is fresh. Evapotranspiration also affects nearshore hydrology in both settings. Interactions between groundwater and surface water have recently been identified as an important component of ecological processes in the Great Lakes. Water withdrawals and the reversal of the groundwater/surface water seepage gradient are also common to many coastal areas around the Great Lakes. As compared to surface water, regional groundwater that discharges to western Lake Erie from Michigan is highly mineralized. Studies conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey at Erie State Game Area in southeastern Michigan, describe groundwater flow dynamics and chemistry, shallow lake-water chemistry, and fish and invertebrate communities. Results presented here provide an overview of recent progress of ongoing interdisciplinary studies of Great Lakes nearshore systems and describe a conceptual model that identifies relations among geologic, hydrologic, chemical, and biological processes in the coastal habitats of Lake Erie. This conceptual model is based on analysis of hydraulic head in piezometers at the study site and chemical analysis of deep and shallow coastal groundwater.

Common and distinct neural targets of treatment: changing brain function in substance addiction.

PubMed

Konova, Anna B; Moeller, Scott J; Goldstein, Rita Z

2013-12-01

Neuroimaging offers an opportunity to examine the neurobiological effects of therapeutic interventions for human drug addiction. Using activation likelihood estimation, the aim of the current meta-analysis was to quantitatively summarize functional neuroimaging studies of pharmacological and cognitive-based interventions for drug addiction, with an emphasis on their common and distinct neural targets. More exploratory analyses also contrasted subgroups of studies based on specific study and sample characteristics. The ventral striatum, a region implicated in reward, motivation, and craving, and the inferior frontal gyrus and orbitofrontal cortex, regions involved in inhibitory control and goal-directed behavior, were identified as common targets of pharmacological and cognitive-based interventions; these regions were observed when the analysis was limited to only studies that used established or efficacious interventions, and across imaging paradigms and types of addictions. Consistent with theoretical models, cognitive-based interventions were additionally more likely to activate the anterior cingulate cortex, middle frontal gyrus, and precuneus, implicated in self-referential processing, cognitive control, and attention. These results suggest that therapeutic interventions for addiction may target the brain structures that are altered across addictions and identify potential neurobiological mechanisms by which the tandem use of pharmacological and cognitive-based interventions may yield synergistic or complementary effects. These findings could inform the selection of novel functional targets in future treatment development for this difficult-to-treat disorder. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Common and distinct neural targets of treatment: changing brain function in substance addiction

PubMed Central

Konova, Anna B.; Moeller, Scott J.; Goldstein, Rita Z.

2013-01-01

Neuroimaging offers an opportunity to examine the neurobiological effects of therapeutic interventions for human drug addiction. Using activation likelihood estimation, the aim of the current meta-analysis was to quantitatively summarize functional neuroimaging studies of pharmacological and cognitive-based interventions for drug addiction, with an emphasis on their common and distinct neural targets. More exploratory analyses also contrasted subgroups of studies based on specific study and sample characteristics. The ventral striatum, a region implicated in reward, motivation, and craving, and the inferior frontal gyrus and orbitofrontal cortex, regions involved in inhibitory control goal-directed behavior, were identified as common targets of pharmacological and cognitive-based interventions; these regions were observed when the analysis was limited to only studies that used established or efficacious interventions, and across imaging paradigms and types of addictions. Consistent with theoretical models, cognitive-based interventions were additionally more likely to activate the anterior cingulate cortex, middle frontal gyrus, and precuneus, implicated in self-referential processing, cognitive control, and attention. These results suggest that therapeutic interventions for addiction may target the brain structures that are altered across addictions and identify potential neurobiological mechanisms by which the tandem use of pharmacological and cognitive-based interventions may yield synergistic or complementary effects. These findings could inform the selection of novel functional targets in future treatment development for this difficult-to-treat disorder. PMID:24140399

Barriers to evidence-based medicine: a systematic review.

PubMed

Sadeghi-Bazargani, Homayoun; Tabrizi, Jafar Sadegh; Azami-Aghdash, Saber

2014-12-01

Evidence-based medicine (EBM) has emerged as an effective strategy to improve health care quality. The aim of this study was to systematically review and carry out an analysis on the barriers to EBM. Different database searching methods and also manual search were employed in this study using the search words ('evidence-based' or 'evidence-based medicine' or 'evidence-based practice' or 'evidence-based guidelines' or 'research utilization') and (barrier* or challenge or hinder) in the following databases: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Knowledge, Cochrane library, Pro Quest, Magiran, SID. Out of 2592 articles, 106 articles were finally identified for study. Research barriers, lack of resources, lack of time, inadequate skills, and inadequate access, lack of knowledge and financial barriers were found to be the most common barriers to EBM. Examples of these barriers were found in primary care, hospital/specialist care, rehabilitation care, medical education, management and decision making. The most common barriers to research utilization were research barriers, cooperation barriers and changing barriers. Lack of resources was the most common barrier to implementation of guidelines. The result of this study shows that there are many barriers to the implementation and use of EBM. Identifying barriers is just the first step to removing barriers to the use of EBM. Extra resources will be needed if these barriers are to be tackled. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Molecular genotyping of ABO blood groups in some population groups from India.

PubMed

Ray, Sabita; Gorakshakar, Ajit C; Vasantha, K; Nadkarni, Anita; Italia, Yazdi; Ghosh, Kanjaksha

2014-01-01

Indian population is characterized by the presence of various castes and tribal groups. Various genetic polymorphisms have been used to differentiate among these groups. Amongst these, the ABO blood group system has been extensively studied. There is no information on molecular genotyping of ABO blood groups from India. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to characterize the common A, B and O alleles by molecular analysis in some Indian population groups. One hundred samples from the mixed population from Mumbai, 101 samples from the Dhodia tribe and 100 samples from the Parsi community were included in this study. Initially, the samples were phenotyped by standard serologic techniques. PCR followed by single strand conformational polymorphsim (SSCP) was used for molecular ABO genotyping. Samples showing atypical SSCP patterns were further analysed by DNA sequencing to characterize rare alleles. Seven common ABO alleles with 19 different genotypes were found in the mixed population. The Dhodias showed 12 different ABO genotypes and the Parsis revealed 15 different ABO genotypes with six common ABO alleles identified in each of them. Two rare alleles were also identified. This study reports the distribution of molecular genotypes of ABO alleles among some population groups from India. Considering the extremely heterogeneous nature of the Indian population, in terms of various genotype markers like blood groups, red cell enzymes, etc., many more ABO alleles are likely to be encountered.

Multi-ethnic genome-wide association study of 21,000 cases and 95,000 controls identifies new risk loci for atopic dermatitis

PubMed Central

Waage, Johannes; Baurecht, Hansjörg; Hotze, Melanie; Strachan, David P; Curtin, John A; Bønnelykke, Klaus; Tian, Chao; Takahashi, Atsushi; Esparza-Gordillo, Jorge; Alves, Alexessander Couto; Thyssen, Jacob P; den Dekker, Herman T; Ferreira, Manuel A; Altmaier, Elisabeth; Sleiman, Patrick MA; Xiao, Feng Li; Gonzalez, Juan R; Marenholz, Ingo; Kalb, Birgit; Yanes, Maria Pino; Xu, Cheng-Jian; Carstensen, Lisbeth; Groen-Blokhuis, Maria M; Venturini, Cristina; Pennell, Craig E; Barton, Sheila J; Levin, Albert M; Curjuric, Ivan; Bustamante, Mariona; Kreiner-Møller, Eskil; Lockett, Gabrielle A; Bacelis, Jonas; Bunyavanich, Supinda; Myers, Rachel A; Matanovic, Anja; Kumar, Ashish; Tung, Joyce Y; Hirota, Tomomitsu; Kubo, Michiaki; McArdle, Wendy L; Henderson, A J; Kemp, John P; Zheng, Jie; Smith, George Davey; Rüschendorf, Franz; Bauerfeind, Anja; Lee-Kirsch, Min Ae; Arnold, Andreas; Homuth, Georg; Schmidt, Carsten O; Mangold, Elisabeth; Cichon, Sven; Keil, Thomas; Rodríguez, Elke; Peters, Annette; Franke, Andre; Lieb, Wolfgang; Novak, Natalija; Fölster-Holst, Regina; Horikoshi, Momoko; Pekkanen, Juha; Sebert, Sylvain; Husemoen, Lise L; Grarup, Niels; de Jongste, Johan C; Rivadeneira, Fernando; Hofman, Albert; Jaddoe, Vincent WV; Pasmans, Suzanne GMA; Elbert, Niels J; Uitterlinden, André G; Marks, Guy B; Thompson, Philip J; Matheson, Melanie C; Robertson, Colin F; Ried, Janina S; Li, Jin; Zuo, Xian Bo; Zheng, Xiao Dong; Yin, Xian Yong; Sun, Liang Dan; McAleer, Maeve A; O'Regan, Grainne M; Fahy, Caoimhe MR; Campbell, Linda E; Macek, Milan; Kurek, Michael; Hu, Donglei; Eng, Celeste; Postma, Dirkje S; Feenstra, Bjarke; Geller, Frank; Hottenga, Jouke Jan; Middeldorp, Christel M; Hysi, Pirro; Bataille, Veronique; Spector, Tim; Tiesler, Carla MT; Thiering, Elisabeth; Pahukasahasram, Badri; Yang, James J; Imboden, Medea; Huntsman, Scott; Vilor-Tejedor, Natàlia; Relton, Caroline L; Myhre, Ronny; Nystad, Wenche; Custovic, Adnan; Weiss, Scott T; Meyers, Deborah A; Söderhäll, Cilla; Melén, Erik; Ober, Carole; Raby, Benjamin A; Simpson, Angela; Jacobsson, Bo; Holloway, John W; Bisgaard, Hans; Sunyer, Jordi; Hensch, Nicole M Probst; Williams, L Keoki; Godfrey, Keith M; Wang, Carol A; Boomsma, Dorret I; Melbye, Mads; Koppelman, Gerard H; Jarvis, Deborah; McLean, WH Irwin; Irvine, Alan D; Zhang, Xue Jun; Hakonarson, Hakon; Gieger, Christian; Burchard, Esteban G; Martin, Nicholas G; Duijts, Liesbeth; Linneberg, Allan; Jarvelin, Marjo-Riitta; Noethen, Markus M; Lau, Susanne; Hübner, Norbert; Lee, Young-Ae; Tamari, Mayumi; Hinds, David A; Glass, Daniel; Brown, Sara J; Heinrich, Joachim; Evans, David M; Weidinger, Stephan

2015-01-01

Genetic association studies have identified 21 loci associated with atopic dermatitis risk predominantly in populations of European ancestry. To identify further susceptibility loci for this common complex skin disease, we performed a meta-analysis of >15 million genetic variants in 21,399 cases and 95,464 controls from populations of European, African, Japanese and Latino ancestry, followed by replication in 32,059 cases and 228,628 controls from 18 studies. We identified 10 novel risk loci, bringing the total number of known atopic dermatitis risk loci to 31 (with novel secondary signals at 4 of these). Notably, the new loci include candidate genes with roles in regulation of innate host defenses and T-cell function, underscoring the important contribution of (auto-)immune mechanisms to atopic dermatitis pathogenesis. PMID:26482879

Multi-ancestry genome-wide association study of 21,000 cases and 95,000 controls identifies new risk loci for atopic dermatitis.

PubMed

Paternoster, Lavinia; Standl, Marie; Waage, Johannes; Baurecht, Hansjörg; Hotze, Melanie; Strachan, David P; Curtin, John A; Bønnelykke, Klaus; Tian, Chao; Takahashi, Atsushi; Esparza-Gordillo, Jorge; Alves, Alexessander Couto; Thyssen, Jacob P; den Dekker, Herman T; Ferreira, Manuel A; Altmaier, Elisabeth; Sleiman, Patrick Ma; Xiao, Feng Li; Gonzalez, Juan R; Marenholz, Ingo; Kalb, Birgit; Yanes, Maria Pino; Xu, Cheng-Jian; Carstensen, Lisbeth; Groen-Blokhuis, Maria M; Venturini, Cristina; Pennell, Craig E; Barton, Sheila J; Levin, Albert M; Curjuric, Ivan; Bustamante, Mariona; Kreiner-Møller, Eskil; Lockett, Gabrielle A; Bacelis, Jonas; Bunyavanich, Supinda; Myers, Rachel A; Matanovic, Anja; Kumar, Ashish; Tung, Joyce Y; Hirota, Tomomitsu; Kubo, Michiaki; McArdle, Wendy L; Henderson, A J; Kemp, John P; Zheng, Jie; Smith, George Davey; Rüschendorf, Franz; Bauerfeind, Anja; Lee-Kirsch, Min Ae; Arnold, Andreas; Homuth, Georg; Schmidt, Carsten O; Mangold, Elisabeth; Cichon, Sven; Keil, Thomas; Rodríguez, Elke; Peters, Annette; Franke, Andre; Lieb, Wolfgang; Novak, Natalija; Fölster-Holst, Regina; Horikoshi, Momoko; Pekkanen, Juha; Sebert, Sylvain; Husemoen, Lise L; Grarup, Niels; de Jongste, Johan C; Rivadeneira, Fernando; Hofman, Albert; Jaddoe, Vincent Wv; Pasmans, Suzanne Gma; Elbert, Niels J; Uitterlinden, André G; Marks, Guy B; Thompson, Philip J; Matheson, Melanie C; Robertson, Colin F; Ried, Janina S; Li, Jin; Zuo, Xian Bo; Zheng, Xiao Dong; Yin, Xian Yong; Sun, Liang Dan; McAleer, Maeve A; O'Regan, Grainne M; Fahy, Caoimhe Mr; Campbell, Linda E; Macek, Milan; Kurek, Michael; Hu, Donglei; Eng, Celeste; Postma, Dirkje S; Feenstra, Bjarke; Geller, Frank; Hottenga, Jouke Jan; Middeldorp, Christel M; Hysi, Pirro; Bataille, Veronique; Spector, Tim; Tiesler, Carla Mt; Thiering, Elisabeth; Pahukasahasram, Badri; Yang, James J; Imboden, Medea; Huntsman, Scott; Vilor-Tejedor, Natàlia; Relton, Caroline L; Myhre, Ronny; Nystad, Wenche; Custovic, Adnan; Weiss, Scott T; Meyers, Deborah A; Söderhäll, Cilla; Melén, Erik; Ober, Carole; Raby, Benjamin A; Simpson, Angela; Jacobsson, Bo; Holloway, John W; Bisgaard, Hans; Sunyer, Jordi; Hensch, Nicole M Probst; Williams, L Keoki; Godfrey, Keith M; Wang, Carol A; Boomsma, Dorret I; Melbye, Mads; Koppelman, Gerard H; Jarvis, Deborah; McLean, Wh Irwin; Irvine, Alan D; Zhang, Xue Jun; Hakonarson, Hakon; Gieger, Christian; Burchard, Esteban G; Martin, Nicholas G; Duijts, Liesbeth; Linneberg, Allan; Jarvelin, Marjo-Riitta; Noethen, Markus M; Lau, Susanne; Hübner, Norbert; Lee, Young-Ae; Tamari, Mayumi; Hinds, David A; Glass, Daniel; Brown, Sara J; Heinrich, Joachim; Evans, David M; Weidinger, Stephan

2015-12-01

Genetic association studies have identified 21 loci associated with atopic dermatitis risk predominantly in populations of European ancestry. To identify further susceptibility loci for this common, complex skin disease, we performed a meta-analysis of >15 million genetic variants in 21,399 cases and 95,464 controls from populations of European, African, Japanese and Latino ancestry, followed by replication in 32,059 cases and 228,628 controls from 18 studies. We identified ten new risk loci, bringing the total number of known atopic dermatitis risk loci to 31 (with new secondary signals at four of these loci). Notably, the new loci include candidate genes with roles in the regulation of innate host defenses and T cell function, underscoring the important contribution of (auto)immune mechanisms to atopic dermatitis pathogenesis.

Operationalising resilience in longitudinal studies: a systematic review of methodological approaches.

PubMed

Cosco, T D; Kaushal, A; Hardy, R; Richards, M; Kuh, D; Stafford, M

2017-01-01

Over the life course, we are invariably faced with some form of adversity. The process of positively adapting to adverse events is known as 'resilience'. Despite the acknowledgement of 2 common components of resilience, that is, adversity and positive adaptation, no consensus operational definition has been agreed. Resilience operationalisations have been reviewed in a cross-sectional context; however, a review of longitudinal methods of operationalising resilience has not been conducted. The present study conducts a systematic review across Scopus and Web of Science capturing studies of ageing that posited operational definitions of resilience in longitudinal studies of ageing. Thirty-six studies met inclusion criteria. Non-acute events, for example, cancer, were the most common form of adversity identified and psychological components, for example, the absence of depression, the most common forms of positive adaptation. Of the included studies, 4 used psychometrically driven methods, that is, repeated administration of established resilience metrics, 9 used definition-driven methods, that is, a priori establishment of resilience components and criteria, and 23 used data-driven methods, that is, techniques that identify resilient individuals using latent variable models. Acknowledging the strengths and limitations of each operationalisation is integral to the appropriate application of these methods to life course and longitudinal resilience research. 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/.

Identifying Barriers to Knowledge Management in the US Military

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-12-16

research as: ethnographies , grounded theory , case studies , and phenomenological studies . Myers (1997) offers a slightly...different view offering that the more common qualitative research designs include action research , case study research , and ethnography . Regardless of...many meanings. “It can be used to describe a unit of analysis (e.g., a case study of a particular organization) or to describe a

Screening for autism identifies behavioral disorders in children functional defecation disorders.

PubMed

Kuizenga-Wessel, Sophie; Di Lorenzo, Carlo; Nicholson, Lisa M; Butter, Eric M; Ratliff-Schaub, Karen L; Benninga, Marc A; Williams, Kent C

2016-10-01

This study prospectively assessed whether positive screening surveys for autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in children with functional defecation disorders (FDDs) accurately identify ASD. Parents of children (4-12 years) who met Rome III criteria for functional constipation (FC), FC with fecal incontinence (FI) and functional nonretentive FI (FNRFI) completed two ASD screening surveys. Children with positive screens were referred for psychological evaluation, and a year later, follow-up surveys were conducted. Of the 97 study participants, 30.9 % were diagnosed with FC, 62.9 % with FC with FI, and 6.2 % with FNRFI. ASD surveys were positive for 27 children (27.8 %). New DSM diagnoses were made in 10 out of the 15 children that completed further evaluation. Two (2.1 %) met criteria for ASD, and 12 (12.4 %) met criteria for other behavioral disorders. Average SRS and SCQ-L scores were higher in subjects with FC with FI as compared to FC alone and in those who reported no improvement versus those who reported improvement 1 year later. While positive ASD screening surveys did not correctly identify ASD in the majority, it did help to identify other unrecognized behavioral disorders in children with FDD. High screening scores were more common in children with FC with FI and in children with poorer responses to current medical treatments. •A prior study found that 29 % of children with FDD scored positive on ASD screening questionnaires. •Whether positive screens correctly identify ASD in children with FDD is unknown. What is New: •This study shows that positive ASD screens do not correctly identify ASD in children with FDD. However, the use of ASD screening questionnaires can identify previously unrecognized and untreated behavioral/developmental disorders in children with FDD. •High screening scores are more common in children with FC with FI and in children with poorer responses to current medical treatments.

Defining hip fracture with claims data: outpatient and provider claims matter.

PubMed

Berry, S D; Zullo, A R; McConeghy, K; Lee, Y; Daiello, L; Kiel, D P

2017-07-01

Medicare claims are commonly used to identify hip fractures, but there is no universally accepted definition. We found that a definition using inpatient claims identified fewer fractures than a definition including outpatient and provider claims. Few additional fractures were identified by including inconsistent diagnostic and procedural codes at contiguous sites. Medicare claims data is commonly used in research studies to identify hip fractures, but there is no universally accepted definition of fracture. Our purpose was to describe potential misclassification when hip fractures are defined using Medicare Part A (inpatient) claims without considering Part B (outpatient and provider) claims and when inconsistent diagnostic and procedural codes occur at contiguous fracture sites (e.g., femoral shaft or pelvic). Participants included all long-stay nursing home residents enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B fee-for-service between 1/1/2008 and 12/31/2009 with follow-up through 12/31/2011. We compared the number of hip fractures identified using only Part A claims to (1) Part A plus Part B claims and (2) Part A and Part B claims plus discordant codes at contiguous fracture sites. Among 1,257,279 long-stay residents, 40,932 (3.2%) met the definition of hip fracture using Part A claims, and 41,687 residents (3.3%) met the definition using Part B claims. 4566 hip fractures identified using Part B claims would not have been captured using Part A claims. An additional 227 hip fractures were identified after considering contiguous fracture sites. When ascertaining hip fractures, a definition using outpatient and provider claims identified 11% more fractures than a definition with only inpatient claims. Future studies should publish their definition of fracture and specify if diagnostic codes from contiguous fracture sites were used.

Common and unique associated factors for medically unexplained chronic widespread pain and chronic fatigue☆

PubMed Central

McBeth, J.; Tomenson, B.; Chew-Graham, C.A.; Macfarlane, G.J.; Jackson, J.; Littlewood, A.; Creed, F.H.

2015-01-01

Objective Chronic widespread pain and chronic fatigue share common associated factors but these associations may be explained by the presence of concurrent depression and anxiety. Methods We mailed questionnaires to a randomly selected sample of people in the UK to identify participants with chronic widespread pain (ACR 1990 definition) and those with chronic fatigue. The questionnaire assessed sociodemographic factors, health status, healthcare use, childhood factors, adult attachment, and psychological stress including anxiety and depression. To identify persons with unexplained chronic widespread pain or unexplained chronic fatigue; we examined participant's medical records to exclude medical illness that might cause these symptoms. Results Of 1443 participants (58.0% response rate) medical records of 990 were examined. 9.4% (N = 93) had unexplained chronic widespread pain and 12.6% (N = 125) had unexplained chronic fatigue. Marital status, childhood psychological abuse, recent threatening experiences and other somatic symptoms were commonly associated with both widespread pain and fatigue. No common effect was found for few years of education and current medical illnesses (more strongly associated with chronic widespread pain) or recent illness in a close relative, neuroticism, depression and anxiety scores (more strongly associated with chronic fatigue). Putative associated factors with a common effect were associated with unexplained chronic widespread pain or unexplained chronic fatigue only when there was concurrent anxiety and/or depression. Discussion This study suggests that the associated factors for chronic widespread pain and chronic fatigue need to be studied in conjunction with concurrent depression/anxiety. Clinicians should be aware of the importance of concurrent anxiety or depression. PMID:26652592

Common variants at the CHEK2 gene locus and risk of epithelial ovarian cancer.

PubMed

Lawrenson, Kate; Iversen, Edwin S; Tyrer, Jonathan; Weber, Rachel Palmieri; Concannon, Patrick; Hazelett, Dennis J; Li, Qiyuan; Marks, Jeffrey R; Berchuck, Andrew; Lee, Janet M; Aben, Katja K H; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Antonenkova, Natalia; Bandera, Elisa V; Bean, Yukie; Beckmann, Matthias W; Bisogna, Maria; Bjorge, Line; Bogdanova, Natalia; Brinton, Louise A; Brooks-Wilson, Angela; Bruinsma, Fiona; Butzow, Ralf; Campbell, Ian G; Carty, Karen; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Chenevix-Trench, Georgia; Chen, Ann; Chen, Zhihua; Cook, Linda S; Cramer, Daniel W; Cunningham, Julie M; Cybulski, Cezary; Plisiecka-Halasa, Joanna; Dennis, Joe; Dicks, Ed; Doherty, Jennifer A; Dörk, Thilo; du Bois, Andreas; Eccles, Diana; Easton, Douglas T; Edwards, Robert P; Eilber, Ursula; Ekici, Arif B; Fasching, Peter A; Fridley, Brooke L; Gao, Yu-Tang; Gentry-Maharaj, Aleksandra; Giles, Graham G; Glasspool, Rosalind; Goode, Ellen L; Goodman, Marc T; Gronwald, Jacek; Harter, Philipp; Hasmad, Hanis Nazihah; Hein, Alexander; Heitz, Florian; Hildebrandt, Michelle A T; Hillemanns, Peter; Hogdall, Estrid; Hogdall, Claus; Hosono, Satoyo; Jakubowska, Anna; Paul, James; Jensen, Allan; Karlan, Beth Y; Kjaer, Susanne Kruger; Kelemen, Linda E; Kellar, Melissa; Kelley, Joseph L; Kiemeney, Lambertus A; Krakstad, Camilla; Lambrechts, Diether; Lambrechts, Sandrina; Le, Nhu D; Lee, Alice W; Cannioto, Rikki; Leminen, Arto; Lester, Jenny; Levine, Douglas A; Liang, Dong; Lissowska, Jolanta; Lu, Karen; Lubinski, Jan; Lundvall, Lene; Massuger, Leon F A G; Matsuo, Keitaro; McGuire, Valerie; McLaughlin, John R; Nevanlinna, Heli; McNeish, Iain; Menon, Usha; Modugno, Francesmary; Moysich, Kirsten B; Narod, Steven A; Nedergaard, Lotte; Ness, Roberta B; Noor Azmi, Mat Adenan; Odunsi, Kunle; Olson, Sara H; Orlow, Irene; Orsulic, Sandra; Pearce, Celeste L; Pejovic, Tanja; Pelttari, Liisa M; Permuth-Wey, Jennifer; Phelan, Catherine M; Pike, Malcolm C; Poole, Elizabeth M; Ramus, Susan J; Risch, Harvey A; Rosen, Barry; Rossing, Mary Anne; Rothstein, Joseph H; Rudolph, Anja; Runnebaum, Ingo B; Rzepecka, Iwona K; Salvesen, Helga B; Budzilowska, Agnieszka; Sellers, Thomas A; Shu, Xiao-Ou; Shvetsov, Yurii B; Siddiqui, Nadeem; Sieh, Weiva; Song, Honglin; Southey, Melissa C; Sucheston, Lara; Tangen, Ingvild L; Teo, Soo-Hwang; Terry, Kathryn L; Thompson, Pamela J; Timorek, Agnieszka; Tworoger, Shelley S; Van Nieuwenhuysen, Els; Vergote, Ignace; Vierkant, Robert A; Wang-Gohrke, Shan; Walsh, Christine; Wentzensen, Nicolas; Whittemore, Alice S; Wicklund, Kristine G; Wilkens, Lynne R; Woo, Yin-Ling; Wu, Xifeng; Wu, Anna H; Yang, Hannah; Zheng, Wei; Ziogas, Argyrios; Coetzee, Gerhard A; Freedman, Matthew L; Monteiro, Alvaro N A; Moes-Sosnowska, Joanna; Kupryjanczyk, Jolanta; Pharoah, Paul D; Gayther, Simon A; Schildkraut, Joellen M

2015-11-01

Genome-wide association studies have identified 20 genomic regions associated with risk of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), but many additional risk variants may exist. Here, we evaluated associations between common genetic variants [single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and indels] in DNA repair genes and EOC risk. We genotyped 2896 common variants at 143 gene loci in DNA samples from 15 397 patients with invasive EOC and controls. We found evidence of associations with EOC risk for variants at FANCA, EXO1, E2F4, E2F2, CREB5 and CHEK2 genes (P ≤ 0.001). The strongest risk association was for CHEK2 SNP rs17507066 with serous EOC (P = 4.74 x 10(-7)). Additional genotyping and imputation of genotypes from the 1000 genomes project identified a slightly more significant association for CHEK2 SNP rs6005807 (r (2) with rs17507066 = 0.84, odds ratio (OR) 1.17, 95% CI 1.11-1.24, P = 1.1×10(-7)). We identified 293 variants in the region with likelihood ratios of less than 1:100 for representing the causal variant. Functional annotation identified 25 candidate SNPs that alter transcription factor binding sites within regulatory elements active in EOC precursor tissues. In The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset, CHEK2 gene expression was significantly higher in primary EOCs compared to normal fallopian tube tissues (P = 3.72×10(-8)). We also identified an association between genotypes of the candidate causal SNP rs12166475 (r (2) = 0.99 with rs6005807) and CHEK2 expression (P = 2.70×10(-8)). These data suggest that common variants at 22q12.1 are associated with risk of serous EOC and CHEK2 as a plausible target susceptibility gene. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Structural dynamics technology research in NASA: Perspective on future needs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

The perspective of a NASA ad hoc study group on future research needs in structural dynamics within the aerospace industry is presented. The common aspects of the design process across the industry are identified and the role of structural dynamics is established through a discussion of various design considerations having their basis in structural dynamics. The specific structural dynamics issues involved are identified and assessed as to their current technological status and trends. Projections of future requirements based on this assessment are made and areas of research to meet them are identified.

Consequences of common data analysis inaccuracies in CNS trauma injury basic research.

PubMed

Burke, Darlene A; Whittemore, Scott R; Magnuson, David S K

2013-05-15

The development of successful treatments for humans after traumatic brain or spinal cord injuries (TBI and SCI, respectively) requires animal research. This effort can be hampered when promising experimental results cannot be replicated because of incorrect data analysis procedures. To identify and hopefully avoid these errors in future studies, the articles in seven journals with the highest number of basic science central nervous system TBI and SCI animal research studies published in 2010 (N=125 articles) were reviewed for their data analysis procedures. After identifying the most common statistical errors, the implications of those findings were demonstrated by reanalyzing previously published data from our laboratories using the identified inappropriate statistical procedures, then comparing the two sets of results. Overall, 70% of the articles contained at least one type of inappropriate statistical procedure. The highest percentage involved incorrect post hoc t-tests (56.4%), followed by inappropriate parametric statistics (analysis of variance and t-test; 37.6%). Repeated Measures analysis was inappropriately missing in 52.0% of all articles and, among those with behavioral assessments, 58% were analyzed incorrectly. Reanalysis of our published data using the most common inappropriate statistical procedures resulted in a 14.1% average increase in significant effects compared to the original results. Specifically, an increase of 15.5% occurred with Independent t-tests and 11.1% after incorrect post hoc t-tests. Utilizing proper statistical procedures can allow more-definitive conclusions, facilitate replicability of research results, and enable more accurate translation of those results to the clinic.

Drug incompatibilities in the adult intensive care unit of a university hospital

PubMed Central

Marsilio, Naiane Roveda; da Silva, Daiandy; Bueno, Denise

2016-01-01

Objectives This study sought to identify the physical and chemical incompatibilities among the drugs administered intravenously to patients admitted to an adult intensive care unit. We also aimed to establish pharmaceutical guidelines for administering incompatible drugs. Methods This cross-sectional, prospective, and quantitative study was conducted from July to September 2015. Drug incompatibilities were identified based on an analysis of the patient prescriptions available in the hospital online management system. A pharmaceutical intervention was performed using the guidelines on the preparation and administration of incompatible drugs. Adherence to those guidelines was subsequently assessed among the nursing staff. Results A total of 100 prescriptions were analyzed; 68 were incompatible with the intravenous drugs prescribed. A total of 271 drug incompatibilities were found, averaging 4.0 ± 3.3 incompatibilities per prescription. The most commonly found drug incompatibilities were between midazolam and hydrocortisone (8.9%), between cefepime and midazolam (5.2%), and between hydrocortisone and vancomycin (5.2%). The drugs most commonly involved in incompatibilities were midazolam, hydrocortisone, and vancomycin. The most common incompatibilities occurred when a drug was administered via continuous infusion and another was administered intermittently (50%). Of the 68 prescriptions that led to pharmaceutical guidelines, 45 (66.2%) were fully adhered to by the nursing staff. Conclusion Patients under intensive care were subjected to a high rate of incompatibilities. Drug incompatibilities can be identified and eliminated by the pharmacist on the multidisciplinary team, thereby reducing undesirable effects among patients. PMID:27410410

The epidemiology of Candida species associated with vulvovaginal candidiasis in an Iranian patient population.

PubMed

Mahmoudi Rad, M; Zafarghandi, S; Abbasabadi, B; Tavallaee, M

2011-04-01

Vulvovaginal candidiasis is a common infection among women worldwide. According to previous epidemiological studies, Candida albicans is the most common species of Candida. The prevalence of non-Candida species, however, is increasing. Identification of Candida species among the population will not only help health professionals to choose suitable antifungal treatments, but also prevent development of drug resistance. The aim of this study was to identify, using chromogenic agar medium, the Candida species associated with vulvovaginal candidiasis among a sample of the Iranian population. In a prospective cohort study during a two year period from March 2006 to March 2008, swab samples of vaginal discharge/secretion were taken from 200 patients admitted to the gynecology clinic of Mahdieh Hospital (Tehran, Iran) with a clinical presentation suggestive of vulvovaginal candidiasis. The isolates obtained were cultured on Sabouraud dextrose agar and chromogenic agar medium. Candida species were also identified by germ tube formation in serum, chlamydospore production on Corn Meal Agar and carbohydrate absorption using the API 20C-AUX kit. Participants were asked to complete a questionnaire investigating the risk factors associated with candidiasis. An assessment of the different species of recurrent and non-recurrent candidiasis was also made. Descriptive statistics, chi-square test, and t-test were used to analyze the data. A total of 191 isolates were obtained from 175 vaginal specimens. Candida albicans accounted for 67% of the strains including single and mixed infections. The other identified species were Candida glabrata (18.3%), Candida tropicalis (6.8%), Candida krusei (5.8%), Candida parapsilosis (1.6%), and Candida guilliermondii (0.5%) respectively. Mixed infection with two or more species of Candida was seen in 10.3% of patients. The most common mixed cause was the combination of Candida albicans and Candida glabrata. Participants who were sexually active and those who had orogenital sex were more likely to suffer recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis. Candida albicans was the most common cause of recurrent and non-recurrent vulvovaginitis. The second most common species was Candida glabrata. This study suggests CHROMagar method as a convenient and cost effective yet reliable method to isolate the species of Candida especially in cases where more than one species is present. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A common feature pharmacophore for FDA-approved drugs inhibiting the Ebola virus.

PubMed

Ekins, Sean; Freundlich, Joel S; Coffee, Megan

2014-01-01

We are currently faced with a global infectious disease crisis which has been anticipated for decades. While many promising biotherapeutics are being tested, the search for a small molecule has yet to deliver an approved drug or therapeutic for the Ebola or similar filoviruses that cause haemorrhagic fever. Two recent high throughput screens published in 2013 did however identify several hits that progressed to animal studies that are FDA approved drugs used for other indications. The current computational analysis uses these molecules from two different structural classes to construct a common features pharmacophore. This ligand-based pharmacophore implicates a possible common target or mechanism that could be further explored. A recent structure based design project yielded nine co-crystal structures of pyrrolidinone inhibitors bound to the viral protein 35 (VP35). When receptor-ligand pharmacophores based on the analogs of these molecules and the protein structures were constructed, the molecular features partially overlapped with the common features of solely ligand-based pharmacophore models based on FDA approved drugs. These previously identified FDA approved drugs with activity against Ebola were therefore docked into this protein. The antimalarials chloroquine and amodiaquine docked favorably in VP35. We propose that these drugs identified to date as inhibitors of the Ebola virus may be targeting VP35. These computational models may provide preliminary insights into the molecular features that are responsible for their activity against Ebola virus in vitro and in vivo and we propose that this hypothesis could be readily tested.

Molecular characterization of high performance inbred lines of Brazilian common beans.

PubMed

Cardoso, P C B; Veiga, M M; de Menezes, I P P; Valdisser, P A M R; Borba, T C O; Melo, L C; Del Peloso, M J; Brondani, C; Vianello, R P

2013-02-06

The identification of germplasm genetic variability in breeding programs of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) is essential for determining the potential of each combination of parent plants to obtain superior genotypes. The present study aimed to estimated the extent of genetic diversity in 172 lineages and cultivars of the common bean by integrating five tests of value for cultivation and use (VCU) that were conducted over the last eight years by the breeding program of Embrapa Arroz e Feijão in Brazil. Nine multilocus genotyping systems composed of 36 fluorescent microsatellite markers distributed across 11 different chromosomes of the common bean were used, of which 24 were polymorphic in all trials. One hundred and eighty-seven alleles were identified, with an average of 7.79 alleles per locus and an average gene diversity of 0.65. The combined probability of identity for all loci was 1.32 x 10(-16). Lineages that are more genetically divergent between the selection cycles were identified, allowing the breeding program to develop a crossbreed between elite genotypes with a low degree of genetic relatedness. HE values ranged from 0.31 to 0.63, with a large reduction in the genetic base over successive selection cycles. The test showed a significant degree of differentiation (FST = 0.159). Private alleles (26%) were identified and can be directly incorporated into the gene pool of cultivated germplasm, thereby contributing effectively to the expansion of genetic diversity in this bean-breeding program.

Prehospital Interventions During Mass-Casualty Events in Afghanistan: A Case Analysis.

PubMed

Schauer, Steven G; April, Michael D; Simon, Erica; Maddry, Joseph K; Carter, Robert; Delorenzo, Robert A

2017-08-01

Mass-casualty (MASCAL) events are known to occur in the combat setting. There are very limited data at this time from the Joint Theater (Iraq and Afghanistan) wars specific to MASCAL events. The purpose of this report was to provide preliminary data for the development of prehospital planning and guidelines. Cases were identified using the Department of Defense (DoD; Virginia USA) Trauma Registry (DoDTR) and the Prehospital Trauma Registry (PHTR). These cases were identified as part of a research study evaluating Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) guidelines. Cases that were designated as or associated with denoted MASCAL events were included. Data Fifty subjects were identified during the course of this project. Explosives were the most common cause of injuries. There was a wide range of vital signs. Tourniquet placement and pressure dressings were the most common interventions, followed by analgesia administration. Oral transmucosal fentanyl citrate (OTFC) was the most common parenteral analgesic drug administered. Most were evacuated as "routine." Follow-up data were available for 36 of the subjects and 97% were discharged alive. The most common prehospital interventions were tourniquet and pressure dressing hemorrhage control, along with pain medication administration. Larger data sets are needed to guide development of MASCAL in-theater clinical practice guidelines. Schauer SG , April MD , Simon E , Maddry JK , Carter R III , Delorenzo RA . Prehospital interventions during mass-casualty events in Afghanistan: a case analysis. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(4):465-468.

A common feature pharmacophore for FDA-approved drugs inhibiting the Ebola virus

PubMed Central

Ekins, Sean; Freundlich, Joel S.; Coffee, Megan

2014-01-01

We are currently faced with a global infectious disease crisis which has been anticipated for decades. While many promising biotherapeutics are being tested, the search for a small molecule has yet to deliver an approved drug or therapeutic for the Ebola or similar filoviruses that cause haemorrhagic fever. Two recent high throughput screens published in 2013 did however identify several hits that progressed to animal studies that are FDA approved drugs used for other indications. The current computational analysis uses these molecules from two different structural classes to construct a common features pharmacophore. This ligand-based pharmacophore implicates a possible common target or mechanism that could be further explored. A recent structure based design project yielded nine co-crystal structures of pyrrolidinone inhibitors bound to the viral protein 35 (VP35). When receptor-ligand pharmacophores based on the analogs of these molecules and the protein structures were constructed, the molecular features partially overlapped with the common features of solely ligand-based pharmacophore models based on FDA approved drugs. These previously identified FDA approved drugs with activity against Ebola were therefore docked into this protein. The antimalarials chloroquine and amodiaquine docked favorably in VP35. We propose that these drugs identified to date as inhibitors of the Ebola virus may be targeting VP35. These computational models may provide preliminary insights into the molecular features that are responsible for their activity against Ebola virus in vitro and in vivo and we propose that this hypothesis could be readily tested. PMID:25653841

Incidence, nature, and etiology of metabolic alkalosis in dogs and cats.

PubMed

Ha, Y-S; Hopper, K; Epstein, S E

2013-01-01

The incidence and causes of metabolic alkalosis in dogs and cats have not been fully investigated. To describe the incidence, nature, and etiology of metabolic alkalosis in dogs and cats undergoing blood gas analysis at a veterinary teaching hospital. Dogs and cats at a veterinary medical teaching hospital. Acid-base and electrolyte results for dogs and cats measured during a 13-month period were retrospectively collected from a computer database. Only the first measured (venous or arterial) blood gas analyzed in a single hospitalization period was included. Animals with a base excess above the reference range for the species were included. A total of 1,805 dogs and cats were included. Of these, 349 (19%) were identified as having an increased standardized base excess, 319 dogs and 30 cats. The mixed acid-base disorder of metabolic alkalosis with respiratory acidosis was the most common abnormality identified in both dogs and cats. Hypokalemia and hypochloremia were more common in animals with metabolic alkalosis compared to animals without metabolic alkalosis. The 4 most commonly identified underlying diseases were respiratory disease, gastrointestinal tract obstruction, furosemide administration, and renal disease. Metabolic alkalosis was less common than metabolic acidosis in the same population of animals. Evidence of contraction alkalosis was present in many patients in this study. Hypokalemia and hypochloremia were more frequent in patients with metabolic alkalosis and suggest the importance of evaluation of acid-base status in conjunction with serum electrolyte concentrations. Copyright © 2013 by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

Shared molecular networks in orofacial and neural tube development.

PubMed

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

2017-01-30

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

Trends in health sciences library and information science research: an analysis of research publications in the Bulletin of the Medical Library Association and Journal of the Medical Library Association from 1991 to 2007*

PubMed Central

Gore, Sally A.; Nordberg, Judith M.; Palmer, Lisa A.

2009-01-01

Objective: This study analyzed trends in research activity as represented in the published research in the leading peer-reviewed professional journal for health sciences librarianship. Methodology: Research articles were identified from the Bulletin of the Medical Library Association and Journal of the Medical Library Association (1991–2007). Using content analysis and bibliometric techniques, data were collected for each article on the (1) subject, (2) research method, (3) analytical technique used, (4) number of authors, (5) number of citations, (6) first author affiliation, and (7) funding source. The results were compared to a previous study, covering the period 1966 to 1990, to identify changes over time. Results: Of the 930 articles examined, 474 (51%) were identified as research articles. Survey (n = 174, 37.1%) was the most common methodology employed, quantitative descriptive statistics (n = 298, 63.5%) the most used analytical technique, and applied topics (n = 332, 70%) the most common type of subject studied. The majority of first authors were associated with an academic health sciences library (n = 264, 55.7%). Only 27.4% (n = 130) of studies identified a funding source. Conclusion: This study's findings demonstrate that progress is being made in health sciences librarianship research. There is, however, room for improvement in terms of research methodologies used, proportion of applied versus theoretical research, and elimination of barriers to conducting research for practicing librarians. PMID:19626146

A Systematic Review of Behavioral Health Interventions for Sex Offenders With Intellectual Disabilities

PubMed Central

Marotta, Phillip L.

2015-01-01

This article reviews evaluation studies of programs designed to treat sex offenders with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) published in peer-reviewed journals between 1994 and 2014. The design of this study is mirrored after PRISMA (Preferred Reporting of Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) recommendations for conducting a systematic literature review. The study design, study setting, characteristics of participants, type of treatment, and intervention procedures comprise areas of focus for evaluating the implementation of treatment programs. Therapeutic outcomes include changes in attitudes consistent with sex offending, victim empathy, sexual knowledge, cognitive distortions, and problem sexual behaviors. Eighteen treatment evaluation studies were identified from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. Cognitive-behavioral treatments were the most commonly delivered treatment modality to sex offenders with IDD. Other less common treatments were dialectical behavioral therapy, problem solving therapy, mindfulness, and relapse prevention. No randomized controlled trials were identified. The most common designs were multiple case studies and pre- and post-treatment assessments with no control and repeated measures follow-up. Small sample sizes, no control groups, and wide variation in treatment length and follow-up time complicate the qualitative synthesis of study findings. Short follow-up times introduce the potential for bias in conclusions surrounding treatment efficacy for many of the studies reviewed in this analysis. The overall quality of studies examining treatments for sex offenders with IDD is poor and requires further development before rendering firm conclusions about the effectiveness of interventions for this population. PMID:25667227

Longitudinal trends in HbA1c patterns and association with outcomes: A systematic review.

PubMed

Luo, Miyang; Tan, Kristin Hui Xian; Tan, Chuen Seng; Lim, Wei Yen; Tai, E-Shyong; Venkataraman, Kavita

2018-04-17

This study aimed to review studies that identified patterns of longitudinal HbA 1c trends in patients with diabetes and to summarize factors and outcomes associated with distinct trajectory patterns. PubMed and Web of Science were systematically searched for studies examining HbA 1c trends among patients with diabetes from database inception through September 2017. Articles were included if they met the following inclusion criteria: (a) longitudinal study of subjects with diabetes only, (b) use of serial measurements of HbA 1c , and (c) analysis of the trend of HbA 1c using group-based trajectory approaches. Twenty studies were included, 11 on type 1 diabetes and 9 on type 2 diabetes. These studies identified 2 to 6 HbA 1c trajectory patterns. The most commonly identified patterns included stable HbA 1c around 7.0% and at levels between 8.0% and 9.9%, which usually captured the HbA 1c pattern among the majority of subjects in the study population. Unstable patterns identified included increasing HbA 1c trend, decreasing HbA 1c trend, and non-linear patterns. These patterns were associated with differential risk of disease outcomes, over and beyond single-point HbA 1c measures. Age, gender, ethnicity, diabetes duration, disease management frequency, cardiovascular risk factors, insulin treatment, family environment, and psychosocial factors were the most frequently reported factors associated with membership of specific HbA 1c pattern groups. Common patterns of longitudinal HbA 1c trends were identified despite heterogeneity among the studies. A better understanding of what underlies these different patterns may provide opportunities to tailor therapies and care for these patients to reduce adverse outcomes. © 2018 The Authors. Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.