Maternal pre-pregnancy overweight and obesity, and child neuropsychological development: two Southern European birth cohort studies.

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Casas, Maribel; Chatzi, Leda; Carsin, Anne-Elie; Amiano, Pilar; Guxens, Mònica; Kogevinas, Manolis; Koutra, Katerina; Lertxundi, Nerea; Murcia, Mario; Rebagliato, Marisa; Riaño, Isolina; Rodríguez-Bernal, Clara L; Roumeliotaki, Theano; Sunyer, Jordi; Mendez, Michelle; Vrijheid, Martine

2013-04-01

Maternal pre-pregnancy obesity may be associated with impaired infant neuropsychological development; however, there are few studies and it is unclear if reported associations are due to intrauterine mechanisms. We assessed whether maternal pre-pregnancy overweight and obesity were associated with cognitive and psychomotor development scores (mean 100 ± 15) of children aged 11-22 months in two birth cohorts: Environment and Childhood (INMA, Spain; n = 1967) and Mother-Child (RHEA, Greece: n = 412). Paternal body mass index (BMI) was used as a negative control exposure. The percentage of overweight and obese mothers was 18% and 8%, respectively, in INMA and 20% and 11% in RHEA, respectively. Maternal pre-pregnancy obesity was associated with reduced infant cognitive development scores in both INMA (score reduction: -2.72; 95% CI: -5.35, -0.10) and RHEA (score reduction: -3.71; 95% CI: -8.45, 1.02), after adjusting for socioeconomic variables and paternal BMI. There was evidence in both cohorts of a dose-response relationship with continuous maternal BMI. Paternal overweight/obesity was not associated with infant cognitive development. Associations with psychomotor scores were not consistent between cohorts, and were stronger for paternal than maternal BMI in RHEA. This study in two birth cohorts with moderately high obesity prevalence suggests that maternal pre-pregnancy obesity is associated with reduced child cognitive development at early ages. This association appears more likely to be due to maternal than shared family and social mechanisms, but further research is needed to disentangle a direct intrauterine effect from other maternal confounding factors.

Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Substances and Metabolic Outcomes in Pregnant Women: Evidence from the Spanish INMA Birth Cohorts.

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Matilla-Santander, Nuria; Valvi, Damaskini; Lopez-Espinosa, Maria-Jose; Manzano-Salgado, Cyntia B; Ballester, Ferran; Ibarluzea, Jesús; Santa-Marina, Loreto; Schettgen, Thomas; Guxens, Mònica; Sunyer, Jordi; Vrijheid, Martine

2017-11-13

Exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) may increase risk for metabolic diseases; however, epidemiologic evidence is lacking at the present time. Pregnancy is a period of enhanced tissue plasticity for the fetus and the mother and may be a critical window of PFAS exposure susceptibility. We evaluated the associations between PFAS exposures and metabolic outcomes in pregnant women. We analyzed 1,240 pregnant women from the Spanish INMA [Environment and Childhood Project (INfancia y Medio Ambiente)] birth cohort study (recruitment period: 2003-2008) with measured first pregnancy trimester plasma concentrations of four PFASs (in nanograms/milliliter). We used logistic regression models to estimate associations of PFASs (log 10 -transformed and categorized into quartiles) with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), and we used linear regression models to estimate associations with first-trimester serum levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, and C-reactive protein (CRP). Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) were positively associated with IGT (137 cases) [OR per log 10 -unit increase=1.99 (95% CI: 1.06, 3.78) and OR=1.65 ( 95% CI: 0.99, 2.76), respectively]. PFOS and PFHxS associations with GDM (53 cases) were in a similar direction, but less precise. PFOS and perfluorononanoate (PFNA) were negatively associated with triglyceride levels [percent median change per log 10 -unit increase=-5.86% (95% CI: -9.91%, -1.63%) and percent median change per log 10 -unit increase=-4.75% (95% CI: -8.16%, -0.61%, respectively], whereas perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) was positively associated with total cholesterol [percent median change per log 10 -unit increase=1.26% (95% CI: 0.01%, 2.54%)]. PFASs were not associated with CRP in the subset of the population with available data ( n =640). Although further confirmation is required, the findings from this study suggest that PFAS exposures during pregnancy may

Child health and the environment: the INMA Spanish Study.

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Ribas-Fitó, Núria; Ramón, Rosa; Ballester, Ferran; Grimalt, Joan; Marco, Alfredo; Olea, Nicolás; Posada, Manuel; Rebagliato, Marisa; Tardón, Adonina; Torrent, Maties; Sunyer, Jordi

2006-09-01

The INMA (INfancia y Medio Ambiente [Environment and Childhood]) is a population-based cohort study in different Spanish cities, that focuses on prenatal environmental exposures and growth, development and health from early fetal life until childhood. The study focuses on five primary areas of research: (1) growth and physical development; (2) behavioural and cognitive development; (3) asthma and allergies; (4) sexual and reproductive development; and (5) environmental exposure pathways. The general aims of the project are: (1) to describe the degree of individual prenatal exposure to environmental pollutants, and the internal dose of chemicals during pregnancy, at birth and during childhood in Spain; (2) to evaluate the impact of the exposure to different contaminants on fetal and infant growth, health and development; (3) to evaluate the role of diet on fetal and infant growth, health and development; and (4) to evaluate the interaction between persistent pollutants, nutrients and genetic determinants on fetal and infant growth, health and development. Extensive assessments will be carried out on 3100 pregnant women and children. Data will be collected by physical examinations, questionnaires, interviews, ultrasound and biological samples. Pregnant women are being assessed at 12, 20 and 32 weeks of gestation to collect information about environmental exposures and fetal growth. The children will be followed until the age of 4 years.

Drinking water disinfection by-products during pregnancy and child neuropsychological development in the INMA Spanish cohort study.

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Villanueva, Cristina M; Gracia-Lavedan, Esther; Julvez, Jordi; Santa-Marina, Loreto; Lertxundi, Nerea; Ibarluzea, Jesús; Llop, Sabrina; Ballester, Ferran; Fernández-Somoano, Ana; Tardón, Adonina; Vrijheid, Martine; Guxens, Mònica; Sunyer, Jordi

2018-01-01

Disinfection by-products (DBPs) constitute a complex mixture of prevalent chemicals in drinking water and there is evidence of neurotoxicity for some of them. We evaluated the association between estimates of DBP exposure during pregnancy and child neuropsychological outcomes at 1 and 4-5years of age. We conducted a population-based mother-child cohort study in Spain with recruitment at first trimester of gestation (INMA Project, 2003-2008). Neuropsychological development was measured at 1year of age using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development and at 4-5years with the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities. Modeled tap water concentrations of trihalomethanes (THM) were combined with personal ingestion, showering and bathing habits to estimate exposure as ingestion uptake, all route (showering, bathing, ingestion) uptake (μg/day) and crude levels (μg/l) in the residence. Chloroform, brominated THMs (bromodichloromethane, dibromochloromethane, bromoform) and total THMs (chloroform and brominated THMs) were analysed separately. Nine haloacetic acids levels were available in one of the areas. Linear regression was used to estimate associations in 1855 subjects adjusting for covariables. The median concentration of total THMs, chloroform, brominated THMs, total haloacetic acids, dichloroacetic acid, and trichloroacetic acid were, respectively 30.3μg/L, 9.4μg/L, 11.6μg/L, 10.5μg/L, 2.7μg/L, and 3.1μg/L. The associations between THM exposure and neuropsychological outcomes were null, except for total and brominated THM uptake though all routes and the general cognitive score at 4-5years, with a decrease in -0.54 points (95%CI -1.03, -0.05) and -0.64 (95%CI -1.16, -0.12), respectively, for doubling total and brominated THM uptake. A positive association found between dichloroacetic acid and the mental score at 1year did not persist at 4-5years. Minor associations observed between DBP exposure during gestation and child neuropsychological development at 1year

Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Substances and Metabolic Outcomes in Pregnant Women: Evidence from the Spanish INMA Birth Cohorts

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Matilla-Santander, Nuria; Valvi, Damaskini; Lopez-Espinosa, Maria-Jose; Manzano-Salgado, Cyntia B.; Ballester, Ferran; Ibarluzea, Jesús; Santa-Marina, Loreto; Schettgen, Thomas; Guxens, Mònica; Sunyer, Jordi

2017-01-01

Background: Exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) may increase risk for metabolic diseases; however, epidemiologic evidence is lacking at the present time. Pregnancy is a period of enhanced tissue plasticity for the fetus and the mother and may be a critical window of PFAS exposure susceptibility. Objective: We evaluated the associations between PFAS exposures and metabolic outcomes in pregnant women. Methods: We analyzed 1,240 pregnant women from the Spanish INMA [Environment and Childhood Project (INfancia y Medio Ambiente)] birth cohort study (recruitment period: 2003–2008) with measured first pregnancy trimester plasma concentrations of four PFASs (in nanograms/milliliter). We used logistic regression models to estimate associations of PFASs (log10-transformed and categorized into quartiles) with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), and we used linear regression models to estimate associations with first-trimester serum levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, and C-reactive protein (CRP). Results: Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) were positively associated with IGT (137 cases) [OR per log10-unit increase=1.99 (95% CI: 1.06, 3.78) and OR=1.65 ( 95% CI: 0.99, 2.76), respectively]. PFOS and PFHxS associations with GDM (53 cases) were in a similar direction, but less precise. PFOS and perfluorononanoate (PFNA) were negatively associated with triglyceride levels [percent median change per log10-unit increase=−5.86% (95% CI: −9.91%, −1.63%) and percent median change per log10-unit increase=−4.75% (95% CI: −8.16%, −0.61%, respectively], whereas perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) was positively associated with total cholesterol [percent median change per log10-unit increase=1.26% (95% CI: 0.01%, 2.54%)]. PFASs were not associated with CRP in the subset of the population with available data (n=640). Conclusions: Although further confirmation is required, the findings from this

Prenatal co-exposure to neurotoxic metals and neurodevelopment in preschool children: The Environment and Childhood (INMA) Project.

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Freire, Carmen; Amaya, Esperanza; Gil, Fernando; Fernández, Mariana F; Murcia, Mario; Llop, Sabrina; Andiarena, Ainara; Aurrekoetxea, Juanjo; Bustamante, Mariona; Guxens, Mònica; Ezama, Esteban; Fernández-Tardón, Guillermo; Olea, Nicolás

2018-04-15

We sought to determine whether prenatal co-exposure to As, Cd, Hg, Mn, and Pb was associated with impaired neurodevelopment in preschool children from the Spanish Environment and Childhood (INMA) Project, using the placenta as exposure matrix. We measured metal levels in placenta tissue samples randomly selected from five of the seven population-based birth cohorts participating in the INMA Project, collected between 2000 and 2008. Neuropsychological assessment of cognitive and motor function was carried through the use of the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities (MSCA) at the age of 4-5years. Data on placental metal levels, MSCA scores, and relevant covariates was available for 302 children. Mn was detected in all placental samples, Cd in nearly all placentas (99%) and As, Hg, and Pb in 22%, 58%, and 17% of the placentas, respectively. After adjusting for potential confounders, detectable As levels were associated with decrements in global and verbal executive functions and quantitative abilities; detectable Hg was associated with lower scores on the verbal function of posterior cortex in a dose-response manner, and non-linearly related to poorer motor function and gross motor skills; and Mn levels were associated with decrement in perceptual-performance skills in a dose-response manner but with better memory span and quantitative skills. A synergistic interactive effect was found between As and Pb with respect to the general cognitive score, whereas an antagonistic interaction was found between Mn and Hg. Prenatal exposure to As and Hg may be a risk factor for cognitive and motor impairment in children, while the effects of Cd and Mn on neurodevelopment are less clear. Future studies should examine combined and interactive effects of exposure to multiple metals during vulnerable periods of brain development prospectively. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hours of television viewing and sleep duration in children: a multicenter birth cohort study.

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Marinelli, Marcella; Sunyer, Jordi; Alvarez-Pedrerol, Mar; Iñiguez, Carmen; Torrent, Maties; Vioque, Jesús; Turner, Michelle C; Julvez, Jordi

2014-05-01

This study used longitudinal data to examine potential associations between hours of television viewing and sleep duration in children. To examine the association between hours of television viewing and sleep duration in preschool and school-aged children. Longitudinal, multicenter study among birth cohorts in Menorca, Sabadell, and Valencia from the Spanish Infancia y Medio Ambiente (environment and childhood) project. The study sample included 1713 children (468 from Menorca, 560 from Sabadell, and 685 from Valencia). Parent-reported child television viewing duration measured in hours per day at 2 and 4 years of age in Sabadell and Valencia and at 6 and 9 years of age in Menorca. Parent-reported child sleep duration measured in hours per day at 2 and 4 years of age in Sabadell and Valencia and at 6 and 9 years of age in Menorca. In cross-sectional analysis, children with longer periods of television viewing reported at baseline (≥ 1.5 hours per day) had shorter sleep duration. Longitudinally, children with reported increases in television viewing duration over time (from <1.5 to ≥ 1.5 hours per day) had a reduction in sleep duration at follow-up visits. Results were similar when examining television viewing duration as a continuous variable, with each 1 hour per day of increased viewing decreasing sleep duration at follow-up visits (β = -0.11; 95% CI, -0.18 to -0.05). Associations were similar when television viewing duration was assessed during weekends and after adjusting for potential intermediate factors (child executive function and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms) and confounders (child physical activity level, parental mental health status, maternal IQ, and maternal marital status). Children spending longer periods watching television had shorter sleep duration. Changes in television viewing duration were inversely associated with changes in sleep duration in longitudinal analysis. Parents should consider avoiding long periods of

Dietary Intake of Trans Fatty Acids in Children Aged 4–5 in Spain: The INMA Cohort Study

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Alexander Scholz

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Trans fatty acid (TFA intake has been identified as a health hazard in adults, but data on preschool children are scarce. We analyzed the data from the Spanish INMA Project to determine the intake of total, industrial and natural TFA, their main sources and the associated socio-demographic and lifestyle factors in children aged 4–5 (n = 1793. TFA intake was estimated using a validated Food Frequency Questionnaire, and multiple linear regression was used to explore associated factors. The mean daily intakes of total, industrial and natural TFA were 1.36, 0.60, and 0.71 g/day, respectively. Ten percent of the children obtained >1% of their energy intake from TFA. The main sources of industrial TFA were fast food, white bread and processed baked goods. Milk, red and processed meat and processed baked goods were the main sources of natural TFA. Having parents from countries other than Spain was significantly associated with higher natural TFA (in mg/day intake (β 45.5 and television viewing was significantly associated with higher industrial TFA intake (β 18.3. Higher fruits and vegetables intake was significantly associated with lower intakes of all TFAs, whereas higher sweetened beverages intake was significantly associated with lower total and natural TFA intake. Thus, total and industrial TFA intake was associated with less healthy food patterns and lifestyles in Spanish preschool children.

Piscina cubierta del Club de Natación Sabadell

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Soteras Mauri, José

1963-10-01

Full Text Available Initially the Sabadell Swimming Club included the following facilities: an open air pool, 14 by 15 ms in size; a building containing the men's dressing rooms and the attendant's quarters (two levels; a woman's dressing room; sport's equipment stores; a small secretary's office; a basketball court; pelota court; children's swimming pool; sports ground and gardens. The total ground area is 6,382 ms2. The Club decided to improve the installations and build an indoor pool, which could be used throughout the year. The new indoor sporting installations cover an area of 43 by 34 ms, and serve a number of functions, including both the practice of sports by the club members and the organisation of public events, at which up to one thousand spectators can be accommodated. This new building has several sections, which are separated by dilation joints. These sections are: Section A: contains the pool and lateral stands for spectators. Section B: this is rectangular and houses the mens' dressing rooms. Section C: houses the secretary's office, public hall and ancillaries. Section D: includes the kitchen, bar, restaurant, and is circular in planform. The structure is radial, in reinforced concrete, and is completed with a rectangular block for the staircase and a lookout balcony. A solarium is situated on top of this block. The whole project is designed in accordance with the Public Spectacles Regulations. The relative positioning of these sections is evident from the exterior design, which reveals the internal functional uses. The overall project shows an interplay of masses and openings which is most pleasant.Las instalaciones que existían en la sede social del Club Natación Sabadell comprendían: una piscina descubierta de 14x25 m, cuerpo de edificio para vestuario de hombres y vivienda del Conserje, desarrollada en dos plantas, vestuario para mujeres, almacenes de material deportivo, pequeña oficina de secretaría, una pista de baloncesto, frontones

Abocats a viure a la llera del riu: el problema de l’infrahabitatge a Sabadell, 1939-1970. De l’habitatge protegit al negoci immobiliari

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Masjuan, Eduard

2015-01-01

En aquesta recerca es pretén mostrar com el dèficit crònic d’habitatge en una ciutat industrial com Sabadell de 1939 a 1970 tingué en les riuades de 1962 el motiu per consolidar les patologies del creixement desregulat dels anys anteriors, i aprofundir així en un model urbà invertebrat que donarà lloc a una difusió suburbial dins la perifèria de Barcelona. Es mostra com els poders econòmics de l’època franquista supeditaren tot intent d’urbanisme al servei de les persones a l’especulació d...

[Air pollutant exposure during pregnancy and fetal and early childhood development. Research protocol of the INMA (Childhood and Environment Project)].

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Esplugues, Ana; Fernández-Patier, Rosalía; Aguilera, Inma; Iñíguez, Carmen; García Dos Santos, Saúl; Aguirre Alfaro, Amelia; Lacasaña, Marina; Estarlich, Marisa; Grimalt, Joan O; Fernández, Marieta; Rebagliato, Marisa; Sala, María; Tardón, Adonina; Torrent, Maties; Martínez, María Dolores; Ribas-Fitó, Núria; Sunyer, Jordi; Ballester, Ferran

2007-01-01

The INMA (INfancia y Medio Ambiente [Spanish for Environment and Childhood]) project is a cooperative research network. This project aims to study the effects of environment and diet on fetal and early childhood development. This article aims to present the air pollutant exposure protocol during pregnancy and fetal and early childhood development of the INMA project. The information to assess air pollutant exposure during pregnancy is based on outdoor measurement of air pollutants (nitrogen dioxide [NO2], volatile organic compounds [VOC], ozone, particulate matter [PM10, PM2,5 ] and of their composition [polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons]); measurement of indoor and personal exposure (VOC and NO2); urinary measurement of a biological marker of hydrocarbon exposure (1-hydroxypyrene); and data gathered by questionnaires and geographic information systems. These data allow individual air pollutant exposure indexes to be developed, which can then be used to analyze the possible effects of exposure on fetal development and child health. This protocol and the type of study allow an approximation to individual air pollutant exposure to be obtained. Finally, the large number of participants (N = 4,000), as well as their geographic and social diversity, increases the study's potential.

Governing Non-Potable Water-Reuse to Alleviate Water Stress: The Case of Sabadell, Spain

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Marketa Šteflová

2018-06-01

Full Text Available The world will experience an estimated 40% freshwater supply shortage by 2030, converting water scarcity into one of the principal global challenges that modern society faces. Urban water reuse is recognized as a promising and necessary measure to alleviate the growing water stress in many regions. The transformation to widespread application of water-reuse systems requires major changes in the way water is governed, and countries such as Spain already find themselves involved in this process. Through the systematic assessment of the city of Sabadell (Spain, we aim to identify the main barriers, opportunities and transferable lessons that can enhance governance capacity to implement systems for non-potable reuse of treated wastewater in cities. It was found that continuous learning, the availability and quality of information, the level of knowledge, and strong agents of change are the main capacity-building priorities. On the other hand, awareness, multilevel network potential and implementing capacity are already well-established. It is concluded that in order to undertake a widespread application of water-reuse practices, criteria examining water quality according to its use need to be developed independently of the water’s origin. The development and implementation of such a legislative frame should be based on the experience of local water-reuse practices and continuous evaluation. Finally, the need for public engagement and adequate pricing mechanisms are emphasized.

Compuestos orgánicos persistentes y metales pesados en sangre y efectos en el desarrollo neuropsicológico de la primera infancia en las cohortes de madres-niños INMA (INfancia y Medio Ambiente

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Aritz Aranbarri Paredes

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Introducción: El proyecto INMA es un estudio multicéntrico basado en el seguimiento prospectivo de cohortes de madres-hijos en distintas áreas de la geografía española. Objetivo: Estudiar la relación entre los principales contaminantes ambientales y el desarrollo de los niños y niñas en las fases pre y postnatales. Material y Métodos: El conjunto de las cohortes comparten metodología e instrumentos de recogida de información (exposición ambiental, muestras biológicas, exámenes del desarrollo físico y neuropsicológico, cuestionarios de dieta etc. durante el crecimiento intrauterino y en las fases de seguimiento en la infancia. Resultados: Se presentan los niveles de Compuestos Orgánicos Persistentes (COP en suero del primer trimestre de embarazo y de plomo (Pb y mercurio total (Hg-T de cordón umbilical y las asociaciones con el desarrollo neuropsicológico analizadas hasta la fecha. Los COP más frecuentemente encontrados fueron el p,p ́-DDE (99% y el PCB 153 (95% con medias geométricas en suero (ng/g-lípido de 110,0 (p,p ́-DDE y 38,9 (PCB 153. La media geométrica y el nivel máximo de Pb fueron 1,06 μg/dL y 19 μg/dL, respectivamente. La media geométrica de Hg-T fue de 8,2 μg/L, siendo el consumo de pescado el principal predictor. Un 64% de las muestras superan los niveles de referencia de Hg-T establecidos por la USEPA (6,4 μg/L. Conclusión: Los niveles de COP y Pb observados en las áreas de estudio se encuentran en el rango de valores ya descritos en estudios anteriores. Los niveles de Hg requieren una valoración más profunda, así como el estudio de las posibles asociaciones con el desarrollo neuropsicológico. 

Levels of persistent organic pollutants and heavy metals in blood and effects on the neuropsychological development of early childhood in INMA (childhood and environment mother-child cohorts Compuestos orgánicos persistentes y metales pesados en sangre y efectos en el desarrollo neuropsicológico de la primera infancia en las cohortes de madres-niños INMA (INfancia y Medio Ambiente Níveis de poluentes orgânicos persistentes e de metais pesados no sangue e os efeitos no desenvolvimento neuro-psicológico na primeira infância e em coortes mães-filhos INMA (INfância e Meio Ambiente

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Jesús Ibarluzea Maurolagoitia

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The INMA project is a multicenter study based on prospective monitoring of mother-child cohorts in different Spanish geographical areas. Objective: To study the relationship between major environmental pollutants and child development in the pre-and postnatal phases. Material and Methods: The cohort groups share data collection methodology and tools (environmental exposure, biological samples, physical and neuropsychological examinations, diet questionnaires etc. during intrauterine growth and monitored childhood development. Results: The levels of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs in serum during the first trimester of pregnancy are reported, together with those for lead (Pb and total mercury (Hg-T in the umbilical cord, which are associated with the neuropsychological development analyzed to date. The POPs most frequently found were p, p’-DDE (99% and PCB 153 (95% with geometric mean in serum (ng / g-lipid of 110.0 (p, p’-DDE and 38.9 (PCB 153. The geometric mean and the maximum Pb level were 1.06 mg/dL and 19 mg/dL, respectively. The geometric mean Hg-T was 8.2 mg/L, with fish consumption being the main predictor. The Hg-T reference levels set by USEPA (6.4 mg/L were exceeded in 64% of the samples. Conclusion: T The levels of POPs and Pb observed in the study areas were within the range of values previously described in earlier studies. The Hg levels require more in-depth assessment, as well as study of the possible associations with neuropsychological development.Introducción: El proyecto INMA es un estudio multicéntrico basado en el seguimiento prospectivo de cohortes de madres-hijos en distintas áreas de la geografía española. Objetivo: Estudiar la relación entre los principales contaminantes ambientales y el desarrollo de los niños y niñas en las fases pre y postnatales. Material y Métodos: El conjunto de las cohortes comparten metodología e instrumentos de recogida de información (exposición ambiental

Exposición a contaminantes atmosféricos durante el embarazo y desarrollo prenatal y neonatal: protocolo de investigación en el proyecto INMA (Infancia y Medio Ambiente Air pollutant exposure during pregnancy and fetal and early childhood development: Research protocol of the INMA (Childhood and Environment Project

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Ana Esplugues

2007-04-01

Full Text Available Introducción: El proyecto INMA (Infancia y Medio Ambiente es una red de investigación cooperativa que tiene como objetivos estudiar los efectos del medio ambiente y la dieta en el desarrollo fetal e infantil. El objetivo de este artículo es presentar el protocolo de exposición a contaminantes atmosféricos durante el embarazo y desarrollo prenatal y neonatal en el proyecto INMA. Métodos: La información para la evaluación de la exposición a contaminación atmosférica durante el embarazo se basa en mediciones de contaminantes atmosféricos en el exterior (dióxido de nitrógeno [NO2], compuestos orgánicos volátiles [COV], ozono, partículas [PM10, PM2,5] y su composición [hidrocarburos aromáticos policíclicos], medición de contaminantes de exposición individual (en el interior de la vivienda y captadores personales [COV y NO2], determinación de un marcador biológico de exposición a hidrocarburos (1-hidroxipireno, en información recogida mediante cuestionarios y en la utilización de sistemas de información geográfica. Esta información permite elaborar índices de exposición individual a contaminación atmosférica con los que analizar su posible relación con el desarrollo fetal y la salud del recién nacido. Discusión: El protocolo que se presenta y el tipo de estudio permiten obtener una aproximación a la exposición individual a contaminantes atmosféricos. Por último, el elevado número de participantes (n = 4.000, así como la heterogeneidad de las características ambientales y sociodemográficas, acrecienta el potencial del estudio.Introduction: The INMA (INfancia y Medio Ambiente [Spanish for Environment and Childhood] project is a cooperative research network. This project aims to study the effects of environment and diet on fetal and early childhood development. This article aims to present the air pollutant exposure protocol during pregnancy and fetal and early childhood development of the INMA project

Within-city contrasts in PM composition and sources and their relationship with nitrogen oxides.

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Minguillón, M C; Rivas, I; Aguilera, I; Alastuey, A; Moreno, T; Amato, F; Sunyer, J; Querol, X

2012-10-26

The present work is part of the INMA (INfancia y Medio Ambiente -'Environment and Childhood') project, which aims at assessing the adverse effects of exposure to air pollution during pregnancy and early in life. The present study was performed in the city of Sabadell (Northeast Spain) at three sampling sites covering different traffic characteristics, during two times of the year. It assesses time and spatial variations of PM(2.5) concentrations, chemical components and source contributions, as well as gaseous pollutants. Furthermore, a cross-correlation analysis of PM components and source contributions with gaseous pollutants used as a proxy for exposure assessment is carried out. Our data show the influence of traffic emissions in the Sabadell area. The main PM sources identified by Positive Matrix Factorisation (PMF) were similar between the two seasons: mineral source (traffic-induced resuspension, demolition/construction and natural background), secondary sulphate (higher in summer), secondary nitrate (only during winter), industrial, and road traffic, which was the main contributor to PM(2.5) at two of the sites. The correlation of concentrations of nitrogen oxides was especially strong with those of elemental carbon (EC). The relatively weaker correlations with organic carbon (OC) in summer are attributed to the variable formation of secondary OC. Strong correlations between concentration of nitrogen oxides and PM(2.5) road traffic contributions obtained from source apportionment analysis were seen at all sites. Therefore, under the studied urban environment, nitrogen oxides can be used as a proxy for the exposure to road traffic contribution to PM(2.5); the use of NO(x) concentrations being preferred, with NO and NO(2) as second and third options, respectively.

Breastfeeding, long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in colostrum, and infant mental development.

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Guxens, Mònica; Mendez, Michelle A; Moltó-Puigmartí, Carolina; Julvez, Jordi; García-Esteban, Raquel; Forns, Joan; Ferrer, Muriel; Vrijheid, Martine; López-Sabater, M Carmen; Sunyer, Jordi

2011-10-01

Breastfeeding has been associated with improved neurodevelopment in children. However, it remains unknown to what extent nutritional advantages of breast milk may explain this relationship. We assessed the role of parental psychosocial factors and colostrum long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC-PUFA) levels in the relationship between breastfeeding and children's neurodevelopment. A population-based birth cohort was established in the city of Sabadell (Catalonia, Spain) as part of the INMA-INfancia y Medio Ambiente Project. A total of 657 women were recruited during the first trimester of pregnancy. Information about parental characteristics and breastfeeding was obtained by using a questionnaire, and trained psychologists assessed mental and psychomotor development by using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development in 504 children at 14 months of age. A high percentage of breastfeeds among all milk feeds accumulated during the first 14 months was positively related with child mental development (0.37 points per month of full breastfeeding [95% confidence interval: 0.06-0.67]). Maternal education, social class, and intelligence quotient only partly explained this association. Children with a longer duration of breastfeeding also exposed to higher ratios between n-3 and n-6 PUFAs in colostrum had significantly higher mental scores than children with low breastfeeding duration exposed to low levels. Greater levels of accumulated breastfeeding during the first year of life were related to higher mental development at 14 months, largely independently from a wide range of parental psychosocial factors. LC-PUFA levels seem to play a beneficial role in children's mental development when breastfeeding levels are high.

Gene expression of desaturase (FADS1 and FADS2) and Elongase (ELOVL5) enzymes in peripheral blood: association with polyunsaturated fatty acid levels and atopic eczema in 4-year-old children.

Science.gov (United States)

Chisaguano, Aida Maribel; Montes, Rosa; Pérez-Berezo, Teresa; Castellote, Ana Isabel; Guerendiain, Marcela; Bustamante, Mariona; Morales, Eva; García-Esteban, Raquel; Sunyer, Jordi; Franch, Angels; López-Sabater, M Carmen

2013-01-01

It is unknown if changes in the gene expression of the desaturase and elongase enzymes are associated with abnormal n-6 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC-PUFA) levels in children with atopic eczema (AE). We analyzed whether mRNA-expression of genes encoding key enzymes of LC-PUFA synthesis (FADS1, FADS2 and ELOVL5) is associated with circulating LC-PUFA levels and risk of AE in 4-year-old children. AE (n=20) and non-AE (n=104) children participating in the Sabadell cohort within the INfancia y Medio Ambiente (INMA) Project were included in the present study. RT-PCR with TaqMan Low-Density Array cards was used to measure the mRNA-expression of FADS1, FADS2 and ELOVL5. LC-PUFA levels were measured by fast gas chromatography in plasma phospholipids. The relationship of gene expression with LC-PUFA levels and enzyme activities was evaluated by Pearson's rank correlation coefficient, and logistic regression models were used to study its association with risk of developing AE. Children with AE had lower levels of several n-6 PUFA members, dihomo-γ-linolenic (DGLA) and arachidonic (AA) acids. mRNA-expression levels of FADS1 and 2 strongly correlated with DGLA levels and with D6D activity. FADS2 and ELOVL5 mRNA-expression levels were significantly lower in AE than in non-AE children (-40.30% and -20.36%; respectively), but no differences were found for FADS1. Changes in the mRNA-expression levels of FADS1 and 2 directly affect blood DGLA levels and D6D activity. This study suggests that lower mRNA-expressions of FADS2 and ELOVL5 are associated with higher risk of atopic eczema in young children.

Gene Expression of Desaturase (FADS1 and FADS2) and Elongase (ELOVL5) Enzymes in Peripheral Blood: Association with Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Levels and Atopic Eczema in 4-Year-Old Children

Science.gov (United States)

Chisaguano, Aida Maribel; Montes, Rosa; Pérez-Berezo, Teresa; Castellote, Ana Isabel; Guerendiain, Marcela; Bustamante, Mariona; Morales, Eva; García-Esteban, Raquel; Sunyer, Jordi; Franch, Àngels; López-Sabater, M. Carmen

2013-01-01

Abstract Background It is unknown if changes in the gene expression of the desaturase and elongase enzymes are associated with abnormal n-6 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC-PUFA) levels in children with atopic eczema (AE). We analyzed whether mRNA-expression of genes encoding key enzymes of LC-PUFA synthesis (FADS1, FADS2 and ELOVL5) is associated with circulating LC-PUFA levels and risk of AE in 4-year-old children. Methods AE (n=20) and non-AE (n=104) children participating in the Sabadell cohort within the INfancia y Medio Ambiente (INMA) Project were included in the present study. RT-PCR with TaqMan Low-Density Array cards was used to measure the mRNA-expression of FADS1, FADS2 and ELOVL5. LC-PUFA levels were measured by fast gas chromatography in plasma phospholipids. The relationship of gene expression with LC-PUFA levels and enzyme activities was evaluated by Pearson’s rank correlation coefficient, and logistic regression models were used to study its association with risk of developing AE. Results Children with AE had lower levels of several n-6 PUFA members, dihomo-γ-linolenic (DGLA) and arachidonic (AA) acids. mRNA-expression levels of FADS1 and 2 strongly correlated with DGLA levels and with D6D activity. FADS2 and ELOVL5 mRNA-expression levels were significantly lower in AE than in non-AE children (-40.30% and -20.36%; respectively), but no differences were found for FADS1. Conclusions and Significance Changes in the mRNA-expression levels of FADS1 and 2 directly affect blood DGLA levels and D6D activity. This study suggests that lower mRNA-expressions of FADS2 and ELOVL5 are associated with higher risk of atopic eczema in young children. PMID:24167612

[Current dietary exposure to mercury during pregnancy and childhood, and public health recommendations].

Science.gov (United States)

Llop, Sabrina; Ibarlucea, Jesús; Sunyer, Jordi; Ballester, Ferran

2013-01-01

Exposure to high levels of mercury during vulnerable periods (such as pregnancy and childhood) may have serious consequences for cognitive development, as observed after acute poisoning episodes in Japan and Irak. The main source of mercury exposure in the general population is consumption of certain types of fish. There is growing concern about the possible neurotoxic effects of mercury, especially in younger children in populations where fish intake is moderate to high. The scientific evidence to date is inconclusive. In Spain, the Childhood and Environment (Infancia y Medio Ambiente [INMA]) project has provided information on levels of prenatal exposure to mercury among 1800 newborns from Valencia, Sabadell, Asturias and Guipúzcoa. In general, levels were high, being above the World Health Organization's recommended dose in 24% of children and above the recommended levels of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 64%. However, the results did not indicate a significant association between prenatal mercury exposure and delayed cognitive development during the second year of life. Various agencies have developed recommendations on fish consumption for pregnant women and children, due to the presence of mercury. These recommendations should be strengthened, since there is general consensus among all regional and national public administrations that fish is an essential source of nutrients for development in the early stages of life. Copyright © 2012 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Folic acid supplements during pregnancy and child psychomotor development after the first year of life.

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Valera-Gran, Desirée; García de la Hera, Manuela; Navarrete-Muñoz, Eva María; Fernandez-Somoano, Ana; Tardón, Adonina; Julvez, Jordi; Forns, Joan; Lertxundi, Nerea; Ibarluzea, Jesús María; Murcia, Mario; Rebagliato, Marisa; Vioque, Jesús

2014-11-01

Folate intake during pregnancy has been associated with improved neuropsychological development in children, although the effects of high dosages of folic acid (FA) supplements are unclear. To examine the association between the use of high dosages of FA supplements during pregnancy and child neuropsychological development after the first year of life. The multicenter prospective mother-child cohort Infancia y Medio Ambiente (INMA) Project recruited pregnant women from 4 areas of Spain (Asturias, Sabadell, Gipuzkoa, and Valencia) between November 2003 and January 2008. Pregnant women completed an interviewer-administered questionnaire on the usual dietary folate intake and FA supplements at 10 to 13 weeks and 28 to 32 weeks of gestation. The main analyses were based on a sample of 2213 children with complete information on neuropsychological development and FA supplement intake during pregnancy. Multiple linear and logistic regression analyses were used to explore the effects of FA supplements on child neuropsychological development. Neuropsychological development was assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. We calculated mental scale and psychomotor scale scores. One SD below the mean established a delay in neurodevelopment (score 5000 μg/d). In multivariate analysis, we observed that children whose mothers used FA supplement dosages higher than 5000 μg/d during pregnancy had a statistically significantly lower mean psychomotor scale score (difference, -4.35 points; 95% CI, -8.34 to -0.36) than children whose mothers used a recommended dosage of FA supplements (400-1000 μg/d). An increased risk of delayed psychomotor development (psychomotor scale score <85) was also evident among children whose mothers took FA supplement dosages higher than 5000 μg/d, although the association was not statistically significant (odds ratio = 1.59; 95% CI, 0.82-3.08). To our knowledge, this is the first time a detrimental effect of high dosages of FA supplements

Air pollution during pregnancy and childhood cognitive and psychomotor development: six European birth cohorts.

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Guxens, Mònica; Garcia-Esteban, Raquel; Giorgis-Allemand, Lise; Forns, Joan; Badaloni, Chiara; Ballester, Ferran; Beelen, Rob; Cesaroni, Giulia; Chatzi, Leda; de Agostini, Maria; de Nazelle, Audrey; Eeftens, Marloes; Fernandez, Mariana F; Fernández-Somoano, Ana; Forastiere, Francesco; Gehring, Ulrike; Ghassabian, Akhgar; Heude, Barbara; Jaddoe, Vincent W V; Klümper, Claudia; Kogevinas, Manolis; Krämer, Ursula; Larroque, Béatrice; Lertxundi, Aitana; Lertxuni, Nerea; Murcia, Mario; Navel, Vladislav; Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark; Porta, Daniela; Ramos, Rosa; Roumeliotaki, Theano; Slama, Rémy; Sørensen, Mette; Stephanou, Euripides G; Sugiri, Dorothea; Tardón, Adonina; Tiemeier, Henning; Tiesler, Carla M T; Verhulst, Frank C; Vrijkotte, Tanja; Wilhelm, Michael; Brunekreef, Bert; Pershagen, Göran; Sunyer, Jordi

2014-09-01

Accumulating evidence from laboratory animal and human studies suggests that air pollution exposure during pregnancy affects cognitive and psychomotor development in childhood. We analyzed data from 6 European population-based birth cohorts-GENERATION R (The Netherlands), DUISBURG (Germany), EDEN (France), GASPII (Italy), RHEA (Greece), and INMA (Spain)-that recruited mother-infant pairs from 1997 to 2008. Air pollution levels-nitrogen oxides (NO2, NOx) in all regions and particulate matter (PM) with diameters of psychomotor development was assessed between 1 and 6 years of age. Adjusted region-specific effect estimates were combined using random-effects meta-analysis. A total of 9482 children were included. Air pollution exposure during pregnancy, particularly NO2, was associated with reduced psychomotor development (global psychomotor development score decreased by 0.68 points [95% confidence interval = -1.25 to -0.11] per increase of 10 μg/m in NO2). Similar trends were observed in most regions. No associations were found between any air pollutant and cognitive development. Air pollution exposure during pregnancy, particularly NO2 (for which motorized traffic is a major source), was associated with delayed psychomotor development during childhood. Due to the widespread nature of air pollution exposure, the public health impact of the small changes observed at an individual level could be considerable.

A cohort study on full breastfeeding and child neuropsychological development: the role of maternal social, psychological, and nutritional factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Julvez, Jordi; Guxens, Monica; Carsin, Anne-Elie; Forns, Joan; Mendez, Michelle; Turner, Michelle C; Sunyer, Jordi

2014-02-01

This study investigated whether duration of full breastfeeding is associated with child neuropsychological development and whether this association is explained by social, psychological, and nutritional factors within families. Participants in this study were a population-based birth cohort in the city of Sabadell (Catalonia, Spain). Females were recruited during the first trimester of pregnancy between July 2004 and July 2006. Information about parental characteristics and breastfeeding was obtained through questionnaires. Full breastfeeding was categorized as never, short term (≤4mo), long term (4-6mo), or very long term (>6mo). A trained psychologist assessed the neuropsychological development of children at 4 years of age (n=434) using the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities (MSCA). Full breastfeeding showed an independent association with child general MSCA scores after adjusting for a range of social, psychological, and nutritional factors (>6mo, coefficient=7.4 [95% confidence interval=2.8-12.0], p=0.011). Maternal social class, education level, and IQ were also associated with child neuropsychological scores, but did not explain breastfeeding associations. Omega-3 (n3) fatty acid levels were not associated with child neuropsychological scores. Very long-term full breastfeeding was independently associated with neuropsychological functions of children at 4 years of age. Maternal indicators of intelligence, psychopathology, and colostrum n3 fatty acids did not explain this association. © 2013 Mac Keith Press.

Prenatal Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Substances and Cardiometabolic Risk in Children from the Spanish INMA Birth Cohort Study

Science.gov (United States)

Casas, Maribel; Lopez-Espinosa, Maria-Jose; Ballester, Ferran; Iñiguez, Carmen; Martinez, David; Romaguera, Dora; Fernández-Barrés, Silvia; Santa-Marina, Loreto; Basterretxea, Mikel; Schettgen, Thomas; Valvi, Damaskini; Vioque, Jesus; Sunyer, Jordi; Vrijheid, Martine

2017-01-01

Background: Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may affect body mass index (BMI) and other components of cardiometabolic (CM) risk during childhood, but evidence is scarce and inconsistent. Objectives: We estimated associations between prenatal PFAS exposures and outcomes relevant to cardiometabolic risk, including a composite CM-risk score. Methods: We measured perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) in maternal plasma (first trimester). We assessed weight gain from birth until 6 mo. At 4 and 7 y, we calculated the age- and sex-specific z-scores for BMI, waist circumference (WC), and blood pressure (BP) (n≈1,000). At age 4, we calculated the age-, sex-, and region-specific z-scores for cholesterol, triglycerides (TGs), high-density (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (n=627). At age 4, we calculated a CM-risk score (n=386) as the sum of the individual age-, sex-, and region-specific z-scores for WC, BP, HDL-C, and TGs. We used the average between the negative of HDL-C z-score and TGs z-score to give similar weight to lipids and the other components in the score. A higher score indicates a higher cardiometabolic risk at age 4. Results: PFOS and PFOA were the most abundant PFAS (geometric mean: 5.80 and 2.32 ng/mL, respectively). In general, prenatal PFAS concentrations were not associated with individual outcomes or the combined CM-risk score. Exceptions were positive associations between prenatal PFHxS and TGs z-score [for a doubling of exposure, β=0.11; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.01, 0.21], and between PFNA and the CM-risk score (β=0.60; 95% CI: 0.04, 1.16). There was not clear or consistent evidence of modification by sex. Conclusions: We observed little or no evidence of associations between low prenatal PFAS exposures and outcomes related to cardiometabolic risk in a cohort of Spanish children followed from birth until 7 y. https

Early life factors and childhood obesity development

OpenAIRE

Fernández Barrés, Sílvia

2016-01-01

La obesidad infantil es uno de los mayores problemas en Salud Pública y empieza en edad temprana. Por lo tanto, identificar factores de riesgo podría ayudar en la prevención del desarrollo de obesidad infantil. El objetivo principal de esta tesis fue investigar la asociación prospectiva entre factores de riesgo durante el embarazo y la primera infancia, y el desarrollo de obesidad infantil. Usamos datos de dos cohortes de nacimiento del Proyecto INMA (España) y del Proyecto Viva (Estados Unid...

Polymorphisms in ABC transporter genes and concentrations of mercury in newborns--evidence from two Mediterranean birth cohorts.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sabrina Llop

Full Text Available The genetic background may influence methylmercury (MeHg metabolism and neurotoxicity. ATP binding cassette (ABC transporters actively transport various xenobiotics across biological membranes.To investigate the role of ABC polymorphisms as modifiers of prenatal exposure to MeHg.The study population consisted of participants (n = 1651 in two birth cohorts, one in Italy and Greece (PHIME and the other in Spain (INMA. Women were recruited during pregnancy in Italy and Spain, and during the perinatal period in Greece. Total mercury concentrations were measured in cord blood samples by atomic absorption spectrometry. Maternal fish intake during pregnancy was determined from questionnaires. Polymorphisms (n = 5 in the ABC genes ABCA1, ABCB1, ABCC1 and ABCC2 were analysed in both cohorts.ABCB1 rs2032582, ABCC1 rs11075290, and ABCC2 rs2273697 modified the associations between maternal fish intake and cord blood mercury concentrations. The overall interaction coefficient between rs2032582 and log2-transformed fish intake was negative for carriers of GT (β = -0.29, 95%CI -0.47, -0.12 and TT (β = -0.49, 95%CI -0.71, -0.26 versus GG, meaning that for a doubling in fish intake of the mothers, children with the rs2032582 GG genotype accumulated 35% more mercury than children with TT. For rs11075290, the interaction coefficient was negative for carriers of TC (β = -0.12, 95%CI -0.33, 0.09, and TT (β = -0.28, 95%CI -0.51, -0.06 versus CC. For rs2273697, the interaction coefficient was positive when combining GA+AA (β = 0.16, 95%CI 0.01, 0.32 versus GG.The ABC transporters appear to play a role in accumulation of MeHg during early development.

The ability of intensive care unit physicians to estimate long-term prognosis in survivors of critical illness.

Science.gov (United States)

Soliman, Ivo W; Cremer, Olaf L; de Lange, Dylan W; Slooter, Arjen J C; van Delden, Johannes Hans J M; van Dijk, Diederik; Peelen, Linda M

2018-02-01

To assess the reliability of physicians' prognoses for intensive care unit (ICU) survivors with respect to long-term survival and health related quality of life (HRQoL). We performed an observational cohort-study in a single mixed tertiary ICU in The Netherlands. ICU survivors with a length of stay >48h were included. At ICU discharge, one-year prognosis was estimated by physicians using the four-option Sabadell score to record their expectations. The outcome of interest was poor outcome, which was defined as dying within one-year follow-up, or surviving with an EuroQoL5D-3L index <0.4. Among 1399 ICU survivors, 1068 (76%) subjects were expected to have a good outcome; 243 (18%) a poor long-term prognosis; 43 (3%) a poor short-term prognosis, and 45 (3%) to die in hospital (i.e. Sabadell score levels). Poor outcome was observed in 38%, 55%, 86%, and 100% of these groups respectively (concomitant c-index: 0.61). The expected prognosis did not match observed outcome in 365 (36%) patients. This was almost exclusively (99%) due to overoptimism. Physician experience did not affect results. Prognoses estimated by physicians incorrectly predicted long-term survival and HRQoL in one-third of ICU survivors. Moreover, inaccurate prognoses were generally the result of overoptimistic expectations of outcome. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluación de la fibrosis hepática en la hepatitis crónica por virus C mediante la aplicación prospectiva del Sabadell's NIHCED score: Sabadell's Non Invasive, Hepatitis C Related-Cirrhosis Early Detection Score Prospective evaluation of liver fibrosis in chronic viral hepatitis C infection using the Sabadell NIHCED: non-invasive hepatitis C related cirrhosis early detection index

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Bejarano

2009-05-01

Full Text Available Introducción: la hepatitis crónica por VHC cursa de forma asintomática desarrollando cirrosis hepática y sus complicaciones en un 20-40% de los casos. En estudios previos se ha demostrado que la fibrosis avanzada es un factor pronóstico fundamental. El método gold standard para la valoración del grado de fibrosis es la biopsia hepática. Nuestro grupo ha validado un índice predictivo, el NIHCED (Sabadell's Non Invasive, Hepatitis C related-Cirrosis Early Detection Score, basado en datos demográficos, analíticos y ecográficos para determinar la presencia de cirrosis. Objetivo: nuestro objetivo es el de evaluar si el NIHCED predice la presencia de fibrosis avanzada en los pacientes con hepatitis crónica por virus C. Material y métodos: estudio prospectivo donde se incluyeron pacientes con hepatitis crónica por VHC. Se les realizó una biopsia hepática y el NIHCED. El grado de fibrosis se correlacionó con el valor del NIHCED mediante curva de ROC y el coeficiente de correlación de Spearman. Resultados: se incluyeron un total de 321 pacientes (ratio hombre/mujer 1,27 con una edad media de 48 ± 14 años. La biopsia hepática mostró que 131 (30,5% no tenían fibrosis o era expansión portal, mientras que 190 (69,5% tenían fibrosis avanzada o cirrosis. Para un punto de corte de 6 puntos, la sensibilidad fue del 72%, especificidad del 76,3%, VPP del 81%, VPN del 63,7% y una precisión diagnóstica del 72,5%, con un área bajo la curva fue de 0,787 y un coeficiente de correlación de Spearman de r = 0,65. Conclusiones: el NIHCED predice la presencia de fibrosis avanzada en un elevado porcentaje de pacientes sin necesidad de realizar biopsia hepática.Introduction: liver disease resulting from chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV infection follows an asymptomatic course towards cirrhosis and its complications in 20-40% of cases. Earlier studies demonstrated that advanced fibrosis is a prognostic factor. The "gold standard" for the evaluation

TV REKLAMLARINDAN KAÇINMA: DAVRANIŞSAL VE MEKANİK KAÇINMAYA ETKİ EDEN FAKTÖRLER

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ayşen AKYÜZ

2012-11-01

Full Text Available TV ADVERTISING AVOIDANCE: THE FACTORS INFLUINCING BEHAVIOURAL AND MECHANISTIC AVOIDANCEAbstract: TV advertising avoidance, presents a main issue for advertisers and marketers. Creation of TV ads involves great effort, imaginative strategy formulation and high expenditures. The expectations of the companies and advertisers from the medium are intrinsically high. The current study examines the influence of both the general attitude towards advertising and the belief factors (product information, good for economy, hedonic/pleasure and materialism on behavioral (e.g .making phone calls and mechanical avoidance (e.g. zapping by conducting surveys with the university students. Structural Equation Model is employed to investigate the relationship between the dependent and independent variables. It is believed that, the findings would make a significant contribution towards a development of the theory and create bases for a further research on this topic. Keywords: Ad Avoidance, Behavioral Avoidance, Mechanical Avoidance, Beliefs, Attitude Toward Advertising.  TV REKLAMLARINDAN KAÇINMA: DAVRANIŞSAL VE MEKANİK KAÇINMAYA ETKİ EDEN FAKTÖRLER Özet: Reklamdan kaçınma davranışı, reklamcılar ve pazarlamacılar için oldukça önemli bir gündem oluşturmaktadır. Televizyon reklamlarının yaratılması yoğun çaba, yaratıcı strateji ve yüksek harcamaları kapsar. Firmaların ve reklamcıların bu iletişim aracından beklentileri ise doğal olarak yüksek olacaktır. Bu çalışma, hem inanç faktörlerinin (bilgilendirme, ekonomik fayda, zevk/hoşnutluk, materyalizm; hem de reklama yönelik genel tutumun, davranışsal ve mekanik kaçınma üzerindeki etkilerini üniversite öğrencileri ile yapılan bir anket çalışması ile incelemektedir. Bağımlı ve bağımsız değişkenler arasındaki ilişkiyi incelemek için Yapısal Eşitlik Modeli kullanılmıştır. Bulguların hem konuyla ilgili gelecekte yapılacak araştırmalarda hem de

Outdoor characterization of radio frequency electromagnetic fields in a Spanish birth cohort

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Calvente, I.; Fernández, M.F.; Pérez-Lobato, R.; Dávila-Arias, C.; Ocón, O.; Ramos, R.; Ríos-Arrabal, S.; Villalba-Moreno, J.

2015-01-01

There is considerable public concern in many countries about the possible adverse effects of exposure to non-ionizing radiation electromagnetic fields, especially in vulnerable populations such as children. The aim of this study was to characterize environmental exposure profiles within the frequency range 100 kHz–6 GHz in the immediate surrounds of the dwellings of 123 families from the INMA-Granada birth cohort in Southern Spain, using spot measurements. The arithmetic mean root mean-square electric field (E RMS ) and power density (S RMS ) values were, respectively, 195.79 mV/m (42.3% of data were above this mean) and 799.01 µW/m 2 (30% of values were above this mean); median values were 148.80 mV/m and 285.94 µW/m 2 , respectively. Exposure levels below the quantification limit were assigned a value of 0.01 V/m. Incident field strength levels varied widely among different areas or towns/villages, demonstrating spatial variability in the distribution of exposure values related to the surface area population size and also among seasons. Although recorded values were well below International Commission for Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection reference levels, there is a particular need to characterize incident field strength levels in vulnerable populations (e.g., children) because of their chronic and ever-increasing exposure. The effects of incident field strength have not been fully elucidated; however, it may be appropriate to apply the precautionary principle in order to reduce exposure in susceptible groups. - Highlights: • Spot measurements were performed in the immediate surrounds of children's dwellings. • Mean root mean-square electric field and power density values were calculated. • Most recorded values were far below international standard guideline limits. • Data demonstrate spatial variability in the distribution of exposure levels. • While adverse effects are proven, application of the precautionary principle may be appropriate

Socio-economic inequalities in health, habits and self-care during pregnancy in Spain.

Science.gov (United States)

Larrañaga, Isabel; Santa-Marina, Loreto; Begiristain, Haizea; Machón, Mónica; Vrijheid, Martine; Casas, Maribel; Tardón, Adonina; Fernández-Somoano, Ana; Llop, Sabrina; Rodriguez-Bernal, Clara L; Fernandez, Mariana F

2013-09-01

Socioeconomic disadvantage can be harmful for mother's health and can influence child's health long term. The aim of this study is to analyse social inequalities between pregnant women from four INMA (INfancia y Medio Ambiente) cohorts. The analysis included 2,607 pregnant women recruited between 2004 and 2008 from four INMA cohorts. Data on maternal characteristics were collected through two questionnaires completed in the first and third trimester of pregnancy. The relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and maternal health, dietary intake, lifestyle habits and self-care related variables was modelled using logistic regression analysis. 33.5 % of women had a university level of education and 47 % had high occupational class. Women with higher SES reported healthier habits, fewer complications during pregnancy, better weight gain control and attended more prenatal appointments than women with lower SES. The risk of sedentary behaviour and passive smoking was higher among women with a lower level of education (OR = 1.7, 95 % CI 1.3-2.2 and OR = 1.6, 95 % CI 1.2-2.3, respectively) and with less skilled occupations (OR = 1.7, 95 % CI 1.4-2.0 and OR = 1.2, 95 % CI 1.0-1.5, respectively). Although both SES indicators-occupation and education-act as social determinants of diet, occupation was a more powerful determinant than education. For other lifestyle and self-caring variables, education was a more powerful predictor than occupation. Social inequalities were observed in health, habits and self-care during pregnancy. Proper care during pregnancy requires the control of common clinical variables and the knowledge of socioeconomic conditions of the pregnant women.

Organochlorine compounds and ultrasound measurements of fetal growth in the INMA cohort (Spain)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M.-J. Lopez-Espinosa (Maria-Jose); M. Murcia (Mario); A. Iñiguez (Andrés); E. Vizcaino (Esther); O. Costa (Olga); A. Fernández-Somoano (Ana); M. Basterrechea (Mikel); A. Lertxundi (Aitana); M. Guxens Junyent (Mònica); M. Gascon (Mireia); F. Goñi-Irigoyen (Fernando); J.O. Grimalt (Joan O.); A. Tardón (Adonina); F. Ballester (Ferran)

2016-01-01

textabstractBackground: Several studies have reported decreases in birth size associated with exposure to organochlorine compounds (OCs), but uncertainties remain regarding the critical windows of prenatal exposure and the effects on fetal body segments. Objective: We examined the relationship

Mediterranean dietary pattern in pregnant women and offspring risk of overweight and abdominal obesity in early childhood: the INMA birth cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernández-Barrés, S; Romaguera, D; Valvi, D; Martínez, D; Vioque, J; Navarrete-Muñoz, E M; Amiano, P; Gonzalez-Palacios, S; Guxens, M; Pereda, E; Riaño, I; Tardón, A; Iñiguez, C; Arija, V; Sunyer, J; Vrijheid, M

2016-12-01

Animal models have suggested that maternal diet quality may reduce offspring obesity risk regardless of maternal body weight; however, evidence from human studies is scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate associations between adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) during pregnancy and childhood overweight and abdominal obesity risk at 4 years of age. We analysed 1827 mother-child pairs from the Spanish 'Infancia y Medio Ambiente' cohort study, recruited between 2003 and 2008. Diet was assessed during pregnancy using a food frequency questionnaire and MD adherence by the relative Mediterranean diet score (rMED). Overweight (including obesity) was defined as an age-specific and sex-specific body mass index ≥85th percentile (World Health Organization referent), and abdominal obesity as a waist circumference (WC) >90th percentile. Multivariate adjusted linear and logistic regression models were used to evaluate associations between pregnancy rMED and offspring overweight and abdominal obesity. There was no association between rMED and body mass index z-score, whereas there was a significant association between higher adherence to MD and lower WC (β of high vs. low rMED: -0.62 cm; 95% confidence interval: -1.10, -0.14 cm, P for trend = 0.009). Pregnancy adherence to the MD was not associated with childhood overweight risk, but it was associated with lower WC, a marker of abdominal obesity. © 2016 World Obesity Federation.

International Nuclear Management Academy Requirements for University Master’s Programmes in Nuclear Technology Management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grosbois, J. de; Hirose, H.; Adachi, F.; Liu, L.; Hanamitsu, K.; Kosilov, A.; Roberts, J.

2016-01-01

Full text: The development of any national nuclear energy programme is dependent on the successful development of qualified human resources, through a sustainable nuclear education and training programmes supported by government and industry. Among the broad range of specialists needed for the continued safe and economic utilization of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, are a most vital component—managers. The International Nuclear Management Academy (INMA) is an IAEA facilitated collaboration framework in which universities provide master’s degree programmes focusing on the management aspect for the nuclear sector. INMA master’s programmes in Nuclear Technology Management (NTM) specify a common set of competency requirements that graduates should acquire to prepare them to become competent managers. This paper presents an overview of the INMA collaboration framework and the requirements for partner universities to implement master’s programmes in Nuclear Technology Management. (author

C-reactive protein in outpatients with acute exacerbation of COPD: its relationship with microbial etiology and severity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gallego M

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Miguel Gallego,1–3 Xavier Pomares,1,3 Silvia Capilla,4 Maria Angeles Marcos,5,6 David Suárez,7 Eduard Monsó,1–3,* Concepción Montón1,8,* 1Department of Respiratory Medicine, Hospital de Sabadell, Institut Universitari Parc Taulí-UAB, Sabadell, 2Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Esfera UAB, Barcelona, 3CIBER de Enfermedades Respiratorias, CIBERES, Bunyola, 4Laboratory of Microbiology, Institut Universitari Parc Taulí-UAB, Sabadell, 5Department of Clinical Microbiology, Hospital Clínic, 6ISGlobal, Barcelona Centre for International Health Research (CRESIB, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, 7Epidemiology and Assessment Unit, Fundació Parc Taulí, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Sabadell, 8Health Services Research on Chronic Diseases Network-REDISSEC, Galdakao, Spain *These authors contributed equally to this work Background: C-reactive protein (CRP measurement has proven valuable for detecting exacerbations, but its usefulness in predicting etiology remains controversial. Likewise, its potential value as a marker of severity, which is well established in patients with pneumonia, remains unproven in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD exacerbations. Methods: A cohort study of 118 patients with severe COPD and acute infectious exacerbations were included and followed up over 1 year. Episodes of exacerbations meeting Anthonisen’s criteria type I–II were evaluated, analyzing the etiology and inflammatory response as measured by CRP in blood. Results: A total of 380 episodes were recorded. Full microbiological analysis was available in 265 samples. Haemophilus influenzae was the most commonly isolated bacteria and rhinovirus the most common virus. Median CRP levels from the 265 episodes were higher in the cases with positive cultures for bacteria (58.30 mg/L, interquartile range [IQR] 21.0–28.2 than in episodes only positive for viruses (37.3 mg/L, IQR 18.6–79.1 and cases negative for any

Genome-wide DNA methylation study in human placenta identifies novel loci associated with maternal smoking during pregnancy.

Science.gov (United States)

Morales, Eva; Vilahur, Nadia; Salas, Lucas A; Motta, Valeria; Fernandez, Mariana F; Murcia, Mario; Llop, Sabrina; Tardon, Adonina; Fernandez-Tardon, Guillermo; Santa-Marina, Loreto; Gallastegui, Mara; Bollati, Valentina; Estivill, Xavier; Olea, Nicolas; Sunyer, Jordi; Bustamante, Mariona

2016-10-01

We conducted an epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) of DNA methylation in placenta in relation to maternal tobacco smoking during pregnancy and examined whether smoking-induced changes lead to low birthweight. DNA methylation in placenta was measured using the Illumina HumanMethylation450 BeadChip in 179 participants from the INfancia y Medio Ambiente (INMA) birth cohort. Methylation levels across 431 311 CpGs were tested for differential methylation between smokers and non-smokers in pregnancy. We took forward three top-ranking loci for further validation and replication by bisulfite pyrosequencing using data of 248 additional participants of the INMA cohort. We examined the association of methylation at smoking-associated loci with birthweight by applying a mediation analysis and a two-sample Mendelian randomization approach. Fifty CpGs were differentially methylated in placenta between smokers and non-smokers during pregnancy [false discovery rate (FDR) < 0.05]. We validated and replicated differential methylation at three top-ranking loci: cg27402634 located between LINC00086 and LEKR1, a gene previously related to birthweight in genome-wide association studies; cg20340720 (WBP1L); and cg25585967 and cg12294026 (TRIO). Dose-response relationships with maternal urine cotinine concentration during pregnancy were confirmed. Differential methylation at cg27402634 explained up to 36% of the lower birthweight in the offspring of smokers (Sobel P-value < 0.05). A two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis provided evidence that decreases in methylation levels at cg27402634 lead to decreases in birthweight. We identified novel loci differentially methylated in placenta in relation to maternal smoking during pregnancy. Adverse effects of maternal smoking on birthweight of the offspring may be mediated by alterations in the placental methylome. © The Author 2016; all rights reserved. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International

Outdoor characterization of radio frequency electromagnetic fields in a Spanish birth cohort

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Calvente, I. [Unit Research Support of the San Cecilio University Hospital, Biosanitary Institute of Granada (ibs.GRANADA), University Hospitals of Granada/University of Granada, Granada (Spain); Department of Radiology and Physical Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Av. Madreid s/n, Granada 18071 (Spain); Fernández, M.F. [Unit Research Support of the San Cecilio University Hospital, Biosanitary Institute of Granada (ibs.GRANADA), University Hospitals of Granada/University of Granada, Granada (Spain); Department of Radiology and Physical Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Av. Madreid s/n, Granada 18071 (Spain); CIBER en Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP) (Spain); Pérez-Lobato, R.; Dávila-Arias, C.; Ocón, O.; Ramos, R. [Unit Research Support of the San Cecilio University Hospital, Biosanitary Institute of Granada (ibs.GRANADA), University Hospitals of Granada/University of Granada, Granada (Spain); Ríos-Arrabal, S. [Unit Research Support of the San Cecilio University Hospital, Biosanitary Institute of Granada (ibs.GRANADA), University Hospitals of Granada/University of Granada, Granada (Spain); Department of Radiology and Physical Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Av. Madreid s/n, Granada 18071 (Spain); Villalba-Moreno, J. [CIBER en Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP) (Spain); and others

2015-04-15

There is considerable public concern in many countries about the possible adverse effects of exposure to non-ionizing radiation electromagnetic fields, especially in vulnerable populations such as children. The aim of this study was to characterize environmental exposure profiles within the frequency range 100 kHz–6 GHz in the immediate surrounds of the dwellings of 123 families from the INMA-Granada birth cohort in Southern Spain, using spot measurements. The arithmetic mean root mean-square electric field (E{sub RMS}) and power density (S{sub RMS}) values were, respectively, 195.79 mV/m (42.3% of data were above this mean) and 799.01 µW/m{sup 2} (30% of values were above this mean); median values were 148.80 mV/m and 285.94 µW/m{sup 2}, respectively. Exposure levels below the quantification limit were assigned a value of 0.01 V/m. Incident field strength levels varied widely among different areas or towns/villages, demonstrating spatial variability in the distribution of exposure values related to the surface area population size and also among seasons. Although recorded values were well below International Commission for Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection reference levels, there is a particular need to characterize incident field strength levels in vulnerable populations (e.g., children) because of their chronic and ever-increasing exposure. The effects of incident field strength have not been fully elucidated; however, it may be appropriate to apply the precautionary principle in order to reduce exposure in susceptible groups. - Highlights: • Spot measurements were performed in the immediate surrounds of children's dwellings. • Mean root mean-square electric field and power density values were calculated. • Most recorded values were far below international standard guideline limits. • Data demonstrate spatial variability in the distribution of exposure levels. • While adverse effects are proven, application of the precautionary principle may

Genetic risk profiles for a childhood with severe overweight.

Science.gov (United States)

González, J R; Estévez, M N; Giralt, P S; Cáceres, A; Pérez, L M L; González-Carpio, M; Ballester, F; Sunyer, J; Rodríguez-López, R

2014-08-01

The objective of this study was the description of a valid genetic risk score (GRS) to predict individuals with high susceptibility to childhood overweight by their genetic profiles. Case-control study including a group of children with high-risk familial predisposition to morbid obesity. Birth cohort from general population constituted the validation sample. For the discovery sample, 218 children with non-syndromic obesity and 190 control individuals were included. The validation sample was 653 children from two birth cohorts belonging to the INMA (Infancia y Medio Ambiente [Environment and Childhood] )project. 109 SNPs located in the genes FTO, SEC16B, BDNF, ETV5, SH2B1, GNPDA2, LYPLAL1, MSRA, TFAP2, KCTD15, MTCH2 and NEGR1, previously reported in association to body mass index (BMI) were analysed. For the validation sample, association between genome-wide data and BMI measurements between 3.5 and 5 years of age, were evaluated. The GRS includes six SNPs in the genes FTO, TFAP2B, SEC16B, ETV5 and SH2B1. The score distribution differs among cases and controls (P = 9.2 × 10(-14) ) showing a significant linear association with obesity (odds ratio [OR] per allele = 1.69; confidence interval [CI] 95% = 1.46-1.97; P = 4.3 × 10(-1) and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] = 0.727; CI 95% = 0.676-0.778). The results were validated by the INMA cohort (OR per allele = 1.23 CI 95% = 1.03-1.48 and AUC = 0.601 CI 95% = 0.522-0.680). The use of our proposed genetic score provides useful information to determine those children who are susceptible to obesity. To improve the efficiency of clinical prevention and treatment of obesity, it is essential to design individualized based protocols in advance knowledge of the molecular basis of inherited susceptibility. © 2013 The Authors. Pediatric Obesity © 2013 International Association for the Study of Obesity.

Cohort Coefficients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristensen, Gustav

2013-01-01

Cohorts are the aggregate of individuals who experience the same event within the same time interval. Cohorts can be based on people born in a given year, for example in 1940 or within a span of years, e.g. born in 1940-1944. The year of birth is here the defining event for cohorts. The health di...... differs between cohorts. This article focuses on the protective and detrimental cohort effect in relation to the risk of death from apoplexy. A dummy variable method is recommended to describe the changing cohort effect over a century....

Variability of perfluoroalkyl substance concentrations in pregnant women by socio-demographic and dietary factors in a Spanish birth cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Manzano-Salgado, Cyntia B; Casas, Maribel; Lopez-Espinosa, Maria-Jose; Ballester, Ferran; Martinez, David; Ibarluzea, Jesus; Santa-Marina, Loreto; Schettgen, Thomas; Vioque, Jesus; Sunyer, Jordi; Vrijheid, Martine

2016-01-01

Prenatal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) might affect child health; but maternal determinants of PFAS exposure are unclear. We evaluated the socio-demographic and dietary factors of prenatal PFAS concentrations in a Spanish birth cohort. We analyzed perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) in 1216 plasma samples collected during the 1(ST) trimester of pregnancy (2003-2008). We used multivariable linear regressions to assess the geometric mean (GM) ratios of PFAS concentrations by socio-demographic and dietary factors. We used analysis of variance (ANOVA) to assess the variability of PFAS concentrations by maternal factors. GM PFAS concentrations ranged from 0.55ng/mL for PFHxS to 5.77ng/mL for PFOS. Women born outside of Spain had lower PFAS concentrations (e.g. GM ratio for PFHxS 0.53[95%CI: 0.46, 0.60] than Spanish women. PFHxS and PFOA concentrations were higher in mothers from the regions of Sabadell (2.13[1.93, 2.35] and 1.73[1.60, 1.88], respectively) and Valencia (1.40[1.28, 1.54] and 1.42[1.31, 1.53], respectively) than Gipuzkoa. PFOA and PFNA concentrations decreased with parity (≥2 children: 0.79[0.67, 0.94] and 0.82[0.68, 0.99], respectively). Younger women (i.e. 6months compared to those who never breastfed (0.79[0.67, 0.94] and 0.82[0.71, 0.95], respectively). High intake of fish and shellfish during pregnancy (i.e. ≥5.6 servings/week) was associated with 11% (1.11[1.04, 1.18]) higher PFOS concentrations than the lowest intake group. Our ANOVA models explained 26% to 40% of PFAS concentrations variability. Prenatal PFAS concentrations were mainly determined by maternal country of birth, region of residence, previous breastfeeding and age. Fish and shellfish intake also contributed to PFOS and PFOA concentrations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cohort profile

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tollånes, Mette C; Strandberg-Larsen, Katrine; Forthun, Ingeborg

2016-01-01

PURPOSE: The purpose of MOthers and BAbies in Norway and Denmark cerebral palsy (MOBAND-CP) was to study CP aetiology in a prospective design. PARTICIPANTS: MOBAND-CP is a cohort of more than 210 000 children, created as a collaboration between the world's two largest pregnancy cohorts-the Norweg......PURPOSE: The purpose of MOthers and BAbies in Norway and Denmark cerebral palsy (MOBAND-CP) was to study CP aetiology in a prospective design. PARTICIPANTS: MOBAND-CP is a cohort of more than 210 000 children, created as a collaboration between the world's two largest pregnancy cohorts......-the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort study (MoBa) and the Danish National Birth Cohort. MOBAND-CP includes maternal interview/questionnaire data collected during pregnancy and follow-up, plus linked information from national health registries. FINDINGS TO DATE: Initial harmonisation of data from the 2 cohorts...... has created 140 variables for children and their mothers. In the MOBAND-CP cohort, 438 children with CP have been identified through record linkage with validated national registries, providing by far the largest such sample with prospectively collected detailed pregnancy data. Several studies...

Four new species and new records of Atopsyche Banks (Trichoptera: Hydrobiosidae) from Pantepui biogeographical region (Venezuela).

Science.gov (United States)

Zamora-Muñoz, Carmen; Derka, Tomáš; Múrria, Cesc

2017-05-29

Four new species of the genus Atopsyche Banks (Hydrobiosidae) from Pantepui biogeographical region (Venezuela) are described and illustrated: Atopsyche (Atopsaura) inmae n. sp., Atopsyche (Atopsaura) cristinae n. sp., Atopsyche (Atopsaura) svitoki n. sp., and Atopsyche (Atopsaura) carmenae n. sp. Molecular analyses (cox1 sequences) allowed larva-adult associations and the morphological description of larvae of two of the new species (A. inmae and A. cristinae). A phylogenetic tree is performed to assess the molecular validity of the species, establish evolutionary relation among them and interpret historical biogeography of tepuis. Finally, two new distributional records for A. (Atopsaura) atahuallpa are included, which up to now was known only from the type locality.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2014-01-01

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

Characterisation of exposure to non-ionising electromagnetic fields in the Spanish INMA birth cohort: Study protocol

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M. Gallastegi (Mara); M. Guxens Junyent (Mònica); A. Jiménez-Zabala (Ana); I. Calvente (Irene); M. Fernández (Marta); L. Birks (Laura); B. Struchen (Benjamin); M. Vrijheid (Martine); M. Estarlich (Marisa); M.F. Fernandez (Mariana); M. Torrent (Maties); F. Ballester (Ferran); J.J. Aurrekoetxea (Juan José); J. Ibarluzea (Jesús); D. Guerra (David); J. González (Julián); M. Röösli (Martin); L. Santa-Marina (Loreto)

2016-01-01

textabstractBackground: Analysis of the association between exposure to electromagnetic fields of non-ionising radiation (EMF-NIR) and health in children and adolescents is hindered by the limited availability of data, mainly due to the difficulties on the exposure assessment. This study protocol

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2018-02-15

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

Copenhagen Airport Cohort

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller, Karina Lauenborg; Brauer, Charlotte; Mikkelsen, Sigurd

2017-01-01

PURPOSE: Copenhagen Airport Cohort 1990-2012 presents a unique data source for studies of health effects of occupational exposure to air pollution (ultrafine particles) and manual baggage handling among airport employees. We describe the extent of information in the cohort and in the follow...... covers 69 175 men in unskilled positions. The exposed cohort includes men in unskilled jobs employed at Copenhagen Airport in the period 1990-2012 either as baggage handlers or in other outdoor work. The reference cohort includes men in unskilled jobs working in the greater Copenhagen area. FINDINGS...... TO DATE: The cohort includes environmental Global Positioning System (GPS) measurements in Copenhagen Airport, information on job function/task for each calendar year of employment between 1990 and 2012, exposure to air pollution at residence, average weight of baggage lifted per day and lifestyle...

Exposure to mercury among Spanish preschool children: Trend from birth to age four

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Llop, Sabrina, E-mail: llop_sab@gva.es [Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research in the Valencian Region, FISABIO-Public Health, Av. Catalunya 21, 46020 Valencia (Spain); Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid (Spain); Murcia, Mario [Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid (Spain); Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research in the Valencian Region, FISABIO-Public Health, Av. Catalunya 21, 46020 Valencia (Spain); Aguinagalde, Xabier [Laboratorio de Salud Pública de Alava, Santiago 11, 01002 Vitoria Gasteiz (Spain); Vioque, Jesus [Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid (Spain); Universidad Miguel Hernandez, Avenida de Alicante KM 87, 03550 Sant Joan d´Alacant (Spain); Rebagliato, Marisa [Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid (Spain); Medicine Department, Jaume I University, Av. Vicent Sos Baynat, s/n, 12071 Castelló de la Plana (Spain); Cases, Amparo [Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research in the Valencian Region, FISABIO-Public Health, Av. Catalunya 21, 46020 Valencia (Spain); Iñiguez, Carmen; Lopez-Espinosa, Maria-Jose [Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research in the Valencian Region, FISABIO-Public Health, Av. Catalunya 21, 46020 Valencia (Spain); Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid (Spain); Amurrio, Ascensión [Laboratorio de Salud Pública de Alava, Santiago 11, 01002 Vitoria Gasteiz (Spain); María Navarrete-Muñoz, Eva [Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid (Spain); Universidad Miguel Hernandez, Avenida de Alicante KM 87, 03550 Sant Joan d´Alacant (Spain); and others

2014-07-15

The purpose of this study is to describe the total hair mercury concentrations and their determinants in preschool Spanish children, as well as to explore the trend in mercury exposure from birth to the age four. This evolution has been scarcely studied in other birth cohort studies. The study population was 580 four year old children participating in the INMA (i.e. Childhood and Environment) birth cohort study in Valencia (2008–2009). Total mercury concentration at age four was measured in hair samples by atomic absorption spectrometry. Fish consumption and other covariates were obtained by questionnaire. Multivariate linear regression models were conducted in order to explore the association between mercury exposure and fish consumption, socio-demographic characteristics and prenatal exposure to mercury. The geometric mean was 1.10 µg/g (95%CI: 1.02, 1.19). Nineteen percent of children had mercury concentrations above the equivalent to the Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake proposed by WHO. Mercury concentration was associated with increasing maternal age, fish consumption and cord blood mercury levels, as well as decreasing parity. Children whose mothers worked had higher mercury levels than those with non working mothers. Swordfish, lean fish and canned fish were the fish categories most associated with hair mercury concentrations. We observed a decreasing trend in mercury concentrations between birth and age four. In conclusion, the children participating in this study had high hair mercury concentrations compared to reported studies on children from other European countries and similar to other countries with high fish consumption. The INMA study design allows the evaluation of the exposure to mercury longitudinally and enables this information to be used for biomonitoring purposes and dietary recommendations. - Highlights: • The geometric mean of hair Hg concentrations was 1.10 µg/g. • 19% of children had Hg concentrations above the RfD proposed by

Exposure to mercury among Spanish preschool children: Trend from birth to age four

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Llop, Sabrina; Murcia, Mario; Aguinagalde, Xabier; Vioque, Jesus; Rebagliato, Marisa; Cases, Amparo; Iñiguez, Carmen; Lopez-Espinosa, Maria-Jose; Amurrio, Ascensión; María Navarrete-Muñoz, Eva

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study is to describe the total hair mercury concentrations and their determinants in preschool Spanish children, as well as to explore the trend in mercury exposure from birth to the age four. This evolution has been scarcely studied in other birth cohort studies. The study population was 580 four year old children participating in the INMA (i.e. Childhood and Environment) birth cohort study in Valencia (2008–2009). Total mercury concentration at age four was measured in hair samples by atomic absorption spectrometry. Fish consumption and other covariates were obtained by questionnaire. Multivariate linear regression models were conducted in order to explore the association between mercury exposure and fish consumption, socio-demographic characteristics and prenatal exposure to mercury. The geometric mean was 1.10 µg/g (95%CI: 1.02, 1.19). Nineteen percent of children had mercury concentrations above the equivalent to the Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake proposed by WHO. Mercury concentration was associated with increasing maternal age, fish consumption and cord blood mercury levels, as well as decreasing parity. Children whose mothers worked had higher mercury levels than those with non working mothers. Swordfish, lean fish and canned fish were the fish categories most associated with hair mercury concentrations. We observed a decreasing trend in mercury concentrations between birth and age four. In conclusion, the children participating in this study had high hair mercury concentrations compared to reported studies on children from other European countries and similar to other countries with high fish consumption. The INMA study design allows the evaluation of the exposure to mercury longitudinally and enables this information to be used for biomonitoring purposes and dietary recommendations. - Highlights: • The geometric mean of hair Hg concentrations was 1.10 µg/g. • 19% of children had Hg concentrations above the RfD proposed by

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2016-03-07

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

Environmental training for the wastes; La educacion ambiental en los residuos

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mandaula Canadell, F.

1996-12-01

Environmental education is the basement to live in harmony with the environment. The council of Sabadell is aware of this problem, so it has been developing activities directed to the citizens in order that they feel responsible for their own wastes. Among this activities they offer some visits to different waste management plants. (Author)

La red de investigación "infancia y medio ambiente"(Red INMA: protocolo de estudio

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rosa Ramón

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Cada vez existe mayor evidencia de la influencia de la dieta y de la exposición a dosis bajas de tóxicos durante la etapa prenatal y primera infancia sobre la salud y el bienestar en etapas posteriores de la vida. Siguiendo las recomendaciones de la OMS y de la Unión Europea en el año 2003 se constituyó la Red de Investigación Cooperativa Infancia y Medio Ambiente para estudiar los efectos del medio ambiente y la dieta en el desarrollo fetal e infantil en diversas zonas geográficas en España. La Red integra diversos grupos multidisciplinares de investigación y está constituida por seis cohortes, tres preexistentes y tres de novo, que seguirán de forma prospectiva a 3.600 mujeres embarazadas, desde el inicio del embarazo hasta los 4- 6 años del niño. Los objetivos generales de la red son: (1 Describir la exposición individual a tóxicos ambientales durante la gestación y la primera infancia. (2 Evaluar los efectos de la exposición a tóxicos y de la dieta en el desarrollo fetal e infantil. (3 Evaluar la interacción entre factores tóxicos, nutricionales y genéticos en el desarrollo fetal e infantil. El seguimiento se realiza en cada trimestre de la gestación, al nacimiento, al año y hasta los cuatro o seis años del niño. La informaci ón se recoge mediante cuestionarios, datos clínicos, exploraci ón física, ecografías, biomarcadores y mediciones ambientales. En este trabajo se presentan las características generales de la red y se describe la situación actual de cada una de las cohortes.

Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Substances and Metabolic Outcomes in Pregnant Women: Evidence from the Spanish INMA Birth Cohorts

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Matilla-Santander, N. (Nuria); D. Valvi (Damaskini); M.-J. Lopez-Espinosa (Maria-Jose); Manzano-Salgado, C.B. (Cyntia B.); F. Ballester (Ferran); J. Ibarluzea (Jesús); L. Santa-Marina (Loreto); T. Schettgen (Thomas); M. Guxens Junyent (Mònica); J. Sunyer (Jordi); M. Vrijheid (Martine)

2017-01-01

textabstractBACKGROUND: Exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) may increase risk for metabolic diseases; however, epidemiologic evidence is lacking at the present time. Pregnancy is a period of enhanced tissue plasticity for the fetus and the mother and may be a critical window of PFAS

The Danish National Birth Cohort

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Anne-Marie Nybo; Olsen, Jørn

2011-01-01

, physical exercise, working conditions, medication and infections during pregnancy, and environmental possible toxins. The study designs cover straightforward cohort analyses, case-control studies and sub-cohort analyses with enriched data collection. CONCLUSION: So far, the Danish National Birth Cohort has......INTRODUCTION: In this review a selection of studies published during the period 2002-2010, based on data from the Danish National Birth Cohort linked with other health registers, is described. Illustrative examples of studies addressing perinatal health outcomes (pregnancy complications and fetal...... that this investment in epidemiologic infrastructure was well spent. The existence of the Danish National Birth Cohort together with other cohorts and national registers has given Denmark a leading position in reproductive epidemiology....

Copenhagen Airport Cohort

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller, Karina Lauenborg; Brauer, Charlotte; Mikkelsen, Sigurd

2017-01-01

TO DATE: The cohort includes environmental Global Positioning System (GPS) measurements in Copenhagen Airport, information on job function/task for each calendar year of employment between 1990 and 2012, exposure to air pollution at residence, average weight of baggage lifted per day and lifestyle...... covers 69 175 men in unskilled positions. The exposed cohort includes men in unskilled jobs employed at Copenhagen Airport in the period 1990-2012 either as baggage handlers or in other outdoor work. The reference cohort includes men in unskilled jobs working in the greater Copenhagen area. FINDINGS...

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2016-01-01

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

Cohort profile

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Maret-Ouda, John; Wahlin, Karl; Artama, Miia

2017-01-01

Purpose: To describe a newly created all-Nordic cohort of patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD), entitled the Nordic Antireflux Surgery Cohort (NordASCo), which will be used to compare participants having undergone antireflux surgery with those who have not regarding risk...... age at primary antireflux surgery ranged from 47 to 52 years in the different countries. The coding practices of GORD seem to have differed between the Nordic countries. Future plans: The NordASCo will initially be used to analyse the risk of developing known or potential GORD-related cancers, that is......, tumours of the oesophagus, stomach, larynx, pharynx and lung, and to evaluate the mortality in the short-term and long-term perspectives. Additionally, the cohort will be used to evaluate the risk of non-malignant respiratory conditions that might be caused by aspiration of gastric contents....

Methodology Series Module 1: Cohort Studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Setia, Maninder Singh

2016-01-01

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

Methodology series module 1: Cohort studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maninder Singh Setia

2016-01-01

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

Cohort Profile : LifeLines, a three-generation cohort study and biobank

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Scholtens, Salome; Smidt, Nynke; Swertz, Morris A.; Bakker, Stephan J. L.; Dotinga, Aafje; Vonk, Judith M.; van Dijk, Freerk; van Zon, Sander K. R.; Wijmenga, Cisca; Wolffenbuttel, Bruce H. R.; Stolk, Ronald P.

The LifeLines Cohort Study is a large population-based cohort study and biobank that was established as a resource for research on complex interactions between environmental, phenotypic and genomic factors in the development of chronic diseases and healthy ageing. Between 2006 and 2013, inhabitants

1970 British Cohort Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matt Brown

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The 1970 British Cohort Study (BCS70 is one of Britain’s world famous national longitudinal birth cohort studies, three of which are run by the Centre for Longitudinal Studies at the Institute of Education, University of London.  BCS70 follows the lives of more than 17,000 people born in England, Scotland and Wales in a single week of 1970. Over the course of cohort members lives, the BCS70 has collected information on health, physical, educational and social development, and economic circumstances among other factors. Since the birth survey in 1970, there have been nine ‘sweeps’ of all cohort members at ages 5, 10, 16, 26, 30, 34, 38 and most recently at 42. Data has been collected from a number of different sources (the midwife present at birth, parents of the cohort members, head and class teachers, school health service personnel and the cohort members themselves. The data has been collected in a variety of ways including via paper and electronic questionnaires, clinical records, medical examinations, physical measurements, tests of ability, educational assessments and diaries. The majority of BCS70 survey data can be accessed by bona fide researchers through the UK Data Service at the University of Essex.

Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq

Science.gov (United States)

2008-06-01

personnel are working to build managerial capacity in the Ministry of Agriculture. Current animal husbandry initiatives in the poultry , cattle...Specifically, Inma completed projects that distributed feed grains in Anbar and developed a butchers association in Diyala. There are five projects

Cohort Profile

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jespersen, Sanne; Hønge, Bo Langhoff; Oliveira, Inés

2014-01-01

The West African country Guinea-Bissau is home to the world’s highest prevalence of HIV-2, and its HIV-1 prevalence is rising. Other chronic viral infections like human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) and hepatitis B virus are common as well. The Bissau HIV Cohort was started in 2007 to gain...... new insights into the overall effect of introducing antiretroviral treatment in a treatment-naı ̈ve population with concomitant infection with three retroviruses (HIV-1, HIV-2 and HTLV-1) and tuberculosis. The cohort includes patients from the HIV clinic at Hospital Nacional Sima ̃ o Mendes, the main...

Cohort profile: the lidA Cohort Study-a German Cohort Study on Work, Age, Health and Work Participation.

Science.gov (United States)

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

2014-12-01

The lidA Cohort Study (German Cohort Study on Work, Age, Health and Work Participation) was set up to investigate and follow the effects of work and work context on the physical and psychological health of the ageing workforce in Germany and subsequently on work participation. Cohort participants are initially employed people subject to social security contributions and born in either 1959 (n = 2909) or 1965 (n = 3676). They were personally interviewed in their homes in 2011 and will be visited every 3 years. Data collection comprises socio-demographic data, work and private exposures, work ability, work and work participation attitudes, health, health-related behaviour, personality and attitudinal indicators. Employment biographies are assessed using register data. Subjective health reports and physical strength measures are complemented by health insurance claims data, where permission was given. A conceptual framework has been developed for the lidA Cohort Study within which three confirmatory sub-models assess the interdependencies of work and health considering age, gender and socioeconomic status. The first set of the data will be available to the scientific community by 2015. Access will be given by the Research Data Centre of the German Federal Employment Agency at the Institute for Employment Research (http://fdz.iab.de/en.aspx). © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association.

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

Science.gov (United States)

Ooe, Yosuke; Ohno, Yuko; Nakamura, Takashi

2009-07-01

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

SIGIR Quarterly Report to the United States Congress

Science.gov (United States)

2009-04-30

Iraq’s annual horti- culture, perennial horticulture, fish and poultry , and beef and lamb agricultural markets.491 This quarter, Inma provided $4.1...Evaluation of Management Comments GRD’s planned actions are responsive and ad- dressed the issues SIGIR identified. Rebuilding of the Sagrah School

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2017-05-01

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

International Childhood Cancer Cohort Consortium

Science.gov (United States)

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

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

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kotaro Ozasa

2018-04-01

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

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2018-04-05

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

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

Science.gov (United States)

Grant, Eric J; Kodama, Kazunori

2018-01-01

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

Nested Cohort - R software package

Science.gov (United States)

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

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2017-06-01

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

Cohort profile: LIFEWORK, a prospective cohort study on occupational and environmental risk factors and health in the Netherlands.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Reedijk, M.; Lenters, V.; Slottje, P.; Pijpe, A.; Peeters, P.H.; Korevaar, J.C.; Bueno-de-Mesquita, B.; Verschuren, W.M.M.; Verheij, R.A.; Pieterson, I.; Leeuwen, F.E. van; Rookus, M.A.; Kromhout, H.; Vermeulen, R.C.H.

2017-01-01

Purpose LIFEWORK is a large federated prospective cohort established in the Netherlands to quantify the health effects of occupational and environmental exposures. This cohort is also the Dutch contribution to the international Cohort Study of Mobile Phone Use and Health (COSMOS). In this paper, we

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2015-01-01

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

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2017-09-24

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

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2013-11-29

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

Análisis comparativo de la gestión de RRHH en el sector financiero español

OpenAIRE

PARRILLA OCÓN, ELENA

2015-01-01

[EN] This final degree project has been carried out with the aim of learning in more detail the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the banking sector using sustainability reporting of seven banks: Banco Popular, Bankia, Bankinter, Banco Santander, CaixaBank, BBVA and Banco Sabadell. As a result of the crisis appeared in 2008 and the irresponsible practices carried out in several entities, its image has been deteriorated generating some distrust in the society. Theref...

Use of dry sludge from waste water treatment plants as an additive in prefabricated concrete brick

OpenAIRE

Yagüe, A.; Valls, S.; Vázquez, E.; Kuchinow, V.

2002-01-01

Dry sludge from the Sabadell Water Treatment Plant was used to prepare prefabricated concrete bricks. After characterising the sludge and the manufacturing process used to make the bricks, we define the conditions of addition of the sludges in the manufacture. Reference samples not containing sludge and samples containing 2 % of dry sludge by cement weight were prepared. The variation in density, porosity, absorption coefficient and compressive strength of the bricks with the presence of...

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2017-05-16

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

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2014-11-01

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

Complementary Cohort Strategy for Multimodal Face Pair Matching

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sun, Yunlian; Nasrollahi, Kamal; Sun, Zhenan

2016-01-01

Face pair matching is the task of determining whether two face images represent the same person. Due to the limited expressive information embedded in the two face images as well as various sources of facial variations, it becomes a quite difficult problem. Towards the issue of few available images...... provided to represent each face, we propose to exploit an extra cohort set (identities in the cohort set are different from those being compared) by a series of cohort list comparisons. Useful cohort coefficients are then extracted from both sorted cohort identities and sorted cohort images...... for complementary information. To augment its robustness to complicated facial variations, we further employ multiple face modalities owing to their complementary value to each other for the face pair matching task. The final decision is made by fusing the extracted cohort coefficients with the direct matching...

Early-life exposure to outdoor air pollution and respiratory health, ear infections, and eczema in infants from the INMA study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aguilera, Inmaculada; Pedersen, Marie; Garcia-Esteban, Raquel

2013-01-01

the first 12-18 months of age in a Spanish birth cohort of 2,199 infants. METHODS: We obtained parentally reported information on doctor-diagnosed lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) and parental reports of wheezing, eczema, and ear infections. We estimated individual exposures to nitrogen dioxide (NO...... and lower respiratory tract infections in infants.......BACKGROUND: Prenatal and early-life periods may be critical windows for harmful effects of air pollution on infant health. OBJECTIVES: We studied the association of air pollution exposure during pregnancy and the first year of life with respiratory illnesses, ear infections, and eczema during...

Generational cohorts and their attitudes toward advertising

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ernest Cyril de Run

2013-12-01

Full Text Available This research is aimed at determining the attitudes with regard to advertising from the perspective of generational cohorts in Sarawak. A two-phase of study was conducted to firstly identify generational cohorts in the state and, secondly, to investigate the attitude of each cohort to advertising. Utilizing theories of generations, a qualitative approach by means of personal interviews was used at the outset to identify external events which bring about the formation of cohorts. Accordingly, 48 interviews were conducted and data were content-analyzed. The findings were then incorporated into the second phase of study to investigate cohorts’ views about advertising, using theory of reasoned action. A quantitative approach via questionnaire-based survey was administered, and 1,410 copies were collected for analysis. Five distinct cohorts are proposed in the initial findings. They are labeled as Neoteric Inheritors, Prospective Pursuers, Social Strivers, Idealistic Strugglers and Battling Lifers on the basis of their respective engagement with events during the coming-of-age years. The subsequent findings show that beliefs about advertising are significant predictors of the attitudes to advertising, and so are the attitudes with regard to the intention of every cohort. However, their beliefs and attitudes to advertising are found to differ significantly, especially in the older cohort. The study thus highlights the implication of generational differences on the attitudes to advertising.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2016-03-01

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

Adult outcomes of teen mothers across birth cohorts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anne Driscoll

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Background: Teen and young adult mothers have lower socioeconomic status than older mothers. Objective: This study analyzes the socioeconomic status (SES of teen, young adult, and older adult mothers across four five-year birth cohorts from 1956 to 1975 who were teens from 1971 to 1994. Methods: Data were pooled from the 1995, 2002, and 2006-2010 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG. Mothers were categorized by age at first birth and by their birth cohorts. The SES (education, single motherhood, poverty, employment of teen, young adult, and older mothers was compared across cohorts and within cohorts. Results: Among teen mothers, the odds of fulltime employment improved across birth cohorts and the odds of educational attainment beyond high school did not vary. Their odds of single motherhood and living in poverty increased across cohorts. The odds of higher education and single motherhood increased across birth cohorts for young adult mothers as did the odds of living in poverty, even if working fulltime. Among older adult mothers, educational attainment and the odds of single motherhood rose for recent cohorts. Conclusions: Comparisons between teen mothers and both young adult and all adult mothers within cohorts suggest that gaps in single motherhood and poverty between teen and adult mothers have widened over time, to the detriment of teen mothers. Teen mothers have become more likely to be single and poor than in the past and compared to older mothers.

Smoking during pregnancy is associated with higher dietary intake of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and poor diet quality.

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Duarte-Salles, Talita; Mendez, Michelle A; Pessoa, Verónica; Guxens, Mònica; Aguilera, Inmaculada; Kogevinas, Manolis; Sunyer, Jordi

2010-12-01

To estimate the dietary intake of total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), and to characterise factors associated with higher intake during pregnancy. Recent studies suggest that prenatal exposure to PAH is associated with adverse reproductive outcomes. Other than tobacco smoke and occupational exposures, diet is the main source of human PAH exposure. Prospective birth cohort study. Dietary exposure to total PAH and BaP was calculated combining food consumption data and estimated PAH concentrations in foods. One-way ANOVA was used to assess differences in intake among non-smokers, passive or active smokers. Linear regression was used to assess factors related to higher intake, and associations between dietary PAH and birth weight. Sabadell, Spain, 2004-2006. Women (n 657) recruited during the first trimester of pregnancy. The mean dietary intake of BaP and total PAH was significantly higher among active (0·199 and 10·207 μg/d, respectively) and passive smokers (0·196 and 9·458 μg/d) than among non-smokers (0·181 and 8·757 μg/d; P value smoke is an additional route of PAH exposure, the added dietary burden in these women is of concern.

Mortality, stroke, and heart failure in atrial fibrillation cohorts after ablation versus propensity-matched cohorts.

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Jarman, Julian We; Hunter, Tina D; Hussain, Wajid; March, Jamie L; Wong, Tom; Markides, Vias

2017-01-01

We sought to determine from key clinical outcomes whether catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with increased survival. Using routinely collected hospital data, ablation patients were matched to two control cohorts using direct and propensity score methodology. Four thousand nine hundred ninety-one ablation patients were matched 1:1 with general AF controls without ablation. Five thousand four hundred seven ablation patients were similarly matched to controls who underwent cardioversion. We examined the rates of ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (stroke/TIA), heart failure hospitalization, and death. Matched populations had very similar comorbidity profiles, including nearly identical CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc risk distribution ( p =0.6948 and p =0.8152 vs general AF and cardioversion cohorts). Kaplan-Meier models showed increased survival after ablation for all outcomes compared with both control cohorts ( p vs general AF, p =0.0087 for stroke/TIA, p vs cardioversion). Cox regression models also showed improved survival after ablation for all outcomes compared with the general AF cohort (hazard ratio [HR]=0.4, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 0.3-0.6, p stroke/TIA; HR=0.4, 95% CI: 0.2-0.6, p stroke/TIA; HR=0.4, 95% CI: 0.3-0.6, p stroke/TIA, and heart failure compared with a matched general AF population and a matched population who underwent cardioversion. Potential confounding of outcomes was minimized by very tight cohort matching.

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

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

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

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2017-06-08

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

Cohort Fertility Patterns in the Nordic Countries

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Gunnar Andersson

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Previous analyses of period fertility suggest that the trends of the Nordic countries are sufficiently similar to speak of a common "Nordic fertility regime". We investigate whether this assumption can be corroborated by comparing cohort fertility patterns in the Nordic countries. We study cumulated and completed fertility of Nordic birth cohorts based on the childbearing histories of women born in 1935 and later derived from the population registers of Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. We further explore childbearing behaviour by women's educational attainment. The results show remarkable similarities in postponement and recuperation between the countries and very small differences in completed fertility across educational groups. Median childbearing age is about 2-3 years higher in the 1960-64 cohort than in the 1950-54 cohort, but the younger cohort recuperates the fertility level of the older cohort at ages 30 and above. A similar pattern of recuperation can be observed for highly educated women as compared to women with less education. An interesting finding is that of a positive relationship between educational level and the final number of children when women who become mothers at similar ages are compared. Country differences in fertility outcome are generally rather low. Childlessness is highest in Finland and lowest in Norway, and the educational differentials are largest in Norway. Despite such differences, the cohort analyses in many ways support the notion of a common Nordic fertility regime.

Cohort changes in cognitive function among Danish centenarians. A comparative study of 2 birth cohorts born in 1895 and 1905

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Engberg, Henriette; Christensen, Kaare; Andersen-Ranberg, Karen

2008-01-01

of 276 persons participated (75%). The Danish 1905 Cohort Survey includes all individuals born in 1905. In total, 225 out of 364 persons who reached the age of 100 in the cohort participated in the most recent 2005 follow-up (62%). In both cohorts, cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental...

Cancer Epidemiology Cohorts

Science.gov (United States)

Cohort studies are fundamental for epidemiological research by helping researchers better understand the etiology of cancer and provide insights into the key determinants of this disease and its outcomes.

自相关泊松计数过程的质量控制图%Quality control chart for auto-correlated Poisson counts process

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

刘利平; 马义中

2010-01-01

研究了一类自相关泊松计数过程的质量监控问题.在对泊松一阶整值滑动平均(INMA(1))过程进行分析的基础上,用条件控制图和残差控制图对这类过程进行监控,并给出了确定控制限的方法及其实施步骤.通过仿真,首先分析了控制限参数变化对受控平均运行链长的影响;然后以平均运行链长为准则,比较了控制图的监控效果.仿真结果表明,两种控制图均能对泊松INMA(1)过程均值发生的较大幅度漂移进行有效监控.

Cohorts based on decade of death: no evidence for secular trends favoring later cohorts in cognitive aging and terminal decline in the AHEAD study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hülür, Gizem; Infurna, Frank J; Ram, Nilam; Gerstorf, Denis

2013-03-01

Studies of birth-year cohorts examined over the same age range often report secular trends favoring later-born cohorts, who are cognitively fitter and show less steep cognitive declines than earlier-born cohorts. However, there is initial evidence that those advantages of later-born cohorts do not carry into the last years of life, suggesting that pervasive mortality-related processes minimize differences that were apparent earlier in life. Elaborating this work from an alternative perspective on cohort differences, we compared rates of cognitive aging and terminal decline in episodic memory between cohorts based on the year participants had died, earlier (between 1993 and 1999) or later in historical time (between 2000 and 2010). Specifically, we compared trajectories of cognitive decline in 2 death-year cohorts of participants in the Asset and Health Dynamics Among the Oldest Old study that were matched on age at death and education and controlled for a variety of additional covariates. Results revealed little evidence of secular trends favoring later cohorts. To the contrary, the cohort that died in the 2000s showed a less favorable trajectory of age-related memory decline than the cohort that died in the 1990s. In examinations of change in relation to time to death, the cohort dying in the 2000s experienced even steeper terminal declines than the cohort dying in the 1990s. We suggest that secular increases in "manufacturing" survival may exacerbate age- and mortality-related cognitive declines among the oldest old.

Regulation of Viable and Optimal Cohorts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aubin, Jean-Pierre, E-mail: aubin.jp@gmail.com [VIMADES (Viabilité, Marchés, Automatique, Décisions) (France)

2015-10-15

This study deals with the evolution of (scalar) attributes (resources or income in evolutionary demography or economics, position in traffic management, etc.) of a population of “mobiles” (economic agents, vehicles, etc.). The set of mobiles sharing the same attributes is regarded as an instantaneous cohort described by the number of its elements. The union of instantaneous cohorts during a mobile window between two attributes is a cohort. Given a measure defining the number of instantaneous cohorts, the accumulation of the mobile attributes on a evolving mobile window is the measure of the cohort on this temporal mobile window. Imposing accumulation constraints and departure conditions, this study is devoted to the regulation of the evolutions of the attributes which are1.viable in the sense that the accumulations constraints are satisfied at each instant;2.and, among them, optimal, in the sense that both the duration of the temporal mobile window is maximum and that the accumulation on this temporal mobile window is the largest viable one. This value is the “accumulation valuation” function. Viable and optimal evolutions under accumulation constraints are regulated by an “implicit Volterra integro-differential inclusion” built from the accumulation valuation function, solution to an Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman partial differential equation under constraints which is constructed for this purpose.

Cohort profile

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kreiberg, Michael; Bandak, Mikkel; Lauritsen, Jakob

2018-01-01

The cohort was set up in order to analyze late effects in long-term testicular cancer survivors (TCS) and to contribute to the design of future follow-up programs addressing and potentially preventing late effects. Data for this cross-sectional study were collected between January 1, 2014, and De...

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2018-03-01

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

Global teaching and training initiatives for emerging cohort studies

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Jessica K. Paulus

2012-09-01

Full Text Available A striking disparity exists across the globe, with essentially no large-scale longitudinal studies ongoing in regions that will be significantly affected by the oncoming non-communicable disease epidemic. The successful implementation of cohort studies in most low-resource research environments presents unique challenges that may be aided by coordinated training programs. Leaders of emerging cohort studies attending the First World Cohort Integration Workshop were surveyed about training priorities, unmet needs and potential cross-cohort solutions to these barriers through an electronic pre-workshop questionnaire and focus groups. Cohort studies representing India, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa, Sweden, Tanzania and Uganda described similar training needs, including on-the-job training, data analysis software instruction, and database and bio-bank management. A lack of funding and protected time for training activities were commonly identified constraints. Proposed solutions include a collaborative cross-cohort teaching platform with web-based content and interactive teaching methods for a range of research personnel. An international network for research mentorship and idea exchange, and modifying the graduate thesis structure were also identified as key initiatives. Cross-cohort integrated educational initiatives will efficiently meet shared needs, catalyze the development of emerging cohorts, speed closure of the global disparity in cohort research, and may fortify scientific capacity development in low-resource settings.

Life-course and cohort trajectories of mental health in the UK, 1991-2008--a multilevel age-period-cohort analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, Andrew

2014-11-01

There is ongoing debate regarding the shape of life-course trajectories in mental health. Many argue the relationship is U-shaped, with mental health declining with age to mid-life, then improving. However, I argue that these models are beset by the age-period-cohort (APC) identification problem, whereby age, cohort and year of measurement are exactly collinear and their effects cannot be meaningfully separated. This means an apparent life-course effect could be explained by cohorts. This paper critiques two sets of literature: the substantive literature regarding life-course trajectories in mental health, and the methodological literature that claims erroneously to have 'solved' the APC identification problem statistically (e.g. using Yang and Land's Hierarchical APC-HAPC-model). I then use a variant of the HAPC model, making strong but justified assumptions that allow the modelling of life-course trajectories in mental health (measured by the General Health Questionnaire) net of any cohort effects, using data from the British Household Panel Survey, 1991-2008. The model additionally employs a complex multilevel structure that allows the relative importance of spatial (households, local authority districts) and temporal (periods, cohorts) levels to be assessed. Mental health is found to increase throughout the life-course; this slows at mid-life before worsening again into old age, but there is no evidence of a U-shape--I argue that such findings result from confounding with cohort processes (whereby more recent cohorts have generally worse mental health). Other covariates were also evaluated; income, smoking, education, social class, urbanity, ethnicity, gender and marriage were all related to mental health, with the latter two in particular affecting life-course and cohort trajectories. The paper shows the importance of understanding APC in life-course research generally, and mental health research in particular. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights

[Ethical considerations in genomic cohort study].

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Eun Kyung; Kim, Ock-Joo

2007-03-01

During the last decade, genomic cohort study has been developed in many countries by linking health data and genetic data in stored samples. Genomic cohort study is expected to find key genetic components that contribute to common diseases, thereby promising great advance in genome medicine. While many countries endeavor to build biobank systems, biobank-based genome research has raised important ethical concerns including genetic privacy, confidentiality, discrimination, and informed consent. Informed consent for biobank poses an important question: whether true informed consent is possible in population-based genomic cohort research where the nature of future studies is unforeseeable when consent is obtained. Due to the sensitive character of genetic information, protecting privacy and keeping confidentiality become important topics. To minimize ethical problems and achieve scientific goals to its maximum degree, each country strives to build population-based genomic cohort research project, by organizing public consultation, trying public and expert consensus in research, and providing safeguards to protect privacy and confidentiality.

Television viewing duration during childhood and long- association with adolescent neuropsychological outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Connor, Giselle; Piñero Casas, Maria; Basagaña, Xavier; Vicente, Mònica López; Davand, Payam; Torrent, Maties; Martínez-Murciano, David; García-Esteban, Raquel; Marinelli, Marcella; Sunyer, Jordi; Julvez, Jordi

2016-12-01

This study is aiming to evaluate the association between television viewing during childhood and long-term adolescent neuropsychological outcomes and the potential explanatory pathways. This is a longitudinal study based on 278 children participating in the INMA birth cohort (1998) in Menorca Island, Spain. The exposure is parent-reported duration of child television viewing (hours per week) at 6 and 9 years of age. Neuropsychological outcomes were assessed at 14 years of age using the N-back test. Behavioral outcomes at 14 years of age were assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and school performance was assessed by the global school score. Regression models were developed to quantify the associations between duration of television viewing and neuropsychological outcomes adjusted for child and parents' characteristics. The average of weekly TV viewing from 6 to 9 years was 9.2 h (SD: 4.1). Only N-back test outcomes exhibited statistically significant differences in crude models. Children viewing > 14 h per week tended to show larger latencies in working memory reaction time (HRT in ms), beta (CI) = 53 (0-107). After adjusting for potential social confounders, the association weakened and became non-significant but adverse trends were slightly preserved. Early life TV viewing was not associated with adolescent neuropsychological outcomes after adjustment for potential confounders. Further research including larger and exhaustive population-based cohort studies is required in order to verify our conclusions.

Television viewing duration during childhood and long- association with adolescent neuropsychological outcomes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giselle O'Connor, MSc

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This study is aiming to evaluate the association between television viewing during childhood and long-term adolescent neuropsychological outcomes and the potential explanatory pathways. This is a longitudinal study based on 278 children participating in the INMA birth cohort (1998 in Menorca Island, Spain. The exposure is parent-reported duration of child television viewing (hours per week at 6 and 9 years of age. Neuropsychological outcomes were assessed at 14 years of age using the N-back test. Behavioral outcomes at 14 years of age were assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ and school performance was assessed by the global school score. Regression models were developed to quantify the associations between duration of television viewing and neuropsychological outcomes adjusted for child and parents' characteristics. The average of weekly TV viewing from 6 to 9 years was 9.2 h (SD: 4.1. Only N-back test outcomes exhibited statistically significant differences in crude models. Children viewing >14 h per week tended to show larger latencies in working memory reaction time (HRT in ms, beta (CI = 53 (0–107. After adjusting for potential social confounders, the association weakened and became non-significant but adverse trends were slightly preserved. Early life TV viewing was not associated with adolescent neuropsychological outcomes after adjustment for potential confounders. Further research including larger and exhaustive population-based cohort studies is required in order to verify our conclusions.

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

Science.gov (United States)

Mizuno, S; Akiba, S; Hirayama, T

1989-12-01

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

Cohort studies in health sciences librarianship.

Science.gov (United States)

Eldredge, Jonathan

2002-10-01

What are the key characteristics of the cohort study design and its varied applications, and how can this research design be utilized in health sciences librarianship? The health, social, behavioral, biological, library, earth, and management sciences literatures were used as sources. All fields except for health sciences librarianship were scanned topically for either well-known or diverse applications of the cohort design. The health sciences library literature available to the author principally for the years 1990 to 2000, supplemented by papers or posters presented at annual meetings of the Medical Library Association. A narrative review for the health, social, behavioral, biological, earth, and management sciences literatures and a systematic review for health sciences librarianship literature for the years 1990 to 2000, with three exceptions, were conducted. The author conducted principally a manual search of the health sciences librarianship literature for the years 1990 to 2000 as part of this systematic review. The cohort design has been applied to answer a wide array of theoretical or practical research questions in the health, social, behavioral, biological, and management sciences. Health sciences librarianship also offers several major applications of the cohort design. The cohort design has great potential for answering research questions in the field of health sciences librarianship, particularly evidence-based librarianship (EBL), although that potential has not been fully explored.

Environmental exposure assessment in European birth cohorts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gehring, Ulrike; Casas, Maribel; Brunekreef, Bert

2013-01-01

of the environmental exposure and health data in these studies was made as part of the ENRIECO (Environmental Health Risks in European Birth Cohorts) project. The focus with regard to exposure was on outdoor air pollution, water contamination, allergens and biological organisms, metals, pesticides, smoking and second...... hand tobacco smoke (SHS), persistent organic pollutants (POPs), noise, radiation, and occupational exposures. The review lists methods and data on environmental exposures in 37 European birth cohort studies. Most data is currently available for smoking and SHS (N=37 cohorts), occupational exposures (N......Environmental exposures during pregnancy and early life may have adverse health effects. Single birth cohort studies often lack statistical power to tease out such effects reliably. To improve the use of existing data and to facilitate collaboration among these studies, an inventory...

Cohort profile: The Limache, Chile, birth cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Amigo, Hugo; Bustos, Patricia; Zumelzú, Elinor; Rona, Roberto J

2014-08-01

The Limache cohort was set up to assess the programming and life course events hypotheses in relation to cardiovascular risk factors and chronic respiratory conditions, especially asthma, in the context of an unprecedented economic growth in Chile. The cohort was a representative sample of 1232 participants born between 1974 and 1978 in the hospital of Limache. The study includes data collected at birth, during the 1st year of life, at 22 to 28 years (collected between 2000 and 2002) and at 32 to 38 years (collected between 2010 and 2012). The data collected include anthropometric measurements at birth, 1st year of life and in adulthood, socio-economic and demographic data, lifestyle information including smoking, alcohol consumption and food intake, respiratory symptoms, lung function, broncho-reactivity to methacholine and skin prick reaction to eight allergens, measurement of cardiovascular risk factors and information on common mental health, mainly in the most recent study. The principal researchers welcome collaborative projects, especially those that will compare similar data sets in other settings. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association © The Author 2013; all rights reserved.

A Chinese Birth Cohort: Theoretical Implications

Science.gov (United States)

Friday, Paul C.; Ren, Xin; Weitekamp, Elmar; Kerner, Hans-Jurgen; Taylor, Terrance

2005-01-01

Research on delinquency has shown consistent results across Western industrialized countries. Few studies have been done in non-Western cultures. This study reports on the results of a birth cohort study in China, which was started by Marvin Wolfgang but never completed. The cohort, born in 1973, was traced through official and community files.…

Birth cohort differences in cardiovascular risk factors in a Brazilian population of older elderly: the Bambuí cohort study of aging (1997 and 2008

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Polo Dias Freitas

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to investigate whether cohort differences exist in the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors among older elderly from the Bambuí Cohort Study of Aging. Participants were those aged 71-81 years at two points in time a decade apart: 457 in 1997 (earlier cohort and 553 in 2008 (recent cohort. The prevalence of hypertension (PR = 1.27; 95%CI: 1.19-1.36 and of diabetes mellitus (PR = 1.39; 95%CI: 1.06-1.83 was higher in the recent cohort compared to the earlier one, regardless of sex. The recent cohort had a lower prevalence of smoking (PR = 0.58; 95%CI: 0.42-0.80, and lower total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio level (PR = 0.85; 95%CI: 0.80-0.89. There was a 136% increase in the pharmacologic treatment of diabetes and a 56% increase in pharmacologic management of hypertension in 2008 in comparison with 1997. Overall, the number of cardiovascular risk factors in the recent cohort remained similar to that of the early cohort.

Age, Cohort and Co-Authorship

OpenAIRE

Hamermesh, Daniel S.

2015-01-01

The previously documented trend toward more co- and multi-authored research in economics is partly (perhaps 20 percent) due to different research styles of scholars in different birth cohorts (of different ages). Most of the trend reflects profession-wide changes in research style. Older scholars show greater variation in their research styles than younger ones, who use similar numbers of co-authors in each published paper; but there are no differences across cohorts in scholars’ willingness ...

Cohort Differences in Cognitive Aging in the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam.

Science.gov (United States)

Brailean, Anamaria; Huisman, Martijn; Prince, Martin; Prina, A Matthew; Deeg, Dorly J H; Comijs, Hannie

2016-09-30

This study aims to examine cohort differences in cognitive performance and rates of change in episodic memory, processing speed, inductive reasoning, and general cognitive performance and to investigate whether these cohort effects may be accounted for by education attainment. The first cohort (N = 705) was born between 1920 and 1930, whereas the second cohort (N = 646) was born between 1931 and 1941. Both birth cohorts were aged 65 to 75 years at baseline and were followed up 3 and 6 years later. Data were analyzed using linear mixed models. The later born cohort had better general cognitive performance, inductive reasoning, and processing speed at baseline, but cohort differences in inductive reasoning and general cognitive performance disappeared after adjusting for education. The later born cohort showed steeper decline in processing speed. Memory decline was steeper in the earlier born cohort but only from Time 1 to Time 3 when the same memory test was administered. Education did not account for cohort differences in cognitive decline. The later born cohort showed better initial performance in certain cognitive abilities, but no better preservation of cognitive abilities overtime compared with the earlier born cohort. These findings carry implications for healthy cognitive aging. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America.

Cohort Profile: The Danish Testicular Cancer Late Treatment Effects Cohort (DaTeCa-LATE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Kreiberg

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The cohort was set up in order to analyze late effects in long-term testicular cancer survivors (TCS and to contribute to the design of future follow-up programs addressing and potentially preventing late effects. Data for this cross-sectional study were collected between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2016, among living Danish TCS and 60% agreed to participate in the cohort (N = 2,572. Mean time since testicular cancer (TC diagnosis was 18 years (range 7–33 and mean age of participants was 53 years (range 25–95. Data consist of results of a questionnaire with patient reported outcomes which covers a broad range of items on late-effects. The study also included data obtained through linkages to Danish registries, a biobank, and clinical data from hospital files and pathology reports originating from the Danish Testicular Cancer Database (DaTeCa. The treatment during the observation period has been nearly the same for all stages of TC and is in agreement with today’s standard treatment, this allows for interesting analysis with a wide timespan. We have extensive data on non-responders and are able to validate our study findings. Data from a Danish reference population (N = 162,283 allow us to compare our findings with a Danish background population. The cohort can easily be extended to access more outcomes, or include new TCS. A limitation of the present study is the cross-sectional design and despite the large sample size, The Danish Testicular Cancer Late Treatment Effects Cohort (DaTeCa-LATE lacks statistical power to study very rare late effects. Since it was voluntary to participate in the study we have some selection bias, for instance, we lack responders who were not in a paired relationship, but we would still argue that this cohort of TCSs is representative for TCSs in Denmark.Collaboration and data accessResearches interested in collaboration with the DaTeCa-LATE study group please contact Professor Gedske Daugaard

Birth cohort effects on mortality in Danish women

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jacobsen, Rune; Keiding, Niels; Lynge, Elsebeth

the mothers of the babyboomers, and the women most heavily hit by the epidemic of sexually transmitted diseases in the mid 1940s. These generations of women furthermore entered the Danish labour market in massive numbers in the 1960s. In the present study we examine the mortality of Danish women and compare...... it to mortality of Danish men, Norwegian women and Swedish women. Specifically we aim to answer the questions: 1) Are there comparable birth cohort effects on mortality in Norway and Sweden and what is the impact of the respective Danish birth cohorts on the life expectancy measure 2) Are there specific causes...... groups. The data was analysed using descriptive techniques, Age-period-cohort modelling and age-decomposing of life expectancies. Results: The results showed no similar birth cohort effect for Norway and Sweden when compared to Denmark and a relatively high impact of the birth cohort effect on life...

Pooling birth cohorts in allergy and asthma

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bousquet, Jean; Anto, Josep; Sunyer, Jordi

2013-01-01

Long-term birth cohort studies are essential to understanding the life course and childhood predictors of allergy and the complex interplay between genes and the environment (including lifestyle and socioeconomic determinants). Over 100 cohorts focusing on asthma and allergy have been initiated...

Riyadh Mother and Baby Multicenter Cohort Study: The Cohort Profile.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hayfaa Wahabi

Full Text Available To assess the effects of non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity, on the mother and the infant.A multicentre cohort study was conducted in three hospitals in the city of Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. All Saudi women and their babies who delivered in participating hospitals were eligible for recruitment. Data on socio-demographic characteristics in addition to the maternal and neonatal outcomes of pregnancy were collected. The cohort demographic profile was recorded and the prevalence of maternal conditions including gestational diabetes, pre-gestational diabetes, hypertensive disorders in pregnancy and obesity were estimated.The total number of women who delivered in participating hospitals during the study period was 16,012 of which 14,568 women participated in the study. The mean age of the participants was 29 ± 5.9 years and over 40% were university graduates. Most of the participants were housewives, 70% were high or middle income and 22% were exposed to secondhand smoke. Of the total cohort, 24% were married to a first cousin. More than 68% of the participants were either overweight or obese. The preterm delivery rate was 9%, while 1.5% of the deliveries were postdate. The stillbirth rate was 13/1000 live birth. The prevalence of gestational diabetes was 24% and that of pre-gestational diabetes was 4.3%. The preeclampsia prevalence was 1.1%. The labour induction rate was 15.5% and the cesarean section rate was 25%.Pregnant women in Saudi Arabia have a unique demographic profile. The prevalence of obesity and diabetes in pregnancy are among the highest in the world.

Pregnancy and birth cohort resources in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Pernille Stemann; Kamper-Jørgensen, Mads; Adamson, Ashley

2013-01-01

During the past 25 years, many pregnancy and birth cohorts have been established. Each cohort provides unique opportunities for examining associations of early-life exposures with child development and health. However, to fully exploit the large amount of available resources and to facilitate cross...

Period Effects, Cohort Effects, and the Narrowing Gender Wage Gap

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Colin; Pearlman, Jessica

2015-01-01

Despite the abundance of sociological research on the gender wage gap, questions remain. In particular, the role of cohorts is under investigated. Using data from the Current Population Survey, we use Age-Period-Cohort analysis to uniquely estimate age, period, and cohort effects on the gender wage gap. The narrowing of the gender wage gap that occurred between 1975 and 2009 is largely due to cohort effects. Since the mid-1990s, the gender wage gap has continued to close absent of period effects. While gains in female wages contributed to declines in the gender wage gap for cohorts born before 1950, for later cohorts the narrowing of the gender wage gap is primarily a result of declines in male wages. PMID:24090861

Do small labor market entry cohorts reduce unemployment?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alfred Garloff

2013-09-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND Germany, like many OECD countries, faces a shift in the age composition of its population,and will face an even more drastic demographic change in the years ahead. From a theoretical point of view, decreasing cohort sizes may on the one hand reduce unemployment due to inverse cohort crowding or, on the other hand, increase unemploymentif companies reduce jobs disproportionately. Consequently, the actual effect of cohort shrinkage on employment and unemployment is an empirical question. OBJECTIVE We quantitatively assess the relationship between (unemployment and cohort sizes. METHODS We analyze a long panel of population and labor-market data for Western German labor market regions. We isolate the direct, statistical effect of aging in a decomposition approach and estimate the overall effect by regression. In this context, we account for the likely endogeneity of cohort size due to migration of the young workforce across regions using lagged births as instrument. RESULTS The direct effect of the age composition of the labor force on unemployment is negligible.In contrast, the elasticities of unemployment and employment with regard to the labor-market entry cohort's size are significantly positive or negative, respectively. The causal effect indicates an over-elastic reaction by unemployment. CONCLUSIONS Our results provide good news for the Western German labor market: small entry cohorts are indeed likely to decrease the overall unemployment rate and thus to improve the situation of job seekers. Accordingly, we find the employment rate is positively affected by a decrease in the youth proportion.

Period effects, cohort effects, and the narrowing gender wage gap.

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Colin; Pearlman, Jessica

2013-11-01

Despite the abundance of sociological research on the gender wage gap, questions remain. In particular, the role of cohorts is under investigated. Using data from the Current Population Survey, we use age-period-cohort analysis to uniquely estimate age, period, and cohort effects on the gender wage gap. The narrowing of the gender wage gap that occurred between 1975 and 2009 is largely due to cohort effects. Since the mid-1990s, the gender wage gap has continued to close absent of period effects. While gains in female wages contributed to declines in the gender wage gap for cohorts born before 1950, for later cohorts the narrowing of the gender wage gap is primarily a result of declines in male wages. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cohort profile: the Italian Network of Longitudinal Metropolitan Studies (IN-LiMeS), a multicentre cohort for socioeconomic inequalities in health monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Caranci, Nicola; Di Girolamo, Chiara; Giorgi Rossi, Paolo; Spadea, Teresa; Pacelli, Barbara; Broccoli, Serena; Ballotari, Paola; Costa, Giuseppe; Zengarini, Nicolás; Agabiti, Nera; Bargagli, Anna Maria; Cacciani, Laura; Canova, Cristina; Cestari, Laura; Biggeri, Annibale; Grisotto, Laura; Terni, Gianna; Costanzo, Gianfranco; Mirisola, Concetta; Petrelli, Alessio

2018-04-20

The Italian Network of Longitudinal Metropolitan Studies (IN-LiMeS) is a system of integrated data on health outcomes, demographic and socioeconomic information, and represents a powerful tool to study health inequalities. IN-LiMeS is a multicentre and multipurpose pool of metropolitan population cohorts enrolled in nine Italian cities: Turin, Venice, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Bologna, Florence, Leghorn, Prato and Rome. Data come from record linkage of municipal population registries, the 2001 population census, mortality registers and hospital discharge archives. Depending on the source of enrolment, cohorts can be closed or open. The census-based closed cohort design includes subjects resident in any of the nine cities at the 2001 census day; 4 466 655 individuals were enrolled in 2001 in the nine closed cohorts. The open cohort design includes subjects resident in 2001 or subsequently registered by birth or immigration until the latest available follow-up (currently 31 December 2013). The open cohort design is available for Turin, Venice, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Bologna, Prato and Rome. Detailed socioeconomic data are available for subjects enrolled in the census-based cohorts; information on demographic characteristics, education and citizenship is available from population registries. The first IN-LiMeS application was the study of differentials in mortality between immigrants and Italians. Either using a closed cohort design (nine cities) or an open one (Turin and Reggio Emilia), individuals from high migration pressure countries generally showed a lower mortality risk. However, a certain heterogeneity between the nine cities was noted, especially among men, and an excess mortality risk was reported for some macroareas of origin and specific causes of death. We are currently working on the linkage of the 2011 population census data, the expansion of geographical coverage and the implementation of the open design in all the participating cohorts. © Article author

Measurable Changes in Pre-Post Test Scores in Iraqi 4-H Leader’s Knowledge of Animal Science Production Principles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Justen O. Smith

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The 4-H volunteer program is a new concept to the people of Iraq, for decades the country has been closed to western ideas. Iraqi culture and the Arabic customs have not embraced the volunteer concept and even more the concept of scientific animal production technologies designed to increase profitability for producers. In 2011 the USAID-Inma Agribusiness program teamed with the Iraq 4-H program to create youth and community entrepreneurship opportunities for widowed families. Iraq 4-H provided the youth members and adult volunteers and Inma provided the financial capital (livestock and the animal science training program for the volunteers. The purpose of this study was to measure the knowledge level gained through intensive animal science training for Iraqi 4-H volunteers. Researchers designed and implemented a pre and post test to measure the knowledge of fifteen volunteers who participated in the three day course. The pretest exposed a general lack of animal science knowledge of all volunteers; over 80% of the participants incorrectly answered the questions. However, the post-test indicated positive change in the participants understanding of animal science production principles.

On the relationship between period and cohort mortality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John R. Wilmoth

2005-11-01

Full Text Available In this paper I explore the formal relationship between period and cohort mortality, focusing on a comparison of measures of mean lifespan. I consider not only the usual measures (life expectancy at birth for time periods and birth cohorts but also some alternative measures that have been proposed recently. I examine (and reject the claim made by Bongaarts and Feeney that the level of period is distorted, or biased, due to changes in the timing of mortality. I show that their proposed alternative measure, called "tempo-adjusted" life expectancy, is exactly equivalent in its generalized form to a measure proposed by both Brouard and Guillot, the cross-sectional average length of life (or CAL, which substitutes cohort survival probabilities for their period counterparts in the calculation of mean lifespan. I conclude that this measure does not in any sense correct for a distortion in period life expectancy at birth, but rather offers an alternative measure of mean lifespan that is approximately equal to two analytically interesting quantities: 1 the mean age at death in a given year for a hypothetical population subject to observed historical mortality conditions but with a constant annual number of births; and 2 the mean age at death, , for a cohort born years ago. However, I also observe that the trend in period does indeed offer a biased depiction of the pace of change in mean lifespan from cohort to cohort. Holding other factors constant, an historical increase in life expectancy at birth is somewhat faster when viewed from the perspective of cohorts (i.e., year of birth than from the perspective of periods (i.e., year of death.

Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq

Science.gov (United States)

2008-03-01

detention system. Overcoming corruption and criminal influence within the judicial and vi March 7, 2008 prison systems and maintaining...on the Rule of Law and Detention, support the Baghdad Operations Command (BOC) and its targeting cell, build Iraqi prison staff and capacity and...Other Inma successes are: over 20 Iraqi agribusi- nesses modernized and operating efficiently with sales revenue up by 150%, perennial horticulture

The effect of house price changes on cohort consumption in Turkey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Evren Ceritoğlu

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This paper analyzes the relationship between house prices and household consumption in Turkey. We utilize twelve consecutive waves of the Turkish Statistical Institute (TURKSTAT Household Budget Surveys (HBS from 2003 to 2014. We construct a pseudo-panel data set using birth-year cohorts following Deaton (1985. We find that house price changes have a positive and significant effect on the growth of cohort consumption. Moreover, the effect of house price changes is stronger for home-owners and it intensifies as we move from young cohorts to old cohorts. We observe that there is a marginally significant and relatively weak relationship between the growth of cohort consumption and house price changes for tenants. However, our pooled sample set is restricted to young and middle-aged cohorts for tenants. In addition, we find that the rise of home-ownership ratio increases the growth of cohort consumption, while the spread of having outstanding housing debt depresses the growth of cohort consumption. Therefore, our empirical findings are in favor of the wealth channel argument.

Period Effects, Cohort Effects, and the Narrowing Gender Wage Gap

OpenAIRE

Campbell, Colin; Pearlman, Jessica

2013-01-01

Despite the abundance of sociological research on the gender wage gap, questions remain. In particular, the role of cohorts is under investigated. Using data from the Current Population Survey, we use Age-Period-Cohort analysis to uniquely estimate age, period, and cohort effects on the gender wage gap. The narrowing of the gender wage gap that occurred between 1975 and 2009 is largely due to cohort effects. Since the mid-1990s, the gender wage gap has continued to close absent of period effe...

High mortality in the Thule cohort

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Juel, K

1994-01-01

The objective was to study mortality in the Thule cohort in order to clarify whether it is a selected population and to ascertain the possibility of misinterpretation when national mortality rates are used as reference in the analysis of occupational mortality.......The objective was to study mortality in the Thule cohort in order to clarify whether it is a selected population and to ascertain the possibility of misinterpretation when national mortality rates are used as reference in the analysis of occupational mortality....

Follow-up methods for retrospective cohort studies in New Zealand.

Science.gov (United States)

Fawcett, Jackie; Garrett, Nick; Bates, Michael N

2002-01-01

To define a general methodology for maximising the success of follow-up processes for retrospective cohort studies in New Zealand, and to illustrate an approach to developing country-specific follow-up methodologies. We recently conducted a cohort study of mortality and cancer incidence in New Zealand professional fire fighters. A number of methods were used to trace vital status, including matching with records of the New Zealand Health Information Service (NZHIS), pension records of Work and Income New Zealand (WINZ), and electronic electoral rolls. Non-electronic methods included use of paper electoral rolls and the records of the Registrar of Births Deaths and Marriages. 95% of the theoretical person-years of follow-up of the cohort were traced using these methods. In terms of numbers of cohort members traced to end of follow-up, the most useful tracing methods were fire fighter employment records, the NZHIS, WINZ, and the electronic electoral rolls. The follow-up process used for the cohort study was highly successful. On the basis of this experience, we propose a generic, but flexible, model for follow-up of retrospective cohort studies in New Zealand. Similar models could be constructed for other countries. Successful follow-up of cohort studies is possible in New Zealand using established methods. This should encourage the use of cohort studies for the investigation of epidemiological issues. Similar models for follow-up processes could be constructed for other countries.

Do Business Cycles Have Long-Term Impact for Particular Cohorts?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Torben M.; Maibom, Jonas; Svarer, Michael

Will the current employment crisis produce lost generations with permanently lower labour market attachment? Taking an explicit cohort perspective and based on Danish data we do not find strong persistence in employment rates at the cohort level. Younger workers tend to be more exposed to business...... cycle fluctuations than older workers, but importantly they recover more quickly from such set-backs than older workers for whom persistence is stronger. Moreover, no cohorts have been disproportionately affected by exposure to a sequence of adverse shocks. An explicit account of overlapping cohorts...

Shaping the ROTC Cohort

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Rittenhouse, Wiley P; Kwinn, Jr, Michael J

2005-01-01

...) - to meet the future needs of the Army for commissioned officers. It is designed to shape each cohort to meet the Army's specific needs in terms of component, academic disciplines, race/ethnic makeup goals, gender, and targeted missions...

A birth cohort analysis of dental contact among elderly Americans.

Science.gov (United States)

Wolinsky, F D; Arnold, C L

1989-01-01

We applied standard cohort and multiple regression techniques to data on the dental utilization rates of 129,191 elderly individuals taken from the 1972, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1980, and 1981 Health Interview Surveys. The results indicate that the marked variation in dental contact rates is a reflection of cohort succession, and not a function of aging per se. Older cohorts having lower dental contact rates are being replaced by younger cohorts having higher dental contact rates. The dental contact rates of the individual birth cohorts themselves are quite stable over time. The results also indicate that economic barriers (especially liquid assets) have become more important than ever before, especially for the oldest-old. These findings have important implications for public policy about the oral health and health care of elderly Americans. PMID:2783297

Case-Cohort Studies: Design and Applicability to Hand Surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Vojvodic, Miliana; Shafarenko, Mark; McCabe, Steven J

2018-04-24

Observational studies are common research strategies in hand surgery. The case-cohort design offers an efficient and resource-friendly method for risk assessment and outcomes analysis. Case-cohorts remain underrepresented in upper extremity research despite several practical and economic advantages over case-control studies. This report outlines the purpose, utility, and structure of the case-cohort design and offers a sample research question to demonstrate its value to risk estimation for adverse surgical outcomes. The application of well-designed case-cohort studies is advocated in an effort to improve the quality and quantity of observational research evidence in hand and upper extremity surgery. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bayesian Age-Period-Cohort Model of Lung Cancer Mortality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bhikhari P. Tharu

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Background The objective of this study was to analyze the time trend for lung cancer mortality in the population of the USA by 5 years based on most recent available data namely to 2010. The knowledge of the mortality rates in the temporal trends is necessary to understand cancer burden.Methods Bayesian Age-Period-Cohort model was fitted using Poisson regression with histogram smoothing prior to decompose mortality rates based on age at death, period at death, and birth-cohort.Results Mortality rates from lung cancer increased more rapidly from age 52 years. It ended up to 325 deaths annually for 82 years on average. The mortality of younger cohorts was lower than older cohorts. The risk of lung cancer was lowered from period 1993 to recent periods.Conclusions The fitted Bayesian Age-Period-Cohort model with histogram smoothing prior is capable of explaining mortality rate of lung cancer. The reduction in carcinogens in cigarettes and increase in smoking cessation from around 1960 might led to decreasing trend of lung cancer mortality after calendar period 1993.

Increasing incidence of testicular cancer--birth cohort effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Ekbom, A; Akre, O

1998-01-01

The incidence of testicular cancer is rising in most Western populations. A collaborative study between nine population-based cancer registries in countries around the Baltic Sea was utilized in order to analyze in detail geographic variations and temporal trends in the occurrence of testicular cancer. There were 34,309 cases registered up until 1989 starting in Denmark in 1942 and most recently in Latvia in 1977. From the descriptive epidemiology it was obvious that there was a substantial variation in the age-standardized incidence amounting to about a 10-fold difference between the different countries ranging from 0.8 per 100,000 person-years in Lithuania to 7.6 per 100,000 person-years in Denmark. Previous studies have indicated that this increase is due to birth cohort effects. A more detailed analysis was therefore performed in those six countries with a sufficiently long period of cancer registration; Poland, former East Germany, Norway, Finland, Denmark and Sweden. This analysis showed that birth cohort is a more important determinant of testicular cancer risk than year of diagnosis. In Poland, former East Germany and Finland, there was an increasing risk for all birth cohorts. Among men born in Denmark, Norway or Sweden between 1930 and 1945, this increasing trend in risk was interrupted in these birth cohorts but followed thereafter by an uninterrupted increase by birth cohort. In conclusion, life time exposure to environmental factors which are associated with the incidence of testicular cancer appear to be more related to birth cohort than to year of diagnosis. Because testicular cancer typically occurs at an early age, major etiological factors therefore need to operate early in life, perhaps even in utero.

Iraq Provincial Reconstruction Team Handbook: Observations, Insights, and Lessons

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-01

with Inma have included joint efforts in training, farmer association strengthening, and increased productivity involving two large fish farms, 10...beef and lamb feedlots, five forage sites, two packing sheds, six feed mills, an olive factory, 10 strawberry farms, 20 farmer associations, over 500...vegetables, and fodder. There are also a large number of orchards , and the province has 2.5 million palm 69 IRAQ PROVINCIAL RECONSTRUCTION TEAM trees

European birth cohorts for environmental health research

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vrijheid, Martine; Casas, Maribel; Bergström, Anna

2012-01-01

Many pregnancy and birth cohort studies investigate the health effects of early-life environmental contaminant exposure. An overview of existing studies and their data is needed to improve collaboration, harmonization, and future project planning.......Many pregnancy and birth cohort studies investigate the health effects of early-life environmental contaminant exposure. An overview of existing studies and their data is needed to improve collaboration, harmonization, and future project planning....

STATUS REPORT, BEGIN TO DEVELOP COMPLETE OPERATIONS MANUALS FOR THE COHORT: PREPARE TO IMPLEMENT A COHORT STUDY OF CHILDREN'S ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

Science.gov (United States)

As a precursor to the National Children's Study (NCS), the North Carolina Cohort Study (NC Cohort Study) will provide the opportunity to field test procedures to better inform the implementation of the NCS. In order to test some of the study hypotheses, it will be important to ob...

Public perceptions of cohort studies and biobanks in Germany.

Science.gov (United States)

Starkbaum, Johannes; Gottweis, Herbert; Gottweis, Ursula; Kleiser, Christina; Linseisen, Jakob; Meisinger, Christa; Kamtsiuris, Panagiotis; Moebus, Susanne; Jöckel, Karl-Heinz; Börm, Sonja; Wichmann, H-Erich

2014-04-01

Cohort studies and biobank projects have led to public discussions in several European countries in the past. In Germany, many medium-sized studies are currently running successfully in terms of respondent rates. However, EU-wide research on general public perceptions of biobanks and cohort studies have shown that Germany is among those countries where people express the highest reluctance for providing body material and other data for research purposes. Because of early efforts of the just-initiated German National Cohort Study, we are able to begin to investigate in greater detail how various groups of people across Germany reflect and discuss the ongoing implementation of cohort studies and biobanking in Germany. Our research is based on 15 focus group discussions in four German regions, as well as on Eurobarometer poll data on biobanking.

Exploring generational cohort work satisfaction in hospital nurses.

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, Pamela Ann

2017-07-03

Purpose Although extensive research exists regarding job satisfaction, many previous studies used a more restrictive, quantitative methodology. The purpose of this qualitative study is to capture the perceptions of hospital nurses within generational cohorts regarding their work satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach A preliminary qualitative, phenomenological study design explored hospital nurses' work satisfaction within generational cohorts - Baby Boomers (1946-1964), Generation X (1965-1980) and Millennials (1981-2000). A South Florida hospital provided the venue for the research. In all, 15 full-time staff nurses, segmented into generational cohorts, participated in personal interviews to determine themes related to seven established factors of work satisfaction: pay, autonomy, task requirements, administration, doctor-nurse relationship, interaction and professional status. Findings An analysis of the transcribed interviews confirmed the importance of the seven factors of job satisfaction. Similarities and differences between the generational cohorts related to a combination of stages of life and generational attributes. Practical implications The results of any qualitative research relate only to the specific venue studied and are not generalizable. However, the information gleaned from this study is transferable and other organizations are encouraged to conduct their own research and compare the results. Originality/value This study is unique, as the seven factors from an extensively used and highly respected quantitative research instrument were applied as the basis for this qualitative inquiry into generational cohort job satisfaction in a hospital setting.

Understanding trends in Australian alcohol consumption-an age-period-cohort model.

Science.gov (United States)

Livingston, Michael; Raninen, Jonas; Slade, Tim; Swift, Wendy; Lloyd, Belinda; Dietze, Paul

2016-09-01

To decompose Australian trends in alcohol consumption into their age, period (survey year) and cohort (birth year/generation) components. In particular, we aimed to test whether recent declines in overall consumption have been influenced by reductions in drinking among recently born cohorts. Seven cross-sectional waves of the Australian National Drug Strategy Household Survey (1995-2013). Age, period and cohort effects were estimated using a linear and logistic cross-classified random-effects models (CCREMs). Australia A total of 124 440 Australians (69 193 females and 55 257 males), aged 14-79 years. Whether or not respondents consumed alcohol in the 12 months prior to the survey and, for those who did, the estimated volume of pure alcohol consumed, derived using standard quantity-frequency survey questions. Controlling for age and period effects, there was significant variation in drinking participation and drinking volume by birth cohort. In particular, male cohorts born between the 1965 and 1974 and female cohorts born between 1955 and 1974 reported higher rates of drinking participation (P women (P < 0.01). Recent birth cohorts (born between 1995 and 1999) in Australia report significantly lower rates of both drinking participation and drinking volume than previous cohorts, controlling for their age distribution and overall changes in population drinking. These findings suggest that the recent decline in alcohol consumption in Australia has been driven by declines in drinking among these recently born cohorts. These trends are consistent with international shifts in youth drinking. © 2016 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Changing mortality and average cohort life expectancy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert Schoen

2005-10-01

Full Text Available Period life expectancy varies with changes in mortality, and should not be confused with the life expectancy of those alive during that period. Given past and likely future mortality changes, a recent debate has arisen on the usefulness of the period life expectancy as the leading measure of survivorship. An alternative aggregate measure of period mortality which has been seen as less sensitive to period changes, the cross-sectional average length of life (CAL has been proposed as an alternative, but has received only limited empirical or analytical examination. Here, we introduce a new measure, the average cohort life expectancy (ACLE, to provide a precise measure of the average length of life of cohorts alive at a given time. To compare the performance of ACLE with CAL and with period and cohort life expectancy, we first use population models with changing mortality. Then the four aggregate measures of mortality are calculated for England and Wales, Norway, and Switzerland for the years 1880 to 2000. CAL is found to be sensitive to past and present changes in death rates. ACLE requires the most data, but gives the best representation of the survivorship of cohorts present at a given time.

HIV cohort collaborations: proposal for harmonization of data exchange

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kjær, Jesper; Ledergerber, Bruno

2004-01-01

than can be achieved with the individual studies. This requires each cohort to map data into a standard format before merging. Until recently, this standard format has differed for each such collaborative analysis. We have therefore developed the HIV Cohort Data Exchange Protocol (HICDEP), which...... is freely available at http://www.cphiv.dk/HICDEP.pdf. Once individual cohorts have set up a means of transfering data into this format, as and when required, this should greatly facilitate data merging for future joint analyses. The HICDEP incorporates data from HIV drug resistance tests, which have been...

Geography of breast cancer incidence according to age & birth cohorts.

Science.gov (United States)

Gregorio, David I; Ford, Chandler; Samociuk, Holly

2017-06-01

Geographic variation in breast cancer incidence across Connecticut was examined according to age and birth cohort -specific groups. We assigned each of 60,937 incident breast cancer cases diagnosed in Connecticut, 1986-2009, to one of 828 census tracts around the state. Global and local spatial statistics estimated rate variation across the state according to age and birth cohorts. We found the global distribution of incidence rates across places to be more heterogeneous for younger women and later birth cohorts. Concurrently, the spatial scan identified more locations with significantly high rates that pertained to larger proportions of at-risk women within these groups. Geographic variation by age groups was more pronounced than by birth cohorts. Geographic patterns of cancer incidence exhibit differences within and across age and birth cohorts. With the continued insights from descriptive epidemiology, our capacity to effectively limit spatial disparities in cancer will improve. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A multivariable assessment quantifying effects of cohort-level factors associated with combined mortality and culling risk in cohorts of U.S. commercial feedlot cattle.

Science.gov (United States)

Babcock, A H; Cernicchiaro, N; White, B J; Dubnicka, S R; Thomson, D U; Ives, S E; Scott, H M; Milliken, G A; Renter, D G

2013-01-01

Economic losses due to cattle mortality and culling have a substantial impact on the feedlot industry. Since criteria for culling may vary and may affect measures of cumulative mortality within cattle cohorts, it is important to assess both mortality and culling when evaluating cattle losses over time and among feedlots. To date, there are no published multivariable assessments of factors associated with combined mortality and culling risk. Our objective was to evaluate combined mortality and culling losses in feedlot cattle cohorts and quantify effects of commonly measured cohort-level risk factors (weight at feedlot arrival, gender, and month of feedlot arrival) using data routinely collected by commercial feedlots. We used retrospective data representing 8,904,965 animals in 54,416 cohorts from 16 U.S. feedlots from 2000 to 2007. The sum of mortality and culling counts for each cohort (given the number of cattle at risk) was used to generate the outcome of interest, the cumulative incidence of combined mortality and culling. Associations between this outcome variable and cohort-level risk factors were evaluated using a mixed effects multivariable negative binomial regression model with random effects for feedlot, year, month and week of arrival. Mean arrival weight of the cohort, gender, and arrival month and a three-way interaction (and corresponding two-way interactions) among arrival weight, gender and month were significantly (Prisk decreased, but effects of arrival weight were modified both by the gender of the cohort and the month of feedlot arrival. There was a seasonal pattern in combined mortality and culling risk for light and middle-weight male and female cohorts, with a significantly (Prisk for cattle arriving at the feedlot in spring and summer (March-September) than in cattle arriving during fall, and winter months (November-February). Our results quantified effects of covariate patterns that have been heretofore difficult to fully evaluate in

Tratamiento de aguas residuales mixtas

OpenAIRE

Gamonal Repiso, Pablo

2011-01-01

El present projecte presenta el disseny d´una estació depuradora d´aigües residuals (EDAR) situada a Sabadell i que dóna servei a 186.160 habitants equivalents, definint la matèria primera de l´estació (aigua residual). els processos de tractament d´aigües y fangs (pretractament, tractament priamri, tractament segundari y tractament de fangs). L´objectiu de l´EDAR no es potabilitzar l´aigua, sinó que es disminuir al màxim els contaminants per a que el medi ambient i l´ecosistema receptors ...

Utilización de lodo seco de depuradora de aguas residuales como adición en adoquines de hormigón prefabricado

OpenAIRE

Yagüe, A.; Valls, S.; Vázquez, E.; Kuchinow, V.

2002-01-01

El estudio ha consistido en la utilización de lodo seco de origen biológico de la depuradora de aguas residuales de Sabadell (Riu Sec), como adición en la preparación de adoquines de hormigón prefabricado. Después de caracterizar los lodos y el proceso de fabricación de los adoquines que utilizaremos, definimos las condiciones de adición de los lodos en esta fabricación. Se prepararon muestras de referencia, sin adición, y muestras con el 2 % de lodo seco sobrepeso de cemento. Se determina...

Pulmonary artery enlargement and cystic fibrosis pulmonary exacerbations: a cohort study

Science.gov (United States)

Wells, J. Michael; Farris, Roopan F.; Gosdin, Taylor A.; Dransfield, Mark T.; Wood, Michelle E.; Bell, Scott C.; Rowe, Steven M.

2017-01-01

Background Acute pulmonary exacerbations are associated with progressive lung function decline and increased mortality in cystic fibrosis (CF). The role of pulmonary vascular disease in pulmonary exacerbations is unknown. We investigated the association between pulmonary artery enlargement (PA:A>1), a marker of pulmonary vascular disease, and exacerbations. Methods We analyzed clinical, computed tomography (CT), and prospective exacerbation data in a derivation cohort of 74 adult CF patients, measuring the PA:A at the level of the PA bifurcation. We then replicated our findings in a validation cohort of 190 adult CF patients. Patients were separated into groups based on the presence or absence of a PA:A>1 and were followed for 1-year in the derivation cohort and 2-years in the validation cohort. The primary endpoint was developing ≥1 acute pulmonary exacerbation during follow-up. Linear and logistic regression models were used to determine associations between clinical factors, the PA:A ratio, and pulmonary exacerbations. We used Cox regression to determine time to first exacerbation in the validation cohort. Findings We found that PA:A>1 was present in n=37/74 (50%) of the derivation and n=89/190 (47%) of the validation cohort. In the derivation cohort, n=50/74 (68%) had ≥1 exacerbation at 1 year and n=133/190 (70%) in the validation cohort had ≥1 exacerbation after 2 years. PA:A>1 was associated with younger age in both cohorts and with elevated sweat chloride (100.5±10.9 versus 90.4±19.9mmol/L, difference between groups 10.1mmol/L [95%CI 2.5–17.7], P=0.017) in the derivation group. PA:A>1 was associated with exacerbations in the derivation (OR 3.49, 95%CI 1.18–10.3, P=0.023) and validation (OR 2.41, 95%CI 1.06–5.52, P=0.037) cohorts when adjusted for confounders. Time to first exacerbation was shorter in PA:A>1 versus PA:Apulmonary exacerbation risk in two well-characterized cohorts. PA:A may be a predictive marker in CF. PMID:27298019

Historic cohort study in Montreal's fur industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Guay, D; Siemiatycki, J

1987-01-01

A historic cohort mortality study was carried out among two groups of male workers in the Montreal fur industry: 263 dressers and dyers and 599 fur garment manufacturers. The first group is exposed to a very wide variety of chemicals used in tanning, cleaning, and dyeing fur, including substances considered to be carcinogenic and/or mutagenic. The second group is exposed to residue from the dressing and dyeing stage and to respirable fur dust. The cohorts consisted of all active members of two unions as of January 1, 1966. The mean age of the workers was 43.2 and the mean number of years since first employment 14.1. The follow-up period was from January 1, 1966, to December 31, 1981; 95% of the workers were successfully traced. Observed deaths were compared with those expected based on mortality rates of the population of metropolitan Montreal. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) for the manufacturers were significantly low, probably because of the ethnic composition of the cohort and a healthy worker effect. SMRs for the dressers and dyers were also low, but not as low as for the manufacturers. When attention was restricted to the French Canadians in the cohort, the observed deaths were close to the expected; there was a noteworthy excess of colorectal cancer (four observed, 0.8 expected) for dressers and dyers. Apart from this weak suggestive evidence, the results did not indicate any excess mortality risks in the fur industry. However, because of the relatively small number of expected and observed deaths in the cohort and especially among the heavily exposed dressers and dyers, the confidence intervals around SMR estimates were wide and excess risks cannot be ruled out.

Association of ADHD symptoms and social competence with cognitive status in preschoolers.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramos, Rosa; Freire, Carmen; Julvez, Jordi; Fernández, Mariana F; García-Esteban, Raquel; Torrent, Maties; Sunyer, Jordi; Olea, Nicolás

2013-03-01

We aimed to investigate the association of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and social competence outcomes with cognitive status in preschool children. The study population was drawn from three birth cohorts belonging to the Spanish INMA (Infancia y Medio Ambiente) project: Menorca (n = 289), Ribera d'Ebre (n = 60), and Granada (n = 108). Children were assessed at the age of 4 years for cognitive functions (McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities, MSCA) by psychologists and for inattention and hyperactivity symptoms (ADHD Criteria of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, ADHD-DSM-IV) and social competence (California Preschool Social Competence Scale) by their teachers. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine potential associations between behavioral outcomes (ADHD symptoms and social competence) and MSCA cognitive outcomes, adjusting for confounders. The presence of general ADHD symptoms (inattention, hyperactivity, or both) and poorer social competence both showed negative associations with cognitive outcomes. When we compared children according to ADHD subtypes, those with inattention symptoms alone and those with both inattention and hyperactivity symptoms showed significantly lower cognitive function scores in comparison to children with no ADHD symptoms. Behavioral dysfunctions in preschoolers may be associated with impairment of cognitive functions.

International Network of Chronic Kidney Disease cohort studies (iNET-CKD): a global network of chronic kidney disease cohorts.

Science.gov (United States)

Dienemann, Thomas; Fujii, Naohiko; Orlandi, Paula; Nessel, Lisa; Furth, Susan L; Hoy, Wendy E; Matsuo, Seiichi; Mayer, Gert; Methven, Shona; Schaefer, Franz; Schaeffner, Elke S; Solá, Laura; Stengel, Bénédicte; Wanner, Christoph; Zhang, Luxia; Levin, Adeera; Eckardt, Kai-Uwe; Feldman, Harold I

2016-09-02

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global health burden, yet it is still underrepresented within public health agendas in many countries. Studies focusing on the natural history of CKD are challenging to design and conduct, because of the long time-course of disease progression, a wide variation in etiologies, and a large amount of clinical variability among individuals with CKD. With the difference in health-related behaviors, healthcare delivery, genetics, and environmental exposures, this variability is greater across countries than within one locale and may not be captured effectively in a single study. Studies were invited to join the network. Prerequisites for membership included: 1) observational designs with a priori hypotheses and defined study objectives, patient-level information, prospective data acquisition and collection of bio-samples, all focused on predialysis CKD patients; 2) target sample sizes of 1,000 patients for adult cohorts and 300 for pediatric cohorts; and 3) minimum follow-up of three years. Participating studies were surveyed regarding design, data, and biosample resources. Twelve prospective cohort studies and two registries covering 21 countries were included. Participants age ranges from >2 to >70 years at inclusion, CKD severity ranges from stage 2 to stage 5. Patient data and biosamples (not available in the registry studies) are measured yearly or biennially. Many studies included multiple ethnicities; cohort size ranges from 400 to more than 13,000 participants. Studies' areas of emphasis all include but are not limited to renal outcomes, such as progression to ESRD and death. iNET-CKD (International Network of CKD cohort studies) was established, to promote collaborative research, foster exchange of expertise, and create opportunities for research training. Participating studies have many commonalities that will facilitate comparative research; however, we also observed substantial differences. The diversity we observed across

Mixed models, linear dependency, and identification in age-period-cohort models.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Brien, Robert M

2017-07-20

This paper examines the identification problem in age-period-cohort models that use either linear or categorically coded ages, periods, and cohorts or combinations of these parameterizations. These models are not identified using the traditional fixed effect regression model approach because of a linear dependency between the ages, periods, and cohorts. However, these models can be identified if the researcher introduces a single just identifying constraint on the model coefficients. The problem with such constraints is that the results can differ substantially depending on the constraint chosen. Somewhat surprisingly, age-period-cohort models that specify one or more of ages and/or periods and/or cohorts as random effects are identified. This is the case without introducing an additional constraint. I label this identification as statistical model identification and show how statistical model identification comes about in mixed models and why which effects are treated as fixed and which are treated as random can substantially change the estimates of the age, period, and cohort effects. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction. Quarterly Report to the United States Congress

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-30

powerful allies they have cultivated . Th e highest levels of the In late January, Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) for Energy Aff airs Hussein al...skills to combat criminal gangs and maintain the peace. General Jassam com- mented favorably on USF-I’s ability to learn from its mistakes and cultivate ...SPECIAL INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION FOCUS ON ANBAR • potato, mushroom , and strawberry fi elds In addition to these programs, Inma

Revisiting the Dedifferentiation Hypothesis with Longitudinal Multi-Cohort Data

Science.gov (United States)

de Frias, Cindy M.; Lovden, Martin; Lindenberger, Ulman; Nilsson, Lars-Goran

2007-01-01

The present longitudinal multi-cohort study examines whether interindividual variability in cognitive performance and change increases in old age, and whether associations among developments of different cognitive functions increase with adult age. Multivariate multiple-group latent growth modeling was applied to data from narrow cohorts separated…

Unpacking Unequal Pay Between Men and Women Across Cohort and Lifecycle

OpenAIRE

Dolton, Peter; Joshi, Heather; Makepeace, Gerry

2002-01-01

This paper analyses the pay gap between men and women in the two British birth cohort studies using the new data collected in 2000 when their subjects had reached the ages of 30 and 42 respectively. The paper also includes new analysis of improved data on the 1958 cohort at 33 in 1991, and a comparison with our earlier analyses of the 1946 cohort at 32 in 1978 and the 1958 cohort at 33 in 1991. The analysis is of hourly earnings in full-time jobs, where the impact of the Equal Pay Act might b...

Cohort Profile Update: The TRacking Adolescents’ Individual Lives Survey (TRAILS)

Science.gov (United States)

Oldehinkel, Albertine J; Rosmalen, Judith GM; Buitelaar, Jan K; Hoek, Hans W; Ormel, Johan; Raven, Dennis; Reijneveld, Sijmen A; Veenstra, René; Verhulst, Frank C; Vollebergh, Wilma AM; Hartman, Catharina A

2015-01-01

TRAILS consists of a population cohort (N = 2230) and a clinical cohort (N = 543), both of which were followed from about age 11 years onwards. To date, the population cohort has been assessed five times over a period of 11 years, with retention rates ranging between 80% and 96%. The clinical cohort has been assessed four times over a period of 8 years, with retention rates ranging between 77% and 85%. Since the IJE published a cohort profile on the TRAILS in 2008, the participants have matured from adolescents into young adults. The focus shifted from parents and school to entry into the labour market and family formation, including offspring. Furthermore, psychiatric diagnostic interviews were administered, the database was linked to a Psychiatric Case Registry, and the availability of genome-wide SNP variations opened the door to genome-wide association studies regarding a wide range of (endo)phenotypes. With some delay, TRAILS data are available to researchers outside the TRAILS consortium without costs; access can be obtained by submitting a publication proposal (see www.trails.nl). PMID:25431468

Secondary Analysis under Cohort Sampling Designs Using Conditional Likelihood

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olli Saarela

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Under cohort sampling designs, additional covariate data are collected on cases of a specific type and a randomly selected subset of noncases, primarily for the purpose of studying associations with a time-to-event response of interest. With such data available, an interest may arise to reuse them for studying associations between the additional covariate data and a secondary non-time-to-event response variable, usually collected for the whole study cohort at the outset of the study. Following earlier literature, we refer to such a situation as secondary analysis. We outline a general conditional likelihood approach for secondary analysis under cohort sampling designs and discuss the specific situations of case-cohort and nested case-control designs. We also review alternative methods based on full likelihood and inverse probability weighting. We compare the alternative methods for secondary analysis in two simulated settings and apply them in a real-data example.

Rationale, design, and methods for Canadian alliance for healthy hearts and minds cohort study (CAHHM) - a Pan Canadian cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Anand, Sonia S; Tu, Jack V; Awadalla, Philip; Black, Sandra; Boileau, Catherine; Busseuil, David; Desai, Dipika; Després, Jean-Pierre; de Souza, Russell J; Dummer, Trevor; Jacquemont, Sébastien; Knoppers, Bartha; Larose, Eric; Lear, Scott A; Marcotte, Francois; Moody, Alan R; Parker, Louise; Poirier, Paul; Robson, Paula J; Smith, Eric E; Spinelli, John J; Tardif, Jean-Claude; Teo, Koon K; Tusevljak, Natasa; Friedrich, Matthias G

2016-07-27

The Canadian Alliance for Healthy Hearts and Minds (CAHHM) is a pan-Canadian, prospective, multi-ethnic cohort study being conducted in Canada. The overarching objective of the CAHHM is to understand the association of socio-environmental and contextual factors (such as societal structure, activity, nutrition, social and tobacco environments, and access to health services) with cardiovascular risk factors, subclinical vascular disease, and cardiovascular and other chronic disease outcomes. Participants between 35 and 69 years of age are being recruited from existing cohorts and a new First Nations Cohort to undergo a detailed assessment of health behaviours (including diet and physical activity), cognitive function, assessment of their local home and workplace environments, and their health services access and utilization. Physical measures including weight, height, waist/hip circumference, body fat percentage, and blood pressure are collected. In addition, eligible participants undergo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain, heart, carotid artery and abdomen to detect early subclinical vascular disease and ectopic fat deposition. CAHHM is a prospective cohort study designed to investigate the impact of community level factors, individual health behaviours, and access to health services, on cognitive function, subclinical vascular disease, fat distribution, and the development of chronic diseases among adults living in Canada.

The role of birth cohorts in studies of adult health: the New York women's birth cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Terry, Mary Beth; Flom, Julie; Tehranifar, Parisa; Susser, Ezra

2009-09-01

Epidemiological studies investigating associations between early life factors and adult health are often limited to studying exposures that can be reliably recalled in adulthood or obtained from existing medical records. There are few US studies with detailed data on the pre- and postnatal environment whose study populations are now in adulthood; one exception is the Collaborative Perinatal Project (CPP). We contacted former female participants of the New York site of the CPP who were born from 1959 to 1963 and were prospectively followed for 7 years to examine whether the pre- and postnatal environment is associated with adult health in women 40 years after birth. The New York CPP cohort is particularly diverse; at enrolment, the race/ethnicity distribution of mothers was approximately 30% White, 40% Black and 30% Puerto Rican. Of the 841 eligible women, we successfully traced 375 women (45%) and enrolled 262 women (70% of those traced). Baseline data were available for all eligible women, and we compared those who participated with the remaining cohort (n = 579). Higher family socio-economic status at age 7, availability of maternal social security number, and White race/ethnicity were statistically significantly associated with a higher probability of tracing. Of those traced, race/ethnicity was associated with participation, with Blacks and Puerto Ricans less likely to participate than Whites (OR = 0.5, 95% CI 0.3, 0.8, and OR = 0.5, 95% CI 0.3, 1.0, respectively). In addition, higher weight at 7 years was associated with lower participation (OR = 0.95, 95% CI 0.92, 0.99), but this association was observed only among the non-White participants. None of the other maternal characteristics, infant or early childhood growth measures was associated with participation or with tracing, either overall or within each racial/ethnic subgroup. Daughters' recall of early life factors such as pre-eclampsia (sensitivity = 24%) and birthweight were generally poor, with the

Characterisation of COPD heterogeneity in the ECLIPSE cohort

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Agusti, Alvar; Calverley, Peter M A; Celli, Bartolome

2010-01-01

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a complex condition with pulmonary and extra-pulmonary manifestations. This study describes the heterogeneity of COPD in a large and well characterised and controlled COPD cohort (ECLIPSE).......Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a complex condition with pulmonary and extra-pulmonary manifestations. This study describes the heterogeneity of COPD in a large and well characterised and controlled COPD cohort (ECLIPSE)....

Distress among young adult cancer survivors: a cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Yanez, Betina; Garcia, Sofia F; Victorson, David; Salsman, John M

2013-09-01

Being diagnosed with cancer as a young adult can lead to significant psychological distress and impaired quality of life. Compared to children and older adults diagnosed with cancer, fewer studies have addressed psychological distress among young adult cancer survivors. This study sought to identify the prevalence of, and factors associated with, distress among young adult cancer survivors (ages 18-39). Young adult cancer survivors (N = 335, mean age = 31.8, women = 68.4%) were recruited from an online research panel and stratified by cohort (time postactive treatment: 0-12, 13-24, and 25-60 months). Participants completed measures assessing demographic and clinical characteristics, global impact of cancer, cancer-related education and work interruption, and cancer-specific distress using the impact of event scale (IES). The mean score on the IES (M = 31.0, range = 0-75) was above the cut point of 20, suggesting clinically elevated distress. Analysis of covariance revealed significant main effects for cohort, global impact and cancer-related education/work interruption, and an interaction between cohort and cancer-related education/work interruption on distress. Although there was no significant effect of education/work interruption on distress for those in the 0-12 month cohort (p = .88), survivors in the 13-24 and 25-60 month cohorts reporting education/work interruption were significantly more distressed than those not reporting education/work interruption in the respective cohorts (p cancer survivors face unique challenges. These data underscore the importance of attending to cancer-related distress beyond the completion of treatment and may help inform targeted interventions to prevent or reduce significant distress and related sequelae in this population.

Work engagement and meaningful work across generational cohorts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Crystal Hoole

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Orientation: Engaging employees and providing employees with a sense of meaning at work is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Although research has shown that differences between work engagement and meaningful work amongst generational cohorts exist, results are still inconclusive. With age becoming increasingly more important as a diversity factor, a better understanding of the dynamics between work engagement and meaningful work across different generational cohorts is necessary to design the right strategy for each organisation’s unique parameters. Research purpose: The aim of this study was to determine whether there is a relationship between work engagement and meaningful work and whether there are significant variances between the levels of work engagement and meaningful work between different generational cohorts. Motivation for study: Work engagement has consistently been highlighted by researchers and human resources experts as a recommended solution to provide companies with the upper hand when it comes to creating a competitive edge. Yet, levels of work engagement are far from ideal, requiring intensified efforts to identify solutions towards raising overall engagement levels. In recent years, much of the focus in terms of generating engagement has been aimed in the direction of financial rewards and other benefits; some organisational experts are of the opinion that a shift is occurring towards meaningful work instead of monetary rewards as the driver of engagement. The changing nature of the work landscape also suggests that generational cohorts experience work engagement and meaningful work differently. Understanding these complexities is mandatory in creating solutions towards improving levels of engagement and meaningful work. Research approach, design and method: A cross-sectional quantitative research approach has been followed. The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES and Psychological Meaningful Scale (PMS were administered

Education in Twins and Their Parents Across Birth Cohorts Over 100 years: An Individual-Level Pooled Analysis of 42-Twin Cohorts.

Science.gov (United States)

Silventoinen, Karri; Jelenkovic, Aline; Latvala, Antti; Sund, Reijo; Yokoyama, Yoshie; Ullemar, Vilhelmina; Almqvist, Catarina; Derom, Catherine A; Vlietinck, Robert F; Loos, Ruth J F; Kandler, Christian; Honda, Chika; Inui, Fujio; Iwatani, Yoshinori; Watanabe, Mikio; Rebato, Esther; Stazi, Maria A; Fagnani, Corrado; Brescianini, Sonia; Hur, Yoon-Mi; Jeong, Hoe-Uk; Cutler, Tessa L; Hopper, John L; Busjahn, Andreas; Saudino, Kimberly J; Ji, Fuling; Ning, Feng; Pang, Zengchang; Rose, Richard J; Koskenvuo, Markku; Heikkilä, Kauko; Cozen, Wendy; Hwang, Amie E; Mack, Thomas M; Siribaddana, Sisira H; Hotopf, Matthew; Sumathipala, Athula; Rijsdijk, Fruhling; Sung, Joohon; Kim, Jina; Lee, Jooyeon; Lee, Sooji; Nelson, Tracy L; Whitfield, Keith E; Tan, Qihua; Zhang, Dongfeng; Llewellyn, Clare H; Fisher, Abigail; Burt, S Alexandra; Klump, Kelly L; Knafo-Noam, Ariel; Mankuta, David; Abramson, Lior; Medland, Sarah E; Martin, Nicholas G; Montgomery, Grant W; Magnusson, Patrik K E; Pedersen, Nancy L; Dahl Aslan, Anna K; Corley, Robin P; Huibregtse, Brooke M; Öncel, Sevgi Y; Aliev, Fazil; Krueger, Robert F; McGue, Matt; Pahlen, Shandell; Willemsen, Gonneke; Bartels, Meike; van Beijsterveldt, Catharina E M; Silberg, Judy L; Eaves, Lindon J; Maes, Hermine H; Harris, Jennifer R; Brandt, Ingunn; Nilsen, Thomas S; Rasmussen, Finn; Tynelius, Per; Baker, Laura A; Tuvblad, Catherine; Ordoñana, Juan R; Sánchez-Romera, Juan F; Colodro-Conde, Lucia; Gatz, Margaret; Butler, David A; Lichtenstein, Paul; Goldberg, Jack H; Harden, K Paige; Tucker-Drob, Elliot M; Duncan, Glen E; Buchwald, Dedra; Tarnoki, Adam D; Tarnoki, David L; Franz, Carol E; Kremen, William S; Lyons, Michael J; Maia, José A; Freitas, Duarte L; Turkheimer, Eric; Sørensen, Thorkild I A; Boomsma, Dorret I; Kaprio, Jaakko

2017-10-01

Whether monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins differ from each other in a variety of phenotypes is important for genetic twin modeling and for inferences made from twin studies in general. We analyzed whether there were differences in individual, maternal and paternal education between MZ and DZ twins in a large pooled dataset. Information was gathered on individual education for 218,362 adult twins from 27 twin cohorts (53% females; 39% MZ twins), and on maternal and paternal education for 147,315 and 143,056 twins respectively, from 28 twin cohorts (52% females; 38% MZ twins). Together, we had information on individual or parental education from 42 twin cohorts representing 19 countries. The original education classifications were transformed to education years and analyzed using linear regression models. Overall, MZ males had 0.26 (95% CI [0.21, 0.31]) years and MZ females 0.17 (95% CI [0.12, 0.21]) years longer education than DZ twins. The zygosity difference became smaller in more recent birth cohorts for both males and females. Parental education was somewhat longer for fathers of DZ twins in cohorts born in 1990-1999 (0.16 years, 95% CI [0.08, 0.25]) and 2000 or later (0.11 years, 95% CI [0.00, 0.22]), compared with fathers of MZ twins. The results show that the years of both individual and parental education are largely similar in MZ and DZ twins. We suggest that the socio-economic differences between MZ and DZ twins are so small that inferences based upon genetic modeling of twin data are not affected.

On the correspondence between CAL and lagged cohort life expectancy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michel Guillot

2011-04-01

Full Text Available It has been established that under certain mortality assumptions, the current value of the Cross-sectional Average length of Life (CAL is equal to the life expectancy for the cohort currently reaching its life expectancy. This correspondence is important, because the life expectancy for the cohort currently reaching its life expectancy, or lagged cohort life expectancy (LCLE, has been discussed in the tempo literature as a summary mortality measure of substantive interest. In this paper, we build on previous work by evaluating the extent to which the correspondence holds in actual populations. We also discuss the implications of the CAL-LCLE correspondence (or lack thereof for using CAL as a measure of cohort life expectancy, and for understanding the connection between CAL, LCLE, and underlying period mortality conditions.

Regression analysis for secondary response variable in a case-cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Yinghao; Cai, Jianwen; Kim, Sangmi; Zhou, Haibo

2017-12-29

Case-cohort study design has been widely used for its cost-effectiveness. In any real study, there are always other important outcomes of interest beside the failure time that the original case-cohort study is based on. How to utilize the available case-cohort data to study the relationship of a secondary outcome with the primary exposure obtained through the case-cohort study is not well studied. In this article, we propose a non-parametric estimated likelihood approach for analyzing a secondary outcome in a case-cohort study. The estimation is based on maximizing a semiparametric likelihood function that is built jointly on both time-to-failure outcome and the secondary outcome. The proposed estimator is shown to be consistent, efficient, and asymptotically normal. Finite sample performance is evaluated via simulation studies. Data from the Sister Study is analyzed to illustrate our method. © 2017, The International Biometric Society.

Harmonising measures of knee and hip osteoarthritis in population-based cohort studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Leyland, K M; Gates, L S; Nevitt, M

2018-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Population-based osteoarthritis (OA) cohorts provide vital data on risk factors and outcomes of OA, however the methods to define OA vary between cohorts. We aimed to provide recommendations for combining knee and hip OA data in extant and future population cohort studies, in order to ...

Study protocol: the JEU cohort study--transversal multiaxial evaluation and 5-year follow-up of a cohort of French gamblers.

Science.gov (United States)

Challet-Bouju, Gaëlle; Hardouin, Jean-Benoit; Vénisse, Jean-Luc; Romo, Lucia; Valleur, Marc; Magalon, David; Fatséas, Mélina; Chéreau-Boudet, Isabelle; Gorsane, Mohamed-Ali; Grall-Bronnec, Marie

2014-08-20

There is abundant literature on how to distinguish problem gambling (PG) from social gambling, but there are very few studies of the long-term evolution of gambling practice. As a consequence, the correlates of key state changes in the gambling trajectory are still unknown. The objective of the JEU cohort study is to identify the determinants of key state changes in the gambling practice, such as the emergence of a gambling problem, natural recovery from a gambling problem, resolution of a gambling problem with intermediate care intervention, relapses or care recourse. The present study was designed to overcome the limitations of previous cohort study on PG. Indeed, this longitudinal case-control cohort is the first which plans to recruit enough participants from different initial gambling severity levels to observe these rare changes. In particular, we plan to recruit three groups of gamblers: non-problem gamblers, problem gamblers without treatment and problem gamblers seeking treatment.Recruitment takes place in various gambling places, through the press and in care centers. Cohort participants are gamblers of both sexes who reported gambling on at least one occasion in the previous year and who were aged between 18 and 65. They were assessed through a structured clinical interview and self-assessment questionnaires at baseline and then once a year for five years. Data collection comprises sociodemographic characteristics, gambling habits (including gambling trajectory), the PG section of the DSM-IV, the South Oaks Gambling Screen, the Gambling Attitudes and Beliefs Survey - 23, the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, the Wender-Utah Rating Scale-Child, the Adult ADHD Self-report Scale, somatic comorbidities (especially current treatment and Parkinson disease) and the Temperament and Character Inventory - 125. The JEU cohort study is the first study which proposes to identify the predictive factors of key state changes in gambling practice. This is

Cohort Profile Update: the TRacking Adolescents' Individual Lives Survey (TRAILS).

Science.gov (United States)

Oldehinkel, Albertine J; Rosmalen, Judith Gm; Buitelaar, Jan K; Hoek, Hans W; Ormel, Johan; Raven, Dennis; Reijneveld, Sijmen A; Veenstra, René; Verhulst, Frank C; Vollebergh, Wilma Am; Hartman, Catharina A

2015-02-01

TRAILS consists of a population cohort (N=2230) and a clinical cohort (N=543), both of which were followed from about age 11 years onwards. To date, the population cohort has been assessed five times over a period of 11 years, with retention rates ranging between 80% and 96%. The clinical cohort has been assessed four times over a period of 8 years, with retention rates ranging between 77% and 85%. Since the IJE published a cohort profile on the TRAILS in 2008, the participants have matured from adolescents into young adults. The focus shifted from parents and school to entry into the labour market and family formation, including offspring. Furthermore, psychiatric diagnostic interviews were administered, the database was linked to a Psychiatric Case Registry, and the availability of genome-wide SNP variations opened the door to genome-wide association studies regarding a wide range of (endo)phenotypes. With some delay, TRAILS data are available to researchers outside the TRAILS consortium without costs; access can be obtained by submitting a publication proposal (see www.trails.nl). © The Author 2014; all rights reserved. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association.

Analyzing occupational cohort data: application to US uranium miners

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whittemore, A.S.; McMillan, A.

1982-01-01

This paper presents methodological issues concerning the analysis of occupational mortality data. It summarizes pros and cons of three types of analysis: the person-years method, the cohort method, and the case-control method, and notes the common theoretical basis underlying cohort and case-control methods. Both these methods assume that occupational exposures act multiplicatively on either: (a) age-specific mortality rates; or (b) odds-ratios of death during follow-up. Both methods allow relative risk estimation by maximizing a partial or conditional likelihood under assumption (a), and an unconditional likelihood under assumption (b). the case-control method involves less data handling and computation than does the cohort method. This feature, useful when dealing with very large cohorts whose exposures vary with time, is purchased at the price of some decreased sensitivity to detect moderate to large relative risks associated with infrequently occurring exposure categories. The paper illustrates the utility and limitations of the case-control approach by applying it to lung cancer mortality versus exposures to radon-daughters and cigarette smoke among US uranium miners

Rationale, design, and methods for Canadian alliance for healthy hearts and minds cohort study (CAHHM – a Pan Canadian cohort study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sonia S. Anand

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The Canadian Alliance for Healthy Hearts and Minds (CAHHM is a pan-Canadian, prospective, multi-ethnic cohort study being conducted in Canada. The overarching objective of the CAHHM is to understand the association of socio-environmental and contextual factors (such as societal structure, activity, nutrition, social and tobacco environments, and access to health services with cardiovascular risk factors, subclinical vascular disease, and cardiovascular and other chronic disease outcomes. Methods/Design Participants between 35 and 69 years of age are being recruited from existing cohorts and a new First Nations Cohort to undergo a detailed assessment of health behaviours (including diet and physical activity, cognitive function, assessment of their local home and workplace environments, and their health services access and utilization. Physical measures including weight, height, waist/hip circumference, body fat percentage, and blood pressure are collected. In addition, eligible participants undergo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI of the brain, heart, carotid artery and abdomen to detect early subclinical vascular disease and ectopic fat deposition. Discussion CAHHM is a prospective cohort study designed to investigate the impact of community level factors, individual health behaviours, and access to health services, on cognitive function, subclinical vascular disease, fat distribution, and the development of chronic diseases among adults living in Canada.

Nonkin in older adults' personal networks: more important among later cohorts?

Science.gov (United States)

Suanet, Bianca; van Tilburg, Theo G; Broese van Groenou, Marjolein I

2013-07-01

Research on age-related changes in personal networks has found compelling evidence for socioemotional selectivity theory and exchange theory holding that older adults experience a decline in less emotionally close nonkin relations as they age. However, recent societal developments are likely to have increased the salience of nonkin relations. We hypothesize that age-related decline in the proportion of nonkin in personal networks has been delayed or is slower in late birth cohorts of older adults compared with earlier cohorts. Seven observations by the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam covering a time span of 17 years since 1992 were analyzed using multilevel regression analysis. The sample had 12,949 person-year observations from 3,516 respondents born between 1908 and 1937. Age-related decline in the proportion of nonkin is absent for cohorts born after 1922 and large for cohorts born in 1922 and before. Mediating variables for health and other resources did not explain cohort differences in age-related change. The salience of nonkin relationships is likely to have increased due to societal changes, resulting in absence or delay of decline in later cohorts. The findings raise the need for a reevaluation of old age and the creation of new theoretical perspectives.

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

OpenAIRE

López Gómez, María Andreé, 1985-; Duran Jordà, Xavier, 1974-; Zaballa, Elena; Sánchez Niubò, Albert; Delclòs i Clanchet, Jordi, 1956-; Benavides, Fernando G. (Fernando García)

2016-01-01

PURPOSE: The global economy is changing the labour market and social protection systems in Europe. The effect of both changes on health needs to be monitored in view of an ageing population and the resulting increase in prevalence of chronic health conditions. The Spanish WORKing life Social Security (WORKss) cohort study provides unique longitudinal data to study the impact of labour trajectories and employment conditions on health, in terms of sickness absence, permanent disability and deat...

Cohort profile: LIFEWORK, a prospective cohort study on occupational and environmental risk factors and health in the Netherlands.

Science.gov (United States)

Reedijk, Marije; Lenters, Virissa; Slottje, Pauline; Pijpe, Anouk; Peeters, Petra H; Korevaar, Joke C; Bueno-de-Mesquita, Bas; Verschuren, W M Monique; Verheij, Robert A; Pieterson, Inka; van Leeuwen, Flora E; Rookus, Matti A; Kromhout, Hans; Vermeulen, Roel C H

2018-02-03

LIFEWORK is a large federated prospective cohort established in the Netherlands to quantify the health effects of occupational and environmental exposures. This cohort is also the Dutch contribution to the international Cohort Study of Mobile Phone Use and Health (COSMOS). In this paper, we describe the study design, ongoing data collection, baseline characteristics of participants and the repeatability of key questionnaire items. 88 466 participants were enrolled in three cohort studies in 2011-2012. Exposure information was collected by a harmonised core questionnaire, or modelled based on occupational and residential histories; domains include air pollution (eg, nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), particulate matter with diameter ≤2.5 µm (PM 2.5 )), noise, electromagnetic fields (EMF), mobile phone use, shift work and occupational chemical exposures. Chronic and subacute health outcomes are assessed by self-report and through linkage with health registries. Participants had a median age of 51 years at baseline (range 19-87), and the majority are female (90%), with nurses being over-represented. Median exposure levels of NO 2 , PM 2.5 , EMF from base stations and noise at the participants' home addresses at baseline were 22.9 µg/m 3 , 16.6 µg/m 3 , 0.003 mWm 2 and 53.1 dB, respectively. Twenty-two per cent of participants reported to have started using a mobile phone more than 10 years prior to baseline. Repeatability for self-reported exposures was moderate to high (weighted kappa range: 0.69-1) for a subset of participants (n=237) who completed the questionnaire twice. We are actively and passively observing participants; we plan to administer a follow-up questionnaire every 4-5 years-the first follow-up will be completed in 2018-and linkage to cause-of-death and cancer registries occurs on a (bi)annual basis. This prospective cohort offers a unique, large and rich resource for research on contemporary occupational and environmental health risks and will

CONSTANCES: a general prospective population-based cohort for occupational and environmental epidemiology: cohort profile.

Science.gov (United States)

Goldberg, Marcel; Carton, Matthieu; Descatha, Alexis; Leclerc, Annette; Roquelaure, Yves; Santin, Gaëlle; Zins, Marie

2017-01-01

WHY THE COHORT WAS SET UP?: CONSTANCES is a general-purpose cohort with a focus on occupational and environmental factors. CONSTANCES was designed as a randomly selected sample of French adults aged 18-69 years at inception; 200 000 participants will be included. At enrolment, the participants are invited to complete questionnaires and to attend a health screening centre (HSC) for a health examination. A biobank will be set up. The follow-up includes an yearly self-administered questionnaire, a periodic visit to an HSC and linkage to social and national health administrative databases. Data collected for participants include social and demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, life events and behaviours. Regarding occupational and environmental factors, a wealth of data on organisational, chemical, biological, biomechanical and psychosocial lifelong exposure, as well as residential characteristics, are collected at enrolment and during follow-up. The health data cover a wide spectrum: self-reported health scales, reported prevalent and incident diseases, long-term chronic diseases and hospitalisations, sick-leaves, handicaps, limitations, disabilities and injuries, healthcare usage and services provided, and causes of death. To take into account non-participation and attrition, a random cohort of non-participants was set up and will be followed through the same national databases as participants. Inclusions begun at the end of 2012 and more than 110 000 participants were already included by September 2016. Several projects on occupational and environmental risks already applied to a public call for nested research projects. 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/.

Weight at birth and subsequent fecundability: a prospective cohort study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Cathrine Wildenschild; Hammerich Riis, Anders; Ehrenstein, Vera

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between a woman's birth weight and her subsequent fecundability. METHOD: In this prospective cohort study, we included 2,773 Danish pregnancy planners enrolled in the internet-based cohort study "Snart-Gravid", conducted during 2007-2012. Participants were 18...

Influence of birth cohort on age of onset cluster analysis in bipolar I disorder

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bauer, M; Glenn, T; Alda, M

2015-01-01

Purpose: Two common approaches to identify subgroups of patients with bipolar disorder are clustering methodology (mixture analysis) based on the age of onset, and a birth cohort analysis. This study investigates if a birth cohort effect will influence the results of clustering on the age of onset...... cohort. Model-based clustering (mixture analysis) was then performed on the age of onset data using the residuals. Clinical variables in subgroups were compared. Results: There was a strong birth cohort effect. Without adjusting for the birth cohort, three subgroups were found by clustering. After...... on the age of onset, and that there is a birth cohort effect. Including the birth cohort adjustment altered the number and characteristics of subgroups detected when clustering by age of onset. Further investigation is needed to determine if combining both approaches will identify subgroups that are more...

[Connecting biobanks of large European cohorts (EU Project BBMRI-LPC)].

Science.gov (United States)

Kuhn, Klaus A; Bild, Raffael; Anton, Gabriele; Schuffenhauer, Simone; Wichmann, H-Erich

2016-03-01

In addition to the Biobanking and BioMolecular resources Research Initiative (BBMRI), which is establishing a European research infrastructure for biobanks, a network for large European prospective cohorts (LPC) is being built to facilitate transnational research into important groups of diseases and health care. One instrument for this is the database "LPC Catalogue," which supports access to the biomaterials of the participating cohorts. To present the LPC Catalogue as a relevant tool for connecting European biobanks. In addition, the LPC Catalogue has been extended to establish compatibility with existing Minimum Information About Biobank data Sharing (MIABIS) and to allow for more detailed search requests. This article describes the LPC Catalogue, its organizational and technical structure, and the aforementioned extensions. The LPC Catalogue provides a structured overview of the participating LPCs. It offers various retrieval possibilities and a search function. To support more detailed search requests, a new module has been developed, called a "data cube". The provision of data by the cohorts is being supported by a "connector" component. The LPC Catalogue contains data on 22 cohorts and more than 3.8 million biosamples. At present, data on the biosamples of three cohorts have been acquired for the "cube," which is continuously being expanded. In the BBMRI-LPC, tendering for scientific projects using the data and samples of the participating cohorts is currently being carried out. In this context, several proposals have already been approved. The LPC Catalogue is supporting transnational access to biosamples. A comparison with existing solutions illustrates the relevance of its functionality.

Comment: Distinguishing Cohort Effects from Age*Period Effects on Non-Marital Fertility

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Steve

2009-01-01

In the article "Cohort Effects on Non-marital Fertility," in this issue of "Social Forces," Jean Stockard employs a novel strategy for disentangling cohort, period, and age effects on the non-marital fertility ratio. In a model with fixed-effect controls for age and for time period, the author documents evidence for three cohort-specific factors…

Age, period, or birth cohort: What determines demographic differences in seafood consumption?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Scholderer, Joachim; Lund, Eiliv; Trondsen, Torbjørn

Effects of age, period and birth cohort on consumption of fat fish, lean fish and processed fish were estimated based on panel data from the Norwegian Women and Seafood Consumption Study (NOWAC). Cohorts selected for the present analysis were women born between 1951 and 1966. Survey questionnaires...... fish increased between 1996 and 2001, while consumption of lean fish decreased. All three period effects were stable across birth cohorts. Estimation of polynomial contrasts indicated that birth cohort itself had linear effects on consumption, with older generations consuming significantly more fat...... and lean fish, but less processed fish than younger generations. Finally, the effects of cohort and period on consumption of lean and processed fish remained stable when biological age was controlled for, whilst the effect of period on fat fish consumption vanished. Regarding total consumption of fat fish...

Systematically missing confounders in individual participant data meta-analysis of observational cohort studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jackson, D.; White, I.; Kostis, J.B.

2009-01-01

One difficulty in performing meta-analyses of observational cohort studies is that the availability of confounders may vary between cohorts, so that some cohorts provide fully adjusted analyses while others only provide partially adjusted analyses. Commonly, analyses of the association between an...

Systematically missing confounders in individual participant data meta-analysis of observational cohort studies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jackson, D.; White, I.; Kostis, J.B.; Wilson, A.C.; Folsom, A.R.; Feskens, E.J.M.

2009-01-01

One difficulty in performing meta-analyses of observational cohort studies is that the availability of confounders may vary between cohorts, so that some cohorts provide fully adjusted analyses while others only provide partially adjusted analyses. Commonly, analyses of the association between an

New Delhi Birth Cohort

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

First page Back Continue Last page Overview Graphics. New Delhi Birth Cohort. In childhood Less than 1% were obese (IOTF 30 kg/m2). Mean BMI SD ranged from –0.4 to –1.0 (CDC). At 26-32 years 10% were obese (BMI >30 kg/m2). ~50% overweight (BMI > 25 kg/m2);. ~65% overweight (BMI > 23 kg/m2). 10% had IGT.

Deep phenotyping of the unselected COPSAC2010 birth cohort study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bisgaard, Hans Flinker; Vissing, Nadja Hawwa; Carson, C. G.

2013-01-01

for acute lung symptoms was conducted in the children with recurrent wheeze. Seven hundred and thirty‐eight mothers were recruited from week 24 of gestation, and 700 of their children were included in the birth cohort. The cohort has an over‐representation of atopic parents. The participant satisfaction...

Prediction of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease mortality in a nationally representative cohort using a set of risk factors from pooled cohort risk equations.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zefeng Zhang

Full Text Available The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association developed Pooled Cohort equations to estimate atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD risk. It is unclear how well the equations predict ASCVD mortality in a nationally representative cohort. We used the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 1988-1994 and Linked Mortality through 2006 (n = 6,644. Among participants aged 40-79 years without ASCVD at baseline, we used Cox proportional hazard models to estimate the 10-year probability of ASCVD death by sex and race-ethnicity (non-Hispanic white (NHW, non-Hispanic black (NHB and Mexican American (MA. We estimated the discrimination and calibration for each sex-race-ethnicity model. We documented 288 ASCVD deaths during 62,335 person years. The Pooled Cohort equations demonstrated moderate to good discrimination for ASCVD mortality, with modified C-statistics of 0.716 (95% CI 0.663-0.770, 0.794 (0.734-0.854, and 0.733 (0.654-0.811 for NHW, NHB and MA men, respectively. The corresponding C-statistics for women were 0.781 (0.718-0.844, 0.702 (0.633-0.771, and 0.789 (CI 0.721-0.857. Modified Hosmer-Lemeshow χ2 suggested adequate calibration for NHW, NHB and MA men, and MA women (p-values: 0.128, 0.295, 0.104 and 0.163 respectively. The calibration was inadequate for NHW and NHB women (p<0.05. In this nationally representative cohort, the Pooled Cohort equations performed adequately to predict 10-year ASCVD mortality for NHW and NHB men, and MA population, but not for NHW and NHB women.

CONCLUSIONS New Delhi Birth Cohort

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

CONCLUSIONS New Delhi Birth Cohort. Crossing BMI centiles and early adiposity rebound associated with adult metabolic syndrome. BMI gain in infancy and early childhood – associated more with adult lean mass. BMI gain in later childhood / adolescence – associated more with adult fat mass and constituents of ...

Cohort Differences in Received Social Support in Later Life: The Role of Network Type.

Science.gov (United States)

Suanet, Bianca; Antonucci, Toni C

2017-07-01

The objective is to assess cohort differences in received emotional and instrumental support in relation to network types. The main guiding hypothesis is that due to increased salience of non-kin with recent social change, those in friend-focused and diverse network types receive more support in later birth cohorts than earlier birth cohorts. Data from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam are employed. We investigate cohort differences in total received emotional and instrumental support in a series of linear regression models comparing birth cohorts aged 55-64, 65-74, 75-84, and 85-94 across three time periods (1992, 2002, and 2012). Four network types (friend, family, restricted, and diverse) are identified. Friend-focused networks are more common in later birth cohorts, restrictive networks less common. Those in friend-focused networks in later cohorts report receiving more emotional and instrumental support. No differences in received support are evident upon diverse networks. The increased salience of non-kin is reflected in an increase in received emotional and instrumental support in friend-focused networks in later birth cohorts. The preponderance of non-kin in networks should not be perceived as a deficit model for social relationships as restrictive networks are declining across birth cohorts. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Aortic events in a nationwide Marfan syndrome cohort

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Groth, Kristian A; Krag, Kirstine Stochholm; Hove, Hanne

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Marfan syndrome is associated with morbidity and mortality due to aortic dilatation and dissection. Preventive aortic root replacement has been the standard treatment in Marfan syndrome patients with aortic dilatation. In this study, we present aortic event data from a nationwide Marfan...... syndrome cohort. METHOD: The nationwide cohort of Danish Marfan syndrome patients was established from the Danish National Patient Registry and the Cause of Death Register, where we retrieved information about aortic surgery and dissections. We associated aortic events with age, sex, and Marfan syndrome...

Non-cancer morbidity among Estonian Chernobyl cleanup workers: a register-based cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Rahu, Kaja; Bromet, Evelyn J; Hakulinen, Timo; Auvinen, Anssi; Uusküla, Anneli; Rahu, Mati

2014-05-14

To examine non-cancer morbidity in the Estonian Chernobyl cleanup workers cohort compared with the population sample with special attention to radiation-related diseases and mental health disorders. Register-based cohort study. Estonia. An exposed cohort of 3680 men (cleanup workers) and an unexposed cohort of 7631 men (population sample) were followed from 2004 to 2012 through the Population Registry and Health Insurance Fund database. Morbidity in the exposed cohort compared with the unexposed controls was estimated in terms of rate ratio (RR) with 95% CIs using Poisson regression models. Elevated morbidity in the exposed cohort was found for diseases of the nervous system, digestive system, musculoskeletal system, ischaemic heart disease and for external causes. The most salient excess risk was observed for thyroid diseases (RR=1.69; 95% CI 1.38 to 2.07), intentional self-harm (RR=1.47; 95% CI 1.04 to 2.09) and selected alcohol-related diagnoses (RR=1.25; 95% CI 1.12 to 1.39). No increase in morbidity for stress reactions, depression, headaches or sleep disorders was detected. No obvious excess morbidity consistent with biological effects of radiation was seen in the exposed cohort, with the possible exception of benign thyroid diseases. Increased alcohol-induced morbidity may reflect alcohol abuse, and could underlie some of the higher morbidity rates. Mental disorders in the exposed cohort were probably under-reported. The future challenge will be to study mental and physical comorbidities in the Chernobyl cleanup workers cohort. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

34 CFR 668.207 - Preventing evasion of the consequences of cohort default rates.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Preventing evasion of the consequences of cohort default rates. 668.207 Section 668.207 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education... Cohort Default Rates § 668.207 Preventing evasion of the consequences of cohort default rates. (a...

34 CFR 668.188 - Preventing evasion of the consequences of cohort default rates.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Preventing evasion of the consequences of cohort default rates. 668.188 Section 668.188 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education... Two Year Cohort Default Rates § 668.188 Preventing evasion of the consequences of cohort default rates...

The role of under-employment and unemployment in recent birth cohort effects in Australian suicide.

Science.gov (United States)

Page, Andrew; Milner, Allison; Morrell, Stephen; Taylor, Richard

2013-09-01

High suicide rates evident in Australian young adults during an epidemic period in the 1990s appear to have been sustained in older age-groups in the subsequent decade. This period also coincides with changes in employment patterns in Australia. This study investigates age, period, and birth cohort effects in Australian suicide over the 20th century, with particular reference to the period subsequent to the 1990s youth suicide epidemic in young males. Period- and cohort-specific trends in suicide were examined for 1907-2010 based on descriptive analysis of age-specific suicide rates and a series of age-period-cohort (APC) models using Poisson regression. Under-employment rates (those employed part-time seeking additional hours of work) and unemployment rates (those currently seeking employment) for the latter part of this time series (1978-2010) were also examined and compared with period- and cohort-specific trends in suicide. A significant increasing birth cohort effect in male suicide rates was evident in birth cohorts born after 1970-74, after adjusting for the effects age and period. An increasing birth cohort effect was also evident in female suicide rates, but was of a lesser magnitude. Increases in male cohort-specific suicide rates were significantly correlated with increases in cohort-specific under-employment and unemployment rates. Birth cohorts that experienced the peak of the suicide epidemic during the 1990s have continued to have higher suicide rates than cohorts born in earlier epochs. This increase coincides with changes to a labour force characterised by greater 'flexibility' and 'casualised' employment, especially in younger aged cohorts. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Student throughput variables and properties: Varying cohort sizes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucas C.A. Stoop

2017-11-01

Full Text Available A recent research paper described how student throughput variables and properties combine to explain the behaviour of stationary or simplified throughput systems. Such behaviour can be understood in terms of the locus of a point in the triangular admissible region of the H-S plane, where H represents headcounts and S successful credits, each depending on the system properties at that point. The efficiency of the student throughput process is given by the ratio S/H. Simplified throughput systems are characterised by stationary graduation and dropout patterns of students as well as by annual intakes of student cohorts of equal size. The effect of varying the size of the annual intakes of student cohorts is reported on here. The observations made lead to the establishment of a more generalised student throughput theory which includes the simplified theory as a special case. The generalised theory still retains the notion of a triangular admissible region in the H-S plane but with the size and shape of the triangle depending on the size of the student cohorts. The ratio S/H again emerges as the process efficiency measure for throughput systems in general with unchanged roles assigned to important system properties. This theory provides for a more fundamental understanding of student throughput systems encountered in real life. Significance: A generalised stationary student throughput theory through varying cohort sizes allows for a far better understanding of real student throughput systems.

Satisfaction with social networks: an examination of socioemotional selectivity theory across cohorts.

Science.gov (United States)

Lansford, J E; Sherman, A M; Antonucci, T C

1998-12-01

This study examines L. L. Carstensen's (1993, 1995) socioemotional selectivity theory within and across three cohorts spanning 4 decades. Socioemotional selectivity theory predicts that as individuals age, they narrow their social networks to devote more emotional resources to fewer relationships with close friends and family. Data from 3 cohorts of nationally representative samples were analyzed to determine whether respondents' satisfaction with the size of their social networks differed by age, cohort, or both. Results support socioemotional selectivity theory: More older adults than younger adults were satisfied with the current size of their social networks rather than wanting larger networks. These findings are consistent across all cohorts. Results are discussed with respect to social relationships across the life course.

Comparison of neurological health outcomes between two adolescent cohorts exposed to pesticides in Egypt.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmed A Ismail

Full Text Available Pesticide-exposed adolescents may have a higher risk of neurotoxic effects because of their developing brains and bodies. However, only a limited number of studies have addressed this risk among adolescents. The aim of this study was to compare neurological outcomes from two cohorts of Egyptian adolescents working as pesticide applicators. In 2005 and 2009, two cohorts of male adolescents working as pesticide applicators for the cotton crop were recruited from Menoufia Governorate, Egypt. The same application schedule and pesticides were used at both times, including both organophosphorus, and pyrethroid compounds. Participants in both cohorts completed three neurobehavioral tests, health and exposure questionnaires, and medical and neurological screening examinations. In addition, blood samples were collected to measure butyryl cholinesterase (BChE activity. Pesticide applicators in both cohorts reported more neurological symptoms and signs than non-applicators, particularly among participants in the 2005 cohort (OR ranged from 1.18 to 15.3. Except for one test (Trail Making B, there were no significant differences between either applicators or non-applicators of both cohorts on the neurobehavioral outcome measures (p > 0.05. The 2005 cohort showed greater inhibition of serum BChE activity than the 2009 cohort (p < 0.05. In addition, participants with depressed BChE activity showed more symptoms and signs than others without BChE depression (p < 0.05. Our study is the first to examine the consistency of health outcomes associated with pesticide exposure across two cohorts tested at different times from the same geographical region in rural Egypt. This similar pattern of findings across the two cohorts provides strong evidence of the health impact of exposure of adolescents to pesticides.

Cohort Default Rates in Context

Science.gov (United States)

Looney, Shannon M.

2011-01-01

Burgeoning student loan debt indicates problems not only for the country's borrowers but also for the postsecondary system. The rise in student loan defaults signifies a rise in institutional cohort default rates (CDRs)--a measure of accountability that informs the government and the general public how well an institution prepares its students for…

Diagnosing gestational diabetes mellitus in the Danish National Birth Cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Olsen, Sjurdur F; Houshmand-Oeregaard, Azedeh; Granström, Charlotta; Langhoff-Roos, Jens; Damm, Peter; Bech, Bodil H; Vaag, Allan A; Zhang, Cuilin

2017-05-01

The Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC) contains comprehensive information on diet, lifestyle, constitutional and other major characteristics of women during pregnancy. It provides a unique source for studies on health consequences of gestational diabetes mellitus. Our aim was to identify and validate the gestational diabetes mellitus cases in the cohort. We extracted clinical information from hospital records for 1609 pregnancies included in the Danish National Birth Cohort with a diagnosis of diabetes during or before pregnancy registered in the Danish National Patient Register and/or from a Danish National Birth Cohort interview during pregnancy. We further validated the diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus in 2126 randomly selected pregnancies from the entire Danish National Birth Cohort. From the individual hospital records, an expert panel evaluated gestational diabetes mellitus status based on results from oral glucose tolerance tests, fasting blood glucose and Hb1c values, as well as diagnoses made by local obstetricians. The audit categorized 783 pregnancies as gestational diabetes mellitus, corresponding to 0.89% of the 87 792 pregnancies for which a pregnancy interview for self-reported diabetes in pregnancy was available. From the randomly selected group the combined information from register and interviews could correctly identify 96% (95% CI 80-99.9%) of all cases in the entire Danish National Birth Cohort population. Positive predictive value, however, was only 59% (56-61%). The combined use of data from register and interview provided a high sensitivity for gestational diabetes mellitus diagnosis. The low positive predictive value, however, suggests that systematic validation by hospital record review is essential not to underestimate the health consequences of gestational diabetes mellitus in future studies. © 2016 Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Cohort profile: Ho Chi Minh City Youth Cohort--changes in diet, physical activity, sedentary behaviour and relationship with overweight/obesity in adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Trang, Nguyen Hoang Hanh Doan; Hong, Tang Kim; Dibley, Michael John

2012-01-01

The Ho Chi Minh Youth cohort study aimed to assess the change in nutritional status; indicators of adiposity; diet; physical activity and sedentary behaviours; home, neighbourhood and school microenvironments and their complex relationships in adolescents in urban areas of Ho Chi Minh City. Prospective 5-year cohort. Systematic random sampling was used to select 18 schools in urban districts. Children were followed up over 5 years with an assessment in each year. Consent, from both adolescents and their parents, was required. At baseline, 759 students were recruited into the cohort, and of these students, 740 remained in the cohort for the first round, 712 for the second round, 630 for the third round and 585 for the last round of follow-up. Anthropometric measurements were taken using established guidelines. Six main groups of exposure factors including dietary intake and behaviours, physical activity and sedentary behaviours, family social and physical environment, school environment, socioeconomic status and parental characteristics were measured. Retention rate was high (77%). Within 5-year period, the prevalence of combined overweight and obesity using International Obesity Task Force cut-off values increased from 14.2% to 21.8%. Time spent on physical activity decreased significantly in the 5-year period from 87 to 50 min/day. Time spent on sedentary behaviours increased in the 5-year period from 512 to 600 min/day. The complete data analysis of this cohort study will allow a full exploration of the role of environmental and lifestyle behaviours on adolescent overweight and obesity and also identify the factors most strongly associated with excess weight gain and the appearance of overweight and obesity in different age groups of adolescents from this large city in Vietnam.

The Congenital Heart Disease Genetic Network Study: Cohort description.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thanh T Hoang

Full Text Available The Pediatric Cardiac Genomics Consortium (PCGC designed the Congenital Heart Disease Genetic Network Study to provide phenotype and genotype data for a large congenital heart defects (CHDs cohort. This article describes the PCGC cohort, overall and by major types of CHDs (e.g., conotruncal defects and subtypes of conotrucal heart defects (e.g., tetralogy of Fallot and left ventricular outflow tract obstructions (e.g., hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Cases with CHDs were recruited through ten sites, 2010-2014. Information on cases (N = 9,727 and their parents was collected through interviews and medical record abstraction. Four case characteristics, eleven parental characteristics, and thirteen parent-reported neurodevelopment outcomes were summarized using counts and frequencies and compared across CHD types and subtypes. Eleven percent of cases had a genetic diagnosis. Among cases without a genetic diagnosis, the majority had conotruncal heart defects (40% or left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (21%. Across CHD types, there were significant differences (p<0.05 in the distribution of all four case characteristics (e.g., sex, four parental characteristics (e.g., maternal pregestational diabetes, and five neurodevelopmental outcomes (e.g., learning disabilities. Several characteristics (e.g., sex were also significantly different across CHD subtypes. The PCGC cohort is one of the largest CHD cohorts available for the study of genetic determinants of risk and outcomes. The majority of cases do not have a genetic diagnosis. This description of the PCGC cohort, including differences across CHD types and subtypes, provides a reference work for investigators who are interested in collaborating with or using publically available resources from the PCGC.

Mortality of first world war military personnel: comparison of two military cohorts.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Nick; Clement, Christine; Summers, Jennifer A; Bannister, John; Harper, Glyn

2014-12-16

To identify the impact of the first world war on the lifespan of participating military personnel (including in veterans who survived the war). Comparison of two cohorts of military personnel, followed to death. Military personnel leaving New Zealand to participate in the first world war. From a dataset of the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces, we randomly selected participants who embarked on troopships in 1914 and a comparison non-combat cohort who departed on troopships in late 1918 (350 in each group). Lifespan based on dates of birth and death from a range of sources (such as individual military files and an official database of birth and death records). A quarter of the 1914 cohort died during the war, with deaths from injury predominating (94%) over deaths from disease (6%). This cohort had a significantly shorter lifespan than the late 1918 "non-combat" cohort, with median ages of death being 65.9 versus 74.2, respectively (a difference of 8.3 years shown also in Kaplan-Meier survival curves, log rank Pworld war in 1914 from New Zealand lost around eight years of life (relative to a comparable military cohort). In the postwar period they continued to have an increased risk of premature death. © Wilson et al 2014.

Adaptation During a Great Economic Recession: A Cohort Study of Greek and Immigrant Youth.

Science.gov (United States)

Motti-Stefanidi, Frosso; Asendorpf, Jens B

2017-07-01

This study examined how Greek and immigrant youth adapted to school life during the economic recession in Greece. Two cohorts of adolescents (M age  = 12.6 years) were compared, one assessed before the crisis and the other during the crisis (N = 1,057 and 1,052, respectively). Cohort findings were disaggregated by immigrant status, generation, and ethnic group. Crisis-cohort youth experienced more economic problems, displayed worse conduct, higher levels of absenteeism, and lower self-efficacy than precrisis youth. The cohorts did not differ in well-being, school engagement, and academic achievement. Most crisis-cohort groups showed a pervasive increase in conduct problems compared to the precrisis cohort. However, some of these groups also showed an increase in academic achievement. © 2017 The Authors. Child Development © 2017 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Birth weight and stuttering: Evidence from three birth cohorts.

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McAllister, Jan; Collier, Jacqueline

2014-03-01

Previous studies have produced conflicting results with regard to the association between birth weight and developmental stuttering. This study sought to determine whether birth weight was associated with childhood and/or adolescent stuttering in three British birth cohort samples. Logistic regression analyses were carried out on data from the Millenium Cohort Study (MCS), British Cohort Study (BCS70) and National Child Development Study (NCDS), whose initial cohorts comprised over 56,000 individuals. The outcome variables were parent-reported stuttering in childhood or in adolescence; the predictors, based on prior research, were birth weight, sex, multiple birth status, vocabulary score and mother's level of education. Birth weight was analysed both as a categorical variable (low birth weight, stuttering during childhood (age 3, 5 and 7 and MCS, BCS70 and NCDS, respectively) or at age 16, when developmental stuttering is likely to be persistent. None of the multivariate analyses revealed an association between birth weight and parent-reported stuttering. Sex was a significant predictor of stuttering in all the analyses, with males 1.6-3.6 times more likely than females to stutter. Our results suggest that birth weight is not a clinically useful predictor of childhood or persistent stuttering. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An assessment of organisational justice perceptions across three generational cohorts

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Ophillia Ledimo

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Despite several reviews of generational differences across cohorts regarding their career stages in organisations, relatively few empirical investigations have been conducted to understand these cohorts’s behaviour and perceptions. Hence there is paucity of studies that explored the generational differences on the construct organisational justice across generational cohorts. The objective of this study was to assess the differences across three generational cohorts (Millennials, Generation X, and Baby Boomers on dimensions of the organisational justice construct using the Organisational Justice Measurement Instrument (OJMI. Data was collected through the administration of OJMI to a random sample size of organisational employees (n=289. Descriptive statistics and analysis of variance were conducted to interpret the data. These findings provide evidence that differences do exist across cohorts on dimensions of organisational justice, and some differences may be a result of respondents’ different perception of their organisation’s practices and processes. In terms of contributions and practical implications, insight gained from the findings may be used in proposing organisational development interventions to manage multigenerational employees as well as to conduct future research.

New architectural design of delivery room reduces morbidity in preterm neonates: a prospective cohort study.

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Terrin, Gianluca; Conte, Francesca; Scipione, Antonella; Aleandri, Vincenzo; Di Chiara, Maria; Bacchio, Erica; Messina, Francesco; De Curtis, Mario

2016-03-23

A multidisciplinary committee composed of a panel of experts, including a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics and American Institute of Architects, has suggested that the delivery room (DR) and the neonatal intensive care units (NICU) room should be directly interconnected. We aimed to investigate the impact of the architectural design of the DR and the NICU on neonatal outcome. Two cohorts of preterm neonates born at architectural renovation of the DR realized in accordance with specific standards (Cohort 2: "new concept of DR"). In Cohort 1, neonates were initially cared for a conventional resuscitation area, situated in the DR, and then transferred to the NICU, located on a separate floor of the same hospital. In Cohort 2 neonates were assisted at birth directly in the NICU room, which was directly connected to the DR via a pass-through door. The primary outcome of the study was morbidity, defined by the proportion of neonates with at least one complication of prematurity (i.e., late-onset sepsis, patent ductus arteriosus, intraventricular hemorrhage, periventricular leukomalacia, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, retinopathy of prematurity and necrotizing enterocolitis). Secondary outcomes were mortality and duration of hospitalization. Statistical analysis was performed using standard methods by SPSS software. We enrolled 106 neonates (56 in Cohort 1 and 50 in Cohort 2). The main clinical and demographic characteristics of the 2 cohorts were similar. Moderate hypothermia (body temperature ≤ 35.9 °C) was more frequent in Cohort 1 (57%) compared with Cohort 2 (24%, p = 0.001). Morbidity was increased in Cohort 1 (73%) compared with Cohort 2 (44%, p = 0.002). No statistically significant differences in mortality and median duration of hospitalization were observed between the 2 cohorts of the study. If realized according to the proposed architectural standards, renovation of DR and NICU may represent an opportunity to reduce morbidity in preterm neonates.

Missed epidemics and missing links: international birth cohort trends in multiple sclerosis.

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Ajdacic-Gross, V; Tschopp, A; Schmid, M; Bopp, M; Gutzwiller, F

2013-03-01

Many hypotheses on the etiopathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS) focus on risk factors occurring early in life. This study examined the variability of birth cohort trends in international MS data by means of age-period-cohort (APC) analysis. The data from 25 countries were taken from the WHO mortality database. Data were encoded according to the International Classification of Diseases and covered slightly varying periods between 1951 and 2009. The APC analyses were based on logit models applied to cohort tables with 5-year age- and period intervals. In most countries, the birth cohort estimates peaked in those born in the first half of the 20th century. In countries from Central and Western Europe, the peak concerned those born before and around 1920. A second group of countries (Denmark, Sweden, Italy, Ireland, Scotland) shared a later peak amongst cohorts born in the 1920s and 1930s. Group 3 included Commonwealth countries, the USA and Norway, with a double or extended peak starting in the 1910s or 1920s, and ending by the 1950s. The fourth group, consisting of Mediterranean countries and Finland, was characterized by a steady increase in the birth cohort estimates until the 1950s. The fifth group with countries from Eastern Europe and Japan showed no particular pattern. Birth cohort trends have influenced the change in MS risk across the 20th century in many Western countries. This silent epidemic points to a most important but unknown latent risk factor in MS. © 2012 The Author(s) European Journal of Neurology © 2012 EFNS.

Cohort description

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dantoft, Thomas Meinertz; Ebstrup, Jeanette Frost; Linneberg, Allan

2017-01-01

-76 years from the general population examined from 2011 to 2015. The survey comprises screening questionnaires for five types of FSS, ie, fibromyalgia, whiplash-associated disorder, multiple chemical sensitivity, irritable bowel syndrome, and chronic fatigue syndrome, and for the unifying diagnostic......The Danish study of Functional Disorders (DanFunD) cohort was initiated to outline the epidemiology of functional somatic syndromes (FSS) and is the first larger coordinated epidemiological study focusing exclusively on FSS. FSS are prevalent in all medical settings and can be defined as syndromes...... category of bodily distress syndrome. Additional data included a telephone-based diagnostic interview assessment for FSS, questionnaires on physical and mental health, personality traits, lifestyle, use of health care services and social factors, and a physical examination with measures...

Comparing Three South African Student Cohorts on Their Attitudes to the Rights of Working Women

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Patel, Cynthia Joan

2016-01-01

This study compares three cohorts (1998-1999, 2005-2006 and 2010) of undergraduate psychology students at a South African university on the level of support for working women (women in paid employment) on various issues considered to be feminist. Cohort 1 (n?=?244), cohort 2 (n?=?311) and cohort 3 (n?=?266) completed an adapted version of a…

[European birth cohorts: Early life exposure to microorganisms and health impact].

Science.gov (United States)

Rocchi, S; Reboux, G

2017-06-01

In recent years, many birth cohorts have been initiated in Europe, to assess the early life microbiological exposure of children in the indoor environment and better understanding the different effects (adverse/protectors) on health. The results of 12 European cohorts, with different methodologies for exposure and allergic risk assessment are summarized in this review. Four meta-analyzes of cohort are presented too. Microbiological researches in indoor environment seem to turn to a metrology of microbiological exposure, but few studies provide real quantitative data. Thus, the establishment of dose-effect relationship is not possible and can only be done by having a global view of the situation, provided by an identical metrological approach in the different studies, in a large-scale, in the context of large birth cohorts with children followed with strict criteria to establish the clinical diagnosis. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

Cohort profile: a data linkage cohort to examine health service profiles of people with intellectual disability in New South Wales, Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Reppermund, Simone; Srasuebkul, Preeyaporn; Heintze, Theresa; Reeve, Rebecca; Dean, Kimberlie; Emerson, Eric; Coyne, David; Snoyman, Phillip; Baldry, Eileen; Dowse, Leanne; Szanto, Tracey; Sara, Grant; Florio, Tony; Trollor, Julian N

2017-04-12

People with intellectual disability are a minority group who experience poorer physical and mental health than the general population and have difficulty accessing healthcare services. There is lack of knowledge about healthcare service needs and gaps experienced by people with intellectual disability. This study aims to interrogate a large linked administrative data set containing hospital admissions, presentations to emergency departments (ED) and mortality data to provide evidence to inform the development of improved health and mental health services for this population. A retrospective cohort of people with intellectual disability (n=51 452) from New South Wales (NSW), Australia, to explore health and mental health profiles, mortality, pattern of health service use and associated costs between 2005 and 2013. The cohort is drawn from: the Disability Services Minimum Data Set; Admitted Patients Data Collection; Emergency Department Data Collection, Australian Bureau of Statistics Death Registry and Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. Mental health service usage among those with intellectual disability will be compared to a cohort of people who used mental health services (n=1 073 139) and service usage other than for mental health will be compared with published data from the general population. The median age of the cohort was 24 at the time of the last hospital admission and 21 at the last ED presentation. The cohort has a higher proportion of men than women and accounts for 0.6% of the NSW population in 2011. Over 70% had up to 5 ED presentations and hospitalisations between 2005 and 2012. A high proportion of people with intellectual disability live in the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods. Results will be used to inform the development of more responsive healthcare, including improved interactions between health, social and disability supports. More generally, the results will assist the development of more inclusive policy frameworks for people

Global patterns and trends in stomach cancer incidence: Age, period and birth cohort analysis.

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Luo, Ganfeng; Zhang, Yanting; Guo, Pi; Wang, Li; Huang, Yuanwei; Li, Ke

2017-10-01

The cases of stomach cancer (SC) incidence are increasing per year and the SC burden has remained very high in some countries. We aimed to evaluate the global geographical variation in SC incidence and temporal trends from 1978 to 2007, with an emphasis on the effect of birth cohort. Joinpoint regression and age-period-cohort model were applied. From 2003 to 2007, male rate were 1.5- to 3-fold higher than female in all countries. Rates were highest in Eastern Asian and South American countries. Except for Uganda, all countries showed favorable trends. Pronounced cohort-specific increases in risk for recent birth cohorts were seen in Brazil, Colombia, Iceland, New Zealand, Norway, Uganda and US white people for males and in Australia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Iceland, India, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Uganda, US black and white people for females. The cohort-specific ratio for male significantly decreased in Japan, Malta and Spain for cohorts born since 1950 and in Austria, China, Croatia, Ecuador, Russia, Switzerland and Thailand for cohorts born since 1960 and for female in Japan for cohorts born since 1950 and in Canada, China, Croatia, Latvia, Russia and Thailand for cohorts born since 1960. Disparities in incidence and carcinogenic risk persist worldwide. The favorable trends may be due to changes in environmental exposure and lifestyle, including decreased Helicobacter pylori prevalence, increased intake of fresh fruits and vegetables, the availability of refrigeration and decreased intake of salted and preserved food and smoking prevalence. © 2017 UICC.

Gender Convergence in Housework Time: A Life Course and Cohort Perspective

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Thomas Leopold

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Knowledge about gender convergence in housework time is confined to changes studied across repeated cross-sections of data. This study adds a dynamic view that links broader social shifts in men’s and women’s housework time to individual life-course profiles. Using panel data from the German Socio-Economic Panel Study (1985–2015, our analysis is the first to trace changes in housework time across the entire adult life course (ages 20–90 and across a large range of cohorts (1920–1990. The results revealed two types of gender convergence in housework time. First, the gender gap converged across the life course, narrowing by more than 50 percent from age 35 until age 70. Life-course profiles of housework time were strongly gendered, as women's housework time peaked in younger adulthood and declined thereafter, whereas men’s housework time remained stably low for decades and increased only in older age. Second, the gender gap converged across cohorts, narrowing by 40 percent from cohorts 1940 until 1960. Cohort profiles of housework time showed strong declines in women and moderate increases in men. Both cohort trends were linear and extended to the most recently born, supporting the notion of continued convergence in housework time.

The musculoskeletal diagnosis cohort: examining pain and pain care among veterans.

Science.gov (United States)

Goulet, Joseph L; Kerns, Robert D; Bair, Matthew; Becker, William C; Brennan, Penny; Burgess, Diana J; Carroll, Constance M; Dobscha, Steven; Driscoll, Mary A; Fenton, Brenda T; Fraenkel, Liana; Haskell, Sally G; Heapy, Alicia A; Higgins, Diana M; Hoff, Rani A; Hwang, Ula; Justice, Amy C; Piette, John D; Sinnott, Patsi; Wandner, Laura; Womack, Julie A; Brandt, Cynthia A

2016-08-01

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are highly prevalent, painful, and costly disorders. The MSD Cohort was created to characterize variation in pain, comorbidities, treatment, and outcomes among patients with MSD receiving Veterans Health Administration care across demographic groups, geographic regions, and facilities. We searched electronic health records to identify patients treated in Veterans Health Administration who had ICD-9-CM codes for diagnoses including, but not limited to, joint, back, and neck disorders, and osteoarthritis. Cohort inclusion criteria were 2 or more outpatient visits occurring within 18 months of one another or one inpatient visit with an MSD diagnosis between 2000 and 2011. The first diagnosis is the index date. Pain intensity numeric rating scale (NRS) scores, comorbid medical and mental health diagnoses, pain-related treatments, and other characteristics were collected retrospectively and prospectively. The cohort included 5,237,763 patients; their mean age was 59, 6% were women, 15% identified as black, and 18% reported severe pain (NRS ≥ 7) on the index date. Nontraumatic joint disorder (27%), back disorder (25%), and osteoarthritis (21%) were the most common MSD diagnoses. Patients entering the cohort in recent years had more concurrent MSD diagnoses and higher NRS scores. The MSD Cohort is a rich resource for collaborative pain-relevant health service research.

Cohort Effects on the Gender Wage Gap in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Naur, Michèle; Smith, Nina

1996-01-01

In this study the gender wage gap within three birth cohorts is analysed on the basis of a panel sample of Danish workers covering the period 1979-1990. During the latest decades there has been a considerable change in the female participat ion rate, the part time frequency and the educational...... level of women. The changed position of women and the building up of the welfare state have made women less dependent on the income of a husband and changed the division of labour within the households. These changes may, to a large extent, be caused by differences between older and younger cohorts....... Traditional human capital wage functions are estimated in order to investigate to what extent these changes are reflected in cohort differences with respect to the influence that children, marriage, labour market experience and educational level may have on the earning capacity...

RN work engagement in generational cohorts: the view from rural US hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Sullivan Havens, Donna; Warshawsky, Nora E; Vasey, Joseph

2013-10-01

To describe staff nurse work engagement, identify predictors by generational cohort, present implications for nurse managers and suggest future research. A global nurse shortage looms. While an adequate supply of nurses is needed to ensure access to care, access to quality care may be enhanced by an adequate supply of highly engaged nurses-those who are dedicated, energized, and absorbed. Nurses have long reported the presence of energy depleting practice environments. Nurses practicing in professional practice environments may be more engaged. A non-experimental survey design was executed. Direct care Registered Nurses (n = 747) working in five rural acute care hospitals completed questionnaires to assess work engagement (Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-9), decisional involvement (Decisional Involvement Scale), relational coordination (Relational Coordination Survey) and the nursing practice environment (Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index). Descriptive, correlational and regression analyses examined work engagement and predictors by generational cohort. With the exception of the absorption component, no statistically significant differences in engagement emerged across generational cohorts. Predictors of engagement differed by cohort, however across all cohorts, professional nursing practice environments predicted nurse work engagement. Professional nursing practice environments are significantly associated with nurse work engagement. Enhancing nurse work engagement is a complex challenge. Generational cohorts may respond to different strategies to enhance engagement. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Epilepsy in adults with mitochondrial disease: A cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Whittaker, Roger G; Devine, Helen E; Gorman, Grainne S; Schaefer, Andrew M; Horvath, Rita; Ng, Yi; Nesbitt, Victoria; Lax, Nichola Z; McFarland, Robert; Cunningham, Mark O; Taylor, Robert W; Turnbull, Douglass M

2015-12-01

The aim of this work was to determine the prevalence and progression of epilepsy in adult patients with mitochondrial disease. We prospectively recruited a cohort of 182 consecutive adult patients attending a specialized mitochondrial disease clinic in Newcastle upon Tyne between January 1, 2005 and January 1, 2008. We then followed this cohort over a 7-year period, recording primary outcome measures of occurrence of first seizure, status epilepticus, stroke-like episode, and death. Overall prevalence of epilepsy in the cohort was 23.1%. Mean age of epilepsy onset was 29.4 years. Prevalence varied widely between genotypes, with several genotypes having no cases of epilepsy, a prevalence of 34.9% in the most common genotype (m.3243A>G mutation), and 92.3% in the m.8344A>G mutation. Among the cohort as a whole, focal seizures, with or without progression to bilateral convulsive seizures, was the most common seizure type. Conversely, all of the patients with the m.8344A>G mutation and epilepsy experienced myoclonic seizures. Patients with the m.3243A>G mutation remain at high risk of developing stroke-like episodes (1.16% per year). However, although the standardized mortality ratio for the entire cohort was high (2.86), this ratio did not differ significantly between patients with epilepsy (2.96) and those without (2.83). Epilepsy is a common manifestation of mitochondrial disease. It develops early in the disease and, in the case of the m.3243A>G mutation, often presents in the context of a stroke-like episode or status epilepticus. However, epilepsy does not itself appear to contribute to the increased mortality in mitochondrial disease. © 2015 The Authors. Annals of Neurology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Neurological Association.

Environmental Variation and Cohort Effects in an Antarctic Predator

Science.gov (United States)

Garrott, Robert A.; Rotella, Jay J.; Siniff, Donald B.; Parkinson, Claire L.; Stauffer, Glenn E.

2011-01-01

Understanding the potential influence of environmental variation experienced by animals during early stages of development on their subsequent demographic performance can contribute to our understanding of population processes and aid in predicting impacts of global climate change on ecosystem functioning. Using data from 4,178 tagged female Weddell seal pups born into 20 different cohorts, and 30 years of observations of the tagged seals, we evaluated the hypothesis that environmental conditions experienced by young seals, either indirectly through maternal effects and/or directly during the initial period of juvenile nutritional independence, have long-term effects on individual demographic performance. We documented an approximately 3-fold difference in the proportion of each cohort that returned to the pupping colonies and produced a pup within the first 10 years after birth. We found only weak evidence for a correlation between annual environmental conditions during the juvenile-independence period and cohort recruitment probability. Instead, the data strongly supported an association between cohort recruitment probability and the regional extent of sea ice experienced by the mother during the winter the pup was in utero. We suggest that inter-annual variation in winter sea-ice extent influences the foraging success of pregnant seals by moderating the regional abundance of competing predators that cannot occupy areas of consolidated sea ice, and by directly influencing the abundance of mid-trophic prey species that are sea-ice obligates. We hypothesize that this environmentally-induced variation in maternal nutrition dictates the extent of maternal energetic investment in offspring, resulting in cohort variation in mean size of pups at weaning which, in turn, contributes to an individual?s phenotype and its ultimate fitness. These linkages between sea ice and trophic dynamics, combined with demonstrated and predicted changes in the duration and extent of sea

Alcohol and ovarian cancer risk: Results from the Netherlands Cohort Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schouten, L.J.; Zeegers, M.P.A.; Goldbohm, R.A.; Brandt, P.A. van den

2004-01-01

Objective: To study alcohol consumption in relation to ovarian cancer risk in a prospective cohort study. Methods: The Netherlands Cohort Study on diet and cancer was initiated in 1986. A self-administered questionnaire on dietary habits and other risk factors for cancer was completed by 62,573

The Copenhagen Oral Health Senior Cohort: design, population and dental health

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heegaard, Karen M; Holm-Pedersen, Poul; Jensen, Allan Bardow

2011-01-01

Gerodontology 2010; doi: 10.1111/j.1741-2358.2010.00383.x The Copenhagen Oral Health Senior Cohort: design, population and dental health Background: In order to study the way old age influence oral health, the Copenhagen Oral Health Senior Cohort (COHS) has been established. Objectives: To describe...

Age, Period, and Cohort Differences in Work Centrality and Work Values

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gábor Hajdu

2018-02-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we analyze whether work values differ between three dimensions of time (age, birth cohort, period. Using data of five waves of the World Values Survey and the European Values Study from more than forty countries and hierarchical age-period-cohort regression models, we did not find relevant gaps between birth cohorts with respect to the relative importance of work or with respect to work values. Thus, we claim that, in European and Euro-Atlantic countries, birth cohorts, on average, do not differ significantly with regard to their work values. Our results suggest, however, that the relative importance of work is significantly higher in the middle-age groups than among the younger or older groups. Regarding work values, we found that the importance of having an interesting job, good pay, and good hours decreases with age, and that job security is equally important at every age, whereas the importance of having a useful job increases with age.

Inter-cohort growth for three tropical resources: tilapia, octopus and lobster.

Science.gov (United States)

Velázquez-Abunader, Iván; Gómez-Muñoz, Victor Manuel; Salas, Silvia; Ruiz-Velazco, Javier M J

2015-09-01

Growth parameters are an important component for the stock assessment of exploited aquatic species. However, it is often difficult to apply direct methods to estimate growth and to analyse the differences between males and females, particularly in tropical areas. The objective of this study was to analyse the inter-cohort growth of three tropical resources and discuss the possible fisheries management implications. A simple method was used to compare individual growth curves obtained from length frequency distribution analysis, illustrated by case studies of three tropical species from different aquatic environments: tilapia (Oreochromis aureus), red octopus (Octopus maya) and the Caribbean spiny lobster (Panulirus argus). The analysis undertaken compared the size distribution of males and females of a given cohort through modal progression analysis. The technique used proved to be useful for highlighting the differences in growth between females and males of a specific cohort. The potential effect of extrinsic and intrinsic factors on the organism's development as reflected in the size distribution of the cohorts is discussed.

Association of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and hemorrhoids: A nationwide cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Lih-Hwa; Siu, Justin Ji-Yuen; Liao, Po-Chi; Chiang, Jen-Huai; Chou, Pei-Chi; Chen, Huey-Yi; Ho, Tsung-Jung; Tsai, Ming-Yen; Chen, Yung-Hsiang; Chen, Wen-Chi

2017-03-01

According to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory, a specific physiological and pathological relationship exists between the lungs and the large intestine. The aim of this study is to delineate the association of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and hemorrhoids in order to verify the "interior-exterior" relationship between the lungs and the large intestine. A retrospective cohort study is conceived from the National Health Insurance Research Database, Taiwan. The 2 samples (COPD cohort and non-COPD cohort) were selected from the 2000 to 2003 beneficiaries of the NHI, representing patients age 20 and older in Taiwan, with the follow-up ending on December 31, 2011. The COPD cohort (n = 51,506) includes every patient newly diagnosed as having Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD, ICD-9-CM: 490-492, 494, 496), who have made at least 2 confirmed visits to the hospital/clinic. The non-COPD cohort (n = 103,012) includes patients without COPD and is selected via a 1:2 (COPD: non-COPD) matching by age group (per 5 years), gender, and index date (diagnosis date of COPD for the COPD cohort). Compared with non-COPD cohorts, patients with COPD have a higher likelihood of having hemorrhoids and the age-, gender- and comorbidies-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for hemorrhoids is 1.56 (95% confidence intervals [CI]:1.50-1.62). The adjusted HR of hemorrhoids for females is 0.79 (95% CI: 0.77-0.83), which is significantly less than that for males. The elderly groups, 40 to 59 years and aged 60 or above, have higher adjusted HRs than younger age groups (20-39 years), 1.19 (95% CI: 1.14-1.26), and 1.18 (95% CI: 1.12-1.24), respectively. Patients with COPD may have a higher likelihood to have hemorrhoids in this retrospective cohort study. This study verifies the fundamental theorem of TCM that there is a definite pathogenic association between the lungs and large intestine.

Work-family life courses and BMI trajectories in three British birth cohorts.

Science.gov (United States)

Lacey, R E; Sacker, A; Bell, S; Kumari, M; Worts, D; McDonough, P; Kuh, D; McMunn, A

2017-02-01

Combining work and family responsibilities has previously been associated with improved health in mid-life, yet little is known about how these associations change over time (both biographical and historical) and whether this extends to body mass index (BMI) trajectories for British men and women. The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between work-family life courses and BMI trajectories across adulthood (16-42 years) for men and women in three British birth cohorts. Multiply imputed data from three nationally representative British birth cohorts were used-the MRC National Survey of Health and Development (NSHD; 1946 birth cohort, n=3012), the National Child Development Study (NCDS; 1958 birth cohort, n=9614) and the British Cohort Study (BCS; 1970 birth cohort, n=8140). A typology of work-family life course types was developed using multi-channel sequence analysis, linking annual information on work, partnerships and parenthood from 16 to 42 years. Work-family life courses were related to BMI trajectories using multi-level growth models. Analyses adjusted for indicators of prior health, birthweight, child BMI, educational attainment and socioeconomic position across the life course, and were stratified by gender and cohort. Work-family life courses characterised by earlier transitions to parenthood and weaker long-term links to employment were associated with greater increases in BMI across adulthood. Some of these differences, particularly for work-family groups, which are becoming increasingly non-normative, became more pronounced across cohorts (for example, increases in BMI between 16 and 42 years in long-term homemaking women: NSHD: 4.35 kg m -2 , 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.44, 5.26; NCDS: 5.53 kg m - 2 , 95% CI: 5.18, 5.88; BCS: 6.69 kg m - 2 , 95% CI: 6.36, 7.02). Becoming a parent earlier and weaker long-term ties to employment are associated with greater increases in BMI across adulthood in British men and women.

Initial Disease Course and Treatment in an Inflammatory Bowel Disease Inception Cohort in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Burisch, Johan; Pedersen, Natalia; Cukovic-Cavka, Silvja

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: The EpiCom cohort is a prospective, population-based, inception cohort of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients from 31 European centers covering a background population of 10.1 million. The aim of this study was to assess the 1-year outcome in the EpiCom cohort. METHODS: Patients...

A new approach to age-period-cohort analysis using partial least squares regression: the trend in blood pressure in the Glasgow Alumni cohort.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu-Kang Tu

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Due to a problem of identification, how to estimate the distinct effects of age, time period and cohort has been a controversial issue in the analysis of trends in health outcomes in epidemiology. In this study, we propose a novel approach, partial least squares (PLS analysis, to separate the effects of age, period, and cohort. Our example for illustration is taken from the Glasgow Alumni cohort. A total of 15,322 students (11,755 men and 3,567 women received medical screening at the Glasgow University between 1948 and 1968. The aim is to investigate the secular trends in blood pressure over 1925 and 1950 while taking into account the year of examination and age at examination. We excluded students born before 1925 or aged over 25 years at examination and those with missing values in confounders from the analyses, resulting in 12,546 and 12,516 students for analysis of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, respectively. PLS analysis shows that both systolic and diastolic blood pressure increased with students' age, and students born later had on average lower blood pressure (SBP: -0.17 mmHg/per year [95% confidence intervals: -0.19 to -0.15] for men and -0.25 [-0.28 to -0.22] for women; DBP: -0.14 [-0.15 to -0.13] for men; -0.09 [-0.11 to -0.07] for women. PLS also shows a decreasing trend in blood pressure over the examination period. As identification is not a problem for PLS, it provides a flexible modelling strategy for age-period-cohort analysis. More emphasis is then required to clarify the substantive and conceptual issues surrounding the definitions and interpretations of age, period and cohort effects.

Design, methods and demographics from phase I of Alberta's Tomorrow Project cohort: a prospective cohort profile.

Science.gov (United States)

Robson, Paula J; Solbak, Nathan M; Haig, Tiffany R; Whelan, Heather K; Vena, Jennifer E; Akawung, Alianu K; Rosner, William K; Brenner, Darren R; Cook, Linda S; Csizmadi, Ilona; Kopciuk, Karen A; McGregor, S Elizabeth; Friedenreich, Christine M

2016-01-01

Prospective cohorts have the potential to support multifactorial, health-related research, particularly if they are drawn from the general population, incorporate active and passive follow-up and permission is obtained to allow access by researchers to data repositories. This paper describes Phase I of the Alberta's Tomorrow Project cohort, a broad-based research platform designed to support investigations into factors that influence cancer and chronic disease risk. Adults aged 35-69 years living in Alberta, Canada, with no previous cancer diagnosis other than nonmelanoma skin cancer were recruited to the project by telephone-based random digit dialling. Participants were enrolled if they returned a Health and Lifestyle Questionnaire. Past year diet and physical activity questionnaires were mailed 3 months after enrolment. Consent was sought for active follow-up and linkage with administrative databases. Depending on enrolment date, participants were invited to complete up to 2 follow-up questionnaires (2004 and 2008). Between 2001 and 2009, 31 072 (39% men) participants (mean age 50.2 [± 9.2] yr) were enrolled and 99% consented to linkage with administrative databases. Participants reported a wide range of educational attainment and household income. Compared with provincial surveillance data from the Canadian Community Health Survey, Alberta's Tomorrow Project participants had higher body mass index, lower prevalence of smoking and similar distribution of chronic health conditions. Follow-up questionnaires were completed by 83% and 72% of participants in 2004 and 2008, respectively. Robust quality control measures resulted in low frequencies of missing data. Alberta's Tomorrow Project provides a robust platform, based on a prospective cohort design, to support research into risk factors for cancer and chronic disease.

Incidence of Otitis Media in a Contemporary Danish National Birth Cohort

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Todbjerg, Tanja; Koch, Anders; Andersson, Mikael

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVES: In recent years welfare in Denmark has increased which might be expected to reduce otitis media (OM) incidence. We examined the age-specific incidence of OM in a nation-wide cohort of children aged 0-7 years born in 1996-2003 (Danish National Birth Cohort, DNBC). Only selection...

Neurological recovery in obstetric brachial plexus injuries: an historical cohort study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoeksma, Agnes F.; ter Steeg, Anne Marie; Nelissen, Rob G. H. H.; van Ouwerkerk, Willem J. R.; Lankhorst, Gustaaf J.; de Jong, Bareld A.

2004-01-01

An historical cohort study was conducted to investigate the rate and extent of neurological recovery in obstetric brachial plexus injury (OBPI) and to identify possible prognostic factors in a cohort of children with OBPI from birth to 7 years. All children (n=56; 31 females, 25 males) with OBPI

Maternal vitamin D status in pregnancy and risk of lower respiratory tract infections, wheezing, and asthma in offspring.

Science.gov (United States)

Morales, Eva; Romieu, Isabelle; Guerra, Stefano; Ballester, Ferrán; Rebagliato, Marisa; Vioque, Jesús; Tardón, Adonina; Rodriguez Delhi, Cristina; Arranz, Leonor; Torrent, Maties; Espada, Mercedes; Basterrechea, Mikel; Sunyer, Jordi

2012-01-01

Adequate vitamin D status in mothers during pregnancy may influence the health status of the child later in life. We assessed whether maternal circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) concentrations in pregnancy are associated with risk of lower respiratory tract infections, wheezing, and asthma in the offspring. Data were obtained from 1724 children of the INfancia y Medio Ambiente (INMA) Project, a population-based birth cohort study. Maternal circulating 25(OH)D concentrations were measured in pregnancy (mean gestational age = 12.6 [SD = 2.5] weeks). When the child was age 1 year, parents were asked if their child had a physician-confirmed history of lower respiratory tract infections or a history of wheezing. The questions about wheezing were repeated annually thereafter. Asthma was defined as parental report of doctor diagnosis of asthma or receiving treatment at the age of 4-6 years or wheezing since the age of 4 years. The median maternal circulating 25(OH)D concentration in pregnancy was 29.5 ng/mL (interquartile range, 22.5-37.1 ng/mL). After multivariable adjustment, there was a trend for an independent association between higher levels of maternal circulating 25(OH)D levels in pregnancy and decreased odds of lower respiratory tract infections in offspring (for cohort- and season-specific quartile Q4 vs. Q1, odds ratio = 0.67 [95% confidence interval = 0.50-0.90]; test for trend, P = 0.016). We found no association between 25(OH)D levels in pregnancy and risk of wheezing at age 1 year or 4 years, or asthma at age 4-6 years. Higher maternal circulating 25(OH)D concentrations in pregnancy were independently associated with lower risk of lower respiratory tract infections in offspring in the first year of life but not with wheezing or asthma in childhood.

Air pollution effects on fetal and child development: A cohort comparison in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang, Deliang; Li, Ting Yu; Chow, Judith C.; Kulkarni, Sanasi U.; Watson, John G.; Ho, Steven Sai Hang; Quan, Zhang Y.; Qu, L.R.; Perera, Frederica

2014-01-01

In Tongliang, China, a coal-fired power plant was the major pollution source until its shutdown in 2004. We enrolled two cohorts of nonsmoking women and their newborns before and after the shutdown to examine the relationship between prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and fetal and child growth and development. PAHs were used to measure exposure to air pollution generated by the power plant. Using PAH–DNA adduct levels as biomarkers for the biologically effective dose of PAH exposure, we examined whether PAH–DNA adduct levels were associated with birth outcome, growth rate, and neurodevelopment. Head circumference was greater in children of the second cohort, compared with the first (p = 0.001), consistent with significantly reduced levels of cord blood PAH–DNA adducts in cohort II (p < 0.001) and reduced levels of ambient PAHs (p = 0.01). -- Highlights: • We compare cohorts of mothers and newborns before and after a power plant closure. • We measure prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). • We examine birth outcomes, child growth rate and neurodevelopment in each cohort. • Cord PAH–DNA adducts and ambient PAH levels were reduced in the second cohort. • Consistent with exposure data, head circumference was greater in the second cohort. -- The associations found between PAH exposure and adverse health outcomes suggest that the removal of a coal-burning source can have rapid and direct benefits on children's health

Childhood cancer survivor cohorts in Europe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Winther, Jeanette F.; Kenborg, Line; Byrne, Julianne; Hjorth, Lars; Kaatsch, Peter; Kremer, Leontien C. M.; Kuehni, Claudia E.; Auquier, Pascal; Michel, Gérard; de Vathaire, Florent; Haupt, Riccardo; Skinner, Roderick; Madanat-Harjuoja, Laura M.; Tryggvadottir, Laufey; Wesenberg, Finn; Reulen, Raoul C.; Grabow, Desiree; Ronckers, Cecile M.; van Dulmen-den Broeder, Eline; van den Heuvel-Eibrink, Marry M.; Schindler, Matthias; Berbis, Julie; Holmqvist, Anna S.; Gudmundsdottir, Thorgerdur; de Fine Licht, Sofie; Bonnesen, Trine G.; Asdahl, Peter H.; Bautz, Andrea; Kristoffersen, Anja K.; Himmerslev, Liselotte; Hasle, Henrik; Olsen, Jørgen H.; Hawkins, Mike M.

2015-01-01

With the advent of multimodality therapy, the overall five-year survival rate from childhood cancer has improved considerably now exceeding 80% in developed European countries. This growing cohort of survivors, with many years of life ahead of them, has raised the necessity for knowledge concerning

Educational expansion and the education gradient in health: A hierarchical age-period-cohort analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Delaruelle, Katrijn; Buffel, Veerle; Bracke, Piet

2015-11-01

Researchers have recently been investigating the temporal variation in the educational gradient in health. While there is abundant literature concerning age trajectories, theoretical knowledge about cohort differences is relatively limited. Therefore, in analogy with the life course perspective, we introduce two contrasting cohort-specific hypotheses. The diminishing health returns hypothesis predicts a decrease in educational disparities in health across cohorts. By contrast, the cohort accretion hypothesis suggests that the education-health gap will be more pronounced among younger cohorts. To shed light on this, we perform a hierarchical age-period-cohort analysis (HAPC), using data from a subsample of individuals between 25 and 85 years of age (N = 232,573) from 32 countries in the European Social Survey (six waves: 2002-2012). The analysis leads to three important conclusions. First, we observe a widening health gap between different educational levels over the life course. Second, we find that these educational differences in the age trajectories of health seem to strengthen with each successive birth cohort. However, the two age-related effects disappear when we control for employment status, household income, and family characteristics. Last, when adjusting for these mediators, we reveal evidence to support the diminishing health returns hypothesis, implying that it is primarily the direct association between education and health that decreases across cohorts. This finding raises concerns about potential barriers to education being a vehicle for empowerment and the promotion of health. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Transmisión de cargas entre forjados y puntales en un edificio de forjado reticular de casetón perdido utilizando clareado

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gasch, I.

2013-06-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the results of tests carried out during the construction of a building of flats with cast-in-place girderless hollow floor slab in Sabadell, Spain, using the shoring, clearing and striking (SCS process. Loads on shores were recorded during the different construction stages of floor slabs 1 to 6. The two first floor slabs had geometry different than the rest. The experimental results were used to analyse load transmission between slabs and shores during the construction of the building with a SCS process. The experimental results were compared with those obtained applying simplified methods that consider the real stiffness of the shoring, obtaining that the method with a better fit was the New Simplified Procedure.En el presente artículo se presentan los resultados de la instrumentación llevada a cabo durante la construcción de un edificio de viviendas resuelto con forjados reticulares de casetón perdido situado en Sabadell (España, en el que se ha empleado un proceso de cimbrado, clareado, descimbrado (CCD. Se han registrado las cargas debidas a las operaciones constructivas de CCD en puntales de los seis primeros forjados. Dichos registros han permitido analizar la transmisión de cargas entre forjados y puntales durante la construcción de este edificio, teniendo un proceso de CCD. El análisis de las medidas experimentales ha permitido concluir que la transmisión de cargas entre forjados y puntales difiere según las condiciones de contorno del vano estudiado. Asimismo, se han comparado las medidas experimentales con diversos métodos simplificados que permiten simular la operación del clareado, obteniendo que el método que mejor se ajusta es el Nuevo Procedimiento Simplificado.

Internal radiation dose of Indians

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ranganathan, S.; Nagaratnam, A.; Sharma, U.C.

2001-01-01

The measurement of γ-rays from 40 K by whole-body counting provides a sensitive technique to estimate the body 40 K radioactivity. In India, right from the whole body counter (WBC) of Trombay in the early 1960s to the INMAS WBC of 1970s, some limited information has been available about the internal 40 K of Indians. However, information on 40 K dose with age and sex of Indians is scanty. Therefore, a systematic study was taken up to generate this information

Trends in the incidence of dementia: design and methods in the Alzheimer Cohorts Consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

Chibnik, Lori B; Wolters, Frank J; Bäckman, Kristoffer; Beiser, Alexa; Berr, Claudine; Bis, Joshua C; Boerwinkle, Eric; Bos, Daniel; Brayne, Carol; Dartigues, Jean-Francois; Darweesh, Sirwan K L; Debette, Stephanie; Davis-Plourde, Kendra L; Dufouil, Carole; Fornage, Myriam; Grasset, Leslie; Gudnason, Vilmundur; Hadjichrysanthou, Christoforos; Helmer, Catherine; Ikram, M Arfan; Ikram, M Kamran; Kern, Silke; Kuller, Lewis H; Launer, Lenore; Lopez, Oscar L; Matthews, Fiona; Meirelles, Osorio; Mosley, Thomas; Ower, Alison; Psaty, Bruce M; Satizabal, Claudia L; Seshadri, Sudha; Skoog, Ingmar; Stephan, Blossom C M; Tzourio, Christophe; Waziry, Reem; Wong, Mei Mei; Zettergren, Anna; Hofman, Albert

2017-10-01

Several studies have reported a decline in incidence of dementia which may have large implications for the projected burden of disease, and provide important guidance to preventive efforts. However, reports are conflicting or inconclusive with regard to the impact of gender and education with underlying causes of a presumed declining trend remaining largely unidentified. The Alzheimer Cohorts Consortium aggregates data from nine international population-based cohorts to determine changes in the incidence of dementia since 1990. We will employ Poisson regression models to calculate incidence rates in each cohort and Cox proportional hazard regression to compare 5-year cumulative hazards across study-specific epochs. Finally, we will meta-analyse changes per decade across cohorts, and repeat all analysis stratified by sex, education and APOE genotype. In all cohorts combined, there are data on almost 69,000 people at risk of dementia with the range of follow-up years between 2 and 27. The average age at baseline is similar across cohorts ranging between 72 and 77. Uniting a wide range of disease-specific and methodological expertise in research teams, the first analyses within the Alzheimer Cohorts Consortium are underway to tackle outstanding challenges in the assessment of time-trends in dementia occurrence.

The Grad Cohort Workshop: Evaluating an Intervention to Retain Women Graduate Students in Computing.

Science.gov (United States)

Stout, Jane G; Tamer, Burçin; Wright, Heather M; Clarke, Lori A; Dwarkadas, Sandhya; Howard, Ayanna M

2016-01-01

Women engaged in computing career tracks are vastly outnumbered by men and often must contend with negative stereotypes about their innate technical aptitude. Research suggests women's marginalized presence in computing may result in women psychologically disengaging, and ultimately dropping out, perpetuating women's underrepresentation in computing. To combat this vicious cycle, the Computing Research Association's Committee on the Status of Women in Computing Research (CRA-W) runs a multi-day mentorship workshop for women graduate students called Grad Cohort, which consists of a speaker series and networking opportunities. We studied the long-term impact of Grad Cohort on women Ph.D. students' (a) dedication to becoming well-known in one's field, and giving back to the community ( professional goals ), (b) the degree to which one feels computing is an important element of "who they are" ( computing identity) , and (c) beliefs that computing skills are innate ( entity beliefs ). Of note, entity beliefs are known to be demoralizing and can lead to disengagement from academic endeavors. We compared a propensity score matched sample of women and men Ph.D. students in computing programs who had never participated in Grad Cohort to a sample of past Grad Cohort participants. Grad Cohort participants reported interest in becoming well-known in their field to a greater degree than women non-participants, and to an equivalent degree as men. Also, Grad Cohort participants reported stronger interest in giving back to the community than their peers. Further, whereas women non-participants identified with computing to a lesser degree than men and held stronger entity beliefs than men, Grad Cohort participants' computing identity and entity beliefs were equivalent to men. Importantly, stronger entity beliefs predicted a weaker computing identity among students, with the exception of Grad Cohort participants. This latter finding suggests Grad Cohort may shield students

Sardasht-Iran cohort study of chemical warfare victims: design and methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghazanfari, Tooba; Faghihzadeh, Soghrat; Aragizadeh, Hassan; Soroush, Mohammad-Reza; Yaraee, Roya; Mohammad Hassan, Zuhair; Foroutan, Abbas; Vaez-Mahdavi, Mohammad-Reza; Javadi, Mohammad-Ali; Moaiedmohseni, Sakine; Azizi, Fereidoun; Panahi, Yunes; Mostafaie, Ali; Ghasemi, Hassan; Shams, Jalaleddin; Pourfarzam, Shahryar; Jalali-Nadoushan, Mohammad-Reza; Fallahi, Faramarz; Ebtekar, Massoumeh; Davoudi, Seyyed-Masoud; Ghazanfari, Zeinab; Ardestani, Sussan K; Shariat-Panahi, Shamsa; Moin, Athar; Rezaei, Abbas; Kariminia, Amina; Ajdary, Soheila; Mahmoudi, Mahmoud; Roshan, Rasoul; Ghaderi, Sulayman; Babai, Mahmoud; Naghizadeh, Mohammad-Mehdi; Ghanei, Mohammad-Mostafa

2009-01-01

Insights into long-term clinical consequences of sulfur mustard have emerged from some investigations but less is known about the basic and molecular mechanisms of these complications. Sardasht-Iran Cohort Study is a comprehensive historical cohort study on Sardasht chemical victims' population which was designed to find out the long-term complications of sulfur mustard exposure and the basic mechanisms underlying clinical manifestations. This paper describes the design and methodology of Sardasht-Iran Cohort Study. In Sardasht-Iran Cohort Study, 500 individuals including 372 subjects from Sardasht, as the exposed group, and 128 subjects from Rabat, as the unexposed age-matched control group were evaluated. The exposed group was divided into two groups based on the severity of clinical complications at the time of exposure. Different samples including blood, sputum, saliva, tear, urine, and semen were collected for immunologic, hematologic, biochemical, and other laboratory analysis. Data were gathered from medical records, clinical examinations, laboratory tests, and questionnaires for psychological and lifestyle situations. The important distinctions setting this study apart from the previous ones are discussed. The Sardasht-Iran Cohort Study provides important information on various aspects of long-term consequences of sulfur mustard exposure. This database will provide a better position to suggest guidelines for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of delayed complications in the patients exposed to sulfur mustard.

Cohort Learning Online in Graduate Higher Education: Constructing Knowledge in Cyber Community

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriele I. E. Strohschen

2004-01-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses a qualitative participatory action research study, which examined the nature of the cohort learning experience in an online master’s program, from both faculty and student perspectives. After describing this online master’s program in adult education designed from a social constructivist theoretical frame, this paper discusses two primary areas of findings related to cohort learning. First, were those related to the ongoing negotiation of the learning process: the importance of an opening residential; a consistent but flexible cohort structure; and building ongoing relationships. Second, were those related to the ongoing construction of knowledge: the role of team-teaching and the cohort model in transformative learning; the application of theory to real life practice, and the value of group support and collaboration in conducting research and constructing knowledge. Implications for practice are discussed.

External validation of a normal tissue complication probability model for radiation-induced hypothyroidism in an independent cohort

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rønjom, Marianne F; Brink, Carsten; Bentzen, Søren M

2015-01-01

blood tests in the validation cohort relative to the original cohort. However, Pearson's correlation coefficients between model and clinical outcome were high: r = 0.97 estimated by the original model versus the original cohort, and r = 0.97 estimated by the original model versus the new cohort....... CONCLUSION: Dmean and Vthyroid were significant predictors of RIHT in both cohorts. The original NTCP model demonstrated external validity owing to high Pearson's correlation coefficients between estimated and observed incidence rates of RIHT in the original as well as in the validation cohort. This model...

Pregnancy and Birth Cohort Resources in Europe: a Large Opportunity for Aetiological Child Health Research

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Larsen, P. S.; Kamper-Jorgensen, M.; Adamson, A.; Barros, H.; Bonde, J. P.; Brescianini, S.; Brophy, S.; Cacas, M.; Devereux, G.; Eggesbø, M.; Fantini, M. P.; Frey, U.; Gehring, U.; Grazuleviciene, R.; Henriksen, T. B.; Hertz-Picciotto, I.; Heude, B.; Hryhorczuk, D.; Inskip, H.; Jaddoe, V. W. V.; Lawlor, D. A.; Ludvigsson, J.; Kelleher, C.; Kiess, W.; Koletzko, B.; Kuehni, C. E.; Kull, I.; Kyhl, H. B.; Magnus, P.; Momas, I.; Murray, D.; Pekkanen, J.; Polanska, K.; Porta, D.; Poulsen, G.; Richiardi, L.; Roeleveld, N.; Skovgaard, A. M.; Šrám, Radim; Strandberg-Larsen, K.; Thijs, C.; Van Eijsden, M.; Wright, J.; Vrijheid, M.; Andersen, A. M. N.

2013-01-01

Roč. 27, č. 4 (2013), s. 393-414 ISSN 0269-5022 Institutional support: RVO:68378041 Keywords : European pregnancy birth cohort * cohort characteristics * cross-cohort collaboration Subject RIV: DN - Health Impact of the Environment Quality Impact factor: 2.811, year: 2013

Bayesian Age-Period-Cohort Modeling and Prediction - BAMP

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Volker J. Schmid

2007-10-01

Full Text Available The software package BAMP provides a method of analyzing incidence or mortality data on the Lexis diagram, using a Bayesian version of an age-period-cohort model. A hierarchical model is assumed with a binomial model in the first-stage. As smoothing priors for the age, period and cohort parameters random walks of first and second order, with and without an additional unstructured component are available. Unstructured heterogeneity can also be included in the model. In order to evaluate the model fit, posterior deviance, DIC and predictive deviances are computed. By projecting the random walk prior into the future, future death rates can be predicted.

Hypogravity Research and Educational Parabolic Flight Activities Conducted in Barcelona: a new Hub of Innovation in Europe

Science.gov (United States)

Perez-Poch, Antoni; González, Daniel Ventura; López, David

2016-12-01

We report on different research and educational activities related to parabolic flights conducted in Barcelona since 2008. We use a CAP10B single-engine aerobatic aircraft flying out of Sabadell Airport and operating in visual flight conditions providing up to 8 seconds of hypogravity for each parabola. Aside from biomedical experiments being conducted, different student teams have flown in parabolic flights in the framework of the international contest `Barcelona Zero-G Challenge', and have published their results in relevant symposiums and scientific journals. The platform can certainly be a good testbed for a proof-of-concept before accessing other microgravity platforms, and has proved to be excellent for motivational student campaigns.

Association between diverticular disease and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome: a 13-year nationwide population-based cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Leganger, Julie; Søborg, Marie-Louise Kulas; Mortensen, Laura Quitzau; Gregersen, Rasmus; Rosenberg, Jacob; Burcharth, Jakob

2016-12-01

The aim of this study was to examine occurrence and consequences of diverticular disease in patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) compared with a matched cohort. This nationwide population-based cohort study was conducted using data from medical registers in Denmark from year 2000 to 2012. The EDS cohort was identified using the specific diagnosis code for EDS and was randomly matched in a ratio of 1:20 by sex and date of birth (±1 year) with persons from the Danish general population. The occurrence of diverticular disease and the clinical characteristics of the initial diverticular event were compared between the EDS cohort and the comparison cohort. The first admission with diverticulitis was identified, and severity of diverticulitis, treatment, colonoscopies, length of stay, and 30-day mortality were investigated. We identified 1336 patients with EDS and matched a control cohort of 26,720 patients. The occurrence of diverticular disease in the EDS cohort (2.0 %) and the comparison cohort (0.68 %) differed significantly (p < 0.001). At the first diverticular event, the majority of patients were women (85 % for EDS and 87 % for the comparison cohort). Mean age, localization, and type of contact did not differ significantly. Admission with diverticulitis (1.0 % for EDS and 0.34 % for the comparison cohort) differed significantly (p < 0.001). We found no significant difference in severity of diverticulitis, treatment, length of stay, or 30-day mortality between the EDS and the comparison cohorts. Patients with EDS had an increased occurrence of overall diverticular events and admissions with diverticulitis compared with the general population.

Inter-cohort growth for three tropical resources: tilapia, octopus and lobster

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iván Velázquez-Abunader

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Growth parameters are an important component for the stock assessment of exploited aquatic species. However, it is often difficult to apply direct methods to estimate growth and to analyse the differences between males and females, particularly in tropical areas. The objective of this study was to analyse the inter-cohort growth of three tropical resources and discuss the possible fisheries management implications. A simple method was used to compare individual growth curves obtained from length frequency distribution analysis, illustrated by case studies of three tropical species from different aquatic environments: tilapia (Oreochromis aureus,red octopus (Octopus mayaand the Caribbean spiny lobster (Panulirus argus.The analysis undertaken compared the size distribution of males and females of a given cohort through modal progression analysis. The technique used proved to be useful for highlighting the differences in growth between females and males of a specific cohort. The potential effect of extrinsic and intrinsic factors on the organism's development as reflected in the size distribution of the cohorts is discussed.

Designing Reliable Cohorts of Cardiac Patients across MIMIC and eICU

Science.gov (United States)

Chronaki, Catherine; Shahin, Abdullah; Mark, Roger

2016-01-01

The design of the patient cohort is an essential and fundamental part of any clinical patient study. Knowledge of the Electronic Health Records, underlying Database Management System, and the relevant clinical workflows are central to an effective cohort design. However, with technical, semantic, and organizational interoperability limitations, the database queries associated with a patient cohort may need to be reconfigured in every participating site. i2b2 and SHRINE advance the notion of patient cohorts as first class objects to be shared, aggregated, and recruited for research purposes across clinical sites. This paper reports on initial efforts to assess the integration of Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC) and Philips eICU, two large-scale anonymized intensive care unit (ICU) databases, using standard terminologies, i.e. LOINC, ICD9-CM and SNOMED-CT. Focus of this work is lab and microbiology observations and key demographics for patients with a primary cardiovascular ICD9-CM diagnosis. Results and discussion reflecting on reference core terminology standards, offer insights on efforts to combine detailed intensive care data from multiple ICUs worldwide. PMID:27774488

Occupational exposure and mortality in the German uranium miner cohort

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schnelzer, M.; Dufey, F.; Grosche, B.; Sogl, M.; Tschense, A.; Walsh, L.; Kreuzer, M.

2014-01-01

The German uranium miners cohort study comprises 58,982 men employed in the GDR by the Wismut company for at least six months between 1946 and 1989. Particularly in the early years, miners were exposed to high levels of radon, silica and other harmful substances. The aim of the cohort study is to investigate the health effects of occupational exposures. The cohort was established in 1998 with mortality follow-ups every five years, i.e. vital status and cause of death are ascertained. Annual exposures to radon progeny, external gamma-radiation, long-lived radionuclides, fine dust, silica and arsenic dust were individually assessed by means of a comprehensive job-exposure matrix. For data analyses Poisson regression models were used. By end of 2008, 25,438 (43 %) cohort members were deceased with known cause of death in 94 %. In total 7,780 cancer mortalities were observed, including 3,500 from lung cancer. Lung cancer mortality is twice as high as in the general population largely due to occupational radon progeny and silica exposure. Also 975 silicosis deaths were observed and there is some evidence for a relationship between radon progeny exposure and cancers of the extra-thoracic airways. Circulatory diseases and non-malignant diseases of the airways were also investigated, but no relationship to occupational exposure was found. Up to now health effects of uranium mining in the Wismut cohort primarily manifest themselves as increases in lung cancer and silicosis mortality due to high radon progeny and silica exposure. With increasing duration of follow-up, further findings regarding more rare causes of death and levels of exposure relevant today are expected.

Separating the effects of age, period and birth cohort on seafood consumption in Norway

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Scholderer, Joachim; Trondsen, Torbjørn; Lund, Eiliv

Effects of age, period and birth cohort on consumption of fat fish, lean fish and processed fish were estimated based on panel data from the Norwegian Women and Seafood Consumption Study (NOWAC). Cohorts selected for the present analysis were women born between 1951 and 1966. Survey questionnaires...... fish increased between 1996 and 2001, while consumption of lean fish decreased. All three period effects were stable across birth cohorts. Estimation of polynomial contrasts indicated that birth cohort itself had linear effects on consumption, with older generations consuming significantly more fat...... and lean fish, but less processed fish than younger generations. Finally, the effects of cohort and period on consumption of lean and processed fish remained stable when biological age was controlled for, whilst the effect of period on fat fish consumption vanished. Regarding total consumption of fat fish...

Incense use and respiratory tract carcinomas: a prospective cohort study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yuan, J.M.; Wang, R.; Koh, W.P.

2008-01-01

of cancer and ages 45 to 74 years completed a comprehensive interview regarding living conditions and dietary and lifestyle factors. Through linkage to population-based registries, the cohort was followed through 2005 and cancer occurrence determined. The relative risk for these cancers associated......BACKGROUND: Incense use is an integral part of daily life in large parts of Asia. The burning of incense is a powerful producer of particulate matter and the smoke contains a multitude of well-characterized carcinogens. However, to the authors' knowledge, no convincing association has been reported...... between exposure to incense smoke and the development of cancer. Therefore, the relation between incense use and the risk of respiratory tract carcinomas was analyzed in a prospective cohort study. METHODS: Between 1993 and 1998, a population-based cohort of 61,320 Singapore Chinese who were free...

A Cohort Study on Meniscal Lesions among Airport Baggage Handlers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mikkelsen, Sigurd; Brauer, Charlotte; Pedersen, Ellen Bøtker

2016-01-01

socioeconomic background and less knee-straining work. Baggage handlers lifted suitcases with an average weight of approximately 15 kg, in total approximately five tonnes during a 9-hour workday. The cohort was followed in the National Patient Register and Civil Registration System. The outcome was a first time......Meniscal lesions are common and may contribute to the development of knee arthrosis. A few case-control and cross-sectional studies have identified knee-straining work as risk factors for meniscal lesions, but exposure-response relations and the role of specific exposures are uncertain...... of unskilled men employed at Copenhagen Airport or in other companies in the metropolitan Copenhagen area from 1990 to 2012 (the Copenhagen Airport Cohort). The cohort at risk included 3,307 airport baggage handlers with heavy lifting and kneeling or squatting work tasks and 63,934 referents with a similar...

Description of cervical cancer mortality in Belgium using Bayesian age-period-cohort models

Science.gov (United States)

2009-01-01

Objective To correct cervical cancer mortality rates for death cause certification problems in Belgium and to describe the corrected trends (1954-1997) using Bayesian models. Method Cervical cancer (cervix uteri (CVX), corpus uteri (CRP), not otherwise specified (NOS) uterus cancer and other very rare uterus cancer (OTH) mortality data were extracted from the WHO mortality database together with population data for Belgium and the Netherlands. Different ICD (International Classification of Diseases) were used over time for death cause certification. In the Netherlands, the proportion of not-otherwise specified uterine cancer deaths was small over large periods and therefore internal reallocation could be used to estimate the corrected rates cervical cancer mortality. In Belgium, the proportion of improperly defined uterus deaths was high. Therefore, the age-specific proportions of uterus cancer deaths that are probably of cervical origin for the Netherlands was applied to Belgian uterus cancer deaths to estimate the corrected number of cervix cancer deaths (corCVX). A Bayesian loglinear Poisson-regression model was performed to disentangle the separate effects of age, period and cohort. Results The corrected age standardized mortality rate (ASMR) decreased regularly from 9.2/100 000 in the mid 1950s to 2.5/100,000 in the late 1990s. Inclusion of age, period and cohort into the models were required to obtain an adequate fit. Cervical cancer mortality increases with age, declines over calendar period and varied irregularly by cohort. Conclusion Mortality increased with ageing and declined over time in most age-groups, but varied irregularly by birth cohort. In global, with some discrete exceptions, mortality decreased for successive generations up to the cohorts born in the 1930s. This decline stopped for cohorts born in the 1940s and thereafter. For the youngest cohorts, even a tendency of increasing risk of dying from cervical cancer could be observed, reflecting

The association between paternal and adolescent depressive symptoms: evidence from two population-based cohorts.

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, Gemma; Neary, Martha; Polek, Ela; Flouri, Eirini; Lewis, Glyn

2017-12-01

Incidence of depression increases markedly around age 13 years, and nearly three-quarters of adults report that their mental health problems started in adolescence. Although maternal depression is a risk factor for adolescent depression, evidence about the association between paternal and adolescent depression is inconclusive, and many studies have methodological limitations. We aimed to assess the association between paternal and adolescent depressive symptoms in two large population-based cohort studies. We used data for two-parent families from two representative prospective cohorts in Ireland (Growing up in Ireland [GUI]) and the UK (Millennium Cohort Study [MCS]). Parental depressive symptoms were measured with the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale in the GUI cohort when children were 9 years old, and the Kessler six-item psychological distress scale in the MCS cohort when children were 7 years old. Adolescent depressive symptoms were measured with the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (SMFQ) at age 13 years in the GUI cohort and age 14 years in the MCS cohort. We analysed data using linear regression models, before and after adjustment for confounders, in both multiply imputed and complete case samples. There were 6070 families in GUI and 7768 in MCS. After all adjustments, a 1 SD (three-point) increase in paternal depressive symptoms was associated with an increase of 0·24 SMFQ points (95% CI 0·03-0·45; p=0·023) in the GUI cohort and 0·18 SMFQ points (0·01-0·36; p=0·041) in the MCS cohort. This association was independent of, and not different in magnitude to, the association between maternal and adolescent depressive symptoms (Wald test p=0·435 in the GUI cohort and 0·470 in the MCS cohort). Our results show an association between depressive symptoms in fathers and depressive symptoms in their adolescent offspring. These findings support the involvement of fathers as well as mothers in early interventions to reduce the

Trends in Dementia Incidence in a Birth Cohort Analysis of the Einstein Aging Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Derby, Carol A; Katz, Mindy J; Lipton, Richard B; Hall, Charles B

2017-11-01

Trends in dementia incidence rates have important implications for planning and prevention. To better understand incidence trends over time requires separation of age and cohort effects, and few prior studies have used this approach. To examine trends in dementia incidence and concomitant trends in cardiovascular comorbidities among individuals aged 70 years or older who were enrolled in the Einstein Aging Study between 1993 and 2015. In this birth cohort analysis of all-cause dementia incidence in persons enrolled in the Einstein Aging Study from October 20, 1993, through November 17, 2015, a systematically recruited, population-based sample of 1348 participants from Bronx County, New York, who were 70 years or older without dementia at enrollment and at least one annual follow-up was studied. Poisson regression was used to model dementia incidence as a function of age, sex, educational level, race, and birth cohort, with profile likelihood used to identify the timing of significant increases or decreases in incidence. Birth year and age. Incident dementia defined by consensus case conference based on annual, standardized neuropsychological and neurologic examination findings, using criteria from the DSM-IV. Among 1348 individuals (mean [SD] baseline age, 78.5 [5.4] years; 830 [61.6%] female; 915 [67.9%] non-Hispanic white), 150 incident dementia cases developed during 5932 person-years (mean [SD] follow-up, 4.4 [3.4] years). Dementia incidence decreased in successive birth cohorts. Incidence per 100 person-years was 5.09 in birth cohorts before 1920, 3.11 in the 1920 through 1924 birth cohorts, 1.73 in the 1925 through 1929 birth cohorts, and 0.23 in cohorts born after 1929. Change point analyses identified a significant decrease in dementia incidence among those born after July 1929 (95% CI, June 1929 to January 1930). The relative rate for birth cohorts before July 1929 vs after was 0.13 (95% CI, 0.04-0.41). Prevalence of stroke and myocardial infarction

Maternal intelligence-mental health and child neuropsychological development at age 14 months Inteligencia y salud mental maternas y desarrollo neuropsicológico infantil a los 14 meses de edad

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Joan Forns

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Objective: To examine the relationship between maternal intelligence-mental health and neuropsychological development at age 14 months in a normal population, taking into account maternal occupational social class and education. Methods: We prospectively studied a population-based birth cohort, which forms part of the INMA (Environment and Childhood Project. Cognitive and psychomotor development was assessed at 14 months using Bayley Scales of Infant Development. Maternal intelligence and mental health were assessed by the Cattell and Cattell test and the General Health Questionnaire-12 respectively. Results: We observed a crude association between maternal intelligence and cognitive development in children at 14 months but this association disappeared when maternal education was included. The associations were stratified by maternal education and occupational social class. Within the manual maternal occupational social class, there was a significant difference in cognitive development between children whose mothers scored in the highest tertile of maternal IQ and those whose mothers scored in the lowest tertile. In contrast, no differences were observed among children whose mothers were in the non-manual occupational social class. Conclusions: The association between maternal intelligence and child cognitive development differed by occupational social class. While this association was not confounded by education or other variables in manual occupational social classes, maternal education explained this association among advantaged occupational social classes.Objetivos: Este estudio exploró la relación entre inteligencia y salud mental materna y desarrollo neuropsicológico infantil a los 14 meses de edad en población normal, teniendo en cuenta la clase social basada en la ocupación y el nivel educativo maternos. Métodos: Estudio prospectivo de cohortes de nacimiento englobado dentro del proyecto INMA (Infancia y Medio Ambiente. El

Feasibility of a cohort study on health risks caused by occupational exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields

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Wahrendorf Jürgen

2009-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The aim of this study was to examine the feasibility of performing a cohort study on health risks from occupational exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF in Germany. Methods A set of criteria was developed to evaluate the feasibility of such a cohort study. The criteria aimed at conditions of exposure and exposure assessment (level, duration, preferably on an individual basis, the possibility to assemble a cohort and the feasibility of ascertaining various disease endpoints. Results Twenty occupational settings with workers potentially exposed to RF-EMF and, in addition, a cohort of amateur radio operators were considered. Based on expert ratings, literature reviews and our set of predefined criteria, three of the cohorts were identified as promising for further evaluation: the personnel (technicians of medium/short wave broadcasting stations, amateur radio operators, and workers on dielectric heat sealers. After further analyses, the cohort of workers on dielectric heat sealers seems not to be feasible due to the small number of exposed workers available and to the difficulty of assessing exposure (exposure depends heavily on the respective working process and mixture of exposures, e.g. plastic vapours, although exposure was highest in this occupational setting. The advantage of the cohort of amateur radio operators was the large number of persons it includes, while the advantage of the cohort of personnel working at broadcasting stations was the quality of retrospective exposure assessment. However, in the cohort of amateur radio operators the exposure assessment was limited, and the cohort of technicians was hampered by the small number of persons working in this profession. Conclusion The majority of occupational groups exposed to RF-EMF are not practicable for setting up an occupational cohort study due to the small numbers of exposed subjects or due to exposure levels being only marginally higher

Feasibility of a cohort study on health risks caused by occupational exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields

Science.gov (United States)

2009-01-01

Background The aim of this study was to examine the feasibility of performing a cohort study on health risks from occupational exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) in Germany. Methods A set of criteria was developed to evaluate the feasibility of such a cohort study. The criteria aimed at conditions of exposure and exposure assessment (level, duration, preferably on an individual basis), the possibility to assemble a cohort and the feasibility of ascertaining various disease endpoints. Results Twenty occupational settings with workers potentially exposed to RF-EMF and, in addition, a cohort of amateur radio operators were considered. Based on expert ratings, literature reviews and our set of predefined criteria, three of the cohorts were identified as promising for further evaluation: the personnel (technicians) of medium/short wave broadcasting stations, amateur radio operators, and workers on dielectric heat sealers. After further analyses, the cohort of workers on dielectric heat sealers seems not to be feasible due to the small number of exposed workers available and to the difficulty of assessing exposure (exposure depends heavily on the respective working process and mixture of exposures, e.g. plastic vapours), although exposure was highest in this occupational setting. The advantage of the cohort of amateur radio operators was the large number of persons it includes, while the advantage of the cohort of personnel working at broadcasting stations was the quality of retrospective exposure assessment. However, in the cohort of amateur radio operators the exposure assessment was limited, and the cohort of technicians was hampered by the small number of persons working in this profession. Conclusion The majority of occupational groups exposed to RF-EMF are not practicable for setting up an occupational cohort study due to the small numbers of exposed subjects or due to exposure levels being only marginally higher than those of the general

The effect of gender medicine education in GP training: a prospective cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Dielissen, Patrick; Verdonk, Petra; Waard, Magreet Wieringa-de; Bottema, Ben; Lagro-Janssen, Toine

2014-11-01

The purpose of this study is to compare the change in general practitioner (GP) trainees' gender awareness following a modular gender medicine programme or a mainstream gender medicine programme. In 2007, a prospective study was conducted in three cohorts of in total 207 GP trainees who entered GP training in the Netherlands. The outcome measure was the Nijmegen Gender Awareness in Medicine Scale and a 16-item gender knowledge questionnaire. Two gender medicine teaching methods were compared: a modular approach (n = 75) versus a mainstream approach (n = 72). Both strategies were compared with a control cohort (n = 60). Statistical analysis included analysis of variance and t-tests. The overall response rates for the modular, mainstream and control cohort were 78, 72 and 82 %, respectively. There was a significant difference in change in gender knowledge scores between the modular cohort compared with the mainstream and control cohort (p = 0.049). There were no statistical differences between the cohorts on gender sensitivity and gender role ideology. At entry and end, female GP trainees demonstrated significantly higher gender awareness than male GP trainees. A modular teaching method is not a more favourable educational method to teach gender medicine in GP training. Female GP trainees are more gender aware, but male GP trainees are not unaware of gender-related issues.

Locoregional first recurrence after mastectomy: prospective cohort studies with and without immediate chemotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haylock, Brian J.; Coppin, Chris M.L.; Jackson, Jeremy; Basco, Vivien E.; Wilson, Kenneth S.

2000-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate prospectively the impact of combination chemotherapy in the combined modality treatment of isolated first locoregional recurrence (LRR) following mastectomy for breast cancer. Methods and Materials: Between 1979 and 1989, 120 chemotherapy-naive women with isolated LRR as first failure after mastectomy were prospectively identified, uniformly staged, and systematically followed. Treatment consisted of excision if feasible, radical locoregional radiotherapy, and a hormonal maneuver (unless estrogen receptor negative). The initial chemotherapy cohort also received 8 cycles of doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide. This was compared to a subsequent control cohort. Results: For all patients, the 10-year actuarial relapse-free survival ± 95% confidence interval was 42.1 ± 9.2%, and overall survival was 56.8 ± 9.1%. No difference was seen in locoregional control between cohorts. At 5 years, distant recurrence-free survival for chemotherapy and control cohort respectively was 75.4 ± 10.8% and 60.7 ±12.5% (p = 0.33) and overall survival was 81.9% ± 9.6 and 74.3% ± 11.2 (p = 0.24). Univariate analysis showed no prognostic importance for any imbalance between cohorts. Cox modeling confirmed that complete resection was strongly associated with fewer LRR (hazard ratio [HR] 0.32, p = 0.001) and also with better overall survival (HR 1.82, p = 0.019). Chemotherapy produced a substantial reduction in risk of death (HR 0.72 CI 0.421-1.235, p = 0.23). Conclusions: In this prospective but nonrandomized study of treatment for first LRR, the risk of death in the later control cohort was 1.39 times the risk in the chemotherapy cohort but failed to reach statistical significance. The results justify further study

Primary Sjogren's syndrome and the risk of acute pancreatitis: a nationwide cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Chi-Ching; Chang, Yu-Sheng; Wang, Shu-Hung; Lin, Shyr-Yi; Chen, Yi-Hsuan; Chen, Jin Hua

2017-08-11

Studies on the risk of acute pancreatitis in patients with primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS) are limited. We evaluated the effects of pSS on the risk of acute pancreatitis in a nationwide, population-based cohort in Taiwan. Population-based retrospective cohort study. We studied the claims data of the >97% Taiwan population from 2002 to 2012. We identified 9468 patients with pSS by using the catastrophic illness registry of the National Health Insurance Database in Taiwan. We also selected 37 872 controls that were randomly frequency matched by age (in 5 year bands), sex and index year from the general population. We analysed the risk of acute pancreatitis by using Cox proportional hazards regression models including sex, age and comorbidities. From 23.74 million people in the cohort, 9468 patients with pSS (87% women, mean age=55.6 years) and 37 872 controls were followed-up for 4.64 and 4.74 years, respectively. A total of 44 cases of acute pancreatitis were identified in the pSS cohort versus 105 cases in the non-pSS cohort. Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that the incidence rate of acute pancreatitis was significantly higher in the pSS cohort than in the non-pSS cohort (adjusted HR (aHR) 1.48, 95% CI 1.03 to 2.12). Cyclophosphamide use increased the risk of acute pancreatitis (aHR 5.27, 95% CI 1.16 to 23.86). By contrast, hydroxychloroquine reduced the risk of acute pancreatitis (aHR 0.23, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.55). This nationwide, retrospective cohort study demonstrated that the risk of acute pancreatitis was significantly higher in patients with pSS than in the general population. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Cohort Measures of Internal Migration: Understanding Long-Term Trends.

Science.gov (United States)

Bernard, Aude

2017-12-01

Internal migration intensities fluctuate over time, but both migration levels and trends show great diversity. The dynamics underpinning these trends remain poorly understood because they are analyzed almost exclusively by applying period measures to cross-sectional data. This article proposes 10 cohort measures that can be applied to both prospective and retrospective data to systematically examine long-term trends. To demonstrate their benefits, the proposed measures are applied to retrospective survey data for England that provide residential histories from birth to age 50 for cohorts born between 1918 and 1957. The analysis reveals stable lifetime migration for men but increased lifetime migration for women associated with earlier ages at moving in adulthood and a compression of intervals between consecutive moves. The proposed cohort measures provide a more comprehensive picture of migration behavior and should be used to complement period measures in exploring long-term trends. Increasing availability of retrospective and longitudinal survey data means that researchers can now apply the proposed measures to a wide range of countries.

Explaining the Wealth Holdings of Different Cohorts: Productivity Growth and Social Security

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kapteyn, Arie; Alessie, R.J.M.; Lusardi, Annamaria

1999-01-01

It is well-known that individuals born in different periods of time (cohorts)exhibit different wealth accumulation paths. While previous studies have used cohort dummies to proxy for this fact, research in this area suffers from a serious identification problem, i.e., how to disentangle age, time,

A cohort of novice Danish science teachers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Birgitte Lund

2011-01-01

A survey on science background and argumentation about science teaching was conducted on a local cohort of newly qualified Danish science teachers. The survey was administered before the novice teachers began their first jobs in primary and lower secondary schools and focused on their reflections...... on specific scenarios of science teaching and themselves as teachers in various science fields. Three areas of concern were identified:There was evidence of reflection upon and argumentation for the practice of science teaching being student centered, but many respondents showed a tendency to focus...... on students' activities as a goal in themselves, few considered what the students learned through the activities. Results furthermore suggest that the teachers' own assessment of their subject matter knowledge in the physics field may, for a large subgroup in the cohort, affect their approach to teaching...

A review of the cohorts with environmental and occupational mineral fiber exposure.

Science.gov (United States)

Metintas, Selma; Ak, Guntulu; Metintas, Muzaffer

2018-04-20

The aim of the study was to examine factors associated with Malignant Mesothelioma (MM) incidence rate of the groups with occupational asbestos and environmental asbestos or erionite exposure in rural area. In this ecological study, a total of 21 cohort datasets (8 environmental and 13 occupational) were evaluated. Data were analyzed using a multiple linear regression analysis model. In environmental cohorts, the risk of MM incidence was higher in women and people exposed to erionite. In this cohort, the incidence rate of MM increased as the median exposure time increased, while the incidence decreased as the median cumulative exposure dose increased. In occupational cohorts, the incidence rate of MM was positively correlated with the median cumulative exposure dose. The risk of mesothelioma was lower in those exposed to tremolite than others. Environmental asbestos exposure is as important as occupational exposure to develop MM, and it has its own unique exposure features on the risk of MM.

Cohort change and the diffusion of environmental concern: A cross-national analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Nawrotzki, Raphael J; Pampel, Fred C

2013-09-01

This study explores value change across cohorts for a multinational population sample. Employing a diffusion-of-innovations approach, we combine competing theories predicting the relationship between socio-economic status (SES) and environmentalism: post-materialism and affluence theories, and global environmentalism theory. The diffusion argument suggests that high-SES groups first adopt pro-environmental views, but as time passes by, environmentalism diffuses to lower-SES groups. We test the diffusion argument using a sample of 18 countries for two waves (years 1993 and 2000) from the International Social Survey Project (ISSP). Cross-classified multilevel modeling allows us to identify a non-linear interaction between cohort and education, our core measure of SES, in predicting environmental concern, while controlling for age and period. We find support for the diffusion argument and demonstrate that the positive effect of education on environmental concern first increases among older cohorts, then starts to level off until a bend-point is reached for individuals born around 1940 and becomes progressively weaker for younger cohorts.

Air Pollution and Nonmalignant Respiratory Mortality in 16 Cohorts within the ESCAPE Project

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dimakopoulou, Konstantina; Samoli, Evangelia; Beelen, Rob

2014-01-01

Rationale: Prospective cohort studies have shown that chronic exposure to particulate matter and traffic related air pollution is associated with reduced survival. However, the effects on non-malignant respiratory mortality are less studied and those reported are less consistent. Objectives: We...... have investigated the relationship of long-term exposure to air pollution and non-malignant respiratory mortality in 16 cohorts with individual level data within the multi center European Study of Cohorts for Air Pollution Effects (ESCAPE). Methods: Data from 16 ongoing cohort studies from Europe were...... used. The total number of subjects was 307,553. There were 1,559 respiratory deaths during follow-up. Measurements: Air pollution exposure was estimated by land use regression models at the baseline residential addresses of study participants and traffic-proximity variables were derived from...

The Odense Child Cohort

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kyhl, Henriette Boye; Jensen, Tina Kold; Barington, Torben

2015-01-01

, the Odense Childhood Cohort (OCC) study aims to provide new information about the environmental impact on child health by sequential follow-up to 18 years of age among children born between 2010 and 2012. METHODS: A total of 2874 of 6707 pregnancies (43%) were recruited between January 2010 and December 2012...... provides material for in-depth analysis of environmental and genetic factors that are important for child health and disease. Registry data from non-participating women and infants are available which ensures a high degree of comparable data....

Non-accidental injury: a retrospective analysis of a large cohort

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carty, Helen; Pierce, Agnes

2002-01-01

The radiology literature describing the injuries of child abuse is very extensive. Articles on the distribution of injuries and the way in which a diagnosis was reached are less frequent. This article represents the detailed analysis of a cohort of patients, suspected of being victims of abuse, referred to the authors. It necessarily reflects personal experience and is not a population study. The distribution of the injuries in a cohort of 467 patients is reviewed. (orig.)

Non-accidental injury: a retrospective analysis of a large cohort

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carty, Helen; Pierce, Agnes [RLC NHS Trust-Alder Hey, Liverpool L12 2 AP (United Kingdom)

2002-12-01

The radiology literature describing the injuries of child abuse is very extensive. Articles on the distribution of injuries and the way in which a diagnosis was reached are less frequent. This article represents the detailed analysis of a cohort of patients, suspected of being victims of abuse, referred to the authors. It necessarily reflects personal experience and is not a population study. The distribution of the injuries in a cohort of 467 patients is reviewed. (orig.)

Mortality risk in the french cohort of uranium miners: extended follow-up 1946-1999

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blandine Vacquier; Dominique Laurier; Sylvaine Caer; Benoit Quesne

2006-01-01

Since the 1970's, exposure to radon and to its radioactive decay products has been studied in relation to lung cancer risk among cohorts of miners [1-3]. These studies concluded that cumulative exposure to radon was associated with an increased risk of death from lung cancer. In 1988, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified radon as a known pulmonary human carcinogen [4]. The French cohort of uranium miners has been established in order to assess the mortality risk of miners exposed to low levels of radon and its decay products as well as to other occupational hazards. The primary aim of the cohort study is the quantification of the relationship between cumulated radon exposure and risk of lung cancer death. The study has been conducted by the Institut de Radioprotection et de Surete Nucleaire (IRSN) since 1982, in collaboration with the Occupational Medical Service of COGEMA. The French Data Protection Authority (CNIL) gave approval for this study. Previous analyses have demonstrated an excess of lung cancer death associated with radon exposure. These results regarding lung cancer have been presented in several publications and congress [5-11]. In 2004, the follow-up of this cohort was extended from 31 December 1994 through 31 December 1999. The extension of the follow-up increases the statistical power of the cohort. The present article describes the extended cohort and the analysis of mortality based on the follow-up of the cohort to end of 1999. (authors)

Cohorts and Emerging Health Disparities: Biomorphic Trajectories in China, 1989 to 2006

Science.gov (United States)

Schafer, Markus H.; Kwon, Soyoung

2012-01-01

Despite the recent and rapid worldwide rise in body mass index (BMI), little empirical research outside the developed world has systematically considered the role of cohorts in inaugurating emergent biomorphic disparities. This study integrates aspects of the life course perspective (attention to age- and cohort-level influences) with fundamental…

Feasibility of a cohort study on health risks caused by occupational exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Breckenkamp, Jürgen; Berg-Beckhoff, Gabriele; Münster, Eva

2009-01-01

, in addition, a cohort of amateur radio operators were considered. Based on expert ratings, literature reviews and our set of predefined criteria, three of the cohorts were identified as promising for further evaluation: the personnel (technicians) of medium/short wave broadcasting stations, amateur radio......BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to examine the feasibility of performing a cohort study on health risks from occupational exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) in Germany. METHODS: A set of criteria was developed to evaluate the feasibility of such a cohort study...... and mixture of exposures, e.g. plastic vapours), although exposure was highest in this occupational setting. The advantage of the cohort of amateur radio operators was the large number of persons it includes, while the advantage of the cohort of personnel working at broadcasting stations was the quality...

Representativeness of the LifeLines Cohort Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Klijs, B.; Scholtens, S.; Mandemakers, J.J.; Snieder, H.; Stolk, R.P.; Smidt, N.

2015-01-01

Background LifeLines is a large prospective population-based three generation cohort study in the north of the Netherlands. Different recruitment strategies were adopted: recruitment of an index population via general practitioners, subsequent inclusion of their family members, and online

Hypospadias in a cohort of 1072 Danish newborn boys

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boisen, K A; Chellakooty, M; Schmidt, I M

2005-01-01

and reproductive hormone levels at 3 months of age. DESIGN: A prospective cohort study was conducted with 3-yr follow-up (1997-2004). SETTING: The population-based study was conducted at the University Hospital of Copenhagen. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1072 Danish boys were consecutively recruited antenatally...... = 0.023) were significantly lower, and FSH was significantly higher (1.48 vs. 1.15 IU/liter; P = 0.007) in boys with hypospadias, compared with healthy boys. CONCLUSIONS: We found a surprisingly high total rate of hypospadias of 4.6% in this large prospective cohort study. Seventy-two percent...

Parental divorce and subsequent disadvantage: a cross-cohort comparison.

Science.gov (United States)

Sigle-Rushton, Wendy; Hobcraft, John; Kiernan, Kathleen

2005-08-01

Although many studies have examined the link between parental divorce and subsequent well-being, some theories of the effects of divorce suggest that the negative associations should have declined over time. However, few studies have examined the extent to which the associations have remained stable over time. Using data from two British cohorts, we analyzed both shorter- and longer-term outcomes of children who experienced parental divorce and the extent to which the associations have changed over time. Estimating similar models for both cohorts, we found little evidence of any change in the size of the relationship as divorce became more commonplace.

Cancer in ANCA-Associated Glomerulonephritis: A Registry-Based Cohort Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sanjeevan Sriskandarajah

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Immunosuppressive therapy for antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis has been associated with increased malignancy risk. Objectives. To quantify the cancer risk associated with contemporary cyclophosphamide-sparing protocols. Methods. Patients from the Norwegian Kidney Biopsy Registry between 1988 and 2012 who had biopsy-verified pauci-immune glomerulonephritis and positive antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA serology were included. Standardised incidence ratios (SIRs were calculated to compare the study cohort with the general population. Results. The study cohort included 419 patients. During 3010 person-years, cancer developed in 41 patients (9.79%; the expected number of cancer cases was 37.5 (8.95%. The cohort had SIRs as follows: 1.09, all cancer types (95% CI, 0.81 to 1.49; 0.96, all types except nonmelanoma skin cancer (95% CI, 0.69 to 1.34; 3.40, nonmelanoma skin cancer (95% CI, 1.62 to 7.14; 3.52, hematologic cancer (95% CI, 1.32 to 9.37; 2.12, posttransplant cancer (95% CI, 1.01 to 4.44; and 1.53, during the 1–5-year follow-up after diagnosis (95% CI, 1.01 to 2.32. Conclusions. Cancer risk did not increase significantly in this cohort with ANCA-associated glomerulonephritis. However, increased risk of nonmelanoma skin cancer, posttransplant cancer, and hematologic cancer indicates an association between immunosuppression and malignancy.

Influence of exposure assessment and parameterization on exposure response. Aspects of epidemiologic cohort analysis using the Libby Amphibole asbestos worker cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Bateson, Thomas F; Kopylev, Leonid

2015-01-01

Recent meta-analyses of occupational epidemiology studies identified two important exposure data quality factors in predicting summary effect measures for asbestos-associated lung cancer mortality risk: sufficiency of job history data and percent coverage of work history by measured exposures. The objective was to evaluate different exposure parameterizations suggested in the asbestos literature using the Libby, MT asbestos worker cohort and to evaluate influences of exposure measurement error caused by historically estimated exposure data on lung cancer risks. Focusing on workers hired after 1959, when job histories were well-known and occupational exposures were predominantly based on measured exposures (85% coverage), we found that cumulative exposure alone, and with allowance of exponential decay, fit lung cancer mortality data similarly. Residence-time-weighted metrics did not fit well. Compared with previous analyses based on the whole cohort of Libby workers hired after 1935, when job histories were less well-known and exposures less frequently measured (47% coverage), our analyses based on higher quality exposure data yielded an effect size as much as 3.6 times higher. Future occupational cohort studies should continue to refine retrospective exposure assessment methods, consider multiple exposure metrics, and explore new methods of maintaining statistical power while minimizing exposure measurement error.

Time trends in exposure of cattle to bovine spongiform encephalopathy and cohort effect in France and Italy: value of the classical Age-Period-Cohort approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Sala, Carole; Ru, Giuseppe

2009-09-18

The Age-Period-Cohort (APC) analysis is routinely used for time trend analysis of cancer incidence or mortality rates, but in veterinary epidemiology, there are still only a few examples of this application. APC models were recently used to model the French epidemic assuming that the time trend for BSE was mainly due to a cohort effect in relation to the control measures that may have modified the BSE exposure of cohorts over time. We used a categorical APC analysis which did not require any functional form for the effect of the variables, and examined second differences to estimate the variation of the BSE trend. We also reanalysed the French epidemic and performed a simultaneous analysis of Italian data using more appropriate birth cohort categories for comparison. We used data from the exhaustive surveillance carried out in France and Italy between 2001 and 2007, and comparatively described the trend of the epidemic in both countries. At the end, the shape and irregularities of the trends were discussed in light of the main control measures adopted to control the disease. In Italy a decrease in the epidemic became apparent from 1996, following the application of rendering standards for the processing of specific risk material (SRM). For the French epidemic, the pattern of second differences in the birth cohorts confirmed the beginning of the decrease from 1995, just after the implementation of the meat and bone meal (MBM) ban for all ruminants (1994). The APC analysis proved to be highly suitable for the study of the trend in BSE epidemics and was helpful in understanding the effects of management and control of the disease. Additionally, such an approach may help in the implementation of changes in BSE regulations.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2014-11-21

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

ASAS modification of the Berlin algorithm for diagnosing axial spondyloarthritis: results from the SPondyloArthritis Caught Early (SPACE)-cohort and from the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society (ASAS)-cohort

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van den Berg, Rosaline; de Hooge, Manouk; Rudwaleit, Martin; Sieper, Joachim; van Gaalen, Floris; Reijnierse, Monique; Landewé, Robert; Huizinga, Tom; van der Heijde, Désirée

2013-01-01

Objective To compare the original Berlin algorithm for diagnosing axial Spondyloarthritis (axSpA) with two modifications in the SPondyloArthritis Caught Early (SPACE)-cohort and the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society (ASAS) axSpA criteria validation (ASAS)-cohort. Methods Patients

Testicular cancer risk and maternal parity: a population-based cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Westergaard, T; Andersen, P K; Pedersen, J B; Frisch, M; Olsen, J H; Melbye, M

1998-04-01

The aim was to study, in a population-based cohort design, whether first-born sons run a higher risk of testicular cancer than later born sons; to investigate whether this difference in risk was affected by birth cohort, age of the son, maternal age, interval to previous delivery and other reproductive factors; and, finally, to evaluate to what extent changes in women's parity over time might explain the increasing incidence of testicular cancer. By using data from the Civil Registration System, a database was established of all women born in Denmark since 1935 and all their children alive in 1968 or born later. Sons with testicular cancer were identified in the Danish Cancer Registry. Among 1015994 sons followed for 15981 967 person-years, 626 developed testicular cancer (443 non-seminomas, 183 seminomas). Later born sons had a decreased risk of testicular cancer (RR = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.67-0.95) compared with first-born sons. The RR was 0.79 (95% CI = 0.64-0.98) for non-seminomas and 0.81 (95% CI = 0.58-1.13) for seminomas. There was no association between testicular cancer risk and overall parity of the mother, maternal or paternal age at the birth of the son, or maternal age at first birth. The decreased risk of testicular cancer among later born sons was not modified by age, birth cohort, interval to the previous birth, sex of the first-born child, or maternal age at birth of the son or at first birth. The increased proportion of first-borns from birth cohort 1946 to birth cohort 1969 only explained around 3% of an approximated two-fold increase in incidence between the cohorts. Our data document a distinctly higher risk of testicular cancer in first-born compared with later born sons and suggest that the most likely explanation should be sought among exposures in utero. The increase in the proportion of first-borns in the population has only contributed marginally to the increase in testicular cancer incidence.

The Pelotas birth cohort study, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, 1982-2001

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Victora Cesar G.

2003-01-01

Full Text Available Given the growing recognition of the importance of the life course approach for the determination of chronic diseases, birth cohort studies are becoming increasingly important. This paper describes the methods used in the 1982 Pelotas (Brazil birth cohort study, one of the largest and longest studies of this type in developing countries. All 5,914 hospital births occurring in Pelotas in 1982 (over 99% of all deliveries were studied prospectively. The main stages of the study took place in 1983, 1984, 1986, 1995, 1997, 2000, and 2001. More than two thousand variables are available for each subject who participated in all stages of the study. Recent phases of the study included the examination of 2,250 males when presenting for the army recruitment exam in 2000, the study of a 27% sample of men and women in 2001 through household visits, and the study of over 400 children born to the cohort women. Follow-up rates in the recent stages of the cohort were 78.9% for the army examination and 69.0% for the household visits. Ethnographic and oral health studies were conducted in sub-samples. Some recent results on blood pressure, adolescent pregnancy, and asthma are presented as examples of utilization of the data. Suggestions on lessons learned for other cohort studies are proposed.

The Pelotas Birth Cohort Study, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, 1982-2001

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

Given the growing recognition of the importance of the life course approach for the determination of chronic diseases, birth cohort studies are becoming increasingly important. This paper describes the methods used in the 1982 Pelotas (Brazil) birth cohort study, one of the largest and longest studies of this type in developing countries. All 5,914 hospital births occurring in Pelotas in 1982 (over 99% of all deliveries) were studied prospectively. The main stages of the study took place in 1983, 1984, 1986, 1995, 1997, 2000, and 2001. More than two thousand variables are available for each subject who participated in all stages of the study. Recent phases of the study included the examination of 2,250 males when presenting for the army recruitment exam in 2000, the study of a 27% sample of men and women in 2001 through household visits, and the study of over 400 children born to the cohort women. Follow-up rates in the recent stages of the cohort were 78.9% for the army examination and 69.0% for the household visits. Ethnographic and oral health studies were conducted in sub-samples. Some recent results on blood pressure, adolescent pregnancy, and asthma are presented as examples of utilization of the data. Suggestions on lessons learned for other cohort studies are proposed. PMID:14666206

An Age-Period-Cohort Analysis

OpenAIRE

Ananth, Cande V.; Keyes, Katherine M.; Hamilton, Ava; Gissler, Mika; Wu, Chunsen; Liu, Shiliang; Luque-Fernandez, Miguel Angel; Skjaerven, Rolv; Williams, Michelle A.; Tikkanen, Minna; Cnattingius, Sven

2015-01-01

Background. Although rare, placental abruption is implicated in disproportionately high rates of perinatal morbidity and mortality. Understanding geographic and temporal variations may provide insights into possible amenable factors of abruption. We examined abruption frequencies by maternal age, delivery year, and maternal birth cohorts over three decades across seven countries. Methods. Women that delivered in the US (n = 863,879; 1979–10), Canada (4 provinces, n = 5,407,463; 1982–11), ...

European Birth Cohorts for Environmental Health Research

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Vrijheid, M.; Casas, M.; Bergström, A.; Carmichael, A.; Cordier, S.; Eggesbø, M.; Eller, E.; Fantini, M. P.; Fernández, M. F.; Fernández-Somoano, A.; Gehring, U.; Grazuleviciene, R.; Hohmann, C.; Karvonen, A. M.; Keil, T.; Kogevinas, M.; Koppen, G.; Krämer, U.; Kuehni, C. E.; Magnus, P.; Majewska, R.; Andersen, A. M. N.; Patelarou, E.; Petersen, M. S.; Pierik, F. H.; Polanska, K.; Porta, D.; Richiardi, L.; Santos, A. C.; Slama, R.; Šrám, Radim; Thijs, C.; Tischer, C.; Toft, G.; Trnovec, T.; Vandentorren, S.; Vrijkotte, T. G. M.; Wilhelm, M.; Wright, J.; Nieuwenhuijsen, M.

2012-01-01

Roč. 120, č. 1 (2012), s. 29-37 ISSN 0091-6765 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50390703 Keywords : environment pollution * child health * European birth cohorts Subject RIV: DN - Health Impact of the Environment Quality Impact factor: 7.260, year: 2012

Understanding cohort differences in appraisals of reconstruction ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Understanding cohort differences in appraisals of reconstruction priorities of mental health systems in postconflict Liberia. ... Conclusion: This study provides additional support for the premise that the utilization of ... of Liberians and that there are differences in preferences across groups. ... AJOL African Journals Online.

How to investigate and adjust for selection bias in cohort studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nohr, Ellen A; Liew, Zeyan

2018-01-01

National Birth Cohort (DNBC) as examples on how to quantify selection bias and also understand the underlying selection mechanisms. Although women who chose to participate in the cohort were typically of higher social status, healthier and with less disease than all those eligible for study, differential...... of the presented methods are applicable even with limited data on non-participants and those lost to follow-up, and can also be applied to other study designs such as case-control studies and surveys. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.......Longitudinal cohort studies can provide important evidence about preventable causes of disease, but the success relies heavily on the commitment of their participants, both at recruitment and during follow-up. Initial participation rates have decreased in recent decades as have willingness...

System for the analysis of cohort mortality data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McLain, R.; Frome, E.L.

1986-01-01

A system is developed for the analysis of cohort mortality data. This Mortality Analysis System (MAS) is designed as a research tool in epidemiologic studies. The system allows a researcher to investigate the effect of one or more factors on the mortality of a study cohort. Variables can be categorized as factors to allow for stratification in the analysis. DATA steps and PROC MATRIX are incorporated in the system to produce the output. Person-years, observed deaths, and expected deaths are calculated and cross-classified by the levels of the factors. The resulting data set can be used to compute the standardized mortality ratios (SMR) for each stratum level. Poisson regression models can then be used for further statistical analysis

Methodological aspects of the 1993 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort Study

Science.gov (United States)

Victora, Cesar Gomes; Araújo, Cora Luiza Pavin; Menezes, Ana Maria Batista; Hallal, Pedro Curi; Vieira, Maria de Fátima; Neutzling, Marilda Borges; Gonçalves, Helen; Valle, Neiva Cristina; Lima, Rosangela Costa; Anselmi, Luciana; Behague, Dominique; Gigante, Denise Petrucci; Barros, Fernando Celso

2010-01-01

This paper describes the main methodological aspects of a cohort study, with emphasis on its recent phases, which may be relevant to investigators planning to carry out similar studies. In 1993, a population based study was launched in Pelotas, Southern Brazil. All 5,249 newborns delivered in the city’s hospitals were enrolled, and sub-samples were visited at the ages of one, three and six months and of one and four years. In 2004-5 it was possible to trace 87.5% of the cohort at the age of 10-12 years. Sub-studies are addressing issues related to oral health, psychological development and mental health, body composition, and ethnography. Birth cohort studies are essential for investigating the early determinants of adult disease and nutritional status, yet few such studies are available from low and middle-income countries where these determinants may differ from those documented in more developed settings. PMID:16410981

Strabismus Incidence in a Danish Population-Based Cohort of Children

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Torp-Pedersen, Tobias; Boyd, Heather A; Skotte, Line

2017-01-01

, overall and by subtype, among children 7 years or younger. Design, Setting, and Participants: This population-based cohort study was conducted with data from 96 842 children enrolled in the Danish National Birth Cohort. Main Outcomes and Measures: Age-specific incidence and cumulative incidence and median...... identified in the cohort. We found an overall cumulative strabismus incidence of 2.56% (95% CI, 2.42-2.69) at 7 years. The overall incidence was similar among boys and girls. Two hundred sixteen participants (16.5%) (95% CI, 14.5-18.6) had congenital esotropia, 177 (13.5%) (95% CI, 11.7-15.5) had fully...... accommodative esotropia, 252 (19.3%) (95% CI, 17.1-21.5) had partially accommodative esotropia, and 181 (13.8%) (95% CI, 12.0-15.8) had exotropia. The esotropia:exotropia ratio was 5.4:1 (95% CI, 3.4:1 to 7.5:1). Age-specific incidence curves for congenital esotropia, fully accommodative esotropia, partially...

Age, Period, and Cohort Effects in Psychological Distress in the United States and Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Keyes, Katherine M.; Nicholson, Ryan; Kinley, Jolene; Raposo, Sarah; Stein, Murray B.; Goldner, Elliot M.; Sareen, Jitender

2014-01-01

Although treatment utilization for depression and anxiety symptoms has increased substantially in the United States and elsewhere, it remains unclear whether the underlying population distribution of psychological distress is changing over time. We estimated age, period, and cohort effects using data from 2 countries over more than 20 years, including National Health Interview Surveys from 1997 to 2010 (n = 447,058) and Canadian Community Health Surveys from 2000 to 2007 (n = 125,306). Psychological distress was measured with the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale. By period, both countries showed the highest levels of psychological distress in 2001 and the lowest levels in 2007. By age, psychological distress was highest in adolescence and during the late 40s and early 50s. By cohort, Canadian Community Health Survey results indicated a decreasing cohort effect among those born in 1922–1925 through 1935–1939 (β = −0.36, 95% confidence interval: −0.45, −0.27) and then a continuously increasing cohort effect during the remainder of the 20th century through 1989–1992 (β = 0.49, 95% confidence interval: 0.38, 0.61). The National Health Interview Survey data captured earlier-born cohorts and indicated an increased cohort effect for the earliest born (for 1912–1914, β = 0.44, 95% confidence interval: 0.26, 0.61). In sum, individuals in the oldest and more recently born birth cohorts have higher mean psychological distress symptoms compared with those born in midcentury, underscoring the importance of a broad, population-level lens for conceptualizing mental health. PMID:24692432

The marriage boom and marriage bust in the United States: An age-period-cohort analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Schellekens, Jona

2017-03-01

In the 1950s and 1960s there was an unprecedented marriage boom in the United States. This was followed in the 1970s by a marriage bust. Some argue that both phenomena are cohort effects, while others argue that they are period effects. The study reported here tested the major period and cohort theories of the marriage boom and bust, by estimating an age-period-cohort model of first marriage for the years 1925-79 using census microdata. The results of the analysis indicate that the marriage boom was mostly a period effect, although there were also cohort influences. More specifically, the hypothesis that the marriage boom was mostly a response to rising wages is shown to be consistent with the data. However, much of the marriage bust can be accounted for by unidentified cohort influences, at least until 1980.

Environmental exposure assessment in European birth cohorts: results from the ENRIECO project

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gehring Ulrike

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Environmental exposures during pregnancy and early life may have adverse health effects. Single birth cohort studies often lack statistical power to tease out such effects reliably. To improve the use of existing data and to facilitate collaboration among these studies, an inventory of the environmental exposure and health data in these studies was made as part of the ENRIECO (Environmental Health Risks in European Birth Cohorts project. The focus with regard to exposure was on outdoor air pollution, water contamination, allergens and biological organisms, metals, pesticides, smoking and second hand tobacco smoke (SHS, persistent organic pollutants (POPs, noise, radiation, and occupational exposures. The review lists methods and data on environmental exposures in 37 European birth cohort studies. Most data is currently available for smoking and SHS (N=37 cohorts, occupational exposures (N=33, outdoor air pollution, and allergens and microbial agents (N=27. Exposure modeling is increasingly used for long-term air pollution exposure assessment; biomonitoring is used for assessment of exposure to metals, POPs and other chemicals; and environmental monitoring for house dust mite exposure assessment. Collaborative analyses with data from several birth cohorts have already been performed successfully for outdoor air pollution, water contamination, allergens, biological contaminants, molds, POPs and SHS. Key success factors for collaborative analyses are common definitions of main exposure and health variables. Our review emphasizes that such common definitions need ideally be arrived at in the study design phase. However, careful comparison of methods used in existing studies also offers excellent opportunities for collaborative analyses. Investigators can use this review to evaluate the potential for future collaborative analyses with respect to data availability and methods used in the different cohorts and to identify potential partners

The iPSYCH2012 case-cohort sample

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, C B; Bybjerg-Grauholm, J; Pedersen, M G

2018-01-01

The Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH) consortium has established a large Danish population-based Case-Cohort sample (iPSYCH2012) aimed at unravelling the genetic and environmental architecture of severe mental disorders. The iPSYCH2012 sample is nested within the entire Danish population...

Factors related to survival in hepatocellular carcinoma in the geographic area of Sabadell (Catalonia, Spain Factores relacionados con la supervivencia en el carcinoma hepatocelular en el área geográfica de Sabadell

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mireia Miquel

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Background: hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC is a very frequent tumor. Screening for the disease is effective, but the prognostic factors are difficult to evaluate. Objectives: 1. To determine epidemiological data and the clinical course of HCC in our setting. 2. To compare patient survival according to whether screening is performed or not. 3. To evaluate survival prognostic factors. Patients and methods: data on the epidemiology and clinical course of patients diagnosed with HCC were collected on a prospective basis (January 2004-December 2006. Two groups were considered according to whether screening had been performed (group A or not (group B. Results: a total of 110 patients were diagnosed with HCC (70% males. The most common etiology of cirrhosis was hepatitis C (56.1%, and 69% presented mild liver failure (Child-Pugh grade A. The median follow-up was 1.8 years. Fifty-one percent had been subjected to screening. The diagnosis of HCC was established by imaging techniques in 48.2% of the cases, and by histological criteria in 51.8%. The median tumor size was 23 mm in group A and 28 mm in group B (p = 0.005. Treatment with curative intent was provided in 72% of the cases in group A and in 48% in group B (p = 0.011. The median overall survival was 1.99 years-2.67 years in group A and 1.75 years in group B (p = 0.05. The multivariate analysis of overall survival showed the type of treatment (OR = 2.82 95%CI: 1.3-6.12, p = 0.009 and liver function (OR = 1.71 95%CI: 1.1-2.68, p = 0.020 to be independent predictors of survival. Conclusions: screening allows the diagnosis of smaller lesions and a higher percentage of curative treatments. The degree of liver function and the provision of curative treatment are independent predictors of survival.Introducción: el carcinoma hepatocelular (CHC es un tumor muy prevalente. Su cribado es eficaz, pero los factores pronósticos son difíciles de evaluar. Objetivos: 1. Conocer datos epidemiológicos y evolución clínica en nuestra área. 2. Comparar la supervivencia de los pacientes según si seguían cribado o no. 3. Evaluar los factores pronósticos de supervivencia. Pacientes y métodos: se recogieron prospectivamente (enero 2004-diciembre 2006 datos epidemiológicos y evolución clínica de pacientes diagnosticados de CHC. Se estudiaron dos grupos en función del cribado (grupo A = cribado, grupo B = sin cribado. Resultados: 110 pacientes fueron diagnosticados de CHC (70% hombres. La etiología más frecuente de la cirrosis fue por virus C en 56,1%, eran Child A el 69%. El seguimiento mediano fue de 1,8 años. El 51% estaban en programa de cribado. El diagnóstico de CHC fue mediante pruebas de imagen en el 48,2% y 51,8% por criterios histológicos. El tamaño tumoral mediano fue 23 mm en el grupo A y de 28 mm en el B (p = 0,005. El tratamiento con intención curativa fue del 72% en el A y del 48% en el B (p = 0,011. La supervivencia global mediana fue de 1,99 años: grupo A. 2,67 años y grupo B 1,75 años (p = 0,05. El análisis multivariado de la supervivencia global evidenció que el tipo de tratamiento -OR = 2,82 (IC 95%: 1,3-6,12 (p = 0,009- y la funcionalidad hepática -OR = 1,71 (IC 95%: 1,1-2,68 (p= 0,020- predicen independientemente la supervivencia. Conclusiones: el cribado permite el diagnóstico de lesiones de menor tamaño y mayor porcentaje de tratamientos curativos. De forma independiente el grado de función hepática y la realización de un tratamiento curativo predicen la supervivencia.

Influence of birthweight on childhood balance: Evidence from two British birth cohorts.

Science.gov (United States)

Okuda, Paola Matiko Martins; Swardfager, Walter; Ploubidis, George B; Pangelinan, Melissa; Cogo-Moreira, Hugo

2018-01-26

Birthweight is an important predictor of various fundamental aspects of childhood health and development. To examine the impact of birthweight on childhood balance performance classification and verify if this is replicable and consistent in different populations. Prospective birth cohort study. To describe heterogeneity in balance skills, latent class analyses were conducted separately with data from the 1958 National Child Development Study - NCDS (n = 12,778), and the 1970 British Cohort Study - BCS (n = 12,115). Four balance tasks for NCDS and five balance tasks for BCS. Birthweight was assessed as a predictor of balance skills. In both cohorts, two latent classes (good and poor balance skills) were identified. In both cohorts, higher birthweight was associated with a higher likelihood of having good balance skills. Boys were less likely to have good balance compared to girls. The results establish the reproducibility and consistency of the effect of birthweight on balance skills and point to early intervention for individuals with lower birthweight to mitigate the impact of motor impairment. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cohort change and the diffusion of environmental concern: A cross-national analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Nawrotzki, Raphael J.; Pampel, Fred C.

2013-01-01

This study explores value change across cohorts for a multinational population sample. Employing a diffusion-of-innovations approach, we combine competing theories predicting the relationship between socio-economic status (SES) and environmentalism: post-materialism and affluence theories, and global environmentalism theory. The diffusion argument suggests that high-SES groups first adopt pro-environmental views, but as time passes by, environmentalism diffuses to lower-SES groups. We test the diffusion argument using a sample of 18 countries for two waves (years 1993 and 2000) from the International Social Survey Project (ISSP). Cross-classified multilevel modeling allows us to identify a non-linear interaction between cohort and education, our core measure of SES, in predicting environmental concern, while controlling for age and period. We find support for the diffusion argument and demonstrate that the positive effect of education on environmental concern first increases among older cohorts, then starts to level off until a bend-point is reached for individuals born around 1940 and becomes progressively weaker for younger cohorts. PMID:24179313

Diabetes, diabetes treatment, and mammographic density in Danish Diet, Cancer, and Health cohort

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Buschard, Karsten; Thomassen, Katrin; Lynge, Elsebeth

2017-01-01

PURPOSE: We examined whether diabetes and diabetes treatment are associated with MD in a cohort study of Danish women above age of 50 years. METHODS: Study cohort consisted of 5,644 women (4,500 postmenopausal) who participated in the Danish Diet, Cancer, and Health cohort (1993......-1997) and subsequently attended mammographic screening in Copenhagen (1993-2001). We used MD assessed at the first screening after the cohort entry, defined as mixed/dense or fatty. Diabetes diagnoses and diabetes treatments (diet, insulin, or oral antidiabetic agents) were self-reported at the time of recruitment (1993.......61; 0.40-0.92). Similar inverse associations were observed for 44 women who controlled diabetes by diet only and did not receive any medication (0.56; 0.27-1.14), and 62 who took oral antidiabetic agents only for diabetes (0.59; 0.32-1.09), while women taking insulin had increased odds of mixed...

Generational Differences In Organizational Justice Perceptions: An Exploratory Investigation Across Three Generational Cohorts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ledimo Ophillia

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Despite several reviews of generational differences across cohorts regarding their career stages in organizations, relatively few empirical investigations have been conducted to understand cohorts’ perceptions. Hence, there is paucity of studies that explored differences on the construct organizational justice across generational cohorts. The objective of this study was to explore the differences across three generational cohorts (Millennials, Generation X, and Baby Boomers on dimensions of the organizational justice measurement instrument (OJMI. Data was collected through the administration of OJMI to a random sample size of organizational employees (n = 289. Descriptive statistics and analysis of variance were conducted to interpret the data. These findings provide evidence that differences do exist across cohorts on dimensions of organizational justice. In terms of contributions and practical implications, insight gained from the findings may be used in proposing organizational development interventions to manage multigenerational employees as well as to conduct future research.

New Zealand Diabetes Cohort Study cardiovascular risk score for people with Type 2 diabetes: validation in the PREDICT cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, Tom; Elley, C Raina; Wells, Sue; Robinson, Elizabeth; Kenealy, Tim; Pylypchuk, Romana; Bramley, Dale; Arroll, Bruce; Crengle, Sue; Riddell, Tania; Ameratunga, Shanthi; Metcalf, Patricia; Drury, Paul L

2012-09-01

New Zealand (NZ) guidelines recommend treating people for cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk on the basis of five-year absolute risk using a NZ adaptation of the Framingham risk equation. A diabetes-specific Diabetes Cohort Study (DCS) CVD predictive risk model has been developed and validated using NZ Get Checked data. To revalidate the DCS model with an independent cohort of people routinely assessed using PREDICT, a web-based CVD risk assessment and management programme. People with Type 2 diabetes without pre-existing CVD were identified amongst people who had a PREDICT risk assessment between 2002 and 2005. From this group we identified those with sufficient data to allow estimation of CVD risk with the DCS models. We compared the DCS models with the NZ Framingham risk equation in terms of discrimination, calibration, and reclassification implications. Of 3044 people in our study cohort, 1829 people had complete data and therefore had CVD risks calculated. Of this group, 12.8% (235) had a cardiovascular event during the five-year follow-up. The DCS models had better discrimination than the currently used equation, with C-statistics being 0.68 for the two DCS models and 0.65 for the NZ Framingham model. The DCS models were superior to the NZ Framingham equation at discriminating people with diabetes who will have a cardiovascular event. The adoption of a DCS model would lead to a small increase in the number of people with diabetes who are treated with medication, but potentially more CVD events would be avoided.

An Agent-Based Modeling Template for a Cohort of Veterans with Diabetic Retinopathy.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Theodore Eugene Day

Full Text Available Agent-based models are valuable for examining systems where large numbers of discrete individuals interact with each other, or with some environment. Diabetic Veterans seeking eye care at a Veterans Administration hospital represent one such cohort.The objective of this study was to develop an agent-based template to be used as a model for a patient with diabetic retinopathy (DR. This template may be replicated arbitrarily many times in order to generate a large cohort which is representative of a real-world population, upon which in-silico experimentation may be conducted.Agent-based template development was performed in java-based computer simulation suite AnyLogic Professional 6.6. The model was informed by medical data abstracted from 535 patient records representing a retrospective cohort of current patients of the VA St. Louis Healthcare System Eye clinic. Logistic regression was performed to determine the predictors associated with advancing stages of DR. Predicted probabilities obtained from logistic regression were used to generate the stage of DR in the simulated cohort.The simulated cohort of DR patients exhibited no significant deviation from the test population of real-world patients in proportion of stage of DR, duration of diabetes mellitus (DM, or the other abstracted predictors. Simulated patients after 10 years were significantly more likely to exhibit proliferative DR (P<0.001.Agent-based modeling is an emerging platform, capable of simulating large cohorts of individuals based on manageable data abstraction efforts. The modeling method described may be useful in simulating many different conditions where course of disease is described in categorical stages.

Characterisation of COPD heterogeneity in the ECLIPSE cohort

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Agusti, Alvar; Calverley, Peter M A; Celli, Bartolome

2010-01-01

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a complex condition with pulmonary and extra-pulmonary manifestations. This study describes the heterogeneity of COPD in a large and well characterised and controlled COPD cohort (ECLIPSE)....

Toenail selenium status and the risk of Barrett's esophagus: The Netherlands Cohort Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Steevens, J.; Schouten, L.J.; Driessen, A.L.C.; Huysentruyt, C.J.R.; Keulemans, Y.C.A.; Goldbohm, R.A.; Brandt, P.A. van den

2010-01-01

Objective: To investigate the association between selenium and the risk of Barrett's esophagus (BE), the precursor lesion of esophageal adenocarcinoma. Methods: Data from the prospective Netherlands Cohort Study were used. This cohort study was initiated in 1986, when 120,852 subjects aged 55-69

Mode of Delivery and Asthma at School Age in 9 European Birth Cohorts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rusconi, Franca; Zugna, Daniela; Annesi-Maesano, Isabella

2017-01-01

Evidence on the association between mode of delivery and asthma at school age is inconclusive. We assessed the associations between specific modes of delivery and asthma in children from 9 European birth cohorts that enrolled participants between 1996 and 2006. Cohort-specific crude and adjusted ...

Site-specific cancer risk in the Baltic cohort of Chernobyl cleanup workers, 1986-2007.

Science.gov (United States)

Rahu, Kaja; Hakulinen, Timo; Smailyte, Giedre; Stengrevics, Aivars; Auvinen, Anssi; Inskip, Peter D; Boice, John D; Rahu, Mati

2013-09-01

To assess site-specific cancer risk in the Baltic cohort of Chernobyl cleanup workers, 1986-2007. The Baltic cohort includes 17,040 men from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania who participated in the environmental cleanup after the accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station in 1986-1991 and who were followed up for cancer incidence until the end of 2007. Cancer cases diagnosed in the cohort and in the male population of each country were identified from the respective national cancer registers. The proportional incidence ratio (PIR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to estimate the site-specific cancer risk in the cohort. For comparison and as it was possible, the site-specific standardised incidence ratio (SIR) was calculated for the Estonian sub-cohort, which was not feasible for the other countries. Overall, 756 cancer cases were reported during 1986-2007. A higher proportion of thyroid cancers in relation to the male population was found (PIR=2.76; 95%CI 1.63-4.36), especially among those who started their mission shortly after the accident, in April-May 1986 (PIR=6.38; 95%CI 2.34-13.89). Also, an excess of oesophageal cancers was noted (PIR=1.52; 95% CI 1.06-2.11). No increased PIRs for leukaemia or radiation-related cancer sites combined were observed. PIRs and SIRs for the Estonian sub-cohort demonstrated the same site-specific cancer risk pattern. Consistent evidence of an increase in radiation-related cancers in the Baltic cohort was not observed with the possible exception of thyroid cancer, where conclusions are hampered by known medical examination including thyroid screening among cleanup workers. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Vegetarianism, low meat consumption and the risk of colorectal cancer in a population based cohort study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gilsing, A.M.J.; Schouten, L.J.; Goldbohm, R.A.; Dagnelie, P.C.; Brandt, P.A. van den; Weijenberg, M.P.

2015-01-01

To study how a vegetarian or low meat diet influences the risk of colorectal cancer compared to a high meat diet, and to assess the explanatory role of factors associated with these diets. In the Netherlands Cohort Study – Meat Investigation Cohort (NLCS-MIC) (cohort of 10,210 individuals including

Nickel allergy from adolescence to adulthood in the TOACS cohort

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mortz, Charlotte G; Bindslev-Jensen, Carsten; Andersen, Klaus Ejner

2013-01-01

Background In 1995, we established a cohort of 1501 unselected eighth-grade schoolchildren to investigate the course of nickel allergy into adult life. Objectives To follow the course of nickel allergy and clinically relevant nickel dermatitis over 15 years from adolescence to adulthood, and the ......Background In 1995, we established a cohort of 1501 unselected eighth-grade schoolchildren to investigate the course of nickel allergy into adult life. Objectives To follow the course of nickel allergy and clinically relevant nickel dermatitis over 15 years from adolescence to adulthood...

Open Access in Higher Education–Strategies for Engaging Diverse Student Cohorts

OpenAIRE

Signor, Luisa; Moore, Catherine

2014-01-01

With growth in online education, students gain tertiary qualifications through a mode more suited to their demographics such as work and life balance, learning styles and geographical accessibility. Inevitably this has led to a growth in diversity within student cohorts.The case study described in this paper illustrates strategies based on informed learning design for educating diverse student cohorts in an online program offered by Swinburne University of Technology. The case, an open-access...

COHORT EFFECTS OF SUICIDE MORTALITY ARE SEX SPECIFIC IN THE RAPIDLY DEVELOPED HONG KONG CHINESE POPULATION, 1976-2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Roger Y; Yip, Benjamin H K; Chan, Sandra S M; Wong, Samuel Y S

2016-06-01

To examine temporal variations of age, period, and cohort on suicide mortality rate in Hong Kong (HK) from 1976 to 2010, and speculate the macroenvironmental mechanisms of the observed trends. Poisson age-period-cohort modeling was used to delineate the effects of age, period, and cohort on suicide mortality. Analysis by sex was also conducted to examine if gender difference exists for suicidal behaviours. Age-cohort model provides the best fit to the mortality data, implying that the cohort effect is likely to explain more of the contributions to HK's suicide mortality pattern than the period effect. Risk of suicide mortality increases nonlinearly with age and accelerates after age 65-69 for both sexes. Moreover, the cohort effects differ between the sexes-risk of mortality increases continually for men born after 1961, but no change is observed for women since the 1941 cohort. With increased risk of suicide mortality in younger cohorts and the age effect of suicide mortality, we may see future increase in suicide mortality as these younger cohorts age. Further studies are needed to clarify plausible associations between broader sociohistorical changes in the population impacting psychological risk factors and suicidal behaviour to better inform suicide prevention strategies. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Cohort Profile: The JS High School study (JSHS): a cohort study of Korean adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Dong Phil; Lee, Joo Young; Kim, Hyeon Chang

2017-04-01

Major aetiologies of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases begin in childhood and atherosclerotic vascular abnormalities can be observed among children and adolescents. Adolescent cohort studies have important advantages because they can observe earlier changes in vascular structure and function. The purpose of the JS High School study (JSHS) is to identify biomarkers predicting or indicating early structural and functional vascular change in adolescents. The JSHS is a prospective cohort study of a Korean adolescent population. The target population of the JSHS was first-graders (aged 14 to17 years) at a high school of South Korea. Enrolment and baseline examinations were conducted in years 2007, 2010, 2011 and 2012. Among the total eligible population of 1115 students, 1071 (96.1%) participated in the study and completed all baseline examinations. Informed consent forms were obtained from each participant and his/her parent or guardian. Baseline examinations include: questionnaires on demographics, health behaviours, medical history, and depression symptoms; fasting blood analysis; anthropometric measurement; body impedance analysis; blood pressure measurement; radial artery tonometry; bone densitometry; pulmonary function tests; and carotid ultrasonography. Participants enrolled from 2007 through 2012 were re-examined after 30 months of follow-up, and those who enrolled in 2012 were re-examined after 24 months of follow-up. The corresponding author may be contacted for potential collaboration and data access. © The Author 2015; all rights reserved. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association.

The new pooled cohort equations risk calculator

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Preiss, David; Kristensen, Søren L

2015-01-01

disease and any measure of social deprivation. An early criticism of the Pooled Cohort Equations Risk Calculator has been its alleged overestimation of ASCVD risk which, if confirmed in the general population, is likely to result in statin therapy being prescribed to many individuals at lower risk than...

A Novel Approach for Analysis of the Log-Linear Age-Period-Cohort Model: Application to Lung Cancer Incidence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tengiz Mdzinarishvili

2009-12-01

Full Text Available A simple, computationally efficient procedure for analyses of the time period and birth cohort effects on the distribution of the age-specific incidence rates of cancers is proposed. Assuming that cohort effects for neighboring cohorts are almost equal and using the Log-Linear Age-Period-Cohort Model, this procedure allows one to evaluate temporal trends and birth cohort variations of any type of cancer without prior knowledge of the hazard function. This procedure was used to estimate the influence of time period and birth cohort effects on the distribution of the age-specific incidence rates of first primary, microscopically confirmed lung cancer (LC cases from the SEER9 database. It was shown that since 1975, the time period effect coefficients for men increase up to 1980 and then decrease until 2004. For women, these coefficients increase from 1975 up to 1990 and then remain nearly constant. The LC birth cohort effect coefficients for men and women increase from the cohort of 1890–94 until the cohort of 1925–29, then decrease until the cohort of 1950–54 and then remain almost unchanged. Overall, LC incidence rates, adjusted by period and cohort effects, increase up to the age of about 72–75, turn over, and then fall after the age of 75–78. The peak of the adjusted rates in men is around the age of 77–78, while in women, it is around the age of 72–73. Therefore, these results suggest that the age distribution of the incidence rates in men and women fall at old ages.

The interaction of lexical semantics and cohort competition in spoken word recognition: an fMRI study.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhuang, Jie; Randall, Billi; Stamatakis, Emmanuel A; Marslen-Wilson, William D; Tyler, Lorraine K

2011-12-01

Spoken word recognition involves the activation of multiple word candidates on the basis of the initial speech input--the "cohort"--and selection among these competitors. Selection may be driven primarily by bottom-up acoustic-phonetic inputs or it may be modulated by other aspects of lexical representation, such as a word's meaning [Marslen-Wilson, W. D. Functional parallelism in spoken word-recognition. Cognition, 25, 71-102, 1987]. We examined these potential interactions in an fMRI study by presenting participants with words and pseudowords for lexical decision. In a factorial design, we manipulated (a) cohort competition (high/low competitive cohorts which vary the number of competing word candidates) and (b) the word's semantic properties (high/low imageability). A previous behavioral study [Tyler, L. K., Voice, J. K., & Moss, H. E. The interaction of meaning and sound in spoken word recognition. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 7, 320-326, 2000] showed that imageability facilitated word recognition but only for words in high competition cohorts. Here we found greater activity in the left inferior frontal gyrus (BA 45, 47) and the right inferior frontal gyrus (BA 47) with increased cohort competition, an imageability effect in the left posterior middle temporal gyrus/angular gyrus (BA 39), and a significant interaction between imageability and cohort competition in the left posterior superior temporal gyrus/middle temporal gyrus (BA 21, 22). In words with high competition cohorts, high imageability words generated stronger activity than low imageability words, indicating a facilitatory role of imageability in a highly competitive cohort context. For words in low competition cohorts, there was no effect of imageability. These results support the behavioral data in showing that selection processes do not rely solely on bottom-up acoustic-phonetic cues but rather that the semantic properties of candidate words facilitate discrimination between competitors.

Treatment progression in sulfonylurea and dipeptidyl peptidase-4-inhibitor cohorts of type 2 diabetes patients on metformin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peng X

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Xiaomei Peng, Dingfeng Jiang, Dongju Liu, Oralee J Varnado, Jay P Bae Eli Lilly and Company, Global Patient Outcomes and Real World Evidence, Indianapolis, IN, USA Background: Metformin is an oral antidiabetic drug (OAD widely used as first-line therapy in type 2 diabetes (T2D treatments. Numerous treatment pathways after metformin failure exist. It is important to understand how treatment choices influence subsequent therapy progressions. This retrospective study compares adherence to, persistence with, and treatment progression in sulfonylurea (SU and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4 inhibitor patient cohorts with T2D on metformin. Methods: Using health insurance claims data, matched patient cohorts were created and OAD use was compared in patients with T2D initiating SU or DPP-4 inhibitors (index drugs since January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2010, with background metformin therapy. Propensity score matching adjusted for possible selection bias. Persistence was measured via Cox regression as days to a ≥60-day gap in index drug possession; adherence was defined as proportion of days covered (PDC ≥80%. Evolving treatment patterns were traced at 6-month intervals for 24 months following index drug discontinuation. Results: From among 19,621 and 7,484 patients in the SU and DPP-4 inhibitor cohorts, respectively, 6,758 patient pairs were matched. Persistence at 12 months in the SU cohort was 48.0% compared to 52.5% for the DPP-4 inhibitor cohort. PDC adherence (mean [SD] during the 12-month follow-up period was 63.3 (29.7 for the SU cohort and 65.5 (28.7 for the DPP-4 inhibitor cohort. PDC ≥80% was 40.5% and 43.4% in the SU and DPP-4 inhibitor cohorts, respectively. A higher percentage of patients in the SU cohort remained untreated. Following index drug discontinuation, monotherapy was more common in the SU cohort, while use of two or three OADs was more common in the DPP-4 inhibitor cohort. Insulin therapy initiation was higher in the SU

Recent hip fracture trends in Sweden and Denmark with age-period-cohort effects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rosengren, B E; Björk, J; Cooper, C

2017-01-01

This study used nationwide hip fracture data from Denmark and Sweden during 1987-2010 to examine effects of (birth) cohort and period. We found that time trends, cohort, and period effects were different in the two countries. Results also indicated that hip fracture rates may increase in the not ...

“Ethnic” and “Cosmopolitan” Transnationalism: Two Cohorts of Croatian Immigrants in Australia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Val Colic-Peisker

2006-09-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a case study of migrant transnationalism on the basis of ethnographic data collected among Croatians migrants in Western Australia. So far transnationalism has been theorized as the sustained connection of migrants to their homelands, while this paper introduces a distinction between “ethnic” and “cosmopolitan” transnationalism. The sample of respondents comes from two distinct immigrant cohorts, one consisting of earlier arrivals (1950s–1970s and the other comprising more recent arrivals (1980s–1990s. Due to social changes in the sending country as well as immigration policy changes in the receiving country, these two cohorts are significantly different in terms of their socio-economic background. This determines their identity, belonging and type of incorporation in the Australian society, and also brings about different types of transnationalism that these two groups practise. While respondents from the working-class cohort tend to see their ethnic identity as central and describe themselves as part of the Croatian diaspora, those from the more recent middle-class cohort see their profession as the central axis of their identity. The transnationalism of the older cohort is conceptualized as “ethnic transnationalism” which bridges the distance between Australia and the “lost” but nonetheless real homeland, Croatia. The transnationalism of the professional cohort is theorized as “cosmopolitan transnationalism” which is lived and felt beyond the homeland-hostland connection, in the space of cultural hybridity and global mobility. The introduction to this paper gives a brief overview of the concept of transnationalism and the way it has been theorized in migration studies in the past twenty years.

Family Structure and Childhood Obesity, Early Childhood Longitudinal Study ? Kindergarten Cohort

OpenAIRE

Chen, Alex Y.; Escarce, Jos? J.

2010-01-01

Introduction Little is known about the effect of family structure on childhood obesity among US children. This study examines the effect of number of parents and number of siblings on children's body mass index and risk of obesity. Methods We conducted a secondary data analysis of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study ? Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K), which consists of a nationally representative cohort of children who entered kindergarten during 1998-1999. Our analyses included 2 cross-sectio...

Outbreak-related mumps vaccine effectiveness among a cohort of children and of young adults in Germany 2011.

Science.gov (United States)

Takla, Anja; Böhmer, Merle M; Klinc, Christina; Kurz, Norbert; Schaffer, Alice; Stich, Heribert; Stöcker, Petra; Wichmann, Ole; Koch, Judith

2014-01-01

Mumps outbreaks in populations with high 2-dose vaccination coverage and among young adults are increasingly reported. However, data on the duration of vaccine-induced protection conferred by mumps vaccines are scarce. As part of a supra-regional outbreak in Germany 2010/11, we conducted two retrospective cohort studies in a primary school and among adult ice hockey teams to determine mumps vaccine effectiveness (VE). Via questionnaires we collected information on demography, clinical manifestations, and reviewed vaccination cards. We estimated VE as 1-RR, RR being the rate ratio of disease among two-times or one-time mumps-vaccinated compared with unvaccinated persons. The response rate was 92.6% (100/108--children cohort) and 91.7% (44/48--adult cohort). Fourteen cases were identified in the children and 6 in the adult cohort. In the children cohort (mean age: 9 y), 2-dose VE was 91.9% (95% CI 81.0-96.5%). In the adult cohort (mean age: 26 y), no cases occurred among the 13 2-times vaccinated, while 1-dose VE was 50.0% (95% CI -9.4-87.1%). Average time since last vaccination showed no significant difference for cases and non-cases, but cases were younger at age of last mumps vaccination (children cohort: 2 vs. 3 y, P=0.04; adult cohort: 1 vs. 4 y, P=0.03). We did not observe signs of waning immunity in the children cohort. Due to the small sample size VE in the adult cohort should be interpreted with caution. Given the estimated VE, very high 2-dose vaccination coverage is required to prevent future outbreaks. Intervention efforts to increase coverage must especially target young adults who received<2 vaccinations during childhood.

Alterations of the Subgingival Microbiota in Pediatric Crohn's Disease Studied Longitudinally in Discovery and Validation Cohorts.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelsen, Judith; Bittinger, Kyle; Pauly-Hubbard, Helen; Posivak, Leah; Grunberg, Stephanie; Baldassano, Robert; Lewis, James D; Wu, Gary D; Bushman, Frederic D

2015-12-01

Oral manifestations are common in Crohn's disease (CD). Here we characterized the subgingival microbiota in pediatric patients with CD initiating therapy and after 8 weeks to identify microbial community features associated with CD and therapy. Pediatric patients with CD were recruited from The Children's Hospital of Pennsylvania. Healthy control subjects were recruited from primary care or orthopedics clinic. Subgingival plaque samples were collected at initiation of therapy and after 8 weeks. Treatment exposures included 5-ASAs, immunomodulators, steroids, and infliximab. The microbiota was characterized by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The study was repeated in separate discovery (35 CD, 43 healthy) and validation cohorts (43 CD, 31 healthy). Most subjects in both cohorts demonstrated clinical response after 8 weeks of therapy (discovery cohort 88%, validation cohort 79%). At week 0, both antibiotic exposure and disease state were associated with differences in bacterial community composition. Seventeen genera were identified in the discovery cohort as candidate biomarkers, of which 11 were confirmed in the validation cohort. Capnocytophaga, Rothia, and TM7 were more abundant in CD relative to healthy controls. Other bacteria were reduced in abundance with antibiotic exposure among CD subjects. CD-associated genera were not enriched compared with healthy controls after 8 weeks of therapy. Subgingival microbial community structure differed with CD and antibiotic use. Results in the discovery cohort were replicated in a separate validation cohort. Several potentially pathogenic bacterial lineages were associated with CD but were not diminished in abundance by antibiotic treatment, suggesting targets for additional surveillance.

Mortality analysis in the French cohort of uranium miners

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vacquier, B.

2008-10-01

The objective of this thesis is to contribute to the estimation of radiation-induced risks at low dose rates. This work is based on the cohort of uranium miners French presenting multiple exposures, contamination by internal (radon and uranium dust) and external exposure (gamma radiation). An analysis of the risk of death and the relationship risk exposure was carried out within the cohort of uranium miners after extension of the monitoring until 1999, for cancers diseases and non-cancers. In addition, an analysis taking into account multiple exposures to ionizing radiation was carried out within the framework of this thesis. This analysis has improved knowledge on the risk of mortality associated with low levels of exposure to radon. (author)

Age-period-cohort analysis of infectious disease mortality in urban-rural China, 1990-2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zhi; Wang, Peigang; Gao, Ge; Xu, Chunling; Chen, Xinguang

2016-03-31

Although a number of studies on infectious disease trends in China exist, these studies have not distinguished the age, period, and cohort effects simultaneously. Here, we analyze infectious disease mortality trends among urban and rural residents in China and distinguish the age, period, and cohort effects simultaneously. Infectious disease mortality rates (1990-2010) of urban and rural residents (5-84 years old) were obtained from the China Health Statistical Yearbook and analyzed with an age-period-cohort (APC) model based on Intrinsic Estimator (IE). Infectious disease mortality is relatively high at age group 5-9, reaches a minimum in adolescence (age group 10-19), then rises with age, with the growth rate gradually slowing down from approximately age 75. From 1990 to 2010, except for a slight rise among urban residents from 2000 to 2005, the mortality of Chinese residents experienced a substantial decline, though at a slower pace from 2005 to 2010. In contrast to the urban residents, rural residents experienced a rapid decline in mortality during 2000 to 2005. The mortality gap between urban and rural residents substantially narrowed during this period. Overall, later birth cohorts experienced lower infectious disease mortality risk. From the 1906-1910 to the 1941-1945 birth cohorts, the decrease of mortality among urban residents was significantly faster than that of subsequent birth cohorts and rural counterparts. With the rapid aging of the Chinese population, the prevention and control of infectious disease in elderly people will present greater challenges. From 1990 to 2010, the infectious disease mortality of Chinese residents and the urban-rural disparity have experienced substantial declines. However, the re-emergence of previously prevalent diseases and the emergence of new infectious diseases created new challenges. It is necessary to further strengthen screening, immunization, and treatment for the elderly and for older cohorts at high risk.

Using the entire history in the analysis of nested case cohort samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Rivera, C L; Lumley, T

2016-08-15

Countermatching designs can provide more efficient estimates than simple matching or case-cohort designs in certain situations such as when good surrogate variables for an exposure of interest are available. We extend pseudolikelihood estimation for the Cox model under countermatching designs to models where time-varying covariates are considered. We also implement pseudolikelihood with calibrated weights to improve efficiency in nested case-control designs in the presence of time-varying variables. A simulation study is carried out, which considers four different scenarios including a binary time-dependent variable, a continuous time-dependent variable, and the case including interactions in each. Simulation results show that pseudolikelihood with calibrated weights under countermatching offers large gains in efficiency if compared to case-cohort. Pseudolikelihood with calibrated weights yielded more efficient estimators than pseudolikelihood estimators. Additionally, estimators were more efficient under countermatching than under case-cohort for the situations considered. The methods are illustrated using the Colorado Plateau uranium miners cohort. Furthermore, we present a general method to generate survival times with time-varying covariates. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Chocolate consumption and risk of atrial fibrillation: Two cohort studies and a meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Larsson, Susanna C; Drca, Nikola; Jensen-Urstad, Mats; Wolk, Alicja

2018-01-01

Chocolate consumption has been inconsistently associated with risk of atrial fibrillation (AF). We investigated the association between chocolate consumption and risk of AF in Swedish adults from two cohort studies and conducted a meta-analysis to summarize available evidence from cohort studies on this topic. Our study population comprised 40,009 men from the Cohort of Swedish Men and 32,486 women from the Swedish Mammography Cohort. Incident AF cases were ascertained through linkage with the Swedish National Patient Register. Published cohort studies of chocolate consumption in relation to risk of AF were identified by a PubMed search through September 14, 2017. During a mean follow-up of 14.6 years, AF was diagnosed in 9978 Swedish men and women. Compared with non-consumers, the multivariable hazard ratio of AF for those in the highest category of chocolate consumption (≥3-4 servings/week) was 0.96 (95% CI 0.88-1.04). In a random-effects meta-analysis of 5 cohort studies, including 180,454 participants and 16,356 AF cases, the hazard ratios of AF were 0.97 (95% CI 0.94-1.01) per 2 servings/week increase in chocolate consumption and 0.96 (95% CI 0.90-1.03) for the highest versus lowest category of chocolate consumption. Available data provide no evidence of an association of chocolate consumption with risk of AF. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hypomineralized Second Primary Molars as Predictor of Molar Incisor Hypomineralization

Science.gov (United States)

Negre-Barber, A.; Montiel-Company, J. M.; Boronat-Catalá, M.; Catalá-Pizarro, M.; Almerich-Silla, J. M.

2016-01-01

Molar incisor hypomineralization (MIH) is a developmental defect of dental enamel that shares features with hypomineralized second primary molars (HSPM). Prior to permanent tooth eruption, second primary molars could have predictive value for permanent molar and incisor hypomineralization. To assess this possible relationship, a cross-sectional study was conducted in a sample of 414 children aged 8 and 9 years from the INMA cohort in Valencia (Spain). A calibrated examiner (linear-weighted Kappa 0.83) performed the intraoral examinations at the University of Valencia between November 2013 and 2014, applying the diagnostic criteria for MIH and HSPM adopted by the European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry. 100 children (24.2%) presented MIH and 60 (14.5%) presented HSPM. Co-occurrence of the two defects was observed in 11.1% of the children examined. The positive predictive value was 76.7% (63.9–86.6) and the negative predictive value 84.7% (80.6–88.3). The positive likelihood ratio (S/1-E) was 10.3 (5.9–17.9) and the negative likelihood ratio (1-S/E) 0.57 (0.47–0.68). The odds ratio was 18.2 (9.39–35.48). It was concluded that while the presence of HSPM can be considered a predictor of MIH, indicating the need for monitoring and control, the absence of this defect in primary dentition does not rule out the appearance of MIH. PMID:27558479

Cohort Fertility Patterns in the Nordic Countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersson, Gunnar; Rønsen, Marit; Knudsen, Lisbeth B.

of the older cohort when aged 30 and above. A similar pattern of recuperation can be observed for highly educated women as compared to women with less education. An interesting finding is that of a positive relationship between educational level and the final number of children when women who become mothers...

Prevalence and risk factors of dry eye disease in a British female cohort

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vehof, Jelle; Kozareva, Diana; Hysi, Pirro G.; Hammond, Christopher J.

2014-01-01

Background/aims To estimate the prevalence and risk factors of dry eye disease (DED) in a female cohort in the UK. Methods Population-based cross-sectional association study of 3824 women from the TwinsUK cohort aged 20-87 years. A questionnaire was used to evaluate DED and several risk factors.

Anthropometry, physical activity, and endometrial cancer risk: Results from the Netherlands Cohort Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schouten, L.J.; Goldbohm, R.A.; Brandt, P.A. van den

2004-01-01

Although obesity is an established risk factor for endometrial cancer, evidence linking risk to height, weight change since age 20, and physical activity is limited. In this case-cohort study, 62 573 women from The Netherlands Cohort Study on Diet and Cancer were followed up from 1986 to 1995, and

Study design of DIACORE (DIAbetes COhoRtE – a cohort study of patients with diabetes mellitus type 2

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dörhöfer Lena

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2 is highly associated with increased risk for chronic kidney disease (CKD, end stage renal disease (ESRD and cardiovascular morbidity. Epidemiological and genetic studies generate hypotheses for innovative strategies in DM2 management by unravelling novel mechanisms of diabetes complications, which is essential for future intervention trials. We have thus initiated the DIAbetes COhoRtE study (DIACORE. Methods DIACORE is a prospective cohort study aiming to recruit 6000 patients of self-reported Caucasian ethnicity with prevalent DM2 for at least 10 years of follow-up. Study visits are performed in University-based recruiting clinics in Germany using standard operating procedures. All prevalent DM2 patients in outpatient clinics surrounding the recruiting centers are invited to participate. At baseline and at each 2-year follow-up examination, patients are subjected to a core phenotyping protocol. This includes a standardized online questionnaire and physical examination to determine incident micro- and macrovascular DM2 complications, malignancy and hospitalization, with a primary focus on renal events. Confirmatory outcome information is requested from patient records. Blood samples are obtained for a centrally analyzed standard laboratory panel and for biobanking of aliquots of serum, plasma, urine, mRNA and DNA for future scientific use. A subset of the cohort is subjected to extended phenotyping, e.g. sleep apnea screening, skin autofluorescence measurement, non-mydriatic retinal photography and non-invasive determination of arterial stiffness. Discussion DIACORE will enable the prospective evaluation of factors involved in DM2 complication pathogenesis using high-throughput technologies in biosamples and genetic epidemiological studies.

Age, period and cohort influences on beer, wine and spirits consumption trends in the US National Alcohol Surveys.

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Kerr, William C; Greenfield, Thomas K; Bond, Jason; Ye, Yu; Rehm, Jürgen

2004-09-01

To estimate the separate influences of age, period and cohort on the consumption of beer wine and spirits in the United States. Linear age-period-cohort models controlling for demographic change with extensive specification testing. Setting US general population 1979-2000. Monthly average of past-year consumption of beer, wine and spirits in five National Alcohol Surveys. Findings The strongest cohort effects are found for spirits; cohorts born before 1940 are found to have significantly higher consumption than those born after 1946, with especially high spirits consumption for men in the pre-1930s cohorts. Significant cohort effects are also found for beer with elevated consumption in the 1946-65 cohorts for men but in the pre-1940 cohorts for women. Significant negative effects of age are found for beer and spirits consumption, although not for wine. Significant period effects are found for men's beer and wine consumption and for women's spirits consumption. Increased educational attainment in the population over time is associated with reduced beer consumption and increased wine consumption. Changing cohort demographics are found to have significant effects on beverage-specific consumption, indicating the importance of controlling for these effects in the evaluation of alcohol policy effectiveness and the potential for substantial improvement in the forecasting of future beverage-specific consumption trends, alcohol dependence treatment demand and morbidity and mortality outcomes.

Risk of Depression, Chronic Morbidities, and l-Thyroxine Treatment in Hashimoto Thyroiditis in Taiwan: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

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Lin, I-Ching; Chen, Hsin-Hung; Yeh, Su-Yin; Lin, Cheng-Li; Kao, Chia-Hung

2016-02-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of depression in and effect of L-thyroxine therapy on patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT) in Taiwan.In this retrospective, nationwide cohort study, we retrieved data from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2000. We collected data of 1220 patients with HT and 4880 patients without HT for the period 2000 to 2011. The mean follow-up period for the HT cohort was 5.77 years. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate the risk of depression in the HT cohort.In the HT cohort, 89.6% of the patients were women. Compared with the non-HT cohort, the HT cohort exhibited a higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, and coronary artery disease. Furthermore, the HT cohort showed a higher overall incidence of depression compared with the non-HT cohort (8.67 and 5.49 per 1000 person-year; crude hazard ratio [HR] = 1.58, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.18-2.13). The risk of depression decreased after administration of L-thyroxine treatment for more than 1 year (adjusted HR = 1.02; 95% CI = 0.66-1.59).In Taiwan, the overall incidence of depression was greater in the young HT cohort. L-thyroxine treatment reduced the risk of depression.

Case series and descriptive cohort studies in neurosurgery: the confusion and solution.

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Esene, Ignatius N; Ngu, Julius; El Zoghby, Mohamed; Solaroglu, Ihsan; Sikod, Anna M; Kotb, Ali; Dechambenoit, Gilbert; El Husseiny, Hossam

2014-08-01

Case series (CS) are well-known designs in contemporary use in neurosurgery but are sometimes used in contexts that are incompatible with their true meaning as defined by epidemiologists. This inconsistent, inappropriate and incorrect use, and mislabeling impairs the appropriate indexing and sorting of evidence. Using PubMed, we systematically identified published articles that had "case series" in the "title" in 15 top-ranked neurosurgical journals from January 2008 to December 2012. The abstracts and/or full articles were scanned to identify those with descriptions of the principal method as being "case series" and then classified as "true case series" or "non-case series" by two independent investigators with 100 % inter-rater agreement. Sixty-four articles had the label "case series" in their "titles." Based on the definition of "case series" and our appraisal of the articles using Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines, 18 articles (28.13 %) were true case series, while 46 (71.87 %) were mislabeled. Thirty-five articles (54.69 %) mistook retrospective (descriptive) cohorts for CS. CS are descriptive with an outcome-based sampling, while "descriptive cohorts" have an exposure-based sampling of patients, followed over time to assess outcome(s). A comparison group is not a defining feature of a cohort study and distinguishes descriptive from analytic cohorts. A distinction between a case report, case series, and descriptive cohorts is absolutely necessary to enable the appropriate indexing, sorting, and application of evidence. Researchers need better training in methods and terminology, and editors and reviewers should scrutinize more carefully manuscripts claiming to be "case series" studies.

Premature death of adult adoptees: analyses of a case-cohort sample.

Science.gov (United States)

Petersen, Liselotte; Andersen, Per Kragh; Sørensen, Thorkild I A

2005-05-01

Genetic and environmental influence on risk of premature death in adulthood was investigated by estimating the associations in total and cause-specific mortality of adult Danish adoptees and their biological and adoptive parents. Among all 14,425 non-familial adoptions formally granted in Denmark during the period 1924 through 1947, we selected the study population according to a case-cohort sampling design. As the case-control design, the case-cohort design has the advantage of economic data collection and little loss in statistical efficiency, but the case-cohort sample has the additional advantages that rate ratio estimates may be obtained, and re-use of the cohort sample in future studies of other outcomes is possible. Analyses were performed using Kalbfleisch and Lawless's estimator for hazard ratio, and robust estimation for variances. In the main analyses the sample was restricted to birth years of the adoptees 1924 and after, and age of transfer to the adoptive parents before 7 years, and age at death was restricted to 16 to 70 years. The results showed a higher mortality among adoptees, whose biological parents died in the age range of 16 to 70 years; this was significant for deaths from natural causes, vascular causes and all causes. No influence was seen from early death of adoptive parents, regardless of cause of death. (c) 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Particulate air pollution and mortality in a cohort of Chinese men

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou, Maigeng; Liu, Yunning; Wang, Lijun; Kuang, Xingya; Xu, Xiaohui; Kan, Haidong

2014-01-01

Few prior cohort studies exist in developing countries examining the association of ambient particulate matter (PM) with mortality. We examined the association of particulate air pollution with mortality in a prospective cohort study of 71,431 middle-aged Chinese men. Baseline data were obtained during 1990–1991. The follow-up evaluation was completed in January, 2006. Annual average PM exposure between 1990 and 2005, including TSP and PM 10 , were estimated by linking fixed-site monitoring data with residential communities. We found significant associations between PM 10 and mortality from cardiopulmonary diseases; each 10 μg/m 3 PM 10 was associated with a 1.6% (95%CI: 0.7%, 2.6%), 1.8% (95%CI: 0.8%, 2.9%) and 1.7% (95%CI: 0.3%, 3.2%) increased risk of total, cardiovascular and respiratory mortality, respectively. For TSP, we observed significant associations only for cardiovascular morality. These data contribute to the scientific literature on long-term effects of particulate air pollution for high exposure settings typical in developing countries. -- Highlights: • There have been few air pollution cohort studies in developing countries. • PM 10 was associated with increased cardiorespiratory mortality in 71,431 Chinese men. • PM was not significantly associated with lung cancer mortality. -- PM 10 was associated with increased cardiorespiratory mortality in a cohort of 71,431 Chinese men

Association of Neovascular Glaucoma with Risk of Stroke: A Population-Based Cohort Study

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Cheng-Wen Su

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Neovascular glaucoma (NVG, caused by ocular ischemia, is a serious ocular disease complicated by intractably increased intraocular pressure. Cerebrovascular accidents are classified into ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. Based on the similar pathogenic mechanisms of NVG and ischemic stroke, we investigated the relationship between NVG and stroke by using a nationally representative sample. This study included 416 NVG patients and 4160 controls. Medical comorbidities were also evaluated. The cumulative incidence of ischemic stroke was 15.6% higher in the NVG cohort than in the control cohort (p<0.001; the incidence density rates of stroke were 3.80 and 1.19 per 10,000 person-years in the NVG and control cohorts, respectively. According to the multivariable Cox regression results, the estimated adjusted hazard ratio (aHR of stroke was 2.07 (95% confidence interval (CI = 1.41–3.02 for the NVG cohort. Furthermore, the NVG cohort was 2.24-fold more likely to develop ischemic stroke (95% CI = 1.51–3.32. The risk of ischemic stroke was higher in patients with hypertension (aHR = 2.09, 95% CI = 1.55–2.82 and in patients with diabetic retinopathy (aHR = 1.69, 95% CI = 1.05–2.72. Notably, patients with NVG have a higher risk of ischemic stroke, but not hemorrhagic stroke.

Nordic registry-based cohort studies: Possibilities and pitfalls when combining Nordic registry data.

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Maret-Ouda, John; Tao, Wenjing; Wahlin, Karl; Lagergren, Jesper

2017-07-01

All five Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) have nationwide registries with similar data structure and validity, as well as personal identity numbers enabling linkage between registries. These resources provide opportunities for medical research that is based on large registry-based cohort studies with long and complete follow-up. This review describes practical aspects, opportunities and challenges encountered when setting up all-Nordic registry-based cohort studies. Relevant articles describing registries often used for medical research in the Nordic countries were retrieved. Further, our experiences of conducting this type of study, including planning, acquiring permissions, data retrieval and data cleaning and handling, and the possibilities and challenges we have encountered are described. Combining data from the Nordic countries makes it possible to create large and powerful cohorts. The main challenges include obtaining all permissions within each country, usually in the local language, and retrieving the data. These challenges emphasise the importance of having experienced collaborators within each country. Following the acquisition of data, data management requires the understanding of the differences between the variables to be used in the various countries. A concern is the long time required between initiation and completion. Nationwide Nordic registries can be combined into cohorts with high validity and statistical power, but the considerable expertise, workload and time required to complete such cohorts should not be underestimated.

Parental Separation and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Late Adolescence: A Cross-Cohort Comparison.

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Soares, Ana Luiza Gonçalves; Gonçalves, Helen; Matijasevich, Alicia; Sequeira, Maija; Smith, George Davey; Menezes, Ana M B; Assunção, Maria Cecília; Wehrmeister, Fernando C; Fraser, Abigail; Howe, Laura D

2017-05-15

The aim of this study was to explore the association between parental separation during childhood (up to 18 years of age) and cardiometabolic risk factors (body mass index, fat mass index, blood pressure, physical activity, smoking, and alcohol consumption) in late adolescence using a cross-cohort comparison and to explore whether associations differ according to the age at which the parental separation occurred and the presence or absence of parental conflict prior to separation. Data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC, United Kingdom) (1991-2011) and the 1993 Pelotas Birth Cohort (Brazil) (1993-2011) were used. The associations of parental separation with children's cardiometabolic risk factors were largely null. Higher odds of daily smoking were observed in both cohorts for those adolescents whose parents separated (for ALSPAC, odds ratio = 1.46; for Pelotas Birth Cohort, odds ratio = 1.98). Some additional associations were observed in the Pelotas Birth Cohort but were generally in the opposite direction to our a priori hypothesis: Parental separation was associated with lower blood pressure and fat mass index, and with more physical activity. No consistent differences were observed when analyses were stratified by child's age at parental separation or parental conflict. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Determinants of Depression in the ECLIPSE COPD Cohort

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hanania, Nicola A; Müllerova, Hana; Locantore, Nicholas W

2010-01-01

RATIONALE: Depression is prevalent in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); however, its etiology and relationship to the clinical features of COPD are not well understood. Using data from a large cohort, we explored prevalence and determinants of depression in subjects...... the Center for Epidemiologic Studies of Depression Scale (CES-D). For the purposes of this analysis, depression was defined as a CES-D score of 16 and higher which reflects a high load of depressive symptoms and has a good correspondence with a clinical diagnosis of major depression. RESULTS: The study...... cohort consisted of 2118 subjects with COPD, 335 smokers without COPD (smokers) and 243 non-smokers without COPD (non-smokers). Twenty-six percent, 12% and 7% of COPD, smokers and non-smokers, respectively, suffered from depression. In subjects with COPD, higher depression prevalence was seen in females...

Economic model of a birth cohort screening program for hepatitis C virus.

Science.gov (United States)

McGarry, Lisa J; Pawar, Vivek S; Panchmatia, Hemangi R; Rubin, Jaime L; Davis, Gary L; Younossi, Zobair M; Capretta, James C; O'Grady, Michael J; Weinstein, Milton C

2012-05-01

Recent research has identified high hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence among older U.S. residents who contracted HCV decades ago and may no longer be recognized as high risk. We assessed the cost-effectiveness of screening 100% of U.S. residents born 1946-1970 over 5 years (birth-cohort screening), compared with current risk-based screening, by projecting costs and outcomes of screening over the remaining lifetime of this birth cohort. A Markov model of the natural history of HCV was developed using data synthesized from surveillance data, published literature, expert opinion, and other secondary sources. We assumed eligible patients were treated with pegylated interferon plus ribavirin, with genotype 1 patients receiving a direct-acting antiviral in combination. The target population is U.S. residents born 1946-1970 with no previous HCV diagnosis. Among the estimated 102 million (1.6 million chronically HCV infected) eligible for screening, birth-cohort screening leads to 84,000 fewer cases of decompensated cirrhosis, 46,000 fewer cases of hepatocellular carcinoma, 10,000 fewer liver transplants, and 78,000 fewer HCV-related deaths. Birth-cohort screening leads to higher overall costs than risk-based screening ($80.4 billion versus $53.7 billion), but yields lower costs related to advanced liver disease ($31.2 billion versus $39.8 billion); birth-cohort screening produces an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of $37,700 per quality-adjusted life year gained versus risk-based screening. Sensitivity analyses showed that reducing the time horizon during which health and economic consequences are evaluated increases the ICER; similarly, decreasing the treatment rates and efficacy increases the ICER. Model results were relatively insensitive to other inputs. Birth-cohort screening for HCV is likely to provide important health benefits by reducing lifetime cases of advanced liver disease and HCV-related deaths and is cost-effective at conventional willingness

An inventory of Canadian pregnancy and birth cohort studies: research in progress

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Joly Marie-Pier

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A web-based inventory was developed as a voluntary registry of Canadian pregnancy and birth cohort studies, with the objective to foster collaboration and sharing of research tools among cohort study groups as a means to enrich research in maternal and child health across Canada. Description Information on existing birth cohort studies conducted in Canada exclusively or as part of broader international initiatives was accessed by searching the literature in PubMed and PsychInfo databases. Additional studies were identified by enquiring about the research activities of researchers at Canadian universities or working in affiliated hospitals or research centres or institutes. Of the fifty-eight birth cohort studies initially identified, forty-six were incorporated into the inventory if they were of a retrospective and/or prospective longitudinal design and with a minimum of two phases of data collection, with the first period having occurred before, during, or shortly after pregnancy and had an initial study sample size of a minimum of 200 participants. Information collected from each study was organized into four main categories: basic information, data source and period of collection, exposures, and outcome measures and was coded and entered into an Excel spreadsheet. The information incorporated into the Excel spreadsheet was double checked, completed when necessary, and verified for completeness and accuracy by contacting the principal investigator or research coordinator. All data collected were then uploaded onto the website of the Institute of Human Development Child and Youth Health of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Subsequently, the database was updated and developed as an online searchable inventory on the website of the Maternal, Infant, Child and Youth Research Network. Conclusions This inventory is unique, as it represents detailed information assembled for the first time on a large number of Canadian

Understanding and Harnessing the Power of the Cohort Model in Preparing Educational Leaders.

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Teitel, Lee

1997-01-01

The University of Massachusetts at Boston (UMB) shifted all of its school leadership programs to the cohort model. This article reviews UMB's school leadership programs, describes the survey methodology used to take stock of the program and its cohort design, then summarizes survey findings to identify five different types of impacts reported by…

Age-period-cohort modelling of breast cancer incidence in the Nordic countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rostgaard, K; Vaeth, M; Holst, H

2001-01-01

into account. Assuming the age dependency of the incidence pattern in old age to be common for the Nordic countries, an internal comparison could be made among the four countries of the cohort effects and the period effects. The study indicated that the period effects have been of importance for the increase...... in breast cancer incidence seen in the Nordic countries. The widespread practice of neglecting the period effects in age-period-cohort analysis of time trends in breast cancer incidence therefore probably needs reconsideration. A key finding was that Danish women born in the 20th century seem to have been...... exposed to an increasing load of cohort borne breast cancer risk factors not experienced to the same extent by Norwegian women, whereas they were seemingly subjected to the same period effects....

Changing mortality and average cohort life expectancy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schoen, Robert; Canudas-Romo, Vladimir

2005-01-01

measures of mortality are calculated for England and Wales, Norway, and Switzerland for the years 1880 to 2000. CAL is found to be sensitive to past and present changes in death rates. ACLE requires the most data, but gives the best representation of the survivorship of cohorts present at a given time....

Breast cancer mortality in mexico: an age-period-cohort analysis Mortalidad por cáncer de mama en méxico: un análisis de edad-periodo-cohorte

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Francisco Franco-Marina

2009-01-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To assess the age, period and cohort effects on breast cancer (BC mortality in Mexico. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Age, period and cohort curvature trends for BC mortality were estimated through the Poisson Regression model proposed by Holford. RESULTS: Nationally, BC death rates have leveled off since 1995 in most age groups. BC mortality trends are mainly determined by birth cohort and age effects in Mexico. Women born between 1940 and 1955 show the highest rate of increase in BC mortality. Women born afterwards still show an increasing trend but at a much lower rate. Mammography and adjuvant therapy have had a limited impact on mortality. Potential reasons for observed patterns are discussed. An increase in BC mortality in Mexico is expected in the following decades. CONCLUSIONS: Mammography screening programs and timely access to effective treatment should be a national priority to reverse the expected increasing BC mortality trend.OBJETIVO: Evaluar efectos de edad-periodo-cohorte en la mortalidad por cáncer de mama (CaMa en México. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Las tendencias de los efectos de edad-periodo-cohorte fueron estimados mediante un modelo de regresión de Poisson propuesto por Holford. RESULTADOS: Las tasas de mortalidad por CaMa se han estabilizado en la mayoría de los grupos de edad desde 1995 y están determinadas principalmente por efectos de cohorte y edad. Las mujeres nacidas entre 1940 y 1955 muestran los mayores aumentos en la mortalidad en comparación con las nacidas después de este período. La mamografía y la terapia adyuvante han tenido un impacto limitado sobre la mortalidad. Se discuten posibles explicaciones de las tendencias observadas. En las siguientes décadas se espera continúe aumentando la mortalidad por CaMa. CONCLUSIONES: El acceso a mamografía y a tratamiento oportuno y efectivo debieran ser una prioridad para revertir la tendencia creciente esperada de la mortalidad por CM.

The "DGPPN-Cohort": A national collaboration initiative by the German Association for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy (DGPPN) for establishing a large-scale cohort of psychiatric patients.

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Anderson-Schmidt, Heike; Adler, Lothar; Aly, Chadiga; Anghelescu, Ion-George; Bauer, Michael; Baumgärtner, Jessica; Becker, Joachim; Bianco, Roswitha; Becker, Thomas; Bitter, Cosima; Bönsch, Dominikus; Buckow, Karoline; Budde, Monika; Bührig, Martin; Deckert, Jürgen; Demiroglu, Sara Y; Dietrich, Detlef; Dümpelmann, Michael; Engelhardt, Uta; Fallgatter, Andreas J; Feldhaus, Daniel; Figge, Christian; Folkerts, Here; Franz, Michael; Gade, Katrin; Gaebel, Wolfgang; Grabe, Hans-Jörgen; Gruber, Oliver; Gullatz, Verena; Gusky, Linda; Heilbronner, Urs; Helbing, Krister; Hegerl, Ulrich; Heinz, Andreas; Hensch, Tilman; Hiemke, Christoph; Jäger, Markus; Jahn-Brodmann, Anke; Juckel, Georg; Kandulski, Franz; Kaschka, Wolfgang P; Kircher, Tilo; Koller, Manfred; Konrad, Carsten; Kornhuber, Johannes; Krause, Marina; Krug, Axel; Lee, Mahsa; Leweke, Markus; Lieb, Klaus; Mammes, Mechthild; Meyer-Lindenberg, Andreas; Mühlbacher, Moritz; Müller, Matthias J; Nieratschker, Vanessa; Nierste, Barbara; Ohle, Jacqueline; Pfennig, Andrea; Pieper, Marlenna; Quade, Matthias; Reich-Erkelenz, Daniela; Reif, Andreas; Reitt, Markus; Reininghaus, Bernd; Reininghaus, Eva Z; Riemenschneider, Matthias; Rienhoff, Otto; Roser, Patrik; Rujescu, Dan; Schennach, Rebecca; Scherk, Harald; Schmauss, Max; Schneider, Frank; Schosser, Alexandra; Schott, Björn H; Schwab, Sybille G; Schwanke, Jens; Skrowny, Daniela; Spitzer, Carsten; Stierl, Sebastian; Stöckel, Judith; Stübner, Susanne; Thiel, Andreas; Volz, Hans-Peter; von Hagen, Martin; Walter, Henrik; Witt, Stephanie H; Wobrock, Thomas; Zielasek, Jürgen; Zimmermann, Jörg; Zitzelsberger, Antje; Maier, Wolfgang; Falkai, Peter G; Rietschel, Marcella; Schulze, Thomas G

2013-12-01

The German Association for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy (DGPPN) has committed itself to establish a prospective national cohort of patients with major psychiatric disorders, the so-called DGPPN-Cohort. This project will enable the scientific exploitation of high-quality data and biomaterial from psychiatric patients for research. It will be set up using harmonised data sets and procedures for sample generation and guided by transparent rules for data access and data sharing regarding the central research database. While the main focus lies on biological research, it will be open to all kinds of scientific investigations, including epidemiological, clinical or health-service research.

Análisis edad-periodo-cohorte de la mortalidad por accidentes de tráfico en España Age-period-cohort analysis of traffic accident mortality in Spain

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Carmen Saiz-Sánchez

1999-05-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO. Estudiar la evolución de la mortalidad por accidentes de tráfico en España y su posible aplicación a un modelo edad-periodo-cohorte, así como el efecto que pueden tener algunas medidas de seguridad vial seleccionadas. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS. Se obtuvieron las tasas de mortalidad por accidentes de tráfico y las tasas en intervalos quinquenales de edad para cada sexo, lo que permite su estudio como tasas específicas de edad por cohortes de nacimiento. Para determinar la asociación entre las medidas de seguridad vial seleccionadas y la mortalidad se han construido modelos de regresión de Poisson. RESULTADOS. Se observaron dos ondas evolutivas en la mortalidad por accidentes de tráfico. Respecto a la edad, no podemos hablar de un efecto claro; tampoco se encontró un efecto cohorte ni para varones ni para mujeres. En relación con las medidas de seguridad vial, se discutió la consistencia que guardaban los modelos seleccionados con los resultados gráficos, y se obtuvo que el uso obligatorio del casco y de las luces de cruce en motocicletas se ha asociado significativamente a la reducción de la mortalidad (RR 0.73, pOBJECTIVE. To study the evolution of traffic accidents mortality in Spain and its possible application to an age-period-cohort analysis, as well as the effect of selected road safety measures. MATERIAL AND METHODS. Road accidents rates of mortality were obtained, and five-year interval age rates for each sex, which allows the study of specific rates of age by birth cohorts. To determine the association between the selected road safety measures and mortality, Poisson regression models were adjusted. RESULTS. Two waves emerge in the evolution of traffic accidents. There was no clear effect with respect to age, nor was there a cohort effect for men or women. As to the road safety measures, we discuss the consistency between the selected models and graphic results. The compulsory use of helmet and of crossing lights is

Development and validation of a predictive model for excessive postpartum blood loss: A retrospective, cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Rubio-Álvarez, Ana; Molina-Alarcón, Milagros; Arias-Arias, Ángel; Hernández-Martínez, Antonio

2018-03-01

postpartum haemorrhage is one of the leading causes of maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite the use of uterotonics agents as preventive measure, it remains a challenge to identify those women who are at increased risk of postpartum bleeding. to develop and to validate a predictive model to assess the risk of excessive bleeding in women with vaginal birth. retrospective cohorts study. "Mancha-Centro Hospital" (Spain). the elaboration of the predictive model was based on a derivation cohort consisting of 2336 women between 2009 and 2011. For validation purposes, a prospective cohort of 953 women between 2013 and 2014 were employed. Women with antenatal fetal demise, multiple pregnancies and gestations under 35 weeks were excluded METHODS: we used a multivariate analysis with binary logistic regression, Ridge Regression and areas under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curves to determine the predictive ability of the proposed model. there was 197 (8.43%) women with excessive bleeding in the derivation cohort and 63 (6.61%) women in the validation cohort. Predictive factors in the final model were: maternal age, primiparity, duration of the first and second stages of labour, neonatal birth weight and antepartum haemoglobin levels. Accordingly, the predictive ability of this model in the derivation cohort was 0.90 (95% CI: 0.85-0.93), while it remained 0.83 (95% CI: 0.74-0.92) in the validation cohort. this predictive model is proved to have an excellent predictive ability in the derivation cohort, and its validation in a latter population equally shows a good ability for prediction. This model can be employed to identify women with a higher risk of postpartum haemorrhage. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Population-Based Cohort Study on Peripheral Arterial Disease in Patients with Schizophrenia.

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Wen-Yu Hsu

Full Text Available Peripheral arterial disease (PAD is considered the leading cause of atherosclerotic cardiovascular morbidity. Several risk factors of PAD have been observed in patients with schizophrenia. Therefore, we hypothesize that the incidence of PAD is higher in the schizophrenia population than in the general population.The patients in this population-based cohort study were selected from the Taiwanese National Health Insurance Research Database on the basis of the claims data from 2000 to 2011. We compared the incidence of PAD between schizophrenia and nonschizophrenia cohorts. Cox proportional hazard regression models were employed for analyzing the risk of PAD after adjustment for sex, age, and comorbidities.The adjusted hazard ratio (HR for PAD in the schizophrenia cohort was 1.26-fold higher than that in the nonschizophrenia cohort. Furthermore, patients with schizophrenia using atypical antipsychotics exhibited a high adjusted HR for PAD.Compared with the general population, the risk of PAD is higher among patients with schizophrenia. Early diagnosis and intervention can mitigate complications resulting from cardiovascular diseases and lower mortality.

Is the increase in allergic respiratory disease caused by a cohort effect?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Linneberg, A; Nielsen, N H; Madsen, F

2002-01-01

-sectional studies have shown that the prevalence of allergic sensitization decreases with increasing age. This could reflect the natural course of allergic sensitization. Alternatively, this could reflect that the increase in sensitization is caused by a cohort effect, i.e. an increase among subjects born during...... by a cohort effect. Thus, changes in lifestyle or environmental factors that occurred around or after 1960 may have contributed to this increase....

Oral health in a life-course: birth-cohorts from 1929 to 2006 in Norway.

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Holst, D; Schuller, A A

2012-06-01

The purpose of the work was to study the influence of the oral health environment at age 10, of adolescent and adulthood dental behaviours and of social status on oral health of three birth-cohorts in 1983 and two of the three birth-cohorts in 2006 in Norway. The material comprised data from random samples of three birth-cohorts living in the counties of Sør- and Nord-Trøndelag in 1983. The birth-cohorts were 1929-1938, 1939-1948 and 1959-1960. In 2006 two samples were drawn from the 1929-1938 and 1959-1960 birth-cohort. The data collection comprised standard clinical measurements and self-administered questionnaires. The early oral health environment and social status and gender were related to oral health in 1983 by multiple regressions. The impact of social status was studied in combined datafiles from 1983 and 2006. The oral health environment in childhood was important for adults' oral health. The attention from parents and the local environment lead to a better oral health outcome in adulthood. Social status affected choices leading to better oral health. Regular dental visits were important especially for the eldest birth-cohort. Good oral health behaviours early and during adulthood were also important for oral health. Judged by number of tooth surfaces the difference between social status groups had not increased by 2006. A life-course perspective provides an opportunity to understand oral health over time. The present study supports the assumption that oral health is continuously exposed to environmental and behavioural risks that lead to accumulated diseases in the dental tissues.

The IDEFICS Cohort

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ahrens, Wolfgang; Bammann, Karin; Siani, Alfonso

2011-01-01

in eight countries in 2007–2008. Subjects and measurements: Baseline participants of the prospective cohort study were 16 224 children aged 2–9 years. Parents reported sociodemographic, behavioural, medical, nutritional and other lifestyle data for their children and families. Examinations of children...... included anthropometry, blood pressure, fitness, accelerometry, DNA from saliva and physiological markers in blood and urine. The built environment, sensory taste perception and other mechanisms of children's food choices and consumer behaviour were studied in subgroups. Results: Between 1507 and 2567......, children with a mean age of 6.0 years and an even sex distribution were recruited from each country. Of them, 82% lived in two-parent families. The distribution of standardised income levels differed by study sample, with low-income groups being strongly represented in Cyprus, Italy and Germany. At least...

OANA MĂTU, INMA PASTOR, Gender and Poverty in Spain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ÁNGEL BELZUNEGUI

2013-05-01

Full Text Available In this article, we present an analysis of the data retrieved from the Survey onIncome and Living Conditions. A gender-based poverty study was carried out, startingfrom the evolution of global taxes, together with factors that can explain thedifferences between the poverty variable affecting men and the poverty variableaffecting women in Spain. Considering these data, it was deemed necessary toexamine the concept of feminisation of poverty and its empirical basis. We concludethat, although slightly higher poverty levels can be noted in the case of women,compared with men, in accordance with the quantitative data, this difference is notsufficiently significant to indicate that we are dealing with a feminisation of poverty –understood as a process in which differences between poverty among women andpoverty among men increase incrementally. Based on our study, we consider that thesimple presence of a poverty differentiation between men and women is not sufficientto conclude that poverty is undergoing a process of feminization.

Sensor, a population-based cohort study on gastroenteritis in the Netherlands: incidence and etiology.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wit, M.A.S. de; Koopmans, M.P.G.; Kortbeek, L.M.; Wannet, W.J.B.; Vinje, J; Leusden, F. van; Bartelds, A.I.M.; Duynhoven, Y.T.H.P. van

2001-01-01

A prospective population-based cohort study with a nested case- control study was conducted to estimate the incidence of gastroenteritis and the associated pathogens in the general Dutch population. Follow-up of two consecutive cohorts was performed by weekly reporting cards from december 1998 to

A Canadian naturalistic study of a community-based cohort treated for bipolar disorder

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Chandresena Ranjith

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Bipolar illness is associated with significant psychosocial morbidity and health resource utilization. Second generation antipsychotics, used alone or in combination with mood stabilizers are effective in treating acute mania in community settings. This study was designed to compare the change in clinical parameters and resource utilization at one month in a group of patients who required treatment intervention for exacerbation of mania. The clinical response at one year was also evaluated. Methods 496 patients were enrolled at 75 psychiatric practices across Canada. The Olanzapine cohort (n = 287 included patients who had olanzapine added to their medication regimen or the dose of olanzapine increased. The Other cohort (n = 209 had a medication other than olanzapine added or the dose adjusted. Changes from baseline in the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS, Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory and SF-12 Health Survey were compared at one month using ANCOVA. Categorical variables at one month for health resource utilization, employment status, abuse/dependency, and the number of suicide attempts were compared using Fisher's Exact test. Patients were followed for one year and a subgroup was evaluated. Results At one month, patients in the Olanzapine cohort recorded a mean reduction in the YMRS of 11.5, significantly greater than the mean reduction in the Other cohort of 9.7 (ANCOVA P = 0.002. The Olanzapine cohort was significantly improved compared to the Other cohort on the scales for depression and anxiety and did not experience the deterioration in physical functioning seen in the Other cohort. No significant differences were detected in health-related quality-of-life measures, employment status, drug abuse/dependency, number of suicide attempts, mental functioning, emergency room visits or inpatient psychiatric hospitalizations. In a subgroup treated for 12 months with a single second generation

Motives for participating in a web-based nutrition cohort according to sociodemographic, lifestyle, and health characteristics: the NutriNet-Santé cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Méjean, Caroline; Szabo de Edelenyi, Fabien; Touvier, Mathilde; Kesse-Guyot, Emmanuelle; Julia, Chantal; Andreeva, Valentina A; Hercberg, Serge

2014-08-07

In traditional epidemiological studies, participants are likely motivated by perceived benefits, feelings of accomplishment, and belonging. No study has explored motives for participation in a Web-based cohort and the associated participant characteristics, although such information is useful for enhancing recruitment and improving cohort retention. We aimed to evaluate the relationships between motives for participation and sociodemographic, health, and lifestyle characteristics of participants in the NutriNet-Santé Web-based cohort, designed to identify nutritional risk or protective factors for chronic diseases. The motives for participation were assessed using a specifically developed questionnaire administered approximately 2 years after baseline. A total of 6352 completed the motives questionnaire (43.34%, 6352/15,000 randomly invited cohort participants). We studied the associations between motives (dependent variables) and individual characteristics with multivariate multinomial logistic regression models providing odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. In total, 46.45% (2951/6352) of participants reported that they would not have enrolled if the study had not been conducted on the Internet, whereas 28.75% (1826/6352) were not sure. Men (OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.04-1.42), individuals aged 26-35 years (OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.20-1.91), and obese participants (OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.02-1.65) were more inclined to be motivated by the Internet aspect. Compared with younger adults and managerial staff, individuals >55 years (OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.48-0.45) and employees/manual workers were less likely motivated by the Internet aspect (OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.63-0.92). Regarding reasons for participation, 61.37% (3898/6352) reported participating to help advance public health research on chronic disease prevention; 22.24% (1413/6352) to help advance nutrition-focused research; 6.89% (438/6352) in response to the call from the media, after being encouraged by a close friend/associate, or

Cohort fertility decline in low fertility countries: Decomposition using parity progression ratios

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Krystof Zeman

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Background: The long-term decline in cohort fertility in highly developed countries has been widely documented. However, no systematic analysis has investigated which parity contributed most to the fertility decline to low and very low levels. Objective: We examine how the contribution of changing parity progression ratios varied across cohorts, countries, and broader regions in Europe, North America, Australia, and East Asia. We pay special attention to countries that reached very low completed cohort fertility, below 1.75 children per woman. Methods: Using population censuses and large-scale surveys for 32 low fertility countries, we decompose the change in completed cohort fertility among women born between 1940 and 1970. The decomposition method takes into account the sequential nature of childbearing as a chain of transitions from lower to higher parities. Results: Among women born between 1940 and 1955, the fertility decline was mostly driven by reductions in the progression ratios to third and higher-order births. By contrast, among women born between 1955 and 1970, changes in fertility showed distinct regional patterns: in Central and Eastern Europe they were fuelled by falling second-birth rates, whereas in the German-speaking countries, Southern Europe, and East Asia decreases in first-birth rates played the major role. Conclusions: Pathways to low and very low fertility show distinct geographical patterns, which reflect the diversity of the cultural, socioeconomic, and institutional settings of low fertility countries. Contribution: Our study highlights the importance of analysing parity-specific components of fertility in order to understand fertility change and variation. We demonstrate that similar low levels of completed cohort fertility can result from different combinations of parity-specific fertility rates.

COHORT CHANGE, DIFFUSION, AND SUPPORT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SPENDING IN THE UNITED STATES.

Science.gov (United States)

Pampel, Fred C; Hunter, Lori M

2012-09-01

The long-standing and sometimes heated debates over the direction and size of the effect of socioeconomic status (SES) on environmental concern contrast post-materialist and affluence arguments, suggesting a positive relationship in high-income nations, with counter arguments for a negative or near zero relationship. A diffusion-of-innovations approach adapts parts of both arguments by predicting that high SES groups first adopt pro-environmental views, which produces a positive relationship. Like other innovations, however, environmentalism diffuses over time to other SES groups, which subsequently weakens the association. We test this argument using the General Social Survey from 1973 to 2008 to compare support for environmental spending across 83 cohorts born from around 1900 to 1982. In developing attitudes before, during, and after the emergence of environmentalism, varying cohorts provide the contrast needed to identify long-term changes in environmental concern. Multilevel age, period, and cohort models support diffusion arguments by demonstrating the effects, across cohorts, of three common indicators of SES - education, income and occupational prestige - first strengthen and then weaken. This finding suggests that diffusion of environmental concern first produces positive relationships consistent with postmaterialism arguments and later produces null or negative relationships consistent with global environmentalism arguments.

Materialism across the life span: An age-period-cohort analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Jaspers, Esther D T; Pieters, Rik G M

2016-09-01

This research examined the development of materialism across the life span. Two initial studies revealed that (a) lay beliefs were that materialism declines with age and (b) previous research findings also implied a modest, negative relationship between age and materialism. Yet, previous research has considered age only as a linear control variable, thereby precluding the possibility of more intricate relationships between age and materialism. Moreover, prior studies have relied on cross-sectional data and thus confound age and cohort effects. To improve on this, the main study used longitudinal data from 8 waves spanning 9 years of over 4,200 individuals (16 to 90 years) to examine age effects on materialism while controlling for cohort and period effects. Using a multivariate multilevel latent growth model, it found that materialism followed a curvilinear trajectory across the life span, with the lowest levels at middle age and higher levels before and after that. Thus, in contrast to lay beliefs, materialism increased in older age. Moreover, age effects on materialism differed markedly between 3 core themes of materialism: acquisition centrality, possession-defined success, and acquisition as the pursuit of happiness. In particular, acquisition centrality and possession-defined success were higher at younger and older age. Independent of these age effects, older birth cohorts were oriented more toward possession-defined success, whereas younger birth cohorts were oriented more toward acquisition centrality. The economic downturn since 2008 led to a decrease in acquisition as the pursuit of happiness and in desires for personal growth, but to an increase in desires for achievement. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Risk of thyroid cancer in patients with thyroiditis: a population-based cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Chien-Liang; Cheng, Shih-Ping; Lin, Hui-Wen; Lai, Yuen-Liang

2014-03-01

The causative relationship between autoimmune thyroiditis and thyroid cancer remains a controversial issue. The aim of this population-based study was to investigate the risk of thyroid cancer in patients with thyroiditis. From the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2005 (LHID2005) of Taiwan, we identified adult patients newly diagnosed with thyroiditis between 2004 and 2009 (n = 1,654). The comparison cohort (n = 8,270) included five randomly selected age- and sex-matched controls for each patient in the study cohort. All patients were followed up from the date of cohort entry until they developed thyroid cancer or to the end of 2010. Multivariate Cox regression was used to assess the risk of developing thyroid cancer. A total of 1,000 bootstrap replicates were created for internal validation. A total of 35 patients developed thyroid cancer during the study period, of whom 24 were from the thyroiditis cohort and 11 were from the comparison cohort (incidence 353 and 22 per 100,000 person-years, respectively). After adjusting for potential confounding factors, the hazard ratio (HR) for thyroid cancer in patients with thyroiditis was 13.24 (95 % CI 6.40-27.39). Excluding cancers occurring within 1 year of follow-up, the HR remained significantly increased (6.64; 95 % CI 2.35-18.75). Hypothyroidism was not an independent factor associated with the occurrence of thyroid cancer. We found an increased risk for the development of thyroid cancer after a diagnosis of thyroiditis, independent of comorbidities.

Revitalising the Metropolit 1953 Danish male birth cohort: background, aims and design

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Osler, Merete; Andersen, Anne-Marie Nybo; Lund, Rikke

2004-01-01

mobility. At age 12 years, 9537 of these cohort members completed a questionnaire in school, which included cognitive measures and information on social aspirations and leisure time activities. In 1966 educational performance tests were administered for these boys and, in 1968, mothers of 2890 cohort......Recent research indicates that factors operating during childhood are related to adult health. Thus, longitudinal studies with information on subsequent phases may be key to understanding later health outcomes. The main objective of this paper is to describe the history and design of a Danish birth...... cohort, and its revitalisation. In 1965, information from birth certificates for 11 591 of a total of 12 270 males born in 1953 in the Metropolitan area of Copenhagen, Denmark were traced. These boys were the study population of a sociological investigation conducted with the aim of describing social...

Age, period and cohort effects on first-child fertility in Danish men

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kamper-Jørgensen, Mads; Keiding, Niels; Knudsen, Lisbeth B.

Demographic studies of fertility are most often based solely on information about women, leaving out characteristics of men. Thereby valuable information may be lost. The present note intends to explore the potential of the classical age-period-cohort model for describing male first-child fertility...... patterns. The model was fitted to fertility data on Danish men aged 15 to 49 years in the calendar period from 1960 to 1994. We found the classical age-period-cohodt model to be an appropriate model for describing male first-child fertility patterns in Denmark. Fluctuations in age-specific male first-child...... fertility rates over period were found,  with a nadir in the mid-1980s. Furthermore, age-specific first-child fertility rates were found to be lower in men from younger cirth cohorts than in men from older birth cohorts....

A review of the results from the German Wismut uranium miners cohort

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walsh, L.; Grosche, B.; Schnelzer, M.; Tschense, A.; Sogl, M.; Kreuzer, M.

2015-01-01

The Wismut cohort is currently the largest single study on the health risks associated with occupational exposures to ionising radiation and dust accrued during activities related to uranium mining. The cohort has ∼59 000 male workers, first employed between 1946 and 1989, at the Wismut Company in Germany. The main effect is a statistically significant increase in mortality from lung cancer with both increasing cumulative radon exposure and silica dust exposure. Risks for cancers of the extra-thoracic airways, all extra-pulmonary cancers and cardiovascular diseases associated with radiation exposures have been evaluated. Cohort mortality rates for some other cancer sites, stomach and liver, are statistically significantly increased in relation to the general population, but not statistically significantly related to occupational exposures. No associations between leukaemia mortality and occupational doses of ionising radiation were found. (authors)

Plasma proteome analysis in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension: an observational cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Rhodes, Christopher J; Wharton, John; Ghataorhe, Pavandeep; Watson, Geoffrey; Girerd, Barbara; Howard, Luke S; Gibbs, J Simon R; Condliffe, Robin; Elliot, Charles A; Kiely, David G; Simonneau, Gerald; Montani, David; Sitbon, Olivier; Gall, Henning; Schermuly, Ralph T; Ghofrani, H Ardeschir; Lawrie, Allan; Humbert, Marc; Wilkins, Martin R

2017-09-01

Idiopathic and heritable pulmonary arterial hypertension form a rare but molecularly heterogeneous disease group. We aimed to measure and validate differences in plasma concentrations of proteins that are associated with survival in patients with idiopathic or heritable pulmonary arterial hypertension to improve risk stratification. In this observational cohort study, we enrolled patients with idiopathic or heritable pulmonary arterial hypertension from London (UK; cohorts 1 and 2), Giessen (Germany; cohort 3), and Paris (France; cohort 4). Blood samples were collected at routine clinical appointment visits, clinical data were collected within 30 days of blood sampling, and biochemical data were collected within 7 days of blood sampling. We used an aptamer-based assay of 1129 plasma proteins, and patient clinical details were concealed to the technicians. We identified a panel of prognostic proteins, confirmed with alternative targeted assays, which we evaluated against the established prognostic risk equation for pulmonary arterial hypertension derived from the REVEAL registry. All-cause mortality was the primary endpoint. 20 proteins differentiated survivors and non-survivors in 143 consecutive patients with idiopathic or heritable pulmonary arterial hypertension with 2 years' follow-up (cohort 1) and in a further 75 patients with 2·5 years' follow-up (cohort 2). Nine proteins were both prognostic independent of plasma NT-proBNP concentrations and confirmed by targeted assays. The functions of these proteins relate to myocardial stress, inflammation, pulmonary vascular cellular dysfunction and structural dysregulation, iron status, and coagulation. A cutoff-based score using the panel of nine proteins provided prognostic information independent of the REVEAL equation, improving the C statistic from area under the curve 0·83 (for REVEAL risk score, 95% CI 0·77-0·89; parterial hypertension in cohort 3 (p=0·0133). The protein panel was validated in 93 patients

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

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

2015-12-01

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

Uneven transitions: Period- and cohort-related changes in gender attitudes in China, 1995-2007.

Science.gov (United States)

Shu, Xiaoling; Zhu, Yifei

2012-09-01

This paper analyzes temporal variations in two gender attitudes in China: beliefs about gender equality and perspectives on women's combined work and family roles. It uses the most currently available population series from the 1995, 2001 and 2007 World Value Surveys of 4500 respondents and a series of multilevel cross-classified models to properly estimate period and cohort effects. Attitudes toward women's dual roles manifest neither period nor cohort effects; the population displays a universal high level of acceptance of women's paid employment. Orientations toward gender equality manifest both cohort and period effects: members of the youngest cohort of both sexes hold the most liberal attitudes; the positive effect of college education has increased over time. Attitude toward gender equality in China displays neither a shift toward conservatism nor an over-time trend toward egalitarianism in 1995-2007, a time of rapid economic growth. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of physiotherapy in a prospective cohort of early axial spondyloarthritis. Data from the DESIR cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Escalas, Cécile; Dalichampt, Marie; Dougados, Maxime; Poiraudeau, Serge

2016-03-01

To evaluate the effect of physiotherapy on functional limitation in an observational cohort of early axial spondyloarthritis. prospective population-based cohort study. 708 patients with early axial spondyloarthritis between 2007 and 2010 naive of TNF blockers. early physiotherapy defined by at least eight supervised sessions of physical therapy during the first six months. the primary outcome was functional improvement defined by a relative improvement of at least 20% in BASFI at six months. Secondary outcomes were improvement in BASFI at one and two years and ASAS20 response criteria at six months. a propensity score of having physiotherapy was developed and multivariate analysis using propensity score weighting were used to assess the effect of physiotherapy on outcome. Overall, 166 (24%) patients had physiotherapy during the first six months. After using propensity score weighting, there was no functional improvement on the primary outcome in patients treated with early physical therapy (relative risk [IC95%]: 1.15 [0.91-1.45]). No differences were observed on secondary outcomes (relative risk [IC95%]: 0.94 [0.80-1.11]). It seems there is no functional benefit for patients with early spondyloarthritis to be treated early by physiotherapy in daily practice, even though the efficacy of physiotherapy has been shown in several randomized controlled studies. Copyright © 2015 Société française de rhumatologie. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Prevalence and predictors of alcohol use during pregnancy: findings from international multicentre cohort studies.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Keeffe, Linda M; Kearney, Patricia M; McCarthy, Fergus P; Khashan, Ali S; Greene, Richard A; North, Robyn A; Poston, Lucilla; McCowan, Lesley M E; Baker, Philip N; Dekker, Gus A; Walker, James J; Taylor, Rennae; Kenny, Louise C

2015-07-06

To compare the prevalence and predictors of alcohol use in multiple cohorts. Cross-cohort comparison of retrospective and prospective studies. Population-based studies in Ireland, the UK, Australia and New Zealand. 17,244 women of predominantly Caucasian origin from two Irish retrospective studies (Growing up in Ireland (GUI) and Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System Ireland (PRAMS Ireland)), and one multicentre prospective international cohort, Screening for Pregnancy Endpoints (SCOPE) study. Prevalence of alcohol use pre-pregnancy and during pregnancy across cohorts. Sociodemographic factors associated with alcohol consumption in each cohort. Alcohol consumption during pregnancy in Ireland ranged from 20% in GUI to 80% in SCOPE, and from 40% to 80% in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. Levels of exposure also varied substantially among drinkers in each cohort ranging from 70% consuming more than 1-2 units/week in the first trimester in SCOPE Ireland, to 46% and 15% in the retrospective studies. Smoking during pregnancy was the most consistent predictor of gestational alcohol use in all three cohorts, and smokers were 17% more likely to drink during pregnancy in SCOPE, relative risk (RR)=1.17 (95% CI 1.12 to 1.22), 50% more likely to drink during pregnancy in GUI, RR=1.50 (95% CI 1.36 to 1.65), and 42% more likely to drink in PRAMS, RR=1.42 (95% CI 1.18 to 1.70). Our data suggest that alcohol use during pregnancy is prevalent and socially pervasive in the UK, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia. New policy and interventions are required to reduce alcohol prevalence both prior to and during pregnancy. Further research on biological markers and conventions for measuring alcohol use in pregnancy is required to improve the validity and reliability of prevalence estimates. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Maternal cell phone use during pregnancy and child behavioral problems in five birth cohorts.

Science.gov (United States)

Birks, Laura; Guxens, Mònica; Papadopoulou, Eleni; Alexander, Jan; Ballester, Ferran; Estarlich, Marisa; Gallastegi, Mara; Ha, Mina; Haugen, Margaretha; Huss, Anke; Kheifets, Leeka; Lim, Hyungryul; Olsen, Jørn; Santa-Marina, Loreto; Sudan, Madhuri; Vermeulen, Roel; Vrijkotte, Tanja; Cardis, Elisabeth; Vrijheid, Martine

2017-07-01

Previous studies have reported associations between prenatal cell phone use and child behavioral problems, but findings have been inconsistent and based on retrospective assessment of cell phone use. This study aimed to assess this association in a multi-national analysis, using data from three cohorts with prospective data on prenatal cell phone use, together with previously published data from two cohorts with retrospectively collected cell phone use data. We used individual participant data from 83,884 mother-child pairs in the five cohorts from Denmark (1996-2002), Korea (2006-2011), the Netherlands (2003-2004), Norway (2004-2008), and Spain (2003-2008). We categorized cell phone use into none, low, medium, and high, based on frequency of calls during pregnancy reported by the mothers. Child behavioral problems (reported by mothers using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire or Child Behavior Checklist) were classified in the borderline/clinical and clinical ranges using validated cut-offs in children aged 5-7years. Cohort specific risk estimates were meta-analyzed. Overall, 38.8% of mothers, mostly from the Danish cohort, reported no cell phone use during pregnancy and these mothers were less likely to have a child with overall behavioral, hyperactivity/inattention or emotional problems. Evidence for a trend of increasing risk of child behavioral problems through the maternal cell phone use categories was observed for hyperactivity/inattention problems (OR for problems in the clinical range: 1.11, 95%CI 1.01, 1.22; 1.28, 95%CI 1.12, 1.48, among children of medium and high users, respectively). This association was fairly consistent across cohorts and between cohorts with retrospectively and prospectively collected cell phone use data. Maternal cell phone use during pregnancy may be associated with an increased risk for behavioral problems, particularly hyperactivity/inattention problems, in the offspring. The interpretation of these results is unclear

Classification of patients with sepsis according to blood genomic endotype: a prospective cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Scicluna, Brendon P; van Vught, Lonneke A; Zwinderman, Aeilko H; Wiewel, Maryse A; Davenport, Emma E; Burnham, Katie L; Nürnberg, Peter; Schultz, Marcus J; Horn, Janneke; Cremer, Olaf L; Bonten, Marc J; Hinds, Charles J; Wong, Hector R; Knight, Julian C; van der Poll, Tom

2017-10-01

Host responses during sepsis are highly heterogeneous, which hampers the identification of patients at high risk of mortality and their selection for targeted therapies. In this study, we aimed to identify biologically relevant molecular endotypes in patients with sepsis. This was a prospective observational cohort study that included consecutive patients admitted for sepsis to two intensive care units (ICUs) in the Netherlands between Jan 1, 2011, and July 20, 2012 (discovery and first validation cohorts) and patients admitted with sepsis due to community-acquired pneumonia to 29 ICUs in the UK (second validation cohort). We generated genome-wide blood gene expression profiles from admission samples and analysed them by unsupervised consensus clustering and machine learning. The primary objective of this study was to establish endotypes for patients with sepsis, and assess the association of these endotypes with clinical traits and survival outcomes. We also established candidate biomarkers for the endotypes to allow identification of patient endotypes in clinical practice. The discovery cohort had 306 patients, the first validation cohort had 216, and the second validation cohort had 265 patients. Four molecular endotypes for sepsis, designated Mars1-4, were identified in the discovery cohort, and were associated with 28-day mortality (log-rank p=0·022). In the discovery cohort, the worst outcome was found for patients classified as having a Mars1 endotype, and at 28 days, 35 (39%) of 90 people with a Mars1 endotype had died (hazard ratio [HR] vs all other endotypes 1·86 [95% CI 1·21-2·86]; p=0·0045), compared with 23 (22%) of 105 people with a Mars2 endotype (HR 0·64 [0·40-1·04]; p=0·061), 16 (23%) of 71 people with a Mars3 endotype (HR 0·71 [0·41-1·22]; p=0·19), and 13 (33%) of 40 patients with a Mars4 endotype (HR 1·13 [0·63-2·04]; p=0·69). Analysis of the net reclassification improvement using a combined clinical and endotype model

Do inattention and hyperactivity symptoms equal scholastic impairment? Evidence from three European cohorts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rodriguez, Alina; Järvelin, Marjo-Riitta; Obel, Carsten

2007-01-01

BACKGROUND: Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) affects many children, adolescents, and adults and is associated with a number of impairments. Poor academic performance is related to ADHD in clinical samples. However, it is unclear to what extent core ADHD symptoms and scholastic...... children on inattention and hyperactivity symptoms and reported children's scholastic performance on basic skills. RESULTS: There was a significant association in all cohorts between core ADHD symptoms and scholastic impairment in reading, writing, and mathematics. Particularly, inattention was related...... to a two to tenfold increase in scholastic impairment. Prevalence of hyperactivity symptoms was similar across the three cohorts, but inattention was lowest among children from the Finnish cohort, after stratification on living conditions. CONCLUSION: These results extend previous reports of scholastic...

Risk of sexual transmitted infection following bipolar disorder: a nationwide population-based cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Shyh-Chyang; Hu, Chang-Kuo; Hung, Jeng-Hsiu; Yang, Albert C; Tsai, Shih-Jen; Huang, Min-Wei; Hu, Li-Yu; Shen, Cheng-Che

2018-04-03

Bipolar disorder is a severe mental disorder associated with functional and cognitive impairment. Numerous studies have investigated associations between sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and psychiatric illnesses. However, the results of these studies are controversial. We explored the association between bipolar disorder and the subsequent development of STIs, including human immunodeficiency virus infection; primary, secondary, and latent syphilis; genital warts; gonorrhea; chlamydial infection; and trichomoniasis. The bipolar cohort consisted of 1293 patients, and the comparison cohort consisted of 5172 matched control subjects without bipolar disorder. The incidence of subsequent STIs (hazard ratio (HR) = 2.23, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.68-2.96) was higher among the patients with bipolar disorder than in the comparison cohort. Furthermore, female gender is a risk factor for acquisition of STIs (HR = 2.36, 95% CI 1.73-4.89) among patients with bipolar disorder. For individual STIs, the results indicated that the patients with bipolar disorder exhibited a markedly higher risk for subsequently contracting syphilis, genital warts, and trichomoniasis. Bipolar disorder might increase the risk of subsequent newly diagnosed STIs, including syphilis, genital warts, and trichomoniasis. Clinicians should pay particular attention to STIs in patients with bipolar disorder. Patients with bipolar disorder, especially those with a history of high-risk sexual behaviors, should be routinely screened for STIs. We identified patients who were diagnosed with bipolar disorder in the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. A comparison cohort was constructed of patients without bipolar disorder who were matched with the bipolar cohort according to age and gender. The occurrence of subsequent new-onset STIs was evaluated in both cohorts.

Site-specific cancer risk in the Baltic cohort of Chernobyl cleanup workers, 1986–2007

Science.gov (United States)

Rahu, Kaja; Hakulinen, Timo; Smailyte, Giedre; Stengrevics, Aivars; Auvinen, Anssi; Inskip, Peter D.; Boice, John D.; Rahu, Mati

2013-01-01

Objective To assess site-specific cancer risk in the Baltic cohort of Chernobyl cleanup workers 1986–2007. Methods The Baltic cohort includes 17,040 men from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania who participated in the environmental cleanup after the accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station in 1986–1991, and who were followed for cancer incidence until the end of 2007. Cancer cases diagnosed in the cohort and in the male population of each country were identified from the respective national cancer registers. The proportional incidence ratio (PIR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to estimate the site-specific cancer risk in the cohort. For comparison and as it was possible, the site-specific standardized incidence ratio (SIR) was calculated for the Estonian sub-cohort, which was not feasible for the other countries. Results Overall, 756 cancer cases were reported during 1986–2007. A higher proportion of thyroid cancers in relation to the male population was found (PIR=2.76; 95%CI 1.63–4.36), especially among those who started their mission shortly after the accident, in April–May 1986 (PIR=6.38; 95% CI 2.34–13.89). Also, an excess of oesophageal cancers was noted (PIR=1.52; 95% CI 1.06–2.11). No increased PIRs for leukaemia or radiation-related cancer sites combined were observed. PIRs and SIRs for the Estonian sub-cohort demonstrated the same site-specific cancer risk pattern. Conclusion Consistent evidence of an increase in radiation-related cancers in the Baltic cohort was not observed with the possible exception of thyroid cancer, where conclusions are hampered by known medical examination including thyroid screening among cleanup workers. PMID:23683549

Establishment and baseline characteristics of a nationwide Danish cohort of patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Kulas Søborg, Marie-Louise; Leganger, Julie; Quitzau Mortensen, Laura; Rosenberg, Jacob; Burcharth, Jakob

2017-05-01

The aim of this study was to investigate national prevalence, general demographic characteristics and survival of Danish patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). A population-based cohort study was conducted using a database consisting of the entire Danish population alive at any given time between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2012, based upon longitudinal Danish national registers. All patients with EDS were identified, and the cohort was described by disease prevalence, basic demographic characteristics, mean age at death and mortality for the observational period of 13 years. The cohort held 1427 unique persons with EDS, giving a national prevalence of 0.02%. The EDS population had a mean ( s . d .) age of 34.9 (18.6) years and comprised 73.9% females and 26.1% males. Of the cohort, 95.9% originated from Denmark and 57% were unmarried. We found that 31.6% of the cohort received state-granted subsidies, of which 77% were in the form of early retirement pension. Regarding educational status, 28.1% of the EDS cohort had completed primary education (⩽10th grade) as their highest educational level, while 71.9% had completed a higher level. During the observation period, 42 patients died, with a mean ( s . d .) age at death of 53.6 (21.7) years. This study confirmed a small national prevalence of patients diagnosed with EDS and showed that the majority of patients diagnosed are female. The EDS cohort had a lower educational level, mean age and life expectancy compared with the background population and showed a predisposition for receiving state-granted subsidies. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Malignant transformation of Taiwanese patients with oral leukoplakia: A nationwide population-based retrospective cohort study

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Tung-Yuan Wang

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Background/Purpose: Oral leukoplakia (OL is one of the clinically diagnosed oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs with an increased risk of oral cancer development. In this study, we investigated the malignant transformation of OL in Taiwanese population. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was analyzed from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. A comparison cohort was randomly frequency-matched with the OL cohort according to age, sex, and index year. Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF and oral lichen planus (OLP were further stratified to evaluate the possible synergistic effects for OL-associated malignant transformation. Results: In this cohort, 102 (5.374% of 1898 OL patients were observed to transform into oral cancer. The malignant transformation rate was 26.40-fold in the OL cohort than in the comparison cohort after adjustment (95% confidence intervals 18.46–37.77. To further stratify with OSF and OLP, OL with OSF (58.38; 95% confidence intervals 34.61–98.50 and OL with OLP (36.88; 95% confidence intervals 8.90–152.78 had higher risk of malignant transformation rate than OL alone (27.01; 95% confidence intervals 18.91–38.59. The Kaplan–Meier plot revealed the free of malignant transformation rate was significant over the 13 years follow-up period (log-rank test, p < 0.001. Conclusion: OL patients exhibited a significantly higher risk of malignant transformation than those without OL. In addition, both OSF and OLP could enhance malignant transformation in patients with OL. However, further studies are required to identify the histopathological and clinical parameters in the pathogenesis of malignant transformation among OPMDs. Keywords: Oral leukoplakia, Oral submucous fibrosis, Oral lichen planus, Malignant transformation, Nationwide population, Cohort study, Taiwan

Malignant transformation of oral submucous fibrosis in Taiwan: A nationwide population-based retrospective cohort study.

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Yang, Po-Yu; Chen, Yi-Tzu; Wang, Yu-Hsun; Su, Ni-Yu; Yu, Hui-Chieh; Chang, Yu-Chao

2017-11-01

Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is one of the well-recognized oral potentially malignant disorders. In this study, we investigated the malignant transformation of OSF in a Taiwanese population. A retrospective cohort study was analyzed from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. A comparison cohort was randomly frequency-matched with the OSF cohort according to age, sex, and index year. Oral leukoplakia (OL) was further stratified to evaluate for the possible synergistic effects of OSF-associated malignant transformation. In this cohort, 71 (9.13%) of 778 cases of OSF were observed to transform into oral cancer. The malignant transformation rate was 29.26-fold in the OSF cohort than in the comparison cohort after adjustment (95% confidence intervals 20.55-41.67). To further stratify with OL, OSF with OL (52.46%; 95% confidence intervals 34.88-78.91) had higher risk of malignant transformation rate than OSF alone (29.84%; 95% confidence intervals 20.99-42.42). The Kaplan-Meier plot revealed the rate free of malignant transformation was significant over the 13-year follow-up period (log-rank test, Ptransformation was 5.1, 2.7, and 2.2 years for non-OSF, OSF alone, and OSF with OL, respectively. Oral submucous fibrosis patients exhibited a significantly higher risk of malignant transformation than those without OSF. OL could enhance malignant transformation in patients with OSF. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Sleep disorders increase the risk of burning mouth syndrome: a retrospective population-based cohort study.

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Lee, Chun-Feng; Lin, Kuan-Yu; Lin, Ming-Chia; Lin, Cheng-Li; Chang, Shih-Ni; Kao, Chia-Hung

2014-11-01

Sleep disorders (SD), including apnea and nonapnea, and burning mouth syndrome (BMS) have been mutually associated with systemic diseases. Based on our research, the association between BMS and SD has not been elucidated. We determined whether SD patients have an increased risk of BMS. We used information from health insurance claims obtained from the Taiwanese National Health Insurance (NHI) program. We identified patients newly diagnosed with sleep apnea syndrome between 1998 and 2001 as the apnea SD cohort, and newly diagnosed patients with nonapnea SD as the nonapnea SD cohort. The non-SD cohort was 1:2 frequency matched the case group according to sex, age, and index year. We analyzed the risks of BMS by using Cox proportional hazards regression models. Compared with the non-SD cohort, both of the apnea SD (adjusted HR = 2.56, 95% CI = 1.30-5.05) and nonapnea SD (adjusted HR = 2.89, 95% CI = 2.51-3.34) were associated with a significantly higher risk of BMS. The hazard ratio (HR) increased with increased age in the apnea SD cohort and in the nonapnea SD cohort compared with patients younger than 40 years of age. Female apnea SD patients (IRR = 4.63, 95% CI = 3.82-5.61) had a higher risk of developing BMS than did male patients (IRR = 1.76, 95% CI = 1.39-2.24). Based on our research, SD might increase the risk of BMS. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cohort profile update: 2004 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort Study. Body composition, mental health and genetic assessment at the 6 years follow-up.

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Santos, Iná S; Barros, Aluísio J D; Matijasevich, Alicia; Zanini, Roberta; Chrestani Cesar, Maria Aurora; Camargo-Figuera, Fabio Alberto; Oliveira, Isabel O; Barros, Fernando C; Victora, Cesar G

2014-10-01

This is an update of the 2004 Pelotas Birth Cohort profile, originally published in 2011. In view of the high prevalence of overweight and mental health problems among Brazilian children, together with the availability of state-of-the-art equipment to assess body composition and diagnostic tests for mental health in childhood, the main outcomes measured in the fifth follow-up (mean age 6.8 years) included child body composition, mental health and cognitive ability. A total of 3722 (90.2%) of the original mothers/carers were interviewed and their children examined in a clinic where they underwent whole-body dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), air displacement plethysmography and a 3D photonic scan. Saliva samples for DNA were obtained. Clinical psychologists applied the Development and Well-Being Assessment questionnaire and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children to all children. Results are being compared with those of the two earlier cohorts to assess the health effects of economic growth and full implementation of public policies aimed at reducing social inequalities in the past 30 years. For further information visit the programme website at [http://www.epidemio-ufpel.org.br/site/content/coorte_2004/questionarios.php]. Applications to use the data should be made by contacting 2004 cohort researchers and filling in the application form available at [http://www.epidemio-ufpel.org.br/site/content/estudos/formularios.php]. © The Author 2014; all rights reserved. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association.

Fish intake during pregnancy, fetal growth, and gestational length in 19 European birth cohort studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Leventakou, Vasiliki; Roumeliotaki, Theano; Martinez, David; Barros, Henrique; Brantsaeter, Anne-Lise; Casas, Maribel; Charles, Marie-Aline; Cordier, Sylvaine; Eggesbø, Merete; van Eijsden, Manon; Forastiere, Francesco; Gehring, Ulrike; Govarts, Eva; Halldórsson, Thorhallur I; Hanke, Wojciech; Haugen, Margaretha; Heppe, Denise H M; Heude, Barbara; Inskip, Hazel M; Jaddoe, Vincent W V; Jansen, Maria; Kelleher, Cecily; Meltzer, Helle Margrete; Merletti, Franco; Moltó-Puigmartí, Carolina; Mommers, Monique; Murcia, Mario; Oliveira, Andreia; Olsen, Sjúrður F; Pele, Fabienne; Polanska, Kinga; Porta, Daniela; Richiardi, Lorenzo; Robinson, Siân M; Stigum, Hein; Strøm, Marin; Sunyer, Jordi; Thijs, Carel; Viljoen, Karien; Vrijkotte, Tanja G M; Wijga, Alet H; Kogevinas, Manolis; Vrijheid, Martine; Chatzi, Leda

2014-03-01

Fish is a rich source of essential nutrients for fetal development, but in contrast, it is also a well-known route of exposure to environmental pollutants. We assessed whether fish intake during pregnancy is associated with fetal growth and the length of gestation in a panel of European birth cohort studies. The study sample of 151,880 mother-child pairs was derived from 19 population-based European birth cohort studies. Individual data from cohorts were pooled and harmonized. Adjusted cohort-specific effect estimates were combined by using a random- and fixed-effects meta-analysis. Women who ate fish >1 time/wk during pregnancy had lower risk of preterm birth than did women who rarely ate fish (≤ 1 time/wk); the adjusted RR of fish intake >1 but 1 but <3 times/wk and 15.2 g (95% CI: 8.9, 21.5 g) for ≥ 3 times/wk independent of gestational age. The association was greater in smokers and in overweight or obese women. Findings were consistent across cohorts. This large, international study indicates that moderate fish intake during pregnancy is associated with lower risk of preterm birth and a small but significant increase in birth weight.

Lack of replication for the myosin-18B association with mathematical ability in independent cohorts

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Pettigrew, K A; Fajutrao Valles, S F; Moll, K; Northstone, K; Ring, S; Pennell, C; Wang, C; Leavett, R; Hayiou-Thomas, M E; Thompson, P; Simpson, N H; Fisher, S E; Whitehouse, A J O; Snowling, M J; Newbury, D F; Paracchini, S

2015-01-01

Twin studies indicate that dyscalculia (or mathematical disability) is caused partly by a genetic component, which is yet to be understood at the molecular level. Recently, a coding variant (rs133885) in the myosin-18B gene was shown to be associated with mathematical abilities with a specific effect among children with dyslexia. This association represents one of the most significant genetic associations reported to date for mathematical abilities and the only one reaching genome-wide statistical significance. We conducted a replication study in different cohorts to assess the effect of rs133885 maths-related measures. The study was conducted primarily using the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), (N = 3819). We tested additional cohorts including the York Cohort, the Specific Language Impairment Consortium (SLIC) cohort and the Raine Cohort, and stratified them for a definition of dyslexia whenever possible. We did not observe any associations between rs133885 in myosin-18B and mathematical abilities among individuals with dyslexia or in the general population. Our results suggest that the myosin-18B variant is unlikely to be a main factor contributing to mathematical abilities. PMID:25778778

Cohort-Based Identification of Predictors of Symptomatic Intracerebral Hemorrhage After IV Thrombolysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Asuzu, David; Nyström, Karin; Amin, Hardik; Schindler, Joseph; Wira, Charles; Greer, David; Chi, Nai Fang; Halliday, Janet; Sheth, Kevin N

2015-12-01

Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) is a serious complication of IV rt-PA therapy after acute ischemic stroke. Independent sICH predictors have been previously derived using case-control studies. Here we utilized a novel cohort-based comparison to identify additional independent predictors of sICH. We included 210 patients receiving IV rt-PA therapy from January 2009 through December 2013 at the Yale-New Haven Stroke Center. Clinical parameters were compared using Mann-Whitney tests, two-sample tests of proportions and two-sample t tests. Logistic regression was performed using sICH as the dependent variable. Predictive ability was assessed using areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. sICH rates were lowest from 2010 to 2012 and comprised the low sICH cohort (2.0 % sICH), compared to the high sICH cohort from 2009 to 2013 (9.2 % sICH, P = 0.025). Patients in the low sICH cohort had significantly more visual field deficits (38.6 vs. 24.8 %, P = 0.03) and decreased levels of consciousness (62.4 vs. 39.4 %, P vs. 13.8 %, P = 0.03) and early CT hypodensities (14.9 vs. 29.4 %, P = 0.01). These four parameters together predicted sICH modestly (area under ROC curve 0.66, odds ratio 2.72, P = 0.03) CONCLUSIONS: Using a novel cohort-based approach, we identified two new independent predictors of sICH after IV rt-PA therapy: the presence of the hyperdense MCA sign and early CT hypodensities. Novel methods are needed to reduce the risk of sICH for patients receiving antithrombolytic therapy for ischemic stroke.

Differences in Lipid Measurements by Antiretroviral Regimen Exposure in Cohorts from Asia and Australia

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Amit C. Achhra

2012-01-01

Full Text Available We explored the mean differences in routinely measured lipids (total cholesterol, triglycerides, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol according to exposure to different combination antiretroviral regimens in Asian (n=2051 and Australian (predominantly Caucasian, n=794 cohorts. The regimen was defined as at least 3 antiretroviral drugs with at least 2 nucleoside-reverse transcriptases (NRTIs and either of at least one protease inhibitor (PI or non-nucleoside-reverse transcriptases (NNRTIs. We categorised cART regimens as: NRTIs as tenofovir based or not; NNRTIs as nevirapine or efavirenz (but not both; and PI as atazanavir based or not. We found that the impact of various antiretroviral regimens on lipids in Asian and Australian cohorts was only different by cohort for total cholesterol (P for interaction between regimen and cohort: 0.05. The differences in total cholesterol were however small and unlikely to be of clinical significance. Overall, tenofovir with nevirapine or atazanavir was associated with the most favorable lipids, while the PI regimens without tenofovir and atazanavir were associated with least favorable lipids. We conclude that the impact of various ART regimens on lipids is largely similar in Asian and Australian cohorts and that the newer drugs such as tenofovir and atazanavir are likely to provide similar benefit in terms of lipid profiles in both populations.

Cohort Working Life Tables for Older Canadians

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Frank T. Denton

2010-12-01

those based on the period tables, for both men and women, and that is reflected in increased retirement expectancies. For example, a male aged 50 in 1976 could have expected to live three years longer and to have almost four more years in retirement, based on the male cohort table under medium assumptions, as compared with the corresponding period table.

Characteristics, therapy and outcome in an unselected and prospectively registered cohort of pancreatic cancer patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bjerregaard, J K; Mortensen, Michael Bau; Schønnemann, K R

2012-01-01

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is associated with a dismal prognosis. Few studies have examined characteristics and outcome in an unselected population-based cohort of PC patients. Therefore, we investigated patient baseline characteristics, therapy choices and survival in a complete cohort of patients...

Validation of the fatigue scale for motor and cognitive functions in a danish multiple sclerosis cohort

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Oervik, M. S.; Sejbaek, T.; Penner, I. K.

2017-01-01

Background Our objective was to validate the Danish translation of the Fatigue Scale for Motor and Cognitive Functions (FSMC) in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Materials and methods A Danish MS cohort (n = 84) was matched and compared to the original German validation cohort (n = 309) and a he......Background Our objective was to validate the Danish translation of the Fatigue Scale for Motor and Cognitive Functions (FSMC) in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Materials and methods A Danish MS cohort (n = 84) was matched and compared to the original German validation cohort (n = 309...... positive correlations between the two fatigue scales implied high convergent validity (total scores: r = 0.851, p gender). Correcting for depression did not result in any significant adjustments of the correlations...

Oral health in a life-course : birth-cohorts from 1929 to 2006 in Norway

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Holst, D; Schuller, A A

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the work was to study the influence of the oral health environment at age 10, of adolescent and adulthood dental behaviours and of social status on oral health of three birth-cohorts in 1983 and two of the three birth-cohorts in 2006 in Norway. METHODS: The material

Concentración de trihalometanos y de ácidos haloacéticos en el agua de consumo y estimación de su ingesta durante el embarazo en la cohorte INMA-Guipúzcoa (España Trihalomethane and haloacetic acid concentrations in drinking water and their estimated intake during pregnancy in the INMA cohort (Guipúzcoa, Spain

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Loreto Santa Marina

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Objetivos: Describir la concentración de trihalometanos (THM y ácidos haloacéticos (AHA del agua de consumo, valorar su variación espacio-temporal y estimar las ingestas individuales en el embarazo. Métodos: En los años 2006-2008 se analizó el agua en 33 puntos representativos de las redes de abastecimiento de los 25 municipios del área de estudio. Los hábitos de consumo de agua se obtuvieron mediante cuestionario. Resultados: La media (desviación estándar fue de 16,9µg/l (7,9 para el total de THM y de 10,9µg/l (4,9 para la suma de las concentraciones de cinco: monocloroacético, dicloroacético, tricloroacético, monobromoacético y dibromoacético (AHA5. Las concentraciones fueron menores en las aguas de manantial, sólo cloradas, que en las de embalse, sometidas a tratamiento completo de potabilización: 8,8µg/l frente a 19,1µg/l (pObjectives: To report trihalomethane (THM and haloacetic acid (HAA concentrations in drinking water, assess variations in these concentrations depending on source and over time, and estimate individual intake during pregnancy. Methods: Water taken from 33 representative points of the water supply network of the 25 municipalities in the study area was analyzed from 2006-2008. Water drinking habits were recorded using a questionnaire. Results: Mean total THM concentrations were 16.9µg/L (standard deviation, 7.9, while the mean value for the sum of concentrations of five HAA (monochloroacetic, dichloroacetic, tricholoroacetic, monobromoacetic, and dicromoacetic acids was 10.9µg/L (standard deviation, 4.9. Concentrations were lower in spring waters, which were only chlorinated, compared with dam waters, which were subject to a complete purification treatment: 8.8µg/L vs 19.1µg/L (p<0.01 and 8.2µg/L vs 11.7µg/L (p<0.01. Concentrations significantly increased with the number of deposits in the network and with their rechlorination and were higher in the summer and fall. Mean intakes of total THM and of the five HAA were lower in women supplied with spring water. Intakes differed depending on supply reservoir. Conclusions: Disinfection by-products in water are affected by water source, supply network structure, and annual season. The mean intake of these products varies depending on the source of drinking water. Mean intakes of all products were much lower than values recommended by the World Health Organization.

Time trends in cigarette smoking in two German cohorts--results from EPIC Germany.

Science.gov (United States)

Rohrmann, S; Kroke, A; Boeing, H; Becker, N

2003-08-01

Smoking prevention is less advanced in Germany compared with other European and North American countries, and fewer data exist, especially on the consumption habits at the individual level over time. EPIC Germany, which is part of a European multicentre study on diet and cancer, collected data on individual smoking behaviour and allows for consideration of the changing consumption pattern for both centres and different age groups. Within EPIC 25 546 and 27 548 participants, respectively, were recruited in Heidelberg and Potsdam. Data on smoking habits were collected by means of a computer-guided interview during the baseline examination between 1994 and 1998. For each birth cohort smoking prevalence and mean number of cigarettes smoked per day at different ages were calculated. Additionally, the prevalence of non-filter cigarette smoking was computed. Smoking prevalence in the 1990s was still higher among men (Heidelberg 16.3-32.3%; Potsdam 18.2-29.3%) than among women (Heidelberg 12.8-32.0%; Potsdam 10.4-27.8%). However, the percentage of women smokers was still increasing. Filter cigarettes comprised a growing percentage of the cigarettes smoked, but especially among men differences between both German cohorts can still be seen: depending on age, 10.0-12.7% of men in the Heidelberg cohort smoked non-filter cigarettes, but only 1.1-2.3% in the Potsdam cohort. The quantity smoked was higher in the Heidelberg than in the Potsdam cohort with respect to the mean number of cigarettes smoked per day as well as the pack-years of smoking. In conclusion, smoking habits in the Potsdam and the Heidelberg cohorts did not strongly differ by smoking prevalence. However, they did differ according to the quantity and quality of smoking. These differences, as well as the changes over the last 40 years may contribute to a changing pattern of diseases in different groups of the German population.

Statins and Hip Fracture Prevention – A Population Based Cohort Study in Women

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Helin-Salmivaara, Arja; Korhonen, Maarit J.; Lehenkari, Petri; Junnila, Seppo Y. T.; Neuvonen, Pertti J.; Ruokoniemi, Päivi; Huupponen, Risto

2012-01-01

Objective To study the association of long-term statin use and the risk of low-energy hip fractures in middle-aged and elderly women. Design A register-based cohort study. Setting Finland. Participants Women aged 45–75 years initiating statin therapy between 1996 and 2001 with adherence to statins ≥80% during the subsequent five years (n = 40 254), a respective cohort initiating hypertension drugs (n = 41 610), and women randomly selected from the population (n = 62 585). Main Outcome Measures Incidence rate of and hazard ratio (HR) for low-energy hip fracture during the follow-up extending up to 7 years after the 5-year exposure period. Results Altogether 199 low-energy hip fractures occurred during the 135 330 person-years (py) of follow-up in the statin cohort, giving an incidence rate of 1.5 hip fractures per 1000 py. In the hypertension and the population cohorts, the rates were 2.0 per 1000 py (312 fractures per 157 090 py) and 1.0 per 1000 py (212 fractures per 216 329 py), respectively. Adjusting for a propensity score and individual variables strongly predicting the outcome, good adherence to statins for five years was associated with a 29% decreased risk (HR 0.71; 95% CI 0.58–0.86) of a low-energy hip fracture in comparison with adherent use of hypertension drugs. The association was of the same magnitude when comparing the statin users with the population cohort, the HR being 0.69 (0.55–0.87). When women with poor (statins were compared to those with good adherence to hypertension drugs (≥80%) or to the population cohort, the protective effect associated with statin use attenuated with the decreasing level of adherence. Conclusions 5-year exposure to statins is associated with a reduced risk of low-energy hip fracture in women aged 50–80 years without prior hospitalizations for fractures. PMID:23144731

The Danish National Birth Cohort

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olsen, J; Melbye, M; Olsen, S F

2001-01-01

component causes that act early in life. Exposures in this period, which influence fetal growth, cell divisions, and organ functioning, may have long-lasting impact on health and disease susceptibility. METHODS: To investigate these issues the Danish National Birth Cohort (Better health for mother and child...... bank has been set up with blood taken from the mother twice during pregnancy and blood from the umbilical cord taken shortly after birth. Data collection started in 1996 and the project covered all regions in Denmark in 1999. By August 2000. a total of 60,000 pregnant women had been recruited...

Mother's education and offspring asthma risk in 10 European cohort studies.

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Lewis, Kate Marie; Ruiz, Milagros; Goldblatt, Peter; Morrison, Joana; Porta, Daniela; Forastiere, Francesco; Hryhorczuk, Daniel; Zvinchuk, Oleksandr; Saurel-Cubizolles, Marie-Josephe; Lioret, Sandrine; Annesi-Maesano, Isabella; Vrijheid, Martine; Torrent, Maties; Iniguez, Carmen; Larranaga, Isabel; Harskamp-van Ginkel, Margreet W; Vrijkotte, Tanja G M; Klanova, Jana; Svancara, Jan; Barross, Henrique; Correia, Sofia; Jarvelin, Marjo-Riitta; Taanila, Anja; Ludvigsson, Johnny; Faresjo, Tomas; Marmot, Michael; Pikhart, Hynek

2017-09-01

Highly prevalent and typically beginning in childhood, asthma is a burdensome disease, yet the risk factors for this condition are not clarified. To enhance understanding, this study assessed the cohort-specific and pooled risk of maternal education on asthma in children aged 3-8 across 10 European countries. Data on 47,099 children were obtained from prospective birth cohort studies across 10 European countries. We calculated cohort-specific prevalence difference in asthma outcomes using the relative index of inequality (RII) and slope index of inequality (SII). Results from all countries were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis procedures to obtain mean RII and SII scores at the European level. Final models were adjusted for child sex, smoking during pregnancy, parity, mother's age and ethnicity. The higher the score the greater the magnitude of relative (RII, reference 1) and absolute (SII, reference 0) inequity. The pooled RII estimate for asthma risk across all cohorts was 1.46 (95% CI 1.26, 1.71) and the pooled SII estimate was 1.90 (95% CI 0.26, 3.54). Of the countries examined, France, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands had the highest prevalence's of childhood asthma and the largest inequity in asthma risk. Smaller inverse associations were noted for all other countries except Italy, which presented contradictory scores, but with small effect sizes. Tests for heterogeneity yielded significant results for SII scores. Overall, offspring of mothers with a low level of education had an increased relative and absolute risk of asthma compared to offspring of high-educated mothers.

Mortality of breast cancer in Taiwan, 1971-2010: temporal changes and an age-period-cohort analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, M-L; Hsiao, Y-H; Su, S-Y; Chou, M-C; Liaw, Y-P

2015-01-01

The current paper describes the age, period and cohort effects on breast cancer mortality in Taiwan. Female breast cancer mortality data were collected from the Taiwan death registries for 1971-2010. The annual percentage changes, age- standardised mortality rates (ASMR) and age-period-cohort model were calculated. The mortality rates increased with advancing age groups when fixing the period. The percentage change in the breast cancer mortality rate increased from 54.79% at aged 20-44 years, to 149.78% in those aged 45-64 years (between 1971-75 and 2006-10). The mortality rates in the 45-64 age group increased steadily from 1971 to 1975 and 2006-10. The 1951 birth cohorts (actual birth cohort; 1947-55) showed peak mortalities in both the 50-54 and 45-49 age groups. We found that the 1951 birth cohorts had the greatest mortality risk from breast cancer. This might be attributed to the DDT that was used in large amounts to prevent deaths from malaria in Taiwan. However, future researches require DDT data to evaluate the association between breast cancer and DDT use.

Babies Galore; or recent findings and future perspectives of pregnancy cohorts with a focus on immunity.

Science.gov (United States)

Hartwig, Isabel; Diemert, Anke; Tolosa, Eva; Hecher, Kurt; Arck, Petra

2015-04-01

Population-based pregnancy cohorts recruiting women before or at the moment of childbirth allow a longitudinal follow-up on children's health later in life. Important findings arising from pregnancy cohorts are discussed in the present review. These insights have led to revised guidelines on how to minimize disease risks in children, e.g., in the context of chronic immune diseases including allergies and asthma. Moreover, insights from pregnancy cohorts also unveiled a collateral effect of pregnancy on maternal immunity, mirrored by an ameliorated course of certain autoimmune diseases, but also an increased risk of infection with influenza A virus. Future pregnancy cohort studies are still required to close gaps in knowledge on how parameters involved in the developmental origin of health or poor immunity observed in children later in life are operational. We discuss here features that should be covered by future pregnancy cohort studies. Expected insights from such studies will then lay the foundation for biomarker discovery and offer opportunities for interventions to ameliorate adverse immune responses in humans. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Associations between lifestyle and air pollution exposure : Potential for confounding in large administrative data cohorts

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Strak, Maciek|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/313874085; Janssen, Nicole; Beelen, Rob|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/30483100X; Schmitz, Oliver|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/314003975; Karssenberg, Derek|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/241557119; Houthuijs, Danny; van den Brink, Carolien; Dijst, Martin|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/070793085; Brunekreef, Bert|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/067548180; Hoek, Gerard|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/069553475

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Cohorts based on administrative data have size advantages over individual cohorts in investigating air pollution risks, but often lack in-depth information on individual risk factors related to lifestyle. If there is a correlation between lifestyle and air pollution, omitted lifestyle

Cigarette smoking and mammographic density in the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health cohort

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jacobsen, Katja Kemp; Lynge, Elsebeth; Vejborg, Ilse

2016-01-01

with MD. METHODS: For the 5,356 women (4,489 postmenopausal) from the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health cohort (1993-1997) who attended mammographic screening in Copenhagen (1993-2001), we used MD (mixed/dense or fatty) assessed at the first screening after cohort entry. Active smoking (status, duration......PURPOSE: Smoking before first childbirth increases breast cancer risk, but the biological mechanism remains unknown and may involve mammographic density (MD), one of the strongest biomarkers of breast cancer risk. We aimed to examine whether active smoking and passive smoking were associated......, and intensity) and passive smoking were assessed at cohort baseline (1993-1997) via questionnaire, together with other breast cancer risk factors. Logistic regression was used to estimate associations (odds ratios, 95 % confidence intervals) between smoking and MD, adjusting for confounders. RESULTS: Two...

Pregnancy outcomes among female hairdressers who participated in the Danish National Birth Cohort

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhu, Jin Liang; Vestergaard, Mogens; Hjøllund, Niels Henrik Ingvar

2006-01-01

OBJECTIVES: The Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC) was used to examine pregnancy outcomes among female hairdressers and neurodevelopment in their offspring. METHODS: A population-based cohort study was conducted of 550 hairdressers and 3216 shop assistants (reference group) by using data from...... the Danish National Birth Cohort between 1997 and 2003. Information on job characteristics was reported by the women in the first interview (around 17 weeks of gestation). Pregnancy outcomes were obtained by linkage to the national registers. Developmental milestones were reported by the mother at the fourth......, gender ratio, preterm birth, small-for-gestational age, congenital malformations, or achievement of developmental milestones among the children of hairdressers and shop assistants. CONCLUSIONS: The results do not indicate that children of hairdressers in Denmark currently have a high risk of fetal...

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

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Åse Marie; Gullander, Maria; Hogh, Annie

2015-01-01

and Harassment (WBH) cohort (N=3278) or the Psychosocial Risk Factors for Stress and Mental Disease (PRISME) cohort (N=4455). We measured workplace bullying using one question that was preceded by a definition of bullying. We used the Karolinska sleep questionnaire to assess sleep problems. The number of hours......OBJECTIVES: Workplace bullying is a potent stressor that may increase sleep problems. Since physical fitness improves resilience to stress, it seems plausible that recreational physical activities may moderate the association between bullying and sleep. The study aimed to examine prospectively...... whether (i) bullying increases the risk of sleep problems, and (ii) the association between bullying and sleep problems is moderated by leisure-time physical activity (LTPA). METHODS: The study sample comprised a cohort of public and private sector employees, who were enrolled into the Work Bullying...

Aortic events in a nationwide Marfan syndrome cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Groth, Kristian A; Stochholm, Kirstine; Hove, Hanne; Kyhl, Kasper; Gregersen, Pernille A; Vejlstrup, Niels; Østergaard, John R; Gravholt, Claus H; Andersen, Niels H

2017-02-01

Marfan syndrome is associated with morbidity and mortality due to aortic dilatation and dissection. Preventive aortic root replacement has been the standard treatment in Marfan syndrome patients with aortic dilatation. In this study, we present aortic event data from a nationwide Marfan syndrome cohort. The nationwide cohort of Danish Marfan syndrome patients was established from the Danish National Patient Registry and the Cause of Death Register, where we retrieved information about aortic surgery and dissections. We associated aortic events with age, sex, and Marfan syndrome diagnosis prior or after the first aortic event. From the total cohort of 412 patients, 150 (36.4 %) had an aortic event. Fifty percent were event free at age 49.6. Eighty patients (53.3 %) had prophylactic surgery and seventy patients (46.7 %) a dissection. The yearly event rate was 0.02 events/year/patient in the period 1994-2014. Male patients had a significant higher risk of an aortic event at a younger age with a hazard ratio of 1.75 (CI 1.26-2.42, p = 0.001) compared with women. Fifty-three patients (12.9 %) were diagnosed with MFS after their first aortic event which primarily was aortic dissection [n = 44 (83.0 %)]. More than a third of MFS patients experienced an aortic event and male patients had significantly more aortic events than females. More than half of the total number of dissections was in patients undiagnosed with MFS at the time of their event. This emphasizes that diagnosing MFS is lifesaving and improves mortality risk by reducing the risk of aorta dissection.

Counselling for burnout in Norwegian doctors: one year cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Rø, Karin E Isaksson; Gude, Tore; Tyssen, Reidar; Aasland, Olaf G

2008-11-11

To investigate levels and predictors of change in dimensions of burnout after an intervention for stressed doctors. Cohort study followed by self reported assessment at one year. Norwegian resource centre. 227 doctors participating in counselling intervention, 2003-5. Counselling (lasting one day (individual) or one week (group based)) aimed at motivating reflection on and acknowledgement of the doctors' situation and personal needs. Levels of burnout (Maslach burnout inventory) and predictors of reduction in emotional exhaustion investigated by linear regression. 185 doctors (81%, 88 men, 97 women) completed one year follow-up. The mean level of emotional exhaustion (scale 1-5) was significantly reduced from 3.00 (SD 0.94) to 2.53 (SD 0.76) (t=6.76, Ppsychotherapy, from 20% (36/182) to 53% (97/182). In the whole cohort, reduction in emotional exhaustion was independently associated with reduced number of work hours/week (beta=0.17, P=0.03), adjusted for sex, age, and personality dimensions. Among men "satisfaction with the intervention" (beta=0.25, P=0.04) independently predicted reduction in emotional exhaustion. A short term counselling intervention could contribute to reduction in emotional exhaustion in doctors. This was associated with reduced working hours for the whole cohort and, in men, was predicted by satisfaction with the intervention.

Necessary accuracy of dose estimation during cohort epidemiologic study after irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Orlov, M.Yu.; Stepanenko, V.F.; Khoshi, M.; Takada, Dzh.

2003-01-01

Effect of breadth of dose ranges on values of radiation risk was estimated. Ratios of observed numbers of mortalities because of leukemia in the cohort in 1950 - 1974 under deferent radiation dose to expected number of mortalities in this cohort only under background radiation were used as degree of risk. Data of cooperative Japan-American Program LSS (Life Span Study) were applied in the researches. It is established that required for the risk assessment with uncertainty 20 - 30 % the accuracy of dose estimation comprises 30 - 35 % in the range 1 - 5 rad and 5 - 10 % in the range 5 - 30 rad [ru

External validation of prognostic models to predict risk of gestational diabetes mellitus in one Dutch cohort: prospective multicentre cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lamain-de Ruiter, Marije; Kwee, Anneke; Naaktgeboren, Christiana A; de Groot, Inge; Evers, Inge M; Groenendaal, Floris; Hering, Yolanda R; Huisjes, Anjoke J M; Kirpestein, Cornel; Monincx, Wilma M; Siljee, Jacqueline E; Van 't Zelfde, Annewil; van Oirschot, Charlotte M; Vankan-Buitelaar, Simone A; Vonk, Mariska A A W; Wiegers, Therese A; Zwart, Joost J; Franx, Arie; Moons, Karel G M; Koster, Maria P H

2016-08-30

 To perform an external validation and direct comparison of published prognostic models for early prediction of the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus, including predictors applicable in the first trimester of pregnancy.  External validation of all published prognostic models in large scale, prospective, multicentre cohort study.  31 independent midwifery practices and six hospitals in the Netherlands.  Women recruited in their first trimester (diabetes mellitus of any type were excluded.  Discrimination of the prognostic models was assessed by the C statistic, and calibration assessed by calibration plots.  3723 women were included for analysis, of whom 181 (4.9%) developed gestational diabetes mellitus in pregnancy. 12 prognostic models for the disorder could be validated in the cohort. C statistics ranged from 0.67 to 0.78. Calibration plots showed that eight of the 12 models were well calibrated. The four models with the highest C statistics included almost all of the following predictors: maternal age, maternal body mass index, history of gestational diabetes mellitus, ethnicity, and family history of diabetes. Prognostic models had a similar performance in a subgroup of nulliparous women only. Decision curve analysis showed that the use of these four models always had a positive net benefit.  In this external validation study, most of the published prognostic models for gestational diabetes mellitus show acceptable discrimination and calibration. The four models with the highest discriminative abilities in this study cohort, which also perform well in a subgroup of nulliparous women, are easy models to apply in clinical practice and therefore deserve further evaluation regarding their clinical impact. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Radon exposure, cigarette smoking, and other mining experience in the beaverlodge uranium miners cohort

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

L'Abbe, K.A.; Howe, G.R.; Burch, J.D.; Miller, A.B.; Abbatt, J.; Band, P.; Choi, W.; Du, J.; Feather, J.; Gallagher, R.

1991-01-01

A nested case-control study within the Beaverlodge Uranium Miners Cohort was undertaken to assess any possible contribution of confounding by smoking and other mining experience to the risk estimate derived from the original cohort study. Next of kin have been interviewed for 46 lung cancer cases and 95 controls enrolled in the Beaverlodge Uranium Miners Cohort Study who died between 1950 and 1980. Confounding by cigarette smoking and other mining experience appears unlikely to have contributed to the relative risk coefficient for exposure to Rn decay products derived in the parent study. Data for smoking and exposure to Rn decay products are consistent with a multiplicative model, although considerable caution must be applied to this interpretation

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2014-05-01

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

The risk of cryptorchidism among sons of women working in horticulture in Denmark: a cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Gabel, Pernille; Jensen, Morten Søndergaard; Andersen, Helle Raun; Baelum, Jesper; Thulstrup, Ane Marie; Bonde, Jens Peter; Toft, Gunnar

2011-11-14

Androgens are crucial for normal testicular descent. Studies show that some pesticides have estrogenic or antiandrogenic effects, and that female workers exposed to pesticides have increased risk of having a boy with cryptorchidism. The main objective of the present study was to investigate whether pregnant women exposed to pesticides due to their work in horticulture experience excess risk of having sons with cryptorchidism. We conducted a cohort study of pregnant women working in horticulture using four cohorts including one cohort established with data from the departments of occupational medicine in Jutland and Funen and three existing mother-child cohorts (n=1,468). A reference group was established from the entire Danish population of boys born in the period of 1986-2007 (n=783,817). Nationwide Danish health registers provided information on birth outcome, cryptorchidism diagnosis and orchiopexy. The level of occupational exposure to pesticides was assessed by expert judgment blinded towards outcome status. Risk of cryptorchidism among exposed horticulture workers compared to the background population and to unexposed horticulture workers was assessed by Cox regression models. Pesticide exposed women employed in horticulture had a hazard ratio (HR) of having cryptorchid sons of 1.39 (95% CI 0.84; 2.31) and a HR of orchiopexy of 1.34 (0.72; 2.49) compared to the background population. Analysis divided into separate cohorts revealed a significantly increased risk of cryptorchidism in cohort 2: HR 2.58 (1.07;6.20) and increased risk of orchiopexy in cohort 4: HR 2.76 (1.03;7.35), but no significant associations in the other cohorts. Compared to unexposed women working in horticulture, pesticide exposed women had a risk of having sons with cryptorchidism of 1.34 (0.30; 5.96) and of orchiopexy of 1.93 (0.24;15.4). The data are compatible with a slightly increased risk of cryptorchidism in sons of women exposed to pesticides by working in horticulture.

Trends in adolescent alcohol use: Effects of age, sex and cohort on prevalence and heritability

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Geels, L.M.; Bartels, M.; van Beijsterveldt, C.E.M.; Willemsen, G.; van der Aa, N.; Boomsma, D.I.; Vink, J.M.

2012-01-01

Aims To determine the effect of age, sex and cohort on the prevalence and genetic architecture of adolescent alcohol use (AAU). Design Survey study in participants registered with the Netherlands Twin Register. Setting Twins from the general population. Participants Two cohorts (data collected in

Genetic and environmental influences on adult human height across birth cohorts from 1886 to 1994

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jelenkovic, Aline; Hur, Yoon-Mi; Sund, Reijo

2016-01-01

Human height variation is determined by genetic and environmental factors, but it remains unclear whether their influences differ across birth-year cohorts. We conducted an individual-based pooled analysis of 40 twin cohorts including 143,390 complete twin pairs born 1886-1994. Although genetic...

Gender and socioeconomic disparities in BMI trajectories in the Seychelles: a cohort analysis based on serial population-based surveys.

Science.gov (United States)

Rossi, Isabelle A; Rousson, Valentin; Viswanathan, Bharathi; Bovet, Pascal

2011-12-09

The relationship between body mass index (BMI) and socioeconomic status (SES) tends to change over time and across populations. In this study, we examined, separately in men and women, whether the association between BMI and SES changed over successive birth cohorts in the Seychelles (Indian Ocean, African region). We used data from all participants in three surveys conducted in 1989, 1994 and 2004 in independent random samples of the population aged 25-64 years in the Seychelles (N = 3'403). We used linear regression to model mean BMI according to age, cohort, SES and smoking status, allowing for a quadratic term for age to account for a curvilinear relation between BMI and age and interactions between SES and age and between SES and cohorts to test whether the relation between SES and BMI changed across subsequent cohorts. All analyses were performed separately in men and women. BMI increased with age in all birth cohorts. BMI was lower in men of low SES than high SES but was higher in women of low SES than high SES. In all SES categories, BMI increased over successive cohorts (1.24 kg/m2 in men and 1.51 kg/m2 for a 10-year increase in birth cohorts, p < 0.001). The difference in BMI between men or women of high vs. low SES did not change significantly across successive cohorts (the interaction between SES and year of birth of cohort was statistically not significant). Smoking was associated with lower BMI in men and women (respectively -1.55 kg/m2 and 2.46 kg/m2, p < 0.001). Although large differences exist between men and women, social patterning of BMI did not change significantly over successive cohorts in this population of a middle-income country in the African region.

Lack of replication for the myosin-18B association with mathematical ability in independent cohorts.

Science.gov (United States)

Pettigrew, K A; Fajutrao Valles, S F; Moll, K; Northstone, K; Ring, S; Pennell, C; Wang, C; Leavett, R; Hayiou-Thomas, M E; Thompson, P; Simpson, N H; Fisher, S E; Whitehouse, A J O; Snowling, M J; Newbury, D F; Paracchini, S

2015-04-01

Twin studies indicate that dyscalculia (or mathematical disability) is caused partly by a genetic component, which is yet to be understood at the molecular level. Recently, a coding variant (rs133885) in the myosin-18B gene was shown to be associated with mathematical abilities with a specific effect among children with dyslexia. This association represents one of the most significant genetic associations reported to date for mathematical abilities and the only one reaching genome-wide statistical significance. We conducted a replication study in different cohorts to assess the effect of rs133885 maths-related measures. The study was conducted primarily using the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), (N = 3819). We tested additional cohorts including the York Cohort, the Specific Language Impairment Consortium (SLIC) cohort and the Raine Cohort, and stratified them for a definition of dyslexia whenever possible. We did not observe any associations between rs133885 in myosin-18B and mathematical abilities among individuals with dyslexia or in the general population. Our results suggest that the myosin-18B variant is unlikely to be a main factor contributing to mathematical abilities. © 2015 The Authors. Genes, Brain and Behavior published by International Behavioural and Neural Genetics Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The population-based Occupational and Environmental Health Prospective Cohort Study (AMIGO) in The Netherlands.

Science.gov (United States)

Slottje, Pauline; Yzermans, C Joris; Korevaar, Joke C; Hooiveld, Mariëtte; Vermeulen, Roel C H

2014-11-26

Occupational and environmental exposures remain important modifiable risk factors of public health. Existing cohort studies are often limited by the level of detail of data collected on these factors and health. It is also often assumed that the more healthy group is over-represented in cohort studies, which is of concern for their external validity. In this cohort profile, we describe how we set up the population-based Occupational and Environmental Health Cohort Study (AMIGO) to longitudinally study occupational and environmental determinants of diseases and well-being from a multidisciplinary and life course point of view. Reviewed by the Medical Ethics Research Committee of the University Medical Center Utrecht (protocol 10-268/C). All cohort members participate voluntarily and gave informed consent prior to their inclusion. 14,829 adult cohort members (16% of those invited) consented and filled in the online baseline questionnaire. Determinants include chemical, biological, physical (eg, electromagnetic fields), and psychosocial factors. Priority health outcomes include cancer, neurological, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and non-specific symptoms. Owing to the recruitment strategy via general practitioners of an established network, we also collect longitudinal data registered in their electronic medical records including symptoms, diagnosis and treatments. Besides the advantage of health outcomes that cannot be easily captured longitudinally by other means, this created a unique opportunity to assess health-related participation bias by comparing general practitioner-registered prevalence rates in the cohort and its source population. We found no indications of such a systematic bias. The major assets of the AMIGO approach are its detailed occupational and environmental determinants in combination with the longitudinal health data registered in general practice besides linkage to cancer and mortality registries and self-reported health. We are now

The iPSYCH2012 case-cohort sample

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, C B; Bybjerg-Grauholm, J; Pedersen, M G

2017-01-01

The Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH) consortium has established a large Danish population-based Case-Cohort sample (iPSYCH2012) aimed at unravelling the genetic and environmental architecture of severe mental disorders. The iPSYCH2012 sample is nested within the entire Danish population ...... and environmental aetiologies of severe mental disorders.Molecular Psychiatry advance online publication, 19 September 2017; doi:10.1038/mp.2017.196....

Management of lipid-lowering therapy in patients with cardiovascular events in the UK: a retrospective cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Danese, Mark D; Gleeson, Michelle; Kutikova, Lucie; Griffiths, Robert I; Khunti, Kamlesh; Seshasai, Sreenivasa Rao Kondapally; Ray, Kausik K

2017-05-10

To describe low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol management and lipid-lowering treatment patterns in patients with a cardiovascular (CV) event. Retrospective cohort study using Clinical Practice Research Datalink records linked with Hospital Episode Statistics data. Routine clinical practice in the UK from 2006 to 2012. Individuals ≥18 years were selected at their first CV-related hospitalisation (first event cohort) if they had received ≥2 lipid-lowering therapy prescriptions within 180 days beforehand. Patients were stratified into four mutually exclusive subgroups based on the presence or absence of vascular disease and of diabetes. Those with a second CV hospitalisation within 36 months were included in a separate cohort (second event cohort). LDL levels in the year prior to the CV event and 12 months later as well as measures of adherence to lipid-lowering therapy during the 12 months after the CV hospitalisation. There were 24 093 patients in the first event cohort, of whom 5274 were included in the second event cohort. Most received moderate intensity statins at baseline and 12 months. Among the four first event cohort subgroups at baseline, the proportions with an LDL of event cohort (31%). An incremental 5% to 9% had an LDL below 1.8 mmol/L at 12 months, suggesting intensification of therapy. The proportion of adherent patients (medication possession ratio of≥0.8) was highest for statins, ranging from 68% to 72%. For ezetimibe, the range was 65% to 70%, and for fibrates, it was 48% to 62%. Despite the existence of effective therapies for lowering cholesterol, patients do not reach achievable LDL targets. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

A changing epidemiology of suicide? The influence of birth cohorts on suicide rates in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, Julie A

2014-08-01

The increases in suicide among middle-aged baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) in the United States since 1999 suggest a changing epidemiology of suicide. Using data from 1935 to 2010, this paper conducts age-period-cohort analyses to determine the impact of cohorts in shaping temporal patterns of suicide in the United States. The analysis demonstrates that age, period and cohort effects are all important in determining suicide trends. Net of age and period effects, the cohort pattern of suicide rates is U-shaped, with cohorts born between 1915 and 1945 possessing among the very lowest suicide rates. Suicide rates begin to rise with boomers and subsequent cohorts exhibit increasingly higher rates of suicide. The general pattern exists for both men and women but is especially pronounced among males. The average suicide rate over the entire period for males is about 28 per 100,000, 95% CI [27.4, 28.7]. For males born in 1930-34, the suicide rate is estimated to be 17.4 per 100,000, 95% CI [15.9, 18.8]; for males born between 1955 and 1959, the rate is essentially the same as the average for the period while for males born between 1985 and 1989, the suicide rate is estimated to be 37.8 per 100,000, 95% CI [33.1, 43.4]. The results dispute popular claims that boomers exhibit an elevated suicide rate relative to other generations, but boomers do appear to have ushered in new cohort patterns of suicide rates over the life course. These patterns are interpreted within a Durkheimian framework that suggests weakened forms of social integration and regulation among postwar cohorts may be producing increased suicide rates. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Homelessness as an independent risk factor for mortality: results from a retrospective cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Morrison, David S

2009-06-01

Homelessness is associated with increased risks of mortality but it has not previously been possible to distinguish whether this is typical of other socio-economically deprived populations, the result of a higher prevalence of morbidity or an independent risk of homelessness itself. The aim of this study was to describe mortality among a cohort of homeless adults and adjust for the effects of morbidity and socio-economic deprivation. Retrospective 5-year study of two fixed cohorts, homeless adults and an age- and sex-matched random sample of the local non-homeless population in Greater Glasgow National Health Service Board area for comparison. Over 5 years of observation, 1.7% (209/12 451) of the general population and 7.2% (457/6323) of the homeless cohort died. The hazard ratio of all-cause mortality in homeless compared with non-homeless cohorts was 4.4 (95% CI: 3.8-5.2). After adjustment for age, sex and previous hospitalization, homelessness was associated with an all-cause mortality hazard ratio of 1.6 (95% CI: 1.3-1.9). Homelessness had differential effects on cause-specific mortality. Among patients who had been hospitalized for drug-related conditions, the homeless cohort experienced a 7-fold increase in risk of death from drugs compared with the general population. Homelessness is an independent risk factor for deaths from specific causes. Preventive programmes might be most effectively targeted at the homeless with these conditions.

Genetic and environmental influences on adult human height across birth cohorts from 1886 to 1994.

Science.gov (United States)

Jelenkovic, Aline; Hur, Yoon-Mi; Sund, Reijo; Yokoyama, Yoshie; Siribaddana, Sisira H; Hotopf, Matthew; Sumathipala, Athula; Rijsdijk, Fruhling; Tan, Qihua; Zhang, Dongfeng; Pang, Zengchang; Aaltonen, Sari; Heikkilä, Kauko; Öncel, Sevgi Y; Aliev, Fazil; Rebato, Esther; Tarnoki, Adam D; Tarnoki, David L; Christensen, Kaare; Skytthe, Axel; Kyvik, Kirsten O; Silberg, Judy L; Eaves, Lindon J; Maes, Hermine H; Cutler, Tessa L; Hopper, John L; Ordoñana, Juan R; Sánchez-Romera, Juan F; Colodro-Conde, Lucia; Cozen, Wendy; Hwang, Amie E; Mack, Thomas M; Sung, Joohon; Song, Yun-Mi; Yang, Sarah; Lee, Kayoung; Franz, Carol E; Kremen, William S; Lyons, Michael J; Busjahn, Andreas; Nelson, Tracy L; Whitfield, Keith E; Kandler, Christian; Jang, Kerry L; Gatz, Margaret; Butler, David A; Stazi, Maria A; Fagnani, Corrado; D'Ippolito, Cristina; Duncan, Glen E; Buchwald, Dedra; Derom, Catherine A; Vlietinck, Robert F; Loos, Ruth Jf; Martin, Nicholas G; Medland, Sarah E; Montgomery, Grant W; Jeong, Hoe-Uk; Swan, Gary E; Krasnow, Ruth; Magnusson, Patrik Ke; Pedersen, Nancy L; Dahl-Aslan, Anna K; McAdams, Tom A; Eley, Thalia C; Gregory, Alice M; Tynelius, Per; Baker, Laura A; Tuvblad, Catherine; Bayasgalan, Gombojav; Narandalai, Danshiitsoodol; Lichtenstein, Paul; Spector, Timothy D; Mangino, Massimo; Lachance, Genevieve; Bartels, Meike; van Beijsterveldt, Toos Cem; Willemsen, Gonneke; Burt, S Alexandra; Klump, Kelly L; Harris, Jennifer R; Brandt, Ingunn; Nilsen, Thomas Sevenius; Krueger, Robert F; McGue, Matt; Pahlen, Shandell; Corley, Robin P; Hjelmborg, Jacob V B; Goldberg, Jack H; Iwatani, Yoshinori; Watanabe, Mikio; Honda, Chika; Inui, Fujio; Rasmussen, Finn; Huibregtse, Brooke M; Boomsma, Dorret I; Sørensen, Thorkild I A; Kaprio, Jaakko; Silventoinen, Karri

2016-12-14

Human height variation is determined by genetic and environmental factors, but it remains unclear whether their influences differ across birth-year cohorts. We conducted an individual-based pooled analysis of 40 twin cohorts including 143,390 complete twin pairs born 1886-1994. Although genetic variance showed a generally increasing trend across the birth-year cohorts, heritability estimates (0.69-0.84 in men and 0.53-0.78 in women) did not present any clear pattern of secular changes. Comparing geographic-cultural regions (Europe, North America and Australia, and East Asia), total height variance was greatest in North America and Australia and lowest in East Asia, but no clear pattern in the heritability estimates across the birth-year cohorts emerged. Our findings do not support the hypothesis that heritability of height is lower in populations with low living standards than in affluent populations, nor that heritability of height will increase within a population as living standards improve.

Validation of the prognostic gene portfolio, ClinicoMolecular Triad Classification, using an independent prospective breast cancer cohort and external patient populations.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Dong-Yu; Done, Susan J; Mc Cready, David R; Leong, Wey L

2014-07-04

Using genome-wide expression profiles of a prospective training cohort of breast cancer patients, ClinicoMolecular Triad Classification (CMTC) was recently developed to classify breast cancers into three clinically relevant groups to aid treatment decisions. CMTC was found to be both prognostic and predictive in a large external breast cancer cohort in that study. This study serves to validate the reproducibility of CMTC and its prognostic value using independent patient cohorts. An independent internal cohort (n = 284) and a new external cohort (n = 2,181) were used to validate the association of CMTC between clinicopathological factors, 12 known gene signatures, two molecular subtype classifiers, and 19 oncogenic signalling pathway activities, and to reproduce the abilities of CMTC to predict clinical outcomes of breast cancer. In addition, we also updated the outcome data of the original training cohort (n = 147). The original training cohort reached a statistically significant difference (p value of the triad classification was reproduced in the second independent internal cohort and the new external validation cohort. CMTC achieved even higher prognostic significance when all available patients were analyzed (n = 4,851). Oncogenic pathways Myc, E2F1, Ras and β-catenin were again implicated in the high-risk groups. Both prospective internal cohorts and the independent external cohorts reproduced the triad classification of CMTC and its prognostic significance. CMTC is an independent prognostic predictor, and it outperformed 12 other known prognostic gene signatures, molecular subtype classifications, and all other standard prognostic clinicopathological factors. Our results support further development of CMTC portfolio into a guide for personalized breast cancer treatments.

Changing Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Heavy Drinking Trajectories Through Young Adulthood: A Comparative Cohort Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Edwina; Mulia, Nina; Karriker-Jaffe, Katherine J; Lui, Camillia K

2018-01-01

There is evidence of racial/ethnic differences in the age at which young adults age out of heavy drinking. Some studies have found Black and Hispanic drinkers engage in more frequent heavy drinking than White people beyond adulthood. Yet, the alcohol-related disparities literature has produced contradictory findings on whether an age-crossover effect is evident among racial/ethnic groups; that is, whether racial/ethnic minorities' drinking levels or trajectories are lower than White people at young ages but later exceed (or crossover) those of White people. This study extends this scant literature by assessing whether racial/ethnic differences in heavy drinking have changed over time (possibly accounting for mixed findings from prior research); and tests for an age-crossover effect in heavy drinking using longitudinal data from 2 cohorts born 20 years apart. Data are from the 1979 (n = 10,963) and 1997 (n = 8,852) cohorts of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY). Generalized estimating equations were used to model trajectories of heavy drinking frequency from ages 17 to 31. Racial/ethnic differences were determined using sex-stratified models and 3-way interactions of race/ethnicity with age, age-squared, and cohort. Racial/ethnic differences in heavy drinking trajectories have changed over time in men and women. In the older NLSY cohort, Hispanic men and Black women surpassed White men's and women's heavy drinking frequency by age 31. This crossover was absent in the younger cohort, where trajectories of all racial-sex groups converged by age 31. Normative trajectories have changed in Hispanics and White people of both sexes, with a delay in age of peak frequency, and greater levels of heavy drinking in the younger cohort of women. Changes in heavy drinking trajectories over time suggest the need for targeted interventions during young adulthood. While disparities in young adult heavy drinking were no longer apparent in the more recent birth cohort

Are we Baby Boomers, Gen X and Gen Y? A qualitative inquiry into generation cohorts in Malaysia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hiram Ting

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Notwithstanding the prevalent use of generation labels and descriptions from U.S. sources in the marketing literature and segmentation practices in Malaysia, there is an extreme lack of studies that justify such adoption with theoretical support and empirical evidence. The present study was performed to explore generation cohorts in Malaysia using sociological theories of generations as the underpinning basis. The purpose was to identify the major external events which have impacted Malaysians during their formative years and to define actual generation cohorts in the Malaysian context. A qualitative approach via personal interview was administered and 80 nationwide interviews were conducted and audio-recorded. The data were then transcribed and analyzed using content analysis with the aid of the ATLAS.ti software. The findings suggested that the experiences of external events which Malaysians have are different from the experiences of the U.S. population. As such, five generation cohorts were proposed based on the collective experience of the events which transpired during the formative years respectively. The study not only unearthed actual Malaysian generation cohorts, it can also pioneer future investigation pertaining to generation cohorts in Malaysia and the use of generations in various studies and practices. Keywords: formative years, generation cohort, Malaysia, qualitative, segmentation strategy

Effect of Birth Cohort on Risk of Hip Fracture: Age-Specific Incidence Rates in the Framingham Study

Science.gov (United States)

Samelson, Elizabeth J.; Zhang, Yuqing; Kiel, Douglas P.; Hannan, Marian T.; Felson, David T.

2002-01-01

Objectives. This study examined the effect of birth cohort on incidence rates of hip fracture among women and men in the Framingham Study. Methods. Age-specific incidence rates of first hip fracture were presented according to tertile of year of birth for 5209 participants of the Framingham Study, a population-based cohort followed since 1948. Sex-specific incidence rate ratios were calculated by Cox regression to assess the relation between birth cohort and hip fracture incidence. Results. An increasing trend in hip fracture incidence rates was observed with year of birth for women (trend, P = .05) and men (trend, P = .03). Relative to those born from 1887 to 1900 (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 1.0), age-specific incidence rates were greatest in the most recent birth cohort, born from 1911 to 1921 (IRR = 1.4 for women, IRR = 2.0 for men), and intermediate in those born from 1901 to 1910 (IRR = 1.2 for women, IRR = 1.5 for men). Conclusions. Results suggest risk of hip fracture is increasing for successive birth cohorts. Projections that fail to account for the increase in rates associated with birth cohort underestimate the future public health impact of hip fracture in the United States. PMID:11988460

Genetic regulation of IL1RL1 methylation and IL1RL1-a protein levels in asthma.

Science.gov (United States)

Dijk, F Nicole; Xu, Chengjian; Melén, Erik; Carsin, Anne-Elie; Kumar, Asish; Nolte, Ilja M; Gruzieva, Olena; Pershagen, Goran; Grotenboer, Neomi S; Savenije, Olga E M; Antó, Josep Maria; Lavi, Iris; Dobaño, Carlota; Bousquet, Jean; van der Vlies, Pieter; van der Valk, Ralf J P; de Jongste, Johan C; Nawijn, Martijn C; Guerra, Stefano; Postma, Dirkje S; Koppelman, Gerard H

2018-03-01

Interleukin-1 receptor-like 1 ( IL1RL1 ) is an important asthma gene. (Epi)genetic regulation of IL1RL1 protein expression has not been established. We assessed the association between IL1RL1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), IL1RL1 methylation and serum IL1RL1-a protein levels, and aimed to identify causal pathways in asthma.Associations of IL1RL1 SNPs with asthma were determined in the Dutch Asthma Genome-wide Association Study cohort and three European birth cohorts, BAMSE (Children/Barn, Allergy, Milieu, Stockholm, an Epidemiological survey), INMA (Infancia y Medio Ambiente) and PIAMA (Prevention and Incidence of Asthma and Mite Allergy), participating in the Mechanisms of the Development of Allergy study. We performed blood DNA IL1RL1 methylation quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis (n=496) and (epi)genome-wide protein QTL analysis on serum IL1RL1-a levels (n=1462). We investigated the association of IL1RL1 CpG methylation with asthma (n=632) and IL1RL1-a levels (n=548), with subsequent causal inference testing. Finally, we determined the association of IL1RL1-a levels with asthma and its clinical characteristics (n=1101). IL1RL1 asthma-risk SNPs strongly associated with IL1RL1 methylation (rs1420101; p=3.7×10 -16 ) and serum IL1RL1-a levels (p=2.8×10 -56 ). IL1RL1 methylation was not associated with asthma or IL1RL1-a levels. IL1RL1-a levels negatively correlated with blood eosinophil counts, whereas there was no association between IL1RL1-a levels and asthma.In conclusion, asthma-associated IL1RL1 SNPs strongly regulate IL1RL1 methylation and serum IL1RL1-a levels, yet neither these IL1RL1- methylation CpG sites nor IL1RL1-a levels are associated with asthma. Copyright ©ERS 2018.

Concentrations and determinants of organochlorine levels among pregnant women in Eastern Spain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Llop, Sabrina; Ballester, Ferran; Vizcaino, Esther; Murcia, Mario; Lopez-Espinosa, Maria-Jose; Rebagliato, Marisa; Vioque, Jesus; Marco, Alfredo; Grimalt, Joan O.

2010-01-01

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) comprise a large variety of toxic substances with ample distribution. While exposure to these toxins occurs mainly through diet, maternal POP levels may be influenced by certain sociodemographic, environmental, or lifestyle factors. This is important given that these substances may have adverse effects on fetal development. The aim of this study is to examine the sociodemographic, environmental, lifestyle, and dietary determinants of the levels of hexachlorobenzene (HCB), b-hexachlorocyclohexane (b-HCH), 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane (4,4'-DDT), 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethylene (4,4'-DDE), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB congeners 118, 138, 153, 180) measured in the blood of pregnant women participating in a mother-child cohort study conducted in Valencia (Spain). The study population consisted of 541 pregnant women who formed part of the INMA (Childhood and the Environment) cohort (2004-2006). POP levels were determined in blood taken during the 12th week of pregnancy with the aid of gas chromatography with electron capture detection. Sociodemographic, environmental, and dietary information was obtained from a questionnaire. Multivariate Tobit regression models were constructed in order to assess the association between POP levels and selected covariates. The results showed that all the women had detectable levels of at least one of these compounds while in 43% of the subjects, all eight compounds were detected. The compounds found in the greatest number of women were 4,4'-DDE (100%) and PCBs 153 and 180 (95%). The most important determinants of high POP levels were the mother's age, country of origin, increased body mass index, and number of weeks of breastfeeding after previous pregnancies. With regard to diet, 4,4'-DDT and 4,4'-DDE levels increased with the intake of meat, fruit, and cereal. PCB 153 levels increased with the intake of seafood. The levels of HCB, b-HCH, 4,4'-DDT, and 4,4'-DDE

Risk stratification after paracetamol overdose using mechanistic biomarkers: results from two prospective cohort studies.

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Dear, James W; Clarke, Joanna I; Francis, Ben; Allen, Lowri; Wraight, Jonathan; Shen, Jasmine; Dargan, Paul I; Wood, David; Cooper, Jamie; Thomas, Simon H L; Jorgensen, Andrea L; Pirmohamed, Munir; Park, B Kevin; Antoine, Daniel J

2018-02-01

Paracetamol overdose is common but patient stratification is suboptimal. We investigated the usefulness of new biomarkers that have either enhanced liver specificity (microRNA-122 [miR-122]) or provide mechanistic insights (keratin-18 [K18], high mobility group box-1 [HMGB1], and glutamate dehydrogenase [GLDH]). The use of these biomarkers could help stratify patients for their risk of liver injury at hospital presentation. Using data from two prospective cohort studies, we assessed the potential for biomarkers to stratify patients who overdose with paracetamol. We completed two independent prospective studies: a derivation study (MAPP) in eight UK hospitals and a validation study (BIOPAR) in ten UK hospitals. Patients in both cohorts were adults (≥18 years in England, ≥16 years in Scotland), were diagnosed with paracetamol overdose, and gave written informed consent. Patients who needed intravenous acetylcysteine treatment for paracetamol overdose had circulating biomarkers measured at hospital presentation. The primary endpoint was acute liver injury indicating need for continued acetylcysteine treatment beyond the standard course (alanine aminotransferase [ALT] activity >100 U/L). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, category-free net reclassification index (cfNRI), and integrated discrimination index (IDI) were applied to assess endpoint prediction. Between June 2, 2010, and May 29, 2014, 1187 patients who required acetylcysteine treatment for paracetamol overdose were recruited (985 in the MAPP cohort; 202 in the BIOPAR cohort). In the derivation and validation cohorts, acute liver injury was predicted at hospital presentation by miR-122 (derivation cohort ROC-area under the curve [AUC] 0·97 [95% CI 0·95-0·98]), HMGB1 (0·95 [0·93-0·98]), and full-length K18 (0·95 [0·92-0·97]). Results were similar in the validation cohort (miR-122 AUC 0·97 [95% CI 0·95-0·99], HMGB1 0·98 [0·96-0·99], and full-length K18 0·93 [0·86-0·99]). A

Existing data sources for clinical epidemiology: Danish Cancer in Primary Care cohort

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Jensen H

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Henry Jensen,1,2 Marie Louise Tørring,1 Mette Bach Larsen,3 Peter Vedsted11Research Unit for General Practice, Research Centre for Cancer Diagnosis in Primary Care, 2Section for General Medical Practice, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, 3Department of Public Health Programs, Randers Regional Hospital, Randers NOE, Denmark Background: In this paper, we describe the settings, content, and possibilities of the Danish Cancer in Primary Care (CaP cohort as well as some of the key findings so far. Further, we describe the future potential of the cohort as an international resource for epidemiological and health services research studies. Methods: The CaP cohort comprises information from three Danish subcohorts set up in 2004–2005, 2007–2008, and 2010 on newly diagnosed cancer patients aged 18 years or older. General practitioner (GP-reported and patient-reported data from six questionnaires generated information on causes and consequences of delayed diagnosis of cancer, and these data were supplemented with complete information on, eg, death, migration, health care utilization, medication use, and socioeconomic data from Denmark's comprehensive health and administrative registers. The cohort is followed up in terms of emigration, death, hospitalization, medication, and socioeconomics, and data are updated regularly. Results: In total, we identified 22,169 verified incident cancer cases. Completed GP questionnaires were returned for 17,566 (79% of the verified cases, and patient questionnaires were completed by 8,937 (40% respondents. Patients with participating GPs did not differ from patients with nonparticipating GPs in regard to one-year survival, comorbidity, or educational level. However, compared with nonparticipating GPs, patients listed with participating GPs were more likely to be women, younger, to have a higher disposable income, to have more regional or distant spread of tumors, were also more likely to have

Subclinical Hyperthyroidism-A Cohort Study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hashim, R.; Anwer, M. S.; Khan, F. A.; Ijaz, A.

2013-01-01

Objective: To compare the development of overt hyperthyroidism in a cohort of patients of subclinical hyperthyroidism (SCR) and in subjects with normal thyroid function tests. Study Design: A cohort study. Place and Duration of study: The study was conducted in the department of Chemical Pathology and Endocrinology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Rawalpindi from Sept 2006 to Sept 2007. Patients and Methods: Fifty patients of SCR and almost equal number of age and sex-matched subjects with normal Thyroid function test (TFT) were included in the study as controls. Subclinical hyperthyroid patients and controls were followed for a period of one year on a six monthly basis. The patients were examined for signs and symptoms of hyperthyroidism and serum TSH, total T3 and free T4 were estimated. The clinical history, physical examination and TFT results were recorded. Five ml of blood was collected for serum thyroid profile in plain tube. Hormonal analysis(TSH, T4 and T3) was done for the patients and the controls enrolled in the study. The TFTs was analyzed using Chemiluminescence Immunoassay technique on Immulite 2000 an automated, random access, immunoassay analyzer. Results: Six (12%) out of 50 cases of the SCR patients and 2 (4%) out of 50 controls developed overt hyperthyroidism. SCR had no significant risk for conversion to overt hyperthyroidism as compared to healthy controls in this study. In addition to initial levels of serum TSH were one of important predictor for conversion of SCR to overt hyperthyroidism. Conclusion: Patients with SCR have no significant risk but showed an increase in frequency of conversion to overt hyperthyroidism (12% in this study) as compared to controls. (author)

Effects of age, time period, and birth cohort on the prevalence of diabetes and obesity in Korean men.

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Kwon, Jin-Won; Song, Yun-mi; Park, Hye soon; Sung, Joohon; Kim, Ho; Cho, Sung-il

2008-02-01

We examined changes in the prevalence of diabetes, obesity, and overweight in 412,881 Korean men in birth cohorts from 1933 to 1972 over 8 years from 1992 to 2000 and separately analyzed the effects of age, time period, and birth cohort. The study included male employees of Korean government organizations and schools who were between 20 and 59 years of age in 1992. Diabetes was diagnosed on the basis of self-reports in 1992 or fasting blood glucose levels (>or=126 mg/ml, 7.0 mmol/l). The age-period-cohort model was used to estimate the effects of age, time period, and birth cohort. In Korean male birth cohorts from 1933 to 1972, the age-specific prevalence of diabetes, obesity, and overweight in men aged 28-59 years increased annually by 0.41% (3.03 to 6.29%), 0.18% (0.70 to 2.16%), and 1.49% (23.48 to 35.41%), respectively, from 1992 to 2000. The relative change in diabetes was largest among the younger cohorts (>400% increase over 8 years) and corresponded to the change in obesity. Apart from the contribution of age, clear cohort and period effects were evident for diabetes, although the magnitude of the effect was slightly less than that for obesity. Prevention of diabetes through the control of obesity, particularly in young men, clearly needs to be emphasized.

Alcohol and Difficulty Conceiving in the SUN Cohort: A Nested Case-Control Study

OpenAIRE

Cristina Lopez-del Burgo; Alfredo Gea; Jokin de Irala; Miguel A. Martínez-González; Jorge E. Chavarro; Estefania Toledo

2015-01-01

The role of alcohol on fertility remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the association between alcohol and specific alcoholic beverages consumption and the risk of difficulty getting pregnant. We used a case-control study nested within the Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra (SUN) cohort, a prospective, dynamic and multipurpose cohort of 21,705 Spanish university graduates, followed biennially with mailed questionnaires. We identified 686 case-control pairs, matched for age and time in the ...

Prevalencia y factores asociados con la duración de la lactancia materna exclusiva durante los 6 primeros meses en la cohorte INMA de Guipúzcoa

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Madalen Oribe

2015-01-01

Conclusiones: Los resultados de este estudio pueden ser de utilidad para los profesionales sanitarios y desde una perspectiva de salud pública, ya que permiten diseñar estrategias para apoyar a las madres lactantes, teniendo en cuenta las razones principales de abandono temprano y tras la reincorporación a la vida laboral.

The Gender Dynamics of Educational Leadership Preparation: A Feminist Postmodern Critique of the Cohort Experience

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Killingsworth, Molly F.; Cabezas, Christy T.; Kensler, Lisa A. W.; Brooks, Jeffrey S.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine gender dynamics in educational leadership doctoral cohorts and explore the propensity for educational leadership programs to unintentionally perpetuate inequity through continued silence and unawareness of issues related to gender. The study includes narratives from two women cohort members and two…

Mediterranean Diet and Health-Related Quality of Life in Two Cohorts of Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

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Pérez-Tasigchana, Raúl F; León-Muñoz, Luz M; López-García, Esther; Banegas, José R; Rodríguez-Artalejo, Fernando; Guallar-Castillón, Pilar

2016-01-01

In older adults, the Mediterranean diet is associated with lower risk of chronic diseases, but its association with health-related quality of life (HRQL) is still uncertain. This study assessed the association between the Mediterranean diet and HRQL in 2 prospective cohorts of individuals aged ≥60 years in Spain. The UAM-cohort (n = 2376) was selected in 2000/2001 and followed-up through 2003. At baseline, diet was collected with a food frequency questionnaire, which was used to develop an 8-item index of Mediterranean diet (UAM-MDP). The Seniors-ENRICA cohort (n = 1911) was recruited in 2008/2010 and followed-up through 2012. At baseline, a diet history was used to obtain food consumption. Mediterranean diet adherence was measured with the PREDIMED score and the Trichopoulou's Mediterranean Diet Score (MSD). HRQL was assessed, at baseline and at the end of follow-up, with the physical and mental component summaries (PCS and MCS) of the SF-36 questionnaire in the UAM-cohort, and the SF-12v.2 questionnaire in the Seniors-ENRICA cohort. Analyses were conducted with linear regression, and adjusted for the main confounders including baseline HRQL. In the UAM-cohort, no significant associations between the UAM-MDP and the PCS or the MCS were found. In the Seniors-ENRICA cohort, a higher PREDIMED score was associated with a slightly better PCS; when compared with the lowest tertile of PREDIMED score, the beta coefficient (95% confidence interval) for PCS was 0.55 (-0.48 to 1.59) in the second tertile, and 1.34 (0.21 to 2.47) in the highest tertile. However, the PREDIMED score was non-significantly associated with a better MCS score. The MSD did not show an association with either the PCS or the MCS. No clinically relevant association was found between the Mediterranean diet and HRQL in older adults in Spain.

Replication of association of DENND1A and THADA variants with polycystic ovary syndrome in European cohorts.

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Goodarzi, Mark O; Jones, Michelle R; Li, Xiaohui; Chua, Angela K; Garcia, Obed A; Chen, Yii-Der I; Krauss, Ronald M; Rotter, Jerome I; Ankener, Wendy; Legro, Richard S; Azziz, Ricardo; Strauss, Jerome F; Dunaif, Andrea; Urbanek, Margrit

2012-02-01

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex endocrine disorder with a strong familial component. PCOS is characterised by hyperandrogenaemia and irregular menses. A recent genome-wide association study (GWAS) of PCOS in a Chinese cohort identified three reproducible PCOS susceptibility loci mapping to 2p16.3 (luteinising hormone/choriogonadotropin receptor; LHCGR), 2p21 (thyroid associated protein; THADA), and 9q33.3 (DENN/MADD domain containing 1A; DENNDIA). The impact of these loci in non-Chinese PCOS cohorts remains to be determined. The study tested association with PCOS of seven single nucleotide polymorphisms mapping to the three Chinese PCOS loci in two European derived PCOS cohorts (cohort A = 939 cases and 957 controls; cohort B = 535 cases and 845 controls). Cases fulfilled the National Institute of Child Health & Human Development criteria for PCOS. Variation in DENND1A was strongly associated with PCOS in the study cohort (p(combined cohorts)=10(-8)); multiple variants in THADA were also associated with PCOS, while there was no significant evidence for association of LHCGR variation with PCOS. The present study had >80% power to detect an effect of similar size as was observed by Chen et al for DENND1A and THADA, but reduced power (at PCOS susceptibility loci identified in the Chinese PCOS GWAS (DENND1A and THADA) are also associated with PCOS in European derived populations, and are therefore likely to be important in the aetiology of PCOS regardless of ethnicity. The analysis of the LHCGR gene was not sufficiently powered to detect modest effects.

Plasma Levels of Aβ42 and Tau Identified Probable Alzheimer’s Dementia: Findings in Two Cohorts

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Lih-Fen Lue

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The utility of plasma amyloid beta (Aβ and tau levels for the clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD dementia has been controversial. The main objective of this study was to compare Aβ42 and tau levels measured by the ultra-sensitive immunomagnetic reduction (IMR assays in plasma samples collected at the Banner Sun Health Institute (BSHRI (United States with those from the National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH (Taiwan. Significant increase in tau levels were detected in AD subjects from both cohorts, while Aβ42 levels were increased only in the NTUH cohort. A regression model incorporating age showed that tau levels identified probable ADs with 81 and 96% accuracy in the BSHRI and NTUH cohorts, respectively, while computed products of Aβ42 and tau increased the accuracy to 84% in the BSHRI cohorts. Using 382.68 (pg/ml2 as the cut-off value, the product achieved 92% accuracy in identifying AD in the combined cohorts. Overall findings support that plasma Aβ42 and tau assayed by IMR technology can be used to assist in the clinical diagnosis of AD.

Malignant transformation of Taiwanese patients with oral leukoplakia: A nationwide population-based retrospective cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Tung-Yuan; Chiu, Yu-Wei; Chen, Yi-Tzu; Wang, Yu-Hsun; Yu, Hui-Chieh; Yu, Chuan-Hang; Chang, Yu-Chao

2018-05-01

Oral leukoplakia (OL) is one of the clinically diagnosed oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) with an increased risk of oral cancer development. In this study, we investigated the malignant transformation of OL in Taiwanese population. A retrospective cohort study was analyzed from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. A comparison cohort was randomly frequency-matched with the OL cohort according to age, sex, and index year. Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) and oral lichen planus (OLP) were further stratified to evaluate the possible synergistic effects for OL-associated malignant transformation. In this cohort, 102 (5.374%) of 1898 OL patients were observed to transform into oral cancer. The malignant transformation rate was 26.40-fold in the OL cohort than in the comparison cohort after adjustment (95% confidence intervals 18.46-37.77). To further stratify with OSF and OLP, OL with OSF (58.38; 95% confidence intervals 34.61-98.50) and OL with OLP (36.88; 95% confidence intervals 8.90-152.78) had higher risk of malignant transformation rate than OL alone (27.01; 95% confidence intervals 18.91-38.59). The Kaplan-Meier plot revealed the free of malignant transformation rate was significant over the 13 years follow-up period (log-rank test, p < 0.001). OL patients exhibited a significantly higher risk of malignant transformation than those without OL. In addition, both OSF and OLP could enhance malignant transformation in patients with OL. However, further studies are required to identify the histopathological and clinical parameters in the pathogenesis of malignant transformation among OPMDs. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Comparability of patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis enrolled in clinical trials or in observational cohorts

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Pagnoux, Christian; Carette, Simon; Khalidi, Nader A.; Walsh, Michael; Hiemstra, Thomas F.; Cuthbertson, David; Langford, Carol; Hoffman, Gary S.; Koening, Curry L.; Monach, Paul A.; Moreland, Larry; Mouthon, Luc; Seo, Phil; Specks, Ulrich; Ytterberg, Steven; Westman, Kerstin; Hoglund, Peter; Harper, Lorraine; Flossmann, Oliver; Luqmani, Raashid; Savage, Caroline; Rasmussen, Niels; de Groot, Kirstin; Tesar, Vladimir; Jayne, David; Merkel, Pater A.; Guillevin, Loic

2015-01-01

Objective To analyse the differences between patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) or microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) entered into randomised clinical trials (RCTs) and those followed in large observational cohorts. Methods The main characteristics and outcomes of patients with generalised and/or severe GPA or MPA with a five-factor score ≥1 enrolled in the French Vasculitis Study Group (FVSG) or the US-Canadian-based Vasculitis Clinical Research Consortium cohorts were compared to those enrolled in one of 2 FVSG clinical RCTs (WEG91, WEGENT) or 3 European Vasculitis Society clinical trials (CYCLOPS, CYCAZAREM, IMPROVE). Results 657 patients (65.3% with GPA) in RCTs were compared to 437 in cohorts (90.6% with GPA). RCT patients were older at diagnosis than the cohort patients (56.6±13.9 vs. 46.8±17.3 years), had higher Birmingham vasculitis activity score (19.5±9.1 vs. 16.9±7.4), and more frequent kidney disease (84.0% vs. 54.9%) but fewer ear, nose, and throat symptoms (56.8% vs. 72.2%). At 56 months post-diagnosis, mortality and relapse rates, adjusted for age and renal function, were higher for patients with GPA in RCTs vs. cohorts (10.7% vs. 2.5% [p=0.001] and 22.5% vs. 15.6% [p=0.03], respectively) but similar for patients with MPA (6.2% vs. 6.6% [p=0.92] and 16.6% vs. 10.1% [p=0.39], respectively). Conclusion Patients with GPA or MPA in RCTs and those in observational cohorts show important differences that should be remembered when interpreting results based on these study populations. PMID:26016754

Multi-Cohort Stand Structural Classification: Ground- and LiDAR-based Approaches for Boreal Mixedwood and Black Spruce Forest Types of Northeastern Ontario

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Kuttner, Benjamin George

Natural fire return intervals are relatively long in eastern Canadian boreal forests and often allow for the development of stands with multiple, successive cohorts of trees. Multi-cohort forest management (MCM) provides a strategy to maintain such multi-cohort stands that focuses on three broad phases of increasingly complex, post-fire stand development, termed "cohorts", and recommends different silvicultural approaches be applied to emulate different cohort types. Previous research on structural cohort typing has relied upon primarily subjective classification methods; in this thesis, I develop more comprehensive and objective methods for three common boreal mixedwood and black spruce forest types in northeastern Ontario. Additionally, I examine relationships between cohort types and stand age, productivity, and disturbance history and the utility of airborne LiDAR to retrieve ground-based classifications and to extend structural cohort typing from plot- to stand-levels. In both mixedwood and black spruce forest types, stand age and age-related deadwood features varied systematically with cohort classes in support of an age-based interpretation of increasing cohort complexity. However, correlations of stand age with cohort classes were surprisingly weak. Differences in site productivity had a significant effect on the accrual of increasingly complex multi-cohort stand structure in both forest types, especially in black spruce stands. The effects of past harvesting in predictive models of class membership were only significant when considered in isolation of age. As an age-emulation strategy, the three cohort model appeared to be poorly suited to black spruce forests where the accrual of structural complexity appeared to be more a function of site productivity than age. Airborne LiDAR data appear to be particularly useful in recovering plot-based cohort types and extending them to the stand-level. The main gradients of structural variability detected using Li

Risk factors for childbearing during adolescence in a population-based birth cohort in southern Brazil Factores de riesgo asociados con ser madre adolescente en una cohorte de nacimiento tomada de la población en el sur del Brasil

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Denise P. Gigante

2004-07-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To use a case-control study to analyze risk factors associated with teenage childbearing among adolescents who were in a birth cohort study that began in 1982 in the city of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. METHODS: Adolescent mothers in Pelotas who gave birth between January 1995 and March 2001 and who had been born in 1982 were identified through the local birth information system. These subjects from the 1982 birth cohort were compared to adolescents from the same cohort who had not given birth before March 2001. Standardized interviews were used in 2001 to obtain information about socioeconomic, maternal reproductive, demographic, and lifestyle characteristics. This information was combined with data obtained in earlier phases of this 1982 birth cohort study. Unconditional logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors associated with childbearing during adolescence. RESULTS: A total of 420 parous adolescents from the 1982 birth cohort were identified and then compared with 408 cohort adolescents who had not given birth by March 2001. Higher family income in 1982 and more parental schooling in 1982 were inversely related to childbearing among the birth cohort adolescents. Cohort girls whose mothers were under age 20 when they gave birth in 1982 had a higher risk of becoming pregnant while still an adolescent. Cohort girls who, during childhood, lived with siblings from different fathers were twice as likely to become an adolescent mother. Compared to cohort adolescents who had not failed during the first four years of school, those girls who had done so had twice the risk of giving birth during adolescence. Among the cohort girls a positive association was found between younger age at first intercourse and childbearing in adolescence. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the educational level of the adolescent mothers must be considered in planning policies that attempt to disrupt successive cycles of socioeconomic

Evaluation of the cumulative evidence for freedom from BSE in birth cohorts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Böhning, Dankmar; Greiner, Matthias

2006-01-01

Substantial resources are used for surveillance of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) despite an extremely low detection rate, especially in healthy slaughtered cattle. We have developed a method based on the geometric waiting time distribution to establish and update the statistical evidence...... for BSE-freedom for defined birth cohorts using continued surveillance data. The results suggest that currently (data included till September 2004) a birth cohort of Danish cattle born after March 1999 is free from BSE with probability (power) of 0.8746 or 0.8509, depending on the choice of a model...

Health and function assessments in two adjacent Danish birth cohorts of centenarians

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vestergaard, Sonja; Andersen-Ranberg, Karen; Skytthe, Axel

2016-01-01

Using the results from measures of functional ability, cognitive and physical performance from two adjacent birth cohorts of 100-year-old adults, we aimed to elucidate the possible impact of difference in participation rates, design, and interviewer mode. Participants were birth cohort members born...... proportions of DK-1911 independently performed all activities of daily living (ADL) compared to DK-1910, but only significantly for toileting, bathing, and feeding (all p examination (MMSE) score was higher in DK-1911 than in DK-1910 (23.5 vs. 21.0; p

Exploring educational disparities in risk of preterm delivery: a comparative study of 12 European birth cohorts

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Poulsen, Gry; Strandberg-Larsen, Katrine; Mortensen, Laust; Barros, Henrique; Cordier, Sylvaine; Correia, Sofia; Danileviciute, Asta; van Eijsden, Manon; Fernández-Somoano, Ana; Gehring, Ulrike; Grazuleviciene, Regina; Hafkamp-de Groen, Esther; Henriksen, Tine Brink; Jensen, Morten Søndergaard; Larrañaga, Isabel; Magnus, Per; Pickett, Kate; Raat, Hein; Richiardi, Lorenzo; Rouget, Florence; Rusconi, Franca; Stoltenberg, Camilla; Uphoff, Eleonora P; Vrijkotte, Tanja G M; Wijga, Alet H; Vrijheid, Martine; Osler, Merete; Andersen, Anne-Marie Nybo

BACKGROUND: An association between education and preterm delivery has been observed in populations across Europe, but differences in methodology limit comparability. We performed a direct cross-cohort comparison of educational disparities in preterm delivery based on individual-level birth cohort

Exploring educational disparities in risk of preterm delivery: a comparative study of 12 European birth cohorts

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Poulsen, Gry; Strandberg-Larsen, Katrine; Mortensen, Laust; Barros, Henrique; Cordier, Sylvaine; Correia, Sofia; Danileviciute, Asta; van Eijsden, Manon; Fernández-Somoano, Ana; Gehring, Ulrike; Grazuleviciene, Regina; Hafkamp-de Groen, Esther; Henriksen, Tine Brink; Jensen, Morten Søndergaard; Larrañaga, Isabel; Magnus, Per; Pickett, Kate; Raat, Hein; Richiardi, Lorenzo; Rouget, Florence; Rusconi, Franca; Stoltenberg, Camilla; Uphoff, Eleonora P.; Vrijkotte, Tanja G. M.; Wijga, Alet H.; Vrijheid, Martine; Osler, Merete; Andersen, Anne-Marie Nybo

2015-01-01

An association between education and preterm delivery has been observed in populations across Europe, but differences in methodology limit comparability. We performed a direct cross-cohort comparison of educational disparities in preterm delivery based on individual-level birth cohort data. The

Hyperthyroidism and thyroid cancer risk: a population-based cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeh, N-C; Chou, C-W; Weng, S-F; Yang, C-Y; Yen, F-C; Lee, S-Y; Wang, J-J; Tien, K-J

2013-07-01

Thyroid hormones regulate the rate of metabolism and affect the differentiation and growth of many tissues in the body. We investigated the association between hyperthyroidism and cancer risk in Taiwan. A random sample of 1 000 000 individuals from Taiwan's National Health Insurance database was enrolled. We found 17 033 patients to have newly diagnosed hyperthyroidism between 2000 and 2005. These patients were recruited along with a match cohort of 34 066 patients without hyperthyroidism. Starting from index date, we followed up all patients for 4 years to identify those who developed cancer. During the 4-year follow-up study, cancer was diagnosed in 1.23% of patients with hyperthyroidism and 1.02% of the member of the comparison cohort. Regression analysis showed that patients with hyperthyroidism were at greater risk of cancer incidence, especially thyroid cancer, compared the comparison cohort (HR: 1.213; 95% CI: 1.022-1.440; phyperthyroidism remained at increased risk of cancer incidence and thyroid cancer (Adjusted HR: 1.206; 95% CI: 1.015-1.433 and 6.803; 95% CI: 3.584-12.91, respectively) (both phyperthyroidism, the greater the risk of thyroid cancer. This 4-year follow up study suggests that patients with hyperthyroidism are at increased risk of cancer, especially thyroid cancer. © J. A. Barth Verlag in Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Retrospective cohort study of cancer incidence and mortality by HIV status in a Georgia, USA, prisoner cohort during the HAART era.

Science.gov (United States)

Zlotorzynska, Maria; Spaulding, Anne C; Messina, Lauren C; Coker, Daniella; Ward, Kevin; Easley, Kirk; Baillargeon, Jacques; Mink, Pamela J; Simard, Edgar P

2016-04-11

Non-AIDS-defining cancers (NADCs) have emerged as significant contributors to cancer mortality and morbidity among persons living with HIV (PLWH). Because NADCs are also associated with many social and behavioural risk factors that underlie HIV, determining the extent to which each of these factors contributes to NADC risk is difficult. We examined cancer incidence and mortality among persons with a history of incarceration, because distributions of other cancer risk factors are likely similar between prisoners living with HIV and non-infected prisoners. Registry-based retrospective cohort study. Cohort of 22,422 persons incarcerated in Georgia, USA, prisons on 30 June 1991, and still alive in 1998. Cancer incidence and mortality were assessed between 1998 and 2009, using cancer and death registry data matched to prison administrative records. Age, race and sex-adjusted standardised mortality and incidence ratios, relative to the general population, were calculated for AIDS-defining cancers, viral-associated NADCs and non-infection-associated NADCs, stratified by HIV status. There were no significant differences in cancer mortality relative to the general population in the cohort, regardless of HIV status. In contrast, cancer incidence was elevated among the PLWH. Furthermore, incidence of viral-associated NADCs was significantly higher among PLWH versus those without HIV infection (standardised incidence ratio=6.1, 95% CI 3.0 to 11.7, pcancer incidence was elevated relative to the general population, likely related to increased prevalence of oncogenic viral co-infections. Cancer prevention and screening programmes within prisons may help to reduce the cancer burden in this high-risk population. 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/

Cataract surgery in a population-based cohort of patients with type 1 diabetes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grauslund, Jakob; Green, Anders; Sjølie, Anne K

2011-01-01

.05-3.40) were the only statistically significant predictors of cataract surgery. Duration of diabetes, gender, glycaemic regulation, proteinuria, smoking, blood pressure and level of retinopathy were not associated with cataract surgery. Conclusion: Type 1 diabetes is associated with a high long-term incidence......ABSTRACT. Purpose: To estimate the long-term cumulative incidence of cataract surgery and associated risk factors in a 25-year follow-up of a population-based cohort of patients with type 1 diabetes. Methods: Based on insulin prescriptions, a population-based cohort of 727 patients with type 1...... of surgery were 59.3 and 42 years, respectively. Cataract surgery in the cohort took place approximately 20 years earlier compared to non-diabetic persons. In a multivariate regression analysis, baseline age [hazard ratio (HR) 1.89 per 10 years, 95% CI 1.46-2.27] and maculopathy (HR 1.89, 95% CI 1...

Clinicopathological Features of Ocular Adnexal Mantle-Cell Lymphoma in an International Multicenter Cohort

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Knudsen, Marina K H; Rasmussen, Peter K; Coupland, Sarah E

2017-01-01

Importance: To our knowledge, the clinical features of ocular adnexal mantle-cell lymphoma (OA-MCL) have not previously been evaluated in a large multicenter cohort. Objective: To characterize the clinical features of OA-MCL. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective multicenter study...... included patient data collected from January 1, 1980, through December 31, 2015, at 6 eye cancer centers in 4 countries. Medical records of 55 patients with OA-MCL were reviewed; the median length of follow-up was 33 months. Main Outcomes and Measures: Overall survival, disease-specific survival....... Overall survival rates for the entire cohort were 65% at 3 years (95% CI, 52%-78%) and 34% at 5 years (95% CI, 21%-47%). Disease-specific survival after 5 years was 38% for the entire cohort (95% CI, 25%-51%); the disease-specific survival adjusted by eye cancer center was better in patients who had...

The impact of attrition on the representativeness of cohort studies of older people

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Brilleman Samuel L

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background There are well-established risk factors, such as lower education, for attrition of study participants. Consequently, the representativeness of the cohort in a longitudinal study may deteriorate over time. Death is a common form of attrition in cohort studies of older people. The aim of this paper is to examine the effects of death and other forms of attrition on risk factor prevalence in the study cohort and the target population over time. Methods Differential associations between a risk factor and death and non-death attrition are considered under various hypothetical conditions. Empirical data from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health (ALSWH for participants born in 1921-26 are used to identify associations which occur in practice, and national cross-sectional data from Australian Censuses and National Health Surveys are used to illustrate the evolution of bias over approximately ten years. Results The hypothetical situations illustrate how death and other attrition can theoretically affect changes in bias over time. Between 1996 and 2008, 28.4% of ALSWH participants died, 16.5% withdrew and 10.4% were lost to follow up. There were differential associations with various risk factors, for example, non-English speaking country of birth was associated with non-death attrition but not death whereas being underweight (body mass index Conclusions Deaths occur in both the target population and study cohort, while other forms of attrition occur only in the study cohort. Therefore non-death attrition may cause greater bias than death in longitudinal studies. However although more than a quarter of the oldest participants in the ALSWH died in the 12 years following recruitment, differences from the national population changed only slightly.

Risk of Nephrotic Syndrome following Enteroviral Infection in Children: A Nationwide Retrospective Cohort Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Jiun-Nong; Lin, Cheng-Li; Yang, Chi-Hui; Lin, Ming-Chia; Lai, Chung-Hsu; Lin, Hsi-Hsun; Kao, Chia-Hung

2016-01-01

Nephrotic syndrome is a common chronic illness encountered during childhood. Infections have been identified as a cause of nephrotic syndrome. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between enteroviral infection and nephrotic syndrome. A nationwide retrospective cohort study was conducted by analyzing data from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. Children aged children were randomly selected as the comparison cohort. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of nephrotic syndrome. This study included 280,087 enterovirus-infected children and 280,085 non-enterovirus-infected children. The mean age of the enterovirus-infected children was 2.38 years, and 53.7% of these children were boys. The overall incidence densities of nephrotic syndrome for enterovirus- and non-enterovirus-infected children were 2.65 and 2.21 per 10,000 person-years, respectively. The enterovirus-infected cohort had a higher cumulative incidence of nephrotic syndrome than did the non-enterovirus-infected cohort (log-rank test, p = 0.01). Multivariable analyses revealed that children with enteroviral infection were significantly associated with an increased risk of nephrotic syndrome compared with those without enteroviral infection (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.04-1.39; p = 0.01), particularly in children infected with coxsackievirus. Subgroup analyses revealed that enterovirus-infected girls, children of blue-collar workers, and children without allergies had a higher risk of nephrotic syndrome than did children in the non-enterovirus-infected cohort. This study revealed a significant association between enteroviral infection and nephrotic syndrome. Additional studies elucidating the role and pathogenesis of enterovirus in nephrotic syndrome are warranted.

Perinatal nutrition in maternal mental health and child development: Birth of a pregnancy cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Leung, Brenda M Y; Giesbrecht, Gerald F; Letourneau, Nicole; Field, Catherine J; Bell, Rhonda C; Dewey, Deborah

2016-02-01

Mental disorders are one of the leading contributors to the global burden of disease. The Alberta Pregnancy Outcomes and Nutrition (APrON) study was initiated in 2008 to better understand perinatal environmental impacts on maternal mental health and child development. This pregnancy cohort was established to investigate the relationship between the maternal environment (e.g. nutritional status), maternal mental health status, birth outcomes, and child development. The purpose of this paper is to describe the creation of this longitudinal cohort, the data collection tools and procedures, and the background characteristics of the participants. Participants were pregnant women age 16 or older, their infants and the biological fathers. For the women, data were collected during each trimester of pregnancy and at 3, 6, 12, 24, and 36months after the birth of their infant. Maternal measures included diet, stress, current mental and physical health, health history, and lifestyle. In addition, maternal biological samples (DNA, blood, urine, and spot breast milk samples) were banked. Paternal data included current mental and physical health, health history, lifestyle, and banked DNA samples. For infants, DNA and blood were collected as well as information on health, development and feeding behavior. At the end of recruitment in 2012, the APrON cohort included 2140 women, 2172 infants, and 1417 biological fathers. Descriptive statistics of the cohort, and comparison of women who stayed in the study and those who dropped out are discussed. Findings from the longitudinal cohort may have important implications for health policy and clinical practice. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Childhood and adolescent energy restriction and subsequent colorectal cancer risk: Results from The Netherlands cohort study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hughes, L.A.E.; Brandt, P.A. van den; Goldbohm, R.A.; Goeij, A.F.P.M. d; Bruïne, A.P. de; Engeland, M. van; Weijenberg, M.P.

2010-01-01

Background: Energy restriction during childhood and adolescence is suggested to lower colorectal cancer (CRC) risk. We investigated this in the Netherlands Cohort Study. Methods: Information on diet and other risk factors was collected by a baseline questionnaire in 1986 when cohort members were

Folic acid knowledge and use in a multi-ethnic pregnancy cohort: the role of language proficiency

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Eijsden, M.; van der Wal, M. F.; Bonsel, G. J.

2006-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of language proficiency as determinant of folic acid knowledge and use in a multi-ethnic pregnancy cohort. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING AND POPULATION: Pregnant women from Amsterdam attending obstetric care for their first antenatal visit. Number

Coffee consumption and incidence of colorectal cancer in two prospective cohort studies of Swedish women and men.

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Larsson, Susanna C; Bergkvist, Leif; Giovannucci, Edward; Wolk, Alicja

2006-04-01

Investigators have reported an inverse association between coffee consumption and risk of colorectal cancer in several case-control studies, but prospective studies, most of them involving small numbers of cases, have not supported such a relation. In this analysis, the authors prospectively examined the association of coffee consumption with colorectal cancer risk among participants from two population-based cohort studies: 61,433 women in the Swedish Mammography Cohort and 45,306 men in the Cohort of Swedish Men. Information about coffee consumption was obtained from food frequency questionnaires in 1987-1990 and 1997 for women and in 1997 for men. The authors used Cox proportional hazards modeling for cohort-specific multivariate analyses, and results were pooled using random-effects models. During 1,240,597 person-years of follow-up, 1,279 incident cases of colorectal cancer were diagnosed. Coffee consumption was not associated with risk of colorectal cancer, colon cancer, or rectal cancer in either women or men. For both cohorts combined, the multivariate rate ratio for colorectal cancer for each additional cup of coffee per day was 1.00 (95% confidence interval: 0.97, 1.04). The associations were not modified by colorectal cancer risk factors. The findings from these two large prospective cohort studies do not support the hypothesis that coffee consumption lowers the risk of colorectal cancer.

Interaction effects in the theory of planned behaviour: Predicting fruit and vegetable consumption in three prospective cohorts.

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Kothe, Emily J; Mullan, Barbara A

2015-09-01

The theory of planned behaviour (TPB) has been criticized for not including interactions between major constructs thought to underlie behaviour. This study investigated the application of the TPB to the prediction of fruit and vegetable consumption across three prospective cohorts. The primary aim of the study was to investigate whether interactions between major constructs in the theory would increase the ability of the model to predict intention to consume fruit and vegetables (i.e., attitude × perceived behavioural control [PBC], subjective norm × PBC, subjective norm × attitude) and self-reported fruit and vegetable intake (i.e., PBC × intention). Secondary data analysis from three cohorts: One predictive study (cohort 1) and two intervention studies (cohorts 2 and 3). Participants completed a TPB measure at baseline and a measure of fruit and vegetable intake at 1 week (cohort 1; n = 90) or 1 month (cohorts 2 and 3; n = 296). Attitude moderated the impact of PBC on intention. PBC moderated the impact of intention on behaviour at 1 week but not 1 month. The variance accounted for by the interactions was small. However, the presence of interactions between constructs within the TPB demonstrates a need to consider interactions between variables within the TPB in both theoretical and applied research using the model. © 2014 The British Psychological Society.

Interval between onset of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis comparing the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink with a hospital-based cohort.

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Tillett, William; Charlton, Rachel; Nightingale, Alison; Snowball, Julia; Green, Amelia; Smith, Catherine; Shaddick, Gavin; McHugh, Neil

2017-12-01

To describe the time interval between the onset of psoriasis and PsA in the UK primary care setting and compare with a large, well-classified secondary care cohort. Patients with PsA and/or psoriasis were identified in the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD). The secondary care cohort comprised patients from the Bath PsA longitudinal observational cohort study. For incident PsA patients in the CPRD who also had a record of psoriasis, the time interval between PsA diagnosis and first psoriasis record was calculated. Comparisons were made with the time interval between diagnoses in the Bath cohort. There were 5272 eligible PsA patients in the CPRD and 815 in the Bath cohort. In both cohorts, the majority of patients (82.3 and 61.3%, respectively) had psoriasis before their PsA diagnosis or within the same calendar year (10.5 and 23.8%), with only a minority receiving their PsA diagnosis first (7.1 and 14.8%). Excluding those who presented with arthritis before psoriasis, the median time between diagnoses was 8 years [interquartile range (IQR) 2-15] in the CPRD and 7 years (IQR 0-20) in the Bath cohort. In the CPRD, 60.1 and 75.1% received their PsA diagnosis within 10 and 15 years of their psoriasis diagnosis, respectively; this was comparable with 57.2 and 67.7% in the Bath cohort. A similar distribution for the time interval between psoriasis and arthritis was observed in the CPRD and secondary care cohort. These data can inform screening strategies and support the validity of data from each cohort. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

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

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

2016-01-01

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

Mortality in uranium miners in West Bohemia: a long term cohort study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tomasek, L.; Kunz, E.; Swerdlow, A.J.; Darby, S.C.

1994-01-01

A cohort of 4320 uranium miners in West Bohemia who started work at the mines during 1948 to 1959 and worked there for at least four years were followed up to the end of 1990 to determine cause specific mortality risks in relation to exposures in the mines. The miners had experienced high radon exposures, on average 219 working level months during their uranium mining careers, for which detailed measurements were available. They had also been exposed to high arsenic levels in one of the two major mines, and to dust. New follow up methods, not previously used for occupational cohorts in Czechoslovakia, were utilised. By the end of follow up 2415 (56%) of the cohort were known to have died. Overall mortality was significantly raised compared with that in the general population, with significantly raised risks of lung cancer, accidents, homicide, mental disorders, cirrhosis, and non-rheumatic circulatory diseases. The relative risk of lung cancer was greatest four to 14 years after entry to the mines. (Author)

The Influence of Social Media on Collaborative Learning in a Cohort Environment

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Natasha James-Waldon

2016-06-01

Full Text Available This paper provides an overview of the impact that social media has on the development of collaborative learning within a cohort environment in a doctoral program. The researchers surveyed doctoral students in an education program to determine how social media use has influenced the doctoral students. The study looked at the following areas: a the ability of social media use to develop a collaborative learning environment, b access to social media content which supports learning, and c whether social media use has contributed to the enhancement of the doctoral students’ academic achievement and learning progress. As social media use and on-line learning become more prevalent in education, it is important to continue to understand the impact that social media has on improving students’ ability to achieve their academic goals. This study provides insight on how doctoral students used social media and how social media use has influenced academic development in their cohort environment. In addition, this paper provides a discerning view into the role social media plays when developing a collaborative learning environment in a cohort.

Consumption and direct costs of dental care for patients with head and neck cancer: A 16-year cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lexomboon, Duangjai; Karlsson, Pär; Adolfsson, Jan; Ekbom, Anders; Naimi-Akbar, Aron; Bahmanyar, Shahram; Montgomery, Scott; Sandborgh-Englund, Gunilla

2017-01-01

Patients with head and neck (H&N) cancer are commonly treated with surgery and/or radiotherapy, which can increase the risk of oral infection, dental caries, and periodontal disease. The present study investigated dental care consumption and costs in patient with H&N cancer before and after the cancer diagnosis. Data from Swedish regional and national registers were used to follow up dental care utilization and dental procedure costs. The analysis included 2,754 patients who had been diagnosed with H&N cancer (exposed cohort) in Stockholm County, Sweden, during 2000-2012 and 13,036 matched persons without cancer (unexposed cohort). The exposed cohort was sub-grouped into irradiated and non-irradiated patients for analysis. The exposed cohort underwent a moderately higher number of dental procedures per year than the unexposed cohort in both the year of the cancer diagnosis and the year after cancer diagnosis; in addition, these numbers were higher in the irradiated than in the non-irradiated subgroup of the exposed cohort. Dental care consumption and costs in the exposed cohort declined over time but remained at a slightly higher level than in the unexposed cohort over the long term (more than two years). Examinations and preventive procedures accounted for most of the higher consumption in the short term (2 years) and at the longer term follow-up. Swedish national insurance subsidized costs for dental treatment, which were highest in the irradiated subgroup and lowest in the unexposed cohort. Direct costs to the patient, however, were similar among the groups. Swedish national health insurance protects patients with H&N cancer from high dental expenditures. Further studies on the cost-effectiveness of preventive dental care for patients are needed.

Validation of the prognostic gene portfolio, ClinicoMolecular Triad Classification, using an independent prospective breast cancer cohort and external patient populations

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Introduction Using genome-wide expression profiles of a prospective training cohort of breast cancer patients, ClinicoMolecular Triad Classification (CMTC) was recently developed to classify breast cancers into three clinically relevant groups to aid treatment decisions. CMTC was found to be both prognostic and predictive in a large external breast cancer cohort in that study. This study serves to validate the reproducibility of CMTC and its prognostic value using independent patient cohorts. Methods An independent internal cohort (n = 284) and a new external cohort (n = 2,181) were used to validate the association of CMTC between clinicopathological factors, 12 known gene signatures, two molecular subtype classifiers, and 19 oncogenic signalling pathway activities, and to reproduce the abilities of CMTC to predict clinical outcomes of breast cancer. In addition, we also updated the outcome data of the original training cohort (n = 147). Results The original training cohort reached a statistically significant difference (p risk groups. Conclusions Both prospective internal cohorts and the independent external cohorts reproduced the triad classification of CMTC and its prognostic significance. CMTC is an independent prognostic predictor, and it outperformed 12 other known prognostic gene signatures, molecular subtype classifications, and all other standard prognostic clinicopathological factors. Our results support further development of CMTC portfolio into a guide for personalized breast cancer treatments. PMID:24996446

An effective suicide prevention program in the Israeli Defense Forces: A cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Shelef, L; Tatsa-Laur, L; Derazne, E; Mann, J J; Fruchter, E

2016-01-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of the IDF Suicide Prevention Program, implemented since 2006. Quasi-experimental (before and after) cohort study. Two cohorts of IDF mandatory service soldiers: the first inducted prior to (1992-2005, n=766,107) and the second subsequent to (2006-2012, n=405,252) the launching of the intervention program. The IDF Suicide Prevention Program is a population-based program, incorporating: reducing weapon availability, de-stigmatizing help-seeking behavior, integrating mental health officers into service units, and training commanders and soldiers to recognize suicide risk factors and warning signs. Suicide rate and time to suicide in cohorts before and after exposure to the Suicide Prevention Program. Trend analysis showed lower suicide rates in the cohort after intervention. The hazard ratio for the intervention effect on time to suicide was 0.44 (95% CI=0.34-0.56, Psuicide rate following the administration of the IDF Suicide Prevention Program. The effect of the intervention appears to be related to use of a weapon, and being able to benefit from improved help-seeking and de-stigmatization. Future efforts should seek to extend the program's prevention reach to other demographic groups of soldiers. The success of the IDF program may inform suicide prevention in other military organizations and in the civilian sector. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Do inattention and hyperactivity symptoms equal scholastic impairment? evidence from three European cohorts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Henriksen Tine

2007-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD affects many children, adolescents, and adults and is associated with a number of impairments. Poor academic performance is related to ADHD in clinical samples. However, it is unclear to what extent core ADHD symptoms and scholastic impairment are related in non-referred school-aged children. Methods Data come from three population-based cohorts from Sweden, Denmark, and Finland, which are part of the Nordic Network on ADHD. The combined sample size was 13,087 children who were studied at ages 7–8 or 10–12 years. Teachers rated children on inattention and hyperactivity symptoms and reported children's scholastic performance on basic skills. Results There was a significant association in all cohorts between core ADHD symptoms and scholastic impairment in reading, writing, and mathematics. Particularly, inattention was related to a two to tenfold increase in scholastic impairment. Prevalence of hyperactivity symptoms was similar across the three cohorts, but inattention was lowest among children from the Finnish cohort, after stratification on living conditions. Conclusion These results extend previous reports of scholastic impairment among children with clinically diagnosed ADHD to non-referred population samples from three European countries. Surveillance policies should be implemented in school systems to catch children in need of behavioral or scholastic support early.

Detection rate of serrated polyps and serrated polyposis syndrome in colorectal cancer screening cohorts: a European overview.

Science.gov (United States)

IJspeert, J E G; Bevan, R; Senore, C; Kaminski, M F; Kuipers, E J; Mroz, A; Bessa, X; Cassoni, P; Hassan, C; Repici, A; Balaguer, F; Rees, C J; Dekker, E

2017-07-01

The role of serrated polyps (SPs) as colorectal cancer precursor is increasingly recognised. However, the true prevalence SPs is largely unknown. We aimed to evaluate the detection rate of SPs subtypes as well as serrated polyposis syndrome (SPS) among European screening cohorts. Prospectively collected screening cohorts of ≥1000 individuals were eligible for inclusion. Colonoscopies performed before 2009 and/or in individuals aged below 50 were excluded. Rate of SPs was assessed, categorised for histology, location and size. Age-sex-standardised number needed to screen (NNS) to detect SPs were calculated. Rate of SPS was assessed in cohorts with known colonoscopy follow-up data. Clinically relevant SPs (regarded as a separate entity) were defined as SPs ≥10 mm and/or SPs >5 mm in the proximal colon. Three faecal occult blood test (FOBT) screening cohorts and two primary colonoscopy screening cohorts (range 1.426-205.949 individuals) were included. Rate of SPs ranged between 15.1% and 27.2% (median 19.5%), of sessile serrated polyps between 2.2% and 4.8% (median 3.3%) and of clinically relevant SPs between 2.1% and 7.8% (median 4.6%). Rate of SPs was similar in FOBT-based cohorts as in colonoscopy screening cohorts. No apparent association between the rate of SP and gender or age was shown. Rate of SPS ranged from 0% to 0.5%, which increased to 0.4% to 0.8% after follow-up colonoscopy. The detection rate of SPs is variable among screening cohorts, and standards for reporting, detection and histopathological assessment should be established. The median rate, as found in this study, may contribute to define uniform minimum standards for males and females between 50 and 75 years of age. 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/.

Opium use and mortality in Golestan Cohort Study: prospective cohort study of 50,000 adults in Iran.

Science.gov (United States)

Khademi, Hooman; Malekzadeh, Reza; Pourshams, Akram; Jafari, Elham; Salahi, Rasool; Semnani, Shahryar; Abaie, Behrooz; Islami, Farhad; Nasseri-Moghaddam, Siavosh; Etemadi, Arash; Byrnes, Graham; Abnet, Christian C; Dawsey, Sanford M; Day, Nicholas E; Pharoah, Paul D; Boffetta, Paolo; Brennan, Paul; Kamangar, Farin

2012-04-17

To investigate the association between opium use and subsequent risk of death. Prospective cohort study. The Golestan Cohort Study in north-eastern Iran collected detailed validated data on opium use and other exposures at baseline. Participants were enrolled between January 2004 and June 2008 and were followed to May 2011, with a follow-up success rate of over 99%. 50,045 participants aged 40-75 at baseline. Mortality, all cause and major subcategories. 17% (n = 8487) of the participants reported opium use, with a mean duration of 12.7 years. During the follow-up period 2145 deaths were reported. The adjusted hazard ratio for all cause mortality associated with ever use of opium was 1.86 (95% confidence interval 1.68 to 2.06). Opium consumption was significantly associated with increased risks of deaths from several causes including circulatory diseases (hazard ratio 1.81) and cancer (1.61). The strongest associations were seen with deaths from asthma, tuberculosis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (11.0, 6.22, and 5.44, respectively). After exclusion of people who self prescribed opium after the onset of major chronic illnesses, the associations remained strong with a dose-response relation. Opium users have an increased risk of death from multiple causes compared with non-users. Increased risks were also seen in people who used low amounts of opium for a long period and those who had no major illness before use.

Increasing mumps incidence rates among children and adolescents in the Republic of Korea: age–period–cohort analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Young-June Choe

2017-04-01

Conclusions: The increase in mumps seen in Korea may have been affected by the birth cohort exposed to the Rubini strain; however other factors may have contributed to the increase in non-exposed cohorts.

A Qualitative Inquiry into the formation of Generational Cohorts: a Case of an Emerging Market

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Hiram Ting

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This study use sociological theories of generations to identify generational cohorts for market segmentation. These theories are predominantly used in the West, hence little is known about their relevance in emerging markets, such as Malaysia. Past studies have mostly borrowed cohort labels from that of the U.S. sources, and assumed that their characteristics can be construed in the Malaysian context. Given the exploratory nature of the study, a qualitative approach by means of personal interview was conducted to identify the actual cohorts in Sarawak, a state in Malaysia. Specifically, major societal and historical events that Sarawakians could overtly recall due to their attachment to them during formative years were elicited. Accordingly forty-eight interviews were recorded, transcribed and content-analysed. Five cohorts were identified, and they were different from that of the U.S. sources. They were subsequently labelled as Neoteric-inheritors, Prospective-pursuers, Social-strivers, Idealistic-strugglers and Battling-lifers based on their collective experience of the events. The results show the relevance of theories of generations for market segmentation in emerging market.

Occupational exposures and Parkinson's disease mortality in a prospective Dutch cohort.

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Brouwer, Maartje; Koeman, Tom; van den Brandt, Piet A; Kromhout, Hans; Schouten, Leo J; Peters, Susan; Huss, Anke; Vermeulen, Roel

2015-06-01

We investigated the association between six occupational exposures (ie, pesticides, solvents, metals, diesel motor emissions (DME), extremely low frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MF) and electric shocks) and Parkinson's disease (PD) mortality in a large population-based prospective cohort study. The Netherlands Cohort Study on diet and cancer enrolled 58,279 men and 62,573 women aged 55-69 years in 1986. Participants were followed up for cause-specific mortality over 17.3 years, until December 2003, resulting in 402 male and 207 female PD deaths. Following a case-cohort design, a subcohort of 5,000 participants was randomly sampled from the complete cohort. Information on occupational history and potential confounders was collected at baseline. Job-exposure matrices were applied to assign occupational exposures. Associations with PD mortality were evaluated using Cox regression. Among men, elevated HRs were observed for exposure to pesticides (eg, ever high exposed, HR 1.27, 95% CI 0.86 to 1.88) and ever high exposed to ELF-MF (HR 1.54, 95% CI 1.00 to 2.36). No association with exposure duration or trend in cumulative exposure was observed for any of the occupational exposures. Results among women were unstable due to small numbers of high-exposed women. Associations with PD mortality were observed for occupational exposure to pesticides and ELF-MF. However, the weight given to these findings is limited by the absence of a monotonic trend with either duration or cumulative exposure. No associations were found between PD mortality and occupational exposure to solvents, metals, DME or electric shocks. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Male gynecomastia and risk for malignant tumours – a cohort study

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Olsson, H; Bladstrom, A; Alm, P

2002-01-01

Background Men with gynecomastia may suffer from absolute or relative estrogen excess and their risk of different malignancies may be increased. We tested whether men with gynecomastia were at greater risk of developing cancer. Methods A cohort was formed of all the men having a histopathological diagnosis of gynecomastia at the Department of Pathology, University of Lund, following an operation for either uni- or bilateral breast enlargement between 1970–1979. All possible causes of gynecomastia were accepted, such as endogenous or exogenous hormonal exposure as well as cases of unknown etiology. Prior to diagnosis of gynecomastia eight men had a diagnosis of prostate carcinoma, two men a diagnosis of unilateral breast cancer and one had Hodgkin's disease. These patients were included in the analyses. The final cohort of 446 men was matched to the Swedish Cancer Registry, Death Registry and General Population Registry. Results At the end of the follow up in December 1999, the cohort constituted 8375.2 person years of follow-up time. A total of 68 malignancies versus 66.07 expected were observed; SIR = 1.03 (95% CI 0.80–1.30). A significantly increased risk for testicular cancer; SIR = 5.82 (95% CI 1.20–17.00) and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin; SIR = 3.21 (95% CI 1.71–5.48) were noted. The increased risk appeared after 2 years of follow-up. A non-significantly increased risk for esophageal cancer was also seen while no new cases of male breast cancer were observed. However, in the prospective cohort, diagnostic operations for gynecomastia may substantially have reduced this risk Conclusions There is a significant increased risk of testicular cancer and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin in men who have been operated on for gynecomastia. PMID:12383352

Optimizing Implementation of Hepatitis C Birth-Cohort Screening and Treatment Strategies

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Yuankun Li MS

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Chronic hepatitis C (HCV is a significant public health problem affecting more than three million Americans. The US health care systems are ramping up costly HCV screening and treatment efforts with limited budget. We determine the optimal implementation of HCV birth-cohort screening and treatment strategies under budget constraints and health care payer’s perspective. Methods: Markov model and scenario-based simulation optimization. The target population is birth cohort born between 1945 and 1975. The interventions are allocating annual budget to screen a proportion of the target population and treat a proportion of the identified chronic HCV-positive patients over 10 years. Outcomes measure is to maximize lifetime discounted quality-adjusted life-years. Results: Allocate a percentage of the annual budget to screening, then treat patients with the remaining budget and prioritize the sickest patients. When the budget is $1 billion/year, the best strategy is to allocate the entire budget to treatment. When the budget is $5 billion/year, it is optimal to allocate 60% of the budget to screening in the first 2 years and 0% thereafter for age cohort 40 to 49; and allocate 20% of the budget to screening starting in year 3 for age cohorts 50 to 59 and 60 to 69. Health benefits are sensitive to budget in the first 2 years. Results are not sensitive to distribution of fibrosis stages by awareness of HCV. Conclusion: When budget is limited, all efforts should be focused on early treatment. With higher budget, better population health outcomes are achieved by reserving some budget for HCV screening while implementing a priority-based treatment strategy. This work has broad applicability to diverse health care systems and helps determine how much effort should be devoted to screening versus treatment under resource limitations.

Male gynecomastia and risk for malignant tumours – a cohort study

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Bladstrom A

2002-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Men with gynecomastia may suffer from absolute or relative estrogen excess and their risk of different malignancies may be increased. We tested whether men with gynecomastia were at greater risk of developing cancer. Methods A cohort was formed of all the men having a histopathological diagnosis of gynecomastia at the Department of Pathology, University of Lund, following an operation for either uni- or bilateral breast enlargement between 1970–1979. All possible causes of gynecomastia were accepted, such as endogenous or exogenous hormonal exposure as well as cases of unknown etiology. Prior to diagnosis of gynecomastia eight men had a diagnosis of prostate carcinoma, two men a diagnosis of unilateral breast cancer and one had Hodgkin's disease. These patients were included in the analyses. The final cohort of 446 men was matched to the Swedish Cancer Registry, Death Registry and General Population Registry. Results At the end of the follow up in December 1999, the cohort constituted 8375.2 person years of follow-up time. A total of 68 malignancies versus 66.07 expected were observed; SIR = 1.03 (95% CI 0.80–1.30. A significantly increased risk for testicular cancer; SIR = 5.82 (95% CI 1.20–17.00 and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin; SIR = 3.21 (95% CI 1.71–5.48 were noted. The increased risk appeared after 2 years of follow-up. A non-significantly increased risk for esophageal cancer was also seen while no new cases of male breast cancer were observed. However, in the prospective cohort, diagnostic operations for gynecomastia may substantially have reduced this risk Conclusions There is a significant increased risk of testicular cancer and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin in men who have been operated on for gynecomastia.

Gender and socioeconomic disparities in BMI trajectories in the Seychelles: a cohort analysis based on serial population-based surveys

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Rossi Isabelle A

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The relationship between body mass index (BMI and socioeconomic status (SES tends to change over time and across populations. In this study, we examined, separately in men and women, whether the association between BMI and SES changed over successive birth cohorts in the Seychelles (Indian Ocean, African region. Methods We used data from all participants in three surveys conducted in 1989, 1994 and 2004 in independent random samples of the population aged 25-64 years in the Seychelles (N = 3'403. We used linear regression to model mean BMI according to age, cohort, SES and smoking status, allowing for a quadratic term for age to account for a curvilinear relation between BMI and age and interactions between SES and age and between SES and cohorts to test whether the relation between SES and BMI changed across subsequent cohorts. All analyses were performed separately in men and women. Results BMI increased with age in all birth cohorts. BMI was lower in men of low SES than high SES but was higher in women of low SES than high SES. In all SES categories, BMI increased over successive cohorts (1.24 kg/m2 in men and 1.51 kg/m2 for a 10-year increase in birth cohorts, p 2 and 2.46 kg/m2, p Conclusions Although large differences exist between men and women, social patterning of BMI did not change significantly over successive cohorts in this population of a middle-income country in the African region.

Educational outcomes for children with cerebral palsy: a linked data cohort study.

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Gillies, Malcolm B; Bowen, Jennifer R; Patterson, Jillian A; Roberts, Christine L; Torvaldsen, Siranda

2018-04-01

To identify a cohort of children with cerebral palsy (CP) from hospital data; determine the proportion that participated in standardized educational testing and attained a score within the normal range; and describe the relationship between test results and motor symptoms. This population-based retrospective cohort study used data from New South Wales, Australia. We linked hospital data for children younger than 16 years of age admitted between 1st July 2000 and 31st March 2014 to education data from 2009 to 2014. Hospital diagnosis codes were used to identify a cohort of children with CP (n=3944) and describe their motor symptoms. Educational outcomes in the CP cohort were compared with those among children without CP. Of those with educational data (n=1770), 46% were exempt from reading assessment because of intellectual or functional disability, 7% were absent or withdrawn from testing and 47% participated in testing. About 30% of all children with educational data had test scores in the normal range. The proportion was greatest among those with hemiplegia (>40%) and lowest among those with tetraplegia (<10%). One-third of children with CP participated in standardized testing and achieved a result in the normal range. The proportions were lower in children with more severe motor symptoms. From 2009 to 2014, most Australian children with cerebral palsy (CP) attended a mainstream school. The rate of disability-related exemption from standardized educational testing was almost 50%. Thirty per cent of children with CP achieved educational scores in the normal range. © 2017 Mac Keith Press.

Adolescence and Later Life Disease Burden: Quantifying the Contribution of Adolescent Tobacco Initiation From Longitudinal Cohorts.

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Viner, Russell M; Hargreaves, Dougal S; Motta, Janaina Vieira Dos Santos; Horta, Bernardo; Mokdad, Ali H; Patton, George

2017-08-01

Adolescence is a time of initiation of behaviors leading to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). We use tobacco to illustrate a novel method for assessing the contribution of adolescence to later burden. Data on initiation of regular smoking during adolescence (10-19 years) and current adult smoking were obtained from the 1958 British Birth Cohort, the U.S. National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), the Pelotas 1982 Birth Cohort, and the Victorian Adolescent Health Cohort Study. We estimated an "adolescent attributable fraction" (AAF) by calculating the proportion of persisting adult daily smoking initiated 155 countries using contemporary surveillance data. In the 1958 British Birth Cohort, 81.6% of daily smokers at age 50 years initiated adolescent initiation. The adjusted AAF was 69.1. Proportions of smokers initiating Adolescent Health Cohort Study; and 70.9%, 5.8%, and 56.9% in Pelotas males and 89.9%, 6.4%, and 75.9% in females. Initiation adolescent smoking initiation to adult smoking burden is high, suggesting a need to formulate and implement effective actions to reduce smoking initiation in adolescents. Similar trends in other NCD risks suggest that adolescents will be central to future efforts to control NCDs. Copyright © 2017 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Age- and cohort-related variance of type-A behavior over 24 years: the Young Finns Study.

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Hintsa, Taina; Jokela, Markus; Pulkki-Råback, Laura; Keltikangas-Järvinen, Liisa

2014-12-01

Over the recent decades, the incidence of cardiovascular and heart diseases has decreased while levels of type-A behavior, i.e., a potential risk factor, appear to have increased. However, the long-term developmental patterns of type-A behavior is poorly understood. Both age- and cohort-related changes may be involved in these developments. The purpose of this study was to examine an age- and cohort-related changes of Hunter-Wolf type-A behavior from adolescence to adulthood. Type-A behavior and its components (aggressiveness, leadership, hard driving, and eagerness energy) were assessed using the Hunter-Wolf A-B rating scale at five time points (1983, 1986, 1989, 2001, and 2007) in a population-based sample consisting of six birth cohorts born between 1962 and 1977 (n = 3,341, a total of 10,506 person observations). Development of type-A behavior and its components was examined with cohort-sequential multilevel modeling. Aggressiveness decreased with age, eagerness energy, hard driving, and global type-A behavior increased, and leadership exhibited no mean level changes. Younger cohorts had higher aggressiveness, lower hard driving, and global type-A behavior. The findings suggest that in order to understand the health consequences of type-A behavior, both life span and societal changes should be considered.

Assessment of BED HIV-1 incidence assay in seroconverter cohorts: effect of individuals with long-term infection and importance of stable incidence.

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Janet M McNicholl

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Performance of the BED assay in estimating HIV-1 incidence has previously been evaluated by using longitudinal specimens from persons with incident HIV infections, but questions remain about its accuracy. We sought to assess its performance in three longitudinal cohorts from Thailand where HIV-1 CRF01_AE and subtype B' dominate the epidemic. DESIGN: BED testing was conducted in two longitudinal cohorts with only incident infections (a military conscript cohort and an injection drug user cohort and in one longitudinal cohort (an HIV-1 vaccine efficacy trial cohort that also included long-term infections. METHODS: Incidence estimates were generated conventionally (based on the number of annual serocoversions and by using BED test results in the three cohorts. Adjusted incidence was calculated where appropriate. RESULTS: For each longitudinal cohort the BED incidence estimates and the conventional incidence estimates were similar when only newly infected persons were tested, whether infected with CRF01_AE or subtype B'. When the analysis included persons with long-term infections (to mimic a true cross-sectional cohort, BED incidence estimates were higher, although not significantly, than the conventional incidence estimates. After adjustment, the BED incidence estimates were closer to the conventional incidence estimates. When the conventional incidence varied over time, as in the early phase of the injection drug user cohort, the difference between the two estimates increased, but not significantly. CONCLUSIONS: Evaluation of the performance of incidence assays requires the inclusion of a substantial number of cohort-derived specimens from individuals with long-term HIV infection and, ideally, the use of cohorts in which incidence remained stable. Appropriate adjustments of the BED incidence estimates generate estimates similar to those generated conventionally.

Family context assessment in a public health study.

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Velasco, David; Sánchez de Miguel, Manuel; Egurza, Maitane; Arranz, Enrique; Aranbarri, Aritz; Fano, Eduardo; Ibarluzea, Jesús

2014-01-01

To analyze the factorial structure of a new instrument to assess the quality of the family context (Etxadi-Gangoiti Scale) in a sample from the Gipuzkoa cohort of the Environment and Childhood (Infancia y Medio Ambiente [INMA]) study. Families in a sample of 433 two-year-old children were assessed in a home visit with subsequent analysis of the factorial structure and psychometric properties of the data. An exploratory factorial analysis (principal axis factoring and varimax rotation) and a confirmatory factorial analysis were carried out; partial confirmation of the original factorial structure of the instrument was obtained, which revealed the following factorial structures. Subscale (1): promotion of cognitive and linguistic development, social skills, psychomotor skills, and pretend play and imitation; subscale (2): promotion of independence and self-esteem, provision of optimal frustration, social and emotional quality of the relationship, and absence of physical punishment; subscale (3): paternal involvement, low exposure to family conflict, low frequency of family conflict, relationship with the extended family, social support, diversity of experiences, low frequency of stressful events, and low parental perception of stress. The structure of the original instrument structure was partially confirmed, which was attributed to the characteristics of the sample. We stress the importance of the variability obtained in the evaluation of the families, as well as of adequate indicators of reliability in such evaluation. The new instrument could be used in public health to identify deficient family contexts and to design preventive interventions focused on parenting skills. Copyright © 2013 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Are baby boomer women unique? The moderating effect of birth cohort on age in substance use patterns during midlife.

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Sarabia, Stephanie Elias; Martin, James I

2016-01-01

This study examined the relationships of age to use of alcohol, marijuana, and illicit drugs, and misuse of prescription drugs, among midlife women and whether these relationships are modified by birth cohort. Structural Equation Modeling was used to analyze National Survey on Drug Use and Health data, which included 2,035 baby boomer and silent generation cohort women, ages 30 to 55. Midlife women across cohorts reduced alcohol and marijuana use, but not illicit and prescription drug misuse, as they aged. A modifying effect of birth cohort was not supported, but findings did support differential aging effects across substances. Implications are discussed.

Birth order and mortality: a population-based cohort study.