Risk factors for tuberculosis among health care workers in South India: a nested case-control study.

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Mathew, Anoop; David, Thambu; Thomas, Kurien; Kuruvilla, P J; Balaji, V; Jesudason, Mary V; Samuel, Prasanna

2013-01-01

The epidemiology of tuberculosis (TB) among health care workers (HCWs) in India remains under-researched. This study is a nested case-control design assessing the risk factors for acquiring TB among HCWs in India. It is a nested case-control study conducted at a tertiary teaching hospital in India. Cases (n = 101) were HCWs with active TB. Controls (n = 101) were HCWs who did not have TB, randomly selected from the 6,003 subjects employed at the facility. Cases and controls were compared with respect to clinical and demographic variables. The cases and controls were of similar age. Logistic regression analysis showed that body mass index (BMI) <19 kg/m(2) (odds ratio [OR]: 2.96, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.49-5.87), having frequent contact with patients (OR: 2.83, 95% CI: 1.47-5.45) and being employed in medical wards (OR: 12.37, 95% CI: 1.38-110.17) or microbiology laboratories (OR: 5.65, 95% CI: 1.74-18.36) were independently associated with increased risk of acquiring TB. HCWs with frequent patient contact and those with BMI <19 kg/m(2) were at high risk of acquiring active TB. Nosocomial transmission of TB was pronounced in locations, such as medical wards and microbiology laboratories. Surveillance of high-risk HCWs and appropriate infrastructure modifications may be important to prevent interpersonal TB transmission in health care facilities. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Radiotherapy- and chemotherapy-induced myelodysplasia syndrome: a nationwide population-based nested case-control study.

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Sun, Li-Min; Lin, Cheng-Li; Lin, Ming-Chia; Liang, Ji-An; Kao, Chia-Hung

2015-05-01

This study explored which kinds of cancer are related to a higher incidence of subsequent myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) after radiotherapy (RT) and chemotherapy (CT).We performed a nested case-control study by using data from the Taiwanese National Health Insurance (NHI) system. The case group included cancer patients who developed MDS. For the control group, 4 cancer patients without MDS were frequency-matched with each MDS case by age, sex, year of cancer diagnosis, and MDS index year. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted, and odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated.Overall, cancer patients who received RT or CT exhibited secondary MDS more frequently than did those who did not (RT: OR = 1.53; 95% CI = 1.33-1.77; CT: OR = 1.51; 95% CI = 1.25-1.82). Analysis by cancer site showed that RT increased the risk of MDS for patients with stomach, colorectal, liver, breast, endometrial, prostate, and kidney cancers. By contrast, CT was more likely to increase the risk of MDS for patients with lung, endometrial, and cervical cancers. Further analysis revealed that RT and CT seemed to have a positive interaction. The major limitation of this study was the lack of certain essential data in the NHI Research Database, such as data regarding cancer stage and treatment dose details.This population-based nested case-control study determined that RT and CT predisposed patients in Taiwan to the development of MDS. This effect was more prominent when both modalities were used.

Helicobacter pylori infection, chronic corpus atrophic gastritis and pancreatic cancer risk in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort: A nested case-control study.

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Huang, Jiaqi; Zagai, Ulrika; Hallmans, Göran; Nyrén, Olof; Engstrand, Lars; Stolzenberg-Solomon, Rachael; Duell, Eric J; Overvad, Kim; Katzke, Verena A; Kaaks, Rudolf; Jenab, Mazda; Park, Jin Young; Murillo, Raul; Trichopoulou, Antonia; Lagiou, Pagona; Bamia, Christina; Bradbury, Kathryn E; Riboli, Elio; Aune, Dagfinn; Tsilidis, Konstantinos K; Capellá, Gabriel; Agudo, Antonio; Krogh, Vittorio; Palli, Domenico; Panico, Salvatore; Weiderpass, Elisabete; Tjønneland, Anne; Olsen, Anja; Martínez, Begoña; Redondo-Sanchez, Daniel; Chirlaque, Maria-Dolores; Hm Peeters, Petra; Regnér, Sara; Lindkvist, Björn; Naccarati, Alessio; Ardanaz, Eva; Larrañaga, Nerea; Boutron-Ruault, Marie-Christine; Rebours, Vinciane; Barré, Amélie; Bueno-de-Mesquita, H B As; Ye, Weimin

2017-04-15

The association between H. pylori infection and pancreatic cancer risk remains controversial. We conducted a nested case-control study with 448 pancreatic cancer cases and their individually matched control subjects, based on the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort, to determine whether there was an altered pancreatic cancer risk associated with H. pylori infection and chronic corpus atrophic gastritis. Conditional logistic regression models were applied to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusted for matching factors and other potential confounders. Our results showed that pancreatic cancer risk was neither associated with H. pylori seropositivity (OR = 0.96; 95% CI: 0.70, 1.31) nor CagA seropositivity (OR = 1.07; 95% CI: 0.77, 1.48). We also did not find any excess risk among individuals seropositive for H. pylori but seronegative for CagA, compared with the group seronegative for both antibodies (OR = 0.94; 95% CI: 0.63, 1.38). However, we found that chronic corpus atrophic gastritis was non-significantly associated with an increased pancreatic cancer risk (OR = 1.35; 95% CI: 0.77, 2.37), and although based on small numbers, the excess risk was particularly marked among individuals seronegative for both H. pylori and CagA (OR = 5.66; 95% CI: 1.59, 20.19, p value for interaction cancer risk in western European populations. However, the suggested association between chronic corpus atrophic gastritis and pancreatic cancer risk warrants independent verification in future studies, and, if confirmed, further studies on the underlying mechanisms. © 2016 UICC.

Varenicline and Risk of Self-Harm: A Nested Case-Control Study.

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Mina Tadrous

Full Text Available Smoking remains a serious public health concern. Pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation, including bupropion and varenicline, are proven means to increase quit rates. Post-marketing reports describing suicidal behaviours have raised concerns about the safety of varenicline. However, whether varenicline imparts a higher risk of suicide relative to bupropion remains uncertain.A population-based nested case-control study in Ontario, Canada, from April 1, 2011 to March 31, 2015 was conducted. Subjects were residents of Ontario aged 18 years and older with publicly funded drug coverage receiving either bupropion or varenicline for smoking cessation. We defined cases were those with a hospitalization or emergency department visit for suicide or non-fatal self-harm within 90 days of treatment. For each case, we identified up to fifty controls from the same cohort matched on age, sex, history of self-harm, use of selected psychotropic medications, alcohol abuse and prior admission to a mental health unit. Adjusted odds ratio were used to compare the risk of suicide/self-harm of varenicline to bupropion.We identified 331 cases and 5,346 matched-controls. Following adjustment for potential confounders, we found that varenicline was not associated with an increased risk of suicide/self-harm relative to bupropion (adjusted odds ratio 1.15; 95% confidence interval 0.71 to 1.87.Treatment with varenicline does not appear to significantly increase the risk of suicide or self-harm relative to bupropion.

Genetic Polymorphisms in Vitamin D Metabolism and Signaling Genes and Risk of Breast Cancer: A Nested Case-Control Study.

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Tess V Clendenen

Full Text Available Genetic polymorphisms in vitamin D metabolism and signaling genes have been inconsistently associated with risk of breast cancer, though few studies have examined SNPs in vitamin D-related genes other than the vitamin D receptor (VDR gene and particularly have not examined the association with the retinoid X receptor alpha (RXRA gene which may be a key vitamin D pathway gene. We conducted a nested case-control study of 734 cases and 1435 individually matched controls from a population-based prospective cohort study, the Northern Sweden Mammary Screening Cohort. Tag and functional SNPs were genotyped for the VDR, cytochrome p450 24A1 (CYP24A1, and RXRA genes. We also genotyped specific SNPs in four other genes related to vitamin D metabolism and signaling (GC/VDBP, CYP2R1, DHCR7, and CYP27B1. SNPs in the CYP2R1, DHCR7, and VDBP gene regions that were associated with circulating 25(OHD concentration in GWAS were also associated with plasma 25(OHD in our study (p-trend <0.005. After taking into account the false discovery rate, these SNPs were not significantly associated with breast cancer risk, nor were any of the other SNPs or haplotypes in VDR, RXRA, and CYP24A1. We observed no statistically significant associations between polymorphisms or haplotypes in key vitamin D-related genes and risk of breast cancer. These results, combined with the observation in this cohort and most other prospective studies of no association of circulating 25(OHD with breast cancer risk, do not support an association between vitamin D and breast cancer risk.

Multilocus Heterozygosity and Coronary Heart Disease: Nested Case-Control Studies in Men and Women

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Mukamal, Kenneth J.; Jensen, Majken K.; Pers, Tune Hannes

2015-01-01

genome scans in parallel case-control studies of coronary heart disease (CHD) nested in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study and Nurses' Health Study. We examined ∼ 700,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 435 men with incident CHD and 878 matched controls and 435 women with incident CHD...... to risk of CHD in either men or women (adjusted odds ratios per 2000 heterozygous SNPs 1.01 [95% confidence interval, 0.91-1.13] in women and 0.94 [0.84-1.06] in men). We also found no consistent associations of genome-wide heterozygosity with levels of lipids, inflammatory markers, adhesion molecules...

Psychopathology and Suicide among Quebec Physicians: A Nested Case Control Study

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Pierre Gagné

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. To describe a psychiatric profile and characteristics of physicians who killed themselves in Quebec between 1992 and 2009. Method. The cases of 36 physicians (7 females and 29 males and 36 nonphysicians who committed suicide were matched for age and gender and examined in a nested case control design. All subjects were judged as definite suicide by the Quebec Coroner Head Office. Consensus regarding DSM-IV diagnoses was established by two forensic psychiatrists. Results. Rates of all Axis I diagnoses were 83% for physicians and 91% for nonphysicians at the time of suicide. Major depressive disorders were the most frequently observed pathology in both groups (61% and 56%, resp.. Conclusions. Physicians and nonphysicians who committed suicide in Quebec suffered from the same type of psychiatric disorder at the time of killing themselves. The findings advocate strongly for more efficient suicide prevention measures including early detection and treatment of mood disorders for the physicians.

MANTEL-HAENSZEL TYPE ESTIMATORS FOR THE COUNTER-MATCHED SAMPLING DESIGN IN NESTED CASE-CONTROL STUDY

OpenAIRE

Fujii, Yoshinori; Zhang, Zhong-Zhan; 藤井, 良宜

2001-01-01

We are concerned with a counter-matched nested case-control study. Assuming the proportional hazards model, the Mantel-Haenszel estimators of hazard rates are presented in two situations. The proposed estimators can be calculated without estimating the nuisance parameter. Consistent estimators of the variance of the proposed hazard rate estimators are also developed. We compare these estimators to the maximum partial likelihood estimators in the asymptotic variance. The methods are illustrate...

A nested case-control study of influenza vaccination was a cost-effective alternative to a full cohort analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hak, E; Wei, F; Grobbee, D E; Nichol, K L

OBJECTIVE: In the absence of trial results that are applicable to the target population, nested case-control studies might be an alternative to full-cohort analysis. We compared relative and absolute estimates of associations in an influenza vaccine study using both designs. STUDY DESIGN AND

Leukemia and brain tumors in Norwegian railway workers, a nested case-control study.

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Tynes, T; Jynge, H; Vistnes, A I

1994-04-01

In an attempt to assess whether exposure to electromagnetic fields on Norwegian railways induces brain tumors or leukemia, the authors conducted a nested case-control study of railway workers based on incident cases from the Cancer Registry of Norway in a cohort of 13,030 male Norwegian railway workers who had worked on either electric or non-electric railways. The cohort comprised railway line, outdoor station, and electricity workers. The case series comprised 39 men with brain tumors and 52 men with leukemia (follow-up, 1958-1990). Each case was matched on age with four or five controls selected from the same cohort. The exposure of each study subject to electric and magnetic fields was evaluated from cumulative exposure measures based on present measurements and historical data. Limited information on potential confounders such as creosote, solvents, and herbicides was also collected; information on whether the subject had smoked was obtained by interviews with the subjects or work colleagues. The case-control analysis showed that men employed on electric railways, compared with non-electric ones, had an odds ratio for leukemia of 0.70 (adjusted for smoking) and an odds ratio for brain tumor of 0.87. No significant trend was shown for exposure to either magnetic or electric fields. These results do not support an association between exposure to 16 2/3-Hertz electric or magnetic fields and the risk for leukemia or brain tumors.

The Role of Healthy Lifestyle in the Implementation of Regressing Suboptimal Health Status among College Students in China: A Nested Case-Control Study.

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Chen, Jieyu; Xiang, Hongjie; Jiang, Pingping; Yu, Lin; Jing, Yuan; Li, Fei; Wu, Shengwei; Fu, Xiuqiong; Liu, Yanyan; Kwan, Hiuyee; Luo, Ren; Zhao, Xiaoshan; Sun, Xiaomin

2017-02-28

Suboptimal health status (SHS) is the intermediate health state between health and disease, it is medically undiagnosed and is also termed functional somatic syndrome. Although its clinical manifestations are complicated and various, SHS has not reached the disease status. Unhealthy lifestyle is associated with many chronic diseases and mortality. In accordance with the impact of lifestyle on health, it is intriguing to determine the association between unhealthy lifestyle and SHS risk. We conducted a nested case-control study among healthy Chinese college students from March 2012 to September 2013, which was nested in a prospective cohort of 5676 students. We performed 1:1 incidence density sampling with matched controls for birth year, sex, grade, specialty and individual character. SHS was evaluated using the medical examination report and Sub-health Measurement Scale V1.0 (SHMS V1.0). Exposure was defined as an unhealthy lifestyle per the frequency of six behavioral dimensions from the Health-promoting Lifestyle Profile (HPLP-II). We matched 543 cases of SHS (42.66%) in a cohort of 1273 students during the 1.5 years mean follow-up time with controls. A significant difference (t = 9.79, p lifestyle behavior with respect to behavioral dimensions significantly affected SHS likelihood. Further analyses revealed a marked increase (average increased 14.73 points) in lifestyle level among those SHS regression to health after 1.5 years, with respect to the HPLP-II behavioral dimensions, in addition to the total score (t = -15.34, p lifestyles, and the Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14, 240 2 of 17 mitigation of modifiable lifestyle risk factors may lead to SHS regression. Increased efforts to modify unhealthy lifestyles are necessary to prevent SHS.

Prediagnostic serum calcium and albumin and ovarian cancer: A nested case-control study in the Norwegian Janus Serum Bank Cohort.

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Schwartz, Gary G; Tretli, Steinar; Vos, Linda; Robsahm, Trude E

2017-08-01

Women with higher serum calcium may be more likely to be diagnosed and die of ovarian cancer. We evaluated that finding in a large, prospective cohort. We conducted a nested case-control study using a population-based biobank from Norway. We compared 202 ovarian cancer cases and 202 controls, matched for age, date at blood draw, and county of residence, with respect to serum calcium and albumin, adjusted for anthropometric variables. We evaluated risks using the entire follow-up period as well as 2-15 years and 16-25 years ("early" and "late", respectively). For the entire follow-up, risk was significantly increased in the highest tertile of albumin and for high albumin and calcium jointly. Risks for ovarian cancer differed markedly by follow-up time. In early follow-up, women in the highest tertile of serum calcium had a 2.5-fold increased risk, adjusted for height and body mass index (OR=2.47, 95% C.I. 1.12-5.45) with a significant dose-response (p=0.024). Risk was not elevated in late follow-up (OR=0.62, 95% C.I. 0.27-1.36). Similarly, in early follow-up, women in the highest tertile of serum albumin had an increased risk (OR=2.55, 95% C.I.1.22-5.49) with a significant dose-response (p=0.009). Conversely, risk was not increased in late follow-up (OR=1.36, 95% C.I. 0.65-2.83). These data confirm a prospective association between higher serum calcium and ovarian cancer. An association in early, but not late, follow-up suggests that the higher calcium reflects the presence of existing cancer. A positive association with serum albumin is novel and should be interpreted cautiously. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Nest prospecting brown-headed cowbirds 'parasitize' social information when the value of personal information is lacking.

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White, David J; Davies, Hayden B; Agyapong, Samuel; Seegmiller, Nora

2017-08-30

Brood parasites face considerable cognitive challenges in locating and selecting host nests for their young. Here, we test whether female brown-headed cowbirds, Molothrus ater , could use information acquired from observing the nest prospecting patterns of conspecifics to influence their own patterns of nest selection. In laboratory-based experiments, we created a disparity in the amount of personal information females had about the quality of nests. Females with less personal information about the quality of two nests spent more time investigating the nest that more knowledgeable females investigated. Furthermore, there was a strong negative relationship between individual's ability to track nest quality using personal information and their tendency to copy others. These two contrasting strategies for selecting nests are equally effective, but lead to different patterns of parasitism. © 2017 The Author(s).

Hip fracture risk and cadmium in erythrocytes: a nested case-control study with prospectively collected samples.

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Sommar, Johan Nilsson; Pettersson-Kymmer, Ulrika; Lundh, Thomas; Svensson, Olle; Hallmans, Göran; Bergdahl, Ingvar A

2014-02-01

Several studies have investigated the relation between bone mass density and cadmium exposure, but only few studies have been performed on fractures and biomarkers of cadmium. This study analyzed the association between hip fracture risk and cadmium in erythrocytes (Ery-Cd). Prospective samples from the Northern Sweden Health and Disease Study's biobank were used for 109 individuals who later in life had sustained a low-trauma hip fracture, matched with two controls of the same age and gender. The mean concentration of Ery-Cd (±SD) in case samples was 1.3 ± 1.4 versus 0.9 ± 1.0 μg/L in controls. The odds ratio (OR) was 1.63 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.10-2.42] for suffering a hip fracture for each microgram per liter increase in Ery-Cd. However, when taking smoking into consideration (never, former, or current), neither Ery-Cd nor smoking showed a statistically significant increase in fracture risk. Using multiple conditional logistic regression with BMI, height, and smoking, the estimated OR for a 1-μg/L increase in Ery-Cd was 1.52 (95% CI 0.77-2.97). Subgroup analysis showed an increased fracture risk among women (OR = 1.94, 95% CI 1.18-3.20, for a 1 μg/L increase), which also remained in the multiple analysis (OR = 3.33, 95% CI 1.29-8.56). This study shows that fracture risk is associated with Ery-Cd. It is, however, not possible to draw firm conclusions on whether cadmium is the causal factor or whether other smoking-related factors cause this association. Subgroup analysis shows that cadmium is a risk factor for hip fracture among women.

Body Weight and Breast Cancer: Nested Case-Control Study in Southern Brazil.

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Kops, Natália Luiza; Bessel, Marina; Caleffi, Maira; Ribeiro, Rodrigo Antonini; Wendland, Eliana Marcia

2018-04-28

Current studies have shown that fast weight gain may be more important than body mass index on the incidence of breast cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between body weight and breast cancer. This was a case-control study nested in a cohort of a breast cancer mammography screening program in Southern Brazil. A trained investigator administered a standardized interview to collect sociodemographic and clinical data, and body weight history (weight at menarche, at marriage, at first and last pregnancy, and at menopause). Current anthropometric measurements were also made. Fifty-seven women with cancer (66.7% postmenopausal) and 159 controls were included. Current age (60.3 ± 10.4 vs. 55.8 ± 8.4 years, P weight at different stages of life. Women with social vulnerability recruited at a mammography screening program in Southern Brazil showed a large weight gain during life, but no significant differences were found in body weight between women with or without breast cancer. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lung and bladder cancer among Danish urban bus drivers and tramway employees: a nested case-control study.

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Soll-Johanning, Helle; Bach, Elsa; Jensen, Steen S

2003-02-01

The combustion of fossil fuels produces small amounts of mutagenic and carcinogenic compounds. We investigated the association between employment and lung and bladder cancer in Danish bus drivers and tramway employees. We carried out a nested case-control study of 153 lung and 84 bladder cancer cases, and 606 controls sampled in a cohort of 18 174 bus drivers or tramway employees employed in Copenhagen during the period 1900-1994. The cases and controls or their next of kin were interviewed about smoking, along with occupational and residential history. An exposure index based on which bus routes the bus drivers had mainly been driving was established. Relative risks (RRs) were estimated by conditional logistic regression. The analysis showed decreasing risk for lung cancer with increasing years of employment as a bus driver (RR = 0.97 for each added year, 95% confidence interval = 0.96-0.99). The air pollution index based on main bus for the bus drivers showed no positive correlation with risk.

Risk of intracerebral hemorrhage associated with phenprocoumon exposure: a nested case-control study in a large population-based German database.

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Behr, Sigrid; Andersohn, Frank; Garbe, Edeltraut

2010-07-01

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is the most serious complication of oral anticoagulation. This study investigated the risk of ICH for phenprocoumon which is the most widely used oral anticoagulant in Germany. We conducted a nested case-control study in a cohort of 13.4 million insurants of 4 German statutory health insurances (SHIs) who were continuously enrolled for 6 months prior to cohort entry. Cases were patients hospitalized for ICH. Ten controls were matched to each case by SHI, birth year, and sex using incidence density sampling. Rate ratios (RR) of ICH for current phenprocoumon use as compared to non-use were estimated from odds ratios calculated by conditional logistic regression analyses considering multiple risk factors. Analysis of the full cohort revealed a strong increase in incidence of ICH with increasing age. In the nested case-control study including 8138 cases of ICH and 81,373 matched controls, we observed an increased risk of ICH for current phenprocoumon exposure that varied with age. The phenprocoumon-associated risk of ICH was lower in older age groups with RRs from 4.20 (95% confidence interval (CI) 2.44-7.21) for phenprocoumon users less than 55 years of age to 2.43 (95%CI, 1.81-3.27) for those older than 85 years. Our study confirmed known risk factors of ICH. Phenprocoumon exposure was associated with an increased risk of ICH. The interaction of risk for phenprocoumon with age was unexpected and needs further study. (c) 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Identification of Environmental Factors Associated with Inflammatory Bowel Disease in a Southwestern Highland Region of China: A Nested Case-Control Study.

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Junkun Niu

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to examine environmental factors associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD in Yunnan Province, a southwestern highland region of China.In this nested case-control study, newly diagnosed ulcerative colitis (UC cases in 2 cities in Yunnan Province and Crohn's disease (CD cases in 16 cities in Yunnan Province were recruited between 2008 and 2013. Controls were matched by geography, sex and age at a ratio of 1:4. Data were collected using the designed questionnaire. Conditional logistic regression models were used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (ORs.A total of 678 UC and 102 CD cases were recruited. For UC, various factors were associated with an increased risk of developing UC: dietary habits, including frequent irregular meal times; consumption of fried foods, salty foods and frozen dinners; childhood factors, including intestinal infectious diseases and frequent use of antibiotics; and other factors, such as mental labor, high work stress, use of non-aspirin non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and allergies (OR > 1, p 1, p < 0.05, whereas physical activity may have reduced this risk (OR < 1, p < 0.05.This study is the first nested case-control study to analyze the association between environmental factors and IBD onset in a southwestern highland region of China. Certain dietary habits, lifestyles, allergies and childhood factors may play important roles in IBD, particularly UC.

Blood group AB and factor V Leiden as risk factors for pre-eclampsia: a population-based nested case-control study.

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Hiltunen, Leena M; Laivuori, Hannele; Rautanen, Anna; Kaaja, Risto; Kere, Juha; Krusius, Tom; Paunio, Mikko; Rasi, Vesa

2009-06-01

Pre-eclampsia is an important cause of maternal morbidity and mortality. Its etiology is still unknown. Clinical symptoms correlate with activation of coagulation and inherited thrombophilia has been associated with pre-eclampsia. ABO blood group has been associated with thrombotic disorders and pre-eclampsia. We assessed ABO blood group, seven thrombophilia associated polymorphisms, and anti-beta2-glycoprotein I antibodies as risk factors for pre-eclampsia. We performed a population-based nested case-control study of 100,000 consecutive pregnancies in Finland. Cases and controls were identified by combining national registers and medical records were reviewed. We studied 248 cases fulfilling strict criteria for pre-eclampsia and 679 controls. Severe pre-eclampsia, early pre-eclampsia, and pre-eclampsia with intra-uterine growth restriction (IUGR) were analyzed separately. Blood group AB increased the risk for pre-eclampsia as a whole (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.3-3.5), and in the three subgroups (OR 2.3, 3.8, 3.4; 95% CI 1.3-3.9, 2.0-7.1, 1.6-7.1). FV Leiden increased the risk as a whole (OR 1.7, 95% CI 0.8-3.9), and in the three subgroups, although not statistically significantly. Anti-beta2-glycoprotein I antibodies were not associated with pre-eclampsia. High body mass index, diabetes, first pregnancy, and twin pregnancy increased the risk from 1.5-fold to 8.2-fold. Our results confirm and extend the prior observation of blood group AB being a risk factor for pre-eclampsia. ABO blood group is known from all pregnant women. The value of blood group as risk factor for pre-eclampsia should be further assessed in prospective studies. In this study, FV Leiden was not statistically significant risk factor.

Heart Disease, Hypertension, Gestational Diabetes Mellitus, and Preeclampsia/Eclampsia in Mothers With Juvenile Arthritis: A Nested Case-Control Study.

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Feldman, Debbie E; Vinet, Évelyne; Bérard, Anick; Duffy, Ciarán; Hazel, Beth; Meshefedjian, Garbis; Sylvestre, Marie-Pierre; Bernatsky, Sasha

2017-02-01

To determine whether women with a history of juvenile arthritis are at higher risk for heart disease and hypertension and for developing adverse maternal outcomes: gestational diabetes mellitus, maternal hypertension, and preeclampsia/eclampsia. We designed a nested case-control study from a cohort of first-time mothers with prior physician billing codes suggesting juvenile arthritis, and a matched comparison group without juvenile arthritis. For the nested case-control design, we selected 3 controls for each case for the outcomes of heart disease (n = 403), prepregnancy hypertension (n = 66), gestational diabetes mellitus (n = 285), maternal hypertension (n = 561), and preeclampsia/eclampsia (n = 236). We used conditional logistic regression, adjusting for maternal age and education. Having juvenile arthritis was associated with heart disease (odds ratio [OR] 2.44 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.15-5.15]) but not with gestational hypertension, diabetes mellitus, or preeclampsia/eclampsia. All 66 cases of prepregnancy hypertension had juvenile arthritis. Having prepregnancy hypertension was strongly associated with preeclampsia/eclampsia (OR 8.05 [95% CI 2.69-24.07]). Women with a history of juvenile arthritis had a higher risk of heart disease. This risk signals the potential importance of cardiac prevention strategies in juvenile arthritis. As this was a retrospective study, it was not possible to correct for some relevant potential confounders. Further studies should assess the impact of medications, disease severity, and other factors (e.g., obesity) on cardiac outcomes in juvenile arthritis. © 2016, American College of Rheumatology.

Performance of the colorectal cancer screening marker Sept9 is influenced by age, diabetes and arthritis: a nested case-control study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ørntoft, Mai-Britt Worm; Nielsen, Hans Jørgen; Ørntoft, Torben Falck

2015-01-01

Using a retrospective nested case–control study design, we studied plasma from 150 cancer and 150 controls selected from a well-characterized cohort of 4698 subjects referred for diagnostic colonoscopy due to CRC-related symptoms. The cases and controls were matched on age and gender, and moreover cases...... were stratified on tumor-site and tumor-stage. The selected cohort included a wide range of comorbidities. Plasma Sept9 levels were assessed using a commercially available PCR based assay (Epi-proColon). Results Clinical sensitivity for CRC stages I-IV was 37 %, 91 %, 77 %, and 89 %, and the overall...

Psychiatric comorbidity may not predict suicide during and after hospitalization. A nested case-control study with blinded raters.

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Walby, Fredrik A; Odegaard, Erik; Mehlum, Lars

2006-06-01

To investigate the differential impact of DSM-IV axis-I and axis-II disorders on completed suicide and to study if psychiatric comorbidity increases the risk of suicide in currently and previously hospitalized psychiatric patients. A nested case-control design based on case notes from 136 suicides and 166 matched controls. All cases and controls were rediagnosed using the SCID-CV for axis-I and the DSM-IV criteria for axis-II disorders and the inter-rater reliability was satisfactory. Raters were blind to the case and control status and the original hospital diagnoses. Depressive disorders and bipolar disorders were associated with an increased risk of suicide. No such effect was found for comorbidity between axis-I disorders and for comorbidity between axis-I and axis-II disorders. Psychiatric diagnoses, although made using a structured and criteria-based approach, was based on information recorded in case notes. Axis-II comorbidity could only be investigated at an aggregated level. Psychiatric comorbidity did not predict suicide in this sample. Mood disorders did, however, increase the risk significantly independent of history of previous suicide attempts. Both findings can inform identification and treatment of patients at high risk for completed suicide.

Lysophosphatidic Acid and Apolipoprotein A1 Predict Increased Risk of Developing World Trade Center Lung Injury: A Nested Case-Control Study

Science.gov (United States)

Tsukiji, Jun; Cho, Soo Jung; Echevarria, Ghislaine C.; Kwon, Sophia; Joseph, Phillip; Schenck, Edward J.; Naveed, Bushra; Prezant, David J.; Rom, William N.; Schmidt, Ann Marie; Weiden, Michael D.; Nolan, Anna

2014-01-01

Rationale Metabolic syndrome, inflammatory and vascular injury markers measured in serum after WTC exposures predict abnormal FEV1. We hypothesized that elevated LPA levels predict FEV1Nested case-control study of WTC-exposed firefighters. Cases had FEV1Controls derived from the baseline cohort. Demographics, pulmonary function, serum lipids, LPA and ApoA1 were measured. Results LPA and ApoA1 levels were higher in cases than controls and predictive of case status. LPA increased the odds by 13% while ApoA1 increased the odds by 29% of an FEV1

Urinary flavonoid excretion and risk of acute coronary syndrome in a nested case-control study123

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bredsdorff, Lea; Obel, Tina; Dethlefsen, Claus

2013-01-01

Background: Epidemiologic studies have suggested that a higher intake of flavonoids may be associated with lower risk of ischemic heart disease. However, the traditional estimation of flavonoid intake by using dietary assessment methods is affected by subjective measures. Objective: We examined...... whether the objective measurement of dietary flavonoids excreted in urine is associated with lower risk of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Design: A case-control study was nested in the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health cohort study. Cases were identified in participants who had received a first-time ACS...... diagnosis in the Danish National Patient Registry after the time of enrollment into the Diet, Cancer and Health study. The excretion of 10 flavonoids, which represent 5 subclasses, was measured in spot urine samples by using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. Results: A total of 393 eligible cases...

Plasma carotenoids, vitamin C, retinol and tocopherols levels and pancreatic cancer risk within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition: a nested case-control study: plasma micronutrients and pancreatic cancer risk.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeurnink, Suzanne M; Ros, Martine M; Leenders, Max; van Duijnhoven, Franzel J B; Siersema, Peter D; Jansen, Eugene H J M; van Gils, Carla H; Bakker, Marije F; Overvad, Kim; Roswall, Nina; Tjønneland, Anne; Boutron-Ruault, Marie-Christine; Racine, Antoine; Cadeau, Claire; Grote, Verena; Kaaks, Rudolf; Aleksandrova, Krasimira; Boeing, Heiner; Trichopoulou, Antonia; Benetou, Vasiliki; Valanou, Elisavet; Palli, Domenico; Krogh, Vittorio; Vineis, Paolo; Tumino, Rosario; Mattiello, Amalia; Weiderpass, Elisabete; Skeie, Guri; Castaño, José María Huerta; Duell, Eric J; Barricarte, Aurelio; Molina-Montes, Esther; Argüelles, Marcial; Dorronsoro, Mire; Johansen, Dorthe; Lindkvist, Björn; Sund, Malin; Crowe, Francesca L; Khaw, Kay-Tee; Jenab, Mazda; Fedirko, Veronika; Riboli, E; Bueno-de-Mesquita, H B

2015-03-15

Evidence of a protective effect of several antioxidants and other nutrients on pancreatic cancer risk is inconsistent. The aim of this study was to investigate the association for prediagnostic plasma levels of carotenoids, vitamin C, retinol and tocopherols with risk of pancreatic cancer in a case-control study nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). 446 incident exocrine pancreatic cancer cases were matched to 446 controls by age at blood collection, study center, sex, date and time of blood collection, fasting status and hormone use. Plasma carotenoids (α- and β-carotene, lycopene, β-cryptoxanthin, canthaxanthin, zeaxanthin and lutein), α- and γ-tocopherol and retinol were measured by reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography and plasma vitamin C by a colorimetric assay. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) for pancreatic cancer risk were estimated using a conditional logistic regression analysis, adjusted for smoking status, smoking duration and intensity, waist circumference, cotinine levels and diabetes status. Inverse associations with pancreatic cancer risk were found for plasma β-carotene (IRR highest vs. lowest quartile 0.52, 95%CI 0.31-0.88, p for trend = 0.02), zeaxanthin (IRR highest vs. lowest quartile 0.53, 95%CI 0.30-0.94, p for trend = 0.06) and α-tocopherol (IRR highest vs. lowest quartile 0.62, 95%CI 0.39-0.99, p for trend = 0.08. For α- and β-carotene, lutein, sum of carotenoids and γ-tocopherol, heterogeneity between geographical regions was observed. In conclusion, our results show that higher plasma concentrations of β-carotene, zeaxanthin and α-tocopherol may be inversely associated with risk of pancreatic cancer, but further studies are warranted. © 2014 UICC.

A nested case-control study of predictors for tuberculosis recurrence in a large UK Centre.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosser, Andrew; Richardson, Matthew; Wiselka, Martin J; Free, Robert C; Woltmann, Gerrit; Mukamolova, Galina V; Pareek, Manish

2018-02-27

Tuberculosis (TB) recurrence represents a challenge to control programs. In low incidence countries, the prevailing risk factors leading to recurrence are poorly characterised. We conducted a nested case-control study using the Leicester TB service TBIT database. Cases were identified from database notifications between 1994 and 2014. Controls had one episode and were matched to cases on a ratio of two to one by the date of notification. Multiple imputation was used to account for missing data. Multivariate conditional logistic regression analysis was employed to identify clinical, sociodemographic and TB specific risk factors for recurrence. From a cohort of 4628 patients, 82 TB recurrences occurred (1.8%). Nineteen of 82 patients had paired isolates with MIRU-VNTR strain type profiles available, of which 84% were relapses and 16% reinfections. On multivariate analysis, smoking (OR 3.8; p = 0.04), grade 3/4 adverse drug reactions (OR 5.6; p = 0.02), ethnicity 'Indian subcontinent' (OR 8.5; p = <0.01), ethnicity 'other' (OR 31.2; p = 0.01) and receipt of immunosuppressants (OR 6.8; p = <0.01) were independent predictors of TB recurrence. Within this UK setting, the rate of TB recurrence was low, predominantly due to relapse. The identification of an elevated recurrence risk amongst the ethnic group contributing most cases to the national TB burden presents an opportunity to improve individual and population health.

Are metabolic signatures mediating the relationship between lifestyle factors and hepatocellular carcinoma risk? Results from a nested case-control study in EPIC.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Assi, Nada; Thomas, Duncan C; Leitzman, Michael; Stepien, Magdalena; Chajes, Veronique; Philip, Thierry; Vineis, Paolo; Bamia, Christina; Boutron-Ruault, Marie-Christine; Sandanger, Torkjel M; Molinuevo, Amaia; Boshuizen, Hendriek C; Sundkvist, Anneli; Kühn, Tilman; Travis, Ruth C; Overvad, Kim; Riboli, Elio; Gunter, Marc J; Scalbert, Augustin; Jenab, Mazda; Ferrari, Pietro; Viallon, Vivian

2018-01-01

The "meeting-in-the-middle" (MITM) is a principle to identify exposure biomarkers that are also predictors of disease. The MITM statistical framework was applied in a nested case-control study of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) within EPIC where healthy lifestyle index (HLI) variables were related to

The role of metformin and statins in the incidence of epithelial ovarian cancer in type 2 diabetes: a cohort and nested case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Urpilainen, E; Marttila, M; Hautakoski, A; Arffman, M; Sund, R; Ilanne-Parikka, P; Arima, R; Kangaskokko, J; Puistola, U; Läärä, E; Hinkula, M

2018-02-07

To obtain evidence of the effects of metformin and statins on the incidence of ovarian cancer in women with type 2 diabetes (T2D). A retrospective cohort study and nested case-control study. The data were obtained from a diabetes database (FinDM) combining information from several nationwide registers. A cohort of 137 643 women over 40 years old and diagnosed with T2D during 1996-2011 in Finland. In full cohort analysis Poisson regression was used to estimate the hazard ratios (HR) in relation to ever use of metformin, insulin other oral anti-diabetic medication or statins. In the nested case-control analysis 20 controls were matched to each case of ovarian cancer. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate HRs in relation to medication use and cumulative use of different medications. The estimates were adjusted for age and duration of T2D. Incidence of ovarian cancer. In all, 303 women were diagnosed with ovarian cancer during the follow up. Compared with other forms of oral anti-diabetic medication, metformin (HR 1.02, 95% CI: 0.72-1.45) was not found to be associated with the incidence of ovarian cancer. Neither was there evidence for statins to affect the incidence (HR 0.99, 95% CI: 0.78-1.25). In nested case-control analysis the results were essentially similar. No evidence of an association between the use of metformin or statins and the incidence of ovarian cancer in women with T2D was found. No evidence found for metformin or statins reducing the incidence of ovarian cancer. © 2018 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Brunn nests masquerading as bladder tumor: a case report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Jin Hee; Byun, Kyung Hwan; Jeon, Ji Min

2005-01-01

Brunn nests are the most common proliferative lesions of the bladder uroepithelium, but exuberant proliferation can mimic bladder tumor on radiologic imaging and cystoscopy. We describe a case of pathologically proven Brunn nests in a 34-year-old man, misdiagnosed as bladder tumor on preoperative imaging studies

Risk of Prostate Cancer after Trans Urethral Resection of BPH: A Cohort and Nested Case-Control Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Beatrice Melin

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Epidemiological and experimental evidence suggests that inflammation plays a role in both prostate cancer (PCa and benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH. This study evaluates the risk of PC after transurethral resection (TURP for BPH and estimates the PCa risk related to presence of inflammation in the resected material. The Pathology Department at the University Hospital of Umeå (Umeå, Sweden identified BPH cases (n = 7,901 that underwent TURP between 1982 and 1997. Using these pathological specimens, we compared the incidence of PCa in the cohort to the population and calculated the standardized incidence and mortality ratios (SIR and SMR. Inflammation, the androgen receptor (AR, and p53 were evaluated in a nested case-control study of 201 cases and controls. Inflammation was graded severe or mild-moderate. In the follow-up period after TURP, cases developed prostate cancer and the controls did not. After TURP, SIR for prostate cancer increased [1.26, CI 95% (1.17–1.35], whereas SMR decreased [0.59, CI 95% (0.47–0.73]. Presence of inflammation at the time of TURP did not differ between cases and controls nor were there differences in p53 or AR staining. The data suggest a small increased risk of PCa after TURP and decreased PCa mortality. Inflammation at the time of TURP is not associated with PCa risk in this material. The increased PCa risk may be attributed to increased surveillance and PSA screening.

Risk of Prostate Cancer after Trans Urethral Resection of BPH: A Cohort and Nested Case-Control Study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karlsson, Camilla T.; Wiklund, Fredrik; Grönberg, Henrik; Bergh, Anders; Melin, Beatrice

2011-01-01

Epidemiological and experimental evidence suggests that inflammation plays a role in both prostate cancer (PCa) and benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). This study evaluates the risk of PC after transurethral resection (TURP) for BPH and estimates the PCa risk related to presence of inflammation in the resected material. The Pathology Department at the University Hospital of Umeå (Umeå, Sweden) identified BPH cases (n = 7,901) that underwent TURP between 1982 and 1997. Using these pathological specimens, we compared the incidence of PCa in the cohort to the population and calculated the standardized incidence and mortality ratios (SIR and SMR). Inflammation, the androgen receptor (AR), and p53 were evaluated in a nested case-control study of 201 cases and controls. Inflammation was graded severe or mild-moderate. In the follow-up period after TURP, cases developed prostate cancer and the controls did not. After TURP, SIR for prostate cancer increased [1.26, CI 95% (1.17–1.35) ], whereas SMR decreased [0.59, CI 95% (0.47–0.73) ]. Presence of inflammation at the time of TURP did not differ between cases and controls nor were there differences in p53 or AR staining. The data suggest a small increased risk of PCa after TURP and decreased PCa mortality. Inflammation at the time of TURP is not associated with PCa risk in this material. The increased PCa risk may be attributed to increased surveillance and PSA screening

Risk of Prostate Cancer after Trans Urethral Resection of BPH: A Cohort and Nested Case-Control Study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karlsson, Camilla T., E-mail: Camilla.thellenberg@onkologi.umu.se [Department of Radiation Sciences, Oncology, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå (Sweden); Wiklund, Fredrik; Grönberg, Henrik [Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm SE-171 77 (Sweden); Bergh, Anders [Department of Medical Biosciences, Pathology, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå (Sweden); Melin, Beatrice [Department of Radiation Sciences, Oncology, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå (Sweden)

2011-11-08

Epidemiological and experimental evidence suggests that inflammation plays a role in both prostate cancer (PCa) and benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). This study evaluates the risk of PC after transurethral resection (TURP) for BPH and estimates the PCa risk related to presence of inflammation in the resected material. The Pathology Department at the University Hospital of Umeå (Umeå, Sweden) identified BPH cases (n = 7,901) that underwent TURP between 1982 and 1997. Using these pathological specimens, we compared the incidence of PCa in the cohort to the population and calculated the standardized incidence and mortality ratios (SIR and SMR). Inflammation, the androgen receptor (AR), and p53 were evaluated in a nested case-control study of 201 cases and controls. Inflammation was graded severe or mild-moderate. In the follow-up period after TURP, cases developed prostate cancer and the controls did not. After TURP, SIR for prostate cancer increased [1.26, CI 95% (1.17–1.35) ], whereas SMR decreased [0.59, CI 95% (0.47–0.73) ]. Presence of inflammation at the time of TURP did not differ between cases and controls nor were there differences in p53 or AR staining. The data suggest a small increased risk of PCa after TURP and decreased PCa mortality. Inflammation at the time of TURP is not associated with PCa risk in this material. The increased PCa risk may be attributed to increased surveillance and PSA screening.

Obesity-related hormones and endometrial cancer among postmenopausal women: a nested case-control study within the B~FIT cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Dallal, Cher M; Brinton, Louise A; Bauer, Douglas C; Buist, Diana S M; Cauley, Jane A; Hue, Trisha F; Lacroix, Andrea; Tice, Jeffrey A; Chia, Victoria M; Falk, Roni; Pfeiffer, Ruth; Pollak, Michael; Veenstra, Timothy D; Xu, Xia; Lacey, James V

2013-02-01

Endometrial cancer risk is strongly influenced by obesity, but the mechanisms of action remain unclear. Leptin and adiponectin, secreted from adipose tissue, reportedly play a role in such carcinogenic processes as cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and insulin regulation. In this case-control study, nested within the Breast and Bone Follow-up of the Fracture Intervention Trial (n=15,595), we assessed pre-diagnostic serum leptin, total adiponectin, and high-molecular-weight (HMW) adiponectin in relation to endometrial cancer among postmenopausal women. During the 10-year follow-up, 62 incident endometrial cases were identified and matched to 124 controls on age, geographical site, time of fasting blood draw at baseline (1992-1993), and trial participation status. Adipokines and C-peptide were measured by ELISA. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were estimated via conditional logistic regression, with exposures categorized in tertiles (T). Multivariable models considered C-peptide, BMI (kg/m(2)), and estradiol (E2) as potential confounders. Endometrial cancer risk was significantly associated with higher leptin levels, adjusted for E2 and C-peptide (OR(T3 vs T1)=2.96; 95% CI, 1.21-7.25; P trend <0.01). After further adjustment for BMI, the estimates were attenuated and the positive trend was no longer statistically significant (OR(T3 vs T1)=2.11; 95% CI, 0.69-6.44; P trend=0.18). No significant associations were observed with adiponectin or HMW adiponectin and endometrial cancer. Our findings with leptin suggest that the leptin-BMI axis might increase endometrial cancer risk through mechanisms other than estrogen-driven proliferation. Continued exploration of these pathways in larger prospective studies may help elucidate mechanisms underlying observed obesity-endometrial cancer associations.

Potential self-selection bias in a nested case-control study on indoor environmental factors and their association with asthma and allergic symptoms among pre-school children

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bornehag, Carl-Gustaf; Sundell, Jan; Sigsgaard, T.

2006-01-01

, including health, building characteristics of the home, and socioeconomic factors between participating and non-participating families in a nested case-control study on asthma and allergy among children. Information was collected in a baseline questionnaire to the parents of 14,077 children aged 1-6 years...... in a first step. In a second step 2,156 of the children were invited to participate in a case-control study. Of these, 198 cases and 202 controls were finally selected. For identifying potential selection bias, information concerning all invited families in the case-control study was obtained from...

Eczema in early childhood, sociodemographic factors and lifestyle habits are associated with food allergy: a nested case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ben-Shoshan, Moshe; Soller, Lianne; Harrington, Daniel W; Knoll, Megan; La Vieille, Sebastian; Fragapane, Joseph; Joseph, Lawrence; St Pierre, Yvan; Wilson, Kathie; Elliott, Susan J; Clarke, Ann E

2015-01-01

Studies suggest an increase in food allergy prevalence over the last decade, but the contributing factors remain unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between the most common food allergies and atopic history, sociodemographic characteristics and lifestyle habits. We conducted a case-control study nested within the SPAACE study (Surveying Prevalence of Food Allergy in All Canadian Environments) – a cross-Canada, random telephone survey. Cases consisted of individuals with probable food allergy (self-report of convincing symptoms and/or physician diagnosis) to milk, egg, peanut, tree nut, shellfish, fish, wheat, soy, or sesame. Controls consisted of nonallergic individuals, matched for age. Cases and controls were queried on personal and family history of atopy, sociodemographic characteristics and lifestyle habits. Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between atopy, sociodemographic characteristics and lifestyle habits with probable food allergy. Between September 2010 and September 2011, 480 cases and 4,950 controls completed the questionnaire. For all 9 allergens, factors associated with a higher risk of probable allergy were as follows: (1) personal history of eczema (in the first 2 years of life), asthma or hay fever (odds ratio, OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.6-3.5; OR 2.8, 95% CI 2.2-3.6, and OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.8-3.0, respectively), (2) maternal, paternal or sibling's food allergy (OR 3.7, 95% CI 2.5-5.6; OR 3.0, 95% CI 1.8-5.1, and OR 3.1, 95% CI 2.2-4.2), (3) high household income (top 20%; OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.2-2.0). Males and older individuals were less likely to have food allergy (OR 0.7, 95% CI 0.6-0.9, and OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.99-1.00). Eczema in the first 2 years of life was the strongest risk factor for egg, peanut, tree nut and fish allergy. This is the largest population-based nested case-control study exploring factors associated with food allergies. Our results reveal that, in addition to previously reported

Avoiding the nest : responses of field sparrows to the threat of nest predation

Science.gov (United States)

Dirk E. Burhans

2000-01-01

Nest predation is a major source of reproductive failure in birds (Ricklefs 1969, Martin 1992). Birds confronted with an enemy near the nest may use behaviors to deter the prospect of nest predation. The benefits of nest defense have been shown for many agressive species (Martin 1992), but smaller birds that cannot deter predators may need to resort to other behaviors...

Pseudomelanocytic nests mimicking atypical melanocytic proliferations: first reported cases in the oral cavity.

Science.gov (United States)

Boros, Audrey L; Handlers, Janice P; Melrose, Raymond J

2014-10-01

The concept of pseudomelanocytic nests has been recently described in the dermatology literature. To our knowledge, this entity has yet to be published in the oral pathology literature. We report 2 cases with features of pseudomelanocytic nests. In both instances, nests of cells suspicious for melanocytes were observed. Interpretation of melan-A was negative. Both cases showed strong and diffuse immunoreactivity of the nested cells to CD68. This immunohistochemical staining pattern is most consistent with a melanophage identity. Pseudomelanocytic nests are a recently described entity that represents a potential diagnostic pitfall. Distinguishing pseudomelanocytic nests from an authentic atypical melanocytic proliferation can be challenging and is important for appropriate patient management. Clinicopathologic correlation with cautious interpretation of immunohistochemistry may be necessary to arrive at the correct diagnosis. These cases represent the first reports of pseudomelanocytic nests in the oral pathology literature. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Can iridology detect susceptibility to cancer? A prospective case-controlled study.

Science.gov (United States)

Münstedt, Karsten; El-Safadi, Samer; Brück, Friedel; Zygmunt, Marek; Hackethal, Andreas; Tinneberg, Hans-Rudolf

2005-06-01

This prospective case-control study aimed to investigate the value of iridology as a diagnostic tool in detecting some common cancers. One hundred ten (110) subjects were enrolled in the study: 68 subjects had histologically proven cancers of the breast, ovary, uterus, prostate, or colorectum, and 42 were control subjects. All subjects were examined by an experienced practitioner of iridology, who was unaware of their gender or medical details. He was allowed to suggest up to five diagnoses for each subject and his results were then compared with each subject's medical diagnosis to determine the accuracy of iridology in detecting malignancy. Iridology identified the correct diagnosis in only 3 cases (sensitivity, 0.04). Iridology was of no value in diagnosing the cancers investigated in this study.

Risk factors for maternal mortality in the west of Iran: a nested case-control study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jalal Poorolajal

2014-11-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: With a gradual decline in maternal mortality in recent years in Iran, this study was conducted to identify the remaining risk factors for maternal death. METHODS: This 8-year nested case-control study was conducted in Hamadan Province, in the west of Iran, from April 2006 to March 2014. It included 185 women (37 cases and 148 controls. All maternal deaths that occurred during the study period were considered cases. For every case, four women with a live birth were selected as controls from the same area and date. Conditional logistic regression analysis was performed and the odds ratio (OR and its 95% confidence interval (CI were obtained for each risk factor. RESULTS: The majority of cases were aged 20-34 years, died in hospital, and lived in urban areas. The most common causes of death were bleeding, systemic disease, infection, and pre-eclampsia. The OR estimate of maternal death was 8.48 (95% CI=1.26-56.99 for advanced maternal age (≥35 years; 2.10 (95% CI=0.07-65.43 for underweight and 10.99 (95% CI=1.65-73.22 for overweight or obese women compared to those with normal weight; 1.56 (95% CI=1.08-2.25 for every unit increase in gravidity compared to those with one gravidity; 1.73 (95% CI=0.34-8.88 for preterm labors compared to term labors; and 17.54 (95% CI= 2.71-113.42 for women with systemic diseases. CONCLUSIONS: According to our results, advanced maternal age, abnormal body mass index, multiple gravidity, preterm labor, and systemic disease were the main risk factors for maternal death. However, more evidence based on large cohort studies in different settings is required to confirm our results.

Ethnic differences in metabolite signatures and type 2 diabetes: a nested case-control analysis among people of South Asian, African and European origin

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Valkengoed, Irene G. M.; Argmann, Carmen; Ghauharali-van der Vlugt, Karen; Aerts, Johannes M. F. G.; Brewster, Lizzy M.; Peters, R. J. G.; Vaz, Frédéric M.; Houtkooper, Riekelt H.

2017-01-01

Accumulation of metabolites may mark or contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D), but there is a lack of data from ethnic groups at high risk. We examined sphingolipids, acylcarnitines and amino acids, and their association with T2D in a nested case-control study among 54

Ethnic differences in metabolite signatures and type 2 diabetes : a nested case-control analysis among people of South Asian, African and European origin

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Valkengoed, van I.G.M.; Argmann, C.; Ghauharali-van, der Vlugt K.; Aerts, J.M.F.G.; Brewster, L.M.; Peters, R.J.G.; Vaz, F.M.; Houtkooper, R.H.

2017-01-01

Accumulation of metabolites may mark or contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D), but there is a lack of data from ethnic groups at high risk. We examined sphingolipids, acylcarnitines and amino acids, and their association with T2D in a nested case-control study among 54

Clinicopathological risk factors for an invasive breast cancer recurrence after ductal carcinoma in situ - A nested case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Visser, Lindy L; Elshof, Lotte E; Schaapveld, Michael; Van de Vijver, Koen; Groen, Emma J; Almekinders, Mathilde M; Bierman, Carolien; Van Leeuwen, Flora E; Rutgers, Emiel J T; Schmidt, Marjanka K; Lips, Esther H; Wesseling, Jelle

2018-04-23

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is treated to prevent progression to invasive breast cancer. Yet, most lesions will never progress, implying that overtreatment exists. Therefore, we aimed to identify factors distinguishing harmless from potentially hazardous DCIS using a nested case-control study. We conducted a case-control study nested in a population-based cohort of DCIS patients treated with breast conserving surgery (BCS) alone (n=2,658) between 1989-2005. We compared clinical, pathological, and immunohistochemical DCIS characteristics of 200 women who subsequently developed ipsilateral invasive breast cancer (iIBC; cases) and 474 women who did not (controls), in a matched setting. Median follow-up time was 12.0 years (interquartile range 9.0-15.3). Conditional logistic regression models, were used to assess associations of various factors with subsequent iIBC risk after primary DCIS. High COX-2 protein expression showed the strongest association with subsequent iIBC (odds ratio [OR]=2.97, 95% confidence interval [95%CI] 1.72-5.10). In addition, HER2 overexpression (OR=1.56, 95%CI 1.05-2.31) and presence of periductal fibrosis (OR=1.44, 95%CI 1.01-2.06) were associated with subsequent iIBC risk. Patients with HER2+/COX-2high DCIS had a 4-fold higher risk of subsequent iIBC (vs. HER2-/COX-2low DCIS), and an estimated 22.8% cumulative risk of developing subsequent iIBC at 15 years. With this unbiased study design and representative group of DCIS patients treated by BCS alone, COX-2, HER2, and periductal fibrosis were revealed as promising markers predicting progression of DCIS into iIBC. Validation will be done in independent data sets. Ultimately, this will aid individual risk stratification of women with primary DCIS. Copyright ©2018, American Association for Cancer Research.

Lung cancer risk, exposure to radon and tobacco consumption in a nested case-control study of French uranium miners

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leuraud, K.; Billon, S.; Bergot, D.; Tirmarche, M.; Laurier, D.; Caer, S.; Quesne, B.

2006-01-01

Introduction: A nested case-control study was conducted among the French uranium miners cohort in order to assess the effect of protract ed radon exposure on lung cancer risk taking into account tobacco consumption. Material and methods: One hundred uranium miners employed by the French company CEA-COGEMA and who died of a lung cancer between 1980 and 1994 were identified as cases among the cohort. For each case, five controls were randomly matched on birth period and attained age at the time of death of the corresponding case. Cumulated radon exposure during employment was reconstructed for each of these 100 cases and 500 controls. Smoking habits were retrospectively determined from three complementary sources: 1) medical files, 2) forms filled in by occupational physicians and 3) questionnaires applied in face-to-face interviews, phone calls or mailings. Analysis was performed by conditional logistic regression using a linear excess relative risk (ERR) model. A multiplicative model was fitted to assess the joint effect of radon exposure and smoking on lung cancer risk. Results: Smoking status was established for 62 cases and 320 controls and two categories ('ever smokers' vs. 'never smokers') were defined. Ninety percent of the cases and 73% of the controls were classified as 'ever smokers'. Mean five-year lagged cumulated radon exposures were 82.0 and 47.6 working level months (WLM) for the cases and the controls, respectively. The excess relative risk per WLM (ERR/WLM) was 1.1% with a 95%-confidence interval (CI) of 0.2-2.0%. When adjusting for smoking, radon exposure effect was little modified (ERR/WLM = 0.8%, 95% -CI = 0.1- 2.8%). The effect of smoking on lung cancer risk was comparable to results reported in previous miners cohorts (OR = 3.04, 95% -CI = 1.20-7.70). Discussion: A consequent effort was carried out to collect smoking status from three sources for the miners included in this nested case-control study. This analysis shows that, when adjusting on

Human chorionic gonadotropin, angiogenic factors, and preeclampsia risk: a nested case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Asvold, Bjørn O; Eskild, Anne; Vatten, Lars J

2014-05-01

To study whether human chorionic gonadotropin concentrations during pregnancy or combinations of human chorionic gonadotropin and other angiogenic factors, soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 and placental growth factor (PlGF), are associated with preeclampsia risk. Nested case-control study. Population cohort of pregnant women. A total of 121 cases of preterm (cases of term preeclampsia (≥37 weeks of gestation) and 356 women without preeclampsia (controls). Women with preeclampsia were identified by linkage to the Medical Birth Registry of Norway. Concentrations of human chorionic gonadotropin, soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 and PlGF were measured in maternal serum samples collected in each trimester of pregnancy. Odds ratios of preterm and term preeclampsia. High human chorionic gonadotropin concentrations (highest quartile) in the first trimester were associated with reduced risk for preterm preeclampsia (OR 0.3, 95% CI 0.1-0.9), compared with low human chorionic gonadotropin (lowest quartile), whereas high human chorionic gonadotropin concentrations in the second trimester were associated with increased risk for preterm preeclampsia (OR 4.0, 95% CI 1.8-8.9). High human chorionic gonadotropin concentrations in the third trimester were associated with increased risk for term preeclampsia (OR 4.8, 95% CI 1.8-13.3). Concentrations of human chorionic gonadotropin above the median value combined with PlGF below the median in the second trimester were associated with very high risk for preterm preeclampsia (OR 36.9, 95% CI 8.2-165.8). The results suggest an important role of human chorionic gonadotropin in the pathophysiological processes that lead to preeclampsia. The combined association of human chorionic gonadotropin and PlGF indicates a possible synergism between underlying biological pathways. © 2014 Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Polymorphisms of genes coding for ghrelin and its receptor in relation to anthropometry, circulating levels of IGF-I and IGFBP-3, and breast cancer risk: a case-control study nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC).

Science.gov (United States)

Dossus, Laure; McKay, James D; Canzian, Federico; Wilkening, Stefan; Rinaldi, Sabina; Biessy, Carine; Olsen, Anja; Tjønneland, Anne; Jakobsen, Marianne U; Overvad, Kim; Clavel-Chapelon, Françoise; Boutron-Ruault, Marie-Christine; Fournier, Agnes; Linseisen, Jakob; Lukanova, Annekatrin; Boeing, Heiner; Fisher, Eva; Trichopoulou, Antonia; Georgila, Christina; Trichopoulos, Dimitrios; Palli, Domenico; Krogh, Vittorio; Tumino, Rosario; Vineis, Paolo; Quirós, José Ramon; Sala, Núria; Martínez-García, Carmen; Dorronsoro, Miren; Chirlaque, Maria-Dolores; Barricarte, Aurelio; van Duijnhoven, Fränzel J B; Bueno-de-Mesquita, H B; van Gils, Carla H; Peeters, Petra H M; Hallmans, Göran; Lenner, Per; Bingham, Sheila; Khaw, Kay Tee; Key, Tim J; Travis, Ruth C; Ferrari, Pietro; Jenab, Mazda; Riboli, Elio; Kaaks, Rudolf

2008-07-01

Ghrelin, an endogenous ligand for the growth hormone secretagogue receptor, has two major functions: the stimulation of the growth hormone production and the stimulation of food intake. Accumulating evidence also suggests a role of ghrelin in cancer development. We conducted a case-control study on 1359 breast cancer cases and 2389 matched controls, nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition, to examine the association of common genetic variants in the genes coding for ghrelin (GHRL) and its receptor (GHSR) with anthropometric measures, circulating insulin growth factor I (IGF-I) and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 3 and breast cancer risk. Pair-wise tagging was used to select the 15 polymorphisms that represent the majority of common genetic variants across the GHRL and GHSR genes. A significant increase in breast cancer risk was observed in carriers of the GHRL rs171407-G allele (odds ratio: 1.2; 95% confidence interval: 1.0-1.4; P = 0.02). The GHRL single-nucleotide polymorphism rs375577 was associated with a 5% increase in IGF-I levels (P = 0.01). A number of GHRL and GHSR polymorphisms were associated with body mass index (BMI) and height (P between GHRL variations are associated with BMI. Furthermore, we have observed evidence for association of GHRL polymorphisms with circulating IGF-I levels and with breast cancer risk. These associations, however, might also be due to chance findings and further large studies are needed to confirm our results.

Tissue-type plasminogen activator and C-reactive protein in acute coronary heart disease. A nested case-control study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gram, J; Bladbjerg, E-M; Møller, L

2000-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To study the importance of inflammation and fibrinolysis for evolution of ischaemic heart disease in a cohort of initially healthy subjects. DESIGN: Nested case-control study. Follow-up periods 7-15 years. SUBJECTS: Included in the study were 133 cases with coronary heart disease...... and 258 controls. INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Subjects with ischaemic heart disease identified in 1991 by the Danish National Hospital Register. Protein concentration of C-reactive protein (CRP) and tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) were measured with ELISA methods in stored serum.......005) and it was present in both the 7-9 years follow-up cohort (CRP: P = 0.014; t-PA: P = 0.001) and the 15 years follow-up cohort (CRP: P = 0.027; t-PA: P = 0.012). The best predictor of CRP was t-PA, whilst the best predictor of t-PA was triglycerides. In a logistic regression analysis model, t-PA still came out...

Use of Hypoprothrombinemia-Inducing Cephalosporins and the Risk of Hemorrhagic Events: A Nationwide Nested Case-Control Study

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Li-Jiuan; Wu, Fe-Lin Lin; Tsay, Woei; Hung, Chien-Ching; Lin, Shu-Wen

2016-01-01

Objective Existing data regarding the risk of hemorrhagic events associated with exposure to hypoprothrombinemia-inducing cephalosporins are limited by the small sample size. This population-based study aimed to examine the association between exposure to hypoprothrombinemia-inducing cephalosporins and hemorrhagic events using National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. Design A nationwide nested case-control study. Setting National Health Insurance Research database. Participants We conducted a nested case-control study within a cohort of 6191 patients who received hypoprothrombinemia-inducing cephalosporins and other antibiotics for more than 48 hours. Multivariable conditional logistic regressions were used to calculate the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for hemorrhagic events associated with exposure to hypoprothrombinemia-inducing cephalosporins (overall, cumulative dose measured as defined daily dose (DDD), and individual cephalosporins). Results Within the cohort, we identified 704 patients with hemorrhagic events and 2816 matched controls. Use of hypoprothrombinemia-inducing cephalosporins was associated with increased risk of hemorrhagic events (aOR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.42–2.06), which increased with higher cumulative doses (5 DDDs, aOR 1.89). The aOR for individual cephalosporin was 2.88 (95% CI, 2.08–4.00), 1.35 (1.09–1.67) and 4.57 (2.63–7.95) for cefmetazole, flomoxef, and cefoperazone, respectively. Other risk factors included use of anticoagulants (aOR 2.08 [95% CI, 1.64–2.63]), liver failure (aOR 1.69 [1.30–2.18]), poor nutritional status (aOR 1.41 [1.15–1.73]), and history of hemorrhagic events (aOR 2.57 [1.94–3.41]) 6 months prior to the index date. Conclusions Use of hypoprothrombinemia-inducing cephalosporins increases risk of hemorrhagic events. Close watch for hemorrhagic events is recommended when prescribing these cephalosporins, especially in patients who are at higher risk. PMID:27463687

Ischaemic cardiac events and use of strontium ranelate in postmenopausal osteoporosis: a nested case-control study in the CPRD.

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, C; Fox, K M; Borer, J S

2014-02-01

We explored the cardiac safety of the osteoporosis treatment strontium ranelate in the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink. While known cardiovascular risk factors like obesity and smoking were associated with increased cardiac risk, use of strontium ranelate was not associated with any increase in myocardial infarction or cardiovascular death. It has been suggested that strontium ranelate may increase risk for cardiac events in postmenopausal osteoporosis. We set out to explore the cardiac safety of strontium ranelate in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) and linked datasets. We performed a nested case-control study. Primary outcomes were first definite myocardial infarction, hospitalisation with myocardial infarction, and cardiovascular death. Cases and matched controls were nested in a cohort of women treated for osteoporosis. The association with exposure to strontium ranelate was analysed by multivariate conditional logistic regression. Of the 112,445 women with treated postmenopausal osteoporosis, 6,487 received strontium ranelate. Annual incidence rates for first definite myocardial infarction (1,352 cases), myocardial infarction with hospitalisation (1,465 cases), and cardiovascular death (3,619 cases) were 3.24, 6.13, and 14.66 per 1,000 patient-years, respectively. Obesity, smoking, and cardiovascular treatments were associated with significant increases in risk for cardiac events. Current or past use of strontium ranelate was not associated with increased risk for first definite myocardial infarction (odds ratio [OR] 1.05, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 0.68-1.61 and OR 1.12, 95 % CI 0.79-1.58, respectively), hospitalisation with myocardial infarction (OR 0.84, 95 % CI 0.54-1.30 and OR 1.17, 95 % CI 0.83-1.66), or cardiovascular death (OR 0.96, 95 % CI 0.76-1.21 and OR 1.16, 95 % CI 0.94-1.43) versus patients who had never used strontium ranelate. Analysis in the CPRD did not find evidence for a higher risk for cardiac events associated

Performance of the colorectal cancer screening marker Sept9 is influenced by age, diabetes and arthritis: a nested case-control study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ørntoft, Mai-Britt Worm; Nielsen, Hans Jørgen; Ørntoft, Torben Falck

2015-01-01

Background Annually, colorectal cancer (CRC) is diagnosed in >1.4 million subjects worldwide and incidence is increasing. Much effort has therefore been focused on screening, which has proven to reduce cancer-related mortality. The Sept9 DNA-methylation assay is among the most well studied blood......-based screening markers. However, earlier reported performances may be misleading: the Sept9 test was recently examined in two screening based cohorts and yielded performances lower than expected. We hypothesize that comorbidities and/or demographic characteristics affect the results of the Sept9 test. Methods...... Using a retrospective nested case–control study design, we studied plasma from 150 cancer and 150 controls selected from a well-characterized cohort of 4698 subjects referred for diagnostic colonoscopy due to CRC-related symptoms. The cases and controls were matched on age and gender, and moreover cases...

Can routine chest radiography be used to diagnose mild COPD? A nested case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

den Harder, A M; Snoek, A M; Leiner, T; Suyker, W J; de Heer, L M; Budde, R P J; Lammers, J W J; de Jong, P A; Gondrie, M J A

2017-07-01

To determine whether mild stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can be detected on chest radiography without substantial overdiagnosis. A retrospective nested case-control study (case:control, 1:1) was performed in 783 patients scheduled for cardiothoracic surgery who underwent both spirometry and a chest radiograph preoperative. Diagnostic accuracy of chest radiography for diagnosing mild COPD was investigated using objective measurements and overall appearance specific for COPD on chest radiography. Inter-observer variability was investigated and variables with a kappa >0.40 as well as baseline characteristics were used to make a diagnostic model which was aimed at achieving a high positive predictive value (PPV). Twenty percent (155/783) had COPD. The PPV of overall appearance specific for COPD alone was low (37-55%). Factors in the diagnostic model were age, type of surgery, gender, distance of the right diaphragm apex to the first rib, retrosternal space, sternodiaphragmatic angle, maximum height right diaphragm (lateral view) and subjective impression of COPD (using both views). The model resulted in a PPV of 100%, negative predictive value (NPV) of 82%, sensitivity of 10% and specificity of 100% with an area under the curve of 0.811. Detection of mild COPD without substantial overdiagnosis was not feasible on chest radiographs in our cohort. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An association between newly diagnosed cutaneous T cell lymphoma and prior impetigo: a nested case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Boursi, Ben; Haynes, Kevin; Mamtani, Ronac; Yang, Yu-Xiao

2016-11-01

Colonization with staphylococcus aureus (SA) is associated with disease activity and progression in patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) secondary to T-cell activation by bacterial superantigens. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the possible role of SA as an etiologic factor affecting CTCL initiation. We conducted a nested case-control study in a large population-representative database from the UK. Cases were defined as all patients with an incident diagnosis of mycosis fungoides (MF) or Sezary syndrome (SS) between 1995 and 2013. For every case, four eligible controls matched on age, sex, practice-site, and duration of follow-up were selected. Exposure of interest was clinical diagnosis of impetigo prior to CTCL diagnosis. Conditional logistic regression was used to calculate odds-ratio (ORs) and 95 % confidence-interval (CI) for CTCL risk. The results were further stratified according to age, sex and time interval between impetigo and CTCL diagnosis. The study population included 310 cases with MF or SS and 1223 matched controls. Among cases with CTCL 4.8 % (n = 15) had impetigo prior to cancer diagnosis compared to 2 % (n = 24) of controls. The adjusted OR for CTCL diagnosis among patients with prior impetigo was 2.33 (95 % CI 1.12-4.83). The risk was elevated among individuals with impetigo 1-5 years before cancer diagnosis (OR 3.33, 95 % CI 1.00-11.10). There was no change in risk among patients with impetigo more than 5 years before cancer diagnosis (OR 1.09, 95 % CI 0.35-3.37). Our results suggest a possible association between SA colonization and CTCL initiation that might serve as an important etiological factor for the disease.

Hospital-treated mental and behavioral disorders and risk of Alzheimer's disease: A nationwide nested case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Tapiainen, V; Hartikainen, S; Taipale, H; Tiihonen, J; Tolppanen, A-M

2017-06-01

Studies investigating psychiatric disorders as Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk factors have yielded heterogeneous findings. Differences in time windows between the exposure and outcome could be one explanation. We examined whether (1) mental and behavioral disorders in general or (2) specific mental and behavioral disorder categories increase the risk of AD and (3) how the width of the time window between the exposure and outcome affects the results. A nationwide nested case-control study of all Finnish clinically verified AD cases, alive in 2005 and their age, sex and region of residence matched controls (n of case-control pairs 27,948). History of hospital-treated mental and behavioral disorders was available since 1972. Altogether 6.9% (n=1932) of the AD cases and 6.4% (n=1784) of controls had a history of any mental and behavioral disorder. Having any mental and behavioral disorder (adjusted OR=1.07, 95% CI=1.00-1.16) or depression/other mood disorder (adjusted OR=1.17, 95% CI=1.05-1.30) were associated with higher risk of AD with 5-year time window but not with 10-year time window (adjusted OR, 95% CI 0.99, 0.91-1.08 for any disorder and 1.08, 0.96-1.23 for depression). The associations between mental and behavioral disorders and AD were modest and dependent on the time window. Therefore, some of the disorders may represent misdiagnosed prodromal symptoms of AD, which underlines the importance of proper differential diagnostics among older persons. These findings also highlight the importance of appropriate time window in psychiatric and neuroepidemiology research. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Bioavailable serum estradiol may alter radiation risk of postmenopausal breast cancer: a nested case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Grant, Eric J; Cologne, John B; Sharp, Gerald B; Eguchi, Hidetaka; Stevens, Richard G; Izumi, Shizue; Kim, Young-Min; Berrington de González, Amy; Ohishi, Waka; Nakachi, Kei

2018-02-01

Ionizing radiation and high levels of circulating estradiol are known breast cancer carcinogens. We investigated the risk of first primary postmenopausal breast cancer in relation to the combined effects of whole-body ionizing radiation exposure and prediagnostic levels of postmenopausal sex hormones, particularly bioavailable estradiol (bE 2 ). A nested case-control study of 57 incident breast cancer cases matched with 110 controls among atomic bomb survivors. Joint effects of breast radiation dose and circulating levels of sex hormones were assessed using binary regression and path analysis. Radiation exposure, higher levels of bE 2 , testosterone and progesterone, and established reproductive risk factors were positively associated with postmenopausal breast cancer risk. A test for mediation of the effect of radiation via bE 2 level suggested a small (14%) but significant mediation (p = 0.004). The estimated interaction between radiation and bE 2 was large but not significant (interaction = 3.86; p = 0.32). There is accumulating evidence that ionizing radiation not only damages DNA but also alters other organ systems. While caution is needed, some portion of the radiation risk of postmenopausal breast cancer appeared to be mediated through bE 2 levels, which may be evidence for cancer risks due to both direct and indirect effects of radiation.

Day case shoulder surgery: satisfactory pain control without regional anaesthesia. A prospective analysis of a perioperative protocol.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Daruwalla, Z J

2009-03-01

Pain control is an issue which may limit patients\\' acceptance of day case shoulder surgery. This study prospectively examined the outcome of a protocol for day case shoulder surgery to determine if satisfactory pain relief could be achieved without regional anaesthesia.

Maternal serum bisphenol A levels and risk of pre-eclampsia: a nested case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Yunzhen; Zhou, Qiongjie; Feng, Liping; Wu, Jiangnan; Xiong, Yu; Li, Xiaotian

2017-12-01

Although recent studies have indicated the potential adverse effects of maternal bisphenol A (BPA) exposure on pregnancy such as increasing the risk of pre-eclampsia, epidemiological evidence is limited. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between maternal BPA exposure and the risk of pre-eclampsia. We conducted a nested case-control study among 173 women (74 cases of pre-eclampsia and 99 controls). BPA concentrations were measured using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in the maternal serum samples collected during 16-20 gestational weeks. Multivariate logistic models were used to examine the relationship between maternal serum BPA concentrations and the risk of pre-eclampsia. BPA was detectable (>0.1 µg/l) in 78.6% of the maternal serum samples at three levels: low (4.44 µg/l). BPA concentrations were significantly higher in the serum samples collected from the pre-eclampsia cases than those from controls (median: 3.40 vs. 1.50 µg/l, P < 0.01). With adjustment for maternal age, primiparous and BMI, the odds of developing pre-eclampsia were significantly elevated in subjects with high serum BPA levels compared with those with low levels (adjusted OR = 16.46, 95%CI = 5.42-49.85) regardless of subcategories of pre-eclampsia including severity and onset time. Among the pre-eclampsia subjects, the maternal serum concentration of BPA was not different between the early- and late-onset subjects (median: 3.09 vs. 3.50 µg/l, P = 0.57), but surprisingly higher in mild pre-eclampsia subjects compared with severe pre-eclampsia subjects (median: 5.20 vs. 1.80 µg/l, P < 0.01). These results demonstrated that maternal exposure to high level of BPA could be associated with an increased risk of pre-eclampsia. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association.

Decoration Increases the Conspicuousness of Raptor Nests.

Science.gov (United States)

Canal, David; Mulero-Pázmány, Margarita; Negro, Juan José; Sergio, Fabrizio

2016-01-01

Avian nests are frequently concealed or camouflaged, but a number of species builds noticeable nests or use conspicuous materials for nest decoration. In most cases, nest decoration has a role in mate choice or provides thermoregulatory or antiparasitic benefits. In territorial species however, decorations may serve additional or complementary functions, such as extended phenotypic signaling of nest-site occupancy and social status to potential intruders. The latter may benefit both signaler and receiver by minimizing the risk of aggressive interactions, especially in organisms with dangerous weaponry. Support for this hypothesis was recently found in a population of black kites (Milvus migrans), a territorial raptor that decorates its nest with white artificial materials. However, the crucial assumption that nest decorations increased nest-site visibility to conspecifics was not assessed, a key aspect given that black kite nests may be well concealed within the canopy. Here, we used an unmanned aircraft system to take pictures of black kite nests, with and without an experimentally placed decoration, from different altitudes and distances simulating the perspective of a flying and approaching, prospecting intruder. The pictures were shown to human volunteers through a standardized routine to determine whether detection rates varied according the nest decoration status and distance. Decorated nests consistently showed a higher detection frequency and a lower detection-latency, compared to undecorated versions of the same nests. Our results confirm that nest decoration in this species may act as a signaling medium that enhances nest visibility for aerial receivers, even at large distances. This finding complements previous work on this communication system, which showed that nest decoration was a threat informing trespassing conspecifics on the social dominance, territory quality and fighting capabilities of the signaler.

Cutaneous beta human papillomaviruses and the development of male external genital lesions: A case-control study nested within the HIM Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Pierce Campbell, Christine M; Gheit, Tarik; Tommasino, Massimo; Lin, Hui-Yi; Torres, B Nelson; Messina, Jane L; Stoler, Mark H; Rollison, Dana E; Sirak, Bradley A; Abrahamsen, Martha; Carvalho da Silva, Roberto J; Sichero, Laura; Villa, Luisa L; Lazcano-Ponce, Eduardo; Giuliano, Anna R

2016-10-01

Cutaneous human papillomaviruses (HPVs) increase the risk of non-melanoma skin cancer in sun-exposed skin. We examined the role of beta-HPV in the development of male external genital lesions (EGLs), a sun-unexposed site. In this nested case-control study (67 men with pathologically-confirmed EGLs and 134 controls), exfoliated cells collected from the surface of lesions and normal genital skin 0, 6, and 12 months preceding EGL development were tested for beta-HPV DNA using a type-specific multiplex genotyping assay. Beta-HPV prevalence was estimated and conditional logistic regression was used to evaluate the association with condyloma, the most common EGL. While beta-HPV prevalence among controls remained stable, the prevalence among cases was lowest on the surface of lesion. Detecting beta-HPV on the normal genital skin was not associated with the presence or development of condyloma. Cutaneous beta-HPV does not appear to be contributing to pathogenesis in male genital skin. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Mercury exposure and risk of cardiovascular disease: a nested case-control study in the PREDIMED (PREvention with MEDiterranean Diet) study.

Science.gov (United States)

Downer, Mary K; Martínez-González, Miguel A; Gea, Alfredo; Stampfer, Meir; Warnberg, Julia; Ruiz-Canela, Miguel; Salas-Salvadó, Jordi; Corella, Dolores; Ros, Emilio; Fitó, Montse; Estruch, Ramon; Arós, Fernando; Fiol, Miquel; Lapetra, José; Serra-Majem, Lluís; Bullo, Monica; Sorli, Jose V; Muñoz, Miguel A; García-Rodriguez, Antonio; Gutierrez-Bedmar, Mario; Gómez-Gracia, Enrique

2017-01-05

Substantial evidence suggests that consuming 1-2 servings of fish per week, particularly oily fish (e.g., salmon, herring, sardines) is beneficial for cardiovascular health due to its high n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid content. However, there is some concern that the mercury content in fish may increase cardiovascular disease risk, but this relationship remains unclear. The PREDIMED trial included 7477 participants who were at high risk for cardiovascular disease at baseline. In this study, we evaluated associations between mercury exposure, fish consumption and cardiovascular disease. We randomly selected 147 of the 288 cases diagnosed with cardiovascular disease during follow-up and matched them on age and sex to 267 controls. Instrumental neutron activation analysis was used to assess toenail mercury concentration. In-person interviews, medical record reviews and validated questionnaires were used to assess fish consumption and other covariates. Information was collected at baseline and updated yearly during follow-up. We used conditional logistic regression to evaluate associations in the total nested case-control study, and unconditional logistic regression for population subsets. Mean (±SD) toenail mercury concentrations (μg per gram) did not significantly differ between cases (0.63 (±0.53)) and controls (0.67 (±0.49)). Mercury concentration was not associated with cardiovascular disease in any analysis, and neither was fish consumption or n-3 fatty acids. The fully-adjusted relative risks for the highest versus lowest quartile of mercury concentration were 0.71 (95% Confidence Interval [CI], 0.34, 1.14; p trend  = 0.37) for the nested case-control study, 0.74 (95% CI, 0.32, 1.76; p trend  = 0.43) within the Mediterranean diet intervention group, and 0.50 (95% CI, 0.13, 1.96; p trend  = 0.41) within the control arm of the trial. Associations remained null when mercury was jointly assessed with fish consumption at baseline and during follow

Real-world antidiabetic drug use and fracture risk in 12,277 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a nested case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Losada, E; Soldevila, B; Ali, M S; Martínez-Laguna, D; Nogués, X; Puig-Domingo, M; Díez-Pérez, A; Mauricio, D; Prieto-Alhambra, D

2018-06-02

We conducted a nested case-control study to study the association between antidiabetic treatments (alone or in combination) use and fracture risk among incident type 2 Diabetes mellitus patients. We found an increased risk of bone fracture with insulin therapy compared to metformin monotherapy. Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have an increased risk of fragility fractures, to which antidiabetic therapies may contribute. We aimed to characterize the risk of fracture associated with different antidiabetic treatments as usually prescribed to T2DM patients in actual practice conditions. A case-control study was nested within a cohort of incident T2DM patients registered in 2006-2012 in the Information System for Research Development in Primary Care (Catalan acronym, SIDIAP), a database which includes records for > 5.5 million patients in Catalonia (Spain). Each case (incident major osteoporotic fracture) was risk-set matched with up to five same-sex controls by calendar year of T2DM diagnosis and year of birth (± 10 years). Study exposure included previous use of all antidiabetic medications (alone or in combination), as dispensed in the 6 months before the index date, with metformin (MTF) monotherapy, the most commonly used drug, as a reference group (active comparator). Data on 12,277 T2DM patients (2049 cases and 10,228 controls) were analyzed. Insulin use was associated with increased fracture risk (adjusted OR 1.63 (95% CI 1.30-2.04)), as was the combination of MTF and sulfonylurea (SU) (adjusted OR 1.29 (1.07-1.56)), compared with MTF monotherapy. Sensitivity analyses suggest possible causality for insulin therapy but not for the MTF + SU combination association. No significant association was found with any other antidiabetic medications. Insulin monotherapy was associated with an increased fracture risk compared to MTF monotherapy in T2DM patients. Fracture risk should be taken into account when starting a glucose-lowering drug as part

Mortality from Circulatory System Diseases among French Uranium Miners: A Nested Case-Control Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Drubay, Damien; Caër-Lorho, Sylvaine; Laroche, Pierre; Laurier, Dominique; Rage, Estelle

2015-05-01

A significant association has been observed between radon exposure and cerebrovascular disease (CeVD) mortality among French uranium miners, but risk factors for circulatory system diseases (CSD) have not been previously considered. We conducted new analyses in the recently updated (through 2007) French cohort of uranium miners (n = 5,086), which included 442 deaths from CSD, 167 of them from ischemic heart disease (IHD) and 105 from CeVD. A nested case-control study was then set up to collect and investigate the influence of these risk factors on the relationships between mortality from CSD and occupational external gamma ray and internal ionizing radiation exposure (radon and long-lived radionuclides) in this updated cohort. The nested case-control study included miners first employed after 1955, still employed in 1976 and followed up through 2007. Individual information about CSD risk factors was collected from medical files for the 76 deaths from CSD (including 26 from IHD and 16 from CeVD) and 237 miners who had not died of CSD by the end of follow-up. The exposure-risk relationships were assessed with a Cox proportional hazard model weighted by the inverse sampling probability. A significant increase in all CSD and CeVD mortality risks associated with radon exposure was observed in the total cohort [hazard ratios: HRCSD/100 working level months (WLM) = 1.11, 95% confidence interval (1.01; 1.22) and HRCeVD/100 WLM = 1.25 (1.09; 1.43), respectively]. A nonsignificant exposure-risk relationship was observed for every type of cumulative ionizing radiation exposure and every end point [e.g., HRCSD/100WLM = 1.43 (0.71; 2.87)]. The adjustment for each CSD risk factor did not substantially change the exposure-risk relationships. When the model was adjusted for overweight, hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia and smoking status, the HR/100WLM for CSD, for example, was equal to 1.21 (0.54; 2.75); and when it was adjusted for risk factors selected with the

Prospective study of blood metabolites associated with colorectal cancer risk.

Science.gov (United States)

Shu, Xiang; Xiang, Yong-Bing; Rothman, Nathaniel; Yu, Danxia; Li, Hong-Lan; Yang, Gong; Cai, Hui; Ma, Xiao; Lan, Qing; Gao, Yu-Tang; Jia, Wei; Shu, Xiao-Ou; Zheng, Wei

2018-02-26

Few prospective studies, and none in Asians, have systematically evaluated the relationship between blood metabolites and colorectal cancer risk. We conducted a nested case-control study to search for risk-associated metabolite biomarkers for colorectal cancer in an Asian population using blood samples collected prior to cancer diagnosis. Conditional logistic regression was performed to assess associations of metabolites with cancer risk. In this study, we included 250 incident cases with colorectal cancer and individually matched controls nested within two prospective Shanghai cohorts. We found 35 metabolites associated with risk of colorectal cancer after adjusting for multiple comparisons. Among them, 12 metabolites were glycerophospholipids including nine associated with reduced risk of colorectal cancer and three with increased risk [odds ratios per standard deviation increase of transformed metabolites: 0.31-1.98; p values: 0.002-1.25 × 10 -10 ]. The other 23 metabolites associated with colorectal cancer risk included nine lipids other than glycerophospholipid, seven aromatic compounds, five organic acids and four other organic compounds. After mutual adjustment, nine metabolites remained statistically significant for colorectal cancer. Together, these independently associated metabolites can separate cancer cases from controls with an area under the curve of 0.76 for colorectal cancer. We have identified that dysregulation of glycerophospholipids may contribute to risk of colorectal cancer. © 2018 UICC.

Clinical factors associated with readmission for postpartum hypertension in women with pregnancy-related hypertension: a nested case control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hirshberg, A; Levine, L D; Srinivas, S K

2016-05-01

To evaluate the association between mode of delivery and length of labor on readmission for postpartum hypertension in women with pregnancy-related hypertension. Nested case control study within a cohort of 99 women with pregnancy-related hypertension who delivered at our institution between 2005 and 2009. Data were abstracted for clinical and labor information. Mode of delivery and length of labor were compared between women with previously diagnosed pregnancy-related hypertension readmitted within 4 weeks post partum (25 cases) and those not readmitted (74 controls). Categorical and continuous variables were compared using χ(2) and T-tests, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression controlled for confounders. Hypertension readmission was not associated with mode of delivery (cases: 10(40%) spontaneous vaginal delivery, 15(60%) cesarean delivery; controls: 38(51%) spontaneous vaginal delivery, 36(49%) cesarean delivery, P=0.33). Length of labor appeared longer in cases, with a trend toward significance (median: 15.5 [7,28] h vs 10.75 [5.8,15.9] h, P=0.12) and was significantly associated with readmission after controlling for delivery mode, induction and parity (adjusted odds ratio=1.06 [1 to 1.12], P=0.048). Readmitted patients were less likely to have initially been started on antihypertensive medications after controlling for age, race and chronic hypertension (adjusted odds ratio=0.23 [0.06 to 0.88], P=0.03). Postpartum readmission for hypertension in women with known pregnancy-related hypertension is not associated with mode of delivery, appears increased in those with longer length of labor and decreased in those initially started on antihypertensive medications. This provides targets for future research to continue to improve transitions of care and reduce preventable readmissions.

Associations between ambient air pollution and daily mortality in a cohort of congestive heart failure: Case-crossover and nested case-control analyses using a distributed lag nonlinear model.

Science.gov (United States)

Buteau, Stephane; Goldberg, Mark S; Burnett, Richard T; Gasparrini, Antonio; Valois, Marie-France; Brophy, James M; Crouse, Dan L; Hatzopoulou, Marianne

2018-04-01

Persons with congestive heart failure may be at higher risk of the acute effects related to daily fluctuations in ambient air pollution. To meet some of the limitations of previous studies using grouped-analysis, we developed a cohort study of persons with congestive heart failure to estimate whether daily non-accidental mortality were associated with spatially-resolved, daily exposures to ambient nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) and ozone (O 3 ), and whether these associations were modified according to a series of indicators potentially reflecting complications or worsening of health. We constructed the cohort from the linkage of administrative health databases. Daily exposure was assigned from different methods we developed previously to predict spatially-resolved, time-dependent concentrations of ambient NO 2 (all year) and O 3 (warm season) at participants' residences. We performed two distinct types of analyses: a case-crossover that contrasts the same person at different times, and a nested case-control that contrasts different persons at similar times. We modelled the effects of air pollution and weather (case-crossover only) on mortality using distributed lag nonlinear models over lags 0 to 3 days. We developed from administrative health data a series of indicators that may reflect the underlying construct of "declining health", and used interactions between these indicators and the cross-basis function for air pollutant to assess potential effect modification. The magnitude of the cumulative as well as the lag-specific estimates of association differed in many instances according to the metric of exposure. Using the back-extrapolation method, which is our preferred exposure model, we found for the case-crossover design a cumulative mean percentage changes (MPC) in daily mortality per interquartile increment in NO 2 (8.8 ppb) of 3.0% (95% CI: -0.9, 6.9%) and for O 3 (16.5 ppb) 3.5% (95% CI: -4.5, 12.1). For O 3 there was strong confounding by weather

[Establishment of Primary Adult MDS Nested Case-Control Study Cohort and Study of Risk Factors Associated with MDS Evolution to Leukemia].

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Ma, Yan; Chen, Bo-Bin; Wang, Xiao-Qin; Xu, Xiao-Ping; Lin, Guo-Wei

2015-12-01

To establish a nested case-control study cohort in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients and investigate the clinical characteristics, WHO subtype and risk factors associated with MDS evolution to leukemia of this cohort. All patients, ≥18 years of age, provided by 24 Shanghai hospitals with initial clinical findings consistent with a hematopoietic abnormality between June 2003 and April 2007, were the candidates for inclusion in this study. The blood and bone marrow samples of every patient should be provided at baseline. Diagnosis was made by incorporating morphologic, immunophenotypic, cytogenetic and molecular features according to WHO classification criteria. Cytogenetic analysis was performed using conventional G-banding karyotyping and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) techniques. Cumulative risk of evolution was estimated by Kaplan-Meier method. Prognostic factors were evaluated by univariate Log-rank method and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models. A total of 435 patients were diagnosed as MDS. The median age of MDS onset was 58(18-90) years, with 248 male patients and 187 female patients (male: female 1.33: 1). The percentage of cases with refractory cytopenia with multilineage dysplasia (RCMD) was the highest (65.5%), while that of refraetory anemia (RA) (2.3%), refractory anenia with ring sideroblast (RARS) (1.1%) and 5q-syndrome (0.5%) was lower. Trisomy 8 (+8) was the most common chromosome abnormalities (71 cases, 12.7%). The mean follow-up time was 20.3 (4.2-57.1) months. Cases were patients with evolution by the end of follow-up, while controls were patients without evolution by that time. Case group included 41 patients and control group included 342 patients. Univariate analysis showed that the age, sex, WHO subtype, WBC count, absolute neutrophil count (ANC), IPSS cytogenetic subgroup, IPSS group and bone marrow blast percentage were significant risk factors for leukemia-free survival (LFS). Multivariate analysis of COX model

The Role of Healthy Lifestyle in the Implementation of Regressing Suboptimal Health Status among College Students in China: A Nested Case-Control Study

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Jieyu Chen

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Background: Suboptimal health status (SHS is the intermediate health state between health and disease, it is medically undiagnosed and is also termed functional somatic syndrome. Although its clinical manifestations are complicated and various, SHS has not reached the disease status. Unhealthy lifestyle is associated with many chronic diseases and mortality. In accordance with the impact of lifestyle on health, it is intriguing to determine the association between unhealthy lifestyle and SHS risk. Methods: We conducted a nested case-control study among healthy Chinese college students from March 2012 to September 2013, which was nested in a prospective cohort of 5676 students. We performed 1:1 incidence density sampling with matched controls for birth year, sex, grade, specialty and individual character. SHS was evaluated using the medical examination report and Sub-health Measurement Scale V1.0 (SHMS V1.0. Exposure was defined as an unhealthy lifestyle per the frequency of six behavioral dimensions from the Health-promoting Lifestyle Profile (HPLP-II. Results: We matched 543 cases of SHS (42.66% in a cohort of 1273 students during the 1.5 years mean follow-up time with controls. A significant difference (t = 9.79, p < 0.001 and a reduction in HPLP-II total score was present at 1.5 years follow-up (135.93 ± 17.65 compared to baseline (144.48 ± 18.66. A level-response effect was recorded with an increase of the total HPLP-II (every dimension was correlated with a decreased SHS risk. Compared to respondents with the least exposure (excellent level, those reporting a general HPLP-II level were approximately 2.3 times more likely to develop SHS (odd ratio = 2.333, 95% CI = 1.471 to 3.700; and those with less HPLP-II level (good level were approximately 1.6 times more likely (1.644, 1.119–2.414 to develop SHS (p < 0.05. Our data indicated that unhealthy lifestyle behavior with respect to behavioral dimensions significantly affected SHS likelihood

Anticholinergic Exposure and Risk of Pneumonia in Persons with Alzheimer's Disease: A Nested Case-Control Study.

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Lampela, Pasi; Tolppanen, Anna-Maija; Tanskanen, Antti; Tiihonen, Jari; Hartikainen, Sirpa; Taipale, Heidi

2017-01-01

Risk of pneumonia is increased in persons with Alzheimer's disease (AD). In some studies, anticholinergic drugs (AC) have been associated with an increased pneumonia risk. We analyzed the risk of pneumonia associated with ACs in persons with AD. We performed a nested case-control study using register-based data from a Finnish nationwide MEDALZ cohort including all community-dwelling persons diagnosed with AD during 2005-2011. Cases were identified based on pneumonia diagnoses (n = 12,442) from hospital discharge and causes of death registers. Up to two controls without pneumonia were matched based on time since AD diagnoses, age, and gender for each case; AC use was measured using Anticholinergic Drug Scale. Use of AC was associated with an increased risk of pneumonia (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.36, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.29-1.43). However, there was no increased pneumonia risk in persons using level 3 ACs. Incident use was associated with higher risk of pneumonia (OR 2.68, 95% CI 2.15-3.34) than prevalent use (OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.40-1.57). Among persons using cholinesterase inhibitors (AChEIs), risk of pneumonia was increased in persons using also ACs (OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.41-1.66). ACs were associated with an increased risk of pneumonia in persons with AD, especially at the time of initiation of these drugs. AC use was associated with increased pneumonia risk also in persons using AChEIs. This risk should be carefully considered when treating AD patients.

Systemic use of antibiotics and risk of diabetes in adults: A nested case-control study of Alberta's Tomorrow Project.

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Ye, Ming; Robson, Paula J; Eurich, Dean T; Vena, Jennifer E; Xu, Jian-Yi; Johnson, Jeffrey A

2018-04-01

Previous observational studies using administrative health records have suggested an increased risk of diabetes with use of antibiotics. However, unmeasured confounding factors may explain these results. This study characterized the association between systemic use of antibiotics and risk of diabetes in a cohort of adults in Canada, accounting for both clinical and self-reported disease risk factors. In this nested case-control study, we used data from Alberta's Tomorrow Project (ATP), a longitudinal cohort study in Canada, and the linked administrative health records (2000-2015). Incident cases of diabetes were matched with up to 8 age and sex-matched controls per case. Conditional logistic regression was used to examine the association between antibiotic exposures and incident diabetes after sequentially adjusting for important clinical and lifestyle factors. This study included 1676 cases of diabetes and 13 401 controls. Although 17.9% of cases received more than 5 courses of antibiotics, compared to 13.8% of controls (P < .0001), the association between antibiotic use and risk of diabetes was progressively reduced as important clinical and lifestyle factors were accounted for. In fully adjusted models, compared to participants with 0 to 1 courses of antibiotics, participants receiving more antibiotics had no increased risk of diabetes [Odds Ratio, 0.97 (0.83-1.13) for 2 to 4 courses and 0.98 (0.82-1.18) for ≥5 courses]. After adjustment for clinical and difficult-to-capture lifestyle data, we found no association between systemic use of antibiotics and risk of diabetes. Our results suggest that those positive associations observed in previous studies using only administrative records might have been confounded. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Antipsychotic polypharmacy and risk of death from natural causes in patients with schizophrenia: a population-based nested case-control study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baandrup, Lone; Gasse, Christiane; Jensen, Vibeke

2010-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Concomitant prescription of more than 1 antipsychotic agent (antipsychotic polypharmacy) in the treatment of schizophrenia is prevalent, although monotherapy is generally recommended. Mortality from natural causes is markedly increased in schizophrenia, and the role of polypharmacy...... remains controversial. The objective was to investigate if antipsychotic polypharmacy is associated with the excess mortality from natural causes among patients with schizophrenia. METHOD: A population-based nested case-control study was conducted using patient data from January 1, 1996, to December 31......, 2005, obtained from central Danish registers. From the study population of 27,633 patients with ICD-8- and ICD-10-diagnosed schizophrenia or other mainly nonaffective psychoses, aged 18-53 years, we identified 193 cases who died of natural causes within a 2-year period and 1,937 age- and sex...

Antipsychotic Medications and Risk of Acute Coronary Syndrome in Schizophrenia: A Nested Case-Control Study.

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Hsing-Cheng Liu

Full Text Available This study assessed the risk of developing acute coronary syndrome requiring hospitalization in association with the use of certain antipsychotic medications in schizophrenia patients.A nationwide cohort of 31,177 inpatients with schizophrenia between the ages of 18 and 65 years whose records were enrolled in the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan from 2000 to 2008 and were studied after encrypting the identifications. Cases (n = 147 were patients with subsequent acute coronary syndrome requiring hospitalization after their first psychiatric admission. Based on a nested case-control design, each case was matched with 20 controls for age, sex and the year of first psychiatric admission using risk-set sampling. The effects of antipsychotic agents on the development of acute coronary syndrome were assessed using multiple conditional logistic regression and sensitivity analyses to confirm any association.We found that current use of aripiprazole (adjusted risk ratio [RR] = 3.68, 95% CI: 1.27-10.64, p<0.05 and chlorpromazine (adjusted RR = 2.96, 95% CI: 1.40-6.24, p<0.001 were associated with a dose-dependent increase in the risk of developing acute coronary syndrome. Although haloperidol was associated with an increased risk (adjusted RR = 2.03, 95% CI: 1.20-3.44, p<0.01, there was no clear dose-dependent relationship. These three antipsychotic agents were also associated with an increased risk in the first 30 days of use, and the risk decreased as the duration of therapy increased. Sensitivity analyses using propensity score-adjusted modeling showed that the results were similar to those of multiple regression analysis.Patients with schizophrenia who received aripiprazole, chlorpromazine, or haloperidol could have a potentially elevated risk of developing acute coronary syndrome, particularly at the start of therapy.

Risk analysis of leukaemia incidence among people living along the Techa River: a nested case-control study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ostroumova, E; Gagniere, B; Laurier, D; Gudkova, N; Krestinina, L; Verger, P; Hubert, P; Bard, D; Akleyev, A; Tirmarche, M; Kossenko, M

2006-01-01

Large quantities of radioactive materials released over time from the Mayak nuclear weapons facility caused significant internal and external exposure for people living along the banks of the Techa River (Southern Urals, Russia). We conducted a nested case-control study in the Extended Techa River Cohort to determine whether the risk of leukaemia incidence increased with protracted exposure to ionising radiation or with other non-radiation risk factors. The study included 83 cases identified over 47 years of follow-up and 415 controls matched for sex, age at diagnosis, age (within a 5 year age group), and date of initial residence in the riverside area. External and internal doses have been calculated using the Techa River Dosimetry System 1996 (TRDS96). Conditional logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios per Gray (OR/Gy) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). After excluding cases of chronic lymphoid leukaemia, the OR/Gy of total, external, and internal doses were 4.6 (95% CI: 1.7-12.3), 7.2 (95%CI: 1.7-30.0) and 5.4 (95%CI: 1.1-27.2), respectively. A history of solid tumour, either malignant or benign, before the leukaemia diagnosis was associated with a 2.5-fold increase in the leukaemia risk (95% CI: 1.1-5.9). Even though the analysis of confounders was less useful than expected because of missing data, multivariate analyses that took the exposure dose into account confirmed the association between leukaemia incidence and tumour history

Helicobacter pylori infection, atrophic gastritis, and pancreatic cancer risk: A meta-analysis of prospective epidemiologic studies.

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Liu, Hong; Chen, Yue-Tong; Wang, Rui; Chen, Xin-Zu

2017-08-01

To investigate the associations of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection and atrophic gastritis (AG) with pancreatic cancer risk. A literature search in PubMed was performed up to July 2017. Only prospective cohort and nested case-control studies enrolling cancer-free participants were eligible. Incident pancreatic cancer cases were ascertained during the follow-up. The risks of pancreatic cancer were compared between persons infected and noninfected with Hp, or between those with and without AG status at baseline. Odds ratios (ORs) or hazard ratios were combined. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed, and publication bias was estimated. Three cohort studies and 6 nested case-control studies, including 65,155 observations, were analyzed. The meta-analyses did not confirm the association between pancreatic cancer risk and Hp infection (OR = 1.09, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.81-1.47) or AG status (OR = 1.18, 95% CI = 0.80-1.72). However, particular subpopulations potentially had increased risks of pancreatic cancer. Cytotoxin-associated gene A (CagA)-negative strains of Hp might be a causative factor of pancreatic cancer (OR = 1.30, 95% CI = 1.05-1.62), but a sensitivity analysis by leave-one-out method did not fully warrant it (OR = 1.20, 95% CI = 0.93-1.56). In 1 nested case-control study, AG at stomach corpus in Hp-negative subpopulation might have increased risk of pancreatic cancer, but with a poor test power = 0.56. Publication biases were nonsignificant in the present meta-analysis. Based on current prospective epidemiologic studies, the linkage of pancreatic cancer to Hp infection or AG status was not warranted on the whole. Nevertheless, prospective studies only focusing on those specific subpopulations are further required to obtain better power.

Analysis of the joint effects of radon exposure and smoking on lung cancer risk in three nested case-control studies in Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leuraud, Klervi; Laurier, Dominique; Schnelzer, Maria; Grosche, Bernd; Tomasek, Ladislav

2008-01-01

Full text: Objectives: Three case-control studies nested in the French (Fr), German (Ge) and Czech (Cz) cohorts of uranium miners were conducted in the frame of a European research Project, named Alpha-Risk, on the quantification of risks associated with multiple radiation exposures. These case-control studies aimed at assessing the effect of protracted radon exposure on lung cancer risk taking into account individual tobacco consumption. Material and methods: In the three case-control studies, cases were miners of the corresponding cohort who died of lung cancer (100, 704, 672 cases for the Fr, Ge and Cz study, respectively). For each case, controls were randomly matched on birth period and attained age at the time of death of the corresponding case (500, 1398 and 1491 controls for the Fr, Ge and Cz study, respectively). Cumulated radon exposure during employment was obtained from ambient and individual measurements for the Fr and Cz studies, and from a job exposure matrix for the Ge study. Smoking habits were retrospectively determined from medical archives and questionnaires applied in face-to-face interviews, phone calls or mailings. Analysis was performed by conditional logistic regression using a linear excess relative risk (ERR) model. A multiplicative model was fitted to assess the joint effect of radon exposure and smoking on lung cancer risk. Results: Smoking status was established for 62, 421, and 672 cases and 320, 620, and 1491 controls for the Fr, Ge, and Cz study, respectively. Two categories ('ever smokers' vs. 'never smokers') were defined. The percentages of 'ever-smokers' were 90%, 95%, and 92% for the cases and 73%, 75%, and 73% for the controls, for the Fr, Ge and Cz study, respectively. Mean five-year lagged cumulated radon exposures were 115, 717 and 174 working level months (WLM) for the cases, and 71, 505 and 118 WLM for the controls, for the Fr, Ge and Cz study, respectively. The excess relative risk per WLM (ERR/WLM) was 0.98% with a 95

A Nested Case-Control Study of Metabolically Defined Body Size Phenotypes and Risk of Colorectal Cancer in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC.

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Neil Murphy

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Obesity is positively associated with colorectal cancer. Recently, body size subtypes categorised by the prevalence of hyperinsulinaemia have been defined, and metabolically healthy overweight/obese individuals (without hyperinsulinaemia have been suggested to be at lower risk of cardiovascular disease than their metabolically unhealthy (hyperinsulinaemic overweight/obese counterparts. Whether similarly variable relationships exist for metabolically defined body size phenotypes and colorectal cancer risk is unknown.The association of metabolically defined body size phenotypes with colorectal cancer was investigated in a case-control study nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC study. Metabolic health/body size phenotypes were defined according to hyperinsulinaemia status using serum concentrations of C-peptide, a marker of insulin secretion. A total of 737 incident colorectal cancer cases and 737 matched controls were divided into tertiles based on the distribution of C-peptide concentration amongst the control population, and participants were classified as metabolically healthy if below the first tertile of C-peptide and metabolically unhealthy if above the first tertile. These metabolic health definitions were then combined with body mass index (BMI measurements to create four metabolic health/body size phenotype categories: (1 metabolically healthy/normal weight (BMI < 25 kg/m2, (2 metabolically healthy/overweight (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2, (3 metabolically unhealthy/normal weight (BMI < 25 kg/m2, and (4 metabolically unhealthy/overweight (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2. Additionally, in separate models, waist circumference measurements (using the International Diabetes Federation cut-points [≥80 cm for women and ≥94 cm for men] were used (instead of BMI to create the four metabolic health/body size phenotype categories. Statistical tests used in the analysis were all two-sided, and a p-value of <0.05 was

Effect of statin on hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with type 2 diabetes: A nationwide nested case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Gyuri; Jang, Suk-Yong; Han, Eugene; Lee, Yong-Ho; Park, Se-Young; Nam, Chung Mo; Kang, Eun Seok

2017-02-15

Relationship on new statin use and the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with incident type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), who might be at the risk of developing HCC, is uncertained. A nationwide population-based nested case-control study was conducted within the National Health Insurance Service National Sample Cohort 2002-2013 in Korea. Newly prescribed statin after newly diagnosed T2DM was defined as statin use. Controls were matched to case patients on age, sex, follow-up time, and the date of diabetes diagnosis at a five-to-one ratio. Odds ratios (ORs) for associations of statin use with HCC were calculated using conditional logistic regression. After at least a 5-year HCC-free period, there were 229 incident HCC cases and 1,145 matched controls from 47,738 patients with incident diabetes. Of these 229 incident HCC cases, 27 (11.8%) were statin users, whereas 378 (33.0%) were statin users among 1,145 controls. Statin use was associated with a reduced risk of HCC development (adjusted OR [AOR]= 0.36, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.22-0.60) after adjustment for chronic viral hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, alcoholic liver disease, previous cancer, aspirin use, insulin use, sulfonylurea use, metformin use, thiazolidinedione use, history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Charlson comorbidity score, household income level, and residential area. Risk reduction was accentuated with an increase of cumulative defined daily doses (cDDD) compared with non-users (AORs 0.53, 0.36, 0.32, and 0.26 in ≤60, 60-180, 181-365, and >365cDDD, respectively; P for trend statin use before HCC diagnosis may have a beneficial inhibitory effect on HCC development in a dose-dependent manner, especially in individuals with liver disease. © 2016 UICC.

Exposure to sennoside-digoxin interaction and risk of digoxin toxicity: a population-based nested case-control study.

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Wang, Meng-Ting; Li, I-Hsun; Lee, Wan-Ju; Huang, Tien-Yu; Leu, Hsin-Bang; Chan, Agnes L F

2011-11-01

Digoxin is an important medication for heart failure (HF) patients and sennosides are widely used to treat constipation. Recently, safety concerns have been raised about a possible interaction between sennosides and digoxin, an issue that has not been studied empirically. This study therefore aimed to evaluate whether exposure to sennoside-digoxin interaction is associated with an increased risk of digoxin toxicity. This was a population-based nested case-control study that analysed data obtained from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database between 1 January 2001 and 31 December 2004. All HF patients treated with digoxin for the first time were included as the study cohort. Of these, cases were identified as subjects hospitalized for digoxin toxicity (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification, ICD-9-CM 972.1), and matched to randomly selected controls. Use of sennosides was compared between the two groups. Odds ratios (ORs) were employed to quantify the risk associated with exposure to sennoside-digoxin interaction by conditional logistic regression. The study cohort comprised 222,527 HF patients, of whom 524 were identified as cases and 2,502 as matched controls. Use of sennosides during the 14 days preceding the index date was found to be associated with a 1.61-fold increased risk of digoxin toxicity [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.15, 2.25]. Additionally, a greater risk was observed for sennosides prescribed at an average daily dose ≥ 24 mg (adjusted OR = 1.93; 95% CI = 1.27, 2.94). The combined use of sennosides and digoxin was found to be associated with a modest increased risk of digoxin toxicity in HF patients.

Why wasp foundresses change nests: relatedness, dominance, and nest quality.

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Perttu Seppä

Full Text Available The costs and benefits of different social options are best understood when individuals can be followed as they make different choices, something that can be difficult in social insects. In this detailed study, we follow overwintered females of the social wasp Polistes carolina through different nesting strategies in a stratified habitat where nest site quality varies with proximity to a foraging area, and genetic relatedness among females is known. Females may initiate nests, join nests temporarily or permanently, or abandon nests. Females can become helpers or egglayers, effectively workers or queens. What they actually do can be predicted by a combination of ecological and relatedness factors. Advantages through increased lifetime success of individuals and nests drives foundresses of the social wasp Polistes from solitary to social nest founding. We studied reproductive options of spring foundresses of P. carolina by monitoring individually-marked wasps and assessing reproductive success of each foundress by using DNA microsatellites. We examined what behavioral decisions foundresses make after relaxing a strong ecological constraint, shortage of nesting sites. We also look at the reproductive consequences of different behaviors. As in other Polistes, the most successful strategy for a foundress was to initiate a nest as early as possible and then accept others as subordinates. A common feature for many P. carolina foundresses was, however, that they reassessed their reproductive options by actively monitoring other nests at the field site and sometimes moving permanently to new nests should that offer better (inclusive fitness prospects compared to their original nests. A clear motivation for moving to new nests was high genetic relatedness; by the end of the foundress period all females were on nests with full sisters.

Why Wasp Foundresses Change Nests: Relatedness, Dominance, and Nest Quality

Science.gov (United States)

Seppä, Perttu; Queller, David C.; Strassmann, Joan E.

2012-01-01

The costs and benefits of different social options are best understood when individuals can be followed as they make different choices, something that can be difficult in social insects. In this detailed study, we follow overwintered females of the social wasp Polistes carolina through different nesting strategies in a stratified habitat where nest site quality varies with proximity to a foraging area, and genetic relatedness among females is known. Females may initiate nests, join nests temporarily or permanently, or abandon nests. Females can become helpers or egglayers, effectively workers or queens. What they actually do can be predicted by a combination of ecological and relatedness factors. Advantages through increased lifetime success of individuals and nests drives foundresses of the social wasp Polistes from solitary to social nest founding. We studied reproductive options of spring foundresses of P. carolina by monitoring individually-marked wasps and assessing reproductive success of each foundress by using DNA microsatellites. We examined what behavioral decisions foundresses make after relaxing a strong ecological constraint, shortage of nesting sites. We also look at the reproductive consequences of different behaviors. As in other Polistes, the most successful strategy for a foundress was to initiate a nest as early as possible and then accept others as subordinates. A common feature for many P. carolina foundresses was, however, that they reassessed their reproductive options by actively monitoring other nests at the field site and sometimes moving permanently to new nests should that offer better (inclusive) fitness prospects compared to their original nests. A clear motivation for moving to new nests was high genetic relatedness; by the end of the foundress period all females were on nests with full sisters. PMID:23049791

Human Papillomavirus Antibodies and Future Risk of Anogenital Cancer : A Nested Case-Control Study in the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kreimer, Aimee R.; Brennan, Paul; Kuhs, Krystle A. Lang; Waterboer, Tim; Clifford, Gary; Franceschi, Silvia; Michel, Angelika; Willhauck-Fleckenstein, Martina; Riboli, Elio; Castellsague, Xavier; Hildesheim, Allan; Fortner, Renee Turzanski; Kaaks, Rudolf; Palli, Domenico; Ljuslinder, Ingrid; Panico, Salvatore; Clavel-Chapelon, Francoise; Boutron-Ruault, Marie-Christine; Mesrine, Sylvie; Trichopoulou, Antonia; Lagiou, Pagona; Trichopoulos, Dimitrios; Peeters, Petra H.; Cross, Amanda J.; Bueno-de-Mesquita, H. Bas; Vineis, Paolo; Larranaga, Nerea; Pala, Valeria; Sanchez, Maria-Jose; Navarro, Carmen; Barricarte, Aurelio; Tumino, Rosario; Khaw, Kay-Tee; Wareham, Nicholas; Boeing, Heiner; Steffen, Annika; Travis, Ruth C.; Ramon Quiros, J.; Weiderpass, Elisabete; Pawlita, Michael; Johansson, Mattias

2015-01-01

Purpose Human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 (HPV16) causes cancer at several anatomic sites. In the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition study, HPV16 E6 seropositivity was present more than 10 years before oropharyngeal cancer diagnosis and was nearly absent in controls. The

The association of gastric cancer risk with plasma folate, cobalamin, and Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase polymorphisms in the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vollset, Stein Emil; Igland, Jannicke; Jenab, Mazda; Fredriksen, Ase; Meyer, Klaus; Eussen, Simone; Gjessing, Hakon K.; Ueland, Per Magne; Pera, Guillem; Sala, Nuria; Agudo, Antonio; Capella, Gabriel; Del Giudice, Giuseppe; Palli, Domenico; Boeing, Heiner; Weikert, Cornelia; Bueno-de-Mesquita, H. Bas; Carneiro, Fatima; Pala, Valeria; Vineis, Paolo; Tumino, Rosario; Panico, Salvatore; Berglund, Goran; Manjer, Jonas; Stenling, Roger; Hallmans, Goran; Martinez, Carmen; Dorronsoro, Miren; Barricarte, Aurelio; Navarro, Carmen; Quiros, Jose R.; Allen, Naomi; Key, Timothy J.; Bingham, Sheila; Linseisen, Jakob; Kaaks, Rudolf; Overvad, Kim; Tjonneland, Anne; Buchner, Frederike L.; Peeters, Petra H. M.; Numans, Mattijs E.; Clavel-Chapelon, Francoise; Boutron-Ruault, Marie-Christine; Trichopoulou, Antonia; Lund, Eiliv; Slimani, Nadia; Ferrari, Pietro; Riboli, Elio; Gonzalez, Carlos A.

Previous studies have shown inconsistent associations of folate intake and polymorphisms of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene with gastric cancer risk. Our nested case-control study within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort is the first

The association of gastric cancer risk with plasma folate, cobalamin, and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase polymorphisms in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vollset, S.E.; Igland, J.; Jenab, M.; Fredriksen, A.; Meyer, K.; Eussen, S.; Gjessing, H.K.; Ueland, P.M.; Pera, G.; Sala, N.; Agudo, A.; Capella, G.; Giudice, G. Del; Palli, D.; Boeing, H.; Weikert, C.; Bueno-De-Mesquita, H.B.; Carneiro, F.; Pala, V.; Vineis, P.; Tumino, R.; Panico, S.; Berglund, G.; Manjer, J.; Stenling, R.; Hallmans, G.; Martinez, C.; Dorronsoro, M.; Barricarte, A.; Navarro, C; Quiros, J.R.; Allen, N.; Key, T.J.; Bingham, S.; Linseisen, J.; Kaaks, R.; Overvad, K.; Tjonneland, A.; Buchner, F.L.; Peeters, P.H.; Numans, M.E.; Clavel-Chapelon, F.; Boutron-Ruault, M.C.; Trichopoulou, A.; Lund, E.; Slimani, N.; Ferrari, P.; Riboli, E.; Gonzalez, C.A.

2007-01-01

Previous studies have shown inconsistent associations of folate intake and polymorphisms of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene with gastric cancer risk. Our nested case-control study within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort is the first

Evaluation of exposure to pioglitazone and risk of prostate cancer: a nested case–control study

Science.gov (United States)

Boxall, Naomi; Bennett, Dimitri; Hunger, Matthias; Dolin, Paul; Thompson, Paula L

2016-01-01

Objectives Investigate potential association between pioglitazone exposure and risk of prostate cancer. Research design and methods Nested, matched case–control study. UK primary care data (Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) GOLD) linked to inpatient (Hospital Episode Statistics (HES)) and cancer registry (National Cancer Information Network (NCIN)) data. English men aged ≥40 years diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus, January 1, 2001 to January 5, 2015. Cases, with prostate cancer diagnosis, matched with up to 4 controls by age, cohort entry date and region. ORs for association of exposure to pioglitazone to incident prostate cancer, adjusted for potential confounders. Results From a cohort of 47 772 men with 243 923 person-years follow-up, 756 definite cases of prostate cancer were identified. Incidence was 309.9/100 000 person-years (95% CI 288.6 to 332.8). Pioglitazone use was not associated with prostate cancer risk; adjusted OR 0.759, 95% CI 0.502 to 1.148. Analyses showed no difference when possible cases, prostate cancer in CPRD GOLD only, included (adjusted OR 0.726, 95% CI 0.510 to 1.034). No association when adjusted for channeling bias (OR 0.778, 95% CI 0.511 to 1.184) or limited to an index date prior to July 1, 2011 (adjusted OR 0.508, 95% CI 0.294 to 0.879), despite prostate-specific antigen screening occurring more frequently among cases than controls (81.6% of 756 definite cases cf. 24.2% of 2942 controls (pworld, nested matched case–control study, exposure to pioglitazone was not associated with increased risk of prostate cancer. PMID:28074141

Breast Cancer Risk in Relation to Serum IGF-I, IGFBP-3 and their Genetic Determinants: A Study Within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer (EPIC)

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Kaaks, Rudolf

2002-01-01

Purpose and scope: we are conducting a large case-control study, nested within a prospective cohort, to estimate relative risks of breast cancer by levels of IGF-I and IGFBP-3, and to examine associations of IGF...

The Relationship between Maternal Diseases during Pregnancy and Low Birth Weight: a Nested Case-Control Study in Rural Areas of Kurdistan Province (West of Iran

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Ghobad Moradi

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Background: Low birth weight (LBW is considered as one of the important health indicators in evaluating prenatal care as well as determining scale of infants' health in the society. The study aimed to investigate maternal diseases during pregnancy and its impact on LBW in rural areas of Kurdistan province, Iran. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in nested case-control study method in rural areas of Kurdistan province- Iran in 2015-2016. In this study, 182 infants less than 2,500gr as case and 364 infants weighing 2,500 g and more as control were entered the study. Information about case and control groups was extracted by investigating records of pregnant women care. Data was analyzed using software Stata-12 with point and interval estimation of odds ratio (OR using conditional logistic regression. Results: The results of single-variable analysis of conditional logistic regression showed that there is a statistical relationship between blood pressure during pregnancy, iron deficiency anemia, mother's thyroid problems, oral and dental problems, and history of bleeding during pregnancy in case and control groups (P

Nested case-control study on the risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in the high background radiation areas of Yangjiang, China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zou Jianming; Sun Quanfu; Yuan Yongling

2003-01-01

Objective: To identify the major determinants of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in the high-background radiation areas (HBRA) in Yangjiang, China. Methods: A nested case-control study was conducted based on 106517 subjects. 98 cases that died of NPC were detected during a follow-up program for 9 years. Univariate analysis and multivariate non-conditional logistic regression were used to analyze associations between the exposure factors and NPC. Results: Multivariate conditional logistic regression analysis revealed that education levels, salted fish intake, the history of chronic rhinitis and the family history of NPC were independent risk factors of NPC. Tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption were not significantly related to NPC risk. The ORs of NPC risk comparing HBRA and a nearby control area before and after adjustment for the major risk determinants identified in the present study was 0.86 and 0.87, respectively. Conclusion: Salted fish intake was a strong risk factor of NPC. Education, the history of chronic rhinitis and the family history of NPC were also related to NPC risk. The exposure to high background radiation in HBRA of Yangjiang was not related to NPC risk with or without the adjustment for those major risk determinants of NPC

Nest structure and communal nesting in Euglossa (Glossura annectans Dressler (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Euglossini

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Carlos Alberto Garófalo

1998-01-01

Full Text Available Three nests of Euglossa (Glossura annectans Dressier, 1982 were obtained from trap nests at Serra do Japi, Jundiai, São Paulo State, Brazil. The bees nested in bamboo cane (one nest and in wooden-boxes (two nests. Solitary (two cases and pleometrotic (one case foundations were observed. Two nests were re-used once by two females working in each of them. Re-using females that shared the nests were of the same generation and each built, provisioned and oviposited in her own cells, characterizing a communal association. The brood development period was related to climatic conditions. Natural enemies included Anthrax oedipus oedipus Fabricius, 1805 (Bombyliidae, Coelioxys sp. (Megachilidae and Melittobia sp. (Eulophidae.

Are Metabolic Signatures Mediating the Relationship between Lifestyle Factors and Hepatocellular Carcinoma Risk? Results from a Nested Case-Control Study in EPIC.

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Assi, Nada; Thomas, Duncan C; Leitzmann, Michael; Stepien, Magdalena; Chajès, Véronique; Philip, Thierry; Vineis, Paolo; Bamia, Christina; Boutron-Ruault, Marie-Christine; Sandanger, Torkjel M; Molinuevo, Amaia; Boshuizen, Hendriek C; Sundkvist, Anneli; Kühn, Tilman; Travis, Ruth C; Overvad, Kim; Riboli, Elio; Gunter, Marc J; Scalbert, Augustin; Jenab, Mazda; Ferrari, Pietro; Viallon, Vivian

2018-05-01

Background: The "meeting-in-the-middle" (MITM) is a principle to identify exposure biomarkers that are also predictors of disease. The MITM statistical framework was applied in a nested case-control study of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) within European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), where healthy lifestyle index (HLI) variables were related to targeted serum metabolites. Methods: Lifestyle and targeted metabolomic data were available from 147 incident HCC cases and 147 matched controls. Partial least squares analysis related 7 lifestyle variables from a modified HLI to a set of 132 serum-measured metabolites and a liver function score. Mediation analysis evaluated whether metabolic profiles mediated the relationship between each lifestyle exposure and HCC risk. Results: Exposure-related metabolic signatures were identified. Particularly, the body mass index (BMI)-associated metabolic component was positively related to glutamic acid, tyrosine, PC aaC38:3, and liver function score and negatively to lysoPC aC17:0 and aC18:2. The lifetime alcohol-specific signature had negative loadings on sphingomyelins (SM C16:1, C18:1, SM(OH) C14:1, C16:1 and C22:2). Both exposures were associated with increased HCC with total effects (TE) = 1.23 (95% confidence interval = 0.93-1.62) and 1.40 (1.14-1.72), respectively, for BMI and alcohol consumption. Both metabolic signatures mediated the association between BMI and lifetime alcohol consumption and HCC with natural indirect effects, respectively, equal to 1.56 (1.24-1.96) and 1.09 (1.03-1.15), accounting for a proportion mediated of 100% and 24%. Conclusions: In a refined MITM framework, relevant metabolic signatures were identified as mediators in the relationship between lifestyle exposures and HCC risk. Impact: The understanding of the biological basis for the relationship between modifiable exposures and cancer would pave avenues for clinical and public health interventions on metabolic mediators

Adiponectin and risk of coronary heart disease in apparently healthy men and women (from the EPIC-Norfolk Prospective Population Study)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Côté, Mélanie; Cartier, Amélie; Reuwer, Anne Q.; Arsenault, Benoit J.; Lemieux, Isabelle; Després, Jean-Pierre; Wareham, Nicholas J.; Kastelein, John J. P.; Boekholdt, S. Matthijs; Khaw, Kay-Tee

2011-01-01

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the association between adiponectin levels and incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD). We performed a prospective case-control analysis nested in the EPIC-Norfolk cohort. Participants were apparently healthy men and women 45 to 79 years of age

Effects of TCMC on Transformation of Good Health Status to Suboptimal Health Status: A Nested Case-Control Study

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Wang, Tian; Chen, Jieyu; Sun, Xiaomin; Xiang, Lei; Zhou, Lin; Li, Fei; Lin, Changsong; Jiang, Pingping; Wu, Shengwei; Xiao, Ya; Cheng, Jingru; Luo, Ren; Liu, Yanyan; Zhao, Xiaoshan

2015-01-01

To explore the effects of traditional Chinese medicine constitution (TCMC) on transformation of good health status to suboptimal health status (SHS), we conducted a nested case-control study among college students in China. During the 18-month mean follow-up time, 543 cases of SHS (42.7%) occurred in 1273 healthy students. There was a significant (P = 0.000) and marked reduction in SHMS V1.0 total score in the case group at the 18-month follow-up (69.32 ± 5.45) compared with baseline (78.60 ± 4.70), but there was no significant change in the control group. Conditional logistic regression analysis showed that respondents reporting Yin-deficiency and Qi-deficiency were, respectively, 2.247 and 2.198 times more likely to develop SHS, while tendency to Yin-deficiency and tendency to Damp-heat were, respectively, 1.642 and 1.506 times more likely to develop SHS. However, the Balanced Constitution was a significant protective factor (OR 0.649; P < 0.05). Altogether, these findings demonstrate that Yin-deficiency, Qi-deficiency, tendency to Yin-deficiency, and tendency to Damp-heat appeared to induce a change in health status to SHS, while the Balanced Constitution seemed to restrain this change. We conclude that regulating the unbalanced TCMC (such as Yin-deficiency and Qi-deficiency) may prevent a healthy status developing into SHS or lead to the regression of SHS. PMID:26346320

Effects of TCMC on Transformation of Good Health Status to Suboptimal Health Status: A Nested Case-Control Study

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Tian Wang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available To explore the effects of traditional Chinese medicine constitution (TCMC on transformation of good health status to suboptimal health status (SHS, we conducted a nested case-control study among college students in China. During the 18-month mean follow-up time, 543 cases of SHS (42.7% occurred in 1273 healthy students. There was a significant (P=0.000 and marked reduction in SHMS V1.0 total score in the case group at the 18-month follow-up (69.32 ± 5.45 compared with baseline (78.60 ± 4.70, but there was no significant change in the control group. Conditional logistic regression analysis showed that respondents reporting Yin-deficiency and Qi-deficiency were, respectively, 2.247 and 2.198 times more likely to develop SHS, while tendency to Yin-deficiency and tendency to Damp-heat were, respectively, 1.642 and 1.506 times more likely to develop SHS. However, the Balanced Constitution was a significant protective factor (OR 0.649; P<0.05. Altogether, these findings demonstrate that Yin-deficiency, Qi-deficiency, tendency to Yin-deficiency, and tendency to Damp-heat appeared to induce a change in health status to SHS, while the Balanced Constitution seemed to restrain this change. We conclude that regulating the unbalanced TCMC (such as Yin-deficiency and Qi-deficiency may prevent a healthy status developing into SHS or lead to the regression of SHS.

Lung Cancer Risk from Occupational and Environmental Radon and Role of Smoking in Two Czech Nested Case-Control Studies

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Ladislav Tomasek

2013-03-01

Full Text Available The aim of the present study was to evaluate the risk of lung cancer from combined exposure to radon and smoking. Methodologically, it is based on case-control studies nested within two Czech cohort studies of nearly 11,000 miners followed-up for mortality in 1952–2010 and nearly 12,000 inhabitants exposed to high levels of radon in homes, with mortality follow-up in 1960–2010. In addition to recorded radon exposure, these studies use information on smoking collected from the subjects or their relatives. A total of 1,029 and 370 cases with smoking information have been observed in the occupational and environmental (residential studies, respectively. Three or four control subjects have been individually matched to cases according to sex, year of birth, and age. The combined effect from radon and smoking is analyzed in terms of geometric mixture models of which the additive and multiplicative models are special cases. The resulting models are relatively close to the additive interaction (mixing parameter 0.2 and 0.3 in the occupational and residential studies, respectively. The impact of the resulting model in the residential radon study is illustrated by estimates of lifetime risk in hypothetical populations of smokers and non-smokers. In comparison to the multiplicative risk model, the lifetime risk from the best geometric mixture model is considerably higher, particularly in the non-smoking population.

Serum carotenoid and tocopherol concentrations and risk of asthma in childhood: a nested case-control study.

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Hämäläinen, N; Nwaru, B I; Erlund, I; Takkinen, H-M; Ahonen, S; Toppari, J; Ilonen, J; Veijola, R; Knip, M; Kaila, M; Virtanen, S M

2017-03-01

The antioxidant hypothesis regarding the risk of asthma in childhood has resulted in inconsistent findings. Some data indicate that the role of antioxidants in childhood asthma risk may have a critical time window of effect, but only a well-designed longitudinal cohort study can clarify this hypothesis. To study the longitudinal associations between serum carotenoid and tocopherol concentrations during the first 4 years of life and asthma risk by the age of 5 years. Based on a case-control design nested within a Finnish birth cohort, 146 asthma cases were matched to 270 controls on birth time, sex, genetic risk, and birth place. Non-fasting blood samples were collected at the ages of 1, 1.5, 2, 3, and 4 years and serum carotenoids and tocopherols were analysed. Parents reported the presence and age at start of persistent doctor-diagnosed asthma in the child at the age of 5 years. Data analyses were conducted using generalized estimating equations. We did not find strong associations between serum carotenoids and tocopherols and the risk of asthma based on age-specific and longitudinal analyses. Both lower and higher quarters of α-carotene and γ-tocopherol increased the risk of asthma. The current findings do not support the suggestion that the increased prevalence of asthma may be a consequence of decreased intake of antioxidant nutrients. Moreover, we did not confirm any critical time window of impact of antioxidants on asthma risk. Replication of these findings in similar longitudinal settings will strengthen this evidence base. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Highly controlled nest homeostasis of honey bees helps deactivate phenolics in nectar

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Liu, Fanglin; He, Jianzhong; Fu, Wenjun

2005-06-01

Honey bees have a highly developed nest homeostasis, for example, maintaining low CO2 levels and stable nest temperatures at 35°C.We investigate the role of nest homeostasis in deactivating phenolic compounds present in the nectar of Aloe littoralis. We show that the phenolic content in nectar was reduced (from 0.65% to 0.49%) after nectar was incubated in a nest of Apis cerana, and that it was reduced still more (from 0.65% to 0.37%) if nectar was mixed with hypopharyngeal gland proteins (HGP) of worker bees before being placed inside a nest. HGP had little effect on samples outside a nest, indicating that nest conditions are necessary for HGP to deactivate phenolics in nectar. Consequently, the highly controlled nest homeostasis of honey bees facilitates direct deactivation of phenolics in nectar, and plays a role in the action of HGP as well.

Use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and prostate cancer risk: a population-based nested case-control study.

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Salaheddin M Mahmud

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Despite strong laboratory evidence that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs could prevent prostate cancer, epidemiological studies have so far reported conflicting results. Most studies were limited by lack of information on dosage and duration of use of the different classes of NSAIDs. METHODS: We conducted a nested case-control study using data from Saskatchewan Prescription Drug Plan (SPDP and Cancer Registry to examine the effects of dose and duration of use of five classes of NSAIDs on prostate cancer risk. Cases (N = 9,007 were men aged ≥40 years diagnosed with prostatic carcinoma between 1985 and 2000, and were matched to four controls on age and duration of SPDP membership. Detailed histories of exposure to prescription NSAIDs and other drugs were obtained from the SPDP. RESULTS: Any use of propionates (e.g., ibuprofen, naproxen was associated with a modest reduction in prostate cancer risk (Odds ratio = 0.90; 95%CI 0.84-0.95, whereas use of other NSAIDs was not. In particular, we did not observe the hypothesized inverse association with aspirin use (1.01; 0.95-1.07. There was no clear evidence of dose-response or duration-response relationships for any of the examined NSAID classes. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest modest benefits of at least some NSAIDs in reducing prostate cancer risk.

Management of western coniferous forest habitat for nesting accipiter hawks

Science.gov (United States)

Richard T. Reynolds

1983-01-01

Availability of nesting sites can limit accipiter populations. Because accipiters nest in dense forest stands, any alteration that opens these stands is likely to lessen their desirability as nest sites. Tree growth and the associated changes in the vegetative structure of aging nest sites limit the number of years sites will be suitable. Therefore, prospective...

Young people's risk of suicide attempts after contact with a psychiatric department - a nested case-control design using Danish register data

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christiansen, Erik; Juul Larsen, Kim

2012-01-01

discharge from last contact with a psychiatric department. The risk of suicide attempt is highest for children and adolescents suffering from personality disorders, depression and substance use disorders. Children and adolescents with previous contact with a psychiatric department and parental income......Background:  There seems to be an increased risk of children and adolescents committing or attempting suicide after contact with a psychiatric department. Children and adolescents living in families with low socio-economic status (SES) might have an especially increased suicide attempt risk....... Methods:  A complete extraction of Danish register data for every individual born in the period 1983-1989 was made. Of these 403,431 individuals, 3,465 had attempted suicide. In order to control for confounder effects from gender, age and calendar-time, a nested case-control study was designed. A total...

Issues concerning the use of hormone replacement therapy and risk of fracture: a population-based, nested case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Corrao, Giovanni; Zambon, Antonella; Nicotra, Federica; Conti, Valentino; Nappi, Rossella E; Merlino, Luca

2008-01-01

To investigate the effect of duration, how recently it has been used, and age at start of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and the risk of bone fracture. A population-based, nested case-control study was conducted in Lombardia, Northern Italy. The 78,294 women aged 45-75 years who received at least one HRT prescription during 1998-2000 were followed until 2005. Cases were women who experienced bone fracture during follow-up. Up to six controls were randomly selected for each case from the cohort after matching for age and date of cohort entry. The odds ratio of fracture associated with the use of HRT was estimated by conditional logistic regression. One thousand one hundred and seventy-four cases and 6760 controls were included. Compared with women who took HRT for less than 2 months, those who were treated for more than 20 months had an odds ratio (OR) of 0.80 (95% confidence interval 0.65, 0.99). This risk reduction was still significant among current HRT users (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.55, 0.90) and in women who began therapy at the age of 55-65 years (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.42, 0.94) or 65-75 years (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.32, 0.99). There was no statistical evidence of a protective effect for women who had stopped treatment more than 6 months previously or those who began HRT at the age of 45-55 years. HRT should be continued for long periods to achieve an optimal protection from fracture. The fracture reducing potential of HRT seems to disappear after a few months without treatment and might mainly act in women who begin therapy at older age.

Correlation of Serum Zinc Level with Simple Febrile Seizures: A Hospital based Prospective Case Control Study

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Imran Gattoo

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Background: Febrile seizures are one of the most common neurological conditions of childhood. It seems that zinc deficiency is associated with increased risk of febrile seizures.Aim: To estimate the serum Zinc level in children with simple Febrile seizures and to find the correlation between serum zinc level and simple Febrile seizures.Materials and Methods: The proposed study was a hospital based prospective case control study which included infants and children aged between 6 months to 5 years, at Post Graduate Department of Pediatrics, (SMGS Hospital, GMC Jammu, northern India. A total of 200 infants and children fulfilling the inclusion criteria were included. Patients were divided into 100(cases in Group A with simple febrile seizure and 100(controls in Group B of children with acute febrile illness without seizure. All patients were subjected to detailed history and thorough clinical examination followed by relevant investigations.Results: Our study had slight male prepondance of 62% in cases and 58% in controls . Mean serum zinc level in cases was 61.53±15.87 ugm/dl and in controls it was 71.90+18.50 ugm/dl .Serum zinc level was found significantly low in cases of simple febrile seizures as compaired to controls ,with p value of

Risk factors for Kaposi's sarcoma in human immunodeficiency virus patients after initiation of antiretroviral therapy: A nested case-control study in Kenya.

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Lupia, Rodgers; Wabuyia, Peter B; Otiato, Peter; Fang, Chi-Tai; Tsai, Feng-Jen

2017-12-01

This study aimed to evaluate the association between highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) adherence and development of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS patients. We conducted a retrospective nested case-control study of 165 participants (33 cases and 132 controls) receiving HAART care at Maseno Hospital, Kenya, from January 2005 to October 2013. Cases were HIV-positive adults with KS, who were matched with controls in a ratio of 1:4 based on age (±5 years of each case), sex, and KS diagnosis date. Perfect adherence to HAART was assessed on every clinic visit by patients' self-reporting and pill counts. Chi-square tests were performed to compare socioeconomic and clinical statuses between cases and controls. A conditional logistic regression was used to assess the effects of perfect adherence to HAART, the latest CD4 count, education level, distance to health-care facility, initial World Health Organization stage, and number of regular sexual partners on the development of KS. Only 63.6% participants reported perfect adherence, and the control group had a significantly higher percentage of perfect adherence (75.0%) than did cases (18.2%). After adjustment for potential imbalances in the baseline and clinical characteristics, patients with imperfect HAART adherence had 20-times greater risk of developing KS than patients with perfect HAART adherence [hazard ratios: 21.0, 95% confidence interval: 4.2-105.1]. Patients with low latest CD4 count (≤350 cells/mm 3 ) had a seven-times greater risk of developing KS than did their counterparts (HRs: 7.1, 95% CI: 1.4-36.2). Imperfect HAART adherence and low latest CD4 count are significantly associated with KS development. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Liver cancer risk, coffee, and hepatitis C virus infection: a nested case–control study in Japan

Science.gov (United States)

Wakai, K; Kurozawa, Y; Shibata, A; Fujita, Y; Kotani, K; Ogimoto, I; Naito, M; Nishio, K; Suzuki, H; Yoshimura, T; Tamakoshi, A

2007-01-01

We examined hepatocellular carcinoma mortality in relation to coffee consumption and anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody seropositivity in a nested case–control study involving 96 cases. The multivariate-adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for daily coffee drinkers vs non-drinkers were 0.49 (0.25–0.96), 0.31 (0.11–0.85), and 0.75 (0.29–1.92) in all cases, in HCV-positive and in HCV-negative individuals, respectively. PMID:17637681

Cardiovascular safety of celecoxib in acute myocardial infarction patients: a nested case-control study

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Josiane Courteau

2009-04-01

Full Text Available The objective was to measure the impact of exposure to coxibs and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID on morbidity and mortality in older patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI. A nested case-control study was carried out using an exhaustive population-based cohort of patients aged 66 years and older living in Quebec (Canada who survived a hospitalization for AMI (ICD-9 410 between 1999 and 2002. The main variables were all-cause and cardiovascular (CV death, subsequent hospital admission for AMI, and a composite end-point including recurrent AMI or CV death. Conditional logistic regressions were used to estimate the risk of mortality and morbidity. A total of 19,823 patients aged 66 years and older survived hospitalization for AMI in the province of Quebec between 1999 and 2002. After controlling for covariables, the risk of subsequent AMI and the risk of composite end-point were increased by the use of rofecoxib. The risk of subsequent AMI was particularly high for new rofecoxib users (HR 2.47, 95% CI 1.57-3.89. No increased risk was observed for celecoxib users. No increased risk of CV death was observed for patients exposed to coxibs or NSAIDs. Patients newly exposed to NSAIDs were at an increased risk of death (HR 2.22, 95% CI 1.30-3.77 and of composite end-point (HR 2.28, 95% CI 1.35-3.84. Users of rofecoxib and NSAIDs, but not celecoxib, were at an increased risk of recurrent AMI and of composite end-point. Surprisingly, no increased risk of CV death was observed. Further studies are needed to better understand these apparently contradictory results.

Prevalence of non-organ-specific autoantibodies and chronic liver disease in the general population: a nested case-control study of the Dionysos cohort.

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Lenzi, M; Bellentani, S; Saccoccio, G; Muratori, P; Masutti, F; Muratori, L; Cassani, F; Bianchi, F B; Tiribelli, C

1999-09-01

Several retrospective and prospective studies report an increased prevalence of non-organ-specific autoantibodies (NOSAs) in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) related chronic liver disease (CLD). Some of the data so far available are controversial and the true prevalence of NOSAs in the general population is still not known. To explore the prevalence of NOSAs, their relation to different HCV genotypes, and the presence and severity of CLD in the general population of Northern Italy. All 226 anti-HCV positive and 87 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive patients of the Dionysos cohort study were analysed and compared with sex and age matched cases (226) negative for both anti-HCV antibody and HBsAg selected from the same cohort. Sera tested for the presence of NOSAs (anti-nuclear antibody (ANA), anti-smooth muscle antibody (SMA), and anti-liver/kidney microsomes type 1 antibody (LKM1)) were screened by indirect immunofluorescence at a 1:40 serum dilution. HCV RNA and HCV genotypes were also determined by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the 5' non-coding region and by PCR amplification of the core region with type specific primers. The overall prevalence of NOSA reactivity was significantly higher in anti-HCV positive subjects than in both normal and pathological controls (25% v 6% and 7% respectively, pLKM1 occurred in 16, 10, and 1. 3% of cases respectively. No specific association between NOSAs and a specific HCV genotype was found. NOSAs were found more often associated with more than one genotype (35.7%) and with untypable genotypes (34.6%), although the association was not statistically significant. NOSAs were associated with HCV RNA and CLD but not with the presence of cirrhosis and/or hepatocellular carcinoma. On univariate analysis, NOSA reactivity was independently associated with abnormal alanine aminotransferase (p<0.01) and gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase levels (p<0.05). The risk for the presence of NOSAs was 5.1 times higher in anti

H. pylori seroprevalence and risk of diabetes: An ancillary case-control study nested in the diabetes prevention program.

Science.gov (United States)

Alzahrani, Saud; Nelson, Jason; Moss, Steven F; Paulus, Jessica K; Knowler, William C; Pittas, Anastassios G

2017-10-01

To determine the association between H. pylori infection and risk of incident diabetes in adults at high risk for diabetes who participated in the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) study. In a nested case-control study conducted among 421 adults with newly diagnosed diabetes and 421 matched controls, we examined the association between serological status of H. pylori at baseline and risk of incident diabetes over a mean follow-up period of 2.6years. Using data from the baseline visit of the DPP, we also examined the cross-sectional association between presence of H. pylori antibodies and insulin sensitivity, insulin secretion and the disposition index-like measure after a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). At baseline, H. pylori antibodies were present in 40% of participants who developed diabetes and 39% of controls. After adjusting for matching factors, there was no association between exposure to H. pylori and incident diabetes (odds ratio [OR] of 1.04 (95% CI, 0.77 to 1.40). In cross-sectional analyses, H. pylori status was not significantly associated with insulin sensitivity and disposition index-like measure from OGTT. In adults at high risk for diabetes, H. pylori seropositivity was not associated with risk of developing diabetes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Simvastatin dose and acute kidney injury without concurrent serious muscle injury: A nationwide nested case-control study.

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Lianne Parkin

Full Text Available Inconsistent findings from four observational studies suggest that the risk of acute kidney injury (AKI may increase with increasing statin dose or potency, but none of the studies took statin-related severe muscle injury, including rhabdomyolysis, into account. We undertook a nationwide nested case-control study in New Zealand to examine the risk of AKI without concurrent serious muscle injury according to simvastatin dose in two cohorts: people without a history of renal disease and people with non-dialysis dependent chronic kidney disease.A total of 334,710 people aged ≥ 18 years without a history of renal disease (cohort 1 and 5,437 with non-dialysis dependent chronic kidney disease (cohort 2 who initiated simvastatin therapy between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2013 were identified using national pharmaceutical dispensing and hospital discharge data. Patients who developed AKI without concurrent serious muscle injury during follow-up (cases were ascertained using hospital discharge and mortality data (n = 931 from cohort 1, n = 160 from cohort 2. Up to 10 controls per case, matched by date of birth, sex, and cohort entry date were randomly selected from the relevant cohort using risk set sampling.Relative to current use of 20mg simvastatin daily, the adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI in cohort 1 for current use of 40mg and 80mg were 0.9 (95% CI 0.7-1.2 and 1.3 (95% CI 0.7-2.3, respectively. The adjusted odds ratio for 40mg in cohort 2 was 1.1 (95% CI 0.7-1.9; the numbers taking 80mg were very small and the confidence interval was correspondingly wide.The findings of this study suggest that a relationship between statin dose and AKI may not exist independent of serious muscle injury.

Adherence With Bisphosphonates and Long-Term Risk of Hip Fractures: A Nested Case-Control Study Using Real-World Data.

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Shalev, Varda; Sharman Moser, Sarah; Goldshtein, Inbal; Yu, Jingbo; Weil, Clara; Ish-Shalom, Sophia; Rouach, Vanessa; Chodick, Gabriel

2017-09-01

Hip fracture is a major complication of osteoporosis. Bisphosphonate medication is the mainstay of treatment for osteoporosis. However, concerns have been raised regarding the effectiveness of bisphosphonates in reducing hip fracture risk after long-term use, particularly among patients with suboptimal adherence. To examine the association between adherence with bisphosphonate therapy and long-term risk of hip fracture. Included in the present nested case-control study were osteoporotic women (n = 14 357) who initiated bisphosphonate therapy in 2000-2010 and were retrospectively followed for incident hip fracture through November 2014. Within this cohort, each case of primary hip fractures was individually matched to 3 controls without a primary hip fracture. Proportion of follow-up days covered (PDC) with bisphosphonates was calculated from bisphosphonate purchases. Adherence was categorized into the following groups: purchase of 1 or 2 months' supply (reference group), at least 3 months' supply to PDC ≤20%, PDC >20% to ≤80%, PDC >80% to ≤100%. Included in the analysis were 426 case-control groups with a mean age (SD) of 73.7 years (7.9). Compared with the reference group, PDC of 80% to 100% with bisphosphonates was associated with a significant reduction in hip fracture risk for patients with 8 to 15 years of follow-up (OR = 0.39; 95% CI = 0.18-0.87). Among patients with a follow-up of up to 3 years, OR was 0.58 (95% CI = 0.31-1.06). Adherence with bisphosphonates among osteoporotic patients is associated with lower risk of hip fracture, with no indication of diminished effectiveness with long-term use.

Complications of ventilation tube insertion in children with and without cleft palate: a nested case-control comparison.

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Smillie, Ian; Robertson, Sophie; Yule, Anna; Wynne, David M; Russell, Craig J H

2014-10-01

Optimizing hearing in patients with cleft lip and/or palate (CLP) by early recognition and management of otitis media with effusion is essential for speech development. Some evidence has suggested higher complication rates from ventilation tube (VT) insertion in patients with CLP and has led to a trend not to treat these patients surgically. However, studies have failed to match comparison groups for age and sex. To compare complication rates from VT insertion in pediatric patients with and without CLP. The study used a nested case-control design to evaluate 60 pediatric patients with CLP who underwent VT insertion at a children's hospital. The control group of age- and sex-matched patients was selected from a database of 2943 VT insertions. All patients were administered general anesthesia and underwent VT insertion by a pediatric otorhinolaryngology (ENT) team. The primary outcomes were numbers of otorrhea complications. Secondarily, rates of attendance at an ENT clinic specifically for complications were evaluated. Finally, numbers of complications other than otorrhea were assessed but not statistically analyzed owing to the varied types and low numbers in each group. The control cohort had 151 documented cases of otorrhea compared with 121 in the CLP group (ratio 1.25:1); the difference between groups was not statistically significant (P = .52). There was no significant difference in mean ENT clinic visits per patient for complications between groups (0.80 in the CLP group, 0.78 for controls) (P = .66). Regarding complications other than otorrhea, the control group reported more than the CLP group (43 vs 25; ratio, 1.7:1). Complication rates of VT placement among patients with CLP were not higher than those among patients without CLP. Therefore, treatment with VT insertion should be administered to patients with CLP under the same guidelines as for those without CLP. Indeed, there could be an argument for a shift in practice toward more aggressive

Adipokines as Possible New Predictors of Cardiovascular Diseases: A Case Control Study

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Laura Pala

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background and Aims. The secretion of several adipocytokines, such as adiponectin, retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4, adipocyte fatty acid binding protein (aFABP, and visfatin, is altered in subjects with abdominal adiposity; these endocrine alterations could contribute to increased cardiovascular risk. The aim of the study was to assess the relationship among adiponectin, RBP4, aFABP, and visfatin, and incident cardiovascular disease. Methods and Results. A case-control study, nested within a prospective cohort, on 2945 subjects enrolled for a diabetes screening program was performed. We studied 18 patients with incident fatal or nonfatal IHD (Ischemic Heart Disease or CVD (Cerebrovascular Disease, compared with 18 matched control subjects. Circulating adiponectin levels were significantly lower in cases of IHD with respect to controls. Circulating RBP4 levels were significantly increased in CVD and decreased in IHD with respect to controls. Circulating aFABP4 levels were significantly increased in CVD, while no difference was associated with IHD. Circulating visfatin levels were significantly lower in cases of both CVD and IHD with respect to controls, while no difference was associated with CVD. Conclusions. The present study confirms that low adiponectin is associated with increased incidents of IHD, but not CVD, and suggests, for the first time, a major effect of visfatin, aFABP, and RBP4 in the development of cardiovascular disease.

Innate immunity and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL related genes in a nested case-control study for gastric cancer risk.

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Sue K Park

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Genetic variants regulating the host immune system may contribute to the susceptibility for the development of gastric cancer. Little is known about the role of the innate immunity- and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL-related genes for gastric cancer risk. This nested case-control study was conducted to identify candidate genes for gastric cancer risk for future studies. METHODS: In the Discovery phase, 3,072 SNPs in 203 innate immunity- and 264 NHL-related genes using the Illumine GoldenGateTM OPA Panel were analyzed in 42 matched case-control sets selected from the Korean Multi-center Cancer Cohort (KMCC. Six significant SNPs in four innate immunity (DEFA6, DEFB1, JAK3, and ACAA1 and 11 SNPs in nine NHL-related genes (INSL3, CHMP7, BCL2L11, TNFRSF8, RAD50, CASP7, CHUK, CD79B, and CLDN9 with a permutated p-value <0.01 were re-genotyped in the Replication phase among 386 cases and 348 controls. Odds ratios (ORs for gastric cancer risk were estimated adjusting for age, smoking status, and H. pylori and CagA sero-positivity. Summarized ORs in the total study population (428 cases and 390 controls are presented using pooled- and meta-analyses. RESULTS: Four SNPS had no heterogeneity across the phases: in the meta-analysis, DEFA6 rs13275170 and DEFB1 rs2738169 had both a 1.3-fold increased odds ratio (OR for gastric cancer (95% CIs = 1.1-1.6; and 1.1-1.5, respectively. INSL3 rs10421916 and rs11088680 had both a 0.8-fold decreased OR for gastric cancer (95% CIs = 0.7-0.97; and 0.7-0.9, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that certain variants in the innate immunity and NHL-related genes affect the gastric cancer risk, perhaps by modulating infection-inflammation-immunity mechanisms that remain to be defined.

Does comedy kill? A retrospective, longitudinal cohort, nested case-control study of humour and longevity in 53 British comedians.

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Stewart, Simon; Thompson, David R

2015-02-01

This work aims to test the hypothesis that the funniest comedians are most at risk of a premature death and reduced longevity compared to their relatively less funny counterparts. A retrospective longitudinal cohort study with a nested case-control analysis of longevity of 53 male British comedians born between 1900 and 1954 was conducted. All comedians were given a subjective score from 1 (relatively funny) to 10 (hilariously funny) by the study investigators. The survival profile of all comedians was then examined adjusting for decade of birth, whether they worked in a comedy team and their comedy score. A nested case-control analysis examined the longevity of those comedians working in teams according to their pre-specified status within the team (straight/less funny versus funny team member). On an adjusted basis, there was no correlation between the decade of birth (HR 0.94, 95% 0.65 to 1.38 per incremental decade; p=0.763) and comedy team status (HR 1.13, 95% 0.51 to 2.48 versus independent comedian; p=0.761) with longevity. However, an increasingly funny comedy score was associated with increased mortality (HR 1.24, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.44 per unit funny score; p=0.006). Of the 23 comedians adjudged to be very funny (score 8-10), 18 (78%) had died versus 12 (40%) of the rest; mean age at death 63.3±12.2 versus 72.3±14.7 (p=0.079). Within comedy teams, those identified as the funnier member(s) of the partnership were, on an adjusted basis, more than three times more likely to die prematurely when compared to their more serious comedy partners (HR 3.52, 95% CI 1.22, 10.1; p=0.020). These data suggest that elite comedians are at increased risk of premature death compared to their less funny counterparts. Mental health issues and personality characteristics that help shape their comedic talent and success may well explain their reduced longevity and raises serious issues for identifying and mitigating their risk of a premature death. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier

A prospective study of Trichomonas vaginalis and prostate cancer risk among African American men.

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Fowke, Jay H; Han, Xijing; Alderete, J F; Moses, Kelvin A; Signorello, Lisa B; Blot, William J

2016-04-18

African Americans (AA) have a higher prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis (Tv) infection and a higher prostate (PC) risk. Past studies suggest an association between Tv seropositivity and PC, and therefore we prospectively investigated this association among AA men. Incident PC cases were individually matched to controls in a nested case-control study within the Southern Community Cohort Study (SCCS). Primary analysis included 296 PC cases and 497 race-matched controls. Levels of Tv antibody response were measured by ELISA in serum collected at baseline. Tv antibody response did not significantly differ between cases and controls overall or within AA participants (253 AA cases). There were no significant associations or trends between levels of Tv response and PC risk or the diagnosis of aggressive PC. We found no evidence of a prospective association between baseline Tv infection and PC risk in AA men. Tv infection in men may have substantial health implications in HIV transmission and reproductive outcomes, but may not impact future PC risk in AA men at high-risk for PC. Further efforts need to define past vs. present Tv infection and to separate pathophysiology from PC detection.

Observations on the Nesting and Prey of the Solitary Wasp, Tachysphex inconspicuus, with a Review of Nesting Behavior in the T. obscuripennis species group

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Kurczewski, Frank E.; Coville, Rollin E.; Schal, Coby

2010-01-01

The nesting behaviors of 10 females of Tachysphex inconspicuus (Kirby) (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae) were studied on a sandy, mowed lawn at the La Selva Biological Station in northeastern Costa Rica on 27–29 April 1980. Twenty-four completed nests were observed, excavated, and measured. The nests had oblique, short burrows leading to one or two shallow cells. Prey cockroaches belonging to 11 species of Chorisoneura and Riatia fulgida (Saussure) (Blattaria: Blattellidae), all tropical wet forest canopy indicator species, were removed from the cells, weighed, and identified. The cockroaches consisted mainly of adult females, selectively preyed upon over adult males and nymphs due to their larger sizes. The aggregate prey mass in cells was separable into prospective larger (heavier) female and smaller (lighter) male cells. Wasps usually oviposited on the heaviest cockroach in a cell, in most cases an adult female. Atypical genus behavior included (1) prey being carried to one side of the wasp and perhaps grasped by a hindleg during removal of the temporary entrance closure and nest entry and (2) wasp's egg being laid affixed to a forecoxal corium and extending backward in a longitudinally posteriad position across the prey's ventral thorax. A comparison with the nesting behavior of other species in the Tachysphex obscuripennis species group is made. PMID:21062142

From neurons to nests: nest-building behaviour as a model in behavioural and comparative neuroscience.

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Hall, Zachary J; Meddle, Simone L; Healy, Susan D

Despite centuries of observing the nest building of most extant bird species, we know surprisingly little about how birds build nests and, specifically, how the avian brain controls nest building. Here, we argue that nest building in birds may be a useful model behaviour in which to study how the brain controls behaviour. Specifically, we argue that nest building as a behavioural model provides a unique opportunity to study not only the mechanisms through which the brain controls behaviour within individuals of a single species but also how evolution may have shaped the brain to produce interspecific variation in nest-building behaviour. In this review, we outline the questions in both behavioural and comparative neuroscience that nest building could be used to address, summarize recent findings regarding the neurobiology of nest building in lab-reared zebra finches and across species building different nest structures, and suggest some future directions for the neurobiology of nest building.

Early pregnancy peripheral blood gene expression and risk of preterm delivery: a nested case control study

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Muhie Seid Y

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Preterm delivery (PTD is a significant public health problem associated with greater risk of mortality and morbidity in infants and mothers. Pathophysiologic processes that may lead to PTD start early in pregnancy. We investigated early pregnancy peripheral blood global gene expression and PTD risk. Methods As part of a prospective study, ribonucleic acid was extracted from blood samples (collected at 16 weeks gestational age from 14 women who had PTD (cases and 16 women who delivered at term (controls. Gene expressions were measured using the GeneChip® Human Genome U133 Plus 2.0 Array. Student's T-test and fold change analysis were used to identify differentially expressed genes. We used hierarchical clustering and principle components analysis to characterize signature gene expression patterns among cases and controls. Pathway and promoter sequence analyses were used to investigate functions and functional relationships as well as regulatory regions of differentially expressed genes. Results A total of 209 genes, including potential candidate genes (e.g. PTGDS, prostaglandin D2 synthase 21 kDa, were differentially expressed. A set of these genes achieved accurate pre-diagnostic separation of cases and controls. These genes participate in functions related to immune system and inflammation, organ development, metabolism (lipid, carbohydrate and amino acid and cell signaling. Binding sites of putative transcription factors such as EGR1 (early growth response 1, TFAP2A (transcription factor AP2A, Sp1 (specificity protein 1 and Sp3 (specificity protein 3 were over represented in promoter regions of differentially expressed genes. Real-time PCR confirmed microarray expression measurements of selected genes. Conclusions PTD is associated with maternal early pregnancy peripheral blood gene expression changes. Maternal early pregnancy peripheral blood gene expression patterns may be useful for better understanding of PTD

The relationship between weight gain during pregnancy and urinary tract infections in pregnant women of Shahrekord, by using the "Nested case-control study", in 2013.

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Rejali, Mehri; Ahmadi, Seyede Soghra; Hassanzadeh, Akbar; Yazdani, Rezvan; Ahmadi, Seyede Nafiseh

2015-01-01

Pregnancy is one of the most important and risky periods in mothers and the fetus life, which plays a key role in health and social activity of the person, family and community. This study is trying to see if there is a relation between increasing weight and urinary tract infection (UTI) in pregnancy by using the open nested case-control study in the city of Shahrekord. In a nested case-control study, one cohort including 832 patients was examined until week 26 to 30 of pregnancy and their UTIs were studied. The required information was collected by examining the health records of pregnant women and completion of the data registration forms. Data collection was controlled by using SPSS and analyzed by using an independent t-test, Chi-square test, Pearson correlation and logistic regression. According to the results of the cohort study with 832 individuals, average weight gain of the group with a UTI was 11.13 ± 3.9 kg and it was 10.63 ± 3.9 kg in the group without UTI, showing no statistically significant difference (P = 0.245). According to the results, genitourinary problems had the highest predictive value for UTIs and the numbers of infertility and the childbirth variables were in the second and third positions, respectively. According to the results study we can conclude that screening and treatment of UTIs have been on time and appropriate in health systems of the city of Shahrekord which have lead to the reduction of infant and maternal diseases even with the condition in having no UTI, and continuing this process for screening and treatment is recommended.

Month and Season of Birth as a Risk Factor for Alzheimer’s Disease: A Nationwide Nested Case-control Study

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Anna-Maija Tolppanen

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Season of birth, an exogenous indicator of early life environment, has been related to higher risk of adverse psychiatric outcomes but the findings for Alzheimer’s disease (AD have been inconsistent. We investigated whether the month or season of birth are associated with AD. Methods: A nationwide nested case-control study including all community-dwellers with clinically verified AD diagnosed in 2005 to 2012 (n=70 719 and up to four age- sex- and region of residence-matched controls (n=282 862 residing in Finland. Associations between month and season of birth and AD were studied with conditional logistic regression. Results: Month of birth was not associated with AD (p=0.09. No strong associations were observed with season (p=0.13, although in comparison to winter births (December-February summer births (June-August were associated with higher odds of AD (odds ratio, 1.03; 95% confidence interval, 1.00 to 1.05. However, the absolute difference in prevalence in winter births was only 0.5% (prevalence of those born in winter were 31.7% and 32.2% for cases and controls, respectively. Conclusions: Although our findings do not support the hypothesis that season of birth is related to AD/dementia risk, they do not invalidate the developmental origins of health and disease hypothesis in late-life cognition. It is possible that season does not adequately capture the early life circumstances, or that other (postnatal risk factors such as lifestyle or socioeconomic factors overrule the impact of prenatal and perinatal factors.

Long-term exposure to air pollution and the incidence of Parkinson's disease: A nested case-control study.

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Chiu-Ying Chen

Full Text Available Previous studies revealed that chronic exposure to air pollution can significantly increase the risk of the development of Parkinson's disease (PD, but this relationship is inconclusive as large-scale prospective studies are limited and the results are inconsistent. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to ascertain the adverse health effects of air pollution exposure in a nationwide population using a longitudinal approach.We conducted a nested case-control study using the National Health Insurance Research Dataset (NHIRD, which consisted of 1,000,000 beneficiaries in the National Health Insurance Program (NHI in the year 2000 and their medical records from 1995 to 2013 and using public data on air pollution concentrations from monitoring stations across Taiwan released from the Environmental Protection Administration to identify people with ages ≥ 40 years living in areas with monitoring stations during 1995-1999 as study subjects. Then, we excluded subjects with PD, dementia, stroke and diabetes diagnosed before Jan. 1, 2000 and obtained 54,524 subjects to follow until Dec. 31, 2013. In this observational period, 1060 newly diagnosed PD cases were identified. 4240 controls were randomly selected from those without PD using a matching strategy for age, sex, the year of PD diagnosis and the year of entering the NHI program at a ratio of 1:4. Ten elements of air pollution were examined, and multiple logistic regression models were used to measure their risks in subsequent PD development.The incidence of PD in adults aged ≥ 40 years was 1.9%, and the median duration for disease onset was 8.45 years. None of the chemical compounds (SO2, O3, CO, NOx, NO, NO2, THC, CH4, or NMHC significantly affected the incidence of PD except for particulate matter. PM10 exposure showed significant effects on the likelihood of PD development (T3 level: > 65μg/m3 versus T1 level: ≤ 54μg/m3; OR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.12-1.62, 0.001 ≤ P < 0.01. In addition

Association Between Stool Enteropathogen Quantity and Disease in Tanzanian Children Using TaqMan Array Cards: A Nested Case-Control Study

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Platts-Mills, James A.; Gratz, Jean; Mduma, Esto; Svensen, Erling; Amour, Caroline; Liu, Jie; Maro, Athanasia; Saidi, Queen; Swai, Ndealilia; Kumburu, Happiness; McCormick, Benjamin J. J.; Kibiki, Gibson; Houpt, Eric R.

2014-01-01

Etiologic studies of diarrhea are limited by uneven diagnostic methods and frequent asymptomatic detection of enteropathogens. Polymerase chain reaction-based stool pathogen quantification may help distinguish clinically significant infections. We performed a nested case-control study of diarrhea in infants from a community-based birth cohort in Tanzania. We tested 71 diarrheal samples and pre-diarrheal matched controls with a laboratory-developed TaqMan Array Card for 19 enteropathogens. With qualitative detection, no pathogens were significantly associated with diarrhea. When pathogen quantity was considered, rotavirus (odds ratio [OR] = 2.70 per log10 increase, P < 0.001), astrovirus (OR = 1.49, P = 0.01), and Shigella/enteroinvasive Escherichia coli (OR = 1.47, P = 0.04) were associated with diarrhea. Enterotoxigenic E. coli (0.15 SD decline in length-for-age z score after 3 months per log10 increase, P < 0.001) and Campylobacter jejuni/C. coli (0.11 SD decline, P = 0.003) in pre-diarrheal stools were associated with poor linear growth. Quantitative analysis can help refine the association between enteropathogens and disease in endemic settings. PMID:24189366

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

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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.

Risk for attempted suicide in children and youths after contact with somatic hospitals: a Danish register based nested case-control study.

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Christiansen, E; Stenager, E

2012-03-01

A range of studies have found an association between some somatic diseases and increased risk of suicide and attempted suicide. These studies are mostly analyses of adult populations and illnesses related to adulthood. To study the risk of attempted suicide in children and youths with a somatic diagnosis, and to assess a possible association from a somatic perspective. From a cohort of 403 431 individuals (born 1983-89), 3465 children and youths who had attempted suicide were identified. Each case was matched with 20 population controls. 72 765 children and youths constituted the case-control population. All data were obtained from national population registers and analysed in a nested case-control design. Contact of children and youths with a somatic hospital is correlated with increased risk of attempted suicide; the risk peaks in the time immediately after contact. Risk factors were treatment for injury caused by violence, epilepsy, asthma and malformation for males; and spontaneous and medical abortions, treatment for injury caused by violence, epilepsy, asthma, insulin dependent diabetes mellitus and malformation for females. Not all the mentioned diagnoses were significant in the adjusted model. Based on the results of the study a strategy to minimise the risk of attempted suicide among children and youths must be implemented. The strategy should mainly focus on children at high risk-that is, children from families with low socioeconomic status, and children with a psychiatric history, a history of previous suicide attempts and with an unstable somatic disease subsequently causing many admissions.

Symptoms of anxiety and depression during pregnancy and their association with low birth weight in Chinese women: a nested case control study.

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Yang, Shaoping; Yang, Rong; Liang, Shengwen; Wang, Jing; Weaver, Nancy L; Hu, Ke; Hu, Ronghua; Trevathan, Edwin; Huang, Zhen; Zhang, Yiming; Yin, Ting; Chang, Jen Jen; Zhao, Jinzhu; Shen, Longjiao; Dong, Guanghui; Zheng, Tongzhang; Xu, Shunqing; Qian, Zhengmin; Zhang, Bin

2017-04-01

This study is a nested case control study from a population-based cohort study conducted in Wuhan, China. The aim is to estimate the association between symptoms of depression during pregnancy (DDP), anxiety during pregnancy(ADP), and depression with anxiety during pregnancy (DADP) and low birth weight (LBW) and to examine the extent to which preterm birth (PTB) moderates these associations. Logistic regression analyses were used to model associations between DDP, ADP, and DADP and LBW. Models were stratified by the presence or absence of PTB to examine moderating effects. From the cohort study, 2853 had a LBW baby (cases); 5457 pregnant women served as controls. Women with DDP or ADP only were not at higher risk of having a LBW baby, but DADP was associated with increased risk of LBW (crude OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.17-1.70; adjusted OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.07-1.57), and the significant association was particularly evident between DADP and LBW in PTB, but not in full-term births. Our data suggests that DADP is related to an increased risk of LBW and that this association is most present in PTBs.

Effect of heterogeneity of nest boxes on occurrence of gregarious nesting in laying hens

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Clausen, Tina; Riber, Anja Brinch

2012-01-01

Gregarious nesting, where hens select already occupied nest boxes even when other nest boxes are unoccupied, is an unwanted behaviour in laying hens that may reduce animal welfare and pose a financial cost to the producer. It has been suggested that gregarious nesting is caused by the difficulties...... nesting was higher in experimental groups compared to control groups (P right were higher compared to nest boxes positioned...

Biomechanical testing of materials in avian nests provides insight into nest construction behaviour

OpenAIRE

Biddle, Lucia E.; Deeming, D. Charles; Goodman, Adrian M.

2015-01-01

Animals that use materials to build nest structures have long since fascinated biologists and engineers alike. Avian nests are generally composed of collected materials brought together into a cup-like structure in which the bird sits to incubate eggs and, in many cases, it is where chicks are reared. Hence, the materials in a nest can be presumed to be loaded in compression, but relatively few studies have investigated the mechanical role of the nest elements and their position w...

Prospect-EPIC Utrecht: study design and characteristics of the cohort population. European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition.

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Boker, L K; van Noord, P A; van der Schouw, Y T; Koot, N V; Bueno de Mesquita, H B; Riboli, E; Grobbee, D E; Peeters, P H

2001-01-01

The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), which has been established in order to investigate the relations between nutrition and cancer, was initiated in 1990 and involves 10 European countries with heterogeneous dietary patterns and differing cancer incidence rates. This manuscript presents the design, recruitment and baseline characteristics of the Prospect-EPIC cohort co-ordinated in Utrecht, The Netherlands. The cohort is based on volunteers recruited among women participating in a regional breast cancer screening program. It comprises of 17,357 subjects aged 50-69 years at enrolment from Utrecht and vicinity, who have consented to participate in the study and its follow-up. Each participant filled out a general questionnaire and a food frequency questionnaire. Participants were also physically examined and have donated a blood sample. Participation rate was 34.5%. Blood samples were donated by most participants (97.5%) and detailed informed consents were obtained from 87.4% of participants. Mean age at enrolment was 57 years. Anthropometric, lifestyle and morbidity characteristics of the cohort population did not differ largely from those of similar study populations in The Netherlands. Based on the Prospect-EPIC population, we intend to conduct prospective total cohort, nested case-control or case-cohort studies, in order to investigate relations between consumption of certain food groups or nutrients and chronic diseases, including hormone dependant cancers such as breast, colon, endometrial and ovary cancers.

Pneumonia is an independent risk factor for pyogenic liver abscess: A population-based, nested, case-control study.

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Ho, Sai-Wai; Yeh, Chao-Bin; Yang, Shun-Fa; Yeh, Han-Wei; Huang, Jing-Yang; Teng, Ying-Hock

2017-01-01

Bacteremic pneumonia is considered a potential cause of distal organ abscess formation. Therefore, we hypothesize that pneumonia is a risk factor for pyogenic liver abscess (PLA).The aim of this study is to explore the association between pneumonia and PLA. A nationwide, population-based, nested, case-control study was conducted using data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. In total, 494 patients with PLA and 1,976 propensity score matched controls were enrolled. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aORs) in patients with exposure to pneumonia before PLA. After matched and adjusted for confounding factors including age, sex, urbanization, income, chronic liver disease, alcohol-related disease, biliary stone, chronic kidney disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic liver disease, and cancer, hospitalization for pneumonia remained an independent risk factor for PLA with an aORs of 2.104 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.309-3.379, p = 0.0021]. Moreover, the aORs were significantly higher among patients hospitalized for pneumonia within 30 days (aORs = 10.73, 95% CI = 3.381-34.054), 30-90 days (aORs = 4.698, 95% CI = 1.541-14.327) and 90-180 (aORs = 4.000, 95% CI = 1.158-13.817) days before PLA diagnosis. Pneumonia is an independent risk factor for subsequent PLA. Moreover, hospitalization for pneumonia within 180 days before PLA diagnosis was associated with an increased risk of PLA.

Daily Intake of Milk Powder and Risk of Celiac Disease in Early Childhood: A Nested Case-Control Study.

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Hård Af Segerstad, Elin M; Lee, Hye-Seung; Andrén Aronsson, Carin; Yang, Jimin; Uusitalo, Ulla; Sjöholm, Ingegerd; Rayner, Marilyn; Kurppa, Kalle; Virtanen, Suvi M; Norris, Jill M; Agardh, Daniel

2018-04-28

Milk powder and gluten are common components in Swedish infants' diets. Whereas large intakes of gluten early in life increases the risk of celiac disease in genetically at-risk Swedish children, no study has yet evaluated if intake of milk powder by 2 years of age is associated with celiac disease. A 1-to-3 nested case-control study, comprised of 207 celiac disease children and 621 controls matched for sex, birth year, and HLA genotype, was performed on a birth cohort of HLA-DR3-DQ2 and/or DR4-DQ8-positive children. Subjects were screened annually for celiac disease using tissue transglutaminase autoantibodies (tTGA). Three-day food records estimated the mean intake of milk powder at ages 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, 18 months, and 24 months. Conditional logistic regression calculated odds ratios (OR) at last intake prior to seroconversion of tTGA positivity, and for each time-point respectively and adjusted for having a first-degree relative with celiac disease and gluten intake. Intake of milk powder prior to seroconversion of tTGA positivity was not associated with celiac disease (OR = 1.00; 95% CI = 0.99, 1.03; p = 0.763). In conclusion, intake of milk powder in early childhood is not associated with celiac disease in genetically susceptible children.

Nest design in a changing world: great tit Parus major nests from a Mediterranean city environment as a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lambrechts, Marcel M; Charmantier, Anne; Demeyrier, Virginie; Lucas, Annick; Perret, Samuel; Abouladzé, Matthieu; Bonnet, Michel; Canonne, Coline; Faucon, Virginie; Grosset, Stéphanie; le Prado, Gaëlle; Lidon, Frédéric; Noell, Thierry; Pagano, Pascal; Perret, Vincent; Pouplard, Stéphane; Spitaliéry, Rémy; Bernard, Cyril; Perret, Philippe; Blondel, Jacques; Grégoire, Arnaud

2017-12-01

Investigations of urbanization effects on birds have focused mainly on breeding traits expressed after the nest-building stage (e.g. first-egg date, clutch size, breeding success, and offspring characteristics). Urban studies largely ignored how and why the aspects of nest building might be associated with the degree of urbanization. As urban environments are expected to present novel environmental changes relative to rural environments, it is important to evaluate how nest-building behavior is impacted by vegetation modifications associated with urbanization. To examine nest design in a Mediterranean city environment, we allowed urban great tits ( Parus major ) to breed in nest boxes in areas that differed in local vegetation cover. We found that different measures of nest size or mass were not associated with vegetation cover. In particular, nests located adjacent to streets with lower vegetation cover were not smaller or lighter than nests in parks with higher vegetation cover. Nests adjacent to streets contained more pine needles than nests in parks. In addition, in nests adjacent to streets, nests from boxes attached to pine trees contained more pine needles than nests from boxes attached to other trees. We suggest that urban-related alterations in vegetation cover do not directly impose physical limits on nest size in species that are opportunistic in the selection of nesting material. However, nest composition as reflected in the use of pine needles was clearly affected by habitat type and the planted tree species present, which implies that rapid habitat change impacts nest composition. We do not exclude that urbanization might impact other aspects of nest building behaviour not covered in our study (e.g. costs of searching for nest material), and that the strengths of the associations between urbanization and nest structures might differ among study populations or species.

Google Calendar Enhances Prospective Memory in Alzheimer's Disease: A Case Report.

Science.gov (United States)

El Haj, Mohamad; Gallouj, Karim; Antoine, Pascal

2017-01-01

We investigated whether an external memory aid (i.e., Google Calendar) would alleviate prospective memory compromise in a patient with mild Alzheimer's disease. The patient was asked in the baseline phase to perform three prospective targeted events (e.g., attending her weekly bridge game at the community club) and three prospective control events (e.g., buying her weekly magazine). The same six prospective events were assessed in the intervention phase but the targeted-events were cued by Google Calendar while the control-events were not. Results showed less omission of the targeted events in the training phase than in the baseline phase, suggesting a positive effect of Google Calendar. This case report offers a unique view into how smartphone calendars may alleviate prospective memory compromise in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease.

Insulin and other antidiabetic drugs and hepatocellular carcinoma risk: a nested case-control study based on Italian healthcare utilization databases.

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Bosetti, Cristina; Franchi, Matteo; Nicotra, Federica; Asciutto, Rosario; Merlino, Luca; La Vecchia, Carlo; Corrao, Giovanni

2015-07-01

Insulin and other antidiabetic drugs may modulate hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk in diabetics. We have analyzed the role of various antidiabetic drugs on HCC in a nested case-control study using the healthcare utilization databases of the Lombardy Region in Italy. This included 190 diabetic subjects with a hospital discharge reporting a diagnosis of malignant HCC and 3772 diabetic control subjects matched to each case on sex, age, date at cohort entry, and duration of follow-up. Increased risks of HCC were found for use of insulin (odds ratio [OR] = 3.73, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.52-5.51), sulfonylureas (OR = 1.39, 95%CI 0.98-1.99), and repaglinide (OR = 2.12, 95%CI 1.38-3.26), while a reduced risk was found for use of metformin (OR = 0.57, 95%CI 0.41-0.79). The risk of HCC increased with increasing duration of insulin use (OR = 2.52 for metformin. Our study supports the evidence that patients with diabetes using metformin, and possibly other antidiabetic drugs that increase insulin sensibility, have a reduced risk of HCC, while those using insulin or drugs that increase circulating insulin, such as insulin secretagogues, have an increased risk. Whether these associations are causal, or influenced by different severity of diabetes and/or possible residual bias or misclassification, is still open to discussion. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Atopy and new-onset asthma in young Danish farmers and CD14, TLR2, and TLR4 genetic polymorphisms: a nested case-control study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Smit, L A M; Bongers, S I M; Ruven, H J T

2007-01-01

BACKGROUND: Evidence exists that exposure to high levels of microbial agents such as endotoxin in the farm environment decreases the risk of atopic sensitization. Genetic variation in innate immunity genes may modulate the response to microbial agents and thus influence susceptibility to asthma...... and atopy. OBJECTIVE: To study potential associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in CD14, Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), and TLR4 genes, and atopy and new-onset asthma in young farmers. METHODS: A nested case-control study was conducted within a cohort of 1901 young Danish farmers. We....../-651 promoter polymorphisms are associated with atopy prevalence among young adults exposed to farm environments. Udgivelsesdato: 2007-Nov...

The relationship between weight gain during pregnancy and urinary tract infections in pregnant women of Shahrekord, by using the “Nested case-control study”, in 2013

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Rejali, Mehri; Ahmadi, Seyede Soghra; Hassanzadeh, Akbar; Yazdani, Rezvan; Ahmadi, Seyede Nafiseh

2015-01-01

Background and Objectives: Pregnancy is one of the most important and risky periods in mothers and the fetus life, which plays a key role in health and social activity of the person, family and community. This study is trying to see if there is a relation between increasing weight and urinary tract infection (UTI) in pregnancy by using the open nested case-control study in the city of Shahrekord. Materials and Methods: In a nested case-control study, one cohort including 832 patients was examined until week 26 to 30 of pregnancy and their UTIs were studied. The required information was collected by examining the health records of pregnant women and completion of the data registration forms. Data collection was controlled by using SPSS and analyzed by using an independent t-test, Chi-square test, Pearson correlation and logistic regression. Results: According to the results of the cohort study with 832 individuals, average weight gain of the group with a UTI was 11.13 ± 3.9 kg and it was 10.63 ± 3.9 kg in the group without UTI, showing no statistically significant difference (P = 0.245). According to the results, genitourinary problems had the highest predictive value for UTIs and the numbers of infertility and the childbirth variables were in the second and third positions, respectively. Conclusion: According to the results study we can conclude that screening and treatment of UTIs have been on time and appropriate in health systems of the city of Shahrekord which have lead to the reduction of infant and maternal diseases even with the condition in having no UTI, and continuing this process for screening and treatment is recommended. PMID:27462626

Drug interactions with phenprocoumon and the risk of serious haemorrhage: a nested case-control study in a large population-based German database.

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Jobski, Kathrin; Behr, Sigrid; Garbe, Edeltraut

2011-09-01

Phenprocoumon is the most frequently used vitamin K antagonist in Germany. The aim of this study was to estimate the risk of serious bleeding as a result of the use of drugs with potential interaction with phenprocoumon. We conducted a nested case-control study in a cohort of 246,220 phenprocoumon users in the German Pharmacoepidemiological Research Database. Cases were patients hospitalised for haemorrhage of different kinds. Ten controls were matched to each case by health insurance, birth year and sex using incidence density sampling. Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) of the risk of serious bleeding associated with combined use of phenprocoumon and potentially interacting drugs versus phenprocoumon alone were estimated using conditional logistic regression analysis. Our analyses considered multiple risk factors, such as bleeding history, other comorbidities or co-medication. Our study included 2,553 cases and 25,348 matched controls. An increased risk of bleeding was observed for the combined use of phenprocoumon and clopidogrel vs phenprocoumon use alone (OR: 1.83, 95% CI: 1.41-2.36). Antibiotic drugs associated with an increased risk of haemorrhage in the population of phenprocoumon users included the group of quinolones with ORs ranging from 2.74 (95% CI: 1.80-4.18) for ciprofloxacin to 4.40 (95% CI: 2.45-7.89) for levofloxacin, amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid (OR: 2.99, 95% CI: 1.39-6.42) and cotrimoxazole (OR 3.57, 95% CI: 2.36-5.40). Among non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), ketoprofen and naproxen were associated with the highest risks. Significantly elevated risks of major bleeding were mainly observed for drugs with known pharmacodynamic interaction with phenprocoumon, and less for drugs with possible pharmacokinetic interaction.

Dengue infection and miscarriage: a prospective case control study.

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Peng Chiong Tan

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Dengue is the most prevalent mosquito borne infection worldwide. Vertical transmissions after maternal dengue infection to the fetus and pregnancy losses in relation to dengue illness have been reported. The relationship of dengue to miscarriage is not known. METHOD: We aimed to establish the relationship of recent dengue infection and miscarriage. Women who presented with miscarriage (up to 22 weeks gestation to our hospital were approached to participate in the study. For each case of miscarriage, we recruited 3 controls with viable pregnancies at a similar gestation. A brief questionnaire on recent febrile illness and prior dengue infection was answered. Blood was drawn from participants, processed and the frozen serum was stored. Stored sera were thawed and then tested in batches with dengue specific IgM capture ELISA, dengue non-structural protein 1 (NS1 antigen and dengue specific IgG ELISA tests. Controls remained in the analysis if their pregnancies continued beyond 22 weeks gestation. Tests were run on 116 case and 341 control sera. One case (a misdiagnosed viable early pregnancy plus 45 controls (39 lost to follow up and six subsequent late miscarriages were excluded from analysis. FINDINGS: Dengue specific IgM or dengue NS1 antigen (indicating recent dengue infection was positive in 6/115 (5·2% cases and 5/296 (1·7% controls RR 3·1 (95% CI 1·0-10 P = 0·047. Maternal age, gestational age, parity and ethnicity were dissimilar between cases and controls. After adjustments for these factors, recent dengue infection remained significantly more frequently detected in cases than controls (AOR 4·2 95% CI 1·2-14 P = 0·023. INTERPRETATION: Recent dengue infections were more frequently detected in women presenting with miscarriage than in controls whose pregnancies were viable. After adjustments for confounders, the positive association remained.

Metformin, other antidiabetic drugs, and endometrial cancer risk: a nested case-control study within Italian healthcare utilization databases.

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Franchi, Matteo; Asciutto, Rosario; Nicotra, Federica; Merlino, Luca; La Vecchia, Carlo; Corrao, Giovanni; Bosetti, Cristina

2017-05-01

Metformin may reduce the risk of endometrial cancer whereas other drugs for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus appear to increase it, although the evidence is still limited. We investigated this issue using data from a nested case-control study within the healthcare utilization databases of the Lombardy Region, Italy. This study included 376 diabetic women with endometrial cancer and 7485 diabetic controls matched for cases on age, date at cohort entry, and duration of follow-up. We used conditional logistic regression models to estimate the odds ratio (OR) of endometrial cancer in relation to use of antidiabetic drugs, adjusted for the Charlson's comorbidity index, selected medical conditions, prescription of selected drugs, and concomitant use of other antidiabetic drugs. At cohort entry, no significant associations were observed for metformin [OR=0.99, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.80-1.23], sulfonylureas (OR=1.14, 95% CI 0.91-1.42), insulin (OR=0.72, 95% CI 0.34-1.56), and other antidiabetic drugs (OR=1.21, 95% CI 0.75-1.95). When we considered use during follow-up, a borderline significant excess risk was found for metformin (OR=1.30, 95% CI 1.00-1.70). However, this estimate decreased to 1.07 (95% CI 0.82-1.41) when taking into account BMI using a Monte Carlo sensitivity analysis. No significant associations were found for sulfonylureas (OR=1.16, 95% CI 0.91-1.47), thiazolidinediones (OR=0.77, 95% CI 0.48-1.24), repaglinide (OR=1.32, 95% CI 0.94-1.87), incretins (OR=1.21, 95% CI 0.63-2.32), and insulin (OR=1.19, 95% CI 0.82-1.71). Our data indicate that metformin, insulin, and other antidiabetic drugs did not meaningfully affect the risk of endometrial cancer.

Nested case-control study of night shift work and breast cancer risk among women in the Danish military.

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Hansen, Johnni; Lassen, Christina F

2012-08-01

Growing but limited evidence suggests that night shift work is associated with breast cancer. The authors conducted a nationwide case-control study nested within a cohort of 18,551 female military employees born in 1929-1968 to investigate the risk for breast cancer after night shift work and to explore the role of leisure time sun exposure and diurnal preference. The authors documented 218 cases of breast cancer (1990-2003) and selected 899 age-matched controls from the cohort by incidence density sampling. Information on shift work, sun exposure habits, diurnal preference and other potential confounders was obtained from a structured questionnaire. ORs were estimated by multivariate conditional logistic regression. Overall, the authors observed an adjusted OR of 1.4 (95% CI 0.9 to 2.1) among women with ever compared with never night shifts. The RR for breast cancer tended to increase with increasing number of years of night shift work (p=0.03) and with cumulative number of shifts (p=0.02),with a neutral risk for fewer than three night shifts per week. The OR for the group with the highest tertile of cumulative exposure was 2.3 (95% CI 1.2 to 4.6). The most pronounced effect of night shift work on breast cancer risk was observed in women with morning chronotype preference and intense night shifts (OR=3.9, 95% CI 1.6 to 9.5). Night shift workers tended to sunbathe more frequently than day workers. The results indicate that frequent night shift work increases the risk for breast cancer and suggest a higher risk with longer duration of intense night shifts. Women with morning preference who worked on night shifts tended to have a higher risk than those with evening preference.

Change in fracture risk and fracture pattern after bariatric surgery: nested case-control study.

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Rousseau, Catherine; Jean, Sonia; Gamache, Philippe; Lebel, Stéfane; Mac-Way, Fabrice; Biertho, Laurent; Michou, Laëtitia; Gagnon, Claudia

2016-07-27

 To investigate whether bariatric surgery increases the risk of fracture.  Retrospective nested case-control study.  Patients who underwent bariatric surgery in the province of Quebec, Canada, between 2001 and 2014, selected using healthcare administrative databases.  12 676 patients who underwent bariatric surgery, age and sex matched with 38 028 obese and 126 760 non-obese controls.  Incidence and sites of fracture in patients who had undergone bariatric surgery compared with obese and non-obese controls. Fracture risk was also compared before and after surgery (index date) within each group and by type of surgery from 2006 to 2014. Multivariate conditional Poisson regression models were adjusted for fracture history, number of comorbidities, sociomaterial deprivation, and area of residence.  Before surgery, patients undergoing bariatric surgery (9169 (72.3%) women; mean age 42 (SD 11) years) were more likely to fracture (1326; 10.5%) than were obese (3065; 8.1%) or non-obese (8329; 6.6%) controls. A mean of 4.4 years after surgery, bariatric patients were more susceptible to fracture (514; 4.1%) than were obese (1013; 2.7%) and non-obese (3008; 2.4%) controls. Postoperative adjusted fracture risk was higher in the bariatric group than in the obese (relative risk 1.38, 95% confidence interval 1.23 to 1.55) and non-obese (1.44, 1.29 to 1.59) groups. Before surgery, the risk of distal lower limb fracture was higher, upper limb fracture risk was lower, and risk of clinical spine, hip, femur, or pelvic fractures was similar in the bariatric and obese groups compared with the non-obese group. After surgery, risk of distal lower limb fracture decreased (relative risk 0.66, 0.56 to 0.78), whereas risk of upper limb (1.64, 1.40 to 1.93), clinical spine (1.78, 1.08 to 2.93), pelvic, hip, or femur (2.52, 1.78 to 3.59) fractures increased. The increase in risk of fracture reached significance only for biliopancreatic diversion.  Patients undergoing bariatric

Identifying patterns in signs and symptoms preceding the clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease: Retrospective medical record review study and a nested case -control design.

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Bature, Fidelia; Pang, Dong; Robinson, Anthea; Polson, Norma; Pappas, Yannis; Guinn, Barbara

2018-04-04

Evidence suggests that individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD) are often diagnosed in the later stages of their disease with a poor prognosis. This study aimed to identify patterns in signs and symptoms preceding the clinical diagnosis of AD to suggest a predictive model for earlier diagnosis of the disease in the primary care. A retrospective medical record review; nested case control design. Participants included one hundred and nine patients from three general practice (GP) surgeries in Milton Keynes and Luton Clinical Commissioning groups (CCG) (37 cases with AD and 72 controls without AD). A retrospective analysis using the logistic regression of the presence of signs and symptoms before the diagnosis of AD was attained. Identification of the timing and sequence of appearance of these presentations as first reported before the clinical diagnosis was measured. Episodic memory with an odds ratio of 1.85 was the most frequent presentation, documented in 1.38% of the controls and 75.6% in cases. Auditory disturbance with an odds ratio of 3.03, which has not previously been noted except in the form of auditory hallucination, could have a diagnostic value. Auditory disturbance, which occurred mostly in the Caucasian females, could discriminate individuals with AD from those without. The symptom, which presented up to 14.5 (mean time) years prior to clinical diagnosis, was identified in Caucasians and mixed race individuals only. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Determinants of neonatal mortality in rural Northern Ethiopia: A population based nested case control study.

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Robel Yirgu

Full Text Available In low income and middle income countries, neonatal mortality remains high despite the gradual reduction in under five mortality. Newborn death contributes for about 38% of all under five deaths. This study has identified the magnitude and independent predictors of neonatal mortality in rural Ethiopia.This population based nested case control study was conducted in rural West Gojam zone, Northern Ethiopia, among a cohort of pregnant women who gave birth between March 2011 and Feb 2012. The cohort was established by Maternal and Newborn Health in Ethiopia Partnership (MaNHEP project in 2010 by recruiting mothers in their third trimester, as identified by trained community volunteers. Once identified, women stayed in the cohort throughout their pregnancy period receiving Community Maternal and Newborn Health (CMNH training by health extension workers and community volunteers till the end of the first 48 hours postpartum. Cases were 75 mothers who lost their newborns to neonatal death and controls were 150 randomly selected mothers with neonates who survived the neonatal period. Data to identify cause of death were collected using the WHO standard verbal autopsy questionnaire after the culturally appropriate 40 days of bereavement period. Binomial logistic regression model was used to identify independent contributors to neonatal mortality.The neonatal mortality rate was AOR(95%CI = 18.6 (14.8, 23.2 per 1000 live births. Neonatal mortality declined with an increase in family size, neonates who were born among a family of more than two had lesser odds of death in the neonatal period than those who were born in a family of two AOR (95% CI = 0.13 (0.02, 0.71. Mothers who gave birth to 2-4 AOR(95%CI = 0.15 (0.05, 0.48 and 5+ children AOR(95%CI = 0.08 (0.02, 0.26 had lesser odds of losing their newborns to neonatal mortality. Previous history of losing a newborn to neonatal death also increased the odds of neonatal mortality during the last birth AOR

Benzodiazepine and Z-drug use and risk of pneumonia in patients with chronic kidney disease: A population-based nested case-control study.

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Wang, Meng-Ting; Wang, Yun-Han; Chang, Hsin-An; Tsai, Chen-Liang; Yang, Ya-Sung; Lin, Chen Wei; Kuo, Cheng-Chin; Hsu, Yu-Juei

2017-01-01

Concerns were raised about pneumonia development from benzodiazepines (BZDs) and Z-drugs, but direct evidence is limited, conflicting and without examining the highly susceptible patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) nor specifying the risk for different drug utilizations. This study aimed to investigate whether use of BZDs and Z-drugs was each associated with an increased risk of pneumonia in a CKD population. We performed a nested case-control study of 36,880 CKD patients analyzing the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database between 01/1/2000 and 12/31/2011. Among the study cohort, we identified 4,533 cases of pneumonia based on validated disease codes, chest x-ray examination, and prescriptions of respiratory antibiotics, and randomly selected 16,388 controls from risk sets, matched by sex, age, and number of CKD-related hospitalizations. All prescription filling records of BZDs and Z-drugs in the year before the event/index date were analyzed for cases and controls. Conditional logistic regressions were performed to estimate the odds ratios (ORs). Current use of BZDs was associated with a 1.31-fold (95% CI, 1.18-1.26) increased risk of pneumonia compared to nonuse, but not for recent and past use. The risk from current BZD use was confined to new initiation (adjusted OR, 2.47; 95% CI, 2.02-3.03) or use for ≤ 30 days, and elevated to 2.88-fold (95% CI, 1.87-4.42) with parenteral administration. New initiation and current short-term use of Z-drugs was associated with a 2.94-fold (95% CI, 1.65-5.26) and 1.75-fold (95% CI, 1.13-2.72) increased risk of pneumonia, respectively. The findings were robust to adoption of a case-crossover study that analyzed cases only. Use of BZRAs is associated with an increased risk of pneumonia in CKD patients, especially for patients newly initiating BZDs or Z-drugs or those injected with BZDs. Physicians should exercise cautions for signs of pneumonia when prescribing BZDs or Z-drugs to CKD patients.

Exposure to Ambient Air Pollution and the Risk of Inflammatory Bowel Disease : A European Nested Case-Control Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Opstelten, Jorrit L; Beelen, Rob M J; Leenders, Max; Hoek, Gerard; Brunekreef, Bert; van Schaik, Fiona D M; Siersema, Peter D; Eriksen, Kirsten T; Raaschou-Nielsen, Ole; Tjønneland, Anne; Overvad, Kim; Boutron-Ruault, Marie-Christine; Carbonnel, Franck; de Hoogh, Kees; Key, Timothy J; Luben, Robert; Chan, Simon S M; Hart, Andrew R; Bueno-de-Mesquita, H Bas; Oldenburg, Bas

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: Industrialization has been linked to the etiology of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). AIM: We investigated the association between air pollution exposure and IBD. METHODS: The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort was used to identify cases with Crohn's

Exposure to Ambient Air Pollution and the Risk of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A European Nested Case-Control Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Opstelten, J.L.; Beelen, R.M.; Leenders, M.; Hoek, G.; Brunekreef, B.; Schaik, F.D. van; Siersema, P.D.; Eriksen, K.T.; Raaschou-Nielsen, O.; Tjonneland, A.; Overvad, K.; Boutron-Ruault, M.C.; Carbonnel, F.; Hoogh, K. de; Key, T.J.; Luben, R.; Chan, S.S.; Hart, A.R.; Bueno-de-Mesquita, H.B.; Oldenburg, B.

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: Industrialization has been linked to the etiology of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). AIM: We investigated the association between air pollution exposure and IBD. METHODS: The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort was used to identify cases with Crohn's

Clinical application of RT-nested PCR integrated with RFLP in Hantavirus detection and genotyping: a prospective study in Shandong Province, PR China.

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Liu, Yun-Xi; Zhao, Zhong-Tang; Cao, Wu-Chun; Xu, Xiao-Qun; Suo, Ji-Jiang; Xing, Yu-Bin; Jia, Ning; Du, Ming-Mei; Liu, Bo-Wei; Yao, Yuan

2013-01-01

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical usefulness of applying RT-nested PCR along with RFLP as a method for diagnosis and genotypic differentiation of Hantavirus in the acute-stage sera of HFRS patients as compared to the ELISA technique. A prospective study of patients with suspected HFRS patients was carried out. Sera were collected for serological evaluation by ELISA and RT-nested PCR testing. Primers were selected from the published sequence of the S segment of HTNV strain 76-118 and SEOV strain SR-11, which made it possible to obtain an amplicon of 403 bp by RT-nested PCR. The genotypic differentiations of the RT-nested PCR amplicons were carried out by RFLP. Sequence analyses of the amplicons were used to confirm the accuracy of the results obtained by RFLP. Of the 48 acute-stage sera from suspected HFRS patients, 35 were ELISA-positive while 41 were positive by RT-nested PCR. With Hind III and Hinf I, RFLP profiles of the RT-nested PCR amplicons of the 41 positive sera exhibited two patterns. 33 had RFLP profiles similar to the reference strain R22, and thus belonged to the SEOV type. The other 8 samples which were collected during October-December had RFLP profiles similar to the reference strain 76-118, and thus belonged to the HTNV type. Sequence phylogenetic analysis of RT-nested PCR amplicons revealed sdp1, sdp2 YXL-2008, and sdp3 as close relatives of HTNV strain 76-118, while sdp22 and sdp37 as close relatives of SEOV strain Z37 and strain R22 located in two separate clusters in the phylogenetic tree. These results were identical to those acquired by RFLP. RT-nested PCR integrated with RFLP was a rapid, simple, accurate method for detecting and differentiating the genotypes of Hantavirus in the acute-stage sera of suspected HFRS patients. In Shandong province, the main genotypes of Hantavirus belonged to the SEOV types, while the HTNV types were observed during the autumn-winter season.

Organochlorine exposures influence on breast cancer risk and survival according to estrogen receptor status: a Danish cohort-nested case-control study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Høyer, Annette P; Jørgensen, Torben; Rank, Fritz; Grandjean, Philippe

2001-01-01

The relationship between breast cancer and organochlorine exposure is controversial and complex. As estrogen receptor positive and negative breast cancer may represent different entities of the disease, this study was undertaken to evaluate organochlorines influence on breast cancer risk and survival according to receptor status. The background material stems from the Copenhagen City Heart Study (Denmark 1976-78). The breast cancer risk was investigated in a cohort nested case-control design including 161 cases and twice as many breast cancer free controls. The cases served as a cohort in the survival analysis. Serum organochlorine concentrations were determined by gaschromotography. The observed increased breast cancer risk associated with exposure to dieldrin derived from women who developed an estrogen receptor negative (ERN) tumor (Odds ratio [OR] I vs. IV quartile, 7.6, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.4-46.1, p-value for linear trend 0.01). Tumors in women with the highest dieldrin serum level were larger and more often spread at the time of diagnosis than ERP tumors. The risk of dying was for the remaining evaluated compounds higher among patients with ERP breast cancer when compared to those with ERN. In the highest quartile of polychlorinated biphenyls (ΣPCB) it was more than 2-fold increased (Relative risk [RR] I vs. IV quartile, 2.5, 95% CI 1.1-5.7), but no dose-response relation was apparent. The results do not suggest that exposure to potential estrogenic organochlorines leads to development of an ERP breast cancer. A possible adverse effect on prognosis of hormone-responsive breast cancers needs to be clarified

Impact of pest control strategies on the arthropodofauna living in bird nests built in nestboxes in pear and apple orchards.

Science.gov (United States)

Roy, Lise; Bouvier, Jean-Charles; Lavigne, Claire; Galès, Mathieu; Buronfosse, Thierry

2013-08-01

Pesticide applications have a strong impact on biodiversity in agroecosystems. The present study aimed to assess the impact of pest control strategies on the arthropodofauna of Parus major nests built within nestboxes installed in orchards. Unlike many studied groups, these arthropod communities are not in direct contact with pesticide sprays (on account of their being sheltered by nestboxes) and are also unable to move away from the treated area. In this pilot study, we estimated the prevalence and the taxonomic and ecological diversities of arthropodofauna sampled in the nests and assessed the extent to which the whole and nest-specific arthropodofauna were affected by pest control strategies. Sixteen different insect and arachnid Primary Taxonomic Groups (PTGs, order level or below) were found in nests. The best represented PTGs (≥10% occurrence in years 2007 and 2008) were Psocoptera (Insecta, detritivorous/saprophagous), detritivorous/saprophagous Astigmata (Acari) and hematophagous Mesostigmata (Acari). Pest control strategies had a large impact on the prevalence of arthropods in nests, with higher proportions of nests hosting arthropods in organic orchards than in conventional orchards and with intermediate proportions in nests in Integrated Pest Management orchards. In contrast, pest control strategies had no significant effect on the composition of the arthropod communities when only nests hosting nidicolous arthropods were considered.

Risk factors for Kaposi's sarcoma in human immunodeficiency virus patients after initiation of antiretroviral therapy: A nested case–control study in Kenya

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Rodgers Lupia

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Background/Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the association between highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART adherence and development of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV/AIDS patients. Methods: We conducted a retrospective nested case–control study of 165 participants (33 cases and 132 controls receiving HAART care at Maseno Hospital, Kenya, from January 2005 to October 2013. Cases were HIV-positive adults with KS, who were matched with controls in a ratio of 1:4 based on age (±5 years of each case, sex, and KS diagnosis date. Perfect adherence to HAART was assessed on every clinic visit by patients' self-reporting and pill counts. Chi-square tests were performed to compare socioeconomic and clinical statuses between cases and controls. A conditional logistic regression was used to assess the effects of perfect adherence to HAART, the latest CD4 count, education level, distance to health-care facility, initial World Health Organization stage, and number of regular sexual partners on the development of KS. Results: Only 63.6% participants reported perfect adherence, and the control group had a significantly higher percentage of perfect adherence (75.0% than did cases (18.2%. After adjustment for potential imbalances in the baseline and clinical characteristics, patients with imperfect HAART adherence had 20-times greater risk of developing KS than patients with perfect HAART adherence [hazard ratios: 21.0, 95% confidence interval: 4.2–105.1]. Patients with low latest CD4 count (≤350 cells/mm3 had a seven-times greater risk of developing KS than did their counterparts (HRs: 7.1, 95% CI: 1.4–36.2. Conclusion: Imperfect HAART adherence and low latest CD4 count are significantly associated with KS development. Keywords: antiretroviral therapy, highly active antiretroviral therapy, human immunodeficiency virus/AIDS treatment, Kaposi's sarcoma, Kenya, Maseno

Bird nesting and droppings control on highway structures.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

This report provides a comprehensive literature survey of permanent and temporary deterrents to nesting and roosting, a : discussion of risks to human health and safety from exposure to bird nests and droppings and recommended protective measures, : ...

Efficiency of Nested-PCR in Detecting Asymptomatic Cases toward Malaria Elimination Program in an Endemic Area of Iran.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Habibollah Turki

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to detect low parasite and asymptomatic malaria infections by means of three malaria diagnostic tests, in a low transmission region of Minab district, Hormozgan Province, southern Iran.Blood samples of 200 healthy volunteers from Bagh-e-Malek area were evaluated using microscopic, rapid diagnostic tests (RDT and nested-PCR to inspect malaria parasite.The results showed no Plasmodium parasite in subjects by means of microscopy and RDT. However, 3 P. vivax positive samples (1.5% were discovered by Nested-PCR while microscopy and RDT missed the cases.Microscopy as the gold standard method and RDT correctly identified 98.5% of cases, and molecular analysis is sensitive and reliable, especially in the detection of "asymptomatic" infections for active case surveillance. Regarding the existence of asymptomatic malaria in endemic area of Hormozgan, Iran, nested-PCR could be considered as a sensitive tool to interrupt malaria transmission in the country, beside the microscopic and RDT methods.

Efficiency of Nested-PCR in Detecting Asymptomatic Cases toward Malaria Elimination Program in an Endemic Area of Iran.

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Turki, Habibollah; Raeisi, Ahmad; Malekzadeh, Kianoosh; Ghanbarnejad, Amin; Zoghi, Samaneh; Yeryan, Masoud; Abedi Nejad, Masoumeh; Mohseni, Fatemeh; Shekari, Mohammad

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to detect low parasite and asymptomatic malaria infections by means of three malaria diagnostic tests, in a low transmission region of Minab district, Hormozgan Province, southern Iran. Blood samples of 200 healthy volunteers from Bagh-e-Malek area were evaluated using microscopic, rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) and nested-PCR to inspect malaria parasite. The results showed no Plasmodium parasite in subjects by means of microscopy and RDT. However, 3 P. vivax positive samples (1.5%) were discovered by Nested-PCR while microscopy and RDT missed the cases. Microscopy as the gold standard method and RDT correctly identified 98.5% of cases, and molecular analysis is sensitive and reliable, especially in the detection of "asymptomatic" infections for active case surveillance. Regarding the existence of asymptomatic malaria in endemic area of Hormozgan, Iran, nested-PCR could be considered as a sensitive tool to interrupt malaria transmission in the country, beside the microscopic and RDT methods.

Investigation of established genetic risk variants for glioma in prediagnostic samples from a population-based nested case-control study.

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Wibom, Carl; Späth, Florentin; Dahlin, Anna M; Langseth, Hilde; Hovig, Eivind; Rajaraman, Preetha; Johannesen, Tom Børge; Andersson, Ulrika; Melin, Beatrice

2015-05-01

Although glioma etiology is poorly understood in general, growing evidence indicates a genetic component. Four large genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have linked common genetic variants with an increased glioma risk. However, to date, these studies are based largely on a case-control design, where cases have been recruited at the time of or after diagnosis. They may therefore suffer from a degree of survival bias, introduced when rapidly fatal cases are not included. To confirm glioma risk variants in a prospective setting, we have analyzed 11 previously identified risk variants in a set of prediagnostic serum samples with 598 cases and 595 matched controls. Serum samples were acquired from The Janus Serum Bank, a Norwegian population-based biobank reserved for cancer research. We confirmed the association with glioma risk for variants within five genomic regions: 8q24.21 (CCDC26), 9p21.3 (CDKN2B-AS1), 11q23.3 (PHLDB1), 17p13.1 (TP53), and 20q13.33 (RTEL1). However, previously identified risk variants within the 7p11.2 (EGFR) region were not confirmed by this study. Our results indicate that the risk variants that were confirmed by this study are truly associated with glioma risk and may, consequently, affect gliomagenesis. Though the lack of positive confirmation of EGFR risk variants may be attributable to relatively limited statistical power, it nevertheless raises the question whether they truly are risk variants or markers for glioma prognosis. Our findings indicate the need for further studies to clarify the role of glioma risk loci with respect to prolonged survival versus etiology. ©2015 American Association for Cancer Research.

Patterned genital injury in cases of rape - A case-control study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Astrup, Birgitte Schmidt; Ravn, Pernille; Thomsen, Jørgen Lange

2013-01-01

A pattern of genital injury that separates trauma seen in sexual assault cases from trauma seen following consensual sexual intercourse has been a matter of debate. This study aimed at clarifying the question by eliminating as many confounders as possible in a prospective, case-control setup. A t...

Selenium and breast cancer risk: A prospective nested case-control study on serum selenium levels, smoking habits and overweight.

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Sandsveden, Malte; Manjer, Jonas

2017-11-01

Previous research has not been conclusive regarding the association between selenium (Se) and breast cancer. This study was conducted to clarify if there is an association between prediagnostic serum Se levels and breast cancer risk. A population based cohort, the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study, was used and linked with the Swedish cancer registry up to 31 December 2013. Our study included 1,186 women with breast cancer and an equal number of controls. Selenium levels were analysed from stored serum samples. The included individuals were divided into quartiles based on Se value and we compared breast cancer cases with controls using logistic regression yielding odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals. Serum Se was also analysed as a continuous variable regarding breast cancer risk. The analyses were adjusted for established risk factors and stratified on smoking status and body mass index (BMI). When comparing the highest Se quartile with the lowest, the adjusted OR for breast cancer was 0.98 (0.75-1.26). With selenium as a continuous variable the adjusted OR was 1.00 (1.00-1.01) per 10 ng/ml. When comparing the highest with the lowest Se quartile in women with BMI > 25 kg/m 2 the adjusted OR was 0.77 (0.53-1.14). We conclude that it is unlikely that prediagnostic serum selenium is overall associated with breast cancer risk and no modifying effect from BMI or smoking was seen. © 2017 UICC.

Drug addiction is not an independent risk factor for oncogenic human papillomavirus infections or high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia: case-control study nested within the Latin American Screening study cohort.

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Syrjänen, K; Naud, P; Derchain, S; Roteli-Martins, C; Longatto-Filho, A; Tatti, S; Branca, M; Erzen, M; Hammes, L S; Matos, J; Gontijo, R; Sarian, L; Bragança, J; Arlindo, F C; Maeda, M Y S; Lörincz, A; Dores, G B; Costa, S; Syrjänen, S

2008-04-01

Drug abuse (addiction) has been listed among the risk factors for human papillomavirus (HPV) infections, but no case-control studies exist to rule out sexual behaviour and other potential confounders. The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of drug addiction as an independent predictor of HR-HPV infections and (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia) CIN2+ in an age-matched case-control (1:4) study nested within the prospective Latin American Screening (LAMS) study cohort. All 109 women in the LAMS cohort (n=12,114) reporting drug abuse/addiction were matched with four controls (n = 436) of non-abusers strictly by age. Conditional logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the co-variates of drug abuse, and the whole series (n=545) was analysed for predictors of HR-HPV and CIN2+ using univariate and multivariate regression models. Oncogenic HPV infections were significantly (P=0.019) more prevalent among abusers (37.7%) than in controls (21.9%), but there was no difference in high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (P=0.180) or CIN2+ lesions (P=0.201). In multivariate conditional logistic regression, number of lifetime sexual partners (P=0.0001), ever smokers (P=0.0001), non-use of OCs (P=0.013), ever having sexually transmitted diseases (STD) (P=0.041) and no previous Pap smear (P=0.027) were independent co-variates of drug addiction. Drug abuse was not an independent risk factor of high-risk (HR)-HPV infection, which was significantly predicted by (1) age below 30 years (P=0.045), (2) more than five lifetime sexual partners (P=0.046) and (3) being current smoker (P=0.0001). In multivariate model, only HR-HPV infection was an independent risk factor of CIN2+ (P=0.031), with adjusted OR=11.33 (95% CI 1.25-102.50). These data indicate that drug addiction is not an independent risk factor of either HR-HPV infections or CIN2+, but the increased prevalence of HR-HPV infections is explained by the high-risk sexual behaviour and smoking habits of these women.

Surgery for subacromial impingement syndrome in relation to occupational exposures, lifestyle factors and diabetes mellitus: a nationwide nested case-control study.

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Dalbøge, Annett; Frost, Poul; Andersen, Johan Hviid; Svendsen, Susanne Wulff

2017-10-01

To estimate the risk of surgery for subacromial impingement syndrome (SIS) in relation to occupational exposures, lifestyle factors and diabetes mellitus. We conducted a case-control study nested in a register-based cohort study of the Danish working population. For each of 3000 first-time cases of surgery for SIS, two age-matched and sex-matched controls were drawn. Cases and controls received a questionnaire on job history and other factors. Job histories were combined with a psychosocial job exposure matrix (JEM) and the updated Shoulder JEM, which provided exposure intensities on measurement scales. Ten-year cumulative exposures to upper arm elevation >90°, repetitive shoulder movements, forceful shoulder exertions and hand-arm vibrations (HAVs) were estimated. We used conditional logistic regression. There were 5396 persons (60%) who answered the questionnaire. For occupational mechanical exposures, the adjusted OR (OR adj ) ranged from 1.9 (95% CI 1.5 to 2.5 for HAVs) to 2.5 (95% CI 1.9 to 3.5 for force) among men and 1.7 (95% CI 1.2 to 2.5 for HAVs) to 2.0 (95% CI 1.3 to 2.9 for force) among women. No statistically significant associations were found for occupational psychosocial factors. Body mass index (BMI) and pack-years of smoking showed OR adj up to 2.0. Diabetes mellitus showed OR adj of 1.5 (95% CI 1.1 to 2.2) for men and 2.2 (95% CI 1.4 to 3.4) for women. Our findings add to the evidence of an increased risk of surgery for SIS in relation to occupational cumulative mechanical exposures, even when an increased risk in relation to BMI, smoking and diabetes mellitus is taken into account. © 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.

Acute Myocardial Infarction Risk in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease Doubled after Upper Gastrointestinal Tract Bleeding: A Nationwide Nested Case-Control Study.

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Chia-Jung Wu

Full Text Available Prior studies of upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB and acute myocardial infarction (AMI are small, and long-term effects of UGIB on AMI have not been delineated. We investigated whether UGIB in patients diagnosed with coronary artery disease (CAD increased their risk of subsequent AMI. This was a population-based, nested case-control study using Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. After propensity-score matching for age, gender, comorbidities, CAD date, and follow-up duration, we identified 1,677 new-onset CAD patients with AMI (AMI[+] between 2001 and 2006 as the case group and 10,062 new-onset CAD patients without (AMI[-] as the control group. Conditional logistic regression was used to examine the association between UGIB and AMI. Compared with UGIB[-] patients, UGIB[+] patients had twice the risk for subsequent AMI (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.08; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.72-2.50. In the subgroup analysis for gender and age, UGIB[+] women (AOR = 2.70; 95% CI, 2.03-3.57 and patients < 65 years old (AOR = 2.23; 95% CI, 1.56-3.18 had higher odds of an AMI. UGIB[+] AMI[+] patients used nonsignificantly less aspirin than did UGIB[-] AMI[+] patients (27.69% vs. 35.61%, respectively. UGIB increased the risk of subsequent AMI in CAD patients, especially in women and patients < 65. This suggests that physicians need to use earlier and more aggressive intervention to detect UGIB and prevent AMI in CAD patients.

Colour preferences in nest-building zebra finches.

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Muth, Felicity; Steele, Matthew; Healy, Susan D

2013-10-01

Some bird species are selective in the materials they choose for nest building, preferring, for example, materials of one colour to others. However, in many cases the cause of these preferences is not clear. One of those species is the zebra finch, which exhibits strong preferences for particular colours of nest material. In an attempt to determine why these birds strongly prefer one colour of material over another, we compared the preferences of paired male zebra finches for nest material colour with their preferences for food of the same colours. We found that birds did indeed prefer particular colours of nest material (in most cases blue) but that they did not generally prefer food of one colour over the other colours. It appears, then, that a preference for one colour or another of nest material is specific to the nest-building context. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: insert SI title. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The nested variant of bladder transitional cell carcinoma: Review of 12 cases and review of the literature.

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Carrion-Ballardo, C J; Gala-Solana, L; Portillo-Martin, J A; Azueta-Etxebarria, A; Truan-Cacho, D; Campos-Juanatey, F

2015-01-01

The nested variant of bladder transitional cell carcinoma is extremely rare and has a different biological behavior to other bladder tumors. The aim of this study is to analize if their behavior is as aggressive as has been described in the literature. Review of 12 diagnosed cases with nested variant of bladder transitional cell carcinoma and analysis of demographic characteristics, clinical presentation, tumor characteristics, treatment options, analysis of recurrence and cancer-specific survival between January 1997 and December 2010 in our hospital. 50% of the cases had a pathologic stage ≥T2, with grade of differentiation G2 (50%) or G3 (50%). After the pathological result of the TUR (transurethral resection) Bladder, 5 cases underwent radical cystoprostatectomy, 3 a second TUR bladder and 4 cases with treatment chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy (RT). Five out of 12 cases (41.7%) died due to bladder cancer and 3 died (25%) of other causes (urinary sepsis, respiratory failure, renal failure). With a median follow up of 40 months, the overall survival was 50% and cancer-specific survival of 65.6%. The nested variant of bladder transitional cell carcinoma is a disease with an advanced-stage presentation, with high recurrence and mortality rates despite the use of different treatments. So far there is not a clinical practice guideline for this variety of urothelial tumor. Copyright © 2014 AEU. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Serum α-tocopherol and γ-tocopherol concentrations and prostate cancer risk in the PLCO Screening Trial: a nested case-control study.

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Stephanie J Weinstein

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Vitamin E compounds exhibit prostate cancer preventive properties experimentally, but serologic investigations of tocopherols, and randomized controlled trials of supplementation in particular, have been inconsistent. Many studies suggest protective effects among smokers and for aggressive prostate cancer, however. METHODS: We conducted a nested case-control study of serum α-tocopherol and γ-tocopherol and prostate cancer risk in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial, with 680 prostate cancer cases and 824 frequency-matched controls. Multivariate-adjusted, conditional logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (OR and 95% confidence intervals (CIs for tocopherol quintiles. RESULTS: Serum α-tocopherol and γ-tocopherol were inversely correlated (r = -0.24, p<0.0001. Higher serum α-tocopherol was associated with significantly lower prostate cancer risk (OR for the highest vs. lowest quintile = 0.63, 95% CI 0.44-0.92, p-trend 0.05. By contrast, risk was non-significantly elevated among men with higher γ-tocopherol concentrations (OR for the highest vs. lowest quintile = 1.35, 95% CI 0.92-1.97, p-trend 0.41. The inverse association between prostate cancer and α-tocopherol was restricted to current and recently former smokers, but was only slightly stronger for aggressive disease. By contrast, the increased risk for higher γ-tocopherol was more pronounced for less aggressive cancers. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate higher α-tocopherol status is associated with decreased risk of developing prostate cancer, particularly among smokers. Although two recent controlled trials did not substantiate an earlier finding of lower prostate cancer incidence and mortality in response to supplementation with a relatively low dose of α-tocopherol, higher α-tocopherol status may be beneficial with respect to prostate cancer risk among smokers. Determining what stage of prostate cancer

Predictors of early postpartum mental distress in mothers with midwifery home care--results from a nested case-control study.

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Staehelin, Katharina; Kurth, Elisabeth; Schindler, Christian; Schmid, Monika; Zemp Stutz, Elisabeth

2013-08-27

The prevalence of early postpartum mental health conditions is high. Midwives and other health professionals visiting women at home may identify mothers at risk. This seems crucial given decreasing trends of length of hospital stay after childbirth. This study aimed to identify predictors of maternal mental distress in a midwifery home care setting. Using the statistical database of independent midwives' services in Switzerland in 2007, we conducted a matched nested case-control study. Out of a source population of 34,295 mothers with midwifery home care in the first ten days after childbirth, 935 mothers with maternal distress and 3,645 controls, matched by midwife, were included. We analysed whether socio-demographic, maternal and neonatal factors predict maternal mental distress by multivariable conditional logistic regression analysis. Infant crying problems and not living with a partner were the strongest predictors for maternal distress, whereas higher parity was the most protective factor. Significantly elevated risks were also found for older age, lower educational levels, breast/breastfeeding problems, infant weight gain concerns, neonatal pathologies and use of midwifery care during pregnancy. A lower likelihood for maternal distress was seen for non-Swiss nationality, full-time employment before birth, intention to return to work after birth and midwife-led birth. The study informs on predictors of maternal mental distress identified in a home care setting in the early postpartum period. Midwives and other health care professionals should pay particular attention to mothers of excessively crying infants, single mothers and primipara, and assess the need for support of these mothers.

Early Elevation of Serum MMP-3 and MMP-12 Predicts Protection from World Trade Center-Lung Injury in New York City Firefighters: A Nested Case-Control Study

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Echevarria, Ghislaine C.; Comfort, Ashley L.; Naveed, Bushra; Prezant, David J.; Rom, William N.; Nolan, Anna

2013-01-01

Objective After 9/11/2001, some Fire Department of New York (FDNY) workers had excessive lung function decline. We hypothesized that early serum matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) expression predicts World Trade Center-Lung Injury (WTC-LI) years later. Methods This is a nested case-control analysis of never-smoking male firefighters with normal pre-exposure Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV1) who had serum drawn up to 155 days post 9/11/2001. Serum MMP-1, 2,3,7,8, 9, 12 and 13 were measured. Cases of WTC-LI (N = 70) were defined as having an FEV1 one standard deviation below the mean (FEV1≤77%) at subspecialty pulmonary evaluation (SPE) which was performed 32 months (IQR 21–53) post-9/11. Controls (N = 123) were randomly selected. We modeled MMP's ability as a predictor of cases status with logistic regression adjusted for time to blood draw, exposure intensity, weight gain and pre-9/11 FEV1. Results Each log-increase in MMP-3 and MMP-12 showed reduced odds of developing WTC-LI by 73% and 54% respectively. MMP-3 and MMP-12 consistently clustered together in cases, controls, and the cohort. Increasing time to blood draw significantly and independently increased the risk of WTC-LI. Conclusions Elevated serum levels of MMP-3 and MMP-12 reduce the risk of developing WTC-LI. At any level of MMP-3 or 12, increased time to blood draw is associated with a diminished protective effect. PMID:24146820

Early elevation of serum MMP-3 and MMP-12 predicts protection from World Trade Center-lung injury in New York City Firefighters: a nested case-control study.

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Sophia Kwon

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: After 9/11/2001, some Fire Department of New York (FDNY workers had excessive lung function decline. We hypothesized that early serum matrix metalloproteinases (MMP expression predicts World Trade Center-Lung Injury (WTC-LI years later. METHODS: This is a nested case-control analysis of never-smoking male firefighters with normal pre-exposure Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV1 who had serum drawn up to 155 days post 9/11/2001. Serum MMP-1, 2,3,7,8, 9, 12 and 13 were measured. Cases of WTC-LI (N = 70 were defined as having an FEV1 one standard deviation below the mean (FEV1 ≤ 77% at subspecialty pulmonary evaluation (SPE which was performed 32 months (IQR 21-53 post-9/11. Controls (N = 123 were randomly selected. We modeled MMP's ability as a predictor of cases status with logistic regression adjusted for time to blood draw, exposure intensity, weight gain and pre-9/11 FEV1. RESULTS: Each log-increase in MMP-3 and MMP-12 showed reduced odds of developing WTC-LI by 73% and 54% respectively. MMP-3 and MMP-12 consistently clustered together in cases, controls, and the cohort. Increasing time to blood draw significantly and independently increased the risk of WTC-LI. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated serum levels of MMP-3 and MMP-12 reduce the risk of developing WTC-LI. At any level of MMP-3 or 12, increased time to blood draw is associated with a diminished protective effect.

SOS1 gene polymorphisms are associated with gestational diabetes mellitus in a Chinese population: Results from a nested case-control study in Taiyuan, China.

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Chen, Qiong; Yang, Hailan; Feng, Yongliang; Zhang, Ping; Wu, Weiwei; Li, Shuzhen; Thompson, Brian; Wang, Xin; Peng, Tingting; Wang, Fang; Xie, Bingjie; Guo, Pengge; Li, Mei; Wang, Ying; Zhao, Nan; Wang, Suping; Zhang, Yawei

2018-03-01

Gestational diabetes mellitus is a growing public health concern due to its large disease burden; however, the underlying pathophysiology remains unclear. Therefore, we examined the relationship between 107 single-nucleotide polymorphisms in insulin signalling pathway genes and gestational diabetes mellitus risk using a nested case-control study. The SOS1 rs7598922 GA and AA genotype were statistically significantly associated with reduced gestational diabetes mellitus risk ( p trend  = 0.0006) compared with GG genotype. At the gene level, SOS1 was statistically significantly associated with gestational diabetes mellitus risk after adjusting for multiple comparisons. Moreover, AGGA and GGGG haplotypes in SOS1 gene were associated with reduced risk of gestational diabetes mellitus. Our study provides evidence for an association between the SOS1 gene and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus; however, its role in the pathogenesis of gestational diabetes mellitus will need to be verified by further studies.

Gabapentin, opioids, and the risk of opioid-related death: A population-based nested case-control study.

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Tara Gomes

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Prescription opioid use is highly associated with risk of opioid-related death, with 1 of every 550 chronic opioid users dying within approximately 2.5 years of their first opioid prescription. Although gabapentin is widely perceived as safe, drug-induced respiratory depression has been described when gabapentin is used alone or in combination with other medications. Because gabapentin and opioids are both commonly prescribed for pain, the likelihood of co-prescription is high. However, no published studies have examined whether concomitant gabapentin therapy is associated with an increased risk of accidental opioid-related death in patients receiving opioids. The objective of this study was to investigate whether co-prescription of opioids and gabapentin is associated with an increased risk of accidental opioid-related mortality.We conducted a population-based nested case-control study among opioid users who were residents of Ontario, Canada, between August 1, 1997, and December 31, 2013, using administrative databases. Cases, defined as opioid users who died of an opioid-related cause, were matched with up to 4 controls who also used opioids on age, sex, year of index date, history of chronic kidney disease, and a disease risk index. After matching, we included 1,256 cases and 4,619 controls. The primary exposure was concomitant gabapentin use in the 120 days preceding the index date. A secondary analysis characterized gabapentin dose as low (<900 mg daily, moderate (900 to 1,799 mg daily, or high (≥1,800 mg daily. A sensitivity analysis examined the effect of concomitant nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID use in the preceding 120 days. Overall, 12.3% of cases (155 of 1,256 and 6.8% of controls (313 of 4,619 were prescribed gabapentin in the prior 120 days. After multivariable adjustment, co-prescription of opioids and gabapentin was associated with a significantly increased odds of opioid-related death (odds ratio [OR] 1.99, 95% CI

Cinereous Vulture Nesting Ecology in Ikh Nartyn Chuluu Nature Reserve, Mongolia

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Richard P. Reading

2005-06-01

Full Text Available Cinereous vultures ( Aegypius monachus are the largest raptors in Eurasia. Little is known about the species, especially in Mongolia. We studied the nesting ecology of cinereous vultures in Ikh Nartyn Chuluu Nature Reserve, Dornogobi Aimag. To assess reproductive success, we located active nests and periodically checked to determine if they remained active. We measured nest sizes and, periodically, nestling sizes and weights. We located 42 active cinereous vulture nests (27 on rocks and 15 on trees in 2003 and 19 nests (14 on rocks and 5 on trees in 2004. Mean volume of active nests was 3.92 ± 0.39 m 3 ( n = 36. Most nests failed prior to egg hatching, but after hatching nesting success rates increased dramatically. Following hatching, cinereous vulture chicks grew linearly until leveling off just prior to fledging. We generated growth curves for chicks that allowed us to determine the average size of chicks on specific dates. Improving the prospects for successful cinereous vulture conservation likely requires a better understanding of nesting ecology. As such, we plan to improve the quality of our data by monitoring nests more intensively to determine incubation and fledging lengths, as well as causes of nest failures.

Common ataxia telangiectasia mutated haplotypes and risk of breast cancer: a nested case–control study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tamimi, Rulla M; Hankinson, Susan E; Spiegelman, Donna; Kraft, Peter; Colditz, Graham A; Hunter, David J

2004-01-01

The ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) gene is a tumor suppressor gene with functions in cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and repair of DNA double-strand breaks. Based on family studies, women heterozygous for mutations in the ATM gene are reported to have a fourfold to fivefold increased risk of breast cancer compared with noncarriers of the mutations, although not all studies have confirmed this association. Haplotype analysis has been suggested as an efficient method for investigating the role of common variation in the ATM gene and breast cancer. Five biallelic haplotype tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms are estimated to capture 99% of the haplotype diversity in Caucasian populations. We conducted a nested case–control study of breast cancer within the Nurses' Health Study cohort to address the role of common ATM haplotypes and breast cancer. Cases and controls were genotyped for five haplotype tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms. Haplotypes were predicted for 1309 cases and 1761 controls for which genotype information was available. Six unique haplotypes were predicted in this study, five of which occur at a frequency of 5% or greater. The overall distribution of haplotypes was not significantly different between cases and controls (χ 2 = 3.43, five degrees of freedom, P = 0.63). There was no evidence that common haplotypes of ATM are associated with breast cancer risk. Extensive single nucleotide polymorphism detection using the entire genomic sequence of ATM will be necessary to rule out less common variation in ATM and sporadic breast cancer risk

Risk Factors for Sporadic Domestically Acquired Campylobacter Infections in Norway 2010-2011: A National Prospective Case-Control Study.

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Emily MacDonald

Full Text Available Campylobacteriosis is the most frequently reported food- and waterborne infection in Norway. We investigated the risk factors for sporadic Campylobacter infections in Norway in order to identify areas where control and prevention measures could be improved.A national prospective case-control study of factors associated with Campylobacter infection was conducted from July 2010 to September 2011. Cases were recruited from the Norwegian Surveillance System of Communicable Diseases (MSIS. Controls were randomly selected from the Norwegian Population Registry. Cases and controls were mailed a paper questionnaire with a prepaid return envelope. Univariable analyses using logistic regression were conducted for all exposures. A final parsimonious multivariable model was developed using regularized/penalized logistic regression, and adjusted odds ratios were calculated.A total of 995 cases and 1501 controls were included in the study (response proportion 55% and 30%, respectively. Exposures that had significant increases in odds of Campylobacter infection in multivariable analysis were drinking water directly from river, stream, or lake (OR: 2.96, drinking purchased bottled water (OR: 1.78, eating chicken (1.69, eating meat that was undercooked (OR: 1.77, eating food made on a barbecue (OR: 1.55, living on a farm with livestock (OR: 1.74, having a dog in the household (OR: 1.39, and having household water supply serving fewer than 20 houses (OR: 1.92.Consumption of poultry and untreated water remain important sources of Campylobacter infection in Norway, despite ongoing control efforts. The results justify the need for strengthening education for consumers and food handlers about the risks of cross-contamination when preparing poultry and with consuming raw or undercooked chicken. The public should also be reminded to take precautions when drinking untreated water in nature and ensure continued vigilance in order to protect and maintain the quality of

Risk Factors for Sporadic Domestically Acquired Campylobacter Infections in Norway 2010-2011: A National Prospective Case-Control Study.

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MacDonald, Emily; White, Richard; Mexia, Ricardo; Bruun, Tone; Kapperud, Georg; Lange, Heidi; Nygård, Karin; Vold, Line

2015-01-01

Campylobacteriosis is the most frequently reported food- and waterborne infection in Norway. We investigated the risk factors for sporadic Campylobacter infections in Norway in order to identify areas where control and prevention measures could be improved. A national prospective case-control study of factors associated with Campylobacter infection was conducted from July 2010 to September 2011. Cases were recruited from the Norwegian Surveillance System of Communicable Diseases (MSIS). Controls were randomly selected from the Norwegian Population Registry. Cases and controls were mailed a paper questionnaire with a prepaid return envelope. Univariable analyses using logistic regression were conducted for all exposures. A final parsimonious multivariable model was developed using regularized/penalized logistic regression, and adjusted odds ratios were calculated. A total of 995 cases and 1501 controls were included in the study (response proportion 55% and 30%, respectively). Exposures that had significant increases in odds of Campylobacter infection in multivariable analysis were drinking water directly from river, stream, or lake (OR: 2.96), drinking purchased bottled water (OR: 1.78), eating chicken (1.69), eating meat that was undercooked (OR: 1.77), eating food made on a barbecue (OR: 1.55), living on a farm with livestock (OR: 1.74), having a dog in the household (OR: 1.39), and having household water supply serving fewer than 20 houses (OR: 1.92). Consumption of poultry and untreated water remain important sources of Campylobacter infection in Norway, despite ongoing control efforts. The results justify the need for strengthening education for consumers and food handlers about the risks of cross-contamination when preparing poultry and with consuming raw or undercooked chicken. The public should also be reminded to take precautions when drinking untreated water in nature and ensure continued vigilance in order to protect and maintain the quality of water

Association between canine leishmaniosis and Ehrlichia canis co-infection: a prospective case-control study.

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Attipa, Charalampos; Solano-Gallego, Laia; Papasouliotis, Kostas; Soutter, Francesca; Morris, David; Helps, Chris; Carver, Scott; Tasker, Séverine

2018-03-20

In the Mediterranean basin, Leishmania infantum is a major cause of disease in dogs, which are frequently co-infected with other vector-borne pathogens (VBP). However, the associations between dogs with clinical leishmaniosis (ClinL) and VBP co-infections have not been studied. We assessed the risk of VBP infections in dogs with ClinL and healthy controls. We conducted a prospective case-control study of dogs with ClinL (positive qPCR and ELISA antibody for L. infantum on peripheral blood) and clinically healthy, ideally breed-, sex- and age-matched, control dogs (negative qPCR and ELISA antibody for L. infantum on peripheral blood) from Paphos, Cyprus. We obtained demographic data and all dogs underwent PCR on EDTA-blood extracted DNA for haemoplasma species, Ehrlichia/Anaplasma spp., Babesia spp., and Hepatozoon spp., with DNA sequencing to identify infecting species. We used logistic regression analysis and structural equation modelling (SEM) to evaluate the risk of VBP infections between ClinL cases and controls. From the 50 enrolled dogs with ClinL, DNA was detected in 24 (48%) for Hepatozoon spp., 14 (28%) for Mycoplasma haemocanis, 6 (12%) for Ehrlichia canis and 2 (4%) for Anaplasma platys. In the 92 enrolled control dogs, DNA was detected in 41 (45%) for Hepatozoon spp., 18 (20%) for M. haemocanis, 1 (1%) for E. canis and 3 (3%) for A. platys. No Babesia spp. or "Candidatus Mycoplasma haematoparvum" DNA was detected in any dog. No statistical differences were found between the ClinL and controls regarding age, sex, breed, lifestyle and use of ectoparasitic prevention. A significant association between ClinL and E. canis infection (OR = 12.4, 95% CI: 1.5-106.0, P = 0.022) was found compared to controls by multivariate logistic regression. This association was confirmed using SEM, which further identified that younger dogs were more likely to be infected with each of Hepatozoon spp. and M. haemocanis, and dogs with Hepatozoon spp. were more likely to

Neck circumference might predict gestational diabetes mellitus in Han Chinese women: A nested case-control study.

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He, Fang; He, Hua; Liu, Wenqi; Lin, Junyu; Chen, Bingjun; Lin, Yucong; Zhao, Yitao; Tao, Wen; Xia, Xuefeng

2017-03-01

A large neck circumference might be an indicator of metabolic syndrome and its components, and for certain patients is more practical as an index than waist circumference. The demarcation value for neck circumference that suggests metabolic syndrome appears to vary by ethnic group. Gestational diabetes mellitus is considered a component of metabolic syndrome in pregnant women. We investigated whether neck circumference in Han Chinese women is associated with gestational diabetes mellitus in early pregnancy, and determined a predictive demarcation value. A nested case-control study was carried out with 255 women aged 18-35 years. Gestational diabetes mellitus was diagnosed according to the criteria of the American Diabetes Association through a 2-h, 75-g oral glucose tolerance test. Of the total population, 41 (16%) women developed gestational diabetes mellitus by 24-28 weeks of gestation. Neck circumference at gestational week 16 positively correlated with pre-pregnancy waist circumference, bodyweight and body mass index, and maternal age (P = 0.029) and hemoglobin A1c at gestational week 24 (P ≤ 0.001). By binary logistic regression, neck circumference was an independent predictor of gestational diabetes mellitus (odds ratio 1.840, 95% confidence interval 1.040-3.254; P = 0.036). According to the receiver operating characteristic curve, for predicting gestational diabetes mellitus the optimal demarcation for neck circumference at gestational week 16 was 35.15 cm. Neck circumference is a viable tool to screen for gestational diabetes mellitus. In this population of pregnant Han Chinese women, a neck circumference of ≥35.15 cm was a predictor of gestational diabetes mellitus. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Diabetes Investigation published by Asian Association for the Study of Diabetes (AASD) and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Nested cellular automata

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quasthoff, U.

1985-07-01

Cellular automata by definition consist of a finite or infinite number of cells, say of unit length, with each cell having the same transition function. These cells are usually considered as the smallest elements and so the space filled with these cells becomes discrete. Nevertheless, large pictures created by such cellular automata look very fractal. So we try to replace each cell by a couple of smaller cells, which have the same transition functions as the large ones. There are automata where this replacement does not destroy the macroscopic structure. In these cases this nesting process can be iterated. The paper contains large classes of automata with the above properties. In the case of one dimensional automata with two states and next neighbour interaction and a nesting function of the same type a complete classification is given. (author)

The worsening factors of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) based on cohort study with nested case-control in a tertiary hospital

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Lardo, S.; Soesatyo, M. H. N. E.; Juffrie; Umniyati, S. R.

2018-03-01

The clinical pathway of DHF has a broad pathophysiological and pathogenesis spectrum. Clinical and laboratory characteristics are some of the parameters to determine the factors that contribute to the worsening of the disease. The objective of this study is to determine the clinical and laboratory characteristics which contribute to the worsening of DHF. The study had been conducted from January 2012-December 2014 at the general ward of the Internal Medicine Department, Indonesia Army Central Hospital Gatot Soebroto. There were 101 male patients (64.7%) and 55 female patients (35.3 %) ages ranging from 14 - 62 years old. The diagnosis was divided into: 124 patients DHF grade I, 6 DHF grade II, 20 DHF grade III and 6 with dengue shock syndrome (DSS) patients. Clinically and statistically, there were 4 variables apparently found with the severity of DHF, as follows: decreased appetite with p = 0.007 (OR 4.87), hepatomegaly with p = 0.009 (OR 27.00), systolic blood pressure with p = 0.037 (OR 0.95), and initial thrombocyte with p = 0.000 (OR 0.97). This cohort and nested case-control study found that worsening of DHF is related with decreased appetite, hepatomegaly, systolic blood pressure and initial thrombocyte count.

Blood erythrocyte concentrations of cadmium and lead and the risk of B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and multiple myeloma: a nested case-control study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rachel S Kelly

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Cadmium (Cd and lead (Pb are hypothesised to be risk factors for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL, a group of haematological malignancies with a suspected environmental aetiology. Within the EnviroGenoMarkers study we utilised pre-diagnostic erythrocyte concentrations of Cd and Pb to determine whether exposure was associated with risk of B-cell NHL and multiple myeloma. METHODS: 194 incident cases of B-cell NHL and 76 cases of multiple myeloma diagnosed between 1990 and 2006 were identified from two existing cohorts; EPIC-Italy and the Northern Sweden Health and Disease Study. Cases were matched to healthy controls by centre, age, gender and date of blood collection. Cd and Pb were measured in blood samples provided at recruitment using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Logistic regression was applied to assess the association with risk. Analyses were stratified by cohort and gender and by subtype where possible. RESULTS: There was little evidence of an increased risk of B-cell NHL or multiple myeloma with exposure to Cd (B-cell NHL: OR 1.09 95%CI 0.61, 1.93, MM: OR 1.16 95% CI: 0.40, 3.40 or Pb (B-cell NHL: 0.93 95% CI 0.43, 2.02, multiple myeloma: OR 1.63 95%CI 0.45, 5.94 in the total population when comparing the highest to the lowest quartile of exposure. However, gender and cohort specific differences in results were observed. In females the risk of B-cell NHL was more than doubled in those with a body burden of Cd >1 µg/L (OR 2.20 95%CI; 1.04, 4.65. CONCLUSIONS: This nested case-control study does not support a consistent positive association between Cd or Pb and NHL, but there is some indication of a gender specific effect suggesting further research is warranted.

Informed renesting decisions: the effect of nest predation risk.

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Pakanen, Veli-Matti; Rönkä, Nelli; Thomson, Robert L; Koivula, Kari

2014-04-01

Animals should cue on information that predicts reproductive success. After failure of an initial reproductive attempt, decisions on whether or not to initiate a second reproductive attempt may be affected by individual experience and social information. If the prospects of breeding success are poor, long-lived animals in particular should not invest in current reproductive success (CRS) in case it generates costs to future reproductive success (FRS). In birds, predation risk experienced during breeding may provide a cue for renesting success. Species having a high FRS potential should be flexible and take predation risk into account in their renesting decisions. We tested this prediction using breeding data of a long-lived wader, the southern dunlin Calidris alpina schinzii. As predicted, dunlin cued on predation risk information acquired from direct experience of nest failure due to predation and ambient nest predation risk. While the overall renesting rate was low (34.5%), the early season renesting rate was high but declined with season, indicating probable temporal changes in the costs and benefits of renesting. We develop a conceptual cost-benefit model to describe the effects of the phase and the length of breeding season on predation risk responses in renesting. We suggest that species investing in FRS should not continue breeding in short breeding seasons in response to predation risk but without time constraints, their response should be similar to species investing in CRS, e.g. within-season dispersal and increased nest concealment.

Greater retention in care among adolescents on antiretroviral treatment accessing "Teen Club" an adolescent-centred differentiated care model compared with standard of care: a nested case-control study at a tertiary referral hospital in Malawi.

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MacKenzie, Rachel K; van Lettow, Monique; Gondwe, Chrissie; Nyirongo, James; Singano, Victor; Banda, Victor; Thaulo, Edith; Beyene, Teferi; Agarwal, Mansi; McKenney, Allyson; Hrapcak, Susan; Garone, Daniela; Sodhi, Sumeet K; Chan, Adrienne K

2017-11-01

There are numerous barriers to the care and support of adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) that makes this population particularly vulnerable to attrition from care, poor adherence and virological failure. In 2010, a Teen Club was established in Zomba Central Hospital (ZCH), Malawi, a tertiary referral HIV clinic. Teen Club provides ALHIV on antiretroviral treatment (ART) with dedicated clinic time, sexual and reproductive health education, peer mentorship, ART refill and support for positive living and treatment adherence. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether attending Teen Club improves retention in ART care. We conducted a nested case-control study with stratified selection, using programmatic data from 2004 to 2015. Cases (ALHIV not retained in care) and controls (ALHIV retained in care) were matched by ART initiation age group. Patient records were reviewed retrospectively and subjects were followed starting in March 2010, the month in which Teen Club was opened. Follow-up ended at the time patients were no longer considered retained in care or on 31 December 2015. Cases and controls were drawn from a study population of 617 ALHIV. Of those, 302 (48.9%) participated in at least two Teen Club sessions. From the study population, 135 (non-retained) cases and 405 (retained) controls were selected. In multivariable analyses, Teen Club exposure, age at the time of selection and year of ART initiation were independently associated with attrition. ALHIV with no Teen Club exposure were less likely to be retained than those with Teen Club exposure (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.27; 95% CI 0.16, 0.45) when adjusted for sex, ART initiation age, current age, reason for ART initiation and year of ART initiation. ALHIV in the age group 15 to 19 were more likely to have attrition from care than ALHIV in the age group 10 to 14 years of age (aOR 2.14; 95% CI 1.12, 4.11). This study contributes to the limited evidence evaluating the effectiveness of service delivery

Important Risk Factors of Mortality Among Children Aged 1-59 Months in Rural Areas of Shahroud, Iran: A Community-based Nested Case-Control Study.

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Chaman, Reza; Alami, Ali; Emamian, Mohammad Hassan; Naieni, Kourosh Holakouie; Mirmohammadkhani, Majid; Ahmadnezhad, Elham; Entezarmahdi, Rasool; Shati, Mohsen; Shariati, Mohammad

2012-12-01

The aim of the study was to evaluate potential risk factors of children mortality between 1-59 months of age. This nested case-control study was conducted among children born from June 1999 to March 2009 in rural areas of Shahroud, located in the central region of Iran using health care visit reports and follow-up data available in household health records. MORTALITY WAS SIGNIFICANTLY ASSOCIATED WITH BREASTFEEDING DURATION (OR: 0.87, 95% CI: 0.81-0.93), total health care visits (OR: 0.90, 95% CI: 0.83-0.98) and low birth weight (LBW) (OR: 7.38, 95% CI: 1.37-39.67). In our study, a longer breastfeeding period and more frequent health care visits were two important protective factors, while LBW was an important risk factor for 1-59 month child mortality. It seems, that complex and multiple factors may be involved in mortality of under 5-year-old children, so combined efforts would be necessary to improve child health indicators.

The importance of illumination in nest site choice and nest characteristics of cavity nesting birds.

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Podkowa, Paweł; Surmacki, Adrian

2017-05-02

Light has a significant impact on many aspects of avian biology, physiology and behaviour. An increasing number of studies show that illumination may positively influences birds' offspring fitness by e.g. acceleration of embryo development, stimulation of skeleton growth or regulation of circadian rhythm. Because nest cavities have especially low illumination, suitable light levels may be especially important for species which nest there. We may therefore expect that birds breeding in relatively dim conditions should prefer brighter nest sites and/or evolve behavioral mechanisms to secure sufficient light levels in the nest. Using nest boxes with modified internal illumination, we experimentally tested whether light regime is a cue for nest site selection of secondary cavity-nesting species. Additionally, we investigated whether nest building strategies are tuned to internal illumination. Our results demonstrate that, nest boxes with elevated illumination were chosen twice as often as dark nest boxes. Moreover, birds built higher nests in dark nest boxes than birds in boxes with elevated illumination, which suggests a mechanism of compensating for low light conditions. Our results provide the first experimental support for the idea that nest site choice and nest building behaviour in cavity-nesting birds are influenced by ambient illumination.

A retrospective likelihood approach for efficient integration of multiple omics factors in case-control association studies.

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Balliu, Brunilda; Tsonaka, Roula; Boehringer, Stefan; Houwing-Duistermaat, Jeanine

2015-03-01

Integrative omics, the joint analysis of outcome and multiple types of omics data, such as genomics, epigenomics, and transcriptomics data, constitute a promising approach for powerful and biologically relevant association studies. These studies often employ a case-control design, and often include nonomics covariates, such as age and gender, that may modify the underlying omics risk factors. An open question is how to best integrate multiple omics and nonomics information to maximize statistical power in case-control studies that ascertain individuals based on the phenotype. Recent work on integrative omics have used prospective approaches, modeling case-control status conditional on omics, and nonomics risk factors. Compared to univariate approaches, jointly analyzing multiple risk factors with a prospective approach increases power in nonascertained cohorts. However, these prospective approaches often lose power in case-control studies. In this article, we propose a novel statistical method for integrating multiple omics and nonomics factors in case-control association studies. Our method is based on a retrospective likelihood function that models the joint distribution of omics and nonomics factors conditional on case-control status. The new method provides accurate control of Type I error rate and has increased efficiency over prospective approaches in both simulated and real data. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Development of diagnostic prediction tools for bacteraemia caused by third-generation cephalosporin-resistant enterobacteria in suspected bacterial infections: a nested case-control study.

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Rottier, W C; van Werkhoven, C H; Bamberg, Y R P; Dorigo-Zetsma, J W; van de Garde, E M; van Hees, B C; Kluytmans, J A J W; Kuck, E M; van der Linden, P D; Prins, J M; Thijsen, S F T; Verbon, A; Vlaminckx, B J M; Ammerlaan, H S M; Bonten, M J M

2018-03-23

Current guidelines for the empirical antibiotic treatment predict the presence of third-generation cephalosporin-resistant enterobacterial bacteraemia (3GCR-E-Bac) in case of infection only poorly, thereby increasing unnecessary carbapenem use. We aimed to develop diagnostic scoring systems which can better predict the presence of 3GCR-E-Bac. A retrospective nested case-control study was performed that included patients ≥18 years of age from eight Dutch hospitals in whom blood cultures were obtained and intravenous antibiotics were initiated. Each patient with 3GCR-E-Bac was matched to four control infection episodes within the same hospital, based on blood-culture date and onset location (community or hospital). Starting from 32 commonly described clinical risk factors at infection onset, selection strategies were used to derive scoring systems for the probability of community- and hospital-onset 3GCR-E-Bac. 3GCR-E-Bac occurred in 90 of 22 506 (0.4%) community-onset infections and in 82 of 8110 (1.0%) hospital-onset infections, and these cases were matched to 360 community-onset and 328 hospital-onset control episodes. The derived community-onset and hospital-onset scoring systems consisted of six and nine predictors, respectively. With selected score cut-offs, the models identified 3GCR-E-Bac with sensitivity equal to existing guidelines (community-onset: 54.3%; hospital-onset: 81.5%). However, they reduced the proportion of patients classified as at risk for 3GCR-E-Bac (i.e. eligible for empirical carbapenem therapy) with 40% (95%CI 21-56%) and 49% (95%CI 39-58%) in, respectively, community-onset and hospital-onset infections. These prediction scores for 3GCR-E-Bac, specifically geared towards the initiation of empirical antibiotic treatment, may improve the balance between inappropriate antibiotics and carbapenem overuse. Copyright © 2018 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Case-control studies in neurosurgery.

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Nesvick, Cody L; Thompson, Clinton J; Boop, Frederick A; Klimo, Paul

2014-08-01

Observational studies, such as cohort and case-control studies, are valuable instruments in evidence-based medicine. Case-control studies, in particular, are becoming increasingly popular in the neurosurgical literature due to their low cost and relative ease of execution; however, no one has yet systematically assessed these types of studies for quality in methodology and reporting. The authors performed a literature search using PubMed/MEDLINE to identify all studies that explicitly identified themselves as "case-control" and were published in the JNS Publishing Group journals (Journal of Neurosurgery, Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics, Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine, and Neurosurgical Focus) or Neurosurgery. Each paper was evaluated for 22 descriptive variables and then categorized as having either met or missed the basic definition of a case-control study. All studies that evaluated risk factors for a well-defined outcome were considered true case-control studies. The authors sought to identify key features or phrases that were or were not predictive of a true case-control study. Those papers that satisfied the definition were further evaluated using the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) checklist. The search detected 67 papers that met the inclusion criteria, of which 32 (48%) represented true case-control studies. The frequency of true case-control studies has not changed with time. Use of odds ratios (ORs) and logistic regression (LR) analysis were strong positive predictors of true case-control studies (for odds ratios, OR 15.33 and 95% CI 4.52-51.97; for logistic regression analysis, OR 8.77 and 95% CI 2.69-28.56). Conversely, negative predictors included focus on a procedure/intervention (OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.13-0.998) and use of the word "outcome" in the Results section (OR 0.23, 95% CI 0.082-0.65). After exclusion of nested case-control studies, the negative correlation between focus on a procedure

Selection of arboreal termitaria for nesting by cooperatively breeding Micronesian Kingfishers Todiramphus cinnamominus reichenbachii

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Kesler, Dylan C.; Haig, Susan M.

2005-01-01

Limited nest-site availability appears to be an important factor in the evolution of delayed dispersal and cooperative breeding in some cavity-nesting species. The cooperatively breeding Pohnpei subspecies of Micronesian Kingfisher Todiramphus cinnamominus reichenbachii excavates nest cavities from the nests of arboreal termites Nasutitermes spp., or termitaria. In this first published description of nest-sites for this subspecies, we used surveys, remote sensing and radiotelemetry to evaluate the relationship between nest-site availability and co-operation. Results illustrate that nest termitaria are higher in the forest canopy, larger in volume and occur in areas with more contiguous canopy cover than unused termitaria. Nest termitaria were selected independently of the proximity to forest edges and territory boundaries, and we found no difference in characteristics of termitaria used by cooperative groups and breeding pairs. Logistic regression modelling indicated that termitaria with nest-like characteristics were not limited in abundance, suggesting that neither the prospects of inheriting nesting resources nor limited nest-site abundance are probable explanations for delayed dispersal in the Pohnpei subspecies of Micronesian Kingfisher.

Enclosed nests may provide greater thermal than nest predation benefits compared with open nests across latitudes

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Martin, Thomas E.; Boyce, Andy J.; Fierro-Calderon, Karolina; Mitchell, Adam E.; Armstad, Connor E.; Mouton, James C.; Bin Soudi, Evertius E.

2017-01-01

Nest structure is thought to provide benefits that have fitness consequences for several taxa. Traditionally, reduced nest predation has been considered the primary benefit underlying evolution of nest structure, whereas thermal benefits have been considered a secondary or even non-existent factor. Yet, the relative roles of these factors on nest structures remain largely unexplored.Enclosed nests have a constructed or natural roof connected to sides that allow a restricted opening or tube entrance that provides cover in all directions except the entrance, whereas open nests are cups or platforms that are open above. We show that construction of enclosed nests is more common among songbirds (Passeriformes) in tropical and southern hemisphere regions than in north temperate regions. This geographic pattern may reflect selection from predation risk, under long-standing assumptions that nest predation rates are higher in southern regions and that enclosed nests reduce predation risk compared with open cup nests. We therefore compared nest predation rates between enclosed vs. open nests in 114 songbird species that do not nest in tree holes among five communities of coexisting birds, and for 205 non-hole-nesting species from the literature, across northern temperate, tropical, and southern hemisphere regions.Among coexisting species, enclosed nests had lower nest predation rates than open nests in two south temperate sites, but not in either of two tropical sites or a north temperate site. Nest predation did not differ between nest types at any latitude based on literature data. Among 319 species from both our field studies and the literature, enclosed nests did not show consistent benefits of reduced predation and, in fact, predation was not consistently higher in the tropics, contrary to long-standing perspectives.Thermal benefits of enclosed nests were indicated based on three indirect results. First, species that built enclosed nests were smaller than species using

Nested Hilbert schemes on surfaces: Virtual fundamental class

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gholampour, Amin; Sheshmani, Artan; Yau, Shing-Tung

We construct natural virtual fundamental classes for nested Hilbert schemes on a nonsingular projective surface S. This allows us to define new invariants of S that recover some of the known important cases such as Poincare invariants of Durr-Kabanov-Okonek and the stable pair invariants of Kool......-Thomas. In the case of the nested Hilbert scheme of points, we can express these invariants in terms of integrals over the products of Hilbert scheme of points on S, and relate them to the vertex operator formulas found by Carlsson-Okounkov. The virtual fundamental classes of the nested Hilbert schemes play a crucial...

Risk Factors for Sporadic Domestically Acquired Campylobacter Infections in Norway 2010–2011: A National Prospective Case-Control Study

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Mexia, Ricardo; Bruun, Tone; Kapperud, Georg; Lange, Heidi; Nygård, Karin; Vold, Line

2015-01-01

Background Campylobacteriosis is the most frequently reported food- and waterborne infection in Norway. We investigated the risk factors for sporadic Campylobacter infections in Norway in order to identify areas where control and prevention measures could be improved. Methods A national prospective case-control study of factors associated with Campylobacter infection was conducted from July 2010 to September 2011. Cases were recruited from the Norwegian Surveillance System of Communicable Diseases (MSIS). Controls were randomly selected from the Norwegian Population Registry. Cases and controls were mailed a paper questionnaire with a prepaid return envelope. Univariable analyses using logistic regression were conducted for all exposures. A final parsimonious multivariable model was developed using regularized/penalized logistic regression, and adjusted odds ratios were calculated. Results A total of 995 cases and 1501 controls were included in the study (response proportion 55% and 30%, respectively). Exposures that had significant increases in odds of Campylobacter infection in multivariable analysis were drinking water directly from river, stream, or lake (OR: 2.96), drinking purchased bottled water (OR: 1.78), eating chicken (1.69), eating meat that was undercooked (OR: 1.77), eating food made on a barbecue (OR: 1.55), living on a farm with livestock (OR: 1.74), having a dog in the household (OR: 1.39), and having household water supply serving fewer than 20 houses (OR: 1.92). Conclusions Consumption of poultry and untreated water remain important sources of Campylobacter infection in Norway, despite ongoing control efforts. The results justify the need for strengthening education for consumers and food handlers about the risks of cross-contamination when preparing poultry and with consuming raw or undercooked chicken. The public should also be reminded to take precautions when drinking untreated water in nature and ensure continued vigilance in order to

Comparative evaluation of uniplex, nested, semi-nested, multiplex and nested multiplex PCR methods in the identification of microbial etiology of clinically suspected infectious endophthalmitis.

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Bharathi, Madasamy Jayahar; Murugan, Nandagopal; Rameshkumar, Gunasekaran; Ramakrishnan, Rengappa; Venugopal Reddy, Yerahaia Chinna; Shivkumar, Chandrasekar; Ramesh, Srinivasan

2013-05-01

This study is aimed to determine the utility of various polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods in vitreous fluids (VFs) for detecting the infectious genomes in the diagnosis of infectious endophthalmitis in terms of sensitivity and specificity. This prospective and consecutive analysis included a total of 66 VFs that were submitted for the microbiological evaluation, which were obtained from 66 clinically diagnosed endophthalmitis patients presented between November 2010 and October 2011 at the tertiary eye care referral centre in South India. Part of the collected VFs were subjected to cultures and smears, and the remaining parts were utilized for five PCR methods: uniplex, nested, semi-nested, multiplex and nested multiplex after extracting DNA, using universal eubacterial and Propionibacterium acnes species-specific primer sets targeting 16S rRNA gene in all bacteria and P. acnes, and panfungal primers, targeting 28S rRNA gene in all fungi. Of the 66 VFs, five (7.5%) showed positive results in smears, 16 (24%) in cultures and 43 (65%) showed positive results in PCRs. Among the 43 positively amplified VFs, 10 (15%) were positive for P. acnes genome, one for panfungal genome and 42 (62%) for eubacterial genome (including 10 P. acnes positives). Among 42 eubacterial-positive VFs, 36 were positive by both uniplex (first round) and multiplex (first round) PCRs, while nested (second round) and nested multiplex (second round) PCRs produced positive results in 42 and 41 VFs, respectively. Of the 43 PCR-positive specimens, 16 (37%) had positive growth (15 bacterial and one fungal) in culture. Of 50 culture-negative specimens, 27 (54%) were showed positive amplification, of which 10 were amplified for both P. acnes and eubacterial genomes and the remaining 17 were for eubacterial genome alone. Nested PCRs are superior than uniplex and multiplex PCR. PCRs proved to be a powerful tool in the diagnosis of endophthalmitis, especially for detecting uncultured microbes.

Salient eyes deter conspecific nest intruders in wild jackdaws (Corvus monedula).

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Davidson, Gabrielle L; Clayton, Nicola S; Thornton, Alex

2014-02-01

Animals often respond fearfully when encountering eyes or eye-like shapes. Although gaze aversion has been documented in mammals when avoiding group-member conflict, the importance of eye coloration during interactions between conspecifics has yet to be examined in non-primate species. Jackdaws (Corvus monedula) have near-white irides, which are conspicuous against their dark feathers and visible when seen from outside the cavities where they nest. Because jackdaws compete for nest sites, their conspicuous eyes may act as a warning signal to indicate that a nest is occupied and deter intrusions by conspecifics. We tested whether jackdaws' pale irides serve as a deterrent to prospecting conspecifics by comparing prospectors' behaviour towards nest-boxes displaying images with bright eyes (BEs) only, a jackdaw face with natural BEs, or a jackdaw face with dark eyes. The jackdaw face with BEs was most effective in deterring birds from making contact with nest-boxes, whereas both BE conditions reduced the amount of time jackdaws spent in proximity to the image. We suggest BEs in jackdaws may function to prevent conspecific competitors from approaching occupied nest sites.

Case-control study of mesothelioma in the shipyard industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Correa-Villasenor, A.

1987-01-01

A nested case-control study was undertaken to investigate the relationship between occupational exposures to asbestos and low-level gamma radiation and mesothelioma. One hundred nineteen cases and four hundred fifty-two latency-matched controls were selected. Analyses were conducted using the conditional maximum likelihood estimate of the odds ratio and conditional logistic regression for matched sets. The results from the analyses revealed a relationship between asbestos exposure and mesothelioma; the strength of this relationship increased with the intensity and duration of the asbestos exposure. Exposure to low-level gamma radiation was also associated with an increased risk of mesothelioma. There was no interaction between asbestos and radiation. Shipyard employment in non-asbestos jobs and male gender were also found to be associated with mesothelioma

Response of predators to Western Sandpiper nest exclosures

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Niehaus, Amanda C.; Ruthrauff, Daniel R.; McCaffery, Brian J.

2004-01-01

In 2001, predator exclosures were used to protect nests of the Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri) in western Alaska. During the exclosure experiment, nest contents in exclosures had significantly higher daily survival rates than control nests, however, late in the study predators began to cue in on exclosures and predate the nest contents. An Arctic Fox (Alopex lagopus) dug under one exclosure and took the newly hatched chicks, and Long-tailed Jaegers (Stercorarius longicaudus) learned to associate exclosures with active nests and repeatedly visited them. The jaegers attempted to gain access to exclosed nests and pursued adult sandpipers as they emerged from the exclosures. The exclosures were removed to reduce potential mortality to adult and young sandpipers, but subsequently, post-exclosure nests had lower daily survival rates than controls during the same time period. Predation of post-exclosure eggs and chicks highlighted the lasting influence of the exclosure treatment on offspring survival because predators probably remembered nest locations. Researchers are urged to use caution when considering use of predator exclosures in areas where jaegers occur.

Hierarchically nested river landform sequences

Science.gov (United States)

Pasternack, G. B.; Weber, M. D.; Brown, R. A.; Baig, D.

2017-12-01

River corridors exhibit landforms nested within landforms repeatedly down spatial scales. In this study we developed, tested, and implemented a new way to create river classifications by mapping domains of fluvial processes with respect to the hierarchical organization of topographic complexity that drives fluvial dynamism. We tested this approach on flow convergence routing, a morphodynamic mechanism with different states depending on the structure of nondimensional topographic variability. Five nondimensional landform types with unique functionality (nozzle, wide bar, normal channel, constricted pool, and oversized) represent this process at any flow. When this typology is nested at base flow, bankfull, and floodprone scales it creates a system with up to 125 functional types. This shows how a single mechanism produces complex dynamism via nesting. Given the classification, we answered nine specific scientific questions to investigate the abundance, sequencing, and hierarchical nesting of these new landform types using a 35-km gravel/cobble river segment of the Yuba River in California. The nested structure of flow convergence routing landforms found in this study revealed that bankfull landforms are nested within specific floodprone valley landform types, and these types control bankfull morphodynamics during moderate to large floods. As a result, this study calls into question the prevailing theory that the bankfull channel of a gravel/cobble river is controlled by in-channel, bankfull, and/or small flood flows. Such flows are too small to initiate widespread sediment transport in a gravel/cobble river with topographic complexity.

Hepatic Dysfunction in Asphyxiated Neonates: Prospective Case-Controlled Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mukesh Choudhary

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Objective This study was performed to determine the occurrence of hypoxic hepatitis in full-term neonates after perinatal asphyxia and to correlate between the rise in enzymes and severity of asphyxia with Apgar score and hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE grading of the neonates. Method and Material This prospective case-controlled study was conducted in a tertiary-level hospital in India for a period of 12 months. The study group A comprised 70 newborns suffering from birth asphyxia, while 30 healthy neonates were included in group B (control. All biochemical parameters of liver function, ie, serum alanine transferase (ALT, aspartate transferase (AST, alkaline phosphatase (ALP, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH, total protein, serum albumin, bilirubin (total and direct, and international normalized ratio (INR, were measured on postnatal days 1, 3, and 10 in both study and control groups. Results In group A, 22.8% newborns had severe (Apgar score 0–3, 47.1% had moderate (Apgar score 4–5, and 30% had mild (Apgar score 6–7 birth asphyxia at five minutes. In all, 14.28% babies were in HIE stage I, 25.73% babies were in HIE stage II, and 11.42% babies were in HIE stage III. The rest of the newborns, 48.57%, were normal. The prevalence of liver function impairment was seen in 42.85% of asphyxiated neonates. On day 1, ALT, AST, ALP, LDH, PT, and INR were significantly higher, and total protein and serum albumin were significantly lower in group A than in group B. However, ALT and AST correlated well with increasing severity of HIE score. On day 3, there was a rising trend observed in the concentration of mean LDH as HIE staging of neonates progressed from stage 0 to stage III, and among various HIE stages, the difference in LDH was statistically significant. Conclusion We concluded that AST, ALT at 24 hours, and LDH at 72 hours of animation can be a utilitarian diagnostic tool to differentiate asphyxiated neonates from non-asphyxiated neonates and

Childhood Adversities Increase the Risk of Psychosis: A Meta-analysis of Patient-Control, Prospective- and Cross-sectional Cohort Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Varese, Filippo; Smeets, Feikje; Drukker, Marjan; Lieverse, Ritsaert; Lataster, Tineke; Viechtbauer, Wolfgang; Read, John; van Os, Jim; Bentall, Richard P.

2012-01-01

Evidence suggests that adverse experiences in childhood are associated with psychosis. To examine the association between childhood adversity and trauma (sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional/psychological abuse, neglect, parental death, and bullying) and psychosis outcome, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychINFO, and Web of Science were searched from January 1980 through November 2011. We included prospective cohort studies, large-scale cross-sectional studies investigating the association between childhood adversity and psychotic symptoms or illness, case-control studies comparing the prevalence of adverse events between psychotic patients and controls using dichotomous or continuous measures, and case-control studies comparing the prevalence of psychotic symptoms between exposed and nonexposed subjects using dichotomous or continuous measures of adversity and psychosis. The analysis included 18 case-control studies (n = 2048 psychotic patients and 1856 nonpsychiatric controls), 10 prospective and quasi-prospective studies (n = 41 803) and 8 population-based cross-sectional studies (n = 35 546). There were significant associations between adversity and psychosis across all research designs, with an overall effect of OR = 2.78 (95% CI = 2.34–3.31). The integration of the case-control studies indicated that patients with psychosis were 2.72 times more likely to have been exposed to childhood adversity than controls (95% CI = 1.90–3.88). The association between childhood adversity and psychosis was also significant in population-based cross-sectional studies (OR = 2.99 [95% CI = 2.12–4.20]) as well as in prospective and quasi-prospective studies (OR = 2.75 [95% CI = 2.17–3.47]). The estimated population attributable risk was 33% (16%–47%). These findings indicate that childhood adversity is strongly associated with increased risk for psychosis. PMID:22461484

Cancer and frailty in older adults: a nested case-control study of the Mexican Health and Aging Study

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez-Zepeda, Mario Ulises; Cárdenas-Cárdenas, Eduardo; Cesari, Matteo; Navarrete-Reyes, Ana Patricia; Gutiérrez-Robledo, Luis Miguel

2016-01-01

Purpose Understanding how the convergence between chronic and complex diseases—such as cancer—and emerging conditions of older adults—such as frailty—takes place would help in halting the path that leads to disability in this age group. The objective of this manuscript is to describe the association between a past medical history of cancer and frailty in Mexican older adults. Methods This is a nested in cohort case-control study of the Mexican Health and Aging Study. Frailty was categorized by developing a 55-item frailty index that was also used to define cases in two ways: incident frailty (incident >0.25 frailty index score) and worsening frailty (negative residuals from a regression between 2001 and 2012 frailty index scores). Exposition was defined as self-report of cancer between 2001 and 2012. Older adults with a cancer history were further divided into recently diagnosed (10 years from the initial diagnosis). Odds ratios were estimated by fitting a logistic regression adjusted for confounding variables. Results Out of a total of 8022 older adults with a mean age of 70.6 years, the prevalence of a past medical history of cancer was 3.6 % (n = 288). Among these participants, 45.1 % had been diagnosed with cancer more than 10 years previously. A higher risk of incident frailty compared to controls [odds ratio (OR) 1.53 (95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.04–2.26, p = 0.03); adjusted model OR 1.74 (95 % CI 1.15–2.61, p = 0.008)] was found in the group with a recent cancer diagnosis. Also, an inverse association between a remote cancer diagnosis and worsening frailty was found [OR = 0.56 (95 % CI 0.39–0.8), p = 0.002; adjusted model OR 0.61 (95 % CI 0.38–0.99, p = 0.046)]. Conclusions Cancer is associated with a higher frailty index, with a potential relevant role of the time that has elapsed since the cancer diagnosis. Implications for cancer survivors Cancer survivors may be more likely to develop frailty or worsening of the health status at an

Calcium Channel Blockers in Secondary Cardiovascular Prevention and Risk of Acute Events: Real-World Evidence from Nested Case-Control Studies on Italian Hypertensive Elderly.

Science.gov (United States)

Bettiol, Alessandra; Lucenteforte, Ersilia; Vannacci, Alfredo; Lombardi, Niccolò; Onder, Graziano; Agabiti, Nera; Vitale, Cristiana; Trifirò, Gianluca; Corrao, Giovanni; Roberto, Giuseppe; Mugelli, Alessandro; Chinellato, Alessandro

2017-12-01

Antihypertensive treatment with calcium channel blockers (CCBs) is consolidated in clinical practice; however, different studies observed increased risks of acute events for short-acting CCBs. This study aimed to provide real-world evidence on risks of acute cardiovascular (CV) events, hospitalizations and mortality among users of different CCB classes in secondary CV prevention. Three case-control studies were nested in a cohort of Italian elderly hypertensive CV-compromised CCBs users. Cases were subjects with CV events (n = 25,204), all-cause hospitalizations (n = 19,237), or all-cause mortality (n = 17,996) during the follow-up. Up to four controls were matched for each case. Current or past exposition to CCBs at index date was defined based on molecule, formulation and daily doses of the last CCB delivery. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using conditional logistic regression models. Compared to past users, current CCB users had significant reductions in risks of CV events [OR 0.88 (95% CI: 0.84-0.91)], hospitalization [0.90 (0.88-0.93)] and mortality [0.48 (0.47-0.49)]. Current users of long-acting dihydropyridines (DHPs) had the lowest risk [OR 0.87 (0.84-0.90), 0.86 (0.83-0.90), 0.55 (0.54-0.56) for acute CV events, hospitalizations and mortality], whereas current users of short-acting CCBs had an increased risk of acute CV events [OR 1.77 (1.13-2.78) for short-acting DHPs; 1.19 (1.07-1.31) for short-acting non-DHPs] and hospitalizations [OR 1.84 (0.96-3.51) and 1.23 (1.08-1.42)]. The already-existing warning on short-acting CCBs should be potentiated, addressing clinicians towards the choice of long-acting formulations.

Influence of olfactory and visual cover on nest site selection and nest success for grassland-nesting birds.

Science.gov (United States)

Fogarty, Dillon T; Elmore, R Dwayne; Fuhlendorf, Samuel D; Loss, Scott R

2017-08-01

Habitat selection by animals is influenced by and mitigates the effects of predation and environmental extremes. For birds, nest site selection is crucial to offspring production because nests are exposed to extreme weather and predation pressure. Predators that forage using olfaction often dominate nest predator communities; therefore, factors that influence olfactory detection (e.g., airflow and weather variables, including turbulence and moisture) should influence nest site selection and survival. However, few studies have assessed the importance of olfactory cover for habitat selection and survival. We assessed whether ground-nesting birds select nest sites based on visual and/or olfactory cover. Additionally, we assessed the importance of visual cover and airflow and weather variables associated with olfactory cover in influencing nest survival. In managed grasslands in Oklahoma, USA, we monitored nests of Northern Bobwhite ( Colinus virginianus ), Eastern Meadowlark ( Sturnella magna ), and Grasshopper Sparrow ( Ammodramus savannarum ) during 2015 and 2016. To assess nest site selection, we compared cover variables between nests and random points. To assess factors influencing nest survival, we used visual cover and olfactory-related measurements (i.e., airflow and weather variables) to model daily nest survival. For nest site selection, nest sites had greater overhead visual cover than random points, but no other significant differences were found. Weather variables hypothesized to influence olfactory detection, specifically precipitation and relative humidity, were the best predictors of and were positively related to daily nest survival. Selection for overhead cover likely contributed to mitigation of thermal extremes and possibly reduced detectability of nests. For daily nest survival, we hypothesize that major nest predators focused on prey other than the monitored species' nests during high moisture conditions, thus increasing nest survival on these

The relationship between thrombophilic mutations and preeclampsia: a prospective case-control study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yalinkaya, A.; Erdemoglu, M.; Akdeniz, N.; Kale, A.; Kale, E.

2006-01-01

Preeclampsia and its association with thrombophillia remain controversial, due to inconsistent results in different studies, which different ethnic groups, selection criteria, and patient numbers. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between thrombophillia and preeclamptic patients in our region. In a prospective case-control study, we compared 100 consecutive women with preeclampsia and eclampsia (group 1) with 100 normal pregnant women (group 2). All women were tested two months after delivery for mutations of factor V Leiden, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), and prothrombin gene mutation mutataion as well as for deficiencies of protein C, protein S, and antithrmbin III. A thrombophilic mutation was found in 42 (42%) and 28(28%) women in group I and group II, respectively (P+0.27, OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.0-2.2). The incidence of Factor V Leiden mutation (heterozygous), prothrombin mutation (heterozygous), prothrombin mutation (homozygous), MTHFR mutation (homozygous) was not statistically significant in group 1 compared with group 2 (P>0.05). Also, deficiencies of protein S, protein c and antithrombin III were not statistically significant in group I com pared with group II (P>0.05). There was no difference in thrombophilic mutations between preeclamptic patients and normal pregnant women in our region. Therefore, we suggest that preeclamptic patients should not be tested for thrombophilia. (author)

Early diagnosis of typhoid fever by nested PCR for flagellin gene of Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi.

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, S; Harish, B N; Menezes, G A; Acharya, N S; Parija, S C

2012-11-01

Typhoid fever caused by Salmonella Typhi continues to be a major health problem in spite of the use of antibiotics and the development of newer antibacterial drugs. Inability to make an early laboratory diagnosis and resort to empirical therapy, often lead to increased morbidity and mortality in cases of typhoid fever. This study was aimed to optimize a nested PCR for early diagnosis of typhoid fever and using it as a diagnostic tool in culture negative cases of suspected typhoid fever. Eighty patients with clinical diagnosis of typhoid fever and 40 controls were included in the study. The blood samples collected were subjected to culture, Widal and nested PCR targeting the flagellin gene of S. Typhi. The sensitivity of PCR on blood was found to be 100 per cent whereas the specificity was 76.9 per cent. The positive predictive value (PPV) of PCR was calculated to be 76.9 per cent with an accuracy of 86 per cent. None of the 40 control samples gave a positive PCR. Due to its high sensitivity and specificity nested PCR can be used as a useful tool to diagnose clinically suspected, culture negative cases of typhoid fever.

Does removal of mammalian predators significantly affect success of simulated nests in linear habitats? Case study on American mink Mustela vison \\& Predation on simulated duck nests in relation to nest density and habitat type

OpenAIRE

PADYŠÁKOVÁ, Eliška

2007-01-01

This thesis is made up of two studies dealing with predation of waterfowl nests. in the first study, we determined wheather removal of introduced predator Mustela vison affected nest survival of simulated duck nests in linear habitat. In the second study, we tested two hypothesis: 1)predation depends on density of waterfowl nests, 2)mammals are main predators in forest habitat and birds mainly depredate nests deployed in open land.

Methodology Series Module 2: Case-control Studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Setia, Maninder Singh

2016-01-01

Case-Control study design is a type of observational study. In this design, participants are selected for the study based on their outcome status. Thus, some participants have the outcome of interest (referred to as cases), whereas others do not have the outcome of interest (referred to as controls). The investigator then assesses the exposure in both these groups. The investigator should define the cases as specifically as possible. Sometimes, definition of a disease may be based on multiple criteria; thus, all these points should be explicitly stated in case definition. An important aspect of selecting a control is that they should be from the same 'study base' as that of the cases. We can select controls from a variety of groups. Some of them are: General population; relatives or friends; and hospital patients. Matching is often used in case-control control studies to ensure that the cases and controls are similar in certain characteristics, and it is a useful technique to increase the efficiency of the study. Case-Control studies can usually be conducted relatively faster and are inexpensive - particularly when compared with cohort studies (prospective). It is useful to study rare outcomes and outcomes with long latent periods. This design is not very useful to study rare exposures. Furthermore, they may also be prone to certain biases - selection bias and recall bias.

FVCOM one-way and two-way nesting using ESMF: Development and validation

Science.gov (United States)

Qi, Jianhua; Chen, Changsheng; Beardsley, Robert C.

2018-04-01

Built on the Earth System Modeling Framework (ESMF), the one-way and two-way nesting methods were implemented into the unstructured-grid Finite-Volume Community Ocean Model (FVCOM). These methods help utilize the unstructured-grid multi-domain nesting of FVCOM with an aim at resolving the multi-scale physical and ecosystem processes. A detail of procedures on implementing FVCOM into ESMF was described. The experiments were made to validate and evaluate the performance of the nested-grid FVCOM system. The first was made for a wave-current interaction case with a two-domain nesting with an emphasis on qualifying a critical need of nesting to resolve a high-resolution feature near the coast and harbor with little loss in computational efficiency. The second was conducted for the pseudo river plume cases to examine the differences in the model-simulated salinity between one-way and two-way nesting approaches and evaluate the performance of mass conservative two-way nesting method. The third was carried out for the river plume case in the realistic geometric domain in Mass Bay, supporting the importance for having the two-way nesting for coastal-estuarine integrated modeling. The nesting method described in this paper has been used in the Northeast Coastal Ocean Forecast System (NECOFS)-a global-regional-coastal nesting FVCOM system that has been placed into the end-to-end forecast and hindcast operations since 2007.

The cavity-nest ant Temnothorax crassispinus prefers larger nests.

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Mitrus, S

Colonies of the ant Temnothorax crassispinus inhabit mostly cavities in wood and hollow acorns. Typically in the field, nest sites that can be used by the ant are a limited resource. In a field experiment, it was investigated whether the ants prefer a specific size of nest, when different ones are available. In July 2011, a total of 160 artificial nests were placed in a beech-pine forest. Four artificial nests (pieces of wood with volume cavities, ca 415, 605, 730, and 980 mm 3 , respectively) were located on each square meter of the experimental plot. One year later, shortly before the emergence of new sexuals, the nests were collected. In July 2012, colonies inhabited more frequently bigger nests. Among queenright colonies, the ones which inhabited bigger nests had more workers. However, there was no relationship between volume of nest and number of workers for queenless colonies. Queenright colonies from bigger nests produced more sexual individuals, but there was no correlation between number of workers and sex allocation ratio, or between volume of nest and sex allocation ratio. In a laboratory experiment where ant colonies were kept in 470 and 860 mm 3 nests, larger colonies allocated more energy to produce sexual individuals. The results of this study show the selectivity of T. crassispinus ants regarding the size of nest cavity, and that the nest volume has an impact on life history parameters.

Bee species-specific nesting material attracts a generalist parasitoid: implications for co-occurring bees in nest box enhancements.

Science.gov (United States)

Macivor, J Scott; Salehi, Baharak

2014-08-01

Artificial nests (e.g., nest boxes) for bees are increasingly being used to contribute to nesting habitat enhancement for bees that use preexisting cavities to provision brood. They usually incorporate additional nesting materials that vary by species. Cavity-nesting bees are susceptible to brood parasitoids that recognize their host(s) using visual and chemical cues. Understanding the range of cues that attract parasitoids to bee nests, including human-made analogues, is important if we wish to control parasitism and increase the potential value of artificial nests as habitat-enhancement strategies. In this study, we investigated the cues associated with the orientation of the generalist brood parasitoid Monodontomerus obscurus Westwood (Hymenoptera: Torymidae) to the nests of a common cavity-nesting resin bee Megachile campanulae (Robertson) (Megachilidae). The parasitoids were reared from previously infested M. campanulae brood cells and placed into choice trials where they were presented with pairs of different nest material cues. Among different materials tested, we found that Mo. obscurus was most attracted to fresh resin collected directly from Pinus strobus trees followed by previously used resin collected from the bee nest. The parasitoid also attacked other bee species in the same nest boxes, including those that do not use resin for nesting. Our findings suggest that M. campanulae could act as a magnet, drawing parasites away from other bee hosts co-occurring in nest boxes, or, as an attractant of Mo. obscurus to nest boxes, increasing attacks on co-occurring host bee species, potentially undermining bee diversity enhancement initiatives.

Lower omega-3 fatty acids are associated with the presence of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide autoantibodies in a population at risk for future rheumatoid arthritis: a nested case-control study

Science.gov (United States)

Gan, Ryan W.; Young, Kendra A.; Zerbe, Gary O.; Demoruelle, M. Kristen; Weisman, Michael H.; Buckner, Jane H.; Gregersen, Peter K.; Mikuls, Ted R.; O’Dell, James R.; Keating, Richard M.; Clare-Salzler, Michael J.; Deane, Kevin D.; Holers, V. Michael

2016-01-01

Objective. The aim of this study was to investigate omega-3 fatty acid (FA) supplement use and omega-3 FAs in erythrocyte membranes [omega-3 FA % in erythrocyte membranes (RBC)] and their association with anti-CCP autoantibodies in a population without RA, but who are at genetic risk for RA. Methods. The multicentre Studies of the Etiology of RA (SERA) cohort includes RA-free subjects who are first-degree relatives of RA probands or are enriched with the HLA-DR4 allele. In a nested case-control study, 30 SERA cases were identified who were anti-CCP2 antibody positive. We further identified 47 autoantibody negative controls, frequency matched to cases on age at study visit, sex, race and study site. Anti-CCP2 status, self-reported omega-3 FA supplement use and omega-3 FA % in RBCs were obtained from a single visit. Results. Anti-CCP2 positive cases were less likely than controls to report omega-3 FA supplement use (odds ratio: 0.14; 95% CI 0.03, 0.68). In addition, the likelihood of anti-CCP2 positivity was inversely associated with total omega-3 FA % in RBCs (odds ratio: 0.47; 95% CI 0.24, 0.92, for a s.d. increase). Conclusion. The inverse association between anti-CCP2 positivity and self-reported omega-3 FA supplement use and omega-3 FA % in RBCs suggests that omega-3 FAs may protect against the development of RA-related autoimmunity in pre-clinical RA. PMID:26370400

Rapid restoration of bone mass after surgical management of hyperthyroidism: A prospective case control study in Southern India.

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Karunakaran, Poongkodi; Maharajan, Chandrasekaran; Mohamed, Kamaludeen N; Rachamadugu, Suresh V

2016-03-01

The rate and the extent of bone remineralization at cancellous versus cortical sites after treatment of hyperthyroidism is unclear. Few studies have examined the effect of operative management of hyperthyroidism on recovery of bone mass. To evaluate prospectively the bone mineral density (BMD), bone mineral content (BMC), and bone areal size at the spine, hip, and forearm before and after total thyroidectomy. A prospective case control observational study from August 2011 to July 2014 in a single center. This study evaluated 40 overt hyperthyroid patients and 31 age-matched euthyroid controls who were operative candidates. Bone indices were measured at baseline and 6-month postoperatively using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. Serum levels of alkaline phosphatase and 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 (25OHD) were assessed. Baseline BMD of hyperthyroid subjects at the spine, hip, and forearm were less than euthyroid controls (P = .001) with concomitant increases in serum alkaline phosphatase (mean ± SD, 143 ± 72 vs 72 ± 23 IU/L control; P hyperthyroid patients, posttreatment BMD expressed as g/cm(2) were 0.97 ± 0.12 (vs pretreatment 0.91 ± 0.14; P = .001) at the spine, 0.87 ± 0.12 (vs pretreatment 0.80 ± 0.13; P = .001) at the hip, and 0.67 ± 0.09 (vs pretreatment 0.64 ± 0.11; P = .191) at the forearm. The percent change in BMD was greatest at spine (8.3%) followed by the hip (7.6%) and forearm (3.0%). Operative management with total thyroidectomy improved the bone loss associated with hyperthyroidism as early as 6 months postoperatively at the hip and spine despite concomitant vitamin D deficiency. Delayed recovery of bone indices at the forearm, a cortical bone, requires further long-term evaluation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Does nest luminosity play a role in recognition of parasitic eggs in domed nests? A case study of the red bishop

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Honza, Marcel; Šulc, Michal; Cherry, M. I.

2014-01-01

Roč. 101, č. 12 (2014), s. 1009-1015 ISSN 0028-1042 Institutional support: RVO:68081766 Keywords : Brood parasitism * Domed nest * Egg discrimination * Light conditions * Nest luminosity Subject RIV: EG - Zoology Impact factor: 2.098, year: 2014

Maternal urinary bisphenol A levels and infant low birth weight: A nested case-control study of the Health Baby Cohort in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Huo, Wenqian; Xia, Wei; Wan, Yanjian; Zhang, Bin; Zhou, Aifen; Zhang, Yiming; Huang, Kai; Zhu, Yingshuang; Wu, Chuansha; Peng, Yang; Jiang, Minmin; Hu, Jie; Chang, Huailong; Xu, Bing; Li, Yuanyuan; Xu, Shunqing

2015-12-01

Exposure to bisphenol A (BPA), a known endocrine disruptor, has been demonstrated to affect fetal development in animal studies, but findings in human studies have been inconsistent. We investigated whether maternal exposure to BPA during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of infant low birth weight (LBW). A total 452 mother-infant pairs (113 LBW cases and 339 matched controls) were selected from the participants enrolled in the prospective Health Baby Cohort (HBC) in Wuhan city, China, during 2012-2014. BPA concentrations were measured in maternal urine samples collected at delivery, and the information of birth outcomes was retrieved from the medical records. A conditional logistic regression was used to evaluate the relationship between urinary BPA levels and LBW. Mothers with LBW infants had significantly higher urinary BPA levels (median: 4.70μg/L) than the control mothers (median: 2.25μg/L) (p<0.05). Increased risk of LBW was associated with higher maternal urinary levels of BPA [adjusted odds ratio (OR)=3.13 for the medium tertile, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.21, 8.08; adjusted OR=2.49 for the highest tertile, 95% CI: 0.98, 6.36]. The association was more pronounced among female infants than among male infants, with a statistical evidence of heterogeneity in risk (p=0.03). Prenatal exposure to higher levels of BPA may potentially increase the risk of delivering LBW infants, especially for female infants. This is the first case-control study to examine the association in China. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The influence of nest-site characteristics on the nesting success of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Choice of nest site has important consequences for nest survival. We examined nest-site characteristics relative to nest success in Karoo Prinias breeding in coastal dwarf shrubland, where high nest predation is the main cause of nest failure. Initially, we compared nests that failed during the building, laying, incubation and ...

Obesity-related hormones and endometrial cancer among postmenopausal women: a nested case–control study within the B~FIT cohort

Science.gov (United States)

Dallal, Cher M; Brinton, Louise A; Bauer, Douglas C; Buist, Diana S M; Cauley, Jane A; Hue, Trisha F; LaCroix, Andrea; Tice, Jeffrey A; Chia, Chia; Falk, Roni; Pfeiffer, Ruth; Pollak, Michael; Veenstra, Timothy D; Xu, Xia; Lacey, James V

2014-01-01

Endometrial cancer risk is strongly influenced by obesity, but the mechanisms of action remain unclear. Leptin and adiponectin, secreted from adipose tissue, reportedly play a role in such carcinogenic processes as cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and insulin regulation. In this case–control study, nested within the Breast and Bone Follow-up of the Fracture Intervention Trial (n = 15 595), we assessed pre-diagnostic serum leptin, total adiponectin, and high-molecular-weight (HMW) adiponectin in relation to endometrial cancer among postmenopausal women. During the 10-year follow-up, 62 incident endometrial cases were identified and matched to 124 controls on age, geographical site, time of fasting blood draw at baseline (1992–1993), and trial participation status. Adipokines and C-peptide were measured by ELISA. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were estimated via conditional logistic regression, with exposures categorized in tertiles (T). Multivariable models considered C-peptide, BMI (kg/m2), and estradiol (E2) as potential confounders. Endometrial cancer risk was significantly associated with higher leptin levels, adjusted for E2 and C-peptide (ORT3 vs T1 = 2.96; 95% CI, 1.21–7.25; P trend <0.01). After further adjustment for BMI, the estimates were attenuated and the positive trend was no longer statistically significant (ORT3 vs T1 = 2.11; 95% CI, 0.69–6.44; P trend = 0.18). No significant associations were observed with adiponectin or HMW adiponectin and endometrial cancer. Our findings with leptin suggest that the leptin–BMI axis might increase endometrial cancer risk through mechanisms other than estrogen-driven proliferation. Continued exploration of these pathways in larger prospective studies may help elucidate mechanisms underlying observed obesity–endometrial cancer associations. PMID:23222000

The Diagnostic Utility of Bact/ALERT and Nested PCR in the Diagnosis of Tuberculous Meningitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sastry, Apurba Sankar; Bhat K, Sandhya; Kumudavathi

2013-01-01

The early laboratory diagnosis of Tuberculous Meningitis (TBM) is crucial, to start the antitubercular chemotherapy and to prevent its complications. However, the conventional methods are either less sensitive or time consuming. Hence, the diagnostic potentials of BacT/ALERT and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was evaluated in this study. The study group comprised of 62 cases and 33 controls. The cases were divided according to Ahuja's criteria into the confirmed (two cases), highly probable (19 cases), probable (26 cases) and the possible (15 cases) subgroups. Ziehl Neelsen's (ZN) and Auramine Phenol (AP) staining, Lowenstein Jensen (LJ) medium culture, BacT/ALERT and nested Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) which targeted IS6110 were carried out on all the patients. The sensitivity of the LJ culture was 3.22%. BacT/ALERT showed a sensitivity and a specificity of 25.80% and 100% and those of nested PCR were found to be 40.32% and 96.97% respectively. The mean detection time of growth of the LJ culture was 31.28 days, whereas that of BacT/ALERT was 20.68 days. The contamination rate in the LJ culture and BacT/ALERT were 7.2% and 5.8% respectively. Nested PCR was found to be more sensitive, followed by BacT/ALERT as compared to the LJ culture and smear microscopy. As both false negative and false positive results have been reported for nested PCR, so it should not be used alone as a criterion for initiating or terminating the therapy, but it should be supported by clinical, radiological, cytological and other microbiological findings.

Do artificial nests simulate nest success of greater sage-grouse?

OpenAIRE

Dinkins, Jonathan B.; Conover, Michael R.; Mabray, Scott T.

2013-01-01

Artificial nests have been used to study factors affecting nest success because researchers can manipulate them more than natural bird nests. Many researchers have questioned the validity of generalizing the results from artificial nests onto naturally occurring nests. Other studies have assessed the validity of artificial nest studies by simultaneously comparing overall depredation or daily survival rates, depredation timing, predator species, or habitat characteristics of artificial and nat...

PyNEST: a convenient interface to the NEST simulator

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jochen M Eppler

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The neural simulation tool NEST (http://www.nest-initiative.org is a simulator for heterogeneous networks of point neurons or neurons with a small number of compartments. It aims at simulations of large neural systems with more than 10^4 neurons and 10^7 to 10^9 synapses. NEST is implemented in C++ and can be used on a large range of architectures from single-core laptops over multi-core desktop computers to super-computers with thousands of processor cores. Python (http://www.python.org is a modern programming language that has recently received considerable attention in Computational Neuroscience. Python is easy to learn and has many extension modules for scientific computing (e.g. http://www.scipy.org. In this contribution we describe PyNEST, the new user interface to NEST. PyNEST combines NEST’s efficient simulation kernel with the simplicity and flexibility of Python. Compared to NEST’s native simulation language SLI, PyNEST makes it easier to set up simulations, generate stimuli, and analyze simulation results. We describe how PyNEST connects NEST and Python and how it is implemented. With a number of examples, we illustrate how it is used.

Chronic Pain Syndrome Caused by a Bird's Nest Filter: First Case Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Basheer, Mamoun Ahmad; Hamilton, Mark; Holdaway, Chris

2008-01-01

AimTo report the first case of a Bird's Nest IVC filter causing a chronic pain syndrome lasting 13 years through IVC wall penetration and subsequent break off of one of the filter struts.Materials and ResultsA 43-year-old female presented with a 13-year history of abdominal pain following uneventful insertion of a Bird's Nest vena cava filter through a right internal jugular percutanous approach. A year following the procedure, CT scan revealed one arm of the filter to be outside IVC borders. Nine years from the date of insertion the nature of the pain changed acutely following a five feet jump to more localized RUQ pain worse with twisting movements. A CT scan showed the strut to have pierced the IVC wall and penetrated the Unicate process of pancreas. Plain x-rays taken at different times in February 2006 showed one of the struts to be free floating in the peritoneal cavity. The floating strut was removed surgically from the wall of the Ileum. Postoperative recovery was uneventful and the patient was discharged pain free three days later.ConclusionChronic pain is an added complication of BNF devices. Although rare, it further emphasizes the need for long-term follow up of patients with IVC filters.

Variability in nest survival rates and implications to nesting studies

Science.gov (United States)

Klett, A.T.; Johnson, D.H.

1982-01-01

We used four reasonably large samples (83-213) of Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) and Blue-winged Teal (A. discors) nests on an interstate highway right-of-way in southcentral North Dakota to evaluate potential biases in hatch-rate estimates. Twelve consecutive, weekly searches for nests were conducted with a cable-chain drag in 1976 and 1977. Nests were revisited at weekly intervals. Four methods were used to estimate hatch rates for the four data sets: the Traditional Method, the Mayfield Method, and two modifications of the Mayfield Method that are sometimes appropriate when daily mortality rates of nests are not constant. Hatch rates and the average age of nests at discovery declined as the interval between searches decreased, suggesting that mortality rates were not constant in our samples. An analysis of variance indicated that daily mortality rates varied with the age of nests in all four samples. Mortality was generally highest during the early laying period, moderately high during the late laying period, and lowest during incubation. We speculate that this relationship of mortality to nest age might be due to the presence of hens at nests or to differences in the vulnerability of nest sites to predation. A modification of the Mayfield Method that accounts for age-related variation in nest mortality was most appropriate for our samples. We suggest methods for conducting nesting studies and estimating nest success for species possessing similar nesting habits.

Eating Patterns in Patients with Compensated Cirrhosis: A Case-Control Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Camille Buscail

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background: There is growing evidence suggesting that maintaining an adequate nutritional status for patients with liver cirrhosis (LC is relevant to prevent complications. The present study aimed to describe dietary behaviours of patients with compensated and non-complicated LC and comparing them with those of subjects from the general population. Methods: In this case-control study, patients were volunteers enrolled in the ALICIR (ALImentation et CIRrhose study, an observational survey nested in two French prospective cohorts of patients with biopsy-proven compensated cirrhosis related either to excessive alcohol consumption (CIRRAL or to hepatitis B or C virus infection (CirVir. Controls were selected from the NutriNet-Santé cohort. Dietary data were collected through a semi quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Dietary and nutritional data were compared using multi-adjusted paired Student’s tests. Results: Between June 2014 and February 2016, 174 patients of CirVir (N = 97 or CIRRAL (N = 77 were matched with 348 controls from the NutriNet-Santé cohort, according to gender, age, BMI and educational level. Compared to controls, patients (mean ± SD consumed more sodas (236.0 ± 29.8 mL vs. 83.0 ± 33.0 mL and water (1787.6 ± 80.6 mL vs. 933.6 ± 85.3 mL, and lower amounts of salty snacks (4.2 ± 1.42 g vs. 9.0 ± 1.6 g and alcoholic beverages (71.8 ± 23.4 g vs. 151.2 ± 25.9 g, with all p values < 0.0001. Dietary behaviours differed according to LC aetiology. Conclusions: Dietary behaviour of patients significantly differed from subjects from the general population.

Alzheimer's Disease Sequencing Project discovery and replication criteria for cases and controls: Data from a community-based prospective cohort study with autopsy follow-up.

Science.gov (United States)

Crane, Paul K; Foroud, Tatiana; Montine, Thomas J; Larson, Eric B

2017-12-01

The Alzheimer's Disease Sequencing Project (ADSP) used different criteria for assigning case and control status from the discovery and replication phases of the project. We considered data from a community-based prospective cohort study with autopsy follow-up where participants could be categorized as case, control, or neither by both definitions and compared the two sets of criteria. We used data from the Adult Changes in Thought (ACT) study including Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-IV criteria for dementia status, McKhann et al. criteria for clinical Alzheimer's disease, and Braak and Consortium to Establish a Registry for AD findings on neurofibrillary tangles and neuritic plaques to categorize the 621 ACT participants of European ancestry who died and came to autopsy. We applied ADSP discovery and replication definitions to identify controls, cases, and people who were neither controls nor cases. There was some agreement between the discovery and replication definitions. Major areas of discrepancy included the finding that only 40% of the discovery sample controls had sufficiently low levels of neurofibrillary tangles and neuritic plaques to be considered controls by the replication criteria and the finding that 16% of the replication phase cases were diagnosed with non-AD dementia during life and thus were excluded as cases for the discovery phase. These findings should inform interpretation of genetic association findings from the ADSP. Differences in genetic association findings between the two phases of the study may reflect these different phenotype definitions from the discovery and replication phase of the ADSP. Copyright © 2017 the Alzheimer's Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Procedures for assessing psychological predictors of injuries in circus artists: a pilot prospective study.

Science.gov (United States)

Shrier, Ian; Raglin, John S; Levitan, Emily B; Mittleman, Murray A; Steele, Russell J; Powell, Janette

2014-06-11

Research on psychological risk factors for injury has focused on stable traits. Our objective was to test the feasibility of a prospective longitudinal study designed to examine labile psychological states as risk factors of injury. We measured psychological traits at baseline (mood, ways of coping and anxiety), and psychological states every day (1-item questions on anxiety, sleep, fatigue, soreness, self-confidence) before performances in Cirque du Soleil artists of the show "O". Additional questions were added once per week to better assess anxiety (20-item) and mood. Questionnaires were provided in English, French, Russian and Japanese. Injury and exposure data were extracted from electronic records that are kept as part of routine business practices. The 43.9% (36/82) recruitment rate was more than expected. Most artists completed the baseline questionnaires in 15 min, a weekly questionnaire in <2 min and a daily questionnaire in <1 min. We improved the formatting of some questions during the study, and adapted the wording of other questions to improve clarity. There were no dropouts during the entire study, suggesting the questionnaires were appropriate in content and length. Results for sample size calculations depend on the number of artists followed and the minimal important difference in injury rates, but in general, preclude a purely prospective study with daily data collection because of the long follow-up required. However, a prospective nested case-crossover design with data collection bi-weekly and at the time of injury appears feasible. A prospective study collecting psychological state data from subjects who train and work regularly together is feasible, but sample size calculations suggest that the optimal study design would use prospective nested case-crossover methodology.

Psychiatric illness, socioeconomic status, and marital status in people committing suicide: a matched case-sibling-control study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Agerbo, Esben; Qin, Ping; Mortensen, Preben Bo

2006-01-01

of these factors. DESIGN: Nested case-control study. Information on causes of death, psychiatric admission, marital status, children, and socioeconomic factors was obtained from routine registers. SETTING: Denmark. PARTICIPANTS: 985 suicide cases, 1104 sex-age (+/-3 years) matched siblings, and 16 619 controls......STUDY OBJECTIVE: Suicides cluster in both families and persons with psychiatric disorders and socioeconomic disadvantages. This study compares these factors between suicide cases, their siblings, and population based controls in an attempt to evaluate both the familial and the individual element...... and controls in exposure to hospitalised psychiatric disorders and socioeconomic disadvantages, although these factors contribute to the familial aggregation of suicides....

NO2, as a marker of air pollution, and recurrent wheezing in children: a nested case-control study within the BAMSE birth cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Emenius, G; Pershagen, G; Berglind, N; Kwon, H-J; Lewné, M; Nordvall, S L; Wickman, M

2003-11-01

To investigate the association between air pollution, including with NO2, and recurrent wheezing during the first two years of life. A birth cohort (BAMSE) comprised 4089 children, for whom information on exposures, symptoms, and diseases was available from parental questionnaires at ages 2 months, and 1 and 2 years. NO2 was measured during four weeks in and outside the dwellings of children with recurrent wheezing and two age matched controls, in a nested case-control study (540 children). Conditional logistic regression showed an OR of 1.60 (95% CI 0.78 to 3.26) among children in the highest quartile of outdoor NO2 exposure in relation to those in the lowest quartile, adjusted for potential confounders. The corresponding OR for indoor NO2 was 1.51 (95% CI 0.81 to 2.82). An interaction with environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) was indicated with an OR of 3.10 (95% CI 1.32 to 7.30) among children exposed to the highest quartile of indoor NO2 and ETS. The association between NO2 and recurrent wheezing appeared stronger in children who did not fulfil the criteria for recurrent wheezing until their second year. Although the odds of increased recurrent wheezing are not statistically significantly different from one, results suggest that exposure to air pollution including NO2, particularly in combination with exposure to ETS, increases the risk of recurrent wheezing in children.

Methods for excluding cliff swallows from nesting on highway structures.

Science.gov (United States)

2009-08-01

Cliff swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) are colonially breeding migratory birds that frequently nest on highway : structures. Protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, nesting control methods cannot harm swallows or active : nests. This c...

Mercury exposure and risk of hypertension in US men and women in 2 prospective cohorts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mozaffarian, Dariush; Shi, Peilin; Morris, J Steven

2012-01-01

Cross-sectional studies and animal experiments suggest that methylmercury exposure could increase the risk of hypertension. This relationship has not been evaluated in large prospective studies. Using data from previous nested case-control studies in 2 separate prospective cohorts, we measured...... toenail mercury, a valid biomarker of long-term methylmercury exposure, among 6045 US men and women free of hypertension at baseline. Geometric mean toenail mercury concentrations were 0.08 μg/g in the lowest quintile and 0.74 μg/g in the highest quintile, the latter corresponding with exposures ≈2.0-fold.......82 (0.62-1.08) in men, and 0.94 (0.84-1.06) in both cohorts combined. Findings were similar when more extreme categories of mercury were compared (across deciles, with geometric mean levels in highest decile ≈2.9-fold higher than the reference dose) and in analyses stratified by fish or omega-3...

Social support and ovarian cancer incidence - A Swedish prospective population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Idahl, Annika; Hermansson, Andrea; Lalos, Ann

2018-05-01

Low social support is associated with worse prognosis for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients. However, few studies have explored the relation between low social support and incidence of EOC. The aim of this prospective nested case-control study was to examine whether self-perceived low social support was associated with the incidence of EOC. The Swedish Cancer Registry was used to identify participants in the Västerbotten Intervention Programme (VIP) comprising 58,000 women, who later developed EOC. Each case was matched to four cancer free controls. The VIP uses the Social Support questionnaire, a modified version of the validated questionnaire "The Interview Schedule for Social Interaction" (ISSI) measuring quantitative (AVSI) and qualitative (AVAT) aspects of social support. The risk of EOC in relation to AVSI and AVAT was similar between the 239 cases and the 941 controls after adjustment for educational level, smoking, BMI, Cambridge Physical Activity Index and age (aOR 0.85, 95% CI 0.72-1.01 and aOR 0.54, 95% CI 0.16-1.81). Lagtime was found to have no impact. A decreased risk of serous ovarian cancer was seen in women with fewer persons available for informal socializing (aOR 0.75, 95% CI 0.59-0.95). Adjusted analyses showed non-significant odds ratios below 1.0 in the vast majority of histotypes. A general trend towards a decreased risk of ovarian cancer associated with low AVSI and AVAT was identified. Solely the serous subtype was significantly associated with low scores of AVSI. Prospective pathophysiological and epidemiological studies regarding social support are needed. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nest Predation Deviates from Nest Predator Abundance in an Ecologically Trapped Bird.

Science.gov (United States)

Hollander, Franck A; Van Dyck, Hans; San Martin, Gilles; Titeux, Nicolas

2015-01-01

In human-modified environments, ecological traps may result from a preference for low-quality habitat where survival or reproductive success is lower than in high-quality habitat. It has often been shown that low reproductive success for birds in preferred habitat types was due to higher nest predator abundance. However, between-habitat differences in nest predation may only weakly correlate with differences in nest predator abundance. An ecological trap is at work in a farmland bird (Lanius collurio) that recently expanded its breeding habitat into open areas in plantation forests. This passerine bird shows a strong preference for forest habitat, but it has a higher nest success in farmland. We tested whether higher abundance of nest predators in the preferred habitat or, alternatively, a decoupling of nest predator abundance and nest predation explained this observed pattern of maladaptive habitat selection. More than 90% of brood failures were attributed to nest predation. Nest predator abundance was more than 50% higher in farmland, but nest predation was 17% higher in forest. Differences between nest predation on actual shrike nests and on artificial nests suggested that parent shrikes may facilitate nest disclosure for predators in forest more than they do in farmland. The level of caution by parent shrikes when visiting their nest during a simulated nest predator intrusion was the same in the two habitats, but nest concealment was considerably lower in forest, which contributes to explaining the higher nest predation in this habitat. We conclude that a decoupling of nest predator abundance and nest predation may create ecological traps in human-modified environments.

Nest Site Characteristics of Cavity Nesting Birds in Central Missouri

Science.gov (United States)

Jeffery D. Brawn; Bernice Tannenbaum; Keith E. Evans

1984-01-01

Two study sites in central Missouri oak-hickory forests were searched for nest sites of cavity nesting birds. Researchers located and measured 133 nests of 11 species. Cavity nesting bird habitat selection is affected by both snag characteristics and vegetation structure.

Bone health in patients with epilepsy: A community-based pilot nested case–control study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shweta Singla

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs adversely affect bone health and there are reports describing association of alternations of bone and mineral metabolism in epileptic patients. Objectives: This study was undertaken to evaluate the bone profile (bone mineral parameters and bone mineral density [BMD] of patients with epilepsy and compare them to their age-, gender-, and socioeconomic status-matched healthy controls in a community. Materials and Methods: This was a nested case–control study conducted in fifty individuals, which included 25 cases (age above 18 years and on AEDs for at least 3 years for which 25 controls were selected from the same community. Bone mineral parameters (serum calcium, proteins, phosphorous, alkaline phosphate, parathyroid hormone, and Vitamin D and BMD were measured. Results: There was significant hypocalcemia (P = 0.003, hypoproteinemia (P = 0.014, hyperparathyroidism (P = 0.048, and increased levels of serum alkaline phosphatase (P = 0.019 in cases as compared to controls. The difference was insignificant in the serum levels of Vitamin D and phosphorous among both the groups. Vitamin D was significantly low in female patients as compared to males (P = 0.043. There was no significant difference in BMD at the lumbar spine and femur neck among both the groups. Mean duration of epilepsy was longest in patients with osteoporosis (23.6 years, and increasing duration of epilepsy was associated with reduction in age- and sex-corrected total BMD mean Z-score anteroposterior spine. There was negative correlation between cumulative drug load and T-score of patients with epilepsy. Conclusion: Patients on long-term AED treatment have altered bone profile as evident from biochemical parameters and reduced BMD. There is a need for more extensive research and that too on a larger sample size.

Conservation implications when the nest predators are known

Science.gov (United States)

Ribic, Christine; Thompson, Frank

2012-01-01

Conservation and management of passerines has largely focused on habitat manipulation or restoration because the natural communities on which these birds depend have been destroyed and fragmented. However, productivity is another important aspect of avian conservation, and nest predation can be a large source of nesting mortality for passerines. Recent studies using video surveillance to identify nest predators allow researchers to start evaluating what methods could be used to mitigate nest predation to help passerines of conservation concern. From recent studies, we identified latitudinal and habitat-related patterns in the importance of predator groups that depredate passerine nests. We then reviewed how knowledge of specific nest predators can benefit conservation of bird species of concern. Mammals were the dominant predator group in northern grasslands. Snakes were the dominant predator group in southern habitats. Fire ants were only a nest predator in southern latitudes. Differences in the importance of predator species or groups were likely the result of both their geographic patterns of distribution and habitat preferences. Some direct and indirect predator control measures developed for waterfowl management potentially could be used to benefit passerine productivity. We reviewed three examples-cowbirds, snakes in shrublands, and ground squirrels in grasslands-to illustrate how different predator control strategies may be needed in different situations. Mitigation of passerine nest predation will need to be based on knowledge of predator communities to be effective. This requires large samples of predation events with identified predators; video technology is essential for this task.

Nest Predation Deviates from Nest Predator Abundance in an Ecologically Trapped Bird.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Franck A Hollander

Full Text Available In human-modified environments, ecological traps may result from a preference for low-quality habitat where survival or reproductive success is lower than in high-quality habitat. It has often been shown that low reproductive success for birds in preferred habitat types was due to higher nest predator abundance. However, between-habitat differences in nest predation may only weakly correlate with differences in nest predator abundance. An ecological trap is at work in a farmland bird (Lanius collurio that recently expanded its breeding habitat into open areas in plantation forests. This passerine bird shows a strong preference for forest habitat, but it has a higher nest success in farmland. We tested whether higher abundance of nest predators in the preferred habitat or, alternatively, a decoupling of nest predator abundance and nest predation explained this observed pattern of maladaptive habitat selection. More than 90% of brood failures were attributed to nest predation. Nest predator abundance was more than 50% higher in farmland, but nest predation was 17% higher in forest. Differences between nest predation on actual shrike nests and on artificial nests suggested that parent shrikes may facilitate nest disclosure for predators in forest more than they do in farmland. The level of caution by parent shrikes when visiting their nest during a simulated nest predator intrusion was the same in the two habitats, but nest concealment was considerably lower in forest, which contributes to explaining the higher nest predation in this habitat. We conclude that a decoupling of nest predator abundance and nest predation may create ecological traps in human-modified environments.

Medicaid prospective payment: Case-mix increase

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, Samuel L.; Kronenfeld, Jennie J.

1990-01-01

South Carolina Medicaid implemented prospective payment by diagnosis-related group (DRG) for inpatient care. The rate of complications among newborns and deliveries doubled immediately. The case-mix index for newborns increased 66.6 percent, which increased the total Medicaid hospital expenditure 5.5 percent. Outlier payments increased total expenditure further. DRG distribution change among newborns has a large impact on spending because newborn complication DRGs have high weights. States adopting a DRG-based payment system for Medicaid should anticipate a greater increase in case mix than Medicare experienced. PMID:10113463

Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug Use and the Risk of Acute Myocardial Infarction in the General German Population: A Nested Case-Control Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Thöne, Kathrin; Kollhorst, Bianca; Schink, Tania

2017-09-01

Use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) has been associated with an increased relative risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), but the label warnings refer particularly to patients with cardiovascular risk factors. The magnitude of relative AMI risk for patients with and without cardiovascular risk factors varies between studies depending on the drugs and doses studied. The aim of our study was to estimate population-based relative AMI risks for individual and widely used NSAIDs, for a cumulative amount of NSAID use, and for patients with and without a prior history of cardiovascular risk factors. Based on data from the German Pharmacoepidemiological Research Database (GePaRD) of about 17 million insurance members from four statutory health insurance providers, for the years 2004-2009, a nested case-control study was conducted within a cohort of 3,476,931 new NSAID users classified into current, recent, or past users. Up to 100 controls were matched to each case by age, sex, and length of follow-up using risk set sampling. Multivariable conditional logistic regression was applied to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Duration of NSAID use was calculated by the cumulative amount of dispensed defined daily doses (DDDs), and stratified analyses were conducted for potential effect modifiers. Overall, 17,236 AMI cases were matched to 1,714,006 controls. Elevated relative AMI risks were seen for current users of fixed combinations of diclofenac with misoprostol (OR 1.76, 95% CI 1.26-2.45), indometacin (1.69, 1.22-2.35), ibuprofen (1.54, 1.43-1.65), etoricoxib (1.52, 1.24-1.87), and diclofenac (1.43, 1.34-1.52) compared with past use. A low cumulative NSAID amount was associated with a higher relative AMI risk for ibuprofen, diclofenac, and indometacin. The relative risk associated with current use of diclofenac, fixed combinations of diclofenac with misoprostol, etoricoxib, and ibuprofen was highest in the younger age group

Nest site selection by Kentish plover suggests a trade-off between nest-crypsis and predator detection strategies.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miguel Ángel Gómez-Serrano

Full Text Available Predation is one of the main causes of adult mortality and breeding failure for ground-nesting birds. Micro-habitat structure around nests plays a critical role in minimizing predation risk. Plovers nest in sites with little vegetation cover to maximize the incubating adult visibility, but many studies suggest a trade-off between nest-crypsis and predator detection strategies. However, this trade-off has not been explored in detail because methods used so far do not allow estimating the visibility with regards to critical factors such as slope or plant permeability to vision. Here, we tested the hypothesis that Kentish plovers select exposed sites according to a predator detection strategy, and the hypothesis that more concealed nests survive longer according to a crypsis strategy. To this end, we obtained an accurate estimation of the incubating adult's field of vision through a custom built inverted periscope. Our results showed that plovers selected nest sites with higher visibility than control points randomly selected with regards to humans and dogs, although nests located in sites with higher vegetation cover survived longer. In addition, the flushing distance (i.e., the distance at which incubating adults leave the nest when they detect a potential predator decreased with vegetation cover. Consequently, the advantages of concealing the nest were limited by the ability to detect predators, thus indirectly supporting the existence of the trade-off between crypsis and predator detection. Finally, human disturbance also constrained nest choice, forcing plovers to move to inland sites that were less suitable because of higher vegetation cover, and modulated flushing behavior, since plovers that were habituated to humans left their nests closer to potential predators. This constraint on the width of suitable breeding habitat is particularly relevant for the conservation of Kentish Plover in sand beaches, especially under the current context of

Habitat structure and diversity influence the nesting success of an endangered large cavity-nesting bird, the Southern Ground-hornbill

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leigh Combrink

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Habitat features can have a profound effect on the nesting success of birds. Savannas are often managed with predators and large herbivores as priority species, with little thought to the many bird species that management decisions could affect. Using a data set spanning seven breeding seasons, we examined how nesting success of Southern Ground-hornbills (SGHs Bucorvus leadbeateri in the Kruger National Park varied as a result of various environmental and habitat factors within a radius of 3 km surrounding the nest site. Identifying which factors affect nesting success will allow for targeted management efforts to ensure the long-term survival of SGHs both within and outside of protected areas. Habitat structure and diversity of the vegetation surrounding the nest were the most influential factors on SGH nesting success. SGHs require open grassy areas for foraging and areas with large trees for nesting. Savanna habitat drivers such as elephants and fire should be managed to ensure that sufficient large trees are able to establish in the landscape and to control for bush encroachment. This is especially important in areas earmarked for SGH reintroductions. Nest sites of SGHs should be monitored to mitigate any structural changes in the habitat surrounding the nests. Nests should be modified or artificial nest sites provided, where nests have been damaged or lost, to ensure the continued presence of these birds in African savannas. Conservation implications: Habitat structure and diversity surrounding Southern Groundhornbill nests has a significant impact on their nesting success. This highlights the importance of monitoring vegetation change in savanna habitats where they occur. Management of savanna areas should take factors that influence bush encroachment, such as fire and elephants, into account to ensure the long-term persistence of these birds.

Nest use is influenced by the positions of nests and drinkers in aviaries.

Science.gov (United States)

Lentfer, T L; Gebhardt-Henrich, S G; Fröhlich, E K F; von Borell, E

2013-06-01

The influence of the nest location and the placement of nipple drinkers on nest use by laying hens in a commercial aviary was assessed. Twenty pens in a laying hen house were equipped with the same commercial aviary system, but the pens differed in the nest location and the placement of nipple drinkers. Nests were placed along the walls in 10 pens, and nipple drinkers were installed in front of the nests in 5 of these pens. The other 10 pens were equipped with nests placed on a tier within the aviary (integrated nests). Nipple drinkers were installed in front of the nests in 5 of these pens. A total of 225 Lohmann Selected Leghorns were housed per pen. The hens were offered 4 nests per pen: 2 facing the service corridor of the laying hen house and 2 facing the outdoor area. The numbers of nest eggs and mislaid eggs were counted daily per pen. At 25, 36, and 43 wk of age, the nest platforms were videotaped and the behavior of laying hens in front of the nests was analyzed. The nest location affected the stationary and locomotive behaviors in front of the nests. Hens in front of the integrated nests and the nests with drinkers displayed more stationary behaviors than hens in front of wall-placed nests or nests without drinkers. No difference in the number of nest eggs could be detected, but the integration of the nests inside the aviary led to a more even distribution of hens while nest searching. In the pens with wall-placed nests, significantly more hens laid eggs in the nests at the wall near the service corridor than at the wall near the outdoor area. Due to this imbalance, crowding in front of the preferred nests occurred and pushing and agonistic interactions on the nest platforms were significantly more frequent. Placement of nipple drinkers in front of nests had no effect on the number of eggs laid in those nests.

Nested Dynamic Condition Response Graphs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hildebrandt, Thomas; Mukkamala, Raghava Rao; Slaats, Tijs

2012-01-01

We present an extension of the recently introduced declarative process model Dynamic Condition Response Graphs ( DCR Graphs) to allow nested subgraphs and a new milestone relation between events. The extension was developed during a case study carried out jointly with our industrial partner...

Interactive effects between nest microclimate and nest vegetation structure confirm microclimate thresholds for Lesser Prairie-Chicken nest survival

Science.gov (United States)

Grisham, Blake A.; Godar, Alixandra J.; Boal, Clint W.; Haukos, David A.

2016-01-01

The range of Lesser Prairie-Chickens (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) spans 4 unique ecoregions along 2 distinct environmental gradients. The Sand Shinnery Oak Prairie ecoregion of the Southern High Plains of New Mexico and Texas is environmentally isolated, warmer, and more arid than the Short-Grass, Sand Sagebrush, and Mixed-Grass Prairie ecoregions in Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and the northeast panhandle of Texas. Weather is known to influence Lesser Prairie-Chicken nest survival in the Sand Shinnery Oak Prairie ecoregion; regional variation may also influence nest microclimate and, ultimately, survival during incubation. To address this question, we placed data loggers adjacent to nests during incubation to quantify temperature and humidity distribution functions in 3 ecoregions. We developed a suite of a priori nest survival models that incorporated derived microclimate parameters and visual obstruction as covariates in Program MARK. We monitored 49 nests in Mixed-Grass, 22 nests in Sand Shinnery Oak, and 30 nests in Short-Grass ecoregions from 2010 to 2014. Our findings indicated that (1) the Sand Shinnery Oak Prairie ecoregion was hotter and drier during incubation than the Mixed- and Short-Grass ecoregions; (2) nest microclimate varied among years within ecoregions; (3) visual obstruction was positively associated with nest survival; but (4) daily nest survival probability decreased by 10% every half-hour when temperature was greater than 34°C and vapor pressure deficit was less than −23 mmHg during the day (about 0600–2100 hours). Our major finding confirmed microclimate thresholds for nest survival under natural conditions across the species' distribution, although Lesser Prairie-Chickens are more likely to experience microclimate conditions that result in nest failures in the Sand Shinnery Oak Prairie ecoregion. The species would benefit from identification of thermal landscapes and management actions that promote cooler, more humid nest microclimates.

Nest Mosquito Trap quantifies contact rates between nesting birds and mosquitoes.

Science.gov (United States)

Caillouët, Kevin A; Riggan, Anna E; Rider, Mark; Bulluck, Lesley P

2012-06-01

Accurate estimates of host-vector contact rates are required for precise determination of arbovirus transmission intensity. We designed and tested a novel mosquito collection device, the Nest Mosquito Trap (NMT), to collect mosquitoes as they attempt to feed on unrestrained nesting birds in artificial nest boxes. In the laboratory, the NMT collected nearly one-third of the mosquitoes introduced to the nest boxes. We then used these laboratory data to estimate our capture efficiency of field-collected bird-seeking mosquitoes collected over 66 trap nights. We estimated that 7.5 mosquitoes per trap night attempted to feed on nesting birds in artificial nest boxes. Presence of the NMT did not have a negative effect on avian nest success when compared to occupied nest boxes that were not sampled with the trap. Future studies using the NMT may elucidate the role of nestlings in arbovirus transmission and further refine estimates of nesting bird and vector contact rates. © 2012 The Society for Vector Ecology.

Sleep quality in patients with xerostomia: a prospective and randomized case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez-Jornet, Pia; Lucero Berdugo, Maira; Fernandez-Pujante, Alba; C, Castillo Felipe; Lavella C, Zamora; A, Pons-Fuster; J, Silvestre Rangil; Silvestre, Francisco Javier

2016-01-01

Objectives To investigate sleep quality, anxiety/depression and quality-of-life in patients with xerostomia. Materials and methods This prospective, observational, cross-sectional study was conducted among a group of xerostomia patients (n = 30) compared with 30 matched control subjects. The following evaluation scales were used to assess the psychological profile of each patient: the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14), the Xerostomia Inventory, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Results The PSQI obtained 5.3 3 ± 1.78 for patients with xerostomia compared with 4.26 ± 1.01 for control subjects (p = 0.006); ESS obtained 5.7 ± 2.1 for test patients vs 4.4 0 ± 1 for control subjects (p = 0.010). Statistical regression analysis showed that xerostomia was significantly associated with depression (p = 0.027). Conclusions Patients with xerostomia exhibited significant decreases in sleep quality compared with control subjects.

Propensity score matching for selection of local areas as controls for evaluation of effects of alcohol policies in case series and quasi case-control designs.

Science.gov (United States)

de Vocht, F; Campbell, R; Brennan, A; Mooney, J; Angus, C; Hickman, M

2016-03-01

Area-level public health interventions can be difficult to evaluate using natural experiments. We describe the use of propensity score matching (PSM) to select control local authority areas (LAU) to evaluate the public health impact of alcohol policies for (1) prospective evaluation of alcohol policies using area-level data, and (2) a novel two-stage quasi case-control design. Ecological. Alcohol-related indicator data (Local Alcohol Profiles for England, PHE Health Profiles and ONS data) were linked at LAU level. Six LAUs (Blackpool, Bradford, Bristol, Ipswich, Islington, and Newcastle-upon-Tyne) as sample intervention or case areas were matched to two control LAUs each using PSM. For the quasi case-control study a second stage was added aimed at obtaining maximum contrast in outcomes based on propensity scores. Matching was evaluated based on average standardized absolute mean differences (ASAM) and variable-specific P-values after matching. The six LAUs were matched to suitable control areas (with ASAM 0.05 indicating good matching) for a prospective evaluation study that sought areas that were similar at baseline in order to assess whether a change in intervention exposure led to a change in the outcome (alcohol related harm). PSM also generated appropriate matches for a quasi case-control study--whereby the contrast in health outcomes between cases and control areas needed to be optimized in order to assess retrospectively whether differences in intervention exposure were associated with the outcome. The use of PSM for area-level alcohol policy evaluation, but also for other public health interventions, will improve the value of these evaluations by objective and quantitative selection of the most appropriate control areas. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Mourning Dove nesting habitat and nest success in Central Missouri

Science.gov (United States)

Drobney, R.D.; Schulz, J.H.; Sheriff, S.L.; Fuemmeler, W.J.

1998-01-01

Previous Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) nesting studies conducted in areas containing a mixture of edge and continuous habitats have focused on edge habitats. Consequently, little is known about the potential contribution of continuous habitats to dove production. In this study we evaluated the relative importance of these two extensive habitat types by monitoring the habitat use and nest success of 59 radio-marked doves during 1990-1991 in central Missouri. Of 83 nests initiated by our marked sample, most (81.9%) were located in edge habitats. Although continuous habitats were selected less as nest sites, the proportion of successful nests did not differ significantly from that in edge habitats. Our data indicate that continuous habitats should not be considered marginal nesting habitat. If the intensity of use and nest success that we observed are representative regionally or nationally, continuous habitats could contribute substantially to annual Mourning Dove production because of the high availability of these habitats throughout much of the Mourning Dove breeding range.

Inflammatory biomarkers, physical activity, waist circumference, and risk of future coronary heart disease in healthy men and women

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rana, Jamal S.; Arsenault, Benoit J.; Després, Jean-Pierre; Côté, Mélanie; Talmud, Philippa J.; Ninio, Ewa; Wouter Jukema, J.; Wareham, Nicholas J.; Kastelein, John J. P.; Khaw, Kay-Tee; Boekholdt, S. Matthijs

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine the contribution of physical activity and abdominal obesity to the variation in inflammatory biomarkers and incident coronary heart disease (CHD) in a European population. In a prospective case-control study nested in the European Prospective Investigation into

Copper accumulation by stickleback nests containing spiggin.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinho, G L L; Martins, C M G; Barber, I

2016-07-01

The three-spined stickleback is a ubiquitous fish of marine, brackish and freshwater ecosystems across the Northern hemisphere that presents intermediate sensitivity to copper. Male sticklebacks display a range of elaborate reproductive behaviours that include nest construction. To build the nests, each male binds nesting material together using an endogenous glycoprotein nesting glue, known as 'spiggin'. Spiggin is a cysteine-rich protein and, therefore, potentially binds heavy metals present in the environment. The aim of this study was to investigate the capacity of stickleback nests to accumulate copper from environmental sources. Newly built nests, constructed by male fish from polyester threads in laboratory aquaria, were immersed in copper solutions ranging in concentration from 21.1-626.6 μg Cu L(-1). Bundles of polyester threads from aquaria without male fish were also immersed in the same copper solutions. After immersion, nests presented higher amounts of copper than the thread bundles, indicating a higher capacity of nests to bind this metal. A significant, positive correlation between the concentration of copper in the exposure solution and in the exposed nests was identified, but there was no such relationship for thread bundles. Since both spiggin synthesis and male courtship behaviour are under the control of circulating androgens, we predicted that males with high courtship scores would produce and secrete high levels of the spiggin protein. In the present study, nests built by high courtship score males accumulated more copper than those built by low courtship score males. Considering the potential of spiggin to bind metals, the positive relationship between fish courtship and spiggin secretion seems to explain the higher amount of copper on the nests from the fish showing high behaviour scores. Further work is now needed to determine the consequences of the copper binding potential of spiggin in stickleback nests for the health and survival of

Risk Factor Associated with Negative Spouse HIV Seroconversion among Sero-Different Couples: A Nested Case-Control Retrospective Survey Study in 30 Counties in Rural China.

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Houlin Tang

Full Text Available Antiretroviral therapy (ART and condom use have been proven to reduce the risk of sexual transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV among HIV sero-different couples, but its full implementation remains a challenge. This study aims to assess HIV seroconversion rate of HIV-negative spouse and its associated risk factors among HIV sero-different couples in rural China.An open cohort of HIV sero-different couples enrolled in 30 counties in China between October 1, 2010, and September 30, 2012, and followed-up to December 31, 2012, was constructed retrospectively. A nested case-control study of risk factors of HIV seroconversion among sero-different couples was conducted in April and May of 2013, based on the open cohort. Sero-different couples with the HIV-negative spouse seroconverting at least 3 months after the previous negative diagnosis during cohort observation period were labeled as "case couples". The "control couples" were selected randomly from the same cohort that did not have the HIV-negative spouse seroconversion during the same period. The "case couples" and "control couples" were matched on gender, age, and region of residence. Sexual behaviors among HIV sero-different couples before and after the index spouses notifying their HIV infection status to their HIV-negative spouses were collected via face-to-face interview. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to assess factors associated with HIV seroconversion among HIV sero-different couples.Of 4481 HIV sero-different couples, a total of 53 seroconversions were observed within 5218 person-years of follow-up. The incidence rate was 1.02 (95%CI: 0.76-1.33 per 100 person-years. Forty "case couples" confirmed HIV-negative spouse seroconversions infected via marital sexual transmission, were matched to 80 "control couples". Of the 120 couples, 81(67.5% were receiving ART, and 70 (58.3% reported consistently used condoms during intercourse after the index

Risk Factor Associated with Negative Spouse HIV Seroconversion among Sero-Different Couples: A Nested Case-Control Retrospective Survey Study in 30 Counties in Rural China.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Houlin; Wu, Zunyou; Mao, Yurong; Cepeda, Javier; Morano, Jamie

2016-01-01

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) and condom use have been proven to reduce the risk of sexual transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among HIV sero-different couples, but its full implementation remains a challenge. This study aims to assess HIV seroconversion rate of HIV-negative spouse and its associated risk factors among HIV sero-different couples in rural China. An open cohort of HIV sero-different couples enrolled in 30 counties in China between October 1, 2010, and September 30, 2012, and followed-up to December 31, 2012, was constructed retrospectively. A nested case-control study of risk factors of HIV seroconversion among sero-different couples was conducted in April and May of 2013, based on the open cohort. Sero-different couples with the HIV-negative spouse seroconverting at least 3 months after the previous negative diagnosis during cohort observation period were labeled as "case couples". The "control couples" were selected randomly from the same cohort that did not have the HIV-negative spouse seroconversion during the same period. The "case couples" and "control couples" were matched on gender, age, and region of residence. Sexual behaviors among HIV sero-different couples before and after the index spouses notifying their HIV infection status to their HIV-negative spouses were collected via face-to-face interview. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to assess factors associated with HIV seroconversion among HIV sero-different couples. Of 4481 HIV sero-different couples, a total of 53 seroconversions were observed within 5218 person-years of follow-up. The incidence rate was 1.02 (95%CI: 0.76-1.33) per 100 person-years. Forty "case couples" confirmed HIV-negative spouse seroconversions infected via marital sexual transmission, were matched to 80 "control couples". Of the 120 couples, 81(67.5%) were receiving ART, and 70 (58.3%) reported consistently used condoms during intercourse after the index spouse was

Model of the best-of-N nest-site selection process in honeybees

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Reina, Andreagiovanni; Marshall, James A. R.; Trianni, Vito; Bose, Thomas

2017-05-01

The ability of a honeybee swarm to select the best nest site plays a fundamental role in determining the future colony's fitness. To date, the nest-site selection process has mostly been modeled and theoretically analyzed for the case of binary decisions. However, when the number of alternative nests is larger than two, the decision-process dynamics qualitatively change. In this work, we extend previous analyses of a value-sensitive decision-making mechanism to a decision process among N nests. First, we present the decision-making dynamics in the symmetric case of N equal-quality nests. Then, we generalize our findings to a best-of-N decision scenario with one superior nest and N -1 inferior nests, previously studied empirically in bees and ants. Whereas previous binary models highlighted the crucial role of inhibitory stop-signaling, the key parameter in our new analysis is the relative time invested by swarm members in individual discovery and in signaling behaviors. Our new analysis reveals conflicting pressures on this ratio in symmetric and best-of-N decisions, which could be solved through a time-dependent signaling strategy. Additionally, our analysis suggests how ecological factors determining the density of suitable nest sites may have led to selective pressures for an optimal stable signaling ratio.

Construction patterns of birds’ nests provide insight into nest-building behaviours

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucia Biddle

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Previous studies have suggested that birds and mammals select materials needed for nest building based on their thermal or structural properties, although the amounts or properties of the materials used have been recorded for only a very small number of species. Some of the behaviours underlying the construction of nests can be indirectly determined by careful deconstruction of the structure and measurement of the biomechanical properties of the materials used. Here we examined this idea in an investigation of Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula nests as a model for open-nesting songbird species that construct a “twig” nest, and tested the hypothesis that materials in different parts of nests serve different functions. The quantities of materials present in the nest base, sides and cup were recorded before structural analysis. Structural analysis showed that the base of the outer nests were composed of significantly thicker, stronger and more rigid materials compared to the side walls, which in turn were significantly thicker, stronger and more rigid than materials used in the cup. These results suggest that the placement of particular materials in nests may not be random, but further work is required to determine if the final structure of a nest accurately reflects the construction process.

Construction patterns of birds’ nests provide insight into nest-building behaviours

Science.gov (United States)

Goodman, Adrian M.

2017-01-01

Previous studies have suggested that birds and mammals select materials needed for nest building based on their thermal or structural properties, although the amounts or properties of the materials used have been recorded for only a very small number of species. Some of the behaviours underlying the construction of nests can be indirectly determined by careful deconstruction of the structure and measurement of the biomechanical properties of the materials used. Here we examined this idea in an investigation of Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) nests as a model for open-nesting songbird species that construct a “twig” nest, and tested the hypothesis that materials in different parts of nests serve different functions. The quantities of materials present in the nest base, sides and cup were recorded before structural analysis. Structural analysis showed that the base of the outer nests were composed of significantly thicker, stronger and more rigid materials compared to the side walls, which in turn were significantly thicker, stronger and more rigid than materials used in the cup. These results suggest that the placement of particular materials in nests may not be random, but further work is required to determine if the final structure of a nest accurately reflects the construction process. PMID:28265501

Construction patterns of birds' nests provide insight into nest-building behaviours.

Science.gov (United States)

Biddle, Lucia; Goodman, Adrian M; Deeming, D Charles

2017-01-01

Previous studies have suggested that birds and mammals select materials needed for nest building based on their thermal or structural properties, although the amounts or properties of the materials used have been recorded for only a very small number of species. Some of the behaviours underlying the construction of nests can be indirectly determined by careful deconstruction of the structure and measurement of the biomechanical properties of the materials used. Here we examined this idea in an investigation of Bullfinch ( Pyrrhula pyrrhula ) nests as a model for open-nesting songbird species that construct a "twig" nest, and tested the hypothesis that materials in different parts of nests serve different functions. The quantities of materials present in the nest base, sides and cup were recorded before structural analysis. Structural analysis showed that the base of the outer nests were composed of significantly thicker, stronger and more rigid materials compared to the side walls, which in turn were significantly thicker, stronger and more rigid than materials used in the cup. These results suggest that the placement of particular materials in nests may not be random, but further work is required to determine if the final structure of a nest accurately reflects the construction process.

Polymorphisms in the xenobiotic transporter Multidrug Resistance 1 (MDR1) and interaction with meat intake in relation to risk of colorectal cancer in a Danish prospective case-cohort study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Vibeke; Østergaard, Mette; Christensen, Jane

2009-01-01

(rs5275) polymorphisms in the 3'-untranslated region. The polymorphisms were assessed together with lifestyle factors in a nested case-cohort study of 359 cases and a random cohort sample of 765 participants from the Danish prospective Diet, Cancer and Health study. Results Carriers of the variant......Background The xenobiotic transporters, Multidrug Resistance 1 (MDR1/ABCB1) and Breast Cancer Resistance Protein (BCRP/ABCG2) may restrict intestinal absorption of various carcinogens, including heterocyclic amines (HCA) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) derived...... prostaglandins promote gastrointestinal carcinogenesis, affecting angiogenesis, apoptosis, and invasiveness. The aim of this study was to investigate if polymorphisms in these genes were associated with risk of colorectal cancer (CRC), and to investigate possible interactions with lifestyle factors...

Diet and Pre-eclampsia: A Prospective Multicentre Case-Control Study in Ethiopia.

Science.gov (United States)

Endeshaw, Mulualem; Abebe, Fantu; Bedimo, Melkamu; Asart, Anemaw

2015-06-01

Pre-eclampsia is one of the most commonly encountered hypertensive disorders of pregnancy that accounts for 20-80% of maternal mortality in developing countries, including Ethiopia. For many years, diet has been suggested to play a role in pre-eclampsia. However, the hypotheses have been diverse with inconsistent results across studies, and this has not been studied in Ethiopia. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of dietary habits on the incidence of pre-eclampsia in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia A prospective multicentre unmatched case-control study was conducted among 453 (151 cases and 302 controls) pregnant women attending antepartum or intrapartum care in public health facilities of Bahir Dar City from June to September 2014. The interviewer conducted a face-to-face interview, measured the mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) and collected the mid-pregnancy haemoglobin level from clinical notes using a standardized and pretested questionnaire. Epi Info 3.5.3 was used for data entry and cleaning, while IBM SPSS Statistics 20 was used for data analysis. Backward stepwise unconditional logistic regression analysis was employed to determine the strength of association of predictive variables with the outcome variable and to control for the effect of confounding variables. A P-value ≤0.05 was considered statistically significant. For every 1-cm increase of MUAC, there was an increase in the incidence rate of pre-eclampsia by a factor of 1.35 (adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=1.35, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.21, 1.51). A higher incidence of pre-eclampsia was found in women who reported to have consumed coffee daily during pregnancy (AOR=1.78, 95% CI: 1.20, 3.05). Similarly, for women who had anaemia during the first trimester, the incidence of pre-eclampsia was 2.5 times higher than their counterparts (AOR=2.47, 95% CI: 1.12, 7.61). This study also revealed consumption of fruit or vegetables at least three times a week during pregnancy to be protective

Ovarian Brenner tumors and Walthard nests: a histologic and immunohistochemical study.

Science.gov (United States)

Roma, Andres A; Masand, Ramya P

2014-12-01

Brenner tumors are composed of urothelial/transitional-type epithelium and, hence, are morphologically similar to Walthard nests and tubal/mesothelial transitional metaplasia. In this study, we analyzed immunohistochemical markers on Brenner tumors to explore Müllerian as well as Wolffian and germ cell derivation. We also attempted to explore their possible association with tubal/paratubal Walthard nests/transitional metaplasia, using the same immunostains. Thirty-two consecutive cases of Brenner tumors were identified. Thirteen (43%) of the patients had Walthard nests in the tubal/periovarian soft tissue. All Brenner tumors were diffusely positive for GATA3 (strongly positive in 30/32 and weakly positive in the remaining 2) and negative for PAX8, PAX2, and SALL4. Similarly, all Walthard nests were positive for GATA3, whereas only 3 (23%) of 13 showed occasional PAX8 expression; all were negative for PAX2 and SALL4. In our study, more than 40% of Brenner tumors had associated Walthard nests. The similar morphology and immunoprofile of Brenner tumors and Walthard nests suggest a probable link between Brenner tumors and Walthard nests. Two additional cases presented highlight small transitional lesions involving the ovary: a possible precursor lesion or the initial steps of Brenner tumor formation. Brenner tumors and most Walthard nests lacked staining for Müllerian (PAX8 and PAX2) and germ cell tumor markers (SALL4). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Causes of death in patients with Itai-itai disease suffering from severe chronic cadmium poisoning: a nested case-control analysis of a follow-up study in Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Nishijo, Muneko; Nakagawa, Hideaki; Suwazono, Yasushi; Nogawa, Kazuhiro; Kido, Teruhiko

2017-07-13

To clarify the causes of deaths among patients with Itai-itai disease and severe cadmium (Cd) poisoning. Nested case-control analysis of a population-based cohort study. Database of patients with Itai-itai disease and residents of Cd-polluted areas, maintained by the Ministry of Environment, Japan. Subjects included 142 women with Itai-itai disease, 111 women with Cd-induced renal tubular dysfunction and 253 controls matched for sex, age and occupation. All subjects participated in a health impact survey between 1979 and 1984 and were followed until 30 November 2005. Adjusted HRs with 95% CIs for cause of death in women with Itai-itai disease and screened female cases with tubular dysfunction were compared with matched pair controls, using Cox's proportional hazard model. Vital statistics data were used to determine cause of death. Direct causes of death from autopsy records were used in 29 patients who died from Cd poisoning. The most common cause of death among patients with Itai-itai disease was pneumonia, with a significantly increased adjusted HR of 4.54 (95% CI 2.65 to 7.76). Renal diseases were the most common cause of death in renal tubular dysfunction cases, with an increased HR of 12.0 (95% CI 3.92 to 36.8). The adjusted HR for renal diseases was also significantly increased in patients with Itai-itai disease (19.49 (95% CI 6.43 to 59.09)), with a greater impact on mortality of patients with Itai-itai disease than screened cases. The HR for gastrointestinal (GI) diseases was significantly increased (13.79 (95% CI 3.87 to 49.10)) in patients, especially in the first 10 years (37.1 (4.81 to 286.0)). Among patients with Itai-itai disease, pneumonia and GI diseases contributed to increased mortality risk. Renal disease is also a significant mortality risk in patients with Itai-itai disease and women with renal tubular dysfunction. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No

Radiotherapy and subsequent thyroid cancer in German childhood cancer survivors: a nested case–control study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Finke, Isabelle; Scholz-Kreisel, Peter; Hennewig, Ulrike; Blettner, Maria; Spix, Claudia

2015-01-01

Radiotherapy is associated with a risk of subsequent neoplasms (SN) in childhood cancer survivors. It has been shown that children’s thyroid glands are especially susceptible. The aim is to quantify the risk of a second neck neoplasm after primary cancer radiotherapy with emphasis on thyroid cancer. We performed a nested case–control study: 29 individuals, diagnosed with a solid SN in the neck region, including 17 with thyroid cancer, in 1980–2002 and 57 matched controls with single neoplasms were selected from the database of the German Childhood Cancer Registry. We investigated the risk associated with radiotherapy exposure given per body region, adjusted for chemotherapy. 16/17 (94.1 %) thyroid SN cases, 9/12 (75 %) other neck SN cases and 34/57 (59.6 %) controls received radiotherapy, with median doses of 27.8, 25 and 24 Gy, respectively. Radiotherapy exposure to the neck region increased the risk of the other neck SNs by 4.2 % (OR = 1.042/Gy (95 %-CI 0.980-1.109)) and of thyroid SN by 5.1 % (OR = 1.051/Gy (95 %-CI 0.984-1.123)), and radiotherapy to the neck or spine region increased the thyroid risk by 6.6 % (OR = 1.066/Gy (95 %-CI 1.010-1.125)). Chemotherapy was not a confounder. Exposure to other body regions was not associated with increased risk. Radiotherapy in the neck or spine region increases the risk of thyroid cancer, while neck exposure increases the risk of any other solid SN to a similar extent. Other studies showed a decreasing risk of subsequent thyroid cancer for very high doses; we cannot confirm this

The nested-doorway model of multistep compound processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hussein, M.S.

1982-05-01

The multistep compound contribution to preequilibrium reaction are discussed within the nested-doorway model. Emphasis is placed on the generalized cross-section auto-correlation function. Several of the more widely used concepts in the conventional, one-class, statistical analysis are discussed and generalized to the multiclass case. A summary of the formal results of the nested-doorway model, obtained within Feshbach's projection operator theory is given. (Author) [pt

Vacant Nests and Other Factors Influencing Nest Site Selection of Birds of Prey Based on Case Studies in Forest Habitats in the Forest-Steppe and Steppe Zones of Eastern Ukraine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stanislav G. Viter

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Our study was conducted in 2003–2012 in Eastern Ukraine, in the basin of the Seversky Donets river. The total surveyed area was ca. 900 km2 of nesting habitats suitable for raptors. A total of 69 vacant nests were found, i.e. 33.2 % of the total number of nests (208. Nests occupied by recipient species, i.e. the so-called ‘effective nest pool’, were 23–24, i.e. 33.3–34.7 % of the pool of available nests. Up to 25 % of all pairs of raptors depend on the availability of vacant nests of heterospecifics. Ravens (Corvus corax are the most significant donors of nests: 42.5 % of the pool of available nests is built by this species, and more than 60 % of them are occupied by recipient species. Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo comes second with 26.09 and 58.3 %, respectively. The most common recipients of nests are Hobbies (Falco subbuteo, Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus and Booted Eagles (Hieraaetus pennatus. The most significant factors that govern occupation of vacant nests by recipient species are: availability of nests in the marginal zone of forest plots, i.e. within 500 m from the forest edge, large distance from human settlements (>1500 m, presence of nests located on trees in the canopy storey, and mature and submature age of forest stands. For seven species considered in our research (n=227, the most important factors were position of nests, in the forest canopy layer, no logging activity within300 m of the nest, no regular human disturbance, and presence of “windows” in the canopy made by fallen trees.

Co-Prevalence of Tremor with Spasmodic Dysphonia: A Case-Control Study

Science.gov (United States)

White, Laura; Klein, Adam; Hapner, Edie; Delgaudio, John; Hanfelt, John; Jinnah, H. A.; Johns, Michael

2011-01-01

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS The aim of this study was to define the co-prevalence of tremor with spasmodic dysphonia (SD). STUDY DESIGN A single institution prospective, case-control study was performed from May 2010 to July 2010. METHODS Consecutive patients with SD (cases) and other voice disorders (controls) were enrolled prospectively. Each participant underwent a voice evaluation and an evaluation for tremor. RESULTS 146 voice disorder controls and 128 patients with SD were enrolled. 26% of patients with SD had vocal tremor, 21% had non-vocal tremor. Patients with SD were 2.8 times more likely to have co-prevalent tremor than the control group (OR = 2.81; 95% CI, 1.55 to 5.08) and only 35% of patients with SD had been seen by a neurologist for the evaluation of dystonia and tremor. CONCLUSIONS Tremor is highly prevalent in patients with SD. It is important for each patient diagnosed with SD to undergo an evaluation for tremor, this is especially important in patients diagnosed with vocal tremor. Level of evidence 3b. PMID:21792965

Nesting behavior of house mice (Mus domesticus) selected for increased wheel-running activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Carter, P A; Swallow, J G; Davis, S J; Garland, T

2000-03-01

Nest building was measured in "active" (housed with access to running wheels) and "sedentary" (without wheel access) mice (Mus domesticus) from four replicate lines selected for 10 generations for high voluntary wheel-running behavior, and from four randombred control lines. Based on previous studies of mice bidirectionally selected for thermoregulatory nest building, it was hypothesized that nest building would show a negative correlated response to selection on wheel-running. Such a response could constrain the evolution of high voluntary activity because nesting has also been shown to be positively genetically correlated with successful production of weaned pups. With wheel access, selected mice of both sexes built significantly smaller nests than did control mice. Without wheel access, selected females also built significantly smaller nests than did control females, but only when body mass was excluded from the statistical model, suggesting that body mass mediated this correlated response to selection. Total distance run and mean running speed on wheels was significantly higher in selected mice than in controls, but no differences in amount of time spent running were measured, indicating a complex cause of the response of nesting to selection for voluntary wheel running.

Preference of rabbit does among different nest materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T.P. Farkas

2018-03-01

was highest on the day of parturition, and on days 27 and 30 of pregnancy. More does built nests with only S (72% than H (16%, and in 12% of the cases the S and H were mixed. For the purpose of nest building, material S was the most frequently used (72% compared to other possibilities (H: 16%, S-H: 12%. It can be concluded that rabbit does showed the following clear preferences for specific nest building materials: L>S>H>W.

Light pollution affects nesting behavior of loggerhead turtles and predation risk of nests and hatchlings.

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Elton; Marco, Adolfo; da Graça, Jesemine; Pérez, Héctor; Abella, Elena; Patino-Martinez, Juan; Martins, Samir; Almeida, Corrine

2017-08-01

The introduction of artificial light into wildlife habitats is a rapidly expanding aspect of global change, which has many negative impacts on a wide range of taxa. In this experimental study, which took place on a beach located on the island of Boa Vista (Cabo Verde), three types of artificial light were tested on nesting loggerhead sea turtles as well as on ghost crabs, which intensively predate on nests and hatchlings, to determine the effects they would produce on the behavior of both species. Over the course of 36days, female loggerheads and ghost crabs were studied under yellow, orange and red lights, with observations also being made on dark nights that served as a control treatment. During this period, the frequencies of nesting attempts, the time taken by turtles to complete each phase of the nesting process, and ghost crab abundance and behaviors were carefully recorded. 1146 loggerhead nesting attempts were observed and recorded during the experiments, and results showed a decrease in nesting attempts of at least 20% when artificial lighting was present. A significant decline in successful attempts was also observed within the central sections of the beach, which corresponded to those that received more light. This artificial lighting significantly increased the time that turtles spent on the nesting process and forced them to do more extensive beach crawls. Despite this, the presence of light had no apparent effect on the final selection of the nesting site. Yellow and orange lights significantly disrupted the sea finding behavior and turtles were often unable to orient themselves seaward under these color lights. Disoriented turtles were observed crawling in circuitous paths in front of the light source for several minutes. In addition, artificial lights had the potential to increase the number of ghost crabs present within the illuminated stretches of the beach. However, only yellow lighting produced a significant change on aggressive and prey

Regression Discontinuity in Prospective Evaluations: The Case of the FFVP Evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

Klerman, Jacob Alex; Olsho, Lauren E. W.; Bartlett, Susan

2015-01-01

While regression discontinuity has usually been applied retrospectively to secondary data, it is even more attractive when applied prospectively. In a prospective design, data collection can be focused on cases near the discontinuity, thereby improving internal validity and substantially increasing precision. Furthermore, such prospective…

Bird's Nest Filter Causing Symptomatic Hydronephrosis Following Transmural Penetration of the Inferior Vena Cava

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stacey, C.S.; Manhire, A.R.; Rose, D.H.; Bishop, M.C.

2004-01-01

We report a case of symptomatic hydronephrosis caused by transcaval penetration of a Bird's Nest filter. Perforation of the wall of the inferior vena cava (IVC) following insertion of a caval filter is a well-recognized complication. Whilst two cases of hydronephrosis have been described with Greenfield filters, no case involving a Bird's Nest filter has been reported previously

Association between road accidents and low-grade hepatic encephalopathy among Sri Lankan drivers with cirrhosis: a prospective case control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Subasinghe, S K C E; Nandamuni, Y; Ranasinghe, S; Niriella, M A; Miththinda, J K N D; Dassanayake, A; de Silva, A P; de Silva, H J

2016-06-13

Low-grade hepatic encephalopathy (LGHE) comprises minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) and grade 1 hepatic encephalopathy. LGHE has no or minimal recognizable symptoms but has mild cognitive and psychomotor deficits. Studies in Western countries have demonstrated increased road accidents (RA) among patients with MHE. Our objective was to investigate the association between Sri Lankan LGHE phenotype and RA. A prospective, case-control study was conducted in the University Medical Unit, North Colombo Teaching Hospital, Ragama Sri Lanka. Patients with cirrhosis of any aetiology, without OHE, who had been driving during previous 1 month were included. A similar number of age matched, healthy control drivers were also enrolled. Both groups were subjected to five pencil-paper based psychometric tests used to detect LGHE in cirrhotics. Self-reported RA during the previous 1 month were recorded: categorized as 'major' when resulted in hospitalization of the involved, 'minor' when there were injuries, but not serious enough for hospitalization of the involved and 'other' when limited to damages to vehicle or environment without injuries. Among 55 drivers with cirrhosis and LGHE [males, median age 53 years (range 30-60)], 7 (12.7 %) reported RA compared to 6 (10.9 %) among 55 controls [males; median age 51 years (range 30-60)]. There were no 'major' accidents in either group. 2/55 (3.6 %) cases and 2/55 (3.6 %) controls reported 'minor' accidents. There was no increased frequency of RA among Sri Lankan drivers with LGHE compared to healthy controls. This is with the limitation of the study based only on self reported RA.

Sorting it out: bedding particle size and nesting material processing method affect nest complexity.

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson-Junker, Amy; Morin, Amelia; Pritchett-Corning, Kathleen; Gaskill, Brianna N

2017-04-01

As part of routine husbandry, an increasing number of laboratory mice receive nesting material in addition to standard bedding material in their cages. Nesting material improves health outcomes and physiological performance in mice that receive it. Providing usable nesting material uniformly and efficiently to various strains of mice remains a challenge. The aim of this study was to determine how bedding particle size, method of nesting material delivery, and processing of the nesting material before delivery affected nest building in mice of strong (BALB/cAnNCrl) and weak (C3H/HeNCrl) gathering abilities. Our data suggest that processing nesting material through a grinder in conjunction with bedding material, although convenient for provision of bedding with nesting material 'built-in', negatively affects the integrity of the nesting material and subsequent nest-building outcomes. We also found that C3H mice, previously thought to be poor nest builders, built similarly scored nests to those of BALB/c mice when provided with unprocessed nesting material. This was true even when nesting material was mixed into the bedding substrate. We also observed that when nesting material was mixed into the bedding substrate, mice of both strains would sort their bedding by particle size more often than if it were not mixed in. Our findings support the utility of the practice of distributing nesting material mixed in with bedding substrate, but not that of processing the nesting material with the bedding in order to mix them.

Identification and medical utilization of incident cases of alcohol dependence: A population-based case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Chun-Hung; Li, Min-Shan; Yang, Tien-Wey; Huang, Ming-Chyi; Su, Sheng-Shiang; Hung, Yen-Ni; Chen, Chiao-Chicy; Kuo, Chian-Jue

2018-05-05

Patients with alcohol dependence (AD) often seek help from medical professionals due to alcohol-related diseases, but the overall distribution of medical specialties identifying new AD cases is unclear. We investigated how such cases were identified and how medical resources were utilized before the identification of AD in a nationwide cohort. We enrolled a population-based cohort (N = 1,000,000) using the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan; 8181 cases with incident AD were retrieved between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2010. For this nested case-control study, four controls were matched for age and sex with each case based on risk-set sampling. We measured various dimensions of medical utilization before AD was diagnosed, including department visited, physical comorbidity, and medication used. Conditional logistic regression was used for estimating the variables associated with AD. Patients living in less urbanized areas who were unemployed were more likely to develop AD. The highest proportions (34.2%) of AD cases were identified in the internal medicine department, followed by the emergency (22.3%) and psychiatry (18.7%) departments. AD patients had a higher risk of comorbid chronic hepatic disease (adjusted RR = 2.72, p identification of AD than controls. AD patients also had greater numbers of hospital admissions than controls, including non-psychiatric and psychiatric hospitalizations. Outpatient visit numbers were similar for AD patients and controls. The findings indicate that clinicians providing care in diverse medical settings should be prepared to screen for unhealthy alcohol use and to mitigate its detrimental effects. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An empirically derived dietary pattern associated with breast cancer risk is validated in a nested case-control cohort from a randomized primary prevention trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Hidaka, Brandon H; Kimler, Bruce F; Fabian, Carol J; Carlson, Susan E

2017-02-01

We reported an association between cytologic atypia, a reversible biomarker of breast cancer risk, and lower omega-3/omega-6 fatty acid ratio in blood and breast tissue. Our goal was to develop and validate a dietary pattern index in this high-risk sample of U.S. women, and test its capacity to predict incidence in a nested case-control cohort of Canadian women from a randomized trial of a low-fat dietary intervention for primary prevention of breast cancer. Food intake was measured by food frequency questionnaire in the U.S. sample (n = 65) and multiple dietary recalls in the Canadian sample (n = 220 cases; 440 controls). Principal component analysis identified a dietary pattern associated with atypia. We measured differences among dietary pattern tertiles in (a) fatty acid composition in blood lipids and breast tissue in the U.S. sample, and (b) risk of breast cancer subtypes in the Canadian cohort. Registered under ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00148057. A Modern diet was characterized as consuming more grains, dairy, and sugar and less vegetables, fish and poultry; these women had lower tissue omega-3 fatty acids and higher omega-6 and trans fatty acids. The low-fat intervention increased the likelihood of a Modern diet after randomization. A Modern diet at baseline and post-randomization was associated with estrogen-receptor negative (ER-) breast cancer risk among those at least 160 cm tall. A Traditional diet (the reciprocal of Modern) at baseline was associated with lower ER-positive (ER+) risk in the comparison group, but not the low-fat intervention group. A Modern diet (high in grains, dairy, and sugar and low in vegetables, fish, and poultry) is associated with ER- breast cancer risk among taller women. Recommending dietary fat reduction may have untoward effects on breast cancer risk. Copyright © 2016 European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nest survival of American Coots relative to grazing, burning, and water depths

Science.gov (United States)

Austin, Jane E.; Buhl, Deborah A.

2011-01-01

Water and emergent vegetation are key features influencing nest site selection and success for many marsh-nesting waterbirds. Wetland management practices such as grazing, burning, and water-level manipulations directly affect these features and can influence nest survival. We used model selection and before-after-control-impact approaches to evaluate the effects of water depth and four common land-management practices or treatments, i.e., summer grazing, fall grazing, fall burning, and idle (no active treatment) on nest survival of American coots (Fulica americana) nesting at Grays Lake, a large montane wetland in southeast Idaho. The best model included the variables year × treatment, and quadratic functions of date, water depth, and nest age; height of vegetation at the nest did not improve the best model. However, results from the before-after-control-impact analysis indicate that management practices affected nest success via vegetation and involved interactions of hydrology, residual vegetation, and habitat composition. Nest success in idled fields changed little between pre- and post-treatment periods, whereas nest success declined in fields that were grazed or burned, with the most dramatic declines the year following treatments. The importance of water depth may be amplified in this wetland system because of rapid water-level withdrawal during the nesting season. Water and land-use values for area ranchers, management for nesting waterbirds, and long-term wetland function are important considerations in management of water levels and vegetation.

Nest Survival of American Coots Relative to Grazing, Burning, and Water Depths

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jane E. Austin

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Water and emergent vegetation are key features influencing nest site selection and success for many marsh-nesting waterbirds. Wetland management practices such as grazing, burning, and water-level manipulations directly affect these features and can influence nest survival. We used model selection and before-after-control-impact approaches to evaluate the effects of water depth and four common land-management practices or treatments, i.e., summer grazing, fall grazing, fall burning, and idle (no active treatment on nest survival of American coots (Fulica americana nesting at Grays Lake, a large montane wetland in southeast Idaho. The best model included the variables year × treatment, and quadratic functions of date, water depth, and nest age; height of vegetation at the nest did not improve the best model. However, results from the before-after-control-impact analysis indicate that management practices affected nest success via vegetation and involved interactions of hydrology, residual vegetation, and habitat composition. Nest success in idled fields changed little between pre- and post-treatment periods, whereas nest success declined in fields that were grazed or burned, with the most dramatic declines the year following treatments. The importance of water depth may be amplified in this wetland system because of rapid water-level withdrawal during the nesting season. Water and land-use values for area ranchers, management for nesting waterbirds, and long-term wetland function are important considerations in management of water levels and vegetation.

Anti-predator meshing may provide greater protection for sea turtle nests than predator removal.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julie M O'Connor

Full Text Available The problem of how to protect sea turtle nests from terrestrial predators is of worldwide concern. On Queensland's southern Sunshine Coast, depredation of turtle nests by the introduced European red fox (Vulpes vulpes has been recorded as the primary terrestrial cause of egg and hatchling mortality. We investigated the impact of foxes on the nests of the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta and occasional green turtle (Chelonia mydas over ten nesting seasons. Meshing of nests with fox exclusion devices (FEDs was undertaken in all years accompanied by lethal fox control in the first five-year period, but not in the second five-year period. Lethal fox control was undertaken in the study area from 2005 to February 2010, but foxes still breached 27% (range19-52% of turtle nests. In the second five-year period, despite the absence of lethal fox control, the average percentage of nests breached was less than 3% (range 0-4%. Comparison of clutch depredation rates in the two five-year periods demonstrated that continuous nest meshing may be more effective than lethal fox control in mitigating the impact of foxes on turtle nests. In the absence of unlimited resources available for the eradication of exotic predators, the use of FEDs and the support and resourcing of a dedicated volunteer base can be considered an effective turtle conservation tool on some beaches.

Anti-predator meshing may provide greater protection for sea turtle nests than predator removal.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Connor, Julie M; Limpus, Colin J; Hofmeister, Kate M; Allen, Benjamin L; Burnett, Scott E

2017-01-01

The problem of how to protect sea turtle nests from terrestrial predators is of worldwide concern. On Queensland's southern Sunshine Coast, depredation of turtle nests by the introduced European red fox (Vulpes vulpes) has been recorded as the primary terrestrial cause of egg and hatchling mortality. We investigated the impact of foxes on the nests of the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) and occasional green turtle (Chelonia mydas) over ten nesting seasons. Meshing of nests with fox exclusion devices (FEDs) was undertaken in all years accompanied by lethal fox control in the first five-year period, but not in the second five-year period. Lethal fox control was undertaken in the study area from 2005 to February 2010, but foxes still breached 27% (range19-52%) of turtle nests. In the second five-year period, despite the absence of lethal fox control, the average percentage of nests breached was less than 3% (range 0-4%). Comparison of clutch depredation rates in the two five-year periods demonstrated that continuous nest meshing may be more effective than lethal fox control in mitigating the impact of foxes on turtle nests. In the absence of unlimited resources available for the eradication of exotic predators, the use of FEDs and the support and resourcing of a dedicated volunteer base can be considered an effective turtle conservation tool on some beaches.

Risk of bleeding and antibiotic use in patients receiving continuous phenprocoumon therapy. A case-control study nested in a large insurance- and population-based German cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Abbas, Sascha; Ihle, Peter; Harder, Sebastian; Schubert, Ingrid

2014-05-05

There is major concern about coumarins interacting with various drug classes and increasing the risk of overanticoagulation. The aim of the study was to assess bleeding risk in patients with concurrent use of antibiotics and phenprocoumon, the most widely prescribed coumarin in many European countries. We conducted a nested-case-control study within a cohort of 513,338 incident and continuous phenprocoumon users ≥ 18 years of age using claims data of the statutory health insurance company AOK, covering 30% of the German population. Bleeding risk associated with current use of antibiotics for systemic use (antibacterials/antimycotics) was calculated using conditional logistic regression in 13,785 cases with a bleeding event and 55,140 risk-set sampling-matched controls. Bleeding risk associated with any antibacterial use in phenprocoumon users was significantly increased [odds ratio (OR) 2.37, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.20-2.56]. The association was stronger for gastrointestinal than for cerebral bleeding (OR 2.09, 95% CI 1.84-2.38 and OR 1.34, 95% CI 1.03-1.74, respectively) and highest for other/unspecified bleeding (OR 2.92, 95% CI 2.62-3.26). Specific antibiotic classes were strongly associated with bleeding risk, e.g. cotrimoxazole (OR 3.86, 95% CI 3.08-4.84) and fluorquinolones (OR 3.13, 95% CI 2.74-3.59), among those highest for ofloxacin (OR 5.00, 95% CI 3.01-8.32). Combined use of phenprocoumon and antimycotics was not significantly associated with bleeding risk. Risk was not significantly modified by age (pint=0.25) or sex (pint=0.96). The association was stronger the closer the antibiotic exposure was to the bleeding event. Among continuous phenprocoumon users, antibiotics - particularly quinolones and cotrimoxazole - should be prescribed after careful consideration due to an increased bleeding risk. Close monitoring of international normalised ratio levels after prescription is recommended.

Pre-nesting and nesting behavior of the Swainson's warbler

Science.gov (United States)

Meanley, B.

1969-01-01

The Swainson?s Warbler is one of the least known of southern birds. Although fairly common in some parts of its summer range, observations of its breeding biology have been made by very few persons. The present study was conducted mostly at Macon, Georgia; Pendleton Ferry, Arkansas; and Dismal Swamp, Virginia....In central Georgia and east-central Arkansas, Swainson?s Warblers usually arrive on their territories during the first two weeks in April. Territories in several localities ranged in size from 0.3 to 4.8 acres. A color-marked Arkansas male occupied the same territory for at least four months. Hostile encounters between territorial male Swainson?s Warblers usually take place along the boundary of adjacent territories. Paired males were more aggressive than unpaired males. Toward the end of an encounter one of the two males would usually perform a display in which the wing and tail feathers were spread and the tail vibrated. Following boundary encounters males drifted back onto their territories and usually sang unbroken courses of songs for several minutes.....During pre-nesting at Macon, a mated pair spent the day mostly on the ground within 20 feet of each other, often foragin g 3 to 4 feet apart. What may have been a form of courtship display, in which the male flew from a perch down to the female and either pecked her rump or pounced on her, occurred about three times each hour throughout the day. During this period the male sang less than at other times during the breeding season.....First nests are usually built by the first week in May. Although other investigators reported finding nests of this species outside of the defended territory, all nests that I have found were within the territory. The large, bulky nest of this species usually is placed 2-6 feet above the ground. It is built by the female from materials gathered close to the nest site; and takes two or three days to complete.....Three and occasionally four white eggs are laid. The female

Open cup nests evolved from roofed nests in the early passerines.

Science.gov (United States)

Price, J Jordan; Griffith, Simon C

2017-02-08

The architectural diversity of nests in the passerine birds (order Passeriformes) is thought to have played an important role in the adaptive radiation of this group, which now comprises more than half of avian species and occupies nearly all terrestrial ecosystems. Here, we present an extensive survey and ancestral state reconstruction of nest design across the passerines, focusing on early Australian lineages and including members of nearly all passerine families worldwide. Most passerines build open cup-shaped nests, whereas a minority build more elaborate domed structures with roofs. We provide strong evidence that, despite their relative rarity today, domed nests were constructed by the common ancestor of all modern passerines. Open cup nests evolved from enclosed domes at least four times independently during early passerine evolution, at least three of which occurred on the Australian continent, yielding several primarily cup-nesting clades that are now widespread and numerically dominant among passerines. Our results show that the ubiquitous and relatively simple cup-shaped nests of many birds today evolved multiple times convergently, suggesting adaptive benefits over earlier roofed designs. © 2017 The Author(s).

Cushing syndrome as presenting symptom of calcifying nested stromal-epithelial tumor of the liver in an adolescent boy: a case report

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Weeda, V. B.; de Reuver, Ph R.; Bras, H.; Zsíros, J.; Lamers, W. H.; Aronson, D. C.

2016-01-01

Ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone-producing primary liver tumors are rare, especially in children. We report the case of an adolescent boy of mixed Dutch and Moroccan descent with an adrenocorticotropic hormone-producing calcifying nested stromal-epithelial tumor with long-term follow-up. Thus

Do Predation Rates on Artificial Nests Accurately Reflect Predation Rates on Natural Bird Nests?

Science.gov (United States)

David I. King; Richard M. DeGraaf; Curtice R. Griffin; Thomas J. Maier

1999-01-01

Artificial nests are widely used in avian field studies. However, it is unclear how well predation rates on artificial nests reflect predation rates on natural nests. Therefore, we compared survival rates of artificial nests (unused natural nests baited with House Sparrow eggs) with survival rates of active bird nests in the same habitat at the same sites. Survival...

Maternal serum bisphenol A levels and risk of pre-eclampsia: a nested case–control study

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Yunzhen; Zhou, Qiongjie; Feng, Liping; Wu, Jiangnan; Xiong, Yu; Li, Xiaotian

2017-01-01

Abstract Background Although recent studies have indicated the potential adverse effects of maternal bisphenol A (BPA) exposure on pregnancy such as increasing the risk of pre-eclampsia, epidemiological evidence is limited. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between maternal BPA exposure and the risk of pre-eclampsia. Methods We conducted a nested case–control study among 173 women (74 cases of pre-eclampsia and 99 controls). BPA concentrations were measured using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in the maternal serum samples collected during 16–20 gestational weeks. Multivariate logistic models were used to examine the relationship between maternal serum BPA concentrations and the risk of pre-eclampsia. Results BPA was detectable (>0.1 µg/l) in 78.6% of the maternal serum samples at three levels: low (4.44 µg/l). BPA concentrations were significantly higher in the serum samples collected from the pre-eclampsia cases than those from controls (median: 3.40 vs. 1.50 µg/l, P < 0.01). With adjustment for maternal age, primiparous and BMI, the odds of developing pre-eclampsia were significantly elevated in subjects with high serum BPA levels compared with those with low levels (adjusted OR = 16.46, 95%CI = 5.42–49.85) regardless of subcategories of pre-eclampsia including severity and onset time. Among the pre-eclampsia subjects, the maternal serum concentration of BPA was not different between the early- and late-onset subjects (median: 3.09 vs. 3.50 µg/l, P = 0.57), but surprisingly higher in mild pre-eclampsia subjects compared with severe pre-eclampsia subjects (median: 5.20 vs. 1.80 µg/l, P < 0.01). Conclusions These results demonstrated that maternal exposure to high level of BPA could be associated with an increased risk of pre-eclampsia. PMID:29186464

Quantum critical fluctuations due to nested Fermi surface: The case of spinless fermions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schlottmann, P.

2007-01-01

A quantum critical point (QCP) can be obtained by tuning the critical temperature of a second-order phase transition to zero. A simple model of spinless fermions with nested Fermi surface leading to a charge density wave is considered. The QCP is obtained by tuning the nesting mismatch of the Fermi surface, which has the following consequences: (i) For the tuned QCP, the specific heat over T and the effective mass increase with the logarithm of the temperature as T is lowered. (ii) For the tuned QCP the linewidth of the quasi-particles is sublinear in T and ω. (iii) The specific heat and the linewidth display a crossover from non-Fermi liquid (∼T) to Fermi liquid (∼T 2 ) behavior with increasing nesting mismatch and decreasing temperature. (iv) For the tuned QCP, the dynamical charge susceptibility has a quasi-elastic peak with a linewidth proportional to T. (v) For non-critical Fermi vector mismatch the peak is inelastic. (vi) While the specific heat and the quasi-particle linewidth are only weakly dependent on the geometry of the nested Fermi surfaces, the momentum-dependent dynamical susceptibility is expected to be affected by the shape of the Fermi surface

Exposure to bacterial products lipopolysaccharide and flagellin and hepatocellular carcinoma: a nested case-control study.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fedirko, Veronika; Tran, Hao Quang; Gewirtz, Andrew T; Stepien, Magdalena; Trichopoulou, Antonia; Aleksandrova, Krasimira; Olsen, Anja; Tjønneland, Anne; Overvad, Kim; Carbonnel, Franck; Boutron-Ruault, Marie-Christine; Severi, Gianluca; Kühn, Tilman; Kaaks, Rudolf; Boeing, Heiner; Bamia, Christina; Lagiou, Pagona; Grioni, Sara; Panico, Salvatore; Palli, Domenico; Tumino, Rosario; Naccarati, Alessio; Peeters, Petra H; Bueno-de-Mesquita, H B; Weiderpass, Elisabete; Castaño, José María Huerta; Barricarte, Aurelio; Sánchez, María-José; Dorronsoro, Miren; Quirós, J Ramón; Agudo, Antonio; Sjöberg, Klas; Ohlsson, Bodil; Hemmingsson, Oskar; Werner, Mårten; Bradbury, Kathryn E; Khaw, Kay-Tee; Wareham, Nick; Tsilidis, Konstantinos K; Aune, Dagfinn; Scalbert, Augustin; Romieu, Isabelle; Riboli, Elio; Jenab, Mazda

2017-01-01

Leakage of bacterial products across the gut barrier may play a role in liver diseases which often precede the development of liver cancer. However, human studies, particularly from prospective settings, are lacking.

Investigation of the association of growth rate in grower-finishing pigs with the quantification of Lawsonia intracellularis and porcine circovirus type 2

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Johansen, Markku; Nielsen, MaiBritt; Dahl, Jan

2013-01-01

As a part of a prospective cohort study in four herds, a nested case control study was carried out. Five slow growing pigs (cases) and five fast growing pigs (controls) out of 60 pigs were selected for euthanasia and laboratory examination at the end of the study in each herd. A total of 238 pigs...

A Case Study on Mathematical Literacy of Prospective Elementary School Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Suharta, I. Gusti Putu; Suarjana, I. Made

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study is to describe Mathematical Literacy (ML) of Prospective Elementary School Teachers with attention to aspects of mathematical skills and gender. The type of research is qualitative with the research design of Case Study. Respondents are assigned 12 Prospective Elementary School Teachers, consisting of 6 men and 6 women.…

MAGNETIC NESTED-WIND SCENARIOS FOR BIPOLAR OUTFLOWS: PREPLANETARY AND YSO NEBULAR SHAPING

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dennis, Timothy J.; Frank, Adam; Blackman, Eric G.; DeMarco, Orsola; Balick, Bruce; Mitran, Sorin

2009-01-01

We present results of a series of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) and hydrodynamic (HD) 2.5 dimensional simulations of the morphology of outflows driven by nested wide-angle winds, i.e., winds that emanate from a central star as well as from an orbiting accretion disk. While our results are broadly relevant to nested-wind systems, we have tuned the parameters of the simulations to touch on issues in both young stellar objects and planetary nebula (PN) studies. In particular, our studies connect to open issues in the early evolution of PNs. We find that nested MHD winds exhibit marked morphological differences from the single MHD wind case along both dimensions of the flow. Nested HD winds, on the other hand, give rise mainly to geometric distortions of an outflow that is topologically similar to the flow arising from a single stellar HD wind. Our MHD results are insensitive to changes in ambient temperature between ionized and un-ionized circumstellar environments. The results are sensitive to the relative mass-loss rates and the relative speeds of the stellar and disk winds. We also present synthetic emission maps of both nested MHD and HD simulations. We find that nested MHD winds show knots of emission appearing on-axis that do not appear in the HD case.

Snapshots of Student Thinking: An Exploration of Video Cases for Extending Prospective Teachers' Knowledge

Science.gov (United States)

Pitts Bannister, Vanessa R.; Mariano, Gina J.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this article is to explore the relationships between prospective teachers' content knowledge, student understanding, and pedagogy using video cases. The emphasis was on the extent to which the participants utilized constructs of Technology Pedagogy And Content Knowledge. Ten prospective teachers viewed video cases of students…

Nest predation increases with parental activity: separating nest site and parental activity effects.

OpenAIRE

Martin, T E; Scott, J; Menge, C

2000-01-01

Alexander Skutch hypothesized that increased parental activity can increase the risk of nest predation. We tested this hypothesis using ten open-nesting bird species in Arizona, USA. Parental activity was greater during the nestling than incubation stage because parents visited the nest frequently to feed their young during the nestling stage. However, nest predation did not generally increase with parental activity between nesting stages across the ten study species. Previous investigators h...

Using spatial context to support prospective memory in simulated air traffic control.

Science.gov (United States)

Loft, Shayne; Finnerty, Dannielle; Remington, Roger W

2011-12-01

The aim was to examine whether prospective memory error and response costs to ongoing tasks in an air traffic control simulation could be reduced by providing spatial context. Prospective memory refers to remembering to perform an intended action at an appropriate point in the future. Failures of prospective memory can occur in air traffic control. For this study, three conditions of participants performed an air traffic control task that required them to accept and hand off aircraft and to prevent conflicts. The prospective memory task required participants to remember to press an alternative key rather than the routine key when accepting target aircraft. A red line separated the display into upper and lower regions. Participants in the context condition were told that the prospective memory instruction would apply only to aircraft approaching from one region (upper or lower). Those in the standard condition were not provided this information. In the control condition, participants did not have to perform the prospective memory task. In the context condition, participants made fewer prospective memory errors than did those in the standard condition and made faster acceptance decisions for aircraft approaching from irrelevant compared with relevant regions. Costs to hand-off decision time were also reduced in the context condition. Spatial context provided no benefit to conflict detection. Participants could partially localize their allocation of attentional resources to the prospective memory task to relevant display regions. The findings are potentially applicable to air traffic control, whereby regularities in airspace structure and standard traffic flows allow controllers to anticipate the location of specific air traffic events.

Plasma levels of nitrate and risk of prostate cancer: a prospective study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Tianying; Wang, Yushan; Ho, Shuk-Mei; Giovannucci, Edward

2013-07-01

Nitrate and nitrite supplements have recently been shown to improve cardiovascular health, but there is concern that these supplements could contribute to the development of cancer. Previous small, cross-sectional studies reported positive associations between circulating nitrate/nitrite levels and cancer. Prospective studies examining the association between plasma nitrate and cancer, especially prostate cancer, are lacking. We conducted a nested case-control study within the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Baseline blood samples were collected in 1994, and incident cases of prostate cancer were identified from 1997 to 2005. Baseline plasma levels of nitrate were measured in the 630 cases and 630 matched controls. We have found that baseline levels of plasma nitrate were not associated with risk of prostate cancer. Compared to quintile 1, the relative risk from quintiles 2 to 5 were 1.13 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.78-1.63], 0.93 (95% CI, 0.63-1.38), 0.95 (95% CI, 0.65-1.39), and 0.99 (95% CI, 0.68-1.48); Ptrend was 0.9 after adjustment of multivariate risk factors. When analyses were restricted to men fasting more than 6 hours, the trend was similar. Furthermore, plasma nitrate seemed to be inversely associated with advanced-stage prostate cancer. The relative risk across extreme quartiles was 0.44 (95% CI, 0.17-1.12; Ptrend = 0.07) for the whole dataset and 0.30 (95% CI, 0.09-0.99; Ptrend = 0.05) for the fasting dataset. In summary, we did not find an increased risk of prostate cancer associated with higher plasma nitrate levels. A potential protective association between nitrate and aggressive forms of prostate cancer requires confirmation. Nitrate-nitrite-nitric oxide pathway has emerged as a new therapeutic pathway for chronic diseases. The results of this study certainly merit replications in other prospective studies.

Using New Mode Choice Model Nesting Structures to Address Emerging Policy Questions: A Case Study of the Pittsburgh Central Business District

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zulqarnain H. Khattak

2017-11-01

Full Text Available As transportation activities affect a region’s environmental quality, knowing why individuals prefer certain modes can help a region make judicious transportation investments. Using a nested logit model, this paper studies the behavior of commuters to downtown Pittsburgh who use auto, bus, light rail, walking, and biking. Although statistical measures influence the selection of a nesting structure, another criterion for model selection is the policy questions such models inform. Hence this paper demonstrates how an alternative model structure allows planners to consider new policy questions. For example, how might a change in parking fee affect greenhouse gas emission (GHGs? The proposed model showed that a 5%, 10% and 15% increase in parking cost reduces GHGs by 7.3%, 9% and 13.2%, respectively, through increasing carpoolers’ mode share. Because the proposed model forecasts mode choices of certain groups of travelers with higher accuracy (compared to an older model that did not consider the model selection criteria presented here, the proposed model strengthens policymakers’ ability to consider environmental impacts of interest to the region (in this case, GHGs. The paper does not suggest that one nesting structure is always preferable; rather the nesting structure must be chosen with the policy considerations in mind.

Comparison of the diagnostic performance of microscopic examination with nested polymerase chain reaction for optimum malaria diagnosis in Upper Myanmar.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Jung-Mi; Cho, Pyo-Yun; Moe, Mya; Lee, Jinyoung; Jun, Hojong; Lee, Hyeong-Woo; Ahn, Seong Kyu; Kim, Tae Im; Pak, Jhang Ho; Myint, Moe Kyaw; Lin, Khin; Kim, Tong-Soo; Na, Byoung-Kuk

2017-03-16

Accurate diagnosis of Plasmodium infection is crucial for prompt malaria treatment and surveillance. Microscopic examination has been widely applied as the gold standard for malaria diagnosis in most part of malaria endemic areas, but its diagnostic value has been questioned, particularly in submicroscopic malaria. In this study, the diagnostic performance of microscopic examination and nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was evaluated to establish optimal malaria diagnosis method in Myanmar. A total of 1125 blood samples collected from residents in the villages and towns located in Naung Cho, Pyin Oo Lwin, Tha Beik Kyin townships and Mandalay of Upper Myanmar were screened by microscopic examination and species-specific nested PCR method. Among the 1125 blood samples, 261 samples were confirmed to be infected with malaria by microscopic examination. Evaluation of the 1125 samples by species-specific nested PCR analysis revealed that the agreement between microscopic examination and nested PCR was 87.3% (261/299). Nested PCR successfully detected 38 Plasmodium falciparum or Plasmodium vivax infections, which were missed in microscopic examination. Microscopic examinations also either misdiagnosed the infected Plasmodium species, or did not detect mixed infections with different Plasmodium species in 31 cases. The nested PCR method is more reliable than conventional microscopic examination for the diagnosis of malaria infections, and this is particularly true in cases of mixed infections and submicroscopic infections. Given the observed higher sensitivity and specificity of nested PCR, the molecular method holds enormous promise in malaria diagnosis and species differentiation, and can be applied as an effective monitoring tool for malaria surveillance, control and elimination in Myanmar.

Whole-Blood Nested-PCR Amplification of M. leprae-Specific DNA for Early Diagnosis of Leprosy

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, Yan; Xing, Yan; Yuan, Lian-Chao; Liu, Jian; Zhang, Ying; Li, Huan-Ying

2013-01-01

We evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of a nested-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method for detection of Mycobacterium leprae DNA from whole blood. Whole-blood specimens were subjected to nested-PCR amplification of M. leprae repeat DNA sequences in 49 multibacillary (MB) and 30 paucibacillary (PB) leprosy patients, 96 household contacts (HHCs), 18 tuberculosis (TB) patients, and 35 normal healthy individuals. M. leprae DNA was detected in 95.92% (47/49) of MB, 70% (21/30) of PB, and 6.25% (6/96) of HHC, but it was not detected in 18 TB or 35 normal controls. The sensitivities of the anti-bovine serum albumin (ND-O-BSA) immunoglobulin M (IgM) and antifusion protein of ML0405-ML2331 IgG for MB were 97.96% and 89.8%, and these values for PB were 70% and 53.33%. However, the ND-O-BSA enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) had lower specificity, with relatively high false-positive results for TB patients (16.67%) and normal healthy controls (10%). Based on these promising findings, we propose the use of nested PCR of whole-blood samples along with ELISA test for early detection of leprosy cases. PMID:23478578

The nest as fortress: Defensive behavior of Polybia emaciata, a mud-nesting eusocial wasp

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sean O'Donnell

2002-02-01

Full Text Available The swarm-founding wasp Polybia emaciata is unusual among eusocial Vespidae because it uses mud, rather than wood pulp, as its primary nest construction material. Polybia emaciata nests are more durable than similarly sized paper nests. We tested the hypothesis that the defensive behavior of this wasp may have been modified to take advantage of their strong nests in defense against vertebrate attacks. We simulated vertebrate disturbances by tapping on, and breathing in, P. emaciata. nests and similarly sized P. occidentalis paper nests in the same location at the same time. Polybia emaciata. responses to disturbance were qualitatively different from those of P. occidentalis. The latter exit the nest and attack, while P. emaciata. workers typically fled or entered the nest, attacking only after repeated and extended disturbances. We conclude that durable nest material may permit predator avoidance behavior in P. emaciata.. We compare the defensive responses of P. emaciata. workers with those of other swarm-founding Vespidae, and discuss several selective forces that could cause the evolution of species variation in nest defense behavior.

Cavity Nesting Birds

Science.gov (United States)

Virgil E. Scott; Keith E. Evans; David R. Patton; Charles P. Stone

1977-01-01

Many species of cavity-nesting birds have declined because of habitat reduction. In the eastern United States, where primeval forests are gone, purple martins depend almost entirely on man-made nesting structures (Allen and Nice 1952). The hole-nesting population of peregrine falcons disappeared with the felling of the giant trees upon which they depended (Hickey and...

Nest predators of open and cavity nesting birds in oak woodlands

Science.gov (United States)

Kathryn L. Purcell; Jared Verner

1999-01-01

Camera setups revealed at least three species of rodents and seven species of birds as potential predators at artificial open nests. Surprisingly, among avian predators identified at open nests, one third were Bullock's Orioles (Icterus bullockii). Two rodent species and three bird species were potential predators at artificial cavity nests. This high predator...

Effect of GRM7 polymorphisms on the development of noise-induced hearing loss in Chinese Han workers: a nested case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Peipei; Jiao, Jie; Chen, Guoshun; Zhou, Wenhui; Zhang, Huanling; Wu, Hui; Li, Yanhong; Gu, Guizhen; Zheng, Yuxin; Yu, Yue; Yu, Shanfa

2018-01-05

Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is a complex, irreversible disease caused by the interaction of genetic and environmental factors. In recent years, a great many studies have been done to explore the NIHL susceptibility genes among humans. So far, high powerful detections have been founded that genes of potassium ion channel genes (KCNQ4 and KCNE1), catalase (CAT), protocadherin 15 (PCDH15), myosin 14 (MYH14) and heart shock protein (HSP70) which have been identified in more than one population may be associated with the susceptibility to NIHL. As for metabolic glutamate receptor7 gene (GRM7), a lot of researches mainly focus on age-related hearing loss (ARHL) and the results have shown that the polymorphisms of GRM7 are linked to the development of ARHL. However, little is known about the association of GRM7 and the susceptibility to NIHL. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the effect of GRM7 polymorphisms on the susceptibility to NIHL. A nested case-control study based on the cohort in a Chinese steel factory was implemented in 292 cases and 584 controls matched with the same sex, the age difference ≤ 5 years old, the same type of work, duration of occupational noise exposure ≤2 years. Five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of GRM7 were gained through selecting and genotyping SNPs. Conditional logistic regression analysis was used to assess the main effect of GRM7 polymorphisms on the susceptibility to NIHL and the gene-by-environment interaction. Furthermore, the gene-by-gene interactions were analyzed by generalized multiple dimensionality reduction (GMDR). This research discovered for the first time that the mutant allele C in rs1485175 of the GMR7 may decrease individuals' susceptibility to NIHL. The interaction between rs1485175 and cumulative noise exposure (CNE) at high level was found after the stratification according to CNE (p/p bon  = 0.014/0.007, OR = 0.550, 95% CI: 0.340-0.891). Permutation test of GMDR suggested

New use of low-dose aspirin and risk of colorectal cancer by stage at diagnosis: a nested case-control study in UK general practice.

Science.gov (United States)

García Rodríguez, Luis A; Soriano-Gabarró, Montse; Bromley, Susan; Lanas, Angel; Cea Soriano, Lucía

2017-09-07

Evidence from clinical trial populations suggests low-dose aspirin reduces the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). Part of this reduction in risk might be due to protection against metastatic disease. We investigated the risk of CRC among new-users of low-dose aspirin (75-300 mg), including risk by stage at diagnosis. Using The Health Improvement Network, we conducted a cohort study with nested case-control analysis. Two cohorts (N = 170,336 each) aged 40-89 years from 2000 to 2009 and free of cancer were identified: i) new-users of low-dose aspirin, ii) non-users of low-dose aspirin, at start of follow-up, matched by age, sex and previous primary care practitioner visits. Patients were followed for up to 12 years to identify incident CRC. 10,000 frequency-matched controls were selected by incidence density sampling where the odds ratio is an unbiased estimator of the incidence rate ratio (RR). RRs with 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Low-dose aspirin use was classified 'as-treated' independent from baseline exposure status to account for changes in exposure during follow-up. Current users of low-dose aspirin (use on the index date or in the previous 90 days) had a significantly reduced risk of CRC, RR 0.66 (95% CI 0.60-0.74). The reduction in risk was apparent across all age groups, and was unrelated to dose, indication, gender, CRC location or case-fatality status. Reduced risks occurred throughout treatment duration and with all low-dose aspirin doses. RRs by aspirin indication were 0.71 (0·63-0·79) and 0.60 (0.53-0.68) for primary and secondary cardiovascular protection, respectively. Among cases with staging information (n = 1421), RRs for current use of low-dose aspirin were 0.94 (0.66-1.33) for Dukes Stage A CRC, 0.54 (0.42-0.68) for Dukes B, 0.71 (0.56-0.91) for Dukes C, and 0.60 (0.48-0.74) for Dukes D. After 5 years' therapy, the RR for Dukes Stage A CRC was 0.53 (0.24-1.19). Patients starting low-dose aspirin therapy have a reduced

Monotonicity properties of keff with shape change and with nesting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arzhanov, V.

2002-01-01

It was found that, contrary to expectations based on physical intuition, k eff can both increase and decrease when changing the shape of an initially regular critical system, while preserving its volume. Physical intuition would only allow for a decrease of k eff when the surface/volume ratio increases. The unexpected behaviour of increasing k eff was found through numerical investigation. For a convincing demonstration of the possibility of the non-monotonic behaviour, a simple geometrical proof was constructed. This latter proof, in turn, is based on the assumption that k eff can only increase (or stay constant) in the case of nesting, i.e. when adding extra volume to a system. Since we found no formal proof of the nesting theorem for the general case, we close the paper by a simple formal proof of the monotonic behaviour of k eff by nesting

Modeling nest survival of cavity-nesting birds in relation to postfire salvage logging

Science.gov (United States)

Vicki Saab; Robin E. Russell; Jay Rotella; Jonathan G. Dudley

2011-01-01

Salvage logging practices in recently burned forests often have direct effects on species associated with dead trees, particularly cavity-nesting birds. As such, evaluation of postfire management practices on nest survival rates of cavity nesters is necessary for determining conservation strategies. We monitored 1,797 nests of 6 cavity-nesting bird species: Lewis'...

Triangular Nests!

Science.gov (United States)

Powell, R. I.

2002-01-01

Shows how integer-sided triangles can be nested, each nest having a single enclosing isosceles triangle. Brings to light what can be seen as a relatively simple generalization of Pythagoras' theorem, a result that should be readily accessible to many secondary school pupils. (Author/KHR)

Effect of Tithonia diversifolia mulch on Atta cephalotes (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) nests.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez, Jonathan; Montoya-Lerma, James; Calle, Zoraida

2015-01-01

Recent studies have shown an insecticidal effect of Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) Gray (Asterales: Asteraceae) foliage on workers of Atta cephalotes L. and inhibitory effects of this plant on the growth of the symbiotic fungus Leucoagaricus gongylophorus (A. Müler) Singer. To evaluate the potential of T. diversifolia as a biological control treatment of this important pest, we assessed the effect of green manure (mulch) of this plant on natural nests of A. cephalotes, in Cali, Colombia. Three treatments were randomly assigned to 30 nests: 1) green mulch of T. diversifolia, 2) green mulch of Miconia sp., Ruiz & Pav. and 3) unmulched control. Every 2 wk for 6 mo, the surface of the nests was completely covered with leaves. Physical and chemical parameters of nest soil were assessed before the first and after the last application of the mulch. Ant foraging in T. diversifolia-treated nests decreased by 60% after the initial applications of the mulch, while nest surface area decreased by 40%. When the nests covered with T. diversifolia were opened, it was observed that the superficial fungus chambers had been relocated at a greater depth. In addition, microbial activity and soil pH increased by 84% and 12%, respectively, in nests covered with plant residues. In conclusion, the continued use of T. diversifolia mulch reduces foraging activity and negatively affects the internal conditions of the colonies, thereby inducing the ants to relocate the fungus chambers within the nests. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Entomological Society of America.

Incremental cost-effectiveness of proton pump inhibitors for the prevention of NSAID ulcers: a pharmacoeconomic analysis linked to a case-control study.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vonkeman, Harald Erwin; Braakman-Jansen, Louise Marie Antoinette; Klok, Rogier M.; Postma, Maarten J.; Brouwers, Jacobus R.B.J.; van de Laar, Mart A F J

2008-01-01

Introduction We estimated the cost effectiveness of concomitant proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) in relation to the occurrence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) ulcer complications. Methods This study was linked to a nested case-control study. Patients with NSAID ulcer complications were

Nest-site habitat of cavity-nesting birds at the San Joaquin Experimental Range

Science.gov (United States)

Kathryn L. Purcell; Jared. Verner

2008-01-01

Detailed information about the nesting habitats of birds, including those needed for successful nesting, can provide a better understanding of the ecological factors that permit coexistence of different species and may aid in conservation efforts. From 1989 through 1994, we studied the nesting habitat of secondary cavity-nesting birds in oak woodlands at the San...

Interspecific nest parasitism by chukar on greater sage-grouse

Science.gov (United States)

Fearon, Michelle L.; Coates, Peter S.

2014-01-01

Nest parasitism occurs when a female bird lays eggs in the nest of another and the host incubates the eggs and may provide some form of parental care for the offspring (Lyon and Eadie 1991). Precocial birds (e.g., Galliformes and Anseriformes) are typically facultative nest parasites of both their own and other species (Lyon and Eadie 1991). This behavior increases a female’s reproductive success when she parasitizes other nests while simultaneously raising her own offspring. Both interspecific and conspecific nest parasitism have been well documented in several families of the order Galliformes, particularly the Phasianidae (Lyon and Eadie 1991, Geffen and Yom-Tov 2001, Krakauer and Kimball 2009). The Chukar (Alectoris chukar) has been widely introduced as a game bird to western North America from Eurasia and is now well established within the Great Basin from northeastern California east to Utah and north to Idaho and Oregon (Christensen 1996). Over much of this range the Chukar occurs with other phasianids, including the native Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), within sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) steppe (Christensen 1996, Schroeder et al. 1999, Connelly et al. 2000). Chukar typically exploit a broader range of habitats than do sage-grouse, but both species use the same species of sagebrush and other shrubs for nesting cover (Christensen 1996, Schroeder et al. 1999). Chukar are known to parasitize nests of other individuals of their own species (Geffen and Yom-Tov 2001), but we are unaware of reported evidence that Chukar may parasitize nests of sage-grouse. Here we describe a case of a Chukar parasitizing a sage-grouse nest in the sagebrush steppe of western Nevada.

Specific exercises reduce brace prescription in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: a prospective controlled cohort study with worst-case analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Negrini, Stefano; Zaina, Fabio; Romano, Michele; Negrini, Alessandra; Parzini, Silvana

2008-06-01

To compare the effect of Scientific Exercises Approach to Scoliosis (SEAS) exercises with "usual care" rehabilitation programmes in terms of the avoidance of brace prescription and prevention of curve progression in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Prospective controlled cohort observational study. Seventy-four consecutive outpatients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, mean 15 degrees (standard deviation 6) Cobb angle, 12.4 (standard deviation 2.2) years old, at risk of bracing who had not been treated previously. Thirty-five patients were included in the SEAS exercises group and 39 in the usual physiotherapy group. The primary outcome included the number of braced patients, Cobb angle and the angle of trunk rotation. There were 6.1% braced patients in the SEAS exercises group vs 25.0% in the usual physiotherapy group. Failures of treatment in the worst-case analysis were 11.5% and 30.8%, respectively. In both cases the differences were statistically significant. Cobb angle improved in the SEAS exercises group, but worsened in the usual physiotherapy group. In the SEAS exercises group, 23.5% of patients improved and 11.8% worsened, while in the usual physiotherapy group 11.1% improved and 13.9% worsened. These data confirm the effectiveness of exercises in patients with scoliosis who are at high risk of progression. Compared with non-adapted exercises, a specific and personalized treatment (SEAS) appears to be more effective.

[Application of Nested PCR in the Diagnosis of Imported Plasmodium Ovale Infection].

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Bing-cheng; Xu, Chao; Li, Jin; Xiao, Ting; Yin, Kun; Liu, Gong-zhen; Wang, Wei-yan; Zhao, Gui-hua; Wei, Yan-bin; Wang, Yong-bin; Zhao, Chang-lei; Wei, Qing-kuan

2015-02-01

To identity Plasmodium ovale infection by 18S rRNA gene nested PCR. Whole blood and filter paper blood samples of malaria patients in Shandong Province were collected during 2012-2013. The parasites were observed under a microscope with Giemsa staining. The genome DNA of blood samples were extracted as PCR templates. Genus- and species-specific primers were designed according to the Plasmodium 18S rRNA gene sequences. Plasmodium ovale-positive specimens were identified by nested PCR as well as verified by sequencing. There were 7 imported cases of P. ovale infection in the province during 2012-2013. Nested PCR results showed that the P. ovale specific band (800 bp) was amplified in all the 7 specimens. Blast results indicated that the PCR products were consistent with the Plasmodium ovale reference sequence in GenBank. Seven imported cases of ovale malaria in Shandong Province in 2012-2013 are confirmed by nested PCR.

Spawning chronology, nest site selection and nest success of smallmouth bass during benign streamflow conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Dauwalter, D.C.; Fisher, W.L.

2007-01-01

We documented the nesting chronology, nest site selection and nest success of smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu in an upstream (4th order) and downstream (5th order) reach of Baron Fork Creek, Oklahoma. Males started nesting in mid-Apr. when water temperatures increased to 16.9 C upstream, and in late-Apr. when temperatures increased to 16.2 C downstream. Streamflows were low (77% upstream to 82% downstream of mean Apr. streamflow, and 12 and 18% of meanjun. streamflow; 47 and 55 y of record), and decreased throughout the spawning period. Larger males nested first upstream, as has been observed in other populations, but not downstream. Upstream, progeny in 62 of 153 nests developed to swim-up stage. Downstream, progeny in 31 of 73 nests developed to swim-up. Nesting densities upstream (147/km) and downstream (100/km) were both higher than any densities previously reported. Males selected nest sites with intermediate water depths, low water velocity and near cover, behavior that is typical of smallmouth bass. Documented nest failures resulted from human disturbance, angling, and longear sunfish predation. Logistic exposure models showed that water velocity at the nest was negatively related and length of the guarding male was positively related to nest success upstream. Male length and number of degree days were both positively related to nest success downstream. Our results, and those of other studies, suggest that biological factors account for most nest failures during benign (stable, low flow) streamflow conditions, whereas nest failures attributed to substrate mobility or nest abandonment dominate when harsh streamflow conditions (spring floods) coincide with the spawning season.

Influence of nest box environment on kit survival

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund, V.H.; Malmkvist, Jens

2012-01-01

females divided into 4 groups, non-pregnant females (NON), pregnant females with access to one resource of nest building material (RES-1), pregnant females with access to three resources (RES-3), and pregnant females with access to one resource but which were moved into a climate-controlled facility...... died from day 1-7, and only ~5% in RES-3. The risk of dying was approx. 4 times higher for a kit live-born into the one resource environment. RES-3 females were building better nests and stayed in the nest box longer around parturition than RES-1, which could explain the higher mortality in this group...

Cavity-nesting bird use of nest boxes in vineyards of central-coast California

Science.gov (United States)

Daniel P. Mummert; Laura Baines; William D. Tietje

2002-01-01

Oak woodland habitat is being degraded or replaced by vineyards in many areas of central-coastal California. Oak woodlands are home to many insectivorous, cavity-nesting birds that would be beneficial in and around vineyards. During March to June 2001, we used bluebird nest boxes to study nest box use and productivity of cavity-nesting birds in vineyards versus...

Livestock grazing and trampling of birds' nests: An experiment using artificial nests

OpenAIRE

Mandema, Freek S.; Tinbergen, Joost M.; Ens, Bruno J.; Bakker, Jan P.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study is to experimentally determine the differences between four grazing treatments on the trampling of nests. Additionally, we examine to what extent the trampling probability of nests is higher close to a source of fresh water. We compare the trampling of artificial nests in five different grazing treatments in an experimental design. We use buried clay pigeon targets as artificial mimics of bird nests to obtain reliable estimates of trampling risk and compare these wit...

Nesting bird "host funnel" increases mosquito-bird contact rate.

Science.gov (United States)

Caillouët, Kevin A; Riggan, Anna E; Bulluck, Lesley P; Carlson, John C; Sabo, Roy T

2013-03-01

Increases in vector-host contact rates can enhance arbovirus transmission intensity. We investigated weekly fluctuations in contact rates between mosquitoes and nesting birds using the recently described Nest Mosquito Trap (NMT). The number of mosquitoes per nestling increased from nesting season. Our evidence suggests the coincidence of the end of the avian nesting season and increasing mosquito abundances may have caused a "host funnel," concentrating host-seeking mosquitoes to the few remaining nestlings. The relative abundance of mosquitoes collected by the NMT suggests that significantly more Aedes albopictus (Skuse) and Culex pipiens (L.) /restuans (Theobald) sought nesting bird bloodmeals than were predicted by their relative abundances in CO2-baited Centers for Disease Control and Prevention light and gravid traps. Culex salinarius (Coquillett) and Culex erraticus Dyar and Knab were collected in NMTs in proportion to their relative abundances in the generic traps. Temporal host funnels and nesting bird host specificity may enhance arbovirus amplification and explain observed West Nile virus and St. Louis encephalitis virus amplification periods.

Magnetic nesting and co-existence of ferromagnetism and superconductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elesin, V.F.; Kapaev, V.V.; Kopaev, Yu.V.

2004-01-01

In the case of providing for the magnetic nesting conditions of the electron spin dispersion law the co-existence of ferromagnetism and superconductivity is possible by any high magnetization. The co-existence of ferromagnetism and superconductivity in the layered cuprate compounds of the RuSr 2 GdCu 2 O 8 -type is explained on this basis, wherein due to the nonstrict provision of the magnetic nesting condition there exists the finite but sufficiently high critical magnetization [ru

Flown The Nest

OpenAIRE

Sebbane, Nathalie

2012-01-01

Lorsque le quotidien régional, The Champion, commence à publier Flown The Nest en 1972 sous forme d’épisodes, Bird’s Nest Soup est déjà en vente, et la troisième partie de l’autobiographie d’Hanna, Housekeeper At Large, est sous presse. L’édition de 2009 contient Flown The Nest et Housekeeper at Large. Dans Bird’s Nest Soup, Hanna Greally racontait les dix-huit années de sa vie passées au sein d’un hôpital psychiatrique. Les raisons pour lesquelles elle y avait été enfermée, à la demande de s...

Nest etiquette--where ants go when nature calls.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomer J Czaczkes

Full Text Available Sanitary behaviour is an important, but seldom studied, aspect of social living. Social insects have developed several strategies for dealing with waste and faecal matter, including dumping waste outside the nest and forming specialised waste-storage chambers. In some cases waste material and faeces are put to use, either as a construction material or as a long-lasting signal, suggesting that faeces and waste may not always be dangerous. Here we examine a previously undescribed behaviour in ants - the formation of well-defined faecal patches. Lasius niger ants were housed in plaster nests and provided with coloured sucrose solution. After two months, 1-4 well defined dark patches, the colour of the sucrose solution, formed within each of the plaster nests. These patches never contained other waste material such as uneaten food items, or nestmate corpses. Such waste was collected in waste piles outside the nest. The coloured patches were thus distinct from previously described 'kitchen middens' in ants, and are best described as 'toilets'. Why faeces is not removed with other waste materials is unclear. The presence of the toilets inside the nest suggests that they may not be an important source of pathogens, and may have a beneficial role.

Thermal fluctuation within nests and predicted sex ratio of Morelet's Crocodile.

Science.gov (United States)

Escobedo-Galván, Armando H; López-Luna, Marco A; Cupul-Magaña, Fabio G

2016-05-01

Understanding the interplay between thermal variations and sex ratio in reptiles with temperature-dependent sex determination is the first step for developing long-term conservation strategies. In case of crocodilians, the information is fragmentary and insufficient for establishing a general framework to consider how thermal fluctuation influence sex determination under natural conditions. The main goal of this study was to analyze thermal variation in nests of Crocodylus moreletii and to discuss the potential implications for predicting offspring sex ratio. The study was carried out at the Centro de Estudios Tecnológicos del Mar N° 2 and at the Sistemas Productivos Cocodrilo, Campeche, Mexico. Data was collected in the nesting season of Morelet's Crocodiles during three consecutive seasons (2007-2009). Thermal fluctuations for multiple areas of the nest chamber were registered by data loggers. We calculate the constant temperature equivalent based on thermal profiles among nests to assess whether there are differences between the nest temperature and its equivalent to constant temperature. We observed that mean nest temperature was only different among nests, while daily thermal fluctuations vary depending on the depth position within the nest chamber, years and nests. The constant temperature equivalent was different among and within nests, but not among survey years. We observed differences between constant temperature equivalent and mean nest temperature both at the top and in the middle of the nest cavities, but were not significantly different at the bottom of nest cavities. Our results enable examine and discuss the relevance of daily thermal fluctuations to predict sex ratio of the Morelet's Crocodile. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The role of TNF genetic variants and the interaction with cigarette smoking for gastric cancer risk: a nested case-control study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Jae Jeong; Park, Sue K; Ko, Kwang-Pil; Cho, Lisa Y; Shin, Aesun; Gwack, Jin; Chang, Soung-Hoon; Shin, Hai-Rim; Yoo, Keun-Young; Kang, Daehee

2009-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of TNF genetic variants and the combined effect between TNF gene and cigarette smoking in the development of gastric cancer in the Korean population. We selected 84 incident gastric cancer cases and 336 matched controls nested within the Korean Multi-Center Cancer Cohort. Six SNPs on the TNF gene, TNF-α-238 G/A, -308 G/A, -857 C/T, -863 C/A, -1031 T/C, and TNF-β 252 A/G were genotyped. The ORs (95% CIs) were calculated using unconditional logistic regression model to detect each SNP and haplotype-pair effects for gastric cancer. The combined effects between the TNF gene and smoking on gastric cancer risk were also evaluated. Multi dimensionality reduction (MDR) analyses were performed to explore the potential TNF gene-gene interactions. TNF-α-857 C/T containing the T allele was significantly associated with an increased risk of gastric cancer and a linear trend effect was observed in the additive model (OR = 1.6, 95% CI 1.0–2.5 for CT genotype; OR = 2.6, 95% CI 1.0–6.4 for TT genotype). All haplotype-pairs that contained TCT or CCC of TNF-α-1031 T/C, TNF-α-863 C/A, and TNF-α-857 C/T were associated with a significantly higher risk for gastric cancer only among smokers. In the MDR analysis, regardless of smoking status, TNF-α-857 C/T was included in the first list of SNPs with a significant main effect. TNF-α-857 C/T polymorphism may play an independent role in gastric carcinogenesis and the risk for gastric cancer by TNF genetic effect is pronounced by cigarette smoking

Nesting behaviour influences species-specific gas exchange across avian eggshells.

Science.gov (United States)

Portugal, Steven J; Maurer, Golo; Thomas, Gavin H; Hauber, Mark E; Grim, Tomáš; Cassey, Phillip

2014-09-15

Carefully controlled gas exchange across the eggshell is essential for the development of the avian embryo. Water vapour conductance (G(H2O)) across the shell, typically measured as mass loss during incubation, has been demonstrated to optimally ensure the healthy development of the embryo while avoiding desiccation. Accordingly, eggs exposed to sub-optimal gas exchange have reduced hatching success. We tested the association between eggshell G(H2O) and putative life-history correlates of adult birds, ecological nest parameters and physical characteristics of the egg itself to investigate how variation in G(H2O) has evolved to maintain optimal water loss across a diverse set of nest environments. We measured gas exchange through eggshell fragments in 151 British breeding bird species and fitted phylogenetically controlled, general linear models to test the relationship between G(H2O) and potential predictor parameters of each species. Of our 17 life-history traits, only two were retained in the final model: wet-incubating parent and nest type. Eggs of species where the parent habitually returned to the nest with wet plumage had significantly higher G(H2O) than those of parents that returned to the nest with dry plumage. Eggs of species nesting in ground burrows, cliffs and arboreal cups had significantly higher G(H2O) than those of species nesting on the ground in open nests or cups, in tree cavities and in shallow arboreal nests. Phylogenetic signal (measured as Pagel's λ) was intermediate in magnitude, suggesting that differences observed in the G(H2O) are dependent upon a combination of shared ancestry and species-specific life history and ecological traits. Although these data are correlational by nature, they are consistent with the hypothesis that parents constrained to return to the nest with wet plumage will increase the humidity of the nest environment, and the eggs of these species have evolved a higher G(H2O) to overcome this constraint and still

Health-related quality of life in adolescents with screening-detected celiac disease, before and one year after diagnosis and initiation of gluten-free diet, a prospective nested case-referent study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nordyke Katrina

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Celiac disease (CD is a chronic disorder in genetically predisposed individuals in which a small intestinal immune-mediated enteropathy is precipitated by dietary gluten. It can be difficult to diagnose because signs and symptoms may be absent, subtle, or not recognized as CD related and therefore not prompt testing within routine clinical practice. Thus, most people with CD are undiagnosed and a public health intervention, which involves screening the general population, is an option to find those with unrecognized CD. However, how these screening-detected individuals experience the diagnosis and treatment (gluten-free diet is not fully understood. The aim of this study is to investigate the health-related quality of life (HRQoL of adolescents with screening-detected CD before and one year after diagnosis and treatment. Methods A prospective nested case-referent study was done involving Swedish adolescents who had participated in a CD screening study when they were in the sixth grade and about 12 years old. Screening-detected adolescents (n = 103 and referents without CD who participated in the same screening (n = 483 answered questionnaires at the time of the screening and approximately one year after the screening-detected adolescents had received their diagnosis that included the EQ-5D instrument used to measure health status and report HRQoL. Results The HRQoL for the adolescents with screening-detected CD is similar to the referents, both before and one year after diagnosis and initiation of the gluten-free diet, except in the dimension of pain at follow-up. In the pain dimension at follow-up, fewer cases reported problems than referents (12.6% and 21.9% respectively, Adjusted OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.27-0.94. However, a sex stratified analysis revealed that the significant difference was for boys at follow-up, where fewer screening-detected boys reported problems (4.3% compared to referent boys (18.8% (Adjusted OR 0

Nest site selection by Hypsiboas faber(Anura, Hylidae in Southern Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

André L. Luza

2015-12-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Male gladiator frogs of Hypsiboas Wagler, 1830 build nests on available substrate surrounding ponds and streams where female spawn eggs during the breeding period. Although gladiator frogs seem to show plasticity in the way they construct their nests, there is no study reporting if these species present preferences about microhabitat conditions for nest-building (mainly under subtropical climate. Predation pressure and environmental conditions have been considered major processes shaping the great diversity of reproductive strategies performed by amphibians, but microhabitat conditions should explain where to build a nest as well as how nest looks. This study aimed to test nest site selection for nest-building by Hypsiboas faber(Wied-Neuwied, 1821, determining which factors are related to nest site selection and nest features. The survey was conducted at margins of two permanent ponds in Southern Brazil. Habitat factors were evaluated in 18 plots with nest and 18 plots in the surrounding without nest (control, describing vegetation structure and heterogeneity, and substrate characteristics. Water temperature was measured inside the nest and in its adjacency. Nest features assessed were area, depth and temperature. Habitat characteristics differed between plots with and without nest. Microhabitat selected for nest-building was characterized by great vegetation cover and height, as well as shallower water and lower cover of organic matter in suspension than in plots without nest. Differences between temperature inside nest and in its adjacency were not observed. No relationship between nest features and habitat descriptors was evidenced. Results revealed that Hypsiboas faber does not build nests anywhere. Males seem to prefer more protected habitats, probably avoiding predation, invasion of conspecific males and inclement weather. Lack of differences between temperature inside- and outside-nest suggest that nest do not improve this

Plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 is associated with decreased risk of postmenopausal breast cancer in whites: a nested case–control study in the multiethnic cohort study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Yeonju; Henderson, Brian E; Kolonel, Laurence N; Goodman, Marc T; Franke, Adrian A; Shvetsov, Yurii B; Wilkens, Lynne R; Cooney, Robert V; Lurie, Galina; Maskarinec, Gertraud; Hernandez, Brenda Y; Le Marchand, Loïc

2014-01-01

Higher sunlight exposure is correlated with lower incidence of breast cancer in ecological studies, but findings from prospective studies regarding the association of circulating levels of vitamin D with the risk of breast cancer have been null. The objective of this study was to examine the relation between plasma levels of vitamin D and the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer. We conducted a nested case–control study within the Multiethnic Cohort Study of five race/ethnic groups (white, African-American, Native Hawaiian, Japanese, and Latino) from Hawaii and Los Angeles between 2001 and 2006. Pre-diagnostic plasma levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D2 [25(OH)D 2 ], 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25(OH)D 3 ] and 25(OH)D (sum of 25(OH)D 2 and 25(OH)D 3 ) were examined among 707 postmenopausal breast cancer cases and matched controls. Using conditional logistic regression models, 20 ng/mL increases of plasma 25(OH)D 3 (odds ratio (OR) 0.28; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.14-0.56) and 25(OH)D (OR 0.43; 95% CI 0.23-0.80) were inversely associated with breast cancer risk among white women, but not among women in other race/ethnic groups. Using two-segmented, piecewise-linear logistic regression models, the change-points of the ORs, either for 25(OH)D 3 or for 25(OH)D, were detected as 20 ng/mL among whites. Circulating 25(OH)D 3 and 25(OH)D were associated with a reduced risk of postmenopausal breast cancer among whites, but not in other ethnic groups, who reside in low latitude regions

Using Artificial Nests to Study Nest Predation in Birds

Science.gov (United States)

Belthoff, James R.

2005-01-01

A simple and effective field exercise that demonstrates factors affecting predation on bird nests is described. With instructor guidance, students in high school biology or college-level biology, ecology, animal behavior, wildlife management or ornithology laboratory courses can collaborate to design field experiments related to nest depredation.

Autism Spectrum Disorder and Particulate Matter Air Pollution before, during, and after Pregnancy: A Nested Case–Control Analysis within the Nurses’ Health Study II Cohort

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, Andrea L.; Lyall, Kristen; Hart, Jaime E.; Just, Allan C.; Laden, Francine; Weisskopf, Marc G.

2014-01-01

Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder with increasing prevalence worldwide, yet has unclear etiology. Objective We explored the association between maternal exposure to particulate matter (PM) air pollution and odds of ASD in her child. Methods We conducted a nested case–control study of participants in the Nurses’ Health Study II (NHS II), a prospective cohort of 116,430 U.S. female nurses recruited in 1989, followed by biennial mailed questionnaires. Subjects were NHS II participants’ children born 1990–2002 with ASD (n = 245), and children without ASD (n = 1,522) randomly selected using frequency matching for birth years. Diagnosis of ASD was based on maternal report, which was validated against the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised in a subset. Monthly averages of PM with diameters ≤ 2.5 μm (PM2.5) and 2.5–10 μm (PM10–2.5) were predicted from a spatiotemporal model for the continental United States and linked to residential addresses. Results PM2.5 exposure during pregnancy was associated with increased odds of ASD, with an adjusted odds ratio (OR) for ASD per interquartile range (IQR) higher PM2.5 (4.42 μg/m3) of 1.57 (95% CI: 1.22, 2.03) among women with the same address before and after pregnancy (160 cases, 986 controls). Associations with PM2.5 exposure 9 months before or after the pregnancy were weaker in independent models and null when all three time periods were included, whereas the association with the 9 months of pregnancy remained (OR = 1.63; 95% CI: 1.08, 2.47). The association between ASD and PM2.5 was stronger for exposure during the third trimester (OR = 1.42 per IQR increase in PM2.5; 95% CI: 1.09, 1.86) than during the first two trimesters (ORs = 1.06 and 1.00) when mutually adjusted. There was little association between PM10–2.5 and ASD. Conclusions Higher maternal exposure to PM2.5 during pregnancy, particularly the third trimester, was associated with greater odds of a child having ASD

Increased urine semaphorin-3A is associated with renal damage in hypertensive patients with chronic kidney disease: a nested case-control study.

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Viazzi, Francesca; Ramesh, Ganesan; Jayakumar, Calpurnia; Leoncini, Giovanna; Garneri, Debora; Pontremoli, Roberto

2015-06-01

Semaphorins are guidance proteins implicated in several processes such as angiogenesis, organogenesis, cell migration, and cytokine release. Experimental studies showed that semaphorin-3a (SEMA3A) administration induces transient massive proteinuria, podocyte foot process effacement and endothelial cell damage in healthy animals. While SEMA3A signaling has been demonstrated to be mechanistically involved in experimental diabetic glomerulopathy and in acute kidney injury, to date its role in human chronic kidney disease (CKD) has not been investigated. To test the hypothesis that SEMA3A may play a role in human CKD, we performed a cross-sectional, nested, case-control study on 151 matched hypertensive patients with and without CKD. SEMA3A was quantified in the urine (USEMA) by ELISA. Glomerular filtration rate was estimated (eGFR) by the CKD-EPI formula and albuminuria was measured as albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR). USEMA levels were positively correlated with urine ACR (p = 0.001) and serum creatinine (p < 0.001). USEMA was higher in patients with both components of renal damage as compared to those with only one and those with normal renal function (p < 0.007 and <0.001, respectively). The presence of increased USEMA levels (i.e. top quartile) entailed a fourfold higher risk of combined renal damage (p < 0.001) and an almost twofold higher risk of macroalbuminuria (p = 0.005) or of reduced eGFR, even adjusting for confounding factors (p = 0.002). USEMA is independently associated with CKD in both diabetic and non diabetic hypertensive patients. Further studies may help clarify the mechanisms underlying this association and possibly the pathogenic changes leading to the development of CKD.

Sibling cooperation influences the age of nest leaving in an altricial bird.

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Bowers, E Keith; Sakaluk, Scott K; Thompson, Charles F

2013-06-01

In altricial birds, siblings raised within a nest usually leave the nest within hours of each other, despite often differing considerably in age. The youngest members of the brood are typically underdeveloped at this time and less likely than their older siblings to survive outside the nest, yet they risk abandonment if they do not fledge with their older siblings. Nest leaving is usually initiated by the older offspring, which may delay this process to provide more time for their younger siblings to mature, increasing the younger siblings' postfledging survival and their own inclusive fitness. We tested this hypothesis in a population of house wrens Troglodytes aedon and found that broods with broad age spans among siblings had longer nestling periods than broods with narrow age spans and that delayed fledging improves the survival and reproductive prospects of younger siblings, although at a potential cost to future siblings. We also manipulated age spans through cross-fostering and found that older foster nestlings postponed fledging when raised with younger broodmates, as predicted if the age of younger nestlings determines the time of fledging. Our results support kin-selection theory and demonstrate that the exact time of fledging is attributable, in part, to sib-sib interactions.

Livestock grazing and trampling of birds' nests : An experiment using artificial nests

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mandema, Freek S.; Tinbergen, Joost M.; Ens, Bruno J.; Bakker, Jan P.

The purpose of this study is to experimentally determine the differences between four grazing treatments on the trampling of nests. Additionally, we examine to what extent the trampling probability of nests is higher close to a source of fresh water. We compare the trampling of artificial nests in

Nested and Hierarchical Archimax copulas

KAUST Repository

Hofert, Marius

2017-07-03

The class of Archimax copulas is generalized to nested and hierarchical Archimax copulas in several ways. First, nested extreme-value copulas or nested stable tail dependence functions are introduced to construct nested Archimax copulas based on a single frailty variable. Second, a hierarchical construction of d-norm generators is presented to construct hierarchical stable tail dependence functions and thus hierarchical extreme-value copulas. Moreover, one can, by itself or additionally, introduce nested frailties to extend Archimax copulas to nested Archimax copulas in a similar way as nested Archimedean copulas extend Archimedean copulas. Further results include a general formula for the density of Archimax copulas.

Nested and Hierarchical Archimax copulas

KAUST Repository

Hofert, Marius; Huser, Raphaë l; Prasad, Avinash

2017-01-01

The class of Archimax copulas is generalized to nested and hierarchical Archimax copulas in several ways. First, nested extreme-value copulas or nested stable tail dependence functions are introduced to construct nested Archimax copulas based on a single frailty variable. Second, a hierarchical construction of d-norm generators is presented to construct hierarchical stable tail dependence functions and thus hierarchical extreme-value copulas. Moreover, one can, by itself or additionally, introduce nested frailties to extend Archimax copulas to nested Archimax copulas in a similar way as nested Archimedean copulas extend Archimedean copulas. Further results include a general formula for the density of Archimax copulas.

Nest site characteristics, nesting movements, and lack of long-term nest site fidelity in Agassiz's desert tortoises at a wind energy facility in southern California

Science.gov (United States)

Lovich, Jeffrey E.; Agha, Mickey; Yackulic, Charles B.; Meyer-Wilkins, Kathie; Bjurlin, Curtis; Ennen, Joshua R.; Arundel, Terry R.; Austin, Meaghan

2014-01-01

Nest site selection has important consequences for maternal and offspring survival and fitness. Females of some species return to the same nesting areas year after year. We studied nest site characteristics, fidelity, and daily pre-nesting movements in a population of Agassiz’s desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) at a wind energy facility in southern California during two field seasons separated by over a decade. No females returned to the same exact nest site within or between years but several nested in the same general area. However, distances between first and second clutches within a year (2000) were not significantly different from distances between nests among years (2000 and 2011) for a small sample of females, suggesting some degree of fidelity within their normal activity areas. Environmental attributes of nest sites did not differ significantly among females but did among years due largely to changes in perennial plant structure as a result of multiple fires. Daily pre-nesting distances moved by females decreased consistently from the time shelled eggs were first visible in X-radiographs until oviposition, again suggesting some degree of nest site selection. Tortoises appear to select nest sites that are within their long-term activity areas, inside the climate-moderated confines of one of their self-constructed burrows, and specifically, at a depth in the burrow that minimizes exposure of eggs and embryos to lethal incubation temperatures. Nesting in “climate-controlled” burrows and nest guarding by females relaxes some of the constraints that drive nest site selection in other oviparous species.

Nest site attributes and temporal patterns of northern flicker nest loss: effects of predation and competition.

Science.gov (United States)

Fisher, Ryan J; Wiebe, Karen L

2006-04-01

To date, most studies of nest site selection have failed to take into account more than one source of nest loss (or have combined all sources in one analysis) when examining nest site characteristics, leaving us with an incomplete understanding of the potential trade-offs that individuals may face when selecting a nest site. Our objectives were to determine whether northern flickers (Colaptes auratus) may experience a trade-off in nest site selection in response to mammalian nest predation and nest loss to a cavity nest competitor (European starling, Sturnus vulgaris). We also document within-season temporal patterns of these two sources of nest loss with the hypothesis that flickers may also be constrained in the timing of reproduction under both predatory and competitive influence. Mammalian predators frequently depredated flicker nests that were: lower to the ground, less concealed by vegetation around the cavity entrance and at the base of the nest tree, closer to coniferous forest edges and in forest clumps with a high percentage of conifer content. Proximity to coniferous edges or coniferous trees increased the probability of nest predation, but nests near conifers were less likely to be lost to starlings. Flickers may thus face a trade-off in nest site selection with respect to safety from predators or competitors. Models suggested that peaks of nest predation and nest loss to eviction occurred at the same time, although a competing model suggested that the peak of nest loss to starlings occurred 5 days earlier than the peak of mammalian predation. Differences in peaks of mammalian predation and loss to starlings may constrain any adjustment in clutch initiation date by flickers to avoid one source of nest loss.

Second Malignant Neoplasms in Digestive Organs After Childhood Cancer: A Cohort-Nested Case-Control Study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tukenova, Markhaba; Diallo, Ibrahima; Anderson, Harald; Hawkins, Mike; Garwicz, Stanislaw; Sankila, Risto; El Fayech, Chiraz; Winter, Dave; Rubino, Carole; Adjadj, Elisabeth; Haddy, Nadia; Oberlin, Odile; Moller, Torgil; Langmark, Froydis

2012-01-01

Purpose: Cancers of the digestive system constitute a major risk for childhood cancer survivors treated with radiotherapy once they reach adulthood. The aim of this study was to determine therapy-related risk factors for the development of a second malignancy in the digestive organs (SMDO) after a childhood cancer. Methods and Materials: Among 4,568 2-year survivors of a childhood solid cancer diagnosed before 17 years of age at eight French and British centers, and among 25,120 patients diagnosed as having a malignant neoplasm before the age of 20 years, whose data were extracted from the Nordic Cancer Registries, we matched 58 case patients (41 men and 17 women) of SMDO and 167 controls, in their respective cohort, for sex, age at first cancer, calendar year of occurrence of the first cancer, and duration of follow-up. The radiation dose received at the site of each second malignancy and at the corresponding site of its matched control was estimated. Results: The risk of developing a SMDO was 9.7-fold higher in relation to the general populations in France and the United Kingdom. In the case-control study, a strong dose–response relationship was estimated, compared with that in survivors who had not received radiotherapy; the odds ratio was 5.2 (95% CI, 1.7–16.0) for local radiation doses between 10 and 29 Gy and 9.6 (95% CI, 2.6–35.2) for doses equal to or greater than 30 Gy. Chemotherapy was also found to increase the risk of developing SMDO. Conclusions: This study confirms that childhood cancer treatments strongly increase the risk of SMDO, which occur only after a very long latency period.

Nest marking behavior and chemical composition of olfactory cues involved in nest recognition in Megachile rotundata.

Science.gov (United States)

Guédot, Christelle; Buckner, James S; Hagen, Marcia M; Bosch, Jordi; Kemp, William P; Pitts-Singer, Theresa L

2013-08-01

In-nest observations of the solitary bee, Megachile rotundata (F.), revealed that nesting females apply olfactory cues to nests for nest recognition. On their way in and out of the nest, females drag the abdomen along the entire length of the nest, and sometimes deposit fluid droplets from the tip of the abdomen. The removal of bee-marked sections of the nest resulted in hesitation and searching behavior by females, indicating the loss of olfactory cues used for nest recognition. Chemical analysis of female cuticles and the deposits inside marked nesting tubes revealed the presence of hydrocarbons, wax esters, fatty aldehydes, and fatty alcohol acetate esters. Chemical compositions were similar across tube samples, but proportionally different from cuticular extracts. These findings reveal the importance of lipids as chemical signals for nest recognition and suggest that the nest-marking cues are derived from a source in addition to, or other than, the female cuticle.

Buteo Nesting Ecology: Evaluating Nesting of Swainson's Hawks in the Northern Great Plains.

Science.gov (United States)

Inselman, Will M; Datta, Shubham; Jenks, Jonathan A; Jensen, Kent C; Grovenburg, Troy W

2015-01-01

Swainson's hawks (Buteo swainsoni) are long-distance migratory raptors that nest primarily in isolated trees located in areas of high grassland density. In recent years, anthropogenic conversion of grassland habitat has raised concerns about the status of the breeding population in the northern Great Plains. In 2013, we initiated a study to investigate the influence of extrinsic factors influencing Swainson's hawk nesting ecology in north-central South Dakota and south-central North Dakota. Using ground and aerial surveys, we located and monitored nesting Swainson's hawk pairs: 73 in 2013 and 120 in 2014. We documented 98 successful breeding attempts that fledged 163 chicks; 1.52 and 1.72 fledglings per successful nest in 2013 and 2014, respectively. We used Program MARK to evaluate the influence of land cover on nest survival. The top model, SDist2Farm+%Hay, indicated that nest survival (fledging at least one chick) decreased as nests were located farther from farm sites and as the percent of hay cover increased within 1200-m of the nest site (34.4%; 95% CI = 27.6%-42.3%). We used logistic regression analysis to evaluate the influence of landscape variables on nest-site selection; Swainson's hawks selected for nest sites located closer to roads. We suggest that tree belts associated with farm sites, whether occupied or not, provide critical breeding sites for Swainson's hawks. Additionally, poor breeding success may be related to the late migratory behavior of this species which requires them to occupy marginal habitat due to other raptors occupying the most suitable habitat prior to Swainson's hawks arriving to the breeding grounds.

Metabolomic analysis of 92 pulmonary embolism patients from a nested case-control study identifies metabolites associated with adverse clinical outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeleznik, O A; Poole, E M; Lindstrom, S; Kraft, P; Van Hylckama Vlieg, A; Lasky-Su, J A; Harrington, L B; Hagan, K; Kim, J; Parry, B A; Giordano, N; Kabrhel, C

2018-03-01

Essentials Risk-stratification often fails to predict clinical deterioration in pulmonary embolism (PE). First-ever high-throughput metabolomics analysis of risk-stratified PE patients. Changes in circulating metabolites reflect a compromised energy metabolism in PE. Metabolites play a key role in the pathophysiology and risk stratification of PE. Background Patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE) exhibit wide variation in clinical presentation and outcomes. Our understanding of the pathophysiologic mechanisms differentiating low-risk and high-risk PE is limited, so current risk-stratification efforts often fail to predict clinical deterioration and are insufficient to guide management. Objectives To improve our understanding of the physiology differentiating low-risk from high-risk PE, we conducted the first-ever high-throughput metabolomics analysis (843 named metabolites) comparing PE patients across risk strata within a nested case-control study. Patients/methods We enrolled 92 patients diagnosed with acute PE and collected plasma within 24 h of PE diagnosis. We used linear regression and pathway analysis to identify metabolites and pathways associated with PE risk-strata. Results When we compared 46 low-risk with 46 intermediate/high-risk PEs, 50 metabolites were significantly different after multiple testing correction. These metabolites were enriched in the following pathways: tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, fatty acid metabolism (acyl carnitine) and purine metabolism, (hypo)xanthine/inosine containing. Additionally, energy, nucleotide and amino acid pathways were downregulated in intermediate/high-risk PE patients. When we compared 28 intermediate-risk with 18 high-risk PE patients, 41 metabolites differed at a nominal P-value level. These metabolites were enriched in fatty acid metabolism (acyl cholines), and hemoglobin and porphyrin metabolism. Conclusion Our results suggest that high-throughput metabolomics can provide insight into the

Sequential and Simultaneous Logit: A Nested Model.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Ophem, J.C.M.; Schram, A.J.H.C.

1997-01-01

A nested model is presented which has both the sequential and the multinomial logit model as special cases. This model provides a simple test to investigate the validity of these specifications. Some theoretical properties of the model are discussed. In the analysis a distribution function is

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Childhood Autism in Association with Prenatal Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Substances: A Nested Case–Control Study in the Danish National Birth Cohort

Science.gov (United States)

Liew, Zeyan; Ritz, Beate; von Ehrenstein, Ondine S.; Bech, Bodil Hammer; Nohr, Ellen Aagaard; Fei, Chunyuan; Bossi, Rossana; Henriksen, Tine Brink; Bonefeld-Jørgensen, Eva Cecilie

2014-01-01

Background: Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are persistent pollutants found to be endocrine disruptive and neurotoxic in animals. Positive correlations between PFASs and neurobehavioral problems in children were reported in cross-sectional data, but findings from prospective studies are limited. Objectives: We investigated whether prenatal exposure to PFASs is associated with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or childhood autism in children. Methods: Among 83,389 mother–child pairs enrolled in the Danish National Birth Cohort during 1996–2002, we identified 890 ADHD cases and 301 childhood autism cases from the Danish National Hospital Registry and the Danish Psychiatric Central Registry. From this cohort, we randomly selected 220 cases each of ADHD and autism, and we also randomly selected 550 controls frequency matched by child’s sex. Sixteen PFASs were measured in maternal plasma collected in early or mid-pregnancy. We calculated risk ratios (RRs) using generalized linear models, taking into account sampling weights. Results: Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) were detected in all samples; four other PFASs were quantified in ≥ 90% of the samples. We did not find consistent evidence of associations between mother’s PFAS plasma levels and ADHD [per natural log nanograms per milliliter increase: PFOS RR = 0.87 (95% CI: 0.74, 1.02); PFOA RR = 0.98 (95% CI: 0.82, 1.16)] or autism [per natural log nanograms per milliliter increase: PFOS RR = 0.92 (95% CI: 0.69, 1.22); PFOA RR = 0.98 (95% CI: 0.73, 1.31)]. We found positive as well as negative associations between higher PFAS quartiles and ADHD in models that simultaneously adjusted for all PFASs, but these estimates were imprecise. Conclusions: In this study we found no consistent evidence to suggest that prenatal PFAS exposure increases the risk of ADHD or childhood autism in children. Citation: Liew Z, Ritz B, von Ehrenstein OS, Bech BH, Nohr EA, Fei CY

[Duration of the pre-nesting period and its relation with social organization in sandpipers (Charadrii, Aves) nesting in north-east Yakutia].

Science.gov (United States)

Gavrilov, V V

2013-01-01

Investigations were carried out at two stations of Ornithological Unit, IBPN FEB RAS, located in Nizhnekolymsk District, Yakutia, starting from May 18-20 in 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988 and 1990. Duration of the pre-nesting period in 11 sandpiper species with different social organization was studied and compared with each other by allometric equations. As a characteristic of bird size the body mass was selected. Sandpipers come flying to the tundra at almost critical temperatures, to begin breeding as early as possible. Tining of breeding depends on birds feeding manner and the proximity to sites of overwintering. Duration of the pre-nesting period is invariable for every bird species and sex. There are sexual distinctions in time spent for the pre-nesting period in jointly-nesting sandpipers. The exponents in allometric equations that relate duration of the pre-nesting period with body mass are constant within a particular sex and differ between males and females. In different sexes, time spent for the pre-nesting period depends on mating, parental, and territorial systems. In sandpipers' males and females, this time is determined by the type of social organization. Relatively large sandpiper species seek to shortening of the pre-nesting period calendar time, which constrains their social organization. Monogamy and pair parental care lead to a necessity for spatial population structure to be controlled more strictly and maintained for a longer time. This, in turn, causes the increasing of males' time expenditures for such a behavior.

Monitoring and improving the sensitivity of dengue nested RT-PCR used in longitudinal surveillance in Thailand.

Science.gov (United States)

Klungthong, Chonticha; Manasatienkij, Wudtichai; Phonpakobsin, Thipwipha; Chinnawirotpisan, Piyawan; Rodpradit, Prinyada; Hussem, Kittinun; Thaisomboonsuk, Butsaya; Ong-ajchaowlerd, Prapapun; Nisalak, Ananda; Kalayanarooj, Siripen; Buddhari, Darunee; Gibbons, Robert V; Jarman, Richard G; Yoon, In-Kyu; Fernandez, Stefan

2015-02-01

AFRIMS longitudinal dengue surveillance in Thailand depends on the nested RT-PCR and the dengue IgM/IgG ELISA. To examine and improve the sensitivity of the nested RT-PCR using a panel of archived samples collected during dengue surveillance. A retrospective analysis of 16,454 dengue IgM/IgG ELISA positive cases collected between 2000 and 2013 was done to investigate the sensitivity of the nested RT-PCR. From these cases, 318 acute serum specimens or extracted RNA, previously found to be negative by the nested RT-PCR, were tested using TaqMan real-time RT-PCR (TaqMan rRT-PCR). To improve the sensitivity of nested RT-PCR, we designed a new primer based on nucleotide sequences from contemporary strains found to be positive by the TaqMan rRT-PCR. Sensitivity of the new nested PCR was calculated using a panel of 87 samples collected during 2011-2013. The percentage of dengue IgM/IgG ELISA positive cases that were negative by the nested RT-PCR varied from 17% to 42% for all serotypes depending on the year. Using TaqMan rRT-PCR, dengue RNA was detected in 194 (61%) of the 318 acute sera or extracted RNA previously found to be negative by the nested RT-PCR. The newly designed DENV-1 specific primer increased the sensitivity of DENV-1 detection by the nested RT-PCR from 48% to 88%, and of all 4 serotypes from 73% to 87%. These findings demonstrate the impact of genetic diversity and signal erosion on the sensitivity of PCR-based methods. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A prospective-controlled study of pregnant veterinary staff exposed to inhaled anesthetics and X-rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shuhaiber, S.; Radee, I. C.; Sakkar, M.; Koren, G.; Einarson, A.

2002-01-01

Most veterinary staff are women of reproductive age. They are exposed to 'waste' anesthetic gas and ionizing radiation in their workplace, which may endanger fetal safety. Presently, exposure of female veterinary staff to these health hazards has not been adequately addressed in the medical literature. Our primary objective was to investigate the incidence of major malformations associated with occupational exposure to inhaled anesthetics and/or radiation among pregnant veterinary staff. The secondary objective was to determine the rates of other adverse outcomes. We prospectively collected data on and followed-up women occupationally exposed to inhaled anesthetics and/or radiation in veterinary practices in Ontario, and compared them to controls matched for maternal age gestational age at the time of call to the Motherisk Program. A total of 95 women wee prospectively enrolled and followed-up. Among the participants there were 87 (93.5%) and 88 (92.8%) live births in the study and control groups, respectively. There were 4 (4.8%) major birth defects in the study group and 3 (3.4%) in the control group. The rates of spontaneous abortion were also similar, 6 (6.4%) cases in the study group and 7(7.4%) cases in the control group. These results suggest that Ontario female veterinary staff exposed to inhaled anesthetics and/or radiation do not seem to be at an increased risk for major malformations above baseline risk. (author)

Epigenome-wide association of DNA methylation markers in peripheral blood from Indian Asians and Europeans with incident type 2 diabetes: a nested case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Chambers, John C; Loh, Marie; Lehne, Benjamin; Drong, Alexander; Kriebel, Jennifer; Motta, Valeria; Wahl, Simone; Elliott, Hannah R; Rota, Federica; Scott, William R; Zhang, Weihua; Tan, Sian-Tsung; Campanella, Gianluca; Chadeau-Hyam, Marc; Yengo, Loic; Richmond, Rebecca C; Adamowicz-Brice, Martyna; Afzal, Uzma; Bozaoglu, Kiymet; Mok, Zuan Yu; Ng, Hong Kiat; Pattou, François; Prokisch, Holger; Rozario, Michelle Ann; Tarantini, Letizia; Abbott, James; Ala-Korpela, Mika; Albetti, Benedetta; Ammerpohl, Ole; Bertazzi, Pier Alberto; Blancher, Christine; Caiazzo, Robert; Danesh, John; Gaunt, Tom R; de Lusignan, Simon; Gieger, Christian; Illig, Thomas; Jha, Sujeet; Jones, Simon; Jowett, Jeremy; Kangas, Antti J; Kasturiratne, Anuradhani; Kato, Norihiro; Kotea, Navaratnam; Kowlessur, Sudhir; Pitkäniemi, Janne; Punjabi, Prakash; Saleheen, Danish; Schafmayer, Clemens; Soininen, Pasi; Tai, E-Shyong; Thorand, Barbara; Tuomilehto, Jaakko; Wickremasinghe, Ananda Rajitha; Kyrtopoulos, Soterios A; Aitman, Timothy J; Herder, Christian; Hampe, Jochen; Cauchi, Stéphane; Relton, Caroline L; Froguel, Philippe; Soong, Richie; Vineis, Paolo; Jarvelin, Marjo-Riitta; Scott, James; Grallert, Harald; Bollati, Valentina; Elliott, Paul; McCarthy, Mark I; Kooner, Jaspal S

2015-07-01

Indian Asians, who make up a quarter of the world's population, are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. We investigated whether DNA methylation is associated with future type 2 diabetes incidence in Indian Asians and whether differences in methylation patterns between Indian Asians and Europeans are associated with, and could be used to predict, differences in the magnitude of risk of developing type 2 diabetes. We did a nested case-control study of DNA methylation in Indian Asians and Europeans with incident type 2 diabetes who were identified from the 8-year follow-up of 25 372 participants in the London Life Sciences Prospective Population (LOLIPOP) study. Patients were recruited between May 1, 2002, and Sept 12, 2008. We did epigenome-wide association analysis using samples from Indian Asians with incident type 2 diabetes and age-matched and sex-matched Indian Asian controls, followed by replication testing of top-ranking signals in Europeans. For both discovery and replication, DNA methylation was measured in the baseline blood sample, which was collected before the onset of type 2 diabetes. Epigenome-wide significance was set at pdiabetes at baseline to estimate the potential contribution of DNA methylation to increased risk of future type 2 diabetes incidence among Indian Asians. 1608 (11·9%) of 13 535 Indian Asians and 306 (4·3%) of 7066 Europeans developed type 2 diabetes over a mean of 8·5 years (SD 1·8) of follow-up. The age-adjusted and sex-adjusted incidence of type 2 diabetes was 3·1 times (95% CI 2·8-3·6; pdiabetes, and baseline glycaemic measures. The mean absolute difference in methylation level between type 2 diabetes cases and controls ranged from 0·5% (SD 0·1) to 1·1% (0·2). Methylation markers at five loci were associated with future type 2 diabetes incidence; the relative risk per 1% increase in methylation was 1·09 (95% CI 1·07-1·11; p=1·3 × 10(-17)) for ABCG1, 0·94 (0·92-0·95; p=4·2 × 10(-11)) for PHOSPHO1, 0�

Sharp-Tailed Grouse Nest Survival and Nest Predator Habitat Use in North Dakota's Bakken Oil Field.

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Paul C Burr

Full Text Available Recent advancements in extraction technologies have resulted in rapid increases of gas and oil development across the United States and specifically in western North Dakota. This expansion of energy development has unknown influences on local wildlife populations and the ecological interactions within and among species. Our objectives for this study were to evaluate nest success and nest predator dynamics of sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus in two study sites that represented areas of high and low energy development intensities in North Dakota. During the summers of 2012 and 2013, we monitored 163 grouse nests using radio telemetry. Of these, 90 nests also were monitored using miniature cameras to accurately determine nest fates and identify nest predators. We simultaneously conducted predator surveys using camera scent stations and occupancy modeling to estimate nest predator occurrence at each site. American badgers (Taxidea taxus and striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis were the primary nest predators, accounting for 56.7% of all video recorded nest depredations. Nests in our high intensity gas and oil area were 1.95 times more likely to succeed compared to our minimal intensity area. Camera monitored nests were 2.03 times more likely to succeed than non-camera monitored nests. Occupancy of mammalian nest predators was 6.9 times more likely in our study area of minimal gas and oil intensity compared to the high intensity area. Although only a correlative study, our results suggest energy development may alter the predator community, thereby increasing nest success for sharp-tailed grouse in areas of intense development, while adjacent areas may have increased predator occurrence and reduced nest success. Our study illustrates the potential influences of energy development on the nest predator-prey dynamics of sharp-tailed grouse in western North Dakota and the complexity of evaluating such impacts on wildlife.

Evaluation of nested polymerase chain reaction for the early detection of Leptospira spp. DNA in serum samples from patients with leptospirosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Blanco, Roberta Morozetti; Romero, Eliete Caló

2014-04-01

The aim of this study was to analyse the nested polymerase chain reaction (nested PCR) in human serum samples of patients with clinical manifestations of leptospirosis. The cases of leptospirosis were defined by the microagglutination test (MAT). The samples were collected in 2010. Of 1042 serum samples collected from 521 patients, 28 (5.4%) were considered positive cases of leptospirosis, and 493 (94.6%) were negative. Twenty-three confirmed cases had no MAT-detectable antibodies in the acute sample (mean of 5.6 days after onset). Nested PCR was positive in 22/23 (95.7%) patients during the acute phase of the disease, with negative results by MAT. Nested PCR was negative in all convalescent serum samples with positive results by MAT. All negative cases of leptospirosis were negative by nested PCR. The nested PCR is an alternative diagnostic tool for early detection of leptospires in sera during the first 7 days of the disease. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

No evidence for UV-based nest-site selection in sticklebacks

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Bakker Theo CM

2006-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Nests are built in various animal taxa including fish. In systems with exclusive male parental care, the choice of a nest site may be an important component of male fitness. The nest site may influence male attractiveness as a mate, and male, embryo, and juvenile survival probabilities. Reproductively active three-spined stickleback males establish and defend a territory in which they build a nest. Territories can differ remarkably in qualities that influence male and female reproductive success like predation risk or abiotic factors such as dissolved oxygen concentration or lighting conditions. The latter may be important because in sticklebacks the extended visual capability into the ultraviolet (UV wave range plays a role in female mate choice. Males are thus expected to be choosy about the habitat in which they will build their nest. Results We tested nest-site choice in male three-spined sticklebacks with respect to different UV lighting conditions. Reproductively active males were given the simultaneous choice to build their nest either in an UV-rich (UV+ or an UV-lacking (UV- environment. Males exhibited no significant nest-site preferences with respect to UV+ or UV-. However, larger males and also heavier ones completed their nests earlier. Conclusion We found that UV radiation as well as differences in luminance had no influence on nest-site choice in three-spined sticklebacks. Males that built in the UV-rich environment were not different in any trait (body traits and UV reflection traits from males that built in the UV-poor environment. There was a significant effect of standard length and body mass on the time elapsed until nest completion in the UV experiment. The larger and heavier a male, the faster he completed his nest. In the brightness control experiment there was a significant effect only of body mass on the duration of nest completion. Whether nest building preferences with respect to UV lighting

Meat and fiber intake and interaction with pattern recognition receptors (TLR1, TLR2, TLR4, and TLR10) in relation to colorectal cancer in a Danish prospective, case-cohort study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kopp, Tine Iskov; Vogel, Ulla; Tjonneland, Anne

2018-01-01

Background: Meat and dietary fiber are associated with increased and decreased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC), respectively. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) regulate the intestinal immune response in a complex interplay between the mucosal epithelium and the microbiota and may therefore be important...... modulators of diet-induced CRC together with other inflammatory mediators. Objective: Our aim was to investigate the association between functional TLR polymorphisms and risk of CRC and the interaction with dietary factors. Additionally, interactions with previously studied polymorphisms in IL10, IL1B, PTGS2......, and NFKB1 were assessed in order to examine possible biological pathways in meat-induced CRC. Design: A nested case-cohort study of 897 CRC cases and 1689 randomly selected participants from the Danish prospective "Diet, Cancer and Health" study encompassing 57,053 persons was performed using Cox...

Hawaii ESI: NESTS (Nest Points)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for seabird nesting colonies in coastal Hawaii. Vector points in this data set represent locations of...

Maryland ESI: NESTS (Nest Points)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for raptors in Maryland. Vector points in this data set represent bird nesting sites. Species-specific...

Are olfactory cues involved in nest recognition in two social species of estrildid finches?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E Tobias Krause

Full Text Available Reliably recognizing their own nest provides parents with a necessary skill to invest time and resources efficiently in raising their offspring and thereby maximising their own reproductive success. Studies investigating nest recognition in adult birds have focused mainly on visual cues of the nest or the nest site and acoustic cues of the nestlings. To determine whether adult songbirds also use olfaction for nest recognition, we investigated the use of olfactory nest cues for two estrildid finch species, zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata and Bengalese finches (Lonchura striata var. domestica during the nestling and fledgling phase of their offspring. We found similar behavioural responses to nest odours in both songbird species. Females preferred the odour of their own nest over a control and avoided the foreign conspecific nest scent over a control during the nestling phase of their offspring, but when given the own odour and the foreign conspecific odour simultaneously we did not find a preference for the own nest odour. Males of both species did not show any preferences at all. The behavioural reaction to any nest odour decreased after fledging of the offspring. Our results show that only females show a behavioural response to olfactory nest cues, indicating that the use of olfactory cues for nest recognition seems to be sex-specific and dependent on the developmental stage of the offspring. Although estrildid finches are known to use visual and acoustic cues for nest recognition, the similar behavioural pattern of both species indicates that at least females gain additional information by olfactory nest cues during the nestling phase of their offspring. Thus olfactory cues might be important in general, even in situations in which visual and acoustic cues are known to be sufficient.

A case of learning to teach elementary science: Investigating beliefs, experiences, and tensions

Science.gov (United States)

Bryan, Lynn Ann

This study examines how preservice elementary teacher beliefs and experiences within the context of reflective science teacher education influence the development of professional knowledge. From a cognitive constructivist theoretical perspective, I conducted a case analysis to investigate the beliefs about science teaching and learning held by a preservice teacher (Barbara), identify the tensions she encountered in learning to teach elementary science, understand the frames from which she identified problems of practice, and discern how her experiences influenced the process of reflecting on her own science teaching. From an analysis of interviews, observation, and written documents, I constructed a profile of Barbara's beliefs that consisted of three foundational and three dualistic beliefs about science teaching and learning. Her foundational beliefs concerned: (a) the value of science and science teaching, (b) the nature of scientific concepts and goals of science instruction, and (c) control in the science classroom. Barbara held dualistic beliefs about: (a) how children learn science, (b) the science students' role, and (c) the science teacher's role. The dualistic beliefs formed two contradictory nests of beliefs. One nest, grounded in life-long science learner experiences, reflected a didactic teaching orientation and predominantly guided her practice. The second nest, not well-grounded in experience, embraced a hands-on approach and predominantly guided her vision of practice. Barbara encountered tensions in thinking about science teaching and learning as a result of inconsistencies between her vision of science teaching and her actual practice. Confronting these tensions prompted Barbara to rethink the connections between her classroom actions and students' learning, create new perspectives for viewing her practice, and consider alternative practices more resonant with her visionary beliefs. However, the self-reinforcing belief system created by her

Nesting biology of Trypoxylon (Trypargilum) lactitarse Saussure (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae) in trap-nests in Southern Brazil

OpenAIRE

Buschini,M. L. T.; Niesing,F.; Wolff,L. L.

2006-01-01

This study was carried in the Parque Municipal das Araucárias in the municipality of Guarapuava, state of Paraná, Southern Brazil. Three hundred and sixty five nests of T. lactitarse were obtained using trap-nests of 0.7, 1.0, and 1.3 cm in diameter. All of them had similar architecture, regardless of the diameter of the trap-nest. Completed nests consisted of a linear series of brood cells whose average number per nest was of 3.3, 4.0 and 3.6 for the nests with 0.7 cm, 1.0 cm and 1.3 cm in d...

Influenza vaccine effectiveness among healthcare workers in comparison to hospitalized patients: A 2004-2009 case-test, negative-control, prospective study

Science.gov (United States)

Vanhems, P; Baghdadi, Y; Roche, S; Bénet, T; Regis, C; Lina, B; Robert, O; Voirin, N; Ecochard, R; Amour, S

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to calculate Vaccine Effectiveness (VE) in healthcare workers (HCW) and to compare VE between patients and HCW. A case-control investigation based on the prospective study was conducted between 2004 and 2009 in a teaching hospital. All HCW with influenza-like illness (ILI) from participating units (n = 24) were included, and vaccination status was characterized by interview. A total of 150 HCW presented ILI; 130 (87%) were female, 27 (18%) were positive for influenza, and 42 (28%) were vaccinated. Adjusted VE was 89% (95% CI 39 to 98). Among patients, adjusted VE was 42% (95% CI −39 to 76). The difference of VE (VEhcw - VEpat) was 46.15% (95% CI 2.41 to 144). The VE ratio (VEhcw / VEpat) was 2.09 (95% CI −1.60 to 134.17). Influenza VE differed between HCW and patients when the flu season was taken into account. This finding confirms the major impact of host determinants on influenza VE. PMID:26327520

Psychosocial impact of adolescent gynecomastia: a prospective case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Nuzzi, Laura C; Cerrato, Felecia E; Erickson, Cameron R; Erikson, Cameron R; Webb, Michelle L; Rosen, Heather; Walsh, Erika M; DiVasta, Amy D; Greene, Arin K; Labow, Brian I

2013-04-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the physical and psychosocial impact of gynecomastia and its severity on adolescents seeking treatment as compared with healthy adolescent males. The following surveys were administered to adolescents with gynecomastia and healthy male controls, aged 12 to 21 years: Short Form-36 Version 2, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Eating Attitudes Test-26. Demographic variables were compared between the two groups, and controls were administered a short chest symptoms survey. Linear regression models, unadjusted and adjusted for body mass index category, were fit to determine the effect of case status and graded severity of gynecomastia on survey score. Forty-seven patients with gynecomastia and 92 male control subjects participated in this study. There was no difference in mean age between the groups, although patients with gynecomastia had a significantly higher body mass index. Gynecomastia subjects had three lower Short Form-36 domain and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale scores independent of body mass index category as compared with controls, although there was no difference in Eating Attitudes Test-26 scores between the groups. Graded gynecomastia severity had no effect on survey scores, all independent of body mass index category. Gynecomastia has a significant negative impact on primarily the psychosocial well-being of affected adolescent patients, specifically in regard to social functioning, mental health, and self-esteem. Psychosocial impact was not affected by graded severity of disease. Health care providers and patients should be aware of the psychosocial impairments associated with gynecomastia and consider early treatment for adolescents suffering from this condition, regardless of severity.

Louisiana ESI: NESTS (Nest Points)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for seabird and wading bird nesting colonies in coastal Louisiana. Vector points in this data set represent...

Nested PCR for specific diagnosis of Taenia solium taeniasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Mayta, Holger; Gilman, Robert H; Prendergast, Emily; Castillo, Janeth P; Tinoco, Yeny O; Garcia, Hector H; Gonzalez, Armando E; Sterling, Charles R

2008-01-01

Taeniasis due to Taenia solium is a disease with important public health consequences, since the larval stage is not exclusive to the animal intermediate, the pig, but also infects humans, causing neurocysticercosis. Early diagnosis and treatment of T. solium tapeworm carriers is important to prevent human cysticercosis. Current diagnosis based on microscopic observation of eggs lacks both sensitivity and specificity. In the present study, a nested-PCR assay targeting the Tso31 gene was developed for the specific diagnosis of taeniasis due to T. solium. Initial specificity and sensitivity testing was performed using stored known T. solium-positive and -negative samples. The assay was further analyzed under field conditions by conducting a case-control study of pretreatment stool samples collected from a population in an area of endemicity. Using the archived samples, the assay showed 97% (31/32) sensitivity and 100% (123/123) specificity. Under field conditions, the assay had 100% sensitivity and specificity using microscopy/enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay coproantigen testing as the gold standards. The Tso31 nested PCR described here might be a useful tool for the early diagnosis and prevention of taeniasis/cysticercosis.

Optical dating and palaeoecological investigations of ancient mud-wasp nests: Progress and prospects in rock art chronometry and palaeoenvironmental reconstructions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roberts, R.G.; Olley, J.M.; Walsh, G.L.; Murray, A.S.; Macphail, M.K.; Bowdery, D.E.; Jones, R.; Naumann, I.D.; Morwood, M.J.

1997-01-01

Full text: The spectacular rock art of northern Australia has long fascinated archaeologists but efforts to probe its probable great antiquity have been largely frustrated. Optical dating has been applied recently to ancient mud-wasp nests in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, the optically-stimulated luminescence (OSL) being obtained from quartz grains extracted from the nest mud. These nests overlie and in some places underlie rock paintings, thereby providing a means of constraining the ages of specific art motifs, such as Wandjina and Bradshaw paintings. Also incorporated in the nest mud are pollen grains, spores and phytoliths from which a variety of palaeoecological information has been gleaned and which offer the possibility of direct AMS radiocarbon dating. A summary of the Holocene and late Pleistocene chronological and palaeoenvironmental records obtained so far will be presented, and avenues for future investigation will be discussed

Sandhill crane abundance and nesting ecology at Grays Lake, Idaho

Science.gov (United States)

Austin, J.E.; Henry, A.R.; Ball, I.J.

2007-01-01

We examined population size and factors influencing nest survival of greater sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis tabida) at Grays Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Idaho, USA, during 1997-2000. Average local population of cranes from late April to early May, 1998-2000, was 735 cranes, 34% higher than that reported for May 1970-1971. We estimated 228 (SE = 30) nests in the basin core (excluding renests), 14% higher than a 1971 estimate. Apparent nest success in our study (x?? = 60%, n = 519 nests) was lower than reported for Grays Lake 30-50 years earlier. Daily survival rates (DSRs) of all nests averaged 0.9707 (41.2%). The best model explaining nest survival included year and water depth and their interaction. Nest survival was highest (DSR = 0.9827) in 1998 compared with other years (0.9698-0.9707). Nest survival changed little relative to water depth in 1998, when flooding was extensive and alternative prey (microtines) irrupted, but declined markedly with lower water levels in 2000, the driest year studied. Hypotheses relating nest survival to vegetation height, land use (idle, summer grazing, fall grazing), and date were not supported. In a before-after-control-impact design using 12 experimental fields, nest survival differed among years but not among management treatments (idle, fall graze, fall burn, and summer-graze-idle rotation), nor was there an interaction between year and treatments. However, DSRs in fall-burn fields declined from 0.9781 in 1997-1998 to 0.9503 in 1999-2000 (posttreatment). Changes in the predator community have likely contributed to declines in nest success since the 1950s and 1970s. Our results did not support earlier concerns about effects of habitat management practices on crane productivity. Nest survival could best be enhanced by managing spring water levels. Managers should continue censuses during late April to evaluate long-term relationships to habitat conditions and management.

Putting density back into the habitat-quality equation: case study of an open-nesting forest bird.

Science.gov (United States)

Pérot, Aurore; Villard, Marc-André

2009-12-01

Ecological traps and other cases of apparently maladaptive habitat selection cast doubt on the relevance of density as an indicator of habitat quality. Nevertheless, the prevalence of these phenomena remains poorly known, and density may still reflect habitat quality in most systems. We examined the relationship between density and two other parameters of habitat quality in an open-nesting passerine species: the Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla). We hypothesized that the average individual bird makes a good decision when selecting its breeding territory and that territory spacing reflects site productivity or predation risk. Therefore, we predicted that density would be positively correlated with productivity (number of young fledged per unit area). Because individual performance is sensitive to events partly determined by chance, such as nest predation, we further predicted density would be weakly correlated or uncorrelated with the proportion of territories fledging young. We collected data in 23 study sites (25 ha each), 16 of which were located in untreated mature northern hardwood forest and seven in stands partially harvested (treated) 1-7 years prior to the survey. Density explained most of the variability in productivity (R(2)= 0.73), and there was no apparent decoupling between density and productivity in treated plots. In contrast, there was no significant relationship between density and the proportion of territories fledging >or=1 young over the entire breeding season. These results suggest that density reflects habitat quality at the plot scale in this study system. To our knowledge this is one of the few studies testing the value of territory density as an indicator of habitat quality in an open-nesting bird species on the basis of a relatively large number of sizeable study plots.

Raptor nest management on power lines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Harness, R.E. [EDM International Inc., Fort Collins, CO (United States)

2005-07-01

Many utilities in South Africa are now implementing labor-intensive methods to combat raptor nesting on power transmission lines. Methods have typically included direct nest removal and trimming of nest materials. However, the process is often unsuccessful, and utilities are now learning to accommodate the raptor nests. This paper argued that managing nests on utility structures has solved many operational problems and has resulted in positive publicity for many line operators. Nest management options included the use of stick deflectors to prevent nest material from accumulating during initial nest construction, as well as encouraging raptors to shift their efforts to a more suitable location. Raptors will often accept alternative nesting platforms, and taller, surrogate nesting poles can be placed next to distribution line structures. Elevated platforms can also be placed on problematic distribution structures, but may result in birds coming into contact with unprotected equipment. It was concluded that a successful nest management program includes plans to make nearby lines safe for raptors and to prevent their electrocution. Providing nests with bird-friendly utility configurations can result in electric facilities enhancing wild raptor populations without impacting power reliability. 14 refs., 9 figs.

Age and breeding success related to nest position in a White stork Ciconia ciconia colony

Science.gov (United States)

Vergara, Pablo; Aguirre, José I.

2006-11-01

Coloniality is a breeding system that may produce benefits in terms of breeding success, although these advantages could vary according to factors such as colony size or nest position. We studied breeder's age in relation to nest position (peripheral or central) within the colony. In addition, we studied the relationship between breeding success and nest position, controlling for breeder's age, a highly correlated factor, in a White Stork Ciconia ciconia colony over a 7-year period. Our results show that central nests are mainly occupied by adult birds and had lower failure rates. However, controlling for breeder's age, nest position per se did not explain breeding success. The scarce predation and the lack of human disturbance in the study colony could explain the absence of differences in breeding success between different nest positions within the colony.

Nest-site selection and nest success of an Arctic-breeding passerine, Smith's Longspur, in a changing climate

Science.gov (United States)

McFarland, Heather R.; Kendall, Steve J.; Powell, Abby

2017-01-01

Despite changes in shrub cover and weather patterns associated with climate change in the Arctic, little is known about the breeding requirements of most passerines tied to northern regions. We investigated the nesting biology and nest habitat characteristics of Smith's Longspurs (Calcarius pictus) in 2 study areas in the Brooks Range of Alaska, USA. First, we examined variation in nesting phenology in relation to local temperatures. We then characterized nesting habitat and analyzed nest-site selection for a subset of nests (n = 86) in comparison with paired random points. Finally, we estimated the daily survival rate of 257 nests found in 2007–2013 with respect to both habitat characteristics and weather variables. Nest initiation was delayed in years with snow events, heavy rain, and freezing temperatures early in the breeding season. Nests were typically found in open, low-shrub tundra, and never among tall shrubs (mean shrub height at nests = 26.8 ± 6.7 cm). We observed weak nest-site selection patterns. Considering the similarity between nest sites and paired random points, coupled with the unique social mating system of Smith's Longspurs, we suggest that habitat selection may occur at the neighborhood scale and not at the nest-site scale. The best approximating model explaining nest survival suggested a positive relationship with the numbers of days above 21°C that an individual nest experienced; there was little support for models containing habitat variables. The daily nest survival rate was high (0.972–0.982) compared with that of most passerines in forested or grassland habitats, but similar to that of passerines nesting on tundra. Considering their high nesting success and ability to delay nest initiation during inclement weather, Smith's Longspurs may be resilient to predicted changes in weather regimes on the breeding grounds. Thus, the greatest threat to breeding Smith's Longspurs associated with climate change may be the loss of low

Emergent nested systems a theory of understanding and influencing complex systems as well as case studies in urban systems

CERN Document Server

Walloth, Christian

2016-01-01

This book presents a theory as well as methods to understand and to purposively influence complex systems. It suggests a theory of complex systems as nested systems, i. e. systems that enclose other systems and that are simultaneously enclosed by even other systems. According to the theory presented, each enclosing system emerges through time from the generative activities of the systems they enclose. Systems are nested and often emerge unplanned, and every system of high dynamics is enclosed by a system of slower dynamics. An understanding of systems with faster dynamics, which are always guided by systems of slower dynamics, opens up not only new ways to understanding systems, but also to effectively influence them. The aim and subject of this book is to lay out these thoughts and explain their relevance to the purposive development of complex systems, which are exemplified in case studies from an urban system. The interested reader, who is not required to be familiar with system-theoretical concepts or wit...

Nesting Activity of Loggerhead Turtles (Caretta caretta at Göksu Delta, Turkey during 2004 and 2008 nesting seasons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Salih H. Durmus

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Göksu Delta is one of the most important nesting beaches in Turkey for the endangered loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta. This paper provides information on the nesting activities of loggerhead turtles, the spatial and temporal distribution of nesting, nesting success, nesting density, hatching success, incubation duration and clutch size over two nesting seasons. A total of 902 emergences occurred over two seasons, of which 239 (26.5% nests were deposited (137 nests in 2004 and 102 nests in 2008 and the overall mean nesting density was 3.4 nests/km. The peak of nesting emergences takes place mainly in June. Of the overall nests, 226 (94.6% were excavated and 16044 eggs were counted. Of these eggs, 3680 (22.9% hatchlings emerged and 2695 (73.2% of hatchlings of them were able to reach the sea. The mean number of eggs per clutch was 71 (range: 15 – 143. The shortest and longest incubation duration in these 2 seasons ranged from 46 to 62 days with a mean of 53 days. The main problems are negatively affecting loggerhead turtle population at Göksu Delta are dense jackal predation both adult and eggs and inundation in nests. The average nesting effort here (mean: 119.5 nests/season confirms that Göksu Delta is one of the most important nesting sites for loggerhead turtles in Turkey.

Evaluation of a nested-PCR for mycobacterium tuberculosis detection in blood and urine samples.

Science.gov (United States)

da Cruz, Heidi Lacerda Alves; de Albuquerque Montenegro, Rosana; de Araújo Lima, Juliana Falcão; da Rocha Poroca, Diogo; da Costa Lima, Juliana Figueirêdo; Maria Lapa Montenegro, Lílian; Crovella, Sergio; Charifker Schindler, Haiana

2011-01-01

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and its variations, such as the nested-PCR, have been described as promising techniques for rapid diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB). With the aim of evaluating the usefulness of a nested-PCR method on samples of blood and urine of patients suspected of tuberculosis we analyzed 192 clinical samples, using as a molecular target the insertion element IS6110 specific of M. tuberculosis genome. Nested-PCR method showed higher sensitivity in patients with extrapulmonary tuberculosis (47.8% and 52% in blood and urine) when compared to patients with the pulmonary form of the disease (sensitivity of 29% and 26.9% in blood and urine), regardless of the type of biological sample used. The nested-PCR is a rapid technique that, even if not showing a good sensitivity, should be considered as a helpful tool especially in the extrapulmonary cases or in cases where confirmatory diagnosis is quite difficult to be achieved by routine methods. The performance of PCR-based techniques should be considered and tested in future works on other types of biological specimens besides sputum, like blood and urine, readily obtainable in most cases. The improving of M. tuberculosis nested-PCR detection in TB affected patients will give the possibility of an earlier detection of bacilli thus interrupting the transmission chain of the disease.

Lesser prairie-chicken nest site selection, microclimate, and nest survival in association with vegetation response to a grassland restoration program

Science.gov (United States)

Boal, Clint W.; Grisham, Blake A.; Haukos, David A.; Zavaleta, Jennifer C.; Dixon, Charles

2014-01-01

captured at individual leks, and then for all leks pooled. There was no clear pattern of selection for treatment type for nest placement among hens associated with individual leks; however, when hens from all leks were pooled, we found nesting lesser prairie-chickens selected control plots for nesting over plots that were grazed, treated with tebuthiuron, or were both grazed and treated with tebuthiuron. Overall, the probability of a nest surviving the incubation period was 0.57 for this study and did not vary significantly among treatment types. In contrast to nesting preference for untreated habitats, lek use exhibited no noticeable selection of treatment type. Over the 10 years of the habitat management study, there was 91 percent less sand shinnery oak (Quercus havardii) in treated areas than untreated areas. The removal of sand shinnery oak made environmental soil moisture more available for grasses and forbs to germinate and grow. Grasses increased by 149 percent and forbs increased by 257 percent in treated areas as compared to untreated areas throughout the study period. Our combined results, including our habitat selection analysis at the individual lek level, indicated that reduced rates of herbicide and short-duration grazing treatments were not detrimental to nesting lesser prairie-chickens and that populations of lesser prairie-chickens in shrub-dominated ecosystems may benefit from reduced rates of herbicide application and short duration of grazing that results in increased habitat heterogeneity.

Buteo Nesting Ecology: Evaluating Nesting of Swainson’s Hawks in the Northern Great Plains

Science.gov (United States)

Inselman, Will M.; Datta, Shubham; Jenks, Jonathan A.; Jensen, Kent C.; Grovenburg, Troy W.

2015-01-01

Swainson’s hawks (Buteo swainsoni) are long-distance migratory raptors that nest primarily in isolated trees located in areas of high grassland density. In recent years, anthropogenic conversion of grassland habitat has raised concerns about the status of the breeding population in the northern Great Plains. In 2013, we initiated a study to investigate the influence of extrinsic factors influencing Swainson’s hawk nesting ecology in north-central South Dakota and south-central North Dakota. Using ground and aerial surveys, we located and monitored nesting Swainson’s hawk pairs: 73 in 2013 and 120 in 2014. We documented 98 successful breeding attempts that fledged 163 chicks; 1.52 and 1.72 fledglings per successful nest in 2013 and 2014, respectively. We used Program MARK to evaluate the influence of land cover on nest survival. The top model, S Dist2Farm+%Hay, indicated that nest survival (fledging at least one chick) decreased as nests were located farther from farm sites and as the percent of hay cover increased within 1200-m of the nest site (34.4%; 95% CI = 27.6%–42.3%). We used logistic regression analysis to evaluate the influence of landscape variables on nest-site selection; Swainson’s hawks selected for nest sites located closer to roads. We suggest that tree belts associated with farm sites, whether occupied or not, provide critical breeding sites for Swainson’s hawks. Additionally, poor breeding success may be related to the late migratory behavior of this species which requires them to occupy marginal habitat due to other raptors occupying the most suitable habitat prior to Swainson’s hawks arriving to the breeding grounds. PMID:26327440

Unusual raptor nests around the world

Science.gov (United States)

Ellis, D.H.; Craig, T.; Craig, E.; Postupalsky, S.; LaRue, C.T.; Nelson, R.W.; Anderson, D.W.; Henny, C.J.; Watson, J.; Millsap, B.A.; Dawson, J.W.; Cole, K.L.; Martin, E.M.; Margalida, A.; Kung, P.

2009-01-01

From surveys in many countries, we report raptors using unusual nesting materials (e.g., paper money, rags, metal, antlers, and large bones) and unusual nesting situations. For example, we documented nests of Steppe Eagles Aquila nipalensis and Upland Buzzards Buteo hemilasius on the ground beside well-traveled roads, Saker Falcon Falco cherrug eyries in attics and a cistern, and Osprey Pandion haliaetus nests on the masts of boats and on a suspended automobile. Other records include a Golden Eagle A. chrysaetos nest 7.0 m in height, believed to be the tallest nest ever described, and, for the same species, we report nesting in rudimentary nests. Some nest sites are within a few meters of known predators or competitors. These unusual observations may be important in revealing the plasticity of a species' behavioral repertoire. ?? 2009 The Raptor Research Foundation, Inc.

Clinical patterns, epidemiology and risk factors of community-acquired urinary tract infection caused by extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producers: a prospective hospital case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Almomani, Basima A; Hayajneh, Wail A; Ayoub, Abeer M; Ababneh, Mera A; Al Momani, Miral A

2018-05-10

To assess incidence rate, risk factors and susceptibility patterns associated with extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli or Klebsiella pneumoniae in community-acquired urinary tract infections (CA-UTIs). A prospective, case-control study was conducted at a tertiary teaching hospital from Jan 2015 to Dec 2016. The results of microbiology cultures were initially screened to include only patients with positive E. coli or K. pneumoniae urine cultures. Afterwards, clinical symptoms were assessed to confirm the UTI. To investigate the risk factors, patients with a positive urine culture for ESBL-producing isolates were assigned as cases, while patients with non-ESBL were assigned as controls. Out of 591 patients included in this study, 57.5% (n = 340) were included in the control group and 42.5% (n = 251) were in the case group. The incidence rate of ESBL-producing isolates was 3.465 cases per 1000-patient hospital admissions. Male gender (OR = 1.856, 95% CI = 1.192-2.889, p = 0.006), pediatrics (OR = 1.676, 95% CI = 1.117-2.517, p = 0.013), patients with comorbidity (OR = 1.542, 95% CI = 1.029-2.312, p = 0.036) and UTI in the previous 12 months (OR = 1.705, 95% CI = 1.106-2.628, p = 0.016) were independently associated with a higher risk of infection. The resistance rate for most commonly prescribed antibiotics was high. Our results suggest that the incidence of ESBL producers among CA-UTIs is high. Male gender, pediatrics, comorbidity and UTI in the previous 12 months were associated with a higher risk for infection. Continuous surveillance and prudent antibiotic use by healthcare professionals are important factors for effective control of ESBL associated infections.

American coot (Fulica americana) on the Hanford Site. Part 1. Nesting biology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fitzner, R.E.; Schreckhise, R.G.

1979-05-01

The nesting biology of the American coot was studied on low-level radioactive waste ponds located on the Hanford DOE Site and on control ponds located in the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge in southeastern Washington from 1974 through 1976. The objective was to discover any differences in the nesting biology of the birds which could be attributed to the low-level radioactive wastes present in the Hanford DOE Site ponds. Coots nesting on the Hanford ponds and those nesting on the wildlife refuge were found to have similar nesting habits. Nesting habitats were also similar. There were no apparent differences in nesting chronology between birds from the different study sites. Clutch size also showed no significant differences. The average number of eggs per nest for all ponds was 6.7. Egg and chick weights and percent hatching success were similar among coots from both study sites. Feeding habits of the coots from the two sites did show some differences. However, this is probably related to the availability of food items in each pond

A Prospective Evaluation of Plasma Polyphenol Levels and Colon Cancer Risk

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Murphy, Neil; Achaintre, David; Zamora-Ros, Raul

2018-01-01

Polyphenols have been shown to exert biological activity in experimental models of colon cancer; however, human data linking specific polyphenols to colon cancer is limited. We assessed the relationship between pre-diagnostic plasma polyphenols and colon cancer risk in a case-control study nested...

Sexually selected nest-building--Pomatoschistus minutus males build smaller nest-openings in the presence of sneaker males.

Science.gov (United States)

Svensson, O; Kvarnemo, C

2003-09-01

Both natural selection and sexual selection may act on nest-building. We tested experimentally how different regimes of egg-predation and male-male competition influence nest-building before mating, using the marine fish sand goby, Pomatoschistus minutus. Males with sneaker males present built the smallest nest-openings, smaller than males held alone or with Pomatoschistus microps males (which may predate eggs and compete over nest-sites but not compete over fertilizations). Males with visual access to other nest-building males tended also to build smaller openings than males held alone or with P. microps. Males with egg-predators present built nests with openings not differing significantly from any other treatment. Our results indicate that the small nest-openings found in the sneaker male treatment are sexually selected through protection against sneaking or by female choice. Across treatments, time span before a male started to build his nest also explained variation in nest-opening width; males starting late built larger nest-openings.

Development with age of nest box use and gregarious nesting in laying hens

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Riber, Anja Brinch

2010-01-01

in position (left + corner, middle, and right). Nesting behaviour was video recorded for 5 days in each of five distinct periods: age 20, 26, 32, 38, and 44 weeks. The total number of visits and the number of gregarious visits were higher in the left nest box than in the other two nest boxes at all ages...

Predation on simulated duck nests in relation to nest density and landscape structure

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Padyšáková, E.; Šálek, Martin; Poledník, L.; Sedláček, František; Albrecht, Tomáš

2010-01-01

Roč. 37, č. 7 (2010), s. 597-603 ISSN 1035-3712 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LC06073 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60870520; CEZ:AV0Z60930519 Keywords : density-dependent predation * littoral patch * landscape type * nest predators * nest success * simulated nests Subject RIV: EG - Zoology Impact factor: 1.205, year: 2010

[Dental agenesis. Results of a prospective study of 30 cases].

Science.gov (United States)

Romieux, G; Bonin, B; Laure, B; Van Hove, A; Goga, D

2000-11-01

We conducted a prospective study to determine the types of bone anomalies observed in different types of dental agenesia. This prospective series included 30 patients who attended our pluridisciplinary clinic since 1988. There were 22 cases of non syndromal agenesia and 8 cases of syndromal agenesia. Patients consulted for a variety of reasons, no specific sign was found. The diagnosis was based on the panoramic x-ray and confirmed at the genetic consultation. Results were systemized by localization of the agenesia. In all cases, the height of the bone crest was preserved compared with the adjacent teeth. In the anterior part of the maxillary, the bone crest was thin showing a water drop aspect. In the posterior maxillary, there was a decrease in the subsinusal height due to invagination of the floor of the sinus. In the anterior part of the mandible, the crest had a knife blade aspect but no loss of height and in the posterior part, a preserved distance between the residual crest rim and the dental canal. In 60% of the solitary agenesias in the anterior part of the maxillary, augmentation was not required. A sinus graft was required in all cases involving the posterior maxillary. Multiple anterior or lateral agenesias were treated with a parietal graft.

Discovery of a new Kittlitz's murrelet nest: Clues to habitat selection and nest-site fidelity

Science.gov (United States)

Piatt, John F.; Naslund, Nancy L.; van Pelt, Thomas I.

1999-01-01

On 13 June 1993, a new Kittlitz's murrelet (Brachyramphus brevirostris) nest was discovered near Red Mountain on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska. The nest was on a 22° slope at about 900 m elevation with a northeast aspect, and contained a 60.2 × 40.6 mm egg that weighed 49.0 g. Downy feathers and weathered fecal material found at the nest indicated re-use from a previous year, suggesting possible nest site fidelity. The nest was located in an area scoured by winds and free of snow during early spring, suggesting that this may be an important mesoscale factor influencing selection of nesting habitat. Proximity to suitable foraging habitat, particularly sheltered bays and glacial river outflows, may affect breeding habitat choice over larger spatial scales.

Minimizing the disruptive effects of prospective memory in simulated air traffic control.

Science.gov (United States)

Loft, Shayne; Smith, Rebekah E; Remington, Roger W

2013-09-01

Prospective memory refers to remembering to perform an intended action in the future. Failures of prospective memory can occur in air traffic control. In two experiments, we examined the utility of external aids for facilitating air traffic management in a simulated air traffic control task with prospective memory requirements. Participants accepted and handed-off aircraft and detected aircraft conflicts. The prospective memory task involved remembering to deviate from a routine operating procedure when accepting target aircraft. External aids that contained details of the prospective memory task appeared and flashed when target aircraft needed acceptance. In Experiment 1, external aids presented either adjacent or nonadjacent to each of the 20 target aircraft presented over the 40-min test phase reduced prospective memory error by 11% compared with a condition without external aids. In Experiment 2, only a single target aircraft was presented a significant time (39-42 min) after presentation of the prospective memory instruction, and the external aids reduced prospective memory error by 34%. In both experiments, costs to the efficiency of nonprospective memory air traffic management (nontarget aircraft acceptance response time, conflict detection response time) were reduced by nonadjacent aids compared with no aids or adjacent aids. In contrast, in both experiments, the efficiency of the prospective memory air traffic management (target aircraft acceptance response time) was facilitated by adjacent aids compared with nonadjacent aids. Together, these findings have potential implications for the design of automated alerting systems to maximize multitask performance in work settings where operators monitor and control demanding perceptual displays. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Long-term lesser prairie-chicken nest ecology in response to grassland management

Science.gov (United States)

Fritts, Sarah R.; Grisham, Blake A.; Haukos, David A.; Boal, Clint W.; Patten, Michael; Wolfe, Don H.; Dixon, Charles; Cox, Robert D.; Heck, Willard R.

2016-01-01

Long-term population and range declines from habitat loss and fragmentation caused the lesser prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) to be a species of concern throughout its range. Current lesser prairie-chicken range in New Mexico and Texas is partially restricted to sand shinnery oak (Quercus havardii; hereafter shinnery oak) prairies, on which cattle grazing is the main socioeconomic driver for private landowners. Cattle producers within shinnery oak prairies often focus land management on shrub eradication using the herbicide tebuthiuron to promote grass production for forage; however, herbicide application alone, and in combination with grazing, may affect nest site selection and nest survival of lesser prairie-chickens through the reduction of shinnery oak and native grasses. We used a controlled, paired, completely randomized design study to assess the influence of grazing and tebuthiuron application and their combined use on nest site selection and nest survival from 2001 to 2010 in Roosevelt County, New Mexico, USA at 2 spatial scales (i.e., treatment and microhabitat) in 4 treatments: tebuthiuron with grazing, tebuthiuron without grazing, no tebuthiuron with grazing, and a control of no tebuthiuron and no grazing. Grazing treatment was a short-duration system in which plots were grazed once during the dormant season and once during the growing season. Stocking rate was calculated each season based on measured forage production and applied to remove ≤25% of available herbaceous material per season. At the treatment scale, we compared nest site selection among treatments using 1-way χ2 tests and nest survival among treatments using a priori candidate nest survival models in Program MARK. At the microhabitat scale, we identified important habitat predictors of nest site selection and nest survival using logistic regression and a priori candidate nest survival models in Program MARK, respectively. Females typically used treatments as expected and

Genetic variants associated with longer telomere length are associated with increased lung cancer risk among never-smoking women in Asia : a report from the female lung cancer consortium in Asia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Machiela, Mitchell J; Hsiung, Chao Agnes; Shu, Xiao-Ou; Seow, Wei Jie; Wang, Zhaoming; Matsuo, Keitaro; Hong, Yun-Chul; Seow, Adeline; Wu, Chen; Hosgood, H Dean; Chen, Kexin; Wang, Jiu-Cun; Wen, Wanqing; Cawthon, Richard; Chatterjee, Nilanjan; Hu, Wei; Caporaso, Neil E; Park, Jae Yong; Chen, Chien-Jen; Kim, Yeul Hong; Kim, Young Tae; Landi, Maria Teresa; Shen, Hongbing; Lawrence, Charles; Burdett, Laurie; Yeager, Meredith; Chang, I-Shou; Mitsudomi, Tetsuya; Kim, Hee Nam; Chang, Gee-Chen; Bassig, Bryan A; Tucker, Margaret; Wei, Fusheng; Yin, Zhihua; An, She-Juan; Qian, Biyun; Lee, Victor Ho Fun; Lu, Daru; Liu, Jianjun; Jeon, Hyo-Sung; Hsiao, Chin-Fu; Sung, Jae Sook; Kim, Jin Hee; Gao, Yu-Tang; Tsai, Ying-Huang; Jung, Yoo Jin; Guo, Huan; Hu, Zhibin; Hutchinson, Amy; Wang, Wen-Chang; Klein, Robert J; Chung, Charles C; Oh, In-Jae; Chen, Kuan-Yu; Berndt, Sonja I; Wu, Wei; Chang, Jiang; Zhang, Xu-Chao; Huang, Ming-Shyan; Zheng, Hong; Wang, Junwen; Zhao, Xueying; Li, Yuqing; Choi, Jin Eun; Su, Wu-Chou; Park, Kyong Hwa; Sung, Sook Whan; Chen, Yuh-Min; Liu, Li; Kang, Chang Hyun; Hu, Lingmin; Chen, Chung-Hsing; Pao, William; Kim, Young-Chul; Yang, Tsung-Ying; Xu, Jun; Guan, Peng; Tan, Wen; Su, Jian; Wang, Chih-Liang; Li, Haixin; Sihoe, Alan Dart Loon; Zhao, Zhenhong; Chen, Ying; Choi, Yi Young; Hung, Jen-Yu; Kim, Jun Suk; Yoon, Ho-Il; Cai, Qiuyin; Lin, Chien-Chung; Park, In Kyu; Xu, Ping; Dong, Jing; Kim, Christopher; He, Qincheng; Perng, Reury-Perng; Kohno, Takashi; Kweon, Sun-Seog; Chen, Chih-Yi; Vermeulen, Roel C H; Wu, Junjie; Lim, Wei-Yen; Chen, Kun-Chieh; Chow, Wong-Ho; Ji, Bu-Tian; Chan, John K C; Chu, Minjie; Li, Yao-Jen; Yokota, Jun; Li, Jihua; Chen, Hongyan; Xiang, Yong-Bing; Yu, Chong-Jen; Kunitoh, Hideo; Wu, Guoping; Jin, Li; Lo, Yen-Li; Shiraishi, Kouya; Chen, Ying-Hsiang; Lin, Hsien-Chih; Wu, Tangchun; Wong, Maria Pik; Wu, Yi-Long; Yang, Pan-Chyr; Zhou, Baosen; Shin, Min-Ho; Fraumeni, Joseph F; Zheng, Wei; Lin, Dongxin; Chanock, Stephen J; Rothman, Nathaniel; Lan, Qing

2015-01-01

Recent evidence from several relatively small nested case-control studies in prospective cohorts shows an association between longer telomere length measured phenotypically in peripheral white blood cell (WBC) DNA and increased lung cancer risk. We sought to further explore this relationship by

Physical activity and lung cancer among non-smokers : a pilot molecular epidemiological study within EPIC

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rundle, Andrew; Richie, John; Steindorf, Karen; Peluso, Marco; Overvad, Kim; Raaschou-Nielsen, Ole; Clavel-Chapelon, Francoise; Linseisen, Jacob P.; Boeing, Heiner; Trichopoulou, Antonia; Palli, Domenico; Krogh, Vittorio; Tumino, Rosario; Panico, Salvatore; Bueno-De-Mesquita, Hendrik B.; Peeters, Petra H.; Lund, Eiliv; Gonzalez, Carlos A.; Martinez, Carmen; Dorronsoro, Miren; Barricarte, Aurelio; Jose Tormo, M.; Quiros, Jose R.; Agudo, Antonio; Berglund, Goran; Jarvholm, Bengt; Bingham, Sheila; Key, Timothy J.; Gormally, Emmanuelle; Saracci, Rodolfo; Kaaks, Rudolf; Riboli, Elio; Vineis, Paolo

The association between physical activity, potential intermediate biomarkers and lung cancer risk was investigated in a study of 230 cases and 648 controls nested within the European Prospective Investigation of Cancer and Nutrition. Data on white blood cell aromatic-DNA adducts by

Nest-site selection by cavity-nesting birds in relation to postfire salvage logging

Science.gov (United States)

Victoria A. Saab; Robin E. Russell; Jonathan G. Dudley

2009-01-01

Large wildfire events in coniferous forests of the western United States are often followed by postfire timber harvest. The long-term impacts of postfire timber harvest on fire-associated cavity-nesting bird species are not well documented. We studied nest-site selection by cavity-nesting birds over a 10-year period (1994-2003), representing 1-11 years after fire, on...

Artificial covering on trap nests improves the colonization of trap-nesting wasps

OpenAIRE

Taki, Hisatomo; Kevan, Peter G.; Viana, Blandina Felipe; Silva, Fabiana O.; Buck, Matthias

2008-01-01

Acesso restrito: Texto completo. p. 225-229 To evaluate the role that a trap-nest cover might have on sampling methodologies, the abundance of each species of trap-nesting Hymenoptera and the parasitism rate in a Canadian forest were compared between artificially covered and uncovered traps. Of trap tubes exposed at eight forest sites in six trap-nest boxes, 531 trap tubes were occupied and 1216 individuals of 12 wasp species of four predatory families, Vespidae (Eumeninae), Crabronidae...

Nest Predation Deviates from Nest Predator Abundance in an Ecologically Trapped Bird

OpenAIRE

Hollander, Franck A.; Van Dyck, Hans; San Martin, Gilles; Titeux, Nicolas

2015-01-01

In human-modified environments, ecological traps may result from a preference for low-quality habitat where survival or reproductive success is lower than in high-quality habitat. It has often been shown that low reproductive success for birds in preferred habitat types was due to higher nest predator abundance. However, between-habitat differences in nest predation may only weakly correlate with differences in nest predator abundance. An ecological trap is at work in a farmland bird (Lanius ...

Should I stay or should I go? Hormonal control of nest abandonment in a long-lived bird, the Adélie penguin.

Science.gov (United States)

Spée, Marion; Beaulieu, Michaël; Dervaux, Antoine; Chastel, Olivier; Le Maho, Yvon; Raclot, Thierry

2010-11-01

According to life-history theory, long-lived birds should favor their survival over the current reproductive attempt, when breeding becomes too costly. In seabirds, incubation is often associated with spontaneous long-term fasting. Below a threshold in body reserves, hormonal and metabolic shift characteristics of a switch from lipid to protein utilization (phase III, PIII) occur. These metabolic changes are paralleled by nest abandonment and stimulation of refeeding behavior. Parental behavior is then under control of two hormones with opposite effects: corticosterone (CORT) and prolactin which stimulate foraging and incubation behavior, respectively. The aim of this study was to determine the respective role of these two hormones in nest abandonment by Adélie penguins. To this end, plasma hormone levels were measured before egg-laying and at departure from the colony (i.e. when birds were relieved by their partner or abandoned their nest), and related to nutritional state and incubation success. We found that males abandoning their nest in PIII presented high CORT levels and low prolactin levels. Interestingly, males which presented high plasma levels of prolactin in PIII did not abandon. We show that although CORT is the first hormone to be affected by prolonged energy constraints, the combined effects of high CORT and low prolactin levels are necessary for parents to favor self-maintenance and abandon the nest. We provide insights into time-course changes of the endocrine profile as PIII proceeds and report that reaching proteolytic late fasting is not sufficient to induce nest abandonment in a long-lived bird. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Regional recurrence of oropharyngeal cancer after definitive radiotherapy: a case control study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Söderström, Karin; Nilsson, Per; Dalianis, Tina; Kjellén, Elisabeth; Zackrisson, Björn

2015-01-01

Elective treatment of lymph nodes in oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) has impact on both regional recurrences (RR) and risk of late side effects. This study was performed to quantify the dose-dependent impact on RR and overall survival (OS) in a prospectively collected cohort of OPC from the ARTSCAN study with emphasis on elective treatment. ARTSCAN is a previously published prospective, randomized, multicentre study of altered radiotherapy (RT) fractionation in head and neck cancer. In ARTSCAN the elective treatment volume for node positive OPC varied significantly between centres due to local treatment principles. All patients with OPC in complete response after primary treatment were eligible for the present case–control study. Cases were patients with RR during five years follow-up. Patients with no recurrence were eligible as controls. Four controls per case were matched according to T- and N-stage. Mean (D mean ) and median (D 50% ) dose for the lymph node level (LNL) of RR in the cases and the corresponding LNL in the controls were analysed with conditional logistic regression. OS was estimated with the Kaplan-Meier method and evaluated by multivariate Cox regression analysis. There was a dose-dependent risk reduction for D 50% in the interval that represented elective treatment (40–50 Gy) (OR = 0.18, p < 0.05) and a trend in the same dose interval for D mean (OR = 0.19, p = 0.07). OS rates at five years were 0.39 (0.24-0.65) for cases and 0.70 (0.62–0.81) for controls (p < 0.001). The Kaplan-Meier and the Cox regression analysis for cases categorised by delivered dose showed an inverse relationship between dose and survival. The cases with RR in a LNL outside planning target volume (PTV) (D mean < 40 Gy) had an OS rate comparable to that of all patients, and those with RR in a LNL in PTV elective (D mean 40–60 Gy) or PTV tumour (D mean >60 Gy) did significantly worse (p < 0.05). The same inverse relationship was also shown for a small subset of patient

Nest ectoparasites increase physiological stress in breeding birds: an experiment.

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-de la Puente, Josué; Merino, Santiago; Tomás, Gustavo; Moreno, Juan; Morales, Judith; Lobato, Elisa; Martínez, Javier

2011-02-01

Parasites are undoubtedly a biotic factor that produces stress. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are important molecules buffering cellular damage under adverse conditions. During the breeding season, blue tit Cyanistes caeruleus (L.) adults are affected by blood parasites, nest-dwelling parasites and biting flies, potentially affecting their HSP-mediated responses. Here, we treated females with primaquine to reduce blood parasites and fumigated nests with permethrin to reduce nest-dwelling parasites to test whether these treatments affect HSP60 level during the breeding season. Medicated females, but not controls, had a significant reduction of the intensity of infection by Haemoproteus spp. blood parasites. However, final intensity of infection did not differ significantly between groups, and we did not find an effect of medication on change in HSP60 level. Fumigation reduced the abundance of nest-dwelling parasites (mites, fleas and blowfly larvae) and engorged biting midges in nests. Females breeding in non-fumigated nests increased HSP60 levels during the season more than those breeding in fumigated nests. Furthermore, the change in HSP60 level was positively correlated with the abundance of biting midges. These results show how infections by nest ectoparasites during the breeding period can increase the level of HSPs and suggest that biting midges impose physiological costs on breeding female blue tits. Although plausible, the alternative that biting midges prefer to feed on more stressed birds is poorly supported by previous studies.

Incremental cost effectiveness of proton pump inhibitors for the prevention of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug ulcers : a pharmacoeconomic analysis linked to a case-control study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vonkeman, H.E.; Braakman-Jansen, L.M.A.; Klok, R.M.; Postma, M.J.; Brouwers, J.R.B.J.; van de Laar, M.A.F.J.

2008-01-01

Introduction We estimated the cost effectiveness of concomitant proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) in relation to the occurrence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) ulcer complications. Methods This study was linked to a nested case-control study. Patients with NSAID ulcer complications were

Longer telomere length in peripheral white blood cells is associated with risk of lung cancer and the rs2736100 (CLPTM1L-TERT polymorphism in a prospective cohort study among women in China.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qing Lan

Full Text Available A recent genome-wide association study of lung cancer among never-smoking females in Asia demonstrated that the rs2736100 polymorphism in the TERT-CLPTM1L locus on chromosome 5p15.33 was strongly and significantly associated with risk of adenocarcinoma of the lung. The telomerase gene TERT is a reverse transcriptase that is critical for telomere replication and stabilization by controlling telomere length. We previously found that longer telomere length measured in peripheral white blood cell DNA was associated with increased risk of lung cancer in a prospective cohort study of smoking males in Finland. To follow up on this finding, we carried out a nested case-control study of 215 female lung cancer cases and 215 female controls, 94% of whom were never-smokers, in the prospective Shanghai Women's Health Study cohort. There was a dose-response relationship between tertiles of telomere length and risk of lung cancer (odds ratio (OR, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.0, 1.4 [0.8-2.5], and 2.2 [1.2-4.0], respectively; P trend = 0.003. Further, the association was unchanged by the length of time from blood collection to case diagnosis. In addition, the rs2736100 G allele, which we previously have shown to be associated with risk of lung cancer in this cohort, was significantly associated with longer telomere length in these same study subjects (P trend = 0.030. Our findings suggest that individuals with longer telomere length in peripheral white blood cells may have an increased risk of lung cancer, but require replication in additional prospective cohorts and populations.

The Misconception of Case-Control Studies in the Plastic Surgery Literature: A Literature Audit.

Science.gov (United States)

Hatchell, Alexandra C; Farrokhyar, Forough; Choi, Matthew

2017-06-01

Case-control study designs are commonly used. However, many published case-control studies are not true case-controls and are in fact mislabeled. The purpose of this study was to identify all case-control studies published in the top three plastic surgery journals over the past 10 years, assess which were truly case-control studies, clarify the actual design of the articles, and address common misconceptions. MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science databases were searched for case-control studies in the three highest-impact factor plastic surgery journals (2005 to 2015). Two independent reviewers screened the resulting titles, abstracts, and methods, if applicable, to identify articles labeled as case-control studies. These articles were appraised and classified as true case-control studies or non-case-control studies. The authors found 28 articles labeled as case-control studies. However, only six of these articles (21 percent) were truly case-control designs. Of the 22 incorrectly labeled studies, one (5 percent) was a randomized controlled trial, three (14 percent) were nonrandomized trials, two (9 percent) were prospective comparative cohort designs, 14 (64 percent) were retrospective comparative cohort designs, and two (9 percent) were cross-sectional designs. The mislabeling was worse in recent years, despite increases in evidence-based medicine awareness. The majority of published case-control studies are not in fact case-control studies. This misunderstanding is worsening with time. Most of these studies are actually comparative cohort designs. However, some studies are truly clinical trials and thus a higher level of evidence than originally proposed.

Interaction in Balanced Cross Nested Designs

Science.gov (United States)

Ramos, Paulo; Mexia, João T.; Carvalho, Francisco; Covas, Ricardo

2011-09-01

Commutative Jordan Algebras, CJA, are used in the study of mixed models obtained, through crossing and nesting, from simpler ones. In the study of cross nested models the interaction between nested factors have been systematically discarded. However this can constitutes an artificial simplification of the models. We point out that, when two crossed factors interact, such interaction is symmetric, both factors playing in it equivalent roles, while when two nested factors interact, the interaction is determined by the nesting factor. These interactions will be called interactions with nesting. In this work we present a coherent formulation of the algebraic structure of models enabling the choice of families of interactions between cross and nested factors using binary operations on CJA.

Effects of human disturbance on nest placement of the woodpigeon (Columba palumbus): a case study from the Middle Atlas, Morocco.

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Hanane, Saâd

2014-06-01

The woodpigeon (Columba palumbus) is a common and widespread bird in Morocco (North Africa). I examined, over 2 years (2010 and 2011), the breeding density and nest placement of this game species in relation to nest site habitat and degree of human disturbance. The study area was in the Middle Atlas Tighboula mountain forest, Morocco, in a disturbed and an undisturbed site. Using data collected in the 2 study sites, I aimed to identify the factors influencing the placement of nests within holm oak trees (Quercus rotundifolia) and their densities. I found that habitat structures, influenced by grazing disturbance, have affected nesting density and the location of nests of this species. Woodpigeons place their nests in a higher position (3.42 ± 0.19 m) when disturbance intensity is high and lower (1.68 ± 0.1 m) when disturbance intensity is low, and show higher nesting density in less disturbed zone (3.1 ± 0.4 nests/ha) than in highly disturbed zones (1.4 ± 0.2 nests/ha). Grazing disturbance could pose a threat to population persistence at a broader scale and could potentially reduce the abundance of this species by altering the composition and the structure of the forest nesting habitat. Further multi-scale studies are needed to assess the effects of different levels of grazing disturbance on woodpigeon nest density and placement, and to enhance our knowledge of the breeding behavior of this game species under variable environments. © 2013 International Society of Zoological Sciences, Institute of Zoology/Chinese Academy of Sciences and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Parental investment decisions in response to ambient nest-predation risk versus actual predation on the prior nest

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Chalfoun, A.D.; Martin, T.E.

2010-01-01

Theory predicts that parents should invest less in dependent offspring with lower reproductive value, such as those with a high risk of predation. Moreover, high predation risk can favor reduced parental activity when such activity attracts nest predators. Yet, the ability of parents to assess ambient nest-predation risk and respond adaptively remains unclear, especially where nest-predator assemblages are diverse and potentially difficult to assess. We tested whether variation in parental investment by a multi-brooded songbird (Brewer's Sparrow, Spizella breweri) in an environment (sagebrush steppe) with diverse predators was predicted by ambient nest-predation risk or direct experience with nest predation. Variation among eight sites in ambient nest-predation risk, assayed by daily probabilities of nest predation, was largely uncorrelated across four years. In this system risk may therefore be unpredictable, and aspects of parental investment (clutch size, egg mass, incubation rhythms, nestling-feeding rates) were not related to ambient risk. Moreover, investment at first nests that were successful did not differ from that at nests that were depredated, suggesting parents could not assess and respond to territorylevel nest-predation risk. However, parents whose nests were depredated reduced clutch sizes and activity at nests attempted later in the season by increasing the length of incubation shifts (on-bouts) and recesses (off-bouts) and decreasing trips to feed nestlings. In this unpredictable environment parent birds may therefore lack sufficient cues of ambient risk on which to base their investment decisions and instead rely on direct experience with nest predation to inform at least some of their decisions. ?? 2010 The Cooper Ornithological Society.

The role of pleural fluid MAGE RT-nested PCR in the diagnosis of malignant pleural effusion.

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Jeon, Eun Ju; Park, Hye Kyeong; Jeon, Kyeongman; Koh, Won-Jung; Suh, Gee Young; Chung, Man Pyo; Kim, Hojoong; Kwon, O Jung; Ki, Chang-Seok; Kim, Jong-Won; Shim, Young Mog; Um, Sang-Won

2012-11-01

  Melanoma antigen (MAGE) genes are expressed in tumor cells, the testis and the placenta. The purpose of this prospective study was to investigate the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), MAGE reverse transcriptase-nested polymerase chain reaction (RT-nested PCR), and cytology of pleural fluid in the diagnosis of malignant pleural effusion.   Patients in whom unilateral pleural effusion was identified on chest radiography from January to December 2009 were included in the study. MAGE genes were analyzed by RT-nested PCR using MAGE A1-6 common primers.   Of 81 enrolled patients, 46 were diagnosed as malignant pleural effusion, and 24 were diagnosed as benign pleural effusion. The diagnoses of 11 patients were not confirmed in this study. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of MAGE RT-nested PCR were 61.4%, 95.7%, and 73.1%, respectively. The diagnostic sensitivities of cytology and CEA (>5 ng/mL) were 61.4% and 75.0%, respectively. Among 17 patients with negative cytology who had malignant pleural effusion, 12 and 10 patients were positive for CEA (>5.0 ng/mL) and MAGE RT-nested PCR, respectively. However, of five patients with malignant pleural effusion that was not recognized by cytology and CEA, MAGE RT-nested PCR correctly predicted a malignant etiology in only one additional patient (20%).   MAGE RT-nested PCR seems to add little on the combination of conventional methods in the diagnosis of malignant effusion. © 2012 Tianjin Lung Cancer Institute and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty. Ltd.

Landscape forest cover and edge effects on songbird nest predation vary by nest predator

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W. Andrew Cox; Frank R. III Thompson; John. Faaborg

2012-01-01

Rates of nest predation for birds vary between and within species across multiple spatial scales, but we have a poor understanding of which predators drive such patterns. We video-monitored nests and identified predators at 120 nests of the Acadian Flycatcher (Empidonax virescens) and the Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) at eight...

Nest Material Shapes Eggs Bacterial Environment.

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Cristina Ruiz-Castellano

Full Text Available Selective pressures imposed by pathogenic microorganisms to embryos have selected in hosts for a battery of antimicrobial lines of defenses that includes physical and chemical barriers. Due to the antimicrobial properties of volatile compounds of green plants and of chemicals of feather degrading bacteria, the use of aromatic plants and feathers for nest building has been suggested as one of these barriers. However, experimental evidence suggesting such effects is scarce in the literature. During two consecutive years, we explored experimentally the effects of these nest materials on loads of different groups of bacteria (mesophilic bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococcus and Enterococcus of eggshells in nests of spotless starlings (Sturnus unicolor at the beginning and at the end of the incubation period. This was also explored in artificial nests without incubation activity. We also experimentally increased bacterial density of eggs in natural and artificial nests and explored the effects of nest lining treatments on eggshell bacterial load. Support for the hypothetical antimicrobial function of nest materials was mainly detected for the year and location with larger average values of eggshell bacterial density. The beneficial effects of feathers and plants were more easily detected in artificial nests with no incubation activity, suggesting an active role of incubation against bacterial colonization of eggshells. Pigmented and unpigmented feathers reduced eggshell bacterial load in starling nests and artificial nest boxes. Results from artificial nests allowed us to discuss and discard alternative scenarios explaining the detected association, particularly those related to the possible sexual role of feathers and aromatic plants in starling nests. All these results considered together confirm the antimicrobial functionality mainly of feathers but also of plants used as nest materials, and highlight the importance of temporally and

Nest Material Shapes Eggs Bacterial Environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruiz-Castellano, Cristina; Tomás, Gustavo; Ruiz-Rodríguez, Magdalena; Martín-Gálvez, David; Soler, Juan José

2016-01-01

Selective pressures imposed by pathogenic microorganisms to embryos have selected in hosts for a battery of antimicrobial lines of defenses that includes physical and chemical barriers. Due to the antimicrobial properties of volatile compounds of green plants and of chemicals of feather degrading bacteria, the use of aromatic plants and feathers for nest building has been suggested as one of these barriers. However, experimental evidence suggesting such effects is scarce in the literature. During two consecutive years, we explored experimentally the effects of these nest materials on loads of different groups of bacteria (mesophilic bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococcus and Enterococcus) of eggshells in nests of spotless starlings (Sturnus unicolor) at the beginning and at the end of the incubation period. This was also explored in artificial nests without incubation activity. We also experimentally increased bacterial density of eggs in natural and artificial nests and explored the effects of nest lining treatments on eggshell bacterial load. Support for the hypothetical antimicrobial function of nest materials was mainly detected for the year and location with larger average values of eggshell bacterial density. The beneficial effects of feathers and plants were more easily detected in artificial nests with no incubation activity, suggesting an active role of incubation against bacterial colonization of eggshells. Pigmented and unpigmented feathers reduced eggshell bacterial load in starling nests and artificial nest boxes. Results from artificial nests allowed us to discuss and discard alternative scenarios explaining the detected association, particularly those related to the possible sexual role of feathers and aromatic plants in starling nests. All these results considered together confirm the antimicrobial functionality mainly of feathers but also of plants used as nest materials, and highlight the importance of temporally and geographically

Wind-induced ventilation of the giant nests of the leaf-cutting ant Atta vollenweideri

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Kleineidam, Christoph; Ernst, Roman; Roces, Flavio

2001-06-01

To understand the significance of elaborate nest architecture for the control of nest climate, we investigated the mechanisms governing nest ventilation in a large field nest of Atta vollenweideri. Surface wind, drawing air from the central tunnels of the nest mound, was observed to be the main driving force for nest ventilation during summer. This mechanism of wind-induced ventilation has so far not been described for social insect colonies. Thermal convection, another possible force driving ventilation, contributed very little. According to their predominant airflow direction, two functionally distinct tunnel groups were identified: outflow tunnels in the upper, central region, and inflow tunnels in the lower, peripheral region of the nest mound. The function of the tunnels was independent of wind direction. Outflow of air through the central tunnels was followed by a delayed inflow through the peripheral tunnels. Leaf-cutting ants design the tunnel openings on the top of the nest with turrets which may reinforce wind-induced nest ventilation.