Body mass index, physical activity, and risk of adult meningioma and glioma: A meta-analysis.

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Niedermaier, Tobias; Behrens, Gundula; Schmid, Daniela; Schlecht, Inga; Fischer, Beate; Leitzmann, Michael F

2015-10-13

Whether adiposity and lack of physical activity affect the risk for developing meningioma and glioma is poorly understood. Our objective was to characterize these associations in detail. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of adiposity and physical activity in relation to meningioma and glioma using cohort and case-control studies published through February 2015. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. We identified 12 eligible studies of body mass index (BMI) and 6 studies of physical activity, comprising up to 2,982 meningioma cases and 3,057 glioma cases. Using normal weight as the reference group, overweight (summary relative risk [RR] = 1.21, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.01-1.43) and obesity (RR = 1.54, 95% CI = 1.32-1.79) were associated with increased risk of meningioma. In contrast, overweight (RR = 1.06, 95% CI = 0.94-1.20) and obesity (RR = 1.11, 95% CI = 0.98-1.27) were unrelated to glioma. Similarly, dose-response meta-analyses revealed a statistically significant positive association of BMI with meningioma, but not glioma. High vs low physical activity levels showed a modest inverse relation to meningioma (RR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.61-0.88) and a weak inverse association with glioma (RR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.76-0.97). Relations persisted when the data were restricted to prospective studies, except for the association between physical activity and glioma, which was rendered statistically nonsignificant (RR = 0.91, 95% CI = 0.77-1.07). Adiposity is related to enhanced risk for meningioma but is unassociated with risk for glioma. Based on a limited body of evidence, physical activity is related to decreased risk of meningioma but shows little association with risk of glioma. © 2015 American Academy of Neurology.

Incidence and risk of regorafenib-induced hepatotoxicity.

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Zhao, Bin; Zhao, Hong

2017-10-13

Regorafenib, an oral multi-kinase inhibitor, has been approved for the treatments of several malignancies. Unlike traditional cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents, regorafenib therapy often induces a distinct profile of adverse events (AEs) including hepatotoxicity. Here we conducted an up-to-date meta-analysis to assess the incidence and risk of regorafenib related hepatic toxicities. PubMed and Embase database were reviewed from inception to June 2017 for relevant trials. Eligible studies include subjects with solid tumors treated with 160 mg of regorafenib daily during the first three week of each four-week cycle, and adequate safety data reporting the elevation of aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and bilirubin. Statistical analyses were conducted to calculate the summary incidence and relative risk (RR). A total of 2,213 subjects from 14 trials were included. The incidences of regorafenib-associated all-grade and high-grade hepatotoxicity were: bilirubin elevation: 23% and 5%; AST elevation: 32% and 6%; ALT elevation: 27% and 5%; ALP elevation: 31% and 2%. Regorafenib-treated subjects had a significant increased risk of all-grade (RR = 3.10; 95% CI, 2.22-4.34) and high-grade (RR = 1.74; 95% CI, 1.09-2.80) bilirubin elevation; all-grade (RR = 1.51; 95% CI, 1.13-2.00) and high-grade (RR = 1.79; 95% CI, 1.00-3.22) AST elevation; all-grade (RR = 1.82; 95% CI, 1.25-2.64) and high-grade (RR = 3.07; 95% CI, 1.30-7.22) ALT elevation; and all-grade (RR = 2.11; 95% CI, 1.01-4.40) ALP elevation. Our results suggest that regorafenib is associated with an increased risk of hepatic toxicities. Hepatotoxicity examination at regular intervals should be advised to clinicians.

Surveillance study of vector species on board passenger ships, Risk factors related to infestations

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Hatzoglou Chrissi

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Passenger ships provide conditions suitable for the survival and growth of pest populations. Arthropods and rodents can gain access directly from the ships' open spaces, can be carried in shiploads, or can be found on humans or animals as ectoparasites. Vectors on board ships may contaminate stored foods, transmit illness on board, or, introduce diseases in new areas. Pest species, ship areas facilitating infestations, and different risk factors related to infestations were identified in 21 ferries. Methods 486 traps for insects and rodents were placed in 21 ferries. Archives of Public Health Authorities were reviewed to identify complaints regarding the presence of pest species on board ferries from 1994 to 2004. A detail questionnaire was used to collect data on ship characteristics and pest control practices. Results Eighteen ferries were infested with flies (85.7%, 11 with cockroaches (52.3%, three with bedbugs, and one with fleas. Other species had been found on board were ants, spiders, butterflies, beetles, and a lizard. A total of 431 Blattella germanica species were captured in 28 (9.96% traps, and 84.2% of them were nymphs. One ship was highly infested. Cockroach infestation was negatively associated with ferries in which Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point system was applied to ensure food safety on board (Relative Risk, RR = 0.23, p = 0.03, and positively associated with ferries in which cockroaches were observed by crew (RR = 4.09, p = 0.007, no cockroach monitoring log was kept (RR = 5.00, p = 0.02, and pesticide sprays for domestic use were applied by crew (RR = 4.00, p = 0.05. Cockroach infested ships had higher age (p = 0.03. Neither rats nor mice were found on any ship, but three ferries had been infested with a rodent in the past. Conclusion Integrated pest control programs should include continuing monitoring for a variety of pest species in different ship locations; pest control measures should be more

Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome and Falls Risk: A Multi-Center Study

Science.gov (United States)

Callisaya, Michele L.; Ayers, Emmeline; Barzilai, Nir; Ferrucci, Luigi; Guralnik, Jack M.; Lipton, Richard B.; Otahal, Petr; Srikanth, Velandai K.; Verghese, Joe

2016-01-01

Background The Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome (MCR) is characterized by slow gait speed and cognitive complaints. Objectives The objective of this study was to determine if the presence of MCR increases the risk of falls in older people. Methods Individual participant data (n = 6,204) from five longitudinal studies from three countries were used for this analysis. MCR diagnosis was defined as both the presence of objectively measured slow gait speed and subjective cognitive complaints in those without dementia or mobility disability. Falls were prospectively ascertained using phone calls or questionnaires. Log binomial regression was performed to determine if MCR increased the risk of falls separately in each cohort. Random effects meta-analysis was used to pool results from all cohorts. Results The mean age of participants was 74.9 (SD 6.8) years and 44% (n = 2728) were male. Overall 33.9% (n = 2104) reported a fall over follow-up. Pooled relative risk of MCR with any falls was RR 1.44 95% CI 1.16, 1.79. The components of MCR, slow gait (RR 1.30 95% CI 1.14, 1.47) and cognitive complaint (RR 1.25, 95% CI 1.07, 1.46) were also associated with an increased risk of any falls. In sub-analyses MCR was associated with any fall independent of previous falls (RR 1.29 95% CI 1.09, 1.53) and with multiple falls (RR 1.77, 95% CI 1.25, 2.51). Conclusion MCR is associated with an increased risk of falls. The increase in risk was higher than for its individual components. The simplicity of the MCR makes it an attractive falls risk screening tool for the clinic. PMID:27340851

Cloning and expression analysis of transcription factor RrTTG1 related to prickle development in rose (Rosa Rugosa

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Feng Li-Guo

2015-01-01

Full Text Available A prickle is an acuminate protuberance formed by the deformation of plant trichomes together with a few cortical cells. It is a type of multicellular eglandular trichome with special morphology, which originates from the phloem but is not connected to the xylem. Rosa rugosa is an important ornamental/commercial plant and an important raw material in the food and perfume industries. However, the firm prickles on its stems are inconvenient to field management, the harvesting of flowers and garden management. The TTG1 transcription factor related to the development of prickle was isolated from R. rugosa in the present study. Its expression patterns in different tissues and varieties were analyzed. Results showed the expression level of the RrTTG1 gene was highest in the leaves, followed by the stems, but was lower in the pericarps and petals. Moreover, the higher expression level of the RrTTG1 gene in all tissues of the ‘Ciguo rose’, as compared with that of the ‘Weihai wild rose’, follows the results of field morphological observation. Therefore, the RrTTG1 transcription factor is likely to regulate the development of rose prickles. This study allows for further discussion on the molecular mechanisms of prickle formation and development in R. rugosa and provides a molecular basis for the cultivation of roses with fewer or no prickles via genetic engineering.

Preeclampsia: at risk for remote cardiovascular disease

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Harskamp, Ralf E.; Zeeman, Gerda G.

2007-01-01

Epidemiological data indicate that women with preeclampsia are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease (CVD) later in life. Population-based studies relate preeclampsia to an increased risk of later chronic hypertension (RR, 2.00 to 8.00) and cardiovascular morbidity/mortality (RR, 1.3 to

Preeclampsia : At risk for remote cardiovascular disease

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Harskamp, Ralf E.; Zeeman, Gerda G.

2007-01-01

Epidemiological data indicate that women with preeclampsia are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease (CVD) later in life. Population-based studies relate preeclampsia to an increased risk of later chronic hypertension (RR, 2.00 to 8.00) and cardiovascular morbidity/mortality (RR, 1.3 to

Uveal melanoma in relation to ultraviolet light exposure and host factors.

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Holly, E A; Aston, D A; Char, D H; Kristiansen, J J; Ahn, D K

1990-09-15

We conducted a case-control interview study among 1277 subjects (407 patients, 870 controls selected by using random digit dial) in 11 western United States to determine whether uveal melanoma and cutaneous melanoma shared common risk factors. After adjustment for other factors, the risk of uveal melanoma was increased for those with green, gray, or hazel eyes [relative risk (RR) = 2.5, P less than 0.001] or blue eyes (RR = 2.2, P less than 0.001) when compared to brown. A tendency to sunburn after 0.5 h midday summer sun exposure increased risk for uveal melanoma (burn with tanning RR = 1.5, P = 0.02; burn with little tanning RR = 1.8, P less than 0.001; burn with no tanning RR = 1.7, P = 0.002); as did exposure to UV or black lights (RR = 3.7, P = 0.003); and welding burn, sunburn of the eye, or snow blindness (RR = 7.2, P less than 0.001). An association with uveal melanoma was also noted with an increasing number of large nevi (P = 0.04 for trend), although the individual risk estimates were not remarkable. These data suggest that host factors and exposure to UV light are risk factors for uveal melanoma.

The Effect of Multivitamin/Mineral Supplements on Age-Related Cataracts: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

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Li-Quan Zhao

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Antioxidant vitamins supplements have been suggested as a strategy to decrease the risk of age-related cataract development. However, the results from observational studies and interventional trials of associations between antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E and cataract development have been inconsistent. We aim to evaluate the effectiveness of multivitamin/mineral supplements for decreasing the risk of age-related cataracts by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis. In September 2013, we searched multiple databases to identify relevant studies including both cohort studies and randomized controlled trials (RCTs. A random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled relative risks (RR with a 95% confidence interval (CI. Twelve prospective cohort studies and two RCTs were included. Pooled results from the cohort studies indicated that multivitamin/mineral supplements have a significant beneficial effect in decreasing the risk of nuclear cataracts (RR: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.64–0.82, cortical cataracts (RR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.68–0.94, and any cataracts (RR: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.39–0.93. In addition, there were no decreases in the risk of posterior capsular cataracts (RR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.72–1.20 or cataract surgery (RR: 1.00; 95% CI: 0.92–1.08. The two RCTs demonstrated that multivitamin/mineral supplements could decrease the risk of nuclear cataracts. There is sufficient evidence to support the role of dietary multivitamin/mineral supplements for the decreasing the risk of age-related cataracts.

Macronutrients intake and risk of Parkinson's disease: A meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Aimin; Lin, Yan; Wu, Yili; Zhang, Dongfeng

2015-05-01

We carried out a meta-analysis to summarize the evidence from published studies on macronutrients intake and risk of Parkinson's disease (PD). Pertinent studies were identified by a search of PubMed and Embase. Study-specific effect was combined with the random-effect model. The dose-response relationship was assessed by the restricted cubic spline. For highest versus lowest level of intake, the relative risk (RR) of PD was 1.13 (95% CI 0.88-1.44) for protein (7 articles including 1570 PD cases among 357,827 subjects), RR 1.24 (95% CI 1.05-1.48) for carbohydrate (8 articles including 1482 PD cases among 232,869 subjects), RR 0.88 (95% CI 0.74-1.06) for fat (12 articles including 2936 PD cases among 374,124 subjects), RR 0.97 (95% CI 0.75-1.26) for cholesterol (6 articles including 1713 PD cases among 170,058 subjects) and 1.39 (95% CI 1.01-1.92) for energy (8 articles including 1553 PD cases among 170,317 subjects), respectively. Among prospective studies adjusting for smoking and coffee/caffeine, no associations were found between PD risk and intake of protein (RR 1.02, 95% CI 0.80-1.30), carbohydrate (RR 1.11, 95% CI 0.86-1.43), fat (RR 0.90, 95% CI 0.70-1.16), cholesterol (RR 0.89, 95% CI 0.74-1.09) and energy (RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.93-1.02); however, polyunsaturated fatty acid (RR 0.78, 95% CI 0.64-0.96) was inversely associated with PD risk. Limited data showed a linear dose-response relationship between the aforementioned macronutrients and PD risk. Dietary intake of protein, carbohydrate, cholesterol and energy might be not independently associated with PD risk. Higher intake of polyunsaturated fatty acid might be inversely associated with PD risk. Confounding by smoking and coffee/caffeine should be considered regarding the association between fat intake and PD risk in further studies. © 2014 Japan Geriatrics Society.

NONLINEAR ASTEROSEISMOLOGY OF RR LYRAE

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Molnar, L.; Kollath, Z.; Szabo, R. [Konkoly Observatory, MTA CSFK, H-1121 Budapest, Konkoly Thege Miklos ut 15-17 (Hungary); Bryson, S.; Mullally, F.; Thompson, S. E. [NASA Ames Research Center, MS 244-30, Moffet Field, CA 94035 (United States); Kolenberg, K., E-mail: molnar.laszlo@csfk.mta.hu [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge MA 02138 (United States)

2012-09-20

The observations of the Kepler Space Telescope revealed that fundamental-mode RR Lyrae stars may show various radial overtones. The presence of multiple radial modes may allow us to conduct nonlinear asteroseismology: comparison of mode amplitudes and frequency shifts between observations and models. Here we report the detection of three radial modes in the star RR Lyr, the eponym of the class, using the Kepler short cadence data: besides the fundamental mode, both the first and the ninth overtones can be derived from the data set. RR Lyrae shows period doubling, but switches occasionally to a state where a pattern of six pulsation cycles repeats instead of two. We found hydrodynamic models that show the same three modes and the period-six state, allowing for comparison with the observations.

Coffee and cancer risk: a summary overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Alicandro, Gianfranco; Tavani, Alessandra; La Vecchia, Carlo

2017-09-01

We reviewed available evidence on coffee drinking and the risk of all cancers and selected cancers updated to May 2016. Coffee consumption is not associated with overall cancer risk. A meta-analysis reported a pooled relative risk (RR) for an increment of 1 cup of coffee/day of 1.00 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.99-1.01] for all cancers. Coffee drinking is associated with a reduced risk of liver cancer. A meta-analysis of cohort studies found an RR for an increment of consumption of 1 cup/day of 0.85 (95% CI: 0.81-0.90) for liver cancer and a favorable effect on liver enzymes and cirrhosis. Another meta-analysis showed an inverse relation for endometrial cancer risk, with an RR of 0.92 (95% CI: 0.88-0.96) for an increment of 1 cup/day. A possible decreased risk was found in some studies for oral/pharyngeal cancer and for advanced prostate cancer. Although data are mixed, overall, there seems to be some favorable effect of coffee drinking on colorectal cancer in case-control studies, in the absence of a consistent relation in cohort studies. For bladder cancer, the results are not consistent; however, any possible direct association is not dose and duration related, and might depend on a residual confounding effect of smoking. A few studies suggest an increased risk of childhood leukemia after maternal coffee drinking during pregnancy, but data are limited and inconsistent. Although the results of studies are mixed, the overall evidence suggests no association of coffee intake with cancers of the stomach, pancreas, lung, breast, ovary, and prostate overall. Data are limited, with RR close to unity for other neoplasms, including those of the esophagus, small intestine, gallbladder and biliary tract, skin, kidney, brain, thyroid, as well as for soft tissue sarcoma and lymphohematopoietic cancer.

RR Lyrae Stars in M4

Science.gov (United States)

Kuehn, Charles A.; Moskalik, Pawel; Drury, Jason A.

2017-10-01

Observations by Kepler/K2 have revolutionized the study of RR Lyrae stars by allowing the detection of new phenomna, such as low amplitude additional modes and period doubling, which had not previously been seen from the ground. During campaign 2, K2 observed the globular cluster M4, providiing the first opportunity to study a sizeable group of RR Lyrae stars that belong to a single population; the other RR Lyrae stars that have been observed from space are field stars in the galactic halo and thus belong to an assortment of populations. In this poster we present the results of our study of the RR Lyrae variables in M4 from K2 photometry. We have identified additional, low amplitude pulsation modes in both observed RRc stars. In 3 RRab stars we have found the Blazhko effect with periods of 16.6d, 22.4d, and 44.5d.

RR Lyrae Stars in M4

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Kuehn Charles A

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Observations by Kepler/K2 have revolutionized the study of RR Lyrae stars by allowing the detection of new phenomna, such as low amplitude additional modes and period doubling, which had not previously been seen from the ground. During campaign 2, K2 observed the globular cluster M4, providiing the first opportunity to study a sizeable group of RR Lyrae stars that belong to a single population; the other RR Lyrae stars that have been observed from space are field stars in the galactic halo and thus belong to an assortment of populations. In this poster we present the results of our study of the RR Lyrae variables in M4 from K2 photometry. We have identified additional, low amplitude pulsation modes in both observed RRc stars. In 3 RRab stars we have found the Blazhko effect with periods of 16.6d, 22.4d, and 44.5d.

Estimating internal exposure risks by the relative risk and the National Institute of Health risk models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mehta, S.K.; Sarangapani, R.

1995-01-01

This paper presents tabulations of risk (R) and person-years of life lost (PYLL) for acute exposures of individual organs at ages 20 and 40 yrs for the Indian and Japanese populations to illustrate the effect of age at exposure in the two models. Results are also presented for the organ wise nominal probability coefficients (NPC) and PYLL for individual organs for the age distributed Indian population by the two models. The results presented show that for all organs the estimates of PYLL and NPC for the Indian population are lower than those for the Japanese population by both models except for oesophagus, breast and ovary by the relative risk (RR) model, where the opposite trend is observed. The results also show that the Indian all-cancer values of NPC averaged over the two models is 2.9 x 10 -2 Sv -1 , significantly lower than the world average value of 5x10 -2 Sv -1 estimated by the ICRP. (author). 9 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs

Work-related psychosocial stress and risk of preterm, low birthweight delivery.

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Homer, C J; James, S A; Siegel, E

1990-02-01

We investigated whether work-related psychologic stress--defined as work characterized by both high psychologic demands and limited control over the response to these demands--increases a woman's risk of delivering a preterm, low birthweight infant. We studied 786 employed pregnant women included in the National Longitudinal Survey of Labor Market Experience, Youth Cohort (NLSY), a nationally representative sample of 12,686 young adults. Data concerning work status, job title, and other factors affecting pregnancy outcome were obtained from the NLSY. Assessment of job experience was based on job title, using an established catalogue of occupation characteristics. After accounting for the physical exertion entailed in a job, occupational psychologic stress as measured by job title was not associated with preterm, low birthweight delivery for the sample as a whole (Relative risk = 1.16, 95% confidence interval .45, 2.95). For those women who did not want to remain in the work force, work-related stress increased their risk of experiencing this outcome (RR = 8.1, 95% CI 1.5, 50.2). Personal motivation toward work, as well as the physical effort of work, should be considered in evaluating the impact of a job's psychologic characteristics on pregnancy outcome.

The VMC survey - XXVI. Structure of the Small Magellanic Cloud from RR Lyrae stars

Science.gov (United States)

Muraveva, T.; Subramanian, S.; Clementini, G.; Cioni, M.-R. L.; Palmer, M.; van Loon, J. Th.; Moretti, M. I.; de Grijs, R.; Molinaro, R.; Ripepi, V.; Marconi, M.; Emerson, J.; Ivanov, V. D.

2018-01-01

We present results from the analysis of 2997 fundamental mode RR Lyrae variables located in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). For these objects, near-infrared time series photometry from the VISTA survey of the Magellanic Clouds system (VMC) and visual light curves from the OGLE IV (Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment IV) survey are available. In this study, the multi-epoch Ks-band VMC photometry was used for the first time to derive intensity-averaged magnitudes of the SMC RR Lyrae stars. We determined individual distances to the RR Lyrae stars from the near-infrared period-absolute magnitude-metallicity (PM_{K_s}Z) relation, which has some advantages in comparison with the visual absolute magnitude-metallicity (MV-[Fe/H]) relation, such as a smaller dependence of the luminosity on interstellar extinction, evolutionary effects and metallicity. The distances we have obtained were used to study the three-dimensional structure of the SMC. The distribution of the SMC RR Lyrae stars is found to be ellipsoidal. The actual line-of-sight depth of the SMC is in the range 1-10 kpc, with an average depth of 4.3 ± 1.0 kpc. We found that RR Lyrae stars in the eastern part of the SMC are affected by interactions of the Magellanic Clouds. However, we do not see a clear bimodality observed for red clump stars, in the distribution of RR Lyrae stars.

Exploring M33 Through RR Lyrae Stars

OpenAIRE

Pritzl, Barton J.

2013-01-01

Recent surveys have detected RR Lyrae stars in M33, the Triangulum Galaxy. These variable stars are excellent tracers of ancient stellar populations. The RR Lyrae stars have been used to estimate metallicities at various locations within M33, as well as determining the distance to the galaxy. A summary of the M33 RR Lyrae stars is presented here as well as an analysis on what their properties imply for the unique M33 galaxy

A non-randomised controlled trial of the R&R2MHP cognitive skills program in high risk male offenders with severe mental illness.

Science.gov (United States)

C-Y Yip, Vivienne; Gudjonsson, Gisli H; Perkins, Derek; Doidge, Amie; Hopkin, Gareth; Young, Susan

2013-10-18

The growing popularity of offending behavior programs has led to the interest of whether such programs are effective with mentally disordered offenders. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Reasoning and Rehabilitation program adapted for offenders with severe mental illness (R&R2 MHP). A sample of 59 adult high risk males detained in a high secure hospital completed questionnaires at baseline and post treatment to assess violent attitudes, anger, coping processes and social problem-solving. An informant measure of social and psychological functioning, including disruptive behavior, was completed by staff at the same time. The data of 30 patients who participated in the group condition were compared using intention to treat analysis with 29 controls who received treatment as usual. 80% of group participants completed the program. In contrast to controls, significant medium-large treatment effects were found at outcome on self-reported measures of violent attitudes, social problem-solving and coping processes. Improvements were endorsed by informant ratings of disruptive behavior, social and psychological functioning. The R&R2MHP had a comparatively low dropout rate and was effective in a sample of high risk mentally disordered offenders requiring detention in high security. Future research should use a randomized controlled design. Current Controlled Trials ACTRN12613000216718.

Adsorção dos corantes RO16, RR2 e RR141 utilizando lodo residual da indústria têxtil Adsorption of dyes RO16, RR2 and RR141 using residual sludge of textile industry

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Andressa Regina Vasques

2011-09-01

Full Text Available A adsorção é uma das técnicas empregadas com sucesso para remoção efetiva da cor presente em efluentes têxteis. Com o objetivo de avaliar os diferentes parâmetros adsortivos, bem como determinar a eficiência de um adsorvente alternativo desenvolvido a partir de lodo residual têxtil na remoção de corantes, foram determinadas curvas de cinética de adsorção e isotermas. Por meio dos dados cinéticos e de equilíbrio obtidos, verificou-se que a 25ºC a adsorção foi favorável para todos os corantes, sendo esta a melhor condição para os corantes RO16 e RR2 na ausência de sais. Para o corante RR141, a adição de NaCl aumentou a capacidade de adsorção do adsorvente no equilíbrio e a adição de Na2SO4 favoreceu a adsorção para o corante RO16, ao contrário do que se observou para os outros dois corantes. A quantidade máxima de corante adsorvida por unidade de massa de adsorvente (q max nas melhores condições adsortivas para os corantes RO16, RR2 e RR141 foi de 81,30, 53,48 e 78,74 mg.g-1, respectivamente.The adsorption is one of the techniques that have been successfully used for effective removal of the dyes present in textile effluents. With the objective to evaluate the different adsorptive parameters, as well as determining the efficiency of one alternative adsorbent in the removal of dyes, kinetics and equilibrium data of adsorption were determined. By the kinetic data and of equilibrium, it was verified that the adsorption was favorable for all the dyes in 25ºC, being the best condition for the dye RO16 and RR2 in the total absence of salt. For the dye RR141, the addition of NaCl increased the adsorption capacity of adsorbent in the equilibrium and the addition of Na2SO4 favored the adsorption for the dye RO16, in contrast to what was observed for the two other dyes. The maximum quantity of dye adsorbed per unit mass of adsorbent (q max in the best adsorptive conditions for the dyes RO16, RR2 and RR141 was of 81

Spatiotemporal risk mapping of hand, foot and mouth disease and its association with meteorological variables in children under 5 years.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, C D; Xiao, G X

2017-10-01

Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) risk has become an increasing concern in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, which is the biggest urban agglomeration in north-eastern Asia. In the study, spatiotemporal epidemiological features of HFMD were analysed, and a Bayesian space-time hierarchy model was used to detect local spatial relative risk (RR) and to assess the effect of meteorological factors. From 2009 to 2013, there was an obvious seasonal pattern of HFMD risk. The highest risk period was in the summer, with an average monthly incidence of 4·17/103, whereas the index in wintertime was 0·16/103. Meteorological variables influenced temporal changes in HFMD. A 1 °C rise in air temperature was associated with an 11·5% increase in HFMD (corresponding RR 1·122). A 1% rise in relative humidity was related to a 9·51% increase in the number of HFMD cases (corresponding RR 1·100). A 1 hPa increment in air pressure was related to a 0·11% decrease in HFMD (corresponding RR 0·999). A 1 h increase in sunshine was associated with a 0·28% rise in HFMD cases (corresponding RR 1·003). A 1 m/s rise in wind speed was related to a 6·2% increase in HFMD (corresponding RR 1·064). High-risk areas were mainly large cities, such as Beijing, Tianjin, Shijiazhuang and their neighbouring areas. These findings can contribute to risk control and implementation of disease-prevention policies.

Familial clustering of myocardial infarction in first-degree relatives

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Mia; Andersson, Charlotte; Gerds, Thomas A

2013-01-01

showed an RR of 4.30 (95% confidence interval 3.53–5.23) for siblings of a patient with MI. Children of parents with MI also showed high risk: for children of a maternal case RR 2.40 (2.20–2.60), and of a paternal case RR 1.98 (1.98–2.09), respectively; P value for gender interaction paternal...... case with MI at an age 50 years was associated with a risk of 1.83 (1.73–1.93). For maternal cases below and above 50 years of age the risks were 3.23 (2.56–4.10) and 2.31 (2.11–2.52), respectively. Conclusion First-degree relatives...

A surface brightness analysis of eight RR Lyrae stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hawley, S.L.; Barnes, T.G. III; Moffett, T.J.

1987-01-01

The authors have used a surface brightness, (V-R) relation to analyze new contemporaneous photometry and radial velocity data for 6 RR-ab type stars and to re-analyze previously published data for RR Lyrae and X Arietis. Systematic effects were found in the surface brightness at phases near minimum radius. Excluding these phases, they determine the slope of the surface brightness relation and the mean radius for each star. They also find a zero point which includes both a distance term and the zero point of the surface brightness relation. The sample includes stars with Preston's metallicity indicator ΔS = 0 to 9, with periods ranging from 0.397 days to 0.651 days. Their results indicate a log(R/R solar ) vs. log P relation in the sense that stars with longer periods have larger radii, in agreement with theoretical predictions. Their radii are consistent with bolometric magnitudes in the range 0.2 - 0.8 magnitude but accurate magnitudes must await a reliable T e - color calibration

Risk factors associated with injury attributable to falling among elderly population with history of stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Divani, Afshin A; Vazquez, Gabriela; Barrett, Anna M; Asadollahi, Marjan; Luft, Andreas R

2009-10-01

Stroke survivors are at high risk for falling. Identifying physical, clinical, and social factors that predispose stroke patients to falls may reduce further disability and life-threatening complications, and improve overall quality of life. We used 5 biennial waves (1998-2006) from the Health and Retirement Study to assess risk factors associated with falling accidents and fall-related injuries among stroke survivors. We abstracted demographic data, living status, self-evaluated general health, and comorbid conditions. We analyzed the rate ratio (RR) of falling and the OR of injury within 2 follow-up years using a multivariate random effects model. We identified 1174 stroke survivors (mean age+/-SD, 74.4+/-7.2 years; 53% female). The 2-year risks of falling, subsequent injury, and broken hip attributable to fall were 46%, 15%, and 2.1% among the subjects, respectively. Factors associated with an increased frequency of falling were living with spouse as compared to living alone (RR, 1.4), poor general health (RR, 1.1), time from first stroke (RR, 1.2), psychiatric problems (RR, 1.7), urinary incontinence (RR, 1.4), pain (RR, 1.4), motor impairment (RR, 1.2), and past frequency of > or = 3 falls (RR, 1.3). Risk factors associated with fall-related injury were female gender (OR, 1.5), poor general health (OR, 1.2), past injury from fall (OR, 3.2), past frequency of > or = 3 falls (OR, 3.1), psychiatric problems (OR, 1.4), urinary incontinence (OR, 1.4), impaired hearing (OR, 1.6), pain (OR, 1.8), motor impairment (OR, 1.3), and presence of multiple strokes (OR, 3.2). This study demonstrates the high prevalence of falls and fall-related injuries in stroke survivors, and identifies factors that increase the risk. Modifying these factors may prevent falls, which could lead to improved quality of life and less caregiver burden and cost in this population.

Identification of atrial fibrillation using electrocardiographic RR-interval difference

Science.gov (United States)

Eliana, M.; Nuryani, N.

2017-11-01

Automated detection of atrial fibrillation (AF) is an interesting topic. It is an account of very dangerous, not only as a trigger of embolic stroke, but it’s also related to some else chronical disease. In this study, we analyse the presence of AF by determining irregularities of RR-interval. We utilize the interval comparison to measure the degree of irregularities of RR-interval in a defined segment. The series of RR-interval is segmented with the length of 10 of them. In this study, we use interval comparison for the method. We were comparing all of the intervals there each other. Then we put the threshold to define the low difference and high difference (δ). A segment is defined as AF or Normal Sinus by the number of high δ, so we put the tolerance (β) of high δ there. We have used this method to test the 23 patients data from MIT-BIH. Using the approach and the clinical data we find accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of 84.98%, 91.99%, and 77.85% respectively.

Radiation dose and second cancer risk in patients treated for cancer of the cervix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boice, J.D. Jr.; Engholm, G.; Kleinerman, R.A.

1988-01-01

The risk of cancer associated with a broad range of organ doses was estimated in an international study of women with cervical cancer. Among 150,000 patients reported to one of 19 population-based cancer registries or treated in any of 20 oncology clinics, 4188 women with second cancers and 6880 matched controls were selected for detailed study. Radiation doses for selected organs were reconstructed for each patient on the basis of her original radiotherapy records. Very high doses, on the order of several hundred gray, were found to increase the risk of cancers of the bladder [relative risk (RR) = 4.0], rectum (RR = 1.8), vagina (RR = 2.7), and possibly bone (RR = 1.3), uterine corpus (RR = 1.3), cecum (RR = 1.5), and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (RR = 2.5). For all female genital cancers taken together, a sharp dose-response gradient was observed, reaching fivefold for doses more than 150 Gy. Several gray increased the risk of stomach cancer (RR = 2.1) and leukemia (RR = 2.0). Although cancer of the pancreas was elevated, there was no evidence of a dose-dependent risk. Cancer of the kidney was significantly increased among 15-year survivors. A nonsignificant twofold risk of radiogenic thyroid cancer was observed following an average dose of only 0.11 Gy. Breast cancer was not increased overall, despite an average dose of 0.31 Gy and 953 cases available for evaluation (RR = 0.9); there was, however, a weak suggestion of a dose response among women whose ovaries had been surgically removed. Doses greater than 6 Gy to the ovaries reduced breast cancer risk by 44%. A significant deficit of ovarian cancer was observed within 5 years of radiotherapy; in contrast, a dose response was suggested among 10-year survivors

Calcium abundance of RR Lyrae variables in ω Centaurri and M22

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manduca, A.; Bell, R.A.

1978-01-01

Freeman and Rodgers observed 25 RR Lyrae variables in ω Cen and reported a range in calcium abundance from [Ca/H] = -0.4 to -1.6. This result, however, has been difficult to reconcile with other recent studies of the giant branch of ω Cen. with a model-atmosphere grid covering the physical parameters expected for RR Lyrae variables, Freeman and Rodgers's data were reanalyzed, by use of their basic method of theoretical relations among the equivalent widths of the K, H4b, and H delta lines and [Ca/H] but with an alternative, synthetic-spectrum approach to the calibration of these relations. When interpreted with the present calibration, the data yield a range in calcium abundance from [Ca/H] = -1.0 to -1.9 for the ω Cen RR Lyrae variables. This calibration applied to the M22 data of Butler et al gives [Ca/H] = -1.25 for M22. 2 figures, 1 table

Consumption of garlic and risk of colorectal cancer: an updated meta-analysis of prospective studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Ji-Yi; Hu, Yi-Wang; Zhou, Jiao-Jiao; Zhang, Meng-Wen; Li, Dan; Zheng, Shu

2014-11-07

To conduct an updated meta-analysis of prospective studies addressing the association between garlic consumption and colorectal cancer. Eligible cohort studies were identified by searching MEDLINE (PubMed) and screening the references of related articles published up to October 2013. Meta-analyses were conducted for colorectal cancer in relation to consumption of raw and cooked (RC) garlic and garlic supplements, separately. The summary relative risks (RR) with 95%CI were calculated using fixed-effects or random-effects model depending on the heterogeneity among studies. A total of 5 prospective cohort studies were identified. In contrast to the previous meta-analysis, no significant associations were found between consumption of RC garlic (RR: 1.06; 95%CI: 0.95-1.19) or garlic supplements (RR: 1.12; 95%CI: 0.96-1.31) and risk of colorectal cancer. A non-significant protective effect of garlic supplement intake against colorectal cancer was observed in females (RR: 0.84; 95%CI: 0.64-1.11), but the opposite was the case in males (RR: 1.24; 95%CI: 0.96-1.59). Consumption of RC garlic or garlic supplements is not significantly associated with reduced colorectal cancer risk.

Lycopene and risk of cardiovascular diseases: A meta-analysis of observational studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Bo; Liu, Kai; Gao, Yuan; Zhao, Lu; Fang, Hui; Li, Yusheng; Pei, Lulu; Xu, Yuming

2017-09-01

The aim of current meta-analysis was to investigate the relation between lycopene and risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Studies concerning about the association between lycopene and risk of CVD were searched on Pubmed, Embase, and Web of Science from inception to October 2016. A total of 14 eligible studies were identified. A significantly inverse association with a pooled risk ratio (RR) of 0.83 (95% CI: 0.76-0.90) was shown between lycopene exposure and risk of CVD. Findings were similar restricting to dietary studies (RR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.79-0.96) and biomarker studies (RR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0. 62-0.87).Dietary lycopene intake was statistically significant for coronary heart disease (CHD) (RR: 0.87; 95% CI: 0.76-0.98) and stroke (RR: 0.83; 95% CI: 0.69-0.96).The pooled risk estimate was generally similar for lycopene biomarker concentrations, but the association was only statistically significant for stroke (RR: 0.65; 95% CI: 0.42-0.87). Subgroup analyses showed that retrospective and low quality studies were statistically significant sources of heterogeneity. Higher lycopene exposure is inversely associated with a lower risk of CVD. Further well-designed randomized clinical trials are required to assess the role of lycopene on CVD. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Intake of beer, wine, and spirits and risk of stroke : the copenhagen city heart study.

Science.gov (United States)

Truelsen, T; Gronbaek, M; Schnohr, P; Boysen, G

1998-12-01

Alcohol consumption has been associated with a protective effect on risk of ischemic stroke. There may, however, be differences in the effect of beer, wine, and spirits due to properties other than ethanol, a topic that has gained only little attention in stroke research. Our analysis was a prospective cohort study of 13 329 eligible men and women, aged 45 to 84 years, participating in the Copenhagen City Heart Study. Information on alcohol habits and a number of socioeconomic and health-related factors was obtained at baseline. During 16 years of follow-up, 833 first-ever strokes occurred. Data were analyzed by means of multiple Poisson regression. We found indications of a U-shaped relation between intake of alcohol and risk of stroke. In analyses adjusted for age, sex, and smoking, intake of wine on a monthly, weekly, or daily basis was associated with a lower risk of stroke compared with no wine intake (monthly: relative risk [RR], 0. 83; 95% CI, 0.69 to 0.98; weekly: RR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.45 to 0.77; daily: RR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.46 to 1.00). This effect of wine intake remained after complete adjustment for confounding variables (monthly: RR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.70 to 1.02; weekly: RR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.50 to 0.88; daily: RR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.45 to 1.02). There was no association between intake of beer or spirits on risk of stroke. The differences in the effects of beer, wine, and spirits on the risk of stroke suggest that compounds in the wine in addition to ethanol are responsible for the protective effect on risk of stroke.

Breast cancer risk in ataxia telangiectasia (AT) heterozygotes: haplotype study in French AT families

Science.gov (United States)

Janin, N; Andrieu, N; Ossian, K; Laugé, A; Croquette, M-F; Griscelli, C; Debré, M; Bressac-de-Paillerets, B; Aurias, A; Stoppa-Lyonnet, D

1999-01-01

Epidemiological studies in ataxia telangiectasia (AT) families have suggested that AT heterozygotes could have an increased cancer risk, especially breast cancer (BC) in women. It has also been suggested that an increased sensibility of AT heterozygotes to the effect of ionizing radiation could be responsible for the increased BC risk. BC relative risk (RR) estimation in AT heterozygotes within families ascertained through AT children is presented here. Family data collected included demographic characteristics, occurrence of cancers, past radiation exposures and blood samples. DNA samples were studied using seven ATM linked microsatellites markers allowing AT haplotypes reconstitution. The relative risk of BC was assessed using French estimated incidence rates. A significant increase risk of BC is found among obligate ATM heterozygotes with a point estimate of 3.32 (P = 0.002). BC relative risk calculated according to age is significantly increased among the obligate ATM heterozygotes female relatives with an age ≤ 44 years (RR = 4.55, P = 0.005). The BC relative risk is statistically borderline among the obligate ATM heterozygote female relatives with an age ≥ 45 years (RR = 2.48, P = 0.08). The estimated BC relative risk among ATM heterozygotes is consistent with previously published data. However, the increased risk is only a little higher than classical reproductive risk factors and similar to the risk associated with a first-degree relative affected by BC. © 1999 Cancer Research Campaign PMID:10362113

Associations between butane hash oil use and cannabis-related problems.

Science.gov (United States)

Meier, Madeline H

2017-10-01

High-potency cannabis concentrates are increasingly popular in the United States, and there is concern that use of high-potency cannabis might increase risk for cannabis-related problems. However, little is known about the potential negative consequences of concentrate use. This study reports on associations between past-year use of a high-potency cannabis concentrate, known as butane hash oil (BHO), and cannabis-related problems. A sample of 821 college students were recruited to complete a survey about their health and behavior. Participants who had used cannabis in the past year (33%, n=273) completed questions about their cannabis use, including their use of BHO and cannabis-related problems in eight domains: physical dependence, impaired control, academic-occupational problems, social-interpersonal problems, self-care problems, self-perception, risk behavior, and blackouts. Approximately 44% (n=121) of past-year cannabis users had used BHO in the past year. More frequent BHO use was associated with higher levels of physical dependence (RR=1.8, pcannabis-related academic/occupational problems (RR=1.5, p=0.004), poor self-care (RR=1.3, p=0.002), and cannabis-related risk behavior (RR=1.2, p=0.001). After accounting for sociodemographic factors, age of onset of cannabis use, sensation seeking, overall frequency of cannabis use, and frequency of other substance use, BHO use was still associated with higher levels of physical dependence (RR=1.2, p=0.014). BHO use is associated with greater physiological dependence on cannabis, even after accounting for potential confounders. Longitudinal research is needed to determine if cannabis users with higher levels of physiological dependence seek out BHO and/or if BHO use increases risk for physiological dependence. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Risk factors for recurrent nerve palsy after thyroid surgery

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Godballe, Christian; Madsen, Anders Rørbæk; Sørensen, Christian Hjort

2014-01-01

Recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injury is a well-known and serious complication to thyroid surgery. The objective was to estimate the frequency of post-thyroidectomy RLN palsy and to identify possible risk factors. Based on the Danish national thyroid surgery database, 6,859 patients treated...... predominant risk factors with a relative risk (RR) of 5.4 and 5.8, respectively. In benign cases previous performed thyroid surgery had a RR of 10.4. High volume departments with more than 150 thyroid procedures per year seem to perform significantly better. Malignant histology, neck dissection and previous...

Pneumonia risk in asthma patients using inhaled corticosteroids: a quasi-cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Qian, Christina J; Coulombe, Janie; Suissa, Samy; Ernst, Pierre

2017-09-01

Studies have linked the use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) to excess pneumonia risk in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients. The risk in asthma patients remains unclear. The objective of the present study was to examine the risk of pneumonia with ICSs in asthma patients aged 12-35 years. We formed a cohort of asthma patients treated from 1990 to 2007 using Quebec health insurance databases. Subjects were considered currently exposed if they had had an ICS dispensed within the 60 days prior to their pneumonia index event or matched person-moment. Secondary analyses investigated the risk of pneumonia according to ICS dose and type. Rate ratios (RRs) and rate differences (RDs) were both estimated through a quasi-cohort approach. The cohort included 152 412 subjects, of whom 1928 had a pneumonia event during follow-up. There was an increased risk of pneumonia associated with current use of ICSs [RR 1.83; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.57, 2.14] or an excess risk of 1.44 cases per 1000 person-years (RD 1.44; 95% CI 1.03, 1.85). There was an excess pneumonia risk with low doses (RR 1.60; 95% CI 1.06, 2.45), moderate doses (RR 1.53; 95% CI 1.12, 2.08) and high doses (RR 1.96; 95% CI 1.64, 2.34) of ICSs, and with budesonide (RR 2.67; 95% CI 2.05, 3.49) and fluticasone (RR 1.93; 95% CI 1.58, 2.36), specifically relative to no use. When accounting for potential protopathic bias, the risk with current use of ICSs was attenuated (RR 1.48; 95% CI 1.22, 1.78). ICS use in asthma patients appears to be associated with an increased risk of pneumonia and is present for both budesonide and fluticasone. © 2017 The British Pharmacological Society.

RR LYRAE ATMOSPHERICS: WRINKLES OLD AND NEW. A PREVIEW

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Preston, George W.

2011-01-01

I report some results of an echelle spectroscopic survey of RR Lyrae stars begun in 2006 that I presented in my Henry Norris Lecture of 2010 January 4. Topics include (1) atmospheric velocity gradients, (2) phase-dependent envelope turbulence as it relates to Peterson's discoveries of axial rotation on the horizontal branch and to Stothers' explanation of the Blazhko effect, (3) the three apparitions of hydrogen emission during a pulsation cycle, (4) the occurrence of He I lines in emission and absorption, (5) detection of He II emission and metallic line doubling in Blazhko stars, and finally (6) speculation about what helium observations of RR Lyrae stars in omega Centauri might tell us about the putative helium populations and the horizontal branch of that strange globular cluster.

Family history and the risk of stomach cancer death in Japan: differences by age and gender.

Science.gov (United States)

Yatsuya, Hiroshi; Toyoshima, Hideaki; Mizoue, Tetsuya; Kondo, Takaaki; Tamakoshi, Koji; Hori, Yoko; Tokui, Noritaka; Hoshiyama, Yoshiharu; Kikuchi, Shogo; Sakata, Kiyomi; Hayakawa, Norihiko; Tamakoshi, Akiko; Ohno, Yoshiyuki; Yoshimura, Takesumi

2002-02-10

Familial aggregation of stomach cancer has long been observed. The effect on disease risk of family history and its magnitude according to the type of affected relatives, however, is not well known. We conducted a prospective analysis using the JACC study (Japan Collaborative Cohort Study For Evaluation of Cancer Risk, sponsored by Monbusho) data. During the follow-up period, 662 stomach cancer deaths were documented. A positive history of stomach cancer in one or more first-degree relatives was associated with a significantly increased risk of death from the disease in both men (RR 1.60; 95% CI 1.11-2.31) and women (RR 2.47; 95% CI 1.50-4.06). In the subanalysis stratified by age, the association between positive family history and stomach cancer was stronger in the age group from 40-59 (RR 2.62; 95% CI 1.34-5.11 for men and RR 5.88; 95% CI 2.70-12.82 for women) than in the age group from 60-79 (RR 1.31; 95% CI 0.84-2.05 for men and RR 1.44; 95% CI 0.72-2.88 for women). In the age group from 40-59, men with father's history and women with mother's and sister's history of the disease had a significantly increased risk (RR 3.14; 95% CI 1.51-6.55, RR 10.46; 95% CI 4.54-24.12, RR 13.39; 95% CI 3.89-46.12, respectively). When 2 or more family members were affected, the increment in the risk was prominent especially in women (RR 9.45; 95% CI 4.46-20.05). These results suggest the existence of a certain subtype of stomach cancer that is inherited more often by women from one generation to the next in gender-influenced fashion. Any preventive strategy should take into account the degree of individual susceptibility. Copyright 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Firearm Violence Among High-Risk Emergency Department Youth After an Assault Injury

Science.gov (United States)

Walton, Maureen A.; Roehler, Douglas R.; Goldstick, Jason; Zimmerman, Marc A.; Blow, Frederic C.; Cunningham, Rebecca M.

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: The risk for firearm violence among high-risk youth after treatment for an assault is unknown. METHODS: In this 2-year prospective cohort study, data were analyzed from a consecutive sample of 14- to 24-year-olds with drug use in the past 6 months seeking assault-injury care (AIG) at an urban level 1 emergency department (ED) compared with a proportionally sampled comparison group (CG) of drug-using nonassaulted youth. Validated measures were administered at baseline and follow-up (6, 12, 18, 24 months). RESULTS: A total of 349 AIG and 250 CG youth were followed for 24 months. During the follow-up period, 59% of the AIG reported firearm violence, a 40% higher risk than was observed among the CG (59.0% vs. 42.5%; relative risk [RR] = 1.39). Among those reporting firearm violence, 31.7% reported aggression, and 96.4% reported victimization, including 19 firearm injuries requiring medical care and 2 homicides. The majority with firearm violence (63.5%) reported at least 1 event within the first 6 months. Poisson regression identified baseline predictors of firearm violence, including male gender (RR = 1.51), African American race (RR = 1.26), assault-injury (RR = 1.35), firearm possession (RR = 1.23), attitudes favoring retaliation (RR = 1.03), posttraumatic stress disorder (RR = 1.39), and a drug use disorder (RR = 1.22). CONCLUSIONS: High-risk youth presenting to urban EDs for assault have elevated rates of subsequent firearm violence. Interventions at an index visit addressing substance use, mental health needs, retaliatory attitudes, and firearm possession may help decrease firearm violence among urban youth. PMID:25847808

Tea consumption and the risk of ovarian cancer: A meta-analysis of epidemiological studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhan, Xin; Wang, Jie; Pan, Shufen; Lu, Caijuan

2017-06-06

A large number of epidemiological studies have provided conflicting results about the relationship between tea consumption and ovarian cancer. This study aimed to clarify the association between tea consumption and ovarian cancer. A literature search of the MEDICINE, Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science databases was performed in April 2016. A total of 18 (11 case-control and 7 cohort) studies, representing data for 701,857 female subjects including 8,683 ovarian cancer cases, were included in the meta-analysis. A random-effects meta-analysis was used to compute the pooled relative risks (RR), meta regression, and publication bias, and heterogeneity analyses were performed for the included trials. We found that tea consumption had a significant protective effect against ovarian cancer (relative risk [RR] = 0.86; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.76, 0.96). The relationship was confirmed particularly after adjusting for family history of cancer (RR = 0.85; 95% CI: 0.72, 0.97), menopause status (RR = 0.85; 95% CI: 0.72, 0.98), education (RR = 0.82; 95% CI: 0.68, 0.96), BMI (RR = 0.85; 95% CI: 0.70, 1.00) , smoking (RR = 0.83; 95% CI: 0.72, 0.93) and Jadad score of 3 (RR = 0.76; 95% CI: 0.56, 0.95) and 5 (RR = 0.74; 95% CI: 0.59, 0.89). The Begg's and Egger's tests (all P > 0.01) showed no evidence of publication bias. In conclusion, our meta-analysis showed an inverse association between tea consumption and ovarian cancer risk. High quality cohort-clinical trials should be conducted on different tea types and their relationship with ovarian cancer.

Community-based stillbirth rates and risk factors in rural Sarlahi, Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Anne C; Mullany, Luke C; Tielsch, James M; Katz, Joanne; Khatry, Subarna K; Leclerq, Steven C; Adhikari, Ramesh K; Darmstadt, Gary L

2011-06-01

To assess stillbirth rates and antepartum risk factors in rural Nepal. Data were collected prospectively during a cluster-randomized, community-based trial in Sarlahi, Nepal, from 2002 to 2006. Multivariate regression modeling was performed to calculate adjusted relative risk estimates. Among 24531 births, the stillbirth rate was 35.4 per 1000 births (term stillbirth rate 21.2 per 1000 births). Most births occurred at home without a skilled birth attendant. The majority (69%) of intrapartum maternal deaths resulted in stillbirth. The adjusted RR (aRR) of stillbirth was 2.74 among nulliparas and 1.47 among mothers with history of a child death. Mothers above the age of 30 years carried a 1.59-fold higher risk for stillbirth than mothers who were 20-24 years old. The stillbirth risk was lower among households where the father had any formal education (aRR 0.70). Land ownership (aRR 0.85) and Pahadi ethnicity (aRR 0.67; reference: Madhesi ethnicity) were associated with significantly lower risks of stillbirth. Stillbirth rates were high in rural Nepal, with the majority of stillbirths occurring at full-term gestation. Nulliparity, history of prior child loss, maternal age above 30 years, Madhesi ethnicity, and socioeconomic disadvantage were significant risk factors for stillbirth. Clinicaltrials.govNCT00 109616. Copyright © 2011 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Response of Haloalkaliphilic Archaeon Natronococcus Jeotgali RR17 to Hypergravity

Science.gov (United States)

Thombre, Rebecca S.; Bhalerao, Aniruddha R.; Shinde, Vinaya D.; Dhar, Sunil Kumar; Shouche, Yogesh S.

2017-06-01

The survival of archaeabacteria in extreme inhabitable environments on earth that challenge organismic survival is ubiquitously known. However, the studies related to the effect of hypergravity on the growth and proliferation of archaea are unprecedented. The survival of organisms in hypergravity and rocks in addition to resistance to cosmic radiations, pressure and other extremities is imperative to study the possibilities of microbial travel between planets and endurance in hyperaccelerative forces faced during ejection of rocks from planets. The current investigation highlights the growth of an extremophilic archaeon isolated from a rocky substrate in hypergravity environment. The haloalkaliphilic archaeon, Natronococcus jeotgali RR17 was isolated from an Indian laterite rock, submerged in the Arabian sea lining Coastal Maharashtra, India. The endolithic haloarchaeon was subjected to hypergravity from 56 - 893 X gusing acceleration generated by centrifugal rotation. The cells of N. jeotgali RR17 proliferated and demonstrated good growth in hypergravity (223 X g). This is the first report on isolation of endolithic haloarchaeon N. jeotgali RR17 from an Indian laterite rock and its ability to proliferate in hypergravity. The present study demonstrates the ability of microbial life to survive and proliferate in hypergravity. Thus the inability of organismic growth in hypergravity may no longer be a limitation for astrobiology studies related to habitability of substellar objects, brown dwarfs and other planetary bodies in the universe besides planet earth.

RR-Interval variance of electrocardiogram for atrial fibrillation detection

Science.gov (United States)

Nuryani, N.; Solikhah, M.; Nugoho, A. S.; Afdala, A.; Anzihory, E.

2016-11-01

Atrial fibrillation is a serious heart problem originated from the upper chamber of the heart. The common indication of atrial fibrillation is irregularity of R peak-to-R-peak time interval, which is shortly called RR interval. The irregularity could be represented using variance or spread of RR interval. This article presents a system to detect atrial fibrillation using variances. Using clinical data of patients with atrial fibrillation attack, it is shown that the variance of electrocardiographic RR interval are higher during atrial fibrillation, compared to the normal one. Utilizing a simple detection technique and variances of RR intervals, we find a good performance of atrial fibrillation detection.

Relative risk estimation of Chikungunya disease in Malaysia: An analysis based on Poisson-gamma model

Science.gov (United States)

Samat, N. A.; Ma'arof, S. H. Mohd Imam

2015-05-01

Disease mapping is a method to display the geographical distribution of disease occurrence, which generally involves the usage and interpretation of a map to show the incidence of certain diseases. Relative risk (RR) estimation is one of the most important issues in disease mapping. This paper begins by providing a brief overview of Chikungunya disease. This is followed by a review of the classical model used in disease mapping, based on the standardized morbidity ratio (SMR), which we then apply to our Chikungunya data. We then fit an extension of the classical model, which we refer to as a Poisson-Gamma model, when prior distributions for the relative risks are assumed known. Both results are displayed and compared using maps and we reveal a smoother map with fewer extremes values of estimated relative risk. The extensions of this paper will consider other methods that are relevant to overcome the drawbacks of the existing methods, in order to inform and direct government strategy for monitoring and controlling Chikungunya disease.

Transparent polyurethane film as an intravenous catheter dressing. A meta-analysis of the infection risks.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffmann, K K; Weber, D J; Samsa, G P; Rutala, W A

1992-04-15

To obtain a quantitative estimate of the impact on infectious complications of using transparent dressings with intravenous catheters. Meta-analysis of all studies published in the English literature, including abstracts, letters, and reports that examined the primary research question of infection risks associated with transparent compared with gauze dressings for use on central and peripheral venous catheters. Studies were identified by use of the MEDLINE database using the indexing terms occlusive dressings, transparent dressings, and infection and by review of referenced bibliographies. Seven of the 15 studies (47%) of central venous catheters and seven of 12 studies (58%) of peripheral catheters met our inclusion criteria for analysis. All studies used a prospective cohort design, utilized hospitalized patients, and reported at least one of our defined outcomes. Data for each study were abstracted independently by three investigators. At least three studies were used in the analysis of each outcome. Applying a Mantel-Haenszel chi 2 analysis, use of transparent dressings on central venous catheters was significantly associated with an elevated relative risk (RR) of catheter tip infection (RR = 1.78; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.38 to 2.30). Catheter-related sepsis (RR = 1.69; 95% CI, 0.97 to 2.95) and bacteremia (RR = 1.63; 95% CI, 0.76 to 3.47) were both associated with an elevated RR. Use of transparent dressings on peripheral catheters was associated with an elevated RR of catheter-tip infection (RR = 1.53; 95% CI, 1.18 to 1.99) but not phlebitis (RR = 1.02; 95% CI, 0.86 to 1.20), infiltration (RR = 1.12; 95% CI, 0.92 to 1.37), or skin colonization (RR = 0.99; 95% CI, 0.90 to 1.09). The results demonstrated a significantly increased risk of catheter-tip infection with the use of transparent compared with gauze dressings when used with either central or peripheral catheters. An increased risk of bacteremia and catheter sepsis associated with the use of

A HIGH-VELOCITY BULGE RR LYRAE VARIABLE ON A HALO-LIKE ORBIT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kunder, Andrea; Storm, J.; Rich, R. M.; Hawkins, K.; Poleski, R.; Johnson, C. I.; Shen, J.; Li, Z.-Y.; Cordero, M. J.; Nataf, D. M.; Bono, G.; Walker, A. R.; Koch, A.; De Propris, R.; Udalski, A.; Szymanski, M. K.; Soszynski, I.; Pietrzynski, G.; Ulaczyk, K.; Wyrzykowski, Ł.

2015-01-01

We report on the RR Lyrae variable star, MACHO 176.18833.411, located toward the Galactic bulge and observed within the data from the ongoing Bulge RR Lyrae Radial Velocity Assay, which has the unusual radial velocity of −372 ± 8 km s −1 and true space velocity of −482 ± 22 km s −1 relative to the Galactic rest frame. Located less than 1 kpc from the Galactic center and toward a field at (l, b) = (3, −2.5), this pulsating star has properties suggesting it belongs to the bulge RR Lyrae star population, yet a velocity indicating it is abnormal, at least with respect to bulge giants and red clump stars. We show that this star is most likely a halo interloper and therefore suggest that halo contamination is not insignificant when studying metal-poor stars found within the bulge area, even for stars within 1 kpc of the Galactic center. We discuss the possibility that MACHO 176.18833.411 is on the extreme edge of the bulge RR Lyrae radial velocity distribution, and also consider a more exotic scenario in which it is a runaway star moving through the Galaxy

DISTANCE SCALE ZERO POINTS FROM GALACTIC RR LYRAE STAR PARALLAXES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Benedict, G. Fritz; McArthur, Barbara E.; Barnes, Thomas G. [McDonald Observatory, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712 (United States); Feast, Michael W. [Centre for Astrophysics, Cosmology and Gravitation, Astronomy Department, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701 (South Africa); Harrison, Thomas E. [Department of Astronomy, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003 (United States); Bean, Jacob L.; Kolenberg, Katrien [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Menzies, John W.; Laney, C. D. [South African Astronomical Observatory, Observatory 7935 (South Africa); Chaboyer, Brian [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755 (United States); Fossati, Luca [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Open University, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA (United Kingdom); Nesvacil, Nicole [Institute of Astronomy, University of Vienna, A-1180 Vienna (Austria); Smith, Horace A. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 (United States); Kochukhov, Oleg [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, 75120 Uppsala (Sweden); Nelan, Edmund P.; Taylor, Denise [STScI, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Shulyak, D. V. [Institute of Astrophysics, Georg-August-University, Friedrich-Hund-Platz 1, D-37077 Goettingen (Germany); Freedman, Wendy L. [The Observatories, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Pasadena, CA 91101 (United States)

2011-12-15

We present new absolute trigonometric parallaxes and proper motions for seven Population II variable stars-five RR Lyr variables: RZ Cep, XZ Cyg, SU Dra, RR Lyr, and UV Oct; and two type 2 Cepheids: VY Pyx and {kappa} Pav. We obtained these results with astrometric data from Fine Guidance Sensors, white-light interferometers on Hubble Space Telescope. We find absolute parallaxes in milliseconds of arc: RZ Cep, 2.12 {+-} 0.16 mas; XZ Cyg, 1.67 {+-} 0.17 mas; SU Dra, 1.42 {+-} 0.16 mas; RR Lyr, 3.77 {+-} 0.13 mas; UV Oct, 1.71 {+-} 0.10 mas; VY Pyx, 6.44 {+-} 0.23 mas; and {kappa} Pav, 5.57 {+-} 0.28 mas; an average {sigma}{sub {pi}}/{pi} = 5.4%. With these parallaxes, we compute absolute magnitudes in V and K bandpasses corrected for interstellar extinction and Lutz-Kelker-Hanson bias. Using these RR Lyrae variable star absolute magnitudes, we then derive zero points for M{sub V} -[Fe/H] and M{sub K} -[Fe/H]-log P relations. The technique of reduced parallaxes corroborates these results. We employ our new results to determine distances and ages of several Galactic globular clusters and the distance of the Large Magellanic Cloud. The latter is close to that previously derived from Classical Cepheids uncorrected for any metallicity effect, indicating that any such effect is small. We also discuss the somewhat puzzling results obtained for our two type 2 Cepheids.

Changes of individual perception in psychosocial stressors related to German reunification in 1989/1990 and cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular diseases in a population-based study in East Germany.

Science.gov (United States)

Bohley, Stefanie; Kluttig, Alexander; Werdan, Karl; Nuding, Sebastian; Greiser, Karin Halina; Kuss, Oliver; Markus, Marcello Ricardo Paulista; Schmidt, Carsten Oliver; Völzke, Henry; Krabbe, Christine; Haerting, Johannes

2016-01-04

Aim was to examine the relationship between individually perceived changes in psychosocial stressors associated with German reunification and cardiovascular effects. We hypothesised that higher levels of psychosocial stress related to German reunification were associated with an increase in cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Cross-sectional data from 2 cohort studies in East Germany were used: Cardiovascular Disease, Living and Ageing in Halle Study (CARLA), and Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP). 2 populations in East Germany. CARLA study: 1779 participants, aged 45-83 years at baseline (812 women), SHIP study: 4308 participants, aged 20-79 years at baseline (2193 women). Psychosocial stressors related to reunification were operationalised by the Reunification Stress Index (RSI; scale from 0 to 10). This index was composed of questions that were related to individually perceived changes in psychosocial stressors (occupational, financial and personal) after reunification. To examine the associations between the RSI and each stressor separately with cardiovascular risk factors and CVD, regression models were used. RSI was associated with CVD in women (RR=1.15, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.33). Cardiovascular risk factors were associated with RSI for both men and women, with strongest associations between RSI and diabetes in women (RR=1.10, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.20) and depressive disorders in men (RR=1.15, 95% CI 1.07 to 2.77). The change in occupational situation related to reunification was the major contributing psychosocial stressor. We observed a strong association with CVD in women who experienced occupational deterioration after reunification (RR=4.04, 95% CI 1.21 to 13.43). Individually perceived deterioration of psychosocial stressors (occupational, financial and personal) related to German reunification was associated with cardiovascular risk factors and CVD. The associations were stronger for women than for men. An explanation for these

[Risk of death 4 years after a 1st cerebral infarction: prospective study in Barquisimeto, Estado Lara, Venezuela].

Science.gov (United States)

Poni, E; Granero, R; Escobar, B

1995-12-01

Stroke, the 5th. cause of death in Venezuela, has been associated to cerebral infarction. However, there is little information concerning lethality factors. 33 atherothrombotic subtype stroke patients, 31 (96%) Latino and 2(4%) white, were admitted into a prospective study to analyze the role of 11 mortality risk factors for those patients. A mortality relative risk (RR) > 1.5 or Mortality RR for patients age 65 and over (RR = 2.95) and 4 year mortality RR for male patients (RR = 2.04) were clinically and statistically significant. History of high blood pressure was protective (RR = 0.62) probably due to good medical control. Cumulative mortality was higher than that of comparable studies, even from the first week of follow-up, reaching 67% at the 4th year.

Diagnostic x-ray procedures and risk of leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boice, J.D. Jr.; Morin, M.M.; Glass, A.G.; Friedman, G.D.; Stovall, M.; Hoover, R.N.; Fraumeni, J.F. Jr.

1991-01-01

Exposure to diagnostic x-rays and the risk of leukemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), and multiple myeloma were studied within two prepaid health plans. Adult patients with leukemia (n = 565), NHL (n = 318), and multiple myeloma (n = 208) were matched to controls (n = 1390), and over 25,000 x-ray procedures were abstracted from medical records. Dose response was evaluated by assigning each x-ray procedure a score based on estimated bone marrow dose. X-ray exposure was not associated with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, one of the few malignant conditions never linked to radiation (relative risk [RR], 0.66). For all other forms of leukemia combined (n = 358), there was a slight elevation in risk (RR, 1.17) but no evidence of a dose-response relationship when x-ray procedures near the time of diagnosis were excluded. Similarly, patients with NHL were exposed to diagnostic x-ray procedures more often than controls (RR, 1.32), but the RR fell to 0.99 when the exposure to diagnostic x-ray procedures within 2 years of diagnosis was ignored. For multiple myeloma, overall risk was not significantly high (RR, 1.14), but there was consistent evidence of increasing risk with increasing numbers of diagnostic x-ray procedures. These data suggest that persons with leukemia and NHL undergo x-ray procedures frequently just prior to diagnosis for conditions related to the development or natural history of their disease. There was little evidence that diagnostic x-ray procedures were causally associated with leukemia or NHL. The risk for multiple myeloma, however, was increased among those patients who were frequently exposed to x-rays

Intensity and timing of physical activity in relation to postmenopausal breast cancer risk: the prospective NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peters, Tricia M; Moore, Steven C; Gierach, Gretchen L; Wareham, Nicholas J; Ekelund, Ulf; Hollenbeck, Albert R; Schatzkin, Arthur; Leitzmann, Michael F

2009-01-01

Despite strong evidence of an inverse association of physical activity with postmenopausal breast cancer risk, whether a certain intensity or time of life of physical activity is most effective for lowering breast cancer risk is not known. In 118,899 postmenopausal women in the prospective NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study, we examined the relations of light and moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity during four periods of life ('historical': ages 15-18, 19-29, 35-39 years; 'recent': past 10 years) to postmenopausal breast cancer risk. Physical activity was assessed by self-report at baseline, and 4287 incident breast cancers were identified over 6.6 years of follow-up. In age-adjusted and multivariate Cox regression models, >7 hours/week of moderate-to-vigorous activity during the past 10 years was associated with 16% reduced risk of postmenopausal breast cancer (RR:0.84; 95%CI:0.76,0.93) compared with inactivity. The association remained statistically significant after adjustment for BMI (RR:0.87; 95%CI:0.78,0.96). Neither moderate-to-vigorous activity during other periods of life nor light intensity activity during any period of life was related to breast cancer risk, and associations did not vary by tumor characteristics. A high level of recent, but not historical, physical activity of moderate-to-vigorous intensity is associated with reduced postmenopausal breast cancer risk. More precise recall of recent physical activity than activity in the distant past is one possible explanation for our findings

Risk of leukemia associated with the first course of cancer treatment: an analysis of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Curtis, R.E.; Hankey, B.F.; Myers, M.H.; Young, J.L. Jr.

1984-01-01

The risk of leukemia associated with the first course of cancer treatment was evaluated in over 440,000 patients diagnosed during 1973-80 (average follow-up . 1.91 yr) from the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program. Although the reporting of the first course of therapy probably was incomplete, 34 acute nonlymphocytic leukemias (ANLL) developed compared with 7.6 expected among 70,674 patients known to receive initial chemotherapy [relative risk (RR) . 4.5, 95% confidence interval (Cl) . 3.1-6.3]. Significant ANLL excesses were observed following chemotherapy for breast cancer (RR . 8.1), ovarian cancer (RR . 22.2), and multiple myeloma (RR . 9.5). Patients initially treated with radiation (with no record of chemotherapy) also had a significantly increased ANLL risk; 45 leukemias occurred versus 17.9 expected (RR . 2.5, 95% Cl . 1.8-3.4). In this group, excess ANLL were found following irradiation for uterine corpus cancer (RR . 4.0). Kidney and renal pelvis cancer patients had a twofold leukemia risk (all types) that was unrelated to treatment (RR . 2.2)

Beyond recreational physical activity: examining occupational and household activity, transportation activity, and sedentary behavior in relation to postmenopausal breast cancer risk.

Science.gov (United States)

George, Stephanie M; Irwin, Melinda L; Matthews, Charles E; Mayne, Susan T; Gail, Mitchell H; Moore, Steven C; Albanes, Demetrius; Ballard-Barbash, Rachel; Hollenbeck, Albert R; Schatzkin, Arthur; Leitzmann, Michael F

2010-11-01

We prospectively examined nonrecreational physical activity and sedentary behavior in relation to breast cancer risk among 97 039 postmenopausal women in the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study. We identified 2866 invasive and 570 in situ breast cancer cases recorded between 1996 and 2003 and used Cox proportional hazards regression to estimate multivariate relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Routine activity during the day at work or at home that included heavy lifting or carrying versus mostly sitting was associated with reduced risk of invasive breast cancer (RR = 0.62; 95% CI = 0.42, 0.91; P(trend) = .024). Routine activity during the day at work or home may be related to reduced invasive breast cancer risk. Domains outside of recreation time may be attractive targets for increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary behavior among postmenopausal women.

THE RR LYRAE VARIABLES AND HORIZONTAL BRANCH OF NGC 6656 (M22) {sup ,}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kunder, Andrea; Walker, Alistair R.; Paredes Alvarez, Leonardo [Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, Casilla 603, La Serena (Chile); Stetson, Peter B. [Dominion Astrophysical Observatory, NRC-Herzberg, National Research Council, Victoria BC, V9E 2E7 (Canada); Cassisi, Santi [INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Collurania, Via M. Maggini, I-64100 Teramo (Italy); Layden, Andrew [Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH 43403 (United States); Bono, Giuseppe [Dipartimento di Fisica, Universita di Roma Tor Vergata, Rome (Italy); Catelan, Márcio [Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Departamento de Astronomía y Astrofísica, Av. Vicuña Mackenna 4860, 782-0436 Macul, Santiago (Chile); Clem, James L. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803-4001 (United States); Matsunaga, Noriyuki [Department of Astronomy, School of Science, The University of Tokyo (Japan); Salaris, Maurizio [Astrophysics Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, Twelve Quays House, Egerton Wharf, Birkenhead CH41 1LD (United Kingdom); Lee, Jae-Woo [Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, Daejeon 305-348 (Korea, Republic of); Chaboyer, Brian, E-mail: akunder@ctio.noao.edu, E-mail: mcatelan@astro.puc.cl [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755 (United States)

2013-11-01

The first calibrated broadband UBVI time-series photometry is presented for the RR Lyrae variable stars in NGC 6656 (M22), with observations spanning a range of 22 years. We have also redetermined the variability types and periods for the RR Lyrae stars identified previously by photographic observations, revising the number of fundamental-mode RR Lyrae variables (RR0) to 10 and the number of first-overtone variables (RR1) to 16. The mean periods of the RR0 and RR1 variables are (P) {sub RR0} = 0.66 ± 0.02 days and (P) {sub RR1} = 0.33 ± 0.01 days, respectively, supporting an Oosterhoff II classification for the cluster. The number ratio of RR1-type to all RR-type variables is N {sub 1}/N{sub RR} = 0.61, also consistent with an Oosterhoff II designation. Both the RR Lyrae stars' minimum light colors and the blue edge of the RR Lyrae instability strip suggest E( B – – V) = 0.36 ± 0.02 mag toward M22. Regarding the HB morphology of M22, we find (B-R)/(B+V+R) = +0.97 ± 0.1 and at least one ''gap'' located in an unusual part of the blue HB, in the middle of the so-called hot HB stars.

Risk of preterm delivery and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in relation to maternal co-morbid mood and migraine disorders during pregnancy.

Science.gov (United States)

Cripe, Swee May; Frederick, Ihunnaya O; Qiu, Chunfang; Williams, Michelle A

2011-03-01

We evaluated the risks of preterm delivery and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy among pregnant women with mood and migraine disorders, using a cohort study of 3432 pregnant women. Maternal pre-pregnancy or early pregnancy (migraine diagnoses were ascertained from interview and medical record review. We fitted generalised linear models to derive risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of preterm delivery and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy for women with isolated mood, isolated migraine and co-morbid mood-migraine disorders, respectively. Reported RR were adjusted for maternal age, race/ethnicity, marital status, parity, smoking status, chronic hypertension or pre-existing diabetes mellitus, and pre-pregnancy body mass index. Women without mood or migraine disorders were defined as the reference group. The risks for preterm delivery and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy were more consistently elevated among women with co-morbid mood-migraine disorders than among women with isolated mood or migraine disorder. Women with co-morbid disorders were almost twice as likely to deliver preterm (adjusted RR=1.87, 95% CI 1.05, 3.34) compared with the reference group. There was no clear evidence of increased risks of preterm delivery and its subtypes with isolated migraine disorder. Women with mood disorder had elevated risks of pre-eclampsia (adjusted RR=3.57, 95% CI 1.83, 6.99). Our results suggest an association between isolated migraine disorder and pregnancy-induced hypertension (adjusted RR=1.42, 95% CI 1.00, 2.01). This is the first study examining perinatal outcomes in women with co-morbid mood-migraine disorders. Pregnant women with a history of migraine may benefit from screening for depression during prenatal care and vigilant monitoring, especially for women with co-morbid mood and migraine disorders. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Adipose tissue (P)RR regulates insulin sensitivity, fat mass and body weight.

Science.gov (United States)

Shamansurova, Zulaykho; Tan, Paul; Ahmed, Basma; Pepin, Emilie; Seda, Ondrej; Lavoie, Julie L

2016-10-01

We previously demonstrated that the handle-region peptide, a prorenin/renin receptor [(P)RR] blocker, reduces body weight and fat mass and may improve insulin sensitivity in high-fat fed mice. We hypothesized that knocking out the adipose tissue (P)RR gene would prevent weight gain and insulin resistance. An adipose tissue-specific (P)RR knockout (KO) mouse was created by Cre-loxP technology using AP2-Cre recombinase mice. Because the (P)RR gene is located on the X chromosome, hemizygous males were complete KO and had a more pronounced phenotype on a normal diet (ND) diet compared to heterozygous KO females. Therefore, we challenged the female mice with a high-fat diet (HFD) to uncover certain phenotypes. Mice were maintained on either diet for 9 weeks. KO mice had lower body weights compared to wild-types (WT). Only hemizygous male KO mice presented with lower total fat mass, higher total lean mass as well as smaller adipocytes compared to WT mice. Although food intake was similar between genotypes, locomotor activity during the active period was increased in both male and female KO mice. Interestingly, only male KO mice had increased O2 consumption and CO2 production during the entire 24-hour period, suggesting an increased basal metabolic rate. Although glycemia during a glucose tolerance test was similar, KO males as well as HFD-fed females had lower plasma insulin and C-peptide levels compared to WT mice, suggesting improved insulin sensitivity. Remarkably, all KO animals exhibited higher circulating adiponectin levels, suggesting that this phenotype can occur even in the absence of a significant reduction in adipose tissue weight, as observed in females and, thus, may be a specific effect related to the (P)RR. (P)RR may be an important therapeutic target for the treatment of obesity and its associated complications such as type 2 diabetes.

[HIV/AIDS related mortality in southern Shanxi province and its risk factors].

Science.gov (United States)

Ning, Shaoping; Xue, Zidong; Wei, Jun; Mu, Shengcai; Xu, Yajuan; Jia, Shaoxian; Qiu, Chao; Xu, Jianqing

2015-03-01

To explore factors influencing mortality rate of HIV/AIDS and to improve the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy (ART). By means of retrospective cohort study and the AIDS control information system, HIV/AIDS case reports and antiviral treatment information of 4 cities in southern Shanxi province up to end of December 2012 were selected, to calculate the mortality rate and treatment coverage based on further data collected, along with analysis using the Cox proportional hazards survival regression. 4 040 cases confirmed of HIV/AIDS were included in this study. The average age was (36.0 ± 12.9) years, with 65.3% being male, 56.5% being married, 73.5% having junior high school education or lower, 58.4% being peasants, 54.3% with sexually transmitted infection (40.1% were heterosexual, 14.2% were homosexual), and 38.9% were infected via blood transmission (20.2% were former plasma donors, 16.2% blood transfusion or products recipients, 2.4% were injection drug users). Overall mortality decreased from 40.2 per 100 person/year in 2004 to 6.3 per 100 person/year in 2012, with treatment coverage concomitantly increasing from almost 14.8% to 63.4%. Cox proportional hazards survival regression was used on 4 040 qualified cases, demonstrating the top mortality risk factor was without antiretroviral therapy (RR = 14.9, 95% CI: 12.7-17.4). Cox proportional hazards survival regression was made on 1 938 cases of antiviral treatment, demonstrating that the mortality risk of underweight or obese before treatment was higher than those of normal and overweight cases (RR = 2.7, 95% CI: 1.6-4.5), and the mortality of those having a CD4(+) T-lymphocyte count ≤ 50 cells per µl before treatment was more than 50 cases (RR = 2.6, 95% CI: 1.5-4.5); Cox proportional hazards survival regression was made on 2 102 cases of untreated cases, demonstrating the mortality risk of those initially diagnosed as AIDS was higher than those initially diagnosed as HIV (RR = 3.4, 95% CI: 2

IDAS-RR: an incident data base system for research reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsumoto, Kiyoshi; Kohsaka, Atsuo; Kaminaga, Masanori; Murayama, Youji; Ohnishi, Nobuaki; Maniwa, Masaki.

1990-03-01

An Incident Data Base System for Research Reactors, IDAS-RR, has been developed. IDAS-RR has information about abnormal incidents (failures, transients, accidents, etc.) of research reactors in the world. Data reference, input, editing and other functions of IDAS-RR are menu driven. The routine processing and data base management functions are performed by the system software and hardware. PC-9801 equipment was selected as the hardware because of its portability and popularity. IDAS-RR provides effective reference information for the following activities. 1) Analysis of abnormal incident of research reactors, 2) Detail analysis of research reactor behavior in the abnormal incident for building the knowledge base of the reactor emergency diagnostic system for research reactor, 3) Planning counter-measure for emergency situation in the research reactor. This report is a user's manual of IDAS-RR. (author)

Ventricular Cycle Length Characteristics Estimative of Prolonged RR Interval during Atrial Fibrillation

Science.gov (United States)

CIACCIO, EDWARD J.; BIVIANO, ANGELO B.; GAMBHIR, ALOK; EINSTEIN, ANDREW J.; GARAN, HASAN

2014-01-01

Background When atrial fibrillation (AF) is incessant, imaging during a prolonged ventricular RR interval may improve image quality. It was hypothesized that long RR intervals could be predicted from preceding RR values. Methods From the PhysioNet database, electrocardiogram RR intervals were obtained from 74 persistent AF patients. An RR interval lengthened by at least 250 ms beyond the immediately preceding RR interval (termed T0 and T1, respectively) was considered prolonged. A two-parameter scatterplot was used to predict the occurrence of a prolonged interval T0. The scatterplot parameters were: (1) RR variability (RRv) estimated as the average second derivative from 10 previous pairs of RR differences, T13–T2, and (2) Tm–T1, the difference between Tm, the mean from T13 to T2, and T1. For each patient, scatterplots were constructed using preliminary data from the first hour. The ranges of parameters 1 and 2 were adjusted to maximize the proportion of prolonged RR intervals within range. These constraints were used for prediction of prolonged RR in test data collected during the second hour. Results The mean prolonged event was 1.0 seconds in duration. Actual prolonged events were identified with a mean positive predictive value (PPV) of 80% in the test set. PPV was >80% in 36 of 74 patients. An average of 10.8 prolonged RR intervals per 60 minutes was correctly identified. Conclusions A method was developed to predict prolonged RR intervals using two parameters and prior statistical sampling for each patient. This or similar methodology may help improve cardiac imaging in many longstanding persistent AF patients. PMID:23998759

A HIGH-VELOCITY BULGE RR LYRAE VARIABLE ON A HALO-LIKE ORBIT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kunder, Andrea; Storm, J. [Leibniz-Institut für Astrophysik Potsdam (AIP), An der Sternwarte 16, D-14482 Potsdam (Germany); Rich, R. M. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1562 (United States); Hawkins, K. [Institute of Astronomy, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HA (United Kingdom); Poleski, R. [Department of Astronomy, Ohio State University, 140 W. 18th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210 (United States); Johnson, C. I. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Shen, J.; Li, Z.-Y. [Key Laboratory for Research in Galaxies and Cosmology, Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 80 Nandan Road, Shanghai 200030 (China); Cordero, M. J. [Astronomisches Rechen-Institut: Zentrum für Astronomie, Mönchhofstr. 12-14, D-69120 Heidelberg (Germany); Nataf, D. M. [Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2611 (Australia); Bono, G. [Dipartimento di Fisica, Universita di Roma Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, I-00133 Roma (Italy); Walker, A. R. [Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, National Optical Astronomy Observatory, Casilla 603, La Serena (Chile); Koch, A. [Landessternwarte, Zentrum für Astronomie der Universität Heidelberg, Königstuhl 12, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany); De Propris, R. [Finnish Centre for Astronomy with ESO (FINCA), University of Turku, Turku (Finland); Udalski, A.; Szymanski, M. K.; Soszynski, I.; Pietrzynski, G.; Ulaczyk, K.; Wyrzykowski, Ł. [Warsaw University Observatory, Al. Ujazdowskie 4, 00-478 Warszawa (Poland); and others

2015-07-20

We report on the RR Lyrae variable star, MACHO 176.18833.411, located toward the Galactic bulge and observed within the data from the ongoing Bulge RR Lyrae Radial Velocity Assay, which has the unusual radial velocity of −372 ± 8 km s{sup −1} and true space velocity of −482 ± 22 km s{sup −1} relative to the Galactic rest frame. Located less than 1 kpc from the Galactic center and toward a field at (l, b) = (3, −2.5), this pulsating star has properties suggesting it belongs to the bulge RR Lyrae star population, yet a velocity indicating it is abnormal, at least with respect to bulge giants and red clump stars. We show that this star is most likely a halo interloper and therefore suggest that halo contamination is not insignificant when studying metal-poor stars found within the bulge area, even for stars within 1 kpc of the Galactic center. We discuss the possibility that MACHO 176.18833.411 is on the extreme edge of the bulge RR Lyrae radial velocity distribution, and also consider a more exotic scenario in which it is a runaway star moving through the Galaxy.

RR Lyrae star distance scale and kinematics from inner bulge to 50 kpc

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dambis Andrei

2017-01-01

Full Text Available We use the currently most complete sample of ∼ 3500 type ab RR Lyraes in our Galaxy with available radial-velocity and [Fe/H] measurements to perform a statisticalparallax analysis for a subsample of ∼ 600 type ab RR Lyraes located within 5 kpc from the Sun to refine the parameters of optical and WISE W1-band period-metallicityluminosity relations and adjust our preliminary distances. The new zero point implies the rescaled estimates for the solar Galactocentric distance (RG = 7.99 ± 0.37 kpc and the LMC distance modulus (DMLMC = 18.39 ±0.09. We use the kinematic data for the entire sample to explore the dependence of the halo and thick-disk RR Lyrae velocity ellipsoids on Galactocentric distance from the inner bulge out to R ∼ 50 kpc.

Personal protective equipment, hygiene behaviours and occupational risk of illness after July 2011 flood in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Science.gov (United States)

Wójcik, O P; Holt, J; Kjerulf, A; Müller, L; Ethelberg, S; Mølbak, K

2013-08-01

Incidence of various diseases can increase following a flood. We aimed to identify professionals in Copenhagen who became ill after contact with 2 July 2011 floodwater/sediment and determine risks and protective factors associated with illness. We conducted a cohort study of employees engaged in post-flood management activities. Participants completed a questionnaire collecting information about demographics, floodwater/sediment exposure, compliance with standard precautions, and symptoms of illness. Overall, 257 professionals participated, with 56 (22%) cases. Risk of illness was associated with not washing hands after floodwater/sediment contact [relative risk (RR) 2∙45], exposure to floodwater at work and home (RR 2∙35), smoking (RR 1∙92), direct contact with floodwater (RR 1∙86), and eating/drinking when in contact with floodwater (RR 1∙77). Professionals need to follow standard precautions when in contact with floodwater/sediment, especially proper hand hygiene after personal protective equipment use and before eating/drinking and smoking.

Physical activity and risk of pancreatic cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Behrens, Gundula; Jochem, Carmen; Schmid, Daniela; Keimling, Marlen; Ricci, Cristian; Leitzmann, Michael F

2015-04-01

Physical activity may prevent pancreatic cancer by regulating body weight and decreasing insulin resistance, DNA damage, and chronic inflammation. Previous meta-analyses found inconsistent evidence for a protective effect of physical activity on pancreatic cancer but those studies did not investigate whether the association between physical activity and pancreatic cancer varies by smoking status, body mass index (BMI), or level of consistency of physical activity over time. To address these issues, we conducted an updated meta-analysis following the PRISMA guidelines among 30 distinct studies with a total of 10,501 pancreatic cancer cases. Random effects meta-analysis of cohort studies revealed a weak, statistically significant reduction in pancreatic cancer risk for high versus low levels of physical activity (relative risk (RR) 0.93, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.88-0.98). By comparison, case-control studies yielded a stronger, statistically significant risk reduction (RR 0.78, 95 % CI 0.66-0.94; p-difference by study design = 0.07). When focusing on cohort studies, physical activity summary risk estimates appeared to be more pronounced for consistent physical activity over time (RR 0.86, 95 % CI 0.76-0.97) than for recent past physical activity (RR 0.95, 95 % CI 0.90-1.01) or distant past physical activity (RR 0.95, 95 % CI 0.79-1.15, p-difference by timing in life of physical activity = 0.36). Physical activity summary risk estimates did not differ by smoking status or BMI. In conclusion, physical activity is not strongly associated with pancreatic cancer risk, and the relation is not modified by smoking status or BMI level. While overall findings were weak, we did find some suggestion of potential pancreatic cancer risk reduction with consistent physical activity over time.

Self-reported previous knee injury and low knee function increase knee injury risk in adolescent female football

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Clausen, Mikkel Bek; Tang, L; Zebis, M K

2016-01-01

with low KOOS subscale scores (Sport/Recreational (RR: 2.2) and Quality of Life (RR: 3.0) (P time-loss knee...... questionnaires were collected at baseline. Time-loss knee injuries and football exposures were reported weekly by answers to standardized text-message questions, followed by injury telephone interviews. A priori, self-reported previous knee injury and low KOOS subscale scores (... as independent variables in the risk factor analyses. The study showed that self-reported previous knee injury significantly increased the risk of time-loss knee injury [relative risk (RR): 3.65, 95% confidence (CI) 1.73-7.68; P time-loss knee injury was also significantly increased in players...

Caffeine, postmenopausal estrogen, and risk of Parkinson's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Ascherio, A; Chen, H; Schwarzschild, M A; Zhang, S M; Colditz, G A; Speizer, F E

2003-03-11

Men who regularly consume caffeinated drinks have a lower risk of PD than do nondrinkers, but this relation has not been found in women. Because this sex difference could be due to hormonal effects, the authors examined prospectively the risk of PD according to use of postmenopausal hormones and caffeine intake among participants in the Nurses' Health Study. The study population comprised 77,713 women free of PD, stroke, or cancer at baseline, who were postmenopausal at baseline or reached menopause before the end of the study. During 18 years of follow-up the authors documented 154 cases of PD. Overall, the risk of PD was similar in women using hormones and women who never used hormones (relative risk 1.02, 95% CI 0.69 to 1.52). Use of hormones, however, was associated with a reduced risk of PD among women with low caffeine consumption (RR 0.39, 95% CI 0.13 to 1.17), and with increased risk among women with high caffeine consumption (RR 2.44, 95% CI 0.75 to 7.86; p for interaction = 0.01). Among hormone users, women consuming six or more cups of coffee per day had a fourfold higher risk of PD (RR 3.92, 95% CI 1.49 to 10.34; p = 0.006) than did women who never drink coffee. These results suggest that caffeine reduces the risk of PD among women who do not use postmenopausal hormones, but increases risk among hormone users. Clinical trials of caffeine or estrogens in women should avoid the combined use of these agents.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of glyphosate exposure and risk of lymphohematopoietic cancers.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Ellen T; Delzell, Elizabeth

2016-01-01

This systematic review and meta-analysis rigorously examines the relationship between glyphosate exposure and risk of lymphohematopoietic cancer (LHC) including NHL, Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), multiple myeloma (MM), and leukemia. Meta-relative risks (meta-RRs) were positive and marginally statistically significant for the association between any versus no use of glyphosate and risk of NHL (meta-RR = 1.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.0-1.6, based on six studies) and MM (meta-RR = 1.4, 95% CI = 1.0-1.9; four studies). Associations were statistically null for HL (meta-RR = 1.1, 95% CI = 0.7-1.6; two studies), leukemia (meta-RR = 1.0, 95% CI = 0.6-1.5; three studies), and NHL subtypes except B-cell lymphoma (two studies each). Bias and confounding may account for observed associations. Meta-analysis is constrained by few studies and a crude exposure metric, while the overall body of literature is methodologically limited and findings are not strong or consistent. Thus, a causal relationship has not been established between glyphosate exposure and risk of any type of LHC.

Implementing the number needed to harm in clinical practice: risk of myocardial infarction in HIV-1-infected patients treated with abacavir

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kowalska, J D; Kirk, O; Mocroft, A

2010-01-01

OBJECTIVES: The D:A:D study group reported a 1.9-fold increased relative risk (RR) of myocardial infarction (MI) associated with current or recent use of abacavir. The number needed to harm (NNH) incorporates information about the underlying risk of MI and the increased RR of MI in patients taking...

Febrile seizures and risk of schizophrenia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vestergaard, Mogens; Pedersen, Carsten Bøcker; Christensen, Jakob

2005-01-01

BACKGROUND: Febrile seizure is a benign condition for most children, but experiments in animals and neuroimaging studies in humans suggest that some febrile seizures may damage the hippocampus, a brain area of possible importance in schizophrenia. METHODS: A population-based cohort of all children...... with schizophrenia. A history of febrile seizures was associated with a 44% increased risk of schizophrenia [relative risk (RR)=1.44; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.07-1.95] after adjusting for confounding factors. The association between febrile seizures and schizophrenia remained virtually unchanged when...... restricting the analyses to people with no history of epilepsy. A history of both febrile seizures and epilepsy was associated with a 204% increased risk of schizophrenia (RR=3.04; 95% CI, 1.36-6.79) as compared with people with no such history. CONCLUSIONS: We found a slightly increased risk of schizophrenia...

Population attributable risk of breast cancer in white women associated with immediately modifiable risk factors

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Glaser Sally L

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Estrogen/progestin replacement therapy (EPRT, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and breast-feeding duration differ from other factors associated with breast cancer in being immediately modifiable by the individual, thereby representing attractive targets for future breast cancer prevention efforts. To justify such efforts, it is vital to quantify the potential population-level impacts on breast cancer considering population variations in behavior prevalence, risk estimate, and baseline incidence. Methods For each of these four factors, we calculated population attributable risk percents (PARs using population-based survey (2001 and cancer registry data (1998–2002 for 41 subpopulations of white, non-Hispanic California women aged 40–79 years, and ranges of relative risk (RR estimates from the literature. Results Using a single RR estimate, subpopulation PARs ranged from 2.5% to 5.6% for hormone use, from 0.0% to 6.1% for recent consumption of >= 2 alcoholic drinks daily, and 4.6% to 11.0% for physical inactivity. Using a range of RR estimates, PARs were 2–11% for EPRT use, 1–20% for alcohol consumption and 2–15% for physical inactivity. Subpopulation data were unavailable for breastfeeding, but PARs using published RR estimates ranged from 2% to 11% for lifetime breastfeeding >= 31 months. Thus, of 13,019 breast cancers diagnosed annually in California, as many as 1,432 attributable to EPRT use, 2,604 attributable to alcohol consumption, 1,953 attributable to physical inactivity, and 1,432 attributable to never breastfeeding might be avoidable. Conclusion The relatively feasible lifestyle changes of discontinuing EPRT use, reducing alcohol consumption, increasing physical activity, and lengthening breastfeeding duration could lower population breast cancer incidence substantially.

Analysis of a selected sample of RR Lyrae stars in the LMC from OGLE-III

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Bing-Qiu; Jiang Bi-Wei; Yang Ming

2013-01-01

A systematic study of RR Lyrae stars is performed using a selected sample of 655 objects in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) with long-term observations and numerous measurements from the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment III project. The phase dispersion method and linear superposition of the harmonic oscillations are used to derive the pulsation frequency and properties of light variation. It is found that a dichotomy exists in Oosterhoff Type I and Oosterhoff Type II for RR Lyrae stars in the LMC. Due to our strict criteria for identifying a frequency, a lower limit for the incidence rate of Blazhko modulation in the LMC is estimated in various subclasses of RR Lyrae stars. For fundamental-mode RR Lyrae stars, the rate of 7.5% is smaller than the previous result. In the case of the first-overtone RR Lyrae variables, the rate of 9.1% is relatively high. In addition to the Blazhko variables, 15 objects are identified to pulsate in the fundamental/first-overtone double mode. Furthermore, four objects show a period ratio around 0.6, which makes them very likely to be rare pulsators in the fundamental/second-overtone double mode. (research papers)

RR lyrae variable pulsations and the Oosterhoff groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cox, A.N.

1981-01-01

It is concluded that Oosterhoff group I clusters have 0.55 M/sub sun/ stars and group II clusters have 0.65 M/sub sun/ stars. The Y value is always about 0.29. Mean log L/L/sub sun/ values are 1.66 and 1.78 giving M/sub bol/ = 0.60 and 0.30 for the RR Lyrae variables in these two groups of clusters. For field RR Lyrae variables at M = approx. 0.5 M/sub sun/ or less, perhaps M/sub bol/ = 0.90 or even larger as Clube and Jones propose. Apparently all evolution is blueward for RR Lyrae variables, and the color overlap of F and 1H pulsators is not real

Degradation of microcystin-RR using boron-doped diamond electrode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Chunyong; Fu Degang; Gu Zhongze

2009-01-01

Microcystins (MCs), produced by blue-green algae, are one of the most common naturally occurring toxins found in natural environment. The presence of MCs in drinking water sources poses a great threat to people's health. In this study, the degradation behavior of microcystin-RR on boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrode was investigated under galvanostatic conditions. Such parameters as reaction time, supporting electrolyte and applied current density were varied in order to determine their effects on this oxidation process. The experimental results revealed the suitability of electrochemical processes employing BDD electrode for removing MC-RR from the solution. However, the efficient removal of MC-RR only occurred in the presence of sodium chloride that acted as redox mediators and the reaction was mainly affected by the chloride concentration (c NaCl ) and applied current density (I appl ). Full and quick removal of 0.50 μg/ml MC-RR in solution was achieved when the operating conditions of c NaCl and I appl were 20 mM and 46.3 mA/cm 2 , or 35 mM and 18.2 mA/cm 2 respectively. The kinetics for MC-RR degradation followed a pesudo-first order reaction in most cases, indicating the process was under mass transfer control. As a result of its excellent performance, the BDD technology could be considered as a promising alternative to promote the degradation of MC-RR than chlorination in drinking water supplies.

Vehicle rollover risk and electronic stability control systems.

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MacLennan, P A; Marshall, T; Griffin, R; Purcell, M; McGwin, G; Rue, L W

2008-06-01

Electronic stability control (ESC) systems were developed to reduce motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) caused by loss of control. Introduced in Europe in 1995 and in the USA in 1996, ESC is designed to improve vehicle lateral stability by electronically detecting and automatically assisting drivers in unfavorable situations. To examine the relationship between vehicle rollover risk and presence of ESC using a large national database of MVCs. A retrospective cohort study for the period 1995 through 2006 was carried out using data obtained from the National Automotive Sampling System General Estimates System. All passenger cars and sport utility vehicles (SUVs)/vans of model year 1996 and later were eligible. Vehicle ESC (unavailable, optional, standard) was determined on the basis of make, model, and model year. Risk ratios (RRs) and 95% CIs were calculated to compare rollover risk by vehicle ESC group. For all crashes, vehicles equipped with standard ESC had decreased risk of rollover (RR = 0.62, 95% CI 0.50 to 0.77) compared with vehicles with ESC unavailable. The association was consistent for single-vehicle MVCs (RR = 0.61, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.82); passenger cars had decreased rollover risk (RR = 0.77, 95% CI 0.52 to 1.12), but SUVs/vans had a more dramatically decreased risk (RR = 0.40, 95% CI 0.26 to 0.61). This study supports previous results showing ESC to be effective in reducing the risk of rollover. ESC is more effective in SUVs/vans for rollovers related to single-vehicle MVCs.

Risk factors for stress fracture among young female cross-country runners.

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Kelsey, Jennifer L; Bachrach, Laura K; Procter-Gray, Elizabeth; Nieves, Jeri; Greendale, Gail A; Sowers, Maryfran; Brown, Byron W; Matheson, Kim A; Crawford, Sybil L; Cobb, Kristin L

2007-09-01

To identify risk factors for stress fracture among young female distance runners. Participants were 127 competitive female distance runners, aged 18-26, who provided at least some follow-up data in a randomized trial among 150 runners of the effects of oral contraceptives on bone health. After completing a baseline questionnaire and undergoing bone densitometry, they were followed an average of 1.85 yr. Eighteen participants had at least one stress fracture during follow-up. Baseline characteristics associated (Pstress fracture occurrence were one or more previous stress fractures (rate ratio [RR] [95% confidence interval]=6.42 (1.80-22.87), lower whole-body bone mineral content (RR=2.70 [1.26-5.88] per 1-SD [293.2 g] decrease), younger chronologic age (RR=1.42 [1.05-1.92] per 1-yr decrease), lower dietary calcium intake (RR=1.11 [0.98-1.25] per 100-mg decrease), and younger age at menarche (RR=1.92 [1.15-3.23] per 1-yr decrease). Although not statistically significant, a history of irregular menstrual periods was also associated with increased risk (RR=3.41 [0.69-16.91]). Training-related factors did not affect risk. The results of this and other studies indicate that risk factors for stress fracture among young female runners include previous stress fractures, lower bone mass, and, although not statistically significant in this study, menstrual irregularity. More study is needed of the associations between stress fracture and age, calcium intake, and age at menarche. Given the importance of stress fractures to runners, identifying preventive measures is of high priority.

Comparison of spontaneous vs. metronome-guided breathing on assessment of vagal modulation using RR variability.

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Bloomfield, D M; Magnano, A; Bigger, J T; Rivadeneira, H; Parides, M; Steinman, R C

2001-03-01

R-R interval variability (RR variability) is increasingly being used as an index of autonomic activity. High-frequency (HF) power reflects vagal modulation of the sinus node. Since vagal modulation occurs at the respiratory frequency, some investigators have suggested that HF power cannot be interpreted unless the breathing rate is controlled. We hypothesized that HF power during spontaneous breathing would not differ significantly from HF power during metronome-guided breathing. We measured HF power during spontaneous breathing in 20 healthy subjects and 19 patients with heart disease. Each subject's spontaneous breathing rate was determined, and the calculation of HF power was repeated with a metronome set to his or her average spontaneous breathing rate. There was no significant difference between the logarithm of HF power measured during spontaneous and metronome-guided breathing [4.88 +/- 0.29 vs. 5.29 +/- 0.30 ln(ms(2)), P = 0.32] in the group as a whole and when patients and healthy subjects were examined separately. We did observe a small (9.9%) decrease in HF power with increasing metronome-guided breathing rates (from 9 to 20 breaths/min). These data indicate that HF power during spontaneous and metronome-guided breathing differs at most by very small amounts. This variability is several logarithmic units less than the wide discrepancies observed between healthy subjects and cardiac patients with a heterogeneous group of cardiovascular disorders. In addition, HF power is relatively constant across the range of typical breathing rates. These data indicate that there is no need to control breathing rate to interpret HF power when RR variability (and specifically HF power) is used to identify high-risk cardiac patients.

Association of vitamin C with the risk of age-related cataract: a meta-analysis.

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Wei, Lin; Liang, Ge; Cai, Chunmei; Lv, Jin

2016-05-01

Whether vitamin C is a protective factor for age-related cataract remains unclear. Thus, we conducted a meta-analysis to summarize the evidence from epidemiological studies of vitamin C and the risk of age-related cataract. Pertinent studies were identified by searching in PubMed and in Webscience. The random effect model was used to combine the results. Meta-regression and subgroups analyses were used to explore potential sources of between-study heterogeneity. Publication bias was estimated using Egger's regression asymmetry test. Finally, 15 articles with 20 studies for vitamin C intake and eight articles with 10 studies for serum ascorbate were included in this meta-analysis. The relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval of cataract for the highest versus the lowest category of vitamin C intake was 0.814 (0.707-0.938), and the associations were significant in America and Asia. Significant association of cataract risk with highest versus the lowest category of serum ascorbate was found in general [0.704 (0.564-0.879)]. Inverse associations were also found between serum ascorbate and nuclear cataract and posterior subcapsular cataract. Higher vitamin C intake and serum ascorbate might be inversely associated with risk of cataract. Vitamin C intake should be advocated for the primary prevention of cataract. © 2015 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Vaccinations and risk of systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Bin; Shao, Xiaoqing; Wang, Dan; Xu, Donghua; Zhang, Jin-An

2017-07-01

In the past several years, more and more studies proposed some concerns on the possibly increased risk of autoimmune diseases in individuals receiving vaccinations, but published studies on the associations of vaccinations with risks of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) reported conflicting findings. A systematic review and meta-analysis was carried out to comprehensively evaluate the relationship between vaccinations and risk of SLE and RA. Pubmed, Web of Science and Embase were searched for observational studies assessing the associations of vaccinations with risks of RA and SLE. Two authors independently extracted data from those eligible studies. The quality of eligible studies was assessed by using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). The pooled relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) was used to measure the risk of RA and SLE associated with vaccinations, and was calculated through random-effect meta-analysis. Sixteen observational studies were finally considered eligible, including 12 studies on the association between vaccinations and SLE risk and 13 studies on the association between vaccinations and RA risk. The pooled findings suggested that vaccinations significantly increased risk of SLE (RR=1.50; 95%CI 1.05-2.12, P=0.02). In addition, there was an obvious association between vaccinations and increased risk of RA (RR=1.32; 95%CI 1.09-1.60, P=0.004). Meta-analysis of studies reporting outcomes of short vaccinated time also suggested that vaccinations could significantly increase risk of SLE (RR=1.93; 95%CI 1.07-3.48, P=0.028) and RA (RR=1.48; 95%CI 1.08-2.03, P=0.015). Sensitivity analyses in studies with low risk of bias also found obvious associations of vaccinations with increased risk of RA and SLE. This study suggests that vaccinations are related to increased risks of SLE and RA. More and larger observational studies are needed to further verify the findings above and to assess the associations of

Lignification of the plant and seed quality of RR soybeans sprayed with herbicide glyphosate Lignificação da planta e qualidade de sementes de soja RR pulverizadas com herbicida glifosato

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Cristiane Fortes Gris

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Differences in levels of lignin in the plant between conventional and transgenic cultivars RR has been reported by several authors, however, there are few studies evaluating the influence of spraying of glyphosate on the lignin in the plant and RR soybean seeds. The aim of this study was to evaluate the physiological quality of RR transgenic soybean seeds and the lignin contents of plants sprayed with the herbicide glyphosate. The assays were conducted both in greenhouse and field in the municipality of Lavras, MG, in the agricultural year 2007/08. The experiment was arranged in a splitplot design with four replicates, considering the treatments hand weeding and herbicide glyphosate as plots, and five RR soybean cultivars (BRS 245 RR, BRS 247 RR, Valiosa RR, Silvânia RR and Baliza RR as splitplots. In the greenhouse, the cultivars tested were BRS 245 RR and Valiosa RR in a randomized block design with four replicates. The sprayings were carried out at stages V3, V7 and early R5 (3L/ha. The 1000 seed weight, mechanical injury, germination and germination velocity index, emergence velocity index, accelerated aging, electrical conductivity and water soaking seed test, lignin content in the seed coat, in the stem and legumes were determined. The spraying of glyphosate herbicide, in greenhouse and field, did not alter the physiological quality of seeds and the lignin contents in the plant.Diferenças nos teores de lignina na planta entre cultivares transgênicos RR e convencionais, tem sido relatadas, por vários autores, no entanto, são escassos os trabalhos avaliando a influência da aplicação do glifosato sobre os teores de lignina na planta e em sementes de soja RR. Neste sentido, objetivou-se, com este trabalho, avaliar a qualidade fisiológica de sementes de soja transgênica RR e os teores de lignina de plantas submetidas à pulverização com o herbicida glifosato. Os ensaios foram conduzidos em casa de vegetação e em campo, no munic

Gaia’s Cepheids and RR Lyrae stars and luminosity calibrations based on Tycho-Gaia Astrometric Solution

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Clementini Gisella

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Gaia Data Release 1 contains parallaxes for more than 700 Galactic Cepheids and RR Lyrae stars, computed as part of the Tycho-Gaia Astrometric Solution (TGAS. We have used TGAS parallaxes, along with literature (V, I, J, Ks, W1 photometry and spectroscopy, to calibrate the zero point of the period-luminosity and period-Wesenheit relations of classical and type II Cepheids, and the near-infrared period-luminosity, period-luminosity-metallicity and optical luminosity-metallicity relations of RR Lyrae stars. In this contribution we briefly summarise results obtained by fitting these basic relations adopting different techniques that operate either in parallax or distance (absolute magnitude space.

Head Injury as a Risk Factor for Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of 32 Observational Studies.

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Yanjun Li

Full Text Available Head injury is reported to be associated with increased risks of dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD in many but not all the epidemiological studies. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the relative effect of head injury on dementia and AD risks.Relevant cohort and case-control studies published between Jan 1, 1990, and Mar 31, 2015 were searched in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and ScienceDirect. We used the random-effect model in this meta-analysis to take into account heterogeneity among studies.Data from 32 studies, representing 2,013,197 individuals, 13,866 dementia events and 8,166 AD events, were included in the analysis. Overall, the pooled relative risk (RR estimates showed that head injury significantly increased the risks of any dementia (RR = 1.63, 95% CI 1.34-1.99 and AD (RR = 1.51, 95% CI 1.26-1.80, with no evidence of publication bias. However, when considering the status of unconsciousness, head injury with loss of consciousness did not show significant association with dementia (RR = 0.92, 95% CI 0.67-1.27 and AD (RR = 1.49, 95% CI 0.91-2.43. Additionally, this positive association did not reach statistical significance in female participants.The findings from this meta-analysis indicate that head injury is associated with increased risks of dementia and AD.

Increased risk of oesophageal adenocarcinoma among upstream petroleum workers

Science.gov (United States)

Kirkeleit, Jorunn; Riise, Trond; Bjørge, Tone; Moen, Bente E; Bråtveit, Magne; Christiani, David C

2013-01-01

Objectives To investigate cancer risk, particularly oesophageal cancer, among male upstream petroleum workers offshore potentially exposed to various carcinogenic agents. Methods Using the Norwegian Registry of Employers and Employees, 24 765 male offshore workers registered from 1981 to 2003 was compared with 283 002 male referents from the general working population matched by age and community of residence. The historical cohort was linked to the Cancer Registry of Norway and the Norwegian Cause of Death Registry. Results Male offshore workers had excess risk of oesophageal cancer (RR 2.6, 95% CI 1.4 to 4.8) compared with the reference population. Only the adenocarcinoma type had a significantly increased risk (RR 2.7, 95% CI 1.0 to 7.0), mainly because of an increased risk among upstream operators (RR 4.3, 95% CI 1.3 to 14.5). Upstream operators did not have significant excess of respiratory system or colon cancer or mortality from any other lifestyle-related diseases investigated. Conclusion We found a fourfold excess risk of oesophageal adenocarcinoma among male workers assumed to have had the most extensive contact with crude oil. Due to the small number of cases, and a lack of detailed data on occupational exposure and lifestyle factors associated with oesophageal adenocarcinoma, the results must be interpreted with caution. Nevertheless, given the low risk of lifestyle-related cancers and causes of death in this working group, the results add to the observations in other low-powered studies on oesophageal cancer, further suggesting that factors related to the petroleum stream or carcinogenic agents used in the production process might be associated with risk of oesophageal adenocarcinoma. PMID:19858535

On a New Theoretical Framework for RR Lyrae Stars. II. Mid-infrared Period–Luminosity–Metallicity Relations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neeley, Jillian R.; Marengo, Massimo; Trueba, Nicolas [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011 (United States); Bono, Giuseppe; Braga, Vittorio F.; Magurno, Davide [Department of Physics, Università di Roma Tor Vergara, via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, I-00133 Roma (Italy); Dall’Ora, Massimo; Marconi, Marcella [INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte, Salita Moiarello 16, I-80131 Napoli (Italy); Tognelli, Emanuele; Moroni, Pier G. Prada [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Pisa, Lago Bruno Pontecorvo 3, I-56127, Pisa (Italy); Beaton, Rachael L.; Madore, Barry F.; Seibert, Mark [Carnegie Observatories, 813 Santa Barbara Street, Pasadena, CA 91101 (United States); Freedman, Wendy L. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637 (United States); Monson, Andrew J. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, The Pennsylvania State University, 525 Davey Lab, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Scowcroft, Victoria [Department of Physics, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY (United Kingdom); Stetson, Peter B., E-mail: jrneeley@iastate.edu [NRC-Herzberg, Dominion Astrophysical Observatory, 5071 West Saanich Road, Victoria BC V9E 2E7 (Canada)

2017-06-01

We present new theoretical period–luminosity–metallicity (PLZ) relations for RR Lyræ stars (RRLs) at Spitzer and WISE wavelengths. The PLZ relations were derived using nonlinear, time-dependent convective hydrodynamical models for a broad range of metal abundances ( Z = 0.0001–0.0198). In deriving the light curves, we tested two sets of atmospheric models and found no significant difference between the resulting mean magnitudes. We also compare our theoretical relations to empirical relations derived from RRLs in both the field and in the globular cluster M4. Our theoretical PLZ relations were combined with multi-wavelength observations to simultaneously fit the distance modulus, μ {sub 0}, and extinction, A {sub V}, of both the individual Galactic RRL and of the cluster M4. The results for the Galactic RRL are consistent with trigonometric parallax measurements from Gaia ’ s first data release. For M4, we find a distance modulus of μ {sub 0} = 11.257 ± 0.035 mag with A {sub V}= 1.45 ± 0.12 mag, which is consistent with measurements from other distance indicators. This analysis has shown that, when considering a sample covering a range of iron abundances, the metallicity spread introduces a dispersion in the PL relation on the order of 0.13 mag. However, if this metallicity component is accounted for in a PLZ relation, the dispersion is reduced to ∼0.02 mag at mid-infrared wavelengths.

Updated meta-analysis of the relation between heart disease and androgenic alopecia or alopecia areata

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Misato Amamoto

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background The relationship between baldness and heart disease is still controversial. We performed an updated meta-analysis of observational studies to evaluate the relation between heart disease and androgenic alopecia or alopecia areata. Aims To evaluate the relation between heart disease and androgenic alopecia or alopecia areata. Methods Studies were identified by searching Medline and Embase up to October 20, 2017 without language restriction. Metaanalysis was performed by using a random-effects model. Results Nine studies were included in the meta-analysis (eight on androgenic alopecia and one on alopecia areata: 44,806 participants. Compared to men without baldness, men with androgenic alopecia had an increased risk of heart disease (relative risk (RR: 1.32, 95 per cent CI: 1.08 to 1.63, p=0.01, I2 =25 per cent, and younger men (<55 or ≤60 years showed a stronger association (RR: 1.44, 95 per cent CI: 1.11 to 1.86, p=0.01, I2 =0 per cent. The positive relation depended on the severity of baldness and decreased in order of severe vertex (RR: 1.60, 95 per cent CI: 1.19 to 2.16, p=0.002, moderate vertex (RR: 1.41, 95 per cent CI: 1.22 to 1.64, p<0.001, mild vertex (RR: 1.18, 95 per cent CI: 1.05 to 1.33, p=0.007, and frontal baldness (RR: 1.10, 95 per cent CI: 0.92 to 1.32, p=0.28. In contrast, there was no significant relation between alopecia areata and heart disease (RR: 0.91, 95 per cent CI: 0.60 to 1.39, p=0.66. Conclusion Androgenic alopecia is associated with heart disease, but alopecia areata is not.

Food Groups and Risk of Hypertension: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwingshackl, Lukas; Schwedhelm, Carolina; Hoffmann, Georg; Knüppel, Sven; Iqbal, Khalid; Andriolo, Violetta; Bechthold, Angela; Schlesinger, Sabrina; Boeing, Heiner

2017-11-01

The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to summarize the evidence on the relation of the intakes of 12 major food groups, including whole grains, refined grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, eggs, dairy, fish, red meat, processed meat, and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) with the risk of hypertension. PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched systematically until June 2017 for prospective studies having quantitatively investigated the above-mentioned foods. We conducted meta-analysis on the highest compared with the lowest intake categories and linear and nonlinear dose-response meta-analyses to analyze the association. Summary RRs and 95% CIs were estimated by using a random-effects model. Overall, 28 reports were included in the meta-analysis. An inverse association for the risk of hypertension was observed for 30 g whole grains/d (RR: 0.92; 95% CI: 0.87, 0.98), 100 g fruits/d (RR: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.96, 0.99), 28 g nuts/d (RR: 0.70; 95% CI: 0.45, 1.08), and 200 g dairy/d (RR: 0.95; 95% CI: 0.94, 0.97), whereas a positive association for 100 g red meat/d (RR: 1.14; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.28), 50 g processed meat/d (RR: 1.12; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.26), and 250 mL SSB/d (RR: 1.07; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.10) was seen in the linear dose-response meta-analysis. Indication for nonlinear relations of the intakes of whole grains, fruits, fish, and processed meats with the risk of hypertension was detected. In summary, this comprehensive dose-response meta-analysis of 28 reports identified optimal intakes of whole grains, fruits, nuts, legumes, dairy, red and processed meats, and SSBs related to the risk of hypertension. These findings need to be seen under the light of very-low to low quality of meta-evidence. However, the findings support the current dietary guidelines in the prevention of hypertension. © 2017 American Society for Nutrition.

CARING (CAncer Risk and INsulin analoGues): the association of diabetes mellitus and cancer risk with focus on possible determinants - a systematic review and a meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Starup-Linde, Jakob; Karlstad, Oystein; Eriksen, Stine Aistrup; Vestergaard, Peter; Bronsveld, Heleen K; de Vries, Frank; Andersen, Morten; Auvinen, Anssi; Haukka, Jari; Hjellvik, Vidar; Bazelier, Marloes T; Boer, Anthonius de; Furu, Kari; De Bruin, Marie L

2013-11-01

Patients suffering from diabetes mellitus (DM) may experience an increased risk of cancer; however, it is not certain whether this effect is due to diabetes per se. To examine the association between DM and cancers by a systematic review and meta-analysis according to the PRISMA guidelines. The systematic literature search includes Medline at PubMed, Embase, Cinahl, Bibliotek.dk, Cochrane library, Web of Science and SveMed+ with the search terms: "Diabetes mellitus", "Neoplasms", and "Risk of cancer". The included studies compared the risk of cancer in diabetic patients versus non-diabetic patients. All types of observational study designs were included. Diabetes patients were at a substantially increased risk of liver (RR=2.1), and pancreas (RR=2.2) cancer. Modestly elevated significant risks were also found for ovary (RR=1.2), breast (RR=1.1), cervix (RR=1.3), endometrial (RR=1.4), several digestive tract (RR=1.1-1.5), kidney (RR=1.4), and bladder cancer (RR=1.1). The findings were similar for men and women, and unrelated to study design. Meta-regression analyses showed limited effect modification of body mass index, and possible effect modification of age, gender, with some influence of study characteristics (population source, cancer- and diabetes ascertainment). Publication bias seemed to be present. Only published data were used in the analyses. The systematic review and meta-analysis confirm the previous results of increased cancer risk in diabetes and extend this to additional cancer sites. Physicians in contact with patients with diabetes should be aware that diabetes patients are at an increased risk of cancer.

Occupational exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls and risk of cutaneous melanoma: a meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Boffetta, Paolo; Catalani, Simona; Tomasi, Cesare; Pira, Enrico; Apostoli, Pietro

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to carry out a meta-analysis of studies on exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and the risk of malignant melanoma (MM). We searched Scopus, PubMed, and reference lists; among 807 potentially relevant articles, we selected those based on 12 populations. Data were extracted according to a standardized form; the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess study quality. Meta-analyses were carried out according to fixed-effect and random-effects models. The fixed-effect summary relative risk (RR) for MM was 0.91 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.82-1.00]; the random-effects summary RR was 1.05 (95% CI: 0.78-1.32). The random-effects summary RR from eight occupational cohorts was 1.13 (95% CI: 0.91-1.35) and that from four community-based studies was 0.84 (95% CI: 0.36-1.31). The quality of the studies and the methods for PCB exposure assessment did not influence the RR. These results do not support the hypothesis of an association between PCB exposure and the risk of MM.

Epidemiology and Clinical Significance of Secondary and Therapy-Related Acute Myeloid Leukemia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Granfeldt Østgård, Lene Sofie; Medeiros, Bruno C; Sengeløv, Henrik

2015-01-01

PURPOSE: Secondary and therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia (sAML and tAML, respectively) remain therapeutic challenges. Still, it is unclear whether their inferior outcome compared with de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML) varies as a result of previous hematologic disease or can be explained...... leukemia and myeloproliferative neoplasia) versus de novo AML. Limited to intensive therapy patients, we compared chance of complete remission by logistic regression analysis and used a pseudo-value approach to compare relative risk (RR) of death at 90 days, 1 year, and 3 years, overall and stratified...... myeloid disorder or prior cytotoxic exposure was associated with decreased complete remission rates and inferior survival (3-year adjusted RR for MDS-sAML, non-MDS-sAML, and tAML: RR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.32; RR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.16 to 1.34; and RR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.03 to 1.32, respectively) compared...

Fine particulate air pollution and all-cause mortality within the Harvard Six-Cities Study: variations in risk by period of exposure.

Science.gov (United States)

Villeneuve, Paul J; Goldberg, Mark S; Krewski, Daniel; Burnett, Richard T; Chen, Yue

2002-11-01

We used Poisson regression methods to examine the relation between temporal changes in the levels of fine particulate air pollution (PM(2.5)) and the risk of mortality among participants of the Harvard Six Cities longitudinal study. Our analyses were based on 1430 deaths that occurred between 1974 and 1991 in a cohort that accumulated 105,714 person-years of follow-up. For each city, indices of PM(2.5) were derived using daily samples. Individual level data were collected on several risk factors including: smoking, education, body mass index (BMI), and occupational exposure to dusts. Time-dependent indices of PM(2.5) were created across 13 calendar periods (/= 1990) to explore whether recent or chronic exposures were more important predictors of mortality. The relative risk (RR) of mortality calculated using Poisson regression based on average city-specific exposures that remained constant during follow-up was 1.31 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.12-1.52] per 18.6 microg/m(3) of PM(2.5). This result was similar to the risk calculated using the Cox model (RR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.08-1.46). The RR of mortality was attenuated when the Poisson regression model included a time-dependent estimate of exposure (RR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.04-1.36). There was little variation in RR across time-dependent indices of PM(2.5). The attenuated risk of mortality that was observed with a time-dependent index of PM(2.5) is due to the combined influence of city-specific variations in mortality rates and decreasing levels of air pollution that occurred during follow-up. The RR of mortality associated with PM(2.5) did not depend on when exposure occurred in relation to death, possibly because of little variation between the time-dependent city-specific exposure indices.

Job strain as a risk factor for clinical depression

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, I. E. H.; Nyberg, S. T.; Magnusson Hanson, L. L.

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Adverse psychosocial working environments characterized by job strain (the combination of high demands and low control at work) are associated with an increased risk of depressive symptoms among employees, but evidence on clinically diagnosed depression is scarce. We examined job strain...... as a risk factor for clinical depression. METHOD: We identified published cohort studies from a systematic literature search in PubMed and PsycNET and obtained 14 cohort studies with unpublished individual-level data from the Individual-Participant-Data Meta-analysis in Working Populations (IPD...... unpublished datasets we included 120 221 individuals and 982 first episodes of hospital-treated clinical depression. Job strain was associated with an increased risk of clinical depression in both published [relative risk (RR) = 1.77, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.47-2.13] and unpublished datasets (RR = 1...

Circulating Vitamin D and Colorectal Cancer Risk: An International Pooling Project of 17 Cohorts.

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McCullough, Marjorie L; Zoltick, Emilie S; Weinstein, Stephanie J; Fedirko, Veronika; Wang, Molin; Cook, Nancy R; Eliassen, A Heather; Zeleniuch-Jacquotte, Anne; Agnoli, Claudia; Albanes, Demetrius; Barnett, Matthew J; Buring, Julie E; Campbell, Peter T; Clendenen, Tess V; Freedman, Neal D; Gapstur, Susan M; Giovannucci, Edward L; Goodman, Gary G; Haiman, Christopher A; Ho, Gloria Y F; Horst, Ronald L; Hou, Tao; Huang, Wen-Yi; Jenab, Mazda; Jones, Michael E; Joshu, Corinne E; Krogh, Vittorio; Lee, I-Min; Lee, Jung Eun; Männistö, Satu; Le Marchand, Loic; Mondul, Alison M; Neuhouser, Marian L; Platz, Elizabeth A; Purdue, Mark P; Riboli, Elio; Robsahm, Trude Eid; Rohan, Thomas E; Sasazuki, Shizuka; Schoemaker, Minouk J; Sieri, Sabina; Stampfer, Meir J; Swerdlow, Anthony J; Thomson, Cynthia A; Tretli, Steinar; Tsugane, Schoichiro; Ursin, Giske; Visvanathan, Kala; White, Kami K; Wu, Kana; Yaun, Shiaw-Shyuan; Zhang, Xuehong; Willett, Walter C; Gail, Mitchel H; Ziegler, Regina G; Smith-Warner, Stephanie A

2018-06-14

Experimental and epidemiological studies suggest a protective role for vitamin D in colorectal carcinogenesis, but evidence is inconclusive. Circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations that minimize risk are unknown. Current Institute of Medicine (IOM) vitamin D guidance is based solely on bone health. We pooled participant-level data from 17 cohorts, comprising 5706 colorectal cancer case participants and 7107 control participants with a wide range of circulating 25(OH)D concentrations. For 30.1% of participants, 25(OH)D was newly measured. Previously measured 25(OH)D was calibrated to the same assay to permit estimating risk by absolute concentrations. Study-specific relative risks (RRs) for prediagnostic season-standardized 25(OH)D concentrations were calculated using conditional logistic regression and pooled using random effects models. Compared with the lower range of sufficiency for bone health (50-<62.5 nmol/L), deficient 25(OH)D (<30 nmol/L) was associated with 31% higher colorectal cancer risk (RR = 1.31, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.05 to 1.62); 25(OH)D above sufficiency (75-<87.5 and 87.5-<100 nmol/L) was associated with 19% (RR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.67 to 0.99) and 27% (RR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.59 to 0.91) lower risk, respectively. At 25(OH)D of 100 nmol/L or greater, risk did not continue to decline and was not statistically significantly reduced (RR = 0.91, 95% CI = 0.67 to 1.24, 3.5% of control participants). Associations were minimally affected when adjusting for body mass index, physical activity, or other risk factors. For each 25 nmol/L increment in circulating 25(OH)D, colorectal cancer risk was 19% lower in women (RR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.75 to 0.87) and 7% lower in men (RR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.86 to 1.00) (two-sided Pheterogeneity by sex = .008). Associations were inverse in all subgroups, including colorectal subsite, geographic region, and season of blood collection. Higher circulating 25(OH)D was related to a statistically

Depression as a risk factor for dementia and mild cognitive impairment: a meta-analysis of longitudinal studies.

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Gao, Yuan; Huang, Changquan; Zhao, Kexiang; Ma, Louyan; Qiu, Xuan; Zhang, Lei; Xiu, Yun; Chen, Lin; Lu, Wei; Huang, Chunxia; Tang, Yong; Xiao, Qian

2013-05-01

This study examined whether depression was a risk factor for onset of dementia including Alzheimer's disease (AD), vascular dementia (VD) and any dementia, and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) by using a quantitative meta-analysis of longitudinal studies. EMBASE and MEDLINE were searched for articles published up to February 2011. All studies that examined the relationship between depression and the onset of dementia or MCI were included. Pooled relative risk was calculated using fixed-effects models. Twelve studies met our inclusion criteria for this meta-analysis. All subjects were without dementia or MCI at baseline. Four, two, five, and four studies compared the incidence of AD, VD, any dementia, and MCI between subjects with or without depression, respectively. After pooling all the studies, subjects with depression had higher incidence of AD (relative risk (RR):1.66, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.29-2.14), VD (RR: 1.89, 95% CI: 1.19-3.01), any dementia (RR: 1.55, 95% CI: 1.31-2.83), and MCI (RR: 1.97, 95% CI: 1.53-2.54) than those without depression. The quantitative meta-analysis showed that depression was a major risk factor for incidence of dementia (including AD, VD, and any dementia) and MCI. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Residential Proximity to Major Roadways and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Meta-Analysis

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Zhiqing Zhao

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Research indicates that higher levels of traffic-related pollution exposure increase the risk of diabetes, but the association between road proximity and diabetes risk remains unclear. To assess and quantify the association between residential proximity to major roadways and type 2 diabetes, a systematic review and meta-analysis was performed. Embase, Medline, and Web of Science were searched for eligible studies. Using a random-effects meta-analysis, the summary relative risks (RRs were calculated. Bayesian meta-analysis was also performed. Eight studies (6 cohort and 2 cross-sectional with 158,576 participants were finally included. The summary unadjusted RR for type 2 diabetes associated with residential proximity to major roadways was 1.24 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.07–1.44, p = 0.001, I2 = 48.1%. The summary adjusted RR of type 2 diabetes associated with residential proximity to major roadways was 1.12 (95% CI: 1.03–1.22, p = 0.01, I2 = 17.9%. After excluding two cross-sectional studies, the summary results suggested that residential proximity to major roadways could increase type 2 diabetes risk (Adjusted RR = 1.13; 95% CI: 1.02–1.27, p = 0.025, I2 = 36.6%. Bayesian meta-analysis showed that the unadjusted RR and adjusted RR of type 2 diabetes associated with residential proximity to major roadways were 1.22 (95% credibility interval: 1.06–1.55 and 1.13 (95% credibility interval: 1.01–1.31, respectively. The meta-analysis suggested that residential proximity to major roadways could significantly increase risk of type 2 diabetes, and it is an independent risk factor of type 2 diabetes. More well-designed studies are needed to further strengthen the evidence.

Risk of second non-breast cancer after radiotherapy for breast cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 762,468 patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grantzau, Trine; Overgaard, Jens

2015-01-01

Background and purpose: Radiotherapy for breast cancer both decreases loco-regional recurrence rates and improves overall survival. However, radiotherapy has also been associated with increased second cancer risk at exposed sites. In this meta-analysis, we estimated the risk of second non-breast cancers after radiotherapy for breast cancer. Material and methods: The databases Medline/Pubmed, Cochrane, Embase and Cinahl were systematically searched, for cohort studies on second cancer after radiotherapy for breast cancer, from inception to August 1st 2013. Included studies were to report the relative risk (RR) of second cancers comparing irradiated female breast cancer patients to unirradiated patients. Primary endpoints were all second non-breast-cancers and second cancers of the lung, esophagus, thyroid and second sarcomas. RRs were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis. Results: Thirteen studies comprising 762,468 breast cancer patients were included in the meta-analysis. Five or more years after breast cancer diagnosis radiotherapy was significantly associated with an increased risk of second non-breast cancer RR 1.12 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.06–1.19), second cancer of the lung RR 1.39 (95% CI 1.28–1.51), esophagus RR 1.53 (95% CI 1.01–2.31) and second sarcomas RR 2.53 (95% CI 1.74–3.70). The risk increased over time, and was highest 15 or more years after breast cancer diagnosis, for second lung RR 1.66 (95% CI 1.36–2.01) and second esophagus cancer RR 2.17 (95% CI 1.11–4.25). There was no significant association between radiotherapy and second thyroid cancer. Conclusions: Radiotherapy for breast cancer is significantly associated with increased risks of second non-breast cancer, overall and in organs adjacent to the previous treatment fields. Despite a relative small absolute risk, the growing number of long-time survivors after breast cancer warrants the need for normal tissue sparing radiotherapy techniques

Relation of estrogen receptor-alpha gene polymorphism and hormone replacement therapy to fall risk and muscle strength in early postmenopausal women.

Science.gov (United States)

Salmén, Timo; Heikkinen, Anna-Mari; Mahonen, Anitta; Kröger, Heikki; Komulainen, Marja; Saarikoski, Seppo; Honkanen, Risto; Partanen, Juhani; Mäenpää, Pekka H

2002-01-01

Several factors may increase fracture risk, among them reduced bone mineral density (BMD), increased bone resorption, microarchitectural deterioration of bone, increased fall risk, and decreased muscle strength. We have previously reported that PvuII polymorphism of the estrogen receptor-alpha (ER alpha) gene is associated with bone loss rate, fracture risk, and response to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in early postmenopausal Finnish women. We studied the influence of the ER alpha genotype on fall risk and muscle strength in a 5-year randomized HRT trial of 331 early postmenopausal women (subgroup of the population-based OSTPRE study, Kuopio, Finland). A 5-year postal inquiry in May 1994 included questions on falls during the previous 12 months. Grip strength was measured with dynamometer. The ER alpha gene polymorphism was analysed using PCR and PvuII restriction enzyme digestion. RESULTS. In all, 97 out of the 331 women reported falls. Half of those (56%) were slip falls, mostly during the winter season. In the HRT group, the ER alpha genotype was associated with fall risk (P = 0.002, logistic regression). The risk of falls (RR) was higher in women with the PP genotype than in those with the Pp (RR = 5.26, 95% CI 1.98-13.94, P = 0.001) or the pp (RR = 3.84, 95% CI 1.46-10.12, P = 0.007) genotype. When the falls were divided into slip (environment-related) and non-slip (endogenous) falls, the non-slip falls were associated with the genotype (P = 0.004), but the slip falls were not so clearly (P = 0.061). When all falls and non-slip falls were adjusted to the number of chronic health disorders and the variable time-since-menopause, the difference between the genotypes persisted (P = 0.003 and P = 0.010, respectively). In the non-HRT group, the ER alpha genotype was not associated with fall risk. The baseline or the 5-year grip strength values were not influenced by the ER alpha genotype. In conclusion, ER alpha polymorphism is associated with fall risk

Metabolic risk factors for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma: a prospective study of 580 000 subjects within the Me-Can project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lindkvist, Björn; Nagel, Gabriele; Jonsson, Håkan; Selmer, Randi; Ulmer, Hanno; Tretli, Steinar; Stattin, Pär; Manjer, Jonas; Johansen, Dorthe; Stocks, Tanja; Concin, Hans; Bjørge, Tone; Almquist, Martin; Häggström, Christel; Engeland, Anders; Hallmans, Göran

2014-01-01

Obesity is associated with an increased risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and a decreased risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, little is known about the risk of EAC and ESCC related to other metabolic risk factors. We aimed to examine the risk of EAC and ESCC in relation to metabolic risk factors, separately and combined in a prospective cohort study. The Metabolic Syndrome and Cancer cohort includes prospective cohorts in Austria, Norway and Sweden, with blood pressure, lipids, glucose and BMI available from 578 700 individuals. Relative risk (RR) for EAC and ESCC was calculated using Cox’s proportional hazards analysis for metabolic risk factors categorized into quintiles and transformed into z-scores. The standardized sum of all z-scores was used as a composite score for the metabolic syndrome (MetS). In total, 324 histologically verified cases of esophageal cancer were identified (114 EAC, 184 ESCC and 26 with other histology). BMI was associated with an increased risk of EAC (RR 7.34 (95% confidence interval, 2.88-18.7) top versus bottom quintile) and negatively associated with the risk of ESCC (RR 0.38 (0.23-0.62)). The mean value of systolic and diastolic blood pressure (mid blood pressure) was associated with the risk of ESCC (RR 1.77 (1.37-2.29)). The composite MetS score was associated with the risk of EAC (RR 1.56 (1.19-2.05) per one unit increase of z-score) but not ESCC. In accordance with previous studies, high BMI was associated with an increased risk of EAC and a decreased risk of ESCC. An association between high blood pressure and risk of ESCC was observed but alcohol consumption is a potential confounding factor that we were not able to adjust for in the analysis. The MetS was associated with EAC but not ESCC. However this association was largely driven by the strong association between BMI and EAC. We hypothesize that this association is more likely to be explained by factors directly related to obesity than the

Effect of genomics-related literacy on non-communicable diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakamura, Sho; Narimatsu, Hiroto; Katayama, Kayoko; Sho, Ri; Yoshioka, Takashi; Fukao, Akira; Kayama, Takamasa

2017-09-01

Recent progress in genomic research has raised expectations for the development of personalized preventive medicine, although genomics-related literacy of patients will be essential. Thus, enhancing genomics-related literacy is crucial, particularly for individuals with low genomics-related literacy because they might otherwise miss the opportunity to receive personalized preventive care. This should be especially emphasized when a lack of genomics-related literacy is associated with elevated disease risk, because patients could therefore be deprived of the added benefits of preventive interventions; however, whether such an association exists is unclear. Association between genomics-related literacy, calculated as the genomics literacy score (GLS), and the prevalence of non-communicable diseases was assessed using propensity score matching on 4646 participants (males: 1891; 40.7%). Notably, the low-GLS group (score below median) presented a higher risk of hypertension (relative risk (RR) 1.09, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03-1.16) and obesity (RR 1.11, 95% CI 1.01-1.22) than the high-GLS group. Our results suggest that a low level of genomics-related literacy could represent a risk factor for hypertension and obesity. Evaluating genomics-related literacy could be used to identify a more appropriate population for health and educational interventions.

CARING (CAncer Risk and INsulin analoGues): The Association of Diabetes Mellitus and Cancer Risk with Focus on Possible Determinants - A Systematic Review and a Meta-Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Starup-Linde, Jakob; Karlstad, Øystein; Eriksen, Stine Aistrup; Vestergaard, Peter; Bronsveld, Heleen K.; de Vries, Frank; Andersen, Morten; Auvinen, Anssi; Haukka, Jari; Hjellvik, Vidar; Bazelier, Marloes T.; de Boer, Anthonius; Furu, Kari; De Bruin, Marie L.

2013-01-01

Background: Patients suffering from diabetes mellitus (DM) may experience an increased risk of cancer; however, it is not certain whether this effect is due to diabetes per se. Objective: To examine the association between DM and cancers by a systematic review and meta-analysis according to the PRISMA guidelines. Data Sources: The systematic literature search includes Medline at PubMed, Embase, Cinahl, Bibliotek.dk, Cochrane library, Web of Science and SveMed+ with the search terms: “Diabetes mellitus”, “Neoplasms”, and “Risk of cancer”. Study Eligibility Criteria: The included studies compared the risk of cancer in diabetic patients versus non-diabetic patients. All types of observational study designs were included. Results: Diabetes patients were at a substantially increased risk of liver (RR=2.1), and pancreas (RR=2.2) cancer. Modestly elevated significant risks were also found for ovary (RR=1.2), breast (RR=1.1), cervix (RR=1.3), endometrial (RR=1.4), several digestive tract (RR=1.1-1.5), kidney (RR=1.4), and bladder cancer (RR=1.1). The findings were similar for men and women, and unrelated to study design. Meta-regression analyses showed limited effect modification of body mass index, and possible effect modification of age, gender, with some influence of study characteristics (population source, cancer- and diabetes ascertainment). Limitations: Publication bias seemed to be present. Only published data were used in the analyses. Conclusions: The systematic review and meta-analysis confirm the previous results of increased cancer risk in diabetes and extend this to additional cancer sites. Physicians in contact with patients with diabetes should be aware that diabetes patients are at an increased risk of cancer. PMID:24215312

Leukemia risk following radiotherapy for breast cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Curtis, R.E.; Boice, J.D. Jr.; Stovall, M.; Flannery, J.T.; Moloney, W.C.

1989-01-01

To evaluate further the relationship between high-dose radiotherapy and leukemia incidence, a nested case-control study was conducted in a cohort of 22,753 women who were 18-month survivors of invasive breast cancer diagnosed from 1935 to 1972. Women treated for breast cancer after 1973 were excluded to minimize the possible confounding influence of treatment with chemotherapeutic agents. The cases had histologically confirmed leukemia reported to the Connecticut Tumor Registry (CTR) between 1935 and 1984. A total of 48 cases of leukemia following breast cancer were included in the study. Two controls were individually matched to each leukemia case on the basis of age, calendar year when diagnosed with breast cancer, and survival time. Leukemia diagnoses were verified by one hematologist. Radiation dose to active bone marrow was estimated by medical physicists on the basis of the original radiotherapy records of study subjects. Local radiation doses to each of the 16 bone marrow components for each patient were reconstructed; the dose averaged over the entire body was 530 rad (5.3 Gy). Based on this dosage and assuming a linear relationship between dose and affect, a relative risk (RR) in excess of 10 would have been expected. However, there was little evidence that radiotherapy increased the overall risk of leukemia (RR = 1.16; 90% confidence interval [CI], 0.6 to 2.1). The risk of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, one of the few malignancies without evidence for an association with ionizing radiation, was not significantly increased (RR = 1.8; n = 10); nor was the risk for all other forms of leukemia (RR = 1.0; n = 38). There was no indication that risk varied over categories of radiation dose

RR Tel: Getting Under the Flux Limit: An Observation with FUSE

Science.gov (United States)

Sonnenborn, George (Technical Monitor); Kenyon, Scott J.

2004-01-01

The goal of this program is to acquire a FUSE spectrum of the symbiotic binary RR Tel. With these data, we plan to derive improved constraints on the hot component, the nebula, and perhaps the red giant wind. Based on results from AG Dra, we should also be able to use some line detections to improve atomic parameters for high ionization emission lines. This results would benefit the general FUSE community. As of this writing, the FUSE observation of RR Tel has not been made. Because RR Tel is a very bright UV source, the FUSE team is assessing the likelihood that RR Tel will have an adverse affect on the instrument.

Gauging the Galactic thick disk with RR Lyrae stars

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Cruz G.

2012-02-01

Full Text Available In this contribution we present results from the QUEST RR Lyrae Survey of the thick disk. The survey spans ~480 sq. deg. at low latitude |b| < 30°, with multi-epoch VRI observations, obtained with the QUEST-I camera at the 1m Jürgen Stock Schmidt telescope located at the National Astronomical Observatory of Venezuela. This constitutes the first deep RR Lyrae survey of the Galactic thick disk conducted at low galactic latitudes, covering simultaneously a large range in radial (8RR Lyrae stars having accurate distances (errors <7% and individual reddenings derived from each star’s color curve at minimum light. Moreover, the use of RR Lyrae stars as tracers ensures negligible contamination from the Galactic thin disk. We find a thick disk mean scale height hZ = 0.94 ± 0.11kpc and scale length hR = 3.2 ± 0.4kpc, derived from the vertical and radial mean density profiles of RR Lyrae stars. We also find evidence of thick disk flaring and results that may suggest the thick disk radial density profile shows signs of antitruncation. We discuss our findings in the context of recent thick disk formation models.

Red and processed meat consumption and risk of glioma in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies

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Parvane Saneei

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: These findings from several observational studies, investigated the association between red meat consumption and gliomas, were inconsistent. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies to summarize available date on the relation between meat intake and risk of glioma. Materials and Methods: A systematic literature search of relevant reports published until May 2014 of the PubMed/Medline, ISI Web of Knowledge, Excerpta Medica database, Ovid database, Google Scholar, and Scopus databases was conducted. From 723 articles yielded in the preliminary literature search, data from eighteen publications (14 case-control, three cohort, and one nested case-control study on unprocessed red meat, processed meat, and/or total red meat consumption in relation to glioma in adults were included in the analysis. Quality assessment of studies was performed. Random effects model was used to conduct the meta-analysis. Results: We found a positive significant association between unprocessed red meat intake and risk of glioma (relative risk [RR] = 1.30; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.08-1.58 after excluding three studies with uncertain type of brain cancer. This analysis included only one cohort study which revealed no relation between unprocessed red meat intake and glioma (RR = 1.75; 95% CI: 0.35-8.77. Consumption of processed meats was not related to increased risk of glioma in population-based case-control studies (RR = 1.26; 95% CI: 1.05-1.51 and reduced risk in hospital-based case-controls (RR = 0.79; 95% CI: 0.65-0.97. No significant association was seen between processed red meat intake and risk of glioma in cohort studies (RR: 1.08; 95% CI: 0.84-1.37. Total red meat consumption was not associated with risk of adult glioma in case-control or cohort studies. Conclusion: In this meta-analysis of 18 observational studies, we found a modest positive association between unprocessed red meat intake and risk of gliomas

Clinical risk factors for age-related macular degeneration: a systematic review and meta-analysis

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Evans Christopher

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Age-related macular degeneration (AMD is the leading cause of blindness in Western countries. Numerous risk factors have been reported but the evidence and strength of association is variable. We aimed to identify those risk factors with strong levels of evidence which could be easily assessed by physicians or ophthalmologists to implement preventive interventions or address current behaviours. Methods A systematic review identified 18 prospective and cross-sectional studies and 6 case control studies involving 113,780 persons with 17,236 cases of late AMD that included an estimate of the association between late AMD and at least one of 16 pre-selected risk factors. Fixed-effects meta-analyses were conducted for each factor to combine odds ratio (OR and/or relative risk (RR outcomes across studies by study design. Overall raw point estimates of each risk factor and associated 95% confidence intervals (CI were calculated. Results Increasing age, current cigarette smoking, previous cataract surgery, and a family history of AMD showed strong and consistent associations with late AMD. Risk factors with moderate and consistent associations were higher body mass index, history of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and higher plasma fibrinogen. Risk factors with weaker and inconsistent associations were gender, ethnicity, diabetes, iris colour, history of cerebrovascular disease, and serum total and HDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Conclusions Smoking, previous cataract surgery and a family history of AMD are consistent risk factors for AMD. Cardiovascular risk factors are also associated with AMD. Knowledge of these risk factors that may be easily assessed by physicians and general ophthalmologists may assist in identification and appropriate referral of persons at risk of AMD.

Mobile phone use and risk of brain neoplasms and other cancers: prospective study.

Science.gov (United States)

Benson, Victoria S; Pirie, Kirstin; Schüz, Joachim; Reeves, Gillian K; Beral, Valerie; Green, Jane

2013-06-01

Results from some retrospective studies suggest a possible increased risk of glioma and acoustic neuroma in users of mobile phones. The relation between mobile phone use and incidence of intracranial central nervous system (CNS) tumours and other cancers was examined in 791,710 middle-aged women in a UK prospective cohort, the Million Women Study. Cox regression models were used to estimate adjusted relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Women reported mobile phone use in 1999 to 2005 and again in 2009. During 7 years' follow-up, 51,680 incident invasive cancers and 1,261 incident intracranial CNS tumours occurred. Risk among ever vs never users of mobile phones was not increased for all intracranial CNS tumours (RR = 1.01, 95% CI = 0.90-1.14, P = 0.82), for specified CNS tumour types nor for cancer at 18 other specified sites. For long-term users compared with never users, there was no appreciable association for glioma (10+ years: RR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.55-1.10, P = 0.16) or meningioma (10+ years: RR = 1.10, 95% CI = 0.66-1.84, P = 0.71). For acoustic neuroma, there was an increase in risk with long term use vs never use (10+ years: RR = 2.46, 95% CI = 1.07-5.64, P = 0.03), the risk increasing with duration of use (trend among users, P = 0.03). In this large prospective study, mobile phone use was not associated with increased incidence of glioma, meningioma or non-CNS cancers.

NESDIS Blended Rain Rate (RR) Products

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The blended Rain Rate (RR) product is derived from multiple sensors/satellites. The blended products were merged from polar-orbiting and geostationary satellite...

Lignification of the plant and seed quality of RR soybeans sprayed with herbicide glyphosate

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Cristiane Fortes Gris

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Differences in levels of lignin in the plant between conventional and transgenic cultivars RR has been reported by several authors, however, there are few studies evaluating the influence of spraying of glyphosate on the lignin in the plant and RR soybean seeds. The aim of this study was to evaluate the physiological quality of RR transgenic soybean seeds and the lignin contents of plants sprayed with the herbicide glyphosate. The assays were conducted both in greenhouse and field in the municipality of Lavras, MG, in the agricultural year 2007/08. The experiment was arranged in a splitplot design with four replicates, considering the treatments hand weeding and herbicide glyphosate as plots, and five RR soybean cultivars (BRS 245 RR, BRS 247 RR, Valiosa RR, Silvânia RR and Baliza RR as splitplots. In the greenhouse, the cultivars tested were BRS 245 RR and Valiosa RR in a randomized block design with four replicates. The sprayings were carried out at stages V3, V7 and early R5 (3L/ha. The 1000 seed weight, mechanical injury, germination and germination velocity index, emergence velocity index, accelerated aging, electrical conductivity and water soaking seed test, lignin content in the seed coat, in the stem and legumes were determined. The spraying of glyphosate herbicide, in greenhouse and field, did not alter the physiological quality of seeds and the lignin contents in the plant.

Studying RR Lyrae Stars in M4 with K2

Science.gov (United States)

Kuehn, Charles A.; Drury, Jason; Moskalik, Pawel

2017-01-01

Observations by Kepler/K2 have revolutionized the study of RR Lyrae stars by allowing the detection of new phenomena, such as low amplitude additional modes and period doubling, which had not previously been seen from the ground. During its campaign 2, K2 observed the globular cluster M4, providing the first opportunity to study a sizeable group of RR Lyrae stars that belong to a single population; the other RR Lyrae stars that have been observed from space are field stars in the galactic halo and thus belong to an assortment of populations. We present the results of our study of the RR Lyrae variables in M4 from K2 photometry. We have identified additional, low amplitude pulsation modes in the two observed RRc stars. In three RRab stars we have found the Blazhko effect with periods of 16.6 days, 22.4 days, and 44.5 days.

A short-term increase in cancer risk associated with daytime napping is likely to reflect pre-clinical disease: prospective cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Cairns, B J; Travis, R C; Wang, X-S; Reeves, G K; Green, J; Beral, V

2012-07-24

Sleep disturbance, a correlate of which is daytime napping, has been hypothesised to be associated with risk of breast and other cancers. We estimated relative risks (RR) of breast and other invasive cancers by the reported frequency of daytime napping in a large prospective cohort of middle-aged women in the UK. During an average of 7.4 years of follow-up, 20 058 breast cancers and 31 856 other cancers were diagnosed. Over the first 4 years of follow-up, daytime napping (sometimes/usually vs rarely/never) was associated with slightly increased risks of breast cancer (RR=1.10, 95% CI 1.06-1.15) and of other cancers (RR=1.12, 1.08-1.15), but the RRs decreased significantly with increasing follow-up time (P=0.001 and P=0.01, respectively, for trend). Four or more years after baseline, there was no elevated risk of breast cancer (RR=1.00, 0.96-1.05), and only marginally greater risk of other cancers (RR=1.04, 1.01-1.07). The effect of pre-clinical disease is a likely explanation for the short-term increased risk of breast and other cancers associated with daytime napping. © 2012 Cancer Research UK

The Association between the Lipids Levels in Blood and Risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration

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Yafeng Wang

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Lipid metabolism may be involved in the pathogenic mechanism of age-related macular degeneration (AMD. However, conflicting results have been reported in the associations of AMD with blood lipids. We performed a meta-analysis including a total of 19 studies to evaluate associations between blood lipids and this disease. The result reported that the high level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C obtained with an increment of 1 mmol/L could result in a significantly increase in the AMD risk of approximately 18% (relative risk (RR, 1.18; 95% confidence interval (CI, 1.01 to 1.35; I2 = 53.8%; p = 0.007. High levels of total cholesterol (TC, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C, and triglycerides (TG were significantly associated with a decreased risk of AMD (RRs ranging from 0.92 to 0.95; all p < 0.05. The stratified analysis based on AMD subtypes showed that these blood lipids were only significantly associated with the risk of early AMD (all p < 0.05. The association between the blood lipids and AMD risk did not differ substantially based on the other characteristics of the participants. A high HDL-C level was associated with an increased AMD risk, whereas participants with high TC, LDL-C, and TG concentrations may show a decreased risk for this disease. Further well-designed large studies are warranted to confirm the conclusions.

Thoracic Injuries in earthquake-related versus non-earthquake-related trauma patients: differentiation via Multi-detector Computed Tomography

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhi-hui Dong

2011-01-01

Full Text Available PURPOSE: Massive earthquakes are harmful to humankind. This study of a historical cohort aimed to investigate the difference between earthquake-related crush thoracic traumas and thoracic traumas unrelated to earthquakes using a multi-detector Computed Tomography (CT. METHODS: We retrospectively compared an earthquake-exposed cohort of 215 thoracic trauma crush victims of the Sichuan earthquake to a cohort of 215 non-earthquake-related thoracic trauma patients, focusing on the lesions and coexisting injuries to the thoracic cage and the pulmonary parenchyma and pleura using a multi-detector CT. RESULTS: The incidence of rib fracture was elevated in the earthquake-exposed cohort (143 vs. 66 patients in the non-earthquake-exposed cohort, Risk Ratio (RR = 2.2; p<0.001. Among these patients, those with more than 3 fractured ribs (106/143 vs. 41/66 patients, RR=1.2; p<0.05 or flail chest (45/143 vs. 11/66 patients, RR=1.9; p<0.05 were more frequently seen in the earthquake cohort. Earthquake-related crush injuries more frequently resulted in bilateral rib fractures (66/143 vs. 18/66 patients, RR= 1.7; p<0.01. Additionally, the incidence of non-rib fracture was higher in the earthquake cohort (85 vs. 60 patients, RR= 1.4; p<0.01. Pulmonary parenchymal and pleural injuries were more frequently seen in earthquake-related crush injuries (117 vs. 80 patients, RR=1.5 for parenchymal and 146 vs. 74 patients, RR = 2.0 for pleural injuries; p<0.001. Non-rib fractures, pulmonary parenchymal and pleural injuries had significant positive correlation with rib fractures in these two cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: Thoracic crush traumas resulting from the earthquake were life threatening with a high incidence of bony thoracic fractures. The ribs were frequently involved in bilateral and severe types of fractures, which were accompanied by non-rib fractures, pulmonary parenchymal and pleural injuries.

CARING (CAncer Risk and INsulin analoGues)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Linde, Jakob Starup; Karlstad, Oystein; Eriksen, Stine Aistrup

2013-01-01

=1.2), breast (RR=1.1), cervix (RR=1.3), endometrial (RR=1.4), several digestive tract (RR=1.1-1.5), kidney (RR=1.4), and bladder cancer (RR=1.1). The findings were similar for men and women, and unrelated to study design. Meta-regression analyses showed limited effect modification of body mass index......BACKGROUND: Patients suffering from diabetes mellitus (DM) may experience an increased risk of cancer; however, it is not certain whether this effect is due to diabetes per se. OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between DM and cancers by a systematic review and meta-analysis according...... to the PRISMA guidelines. DATA SOURCES: The systematic literature search includes Medline at PubMed, Embase, Cinahl, Bibliotek.dk, Cochrane library, Web of Science and SveMed+ with the search terms: "Diabetes mellitus", "Neoplasms", and "Risk of cancer". STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: The included studies compared...

Parasite load and risk factors for poor outcome among children with visceral leishmaniasis. A cohort study in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, 2010-2011

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Maria Vitória Assumpção Mourão

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Clinical and laboratory risk factors for death from visceral leishmaniasis (VL are relatively known, but quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR might assess the role of parasite load in determining clinical outcome. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors, including parasite load in peripheral blood, for VL poor outcome among children. This prospective cohort study evaluated children aged ≤ 12 years old with VL diagnosis at three times: pre-treatment (T0, during treatment (T1 and post-treatment (T2. Forty-eight patients were included and 16 (33.3% met the criteria for poor outcome. Age ≤ 12 months [relative risk (RR 3.51; 95% confidence interval (CI 1.89-6.52], tachydyspnoea (RR 3.46; 95% CI 2.19-5.47, bacterial infection (RR 3.08; 95% CI 1.27-7.48, liver enlargement (RR 3.00; 95% CI 1.44-6.23 and low serum albumin (RR 7.00; 95% CI 1.80-27.24 were identified as risk factors. qPCR was positive in all patients at T0 and the parasite DNA was undetectable in 76.1% of them at T1 and in 90.7% at T2. There was no statistical association between parasite load at T0 and poor outcome.

Pregnancy complications, mental health-related problems and type 2 diabetes mellitus in Malaysian women.

Science.gov (United States)

Hasan, Syed Shahzad; Thiruchelvam, Kaeshaelya; Ahmed, Syed Imran; Clavarino, Alexandra M; Mamun, Abdullah A; Kairuz, Therese

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between pregnancy complications, mental health-related problems, and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Malaysian women. A case-control study of women with T2DM (n=160) matched by age range to controls without T2DM (n=160). Data were collected in the Negeri Sembilan and PutraJaya regions in Malaysia, from two hospital outpatient clinics, PutraJaya Hospital and Tuanku Jaa'far Hospital Seremban, and one health clinic at Seremban. Validated, interviewer-administered questionnaires were used to obtain the data. The unadjusted and adjusted estimates were calculated using the Mantel-Haenszel method. Neither depression (RR 0.74, 95% CI: 0.39-1.41) nor anxiety (RR 1.00, 95% CI: 0.53-1.88) symptoms increased the risk of T2DM significantly. However, gestational diabetes (RR 1.35, 95% CI: 1.02-1.79), and ≥3 pregnancies (RR 1.39, 95% CI: 1.08-1.79) were significant risk factors for the development of T2DM. T2DM was not a significant risk factor for either depression (RR 1.26, 95% CI: 0.91-1.74) or anxiety symptoms (RR 1.13, 95% CI: 0.59-2.19). In this study, T2DM is not a significant risk factor for depression and anxiety; similarly, neither are depression and anxiety significant risk factors for T2DM. Although prevalence of depression and anxiety is not alarming, the findings reported here should alert clinicians to screen and treat anxiety and depression in people with diabetes and also note the importance of monitoring women with complications in pregnancy for risk of later T2DM. Copyright © 2013 Diabetes India. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preconception and early pregnancy air pollution exposures and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robledo, Candace A.; Mendola, Pauline; Yeung, Edwina; Männistö, Tuija; Sundaram, Rajeshwari; Liu, Danping; Ying, Qi; Sherman, Seth; Grantz, Katherine L.

2015-01-01

Background: Air pollution has been linked to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) but no studies have evaluated impact of preconception and early pregnancy air pollution exposures on GDM risk. Methods: Electronic medical records provided data on 219,952 singleton deliveries to mothers with (n=11,334) and without GDM (n=208,618). Average maternal exposures to particulate matter (PM) ≤ 2.5 μm (PM 2.5 ) and PM 2.5 constituents, PM ≤ 10 μm (PM 10 ), nitrogen oxides (NO x ), carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) and ozone (O 3 ) were estimated for the 3-month preconception window, first trimester, and gestational weeks 1–24 based on modified Community Multiscale Air Quality models for delivery hospital referral regions. Binary regression models with robust standard errors estimated relative risks (RR) for GDM per interquartile range (IQR) increase in pollutant concentrations adjusted for study site, maternal age and race/ethnicity. Results: Preconception maternal exposure to NO X (RR=1.09, 95% CI: 1.04, 1.13) and SO 2 (RR=1.05, 1.01, 1.09) were associated with increased risk of subsequent GDM and risk estimates remained elevated for first trimester exposure. Preconception O 3 was associated with lower risk of subsequent GDM (RR=0.93, 0.90, 0.96) but risks increased later in pregnancy. Conclusion: Maternal exposures to NO x and SO 2 preconception and during the first few weeks of pregnancy were associated with increased GDM risk. O 3 appeared to increase GDM risk in association with mid-pregnancy exposure but not in earlier time windows. These common exposures merit further investigation. - Highlights: • Air pollution may be related to gestational diabetes (GDM). • No prior studies have examined preconception exposure. • Maternal exposure to NO x and SO 2 before conception increased subsequent GDM risk. • NO x and SO 2 exposure in the first seven weeks of pregnancy also increased GDM risk. • Early exposure to O 3 reduced GDM risk but risk increased

Reduced risk of UC in families affected by appendicitis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nyboe Andersen, Nynne; Gørtz, Sanne; Frisch, Morten

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVE: The possible aetiological link between appendicitis and UC remains unclear. In order to investigate the hereditary component of the association, we studied the risk of UC in family members of individuals with appendicitis. DESIGN: A cohort of 7.1 million individuals was established...... million person-years of follow-up between 1977 and 2011, a total of 190 004 cohort members developed appendicitis and 45 202 developed UC. Individuals having a first-degree relative with appendicitis before age 20 years had significantly reduced risk of UC (RR 0.90; 95% CI 0.86 to 0.95); this association...... was stronger in individuals with a family predisposition to UC (RR 0.66; 95% CI 0.51 to 0.83). CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with a first-degree relative diagnosed with appendicitis before age 20 years are at reduced risk of UC, particularly when there is a family predisposition to UC. Our findings question...

Circulating Carotenoids and Risk of Breast Cancer: Pooled Analysis of Eight Prospective Studies

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background Carotenoids, micronutrients in fruits and vegetables, may reduce breast cancer risk. Most, but not all, past studies of circulating carotenoids and breast cancer have found an inverse association with at least one carotenoid, although the specific carotenoid has varied across studies. Methods We conducted a pooled analysis of eight cohort studies comprising more than 80% of the world’s published prospective data on plasma or serum carotenoids and breast cancer, including 3055 case subjects and 3956 matched control subjects. To account for laboratory differences and examine population differences across studies, we recalibrated participant carotenoid levels to a common standard by reassaying 20 plasma or serum samples from each cohort together at the same laboratory. Using conditional logistic regression, adjusting for several breast cancer risk factors, we calculated relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using quintiles defined among the control subjects from all studies. All P values are two-sided. Results Statistically significant inverse associations with breast cancer were observed for α-carotene (top vs bottom quintile RR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.71 to 1.05, Ptrend = .04), β-carotene (RR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.70 to 0.98, Ptrend = .02), lutein+zeaxanthin (RR = 0.84, 95% CI = 0.70 to 1.01, Ptrend = .05), lycopene (RR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.62 to 0.99, Ptrend = .02), and total carotenoids (RR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.68 to 0.96, Ptrend = .01). β-Cryptoxanthin was not statistically significantly associated with risk. Tests for heterogeneity across studies were not statistically significant. For several carotenoids, associations appeared stronger for estrogen receptor negative (ER−) than for ER+ tumors (eg, β-carotene: ER−: top vs bottom quintile RR = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.36 to 0.77, Ptrend = .001; ER+: RR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.66 to 1.04, Ptrend = .06; Pheterogeneity = .01). Conclusions This comprehensive prospective analysis suggests women with

Steam in RR Telescopii and Henize 2-38

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Allen, D A [Anglo-Australian Observatory, Epping (Australia); Beattie, D H; Lee, T J; Stewart, J M; Williams, P M

1978-03-01

Low-resolution scans in the 1.9-2.6..mu..m atmospheric window reveal steam (H/sub 2/O) and CO adsorption bands in the spectra of the symbiotic stars RR Tel and He 2-38. The steam absorption in RR Tel is particularly intense while the CO is weak, implying the presence in the system of a Mira variable seen near minimum light. In He 2-38 the steam band is weaker while the CO is stronger, as expected for a Mira seen near maximum.

Similar uptake profiles of microcystin-LR and -RR in an in vitro human intestinal model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeller, P.; Clement, M.; Fessard, V.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → First description of in vitro cellular uptake of MCs into intestinal cells. → OATP 3A1 and OATP 4A1 are expressed in Caco-2 cell membranes. → MC-LR and MC-RR show similar uptake in Caco-2 cells. → MCs are probably excreted from Caco-2 cells by an active mechanism. -- Abstract: Microcystins (MCs) are cyclic hepatotoxins produced by various species of cyanobacteria. Their structure includes two variable amino acids (AA) leading to more than 80 MC variants. In this study, we focused on the most common variant, microcystin-LR (MC-LR), and microcystin-RR (MC-RR), a variant differing by only one AA. Despite their structural similarity, MC-LR elicits higher liver toxicity than MC-RR partly due to a discrepancy in their uptake by hepatic organic anion transporters (OATP 1B1 and 1B3). However, even though ingestion is the major pathway of human exposure to MCs, intestinal absorption of MCs has been poorly addressed. Consequently, we investigated the cellular uptake of the two MC variants in the human intestinal cell line Caco-2 by immunolocalization using an anti-MC antibody. Caco-2 cells were treated for 30 min to 24 h with several concentrations (1-50 μM) of both variants. We first confirmed the localization of OATP 3A1 and 4A1 at the cell membrane of Caco-2 cells. Our study also revealed a rapid uptake of both variants in less than 1 h. The uptake profiles of the two variants did not differ in our immunostaining study neither with respect to concentration nor the time of exposure. Furthermore, we have demonstrated for the first time the nuclear localization of MC-RR and confirmed that of MC-LR. Finally, our results suggest a facilitated uptake and an active excretion of MC-LR and MC-RR in Caco-2 cells. Further investigation on the role of OATP 3A1 and 4A1 in MC uptake should be useful to clarify the mechanism of intestinal absorption of MCs and contribute in risk assessment of cyanotoxin exposure.

Risk of renal failure with the non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Caldeira, Daniel; Gonçalves, Nilza; Pinto, Fausto J; Costa, João; Ferreira, Joaquim J

2015-07-01

Vitamin K antagonists (VKA)-related nephropathy is a novel entity characterized by acute kidney injury related to International Normalized Ratio supratherapeutic levels. Non-vitamin K antagonists oral anticoagulants (NOACs) have a predictable dose-response relationship and an improved safety profile. We hypothesized that these drugs do not have an increased risk of incident renal failure, which may be detrimental for the use of NOACs. Systematic review and meta-analysis of phase III randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Trials were searched through Medline, Cochrane Library and public assessment reports in August 2014. Primary outcome was renal failure. NOACs were evaluated against any comparator. Random-effects meta-analysis was performed by default, and pooled estimates were expressed as Risk Ratio (RR) and 95%CI. Heterogeneity was evaluated with I(2) test. Ten RCTs fulfilled inclusion criteria (one apixaban RCT, three dabigatran RCTs, and six rivaroxaban RCTs), enrolling 75 100 patients. Overall NOACs did not increase the risk of renal failure with an RR 0.96, 95%CI 0.88-1.05 compared with VKA or Low-molecular weight heparin (LMWH), without significant statistical heterogeneity (I(2)  = 3.5%). Compared with VKA, NOACs did not increase the risk of renal failure (RR 0.96, 95%CI 0.87-1.07; I(2)  = 17.8%; six RCTs). Rivaroxaban did not show differences in the incidence of renal failure compared with LMWH (RR 1.20, 95%CI 0.37-3.94; four trials), but there was an increased risk of creatinine elevation RR 1.25, 95%CI 1.08-1.45; I(2)  = 0%. NOACs had a similar risk of renal failure compared with VKA/LMWH in phase III RCTs. Post-marketing surveillance should be warranted. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Cancer in first-degree relatives and risk of testicular cancer in Denmark

Science.gov (United States)

Nordsborg, Rikke Baastrup; Meliker, Jaymie R.; Wohlfahrt, Jan; Melbye, Mads; Raaschou-Nielsen, Ole

2011-01-01

Familial aggregation of testicular cancer has been reported consistently, but it is less clear if there is any association between risk of testicular cancer and other cancers in the family. We conducted a population based case-control study to examine the relationship between risk of testicular cancer and 22 different cancers in first-degree relatives. We included 3297 cases of testicular cancer notified to the Danish Cancer Registry between 1991 and 2003. 6594 matched controls were selected from the Danish Civil Registration System, which also provided the identity of 40,104 first-degree relatives of case and controls. Familial cancer was identified by linkage to the Danish Cancer Registry, and we used conditional logistic regression to analyse whether cancer among first-degree relatives was associated with higher risk of testicular cancer. Rate ratio (RR) for testicular cancer was 4.63 (95% CI: 2.41–8.87) when a father, 8.30(95% CI: 3.81–18.10) when a brother and 5.23 (95% CI: 1.35–20.26) when a son had testicular cancer compared with no familial testicular cancer. Results were similar when analyses were stratified by histologic subtypes of testicular cancer. Familial Non-Hodgkin lymphoma and oesophageal cancer were associated with testicular cancer; however these may be chance findings. The familial aggregation of testicular and possibly other cancers may be explained by shared genes and/or shared environmental factors, but the mutual importance of each of these is difficult to determine. PMID:21207375

Vaccination and 30-Day Mortality Risk in Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

McCarthy, Natalie L; Gee, Julianne; Sukumaran, Lakshmi; Weintraub, Eric; Duffy, Jonathan; Kharbanda, Elyse O; Baxter, Roger; Irving, Stephanie; King, Jennifer; Daley, Matthew F; Hechter, Rulin; McNeil, Michael M

2016-03-01

This study evaluates the potential association of vaccination and death in the Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD). The study cohort included individuals ages 9 to 26 years with deaths between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2011. We implemented a case-centered method to estimate a relative risk (RR) for death in days 0 to 30 after vaccination.Deaths due to external causes (accidents, homicides, and suicides) were excluded from the primary analysis. In a secondary analysis, we included all deaths regardless of cause. A team of physicians reviewed available medical records and coroner's reports to confirm cause of death and assess the causal relationship between death and vaccination. Of the 1100 deaths identified during the study period, 76 (7%) occurred 0 to 30 days after vaccination. The relative risks for deaths after any vaccination and influenza vaccination were significantly lower for deaths due to nonexternal causes (RR 0.57, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.38-0.83, and RR 0.44, 95% CI 0.24-0.80, respectively) and deaths due to all causes (RR 0.72, 95% CI 0.56-0.91, and RR 0.44, 95% CI 0.28-0.65). No other individual vaccines were significantly associated with death. Among deaths reviewed, 1 cause of death was unknown, 25 deaths were due to nonexternal causes, and 34 deaths were due to external causes. The causality assessment found no evidence of a causal association between vaccination and death. Risk of death was not increased during the 30 days after vaccination, and no deaths were found to be causally associated with vaccination. Copyright © 2016 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Oral hygiene practices and risk of oral leukoplakia | Macigo | East ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objective: To determine the influence of oral hygiene habits and practices on the risk of developing oral leukoplakia. Design: Case control study. Setting: Githongo sublocation in Meru District. Subjects: Eighty five cases and 141 controls identified in a house-to-house screening. Results: The relative risk (RR) of oral ...

Excess Body Weight during Childhood and Adolescence Is Associated with the Risk of Multiple Sclerosis: A Meta-Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zhen; Zhang, Ting-Ting; Yu, Jie; Liu, Ying-Li; Qi, Su-Fen; Zhao, Jing-Jing; Liu, Dian-Wu; Tian, Qing-Bao

2016-01-01

Several epidemiological studies have reported the association between obesity and multiple sclerosis (MS). A literature search of the observational studies, published as original articles in English before December 2015, was performed using electronic databases. Five observational studies were included, of which 3 were case-control studies and 2 were cohort studies. The pooled relative risk (RR) for overweight and obesity during childhood and adolescence compared with normal weight (body mass index = 18.5-24.9 kg/m2) was 1.44 (95% CI 1.22-1.70) and 2.01 (95% CI 1.63-2.48), respectively. In subgroup analyses, we found that excess body weight during childhood and adolescence increased the risk of MS in the female group (overweight: pooled RR = 1.62, 95% CI 1.35-1.94; obesity: pooled RR = 2.25, 95% CI 1.77-2.85), but not in the male group (overweight: pooled RR = 1.19, 95% CI 0.91-1.55; obesity: pooled RR = 1.22, 95% CI 0.79-1.90). Excess body weight during childhood and adolescence was associated with an increased risk of MS; severe obesity demonstrated a stronger risk. A statistically significant association was found in the female group, but not in the male group. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Prediction of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation using recurrence plot-based features of the RR-interval signal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohebbi, Maryam; Ghassemian, Hassan

2011-01-01

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia and increases the risk of stroke. Predicting the onset of paroxysmal AF (PAF), based on noninvasive techniques, is clinically important and can be invaluable in order to avoid useless therapeutic intervention and to minimize risks for the patients. In this paper, we propose an effective PAF predictor which is based on the analysis of the RR-interval signal. This method consists of three steps: preprocessing, feature extraction and classification. In the first step, the QRS complexes are detected from the electrocardiogram (ECG) signal and then the RR-interval signal is extracted. In the next step, the recurrence plot (RP) of the RR-interval signal is obtained and five statistically significant features are extracted to characterize the basic patterns of the RP. These features consist of the recurrence rate, length of longest diagonal segments (L max  ), average length of the diagonal lines (L mean ), entropy, and trapping time. Recurrence quantification analysis can reveal subtle aspects of dynamics not easily appreciated by other methods and exhibits characteristic patterns which are caused by the typical dynamical behavior. In the final step, a support vector machine (SVM)-based classifier is used for PAF prediction. The performance of the proposed method in prediction of PAF episodes was evaluated using the Atrial Fibrillation Prediction Database (AFPDB) which consists of both 30 min ECG recordings that end just prior to the onset of PAF and segments at least 45 min distant from any PAF events. The obtained sensitivity, specificity, positive predictivity and negative predictivity were 97%, 100%, 100%, and 96%, respectively. The proposed methodology presents better results than other existing approaches

What is the association of hypothyroidism with risks of cardiovascular events and mortality? A meta-analysis of 55 cohort studies involving 1,898,314 participants.

Science.gov (United States)

Ning, Yu; Cheng, Yun J; Liu, Li J; Sara, Jaskanwal D S; Cao, Zhi Y; Zheng, Wei P; Zhang, Tian S; Han, Hui J; Yang, Zhen Y; Zhang, Yi; Wang, Fei L; Pan, Rui Y; Huang, Jie L; Wu, Ling L; Zhang, Ming; Wei, Yong X

2017-02-02

Whether hypothyroidism is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular events is still disputed. We aimed to assess the association between hypothyroidism and risks of cardiovascular events and mortality. We searched PubMed and Embase from inception to 29 February 2016. Cohort studies were included with no restriction of hypothyroid states. Priori main outcomes were ischemic heart disease (IHD), cardiac mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and all-cause mortality. Fifty-five cohort studies involving 1,898,314 participants were identified. Patients with hypothyroidism, compared with euthyroidism, experienced higher risks of IHD (relative risk (RR): 1.13; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01-1.26), myocardial infarction (MI) (RR: 1.15; 95% CI: 1.05-1.25), cardiac mortality (RR: 1.96; 95% CI: 1.38-2.80), and all-cause mortality (RR: 1.25; 95% CI: 1.13-1.39); subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH; especially with thyrotropin level ≥10 mIU/L) was also associated with higher risks of IHD and cardiac mortality. Moreover, cardiac patients with hypothyroidism, compared with those with euthyroidism, experienced higher risks of cardiac mortality (RR: 2.22; 95% CI: 1.28-3.83) and all-cause mortality (RR: 1.51; 95% CI: 1.26-1.81). Hypothyroidism is a risk factor for IHD and cardiac mortality. Hypothyroidism is associated with higher risks of cardiac mortality and all-cause mortality compared with euthyroidism in the general public or in patients with cardiac disease.

Failure to Redose Antibiotic Prophylaxis in Long Surgery Increases Risk of Surgical Site Infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Kasatpibal, Nongyao; Whitney, Joanne D; Dellinger, E Patchen; Nair, Bala G; Pike, Kenneth C

Antibiotic prophylaxis is a key component of the prevention of surgical site infection (SSI). Failure to manage antibiotic prophylaxis effectively may increase the risk of SSI. This study aimed to examine the effects of antibiotic prophylaxis on SSI risk. A retrospective cohort study was conducted among patients having general surgery between May 2012 and June 2015 at the University of Washington Medical Center. Peri-operative data extracted from hospital databases included patient and operation characteristics, intra-operative medication and fluid administration, and survival outcome. The effects of antibiotic prophylaxis and potential factors on SSI risk were estimated using multiple logistic regression and were expressed as risk ratios (RRs). A total of 4,078 patients were eligible for analysis. Of these, 180 had an SSI. Mortality rates within and after 30 days were 0.8% and 0.3%, respectively. Improper antibiotic redosing increased the risk of SSI (RR 4.61; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.33-15.91). Other risk factors were in-patient status (RR 4.05; 95% CI 1.69-9.66), smoking (RR 1.63; 95% CI 1.03-2.55), emergency surgery (RR 1.97; 95% CI 1.26-3.08), colectomy (RR 3.31; 95% CI 1.19-9.23), pancreatectomy (RR 4.52; 95% CI 1.53-13.39), proctectomy (RR 5.02; 95% CI 1.72-14.67), small bowel surgery (RR 6.16; 95% CI 2.13-17.79), intra-operative blood transfusion >500 mL (RR 2.76; 95% CI 1.45-5.26), and multiple procedures (RR 1.40; 95% CI 1.01-1.95). These data demonstrate that failure to redose prophylactic antibiotic during long operations increases the risk of SSI. Strengthening a collaborative surgical quality improvement program may help to eradicate this risk.

Association between drinking water uranium content and cancer risk in Bavaria, Germany

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Radespiel-Troeger, M.; Meyer, M. [Population-based cancer registry Bavaria, Erlangen (Germany). Registration office

2013-10-15

To evaluate the possible association between uranium (U) content in public drinking water on the one hand and the risk of cancer of the colorectum, lung, female breast, prostate, kidney, and urinary bladder, total cancer, and leukemia on the other hand in Bavaria, an ecologic study on the level of municipalities was performed. Cancer incidence data for the years 2002-2008 were obtained from the population-based cancer registry Bavaria according to sex. Current U content data of public drinking water on the level of municipalities were obtained from a publicly available source. The possible association between drinking water U content and cancer risk adjusted for average socio-economic status was evaluated using Poisson regression. Drinking water U content was below 20 μg/L in 458 out of 461 included municipalities. We found a significantly increased risk of leukemia in men in the intermediate (U level, 1.00-4.99 μg/L; relative risk [RR], 1.14) and in the highest U exposure category (U level, ≥ 5 μg/L; RR, 1.28). Moreover, in women, a significantly elevated risk was identified with respect to kidney cancer in the highest exposure category (RR, 1.16) and with respect to lung cancer in the intermediate exposure category (RR, 1.12). The slightly increased risk of leukemia in men, kidney cancer in women, and lung cancer in women may require further investigation. If an increased cancer risk is confirmed, preventive measures (e.g., introduction of U filters in public water systems) may be considered.

Postdates induction with an unfavorable cervix and risk of cesarean.

Science.gov (United States)

McCoy, Jennifer; Downes, Katheryne L; Srinivas, Sindhu K; Levine, Lisa D

2018-03-21

To determine the risk of cesarean delivery associated with postdates induction (≥41 weeks) compared to term induction (37-40w6d) among women with an unfavorable cervix, and to examine the risk factors associated with cesarean among women undergoing postdates induction. A planned secondary analysis of a large prospective cohort study on induction (n = 854) was performed. Women with a singleton gestation, intact membranes, and an unfavorable cervix (Bishop score of ≤6 and dilation ≤2 cm) who were undergoing a term (≥37 weeks) induction for any indication were included. Women with a prior cesarean were excluded. The primary outcome was cesarean delivery. Relative risk of cesarean was estimated using a modified Poisson's regression model. There was a significantly increased risk of cesarean for women undergoing postdates induction (n = 154) compared to women 37-40w6d (n = 700), (46.8 versus 26.0%, p cesarean remained after adjustment for race, parity, and pregnancy-related hypertension (aRR 1.70 [1.39-2.09], p cesarean among women ≥41 weeks included nulliparity (aRR 3.38 95%CI (2.42-4.74)), BMI ≥30 (aRR 1.72 95%CI (1.34-2.21)), and starting cervical dilation cesarean compared to women 37-40w6d, with nulliparity, obesity, and cervical dilation <1 cm being independent risk factors. These data can be used to augment patient counseling and support the ongoing discussion regarding the risk of post dates induction.

Hospital Contacts With Infection and Risk of Schizophrenia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Philip Finn Rising; Benros, Michael E; Mortensen, Preben B

2014-01-01

Infections and immune responses have been suggested to play an important role in the etiology of schizophrenia. Several studies have reported associations between maternal infections during pregnancy and the child's risk of schizophrenia; however, infection during childhood and adolescence...... a hospital contact with infection before their schizophrenia diagnosis (45%). Our results indicate that individuals who have had a hospital contact with infection are more likely to develop schizophrenia (relative risk [RR] = 1.41; 95% CI: 1.32-1.51) than individuals who had not had such a hospital contact....... Bacterial infection was the type of infection that was associated with the highest risk of schizophrenia (RR = 1.63; 95% CI: 1.47-1.82). Our study does not exclude that a certain type of infection may have a specific effect; yet, it does suggest that schizophrenia is associated with a wide range...

Familial Risk of Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain and the Importance of Physical Activity and Body Mass Index: Prospective Data from the HUNT Study, Norway.

Science.gov (United States)

Lier, Ragnhild; Mork, Paul Jarle; Holtermann, Andreas; Nilsen, Tom Ivar Lund

2016-01-01

The main objectives of the current study was i) to prospectively examine if chronic musculoskeletal pain in parents is associated with risk of chronic musculoskeletal pain in their adult offspring, and ii) to assess if these parent-offspring associations are modified by offspring body mass index and leisure time physical activity. We used data on 4,742 adult offspring linked with their parents who participated in the population-based HUNT Study in Norway in 1995-97 and in 2006-08. Family relations were established through the national Family Registry. A Poisson regression model was used to estimate relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). In total, 1,674 offspring (35.3%) developed chronic musculoskeletal pain during the follow-up period of approximately 11 years. Both maternal (RR: 1.26, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.55) and paternal chronic musculoskeletal pain (RR: 1.29, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.57) was associated with increased risk of offspring chronic musculoskeletal pain. Compared to offspring of parents without chronic musculoskeletal pain, the adverse effect of parental pain was somewhat stronger among offspring who reported a low (RR: 1.82, 95% CI: 1.32, 2.52) versus high (RR: 1.32, 95% CI: 0.95, 1.84) level of leisure time physical activity. Offspring of parents with chronic musculoskeletal pain and who were classified as obese had more than twofold increased risk (RR: 2.33, 95% CI: 1.68, 3.24) of chronic musculoskeletal pain compared to normal weight offspring of parents without pain. In conclusion, parental chronic musculoskeletal pain is positively associated with risk of chronic musculoskeletal pain in their adult offspring. Maintenance of normal body weight may reduce the risk of chronic musculoskeletal pain in offspring of pain-afflicted parents.

Familial Risk of Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain and the Importance of Physical Activity and Body Mass Index: Prospective Data from the HUNT Study, Norway.

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Ragnhild Lier

Full Text Available The main objectives of the current study was i to prospectively examine if chronic musculoskeletal pain in parents is associated with risk of chronic musculoskeletal pain in their adult offspring, and ii to assess if these parent-offspring associations are modified by offspring body mass index and leisure time physical activity. We used data on 4,742 adult offspring linked with their parents who participated in the population-based HUNT Study in Norway in 1995-97 and in 2006-08. Family relations were established through the national Family Registry. A Poisson regression model was used to estimate relative risk (RR with 95% confidence interval (CI. In total, 1,674 offspring (35.3% developed chronic musculoskeletal pain during the follow-up period of approximately 11 years. Both maternal (RR: 1.26, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.55 and paternal chronic musculoskeletal pain (RR: 1.29, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.57 was associated with increased risk of offspring chronic musculoskeletal pain. Compared to offspring of parents without chronic musculoskeletal pain, the adverse effect of parental pain was somewhat stronger among offspring who reported a low (RR: 1.82, 95% CI: 1.32, 2.52 versus high (RR: 1.32, 95% CI: 0.95, 1.84 level of leisure time physical activity. Offspring of parents with chronic musculoskeletal pain and who were classified as obese had more than twofold increased risk (RR: 2.33, 95% CI: 1.68, 3.24 of chronic musculoskeletal pain compared to normal weight offspring of parents without pain. In conclusion, parental chronic musculoskeletal pain is positively associated with risk of chronic musculoskeletal pain in their adult offspring. Maintenance of normal body weight may reduce the risk of chronic musculoskeletal pain in offspring of pain-afflicted parents.

Early childhood infections and immunisation and the development of allergic disease in particular asthma in a high-risk cohort: A prospective study of allergy-prone children from birth to six years.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomson, Jennifer A; Widjaja, Constance; Darmaputra, Abbi A P; Lowe, Adrian; Matheson, Melanie C; Bennett, Catherine M; Allen, Katrina; Abramson, Michael J; Hosking, Cliff; Hill, David; Dharmage, Shyamali C

2010-11-01

The role of early childhood infections and immunisation in the development of allergic diseases remains controversial. To examine these associations, six hundred and twenty infants with first-degree relatives with allergic diseases were recruited into the Melbourne Atopy Cohort Study. Information on risk factors and outcomes was collected by interviewer administered questionnaire and was based on parental report and/or a physician's diagnosis. Risk factors examined included early childhood infections (including gastroenteritis, otitis media and lower respiratory tract infections) and immunisations in the first 2 yr of life. Outcomes were current asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema at 6 yr of age. Univariate and multivariate regression analysis were used to estimate relative risk (RR) and assess confounding. By 6 yr, 79% of the original cohort remained in the study. Those with at least three episodes of gastroenteritis showed an increased risk (crude RR 2.36, 95%CI 1.41 3.95; adjusted RR 2.03 95%CI 1.50 2.75) for the later development of asthma at age 6. Of the scheduled immunisations, Sabin immunisation in the second year had a reduced risk of asthma at 6 yr (crude RR 0.60, 95%CI 0.37 0.98; adjusted RR 0.63 95%CI 0.39 1.02). Combined diphtheria and tetanus (CDT) immunisation in the first year had an increased risk of asthma at 6 yr (RR 1.76, 95%CI 1.11 2.78; adjusted RR 1.88 95%CI 1.28 2.77). Recurrent gastroenteritis in early childhood is associated with a later risk of asthma. This may reflect a cause and effect relationship, or exposure to common risk factors. In contrast, Sabin immunisation in the second year is associated with a decreased risk of asthma in later childhood. CDT immunisation in the first year may be a risk factor for asthma, but the need for CDT immunisation may also be a marker of increased risk of asthma in later childhood. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

A NOVEL APPROACH TO ARRHYTHMIA CLASSIFICATION USING RR INTERVAL AND TEAGER ENERGY

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CHANDRAKAR KAMATH

2012-12-01

Full Text Available It is hypothesized that a key characteristic of electrocardiogram (ECG signal is its nonlinear dynamic behaviour and that the nonlinear component changes more significantly between normal and arrhythmia conditions than the linear component. The usual statistical descriptors used in RR (R to R interval analysis do not capture the nonlinear disposition of RR interval variability. In this paper we explore a novel approach to extract the features from nonlinear component of the RR interval signal using Teager energy operator (TEO. The key feature of Teager energy is that it models the energy of the source that generated the signal rather than the energy of the signal itself. Hence any deviations in regular rhythmic activity of the heart get reflected in the Teager energy function. The classification evaluated on MIT-BIH database, with RR interval and mean of Teager energy computed over RR interval as features, exhibits an average accuracy that exceeds 99.79%.

The coefficient of rolling resistance (CoRR) of some pharmaceutical tablets.

Science.gov (United States)

Ketterhagen, William R; Bharadwaj, Rahul; Hancock, Bruno C

2010-06-15

Experiments have been conducted to measure the coefficient of rolling resistance (CoRR) of some pharmaceutical tablets and several common materials, such as glass beads and steel ball bearings. CoRR values are required as inputs for discrete element method (DEM) models which can be used to model particulate flows and solid dosage form manufacturing processes. Until now there have been no CoRR data reported for pharmaceutical materials, and thus these new data will help to facilitate more accurate modeling of pharmaceutical systems. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impact of overweight on the risk of developing common chronic diseases during a 10-year period.

Science.gov (United States)

Field, A E; Coakley, E H; Must, A; Spadano, J L; Laird, N; Dietz, W H; Rimm, E; Colditz, G A

2001-07-09

Overweight adults are at an increased risk of developing numerous chronic diseases. Ten-year follow-up (1986-1996) of middle-aged women in the Nurses' Health Study and men in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study to assess the health risks associated with overweight. The risk of developing diabetes, gallstones, hypertension, heart disease, and stroke increased with severity of overweight among both women and men. Compared with their same-sex peers with a body mass index (BMI) (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters) between 18.5 and 24.9, those with BMI of 35.0 or more were approximately 20 times more likely to develop diabetes (relative risk [RR], 17.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 14.2-20.5 for women; RR, 23.4; 95% CI, 19.4-33.2 for men). Women who were overweight but not obese (ie, BMI between 25.0 and 29.9) were also significantly more likely than their leaner peers to develop gallstones (RR, 1.9), hypertension (RR, 1.7), high cholesterol level (RR, 1.1), and heart disease (RR, 1.4). The results were similar in men. During 10 years of follow-up, the incidence of diabetes, gallstones, hypertension, heart disease, colon cancer, and stroke (men only) increased with degree of overweight in both men and women. Adults who were overweight but not obese (ie, 25.0 conditions. Moreover, the dose-response relationship between BMI and the risk of developing chronic diseases was evident even among adults in the upper half of the healthy weight range (ie, BMI of 22.0-24.9), suggesting that adults should try to maintain a BMI between 18.5 and 21.9 to minimize their risk of disease.

Prospective Evaluation of Nutritional Factors to Predict the Risk of Complications for Patients Undergoing Radical Cystectomy: A Cohort Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Allaire, Janie; Léger, Caroline; Ben-Zvi, Tal; Nguilé-Makao, Molière; Fradet, Yves; Lacombe, Louis; Fradet, Vincent

2017-01-01

The objective of this study was to identify nutritional preoperative factors associated with complications after radical cystectomy (RC). We prospectively evaluated the Mini-Nutritional Assessment Score, body mass index (BMI), appetite, stool frequency, hydration, food intake, weight loss, albuminemia, and prealbuminemia of 144 patients who underwent RC between January 2011 and April 2014. Postoperative complications were defined as any adverse event reported in the patient's file up to 90 days after surgery. Each complication was classified according to the Clavien-Dindo and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center systems. The adjusted relative risk (RR) computed through a Poisson regression model was used to identify nutritional risk factors associated with post-RC complications. A high BMI >27 kg/m 2 was associated with higher risk of low-grade complications (RR:1.47 [95% CI,1.09-2.00]) at 7 days and a four-fold increased risk of cardiac complications at 7 and 90 days (RR:3.77 [1.15-12.32] and RR:3.28 [1.35-7.98]). Decreased appetite was associated with low-grade (RR:1.43 [1.03-1.99] complications within 90 days. Preoperative weight loss >3 kg was associated with high-grade (RR:2.49 [1.23-5.05]) and wound (RR:2.51 [1.23-5.10]) complications within 90 days. This study showed that preoperative nutritional status of patients may predict the occurrence of complications up to 90 days post-RC. Development of preoperative nutritional interventions may reduce the deleterious impact of RC on patients' health.

Meat intake and risk of bladder cancer: a meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chaojun; Jiang, Hai

2012-06-01

Meat consumption is inconsistently associated with the development of bladder cancer in several epidemiological studies. We performed a meta-analysis of evidence for relationships of meat consumption with risk of bladder cancer. Literature searches were conducted to identify peer-reviewed manuscripts published up to October 2010. Twenty publications from 10 cohort studies and 11 case-control studies were included in the analyses. We quantified associations with bladder cancer using meta-analysis of relative risk (RR) associated with the highest versus the lowest category of meat intake using random effect model. Pooled results indicate that overall meat intake was not related to the risk of bladder cancer (RR = 1.04, 95% CI = 0.80-1.27), while high red and processed meat consumer had a significantly increased 17 and 10% risk, respectively, when comparing the highest with the lowest category of meat intake. In subgroup analyses, studies conduced in Unites States/Canada exhibited a positive relationship between high meat intake and bladder cancer risk, and studies using self-administered questionnaires for exposure assessment also showed a significant increased relative risk for high meat consumers. However, because of borderline significance and small number of publications in individual analyses, more studies, particularly well-designed prospective studies, are needed to confirm these findings.

The significance of biological, environmental, and social risk factors for prostate cancer in a cohort study in Brazil

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Frederico R. Romero

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Purpose To evaluate the significance of several risk factors for prostate cancer in a cohort of Brazilian men. Subjects and methods: Men ≥ 40 years-old participating in a prostate cancer screening program between December 2006 and April 2011 in the city of Curitiba, Brazil, were evaluated to determine the prevalence, relative risk (RR and 95% CI of prostate cancer according to age, race, ethnicity, family history of prostate cancer, educational level, and history of vasectomy, increased blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, and urethritis. Results In 2121 men included in this study, prostate cancer prevalence was 0.6% for men between 40-49 years versus 2.0% (adjusted RR = 2.58, 7.7% (adjusted RR = 5.76, and 8.4% (adjusted RR = 4.88 for men 50-59 years, 60-69 years, and ≥ 70 years, respectively (p 0.05; 6.1% in African descendants, in comparison to 3.0% in non-African descendants (adjusted RR = 3.17, p 0.05; and 4.8% in participants with incomplete elementary school level or lower, compared to 2.2% in men with complete elementary school level or higher education (adjusted RR = 1.85, p > 0.05. Men with/without history of vasectomy, increased blood pressure, diabetes, and urethritis had a prostate cancer prevalence of 0.8%/3.0% (adjusted RR = 0.23, p > 0.05, 3.8%/2.2% (adjusted RR = 1.16, p > 0.05, 3.7%/2.6% (adjusted RR = 1.39, p > 0.05, and 2.6%/2.6% (adjusted RR = 0.99, p > 0.05, respectively. Conclusions Risk factors associated with an increased prevalence of prostate cancer in this cohort included increasing age and African ethnicity.

Radial velocities of RR Lyrae stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hawley, S.L.; Barnes, T.G. III

1985-01-01

283 spectra of 57 RR Lyrae stars have been obtained using the 2.1-m telescope at McDonald Observatory. Radial velocities were determined using a software cross-correlation technique. New mean radial velocities were determined for 46 of the stars. 11 references

The magnitude of association between overweight and obesity and the risk of diabetes: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Abdullah, Asnawi; Peeters, Anna; de Courten, Maximilian

2010-01-01

The objectives of this meta-analysis were to examine the magnitude of the relative risk (RR) of developing type 2 diabetes for overweight and obese populations, compared to those with normal weight, and to determine causes of the variation in RR between various cohort studies. The magnitude...... of the RR was analyzed by combining 18 prospective cohort studies that matched defined criteria. The variance in RR between studies was explored. The overall RR of diabetes for obese persons compared to those with normal weight was 7.19, 95% CI: 5.74, 9.00 and for overweight was 2.99, 95% CI: 2.42, 3.......72. The variation in RR among studies was explored and it was found that the effect of heterogeneity was highly related with sample size, method of assessment of body mass index (BMI) and method of ascertainment of type 2 diabetes. By combining only cohort studies with more than 400 cases of incident diabetes...

Risk of Ventricular Arrhythmia with Citalopram and Escitalopram: A Population-Based Study.

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Elena Qirjazi

Full Text Available The risk of ventricular arrhythmia with citalopram and escitalopram is controversial. In this study we investigated the association between these two drugs and the risk of ventricular arrhythmia.We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study of older adults (mean age 76 years from 2002 to 2012 in Ontario, Canada, newly prescribed citalopram (n = 137 701 or escitalopram (n = 38 436, compared to those prescribed referent antidepressants sertraline or paroxetine (n = 96 620. After inverse probability of treatment weighting using a propensity score, the baseline characteristics of the comparison groups were similar. The primary outcome was a hospital encounter with ventricular arrhythmia within 90 days of a new prescription, assessed using hospital diagnostic codes. The secondary outcome was all-cause mortality within 90 days.Citalopram was associated with a higher risk of a hospital encounter with ventricular arrhythmia compared with referent antidepressants (0.06% vs. 0.04%, relative risk [RR] 1.53, 95% confidence intervals [CI]1.03 to 2.29, and a higher risk of mortality (3.49% vs. 3.12%, RR 1.12, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.18. Escitalopram was not associated with a higher risk of ventricular arrhythmia compared with the referent antidepressants (0.03% vs. 0.04%, RR 0.84, 95% CI 0.42 to 1.68, but was associated with a higher risk of mortality (2.86% vs. 2.63%, RR 1.09, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.18.Among older adults, initiation of citalopram compared to two referent antidepressants was associated with a small but statistically significant increase in the 90-day risk of a hospital encounter for ventricular arrhythmia.

Risk of Ventricular Arrhythmia with Citalopram and Escitalopram: A Population-Based Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Qirjazi, Elena; McArthur, Eric; Nash, Danielle M; Dixon, Stephanie N; Weir, Matthew A; Vasudev, Akshya; Jandoc, Racquel; Gula, Lorne J; Oliver, Matthew J; Wald, Ron; Garg, Amit X

2016-01-01

The risk of ventricular arrhythmia with citalopram and escitalopram is controversial. In this study we investigated the association between these two drugs and the risk of ventricular arrhythmia. We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study of older adults (mean age 76 years) from 2002 to 2012 in Ontario, Canada, newly prescribed citalopram (n = 137 701) or escitalopram (n = 38 436), compared to those prescribed referent antidepressants sertraline or paroxetine (n = 96 620). After inverse probability of treatment weighting using a propensity score, the baseline characteristics of the comparison groups were similar. The primary outcome was a hospital encounter with ventricular arrhythmia within 90 days of a new prescription, assessed using hospital diagnostic codes. The secondary outcome was all-cause mortality within 90 days. Citalopram was associated with a higher risk of a hospital encounter with ventricular arrhythmia compared with referent antidepressants (0.06% vs. 0.04%, relative risk [RR] 1.53, 95% confidence intervals [CI]1.03 to 2.29), and a higher risk of mortality (3.49% vs. 3.12%, RR 1.12, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.18). Escitalopram was not associated with a higher risk of ventricular arrhythmia compared with the referent antidepressants (0.03% vs. 0.04%, RR 0.84, 95% CI 0.42 to 1.68), but was associated with a higher risk of mortality (2.86% vs. 2.63%, RR 1.09, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.18). Among older adults, initiation of citalopram compared to two referent antidepressants was associated with a small but statistically significant increase in the 90-day risk of a hospital encounter for ventricular arrhythmia.

Ecologic factors relating to firearm injuries and gun violence in Chicago.

Science.gov (United States)

Kieltyka, Jude; Kucybala, Karolina; Crandall, Marie

2016-01-01

Firearm violence is a major burden on Chicago with greater than 1500 gunshot injuries occurring annually. Identifying ecologic variables related to the incidence of firearm-related injuries and crime could prove useful for developing new strategies for reducing gun-related injuries. The Illinois Trauma Registry (ITSR) and the Chicago Police Department's CLEAR (Citizen Law Enforcement Analysis and Reporting) dataset were retrospectively analyzed to investigate group-level factors potentially related to the incidence of gun-related injuries and crime in Chicago from 1999 through 2012. Multivariate linear regression was used to evaluate the effects of day of the week, daily maximum temperature, precipitation, and snow on the incidence of firearm-related injuries and crime. A total of 18,655 gunshot wounds occurred during the study period (ITSR, 1999-2009). There were 156,866 acts of gun violence identified in the CLEAR dataset (2002-2012). Day of the week, daily maximum temperature, and precipitation were associated with differential risks of gun injury and violence. Rain decreased firearm-related injuries by 9.80% [RR: 0.902, 95% CI: 0.854-0.950] and crime by 7.00% [RR: 0.930, 95% CI: 0.910-0.950]. Gunshot wounds were 33% [RR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.29-1.37] more frequent on Fridays and Saturdays and gun crime was 18% [RR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.16-1.20] more common on these days. Snow was not associated with firearm-related injuries or crime. Day of the week, daily maximum temperature, and rain are associated with the incidence of firearm-related injuries and crime. Understanding the effects of these variables may allow for the development of predictive models and for risk-adjusting injury and crime data. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Effect of gestational diabetes and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy on postpartum cardiometabolic risk

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Ling-Jun Li

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Aims: The cumulative effect of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP on postpartum cardio-metabolic diseases is equivocal. We aimed to assess the associations of GDM and HDP’s individual and synergic contribution to risks of postpartum cardio-metabolic diseases (metabolic syndrome (MetS, abnormal glucose metabolism and hypertension (HTN. Methods: Of participants from a Singapore birth cohort, 276 mothers attending the 5-year postpartum visit were included in this study. During this visit, we collected mothers’ history of GDM and HDP in all live births in a chronicle sequence and assessed the cardio-metabolic risks based on blood pressure, anthropometry and a panel of serum biomarkers. We diagnosed MetS, abnormal glucose metabolism and HTN according to Adult Treatment Panel III 2000 and World Health Organization guidelines. Results: Of 276 mothers, 157 (56.9% had histories of GDM while 23 (8.3% had histories of HDP. After full adjustment, we found associations of GDM episodes with postpartum abnormal glucose metabolism (single episode: relative risk (RR 2.9 (95% CI: 1.7, 4.8; recurrent episodes (≥2: RR = 3.8 (2.1–6.8. Also, we found association between histories of HDP and HTN (RR = 3.6 (1.5, 8.6. Having either (RR 2.6 (1.7–3.9 or both gestational complications (RR 2.7 (1.6–4.9 was associated with similar risk of postpartum cardio-metabolic disease. Conclusions: Mothers with GDM or HDP had a threefold increased risk of postpartum abnormal glucose metabolism or HTN, respectively. Having both GDM and HDP during past pregnancies was not associated with additional risk of postpartum cardio-metabolic diseases beyond that associated with either complication alone.

Contamination of RR Lyrae stars from Binary Evolution Pulsators

Science.gov (United States)

Karczmarek, Paulina; Pietrzyński, Grzegorz; Belczyński, Krzysztof; Stępień, Kazimierz; Wiktorowicz, Grzegorz; Iłkiewicz, Krystian

2016-06-01

Binary Evolution Pulsator (BEP) is an extremely low-mass member of a binary system, which pulsates as a result of a former mass transfer to its companion. BEP mimics RR Lyrae-type pulsations but has different internal structure and evolution history. We present possible evolution channels to produce BEPs, and evaluate the contamination value, i.e. how many objects classified as RR Lyrae stars can be undetected BEPs. In this analysis we use population synthesis code StarTrack.

Cancer risk in fathers and brothers of testicular cancer patients in Denmark. A population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Westergaard, T; Olsen, J H; Frisch, M; Kroman, N; Nielsen, J W; Melbye, M

1996-05-29

There are several reports of familial testicular cancer in the literature but few systematic attempts have been made to estimate the risk of testicular cancer in first-degree relatives of patients with this neoplasm, and the risk remains to be fully assessed in population-based studies. By means of data from the Danish Cancer Registry, we identified all testicular cancer patients (index cases) born and diagnosed during 1950-1993 in Denmark. Their fathers were identified from national registries, as were the brothers of a subcohort of these patients. Familial cancer occurrence was determined through linkage with the cancer registry and compared with the cancer incidence in the general male population in Denmark. The ratio of observed to expected cancers generated the measure used for the relative risk. Fathers of 2,113 index cases with testicular cancer experienced an almost 2-fold risk of developing testicular cancer themselves (RR = 1.96; 95% CI: 1.01-3.43). Overall, the fathers had a decreased relative cancer risk (RR = 0.84; 95% CI: 0.74-0.95) with a significantly decreased risk of cancers of the lung and digestive organs. Brothers of a subcohort of 702 index cases showed a markedly increased risk of testicular cancer (RR = 12.3; 95% CI: 3.3-3 1.5). In conclusion, we documented a significantly increased familial risk of testicular cancer which was relatively more pronounced between brothers than between fathers and sons. These findings support the possible involvement of a genetic component in the aetiology of testicular cancer, but also leave room for a hypothesized influence of in-utero exposures, such as specific maternal hormone levels, that might be shared by brothers.

Chemical abundances and physical parameters of RR Lyrae stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manduca, A.

1980-01-01

A grid of model stellar atmospheres has been calculated with a range of physical parameters which effectively cover RR Lyrae stars over all phases of their pulsation cycle. The models, calculated with the computer program MARCS, are flux-constant and include the effects of convection and line blanketing. Synthetic spectra were calculated for these models from 3000 A to 9600 A at 0.1 A resolution using the computer program SSG. These spectra were used directly in the applications below and were also used to computer theoretical colors on the UBVR, Stromgren uvby, and Walraven systems for the models. The uvby colors were used in determinations of effective temperature and surface gravity from photometry by various observers. The models, synthetic spectra, and colors were then applied to the problems detailed below. The data collected by Freeman and Rodgers (1975) for 25 RR Lyrae stars in ω Cen was reanalyzed with an alternative, synthetic spectrum approach to the calibration of their theoretical relations. The results confirm a wide range in calcium abundance for the stars in the cluster but at much lower values than reported by Freeman and Rodgers: a range of [Ca/H] = -1.0 to -1.9 was found. A theoretical calibration was performed for the ΔS system of determining metal abundances for RR Lyrae stars. The results support the existing empirical calibration of Butler in the range [Fe/H] = -0.6 to -2.2 and indicate how the calibration should be extrapolated to even lower metal abundances. For higher metal abundances, however, our calibration yields [Fe/H] values lower than Butler by as much as 0.4. Possible explanations of this discrepancy are investigated and the implications are discussed

Social relationships and risk of dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal cohort studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuiper, Jisca S; Zuidersma, Marij; Oude Voshaar, Richard C; Zuidema, Sytse U; van den Heuvel, Edwin R; Stolk, Ronald P; Smidt, Nynke

2015-07-01

It is unclear to what extent poor social relationships are related to the development of dementia. A comprehensive systematic literature search identified 19 longitudinal cohort studies investigating the association between various social relationship factors and incident dementia in the general population. Relative risks (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis. Low social participation (RR: 1.41 (95% CI: 1.13-1.75)), less frequent social contact (RR: 1.57 (95% CI: 1.32-1.85)), and more loneliness (RR: 1.58 (95% CI: 1.19-2.09)) were statistically significant associated with incident dementia. The results of the association between social network size and dementia were inconsistent. No statistically significant association was found for low satisfaction with social network and the onset of dementia (RR: 1.25 (95% CI: 0.96-1.62). We conclude that social relationship factors that represent a lack of social interaction are associated with incident dementia. The strength of the associations between poor social interaction and incident dementia is comparable with other well-established risk factors for dementia, including low education attainment, physical inactivity, and late-life depression. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Decreasing Relative Risk Premium

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Frank

relative risk premium in the small implies decreasing relative risk premium in the large, and decreasing relative risk premium everywhere implies risk aversion. We finally show that preferences with decreasing relative risk premium may be equivalently expressed in terms of certain preferences on risky......We consider the risk premium demanded by a decision maker with wealth x in order to be indifferent between obtaining a new level of wealth y1 with certainty, or to participate in a lottery which either results in unchanged present wealth or a level of wealth y2 > y1. We define the relative risk...... premium as the quotient between the risk premium and the increase in wealth y1–x which the decision maker puts on the line by choosing the lottery in place of receiving y1 with certainty. We study preferences such that the relative risk premium is a decreasing function of present wealth, and we determine...

Soy food intake and risk of gastric cancer: A dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Weng, Ke-Gui; Yuan, Ya-Ling

2017-08-01

Epidemiological studies were inconsistent on the association between soy food intake and risk of gastric cancer (GC). This study aimed to determine the role of soy food intake in the development of GC.A systematic search was conducted in PubMed and Web of Science to identify all relevant studies. Study-specific relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled using a random-effects model, and the dose-response relationship between soy food intake and GC risk was also assessed.Thirteen prospective studies were identified with a total of 517,106 participants and 5800 cases. Among 11 types of soy food, high intake of total soy food (the highest vs the lowest category: RR: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.62-0.98) and nonfermented soy food (RR: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.50-0.79) were inversely associated with GC risk, while high intake of miso soup was associated with the risk in male (RR: 1.17, 95% CI: 1.02-1.36). In dose-response meta-analysis, total soy food intake (0-150 g/day) showed no significant association with GC risk, while high intake of nonfermented soy food was inversely related, especially an intake of more than 100 g/day. In male, miso soup intake (1-5 cups/day) was significantly associated with GC risk.High intake of nonfermented soy food might reduce the risk of GC, while miso soup intake might increase the risk in male.

On the relative role of different age groups in influenza epidemics.

Science.gov (United States)

Worby, Colin J; Chaves, Sandra S; Wallinga, Jacco; Lipsitch, Marc; Finelli, Lyn; Goldstein, Edward

2015-12-01

The identification of key "driver" groups in influenza epidemics is of much interest for the implementation of effective public health response strategies, including vaccination programs. However, the relative importance of different age groups in propagating epidemics is uncertain. During a communicable disease outbreak, some groups may be disproportionately represented during the outbreak's ascent due to increased susceptibility and/or contact rates. Such groups or subpopulations can be identified by considering the proportion of cases within the subpopulation occurring before (Bp) and after the epidemic peak (Ap) to calculate the subpopulation's relative risk, RR=Bp/Ap. We estimated RR for several subpopulations (age groups) using data on laboratory-confirmed US influenza hospitalizations during epidemics between 2009-2014. Additionally, we simulated various influenza outbreaks in an age-stratified population, relating the RR to the impact of vaccination in each subpopulation on the epidemic's initial effective reproductive number R_e(0). We found that children aged 5-17 had the highest estimates of RR during the five largest influenza A outbreaks, though the relative magnitude of RR in this age group compared to other age groups varied, being highest for the 2009 A/H1N1 pandemic. For the 2010-2011 and 2012-2013 influenza B epidemics, adults aged 18-49, and 0-4 year-olds had the highest estimates of RR respectively. For 83% of simulated epidemics, the group with the highest RR was also the group for which initial distribution of a given quantity of vaccine would result in the largest reduction of R_e(0). In the largest 40% of simulated outbreaks, the group with the highest RR and the largest vaccination impact was children 5-17. While the relative importance of different age groups in propagating influenza outbreaks varies, children aged 5-17 play the leading role during the largest influenza A epidemics. Extra vaccination efforts for this group may contribute

A case-control study of gallstones: a major risk factor for biliary tract cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Kato, I; Kato, K; Akai, S; Tominaga, S

1990-01-01

Because of the strong association between gallstones and biliary tract cancer, we conducted a case-control study of gallstones at Niigata Cancer Center Hospital. Eighty-six cases with gallstones (33 males and 53 females) and 116 hospital controls (56 males and 60 females) were surveyed by means of a self-administered questionnaire. Gallstones were categorized into cholesterol stones (25 cases) and pigment stones (30 cases) based on the appearance of the stones. In multivariate analyses based on an unconditional logistic regression model, the risk of total gallstones was positively associated with a taste for salty food (relative risk (RR) = 2.31, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.10-4.84), an intake of lettuce and cabbage (RR = 2.98, 95% CI: 1.47-6.06) and a family history of biliary diseases (RR = 5.63, 95% CI: 1.76-17.95), and inversely associated with an intake of salted and dried fish (RR = 0.16, 95% CI: 0.04-0.64). When analyzed by type of stones, cholesterol stones were associated with a taste for oily food (RR = 3.87, 95% CI: 1.36-11.03) and pigment stones were positively associated with professional or administrative occupation (RR = 4.74, 95% CI: 1.35-16.68) and inversely associated with a taste for less greasy food (RR = 0.28, 95% CI: 0.10-0.83). Some of these results are consistent with the results of our previous study on biliary tract cancer.

Cancer risk among insulin users: comparing analogues with human insulin in the CARING five-country cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

But, Anna; De Bruin, Marie L; Bazelier, Marloes T; Hjellvik, Vidar; Andersen, Morten; Auvinen, Anssi; Starup-Linde, Jakob; Schmidt, Marjanka K; Furu, Kari; de Vries, Frank; Karlstad, Øystein; Ekström, Nils; Haukka, Jari

2017-09-01

The aim of this work was to investigate the relationship between use of certain insulins and risk for cancer, when addressing the limitations and biases involved in previous studies. National Health Registries from Denmark (1996-2010), Finland (1996-2011), Norway (2005-2010) and Sweden (2007-2012) and the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink database (1987-2013) were used to conduct a cohort study on new insulin users (N = 327,112). By using a common data model and semi-aggregate approach, we pooled individual-level records from five cohorts and applied Poisson regression models. For each of ten cancer sites studied, we estimated the rate ratios (RRs) by duration (≤0.5, 0.5-1, 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, 4-5, 5-6 and >6 years) of cumulative exposure to insulin glargine or insulin detemir relative to that of human insulin. A total of 21,390 cancer cases occurred during a mean follow-up of 4.6 years. No trend with cumulative treatment time for insulin glargine relative to human insulin was observed in risk for any of the ten studied cancer types. Of the 136 associations tested in the main analysis, only a few increased and decreased risks were found: among women, a higher risk was observed for colorectal (RR 1.54, 95% CI 1.06, 2.25) and endometrial cancer (RR 1.78, 95% CI 1.07, 2.94) for ≤0.5 years of treatment and for malignant melanoma for 2-3 years (RR 1.92, 95% CI 1.02, 3.61) and 4-5 years (RR 3.55, 95% CI 1.68, 7.47]); among men, a lower risk was observed for pancreatic cancer for 2-3 years (RR 0.34, 95% CI 0.17, 0.66) and for liver cancer for 3-4 years (RR 0.36, 95% CI 0.14, 0.94) and >6 years (RR 0.22, 95% CI 0.05, 0.92). Comparisons of insulin detemir with human insulin also showed no consistent differences. The present multi-country study found no evidence of consistent differences in risk for ten cancers for insulin glargine or insulin detemir use compared with human insulin, at follow-up exceeding 5 years.

VBLUM photometry of RR Lyrae stars in ω Cen and M4

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DeBruijn, J.W.; Lub, J.

1987-01-01

Multicolour VBLUW photometry of RR Lyrae stars in the globular clusters M4 and ω Cen is used to derive information on reddening, blanketing, effective temperatures and gravity of these stars. The methods employed in the literature to determine the reddening of globular clusters from the UBV colours of the RR Lyrae stars are in complete agreement with the results from VBLUW photometry. The most important conclusions of the present work are: the close similarity between the RR Lyrae variables in the field and in globular clusters, and the agreement between the reddenings derived for RR Lyrae in the field and in globular clusters. This means that at least one parameter which normally is taken as a free parameter in studying globular cluster colour magnitude diagrams can be constrained very precisely

[Heart rate variability study based on a novel RdR RR Intervals Scatter Plot].

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Hongwei; Lu, Xiuyun; Wang, Chunfang; Hua, Youyuan; Tian, Jiajia; Liu, Shihai

2014-08-01

On the basis of Poincare scatter plot and first order difference scatter plot, a novel heart rate variability (HRV) analysis method based on scatter plots of RR intervals and first order difference of RR intervals (namely, RdR) was proposed. The abscissa of the RdR scatter plot, the x-axis, is RR intervals and the ordinate, y-axis, is the difference between successive RR intervals. The RdR scatter plot includes the information of RR intervals and the difference between successive RR intervals, which captures more HRV information. By RdR scatter plot analysis of some records of MIT-BIH arrhythmias database, we found that the scatter plot of uncoupled premature ventricular contraction (PVC), coupled ventricular bigeminy and ventricular trigeminy PVC had specific graphic characteristics. The RdR scatter plot method has higher detecting performance than the Poincare scatter plot method, and simpler and more intuitive than the first order difference method.

Risk factors for the progression of periodontal disease in a Greek adult population.

Science.gov (United States)

Chrysanthakopoulos, Nikolaos A

2017-05-01

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the progression risk factors of periodontal disease by individual characteristics at baseline in a Greek adult population. The study sample consisted of 854 individuals. All participants were clinically examined and answered questions regarding sex, smoking status, socioeconomic status, low educational level, frequency of dental follow up, and oral hygiene habits. Serum levels of disease markers were investigated, and attachment levels were clinically recorded. For the assessment of periodontal disease progression, additional clinical attachment loss (CAL) was used if one or more sites showed a 3 mm or more increase in probing attachment level over a 2-year period. Statistical analysis was performed by using a modified multiple Poisson's analysis model. A total of 74% of the participants exhibited additional CAL over a 2-year period. Significant associations were observed between additional CAL and smoking (relative risk [RR] = 0.78, 95% confidence level [CI] = 0.65-0.92), attachment level of 5 mm or more at baseline (RR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.75-1.05), educational level (RR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.76-1.07), socioeconomic status (RR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.59-1.14), and irregular dental follow up (RR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.04-1.45). Smoking, baseline attachment level of 5 mm or more, low educational level, low socioeconomic status, and irregular dental follow up could be considered risk factors for further CAL. © 2015 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Meat intake and risk of diverticulitis among men.

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Yin; Strate, Lisa L; Keeley, Brieze R; Tam, Idy; Wu, Kana; Giovannucci, Edward L; Chan, Andrew T

2018-03-01

Diverticulitis is a common disease with a substantial clinical and economic burden. Besides dietary fibre, the role of other foods in the prevention of diverticulitis is underexplored. We prospectively examined the association between consumption of meat (total red meat, red unprocessed meat, red processed meat, poultry and fish) with risk of incident diverticulitis among 46 461 men enrolled in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (1986-2012). Cox proportional hazards models were used to compute relative risks (RRs) and 95% CIs. During 651 970 person-years of follow-up, we documented 764 cases of incident diverticulitis. Compared with men in the lowest quintile (Q1) of total red meat consumption, men in the highest quintile (Q5) had a multivariable RR of 1.58 (95% CI 1.19 to 2.11; p for trend=0.01). The increase in risk was non-linear, plateauing after six servings per week (p for non-linearity=0.002). The association was stronger for unprocessed red meat (RR for Q5 vs Q1: 1.51; 95% CI 1.12 to 2.03; p for trend=0.03) than for processed red meat (RR for Q5 vs Q1: 1.03; 95% CI 0.78 to 1.35; p for trend=0.26). Higher consumption of poultry or fish was not associated with risk of diverticulitis. However, the substitution of poultry or fish for one serving of unprocessed red meat per day was associated with a decrease in risk of diverticulitis (multivariable RR 0.80; 95% CI 0.63 to 0.99). Red meat intake, particularly unprocessed red meat, was associated with an increased risk of diverticulitis. The findings provide practical dietary guidance for patients at risk of diverticulitis. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Unmixing the Galactic halo with RR Lyrae tagging

Science.gov (United States)

Belokurov, V.; Deason, A. J.; Koposov, S. E.; Catelan, M.; Erkal, D.; Drake, A. J.; Evans, N. W.

2018-06-01

We show that tagging RR Lyrae stars according to their location in the period-amplitude diagram can be used to shed light on the genesis of the Galactic stellar halo. The mixture of RR Lyrae of ab type, separated into classes along the lines suggested by Oosterhoff, displays a strong and coherent evolution with Galactocentric radius. The change in the RR Lyrae composition appears to coincide with the break in the halo's radial density profile at ˜25 kpc. Using simple models of the stellar halo, we establish that at least three different types of accretion events are necessary to explain the observed RRab behaviour. Given that there exists a correlation between the RRab class fraction and the total stellar content of a dwarf satellite, we hypothesize that the field halo RRab composition is controlled by the mass of the progenitor contributing the bulk of the stellar debris at the given radius. This idea is tested against a suite of cosmological zoom-in simulations of Milky Way-like stellar halo formation. Finally, we study some of the most prominent stellar streams in the Milky Way halo and demonstrate that their RRab class fractions follow the trends established previously.

Legionella spp. Risk Assessment in Recreational and Garden Areas of Hotels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonios Papadakis

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Several Travel-associated Legionnaires’ disease (TALD cases occur annually in Europe. Except from the most obvious sites (cooling towers and hot water systems, infections can also be associated with recreational, water feature, and garden areas of hotels. This argument is of great interest to better comprehend the colonization and to calculate the risk to human health of these sites. From July 2000–November 2017, the public health authorities of the Island of Crete (Greece inspected 119 hotels associated with TALD, as reported through the European Legionnaires’ Disease Surveillance Network. Five hundred and eighteen samples were collected from decorative fountain ponds, showers near pools and spas, swimming pools, spa pools, garden sprinklers, drip irrigation systems (reclaimed water and soil. Of those, 67 (12.93%, originating from 43 (35.83% hotels, tested positive for Legionella (Legionella pneumophila serogroups 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15 and non-pneumophila species (L. anisa, L. erythra, L. taurinensis, L. birminghamensis, L. rubrilucens. A Relative Risk (R.R. > 1 (p < 0.0001 was calculated for chlorine concentrations of less than 0.2 mg/L (R.R.: 54.78, star classification (<4 (R.R.: 4.75 and absence of Water Safety Plan implementation (R.R.: 3.96. High risk (≥104 CFU/L was estimated for pool showers (16.42%, garden sprinklers (7.46% and pool water (5.97%.

Legionella spp. Risk Assessment in Recreational and Garden Areas of Hotels.

Science.gov (United States)

Papadakis, Antonios; Chochlakis, Dimosthenis; Sandalakis, Vassilios; Keramarou, Maria; Tselentis, Yannis; Psaroulaki, Anna

2018-03-26

Several Travel-associated Legionnaires' disease (TALD) cases occur annually in Europe. Except from the most obvious sites (cooling towers and hot water systems), infections can also be associated with recreational, water feature, and garden areas of hotels. This argument is of great interest to better comprehend the colonization and to calculate the risk to human health of these sites. From July 2000-November 2017, the public health authorities of the Island of Crete (Greece) inspected 119 hotels associated with TALD, as reported through the European Legionnaires' Disease Surveillance Network. Five hundred and eighteen samples were collected from decorative fountain ponds, showers near pools and spas, swimming pools, spa pools, garden sprinklers, drip irrigation systems (reclaimed water) and soil. Of those, 67 (12.93%), originating from 43 (35.83%) hotels, tested positive for Legionella ( Legionella pneumophila serogroups 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15 and non-pneumophila species ( L. anisa , L. erythra , L. taurinensis , L. birminghamensis , L. rubrilucens ). A Relative Risk (R.R.) > 1 ( p < 0.0001) was calculated for chlorine concentrations of less than 0.2 mg/L (R.R.: 54.78), star classification (<4) (R.R.: 4.75) and absence of Water Safety Plan implementation (R.R.: 3.96). High risk (≥10⁴ CFU/L) was estimated for pool showers (16.42%), garden sprinklers (7.46%) and pool water (5.97%).

Coffee Consumption and Risk of Gastric Cancer: A Large Updated Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Feiyue Xie

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The potential role of coffee consumption in the development of various types of cancer has been extensively investigated in epidemiologic studies. How coffee consumption may modulate risk of gastric cancer, however, remains a subject open for investigation. To better quantify this relation, we quantitatively summarized evidence from prospective studies. Eligible studies were identified on PubMed and Embase databases. The summary risk estimates were obtained using the random-effects model. Subgroup, sensitivity and dose-response analyses were conducted. The present meta-analysis included 12 prospective cohort studies. A pooled analysis of these studies suggested that coffee consumption (highest vs. lowest consumption was not associated with risk of gastric cancer (RR = 1.12, 95% CI = 0.93–1.36. In the subgroup analysis, significant increased risk was detected in the U.S. studies (RR = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.06–1.74 and in the studies with <10 years of follow-up (RR = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.00–1.54, and the greatest increase in risk was observed in those studies without adjustment for smoking (RR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.13–1.93. There was some evidence of publication bias (P for Egger’s test = 0.03. Cumulative evidence from prospective studies suggests that coffee consumption is not associated with risk of gastric cancer. The observed positive results may be confounded by smoking and need further investigation.

Gestational age, birth weight, and the risk of hyperkinetic disorder

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Linnet, Karen M; Wisborg, Kirsten; Agerbo, Esben

2006-01-01

AIMS: To study the association between gestational age and birth weight and the risk of clinically verified hyperkinetic disorder. METHODS: Nested case-control study of 834 cases and 20 100 controls with incidence density sampling. RESULTS: Compared with children born at term, children born...... with gestational ages of 34-36 completed weeks had a 70% increased risk of hyperkinetic disorder (rate ratio (RR) 1.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2 to 2.5). Children with gestational ages below 34 completed weeks had an almost threefold increased risk (RR 2.7, 95% CI 1.8 to 4.1). Children born at term...... with birth weights of 1500-2499 g had a 90% increased risk of hyperkinetic disorder (RR 1.9, 95% CI 1.2 to 2.9), and children with birth weights of 2500-2999 g had a 50% increased risk (RR 1.5, 95% CI 1.2 to 1.8) compared with children born at term with birth weights above 2999 g. The results were adjusted...

Period Changes of 23 Field RR Lyrae Stars

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Soo-Chang Rey

1994-12-01

Full Text Available The secular period behavior of 23 field RR Lyrae stars is studied in order to determine if the observed period changes could be attributed, at least in the mean, to stellar evolution. The sample of stars is subdivided into two Oosterhoff groups based on the metallicity and period-shift. Despite the small sample size, we found a distinct bias toward positive period changes in the group variables. The period changes of the group variables in globular clusters. This provides yet another support for the Lee, Demarque, and Zinn(1990 evolutionary models of RR Lyrae stars and their explanation of the Sandage period-shift effect.

Preconception and early pregnancy air pollution exposures and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Robledo, Candace A. [Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Epidemiology Branch, Rockville, MD 20892 (United States); Mendola, Pauline, E-mail: pauline.mendola@mail.nih.gov [Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Epidemiology Branch, Rockville, MD 20892 (United States); Yeung, Edwina; Männistö, Tuija [Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Epidemiology Branch, Rockville, MD 20892 (United States); Sundaram, Rajeshwari; Liu, Danping [Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Branch, Rockville, MD 20892 (United States); Ying, Qi [Texas A& M University, Zachary Department of Civil Engineering, College Station, TX 77845 (United States); Sherman, Seth [The EMMES Corporation, Rockville, MD 20852 (United States); Grantz, Katherine L. [Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Epidemiology Branch, Rockville, MD 20892 (United States)

2015-02-15

Background: Air pollution has been linked to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) but no studies have evaluated impact of preconception and early pregnancy air pollution exposures on GDM risk. Methods: Electronic medical records provided data on 219,952 singleton deliveries to mothers with (n=11,334) and without GDM (n=208,618). Average maternal exposures to particulate matter (PM) ≤ 2.5 μm (PM{sub 2.5}) and PM{sub 2.5} constituents, PM ≤ 10 μm (PM{sub 10}), nitrogen oxides (NO{sub x}), carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide (SO{sub 2}) and ozone (O{sub 3}) were estimated for the 3-month preconception window, first trimester, and gestational weeks 1–24 based on modified Community Multiscale Air Quality models for delivery hospital referral regions. Binary regression models with robust standard errors estimated relative risks (RR) for GDM per interquartile range (IQR) increase in pollutant concentrations adjusted for study site, maternal age and race/ethnicity. Results: Preconception maternal exposure to NO{sub X} (RR=1.09, 95% CI: 1.04, 1.13) and SO{sub 2} (RR=1.05, 1.01, 1.09) were associated with increased risk of subsequent GDM and risk estimates remained elevated for first trimester exposure. Preconception O{sub 3} was associated with lower risk of subsequent GDM (RR=0.93, 0.90, 0.96) but risks increased later in pregnancy. Conclusion: Maternal exposures to NO{sub x} and SO{sub 2} preconception and during the first few weeks of pregnancy were associated with increased GDM risk. O{sub 3} appeared to increase GDM risk in association with mid-pregnancy exposure but not in earlier time windows. These common exposures merit further investigation. - Highlights: • Air pollution may be related to gestational diabetes (GDM). • No prior studies have examined preconception exposure. • Maternal exposure to NO{sub x} and SO{sub 2} before conception increased subsequent GDM risk. • NO{sub x} and SO{sub 2} exposure in the first seven weeks of pregnancy also increased

Improvement in spine bone density and reduction in risk of vertebral fractures during treatment with antiresorptive drugs.

Science.gov (United States)

Cummings, Steven R; Karpf, David B; Harris, Fran; Genant, Harry K; Ensrud, Kristine; LaCroix, Andrea Z; Black, Dennis M

2002-03-01

To estimate how much the improvement in bone mass accounts for the reduction in risk of vertebral fracture that has been observed in randomized trials of antiresorptive treatments for osteoporosis. After a systematic search, we conducted a meta-analysis of 12 trials to describe the relation between improvement in spine bone mineral density and reduction in risk of vertebral fracture in postmenopausal women. We also used logistic models to estimate the proportion of the reduction in risk of vertebral fracture observed with alendronate in the Fracture Intervention Trial that was due to improvement in bone mineral density. Across the 12 trials, a 1% improvement in spine bone mineral density was associated with a 0.03 decrease (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.02 to 0.05) in the relative risk (RR) of vertebral fracture. The reductions in risk were greater than predicted from improvement in bone mineral density; for example, the model estimated that treatments predicted to reduce fracture risk by 20% (RR = 0.80), based on improvement in bone mineral density, actually reduce the risk of fracture by about 45% (RR = 0.55). In the Fracture Intervention Trial, improvement in spine bone mineral density explained 16% (95% CI: 11% to 27%) of the reduction in the risk of vertebral fracture with alendronate. Improvement in spine bone mineral density during treatment with antiresorptive drugs accounts for a predictable but small part of the observed reduction in the risk of vertebral fracture.

Wood dust exposure and lung cancer risk: a meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hancock, David G; Langley, Mary E; Chia, Kwan Leung; Woodman, Richard J; Shanahan, E Michael

2015-12-01

Occupational lung cancers represent a major health burden due to their increasing prevalence and poor long-term outcomes. While wood dust is a confirmed human carcinogen, its association with lung cancer remains unclear due to inconsistent findings in the literature. We aimed to clarify this association using meta-analysis. We performed a search of 10 databases to identify studies published until June 2014. We assessed the lung cancer risk associated with wood dust exposure as the primary outcome and with wood dust-related occupations as a secondary outcome. Random-effects models were used to pool summary risk estimates. 85 publications were included in the meta-analysis. A significantly increased risk for developing lung cancer was observed among studies that directly assessed wood dust exposure (RR 1.21, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.39, n=33) and that assessed wood dust-related occupations (RR 1.15, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.23, n=59). In contrast, a reduced risk for lung cancer was observed among wood dust (RR 0.63, 95% CI 0.39 to 0.99, n=5) and occupation (RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.95 to 0.98, n=1) studies originating in Nordic countries, where softwood dust is the primary exposure. These results were independent of the presence of adjustment for smoking and exposure classification methods. Only minor differences in risk between the histological subtypes were identified. This meta-analysis provides strong evidence for an association between wood dust and lung cancer, which is critically influenced by the geographic region of the study. The reasons for this region-specific effect estimates remain to be clarified, but may suggest a differential effect for hardwood and softwood dusts. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

QT/RR Coupling and Gender Differences

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Halámek, Josef; Jurák, Pavel; Lipoldová, J.; Leinveber, Pavel

2010-01-01

Roč. 37, - (2010), s. 365-368 ISSN 0276-6574 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA102/08/1129 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20650511 Keywords : THEW * QT/RR model * EXPDC Subject RIV: JA - Electronics ; Optoelectronics, Electrical Engineering http://cinc.mit.edu/archives/2010/pdf/0365.pdf

Risk of Stroke in Migraineurs Using Triptans. Associations with Age, Sex, Stroke Severity and Subtype

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Albieri, Vanna; Olsen, Tom Skyhøj; Andersen, Klaus Kaae

2016-01-01

for a first stroke were identified in the Danish Registries. Information on stroke severity/subtype and cardiovascular risk factors was available for stroke patients. FINDINGS: Of the 49,711 patients hospitalized for a first stroke, 1084 were migraineurs using triptans. Adjusting for age, sex, income......, and educational level, risk for stroke was higher among migraineurs in respect to all strokes (RR 1.07; CI 1.01-1.14) and ischemic strokes (RR 1.07; CI 1.00-1.14). Risk for hemorrhagic stroke was increased but only in women (RR 1.41; CI 1.11-1.79). Risk was for mild strokes (RR 1.31; CI 1.16-1.48) while risk...

Dietary nitrate and nitrite and the risk of thyroid cancer in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kilfoy, Briseis A; Zhang, Yawei; Park, Yikyung; Holford, Theodore R; Schatzkin, Arthur; Hollenbeck, Albert; Ward, Mary H

2011-07-01

During the past several decades, an increasing incidence of thyroid cancer has been observed worldwide. Nitrate inhibits iodide uptake by the thyroid, potentially disrupting thyroid function. An increased risk of thyroid cancer associated with nitrate intake was recently reported in a cohort study of older women in Iowa. We evaluated dietary nitrate and nitrite intake and thyroid cancer risk overall and for subtypes in the National Institutes of Health-American Association of Retired Persons (NIH-AARP) Diet and Health Study, a large prospective cohort of 490,194 men and women, ages 50-71 years in 1995-1996. Dietary intakes were assessed using a 124-item food frequency questionnaire. During an average of 7 years of follow-up we identified 370 incident thyroid cancer cases (170 men, 200 women) with complete dietary information. Among men, increasing nitrate intake was positively associated with thyroid cancer risk (relative risk [RR] for the highest quintile versus lowest quintile RR = 2.28, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.29-4.041; p-trend cancer for either men or women. We evaluated risk for the two main types of thyroid cancer. We found positive associations for nitrate intake and both papillary (RR = 2.10; 95% CI: 1.09-4.05; p-trend = 0.05) and follicular thyroid cancer (RR = 3.42; 95% CI: 1.03-11.4; p-trend = 0.01) among men. Nitrite intake was associated with increased risk of follicular thyroid cancer (RR = 2.74; 95%CI: 0.86-8.77; p-trend = 0.04) among men. Our results support a role of nitrate in thyroid cancer risk and suggest that further studies to investigate these exposures are warranted. Published 2010 UICC.

Recurrence of Subdural Haematoma in a Population-Based Cohort - Risks and Predictive Factors.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Linnea Schmidt

Full Text Available To estimate the risks of and identify predictors for recurrent subdural haematoma in surgically and conservatively treated patients.The cohort comprised all individuals diagnosed with a first-time subdural hematoma in Denmark 1996-2011. Information on potential predictors was retrieved from the Danish health registers. Cumulative recurrence risks were estimated using the Aalen-Johansen estimator. Rate ratios (RR were estimated using Poisson regression.Among 10,158 individuals with a subdural hematoma, 1,555 had a recurrent event. The cumulative risk of recurrent subdural hematoma was 9% at 4 weeks after the primary bleeding, increasing to and stabilising at 14% after one year. Predictors associated with recurrence were: Male sex (RR 1.60, 95% CI:1.43-1.80, older age (>70 years compared to 20-49 years; RR 1.41, 95% CI: 1.21-1.65, alcohol addiction (RR 1.20, 95% CI:1.04-1.37, surgical treatment (RR 1.76, 95% CI:1.58-1.96, trauma diagnoses (RR 1.14, 95% CI:1.03-1.27, and diabetes mellitus (RR 1.40, 95% CI:1.11-1.74. Out of a selected combination of risk factors, the highest cumulative 1-year recurrence risks for subdural hematoma of 25% (compared to 14% for all patients was found in surgically treated males with diabetes mellitus.The recurrence risk of subdural hematoma is largely limited to the first year. Patient characteristics including co-morbidities greatly influence the recurrence risk of SDH, suggesting that individualized prognostic guidance and follow-up is needed.

Incidence and Risk Factors for Major Hematomas in Aesthetic Surgery: Analysis of 129,007 Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaoutzanis, Christodoulos; Winocour, Julian; Gupta, Varun; Ganesh Kumar, Nishant; Sarosiek, Konrad; Wormer, Blair; Tokin, Christopher; Grotting, James C; Higdon, K Kye

2017-10-16

Postoperative hematomas are one of the most frequent complications following aesthetic surgery. Identifying risk factors for hematoma has been limited by underpowered studies from single institution experiences. To examine the incidence and identify independent risk factors for postoperative hematomas following cosmetic surgery utilizing a prospective, multicenter database. A prospectively enrolled cohort of patients who underwent aesthetic surgery between 2008 and 2013 was identified from the CosmetAssure database. Primary outcome was occurrence of major hematomas requiring emergency room visit, hospital admission, or reoperation within 30 days of the index operation. Univariate and multivariate analysis was used to identify potential risk factors for hematomas including age, gender, body mass index (BMI), smoking, diabetes, type of surgical facility, procedure by body region, and combined procedures. Of 129,007 patients, 1180 (0.91%) had a major hematoma. Mean age (42.0 ± 13.0 years vs 40.9 ± 13.9 years, P hematomas. Males suffered more hematomas than females (1.4% vs 0.9%, P Hematoma rates were higher in patients undergoing combined procedures compared to single procedures (1.1% vs 0.8%, P hematoma included age (Relative Risk [RR] 1.01), male gender (RR 1.98), the procedure being performed in a hospital setting rather than an office-based setting (RR 1.68), combined procedures (RR 1.35), and breast procedures rather than the body/extremity and face procedures (RR 1.81). Major hematoma is the most common complication following aesthetic surgery. Male patients and those undergoing breast or combined procedures have a significantly higher risk of developing hematomas. 2. © 2017 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc. Reprints and permission: journals.permissions@oup.com

Risk of upper and lower gastrointestinal bleeding in patients taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antiplatelet agents, or anticoagulants.

Science.gov (United States)

Lanas, Ángel; Carrera-Lasfuentes, Patricia; Arguedas, Yolanda; García, Santiago; Bujanda, Luis; Calvet, Xavier; Ponce, Julio; Perez-Aísa, Ángeles; Castro, Manuel; Muñoz, Maria; Sostres, Carlos; García-Rodríguez, Luis A

2015-05-01

Treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or low-dose aspirin is associated with increased risk of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. There is little evidence on the risk of lower gastrointestinal bleeding with NSAIDs, antiplatelet agents (APAs), or anticoagulants. We aimed to quantify the relative risk (RR) of upper and lower gastrointestinal bleeding associated with use of NSAIDs, APAs, or anticoagulants. We performed a case-control study that used data collected from consecutive patients hospitalized for gastrointestinal bleeding (563 upper, mean age, 63.6 ± 16.7 years and 415 lower, mean age, 70.8 ± 13.8 years), confirmed by endoscopy or other diagnostic procedures. Unhospitalized patients were used as controls (n = 1008) and matched for age, hospital, and month of admission. Drug use was considered current when taken within 7 days or less before hospitalization. RRs and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by unconditional logistic regression analysis. Use of anticoagulants, low-dose aspirin, and other drugs (non-aspirin-APA, 82.3% thienopiridines) was associated with upper and lower gastrointestinal bleeding; the risk was 2-fold higher for anticoagulants (RR, 4.2; 95% CI, 2.9-6.2) than for low-dose aspirin (RR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.4-3.3) or other non-aspirin-APA drugs (RR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.6-2.6). NSAID use was also associated with increased risk of gastrointestinal bleeding and greater for upper (RR, 2.6; 95% CI, 2.0-3.5) than lower gastrointestinal bleeding (RR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.0-1.9). Use of proton pump inhibitors was associated with reduced risk of upper, but not lower, gastrointestinal bleeding. Anticoagulants, low-dose aspirin, NSAIDs, and other non-aspirin-APA drugs are associated with increased risk of upper and lower gastrointestinal bleeding. Use of anticoagulants appears to be the strongest risk factor for gastrointestinal bleeding. Copyright © 2015 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Acute Myocardial Infarction: The First Manifestation of Ischemic Heart Disease and Relation to Risk Factors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manfroi Waldomiro Carlos

2002-01-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between cardiovascular risk factors and acute myocardial infarction as the first manifestation of ischemic heart disease, correlating them with coronary angiographic findings. METHODS: We carried out a cross-sectional study of 104 patients with previous acute myocardial infarction, who were divided into 2 groups according to the presence or absence of angina prior to acute myocardial infarction. We assessed the presence of angina preceding acute myocardial infarction and risk factors, such as age >55 years, male sex, smoking, systemic arterial hypertension, lipid profile, diabetes mellitus, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and familial history of ischemic heart disease. On coronary angiography, the severity of coronary heart disease and presence of left ventricular hypertrophy were assessed. RESULTS: Of the 104 patients studied, 72.1% were males, 90.4% were white, 73.1% were older than 55 years, and 53.8% were hypertensive. Acute myocardial infarction was the first manifestation of ischemic heart disease in 49% of the patients. The associated risk factors were systemic arterial hypertension (RR=0.19; 95% CI=0.06-0.59; P=0.04 and left ventricular hypertrophy (RR=0.27; 95% CI=0,.8-0.88; P=0.03. The remaining risk factors were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of acute myocardial infarction as the first manifestation of ischemic heart disease is high, approximately 50%. Hypertensive individuals more frequently have symptoms preceding acute myocardial infarction, probably due to ventricular hypertrophy associated with high blood pressure levels.

Reduced risk of UC in families affected by appendicitis: a Danish national cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Nyboe Andersen, Nynne; Gørtz, Sanne; Frisch, Morten; Jess, Tine

2017-08-01

The possible aetiological link between appendicitis and UC remains unclear. In order to investigate the hereditary component of the association, we studied the risk of UC in family members of individuals with appendicitis. A cohort of 7.1 million individuals was established by linkage of national registers in Denmark with data on kinship and diagnoses of appendicitis and UC. Poisson regression models were used to calculate first hospital contact rate ratios (RR) for UC with 95% CIs between individuals with or without relatives with a history of appendicitis. During 174 million person-years of follow-up between 1977 and 2011, a total of 190 004 cohort members developed appendicitis and 45 202 developed UC. Individuals having a first-degree relative with appendicitis before age 20 years had significantly reduced risk of UC (RR 0.90; 95% CI 0.86 to 0.95); this association was stronger in individuals with a family predisposition to UC (RR 0.66; 95% CI 0.51 to 0.83). Individuals with a first-degree relative diagnosed with appendicitis before age 20 years are at reduced risk of UC, particularly when there is a family predisposition to UC. Our findings question a previously hypothesised direct protective influence of appendicitis on inflammation of the large bowel. Rather, genetic or environmental factors linked to an increased risk of appendicitis while being protective against UC may explain the repeatedly reported reduced relative risk of UC in individuals with a history of appendicitis. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Risk of neurological, eye and ear disease in offspring to parents with schizophrenia or depression compared with offspring to healthy parents.

Science.gov (United States)

Gunnarsdóttir, Elin Dianna; Hällgren, Jonas; Hultman, Christina M; McNeil, Thomas F; Crisby, Milita; Sandin, Sven

2018-04-19

Neurological, visual and hearing deviations have been observed in the offspring of parents with schizophrenia. This study test whether children to parents hospitalized with schizophrenia have increased the likelihood of childhood neurological disorder. Among all parents in Sweden born 1950-1985 and with offspring born 1968-2002: 7107 children with a parent hospitalized for schizophrenia were compared to 172 982 children with no parents hospitalized for schizophrenia or major depression, as well as to 32 494 children with a parent hospitalized for major depression as a control population with another severe psychiatric outcome. We estimated relative risks (RR) and two-sided 95% confidence intervals calculated from Poisson regression. Children to parents with schizophrenia were more likely than controls to have been hospitalized before the age of 10 with a diagnosis of cerebral palsy, RR = 1.76 (95% CI: 1.15-2.69); epilepsy, RR = 1.78 (95% CI: 1.33-2.40), combined neurological disease, RR = 1.33 (95% CI: 1.11-1.60) and certain diseases of the eye, RR = 1.92 (95% CI: 1.17-3.15) and ear, RR = 1.18 (95% CI: 1.05-1.32). Similar disease-risk-pattern was found for children to parents hospitalized with a diagnosis of major depression. A specific risk increase for strabismus RR = 1.21 (95%CI: 1.05-1.40) was found for off-spring with parental depression. Compared with children to healthy parents, children to parents with schizophrenia have increased risk of a variety of neurological disorders as well as visual and hearing disorders at an early age. The risk increase was not specific to schizophrenia but was also seen in children to parents with a diagnosis of major depression.

A Mediterranean diet and risk of myocardial infarction, heart failure and stroke: A population-based cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Tektonidis, Thanasis G; Åkesson, Agneta; Gigante, Bruna; Wolk, Alicja; Larsson, Susanna C

2015-11-01

The Mediterranean diet, which is palatable and easily achievable, has been associated with lower all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence and mortality. Data on heart failure (HF) and stroke types are lacking. The aim was to examine a Mediterranean diet in relation to incidence of myocardial infarction (MI), HF and stroke types in a Swedish prospective cohort. In a population-based cohort of 32,921 women, diet was assessed through a self-administered questionnaire. The modified Mediterranean diet (mMED) score was created based on high consumption of vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, whole grains, fermented dairy products, fish and monounsaturated fat, moderate intakes of alcohol and low consumption of red meat, on a 0-8 scale. Relative risks (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI), adjusted for potential confounders, were estimated by Cox proportional hazards regression models. During 10 y of follow-up (1998-2008), 1109 MIs, 1648 HFs, 1270 ischemic strokes and 262 total hemorrhagic strokes were ascertained. A high adherence to the mMED score (6-8), compared to low, was associated with a lower risk of MI (RR: 0.74, 95% CI: 0.61-0.90, p = 0.003), HF (RR: 0.79, 95% CI: 0.68-0.93, p = 0.004) and ischemic stroke (RR: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.65-0.93, p = 0.007), but not hemorrhagic stroke (RR: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.61-1.29, p = 0.53). Better adherence to a Mediterranean diet was associated with lower risk of MI, HF and ischemic stroke. The Mediterranean diet is most likely to be beneficial in primary prevention of all major types of atherosclerosis-related CVD. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dose to the Contralateral Breast From Radiotherapy and Risk of Second Primary Breast Cancer in the WECARE Study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stovall, Marilyn; Smith, Susan A.; Langholz, Bryan M.; Boice, John D.; Shore, Roy E.; Andersson, Michael; Buchholz, Thomas A.; Capanu, Marinela; Bernstein, Leslie; Lynch, Charles F.; Malone, Kathleen E.; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Haile, Robert W.; Rosenstein, Barry S.

2008-01-01

Purpose: To quantify the risk of second primary breast cancer in the contralateral breast (CB) after radiotherapy (RT) for first breast cancer. Methods and Materials: The study population included participants in the Women's Environmental, Cancer, and Radiation Epidemiology study: 708 cases (women with asynchronous bilateral breast cancer) and 1399 controls (women with unilateral breast cancer) counter-matched on radiation treatment. Participants were 1.0 Gy of absorbed dose to the specific quadrant of the CB had a 2.5-fold greater risk for CB cancer than unexposed women (RR = 2.5, 95% CI 1.4-4.5). No excess risk was observed in women >40 years of age. Women 5 years had a RR of 3.0 (95% CI 1.1-8.1), and the dose response was significant (excess RR per Gy of 1.0, 95% CI 0.1-3.0). Conclusions: Women 1.0 Gy to the CB had an elevated, long-term risk of developing a second primary CB cancer. The risk is inversely related to age at exposure and is dose dependent

Incidence and risk of hematologic toxicities in cancer patients treated with regorafenib.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Bin; Zhao, Hong

2017-11-07

Regorafenib, an oral vascular endothelial growth factor receptor tyrosine-kinase inhibitor, has been approved for the treatment of several malignancies. As a non-traditional cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agent, regorafenib is often associated with hematologic toxicities. Here we searched PubMed and Embase up to June 2017 for relevant clinical trials. Eligible studies include trials in which subjects treated with 160 mg of regorafenib daily during the first 21 days of each 28-day cycle, and adequate safety data profile reporting thrombocytopenia, anemia, neutropenia and leucopenia. Statistical analyses were conducted to calculate the overall incidences, relative risks (RRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A total of 2,341 subjects from 16 trials were included in the present studies. The incidences of regorafenib associated all-grade and high-grade hematologic toxicities were: thrombocytopenia, 22% and 3%; anemia, 20% and 3%; neutropenia, 10% and 2%, and leucopenia, 13% and 2%, respectively. Regorafenib-treated subjects had a significant increased risk of all-grade (RR=6.35; 95% CI, 3.19-12.64) and high-grade (RR=6.27; 95% CI, 1.69-23.26) thrombocytopenia, all-grade (RR=2.76; 95% CI, 1.63-4.68) and high-grade (RR=5.38; 95% CI, 1.60-18.06) anemia. Our results suggested that regorafenib therapy was associated with significantly increased risks of hematological toxicities, and hematologic monitoring at regular intervals should be advised to clinician.

Cancer risk analysis among medical diagnostic X-ray workers in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Jixian; Li Benxiao; Gao Zhiwei; Xu Jun; Zhang Jingyuan; Aoyama, Takashi; Sugahara, Tsutomu

1997-01-01

To provide the evidence and related rules of human malignant tumors produced by prolonged exposure to low level ionizing radiation. The cancer incidence (1950-1990) among 27011 medical diagnostic X-ray workers was compared with that among 25782 other medical specialists employed between 1950 and 1980 in China by means of O/E system. A significantly elevated risk of cancer was seen among diagnostic x-ray workers (RR = 1.1,95%Cl:1.0-1.2,P <0.05). Significantly elevated risks were seen for leukemia and cancers of skin, female breast, liver and esophagus, the RR being 2.3, 5.0, 1.6, 1.3 and 4.4 respectively. The RR for leukemia was higher for X-ray workers who began employment before 1970 and also for those who were young when employment began. The patterns of risk associated with length of service and with age and calendar year of initial employment suggest that the excesses of leukemia, skin cancer and female breast cancer were due to occupational exposure to X-rays. The ERR and EAR for leukemia and solid cancer were calculated roughly. (author)

Lycopene Consumption and Risk of Colorectal Cancer: A Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xin; Yang, Hui-Hui; Liu, Yan; Zhou, Quan; Chen, Zi-Hua

2016-10-01

A number of epidemiological studies have explored the association between lycopene or lycopene-rich food intake and the risk of colorectal cancer, but the results of these studies have not been consistent. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies published in the PubMed and EMBASE databases to quantitatively assess the association between lycopene consumption and the risk of colorectal cancer. A total of 15 studies were included in the meta-analysis, and the summary relative risk (RR) for highest versus lowest category indicated no significant association between lycopene consumption and the risk of colorectal cancer [RR = 0.94, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.80-1.10]. However, a significant inverse association was observed between lycopene consumption and the site of cancer in the colon (RR = 0.88, 95% CI: 0.81-0.96). We also found that the incidence of colon cancer and lycopene intake did not exhibit dose-response relationships. The Grades of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) quality in our study was very low. In conclusion, this meta-analysis indicates that lycopene consumption is not associated with the risk of colorectal cancer. Further research will be needed in this area to provide conclusive evidence.

Risk of affective disorders following prenatal exposure to severe life events: a Danish population-based cohort study.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Khashan, Ali S

2012-01-31

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of prenatal exposure to severe life events on risk of affective disorders in the offspring. METHODS: In a cohort of 1.1 million Danish births from May 1978 until December 1997, mothers were considered exposed if one (or more) of their close relatives died or was diagnosed with serious illness up to 6 months before conception or during pregnancy. Offspring were followed up from their 10th birthday until their death, migration, onset of affective disorder or 31 December 2007; hospital admissions were identified by linkage to the Central Psychiatric Register. Log-linear Poisson regression was used for data analysis. RESULTS: The risk of affective disorders was increased in male offspring whose mothers were exposed to severe life events during the second trimester (adjusted RR 1.55 [95% CI 1.05-2.28]). There was an increased risk of male offspring affective disorders in relation to maternal exposure to death of a relative in the second trimester (adjusted RR 1.74 [95% CI 1.06-2.84]) or serious illness in a relative before pregnancy (adjusted RR 1.44 [95% CI 1.02-2.05]). There was no evidence for an association between prenatal exposure to severe life events and risk of female offspring affective disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Our population-based study suggests that prenatal maternal exposure to severe life events may increase the risk of affective disorders in male offspring. These findings are consistent with studies of populations exposed to famine and earthquake disasters which indicate that prenatal environment may influence the neurodevelopment of the unborn child.

Risk of breast cancer after false-positive results in mammographic screening.

Science.gov (United States)

Román, Marta; Castells, Xavier; Hofvind, Solveig; von Euler-Chelpin, My

2016-06-01

Women with false-positive results are commonly referred back to routine screening. Questions remain regarding their long-term outcome of breast cancer. We assessed the risk of screen-detected breast cancer in women with false-positive results. We conducted a joint analysis using individual level data from the population-based screening programs in Copenhagen and Funen in Denmark, Norway, and Spain. Overall, 150,383 screened women from Denmark (1991-2008), 612,138 from Norway (1996-2010), and 1,172,572 from Spain (1990-2006) were included. Poisson regression was used to estimate the relative risk (RR) of screen-detected cancer for women with false-positive versus negative results. We analyzed information from 1,935,093 women 50-69 years who underwent 6,094,515 screening exams. During an average 5.8 years of follow-up, 230,609 (11.9%) women received a false-positive result and 27,849 (1.4%) were diagnosed with screen-detected cancer. The adjusted RR of screen-detected cancer after a false-positive result was 2.01 (95% CI: 1.93-2.09). Women who tested false-positive at first screen had a RR of 1.86 (95% CI: 1.77-1.96), whereas those who tested false-positive at third screening had a RR of 2.42 (95% CI: 2.21-2.64). The RR of breast cancer at the screening test after the false-positive result was 3.95 (95% CI: 3.71-4.21), whereas it decreased to 1.25 (95% CI: 1.17-1.34) three or more screens after the false-positive result. Women with false-positive results had a twofold risk of screen-detected breast cancer compared to women with negative tests. The risk remained significantly higher three or more screens after the false-positive result. The increased risk should be considered when discussing stratified screening strategies. © 2016 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Bleeding Risk with Long-Term Low-Dose Aspirin: A Systematic Review of Observational Studies

Science.gov (United States)

García Rodríguez, Luis A.; Martín-Pérez, Mar; Hennekens, Charles H.; Rothwell, Peter M.; Lanas, Angel

2016-01-01

Background Low-dose aspirin has proven effectiveness in secondary and primary prevention of cardiovascular events, but is also associated with an increased risk of major bleeding events. For primary prevention, this absolute risk must be carefully weighed against the benefits of aspirin; such assessments are currently limited by a lack of data from general populations. Methods Systematic searches of Medline and Embase were conducted to identify observational studies published between 1946 and 4 March 2015 that reported the risks of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding or intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) with long-term, low-dose aspirin (75–325 mg/day). Pooled estimates of the relative risk (RR) for bleeding events with aspirin versus non-use were calculated using random-effects models, based on reported estimates of RR (including odds ratios, hazard ratios, incidence rate ratios and standardized incidence ratios) in 39 articles. Findings The incidence of GI bleeding with low-dose aspirin was 0.48–3.64 cases per 1000 person-years, and the overall pooled estimate of the RR with low-dose aspirin was 1.4 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2–1.7). For upper and lower GI bleeding, the RRs with low-dose aspirin were 2.3 (2.0–2.6) and 1.8 (1.1–3.0), respectively. Neither aspirin dose nor duration of use had consistent effects on RRs for upper GI bleeding. The estimated RR for ICH with low-dose aspirin was 1.4 (1.2–1.7) overall. Aspirin was associated with increased bleeding risks when combined with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, clopidogrel and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors compared with monotherapy. By contrast, concomitant use of proton pump inhibitors decreased upper GI bleeding risks relative to aspirin monotherapy. Conclusions The risks of major bleeding with low-dose aspirin in real-world settings are of a similar magnitude to those reported in randomized trials. These data will help inform clinical judgements regarding the use of low-dose aspirin

Analgesic use and the risk of kidney cancer: a meta-analysis of epidemiologic studies

Science.gov (United States)

Choueiri, Toni K.; Je, Youjin; Cho, Eunyoung

2013-01-01

Analgesics are the most commonly used over-the-counter drugs worldwide with certain analgesics having cancer prevention effect. The evidence for an increased risk of developing kidney cancer with analgesic use is mixed. Using a meta-analysis design of available observational epidemiologic studies, we investigated the association between analgesic use and kidney cancer risk. We searched the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases to identify eligible case-control or cohort studies published in English until June 2012 for 3 categories of analgesics: acetaminophen, aspirin or other Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs). Study-specific effect estimates were pooled to compute an overall relative risk (RR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) using a random effects model for each category of the analgesics. We identified 20 studies (14 with acetaminophen, 13 with aspirin, and 5 with other NSAIDs) that were performed in 6 countries, including 8,420 cases of kidney cancer. Use of acetaminophen and non-aspirin NSAIDs were associated with an increased risk of kidney cancer (pooled RR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.15 to 1.44 and 1.25; 95% CI, 1.06 to 1.46, respectively). For aspirin use, we found no overall increased risk (pooled RR, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.95 to 1.28), except for non-US studies (5 studies, pooled RR=1.17, 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.33). Similar increases in risks were seen with higher analgesic intake. In this largest meta-analysis to date, we found that acetaminophen and non-aspirin NSAIDs are associated with a significant risk of developing kidney cancer. Further work is needed to elucidate biologic mechanisms behind these findings. PMID:23400756

77 FR 27085 - R.R. Donnelley, Inc., Bloomsburg, PA; Notice of Negative Determination on Reconsideration

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-08

... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Employment and Training Administration [TA-W-80,485] R.R. Donnelley, Inc... workers of R.R. Donnelley, Inc., Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania (subject firm). The Department's Notice of... eligibility to apply for worker adjustment assistance for workers and former workers of R.R. Donnelley, Inc...

Atopy risk factors at birth and in adulthood.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferraz, Erica; Garcia, Clécia Aparecida; Bettiol, Heloísa; Caldeira, Roseane Durães; Cardoso, Viviane Cunha; Arruda, Luiza Karla; Barbieri, Marco Antônio; Vianna, Elcio Oliveira

2011-01-01

To study the association between atopy and variables such as weight, length, and socioeconomic level at birth and in young adulthood. A total of 2,063 subjects were investigated in a prospective birth cohort study of individuals born in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil, in 1978/1979, and examined at the age of 23-25 years. Skin prick tests (SPT) for eight common allergens in Brazil were performed. Subjects with a wheal reaction ≥ 3 mm to one or more of the eight allergens tested were considered to be atopic. We used the log-binomial model (generalized linear model) in order to assess the association between atopy and birth or adult variables. The prevalence of positive SPT was 47.6%. Male gender was associated with an increased risk of atopy (relative risk [RR] = 1.18; 95% confidence interval [95%CI] 1.07-1.30). Low level of schooling was a protective factor against atopy, with a RR = 0.74; 95%CI 0.62-0.89. Living with a smoker in childhood was also associated with lower risk of atopy (RR = 0.87; 95%CI 0.79-0.96). Birth weight, length and order, maternal age, and intrauterine growth restriction were not associated with positive SPT. This study showed that male gender was associated with an increased risk of atopy. Low socioeconomic status, assessed by low level of schooling, was a protective factor against atopy. These data agree with the hygiene hypothesis.

Dietary fiber and whole-grain consumption in relation to colorectal cancer in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study.

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Schatzkin, Arthur; Mouw, Traci; Park, Yikyung; Subar, Amy F; Kipnis, Victor; Hollenbeck, Albert; Leitzmann, Michael F; Thompson, Frances E

2007-05-01

Whether the intake of dietary fiber can protect against colorectal cancer is a long-standing question of considerable public health import, but the epidemiologic evidence has been inconsistent. The objective was to investigate the relation between dietary fiber and whole-grain food intakes and invasive colorectal cancer in the prospective National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study. The analytic cohort consisted of 291 988 men and 197 623 women aged 50-71 y. Diet was assessed with a self-administered food-frequency questionnaire at baseline in 1995-1996; 2974 incident colorectal cancer cases were identified during 5 y of follow-up. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the relative risks (RRs) and 95% CIs. Total dietary fiber intake was not associated with colorectal cancer. The multivariate RR for the highest compared with the lowest intake quintile (RR(Q5-Q1)) was 0.99 (95% CI: 0.85, 1.15; P for trend = 0.96). In analyses of fiber from different food sources, only fiber from grains was associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer (multivariate RR(Q5-Q1): 0.86; 95% CI: 0.76, 0.98; P for trend = 0.01). Whole-grain intake was inversely associated with colorectal cancer risk: the multivariate RR(Q5-Q1) was 0.79 (95% CI: 0.70, 0.89) for the whole cohort (P for trend cancer. In this large prospective cohort study, total dietary fiber intake was not associated with colorectal cancer risk, whereas whole-grain consumption was associated with a modest reduced risk.

Leisure-time physical activity, sedentary behaviors, sleep, and cardiometabolic risk factors at baseline in the PREDIMED-PLUS intervention trial: A cross-sectional analysis.

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Nuria Rosique-Esteban

Full Text Available Limited data exists on the interrelationships between physical activity (PA, sedentary behaviors and sleep concerning cardiometabolic risk factors in aged adults at high cardiovascular disease risk. Our aim was to examine independent and joint associations between time spent in leisure-time PA, sedentary behaviors and sleep on the prevalence of obesity, type 2 diabetes (T2D and components of the metabolic syndrome (MetS in Mediterranean individuals at high cardiovascular risk. Cross-sectional analyses were performed on baseline data from 5776 Spanish adults (aged 55-75y in men; 60-75y in women with overweight/obesity and MetS, from October 2013 to October 2016, in the PREDIMED-PLUS trial. Employing multivariable-adjusted Cox regression with robust variance and constant time (given the cross-sectional design, higher prevalence of obesity, T2D and abdominal obesity as component of the MetS were associated with greater time in TV-viewing (Relative Risk, RR: 1.02, 95%CI: 1.01, 1.03; RR:1.04, 95%CI: 1.02, 1.06 and RR: 1.01 95%CI: 1.00, 1.02; respectively, all P < .01. Conversely, greater time in moderate-vigorous PA (MVPA was associated with lower prevalence of obesity, T2D, abdominal obesity and low HDL-cholesterol (RR: 0.95, 95%CI: 0.93, 0.97; RR: 0.94, 95%CI: 0.89, 0.99; RR: 0.97, 95%CI: 0.96, 0.98; and RR: 0.95, 95%CI: 0.91, 0.99, respectively, all P < .05. For these outcomes, theoretically substituting 1-h/day of MVPA for 1-h/day TV-viewing was also significantly associated with lower prevalence (RR 0.91 to 0.97, all P < .05. Similar lower RR in these outcomes was observed when substituting 1-h/day of MVPA for 1-h/day of sleeping. Longer time watching TV and not meeting MVPA recommendations were jointly associated with higher RR of the prevalence of obesity and T2D. We concluded that, in senior individuals at high cardiovascular risk, greater time spent on MVPA and fewer on sedentary behaviors was inversely associated with prevalence of obesity

Work-related stress, inability to relax after work and risk of adult asthma: a population-based cohort study.

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Loerbroks, A; Gadinger, M C; Bosch, J A; Stürmer, T; Amelang, M

2010-10-01

There is an extensive literature linking stressful work conditions to adverse health outcomes. Notwithstanding, the relationship with asthma has not been examined, although various other measures of psychological stress have been associated with asthma. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the relation between work stress and asthma prevalence and incidence. We used data from a population-based cohort study (n = 5114 at baseline in 1992-1995 and n = 4010 at follow-up in 2002/2003). Asthma was measured by self-reports. Two scales that assessed psychologically adverse work conditions were extracted from a list of work-condition items by factor analysis (these scales were termed 'work stress' and 'inability to relax after work'). For each scale, the derived score was employed both as continuous z-score and as categorized variable in analyses. Associations with asthma were estimated by prevalence ratios (PRs) and risk ratios (RRs) using Poisson regression with a log-link function adjusting for demographics, health-related lifestyles, body mass index and family history of asthma. Analyses were restricted to those in employment (n = 3341). Work stress and inability to relax z-scores were positively associated with asthma prevalence (PR = 1.15, 95%CI = 0.97, 1.36 and PR = 1.43, 95%CI = 1.12, 1.83, respectively). Prospective analyses using z-scores showed that for each 1 standard deviation increase in work stress and inability to relax, the risk of asthma increased by approximately 40% (RR for work stress = 1.46, 95%CI = 1.06, 2.00; RR for inability to relax = 1.39, 95%CI = 1.01, 1.91). Similar patterns of associations were observed in analyses of categorized exposures. This is the first study to show a cross-sectional and longitudinal association of work stress with asthma.

Maternal Obesity: Risks for Developmental Delays in Early Childhood.

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Duffany, Kathleen O'Connor; McVeigh, Katharine H; Kershaw, Trace S; Lipkind, Heather S; Ickovics, Jeannette R

2016-02-01

To assess the risk for neurodevelopmental delays for children of mothers who were obese (≥200 pounds) prior to pregnancy, and to characterize delays associated with maternal obesity among children referred to and found eligible to receive Early Intervention Program services. We conducted a retrospective cohort study (N = 541,816) using a population-based New York City data warehouse with linked birth and Early Intervention data. Risks for children suspected of a delay and 'significantly delayed', with two moderate or one severe delay, were calculated. Among the group of children eligible by delay for Early Intervention, analyses assessed risk for being identified with a moderate-to-severe delay across each of five functional domains as well as risks for multiple delays. Children of mothers who were obese were more likely to be suspected of a delay (adjusted RR 1.19 [CI 1.15-1.22]) and borderline association for 'significantly delayed' (adjusted RR 1.01 [CI 1.00-1.02). Among children eligible by delay, children of mothers who were obese evidenced an increased risk for moderate-to-severe cognitive (adjusted RR 1.04 [CI 1.02-1.07]) and physical (adjusted RR 1.04 [CI 1.01-1.08]) delays and for global developmental delay (adjusted RR 1.05 [CI 1.01-1.08]). Maternal obesity is associated with increased risk of developmental delay in offspring. Among children with moderate or severe delays, maternal obesity is associated with increased risk of cognitive and physical delays as well as with increased risk for global developmental delay. While causation remains uncertain, this adds to the growing body of research reporting an association between maternal obesity and neurodevelopmental delays in offspring.

Allergic conditions and risk of hematological malignancies in adults: a cohort study

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Schwartzbaum Judith

2004-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Two contradictory hypotheses have been proposed to explain the relationship between allergic conditions and malignancies, the immune surveillance hypothesis and the antigenic stimulation hypothesis. The former advocates that allergic conditions may be protective against development of cancer, whereas the latter proposes an increased risk. This relationship has been studied in several case-control studies, but only in a few cohort studies. Methods The association between allergic conditions and risk of developing leukemia, Hodgkin's disease, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and myeloma was investigated in a cohort of 16,539 Swedish twins born 1886–1925. Prospectively collected, self-reported information about allergic conditions such as asthma, hay fever or eczema was obtained through questionnaires administered in 1967. The cohort was followed 1969–99 and cancer incidence was ascertained from the Swedish Cancer Registry. Results Hives and asthma tended to increase the risk of leukemia (relative risk [RR] = 2.1, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 1.0–4.5 and RR = 1.6, 95% CI 0.8–3.5, respectively. There was also an indication of an increased risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma associated with eczema during childhood (RR = 2.3, 95% CI 1.0–5.3. Conclusion In contrast to most previous studies, our results do not indicate a protective effect of allergic conditions on the risk of developing hematological malignancies. Rather, they suggest that allergic conditions might increase the risk of some hematological malignancies.

Mechanism of blood pressure and R-R variability: insights from ganglion blockade in humans

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Zhang, Rong; Iwasaki, Kenichi; Zuckerman, Julie H.; Behbehani, Khosrow; Crandall, Craig G.; Levine, Benjamin D.; Blomqvist, C. G. (Principal Investigator)

2002-01-01

Spontaneous blood pressure (BP) and R-R variability are used frequently as 'windows' into cardiovascular control mechanisms. However, the origin of these rhythmic fluctuations is not completely understood. In this study, with ganglion blockade, we evaluated the role of autonomic neural activity versus other 'non-neural' factors in the origin of BP and R-R variability in humans. Beat-to-beat BP, R-R interval and respiratory excursions were recorded in ten healthy subjects (aged 30 +/- 6 years) before and after ganglion blockade with trimethaphan. The spectral power of these variables was calculated in the very low (0.0078-0.05 Hz), low (0.05-0.15 Hz) and high (0.15-0.35 Hz) frequency ranges. The relationship between systolic BP and R-R variability was examined by cross-spectral analysis. After blockade, R-R variability was virtually abolished at all frequencies; however, respiration and high frequency BP variability remained unchanged. Very low and low frequency BP variability was reduced substantially by 84 and 69 %, respectively, but still persisted. Transfer function gain between systolic BP and R-R interval variability decreased by 92 and 88 % at low and high frequencies, respectively, while the phase changed from negative to positive values at the high frequencies. These data suggest that under supine resting conditions with spontaneous breathing: (1) R-R variability at all measured frequencies is predominantly controlled by autonomic neural activity; (2) BP variability at high frequencies (> 0.15 Hz) is mediated largely, if not exclusively, by mechanical effects of respiration on intrathoracic pressure and/or cardiac filling; (3) BP variability at very low and low frequencies (rhythmicity; and (4) the dynamic relationship between BP and R-R variability as quantified by transfer function analysis is determined predominantly by autonomic neural activity rather than other, non-neural factors.

DNA aptamer selection and aptamer-based fluorometric displacement assay for the hepatotoxin microcystin-RR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Shijia; Li, Qi; Duan, Nuo; Wang, Zhouping; Ma, Haile

2016-01-01

Microcystin-RR (MC-RR) is a highly acute hepatotoxin produced by cyanobacteria. It is harmful to both humans and the environment. A novel aptamer was identified by the systemic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) method as a recognition element for determination of MC-RR in aquatic products. The graphene oxide (GO) SELEX strategy was adopted to generate aptamers with high affinity and specificity. Of the 50 aptamer candidates tested, sequence RR-33 was found to display high affinity and selectivity, with a dissociation constant of 45.7 ± 6.8 nM. Aptamer RR-33 therefore was used as the recognition element in a fluorometric assay that proceeds as follows: (1) Biotinylated aptamer RR-33 is immobilized on the streptavidinylated wells of a microtiterplate, and carboxyfluorescein (FAM) labelled complementary DNA is then allowed to hybridize. (2) After removal of excess (unbound) cDNA, sample containing MC-RR is added and incubated at 37 °C for 2 h. (3) Displaced free cDNA is washed away and fluorescence intensity measured at excitation/emission wavelengths of 490/515 nm. The calibration plot is linear in the 0.20 to 2.5 ng·mL −1 concentration range, and the limit of detection is 80 pg·mL −1 . The results indicate that the GO-SELEX technology is appropriate for the screening of aptamers against small-molecule toxins. The detection scheme was applied to the determination of MC-RR in (spiked) water, mussel and fish and gave recoveries between 91 and 98 %. The method compares favorably to a known ELISA. Conceivably, this kind of assay is applicable to other toxins for which appropriate aptamers are available. (author)

Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 84 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks, 1990–2016

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Moesgaard Iburg, Kim

2017-01-01

surveillance and inform policy debates on the importance of addressing risks in context. Methods We used the comparative risk assessment framework developed for previous iterations of GBD to estimate levels and trends in exposure, attributable deaths, and attributable disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs......), by age group, sex, year, and location for 84 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks from 1990 to 2016. This study included 481 risk-outcome pairs that met the GBD study criteria for convincing or probable evidence of causation. We extracted relative risk (RR......) and exposure estimates from 22 717 randomised controlled trials, cohorts, pooled cohorts, household surveys, census data, satellite data, and other sources, according to the GBD 2016 source counting methods. Using the counterfactual scenario of theoretical minimum risk exposure level (TMREL), we estimated...

Absolute risk, absolute risk reduction and relative risk

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Jose Andres Calvache

2012-12-01

Full Text Available This article illustrates the epidemiological concepts of absolute risk, absolute risk reduction and relative risk through a clinical example. In addition, it emphasizes the usefulness of these concepts in clinical practice, clinical research and health decision-making process.

Risk Factors of Developing Long-Lasting Breast Pain After Breast Cancer Radiotherapy

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Lundstedt, Dan, E-mail: dan.lundstedt@vgregion.se [Division of Clinical Cancer Epidemiology, Department of Oncology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg (Sweden); Department of Oncology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg (Sweden); Gustafsson, Magnus [Division of Clinical Cancer Epidemiology, Department of Oncology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg (Sweden); Department of Therapeutic Radiation Physics, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg (Sweden); Steineck, Gunnar [Division of Clinical Cancer Epidemiology, Department of Oncology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg (Sweden); Division of Clinical Cancer Epidemiology, Department of Oncology-Pathology, the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm (Sweden); Malmstroem, Per [Skane Department of Oncology, Skane University Hospital, Lund (Sweden); Alsadius, David [Division of Clinical Cancer Epidemiology, Department of Oncology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg (Sweden); Department of Oncology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg (Sweden); Sundberg, Agnetha [Department of Therapeutic Radiation Physics, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg (Sweden); Wilderaeng, Ulrica [Division of Clinical Cancer Epidemiology, Department of Oncology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg (Sweden); Holmberg, Erik [Oncologic Centre, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg (Sweden); Johansson, Karl-Axel [Department of Therapeutic Radiation Physics, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg (Sweden); Karlsson, Per [Department of Oncology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg (Sweden)

2012-05-01

Purpose: Postoperative radiotherapy decreases breast cancer mortality. However, studies have revealed a long-lasting breast pain among some women after radiotherapy. The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors that contribute to breast pain after breast cancer radiotherapy. Methods and Materials: We identified 1,027 recurrence-free women in two cohorts of Swedish women treated for breast cancer. The women had breast-conserving surgery and postoperative radiotherapy, the breast was treated to 48 Gy in 2.4-Gy fractions or to 50 Gy in 2.0-Gy fractions. Young women received a boost of up to 16 Gy. Women with more than three lymph node metastases had locoregional radiotherapy. Systemic treatments were given according to health-care guidelines. Three to 17 years after radiotherapy, we collected data using a study-specific questionnaire. We investigated the relation between breast pain and potential risk modifiers: age at treatment, time since treatment, chemotherapy, photon energy, fractionation size, boost, loco-regional radiotherapy, axillary surgery, overweight, and smoking. Results: Eight hundred seventy-seven women (85%) returned the questionnaires. Among women up to 39 years of age at treatment, 23.1% had breast pain, compared with 8.7% among women older than 60 years (RR 2.66; 95% CI 1.33-5.36). Higher age at treatment (RR 0.96; 95% CI 0.94-0.98, annual decrease) and longer time since treatment (RR 0.93; 95% CI 0.88-0.98, annual decrease) were related to a lower occurrence of breast pain. Chemotherapy increased the occurrence of breast pain (RR 1.72; 95% CI 1.19-2.47). In the multivariable model only age and time since treatment were statistically significantly related to the occurrence of breast pain. We found no statistically significant relation between breast pain and the other potential risk modifiers. Conclusions: Younger women having undergone breast-conserving surgery with postoperative radiotherapy report a higher occurrence of long

Ridge Regression and Other Kernels for Genomic Selection with R Package rrBLUP

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Jeffrey B. Endelman

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Many important traits in plant breeding are polygenic and therefore recalcitrant to traditional marker-assisted selection. Genomic selection addresses this complexity by including all markers in the prediction model. A key method for the genomic prediction of breeding values is ridge regression (RR, which is equivalent to best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP when the genetic covariance between lines is proportional to their similarity in genotype space. This additive model can be broadened to include epistatic effects by using other kernels, such as the Gaussian, which represent inner products in a complex feature space. To facilitate the use of RR and nonadditive kernels in plant breeding, a new software package for R called rrBLUP has been developed. At its core is a fast maximum-likelihood algorithm for mixed models with a single variance component besides the residual error, which allows for efficient prediction with unreplicated training data. Use of the rrBLUP software is demonstrated through several examples, including the identification of optimal crosses based on superior progeny value. In cross-validation tests, the prediction accuracy with nonadditive kernels was significantly higher than RR for wheat ( L. grain yield but equivalent for several maize ( L. traits.

Ovarian Cancer Risk Factors by Histologic Subtype: An Analysis From the Ovarian Cancer Cohort Consortium.

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Wentzensen, Nicolas; Poole, Elizabeth M; Trabert, Britton; White, Emily; Arslan, Alan A; Patel, Alpa V; Setiawan, V Wendy; Visvanathan, Kala; Weiderpass, Elisabete; Adami, Hans-Olov; Black, Amanda; Bernstein, Leslie; Brinton, Louise A; Buring, Julie; Butler, Lesley M; Chamosa, Saioa; Clendenen, Tess V; Dossus, Laure; Fortner, Renee; Gapstur, Susan M; Gaudet, Mia M; Gram, Inger T; Hartge, Patricia; Hoffman-Bolton, Judith; Idahl, Annika; Jones, Michael; Kaaks, Rudolf; Kirsh, Victoria; Koh, Woon-Puay; Lacey, James V; Lee, I-Min; Lundin, Eva; Merritt, Melissa A; Onland-Moret, N Charlotte; Peters, Ulrike; Poynter, Jenny N; Rinaldi, Sabina; Robien, Kim; Rohan, Thomas; Sandler, Dale P; Schairer, Catherine; Schouten, Leo J; Sjöholm, Louise K; Sieri, Sabina; Swerdlow, Anthony; Tjonneland, Anna; Travis, Ruth; Trichopoulou, Antonia; van den Brandt, Piet A; Wilkens, Lynne; Wolk, Alicja; Yang, Hannah P; Zeleniuch-Jacquotte, Anne; Tworoger, Shelley S

2016-08-20

An understanding of the etiologic heterogeneity of ovarian cancer is important for improving prevention, early detection, and therapeutic approaches. We evaluated 14 hormonal, reproductive, and lifestyle factors by histologic subtype in the Ovarian Cancer Cohort Consortium (OC3). Among 1.3 million women from 21 studies, 5,584 invasive epithelial ovarian cancers were identified (3,378 serous, 606 endometrioid, 331 mucinous, 269 clear cell, 1,000 other). By using competing-risks Cox proportional hazards regression stratified by study and birth year and adjusted for age, parity, and oral contraceptive use, we assessed associations for all invasive cancers by histology. Heterogeneity was evaluated by likelihood ratio test. Most risk factors exhibited significant heterogeneity by histology. Higher parity was most strongly associated with endometrioid (relative risk [RR] per birth, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.74 to 0.83) and clear cell (RR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.61 to 0.76) carcinomas (P value for heterogeneity [P-het] < .001). Similarly, age at menopause, endometriosis, and tubal ligation were only associated with endometrioid and clear cell tumors (P-het ≤ .01). Family history of breast cancer (P-het = .008) had modest heterogeneity. Smoking was associated with an increased risk of mucinous (RR per 20 pack-years, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.08 to 1.46) but a decreased risk of clear cell (RR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.55 to 0.94) tumors (P-het = .004). Unsupervised clustering by risk factors separated endometrioid, clear cell, and low-grade serous carcinomas from high-grade serous and mucinous carcinomas. The heterogeneous associations of risk factors with ovarian cancer subtypes emphasize the importance of conducting etiologic studies by ovarian cancer subtypes. Most established risk factors were more strongly associated with nonserous carcinomas, which demonstrate challenges for risk prediction of serous cancers, the most fatal subtype. © 2016 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Recurrence of Subdural Haematoma in a Population-Based Cohort – Risks and Predictive Factors

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Schmidt, Linnea; Gørtz, Sanne; Wohlfahrt, Jan; Melbye, Mads; Munch, Tina Noergaard

2015-01-01

Objectives To estimate the risks of and identify predictors for recurrent subdural haematoma in surgically and conservatively treated patients. Methods The cohort comprised all individuals diagnosed with a first-time subdural hematoma in Denmark 1996–2011. Information on potential predictors was retrieved from the Danish health registers. Cumulative recurrence risks were estimated using the Aalen-Johansen estimator. Rate ratios (RR) were estimated using Poisson regression. Results Among 10,158 individuals with a subdural hematoma, 1,555 had a recurrent event. The cumulative risk of recurrent subdural hematoma was 9% at 4 weeks after the primary bleeding, increasing to and stabilising at 14% after one year. Predictors associated with recurrence were: Male sex (RR 1.60, 95% CI:1.43–1.80), older age (>70 years compared to 20–49 years; RR 1.41, 95% CI: 1.21–1.65), alcohol addiction (RR 1.20, 95% CI:1.04–1.37), surgical treatment (RR 1.76, 95% CI:1.58–1.96), trauma diagnoses (RR 1.14, 95% CI:1.03–1.27), and diabetes mellitus (RR 1.40, 95% CI:1.11–1.74). Out of a selected combination of risk factors, the highest cumulative 1-year recurrence risks for subdural hematoma of 25% (compared to 14% for all patients) was found in surgically treated males with diabetes mellitus. Conclusions The recurrence risk of subdural hematoma is largely limited to the first year. Patient characteristics including co-morbidities greatly influence the recurrence risk of SDH, suggesting that individualized prognostic guidance and follow-up is needed. PMID:26465602

Lipoprotein (a) as a risk factor for ischemic stroke: a meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Nave, Alexander H; Lange, Kristin S; Leonards, Christopher O; Siegerink, Bob; Doehner, Wolfram; Landmesser, Ulf; Steinhagen-Thiessen, Elisabeth; Endres, Matthias; Ebinger, Martin

2015-10-01

Lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] harbors atherogenic potential but its role as a risk factor for ischemic stroke remains controversial. We conducted a meta-analysis to determine the relative strength of the association between Lp(a) and ischemic stroke and identify potential subgroup-specific risk differences. A systematic search using the MeSH terms "lipoproteins" OR "lipoprotein a" AND "stroke" was performed in PubMed and ScienceDirect for case-control studies from June 2006 and prospective cohort studies from April 2009 until December 20th 2014. Data from eligible papers published before these dates were reviewed and extracted from previous meta-analyses. Studies that assessed the relationship between Lp(a) levels and ischemic stroke and reported generic data-i.e. odds ratio [OR], hazard ratio, or risk ratio [RR]-were eligible for inclusion. Studies that not distinguish between ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke and transient ischemic attack were excluded. Random effects meta-analyses with mixed-effects meta-regression were performed by pooling adjusted OR or RR. A total of 20 articles comprising 90,904 subjects and 5029 stroke events were eligible for the meta-analysis. Comparing high with low Lp(a) levels, the pooled estimated OR was 1.41 (95% CI, 1.26-1.57) for case-control studies (n = 11) and the pooled estimated RR was 1.29 (95% CI, 1.06-1.58) for prospective studies (n = 9). Sex-specific differences in RR were inconsistent between case-control and prospective studies. Study populations with a mean age of ≤55 years had an increased RR compared to older study populations. Reported Lp(a) contrast levels and ischemic stroke subtype significantly contributed to the heterogeneity observed in the analyses. Elevated Lp(a) is an independent risk factor for ischemic stroke and may be especially relevant for young stroke patients. Sex-specific risk differences remain conflicting. Further studies in these subgroups may be warranted. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All

Cardiovascular risks and elevation of serum DHT vary by route of testosterone administration: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Borst, Stephen E; Shuster, Jonathan J; Zou, Baiming; Ye, Fan; Jia, Huanguang; Wokhlu, Anita; Yarrow, Joshua F

2014-11-27

Potential cardiovascular (CV) risks of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) are currently a topic of intense interest. However, no studies have addressed CV risk as a function of the route of administration of TRT. Two meta-analyses were conducted, one of CV adverse events (AEs) in 35 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of TRT lasting 12 weeks or more, and one of 32 studies reporting the effect of TRT on serum testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT). CV risks of TRT: Of 2,313 studies identified, 35 were eligible and included 3,703 mostly older men who experienced 218 CV-related AEs. No significant risk for CV AEs was present when all TRT administration routes were grouped (relative risk (RR) = 1.28, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.76 to 2.13, P = 0.34). When analyzed separately, oral TRT produced significant CV risk (RR = 2.20, 95% CI: 1.45 to 3.55, P = 0.015), while neither intramuscular (RR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.28 to 1.56, P = 0.32) nor transdermal (gel or patch) TRT (RR = 1.27, 95% CI: 0.62 to 2.62, P = 0.48) significantly altered CV risk. Serum testosterone/DHT following TRT: Of 419 studies identified, 32 were eligible which included 1,152 men receiving TRT. No significant difference in the elevation of serum testosterone was present between intramuscular or transdermal TRT. However, transdermal TRT elevated serum DHT (5.46-fold, 95% CI: 4.51 to 6.60) to a greater magnitude than intramuscular TRT (2.20-fold, 95% CI: 1.74 to 2.77). Oral TRT produces significant CV risk. While no significant effects on CV risk were observed with either injected or transdermal TRT, the point estimates suggest that further research is needed to establish whether administration by these routes is protective or detrimental, respectively. Differences in the degree to which serum DHT is elevated may underlie the varying CV risk by TRT administration route, as elevated serum dihydrotestosterone has been shown to be associated with CV risk in observational studies.

Disability and Exposure to High Levels of Adverse Childhood Experiences: Effect on Health and Risk Behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Austin, Anna; Herrick, Harry; Proescholdbell, Scott; Simmons, Jacqueline

2016-01-01

Health disparities among persons with disabilities have been previously documented. However, there is little research specific to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in this population and how ACE exposure affects health outcomes in adulthood. Data from the 2012 North Carolina Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey were analyzed to compare the prevalence of ACEs between adults with and without disabilities and high ACE exposure (3-8 ACEs). Adjusted risk ratios of health risks and perceived poor health by disability status were calculated using predicted marginals. A higher percentage of persons with disabilities (36.5%) than those without disabilities (19.6%) reported high ACE exposure. Among those with high ACE exposure, persons with disabilities were more likely to report several ACE categories, particularly childhood sexual abuse. In adjusted analyses, persons with disabilities had an increased risk of smoking (relative risk [RR] = 1.29; 95% CI, 1.10-1.51), poor physical health (RR = 4.34; 95% CI, 3.08-6.11), poor mental health (RR = 4.69; 95% CI, 3.19-6.87), and doctor-diagnosed depression (RR = 2.16; 95% CI, 1.82-2.56) compared to persons without disabilities. The definition of disability derived from the BRFSS survey does not allow for those with disabilities to be categorized according to physical disabilities versus mental or emotional disabilities. In addition, we were unable to determine the timing of ACE exposure in relation to disability onset. A better understanding of the life course associations between ACEs and disability and the impact of exposure to multiple types of childhood adversity on disability and health is needed to inform research and services specific to this vulnerable population. ©2016 by the North Carolina Institute of Medicine and The Duke Endowment. All rights reserved.

Factors that affect risk for pancreatic disease in the general population: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Alsamarrai, Ammar; Das, Stephanie L M; Windsor, John A; Petrov, Maxim S

2014-10-01

Pancreatic diseases place significant burdens on health care systems worldwide. However, there is lack of agreement about which factors increase or reduce risk for pancreatic disease. We reviewed high-quality studies of factors that affect risk for pancreatic diseases in the general population. We searched 3 databases (Medline, Embase, and Scopus) for prospective cohort studies of modifiable risk and/or protective factors for acute pancreatitis, chronic pancreatitis, and pancreatic cancer in adult populations. Factors that were investigated in 2 or more studies were assessed by meta-analysis if the required data were available. Subgroup analyses were performed when appropriate. Outcome measures were relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Our analysis included 51 population-based studies with more than 3 million individuals and nearly 11,000 patients with pancreatic diseases. A total of 31 different factors were investigated. Current tobacco use was the single most important risk factor for pancreatic diseases (RR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.54-2.27), followed by obesity (RR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.15-1.92) and heavy use of alcohol (RR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.19-1.58). Tobacco and heavy use of alcohol had bigger effects on risk of acute pancreatitis and chronic pancreatitis than pancreatic cancer. Vegetable consumption (RR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.57-0.88) and fruit consumption (RR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.60-0.90) provided the greatest degree of protection against pancreatic diseases on the basis of meta-analyses. Vegetable consumption had stronger association with protection against acute pancreatitis and fruit consumption with protection against pancreatic cancer. On the basis of systematic review and meta-analysis, current tobacco use, obesity, and heavy use of alcohol are associated with significant increases in risk for pancreatic diseases. Vegetables and fruit consumption are associated with reduced risk for pancreatic diseases. Prevention strategies for acute pancreatitis, chronic

The crystal structure of the AhRR-ARNT heterodimer reveals the structural basis of the repression of AhR-mediated transcription.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakurai, Shunya; Shimizu, Toshiyuki; Ohto, Umeharu

2017-10-27

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo- p -dioxin and related compounds are extraordinarily potent environmental toxic pollutants. Most of the 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p -dioxin toxicities are mediated by aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a ligand-dependent transcription factor belonging to the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) Per-ARNT-Sim (PAS) family. Upon ligand binding, AhR forms a heterodimer with AhR nuclear translocator (ARNT) and induces the expression of genes involved in various biological responses. One of the genes induced by AhR encodes AhR repressor (AhRR), which also forms a heterodimer with ARNT and represses the activation of AhR-dependent transcription. The control of AhR activation is critical for managing AhR-mediated diseases, but the mechanisms by which AhRR represses AhR activation remain poorly understood, because of the lack of structural information. Here, we determined the structure of the AhRR-ARNT heterodimer by X-ray crystallography, which revealed an asymmetric intertwined domain organization presenting structural features that are both conserved and distinct among bHLH-PAS family members. The structures of AhRR-ARNT and AhR-ARNT were similar in the bHLH-PAS-A region, whereas the PAS-B of ARNT in the AhRR-ARNT complex exhibited a different domain arrangement in this family reported so far. The structure clearly disclosed that AhRR competitively represses AhR binding to ARNT and target DNA and further suggested the existence of an AhRR-ARNT-specific repression mechanism. This study provides a structural basis for understanding the mechanism by which AhRR represses AhR-mediated gene transcription. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Dysregulated Homeostasis of Acetylcholine Levels in Immune Cells of RR-Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Di Bari

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Multiple sclerosis (MS is characterized by pro-inflammatory cytokine production. Acetylcholine (ACh contributes to the modulation of central and peripheral inflammation. We studied the homeostasis of the cholinergic system in relation to cytokine levels in immune cells and sera of relapsing remitting-MS (RR-MS patients. We demonstrated that lower ACh levels in serum of RR-MS patients were inversely correlated with the increased activity of the hydrolyzing enzymes acetylcholinesterase (AChE and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE. Interestingly, the expression of the ACh biosynthetic enzyme and the protein carriers involved in non-vesicular ACh release were found overexpressed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of MS patients. The inflammatory state of the MS patients was confirmed by increased levels of TNFα, IL-12/IL-23p40, IL-18. The lower circulating ACh levels in sera of MS patients are dependent on the higher activity of cholinergic hydrolyzing enzymes. The smaller ratio of ACh to TNFα, IL-12/IL-23p40 and IL-18 in MS patients, with respect to healthy donors (HD, is indicative of an inflammatory environment probably related to the alteration of cholinergic system homeostasis.

Pregnancy and the risk of autoimmune disease.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Khashan, Ali S

2012-01-31

Autoimmune diseases (AID) predominantly affect women of reproductive age. While basic molecular studies have implicated persisting fetal cells in the mother in some AID, supportive epidemiological evidence is limited. We investigated the effect of vaginal delivery, caesarean section (CS) and induced abortion on the risk of subsequent maternal AID. Using the Danish Civil Registration System (CRS) we identified women who were born between 1960 and 1992. We performed data linkage between the CRS other Danish national registers to identify women who had a pregnancy and those who developed AID. Women were categorised into 4 groups; nulligravida (control group), women who had 1st child by vaginal delivery, whose 1st delivery was by CS and who had abortions. Log-linear Poisson regression with person-years was used for data analysis adjusting for several potential confounders. There were 1,035,639 women aged >14 years and 25,570 developed AID: 43.4% nulligravida, 44.3% had their first pregnancy delivered vaginally, 7.6% CS and 4.1% abortions. The risk of AID was significantly higher in the 1st year after vaginal delivery (RR = 1.1[1.0, 1.2]) and CS (RR = 1.3[1.1, 1.5]) but significantly lower in the 1st year following abortion (RR = 0.7[0.6, 0.9]). These results suggest an association between pregnancy and the risk of subsequent maternal AID. Increased risks of AID after CS may be explained by amplified fetal cell traffic at delivery, while decreased risks after abortion may be due to the transfer of more primitive fetal stem cells. The increased risk of AID in the first year after delivery may also be related to greater testing during pregnancy.

Executive function and falls in older adults: new findings from a five-year prospective study link fall risk to cognition.

Science.gov (United States)

Mirelman, Anat; Herman, Talia; Brozgol, Marina; Dorfman, Moran; Sprecher, Elliot; Schweiger, Avraham; Giladi, Nir; Hausdorff, Jeffrey M

2012-01-01

Recent findings suggest that executive function (EF) plays a critical role in the regulation of gait in older adults, especially under complex and challenging conditions, and that EF deficits may, therefore, contribute to fall risk. The objective of this study was to evaluate if reduced EF is a risk factor for future falls over the course of 5 years of follow-up. Secondary objectives were to assess whether single and dual task walking abilities, an alternative window into EF, were associated with fall risk. We longitudinally followed 256 community-living older adults (age: 76.4±4.5 yrs; 61% women) who were dementia free and had good mobility upon entrance into the study. At baseline, a computerized cognitive battery generated an index of EF, attention, a closely related construct, and other cognitive domains. Gait was assessed during single and dual task conditions. Falls data were collected prospectively using monthly calendars. Negative binomial regression quantified risk ratios (RR). After adjusting for age, gender and the number of falls in the year prior to the study, only the EF index (RR: .85; CI: .74-.98, p = .021), the attention index (RR: .84; CI: .75-.94, p = .002) and dual tasking gait variability (RR: 1.11; CI: 1.01-1.23; p = .027) were associated with future fall risk. Other cognitive function measures were not related to falls. Survival analyses indicated that subjects with the lowest EF scores were more likely to fall sooner and more likely to experience multiple falls during the 66 months of follow-up (pfalls was predicted by performance on EF and attention tests conducted 5 years earlier. The present results link falls among older adults to cognition, indicating that screening EF will likely enhance fall risk assessment, and that treatment of EF may reduce fall risk.

Lipid profile, cardiovascular disease and mortality in a Mediterranean high-risk population: The ESCARVAL-RISK study.

Science.gov (United States)

Orozco-Beltran, Domingo; Gil-Guillen, Vicente F; Redon, Josep; Martin-Moreno, Jose M; Pallares-Carratala, Vicente; Navarro-Perez, Jorge; Valls-Roca, Francisco; Sanchis-Domenech, Carlos; Fernandez-Gimenez, Antonio; Perez-Navarro, Ana; Bertomeu-Martinez, Vicente; Bertomeu-Gonzalez, Vicente; Cordero, Alberto; Pascual de la Torre, Manuel; Trillo, Jose L; Carratala-Munuera, Concepcion; Pita-Fernandez, Salvador; Uso, Ruth; Durazo-Arvizu, Ramon; Cooper, Richard; Sanz, Gines; Castellano, Jose M; Ascaso, Juan F; Carmena, Rafael; Tellez-Plaza, Maria

2017-01-01

The potential impact of targeting different components of an adverse lipid profile in populations with multiple cardiovascular risk factors is not completely clear. This study aims to assess the association between different components of the standard lipid profile with all-cause mortality and hospitalization due to cardiovascular events in a high-risk population. This prospective registry included high risk adults over 30 years old free of cardiovascular disease (2008-2012). Diagnosis of hypertension, dyslipidemia or diabetes mellitus was inclusion criterion. Lipid biomarkers were evaluated. Primary endpoints were all-cause mortality and hospital admission due to coronary heart disease or stroke. We estimated adjusted rate ratios (aRR), absolute risk differences and population attributable risk associated with adverse lipid profiles. 51,462 subjects were included with a mean age of 62.6 years (47.6% men). During an average follow-up of 3.2 years, 919 deaths, 1666 hospitalizations for coronary heart disease and 1510 hospitalizations for stroke were recorded. The parameters that showed an increased rate for total mortality, coronary heart disease and stroke hospitalization were, respectively, low HDL-Cholesterol: aRR 1.25, 1.29 and 1.23; high Total/HDL-Cholesterol: aRR 1.22, 1.38 and 1.25; and high Triglycerides/HDL-Cholesterol: aRR 1.21, 1.30, 1.09. The parameters that showed highest population attributable risk (%) were, respectively, low HDL-Cholesterol: 7.70, 11.42, 8.40; high Total/HDL-Cholesterol: 6.55, 12.47, 8.73; and high Triglycerides/HDL-Cholesterol: 8.94, 15.09, 6.92. In a population with cardiovascular risk factors, HDL-cholesterol, Total/HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides/HDL-cholesterol ratios were associated with a higher population attributable risk for cardiovascular disease compared to other common biomarkers.

Machine-learned Identification of RR Lyrae Stars from Sparse, Multi-band Data: The PS1 Sample

Science.gov (United States)

Sesar, Branimir; Hernitschek, Nina; Mitrović, Sandra; Ivezić, Željko; Rix, Hans-Walter; Cohen, Judith G.; Bernard, Edouard J.; Grebel, Eva K.; Martin, Nicolas F.; Schlafly, Edward F.; Burgett, William S.; Draper, Peter W.; Flewelling, Heather; Kaiser, Nick; Kudritzki, Rolf P.; Magnier, Eugene A.; Metcalfe, Nigel; Tonry, John L.; Waters, Christopher

2017-05-01

RR Lyrae stars may be the best practical tracers of Galactic halo (sub-)structure and kinematics. The PanSTARRS1 (PS1) 3π survey offers multi-band, multi-epoch, precise photometry across much of the sky, but a robust identification of RR Lyrae stars in this data set poses a challenge, given PS1's sparse, asynchronous multi-band light curves (≲ 12 epochs in each of five bands, taken over a 4.5 year period). We present a novel template fitting technique that uses well-defined and physically motivated multi-band light curves of RR Lyrae stars, and demonstrate that we get accurate period estimates, precise to 2 s in > 80 % of cases. We augment these light-curve fits with other features from photometric time-series and provide them to progressively more detailed machine-learned classification models. From these models, we are able to select the widest (three-fourths of the sky) and deepest (reaching 120 kpc) sample of RR Lyrae stars to date. The PS1 sample of ˜45,000 RRab stars is pure (90%) and complete (80% at 80 kpc) at high galactic latitudes. It also provides distances that are precise to 3%, measured with newly derived period-luminosity relations for optical/near-infrared PS1 bands. With the addition of proper motions from Gaia and radial velocity measurements from multi-object spectroscopic surveys, we expect the PS1 sample of RR Lyrae stars to become the premier source for studying the structure, kinematics, and the gravitational potential of the Galactic halo. The techniques presented in this study should translate well to other sparse, multi-band data sets, such as those produced by the Dark Energy Survey and the upcoming Large Synoptic Survey Telescope Galactic plane sub-survey.

Nonlinear Convective Models of RR Lyrae Stars

Science.gov (United States)

Feuchtinger, M.; Dorfi, E. A.

The nonlinear behavior of RR Lyrae pulsations is investigated using a state-of-the-art numerical technique solving the full time-dependent system of radiation hydrodynamics. Grey radiative transfer is included by a variable Eddington-factor method and we use the time-dependent turbulent convection model according to Kuhfuss (1986, A&A 160, 116) in the version of Wuchterl (1995, Comp. Phys. Comm. 89, 19). OPAL opacities extended by the Alexander molecule opacities at temperatures below 6000 K and an equation of state according to Wuchterl (1990, A&A 238, 83) close the system. The resulting nonlinear system is discretized on an adaptive mesh developed by Dorfi & Drury (1987, J. Comp. Phys. 69, 175), which is important to provide the necessary spatial resolution in critical regions like ionization zones and shock waves. Additionally, we employ a second order advection scheme, a time centered temporal discretizaton and an artificial tensor viscosity in order to treat discontinuities. We compute fundamental as well first overtone models of RR Lyrae stars for a grid of stellar parameters both with and without convective energy transport in order to give a detailed picture of the pulsation-convection interaction. In order to investigate the influence of the different features of the convection model calculations with and without overshooting, turbulent pressure and turbulent viscosity are performed and compared with each other. A standard Fourier decomposition is used to confront the resulting light and radial velocity variations with recent observations and we show that the well known RR Lyrae phase discrepancy problem (Simon 1985, ApJ 299, 723) can be resolved with these stellar pulsation computations.

Risk factors for injury associated with low, moderate, and high mileage road marching in a U.S. Army infantry brigade.

Science.gov (United States)

Schuh-Renner, Anna; Grier, Tyson L; Canham-Chervak, Michelle; Hauschild, Veronique D; Roy, Tanja C; Fletcher, Jeremy; Jones, Bruce H

2017-11-01

Road marching is an important physical training activity that prepares soldiers for a common occupational task. Continued exploration of risk factors for road marching-related injuries is needed. This analysis has assessed the association between modifiable characteristics of physical training and injury risk. Injuries in the previous 6 months were captured by survey from 831 U.S. Army infantry soldiers. Road marching-related injuries were reported as those attributed to road marching on foot for specified distances while carrying equipment. Frequencies, means, and relative risk ratios (RR) for road marching-related injury with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% CI were calculated for leading risk factors using multivariable logistic regression. Retrospective cohort study. Half (50%) of reported injuries were attributed to road marching or running. When miles of exposure were considered, injury risk during road marching was higher than during running (RR road marching/running =1.8, 95% CI: 1.38-2.37). A higher product of road marching distance and weight worn (pound-miles per month) resulted in greater injury risk (RR ≥1473 pound-miles/Road marching-related injuries were associated with carrying a load >25% of one's body weight (OR >25%/1-20% =2.09, 95% CI: 1.08-4.05), having high occupational lifting demands (OR 50-100+lbs/25-50lbs =3.43, 95% CI: 1.50-7.85), road marching ≥5 times per month (OR ≥5 times/4 times =2.11, 95% CI: 1.14-3.91), and running road marching-related injuries. Since this is not always operationally feasible, reducing the cumulative overloading from both physical training and occupational tasks may help prevent injury. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Cancer risk in patients with spondyloarthritis treated with TNF inhibitors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hellgren, Karin; Dreyer, Lene; Arkema, Elizabeth V.

2017-01-01

) patients with SpA initiating a first TNFi 2001-2011. From the Swedish National Patient and Population Registers we assembled a TNFi-naïve SpA cohort (n=28,164) and a Swedish age-matched and sex-matched general population comparator cohort (n=131 687). We identified incident cancers by linkage...... with the nationwide Swedish and Danish Cancer Registers 2001-2011, and calculated age-standardised and sex-standardised incidence ratios as measures of relative risk (RR). Results Based on 1188 cancers among the TNFi-naïve patients with SpA, RR of cancer overall was 1.1 (95% CI 1.0 to 1.2). Based on 147 cancers among......Background Safety data on cancer risks following tumour necrosis factor a inhibitors (TNFi) in patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA) (here defined as ankylosing spondylitis (AS), undifferentiated spondarthropaties (SpA UNS), psoriatic arthritis (PsA)) are scarce. Our objective was to assess risks...

First Kepler Results on RR Lyrae Stars

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kolenberg, K.; Szabó, R.; Kurtz, D. W.

2010-01-01

We present the first results of our analyses of selected RR Lyrae stars for which data have been obtained by the Kepler Mission. As expected, we find a significant fraction of the RRab stars to show the Blazhko effect, a still unexplained phenomenon that manifests itself as periodic amplitude and...

Prospective study of meat intake and dietary nitrates, nitrites, and nitrosamines and risk of adult glioma123

Science.gov (United States)

Holick, Crystal N; Batchelor, Tracy T; Giovannucci, Edward; Hunter, David J

2009-01-01

Background: The hypothesis that nitrosamine exposure may increase the risk of glioma has been circulating for several decades, but testing it has been difficult because of the ubiquitous nature of nitrosamine exposure. Diet has been the focus of many studies because it can substantially influence nitrosamine exposure, mostly from the endogenous formation of nitrosamines based on intake of nitrite and nitrate. Objective: The objective was to examine the relation between intakes of meats, nitrate, nitrite, and 2 nitrosamines [nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) and nitrosopyrolidine (NPYR)] and glioma risk in a prospective analysis. Methods: Data from 3 US prospective cohort studies were combined for this analysis; 335 glioma cases were diagnosed during ≤24 y of follow-up. Dietary intake was assessed with food-frequency questionnaires. Nitrate, nitrite, and nitrosamine values were calculated based on published values of these nutrients in various foods over different periods in time. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate incidence rate ratios (RRs) and 95% CIs. Estimates from each cohort were pooled by using a random-effects model. Results: Risk of glioma was not elevated among individuals in the highest intake category of total processed meats (RR: 0.92; 95% CI: 0.48, 1.77), nitrate (RR: 1.02; 95% CI: 0.66, 1.58), nitrites (RR: 1.26; 95% CI: 0.89, 1.79), or NDMA (RR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.57, 1.36) compared with the lowest category. No effect modification was observed by intake of vitamins C or E or other antioxidant measures. Conclusion: We found no suggestion that intake of meat, nitrate, nitrite, or nitrosamines is related to the risk of glioma. PMID:19587083

Fatores de risco para trauma vascular durante a quimioterapia antineoplásica: contribuições do emprego do risco relativo Factores de riesgo para el trauma vascular durante la quimioterapia antineoplásica: contribuciones del empleo del riesgo relativo Risk factors for vascular trauma during antineoplastic chemotherapy: contributions of the use of relative risk

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cíntia Capucho Rodrigues

2012-01-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: identificar a relação entre os fatores de risco para trauma vascular e o surgimento de eventos adversos de infiltração ou flebite por quimioterapia antineoplásica. MÉTODOS: Estudo de abordagem quantitativa observacional com 30 mulheres com câncer de mama. RESULTADOS: O tipo de material do cateter apresentou associação que sugere risco (RR=2,76; IC=1,199; 6,369; o fator velocidade de infusão apresentou RR=2,22; entretanto, IC= 0,7672; 6,436; os fatores trajetória, número de punção e mobilidade da veia apresentaram RROBJETIVO: identificar la relación entre los factores de riesgo para el trauma vascular y el surgimiento de eventos adversos de infiltración o flebitis por quimioterapia antineoplásica. MÉTODOS: Estudio de abordaje cuantitativo observacional realizado con 30 mujeres con cáncer de mama. RESULTADOS: El tipo de material del catéter presentó asociación que sugiere riesgo (RR=2,76; IC=1,199; 6,369; el factor velocidad de infusión presentó RR=2,22; mientras que, IC= 0,7672; 6,436; los factores trayectoria, número de punción y movilidad de la vena presentaron RROBJECTIVE: To identify the relationship between risk factors for vascular trauma and the emergence of adverse events of infiltration or phlebitis for antineoplastic chemotherapy. METHODS: A study with a quantitative, observational method with 30 women with breast cancer. RESULTS: The type of catheter material presented an association that suggested risk (RR = 2.76, CI = 1.199, 6.369; the infusion rate factor presented RR = 2.22, however, CI = 0.7672, 6.436; the trajectory factors, number of punctures and vein mobility presented RR <1, but these cannot be considered as protective factors. Insertion site and the visibility of the vein presented a risk close to 1. CONCLUSION: The use of a metal catheter for venipuncture was considered in this study as a factor for Risk for Vascular Trauma. An analysis of the association for the RR showed these results

Lignification of the plant and seed quality of RR soybeans sprayed with herbicide glyphosate

OpenAIRE

Gris,Cristiane Fortes; Pinho,Edila Vilela de Resende Von; Carvalho,Maria Laene de Moreira; Diniz,Rafael Parreira; Andrade,Thaís de

2013-01-01

Differences in levels of lignin in the plant between conventional and transgenic cultivars RR has been reported by several authors, however, there are few studies evaluating the influence of spraying of glyphosate on the lignin in the plant and RR soybean seeds. The aim of this study was to evaluate the physiological quality of RR transgenic soybean seeds and the lignin contents of plants sprayed with the herbicide glyphosate. The assays were conducted both in greenhouse and field in the muni...

Risk factors for teenage pregnancy among sexually active black ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... with 191 cases and 353 age-matched controls from the same school or neighbourhood. ... sex (risk ratio (RR) 30.81) without reliable contraceptive protection (RR 24.35), ... and broader social development and promotion of gender equality.

Physical activity in different periods of life, sedentary behavior, and the risk of ovarian cancer in the NIH-AARP diet and health study.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Qian; Yang, Hannah P; Wentzensen, Nicolas; Hollenbeck, Albert; Matthews, Charles E

2013-11-01

Physical activity and sedentary behavior may influence ovarian cancer risk, but clear evidence is lacking. We prospectively investigated the relations of self-reported physical activity and sedentary behavior to ovarian cancer incidence in a cohort of 148,892 U.S. women ages 50-71 years at baseline (1995-1996), who were followed through 2006. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). We also conducted analysis by hormone use, body mass index (BMI), and cancer subtype. We identified 753 incident epithelial ovarian cancers. Overall, neither physical activity nor sedentary behavior at baseline was associated with ovarian cancer risk. Compared with women who never or rarely engaged in vigorous physical activity in the past year, women who reported more than 5 times/week of vigorous physical activity had an RR of 1.05 (95% CI, 0.84-1.32). Women who sat 7+ hours/day had an RR of 1.05 (95% CI, 0.80-1.37) compared with those reporting sedentary behavior in middle and older ages were not associated with ovarian cancer risk. We found no clear support for a role of physical activity and sedentary behavior in ovarian cancer risk. ©2013 AACR.

Testosterone level and risk of type 2 diabetes in men: a systematic review and meta-analysis

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Qiu-ming Yao

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Type 2 diabetes is a risk factor for testosterone deficiency and impaired sex steroid status. Some studies also investigated the association of testosterone level with diabetes risk in men, but reported controversial findings. To clarify this issue, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science were searched for eligible cohort or nested case–control studies published up to August 15, 2017. Meta-analysis was used to calculate the pooled relative risk (RR of type 2 diabetes associated with higher testosterone level. Results: Thirteen cohort or nested case–control studies with 16,709 participants were included. Meta-analysis showed that higher total testosterone level could significantly decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes in men (RR = 0.65; 95% CI 0.50–0.84; P = 0.001, and higher free testosterone level could also decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes in men (RR = 0.94; 95% CI 0.90–0.99; P = 0.014. After excluding two studies that did not calculate RRs by quartiles of testosterone levels, both higher total testosterone and free testosterone levels could decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes in men, and the pooled RRs were 0.62 (95% CI 0.51–0.76; P < 0.001 and 0.77 (95% CI 0.61–0.98; P = 0.03, respectively. Conclusion: This meta-analysis suggests that higher testosterone level can significantly decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes in men. Therefore, combined with previous researches, the findings above suggest a reverse-causality scenario in the relation between testosterone deficiency and risk of type 2 diabetes in men.

Odds per adjusted standard deviation: comparing strengths of associations for risk factors measured on different scales and across diseases and populations.

Science.gov (United States)

Hopper, John L

2015-11-15

How can the "strengths" of risk factors, in the sense of how well they discriminate cases from controls, be compared when they are measured on different scales such as continuous, binary, and integer? Given that risk estimates take into account other fitted and design-related factors-and that is how risk gradients are interpreted-so should the presentation of risk gradients. Therefore, for each risk factor X0, I propose using appropriate regression techniques to derive from appropriate population data the best fitting relationship between the mean of X0 and all the other covariates fitted in the model or adjusted for by design (X1, X2, … , Xn). The odds per adjusted standard deviation (OPERA) presents the risk association for X0 in terms of the change in risk per s = standard deviation of X0 adjusted for X1, X2, … , Xn, rather than the unadjusted standard deviation of X0 itself. If the increased risk is relative risk (RR)-fold over A adjusted standard deviations, then OPERA = exp[ln(RR)/A] = RR(s). This unifying approach is illustrated by considering breast cancer and published risk estimates. OPERA estimates are by definition independent and can be used to compare the predictive strengths of risk factors across diseases and populations. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Characterization of the VVV Survey RR Lyrae Population across the Southern Galactic Plane

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Minniti, Dante; Palma, Tali; Pullen, Joyce; Tissera, Patricia; Dékány, Istvan; Majaess, Daniel; Rejkuba, Marina; Valenti, Elena; Alonso-García, Javier; Catelan, Marcio; Contreras Ramos, Rodrigo; Zoccali, Manuela; Gonzalez, Oscar A.; Hempel, Maren; Irwin, Mike; Lucas, Philip W.; Saito, Roberto K.

2017-01-01

Deep near-IR images from the VISTA Variables in the Vía Láctea (VVV) Survey were used to search for RR Lyrae stars in the Southern Galactic plane. A sizable sample of 404 RR Lyrae of type ab stars was identified across a thin slice of the fourth Galactic quadrant (295° < ℓ < 350°, −2.°24 < b < −1.°05). The sample’s distance distribution exhibits a maximum density that occurs at the bulge tangent point, which implies that this primarily Oosterhoff type I population of RRab stars does not trace the bar delineated by their red clump counterparts. The bulge RR Lyrae population does not extend beyond ℓ  ∼ 340°, and the sample’s spatial distribution presents evidence of density enhancements and substructure that warrants further investigation. Indeed, the sample may be employed to evaluate Galactic evolution models, and is particularly lucrative since half of the discovered RR Lyrae are within reach of Gaia astrometric observations.

Characterization of the VVV Survey RR Lyrae Population across the Southern Galactic Plane

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Minniti, Dante; Palma, Tali; Pullen, Joyce; Tissera, Patricia [Departamento de Ciencias Físicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Andrés Bello, Av. Fernández Concha 700, Las Condes, Santiago (Chile); Dékány, Istvan [Astronomisches Rechen-Institut, Zentrum fuer Astronomie der Universitaet Heidelberg, Moenchhofstr. 12-14, D-69120 Heidelberg (Germany); Majaess, Daniel [Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, Nova Scotia (Canada); Rejkuba, Marina; Valenti, Elena [European Southern Observatory, Karl-Schwarszchild-Str. 2, D-85748 Garching bei Muenchen (Germany); Alonso-García, Javier; Catelan, Marcio; Contreras Ramos, Rodrigo; Zoccali, Manuela [Instituto Milenio de Astrofísica, Santiago (Chile); Gonzalez, Oscar A. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Royal Observatory, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh, EH9 3HJ (United Kingdom); Hempel, Maren [Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Instituto de Astrofisica, Av. Vicuna Mackenna 4860, Santiago (Chile); Irwin, Mike [Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge University, Cambridge, CB3 0HA (United Kingdom); Lucas, Philip W. [Department of Astronomy, University of Hertfordshire, Hertfordshire (United Kingdom); Saito, Roberto K. [Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Trindade 88040-900, Florianópolis, SC (Brazil)

2017-04-01

Deep near-IR images from the VISTA Variables in the Vía Láctea (VVV) Survey were used to search for RR Lyrae stars in the Southern Galactic plane. A sizable sample of 404 RR Lyrae of type ab stars was identified across a thin slice of the fourth Galactic quadrant (295° < ℓ < 350°, −2.°24 < b < −1.°05). The sample’s distance distribution exhibits a maximum density that occurs at the bulge tangent point, which implies that this primarily Oosterhoff type I population of RRab stars does not trace the bar delineated by their red clump counterparts. The bulge RR Lyrae population does not extend beyond ℓ  ∼ 340°, and the sample’s spatial distribution presents evidence of density enhancements and substructure that warrants further investigation. Indeed, the sample may be employed to evaluate Galactic evolution models, and is particularly lucrative since half of the discovered RR Lyrae are within reach of Gaia astrometric observations.

Genetic divergence of roundup ready (RR) soybean cultivars ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The aim of this study was to estimate the genetic diversity in 74 RR soybean cultivars from different Brazilian breeding programs. ... chosen SSR markers were effective in assessing the genetic diversity among genotypes, besides proving to be ...

Long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and the risk of myocardial infarction in the general population

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

González-Pérez Antonio

2005-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Recent data indicate that chronic use of coxibs leads to an increased occurrence of thrombotic cardiovascular events. This raises the question as to whether traditional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (tNSAIDs might also produce similar hazards. Our aim has been to evaluate the association between the chronic use of tNSAIDs and the risk of myocardial infarction (MI in patients. Methods We performed a nested case-control analysis with 4,975 cases of acute MI and 20,000 controls, frequency matched to cases by age, sex, and calendar year. Results Overall, current use of tNSAID was not associated with an increased risk of MI (RR:1.07;95%CI: 0.95–1.21. However, we found that the relative risk (RR of MI for durations of tNSAID treatment of >1 year was 1.21 (95% CI, 1.00–1.48. The corresponding RR was 1.34 (95% CI, 1.06–1.70 for non-fatal MI. The effect was independent from dose. The small risk associated with long-term use of tNSAIDs was observed among patients not taking low-dose aspirin (RR: 1.29; 95% CI, 1.01–1.65. The effect of long-term use for individual tNSAIDs ranged from a RR of 0.87 (95% CI, 0.47–1.62 with naproxen to 1.38 (95% CI, 1.00–1.90 with diclofenac. Conclusion This study adds support to the hypothesis that chronic treatment with some tNSAIDs is associated with a small increased risk of non-fatal MI. Our data are consistent with a substantial variability in cardiovascular risks between individual tNSAIDs.

Association between temperature and emergency room visits for cardiorespiratory diseases, metabolic syndrome-related diseases, and accidents in metropolitan Taipei.

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Wang, Yu-Chun; Lin, Yu-Kai

2014-01-01

This study evaluated risks of the emergency room visits (ERV) for cerebrovascular diseases, heart diseases, ischemic heart disease, hypertensive diseases, chronic renal failure (CRF), diabetes mellitus (DM), asthma, chronic airway obstruction not elsewhere classified (CAO), and accidents associated with the ambient temperature from 2000 to 2009 in metropolitan Taipei. The distributed lag non-linear model was used to estimate the cumulative relative risk (RR) and confidence interval (CI) of cause-specific ERV associated with daily temperature from lag 0 to lag 3 after controlling for potential confounders. This study identified that temperatures related to the lowest risk of ERV was 26 °C for cerebrovascular diseases, 18 °C for CRF, DM, and accidents, and 30 °C for hypertensive diseases, asthma, and CAO. These temperatures were used as the reference temperatures to measure RR for the corresponding diseases. A low temperature (14°C) increased the ERV risk for cerebrovascular diseases, hypertensive diseases, and asthma, with respective cumulative 4-day RRs of 1.56 (95% CI: 1.23, 1.97), 1.78 (95% CI: 1.37, 2.34), and 2.93 (95% CI: 1.26, 6.79). The effects were greater on, or after, lag one. At 32°C, the cumulative 4-day RR for ERV was significant for CRF (RR = 2.36; 95% CI: 1.33, 4.19) and accidents (RR = 1.23; 95% CI: 1.14, 1.33) and the highest RR was seen on lag 0 for CRF (RR = 1.69; 95% CI: 1.01, 3.58), DM (RR = 1.69; 95% CI: 1.09, 2.61), and accidents (RR = 1.19; 95% CI: 1.11, 1.27). Higher temperatures are associated with the increased ERV risks for CRF, DM, and accidents and lower temperatures with the increased ERV risks for cerebrovascular diseases, hypertensive diseases, and asthma in the subtropical metropolitan.

Meat consumption, heterocyclic amines and colorectal cancer risk: the Multiethnic Cohort Study.

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Ollberding, Nicholas J; Wilkens, Lynne R; Henderson, Brian E; Kolonel, Laurence N; Le Marchand, Loïc

2012-10-01

Greater consumption of red and processed meat has been associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer in several recent meta-analyses. Heterocyclic amines (HCAs) have been hypothesized to underlie this association. In this prospective analysis conducted within the Multiethnic Cohort Study, we examined whether greater consumption of total, red or processed meat was associated with the risk of colorectal cancer among 165,717 participants who completed a detailed food frequency questionnaire at baseline. In addition, we examined whether greater estimated intake of HCAs was associated with the risk of colorectal cancer among 131,763 participants who completed a follow-up questionnaire that included a meat-cooking module. A total of 3,404 and 1,757 invasive colorectal cancers were identified from baseline to the end of follow-up and from the date of administration of the meat-cooking module to the end of follow-up, respectively. Proportional hazard models were used to estimate basic and multivariable-adjusted relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals for colorectal cancer associated with dietary exposures. In multivariable models, no association with the risk of colorectal cancer was detected for density-adjusted total meat (RR(Q5 vs. Q1) = 0.93 [0.83-1.05]), red meat (RR = 1.02 [0.91-1.16]) or processed meat intake (RR = 1.06 [0.94-1.19]) or for total (RR = 0.90 [0.76-1.05]) or specific HCA intake whether comparing quintiles of dietary exposure or using continuous variables. Although our results do not support a role for meat or for HCAs from meat in the etiology of colorectal cancer, we cannot rule out the possibility of a modest effect. Copyright © 2012 UICC.

Water-contact patterns and risk factors for Schistosoma mansoni infection in a rural village of Northeast Brazil

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SILVA Antônio Augusto Moura da

1997-01-01

Full Text Available Schistosomiasis mansoni in the Serrano village, municipality of Cururupu, state of Maranhão, Brazil, is a widely spread disease. The PECE (Program for the Control of Schistosomiasis, undertaken since 1979 has reduced the prevalence of S. mansoni infection and the hepatosplenic form of the disease. Nevertheless piped water is available in 84% of the households, prevalence remains above 20%. In order to identify other risk factors responsible for the persistence of high prevalence levels, a cross-sectional survey was carried out in a systematic sample of 294 people of varying ages. Socioeconomic, environmental and demographic variables, and water contact patterns were investigated. Fecal samples were collected and analyzed by the Kato-Katz technique. Prevalence of S. mansoni infection was 24.1%, higher among males (35.5% and between 10-19 years of age (36.6%. The risk factors identified in the univariable analysis were water contacts for vegetable extraction (Risk Ratio - RR = 2.92, crossing streams (RR = 2.55, bathing (RR = 2.35, fishing (RR = 2.19, hunting (RR = 2.17, cattle breeding (RR = 2.04, manioc culture (RR = 1.90 and leisure (RR = 1.56. After controlling for confounding variables by proportional hazards model the risks remained higher for males, vegetable extraction, bathing in rivers and water contact in rivers or in periodically inundated parts of riverine woodland (swamplands

[The characteristics of RR-Lorenz plot in persistent atrial fibrillation patients complicating with escape beats and rhythm].

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Pan, Yunping; Zhang, Fangfang; Liu, Ru; Jing, Yan; Shen, Jihong; Li, Zhongjian; Zhu, Huaijie

2014-06-01

To explore the characteristics of RR-Lorenz plot in persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) patients complicating with escape beats and rhythm though ambulatory electrocardiogram. The 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiogram of 291 persistent AF patients in second affiliated hospital of Zhengzhou university from July 2005 to April 2013 were retrospectively analyzed and the RR interval and the QRS wave were measured. Patients were divided into two groups according to the distribution of the RR-Lorenz point [AF without escape beats and rhythm group (Group A, n = 259) and AF with escape beats and rhythm group (Group B, n = 32)]. The characteristics of RR-Lorenz plot between the two groups were compared. (1) Fan-shaped RR-Lorenz plots were evidenced in Group A. (2)In Group B, 30 cases showed fan-shaped with L-shaped and a short dense rods along 45° line. The proportion of escape beats and rhythm was 0.28% (275/98 369) -14.06% (11 263/80 112) . The other 2 cases in group B showed no typical RR-Lorenz plots features. RR-Lorenz plot could help to quickly diagnose persistent AF complicating with escape beats and rhythm according to the typical RR-Lorenz plot characteristics in 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiogram.

Relative associations between depression and anxiety on adverse cardiovascular events: does a history of coronary artery disease matter? A prospective observational study.

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Pelletier, Roxanne; Bacon, Simon L; Arsenault, André; Dupuis, Jocelyn; Laurin, Catherine; Blais, Lucie; Lavoie, Kim L

2015-12-15

To assess whether depression and anxiety increase the risk of mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), among patients with and without coronary artery disease (CAD). DECADE (Depression Effects on Coronary Artery Disease Events) is a prospective observational study of 2390 patients referred at the Montreal Heart Institute. Patients were followed for 8.8 years, between 1998 and 2009. Depression and anxiety were assessed using a psychiatric interview (Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders, PRIME-MD). Outcomes data were obtained from Quebec provincial databases. All-cause mortality and MACE. After adjustment for covariates, patients with depression were at increased risks of all-cause mortality (relative risk (RR)=2.84; 95% CI 1.25 to 6.49) compared with patients without depression. Anxiety was not associated with increased mortality risks (RR=0.86; 95% CI 0.31 to 2.36). When patients were stratified according to CAD status, depression increased the risk of mortality among patients with no CAD (RR=4.39; 95% CI 1.12 to 17.21), but not among patients with CAD (RR=2.32; 95% CI 0.78 to 6.88). Neither depression nor anxiety was associated with MACE among patients with or without CAD. Depression, but not anxiety, was an independent risk factor for all-cause mortality in patients without CAD. The present study contributes to a better understanding of the relative and unique role of depression versus anxiety among patients with versus without CAD. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Establishment and evolution of the radiation risk concept for the man and human population in the 20th century

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vassilev, G.; Hadjieva

2003-01-01

The concept of radiation risk (RR) is the main basis for human protection from the harmful effect of ionizing radiation. It concerns the expected unfavorable health effects upon the irradiated person and probably upon his/her progeny. The early period of the history of RR evaluation was grounded on the assessment of acute skin reactions (erythema, epilation, dermatitis, ulceration) and on the measures (erythema dose) taken to diminish them. The second period covers the appraisal, based on estimation of different somatic effects and expected heredity ( genetic effects). They could be avoided if irradiation does not exceed the maximum permissible dose - the concept of zero RR. The current (third) period estimates both irradiation effects: deterministic effects that have a dose-related threshold and stochastic non-threshold effects. The ultimate goal of radiation protection is to exclude all deterministic effects and to diminish probability of stochastic effects (carcinogenesis and heredity effects) down to an acceptable level. Seven postulates describe the modern concept of RR for the man and human population: globalization irreversibility, accumulation, non-threshold harm, stochastic, non-specificity and acceptance of the risk

Breast implants and the risk of breast cancer: a meta-analysis of cohort studies.

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Noels, Eline C; Lapid, Oren; Lindeman, Jan H N; Bastiaannet, Esther

2015-01-01

The popularity of cosmetic breast augmentation and the incidence of breast cancer have been increasing worldwide. It has been hypothesized that the risk of breast cancer may be greater among patients who have undergone cosmetic breast implantation. The authors performed a meta-analysis of the available literature on the risk of breast cancer among women with cosmetic breast implants. The study was designed as a meta-analysis of observational studies. A systematic search of the English literature (published by August 28, 2013) was conducted in PubMed and EMBASE. Eligible reports were those that included relative risk (RR; the increased or decreased risk of breast cancer associated with breast implants) or the standardized incidence ratio (SIR) of the observed number of cases of breast cancer to the expected number of cases among patients that previously underwent cosmetic breast augmentation. Seventeen studies representing 7 cohorts were selected. Some of these were follow-up reports of previously published studies; in such cases, only the most recent reports were included in the meta-analysis. Summary SIR and RR rates and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated with a random-effects (SIR) or fixed-effects (RR) model. The overall SIR estimate was 0.69 (95% CI, 0.56-0.85), and the overall RR, based on 4 studies, was 0.63 (95% CI, 0.56-0.71). Finding of this meta-analysis suggest that women who have undergone cosmetic breast implantation do not have an increased risk of breast cancer. © 2015 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc. Reprints and permission: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Physical and psychosocial ergonomic risk factors for low back pain in automobile manufacturing workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Vandergrift, Jonathan L; Gold, Judith E; Hanlon, Alexandra; Punnett, Laura

2012-01-01

To examine the association between ergonomic physical and psychosocial exposures and the risk of prevalent and incident low back pain (LBP) in a longitudinal cohort of automobile manufacturing workers. Ergonomic exposure intensity and LBP presence were determined through questionnaires at baseline (n=1181) and to workers in the same job 1 year later (n=505). Models were constructed using log-binomial regression with special attention to interactions between ergonomic exposures. Awkward back posture (prevalence ratio (PR) 1.12, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.17), hand force (PR 1.06, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.10), physical effort (PR 1.10, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.16) and whole body vibration (PR 1.04, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.08) were each associated cross-sectionally with LBP. Awkward back posture (RR 1.13, 95% CI 0.98 to 1.31) and hand force (RR 1.07, 95% CI 0.93 to 1.22) also predicted incident LBP, although estimates were statistically less precise. Neither job control, psychological demands, nor job strain was independently related to risk of incident LBP. Among participants reporting high physical ergonomic exposures and moderate to high job control, increasing job demands was associated with a reduced LBP risk (RR 0.72, 95% CI 0.52 to 1.00). Among participants reporting high physical exposures and low job control, psychological demands was associated with an increased LBP risk (RR 1.30, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.66). Psychosocial workplace interventions for LBP should prioritise jobs in which there are high physical ergonomic exposures. Future studies of LBP should examine the interactions between physical ergonomic risk factors.

Conditional Risk of Relapse in Surveillance for Clinical Stage I Testicular Cancer.

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Nayan, Madhur; Jewett, Michael A S; Hosni, Ali; Anson-Cartwright, Lynn; Bedard, Philippe L; Moore, Malcolm; Hansen, Aaron R; Chung, Peter; Warde, Padraig; Sweet, Joan; O'Malley, Martin; Atenafu, Eshetu G; Hamilton, Robert J

2017-01-01

Patients on surveillance for clinical stage I (CSI) testicular cancer are counseled regarding their baseline risk of relapse. The conditional risk of relapse (cRR), which provides prognostic information on patients who have survived for a period of time without relapse, have not been determined for CSI testicular cancer. To determine cRR in CSI testicular cancer. We reviewed 1239 patients with CSI testicular cancer managed with surveillance at a tertiary academic centre between 1980 and 2014. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: cRR estimates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. We stratified patients according to validated risk factors for relapse. We used linear regression to determine cRR trends over time. At orchiectomy, the risk of relapse within 5 yr was 42.4%, 17.3%, 20.3%, and 12.2% among patients with high-risk nonseminomatous germ cell tumor (NSGCT), low-risk NSGCT, seminoma with tumor size ≥3cm, and seminoma with tumor size testicular cancer is very low. Consideration should be given to adapting surveillance protocols to individualized risk of relapse based on cRR as opposed to static protocols based on baseline factors. This strategy could reduce the intensity of follow-up for the majority of patients. Our study is the first to provide data on the future risk of relapse during surveillance for clinical stage I testicular cancer, given a patient has been without relapse for a specified period of time. Copyright © 2016 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Calcium supplementation during pregnancy for preventing hypertensive disorders and related problems.

Science.gov (United States)

Hofmeyr, G Justus; Lawrie, Theresa A; Atallah, Alvaro N; Duley, Lelia; Torloni, Maria R

2014-06-24

Pre-eclampsia and eclampsia are common causes of serious morbidity and death. Calcium supplementation may reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia, and may help to prevent preterm birth. To assess the effects of calcium supplementation during pregnancy on hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and related maternal and child outcomes. We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (28 March 2013) and contacted study authors for more data where possible. We updated the search in May 2014 and added the results to the 'Awaiting Classification' section of the review. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing high-dose (at least 1 g daily of calcium) or low-dose calcium supplementation during pregnancy with placebo or no calcium. We assessed eligibility and trial quality, extracted and double-entered data. High-dose calcium supplementation (≥1 g/day)We included 14 studies in the review, however one study contributed no data. We included 13 high-quality studies in our meta-analyses (15,730 women). The average risk of high blood pressure (BP) was reduced with calcium supplementation compared with placebo (12 trials, 15,470 women: risk ratio (RR) 0.65, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.53 to 0.81; I² = 74%). There was also a significant reduction in the risk of pre-eclampsia associated with calcium supplementation (13 trials, 15,730 women: RR 0.45, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.65; I² = 70%). The effect was greatest for women with low calcium diets (eight trials, 10,678 women: average RR 0.36, 95% CI 0.20 to 0.65; I² = 76%) and women at high risk of pre-eclampsia (five trials, 587 women: average RR 0.22, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.42; I² = 0%). These data should be interpreted with caution because of the possibility of small-study effect or publication bias.The composite outcome maternal death or serious morbidity was reduced (four trials, 9732 women; RR 0.80, 95% CI 0.65 to 0.97; I² = 0%). Maternal deaths were not significantly different (one trial of 8312 women: calcium

The globular cluster ω Centauri and its RR Lyrae variables

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dickens, R.J.

1989-07-01

The significance of some of the unusual characteristics of the globular cluster ωCentauri in various fundamental problems is explored. Interest is centred on the properties of the cluster RR Lyraes, and what they can contribute to studies of early cluster chemical enrichment, stellar pulsation, the distance scale, stellar evolution, stellar ages and the Oosterhoff period-shift problem. This article, which is intended to highlight problems and progress rather than give a comprehensive review, includes new results based on photometry of the RR Lyraes, red giants, subgiants, horizontal-branch and main sequence stars in the cluster. (author)

Spectrophotometry of RR Telescopii

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walker, A.R.

1977-01-01

The strongest emission lines in the nova-like variable RR Telescopii were measured during late 1974 using a spectrum scanner. The wavelength range 3350 to 7700 A was scanned with a resolution of 50 A. The results are compared with published spectrophotometry covering the period 1961 to 72, with the conclusion that few changes have taken place in the last 6 yr. No evidence was found that suggested the existence of a cool star, nor was there any indication of night-to-night changes in the emission line intensities. The spectrophotometry of the past 15 yr is consistent with an expanding shell, the emission from this shell being caused by high-energy radiation from an underlying star. (author)

Calculating excess lifetime risk in relative risk models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vaeth, M.; Pierce, D.A.

1990-01-01

When assessing the impact of radiation exposure it is common practice to present the final conclusions in terms of excess lifetime cancer risk in a population exposed to a given dose. The present investigation is mainly a methodological study focusing on some of the major issues and uncertainties involved in calculating such excess lifetime risks and related risk projection methods. The age-constant relative risk model used in the recent analyses of the cancer mortality that was observed in the follow-up of the cohort of A-bomb survivors in Hiroshima and Nagasaki is used to describe the effect of the exposure on the cancer mortality. In this type of model the excess relative risk is constant in age-at-risk, but depends on the age-at-exposure. Calculation of excess lifetime risks usually requires rather complicated life-table computations. In this paper we propose a simple approximation to the excess lifetime risk; the validity of the approximation for low levels of exposure is justified empirically as well as theoretically. This approximation provides important guidance in understanding the influence of the various factors involved in risk projections. Among the further topics considered are the influence of a latent period, the additional problems involved in calculations of site-specific excess lifetime cancer risks, the consequences of a leveling off or a plateau in the excess relative risk, and the uncertainties involved in transferring results from one population to another. The main part of this study relates to the situation with a single, instantaneous exposure, but a brief discussion is also given of the problem with a continuous exposure at a low-dose rate

Use of poppers and HIV risk behaviours among men who have sex with men in Paris, France: an observational study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hambrick, H Rhodes; Park, Su Hyun; Palamar, Joseph J; Estreet, Anthony; Schneider, John A; Duncan, Dustin T

2018-06-01

The use of inhaled nitrites, or poppers, among men who have sex with men (MSM) is prevalent, yet has been associated with HIV seroconversion. We surveyed 580 MSM from a geosocial networking smartphone application in Paris, France, in 2016. Of the respondents, 46.7% reported popper use within the previous 3 months. Regression models adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics found that the use of poppers was significantly (P<0.05) associated with the following during the prior 3 months: condomless anal intercourse (adjusted relative risk (aRR) 1.27, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07-1.50), use of alcohol and/or drugs during sex once or twice (adjusted relative risk ratio (aRRR) 2.33, 95% CI 1.44-2.03), three to five times (aRRR 5.41, 95% CI 2.98-9.84) or six or more times (aRRR 4.09, 95% CI 2.22-7.56), participation in group sex (aRRR 3.70, 95% CI 2.33-5.90) and self-reported diagnosis with any sexually transmissible infection over the previous year (aRR 1.63, 95% CI 1.18-2.27), specifically chlamydia (aRR 2.75, 95% CI 1.29-4.29) and syphilis (aRR 2.27, 95% CI 1.29-4.29).

Divorce and risk of hospital-diagnosed infectious diseases.

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Nielsen, Nete Munk; Davidsen, Rie B; Hviid, Anders; Wohlfahrt, Jan

2014-11-01

Although, divorce is considered to have a negative impact on morbidity, very little is known concerning exposure to divorce and risk of infectious diseases. We aimed to investigate the association between divorce and subsequent hospital contacts with infectious diseases. We performed a nation-wide cohort study, including all Danish men and women (n≈5.6 million) alive on the 1 January 1982 or later, and followed them for infectious disease diagnosed in hospital settings from 1982 to 2010. The association between divorce and risk of infectious diseases was evaluated through rate ratios (RRs) comparing incidence rates of infectious diseases between divorced and married pesons. Compared with married persons, divorced persons were overall at a 1.48 fold (RR=1.48 (95% CI: 1.47-1.50)) increased risk of hospital-diagnosed infectious diseases (RR adjusted for sex, age, period, income and education). The risk of infectious diseases was slightly more pronounced for divorced women (RR=1.54 (1.52-1.56)) than divorced men ((RR=1.42 (1.41-1.44)). The increased risk remained almost unchanged even more than 15 years after the divorce. Young age at divorce, short duration of marriage and number of divorces further increased the risk of infectious diseases, whereas number of children at time of divorce had no impact on risk of hospital-diagnosed infectious diseases following the divorce. Divorce appears to have a moderate but long lasting impact on the risk of infectious diseases the underlying mechanism is unknown but shared risk factors predicting divorce and infectious diseases could contribute to our findings. © 2014 the Nordic Societies of Public Health.

Menopausal hormone therapy and risk of melanoma: Do estrogens and progestins have a different role?

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Botteri, Edoardo; Støer, Nathalie C; Sakshaug, Solveig; Graff-Iversen, Sidsel; Vangen, Siri; Hofvind, Solveig; Ursin, Giske; Weiderpass, Elisabete

2017-11-01

The association between use of menopausal hormone therapy (HT) and occurrence of skin malignant melanoma (SMM) is controversial. We investigated the issue in a nationwide cohort of 684,696 Norwegian women, aged 45-79 years, followed from 2004 to 2008. The study was based on linkage between Norwegian population registries. Multivariable Poisson regression models were used to estimate the effect of HT use, different HT types, routes of administration and doses of estrogen and progestin on the risk of SMM. During the median follow-up of 4.8 years, 178,307 (26%) women used HT, and 1,476 incident SMM cases were identified. Current use of HT was associated with increased risk of SMM (rate ratios (RR) = 1.19; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03-1.37). Plain estrogen therapy was associated with an increased risk of SMM (RR 1.45; 95% CI 1.21-1.73), both for oral (RR 1.45; 95% CI 1.09-1.93) and vaginal (RR 1.44; 95% CI 1.14-1.84) formulations, while combined estrogen and progestin therapy (EPT) was not (RR 0.91; 95% CI 0.70-1.19). We performed a dose-response analysis of estrogen and progestin in women using tablets, and found that use of estrogens was associated with increased risk (RR 1.24; 95% CI 1.00-1.53 per 1 mg/day) and use of progestins with decreased risk (RR 0.71; 95% CI 0.57-0.89 per 10 mg/month) of SMM. In conclusion, estrogens were associated with increased risk of SMM, while combinations of estrogens and progestins were not. Our results suggest that estrogens and progestins might affect the risk of SMM in opposite ways. © 2017 UICC.

Predicted risks of radiogenic cardiac toxicity in two pediatric patients undergoing photon or proton radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Rui; Howell, Rebecca M; Homann, Kenneth; Giebeler, Annelise; Taddei, Phillip J; Mahajan, Anita; Newhauser, Wayne D

2013-01-01

Hodgkin disease (HD) and medulloblastoma (MB) are common malignancies found in children and young adults, and radiotherapy is part of the standard treatment. It was reported that these patients who received radiation therapy have an increased risk of cardiovascular late effects. We compared the predicted risk of developing radiogenic cardiac toxicity after photon versus proton radiotherapies for a pediatric patient with HD and a pediatric patient with MB. In the treatment plans, each patient’s heart was contoured in fine detail, including substructures of the pericardium and myocardium. Risk calculations took into account both therapeutic and stray radiation doses. We calculated the relative risk (RR) of cardiac toxicity using a linear risk model and the normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) values using relative seriality and Lyman models. Uncertainty analyses were also performed. The RR values of cardiac toxicity for the HD patient were 7.27 (proton) and 8.37 (photon), respectively; the RR values for the MB patient were 1.28 (proton) and 8.39 (photon), respectively. The predicted NTCP values for the HD patient were 2.17% (proton) and 2.67% (photon) for the myocardium, and were 2.11% (proton) and 1.92% (photon) for the whole heart. The predicted ratios of NTCP values (proton/photon) for the MB patient were much less than unity. Uncertainty analyses revealed that the predicted ratio of risk between proton and photon therapies was sensitive to uncertainties in the NTCP model parameters and the mean radiation weighting factor for neutrons, but was not sensitive to heart structure contours. The qualitative findings of the study were not sensitive to uncertainties in these factors. We conclude that proton and photon radiotherapies confer similar predicted risks of cardiac toxicity for the HD patient in this study, and that proton therapy reduced the predicted risk for the MB patient in this study

Occupational Noise Exposure and the Risk for Work-Related Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Dzhambov, Angel; Dimitrova, Donka

2017-11-10

Occupational noise exposure has been linked to work-related injuries. Strategies to control occupational hazards often rely on dose-response relationships needed to inform policy, but quantitative synthesis of the relevant literature has not been done so far. This study aimed to systematically review the epidemiological literature and to perform meta-analysis of the risk for work-related injury due to occupational noise exposure. PRISMA and MOOSE guidelines were followed. PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar were searched up until 15 December 2016 in English, Russian, and Spanish. Reference lists, grey literature, and expert archives were searched as well. The risk of bias was assessed for each study and incorporated into the meta-analysis weights using the quality effects model. Overall, 21 studies were included at the qualitative review stage: 9 cross-sectional, 6 case-control, 4 cohort, 1 case-crossover, and 1 ecological. Noise exposure was assessed objectively in 13 studies. Information on occupational injuries was elicited from medical records/registry in 13 studies. Meta-analyses showed RR = 1.22 (95% CI: 1.15, 1.29) (n = 59028) per 5 dB increase in noise exposure (Cochran's Q = 27.26, P 90-95 dB) compared with the least exposed group (Cochran's Q = 180.46, P work-related injury risk. However, the quality of evidence is 'very low'; therefore, the magnitude of this association should be interpreted with caution. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational Hygiene Society.

Risk factors for inappropriate blood requisition among hospitals in Tanzania.

Science.gov (United States)

Mauka, Wilhellmuss I; Mtuy, Tara B; Mahande, Michael J; Msuya, Sia E; Mboya, Innocent B; Juma, Abdul; Philemon, Rune N

2018-01-01

Blood is a critical aspect of treatment in life saving situations, increasing demand. Blood requisition practices greatly effect sufficient supply in blood banks. This study aimed to determine the risk factors for inappropriate blood requisition in Tanzania. This was a cross sectional study using secondary data of 14,460 patients' blood requests from 42 transfusion hospitals. Primary data were obtained by using cluster-sampling design. Data were analysed using a two-level mixed-effects Poisson regression to determine fixed-effects of individual-level factors and hospital level factors associated with inappropriate blood requests. P-value Factors significantly associated with inappropriate requisition were; reporting pulse rate and capillary refill decrease the risk (RR 0.74; 95% CI 0.64, 0.84) and (RR 0.73; 95% CI 0.63, 0.85) respectively and the following increased the risk; having surgery during hospital stay (RR 1.22; 95% CI 1.06, 1.4); being in general surgical ward (RR 3.3; 95% CI 2.7, 4.2), paediatric ward (RR 1.8; 95% CI 1.2, 2.7), obstetric ward (RR 2.5; 95% CI 2.0, 3.1), gynaecological ward (RR 2.1; 95% CI 1.5, 2.9), orthopaedics ward (RR 3.8; 95% CI 2.2, 6.7). Age of the patient, pallor and confirmation of pre-transfusion haemoglobin level were also significantly associated with inappropriate requisition. Majority of appropriate requisitions within the wards were marked in internal medicine (91.7%) and gynaecological wards (77.8%). The proportion of inappropriate blood requests was high. Blood requisition was determined by clinical and laboratory findings and the ward patients were admitted to. Adherence to transfusion guidelines is recommended to assure the best use of limited blood supply.

Parity and pancreatic cancer risk: a dose-response meta-analysis of epidemiologic studies.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hong-Bo Guan

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Previous epidemiologic studies have reported inconsistent results between parity and pancreatic cancer (PC risk. To our knowledge, a comprehensive and quantitative assessment of this association has not been conducted. METHODS: Relevant published studies of parity and PC were identified using MEDLINE (PubMed and Web of Science databases until November 2013. Two authors (H-BG and LW independently assessed eligibility and extracted data. Eleven prospective and 11 case-control studies reported relative risk (RR estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs of PC associated with parity. Fixed- and random-effects models were used to estimate the summary RR depending on the heterogeneity of effects. RESULTS: The summary RR for PC comparing the highest versus lowest parity was 0.86 (95% CI: 0.73-1.02; Q = 50.49, P<0.001, I2 = 58.4%. Significant inverse associations were also observed in the studies that adjusted for cigarette smoking (RR = 0.81; 95% CI: 0.68-0.98, Type 2 diabetes mellitus (RR = 0.83; 95% CI: 0.75-0.93, and those that included all confounders or important risk factors (RR = 0.85; 95% CI: 0.76-0.96. Additionally, in the dose-response analysis, the summary RR for per one live birth was 0.97 (95% CI: 0.94-1.01; Q = 62.83, P<0.001, I2 = 69.8%, which also indicated a borderline statistically significant inverse effect of parity on PC risk. No evidence of publication bias and significant heterogeneity between subgroups were detected by meta-regression analyses. CONCLUSION: In summary, these findings suggest that higher parity is associated with a decreased risk of PC. Future large consortia or pooled studies are warranted to fully adjust for potential confounders to confirm this association.

Association of Bariatric Surgery vs Medical Obesity Treatment With Long-term Medical Complications and Obesity-Related Comorbidities.

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Jakobsen, Gunn Signe; Småstuen, Milada Cvancarova; Sandbu, Rune; Nordstrand, Njord; Hofsø, Dag; Lindberg, Morten; Hertel, Jens Kristoffer; Hjelmesæth, Jøran

2018-01-16

The association of bariatric surgery and specialized medical obesity treatment with beneficial and detrimental outcomes remains uncertain. To compare changes in obesity-related comorbidities in patients with severe obesity (body mass index ≥40 or ≥35 and at least 1 comorbidity) undergoing bariatric surgery or specialized medical treatment. Cohort study with baseline data of exposures from November 2005 through July 2010 and follow-up data from 2006 until death or through December 2015 at a tertiary care outpatient center, Vestfold Hospital Trust, Norway. Consecutive treatment-seeking adult patients (n = 2109) with severe obesity assessed (221 patients excluded and 1888 patients included). Bariatric surgery (n = 932, 92% gastric bypass) or specialized medical treatment (n = 956) including individual or group-based lifestyle intervention programs. Primary outcomes included remission and new onset of hypertension based on drugs dispensed according to the Norwegian Prescription Database. Prespecified secondary outcomes included changes in comorbidities. Adverse events included complications retrieved from the Norwegian Patient Registry and a local laboratory database. Among 1888 patients included in the study, the mean (SD) age was 43.5 (12.3) years (1249 women [66%]; mean [SD] baseline BMI, 44.2 [6.1]; 100% completed follow-up at a median of 6.5 years [range, 0.2-10.1]). Surgically treated patients had a greater likelihood of remission and lesser likelihood for new onset of hypertension (remission: absolute risk [AR], 31.9% vs 12.4%); risk difference [RD], 19.5% [95% CI, 15.8%-23.2%], relative risk [RR], 2.1 [95% CI, 2.0-2.2]; new onset: AR, 3.5% vs 12.2%, RD, 8.7% [95% CI, 6.7%-10.7%], RR, 0.4 [95% CI, 0.3-0.5]; greater likelihood of diabetes remission: AR, 57.5% vs 14.8%; RD, 42.7% [95% CI, 35.8%-49.7%], RR, 3.9 [95% CI, 2.8-5.4]; greater risk of new-onset depression: AR, 8.9% vs 6.5%; RD, 2.4% [95% CI, 1.3%-3.5%], RR, 1.5 [95% CI, 1.4-1.7]; and

The effects of napping on the risk of hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

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Cheungpasitporn, Wisit; Thongprayoon, Charat; Srivali, Narat; Vijayvargiya, Priya; Andersen, Carl A; Kittanamongkolchai, Wonngarm; Sathick, Insara J Jaffer; Caples, Sean M; Erickson, Stephen B

2016-11-01

The risk of hypertension in adults who regularly take a nap is controversial. The objective of this meta-analysis was to assess the associations between napping and hypertension. A literature search was performed using MEDLINE, EMbase and The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews from inception through October, 2015. Studies that reported relative risks, odd ratios or hazard ratios comparing the risk of hypertension in individuals who regularly take nap were included. Pooled risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using a random-effect, generic inverse variance method. Nine observational studies with 112,267 individuals were included in the analysis to assess the risk of hypertension in nappers. The pooled RR of hypertension in nappers was 1.13 with 95% CI (0.98 to 1.30). When meta-analysis was limited only to studies assessing the risk of hypertension in daytime nappers, the pooled RR of hypertension was 1.19 with 95% CI (1.06 to 1.35). The data on association between nighttime napping in individuals who work night shift and hypertension were limited, only one observational study reported reduced risk of hypertension in nighttime nappers with odds ratio of 0.79 with 95% CI (0.63 to 1.00). Our meta-analysis demonstrates a significant association between daytime napping and hypertension. Future study is needed to assess the potential benefits of HTN screening for daytime nappers. © 2016 Chinese Cochrane Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Effect of systematic ergonomic hazard identification and control implementation on musculoskeletal disorder and injury risk.

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Cantley, Linda F; Taiwo, Oyebode A; Galusha, Deron; Barbour, Russell; Slade, Martin D; Tessier-Sherman, Baylah; Cullen, Mark R

2014-01-01

This study aimed to examine the effect of an ergonomic hazard control (HC) initiative, undertaken as part of a company ergonomics standard, on worker injury risk. Using the company's ergonomic hazards database to identify jobs with and without ergonomic HC implementation and linking to individual job and injury histories, injury risk among person-jobs with HC implementation (the HC group) was compared to those without HC (NoHC group) using random coefficient models. Further analysis of the HC group was conducted to determine the effect of additional ergonomic hazards controlled on injury risk. Among 123 jobs at 17 plant locations, 347 ergonomic hazards were quantitatively identified during the study period. HC were implemented for 204 quantified ergonomic hazards in 84 jobs, impacting 10 385 persons (12 967 person-jobs). No HC were implemented for quantified ergonomic hazards in the remaining 39 jobs affecting 4155 persons (5046 person-jobs). Adjusting for age, sex, plant origin, and year to control for any temporal trend in injury risk, the relative risk (RR) for musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) was 0.85 and the RR for any injury or MSD was 0.92 in the HC compared to NoHC group. Among the HC group, each ergonomic hazard controlled was associated with risk reduction for MSD and acute injury outcomes (RR 0.93). Systematic ergonomic HC through participatory ergonomics, as part of a mandatory company ergonomics standard, is associated with MSD and injury risk reduction among workers in jobs with HC implemented.

Association between Breastfeeding and Endometrial Cancer Risk: Evidence from a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lianlian Wang

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Quantification of the association between breastfeeding and risk of endometrial cancer is still conflicting. We therefore conducted a meta-analysis to assess the association between breastfeeding and endometrial cancer risk. Pertinent studies were identified by a search of PubMed and Web of Knowledge through April 2015. A random effect model was used to combine the data for analysis. Sensitivity analysis and publication bias were conducted. Dose-response relationships were assessed by restricted cubic spline and variance-weighted least squares regression analysis. Fourteen articles involving 5158 endometrial cancer cases and 706,946 participants were included in this meta-analysis. Pooled results suggested that breastfeeding significantly reduced the risk of endometrial cancer (summary relative risk (RR: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.62–0.96, I2: 63.0%, especially in North America (summary RR: 0.87, 95% CI: 0.79–0.95. A linear dose-response relationship was found, with the risk of endometrial cancer decreased by 2% for every one-month increase in the duration of breastfeeding (summary RR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.97–0.99. Our analysis suggested that breastfeeding, particularly a longer duration of breastfeeding, was inversely associated with the risk of endometrial cancer, especially in North America, but not in Europe and Asia, probably due to the small number of cases included. Due to this limitation, further studies originating in other countries are required to assess the association between breastfeeding and endometrial cancer risk.

Vitamin Intake Reduce the Risk of Gastric Cancer: Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review of Randomized and Observational Studies

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Geng, Qirong; Wang, Jing; Lan, Yadong; Zhan, Youqing; Xu, Dazhi

2014-01-01

Aim The association between vitamin intake and gastric cancer (GC) has been widely debated due to the relatively weak evidence. In this study, a meta-analysis of prospective and well designed observational studies were performed to explore this association. Methods MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and Sciencedirect were searched for studies of vitamin consumption and gastric cancer. This produced 47 relevant studies covering 1,221,392 human subjects. Random effects models were used to estimate summary relative risk (RR). Dose-response, subgroup, sensitivity, meta-regression, and publication bias analyses were conducted. Results The RR of gastric cancer in the group with the highest vitamin intake was compared to that of the lowest intake group. Total vitamin intake was 0.78 (95% CI, 0.71−0.83). In 9 studies that individuals were given doses at least 4 times above the tolerable upper intake (UL) vitamins, the RR was 1.20 (95% CI, 0.99−1.44). However, in 17 studies that individuals received doses below the UL, the RR was 0.76 (95% CI, 0.68−0.86). Dose-response analysis was conducted on different increments in different types of vitamins (vitamin A: 1.5 mg/day, vitamin C: 100 mg/day, vitamin E: 10 mg/day) intake with a significant reduction in the risk of gastric cancer, respectively, 29% in vitamin A, 26% in vitamin C, and 24% in vitamin E. Conclusion This meta-analysis clearly demonstrated that low doses of vitamins can significantly reduce the risk of GC, especially vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E. PMID:25549091

Executive function and falls in older adults: new findings from a five-year prospective study link fall risk to cognition.

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Anat Mirelman

Full Text Available Recent findings suggest that executive function (EF plays a critical role in the regulation of gait in older adults, especially under complex and challenging conditions, and that EF deficits may, therefore, contribute to fall risk. The objective of this study was to evaluate if reduced EF is a risk factor for future falls over the course of 5 years of follow-up. Secondary objectives were to assess whether single and dual task walking abilities, an alternative window into EF, were associated with fall risk.We longitudinally followed 256 community-living older adults (age: 76.4±4.5 yrs; 61% women who were dementia free and had good mobility upon entrance into the study. At baseline, a computerized cognitive battery generated an index of EF, attention, a closely related construct, and other cognitive domains. Gait was assessed during single and dual task conditions. Falls data were collected prospectively using monthly calendars. Negative binomial regression quantified risk ratios (RR. After adjusting for age, gender and the number of falls in the year prior to the study, only the EF index (RR: .85; CI: .74-.98, p = .021, the attention index (RR: .84; CI: .75-.94, p = .002 and dual tasking gait variability (RR: 1.11; CI: 1.01-1.23; p = .027 were associated with future fall risk. Other cognitive function measures were not related to falls. Survival analyses indicated that subjects with the lowest EF scores were more likely to fall sooner and more likely to experience multiple falls during the 66 months of follow-up (p<0.02.These findings demonstrate that among community-living older adults, the risk of future falls was predicted by performance on EF and attention tests conducted 5 years earlier. The present results link falls among older adults to cognition, indicating that screening EF will likely enhance fall risk assessment, and that treatment of EF may reduce fall risk.

Mitochondrial electron transport chain is involved in microcystin-RR induced tobacco BY-2 cells apoptosis.

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Huang, Wenmin; Li, Dunhai; Liu, Yongding

2014-09-01

Microcystin-RR (MC-RR) has been suggested to induce apoptosis in tobacco BY-2 cells through mitochondrial dysfunction including the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm). To further elucidate the mechanisms involved in MC-RR induced apoptosis in tobacco BY-2 cells, we have investigated the role of mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) as a potential source for reactive oxygen species (ROS). Tobacco BY-2 cells after exposure to MC-RR (60mg/L) displayed apoptotic changes in association with an increased production of ROS and loss of ΔΨm. All of these adverse effects were significantly attenuated by ETC inhibitors including Rotenone (2μmol/L, complex I inhibitor) and antimycin A (0.01μmol/L, complex III inhibitor), but not by thenoyltrifluoroacetone (5μmol/L, complex II inhibitor). These results suggest that mitochondrial ETC plays a key role in mediating MC-RR induced apoptosis in tobacco BY-2 cells through an increased mitochondrial production of ROS. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Coronary collaterals and risk for restenosis after percutaneous coronary interventions: a meta-analysis

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Meier Pascal

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The benefit of the coronary collateral circulation (natural bypass network on survival is well established. However, data derived from smaller studies indicates that coronary collaterals may increase the risk for restenosis after percutaneous coronary interventions. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies was to explore the impact of the collateral circulation on the risk for restenosis. Methods We searched the MEDLINE, EMBASE and ISI Web of Science databases (2001 to 15 July 2011. Random effects models were used to calculate summary risk ratios (RR for restenosis. The primary endpoint was angiographic restenosis > 50%. Results A total of 7 studies enrolling 1,425 subjects were integrated in this analysis. On average across studies, the presence of a good collateralization was predictive for restenosis (risk ratio (RR 1.40 (95% CI 1.09 to 1.80; P = 0.009. This risk ratio was consistent in the subgroup analyses where collateralization was assessed with intracoronary pressure measurements (RR 1.37 (95% CI 1.03 to 1.83; P = 0.038 versus visual assessment (RR 1.41 (95% CI 1.00 to 1.99; P = 0.049. For the subgroup of patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD, the RR for restenosis with 'good collaterals' was 1.64 (95% CI 1.14 to 2.35 compared to 'poor collaterals' (P = 0.008. For patients with acute myocardial infarction, however, the RR for restenosis with 'good collateralization' was only 1.23 (95% CI 0.89 to 1.69; P = 0.212. Conclusions The risk of restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI is increased in patients with good coronary collateralization. Assessment of the coronary collateral circulation before PCI may be useful for risk stratification and for the choice of antiproliferative measures (drug-eluting stent instead bare-metal stent, cilostazol.

QT-RR relationships and suitable QT correction formulas for halothane-anesthetized dogs.

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Tabo, Mitsuyasu; Nakamura, Mikiko; Kimura, Kazuya; Ito, Shigeo

2006-10-01

Several QT correction (QTc) formulas have been used for assessing the QT liability of drugs. However, they are known to under- and over-correct the QT interval and tend to be specific to species and experimental conditions. The purpose of this study was to determine a suitable formula for halothane-anesthetized dogs highly sensitive to drug-induced QT interval prolongation. Twenty dogs were anesthetized with 1.5% halothane and the relationship between the QT and RR intervals were obtained by changing the heart rate under atrial pacing conditions. The QT interval was corrected for the RR interval by applying 4 published formulas (Bazett, Fridericia, Van de Water, and Matsunaga); Fridericia's formula (QTcF = QT/RR(0.33)) showed the least slope and lowest R(2) value for the linear regression of QTc intervals against RR intervals, indicating that it dissociated changes in heart rate most effectively. An optimized formula (QTcX = QT/RR(0.3879)) is defined by analysis of covariance and represents a correction algorithm superior to Fridericia's formula. For both Fridericia's and the optimized formula, QT-prolonging drugs (d,l-sotalol, astemizole) showed QTc interval prolongation. A non-QT-prolonging drug (d,l-propranolol) failed to prolong the QTc interval. In addition, drug-induced changes in QTcF and QTcX intervals were highly correlated with those of the QT interval paced at a cycle length of 500 msec. These findings suggest that Fridericia's and the optimized formula, although the optimized is a little bit better, are suitable for correcting the QT interval in halothane-anesthetized dogs and help to evaluate the potential QT prolongation of drugs with high accuracy.

Russia-specific relative risks and their effects on the estimated alcohol-attributable burden of disease.

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Shield, Kevin D; Rehm, Jürgen

2015-05-10

Alcohol consumption is a major risk factor for the burden of disease globally. This burden is estimated using Relative Risk (RR) functions for alcohol from meta-analyses that use data from all countries; however, for Russia and surrounding countries, country-specific risk data may need to be used. The objective of this paper is to compare the estimated burden of alcohol consumption calculated using Russia-specific alcohol RRs with the estimated burden of alcohol consumption calculated using alcohol RRs from meta-analyses. Data for 2012 on drinking indicators were calculated based on the Global Information System on Alcohol and Health. Data for 2012 on mortality, Years of Life Lost, Years Lived with Disability, and Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) lost by cause were obtained by country from the World Health Organization. Alcohol Population-Attributable Fractions (PAFs) were calculated based on a risk modelling methodology from Russia. These PAFs were compared to PAFs calculated using methods applied for all other countries. The 95% Uncertainty Intervals (UIs) for the alcohol PAFs were calculated using a Monte Carlo-like method. Using Russia-specific alcohol RR functions, in Russia in 2012 alcohol caused an estimated 231,900 deaths (95% UI: 185,600 to 278,200) (70,800 deaths among women and 161,100 deaths among men) and 13,295,000 DALYs lost (95% UI: 11,242,000 to 15,348,000) (3,670,000 DALYs lost among women and 9,625,000 DALYs lost among men) among people 0 to 64 years of age. This compares to an estimated 165,600 deaths (95% UI: 97,200 to 228,100) (29,700 deaths among women and 135,900 deaths among men) and 10,623,000 DALYs lost (95% UI: 7,265,000 to 13,754,000) (1,783,000 DALYs lost among women and 8,840,000 DALYs lost among men) among people 0 to 64 years of age caused by alcohol when non-Russia-specific alcohol RRs were used. Results indicate that if the Russia-specific RRs are used when estimating the health burden attributable to alcohol consumption in

The TSH levels and risk of hypothyroidism: Results from a population based prospective cohort study in an Iranian adult's population.

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Aminorroaya, Ashraf; Meamar, Rokhsareh; Amini, Massoud; Feizi, Awat; Nasri, Maryam; Tabatabaei, Azamosadat; Faghihimani, Elham

2017-06-01

The aim of current study was to assess the relationship between serum TSH levels and hypothyroidism risk in the euthyroid population. In a population-based cohort study, a total of 615 individuals with a normal baseline TSH, from of total population (n=2254) in 2006, were followed up for 6years. TSH, total T4, thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb), and thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb) were measured. The relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) were calculated based on logistic regression. The Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis along with area under the curve (AUC) was used to prediction of future hypothyroidism. TSH level in 2006 was a significant predictor for overt hypothyroidism, in the total population (RR=3.5) and female (RR=1.37) (all, P valuehypothyroidism from euthyroid. However, this cut off was not observed when we included only negative TPO and TgAbs people in 2006. The RR of hypothyroidism increased gradually when TSH level increased from 2.06-3.6mIU/L to >3.6mIU/L in the total population and both sexes. In women, the risk of overt hypothyroidism was significantly higher in subjects with TSH above 3.6 than those subject with THS levels≤2.05 [RR: (CI95 %), 20.57(2.-207.04), P valuehypothyroidism in future. However, it was not applicable for people with negative TPOAb and negative TgAb. Copyright © 2016 European Federation of Internal Medicine. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Systematic review with meta-analysis: coffee consumption and the risk of gallstone disease.

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Zhang, Y-P; Li, W-Q; Sun, Y-L; Zhu, R-T; Wang, W-J

2015-09-01

Epidemiologic evidence on coffee consumption reducing the risk of gallstone disease has been contradictory. To perform a meta-analysis of observational studies, to investigate an association and dose-response of coffee consumption with gallstone disease. We used PubMed and EMBASE databases to identify all published studies before June 2015. A random-effects model was used to compute a pooled relative risk (RR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). One case-control study and five prospective cohort studies (with seven cohorts) involving 227,749 participants and 11,477 gallstone disease cases were included. Coffee consumption was significantly associated with a reduced risk of gallstone disease (RR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.76 to 0.89; I(2) = 35.9%), based on prospective studies; specifically, we observed an inverse relation in females, but not in males. The case-control study did not reveal any association between coffee and gallstone disease (OR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.64 to 1.53). In a dose-response analysis, the RR of gallstone disease was 0.95 (95% CI, 0.91 to 1.00; P = 0.049) per 1 cup/day of coffee consumption. A significant nonlinear dose-response association was also identified (P for nonlinearity = 0.0106). For people who drank 2, 4 and 6 cups of coffee per day, the estimated RRs of gallstone disease were 0.89 (95% CI, 0.79 to 0.99), 0.81 (95% CI, 0.72 to 0.92) and 0.75 (95% CI, 0.64 to 0.88), respectively, compared with the lowest level drinkers. This study suggests that coffee consumption is related to a significantly decreased risk of gallstone disease. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The effect of Livermore OPAL opacities on the evolutionary masses of RR Lyrae stars

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Yi, Sukyoung; Lee, Young-Wook; Demarque, Pierre

1993-01-01

We have investigated the effect of the new Livermore OPAL opacities on the evolution of horizontal-branch (HB) stars. This work was motivated by the recent stellar pulsation calculations using the new Livermore opacities, which suggest that the masses of double-mode RR Lyrae stars are 0.1-0.2 solar mass larger than those based on earlier opacities. Unlike the pulsation calculations, we find that the effect of opacity change on the evolution of HB stars is not significant. In particular, the effect of the mean masses of RR Lyrae stars is very small, showing a decrease of only 0.01-0.02 solar mass compared to the models based on old Cox-Stewart opacities. Consequently, with the new Livermore OPAL opacities, both the stellar pulsation and evolution models now predict approximately the same masses for the RR Lyrae stars. Our evolutionary models suggest that the mean masses of the RR Lyrae stars are about 0.76 and about 0.71 solar mass for M15 (Oosterhoff group II) and M3 (group I), respectively. If (alpha/Fe) = 0.4, these values are decreased by about 0.03 solar mass. Variations of the mean masses of RR Lyrae stars with HB morphology and metallicity are also presented.

Carbon and oxygen abundances of field RR Lyrae stars. I. Carbon abundances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Butler, D.; Manduca, A.; Deming, D.; Bell, R.A.

1982-01-01

From an analysis of KPNO 4-m echelle plates and simultaneous uvbyβ photometry, we have determined carbon abundances and carbon-to-iron ratios for a large number of field RR Lyrae stars having [Fe/H]> or approx. =-1.2. It is found that these field RR Lyrae stars: stars which are known to be in an advanced evolutionary state: have carbon-to-iron ratios which are similar to those of unevolved stars

Foreign travel associated with increased sexual risk-taking, alcohol and drug use among UK university students: a cohort study.

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Vivancos, R; Abubakar, I; Hunter, P R

2010-01-01

We conducted a prospective cohort study to assess sexual behaviour of students at a British University during the summer break, to explore the role of foreign travel as a risk factor of sexually transmitted infections acquisition and to determine characteristics associated with casual sex. We found that those who travelled abroad were more likely to use alcohol (RR 1.59, 95% CI 1.17-2.16) and cannabis (RR 1.35, 95% CI 1.13-1.62) and to have casual sex during holidays. They also reported more sexual relationships after holidays (RR 1.26, 95% CI 1.09-1.53). New partnerships during holidays were associated with being single, foreign travel, drinking alcohol and having previously had large number of sexual partners. The adjusted relative risk of developing new sexual partnerships with foreign travel was 2.70 (95% CI 1.11-6.61). People who travel abroad during holidays are more likely to engage in risk taking behaviour and have casual sex. They are also more sexually active after holidays.

Fruits, vegetables and breast cancer risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies.

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Aune, D; Chan, D S M; Vieira, A R; Rosenblatt, D A Navarro; Vieira, R; Greenwood, D C; Norat, T

2012-07-01

Evidence for an association between fruit and vegetable intake and breast cancer risk is inconclusive. To clarify the association, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the evidence from prospective studies. We searched PubMed for prospective studies of fruit and vegetable intake and breast cancer risk until April 30, 2011. We included fifteen prospective studies that reported relative risk estimates and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) of breast cancer associated with fruit and vegetable intake. Random effects models were used to estimate summary relative risks. The summary relative risk (RR) for the highest versus the lowest intake was 0.89 (95 % CI: 0.80-0.99, I (2) = 0 %) for fruits and vegetables combined, 0.92 (95 % CI: 0.86-0.98, I (2) = 9 %) for fruits, and 0.99 (95 % CI: 0.92-1.06, I (2) = 20 %) for vegetables. In dose-response analyses, the summary RR per 200 g/day was 0.96 (95 % CI: 0.93-1.00, I (2) = 2 %) for fruits and vegetables combined, 0.94 (95 % CI: 0.89-1.00, I (2) = 39 %) for fruits, and 1.00 (95 % CI: 0.95-1.06, I (2) = 17 %) for vegetables. In this meta-analysis of prospective studies, high intake of fruits, and fruits and vegetables combined, but not vegetables, is associated with a weak reduction in risk of breast cancer.

Tea consumption and risk of cardiovascular outcomes and total mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective observational studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Chi; Qin, Ying-Yi; Wei, Xin; Yu, Fei-Fei; Zhou, Yu-Hao; He, Jia

2015-01-01

Studies that investigated the association between tea consumption and the risk of major cardiovascular events have reported inconsistent results. We conducted a meta-analysis of prospective observational studies in order to summarize the evidence regarding the association between tea consumption and major cardiovascular outcomes or total mortality. In July 2014, we performed electronic searches in PubMed, EmBase, and the Cochrane Library, followed by manual searches of reference lists from the resulting articles to identify other relevant studies. Prospective observational studies that reported effect estimates, with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs), for coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, cardiac death, stroke death, or total mortality for more than two dosages of tea consumption were included. A random-effects meta-analysis was performed to determine the risk of major cardiovascular outcomes associated with an increase in tea consumption by 3 cups per day. Of the 736 citations identified from database searches, we included 22 prospective studies from 24 articles reporting data on 856,206 individuals, and including 8,459 cases of CHD, 10,572 of stroke, 5,798 cardiac deaths, 2,350 stroke deaths, and 13,722 total deaths. Overall, an increase in tea consumption by 3 cups per day was associated with a reduced risk of CHD (relative risk [RR], 0.73; 95 % CI: 0.53–0.99; P = 0.045), cardiac death (RR, 0.74; 95 % CI: 0.63–0.86; P < 0.001), stroke (RR, 0.82; 95 % CI: 0.73–0.92; P = 0.001), total mortality (RR, 0.76; 95 % CI: 0.63–0.91; P = 0.003), cerebral infarction (RR, 0.84; 95 % CI: 0.72–0.98; P = 0.023), and intracerebral hemorrhage (RR, 0.79; 95 % CI: 0.72–0.87; P < 0.001), but had little or no effect on stroke mortality (RR, 0.93; 95 % CI: 0.83–1.05; P = 0.260). The findings from this meta-analysis indicate that increased tea consumption is associated with a reduced risk of CHD, cardiac death, stroke, cerebral infarction, and

Relative risk models of lung cancer in uranium miners

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tomasek, L [National Radiation Protection Institute, Prague (Czech Republic); Placek, V [Inst. for Expertises and Emergencies, Pribram-Kamenna (Czech Republic)

1996-12-31

The study population of the S cohort (studies of underground miners of uranium and other substances as the source of information on long term effects of exposure to radon and its progeny) involve uranium miners, that started underground work at the Jachymov and Horni Slavkov mines in the period 1978-1959, and had worked at least for four years. A total 4320 men satisfied these criteria. During the decade up to 1990, follow-up of the cohort mainly relied on the national population registry. In order to improve the follow-u, a series of additional checks were conducted: in the files of the Czech and Slovak Pensions Offices, by local enquires, and by direct correspondence. These additional efforts resulted in an increase of more than 10% in the numbers of known men to have died or emigrated. An exceptional feature of the S study is the large number of measurements of radon concentrations made in each mine-shaft (mean number per year and shaft was 223 in the period 1949-1960). Each man`s annual exposures to radon progeny in terms of working levels were estimated combining measurement data with men`s employment details. The excess relative risk models were used in the form RR = c(1 + ERR(w,x)), where ERR is excess relative risk, w and x denote exposure history and modifying variable, and c is an intercept term that allows the mortality rate for `unexposed` cohort to differ from that in the general population. The increased mortality (O/E=1.58; where O is observed and E is expected cases among collected death cases in the cohort) in the cohort, generally, somewhat lower ratios than one reflect the non-industrial character of the region, with the exception of lung cancer in man. The differences in the O/E ratios for lung cancer among the separate communities indicate that even in the situation of generally lower mortality, the dependence of lung cancer mortality on radon exposure cannot be excluded. 3 tabs., 6 refs.

Risk of Cardiovascular Morbidity and Mortality in Relation to Temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Mathes, Robert; Ito, Kazuhiko; Matte, Thomas

2013-01-01

Objective To examine the effects of temperature on cardiovascular-related (CVD) morbidity and mortality among New York City (NYC) residents. Introduction Extreme temperatures are consistently shown to have an effect on CVD-related mortality [1, 2]. A large multi-city study of mortality demonstrated a cold-day and hot-day weather effect on CVD-related deaths, with the larger impact occurring on the coldest days [3]. In contrast, the association between weather and CVD-related morbidity is less clear [4, 5]. The purpose of this study is to characterize the effect of temperature on CVD-related emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalizations, and mortality on a large, heterogeneous population. Additionally, we conducted a sensitivity analysis to determine the impact of air pollutants, specifically fine particulates (PM2.5) and ozone (O3), along with temperature, on CVD outcomes. Methods We analyzed daily weather conditions, ED visits classified as CVD-related based on chief complaint text, hospitalizations, and natural cause deaths that occurred in NYC between 2002 and 2006. ED visits were obtained from data reported daily to the city health department for syndromic surveillance. Inpatient admissions were obtained from the Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System, a data reporting system developed by New York State. Mortality data were obtained from the NYC Office of Vital Statistics. Data for PM2.5 and O3 were obtained from all available air quality monitors within the five boroughs of NYC. To estimate risk of CVD morbidity and mortality, we used generalized linear models using a Poisson distribution to calculate relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). A non-linear distributed lag was used to model mean temperature in order to allow for its effect on the same day and on subsequent days. Models were fit separately for cold season (October through March) and warm season (April through September) given season may modify the effect on CVD

Dynamics of microcystins-LR and -RR in the phytoplanktivorous silver carp in a sub-chronic toxicity experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie Liqiang; Xie Ping; Ozawa, Kazuhiko; Honma, Takamitsu; Yokoyama, Atsushi; Park, Ho-Dong

2004-01-01

A sub-chronic toxicity experiment was conducted to examine tissue distribution and depuration of two microcystins (microcystin-LR and microcystin -RR) in the phytoplanktivorous filter-feeding silver carp during a course of 80 days. Two large tanks (A, B) were used, and in Tank A, the fish were fed naturally with fresh Microcystis viridis cells (collected from a eutrophic pond) throughout the experiment, while in Tank B, the food of the fish were M. viridis cells for the first 40 days and then changed to artificial carp feed. High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) was used to measure MC-LR and MC-RR in the M. viridis cells, the seston, and the intestine, blood, liver and muscle tissue of silver carp at an interval of 20 days. MC-RR and MC-LR in the collected Microcystis cells varied between 268-580 and 110-292 μg g -1 DW, respectively. In Tank A, MC-RR and MC-LR varied between 41.5-99.5 and 6.9-15.8 μg g -1 DW in the seston, respectively. The maximum MC-RR in the blood, liver and muscle of the fish was 49.7, 17.8 and 1.77 μg g -1 DW, respectively. No MC-LR was detectable in the muscle and blood samples of the silver carp in spite of the abundant presence of this toxin in the intestines (for the liver, there was only one case when a relatively minor quantity was detected). These findings contrast with previous experimental results on rainbow trout. Perhaps silver carp has a mechanism to degrade MC-LR actively and to inhibit MC-LR transportation across the intestines. The depuration of MC-RR concentrations occurred slowly than uptakes in blood, liver and muscle, and the depuration rate was in the order of blood>liver>muscle. The grazing ability of silver carp on toxic cyanobacteria suggests an applicability of using phytoplanktivorous fish to counteract cyanotoxin contamination in eutrophic waters. - Silver carp are tolerant of cyanobacterial toxins, and might be used to control toxic algal blooms in highly eutrophic lakes

Annotation and analysis of a large cuticular protein family with the R&R Consensus in Anopheles gambiae

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He Ningjia

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The most abundant family of insect cuticular proteins, the CPR family, is recognized by the R&R Consensus, a domain of about 64 amino acids that binds to chitin and is present throughout arthropods. Several species have now been shown to have more than 100 CPR genes, inviting speculation as to the functional importance of this large number and diversity. Results We have identified 156 genes in Anopheles gambiae that code for putative cuticular proteins in this CPR family, over 1% of the total number of predicted genes in this species. Annotation was verified using several criteria including identification of TATA boxes, INRs, and DPEs plus support from proteomic and gene expression analyses. Two previously recognized CPR classes, RR-1 and RR-2, form separate, well-supported clades with the exception of a small set of genes with long branches whose relationships are poorly resolved. Several of these outliers have clear orthologs in other species. Although both clades are under purifying selection, the RR-1 variant of the R&R Consensus is evolving at twice the rate of the RR-2 variant and is structurally more labile. In contrast, the regions flanking the R&R Consensus have diversified in amino-acid composition to a much greater extent in RR-2 genes compared with RR-1 genes. Many genes are found in compact tandem arrays that may include similar or dissimilar genes but always include just one of the two classes. Tandem arrays of RR-2 genes frequently contain subsets of genes coding for highly similar proteins (sequence clusters. Properties of the proteins indicated that each cluster may serve a distinct function in the cuticle. Conclusion The complete annotation of this large gene family provides insight on the mechanisms of gene family evolution and clues about the need for so many CPR genes. These data also should assist annotation of other Anopheles genes.

Lithium is associated with decrease in all-cause and suicide mortality in high-risk bipolar patients: A nationwide registry-based prospective cohort study.

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Toffol, Elena; Hätönen, Taina; Tanskanen, Antti; Lönnqvist, Jouko; Wahlbeck, Kristian; Joffe, Grigori; Tiihonen, Jari; Haukka, Jari; Partonen, Timo

2015-09-01

Mortality rates, in particular due to suicide, are especially high in bipolar patients. This nationwide, registry-based study analyses the associations of medication use with hospitalization due to attempted suicides, deaths from suicide, and overall mortality across different psychotropic agents in bipolar patients. Altogether 826 bipolar patients hospitalized in Finland between 1996-2003 because of a suicide attempt were followed-up for a mean of 3.5 years. The relative risk of suicide attempts leading to hospitalization, completed suicide, and overall mortality during lithium vs. no-lithium, antipsychotic vs. no-antipsychotic, valproic acid vs. no-valproic acid, antidepressant vs. no-antidepressant and benzodiazepine vs. no-benzodiazepine treatment was measured. The use of valproic acid (RR=1.53, 95% CI: 1.26-1.85, p<0.001), antidepressants (RR=1.49, 95% CI: 1.23-1.8, p<0.001) and benzodiazepines (RR=1.49, 95% CI: 1.23-1.80, p<0.001) was associated with increased risk of attempted suicide. Lithium was associated with a (non-significantly) lower risk of suicide attempts, and with significantly decreased suicide mortality in univariate (RR=0.39, 95% CI: 0.17-0.93, p=0.03), Cox (HR=0.37, 95% CI: 0.16-0.88, p=0.02) and marginal structural models (HR=0.31, 95% CI: 0.12-0.79, p=0.02). Moreover, lithium was related to decreased all-cause mortality by 49% (marginal structural models). Only high-risk bipolar patients hospitalized after a suicide attempt were studied. Diagnosis was not based on standardized diagnostic interviews; treatment regimens were uncontrolled. Maintenance therapy with lithium, but not with other medications, is linked to decreased suicide and all-cause mortality in high-risk bipolar patients. Lithium should be considered for suicide prevention in high-risk bipolar patients. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Maternal diagnosis of obesity and risk of cerebral palsy in the child.

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Crisham Janik, Mary D; Newman, Thomas B; Cheng, Yvonne W; Xing, Guibo; Gilbert, William M; Wu, Yvonne W

2013-11-01

To examine the association between maternal hospital diagnoses of obesity and risk of cerebral palsy (CP) in the child. For all California hospital births from 1991-2001, we linked infant and maternal hospitalization discharge abstracts to California Department of Developmental Services records of children receiving services for CP. We identified maternal hospital discharge diagnoses of obesity (International Classification of Diseases, 9th edition 646.1, 278.00, or 278.01) and morbid obesity (International Classification of Diseases, 9th edition 278.01), and performed logistic regression to explore the relationship between maternal obesity diagnoses and CP. Among 6.2 million births, 67 200 (1.1%) mothers were diagnosed with obesity, and 7878 (0.1%) with morbid obesity; 8798 (0.14%) children had CP. A maternal diagnosis of obesity (relative risk [RR] 1.30, 95% CI 1.09-1.55) or morbid obesity (RR 2.70, 95% CI 1.89-3.86) was associated with increased risk of CP. In multivariable analysis adjusting for maternal race, age, education, prenatal care, insurance status, and infant sex, both obesity (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.06-1.52) and morbid obesity (OR 2.56, 95% CI 1.79-3.66) remained independently associated with CP. On stratified analyses, the association of obesity (RR 1.72, 95% CI 1.25-2.35) or morbid obesity (RR 3.79, 95% CI 2.35-6.10) with CP was only significant among women who were hospitalized prior to the birth admission. Adjusting for potential comorbidities and complications of obesity did not eliminate this association. Maternal obesity may confer an increased risk of CP in some cases. Further studies are needed to confirm this finding. Copyright © 2013 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Physical risk factors for developing non-specific neck pain in office workers: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

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Jun, Deokhoon; Zoe, Michaleff; Johnston, Venerina; O'Leary, Shaun

2017-07-01

Identifying risk factors associated with the development of work-related neck pain in office workers is necessary to facilitate the development of prevention strategies that aim to minimise this prevalent and costly health problem. The aim of this systematic review is to identify individual worker (e.g., lifestyle activity, muscular strength, and posture) and workplace (e.g., ergonomics and work environment) physical factors associated with the development of non-specific neck pain in office workers. Studies from 1980 to 2016 were identified by an electronic search of Pubmed, CINAHL, EMBASE, Psychlnfo and Proquest databases. Two authors independently screened search results, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias using the epidemiological appraisal instrument (EAI). A random effect model was used to estimate the risk of physical factors for neck pain. Twenty papers described the findings of ten prospective cohort studies and two randomized controlled trials. Low satisfaction with the workplace environment (pooled RR 1.28; CI 1.07-1.55), keyboard position close to the body [pooled RR 1.46; (CI 1.07-1.99)], low work task variation [RR 1.27; CI (1.08-1.50)] and self-perceived medium/high muscular tension (pooled RR 2.75/1.82; CI 1.60 /1.14-4.72/2.90) were found to be risk factors for the development of neck pain. This review found evidence for a few number of physical risk factors for the development of neck pain, however, there was also either limited or conflicting factors. Recommendations for future studies evaluating risk factors are reported and how these may contribute to the prevention of neck pain in office workers.

A meta-analysis on dose-response relationship between night shift work and the risk of breast cancer.

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Wang, F; Yeung, K L; Chan, W C; Kwok, C C H; Leung, S L; Wu, C; Chan, E Y Y; Yu, I T S; Yang, X R; Tse, L A

2013-11-01

This study aimed to conduct a systematic review to sum up evidence of the associations between different aspects of night shift work and female breast cancer using a dose-response meta-analysis approach. We systematicly searched all cohort and case-control studies published in English on MEDLINE, Embase, PSYCInfo, APC Journal Club and Global Health, from January 1971 to May 2013. We extracted effect measures (relative risk, RR; odd ratio, OR; or hazard ratio, HR) from individual studies to generate pooled results using meta-analysis approaches. A log-linear dose-response regression model was used to evaluate the relationship between various indicators of exposure to night shift work and breast cancer risk. Downs and Black scale was applied to assess the methodological quality of included studies. Ten studies were included in the meta-analysis. A pooled adjusted relative risk for the association between 'ever exposed to night shift work' and breast cancer was 1.19 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.05-1.35]. Further meta-analyses on dose-response relationship showed that every 5-year increase of exposure to night shift work would correspondingly enhance the risk of breast cancer of the female by 3% (pooled RR = 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.05; Pheterogeneity night shifts would result in a 13% (RR = 1.13, 95% CI 1.07-1.21; Pheterogeneity = 0.06) increase in breast cancer risk. This systematic review updated the evidence that a positive dose-response relationship is likely to present for breast cancer with increasing years of employment and cumulative shifts involved in the work.

Calcium Intake and the Risk of Ovarian Cancer: A Meta-Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Xingxing; Li, Zongyao; Ji, Xinqiang; Zhang, Dongfeng

2017-06-30

Several epidemiological studies have evaluated the association between calcium intake and the risk of ovarian cancer. However, the results of these studies remain controversial. Thus, we performed a meta-analysis to explore the association between calcium intake and the risk of ovarian cancer. Pubmed, Embase and Web of Science were searched for eligible publications up to April 2017. Pooled relative risks (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using the random-effects model. Small-study effect was estimated using Egger's test and the funnel plot. Among 15 epidemiological studies involving 493,415 participants and 7453 cases eligible for this meta-analysis, 13 studies were about dietary calcium intake, 4 studies about dairy calcium intake and 7 studies about dietary plus supplemental calcium intake. When comparing the highest with the lowest intake, the pooled RRs of ovarian cancer were 0.80 (95% CI 0.72-0.89) for dietary calcium, 0.80 (95% CI 0.66-0.98) for dairy calcium and 0.90 (95% CI 0.65-1.24) for dietary plus supplemental calcium, respectively. Dietary calcium was significantly associated with a reduced risk of ovarian cancer among cohort studies (RR = 0.86, 95% CI 0.74-0.99) and among case-control studies ( RR = 0.75, 95% CI 0.64-0.89). In subgroup analysis by ovarian cancer subtypes, we found a statistically significant association between the dietary calcium ( RR = 0.78, 95% CI 0.69-0.88) and the risk of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). This meta-analysis indicated that increased calcium intake might be inversely associated with the risk of ovarian cancer; this still needs to be confirmed by larger prospective cohort studies.

Intake of vegetables, legumes, and fruit, and risk for all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality in a European diabetic population

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nöthlings, Ute; Schulze, Matthias B; Weikert, Cornelia

2008-01-01

We examined the associations of intake of vegetables, legumes and fruit with all-cause and cause-specific mortality in a population with prevalent diabetes in Europe. A cohort of 10,449 participants with self-reported diabetes within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition...... study was followed for a mean of 9 y. Intakes of vegetables, legumes, and fruit were assessed at baseline between 1992 and 2000 using validated country-specific questionnaires. A total of 1346 deaths occurred. Multivariate relative risks (RR) for all-cause mortality were estimated in Cox regression...... models and RR for cause-specific mortality were derived in a competing risk model. An increment in intake of total vegetables, legumes, and fruit of 80 g/d was associated with a RR of death from all causes of 0.94 [95% CI 0.90-0.98]. Analyzed separately, vegetables and legumes were associated...

Recurrence of Subdural Haematoma in a Population-Based Cohort - Risks and Predictive Factors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schmidt, Linnea; Gørtz, Sanne; Wohlfahrt, Jan

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the risks of and identify predictors for recurrent subdural haematoma in surgically and conservatively treated patients. METHODS: The cohort comprised all individuals diagnosed with a first-time subdural hematoma in Denmark 1996-2011. Information on potential predictors...... was retrieved from the Danish health registers. Cumulative recurrence risks were estimated using the Aalen-Johansen estimator. Rate ratios (RR) were estimated using Poisson regression. RESULTS: Among 10,158 individuals with a subdural hematoma, 1,555 had a recurrent event. The cumulative risk of recurrent...... subdural hematoma was 9% at 4 weeks after the primary bleeding, increasing to and stabilising at 14% after one year. Predictors associated with recurrence were: Male sex (RR 1.60, 95% CI:1.43-1.80), older age (>70 years compared to 20-49 years; RR 1.41, 95% CI: 1.21-1.65), alcohol addiction (RR 1.20, 95...

The Distance to M54 using Infrared Photometry of RR Lyrae Variable Stars and the Implications of its Relation to the Sagittarius Dwarf Galaxy

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Arvind F.; Beaton, Rachael L.; Majewski, Steven R.; SMHASH Team

2018-01-01

CDM cosmological models predict that dark matter halo density profiles will have central cusps. Yet for many dwarf spheroidal galaxies (dSphs), this expectation is in contrast with observations of cored, rather than cusped, halos. This 'cusp-core problem' is apparent in the Sagittarius Dwarf Galaxy (Sgr), one of the largest satellites of the Milky Way. The globular cluster M54, one of several clusters associated with Sgr, coincides in on-sky position with the center of the main body of Sgr. While several studies find that M54 lies within the center of Sgr, other findings show that M54 is offset from the center by several kiloparsecs along our line of sight. The latter requires Sgr to have a cored dark matter distribution. In the presence of a cuspy halo, the orbit of M54 would have decayed via dynamical friction and the cluster would have fallen to the center of Sgr. A clear determination of the relation of the two bodies may help us better understand the distribution of dark matter in Sgr and other dSphs. Here we present a measurement of the distance modulus to M54 using a set of RR Lyrae variable stars in near-infrared Magellan data mid-infrared Spitzer data. The magnitudes of individual stars are measured using multi-epoch PSF photometry and light curve fitting. From precise RR Lyrae period-luminosity relations at these wavelengths, we then find the mean M54 distance modulus to be 17.126 ± 0.023 (ran) ± 0.080 (sys). Our result is consistent with a distance measurement to Sgr derived via nearly identical methods and thus also consistent with the expectation of a central cusp in the dark matter density profile of Sgr.

Influence of Age and Aerobic Fitness on the Multifractal Characteristics of Electrocardiographic RR Time-Series

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Michael James Lewis

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Multifractal properties of electrocardiographic inter-beat (RR time-series offer insight into its long-term correlation structure, independently of RR variability. Here we quantify multifractal characteristics of RR data during 24-hour diurnal-nocturnal activity in healthy participants. We tested the hypotheses that (1 age, gender and aerobic fitness influence RR multifractal properties, and that (2 these are influenced by circadian variation.Seventy adults (39 males aged 19-58 years and of various fitness levels were monitored using 24-hour ECG. Participants were dichotomised by median age and fitness for sub-group analysis. Gender and fitness were independent of age (p=0.1, p>0.5. Younger/older group ages were substantially different (p<0.0005 and were independent of gender and fitness. Multifractality was quantified using the probability spectrum of Hölder exponents (h, from which modal h (h* and the full-width and half-widths at half-maximum measures (FWHM, HWHM+ and HWHM- were derived. FWHM decreased (p=0.004 and h* increased (p=0.011 in older people, indicating diminished long-range RR correlations and weaker anti-persistent behavior. Anti-persistent correlation (h* was strongest in the youngest/fittest individuals and weakest in the oldest/least fit individuals (p=0.015. Long-range correlation (HWHM+/FWHM was strongest in the fittest males and weakest in the least fit females (p=0.007-0.033.Multifractal RR characteristics in our healthy participants showed strong age-dependence with diminished long-range anti-persistent correlation in older people. Circadian variation of these characteristics was influenced by fitness and gender: fitter males and females of all ages had the greatest degree of multifractality or long-range order. Multifractal characterisation appears to be a useful method for exploring the physiological basis of long-term correlation structure in RR time-series as well as the benefits thereon of physical fitness training.

Kepler photometry of the prototypical Blazhko star RR Lyr: an old friend seen in a new light

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kolenberg, Katrien; Bryson, S.; Szabó, R.

2011-01-01

We present our analysis of the long-cadence Kepler data for the well-studied Blazhko star RR Lyr, gathered during the first two quarters of the satellite's observations and covering a total of 127 d. Besides being of great importance for our understanding of RR Lyrae stars in general, these RR Lyr...... data can be regarded as a case study for observations of bright stars with Kepler. Kepler can perform high-precision photometry on targets like RR Lyr, as the saturated flux is conserved to a very high degree. The Kepler data on RR Lyr are revolutionary in several respects. Even with long......-cadence sampling (one measurement per 29.4 min), the unprecedented precision (star's extreme light-curve variations in detail. The multiplet structures at the main frequency and its harmonics, typical for Blazhko stars, are clearly detected up...

GAUGE R&R FOR AN OPTICAL MICROMETER INDUSTRIAL TYPE MACHINE

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Georgia A. Louka

2010-12-01

Full Text Available The measurement of the uncertainty of a metric system, as 'Gauge R&R' and the collation of results between the Xbar & R and the ANOVA method, are extended in this essay. In an academic school laboratory we accomplished a sequence of measurements with the use of an Optical Micrometer Industrial Type Machine (MUL 300. This paper analyzes the measurement system that used in the laboratory and checks the reasons of the variability's provocation that observed in the machine, between the theoretical calculations and measurements. In order to find out this problem, we will use the 'Gage Repeatability and Reproducibility' technique of Measurement System Analysis (M.S.A.. This technique uses analysis of variance. In addition, will use Minitab program in order to find out the factors that we have in the whole experiment as enlarge the problem of measurements. In this paper, a statistical method using the correlation between Gage R&R and process capability indices is proposed for evaluating the adequacy of the acceptance criteria of P/T ratio. Finally, a comparative analysis has also been performed for evaluating the accuracy of Gage R&R between two methods (ANOVA and R- Xbar method. Hopefully, the results of this research can provide a useful reference for quality practitioners in various industries.

Mediterranean dietary pattern and risk of breast cancer.

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Elisabeth Couto

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: A Mediterranean diet has a recognized beneficial effect on health and longevity, with a protective influence on several cancers. However, its association with breast cancer risk remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate whether adherence to a Mediterranean dietary pattern influences breast cancer risk. DESIGN: The Swedish Women's Lifestyle and Health cohort study includes 49,258 women aged 30 to 49 years at recruitment in 1991-1992. Consumption of foods and beverages was measured at enrollment using a food frequency questionnaire. A Mediterranean diet score was constructed based on the consumption of alcohol, vegetables, fruits, legumes, cereals, fish, the ratio of unsaturated to saturated fat, and dairy and meat products. Relative risks (RR for breast cancer and specific tumor characteristics (invasiveness, histological type, estrogen/progesterone receptor status, malignancy grade and stage associated with this score were estimated using Cox regression controlling for potential confounders. RESULTS: 1,278 incident breast cancers were diagnosed. Adherence to a Mediterranean dietary pattern was not statistically significantly associated with reduced risk of breast cancer overall, or with specific breast tumor characteristics. A RR (95% confidence interval for breast cancer associated with a two-point increment in the Mediterranean diet score was 1.08 (1.00-1.15 in all women, and 1.10 (1.01-1.21 and 1.02 (0.91-1.15 in premenopausal and postmenopausal women, respectively. When alcohol was excluded from the Mediterranean diet score, results became not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Adherence to a Mediterranean dietary pattern did not decrease breast cancer risk in this cohort of relatively young women.

Exploring the Milky Way halo with SDSS-II SN survey RR Lyrae stars

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De Lee, Nathan

This thesis details the creation of a large catalog of RR Lyrae stars, their lightcurves, and their associated photometric and kinematic parameters. This catalog contains 421 RR Lyrae stars with 305 RRab and 116 RRc. Of these, 241 stars have stellar spectra taken with either the Blanco 4m RC spectrograph or the SDSS/SEGUE survey, and in some cases taken by both. From these spectra and photometric methods derived from them, an analysis is conducted of the RR lyrae's distribution, metallicity, kinematics, and photometric properties within the halo. All of these RR Lyrae originate from the SDSS-II Supernova Survey. The SDSS-II SN Survey covers a 2.5 degree equatorial stripe ranging from -60 to +60 degrees in RA. This corresponds to relatively high southern galactic latitudes in the anti-center direction. The full catalog ranges from g 0 magnitude 13 to 20 which covers a distance of 3 to 95 kpc from the sun. Using this sample, we explore the Oosterhoff dichotomy through the D log P method as a function of | Z | distance from the plane. This results in a clear division of the RRab stars into OoI and OoII groups at lower | Z |, but the population becomes dominated by OoI stars at higher | Z |. The idea of a dual halo is explored primarily in the context of radial velocity distributions as a function of | Z |. In particular, V gsr , the radial velocity in the galactic standard of rest, is used as a proxy for V [straight phi] , the cylindrical rotational velocity. This is then compared against a single halo model galaxy, which results in very similar V gsr histograms for both at low to medium | Z |. However, at high | Z | there is a clear separation into two distinct velocity groups for the data without a corresponding separation in the model, suggesting that at least a two-component model for the halo is necessary. The final part of the analysis involves [Fe/H] measurements from both spectra and photometric relations cut in both | Z | and radial velocity. In this case

Association between firearm ownership, firearm-related risk and risk reduction behaviours and alcohol-related risk behaviours.

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Wintemute, Garen J

2011-12-01

Alcohol use and firearm ownership are risk factors for violent injury and death. To determine whether firearm ownership and specific firearm-related behaviours are associated with alcohol-related risk behaviours, the author conducted a cross-sectional study using Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data for eight states in the USA from 1996 to 1997 (the most recent data available). Altogether, 15 474 respondents provided information on firearm exposure. After adjustment for demographics and state of residence, firearm owners were more likely than those with no firearms at home to have ≥5 drinks on one occasion (OR 1.32; 95% CI 1.16 to 1.50), to drink and drive (OR 1.79; 95% CI 1.34 to 2.39) and to have ≥60 drinks per month (OR 1.45; 95% CI 1.14 to 1.83). Heavy alcohol use was most common among firearm owners who also engaged in behaviours such as carrying a firearm for protection against other people and keeping a firearm at home that was both loaded and not locked away. The author concludes that firearm ownership and specific firearm-related behaviours are associated with alcohol-related risk behaviours.

Association between physical exercise, body mass index, and risk of fibromyalgia: longitudinal data from the Norwegian Nord-Trøndelag Health Study.

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Mork, Paul J; Vasseljen, Ottar; Nilsen, Tom I L

2010-05-01

To examine the association between leisure time physical exercise, body mass index (BMI), and risk of fibromyalgia (FM). A longitudinal study with baseline assessment of physical exercise (frequency, duration, and intensity) and BMI was used to explore the risk of having FM at 11-year followup in a large, unselected female population (n = 15,990) without FM or physical impairments at baseline. At followup, 380 cases of incident FM were reported. A weak dose-response association was found between level of physical exercise and risk of FM (for trend, P = 0.13) where women who reported the highest exercise level had a relative risk (RR) of 0.77 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.55-1.07). BMI was an independent risk factor for FM (for trend, P BMI > or =25.0 kg/m(2)) had a 60-70% higher risk compared with women with normal weight (BMI 18.5-24.9 kg/m(2)). Overweight or obese women who exercised > or =1 hour per week had an RR of 1.72 (95% CI 1.07-2.76) compared with normal-weight women with a similar activity level, whereas the risk was >2-fold higher for overweight or obese women who were either inactive (RR 2.09, 95% CI 1.36-3.21) or exercised <1 hour per week (RR 2.19, 95% CI 1.39-3.46). Being overweight or obese was associated with an increased risk of FM, especially among women who also reported low levels of physical exercise. Community-based measures aimed at reducing the incidence of FM should emphasize the importance of regular exercise and the maintenance of normal body weight.

Nahid Sırrı Örik’in Romanlarında Aile

OpenAIRE

Sayar, Feyza

2013-01-01

In this study, The six novels of Nahid Sırrı Örik Kıskanmak, Yıldız Olmak Kolay mı?, Tersine Giden Yol, Gece Olmadan, Sultan Hamid Düşerken, Kozmopolitler were examined in terms of family approach. In the first section of the study, Nahid Sırrı Örik's life, art and works were mentioned. In the second section, generally novels in Turkish Literature which are on the subject of family were mentioned. In the third section, the plot is studied. In the fourth section family and in the fifth sect...

Serum cobalt status during pregnancy and the risks of pregnancy-induced hypertension syndrome: A prospective birth cohort study.

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Liang, Chunmei; Wang, Jianqing; Xia, Xun; Wang, Qunan; Li, Zhijuan; Tao, Ruiwen; Tao, Yiran; Xiang, Haiyun; Tong, Shilu; Tao, Fangbiao

2018-03-01

Cobalt (Co) is an essential trace element and has been suggested to be involved in blood pressure regulation, but few studies have focused on serum Co status during pregnancy and the risks of pregnancy-induced hypertension syndrome (PIH). The aim of this study was to prospectively assess the association between serum Co levels during pregnancy and the risks of PIH, and to explore how the maternal Co status contributes to the incidence of PIH. 3260 non-hypertensive women before pregnancy with singleton births in Ma'anShan birth cohort study (MABC) were recruited with the assessment of maternal Co concentrations, additionally, the levels of 7 inflammatory factors and 3 stress factors in placentas were also determined. Relative risks (RRs) [95% confidence intervals (CIs)] for the risks of PIH were assessed and the relationships between 10 factors and maternal Co status during pregnancy were evaluated as well. A total of 194 (5.95%) women were diagnosed with PIH. The concentrations of Co varied from the first trimester to the second trimester, and maternal serum Co concentrations during pregnancy were negatively associated with the incidence of PIH in a linear fashion. There was a clear trend in RRs according to decreasing exposure to Co levels in the second trimester (RR a =1.80, 95% CI (1.26, 2.56); RR b =1.73, 95% CI (1.21, 2.46) and RR c =1.43, 95% CI (1.02, 2.04) when low Co levels comparing with high Co levels before and after adjustment for confounders; and RR a =1.29, 95% CI (0.88, 1.88); RR b =1.28, 95% CI (0.87, 1.87) and RR c =1.25, 95% CI (0.86, 1.82) when medium Co levels comparing with high Co levels before and after adjustment for confounders). In addition, the trend for the first trimester was nearly identifical to those for the second trimester (RR a =1.35, 95% CI (0.94, 1.93); RR b =1.33, 95% CI (0.93, 1.91); RR c =1.22, 95%CI (0.86, 1.73) when low Co levels comparing with high Co levels before and after adjustment for confounders; and RR a =1.10, 95

Fiction or not? Fifty Shades is associated with health risks in adolescent and young adult females.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonomi, Amy E; Nemeth, Julianna M; Altenburger, Lauren E; Anderson, Melissa L; Snyder, Anastasia; Dotto, Irma

2014-09-01

No prior study has empirically characterized the association between health risks and reading popular fiction depicting violence against women. Fifty Shades--a blockbuster fiction series--depicts pervasive violence against women, perpetuating a broader social narrative that normalizes these types of risks and behaviors in women's lives. The present study characterized the association between health risks in women who read and did not read Fifty Shades; while our cross-sectional study design precluded causal determinations, an empirical representation of the health risks in women consuming the problematic messages in Fifty Shades is made. Females ages 18 to 24 (n=715), who were enrolled in a large Midwestern university, completed a cross-sectional online survey about their health behaviors and Fifty Shades' readership. The analysis included 655 females (219 who read at least the first Fifty Shades novel and 436 who did not read any part of Fifty Shades). Age- and race-adjusted multivariable models characterized Fifty Shades' readers and nonreaders on intimate partner violence victimization (experiencing physical, sexual and psychological abuse, including cyber-abuse, at some point during their lifetime); binge drinking (consuming five or more alcoholic beverages on six or more days in the last month); sexual practices (having five or more intercourse partners and/or one or more anal sex partner during their lifetime); and using diet aids or fasting for 24 or more hours at some point during their lifetime. One-third of subjects read Fifty Shades (18.6%, or 122/655, read all three novels, and 14.8%, or 97/655, read at least the first novel but not all three). In age- and race-adjusted models, compared with nonreaders, females who read at least the first novel (but not all three) were more likely than nonreaders to have had, during their lifetime, a partner who shouted, yelled, or swore at them (relative risk [RR]=1.25) and who delivered unwanted calls/text messages

Qualidade fisiológica e teor de lignina no tegumento de sementes de soja convencional e transgênica RR submetidas a diferentes épocas de colheita Physiological quality and lignin content in the coat seeds of conventional and RR transgenic soybean submitted to different harvest periods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristiane Fortes Gris

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Têm-se levantado à hipótese de que cultivares de soja RR possuem teores de lignina superiores aos convencionais, o que proporciona maior resistência a danos mecânicos e maior impermeabilidade do tegumento das sementes. Objetivou-se avaliar a qualidade fisiológica e o teor de lignina no tegumento das sementes de soja convencional e RR colhidas em três épocas, em Lavras-MG. Para tanto, as sementes colhidas nos estádios R7, R8 e após 20 dias de retardamento da colheita (R8+20, foram submetidas aos testes para avaliação da qualidade fisiológica e teor de lignina. As cultivares convencionais e RR avaliadas foram: BRS 133 vs BRS 245 RR, BRS 134 vs BRS 247 RR, Conquista vs Valiosa RR, Celeste vs Baliza RR e Jataí vs Silvânia RR. Foram realizados os testes de peso de mil sementes, germinação, envelhecimento acelerado, condutividade elétrica, dano mecânico, índice de velocidade de emergência, germinação após a imersão das sementes em água e teor de lignina no tegumento de sementes. Com exceção do teor de lignina no tegumento de sementes para o contraste Jataí vs Silvânia RR, não foram observadas diferenças entre os materiais RR e convencional, tendo, neste caso, a cv Silvânia RR apresentado resultados superiores aos da convencional. No entanto, houve diferença de comportamento entre os cultivares quanto à tolerância ao retardamento da colheita. Observou-se redução significativa na porcentagem de germinação e vigor das sementes avaliadas com o retardamento da colheita.One has raised the hypothesis that the RR soybean cultivars posses lignin contents higher than those of the conventional ones. The present work was conducted with the purpose of evaluating the physiological quality and lignin content in the coat of the conventional and RR soybean seeds collected in three times in Lavras-MG. To that end, the seeds collected at stages R7, R8 and after 20 days of collection delay (R8+20 were submitted to the tests for

Boarding is associated with higher rates of medication delays and adverse events but fewer laboratory-related delays.

Science.gov (United States)

Sri-On, Jiraporn; Chang, Yuchiao; Curley, David P; Camargo, Carlos A; Weissman, Joel S; Singer, Sara J; Liu, Shan W

2014-09-01

Hospital crowding and emergency department (ED) boarding are large and growing problems. To date, there has been a paucity of information regarding the quality of care received by patients boarding in the ED compared with the care received by patients on an inpatient unit. We compared the rate of delays and adverse events at the event level that occur while boarding in the ED vs while on an inpatient unit. This study was a secondary analysis of data from medical record review and administrative databases at 2 urban academic teaching hospitals from August 1, 2004, through January 31, 2005. We measured delayed repeat cardiac enzymes, delayed partial thromboplastin time level checks, delayed antibiotic administration, delayed administration of home medications, and adverse events. We compared the incidence of events during ED boarding vs while on an inpatient unit. Among 1431 patient medical records, we identified 1016 events. Emergency department boarding was associated with an increased risk of home medication delays (risk ratio [RR], 1.54; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.26-1.88), delayed antibiotic administration (RR, 2.49; 95% CI, 1.72-3.52), and adverse events (RR, 2.36; 95% CI, 1.15-4.72). On the contrary, ED boarding was associated with fewer delays in repeat cardiac enzymes (RR, 0.17; 95% CI, 0.09-0.27) and delayed partial thromboplastin time checks (RR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.27-0.96). Compared with inpatient units, ED boarding was associated with more medication-related delays and adverse events but fewer laboratory-related delays. Until we can eliminate ED boarding, it is critical to identify areas for improvement. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Children should wear helmets while ice-skating: a comparison of skating-related injuries.

Science.gov (United States)

McGeehan, Jennifer; Shields, Brenda J; Smith, Gary A

2004-07-01

This study compares injuries, especially head injuries, among ice-skaters with those among skateboarders, rollerskaters, and in-line skaters, to determine the need for helmet use during recreational ice-skating by children. A comparative study of a consecutive series of patients. The emergency department of a large, urban, academic, children's hospital. Children treated for injuries related to recreational ice-skating, skateboarding, rollerskating, and in-line skating. During a 31-month period, 419 consecutive children were evaluated in the emergency department for skating-related injuries. Children were predominantly male (53.9%), with a mean age of 10.0 years (SD: 3.0 years; median: 10.0 years; range: 1-18 years). The most frequent mechanism of injury was a fall. Overall, 76.5% of children (215 of 281 children) were reported to be wearing no protective equipment, such as a helmet or padding on the elbows or knees, at the time of injury. Ice-skaters were more likely to have adult supervision than were skateboarders (relative risk [RR]: 5.16; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.13-12.46), rollerskaters (RR: 1.21; 95% CI: 1.09-1.35), and in-line skaters (RR: 2.08; 95% CI: 1.72-2.51). Ice-skaters were at greater risk of injury to the head (20.0%) than were in-line skaters (4.9%) (RR: 4.09; 95% CI: 1.81-9.23); a weak difference was noted between ice-skaters and rollerskaters (9.9%) (RR: 2.18; 95% CI: 1.04-4.57), with no significant difference in head injuries between ice-skaters and skateboarders (15.9%) (RR: 1.60; 95% CI: 0.54-2.93). Ice-skaters demonstrated lacerations to the head in 68.8% of abnormal head examinations, compared with 37.0% for rollerskaters (RR: 1.86; 95% CI: 1.08-3.20) and 50.0% for in-line skaters (RR: 2.06; 95% CI: 1.35-3.16); however, there was no significant difference in lacerations to the head between ice-skaters and skateboarders (53.3%) (RR: 1.29; 95% CI: 0.76-2.19). Injuries to ice-skaters occurred more often in an indoor skating facility (92

Credit card debt, stress and key health risk behaviors among college students.

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Melissa C; Lust, Katherine; Story, Mary; Ehlinger, Ed

2008-01-01

To examine cross-sectional associations between credit card debt, stress, and health risk behaviors among college students, focusing particularly on weight-related behaviors. Random-sample, mailed survey. Undergraduate and graduate students (n = 3206) attending a large public university. Self-reported health indicators (e.g., weight, height, physical activity, diet, weight control, stress, credit card debt). More than 23% of students reported credit card debt > or = $1000. Using Poisson regression to predict relative risks (RR) of health behaviors, debt of at least $1000 was associated with nearly every risk indicator tested, including overweight/obesity, insufficient physical activity, excess television viewing, infrequent breakfast consumption, fast food consumption, unhealthy weight control, body dissatisfaction, binge drinking, substance use, and violence. For example, adjusted RR [ARR] ranged from 1.09 (95% Confidence interval [CI]: 1.02-1.17) for insufficient vigorous activity to 2.17 (CI: 0.68-2.82) for using drugs other than marijuana in the past 30 days. Poor stress management was also a robust indicator of health risk. University student lifestyles may be characterized by a variety of coexisting risk factors. These findings indicate that both debt and stress were associated with wide-ranging adverse health indicators. Intervention strategies targeting at-risk student populations need to be tailored to work within the context of the many challenges of college life, which may serve as barriers to healthy lifestyles. Increased health promotion efforts targeting stress, financial management, and weight-related health behaviors may be needed to enhance wellness among young adults.

Gaia Data Release 1. Testing parallaxes with local Cepheids and RR Lyrae stars

Science.gov (United States)

Gaia Collaboration; Clementini, G.; Eyer, L.; Ripepi, V.; Marconi, M.; Muraveva, T.; Garofalo, A.; Sarro, L. M.; Palmer, M.; Luri, X.; Molinaro, R.; Rimoldini, L.; Szabados, L.; Musella, I.; Anderson, R. I.; Prusti, T.; de Bruijne, J. H. J.; Brown, A. G. A.; Vallenari, A.; Babusiaux, C.; Bailer-Jones, C. A. L.; Bastian, U.; Biermann, M.; Evans, D. W.; Jansen, F.; Jordi, C.; Klioner, S. A.; Lammers, U.; Lindegren, L.; Mignard, F.; Panem, C.; Pourbaix, D.; Randich, S.; Sartoretti, P.; Siddiqui, H. I.; Soubiran, C.; Valette, V.; van Leeuwen, F.; Walton, N. A.; Aerts, C.; Arenou, F.; Cropper, M.; Drimmel, R.; Høg, E.; Katz, D.; Lattanzi, M. G.; O'Mullane, W.; Grebel, E. K.; Holland, A. D.; Huc, C.; Passot, X.; Perryman, M.; Bramante, L.; Cacciari, C.; Castañeda, J.; Chaoul, L.; Cheek, N.; De Angeli, F.; Fabricius, C.; Guerra, R.; Hernández, J.; Jean-Antoine-Piccolo, A.; Masana, E.; Messineo, R.; Mowlavi, N.; Nienartowicz, K.; Ordóñez-Blanco, D.; Panuzzo, P.; Portell, J.; Richards, P. J.; Riello, M.; Seabroke, G. M.; Tanga, P.; Thévenin, F.; Torra, J.; Els, S. G.; Gracia-Abril, G.; Comoretto, G.; Garcia-Reinaldos, M.; Lock, T.; Mercier, E.; Altmann, M.; Andrae, R.; Astraatmadja, T. L.; Bellas-Velidis, I.; Benson, K.; Berthier, J.; Blomme, R.; Busso, G.; Carry, B.; Cellino, A.; Cowell, S.; Creevey, O.; Cuypers, J.; Davidson, M.; De Ridder, J.; de Torres, A.; Delchambre, L.; Dell'Oro, A.; Ducourant, C.; Frémat, Y.; García-Torres, M.; Gosset, E.; Halbwachs, J.-L.; Hambly, N. C.; Harrison, D. L.; Hauser, M.; Hestroffer, D.; Hodgkin, S. T.; Huckle, H. E.; Hutton, A.; Jasniewicz, G.; Jordan, S.; Kontizas, M.; Korn, A. J.; Lanzafame, A. C.; Manteiga, M.; Moitinho, A.; Muinonen, K.; Osinde, J.; Pancino, E.; Pauwels, T.; Petit, J.-M.; Recio-Blanco, A.; Robin, A. C.; Siopis, C.; Smith, M.; Smith, K. W.; Sozzetti, A.; Thuillot, W.; van Reeven, W.; Viala, Y.; Abbas, U.; Abreu Aramburu, A.; Accart, S.; Aguado, J. J.; Allan, P. M.; Allasia, W.; Altavilla, G.; Álvarez, M. A.; Alves, J.; Andrei, A. H.; Anglada Varela, E.; Antiche, E.; Antoja, T.; Antón, S.; Arcay, B.; Bach, N.; Baker, S. G.; Balaguer-Núñez, L.; Barache, C.; Barata, C.; Barbier, A.; Barblan, F.; Barrado y Navascués, D.; Barros, M.; Barstow, M. A.; Becciani, U.; Bellazzini, M.; Bello García, A.; Belokurov, V.; Bendjoya, P.; Berihuete, A.; Bianchi, L.; Bienaymé, O.; Billebaud, F.; Blagorodnova, N.; Blanco-Cuaresma, S.; Boch, T.; Bombrun, A.; Borrachero, R.; Bouquillon, S.; Bourda, G.; Bragaglia, A.; Breddels, M. A.; Brouillet, N.; Brüsemeister, T.; Bucciarelli, B.; Burgess, P.; Burgon, R.; Burlacu, A.; Busonero, D.; Buzzi, R.; Caffau, E.; Cambras, J.; Campbell, H.; Cancelliere, R.; Cantat-Gaudin, T.; Carlucci, T.; Carrasco, J. M.; Castellani, M.; Charlot, P.; Charnas, J.; Chiavassa, A.; Clotet, M.; Cocozza, G.; Collins, R. S.; Costigan, G.; Crifo, F.; Cross, N. J. G.; Crosta, M.; Crowley, C.; Dafonte, C.; Damerdji, Y.; Dapergolas, A.; David, P.; David, M.; De Cat, P.; de Felice, F.; de Laverny, P.; De Luise, F.; De March, R.; de Souza, R.; Debosscher, J.; del Pozo, E.; Delbo, M.; Delgado, A.; Delgado, H. E.; Di Matteo, P.; Diakite, S.; Distefano, E.; Dolding, C.; Dos Anjos, S.; Drazinos, P.; Durán, J.; Dzigan, Y.; Edvardsson, B.; Enke, H.; Evans, N. W.; Eynard Bontemps, G.; Fabre, C.; Fabrizio, M.; Falcão, A. J.; Farràs Casas, M.; Federici, L.; Fedorets, G.; Fernández-Hernández, J.; Fernique, P.; Fienga, A.; Figueras, F.; Filippi, F.; Findeisen, K.; Fonti, A.; Fouesneau, M.; Fraile, E.; Fraser, M.; Fuchs, J.; Gai, M.; Galleti, S.; Galluccio, L.; Garabato, D.; García-Sedano, F.; Garralda, N.; Gavras, P.; Gerssen, J.; Geyer, R.; Gilmore, G.; Girona, S.; Giuffrida, G.; Gomes, M.; González-Marcos, A.; González-Núñez, J.; González-Vidal, J. J.; Granvik, M.; Guerrier, A.; Guillout, P.; Guiraud, J.; Gúrpide, A.; Gutiérrez-Sánchez, R.; Guy, L. P.; Haigron, R.; Hatzidimitriou, D.; Haywood, M.; Heiter, U.; Helmi, A.; Hobbs, D.; Hofmann, W.; Holl, B.; Holland, G.; Hunt, J. A. S.; Hypki, A.; Icardi, V.; Irwin, M.; Jevardat de Fombelle, G.; Jofré, P.; Jonker, P. G.; Jorissen, A.; Julbe, F.; Karampelas, A.; Kochoska, A.; Kohley, R.; Kolenberg, K.; Kontizas, E.; Koposov, S. E.; Kordopatis, G.; Koubsky, P.; Krone-Martins, A.; Kudryashova, M.; Bachchan, R. K.; Lacoste-Seris, F.; Lanza, A. F.; Lavigne, J.-B.; Le Poncin-Lafitte, C.; Lebreton, Y.; Lebzelter, T.; Leccia, S.; Leclerc, N.; Lecoeur-Taibi, I.; Lemaitre, V.; Lenhardt, H.; Leroux, F.; Liao, S.; Licata, E.; Lindstrøm, H. E. P.; Lister, T. A.; Livanou, E.; Lobel, A.; Löffler, W.; López, M.; Lorenz, D.; MacDonald, I.; Magalhães Fernandes, T.; Managau, S.; Mann, R. G.; Mantelet, G.; Marchal, O.; Marchant, J. M.; Marinoni, S.; Marrese, P. M.; Marschalkó, G.; Marshall, D. J.; Martín-Fleitas, J. M.; Martino, M.; Mary, N.; Matijevič, G.; McMillan, P. J.; Messina, S.; Michalik, D.; Millar, N. R.; Miranda, B. M. H.; Molina, D.; Molinaro, M.; Molnár, L.; Moniez, M.; Montegriffo, P.; Mor, R.; Mora, A.; Morbidelli, R.; Morel, T.; Morgenthaler, S.; Morris, D.; Mulone, A. F.; Narbonne, J.; Nelemans, G.; Nicastro, L.; Noval, L.; Ordénovic, C.; Ordieres-Meré, J.; Osborne, P.; Pagani, C.; Pagano, I.; Pailler, F.; Palacin, H.; Palaversa, L.; Parsons, P.; Pecoraro, M.; Pedrosa, R.; Pentikäinen, H.; Pichon, B.; Piersimoni, A. M.; Pineau, F.-X.; Plachy, E.; Plum, G.; Poujoulet, E.; Prša, A.; Pulone, L.; Ragaini, S.; Rago, S.; Rambaux, N.; Ramos-Lerate, M.; Ranalli, P.; Rauw, G.; Read, A.; Regibo, S.; Reylé, C.; Ribeiro, R. A.; Riva, A.; Rixon, G.; Roelens, M.; Romero-Gómez, M.; Rowell, N.; Royer, F.; Ruiz-Dern, L.; Sadowski, G.; Sagristà Sellés, T.; Sahlmann, J.; Salgado, J.; Salguero, E.; Sarasso, M.; Savietto, H.; Schultheis, M.; Sciacca, E.; Segol, M.; Segovia, J. C.; Segransan, D.; Shih, I.-C.; Smareglia, R.; Smart, R. L.; Solano, E.; Solitro, F.; Sordo, R.; Soria Nieto, S.; Souchay, J.; Spagna, A.; Spoto, F.; Stampa, U.; Steele, I. A.; Steidelmüller, H.; Stephenson, C. A.; Stoev, H.; Suess, F. F.; Süveges, M.; Surdej, J.; Szegedi-Elek, E.; Tapiador, D.; Taris, F.; Tauran, G.; Taylor, M. B.; Teixeira, R.; Terrett, D.; Tingley, B.; Trager, S. C.; Turon, C.; Ulla, A.; Utrilla, E.; Valentini, G.; van Elteren, A.; Van Hemelryck, E.; van Leeuwen, M.; Varadi, M.; Vecchiato, A.; Veljanoski, J.; Via, T.; Vicente, D.; Vogt, S.; Voss, H.; Votruba, V.; Voutsinas, S.; Walmsley, G.; Weiler, M.; Weingrill, K.; Wevers, T.; Wyrzykowski, Ł.; Yoldas, A.; Žerjal, M.; Zucker, S.; Zurbach, C.; Zwitter, T.; Alecu, A.; Allen, M.; Allende Prieto, C.; Amorim, A.; Anglada-Escudé, G.; Arsenijevic, V.; Azaz, S.; Balm, P.; Beck, M.; Bernstein, H.-H.; Bigot, L.; Bijaoui, A.; Blasco, C.; Bonfigli, M.; Bono, G.; Boudreault, S.; Bressan, A.; Brown, S.; Brunet, P.-M.; Bunclark, P.; Buonanno, R.; Butkevich, A. G.; Carret, C.; Carrion, C.; Chemin, L.; Chéreau, F.; Corcione, L.; Darmigny, E.; de Boer, K. S.; de Teodoro, P.; de Zeeuw, P. T.; Delle Luche, C.; Domingues, C. D.; Dubath, P.; Fodor, F.; Frézouls, B.; Fries, A.; Fustes, D.; Fyfe, D.; Gallardo, E.; Gallegos, J.; Gardiol, D.; Gebran, M.; Gomboc, A.; Gómez, A.; Grux, E.; Gueguen, A.; Heyrovsky, A.; Hoar, J.; Iannicola, G.; Isasi Parache, Y.; Janotto, A.-M.; Joliet, E.; Jonckheere, A.; Keil, R.; Kim, D.-W.; Klagyivik, P.; Klar, J.; Knude, J.; Kochukhov, O.; Kolka, I.; Kos, J.; Kutka, A.; Lainey, V.; LeBouquin, D.; Liu, C.; Loreggia, D.; Makarov, V. V.; Marseille, M. G.; Martayan, C.; Martinez-Rubi, O.; Massart, B.; Meynadier, F.; Mignot, S.; Munari, U.; Nguyen, A.-T.; Nordlander, T.; O'Flaherty, K. S.; Ocvirk, P.; Olias Sanz, A.; Ortiz, P.; Osorio, J.; Oszkiewicz, D.; Ouzounis, A.; Park, P.; Pasquato, E.; Peltzer, C.; Peralta, J.; Péturaud, F.; Pieniluoma, T.; Pigozzi, E.; Poels, J.; Prat, G.; Prod'homme, T.; Raison, F.; Rebordao, J. M.; Risquez, D.; Rocca-Volmerange, B.; Rosen, S.; Ruiz-Fuertes, M. I.; Russo, F.; Serraller Vizcaino, I.; Short, A.; Siebert, A.; Silva, H.; Sinachopoulos, D.; Slezak, E.; Soffel, M.; Sosnowska, D.; Straižys, V.; ter Linden, M.; Terrell, D.; Theil, S.; Tiede, C.; Troisi, L.; Tsalmantza, P.; Tur, D.; Vaccari, M.; Vachier, F.; Valles, P.; Van Hamme, W.; Veltz, L.; Virtanen, J.; Wallut, J.-M.; Wichmann, R.; Wilkinson, M. I.; Ziaeepour, H.; Zschocke, S.

2017-09-01

Context. Parallaxes for 331 classical Cepheids, 31 Type II Cepheids, and 364 RR Lyrae stars in common between Gaia and the Hipparcos and Tycho-2 catalogues are published in Gaia Data Release 1 (DR1) as part of the Tycho-Gaia Astrometric Solution (TGAS). Aims: In order to test these first parallax measurements of the primary standard candles of the cosmological distance ladder, which involve astrometry collected by Gaia during the initial 14 months of science operation, we compared them with literature estimates and derived new period-luminosity (PL), period-Wesenheit (PW) relations for classical and Type II Cepheids and infrared PL, PL-metallicity (PLZ), and optical luminosity-metallicity (MV-[Fe/H]) relations for the RR Lyrae stars, with zero points based on TGAS. Methods: Classical Cepheids were carefully selected in order to discard known or suspected binary systems. The final sample comprises 102 fundamental mode pulsators with periods ranging from 1.68 to 51.66 days (of which 33 with σϖ/ϖimpressive. Conclusions: TGAS parallaxes bring a significant added value to the previous Hipparcos estimates. The relations presented in this paper represent the first Gaia-calibrated relations and form a work-in-progress milestone report in the wait for Gaia-only parallaxes of which a first solution will become available with Gaia Data Release 2 (DR2) in 2018. Full Tables A.1-A.3 are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/605/A79

Biofuel and Biochemical Analysis of Amphora coffeaeformis RR03, a Novel Marine Diatom, Cultivated in an Open Raceway Pond

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muthu Ganesan Rajaram

2018-05-01

Full Text Available (1 Background: To increase the biochemical productivity and to reduce the production cost of microalgal biodiesel, this study aimed to investigate the effects of CO2 on biomass, fatty acids, carbon-hydrogen, and biochemical accumulation of the marine diatom, Amphora coffeaeformis RR03 (A. coffeaeformis RR03. (2 Methods: Fatty acid composition of the dry biomass of A. coffeaeformis RR03 was analysed using Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS. (3 Results: The results showed that A. coffeaeformis RR03 contained high biomass productivity and biochemical composition in different cultivation conditions. A. coffeaeformis RR03 showed maximum growth of 5.2 × 106/mL on 21st day cultivation under CO2 supply. The bio-crude oil production from A. coffeaeformis RR03 was 36.19 megajoule (MJ. GC-MS analysis found that the dry biomass of A. coffeaeformis RR03 contained maximum of 47.72% fatty acids of 16-octadecanoic acid methyl ester (10:12 and 19.58% pentadecanoic acid, 13-methyl-, and methyl ester (9.24. (4 Conclusion: The results of this study may suggest that a novel diatom of A. coffeaeformis RR03 could be a suitable candidate for biocrude production in order to meet the future demand of energy.

Prostate cancer risk prediction based on complete prostate cancer family history

OpenAIRE

Albright, Frederick; Stephenson, Robert A; Agarwal, Neeraj; Teerlink, Craig C; Lowrance, William T; Farnham, James M; Albright, Lisa A Cannon

2014-01-01

Background Prostate cancer (PC) relative risks (RRs) are typically estimated based on status of close relatives or presence of any affected relatives. This study provides RR estimates using extensive and specific PC family history. Methods A retrospective population-based study was undertaken to estimate RRs for PC based on complete family history of PC. A total of 635,443 males, all with ancestral genealogy data, were analyzed. RRs for PC were determined based upon PC rates estimated from ma...

Dietary patterns and subsequent colorectal cancer risk by subsite: a prospective cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Mi Kyung; Sasaki, Satoshi; Otani, Tetsuya; Tsugane, Shoichiro

2005-07-10

In order to investigate the associations between dietary patterns and the risk of colorectal cancer by subsite in Japan, the baseline data from a population-based cohort study of 20,300 men and 21,812 women were analyzed. We conducted factor analysis and identified 3 major dietary patterns, "healthy," "traditional" and "Western," and calculated the factor scores of each pattern for individuals. During 10 years of follow-up, 370 colorectal cancer cases were identified. We found a positive association between the traditional pattern and colon cancer risk in women [rate ratio for highest quartile (RR) = 2.06; 95% CI = 1.10-3.84; p for trend = 0.11], but not in men. This positive association was slightly stronger for proximal colon cancer (RR = 2.07; 95% CI = 0.84-5.12) than for distal colon cancer (RR = 1.84; 95% CI = 0.75-4.50). After multivariate adjustment, the Western dietary pattern was also positively associated with colon cancer risk in females (RR = 2.21; 95% CI = 1.10-4.45), with the strongest associations being observed for females with distal colon cancer (RR = 3.48; 95% CI = 1.25-9.65). We did not observe any significant association between the healthy dietary pattern and colon cancer risk. For rectal cancer, no significant associations were found for the 3 dietary patterns. In conclusion, we found that the traditional and the Western dietary patterns were positively associated with colon cancer risk in females. (c) 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Hip fracture risk in relation to vitamin D supplementation and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials and observational studies

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Roddam Andrew W

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Vitamin D supplementation for fracture prevention is widespread despite conflicting interpretation of relevant randomised controlled trial (RCT evidence. This study summarises quantitatively the current evidence from RCTs and observational studies regarding vitamin D, parathyroid hormone (PTH and hip fracture risk. Methods We undertook separate meta-analyses of RCTs examining vitamin D supplementation and hip fracture, and observational studies of serum vitamin D status (25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OHD level, PTH and hip fracture. Results from RCTs were combined using the reported hazard ratios/relative risks (RR. Results from case-control studies were combined using the ratio of 25(OHD and PTH measurements of hip fracture cases compared with controls. Original published studies of vitamin D, PTH and hip fracture were identified through PubMed and Web of Science databases, searches of reference lists and forward citations of key papers. Results The seven eligible RCTs identified showed no significant difference in hip fracture risk in those randomised to cholecalciferol or ergocalciferol supplementation versus placebo/control (RR = 1.13[95%CI 0.98-1.29]; 801 cases, with no significant difference between trials of 21 (heterogeneity = 51.02, p 216 (heterogeneity = 137.9, p 29 (heterogeneity = 149.68, p Conclusions Neither higher nor lower dose vitamin D supplementation prevented hip fracture. Randomised and observational data on vitamin D and hip fracture appear to differ. The reason for this is unclear; one possible explanation is uncontrolled confounding in observational studies. Post-fracture PTH levels are unrelated to hip fracture risk.

Risk of influenza transmission in a hospital emergency department during the week of highest incidence.

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Esteve-Esteve, Miguel; Bautista-Rentero, Daniel; Zanón-Viguer, Vicente

2018-02-01

To estimate the risk of influenza transmission in patients coming to a hospital emergency department during the week of highest incidence and to analyze factors associated with transmission. Retrospective observational analysis of a cohort of patients treated in the emergency room during the 2014-2015 flu season. The following variables were collected from records: recorded influenza diagnosis, results of a rapid influenza confirmation test, point of exposure (emergency department, outpatient clinic, or the community), age, sex, flu vaccination or not, number of emergency visits, time spent in the waiting room, and total time in the hospital. We compiled descriptive statistics and performed bivariate and multivariate analyses by means of a Poisson regression to estimate relative risk (RR) and 95% CIs. The emergency department patients had a RR of contracting influenza 3.29 times that of the communityexposed population (95% CI, 1.53-7.08, P=.002); their risk was 2.05 times greater than that of outpatient clinic visitors (95% CI, 1.04-4.02, P=.036). Emergency patients under the age of 15 years had a 5.27 greater risk than older patients (95% CI, 1.59-17.51; P=.007). The RR of patients visiting more than once was 11.43 times greater (95% CI, 3.58-36.44; P<.001). The risk attributable to visiting the emergency department risk was 70.5%, whereas risk attributable to community exposure was 2%. The risk of contracting influenza is greater for emergency department patients than for the general population or for patients coming to the hospital for outpatient clinic visits. Patients under the age of 15 years incur greater risk.

Observed and Predicted Risk of Breast Cancer Death in Randomized Trials on Breast Cancer Screening.

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Autier, Philippe; Boniol, Mathieu; Smans, Michel; Sullivan, Richard; Boyle, Peter

2016-01-01

The role of breast screening in breast cancer mortality declines is debated. Screening impacts cancer mortality through decreasing the number of advanced cancers with poor diagnosis, while cancer treatment works through decreasing the case-fatality rate. Hence, reductions in cancer death rates thanks to screening should directly reflect reductions in advanced cancer rates. We verified whether in breast screening trials, the observed reductions in the risk of breast cancer death could be predicted from reductions of advanced breast cancer rates. The Greater New York Health Insurance Plan trial (HIP) is the only breast screening trial that reported stage-specific cancer fatality for the screening and for the control group separately. The Swedish Two-County trial (TCT)) reported size-specific fatalities for cancer patients in both screening and control groups. We computed predicted numbers of breast cancer deaths, from which we calculated predicted relative risks (RR) and (95% confidence intervals). The Age trial in England performed its own calculations of predicted relative risk. The observed and predicted RR of breast cancer death were 0.72 (0.56-0.94) and 0.98 (0.77-1.24) in the HIP trial, and 0.79 (0.78-1.01) and 0.90 (0.80-1.01) in the Age trial. In the TCT, the observed RR was 0.73 (0.62-0.87), while the predicted RR was 0.89 (0.75-1.05) if overdiagnosis was assumed to be negligible and 0.83 (0.70-0.97) if extra cancers were excluded. In breast screening trials, factors other than screening have contributed to reductions in the risk of breast cancer death most probably by reducing the fatality of advanced cancers in screening groups. These factors were the better management of breast cancer patients and the underreporting of breast cancer as the underlying cause of death. Breast screening trials should publish stage-specific fatalities observed in each group.

Decreasing relative risk premium

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Frank

2007-01-01

such that the corresponding relative risk premium is a decreasing function of present wealth, and we determine the set of associated utility functions. We find a new characterization of risk vulnerability and determine a large set of utility functions, closed under summation and composition, which are both risk vulnerable...

Soyfood intake in the prevention of breast cancer risk in women: a meta-analysis of observational epidemiological studies.

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Qin, Li-Qiang; Xu, Jia-Ying; Wang, Pei-Yu; Hoshi, Kazuhiko

2006-12-01

Many studies have suggested that the intake of soy products may protect against the occurrence of breast cancer because of the considerable amount of isoflavones they contain. To review the results of the observational studies, we performed this meta-analysis of the relevant literature. We searched Medline for reports that examined the association between soyfood consumption (or isoflavone intake) and breast cancer risk from January 1966 to April 2006. The random-effects model was used to estimate the pooled relative risk (RR). Twenty-one independent studies (14 case-control studies and 7 cohort studies) were included in the final analysis. The pooled RR of breast cancer for soyfood intake was 0.75 with a 95% CI of 0.59-0.95. As the main types of soyfood in Japan and China, tofu and miso showed clear protective effects. Isoflavone intake resulted in a 20% decrease in risk (RR = 0.81, 95% CI 0.67-0.99). The pooled RR varied little according to study stratification. When the studies published in Japanese and Chinese were added, the inverse associations between soyfood, tofu and breast cancer risk became slightly stronger. The weak association of miso was possibly due to the high concentration of salt in miso soup. In the present analysis, we did not find strong evidence for publication bias in the combination of the studies. This meta-analysis supported the hypotheses that soyfood intake may be associated with a decreased risk of breast cancer due to the isoflavones. Further epidemiological studies need to be conducted with more comprehensive information about the soyfood, and more accurate assessment of the isoflavones.

Multivitamin use and risk of stroke incidence and mortality amongst women.

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Adebamowo, S N; Feskanich, D; Stampfer, M; Rexrode, K; Willett, W C

2017-10-01

Few studies have examined the association between multivitamin use and the risk of stroke incidence and mortality, and the results remain inconclusive as to whether multivitamins are beneficial. The associations between multivitamin use and the risk of incident stroke and stroke mortality were prospectively examined in 86 142 women in the Nurses' Health Study, aged 34-59 years and free of diagnosed cardiovascular disease at baseline. Multivitamin use and covariates were updated every 2 years and strokes were documented by review of medical records. Hazard ratios of total, ischaemic and hemorrhagic strokes were calculated across categories of multivitamin use (non-user, past, current user) and duration (years), using Cox proportional hazards models. During 32 years of follow-up from 1980 to 2012, 3615 incident strokes were documented, including 758 deaths from stroke. In multivariate analyses, women who were current multivitamin users did not have a lower risk of incident total stroke compared to non-users [relative risk (RR) 1.02, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.93-1.11], even those with longer durations of 15 or more years of use (RR 1.08, 95% CI 0.97-1.20) or those with a lower quality diet (RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.80-1.15). There was also no indication of benefit from multivitamin use for incident ischaemic or hemorrhagic strokes or for total stroke mortality. Long-term multivitamin use was not associated with reduced risk of stroke incidence or mortality amongst women in the study population, even amongst those with a lower diet quality. An effect in a less well-nourished population cannot be ruled out. © 2017 EAN.

Relation between diagnosis of atheromatous plaque from orthopantomographs and cardiovascular risk factors. A study of cases and control subjects

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Gutierrez-Bonet, Carmen; Leco-Berrocal, Isabel; Fernández-Cáliz, Fernando; Martínez-González, José-María

2016-01-01

Background In recent years the use of orthopantomography has been proposed as a low-cost, reliable and non-invasive diagnostic medium for detecting atheromatous plaque. The purpose of this study was to correlate the presence of carotid calcifications (atheroma) in orthopantomographs with specific risk factors for cerebrovascular accidents (previous cerebrovascular accidents, arterial hypertension, and diabetes). Material and Methods The methods used in this observational study of cases and control subjects followed STROBE (Strengthening the Reporting of Observational studies in Epidemiology) recommendations. The study analyzed a total of 1,602 panoramic radiographs taken for dental diagnostic purposes between January 2010 and February 2014. The main variables analyzed were the incidence of atheromatous plaque and other cardiovascular risk factors. Epidat 3.1 statistical software was used to determine minimum sample sizes and the results were analyzed using PASW (Predictive Analytics Software) Statistics 10.0.0. Results For all the variables analyzed, the correlation between radiographic detection of atheromatous plaque and the presence of cardiovascular disease risk factors was found to be statistically significant (RR>1.5). Conclusions The presence of cardiovascular risk factors is related to the incidence of radiopaque lesions at the carotid artery bifurcation, indicating the presence of atheromatous plaque. Key words:Orthopantomography, atheromatous plaque, cerebrovascular accident, diabetes, arterial hypertension. PMID:26595828

Smoking is associated with an increased risk of dementia: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies with investigation of potential effect modifiers.

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Guochao Zhong

Full Text Available Previous studies showed inconsistent results on the association of smoking with all-cause dementia and vascular dementia (VaD, and are limited by inclusion of a small number of studies and unexplained heterogeneity. Our review aimed to assess the risk of all-cause dementia, Alzheimer's disease (AD and VaD associated with smoking, and to identify potential effect modifiers.The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and Psychinfo databases were searched to identify studies that provided risk estimates on smoking and incidence of dementia. A random-effects model was used to yield pooled results. Thirty-seven studies were included. Compared with never smokers, current smokers showed an increased risk of all-cause dementia (risk ratio (RR 1.30, 95% confidence interval (CI 1.18-1.45, AD (RR 1.40, 95% CI 1.13-1.73 and VaD (RR 1.38, 95% CI 1.15-1.66. For all-cause dementia, the risk increased by 34% for every 20 cigarettes per day (RR 1.34, 95% CI 1.25-1.43. Former smokers did not show an increased risk of all-cause dementia (RR 1.01, 95% CI 0.96-1.06, AD (RR 1.04, 95% CI 0.96-1.13 and VaD (RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.83-1.13. Subgroup analyses indicated that (1 the significantly increased risk of AD from current smoking was seen only in apolipoprotein E ε4 noncarriers; (2 current smokers aged 65 to 75 years at baseline showed increased risk of all-cause dementia and AD compared to those aged over 75 or under 65 years; and (3 sex, race, study location and diagnostic criteria difference in risk of dementia was not found.Smokers show an increased risk of dementia, and smoking cessation decreases the risk to that of never smokers. The increased risk of AD from smoking is more pronounced in apolipoprotein E ε4 noncarriers. Survival bias and competing risk reduce the risk of dementia from smoking at extreme age.

Risk of bleeding and stroke with oral anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation in Taiwan: a nationwide cohort study.

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Pei-Chun Chen

Full Text Available Data on the use of oral anticoagulation (OAC and antiplatelet therapy and the risk of bleeding and stroke amongst Asian patients with atrial fibrillation (AF are limited. We investigated the risks of bleeding and stroke with use of oral anticoagulation (OAC and antiplatelet therapy as mono- or combination therapy, in patients with AF from a Chinese nationwide cohort study.We studied a cohort of 10384 patients (57.2% men, age 67.8 ± 13.2 yrs between 1999 and 2010 from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. Records of prescriptions were obtained during follow-up. The main outcome was a recurrent stroke during the follow-up period. Time-dependent Cox proportional hazards models were used for this analysis.We documented 1009 events for bleeding, as well as 224 hemorrhagic stroke and 1642 ischemic stroke events during a median 3.2 (interquartile range, 1.05-6.54 years' follow-up. Compared with warfarin users, patients with antiplatelet therapy had a lower risk of bleeding (adjusted relative risk [RR], 0.59, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.49-0.71, p<0.001 whilst combination therapy had a non-statistically significant higher bleeding risk (RR, 1.33, 95%, 0.91-1.94, p = 0.20. Patients on antiplatelet monotherapy had a similar risk for ischemic stroke compared with OAC (RR 1.05, 95% CI, 0.89-1.25, p = 0.50, whilst those on combination therapy had a significantly higher risk (RR 1.90, 95% CI, 1.34-2.70, p<0.001.In a national representative cohort, antiplatelet therapy had no significant difference in ischemic stroke risk to warfarin. For bleeding, aspirin had a lower risk compared to warfarin. This may reflect poor anticoagulation control, highlighting important missed opportunities for improved stroke prevention, especially in countries where anticoagulation management is suboptimal.

Risk of adverse events with bevacizumab addition to therapy in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

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Lai XX

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Xi-Xi Lai, Ren-Ai Xu, Yu-Ping Li, Han Yang Department of Respiratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China Background: Bevacizumab, a monoclonal antibody against vascular endothelial growth factor ligand, has shown survival benefits in the treatment of many types of malignant tumors, including non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC. We conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the risk of the most clinically relevant adverse events related to bevacizumab in advanced NSCLC.Methods: Databases from PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library up to August 2015, were searched to identify relevant studies. We included prospective randomized controlled Phase II/III clinical trials that compared therapy with or without bevacizumab for advanced NSCLC. Summary relative risk (RR and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using random effects or fixed effects according to the heterogeneity among included trials.Results: A total of 3,745 patients from nine clinical trials were included in the meta-analysis. Summary RRs showed a statistically significant bevacizumab-associated increased risk in three of the adverse outcomes studied: proteinuria (RR =7.55, hypertension (RR =5.34, and hemorrhagic events (RR =2.61. No statistically significant differences were found for gastrointestinal perforation (P=0.60, arterial and venous thromboembolic events (P=0.35 and P=0.92, respectively, or fatal events (P=0.29.Conclusion: The addition of bevacizumab to therapy in advanced NSCLC did significantly increase the risk of proteinuria, hypertension, and hemorrhagic events but not arterial/venous thromboembolic events, gastrointestinal perforation, or fatal adverse events. Keywords: toxicities, angiogenesis inhibitors, non-small-cell lung carcinoma, meta-analysis, safety

Tailoring Breast Cancer Screening Intervals by Breast Density and Risk for Women Aged 50 Years or Older: Collaborative Modeling of Screening Outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Trentham-Dietz, Amy; Kerlikowske, Karla; Stout, Natasha K; Miglioretti, Diana L; Schechter, Clyde B; Ergun, Mehmet Ali; van den Broek, Jeroen J; Alagoz, Oguzhan; Sprague, Brian L; van Ravesteyn, Nicolien T; Near, Aimee M; Gangnon, Ronald E; Hampton, John M; Chandler, Young; de Koning, Harry J; Mandelblatt, Jeanne S; Tosteson, Anna N A

2016-11-15

Biennial screening is generally recommended for average-risk women aged 50 to 74 years, but tailored screening may provide greater benefits. To estimate outcomes for various screening intervals after age 50 years based on breast density and risk for breast cancer. Collaborative simulation modeling using national incidence, breast density, and screening performance data. United States. Women aged 50 years or older with various combinations of breast density and relative risk (RR) of 1.0, 1.3, 2.0, or 4.0. Annual, biennial, or triennial digital mammography screening from ages 50 to 74 years (vs. no screening) and ages 65 to 74 years (vs. biennial digital mammography from ages 50 to 64 years). Lifetime breast cancer deaths, life expectancy and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), false-positive mammograms, benign biopsy results, overdiagnosis, cost-effectiveness, and ratio of false-positive results to breast cancer deaths averted. Screening benefits and overdiagnosis increase with breast density and RR. False-positive mammograms and benign results on biopsy decrease with increasing risk. Among women with fatty breasts or scattered fibroglandular density and an RR of 1.0 or 1.3, breast cancer deaths averted were similar for triennial versus biennial screening for both age groups (50 to 74 years, median of 3.4 to 5.1 vs. 4.1 to 6.5 deaths averted; 65 to 74 years, median of 1.5 to 2.1 vs. 1.8 to 2.6 deaths averted). Breast cancer deaths averted increased with annual versus biennial screening for women aged 50 to 74 years at all levels of breast density and an RR of 4.0, and those aged 65 to 74 years with heterogeneously or extremely dense breasts and an RR of 4.0. However, harms were almost 2-fold higher. Triennial screening for the average-risk subgroup and annual screening for the highest-risk subgroup cost less than $100 000 per QALY gained. Models did not consider women younger than 50 years, those with an RR less than 1, or other imaging methods. Average-risk women

Coffee consumption and risk of fatal cancers.

Science.gov (United States)

Snowdon, D A; Phillips, R L

1984-01-01

In 1960, the coffee consumption habits and other lifestyle characteristics of 23,912 white Seventh-day Adventists were assessed by questionnaire. Between 1960 and 1980, deaths due to cancer were identified. There were positive associations between coffee consumption and fatal colon and bladder cancer. The group consuming two or more cups of coffee per day had an estimated relative risk (RR) of 1.7 for fatal colon cancer and 2.0 for fatal bladder cancer, compared to the group that consumed less than one cup per day (RR = 1.0). These positive associations were apparently not confounded by age, sex, cigarette smoking, or meat consumption habits. In this study, there were no significant or suggestive associations between coffee consumption and fatal pancreatic, breast, and ovarian cancer, or a combined group of all other cancer sites. PMID:6742274

Aesthetic Breast Surgery and Concomitant Procedures: Incidence and Risk Factors for Major Complications in 73,608 Cases.

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Varun; Yeslev, Max; Winocour, Julian; Bamba, Ravinder; Rodriguez-Feo, Charles; Grotting, James C; Higdon, K Kye

2017-05-01

Major complications following aesthetic breast surgery are uncommon and thus assessment of risk factors is challenging. To determine the incidence and risk factors of major complications following aesthetic breast surgery and concomitant procedures. A prospective cohort of patients who enrolled into the CosmetAssure (Birmingham, AL) insurance program and underwent aesthetic breast surgery between 2008 and 2013 was identified. Major complications (requiring reoperation, readmission, or emergency room visit) within 30 days of surgery were recorded. Risk factors including age, smoking, body mass index (BMI), diabetes, type of surgical facility, and combined procedures were evaluated. Among women, augmentation was the most common breast procedure (n = 41,651, 58.6%) followed by augmentation-mastopexy, mastopexy, and reduction. Overall, major complications occurred in 1.46% with hematoma (0.99%) and infection (0.25%) being most common. Augmentation-mastopexy had a higher risk of complications, particularly infection (relative risk [RR] 1.74, P procedures. Age was the only significant predictor for hematomas (RR 1.01, P procedures or abdominoplasty performed alone. Among men, correction of gynecomastia was the most common breast procedure (n = 1613, 64.6%) with a complication rate of 1.80% and smoking as a risk factor (RR 2.73, P = 0.03). Incidence of major complications after breast cosmetic surgical procedures is low. Risk factors for major complications include increasing age and BMI. Combining abdominoplasty with any breast procedure increases the risk of major complications. 2. © 2017 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc. Reprints and permission: journals.permissions@oup.com

Effectiveness of population-based service screening with mammography for women ages 40 to 49 years with a high or low risk of breast cancer: socioeconomic status, parity, and age at birth of first child.

Science.gov (United States)

Hellquist, Barbro Numan; Czene, Kamila; Hjälm, Anna; Nyström, Lennarth; Jonsson, Håkan

2015-01-15

Invitation to mammography screening of women aged 40 to 49 years is a matter of debate in many countries and a cost-effective alternative in countries without screening among women aged 40 to 49 years could be inviting those at higher risk. The relative effectiveness of mammography screening was estimated for subgroups based on the breast cancer risk factors parity, age at time of birth of first child, and socioeconomic status (SES). The SCReening of Young Women (SCRY) database consists of all women aged 40 to 49 years in Sweden between 1986 and 2005 and was split into a study and control group. The study group consisted of women residing in areas in which women aged 40 to 49 years were invited to screening and the control group of women in areas in which women aged 40 to 49 years were not invited to screening. Rate ratio (RR) estimates were calculated for 2 exposures: invitation and attendance. There were striking similarities noted in the RR pattern for women invited to and attending screening and no statistically significant difference or trend in the RR was noted by risk group. The RR estimates increased by increasing parity for parity of 0 to 2 and ranged from 0.55 (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.38-0.79) to 0.79 (95% CI, 0.65-0.95) for attending women. The RR for women with high SES was lower than that for women with low SES (RR, 0.72 [95% CI, 0.60-0.86] and RR, 0.79 [95% CI, 0.63-0.99], respectively). For women aged 20 to 24 years at the time of the birth of their first child, the RR was 0.73 (95% CI, 0.58-0.91) and estimates for other ages were similar. There was no statistically significant difference noted in the relative effectiveness of mammography screening by parity, age at the time of birth of the first child, or SES. © 2014 American Cancer Society.

Dietary patterns and breast cancer risk in the California Teachers Study cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Link, Lilli B; Canchola, Alison J; Bernstein, Leslie; Clarke, Christina A; Stram, Daniel O; Ursin, Giske; Horn-Ross, Pamela L

2013-12-01

Evidence that diet is associated with breast cancer risk is inconsistent. Most studies have examined risks associated with specific foods and nutrients, rather than measures of overall diet. This study aimed to evaluate dietary patterns and their relation to breast cancer risk in a large cohort of women. Data from 91,779 women in the California Teachers Study cohort were analyzed, including data from 4140 women with a diagnosis of invasive breast cancer made between 1995 and 2009. Five predominant dietary patterns were identified by using principal components factor analysis: a plant-based diet, high in fruit and vegetables; a high-protein, high-fat diet, high in meats, eggs, fried foods, and high-fat condiments; a high-carbohydrate diet, high in convenience foods, pasta, and bread products; an ethnic diet, high in legumes, soy-based foods, rice, and dark-green leafy vegetables; and a salad and wine diet, high in lettuce, fish, wine, low-fat salad dressing, and coffee and tea. The plant-based pattern was associated with a reduction in breast cancer risk (RR: 0.85; 95% CI: 0.76, 0.95 for the highest compared with the lowest consumption quintile; P-trend = 0.003); risk reduction was greater for estrogen receptor-negative progesterone receptor-negative (ER-PR-) tumors (RR: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.48, 0.91; P-trend = 0.03). The salad and wine pattern was associated with an increased risk of estrogen receptor-positive progesterone receptor-positive tumors (RR: 1.29; 95% CI: 1.12, 1.49); this effect was only slightly attenuated after adjustment for alcohol consumption. The finding that greater consumption of a plant-based dietary pattern is associated with a reduced breast cancer risk, particularly for ER-PR- tumors, offers a potential avenue for prevention.

Male circumcision and risk of syphilis, chancroid, and genital herpes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Weiss, H A; Thomas, S L; Munabi, S K; Hayes, R J

2006-04-01

Male circumcision is associated with reduced risk of HIV infection. This may be partly because of a protective effect of circumcision on other sexually transmitted infections (STI), especially those causing genital ulcers, but evidence for such protection is unclear. Our objective was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analyses of the associations between male circumcision and infection with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), Treponema pallidum, or Haemophilus ducreyi. Electronic databases (1950-2004) were searched using keywords and text terms for herpes simplex, syphilis, chancroid, ulcerative sexually transmitted diseases, or their causative agents, in conjunction with terms to identify epidemiological studies. References of key articles were hand searched, and data were extracted using standardised forms. Random effects models were used to summarise relative risk (RR) where appropriate. 26 articles met the inclusion criteria. Most syphilis studies reported a substantially reduced risk among circumcised men (summary RR = 0.67, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.54 to 0.83), although there was significant between study heterogeneity (p = 0.01). The reduced risk of HSV-2 infection was of borderline statistical significance (summary RR = 0.88, 95% CI 0.77 to 1.01). Circumcised men were at lower risk of chancroid in six of seven studies (individual study RRs: 0.12 to 1.11). This first systematic review of male circumcision and ulcerative STI strongly indicates that circumcised men are at lower risk of chancroid and syphilis. There is less association with HSV-2. Potential male circumcision interventions to reduce HIV in high risk populations may provide additional benefit by protecting against other STI.

Lung cancer risk in the electroplating industry in Lombardy, Italy, using the Italian occupational cancer monitoring (OCCAM) information system.

Science.gov (United States)

Panizza, Celestino; Bai, Edoardo; Oddone, Enrico; Scaburri, Alessandra; Massari, Stefania; Modonesi, Carlo; Contiero, Paolo; Marinaccio, Alessandro; Crosignani, Paolo

2012-01-01

Occupational Cancer Monitoring (OCCAM) is an Italian organization that monitors occupational cancers, by area and industrial sector, by retrieving cases and employment history from official databases. OCCAM previously estimated a relative risk (RR) of lung cancer of about 1.32 among "metal treatment" workers in Lombardy, northern Italy, potentially exposed to chrome and nickel. In the present study, lung cancer risk was estimated among electroplating workers only. Lombardy electroplating companies were identified from descriptions in Social Security files. Lung cancer risk was evaluated from 2001 to 2008 incident cases identified from hospital discharge records. The RR for lung cancer among electroplating workers was 2.03 (90% CI 1.33-3.10, 18 cases) for men; 3.00 (90% CI 1.38-9.03, 4 cases) for women. Electroplaters had higher risks than "metal treatment" workers. Although the risks were due to past exposure, case histories and recent acute effects indicate a present carcinogenic hazard in some Lombardy electroplating factories. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Adverse drug reactions to CT contrast media in south Korea: Incidence and risk factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bae, Kyung Soo; Jeon, Kyung Nyeo; Moon, Jin Il; Choi, Bo Hwa; Baek, Hye Jin; Cho, Soo Buem; Lee, Sang Min; Ha, Ji Young; Choi, Dae Seob; Cho, Jae Min; Na, Jae Beom

2016-01-01

To evaluate the incidence, severity, and risk factors of adverse drug reactions (ADR) to intravenous administration of nonionic iodinated contrast media in computed tomography (CT), and to determine the recurrence rate after premedication in patients with a previous history of ADR. We prospectively recorded all ADR to intravenous CT contrast media in 32313 consecutive outpatients (54572 cases) who underwent contrast enhanced CT examinations. Clinical report forms and electronic medical records were reviewed to search for the incidence of ADR, treatment, and clinical outcome of patients. The risk factors of ADR to CT contrast media (age, sex, history of previous ADR, season) were evaluated using statistical analysis. Of the 54572 cases, a total of 191 (0.35%) had adverse reactions. Of the 191 cases, 157 (82%) were categorized as mild reactions, 29 (15%) were moderate, and 5 (3%) were severe. A total of 165 (86.4%) cases had acute adverse reactions (which occurred within 1 hour after administration), while 26 (13.6%) had delayed adverse reactions (occurred 1 hour after the administration). The rate of ADR was significantly higher in females [relative risk (RR) = 2.05, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.53-2.75], patients under the age of 60 years (RR = 1.45, 95% CI 1.07-1.98), patients with a history of previous ADR (RR = 6.51, 95% CI 3.13-13.57), and in the spring season (RR = 1.44, 95% CI 1.07-1.95). The recurrence rate after premedication in patients with previous ADR to CT contrast media was 3.2% (8/247). No deaths occurred that were attributed to the contrast media. The incidence of ADR to nonionic CT contrast media was 0.35%; most of which were mild reactions. Risk factors for ADR included female gender, an age of under 60 years, a history of previous ADR, and spring season

Adverse drug reactions to CT contrast media in south Korea: Incidence and risk factors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bae, Kyung Soo; Jeon, Kyung Nyeo; Moon, Jin Il; Choi, Bo Hwa; Baek, Hye Jin; Cho, Soo Buem [Dept. of Radiology, Gyeongsang National University Changwon Hospital, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Changwon (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Sang Min; Ha, Ji Young; Choi, Dae Seob; Cho, Jae Min; Na, Jae Beom [Dept. of Radiology, Gyeongsang National University Hospital, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju (Korea, Republic of)

2016-07-15

To evaluate the incidence, severity, and risk factors of adverse drug reactions (ADR) to intravenous administration of nonionic iodinated contrast media in computed tomography (CT), and to determine the recurrence rate after premedication in patients with a previous history of ADR. We prospectively recorded all ADR to intravenous CT contrast media in 32313 consecutive outpatients (54572 cases) who underwent contrast enhanced CT examinations. Clinical report forms and electronic medical records were reviewed to search for the incidence of ADR, treatment, and clinical outcome of patients. The risk factors of ADR to CT contrast media (age, sex, history of previous ADR, season) were evaluated using statistical analysis. Of the 54572 cases, a total of 191 (0.35%) had adverse reactions. Of the 191 cases, 157 (82%) were categorized as mild reactions, 29 (15%) were moderate, and 5 (3%) were severe. A total of 165 (86.4%) cases had acute adverse reactions (which occurred within 1 hour after administration), while 26 (13.6%) had delayed adverse reactions (occurred 1 hour after the administration). The rate of ADR was significantly higher in females [relative risk (RR) = 2.05, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.53-2.75], patients under the age of 60 years (RR = 1.45, 95% CI 1.07-1.98), patients with a history of previous ADR (RR = 6.51, 95% CI 3.13-13.57), and in the spring season (RR = 1.44, 95% CI 1.07-1.95). The recurrence rate after premedication in patients with previous ADR to CT contrast media was 3.2% (8/247). No deaths occurred that were attributed to the contrast media. The incidence of ADR to nonionic CT contrast media was 0.35%; most of which were mild reactions. Risk factors for ADR included female gender, an age of under 60 years, a history of previous ADR, and spring season.

Risk of development of solid cancer and its relation with the classes of Pasquill-Gifford atmospheric stability in RDD scenarios

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bulhosa, Valquiria Miranda

2018-01-01

The release of radioactive material into the environment can lead to serious consequences that include the risk of cancer induction in the affected population. This work intends to study the influence of the Pasquill-Gilfford atmospheric stability classes on the consequences of a simulated RDD event with respect to the risk of developing solid cancer in the exposed population. The HotSpot health Physics Code software was used for the simulation of the radiological scenario that allows to estimate the doses received by exposed individuals and the environmental contamination at the event site. The HotSpot code uses the Gaussian model to simulate the dispersion of radiological material in the atmosphere. Conservatively, it generates data to evaluate the contamination of an area of interest. These data allow to know the Total Effective Equivalent Dose (TEDE), which corresponds to the combined dose of all exposure routes (external and internal). The estimated dose was used as input data for the biostatistical model developed by the Research Foundation on Radiation Effects (RERF) to estimate the risk of the related morbidity development. The model equation estimate the risk of developing solid cancer. The data from HotSpot enabled the calculation of the affected areas, doses in each area, as well as relative risk (RR) of solid cancer estimation for the affected population, taking into account age and sex and its possible relation with the classes of atmospheric stability. These estimates can be a good resource for a first evaluation of such a scenario, accounting for the recommended dose limits for shelter and evacuation and, consequently, a valuable decision support for the ongoing radiological event. (author)

Masculine boys, feminine girls, and cancer risk behaviors: an 11-year longitudinal study.

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, Andrea L; Rosario, Margaret; Calzo, Jerel P; Corliss, Heather L; Frazier, Lindsay; Austin, S Bryn

2014-09-01

Cancer risk behaviors often begin in adolescence and persist through adulthood. Tobacco use, indoor tanning, and physical inactivity are highly prevalent, socially patterned cancer risk behaviors, and their prevalence differs strongly by sex. It is therefore possible that these behaviors also differ by gender expression within the sexes due to social patterning. We examined whether five cancer risk behaviors differed by childhood gender expression within the sexes and whether patterns of media engagement (e.g., magazine readership and trying to look like media personalities) explained possible differences, in a U.S. population-based cohort (N = 9,435). The most feminine girls had higher prevalence of indoor tanning (prevalence risk ratio [pRR] = 1.32, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.23-1.42) and physical inactivity (pRR = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.01-1.34) and lower prevalence of worse smoking trajectory (prevalence odds ratio = .75, 95% CI = .65-.88) and smoking cigars (pRR = .61, 95% CI = .47-.79) compared with least feminine girls. Media engagement accounted for part of the higher prevalence of indoor tanning. The most masculine boys were more likely to chew tobacco (pRR = 1.78, 95% CI = 1.14-2.79) and smoke cigars (pRR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.17-2.06) but less likely to follow a worse smoking trajectory (prevalence odds ratio = .69, 95% CI = .55-.87) and be physically inactive (pRR = .54, 95% CI = .43-.69) compared with least masculine boys. We found some strong differences in patterns of cancer risk behaviors by gender expression within the sexes. Prevention efforts that challenge the "masculinity" of smoking cigarettes and cigars and chewing tobacco and the "femininity" of indoor tanning to reduce their appeal to adolescents should be explored. Copyright © 2014 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rates and risk factors of injury in CrossFitTM: a prospective cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Moran, Sebastian; Booker, Harry; Staines, Jacob; Williams, Sean

2017-09-01

CrossFitTM is a strength and conditioning program that has gained widespread popularity since its inception approximately 15 years ago. However, at present little is known about the level of injury risk associated with this form of training. Movement competency, assessed using the Functional Movement ScreenTM (FMS), has been identified as a risk factor for injury in numerous athletic populations, but its role in CrossFit participants is currently unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of injury risk associated with CrossFit training, and examine the influence of a number of potential risk factors (including movement competency). A cohort of 117 CrossFit participants were followed prospectively for 12 weeks. Participants' characteristics, previous injury history and training experience were recorded at baseline, and an FMS assessment was conducted. The overall injury incidence rate was 2.10 per 1000 training hours (90% confidence limits: 1.32-3.33). A multivariate Poisson regression model identified males (rate ratio [RR]: 4.44 ×/÷ 3.30, very likely harmful) and those with previous injuries (RR: 2.35 ×/÷ 2.37, likely harmful) as having a higher injury risk. Inferences relating to FMS variables were unclear in the multivariate model, although number of asymmetries was a clear risk factor in a univariate model (RR per two additional asymmetries: 2.62 ×/÷ 1.53, likely harmful). The injury incidence rate associated with CrossFit training was low, and comparable to other forms of recreational fitness activities. Previous injury and gender were identified as risk factors for injury, whilst the role of movement competency in this setting warrants further investigation.

Relationship among RR interval, optimal reconstruction phase, temporal resolution, and image quality of end-systolic reconstruction of coronary CT angiography in patients with high heart rates. In search of the optimal acquisition protocol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sano, Tomonari; Matsutani, Hideyuki; Kondo, Takeshi; Fujimoto, Shinichiro; Sekine, Takako; Arai, Takehiro; Morita, Hitomi; Takase, Shinichi

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study is to elucidate the relationship among RR interval (RR), the optimal reconstruction phase, and adequate temporal resolution (TR) to obtain coronary CT angiography images of acceptable quality using 64-multi detector-row CT (MDCT) (Aquilion 64) of end-systolic reconstruction in 407 patients with high heart rates. Image quality was classified into 3 groups [rank A (excellent): 161, rank B (acceptable): 207, and rank C (unacceptable): 39 patients]. The optimal absolute phase (OAP) significantly correlated with RR [OAP (ms)=119-0.286 RR (ms), r=0.832, p<0.0001], and the optimal relative phase (ORP) also significantly correlated with RR [ORP (%)=62-0.023 RR (ms), r=0.656, p<0.0001], and the correlation coefficient of OAP was significantly (p<0.0001) higher than that of ORP. The OAP range (±2 standard deviation (SD)) in which it is highly possible to get a static image was from [119-0.286 RR (ms)-46] to [119-0.286 RR (ms)+46]. The TR was significantly different among ranks A (97±22 ms), B (111±31 ms) and C (135±34 ms). The TR significantly correlated with RR in ranks A (TR=-16+0.149 RR, r=0.767, p<0.0001), B (TR=-15+0.166 RR, r=0.646, p<0.0001), and C (TR=52+0.117 RR, r=0.425, p=0.0069). Rank C was distinguished from ranks A or B by linear discriminate analysis (TR=-46+0.21 RR), and the discriminate rate was 82.6%. In conclusion, both the OAP and adequate TR depend on RR, and the OAP range (±2 SD) can be calculated using the formula [119-0.286 RR (ms)-46] to [119-0.286 RR (ms) +46], and an adequate TR value would be less than (-46+0.21 RR). (author)

Effectiveness of psychoeducation in reducing sickness absence and improving mental health in individuals at risk of having a mental disorder: a randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Pedersen, Pernille; Søgaard, Hans Jørgen; Labriola, Merete; Nohr, Ellen A; Jensen, Chris

2015-08-08

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of psychoeducation on return to work as an adjunct to standard case management in individuals on sick leave at risk of having a mental disorder. The participants could have different diagnoses but were all at risk of having a mental disorder. Between 2012 and 2014, 430 participants on sick leave were randomly allocated to either an intervention or control group. The psychoeducation consisted of 2-h sessions once a week for 6 weeks. The sessions focused on stress and work life and was based on problem-solving techniques and coping strategies. The main outcome, the relative risk (RR) of a full return to work based on register data from the job centres, was determined during the first 3 and 6 months after participation in the psychoeducation programme. At baseline and at 3 and 6 months after the intervention, the participants received a questionnaire on psychological symptoms, mental health-related quality of life, and locus of control. During the first 6 months after inclusion, the two groups had almost the same RR of a full return to work (RR:0.97, 95% CI: 0.78;1.21), but during the first 3 months, the individuals in the intervention group had a significantly higher risk of not having fully returned to work (RR:0.68, 95% CI:0.47;0.98). The individuals in the intervention group who had participated in at least four of the six psychoeducational sessions returned to work considerably slower at both time points than did the control group. The intervention did not decrease the level of psychological symptoms or improve mental health-related quality of life; however, individuals in the intervention group improved their scores on internal locus of control at both 3 and 6 months. Offering psychoeducation to individuals on sick leave at risk of having a mental disorder had no influence on the chance of a full return to work during the first 6 months; however, it did result in a higher relative risk of not returning to work

Faktor-Faktor Risiko Mastitis Subklinis pada Kambing Peranakan Etawah di Kabupaten Sleman, Yogyakarta (RISK FACTORS OF SUBCLINICAL MASTITIS ON ETTAWA CROSSBRED GOAT IN SLEMAN REGENCY, YOGYAKARTA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Widodo Suwito

2014-05-01

Full Text Available In Sleman, a regency in Yogyakarta special region, Etawah crossbred goats are excessively bred for thedairy produce called the goat’s milk. Subclinical mastitis is one of diseases which reduce the yield of goat’smilk. The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors that contribute to the subclinical mastitis onthe Etawah crossbred goats in Sleman. The 200 samples one of which contains 10 mL of goat’s milk weretaken from the udders of the Etawah crossbred goats from the eight goat farms in Sleman. The 200samples were analyzed for the subclinical mastitis using California Mastitis Test (CMT. The data of riskfactors were gathered through a questionnaire. The risk factors on Etawah crossbred goats in Sleman weredetermine with the use of bivariate analysis chi square (X2, odds ratio (OR and relative risk (RR. Thegoat’s milk which subclinical mastitis was isolation and identification of bacteria based on biochemicaltests. The risk factors that cause the subclinicall mastitis on Etawah crossbred goats in Sleman were (1milk yield (X2=14.23; OR=6.52; RR=4.42, (2 age status of lactation (X2=1.60; OR=59.09; RR=17.94, (3age of weaning (X2=26.06; OR=2.22; RR=1.91, and (4 Body Condition Score (BCS (X2=13.89; OR=1.29;RR=1.22. Goat’s milk which subclinicall mastitis were isolated  Bacillus sp  (70%, Staphylococcus sp(33%, Pseudomonas sp (29%, Streptococcus sp (25%, Corynebacterium sp (12%, and E. coli (4%.

Consumption of industrial and ruminant trans fatty acids and risk of coronary heart disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bendsen, Nathalie Tommerup; Christensen, R.; Bartels, Else Marie

2011-01-01

or industrial-TFA, respectively. The pooled relative risk estimates for comparison of extreme quintiles of total-TFA intake (corresponding to intake increments ranging from 2.8 to ∼10 g/day) were 1.22 (95% confidence interval: 1.08-1.38; P=0.002) for CHD events and 1.24 (1.07-1.43; P=0.003) for fatal CHD....... Ruminant-TFA intake (increments ranging from 0.5 to 1.9 g/day) was not significantly associated with risk of CHD (risk ratio (RR)=0.92 (0.76-1.11); P=0.36), and neither was industrial-TFA intake, although there was a trend towards a positive association (RR=1.21 (0.97-1.50); P=0.09). In conclusion, our......The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to summarize the evidence from observational studies assessing the association between intake of trans fatty acids (TFA) and the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), with a specific emphasis on distinguishing between TFA of industrial...

Descriptive epidemiology of serious work-related injuries in British Columbia, Canada.

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Jonathan Fan

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: This study examined the rates and distribution of serious work-related injuries by demographic, work and injury characteristics in British Columbia, Canada from 2002-2008, using population-based data. METHODS: Claims for workers with a serious injury were extracted from workers' compensation data. Serious injuries were defined by long duration, high cost, serious medical diagnosis, or fatality. Workforce estimates were used to calculate stratum-specific rates. Rate-ratios (RR and 95% CIs were calculated using negative binomial regression for the comparison of rates, adjusting for gender, age and occupation. RESULTS: Women had a lower overall serious injury rate compared to men (RR: 0.93, 95% CI: 0.87-0.99. The 35-44 age group had the highest overall rate compared to the youngest age group. The rate for severe strains/sprains was similarly high for men and women in the 35-44 age group, although there was a differential pattern by gender for other injury types: the rate of fracture was similar across age groups for men, but increased with age for women (RR: 2.7, 95% CI: 2.2-3.3; and the rate of severe falls increased with age for men and women, with a larger three-fold increase for older women (men: RR: 1.8, 95% CI: 1.7-2.1; women: RR: 3.2, 95% CI: 2.7-3.7. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of serious injuries is higher among specific age groups with different patterns emerging for men and women. Variations persisted within similar injury types and occupation groups in our adjusted models. These results provide evidence for the burden of serious injuries and a basis for future analytic research. Given projected demographic shifts and increasing workforce participation of older workers, intervention programs should be carefully implemented with consideration to demographic groups at risk for serious injuries in the workplace.

Polygenic risk and the development and course of asthma: Evidence from a 4-decade longitudinal study

Science.gov (United States)

Belsky, DW; Sears, MR; Hancox, RJ; Harrington, HL; Houts, R; Moffitt, TE; Sugden, K; Williams, B; Poulton, R; Caspi, A

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have discovered loci that predispose to asthma. To integrate these new discoveries with emerging models of asthma pathobiology, research is needed to test how genetic discoveries relate to developmental and biological characteristics of asthma. METHODS We derived a multi-locus profile of genetic risk from published GWAS of asthma case status. We then tested associations between this “genetic risk score” and developmental and biological characteristics of asthma in a population-based long-running birth cohort, the Dunedin Longitudinal Study (n=1,037). We evaluated asthma onset, persistence, atopy, airway hyperresponsiveness, incompletely reversible airflow obstruction, and asthma-related school and work absenteeism and hospitalization during 9 prospective assessments spanning ages 9–38 years, when 95% of surviving cohort members were seen. INTERPRETATION Cohort members at higher genetic risk experienced asthma onset earlier in life (HR=1.12 [1.01–1.26]). Childhood-onset asthma cases at higher genetic risk were more likely to become life-course-persistent asthma cases (RR=1.36 [1.14–1.63]). Asthma cases at higher genetic risk more often manifested atopy (RR=1.07 [1.01–1.14]), airway hyperresponsiveness (RR=1.16 [1.03–1.32]), and incompletely reversible airflow obstruction (RR=1.28 [1.04–1.57]). They were also more likely to miss school or work due to asthma (IRR=1.38 [1.02–1.86]) and to be hospitalized with breathing problems (HR=1.38 [1.07–1.79]). Genotypic information about asthma risk was independent of and additive to information derived from cohort members’ family histories of asthma. CONCLUSIONS Findings from this population study confirm that GWAS-discoveries for asthma associate with a childhood-onset phenotype and advance asthma genetics beyond the original GWAS-discoveries in three ways: (1) We show that genetic risks predict which childhood-onset asthma cases remit and which become

Risk and mortality of traumatic brain injury in stroke patients: two nationwide cohort studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Chou, Yi-Chun; Yeh, Chun-Chieh; Hu, Chaur-Jong; Meng, Nai-Hsin; Chiu, Wen-Ta; Chou, Wan-Hsin; Chen, Ta-Liang; Liao, Chien-Chang

2014-01-01

Patients with stroke had higher incidence of falls and hip fractures. However, the risk of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-TBI mortality in patients with stroke was not well defined. Our study is to investigate the risk of TBI and post-TBI mortality in patients with stroke. Using reimbursement claims from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database, we conducted a retrospective cohort study of 7622 patients with stroke and 30 488 participants without stroke aged 20 years and older as reference group. Data were collected on newly developed TBI after stroke with 5 to 8 years' follow-up during 2000 to 2008. Another nested cohort study including 7034 hospitalized patients with TBI was also conducted to analyze the contribution of stroke to post-TBI in-hospital mortality. Compared with the nonstroke cohort, the adjusted hazard ratio of TBI risk among patients with stroke was 2.80 (95% confidence interval = 2.58-3.04) during the follow-up period. Patients with stroke had higher mortality after TBI than those without stroke (10.2% vs 3.2%, P stroke (RR = 1.60), hemorrhagic stroke (RR = 1.68), high medical expenditure for stroke (RR = 1.80), epilepsy (RR = 1.79), neurosurgery (RR = 1.94), and hip fracture (RR = 2.11) were all associated with significantly higher post-TBI mortality among patients with stroke. Patients with stroke have an increased risk of TBI and in-hospital mortality after TBI. Various characteristics of stroke severity were all associated with higher post-TBI mortality. Special attention is needed to prevent TBI among these populations.

Mortality trends and risk of dying from breast cancer in the 32 states and 7 socioeconomic regions of Mexico, 2002-2011

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan Jesús Sánchez-Barriga

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Objective. To determine mortality trends from breast cancer in Mexico nationwide, by state, by socioeconomic region, and to establish an association between education, state of residence, and socioeconomic region with mortality from breast cancer in 2002–2011.Methods. Records of mortality associated with breast cancer were obtained. Rates of mortality nationwide, by state, and by socioeconomic region were calculated. The strength of association between states where women resided, socioeconomic regions, and education with mortality from breast cancer was determined.Results. Women who completed elementary school had a higher risk of dying from breast cancer than people with more education [relative risk (RR 2.58, 95% confidence interval (CI 2.49–2.67]. Mexico City had the strongest association with dying from breast cancer as state and as socioeconomic region 7 [Mexico City: RR 3.47, CI95% 2.7-4.46 (2002 and RR 3.33, CI95% 2.66-4.15 (2011 and region 7: RR 3.72, CI 95%: 3.15-4.38 (2002 and RR 2.87, CI 95%: 2.51-3.28 (2011].Conclusions. In Mexico, the raw mortality rates per 100 000 women who died from breast cancer increased. Mortality was higher in women who had elementary school than in those with more education. The strongest association was in Mexico City as state and as region 7. 

Assessment of the Public Health Risks and Impact of a Tornado in Funing, China, 23 June 2016: A Retrospective Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Kaiwen; Zhong, Shuang; Wang, Xiaoye; Wang, Zhe; Yang, Lianping; Wang, Qiong; Wang, Suhan; Sheng, Rongrong; Ma, Rui; Lin, Shao; Liu, Wenyu; Zu, Rongqiang; Huang, Cunrui

2017-10-10

(1) Background: Tornadoes are one of the deadliest disasters but their health impacts in China are poorly investigated. This study aimed to assess the public health risks and impact of an EF-4 tornado outbreak in Funing, China; (2) Methods: A retrospective analysis on the characteristics of tornado-related deaths and injuries was conducted based on the database from the Funing's Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Funing People's Hospital. A change-point time-series analysis of weekly incidence for the period January 2010 to September 2016 was used to identify sensitive infectious diseases to the tornado; (3) Results: The 75 to 84 years old group was at the highest risk of both death (RR = 82.16; 95% CIs = 19.66, 343.33) and injury (RR = 31.80; 95% CI = 17.26, 58.61), and females were at 53% higher risk of death than males (RR = 1.53; 95% CIs = 1.02, 2.29). Of the 337 injuries, 274 injuries (81%) were minor. Most deaths occurred indoors (87%) and the head (74%) was the most frequent site of trauma during the tornado. Five diseases showed downward change-points; (4) Conclusions: The experience of the Funing tornado underscores the relative danger of being indoors during a tornado and is successful in avoiding epidemics post-tornado. Current international safety guidelines need modification when generalized to China.

Assessment of the Public Health Risks and Impact of a Tornado in Funing, China, 23 June 2016: A Retrospective Analysis

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Kaiwen Wang

2017-10-01

Full Text Available (1 Background: Tornadoes are one of the deadliest disasters but their health impacts in China are poorly investigated. This study aimed to assess the public health risks and impact of an EF-4 tornado outbreak in Funing, China; (2 Methods: A retrospective analysis on the characteristics of tornado-related deaths and injuries was conducted based on the database from the Funing’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC and Funing People’s Hospital. A change-point time-series analysis of weekly incidence for the period January 2010 to September 2016 was used to identify sensitive infectious diseases to the tornado; (3 Results: The 75 to 84 years old group was at the highest risk of both death (RR = 82.16; 95% CIs = 19.66, 343.33 and injury (RR = 31.80; 95% CI = 17.26, 58.61, and females were at 53% higher risk of death than males (RR = 1.53; 95% CIs = 1.02, 2.29. Of the 337 injuries, 274 injuries (81% were minor. Most deaths occurred indoors (87% and the head (74% was the most frequent site of trauma during the tornado. Five diseases showed downward change-points; (4 Conclusions: The experience of the Funing tornado underscores the relative danger of being indoors during a tornado and is successful in avoiding epidemics post-tornado. Current international safety guidelines need modification when generalized to China.

[Primary Study on Predicting the Termination of Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation Based on a Novel RdR RR Intervals Scatter Plot].

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Hongwei; Zhang, Chenxi; Sun, Ying; Hao, Zhidong; Wang, Chunfang; Tian, Jiajia

2015-08-01

Predicting the termination of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) may provide a signal to decide whether there is a need to intervene the AF timely. We proposed a novel RdR RR intervals scatter plot in our study. The abscissa of the RdR scatter plot was set to RR intervals and the ordinate was set as the difference between successive RR intervals. The RdR scatter plot includes information of RR intervals and difference between successive RR intervals, which captures more heart rate variability (HRV) information. By RdR scatter plot analysis of one minute RR intervals for 50 segments with non-terminating AF and immediately terminating AF, it was found that the points in RdR scatter plot of non-terminating AF were more decentralized than the ones of immediately terminating AF. By dividing the RdR scatter plot into uniform grids and counting the number of non-empty grids, non-terminating AF and immediately terminating AF segments were differentiated. By utilizing 49 RR intervals, for 20 segments of learning set, 17 segments were correctly detected, and for 30 segments of test set, 20 segments were detected. While utilizing 66 RR intervals, for 18 segments of learning set, 16 segments were correctly detected, and for 28 segments of test set, 20 segments were detected. The results demonstrated that during the last one minute before the termination of paroxysmal AF, the variance of the RR intervals and the difference of the neighboring two RR intervals became smaller. The termination of paroxysmal AF could be successfully predicted by utilizing the RdR scatter plot, while the predicting accuracy should be further improved.

Pigmentary traits, family history of melanoma and the risk of endometriosis: a cohort study of US women.

Science.gov (United States)

Kvaskoff, Marina; Han, Jiali; Qureshi, Abrar A; Missmer, Stacey A

2014-02-01

Endometriosis has been associated with a higher risk of cutaneous melanoma, but the mechanisms underlying this association are unknown.Some constitutional factors known to influence melanoma risk have been associated with endometriosis in some retrospective studies. However, prospective data are scarce, and more research is needed to confirm this potentially novel endometriosis risk profile. To investigate the relationships between pigmentary traits, family history of melanoma and endometriosis risk, we analysed data from the Nurses’ Health Study II, a cohort of 116 430 female US nurses aged 25–42 years at inclusion in 1989. Data were collected every 2 years with 20 years of follow-up for these analyses. We used Cox proportional hazards regression models to compute relative risks(RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). During 1 212 499 woman-years of follow-up, 4763 cases of laparoscopically-confirmed endometriosis were reported among premenopausal Caucasian women. Endometriosis risk was increased with presence of naevi on the lower legs (RR=1.08, 95% CI=1.021.14) and higher level of skin’s burning reaction to sun exposure in childhood/adolescence (‘burn with blisters’: RR=1.20,95% CI=1.061.36) compared with ‘practically none’;P(trend)=0.0006) and family history of melanoma (RR=1.13, 95%CI=1.011.26). This assessment reports modest associations between several pigmentary traits, family history of melanoma and endometriosis risk,corroborating the results from previous retrospective studies. Our findings call for further research to better understand the mechanisms under lying these associations.

Flow distribution in ET-RR-1 core

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khattab, M.; Mina, A.R.

1989-01-01

In nuclear reactors the flow may be arranged through individual bundles by orifices to achieve better thermal performance. A model based on constant pressure drop across different core regions is developed to determine the flow distribution in reactor core. The friction and grids in the bundles as well as the orifices diameters have an influence on modifying the flow distribution. The application of the proposed model on ET-RR-1 gives reasonable prediction of flow distribution

Assessing the effect of treatment duration on the association between anti-diabetic medication and cancer risk.

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Anna But

Full Text Available Most studies that have evaluated the association between anti-diabetic medication and cancer risk have suffered from methodological drawbacks. To avoid time-related biases, we evaluated the effect of treatment duration on the cancer risk among naive users of anti-diabetic medication as compared to non-users. In addition, we addressed the influence of common risk factors such as smoking and BMI. The study population comprised 23,394 participants of FINRISK surveys. Data on cancer and anti-diabetic medication were linked with the study cohorts. We applied Lexis tabulation to the data and analyzed split records by using Poisson regression. Changes in cancer incidence in relation to treatment duration were examined by modeling the rate ratio (RR. After a median follow-up of 9 years, 53 cancer cases among users of anti-diabetic medication and 1,028 among non-users were diagnosed. No significant difference in cancer risk between users and non-users was observed after adjustment. The RR for all medication regardless of its duration was 1.01 [95% CI 0.75-1.33], and 1.37 [0.94-1.94] for period of 1-4 years. The results were similar for metformin, sulfonylurea, and insulin. This study demonstrates that evaluation of the variation in cancer risk in relation to treatment duration is of particular importance for enhancing the accuracy of conclusions on the link between exposure to anti-diabetic medication and cancer risk.

Assessing the effect of treatment duration on the association between anti-diabetic medication and cancer risk.

Science.gov (United States)

But, Anna; Wang, Haining; Männistö, Satu; Pukkala, Eero; Haukka, Jari

2014-01-01

Most studies that have evaluated the association between anti-diabetic medication and cancer risk have suffered from methodological drawbacks. To avoid time-related biases, we evaluated the effect of treatment duration on the cancer risk among naive users of anti-diabetic medication as compared to non-users. In addition, we addressed the influence of common risk factors such as smoking and BMI. The study population comprised 23,394 participants of FINRISK surveys. Data on cancer and anti-diabetic medication were linked with the study cohorts. We applied Lexis tabulation to the data and analyzed split records by using Poisson regression. Changes in cancer incidence in relation to treatment duration were examined by modeling the rate ratio (RR). After a median follow-up of 9 years, 53 cancer cases among users of anti-diabetic medication and 1,028 among non-users were diagnosed. No significant difference in cancer risk between users and non-users was observed after adjustment. The RR for all medication regardless of its duration was 1.01 [95% CI 0.75-1.33], and 1.37 [0.94-1.94] for period of 1-4 years. The results were similar for metformin, sulfonylurea, and insulin. This study demonstrates that evaluation of the variation in cancer risk in relation to treatment duration is of particular importance for enhancing the accuracy of conclusions on the link between exposure to anti-diabetic medication and cancer risk.

Association among Dietary Flavonoids, Flavonoid Subclasses and Ovarian Cancer Risk: A Meta-Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

You, Ruxu; Yang, Yu; Liao, Jing; Chen, Dongsheng; Yu, Lixiu

2016-01-01

Background Previous studies have indicated that intake of dietary flavonoids or flavonoid subclasses is associated with the ovarian cancer risk, but presented controversial results. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis to derive a more precise estimation of these associations. Methods We performed a search in PubMed, Google Scholar and ISI Web of Science from their inception to April 25, 2015 to select studies on the association among dietary flavonoids, flavonoid subclasses and ovarian cancer risk. The information was extracted by two independent authors. We assessed the heterogeneity, sensitivity, publication bias and quality of the articles. A random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled risk estimates. Results Five cohort studies and seven case-control studies were included in the final meta-analysis. We observed that intake of dietary flavonoids can decrease ovarian cancer risk, which was demonstrated by pooled RR (RR = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.68–0.98). In a subgroup analysis by flavonoid subtypes, the ovarian cancer risk was also decreased for isoflavones (RR = 0.67, 95% CI = 0.50–0.92) and flavonols (RR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.58–0.80). While there was no compelling evidence that consumption of flavones (RR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.71–1.03) could decrease ovarian cancer risk, which revealed part sources of heterogeneity. The sensitivity analysis indicated stable results, and no publication bias was observed based on the results of Funnel plot analysis and Egger’s test (p = 0.26). Conclusions This meta-analysis suggested that consumption of dietary flavonoids and subtypes (isoflavones, flavonols) has a protective effect against ovarian cancer with a reduced risk of ovarian cancer except for flavones consumption. Nevertheless, further investigations on a larger population covering more flavonoid subclasses are warranted. PMID:26960146

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Mid-infrared study of RR Lyrae stars (Gavrilchenko+, 2014)

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Gavrilchenko, T.; Klein, C. R.; Bloom, J. S.; Richards, J. W.

2015-02-01

The first goal was to find a large sample of WISE-observed RR Lyrae stars. A data base of previously identified RR Lyrae stars was created, combining information from General Catalogue of Variable Stars (GCVS), All Sky Automated Survey (ASAS), SIMBAD, VizieR, and individual papers. For many of the sources in this data base the only available data were the coordinates and RR Lyrae classification. When provided, information about the period, distance, subclass, and magnitude for several different wavebands was also stored. If a single source appeared in multiple surveys or papers, information from all relevant surveys was included, with markers indicating contradicting measurements between surveys. The resulting data base contains about 17000 sources, of which about 5000 sources have documented V-band periods. (3 data files).

Risk of breast cancer after false-positive results in mammographic screening

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Roman, Marta; Castells, Xavier; Hofvind, Solveig

2016-01-01

risk (RR) of screen-detected cancer for women with false-positive versus negative results. We analyzed information from 1,935,093 women 50–69 years who underwent 6,094,515 screening exams. During an average 5.8 years of follow-up, 230,609 (11.9%) women received a false-positive result and 27,849 (1......Women with false-positive results are commonly referred back to routine screening. Questions remain regarding their long-term outcome of breast cancer. We assessed the risk of screen-detected breast cancer in women with false-positive results. We conducted a joint analysis using individual level.......4%) were diagnosed with screen-detected cancer. The adjusted RR of screen-detected cancer after a false-positive result was 2.01 (95% CI: 1.93–2.09). Women who tested false-positive at first screen had a RR of 1.86 (95% CI: 1.77–1.96), whereas those who tested false-positive at third screening had a RR...

Dairy Product Consumption and Risk of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma: A Meta-Analysis.

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Wang, Jia; Li, Xutong; Zhang, Dongfeng

2016-02-27

Many epidemiologic studies have explored the association between dairy product consumption and the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), but the results remain controversial. A literature search was performed in PubMed, Web of Science and Embase for relevant articles published up to October 2015. Pooled relative risks (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated with a random-effects model. The dose-response relationship was assessed by restricted cubic spline. A total of 16 articles were eligible for this meta-analysis. The pooled RRs (95% CIs) of NHL for the highest vs. lowest category of the consumption of total dairy product, milk, butter, cheese, ice cream and yogurt were 1.20 (1.02, 1.42), 1.41 (1.08, 1.84), 1.31 (1.04, 1.65), 1.14 (0.96, 1.34), 1.57 (1.11, 2.20) and 0.78 (0.54, 1.12), respectively. In subgroup analyses, the positive association between total dairy product consumption and the risk of NHL was found among case-control studies (RR = 1.41, 95% CI: 1.17-1.70) but not among cohort studies (RR = 1.02, 95% CI: 0.88-1.17). The pooled RRs (95% CIs) of NHL were 1.21 (1.01, 1.46) for milk consumption in studies conducted in North America, and 1.24 (1.09, 1.40) for cheese consumption in studies that adopted validated food frequency questionnaires. In further analysis of NHL subtypes, we found statistically significant associations between the consumption of total dairy product (RR = 1.73, 95% CI: 1.22-2.45) and milk (RR = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.08-2.06) and the risk of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. The dose-response analysis suggested that the risk of NHL increased by 5% (1.05 (1.00-1.10)) and 6% (1.06 (0.99-1.13)) for each 200 g/day increment of total dairy product and milk consumption, respectively. This meta-analysis suggested that dairy product consumption, but not yogurt, may increase the risk of NHL. More prospective cohort studies that investigate specific types of dairy product consumption are needed to confirm this conclusion.

Risk of malignancy in ankylosing spondylitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

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Deng, Chuiwen; Li, Wenli; Fei, Yunyun; Li, Yongzhe; Zhang, Fengchun

2016-08-18

Current knowledge about the overall and site-specific risk of malignancy associated with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is inconsistent. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to address this knowledge gap. Five databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, the Cochrane library and the virtual health library) were systematically searched. A manual search of publications within the last 2 years in key journals in the field (Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, Rheumatology and Arthritis &rheumatology) was also performed. STATA 11.2 software was used to conduct the meta-analysis. After screening, twenty-three studies, of different designs, were eligible for meta-analysis. AS is associated with a 14% (pooled RR 1.14; 95% CI 1.03-1.25) increase in the overall risk for malignancy. Compared to controls, patients with AS are at a specific increased risk for malignancy of the digestive system (pooled RR 1.20; 95% CI 1.01 to 1.42), multiple myelomas (pooled RR 1.92; 95% CI 1.37 to 3.69) and lymphomas (pooled RR 1.32; 95% CI 1.11 to 1.57). On subgroup analysis, evidence from high quality cohort studies indicated that AS patients from Asia are at highest risk for malignancy overall. Confirmation of findings from large-scale longitudinal studies is needed to identify specific risk factors and to evaluate treatment effects.

Anesthesiologist- and System-Related Risk Factors for Risk-Adjusted Pediatric Anesthesia-Related Cardiac Arrest.

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Zgleszewski, Steven E; Graham, Dionne A; Hickey, Paul R; Brustowicz, Robert M; Odegard, Kirsten C; Koka, Rahul; Seefelder, Christian; Navedo, Andres T; Randolph, Adrienne G

2016-02-01

Pediatric anesthesia-related cardiac arrest (ARCA) is an uncommon but potentially preventable adverse event. Infants and children with more severe underlying disease are at highest risk. We aimed to identify system- and anesthesiologist-related risk factors for ARCA. We analyzed a prospectively collected patient cohort data set of anesthetics administered from 2000 to 2011 to children at a large tertiary pediatric hospital. Pre-procedure systemic disease level was characterized by ASA physical status (ASA-PS). Two reviewers independently reviewed cardiac arrests and categorized their anesthesia relatedness. Factors associated with ARCA in the univariate analyses were identified for reevaluation after adjustment for patient age and ASA-PS. Cardiac arrest occurred in 142 of 276,209 anesthetics (incidence 5.1/10,000 anesthetics); 72 (2.6/10,000 anesthetics) were classified as anesthesia-related. In the univariate analyses, risk of ARCA was much higher in cardiac patients and for anesthesiologists with lower annual caseload and/or fewer annual days delivering anesthetics (all P risk adjustment for ASA-PS ≥ III and age ≤ 6 months, however, the association with lower annual days delivering anesthetics remained (P = 0.03), but the other factors were no longer significant. Case-mix explained most associations between higher risk of pediatric ARCA and anesthesiologist-related variables at our institution, but the association with fewer annual days delivering anesthetics remained. Our findings highlight the need for rigorous adjustment for patient risk factors in anesthesia patient safety studies.

Risk of HPV-16/18 Infections and Associated Cervical Abnormalities in Women Seropositive for Naturally Acquired Antibodies: Pooled Analysis Based on Control Arms of Two Large Clinical Trials.

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Safaeian, Mahboobeh; Castellsagué, Xavier; Hildesheim, Allan; Wacholder, Sholom; Schiffman, Mark H; Bozonnat, Marie-Cécile; Baril, Laurence; Rosillon, Dominique

2018-06-05

Studies on the role of antibodies produced after infection with human papillomavirus 18 (HPV-18) and subsequent protection from HPV-18 infection have been conflicting, mainly due to inadequate sample size. We pooled data from the control arms of the Costa Rica Vaccine Trial and the PATRICIA trial. Using Poisson regression we compared the risk of newly detected 1-time HPV-18 infection, HPV-18 1-year persistent infection (12MPI), and HPV-18-associated atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance or greater (ASC-US+) lesions between HPV-18 seropositive and seronegative women. High HPV-18 antibodies at enrollment was associated with reduced subsequent HPV-18 detection (P trend = 0.001; relative rate [RR] = 0.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.47-1.01 for the third quartile; RR = 0.63; 95% CI, 0.43-0.94 for the fourth quartile, compared to seronegative). The risk of 12MPI showed a decreasing trend with increasing antibodies (P trend = 0.06; RR = 0.72; 95% CI, 0.29-1.77; RR = 0.42; 95% CI, 0.13-1.32 for the third and fourth quartiles, respectively). Lastly, we observed a significant decreased risk of HPV-18 ASC-US+ with increasing antibody (P trend = 0.01; RR = 0.46; 95% CI, 0.21-0.97 for the fourth quartile). We also observed a significant decreased risk of HPV-16 infection, 12MPI, and ASC-US+ with increasing HPV-16 antibody level. High HPV-18 naturally acquired antibodies were associated with partial protection from future HPV-18 infections and associated lesions. NCT00128661 and NCT001226810.

Passive smoking and risk of type 2 diabetes: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ying Wang

Full Text Available BACKGROUNDS/OBJECTIVE: The prevalence of diabetes is increasing rapidly all over the world. However, studies on passive smoking and type 2 diabetes have not been systematically assessed. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis to explore whether an association exists between passive smoking and risk of type 2 diabetes. METHODS: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane library and Web of Science up to April 9(th, 2013, to identify prospective cohort studies that assessed passive smoking and risk of type 2 diabetes. The fixed-effect model was used to calculate the overall relative risk (RR. RESULT: 4 prospective cohort studies were included for analysis, with a total of 112,351 participants involved. The pooled RR was 1.28 (95% confidence interval (CI 1.14 to 1.44 comparing those who were exposed to passive smoking with those who were not. Subgroup, sensitivity analysis and publication bias test suggested the overall result of this analysis was robust. CONCLUSIONS: Passive smoking is associated with a significantly increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Further well-designed studies are warranted to confirm this association.

Cholecystectomy can increase the risk of colorectal cancer: A meta-analysis of 10 cohort studies.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yong Zhang

Full Text Available This study aimed to elucidate the effects of cholecystectomy on the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC by conducting a meta-analysis of 10 cohort studies.The eligible cohort studies were selected by searching the PubMed and EMBASE databases from their origination to June 30, 2016, as well as by consulting the reference lists of the selected articles. Two authors individually collected the data from the 10 papers. When the data showed marked heterogeneity, we used a random-effects model to estimate the overall pooled risk; otherwise, a fixed effects model was employed.The final analysis included ten cohort studies. According to the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS, nine papers were considered high quality. After the data of these 9 studies were combined, an increased risk of CRC was found among the individuals who had undergone cholecystectomy (risk ratio (RR 1.22; 95% confidence interval (CI 1.08-1.38. In addition, we also found a promising increased risk for colon cancer (CC (RR 1.30, 95% CI 1.07-1.58, but no relationship between cholecystectomy and rectum cancer (RC (RR 1.09; 95% CI 0.89-1.34 was observed. Additionally, in the sub-group analysis of the tumor location in the colon, a positive risk for ascending colon cancer (ACC was found (RR 1.18, 95% CI 1.11-1.26. After combining the ACC, transverse colon cancer (TCC, sigmoid colon cancer (SCC and descending colon cancer (DCC patients, we found a positive relationship with cholecystectomy (RR 1.18, 95% CI 1.11-1.26. Furthermore, after combining the ACC and DCC patients, we also found a positive relationship with cholecystectomy (RR 1.28; 95% CI 1.11-1.26 in the sub-group analysis. In an additional sub-group analysis of patients from Western countries, there was a positive relationship between cholecystectomy and the risk of CRC (RR 1.20; 95% CI 1.05-1.36. Furthermore, a positive relationship between female gender and CRC was also found (RR 1.17; 95% CI 1.03-1.34. However, there was no relationship

Dietary patterns and risk of colorectal tumors: a cohort of French women of the National Education System (E3N).

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Kesse, E; Clavel-Chapelon, F; Boutron-Ruault, M C

2006-12-01

Little is known about the dietary patterns associated with colorectal tumors along the adenoma-carcinoma sequence. Scores for dietary patterns were obtained by factor analysis in women from the French cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (1993-2000). Their association with colorectal tumors was investigated in 516 adenoma cases (175 high-risk adenomas) and 4,804 polyp-free women and in 172 colorectal cancer cases and 67,312 cancer-free women. The authors identified four dietary patterns: "healthy" (vegetables, fruit, yogurt, sea products, and olive oil); "Western" (potatoes, pizzas and pies, sandwiches, sweets, cakes, cheese, cereal products, processed meat, eggs, and butter); "drinker" (sandwiches, snacks, processed meat, and alcoholic beverages); and "meat eaters" (meat, poultry, and margarine). For quartile 4 versus quartile 1, an increased risk of adenoma was observed with high scores of the Western pattern (multivariate relative risk (RR) = 1.39, 95% confidence interval: 1.00, 1.94; p(trend) = 0.03) and the drinker pattern (RR = 1.42, 95% confidence interval: 1.10, 1.83; p(trend) = 0.01). The meat-eaters pattern was positively associated with colorectal cancer risk (for quartile 4 vs. quartile 1: RR = 1.58, 95% confidence interval: 0.98, 2.53; p(trend) = 0.02). Dietary patterns that reflect a Western way of life are associated with a higher risk of colorectal tumors.

Building-related health symptoms and classroom indoor air quality: a survey of school teachers in New York State.

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Kielb, C; Lin, S; Muscatiello, N; Hord, W; Rogers-Harrington, J; Healy, J

2015-08-01

Most previous research on indoor environments and health has studied school children or occupants in non-school settings. This investigation assessed building-related health symptoms and classroom characteristics via telephone survey of New York State school teachers. Participants were asked about 14 building-related symptoms and 23 classroom characteristics potentially related to poor indoor air quality (IAQ). Poisson regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between these symptoms and each classroom characteristic, controlling for potential confounders. About 500 teachers completed the survey. The most frequently reported classroom characteristics included open shelving (70.7%), food eaten in class (65.5%), dust (59.1%), and carpeting (46.9%). The most commonly reported symptoms included sinus problems (16.8%), headache (15.0%), allergies/congestion (14.8%), and throat irritation (14.6%). Experiencing one or more symptoms was associated most strongly with reported dust (relative risk (RR) = 3.67; 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.62-5.13), dust reservoirs (RR = 2.13; 95% CI: 1.72-2.65), paint odors (RR = 1.73; 95% CI: 1.40-2.13), mold (RR = 1.71; 95% CI: 1.39-2.11), and moldy odors (RR = 1.65 95% CI: 1.30-2.10). Stronger associations were found with increasing numbers of reported IAQ-related classroom characteristics. Similar results were found with having any building-related allergic/respiratory symptom. This research adds to the body of evidence underscoring the importance to occupant health of school IAQ. Teachers play an important role in educating children, and teacher well-being is important to this role. Health symptoms among New York teachers while at work are common and appear to be associated with numerous characteristics related to poor classroom IAQ. Improving school Indoor Air Quality may reduce sickness and absenteeism and improve teacher performance. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Meat, fish and egg intake and risk of breast cancer.

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Holmes, Michelle D; Colditz, Graham A; Hunter, David J; Hankinson, Susan E; Rosner, Bernard; Speizer, Frank E; Willett, Walter C

2003-03-20

Intakes of animal protein, meat, and eggs have been associated with breast cancer incidence and mortality in ecological studies, but data from long-term prospective studies are limited. We therefore examined these relationships in the Nurses' Health Study. We followed 88,647 women for 18 years, with 5 assessments of diet by food frequency questionnaire, cumulatively averaged and updated over time. We calculated the relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for risk of developing invasive breast cancer, over categories of nutrient and food intake. During follow-up, 4,107 women developed invasive breast cancer. Compared to the lowest quintile of intake, the RR and 95% CI for the highest quintile of intake were 1.02 (0.92-1.14) for animal protein, 0.93 (0.83-1.05) for red meat and 0.89 (0.79-1.00) for all meat. Results did not differ by menopausal status or family history of breast cancer. We found no evidence that intake of meat or fish during mid-life and later was associated with risk of breast cancer. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Effects of caesarean section on maternal health in low risk nulliparous women: a prospective matched cohort study in Shanghai, China

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Gao Xiao-ling

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Rates of caesarean section are progressively increasing in many parts of the world. As a result of psychosocial factors there has been an increasing tendency for pregnant women without justifiable medical indications for caesarean section to ask for this procedure in China. A critical examination of this issue in relation to maternal outcomes is important. At present there are no clinical trials to help assess the risks and benefits of caesarean section in low risk women. To fill the gap left by trials, this indication-matched cohort study was carried out to examine prospectively the outcomes of caesarean section on women with no absolute obstetric indication compared with similar women who had vaginal delivery. Methods An indication-matched cohort study was undertaken to compare maternal outcomes following caesarean section with those undergoing vaginal delivery, in which the two groups were matched for non-absolute indications. 301 nulliparous women with caesarean section were matched successfully with 301 women who delivered vaginally in the Maternal and Children's Hospitals (MCHs in Shanghai, China. Logistic regression model or binomial regression model was used to estimate the relative risk (RR directly. Adjusted RRs were calculated adjusting for propensity score and medical indications. Results The incidence of total complications was 2.2 times higher in the caesarean section group during hospitalization post-partum, compared with the vaginal delivery group (RR = 2.2; 95% CI: 1.1-4.4. The risk of haemorrhage from the start of labour until 2 hours post-partum was significantly higher in the caesarean group (RR = 5.6; 95% CI: 1.2-26.9. The risk of chronic abdominal pain was significantly higher for the caesarean section group (RR = 3.6; 95% CI: 1.2-10.9 than for the vaginal delivery group within 12 months post-partum. The two groups had similar incidences of anaemia and complicating infections such as wound complications

Measurement and theory of turbulence in RR Lyrae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benz, W.; Stellingwerf, R.F.

1985-01-01

CORAVEL observations of time-dependent turbulence in RR Lyrae are presented. Variation in the width of the mean velocity correlation function implies turbulent velocities that peak at 10 to 15 km/sec for a brief interval of phase near minimum radius. Comparison with a nonlinear pulsation model shows that these amplitudes of the turbulent velocity are expected near the hydrogen ionization zone, again only near minimum radius

Meta-analysis on night shift work and risk of metabolic syndrome.

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Wang, F; Zhang, L; Zhang, Y; Zhang, B; He, Y; Xie, S; Li, M; Miao, X; Chan, E Y Y; Tang, J L; Wong, M C S; Li, Z; Yu, I T S; Tse, L A

2014-09-01

This study aims to quantitatively summarize the association between night shift work and the risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS), with special reference to the dose-response relationship with years of night shift work. We systematically searched all observational studies published in English on PubMed and Embase from 1971 to 2013. We extracted effect measures (relative risk, RR; or odd ratio, OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) from individual studies to generate pooled results using meta-analysis approach. Pooled RR was calculated using random- or fixed-effect model. Downs and Black scale was applied to assess the methodological quality of included studies. A total of 13 studies were included. The pooled RR for the association between 'ever exposed to night shift work' and MetS risk was 1.57 (95% CI = 1.24-1.98, pheterogeneity  = 0.001), while a higher risk was indicated in workers with longer exposure to night shifts (RR = 1.77, 95% CI = 1.32-2.36, pheterogeneity  = 0.936). Further stratification analysis demonstrated a higher pooled effect of 1.84 (95% CI = 1.45-2.34) for studies using the NCEP-ATPIII criteria, among female workers (RR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.10-2.34) and the countries other than Asia (RR = 1.65, 95% CI = 1.39-1.95). Sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of the results. No evidence of publication bias was detected. The present meta-analysis suggested that night shift work is significantly associated with the risk of MetS, and a positive dose-response relationship with duration of exposure was indicated. © 2014 The Authors. obesity reviews © 2014 World Obesity.

Dietary and circulating lycopene and stroke risk: a meta-analysis of prospective studies

Science.gov (United States)

LI, Xinli; XU, Jiuhong

2014-01-01

Epidemiological studies support a protective role of lycopene against stroke occurrence or mortality, but the results have been conflicting. We conducted a meta-analysis to assess the relationship between dietary or circulating lycopene and stroke risk (including stroke occurrence or mortality). Relevant papers were collected by screening the PubMed database through October 2013. Only prospective studies providing relative risk estimates with 95% confidence intervals for the association between lycopene and stroke were included. A random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled estimate. Subgroup analysis was conducted to investigate the effects of various factors on the final results. The pooled analysis of seven prospective studies, with 116,127 participants and 1,989 cases, demonstrated that lycopene decreased stroke risk by 19.3% (RR = 0.807, 95% CI = 0.680–0.957) after adjusting for confounding factors. No heterogeneity was observed (p = 0.234, I2 = 25.5%). Circulating lycopene, not dietary lycopene, was associated with a statistically significant decrease in stroke risk (RR = 0.693, 95% CI = 0.503–0.954). Lycopene could protect European, or males against stroke risk. Duration of follow-up had no effect on the final results. There was no evidence of publication bias. Lycopene, especially circulating lycopene, is negatively associated with stroke risk. PMID:24848940

Risk Aversion Relates to Cognitive Ability

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersson, Ola; Holm, Håkan J.; Tyran, Jean-Robert Karl

2016-01-01

Recent experimental studies suggest that risk aversion is negatively related to cognitive ability. In this paper we report evidence that this relation might be spurious. We recruit a large subject pool drawn from the general Danish population for our experiment. By presenting subjects with choice...... tasks that vary the bias induced by random choices, we are able to generate both negative and positive correlations between risk aversion and cognitive ability. Structural estimation allowing for heterogeneity of noise yields no significant relation between risk aversion and cognitive ability. Our...... results suggest that cognitive ability is related to random decision making, rather than to risk preferences....

Risk aversion relates to cognitive ability

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersson, Ola; Holm, Håkan J.; Tyran, Jean-Robert Karl

Recent experimental studies suggest that risk aversion is negatively related to cognitive ability. In this paper we report evidence that this relation might be spurious. We recruit a large subject pool drawn from the general Danish population for our experiment. By presenting subjects with choice...... tasks that vary the bias induced by random choices, we are able to generate both negative and positive correlations between risk aversion and cognitive ability. Structural estimation allowing for heterogeneity of noise yields no significant relation between risk aversion and cognitive ability. Our...... results suggest that cognitive ability is related to random decision making rather than to risk preferences....

The effect of community-acquired bacteraemia on return to workforce, risk of sick leave, permanent disability pension and death: a Danish population-based cohort study.

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Dalager-Pedersen, Michael; Koch, Kristoffer; Thomsen, Reimar Wernich; Schønheyder, Henrik Carl; Nielsen, Henrik

2014-01-29

Little is known about the prognosis of community-acquired bacteraemia (CAB) in workforce adults. We assessed return to workforce, risk for sick leave, disability pension and mortality within 1 year after CAB in workforce adults compared with blood culture-negative controls and population controls. Population-based cohort study. North Denmark, 1996-2011. We used population-based healthcare registries to identify all patients aged 20-58 years who had first-time blood cultures obtained within 48 h of medical hospital admission, and who were part of the workforce (450 bacteraemia exposed patients and 6936 culture-negative control patients). For each bacteraemia patient, we included up to 10 matched population controls. Return to workforce, risk of sick leave, permanent disability pension and mortality within 1 year after bacteraemia. Regression analyses were used to compute adjusted relative risks (RRs) with 95% CIs. One year after admission, 78% of patients with CAB, 85.7% of culture-negative controls and 96.8% of population controls were alive and in the workforce, and free from sick leave or disability pension. Compared with culture-negative controls, bacteraemia was associated with an increased risk for long-term sick leave (4-week duration, 40.2% vs 23.9%, adjusted RR, 1.51; CI 1.34 to 1.70) and an increased risk for mortality (30-day mortality, 4% vs 1.4%, adjusted RR, 2.34, CI 1.22 to 4.50; 1-year mortality, 8% vs 3.9%, adjusted RR, 1.73; CI 1.18 to 2.55). Bacteraemia patients had a risk for disability pension similar to culture-negative controls (2.7% vs 2.6%, adjusted RR, 0.99, CI 0.48 to 2.02) but greater than population controls (adjusted RR, 5.20; 95% CI 2.16 to 12.50). CAB is associated with long duration of sick leave and considerable mortality in working-age adults when compared with blood culture-negative controls, and an increased 1-year risk for disability pension when compared with population controls.