52 research outputs found

    Social Dimensions of Urban Flood Experience, Exposure, and Concern

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    With growing urban populations and climate change, urban flooding is an important global issue, even in dryland regions. Flood risk assessments are usually used to identify vulnerable locations and populations, flooding experience patterns, or levels of concern about flooding, but rarely are all of these approaches combined. Furthermore, the social dynamics of flood concerns, exposure, and experience are underexplored. We combined geographic and survey data on household‐level measures of flood experience, concern, and exposure in Utah\u27s urbanizing Wasatch Front. We asked: (1) Are socially vulnerable groups more likely to be exposed to flood risk? (2) How common are flooding experiences among urban residents, and how are these experiences related to sociodemographic characteristics and exposure? and (3) How concerned are urban residents about flooding, and does concern vary by exposure, flood experience, and sociodemographic characteristics? Although floodplain residents were more likely to be White and have higher incomes, respondents who were of a racial/ethnic minority, were older, had less education, and were living in floodplains were more likely to report flood experiences and concern about flooding. Flood risk management approaches need to address social as well as physical sources of vulnerability to floods and recognize social sources of variation in flood experiences and concern

    Radioimmunotherapy of B-cell lymphoma with radiolabelled anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies

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    CD20 has proven to be an excellent target for the treatment of B-cell lymphoma, first for the chimeric monoclonal antibody rituximab (Rituxanℱ), and more recently for the radiolabelled antibodies Y-90 ibritumomab tiuxetan (Zevalinℱ) and I-131 tositumomab (Bexxarℱ). Radiation therapy effects are due to beta emissions with path lengths of 1–5 mm; gamma radiation emitted by I-131 is the only radiation safety issue for either product. Dose-limiting toxicity for both radiolabelled antibodies is reversible bone marrow suppression. They produce response rates of 70%–90% in low-grade and follicular lymphoma and 40%–50% in transformed low-grade or intermediate-grade lymphomas. Both products produce higher response rates than related unlabelled antibodies, and both are highly active in patients who are relatively resistant to rituximab-based therapy. Median duration of response to a single course of treatment is about 1 year with complete remission rates that last 2 years or longer in about 25% of patients. Clinical trials suggest that anti- CD20 radioimmunotherapy is superior to total body irradiation in patients undergoing stem cell supported therapy for B-cell lymphoma, and that it is a safe and efficacious modality when used as consolidation therapy following chemotherapy. Among cytotoxic treatment options, current evidence suggests that one course of anti-CD20 radioimmunotherapy is as efficacious as six to eight cycles of combination chemotherapy. A major question that persists is how effective these agents are in the setting of rituximab- refractory lymphoma. These products have been underutilised because of the complexity of treatment coordination and concerns regarding reimbursement

    Novel genetic loci associated with hippocampal volume

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    The hippocampal formation is a brain structure integrally involved in episodic memory, spatial navigation, cognition and stress responsiveness. Structural abnormalities in hippocampal volume and shape are found in several common neuropsychiatric disorders. To identify the genetic underpinnings of hippocampal structure here we perform a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of 33,536 individuals and discover six independent loci significantly associated with hippocampal volume, four of them novel. Of the novel loci, three lie within genes (ASTN2, DPP4 and MAST4) and one is found 200 kb upstream of SHH. A hippocampal subfield analysis shows that a locus within the MSRB3 gene shows evidence of a localized effect along the dentate gyrus, subiculum, CA1 and fissure. Further, we show that genetic variants associated with decreased hippocampal volume are also associated with increased risk for Alzheimer's disease (rg =-0.155). Our findings suggest novel biological pathways through which human genetic variation influences hippocampal volume and risk for neuropsychiatric illness

    Methodological advances, opportunities, and challenges in AAC research

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    Since its inception in 1985, the AAC journal has been publishing scientific articles related to the field of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) that (a) report research concerning assessment, treatment, rehabilitation, and education of people who use or have the potential to use AAC systems and (b) cover theory, technology, and systems development relevant to AAC. The journal has maintained a consistent focus on the science and practice of AAC while also advancing in varied and impressive ways. Among the many developments apparent in AAC over the years, methodological advancements emerge as pivotal within the evolution of the science of AAC. This report examines the state of the science in behavioral AAC research with specific regard to changes and opportunities in research methodology. Illustrations from articles published in Volume 1 (1985) and Volume 32 (2016) of AAC are used in this paper to frame commentary on (a) contextual consideration in conducting AAC research, (b) types of research design, (c) considerations of procedural rigor, and (d) future methodological directions and resources. If the AAC field is to meet the goal of ensuring that all individuals with complex communication needs achieve their full potential, meaningful questions must be posed to address key problems, and rigorous scientific methods must be employed to answer these questions
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