Public awareness and individual responsibility needed for judicious use of antibiotics: a qualitative study of public beliefs and

BACKGROUND: High consumption of antibiotics has been identified as an important driver for the increasing antibiotic resistance, considered to be one of the greatest threats to public health globally. Simply informing the public about this consequence is insufficient to induce behavioral change. This study explored beliefs and perceptions among Swedes, with the aim of identifying factors promoting and hindering a judicious approach to antibiotics use. The study focused primarily on the medical use of antibiotics, also considering other aspects connected with antibiotic resistance, such as travelling and food consumption. METHODS: Data were collected through focus group discussions at the end of 2016. Twenty-three Swedes were recruited using an area-based approach and purposive sampling, aiming for as heterogeneous groups as possible regarding gender (13 women, 10 men), age (range 20-81, mean 38), and education level. Interview transcripts were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The Health Belief Model was used as a theoretical framework. RESULTS: Antibiotic resistance was identified by participants as a health threat with the potential for terrible consequences. The severity of the problem was perceived more strongly than the actual likelihood of being affected by it. Metaphors such as climate change were abundantly employed to describe antibiotic resistance as a slowly emerging problem. There was a tension between individual (egoistic) and collective (altruistic) reasons for engaging in judicious behavior. The individual effort needed and antibiotics overprescribing were considered major barriers to such behavior. In their discussions, participants stressed the need for empowerment, achieved through good health communication from authorities and family physicians. CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge about antibiotic consumption and resistance, as well as values such as altruism and trust in the health care system, has significant influence on both perceptions of individual responsibility and on behavior. This suggests that these factors should be emphasized in health education and health promotion. To instead frame antibiotic resistance as a slowly emerging disaster, risks diminish the public perception of being susceptible to it

Changes in BMI-distribution from 1966–69 to 1995–97 in adolescents. The Young-HUNT study, Norway

Background The aim of this study was to explore changes in the BMI-distribution over time among Norwegian adolescents. Methods Height and weight were measured in standardised ways and BMI computed in 6774 adolescents 14–18 years who participated in the Young-HUNT study, the youth part of the Health-study of Nord-Trondelag County, Norway in 1995–97. The results were compared to data from 8378 adolescents, in the same age group and living in the same geographical region, collected by the National Health Screening Service in 1966–69. Results From 1966–69 to 1995–97 there was an increased dispersion and a two-sided change in the BMI-distribution. Mean BMI did not increase in girls aged 14–17, but increased significantly in 18 year old girls and in boys of all ages. In both sexes and all ages there was a significant increase in the upper percentiles, but also a trend towards a decrease in the lowest percentiles. Height and weight increased significantly in both sexes and all ages. Conclusion The increased dispersion of the BMI-distribution with a substantial increase in upper BMI-percentiles followed the same pattern seen in other European countries and the United States. The lack of increase in mean BMI among girls, and the decrease in the lowest percentiles has not been acknowledged in previous studies, and may call for attention

Combined Associations of a Polygenic Risk Score and Classical Risk Factors With Breast Cancer Risk.

We evaluated the joint associations between a new 313-variant PRS (PRS313) and questionnaire-based breast cancer risk factors for women of European ancestry, using 72 284 cases and 80 354 controls from the Breast Cancer Association Consortium. Interactions were evaluated using standard logistic regression and a newly developed case-only method for breast cancer risk overall and by estrogen receptor status. After accounting for multiple testing, we did not find evidence that per-standard deviation PRS313 odds ratio differed across strata defined by individual risk factors. Goodness-of-fit tests did not reject the assumption of a multiplicative model between PRS313 and each risk factor. Variation in projected absolute lifetime risk of breast cancer associated with classical risk factors was greater for women with higher genetic risk (PRS313 and family history) and, on average, 17.5% higher in the highest vs lowest deciles of genetic risk. These findings have implications for risk prevention for women at increased risk of breast cancer

Effects of Anacetrapib in Patients with Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease

BACKGROUND: Patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease remain at high risk for cardiovascular events despite effective statin-based treatment of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. The inhibition of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) by anacetrapib reduces LDL cholesterol levels and increases high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. However, trials of other CETP inhibitors have shown neutral or adverse effects on cardiovascular outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 30,449 adults with atherosclerotic vascular disease who were receiving intensive atorvastatin therapy and who had a mean LDL cholesterol level of 61 mg per deciliter (1.58 mmol per liter), a mean non-HDL cholesterol level of 92 mg per deciliter (2.38 mmol per liter), and a mean HDL cholesterol level of 40 mg per deciliter (1.03 mmol per liter). The patients were assigned to receive either 100 mg of anacetrapib once daily (15,225 patients) or matching placebo (15,224 patients). The primary outcome was the first major coronary event, a composite of coronary death, myocardial infarction, or coronary revascularization. RESULTS: During the median follow-up period of 4.1 years, the primary outcome occurred in significantly fewer patients in the anacetrapib group than in the placebo group (1640 of 15,225 patients [10.8%] vs. 1803 of 15,224 patients [11.8%]; rate ratio, 0.91; 95% confidence interval, 0.85 to 0.97; P=0.004). The relative difference in risk was similar across multiple prespecified subgroups. At the trial midpoint, the mean level of HDL cholesterol was higher by 43 mg per deciliter (1.12 mmol per liter) in the anacetrapib group than in the placebo group (a relative difference of 104%), and the mean level of non-HDL cholesterol was lower by 17 mg per deciliter (0.44 mmol per liter), a relative difference of -18%. There were no significant between-group differences in the risk of death, cancer, or other serious adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease who were receiving intensive statin therapy, the use of anacetrapib resulted in a lower incidence of major coronary events than the use of placebo. (Funded by Merck and others; Current Controlled Trials number, ISRCTN48678192 ; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01252953 ; and EudraCT number, 2010-023467-18 .)

AHA! festival 2016

For the third year, the AHA festival investigates the meeting between art and science in a three-day event at the Chalmers University of Technology hosted by the Department of Architecture and the Department of Physics. An international festival intended to provide enlightening experiences, staging surprises, new thoughts and displaced perspectives that lead to alternative modes of thinking about exploring the world through art and science. We invite scientists (physicists, historians, astronomers, engineers), artists (dancers, musicians, painters, poets, acrobats) who reside in these borderlands and wish to share their vision and work. The key intention is to celebrate both art and science as key knowledge building devices.The first year’s theme ’Embodiment’ (2014) explored the body as our anchor in the world, followed by the 2015 theme on ’Numbers’, a delightful net we cast over the world. This year\u27s theme is ’Uni-verse,’ again a natural consequence of our interest in the relation between art and science. The elemental force that drives science as well as art is curiosity. Come be curious with us! During the festival we have chosen to divide the word universe into three: uni and "-" and verse. Uni means that something is combined into a whole. Verse means that we are turned in a direction, the origin of the word tells us that it is the plow that turns at the end of the field. And the dash "-" is all the spaces and cracks where new discoveries can grow. Art and science unfolds in the gap between what we know and what we want to know

Combined Associations of a Polygenic Risk Score and Classical Risk Factors With Breast Cancer Risk.

We evaluated the joint associations between a new 313-variant PRS (PRS313) and questionnaire-based breast cancer risk factors for women of European ancestry, using 72 284 cases and 80 354 controls from the Breast Cancer Association Consortium. Interactions were evaluated using standard logistic regression and a newly developed case-only method for breast cancer risk overall and by estrogen receptor status. After accounting for multiple testing, we did not find evidence that per-standard deviation PRS313 odds ratio differed across strata defined by individual risk factors. Goodness-of-fit tests did not reject the assumption of a multiplicative model between PRS313 and each risk factor. Variation in projected absolute lifetime risk of breast cancer associated with classical risk factors was greater for women with higher genetic risk (PRS313 and family history) and, on average, 17.5% higher in the highest vs lowest deciles of genetic risk. These findings have implications for risk prevention for women at increased risk of breast cancer