IDENTIFYING PERCEPTIONS AND FACTORS OF PURSUING HIGHER EDUCATION IN FORMER FOSTER YOUTH

This study explores former foster youth’s perceptions and factors in pursuing higher education. Twelve participants provided insight on their experiences when in the foster care system that had impacted their pursuance of higher education. Many participants elaborated on their lives after aging out of the system, and how they navigated life as former foster youth. This was done through a self-paced audio recorded interview along with questions regarding demographics and information pertaining to the amount of time each individual spent in the foster care system. This study’s findings were able to identify overarching themes on former foster youth, such as social supports, inclusion of foster youth integrating into society and institutions such as post-secondary education, the differences in foster youths’ definition of success, and acknowledging the many known risk-factors of foster youth. In addition to this, our study also brings to light factors such as self-determination and undeniable resiliency in the stories of our participants. We found that social supports were a significant factor in former foster youth’s pursuance of higher education and their ability to succeed by completing their degrees. We found that many individuals did not agree or could not agree or disagree when asked if they felt they could express their needs in relation to post-secondary education with their social worke

Atrasentan and renal events in patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease (SONAR): a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial

Background: Short-term treatment for people with type 2 diabetes using a low dose of the selective endothelin A receptor antagonist atrasentan reduces albuminuria without causing significant sodium retention. We report the long-term effects of treatment with atrasentan on major renal outcomes. Methods: We did this double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial at 689 sites in 41 countries. We enrolled adults aged 18–85 years with type 2 diabetes, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)25–75 mL/min per 1·73 m 2 of body surface area, and a urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR)of 300–5000 mg/g who had received maximum labelled or tolerated renin–angiotensin system inhibition for at least 4 weeks. Participants were given atrasentan 0·75 mg orally daily during an enrichment period before random group assignment. Those with a UACR decrease of at least 30% with no substantial fluid retention during the enrichment period (responders)were included in the double-blind treatment period. Responders were randomly assigned to receive either atrasentan 0·75 mg orally daily or placebo. All patients and investigators were masked to treatment assignment. The primary endpoint was a composite of doubling of serum creatinine (sustained for ≥30 days)or end-stage kidney disease (eGFR <15 mL/min per 1·73 m 2 sustained for ≥90 days, chronic dialysis for ≥90 days, kidney transplantation, or death from kidney failure)in the intention-to-treat population of all responders. Safety was assessed in all patients who received at least one dose of their assigned study treatment. The study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01858532. Findings: Between May 17, 2013, and July 13, 2017, 11 087 patients were screened; 5117 entered the enrichment period, and 4711 completed the enrichment period. Of these, 2648 patients were responders and were randomly assigned to the atrasentan group (n=1325)or placebo group (n=1323). Median follow-up was 2·2 years (IQR 1·4–2·9). 79 (6·0%)of 1325 patients in the atrasentan group and 105 (7·9%)of 1323 in the placebo group had a primary composite renal endpoint event (hazard ratio [HR]0·65 [95% CI 0·49–0·88]; p=0·0047). Fluid retention and anaemia adverse events, which have been previously attributed to endothelin receptor antagonists, were more frequent in the atrasentan group than in the placebo group. Hospital admission for heart failure occurred in 47 (3·5%)of 1325 patients in the atrasentan group and 34 (2·6%)of 1323 patients in the placebo group (HR 1·33 [95% CI 0·85–2·07]; p=0·208). 58 (4·4%)patients in the atrasentan group and 52 (3·9%)in the placebo group died (HR 1·09 [95% CI 0·75–1·59]; p=0·65). Interpretation: Atrasentan reduced the risk of renal events in patients with diabetes and chronic kidney disease who were selected to optimise efficacy and safety. These data support a potential role for selective endothelin receptor antagonists in protecting renal function in patients with type 2 diabetes at high risk of developing end-stage kidney disease. Funding: AbbVie

Canagliflozin and renal outcomes in type 2 diabetes and nephropathy

BACKGROUND Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the leading cause of kidney failure worldwide, but few effective long-term treatments are available. In cardiovascular trials of inhibitors of sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2), exploratory results have suggested that such drugs may improve renal outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS In this double-blind, randomized trial, we assigned patients with type 2 diabetes and albuminuric chronic kidney disease to receive canagliflozin, an oral SGLT2 inhibitor, at a dose of 100 mg daily or placebo. All the patients had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 30 to &lt;90 ml per minute per 1.73 m2 of body-surface area and albuminuria (ratio of albumin [mg] to creatinine [g], &gt;300 to 5000) and were treated with renin–angiotensin system blockade. The primary outcome was a composite of end-stage kidney disease (dialysis, transplantation, or a sustained estimated GFR of &lt;15 ml per minute per 1.73 m2), a doubling of the serum creatinine level, or death from renal or cardiovascular causes. Prespecified secondary outcomes were tested hierarchically. RESULTS The trial was stopped early after a planned interim analysis on the recommendation of the data and safety monitoring committee. At that time, 4401 patients had undergone randomization, with a median follow-up of 2.62 years. The relative risk of the primary outcome was 30% lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group, with event rates of 43.2 and 61.2 per 1000 patient-years, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.59 to 0.82; P=0.00001). The relative risk of the renal-specific composite of end-stage kidney disease, a doubling of the creatinine level, or death from renal causes was lower by 34% (hazard ratio, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.53 to 0.81; P&lt;0.001), and the relative risk of end-stage kidney disease was lower by 32% (hazard ratio, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.54 to 0.86; P=0.002). The canagliflozin group also had a lower risk of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke (hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.67 to 0.95; P=0.01) and hospitalization for heart failure (hazard ratio, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.47 to 0.80; P&lt;0.001). There were no significant differences in rates of amputation or fracture. CONCLUSIONS In patients with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease, the risk of kidney failure and cardiovascular events was lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group at a median follow-up of 2.62 years

Efectos de las instrucciones audiovisuales no explícitas sobre el comportamiento alimentario

Este estudio evaluó los efectos de las instrucciones no explícitas sobre la conducta alimentaria. Participaron cinco jóvenes entre los 19 y 24 años, a quienes se les observó durante dos fases experimentales a dos tipos de alimento nutricional (fruta y agua) y no nutricional (papas fritas y refresco). Los participantes fueron f lmados en dos programas de video. En la primera fase se grabaron videos musicales y en la segunda, un documental sobre hábitos alimentarios saludables. Los resultados mostraron que las instrucciones no explícitas modificaron la conducta alimentaria. Sin embargo, es necesario evaluar si estas modificaciones persisten a largo plazo

Genre Differences on Visual Perception of Color Range and Depth of Field

Visual perception is the result of the integration of various related factors of the observed object and its environment. In this study we evaluated the impact of tridimensional form on color perception and the angle from the horizontal plane of a set of similar objets on the depth of field perception between young men and women. A panel half magenta and half white placed at the end of a black box, folded either concaved or convexed to alter the chromatic effect perceived were used to determine tridimensional form on color perception. Four sets of identical sticks where the angle from the horizontal plane varied for each, were used to determine the effect of spatial distribution of depth of field perception. The parameters taking into account were age, genre, associated visual defects for each individual evaluated. Our results show that the tridimensional form alters color perception but the range of color perceived was larger for women whereas depending on the angle from the horizontal plane we found genre differences on the depth of field perception

Diferencias de género en percepción visual de rango de color y profundidad

La percepción visual es el resultado de la integración de varios aspectos relacionados con el objeto observado y su entorno. En este estudio se valoró, el impacto de la forma tridimensional sobre la percepción de color y el ángulo con respecto al plano horizontal de varios objetos similares sobre la percepción de profundidad en hombres y mujeres jóvenes. Para determinar el impacto de la forma sobre la percepción del color se utilizaron dos cajas negras, en cada una de las cuales se dispuso un panel coloreado la mitad de fucsia y la otra de blanco, plegado de manera cóncava o convexa para alterar el efecto cromático percibido. Para determinar el impacto de la distribución espacial de palillos de madera sobre la capacidad de determinar la profundidad de dicho espacio, se hicieron cuatro experimentos diferentes en los cuales se variaba el ángulo de los palillos con respecto al plano horizontal y se valoró la profundidad percibida. Las variables tenidas en cuenta fueron edad, género y presencia/ausencia de defectos visuales para cada observador. Los resultados obtenidos muestran que hay aspectos de la percepción visual que dependen del género. Si bien la forma tridimensional del objeto afectó la percepción de color en ambos grupos, las mujeres percibieron estas diferencias en un rango de color mayor, mientras que la variación del ángulo de varios objetos produce diferencias en la percepción de la profundidad que se asocian con el género.Visual perception is the result of the integration of various related factors of the observed object and its environment. In this study we evaluated the impact of tridimensional form on color perception and the angle from the horizontal plane of a set of similar objets on the depth of field perception between young men and women. A panel half magenta and half white placed at the end of a black box, folded either concaved or convexed to alter the chromatic effect perceived were used to determine tridimensional form on color perception. Four sets of identical sticks where the angle from the horizontal plane varied for each, were used to determine the effect of spatial distribution of depth of field perception. The parameters taking into account were age, genre, associated visual defects for each individual evaluated. Our results show that the tridimensional form alters color perception but the range of color perceived was larger for women whereas depending on the angle from the horizontal plane we found genre differences on the depth of field perception

Discovering HIV related information by means of association rules and machine learning

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is still one of the main health problems worldwide. It is therefore essential to keep making progress in improving the prognosis and quality of life of affected patients. One way to advance along this pathway is to uncover connections between other disorders associated with HIV/AIDS-so that they can be anticipated and possibly mitigated. We propose to achieve this by using Association Rules (ARs). They allow us to represent the dependencies between a number of diseases and other specific diseases. However, classical techniques systematically generate every AR meeting some minimal conditions on data frequency, hence generating a vast amount of uninteresting ARs, which need to be filtered out. The lack of manually annotated ARs has favored unsupervised filtering, even though they produce limited results. In this paper, we propose a semi-supervised system, able to identify relevant ARs among HIV-related diseases with a minimal amount of annotated training data. Our system has been able to extract a good number of relationships between HIV-related diseases that have been previously detected in the literature but are scattered and are often little known. Furthermore, a number of plausible new relationships have shown up which deserve further investigation by qualified medical experts