Which Witch is Which: How The Blair Witch Project Can Be Compared to Maura Murray’s Disappearance

A comparison of the Blair Witch Project and the disappearance of Maura Murray

Potential use of antibodies to provide an earlier indication of lymphatic filariasis resurgence in post–mass drug ad ministration surveillance in American Samoa

Background: Under the Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (LF), American Samoa conducted 7 rounds of mass drug administration (MDA) between 2000 and 2006. The territory passed transmission assessment surveys (TASs) in 2011 (TAS-1) and 2015 (TAS-2). In 2016, the territory failed TAS-3, indicating resurgence. This study aims to determine if antibodies (Abs) may have provided a timelier indication of LF resurgence in American Samoa. Methods: We examined school-level antigen (Ag) and Ab status (presence/absence of Ag- and Ab-positive children) and prevalence of single and combined Ab responses to Wb123, Bm14, and Bm33 Ags at each TAS. Pearson chi-square test and logistic regression were used to examine associations between school-level Ab prevalence in TAS-1 and TAS-2 and school-level Ag status in TAS-3. Results: Schools with higher prevalence of Wb123 Ab in TAS-2 had higher odds of being Ag-positive in TAS-3 (odds ratio [OR] 24.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2–512.7). Schools that were Ab-positive for WB123 plus Bm14, Bm33, or both Bm14 and Bm33 in TAS-2 had higher odds of being Ag-positive in TAS-3 (OR 16.0–24.5). Conclusion: Abs could provide earlier signals of resurgence and enable a timelier response. The promising role of Abs in surveillance after MDA and decision making should be further investigated in other settings

Childbearing is not associated with young women’s long-term obesity risk

Contemporary childbearing is associated with greater gestational weight gain and post-partum weight retention than in previous decades, potentially leading to a more pronounced effect of childbearing on women’s long-term obesity risk. Previous work on the association of childbearing with women’s long-term obesity risk mostly examined births in the 1970s and 1980s and produced mixed results.OBJECTIVEWe estimated the association of childbearing and obesity incidence in a diverse, contemporary sample of 2,731 U.S. women.DESIGN AND METHODSPropensity-score (PS) matching was used for confounding control when estimating the effect of incident parity (1996 to 2001) on 7-year incident obesity (BMI≥30 kg/m2) (2001 to 2008).RESULTSIn the sample, 19.3% of parous women became obese while 16.1% of unmatched nulliparous women did. After PS matching without and with replacement, the differences in obesity incidence were, respectively, 0.0 percentage points (ppts) (95% CI: −4.7 to 4.7) and 0.9 ppts (95% CI: −4.9 to 6.7). Results were similar in analyses of prevalent parity and obesity in 2008 (n=6601) conducted to explore possible selection bias.CONCLUSIONSThese results imply that, in contemporary U.S. parous women in their late 20s and early 30s, childbearing may not increase obesity incidence

Insurance-Based Differences in Time to Diagnostic Follow-up after Positive Screening Mammography

Insurance may lengthen or inhibit time to follow-up after positive screening mammography. We assessed the association between insurance status and time to initial diagnostic follow-up after a positive screening mammogram

Birth cohort effects on abdominal obesity in the United States: the Silent Generation, Baby Boomers and Generation X

Background—Abdominal obesity predicts a wide range of adverse health outcomes. Over the past several decades, prevalence of abdominal obesity has increased markedly in industrialized countries like the U.S. No previous analyses, however, have evaluated whether there are birth cohort effects for abdominal obesity. Estimating cohort effects is necessary to forecast future health trends and understand past population-level trends. Methods—This analysis evaluated whether there were birth cohort effects for abdominal obesity for the Silent Generation (born 1925-1945), children of the Great Depression; Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964); or Generation X (born 1965-1980). Cohort effects for prevalence of abdominal obesity were estimated using the median polish method with data collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 1988 and 2008. Respondents were aged 20-74 years. Results—After taking into account age effects and ubiquitous secular changes, the Silent Generation and Generation X had higher cohort-specific prevalence of abdominal obesity than the Baby Boomers. Effects were more pronounced in women than men. Conclusions—This work presents a novel finding: evidence that the birth cohorts of the post-World War II Baby Boom appeared to have uniquely low cohort effects on abdominal obesity. The growing prosperity of the post-World-War II U.S. may have exposed the Baby Boom generation to lower levels of psychosocial and socioeconomic stress than previous or subsequent generations. By identifying factors associated with the Baby Boomers’ low cohort-specific sensitivity to the obesogenic environment, the obesity prevention community can identify early-life factors that can protect future generations from excess weight gain

Study protocol: The development of a pilot study employing a randomised controlled design to investigate the feasibility and effects of a peer support program following discharge from a specialist first-episode psychosis treatment centre

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Young people with first-episode psychosis (FEP) are at risk of a range of negative outcomes. Specialist FEP services have been developed to provide comprehensive, multi-disciplinary treatment. However, these services are often available for a restricted period and the services that young people may be transferred to are less comprehensive. This represents a risk of drop out from treatment services in a group already considered to be at risk of disengagement. Peer support groups have been shown to improve social relationships among people with psychosis however individual peer support programs have not been tested on young people with first-episode psychosis; nor have they been tested at the point of discharge from services.</p> <p>Methods/design</p> <p>The study is an 18-month randomised controlled trial being conducted at Orygen Youth Health Research Centre in Melbourne, Australia. The aim of the study is to test the feasibility and effects of a 6-month peer support intervention delivered to young people with FEP over the period of discharge. Participants are young people aged 15-24 who are being discharged from a specialist first-episode psychosis treatment centre. There is a 6-month recruitment period. The intervention comprises two hours of contact per fortnight during which peer support workers can assist participants to engage with their new services, or other social and community activities. Participants will be assessed at baseline and post intervention (6 months).</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>This paper describes the development of a randomised-controlled trial which aims to pilot a peer support program among young people who are being discharged from a specialist FEP treatment centre. If effective, the intervention could lead to benefits not only for participants over the discharge period, but for peer support workers as well.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>The study was registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry; number: ACTRN12610000241033.</p

Supervised Exercise Intervention and Overall Activity in CKD.

Introduction: Patients are often instructed to engage in multiple weekly sessions of exercise to increase physical activity. We aimed to determine whether assignment to a supervised exercise regimen increases overall weekly activity in individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of a pilot randomized 2 × 2 factorial design trial examining the effects of diet and exercise (10%-15% reduction in caloric intake, 3 supervised exercise sessions/wk, combined diet restriction/exercise, and control). Activity was measured as counts detected by accelerometer. Counts data were collected on all days for which an accelerometer was worn at baseline, month 2, and month 4 follow-up. The primary outcome was a relative change from baseline in log-transformed counts/min. Generalized estimating equations were used to compare the primary outcome in individuals in the exercise group and the nonexercise group. Results: We examined 111 individuals randomized to aerobic exercise or usual activity (n = 48 in the exercise group and n = 44 controls). The mean age was 57 years, 42% were female, and 28% were black. Median overall adherence over all time was 73%. Median (25th, 75th percentile) counts/min over nonsupervised exercise days at months 2 and 4 were 237.5 (6.5, 444.4) for controls and 250.9 (7.7, 529.8) for the exercise group ( Conclusion: Engaging in a supervised exercise program does not increase overall weekly physical activity in individuals with stage 3 to 4 CKD