MS

thesisThis thesis describes the experience in enabling a legacy application as a grid service. The work presented here describes an attempt to achieve semantic integration when enabling legacy applications into a grid environment. The author successfully achieved semantic integration of GeneHunter within the caBIG grid at the silver level by creating a new UML model, LinkageX, for the LINKAGE data format. The LinkageX UML model has been published in the caDSR and it is publically available for usage with GeneHunter or any other program using this data format. As a result of this work it was concluded that while achieving semantic interoperability is still a difficult and time consuming task, the tools available in caBIG can greatly enhance productivity and decrease errors. The benefits in achieving semantic interoperability of legacy tools and data sources justify the additional work required

Case-control study of self reported genitourinary infections and risk of gastroschisis: findings from the national birth defects prevention study, 1997-2003

Objective To assess the association between genitourinary infections in the month before conception to the end of the first trimesterand gastroschisis

Reasons for the Differences in the Kinetics of Thermal Oxidation of the Support in Pt/C Electrocatalysts

High-temperature oxidation processes of carbon microparticles Vulcan XC72 coated with platinum nanoparticles (Pt/C) were studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The presence of different specific temperature ranges in the oxidation of carbon support was shown to be due to both the peculiarities of granulometric composition of carbon black microparticles, different size, and uneven spatial distribution of platinum nanoparticles in the pores and on the surface of the carbon support. The correlation between the length of a section in the thermograms and the fraction of carbon microparticles poorly coated with platinum can be used to analyze the uniformity of Pt nanoparticle spatial distribution in the metal–carbon catalysts and therefore to select electrocatalysts with optimal microstructure. This analysis is expected to be effectively utilized in order to assess the uniformity of platinum distribution on carbon microparticles and also to provide additional information about granulometric composition of carbon supports

Cancer Risk in Children and Adolescents with Birth Defects: A Population-Based Cohort Study

<div><p>Objective</p><p>Birth defects are an increasing health priority worldwide, and the subject of a major 2010 World Health Assembly Resolution. Excess cancer risk may be an added burden in this vulnerable group of children, but studies to date have provided inconsistent findings. This study assessed the risk for cancer in children and young adolescents with major birth defects.</p><p>Methods and Findings</p><p>This retrospective, statewide, population-based, cohort study was conducted in three US states (Utah, Arizona, Iowa). A cohort of 44,151 children and young adolescents (0 through 14 years of age) with selected major, non-chromosomal birth defects or chromosomal anomalies was compared to a reference cohort of 147,940 children without birth defects randomly sampled from each state’s births and frequency matched by year of birth. The primary outcome was rate of cancer prior to age 15 years, by type of cancer and type of birth defect. The incidence of cancer was increased 2.9-fold (95% CI, 2.3 to 3.7) in children with birth defects (123 cases of cancer) compared to the reference cohort; the incidence rates were 33.8 and 11.7 per 100,000 person-years, respectively. However, the excess risk varied markedly by type of birth defect. Increased risks were seen in children with microcephaly, cleft palate, and selected eye, cardiac, and renal defects. Cancer risk was not increased with many common birth defects, including hypospadias, cleft lip with or without cleft palate, or hydrocephalus.</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>Children with some structural, non-chromosomal birth defects, but not others, have a moderately increased risk for childhood cancer. Information on such selective risk can promote more effective clinical evaluation, counseling, and research.</p></div

Cohorts, follow-up time, and surveillance programs, UTAZIA study.

<p>UTAZIA: Utah, Arizona, Iowa.</p>*<p>Follow-up was from birth up to but excluding the 15^th birthday.</p>†<p>NPCR, National Program of Cancer Registries; SEER, Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results program.</p

Risk for specific types of cancer in children with Down syndrome (trisomy 21), UTAZIA study.

<p>UTAZIA: Utah, Arizona, Iowa.</p>*<p>Rates are per 100,000 Person Years.</p>†<p><i>P</i> < 0.05;</p>‡<p><i>P</i> < 0.01;</p>§<p><i>P</i> < 0.001 for incidence rate ratios vs. reference cohort.</p

Risk for specific types of cancer in children with structural birth defects, UTAZIA study. Chromosomal conditions were excluded.

<p>UTAZIA: Utah, Arizona, Iowa.</p>*<p>Rates are per 100,000 Person Years.</p>†<p><i>P</i> < 0.05;</p>‡<p><i>P</i> < 0.01;</p>§<p><i>P</i> < 0.001 for incidence rate ratios vs. reference cohort.</p

Risk for cancer by type of chromosomal anomaly and major birth defect, UTAZIA study.

<p>UTAZIA: Utah, Arizona, Iowa.</p>*<p>Rates are per 100,000 Person Years.</p>†<p><i>P</i> < 0.05 for incidence rate ratios (vs. reference cohort).</p><p>NOS, not otherwise specified; NEC, not elsewhere classified; TE fistula, tracheosophageal fistula.</p

Cumulative incidence of cancer prior to age 15 years in children with non-chromosomal birth defects and with chromosomal anomalies, UTAZIA study.

<p>Cumulative incidence is expressed as a proportion (0.01 = 1 percent).</p

Health Care Usage Among Adolescents With Congenital Heart Defects at 5 Sites in the United States, 2011 to 2013

Background We sought to characterize health care usage for adolescents with congenital heart defects (CHDs) using population‐based multisite surveillance data. Methods and Results Adolescents aged 11 to 18 years with ≥1 CHD‐related diagnosis code and residing in 5 US sites were identified in clinical and administrative data sources for the years 2011 to 2013. Sites linked data on all inpatient, emergency department (ED), and outpatient visits. Multivariable log‐binomial regression models including age, sex, unweighted Charlson comorbidity index, CHD severity, cardiology visits, and insurance status, were used to identify associations with inpatient, ED, and outpatient visits. Of 9626 eligible adolescents, 26.4% (n=2543) had severe CHDs and 21.4% had Charlson comorbidity index >0. At least 1 inpatient, ED, or outpatient visit was reported for 21%, 25%, and 96% of cases, respectively. Cardiology visits, cardiac imaging, cardiac procedures, and vascular procedures were reported for 38%, 73%, 10%, and 5% of cases, respectively. Inpatient, ED, and outpatient visits were consistently higher for adolescents with severe CHDs compared with nonsevere CHDs. Adolescents with severe and nonsevere CHDs had higher health care usage compared with the 2011 to 2013 general adolescent US population. Adolescents with severe CHDs versus nonsevere CHDs were twice as likely to have at least 1 inpatient visit when Charlson comorbidity index was low (Charlson comorbidity index =0). Adolescents with CHDs and public insurance, compared with private insurance, were more likely to have inpatient (adjusted prevalence ratio, 1.5 [95% CI, 1.3–1.7]) and ED (adjusted prevalence ratio, 1.6 [95% CI, 1.4–1.7]) visits. Conclusions High resource usage by adolescents with CHDs indicates a substantial burden of disease, especially with public insurance, severe CHDs, and more comorbidities