Orchestration of Starbirth Activity in Disk Galaxies: New Perspectives from Ultraviolet Imaging

Ultraviolet imaging of nearby disk galaxies reveals the star-forming activity in these systems with unprecedented clarity. UV images recently obtained with the Shuttle-borne Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) reveal a remarkable variety of star-forming morphologies. The respective roles of tides, waves, and resonances in orchestrating the observed patterns of starbirth activity are discussed in terms of the extant UV data.Comment: Paper format (latex); length of paper (4); 2 encapsulated postscript figure files; uses AIP Press files aipproc.cls, aipproc.sty; Journal Reference: to be published in proceedings in "Star Formation, Near and Far", Proceedings of the 7th annual Astrophysics Conference in Maryland, Steve Holt, Lee G. Mundy, editor

Counseling to prevent skin cancer : recommendations and rationale of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

Preventing skin cancer : findings of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services on Reducing Exposure to Ultraviolet Light. Rates of skin cancer, the most common cancer in the United States, are increasing. The most preventable risk factor for skin cancer is unprotected ultraviolet (UV) exposure. Seeking to identify effective approaches to reducing the incidence of skin cancer by improving individual and community efforts to reduce unprotected UV exposure, the Task Force on Community Preventive Services conducted systematic reviews of community interventions to reduce exposure to ultraviolet light and increase protective behaviors. The Task Force found sufficient evidence to recommend two interventions that are based on improvements in sun protective or "covering-up" behavior (wearing protective clothing including long-sleeved clothing or hats): educational and policy approaches in two settings--primary schools and recreational or tourism sites. They found insufficient evidence to determine the effectiveness of a range of other population-based interventions and recommended additional research in these areas: educational and policy approaches in child care centers, secondary schools and colleges, recreational or tourism sites for children, and workplaces; interventions conducted in health-care settings and targeted to both providers and children's parents or caregivers; media campaigns alone; and community wide multicomponent interventions. This report also presents additional information regarding the recommended community interventions, briefly describes how the reviews were conducted, provides resources for further information, and provides information that can help in applying the interventions locally. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force conducted a systematic review of counseling by primary care clinicians to prevent skin cancer (CDC. Counseling to prevent skin cancer: recommendation and rationale of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. MMWR 2003;52[No. RR-15]:13-17), which is also included in this issue, the first jointly released findings from the Task Force on Community Preventive Services and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.Counseling to prevent skin cancer : recommendations and rationale of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. This statement summarizes the current U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendation on counseling to prevent skin cancer and the supporting scientific evidence, and updates the 1996 recommendation contained in the Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, Second Edition (U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for skin cancer. In: Guide to clinical preventive services, 2nd ed. Washington DC: US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 1996:141-52). The USPSTF finds insufficient evidence to recommend for or against routine counseling by primary care clinicians to prevent skin cancer. Although counseling parents may increase children's use of sunscreen, the USPSTF found little evidence to determine the effects of counseling on the sun protection behaviors of adults. These behaviors include wearing protective clothing, reducing excessive sun exposure, avoiding sun lamps and tanning beds, or practicing skin self-examination. The USPSTF, an independent panel of private sector experts in primary care and prevention, systematically reviews the evidence of effectiveness of a wide range of clinical preventive services, including screening tests, counseling, and chemoprevention. Members of the USPSTF represent the fields of family medicine, gerontology, obstetrics/gynecology, pediatrics, nursing, and prevention research.Preventing skin cancer : findings of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services on Reducing Exposure to Ultraviolet Light / prepared by Mona Saraiya, Karen Glanz, Peter Briss, Phyllis Nichols, Cornelia White, Debjani Das -- Counseling to prevent skin cancer : recommendations and rationale of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force."October 17, 2003."Includes bibliographical references.Chronic DiseasePrevention and ControlRetirednot in validation spreadsheetnot in validation spreadshee

Host phenotype characteristics and MC1R in relation to early-onset basal cell carcinoma.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) incidence is increasing, particularly among adults under the age of 40 years. Pigment-related characteristics are associated with BCC in older populations, but epidemiologic studies among younger individuals and analyses of phenotype-genotype interactions are limited. We examined self-reported phenotypes and melanocortin 1 receptor gene (MC1R) variants in relation to early-onset BCC. BCC cases (n=377) and controls with benign skin conditions (n=390) under the age of 40 years were identified through Yale's Dermatopathology database. Factors most strongly associated with early-onset BCC were skin reaction to first summer sun for 1 hour (severe sunburn vs. tan odds ratio (OR)=12.27, 95% confidence interval (CI)=4.08-36.94) and skin color (very fair vs. olive OR=11.06, 95% CI=5.90-20.74). Individuals with two or more MC1R non-synonymous variants were 3.59 times (95% CI=2.37-5.43) more likely to have BCC than those without non-synonymous variants. All host characteristics and MC1R were more strongly associated with multiple BCC case status (37% of cases) than a single BCC case status. MC1R, number of moles, skin reaction to first summer sun for 1 hour, and hair and skin color were independently associated with BCC. BCC risk conferred by MC1R tended to be stronger among those with darker pigment phenotypes, traditionally considered to be at low risk of skin cancer

Solving a Coupled Set of Truncated QCD Dyson-Schwinger Equations

Truncated Dyson-Schwinger equations represent finite subsets of the equations of motion for Green's functions. Solutions to these non-linear integral equations can account for non-perturbative correlations. A closed set of coupled Dyson-Schwinger equations for the propagators of gluons and ghosts in Landau gauge QCD is obtained by neglecting all contributions from irreducible 4-point correlations and by implementing the Slavnov-Taylor identities for the 3-point vertex functions. We solve this coupled set in an one-dimensional approximation which allows for an analytic infrared expansion necessary to obtain numerically stable results. This technique, which was also used in our previous solution of the gluon Dyson-Schwinger equation in the Mandelstam approximation, is here extended to solve the coupled set of integral equations for the propagators of gluons and ghosts simultaneously. In particular, the gluon propagator is shown to vanish for small spacelike momenta whereas the previoulsy neglected ghost propagator is found to be enhanced in the infrared. The running coupling of the non-perturbative subtraction scheme approaches an infrared stable fixed point at a critical value of the coupling, alpha_c approximately 9.5.Comment: 23 pages, 6 figures, LaTeX2

Epidemiology of invasive cutaneous melanoma

Data are presented on the current incidence of melanoma with recent and predicted future trends illustrating a likely continuing increase in incidence. Risk factors for developing melanoma are discussed, including current known melanoma susceptibility genes. Phenotypic markers of high-risk subjects include high counts of benign melanocytic naevi. Other risk factors considered include exposure to natural and artificial ultraviolet radiation, the effect of female sex hormones, socioeconomic status, occupation, exposure to pesticides and ingestion of therapeutic drugs including immunosuppressives and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Aids to earlier diagnosis are considered, including public education, screening and use of equipment such as the dermatoscope. Finally, the current pattern of survival and mortality is described

Lifetime history of indoor tanning in young people: a retrospective assessment of initiation, persistence, and correlates

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Despite educational and public health campaigns to convey the risks of indoor tanning, many individuals around the world continue to engage in this behavior. Few descriptive studies of indoor tanning have collected information pertaining to the lifetime history of indoor tanning, thereby limiting our ability to understand indoor tanning patterns and potentially target interventions for individuals who not only initiate, but continue to persistently engage in indoor tanning.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In-person interviews elicited detailed retrospective information on lifetime history of indoor tanning among white individuals (n = 401) under age 40 seen by a dermatologist for a minor benign skin condition. These individuals were controls in a case-control study of early-onset basal cell carcinoma. Outcomes of interest included ever indoor tanning in both males and females, as well as persistent indoor tanning in females - defined as females over age 31 who tanned indoors at least once in the last three or all four of four specified age periods (ages 11-15, 16-20, 21-30 and 31 or older). Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify sociodemographic and lifestyle correlates of ever and persistent indoor tanning in females.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Approximately three-quarters (73.3%) of females and 38.3% of males ever tanned indoors, with a median age of initiation of 17.0 and 21.5, respectively. Among indoor tanners, 39.3% of females and 21.7% of males reported being burned while indoor tanning. Female ever indoor tanners were younger, had darker color eyes, and sunbathed more frequently than females who never tanned indoors. Using unique lifetime exposure data, 24.7% of female indoor tanners 31 and older persistently tanned indoors starting as teenagers. Female persistent indoor tanners drank significantly more alcohol, were less educated, had skin that tanned with prolonged sun exposure, and sunbathed outdoors more frequently than non-persistent tanners.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Indoor tanning was strikingly common in this population, especially among females. Persistent indoor tanners had other high-risk behaviors (alcohol, sunbathing), suggesting that multi-faceted behavioral interventions aimed at health promotion/disease prevention may be needed in this population.</p