Greater Fructose Consumption Is Associated with Cardiometabolic Risk Markers and Visceral Adiposity in Adolescents

Though adolescents consume more fructose than any other age group, the relationship between fructose consumption and markers of cardiometabolic risk has not been established in this population. We determined associations of total fructose intake (free fructose plus one-half the intake of free sucrose) with cardiometabolic risk factors and type of adiposity in 559 adolescents aged 14–18 y. Fasting blood samples were measured for glucose, insulin, lipids, adiponectin, and C-reactive protein. Diet was assessed with 4–7 24-h recalls and physical activity (PA) was determined by accelerometry. Fat-free soft tissue (FFST) mass and fat mass were measured by DXA. The s.c. abdominal adipose tissue (SAAT) and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) were assessed using MRI. Multiple linear regression, adjusting for age, sex, race, Tanner stage, FFST mass, fat mass, PA, energy intake, fiber intake, and socioeconomic status, revealed that fructose intake was associated with VAT (β = 0.13; P = 0.03) but not SAAT (P = 0.15). Significant linear upward trends across tertiles of fructose intake were observed for systolic blood pressure, fasting glucose, HOMA-IR, and C-reactive protein after adjusting for the same covariates (all P-trend 0.05). In adolescents, higher fructose consumption is associated with multiple markers of cardiometabolic risk, but it appears that these relationships are mediated by visceral obesity

A mobile health + health coaching application for the management of chronic non-cancer pain in older adults: Results from a pilot randomized controlled study

IntroductionThe rapid growth of mobile health (mHealth) devices holds substantial potential for improving care and care outcomes in aging adults with chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP), however, research evaluating these devices in older adults remains limited.ObjectiveTo ascertain the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of an mHealth intervention (Mymee) that combines symptom, diet, and behavior tracking via a smartphone application with data analytics to detect associations between symptoms and lifestyle factors along with weekly health coaching sessions to mitigate CNCP in adults 55 years of age and older.MethodsParticipants (N = 31) in this pilot study were recruited from one primary care practice in New York City and randomized to an intervention [app + up to 12 health coaching sessions (scheduled approximately once weekly) + usual care] or a control (app + usual care) arm. Feasibility measures included recruitment (proportion of eligible persons who enrolled) and retention rates (proportion of subjects completing a follow-up assessment) as well as adherence with the weekly coaching sessions and logging daily data on the app. Efficacy outcomes (e.g., pain intensity, self-efficacy, disability, anxiety) were assessed at baseline and follow-up (~16 weeks after baseline). Descriptive statistics were obtained and general linear mixed models used for primary analyses.ResultsParticipants had a mean (standard deviation) age of 67.32 (9.17) and were mostly female (61%). Feasibility outcomes were mixed as evidenced by recruitment and retention rates of 74% and 65%, respectively. The mean number of weekly coaching sessions attended by intervention participants was 6.05 (SD = 5.35), while the average number of days logging data on the app was 44.82 (34.02). We found a consistent trend in favor of the intervention, where pain intensity, affect, and quality of life measures improved considerably more among intervention (vs. control) participants. Finally, the proportion of participants with GAD-7 scores at follow up decreased by 0.35 to 0, whereas controls did not change, a significant effect in favor of the intervention (p = 0.02).ConclusionsThis study supports the need for future research that seeks to enhance feasibility outcomes and confirm the efficacy of the Mymee intervention among aging adults with CNCP

OpenKnowledge Deliverable 3.1.: Dynamic Ontology Matching: a Survey

Matching has been recognized as a plausible solution for the semantic heterogeneity problem in many traditional applications, such as schema integration, ontology integration, data warehouses, data integration, and so on. Recently, there have emerged a line of new applications characterized by their dynamics, such as peer-to-peer systems, agents, web-services. In this deliverable we extend the notion of ontology matching, as it has been understood in traditional applications, to dynamic ontology matching. In particular, we examine real-world scenarios and collect the requirements they pose towards a plausible solution. We consider five general matching directions which we believe can appropriately address those requirements. These are: (i) approximate and partial ontology matching, (ii) interactive ontology matching, (iii continuous ”design-time” ontology matching, (iv) community-driven ontology matching and (v) multi-ontology matching. We give an overview of state of the art matching systems as well as their evaluation principles from the dynamic ontology matching perspective. Finally, the key open issues and challenges towards a plausible dynamic ontology matching solution are discussed, thereby providing a vision for future activities

All Things Considered: A Collaborative Critical Autoethnography of Emerging Racialized Scholars

The literature is rife with problematizations of researcher positionality ( Lin, 2015 ; Milner IV, 2007 ; Sheldon, 2017 ). The discussion of positionality ranges from researchers not acknowledging their own and others’ positionality ( Lin, 2015 ; Milner IV, 2007 ), being aware of the position of research studies one reads ( Lin, 2015 ), or not continually deconstructing one’s own identity throughout the course of the research they conduct ( Sheldon, 2017 ). We confront the issue through the lens of a collaborative critical autoethnography between burgeoning researchers. As racialized cis-women in the academy, we examine our experiences through the interstices of belonging – nominally excluded from belonging in both the academy and the community. Through this work, we confront the question of how we, as racialized cis-women in the academy, confront and navigate the complex dynamics of race, class, and gender when approaching research in our own communities. Our experiences are framed within critical race theory, which assists in demonstrating the ways in which the racialized and gendered dynamics of marginalization in an seemingly inclusive academy are contrasted with the racialized and gendered dynamics of inclusion in ostensibly exclusionary communities. This work extends our knowledge of how individual researchers begin to make sense of it all. Moreover, through this work, our hope for this paper is for those in academia to see themselves, or their colleagues, but also to serve as validation for those yet to come who share these tensions

Leukocyte Telomere Length in Healthy Caucasian and African-American Adolescents:Relationships with Race, Sex, Adiposity, Adipokines, and Physical Activity

Objective To examine the relationships of race, sex, adiposity, adipokines, and physical activity to telomere length in adolescents.Study design Leukocyte telomere length (T/S ratio) was assessed cross-sectionally in 667 adolescents (aged 14-18 years; 48% African-Americans; 51% girls) using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction method. Generalized estimating equations analyses were performed.Results Telomere length was greater in the African-American adolescents than in the Caucasian adolescents (age-and sex-adjusted T/S ratio +/- SE, 1.32 +/- 0.01 vs 1.27 +/- 0.01: P = .014) and greater in girls than in boys (age-and race-adjusted T/S ratio +/- SE, 1.31 +/- 0.01 vs 1.27 +/- 0.01; P = .007). None of the adiposity or adipokine measures explained a significant proportion of the variance in telomere length. Vigorous physical activity was positively associated with telomere length (adjusted R(2) = 0.019; P = .009) and accounted for 1.9% of the total variance only in girls.Conclusions This study, conducted in a biracial adolescent cohort, demonstrated that (1) race and sex differences in telomere length have already emerged during adolescence; (2) adiposity and adipokines are not associated with telomere length at this age; and (3) the antiaging effect of vigorous physical activity may begin in youth, especially in girls. (J Pediatr 2011; 158: 215-20).</p

The EAACI-AAAAI-WAO Junior Members' joint survey: A worldwide snapshot of Allergy and Clinical Immunology specialty

Background Education and training in Allergy and Clinical Immunology (A/I) are characterized by a great variability worldwide. However, objective and worldwide data regarding this topic are lacking. Methods To investigate personal information, education, and involvement in scientific societies of juniors engaged in A/I field, a questionnaire was developed by representatives from the JMs' boards of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI), the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI), and the World Allergy Organization (WAO). Results A total of 543 questionnaires were collected from 76 regions of all continents. The geographic distribution of responders was as follows: Africa-Middle East 3.0%, Asia-Pacific 21.4%, Europe 48.2%, Latin America 12.1%, and North America 15.3%. 59.0% of responders declared that A/I is recognized as a separate specialty in their country, Europe mostly accounting for that proportion. Primary interest in the field represents the main motivation for choosing A/I specialty. Concerning involvement in scientific societies, 41.1% of responders ever attended an EAACI Congress, 20.6% an AAAAI Congress, and 20.4% a WAO Congress. According to 40.3% of responders, scientific societies do not provide enough opportunities for young members, and 96.4% believes in a more intensive cooperation between the A/I Societies. Conclusions The survey provides the first worldwide perspective about A/I specialty. It represents the first ever example of a structured collaboration between the junior members (JMs) of the three main A/I Societies. The findings suggest the need for harmonization, at least in terms of training and formation in the field of A/I worldwide

Natural history of infants with non-SCID T cell lymphopenia identified on newborn screen

Newborn screening (NBS) for severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) can identify infants with non-SCID T cell lymphopenia (TCL). The purpose of this study was to characterize the natural history and genetic findings of infants with non-SCID TCL identified on NBS. We analyzed data from 80 infants with non-SCID TCL in the mid-Atlantic region between 2012 and 2019. 66 patients underwent genetic testing and 41 (51%) had identified genetic variant(s). The most common genetic variants were thymic defects (33%), defects with unknown mechanisms (12%) and bone marrow production defects (5%). The genetic cohort had significantly lower median initial CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and CD4/CD45RA+ T cell counts compared to the non-genetic cohort. Thirty-six (45%) had either viral, bacterial, or fungal infection; only one patient had an opportunistic infection (vaccine strain VZV infection). Twenty-six (31%) of patients had resolution of TCL during the study period