112 research outputs found
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Partnership for Preparedness: A Model of Academic Public Health
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health's National Center for Disaster Preparedness undertook a collaborative project to establish a model academic health department. The goals were to increase student participation at the health department, increase faculty participation in health department activities, and facilitate health department faculty appointments at the school. As a result, 17 students were placed in full-time summer research projects designed by health department staff specifically for the project, 154 health department staff attended a series of six lectures presented by faculty, and five health department professionals applied for academic appointments at the school. The benefits of the efforts toward establishing an academic health department extend to all areas of public health practice, including those of preparedness
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Construction of the model for the Genetic Analysis Workshop 14 simulated data...
The Genetic Analysis Workshop 14 simulated dataset was designed 1) To test the ability to find genes related to a complex disease (such as alcoholism). Such a disease may be given a variety of definitions by different investigators, have associated endophenotypes that are common in the general population, and is likely to be not one disease but a heterogeneous collection of clinically similar, but genetically distinct, entities. 2) To observe the effect on genetic analysis and gene discovery of a complex set of gene × gene interactions. 3) To allow comparison of microsatellite vs. large-scale single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data. 4) To allow testing of association to identify the disease gene and the effect of moderate marker × marker linkage disequilibrium. 5) To observe the effect of different ascertainment/disease definition schemes on the analysis. Data was distributed in two forms. Data distributed to participants contained about 1,000 SNPs and 400 microsatellite markers. Internet-obtainable data consisted of a finer 10,000 SNP map, which also contained data on controls. While disease characteristics and parameters were constant, four "studies" used varying ascertainment schemes based on differing beliefs about disease characteristics. One of the studies contained multiplex two- and three-generation pedigrees with at least four affected members. The simulated disease was a psychiatric condition with many associated behaviors (endophenotypes), almost all of which were genetic in origin. The underlying disease model contained four major genes and two modifier genes. The four major genes interacted with each other to produce three different phenotypes, which were themselves heterogeneous. The population parameters were calibrated so that the major genes could be discovered by linkage analysis in most datasets. The association evidence was more difficult to calibrate but was designed to find statistically significant association in 50% of datasets. We also simulated some marker × marker linkage disequilibrium around some of the genes and also in areas without disease genes. We tried two different methods to simulate the linkage disequilibrium
Elucidating the Power in Empowerment and the Participation in Participatory Action Research: A Story About Research Team and Elementary School Change
Community psychologists are increasingly using Participatory Action Research (PAR) as a way to promote social justice by creating conditions that foster empowerment. Yet, little attention has been paid to the differences between the power structure that PAR advocates and the local community power structures. This paper seeks to evaluate the level of participation in a PAR project for multiple stakeholder groups, determine how PAR was adjusted to better fit community norms, and whether our research team was able to facilitate the emergence of PAR by adopting an approach that was relevant to the existing power relations. We conclude that power differences should not be seen as roadblocks to participation, but rather as moments of opportunity for the researchers to refine their methods and for the community and the community psychologist to challenge existing power structures
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Aging is associated with a prefrontal lateral-medial shift during picture-induced negative affect
The capacity to adaptively respond to negative emotion is in part dependent upon lateral areas of the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Lateral PFC areas are particularly susceptible to age-related atrophy, which affects executive function (EF). We used structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to test the hypothesis that older age is associated with greater medial PFC engagement during processing of negative information, and that this engagement is dependent upon the integrity of grey matter structure in lateral PFC as well as EF. Participants (n = 64, 38–79 years) viewed negative and neutral scenes while in the scanner, and completed cognitive tests as part of a larger study. Grey matter probability (GMP) was computed to index grey matter integrity. FMRI data demonstrated less activity in the left ventrolateral PFC (VLPFC) and greater ventromedial PFC (VMPFC) activity with increasing age during negative-picture viewing. Age did not correlate with amygdala responding. GMP in VLPFC and EF were negatively associated with VMPFC activity. We conclude that this change from lateral to medial PFC engagement in response to picture-induced negative affect reflects decreased reliance on executive function-related processes, possibly associated with reduced grey matter in lateral PFC, with advancing age to maintain emotional functioning
Antropometria e composição de massa corporal sugerem achado intrínseco da síndrome de Williams-Beuren
OBJECTIVE:Although considered a well-known condition, there is only one study describing the body composition among individuals with Williams-Beuren syndrome. The aim was to characterize the nutritional status in Brazilian individuals with this condition. METHODS: Cross-sectional study was designed to evaluate clinical and nutritional data of 17 Brazilian patients. Z-scores for height, weight, body mass index, triceps and subscapular skinfold thickness, arm circumference, arm muscle area, arm fat area were calculated. Wilcoxon's test was used to investigate differences between the z-scores of the anthropometrical measures and zero. RESULTS: Four children were considered stunted and two severely malnourished. The z-score mean value for height was -1.14 ± 1.00 (p-value = 0.004), for weight, -0.67 ± 1.19 (p-value = 0.0443), for arm circumference, -0.94 ± 1.14 (p-value = 0.0222), for triceps skinfold thickness, -0.59 ± 0.63 (p-value = 0.0042) and for arm fat area -0.67 ± 0.67 (p-value = 0.0061). CONCLUSION: Short stature seen in this series confirms a previous study describing this feature in a German population, which would suggest it as an intrinsic feature in Williams-Beuren syndrome. In addition, skinfold thickness measures have not been previously performed in this syndrome and detected abnormalities in fat stores in this sample. Considering this method a fast and low-cost way to evaluate body composition, similar studies could be performed in other populations in order to better characterize this issue. Morbidity related with this genetics condition and information for clinical investigation and clinical follow-up are also discussed.OBJETIVO: Embora a síndrome de Williams-Beuren seja bem conhecida, há apenas um estudo descrevendo a composição corporal nesses pacientes. O objetivo foi caracterizar o estado nutricional de brasileiros com síndrome de Williams. MÉTODOS: Utilizou-se um estudo transversal com a avaliação de dados clínicos e nutricionais de 17 pacientes. Foram calculados os escores-z do peso, estatura, índice de massa corpórea, dobras cutâneas, circunferência do braço e áreas muscular e adiposa do braço. Para verificar diferenças, foi utilizado o teste de Wilcoxon, sendo considerado significativo p < 0,05. RESULTADOS: Os valores médios dos escores-z foram: -1,14 ± 1,00 (p = 0,004) para estatura, -0,67 ± 1,19 (p = 0,0443) para peso, -0,94 ± 1,14 (p = 0,0222) para a circunferência do braço, -0,59 ± 0,63 (p = 0,0042) para dobra cutânea do tríceps e -0,67 ± 0,67 (p = 0,0061) para a área gordurosa do braço. Foi observada desnutrição pregressa em quatro pacientes e crônica, em dois. CONCLUSÃO: A baixa estatura, semelhante à descrita na população alemã, parece ser intrínseca à síndrome. Esse foi o primeiro estudo que avaliou a composição corporal, utilizando as dobras cutâneas, e detectou anormalidades nas reservas de gordura. O método aqui utilizado é simples, rápido e de baixo custo, facilitando estudos similares em outras populações. Isso poderia melhor caracterizar esses aspectos na síndrome de Williams. Morbidade relacionada a essa doença e informações para investigação e seguimento clinico são discutidas.68168
The Long-Baseline Neutrino Experiment: Exploring Fundamental Symmetries of the Universe
The preponderance of matter over antimatter in the early Universe, the
dynamics of the supernova bursts that produced the heavy elements necessary for
life and whether protons eventually decay --- these mysteries at the forefront
of particle physics and astrophysics are key to understanding the early
evolution of our Universe, its current state and its eventual fate. The
Long-Baseline Neutrino Experiment (LBNE) represents an extensively developed
plan for a world-class experiment dedicated to addressing these questions. LBNE
is conceived around three central components: (1) a new, high-intensity
neutrino source generated from a megawatt-class proton accelerator at Fermi
National Accelerator Laboratory, (2) a near neutrino detector just downstream
of the source, and (3) a massive liquid argon time-projection chamber deployed
as a far detector deep underground at the Sanford Underground Research
Facility. This facility, located at the site of the former Homestake Mine in
Lead, South Dakota, is approximately 1,300 km from the neutrino source at
Fermilab -- a distance (baseline) that delivers optimal sensitivity to neutrino
charge-parity symmetry violation and mass ordering effects. This ambitious yet
cost-effective design incorporates scalability and flexibility and can
accommodate a variety of upgrades and contributions. With its exceptional
combination of experimental configuration, technical capabilities, and
potential for transformative discoveries, LBNE promises to be a vital facility
for the field of particle physics worldwide, providing physicists from around
the globe with opportunities to collaborate in a twenty to thirty year program
of exciting science. In this document we provide a comprehensive overview of
LBNE's scientific objectives, its place in the landscape of neutrino physics
worldwide, the technologies it will incorporate and the capabilities it will
possess.Comment: Major update of previous version. This is the reference document for
LBNE science program and current status. Chapters 1, 3, and 9 provide a
comprehensive overview of LBNE's scientific objectives, its place in the
landscape of neutrino physics worldwide, the technologies it will incorporate
and the capabilities it will possess. 288 pages, 116 figure
Crowding Alone Cannot Account for Cosolute Effect on Amyloid Aggregation
Amyloid fiber formation is a specific form of protein aggregation, often resulting from the misfolding of native proteins. Aimed at modeling the crowded environment of the cell, recent experiments showed a reduction in fibrillation halftimes for amyloid-forming peptides in the presence of cosolutes that are preferentially excluded from proteins and peptides. The effect of excluded cosolutes has previously been attributed to the large volume excluded by such inert cellular solutes, sometimes termed “macromolecular crowding”. Here, we studied a model peptide that can fold to a stable monomeric β-hairpin conformation, but under certain solution conditions aggregates in the form of amyloid fibrils. Using Circular Dichroism spectroscopy (CD), we found that, in the presence of polyols and polyethylene glycols acting as excluded cosolutes, the monomeric β-hairpin conformation was stabilized with respect to the unfolded state. Stabilization free energy was linear with cosolute concentration, and grew with molecular volume, as would also be predicted by crowding models. After initiating the aggregation process with a pH jump, fibrillation in the presence and absence of cosolutes was followed by ThT fluorescence, transmission electron microscopy, and CD spectroscopy. Polyols (glycerol and sorbitol) increased the lag time for fibril formation and elevated the amount of aggregated peptide at equilibrium, in a cosolute size and concentration dependent manner. However, fibrillation rates remained almost unaffected by a wide range of molecular weights of soluble polyethylene glycols. Our results highlight the importance of other forces beyond the excluded volume interactions responsible for crowding that may contribute to the cosolute effects acting on amyloid formation
Non-pharmacological interventions to promote the sleep of patients after cardiac surgery: a systematic review
ABSTRACT Objective: to analyze evidence available in the literature concerning non-pharmacological interventions that are effective to treat altered sleep patterns among patients who underwent cardiac surgery. Method: systematic review conducted in the National Library of Medicine-National Institutes of Health, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature, Scopus, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature and PsycINFO databases, and also grey literature. Results: ten controlled, randomized clinical trials were included in this review. Non-pharmacological interventions were grouped into three main categories, namely: relaxation techniques, devices or equipment to minimize sleep interruptions and/or induce sleep, and educational strategies. Significant improvement was found in the scores assessing sleep quality among studies testing interventions such as earplugs, sleeping masks, muscle relaxation, posture and relaxation training, white noise, and educational strategies. In regard to the studies’ methodological quality, high quality studies as established by Jadad scoring were not found. Conclusion: significant improvement was found among the scores assessing sleep in the studies testing interventions such as earplugs, sleeping masks, muscle relaxation, posture and relaxation training, white noise and music, and educational strategies
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