Community-Based Study of the Association of High Myopia in Children with Ocular and Systemic Disease

Purpose. High myopia in childhood is associated with important ocular and systemic conditions. However in the UK, high myopia in early childhood is not specifically identified in current ophthalmology, optometry, or orthoptic protocols for screening, referral, or investigation. An ongoing study in the West Midlands, UK, is investigating high myopia presenting to community health care clinics with the aim of compiling guidelines for assessment and subsequent referral. Methods. Children with high myopia were identified from community optometric and orthoptic sources and invited for an ophthalmology and optometry examination to ascertain possible ocular or systemic disease. Results. High myopia with no associated ocular or systemic condition was present in 15 (56%) of the children. In seven children (25%), associated ocular problems were found including unrecognized retinal dystrophies and amblyopia. Systemic disorders associated with high myopia were found in five children (19%) and included Sticklers syndrome, Weill-Marchesani syndrome, and homocystinuria. In one child, the diagnosis made before this study was found to be incorrect, and in another child, the results were inconclusive. In two cases, the diagnosis of a systemic condition in the child led to the identification of the disease in at least one relative. Conclusions. There is a high prevalence of ocular and systemic abnormality in young children seen in the community. Optometric and ophthalmologic assessment of children less than 10 years with myopia ≥5 D is likely to identify significant ocular or systemic disease, a proportion of which will respond to medical intervention. Detection and prompt referral of these cases by community health care services may be expected to prolong vision and possibly life expectancy.

Serious games for energy social science research

This paper proposes a set of criteria for evaluation of serious games (SGs) which are intended as effective methods of engaging energy users and lowering consumption. We discuss opportunities for using SGs in energy research which go beyond existing feedback mechanisms, including use of immersive virtual worlds for learning and testing behaviours, and sparking conversations within households. From a review of existing SG evaluation criteria, we define a tailored set of criteria for energy SG development and evaluation. The criteria emphasise the need for the game to increase energy literacy through applicability to real-life energy use/management; clear, actionable goals and feedback; ways of comparing usage socially and personal relevance. Three existing energy games are evaluated according to this framework. The paper concludes by outlining directions for future development of SGs as an effective tool in social science research, including games which inspire reflection on trade-offs and usage at different scales.

The social development strategy of the Shiites in Lebanon

This study examines what many scholars have neglected to investigate when addressing post Civil War issues in Lebanon. Most studies have addressed political issues surrounding activities of Shiite movements, such as Harakat Amal or Hizb Allah, while socioeconomic issues have been neglected.^ Imam Musa Sadr challenged the power of traditional Shiite leaders by creating official Shiites institutions and movements like Amal. The Iranian Revolution and the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982 sparked the creation of Hizb Allah which, not only struggled against its foes, but also provided social services to the Shiites. This development program has been central in creating political legitimacy for Hizb Allah, regardless of its military situation, which suggests that socioeconomic development can transform a militia into a legitimate actor on the Lebanese political scene. The survivability of Shiite parties is therefore tantamount to not only their military might, but also to their social involvement. ^

Genome-wide association of multiple complex traits in outbred mice by ultra low-coverage sequencing

We thank the High-Throughput Genomics Group at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute for the generation of the sequencing data. This work was funded by Wellcome Trust grant 090532/Z/09/Z (J.F.). Primary phenotyping of the mice was supported by the Mary Lyon Centre and Mammalian Genetics Unit (Medical Research Council, UK Hub grant G0900747 91070 and Medical Research Council, UK grant MC U142684172). D.A.B acknowledges support from NIH R01AR056280. The sleep work was supported by the state of Vaud (Switzerland) and the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF 14694 and 136201 to P.F.). The ECG work was supported by the Netherlands CardioVascular Research Initiative (Dutch Heart Foundation, Dutch Federation of University Medical Centres, the Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development, and the Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences) PREDICT project, InterUniversity Cardiology Institute of the Netherlands (ICIN; 061.02; C.A.R., C.R.B). Na Cai is supported by the Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) Graduate Academy. The authors wish to acknowledge excellent technical assistance from: Ayako Kurioka, Leo Swadling, Catherine de Lara, James Ussher, Rachel Townsend, Sima Lionikaite, Ausra S. Lionikiene, Rianne Wolswinkel and Inge van der Made. We would like to thank Thomas M Keane and Anthony G Doran for their help in annotating variants and adding the FVB/NJ strain to the Mouse Genomes Project.

A guideline to improve qualitative social science publishing in ecology and conservation journals

A rise in qualitative social science manuscripts published in ecology and conservation journals speaks to the growing awareness of the importance of the human dimension in maintaining and improving Earth’s ecosystems. Given the rise in the quantity of qualitative social science research published in ecology and conservation journals, it is worthwhile quantifying the extent to which this research is meeting established criteria for research design, conduct, and interpretation. Through a comprehensive review of this literature, we aimed to gather and assess data on the nature and extent of information presented on research design published qualitative research articles, which could be used to judge research quality. Our review was based on 146 studies from across nine ecology and conservation journals. We reviewed and summarized elements of quality that could be used by reviewers and readers to evaluate qualitative research (dependability, credibility, confirmability, and transferability); assessed the prevalence of these elements in research published in ecology and conservation journals; and explored the implications of sound qualitative research reporting for applying research findings. We found that dependability and credibility were reasonably well reported, albeit poorly evolved in relation to critical aspects of qualitative social science such as methodology and triangulation, including reflexivity. Confirmability was, on average, inadequately accounted for, particularly with respect to researchers’ ontology, epistemology, or philosophical perspective and their choice of methodology. Transferability was often poorly developed in terms of triangulation methods and the suitability of the sample for answering the research question/s. Based on these findings, we provide a guideline that may be used to evaluate qualitative research presented in ecology and conservation journals to help secure the role of qualitative research and its application to decision making.

Social welfare aspects of information with special reference to news.

The information society thesis, according to which economically advanced nations are undergoing transformation into post-industrial, information-based societies, can, with caveats, be taken as a premise. Essentially empirical or predictive, this influential set of claims quickly gives rise to major normative issues. The paper asks how, as part of a prospective normative theory of the information society, information may be shown to contribute to social goals in general and social welfare in particular. Given the diverse range of referents of the term 'information' in the context of the information society debate, the paper focuses on news as a form of information whose communication is widely held to be important to society. The problem is how to quantify or otherwise prove this intuition. It is suggested that a fusion of welfare economics and the economics of information may yield a solution. The paper is designed to be exploratory, offering a potential line of inquiry for the future research and policy agenda of information society studies.

The Mobility Turn in the Social Science

The paper describes the latest upsurge in the interest in the different forms of mobility in the contemporary world. In the social science this process is often called the mobility turn. In the text it is argued that theoretical underpinnings of the mobility turn are rooted mainly in the different variants of theories of globalization. The text describes: mobility as one of the key elements in the varying concepts of globalization; ways in which mobility was analyzed in the globalization literature; main sources of the mobility turn; crucial arguments in favor of introducing “mobilities” as a separate field of research; and the most important critical remarks concerning the mobility turn.

Flooded with Information from Social Media: Effects of Disaster Information Source and Visuals on Viewers' Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Responses

While a variety of crisis types loom as real risks for organizations and communities, and the media landscape continues to evolve, research is needed to help explain and predict how people respond to various kinds of crisis and disaster information. For example, despite the rising prevalence of digital and mobile media centered on still and moving visuals, and stark increases in Americans’ use of visual-based platforms for seeking and sharing disaster information, relatively little is known about how the presence or absence of disaster visuals online might prompt or deter resilience-related feelings, thoughts, and/or behaviors. Yet, with such insights, governmental and other organizational entities as well as communities themselves may best help individuals and communities prepare for, cope with, and recover from adverse events. Thus, this work uses the theoretical lens of the social-mediated crisis communication model (SMCC) coupled with the limited capacity model of motivated mediated message processing (LC4MP) to explore effects of disaster information source and visuals on viewers’ resilience-related responses to an extreme flooding scenario. Results from two experiments are reported. First a preliminary 2 (disaster information source: organization/US National Weather Service vs. news media/USA Today) x 2 (disaster visuals: no visual podcast vs. moving visual video) factorial between-subjects online experiment with a convenience sample of university students probes effects of crisis source and visuals on a variety of cognitive, affective, and behavioral outcomes. A second between-subjects online experiment manipulating still and moving visual pace in online videos (no visual vs. still, slow-pace visual vs. still, medium-pace visual vs. still, fast-pace visual vs. moving, slow-pace visual vs. moving, medium-pace visual vs. moving, fast-pace visual) with a convenience sample recruited from Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (mTurk) similarly probes a variety of potentially resilience-related cognitive, affective, and behavioral outcomes. The role of biological sex as a quasi-experimental variable is also investigated in both studies. Various implications for community resilience and recommendations for risk and disaster communicators are explored. Implications for theory building and future research are also examined. Resulting modifications of the SMCC model (i.e., removing “message strategy” and adding the new category of “message content elements” under organizational considerations) are proposed.

The spatial association of numbers and mathematical symbols

The "SNARC effect" refers to the finding that people respond faster to small numbers with the left hand and to large numbers with the right hand. This effect is often explained by hypothesizing that numbers are represented from left to right in ascending order (Mental Number Line). However, the SNARC effect may not depend on quantitative information, but on other factors such as the order in which numbers are often represented from left to right in our culture. Four experiments were performed to test this hypothesis. In the first experiment, the concept of spatial association was extended to nonnumeric mathematical symbols: the minus and plus symbols. These symbols were presented as fixation points in a spatial compatibility paradigm. The results demonstrated an opposite influence of the two symbols on the target stimulus: the minus symbol tends to favor the target presented on the left, while the plus symbol the target presented on the right, demonstrating that spatial association can emerge in the absence of a numerical context. In the last three experiments, the relationship between quantity and order was evaluated using normal numbers and mirror numbers. Although mirror numbers denote quantity, they are not encountered in a left-to-right spatial organization. In Experiments 1 and 2, participants performed a magnitude classification task with mirror and normal numbers presented together (Experiment 1) or separately (Experiment 2). In Experiment 3, participants performed a new task in which quantity information processing was not required: the mirror judgment task. The results show that participants access the quantity of both normal and mirror numbers, but only the normal numbers are spatially organized from left to right. In addition, the physical similarity between the numbers, used as a predictor variable in the last three experiments, showed that the physical characteristics of numbers influenced participants' reaction times.

Association Of Lipophilic Opioids And Hyperbaric Bupivacaine In Spinal Anesthesia For Elective Cesarean Section. Randomized Controlled Study.

To evaluate the efficacy and side-effects of fentanyl and sufentanil combined with hyperbaric spinal bupivacaine in elective cesarean section. A prospective, randomized, double-blind study with 64 term parturients, distributed into 2 groups according to the opioid combined with hyperbaric bupivacaine 0.5% (10mg): GF - fentanyl (25 µg) and GS - sufentanil (5.0 µg). The latency and maximum sensory block level; degree and duration of motor block; duration and quality of analgesia; maternal-fetal repercussions were evaluated. This was an intention-to-treat analysis with a 5% significance level. The latency period, maximum sensory block level, motor block degree and perioperative analgesia were similar in both groups. Motor block and analgesia had a longer duration in the sufentanil group. Maternal adverse effects and neonatal repercussions were similar. The incidence of hypotension was higher in the fentanyl group. In both groups, there was a predominance of patients who were awake and either calm or sleepy. The addition of fentanyl and sufentanil to hyperbaric subarachnoid bupivacaine was shown to be effective for the performance of cesarean section, and safe for the mother and fetus. Analgesia was more prolonged with sufentanil.

Association Of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms In The Gene Encoding Glut1 And Diabetic Nephropathy In Brazilian Patients With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus.

Mesangial cells subject to high extracellular glucose concentrations, as occur in hyperglycaemic states, are unable to down regulate glucose influx, resulting in intracellular activation of deleterious biochemical pathways. A high expression of GLUT1 participates in the development of diabetic glomerulopathy. Variants in the gene encoding GLUT1 (SLC2A1) have been associated to this diabetic complication. The aim of this study was to test whether polymorphisms in SLC2A1 confer susceptibility to diabetic nephropathy (DN) in Brazilian type 1 diabetes patients. Four polymorphisms (rs3820589, rs1385129, rs841847 and rs841848) were genotyped in a Brazilian cohort comprised of 452 patients. A prospective analysis was performed in 155 patients. Mean duration of follow-up was 5.6±2.4years and the incidence of renal events was 18.0%. The rs3820589 presented an inverse association with the prevalence of incipient DN (OR: 0.36, 95% CI: 0.16 - 0.80, p=0.01) and with progression to renal events (HR: 0.20; 95% CI: 0.03 - 0.70; p=0.009). AGGT and AGAC haplotypes were associated with the prevalence of incipient DN and the AGAC haplotype was also associated with the prevalence of established/advanced DN. In conclusion, rs3820589 in the SLC2A1 gene modulates the risk to DN in Brazilian patients with inadequate type 1 diabetes control.

Association of insulin resistance and GLP-2 secretion in obesity: a pilot study

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this pilot study was to determine whether glugagon-like peptide 2 (GLP-2) secretion relates to insulin sensitivity (IS) in obese subjects. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Twenty four obese subjects [body mass index (BMI) 40.0 ± 3.0 kg/m² (mean ± standard deviation)] were included, nine of which were male, age 43 ± 8 years. Twelve subjects had type 2 diabetes, all treated with oral anti-diabetic agents only. The subjects were submitted to standard meal tolerance test (MTT) for dosage of the curves: glucose, insulin, and GLP-2. Insulin sensitivity was measured by HOMA-IR, and OGIS was derived from the MTT. Spearman linear correlations and partial correlations were obtained. RESULTS: There was an inverse relationship between the GLP-2 secretion and IS: HOMA-IR correlated with GLP-2 AUC (R = 0.504; p = 0.012), and OGIS correlated with GLP-2 incremental AUC (R = -0.54; p = 0.054). The correlation persisted after controlling for BMI. CONCLUSION: We found an association of GLP-2 secretion and insulin resistance (IR). The understanding of the underlying mechanisms may provide future directions in the pharmacological manipulation of incretins, and in the treatment of obesity and related metabolic disorders.

Carcass quality of feedlot finished steers fed yeast, monensin, and the association of both additives

To evaluate the effects of the supplementation of feed additives on carcass quality in beef cattle, 72 Nellore steers (339.5kg, 20-month old) were feedlot finished and fed for 91 days one of the following diets: 1) control with no additives; or added of 2) live yeast culture; 3) monensin; or 4) the association of both additives. After slaughter, renal, pelvic, and inguinal fat and hot carcass weights were recorded and carcass was split into muscle, bone, and trimmable fat. Carcass Longissimus muscle area and subcutaneous fat thickness at the 12th rib were measured and steaks of Longisimus muscle were taken to determine meat color, shear force, drip, and cooking losses. Yeast increased carcass dressing percentage but there were no effects on hot carcass weight, Longissimus area, subcutaneous fat thickness, percentage and weight of retail cut yield and trimmings. Feed additives had no effect on carcass pH, meat color, fat content, shear force, and drip losses. Supplementation of yeast, monensin or the association of both additives had no important effects on carcass traits and on meat quality of feedlot finished steers.

Association of polymorphisms at the ADIPOR1 regulatory region with type 2 diabetes and body mass index in a Brazilian population with European or African ancestry

Association studies between ADIPOR1 genetic variants and predisposition to type 2 diabetes (DM2) have provided contradictory results. We determined if two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP c.-8503G>A and SNP c.10225C>G) in regulatory regions of ADIPOR1 in 567 Brazilian individuals of European (EA; N = 443) or African (AfA; N = 124) ancestry from rural (quilombo remnants; N = 439) and urban (N = 567) areas. We detected a significant effect of ethnicity on the distribution of the allelic frequencies of both SNPs in these populations (EA: -8503A = 0.27; AfA: -8503A = 0.16; P = 0.001 and EA: 10225G = 0.35; AfA: 10225G = 0.51; P < 0.001). Neither of the polymorphisms were associated with DM2 in the case-control study in EA (SNP c.-8503G>A: DM2 group -8503A = 0.26; control group -8503A = 0.30; P = 0.14/SNP 10225C>G: DM2 group 10225G = 0.37; control group 10225G = 0.32; P = 0.40) and AfA populations (SNP c.-8503G>A: DM2 group -8503A = 0.16; control group -8503A = 0.15; P = 0.34/SNP 10225C>G: DM2 group 10225G = 0.51; control group 10225G = 0.52; P = 0.50). Similarly, none of the polymorphisms were associated with metabolic/anthropometric risk factors for DM2 in any of the three populations, except for HDL cholesterol, which was significantly higher in AfA heterozygotes (GC = 53.75 ± 17.26 mg/dL) than in homozygotes. We conclude that ADIPOR1 polymorphisms are unlikely to be major risk factors for DM2 or for metabolic/anthropometric measurements that represent risk factors for DM2 in populations of European and African ancestries.

Association of HDL cholesterol and triglycerides with mortality in patients with heart failure

It has been demonstrated that there is an association between serum lipoproteins and survival rate in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy, as well as in patients with non-ischemic causes of heart failure. We tested the hypothesis of an association between serum lipoprotein levels and prognosis in a cohort of outpatients with heart failure, including Chagas' heart disease. The lipid profile of 833 outpatients with heart failure in functional classes III and IV of the New York Heart Association, with a mean age of 46.9 ± 10.6 years, 655 (78.6%) men and 178 (21.4%) women, was studied from April 1991 to June 2003. The survival rate was estimated by the Kaplan-Meyer's method and the Cox proportional hazards models. Etiology of heart failure was ischemic cardiomyopathy in 171 (21%) patients, Chagas' heart disease in 144 (17%), hypertensive cardiomyopathy in 136 (16%), and other etiologies in 83 (10%). In 299 (36%) patients, heart failure was ascribed to idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. Variables significantly associated with mortality were age (hazard ratio, HR = 1.02; 95%CI = 1.01-1.03; P = 0.0074), male gender (HR = 1.77; 95%CI = 1.2-2.62; P = 0.004), idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (HR = 1.81; 95%CI = 1.16-2.82; P = 0.0085), serum triglycerides (HR = 0.97; 95%CI = 0.96-0.98; P < 0.0001), and HDL cholesterol (HR = 0.99; 95%CI = 0.99-1.0; P = 0.0280). Therefore, higher serum HDL cholesterol and higher serum triglycerides were associated with lower mortality in this cohort of outpatients with heart failure.