Project description:Prior to 1999, dramatic fluctuations in homicide rates were driven by changes in the rates of firearm homicide among men aged 15-24. Since 2000, the overall homicide rate has appeared stable, masking any changes in population subgroups. We analyzed recent trends in homicide rates by weapon, age, race, gender, state, and urbanization to determine whether the risk of victimization increased substantially during 1999-2005 for demographic subgroups. The analysis of WISQARS data and Wonder data from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed no trend in the homicide rate nationally between 1999 and 2005; this obscured large increases in firearm homicide rates among black men aged 25-44 and among white men aged 25-34. Between 1999 and 2005, for ages 25-44 combined, the increase for black men was 31% compared with 12% for white men. Significant increases among men aged 25-44 occurred in Alabama, California, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington. The firearm homicide rate increased the most in large central metropolitan areas (+32%) and large fringe metropolitan areas (+30%) for men aged 25-44. We conclude that the recent, unrecognized increases in firearm homicide among men aged 25-44, especially black men, in large metropolitan areas merit the attention of policymakers.
Project description:BackgroundComprehensive, longitudinal field studies that monitor both disease and vector populations for dengue viruses are urgently needed as a pre-requisite for developing locally adaptable prevention programs or to appropriately test and license new vaccines.Methodology and principal findingsWe report the results from such a study spanning 5 years in the Amazonian city of Iquitos, Peru where DENV infection was monitored serologically among approximately 2,400 members of a neighborhood-based cohort and through school-based absenteeism surveillance for active febrile illness among a subset of this cohort. At baseline, 80% of the study population had DENV antibodies, seroprevalence increased with age, and significant geographic variation was observed, with neighborhood-specific age-adjusted rates ranging from 67.1 to 89.9%. During the first 15 months, when DENV-1 and DENV-2 were co-circulating, population-based incidence rates ranged from 2-3 infections/100 person-years (p-years). The introduction of DENV-3 during the last half of 2001 was characterized by 3 distinct periods: amplification over at least 5-6 months, replacement of previously circulating serotypes, and epidemic transmission when incidence peaked at 89 infections/100 p-years.Conclusions/significanceNeighborhood-specific baseline seroprevalence rates were not predictive of geographic incidence patterns prior to the DENV-3 introduction, but were closely mirrored during the invasion of this serotype. Transmission varied geographically, with peak incidence occurring at different times among the 8 geographic zones in approximately 16 km(2) of the city. The lag from novel serotype introduction to epidemic transmission and knowledge of spatially explicit areas of elevated risk should be considered for more effective application of limited resources for dengue prevention.
Project description:Enteroviruses (EVs) can induce nonspecific respiratory tract infections in children, but their epidemiological, virological, and clinical features remain to be assessed. In the present study, we analyzed 252 EV-related infection cases (median age of subjects, 5.1 years) diagnosed among 11,509 consecutive children visiting emergency departments within a 7-year period in the north of France. EV strains were isolated from nasopharyngeal samples by viral cell culture, identified by seroneutralization assay, and genetically compared by partial amplification and sequencing of the VP1 gene. The respiratory syndromes (79 [31%] of 252 EV infections) appeared as the second most common EV-induced pediatric pathology after meningitis (111 [44%] of 252 cases) (44 versus 31%, P < 10(-3)), contributing to lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) in 43 (54%) of 79 EV respiratory infection cases. Bronchiolitis was the most common EV-induced LRTI (34 [43%] of 79 cases, P < 10(-3)) occurring more often in infants aged 1 to 12 months (P = 0.0002), with spring-fall seasonality. Viruses ECHO 11, 6, and 13 were the more frequently identified respiratory strains (24, 13, and 11%, respectively). The VP1 gene phylogenetic analysis showed the concomitant or successive circulation of genetically distinct EV respiratory strains (species A or B) during the same month or annual epidemic period. Our findings indicated that respiratory tract infections accounted for the 30% of EV-induced pediatric pathologies, contributing to LRTIs in 54% of these cases. Moreover, the concomitant or successive circulation of genetically distinct EV strains indicated the possibility of pediatric repeated respiratory infections within the same epidemic season.
Project description:CONTEXT:Over the past decade, chronic illnesses with ophthalmic sequelae such as diabetes and diabetic retinopathy have increased. OBJECTIVES:To estimate prevalence of nonrefractive visual impairment and to describe its relationship with demographic and systemic risk factors including diagnosed diabetes. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS:The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) examined a representative sample of the US noninstitutionalized population. In 1999-2002 and 2005-2008, 9471 and 10,480 participants aged 20 years or older received questionnaires, laboratory tests, and physical examinations. Visual acuity of less than 20/40 aided by autorefractor was classified as nonrefractive visual impairment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE:Nonrefractive visual impairment. RESULTS:Weighted prevalence of nonrefractive visual impairment increased 21% among US adults aged 20 years and older from 1.4% in 1999-2002 to 1.7% in 2005-2008 (P = .03); and increased 40% among non-Hispanic whites aged 20-39 years from 0.5% to 0.7% (P = .008). In multivariable analyses, statistically significant risk factors for nonrefractive visual impairment in 1999-2002 included age (per year odds ratio [OR], 1.07; 95% CI, 1.05-1.09), poverty (OR, 2.18; 95% CI, 1.31-3.64), lack of insurance (OR, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.16-2.95), and diabetes with 10 or more years since diagnosis (OR, 1.93; 95% CI, 1.15-3.25). In 2005-2008, risk factors included age (OR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.04-1.07), poverty (OR, 2.23; 95% CI, 1.55-3.22), education less than high school (OR, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.54-2.90), and diabetes with 10 or more years since diagnosis (OR, 2.67; 95% CI, 1.64-4.37). Prevalence of diabetes with 10 or more years since diagnosis increased 22% overall from 2.8% to 3.6% (P = .02); and 133% among non-Hispanic whites aged 20-39 years from 0.3% to 0.7% (P < .001). CONCLUSION:Prevalence of nonrefractive visual impairment was significantly higher in 2005-2008 than in 1999-2002 and may be attributable, in part, to higher prevalence of diabetes, an associated risk factor that increased in prevalence during this time period.
Project description:The authors investigated whether short-term effects of fine particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter < or =2.5 microm (PM(2.5)) on risk of cardiovascular and respiratory hospitalizations among the elderly varied by region and season in 202 US counties for 1999-2005. They fit 3 types of time-series models to provide evidence for 1) consistent particulate matter effects across the year, 2) different particulate matter effects by season, and 3) smoothly varying particulate matter effects throughout the year. The authors found statistically significant evidence of seasonal and regional variation in estimates of particulate matter effect. Respiratory disease effect estimates were highest in winter, with a 1.05% (95% posterior interval: 0.29, 1.82) increase in hospitalizations per 10-microg/m(3) increase in same-day PM(2.5). Cardiovascular diseases estimates were also highest in winter, with a 1.49% (95% confidence interval: 1.09, 1.89) increase in hospitalizations per 10-microg/m(3) increase in same-day PM(2.5), with associations also observed in other seasons. The strongest evidence of a relation between PM(2.5) and hospitalizations was in the Northeast for both respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Heterogeneity of PM(2.5) effects on hospitalizations may reflect seasonal and regional differences in emissions and in particles' chemical constituents. Results can help guide development of hypotheses and further epidemiologic studies on potential heterogeneity in the toxicity of constituents of the particulate matter mixture.
Project description:The macrolide efflux mechanism of resistance, mef, was characterized in community-acquired respiratory tract infections with Streptococcus pyogenes. Fifty-four (4.6%) M phenotype isolates were screen tested as negative for mef(A). Of these 54 isolates, 5 (0.4%), 27 (2.3%), and 1 (0.1%) were considered to be mef(I) positive, a novel mosaic variant of mef, or a novel subclass of mef, respectively. This study shows (i) the definitive presence of mef(E) in S. pyogenes and its global distribution, (ii) the presence of a mosaic variant of mef composed of mef(A) and mef(E), (iii) the previously undescribed presence of mef(I) in S. pyogenes, and (iv) the presence of a novel subclass of mef in S. pyogenes.
Project description:Evidence on risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) hospitalization associated with short-term exposure to outdoor carbon monoxide (CO), an air pollutant primarily generated by traffic, is inconsistent across studies. Uncertainties remain on the degree to which associations are attributable to other traffic pollutants and whether effects persist at low levels.We conducted a multisite time-series study to estimate risk of CVD hospitalization associated with short-term CO exposure in 126 US urban counties during 1999-2005 for >9.3 million Medicare enrollees aged > or =65 years. We considered models with adjustment by other traffic-related pollutants: NO2, fine particulate matter (with aerodynamic diameter < or =2.5 microm), and elemental carbon. We found a positive and statistically significant association between same-day CO and increased risk of hospitalization for multiple CVD outcomes (ischemic heart disease, heart rhythm disturbances, heart failure, cerebrovascular disease, total CVD). The association remained positive and statistically significant but was attenuated with copollutant adjustment, especially NO2. A 1-ppm increase in same-day daily 1-hour maximum CO was associated with a 0.96% (95% posterior interval, 0.79%, 1.12%) increase in risk of CVD admissions. With same-day NO(2) adjustment, this estimate was 0.55% (0.36%, 0.74%). The risk persisted at low CO levels <1 ppm.We found evidence of an association between short-term exposure to ambient CO and risk of CVD hospitalizations, even at levels well below current US health-based regulatory standards. This evidence indicates that exposure to current CO levels may still pose a public health threat, particularly for persons with CVD.
Project description:Across the globe, dietary habits include the consumption of foods and drinks between main meals. Although often described as "snacks" or "snacking," there is no scientific consensus of what constitutes a snack, either as an eating occasion or as a snack food. Nonetheless, food-based dietary guidelines, compiled at national or regional levels by governments, learned societies, and health organizations, frequently refer to snacking habits and desirable or undesirable snack food choices. This review aims to provide a comprehensive snapshot of snacking recommendations worldwide. From a search of 207 countries and organizations, 49 countries and 7 regional or global organizations were identified that referred to snacks, snack foods, or snacking. A total of 136 snacking-specific recommendations or examples were identified, which varied in nature whereby some provided advice on the quality of the snack food choice and others focused on the frequency or energy and nutrient composition of such snacks. Guidelines varied in terms of the detail of foods and drinks identified, wherein some recommendations focused only on foods or food categories to include (e.g., fruit or dairy) or to exclude (e.g., processed foods), whereas other recommendations made reference to both. Both individual foods (e.g., apples) and food categories (e.g., fruit) were mentioned. Reasons or rationales to support the snacking choices were less frequently identified and varied across regions. It is hoped that this analysis will stimulate discussion on the need for a consensus in the scientific community and beyond with regard to snacking. An agreed-upon definition of snacks, snacking, and snack foods could be used to inform a number of stakeholders and ultimately help consumers adhere to healthful diets as defined locally.
Project description:This review focuses on MRI contrast agents that are responsive to a change in a physiological biomarker. The response mechanisms are dependent on six physicochemical characteristics, including the accessibility of water to the agent, tumbling time, proton exchange rate, electron spin state, MR frequency or superparamagnetism of the agent. These characteristics can be affected by changes in concentrations or activities of enzymes, proteins, nucleic acids, metabolites, or metal ions, or changes in redox state, pH, temperature, or light. A total of 117 examples are presented, including ones that employ nuclei other than (1) H, which attests to the creativity of multidisciplinary research efforts to develop responsive MRI contrast agents.