Slope Of Association Research Articles

Association between Development Assistance for Health and Disease Burden: A Longitudinal Analysis on Official Development Assistance for HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria in 2005-2017.

From the early stage of the millennium development goals campaign, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria have received huge aid funds. With the datasets published by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Developments, and World Health Organization from 2005 to 2017, we analyzed the association between the total DAH or DAH per capita and the disease burden. We measured the total DAH or DAH per capita as the dependent variable, with six independent variables of disease burden for Disability Adjusted Life Year (DALY), number of infected people, number of deaths, prevalence, incidence, and mortality rate. For the trend in ODA targeting, the likelihood ratio test of the fixed effects models was used to assess any existence of slope changes in linear regression across the years. The total amount of DAH and DAH per capita was found positively related with every aspect of disease burden, with the regression coefficients increasing during 2005-2017. For instance, the slope of association between the DAH per capita and the disease burden of malaria became steeper over time (likelihood ratio, χ2 = 26.14, p < 0.001). Although the selection criteria for the recipient country have been controversial, ODA targeting has been performed based on disease burden in this research.

Childhood sexual abuse predicts methylation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1) in borderline personality disorder patients and controls

Impulsivity often develops from disturbed inhibitory control, a function mainly regulated by γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the fronto-striatal system. In this study, we combined MRS GABA measurements and fMRI to investigate neurochemical and neurofunctional correlates of interference inhibition, further emphasizing the direct relationship between those two systems, as well as their relations to impulsivity in patients with BPD. In addition to BOLD activation, task-dependent functional connectivity was assessed by a generalized psychophysiological interactions approach. Full factorial analyses were performed via SPM to examine the main effect (within-group associations) as well as the interaction term (group differences in the association slope). The UPPS scales were used to evaluate impulsivity traits. Compared to healthy controls (HCs), BPD patients exhibited significantly less ACC-caudate functional connectivity during interference inhibition. ACC GABA levels in BPD patients but not in HCs were positively related to the magnitude of activation in several fronto-striatal regions (e.g. ACC, frontal regions, putamen, caudate,) and the strength of ACC-caudate functional connectivity during interference inhibition. The strength of the correlations of GABA with connectivity significantly differs between the two groups. Moreover, among all the UPPS impulsivity subscales, UPPS sensation seeking in the BPD group was related to GABA and was also negatively related to the task-dependent BOLD activation and functional connectivity in the fronto-striatal network. Finally, mediation analyses revealed that the magnitude of activation in the caudate and the strength of ACC-caudate functional connectivity mediated the relationship between ACC GABA levels and UPPS sensation seeking in patients with BPD. Our findings suggest a disconnectivity of the fronto-striatal network in BPD patients during interference inhibition, particularly for patients with higher impulsivity. The ACC GABAergic system seems to play a crucial role in regulating regional BOLD activations and functional connectivity in this network, which are further associated with impulsive sensation seeking in BPD.

ACC GABA levels are associated with functional activation and connectivity in the fronto-striatal network during interference inhibition in patients with borderline personality disorder

Impulsivity often develops from disturbed inhibitory control, a function mainly regulated by γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the fronto-striatal system. In this study, we combined MRS GABA measurements and fMRI to investigate neurochemical and neurofunctional correlates of interference inhibition, further emphasizing the direct relationship between those two systems, as well as their relations to impulsivity in patients with BPD. In addition to BOLD activation, task-dependent functional connectivity was assessed by a generalized psychophysiological interactions approach. Full factorial analyses were performed via SPM to examine the main effect (within-group associations) as well as the interaction term (group differences in the association slope). The UPPS scales were used to evaluate impulsivity traits. Compared to healthy controls (HCs), BPD patients exhibited significantly less ACC-caudate functional connectivity during interference inhibition. ACC GABA levels in BPD patients but not in HCs were positively related to the magnitude of activation in several fronto-striatal regions (e.g. ACC, frontal regions, putamen, caudate,) and the strength of ACC-caudate functional connectivity during interference inhibition. The strength of the correlations of GABA with connectivity significantly differs between the two groups. Moreover, among all the UPPS impulsivity subscales, UPPS sensation seeking in the BPD group was related to GABA and was also negatively related to the task-dependent BOLD activation and functional connectivity in the fronto-striatal network. Finally, mediation analyses revealed that the magnitude of activation in the caudate and the strength of ACC-caudate functional connectivity mediated the relationship between ACC GABA levels and UPPS sensation seeking in patients with BPD. Our findings suggest a disconnectivity of the fronto-striatal network in BPD patients during interference inhibition, particularly for patients with higher impulsivity. The ACC GABAergic system seems to play a crucial role in regulating regional BOLD activations and functional connectivity in this network, which are further associated with impulsive sensation seeking in BPD.

Association of Urinary Sodium and Potassium Excretion with Blood Pressure

BackgroundHigher levels of sodium intake are reported to be associated with higher blood pressure. Whether this relationship varies according to levels of sodium or potassium intake and in different populations is unknown.MethodsWe studied 102,216 adults from 18 countries. Estimates of 24-hour sodium and potassium excretion were made from a single fasting morning urine specimen and were used as surrogates for intake. We assessed the relationship between electrolyte excretion and blood pressure, as measured with an automated device.ResultsRegression analyses showed increments of 2.11 mm Hg in systolic blood pressure and 0.78 mm Hg in diastolic blood pressure for each 1-g increment in estimated sodium excretion. The slope of this association was steeper with higher sodium intake (an increment of 2.58 mm Hg in systolic blood pressure per gram for sodium excretion >5 g per day, 1.74 mm Hg per gram for 3 to 5 g per day, and 0.74 mm Hg per gram for <3 g per day; P<0.001 for interaction). The slope of association was steeper for persons with hypertension (2.49 mm Hg per gram) than for those without hypertension (1.30 mm Hg per gram, P<0.001 for interaction) and was steeper with increased age (2.97 mm Hg per gram at >55 years of age, 2.43 mm Hg per gram at 45 to 55 years of age, and 1.96 mm Hg per gram at <45 years of age; P<0.001 for interaction). Potassium excretion was inversely associated with systolic blood pressure, with a steeper slope of association for persons with hypertension than for those without it (P<0.001) and a steeper slope with increased age (P<0.001).ConclusionsIn this study, the association of estimated intake of sodium and potassium, as determined from measurements of excretion of these cations, with blood pressure was nonlinear and was most pronounced in persons consuming high-sodium diets, persons with hypertension, and older persons. (Funded by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario and others.)

Association between Year of Birth and Cognitive Functions in Russia and the Czech Republic: Cross-Sectional Results of the HAPIEE Study

Objectives: To assess differences in cognitive functions by year of birth in Russia and the Czech Republic. Methods: A cross-sectional study in the general population of Novosibirsk (Russia) and 6 cities of the Czech Republic recruited random samples of men and women (3,874 Russians, 3,626 Czechs) aged 45–69 years in 2002 (i.e. born in 1933–1957). Word recall, verbal fluency (number of animals named in 1 min) and letter search were assessed in a clinic. Results: Except letter search in men, we found similar levels of cognitive functioning in Russians and Czechs in the youngest subjects and a steeper association of functioning with year of birth in Russia than in the Czech Republic. For example, the difference in the mean word recall, associated with 10 years difference in year of birth, was 0.9 (SE 0.06) words in Russian men, compared to 0.4 (0.06) words in Czech men; in women, these figures were 0.8 (0.05) and 0.3 (0.05), respectively. For all outcomes, except letter search in men, the interactions between year of birth and country were statistically highly significant, and the differences in the year of birth effects between countries were largely unexplained by socioeconomic indicators and risk factors. Conclusion: The slope of association between lower cognitive functioning and earlier year of birth is much steeper in Russia than in the Czech Republic. Given that poor cognitive functioning is a risk factor for dementia, long-term follow-up of this cohort and other studies into population rates of cognitive impairment in Russia should be a priority.

Tournament Validity: Testing Golfer Competence

The concept of tournament validity was explored in three studies. In the first study, measures of tournament validity, difficulty, and discrimination were introduced. These measures were illustrated with data from the 2003 Professional Golf Association (PGA) Tour. In the second study, the relationship between difficulty and discrimination was tested by analyzing United States Golf Association slope and course rating data. In the third study, the validity of an entire season of PGA tournaments was examined. Tournaments did differ in validity, and some tournaments were not valid at all. Difficult, high-scoring tournaments were somewhat more valid and led to greater discrimination than low-scoring tournaments. Implications of golf tournament validity are discussed as are implications for measuring the validity of other types of competitions.

Combined Effects of Systolic Blood Pressure and Total Cholesterol on Cardiovascular Disease Risk

Half of all adult deaths (and much severe disability) are caused by cardiovascular diseases, and most of these deaths involve ischemic heart disease or stroke. The Asia-Pacific region accounts for about half of the global burden of cardiovascular disease and the proportion is likely to increase during the next few decades.1,2 Smoking and elevated levels of systolic blood pressure (SBP) and total blood cholesterol are major causes of cardiovascular disease,3 yet much of our knowledge about the associations between these risk factors and cardiovascular diseases comes from studies carried out in North American and western European countries. In most Asian countries, however, the mean levels of total cholesterol are lower than those found in Western countries and the incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) is also lower, whereas the incidence of stroke, particularly hemorrhagic stroke, is higher. Article p 3384 The Asia Pacific Cohort Studies Collaboration report in this issue of Circulation investigates the combined effects of SBP and total cholesterol on risk of cardiovascular disease in a meta-analysis of 36 cohort studies (29 conducted in Asia and 7 from Australia and New Zealand) involving 380 000 individuals.4 This meta-analysis differs from previous studies in several ways: It is the largest study from this region, involving >3000 CHD events and 4000 stroke events; individual records were available for each of the participants in each study, with cause and age of death (if applicable); and information on several thousand repeat measurements of blood pressure and cholesterol made during prolonged follow-up allowed correction for “regression dilution.” These features …