World Trade Center Research Articles

Dietary phenotype and advanced glycation end-products predict WTC-obstructive airways disease: a longitudinal observational study

BackgroundDiet is a modifier of metabolic syndrome which in turn is associated with World Trade Center obstructive airways disease (WTC-OAD). We have designed this study to (1) assess the dietary phenotype (food types, physical activity, and dietary habits) of the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) WTC-Health Program (WTC-HP) cohort and (2) quantify the association of dietary quality and its advanced glycation end product (AGE) content with the development of WTC-OAD.MethodsWTC-OAD, defined as developing WTC-Lung Injury (WTC-LI; FEV1 < LLN) and/or airway hyperreactivity (AHR; positive methacholine and/or positive bronchodilator response). Rapid Eating and Activity Assessment for Participants-Short Version (REAP-S) deployed on 3/1/2018 in the WTC-HP annual monitoring assessment. Clinical and REAP-S data of consented subjects was extracted (7/17/2019). Diet quality [low-(15–19), moderate-(20–29), and high-(30–39)] and AGE content per REAP-S questionnaire were assessed for association with WTC-OAD. Regression models adjusted for smoking, hyperglycemia, hypertension, age on 9/11, WTC-exposure, BMI, and job description.ResultsN = 9508 completed the annual questionnaire, while N = 4015 completed REAP-S and had spirometry. WTC-OAD developed in N = 921, while N = 3094 never developed WTC-OAD. Low- and moderate-dietary quality, eating more (processed meats, fried foods, sugary drinks), fewer (vegetables, whole-grains),and having a diet abundant in AGEs were significantly associated with WTC-OAD. Smoking was not a significant risk factor of WTC-OAD.ConclusionsREAP-S was successfully implemented in the FDNY WTC-HP monitoring questionnaire and produced valuable dietary phenotyping. Our observational study has identified low dietary quality and AGE abundant dietary habits as risk factors for pulmonary disease in the context of WTC-exposure. Dietary phenotyping, not only focuses our metabolomic/biomarker profiling but also further informs future dietary interventions that may positively impact particulate matter associated lung disease.

From Pacifists to Cowboys to Torturers: The Different Representations of the US Military and Intelligence Agencies in Post-9/11 American War Films

The horrifying images of the terrorist attacks on New York’s World Trade Center on 11 September 2001, in which three thousand civilians were killed, have become some of the most famous images ever committed to film or television. In the decade following the attacks, a wealth of war films were released, including Redacted (Brian De Palma, 2007), The Hurt Locker (Kathryn Bigelow, 2009) and Zero Dark Thirty (Kathryn Bigelow, 2012) amongst many others. Many films from this period of US cinema addressed both the 9/11 attacks as well as the US military’s conflicts in various countries suspected of harboring terrorist groups. When analyzing the ways the military and intelligence agencies (such as the CIA) are represented in some US films from this period, it becomes clear that such representations changed over just a few years: Redacted showed the military to be polarized–a place for pacifists, rapists and murderers. The Hurt Locker later depicted successful soldiers as having a “gung ho” attitude, and the military as a permanent fixture in Iraq. Finally, Zero Dark Thirty included scenes of CIA torture, which is suggested as being necessary and justified. Surprisingly, however, the ways the military and intelligence agencies are represented in these films did not necessarily mirror the political change that was occurring.

Selective hippocampal subfield volume reductions in World Trade Center responders with cognitive impairment.

IntroductionThe objective of this study was to investigate associations between dementia in World Trade Center (WTC) responders and in vivo volumetric measures of hippocampal subfield volumes in WTC responders at midlife.MethodsA sample of 99 WTC responders was divided into dementia and unimpaired groups. Participants underwent structural T1‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging. Volumetric measures included the overall hippocampus and eight subfields. Regression models examined volumetric measure of interest adjusting for confounders including intracranial volume.ResultsDementia was associated with smaller hippocampal volume and with reductions across hippocampal subfields. Smaller hippocampal subfield volumes were associated with longer cumulative time worked at the WTC. Domain‐specific cognitive performance was associated with lower volumetric measures across hippocampal subregions.ConclusionsThis is the first study to investigate hippocampal subfield volumes in a sample of WTC responders at midlife. Selective hippocampal subfield volume reductions suggested abnormal cognition that were associated with WTC exposure duration.

Single-cell transcriptomics analysis of mild cognitive impairment in World Trade Center disaster responders.

IntroductionRecent research has found that World Trade Center (WTC) responders in their mid‐50s have an elevated prevalence of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) that is associated with neural degeneration and subcortical thinning. This article extends our understanding of the molecular complexity of MCI through gene expression profiling of blood.MethodsThe transcriptomics of 40 male WTC responders were profiled across two cohorts (discovery: nine MCI and nine controls; replication: 11 MCI and 11 controls) using CITE‐Seq at single‐cell resolution in blood.ResultsComparing the transcriptomic signatures across seven major cell subpopulations, the largest differences were observed in monocytes in which 226 genes were differentially expressed. Pathway analysis on the genes unique to monocytes identified processes associated with cerebral immune response.DiscussionOur findings suggested monocytes may constitute a key cell type to target in blood‐based biomarker studies for early detection of risk of MCI and development of new interventions.

‘A Tremendous Motivating Factor’: Irish Northern Aid and the ‘Belfast March Tour’

Up FrontAmerican Theaters Reflect on the Events of September 11 In November, a peer review panel at the NEA approved a $100,000 grant request from the Berkeley Repertory Theatre for a production of Tony Kushner’s Homebody/Kabul and passed it on to acting chairman Robert S. Martin, who usually accepts such recommendations. But at the end of the month word of the grant leaked out and the New York Times reported that Martin was delaying his decision on the matter. It seemed likely that the play’s politically sensitive subject—Afghanistan—was the source of his concern. Several weeks later Martin announced that the agency would provide $60,000 to support the theater’s production. Another grant to support the work of performance artist William Pope.L (see Theater 31:3), rumored to have been pulled, indeed was. Collage: Emmy Grinwis We are five first-year students in Yale’s Dramaturgy and Dramatic Criticism program. At noon every Tuesday, we have a two-hour Theater magazine workshop. No one showed up for our first class. The date was September 11, 2001. Our first assignment: Interview artistic directors around the country about theater and the World Trade Center. About theater and the Pentagon. About theater and terrorism, theater and war, theater and politics, theater and life. About what changed the moment after concrete and flesh collapsed into a smoldering pit in lower Manhattan. Some of us had never conducted an interview before, while others were experienced journalists. We all started calling people. Each interview we conducted bred more questions. We started more arguments. We heard more stories. We got articulate responses, angry responses, banal responses. Hundreds of pages of opinion and passion collected from the middle of September to the end of October have been whittled into the twenty that follow. Many of the theater artists we interviewed could not be included. We intentionally engaged in broad-ranging discussions with our subjects. We asked them to tell us what they saw changing in their artistic work and in the national culture. We wanted them to express their vision of theater’s future in America and to share their hopes and plans for their own theaters, their own art. Our conversations often wound their way to questions that are difficult to ask in the face of the extreme patriotism demanded by the media and the government, by our friends and our neighbors: Do you think theaters should respond to these events directly and immediately? If not, why? If so, do you believe theater has, or had, or will have an influential political voice in the United States? [End Page 1] As the five of us sit down to write this introduction we argue, as we have throughout the process. The questions are trite. The questions are important. We shouldn’t be asking the questions in the first place because we are no better than the blood-starved media preying on a tragic event. This interview is sentimental. No, this interview documents a raw emotional response. We have perspective. We have no perspective. We feel inspired. We feel numb. We feel alive. We are alive. Whatever our disagreements, we have represented this moment in American theater in as clear, open, and honest a way as possible. —Emmy Grinwis, John J. Hanlon, Alice Rebecca Moore, Magda Romanska, and Alexis Soloski Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director, Trinity Repertory Company, Providence, Rhode Island Theaters have to react, but we have to react thoughtfully and carefully. The major decision I’ve had to make is not to change my mind about presenting Tony Kushner’s play Homebody/Kabul, which takes place primarily in Afghanistan, has numerous Afghanis and members of the Taliban portrayed on stage, and presents an extremely complicated view of Afghani history and Afghani political reality. I’ve already received a number of reactions from the community suggesting that it’s inappropriate to perform this play. I think it’s the right thing for us to be doing. It certainly wasn’t selected because of the terrorist attacks—but in the wake of those attacks, and what I fear is going to be the much more overriding reality of the world...

АНАЛИЗ ОСОБЕННОСТЕЙ СОПРОТИВЛЕНИЯ ПРОГРЕССИРУЮЩЕМУ ОБРУШЕНИЮ КОНСТРУКТИВНЫХ СИСТЕМ ЗДАНИЙ И СООРУЖЕНИЙ ПРИ ВНЕЗАПНЫХ СТРУКТУРНЫХ ПЕРЕСТРОЙКАХ: АНАЛИТИЧЕСКИЙ ОБЗОР НАУЧНЫХ ИССЛЕДОВАНИЙ

During the entire life cycle, the facilities are experienced to force and environmental actions of various nature and intensity. In some cases, such influences can lead to a loss of the bearing capacity of the structural elements of a building, which in turn can lead to a disproportionate failure of the entire structural system. Such phenomenon was called progressive collapse. Major accidents at facilities, such as the collapse of a section of the Ronan Point high-rise residential building (London, 1968), the Sampoong department store (Seoul, 1995), the Transvaal Park pavement (Moscow, 2004), the World Trade Center (New York, 2011) and others, clearly demonstrated the urgency of this problem. In this regard, the regulatory documents of the USA, Great Britain, EU, China, Australia, Russia and other countries established requirements for the need to calculate structural systems of buildings for resist to progressive collapse after sudden localized structural damage. However, the steady increase in the number of new publications on the problem of progressive collapse observed in the world scientific literature indicates that the results of such studies do not yet provide exhaustive answers to all questions related to this phenomenon. In this regard, the proposed review article is aimed at systematizing, generalizing and analyzing new research results on resistance to progressive collapse of facilities, identifying new trends and proposing new research directions and tasks to improve the level of structural safety of design solutions for buildings and structures. In order to achieve this goal, the following aspects were considered: the nature of the impacts leading to progressive collapse; features of modeling the progressive collapse of structural systems of buildings and structures; mechanisms of resistance to progressive collapse and criteria for evaluation of a progressive collapse resistance. Particular attention in the scientific review is paid to the analysis of works related to a new direction of research in the area under consideration, associated with the assessment of the bearing capacity of eccentrically compressed elements of structural systems, the effect on their resistance to progressive collapse of the parameters of the loading mode, degradation of material properties and the topology of the structural system. The significance of the proposed scientific review is that, along with the well-known and new results presented in the English-language scientific literature, it summarizes and analyzes the original approaches, methods and research results published in Russian-language scientific publications, primarily included in the RSCI Web of Science.

The Abbreviated Mental Test Score; Is There a Need for a Contemporaneous Update?

Introduction:Designed in 1972 the Abbreviated Mental Test Score (AMTS) is widely used to assess a cognition on hospital admission. The Nottingham Hip Fracture Score uses this in predicting morbidity/mortality in neck of femur fracture. The consequences of misappropriating cognitive impairment could have lasting implications. Questions about the monarchy or World War One and Two may be inappropriate for today’s diverse society.Materials and Methods:100 patients were questioned during routine fracture clinic appointments. Patients were asked: In what year did WWII start? Who is the current monarch? Please state a memorable event in your lifetime that you would not expect another person of the same age to forget. Two-tailed Z-tests were performed between the observed proportions and those from the original AMTS validation study.Results:Only 47% (n = 47) were able to correctly answer the year in which WW2 started. A statistically significant difference when compared to the upper and lower limits from the original study (z = -4.191, p < .001.). Significance was not seen in the second question, with 97% (n-97) identifying the monarch correctly. 51% (n = 51) of participants suggested the terrorist attack on the World Trade Centre in New York as an alternative memorable event.Discussion:Some hospitals now use the 4 “A”s Test (4-AT) as a screening tool for delirium. Without amendments to the Nottingham Hip Fracture Score, AMTS use is likely to continue in orthogeriatric patients. Over time there will be a need for the AMTS to be reviewed so that it remains a true assessment of cognition. Its limitations regarding language and culture is widely acknowledged and several validated variants have been published in the literaure.Conclusions:We highlight a potential future issue with the AMTS and raise considerations for the development of an alternative question to better meet the needs of the orthogeriatric population.

Outcomes and Correlates of Major Depression in 11 Disaster Studies Using Consistent Methods

This study investigated psychosocial functioning and employment status in association with postdisaster major depression and its course in survivors of 11 different disasters in a sample of 808 directly-exposed survivors of 10 disasters and 373 survivors of the 11 September 2001 (9/11), terrorist attacks on New York City’s World Trade Center (total n = 1181). Participants were assessed between 1987 and 2007 with structured diagnostic interviews in a prospective longitudinal design. Consistent research methods allowed merging of the disaster databases for analysis using multivariate modeling. Postdisaster major depression in the study cohort from the 9/11 disaster was more than twice as prevalent as in the other disasters, possibly reflecting the greater psychosocial/interpersonal loss and bereavement experienced by 9/11 disaster survivors. At follow up, employment was associated with remission of postdisaster major depression, non-development of PTSD, and coping via family or friends. Functioning problems were associated with disaster injuries, but not with persistent major depression. This study is unprecedented in its large sample of survivors across the full range of disaster typology studied using consistent methods and full structured interview diagnostic assessment. These findings may help guide future interventions to address postdisaster depression.

Conspiracy and Autoimmune Suicide: September 11, 2001 Twenty Years Later

The article analyzes the political and psychological foundations of &amp;quot;conspiracy theories&amp;quot; in the mass consciousness on the example of interpretations of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York on September 11, 2001. The prerequisites and reasons for the emergence of &amp;quot;9-11&amp;quot; conspiratorial theories in American and global politics in the 1990s and the early 2000s, are considered. In this context, the article examines the ideas of Jacques Derrida that formed the basis of his book &amp;quot;Philosophy in the Age of Terror&amp;quot;; in particular, ршы idea of a specific phenomenon, the so-called &amp;quot;autoimmune suicide&amp;quot;.

Acculturation, coping, and PTSD in Hispanic 9/11 rescue and recovery workers.

Objective: Research examining the responders of the World Trade Center terrorist attacks of 9/11 has found that Hispanic responders are at greater risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than non-Hispanic White responders. However, no studies have examined how acculturation may influence the relationship between coping and PTSD in Hispanic 9/11 responders. This novel study is the first to examine differences in coping and PTSD among Hispanic responders by level of acculturation. Methods: The sample is composed of 845 Hispanic 9/11 responders who were seen at the World Trade Center Health Program and participated in a web-based survey. Using logistic and multiple linear regression, we examined how acculturation is related to their coping strategies and risk for PTSD. We also tested for interaction to examine whether level of acculturation moderated the relationship between coping and PTSD symptom severity. Results: Key findings revealed that higher acculturation is associated with the use of substances, venting, and humor to cope, while lower acculturation is associated with the use of active coping and self-distraction in this sample. We also found that less acculturated responders were more likely to experience more severe PTSD. Lastly, our findings revealed that Hispanics who are more acculturated and used substances to cope had more severe PTSD than less acculturated responders. Conclusion: These findings highlight the need to consider the role of acculturation in Hispanic responders' coping and PTSD. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

COVID-19/EXPOSE

Previous articleNext article FreeCOVID-19/EXPOSEJenny HolzerJenny Holzer Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUSFull Text Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmailQR Code SectionsMore8 June 2020 View Large ImageDownload PowerPointFor more than forty years, Jenny Holzer has presented her astringent ideas, arguments, and sorrows in public places and international exhibitions, including 7 World Trade Center, the Venice Biennale, the Guggenheim Museums in New York and Bilbao, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Louvre Abu Dhabi. Her medium, whether formulated as a T-shirt, a plaque, or an LED sign, is writing, and the public dimension is integral to the delivery of her work. Starting in the 1970s with the New York City posters, and continuing through her recent light projections on landscape and architecture, her practice has rivaled ignorance and violence with humor, kindness, and courage. Holzer received the Leone d’Oro at the Venice Biennale in 1990, the World Economic Forum’s Crystal Award in 1996, and the Barnard Medal of Distinction in 2011. She holds honorary degrees from Williams College, the Rhode Island School of Design, The New School, and Smith College. She lives and works in New York. Previous articleNext article DetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Critical Inquiry Volume 47, Number S2Winter 2021Posts from the PandemicEdited by Hank Scotch Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/711453 © 2021 by The University of Chicago. All rights reserved.PDF download Crossref reports no articles citing this article.

Savremeni terorizam kao pretnja bezbednosti

Terrorism is one of the most frequently used words in the media and the most effective political words of today. However, although there is a lot of talk about terrorism in the media as well as in the professional and scientific literature, it seems that this term remains insufficiently explained. When asked why this is so, the answer lies in a number of reasons that are mainly characteristics of the modern world. Some of the reasons include the complexity of terrorism as a phenomenon and the multitude of its manifestations. Then, thre is the subjectivity in defining this term and the different political interests that lead to the duality of standards in its definition. Also, various aspects of the time in which we live (digitalization, faster flow of information, greater availability of weapons, etc.) contribute to making terrorism more dynamic and thus more intriguing for the public. Today, more than ever, in considering terrorism, we must take into account a number of factors, primarily criminological ones and then legal, political, sociological and military factors of the modern world. This leads us to the conclusion that modern terrorism and the view of it are significantly different from their earlier manifestations. Therefore, the authors present the characteristics of modern terrorism, starting from the theoretical definition of security challenges, risks and threats, through the definition and classification of terrorism to the problems in countering terrorism and the context of the time in which we live. If we take into account that the period after the attack on the World Trade Center is considered a period of modern terrorism, we will see that the emphasis is on Islamist terrorism. However, although most attention is paid to Islamist terrorist organizations, the trends of terrorism are now increasingly turning to European and Western countries. This tells us that we must not forget other forms, types and forms of terrorism. Right-wing extremist, terrorist organizations are a real threat, and the fight against terrorism is a difficult task that the global society of the 21st century has set to itself as the primary security problem. Therefore, the paper identifies key obstacles to a successful fight against terrorism. The paper places a special emphasis on the global monitoring of terrorist activities through the World Terrorism Index. Using these bases, some of the important characteristics of modern terrorism have been determined.

АНАЛИЗ КЛЮЧЕВЫХ ТРЕНДОВ МЕЖДУНАРОДНОГО РЫНКА УГЛЯ (НА ПРИМЕРЕ СТРАН СЕВЕРО-ВОСТОЧНОЙ АЗИИ)

The article provides an analysis of key trends in the international market, using the example of the countries of Northeast Asia. In 2019, the world coal market amounted to 1,424.5 million tons, of which 78.1% are energy grades to produce electricity and heat, and 21.9% are in metallurgy, the reserves of which are significantly less. The import coal market of the countries of Northeast Asia in 2019 was already 680 million tons, covering 48% of the entire world coal market. The paper provides an overview of the key importers and exporters of coal in the world, the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the supplied raw materials, and analyzes the key factors affecting the pricing of coal. In the conclusions, the main trends in the international coal market of the countries of Northeast Asia are presented, including "geographical" — the shift of the center of world trade from Europe to Asia, and "types and quality of imported coal" — an increase in the share of high-quality premium energy and coking (metallurgical). Trends can be clearly seen in the countries of Northeast Asia, which actively use coal, and are making efforts to decarbonize their national economies, while intensifying inter-fuel competition with other primary energy sources.

A Workshop on Cognitive Aging and Impairment in the 9/11-Exposed Population.

The terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001 potentially exposed more than 400,000 responders, workers, and residents to psychological and physical stressors, and numerous hazardous pollutants. In 2011, the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) was mandated to monitor and treat persons with 9/11-related adverse health conditions and conduct research on physical and mental health conditions related to the attacks. Emerging evidence suggests that persons exposed to 9/11 may be at increased risk of developing mild cognitive impairment. To investigate further, the WTCHP convened a scientific workshop that examined the natural history of cognitive aging and impairment, biomarkers in the pathway of neurodegenerative diseases, the neuropathological changes associated with hazardous exposures, and the evidence of cognitive decline and impairment in the 9/11-exposed population. Invited participants included scientists actively involved in health-effects research of 9/11-exposed persons and other at-risk populations. Attendees shared relevant research results from their respective programs and discussed several options for enhancements to research and surveillance activities, including the development of a multi-institutional collaborative research network. The goal of this report is to outline the meeting’s agenda and provide an overview of the presentation materials and group discussion.

Twentieth anniversary of September 11. The plot, the events and the aftermath of the terrorist attack on the USA

world, was carried out by 19 people. Among them were 15 Saudis, two UAE nationals, a Lebanese and an Egyptian. Three of the four formed the Hamburg cell, which was the backbone of the entire plot. It was led by the Egyptian Muhammad Atta el-Sayed. He flew Boeing 767 aircraft American Airlines Flight 11, which first struck the North Tower of the WTC. Marwan al-Shehhi was the pilot of Boeing 767 aircraft United Airlines Flight 175, which crashed into the South Tower of the WTC. Hani Hanjour sat at the controls of the Boeing 757 aircraft American Airlines flight 77. It was the third machine to target the Pentagon. The pilot of the fourth plane - Boeing 757 aircraft United Airlines Flight 93 - Ziad Jarrah failed to reach his destination, possibly the Capitol, because the passengers decided to take over the control of the plane from the terrorists. The machine crashed in Pennsylvania. In the events of 9/11, a total of 2,996 people were killed, including 19 terrorists, and 6,291 were injured . Six Poles were among the fatalities. 343 firefighters died in the rescue operation. The attacks caused enormous material losses. Particularly high costs were incurred by insurance and reinsurance companies, airlines and aircraft manufacturers, as well as the tourism industry. The huge losses related to the destruction of the New York City World Trade Center and the disruption of the financial system had to be covered by insurance companies involved in the operations on the American market. The terrorist attack on the USA was the impetus for the largest reform of the American secret services since 1947. Washington made a decision regarding the need to create a system that would effectively counteract terrorist threats and effectively warn in the event of their occurrence. This was related to the strengthening of structures with operational and reconnaissance powers, increasing the scope of their tasks and improving their ability to coordinate. Most of the legal regulations were expressed in the document commonly known as the USA Patriot Act of 26 October 2001. The most critical, however, were the international repercussions. By the attacks on the WTC and the Pentagon, al-Qaeda influenced world politics by prompting Washington to declare a “war on terror”. Within its framework, American forces, supporting the so-called Northern Alliance led to the collapse of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, and then entered Iraq, which in the long run turned out to be one of the most spectacular and deadly strategic mistakes in the history of the military. At the same time the September 11 attacks sparked many conspiracy theories. Their propagation in the media, in documentaries, as well as in articles, contributed to undermining trust in the American government. An organization called Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth which boasts 3.3 thousand architects and engineers from all over the United States, is still very active in researching the case of 7 WTC. Its mission is to establish the truth that the twin towers did not collapse due to the impact of terrorist-piloted planes, as well as the destruction of WTC 7 was not a result of the detachment of a fragment of the second plane. In the opinion of members of this organisation, the damage caused by the planes was far from sufficient to lead to such a catastrophe. They believe someone must have planted explosives.

Respiratory impedance measured using impulse oscillometry in a healthy urban population.

This study derives normative prediction equations for respiratory impedance in a healthy asymptomatic urban population using an impulse oscillation system (IOS). In addition, this study uses body mass index (BMI) in the equations to describe the effect of obesity on respiratory impedance.Data from an urban population comprising 472 healthy asymptomatic subjects that resided or worked in lower Manhattan, New York City were retrospectively analysed. This population was the control group from a previously completed case–control study of the health effects of exposure to World Trade Center dust. Since all subjects underwent spirometry and oscillometry, these previously collected data allowed a unique opportunity to derive normative prediction equations for oscillometry in an urban, lifetime non-smoking, asymptomatic population without underlying respiratory disease.Normative prediction equations for men and women were successfully developed for a broad range of respiratory oscillometry variables with narrow confidence bands. Models that used BMI as an independent predictor of oscillometry variables (in addition to age and height) demonstrated equivalent or better fit when compared with models that used weight. With increasing BMI, resistance and reactance increased compatible with lung and airway compression from mass loading.This study represents the largest cohort of healthy urban subjects assessed with an IOS device. Normative prediction equations were derived that should facilitate application of IOS in the clinical setting. In addition, the data suggest that modelling of lung function may be best performed using height and BMI as independent variables rather than the traditional approach of using height and weight.

A cortical thinning signature to identify World Trade Center responders with possible dementia

IntroductionWorld Trade Center (WTC) responders have a high risk of early-onset cognitive impairment (CI), but little is known about the etiology including the extent to which CI in WTC responders is accompanied by cortical atrophy as is common in progressive diseases causing age-related CI such as Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. In the current study, we entrained an artificial neural network (ANN) to determine the accuracy of cortical thickness (CTX) on magnetic resonance imaging to identify World Trade Center responders at midlife (aged 44–65 years) with possible dementia. MethodsA total of 119 WTC responders (57 with CI and 62 with intact cognition) underwent a structural MRI scanning protocol including T1-weighted MPRAGE as part of two imaging studies. The discovery study was divided into training and validation samples, while a second replication sample was used. An ANN was trained using regional CTX measured across 34 unilateral regions of interest (ROIs) using Freesurfer software and ‘Desikan-Killiany’ brain atlas. The discovery sample was used for model development, and the replication sample was used to evaluate predictive accuracy. ResultsIn the WTC responder cohort, the ANN algorithm showed high discrimination performance for CI. The ANN model using regional CTX data from both hemispheres achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.96 95% C.I. ​= ​[0.91–1.00] (Accuracy ​= ​96.0%, Precision ​= ​97.8%, Recall ​= ​95.8%, Sensitivity ​= ​95.8%, Specificity ​= ​98.0%, F1 ​= ​96.8%) for the discovery sample and AUC ​= ​0.90 [0.70–1.00] (Accuracy ​= ​90.0%, Precision ​= ​90.0%, Sensitivity ​= ​90.0%, Specificity ​= ​90.0%, F1 ​= ​90.0%) in the replication sample. ConclusionAnalysis of bilateral regional CTX data derived from T1-weighted MPRAGE images by ANN analysis demonstrated excellent accuracy in distinguishing WTC responders with early-onset CI.

RUSSIAN POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND SECURITY INTERESTS IN CENTRAL ASIAN REGION: A STUDY

Russia and the Central Asian region have a long history ofengagements, based on Russian interests and the regionaldynamics that were changed from time to time. After aterrorist attack on the World Trade Centre, America hadstarted operations against Taliban Govt. in Afghanistan inthe name of the War on Terror and established militarybases in Central Asia. The Heads of Central Asiancountries and Russia condemned these attacks and initially,Russia supported the American campaign in this region.Later, with the Color revolutions and protests in regionalstates, Russia felt threatening and increased Americaninfluence in the region. The key points of the RussianRussia and the Central Asian region have a long history of engagements, based on Russian interests and the regional dynamics that were changed from time to time. After a terrorist attack on the World Trade Centre, America had started operations against Taliban Govt. in Afghanistan in the name of the War on Terror and established military bases in Central Asia. The Heads of Central Asian countries and Russia condemned these attacks and initially, Russia supported the American campaign in this region. Later, with the Color revolutions and protests in regional states, Russia felt threatening and increased American influence in the region. The key points of the RussianFederation’s foreign policy in the Central Asian region are institutional integration, helping in energy ventures, and strengthening security. The study conducts through the qualitative method. This article investigates the tactical significance of the region of Central Asia toward Russia. It also focuses on Russian security, political and economicinterests in this region.

Association of quantitative CT lung density measurements and lung function decline in World Trade Center workers.

BackgroundOccupational exposures at the WTC site after 11 September 2001 have been associated with presumably inflammatory chronic lower airway diseases.AimsIn this study, we describe the trajectories of expiratory air flow decline, identify subgroups with adverse progression, and investigate the association of those trajectories with quantitative computed tomography (QCT) imaging measurement of increased and decreased lung density.MethodsWe examined the trajectories of expiratory air flow decline in a group of 1,321 former WTC workers and volunteers with at least three periodic spirometries, and using QCT‐measured low (LAV%, −950 HU) and high (HAV%, from −600 to −250 HU) attenuation volume percent. We calculated the individual regression line slopes for first‐second forced expiratory volume (FEV1slope), identified subjects with rapidly declining (“accelerated decliners”) and increasing (“improved”), and compared them to subjects with “intermediate” (0 to −66.5 mL/year) FEV1slope. We then used multinomial logistic regression to model those three trajectories, and the two lung attenuation metrics.ResultsThe mean longitudinal FEV1 slopes for the entire study population, and its intermediate, decliner, and improved subgroups were, respectively, −40.4, −34.3, −106.5, and 37.6 mL/year. In unadjusted and adjusted analyses, LAV% and HAV% were both associated with “accelerated decliner” status (ORadj, 95% CI 2.37, 1.41–3.97, and 1.77, 1.08–2.89, respectively), compared to the intermediate decline.ConclusionsLongitudinal FEV1 decline in this cohort, known to be associated with QCT proximal airway inflammation metric, is also associated with QCT indicators of increased and decreased lung density. The improved FEV1 trajectory did not seem to be associated with lung density metrics.

World Trade Center Exposure and Posttraumatic Growth: Assessing Positive Psychological Change 15 Years after 9/11.

We evaluated the presence of posttraumatic growth (PTG) among survivors of the 9/11 terrorist attack and how indicators of psychosocial well-being, direct 9/11-related exposure, and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) relate to PTG. PTG was examined among 4934 participants using the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI). A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to determine if the original factor structure of the PTGI fits our data and principal component analysis (PCA) to identify the appropriate factor structure. Multivariable linear regression models were used to examine the association between PTG and indicators of psychosocial well-being, 9/11-related exposure, and PTSS, controlling for covariates. CFA identified a two-factor structure of the PTGI as a better fit than the original five-factor model. Participants who experienced very high 9/11-related exposure level (ß = 7.72; 95% CI: 5.75–9.70), higher PTSS at waves 1 (ß = 0.13; 95% CI: 0.08–0.18) and 2 (ß = 0.09; 95% CI: 0.05–0.14), high social integration (ß = 5.71; 95% CI: 4.47, 6.96), greater social support (ß = 0.49; 95% CI: 0.37, 0.61), and higher self-efficacy (ß = 1.26; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.48) had higher PTGI scores. Our findings suggest PTG is present, 15 years following the 9/11 terrorist attack. Very high-level 9/11 exposure, PTSS, and indicators of psychosocial well-being were associated with PTG.