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The 2012 report of the President’s Cancer Panel highlighted the overriding contribution of missed clinical opportunities to suboptimal HPV vaccination coverage. Since then, it remains unknown whether the rates of provider recommendations for the HPV vaccine in the US population have increased. We conducted an analysis of four rounds of the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS), a household survey of civilian US residents aged 18 y or older. A total of 1,415 (2012), 1,476 (2014), 1,208 (2017), and 1,344 (2018) respondents to the HINTS survey who were either HPV vaccine-eligible or living with HPV vaccine-eligible individuals were included. Overall, the rates of providers’ recommendations remained stagnated from 2012 to 2018 in all categories of the study population, except for non-Hispanic Blacks (NHBs), where this prevalence increased during the study period (AAPC = 16.4%, p

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) can cause profound immune-related adverse events (irAEs). The host genetic background is likely to play a role in irAE susceptibility because the presentation of toxicity varies among patients and many do not develop irAEs despite continued ICI use. We sought to identify potential genetic markers conferring risk for irAEs. We conducted a pilot exploratory study in 89 melanoma patients who received ICIs (44 with irAEs, and 45 without irAEs after at least 1 year from starting treatment). Genotyping was performed using the Infinium Multi-Ethnic Global-8 v1.0 Bead Chip. The genotype data were extracted using PLINK (v1.90b3.34) and processed for quality control. Population structure-based clustering was carried out using IBS matrix, pairwise population concordance test (p

Programs aimed at boosting human papillomavirus (HPV)-related awareness are considered one of the most effective strategies for increasing vaccination uptake and eliminating HPV-associated cancers. Several US states have made strong commitments to this effort through legislation and dedicated funds. However, it is not known if these efforts have resulted in population-level increments in HPV awareness overtime. Using the Health Information National Trends Survey data, we examined the awareness of HPV and HPV vaccine in the US, between 2008 and 2018. Prevalence estimates and confidence intervals were calculated for HPV and HPV vaccine awareness. Further, we assessed awareness after stratifying by key sociodemographic characteristics. Overall, the awareness of HPV and HPV vaccine declined over time. The lowest awareness was among racial minorities, rural residents, male respondents, those aged 65 years and older, as well as those with the lowest educational and socioeconomic standing. Between 2013 and 2018, the awareness of HPV and HPV vaccine declined by almost 10% among males, those with a high school level of education or lower, and those who earned less than USD 35,000 per annum. In 2018, the awareness of HPV and HPV vaccine was highest among non-Hispanic whites (65.8% and 66.5%) and female adults (70.5% and 71.4%); however, these figures represented declines of about 5% from rates observed in 2008. Amidst a background of sub-optimal HPV vaccination uptake and a growing incidence of HPV-associated cancers in the US, HPV-related awareness within the general US population has declined over time. This calls for stricter enforcement of legislation aimed at boosting HPV awareness, as well as frequent evaluation of government-funded HPV awareness programs.

BACKGROUND Infants with more severe brachial plexus birth injury (BPBI) benefit from primary nerve surgery to improve function. The timing of the surgery, however, is controversial. The Treatment and Outcomes of Brachial Plexus Injury (TOBI) study is a multicenter prospective study with the primary aim of determining the optimal timing of this surgical intervention. This study compared outcomes evaluated 18 to 36 months after "early" microsurgery (at 6 months of age). METHODS Of 216 patients who had undergone microsurgery, 118 were eligible for inclusion because they had had a nerve graft and/or transfer followed by at least 1 physical examination during the 18 to 36-month interval after the microsurgery but before any secondary surgery. Patients were grouped according to whether the surgery had been performed before or after 6 months of age. Postoperative outcomes were measured using the total Active Movement Scale (AMS) score as well as the change in the AMS score. To address hand reinnervation, we calculated a hand function subscore from the AMS hand items and repeated the analysis only for the subjects with a Narakas grade of 3 or 4. Our hypothesis was that microsurgery done before 6 months of age would lead to better clinical outcomes than microsurgery performed after 6 months of age. RESULTS Eighty subjects (68%) had early surgery (at a mean age of 4.2 months), and 38 (32%) had late surgery (at a mean age of 10.7 months and a maximum age of 22.0 months). Infants who underwent early surgery presented earlier in life, had more severe injuries at baseline, and had a significantly lower postoperative AMS scores in the unadjusted analysis. However, when we controlled for the severity of the injury, the difference in the AMS scores between the early and late surgery groups was not significant. Similarly, when we restricted our multivariable analysis to patients with a Narakas grade-3 or 4 injury, there was no significant difference in the postoperative AMS hand subscore between the early and late groups. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that surgery earlier in infancy (at a mean age of 4.2 months) does not lead to better postoperative outcomes of BPBI nerve surgery than when the surgery is performed later in infancy (mean age of 10.7 months). LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Prognostic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Background: Cancer beliefs and perceptions of cancer risk affect the cancer continuum. Identifying underlying factors associated with these beliefs and perceptions in Texas can help inform and target prevention efforts. Methods: We developed a cancer-focused questionnaire and administered it online to a nonprobability sample of the Texas population. Weighted multivariable logistic regression analysis identified key factors associated with perceptions and beliefs about cancer. Results: The study population comprised 2,034 respondents (median age, 44.4 years) of diverse ethnicity: 45.5% were non-Hispanic white, 10.6% non-Hispanic black, and 35.7% Hispanic. Self-reported depression was significantly associated with cancer risk perceptions and cancer beliefs. Those indicating frequent and infrequent depression versus no depression were more likely to believe that: (i) compared to other people their age, they were more likely to get cancer in their lifetime [OR, 2.92; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.95–4.39 and OR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.17–2.74, respectively]; and (ii) when they think about cancer, they automatically think about death (OR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.56–2.69 and OR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.11–1.92, respectively). Frequent depression versus no depression was also associated with agreement that (i) it seems like everything causes cancer (OR, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.26–2.22) and (ii) there is not much one can do to lower one's chance of getting cancer (OR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.09–1.89). Other predictors for perceived cancer risk and/or cancer beliefs were sex, age, ethnicity/race, being born in the United States, marital status, income, body mass index, and smoking. Conclusions: Depression and other predictors are associated with cancer risk perceptions and beliefs in Texas. Impact: Increased attention to reducing depression may improve cancer risk perceptions and beliefs.

PURPOSE: The increasing incidence of skin cancer is a global health issue. In order to identify at-risk populations in Texas, we compared sun protection behaviors and sunburn history across rural and urban counties. METHODS: An online health screening survey collected data from a non-probability sample of Texas residents in 2018. Data were weighted by sex, age, race, and ethnicity. Multinomial multivariable logistic regression identified key factors associated with sun protection behaviors and sunscreen use. Weighted Pearson’s χtest identified differences between urban and rural respondents in strength of sunscreen used and sunburn history. FINDINGS: Rural residents in Texas were less likely to seek shade (OR = 0.58; P = .004) and less likely to use sunscreen lotion (OR = 0.65; P = .013) compared to their urban counterparts. Sunscreen use was also lower among current versus never smokers (OR = 0.67; P = .034) but higher in those with personal versus no cancer history (OR = 2.14; P = .004). Although rural versus urban residents were more likely to use higher SPF sunscreen (P < .001), they had more sunburns in the past 12 months (P < .001). They also had more blistering sunburns over the course of their life (P < .001) and these injuries were more likely to occur at an earlier age, between 5–14 years old (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Increased attention to sun protective behaviors among rural communities in Texas is vital to help reduce the high prevalence of sunburn injury and incidence of skin cancer.

Functional Dyspepsia (FD) is a common functional gastrointestinal disease, which can reduce the quality of life in patients. Prior research has indicated that insula is closely related to FD and that acupuncture can regulate the functional connectivity (FC) of FD. Therefore, we hypothesized that acupuncture on FD was effected through the insular pathway. To test our hypothesis, we performed electroacupuncture (EA) on FD rat models and then examined the FC between insula and other brain regions through resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). Seven-day-old male infant Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into control group, FD model group, and FD acupuncture group, with twelve rats per group (n = 36). Upon establishing successful models, the FD acupuncture group was subjected to EA intervention using Stomach back-shu (BL-21) and front-mu (RN-12) points for ten consecutive days for durations of 20 minutes each day. After intervention, each group was subject to rs-fMRI. The digital image data obtained were analyzed using FC analysis methods. Subsequently, gastric ligation was performed to measure gastric emptying rates. Before EA intervention, the FD model group exhibited decreased functional connections between the insula and a number of brain regions. After EA intervention, FD acupuncture group exhibited increasing FC between insula and regions when compared to the FD model group, such as the primary somatosensory cortex (S1), hippocampal CA3 (CA3), polymorphic layer of dentate gyrus (PoDG), caudate putamen (CPu), and oral pontine reticular nuclei (PnO) P < 0.05 ; decreasing FC was also exhibited between insula and regions such as the bilateral primary and secondary motor cortexes (M1/2), paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVA), and limbic cortex (LC). These findings indicate that the effective treatment of FD using EA may be through regulating the abnormal FC between insula and several brain regions, in particular CA3, PoDG, and PVA.

Background Current understanding of genetic factors associated with pain severity, and improvement of pain with opioids in advanced cancer patients (AC) is inadequate for delivery of personalized pain therapy (PPT). Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the genetic factors associated with pain severity, daily opioid dose, and pain response in AC patients receiving supportive care. Methods In this prospective study, AC patients were eligible if they had cancer pain ≥4/10 on Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) - Pain Item and needed opioid rotation for pain control by specialist at the outpatient supportive care center. Association of genetic factors with pain phenotype was assessed using logistic regression models and SKATO (Gene-block) analysis. Results About 174/178 (98%) patient samples were analyzed. After adjustment for demographic and clinical variables, pain severity was negatively associated with intron variant alleles in OPRM1 rs9322446, P = 0.02; rs2270459, P = 0.038; rs62052210, P = 0.038. Opioid daily dose was positively associated NFKBIA rs2233419, P = 0.008; rs2233417, P = 0.007; rs3138054, P = 0.008; rs1050851, P = 0.015; ORPM1 rs9479759, P = 0.046; rs2003185, P = 0.047; rs636433, P = 0.044; COMT (rs9306234, P = 0.014; rs165728, P = 0.014; rs2020917, P = 0.036; rs165728, P = 0.034); ARRB2 (rs1045280, P = 0.045); and pain response to opioids was negatively associated OPRM1 rs1319339, P = 0.024; rs34427887, P = 0.048; and COMT rs4646316, P = 0.03; rs35478083, P = 0.028, respectively. SKATO analysis showed association between pain severity and CXCL8 (P = 0.0056), and STAT6 (P = 0.0297) genes respectively, and pain response with IL-6 (P = 0.00499). Conclusions This study identified that SNPs of OPRM1, COMT, NFKBIA, CXCL8, IL-6, STAT6, and ARRB2 genes were associated with pain severity, opioid daily dose, and pain response in AC receiving supportive care. Additional studies are needed to validate our findings for PPT.

In this paper, we evaluate American-style, path-dependent derivatives with an artificial intelligence technique. Specifically, we use swarm intelligence to find the optimal exercise boundary for an American-style derivative. Swarm intelligence is particularly efficient (regarding computation and accuracy) in solving high-dimensional optimization problems and hence, is perfectly suitable for valuing complex American-style derivatives (e.g., multiple-asset, path-dependent) which require a high-dimensional optimal exercise boundary.

Background There is an established link between depression and tobacco use among adults; however, to date, research has not explored the association of use of dual/poly tobacco products with symptoms and use of medication for depression. Methods Data were derived from a 2018 Texas population health assessment survey (n = 2034). Multivariable logistic and multinomial regressions were used to examine for associations between self-reported symptoms of depression and use of prescription medications for depression with use of dual/poly tobacco products. Results About 20% of adults used one tobacco product, while 9.7% used two or more products. Compared to those without depressive symptoms, those with depressive symptoms had greater odds of single (aOR: 1.66, 95% CI; 1.21 – 2.29) or dual/poly (aOR: 3.09, 95% CI; 1.92 – 4.96) tobacco product use relative to non-users; and relative to single product use, those with depressive symptoms had greater odds of dual/poly tobacco product use (aOR: 2.07; 95% CI, 1.30 – 3.32). Compared to those not using medication for depression, use of medication for depression was associated with a 1.80 (95% CI: 1.15 – 2.84) greater odds of dual/poly tobacco product use relative to non-users; and a 1.91 (95% CI: 1.14 – 3.19) greater odds of dual/poly product use relative to single product users. Conclusions Study findings call for primary care providers and psychiatrists to expand screening of individuals experiencing depressive symptoms and using medication for depression, to include assessment for dual/poly tobacco product use.

Background The upward trends of vaccine exemptions in Texas are alarming. While HPV vaccine rates in this State are among the lowest nationwide, factors that contribute to the low HPV vaccination uptake among adults remain unknown. In this study, we examined the main reasons for not receiving HPV vaccination among age‐eligible adults. Methods The Texas health screening survey (2018), a multistage area probability design‐based survey of a representative sample of Texas residents, was used to identify 907 eligible adults (age ≥ 18 years) respondents, including 724 women aged ≤ 26 years in 2007 (≤38 years in 2018), and 183 men aged ≤ 21 years in 2011 (≤28 years in 2018). Participants who reported having never received an HPV shot, where asked the main reason for not receiving the vaccine. Results Overall, 58.5% (95%CI: 55.1‐62.0) of vaccine eligible adults reported having never received the HPV vaccine. The most commonly reported reasons for not receiving it were: did not know about the vaccine (18.5% (14.9‐22.1)), and provider did not recommend (14.1% (10.9‐17.4)). In contrast, commonly perceived reasons such as: safety concerns (7.2% (4.8‐9.5)), lack of insurance (3.4% (1.7‐5.1), and concerns about increasing sexual activity if vaccinated (0.2% (0.0‐0.5)), were less frequently reported. Conclusion Among vaccine‐eligible adults, safety and sexuality concerns do not appear to be the prime factors underlying low HPV vaccination rates. Rather than emphasizing them, educational interventions should aim at improving vaccine's knowledge, and enhancing provider recommendations on the necessity of HPV vaccination., Among HPV‐vaccine eligible adults, lack of knowledge about the vaccine and lack of provider recommendations are the most commonly reported reasons for not receiving the HPV vaccine. In this population, educational interventions should focus on enhancing HPV vaccine's knowledge and provider recommendations of the necessity and awareness of HPV vaccination.

Neuropathic pain (NP), defined as pain initiated or caused by a primary lesion or dysfunction in the nervous system, is a debilitating chronic pain condition often resulting from cancer treatment. Among cancer patients, neuropathy during cancer treatment is a predisposing event for NP. To identify genetic variants influencing the development of NP, we conducted a genome-wide association study in 1,043 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, based on 714,494 tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (130 cases, 913 controls). About 12.5% of the patients, who previously had cancer treatment, had neuropathy-associated diagnoses, as defined using the ICD-9/ICD-10 codes. We identified four common SNPs representing four genomic regions: 7q22.3 (rs10950641; SNX8; P = 3.39 × 10−14), 19p13.2 (rs4804217; PCP2; P = 2.95 × 10−9), 3q27.3 (rs6796803; KNG1; P = 6.42 × 10−9) and 15q22.2 (rs4775319; RORA; P = 1.02 × 10−8), suggesting SNX8, PCP2, KNG1 and RORA might be novel target genes for NP in patients with head and neck cancer. Future experimental validation to explore physiological effects of the identified SNPs will provide a better understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying NP and may provide insights into novel therapeutic targets for treatment and management of NP.

Employing a process-based perspective and using a generalized method of moments (GMM) procedure, this paper examines the difference in innovation activities between family firms and non-family firms in China. We find that the level of research and development (R&D) by family firms is dependent on prior R&D spending and more so relative to non-family firms. Next, we find that R&D investment by family firms is more likely to be motivated by the availability of both internal and external cash flows relative to non-family firms. Further analysis suggests that these findings are unlikely to be driven by firm maturity.

Background Use of e-cigarettes for tobacco cessation efforts is a growing trend in the United States. However, little is known about the factors that determine the use of e-cigarettes for this specific purpose. Methods This study examined current and former cigarette smokers that reported ever using e-cigarettes. Data were obtained from a 2018 Texas population health assessment survey (n = 569) and weighted to be representative to Texas. A multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the socio-demographic and behavioral correlates of using e-cigarettes for tobacco cessation. Results Overall, 41.3% of e-cigarette users reported using them for tobacco cessation. Among ever e-cigarette users, Non-Hispanic blacks (aOR: 0.21; 95% CI, 0.07–0.64), males (aOR: 0.40; 95% CI, 0.20–0.80), and individuals not confident in obtaining health information (aOR: 0.38; 95% CI, 0.15–0.96) were less likely to use e-cigarettes for tobacco use cessation. Conversely, among ever e-cigarette users, odds of using e-cigarettes for tobacco cessation were higher among those who were 35–44 years old (aOR: 3.68, 95% CI: 1.26–10.71), those who received advice to quit smoking from a healthcare professional (aOR: 2.77, 95% CI, 1.36–5.64), and those with more than 5 years since their last routine checkup (aOR: 3.91; 95% CI, 1.23–12.45). Conclusion Findings from this study suggest that both health behaviors and sociodemographic factors predict use of e-cigarettes for the purpose of tobacco cessation. Furthermore, the relationship between use of e-cigarettes as a cessation device and being advised to quit tobacco use by a healthcare professional calls for additional investigation.

Key Points Question What was the reach of federal court–ordered antismoking advertisements among the US adult population? Findings In a cross-sectional survey of US adults, estimated exposure to federal court–ordered antismoking advertisements was 40.6%. Exposure rates were lowest among those aged 18 to 34 years (37.4%), those with a high school education or less (34.5%), those earning less than $35 000 per year (37.5%), and Hispanic current smoker respondents (42.2%). Meaning Penetration of the tobacco industry–funded antismoking advertisements was suboptimal within the US population and in populations at greatest risk of tobacco use., This cross-sectional study assesses the reach of court-ordered antismoking advertisements among the US adult population, stratified by demographic characteristics and tobacco use., Importance In 2006, US District Judge Gladys Kessler ordered tobacco companies to make corrective statements through paid advertisements informing the public of their deceptive practices. This landmark ruling and its subsequent execution represent the first time the tobacco industry sponsored a nationwide corrective advertising campaign against its own products. Objective To assess the reach of the court-ordered antismoking advertisements within the US adult population, stratified by demographic characteristics and tobacco use. Design, Setting, and Participants This nationally representative, population-based cross-sectional survey of US adults included respondents to the 2018 Health Information National Trends Survey 5, Cycle 2. Respondents were representatives of households selected by equal-probability sampling of the Marketing Systems Group database of addresses that included all nonvacant US residential addresses. Data collection was conducted from January to May 2018, and analysis took place from December 2018 to April 2019. Main Outcomes and Measures Self-reported exposure to court-ordered antismoking advertisements. Results The overall sample of 3484 respondents included 2054 women (weighted percentage, 50.8%), 1976 non-Hispanic white respondents (weighted percentage, 59.9%), 2952 respondents who lived in urban US areas (weighted percentage, 84.9%), and 450 current smokers (weighted percentage, 15.6%). Estimated exposure to court-ordered antismoking advertisements was 40.6% (95% CI, 37.5%-43.7%) among the full sample and 50.5% (95% CI, 41.4%-59.6%) among current smokers. Exposure was lowest among those aged 18 to 34 years (37.4%; 95% CI, 28.0%-46.8%), those with a high school education or less (34.5%; 95% CI, 29.3%-39.8%), and those with household annual income less than $35 000 (37.5%; 95% CI, 32.0%-42.9%). Among current smokers, Hispanic respondents had lower exposure rates (42.2%; 95% CI, 18.5%-65.9%) than non-Hispanic white respondents (51.7%; 95% CI, 40.4%-63.1%). As the advertising campaign’s duration increased, exposure rates increased. Individuals with a high school education or less had lower odds of antismoking advertisement exposure than those with college or postgraduate degrees (adjusted odds ratio, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.48-0.94). Current smokers had higher odds of exposure than never smokers (adjusted odds ratio, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.17-2.80). Among those exposed to antismoking advertisements, 70.5% saw multiple antismoking messages. Conclusions and Relevance Approximately 1 of 2 smokers reported exposure to the federal court–ordered antismoking advertisements. However, exposure was relatively lower among several subgroups, including individuals aged 18 to 34 years, only one-third of whom reported exposure. Increasing the duration of antismoking advertisements as well as expanding their coverage to youth-oriented media may increase their potential public health impact.

BackgroundBeliefs are known to be a key determinant in vaccines’ uptake. However, little is known about beliefs surrounding the success of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in preventing cervical cancer in the United States.MethodsData from the Health Information National Trends Survey 5 Cycle 1 (2017) were analyzed for 1851 female respondents aged 18 years and older. Weighted multinomial logistic regression was employed to determine predictors of beliefs in the success of the HPV vaccine in preventing cervical cancer.ResultsOverall, 29.8% of women believed that HPV vaccine is successful in preventing cervical cancer, 6.6% believed it is not successful, and 63.6% did not know if the HPV vaccine is successful. Non-Hispanic blacks (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.80, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.16 to 2.79), women with no more than 12 years of education (aOR = 2.05, 95% CI = 1.17 to 3.60), those who did not know if they were advised by a health-care provider to get an HPV shot within the last 12 months (aOR = 4.19, 95% CI = 1.39 to 12.60), and those unaware of a family cancer history (aOR = 5.17, 95% CI = 1.48 to 18.21) were more likely to not know whether the HPV vaccine prevents cervical cancer. Women younger than 65 years were more likely than elderly to believe that the HPV vaccine is not successful at preventing cervical cancer.ConclusionsA substantial proportion of US women are uninformed about the HPV vaccine. To accelerate progress in the HPV vaccine’s uptake, future interventions should incorporate educational programs, particularly targeting Non-Hispanic blacks, women with a lower level of education, and those younger than 65 years. Health-care providers’ participation in promotion of patient education about HPV vaccination should also be increased.

Purpose In the United States, recommended options for cervical cancer screening in women aged 30 years or older include cytology alone or a combination of cytology and human papillomavirus (HPV) testing (co-testing). Although there is a body of evidence suggesting that co-testing may be the preferred screening option in this group of women, little is known about the characteristics of women who screen for cervical cancer with co-testing. Methods A multistage area probability design-based survey was administered to a representative sample of Texas residents. Of the 1348 female respondents, 572 women aged 30 years or older were included in this analysis. Population-weighted survey logistic regression was used to identify determinants of cervical screening with co-testing versus screening with cytology alone. Results Women vaccinated against HPV (aOR: 4.48, 95% CI: 1.25–15.97) or hepatitis B virus [aOR: 2.48 (1.52–4.02)], those with a personal cancer history [aOR: 2.96 (1.29–6.77)], and hormonal contraception users [aOR: 2.03 (1.03–3.97)] were more likely to be screened with co-testing than with cytology alone. Moreover, the likelihood of being screened with co-testing decreased with increasing age and decreasing annual household income. Conclusions Benefits and indications of co-testing should be better explained to women and health care providers.

Background: Programs aimed at boosting awareness on Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and HPV vaccination are considered one of the most effective strategies for increasing vaccination uptake and eliminating HPV-associated cancers. Several US states have demonstrated a strong commitment to this effort through legislation and dedicated funds, however the impact of this intervention over time remains poorly studied. Methods: Using a nationally representative population of US adults from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS), we examined for awareness of HPV and HPV vaccination between 2009 and 2018. Prevalence estimates and confidence intervals were calculated for HPV and HPV vaccination awareness. Further, we assessed awareness status after stratifying by key sociodemographic characteristics. Results: Overall, the awareness of HPV and HPV vaccination declined over time. This finding was consistent across gender and socioeconomic strata. The lowest rates of awareness were found among those with educational level at or below high school completion, those who earned less than $35,000 per annum, rural residents, and male adults, aged 60 years and older. Declines in awareness of HPV or HPV vaccination between 2014 and 2018 were more than 10% among male adults, those with educational level at or below high school completion and those who earned less than $35,000 per annum. Only 36.1% of adults with high school education or lower had ever heard of HPV vaccine in 2018, a 15.6% reduction from 2009. In 2018 awareness of HPV and HPV vaccine was highest among non-Hispanic whites (65.8% and 66.5%) and female adults (70.5% and 71.4%), however these figures represented declines of at least 5% from rates observed in 2009. Discussion: Amid a background of sub-optimal HPV vaccination uptake and a growing incidence of HPV-associated cancers in the US, the awareness of HPV and HPV vaccination within the general population has declined over time. This calls for stricter enforcement of legislature aimed at boosting HPV awareness, as well as frequent evaluations of government-funded HPV awareness programs. Citation Format: Onyema G. Chido-Amajuoyi, Inimfon Jackson, Robert Yu, Sanjay Shete. Declining awareness of HPV and HPV vaccination within the general US population [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 1140.

Background To date, studies on inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) lack comprehensive epidemiological data. We analyzed detailed prospectively collected clinical and epidemiological data from the IBC Registry at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Methods Patients with IBC (n = 248) were consecutively diagnosed and prospectively enrolled between November 2006 and April 2013. All patients were newly diagnosed and at least 18 years old. Secondary IBC was excluded. Overall 160 variables were collected and evaluated including sociodemographics, anthropometrics, tobacco and alcohol consumption, reproductive variables, and family history data. Results Mean age at diagnosis was 51.6 (±11.5 SD) years, and the majority of patients were White (77.8%). A mean BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2, irrespective of menopausal status, was observed in 80.2% of all patients, with 82.6% of African Americans being obese. Approximately 42.2% of patients were ever smokers, and 91% reported ever being pregnant. A history of breastfeeding was reported in 54% of patients, with significant differences between ethnic groups in favor of White women (P

Purpose – The purpose of our paper is to empirically examine the conjectures, which prior literature suggests, that employees work more productively in socially responsible companies and employees are willing to work for less when they work for these companies. Design/methodology/approach – This study uses ordinary least squares regression to examine the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and employee performance and between CSR and employee cost. Further, 2SLS is used to address the endogeneity issue. Findings – The results indicate a positive relation between CSR and employee performance, suggesting that employees in socially responsible companies generate better operating performance than their peers in less socially responsible companies. Findings also reveal that socially responsible companies incur higher labor cost. Research limitations/implications – First, the CSR ratings constructed by KLD Inc. are an approximate measure of CSR performance. Better CSR measures may yield stronger results. Additionally, the sample firms in our study are relatively large firms. Caution needs be exercised when readers generalize these conclusions. Finally, this sample only consists of public firms. Whether these conclusions hold in private firms remains unknown. The above issues can be investigated in future studies. Practical implications – The findings of our study should interest managers who contemplate engaging in socially responsible activities, investors and financial analysts who assess firm performance and policymakers who design and implement guidelines on CSR programs. Originality/value – This is the first paper that directly tests the association between CSR and employee performance and cost. Thus, this study contributes to the CSR literature by offering evidence to show a positive effect of CSR on employee performance. It also contributes to the management accounting literature.

2586 Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) can cause profound immune-related adverse events (irAEs). The host genetic background is likely to play a role in irAEs susceptibility as the phenotype of toxicity varies among patients (pts) and many pts do not develop toxicity despite continued inhibition. Methods: Genotyping was performed for 89 melanoma pts who received ICI using the Infinium Multi-Ethnic Global-8 v1.0 Bead Chip. The genotype data was extracted using PLINK (v1.90b3.34) and processed for quality control including on call rate (>99%), genotyping rate (>95%), minor allele frequency (no less than 5%), and Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium (p

This paper conducts a fundamental analysis of Chinese firms based on accounting numbers in their financial statements. The sample consists of 2,164 Chinese firms listed on Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges during the period 2001 to 2013. We use nine fundamental signals and specify a benchmark model and an augmented model. We regress future excess returns on the signals and find that they are associated with excess returns; five of the signals are negatively associated with excess returns, while the other four are positively associated with excess returns. Further analysis suggests that our finding is mainly driven by state-owned firms.

Pain is often one of the first signs of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC). Pain at diagnosis is an important prognostic marker for the development of chronic pain and importantly, for the overall survival time. To identify variants influencing severe pre-treatment pain in 1,368 patients newly diagnosed with HNSCC, we conducted a genome-wide association study based on 730,525 tagging SNPs. The patients were all previously untreated for cancer. About 15% of the patients had severe pre-treatment pain, defined as pain score ≥7 (0 = “no pain” and 10 = “worst pain”). We identified 3 common genetic variants in high linkage disequilibrium for severe pre-treatment pain, representing one genomic region at 1q44 (rs3862188, P = 3.45 × 10−8; rs880143, P = 3.45 × 10−8; and rs7526880, P = 4.92 × 10−8), which maps to the RP11-634B7.4 gene, a novel antisense gene to three olfactory receptor genes. Olfactory receptor genes, upstream effectors of the MAPK signaling cascade, might be novel target genes for pain in HNSCC patients. Future experimental validation to explore biological mechanisms will be key to defining the role of the intronic variants and non-coding RNA for pain in patients with HNSCC.

Background: Established psychosocial risk factors increase the risk for experimentation among Mexican origin youth. Now, we comprehensively investigate the added contribution of select polymorphisms in candidate genetic pathways associated with sensation seeking, risk taking, and smoking phenotypes to predict experimentation. Methods: Participants (N = 1,118 Mexican origin youth) recruited from a large population-based cohort study in Houston, TX, provided prospective data on cigarette experimentation over 3 years. Psychosocial data were elicited twice—baseline and final follow-up. Participants were genotyped for 672 functional and tagging variants in the dopamine, serotonin, and opioid pathways. Results: After adjusting for gender and age, with a Bayesian False Discovery Probability set at 0.8 and prior probability of 0.05, six gene variants were significantly associated with risk of experimentation. After controlling for established risk factors, multivariable analyses revealed that participants with six or more risk alleles were 2.25 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.62–3.13] times more likely to have experimented since baseline than participants with five or fewer. Among committed never-smokers (N = 872), three genes (OPRM1, SNAP25, HTR1B) were associated with experimentation as were all psychosocial factors. Among susceptible youth (N = 246), older age at baseline, living with a smoker, and three different genes (HTR2A, DRD2, SLC6A3) predicted experimentation. Conclusions: Our findings, which have implications for development of culturally specific interventions, need to be validated in other ethnic groups. Impact: These results suggest that variations in select genes interact with a cognitive predisposition toward smoking. In susceptible adolescents, the impact of the genetic variants appears to be larger than committed never-smokers. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 21(1); 228–38. ©2011 AACR.

Using a large sample of Chinese family firms and nonfamily firms, we examine whether family ownership is associated with higher or lower levels of real earnings management (REM). On the basis of the agency and stewardship theories, we develop two competing hypotheses. Our findings are consistent with the prediction of the stewardship theory that family firms engage in lower levels of real activities manipulation relative to nonfamily firms. Specifically, family businesses are less likely to accelerate sales, over-produce, cut discretionary expenditures, or engage in more than one real activities manipulation. In our analyses, we control for a number of firm properties and fixed effects. Further analysis suggests that the negative association between family ownership and real activities manipulation is more prominent for young family firms than for mature family firms. Our results are robust to different measures of family firms, alternative measures of REM, and potential endogeneity.

The vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC)-specific isoform of alpha-actin (ACTA2) is a major component of the contractile apparatus in SMCs located throughout the arterial system. Heterozygous ACTA2 mutations cause familial thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections (TAAD), but only half of mutation carriers have aortic disease. Linkage analysis and association studies of individuals in 20 families with ACTA2 mutations indicate that mutation carriers can have a diversity of vascular diseases, including premature onset of coronary artery disease (CAD) and premature ischemic strokes (including Moyamoya disease [MMD]), as well as previously defined TAAD. Sequencing of DNA from patients with nonfamilial TAAD and from premature-onset CAD patients independently identified ACTA2 mutations in these patients and premature onset strokes in family members with ACTA2 mutations. Vascular pathology and analysis of explanted SMCs and myofibroblasts from patients harboring ACTA2 suggested that increased proliferation of SMCs contributed to occlusive diseases. These results indicate that heterozygous ACTA2 mutations predispose patients to a variety of diffuse and diverse vascular diseases, including TAAD, premature CAD, ischemic strokes, and MMD. These data demonstrate that diffuse vascular diseases resulting from either occluded or enlarged arteries can be caused by mutations in a single gene and have direct implications for clinical management and research on familial vascular diseases.

Background Despite well-established negative health consequences of smokeless tobacco use (STU), the number and variety of alternative non-combustible tobacco products on the market have increased tremendously over the last 10 years, as has the market share of these products relative to cigarettes. While STU among non-Hispanic white youth has decreased over the last 10 years, the prevalence has remained constant among Hispanic youth. Here we examine demographic, psychosocial, and genetic risk associated with STU among Mexican heritage youth. Methods Participants (50.5 % girls) reported on psychosocial risk factors in 2008–09 (n = 1,087, mean age = 14.3 years), and smokeless tobacco use in 2010–11 (mean age = 16.7 years). Participants provided a saliva sample that was genotyped for genes in the dopamine, serotonin and opioid pathways. Results Overall 62 (5.7 %) participants reported lifetime STU. We identified five single nucleotide polymorphisms that increased the risk for lifetime use. Specifically, rs2023902 on SERGEF (OR = 1.93; 95 % CI: 1.05-3.53), rs16941667 on ALDH2 (OR = 3.14; 95 % CI: 1.65-5.94), and rs17721739 on TPH1 (OR = 1.71; 95 % CI: 1.00-2.91) in the dopamine pathway, rs514912 on TRH-DE (OR = 1.84; 95 % CI: 1.25-2.71) in the serotonin pathway, and rs42451417 on the serotonin transporter gene, SLC6A4 (OR = 3.53; 95 % CI: 1.56-7.97). After controlling for genetic risk, being male (OR = 1.86; 95 % CI: 1.02-3.41), obesity status (OR = 2.22; 95 % CI: 1.21-4.09), and both higher levels of anxiety (OR = 1.04; 95 % CI: 1.01-1.08) and social disinhibition (OR = 1.26; 95 % CI: 1.07-1.48) were associated with increased use. High subjective social status (OR = 0.78; 95 % CI: 0.64-0.93) was protective against use, while higher parental education (OR = 2.01; 95 % CI: 1.03-3.93) was associated with increased use. Conclusions These data suggest that use of genetic risk, along with psychosocial, demographic, and behavioral risk factors may increase our ability to identify youth at increased risk for STU, which in turn may improve our ability to effectively target prevention messages to Mexican heritage youth.

IF=2.624; International audience; The present study focuses on the use of lubricating oil as a coolant for electrical motors. Oil is introduced at each side of a 40 kW test machine to directly cool the stator coil end-windings. An experimental setup has been implemented to test different oil injection patterns. The influence of the oil flow rate, rotation speed and oil temperature has been investigated (40 L/h

Mucositis is a complex, dose-limiting toxicity of chemotherapy or radiotherapy that leads to painful mouth ulcers, difficulty eating or swallowing, gastrointestinal distress, and reduced quality of life for patients with cancer. Mucositis is most common for those undergoing high-dose chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and for those being treated for malignancies of the head and neck. Treatment and management of mucositis remain challenging. It is expected that multiple genes are involved in the formation, severity, and persistence of mucositis. We used Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA), a novel network-based approach that integrates complex intracellular and intercellular interactions involved in diseases, to systematically explore the molecular complexity of mucositis. As a first step, we searched the literature to identify genes that harbor or are close to the genetic variants significantly associated with mucositis. Our literature review identified 27 candidate genes, of which ERCC1, XRCC1, and MTHFR were the most frequently studied for mucositis. On the basis of this 27-gene list, we used IPA to generate gene networks for mucositis. The most biologically significant novel molecules identified through IPA analyses included TP53, CTNNB1, MYC, RB1, P38 MAPK, and EP300. Additionally, uracil degradation II (reductive) and thymine degradation pathways (p = 1.06-08) were most significant. Finally, utilizing 66 SNPs within the 8 most connected IPA-derived candidate molecules, we conducted a genetic association study for oral mucositis in the head and neck cancer patients who were treated using chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy (186 head and neck cancer patients with oral mucositis vs. 699 head and neck cancer patients without oral mucositis). The top ranked gene identified through this association analysis was RB1 (rs2227311, p-value = 0.034, odds ratio = 0.67). In conclusion, gene network analysis identified novel molecules and biological processes, including pathways related to inflammation and oxidative stress, that are relevant to mucositis development, thus providing the basis for future studies to improve the management and treatment of mucositis in patients with cancer.

Identifying genetic variants associated with complex diseases is an important task in genetic research. Although association studies based on unrelated individuals (ie, case-control genome-wide association studies) have successfully identified common single-nucleotide polymorphisms for many complex diseases, these studies are not so likely to identify rare genetic variants. In contrast, family-based association studies are particularly useful for identifying rare-variant associations. Recently, there has been some interest in employing multilevel models in family-based genetic association studies. However, the performance of such models in these studies, especially for longitudinal family-based sequence data, has not been fully investigated. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the performance of the multilevel model in the family-based genetic association analysis and compared it with the conventional family-based association test, by examining the powers and type I error rates of the 2 approaches using 3 data sets from the Genetic Analysis Workshop 18 simulated data: genome-wide association single-nucleotide polymorphism data, sequence data, and rare-variants-only data. Compared with the univariate family-based association test, the multilevel model had slightly higher power to identify most of the causal genetic variants using the genome-wide association single-nucleotide polymorphism data and sequence data. However, both approaches had low power to identify most of the causal single-nucleotide polymorphisms, especially those among the relatively rare genetic variants. Therefore, we suggest a unified method that combines both approaches and incorporates collapsing strategy, which may be more powerful than either approach alone for studying genetic associations using family-based data.

Objective: Conventional treatment for mesothelioma is largely ineffective. We therefore evaluated the novel approach of adenoviral gene transfer of the proapoptotic Bcl-2 family member Bak in mesothelioma cancer cell lines, which are sensitive and resistant to adenoviral p53. Methods: Binary adenoviral Bak (Ad/GT-Bak and Ad/GV16) and LacZ (Ad/GT-LacZ and Ad/GV16) vectors were used for transduction of the mesothelioma cell lines I-45 (p53 resistant) and REN (p53 sensitive). Protein levels were determined by Western blotting. Apoptosis was assessed by morphologic changes, caspase-3 cleavage, and fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis of subdiploid populations. Cell viability was determined with the XTT assay. Statistical analysis was performed with analysis of variance and the Student t test. Results: High levels of Bak gene transfer were seen after coadministration of Ad/GT-Bak and Ad/GV16 in both mesothelioma cell lines. Apoptosis was induced 24 hours after Bak but not LacZ gene transfer ([Bak: I-45, 36%; REN, 25%] vs [LacZ: I-45, 1%; REN, 3%], P < .05]) in p53-sensitive (REN) and p53-resistant (I-45) cell lines. Cellular viability was significantly decreased 48 to 72 hours after Bak gene transfer compared with control vector in both cell lines (72 hours: Bak I-45, 1.4% ± 1.0%, and Bak REN, 4.7% ± 1%, vs Lac-Z I-45, 83% ± 3%, and Lac-Z REN, 100% ± 1%; P < .05). Conclusions: Adenovirus-mediated overexpression of the Bak gene induces apoptosis and decreased cellular viability in p53-sensitive and p53-resistant mesothelioma cells. These data suggest that the gene transfer of proapoptotic Bcl-2 family members may represent a novel gene therapy strategy to treat mesothelioma. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2001;121:61-7)

This paper examines the relation between corporate tax avoidance and debt policy using a large sample of firms from 1988 to 2006. We use modified measures of book-tax difference and long-run cash effective tax rate to proxy for tax avoidance. Using both measures we find consistent evidence that tax avoidance is negatively associated with leverage ratio. Further, we find that the substitution of non-debt tax avoidance for debt dissipates for very large, highly profitable firms, and firms with higher credit rating. Our findings are robust to alternative measures of leverage. Consistent with the debt substitution hypothesis, we offer new evidence to show that tax is an important factor in corporate capital structure decisions.

e17550Background: CTC enumeration in MPTC with EPCAM assays has been unsuccessful. We used an IFISH assay employing simultaneous analysis of 4 DNA probes derived from copy number variations detecte...

To determine the difference in the risk factors for systemic hypertension in preterm and term infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).Data were collected from an existing database of NICU children and confirmed by chart review. Systemic hypertension was defined when 3 separate measurements of systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure were95th percentile and an antihypertensive medication was administered for2 weeks in the NICU.Of 4203 infants, we identified 53 (1.3%) with treated hypertension, of whom 74% were preterm, 11% required surgical intervention, and 85% required medications on discharge. The presence of a patent ductus arteriosus, umbilical catheterization, left ventricular hypertrophy, hypertensive medication at discharge, and mortality was similar between the term and preterm infants. The major risk factors for preterm infants, especially those28 weeks' gestation, were bronchopulmonary dysplasia and iatrogenic factors, but, in term infants, they were systemic diseases. Term infants were diagnosed with hypertension earlier during hospitalization, had a shorter duration of stay in the NICU, and had a higher incidence of hypertension needing3 medications than preterm infants.Perinatal risk factors are significant contributors to infantile hypertension. Term infants were diagnosed with hypertension earlier, had a shorter duration of stay, and had a higher incidence of resistant hypertension than preterm infants.

Many objects in images of natural scenes are so complex and erratic, that describing them by the familiar models of classical geometry is inadequate. In this paper, we exploit the power of fractal geometry to generate global characteristics of natural scenes. In particular we are concerned with the following two questions: 1) Can we develop a measure which can distinguish between different global backgrounds (e.g., mountains and trees)? and 2) Can we develop a measure that is sensitive to change in distance (or scale)? We present a model based on fractional Brownian motion which will allow us to recover two characteristics related to the fractal dimension from silhouettes. The first characteristic is an estimate of the fractal dimension based on a least squares linear fit. We show that this feature is stable under a variety of real image conditions and use it to distinguish silhouettes of trees from silhouettes of mountains. Next we introduce a new theoretical concept called the average Holder constant and relate it mathematically to the fractal dimension. It is shown that this measurement is sensitive to scale in a predictable manner, and hence, provides the potential for use as a range indicator. Corroborating experimental results are presented.

Rapid developments of various technologies contribute to corresponding pedagogical applications. Adopting technology in education seems to become a trend, for example, Podcasting and smart card. In addition, the current generation of students is coming to campus with quite sophisticated technology skills and habits. Their skills and habits should be explored to facilitate their learning. This study values such trend and evaluates teachers' view in adopting technology tool in students' life. Within such scope, the concept of tool for learning and for living is investigated. An evaluation process is held to provide quantitative evidence, and corresponding results and discussions are presented. This study expects to render a preliminary understanding, and provide an idea about how the adoption of a technology in students' life may be proceeded in school and ensured for success.

Although epidemiological studies have suggested an association between atopy and glioma risk, these observations have been based on self-reporting of allergic conditions raising the possibility that associations may be noncausal and arise as a consequence of bias, reverse causation or other artifacts. Genetic information provides an alternative approach to investigate the relationship avoiding such biases. We analyzed 1,878 glioma cases and 3,670 controls for variants at 2q12, 5q12.1, 11q13 and 17q21 that are associated with asthma or eczema risk at p < 5.0 × 10−7. The SNP rs7216389, which tags the 3′ flanking region of ORMDL3 at 17q21 and has been associated with childhood asthma, was correlated with increased glioma risk (OR = 1.10; 95% CI: 1.01–1.19). These data provide evidence for a correlation between asthma susceptibility and glioma risk and illustrate the value of using genetics as an investigative tool for developing etiological hypotheses.

Background Despite the growth in youth sports in the United States, there is little information regarding sports participation in children with impairments, and specifically those with brachial plexus birth palsy (BPBP). The purpose of this investigation was to characterize the degree of sports participation, level of perceived diminished participation, and risk of sports-related injury in children with BPBP. Methods Eighty-five children with BPBP between 6 and 18 years of age were queried about their participation in athletics. Information regarding sports played, duration of activity, level of participation, and injuries sustained was obtained and compared with published age-matched normative pediatric data. In addition, measurements of upper limb function and patient/parent-derived functional outcomes assessments were obtained using the modified Mallet classification, the Toronto Test Score, the Hospital for Sick Children Active Movement Scale, and the Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument. Results Similar to the published normative pediatric data, 75 (88%) of BPBP children played sports, with 61 (72%) involved in individual and 54 (63%) in team sports. The children participated in a broad variety of sports, including those requiring upper extremity dexterity such as baseball, basketball, swimming, and gymnastics. Although most participated at a local/recreational level, some children did compete at the professional/national level. Types of sports injuries were also similar to published pediatric norms, with bruises and sprains being most common. Although the study cohort had lower Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument functional scores than the general population, these scores did not statistically differ between those children who played sports and those who did not. Conclusions Despite differences in upper extremity and overall functional scores, children with BPBP safely participate in a broad variety of sports, at levels similar to published pediatric norms. Level of Evidence Level 2—prognostic.

Several genetic determinants responsible for individual variation in gene expression have been located using linkage and association analyses. These analyses have revealed regulatory relationships between genes. The heritability of expression variation as a quantitative phenotype reflects its underlying genetic architecture. Using support vector machine regression (SVMR) and gene ontological information, we proposed an approach to identify gene relationships in expression data provided by Genetic Analysis Workshop 15 that would facilitate subsequent genetic analyses. A group of related genes were selected for a shared biological theme, and SVMR was trained to form a regression model using the training gene expressions. The model was subsequently used to search for and capture similarly related genes. SVMR shows promising capability in modeling and seeking gene relationships through expression data.

This study examines the effect of two major authoring technologies upon the development of e-learning material. Supported by interviews with an instructor and analysis of the developed learning material, this study provides practical quality and quantity results and serves as an initial step in gauging the effect of authoring technologies. This study also intends to point out the interrelationship between authoring technology, pedagogical concerns, and available resources.

Advanced technology has changed the way how people learn. Especially in the domain of mobile learning, because of the invention of new technologies, advanced applications have been proposed and implemented. These advanced applications seem not to be limited to the feature of anywhere anytime only. For making their designs transferable to other practices, this study reviews these advanced applications, and identifies their learning features and address corresponding technical designs and learning effects. These discussions are expected to facilitate the design of advanced mobile practice.

An analysis of life-science initial public offerings from three time periods reveals that the equity share received by universities and their academic researchers has changed over time.

Background Genomic imprinting is a mechanism in which the expression of a gene copy depends upon the sex of the parent from which it was inherited. This mechanism is now well recognized in humans, and the deregulation of imprinted genes has been implicated in a number of diseases. In this study, we performed a genome-wide joint linkage and imprinting scan using two data sets provided by Genetic Analysis Workshop 15 (GAW15). Results The first data set was high-risk rheumatoid arthritis families collected by the North American Rheumatoid Arthritis Consortium. We used both model-based and model-free methods of joint linkage and imprinting analyses. Although a genome scan of rheumatoid arthritis families using GENEHUNTER-MODSCORE suggested regions that might be imprinted, further analyses using variance-components method failed to obtain significant signals of imprinting. The second data set was Problem 1 of GAW15, which included single-nucleotide polymorphism genotypes and gene expression data for Centre d'Etude du Polymorphisme Humain pedigrees. A previous genome-wide linkage scan identified loci that may be regulators of gene expression: our genome-wide joint linkage and imprinting scan using a variance-components approach found significant signals for linkage. Conclusion Our linkage scan results suggest that imprinted genes are unlikely to be involved in susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis. However, for expression level of TGFBR3 gene, we found a point-wise p-value of 0.03 for imprinting, but increase in the LOD score did not meet the required threshold to reliably identify imprinting as the correct mode of inheritance in genome-wide linkage scans.

The color stability of a series of eleven maxillofacial pigments was determined after accelerated aging using reflection spectrophotometry. The results indicate that seven of the pigments demonstrated good to excellent color stability, while four of the pigments were less promising for clinical use.

We are now well into the sequencing era of genetic analysis, and methods to investigate rare variants associated with disease remain in high demand. Currently, the more common rare variant analysis methods are burden tests and variance component tests. This report introduces a burden test known as the modified replication based sum statistic and evaluates its performance, and the performance of other common burden and variance component tests under the setting of a small sample size (103 total cases and controls) using the Genetic Analysis Workshop 18 simulated data with complete knowledge of the simulation model. Specifically we look at the variable threshold sum statistic, replication-based sum statistics, the C-alpha, and sequence kernel association test. Using minor allele frequency thresholds of less than 0.05, we find that the modified replication based sum statistic is competitive with all methods and that using 103 individuals leads to all methods being vastly underpowered. Much larger sample sizes are needed to confidently find truly associated genes.