Northampton Community College

About: Northampton Community College is a education organization based out in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 3410 authors who have published 4582 publications receiving 130398 citations. The organization is also known as: Northampton County Area Community College.

Dynamic approaches to pension funding

Abstract: The paper presents a dynamic model of pension funding for a defined benefit occupational pension scheme. Two types of risk are introduced concerned respectively with the stability and security of funding: the ‘ contribution rate ’ risk and the ‘ solvency ’ risk. An objective function is introduced to allow the simultaneous minimization of these two risks. The paper derives optimal funding control procedures for the contribution rate subject to specified constraints.

Intrauterine programming of hypertension: the role of the renin-angiotensin system.

Abstract: From experiments with prenatal undernutrition in the rat, it is clear that fetal exposure to glucocorticoids of maternal origin is a key first step in the programming of hypertension and perhaps coronary heart disease. The chain of events leading from glucocorticoid action in the fetal tissues to hypertension in adulthood involves the development of hypersensitivity to glucocorticoids in adult life (Scheme 1). This has the effect of activating the RAS through induction of key genes such as ACE, which, in turn, may increase sensitivity of the blood vessels to the actions of ANGII. Another consequence of prenatal undernutrition, which may or may not involve glucocorticoids, is the abnormal development of the kidney [35]. Impaired nephrogenesis must surely have an impact upon lifelong renal function and cardiovascular control. Progress has been made in demonstrating that hypertension can be prenatally programmed through maternal dietary manipulation and some of the putative mechanisms involved have been identified. The priorities in this field of research must now be to clarify the role of maternal diet as a programming stimulus in order to generate an effective series of public health guidelines for pregnant women. Although the identification of metabolic mechanisms might suggest possible pharmacological interventions in early life as a means of reducing cardiovascular risk in adult life [49], it will always be more desirable to optimize maternal diet.

The absence of diabetic retinopathy in patients with retinitis pigmentosa: implications for pathophysiology and possible treatment

Abstract: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of blindness but it is not known why retinopathy should be so early and so severe a complication of diabetes. The sensory loss caused by minute retinal lesions is part of the problem, but the diabetic changes in the brain are different and less serious than in the retina, often described as an outpost of the brain. This has led to the concept of a local factor being responsible for the microvasculopathy of DR. There are physiological factors unique to the retina, and it is suggested below how these, by causing hypoxia very early in diabetes, could activate cytokines that produce the microvascular changes. If retinal hypoxia is an important causal factor in the production of DR, prevention of hypoxia should ameliorate DR. This hypothesis predicts that retinitis pigmentosa (RP) should prevent DR. Both old and new work is described, which indicates that this is in fact the case, thus pointing to new, simple, and effective ways of delaying the progress of diabetic retinopathy. Direct comparison of retinal and brain capillaries taken from diabetics show very considerable differences1 (Table 1), which indicate a “local factor” in the development of DR. It has been suggested2 that the local factor is related to what is unique to the retina, the photoreceptors. The 120 million rods have the highest metabolic rate of any cell in the body. In darkness, the outer limb membrane “leaks”, causing an inward “dark current”. This current is reduced by light, and at normal photopic levels is shut off completely. In full dark adaptation sodium ions and water enter the outer limb at a maximal rate, and are pumped out in the inner limb.3 The entire cytosol volume is pumped in about 15 seconds.4 This process requires a …

Comparing the New Zealand and Swedish National Surveys of Gambling and Problem Gambling

Abstract: National surveys of gambling and problem gambling have recently been completed in New Zealand and Sweden. These studies are unique in that data collection was undertaken by official government statistical agencies, involved large, nationally representative samples, and attained high response rates. Comparison of the findings is facilitated by the use of similar procedures and instrumentation and is of interest in that both countries have similar per capita gambling expenditure and welfare states that have recently undergone major economic and social restructuring. Data on gambling participation, problem gambling prevalence and risk factors for problem gambling are presented and discussed. While there are a number of similarities and differences, the Swedish findings are more similar to those of an earlier national survey conducted in New Zealand during 1991. This suggests that risk factors are changing over time in relation to evolving patterns of gambling participation and attitudes towards gambling, a finding that has implications for future patterns of gambling and problem gambling in these and other countries.

A prospective study of problem and regular nonproblem gamblers living in the community.

Abstract: Little is known about the life course of gambling problems and there have been no prospective studies of problem gambling. This article describes a study of 77 problem gamblers and 66 nonproblem gamblers recruited from a national prevalence survey in New Zealand in 1991 and reassessed in 1998. While most 1991 problem gamblers were nonproblematic at follow-up, a significant minority had developed more serious problems. Multiple logistic regression analysis identified more severe gambling problems, hazardous drinking, and a preference for track betting as the strongest independent predictors of subsequent problem gambling. These findings contradict conventional notions that pathological gambling is invariably a chronic or chronically relapsing disorder. The findings have implications for the interpretation of previous research, conduct of future research, and problem gambling policy and treatment.