University of Vermont

About: University of Vermont is a education organization based out in Burlington, Vermont, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 17592 authors who have published 38251 publications receiving 1609874 citations. The organization is also known as: UVM & University of Vermont and State Agricultural College.

PyPop update – a software pipeline for large‐scale multilocus population genomics

Abstract: Population genetic statistics from multilocus genotype data inform our understanding of the patterns of genetic variation and their implications for evolutionary studies, generally, and human disease studies in particular. In any given population one can estimate haplotype frequencies, identify deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, test for balancing or directional selection, and investigate patterns of linkage disequilibrium. Existing software packages are oriented primarily toward the computation of such statistics on a population-by-population basis, not on comparisons among populations and across different statistics. We developed PyPop (Python for Population Genomics) to facilitate the analyses of population genetic statistics across populations and the relationships among different statistics within and across populations. PyPop is an open-source framework for performing large-scale population genetic analyses on multilocus genotype data. It computes the statistics described above, among others. PyPop deploys a standard Extensible Markup Language (XML) output format and can integrate the results of multiple analyses on various populations that were performed at different times into a common output format that can be read into a spreadsheet. The XML output format allows PyPop to be embedded as part of a larger analysis pipeline. Originally developed to analyze the highly polymorphic genetic data of the human leukocyte antigen region of the human genome, PyPop has applicability to any kind of multilocus genetic data. It is the primary analysis platform for analyzing data collected for the Anthropological component of the 13th and 14th International Histocompatibility Workshops. PyPop has also been successfully used in studies by our group, with collaborators, and in publications by several independent research teams.

In the Elderly, Interleukin-6 Plasma Levels and the −174G>C Polymorphism Are Associated With the Development of Cardiovascular Disease

Abstract: Objective— Interleukin (IL)-6–mediated inflammation is involved in cardiovascular disease (CVD) We assessed IL-6 levels and the −174G>C genotype in a case-control study of men and women (average age 73 years) within the Cardiovascular Health Study Methods and Results— Cases included incident angina, myocardial infarction (MI), and stroke (5-year follow-up), prevalent MI, and MRI-detectable infarcts A control group and a group free of subclinical CVD were used for comparison The −174C allele was associated with higher C-reactive protein (11% higher, P =002), fibrinogen (3% higher, P =002), and IL-6 (5% higher; P =016) IL-6 was associated with increased atherosclerosis when the control group was compared with the group free of subclinical CVD No further association with CVD events was found when case groups were compared with the control group Compared with its absence, presence of the −174C allele was associated with risk of MRI infarcts (odds ratio 15) Conclusions— IL-6 levels differentiated those with subclinical CVD from those without Although the −174C allele was not associated with incident events, associations of the genotype with inflammation and MRI infarcts, combined with the plasma IL-6 results, suggest that IL-6 may chronically predispose an individual to develop atherosclerosis

Nicotinic system involvement in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Implications for therapeutics.

Abstract: Advances in our understanding of the structure, function and distribution of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the CNS have provided the impetus for new studies examining the role(s) that these receptors and associated processes may play in CNS functions Further motivation has come from the realisation that such receptors must be involved in the maintenance of cigarette smoking, and from clues provided by studies of degenerative neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, in which the loss of nicotinic receptors has been described Ongoing investigations of the molecular substructure of central nicotinic receptors and their pharmacology have begun to open up new possibilities for novel CNS therapeutics with nicotinic agents Exploiting these possibilities will require understanding of the role(s) that these receptor systems play in human cognitive, behavioural, motor and sensory functioning Clues from careful studies of human cognition are beginning to emerge and will provide direction for studies of potentially therapeutic novel nicotinic agents Despite the promising results of acute studies, few long term studies with nicotine or nicotinic drugs have been performed in dementing disorders Thus there is uncertainty as to whether long term nicotinic treatment will provide sustained cognitive benefit It is even more uncertain whether such cognitive benefit will have a significant clinical impact on patients and their families To maximise the potential benefit of long term treatment with nicotinic agonists (or other cholinergic drugs), we suggest that drug treatment should be combined with cognitive rehabilitation strategies This will enable patients and/or their families to focus on the particular cognitive domains that may be improved

The volume increase of fcc metals and alloys due to interstitial hydrogen over a wide range of hydrogen contents

Abstract: Interstitial hydrogen contents and their associated volume increments have been determined for a variety of fcc metals and alloys. Using high pressure techniques, hydrogen contents approaching n = 1, where n = H-to-metal (atomic ratio), have been obtained. Despite electronic and initial volume differences amongst the fcc metallic matrices, all data fall onto a common relationship.