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.

Prospective Breast Cancer Risk Prediction Model for Women Undergoing Screening Mammography

Abstract: Background: Risk prediction models for breast cancer can be improved by the addition of recently identifi ed risk factors, including breast density and use of hormone therapy. We used prospective risk information to predict a diagnosis of breast cancer in a cohort of 1 million women undergoing screening mammography. Methods: There were 2 392 998 eligible screening mammograms from women without previously diagnosed breast cancer who had had a prior mammogram in the preceding 5 years. Within 1 year of the screening mammogram, 11 638 women were diagnosed with breast cancer. Separate logistic regression risk models were constructed for premenopausal and postmenopausal examinations by use of a stringent ( P <.0001) criterion for the inclusion of risk factors. Risk models were constructed with 75% of the data and validated with the remaining 25%. Concordance of the predicted with the observed outcomes was assessed by a concordance (c) statistic after logistic regression model fi t. All statistical tests were twosided. Results: Statistically signifi cant risk factors for breast cancer diagnosis among premenopausal women included age, breast density, family history of breast cancer, and a prior breast procedure. For postmenopausal women, the statistically signifi cant factors included age, breast density, race, ethnicity, family history of breast cancer, a prior breast procedure, body mass index, natural menopause, hormone therapy, and a prior false-positive mammogram. The model may identify high-risk women better than the Gail model, although predictive accuracy was only moderate. The c statistics were 0.631 (95% confi dence interval [CI] = 0.618 to 0.644) for premenopausal women and 0.624 (95% CI = 0.619 to 0.630) for postmenopausal women. Conclusion: Breast density is a strong additional risk factor for breast cancer, although it is unknown whether reduction in breast density would reduce risk. Our risk model may be able to identify women at high risk for breast cancer for preventive interventions or more intensive surveillance. [J Natl Cancer Inst 2006;98: 1204 – 14 ]

Stop Complaining! The Social Costs of Making Attributions to Discrimination

Abstract: Recent research indicates that stigmatized people may avoid claims of discrimination because such attributions are costly in terms of perceived control over outcomes and social self-esteem. The authors hypothesized that minimization of discrimination also occurs in part because negative social costs accompany attributions to discrimination. In Experiment 1, an African American who attributed a failing test grade to discrimination was perceived as a complainer and was less favorably evaluated in general than was an African American who attributed his failure to the quality of his test answers. This overall devaluation occurred regardless of the objective likelihood that discrimination occurred. Experiment 2 replicated these findings and revealed that this devaluation generally occurred only when the target made discrimination attributions, not when he made other external attributions. The social costs of making attributions to discrimination may prevent stigmatized people from confronting the discriminatio...

Role of IL-6 in asthma and other inflammatory pulmonary diseases.

Abstract: The incidence and severity of chronic lung diseases is growing and affects between 100 and 150 million people worldwide and is associated with a significant rate of mortality. Unfortunately, the initial cause that triggers most chronic lung diseases remains unknown and current available therapies only ameliorate, but do not cure the disease. Thus, there is a need for identification of new targets and development of novel therapies especially for those most severely affected. IL-6, like other inflammatory cytokines, has been shown to be elevated in different lung diseases, but it was considered a byproduct of ongoing inflammation in the lung. However, recent studies support a dissociation of IL-6 from inflammation in the lung and suggest that this cytokine plays an active role in pathogenesis of asthma and, in all likelihood, COPD. IL-6 may therefore be a germane target for treatment of these and other chronic lung disease. Here, we provide an overview of the studies in mouse models and human patients that provide support for the involvement of IL-6 in lung diseases.

That Rare Feeling: Re-presenting Research Through Poetic Transcription:

Abstract: This article explores an experimental form of writing that I'm terming poetic transcription. Inspired by Laurel Richardson (1992, 1994a, 1994b), I define poetic transcription as the creation of poemlike compositions from the words of interviewees. In this article, I present six poetic transcriptions of Dona Juana, an elderly Puerto Rican researcher and educator; describe my poetic transcription process; and examine issues that experimental writing—specifically, poetic transcription—raises for research re-presentation.

T cells responsive to myelin basic protein in patients with multiple sclerosis

Abstract: Gene mutation in vivo in human T lymphocytes appears to occur preferentially in dividing cells. Individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) are assumed to have one or more populations of diving T cells that are being stimulated by autoantigens. Mutant T cell clones from MS patients were isolated and tested for reactivity to myelin basic protein, an antigen that is thought to participate in the induction of the disease. The hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (hprt) clonal assay was used to determine mutant frequency values in MS patients with chronic progressive disease. Eleven of 258 thioguanine-resistant (hprt-) T cell clones from five of the six MS patients who were tested proliferated in response to human myelin basic protein without prior in vitro exposure to this antigen. No wild-type clones from these patients, nor any hprt- or wild-type clones from three healthy individuals responded to myelin basic protein. Thus, T cell clones that react with myelin basic protein can be isolated from the peripheral blood of MS patients.