Calcified coronary artery plaque, measured at cardiac computed tomography (CT), is a predictor of cardiovascular disease and may play an increasing role in cardiovascular disease risk assessment. The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) and the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute are population-based studies in which calcified coronary artery plaque was measured with electron-beam and multi-detector row CT and a standardized protocol in 6814 (MESA) and 3044 (CARDIA study) participants. The studies were approved by the appropriate institutional review board from the study site or agency, and written informed consent was obtained from each participant. Participation in the CT examination was high, image quality was good, and agreement for the presence of calcified plaque was high (kappa = 0.92, MESA; kappa = 0.77, CARDIA study). Extremely high agreement was observed between and within CT image analysts for the presence (kappa> 0.90, all) and amount (intraclass correlation coefficients, >0.99) of calcified plaque. Measurement of calcified coronary artery plaque with cardiac CT is well accepted by participants and can be implemented with consistently high-quality results with a standardized protocol and trained personnel. If predictive value of calcified coronary artery plaque for cardiovascular events proves sufficient to justify screening a segment of the population, then a standardized cardiac CT protocol is feasible and will provide reproducible results for health care providers and the public.

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Pulmonary function measures reflect respiratory health and predict mortality, and are used in the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We tested genome-wide association with the forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and the ratio of FEV1 to forced vital capacity (FVC) in 48,201 individuals of European ancestry, with follow-up of top associations in up to an additional 46,411 individuals. We identified new regions showing association (combined P<5×10−8) with pulmonary function, in or near MFAP2, TGFB2, HDAC4, RARB, MECOM (EVI1), SPATA9, ARMC2, NCR3, ZKSCAN3, CDC123, C10orf11, LRP1, CCDC38, MMP15, CFDP1, and KCNE2. Identification of these 16 new loci may provide insight into the molecular mechanisms regulating pulmonary function and into molecular targets for future therapy to alleviate reduced lung function.

Background: Away-from-home food consumption has rapidly increased, though little is known about the independent associations of restaurant food and fast food intake with body mass index (BMI) and BMI change. Objective: The aim was to compare the associations of restaurant food and fast food consumption with current and 3-y changes in BMI. Design: Multivariate linear regression models, with control for demographic and lifestyle factors, were used to examine crosssectional and longitudinal associations of away-from-home eating with BMI by using data from subjects of the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study (n ҃ 3394) obtained at exam years 7 (1992-1993) and 10 (1995-1996). Results: Forty percent of the sample increased their weekly consumption of restaurant or fast food, though mean (ȀSD) changes were Ҁ0.16 Ȁ 2.39 times/wk (P ҃ 0.0001) and Ҁ0.56 Ȁ 3.04 times/wk (P 0.0001), respectively. Cross-sectionally, fast food, but not restaurant food, consumption was positively associated with BMI. Similarly, higher consumption of fast food at year 7 was associated with a 0.16-unit higher BMI at year 10. After adjustment for baseline away-from-home eating, increased consumption of fast food only (␤: 0.20; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.39) and of both restaurant food and fast food (␤: 0.29; 95% CI: 0.06, 0.51) were positively associated with BMI change, though the estimates were not significantly different (P ҃ 0.47). Increased consumption of restaurant food only was unrelated to BMI change (␤: Ҁ0.01; 95% CI: Ҁ0.21, 0.19), which differed significantly (P ҃ 0.014) from the estimate for an increase in both restaurant food and fast food intake. Conclusions: We found differential effects of restaurant food and fast food intakes on BMI, although the observed differences were not always statistically significant. More research is needed to determine whether the differential effects are related to consumer characteristics or the food itself.Am J Clin Nutr 2007;85:201-8. KEY WORDSEnergy intake, fast food, restaurant, body weight change, body mass index, young adults