Digital Commons Network^™

Alternative Probeset Definitions For Combining Microarray Data Across Studies Using Different Versions Of Affymetrix Oligonucleotide Arrays, Jeffrey S. Morris, Chunlei Wu, Kevin R. Coombes, Keith A. Baggerly, Jing Wang, Li Zhang

Jeffrey S. Morris

Many published microarray studies have small to moderate sample sizes, and thus have low statistical power to detect significant relationships between gene expression levels and outcomes of interest. By pooling data across multiple studies, however, we can gain power, enabling us to detect new relationships. This type of pooling is complicated by the fact that gene expression measurements from different microarray platforms are not directly comparable. In this chapter, we discuss two methods for combining information across different versions of Affymetrix oligonucleotide arrays. Each involves a new approach for combining probes on the array into probesets. The first approach involves …

Cross-Cultural Reliability Of The Health Control & Competence Index And The Health Perception Index, Dr. Vincent L. Salyers

Dr. Vincent L Salyers

It is well documented that men of Latino origin are subject to health disparities with an increased morbidity and mortality from preventable diseases. Despite their proclivity for health problems, these men also have the lowest participation in health promotion services. This may be due to health disparity factors, health access factors, cultural factors, gender role factors, and constraints to receiving culturally competent health care. Addressing such factors as health knowledge, health perceptions, access to care, and culturally/linguistically competent care is essential to increasing participation in health care, health promotion and screening activities by men of Latino origin. This mixed-measures exploratory …

Child Laundering: How The Intercountry Adoption System Legitimizes And Incentivizes The Practices Of Buying, Trafficking, Kidnapping, And Stealing Children, David M. Smolin

David M. Smolin

This article documents and analyzes a substantial incidence of "child laundering" within the intercountry adoption system. Child laundering occurs when children are taken illegally from birth families through child buying or kidnapping, and then "laundered" through the adoption system as "orphans" and then "adoptees." The article then proposes reforms to the intercountry adoption system that could substantially reduce the incidence of child laundering.

Public Health Preparedness Of Health Providers: Meeting The Needs Of Diverse, Rural Communities, Chiehwen Ed Hsu, Francisco Soto Mas, Holly Jacobson

Francisco Soto Mas

No abstract provided.

Physician Assistants And Bioterrorism Preparedness, Francisco Soto Mas, Chiehwen Ed Hsu

Chiehwen Ed Hsu

Despite the resources dedicated since 2001 to training health providers in emergency and bioterrorism preparedness and response, the literature on the participation of physician assistants (PAs) is very limited. The purpose of this pilot study was to explore the training level and experiences of PAs in the diagnosis and treatment of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive agents that could be used in a bioterrorism attack. The study population consisted of licensed PAs in 37 northern Texas counties. Data were collected through a mailed survey. Response rate was 36%. More than half of the respondents (58.6%) had not participated in …

A Transforming Met Mutation Discovered In Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Using Microarray-Based Resequencing, Torstein Tengs

Dr. Torstein Tengs

We have designed resequencing microarrays to test the performance of this platform when interrogating a large number of exons (164 total) from genes associated with cancer. To evaluate false positive and negative rates, dideoxy sequencing was done for 335,420 bases interrogated by the arrays. From the array data, calls could be made forw97.5% of the bases, and false positive rates were very low with only a single mutation reported from the array dataset for which the corresponding dideoxy trace had a clean wildtype sequence. For the nucleotide positions where array calls were made, false negative rates were 1.41% for heterozygous …

Synchrony Of Change In Depressive Symptoms, Health Status, And Quality Of Life In Persons With Clinical Depression, Paula Diehr

Paula Diehr

BACKGROUND: Little is known about longitudinal associations among measures of depression, mental and physical health, and quality of life (QOL). We followed 982 clinically depressed persons to determine which measures changed and whether the change was synchronous with change in depressive symptoms. METHODS: Data were from the Longitudinal Investigation of Depression Outcomes (LIDO). Depressive symptoms, physical and mental health, and quality of life were measured at baseline, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 9 months. Change in the measures was examined over time and for persons with different levels of change in depressive symptoms. RESULTS: On average, all of the measures …

A Critical Case Study Of Program Fidelity In Tenncare, Carole R. Myers Dr.

Carole R. Myers, PhD, RN Associate Professor

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the fidelity of the design of Tennessee’s Medicaid managed care program in comparison to the actual program operation. Program fidelity is a broad measurement of how true the implemented program is to the intended program (Heflinger & Northrup, 2000). Background: In the span of only 15 years, the introduction of managed care and other market-based strategies from the private sector precipitated a transformation of the delivery of Medicaid services in the United States. These monumental changes remain poorly understood. The implementation of managed care in Tennessee’s Medicaid program is an excellent …

Mental Retardation: A Mri Study Of 146 Brazilian Children, Armando F. Rocha, Cláudia C. Leite, Fábio T. Rocha

Armando F Rocha

We report results of a magnetic ressonance imaging (MRI) study of 146 Brazilian children, whose intelligence quotient scored less than 70. 50% of MRI examinations did not exhibit any signal of structural lesion (N group), whereas a focal thinning at the junction of the body and splenium of the corpus callosum; ventricular asymmetry; periventricular leukomalacia; gliosis and arachnoid cysts were among the most frequent findings in the remaining of subjects (L group). Maternal stress and altered blood pre ss u re were the most frequent findings in the pre-natal history of both N and L children. Familial antecedents of mental …

La&S Team Gives Kenyan Youth A New Way To Combat Hiv/Aids, Leah Christina Neubauer

Leah C. Neubauer

No abstract provided.

Air Pollutants And Respiratory Symptoms Among Adults, Paulo A. Lotufo

Paulo A Lotufo

Air pollutants are associated with adverse respiratory effects mainly in susceptible groups such as children, elderly people and people with pre-existent respiratory disease. This study was designed to assess the impact of the inorganic composition of particulate matter on 33 adult asthmatics respiratory functions in São Paulo city, Brazil. From May to July 2002, fine and coarse particulate matter fractions were collected and trace metals (Fe2+, Mn2+, Zn2+, Pb2+, Cu2+) and major ions (Na+, Mg2+, K+, Ca2+, NH4 +, Cl-, NO3-, SO42-) composition was determined in each aqueous-extract fraction by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry with Graphite Furnace (AAS-GF) and Ion Chromatography, …

Economic Rationality And Health And Lifestyle Choices For People With Diabetes., Rachel M. Baker

Professor Rachel Baker

Economic rationality is traditionally represented by goal-oriented, maximising behaviour, or 'instrumental rationality'. Such a consequentialist, instrumental model of choice is often implicit in a biomedical approach to health promotion and education. The research reported here assesses the relevance of a broader conceptual framework of rationality (which includes 'procedural' and 'expressive' rationality as complements to an instrumental model of rationality) in a health context (type 2 diabetes).

Q methodology was used to derive 'factors' underlying health and lifestyle choices, based on factor analysis of the results of a card sorting procedure undertaken by 27 respondents with type 2 diabetes. These factors …

Q Methodology In Health Economics, Rachel M. Baker, Carl Thompson, Russel Mannion

Professor Rachel Baker

The recognition that health economists need to understand the meaning of data if they are to adequately understand research findings which challenge conventional economic theory has led to the growth of qualitative modes of enquiry in health economics. The use of qualitative methods of exploration and description alongside mainstream quantitative techniques gives rise to a number of epistemological, ontological and methodological challenges: difficulties in accounting for subjectivity in choices, the need for rigour and transparency in method, and problems of disciplinary acceptability to health economists. This paper introduces Q methodology as a means of overcoming some of these challenges. The …

An Exploration Of The Meanings Of Space And Place In Acute Psychiatric Care, Melanie Andes, Mona Shattell

Mona Shattell

Spatial human experiences such as confinement and freedom are important to acute psychiatric care. The physical space that inpatient psychiatric/mental health nurses and acute psychiatric patients share influences human relationships. The purpose of this paper is to explore the meanings of space and place in acute psychiatric settings, to discuss how these meanings affect human relationships, nurses’ work environment and patients’ perception of care, and to present how the design and use of nursing stations affects therapeutic relationships. We hope to encourage dialogue and research that will help clarify the meaning of space and place in acute care psychiatric units, …

The Dda A Necessary, But Not Sufficient Safeguard For People With Progressive Conditions In The Workplace? The Experiences Of Younger People With Parkinson’S Disease., Maggie Lawrence, Banks Pauline

Dr. Maggie Lawrence

No abstract provided.

Chronic Disease Surveillance In South Australia, Anne Taylor

Anne Taylor

Chronic diseases are the most prevalent, costly and preventable of all health problems. This article provides details on the methodology and results from two systems designed to collect data on chronic disease and associated factors in SA. Namely, the South Australian Monitoring and Surveillance System (SAMSS) and, the North West Adelaide Health Study.

Alcohol And Other Drug Disorders, Comorbidity And Violence In Rural African American Women, Kenneth D. Phillips

Kenneth D. Phillips

No abstract provided.

Counteracting Muscle Wasting In Hiv-Infected Individuals, Kenneth D. Phillips

Kenneth D. Phillips

No abstract provided.

Spiritual Well-Being, Sleep Disturbance And Mental And Physical Health Status In Hiv-Infected Individuals, Kenneth D. Phillips

Kenneth D. Phillips

No abstract provided.