Digital Commons Network^™

Herbal Product Use Among Anticoagulation Patients, Ilene H. Zuckerman, Eileen K. Steinberger, Priscilla T. Ryder, Stuart Haines

Scholarship and Professional Work – COPHS

Warfarin interacts with many conventional drug products and herbal products,^1-3 Given the incompleteness of information on drug-herbal product interactions and the potential for health care practitioners to be unaware of their patients' utilization of herbal products, we surveyed the use of such products among patients receiving warfarin through an anticoagulation clinic. Patients at the University of Maryland Medical System Anticoagulation Clinic were asked to complete an anonymous written questionnaire during their regularly scheduled appointments over one month.

Pick-Me-Up Newsletter - Issue 5 , Volume 1, Nova Southeastern University

Pick Me Up Newsletter

No abstract provided.

The Contextual Approach In Health Research: Two Empirical Studies, Anita Kothari

Health Studies Publications

Researchers are being encouraged to consider contextual influences on health-related outcomes. To support this perspective, two context-sensitive studies were conducted. The first study explored the utilization of a research report by Ontario public health units, and examined whether utilization differed by involvement in the research process. Research utilization was conceptualized as a three stage process (reading, information processing and application). Using a case study design, results from three "involved" public health units and three "uninvolved" units demonstrated that inclusion in the research process led to a greater understanding of the analysis and increased the value associated with the report. Involvement …

Ic107: Program: 8th Biennial Symposium On Minorities, The Medically Underserved & Cancer. Awareness Is Not Enough, Intercultural Cancer Council

Informational and Promotional Materials

Program details the events, speakers, attendees, and discussions during the 8th Biennial Symposium on Minorities, the Medically Underserved & Cancer presented by Intercultural Cancer Council and jointly sponsored by Baylor College of Medicine. The symposium took place February 6-10 at the OMNI Shoreham in Washington, DC. See more at Intercultural Cancer Council Records.

Reduced-Median-Network Analysis Of Complete Mitochondrial Dna Coding-Region Sequences For The Major African, Asian, And European Haplogroups, Corinna Herrnstadt, Joanna L. Elson, Eoin Fahy, Gwen Preston, Douglass M. Turnbull, Christen Anderson, Soumitra S. Ghosh, Jerrold M. Olefsky, M. Flint Beal, Robert E. Davis, Neil Howell

United States Public Health Resources

The evolution of the human mitochondrial genome is characterized by the emergence of ethnically distinct lineages or haplogroups. Nine European, seven Asian (including Native American), and three African mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplogroups have been identified previously on the basis of the presence or absence of a relatively small number of restriction-enzyme recognition sites or on the basis of nucleotide sequences of the D-loop region. We have used reduced-median-network approaches to analyze 560 complete European, Asian, and African mtDNA coding-region sequences from unrelated individuals to develop a more complete understanding of sequence diversity both within and between haplogroups. A total of …

Pathogenesis Of Human And Bovine Cryptosporidium Parvum In Gnotobiotic Pigs, Sonia J. Pereira, Norma E. Ramirez, Lihua Xiao, Lucy A. Ward

United States Public Health Resources

To compare the pathogenesis of human genotype 1 (HuGl) and bovine genotype 2 (BoG2) Cryptosporidium parvum, neonatal gnotobiotic pigs were given 1-10 HuGl or BoG2 oocysts. The prepatent and patent periods were significantly longer for HuGl than for BoG2 C. parvum (prepatent, 8.6 vs. 5.6 days; patent, 16.6 vs. 10.3 days). BoG2-infected pigs developed signif- icantly more severe disease than did HuGl-infected pigs. BoG2 parasites were seen micro- scopically throughout the intestines during the prepatent and patent periods. HuGl parasites were only detected during the patent period in the ileum and colon but colonized the mucosal surface in significantly …

A Preliminary Linkage Map Of The Tick, Ixodes Scapularis, Amy J. Ullmann, Joseph Piesman, M.C. Dolan, William C. Black, Iv

United States Public Health Resources

A linkage map of the Ixodes scapularis genome was constructed based upon segregation amongst 127 loci. These included 84 random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers, 32 Sequence-Tagged RAPD (STAR) markers, 5 cDNAs, and 5 microsatellites in 232 F₁ intercross progeny from a single, field-collected P₁ female. A preliminary linkage map of 616 cM was generated across 14 linkage groups with one marker every 10.8 cM. Assuming a genome size of ∼10⁹ bp, the relationship of physical to genetic distance is ∼300 kb/cM in the I. scapularis genome.

Anopheles Gambiae Genome: Completing The Malaria Triad, Kathryn S. Aultman, Michael Gottlieb, Maria Y. Giovanni, Anthony S. Fauci

United States Public Health Resources

The genome sequence of Anopheles gambiae, the major mosquito vector of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, as well as analyses of its gene content and organization, are reported by several teams of investigators in this issue. In addition, the sequence of the P. falciparum genome appears in this week’s issue of Nature. The genomes of these two organisms, along with that of the human, provide a triad of critical genetic information relevant to all stages of the malaria transmission cycle and offer unprecedented opportunities to the scientific and public health communities engaged in the fight against malaria, …

Real-Time Fluorescence Pcr Assays For Detection And Characterization Of Shiga Toxin, Intimin, And Enterohemolysin Genes From Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia Coli, Udo Reischl, Mohammad T. Youssef, Jochen Kilwinski, Norbert Lehn, Wen Lan Zhang, Helge Karch, Nancy Strockbine

United States Public Health Resources

PCR assays have proved useful for detecting and characterizing Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC). Recent advances in PCR technology have facilitated the development of real-time fluorescence PCR assays with greatly reduced amplification times and improved methods for the detection of amplified target sequences. We developed and evaluated two such assays for the LightCycler instrument: one that simultaneously detects the genes for Shiga toxins 1 and 2 (stx₁ and stx₂) and another that simultaneously detects the genes for intimin (eae) and enterohemolysin (E-hly). Amplification and sequence-specific detection of the two target genes were …

Annual Report To The Nation On The Status Of Cancer, 1973-1999, Featuring Implications Of Age And Aging On U.S. Cancer Burden, Brenda K. Edwards, Holly L. Howe, Lynn A. G. Ries, Michael J. Thun, Harry M. Rosenberg, Rosemary Yancik, Phyllis A. Wingo, Ahmedin Jemal, Ellen G. Feigal

United States Public Health Resources

BACKGROUND. The American Cancer Society, the National Cancer Institute, the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR), the National Institute on Aging (NIA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) and the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, collaborated to provide an annual update on cancer occurrence and trends in the United States. This year’s report contained a special feature focusing on implications of age and aging on the U.S. cancer burden.

METHODS. For 1995 through 1999, age-specific rates and age-adjusted rates were calculated for …

The Effects Of Depression And Anxiety On Memory Performance, Ali H. Kizilbash, Rodney D. Vanderploeg, Glenn Curtiss

United States Public Health Resources

The effects of depression and anxiety, as assessed by MMPI D and Pt scales, on memory performance was examined in 3999 veterans who completed the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT). Depressive symptoms (without anxiety) had an adverse effect on immediate recall of new information and the total amount (but not rate) of acquisition; however, retrieval and retention were unaffected. On the other hand, high levels of anxiety did not have significant detrimental effects on any aspect of memory functioning assessed including immediate recall, total amount acquired, retention, and retrieval of novel information. However, when depression was compounded by anxiety, there …

Chronic Ethanol Administration Decreases The Ligand Binding Properties And The Cellular Content Of The Mannose 6-Phosphatelinsulin-Like Growth Gactor Ii Receptor In Rat Hepatocytes, James Haorah, Daniel L. Mcvicker, James C. Byrd, Richard G. Macdonald, Terrence M. Donohue, Jr.

United States Public Health Resources

We have shown previously that chronic ethanol administration impairs the maturation of lysosomal enzymes in rat hepatocytes. The mannose 6-phosphate/insulin-like growth factor I1 receptor (M6PLGF-IIR) is a protein that facilitates the transport of lysosomal enzymes into the lysosome. Therefore, we examined whether ethanol consumption altered the ligand binding properties and the cellular content of M6P/IGF-IIR. Rats were pair-fed liquid diets containing either ethanol (36% of calories) or isocaloric maltose-dextrin for either 1 week or 5-7 weeks. Hepatocytes prepared from these animals were examined for receptor-ligand binding and receptor content. One week of ethanol feeding had no significant effect on ligand …

Erratum To "Chronic Ethanol Administration Decreases The Ligand Binding Properties And The Cellular Content Of The Mannose 6-Phosphatelinsulin-Like Growth Factor Ii Receptor In Rat Hepatocytes", James Haorah, Daniel L. Mcvicker, James C. Byrd, Richard G. Macdonald, Terrence M. Donohue, Jr.

United States Public Health Resources

We regret that in the above article a mistake occurred in Table 2 and apologize for any confusion or inconvenience which may have resulted. It is now given correctly below.

Increased Hippocampal Volume In Schizophrenics' Parents With Ancestral History Of Schizophrenia, Josette G. Harris, David A. Young, Donald C. Rojas, Ana Cajade-Law, Ann Scherzinger, Safia Nawroz, Lawrence E. Adler, C. Munro Cullum, Jack Simon, Robert Freedman

United States Public Health Resources

Objective: Decreased hippocampal volume is one of the hypothesized pathological features of schizophrenia, but it is not known if this abnormality is familially transmitted. The aim of this study was to measure the hippocampal volume of the parents of schizophrenic probands. in relationship to the apparent transmission of genetic risk.
Method: Eighteen subjects from families consisting of a schizophrenic proband and two clinically unaffected parents were studied. Probands were compared to six control subjects, matched for age, sex, and educational level. The six families were selected so that only one parent had an ancestral family history of schizophrenia. The volumes …

Application Of A Rating System To State Clean Indoor Air Laws (Usa), J. F. Chriqui, M. Frosh, R. C. Brownson, D. M. Shelton, R. C. Sciandra, R. Hobart, P. H. Fisher, R. El Arculli, M. H. Alciati

United States Public Health Resources

Objective: To develop and implement a system for rating state clean indoor air laws.
Design: The public health interest of state clean indoor air laws is to limit non-smoker exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). Current estimates of health risks and methods available for controlling ETS provided a framework for devising a ratings scale. An advisory committee applied this scale to each of seven site specific smoking restrictions and two enforcement related items. For each item, a target score of +4 was identified. The nine items were then combined to produce a summary score for each state. A state that …

Inhibition Of Hepatic Stellate Cell Collagen Synthesis By N-(Methy1amino)Isobutyric Acid, Thomas L. Freeman, Kusum K. Kharbanda, Dean Tuma, Mark Milliard

United States Public Health Resources

The increased deposition of extracellular matrix by hepatic stellate cells following liver injury, in a process known as activation, is considered a key mechanism for increased collagen content of liver during the development of liver fibrosis. We report that N- (methylamino)isobutyric acid (MeAIB), a specific inhibitor of System A-mediated amino acid uptake, reduces the accumulation of collagen in CFSC-2G hepatic stellate cell cultures and in a rat model of liver injury and fibrosis. Rat CFSC-2G cells were cultured in 0-5 mM MeAIB, and the accumulation and synthesis of collagen were measured by binding to Sirius red F3B and pulse-labeling with …

Effect Of Malondialdehyde-Acetaldehyde-Protein Adducts On The Protein Kinase C-Dependent Secretion Of Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator In Hepatic Stellate Cells, Kusum K. Kharbanda, Kris A. Shubert, Todd A. Wyatt, Michael F. Sorrell, Dean J. Tuma

United States Public Health Resources

Previous studies from our laboratory have shown that malondialdehyde-acetaldehyde-protein adducts (MAA adducts) are formed in hepatocytes of ethanol-fed rats and directly influence the hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) to induce their secretion of chemokines and to up-regulate their expression of adhesion molecules. Since protein kinase C (PKC) is known to play a major role in many diverse intracellular signal transduction processes, we investigated whether MAA adducts influence the function of HSCs via a PKC-dependent pathway. HSCs in culture were exposed to MAA adducts, and PKC activity was determined. We observed a time- and concentration-dependent activation of PKC when cultures were exposed …

Ata2-Mediated Amino Acid Uptake Following Partial Hepatectomy Is Regulated By Redistribution To The Plasma Membrane, Thomas L. Freeman, Geoffrey M. Thiele, Dean J. Tuma, Tina K. Machu, Mark E. Mailliard

United States Public Health Resources

System A, the Na⁺-dependent amino acid transport activity, is encoded by the ATA2 gene and up-regulated following partial hepatectomy (PH), and its competitive inhibition interferes with liver regeneration. Rabbit polyclonal antibody was raised against a portion of the ATA2 gene product followed by immunodetection of ATA2 in isolated liver plasma membrane and lysate. The level of ATA2 increased in the plasma membrane following PH, while the relatively high quantity of ATA2 found in liver lysate remained constant. We also have shown that Northern analysis of steady-state ATA2 mRNA revealed no significant change following PH. These data show that …

Responding To Cairo: Case Studies Of Changing Practice In Reproductive Health And Family Planning, Nicole Haberland, Diana Measham

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

The 1994 International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo codified views long advocated by women’s health activists the world over. The conference marked a turning point in the history of the population field—one that brought reproductive health and women’s rights to the forefront of the international population agenda. The 22 case studies in this book document changes in practice in reproductive health and family planning programs within 18 countries. The case studies demonstrate the important strides that were made in the years following the conference and point to many challenges that remain. The abolition or modification of population policies …

Meeting The Sexual Health Needs Of Men Who Have Sex With Men In Senegal, Cheikh Ibrahima Niang, Moustapha Diagne, Youssoupha Niang, Amadou Moreau, Dominique Gomis, Maye Diouf, Karim Seck, Abdoulaye Sidibe Wade, Placide Tapsoba, Christopher Castle

HIV and AIDS

A study conducted in Dakar, Senegal by researchers from the National AIDS Council, Cheikh Anta Diop University, and the Horizons program obtained information on the needs, behaviors, knowledge, and attitudes of men who have sex with men (MSM). This study offers important insights into the sexuality of MSM, their vulnerability to STI/HIV, and the role of violence and stigma in their lives. The results also highlight the lack of sexual health services and information available to cover the specific needs of MSM. The results of this study were summarized during a meeting held in April 2001 in Dakar and raised …

Hiv/Aids Prevention Guidance For Reproductive Health Professionals In Developing-Country Settings, Helen Epstein, Daniel Whelan, Janneke Van De Wijgert, Purnima Mane, Suman Mehta

HIV and AIDS

While the integration of information, technologies, and services to respond to HIV/AIDS may seem closely related, there are a variety of issues that continue to create obstacles to integration. Among these are the stigmatizing nature of HIV infection and AIDS and discrimination faced by those who are infected or perceived to be infected; sexual practices and identities that remain socially unacceptable; gender roles and relations that make it difficult for women and men to access information, services, and technologies on HIV prevention; reluctance to recognize the special needs of young people; and barriers to service delivery created by broader economic, …

The Female Condom: Dynamics Of Use In Urban Zimbabwe, Horizons Program

HIV and AIDS

In July 1997, Population Services International (PSI), at the request of the Zimbabwe National AIDS Coordination Programme, launched a social marketing program for the female condom in Zimbabwe. The campaign's intended audience was women in long-term relationships. To avoid the stigma associated with condoms and the prevention of sexually transmitted infections, PSI marketed the female condom as a family planning product under the brand name Care™. Approximately one year after the start of the female condom social marketing campaign, the Horizons Program and PSI conducted a descriptive, cross-sectional study of female condom users, male condom users, and nonusers of either …

Estimating The Cost And Effectiveness Of Different Sti Management Strategies For Sex Workers In Madagascar, Horizons Program

HIV and AIDS

In Madagascar, the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is a serious public health problem, particularly among sex workers. A Horizons study conducted in 2000 found approximately two-thirds of female sex workers had an STI, although few were infected with HIV. Since the link between STIs and transmission of HIV has been well established, affordable strategies to manage STIs among sex workers need to be developed. Study investigators also assessed STI management practices in health facilities in two urban areas of Madagascar. Health practitioners were using a syndromic approach, which may be appropriate for managing certain STIs in the general …

Meeting The Sexual Health Needs Of Men Who Have Sex With Men In Senegal, Horizons Program

HIV and AIDS

Research conducted in many countries has highlighted the vulnerability of men who have sex with men (MSM) to HIV and other STIs. Yet in Africa, they receive little attention in HIV/AIDS programming and service delivery because of widespread denial and stigmatization of homosexual behavior. In Senegal, a study conducted by researchers from the National AIDS Control Program, Cheikh Anta Diop University, and the Horizons Program has provided valuable information about the needs, behaviors, knowledge, and attitudes of MSM that has important implications for program managers and policymakers working to stem the spread of HIV/AIDS. The researchers used ethnographic and survey …

Satisfaire Les Besoins De Santé Des Hommes Qui Ont Des Rapports Sexuels Avec D'Autres Hommes Au Sénégal, Horizons Program

HIV and AIDS

No abstract provided.

Microfinance And Households Coping With Hiv/Aids In Zimbabwe: An Exploratory Study, Horizons Program

HIV and AIDS

The widespread prevalence of HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa adversely affects millions of households. In recent years, microfinance has been proposed as a strategy to help the households of microentrepreneurs respond to the negative economic impacts of HIV/AIDS. This attention to the potential role of microfinance builds upon earlier research that shows that microfinance institutions (MFIs) that charge commercial rates of interest and use sound business practices can become operationally self-sustainable and help improve the lives of the poor and vulnerable nonpoor. This type of MFI generally offers small loans, often combined with savings services. An MFI may also offer business …

Designing Hiv/Aids Intervention Studies: An Operations Research Handbook, Andrew A. Fisher, James R. Foreit, John E. Laing, John E. Stoeckel, John Townsend

HIV and AIDS

This handbook has several objectives and uses. First, it is designed to help HIV/AIDS researchers develop and write a detailed operations research proposal. An appropriate use of the handbook is as a resource in workshops or courses on research design and proposal development. Thus, the organization of the handbook follows that of a research proposal, starting with identifying, defining, and justifying a research problem, and ending with how to prepare a budget. Although the handbook is not an academic textbook on research methods, it does provide a review of many key concepts and important methods essential for conducting HIV/AIDS field …

Greater Involvement Of Plha In Ngo Service Delivery: Findings From A Four-Country Study, Horizons Program

HIV and AIDS

At the conclusion of the Paris AIDS Summit in 1994, 42 governments issued a declaration supporting the greater involvement of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) in policy formulation and service delivery. Despite growing recognition of its importance, there has been little research that examines PLHA involvement in the delivery of prevention, care, and support services in developing countries and its effects on PLHA, others affected by HIV/AIDS, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). To address this gap, the Horizons Program and the International HIV/AIDS Alliance conducted a study of PLHA involvement in NGOs in Burkina Faso, Ecuador, Maharashtra State, India, and Zambia …

Cost Of Care And Support Services For Plha: Implications For The Financial Sustainability Of Nongovernmental Organizations, Horizons Program

HIV and AIDS

As HIV/AIDS prevalence increases, providers of care and support services will face greater demand for their services. The ability of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to help meet this increased demand will be influenced in part by their ability to control the cost of their services while generating sufficient revenue to meet expenses. The Y.R. Gaitonde Centre for AIDS Research and Education (YRG CARE) in Chennai, India, was one of the earliest providers of integrated care and support services in South India and currently serves clients from the four South Indian states. This brief highlights the key findings of a study that …

Allocating Health Care Resources To The Elderly, George P. Smith Ii

Scholarly Articles

Health is not an absolute condition, but is assessed by reference to age and other factors. Therefore, a relative scale is necessary to determine whether an elderly person’s right to health care is being satisfied. Today, older Americans are increasingly affected by the growing need to regulate health care delivery. Since 1900, those over the age of 85 years have become twenty-one times as numerous in society, with an eightfold increase in the number of people over the age of 65. Given the need to curb rising health care costs — particularly the expenses related to caring for older individuals …