Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Activation Of The Nf-Κb Pathway As A Mechanism Of Alcohol Enhanced Progression And Metastasis Of Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Fei Wang, Jin-Lian Yang, Ke-Ke Yu, Mei Xu, You-Zhi Xu, Li Chen, Yan-Min Lu, Hao-Shu Fang, Xin-Yi Wang, Zhong-Qian Hu, Fei-Fei Li, Lixin Kan, Jia Luo, Si-Ying Wang

Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common form of primary liver cancer, is the third leading cause of cancer-related death in human. Alcohol is a known risk factor for HCC. However it is still unclear whether and how alcohol enhances the progression and metastasis of existing HCC.

METHODS AND RESULTS: We first retrospectively investigated 52 HCC patients (24 alcohol-drinkers and 28 non-drinkers), and found a positive correlation between alcohol consumption and advanced Tumor-Node-Metastasis (TNM) stages, higher vessel invasion and poorer prognosis. In vitro and in vivo experiments further indicated that alcohol promoted the progression and migration/invasion of HCC. Specifically, in …

New Services To Enhance A Health Care Network's Reputation: Digital Commons At Lvhn, A Health Network Experience, Kristine A. Petre Mls, Cm, Ahip

Department of Education

Live for a little over two years, Lehigh Valley Health Network’s repository, LVHN Scholarly Works, has enhanced the Network’s reputation and research credibility by increasing the visibility of its scholarship. In addition to enhancing the Network’s reputation, LVHN Scholarly Works has been instrumental in saving time and easing workflows for several of its residency programs as well as for ACGME accreditation, and has even contributed to filling in missing pieces of institutional history. As the initiative moves forward, the library continues to look for ways to further increase the visibility of LVHN’s scholarship and help to solve other challenges.

Over …

Identification And Functional Characterization Of G6pc2 Coding Variants Influencing Glycemic Traits Define An Effector Transcript At The G6pc2-Abcb11 Locus, Anubha Mahajan, Xueling Sim, Hui Jin Ng, Alisa Manning, Manuel A. Rivas, Heather M. Highland, Adam E. Locke, Niels Grarup, Hae Kyung Im, John Blangero, Joanne E. Curran

School of Medicine Publications

Genome wide association studies (GWAS) for fasting glucose (FG) and insulin (FI) have identified common variant signals which explain 4.8% and 1.2% of trait variance, respectively. It is hypothesized that low-frequency and rare variants could contribute substantially to unexplained genetic variance. To test this, we analyzed exome-array data from up to 33,231 non-diabetic individuals of European ancestry. We found exome-wide significant (P<5×10-7) evidence for two loci not previously highlighted by common variant GWAS: GLP1R (p.Ala316Thr, minor allele frequency (MAF)=1.5%) influencing FG levels, and URB2 (p.Glu594Val, MAF = 0.1%) influencing FI levels. Coding variant associations can highlight potential effector genes at (non-coding) GWAS signals. At the G6PC2/ABCB11 locus, we identified multiple coding …

What's Happening: January 26, 2015, Maine Medical Center

What's Happening

No abstract provided.

Undergraduate Public Health Education: Does It Meet Public Health Workforce Needs?, James W. Holsinger Jr., Andrea L. Lewis, Quan Chen

Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

The professional bachelor’s degree [Bachelor of Public Health (BPH) or Bachelor of Science (BS) in Public Health] provides a cadre of trained individuals to fill entry-level positions in American public health agencies. The traditional Bachelors of Arts or Science degrees with majors in public health produce an informed citizenry, but may not provide sufficient public health course content to enable graduates of such programs to effectively enter the public health workforce.

Prevalence And Risk Factors For Mast Cell Tumours In Dogs In England, Stephanie J.W. Shoop, Stephanie Marlow, David B. Church, Kate English, Paul D. Mcgreevy, Anneliese J. Stell, Peter C. Thomson, Dan G. O'Neill, David C. Brodbelt

Epidemiology Collection

Background

Mast cell tumour (MCT) appears to be a frequent tumour type in dogs, though there is little published in relation to its frequency in dogs in the UK. The current study aimed to investigate prevalence and risk factors for MCTs in dogs attending English primary-care veterinary practices.

Methods

Electronic patient records from practices participating in the VetCompass animal surveillance project between July 2007 and June 2013 were searched for MCT diagnosis. Various search terms and standard diagnostic terms (VeNom codes) identified records containing MCT diagnoses, which were evaluated against clinical criteria for inclusion to the study. MCT prevalence for …

Targeting Cell Cycle Proteins In Breast Cancer Cells With Sirna By Using Lipid-Substituted Polyethylenimines, Manoj Parmar, Hamidreza Montazeri Aliabadi, Parvin Mahdipoor, Cezary Kucharski, Robert Maranchuk, Judith C. Hugh, Hasan Uludag

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

The cell cycle proteins are key regulators of cell cycle progression whose de-regulation is one of the causes of breast cancer. RNA interference (RNAi) is an endogenous mechanism to regulate gene expression and it could serve as the basis of regulating aberrant proteins including cell cycle proteins. Since the delivery of small interfering RNA (siRNA) is a main barrier for implementation of RNAi therapy, we explored the potential of a non-viral delivery system, 2.0 kDa polyethylenimines substituted with linoleic acid and caprylic acid, for this purpose. Using a library of siRNAs against cell cycle proteins, we identified cell division cycle …

Validating Estimates Of Prevalence Of Non-Communicable Diseases Based On Household Surveys: The Symptomatic Diagnosis Study, Spencer L. James, Minerva Romero, Dolores Ramírez-Villalobos, Sara Gómez

Dartmouth Scholarship

Easy-to-collect epidemiological information is critical for the more accurate estimation of the prevalence and burden of different non-communicable diseases around the world. Current measurement is restricted by limitations in existing measurement systems in the developing world and the lack of biometry tests for non-communicable diseases. Diagnosis based on self-reported signs and symptoms (“Symptomatic Diagnosis,” or SD) analyzed with computer-based algorithms may be a promising method for collecting timely and reliable information on non-communicable disease prevalence. The objective of this study was to develop and assess the performance of a symptom-based questionnaire to estimate prevalence of non-communicable diseases in low-resource areas.

College Of Public Health News, Georgia Southern University

College of Public Health: News & Publications

• Public Health Workforce Composition
• Public Health Services
• Influence of the ACA and Accreditation on Partnerships
• Differences in Definition of Evidence-based Public Health and Evidence

Health Policy & Management News, Georgia Southern University

Health Policy & Community Health: News & Publications (2011-2018)

• Influence of the ACA and Accreditation on Partnerships
• Public Health Services
• Public Health Workforce Composition
• Differences in Definitions of Evidence-based Public Health and Evidence

Medical School Watercooler Newsletter - January 25, 2015, Lindsey Lyle

Watercooler Newsletter

This is the January 25, 2015 edition of the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine's Newsletter - Watercooler.

Contents Include:

Going the Distance: Running for a Purpose

USA Center for Healthy Communities Hosts Faculty Forum

USA Medical Student Co-Authors Research Article Published in the Lancet

Mobile Medical Museum 2015 Lecture Series Starts Feb. 5

A Standardized Autopsy Procurement Allows For The Comprehensive Study Of Dipg Biology., Madhuri Kambhampati, Jennifer P. Perez, Sridevi Yadavilli, Amanda M. Saratsis, D. Ashley Hill, Cheng-Ying Ho, Eshini Panditharatna, Melissa Markel, Roger J. Packer, Javad Nazarian

Pathology Faculty Publications

Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is one of the least understood and most deadly childhood cancers. Historically, there has been a paucity of DIPG specimens for molecular analysis. However, due to the generous participation of DIPG families in programs for postmortem specimen donation, there has been a recent surge in molecular analysis of newly available tumor specimens. Collaborative efforts to share data and tumor specimens have resulted in rapid discoveries in other pediatric brain tumors, such as medulloblastoma, and therefore have the potential to shed light on the biology of DIPG. Given the generous gift of postmortem tissue donation from …

Anthracycline-Related Cardiotoxicity In Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia And Down Syndrome: A Literature Review, Erik Hefti, Javier G. Blanco

Harrisburg University Faculty Works

Pediatric patients with Down syndrome (DS) are at an increased risk of developing certain cancers. Specifically, patients with DS have a reported 10–20-fold increased risk of developing acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Anthracycline-based treatment regimens achieve good results in patients with DS and AML. It has been proposed that DS status constitutes a risk factor for the cardiotoxicity associated with the use of anthracyclines in the pediatric setting. However, published evidence pointing toward an increased risk of cardiotoxicity in patients with DS is relatively scarce and conflictive. This concise review compiles literature relating to the incidence of anthracycline-related cardiotoxicity in pediatric …

Recognizing The Influence Of Social Determinants On Hiv Risk Behaviors And The Need For Structural Interventions To Prevent Hiv In Women, Arlene Edwards

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

The design and implementation of structural interventions may provide for simultaneous and longitudinal responses to prevention needs in multiple contexts as defined by social determinants, thus varied opportunities exist to respond to the HIV prevention needs of women. According to the CDC, in 2010, the rate of new HIV infections among black women was 20 times that of white women, and the rate among Hispanic/Latino women was 4 times the rate of white women. Additionally, 86% of HIV infections in women were attributed to heterosexual contact and 14% to injection drug use (CDC, 2012). These numbers are reflected outside the …

Common Threads: An Integrated Hiv Prevention And Vocational Development Intervention For African American Women Living With Hiv/Aids, Liza Marie Conyers, Yung-Chen Chiu, Aisha Shamburger-Rousseau, Vanessa Johnson, Mark Misrok

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Current policies and initiatives call for the integration of social determinants of health into HIV/AIDS prevention and care interventions. According to the World Health Organization’s Commission on Social Determinants of Health, the lower a person’s socioeconomic status, the worse the health outcomes. One way to alleviate poverty among African American women with HIV/AIDS is to help foster their vocational development and economic empowerment. The National HIV/AIDS Strategy Implementation Plan specifically directs federal agencies to find ways to integrate people living with HIV/AIDS into broader employment initiatives. The purpose of this manuscript is to examine medical, psychosocial, financial/legal and vocational social …

A Comparison Of Sexual Health And Sexual Pressure Among Young African American And Caucasian Women, Ann Gakumo

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Introduction. Condom self-efficacy, positive attitudes toward condom use, condom negotiation skills, HIV knowledge, and self-esteem have been associated with decreased HIV risk behavior among young women, but few studies have examined racial disparities that may exist in these social health indicators. Moreover, sexual pressure (inclusive of both coercive and non-coercive pressures to engage in unwanted or unprotected sex) has been understudied in women of different racial groups.

Study Purpose. The purpose of this study was to compare racial similarities and disparities in indicators of sexual health and sexual pressure in an urban sample of young African American and Caucasian women …

Project Thanks: A Socio-Ecological Framework For An Intervention Involving Hiv Positive African American Women With Comorbidities, Meena Mahadevan, Ndidiamaka Amutah, Lauren Juliette Ramos, Emily Rose Raines, Jerome King, Jodyann Mcintosh, Constance Leverett

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

HIV-positive individuals are living longer today as a result of continuing advances in treatment but are also facing an increased risk for chronic diseases such as diabetes, and hypertension. These conditions result in a larger burden of hospitalization, outpatient, and emergency room visits. Impoverished African American women may represent an especially high-risk group due to disparities in health care, racial discrimination, and limited resources. This article describes an intervention that is based on the conceptual framework of the socio-ecological model. Project THANKS uses a community-based participatory, and empowerment building approach to target the unique personal, social, and environmental needs of …

Sexual Decision Making In The Absence Of Choice: The African American Female Dating Experience., Michele Peake Andrasik, Hong V. Nguyen, William H. George, Kelly F. Kajumulo

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Although links between low mate availability and increased HIV and STI risk for African American women have been documented in the literature, we know little about the impact of limited mate choices on the quality of relationships between Black men and women and how these relationship dynamics impact risk for young Black women. We conducted a qualitative study with African American female young adults (N=12) to explore the perceived impact of structural forces on African American female young adults’ dating and sexual behavior. Participants reported (1) perceptions of Black men as untrustworthy and manipulative, (2) the limited and often negative …

Lessons Learned: Exploratory Study Of A Hiv/Aids Prevention Intervention For African American Women Who Have Experienced Intimate Partner Violence, Michele A. Rountree

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Given the prevalence and co-occurring nature of HIV and intimate partner violence among African American women there is a need for a risk reduction intervention. This study explored the results from an exploratory study of an HIV/AIDS prevention intervention for African-American women who have experienced intimate partner violence. The emphasis of this study is to identify lessons learned to guide future research.

Recruitment for the feasibility study was done in two waves over a period of three months. During the first wave, 22 participants were recruited for the intervention group, and in the second wave, 25 participants were in the …

Is Race A Factor In Disparate Health Problems Associated With Violence Against Women?, Gabriel M. Garcia, Marny Rivera

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Research studies examining the health correlates of violence against women have consistently demonstrated associations between violence and poor health outcomes, but have not examined a disparate impact on racial minorities. Alaska Victimization Survey data (2010) was used to examine whether a disparate relationship between victimization and health problems exists for minority women relative to White women. The Alaska Victimization Survey (AVS) is a cross-sectional survey designed to provide baseline estimates of intimate partner and sexual violence for Alaskan women. Logistic regression was used to assess the odds of experiencing various health problems given race and exposure to violence status while …

Dramatic Plays As A Tool To Educate Young African-American Females About Hiv/Aids, Jonathan N. Livingston, James Merryweather, Jessica Mohabir, Che' Smith, Nina Smith, Jacqueline Madry, Travis Knight, Dorothy M. Singleton, Seronda A. Robinson, Lisa Cothran, Dwayne Brandon, Alexis L. Slay, Camille Brown

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Rates of HIV/AIDS transmission have increased substantially, particularly among young African American women. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HIV/AIDS is the number one killer for African American women aged 25 to 34. Given that many of these young women are contracting the disease in their late teens and early twenties, there is a need to develop interventions that directly address the needs of this group. The current study sought to assess the effectiveness of theater in increasing knowledge of HIV/AIDS and the likelihood of healthier sexual behavior and choices among 219 young African American women …

Editors' Notes-Women Of Color Sexual Health Across The Lifespan, Marya Shegog, Melva Thompson-Robinson

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

No abstract provided.

Parental Discussions About Sexual Risk With African American Sons: The Role Of Religiosity., Wadiya A. Udell, Geri R. Donenberg

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

The current study investigated the relationship between parental religiosity (i.e., parent church attendance), and frequency of parent-youth communication about sexual risk (i.e., discussion about sex, and discussion about condom use) with African American boys. Participants were 65 parents of African American boys between the ages of 11 and 17 years. Results indicated no relationship between age and parent-son discussion about sexual risk. However, parental religiosity was negatively associated with frequency of communication with sons about sex and condom use. Parents who attended church more frequently reported fewer discussions about sex and condom use than parents who attended church less frequently. …

Condom Use Among Young African American Men: Implications For Planning Interventions, Adedeji S. Adefuye, Stephen B. Kennedy, Shakirudeen Amuwo, Sherry Nolan, Judith V. Sayad

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Condom Use among Young African American Men: Implications for Planning Interventions

Sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV, continue to present significant public health problems affecting young people in the United States, especially African Americans. While African Americans make up about 12% of the U.S. population, in 2010 they accounted for 44% of new HIV infections in 2010 and 48% of all persons living with AIDS in 2007. The 2010 data shows that of these new cases, 38% occurred among African American males ages 13-24 years old.

Correct condom use remains a challenge in this population and efforts to increase condom use …

The Role Of Relationship And Other Factors Associated With Condom Use Intention Among Young American Indian Men Ages 18 To 24 Years Old, Rebecca Dick, Elizabeth Rink, Kris Fourstar

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

The purpose of this study was to investigate the heterosexual relationship factors that were associated with condom use intention for STI prevention in a purposive sample of American Indian men. The sample was drawn from the Fort Peck Reservations in northeastern Montana. The sample size included 122 American Indian men ages 18 to 24. The theory of planned behavior and interdependence theory provided the theoretical basis for the study. Seventy- seven percent of the young men reported being in a steady relationship with 60.3% agreeing that they were committed to maintaining their relationship with their current partner. Relationship duration and …

Do Masculinity And Perceived Condom Barriers Predict Heterosexual Hiv Risk Behaviors Among Black Substance Abusing Men?, A, Kathleen Burlew, Jerika Wilson, Latrice Montgomery, Bridgette Peteet, Candace Johnson, Mary Hatch-Maillette

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Although HIV prevention during substance abuse treatment is ideal, existing HIV risk-reduction interventions are less effective among Black and other ethnic minority substance abusers. The Sexual Health Model (SHM) and the Person, Extended Family and Neighborhood-3 model (PEN-3) both highlight the importance of increasing our understanding of the relationship of sociocultural factors to sexual-decision making as a step towards developing more HIV prevention interventions for ethnic minorities. However, few studies examine sociocultural factors in the sexual decision-making process of Black substance abusing men. This secondary analysis of data collected in an evaluation of Real Men Are Safe (REMAS), a HIV …

Sexual Hiv Risk Among Male Parolees And Their Female Partners: The Relate Project, Megan Comfort, Olga Grinstead Reznick, Samantha E. Dilworth, Diane Binson, Lynae Darbes, Torsten B. Neilands

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background: The massively disproportionate impact of America’s prison boom on communities of color has raised questions about how incarceration may affect health disparities, including disparities in HIV. Primary partners are an important source of influence on sexual health. In this paper, we investigate sexual HIV risk among male-female couples following a man’s release from prison.

Methods: We draw upon data from the Relate Project, a novel cross-sectional survey of recently released men and their female partners in Oakland and San Francisco, California (N=344). Inferential analyses use the actor-partner model to explore actor and partner effects on sexual HIV risk outcomes. …

Perceptions Of Hiv Risk And Explanations Of Sexual Risk Behavior Offered By Heterosexual Black Male Barbershop Patrons In Brooklyn, Ny, Tonya N. Taylor, Michael A. Joseph, Kirk D. Henny, Angelo R. Pinto, Francis Agbetor, Brignel Camilien, Kim M. Williams, Ruth C. Browne, Marilyn White, Yolene Gousse, Humberto Brown, Raekiela D. Taylor, Tracey E. Wilson

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Objective: To describe HIV risk factors among adult heterosexual Black men recruited from four barbershops located in high HIV seroprevalent neighborhoods of Brooklyn, NY.

Methods: Data on HIV-risk related behaviors and other characteristics were collected from barbershop clients. All participants (n=60) completed brief risk assessments; and a subset (n=22) also completed focus groups and/or individual interviews.

Results: Of the subset of 22 men, 68% were US born, 59% had been in jail/prison, 32% were unemployed; and during the 3 months before the interviews, 68% reported at least two partners and 45% reported unprotected vaginal or anal sex with …

Editors' Notes: Men Of Color Sexual Health Across The Lifespan, Marya Shegog, Melva Thompson-Robinson

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

No abstract provided.

Environmental Disparities Present A Challenge For Diabetes Prevention And Management Efforts In Dallas County, Theresa Mendoza, Sushma Sharma, Pamela Daughty, Crystee Cooper, Carol Young, Larry Tubb, Kristin Jenkins, Community Health Collaborative Of North Texas (Chc)

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

The State of Texas is home to nearly 2 million men, women and children with diabetes, over half a million of which reside in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) region. Recognizing the rising need to identify the disparities in implementing the diabetes prevention and management efforts and adopting the healthy life style in high diabetes prevalence areas in Dallas County, we explored the potential of Geographic Information System (GIS) methodology to analyze the data at zip code level from Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council (DFWHC) Research Foundation’s data registry. The objectives of this research were to identify the zip codes with the …