Public Health Commons^™

Massage Therapy For People With Hiv, Karen T. Boulanger

International Journal of Global Health and Health Disparities

Massage therapists celebrated along with other complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practitioners at the release of Eisenberg et al.'s follow-up of a national survey on the trends in the use of CAM in the United States from 1990-1997. Not only did the use of CAM increase from 33.8 percent to 42.1 percent, massage was one of the therapies that increased the most (Eisenberg et al., 1998). In addition, although 71.5 percent of the visits were not covered by any insurance, massage therapy was the second most popular CAM therapy used, accounting for 18.1 percent of the 628.8 million total visits …

Childhood Cancer Rates And Exposure To Vehicle Pollutants, Sara Jo Hill

International Journal of Global Health and Health Disparities

Cancer is the second leading cause of death among children ages zero to 15 in the United States (Gouveia-Vigeant & Tickner, 2003, p. 1). Rates for childhood cancer have increased nearly 21 percent between 1975 and 1998 (Gouveia-Vigeant & Tickner, p. 1). Multiple factors can be attributed to this increase. Possible explanations include: increased surveillance, changes in diagnostic criteria, improvements in medical imaging and diagnostic techniques, genetic predisposition as well as environmental factors. Experts recently concluded that genetic predisposition accounts for no more than 20 percent of all childhood cancers (Gouveia-Vigeant & Tickner, p. 1). While this demonstrates a significant …

Colorectal Cancer And Meat Consumption: Recent Views From Epidemiology, Rachel Horner

International Journal of Global Health and Health Disparities

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States and the third most commonly diagnosed form of cancer in men and women (CDC 2003). The risk for developing colorectal cancer increases with age (90 percent of cases occur in individuals over 50) and with personal or familial predisposition to cancer. Numerous studies over the years also show connections between lifestyle factors-such as eating a diet high in saturated fat and low in fruits and vegetables, smoking and not exercising regularly-and the incidence of this cancer. However, the links between certain dietary factors and the risk …

Maternal Caffeine Intake And Low Birth Weight: Is There A Relationship?, Jessica Purcell

International Journal of Global Health and Health Disparities

In 1974, the first studies looking at the effect of caffeine use on pregnancy were published. These studies have continued, partly due to the conflicting nature of the results. Some have concluded that caffeine use in pregnancy is safe, while others believe caffeine use can increase risks for intrauterine growth retardation and low birth weight infants. The hypothesis that caffeine may affect a fetus is plausible, as caffeine crosses the placental barrier, increases maternal epinephrine and is metabolized more slowly by the mother during pregnancy. There has also been the suggestion that a relationship between caffeine use and fetal growth …

Barriers To Combating Infectious Disease Globally: A Look At Dengue Fever, Rob J. Fernandez

International Journal of Global Health and Health Disparities

Infectious disease remains one of the most important concerns in global health. Serious infectious diseases affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide each year. While attention is often focused on HIV/AIDS, malaria or TB, dengue fever and its more lethal variety dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) are also a risk for the more than 2.5 billion people living in tropical and sub-tropical regions across the globe, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Approximately 50 million cases, about 400,000 of which are DHF, are documented each year, with some countries reporting it as a leading cause of child mortality (1). Although …

Ethical Approaches To Gathering Information From Children And Adolescents In International Settings: Guidelines And Resources, Katie D. Schenk, Jan Williamson

HIV and AIDS

This publication provides practical guidance to help program managers and researchers understand and uphold ethical standards when planning and implementing information-gathering activities among children and adolescents, and promotes discussion of ethical issues among people of different backgrounds and training who gather information for different purposes. The publication, which is divided into three parts, is intended to be helpful to anyone who plans, manages, implements, analyzes, or funds any program or research activity that requires gathering information from children and adolescents, including monitoring and evaluation. Part 1 presents key issues that must be considered from the earliest stages of planning and …

Extended Vs. Small Field Irradiation In High Risk Post Esophagectomy Patients Receiving Combined Chemoradiation Therapy: A Decade Experience In Treatment Of Esophageal Cancer, Edward Yu, Patricia Tai, George Rodrigues, Robert Ash, Larry Stitt, Rashid A. Dar, Pauline Truong, Gregory M. Videtic, Richard Malthaner, Richard Inculet, Anna Tomiak, Jawaid Younus, Brian Dingle, Walter Kocha, Mark Vincent

Oncology Presentations

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of extended field irradiation with anastomotic coverage on local recurrence in high risk resected esophageal cancerpatients.

METHODS: From 1989-1999, high risk resected esophageal cancer cases receiving post-resection chemoradiation were reviewed. Adjuvant chemotherapy consisted of four cycles of fluorouracil-based regimens. Loco-regional irradiation with or without coverage of anastomotic site had radiation a dose range from 45-60 Gyat 1.8-2.0 Gy/fraction given with initial anterior-posterior/posterior-anterior arrangement with either extended (with anastomotic coverage), or small (without anastomotic coverage) field followed by oblique fields for boost.

RESULTS: One hundred eighty-eight charts were reviewed. Seventy-two patients were eligible for post-resection chemoradiation. …

The Effects Of Ppa And Nicotine Gum On Cessation Rates And Post Cessation Weight Gain In Women., Theodore Cooper, R. Klesges, M. Debon, S. Zbikowski, K. Johnson, L. Clemens

Departmental Papers (Psych)

No abstract provided.

Cost - Minimization Analysis Of Treprostinil Vs. Epoprostenol As An Alternate To Oral Therapy: Non - Responders For The Treatment Of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, Lutchmie Narine, L. Hague, J. Walker, C. Vicente

Public Health, Food Studies, and Nutrition

Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Treprostinil was compared to epoprostenol for the economic impact of treating IPAH patients who failed or were not candidates for bosentan. METHODS: The model was a cost-minimization analysis, assuming clinical equivalence was achieved by proper dosing of both drugs, in terms of survival and surrogate measures. Two theoretical cohorts of 270 patients were treated with subcutaneous treprostinil and intravenous epoprostenol, and were evaluated over 3 years using a spreadsheet model. Annual survival rates were estimated for the cohorts so that at endpoint 114 (42%) patients survived in both …

Genome Size And Organization In The Blacklegged Tick, Ixodes Scapularis And The Southern Cattle Tick, Boophilus Microplus, A. J. Ullmann, C. M. R. Lima, F. D. Guerrero, J. Piesman, W. C. Black Iv

United States Public Health Resources

Genome sizes and the organization of repetitive DNA were determined in the hard ticks Ixodes scapularis and Boophilus microplus using reassociation kinetics. The I. scapularis genome contains ~ 2.15 pg (2.1 × 10 ³ Mbp) of DNA and consists of no foldback (FB), 27% highly repetitive (HR), 39% moderately repetitive (MR), and 34% unique DNA. The B. microplus genome contains 7.5 pg (7.1 × 10 ³ Mbp) DNA, and consists of 0.82% FB, 31% HR, 38% MR, and 30% unique DNA. In both species, repetitive sequences occur in a mixture of long and short period interspersion but most (65–80%) of …

Evolutionary Genetics Of A New Pathogenic Escherichia Species: Escherichia Albertii And Related Shigella Boydii Strains, Katie E. Hyma, David W. Lacher, Adam M. Nelson, Alyssa C. Bumbaugh, J. Michael Janda, Nancy A. Strockbine, Vincent B. Young, Thomas S. Whittam

United States Public Health Resources

A bacterium originally described as Hafnia alvei induces diarrhea in rabbits and causes epithelial damage similar to the attachment and effacement associated with enteropathogenic Escherichia coli. Subsequent studies identified similar H. alvei-like strains that are positive for an intimin gene (eae) probe and, based on DNA relatedness, are classified as a distinct Escherichia species, Escherichia albertii. We determined sequences for multiple housekeeping genes in five E. albertii strains and compared these sequences to those of strains representing the major groups of pathogenic E. coli and Shigella. A comparison of 2,484 codon positions in 14 …

Non-O157 Shiga Toxin–Producing Escherichia Coli Infections In The United States, 1983–2002, John T. Brooks, Evangeline G. Sowers, Joy G. Wells, Katherine D. Greene Greene, Patricia M. Griffin, Robert M. Hoekstra, Nancy A. Strockbine

United States Public Health Resources

Background. Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7 is a well-recognized cause of bloody diarrhea and hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS). Non-O157 STEC contribute to this burden of illness but have been underrecognized as a result of diagnostic limitations and inadequate surveillance.

Methods. Between 1983 and 2002, 43 state public health laboratories submitted 940 human non-O157 STEC isolates from persons with sporadic illnesses to the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention reference laboratory for confirmation and serotyping.

Results. The most common serogroups were O26 (22%), O111 (16%), O103 (12%), O121 (8%), O45 (7%), and O145 (5%). Non-O157 STEC infections were …

Identification And Characterization Of Shigella Boydii 20 Serovar Nov., A New And Emerging Shigella Serotype, David L. Woodward, Clifford G. Clark, Richard A. Caldeira, Rafiq Ahmed, Geoff Soule, Louis Bryden, Helen Tabor, Pasquale Melito, Roger Foster, Julie Walsh, Lai-King Ng, Georgia B. Malcolm, Nancy Strockbine, Frank G. Rodgers

United States Public Health Resources

Analysis of 163 putative Shigella isolates from Canada and the USA showed biochemical reactions consistent with Shigella species, although none of the isolates reacted with antiserum raised against any of the well-established or provisional Shigella serotypes. All these isolates, provisionally designated serotype SH108, were positive for the ipaH gene and the invasion-associated locus. All fermented mannitol, were serologically indistinguishable from each other and showed no reaction in antisera prepared against Escherichia coli serotypes O1 to O181. PCR-RFLP analysis of the genes involved in O-antigen synthesis revealed a common pattern among these isolates that was distinct from recognized Shigella serotypes and …

Evaluating Current Policy For Detecting Mosaicism In Amniotic Fluid Cultures: Implications For Current Cell Counting Practices, Samuel P. Caudill, Daniel L. Van Dyke, Andrew T. L. Chen, John A. Reidy, Paul S. Ing, Stuart Schwartz, Gail H. Vance

United States Public Health Resources

Chromosomal mosaicism is one of the most vexing problems for clinical cytogenetic laboratories and personnel time used for analysis at the microscope is one of the principle costs in cytogenetic laboratories. We use data collected from 26 cytogenetic laboratories to evaluate whether the American College of Medical Genetics guidelines for minimum number of cells to count to exclude mosaicism in amniotic fluid specimens is appropriate. An accurate estimate of the number of mosaics that are missed by current cell counting practices is an important step in this process. Thus, we present a new method for estimating the number of mosaics …

Molecular Cloning And Characterization Of A Porcine Ul16 Binding Protein (Ulbp)-Like Cdna, Carmen N. Garcia-Borges, Bounleut Phanavanh, Sarika Saraswati, Richard A. Dennis, Mark D. Crew

United States Public Health Resources

UL16 binding proteins (ULBPs) are ligands for the NK cell activating receptor NKG2D. A cDNA encoding a porcine ULBP-like protein (PULBP) was cloned and the predicted amino acid sequence exhibited 35–52% identity to human ULBPs. Southern blot analysis suggested that there is only one ULBP-like gene in the pig genome. Transcripts of PULBP and another potential NKG2D ligand, MIC2, were detected by RT-PCR in a wide range of tissues. Recombinant PULBP-Fc and human ULBP2-Fc fusion proteins were made and used to examine PULBP binding to porcine PBMCs and a human NK cell line (NKL cells). PULBP-Fc bound to a subpopulation …

Phylogenetic Analysis Of North American West Nile Virus Isolates, 2001–2004: Evidence For The Emergence Of A Dominant Genotype, C. Todd Davis, Gregory D. Ebel, Robert S. Lanciotti, Aaron C. Brault, Hilda Guzman, Marina Siirin, Amy Lambert, Ray E. Parsons, David W.C. Beasley, Robert J. Novak, Darwin Elizondo-Quiroga, Emily N. Green, David S. Young, Lillian M. Stark, Michael A. Drebot, Harvey Artsob, Robert B. Tesh, Laura D. Kramer, Alan D.T. Barrett

United States Public Health Resources

The distribution of West Nile virus has expanded in the past 6 years to include the 48 contiguous United States and seven Canadian provinces, as well as Mexico, the Caribbean islands, and Colombia. The suggestion of the emergence of a dominant genetic variant has led to an intensive analysis of isolates made across North America. We have sequenced the premembrane and envelope genes of 74 isolates and the complete genomes of 25 isolates in order to determine if a dominant genotype has arisen and to better understand how the virus has evolved as its distribution has expanded. Phylogenetic analyses revealed …

Agricultural Pesticide Use And Risk Of Glioma In Nebraska, United States, W. J. Lee, J. S. Colt, E. F. Heineman, R. Mccomb, D. D. Weisenburger, W. Lijinsky, M. H. Ward

United States Public Health Resources

Background: To evaluate the risk of the adult glioma associated with farming and agricultural pesticide use, the authors conducted a population based case control study in eastern Nebraska.
Methods: Telephone interviews were conducted with men and women diagnosed with gliomas (n = 251) between 1988 and 1993 and controls (n = 498) randomly selected from the same geographical area. Unconditional logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for farming and for use of individual and chemical classes of insecticides and herbicides, including pesticides classified as nitrosatable (able to form N-nitroso compounds upon reaction with nitrite). Non-farmers were …

Role Of Elevated S-Adenosylhomocysteine In Rat Hepatocyte Apoptosis: Protection By Betaine, Kusum K. Kharbanda, David D. Rogers Ii, Mark E. Mailliard, Gerri L. Siford, Anthony J. Barak, Harriet C. Beckenhauer, Michael F. Sorrell, Dean J. Tuma

United States Public Health Resources

Previous studies from our laboratory have shown that ethanol consumption results in an increase in hepatocellular S-adenosylhomocysteine levels. Because S-adenosylhomocysteine is a potent inhibitor of methylation reactions, we propose that increased intracellular S-adenosylhomocysteine levels could be a major contributor to ethanol-induced pathologies. To test this hypothesis, hepatocytes isolated from rat livers were grown on collagen-coated plates in Williams’ medium E containing 5% FCS and exposed to varying concentrations of adenosine in order to increase intracellular S-adenosylhomocysteine levels. We observed increases in caspase-3 activity following exposure to adenosine. This increase in caspase activity correlated with increases in intracellular S-adenosylhomocysteine levels and …

Measurements Of Constraint Of Total Knee Replacement, H. Haider, P.S. Walker

United States Public Health Resources

Measurement of the constraint of total knee components in a test machine provides an objective method of describing the laxity and stability characteristics of the implant itself, independent of the knee joint into which it would be implanted. A special fixture was designed and fitted to a Bionix multi-channel loading machine. The test consisted of applying a compressive load, applying a cyclic AP force or internal-external torque, and measuring all of the displacements and rotations. Three different commonly-used TKR’s showed widely different constraint characteristics. In the cyclic AP test, along with the cyclic AP displacement, displacements and rotations occurred in …

Effect Of Cirrhosis On Antibiotic Efficacy In A Rat Model Of Pneumococcal Pneumonia, Laurel C. Preheim, Keith M. Olsen, Mei Yue, Mary U. Snitily, Martha J. Gentry-Nielsen

United States Public Health Resources

A rat model was used to study the effects of cirrhosis on antibiotic therapy of pneumococcal pneumonia. Cirrhotic and control male Sprague-Dawley rats were infected transtracheally with type 3 Streptococcus pneumonia. Treatment began 18 h later with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), azithromycin (50 mg/kg), trovafloxacin (50 mg/kg), or ceftriaxone (100 mg/kg) injected subcutaneously twice daily for 5 days. Antibiotic concentrations were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. Azithromycin, trovafloxacin, and ceftriaxone were all equally effective at preventing mortality in both cirrhotic and normal rats. Free fraction area under the curve to minimum inhibitory concentration ratio (AUC/MIC) and maximum calculated serum concentration …

Rat Sinusoidal Liver Endothelial Cells (Secs) Produce Pro-Fibrotic Factors In Response To Adducts Formed From The Metabolites Of Ethanol, Geoffrey M. Thiele, Michael J. Duryee, Thomas L. Freeman, Michael F. Sorrell, Monte S. Willis, Dean J. Tuma, Lynell W. Klassen

United States Public Health Resources

Previous studies with alcohol-associated malondialdehyde–acetaldehyde (MAA)-modified proteins have demonstrated an increase in the expression of adhesion molecules, and the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines/chemokines by rat sinusoidal liver endothelial cells (SECs). However, no studies have been initiated to examine the effects of MAA-modified proteins on the expression of the extracellular matrix (ECM) protein, fibronectin and its isoforms. For these studies, SECs were isolated from the liver of normal rats, and exposed to MAA-modified bovine serum albumin (MAA–Alb). At selected time points, the total plasma and cellular fibronectin were determined by Western blot. Injection of rat liver via the mesenteric vein with …

Reducing The Transmission Of Hiv And Sexually Transmitted Infections In A Mining Community: Findings From The Carletonville Mothusimpilo Intervention Project: 1998 To 2001, Lewis Ndhlovu, Catherine Searle, Johannes Van Dam, Yodwa Mzaidume, Bareng Rasego, Solly Moema

HIV and AIDS

The Horizons program, in collaboration with the Center for Scientific and Industrial Research, the South African Institute for Medical Research, and the London School of Economics, conducted an intervention study in the mining town of Carletonville, South Africa to examine the social determinants of the HIV epidemic, and to assess the impact of a targeted program of HIV and STI prevention and service delivery. The project did not reduce STI prevalence or HIV prevalence, as changing sexual behavior is far more complex than educating individuals about HIV. The report recommends interventions to support behavioral change education, STI treatment, the role …

Changes In Beliefs Identify Unblinding In Randomized Controlled Trials: A Method To Meet Consort Guidelines, Judy R. Rees, Timothy J. Wade, Deborah A. Levy, John M. Colford, Joan F. Hilton

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

Double-blinded trials are often considered the gold standard for research, but significant bias may result from unblinding of participants and investigators. Although the CONSORT guidelines discuss the importance of reporting "evidence that blinding was successful", it is unclear what constitutes appropriate evidence. Among studies reporting methods to evaluate blinding effectiveness, many have compared groups with respect to the proportions correctly identifying their intervention at the end of the trial. Instead, we reasoned that participants' beliefs, and not their correctness, are more directly associated with potential bias, especially in relation to self-reported health outcomes. During the Water Evaluation Trial performed in …

Graduate Public Health Education In Africa: An Innovative Distance-Learning Model, Emmanuel Rudatsikira, Patricia Johnston, Richard Hart

International Journal of Global Health and Health Disparities

This article describes the development and implementation of a distance graduate public health education program in Africa by Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California, U.S.A. The program started in March 2000 and ended in September 2003 with formal teaching sessions on-site held twice a year at the University of Eastern Africa, Kenya. The instruction was given in English and French. Of the cohort of 67 students from 20 African countries who started the program, 57 received an M.P.H. degree and six received a certificate in public health. The experiential learning model allowed students to immediately put into practice what they …

Latinas And Breast Cancer In The Midwest: Factors Influencing Survivorship, M. Elise Radina, Daniel R. Longo, Jane M. Armer

International Journal of Global Health and Health Disparities

Latinos are the largest ethnic minority group in the U.S. and the Midwest is experiencing the fastest growth in residents of Hispanic descent. Rural health care delivery systems in these areas must therefore respond to changing demographics and provide culturally appropriate service delivery. The incidence rate of breast cancer among Latinas is lower than that among non-Hispanic women; however an increasing number of Latinas are being diagnosed with breast cancer. Despite higher mortality rates from cancer than non-Hispanic women, more Latinas are being treated for breast cancer and are now facing their own unique survivorship experiences This paper addresses factors …

The Role Of The Insecticide Ddt In Breast Cancer, Jared D. Taylor

International Journal of Global Health and Health Disparities

Breast cancer is by far the most common cancer among black and white females, with approximately 211,000 new cases expected to be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2004 (1). More importantly, incidence has been increasing. Age-adjusted breast cancer incidence in U.S. females rose from the 88.6 per 100,000 in the early 1970s to 109.8 in the early 1990s (2). This represents a 24 percent increase over that time. This trend is only partially explained by the known risk factors for breast cancer, including advancing age, early menarche, late menopause, late age at first parturition and family history. Therefore, researchers have …

Socioeconomic Status And Tobacco Use, Jennifer Cook

International Journal of Global Health and Health Disparities

Cigarette smoking remains the leading cause of illness, disability and death in the United States, and more than 400,000 premature deaths occur each year in this country from tobacco-related causes (1). More than 80 percent of adult smokers first become regular smokers by the age of 18, and casual experimentation with smoking by adolescents frequently develops into regular smoking and a strong addiction. Despite the growth in anti-tobacco campaigns, research has shown that socioeconomic status (SES) is still a major determinant as to whether or not teens begin smoking (2). A recent analysis of data from the 2000 National Health …

Bush's Gag Rule And Africa: Impact On Reproductive Health, John Kemoli Sagala

International Journal of Global Health and Health Disparities

Throughout most of the 20th century, multilateral development partnership in the area of reproductive health was one of the few success stories in public health. Globally, by 1998, 58 percent of all married women had access to modern contraceptives and other family planning services. This represented 67 percent of married women in developed countries and 54 percent in developing countries. Since taking office in 2001, President George W. Bush has sought to undo these achievements through the global gag rule. On January 20, 2001, President Bush reinstated the 1984 Reagan Mexico City Policy or global gag rule. The global gag …

Information For Authors

International Journal of Global Health and Health Disparities

No abstract provided.

Programming For Hiv Prevention In South African Schools: A Report On Program Implementation, Priscilla Reddy, Shegs James, Ann P. Mccauley

HIV and AIDS

An evaluation study conducted in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, provides important insights into whether learners who participated in a fact-based, interactive course had more knowledge about HIV risks, prevention, and care practices; more positive attitudes toward prevention practices and people living with HIV and AIDS; and a higher prevalence of reported safe behaviors than comparable learners who did not participate in the course. Results show that the Life Skills Grade 9 Curriculum had a positive impact of students’ knowledge of HIV/AIDS, attitudes about abstinence, and intention to use condoms. There was, however, no evidence of increased adoption of such protective …