Depression, interpersonal violence and lack of social support as barriers to cervical cancer screening among recently immigrated Latinas

Background. Various psychosocial factors have been demonstrated to be barriers for cervical cancer screening among Latinas in the United States, but few studies have researched whether depression and interpersonal violence act as psychosocial barriers to cervical cancer screening. ^ Methods. The proposed study assessed whether depression, interpersonal violence, lack of social support and demographic characteristics such as age, income, education and years in the United States acted as barriers to cervical cancer screening among cantineras in Houston, TX. This secondary data analysis utilized data from a previous cross-sectional study called Project GIRASOL- Community Outreach to Prevent Cervical Cancer among Latinas. The data from the baseline survey (sample size 331) was analyzed using Pearson chi-square and multiple logistic regression. ^ Results. Multiple logistic regression indicates that none and low levels of social support from relatives, depression, and total IPV are significant predictors of non-compliance to cervical cancer screening. ^ Conclusions. Future health interventions or physicians that promote cervical cancer screening among cantineras or recently immigrated Latinas with similar socio-demographic characteristics should try to identify whether Latinas are suffering from depression, interpersonal violence or lack of social support and provide proper referrals to alleviate the problems and positively influence screening behavior. ^

Ethanol-induced gastric damage in the rat: Lack of a correlation with oxygen-derived free radicals

The present study investigated the role of oxygen-derived free radicals as mediators of acute damage to rat gastric mucosae exposed to topically applied absolute ethanol. Although a hydroxyl radical scavenger, Dimethylthiourea, was noted to exhibit profound gastroprotective properties, other pretreatment regimens employing a host of known free radical scavengers, and enzyme inhibitors failed to confirm this hypothesis. Furthermore, no change in mucosal malondialdehyde, an indicator of free radical attack to cell membranes, could be detected in ethanol exposed tissues. Taken together, the present study fails to confirm that oxygen-derived free radicals mediate the gastric damaging effects of topically applied absolute ethanol. ^

The role of BCL-2 in regulation of apoptosis susceptibility by modulation of glutathione

The role of oxidative stress and apoptosis has recently been recognized as an important determinant in the development of a variety of diseases known to man. The oncogene BCL-2 is known to regulate sensitivity to induction of apoptosis and appears to function in an antioxidant pathway by regulating glutathione. We have investigated various steps in the oxidative stress cascade to determine possible sites of action for BCL-2. The fluorescent probes H2DCFDA, dihydroethidium and cis-parinaric acid were used to quantitate generation of peroxides, superoxide and lipid peroxidation, respectively. While each of these agents was able to detect substantial increases in oxidative stress following exposure of cells to ionizing radiation, there was no significant difference between cells expressing high or low levels of BCL-2. Investigation of mitochondrial dysfunction during apoptosis revealed a possible site of bcl-2 intervention, but, analysis of kinetic events occurring during apoptosis suggested that the observed effect is not in the direct apoptotic effector pathway. When glutathione was studied, localization to the nucleus was observed in cells overexpressing BCL-2 that did not occur in cells lacking BCL-2. Additionally, nuclear accumulation of glutathione was sufficient to block granzyme b-mediated nuclear DNA fragmentation, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage and caspase activity suggesting that nuclear accumulation of glutathione via a bcl-2 dependent process is functionally relevant to suppression of apoptosis. Thus, a model system emerges where BCL-2 is able to regulate a cell's ability to prevent apoptosis by modifying the cell's antioxidant systems at the organelle level to compensate for oxidative stresses placed upon it. ^

Issues related to HIV stigma: An embedded case study of PLHAS and community in Nepal

Little is known about HIV stigma in Nepal. Findings from other parts of the world suggest that HIV related stigma acts as a limiting factor for People Living with HIV & AIDS (PLHAs) from accessing needed health care and the subsequent psychological outcomes make PLHAs and their immediate family members more vulnerable. The purpose of this study is to understand and describe Nepalese PLHA's and community peoples' experiences regarding sources, types, causes and mechanism of HIV-associated stigma. This study aimed to best utilize the existing data. Study participants were recruited through local Community Based Organizations working in the field of HIV. The data, collected in the form of focus group discussions in workshop settings, were coded and analyzed. Study has revealed key issues related to HIV stigma in Nepal: hierarchy of stigma, denial and rejection, death as a form of punishment and Mumbaiya disease. A conceptual model was developed to explain the HIV stigma in Nepal. Our hope is that this finding, stigma being a contextual variable, will be helpful in triggering a novel public health discourse in the field of HIV stigma in Nepal, which will eventually be helpful for developing policies and interventions to eliminate HIV-associated stigma.^

A STUDY OF DIVERSITY AND COMMUNITY COMPARISON INDICES BY BIOASSAY OF COPPER USING COLONIZED BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATES

A community bioassay of copper was performed using benthic macroinvertebrates colonized on multiplate substrate samplers. Five copper concentrations ranging from 0.080-2.20 mg/l total copper were administered to five artificial streams by a Mount and Brungs proportional dilutor. Free copper ion as Cu('++) ranged from .002-.053 mg/l. A sixth stream received no copper and served as a control. Substrates were sampled at days 0, 14, and 28, and the results were used to compare 13 indices used or proposed to assess aquatic environmental impact. Sensitivity of the indices to changes in communities with respect to concentration and time was the basis for the comparison.^ Results indicated that all of the 8 diversity or richness indices tested gave approximately the same result (with the exception of number of species); they increased over the first 2-3 concentrations, then declined. Included among these was the Shannon index which gave false positive results, i.e., it increased, indicating enrichment, when in fact perturbation had occurred. This result was due to the disproportionate effect on the most abundant taxa, which caused a more even distribution of individuals among species. Number of species and individuals declined with increased concentration and time, with only one exception in the case of species, indicating perturbation.^ Results of five community comparison indices were varied at day 14 but by day 28 the results indicated a clear, nearly monotonic, trend due to copper impact. It was assumed that day 28 observations, though probably still changing, were nearer stability than at day 14 and therefore more representative of natural conditions. The changes in community comparison indices showed good agreement at 28 days and reflected the general decline in species and individuals. No single community comparison index could be set apart as superior to the others. ^

Exploration of genetic susceptibility to pancreatic cancer: A GWAS approach

Pancreatic cancer is the 4th most common cause for cancer death in the United States, accompanied by less than 5% five-year survival rate based on current treatments, particularly because it is usually detected at a late stage. Identifying a high-risk population to launch an effective preventive strategy and intervention to control this highly lethal disease is desperately needed. The genetic etiology of pancreatic cancer has not been well profiled. We hypothesized that unidentified genetic variants by previous genome-wide association study (GWAS) for pancreatic cancer, due to stringent statistical threshold or missing interaction analysis, may be unveiled using alternative approaches. To achieve this aim, we explored genetic susceptibility to pancreatic cancer in terms of marginal associations of pathway and genes, as well as their interactions with risk factors. We conducted pathway- and gene-based analysis using GWAS data from 3141 pancreatic cancer patients and 3367 controls with European ancestry. Using the gene set ridge regression in association studies (GRASS) method, we analyzed 197 pathways from the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database. Using the logistic kernel machine (LKM) test, we analyzed 17906 genes defined by University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) database. Using the likelihood ratio test (LRT) in a logistic regression model, we analyzed 177 pathways and 17906 genes for interactions with risk factors in 2028 pancreatic cancer patients and 2109 controls with European ancestry. After adjusting for multiple comparisons, six pathways were marginally associated with risk of pancreatic cancer ( P < 0.00025): Fc epsilon RI signaling, maturity onset diabetes of the young, neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, long-term depression (Ps < 0.0002), and the olfactory transduction and vascular smooth muscle contraction pathways (P = 0.0002; Nine genes were marginally associated with pancreatic cancer risk (P < 2.62 × 10−5), including five reported genes (ABO, HNF1A, CLPTM1L, SHH and MYC), as well as four novel genes (OR13C4, OR 13C3, KCNA6 and HNF4 G); three pathways significantly interacted with risk factors on modifying the risk of pancreatic cancer (P < 2.82 × 10−4): chemokine signaling pathway with obesity ( P < 1.43 × 10−4), calcium signaling pathway (P < 2.27 × 10−4) and MAPK signaling pathway with diabetes (P < 2.77 × 10−4). However, none of the 17906 genes tested for interactions survived the multiple comparisons corrections. In summary, our current GWAS study unveiled unidentified genetic susceptibility to pancreatic cancer using alternative methods. These novel findings provide new perspectives on genetic susceptibility to and molecular mechanisms of pancreatic cancer, once confirmed, will shed promising light on the prevention and treatment of this disease. ^

The influence of antibacterial susceptibility and pharmacodynamics on the therapeutic response of infection

This prospective cohort study estimated how antibacterial resistance affected the time until clinical response. Relative rates of improvement and cure were estimated by proportional-hazards regression for 391 patients with culture-confirmed bacterial keratitis who had the ciprofloxacin minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) measured of the principal corneal isolate and who were treated with ciprofloxacin 0.3% solution or ointment. After adjusting for age and hypopyon status and stratifying by ulcer size, clinic, and ciprofloxacin formulation, the summary rate of clinical improvement with ciprofloxacin therapy was reduced by 42% (95% confidence limits [CL], 3%, 65%) among patients whose corneal isolate's ciprofloxacin MIC exceeded 1.0 μg/mL compared to those with more sensitive isolates. The summary rate of resolution to improvement and cure was reduced by 36% (95% CL, 11%, 53%) among corneal infections having a higher ciprofloxacin MIC. Rate ratios were modified by the size of the presenting corneal ulceration; for ulcer diameters of 4 mm or less and of more than 4 mm, improvement rate ratios were 0.56 (95% CL, 0.31, 1.02) and 0.65 (95% CL, 0.23, 1.80), respectively; resolution rate ratios were 0.63 (95% CL, 0.44, 0.91) and 0.67 (95% CL, 0.32, 1.39), respectively. Sensitivity analysis showed that the summary improvement rate ratio could be maximally overestimated by 24% (95% CL, −29%, 114%) because of informative censoring or by 33% (95% CL, −21%, 126%) from loss to follow up. Based on reported corneal pharmacokinetics of topical ciprofloxacin, the probability of clinical improvement was 90% or more if the ratio of the achievable corneal ciprofloxacin concentration to the corneal isolate's ciprofloxacin MIC was above 8 or the ratio of the area under the 24-hour corneal concentration curve to the ciprofloxacin MIC was greater than 151. This study suggests that corneal infections by bacteria having a higher ciprofloxacin MIC respond more slowly to ciprofloxacin treatment than those with a lower MIC. While the rate of clinical resolution is affected by patient age and clinical severity, antimicrobial susceptibility testing of corneal cultures can indicate the relative effectiveness of antibacterial therapy. A pharmacodynamic approach to treating bacterial keratitis offers the prospect of optimal antimicrobial selection and modification. ^