bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Extrarelational Sex Among Mexican Men and Their Partners' Risk of HIV and Other Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Authors: Pulerwitz Julie , Izazola-Licea Jose-Antonio , Gortmaker Steven L.
Published: November 2008

Objectives. This study explored the risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among married and cohabiting women in Mexico City, Mexico, derived from their partners' sexual behaviors.

Methods. Results were derived from the first population-based household survey in Mexico that investigated male sexual behavior. Analyses were restricted to sexually active married or cohabiting men (n = 3990).

Results. Fifteen percent of the men reported extrarelational sex during the past year, 9% reported condom use during last intercourse, and 80% perceived no HIV risk. Most secondary partners were coworkers, mistresses, or friends.

Conclusions. Targeted HIV and STD prevention efforts appear necessary because a substantial number of women may be at risk.
Factors Linked to Bacterial Vaginosis in Nonpregnant Women
Authors: Holzman Claudia , Leventhal Judith M. , Qiu Hong , Jones Nicole M. , Wang Jenny ,   the BV Study Group
Published: November 2008

Objectives. The purposes of this study were to test the hypothesis that vaginal douching is linked to bacterial vaginosis in both symptomatic and asymptomatic women and to identify other demographic, reproductive, and lifestyle factors associated with bacterial vaginosis.

Methods. In this cross-sectional study involving 3 clinic sites, 496 nonpregnant women completed a self-administered questionnaire. Their vaginal smears were assessed and cross-validated for bacterial vaginosis.

Results. The prevalence of bacterial vaginosis across clinics ranged from 15% to 30%. In analyses restricted to site 1, adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for bacterial vaginosis remained significant for African American women with 13 or fewer years of education (OR = 5.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.1, 14.5), hormone use within the past 6 months (OR = 0.5, 95% CI = 0.2, 0.8), and vaginal douching within the past 2 months (OR = 2.9, 95% CI = 1.5, 5.6).

Conclusions. Two lifestyle factors emerge as strongly associated with bacterial vaginosis: systemic contraceptives appear protective, whereas douching is linked to an increase in prevalence. The temporal relationship between douching and bacterial vaginosis needs further clarification.
Constructing “Sound Science” and “Good Epidemiology”: Tobacco, Lawyers, and Public Relations Firms
Authors: Ong Elisa K. , Glantz Stanton A.
Published: November 2008

The tobacco industry has attacked “junk science” to discredit the evidence that secondhand smoke—among other environmental toxins—causes disease. Philip Morris used public relations firms and lawyers to develop a “sound science” program in the United States and Europe that involved recruiting other industries and issues to obscure the tobacco industry's role. The European “sound science” plans included a version of “good epidemiological practices” that would make it impossible to conclude that secondhand smoke—and thus other environmental toxins—caused diseases.

Public health professionals need to be aware that the “sound science” movement is not an indigenous effort from within the profession to improve the quality of scientific discourse, but reflects sophisticated public relations campaigns controlled by industry executives and lawyers whose aim is to manipulate the standards of scientific proof to serve the corporate interests of their clients.
Investigating Neighborhood and Area Effects on Health
Authors: Diez Roux Ana V.
Published: November 2008

The past few years have witnessed an explosion of interest in neighborhood or area effects on health. Several types of empiric studies have been used to examine possible area or neighborhood effects, including ecologic studies relating area characteristics to morbidity and mortality rates, contextual and multilevel analyses relating area socioeconomic context to health outcomes, and studies comparing small numbers of well-defined neighborhoods.

Strengthening inferences regarding the presence and magnitude of neighborhood effects will require addressing a series of conceptual and methodological issues. Many of these issues relate to the need to develop theory and specific hypotheses on the processes through which neighborhood and individual factors may jointly influence specific health outcomes. Important challenges include defining neighborhoods or relevant geographic areas, identifying significant area or neighborhood characteristics, specifying the role of individual-level variables, incorporating life-course and longitudinal dimensions, combining a variety of research designs, and avoiding reductionism in the way in which “neighborhood” factors are incorporated into models of disease causation and quantitative analyses.analyses.
Effectiveness of Postmigration Screening in Controlling Tuberculosis Among Refugees: A Historical Cohort Study, 1984–1998
Authors: Marks Guy B. , Bai Jun , Stewart Gregory J. , Simpson Sheila E. , Sullivan Elizabeth A.
Published: November 2008

Objectives. This study assessed the effectiveness of postmigration screening for the control of tuberculosis (TB) among refugee migrants.

Methods. We conducted a historical cohort study among 24 610 predominantly Southeast Asian refugees who had arrived in Sydney, Australia, between 1984 and 1994. All had been screened for TB before arrival and had radiologic follow-up for 18 months after arrival. Incident cases of TB were identified by record linkage analysis with confirmatory review of case notes.

Results. The crude annual incidence rate over 10-year follow-up was 74.9 per 100 000 person-years. Only 29.6% of the cases were diagnosed as a result of routine follow-up procedures.

Conclusions. Enhanced passive case finding is likely to be more effective than active case finding for the control of TB among refugees.
Strategies for Motivating Latino Couples' Participation in Qualitative Health Research and Their Effects on Sample Construction
Authors: Preloran H. Mabel , Browner Carole H. , Lieber Eli
Published: November 2008

Many investigators report difficulties recruiting low-income Latinos into health research projects, especially when they seek to enroll more than one family member. We developed a series of strategies that proved effective in motivating candidates who were initially reluctant to enroll.

There is a possibility that these strategies biased the composition of the sample. Predictably, the reasons participants gave for enrolling were correlated with the recruitment strategy that had brought them into the study. Furthermore, we found statistically significant associations between recruitment technique and key study variables (e.g., the domestic stability of the couple).

By increasing investigators' ability to recruit Latinos, however, the strategies outlined should help to ensure that Latinos' experiences are given due weight in the deliberations of medical professionals and policymakers.
Predictors and Prevention of Nonfatal Overdose Among Street-Recruited Injection Heroin Users in the San Francisco Bay Area, 1998–1999
Authors: Seal Karen H. , Kral Alex H. , Gee Lauren , Moore Lisa D. , Bluthenthal Ricky N. , Lorvick Jennifer , Edlin Brian R.
Published: November 2008

Objectives. This study sought to determine prevalence of and risk factors for nonfatal recent overdose among street-recruited injection heroin users.

Methods. From August 1998 through July 1999, 1427 heroin injectors were recruited from 6 inner-city neighborhoods in the San Francisco Bay Area, Calif, and interviewed. Factors hypothesized to be associated with recent overdose were analyzed with logistic regression.

Results. Of the 1427 participants, 684 (48%) had had an overdose, 466 (33%) had experienced 2 or more overdose events, and 182 (13%) had had a recent overdose. In multiple logistic regression, being younger (adjusted odds ratio [OR] for each year of increasing age = 0.95; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.94, 0.97), having been arrested 3 or more times in the past year (adjusted OR = 2.50; 95% CI = 1.61, 3.87), drinking 4 or more alcoholic drinks per day (adjusted OR = 2.05; 95% CI = 1.37, 3.05), and having participated in methadone detoxification during the past year (adjusted OR = 1.47; 95% CI = 1.03, 2.09) were independently associated with recent overdose. Being homeless; identifying as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender; having spent 5 or more years in prison or jail; and having engaged in sex work also were associated with recent overdose.

Conclusions. Targeted interventions that decrease risk for overdose are urgently needed.
What Is Community? An Evidence-Based Definition for Participatory Public Health
Authors: MacQueen Kathleen M. , McLellan Eleanor , Metzger David S. , Kegeles Susan , Strauss Ronald P. , Scotti Roseanne , Blanchard Lynn , Trotter Robert T.
Published: November 2008

Increased emphasis on community collaboration indicates the need for consensus regarding the definition of community within public health. This study examined whether members of diverse US communities described community in similar ways.

To identify strategies to support community collaboration in HIV vaccine trials, qualitative interviews were conducted with 25 African Americans in Durham, NC; 26 gay men in San Francisco, Calif; 25 injection drug users in Philadelphia, Pa; and 42 HIV vaccine researchers across the United States. Verbatim responses to the question “What does the word community mean to you?” were analyzed. Cluster analysis was used to identify similarities in the way community was described.

A common definition of community emerged as a group of people with diverse characteristics who are linked by social ties, share common perspectives, and engage in joint action in geographical locations or settings. The participants differed in the emphasis they placed on particular elements of the definition. Community was defined similarly but experienced differently by people with diverse backgrounds. These results parallel similar social science findings and confirm the viability of a common definition for participatory public health.
A Bold New Direction for Environmental Health Research
Authors: Olden Kenneth , Guthrie Janet , Newton Sheila
Published: November 2008

The biotechnology revolution has opened new opportunities for addressing current inadequacies in decision making regarding environmental health. Strategic investments need to be made (1) to develop high-throughput technologies that could accelerate toxicity testing and generate a mechanistic understanding of toxicity, (2) to incorporate individual susceptibility into risk assessments, and (3) to establish a rational basis for testing and regulatory decision making. New initiatives of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, including the Environmental Genome Project and the Toxicogenomics Center, are discussed.
Implications for Tobacco Control of the Multistate Tobacco Settlement
Authors: Daynard Richard A. , Parmet Wendy , Kelder Graham , Davidson Patricia
Published: November 2008

The 1998 master settlement agreement between major tobacco manufacturers and the US states will have a profound effect on many tobacco industry practices and will significantly influence future settlements with the tobacco industry. This article analyzes the settlement's key provisions pertaining to youth sales, advertising, marketing, and lobbying. It also examines the ways in which the settlement restricts industry practices as well as the many industry practices that remain unregulated.
The Impact on Clients of a Community-Based Infant Mortality Reduction Program: The National Healthy Start Program Survey of Postpartum Women
Authors: McCormick Marie C. , Deal Lisa W. , Devaney Barbara L. , Chu Dexter , Moreno Lorenzo , Raykovich Karen T.
Published: November 2008

Objectives. This study assessed the effect of the national Healthy Start Program on its clients.

Methods. We used a cross-sectional survey of a sample from Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) rosters of women less than 6 months postpartum who were residents of Healthy Start Program areas.

Results. Healthy Start clients revealed higher sociodemographic risk, but not behavioral risk, for adverse pregnancy outcome than other area residents. They did not differ from other residents in receipt of services except for a greater likelihood of receiving case management, using birth control at the time of the interview, and rating their prenatal care more highly.

Conclusions. The Healthy Start Program succeeded in enrolling women at high risk. It had little effect on the immediately concluded pregnancy, but it might influence future outcomes.
Environmental and Policy Determinants of Physical Activity in the United States
Authors: Brownson Ross C. , Baker Elizabeth A. , Housemann Robyn A. , Brennan Laura K. , Bacak Stephen J.
Published: November 2008

Objectives. This study examined (1) descriptive patterns in perceived environmental and policy determinants of physical activity and (2) associations between these factors and behavior.

Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted from 1999 to 2000 among US adults; individuals at lower income levels were oversampled.

Results. Availability of areas for physical activity was generally higher among men than among women. The 4 most commonly reported personal barriers were lack of time, feeling too tired, obtaining enough exercise at one's job, and no motivation to exercise. Neighborhood characteristics, including the presence of sidewalks, enjoyable scenery, heavy traffic, and hills, were positively associated with physical activity. There was a high level of support for health policy–related measures. Up to one third of individuals who had used environmental supports reported an increase in physical activity.

Conclusions. An array of environmental and policy determinants, particularly those related to the physical environment, are associated with physical activity and should be taken into account in the design of interventions.
The Relation Between Community Bans of Self-Service Tobacco Displays and Store Environment and Between Tobacco Accessibility and Merchant Incentives
Authors: Lee Rebecca E. , Feighery Ellen C. , Schleicher Nina C. , Halvorson Sonia
Published: November 2008

Objectives. These studies investigated (1) the effect of community bans of self-service tobacco displays on store environment and (2) the effect of consumer tobacco accessibility on merchants.

Methods. We counted cigarette displays (self-service, clerk-assisted, clear acrylic case) in 586 California stores. Merchant interviews (N = 198) identified consumer tobacco accessibility, tobacco company incentives, and shoplifting.

Results. Stores in communities with self-service tobacco display bans had fewer self-service displays and more acrylic displays but an equal total number of displays. The merchants who limited consumer tobacco accessibility received fewer incentives and reported lower shoplifting losses. In contrast, consumer access to tobacco was unrelated to the amount of monetary incentives.

Conclusions. Community bans decreased self-service tobacco displays; however, exposure to tobacco advertising in acrylic displays remained high. Reducing consumer tobacco accessibility may reduce shoplifting.
The Association Between Extreme Precipitation and Waterborne Disease Outbreaks in the United States, 1948–1994
Authors: Curriero Frank C. , Patz Jonathan A. , Rose Joan B. , Lele Subhash
Published: November 2008

Objectives. Rainfall and runoff have been implicated in site-specific waterborne disease outbreaks. Because upward trends in heavy precipitation in the United States are projected to increase with climate change, this study sought to quantify the relationship between precipitation and disease outbreaks.

Methods. The US Environmental Protection Agency waterborne disease database, totaling 548 reported outbreaks from 1948 through 1994, and precipitation data of the National Climatic Data Center were used to analyze the relationship between precipitation and waterborne diseases. Analyses were at the watershed level, stratified by groundwater and surface water contamination and controlled for effects due to season and hydrologic region. A Monte Carlo version of the Fisher exact test was used to test for statistical significance.

Results. Fifty-one percent of waterborne disease outbreaks were preceded by precipitation events above the 90th percentile (P = .002), and 68% by events above the 80th percentile (P = .001). Outbreaks due to surface water contamination showed the strongest association with extreme precipitation during the month of the outbreak; a 2-month lag applied to groundwater contamination events.

Conclusions. The statistically significant association found between rainfall and disease in the United States is important for water managers, public health officials, and risk assessors of future climate change.
Continuing-Education Needs of the Currently Employed Public Health Education Workforce
Authors: Allegrante John P. , Moon Robert W. , Auld M. Elaine , Gebbie Kristine M.
Published: November 2008

Objectives. This study examined the continuing-education needs of the currently employed public health education workforce.

Methods. A national consensus panel of leading health educators from public health agencies, academic institutions, and professional organizations was convened to examine the forces creating the context for the work of public health educators and the competencies they need to practice effectively.

Results. Advocacy; business management and finance; communication; community health planning and development, coalition building, and leadership; computing and technology; cultural competency; evaluation; and strategic planning were identified as areas of critical competence.

Conclusions. Continuing education must strengthen a broad range of critical competencies and skills if we are to ensure the further development and effectiveness of the public health education workforce.
Black–White Differences in Infectious Disease Mortality in the United States
Authors: Richardus Jan H. , Kunst Anton E.
Published: November 2008

Objectives. This study determined the degree to which Black–White differences in infectious disease mortality are explained by income and education and the extent to which infectious diseases contribute to Black–White differences in all-cause mortality.

Methods. A sample population of the National Longitudinal Mortality Study from 1979 through 1981 was analyzed and followed up through 1989.

Results. Infectious disease mortality among Blacks was higher than among Whites, with a relative risk of 1.53 after adjustment for age and sex and 1.34 after further adjustment for income and education. Death from infectious diseases contributed to 9.3% of the difference in all-cause mortality.

Conclusions. In the United States, infectious diseases account for nearly 10% of the excess all-cause mortality rates in Blacks compared with Whites.
Colorectal Cancer Screening Participation: Comparisons With Mammography and Prostate-Specific Antigen Screening
Authors: Lemon Stephenie , Zapka Jane , Puleo Elaine , Luckmann Roger , Chasan-Taber Lisa
Published: November 2008

Objectives. The relation of personal characteristics, health and lifestyle behaviors, and cancer screening practices to current colorectal cancer (CRC) screening was assessed and compared with those factors' relation to current mammography screening in women and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening in men.

Methods. A cross-sectional random-digit-dialed telephone survey of 954 Massachusetts residents aged 50 and older was conducted.

Results. The overall prevalence of current CRC screening was 55.3%. Logistic regression results indicated that family history of CRC (odds ratio [OR] = 1.98; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.02, 3.86), receiving a regular medical checkup (OR = 3.07; 95% CI = 2.00, 4.71), current screening by mammography in women and PSA in men (OR = 4.40; 95% CI = 2.94, 6.58), and vitamin supplement use (OR = 1.87; 95% CI = 1.27, 2.77) were significant predictors of CRC screening.

Conclusions. Health and lifestyle behaviors were related to increased current CRC, mammography, and PSA screening. Personal factors independently related to CRC screening were not consistent with those related to mammography and PSA screening. This lack of consistency may reflect different stages of adoption of each type of screening by clinicians and the public.
The Effect of Different Definitions of a Patient on Immunization Assessment
Authors: O'Connor Mary E. , Maddocks Barbara , Modie Cindie , Pierce Heather
Published: November 2008

Objectives. In this report, the authors compare immunization assessment using 2 definitions of a patient.

Methods. Two Clinical Assessment Software Application (CASA) assessments were performed. The first sampled 200 two-year-olds seen at least once since birth. The second sampled 200 two-year-olds seen in the previous year. Children with incomplete immunizations in the first sample were contacted.

Results. In the second sample, 72% of children had complete immunizations, compared with 46% in the first sample. In the first sample, 78% of children with incomplete immunizations had not been seen during the past year. Of 134 children in the first sample seen in the past year or successfully contacted, 75% had complete immunizations.

Conclusions. The CASA assessment's definition of a patient underestimates immunization rates.
Trends in HIV Testing Among Pregnant Women: United States, 1994–1999
Authors: Lansky Amy , Jones Jeffrey L. , Frey Robert L. , Lindegren Mary Lou
Published: November 2008

Objectives. This study evaluated 1995 guidelines for HIV testing of pregnant women.

Methods. Analysis focused on Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data for the years 1994 through 1999. Data were aggregated across states.

Results. Percentages of pregnant women tested for HIV increased from 1995 to 1996 (from 41% to 53%) and again from 1997 (52%) to 1998 (60%).

Conclusions. After implementation of the guidelines, the percentage of pregnant women tested for HIV increased, although nearly half had not been tested. More efforts are needed to encourage women to undergo testing for HIV during pregnancy, thus maximizing opportunities for offering antiretroviral therapy.
Brief Intervention for Heavy-Drinking College Students: 4-Year Follow-Up and Natural History
Authors: Baer John S. , Kivlahan Daniel R. , Blume Arthur W. , McKnight Patrick , Marlatt G. Alan
Published: November 2008

Objectives. This study examined long-term response to an individual preventive intervention for high-risk college drinkers relative to the natural history of college drinking.

Methods. A single-session, individualized preventive intervention was evaluated within a randomized controlled trial with college freshmen who reported drinking heavily while in high school. An additional group randomly selected from the entire screening pool provided a normative comparison. Participant self-report was assessed annually for 4 years.

Results. High-risk controls showed secular trends for reduced drinking quantity and negative consequences without changes in drinking frequency. Those receiving the brief preventive intervention reported significant additional reductions, particularly with respect to negative consequences. Categorical individual change analyses show that remission is normative, and they suggest that participants receiving the brief intervention are more likely to improve and less likely to worsen regarding negative drinking consequences.

Conclusions. Brief individual preventive interventions for high-risk college drinkers can achieve long-term benefits even in the context of maturational trends.
The Professions of Public Health
Authors: Fox Daniel M.
Published: November 2008

Law has been an essential tool of public health practice for centuries. From the 19th century until recent decades, however, most histories of public health described, approvingly, the progression of the field from marginally useful policy, made by persons learned in law, to effective policy, made by persons employing the methods of biomedical and behavioral science.

Historians have recently begun to change this standard account by documenting the centrality of law in the development of public health practice. The revised history of public health offers additional justification for the program of public health law reform proposed in this issue of the Journal by Gostin and by Moulton and Matthews, who describe the new program in public health law of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Public Health Law Reform
Authors: Gostin Lawrence O.
Published: November 2008

Public health law reform is necessary because existing statutes are outdated, contain multiple layers of regulation, and are inconsistent. A model law would define the mission and functions of public health agencies, provide a full range of flexible powers, specify clear criteria and procedures for activities, and provide protections for privacy and against discrimination.

The law reform process provides an opportunity for public health agencies to draw attention to their resource needs and achievements and to form ties with constituency groups and enduring relations with the legislative branch of government. Ultimately, the law should become a catalyst, rather than an impediment, to reinvigorating the public health system.
The Smoke You Don't See: Uncovering Tobacco Industry Scientific Strategies Aimed Against Environmental Tobacco Smoke Policies
Authors: Muggli Monique E. , Forster Jean L. , Hurt Richard D. , Repace James L.
Published: November 2008

Objectives. This review details the tobacco industry's scientific campaign aimed against policies addressing environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and efforts to undermine US regulatory agencies from approximately 1988 to 1993.

Methods. The public availability of more than 40 million internal, once-secret tobacco company documents allowed an unedited and historical look at tobacco industry strategies.

Results. The analysis showed that the tobacco industry went to great lengths to battle the ETS issue worldwide by camouflaging its involvement and creating an impression of legitimate, unbiased scientific research.

Conclusions. There is a need for further international monitoring of industry-produced science and for significant improvements in tobacco document accessibility.
Does Investor Ownership of Nursing Homes Compromise the Quality of Care?
Authors: Harrington Charlene , Woolhandler Steffie , Mullan Joseph , Carrillo Helen , Himmelstein David U.
Published: November 2008

Objectives. Two thirds of nursing homes are investor owned. This study examined whether investor ownership affects quality.

Methods. We analyzed 1998 data from state inspections of 13 693 nursing facilities. We used a multivariate model and controlled for case mix, facility characteristics, and location.

Results. Investor-owned facilities averaged 5.89 deficiencies per home, 46.5% higher than nonprofit facilities and 43.0% higher than public facilities. In multivariate analysis, investor ownership predicted 0.679 additional deficiencies per home; chain ownership predicted an additional 0.633 deficiencies. Nurse staffing was lower at investor-owned nursing homes.

Conclusions. Investor-owned nursing homes provide worse care and less nursing care than do not-for-profit or public homes.
Poverty, Race/Ethnicity, and Psychiatric Disorder: A Study of Rural Children
Authors: Costello E. Jane , Keeler Gordon P. , Angold Adrian
Published: November 2008

Objectives. This study examined the effect of poverty on the prevalence of psychiatric disorder in rural Black and White children.

Methods. A representative sample of 541 Black children and 379 White children aged 9 to 17 was drawn from 4 predominantly rural counties. Structured interviews with parents and children collected information on psychiatric disorders, absolute and relative poverty, and risk factors for psychiatric disorder.

Results. Three-month prevalence of psychiatric disorder was similar to that found in other community samples (20%). Federal criteria for poverty were met by 18% of the White and 52% of the Black families. Black and White children were exposed to equal numbers of risk factors overall, but the association between poverty and psychopathology was stronger for White children (odds ratio [OR] = 2.1; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.1, 4.2) than for Black children (OR = 1.5; 95% CI = 0.9, 2.6). Family history of mental illness, poor parenting, and residential instability mediated this association in both groups.

Conclusions. In this rural sample, poverty was only weakly associated with child psychiatric disorders. Risk factors for both racial/ethnic groups were family mental illness, multiple moves, lack of parental warmth, lax supervision, and harsh punishment.
Local Increases in Coronary Heart Disease Mortality Among Blacks and Whites in the United States, 1985–1995
Authors: Barnett Elizabeth , Halverson Joel
Published: November 2008

Objectives. This study analyzed coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality trends from 1985 to 1995, by race and sex, among Black and White adults 35 years and older to determine whether adverse trends were evident in any US localities.

Methods. Log-linear regression models of annual age-adjusted death rates provided a quantitative measure of local mortality trends.

Results. Increasing trends in CHD mortality were observed in 11 of 174 labor market areas for Black women, 23 of 175 areas for Black men, 10 of 394 areas for White women, and 4 of 394 areas for White men. Nationwide, adverse trends affected 1.7% of Black women, 8.0% of Black men, 1.1% of White women, and 0.3% of White men.

Conclusions. From 1985 to 1995, moderate to strong local increases in CHD mortality were observed, predominantly in the southern United States. Black men evidenced the most unfavorable trends and were 25 times as likely as White men to be part of a local population experiencing increases in coronary heart disease mortality.
The Effects of Varieties and Moisture Content on Some Physical and Aerodynamic Properties of Sesame Seeds (Sesamum indicum L) as Related to Cleaning
Authors: Akinoso Rahman , Olayanju Tajudeen Adeniyi , Idehai John Ohioma , Igbeka Joe
Published: November 2008

Some physical and aerodynamic properties of two varieties of sesame seeds (Yandev -55 and E8) were determined at varied moisture content levels. These properties are factors in the design and selection of sesame seed-cleaning machines. For the Yandev-55 and E8 varieties, major diameters ranged from 2.8 mm to 3.3 mm and 3.4 mm to 3.8 mm, intermediate diameters ranged from 1.8 mm to 2.1 mm and 2.2 mm to 2.5 mm, and minor diameters ranged from 0.7 mm to 0.9 mm and 0.6 to 0.9 mm, respectively. Their geometric means ranged from 1.5 to 1.8 mm and 1.7 to 2.0 mm, their spheroids ranged from 0.5 to 0.6 and 0.5 to 0.6, and their frontal areas ranged from 1.8 to 2.6 and 2.2 to 3.2, respectively. The terminal velocities of Yandev-55 were 2.9, 3.6, 4.7 and 5.4, while the terminal velocities of E8 were 3.4, 4.12, 5.1 and 6.3 at a moisture content level of 8.0, 10.3, 15.9 and 21.2 % (w.b.), respectively. The drag coefficients were in the range of 0.4 to 2.7 while Reynolds number varied from 2775.0 to 7840.7. The terminal velocities of the associated materials within the seeds were 1.5, 2.3, 3.1, and 3.6 at a moisture content level of 8.0, 10.3, 15.9 and 21.2%, respectively. The studied properties significantly varied with the varieties of sesame seeds. Also, the effects of moisture content are non negligible.
FORCED COMPLIANCE, MISATTRIBUTION AND TRIVIALIZATION
Authors: Joule Robert Vincent , Martinie Marie-Amélie
Published: November 2008

Simon, Greenberg, and Brehm (1995) found evidence of a new mode of dissonance reduction: trivialization. The purpose of this study was to show that trivialization can be used in misattribution situations to reduce dissonance after the execution of a counterattitudinal behavior. In the experiment reported here (2 × 2 design), participants had to write down arguments in favor of selective admission to the university. This task was carried out in high choice condition. Half of the participants were confronted with a source of misattribution (ultrasound waves) and half were not. Afterwards, the participants' attitudes toward the issue and their extent of trivialization were measured. The collection order of these two measures was manipulated. As expected, with a source of misattribution, participants did not change their attitude, but trivialized. In addition, trivialization and attitude change were found to be alternative dissonance-reduction modes: when participants trivialized they did not change their attitude, and inversely, when they changed their attitude they did not trivialize.
TOWARD A RESEARCH MODEL OF MARKET ORIENTATION AND DYNAMIC CAPABILITIES
Authors: Hou Jia-Jeng
Published: November 2008

In the majority of studies on market orientation it is claimed that compelling evidence exists that market orientation has a positive effect on firm performance. It is important to investigate the mediating effect of market orientation on firm performance. Drawing on the dynamic capabilities
perspective, in this paper, the view is taken that market orientation is a rare, valuable, and inimitable firm resource; and furthermore is a set of dynamic capabilities. In light of conceptual and empirical advancement, a research model about the impact of market orientation and dynamic capabilities
on firm performance is proposed and delineated. With the conceptual model that is developed, the author shows how market orientation can be transformed into dynamic capabilities and it is argued that the competitive value of market orientation is positively mediated by dynamic capabilities.
Finally, some research hypotheses for future research are discussed.
Association of Adiponectin Gene Polymorphisms With Type 2 Diabetes in an African American Population Enriched for Nephropathy
Authors: Bostrom Meredith A. , Freedman Barry I. , Langefeld Carl D. , Liu Lingyi , Hicks Pamela J. , Bowden Donald W.
Published: December 2008

OBJECTIVE—Polymorphisms in the adiponectin gene (ADIPOQ) have been associated with type 2 diabetes and diabetic nephropathy in type 1 diabetes, in mostly European-derived populations.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—A comprehensive association analysis of 24 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the adiponectin gene was performed for type 2 diabetes and diabetic nephropathy in African Americans.

RESULTS—The minor allele (A) in a single SNP in intron 1 (rs182052) was associated with diabetic nephropathy (P = 0.0015, odds ratio [OR] 1.37, CI 1.13–1.67, dominant model) in an African American sample of 851 case subjects with diabetic nephropathy and 871 nondiabetic control subjects in analyses incorporating adjustment for varying levels of racial admixture. This association remained significant after adjustment of the data for BMI, age, and sex (P = 0.0013–0.0004). We further tested this SNP for association with longstanding type 2 diabetes without nephropathy (n = 317), and evidence of association was also significant (P = 0.0054, OR 1.46, CI 1.12–1.91, dominant model) when compared with the same set of 871 nondiabetic control subjects. Combining the type 2 diabetes and diabetic nephropathy samples into a single group of case subjects (n = 1,168) resulted in the most significant evidence of association (P = 0.0003, OR 1.40, CI 1.17–1.67, dominant model). Association tests between age at onset of type 2 diabetes and the rs182052 genotypes also revealed significant association between the presence of the minor allele (A/A or A/G) and earlier onset of type 2 diabetes.

CONCLUSIONS—The SNP rs182052 in intron 1 of the adiponectin gene is associated with type 2 diabetes in African Americans.
Small intestinal incarceration through an omental rent in a horse
Authors: Kelmer G. , Holder T. E. C. , Donnell R. L.
Published: November 2008

Intestinal incarceration in an omental rent is a rare abdominal disorder in horses. A case of a horse with small intestinal incarceration in an omental rent is described here. The report includes description of the clinical presentation, surgical andpost mortemfindings and discusses the features unique to this case. The clinical presentation is similar to other small intestinal strangulation lesions; however, the location of the lesion is unusual and the anatomical relation to the gastrosplenic ligament interesting.
Internal (intra‐abdominal) herniation in the horse
Authors: Withers J. M. , Mair T. S.
Published: November 2008

Internal abdominal hernias are an uncommon occurrence in the horse. Protrusion of an abdominal organ or viscus may occur through a normal or pathological aperture within the peritoneal cavity, and incarceration of bowel through such an opening may lead to a strangulating obstruction of the intestine, characterised by luminal blockage and concurrent vascular compromise. As such, entrapment of bowel in internal hernias can represent an important indication for colic surgery in the horse.
Diagnosis of bacterial infections. Part 2: Bacterial cultivation, susceptibility testing and interpretation
Authors: Hodgson J. L. , Hughes K. J. , Hodgson D. R.
Published: November 2008

Bacterial culture and susceptibility testing are requested frequently in equine medicine. However, there is little value in these tests unless a standardised approach for submission of specimens, pathogen identification and susceptibility testing is utilised. Additionally, appropriate interpretation must be applied when assessing the significance of the isolate and susceptibility testing results if appropriate therapies are to be prescribed. In this paper we briefly outline standard techniques used commonly in veterinary diagnostic laboratories for bacterial isolation, identification and susceptibility testing. Emphasis has been placed on the principles appropriate to ensure the correct interpretation of culture and susceptibility testing results.
Anti–Tumor Necrosis Factor Therapy and Risk of Kidney Function Decline and Mortality in Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Sumida Keiichi , Shrestha Prabin , Mallisetty Yamini , Thomas Fridtjof , Gyamlani Geeta , Streja Elani , Kalantar-Zadeh Kamyar , Kovesdy Csaba P.
Published: April 2024

Importance

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with adverse clinical outcomes, including chronic kidney disease and mortality, due in part to chronic inflammation. Little is known about the effects of anti–tumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapy on kidney disease progression and mortality among patients with new-onset IBD.

Objective

To examine the association of incident use of TNF inhibitors with subsequent decline in kidney function and risk of all-cause mortality.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This retrospective cohort study used data from the US Department of Veterans Affairs health care system. Participants were US veterans with new-onset IBD enrolled from October 1, 2004, through September 30, 2019. Data were analyzed from December 2022 to February 2024.

Exposures

Incident use of TNF inhibitors.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The main outcomes were at least 30% decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and all-cause mortality.

Results

Among 10 689 patients (mean [SD] age, 67.4 [12.3] years; 9999 [93.5%] male) with incident IBD, 3353 (31.4%) had diabetes, the mean (SD) baseline eGFR was 77.2 (19.2) mL/min/1.73 m2, and 1515 (14.2%) were newly initiated on anti-TNF therapy. During a median (IQR) follow-up of 4.1 (1.9-7.0) years, 3367 patients experienced at least 30% decline in eGFR, and over a median (IQR) follow-up of 5.0 (2.5-8.0) years, 2502 patients died. After multivariable adjustments, incident use (vs nonuse) of TNF inhibitors was significantly associated with higher risk of decline in eGFR (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.34 [95% CI, 1.18-1.52]) but was not associated with risk of all-cause mortality (adjusted HR, 1.02 [95% CI, 0.86-1.21]). Similar results were observed in sensitivity analyses.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this cohort study of US veterans with incident IBD, incident use (vs nonuse) of TNF inhibitors was independently associated with higher risk of progressive eGFR decline but was not associated with risk of all-cause mortality. Further studies are needed to elucidate potentially distinct pathophysiologic contributions of TNF inhibitor use to kidney and nonkidney outcomes in patients with IBD.
Ngk1 kinase‐mediated N‐acetylglucosamine metabolism promotes UDP‐GlcNAc biosynthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Nishikawa Ayano , Karita Shuichi , Umekawa Midori
Published: April 2024

N‐acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) is an important structural component of the cell wall chitin, N‐glycans, glycolipids, and GPI‐anchors in eukaryotes. GlcNAc kinase phosphorylates GlcNAc into GlcNAc‐6‐phosphate, a precursor of uridine diphosphate N‐acetylglucosamine (UDP‐GlcNAc) that serves as a substrate for glycan synthesis. Although GlcNAc kinase is found widely in organisms ranging from microorganisms to mammals, it has never been found in the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Here, we demonstrate the presence of GlcNAc metabolism for UDP‐GlcNAc biosynthesis in S. cerevisiae through Ngk1, a GlcNAc kinase we discovered previously. The overexpression or deletion of Ngk1 in the presence of GlcNAc affected the amount of both UDP‐GlcNAc and chitin, suggesting that GlcNAc metabolism via Ngk1 promotes UDP‐GlcNAc synthesis. Our data suggest that the Ngk1‐mediated GlcNAc metabolism compensates for the hexosamine pathway, a known pathway for UDP‐GlcNAc synthesis.
What is the evidence that counter‐wildlife crime interventions are effective for conserving African, Asian and Latin American wildlife directly threatened by exploitation? A systematic map
Authors: Rytwinski T. , Muir M. J. , Miller J. R. B. , Smith A. , Kelly L. A. , Bennett J. R. , Öckerman S. L. A. , Taylor J. J. , Lemieux A. M. , Pickles R. S. A. , Gore M. L. , Pires S. F. , Pokempner A. , Slaughter H. , Carlson D. P. , Adhiasto D. N. , Arroyo Quiroz I. , Cooke S. J.
Published: April 2024

Counter‐wildlife crime (CWC) interventions—those that directly protect target wildlife from illegal harvest/persecution, detect and sanction rule‐breakers, and interdict and control illegal wildlife commodities—are widely applied to address biodiversity loss. This systematic map provides an overview of the literature on the effectiveness of CWC interventions for conserving African, Asian and Latin American wildlife directly threatened by exploitation, including human–wildlife conflicts that trigger poaching.

Following our systematic map protocol (Rytwinski, Öckerman, et al., 2021), we compiled peer‐reviewed and grey literature and screened articles using pre‐defined inclusion criteria. Included studies were coded for key variables of interest, from which we produced a searchable database, interactive map and structured heatmaps.

A total of 530 studies from 477 articles were included in the systematic map. Most studies were from Africa and Asia (81% of studies) and focused on African and Asian elephants (16%), felids (14%) and turtles and tortoises (11%). Most evaluations of CWC interventions targeted wildlife products (rather than species) and the transfer of those products along the wildlife crime continuum (40% of cases). Population/species outcomes were most commonly measured via indicators of threat reduction (65% of cases) and intermediate outcomes (25%).

We identified knowledge clusters where studies investigated the links between (1) patrols and other preventative actions to increase detection and population abundance and (2) information analysis and sharing and wildlife crime/trade levels. However, the effectiveness of most interventions was not rigorously evaluated. Most investigations used post‐implementation monitoring only (e.g. lacking a comparator), and no experimental designs were found. We identified several key knowledge gaps including a paucity of studies by geography (Latin America), taxonomy (plants, birds and reptiles), interventions (non‐patrol‐based CWC interventions) and outcomes (biological and the combination of biological and human well‐being outcomes).

Our map reveals an opportunity to improve the rigour and documentation of CWC intervention evaluations, which would enable the evidence‐based selection of effective approaches to improve wildlife conservation and national security.
Sortilin‐Mediated Inhibition of TREK1/2 Channels in Primary Sensory Neurons Promotes Prediabetic Neuropathic Pain
Authors: Sun Wei , Yang Fan , Wang Yan , Yang Yan , Du Rui , Wang Xiao‐Liang , Luo Zhi‐Xin , Wu Jun‐Jie , Chen Jun
Published: April 2024

Neuropathic pain can occur during the prediabetic stage, even in the absence of hyperglycemia. The presence of prediabetic neuropathic pain (PDNP) poses challenges to the management of individuals with prediabetes. However, the mechanisms underlying this pain remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the underlying mechanism and identify potential therapeutic targets of PDNP. A prediabetic animal model induced by a high‐energy diet exhibits both mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia. Furthermore, hyperexcitability and decreased potassium currents are observed in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons of these rats. TREK1 and TREK2 channels, which belong to the two‐pore‐domain K+ channel (K2P) family and play an important role in controlling cellular excitability, are downregulated in DRG neurons. Moreover, this alteration is modulated by Sortilin, a molecular partner that modulates the expression of TREK1. The overexpression of Sortilin negatively affects the expression of TREK1 and TREK2, leading to increased neuronal excitability in the DRG and enhanced peripheral pain sensitivity in rats. Moreover, the downregulation of Sortilin or activation of TREK1 and TREK2 channels by genetic or pharmacological approaches can alleviate PDNP. Therefore, targeting the Sortilin‐mediated TREK1/2 pathway may provide a therapeutic approach for ameliorating PDNP.
Earthworm‐Inspired Soft Skin Crawling Robot
Authors: Tirado Jonathan , Do Cao Danh , Moisson de Vaux Joséphine , Jørgensen Jonas , Rafsanjani Ahmad
Published: April 2024

Earthworms are fascinating animals capable of crawling and burrowing through various terrains using peristaltic motion and the directional friction response of their epidermis. Anisotropic anchoring governed by tiny appendages on their skin called setae is known to enhance the earthworm's locomotion. A multi‐material fabrication technique is employed to produce soft skins with bristles inspired by the earthworm epidermis and their setae. The effect of bristles arranged in triangular and square grids at two spatial densities on the locomotion capability of a simple soft crawling robot comprised of an extending soft actuator covered by the soft skin is investigated experimentally. The results suggest that the presence of bristles results in a rostral to caudal friction ratio of µR/µC > 1 with some variations across bristle arrangements and applied elongations. Doubling the number of bristles increases the robot's speed by a factor of 1.78 for the triangular grid while it is less pronounced for the rectangular grid with a small factor of 1.06. Additionally, it is observed that increasing the actuation stroke for the skin with the high‐density triangular grid, from 15% to 30%, elevates the speed from 0.5 to 0.9 mm s−1, but further increases in stroke to 45% may compromise the durability of the actuators with less gains in speed (1 mm s−1). Finally, it is demonstrated that a crawling robot equipped with soft skin can traverse both a linear and a curved channel.