Sex Differences in Mechanisms and Outcome of Neonatal Hypoxia-Ischemia in Rodent Models: Implications for Sex-Specific Neuroprotection in Clinical Neonatal Practice

Clinical findings show that male infants with hypoxic-ischemic injury (HI) fare more poorly than matched females on cognitive outcomes. Rodent models of neonatal hypoxia-ischemia support this difference, with data showing that perinatal brain injury leads to long-term behavioral deficits primarily in male rodents and in female rodents treated with early androgens. Results support the idea that sex-specific gonadal hormones may modulate developmental response to injury and dovetail with overwhelming evidence of developmental androgen effects on typical brain morphology and behavior. However, mechanisms underlying sex differences in response to early brain injury may be more complicated. Specifically, activation of cell death pathways in response to HI may also differ by sex. In females, the preferential activation of the caspase-dependent apoptotic pathway may actually afford greater protection, potentially due to the actions of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) within this pathway. This contrasts the pattern of preferential activation of the caspase-independent pathway in males. While an integrated model of sex-specific hormonal and genetic modulation of response to early injury remains to be fully elucidated, these findings suggest that infants might benefit from sex-specific neuroprotection following HI injury

What’s Next for Tobacco Control Efforts? Health Equity Related Lessons Learned from a National Qualitative Study on Tobacco Control and Prevention

Context: Despite gains in the tobacco prevention and control movement, tobacco products remain a threat, with specific populations at greater risk. Objective: The purpose of this paper is to examine the role that leaders in the tobacco prevention and control movement have played in progress achieved to date and identify recommendations for the future using a health equity framework. The purpose of this paper is to examine the role that leading organizations in the tobacco prevention and control movement have played in progress achieved to date, identify future recommendations within the context of current public health priorities (e.g., obesity prevention), and explore potential for tobacco prevention and control using a health equity framework. Design: Qualitative key informant interviews were conducted with representatives from four key tobacco prevention and control organizations and their partners. Setting: Interviews were conducted on-site at tobacco prevention and control organization offices or by telephone. Participants: Key informant interviews (n=87) were conducted during July-December of 2017. Main outcome measures: Interviewees describe their work in providing technical assistance to leading public health and policy efforts in tobacco prevention and control. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded for meaning units. This analysis was conducted November 2017-January 2018. This study was determined exempt from review by the University of Nebraska Medical Center Institutional Review Board. Results: Three overarching themes emerged from our analysis: (1) maintaining tobacco prevention and control as a public health issue, (2) the importance of health equity in tobacco prevention and control work, and (3) planning for the next generation of tobacco prevention and control advocates. Certain populations remain untouched by broad public health approaches to reduce tobacco use. Conclusions: Tailored, focused, and comprehensive approaches to address health equity in tobacco prevention and control work across specific communities are needed. Adopting a health equity lens across public health priority areas (e.g., obesity, opioids, and tobacco prevention and control) could reduce prevalence among vulnerable groups for multiple conditions

GMO vs. Non-GMO: Comparing the Addictiveness of Corn in Rats

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) refer to organisms whose DNA has been altered to produce a certain characteristic. GMOs account for a significant proportion of the crops produced in the United States. Specifically, GMO corn accounted for approximately 88% of all corn grown for human and animal consumption in the year 2012. Previously conducted studies have not uniformly demonstrated the safe use of GMO corn, and no studies have been conducted to analyze the addictiveness of GMO corn. The idea of addiction refers to more than just a physical dependence, but to a psychological dependence on something as well. Addiction is sometimes accompanied by compulsive, uncontrollable behaviors that can interfere with other activities and which increase in intensity as there is an increase in access to the substance. Because food addiction is implicated in the prevalence of obesity and its associated pathologies, identifying addictiveness in GMO products may lead to changes in crop production, food production, and use. This study will compare the addictive behaviors of rats who are fed GMO corn. The rats will be randomly divided into three groups. Each group will be fed a diet containing a portion of corn consisting of 0%, 50%, or 100% GMO corn, respectively, for 28 days. After the 28 day treatment period, the rats will be fed a corn-free diet for 10 days. The assessments will include both cage food consumption and body weight measurements taken during both the treatment and withdrawal periods, and behavioral symptoms observed in an open field test during the withdrawal period. The presence of withdrawal indicators will be scored for each rat. The scores will then be compared between the groups using a repeated measures ANOVA test

GMO vs. Non-GMO: Comparing the Addictiveness of Corn in Rats

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) refer to organisms whose DNA has been altered to produce a certain characteristic. GMOs account for a significant proportion of the crops produced in the United States. Specifically, GMO corn accounted for approximately 88% of all corn grown for human and animal consumption in the year 2012. Previously conducted studies have not uniformly demonstrated the safe use of GMO corn, and no studies have been conducted analyzing the addictiveness of GMO corn. The idea of addiction refers to more than just a physical dependence, but to a psychological dependence on something as well. It is sometimes accompanied by compulsive, uncontrollable behaviors that can interfere with other activities and which increase in intensity as there is an increase in access to the substance. Because food addiction is implicated in the prevalence of obesity and its associated pathologies, identifying addictiveness in GMO products may lead to changes in crop production, food production, and use. This study will compare the addictive behaviors of rats who are fed GMO corn. The rats will be randomly divided into three groups. Each group will be fed a diet containing a portion of corn consisting of 0%, 50%, or 100% GMO corn, respectively, for 28 days. After the 28 day treatment period, the rats will be fed a corn-free diet for 10 days. The assessments will include both cage food consumption and body weight measurements taken during both the treatment and withdrawal periods, and behavioral symptoms observed in an open field test during the withdrawal period. The presence of withdrawal indicators will be scored for each rat, and the scores will be compared between the groups using a repeated measures ANOVA test

Who participates in internet-based worksite weight loss programs?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The reach and representativeness are seldom examined in worksite weight loss studies. This paper describes and illustrates a method for directly assessing the reach and representativeness of a internet-based worksite weight loss program.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A brief health survey (BHS) was administered, between January 2008 and November 2009, to employees at 19 worksites in Southwest Virginia. The BHS included demographic, behavioral, and health questions. All employees were blinded to the existence of a future weight loss program until the completion of the BHS.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The BHS has a participation rate of 66 percent and the subsequent weight loss program has a participation rate of 30 percent. Employees from higher income households, with higher education levels and health literacy proficiency were significantly more likely to participate in the program (p's < .01).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Worksite weight loss programs should include targeted marketing strategies to engage employees with lower income, education, and health literacy.</p

PROSEDUR PENERIMAAN PENDAPATAN ASLI DAERAH (PAD) PADA DINAS PERTANIAN TANAMAN PANGAN ACEH

Banda Ace

Transmisión de Klebsiella pneumoniae resistente a carbapenemes en hospitales de EE.UU.

Antecedentes. La Klebsiella pneumoniae resistente a los carbapenemes (CRKp) es el Enterobacterales resistente a los carbapenemes más prevalente en los Estados Unidos. Se evaluó la agrupación de CRKp en pacientes de hospitales estadounidenses. Métodos. De abril de 2016 a agosto de 2017, 350 pacientes con grupo clonal 258 CRKp se inscribieron en el Consortium on Resistance Against Carbapenems in Klebsiella and other Enterobacteriaceae, un estudio de cohortes prospectivo y multicéntrico. Se construyó un árbol de máxima verosimilitud utilizando RAxML. Los conglomerados estáticos compartían ≤21 polimorfismos de un solo nucleótido (SNP) y un ancestro común más reciente. Los conglomerados dinámicos incorporaron la distancia SNP, el tiempo de cultivo y las tasas de acumulación y transmisión SNP utilizando el programa R TransCluster. Resultados. La mayoría de los pacientes ingresaron desde su domicilio (n=150, 43%) o desde centros de cuidados de larga duración (n=115, 33%). La orina (n=149, 43%) fue el lugar de aislamiento más común. En total, se identificaron 55 conglomerados estáticos y 47 dinámicos en 210 de 350 (60%) y 194 de 350 (55%) pacientes, respectivamente. Aproximadamente la mitad de los clusters estáticos eran idénticos a los dinámicos. Los conglomerados estáticos consistían en 33 (60%) conglomerados intrasistema y 22 (40%) conglomerados intersistema. Los conglomerados dinámicos estaban formados por 32 (68%) conglomerados intrasistema y 15 (32%) conglomerados intersistema y presentaban menos diferencias de SNP que los conglomerados estáticos (8 frente a 9; P=.045; intervalo de confianza [IC] del 95%: -4 a 0). Los conglomerados dinámicos intersistema contenían más pacientes que los conglomerados dinámicos intrasistema (mediana [intervalo intercuartílico], 4 [2, 7] frente a 2 [2, 2]; P=,007; IC del 95%: -3 a 0). Conclusiones. Se identificó una amplia transmisión intrasistémica e intersistémica de CRKp en pacientes estadounidenses hospitalizados. El uso de diferentes métodos para evaluar la similitud genética sólo dio lugar a diferencias menores en la interpretación.Background. Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKp) is the most prevalent carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales in the United States. We evaluated CRKp clustering in patients in US hospitals. Methods. From April 2016 to August 2017, 350 patients with clonal group 258 CRKp were enrolled in the Consortium on Resistance Against Carbapenems in Klebsiella and other Enterobacteriaceae, a prospective, multicenter, cohort study. A maximum likelihood tree was constructed using RAxML. Static clusters shared ≤21 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) and a most recent common ancestor. Dynamic clusters incorporated SNP distance, culture timing, and rates of SNP accumulation and transmission using the R program TransCluster. Results. Most patients were admitted from home (n=150, 43%) or long-term care facilities (n=115, 33%). Urine (n=149, 43%) was the most common isolation site. Overall, 55 static and 47 dynamics clusters were identified involving 210 of 350 (60%) and 194 of 350 (55%) patients, respectively. Approximately half of static clusters were identical to dynamic clusters. Static clusters consisted of 33 (60%) intrasystem and 22 (40%) intersystem clusters. Dynamic clusters consisted of 32 (68%) intrasystem and 15 (32%) intersystem clusters and had fewer SNP differences than static clusters (8 vs 9; P=.045; 95% confidence interval [CI]: −4 to 0). Dynamic intersystem clusters contained more patients than dynamic intrasystem clusters (median [interquartile range], 4 [2, 7] vs 2 [2, 2]; P=.007; 95% CI: −3 to 0). Conclusions. Widespread intrasystem and intersystem transmission of CRKp was identified in hospitalized US patients. Use of different methods for assessing genetic similarity resulted in only minor differences in interpretation