Trends and Disparities in TB among U.S.-born Black and White Chicago Residents, 1998-2008

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: To describe the decline of tuberculosis (TB) cases among U.S.-born non-Hispanic (NH) black and white Chicago residents. METHODS: Data from the National TB Surveillance System was used to analyze trends and characteristics of reported TB cases among U.S.-born NH black and U.S.-born NH white Chicago residents from 1998-2008. RESULTS: Chicago reported a total of 3,821 TB cases over the 11-year time period. Of these, 1,916 were U.S.-born NH black and 235 were U.S.-born NH white. The proportion of cases attributable to U.S.-born NH blacks was 63% (294/469) in 1998 and 34% in 2008 (72/213). Analysis for trends from 2000-2008 revealed a greater than predicted decrease in rates among U.S.-born NH blacks (p CONCLUSION: Despite more TB risk factors in Chicago’s U.S.-born black population, there was a narrowing of TB case disparity in Chicago from 1998-2008. Continued focused strategies aimed at controlling TB are needed

Do Race and Ethnicity Matter? An Examination of Racial/Ethnic Differences in Perceptions of Procedural Justice and Recidivism Among Problem-Solving Court Clients

Over the years, a distinct body of research has emerged that examines procedural justice in problem-solving courts. However, there is virtually no research to date on racial and ethnic differences in perceptions of procedural justice among problem-solving court clients. The present study seeks to understand the complexities of judicial procedural justice and race/ethnicity within problem-solving courts. Using a convenience sample of 132 clients from two problem-solving courts in a southern state, this study addresses a void in the literature by examining the influence of race/ethnicity on perceptions of procedural justice as well as the impact of race/ethnicity and procedural justice on clients’ likelihood of recidivism. Results suggest that Black problem-solving court clients’ have significantly lower perceptions of procedural justice, while also having a lower likelihood of recidivism. Perceptions of procedural justice did not influence recidivism outcomes. Policy implications and recommendations for future research are discussed

Understanding Lung Cancer Resources and Barriers among Worksites with Mostly Male Employees in Eight Rural Kentucky Counties: A Focus Group Discussion

Kentucky has the highest cancer incidence and mortality rates in the United States, and lung cancer is Kentucky\u27s leading cause of cancer deaths. Males in Kentucky have higher lung incidence and mortality rates than females. Through support from the SelfMade Health Network, Kentucky developed a Regional Resource Lead Organization that collaboratively developed a multi-component worksite intervention on lung cancer among male populations. The intervention targets eight Kentucky counties. The first component and focus of this manuscript included focus group meetings with organizational representatives in each county that provide health, educational, and social services to men and worksites. The focus groups discussed four distinct areas: (a) lung cancer-related resources and services in each county; (b) perceived ways men in worksites learn about and access health-related services; (c) identification of potential challenges and barriers to reaching men in worksites; and (d) creation of linkages and potential partnerships between community organizations and worksites. Forty-five organizational representatives participated in the eight focus groups. Most resources and services discussed were related to tobacco treatment. Employers were the most commonly perceived way men learn about and access health-related services, while attitudes and behaviors were the most commonly perceived barriers preventing men from accessing services. The most common potential linkages and partnerships across all areas were community organizations and groups, employers, health-care providers, and mass media. Partnering with employers may provide an opportunity to reach males with lung cancer prevention and control resources and services

Dietary supplementation with Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis (B. infantis) in healthy breastfed infants: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

BackgroundThe development of probiotics as therapies to cure or prevent disease lags far behind that of other investigational medications. Rigorously designed phase I clinical trials are nearly non-existent in the field of probiotic research, which is a contributing factor to this disparity. As a consequence, how to appropriately dose probiotics to study their efficacy is unknown. Herein we propose a novel phase I ascending dose trial of Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis (B. infantis) to identify the dose required to produce predominant gut colonisation in healthy breastfed infants at 6 weeks of age.Methods/designThis is a parallel-group, placebo-controlled, randomised, double-blind ascending dose phase I clinical trial of dietary supplementation with B. infantis in healthy breastfed infants. The objective is to determine the pharmacologically effective dose (ED) of B. infantis required to produce predominant (>50 %) gut colonisation in breastfed infants at 6 weeks of age. Successively enrolled infant groups will be randomised to receive two doses of either B. infantis or placebo on days 7 and 14 of life. Stool samples will be used to characterise the gut microbiota at increasing doses of B. infantis.DiscussionProbiotic supplementation has shown promising results for the treatment of a variety of ailments, but evidence-based dosing regimes are currently lacking. The ultimate goal of this trial is to establish a recommended starting dose of B. infantis for further efficacy-testing phase II trials designed to evaluate B. infantis for the prevention of atopic dermatitis and food allergies in at-risk children.Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov # NCT02286999 , date of trial registration 23 October 2014

Gallium fluoroarsenates

Gallium fluoroarsenates, templated with simple metal or complex organic cations, form structures derived from octahedrally coordinated gallium and AsO4 tetrahedra, and displaying various polyhedra-linking dimensionalities.</p

Hybrid approach for pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum: Early single center results and comparison to the standard surgical approach

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/106725/1/ccd25181.pd

The Non-Commutative Cycle Lemma

We present a non-commutative version of the cycle lemma of Dvoretsky and Motzkin that applies to free groups and use this result to solve a number of problems involving cyclic reduction in the free group. We also describe an application to random matrices, in particular the fluctuations of Kesten's Law.Comment: 13 pages, minor corrections and improvement

Associations of audiometric hearing and speech-in-noise performance with cognitive decline among older adults: The Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA)

BackgroundEstablished associations between hearing loss and cognitive decline were primarily defined by pure-tone audiometry, which reflects peripheral hearing ability. Speech-in-noise performance, which reflects central hearing ability, is more limited in prior literature. We examined the longitudinal associations of audiometric hearing and speech-in-noise performance with cognitive decline.MethodsWe studied 702 participants aged ≥60 years in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging 2012–2019. Global and domain-specific (language, memory, attention, executive function, visuospatial ability) cognitive performance were assessed by the cognitive assessment battery. Hearing thresholds at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kilohertz obtained from pure-tone audiometry were averaged to calculate better-ear pure-tone average (PTA) and participants were categorized as having hearing loss (&gt;25 decibels hearing level [dB HL]) or normal hearing (≤25 dB HL). Speech-in-noise performance was assessed by the Quick Speech-in-Noise (QuickSIN) test, and participants were categorized as having below-median (worse) or above-median performance. Linear mixed effects models with random intercepts and slopes were used to assess baseline cognitive performance and cognitive decline by hearing status. Models adjusted for demographic, lifestyle and disease factors.ResultsParticipants with audiometric hearing loss showed similar baseline cognitive performance but faster decline in global cognitive function, language, executive function, and attention. Participants with below-median QuickSIN score showed worse baseline cognitive performance in all domains and faster decline in global cognitive function, language, memory, executive function and attention.ConclusionsAudiometric hearing might be targeted to delay cognitive decline. Speech-in-noise performance might be a novel marker and might be more sensitive to memory decline