SIEGE: Smoking Induced Epithelial Gene Expression Database

The SIEGE (Smoking Induced Epithelial Gene Expression) database is a clinical resource for compiling and analyzing gene expression data from epithelial cells of the human intra-thoracic airway. This database supports a translational research study whose goal is to profile the changes in airway gene expression that are induced by cigarette smoke. RNA is isolated from airway epithelium obtained at bronchoscopy from current-, former- and never-smoker subjects, and hybridized to Affymetrix HG-U133A Genechips, which measure the level of expression of ∼22 500 human transcripts. The microarray data generated along with relevant patient information is uploaded to SIEGE by study administrators using the database's web interface, found at http://pulm.bumc.bu.edu/siegeDB. PERL-coded scripts integrated with SIEGE perform various quality control functions including the processing, filtering and formatting of stored data. The R statistical package is used to import database expression values and execute a number of statistical analyses including t-tests, correlation coefficients and hierarchical clustering. Values from all statistical analyses can be queried through CGI-based tools and web forms found on the ‘Search’ section of the database website. Query results are embedded with graphical capabilities as well as with links to other databases containing valuable gene resources, including Entrez Gene, GO, Biocarta, GeneCards, dbSNP and the NCBI Map Viewer

SIEGE: Smoking Induced Epithelial Gene Expression Database

The SIEGE (Smoking Induced Epithelial Gene Expression) database is a clinical resource for compiling and analyzing gene expression data from epithelial cells of the human intra-thoracic airway. This database supports a translational research study whose goal is to profile the changes in airway gene expression that are induced by cigarette smoke. RNA is isolated from airway epithelium obtained at bronchoscopy from current-, former- and never-smoker subjects, and hybridized to Affymetrix HG-U133A Genechips, which measure the level of expression of ∼22 500 human transcripts. The microarray data generated along with relevant patient information is uploaded to SIEGE by study administrators using the database's web interface, found at http://pulm.bumc.bu.edu/siegeDB. PERL-coded scripts integrated with SIEGE perform various quality control functions including the processing, filtering and formatting of stored data. The R statistical package is used to import database expression values and execute a number of statistical analyses including t-tests, correlation coefficients and hierarchical clustering. Values from all statistical analyses can be queried through CGI-based tools and web forms found on the ‘Search’ section of the database website. Query results are embedded with graphical capabilities as well as with links to other databases containing valuable gene resources, including Entrez Gene, GO, Biocarta, GeneCards, dbSNP and the NCBI Map Viewer

Reporting to parents on children’s exposures to asthma triggers in low-income and public housing, an interview-based case study of ethics, environmental literacy, individual action, and public health benefits

Background Emerging evidence about the effects of endocrine disruptors on asthma symptoms suggests new opportunities to reduce asthma by changing personal environments. Right-to-know ethics supports returning personal results for these chemicals to participants, so they can make decisions to reduce exposures. Yet researchers and institutional review boards have been reluctant to approve results reports in low-income communities, which are disproportionately affected by asthma. Concerns include limited literacy, lack of resources to reduce exposures, co-occurring stressors, and lack of models for effective reporting. To better understand the ethical and public health implications of returning personal results in low-income communities, we investigated parents’ experiences of learning their children’s environmental chemical and biomonitoring results in the Green Housing Study of asthma. Methods The Green Housing Study measured indoor chemical exposures, allergens, and children’s asthma symptoms in “green”-renovated public housing and control sites in metro-Boston and Cincinnati in 2011–2013. We developed reports for parents of children in the study, including results for their child and community. We observed community meetings where results were reported, and metro-Boston residents participated in semi-structured interviews in 2015 about their report-back experience. Interviews were systematically coded and analyzed. Results Report-back was positively received, contributed to greater understanding, built trust between researchers and participants, and facilitated action to improve health. Sampling visits and community meetings also contributed to creating a positive study experience for participants. Participants were able to make changes in their homes, such as altering product use and habits that may reduce asthma symptoms, though some faced roadblocks from family members. Participants also gained access to medical resources, though some felt that clinicians were not responsive. Participants wanted larger scale change from government or industry and wanted researchers to leverage study results to achieve change. Conclusions Report-back on environmental chemical exposures in low-income communities can enhance research benefits by engaging residents with personally relevant information that informs and motivates actions to reduce exposure to asthma triggers. Ethical practices in research should support deliberative report-back in vulnerable communities

Evaluating Resources for Cancer Caregivers on Cancer Hospital Websites

Background: Over the last 20 years, cancer care has transitioned from long hospitalizations to short inpatient stays or outpatient settings. As patients and their family members increasingly turn to the Internet for health information, cancer hospitals have the opportunity to provide clear, credible information on their websites to cancer patients, families, and informal caregivers. Objective: Recommend improved web content and organization of caregiver information for patients and families at our local comprehensive cancer center. Methods: One librarian and two library science students conducted a cognitive walk-through to assess websites of two cancer hospitals in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Each evaluator independently performed seven tasks distributed among three different caregiver personas to evaluate the presence and accessibility of caregiver information on these cancer hospital websites.Results: Our findings indicate that these websites are not conducive to providing information for cancer caregiver support because of the following: key information is unavailable, navigation on the landing page is limited, broken links, ambiguous page titles, page titles that do not match the content of the page, and lack of contact information (phone number, email) for service access. Conclusion: Opportunities are available to improve cancer caregiver information on cancer hospital websites. Library professionals can help cancer hospitals improve caregiver information on their websites with recommendations for additional content and clearer organization. This is a way to build partnerships between library professionals and cancer hospitals

Antidepressant Use During Pregnancy: Current Controversies and Treatment Strategies

The treatment of depression during pregnancy is both a common and complex clinical challenge. The decision to expose the fetus to antidepressant medication during pregnancy must be weighed against the risks of untreated maternal depression to both mother and fetus. Maternal depression during pregnancy has been associated with increased rates of preterm birth and maternal substance use. The safety of antidepressant use during pregnancy appears to be largely reassuring but there remain two areas of controversy including neonatal withdrawal syndrome and primary pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN). Individualized treatment recommendations based on the patient's history are essential in order to optimize outcomes

Reversible and permanent effects of tobacco smoke exposure on airway epithelial gene expression

Oligonucleotide microarray analysis revealed 175 genes that are differentially expressed in large airway epithelial cells of people who currently smoke compared with those who never smoked, with 28 classified as irreversible, 6 as slowly reversible, and 139 as rapidly reversible

Muscle Activity During the Star Excursion Balance Test in Healthy Adults

Purpose: To determine electromyographic (EMG) activity of the hip and the trunk muscles during the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) performance in 8 reach directions

Non-Communicable Diseases and Related Risk Behaviors among Men and Women Living with HIV in Cambodia: Findings from a Cross-Sectional Study

Background: There is a growing concern for an increasing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in people living with HIV. This concern is evident especially in developing countries where dietary and lifestyle risk factors associated with NCDs are becoming more prominent. This study explored the prevalence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia and related risk factors in men and women living with HIV in Cambodia. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 510 adult people living with HIV randomly selected from one city and four provinces in Cambodia. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on socio-demographic characteristics, health behaviors, medical history, and antiretroviral therapy (ART). Anthropometric and biological measurements were performed. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate proportions and means of the measured variables. An independent Student’s t-test was used for continuous variables. Chi square test or Fisher’s exact test was used for categorical variables to explore gender differences. Results: Prevalence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia was 9.4, 15.1, and 33.7%, respectively. The prevalence of hyperlipidemia was significantly higher among men compared to women. Mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures were also significantly higher among men. Regarding risk factors, 17.3% of participants were overweight, and 4.1% were obese. Tobacco and alcohol use was common, particularly among men. Fruit and vegetable consumption was considerably low among both men and women. Physical activity levels were also low. About 40% of participants reported having a job that involved mostly sitting or standing; 46.3% reported engaging in moderate activities; and 11.8% reported engaging in vigorous activities during leisure time. A significantly higher proportion of men compared to women engaged in vigorous activities both at work and during leisure time. Conclusions: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia among men and women living with HIV in Cambodia is considerably high. Related risk factors were also common. Given the comorbidity of NCDs and HIV, policy and programmatic interventions are required, including integration of NCD screening into HIV programs. Distinctions in the levels of diseases and in health behaviors between men and women suggest that interventions need to be tailor-made and gender-specific, targeting their respective diseases and behaviors

Hip and Trunk Muscle Activity During the Star Excursion Balance Test in Healthy Adults

CONTEXT: Dynamic balance is a measure of core stability. Deficits in the dynamic balance have been related to injuries in the athletic populations. The Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) is suggested to measure and improve dynamic balance when used as a rehabilitative tool. OBJECTIVE: To determine the electromyographic activity of the hip and the trunk muscles during the SEBT. DESIGN: Descriptive. SETTING: University campus. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-two healthy adults (11 males and 11 females; 23.3 [3.8] y, 170.3 [7.6] cm, 67.8 [10.3] kg, and 15.1% [5.0%] body fat). INTERVENTION: Surface electromyographic data were collected on 22 healthy adults of the erector spinae, external oblique, and rectus abdominis bilaterally, and gluteus medius and gluteus maximus muscle of the stance leg. A 2-way repeated measures analysis of variance was used to determine the interaction between the percentage maximal voluntary isometric contraction (%MVIC) and the reach directions. The %MVIC for each muscle was compared across the 8 reach directions using the Sidak post hoc test with α at .05. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: %MVIC. RESULTS: Significant differences were observed for all the 8 muscles. Highest electromyographic activity was found for the tested muscles in the following reach directions-ipsilateral external oblique (44.5% [38.4%]): anterolateral; contralateral external oblique (52.3% [40.8%]): medial; ipsilateral rectus abdominis (8% [6.6%]): anterior; contralateral rectus abdominis (8% [5.3%]): anteromedial; ipsilateral erector spinae (46.4% [20.2%]): posterolateral; contralateral erector spinae (33.5% [11.3%]): posteromedial; gluteus maximus (27.4% [11.7%]): posterior; and gluteus medius (54.6% [26.1%]): medial direction. CONCLUSIONS: Trunk and hip muscle activation was direction dependent during the SEBT. This information can be used during rehabilitation of the hip and the trunk muscles