Estradiol alters the immune-responsiveness of cervical epithelial cells stimulated with ligands of Toll-like receptors 2 and 4.

The mucosa of the female reproductive tract plays a pivotal role in host defence. Pregnancy must alter immunological mechanisms at this interface to protect the conceptus. We sought to determine how estradiol (E2) alters the immune-responsiveness of cervical epithelial cells to ligand stimulation of Toll-like receptor (TLR)-2 and -4. Human ectocervical epithelial cells (HECECs) were cultured and co-incubated with two concentrations of E2 and peptidoglycan (PGN) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) over durations that ranged between 10 minutes and 18 hours. Cytometric Bead Array was performed to quantify eight cytokines in the supernatant fluid. In response to PGN, HECECs co-incubated with E2 released lesser quantities of IL-1ß and IFNγ, higher levels of RANTES, and variable levels of IL-6 and IL-8 than those not exposed to E2. In contrast, HECECs co-incubated with LPS and E2 secreted increased levels of IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, and IFNγ at 2 and 18 hours than HECECs not exposed to E2, and reduced levels of RANTES at same study time-points. Estradiol alters the immune-responsiveness of cultured HECECs to TLR2 and TLR4 ligands in a complex fashion that appears to vary with bacterial ligand, TLR subtype, and duration of exposure. Our observations are consistent with the functional complexity that this mucosal interface requires for its immunological roles

Aquilegia, Vol. 20 No. 3, July-September 1996: Newsletter of the Colorado Native Plant Society

https://epublications.regis.edu/aquilegia/1080/thumbnail.jp

Aquilegia, Vol. 18 No. 1, January- February 1994: Newsletter of the Colorado Native Plant Society

https://epublications.regis.edu/aquilegia/1069/thumbnail.jp

Partnerships to Address School Safety through a Student Support Lens

School safety is a primary concern of school leaders, employees, parents, and a variety of community stakeholders. Attempts to mitigate and prevent school safety concerns often focus on strategies around school climate assessment, emergency communication, school safety plan development, and school resource officer employment (U.S. DHS et al., 2018). Involvement of key stakeholders, such as school social workers, school counselors, and school-based mental health professionals is emphasized in creating and assessing school safety in a wholistic manner. This article provides an overview of a Trainings to Increase School Safety grant program that was implemented with public school stakeholders through partnerships between a university and five public school districts in the Southeastern North Carolina region

Development and evaluation of the Measure of Drug Self-Management

BackgroundCurrent adherence scales often fail to assess the full spectrum of behaviors associated with safe and appropriate drug use and may be unsuitable for patients with limited health literacy. We sought to develop and evaluate a comprehensive yet brief Measure of Drug Self-Management (MeDS) for use in research and clinical settings among diverse patient groups.MethodsExpert opinion, literature reviews, and interviews with patients and providers were utilized to create and revise potential items. Item performance testing was then conducted among 193 adult English-speaking patients with hypertension and diabetes. Factor analysis was used to inform item selection. Reliability was assessed via calculations of internal consistency. To assess construct and predictive validity, MeDS scores were compared with scores from the 8-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale and relevant clinical measures (HbA1c, blood pressure, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol).ResultsThe MeDS demonstrated adequate internal consistency with a Cronbach’s α of 0.72. The MeDS was significantly correlated with the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (r= −0.62; P<0.001). The MeDS was also associated with clinical measures, with statistically significant correlations found between MeDS scores and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (r= −0.27, P≤0.001) and diastolic blood pressure (r= −0.18, P=0.01).ConclusionThe MeDS seems to be a valid and reliable tool that can be used to assess medication self-management skills among diverse patients, including those with limited literacy skills. Future studies are needed to test the tool in actual use and explore clinical applications

Aquilegia, Vol. 15 No. 2, March-April 1991: Newsletter of the Colorado Native Plant Society

https://epublications.regis.edu/aquilegia/1057/thumbnail.jp

Traditional Thai Medicines Inhibit Helicobacter pylori in vitro and in vivo: Support for Ethnomedical Use

In Thailand, traditional plant-based medicines have always been used to treat gastrointestinal ailments, including gastritis, peptic ulcer disease (PUD) and diarrhea. Since Helicobacter pylori (HP) is an etiological agent of PUD, we have used an ethnomedical approach for screening plant extracts as potential treatments for HP infections, including over 20 species from Thailand. International Memoranda of Agreement were established between UIC and Mahidol University in Thailand. Medicinal plants were collected, identified and extracted. Susceptibility testing was performed with 15 HP strains using the agar dilution procedure guidelines of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. In vivo studies included evaluating bacterial load, as well as acute and chronic inflammation in HP-infected Mongolian gerbils. Extracts of Curcuma longa L. and Boesenbergia rotunda (L.) Mansf. significantly reduced HP-induced gastric lesions, as assessed both macroscopically and microscopically in Mongolian gerbils. The treatments reduced acute and/or chronic inflammation in a prevention model of HP-induced gastritis