Patterns of Childhood Trauma and Psychological Distress among Injecting Heroin Users in China

Background: Childhood trauma has been reported as a possible cause of future substance abuse in some countries. This study reports the prevalence of childhood trauma and examines its association with psychological distress among injecting drug users from mainland China. Methodology: The study was conducted in three government-operated drug rehabilitation facilities in Shanghai, China in 2007. The Early Trauma Inventory Self Report-Short Form (ETISR-SF) was used to evaluate 4 types (general, emotional, physical and sexual) and severity of childhood trauma, and the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) to evaluate psychological distress. Principal Findings: Among 341 injecting drug users who completed the study, about 80 % reported one or more types o

Improving Antimicrobial Stewardship to Assure Food Safety and Milk Quality and Food Safety in Dairy Goats

The World Health Organization has recommended complete restriction of all medically important antimicrobials in food animals for prevention of infectious disease that has not been clinically diagnosed. While there is an abundance of literature on AMR in other food animal species, there is little data on the subject in small ruminants. Current research data suggest that most dairy goats in US herds have an intramammary bacterial infection at dry-off. In the absence of antibiotic treatment at dry-off, most of these infections persist through the dry period and into the following lactation, resulting in decreased milk quality and the potential for food safety concerns. The US dairy cattle industry has identified mastitis as a leading indications for use of antibiotics and invested significant resources towards reducing antibiotic use in mastitis, while assuring proper animal health and welfare. Unlike dairy cattle, almost no evidence-based data exists to inform the development of effective antibiotic stewardship recommendations and educational campaigns towards dairy goats. Therefore, there is a critical need to capitalize on the impressive improvements in antibiotic stewardship of dairy cattle mastitis by evaluating the use of similar principles and approaches to the management of dairy goats. The long-term goal of our research team is to develop pharmacologic strategies that protect food safety by mitigating antimicrobial resistance development while maximizing animal health and welfare. Our goal in this proposed project is to improve goat milk quality through efficacious and prudent treatment programs that maintain food safety, and to create and disseminate an educational outreach program to stakeholders on how to implement these strategies. The central hypothesis is that application of approaches demonstrated to benefit antimicrobial stewardship and minimize AMR development in dairy cattle can be foundational for similarly effective strategies in dairy goats. This hypothesis is based on previous research results showing successful use of dry-off antimicrobial therapy in dairy goats and the successful implementation of selective treatment programs in dairy cattle. Additionally, despite widespread use of antimicrobials in the treatment of mastitis in dairy cattle, development of antimicrobial resistance has been minimal. Lastly, while no dry-off antimicrobial products are labeled for use in lactating dairy goats, residue detection test kits are available that are labeled for use with goat milk that will be able to detect antimicrobial residues to levels below US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tolerances for the drug residues in dairy cattle. This will reduce the risk for antimicrobial residues in does treated with intramammary (IMM) antimicrobials. We will attain the overall goal of this project via implementation of the following objectives: Objective 1. Determine the antimicrobial residue depletion profile in milk and meat of goats following the administration of dry cow intramammary antimicrobials. Our working hypothesis is that the time for the residues to deplete will be longer than the time required for the drugs to deplete in dairy cows. due to the larger dose to body size ratio in goats compared to cattle. Objective 2. Utilizing a selective approach, determine the efficacy of dry cow antimicrobial products for the treatment of infections present at the end of the lactating period in the goat. Our working hypothesis is that selective utilization of dry-off intramammary antimicrobial programs will be efficacious towards improving milk quality and decreasing antimicrobial use compared to blanket dry-off therapy of all does. Objective 3. Determine whether the implementation of dry cow antimicrobial programs result in the development of antimicrobial resistance in dairy goats. Our working hypothesis is that the implementation of dry cow antimicrobial programs will not increase AMR in dairy goats. Objective 4. Develop a comprehensive producer education program to be delivered via Extension offerings that demonstrates how established on farm mastitis prevention strategies, coupled with a judicious antimicrobial approach, can minimize antimicrobial resistance and preserve food safety

Abstract 2253: New targets of mTORC1 pathway in ER-positive cells

Abstract mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) regulates protein translation, autophagy, and cell growth. These cellular functions are often dysregulated in cancer, therefore identification of mTORC1 targets in control of these processes is of great interest for development of targeted cancer therapies. While rapamycin shown an effect in early clinical trials, the effectiveness of rapamycin in treatment of breast cancer has been variable. Estrogen receptor (ER) ≤ mediates the proliferative effects of estrogen and represents an important clinical target in treatment of ER-positive cancers. Tamoxifen is an anti-estrogen that has become the standard agent for the treatment of ER-positive breast cancer, where it acts as an antagonist. However, resistance to tamoxifen, and other endocrine or anti-estrogen therapies develops in many cases. One mechanism by which resistance develops is through phosphorylation of ERα, allowing it to act in estrogen-independent manner. Phosphorylation of Ser118 and Ser167 is important for transcriptional activity of ERα. The regulation of these sites is complex, involving inputs from the mTOR and MAPK signaling pathways. Importantly, ERα phosphorylation correlates with resistance to tamoxifen, and is a prognostic marker for disease progression and survival. Therefore, the goal of our study is to identify new targets of mTORC1 pathway important for growth and proliferation of ER-positive cells. Thus, inhibition of downstream components of the mTORC1 pathway together in combination with anti-estrogen therapy may prove to be an effective strategy in treatment of ER-positive cancer. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2253. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-2253</jats:p