1,729 research outputs found

    Gambling and sexual behaviors in African-American adolescents

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    Objectives: Late adolescence represents a developmental risk period when many youth become involved in multiple forms of high-risk behaviors with adverse consequences. This study assessed the degree to which two such behaviors, adolescent sexual behaviors and gambling, were associated in a community-based sample with a large African-American presence. Study design: Data are derived from a cohort study. This study focuses on 427 African-American participants with complete information on gambling and sexual behaviors by age 18 (72% of original cohort). Gambling involvement and related problems were based on responses to the South Oaks Gambling Screen — Revised for Adolescents. Several questions assessed sexual behaviors, including age of initiation. Multivariable logistic regression models adjusted for demographics, intervention status, impulsivity, depressive and anxiety symptoms, and alcohol and illegal drug use. Results: Almost half of the sample (49%, n = 211) had gambled at least once before age 18. More gamblers than non-gamblers had initiated sexual intercourse by age 18 (aOR: 2.29 [1.16, 4.52]). Among those who had initiated sexual activity, more gamblers than non-gamblers with high impulsivity levels at age 13 (vs. low impulsivity levels) had become pregnant or had impregnated someone. Among those who had initiated sexual activity by age 18, more male gamblers had impregnated someone by age 18 as compared to female gamblers becoming pregnant. Conclusions: Gambling and sexual behaviors often co-occur among adolescents. Such findings prompt the need for the inclusion of gambling, an often overlooked risky behavior, in behavioral prevention/intervention programs targeting adolescents

    Draft genome sequences of Pseudomonas fluorescens strains SF39a and SF4c, potential plant growth promotion and biocontrol agents

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    Pseudomonas fluorescens SF4c and SF39a, strains isolated from wheat rhizosphere, have potential applications in plant growth promotion and biocontrol of fungal diseases of crop plants. We report the draft genome sequences of SF4c and SF39a with estimated sizes of 6.5 Mb and 5.9 Mb, respectively.Fil: Ly, Lindsey K.. University of Massachussets; Estados UnidosFil: Underwood, Grace E.. University of Massachussets; Estados UnidosFil: McCully, Lucy M.. University of Massachussets; Estados UnidosFil: Bitzer, Adam S.. University of Massachussets; Estados UnidosFil: Godino, Agustina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientĂ­ficas y TĂ©cnicas. Centro CientĂ­fico TecnolĂłgico Conicet - CĂłrdoba; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de RĂ­o Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, FisicoquĂ­micas y Naturales. Departamento de Ciencias Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Bucci, Vanni. University of Massachussets; Estados UnidosFil: Brigham, Christopher J.. University of Massachussets; Estados UnidosFil: Principe, Analia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientĂ­ficas y TĂ©cnicas. Centro CientĂ­fico TecnolĂłgico Conicet - CĂłrdoba; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de RĂ­o Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, FisicoquĂ­micas y Naturales. Departamento de Ciencias Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Fischer, Sonia Elizabeth. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientĂ­ficas y TĂ©cnicas. Centro CientĂ­fico TecnolĂłgico Conicet - CĂłrdoba; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de RĂ­o Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, FisicoquĂ­micas y Naturales. Departamento de Ciencias Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Silby, Mark W.. University of Massachussets; Estados Unido

    Socioeconomic risk markers of arthropod-borne virus (arbovirus) infections: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis

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    INTRODUCTION: Arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) are of notable public health importance worldwide, owing to their potential to cause explosive outbreaks and induce debilitating and potentially life-threatening disease manifestations. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to assess the relationship between markers of socioeconomic position (SEP) and infection due to arboviruses with mosquito vectors. METHODS: We conducted a systematic search on PubMed, Embase, and LILACS databases to identify studies published between 1980 and 2020 that measured the association of SEP markers with arbovirus infection. We included observational studies without geographic location or age restrictions. We excluded studies from grey literature, reviews and ecological studies. Study findings were extracted and summarised, and pooled estimates were obtained using random-effects meta-analyses. RESULTS: We identified 36 observational studies using data pertaining to 106 524 study participants in 23 geographic locations that empirically examined the relationship between socioeconomic factors and infections caused by seven arboviruses (dengue, chikungunya, Japanese encephalitis, Rift Valley fever, Sindbis, West Nile and Zika viruses). While results were varied, descriptive synthesis pointed to a higher risk of arbovirus infection associated with markers of lower SEP, including lower education, income poverty, low healthcare coverage, poor housing materials, interrupted water supply, marital status (married, divorced or widowed), non-white ethnicities and migration status. Pooled crude estimates indicated an increased risk of arboviral infection associated with lower education (risk ratio, RR 1.5 95% CI 1.3 to 1.9); I CONCLUSION: Evidence from this systematic review suggests that lower SEP increases the risk of acquiring arboviral infection; however, there was large heterogeneity across studies. Further studies are required to delineate the relationship between specific individual, household and community-level SEP indicators and arbovirus infection risks to help inform targeted public health interventions. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42019158572

    Neonatal face-to-face interactions promote later social behaviour in infant rhesus monkeys

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    In primates, including humans, mothers engage in face-to-face interactions with their infants, with frequencies varying both within and across species. However, the impact of this variation in face-to-face interactions on infant social development is unclear. Here we report that infant monkeys (Macaca mulatta) who engaged in more neonatal face-to-face interactions with mothers have increased social interactions at 2 and 5 months. In a controlled experiment, we show that this effect is not due to physical contact alone: monkeys randomly assigned to receive additional neonatal face-to-face interactions (mutual gaze and intermittent lip-smacking) with human caregivers display increased social interest at 2 months, compared with monkeys who received only additional handling. These studies suggest that face-to-face interactions from birth promote young primate social interest and competenc

    Anti-angiogenic nanotherapy inhibits airway remodeling and hyper-responsiveness of dust mite triggered asthma in the Brown Norway rat

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    Although angiogenesis is a hallmark feature of asthmatic inflammatory responses, therapeutic anti-angiogenesis interventions have received little attention. Objective: Assess the effectiveness of anti-angiogenic Sn2 lipase-labile prodrugs delivered via α(v)ÎČ(3)-micellar nanotherapy to suppress microvascular expansion, bronchial remodeling, and airway hyper-responsiveness in Brown Norway rats exposed to serial house dust mite (HDM) inhalation challenges. Results: Anti-neovascular effectiveness of α(v)ÎČ(3)-mixed micelles incorporating docetaxel-prodrug (Dxtl-PD) or fumagillin-prodrug (Fum-PD) were shown to robustly suppress neovascular expansion (p<0.01) in the upper airways/bronchi of HDM rats using simultaneous (19)F/(1)H MR neovascular imaging, which was corroborated by adjunctive fluorescent microscopy. Micelles without a drug payload (α(v)ÎČ(3)-No-Drug) served as a carrier-only control. Morphometric measurements of HDM rat airway size (perimeter) and vessel number at 21d revealed classic vascular expansion in control rats but less vascularity (p<0.001) after the anti-angiogenic nanotherapies. CD31 RNA expression independently corroborated the decrease in airway microvasculature. Methacholine (MCh) induced respiratory system resistance (Rrs) was high in the HDM rats receiving α(v)ÎČ(3)-No-Drug micelles while α(v)ÎČ(3)-Dxtl-PD or α(v)ÎČ(3)-Fum-PD micelles markedly and equivalently attenuated airway hyper-responsiveness and improved airway compliance. Total inflammatory BAL cells among HDM challenged rats did not differ with treatment, but α(v)ÎČ(3)(+ )macrophages/monocytes were significantly reduced by both nanotherapies (p<0.001), most notably by the α(v)ÎČ(3)-Dxtl-PD micelles. Additionally, α(v)ÎČ(3)-Dxtl-PD decreased BAL eosinophil and α(v)ÎČ(3)(+ )CD45(+) leukocytes relative to α(v)ÎČ(3)-No-Drug micelles, whereas α(v)ÎČ(3)-Fum-PD micelles did not. Conclusion: These results demonstrate the potential of targeted anti-angiogenesis nanotherapy to ameliorate the inflammatory hallmarks of asthma in a clinically relevant rodent model

    Physician Perspectives on Telemedicine in Radiation Oncology

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    PURPOSE: Telemedicine enthusiasm and uptake in radiation oncology rapidly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is unclear if and how telemedicine should be used after the COVID-19 public health emergency ends is unclear. Herein, we report on our institution\u27s provider experience after the mature adoption of telemedicine. METHODS AND MATERIALS: We distributed a survey to all radiation oncology attending physicians at our institution in October 2021 to assess satisfaction, facilitators, and barriers to telemedicine implementation. We performed quantitative and qualitative analyses to characterize satisfaction and identify influencing factors whether telemedicine is employed. We calculated the average proportion of visits that providers expected to be appropriately performed with telemedicine for each disease site and visit type. RESULTS: A total of 60 of the 82 eligible radiation oncologists (73%) responded to the survey, of whom 78% were satisfied with telemedicine in the radiation oncology department and 83% wished to continue offering video visits after the COVID-19 public health emergency ends. Common patient factors influencing whether physicians offer telemedicine include the patient\u27s travel burden, patient preferences, and whether a physical examination is required. Approximately 20% of new consultations and 50% of weekly management visits were estimated to be appropriate for telemedicine. The central nervous system/pediatrics and thoracic faculty considered telemedicine appropriate for the greatest proportion of new consultations, and 93% of respondents felt comfortable determining whether telemedicine was appropriate. CONCLUSIONS: Surveyed radiation oncologists were satisfied with telemedicine in their practice, and wished to continue offering video visits in the future. Our data suggest that payers should continue to support this patient-centered technology
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