The Sociobiologic Integrative Model (SBIM): Enhancing the Integration of Sociobehavioral, Environmental, and Biomolecular Knowledge in Urban Health and Disparities Research

Disentangling the myriad determinants of disease, within the context of urban health or health disparities, requires a transdisciplinary approach. Transdisciplinary approaches draw on concepts from multiple scientific disciplines to develop a novel, integrated perspective from which to conduct scientific investigation. Most historic and contemporary conceptual models of health were derived either from the sociobehavioral sciences or the biomolecular sciences. Those models deriving from the sociobehavioral sciences generally lack detail on involved biological mechanisms whereas those derived from the biomolecular sciences largely do not consider socioenvironmental determinants. As such, advances in transdisciplinary characterizations of health in complex systems like the urban environment or health disparities may be impeded. This paper suggests a sociobiologic organizing model that encourages a multilevel, integrative perspective in the study of urban health and health disparities. Gibbons and Fox are with the Johns Hopkins Urban Health Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA; Brock, Baylin, and Levine are with the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Gibbons, Alberg, LaVeist, Levine, and Fox are with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; Brock, Alberg, and Baylin are with the Johns Hopkins Oncology Center, Baltimore, MD, USA; Gibbons and LaVeist are with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Disparities Studies, Baltimore, MD, USA; Glass is with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center on Aging and Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.     

Racial differences in attitudes toward professional mental health care and in the use of services

Differences in attitudes toward seeking professional mental health care and in the utilization of mental health services were examined by analyzing the second part of the National Comorbidity Survey. Prior to use of services, African Americans were found to have more positive attitudes than whites toward seeking such services, but less likely to use them. After utilization, their attitudes were found to be less positive than those of whites.     

缺血性卒中的高血糖治疗

高血糖能加重急性脑梗死的脑损伤。研究者测试了急性脑梗死时静脉胰岛素强化治疗与普通护理相比的可靠性和耐受性，开展了一个12h内脑梗死的随机多中心双盲实验，其血糖水平≥8．3mmol／L，美国国立卫生研究所脑卒中评分（NIHSS）在3～22分。患者以2：1的比例被随机分配至连续性静脉输注胰岛素或规定每日4次皮下注射胰岛素的强化治疗组。强化治疗组的目标血糖水平〈7．2mmol／L，     

纳米活性炭吸附氟尿嘧啶在胃癌荷瘤裸鼠体内释放及抑瘤作用的观察

目的:观察自制的5-氟尿嘧啶(5-FU)-纳米活性炭(ACNP)在胃癌荷瘤裸鼠体内的释放和抑瘤效果。方法:在BALB/c/nu裸鼠腹腔内移植人胃癌细胞系SGC7901,建立转移模型并随机分组。A组:腹腔内注入5-FU;B组:5-FU-AC-NP;C组:纯生理盐水。1)于不同时间点内眦静脉采血,高效液相色谱检测血浆中5-FU浓度;2)观察各组小鼠的存活状况,比较各组腹腔内瘤结节的质量和大小。结果:5-FU-ACNP组与5-FU组比较,前者血中的5-FU吸收、消除半衰期延长,峰浓度减低且变化平稳,P<0.05;裸鼠腹腔内瘤结节较轻、较少,P<0.05,裸鼠的中位存活时间延长,P≤0.01。结论:自制的ACNP结合5-FU经腹腔给药后,药物入血缓慢,血浆中的浓度低,半衰期延长,毒副反应减轻,对裸鼠腹腔移植瘤有较强抑制作用。     

Whole body donation for medical science: a population-based study

Although cadaveric whole-body donation for the purposes of medical science is extremely important for medical education, the number of persons who choose to donate remains low. We assessed persons' willingness to consider whole body donation in a standardized telephone survey of Maryland households, identified using random digit dialing. In multivariable analyses, we assessed the independent relation of sociodemographics and attitudinal factors to willingness to consider donation, and we determined the amount of variation in willingness to consider donation among the study population that could be explained by these factors. Of 385 participants (84% of randomized homes), 49% reported they would consider whole body donation. In bivariate analysis, younger age, African-American race/ethnicity, less education and income, greater number of dependents, marital status, and attitudes about religion/spirituality, trust in hospitals, and income, gender, and racial/ethnic discrimination in hospitals were statistically significantly associated with 40-70% less odds of willingness to consider donation. After adjustment, persons of African-American race/ethnicity, less education, and those agreeing with the statements, "Rich patients receive better care at hospitals than poor patients," and "White patients receive better care at hospitals than other racial or ethnic groups," had 40-60% less odds of willingness to consider donation when compared to their counterparts. Respondents' race/ethnicity and education contributed most to willingness to consider donation. We conclude that demographic and attitudinal factors are strongly related to willingness to consider whole body donation. Efforts to enhance donation should seek to identify ways in which potential barriers to donation can be addressed by health professionals.     

Gender differences in body image and health perceptions among graduating seniors from a historically black college

This study's purpose was to identify gender differences in body size awareness and perceived impact of weight on social interactions and risk for disease among young African-American adults. A cross-sectional survey of 318 African-American graduating seniors from a historically black college or university (HBCU) was conducted. Data were collected on anthropometrics, body image, ideal weight, perceived risk for disease due to weight, and impact of weight on social interactions. Only 39% of males who were overweight perceived themselves as overweight compared with 68% of overweight females. Eighty percent of females and 63% of males expressed some body size dissatisfaction. Fewer obese males (38%) perceived a risk for disease due to their weight compared with obese females (64%), p<0.01. Males perceived greater impact than females of their weight on social interactions, with extremely obese males perceiving the greatest impact. Perceived risk for disease due to weight was related to body mass index, family weight history, body awareness and income, but not body size satisfaction. Findings suggest gender differences in the self-perception of body size, accuracy of body size perception, and understanding of acceptable weight ranges. Awareness of acceptable weight ranges and consequences of overweight needs to be raised.     

Cryopreservation of single human spermatozoa

A procedure is described that allows cryopreservation and efficient post-thaw recovery of either a single or a small group of human spermatozoa. This is achieved by injecting them into cell-free human, mouse or hamster zonae pellucidae before the addition of cryoprotectant. The method involves a combination of physical micromanipulation procedures and glycerol-mediated cryoprotection. Zonae were tracked by positioning them in straws between two small air bubbles prior to freezing. Spermatozoa from poor specimens were cryopreserved and their fertilizing ability after thawing was compared with that of fresh spermatozoa from fertile men. Human eggs used for fertilization testing were either 1 day old or in-vitro matured. Only 2% of the frozen zonae were lost and >75% of spermatozoa cryopreserved in this manner were recovered and prepared for intracytoplasmic sperm injection. The feasibility of cryopreserving a single spermatozoon was assessed. Fifteen motile spermatozoa were frozen in 15 zonae, of which 14 were recovered after thawing. Ten were injected into spare eggs, of which eight became fertilized. Spermatozoa recovered mechanically from human zonae fertilized the same proportion of oocytes as fresh fertile control spermatozoa. The recovery and fertilization rates with spermatozoa frozen in animal zonae were 87 and 78% respectively. The fertilization rate was marginally higher (P < 0.05) than that for spermatozoa frozen in human zonae, perhaps because the latter may have acrosome reacted more frequently. The zona pellucida appears to be an ideally suited sterile vehicle for storage of single spermatozoa.      

基于声速微扰的松质骨超声参数分析和计算

在生物组织非均匀连续介质模型的基础上，采用声速微扰法，通过分别改变入射频率、松质骨孔隙度及骨小梁特征尺寸等三个参数，对松质骨中的超声背向散射系数和由于散射而引起的衰减进行了分析。分析结果表明：由于散射而引起的衰减占松质骨中总的超声衰减的26％左右；当松质骨孔隙度在0．61附近时，衰减和背向散射系数均达到最大值。