The effect of RANTES chemokine genetic variants on early HIV-1 plasma RNA among African American injection drug users

HIV-1 plasma RNA is a prognostic indicator of HIV-1, and increased levels of HIV-1 plasma RNA are associated with rapid progression to AIDS. Because chemokines and chemokine receptors are involved in the binding and entry of HIV-1, possible effects of host genetics on viral RNA levels should be visible in early infection. HIV-1 plasma RNA was measured within 2 years of seroconversion in 198 seroincident injection drug users followed in the AIDS Link to Intravenous Experience cohort. Genetic variants were identified in the chemokine receptors (CCR2, CCR5, and CCR5 promoter) and the chemokine RANTES using TaqMan and restriction fragment length polymorphism assays. Linear regression of RANTES haplotypes on early HIV-1 plasma RNA identified individuals homozygous for the RANTES R1 haplotype as having a lower viral load by almost one-half log10 unit compared with those bearing non-RANTES R1 haplotypes (-0.43, 95% confidence interval: -0.74, -0.12). Genetic variants in RANTES may downregulate RANTES gene expression and increase early HIV-1 plasma RNA. Because RANTES is a critical chemokine and competitively inhibits HIV-1 by binding to its receptor CCR5, treatment to enhance RANTES expression may assist in delaying the progression of AIDS by decreasing the initial viral load.     

Self-esteem and causal attributions for success and failure in children

In a comparison of causal attributions following success and failure in hypothetical social, athletic, and academic situations, high self-esteem grade school children were more likely than low self-esteem children to attribute their success to ability and their failure to either lack of effort or bad luck. Low self-esteem children, on the other hand, attributed their success more often than high self-esteem children to good luck (and in social situations to effort and task ease as well) and their failure to lack of ability. Whereas prior studies that focused only on the internal-external dimension found that low and high self-esteem children differed in their attributional style to success but not to failure, the present study found that when distinctions between behavioral and characterological attributions (stability and globality dimensions) were included, the two groups differed significantly in response to both success and failure. Although perhaps not generalizable beyond the present attribution measure, the most pronounced attribution differences between low and high self-esteem children were observed in the social domain, the least in the academic domain, with athletics falling in between. Finally, it was found that sex and age (within the limited fourth- to sixth-grade range examined in the present study) did not alter the overriding difference in attributional style between low and high self-esteem children.This study is based on a doctoral dissertation submitted by the first author under the supervision of the last author in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Ph.D. degree at the University of Vermont.     

Success of Maternal and Child Health Pipeline Training Programs: Alumni Survey Results

Maternal and Child Health Journal - The Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Pipeline Training Program, promotes development of a diverse health workforce by training undergraduate students from...     

Development and Measurement of the Treatment Perceptions Survey (TPS) for Clients with Substance Use Disorders

The Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research - Statistical reliability of the Treatment Perceptions Survey (TPS) questionnaire was examined using data from 19 California counties. The...     

High Prevalence of Low Birth Weight Babies Born to Pregnant Women Referred to a District Hospital in Rural Zambia

Maternal and Child Health Journal - Low birthweight (LBW) is a significant public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa and LBW in rural Zambia is high. Our study explored the prevalence of LBW for...     

A National Cost Analysis of Community Interventions to Prevent Underage Drinking and Prescription Drug Misuse

Prevention Science - This prospective cost analysis addresses a gap in the prevention literature by providing estimates of the typical real-world costs to implement community interventions focused...     

A scoping Review of tools used to assess patient Complexity in rheumatic disease

ObjectivePatients with rheumatic diseases often have multiple comorbidities which may impact well‐being leading to high psychosocial complexity. This scoping review was undertaken to identify complexity measures/tools used in rheumatology that could help in planning and coordinating care.MethodsMEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL were searched from database inception to 14 December 2019 using keywords and Medical Subject Headings for “care coordination”, “complexity” and selected rheumatic diseases and known complexity measures/tools. Articles describing the development or use of complexity measures/tools in patients with adult rheumatologic diagnoses were included regardless of study design. Included articles were evaluated for risk of bias where applicable.ResultsThe search yielded 407 articles, 37 underwent full‐text review and 2 were identified during a hand search with 9 included articles. Only 2 complexity tools used in populations of adult patients with rheumatic disease were identified: the SLENQ and the INTERMED. The SLENQ is a 97‐item patient needs questionnaire developed for patients with systemic lupus (n = 1 study describing tool development) and applied in 5 cross‐sectional studies. Three studies (a practice article, trial and a cross‐sectional study) applied the INTERMED, a clinical interview to ascertain complexity and support coordinated care, in patients with rheumatologic diagnoses.ConclusionsThere is limited information on the use of patient complexity measures/tools in rheumatology. Such tools could be applied to coordinate multidisciplinary care and improve patient experience and outcomes.Patient contributionThis scoping review will be presented to patient research partners involved in co‐designing a future study on patient complexity in rheumatic disease.     

Two-stage Study of Familial Prostate Cancer by Whole-exome Sequencing and Custom Capture Identifies 10 Novel Genes Associated with the Risk of Prostate Cancer

BackgroundFamily history of prostate cancer (PCa) is a well-known risk factor, and both common and rare genetic variants are associated with the disease.ObjectiveTo detect new genetic variants associated with PCa, capitalizing on the role of family history and more aggressive PCa.Design, setting, and participantsA two-stage design was used. In stage one, whole-exome sequencing was used to identify potential risk alleles among affected men with a strong family history of disease or with more aggressive disease (491 cases and 429 controls). Aggressive disease was based on a sum of scores for Gleason score, node status, metastasis, tumor stage, prostate-specific antigen at diagnosis, systemic recurrence, and time to PCa death. Genes identified in stage one were screened in stage two using a custom-capture design in an independent set of 2917 cases and 1899 controls.Outcome measurements and statistical analysisFrequencies of genetic variants (singly or jointly in a gene) were compared between cases and controls.Results and limitationsEleven genes previously reported to be associated with PCa were detected (ATM, BRCA2, HOXB13, FAM111A, EMSY, HNF1B, KLK3, MSMB, PCAT1, PRSS3, and TERT), as well as an additional 10 novel genes (PABPC1, QK1, FAM114A1, MUC6, MYCBP2, RAPGEF4, RNASEH2B, ULK4, XPO7, and THAP3). Of these 10 novel genes, all but PABPC1 and ULK4 were primarily associated with the risk of aggressive PCa.ConclusionsOur approach demonstrates the advantage of gene sequencing in the search for genetic variants associated with PCa and the benefits of sampling patients with a strong family history of disease or an aggressive form of disease.Patient summaryMultiple genes are associated with prostate cancer (PCa) among men with a strong family history of this disease or among men with an aggressive form of PCa.     

An Exploration of Dyadic Relationship Approach-Avoidance Goals and Relationship and Sexual Satisfaction in Couples Coping with Endometriosis

Endometriosis affects women of reproductive age and is associated with higher levels of sexual and relational distress. Despite the relational context of endometriosis, the research pertaining to dyadic relationship goals is lacking. An exploration of the relationship goals of couples coping with endometriosis can facilitate the understanding of potential protective mechanisms that mitigate the relational components of the condition. Guided by the approach-avoidance theoretical framework, the current cross-sectional study aimed to examine the role relationship goals play in sexual and relationship satisfaction in couples coping with endometriosis. Approach goals relate to the pursuit of a positive outcomes, whereas avoidance goals relate to the avoidance of negative outcomes. Women with endometriosis and their partners (N?=?61) completed an online survey measuring relationship goals and relationship and sexual satisfaction. The study results indicated that, for women, their own and their partner’s higher relationship approach goals were linked to higher sexual satisfaction. For partners of women with endometriosis, their own higher relationship approach goals were associated with their own higher relationship satisfaction. Higher relationship avoidance goals in both women with endometriosis and partners were associated with higher relationship satisfaction. The study’s findings highlight relationship goals as relevant to the relational and sexual experience of couples coping with endometriosis. When treating women with endometriosis, the inclusion of partners and consideration of factors beyond the physical illness are important for a holistic management approach.

     

Arrangements versus Agreements: Evaluating Two Approaches to Measuring Male Couples’ Rules and Understandings Around Sex with Outside Sex Partners

Archives of Sexual Behavior - One- to two-thirds of new HIV infections among sexual minority men occur within the context of main partnerships. This has led to increasing attention to the rules and...