The combined relations of gender,enculturation, and depressive symptoms with health risk behaviors in Mexican-Americans: a moderated mediation analysis

ABSTRACT

Objectives: The present study investigated the relationships of enculturation and depressive symptoms with health risk behavior engagement in Mexican-American college students and examined how these relationships differed by gender. Previous research has noted consistent gender differences in health risk behavior (e.g. alcohol use, substance use, and risky sexual behavior) among Latina/os, and emphasized the role of U.S. acculturation in this difference. Research examining the role of heritage cultural retention (i.e. enculturation), and including the added influence of mental health variables, such as depressive symptoms, is currently lacking. This study sought to address this gap.

Design: A large sample (N?=?677) of Mexican-American college students from four universities (located in New York, California, Florida, and Texas) completed an online questionnaire assessing health risk behaviors and corresponding variables.

Results: We found that males who endorsed more behavioral enculturation and depressive symptoms were more likely to engage in health risk behavior than all others in the sample. Contrary to previous literature, no relationship was found between behavioral enculturation and health risk behavior in females.

Conclusion: The current study found behavioral enculturation to be associated with depressive symptoms, and in turn with health risk behaviors among the males in our sample. Additional research will be needed to identify the mechanism underlying the relationship between enculturation and depressive symptoms as well as between depressive symptoms and risky behavior.     

The Impact of IMRT and Proton Radiotherapy on Secondary Cancer Incidence

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: There is concern about the increase of radiation-induced malignancies with the application of modern radiation treatment techniques such as intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and proton radiotherapy. Therefore, X-ray scatter and neutron radiation as well as the impact of the primary dose distribution on secondary cancer incidence are analyzed. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The organ equivalent dose (OED) concept with a linear-exponential and a plateau dose-response curve was applied to dose distributions of 30 patients who received radiation therapy of prostate cancer. Three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy was used in eleven patients, another eleven patients received IMRT with 6-MV photons, and eight patients were treated with spot-scanned protons. The treatment plans were recalculated with 15-MV and 18-MV photons. Secondary cancer risk was estimated based on the OED for the different treatment techniques. RESULTS: A modest increase of 15% radiation-induced cancer results from IMRT using low energies (6 MV), compared to conventional four-field planning with 15-MV photons (plateau dose-response: 1%). The probability to develop a secondary cancer increases with IMRT of higher energies by 20% and 60% for 15 MV and 18 MV, respectively (plateau dose-response: 2% and 30%). The use of spot-scanned protons can reduce secondary cancer incidence as much as 50% (independent of dose-response). CONCLUSION: By including the primary dose distribution into the analysis of radiation-induced cancer incidence, the resulting increase in risk for secondary cancer using modern treatment techniques such as IMRT is not as dramatic as expected from earlier studies. By using 6-MV photons, only a moderate risk increase is expected. Spot-scanned protons are the treatment of choice in regard to secondary cancer incidence.     

A presenilin 1 mutation (L420R) in a family with early onset Alzheimer disease,seizures and cotton wool plaques,but not spastic paraparesis

Over 100 mutations in the presenilin‐1 gene (PSEN1) have been shown to result in familial early onset Alzheimer disease (EOAD), but only a relatively few give rise to plaques with an appearance like cotton wool (CWP) and/or spastic paraparesis (SP). A family with EOAD, seizures and CWP was investigated by neuropathological study and DNA sequencing of the PSEN1 gene. Aβ was identified in leptomeningeal vessels and in cerebral plaques. A single point mutation, p.L420R (g.1508T > G) that gives rise to a missense mutation in the eighth transmembrane (TM8) domain of PS1 was identified in two affected members of the family. p.L420R (g.1508T > G) is the mutation responsible for EOAD, seizures and CWP without SP in this family.     

Erythropoietin stimulates wound healing and angiogenesis in mice.

Erythropoietin exerts hematopoietic effects by stimulating proliferation of early erythroid precursors. Nonhematopoietic effects of erythropoietin have also been shown. It may act as a new angiogenic factor in wound healing. This study aimed to investigate the effect of systemic administration of recombinant human erythropoietin on wound healing in mice. Dorsal incisional wounds were performed in mice, which were then divided into two groups; a group treated for 7 days with recombinant human erythropoietin, and a control group. Sacrificing animals on day 7, the wound tissues were collected for analysis of wound breaking strength, malondialdehyde, a marker of lipid peroxidation, hydroxyproline, an index of reparative collagen deposition, reduced glutathione levels, and for histological evaluation. The immunohistochemical determination of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) which is believed to be the most prevalent angiogenic factor throughout the skin repair process, was also studied. The treatment significantly increased wound breaking strength by decreasing malondialdehyde and increasing hydroxyproline levels on day 7 after wounding. No statistically meaningful change was observed in reduced glutathione content. VEGF was immunostained significantly more on wound tissue of treated animals compared to the control group. Recombinant human erythropoietin treatment may be effective in wound healing due to inhibition of lipid peroxidation, deposition of collagen, and VEGF expression in wound area.     

Complete maternal uniparental isodisomy of chromosome 4 in a subject with major depressive disorder detected by high density SNP genotyping arrays.

Uniparental isodisomy (iUPD) is a rare genetic condition caused by non-disjunction during meiosis that ultimately leads to a duplication of either the maternal or paternal chromosome in the affected individual. Two types of disorders can result, those due to imprinted genes and those due to homozygosity of recessive disease-causing mutations. Here, we describe the third known case of complete chromosome 4 iUPD of maternal origin. This condition became apparent during whole genome linkage studies of psychiatric disorders in the Portuguese population. The proband is an adult female with normal fertility and no major medical complaints, but a history of major depressive disorder and multiple suicide attempts. The proband's siblings and parents had normal chromosome 4 genotypes and no history of mood disturbance. A brief review of other studies lends support for the possibility that genes on chromosome 4 might confer risk for mood disorders. We conclude that chromosome 4 maternal uniparental disomy (UPD) is a rare disorder that may present with a major depressive phenotype. The lack of a common disease phenotype between this and two other cases of chromosome 4 iUPD [Lindenbaum et al. [1991] Am J Med Genet 49(Suppl 285):1582; Spena et al. [2004] Eur J Hum Genet 12:891-898) would suggest that there is no vital maternal gene imprinting on chromosome 4. However, since there is no reported case of paternal chromosome 4 UPD, paternal gene imprinting on chromosome 4 cannot be excluded.     

A prospective, randomized controlled study of computer-assisted learning in parasitology.

PURPOSE: To compare, using a prospective, randomized controlled study, three methods of teaching a medical school parasitology course: computer-based instruction, traditional lecture-based instruction, and a combination of computer-based and lecture-based instruction. METHOD: A single class of the University of Utah School of Medicine was randomized into three study groups for the second-year parasitology course. The computer group (n = 29) used a locally developed interactive parasitology computer program; the lecture group (n = 32) had traditional lectures, and the combined group (n = 33) used both the computer program and lectures. Students' knowledge was assessed using a pretest, a final examination, and a posttest administered four months after the course. Students also used logs to track the amounts of time they spent studying. Their impressions and course evaluations were collected using a standardized course-evaluation form. RESULTS: The groups' scores on the pretest, final examination, and posttest were not statistically significantly different. Students in the computer group averaged 26.8 hours of studying over the two-week course compared with 32.1 hours in the lecture group and 32.7 hours in the combined group. The difference in study times between the computer and combined groups yielded a significant p value of 0.036. Students were generally positive about the course and the computer program. CONCLUSION: Students can learn parasitology from computer-based instruction as effectively as from traditional lecture-based instruction, and they can do so in less time.     

Small intestinal transplantation in nonhuman primates

Small intestinal transplantation represents a potentially therapeutic procedure for individuals with short gut syndrome. The purpose of this study was to develop a model for small intestinal transplantation in primates that is: technically feasible without microsurgery; consistent in the prevention of allograft rejection; functional in terms of nutrient absorption; and compatible with harvest for multiple organ procurement. First, autotransplantations on four rhesus monkeys were performed in order to study a variety of harvesting techniques and vascular anastomoses. Then, a study was performed with 14 heterotopic allotransplants in 4 baboons and 10 rhesus primates. The successful donor model consisted of division of the pancreas, harvesting the small bowel with a superior mesenteric artery and portal vein pedicle. The allograft vascular pedicle was anastomosed to the recipient's common iliac vessels in end-to-side fashion. The graft was transplanted as an out-of-continuity loop, both ends being exteriorized as stomas providing access for absorption studies and biopsy. Three immunosuppressive regimens were tested: (1) cyclosporine A (CyA) 20 mg/kg/d, solumedrol (SML) 2 mg/kg/d, and graft irradiation (150 rad) (n = 4); (2) CyA 20 mg/kg/d and SML 2 mg/kg/d (n = 3); and (3) CyA 40 mg/kg/d, SML 2 mg/kg/d, and azathioprine 5 mg/kg/d (n = 3). There were 4 deaths due to technical error in the first 24 hours. Weekly graft biopsy, serum CyA levels, complete blood count, and automated 24-channel serum analysis were performed. Grafts surviving greater than 14 days underwent absorption study via luminal perfusion with sucrose, maltose, dextrose, Pregestimil, xylose, and cyclosporine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Alemtuzumab (CAMPATH 1H) Induction Therapy in Cadaveric Kidney Transplantation—Efficacy and Safety at Five Years

Alemtuzumab is a powerful lymphocyte depleting antibody currently being evaluated in solid organ transplantation. This paper describes 5-year results of a single center study of alemtuzumab as induction in renal transplantation. Thirty-three renal transplant recipients received 20 mg alemtuzumab on day 0 and 1, followed by half-dose cyclosporin monotherapy (trough concentration 75-125 ng/mL) from day 3. They were compared in a retrospective contemporaneous-controlled manner with 66 kidney transplant recipients transplanted in the same period and center who received conventional immunosuppression with cyclosporin, azathioprine and prednisolone. In the alemtuzumab group 12% of recipients died compared to 17% in the control group (p = 0.48); likewise graft loss was similar in both groups (21% vs. 26%, respectively, p = 0.58). Incidence of acute rejection was also comparable at 5 years (31.5% vs. 33.6%), although the pattern of rejection was different with 14% patients in the alemtuzumab group experiencing rejection over 1 year post-transplant compared to none in the control group. There was no significant difference between groups in terms of infection or serious adverse events. While acknowledging the limitations of a relatively small single-center study, results suggest that alemtuzumab induction allowed satisfactory long-term patient and graft survival equivalent to that seen with standard triple immunosuppression, while avoiding steroid therapy.