RNA-binding protein HuR sequesters microRNA-21 to prevent translation repression of proinflammatory tumor suppressor gene programmed cell death 4.

PubMed

Poria, D K; Guha, A; Nandi, I; Ray, P S

2016-03-31

Translation control of proinflammatory genes has a crucial role in regulating the inflammatory response and preventing chronic inflammation, including a transition to cancer. The proinflammatory tumor suppressor protein programmed cell death 4 (PDCD4) is important for maintaining the balance between inflammation and tumorigenesis. PDCD4 messenger RNA translation is inhibited by the oncogenic microRNA, miR-21. AU-rich element-binding protein HuR was found to interact with the PDCD4 3'-untranslated region (UTR) and prevent miR-21-mediated repression of PDCD4 translation. Cells stably expressing miR-21 showed higher proliferation and reduced apoptosis, which was reversed by HuR expression. Inflammatory stimulus caused nuclear-cytoplasmic relocalization of HuR, reversing the translation repression of PDCD4. Unprecedentedly, HuR was also found to bind to miR-21 directly, preventing its interaction with the PDCD4 3'-UTR, thereby preventing the translation repression of PDCD4. This suggests that HuR might act as a 'miRNA sponge' to regulate miRNA-mediated translation regulation under conditions of stress-induced nuclear-cytoplasmic translocation of HuR, which would allow fine-tuned gene expression in complex regulatory environments.

Power Goals for NASA's Exploration Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jeevarajan, Judith A.

2009-01-01

Exciting Future Programs ahead for NASA. Power is needed for all Exploration vehicles and for the missions. For long term missions as in Lunar and Mars programs, safe, high energy/ultra high energy batteries are required. Safety is top priority for human-rated missions. Two-fault tolerance to catastrophic failures is required for human-rated safety To meet power safety goals -inherent cell safety may be required; it can lessen complexity of external protective electronics and prevents dependency on hardware that may also have limitations. Inherent cell safety will eliminate the need to carry out screening of all cells (X-rays, vibration, etc.)

The transcription factor Nerfin-1 prevents reversion of neurons into neural stem cells.

PubMed

Froldi, Francesca; Szuperak, Milan; Weng, Chen-Fang; Shi, Wei; Papenfuss, Anthony T; Cheng, Louise Y

2015-01-15

Cellular dedifferentiation is the regression of a cell from a specialized state to a more multipotent state and is implicated in cancer. However, the transcriptional network that prevents differentiated cells from reacquiring stem cell fate is so far unclear. Neuroblasts (NBs), the Drosophila neural stem cells, are a model for the regulation of stem cell self-renewal and differentiation. Here we show that the Drosophila zinc finger transcription factor Nervous fingers 1 (Nerfin-1) locks neurons into differentiation, preventing their reversion into NBs. Following Prospero-dependent neuronal specification in the ganglion mother cell (GMC), a Nerfin-1-specific transcriptional program maintains differentiation in the post-mitotic neurons. The loss of Nerfin-1 causes reversion to multipotency and results in tumors in several neural lineages. Both the onset and rate of neuronal dedifferentiation in nerfin-1 mutant lineages are dependent on Myc- and target of rapamycin (Tor)-mediated cellular growth. In addition, Nerfin-1 is required for NB differentiation at the end of neurogenesis. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis show that Nerfin-1 administers its function by repression of self-renewing-specific and activation of differentiation-specific genes. Our findings support the model of bidirectional interconvertibility between neural stem cells and their post-mitotic progeny and highlight the importance of the Nerfin-1-regulated transcriptional program in neuronal maintenance. © 2015 Froldi et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

[Human papillomavirus and penile cancer : Thinking about measures for prevention].

PubMed

Schneede, P; Schlenker, B

2018-04-01

Two major pathways of penile carcinogenesis are known: human papillomavirus (HPV)-induced penile cancer and HPV-negative cancers associated with chronic dermatoses. Therefore, modern measures for prevention of penile cancer may for example include prophylactic HPV vaccination. The resulting B‑cell-mediated immunity to HPV capsid proteins is effective protection against future HPV infections. Contrarily when treating existing HPV infections or HPV-associated cancers an antigen-specific T‑cell immunity is necessary. To date, screening and treatment of precancerous lesions to prevent penile cancer are not established in the German health care program and the highly expected therapeutic HPV vaccines are still on the horizon. In this article, we focus on possible strategies to prevent HPV-related penile cancer on different levels of carcinogenesis.

Necroptosis: an emerging type of cell death in liver diseases.

PubMed

Saeed, Waqar Khalid; Jun, Dae Won

2014-09-21

Cell death has been extensively evaluated for decades and it is well recognized that pharmacological interventions directed to inhibit cell death can prevent significant cell loss and can thus improve an organ's physiological function. For long, only apoptosis was considered as a sole form of programmed cell death. Recently necroptosis, a RIP1/RIP3-dependent programmed cell death, has been identified as an apoptotic backup cell death mechanism with necrotic morphology. The evidences of necroptosis and protective effects achieved by blocking necroptosis have been extensively reported in recent past. However, only a few studies reported the evidence of necroptosis and protective effects achieved by inhibiting necroptosis in liver related disease conditions. Although the number of necroptosis initiators is increasing; however, interestingly, it is still unclear that what actually triggers necroptosis in different liver diseases or if there is always a different necroptosis initiator in each specific disease condition followed by specific downstream signaling molecules. Understanding the precise mechanism of necroptosis as well as counteracting other cell death pathways in liver diseases could provide a useful insight towards achieving extensive therapeutic significance. By targeting necroptosis and/or other parallel death pathways, a significant cell loss and thus a decrement in an organ's physiological function can be prevented.

Mitochondrial Dynamics Impacts Stem Cell Identity and Fate Decisions by Regulating a Nuclear Transcriptional Program.

PubMed

Khacho, Mireille; Clark, Alysen; Svoboda, Devon S; Azzi, Joelle; MacLaurin, Jason G; Meghaizel, Cynthia; Sesaki, Hiromi; Lagace, Diane C; Germain, Marc; Harper, Mary-Ellen; Park, David S; Slack, Ruth S

2016-08-04

Regulated mechanisms of stem cell maintenance are key to preventing stem cell depletion and aging. While mitochondrial morphology plays a fundamental role in tissue development and homeostasis, its role in stem cells remains unknown. Here, we uncover that mitochondrial dynamics regulates stem cell identity, self-renewal, and fate decisions by orchestrating a transcriptional program. Manipulation of mitochondrial structure, through OPA1 or MFN1/2 deletion, impaired neural stem cell (NSC) self-renewal, with consequent age-dependent depletion, neurogenesis defects, and cognitive impairments. Gene expression profiling revealed ectopic expression of the Notch self-renewal inhibitor Botch and premature induction of transcription factors that promote differentiation. Changes in mitochondrial dynamics regulate stem cell fate decisions by driving a physiological reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated process, which triggers a dual program to suppress self-renewal and promote differentiation via NRF2-mediated retrograde signaling. These findings reveal mitochondrial dynamics as an upstream regulator of essential mechanisms governing stem cell self-renewal and fate decisions through transcriptional programming. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

75 FR 52533 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-26

... Control and Prevention defines Hemoglobinopathies as ``a group of disorders affecting red blood cells. SCD... Appropriation Bill 2002, the purpose of the Sickle Cell Disease and Newborn Screening Program (SCDNBSP) is ``to... is conducted under this section, for the purpose of developing and establishing systemic mechanisms...

Mbd3/NuRD controls lymphoid cell fate and inhibits tumorigenesis by repressing a B cell transcriptional program

PubMed Central

Hamey, Fiona K.; Errami, Youssef

2017-01-01

Differentiation of lineage-committed cells from multipotent progenitors requires the establishment of accessible chromatin at lineage-specific transcriptional enhancers and promoters, which is mediated by pioneer transcription factors that recruit activating chromatin remodeling complexes. Here we show that the Mbd3/nucleosome remodeling and deacetylation (NuRD) chromatin remodeling complex opposes this transcriptional pioneering during B cell programming of multipotent lymphoid progenitors by restricting chromatin accessibility at B cell enhancers and promoters. Mbd3/NuRD-deficient lymphoid progenitors therefore prematurely activate a B cell transcriptional program and are biased toward overproduction of pro–B cells at the expense of T cell progenitors. The striking reduction in early thymic T cell progenitors results in compensatory hyperproliferation of immature thymocytes and development of T cell lymphoma. Our results reveal that Mbd3/NuRD can regulate multilineage differentiation by constraining the activation of dormant lineage-specific enhancers and promoters. In this way, Mbd3/NuRD protects the multipotency of lymphoid progenitors, preventing B cell–programming transcription factors from prematurely enacting lineage commitment. Mbd3/NuRD therefore controls the fate of lymphoid progenitors, ensuring appropriate production of lineage-committed progeny and suppressing tumor formation. PMID:28899870

Establishment of the milk-borne transmission as a key factor for the peculiar endemicity of human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1): the ATL Prevention Program Nagasaki

PubMed Central

HINO, Shigeo

2011-01-01

In late 2010, the nation-wide screening of pregnant women for human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infection was implemented in Japan to prevent milk-borne transmission of HTLV-1. In the late 1970s, recognition of the adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) cluster in Kyushu, Japan, led to the discovery of the first human retrovirus, HTLV-1. In 1980, we started to investigate mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) for explaining the peculiar endemicity of HTLV-1. Retrospective and prospective epidemiological data revealed the MTCT rate at ∼20%. Cell-mediated transmission of HTLV-1 without prenatal infection suggested a possibility of milk-borne transmission. Common marmosets were successfully infected by oral inoculation of HTLV-1 harboring cells. A prefecture-wide intervention study to refrain from breast-feeding by carrier mothers, the ATL Prevention Program Nagasaki, was commenced in July 1987. It revealed a marked reduction of HTLV-1 MTCT by complete bottle-feeding from 20.3% to 2.5%, and a significantly higher risk of short-term breast-feeding (<6 months) than bottle-feeding (7.4% vs. 2.5%, P < 0.001). PMID:21558754

CTCF orchestrates the germinal centre transcriptional program and prevents premature plasma cell differentiation

PubMed Central

Pérez-García, Arantxa; Marina-Zárate, Ester; Álvarez-Prado, Ángel F.; Ligos, Jose M.; Galjart, Niels; Ramiro, Almudena R.

2017-01-01

In germinal centres (GC) mature B cells undergo intense proliferation and immunoglobulin gene modification before they differentiate into memory B cells or long-lived plasma cells (PC). GC B-cell-to-PC transition involves a major transcriptional switch that promotes a halt in cell proliferation and the production of secreted immunoglobulins. Here we show that the CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) is required for the GC reaction in vivo, whereas in vitro the requirement for CTCF is not universal and instead depends on the pathways used for B-cell activation. CTCF maintains the GC transcriptional programme, allows a high proliferation rate, and represses the expression of Blimp-1, the master regulator of PC differentiation. Restoration of Blimp-1 levels partially rescues the proliferation defect of CTCF-deficient B cells. Thus, our data reveal an essential function of CTCF in maintaining the GC transcriptional programme and preventing premature PC differentiation. PMID:28677680

Reaching rural women: breast cancer prevention information seeking behaviors and interest in Internet, cell phone, and text use.

PubMed

Kratzke, Cynthia; Wilson, Susan; Vilchis, Hugo

2013-02-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the breast cancer prevention information seeking behaviors among rural women, the prevalence of Internet, cell, and text use, and interest to receive breast cancer prevention information cell and text messages. While growing literature for breast cancer information sources supports the use of the Internet, little is known about breast cancer prevention information seeking behaviors among rural women and mobile technology. Using a cross-sectional study design, data were collected using a survey. McGuire's Input-Ouput Model was used as the framework. Self-reported data were obtained from a convenience sample of 157 women with a mean age of 60 (SD = 12.12) at a rural New Mexico imaging center. Common interpersonal information sources were doctors, nurses, and friends and common channel information sources were television, magazines, and Internet. Overall, 87% used cell phones, 20% had an interest to receive cell phone breast cancer prevention messages, 47% used text messaging, 36% had an interest to receive text breast cancer prevention messages, and 37% had an interest to receive mammogram reminder text messages. Bivariate analysis revealed significant differences between age, income, and race/ethnicity and use of cell phones or text messaging. There were no differences between age and receiving text messages or text mammogram reminders. Assessment of health information seeking behaviors is important for community health educators to target populations for program development. Future research may identify additional socio-cultural differences.

Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (HSV-1) and HSV-2 Mediate Species-Specific Modulations of Programmed Necrosis through the Viral Ribonucleotide Reductase Large Subunit R1

PubMed Central

Yu, Xiaoliang; Li, Yun; Chen, Qin; Su, Chenhe; Zhang, Zili; Yang, Chengkui; Hu, Zhilin; Hou, Jue; Zhou, Jinying; Gong, Ling; Jiang, Xuejun

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT Receptor-interacting protein kinase 3 (RIP3) and its substrate mixed-lineage kinase domain-like protein (MLKL) are core regulators of programmed necrosis. The elimination of pathogen-infected cells by programmed necrosis acts as an important host defense mechanism. Here, we report that human herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and HSV-2 had opposite impacts on programmed necrosis in human cells versus their impacts in mouse cells. Similar to HSV-1, HSV-2 infection triggered programmed necrosis in mouse cells. However, neither HSV-1 nor HSV-2 infection was able to induce programmed necrosis in human cells. Moreover, HSV-1 or HSV-2 infection in human cells blocked tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-induced necrosis by preventing the induction of an RIP1/RIP3 necrosome. The HSV ribonucleotide reductase large subunit R1 was sufficient to suppress TNF-induced necrosis, and its RIP homotypic interaction motif (RHIM) domain was required to disrupt the RIP1/RIP3 complex in human cells. Therefore, this study provides evidence that HSV has likely evolved strategies to evade the host defense mechanism of programmed necrosis in human cells. IMPORTANCE This study demonstrated that infection with HSV-1 and HSV-2 blocked TNF-induced necrosis in human cells while these viruses directly activated programmed necrosis in mouse cells. Expression of HSV R1 suppressed TNF-induced necrosis of human cells. The RHIM domain of R1 was essential for its association with human RIP3 and RIP1, leading to disruption of the RIP1/RIP3 complex. This study provides new insights into the species-specific modulation of programmed necrosis by HSV. PMID:26559832

Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (HSV-1) and HSV-2 Mediate Species-Specific Modulations of Programmed Necrosis through the Viral Ribonucleotide Reductase Large Subunit R1.

PubMed

Yu, Xiaoliang; Li, Yun; Chen, Qin; Su, Chenhe; Zhang, Zili; Yang, Chengkui; Hu, Zhilin; Hou, Jue; Zhou, Jinying; Gong, Ling; Jiang, Xuejun; Zheng, Chunfu; He, Sudan

2016-01-15

Receptor-interacting protein kinase 3 (RIP3) and its substrate mixed-lineage kinase domain-like protein (MLKL) are core regulators of programmed necrosis. The elimination of pathogen-infected cells by programmed necrosis acts as an important host defense mechanism. Here, we report that human herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and HSV-2 had opposite impacts on programmed necrosis in human cells versus their impacts in mouse cells. Similar to HSV-1, HSV-2 infection triggered programmed necrosis in mouse cells. However, neither HSV-1 nor HSV-2 infection was able to induce programmed necrosis in human cells. Moreover, HSV-1 or HSV-2 infection in human cells blocked tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-induced necrosis by preventing the induction of an RIP1/RIP3 necrosome. The HSV ribonucleotide reductase large subunit R1 was sufficient to suppress TNF-induced necrosis, and its RIP homotypic interaction motif (RHIM) domain was required to disrupt the RIP1/RIP3 complex in human cells. Therefore, this study provides evidence that HSV has likely evolved strategies to evade the host defense mechanism of programmed necrosis in human cells. This study demonstrated that infection with HSV-1 and HSV-2 blocked TNF-induced necrosis in human cells while these viruses directly activated programmed necrosis in mouse cells. Expression of HSV R1 suppressed TNF-induced necrosis of human cells. The RHIM domain of R1 was essential for its association with human RIP3 and RIP1, leading to disruption of the RIP1/RIP3 complex. This study provides new insights into the species-specific modulation of programmed necrosis by HSV. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Breast cancer prevention information seeking behavior and interest on cell phone and text use: a cross-sectional study in Malaysia.

PubMed

Akhtari-Zavare, Mehrnoosh; Ghanbari-Baghestan, Abbas; Latiff, Latiffah A; Khaniki, Hadi

2015-01-01

Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the second principal cause of cancer deaths among women worldwide, including Malaysia. This study focused on media choice and attempted to determine the communication channels mostly used and preferred by women in seeking information and knowledge about breast cancer. A cross sectional study was carried out to examine the breast cancer prevention information seeking behavior among 450 students at one private university in Malaysia. The mean age of respondents was 25±4.3 years. Common interpersonal information sources were doctors, friends, and nurses and common channel information sources were television, brochure, and internet. Overall, 89.9% used cell phones, 46.1% had an interest in receiving cell phone breast cancer prevention messages, 73.9% used text messaging, and 36.7% had an interest in receiving text breast cancer prevention messages. Bivariate analysis revealed significant differences among age, eduation, nationality and use of cell phones. Assessment of health information seeking behavior is important for community health educators to target populations for program development.

S-Adenosyl-L-methionine protects the probiotic yeast, Saccharomyces boulardii, from acid-induced cell death.

PubMed

Cascio, Vincent; Gittings, Daniel; Merloni, Kristen; Hurton, Matthew; Laprade, David; Austriaco, Nicanor

2013-02-13

Saccharomyces boulardii is a probiotic yeast routinely used to prevent and to treat gastrointestinal disorders, including the antibiotic-associated diarrhea caused by Clostridium difficile infections. However, only 1-3% of the yeast administered orally is recovered alive in the feces suggesting that this yeast is unable to survive the acidic environment of the gastrointestinal tract. We provide evidence that suggests that S. boulardii undergoes programmed cell death (PCD) in acidic environments, which is accompanied by the generation of reactive oxygen species and the appearance of caspase-like activity. To better understand the mechanism of cell death at the molecular level, we generated microarray gene expression profiles of S. boulardii cells cultured in an acidic environment. Significantly, functional annotation revealed that the up-regulated genes were significantly over-represented in cell death pathways Finally, we show that S-adenosyl-L-methionine (AdoMet), a commercially available, FDA-approved dietary supplement, enhances the viability of S. boulardii in acidic environments, most likely by preventing programmed cell death. In toto, given the observation that many of the proven health benefits of S. boulardii are dependent on cell viability, our data suggests that taking S. boulardii and AdoMet together may be a more effective treatment for gastrointestinal disorders than taking the probiotic yeast alone.

S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine protects the probiotic yeast, Saccharomyces boulardii, from acid-induced cell death

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Saccharomyces boulardii is a probiotic yeast routinely used to prevent and to treat gastrointestinal disorders, including the antibiotic-associated diarrhea caused by Clostridium difficile infections. However, only 1-3% of the yeast administered orally is recovered alive in the feces suggesting that this yeast is unable to survive the acidic environment of the gastrointestinal tract. Results We provide evidence that suggests that S. boulardii undergoes programmed cell death (PCD) in acidic environments, which is accompanied by the generation of reactive oxygen species and the appearance of caspase-like activity. To better understand the mechanism of cell death at the molecular level, we generated microarray gene expression profiles of S. boulardii cells cultured in an acidic environment. Significantly, functional annotation revealed that the up-regulated genes were significantly over-represented in cell death pathways Finally, we show that S-adenosyl-L-methionine (AdoMet), a commercially available, FDA-approved dietary supplement, enhances the viability of S. boulardii in acidic environments, most likely by preventing programmed cell death. Conclusions In toto, given the observation that many of the proven health benefits of S. boulardii are dependent on cell viability, our data suggests that taking S. boulardii and AdoMet together may be a more effective treatment for gastrointestinal disorders than taking the probiotic yeast alone. PMID:23402325

Stepwise Development of a Text Messaging-Based Bullying Prevention Program for Middle School Students (BullyDown)

PubMed Central

Prescott, Tonya L; Espelage, Dorothy L

2016-01-01

Background Bullying is a significant public health issue among middle school-aged youth. Current prevention programs have only a moderate impact. Cell phone text messaging technology (mHealth) can potentially overcome existing challenges, particularly those that are structural (e.g., limited time that teachers can devote to non-educational topics). To date, the description of the development of empirically-based mHealth-delivered bullying prevention programs are lacking in the literature. Objective To describe the development of BullyDown, a text messaging-based bullying prevention program for middle school students, guided by the Social-Emotional Learning model. Methods We implemented five activities over a 12-month period: (1) national focus groups (n=37 youth) to gather acceptability of program components; (2) development of content; (3) a national Content Advisory Team (n=9 youth) to confirm content tone; and (4) an internal team test of software functionality followed by a beta test (n=22 youth) to confirm the enrollment protocol and the feasibility and acceptability of the program. Results Recruitment experiences suggested that Facebook advertising was less efficient than using a recruitment firm to recruit youth nationally, and recruiting within schools for the pilot test was feasible. Feedback from the Content Advisory Team suggests a preference for 2-4 brief text messages per day. Beta test findings suggest that BullyDown is both feasible and acceptable: 100% of youth completed the follow-up survey, 86% of whom liked the program. Conclusions Text messaging appears to be a feasible and acceptable delivery method for bullying prevention programming delivered to middle school students. PMID:27296471

Stepwise Development a Text Messaging-Based Bullying Prevention Program for Middle School Students (BullyDown).

PubMed

Ybarra, Michele L; Prescott, Tonya L; Espelage, Dorothy L

2016-06-13

Bullying is a significant public health issue among middle school-aged youth. Current prevention programs have only a moderate impact. Cell phone text messaging technology (mHealth) can potentially overcome existing challenges, particularly those that are structural (e.g., limited time that teachers can devote to non-educational topics). To date, the description of the development of empirically-based mHealth-delivered bullying prevention programs are lacking in the literature. To describe the development of BullyDown, a text messaging-based bullying prevention program for middle school students, guided by the Social-Emotional Learning model. We implemented five activities over a 12-month period: (1) national focus groups (n=37 youth) to gather acceptability of program components; (2) development of content; (3) a national Content Advisory Team (n=9 youth) to confirm content tone; and (4) an internal team test of software functionality followed by a beta test (n=22 youth) to confirm the enrollment protocol and the feasibility and acceptability of the program. Recruitment experiences suggested that Facebook advertising was less efficient than using a recruitment firm to recruit youth nationally, and recruiting within schools for the pilot test was feasible. Feedback from the Content Advisory Team suggests a preference for 2-4 brief text messages per day. Beta test findings suggest that BullyDown is both feasible and acceptable: 100% of youth completed the follow-up survey, 86% of whom liked the program. Text messaging appears to be a feasible and acceptable delivery method for bullying prevention programming delivered to middle school students.

Alzheimer disease is substantially preventable in the United States -- review of risk factors, therapy, and the prospects for an expert software system.

PubMed

Jansson, Erik T

2005-01-01

Epidemiology studies, including both regional incidence and the analysis of specific risk factors for Alzheimer's disease indicate that substantial prevention of the disease, in the 50-70 percent range, is a practical possibility for the United States. Epidemiology has identified a rich diversity of specific prevention strategies relating to nutrition, dietary supplements, lifestyle, food and environmental toxins, and in some cases medication, many of which have a capacity to reduce Alzheimer's risk by 50 percent or more. The interaction of these risk factors with brain biology is increasingly understood. In contrast, therapeutic strategies for un-prevented Alzheimer's generally prove incapable of delaying disease progression by more than 3-11 months, because extensive brain cell death occurs even in preclinical or mild cases. A public health program aimed at prevention can be fashioned with expert software packages, based on already identified risk factors. Such statistical analysis should allow the prediction of individual and group Alzheimer's risks of sufficient power to instruct the formulation of lifestyle, nutritional and environmental programs to substantially reduce disease incidence. A less satisfactory but complementary alternative is very early disease detection with therapeutic strategies focused on retardation of brain cell death, so that the person dies of another cause before the disease is clinically manifested.

Internet and Cell Phone Based Smoking Cessation Programs among Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mehta, Purvi; Sharma, Manoj

2010-01-01

Smoking cessation among adolescents is a salient public health issue, as it can prevent the adoption of risky health behaviors and reduce negative impacts on health. Self-efficacy, household and social support systems, and perceived benefits are some important cessation determinants. With the popular use of the Internet and cell phone usage among…

Nuclear receptor TLX prevents retinal dystrophy and recruits the corepressor atrophin1.

PubMed

Zhang, Chun-Li; Zou, Yuhua; Yu, Ruth T; Gage, Fred H; Evans, Ronald M

2006-05-15

During mammalian embryogenesis, precise coordination of progenitor cell proliferation and differentiation is essential for proper organ size and function. The involvement of TLX (NR2E1), an orphan nuclear receptor, has been implicated in ocular development, as Tlx-/- mice exhibit visual impairment. Using genetic and biochemical approaches, we show that TLX modulates retinal progenitor cell proliferation and cell cycle re-entry by directly regulating the expression of Pten and its target cyclin D1. Additionally, TLX finely tunes the progenitor differentiation program by modulating the phospholipase C and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways and the expression of an array of cell type-specific transcriptional regulators. Consequently, Tlx-/- mice have a dramatic reduction in retina thickness and enhanced generation of S-cones, and develop severe early onset retinal dystrophy. Furthermore, TLX interacts with atrophin1 (Atn1), a corepressor that is involved in human neurodegenerative dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy (DRPLA) and that is essential for development of multiple tissues. Together, these results reveal a molecular strategy by which an orphan nuclear receptor can precisely orchestrate tissue-specific proliferation and differentiation programs to prevent retinal malformation and degeneration.

Effects of genetic variants previously associated with fasting glucose and insulin in the Diabetes Prevention Program.

PubMed

Florez, Jose C; Jablonski, Kathleen A; McAteer, Jarred B; Franks, Paul W; Mason, Clinton C; Mather, Kieren; Horton, Edward; Goldberg, Ronald; Dabelea, Dana; Kahn, Steven E; Arakaki, Richard F; Shuldiner, Alan R; Knowler, William C

2012-01-01

Common genetic variants have been recently associated with fasting glucose and insulin levels in white populations. Whether these associations replicate in pre-diabetes is not known. We extended these findings to the Diabetes Prevention Program, a clinical trial in which participants at high risk for diabetes were randomized to placebo, lifestyle modification or metformin for diabetes prevention. We genotyped previously reported polymorphisms (or their proxies) in/near G6PC2, MTNR1B, GCK, DGKB, GCKR, ADCY5, MADD, CRY2, ADRA2A, FADS1, PROX1, SLC2A2, GLIS3, C2CD4B, IGF1, and IRS1 in 3,548 Diabetes Prevention Program participants. We analyzed variants for association with baseline glycemic traits, incident diabetes and their interaction with response to metformin or lifestyle intervention. We replicated associations with fasting glucose at MTNR1B (P<0.001), G6PC2 (P = 0.002) and GCKR (P = 0.001). We noted impaired β-cell function in carriers of glucose-raising alleles at MTNR1B (P<0.001), and an increase in the insulinogenic index for the glucose-raising allele at G6PC2 (P<0.001). The association of MTNR1B with fasting glucose and impaired β-cell function persisted at 1 year despite adjustment for the baseline trait, indicating a sustained deleterious effect at this locus. We also replicated the association of MADD with fasting proinsulin levels (P<0.001). We detected no significant impact of these variants on diabetes incidence or interaction with preventive interventions. The association of several polymorphisms with quantitative glycemic traits is replicated in a cohort of high-risk persons. These variants do not have a detectable impact on diabetes incidence or response to metformin or lifestyle modification in the Diabetes Prevention Program.

The engulfment receptor Draper is required for autophagy during cell death.

PubMed

McPhee, Christina K; Baehrecke, Eric H

2010-11-01

Autophagy is a process to degrade and recycle cytoplasmic contents. Autophagy is required for survival in response to starvation, but has also been associated with cell death. How autophagy functions during cell survival in some contexts and cell death in others is unknown. Drosophila larval salivary glands undergo programmed cell death requiring autophagy genes, and are cleared in the absence of known phagocytosis. Recently, we demonstrated that Draper (Drpr), the Drosophila homolog of C. elegans engulfment receptor CED-1, is required for autophagy induction: during cell death, but not during cell survival. drpr mutants fail to clear salivary glands. drpr knockdown in salivary glands prevents the induction of autophagy, and Atg1 misexpression in drpr null mutants suppresses salivary gland persistence. Surprisingly, drpr knockdown cell-autonomously prevents autophagy induction in dying salivary gland cells, but not in larval fat body cells following starvation. This is the first engulfment factor shown to function in cellular self-clearance, and the first report of a cell-death-specific autophagy regulator.

Feasibility of a home-delivered Internet obesity prevention program for fourth-grade students.

PubMed

Owens, Scott; Lambert, Laurel; McDonough, Suzanne; Green, Kenneth; Loftin, Mark

2009-08-01

This pilot study examined the feasibility of an interactive obesity prevention program delivered to a class of fourth-grade students utilizing daily e-mail messages sent to the students' home computers. The study involved a single intact class of 22 students, 17 (77%) of whom submitted parental permission documentation and received e-mail messages each school day over the course of one month. Concerns regarding Internet safety and children's use of e-mail were addressed fairly easily. Cost/benefit issues for the school did not seem prohibitive. Providing e-mail access to students without a home computer was accomplished by loaning them personal digital assistant (PDA) devices. In larger interventions, loaning PDAs is probably not feasible economically, although cell phones may be an acceptable alternative. It was concluded that this type of interactive obesity prevention program is feasible from most perspectives. Data from a larger scale effectiveness study is still needed.

Programmed Cell Death and Caspase Functions During Neural Development.

PubMed

Yamaguchi, Yoshifumi; Miura, Masayuki

2015-01-01

Programmed cell death (PCD) is a fundamental component of nervous system development. PCD serves as the mechanism for quantitative matching of the number of projecting neurons and their target cells through direct competition for neurotrophic factors in the vertebrate peripheral nervous system. In addition, PCD plays roles in regulating neural cell numbers, canceling developmental errors or noise, and tissue remodeling processes. These findings are mainly derived from genetic studies that prevent cells from dying by apoptosis, which is a major form of PCD and is executed by activation of evolutionarily conserved cysteine protease caspases. Recent studies suggest that caspase activation can be coordinated in time and space at multiple levels, which might underlie nonapoptotic roles of caspases in neural development in addition to apoptotic roles. © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Toward a core nutraceutical program for cancer management.

PubMed

McCarty, Mark F; Block, Keith I

2006-06-01

As previously suggested, it may be feasible to impede tumorevoked angiogenesis with a nutraceutical program composed of glycine, fish oil, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, selenium, and silymarin, complemented by a low-fat vegan diet, exercise training, and, if feasible, a salicylate and the drug tetrathiomolybdate. It is now proposed that the scope of this program be expanded to address additional common needs of cancer patients: blocking the process of metastasis; boosting the cytotoxic capacity of innate immune defenses (natural killer [NK] cells); preventing cachexia, thromboembolism, and tumor-induced osteolysis; and maintaining optimal micronutrient status. Modified citrus pectin, a galectin-3 antagonist, has impressive antimetastatic potential. Mushroombeta-glucans and probiotic lactobacilli can amplify NK activity via stimulatory effects on macrophages. Selenium, beta-carotene, and glutamine can also increase the number and/or cytotoxic activity of NK cells. Cachectic loss of muscle mass can be opposed by fish oil, glutamine, and beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate. Fish oil, policosanol, and vitamin D may have potential for control of osteolysis. High-dose aspirin or salicylates, by preventing NF-B activation, can be expected to aid prevention of metastasis and cachexia while down-regulating osteolysis, but their impacts on innate immune defenses will not be entirely favorable. A nutritional insurance formula crafted for the special needs of cancer patients can be included in this regimen. To minimize patient inconvenience, this complex core nutraceutical program could be configured as an oil product, a powder, and a capsule product, with the nutritional insurance formula provided in tablets. It would be of interest to test this program in nude mouse xenograft models.

Redefining Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis as a Myeloid Dysplasia and Identifying B | Division of Cancer Prevention

Cancer.gov

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Redefining Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis as a Myeloid Dysplasia and Identifying Biomarkers for Early Detection and Risk Assessment. This application addresses Program Announcement PA-09-197: Biomarkers for Early Detection of Hematopoietic Malignancies (R01). The overall aim of this project is to identify novel biomarkers that may be used to

Nuclear receptor TLX prevents retinal dystrophy and recruits the corepressor atrophin1

PubMed Central

Zhang, Chun-Li; Zou, Yuhua; Yu, Ruth T.; Gage, Fred H.; Evans, Ronald M.

2006-01-01

During mammalian embryogenesis, precise coordination of progenitor cell proliferation and differentiation is essential for proper organ size and function. The involvement of TLX (NR2E1), an orphan nuclear receptor, has been implicated in ocular development, as Tlx−/− mice exhibit visual impairment. Using genetic and biochemical approaches, we show that TLX modulates retinal progenitor cell proliferation and cell cycle re-entry by directly regulating the expression of Pten and its target cyclin D1. Additionally, TLX finely tunes the progenitor differentiation program by modulating the phospholipase C and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways and the expression of an array of cell type-specific transcriptional regulators. Consequently, Tlx−/− mice have a dramatic reduction in retina thickness and enhanced generation of S-cones, and develop severe early onset retinal dystrophy. Furthermore, TLX interacts with atrophin1 (Atn1), a corepressor that is involved in human neurodegenerative dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy (DRPLA) and that is essential for development of multiple tissues. Together, these results reveal a molecular strategy by which an orphan nuclear receptor can precisely orchestrate tissue-specific proliferation and differentiation programs to prevent retinal malformation and degeneration. PMID:16702404

Development of Advanced Fuel Cell System (Phase 4)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyer, A. P.; Bell, W. F.

1976-01-01

A multiple-task research and development program was performed to improve the weight, life, and performance characteristics of hydrogen-oxygen alkaline fuel cells for advanced power systems. During Phase 4, the lowest stabilized degradation rate observed in all the testing completed during four phases of the program, 1 microvolt/hour, was demonstrated. This test continues after 5,000 hours of operation. The cell incorporates a PPf anode, a 90Au/10Pt cathode, a hybrid frame, and a Fybex matrix. These elements were developed under this program to extend cell life. The result demonstrated that the 80Au/20Pt cathode is as stable as a 90Au/10Pt cathode of twice the precious metal loading, was confirmed in full-scale cells. A hybrid frame two-cell plaque with dedicated flow fields and manifolds for all fluids was demonstrated to prevent the cell-to cell electrolyte transfer that limited the endurance of multicell plaques. At the conclusion of Phase 4, more than 90,900 hours of testing had been completed and twelve different cell designs had been evaluated. A technology base has been established which is ready for evaluation at the powerplant level.

Propolis Augments Apoptosis Induced by Butyrate via Targeting Cell Survival Pathways

PubMed Central

Drago, Eric; Bordonaro, Michael; Lee, Seon; Atamna, Wafa; Lazarova, Darina L.

2013-01-01

Diet is one of the major lifestyle factors affecting incidence of colorectal cancer (CC), and despite accumulating evidence that numerous diet-derived compounds modulate CC incidence, definitive dietary recommendations are not available. We propose a strategy that could facilitate the design of dietary supplements with CC-preventive properties. Thus, nutrient combinations that are a source of apoptosis-inducers and inhibitors of compensatory cell proliferation pathways (e.g., AKT signaling) may produce high levels of programmed death in CC cells. Here we report the combined effect of butyrate, an apoptosis inducer that is produced through fermentation of fiber in the colon, and propolis, a honeybee product, on CC cells. We established that propolis increases the apoptosis of CC cells exposed to butyrate through suppression of cell survival pathways such as the AKT signaling. The programmed death of CC cells by combined exposure to butyrate and propolis is further augmented by inhibition of the JNK signaling pathway. Analyses on the contribution of the downstream targets of JNK signaling, c-JUN and JAK/STAT, to the apoptosis of butyrate/propolis-treated CC cells ascertained that JAK/STAT signaling has an anti-apoptotic role; whereas, the role of cJUN might be dependent upon regulatory cell factors. Thus, our studies ascertained that propolis augments apoptosis of butyrate-sensitive CC cells and re-sensitizes butyrate-resistant CC cells to apoptosis by suppressing AKT signaling and downregulating the JAK/STAT pathway. Future in vivo studies should evaluate the CC-preventive potential of a dietary supplement that produces high levels of colonic butyrate, propolis, and diet-derived JAK/STAT inhibitors. PMID:24023824

Control of retinoic acid synthesis and FGF expression in the nasal pit is required to pattern the craniofacial skeleton.

PubMed

Song, Y; Hui, J N; Fu, K K; Richman, J M

2004-12-15

Endogenous retinoids are important for patterning many aspects of the embryo including the branchial arches and frontonasal region of the embryonic face. The nasal placodes express retinaldehyde dehydrogenase-3 (RALDH3) and thus retinoids from the placode are a potential patterning influence on the developing face. We have carried out experiments that have used Citral, a RALDH antagonist, to address the function of retinoid signaling from the nasal pit in a whole embryo model. When Citral-soaked beads were implanted into the nasal pit of stage 20 chicken embryos, the result was a specific loss of derivatives from the lateral nasal prominences. Providing exogenous retinoic acid residue development of the beak demonstrating that most Citral-induced defects were produced by the specific blocking of RA synthesis. The mechanism of Citral effects was a specific increase in programmed cell death on the lateral (lateral nasal prominence) but not the medial side (frontonasal mass) of the nasal pit. Gene expression studies were focused on the Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) pathway, which has a well-established role in programmed cell death. Unexpectedly, blocking RA synthesis decreased rather than increased Msx1, Msx2, and Bmp4 expression. We also examined cell survival genes, the most relevant of which was Fgf8, which is expressed around the nasal pit and in the frontonasal mass. We found that Fgf8 was not initially expressed along the lateral side of the nasal pit at the start of our experiments, whereas it was expressed on the medial side. Citral prevented upregulation of Fgf8 along the lateral edge and this may have contributed to the specific increase in programmed cell death in the lateral nasal prominence. Consistent with this idea, exogenous FGF8 was able to prevent cell death, rescue most of the morphological defects and was able to prevent a decrease in retinoic acid receptorbeta (Rarbeta) expression caused by Citral. Together, our results demonstrate that endogenous retinoids act upstream of FGF8 and the balance of these two factors is critical for regulating programmed cell death and morphogenesis in the face. In addition, our data suggest a novel role for endogenous retinoids from the nasal pit in controlling the precise downregulation of FGF in the center of the frontonasal mass observed during normal vertebrate development.

Aging and immortality: quasi-programmed senescence and its pharmacologic inhibition.

PubMed

Blagosklonny, Mikhail V

2006-09-01

While ruling out programmed aging, evolutionary theory predicts a quasi-program for aging, a continuation of the developmental program that is not turned off, is constantly on, becoming hyper-functional and damaging, causing diseases of aging. Could it be switched off pharmacologically? This would require identification of a molecular target involved in cell senescence, organism aging and diseases of aging. Notably, cell senescence is associated with activation of the TOR (target of rapamycin) nutrient- and mitogen-sensing pathway, which promotes cell growth, even though cell cycle is blocked. Is TOR involved in organism aging? In fact, in yeast (where the cell is the organism), caloric restriction, rapamycin and mutations that inhibit TOR all slow down aging. In animals from worms to mammals caloric restrictions, life-extending agents, and numerous mutations that increase longevity all converge on the TOR pathway. And, in humans, cell hypertrophy, hyper-function and hyperplasia, typically associated with activation of TOR, contribute to diseases of aging. Theoretical and clinical considerations suggest that rapamycin may be effective against atherosclerosis, hypertension and hyper-coagulation (thus, preventing myocardial infarction and stroke), osteoporosis, cancer, autoimmune diseases and arthritis, obesity, diabetes, macula-degeneration, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Finally, I discuss that extended life span will reveal new causes for aging (e.g., ROS, 'wear and tear', Hayflick limit, stem cell exhaustion) that play a limited role now, when quasi-programmed senescence kills us first.

Dopamine-induced programmed cell death is associated with cytochrome c release and caspase-3 activation in snail salivary gland cells.

PubMed

Pirger, Zsolt; Rácz, Boglárka; Kiss, Tibor

2009-02-01

PCD (programmed cell death) is a common mechanism to remove unwanted and excessive cells from organisms. In several exocrine cell types, PCD mode of release of secretory products has been reported. The molecular mechanism of the release, however, is largely unknown. Our aim was to study the molecular mechanism of saliva release from cystic cells, the specific cell type of snail SGs (salivary glands). SG cells in active feeding animals revealed multiple morphological changes characteristic of PCD. Nerve stimulation and DA (dopamine) increased the number of TUNEL (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labelling)-positive cells both in inactive and feeding animals. The DA-induced PCD was prevented by TEA (tetraethylammonium chloride) and eticlopride, emphasizing the role of K channels and D2 receptors in the PCD of cystic cells. DA enhanced cyto-c (cytochrome c) translocation into the cytosol and methyl-beta-cyclodextrin prevented it, suggesting apoptosome formation and ceramide involvement in the PCD linking of the surface DA receptor to mitochondria. Western blot analysis revealed that the release of cyto-c was under the control of Bcl-2 and Bad. DA also increased the active caspase-3 in gland cells while D2 receptor antagonists and TEA attenuated it. Our results provide evidence for a type of transmitter-mediated pathway that regulates the PCD of secretory cells in a mitochondrial-caspase-dependent manner. The activation of specific molecules, such as K channels, DA receptors, cyto-c, ceramide, Bcl-2 proteins and caspase-3, but not caspase-8, was demonstrated in cells involved in the DA-induced PCD, suggesting that PCD is a physiological method for the release of saliva from SG cells.

Autophagy and self-preservation: a step ahead from cell plasticity?

PubMed

Galliot, Brigitte

2006-01-01

Silencing the SPINK-related gene Kazal1 in hydra gland cells induces an excessive autophagy of both gland and digestive cells, leading to animal death. Moreover, during regeneration, autophagosomes are immediately detected in regenerating tips, where Kazal1 expression is lowered. When Kazal1 is completely silenced, hydra no longer survive the amputation stress (Chera S, de Rosa R, Miljkovic-Licina M, Dobretz K, Ghila L, Kaloulis K, Galliot B. Silencing of the hydra serine protease inhibitor Kazal1 gene mimics the human Spink1 pancreatic phenotype. J Cell Sci 2006; 119:846-57). These results highlight the essential digestive and cytoprotective functions played by Kazal1 in hydra. In mammals, autophagy of exocrine pancreatic cells is also induced upon SPINK1/Spink3 inactivation, whereas Spink3 is activated in injured pancreatic cells. Hence SPINKs, by preventing an excessive autophagy, appear to act as key players of the stress-induced self-preservation program. In hydra, this program is a prerequisite to the early cellular transition, whereby digestive cells of the regenerating tips transform into a head-organizer center. Enhancing the self-preservation program in injured tissues might therefore be the condition for unmasking their potential cell and/or developmental plasticity.

Chemoprevention of Skin Cancer Program Project | Division of Cancer Prevention

Cancer.gov

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Skin cancer is the most common malignancy in the world. One out of three new cancers is a skin cancer. More than 1 million cases of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) (basal cell carcinoma [BCC] and squamous cell cancers [SCC]) occur annually. While the incidence rates for non-melanoma skin cancers continue to rise, there continues to be a

Sickle cell anemia in northern Israel: screening and prevention.

PubMed

Koren, Ariel; Zalman, Lucia; Palmor, Haya; Zamir, Ronit Bril; Levin, Carina; Openheim, Ariella; Daniel-Spiegel, Etty; Shalev, Stavit; Filon, Dvora

2009-04-01

Sickle cell anemia is a hemolytic anemia caused by a single mutation in position 6 of the beta globin molecule. About 80 patients with SCA in northern Israel are currently receiving treatment. To assess a screening program in northern Israel aimed at detecting couples at risk for having offspring with SCA. Since 1987, screening for beta thalassemia in pregnant women in northern Israel has been conducted, and from 1999 all the samples were also tested for hemoglobin S, Hgb C, Hgb D, Hgb O Arab and others. During the 20 year period 1987-2006 a total of 69,340 women were screened; 114 couples who carried Hgb S were detected and 187 prenatal diagnoses were performed in couples at risk for having an offspring with Hgb S. The mean gestational age was 13 +/- 4 weeks. Fifty-four of those diagnoses revealed affected fetuses and in 4 cases the couple declined to perform therapeutic abortion. The economic burden to the health services for treating SCA patients is about U.S.$ 7000 per year, and the institution of prevention programs has proven cost-effective in populations with a high frequency of carriers. Since our program is aimed to also detect beta thalassemia, a disease that is more frequent in this area (> 2.5%), the added cost for the prevention of SCA is less significant despite the low incidence of the S gene in our population, namely < 1%.

Type I and Type II Interferon Coordinately Regulate Suppressive Dendritic Cell Fate and Function during Viral Persistence

PubMed Central

Cunningham, Cameron R.; Champhekar, Ameya; Tullius, Michael V.; Dillon, Barbara Jane; Zhen, Anjie; de la Fuente, Justin Rafael; Herskovitz, Jonathan; Elsaesser, Heidi; Snell, Laura M.; Wilson, Elizabeth B.; de la Torre, Juan Carlos; Kitchen, Scott G.; Horwitz, Marcus A.; Bensinger, Steven J.; Smale, Stephen T.; Brooks, David G.

2016-01-01

Persistent viral infections are simultaneously associated with chronic inflammation and highly potent immunosuppressive programs mediated by IL-10 and PDL1 that attenuate antiviral T cell responses. Inhibiting these suppressive signals enhances T cell function to control persistent infection; yet, the underlying signals and mechanisms that program immunosuppressive cell fates and functions are not well understood. Herein, we use lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection (LCMV) to demonstrate that the induction and functional programming of immunosuppressive dendritic cells (DCs) during viral persistence are separable mechanisms programmed by factors primarily considered pro-inflammatory. IFNγ first induces the de novo development of naive monocytes into DCs with immunosuppressive potential. Type I interferon (IFN-I) then directly targets these newly generated DCs to program their potent T cell immunosuppressive functions while simultaneously inhibiting conventional DCs with T cell stimulating capacity. These mechanisms of monocyte conversion are constant throughout persistent infection, establishing a system to continuously interpret and shape the immunologic environment. MyD88 signaling was required for the differentiation of suppressive DCs, whereas inhibition of stimulatory DCs was dependent on MAVS signaling, demonstrating a bifurcation in the pathogen recognition pathways that promote distinct elements of IFN-I mediated immunosuppression. Further, a similar suppressive DC origin and differentiation was also observed in Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, HIV infection and cancer. Ultimately, targeting the underlying mechanisms that induce immunosuppression could simultaneously prevent multiple suppressive signals to further restore T cell function and control persistent infections. PMID:26808628

Prevention of Noise Damage to Cochlear Synapses

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-14-1-0494 TITLE: Prevention of Noise Damage to Cochlear Synapses PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Steven Green CONTRACTING...to Cochlear Synapses 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH-14-1-0494 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) Steven Green 5d. PROJECT...ABSTRACT Noise-induced synaptopathy is the result of excitotoxic trauma to cochlear synapses due to glutamate released from the hair cells. Excitotoxic

Modulation of Stem Cells Differentiation and Myostatin as an Approach to Counteract Fibrosis in Muscle Dystrophy and Regeneration After Injury

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-01

with and without injury; B) start effects on mdx muscle repair by Mst siRNA and stem cells programmed or not with this construct;. BODY...antifibrotic effect will be enhanced by the combinations with stem cells , or exerted by them alone, but this is the new approach that we intend to apply...similar approaches to prevent or repair muscle necrosis in the mdx mouse if the regulat MDSC or the Oct-$+ muscle cells are not effective

Web and Mobile Based HIV Prevention and Intervention Programs Pros and Cons - A Review.

PubMed

Niakan, Sharareh; Mehraeen, Esmaeil; Noori, Tayebeh; Gozali, Elahe

2017-01-01

With the increasing growth of HIV positive people the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) can play an important role in controlling the spread of the AIDS. Web and Mobile are the new technologies that young people take advantage from them. In this study a review to investigate the web and mobile based HIV prevention and intervention programs was carried out. A scoping review was conducted including PubMed, Science direct, Web of Science and Proquest to find relevant sources that published in 2009 to 2016. To identify published, original research that reported the web and mobile-based HIV prevention and intervention programs, an organized search was conducted with the following search keywords in combination: HIV, AIDS, m-Health, Mobile phone, Cell phone, Smartphone, Mobile health, internet, and web. Using the employed strategies, 173 references retrieved. Searched articles were compared based on their titles and abstracts. To identify duplicated articles, the title and abstracts were considered and 101 duplicated references were excluded. By going through the full text of related papers, 35 articles were found to be more related to the questions of this paper from which 72 final included. The advantages of web and mobile-based interventions include the possibility to provide constancy in the delivery of an intervention, impending low cost, and the ability to spread the intervention to an extensive community. Online programs such as Chat room-based Education program, Web-based therapeutic education system, and Online seek information can use for HIV/AIDS prevention. To use of mobile for HIV/AIDS prevention and intervention, programs including in: Health system focused applications, Population health focused applications, and Health messaging can be used.

Bim controls IL-15 availability and limits engagement of multiple BH3-only proteins

PubMed Central

Kurtulus, S; Sholl, A; Toe, J; Tripathi, P; Raynor, J; Li, K-P; Pellegrini, M; Hildeman, D A

2015-01-01

During the effector CD8+ T-cell response, transcriptional differentiation programs are engaged that promote effector T cells with varying memory potential. Although these differentiation programs have been used to explain which cells die as effectors and which cells survive and become memory cells, it is unclear if the lack of cell death enhances memory. Here, we investigated effector CD8+ T-cell fate in mice whose death program has been largely disabled because of the loss of Bim. Interestingly, the absence of Bim resulted in a significant enhancement of effector CD8+ T cells with more memory potential. Bim-driven control of memory T-cell development required T-cell-specific, but not dendritic cell-specific, expression of Bim. Both total and T-cell-specific loss of Bim promoted skewing toward memory precursors, by enhancing the survival of memory precursors, and limiting the availability of IL-15. Decreased IL-15 availability in Bim-deficient mice facilitated the elimination of cells with less memory potential via the additional pro-apoptotic molecules Noxa and Puma. Combined, these data show that Bim controls memory development by limiting the survival of pre-memory effector cells. Further, by preventing the consumption of IL-15, Bim limits the role of Noxa and Puma in causing the death of effector cells with less memory potential. PMID:25124553

Bim controls IL-15 availability and limits engagement of multiple BH3-only proteins.

PubMed

Kurtulus, S; Sholl, A; Toe, J; Tripathi, P; Raynor, J; Li, K-P; Pellegrini, M; Hildeman, D A

2015-01-01

During the effector CD8+ T-cell response, transcriptional differentiation programs are engaged that promote effector T cells with varying memory potential. Although these differentiation programs have been used to explain which cells die as effectors and which cells survive and become memory cells, it is unclear if the lack of cell death enhances memory. Here, we investigated effector CD8+ T-cell fate in mice whose death program has been largely disabled because of the loss of Bim. Interestingly, the absence of Bim resulted in a significant enhancement of effector CD8+ T cells with more memory potential. Bim-driven control of memory T-cell development required T-cell-specific, but not dendritic cell-specific, expression of Bim. Both total and T-cell-specific loss of Bim promoted skewing toward memory precursors, by enhancing the survival of memory precursors, and limiting the availability of IL-15. Decreased IL-15 availability in Bim-deficient mice facilitated the elimination of cells with less memory potential via the additional pro-apoptotic molecules Noxa and Puma. Combined, these data show that Bim controls memory development by limiting the survival of pre-memory effector cells. Further, by preventing the consumption of IL-15, Bim limits the role of Noxa and Puma in causing the death of effector cells with less memory potential.

CAREST—Multilingual Regional Integration for Health Promotion and Research on Sickle Cell Disease and Thalassemia

PubMed Central

Knight-Madden, Jennifer; Romana, Marc; Villaescusa, Rinaldo; Reid, Marvin; Etienne-Julan, Maryse; Boutin, Laurence; Elana, Gisèle; Elenga, Narcisse; Wheeler, Gillian; Lee, Ketty; Nieves, Rosa; Jones Lecointe, Althea; Lalanne-Mistrih, Marie-Laure; Loko, Gylna; Keclard-Christophe, Lisiane

2016-01-01

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a significant problem in the Caribbean, where many individuals have African and Asian forebears. However, reliable prevalence data and specific health care programs for SCD are often missing in this region. Closer collaboration between Caribbean territories initiated in 2006 to set up strategies to promote better equity in the health care system for SCD patients led to the formation of CAREST: the Caribbean Network of Researchers on Sickle Cell Disease and Thalassemia. We present the effectiveness of collaborations established by CAREST to promote SCD newborn screening programs and early childhood care, to facilitate health worker training and approaches for prevention and treatment of SCD complications, and to carry out inter-Caribbean research studies. PMID:26999505

A Policy Impact Analysis of the Mandatory NCAA Sickle Cell Trait Screening Program

PubMed Central

Tarini, Beth A; Brooks, Margaret Alison; Bundy, David G

2012-01-01

Objective To estimate the impact of the mandatory National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sickle cell trait (SCT) screening policy on the identification of sickle cell carriers and prevention of sudden death. Data Source We used NCAA reports, population-based SCT prevalence estimates, and published risks for exercise-related sudden death attributable to SCT. Study Design We estimated the number of sickle cell carriers identified and the number of potentially preventable sudden deaths with mandatory SCT screening of NCAA Division I athletes. We calculated the number of student-athletes with SCT using a conditional probability based upon SCT prevalence data and self-identified race/ethnicity status. We estimated sudden deaths over 10 years based on published attributable risk of exercise-related sudden death due to SCT. Principal Findings We estimate that over 2,000 NCAA Division I student-athletes with SCT will be identified under this screening policy and that, without intervention, about seven NCAA Division I student-athletes would die suddenly as a complication of SCT over a 10-year period. Conclusion Universal sickle cell screening of NCAA Division I student-athletes will identify a substantial number of sickle cell carriers. A successful intervention could prevent about seven deaths over a decade. PMID:22150647

Tissue-specific programming of memory CD8 T cell subsets impacts protection against lethal respiratory virus infection

PubMed Central

Tahiliani, Vikas

2016-01-01

How tissue-specific anatomical distribution and phenotypic specialization are linked to protective efficacy of memory T cells against reinfection is unclear. Here, we show that lung environmental cues program recently recruited central-like memory cells with migratory potentials for their tissue-specific functions during lethal respiratory virus infection. After entering the lung, some central-like cells retain their original CD27hiCXCR3hi phenotype, enabling them to localize near the infected bronchiolar epithelium and airway lumen to function as the first line of defense against pathogen encounter. Others, in response to local cytokine triggers, undergo a secondary program of differentiation that leads to the loss of CXCR3, migration arrest, and clustering within peribronchoarterial areas and in interalveolar septa. Here, the immune system adapts its response to prevent systemic viral dissemination and mortality. These results reveal the striking and unexpected spatial organization of central- versus effector-like memory cells within the lung and how cooperation between these two subsets contributes to host defense. PMID:27879287

Activity-induced regulation of myosin isoform distribution - Comparison of two contractile activity programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Diffee, Gary M.; Caiozzo, Vince J.; Mccue, Samuel A.; Herrick, Robert E.; Baldwin, Kenneth M.

1993-01-01

This study examined the role of specific types of contractile activity in regulating myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoform expression in rodent soleus. A combination of hindlimb suspension (SN) and two programmed contractile training activity paradigms, either isometric contractile activity (ST-IM) or high-load slowly shortening isovelocity activity, were utilized. Both training paradigms increased muscle mass compared with SN alone. However, only ST-IM resulted in a partial prevention of the suspension-induced decrease in type I MHC. With the use of a fluorescently labeled antibody to type IIa MHC, the distribution of MHCs among fibers was examined immunohistochemically. In SN, the percentage of cells staining positive for type IIa MHC was increased but the staining intensity of the positively staining cells was unchanged compared with control cells. In the ST-IM soleus, the percentage of positively staining fibers was unchanged but the intensity of the positively staining cells was decreased compared with SN values. These results suggest that 1) isometric contractile activity is more effective than isovelocity activity in preventing suspension-induced shifts in soleus MHC distribution and 2) changes associated with both suspension and training occur in only a small number of fibers, with the majority of fibers apparently unresponsive to these interventions.

Histone deacetylase inhibitors prevent p53-dependent and p53-independent Bax-mediated neuronal apoptosis through two distinct mechanisms.

PubMed

Uo, Takuma; Veenstra, Timothy D; Morrison, Richard S

2009-03-04

Pharmacological manipulation of protein acetylation levels by histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors represents a novel therapeutic strategy to treat neurodegeneration as well as cancer. However, the molecular mechanisms that determine how HDAC inhibition exerts a protective effect in neurons as opposed to a cytotoxic action in tumor cells has not been elucidated. We addressed this issue in cultured postnatal mouse cortical neurons whose p53-dependent and p53-independent intrinsic apoptotic programs require the proapoptotic multidomain protein, Bax. Despite promoting nuclear p53 accumulation, Class I/II HDAC inhibitors (HDACIs) protected neurons from p53-dependent cell death induced by camptothecin, etoposide, heterologous p53 expression or the MDM2 inhibitor, nutlin-3a. HDACIs suppressed p53-dependent PUMA expression, a critical signaling intermediate linking p53 to Bax activation, thus preventing postmitochondrial events including cleavage of caspase-9 and caspase-3. In human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells, however, HDACIs were not able to prevent p53-dependent cell death. Moreover, HDACIs also prevented caspase-3 cleavage in postnatal cortical neurons treated with staurosporine, 3-nitropropionic acid and a Bcl-2 inhibitor, all of which require the presence of Bax but not p53 to promote apoptosis. Although these three toxic agents displayed a requirement for Bax, they did not promote PUMA induction. These results demonstrate that HDACIs block Bax-dependent cell death by two distinct mechanisms to prevent neuronal apoptosis, thus identifying for the first time a defined molecular target for their neuroprotective actions.

Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors Prevent p53-dependent and Independent Bax-Mediated Neuronal Apoptosis Through Two Distinct Mechanisms

PubMed Central

Uo, Takuma; Veenstra, Timothy D.; Morrison, Richard S.

2009-01-01

Pharmacological manipulation of protein acetylation levels by histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors represents a novel therapeutic strategy to treat neurodegeneration as well as cancer. However, the molecular mechanisms that determine how HDAC inhibition exerts a protective effect in neurons as opposed to a cytotoxic action in tumor cells has not been elucidated. We addressed this issue in cultured postnatal mouse cortical neurons whose p53-dependent and —independent intrinsic apoptotic programs require the pro-apoptotic multidomain protein, Bax. Despite promoting nuclear p53 accumulation, Class I/II HDAC inhibitors (HDACIs) protected neurons from p53-dependent cell death induced by camptothecin, etoposide, heterologous p53 expression or the MDM2 inhibitor, nutlin-3a. HDACIs suppressed p53-dependent PUMA expression, a critical signaling intermediate linking p53 to Bax activation, thus preventing post-mitochondrial events including cleavage of caspase-9 and -3. In human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells, however, HDACIs were not able to prevent p53-dependent cell death. Moreover, HDACIs also prevented caspase-3 cleavage in postnatal cortical neurons treated with staurosporine, 3-nitropropionic acid and a Bcl-2 inhibitor, all of which require the presence of Bax but not p53 to promote apoptosis. Although these three toxic agents displayed a requirement for Bax, they did not promote PUMA induction. These results demonstrate that HDACIs block Bax-dependent cell death by two distinct mechanisms to prevent neuronal apoptosis, thus identifying for the first time a defined molecular target for their neuroprotective actions. PMID:19261878

Antigen-Specific Immune Modulation Targets mTORC1 Function To Drive Chemokine Receptor-Mediated T Cell Tolerance.

PubMed

Chen, Weirong; Wan, Xiaoxiao; Ukah, Tobechukwu K; Miller, Mindy M; Barik, Subhasis; Cattin-Roy, Alexis N; Zaghouani, Habib

2016-11-01

To contain autoimmunity, pathogenic T cells must be eliminated or diverted from reaching the target organ. Recently, we defined a novel form of T cell tolerance whereby treatment with Ag downregulates expression of the chemokine receptor CXCR3 and prevents diabetogenic Th1 cells from reaching the pancreas, leading to suppression of type 1 diabetes (T1D). This report defines the signaling events underlying Ag-induced chemokine receptor-mediated tolerance. Specifically, we show that the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) is a major target for induction of CXCR3 downregulation and crippling of Th1 cells. Indeed, Ag administration induces upregulation of programmed death-ligand 1 on dendritic cells in a T cell-dependent manner. In return, programmed death-ligand 1 interacts with the constitutively expressed programmed death-1 on the target T cells and stimulates docking of Src homology 2 domain-containing tyrosine phosphatase 2 phosphatase to the cytoplasmic tail of programmed death-1. Active Src homology 2 domain-containing tyrosine phosphatase 2 impairs the signaling function of the PI3K/protein kinase B (AKT) pathway, leading to functional defect of mTORC1, downregulation of CXCR3 expression, and suppression of T1D. Thus, mTORC1 component of the metabolic pathway serves as a target for chemokine receptor-mediated T cell tolerance and suppression of T1D. Copyright © 2016 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.

Caspase blockade induces RIP3-mediated programmed necrosis in Toll-like receptor-activated microglia.

PubMed

Kim, S J; Li, Jianrong

2013-07-11

Microglia are the resident immune cells in the central nervous system and key players against pathogens and injury. However, persistent microglial activation often exacerbates pathological damage and has been implicated in many neurological diseases. Despite their pivotal physiological and pathophysiological roles, how the survival and death of activated microglia is regulated remains poorly understood. We report here that microglia activated through Toll-like receptors (TLRs) undergo RIP1/RIP3-dependent programmed necrosis (necroptosis) when exposed to the pan caspase inhibitor zVAD-fmk. Although zVAD-fmk and the caspase-8 inhibitor IETD-fmk had no effect on unstimulated primary microglia, they markedly sensitized microglia to TLR1/2,3,4,7/8 ligands or TNF treatment, triggering programmed necrosis that was completely blocked by R1P1 kinase inhibitor necrostatin-1. Interestingly, necroptosis induced by TLR ligands and zVAD was restricted to microglial cells and was not observed in astrocytes, neurons or oligodendrocytes even though they are known to express certain TLRs. Deletion of genes encoding TNF or TNFR1 failed to prevent lipopolysaccharide- and poly(I:C)-induced microglial necroptosis, unveiling a TNF-independent programmed necrosis pathway in TLR3- and TLR4-activated microglia. Microglia from mice lacking functional TRIF were fully protected against TLR3/4 activation and zVAD-fmk-induced necrosis, and genetic deletion of rip3 also prevented microglia necroptosis. Activation of c-jun N-terminal kinase and generation of specific reactive oxygen species were downstream signaling events required for microglial cell death execution. Taken together, this study reveals a robust RIP3-dependent necroptosis signaling pathway in TLR-activated microglia upon caspase blockade and suggests that TLR signaling and programmed cell death pathways are closely linked in microglia, which could contribute to neuropathology and neuroinflammation when dysregulated.

The Influence of Programmed Cell Death in Myeloid Cells on Host Resilience to Infection with Legionella pneumophila or Streptococcus pyogenes

PubMed Central

Gamradt, Pia; Xu, Yun; Gratz, Nina; Duncan, Kellyanne; Kobzik, Lester; Högler, Sandra; Decker, Thomas

2016-01-01

Pathogen clearance and host resilience/tolerance to infection are both important factors in surviving an infection. Cells of the myeloid lineage play important roles in both of these processes. Neutrophils, monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells all have important roles in initiation of the immune response and clearance of bacterial pathogens. If these cells are not properly regulated they can result in excessive inflammation and immunopathology leading to decreased host resilience. Programmed cell death (PCD) is one possible mechanism that myeloid cells may use to prevent excessive inflammation. Myeloid cell subsets play roles in tissue repair, immune response resolution, and maintenance of homeostasis, so excessive PCD may also influence host resilience in this way. In addition, myeloid cell death is one mechanism used to control pathogen replication and dissemination. Many of these functions for PCD have been well defined in vitro, but the role in vivo is less well understood. We created a mouse that constitutively expresses the pro-survival B-cell lymphoma (bcl)-2 protein in myeloid cells (CD68(bcl2tg), thus decreasing PCD specifically in myeloid cells. Using this mouse model we explored the impact that decreased cell death of these cells has on infection with two different bacterial pathogens, Legionella pneumophila and Streptococcus pyogenes. Both of these pathogens target multiple cell death pathways in myeloid cells, and the expression of bcl2 resulted in decreased PCD after infection. We examined both pathogen clearance and host resilience and found that myeloid cell death was crucial for host resilience. Surprisingly, the decreased myeloid PCD had minimal impact on pathogen clearance. These data indicate that the most important role of PCD during infection with these bacteria is to minimize inflammation and increase host resilience, not to aid in the clearance or prevent the spread of the pathogen. PMID:27973535

Depletion of Alveolar Macrophages Does Not Prevent Hantavirus Disease Pathogenesis in Golden Syrian Hamsters

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-20

ANDV strain Chile -9717869 (27) was propagated in Vero E6 cells 122 (Vero C1008, ATCC CRL 1586). Preparation of twice-plaque-purified ANDV stock has...Research and Material Command, Military 537 Infectious Disease Research Program , Program Area T. Research reported in this publication 538 was also...prior to kidney, involvement, and diagnosed by viral 684 inclusions in lung macrophages. European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious

Laboratory services series: a master-slave manipulator maintenance program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jenness, R. G.; Hicks, R. E.; Wicker, C. D.

1976-12-01

The volume of master slave manipulator maintenance at Oak Ridge National Laboratory has necessitated the establishment of a repair facility and organization of a specially trained group of craftsmen. Emphasis on cell containment requires the use of manipulator boots and development of precise procedures for accomplishing the maintenance of 287 installed units. A very satisfactory computer programmed maintenance system has been established at the Laboratory to provide an economical approach to preventive maintenance.

A Study of Blood Flow and of Aggregation of Blood Cells Under Conditions of Zero Gravity: Its Relevance to the Occlusive Diseases and Cancer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dintenfass, L.

1985-01-01

The objectives of this program are: (1) to determine whether the size of red cell aggregates, kinetics and morphology of these aggregates are influenced by near-zero gravity; (2) whether viscosity, especially at low shear rate, is afflicted by near-zero gravity (the latter preventing sedimentation of red cells); (3) whether the actual shape of red cells changes; and (4) whether blood samples obtained from different donors (normal and patients suffering from different disorders) react in the same manner to near-zero gravity.

Development of a Computerized Data Base to Monitor Wheeled Vehicle Corrosion

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-10-01

the region which corrodes. This potential difference , or voltage of these little batteries or cells, is due to the difference in the oxygen...availability at the point of attack. Differential aeration cells occur at all places where there is a difference in the availability of oxygen and can only...program is actually an evaluation of the various corrosion prevention systems and methods which were applied to the wheeled vehicles when they were

Neuronal Dysfunction Associated with Cholesterol Deregulation

PubMed Central

Loganes, Claudia; Bilel, Sabrine; Celeghini, Claudio; Tommasini, Alberto

2018-01-01

Cholesterol metabolism is crucial for cells and, in particular, its biosynthesis in the central nervous system occurs in situ, and its deregulation involves morphological changes that cause functional variations and trigger programmed cell death. The pathogenesis of rare diseases, such as Mevalonate Kinase Deficiency or Smith–Lemli–Opitz Syndrome, arises due to enzymatic defects in the cholesterol metabolic pathways, resulting in a shortage of downstream products. The most severe clinical manifestations of these diseases appear as neurological defects. Expanding the knowledge of this biological mechanism will be useful for identifying potential targets and preventing neuronal damage. Several studies have demonstrated that deregulation of the cholesterol pathway induces mitochondrial dysfunction as the result of respiratory chain damage. We set out to determine whether mitochondrial damage may be prevented by using protective mitochondria-targeted compounds, such as MitoQ, in a neuronal cell line treated with a statin to induce a biochemical block of the cholesterol pathway. Evidence from the literature suggests that mitochondria play a crucial role in the apoptotic mechanism secondary to blocking the cholesterol pathway. Our study shows that MitoQ, administered as a preventive agent, could counteract the cell damage induced by statins in the early stages, but its protective role fades over time. PMID:29783748

Synthetic Beta-Lactam Antibiotics as a Selective Breast Cancer Cell Apoptosis Inducer: Significance in Breast Cancer Prevention and Treatment

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-03-01

Learned from Diet-Gene-Environment Interaction. Environmental Toxicology Graduate Program and Department of Chemistry , University of California at...College of Chemistry , Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China, June 29, 2007 Dou QP. Invited Speaker. Molecular Prevention of Human Cancer: Role of...Discovery Today 2002; 7: 471-8. 3. Morin RB and Gorman M. Chemistry and Biology of beta-Lactam Antibiotics, Vol. 1-3. New York: Academic Press, 1982. 4

Modulation of eukaryotic cell apoptosis by members of the bacterial order Actinomycetales.

PubMed

Barry, Daniel P; Beaman, Blaine L

2006-10-01

Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is normally responsible for the orderly elimination of aged or damaged cells, and is a necessary part of the homeostasis and development of multicellular organisms. Some pathogenic bacteria can disrupt this process by triggering excess apoptosis or by preventing it when appropriate. Either event can lead to disease. There has been extensive research into the modulation of host cell death by microorganisms, and several reviews have been published on the phenomenon. Rather than covering the entire field, this review focuses on the dysregulation of host cell apoptosis by members of the order Actinomycetales, containing the genera Corynebacterium, Mycobacterium, Rhodococcus, and Nocardia.

Development of simplified process for environmentally resistant cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

King, W. J.

1980-01-01

This report describes a program to develop a simple, foolproof, all vacuum solar cell manufacturing process which can be completely automated and which results in medium efficiency cells which are inherently environmentally resistant. All components of the completed cells are integrated into a monolithic structure with no material interfaces. The exposed materials (SI, Al2O3, Al, Ni) are all resistant to atmospheric attack and the junction, per se, is passivated to prevent long term degradation. Such cells are intended to be incorporated into a simple module consisting basically of a press formed metallic superstructure with a separated glass cover for missile, etc., protection.

Competing Death Programs in Poliovirus-Infected Cells: Commitment Switch in the Middle of the Infectious Cycle

PubMed Central

Agol, Vadim I.; Belov, George A.; Bienz, Kurt; Egger, Denise; Kolesnikova, Marina S.; Romanova, Lyudmila I.; Sladkova, Larissa V.; Tolskaya, Elena A.

2000-01-01

Productive poliovirus infection of HeLa cells leads to the canonical cytopathic effect (CPE), whereas certain types of abortive infection result in apoptosis. To define the time course of commitment to the different types of poliovirus-induced death, inhibitors of viral replication (guanidine HCl) or translation (cycloheximide) were added at different times postinfection (p.i.). Early in the infection (during the first ∼2 h p.i.), predominantly proapoptotic viral function was expressed, rendering the cells committed to apoptosis, which developed several hours after viral expression was arrested. In the middle of infection, concomitantly with the onset of fast generation of viral progeny, the implementation of the viral apoptotic program was abruptly interrupted. In particular, activation of an Asp-Glu-Val-Asp (DEVD)-specific caspase(s) occurring in the apoptosis-committed cells was prevented by the ongoing productive infection. Simultaneously, the cells retaining normal or nearly normal morphology became committed to CPE, which eventually developed regardless of whether or not further viral expression was allowed to proceed. The implementation of the poliovirus-induced apoptotic program was suppressed in HeLa cells overexpressing the Bcl-2 protein, indicating that the fate of poliovirus-infected cells depends on the balance of host and viral pro- and antiapoptotic factors. PMID:10823859

Potential biomarker panels in overall breast cancer management: advancements by multilevel diagnostics.

PubMed

Girotra, Shantanu; Yeghiazaryan, Kristina; Golubnitschaja, Olga

2016-09-01

Breast cancer (BC) prevalence has reached an epidemic scale with half a million deaths annually. Current deficits in BC management include predictive and preventive approaches, optimized screening programs, individualized patient profiling, highly sensitive detection technologies for more precise diagnostics and therapy monitoring, individualized prediction and effective treatment of BC metastatic disease. To advance BC management, paradigm shift from delayed to predictive, preventive and personalized medical services is essential. Corresponding step forwards requires innovative multilevel diagnostics procuring specific panels of validated biomarkers. Here, we discuss current instrumental advancements including genomics, proteomics, epigenetics, miRNA, metabolomics, circulating tumor cells and cancer stem cells with a focus on biomarker discovery and multilevel diagnostic panels. A list of the recommended biomarker candidates is provided.

ΔNp63α promotes breast cancer cell motility through the selective activation of components of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition program

PubMed Central

Dang, Tuyen T.; Esparza, Matthew A.; Maine, Erin A.; Westcott, Jill M.; Pearson, Gray W.

2015-01-01

Cell identity signals influence the invasive capability of tumor cells, as demonstrated by the selection for programs of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) during malignant progression. Breast cancer cells retain canonical epithelial traits and invade collectively as cohesive groups of cells, but the signaling pathways critical to their invasive capabilities are still incompletely understood. Here we report that the transcription factor ΔNp63α drives the migration of basal-like breast cancer (BLBC) cells by inducing a hybrid mesenchymal/epithelial state. Through a combination of expression analysis and functional testing across multiple BLBC cell populations, we determined that ΔNp63α induces migration by elevating the expression of the EMT program components Slug and Axl. Interestingly, ΔNp63α also increased the expression of miR205, which can silence ZEB1/2 to prevent the loss of epithelial character caused by EMT induction. In clinical specimens, co-expression of various elements of the ΔNp63α pathway confirmed its implication in motility signaling in BLBC. We observed that activation of the ΔNp63α pathway occurred during the transition from noninvasive ductal carcinoma in situ to invasive breast cancer. Notably, in an orthotopic tumor model, Slug expression was sufficient to induce collective invasion of E-cadherin expressing BLBC cells. Together, our results illustrate how ΔNp63α can drive breast cancer cell invasion by selectively engaging pro-migratory components of the EMT program while, in parallel, still promoting the retention of epithelial character. PMID:26292362

Type 2 diabetes across generations: from pathophysiology to prevention and management.

PubMed

Nolan, Christopher J; Damm, Peter; Prentki, Marc

2011-07-09

Type 2 diabetes is now a pandemic and shows no signs of abatement. In this Seminar we review the pathophysiology of this disorder, with particular attention to epidemiology, genetics, epigenetics, and molecular cell biology. Evidence is emerging that a substantial part of diabetes susceptibility is acquired early in life, probably owing to fetal or neonatal programming via epigenetic phenomena. Maternal and early childhood health might, therefore, be crucial to the development of effective prevention strategies. Diabetes develops because of inadequate islet β-cell and adipose-tissue responses to chronic fuel excess, which results in so-called nutrient spillover, insulin resistance, and metabolic stress. The latter damages multiple organs. Insulin resistance, while forcing β cells to work harder, might also have an important defensive role against nutrient-related toxic effects in tissues such as the heart. Reversal of overnutrition, healing of the β cells, and lessening of adipose tissue defects should be treatment priorities. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Vascular peroxide 1 promotes ox-LDL-induced programmed necrosis in endothelial cells through a mechanism involving β-catenin signaling.

PubMed

Zhang, Yin-Zhuang; Wang, Lei; Zhang, Jie-Jie; Xiong, Xiao-Ming; Zhang, Di; Tang, Xuan-Meng; Luo, Xiu-Ju; Ma, Qi-Lin; Peng, Jun

2018-05-03

Vascular peroxidase 1 (VPO1) plays a key role in mediation of cardiovascular oxidative injury. This study aims to determine whether VPO1 can promote programmed necrosis of endothelial cells and the underlying mechanisms. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were incubated with oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL, 100 μg/mL) for 48 h to induce cell injury, which showed an elevation in cell necrosis (reflected by the increased propidium iodide (PI) positive-staining cells, LDH release and decreased cell viability), concomitant with an increase in programmed necrosis-relevant proteins including receptor-interacting protein kinase 1/3 (RIPK1/3), p-RIPK3 and mixed lineage kinase domain like (MLKL); these phenomena were attenuated by necrostatin-1(Nec-1) and RIPK3 siRNA. Meanwhile, VPO1 was up-regulated in ox-LDL-treated endothelial cells accompanied by a decrease in GSK-3β activity and p-β-catenin levels, and an elevation of β-catenin levels; these phenomena were reversed in the presence of VPO1 siRNA or hypochlorous acid (HOCl) inhibitor; replacement of ox-LDL with HOCl could also induce endothelial programmed necrosis and activate the β-catenin signaling; β-catenin inhibitor could also suppress ox-LDL-induced RIPK-dependent necrosis. In hyperlipidemic patients, the plasma level of VPO1 was obviously increased concomitant with an elevation in plasma levels of RIPK1, RIPK3 and MLKL, and they were positively correlated. VPO1 plays an important role in promotion of endothelial programmed necrosis under hyperlipidemic conditions through activation of β-catenin signaling. It may serve as a novel therapeutic target for prevention of endothelial dysfunction in hyperlipidemia. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Regulatory T Cells in the Control of Autoimmunity: the Essential Role of  Transforming Growth Factor β and Interleukin 4 in the Prevention of Autoimmune Thyroiditis in Rats by Peripheral CD4+CD45RC− Cells and CD4+CD8− Thymocytes

PubMed Central

Seddon, Benedict; Mason, Don

1999-01-01

Previous studies have shown that induction of autoimmune diabetes by adult thymectomy and split dose irradiation of PVG.RT1u rats can be prevented by their reconstitution with peripheral CD4+CD45RC−TCR-α/β+RT6+ cells and CD4+CD8− thymocytes from normal syngeneic donors. These data provide evidence for the role of regulatory T cells in the prevention of a tissue-specific autoimmune disease but the mode of action of these cells has not been reported previously. In this study, autoimmune thyroiditis was induced in PVG.RT1c rats using a similar protocol of thymectomy and irradiation. Although a cell-mediated mechanism has been implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetes in PVG.RT1u rats, development of thyroiditis is independent of CD8+ T cells and is characterized by high titers of immunoglobulin (Ig)G1 antithyroglobulin antibodies, indicating a major humoral component in the pathogenesis of disease. As with autoimmune diabetes in PVG.RT1u rats, development of thyroiditis was prevented by the transfer of CD4+CD45RC− and CD4+CD8− thymocytes from normal donors but not by CD4+CD45RC+ peripheral T cells. We now show that transforming growth factor (TGF)-β and interleukin (IL)-4 both play essential roles in the mechanism of this protection since administration of monoclonal antibodies that block the biological activity of either of these cytokines abrogates the protective effect of the donor cells in the recipient rats. The prevention of both diabetes and thyroiditis by CD4+CD45RC− peripheral cells and CD4+CD8− thymocytes therefore does not support the view that the mechanism of regulation involves a switch from a T helper cell type 1 (Th1) to a Th2-like response, but rather relies upon a specific suppression of the autoimmune responses involving TGF-β and IL-4. The observation that the same two cytokines were implicated in the protective mechanism, whether thymocytes or peripheral cells were used to prevent autoimmunity, strongly suggests that the regulatory cells from both sources act in the same way and that the thymocytes are programmed in the periphery for their protective role. The implications of this result with respect to immunological homeostasis are discussed. PMID:9892610

Targeting the Epigenome with Bioactive Food Components for Cancer Prevention

PubMed Central

Ong, Thomas Prates; Moreno, Fernando Salvador; Ross, Sharon Ann

2012-01-01

Epigenetic processes participate in cancer development and likely influence cancer prevention. Global DNA hypomethylation, gene promoter hypermethylation and aberrant histone post-translational modifications are hallmarks of neoplastic cells which have been associated with genomic instability and altered gene expression. Because epigenetic deregulation occurs early in carcinogenesis and is potentially reversible, intervention strategies targeting the epigenome have been proposed for cancer prevention. Bioactive food components (BFCs) with anticancer potential, including folate, polyphenols, selenium, retinoids, fatty acids, isothiocyanates and allyl compounds, influence DNA methylation and histone modification processes. Such activities have been shown to affect the expression of genes involved in cell proliferation, death and differentiation that are frequently altered in cancer. Although the epigenome represents a promising target for cancer prevention with BFCs, few studies have addressed the influence of dietary components on these mechanisms in vivo, particularly on the phenotype of humans, and thus the exact mechanisms whereby diet mediates an effect on cancer prevention remains unclear. Primary factors that should be elucidated include the effective doses and dose timing of BFCs to attain epigenetic effects. Because diet-epigenome interactions are likely to occur in utero, the impact of early-life nutrition on cancer risk programming should be further investigated. PMID:22353664

Reproductive history and breast cancer prevention.

PubMed

Russo, Jose

2016-07-01

The hormonal milieu of an early full-term pregnancy induces lobular development, completing the cycle of differentiation of the breast. This process induces a specific genomic signature in the mammary gland that is represented by the stem cell containing a heterochomatin condensed nucleus (HTN). Even though differentiation significantly reduces cell proliferation in the mammary gland, the mammary epithelium remains capable of responding with proliferation to given stimuli, such as a new pregnancy. The stem cell HTN is able to metabolize the carcinogen and repair the induced DNA damage more efficiently than the stem cell containing an euchromatinic structure (EUN), as it has been demonstrated in the rodent experimental system. The basic biological concept is that pregnancy shifts the stem cell EUN to the stem cell HTN that is refractory to carcinogenesis. Data generated by the use of cDNA micro array techniques have allowed to demonstrate that while lobular development regressed after pregnancy and lactation, programmed cell death genes, DNA repair genes, chromatin remodeling, transcription factors and immune-surveillance gene transcripts all of these genes are upregulated and are part of the genomic signature of pregnancy that is associated with the preventive effect of this physiological process.

Social networking technology, social network composition, and reductions in substance use among homeless adolescents.

PubMed

Rice, Eric; Milburn, Norweeta G; Monro, William

2011-03-01

Peer-based prevention programs for homeless youth are complicated by the potential for reinforcing high-risk behaviors among participants. The goal of this study is to understand how homeless youth could be linked to positive peers in prevention programming by understanding where in social and physical space positive peers for homeless youth are located, how these ties are associated with substance use, and the role of social networking technologies (e.g., internet and cell phones) in this process. Personal social network data were collected from 136 homeless adolescents in Los Angeles, CA. Respondents reported on composition of their social networks with respect to: home-based peers and parents (accessed via social networking technology; e.g., the internet, cell phone, texting), homeless peers and agency staff (accessed face-to-face) and whether or not network members were substance-using or non-substance-using. Associations between respondent's lifetime cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine use and recent (previous 30 days) alcohol and marijuana use were assessed by the number of non-substance-using versus substance-using ties in multivariate linear regression models. 43% of adolescents reported a non-substance-using home-based tie. More of these ties were associated with less recent alcohol use. 62% of adolescents reported a substance-using homeless tie. More of these ties were associated with more recent marijuana use as well as more lifetime heroin and methamphetamine use. For homeless youth, who are physically disconnected from positive peers, social networking technologies can be used to facilitate the sorts of positive social ties that effective peer-based prevention programs require.

Ni-MH storage test and cycle life test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dell, R. Dan; Klein, Glenn C.; Schmidt, David F.

1994-01-01

Gates Aerospace Batteries is conducting two long term test programs to fully characterize the NiMH cell technology for aerospace applications. The first program analyzes the effects of long term storage upon cell performance. The second program analyzes cycle life testing and preliminary production lot testing. This paper summarizes these approaches to testing the NiMH couple and culminates with initial storage and testing recommendations. Long term storage presents challenges to deter the adverse condition of capacity fade in NiMH cells. Elevated but stabilized pressures and elevated but stabilized end-of-charge voltages also appear to be a characteristic phenomenon of long term storage modes. However, the performance degradation is dependent upon specific characteristics of the metal-hydride alloy. To date, there is no objective evidence with which to recommend the proper method for storage and handling of NiMH cells upon shipment. This is particularly critical due to limited data points that indicate open circuit storage at room temperature for 60 to 90 days will result in irrecoverable capacity loss. Accordingly a test plan was developed to determine what method of mid-term to long-term storage will prevent irrecoverable capacity loss. The explicit assumption is that trickle charging at some rate above the self-discharge rate will prevent the irreversible chemical changes to the negative electrode that result in the irrecoverable capacity loss. Another premise is that lower storage temperatures, typically 0 C for aerospace customers, will impede any negative chemical reactions. Three different trickle charge rates are expected to yield a fairly flat response with respect to recoverable capacity versus baseline cells in two different modes of open circuit. Specific attributes monitored include: end-of-charge voltage, end-of-charge pressure, mid-point discharge voltage, capacity, and end-of-discharge pressure. Cycle life testing and preliminary production lot testing continue to dominate the overall technology development effort at GAB. The cell life test program reflects continuing improvements in baseline cell designs. Performance improvements include lower and more stable charge voltages and pressures. The continuing review of production lot testing assures conformance to the design criteria and expectations. This is especially critical during this period of transferring technology from research and development status to production.

40 CFR 68.170 - Prevention program/Program 2.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 15 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Prevention program/Program 2. 68.170 Section 68.170 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) CHEMICAL ACCIDENT PREVENTION PROVISIONS Risk Management Plan § 68.170 Prevention program/Program...

40 CFR 68.170 - Prevention program/Program 2.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 15 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Prevention program/Program 2. 68.170 Section 68.170 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) CHEMICAL ACCIDENT PREVENTION PROVISIONS Risk Management Plan § 68.170 Prevention program/Program...

Overview of gastrointestinal cancer prevention in Asia.

PubMed

Park, Jong-Min; Lee, Ho-Jae; Yoo, Jun Hwan; Ko, Weon Jin; Cho, Joo Young; Hahm, Ki Baik

2015-12-01

"War on cancer" was declared through the National Cancer Act by President Richard Nixon in 1971, but cancer statistics from the American Cancer Society and other sources indicated the failure of this war, suggesting instead focus on the message that a "prevention strategy" might be much more effective than cancer treatment. While cancer statistics notoriously showed sharp increases in incidence as well as in mortality concurrent with economic growth in Asia, fortunately Asian countries benefit from plentiful resources of natural compounds, which can prevent cancer. Just like cancer chemotherapeutics targeted to kill cancer cells in Western countries, natural agents activating molecular mechanisms for cancer prevention, reversion of premalignant tumors, and even ablation of cancer stem cells, are very abundant in Asia. Currently, these natural agents are under very active investigations targeting the hallmarks of cancer prevention, including selective induction of apoptosis in cancer cells, suppression of growth factors or their signaling, suppression of cell proliferation and of cancer-promoting angiogenesis, induction of mesenchymal-epithelial transition, and disruption of the tumor microenvironment, developing promising cancer preventive agents. However, Asia is the most populous continent in the world and some Asian countries do not have the resources to implement cancer screening programs for early detection or treatment. In addition, despite the excellent cancer preventive screening strategies in some Asian countries, well-designed clinical trials for cancer prevention are somewhat delayed compared to Western countries. In this review article, several phytochemicals/phytoceuticals produced and studied in different Asian countries will be introduced, including Korean red ginseng (pride of Korea), curcumin (Indian spice for life), black or green tea (popular in Japan/Sri Lanka), genistein from tofu (famous Chinese food), diallylsulfide or S-allylcysteine (garlic, popularly consumed as a food ingredient in many Asian countries), capsaicin, 6-gingerol, flavopiridol, and silymarin (abundant in various Asian foods). Whereas in Western countries cancer chemotherapeutics involve strategies not only to block the growth of the primary tumor, but also to inhibit its progression to metastatic disease, the endless pursuit of effective agents for cancer prevention may be a unique and featured strategy in Asia. More active efforts for clinical application of these principles should be supported. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Blood cell transcriptomic-based early biomarkers of adverse programming effects of gestational calorie restriction and their reversibility by leptin supplementation

PubMed Central

Konieczna, Jadwiga; Sánchez, Juana; Palou, Mariona; Picó, Catalina; Palou, Andreu

2015-01-01

The challenge of preventing major chronic diseases requires reliable, early biomarkers. Gestational mild undernutrition in rats is enough to program the offspring to develop later pathologies; the intake of leptin, a breastmilk component, during lactation may reverse these programming effects. We used these models to identify, in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), transcriptomic-based early biomarkers of programmed susceptibility to later disorders, and explored their response to neonatal leptin intake. Microarray analysis was performed in PBMCs from the offspring of control and 20% gestational calorie-restricted dams (CR), and CR-rats supplemented with physiological doses of leptin throughout lactation. Notably, leptin supplementation normalised 218 of the 224 mRNA-levels identified in PBMCs associated to undernutrition during pregnancy. These markers may be useful for early identification and subsequent monitoring of individuals who are at risk of later diseases and would specifically benefit from the intake of appropriate amounts of leptin during lactation. PMID:25766068

p53-dependent programmed necrosis controls germ cell homeostasis during spermatogenesis.

PubMed

Napoletano, Francesco; Gibert, Benjamin; Yacobi-Sharon, Keren; Vincent, Stéphane; Favrot, Clémentine; Mehlen, Patrick; Girard, Victor; Teil, Margaux; Chatelain, Gilles; Walter, Ludivine; Arama, Eli; Mollereau, Bertrand

2017-09-01

The importance of regulated necrosis in pathologies such as cerebral stroke and myocardial infarction is now fully recognized. However, the physiological relevance of regulated necrosis remains unclear. Here, we report a conserved role for p53 in regulating necrosis in Drosophila and mammalian spermatogenesis. We found that Drosophila p53 is required for the programmed necrosis that occurs spontaneously in mitotic germ cells during spermatogenesis. This form of necrosis involved an atypical function of the initiator caspase Dronc/Caspase 9, independent of its catalytic activity. Prevention of p53-dependent necrosis resulted in testicular hyperplasia, which was reversed by restoring necrosis in spermatogonia. In mouse testes, p53 was required for heat-induced germ cell necrosis, indicating that regulation of necrosis is a primordial function of p53 conserved from invertebrates to vertebrates. Drosophila and mouse spermatogenesis will thus be useful models to identify inducers of necrosis to treat cancers that are refractory to apoptosis.

49 CFR 198.37 - State one-call damage prevention program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false State one-call damage prevention program. 198.37... REGULATIONS FOR GRANTS TO AID STATE PIPELINE SAFETY PROGRAMS Adoption of One-Call Damage Prevention Program § 198.37 State one-call damage prevention program. A State must adopt a one-call damage prevention...

In vitro differentiation of HT-29 M6 mucus-secreting colon cancer cells involves a trychostatin A and p27(KIP1)-inducible transcriptional program of gene expression.

PubMed

Mayo, Clara; Lloreta, Josep; Real, Francisco X; Mayol, Xavier

2007-07-01

Tumor cell dedifferentiation-such as the loss of cell-to-cell adhesion in epithelial tumors-is associated with tumor progression. To better understand the mechanisms that maintain carcinoma cells in a differentiated state, we have dissected in vitro differentiation pathways in the mucus-secretor HT-29 M6 colon cancer cell line, which spontaneously differentiates in postconfluent cultures. By lowering the extracellular calcium concentration to levels that prevent intercellular adhesion and epithelial polarization, our results reveal that differentiation is calcium-dependent and involves: (i) a process of cell cycle exit to G(0) and (ii) the induction of a transcriptional program of differentiation gene expression (i.e., mucins MUC1 and MUC5AC, and the apical membrane peptidase DPPIV). In calcium-deprived, non-differentiated postconfluent cultures, differentiation gene promoters are repressed by a trichostatin A (TSA)-sensitive mechanism, indicating that loss of gene expression by dedifferentiation is driven by histone deacetylases (HDAC). Since TSA treatment or extracellular calcium restoration allow gene promoter activation to similar levels, we suggest that induction of differentiation is one mechanism of HDAC inhibitor antitumor action. Moreover, transcriptional de-repression can also be induced in non-differentiating culture conditions by overexpressing the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27(KIP1), which is normally induced during spontaneous differentiation. Since p27(KIP1) downregulation in colon cancer is associated with poor prognosis independently of tumor cell division rates, we propose that p27 (KIP1) may prevent tumor progression by, at least in part, enhancing the expression of some differentiation genes. Therefore, the HT-29 M6 model allows the identification of some basic mechanisms of cancer cell differentiation control, so far revealing HDAC and p27(KIP1) as key regulatory factors of differentiation gene expression.

Nutritional programming of coenzyme Q: potential for prevention and intervention?

PubMed

Tarry-Adkins, Jane L; Fernandez-Twinn, Denise S; Chen, Jian-Hua; Hargreaves, Iain P; Martin-Gronert, Malgorzata S; McConnell, Josie M; Ozanne, Susan E

2014-12-01

Low birth weight and rapid postnatal growth increases risk of cardiovascular-disease (CVD); however, underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Previously, we demonstrated that rats exposed to a low-protein diet in utero that underwent postnatal catch-up growth (recuperated) have a programmed deficit in cardiac coenzyme Q (CoQ) that was associated with accelerated cardiac aging. It is unknown whether this deficit occurs in all tissues, including those that are clinically accessible. We investigated whether aortic and white blood cell (WBC) CoQ is programmed by suboptimal early nutrition and whether postweaning dietary supplementation with CoQ could prevent programmed accelerated aging. Recuperated male rats had reduced aortic CoQ [22 d (35±8.4%; P<0.05); 12 m (53±8.8%; P<0.05)], accelerated aortic telomere shortening (P<0.01), increased DNA damage (79±13% increase in nei-endonucleaseVIII-like-1), increased oxidative stress (458±67% increase in NAPDH-oxidase-4; P<0.001), and decreased mitochondrial complex II-III activity (P<0.05). Postweaning dietary supplementation with CoQ prevented these detrimental programming effects. Recuperated WBCs also had reduced CoQ (74±5.8%; P<0.05). Notably, WBC CoQ levels correlated with aortic telomere-length (P<0.0001) suggesting its potential as a diagnostic marker of vascular aging. We conclude that early intervention with CoQ in at-risk individuals may be a cost-effective and safe way of reducing the global burden of CVDs. © FASEB.

Effects of Two Training Programs on Transcriptional Levels of Neurotrophins and Glial Cells Population in Hippocampus of Experimental Multiple Sclerosis.

PubMed

Naghibzadeh, Maryam; Ranjbar, Rouhollah; Tabandeh, Mohammad Reza; Habibi, Abdolhamid

2018-05-18

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) versus low-intensity continuous training (LICT) on transcriptional levels of neurotrophic factors and oligodendrocyte/microglia cell loss in a cuprizone (CP) induced animal model of demyelination. Male C57BL/6 mice were assigned to six groups: control (C), cuprizone-induced demyelination (CP), interval training (IT), continuous training (CT), IT plus CP (ITCP), and CT plus CP (CTCP). Training programs on the treadmill were performed for four weeks, and then demyelination was induced by feeding mice a diet containing 0.2% cuprizone for five weeks. Animals that received cuprizone showed poorer motor function, lower expression of BDNF, GDNF, NGF, and fewer oligodendrocytes in the hippocampus compared to the control animals. The numbers of oligodendrocyte and microglia cells increased in the ITCP group compared to the CTCP group (P<0.05). Both training programs increased the mRNA levels of BDNF, GDNF and NGF, and the HIIT program was more effective than the LICT program (P<0.05). Both exercise programs prevented the abnormal neurological movements induced by cuprizone. Our results indicated that HIIT versus LICT had a greater neuroprotective effect against multiple sclerosis by improving gene expression for abnormal neurotrophins and cellular loss in the hippocampus. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Current Management of Sickle Cell Anemia

PubMed Central

McGann, Patrick T.; Nero, Alecia C.; Ware, Russell E.

2013-01-01

Proper management of sickle cell anemia (SCA) begins with establishing the correct diagnosis early in life, ideally during the newborn period. The identification of affected infants by neonatal screening programs allows early initiation of prophylactic penicillin and pneumococcal immunizations, which help prevent overwhelming sepsis. Ongoing education of families promotes the early recognition of disease-released complications, which allows prompt and appropriate medical evaluation and therapeutic intervention. Periodic evaluation by trained specialists helps provide comprehensive care, including transcranial Doppler examinations to identify children at risk for primary stroke, plus assessments for other parenchymal organ damage as patients become teens and adults. Treatment approaches that previously highlighted acute vaso-occlusive events are now evolving to the concept of preventive therapy. Liberalized use of blood transfusions and early consideration of hydroxyurea treatment represent a new treatment paradigm for SCA management. PMID:23709685

Promising practices in the prevention of intimate partner violence among adolescents.

PubMed

De Grace, Alyssa; Clarke, Angela

2012-01-01

To inform practitioners and researchers interested in the prevention of intimate partner violence (IPV) among adolescents, 9 principles of effective prevention programs (Nation et al., 2003) were described and examples of how these principles have been incorporated into existing teen dating violence prevention programs were provided. An investigation of current prevention practices for adolescent IPV resulted in one noteworthy program that has successfully incorporated all 9 principles of effective prevention programming-Safe Dates (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices [SAMHSA-NREPP], 2006). Although Safe Dates serves as a model teen dating violence prevention program, it may not be equally effective across contexts and diverse groups. Therefore, as researchers and practitioners continue to develop and refine programs to reduce adolescent IPV, the principles of effective prevention programs should serve as a guiding framework.

Towards programming languages for genetic engineering of living cells

PubMed Central

Pedersen, Michael; Phillips, Andrew

2009-01-01

Synthetic biology aims at producing novel biological systems to carry out some desired and well-defined functions. An ultimate dream is to design these systems at a high level of abstraction using engineering-based tools and programming languages, press a button, and have the design translated to DNA sequences that can be synthesized and put to work in living cells. We introduce such a programming language, which allows logical interactions between potentially undetermined proteins and genes to be expressed in a modular manner. Programs can be translated by a compiler into sequences of standard biological parts, a process that relies on logic programming and prototype databases that contain known biological parts and protein interactions. Programs can also be translated to reactions, allowing simulations to be carried out. While current limitations on available data prevent full use of the language in practical applications, the language can be used to develop formal models of synthetic systems, which are otherwise often presented by informal notations. The language can also serve as a concrete proposal on which future language designs can be discussed, and can help to guide the emerging standard of biological parts which so far has focused on biological, rather than logical, properties of parts. PMID:19369220

Towards programming languages for genetic engineering of living cells.

PubMed

Pedersen, Michael; Phillips, Andrew

2009-08-06

Synthetic biology aims at producing novel biological systems to carry out some desired and well-defined functions. An ultimate dream is to design these systems at a high level of abstraction using engineering-based tools and programming languages, press a button, and have the design translated to DNA sequences that can be synthesized and put to work in living cells. We introduce such a programming language, which allows logical interactions between potentially undetermined proteins and genes to be expressed in a modular manner. Programs can be translated by a compiler into sequences of standard biological parts, a process that relies on logic programming and prototype databases that contain known biological parts and protein interactions. Programs can also be translated to reactions, allowing simulations to be carried out. While current limitations on available data prevent full use of the language in practical applications, the language can be used to develop formal models of synthetic systems, which are otherwise often presented by informal notations. The language can also serve as a concrete proposal on which future language designs can be discussed, and can help to guide the emerging standard of biological parts which so far has focused on biological, rather than logical, properties of parts.

PKCalpha-mediated ERK, JNK and p38 activation regulates the myogenic program in human rhabdomyosarcoma cells.

PubMed

Mauro, Annunziata; Ciccarelli, Carmela; De Cesaris, Paola; Scoglio, Arianna; Bouché, Marina; Molinaro, Mario; Aquino, Angelo; Zani, Bianca Maria

2002-09-15

We have previously suggested that PKCalpha has a role in 12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-mediated growth arrest and myogenic differentiation in human embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma cells (RD). Here, by monitoring the signalling pathways triggered by TPA, we demonstrate that PKCalpha mediates these effects by inducing transient activation of c-Jun N-terminal protein kinases (JNKs) and sustained activation of both p38 kinase and extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) (all referred to as MAPKs). Activation of MAPKs following ectopic expression of constitutively active PKCalpha, but not its dominant-negative form, is also demonstrated. We investigated the selective contribution of MAPKs to growth arrest and myogenic differentiation by monitoring the activation of MAPK pathways, as well as by dissecting MAPK pathways using MEK1/2 inhibitor (UO126), p38 inhibitor (SB203580) and JNK and p38 agonist (anisomycin) treatments. Growth-arresting signals are triggered either by transient and sustained JNK activation (by TPA and anisomycin, respectively) or by preventing both ERK and JNK activation (UO126) and are maintained, rather than induced, by p38. We therefore suggest a key role for JNK in controlling ERK-mediated mitogenic activity. Notably, sarcomeric myosin expression is induced by both TPA and UO126 but is abrogated by the p38 inhibitor. This finding indicates a pivotal role for p38 in controlling the myogenic program. Anisomycin persistently activates p38 and JNKs but prevents myosin expression induced by TPA. In accordance with this negative role, reactivation of JNKs by anisomycin, in UO126-pre-treated cells, also prevents myosin expression. This indicates that, unlike the transient JNK activation that occurs in the TPA-mediated myogenic process, long-lasting JNK activation supports the growth-arrest state but antagonises p38-mediated myosin expression. Lastly, our results with the MEK inhibitor suggest a key role of the ERK pathway in regulating myogenic-related morphology in differentiated RD cells.

Biological computational approaches: new hopes to improve (re)programming robustness, regenerative medicine and cancer therapeutics.

PubMed

Ebrahimi, Behnam

2016-01-01

Hundreds of transcription factors (TFs) are expressed and work in each cell type, but the identity of the cells is defined and maintained through the activity of a small number of core TFs. Existing reprogramming strategies predominantly focus on the ectopic expression of core TFs of an intended fate in a given cell type regardless of the state of native/somatic gene regulatory networks (GRNs) of the starting cells. Interestingly, an important point is that how much products of the reprogramming, transdifferentiation and differentiation (programming) are identical to their in vivo counterparts. There is evidence that shows that direct fate conversions of somatic cells are not complete, with target cell identity not fully achieved. Manipulation of core TFs provides a powerful tool for engineering cell fate in terms of extinguishment of native GRNs, the establishment of a new GRN, and preventing installation of aberrant GRNs. Conventionally, core TFs are selected to convert one cell type into another mostly based on literature and the experimental identification of genes that are differentially expressed in one cell type compared to the specific cell types. Currently, there is not a universal standard strategy for identifying candidate core TFs. Remarkably, several biological computational platforms are developed, which are capable of evaluating the fidelity of reprogramming methods and refining existing protocols. The current review discusses some deficiencies of reprogramming technologies in the production of a pure population of authentic target cells. Furthermore, it reviews the role of computational approaches (e.g. CellNet, KeyGenes, Mogrify, etc.) in improving (re)programming methods and consequently in regenerative medicine and cancer therapeutics. Copyright © 2016 International Society of Differentiation. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Postmitotic Expression of SOD1G93A Gene Affects the Identity of Myogenic Cells and Inhibits Myoblasts Differentiation

PubMed Central

Martini, Martina; Dobrowolny, Gabriella; Aucello, Michela; Musarò, Antonio

2015-01-01

To determine the role of mutant SOD1 gene (SOD1G93A) on muscle cell differentiation, we derived C2C12 muscle cell lines carrying a stably transfected SOD1G93A gene under the control of a myosin light chain (MLC) promoter-enhancer cassette. Expression of MLC/SOD1G93A in C2C12 cells resulted in dramatic inhibition of myoblast differentiation. Transfected SOD1G93A gene expression in postmitotic skeletal myocytes downregulated the expression of relevant markers of committed and differentiated myoblasts such as MyoD, Myogenin, MRF4, and the muscle specific miRNA expression. The inhibitory effects of SOD1G93A gene on myogenic program perturbed Akt/p70 and MAPK signaling pathways which promote differentiation cascade. Of note, the inhibition of the myogenic program, by transfected SOD1G93A gene expression, impinged also the identity of myogenic cells. Expression of MLC/SOD1G93A in C2C12 myogenic cells promoted a fibro-adipogenic progenitors (FAPs) phenotype, upregulating HDAC4 protein and preventing the myogenic commitment complex BAF60C-SWI/SNF. We thus identified potential molecular mediators of the inhibitory effects of SOD1G93A on myogenic program and disclosed potential signaling, activated by SOD1G93A, that affect the identity of the myogenic cell population. PMID:26491230

Postmitotic Expression of SOD1(G93A) Gene Affects the Identity of Myogenic Cells and Inhibits Myoblasts Differentiation.

PubMed

Martini, Martina; Dobrowolny, Gabriella; Aucello, Michela; Musarò, Antonio

2015-01-01

To determine the role of mutant SOD1 gene (SOD1(G93A)) on muscle cell differentiation, we derived C2C12 muscle cell lines carrying a stably transfected SOD1(G93A) gene under the control of a myosin light chain (MLC) promoter-enhancer cassette. Expression of MLC/SOD1(G93A) in C2C12 cells resulted in dramatic inhibition of myoblast differentiation. Transfected SOD1(G93A) gene expression in postmitotic skeletal myocytes downregulated the expression of relevant markers of committed and differentiated myoblasts such as MyoD, Myogenin, MRF4, and the muscle specific miRNA expression. The inhibitory effects of SOD1(G93A) gene on myogenic program perturbed Akt/p70 and MAPK signaling pathways which promote differentiation cascade. Of note, the inhibition of the myogenic program, by transfected SOD1(G93A) gene expression, impinged also the identity of myogenic cells. Expression of MLC/SOD1(G93A) in C2C12 myogenic cells promoted a fibro-adipogenic progenitors (FAPs) phenotype, upregulating HDAC4 protein and preventing the myogenic commitment complex BAF60C-SWI/SNF. We thus identified potential molecular mediators of the inhibitory effects of SOD1(G93A) on myogenic program and disclosed potential signaling, activated by SOD1(G93A), that affect the identity of the myogenic cell population.

Stem cell plasticity enables hair regeneration following Lgr5+ cell loss.

PubMed

Hoeck, Joerg D; Biehs, Brian; Kurtova, Antonina V; Kljavin, Noelyn M; de Sousa E Melo, Felipe; Alicke, Bruno; Koeppen, Hartmut; Modrusan, Zora; Piskol, Robert; de Sauvage, Frederic J

2017-06-01

Under injury conditions, dedicated stem cell populations govern tissue regeneration. However, the molecular mechanisms that induce stem cell regeneration and enable plasticity are poorly understood. Here, we investigate stem cell recovery in the context of the hair follicle to understand how two molecularly distinct stem cell populations are integrated. Utilizing diphtheria-toxin-mediated cell ablation of Lgr5 + (leucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein-coupled receptor 5) stem cells, we show that killing of Lgr5 + cells in mice abrogates hair regeneration but this is reversible. During recovery, CD34 + (CD34 antigen) stem cells activate inflammatory response programs and start dividing. Pharmacological attenuation of inflammation inhibits CD34 + cell proliferation. Subsequently, the Wnt pathway controls the recovery of Lgr5 + cells and inhibition of Wnt signalling prevents Lgr5 + cell and hair germ recovery. Thus, our study uncovers a compensatory relationship between two stem cell populations and the underlying molecular mechanisms that enable hair follicle regeneration.

75 FR 80734 - Chronic Beryllium Disease Prevention Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-23

... Disease Prevention Program AGENCY: Office of Health, Safety and Security, Department of Energy. ACTION... and comments on issues related to its current chronic beryllium disease prevention program. The... disease prevention program. DATES: All comments on the issues presented in this document must be received...

Inflammation-induced IgA+ cells dismantle anti-liver cancer immunity

PubMed Central

Shalapour, Shabnam; Lin, Xue-Jia; Bastian, Ingmar N.; Brain, John; Burt, Alastair D.; Aksenov, Alexander A.; Vrbanac, Alison F.; Li, Weihua; Perkins, Andres; Matsutani, Takaji; Zhong, Zhenyu; Dhar, Debanjan; Navas-Molina, Jose A.; Xu, Jun; Loomba, Rohit; Downes, Michael; Yu, Ruth T.; Evans, Ronald M.; Dorrestein, Pieter C.; Knight, Rob; Benner, Christopher; Anstee, Quentin M.; Karin, Michael

2018-01-01

The role of adaptive immunity in early cancer development is controversial. Here we show that chronic inflammation and fibrosis in humans and mice with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is accompanied by accumulation of liver-resident immunoglobulin-A-producing (IgA+) cells. These cells also express programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and interleukin-10, and directly suppress liver cytotoxic CD8+ T lymphocytes, which prevent emergence of hepatocellular carcinoma and express a limited repertoire of T-cell receptors against tumour-associated antigens. Whereas CD8+ T-cell ablation accelerates hepatocellular carcinoma, genetic or pharmacological interference with IgA+ cell generation attenuates liver carcinogenesis and induces cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-mediated regression of established hepatocellular carcinoma. These findings establish the importance of inflammation-induced suppression of cytotoxic CD8+ T-lymphocyte activation as a tumour-promoting mechanism. PMID:29144460

Twin plants from supernumerary egg cells in Arabidopsis.

PubMed

Kong, Jixiang; Lau, Steffen; Jürgens, Gerd

2015-01-19

Sexual reproduction of flowering plants is distinguished by double fertilization—the two sperm cells delivered by a pollen tube fuse with the two gametic cells of the female gametophyte, the egg and the central cell—inside the ovule to give rise to the embryo and the nutritive endosperm, respectively. The pollen tube is attracted by nongametic synergid cells, and how these two cells of the female gametophyte are specified is currently unclear. Here, we show that ALTERED MERISTEM PROGRAM 1 (AMP1), encoding a protein associated with the endoplasmic reticulum, is required for synergid cell fate during Arabidopsis female gametophyte development. Loss of AMP1 function leads to supernumerary egg cells at the expense of synergids, enabling the generation of dizygotic twins. However, if twin embryos are formed, endosperm formation is prevented, eventually resulting in ovule abortion. The latter can be overcome by the delivery of supernumerary sperm cells in tetraspore (tes) pollen, enabling the formation of twin plants. Thus, both primary and supernumerary egg cells are fully functional in amp1 mutant plants. Sporophytic AMP1 expression is sufficient to prevent cell-fate change of synergids, indicating that one or more AMP1-dependent mobile signals from outside the female gametophyte can contribute to its patterning, in addition to the previously reported lateral inhibition between gametophytic cells. Our results provide insight into the mechanism of synergid fate specification and emphasize the importance of specifying only one egg cell within the female gametophyte to ensure central-cell fertilization by the second sperm cell. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An overview of the effectiveness and efficiency of HIV prevention programs.

PubMed Central

Holtgrave, D R; Qualls, N L; Curran, J W; Valdiserri, R O; Guinan, M E; Parra, W C

1995-01-01

Because of the enormity of the HIV-AIDS epidemic and the urgency for preventing transmission, HIV prevention programs are a high priority for careful and timely evaluations. Information on program effectiveness and efficiency is needed for decision-making about future HIV prevention priorities. General characteristics of successful HIV prevention programs, programs empirically evaluated and found to change (or not change) high-risk behaviors or in need of further empirical study, and economic evaluations of certain programs are described and summarized with attention limited to programs that have a behavioral basis. HIV prevention programs have an impact on averting or reducing risk behaviors, particularly when they are delivered with sufficient resources, intensity, and cultural competency and are based on a firm foundation of behavioral and social science theory and past research. Economic evaluations have found that some of these behaviorally based programs yield net economic benefits to society, and others are likely cost-effective (even if not cost-saving) relative to other health programs. Still, specific improvements should be made in certain HIV prevention programs. PMID:7630989

Long-term AICAR administration and exercise prevents diabetes in ZDF rats.

PubMed

Pold, Rasmus; Jensen, Lasse S; Jessen, Niels; Buhl, Esben S; Schmitz, Ole; Flyvbjerg, Allan; Fujii, Nobuharu; Goodyear, Laurie J; Gotfredsen, Carsten F; Brand, Christian L; Lund, Sten

2005-04-01

Lifestyle interventions including exercise programs are cornerstones in the prevention of obesity-related diabetes. The AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has been proposed to be responsible for many of the beneficial effects of exercise on glucose and lipid metabolism. The effects of long-term exercise training or 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-beta-d-riboruranoside (AICAR) treatment, both known AMPK activators, on the development of diabetes in male Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats were examined. Five-week-old, pre-diabetic ZDF rats underwent daily treadmill running or AICAR treatment over an 8-week period and were compared with an untreated group. In contrast to the untreated, both the exercised and AICAR-treated rats did not develop hyperglycemia during the intervention period. Whole-body insulin sensitivity, as assessed by a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp at the end of the intervention period, was markedly increased in the exercised and AICAR-treated animals compared with the untreated ZDF rats (P < 0.01). In addition, pancreatic beta-cell morphology was almost normal in the exercised and AICAR-treated animals, indicating that chronic AMPK activation in vivo might preserve beta-cell function. Our results suggest that activation of AMPK may represent a therapeutic approach to improve insulin action and prevent a decrease in beta-cell function associated with type 2 diabetes.

Cancer prevention and therapy through the modulation of the tumor microenvironment

PubMed Central

Casey, Stephanie C.; Amedei, Amedeo; Aquilano, Katia; Benencia, Fabian; Bhakta, Dipita; Boosani, Chandra S.; Chen, Sophie; Ciriolo, Maria Rosa; Crawford, Sarah; Fujii, Hiromasa; Georgakilas, Alexandros G.; Guha, Gunjan; Halicka, Dorota; Helferich, William G.; Heneberg, Petr; Honoki, Kanya; Kerkar, Sid P.; Mohammed, Sulma I.; Niccolai, Elena; Nowsheen, Somaira; Rupasinghe, H. P. Vasantha; Samadi, Abbas; Singh, Neetu; Talib, Wamidh H.; Venkateswaran, Vasundara; Whelan, Richard; Yang, Xujuan; Felsher, Dean W.

2015-01-01

Cancer arises in the context of an in vivo tumor microenvironment. This microenvironment is both a cause and consequence of tumorigenesis. Tumor and host cells co-evolve dynamically through indirect and direct cellular interactions, eliciting multiscale effects on many biological programs, including cellular proliferation, growth, and metabolism, as well as angiogenesis and hypoxia and innate and adapative immunity. Here we highlight specific biological processes that could be exploited as targets for the prevention and therapy of cancer. Specifically, we describe how inhibition of targets such as cholesterol synthesis and metabolites, reactive oxygen species and hypoxia, macrophage activation and conversion, indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase regulation of dendritic cells, vascular endothelial growth factor regulation of angiogenesis, fibrosis inhibition, endoglin, and Janus kinase signaling emerge as examples of important potential nexuses in the regulation of tumorigenesis and the tumor microenvironment that can be targeted. We have also identified therapeutic agents as approaches, in particular natural products such as berberine, resveratrol, onionin A, epigallocatechin gallate, genistein, curcumin, naringenin, desoxyrhapontigenin, piperine, and zerumbone, that may warrant further investigation to target the tumor microenvironment for the treatment and/or prevention of cancer. PMID:25865775

An Evaluation of the Implementation Fidelity and Outcomes of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program in Three Elementary Schools in Virginia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, Barbara F.

2013-01-01

Bullying continues to be a major concern in schools today. Many schools have implemented some type of bullying prevention program. The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program is one of these programs. Evaluation of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program is typically done through the administration of the Olweus Bullying Questionnaire to students and…

Die Another Day: Inhibition of Cell Death Pathways by Cytomegalovirus.

PubMed

Brune, Wolfram; Andoniou, Christopher E

2017-09-02

Multicellular organisms have evolved multiple genetically programmed cell death pathways that are essential for homeostasis. The finding that many viruses encode cell death inhibitors suggested that cellular suicide also functions as a first line of defence against invading pathogens. This theory was confirmed by studying viral mutants that lack certain cell death inhibitors. Cytomegaloviruses, a family of species-specific viruses, have proved particularly useful in this respect. Cytomegaloviruses are known to encode multiple death inhibitors that are required for efficient viral replication. Here, we outline the mechanisms used by the host cell to detect cytomegalovirus infection and discuss the methods employed by the cytomegalovirus family to prevent death of the host cell. In addition to enhancing our understanding of cytomegalovirus pathogenesis we detail how this research has provided significant insights into the cross-talk that exists between the various cell death pathways.

Immunologic considerations for generating memory CD8 T cells through vaccination.

PubMed

Butler, Noah S; Nolz, Jeffrey C; Harty, John T

2011-07-01

Following infection or vaccination, naïve CD8 T cells that receive the appropriate integration of antigenic, co-stimulatory and inflammatory signals undergo a programmed series of biological changes that ultimately results in the generation of memory cells. Memory CD8 T cells, in contrast to naïve cells, more effectively limit or prevent pathogen re-infection because of both qualitative and quantitative changes that occur following their induction. Unlike vaccination strategies aimed at generating antibody production, the ability to generate protective memory CD8 T cells has proven more complicated and problematic. However, recent experimental results have revealed important principles regarding the molecular and genetic basis for memory CD8 T cell formation, as well as identified ways to manipulate their development through vaccination, resulting in potential new avenues to enhance protective immunity. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Cancer prevention: state of the art and future prospects.

PubMed

Valle, I; Tramalloni, D; Bragazzi, N L

2015-06-10

Cancer imposes a heavy societal burden worldwide, in terms of both epidemiology and costs. The introduction of more sophisticated imaging and diagnostic techniques and advanced drugs that specifically target tumor cells is leading to increasingly expensive treatments, which may be affordable only for few patients. Prevention, and particularly primary prevention, is an effective way of addressing the challenging issue of cancer, since between a third and a half of cancers could be prevented on the basis of our current knowledge of risk factors. Moreover, prevention is cost-effective, its effects are not limited to high-risk subjects but extend to the entire population, and it is not dependent on socioeconomic status. Regulatory measures can have a broad impact, even on future generations; by empowering and educating subjects, promoting healthy behaviours and teaching self-care, they can trigger a virtuous cycle. In recent decades, oncology has shifted from being merely reactive to being proactive; this shift has led to the development of so-called "P4 medicine", where the 4 Ps stand for "preventive", "predictive", "personalized" and "participatory". Prevention programs are an important part of the effort to control cancer, as they are able to reduce both the incidence of cancer and mortality. For instance, screening for colorectal, breast and cervical cancer is reducing the burden of these common tumors. Anti-cancer vaccines, both prophylactic and therapeutic, constitute another important preventive tool. Although progress has been made in these areas, much remains to be done. With regard to screening programs, coverage could be increased by introducing new, more acceptable, less invasive tests, stratifying screening through correlation with anamnestic, clinical, radiological and genomic data (so-called "populationbased personalized cancer screening"), and exploiting new information and communication technologies, such as smartphone applications or personalized text messages (so-called "screening 2.0"). Advocacy and recommendations by physicians can also play a role, in that eligible subjects need to be able to discuss their doubts and their perceived psycho-social barriers. However, new screening initiatives should be implemented only after a careful health technology assessment has been performed within the framework of evidence-based medicine, organized screening programs have been strengthened and opportunistic or spontaneous programs have been limited. © Copyright by Pacini Editore SpA, Pisa, Italy.

Systematic review: internet-based program for youth smoking prevention and cessation.

PubMed

Park, Eunhee; Drake, Emily

2015-01-01

To review the characteristics and effects Internet-based youth smoking prevention and cessation programs. Systematic review of published articles in peer-reviewed journals in the past 10 years, focused on Internet-based youth smoking prevention and cessation programs. Twelve articles were selected based on the following criteria: studies reporting the outcomes of Internet-based smoking cessation or prevention intervention programs for adolescents who are younger than 24 years. The components of youth Internet-based smoking intervention programs are analyzed based on study features (i.e., sample, design, theoretical basis, analysis, outcome measures) and program characteristics (i.e., focus, setting, frequency, duration, intensity, and different components) that make the programs effective. The most common components of effective Internet-based programs are identified as the following: the use of multimedia, tailored approaches, personalized feedback, and interactive features. The characteristics and effects of the programs vary, but most programs show positive results in youth smoking prevention and cessation in spite of the studies' limitations. The evidence from this review provides useful information of recent efforts related to Internet-based youth smoking prevention and cessation programs, which can have significant clinical implications in developing future innovative youth smoking prevention and intervention programs. © 2014 Sigma Theta Tau International.

A systematic review of evaluated suicide prevention programs targeting indigenous youth.

PubMed

Harlow, Alyssa F; Bohanna, India; Clough, Alan

2014-01-01

Indigenous young people have significantly higher suicide rates than their non-indigenous counterparts. There is a need for culturally appropriate and effective suicide prevention programs for this demographic. This review assesses suicide prevention programs that have been evaluated for indigenous youth in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States. The databases MEDLINE and PsycINFO were searched for publications on suicide prevention programs targeting indigenous youth that include reports on evaluations and outcomes. Program content, indigenous involvement, evaluation design, program implementation, and outcomes were assessed for each article. The search yielded 229 articles; 90 abstracts were assessed, and 11 articles describing nine programs were reviewed. Two Australian programs and seven American programs were included. Programs were culturally tailored, flexible, and incorporated multiple-levels of prevention. No randomized controlled trials were found, and many programs employed ad hoc evaluations, poor program description, and no process evaluation. Despite culturally appropriate content, the results of the review indicate that more controlled study designs using planned evaluations and valid outcome measures are needed in research on indigenous youth suicide prevention. Such changes may positively influence the future of research on indigenous youth suicide prevention as the outcomes and efficacy will be more reliable.

Optimizing Implementation of Obesity Prevention Programs: A Qualitative Investigation Within a Large-Scale Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Kozica, Samantha L; Teede, Helena J; Harrison, Cheryce L; Klein, Ruth; Lombard, Catherine B

2016-01-01

The prevalence of obesity in rural and remote areas is elevated in comparison to urban populations, highlighting the need for interventions targeting obesity prevention in these settings. Implementing evidence-based obesity prevention programs is challenging. This study aimed to investigate factors influencing the implementation of obesity prevention programs, including adoption, program delivery, community uptake, and continuation, specifically within rural settings. Nested within a large-scale randomized controlled trial, a qualitative exploratory approach was adopted, with purposive sampling techniques utilized, to recruit stakeholders from 41 small rural towns in Australia. In-depth semistructured interviews were conducted with clinical health professionals, health service managers, and local government employees. Open coding was completed independently by 2 investigators and thematic analysis undertaken. In-depth interviews revealed that obesity prevention programs were valued by the rural workforce. Program implementation is influenced by interrelated factors across: (1) contextual factors and (2) organizational capacity. Key recommendations to manage the challenges of implementing evidence-based programs focused on reducing program delivery costs, aided by the provision of a suite of implementation and evaluation resources. Informing the scale-up of future prevention programs, stakeholders highlighted the need to build local rural capacity through developing supportive university partnerships, generating local program ownership and promoting active feedback to all program partners. We demonstrate that the rural workforce places a high value on obesity prevention programs. Our results inform the future scale-up of obesity prevention programs, providing an improved understanding of strategies to optimize implementation of evidence-based prevention programs. © 2015 National Rural Health Association.

Premature aging/senescence in cancer cells facing therapy: good or bad?

PubMed

Gonzalez, Llilians Calvo; Ghadaouia, Sabrina; Martinez, Aurélie; Rodier, Francis

2016-02-01

Normal and cancer cells facing their demise following exposure to radio-chemotherapy can actively participate in choosing their subsequent fate. These programmed cell fate decisions include true cell death (apoptosis-necroptosis) and therapy-induced cellular senescence (TIS), a permanent "proliferative arrest" commonly portrayed as premature cellular aging. Despite a permanent loss of proliferative potential, senescent cells remain viable and are highly bioactive at the microenvironment level, resulting in a prolonged impact on tissue architecture and functions. Cellular senescence is primarily documented as a tumor suppression mechanism that prevents cellular transformation. In the context of normal tissues, cellular senescence also plays important roles in tissue repair, but contributes to age-associated tissue dysfunction when senescent cells accumulate. Theoretically, in multi-step cancer progression models, cancer cells have already bypassed cellular senescence during their immortalization step (see hallmarks of cancer). It is then perhaps surprising to find that cancer cells often retain the ability to undergo TIS, or premature aging. This occurs because cellular senescence results from multiple signalling pathways, some retained in cancer cells, aiming to prevent cell cycle progression in damaged cells. Since senescent cancer cells persist after therapy and secrete an array of cytokines and growth factors that can modulate the tumor microenvironment, these cells may have beneficial and detrimental effects regarding immune modulation and survival of remaining proliferation-competent cancer cells. Similarly, while normal cells undergoing senescence are believed to remain indefinitely growth arrested, whether this is true for senescent cancer cells remains unclear, raising the possibility that these cells may represent a reservoir for cancer recurrence after treatment. This review discusses our current knowledge on cancer cell senescence and highlight questions that must be addressed to fully understand the beneficial and detrimental impacts of cellular senescence during cancer therapy.

Preventing Exertional Death in Military Trainees: Recommendations and Treatment Algorithms From a Multidisciplinary Working Group.

PubMed

Webber, Bryant J; Casa, Douglas J; Beutler, Anthony I; Nye, Nathaniel S; Trueblood, Wesley E; O'Connor, Francis G

2016-04-01

Despite aggressive prevention programs and strategies, nontraumatic exertional sudden death events in military training continue to prove a difficult challenge for the Department of Defense. In November 2014, the 559th Medical Group at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, hosted a working group on sudden exertional death in military training. Their objectives were three-fold: (1) determine best practices to prevent sudden exertional death of military trainees, (2) determine best practices to establish safe and ethical training environments for military trainees with sickle cell trait, and (3) develop field-ready algorithms for managing military trainees who collapse during exertion. This article summarizes the major findings and recommendations of the working group. Reprint & Copyright © 2016 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

Substance use among Asian-American adolescents: perceptions of use and preferences for prevention programming.

PubMed

Fang, Lin; Barnes-Ceeney, Kevin; Lee, Rebecca A; Tao, John

2011-01-01

Rarely has substance use prevention programming targeted Asian-American adolescents. Using a focus group methodology, we explored perceptions of substance use and preferences for prevention programming among 31 Asian-American adolescents in New York City. Participants considered substance use common in the community. Factors contributing to substance use among Asian-American adolescents (e.g., peer pressure, pressure to achieve, family factors, and community influence) were identified, and the need for prevention programs tailored for the Asian-American community was highlighted. Participants discussed preferred program content, delivery settings, and recruitment and retention strategies. Despite the favorable attitude for family-based prevention programming, participants raised potential issues concerning the feasibility of such a program. Study findings facilitate understanding of Asian-American adolescents' substance use behavior and shed light on prevention program development for this underserved population.

The transcription factors Thpok and LRF are necessary and partly redundant for T helper cell differentiation

PubMed Central

Carpenter, Andrea C.; Grainger, John R.; Xiong, Yumei; Kanno, Yuka; Chu, H. Hamlet; Wang, Lie; Naik, Shruti; dos Santos, Liliane; Wei, Lai; Jenkins, Marc K.; O’Shea, John J.; Belkaid, Yasmine; Bosselut, Rémy

2014-01-01

Summary T helper (Th) cells are critical for defenses against infection and recognize peptides bound to Class II Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC-II) molecules. Although transcription factors have been identified that direct helper cells into specific effector fates, whether a ‘master’ regulator controls the developmental program common to all Th cells remains unclear. Here we showed that the two transcription factors Thpok and LRF share this function. Although disruption of both factors did not prevent the generation of MHC II-specific T cells, these cells failed to express Th cell genes or undergo Th cell differentiation in vivo. In contrast, T cells lacking Thpok only displayed LRF-dependent functions and contributed to multiple effector responses, both in vitro and in vivo, with the notable exception of Th2 cell responses that control extra-cellular parasites. These findings identify the Thpok-LRF pair as a core node of Th cell differentiation and function. PMID:23041065

[Biological experiments on "Kosmos-1887"].

PubMed

Alpatov, A M; I'lin, E A; Antipov, V V; Tairbekov, M G

1989-01-01

In the 13-ray space flight on Kosmos-1887 various experiments in the field of cell biology, genetics, biorhythm, developmental biology and regeneration were performed using bacteria, protozoa, plants, worms, insects, fish and amphibia. Paramecia showed enhanced cell proliferation, spheroidization and diminished protein content. Experiments on fruit-flies, newt oocytes and primate lymphocytes confirmed involvement of the cell genetic apparatus in responses to microgravity. Beetles exhibited a reduction of the length of the spontaneous period of freely running circadian rhythms. Carausius morosus developed latent changes in early embryogenesis which manifested at later stages of ontogenesis. Exposure to microgravity did not prevent recovery of injured tissues; moreover their regeneration may be accelerated after recovery. Biology research programs in future biosatellite flights are discussed.

p53-dependent programmed necrosis controls germ cell homeostasis during spermatogenesis

PubMed Central

Napoletano, Francesco; Vincent, Stéphane; Favrot, Clémentine; Mehlen, Patrick; Girard, Victor; Chatelain, Gilles; Walter, Ludivine; Arama, Eli

2017-01-01

The importance of regulated necrosis in pathologies such as cerebral stroke and myocardial infarction is now fully recognized. However, the physiological relevance of regulated necrosis remains unclear. Here, we report a conserved role for p53 in regulating necrosis in Drosophila and mammalian spermatogenesis. We found that Drosophila p53 is required for the programmed necrosis that occurs spontaneously in mitotic germ cells during spermatogenesis. This form of necrosis involved an atypical function of the initiator caspase Dronc/Caspase 9, independent of its catalytic activity. Prevention of p53-dependent necrosis resulted in testicular hyperplasia, which was reversed by restoring necrosis in spermatogonia. In mouse testes, p53 was required for heat-induced germ cell necrosis, indicating that regulation of necrosis is a primordial function of p53 conserved from invertebrates to vertebrates. Drosophila and mouse spermatogenesis will thus be useful models to identify inducers of necrosis to treat cancers that are refractory to apoptosis. PMID:28945745

Terrestrial applications of FEP-encapsulated solar cell modules. [power systems using Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene encapsulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Forestieri, A. F.; Ratajczak, A. F.

1974-01-01

The NASA-Lewis Research Center program of transferring the FEP-encapsulated solar cell technology developed for the space program to terrestrial applications is presented. The electrical power system design and the array mechanical design are described, and power systems being tested are discussed. The latter are located at NOAA-RAMOS weather stations at Sterling, Va., and Mammoth Mountain, Calif.; on the roof of the Lewis Research Center; on a NOAA-Coast Guard buoy in the Gulf of Mexico; in a U.S. Forest Service mountaintop voice repeater station in the Inyo National Forest, Calif., and in a backpack charger for portable transmitter/receivers being used in the same place. Preliminary results of testing are still incomplete, but show that rime ice can cause cracks in modular cells without damaging the FEP though, which keeps the grid lines intact, and that electrically active elements of the module must be completely sealed from salt water to prevent FEP delamination.

Sustaining Teen Pregnancy Prevention Programs in Schools: Needs and Barriers Identified by School Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Craft, Lesley R.; Brandt, Heather M.; Prince, Mary

2016-01-01

Background: To reduce teen pregnancy rates, prevention programs must be consistently available to large numbers of youth. However, prevention efforts have been historically conducted with little emphasis on ensuring program sustainability. This study examined the needs and barriers to sustaining teen pregnancy prevention (TPP) programming in…

Developing Childhood Injury Prevention Programs: An Administrative Guide for State Maternal and Child Health (Title V) Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Birch & Davis Associates, Inc., Silver Spring, MD.

Based primarily on the experience of three childhood injury prevention demonstration projects, this manual provides state Title V program directors with an action guide for developing targeted childhood injury prevention programs. The manual is divided into four sections: background; program planning; program design; and program implementation and…

Reactive oxygen species activate differentiation gene transcription of acute myeloid leukemia cells via the JNK/c-JUN signaling pathway.

PubMed

Lam, Chung Fan; Yeung, Hoi Ting; Lam, Yuk Man; Ng, Ray Kit

2018-05-01

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and altered cellular redox status are associated with many malignancies. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells are maintained at immature state by differentiation blockade, which involves deregulation of transcription factors in myeloid differentiation. AML cells can be induced to differentiate by phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA), which possesses pro-oxidative activity. However, the signaling events mediated by ROS in the activation of transcriptional program during AML differentiation has not been fully elucidated. Here, we investigated AML cell differentiation by treatment with PMA and ROS scavenger N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC). We observed elevation of intracellular ROS level in the PMA-treated AML cells, which correlated with differentiated cell morphology and increased CD11b + mature cell population. The effect of PMA can be abolished by NAC co-treatment, supporting the involvement of ROS in the process. Moreover, we demonstrated that short ROS elevation mediated cell cycle arrest, but failed to activate myeloid gene transcription; whereas prolonged ROS elevation activated JNK/c-JUN signaling pathway. Inhibition of JNK suppressed the expression of key myeloid transcriptional regulators c-JUN, SPI-1 and MAFB, and prevented AML cells from undergoing terminal differentiation. These findings provide new insights into the crucial role of JNK/c-Jun signaling pathway in the activation of transcriptional program during ROS-mediated AML differentiation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prevention of diabetes in overweight/obese children through a family based intervention program including supervised exercise (PREDIKID project): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Arenaza, Lide; Medrano, María; Amasene, María; Rodríguez-Vigil, Beatriz; Díez, Ignacio; Graña, Manuel; Tobalina, Ignacio; Maiz, Edurne; Arteche, Edurne; Larrarte, Eider; Huybrechts, Inge; Davis, Catherine L; Ruiz, Jonatan R; Ortega, Francisco B; Margareto, Javier; Labayen, Idoia

2017-08-10

The global pandemic of obesity has led to an increased risk for prediabetes and type-2 diabetes (T2D). The aims of the current project are: (1) to evaluate the effect of a 22-week family based intervention program, including supervised exercise, on insulin resistance syndrome (IRS) risk in children with a high risk of developing T2D and (2) to identify the profile of microRNA in circulating exosomes and in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in children with a high risk of developing T2D and its response to a multidisciplinary intervention program including exercise. A total of 84 children, aged 8-12 years, with a high risk of T2D will be included and randomly assigned to control (N = 42) or intervention (N = 42) groups. The control group will receive a family based lifestyle education and psycho-educational program (2 days/month), while the intervention group will attend the same lifestyle education and psycho-educational program plus the exercise program (3 days/week, 90 min per session including warm-up, moderate to vigorous aerobic activities, and strength exercises). The following measurements will be evaluated at baseline prior to randomization and after the intervention: fasting insulin, glucose and hemoglobin A1c; body composition (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry); ectopic fat (magnetic resonance imaging); microRNA expression in circulating exosomes and in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (MiSeq; Illumina); cardiorespiratory fitness (cardiopulmonary exercise testing); dietary habits and physical activity (accelerometry). Prevention and identification of children with a high risk of developing T2D could help to improve their cardiovascular health and to reduce the comorbidities associated with obesity. ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT03027726 . Registered on 16 January 2017.

The National Cross-Site Evaluation of High-Risk Youth Programs. Preventing Substance Abuse: Major Findings from the National Cross-Site Evaluation of High-Risk Youth Programs. Monograph Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Springer, J. Fred; Sambrano, Soledad; Sale, Elizabeth; Kasim, Rafa; Herman, Jack

This multiple-site study assessed 48 prevention programs for high-risk youth funded by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, identifying program characteristics associated with strong substance abuse prevention outcomes. Data analysis indicated that substance abuse programs reduced rates of substance use, and the positive effects of program…

What Have We Learned about Preventing Child Abuse? An Overview of the "Community and Minority Group Action to Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect" Program. Prevention Focus Working Paper No. 009.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gray, Ellen

Results from the evaluation of 11 demonstration programs designed to prevent child abuse are summarized in this working paper. The programs were of three types: perinatal programs; community-wide education, information, and referral projects; and culturally relevant parent education efforts. The four perinatal programs focused on extended…

14 CFR 91.1425 - CAMP: Maintenance, preventive maintenance, and alteration programs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... RULES Fractional Ownership Operations Program Management § 91.1425 CAMP: Maintenance, preventive maintenance, and alteration programs. Each program manager who maintains program aircraft under a CAMP must... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false CAMP: Maintenance, preventive maintenance...

Reinterpreting Dissemination of Prevention Programs as Widespread Implementation with Effectiveness and Fidelity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elias, Maurice J.

This article urges a reexamination of the concept of dissemination of health-related prevention programs. The article discusses factors that serve as sustaining conditions for dissemination of prevention programs including: (1) the nature of preventive intervention and parameters of effective community-based prevention praxis; (2) aspects of the…

A Meta-Analytic Review of Obesity Prevention Programs for Children and Adolescents: The Skinny on Interventions that Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stice, Eric; Shaw, Heather; Marti, C. Nathan

2006-01-01

This meta-analytic review summarizes obesity prevention programs and their effects and investigates participant, intervention, delivery, and design features associated with larger effects. A literature search identified 64 prevention programs seeking to produce weight gain prevention effects, of which 21% produced significant prevention effects…

Proximate Effects of a Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Program in Elementary School Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hebert, Martine; Lavoie, Francine; Piche, Christiane; Poitras, Michele

2001-01-01

The effects of the sexual child abuse prevention program ESPACE were evaluated with 133 Canadian children (grades 1-3). Children participating in the prevention program showed greater preventive knowledge and skills relative to children not participating. Follow-up data showed knowledge gains were maintained while the preventive skill gains may…

10 CFR Appendix A to Part 850 - Chronic Beryllium Disease Prevention Program Informed Consent Form

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Chronic Beryllium Disease Prevention Program Informed Consent Form A Appendix A to Part 850 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY CHRONIC BERYLLIUM DISEASE PREVENTION PROGRAM Pt. 850, App. A Appendix A to Part 850—Chronic Beryllium Disease Prevention Program Informed...

10 CFR Appendix A to Part 850 - Chronic Beryllium Disease Prevention Program Informed Consent Form

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Chronic Beryllium Disease Prevention Program Informed Consent Form A Appendix A to Part 850 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY CHRONIC BERYLLIUM DISEASE PREVENTION PROGRAM Pt. 850, App. A Appendix A to Part 850—Chronic Beryllium Disease Prevention Program Informed...

"Helping Communities To Help Themselves." Twenty 1989 Exemplary Prevention Programs for Preventing Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse. Project Summaries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors, Inc.

Twenty exemplary substance abuse prevention programs are presented in this document. These programs are included: (1) Tuba City, Arizona, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) Prevention Program; (2) Chemical Addiction Course, University of Arkansas; (3) "Teens Are Concerned" of Arkansas; (4) "Dare to be You of Colorado"; (5) Winyan…

10 CFR Appendix A to Part 850 - Chronic Beryllium Disease Prevention Program Informed Consent Form

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Chronic Beryllium Disease Prevention Program Informed Consent Form A Appendix A to Part 850 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY CHRONIC BERYLLIUM DISEASE PREVENTION PROGRAM Pt. 850, App. A Appendix A to Part 850—Chronic Beryllium Disease Prevention Program Informed...

10 CFR Appendix A to Part 850 - Chronic Beryllium Disease Prevention Program Informed Consent Form

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Chronic Beryllium Disease Prevention Program Informed Consent Form A Appendix A to Part 850 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY CHRONIC BERYLLIUM DISEASE PREVENTION PROGRAM Pt. 850, App. A Appendix A to Part 850—Chronic Beryllium Disease Prevention Program Informed...

10 CFR Appendix A to Part 850 - Chronic Beryllium Disease Prevention Program Informed Consent Form

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Chronic Beryllium Disease Prevention Program Informed Consent Form A Appendix A to Part 850 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY CHRONIC BERYLLIUM DISEASE PREVENTION PROGRAM Pt. 850, App. A Appendix A to Part 850—Chronic Beryllium Disease Prevention Program Informed...

A Drop-Out Prevention Program for High-Risk Inner-City Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lever, Nancy; Sander, Mark A.; Lombardo, Sylvie; Randall, Camille; Axelrod, Jennifer; Rubenstein, Michelle; Weist, Mark D.

2004-01-01

Inner-city youth are at high risk for dropping out of high school. Within this article, risk factors associated with dropout and strategies for effective prevention and intervention are reviewed. An example of a school-based drop-out prevention program is highlighted. The FUTURES Program is a school-based drop-out prevention program designed to…

Participation in Prevention Programs for Dating Violence: Beliefs about Relationship Violence and Intention to Participate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cornelius, Tara L.; Sullivan, Kieran T.; Wyngarden, Nicole; Milliken, Jennifer C.

2009-01-01

This study utilizes the Health Belief Model (HBM) to examine the factors related to the intention to participate in prevention programming for dating violence. Perceptions of susceptibility to future violence and the benefits of prevention programming appear to be the strongest predictors of participation in prevention programs. Perceptions of the…

Juvenile hormone counteracts the bHLH-PAS transcription factors MET and GCE to prevent caspase-dependent programmed cell death in Drosophila.

PubMed

Liu, Ying; Sheng, Zhentao; Liu, Hanhan; Wen, Di; He, Qianyu; Wang, Sheng; Shao, Wei; Jiang, Rong-Jing; An, Shiheng; Sun, Yaning; Bendena, William G; Wang, Jian; Gilbert, Lawrence I; Wilson, Thomas G; Song, Qisheng; Li, Sheng

2009-06-01

Juvenile hormone (JH) regulates many developmental and physiological events in insects, but its molecular mechanism remains conjectural. Here we report that genetic ablation of the corpus allatum cells of the Drosophila ring gland (the JH source) resulted in JH deficiency, pupal lethality and precocious and enhanced programmed cell death (PCD) of the larval fat body. In the fat body of the JH-deficient animals, Dronc and Drice, two caspase genes that are crucial for PCD induced by the molting hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E), were significantly upregulated. These results demonstrated that JH antagonizes 20E-induced PCD by restricting the mRNA levels of Dronc and Drice. The antagonizing effect of JH on 20E-induced PCD in the fat body was further confirmed in the JH-deficient animals by 20E treatment and RNA interference of the 20E receptor EcR. Moreover, MET and GCE, the bHLH-PAS transcription factors involved in JH action, were shown to induce PCD by upregulating Dronc and Drice. In the Met- and gce-deficient animals, Dronc and Drice were downregulated, whereas in the Met-overexpression fat body, Dronc and Drice were significantly upregulated leading to precocious and enhanced PCD, and this upregulation could be suppressed by application of the JH agonist methoprene. For the first time, we demonstrate that JH counteracts MET and GCE to prevent caspase-dependent PCD in controlling fat body remodeling and larval-pupal metamorphosis in Drosophila.

What's culture got to do with it? Prevention programs for African American adolescent girls.

PubMed

Corneille, Maya A; Ashcroft, Amie M; Belgrave, Faye Z

2005-11-01

This paper examines prevention programming for African American girls by placing the prevention process within the larger African and African American cultural context. We provide an overview of the theories and issues we consider most relevant to African American culture, including Africentric theory, ethnic identity, gender identity and relational theory, developmental issues, the community context, and historical considerations. Drawing from our own drug prevention work, we provide examples of how to incorporate culture into prevention programs to make them most relevant for the target population. We also summarize our own efforts to create culturally appropriate prevention interventions and their impact on the girls in our programs. We conclude with suggested directions for future research into culture-specific prevention programs.

Commentary on Foubert, Godin, & Tatum (2010): the evolution of sexual violence prevention and the urgency for effectiveness.

PubMed

Tharp, Andra Teten; DeGue, Sarah; Lang, Karen; Valle, Linda Anne; Massetti, Greta; Holt, Melissa; Matjasko, Jennifer

2011-11-01

Foubert, Godin, and Tatum describe qualitative effects among college men of The Men's Program, a one-session sexual violence prevention program. This article and the program it describes are representative of many sexual violence prevention programs that are in practice and provide an opportunity for a brief discussion of the development and evaluation of sexual violence prevention approaches. In this commentary, we will focus on two considerations for an evolving field: the adherence to the principles of prevention and the use of rigorous evaluation methods to demonstrate effectiveness. We argue that the problem of sexual violence has created urgency for effective prevention programs and that scientific and prevention standards provide the best foundation to meet this need.

Alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use prevention programs in U.S. schools: a descriptive summary.

PubMed

Kumar, Revathy; O'Malley, Patrick M; Johnston, Lloyd D; Laetz, Virginia B

2013-12-01

This report identifies the prevalence of state, local, and commercially developed substance abuse prevention programs in middle and high schools from 2001 to 2007, using survey data from nationally representative samples of 1,206 schools. Based on school administrators' reports, schools and school districts offer students an average of 1.62 prevention programs during their school years from elementary through high school. Bivariate and multivariate regression analyses were conducted with school demographic characteristics public versus private, size, population density, region of the country, school race/ethnic composition, and socioeconomic status of the student body (SES) as predictors of total number of programs that students received and of the relative use of local, state, and commercial programs. Schools in the West had significantly fewer prevention programs than those in other regions of the country. Students in predominantly White and in higher SES schools received significantly more prevention programs than students in majority African American, majority Hispanic, or in lower SES affluent schools. The most frequently reported programs that students received were locally developed. D.A.R.E. was the most widely adopted prevention program. Findings from this study suggest that schools often develop their own curriculum to suit their students' needs, and students are exposed to multiple prevention programs through their school years, making it difficult to examine the effectiveness of any single program in preventing and reducing substance use among students.

20 CFR 632.125 - Responsibilities of Native American grantees, subgrantees and contractors for preventing fraud...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

..., subgrantees and contractors for preventing fraud and program abuse and for general program management. 632.125... and for general program management. (a) Each Native American grantee shall establish and use internal program management procedures sufficient to prevent fraud and program abuse, including subgrantee and...

20 CFR 632.125 - Responsibilities of Native American grantees, subgrantees and contractors for preventing fraud...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

..., subgrantees and contractors for preventing fraud and program abuse and for general program management. 632.125... and for general program management. (a) Each Native American grantee shall establish and use internal program management procedures sufficient to prevent fraud and program abuse, including subgrantee and...

Title V Delinquency Prevention Program. Community Self-Evaluation Workbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caliber Associates, Fairfax, VA.

This workbook is designed to help communities and program administrators assess the success of their Title V delinquency prevention programs, but it may serve as an evaluation tool for other prevention efforts as well. It provides information and resource aids on program planning, conducting evaluations, tracking programs, describing activities,…

Hydrodynamic immunization leads to poor CD8 T-cell expansion, low frequency of memory CTLs and ineffective antiviral protection.

PubMed

Obeng-Adjei, N; Choo, D K; Weiner, D B

2013-10-01

Hepatotropic pathogens, such as hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV), often escape cellular immune clearance resulting in chronic infection. As HBV and HCV infections are the most common causes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), prevention of these infections is believed to be key to the prevention of HCC. It is believed that an effective immune therapy must induce strong cytotonic T lymphocytes (CTLs) that can migrate into the liver, where they can clear infected hepatocytes. Here, we compared the induction of CD8 T cells by two different DNA immunization methods for T-cell differentiation, function, memory programming and their distribution within relevant tissues in a highly controlled fashion. We used hydrodynamic tail vein injection of plasmid to establish liver-specific LCMV-gp antigen (Ag) transient expression, and studied CD8 T cells induced using the P14 transgenic mouse model. CD8 T cells from this group exhibited unique and limited expansion, memory differentiation, polyfunctionality and cytotoxicity compared with T cells generated in intramuscularly immunized mice. This difference in liver-generated expansion resulted in lower memory CD8 T-cell frequency, leading to reduced protection against lethal viral challenge. These data show an unusual induction of naive CD8 T cells contributed to the lower frequency of Ag-specific CTLs observed after immunization in the liver, suggesting that limited priming in liver compared with peripheral tissues is responsible for this outcome.

Youth empowerment solutions for violence prevention.

PubMed

Reischl, Thomas M; Zimmerman, Marc A; Morrel-Samuels, Susan; Franzen, Susan P; Faulk, Monique; Eisman, Andria B; Roberts, Everett

2011-12-01

The limited success of youth violence prevention interventions suggests that effective prevention needs to address causes at multiple levels of analysis and empower youth in developing and implementing prevention programs. In this article, we review published studies of youth violence prevention efforts that engage youth in developing or implementing violence prevention activities. The reviewed studies suggest the promise of youth empowerment strategies and the need for systematic outcome studies of empowerment programs. After reviewing empowerment theory applied to youth violence prevention programs, we present a case study of the Youth Empowerment Solutions (YES) for Peaceful Communities program. YES engages middle-school youth in an after-school and summer program that includes a culturally tailored character development curriculum and empowers the youth to plan and implement community improvement projects with assistance from adult neighborhood advocates. The case study focuses on outcome evaluation results and presents evidence of the YES program effects on community-level outcomes (eg, property improvements, violent crime incidents) and on individual-level outcomes (eg, conflict avoidance, victimization). The literature review and the case study suggest the promise of engaging and empowering youth to plan and implement youth violence prevention programs.

Feasibility and Acceptability of a Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Program for Childcare Professionals: Comparison of a Web-Based and In-Person Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rheingold, Alyssa A.; Zajac, Kristyn; Patton, Meghan

2012-01-01

Recent prevention research has established the efficacy of some child sexual abuse prevention programs targeting adults; however, less is known about the feasibility of implementing such programs. The current study examines the feasibility and acceptability of a child sexual abuse prevention program for child care professionals provided in two…

RAMBAs for Breast Cancer Prevention and Treatment

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-01

activated by CYPs only in cancer cells. Finally, the expression of CYPs within tumors has been utilized in the development of bioreductive molecules...enable us to utilize the Catalyst molecular modeling program to create a general phar- macophore model that can differentiate compounds as active or...the discovery and char- acterization of retinoid receptor and the realization of these compounds as nonsteroidal small-molecule hor- mones .1 All-trans

c-FLIP is involved in erythropoietin-mediated protection of erythroid-differentiated cells from TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis.

PubMed

Vittori, Daniela; Vota, Daiana; Callero, Mariana; Chamorro, María E; Nesse, Alcira

2010-05-04

The TNF-alpha (tumour necrosis factor) affects a wide range of biological activities, such as cell proliferation and apoptosis. Cell life or death responses to this cytokine might depend on cell conditions. This study focused on the modulation of factors that would affect the sensitivity of erythroid-differentiated cells to TNF-alpha. Hemin-differentiated K562 cells showed higher sensitivity to TNF-induced apoptosis than undifferentiated cells. At the same time, hemin-induced erythroid differentiation reduced c-FLIP (cellular FLICE-inhibitory protein) expression. However, this negative effect was prevented by prior treatment with Epo (erythropoietin), which allowed the cell line to maintain c-FLIP levels. On the other hand, erythroid-differentiated UT-7 cells - dependent on Epo for survival - showed resistance to TNF-alpha pro-apoptotic action. Only after the inhibition of PI3K (phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase)-mediated pathways, which was accompanied by negative c-FLIP modulation and increased erythroid differentiation, were UT-7 cells sensitive to TNF-alpha-triggered apoptosis. In summary, erythroid differentiation might deregulate the balance between growth promotion and death signals induced by TNF-alpha, depending on cell type and environmental conditions. The role of c-FLIP seemed to be critical in the protection of erythroid-differentiated cells from apoptosis or in the determination of their sensitivity to TNF-mediated programmed cell death. Epo, which for the first time was found to be involved in the prevention of c-FLIP down-regulation, proved to have an anti-apoptotic effect against the pro-inflammatory factor. The identification of signals related to cell life/death switching would have significant implications in the control of proliferative diseases and would contribute to the understanding of mechanisms underlying the anaemia associated with inflammatory processes.

[The development of an integrated suicide-violence prevention program for adolescents].

PubMed

Park, Hyun Sook

2008-08-01

The purpose of this study was to develop an integrated suicide-violence prevention program for adolescents. Another purpose was to evaluate the effects of the integrated suicide-violence prevention program on self-esteem, parent-child communication, aggression, and suicidal ideation in adolescents. The study employed a quasi-experimental design. Participants for the study were high school students, 24 in the experimental group and 25 in the control group. Data was analyzed by using the SPSS/WIN. 11.5 program with chi2 test, t-test, and 2-way ANOVA. Participants in the integrated suicide-violence prevention program reported increased self-esteem scores, which was significantly different from those in the control group. Participants in the integrated suicide-violence prevention program reported decreased aggression and suicidal ideation scores, which was significantly different from those in the control group. The integrated suicide-violence prevention program was effective in improving self-esteem and decreasing aggression and suicidal ideation for adolescents. Therefore, this approach is recommended as the integrated suicide-violence prevention strategy for adolescents.

A Clustered Randomized Controlled Trial of the Positive Prevention PLUS Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Program.

PubMed

LaChausse, Robert G

2016-09-01

To determine the impact of Positive Prevention PLUS, a school-based adolescent pregnancy prevention program on delaying sexual intercourse, birth control use, and pregnancy. I randomly assigned a diverse sample of ninth grade students in 21 suburban public high schools in California into treatment (n = 2483) and control (n = 1784) groups that participated in a clustered randomized controlled trial. Between October 2013 and May 2014, participants completed baseline and 6-month follow-up surveys regarding sexual behavior and pregnancy. Participants in the treatment group were offered Positive Prevention PLUS, an 11-lesson adolescent pregnancy prevention program. The program had statistically significant impacts on delaying sexual intercourse and increasing the use of birth control. However, I detected no program effect on pregnancy rates at 6-month follow-up. The Positive Prevention PLUS program demonstrated positive impacts on adolescent sexual behavior. This suggests that programs that focus on having students practice risk reduction skills may delay sexual activity and increase birth control use.

Evaluation of Prevention Programs: A Basic Guide for Practitioners.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moberg, D. Paul

This guide is intended for professionals, laypersons, funding agents and others involved in planning and delivering local prevention services. Chapter 1 defines prevention, and differentiates between prevention strategies and programs targeted toward individuals or to general populations. Program evaluation and evaluation research are defined and…

Classroom Effects of a Hybrid Universal and Indicated Prevention Program for Preschool Children: A Comparative Analysis Based on Social and Emotional Competence Screening

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stefan, Catrinel Alice; Miclea, Mircea

2012-01-01

Research Findings: The current study's main aim was to implement a multifocused, community-based intervention for preventing conduct problems in preschool children. Our assumption was that the same intervention program could be delivered concomitantly as a universal prevention program for all children as well as an indicated prevention program for…

Variability in apoptotic response to poliovirus infection.

PubMed

Romanova, Lyudmila I; Belov, George A; Lidsky, Peter V; Tolskaya, Elena A; Kolesnikova, Marina S; Evstafieva, Alexandra G; Vartapetian, Andrey B; Egger, Denise; Bienz, Kurt; Agol, Vadim I

2005-01-20

In several cell types, poliovirus activates the apoptotic program, implementation of which is suppressed by viral antiapoptotic functions. In such cells, productive infection leads to a necrotic cytopathic effect (CPE), while abortive reproduction, associated with inadequate viral antiapoptotic functions, results in apoptosis. Here, we describe two other types of cell response to poliovirus infection. Murine L20B cells expressing human poliovirus receptor responded to the infection by both CPE and apoptosis concurrently. Interruption of productive infection decreased rather than increased the proportion of apoptotic cells. Productive infection was accompanied by the early efflux of cytochrome c from the mitochondria in a proportion of cells and by activation of DEVD-specific caspases. Inactivation of caspase-9 resulted in a marked, but incomplete, prevention of the apoptotic response of these cells to viral infection. Thus, the poliovirus-triggered apoptotic program in L20B cells was not completely suppressed by the viral antiapoptotic functions. In contrast, human rhabdomyosarcoma RD cells did not develop appreciable apoptosis during productive or abortive infection, exhibiting inefficient efflux of cytochrome c from mitochondria and no marked activation of DEVD-specific caspases. The cells were also refractory to several nonviral apoptosis inducers. Nevertheless, typical caspase-dependent signs of apoptosis in a proportion of RD cells were observed after cessation of viral reproduction. Such "late" apoptosis was also observed in productively infected HeLa cells. In addition, a tiny proportion of all studied cells were TUNEL positive even in the presence of a caspase inhibitor. Degradation of DNA in such cells appeared to be a postmortem phenomenon. Biological relevance of variable host responses to viral infection is discussed.

Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Use Prevention Programs in U.S. Schools: A Descriptive Summary

PubMed Central

Kumar, Revathy; O’Malley, Patrick; Johnston, Lloyd; Laetz, Viginia

2013-01-01

This report identifies the relative prevalence and trends in state, local, and commercially developed substance abuse prevention programs in middle and high schools from 2001 to 2007, using survey data from nationally representative samples of 1,206 schools. Based on school administrators’ reports, schools and school districts offer students, on average 1.62 prevention programs during their school years from elementary through high school. Bivariate and multivariate regression analyses were conducted with school demographic characteristics (public versus private, size, population density, region of the country, school race/ethnic composition and socioeconomic status of the student body) as predictors of total number of weighted programs students received and of the relative use of local, state, and commercial programs. Schools in the West had significantly fewer prevention programs than those in all other regions of the country. Students in predominantly White and in more affluent schools received significantly more prevention programs than students in majority African American, majority Hispanic, or in less affluent schools. The most frequently reported programs that students received were locally developed. Of all the prevention programs, D.A.R.E. was the most widely adopted. Findings from this study suggest that schools often develop their own curriculum to suit their students’ needs, and students are exposed to multiple prevention programs through their school years, making it difficult to examine the effectiveness of any single program in preventing and reducing substance use among students. PMID:23404662

[Primary Prevention in General Medical Practice: A Survey].

PubMed

Holmberg, C; Muckelbauer, R; Sarganas, G; Braun, V; Heintze, C; Dini, L; Müller-Nordhorn, J

2016-09-16

Aim of the study: According to the German social insurance code §20 Sec. 1, statutory health insurance companies can reimburse up to 80% of costs incurred by primary prevention programs in physical activity, nutrition, stress management and drug consumption. Whether and how many general practitioners (GPs) provide their patients with information on such programs as part of their own practice is unknown. In this study, we investigate to which primary prevention programs primary care physicians refer their patients and whether they take into account reimbursability of programs. Methods: Between November 2010 and February 2011, all GPs with a practice in Berlin (n=1 168) received a questionnaire that assessed if patients were referred to prevention programs and the type of programs they were referred to, if they ensured they are reimbursable and if they themselves offered prevention programs. Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression was used for analysis. Results: Of 474 respondents (response rate: 41%), 67% were female. Of the respondents, 22% offered reimbursable prevention programs and 42% at out-of-pocket expense. Patients were referred to reimbursable programs by 63%. GPs younger than 50 were twice as likely to offer reimbursable programs in their practice compared to those older than 50 (OR=1.7; 95% KI 1.1-2,8; p-value 0.025). Conclusion: A successful implementation of the new German prevention law needs awareness among GPs about reimbursable prevention programs, which may be lacking in some groups. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Youth exposure to violence prevention programs in a national sample.

PubMed

Finkelhor, David; Vanderminden, Jennifer; Turner, Heather; Shattuck, Anne; Hamby, Sherry

2014-04-01

This paper assesses how many children and youth have had exposure to programs aimed at preventing various kinds of violence perpetration and victimization. Based on a national sample of children 5-17, 65% had ever been exposed to a violence prevention program, 55% in the past year. Most respondents (71%) rated the programs as very or somewhat helpful. Younger children (5-9) who had been exposed to higher quality prevention programs had lower levels of peer victimization and perpetration. But the association did not apply to older youth or youth exposed to lower quality programs. Disclosure to authorities was also more common for children with higher quality program exposure who had experienced peer victimizations or conventional crime victimizations. The findings are consistent with possible benefits from violence prevention education programs. However, they also suggest that too few programs currently include efficacious components. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integrating Health and Prevention Services in Syringe Access Programs: A Strategy to Address Unmet Needs in a High-Risk Population

PubMed Central

Storm, Deborah S.; Hoyt, Mary Jo; Dutton, Loretta; Berezny, Linda; Allread, Virginia; Paul, Sindy

2014-01-01

Injection drug users are at a high risk for a number of preventable diseases and complications of drug use. This article describes the implementation of a nurse-led health promotion and disease prevention program in New Jersey's syringe access programs. Initially designed to target women as part of a strategy to decrease missed opportunities for perinatal HIV prevention, the program expanded by integrating existing programs and funding streams available through the state health department. The program now offers health and prevention services to both men and women, with 3,488 client visits in 2011. These services extend the reach of state health department programs, such as adult vaccination and hepatitis and tuberculosis screening, which clients would have had to seek out at multiple venues. The integration of prevention, treatment, and health promotion services in syringe access programs reaches a vulnerable and underserved population who otherwise may receive only urgent and episodic care. PMID:24385646

Measuring sustainment of prevention programs and initiatives: a study protocol.

PubMed

Palinkas, Lawrence A; Spear, Suzanne E; Mendon, Sapna J; Villamar, Juan; Valente, Thomas; Chou, Chi-Ping; Landsverk, John; Kellam, Shepperd G; Brown, C Hendricks

2016-07-16

Sustaining prevention efforts directed at substance use and mental health problems is one of the greatest, yet least understood, challenges in the field of implementation science. A large knowledge gap exists regarding the meaning of the term "sustainment" and what factors predict or even measure sustainability of effective prevention programs and support systems. The U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) supports a diverse portfolio of prevention and treatment grant programs that aim to improve population and individual level behavioral health. This study focuses on four SAMHSA prevention grant programs, two of which target substance abuse prevention at the state or single community level, one targets suicide prevention, and one targets prevention of aggressive/disruptive behavior in elementary schools. An examination of all four grant programs simultaneously provides an opportunity to determine what is meant by the term sustainment and identify and support both the unique requirements for improving sustainability for each program as well as for developing a generalizable framework comprised of core components of sustainment across diverse prevention approaches. Based on an analysis of qualitative and quantitative data of 10 grantees supported by these four programs, we will develop a flexible measurement system, with both general and specific components, that can bring precision to monitoring sustainment of infrastructure, activities, and outcomes for each prevention approach. We will then transform this system for use in evaluating and improving the likelihood of achieving prevention effort sustainment. To achieve these goals, we will (1) identify core components of sustainment of prevention programs and their support infrastructures; (2) design a measurement system for monitoring and providing feedback regarding sustainment within the four SAMHSA's prevention-related grant programs; and (3) pilot test the predictability of this multilevel measurement system across these programs and the feasibility and acceptability of a measurement system to evaluate and improve the likelihood of sustainment. This project is intended to improve sustainment of the supporting prevention infrastructure, activities, and outcomes that are funded by federal, state, community, and foundation sources.

A wakeup call to the prevention field: are prevention programs for substance use effective for girls?

PubMed

Kumpfer, Karol L; Smith, Paula; Summerhays, Julia Franklin

2008-07-01

Substance misuse in adolescent girls has increased dramatically since 1992. This article reviews trends in use rates and etiological theories tested by gender that suggest that family protective factors have more influence on girls. Next, a literature review reveals that few prevention programs have published their outcomes by gender or developed gender-specific programs. Nationwide community coalition results found positive effects on boys but increased drug use in young girls. The most effective programs are family focused targeting family bonding, supervision, and communication. Recent gender-specific prevention programs with positive results address stress, depression, social assertiveness, and body image. The authors recommend additional research testing programs by gender and also gender-specific versus generic versions of evidence-based programs to determine how to improve prevention program effectiveness for girls.

Cost effectiveness of the MDOT preventive maintenance program.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-04-01

The Michigan Department of Transportations (MDOT) pavement preservation program dates back to 1992. MDOTs pavement preservation strategy is primarily implemented through its capital preventive maintenance (CPM) program, in which preventive main...

The St. Jude Cancer Education for Children Program Pilot Study: Determining the Knowledge Acquisition and Retention of 4th-Grade Students.

PubMed

Ayers, Katherine; Villalobos, Aubrey Van Kirk; Li, Zhenghong; Krasin, Matthew

2016-03-01

In 2006, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital began developing a school-based outreach program known as the St. Jude Cancer Education for Children Program (SJCECP). The program aimed to teach children about cancer and healthy habits that can prevent the formation of cancers into adulthood. During the 2010-2011 academic years, we conducted a pilot evaluation of the SJCECP curriculum, with the primary objective of evaluating the impact of the intervention on knowledge acquisition and retention among 4th-grade students participating in the program. Seven local schools and 481 students from the Memphis area participated in the program evaluation. The results of this study show that 4th-grade students are able to acquire gains in knowledge related to cells, cancer, and healthy living after receiving the SJCECP intervention. We conclude that the program can be a useful tool for improving knowledge of cancer concepts at the 4th-grade level.

Lsd1 regulates skeletal muscle regeneration and directs the fate of satellite cells.

PubMed

Tosic, Milica; Allen, Anita; Willmann, Dominica; Lepper, Christoph; Kim, Johnny; Duteil, Delphine; Schüle, Roland

2018-01-25

Satellite cells are muscle stem cells required for muscle regeneration upon damage. Of note, satellite cells are bipotent and have the capacity to differentiate not only into skeletal myocytes, but also into brown adipocytes. Epigenetic mechanisms regulating fate decision and differentiation of satellite cells during muscle regeneration are not yet fully understood. Here, we show that elevated levels of lysine-specific demethylase 1 (Kdm1a, also known as Lsd1) have a beneficial effect on muscle regeneration and recovery after injury, since Lsd1 directly regulates key myogenic transcription factor genes. Importantly, selective Lsd1 ablation or inhibition in Pax7-positive satellite cells, not only delays muscle regeneration, but changes cell fate towards brown adipocytes. Lsd1 prevents brown adipocyte differentiation of satellite cells by repressing expression of the novel pro-adipogenic transcription factor Glis1. Together, downregulation of Glis1 and upregulation of the muscle-specific transcription program ensure physiological muscle regeneration.

Mitochondria released by cells undergoing TNF-α-induced necroptosis act as danger signals.

PubMed

Maeda, A; Fadeel, B

2014-07-03

Necrosis leads to the release of so-called damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), which may provoke inflammatory responses. However, the release of organelles from dying cells, and the consequences thereof have not been documented before. We demonstrate here that mitochondria are released from cells undergoing tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-induced, receptor-interacting protein (RIP)1-dependent necroptosis, a form of programmed necrosis. The released, purified mitochondria were determined to be intact as they did not emit appreciable amounts of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Pharmacological inhibition of dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) prevented mitochondrial fission in TNF-α-triggered cells, but this did not block necroptosis nor the concomitant release of mitochondria. Importantly, primary human macrophages and dendritic cells engulfed mitochondria from necroptotic cells leading to modulation of macrophage secretion of cytokines and induction of dendritic cell maturation. Our results show that intact mitochondria are released from necroptotic cells and suggest that these organelles act as bona fide danger signals.

Programs for Preventing the Causes of Mental Retardation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oliphant, Peter S.; And Others

This monograph, which reports findings from the New Jersey Governor's Council on the Prevention of Mental Retardation, discusses the scope of mental retardation (MR), its causes, identification of people at risk, and prevention methods. The Council cites several cost-effective prevention programs, such as vaccination programs and prenatal care…

77 FR 73316 - Approval of Air Quality Implementation Plans; California; Eastern Kern, Imperial, Placer, and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-10

... adopt and implement a SIP- approved Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) permit program. We are...--Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) Permit Program, PCAPCD Rule 518--Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) Permit Program, and YSAQMD Rule 3.24-- Prevention of Significant Deterioration. The approval...

Connect: An Effective Community-Based Youth Suicide Prevention Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bean, Gretchen; Baber, Kristine M.

2011-01-01

Youth suicide prevention is an important public health issue. However, few prevention programs are theory driven or systematically evaluated. This study evaluated Connect, a community-based youth suicide prevention program. Analysis of pre and posttraining questionnaires from 648 adults and 204 high school students revealed significant changes in…

Theoretical, Developmental & Cultural Orientations of School-Based Prevention Programs for Preschoolers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Humphries, Marisha L.; Keenan, Kate E.

2006-01-01

Schools are the primary environment in which to conduct prevention programs for school-age children. Educators, policy makers, and psychologist argue that prevention efforts should begin as early as possible to maximize their effectiveness. Surprisingly, there are relatively few school-based prevention programs targeted for preschoolers. Given the…

Optimizing violence prevention programs: an examination of program effectiveness among urban high school students.

PubMed

Thompkins, Amanda C; Chauveron, Lisa M; Harel, Ofer; Perkins, Daniel F

2014-07-01

While demand for youth violence prevention programs increases, the ability of the school-day schedule to accommodate their time requirements has diminished. Viable school-based prevention programs must strike a balance between brevity and effectiveness. This article reports results from an effectiveness trial of a 12-session curriculum-based universal violence prevention program that promotes healthy conflict resolution skills among urban adolescents. Using a review of program record data and a multisite quasi-experimental study design, we examined the effectiveness of a New York City-based violence prevention program entitled the Violence Prevention project (VPP) optimized to meet school needs. We analyzed survey data from 1112 9th- and 10th-grade students in 13 New York City public high schools across 4 consecutive school years. Both participants and nonparticipants were surveyed. Review of program record data indicated that the program was implemented with acceptable fidelity to the core component structure, and that participant responsiveness to the model was high. Multilevel modeling indicated that VPP participation was protective for academic self-concept and promoted conflict resolution skills. Findings indicate that semester-long violence prevention programs optimized to meet the needs of a typical high school can be effective at promoting healthy conflict resolution skills in urban adolescents. © 2014, American School Health Association.

Teen Suicide in Nevada: The Problem, Effective Intervention & Prevention Programs, Status of Programs in Nevada Schools, Exemplary Programs, [and] Guidelines for Nevada School Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smaby, Marlow H.; Downing, Jerry

The purpose of this paper is twofold: it reviews current national research on adolescent suicide and successful intervention/prevention programs and it surveys the 17 Nevada school districts to determine the presence of successful suicide intervention/prevention programs in the state. Findings include the following: (1) the popular…

Handbook for Evaluating Drug and Alcohol Prevention Programs: Staff/Team Evaluation of Prevention Programs (STEPP).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawkins, J. David; Nederhood, Britt

This handbook was developed for the purpose of providing drug and alcohol prevention program managers with a comprehensive yet easy-to-use tool to help their evaluation efforts. The handbook emphasizes program staff members working together as a team. It provides instruments and activities for determining program effectiveness, as well as…

Attendance Improvement and Dropout Prevention (AIDP) Demonstration and Replication Program 1989. OREA Evaluation Section Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York City Board of Education, Brooklyn, NY. Office of Research, Evaluation, and Assessment.

Each of the 1989 dropout prevention programs funded under the New York City Attendance Improvement Dropout Prevention (AIDP) Demonstration and Replication Program was successful in meeting some of its objectives, and all of the programs were viewed as valuable by principals and teachers. The program encourages the design and implementation of…

Some theoretical models and constructs generic to substance abuse prevention programs for adolescents: possible relevance and limitations for problem gambling.

PubMed

Evans, Richard I

2003-01-01

For the past several years the author and his colleagues have explored the area of how social psychological constructs and theoretical models can be applied to the prevention of health threatening behaviors in adolescents. In examining the need for the development of gambling prevention programs for adolescents, it might be of value to consider the application of such constructs and theoretical models as a foundation to the development of prevention programs in this emerging problem behavior among adolescents. In order to provide perspective to the reader, the present paper reviews the history of various psychosocial models and constructs generic to programs directed at prevention of substance abuse in adolescents. A brief history of some of these models, possibly most applicable to gambling prevention programs, are presented. Social inoculation, reasoned action, planned behavior, and problem behavior theory, are among those discussed. Some deficits of these models, are also articulated. How such models may have relevance to developing programs for prevention of problem gambling in adolescents is also discussed. However, the inherent differences between gambling and more directly health threatening behaviors such as substance abuse must, of course, be seriously considered in utilizing such models. Most current gambling prevention programs have seldom been guided by theoretical models. Developers of gambling prevention programs should consider theoretical foundations, particularly since such foundations not only provide a guide for programs, but may become critical tools in evaluating their effectiveness.

Focus on Youth in the Caribbean: Beyond the Numbers

PubMed Central

Deveaux, Lynette; Lunn, Sonja; Mae Bain, Rosa; Gomez, Perry; Kelly, Tanya; Brathwaite, Nanika; Russell-Rolle, Glenda; Li, Xiaoming; Stanton, Bonita

2011-01-01

In the 1990s, an interdisciplinary group including pediatricians, anthropologists, health educators, psychologists, and statisticians developed and evaluated an HIV prevention intervention targeting early adolescents living in public housing developments in the USA. The intervention, “Focus on Kids,” (FOK) was effective in reducing risk behaviors, intentions, and perceptions and ultimately was included in the Center for Disease Control’s portfolio of effective adolescent programs, “Programs that Work.” Learning about FOK and concerned about the need for a structured program to address high rates of teen pregnancy and risk for HIV, professionals from the Ministries of Health of The Bahamas approached the researchers about collaborating to develop a program for Bahamian youth. A partnership developed which has spanned over a decade and led to the development of an intervention program targeting Bahamian children in grade six, a 10-session adolescent HIV prevention program entitled “Focus on Youth in the Caribbean” (FOYC). Two programs including a video and parent discussion were developed for their parents. Caribbean Informed Parents and Children Together (CImPACT) emphasizes the importance of parent-child communication about sexuality and Goal for It” (GFI) emphasizes the importance of planning ahead. The US-Bahamian team evaluated these interventions through a randomized, controlled 3-celled longitudinal trial (36 months follow-up) involving 15 elementary schools in The Bahamas. The programs have been shown to be effective. This article describes the context in which the epidemic occurred, events leading up to the collaboration and the issues, decisions, processes, and relationships that we have developed that have allowed it to succeed. PMID:21430238

The costs of prevention.

PubMed

Weinstein, M C

1990-01-01

A prevention program is cost-effective if it yields more health benefits than do alternative uses of health care resources. Some prevention programs meet this standard: either they actually save more health care resources than they utilize, or their net costs per healthy year of life gained are lower than those of alternatives such as curative or palliative medicine. Other prevention programs, however, are less cost-effective than are medical treatments for the same disease. One lesson for public policy is that generalizations about the cost-effectiveness of "prevention" are unwise. Another lesson is that prevention programs should not be subjected to a higher standard than other health programs: they should not be expected to save money, but they should be expected to yield improved health at a reasonable price.

Australian school-based prevention programs for alcohol and other drugs: a systematic review.

PubMed

Teesson, Maree; Newton, Nicola C; Barrett, Emma L

2012-09-01

To reduce the occurrence and costs related to substance use and associated harms it is important to intervene early. Although a number of international school-based prevention programs exist, the majority show minimal effects in reducing drug use and related harms. Given the emphasis on early intervention and prevention in Australia, it is timely to review the programs currently trialled in Australian schools. This paper reports the type and efficacy of Australian school-based prevention programs for alcohol and other drugs. Cochrane, PsychInfo and PubMed databases were searched. Additional materials were obtained from authors, websites and reference lists. Studies were selected if they described programs developed and trialled in Australia that address prevention of alcohol and other drug use in schools. Eight trials of seven intervention programs were identified. The programs targeted alcohol, cannabis and tobacco and most were based on social learning principles. All were universal. Five of the seven intervention programs achieved reductions in alcohol, cannabis and tobacco use at follow up. Existing school-based prevention programs have shown to be efficacious in the Australian context. However, there are only a few programs available, and these require further evaluative research. This is critical, given that substance use is such a significant public health problem. The findings challenge the commonly held view that school-based prevention programs are not effective. © 2012 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

Complex interplay of three transcription factors in controlling the tormogen differentiation program of Drosophila mechanoreceptors

PubMed Central

Miller, Steven W.; Avidor-Reiss, Tomer; Polyanovsky, Andrey; Posakony, James W.

2009-01-01

We have investigated the expression and function of the Sox15 transcription factor during the development of the external mechanosensory organs of Drosophila. We find that Sox15 is expressed specifically in the socket cell, and have identified the transcriptional cis-regulatory module that controls this activity. We show that Suppressor of Hairless [Su(H)] and the POU-domain factor Ventral veins lacking (Vvl) bind conserved sites in this enhancer and provide critical regulatory input. In particular, we find that Vvl contributes to the activation of the enhancer following relief of Su(H)-mediated default repression by the Notch signaling event that specifies the socket cell fate. Loss of Sox15 gene activity was found to severely impair the electrophysiological function of mechanosensory organs, due to both cell-autonomous and cell-non-autonomous effects on the differentiation of post-mitotic cells in the bristle lineage. Lastly, we find that simultaneous loss of both Sox15 and the autoregulatory activity of Su(H) reveals an important role for these factors in inhibiting transcription of the Pax family gene shaven in the socket cell, which serves to prevent inappropriate expression of the shaft differentiation program. Our results indicate that the later phases of socket cell differentiation are controlled by multiple transcription factors in a collaborative, and not hierarchical, manner. PMID:19232522

Immune Checkpoints in Leprosy: Immunotherapy As a Feasible Approach to Control Disease Progression.

PubMed

Lima, Hayana Ramos; Gasparoto, Thaís Helena; de Souza Malaspina, Tatiana Salles; Marques, Vinícius Rizzo; Vicente, Marina Jurado; Marcos, Elaine Camarinha; Souza, Fabiana Corvolo; Nogueira, Maria Renata Sales; Barreto, Jaison Antônio; Garlet, Gustavo Pompermaier; da Silva, João Santana; Brito-de-Souza, Vânia Nieto; Campanelli, Ana Paula

2017-01-01

Leprosy remains a health problem in several countries. Current management of patients with leprosy is complex and requires multidrug therapy. Nonetheless, antibiotic treatment is insufficient to prevent nerve disabilities and control Mycobacterium leprae . Successful infectious disease treatment demands an understanding of the host immune response against a pathogen. Immune-based therapy is an effective treatment option for malignancies and infectious diseases. A promising therapeutic approach to improve the clinical outcome of malignancies is the blockade of immune checkpoints. Immune checkpoints refer to a wide range of inhibitory or regulatory pathways that are critical for maintaining self-tolerance and modulating the immune response. Programmed cell-death protein-1 (PD-1), programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1), cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4, and lymphocyte-activation gene-3 are the most important immune checkpoint molecules. Several pathogens, including M. leprae , are supposed to utilize these mechanisms to evade the host immune response. Regulatory T cells and expression of co-inhibitory molecules on lymphocytes induce specific T-cell anergy/exhaustion, leading to disseminated and progressive disease. From this perspective, we outline how the co-inhibitory molecules PD-1, PD-L1, and Th1/Th17 versus Th2/Treg cells are balanced, how antigen-presenting cell maturation acts at different levels to inhibit T cells and modulate the development of leprosy, and how new interventions interfere with leprosy development.

[Prevention among migrants: Participation, migrant sensitive strategies and programme characteristics].

PubMed

Brand, T; Kleer, D; Samkange-Zeeb, F; Zeeb, Hajo

2015-06-01

Health promotion and prevention can contribute to a long, healthy life in populations both with and without migrant background. This paper provides an overview on migrant participation in prevention programmes in Germany. Furthermore, we describe migrant sensitive prevention strategies and characteristics of prevention programmes for migrants in Germany. With regard to participation in prevention programmes, lower vaccination rates are found among children and adolescents who migrated to Germany after birth. Among adults with a migrant background, we found lower participation in general health check-ups, oral health check-ups, cancer screening programs and influenza vaccination. Migrant sensitive prevention strategies address the visual style of the material, a target group specific risk communication, language requirements, a systematic involvement of the target group, and the recognition of deeply rooted sociocultural practices and beliefs. On analyzing a large database on prevention programs in Germany, we found only a few programmes that were exclusively targeted to migrant groups (0.6%). In 16.6% of the programs migrants were addressed as the target group among others. Compared to general population programs, programs for migrants were more often exclusively directed towards girls or women. Moreover, programs for migrants used community-based approaches more often and addressed different age groups. Although information on migrant participation in prevention programs and utilization of migrant sensitive strategies is still incomplete, we can assume that there is a need for diversity-oriented, migrant sensitive prevention.

76 FR 31613 - NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program (FFFIPP)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-01

... NIOSH-063B] NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program (FFFIPP) AGENCY: The... Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program (FFFIPP). NIOSH is seeking stakeholder input on the FFFIPP to ensure that the program is meeting the needs and expectations of the U.S. fire...

19 CFR 122.171 - Description of program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... TREASURY AIR COMMERCE REGULATIONS Air Carrier Smuggling Prevention Program § 122.171 Description of program. The Air Carrier Smuggling Prevention Program (ACSPP) is designed to enlist the cooperation of the air carriers, as defined in 19 U.S.C. 1584 note, in Customs efforts to prevent the smuggling of controlled...

40 CFR 68.175 - Prevention program/Program 3.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... (CONTINUED) CHEMICAL ACCIDENT PREVENTION PROVISIONS Risk Management Plan § 68.175 Prevention program/Program... the most recent change that triggered management of change procedures and the date of the most recent review or revision of management of change procedures. (j) The date of the most recent pre-startup review...

Long-term prevalence and predictors of urinary incontinence among women in the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study.

PubMed

Phelan, Suzanne; Kanaya, Alka M; Ma, Yong; Vittinghoff, Eric; Barrett-Connor, Elizabeth; Wing, Rena; Kusek, John W; Orchard, Trevor J; Crandall, Jill P; Montez, Maria G; Brown, Jeanette S

2015-02-01

To examine the long-term prevalence and predictors of weekly urinary incontinence in the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study, a follow-up study of the Diabetes Prevention Program randomized clinical trial of overweight adults with impaired glucose tolerance. This analysis included 1778 female participants of the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study who had been randomly assigned during the Diabetes Prevention Program to intensive lifestyle intervention (n = 582), metformin (n = 589) or placebo (n = 607). The study participants completed semi-annual assessments after the final Diabetes Prevention Program visit and for 6 years until October 2008. At the study entry, the prevalence of weekly urinary incontinence was lower in the intensive lifestyle intervention group compared with the metformin and placebo groups (44.2% vs 51.8%, 48.0% urinary incontinence/week, P = 0.04); during the 6-year follow-up period, these lower rates in intensive lifestyle intervention were maintained (46.7%, 53.1%, 49.9% urinary incontinence/week; P = 0.03). Statistically adjusting for urinary incontinence prevalence at the end of the Diabetes Prevention Program, the treatment arm no longer had a significant impact on urinary incontinence during the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study. Independent predictors of lower urinary incontinence during the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study included lower body mass index (odds ratio 0.988, 95% confidence interval 0.982-0.994) and greater physical activity (odds ratio 0.999, 95% confidence interval 0.998-1.000) at the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study entry, and greater reductions in body mass index (odds ratio 0.75, 95% confidence interval 0.60-0.94) and waist circumference (odds ratio 0.998, 95% confidence interval 0.996-1.0) during the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study. Diabetes was not significantly related to urinary incontinence. Intensive lifestyle intervention has a modest positive and enduring impact on urinary incontinence, and should be considered for the long-term prevention and treatment of urinary incontinence in overweight/obese women with glucose intolerance. © 2014 The Japanese Urological Association.

Sexual assault prevention programs: current issues, future directions, and the potential efficacy of interventions with women.

PubMed

Yeater, E A; O'Donohue, W

1999-11-01

Current problems facing the primary prevention of sexual assault are reviewed. Effective sexual assault prevention programs for both males and females have been slow to develop due to the fact that the etiologies of sexual assault have not been identified. Although dissemination of prevention programs has become increasingly popular in recent years, few programs have evaluated the extent to which the constructs identified in the interventions are effective at decreasing rates of sexual assault. This article discusses previous studies in sexual assault prevention programs, methodological and conceptual problems that currently exist in the field, pragmatic difficulties regarding program implementation and evaluation, and recommendations for future research with an emphasis on interventions with female participants.

25 CFR 63.32 - Under what authority are Indian child protection and family violence prevention program funds...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... family violence prevention program funds awarded? 63.32 Section 63.32 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR TRIBAL GOVERNMENT INDIAN CHILD PROTECTION AND FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Program § 63.32 Under what authority are Indian child...

School-Based Violence Prevention Programs: Systematic Review of Secondary Prevention Trials.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mytton, Julie A.; DiGuiseppi, Carolyn; Gough, David A.; Taylor, Rod S.; Logan, Stuart

2002-01-01

Conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled secondary prevention trials to explore the effects of school-based violence prevention programs on aggressive and violent behavior in children at high risk for violence. Results indicated that such programs produced modest reductions in aggressive and violent behaviors in…

Evidence-Based Prevention for Adolescent Substance Use.

PubMed

Harrop, Erin; Catalano, Richard F

2016-07-01

Due to the significant consequences of adolescent substance use behaviors, researchers have increasingly focused on prevention approaches. The field of prevention science is based on the identification of predictors of problem behaviors, and the development and testing of prevention programs that seek to change these predictors. As the field of prevention science moves forward, there are many opportunities for growth, including the integration of prevention programs into service systems and primary care, an expansion of program adaptations to fit the needs of local populations, and a greater emphasis on the development of programs targeted at young adult populations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparative evaluation of the depletion-red cell exchange program with the Spectra Optia and the isovolemic hemodilution-red cell exchange method with the COBE Spectra in sickle cell disease patients.

PubMed

Poullin, Pascale; Sanderson, Frederick; Bernit, Emmanuelle; Brun, Marion; Berdah, Yael; Badens, Catherine

2016-10-01

This study aims to compare in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD), the technical performance and packed red blood cell unit consumption between the automated depletion/Red Blood Cell exchange (RBCx) program (Spectra Optia Apheresis System) with the isovolemic hemodilution (IHD)/RBCx procedure (COBE Spectra Apheresis System) in a routine clinical setting. We retrospectively reviewed the data of 23 patients treated between October 2010 and August 2013 who underwent repeated RBCx on both apheresis systems for preventive indications. Each patient was their own control and had undergone two procedures on each system, totaling 46 sessions per group. On Spectra Optia, we performed the automated depletion/RBCx program. For COBE Spectra, we used a modified IHD/RBCx protocol. All patients had an initial 250 mL depletion offset by a 5% albumin prior to the exchange procedure, for the respective device, with leucodepleted Rh/Kell compatible and cross-matched RBC packs. All procedures were well tolerated except three mild febrile nonhemolytic reactions. Postprocedure hemoglobin S (HbS), fraction of cells remaining (FCR), procedure duration and processed blood and anticoagulant volumes were comparable in the two groups. However, the RBCx volume was significantly higher for the Spectra Optia group (+71 mL, P = 0.01), with no significant difference in the number of RBC units used. Technical performance and packed RBC unit consumption were not compromised when switching from the COBE Spectra IHD/RBCx protocol to the depletion/RBCx protocol on the Spectra Optia. Tolerability was equal for both protocols. J. Clin. Apheresis 31:429-433, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Obesity prevention programs and policies: practitioner and policy-maker perceptions of feasibility and effectiveness.

PubMed

Cleland, Verity; McNeilly, Briohny; Crawford, David; Ball, Kylie

2013-09-01

The aims of this study were to map obesity prevention activity being implemented by government, non-government, and community-based organizations; to determine practitioner and policy-maker perceptions of the feasibility and effectiveness of a range of evidence-based obesity prevention strategies; and to determine practitioner and policy-maker perceptions of preferred settings for obesity prevention strategies. This study involved a cross-sectional survey of 304 public health practitioners and policy-makers from government, non-government, and community organizations across Victoria, Australia. Participants reported their organizations' current obesity prevention programs and policies, their own perceptions of the feasibility and effectiveness of strategies to prevent obesity and their preferred settings for obesity prevention. Thirty-nine percent had an obesity prevention policy, and 92% were implementing obesity prevention programs. The most common programs focused on education, skill-building, and increasing access to healthy eating/physical activity opportunities. School curriculum-based initiatives, social support for physical activity, and family-based programs were considered the most effective strategies, whereas curriculum-based initiatives, active after-school programs, and providing access to and information about physical activity facilities were deemed the most feasible strategies. Schools were generally perceived as the most preferred setting for obesity prevention. Many organizations had obesity prevention programs, but far fewer had obesity prevention policies. Current strategies and those considered feasible and effective are often mismatched with the empirical literature. Systems to ensure better alignment between researchers, practitioners, and policy-makers, and identifying effective methods of translating empirical evidence into practice and policy are required. Copyright © 2012 The Obesity Society.

Zinc suppresses stem cell properties of lung cancer cells through protein kinase C-mediated β-catenin degradation.

PubMed

Ninsontia, Chuanpit; Phiboonchaiyanan, Preeyaporn Plaimee; Kiratipaiboon, Chayanin; Chanvorachote, Pithi

2017-04-01

Highly tumorigenic cancer stem cells (CSCs) residing in most cancers are responsible for cancer progression and treatment failure. Zinc is an element regulator of several cell functions; however, its role in regulation of stem cell program in lung cancer has not been demonstrated. The present study reveals for the first time that zinc can suppress stem cell properties of lung cancer cells. Such findings were proved in different lung cancer cell lines (H460, H23, and H292) and it was found that CSC markers (CD133 and ALDH1A1), stem cell-associated transcription factors (Oct4, Nanog, and Sox-2), and the ability to form tumor spheroid were dramatically suppressed by zinc treatments. Zinc was found to activate protein kinase C-α (PKCα) that further phosphorylated and mediated β-catenin degradation through the ubiquitin-proteasomal pathway. Zinc was found to increase the β-catenin-ubiquitin complex, which can be inhibited by a specific PKC inhibitor, bisindolylmaleimide I. Using specific reactive oxygen species detection and antioxidants, we have demonstrated that superoxide anions generated by zinc are a key upstream mechanism for PKCα activation leading to the subsequent suppression of stem cell features of lung cancer. Zinc increased cellular superoxide anions and the addition of superoxide anion scavenger prevented the activation of PKCα and β-catenin degradation. These findings indicate a novel role for zinc regulation in the PKCα/β-catenin pathway and explain an important mechanism for controlling of stem cell program in lung cancer cells. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

A Visual Programming Methodology for Tactical Aircrew Scheduling and Other Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-12-01

prgramming methodology and environment of a user-specific application remains with and is delivered as part of the application, then there is another factor...animation is useful, not only for scheduling applications, but as a general prgramming methodology. Of course, there are a number of improvements...possible using Excel because there is nothing to prevent access to cells. However, it is easy to imagine a spreadsheet which can support the

The relative efficacy of pamphlets, CD-ROM, and the Internet for disseminating adolescent drug abuse prevention programs: an exploratory study.

PubMed

Di Noia, Jennifer; Schwinn, Traci M; Dastur, Zubin A; Schinke, Steven P

2003-12-01

Despite the availability of an increasing array of empirically validated adolescent drug abuse prevention programs, program materials and evaluation findings are poorly disseminated. CD-ROM and the Internet hold promise for disseminating this information to schools and agencies that directly serve youth, and to policy-making bodies that exercise control over funds to support adolescent drug abuse prevention programming. However, data on the relative efficacy of these newer technologies over conventional print means of dissemination are lacking. Recruited through schools, community agencies, and policy-making bodies, 188 professionals were randomized to receive prevention program materials via pamphlets (55 participants), CD-ROM (64 participants), and the Internet (69 participants). Participants completed pretest, posttest, and 6-month follow-up measures that assessed their access to prevention program materials; self-efficacy for identifying, obtaining, and recommending these programs; and their likelihood of requesting, implementing, and recommending prevention programs to their constituents. Participants exposed to dissemination via CD-ROM and the Internet evidenced the greatest short- and long-term gains on accessibility, self-efficacy, and behavioral intention variables. CD-ROM and the Internet are viable means for disseminating adolescent drug abuse prevention programs to schools, community agencies, and policy-making bodies, and should be increasingly used for dissemination purposes.

An example of international drug politics--the development and distribution of substance prevention programs directed at adolescents.

PubMed

Lilja, John; Giota, Joanna; Hamilton, David; Larsson, Sam

2007-01-01

Many substance use prevention programs directed at adolescents exist that have been developed by researchers in the United States and are intended to be used in school settings. Some of the problems associated with such programs are reviewed, including their accessibility, ease of use, copyright status, evaluation options, program scales, and ratings, together with an overall consideration of the factors and processes posited to be associated with substance use and non-use (posited "at-risk" and "protective" mechanisms). The authors contend that there is a great need to: (a) develop substance use prevention programs which are commercially available but are not protected by copyright, (b) assess empirically each component in a program separately, and (c) encourage funding bodies to be more active in supporting the production of manuals and evaluation instruments for substance use prevention programs directed at adolescents. We need more and better process evaluations that are also sensitive to both endogenous and exogenous forces in order to know the processes by which a successful prevention program achieves its effects, is prevented from doing so and which processes are irrelevant. A social competence framework might be used as both a goal and as a theoretical base to achieve a better understanding of the processes by which substance use prevention programs reach their effects.

The relative efficacy of pamphlets, CD-ROM, and the Internet for disseminating adolescent drug abuse prevention programs: an exploratory study⋆

PubMed Central

Di Noia, Jennifer; Schwinn, Traci M.; Dastur, Zubin A.; Schinke, Steven P.

2010-01-01

Background Despite the availability of an increasing array of empirically validated adolescent drug abuse prevention programs, program materials and evaluation findings are poorly disseminated. CD-ROM and the Internet hold promise for disseminating this information to schools and agencies that directly serve youth, and to policy-making bodies that exercise control over funds to support adolescent drug abuse prevention programming. However, data on the relative efficacy of these newer technologies over conventional print means of dissemination are lacking. Methods Recruited through schools, community agencies, and policy-making bodies, 188 professionals were randomized to receive prevention program materials via pamphlets (55 participants), CD-ROM (64 participants), and the Internet (69 participants). Participants completed pretest, posttest, and 6-month follow-up measures that assessed their access to prevention program materials; self-efficacy for identifying, obtaining, and recommending these programs; and their likelihood of requesting, implementing, and recommending prevention programs to their constituents. Results Participants exposed to dissemination via CD-ROM and the Internet evidenced the greatest short- and long-term gains on accessibility, self-efficacy, and behavioral intention variables. Conclusions CD-ROM and the Internet are viable means for disseminating adolescent drug abuse prevention programs to schools, community agencies, and policy-making bodies, and should be increasingly used for dissemination purposes. PMID:14636798

Programmed Application of Transforming Growth Factor β3 and Rac1 Inhibitor NSC23766 Committed Hyaline Cartilage Differentiation of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells for Osteochondral Defect Repair.

PubMed

Zhu, Shouan; Chen, Pengfei; Wu, Yan; Xiong, Si; Sun, Heng; Xia, Qingqing; Shi, Libing; Liu, Huanhuan; Ouyang, Hong Wei

2014-10-01

Hyaline cartilage differentiation is always the challenge with application of stem cells for joint repair. Transforming growth factors (TGFs) and bone morphogenetic proteins can initiate cartilage differentiation but often lead to hypertrophy and calcification, related to abnormal Rac1 activity. In this study, we developed a strategy of programmed application of TGFβ3 and Rac1 inhibitor NSC23766 to commit the hyaline cartilage differentiation of adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) for joint cartilage repair. ADSCs were isolated and cultured in a micromass and pellet culture model to evaluate chondrogenic and hypertrophic differentiation. The function of Rac1 was investigated with constitutively active Rac1 mutant and dominant negative Rac1 mutant. The efficacy of ADSCs with programmed application of TGFβ3 and Rac1 inhibitor for cartilage repair was studied in a rat model of osteochondral defects. The results showed that TGFβ3 promoted ADSCs chondro-lineage differentiation and that NSC23766 prevented ADSC-derived chondrocytes from hypertrophy in vitro. The combination of ADSCs, TGFβ3, and NSC23766 promoted quality osteochondral defect repair in rats with much less chondrocytes hypertrophy and significantly higher International Cartilage Repair Society macroscopic and microscopic scores. The findings have illustrated that programmed application of TGFβ3 and Rac1 inhibitor NSC23766 can commit ADSCs to chondro-lineage differentiation and improve the efficacy of ADSCs for cartilage defect repair. These findings suggest a promising stem cell-based strategy for articular cartilage repair. ©AlphaMed Press.

[Suicidal behavior prevention for children under age 13: A systematic review].

PubMed

Baux-Cazal, L; Gokalsing, E; Amadeo, S; Messiah, A

2017-05-01

Our objective was to review international literature on suicidal behavior prevention for children under age 13. We gathered all relevant articles on suicide prevention for children under 13. We researched all publications in the French and English languages in PubMed (MEDLINE), PsychINFO and SUDOC databases published until February 2014, with the keywords "child", "child preschool", "prevention and control", "suicide", and "suicide attempted". Publications were included if they described suicidal behavior prevention programs (suicide prevention programs, attempted-suicide prevention programs, suicidal ideation screening programs), and if the studies concerned children under age 13. We also included references cited in the articles if they were not already present in our searches but met inclusion criteria. Studies were excluded if they analyzed populations of children and adolescents without sub-analysis for children under age 13. A total of 350 potentially relevant articles were identified, 33 of which met the inclusion criteria, including 4 retrieved from articles' bibliography. Preventive measures against suicidal behavior for children under 13 exist and include: social programs, maltreatment prevention, curriculum-based suicide prevention programs, suicide screening in schools, gatekeepers, reduction of access of lethal means of suicide, suicide screening by primary care, and post-suicide intervention programs. Overall, the evidence was limited by methodological concerns, particularly a lack of RCTs. However, positive effects were found: school-based suicide prevention programs and gatekeepers increased knowledge about suicide and how to seek help, post-suicide programs helped to reduce psychological distress in the short term. One study showed a decreased risk of attempted-suicide after entry into the child welfare system. There are promising interventions but there is not enough scientific evidence to support any efficient preventive measure against suicidal behavior for children under 13, whether primary, secondary, tertiary or post-intervention. More research is needed. Copyright © 2016 L'Encéphale, Paris. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Application of preventive medicine resources in the health insurance system.

PubMed

Oliveira, Karla Regina Dias de; Liberal, Márcia Mello Costa de; Zucchi, Paola

2015-01-01

To identify the financial resources and investments provided for preventive medicine programs by health insurance companies of all kinds. Data were collected from 30 large health insurance companies, with over 100 thousand individuals recorded, and registered at the Agência Nacional de Saúde Suplementar. It was possible to identify the percentage of participants of the programs in relation to the total number of beneficiaries of the health insurance companies, the prevention and promotion actions held in preventive medicine programs, the inclusion criteria for the programs, as well as the evaluation of human resources and organizational structure of the preventive medicine programs. Most of the respondents (46.7%) invested more than US$ 50,000.00 in preventive medicine program, while 26.7% invested more than US$ 500,000.00. The remaining, about 20%, invested less than US$ 50,000.00, and 3.3% did not report the value applied.

Dating Violence Prevention Programming: Directions for Future Interventions

PubMed Central

Shorey, Ryan C.; Zucosky, Heather; Brasfield, Hope; Febres, Jeniimarie; Cornelius, Tara L.; Sage, Chelsea; Stuart, Gregory L.

2012-01-01

Dating violence among college students is a widespread and destructive problem. The field of dating violence has seen a substantial rise in research over the past several years, which has improved our understanding of factors that increase risk for perpetration. Unfortunately, there has been less attention paid to dating violence prevention programming, and existing programs have been marred with methodological weaknesses and a lack of demonstrated effectiveness in reducing aggression. In hopes of sparking new research on dating violence prevention programs, the current review examines possible new avenues for dating violence prevention programming among college students. We discuss clinical interventions that have shown to be effective in reducing a number of problematic behaviors, including motivational interventions, dialectical behavior therapy, mindfulness, and bystander interventions, and how they could be applied to dating violence prevention. We also discuss methodological issues to consider when implementing dating violence prevention programs. PMID:22773916

Effectiveness of the surviving the Teens® suicide prevention and depression awareness program: an impact evaluation utilizing a comparison group.

PubMed

Strunk, Catherine M; King, Keith A; Vidourek, Rebecca A; Sorter, Michael T

2014-12-01

Youth suicide is a serious public health issue in the United States. It is currently the third leading cause of death for youth aged 10 to 19. School-based prevention programs may be an effective method of educating youth and enhancing their help-seeking. Most school-based suicide prevention programs have not been rigorously evaluated for their effectiveness. This evaluation employs a comparison group to measure whether program group participants differed significantly from comparison group participants on pretest-posttest measures while assessing the immediate impact of the Surviving the Teens® Suicide Prevention and Depression Awareness Program. Findings indicate several positive outcomes in program group students' suicide and depression knowledge, attitudes, confidence, and behavioral intentions compared with the comparison group. Suicide prevention specialists and prevention planners may benefit from study findings. © 2014 Society for Public Health Education.

Application of preventive medicine resources in the health insurance system

PubMed Central

de Oliveira, Karla Regina Dias; Liberal, Márcia Mello Costa De; Zucchi, Paola

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective To identify the financial resources and investments provided for preventive medicine programs by health insurance companies of all kinds. Methods Data were collected from 30 large health insurance companies, with over 100 thousand individuals recorded, and registered at the Agência Nacional de Saúde Suplementar. Results It was possible to identify the percentage of participants of the programs in relation to the total number of beneficiaries of the health insurance companies, the prevention and promotion actions held in preventive medicine programs, the inclusion criteria for the programs, as well as the evaluation of human resources and organizational structure of the preventive medicine programs. Conclusion Most of the respondents (46.7%) invested more than US$ 50,000.00 in preventive medicine program, while 26.7% invested more than US$ 500,000.00. The remaining, about 20%, invested less than US$ 50,000.00, and 3.3% did not report the value applied. PMID:26761558

Yarning about fall prevention: community consultation to discuss falls and appropriate approaches to fall prevention with older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

PubMed

Lukaszyk, Caroline; Coombes, Julieann; Turner, Norma Jean; Hillmann, Elizabeth; Keay, Lisa; Tiedemann, Anne; Sherrington, Cathie; Ivers, Rebecca

2017-08-01

Fall related injury is an emerging issue for older Indigenous people worldwide, yet few targeted fall prevention programs are currently available for Indigenous populations. In order to inform the development of a new Aboriginal-specific fall prevention program in Australia, we conducted community consultation with older Aboriginal people to identify perceptions and beliefs about falls, and to identify desired program elements. Yarning Circles were held with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 45 years and over. Each Yarning Circle was facilitated by an Aboriginal researcher who incorporated six indicative questions into each discussion. Questions explored the impact of falls on Yarning Circle participants, their current use of fall prevention services and investigated Yarning Circle participant's preferences regarding the design and mode of delivery of a fall prevention program. A total of 76 older Aboriginal people participated in ten Yarning Circles across six sites in the state of New South Wales. Participants associated falls with physical disability, a loss of emotional well-being and loss of connection to family and community. Many participants did not use existing fall prevention services due to a lack of availability in their area, having no referral provided by their GP and/or being unaware of fall prevention programs in general. Program elements identified as important by participants were that it be Aboriginal-specific, group-based, and on-going, with the flexibility to be tailored to specific communities, with free transport provided to and from the program. Older Aboriginal people reported falls to be a priority health issue, with a significant impact on their health and well-being. Few older Aboriginal people accessed prevention programs, suggesting there is an important need for targeted Aboriginal-specific programs. A number of important program elements were identified which if incorporated into prevention programs, may help to address the rising burden of falls.

Prostate cancer chemoprevention agent development: the National Cancer Institute, Division of Cancer Prevention portfolio.

PubMed

Parnes, Howard L; House, Margaret G; Kagan, Jacob; Kausal, David J; Lieberman, Ronald

2004-02-01

We describe the current National Cancer Institute chemoprevention agent development program and provide a summary of the intermediate end points used. The National Cancer Institute is currently sponsoring a wide range of studies of promising chemoprevention agents in a variety of informative cohorts, eg high grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia, positive family history of cancer, increased prostate specific antigen with negative biopsies, prostate cancer followed expectantly, prostate cancer awaiting definitive therapy and the general population. The rationale for each agent under investigation is derived from epidemiological observations, prostate cancer treatment trials, secondary analyses of large cancer prevention studies, an understanding of cancer biology and prostate carcinogenesis, and/or experimental animal models. Carcinogenesis is a multistep process occurring over decades which is characterized by disruption of the normal regulatory pathways controlling cellular proliferation, programmed cell death and differentiation. Administration of agents to reverse, inhibit or slow this process of malignant transformation is known as chemoprevention. Chemoprevention represents a promising approach to reducing the morbidity and mortality of prostate cancer. A variety of agents are currently being studied in phase 2 clinical trials, some of which may warrant subsequent evaluation in phase 3 trials with definitive cancer end points. Two large phase 3 trials, the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial and the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial, which are ongoing, are also sponsored by the National Cancer Institute.

Apoptosis: a guide for the perplexed.

PubMed

Sloviter, Robert S

2002-01-01

The term 'apoptosis' describes an active process of cellular deconstruction originally contrasted morphologically with necrosis. The mistaken equivalence of the terms apoptosis and 'programmed cell death' has caused confusion and implied that apoptosis is an identifiable therapeutic target rather than a name of a type of cell death. The roots of confusion are suggested to lie not in superficial disagreements about the morphology and biochemistry of cell death, but in the lamentable disconnection of modern science from its philosophical foundations (i.e. Socratic definition, nominalism versus realism, and William of Ockham's advocacy of Aristotelian metaphysics over Plato's Theory of Forms). Renewed awareness of these issues might be the key to understanding that apoptosis is a created concept, not a real entity, and that the use of terms that defy definition has become an obstacle to clear thinking about preventable cell death.

A Novel Ras Effector Pathway Found to Play Significant Role in Tumor Suppression | Poster

Cancer.gov

By Nancy Parrish, Staff Writer; photo by Richard Frederickson, Staff Photographer Normal cells have mechanisms to prevent the development of cancer. Among these is a type of tumor suppressor mechanism known as oncogene-induced senescence, or OIS, which halts the uncontrolled growth of cells caused by mutations in oncogenes. The oncogene Ras plays a crucial role in inducing OIS through a specific cascade of proteins, as reported in a recent article in Molecular and Cellular Biology by Jacqueline Salotti, Ph.D., and colleagues in the Eukaryotic Transcriptional Regulation Section of the Mouse Cancer Genetics Program, Center for Cancer Research (CCR).

Donor CD8+ T Cells Prevent Toxoplasma gondii De-Encystation but Fail To Rescue the Exhausted Endogenous CD8+ T Cell Population

PubMed Central

Bhadra, Rajarshi; Cobb, Dustin A.

2013-01-01

Functional exhaustion of CD8+ T cells due to increased expression of inhibitory molecule PD-1 (Programmed Death-1) causes reactivation of latent disease during later phases of chronic toxoplasmosis. Onset of disease recrudescence results in decreased parasite cyst burden concomitant with parasites undergoing stage conversion from a primarily encysted, quiescent bradyzoite to a fast-replicating, highly motile tachyzoite. Thus, reduced cyst burden is one of the early hallmarks of disease recrudescence. This was further validated by depleting gamma interferon (IFN-γ), a cytokine known to control latent toxoplasmosis, in chronically infected prerecrudescent mice. Since CD8+ T cells (an important source of IFN-γ) lose their functionality during the later phases of chronic toxoplasmosis, we next examined if adoptive transfer of functional CD8+ T cells from acutely infected donors to the chronically infected prerecrudescent hosts could impede parasite de-encystation and rescue exhausted CD8+ T cells. While the transfer of immune CD8+ T cells temporarily restricted the breakdown of cysts, the exhausted endogenous CD8+ T cell population was not rescued. Over time, the donor population got deleted, resulting in parasite de-encystation and host mortality. Considering that donor CD8+ T cells fail to become long-lived, one of the cardinal features of memory CD8+ T cells, it bears the implication that memory CD8 differentiation is impaired during chronic toxoplasmosis. Moreover, our data strongly suggest that while adoptive immunotherapy can prevent parasite de-encystation transiently, reduced antigen burden in the chronic phase by itself is insufficient for rescue of exhausted CD8+ T cells. The conclusions of this study have profound ramifications in designing immunotherapeutics against chronic toxoplasmosis. PMID:23817617

Adenovirus-mediated suppression of HMGI(Y) protein synthesis as potential therapy of human malignant neoplasias

PubMed Central

Scala, Stefania; Portella, Giuseppe; Fedele, Monica; Chiappetta, Gennaro; Fusco, Alfredo

2000-01-01

High mobility group I (HMGI) proteins are overexpressed in several human malignant tumors. We previously demonstrated that inhibition of HMGI synthesis prevents thyroid cell transformation. Here, we report that an adenovirus carrying the HMGI(Y) gene in an antisense orientation (Ad-Yas) induced programmed cell death of two human thyroid anaplastic carcinoma cell lines (ARO and FB-1), but not normal thyroid cells. The Ad-Yas virus led to death of lung, colon, and breast carcinoma cells. A control adenovirus carrying the lacZ gene did not inhibit the growth of either normal or neoplastic cells. Ad-Yas treatment of tumors induced in athymic mice by ARO cells caused a drastic reduction in tumor size. Therefore, suppression of HMGI(Y) protein synthesis by an HMGI(Y) antisense adenoviral vector may be a useful treatment strategy in a variety of human malignant neoplasias, in which HMGI(Y) gene overexpression is a general event. PMID:10759549

Linking HIV-Negative Youth to Prevention Services in 12 U.S. Cities: Barriers and Facilitators to Implementing the HIV Prevention Continuum.

PubMed

Doll, Mimi; Fortenberry, J Dennis; Roseland, Denise; McAuliff, Kathleen; Wilson, Craig M; Boyer, Cherrie B

2018-04-01

Linkage of HIV-negative youth to prevention services is increasingly important with the development of effective pre-exposure prophylaxis that complements behavioral and other prevention-focused interventions. However, effective infrastructure for delivery of prevention services does not exist, leaving many programs to address HIV prevention without data to guide program development/implementation. The objective of this study was to provide a qualitative description of barriers and facilitators of linkage to prevention services among high-risk, HIV-negative youth. Thematic analysis of structured interviews with staff implementing linkage to prevention services programs for youth aged 12-24 years. Twelve adolescent medicine HIV primary care programs as part of larger testing research program focused on young sexual minority men of color. The study included staff implementing linkage to prevention services programs along with community-based HIV testing programs. The main outcomes of the study were key barriers/facilitators to linkage to prevention services. Eight themes summarized perspectives on linkage to prevention services: (1) relationships with community partners, (2) trust between providers and youth, (3) youth capacity to navigate prevention services, (4) pre-exposure prophylaxis specific issues, (5) privacy issues, (6) gaps in health records preventing tailored services, (7) confidentiality of care for youth accessing services through parents'/caretakers' insurance, and (8) need for health-care institutions to keep pace with models that prioritize HIV prevention among at-risk youth. Themes are discussed in the context of factors that facilitated/challenged linkage to prevention services. Several evidence-based HIV prevention tools are available; infrastructures for coordinated service delivery to high-risk youth have not been developed. Implementation of such infrastructures requires attention to community-, provider-, and youth-related issues. Copyright © 2017 The Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effect of a national mastitis control program on the attitudes, knowledge, and behavior of farmers in the Netherlands.

PubMed

Jansen, J; van Schaik, G; Renes, R J; Lam, T J G M

2010-12-01

Over the years, much effort has been put into implementing mastitis control programs in herds. To further improve utilization of such programs, there needs to be an understanding of the attitudes, knowledge, and behavior of farmers regarding udder health, and the way this can be influenced by mastitis control programs. This study aimed to explore the effect of a national mastitis control program on Dutch farmers' attitudes, knowledge, and behavior regarding mastitis. A total of 378 dairy farmers completed a survey on attitudes, knowledge, and behavior regarding mastitis before the start of a national mastitis control program in 2004, and 204 completed a similar survey in the final year of the program (2009). Although the average annual bulk milk somatic cell count (BMSCC) remained the same, the farmers' self-reported attitudes, knowledge, and behavior changed significantly. The problem level of BMSCC decreased from 285,000 cells/mL in 2004 to 271,000 cells/mL in 2009. More farmers perceived that they had sufficient knowledge about the prevention of mastitis (34% in 2004 vs. 53% in 2009) and they more often perceived that they knew the cause of a mastitis problem (25% in 2004 vs. 37% in 2009). The use of gloves for milking increased from 15 to 46%, the use of a standardized mastitis treatment protocol increased from 7 to 34%, and freestalls were cleaned more often (2.28 vs. 2.51 times/d) in 2009 compared with 2004. Most changes in attitudes, knowledge, and behavior did not differ between groups of dairy farmers whose herds had an initially low (≤ 162,000 cells/mL), medium (163,000 to 205,000 cells/mL), or high (>206,000 cells/mL) BMSCC. The high BMSCC group significantly decreased their annual BMSCC level by 15,000 cells/mL. Regression analysis showed that the decrease in BMSCC was associated with a change in farmers' perceptions (e.g., increased perceived knowledge about the effect of the milking machine on mastitis) and with a change in certain management practices (e.g., disinfecting all teats after milking). The results showed that a national mastitis control program affected the attitudes, knowledge, and behavior of farmers regarding mastitis and could contribute to udder health improvement in the long term. Copyright © 2010 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Process of Adoption of Evidence-based Tobacco Use Prevention Programs in California Schools

PubMed Central

Little, Melissa A.; Pokhrel, Pallav; Sussman, Steve; Rohrbach, Louise Ann

2014-01-01

Although there are a number of research-validated substance use prevention programs available for wide-scale dissemination, very little is known about the factors that influence adoption of evidence-based prevention programs in schools. We tested a model of the mechanisms of program adoption in schools that was guided by diffusion of innovations and social ecological theories. Cross-sectional data were collected from a sample of school district and county office of education tobacco use prevention education coordinators throughout California. Structural equation modeling was used to test the effects of community- and organizational variables on the adoption of prevention programs via school administrators’ beliefs and the organization’s receipt of funding for the program. Results supported the hypothesis that the process of adoption begins with forming beliefs about the program, leading to adoption through the receipt of funding. In addition, we found direct effects of various community- and organizational-level factors on beliefs, receipt of funding, and adoption. These results are likely to inform policies that affect school districts’ use of evidence-based substance use prevention programming, which should ultimately lead to reductions in negative health outcomes among adolescents. Specifically, this study identifies various factors that could be targeted for improvement to enhance evidence-based program adoption. To our knowledge, this is the first study to empirically elucidate the process of adoption of evidence-based tobacco prevention programs in schools. PMID:24398826

Prevention of alcohol and drug abuse: what works?

PubMed

Kumpfer, Karol L

2002-09-01

There is no single "best" prevention program, and no one program or approach will stop all drug use. There are many effective research-based programs; the best approach for any particular population requires selecting the best intervention for the target population on the basis of a knowledge of the risk and protective factors in that population. Unfortunately, the most highly marketed school or family programs are generally not those programs with the best outcomes. The best approach to prevention is to begin early to reduce emerging behavioral and emotional problems in youth. Longer-lasting effects should accrue from changing school, community, and family environmental conditions that promote and maintain drug problems in youth. More and more prevention specialists are considering moving from a focus on the individual to changes in total systems or the environmental contexts that promote or hinder drug use. On the basis of economic considerations, the "whole family" systems-change approach of family skills training classes is becoming popular even in the managed care environment. The greatest challenge facing the drug abuse prevention field is to get information out to practitioners and communities about the best prevention programs, approaches, and principles of effectiveness. Researchers and funding agencies must learn how to effectively market the most successful programs to bridge the gap between research and practice. We must become as effective at marketing drug prevention programs as drug dealers are at promoting and selling drugs. Communities need health care professionals who are knowledgeable about substance abuse prevention and who can advocate the implementation and ongoing improvement of prevention programs with known effectiveness.

Optimizing Violence Prevention Programs: An Examination of Program Effectiveness among Urban High School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompkins, Amanda C.; Chauveron, Lisa M.; Harel, Ofer; Perkins, Daniel F.

2014-01-01

Background: While demand for youth violence prevention programs increases, the ability of the school-day schedule to accommodate their time requirements has diminished. Viable school-based prevention programs must strike a balance between brevity and effectiveness. This article reports results from an effectiveness trial of a 12-session…

Psychological Treatment as Part of Dropout Prevention: An Israeli Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwartz, Hava; Hain, Rebecca

2014-01-01

This article reports on the integration of psychotherapy in a comprehensive dropout prevention program developed at the Dean of Students' office of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel. The program's psychologists conducted psychotherapy with a subset of dropout prevention program participants who had reacted with emotional turmoil to the…

Reinforcing Alcohol Prevention (RAP) Program: A Secondary School Curriculum to Combat Underage Drinking and Impaired Driving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Will, Kelli England; Sabo, Cynthia Shier

2010-01-01

The Reinforcing Alcohol Prevention (RAP) Program is an alcohol prevention curriculum developed in partnership with secondary schools to serve their need for a brief, evidence-based, and straightforward program that aligned with state learning objectives. Program components included an educational lesson, video, and interactive activities delivered…

Prevention in Action. 1991 Exemplary Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors, Inc.

Eight exemplary programs for preventing alcohol and other drug abuse are presented in this document. These programs are summarized: (1) SUPER II Early Intervention Program, Atlanta, Georgia, which serves primarily inner-city youth ages 11-17 and their families through community agencies, juvenile courts, alternative schools, and public housing;…

The Juvenile and Adolescent Substance Abuse Prevention Program: An Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Talpade, Medha; Lynch, Diane; Lattimore, Barbara; Graham, Ashlee

2008-01-01

The Juvenile and Adolescent Substance Abuse Prevention Program (JASAP) is a curriculum-based prevention and health promotion program for youth between the ages of 13 to 18 years in Fulton County, Georgia. The program was established in 2007 to promote healthy decision-making skills that would eventually lead to informed choices and decisions…

Feasibility of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program in Low-Income Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hong, Jun S.

2009-01-01

This article examines school response to bullying and youth aggression in upper/middle-class and low socioeconomic neighborhoods, and the feasibility of successfully implementing the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program in schools located in impoverished communities. The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program is one of the few programs that has proven…

Evaluation of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program in Nine Urban Schools: Effective Practices and next Steps

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Black, Sally; Washington, Ericka

2008-01-01

The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (BPP) is an internationally recognized school-based bullying prevention program. This project sought to evaluate pilot implementation of the program in one urban district using fidelity of implementation, bullying incident density (BID), student surveys, and serious incident reports as process and outcome…

40 CFR 68.170 - Prevention program/Program 2.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... the process. (c) The name(s) of the chemical(s) covered. (d) The date of the most recent review or... (CONTINUED) CHEMICAL ACCIDENT PREVENTION PROVISIONS Risk Management Plan § 68.170 Prevention program/Program... of completion of the most recent hazard review or update. (1) The expected date of completion of any...

40 CFR 68.170 - Prevention program/Program 2.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... the process. (c) The name(s) of the chemical(s) covered. (d) The date of the most recent review or... (CONTINUED) CHEMICAL ACCIDENT PREVENTION PROVISIONS Risk Management Plan § 68.170 Prevention program/Program... of completion of the most recent hazard review or update. (1) The expected date of completion of any...

40 CFR 68.170 - Prevention program/Program 2.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... the process. (c) The name(s) of the chemical(s) covered. (d) The date of the most recent review or... (CONTINUED) CHEMICAL ACCIDENT PREVENTION PROVISIONS Risk Management Plan § 68.170 Prevention program/Program... of completion of the most recent hazard review or update. (1) The expected date of completion of any...

Curbing Teen Dating Violence: Evidence from a School Prevention Program. RB-9194-CDC

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jaycox, Lisa H.; McCaffrey, Daniel F.; Weidmer Ocampo, Beverly; Marshall, Grant N.; Collins, Rebecca L.; Hickman, Laura J.; Quigley, Denise D.

2006-01-01

This research brief summarizes a survey about the effectiveness of programs from Break the Cycle, a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing and fielding dating-violence prevention programs. The study evaluated "Ending Violence," a three-class-session prevention program. Developed by a Los Angeles-based nonprofit group called Break…

Design of a continuous quality improvement program to prevent falls among community-dwelling older adults in an integrated healthcare system.

PubMed

Ganz, David A; Yano, Elizabeth M; Saliba, Debra; Shekelle, Paul G

2009-11-16

Implementing quality improvement programs that require behavior change on the part of health care professionals and patients has proven difficult in routine care. Significant randomized trial evidence supports creating fall prevention programs for community-dwelling older adults, but adoption in routine care has been limited. Nationally-collected data indicated that our local facility could improve its performance on fall prevention in community-dwelling older people. We sought to develop a sustainable local fall prevention program, using theory to guide program development. We planned program development to include important stakeholders within our organization. The theory-derived plan consisted of 1) an initial leadership meeting to agree on whether creating a fall prevention program was a priority for the organization, 2) focus groups with patients and health care professionals to develop ideas for the program, 3) monthly workgroup meetings with representatives from key departments to develop a blueprint for the program, 4) a second leadership meeting to confirm that the blueprint developed by the workgroup was satisfactory, and also to solicit feedback on ideas for program refinement. The leadership and workgroup meetings occurred as planned and led to the development of a functional program. The focus groups did not occur as planned, mainly due to the complexity of obtaining research approval for focus groups. The fall prevention program uses an existing telephonic nurse advice line to 1) place outgoing calls to patients at high fall risk, 2) assess these patients' risk factors for falls, and 3) triage these patients to the appropriate services. The workgroup continues to meet monthly to monitor the progress of the program and improve it. A theory-driven program development process has resulted in the successful initial implementation of a fall prevention program.

Optimal Investment in HIV Prevention Programs: More Is Not Always Better

PubMed Central

Brandeau, Margaret L.; Zaric, Gregory S.

2008-01-01

This paper develops a mathematical/economic framework to address the following question: Given a particular population, a specific HIV prevention program, and a fixed amount of funds that could be invested in the program, how much money should be invested? We consider the impact of investment in a prevention program on the HIV sufficient contact rate (defined via production functions that describe the change in the sufficient contact rate as a function of expenditure on a prevention program), and the impact of changes in the sufficient contact rate on the spread of HIV (via an epidemic model). In general, the cost per HIV infection averted is not constant as the level of investment changes, so the fact that some investment in a program is cost effective does not mean that more investment in the program is cost effective. Our framework provides a formal means for determining how the cost per infection averted changes with the level of expenditure. We can use this information as follows: When the program has decreasing marginal cost per infection averted (which occurs, for example, with a growing epidemic and a prevention program with increasing returns to scale), it is optimal either to spend nothing on the program or to spend the entire budget. When the program has increasing marginal cost per infection averted (which occurs, for example, with a shrinking epidemic and a prevention program with decreasing returns to scale), it may be optimal to spend some but not all of the budget. The amount that should be spent depends on both the rate of disease spread and the production function for the prevention program. We illustrate our ideas with two examples: that of a needle exchange program, and that of a methadone maintenance program. PMID:19938440

Parents-CARE: a suicide prevention program for parents of at-risk youth.

PubMed

Hooven, Carole

2013-02-01

Families play an important role in youth suicide prevention, as both a source of protection and a source of risk, and thus are an important target for adolescent suicide prevention programs. This article describes in detail Parents-CARE, a brief youth suicide prevention program for parents, for which effectiveness has been demonstrated. Engaging parents in preventive intervention can be challenging; therefore, the feasibility, acceptability, and relevance of the program to parents are examined. A total of 289 households participated in Parents-CARE. Parent attendance data and parent and interventionist process data are utilized to demonstrate the positive response by parents to the program. The Parents-CARE program was highly attended, and ratings demonstrate that parents were engaged in the program. Ratings show parents found the program both acceptable and relevant. Hence, the program described is promising for clinicians working with at-risk youth as they seek brief, accessible, and effective interventions that include parents in order to amplify the effects of an individual intervention approach. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Translating evidence based violence and drug use prevention to obesity prevention: development and construction of the pathways program.

PubMed

Sakuma, Kari-Lyn K; Riggs, Nathaniel R; Pentz, Mary Ann

2012-04-01

Effective school-based obesity prevention programs are needed to prevent and reduce the growing obesity risk among youth. Utilizing the evidence-rich areas of violence and substance use prevention, translation science may provide an efficient means for developing curricula across multiple health behaviors. This paper introduces Pathways to Health, a school-based obesity prevention program that was developed by translating from evidence-based violence and drug use prevention programs, Promoting Alternative THinking Strategies and the Midwestern Prevention Project STAR (STAR). We illustrate how a hypothesized underlying behavior change mechanism in two domains of risk behavior, violence and substance use, can be applied to obesity prevention. A 4-step translational process is provided and may be relevant for use in developing other curricula to address multiple health risk behaviors. Practical application and decision points are also provided.

Translating evidence based violence and drug use prevention to obesity prevention: development and construction of the Pathways program

PubMed Central

Sakuma, Kari-Lyn K.; Riggs, Nathaniel R.; Pentz, Mary Ann

2012-01-01

Effective school-based obesity prevention programs are needed to prevent and reduce the growing obesity risk among youth. Utilizing the evidence-rich areas of violence and substance use prevention, translation science may provide an efficient means for developing curricula across multiple health behaviors. This paper introduces Pathways to Health, a school-based obesity prevention program that was developed by translating from evidence-based violence and drug use prevention programs, Promoting Alternative THinking Strategies and the Midwestern Prevention Project STAR (STAR). We illustrate how a hypothesized underlying behavior change mechanism in two domains of risk behavior, violence and substance use, can be applied to obesity prevention. A 4-step translational process is provided and may be relevant for use in developing other curricula to address multiple health risk behaviors. Practical application and decision points are also provided. PMID:21987475

25 CFR 63.33 - What must an application for Indian child protection and family violence prevention program funds...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... family violence prevention program funds include? 63.33 Section 63.33 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR TRIBAL GOVERNMENT INDIAN CHILD PROTECTION AND FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Program § 63.33 What must an application for Indian...

25 CFR 63.30 - What is the purpose of the Indian child protection and family violence prevention program?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... family violence prevention program? 63.30 Section 63.30 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR TRIBAL GOVERNMENT INDIAN CHILD PROTECTION AND FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Program § 63.30 What is the purpose of the Indian child protection...

The Efficacy of Sexual Violence Prevention Programs: Implications for Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adair, Jeannie

2006-01-01

Over the past decade researchers have begun to explore the prevalence, incidence, short and long term effects, and prevention of sexual violence. The purpose of this article was to provide a review of the literature related to the efficacy of sexual violence prevention programs. The review showed that there are many prevention programs yet few…

Title V Incentive Grants for Local Delinquency Prevention Programs. 2008 Report to Congress

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2011

2011-01-01

The "2008 Title V Report to Congress" marks a departure from the past. Before 2008, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) reported solely on the Community Prevention Grants program in its "Title V Report to Congress." This year, OJJDP is reporting on the four delinquency prevention programs that were…

Using a Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention Advocate to Implement a Dating Violence Prevention Program with Athletes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jaime, M. C. D.; Stocking, M.; Freire, K.; Perkinson, L.; Ciaravino, S.; Miller, E.

2016-01-01

"Coaching Boys into Men" is an evidence-based dating violence prevention program for coaches to implement with male athletes. A common adaptation of this program is delivery by domestic violence and sexual violence prevention advocates instead of coaches. We explored how this implementer adaptation may influence athlete uptake of program…

Dropout Prevention: A Study of Prevention Programs Used by High Schools to Increase Graduation Rate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simmons, Christopher L.

2013-01-01

This mixed methods study focused on the relationship between dropout prevention programs and graduation rates in one school district in Florida during the 2010-2011 school year. The dropout prevention program data analyzed included high school principals' perceptions in regard to perceived effectiveness, fidelity of implementation, cost efficacy,…

An Ounce of Prevention, a Pound of Uncertainty: The Cost-Effectiveness of School-Based Drug Prevention Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caulkins, Jonathan P.; Rydell, C. Peter; Everingham, Susan S.; Chiesa, James; Bushway, Shawn

This book describes an analysis of the cost-effectiveness of model school-based drug prevention programs at reducing cocaine consumption. It compares prevention's cost-effectiveness with that of several enforcement programs and with that of treating heavy cocaine users. It also assesses the cost of nationwide implementation of model prevention…

Caspase-1 inhibition prevents glial inflammasome activation and pyroptosis in models of multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

McKenzie, Brienne A; Mamik, Manmeet K; Saito, Leina B; Boghozian, Roobina; Monaco, Maria Chiara; Major, Eugene O; Lu, Jian-Qiang; Branton, William G; Power, Christopher

2018-06-12

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive inflammatory demyelinating disease of the CNS of unknown cause that remains incurable. Inflammasome-associated caspases mediate the maturation and release of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18 and activate the pore-forming protein gasdermin D (GSDMD). Inflammatory programmed cell death, pyroptosis, was recently shown to be mediated by GSDMD. Here, we report molecular evidence for GSDMD-mediated inflammasome activation and pyroptosis in both myeloid cells (macrophages/microglia) and, unexpectedly, in myelin-forming oligodendrocytes (ODCs) in the CNS of patients with MS and in the MS animal model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). We observed inflammasome activation and pyroptosis in human microglia and ODCs in vitro after exposure to inflammatory stimuli and demonstrate caspase-1 inhibition by the small-molecule inhibitor VX-765 in both cell types. GSDMD inhibition by siRNA transduction suppressed pyroptosis in human microglia. VX-765 treatment of EAE animals reduced the expression of inflammasome- and pyroptosis-associated proteins in the CNS, prevented axonal injury, and improved neurobehavioral performance. Thus, GSDMD-mediated pyroptosis in select glia cells is a previously unrecognized mechanism of inflammatory demyelination and represents a unique therapeutic opportunity for mitigating the disease process in MS and other CNS inflammatory diseases.

Characterization of the programmed cell death induced by metabolic products of Alternaria alternata in tobacco BY-2 cells.

PubMed

Cheng, Dan-Dan; Jia, Yu-Jiao; Gao, Hui-Yuan; Zhang, Li-Tao; Zhang, Zi-Shan; Xue, Zhong-Cai; Meng, Qing-Wei

2011-02-01

Alternaria alternata has received considerable attention in current literature and most of the studies are focused on its pathogenic effects on plant chloroplasts, but little is known about the characteristics of programmed cell death (PCD) induced by metabolic products (MP) of A. alternata, the effects of the MP on mitochondrial respiration and its relation to PCD. The purpose of this study was to explore the mechanism of MP-induced PCD in non-green tobacco BY-2 cells and to explore the role of mitochondrial inhibitory processes in the PCD of tobacco BY-2 cells. MP treatment led to significant cell death that was proven to be PCD by the concurrent cytoplasm shrinkage, chromatin condensation and DNA laddering observed in the cells. Moreover, MP treatment resulted in the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), rapid ATP depletion and a respiratory decline in the tobacco BY-2 cells. It was concluded that the direct inhibition of the mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC), alternative pathway (AOX) capacity and catalase (CAT) activity by the MP might be the main contributors to the MP-induced ROS burst observed in tobacco BY-2 cells. The addition of adenosine together with the MP significantly inhibited ATP depletion without preventing PCD; however, when the cells were treated with the MP plus CAT, ROS overproduction was blocked and PCD did not occur. The data presented here demonstrate that the ROS burst played an important role in MP-induced PCD in the tobacco BY-2 cells.

HIV Programs for Sex Workers: Lessons and Challenges for Developing and Delivering Programs

PubMed Central

Wilson, David

2015-01-01

There is evidence that HIV prevention programs for sex workers, especially female sex workers, are cost-effective in several contexts, including many western countries, Thailand, India, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, and Zimbabwe. The evidence that sex worker HIV prevention programs work must not inspire complacency but rather a renewed effort to expand, intensify, and maximize their impact. The PLOS Collection “Focus on Delivery and Scale: Achieving HIV Impact with Sex Workers” highlights major challenges to scaling-up sex worker HIV prevention programs, noting the following: sex worker HIV prevention programs are insufficiently guided by understanding of epidemic transmission dynamics, situation analyses, and programmatic mapping; sex worker HIV and sexually transmitted infection services receive limited domestic financing in many countries; many sex worker HIV prevention programs are inadequately codified to ensure consistency and quality; and many sex worker HIV prevention programs have not evolved adequately to address informal sex workers, male and transgender sex workers, and mobile- and internet-based sex workers. Based on the wider collection of papers, this article presents three major clusters of recommendations: (i) HIV programs focused on sex workers should be prioritized, developed, and implemented based on robust evidence; (ii) national political will and increased funding are needed to increase coverage of effective sex worker HIV prevention programs in low and middle income countries; and (iii) comprehensive, integrated, and rapidly evolving HIV programs are needed to ensure equitable access to health services for individuals involved in all forms of sex work. PMID:26079267

HIV Programs for Sex Workers: Lessons and Challenges for Developing and Delivering Programs.

PubMed

Wilson, David

2015-06-01

There is evidence that HIV prevention programs for sex workers, especially female sex workers, are cost-effective in several contexts, including many western countries, Thailand, India, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, and Zimbabwe. The evidence that sex worker HIV prevention programs work must not inspire complacency but rather a renewed effort to expand, intensify, and maximize their impact. The PLOS Collection "Focus on Delivery and Scale: Achieving HIV Impact with Sex Workers" highlights major challenges to scaling-up sex worker HIV prevention programs, noting the following: sex worker HIV prevention programs are insufficiently guided by understanding of epidemic transmission dynamics, situation analyses, and programmatic mapping; sex worker HIV and sexually transmitted infection services receive limited domestic financing in many countries; many sex worker HIV prevention programs are inadequately codified to ensure consistency and quality; and many sex worker HIV prevention programs have not evolved adequately to address informal sex workers, male and transgender sex workers, and mobile- and internet-based sex workers. Based on the wider collection of papers, this article presents three major clusters of recommendations: (i) HIV programs focused on sex workers should be prioritized, developed, and implemented based on robust evidence; (ii) national political will and increased funding are needed to increase coverage of effective sex worker HIV prevention programs in low and middle income countries; and (iii) comprehensive, integrated, and rapidly evolving HIV programs are needed to ensure equitable access to health services for individuals involved in all forms of sex work.

Culturally Grounded Prevention for Minority Youth Populations: A Systematic Review of the Literature

PubMed Central

Lauricella, Michela; Valdez, Jessica K.; Okamoto, Scott K.; Helm, Susana; Zaremba, Colleen

2016-01-01

Contemporary prevention science has focused on the application of cultural adaptations of evidence-based prevention programs for minority youth populations. Far less is known about culturally grounded methods that are intended to organically develop prevention programs within specific populations and communities. This article systematically reviews recent literature on culturally grounded interventions used to prevent health disparities in ethnic minority youth populations. In this review, we assessed 31 peer-reviewed articles published in 2003 or later that fit inclusionary criteria pertaining to the development and evaluation of culturally grounded prevention programs. The evaluated studies indicated different approaches toward cultural grounding, as well as specific populations, geographic regions, and health issues that have been targeted. Specifically, the findings indicated that most of the studies focused on the development and evaluation of culturally grounded HIV/STI and substance abuse prevention programs for Mexican American, African American, and American Indian/Alaska Native youth residing in the South or Southwestern U.S. These studies largely relied on community-based participatory or qualitative research methods to develop programs from the “ground up.” This review has implications for the development of future culturally grounded and culturally adapted prevention programs targeting underserved minority youth populations and geographic regions. Specifically, it identifies populations and regions where culturally grounded prevention efforts are underdeveloped or non-existent, providing some scientific direction for the future development of these types of programs. PMID:26733384

Culturally Grounded Prevention for Minority Youth Populations: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

PubMed

Lauricella, Michela; Valdez, Jessica K; Okamoto, Scott K; Helm, Susana; Zaremba, Colleen

2016-02-01

Contemporary prevention science has focused on the application of cultural adaptations of evidence-based prevention programs for minority youth populations. Far less is known about culturally grounded methods that are intended to organically develop prevention programs within specific populations and communities. This article systematically reviews recent literature on culturally grounded interventions used to prevent health disparities in ethnic minority youth populations. In this review, we assessed 31 peer-reviewed articles published in 2003 or later that fit inclusionary criteria pertaining to the development and evaluation of culturally grounded prevention programs. The evaluated studies indicated different approaches toward cultural grounding, as well as specific populations, geographic regions, and health issues that have been targeted. Specifically, the findings indicated that most of the studies focused on the development and evaluation of culturally grounded HIV/STI and substance abuse prevention programs for Mexican-American, African American, and American Indian/Alaska Native youth residing in the South or Southwestern US. These studies largely relied on community-based participatory or qualitative research methods to develop programs from the "ground up." This review has implications for the development of future culturally grounded and culturally adapted prevention programs targeting underserved minority youth populations and geographic regions. Specifically, it identifies populations and regions where culturally grounded prevention efforts are underdeveloped or non-existent, providing some scientific direction for the future development of these types of programs.

Function of endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase in innate immunity-mediated programmed cell death

PubMed Central

Zhu, Xiaohong; Caplan, Jeffrey; Mamillapalli, Padmavathi; Czymmek, Kirk; Dinesh-Kumar, Savithramma P

2010-01-01

Programmed cell death (PCD) initiated at the pathogen-infected sites during the plant innate immune response is thought to prevent the development of disease. Here, we describe the identification and characterization of an ER-localized type IIB Ca2+-ATPase (NbCA1) that function as a regulator of PCD. Silencing of NbCA1 accelerates viral immune receptor N- and fungal-immune receptor Cf9-mediated PCD, as well as non-host pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 and the general elicitor cryptogein-induced cell death. The accelerated PCD rescues loss-of-resistance phenotype of Rar1, HSP90-silenced plants, but not SGT1-silenced plants. Using a genetically encoded calcium sensor, we show that downregulation of NbCA1 results in the modulation of intracellular calcium signalling in response to cryptogein elicitor. We further show that NbCAM1 and NbrbohB function as downstream calcium decoders in N-immune receptor-mediated PCD. Our results indicate that ER-Ca2+-ATPase is a component of the calcium efflux pathway that controls PCD during an innate immune response. PMID:20075858

Mammalian Synthetic Biology: Engineering Biological Systems.

PubMed

Black, Joshua B; Perez-Pinera, Pablo; Gersbach, Charles A

2017-06-21

The programming of new functions into mammalian cells has tremendous application in research and medicine. Continued improvements in the capacity to sequence and synthesize DNA have rapidly increased our understanding of mechanisms of gene function and regulation on a genome-wide scale and have expanded the set of genetic components available for programming cell biology. The invention of new research tools, including targetable DNA-binding systems such as CRISPR/Cas9 and sensor-actuator devices that can recognize and respond to diverse chemical, mechanical, and optical inputs, has enabled precise control of complex cellular behaviors at unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution. These tools have been critical for the expansion of synthetic biology techniques from prokaryotic and lower eukaryotic hosts to mammalian systems. Recent progress in the development of genome and epigenome editing tools and in the engineering of designer cells with programmable genetic circuits is expanding approaches to prevent, diagnose, and treat disease and to establish personalized theranostic strategies for next-generation medicines. This review summarizes the development of these enabling technologies and their application to transforming mammalian synthetic biology into a distinct field in research and medicine.

Programmed cell death in periodontitis: recent advances and future perspectives.

PubMed

Song, B; Zhou, T; Yang, W L; Liu, J; Shao, L Q

2017-07-01

Periodontitis is a highly prevalent infectious disease, characterized by destruction of the periodontium, and is the main cause of tooth loss. Periodontitis is initiated by periodontal pathogens, while other risk factors including smoking, stress, and systemic diseases aggravate its progression. Periodontitis affects many people worldwide, but the molecular mechanisms by which pathogens and risk factors destroy the periodontium are unclear. Programmed cell death (PCD), different from necrosis, is an active cell death mediated by a cascade of gene expression events and can be mainly classified into apoptosis, autophagy, necroptosis, and pyroptosis. Although PCD is involved in many inflammatory diseases, its correlation with periodontitis is unclear. After reviewing the relevant published articles, we found that apoptosis has indeed been reported to play a role in periodontitis. However, the role of autophagy in periodontitis needs further verification. Additionally, implication of necroptosis or pyroptosis in periodontitis remains unknown. Therefore, we recommend future studies, which will unravel the pivotal role of PCD in periodontitis, allowing us to prevent, diagnose, and treat the disease, as well as predict its outcomes. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

PHYSIOLOGICAL, CYTOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL STABILITY OF Medicago sativa L. CELL CULTURE AFTER 27 YEARS OF CRYOGENIC STORAGE.

PubMed

Volkova, L A; Urmantseva, V V; Popova, E V; Nosov, A M

2015-01-01

The efficiency of long-term cryogenic storage to prevent somaclonal variations in plant cell cultures and retain their major cytogenetic and biochemical traits remains under debate. In particular, it is not clear how stress conditions associated with cryopreservation, such as low temperature, dehydration and toxic action of some cryoprotectants (DMSO in particular), affect post-storage regrowth and genetic integrity of cell samples. We assessed growth, cytogenetic and biochemical characteristics of the peroxidase-producing strain of Medicago sativa L. cell culture recovered after 27 years of cryogenic storage as compared to the same culture before cryopreservation. In 1984, M. sativa L. cell culture was cryopreserved using programmed freezing and 7% DMSO as a cryoprotectant. In 2011, after rewarming in a water bath at 40 degree C for 90 s, cell culture was recovered and proliferated. Viability, growth profile, mitotic index, ploidy level, peroxidase activity and cell response to hypothermia and osmotic stress were compared between the recovered and the initial cell cultures using the records available from 1984. Viability of alfalfa cell culture after rewarming was below 20% but it increased to 80% by the 27th subculture cycle. Recovered culture showed higher mitotic activity and increased number of haploid and diploid cells compared to the initial cell line. Both peroxidase activity and response to abiotic stress in the recovered cell culture were similar to that of the initial culture. Cryopreservation by programmed freezing was effective at retaining the main characteristics of M. sativa undifferentiated cell culture after 27 years of storage. According to available data, this is longest period of successful cryopreservation of plant cell cultures reported so far. After storage, there was no evidence that DMSO had any detrimental effect on cell viability, growth or cytogenetics.

Complementary development of prevention and mental health promotion programs for Canadian children based on contemporary scientific paradigms.

PubMed

Breton, J J

1999-04-01

Confusion regarding definitions and standards of prevention and promotion programs is pervasive, as revealed by a review of such programs in Canada. This paper examines how a discussion of scientific paradigms can help clarify models of prevention and mental health promotion and proposes the complementary development of prevention and promotion programs. A paradigm shift in science contributed to the emergence of the transactional model, advocating multiple causes and dynamic transactions between the individual and the environment. Consequently, the view of prevention applying over a linear continuum and of single stressful events causing mental disorders may no longer be appropriate. It is the author's belief that the new science of chaos theory, which addresses processes involved in the development of systems, can be applied to child development and thus to the heart of prevention and promotion programs. Critical moments followed by transitions or near-chaotic behaviours lead to stable states better adapted to the environment. Prevention programs would focus on the critical moments and target groups at risk to reduce risk factors. Promotion programs would focus on stable states and target the general population to develop age-appropriate life skills. The concept of sensitive dependence on initial conditions and certain empirical studies suggest that the programs would have the greatest impact at the beginning of life. It is hoped that this effort to organize knowledge about conceptual models of prevention and mental health promotion programs will foster the development of these programs to meet the urgent needs of Canadian children.

Preventing the Onset of Child Sexual Abuse by Targeting Young Adolescents With Universal Prevention Programming

PubMed Central

Letourneau, Elizabeth J.; Schaeffer, Cindy M.; Bradshaw, Catherine P.; Feder, Kenneth A.

2017-01-01

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a serious public health problem that increases risk for physical and mental health problems across the life course. Young adolescents are responsible for a substantial portion of CSA offending, yet to our knowledge, no validated prevention programs that target CSA perpetration by youth exist. Most existing efforts to address CSA rely on reactive criminal justice policies or programs that teach children to protect themselves; neither approach is well validated. Given the high rates of desistance from sexual offending following a youth’s first CSA-related adjudication, it seems plausible that many youth could be prevented from engaging in their first offense. The goal of this article is to examine how school-based universal prevention programs might be used to prevent CSA perpetrated by adolescents. We review the literature on risk and protective factors for CSA perpetration and identify several promising factors to target in an intervention. We also summarize the literature on programs that have been effective at preventing adolescent dating violence and other serious problem behaviors. Finally, we describe a new CSA prevention program under development and early evaluation and make recommendations for program design characteristics, including unambiguous messaging, parental involvement, multisession dosage, skills practice, and bystander considerations. PMID:28413921

Potential reach of effective smoking prevention programmes in vocational schools: determinants of school directors' intention to adopt these programmes.

PubMed

Veldwijk, J; Hoving, C; van Gelder, B M; Feenstra, T L

2012-04-01

Investigating the current, intended and potential reach of two effective smoking prevention programs in Dutch vocational schools and identifying determinants of school directors' intention to adopt these programs. Cross-sectional survey. Two questionnaires were developed based on the Diffusion of Innovation theory and the I-Change model, focussing on either the 'Healthy School and Stimulants program' (HSS program) or the 'Out-of-school Computer Tailoring program' (CT program). The questionnaires were distributed amongst all Dutch vocational school directors (n = 452) of which 34% completed the questionnaire. The potential reach of the HSS program was 29% whereas the potential reach of the CT program was 5%. Regression analyses revealed that being female, perceiving a higher percentage of smoking students in school, having a personality more open towards change, perceiving a low need for a smoking prevention program, fewer disadvantages of the program, a higher level of self-efficacy towards adopting the program and a more positive social norm towards adopting a smoking prevention program from other school directors resulted in a positive intention towards adopting either program. The present study showed that the reach of effective smoking prevention programs is fairly low. School-based smoking prevention efforts are likely to improve if schools choose to use programs that are proven to be effective, which can be encouraged by adapting existing and newly designed programs to school directors' characteristics and providing easy access to reliable information regarding available programs. Copyright © 2012 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Opportunities for technology-based HIV prevention programming among high school students in Cape Town, South Africa

PubMed Central

Mwaba, Kelvin; Prescott, Tonya L.; Roman, Nicolette V.; Rooi, Bronwyn; Bull, Sheana

2014-01-01

One in three new cases of HIV in South Africa is among adolescents. Given that adolescents are particularly affected, scalable and cost-effective prevention programs are urgently needed. This study aims to identify opportunities to integrate technology into youth HIV prevention efforts. In 2012, 1,107 8th – 11th graders completed a paper-and-pencil survey. Respondents were enrolled in one of three public high schools in Langa. Because it is the closest black township to Cape Town, Langa has the highest density of people in the region. Eighty-nine percent of respondents have used text messaging (SMS) and 86% have gone online. If an HIV prevention program was offered online, 66% of youth would be somewhat or extremely likely to access it; slightly fewer (55%) felt the same about SMS-based programming. In comparison, 85% said they would be somewhat or extremely likely to access a school-based HIV prevention program. Interest in Internet-(60%) and SMS-based (54%) HIV prevention programming was similar for youth who had a self-appraised risk for HIV compared to youth who appraised their risk to be lower, as it was for youth who were tired of hearing messages about HIV prevention. Technology use is common – even among high school students who live in lower income communities. At the same time, these data reveal that it is not uncommon for youth to be tired of hearing messages about HIV prevention, and many of the typical topics key to HIV prevention have low interest levels among youth. HIV prevention researchers need to be mindful of the extent of existing programming that youth are exposed to. Technology-based programming may be especially amenable to meeting these requirements because of its novelty especially in developing countries, and because interactive functionality can be easily integrated into the program design. Given the preference for school- and Internet-based programming, it seems that a hybrid approach is likely feasible and acceptable. PMID:25022287

Opportunities for technology-based HIV prevention programming among high school students in Cape Town, South Africa.

PubMed

Ybarra, Michele L; Mwaba, Kelvin; Prescott, Tonya L; Roman, Nicolette V; Rooi, Bronwyn; Bull, Sheana

2014-01-01

One in three new cases of HIV in South Africa is among adolescents. Given that adolescents are particularly affected, scalable, and cost-effective prevention programs are urgently needed. This study aims to identify opportunities to integrate technology into youth HIV prevention efforts. In 2012, 1107 8th-11th graders completed a paper-and-pencil survey. Respondents were enrolled in one of three public high schools in Langa, a lower income community in Cape Town, South Africa. Eighty-nine percent of respondents have used text messaging (SMS) and 86% have gone online. If an HIV prevention program was offered online, 66% of youth would be somewhat or extremely likely to access it; slightly fewer (55%) felt the same about SMS-based programming. In comparison, 85% said they would be somewhat or extremely likely to access a school-based HIV prevention program. Interest in Internet- (60%) and SMS-based (54%) HIV prevention programming was similar for youth who had a self-appraised risk of HIV compared to youth who appraised their risk to be lower, as it was for youth who were tired of hearing messages about HIV prevention. Technology use is common - even among high school students who live in lower income communities. At the same time, these data reveal that it is not uncommon for youth to be tired of hearing messages about HIV prevention, and many of the typical topics key to HIV prevention have low interest levels among youth. HIV prevention researchers need to be mindful of the extent of existing programming that youth are exposed to. Technology-based programming may be especially amenable to meeting these requirements because of its novelty especially in developing countries, and because interactive functionality can be easily integrated into the program design. Given the preference for school- and Internet-based programming, it seems that a hybrid approach is likely feasible and acceptable.

Women's perspectives on falls and fall prevention during pregnancy.

PubMed

Brewin, Dorothy; Naninni, Angela

2014-01-01

Falls are the leading cause of unintentional injury in women. During pregnancy, even a minor fall can result in adverse consequences. Evidence to inform effective and developmentally appropriate pregnancy fall prevention programs is lacking. Early research on pregnancy fall prevention suggests that exercise may reduce falls. However, acceptability and effectiveness of pregnancy fall prevention programs are untested. To better understand postpartum women's perspective and preferences on fall prevention strategies during pregnancy to formulate an intervention. Focus groups and individual interviews were conducted with 31 postpartum women using descriptive qualitative methodology. Discussion of falls during pregnancy and fall prevention strategies was guided by a focus group protocol and enhanced by 1- to 3-minute videos on proposed interventions. Focus groups were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using NVivo 10 software. Emerging themes were environmental circumstances and physical changes of pregnancy leading to a fall, prevention strategies, barriers, safety concerns, and marketing a fall prevention program. Wet surfaces and inappropriate footwear commonly contributed to falls. Women preferred direct provider counseling and programs including yoga and Pilates. Fall prevention strategies tailored to pregnant women are needed. Perspectives of postpartum women support fall prevention through provider counseling and individual or supervised exercise programs.

Measurement in comparative effectiveness research.

PubMed

Chubak, Jessica; Rutter, Carolyn M; Kamineni, Aruna; Johnson, Eric A; Stout, Natasha K; Weiss, Noel S; Doria-Rose, V Paul; Doubeni, Chyke A; Buist, Diana S M

2013-05-01

Comparative effectiveness research (CER) on preventive services can shape policy and help patients, their providers, and public health practitioners select regimens and programs for disease prevention. Patients and providers need information about the relative effectiveness of various regimens they may choose. Decision makers need information about the relative effectiveness of various programs to offer or recommend. The goal of this paper is to define and differentiate measures of relative effectiveness of regimens and programs for disease prevention. Cancer screening is used to demonstrate how these measures differ in an example of two hypothetical screening regimens and programs. Conceptually and algebraically defined measures of relative regimen and program effectiveness also are presented. The measures evaluate preventive services that range from individual tests through organized, population-wide prevention programs. Examples illustrate how effective screening regimens may not result in effective screening programs and how measures can vary across subgroups and settings. Both regimen and program relative effectiveness measures assess benefits of prevention services in real-world settings, but each addresses different scientific and policy questions. As the body of CER grows, a common lexicon for various measures of relative effectiveness becomes increasingly important to facilitate communication and shared understanding among researchers, healthcare providers, patients, and policymakers. Copyright © 2013 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. All rights reserved.

Prevalence and Implementation Fidelity of Research-Based Prevention Programs in Public Schools. Final Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crosse, Scott; Williams, Barbara; Hagen, Carol A.; Harmon, Michele; Ristow, Liam; DiGaetano, Ralph; Broene, Pamela; Alexander, Debbie; Tseng, Margaret; Derzon, James H.

2011-01-01

This report presents descriptive information about the prevalence and quality of implementation of research-based programs from the Study of the Implementation of Research-Based Programs to Prevent Youth Substance Abuse and School Crime. The study found that, while schools reported implementing a large number of prevention programs during the…

Evaluation of the Courtlink Auto Crime Prevention Program (CACPP) for Senior Elementary and Alternative School Students in British Columbia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curtis, Charles K.; Meehan, George

This study evaluated the Courtlink Auto Crime Prevention Program (CACPP), a 13-hour curriculum for senior elementary school and secondary school alternative program at-risk students in British Columbia, Canada. The program provides students with information about automobile crime and its costs, consequences, and prevention. It promotes positive…

Adapting a Multifaceted U.S. HIV Prevention Education Program for Girls in Ghana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fiscian, Vivian Sarpomaa; Obeng, E. Kwame; Goldstein, Karen; Shea, Judy A.; Turner, Barbara J.

2009-01-01

We adapted a U.S. HIV prevention program to address knowledge gaps and cultural pressures that increase the risk of infection in adolescent Ghanaian girls. The theory-based nine-module HIV prevention program combines didactics and games, an interactive computer program about sugar daddies, and tie-and-dye training to demonstrate an economic…

3 CFR 8761 - Proclamation 8761 of November 30, 2011. National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, 2011

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... take action by promoting rigorous enforcement measures and effective substance abuse prevention programs. During National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, we recommit to preventing tragedy before it... efforts, implement more effective legislation, and support successful, evidence-based prevention programs...

Effective prevention programs for tobacco use.

PubMed

Pentz, M A

1999-01-01

Several types of prevention programs have shown effects on delaying or reducing youth tobacco use for periods of 1-5 years or more. These are referred to as evidence-based programs. However, they are not widely used. At the same time, with few exceptions, adolescent tobacco use rates have been stable or have increased in the 1990s. The challenge for prevention is to identify critical components shared by effective prevention programs--that is, components most associated with effect, and then to evaluate factors that are most likely to promote adoption, implementation, and diffusion of effective programs across schools and communities in the United States. Effective tobacco prevention programs focus on counteracting social influences on tobacco use, include either direct training of youth in resistance and assertiveness skills or, for policy and community organization interventions, direct or indirect (through adults) training in community activism, and are mainly theory-based, with an emphasis on three levels of theory: (a) personal (attitudes, normative expectations, and beliefs); (b) social (social or group behavior); and/or (c) environmental (communications and diffusion). Program effects increase with the use of booster sessions, standardized implementor training and support, multiple program components, and multiple levels of theory. Overall, multi-component community programs that have a school program as a basis, with supportive parent, media, and community organization components, have shown the most sustained effects on tobacco use. Positive program adoption by the school or community, extent and quality of program implementation, and existence of credible networks of leaders to promote the program are critical for any effect. Research on predictors of adoption, implementation, and diffusion of evidence-based programs is scanty relative to outcome research. In addition, more research is needed on why multi-component programs appear to be most effective, whether effect is related to existing tobacco policies, whether prevention programs have differential effects on youth with different natural trajectories of tobacco use, and whether prevention programs can be used to recruit smokers into cessation programs.

CDC's Rape Prevention and Education Grant Program: Preventing Sexual Violence in the United States, 2004

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2004

2004-01-01

Understanding the far-reaching impact of sexual violence and the importance of prevention, Congress passed the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) of 1994, which established CDC's Rape Prevention and Education (RPE) Program. Congress reauthorized $80 million for this program in the Violence Against Women Act of 2000. With fiscal year 2004 funding of…

Typology of Delivery Quality: Latent Profile Analysis of Teacher Engagement and Delivery Techniques in a School-Based Prevention Intervention, "Keepin' It REAL" Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shin, YoungJu; Miller-Day, Michelle; Pettigrew, Jonathan; Hecht, Michael L.; Krieger, Janice L.

2014-01-01

Enhancing the delivery quality of school-based, evidence-based prevention programs is one key to ensuring uniform program effects on student outcomes. Program evaluations often focus on content dosage when implementing prevention curricula, however, less is known about implementation quality of prevention content, especially among teachers who may…

PREVENT Cancer Preclinical Drug Development Program (PREVENT) | Division of Cancer Prevention

Cancer.gov

The PREVENT program provides a structure for the introduction of new agents, drugs and vaccines to inhibit, retard or reverse the cancer process. The program was designed to optimize translational opportunities from discovery to the clinic, and provide a mechanism to identify and study efficacy and pharmacodynamics biomarkers that will help in phase II trials to evaluate drug

Programmed cell death 1 inhibits inflammatory helper T-cell development through controlling the innate immune response

PubMed Central

Rui, Yuxiang; Honjo, Tasuku; Chikuma, Shunsuke

2013-01-01

Programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) is an inhibitory coreceptor on immune cells and is essential for self-tolerance because mice genetically lacking PD-1 (PD-1−/−) develop spontaneous autoimmune diseases. PD-1−/− mice are also susceptible to severe experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), characterized by a massive production of effector/memory T cells against myelin autoantigen, the mechanism of which is not fully understood. We found that an increased primary response of PD-1−/− mice to heat-killed mycobacteria (HKMTB), an adjuvant for EAE, contributed to the enhanced production of T-helper 17 (Th17) cells. Splenocytes from HKMTB-immunized, lymphocyte-deficient PD-1−/− recombination activating gene (RAG)2−/− mice were found to drive antigen-specific Th17 cell differentiation more efficiently than splenocytes from HKMTB-immunized PD-1+/+ RAG2−/− mice. This result suggested PD-1’s involvement in the regulation of innate immune responses. Mice reconstituted with PD-1−/− RAG2−/− bone marrow and PD-1+/+ CD4+ T cells developed more severe EAE compared with the ones reconstituted with PD-1+/+ RAG2−/− bone marrow and PD-1+/+ CD4+ T cells. We found that upon recognition of HKMTB, CD11b+ macrophages from PD-1−/− mice produced very high levels of IL-6, which helped promote naive CD4+ T-cell differentiation into IL-17–producing cells. We propose a model in which PD-1 negatively regulates antimycobacterial responses by suppressing innate immune cells, which in turn prevents autoreactive T-cell priming and differentiation to inflammatory effector T cells. PMID:24043779

Stable T-bet(+)GATA-3(+) Th1/Th2 hybrid cells arise in vivo, can develop directly from naive precursors, and limit immunopathologic inflammation.

PubMed

Peine, Michael; Rausch, Sebastian; Helmstetter, Caroline; Fröhlich, Anja; Hegazy, Ahmed N; Kühl, Anja A; Grevelding, Christoph G; Höfer, Thomas; Hartmann, Susanne; Löhning, Max

2013-01-01

Differentiated T helper (Th) cell lineages are thought to emerge from alternative cell fate decisions. However, recent studies indicated that differentiated Th cells can adopt mixed phenotypes during secondary immunological challenges. Here we show that natural primary immune responses against parasites generate bifunctional Th1 and Th2 hybrid cells that co-express the lineage-specifying transcription factors T-bet and GATA-3 and co-produce Th1 and Th2 cytokines. The integration of Th1-promoting interferon (IFN)-γ and interleukin (IL)-12 signals together with Th2-favoring IL-4 signals commits naive Th cells directly and homogeneously to the hybrid Th1/2 phenotype. Specifically, IFN-γ signals are essential for T-bet(+)GATA-3(+) cells to develop in vitro and in vivo by breaking the dominance of IL-4 over IL-12 signals. The hybrid Th1/2 phenotype is stably maintained in memory cells in vivo for months. It resists reprogramming into classic Th1 or Th2 cells by Th1- or Th2-promoting stimuli, which rather induce quantitative modulations of the combined Th1 and Th2 programs without abolishing either. The hybrid phenotype is associated with intermediate manifestations of both Th1 and Th2 cell properties. Consistently, hybrid Th1/2 cells support inflammatory type-1 and type-2 immune responses but cause less immunopathology than Th1 and Th2 cells, respectively. Thus, we propose the self-limitation of effector T cells based on the stable cell-intrinsic balance of two opposing differentiation programs as a novel concept of how the immune system can prevent excessive inflammation.

Maternal CD4+ cell count decline after interruption of antiretroviral prophylaxis for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

PubMed

Ekouevi, Didier; Abrams, Elaine J; Schlesinger, Malka; Myer, Landon; Phanuphak, Nittaya; Carter, Rosalind J

2012-01-01

We evaluated maternal CD4+ cell count (CD4+) decline after PMTCT prophylaxis in a multi-country HIV care program. Analysis was restricted to antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naive, HIV-infected pregnant women with CD4+ ≥250 cells/mm(3) at enrollment. Single-dose nevirapine (sd-NVP) or short-course antiretroviral prophylaxis (sc-ARVp) with zidovudine (AZT) or AZT + lamivudine (3TC) was initiated in 11 programs while 2 programs offered triple-drug antiretroviral prophylaxis (tARVp) (AZT+3TC+ NVP or nelfinavir). All regimens were stopped at delivery. CD4+ decline was defined as proportion of women who declined to CD4+ <350 cells/mm(3) or <200 cells/mm(3) at 24 months. Weibull regression was used for multivariable analysis. A total of 1,393 women with enrollment CD4+ ≥250 cells/mm(3) initiated tARVp (172; 12%) or sc-ARVp (532; 38%) during pregnancy or received intrapartum sd-NVP (689; 50%). At enrollment, maternal median age was 27 years (interquartile range (IQR) 23-30), median CD4+ was 469 cells/mm(3) (IQR: 363-613). At 24 months post-delivery, the cumulative probability of CD4+ decline to <200 cells/mm(3) was 12% (95% CI: 10-14). Among a subgroup of 903 women with CD4+ ≥400 cells at enrollment, the 24 month cumulative probability of decline to CD4+ <350 cells/mm(3) was 28%; (95% CI: 25-32). Lower antepartum CD4+ was associated with higher probability of CD4+ decline to <350 cells/mm(3): 46% (CD4+400-499 cells/mm(3)) vs. 19% (CD4+ ≥500 cells/mm(3)). After adjusting for age, enrollment CD4+ and WHO stage, women who received tARVp or sd-NVP were twice as likely to experience CD4+ decline to <350 cells/mm(3) within 24 months than women receiving sc-ARVp (adjusted hazard ratio: 2.2; 95% CI: 1.5-3.2, p<0.0001). Decline in CD4+ cell count to ART eligibility thresholds by 24 months postpartum was common among women receiving PMTCT prophylaxis during pregnancy and/or delivery.

Two programmed cell death systems in Escherichia coli: an apoptotic-like death is inhibited by the mazEF-mediated death pathway.

PubMed

Erental, Ariel; Sharon, Idith; Engelberg-Kulka, Hanna

2012-01-01

In eukaryotes, the classical form of programmed cell death (PCD) is apoptosis, which has as its specific characteristics DNA fragmentation and membrane depolarization. In Escherichia coli a different PCD system has been reported. It is mediated by the toxin-antitoxin system module mazEF. The E. coli mazEF module is one of the most thoroughly studied toxin-antitoxin systems. mazF encodes a stable toxin, MazF, and mazE encodes a labile antitoxin, MazE, which prevents the lethal effect of MazF. mazEF-mediated cell death is a population phenomenon requiring the quorum-sensing pentapeptide NNWNN designated Extracellular Death Factor (EDF). mazEF is triggered by several stressful conditions, including severe damage to the DNA. Here, using confocal microscopy and FACS analysis, we show that under conditions of severe DNA damage, the triggered mazEF-mediated cell death pathway leads to the inhibition of a second cell death pathway. The latter is an apoptotic-like death (ALD); ALD is mediated by recA and lexA. The mazEF-mediated pathway reduces recA mRNA levels. Based on these results, we offer a molecular model for the maintenance of an altruistic characteristic in cell populations. In our model, the ALD pathway is inhibited by the altruistic EDF-mazEF-mediated death pathway.

Assessing the Efficiency of HIV Prevention around the World: Methods of the PANCEA Project

PubMed Central

Marseille, Elliot; Dandona, Lalit; Saba, Joseph; McConnel, Coline; Rollins, Brandi; Gaist, Paul; Lundberg, Mattias; Over, Mead; Bertozzi, Stefano; Kahn, James G

2004-01-01

Objective To develop data collection methods suitable to obtain data to assess the costs, cost-efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of eight types of HIV prevention programs in five countries. Data Sources/Study Setting Primary data collection from prevention programs for 2002–2003 and prior years, in Uganda, South Africa, India, Mexico, and Russia. Study Design This study consisted of a retrospective review of HIV prevention programs covering one to several years of data. Key variables include services delivered (outputs), quality indicators, and costs. Data Collection/Extraction Methods Data were collected by trained in-country teams during week-long site visits, by reviewing service and financial records and interviewing program managers and clients. Principal Findings Preliminary data suggest that the unit cost of HIV prevention programs may be both higher and more variable than previous studies suggest. Conclusions A mix of standard data collection methods can be successfully implemented across different HIV prevention program types and countries. These methods can provide comprehensive services and cost data, which may carry valuable information for the allocation of HIV prevention resources. PMID:15544641

Perceptions of a peer suicide prevention program by inmates and professionals working in prisons.

PubMed

Auzoult, Laurent; Abdellaoui, Sid

2013-01-01

Suicide prevention is a major challenge for penal institutions in many countries. The traditional approach relies on the expertise of health professionals and is supplemented by the intervention of other professionals and the inmates themselves. New methods of suicide prevention based on peer support have been developed in recent years. Peer prevention programs rely on the ability of inmates to identify suicide risk. This study examines perceived suicide risk among inmates and explores possible explanations. 54 inmates and 17 professionals working in prisons responded to a questionnaire. The peer prevention program was found to change inmates' expectations of support in the event of a suicide crisis. The study also found that the inmates involved in the program tended to underestimate the risk of suicide. The perception of the prevention program and the level of self-consciousness were found to account for the underestimation of suicide risk. Support for inmates involved in suicide prevention programs must take into account their isolation in prison. The training provided to inmates must also consider the biases affecting the assessment of risk.

A review of elementary school-based substance use prevention programs: identifying program attributes.

PubMed

Hopfer, S; Davis, D; Kam, J A; Shin, Y; Elek, E; Hecht, M L

2010-01-01

This article takes a systematic approach to reviewing substance use prevention programs introduced in elementary school (K-6th grade). Previous studies evaluating such programs among elementary school students showed mixed effects on subsequent substance use and related psychosocial factors. Thirty published evaluation studies of 24 elementary school-based substance use prevention programs were reviewed. The study selection criteria included searching for program evaluations from 1980 to 2008. Among 27 evaluation studies that examined program effects on substance use, 56% (n = 15) found significant decreases. In addition, programs most often demonstrated effects on increasing negative substance use attitudes, increasing knowledge, decreasing perceptions of prevalence rates (i.e., descriptive norms), and improving resistance skills. These results have implications for the appropriateness and value of introducing substance use prevention programs to youth in elementary school.

Antagonism between curcumin and the topoisomerase II inhibitor etoposide

PubMed Central

Saleh, Ekram M.; El-awady, Raafat A; Eissa, Nadia A.; Abdel-Rahman, Wael M.

2012-01-01

The use of combinations of chemotherapy and natural products has recently emerged as a new method of cancer therapy, relying on the capacity of certain natural compounds to trigger cell death with low doses of chemotherapeutic agents and few side effects. The current study aims to evaluate the modulatory effects of curcumin (CUR), Nigella sativa (NS) and taurine on etoposide (ETP) cytotoxicity in a panel of cancer cell lines and to identify their underlying mechanisms. CUR alone showed potent antitumor activity, but surprisingly, its interaction with ETP was antagonistic in four out of five cancer cell lines. Neither taurine nor Nigella sativa affect the sensitivity of cancer cells to ETP. Examination of the DNA damage response machinery (DDR) showed that both ETP and CUR elicited DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) and evoked γ-H2AX foci formation at doses as low as 1 µg/ml. Cell cycle analysis revealed S phase arrest after ETP or CUR application, whereas co-treatment with ETP and CUR led to increased arrest of the cell cycle in S phase (MCF-7 cells) or the accumulation of cells in G2/M phases (HCT116, and HeLa cells). Furthermore, cotreatment with ETP and CUR resulted in modulation of the level of DNA damage induction and repair compared with either agent alone. Electron microscopic examination demonstrated that different modalities of cell death occurred with each treatment. CUR alone induced autophagy, apoptosis and necrosis, whereas ETP alone or in combination with CUR led to apoptosis and necrosis. Conclusions: Cotreatment with ETP and CUR resulted in an antagonistic interaction. This antagonism is related, in part, to the enhanced arrest of tumor cells in both S and G2/M phases, which prevents the cells from entering M-phase with damaged DNA and, consequently, prevents cell death from occurring. This arrest allows time for the cells to repair DNA damage so that cell cycle -arrested cells can eventually resume cell cycle progression and continue their physiological program. PMID:22895066

Cost savings threshold analysis of a capacity-building program for HIV prevention organizations.

PubMed

Dauner, Kim Nichols; Oglesby, Willie H; Richter, Donna L; LaRose, Christopher M; Holtgrave, David R

2008-06-01

Although the incidence of HIV each year remains steady, prevention funding is increasingly competitive. Programs need to justify costs in terms of evaluation outcomes, including economic ones. Threshold analyses set performance standards to determine program effectiveness relative to that threshold. This method was used to evaluate the potential cost savings of a national capacity-building program for HIV prevention organizations. Program costs were compared with the lifetime treatment costs of HIV, yielding an estimate of the HIV infections that would have to be prevented for the program to be cost saving. The 136 persons who completed the capacity-building program between 2000 and 2003 would have to avert 41 cases of HIV for the program to be considered cost saving. These figures represent less than one tenth of 1% of the 40,000 new HIV infections that occur in the United States annually and suggest a reasonable performance standard. These data underscore the resources needed to prevent HIV.

Facilitating pediatric patient-provider communications using wireless technology in children and adolescents with sickle cell disease.

PubMed

Jacob, Eufemia; Pavlish, Carol; Duran, Joana; Stinson, Jennifer; Lewis, Mary Ann; Zeltzer, Lonnie

2013-01-01

Use of wireless devices has the potential to transform delivery of primary care services for persons with sickle cell disease (SCD). The study examined text message communications between patients and an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) and the different primary care activities that emerged with use of wireless technology. Patients (N = 37; mean age 13.9 ± 1.8 years; 45.9% male and 54.1% female) engaged in intermittent text conversations with the APRN as part of the Wireless Pain Intervention Program. Content analyses were used to analyze the content of text message exchanges between patients and the APRN. The primary care needs that emerged were related to pain and symptom management and sickle cell crisis prevention. Two primary care categories (collaborating and coaching), four primary care subcategories (screening, referring, informing, and supporting), and 16 primary care activities were evident in text conversations. The use of wireless technology may facilitate screening, prompt management of pain and symptoms, prevention or reduction of SCD-related complications, more efficient referral for treatments, timely patient education, and psychosocial support in children and adolescents with SCD. Copyright © 2013 National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Logic models as a tool for sexual violence prevention program development.

PubMed

Hawkins, Stephanie R; Clinton-Sherrod, A Monique; Irvin, Neil; Hart, Laurie; Russell, Sarah Jane

2009-01-01

Sexual violence is a growing public health problem, and there is an urgent need to develop sexual violence prevention programs. Logic models have emerged as a vital tool in program development. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funded an empowerment evaluation designed to work with programs focused on the prevention of first-time male perpetration of sexual violence, and it included as one of its goals, the development of program logic models. Two case studies are presented that describe how significant positive changes can be made to programs as a result of their developing logic models that accurately describe desired outcomes. The first case study describes how the logic model development process made an organization aware of the importance of a program's environmental context for program success; the second case study demonstrates how developing a program logic model can elucidate gaps in organizational programming and suggest ways to close those gaps.

CDC's DELTA FOCUS Program: Identifying Promising Primary Prevention Strategies for Intimate Partner Violence.

PubMed

Armstead, Theresa L; Rambo, Kirsten; Kearns, Megan; Jones, Kathryn M; Dills, Jenny; Brown, Pamela

2017-01-01

According to 2011 data, nearly one in four women and one in seven men in the United States experience severe physical violence by an intimate partner, creating a public health burden requiring population-level solutions. To prevent intimate partner violence (IPV) before it occurs, the CDC developed Domestic Violence Prevention Enhancements and Leadership Through Alliances, Focusing on Outcomes for Communities United with States to identify promising community- and societal-level prevention strategies to prevent IPV. The program funds 10 state domestic violence coalitions for 5 years to implement and evaluate programs and policies to prevent IPV by influencing the environments and conditions in which people live, work, and play. The program evaluation goals are to promote IPV prevention by identifying promising prevention strategies and describing those strategies using case studies, thereby creating a foundation for building practice-based evidence with a health equity approach.

Automatic voltage imbalance detector

DOEpatents

Bobbett, Ronald E.; McCormick, J. Byron; Kerwin, William J.

1984-01-01

A device for indicating and preventing damage to voltage cells such as galvanic cells and fuel cells connected in series by detecting sequential voltages and comparing these voltages to adjacent voltage cells. The device is implemented by using operational amplifiers and switching circuitry is provided by transistors. The device can be utilized in battery powered electric vehicles to prevent galvanic cell damage and also in series connected fuel cells to prevent fuel cell damage.

CCR scientists tease out mechanisms of immune cell communication | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

Researchers from the Cancer and Inflammation Program at the Center for Cancer Research and the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel have discovered that the simple processes of molecular diffusion and absorption control the spread of cytokines through dense body tissues. The simple control mechanisms enable the immune response to tailor itself to the nature and severity of a pathogenic attack and to prevent dangerous autoimmune reactions.  Read more...

Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction. Quarterly Report and Semiannual Report to the United States Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-30

Energy Fusion Cell, and allocations include $110 million for oil pipeline exclusion zones—which aim to prevent illegal tapping and sabotage of...sectors in Iraq. This quarter SIGIR highlights two of these programs: the electronic funds transfer ( EFT ) system and U.S. advisory support provided to...the Iraq Stock Exchange. eleCTroniC funds Transfer SIGIR noted last quarter that Iraq finally acti- vated an electronic funds transfer ( EFT ) system

Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction: Quarterly Report and Semiannual Report to the United States Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-30

Cell, and allocations include $110 million for oil pipeline exclusion zones—which aim to prevent illegal tapping and sabotage of pipelines—$51...This quarter SIGIR highlights two of these programs: the electronic funds transfer ( EFT ) system and U.S. advisory support provided to the Iraq Stock...Exchange. eleCTroniC funds Transfer SIGIR noted last quarter that Iraq finally acti- vated an electronic funds transfer ( EFT ) system. The United

Cancer Prevention and Control Research Manpower Development

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-09-01

CA 1984-1985 ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR CLEVELAND CHIROPRACTIC COLLEGE, L.A., CA 1986-1996 CHIROPRACTIC DIRECTOR: CHIRO-MED WEST, L.A., CA 1986-1996 PHYSICAL ...1971. z 3. Shacks, S.J., Chiller, J. and Granger, G.A.: The In Vitro Role of Thymus Dependent Cells in DNA Synthesis and LT Secretion by PHA- Stimulated ...and Physical Activity A. Low fat dietary intake B. Fruits and vegetables C. Obesity D. Physical Activity IX. Summary An overview of the program w

23 CFR 1313.4 - General requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... ALCOHOL-IMPAIRED DRIVING PREVENTION PROGRAMS § 1313.4 General requirements. (a) Qualification requirements... enforcement of alcohol-impaired driving prevention programs in § 1313.6 and other associated costs permitted... prevention programs at or above the average level of such expenditures in fiscal years 2004 and 2005 (either...

Toward More Effective Drug Prevention Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellickson, Phyllis L.; Robyn, Abby E.

This report discusses guidelines for developing drug prevention programs. It reflects knowledge acquired in developing and implementing Project ALERT, an adolescent drug prevention program currently being evaluated with more than 6,500 students in California and Oregon schools. The guidelines discussed are based on information about the…

Effectiveness of a community-based program for suicide prevention among elders with early-stage dementia: A controlled observational study.

PubMed

Kim, Jong-Pill; Yang, Jinhyang

The purpose of this study was to develop a small-group-focused suicide prevention program for elders with early-stage dementia and to assess its effects. This was a quasi-experimental study with a control group pretest-posttest design. A total of 62 elders diagnosed with early-stage dementia who were receiving care services at nine daycare centers in J City Korea participated in this study. The experimental group participated in the suicide prevention program twice a week for 5 weeks with a pretest and two posttests The developed suicide prevention program had a significant effect on the perceived health status, social support, depression, and suicidal ideation of elders with early-stage dementia. Nurses should integrate risk factors such as depression and protective factors such as health status and social support into a suicide prevention program. This community-based program in geriatric nursing practice can be effective in preventing suicide among elders with early-stage dementia. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Strengthening Chronic Disease Prevention Programming: the Toward Evidence-Informed Practice (TEIP) Program Assessment Tool

PubMed Central

Albert, Dayna; Fortin, Rebecca; Lessio, Anne; Herrera, Christine; Hanning, Rhona; Rush, Brian

2013-01-01

Best practices identified solely on the strength of research evidence may not be entirely relevant or practical for use in community-based public health and the practice of chronic disease prevention. Aiming to bridge the gap between best practices literature and local knowledge and expertise, the Ontario Public Health Association, through the Toward Evidence-Informed Practice initiative, developed a set of resources to strengthen evidence-informed decision making in chronic disease prevention programs. A Program Assessment Tool, described in this article, emphasizes better processes by incorporating review criteria into the program planning and implementation process. In a companion paper, “Strengthening Chronic Disease Prevention Programming: The Toward Evidence-Informed Practice (TEIP) Program Evidence Tool,” we describe another tool, which emphasizes better evidence by providing guidelines and worksheets to identify, synthesize, and incorporate evidence from a range of sources (eg, peer-reviewed literature, gray literature, local expertise) to strengthen local programs. The Program Assessment Tool uses 19 criteria derived from literature on best and promising practices to assess and strengthen program planning and implementation. We describe the benefits, strengths, and challenges in implementing the tool in 22 community-based chronic disease prevention projects in Ontario, Canada. The Program Assessment Tool helps put best processes into operation to complement adoption and adaptation of evidence-informed practices for chronic disease prevention. PMID:23721789

Examining the utility of a train-the-trainer model for dissemination of sexual violence prevention in schools.

PubMed

Weingarten, Christine; Rabago, Jina; Reynolds, Jasmine; Gates, Kalani; Yanagida, Evie; Baker, Charlene

2018-06-01

Rates of childhood sexual abuse are unacceptably high, with potentially long-lasting consequences for those who have been victimized. Currently, there are a number of sexual violence prevention programs that have been developed to lower rates of victimization, increase awareness, and connect victims with resources. Within this area of research, there has been less focus on effective methods of program dissemination. For example, school-based sexual violence prevention programs have had positive outcomes; however, little is known about how these programs are disseminated. The train-the-trainer model of dissemination utilizes master trainers to equip others to implement programs, thereby allowing more adults to teach and subsequently more children to receive the program. This study used survey data from teachers and other school personnel (n = 127) to analyze the utility of a train-the-trainer model of dissemination for a sexual violence prevention program in the state of Hawai'i. Through responses of people who were trained to implement the program (59.8% of whom did implement), aspects of the training, the program itself, and factors affecting whether a person implemented the program were explored. Results suggest that time spent in training, job position, and time in that position predicted whether a person trained to implement the sexual violence prevention program followed through with teaching the program to students. Additionally, 54.7% of people who did implement the program had at least one student disclose sexual violence to them, indicating the importance of sexual violence prevention programming and dissemination of these programs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Different tissue phagocytes sample apoptotic cells to direct distinct homeostasis programs.

PubMed

Cummings, Ryan J; Barbet, Gaetan; Bongers, Gerold; Hartmann, Boris M; Gettler, Kyle; Muniz, Luciana; Furtado, Glaucia C; Cho, Judy; Lira, Sergio A; Blander, J Magarian

2016-11-24

Recognition and removal of apoptotic cells by professional phagocytes, including dendritic cells and macrophages, preserves immune self-tolerance and prevents chronic inflammation and autoimmune pathologies. The diverse array of phagocytes that reside within different tissues, combined with the necessarily prompt nature of apoptotic cell clearance, makes it difficult to study this process in situ. The full spectrum of functions executed by tissue-resident phagocytes in response to homeostatic apoptosis, therefore, remains unclear. Here we show that mouse apoptotic intestinal epithelial cells (IECs), which undergo continuous renewal to maintain optimal barrier and absorptive functions, are not merely extruded to maintain homeostatic cell numbers, but are also sampled by a single subset of dendritic cells and two macrophage subsets within a well-characterized network of phagocytes in the small intestinal lamina propria. Characterization of the transcriptome within each subset before and after in situ sampling of apoptotic IECs revealed gene expression signatures unique to each phagocyte, including macrophage-specific lipid metabolism and amino acid catabolism, and a dendritic-cell-specific program of regulatory CD4 + T-cell activation. A common 'suppression of inflammation' signature was noted, although the specific genes and pathways involved varied amongst dendritic cells and macrophages, reflecting specialized functions. Apoptotic IECs were trafficked to mesenteric lymph nodes exclusively by the dendritic cell subset and served as critical determinants for the induction of tolerogenic regulatory CD4 + T-cell differentiation. Several of the genes that were differentially expressed by phagocytes bearing apoptotic IECs overlapped with susceptibility genes for inflammatory bowel disease. Collectively, these findings provide new insights into the consequences of apoptotic cell sampling, advance our understanding of how homeostasis is maintained within the mucosa and set the stage for development of novel therapeutics to alleviate chronic inflammatory diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease.

Do adolescents perceive police officers as credible instructors of substance abuse prevention programs?

PubMed

Hammond, Augustine; Sloboda, Zili; Tonkin, Peggy; Stephens, Richard; Teasdale, Brent; Grey, Scott F; Williams, Joseph

2008-08-01

Although program recipients' attitudes toward instructors are crucial to program outcomes, they have not been adequately examined in the substance abuse prevention literature. This study uses survey data to explore attitudes toward instructors of prevention programming held by students from a national longitudinal evaluation of a school-based substance abuse prevention program delivered by Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) officers. Our analyses indicated that students who had police officers as instructors evaluated program instructors significantly higher than students who had non-police officers as instructors. The evaluation of police instructors varied according to students' sociodemographic characteristics. Implications for future research and practice are considered.

TCDD alters medial epithelial cell differentiation during palatogenesis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Abbott, B.D.; Birnbaum, L.S.

1989-06-15

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is a widely distributed, persistent environmental contaminant that is teratogenic in mice, where it induces hydronephrosis and cleft palate. The incidence of clefting has been shown to be dose dependent after exposure on either gestation Day (GD) 10 or 12, although the embryo is more susceptible on GD 12. TCDD-exposed palatal shelves meet but do not fuse, and programmed cell death of the medial epithelial cells is inhibited. The mechanism of action through which TCDD alters the program of medial cell development has not been examined in earlier studies, and it is not known whether the mechanism ismore » the same regardless of the dose or developmental stage of exposure. In this study, C57BL/6N mice, a strain sensitive to TCDD, were dosed orally on GD 10 or 12 with 0, 6, 12, 24, or 30 micrograms/kg body wt, in 10 ml corn oil/kg. Embryonic palatal shelves were examined on GD 14, 15, or 16. The degree of palatal closure, epithelial surface morphology, and cellular ultrastructure, the incorporation of (3H)TdR, the expression of EGF receptors, and the binding of 125I-EGF were assessed. After exposure on GD 10 or 12, TCDD altered the differentiation pathway of the medial epithelial cells. The palatal shelves were of normal size and overall morphology, but fusion of the medial epithelia of the opposing shelves did not occur. TCDD prevented programmed cell death of the medial peridermal cells. The expression of EGF receptors by medial cells continued through Day 16 and the receptors were able to bind ligand. The medial cells differentiated into a stratified, squamous, keratinizing epithelium. The shift in phenotype to an oral-like epithelium occurred after exposure on either GD 10 or 12. At the lower dose (6 micrograms/kg), fewer cleft palates were produced, but those shelves which did respond had a fully expressed shift in differentiation.« less

An Evaluation of Two Dating Violence Prevention Programs on a College Campus.

PubMed

Peterson, Kerry; Sharps, Phyllis; Banyard, Victoria; Powers, Ráchael A; Kaukinen, Catherine; Gross, Deborah; Decker, Michele R; Baatz, Carrie; Campbell, Jacquelyn

2016-03-13

Dating violence is a serious and prevalent public health problem that is associated with numerous negative physical and psychological health outcomes, and yet there has been limited evaluation of prevention programs on college campuses. A recent innovation in campus prevention focuses on mobilizing bystanders to take action. To date, bystander programs have mainly been compared with no treatment control groups raising questions about what value is added to dating violence prevention by focusing on bystanders. This study compared a single 90-min bystander education program for dating violence prevention with a traditional awareness education program, as well as with a no education control group. Using a quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design with follow-up at 2 months, a sample of predominately freshmen college students was randomized to either the bystander (n = 369) or traditional awareness (n = 376) dating violence education program. A non-randomized control group of freshmen students who did not receive any education were also surveyed (n = 224). Students completed measures of attitudes, including rape myth acceptance, bystander efficacy, and intent to help as well as behavioral measures related to bystander action and victimization. Results showed that the bystander education program was more effective at changing attitudes, beliefs, efficacy, intentions, and self-reported behaviors compared with the traditional awareness education program. Both programs were significantly more effective than no education. The findings of this study have important implications for future dating violence prevention educational programming, emphasizing the value of bystander education programs for primary dating violence prevention among college students. © The Author(s) 2016.

Commentary on Foubert, Godin, & Tatum (2010): The Evolution of Sexual Violence Prevention and the Urgency for Effectiveness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tharp, Andra Teten; DeGue, Sarah; Lang, Karen; Valle, Linda Anne; Massetti, Greta; Holt, Melissa; Matjasko, Jennifer

2011-01-01

Foubert, Godin, and Tatum describe qualitative effects among college men of The Men's Program, a one-session sexual violence prevention program. This article and the program it describes are representative of many sexual violence prevention programs that are in practice and provide an opportunity for a brief discussion of the development and…

The Devil Is in the Details: Examining the Evidence for "Proven" School-Based Drug Abuse Prevention Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gandhi, Allison Gruner; Murphy-Graham, Erin; Petrosino, Anthony; Chrismer, Sara Schwartz; Weiss, Carol H.

2007-01-01

In an effort to promote evidence-based practice, government officials, researchers, and program developers have developed lists of model programs in the prevention field. This article reviews the evidence used by seven best-practice lists to select five model prevention programs. The authors' examination of this research raises questions about the…

Neighborhood Perceptions and Parent Outcomes in Family Based Prevention Programs for Thai Adolescents: The Role of Program Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byrnes, Hilary F.; Miller, Brenda A.; Chamratrithirong, Aphichat; Rhucharoenpornpanich, Orratai; Cupp, Pamela K.; Atwood, Katharine A.; Fongkaew, Warunee; Rosati, Michael J.; Chookhare, Warunee

2011-01-01

Due to concerns over Thai adolescent risky behaviors, effective prevention strategies are needed. Determining the role neighborhood context plays in program engagement and outcomes may inform these strategies. This study includes 170 mother-adolescent pairs (M = 13.44, SD = 0.52) in Bangkok, Thailand in a prevention program for adolescent…

Measurement in Comparative Effectiveness Research

PubMed Central

Chubak, Jessica; Rutter, Carolyn M.; Kamineni, Aruna; Johnson, Eric A.; Stout, Natasha K.; Weiss, Noel S.; Doria-Rose, V. Paul; Doubeni, Chyke A.; Buist, Diana S.M.

2013-01-01

Comparative effectiveness research (CER) on preventive services can shape policy and help patients, their providers, and public health practitioners select regimens and programs for disease prevention. Patients and providers need information about the relative effectiveness of various regimens they may choose. Decision makers need information about the relative effectiveness of various programs to offer or recommend. The goal of this paper is to define and differentiate measures of relative effectiveness of regimens and programs for disease prevention. Cancer screening is used to demonstrate how these measures differ in an example of two hypothetic screening regimens and programs. Conceptually and algebraically defined measures of relative regimen and program effectiveness are also presented. The measures evaluate preventive services that range from individual tests through organized, population-wide prevention programs. Examples illustrate how effective screening regimens may not result in effective screening programs and how measures can vary across subgroups and settings. Both regimen and program relative effectiveness measures assess benefits of prevention services in real-world settings, but each addresses different scientific and policy questions. As the body of CER grows, a common lexicon for various measures of relative effectiveness becomes increasingly important to facilitate communication and shared understanding among researchers, healthcare providers, patients, and policymakers. PMID:23597816

Assessment and Evaluation of Primary Prevention in Spinal Cord Injury

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Although the incidence of spinal cord injury (SCI) is low, the consequences of this disabling condition are extremely significant for the individual, family, and the community. Sequelae occur in the physical, psychosocial, sexual, and financial arenas, making global prevention of SCI crucial. Understanding how to assess and evaluate primary prevention programs is an important competency for SCI professionals. Assessing a program’s success requires measuring processes, outcomes, and impact. Effective evaluation can lead future efforts for program design while ensuring accountability for the program itself. The intended impact of primary prevention programs for SCI is to decrease the number of individuals who sustain traumatic injury; many programs have process and outcome goals as well. An understanding of the basic types of evaluation, evaluation design, and the overall process of program evaluation is essential for ensuring that these programs are efficacious. All health care professionals have the opportunity to put prevention at the forefront of their practice. With the current paucity of available data, it is important that clinicians share their program design, their successes, and their failures so that all can benefit and future injury can be prevented. PMID:23678281

Suicide prevention in the Pacific War (WW II).

PubMed

Suzuki, P T

1991-01-01

During the war against Japan, there were two facets of an American program to prevent suicide among the Japanese. One was a research component in the Foreign Morale Analysis Division (FMAD), a subunit of the Office of War Information. The principal FMAD figure who did most of the research on Japanese suicide and ways to prevent suicide among the Japanese military was the anthropologist Ruth Benedict, assisted by her Japanese-American aide Robert Hashima. The second facet was the suicide prevention program itself, which was put into effect toward the end of the war in the battles of Saipan and Okinawa. This program of action was undertaken by American GIs. These unheralded activities in suicide prevention merit a place in the annals of suicide prevention programs.

Do We Need to Understand the Technology to Get to the Science? A Systematic Review of the Concept of Computer Literacy in Preventive Health Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dominick, Gregory M.; Friedman, Daniela B.; Hoffman-Goetz, Laurie

2009-01-01

Objective: To systematically review definitions and descriptions of computer literacy as related to preventive health education programs. Method: A systematic review of the concept of computer literacy as related to preventive health education was conducted. Empirical studies published between 1994 and 2007 on prevention education programs with a…

RMP Guidance for Chemical Distributors - Chapter 6: Prevention Program (Program 2)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

If your processes are ineligible for Program 1 and you have substances above the threshold that are not covered by OSHA’s Process Safety Management standard, you have Program 2 processes and Prevention Program applies.

PREVENT: a program of the National Training Initiative on Injury and Violence Prevention.

PubMed

Runyan, Carol W; Gunther-Mohr, Carol; Orton, Stephen; Umble, Karl; Martin, Sandra L; Coyne-Beasley, Tamera

2005-12-01

Training practitioners to use evidence-based approaches to the primary prevention of violence is challenging as a result of the dearth of well-evaluated intervention programs and the lack of familiarity of some practitioners in drawing critically on existing literature. An element of the National Training Initiative in Injury and Violence Prevention, the PREVENT (Preventing Violence Through Education, Networking, and Technical Assistance) program began in late 2003 to train practitioners to address multiple types of violence by encouraging more widespread use of evidence-based approaches to primary prevention. It is intended to reach practitioners involved in addressing violence against women, sexual violence, child maltreatment, youth violence, and suicide in varied community settings. The program uses a combination of varied types of face-to-face training and distance learning coupled with opportunities for networking and technical assistance. Ultimately the program intends to stimulate and facilitate changes in individual, organizational, and cultural awareness and practices fostering primary prevention of violence. The project employs formative, process, and impact evaluation techniques aimed at improving delivery of the training as well as tracking changes in individual and organizations.

Program Components | Cancer Prevention Fellowship Program

Cancer.gov

Annual Cancer Prevention Fellows' Scientific Symposium The Annual Cancer Prevention Fellows’ Scientific Symposium is held each fall. The symposium brings together senior fellows, new fellows, and the CPFP staff for a day of scientific exchange in the area of cancer prevention.

[Mind-body approach in the area of preventive medicine: focusing on relaxation and meditation for stress management].

PubMed

Kang, Yunesik

2010-09-01

Emotional support and a stress management program should be simultaneously provided to clients as effective preventive services for healthy behavioral change. This study was conducted to review various relaxation and meditation intervention methods and their applicability for a preventive service program. The author of this paper tried to find various relaxation and meditation programs through a literature review and program searching and to introduce them. The 'Relaxation Response' and 'Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)' are the most the widely used meditative programs in mainstream medical systems. Abdominal breathing, Progressive Musclular Relaxation (PMR), Relaxative Imagery, Autogenic Training (AT) and Biofeedback are other well-known techniques for relaxation and stress management. I have developed and implemented some programs using these methods. Relaxation and meditation classes for cancer patients and a meditation based stress coping workshop are examples of this program. Relaxation and meditation seem to be good and effective methods for primary, secondary and tertiary preventive service programs. Program development and standardization and further study are needed for more and wider use of the mind-body approach in the preventive service area of medicine.

Long-term effects of adolescent marijuana use prevention on adult mental health services utilization: the midwestern prevention project.

PubMed

Riggs, Nathaniel R; Pentz, Mary Ann

2009-01-01

Evaluated were effects of a drug abuse(1) prevention program, previously shown to prevent marijuana use in adolescence, on adulthood mental health service use. Analyses were conducted on 961 6th (41%) and 7th (59%) grade participants randomly assigned to intervention or control groups at baseline in 1984. These participants were followed-up through 2003 representing 15 waves of data collection. Eighty-five percent of participants were Caucasian and 56% were female. The hypothesis was that direct program effects on early adulthood mental health service use would be mediated by program effects on high school marijuana use trajectories. Structural equation models, imputing for missing data, demonstrated that MPP (Midwestern Prevention Project) program effects on mental health were mediated by the marijuana use growth curve intercept. Findings support the role of early adolescent drug use prevention programs in impacting later mental health problems. The study's limitations are noted.

Cell Science and Cell Biology Research at MSFC: Summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

The common theme of these research programs is that they investigate regulation of gene expression in cells, and ultimately gene expression is controlled by the macromolecular interactions between regulatory proteins and DNA. The NASA Critical Path Roadmap identifies Muscle Alterations and Atrophy and Radiation Effects as Very Serious Risks and Severe Risks, respectively, in long term space flights. The specific problem addressed by Dr. Young's research ("Skeletal Muscle Atrophy and Muscle Cell Signaling") is that skeletal muscle loss in space cannot be prevented by vigorous exercise. Aerobic skeletal muscles (i.e., red muscles) undergo the most extensive atrophy during long-term space flight. Of the many different potential avenues for preventing muscle atrophy, Dr. Young has chosen to study the beta-adrenergic receptor (betaAR) pathway. The reason for this choice is that a family of compounds called betaAR agonists will preferentially cause an increase in muscle mass of aerobic muscles (i.e., red muscle) in animals, potentially providing a specific pharmacological solution to muscle loss in microgravity. In addition, muscle atrophy is a widespread medical problem in neuromuscular diseases, spinal cord injury, lack of exercise, aging, and any disease requiring prolonged bedridden status. Skeletal muscle cells in cell culture are utilized as a model system to study this problem. Dr. Richmond's research ("Radiation & Cancer Biology of Mammary Cells in Culture") is directed toward developing a laboratory model for use in risk assessment of cancer caused by space radiation. This research is unique because a human model will be developed utilizing human mammary cells that are highly susceptible to tumor development. This approach is preferential over using animal cells because of problems in comparing radiation-induced cancers between humans and animals.

Smoking Prevention Program for Children: A Review.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oei, Tian P. S.; Fea, Annette

1987-01-01

Reviews literature regarding factors associated with children's initiation into smoking and examines efficacy of health education programs in preventing smoking in children. Though using peer leaders as health educators has been successful, parent-implemented health prevention programs aiming at children at younger ages may be more effective in…

Cyberbullying Prevention and Intervention Programs in Schools: A Systematic Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tanrikulu, Ibrahim

2018-01-01

This article presents a systematic review of school-based cyberbullying prevention and intervention programs. Research presenting empirical evidence about the effectiveness of a school-based cyberbullying prevention or intervention program published before August 2016 was searched. Seventeen studies were obtained and reviewed. The findings showed…

75 FR 2511 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-15

.... Title and OMB Number: An Outcome Evaluation of the SOS Suicide Prevention Program; OMB Control Number... information collection requirement is necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of the SOS Suicide Prevention Program which is used as suicide prevention programming in middle and high schools throughout the country...

Using Peer Helpers for Tuberculosis Prevention.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCue, Maureen; Afifi, Larry Anna

1996-01-01

Describes a peer helper program initiated by the University of Iowa Student Health Services to prevent active tuberculosis development among foreign national students. Before instituting the program, compliance with tuberculosis prevention efforts for those students was less than 5%. Since the peer program was instituted, compliance has risen to…

NASA LANGLEY RESEARCH CENTER AND THE TIDEWATER INTERAGENCY POLLUTION PREVENTION PROGRAM

EPA Science Inventory

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)'s Langley Research Center (LaRC) is an 807-acre research center devoted to aeronautics and space research. aRC has initiated a broad-based pollution prevention program guided by a Pollution Prevention Program Plan and implement...

Prevention, Not Punishment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DuPont Robert L.

2003-01-01

Describes eight suggestions for implementing a drug-testing program based on study of nine successful programs: Stress student health and safety, make it part of comprehensive education and prevention program, get it in writing, protect student privacy, focus on prevention, not punishment, involve parents and community from the start, evaluate and…

Grant Programs for Pollution Prevention

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics is responsible for overseeing several grant programs for tribes and states which promote pollution prevention through source reduction and resource conservation.

House fire injury prevention update. Part II. A review of the effectiveness of preventive interventions

PubMed Central

Warda, L.; Tenenbein, M.; Moffatt, M.

1999-01-01

Objective—To evaluate and summarize the house fire injury prevention literature. Methods—MEDLINE (1983 to March 1997) was searched by keyword: fire, burn, etiology, cause, prevention, epidemiology, and smoke detector/alarm. ERIC (1966 to March 1997) and PSYCLIT (1974 to June 1997) were searched by keyword: as above, and safety, skills, education, and training. Other sources included references of retrieved publications, review articles, and books; Injury Prevention hand search; government documents; and internet sources. Sources relevant to residential fire injury prevention were selected, evaluated, and summarized. Results—Forty three publications were selected for review, including seven randomized controlled trials, nine quasiexperiments, two natural experiments, 21 prospective cohort studies, two cross sectional surveys, one case report, and one program evaluation. These studies examined the following types of interventions: school (9), preschool (1), and community based educational programs (5); fire response training programs for children (7), blind adolescents (2), and mentally retarded adults (5) and children (1); office based counseling (4); home inspection programs (3); smoke detector giveaway campaigns (5); and smoke detector legislation (1). Conclusions—This review of house fire prevention interventions underscores the importance of program evaluation. There is a need for more rigorous evaluation of educational programs, particularly those targeted at schools. An evidence based, coordinated approach to house fire injury prevention is critical, given current financial constraints and the potential for program overload for communities and schools. PMID:10518271

Evaluation Results of the CDC/ASPH Institute for HIV Prevention Leadership: A Capacity-building Educational Program for HIV Prevention Program Managers

PubMed Central

Richter, Donna L.; Dauner, Kim Nichols; Lindley, Lisa L.; Reininger, Belinda M.; Oglesby, Willie H.; Prince, Mary S.; Thompson-Robinson, Melva; Jones, Rhondette; Potts, Linda H.

2011-01-01

Objective The goal of this research was to evaluate changes over time in the capacity of participants of the CDC/ASPH Institute for HIV Prevention Leadership (Institute), a capacity-building program for HIV prevention program managers in minority-based, community-based organizations, Capacity was defined as the application of new skills and knowledge to participants’ jobs and confidence in using those new skills and knowledge to strategically manage and apply “best practices” to their HIV prevention activities. Methods This is a longitudinal study involving measuring scholar capacity at three points in time; pre-Institute, post-Institute, and 6 months’ post-Institute. Only responses from participants who completed all three surveys are included in this final analysis of the data (N = 94). Results Results indicate that participants from 3 years of the institute (2002–2004) increased their capacity in HIV prevention programming and strategic planning and management. Significant changes were seen in the frequency and self-efficacy with which participants conduct several HIV prevention programming activities. Participants also reported conducting strategic planning activities at more appropriate intervals and were significantly more confident in conducting these activities. Conclusion The Institute has positively and significantly increased the capacity of participants to conduct more effective HIV prevention programs on a national level. PMID:17159470

RECOVERY ACT: MULTIMODAL IMAGING FOR SOLAR CELL MICROCRACK DETECTION

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Janice Hudgings; Lawrence Domash

2012-02-08

Undetected microcracks in solar cells are a principal cause of failure in service due to subsequent weather exposure, mechanical flexing or diurnal temperature cycles. Existing methods have not been able to detect cracks early enough in the production cycle to prevent inadvertent shipment to customers. This program, sponsored under the DOE Photovoltaic Supply Chain and Cross-Cutting Technologies program, studied the feasibility of quantifying surface micro-discontinuities by use of a novel technique, thermoreflectance imaging, to detect surface temperature gradients with very high spatial resolution, in combination with a suite of conventional imaging methods such as electroluminescence. The project carried out laboratorymore » tests together with computational image analyses using sample solar cells with known defects supplied by industry sources or DOE National Labs. Quantitative comparisons between the effectiveness of the new technique and conventional methods were determined in terms of the smallest detectable crack. Also the robustness of the new technique for reliable microcrack detection was determined at various stages of processing such as before and after antireflectance treatments. An overall assessment is that the new technique compares favorably with existing methods such as lock-in thermography or ultrasonics. The project was 100% completed in Sept, 2010. A detailed report of key findings from this program was published as: Q.Zhou, X.Hu, K.Al-Hemyari, K.McCarthy, L.Domash and J.Hudgings, High spatial resolution characterization of silicon solar cells using thermoreflectance imaging, J. Appl. Phys, 110, 053108 (2011).« less

A gloomy picture: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials reveals disappointing effectiveness of programs aiming at preventing child maltreatment.

PubMed

Euser, Saskia; Alink, Lenneke Ra; Stoltenborgh, Marije; Bakermans-Kranenburg, Marian J; van IJzendoorn, Marinus H

2015-10-18

Consistent findings about the effectiveness of parent programs to prevent or reduce child maltreatment are lacking. In the present meta-analysis we synthesized findings from 27 independent samples from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the effectiveness of 20 different intervention programs aimed at (i) preventing the occurrence of child maltreatment in the general population or with at-risk but non-maltreating families, or (ii) reducing the incidence of child maltreatment in maltreating families. A significant combined effect on maltreatment (d = 0.13; N = 4883) disappeared after the trim-and-fill approach that takes into account publication bias against smaller studies without significant outcomes. However, moderator analyses showed that larger effect sizes were found for more recent studies, studies with smaller samples, programs that provide parent training instead of only support, programs that target maltreating instead of at-risk families, and programs with a moderate length (6-12 months) or a moderate number of sessions (16-30). More RCTs are needed to further unravel which factors are associated with program effectiveness. Because currently existing programs appeared to only reduce and not prevent child maltreatment, efforts in the field of preventive intervention should also focus on the development and testing of preventive programs for families at risk for child maltreatment.

Exploiting immune cell metabolic machinery for functional HIV cure and the prevention of inflammaging.

PubMed

Palmer, Clovis S; Palchaudhuri, Riya; Albargy, Hassan; Abdel-Mohsen, Mohamed; Crowe, Suzanne M

2018-01-01

An emerging paradigm in immunology suggests that metabolic reprogramming and immune cell activation and functions are intricately linked. Viral infections, such as HIV infection, as well as cancer force immune cells to undergo major metabolic challenges. Cells must divert energy resources in order to mount an effective immune response. However, the fact that immune cells adopt specific metabolic programs to provide host defense against intracellular pathogens and how this metabolic shift impacts immune cell functions and the natural course of diseases have only recently been appreciated. A clearer insight into how these processes are inter-related will affect our understanding of several fundamental aspects of HIV persistence. Even in patients with long-term use of anti-retroviral therapies, HIV infection persists and continues to cause chronic immune activation and inflammation, ongoing and cumulative damage to multiple organs systems, and a reduction in life expectancy. HIV-associated fundamental changes to the metabolic machinery of the immune system can promote a state of "inflammaging", a chronic, low-grade inflammation with specific immune changes that characterize aging, and can also contribute to the persistence of HIV in its reservoirs. In this commentary, we will bring into focus evolving concepts on how HIV modulates the metabolic machinery of immune cells in order to persist in reservoirs and how metabolic reprogramming facilitates a chronic state of inflammation that underlies the development of age-related comorbidities. We will discuss how immunometabolism is facilitating the changing paradigms in HIV cure research and outline the novel therapeutic opportunities for preventing inflammaging and premature development of age-related conditions in HIV + individuals.

Hyperglycemic Conditions Prime Cells for RIP1-dependent Necroptosis*

PubMed Central

LaRocca, Timothy J.; Sosunov, Sergey A.; Shakerley, Nicole L.; Ten, Vadim S.; Ratner, Adam J.

2016-01-01

Necroptosis is a RIP1-dependent programmed cell death (PCD) pathway that is distinct from apoptosis. Downstream effector pathways of necroptosis include formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and reactive oxygen species (ROS), both of which depend on glycolysis. This suggests that increased cellular glucose may prime necroptosis. Here we show that exposure to hyperglycemic levels of glucose enhances necroptosis in primary red blood cells (RBCs), Jurkat T cells, and U937 monocytes. Pharmacologic or siRNA inhibition of RIP1 prevented the enhanced death, confirming it as RIP1-dependent necroptosis. Hyperglycemic enhancement of necroptosis depends upon glycolysis with AGEs and ROS playing a role. Total levels of RIP1, RIP3, and mixed lineage kinase domain-like (MLKL) proteins were increased following treatment with high levels of glucose in Jurkat and U937 cells and was not due to transcriptional regulation. The observed increase in RIP1, RIP3, and MLKL protein levels suggests a potential positive feedback mechanism in nucleated cell types. Enhanced PCD due to hyperglycemia was specific to necroptosis as extrinsic apoptosis was inhibited by exposure to high levels of glucose. Hyperglycemia resulted in increased infarct size in a mouse model of brain hypoxia-ischemia injury. The increased infarct size was prevented by treatment with nec-1s, strongly suggesting that increased necroptosis accounts for exacerbation of this injury in conditions of hyperglycemia. This work reveals that hyperglycemia represents a condition in which cells are extraordinarily susceptible to necroptosis, that local glucose levels alter the balance of PCD pathways, and that clinically relevant outcomes may depend on glucose-mediated effects on PCD. PMID:27129772

Dissemination and Implementation Strategies of Lower Extremity Preventive Training Programs in Youth: A Clinical Review.

PubMed

DiStefano, Lindsay J; Frank, Barnett S; Root, Hayley J; Padua, Darin A

Neuromuscular preventive training programs effectively reduce injury and improve performance in youth athletes. However, program effectiveness is directly linked to program compliance, fidelity, and dosage. Preventive training programs are not widely adopted by youth sport coaches. One way to promote widespread dissemination and compliance is to identify implementation strategies that influence program adoption and maintenance. It is unknown how previously published programs have followed the elements of an implementation framework. The objective of this review was to evaluate how elements of the 7 steps of implementation, developed by Padua et al, have been performed in the evidence of lower extremity preventive training programs. A systematic review of the literature from 1996 through September 2016 was conducted using electronic databases. Investigations that documented implementation of a sport team-based neuromuscular preventive training program in youth athletes and measured lower extremity injury rates were included. Clinical review. Level 4. A total of 12 studies met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed. Information regarding the completion of any of the 7 steps within the implementation framework developed by Padua et al was extracted. None of the 12 articles documented completion of all 7 steps. While each study addressed some of the 7 steps, no study addressed maintenance or an exit strategy for youth athletes. Program implementation appears limited in obtaining administrative support, utilizing an interdisciplinary implementation team, and monitoring or promoting fidelity of the intervention. Despite strong evidence supporting the effectiveness of preventive training programs in youth athletes, there is a gap between short-term improvements and long-term implementation strategies. Future interventions should include all 7 steps of the implementation framework to promote transparent dissemination of preventive training programs.

"Cancer--Educate to Prevent"--high-school teachers, the new promoters of cancer prevention education campaigns.

PubMed

Barros, Ana; Moreira, Luís; Santos, Helena; Ribeiro, Nuno; Carvalho, Luís; Santos-Silva, Filipe

2014-01-01

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and thus represents a priority for national public health programs. Prevention has been assumed as the best strategy to reduce cancer burden, however most cancer prevention programs are implemented by healthcare professionals, which constrain range and educational impacts. We developed an innovative approach for cancer prevention education focused on high-school biology teachers, considered privileged mediators in the socialization processes. A training program, "Cancer, Educate to Prevent" was applied, so that the teachers were able to independently develop and implement prevention campaigns focused on students and school-related communities. The program encompassed different educational modules, ranging from cancer biology to prevention campaigns design. Fifty-four teachers were empowered to develop and implement their own cancer prevention campaigns in a population up to five thousands students. The success of the training program was assessed through quantitative evaluation--questionnaires focused on teachers' cancer knowledge and perceptions, before the intervention (pre-test) and immediately after (post-test). The projects developed and implemented by teachers were also evaluated regarding the intervention design, educational contents and impact on the students' knowledge about cancer. This study presents and discusses the results concerning the training program "Cancer, Educate to Prevent" and clearly shows a significant increase in teacher's cancer literacy (knowledge and perceptions) and teachers' acquired proficiency to develop and deliver cancer prevention campaigns with direct impact on students' knowledge about cancer. This pilot study reinforces the potential of high-school teachers and schools as cancer prevention promoters and opens a new perspective for the development and validation of cancer prevention education strategies, based upon focused interventions in restricted targets (students) through non-health professionals (teachers).

Trial Watch: Immunostimulatory monoclonal antibodies for oncological indications.

PubMed

Cabo, Mariona; Offringa, Rienk; Zitvogel, Laurence; Kroemer, Guido; Muntasell, Aura; Galluzzi, Lorenzo

2017-01-01

The goal of cancer immunotherapy is to establish new or boost pre-existing anticancer immune responses that eradicate malignant cells while generating immunological memory to prevent disease relapse. Over the past few years, immunomodulatory monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that block co-inhibitory receptors on immune effectors cells - such as cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA4), programmed cell death 1 (PDCD1, best known as PD-1) - or their ligands - such as CD274 (best known as PD-L1) - have proven very successful in this sense. As a consequence, many of such immune checkpoint blockers (ICBs) have already entered the clinical practice for various oncological indications. Considerable attention is currently being attracted by a second group of immunomodulatory mAbs, which are conceived to activate co-stimulatory receptors on immune effector cells. Here, we discuss the mechanisms of action of these immunostimulatory mAbs and summarize recent progress in their preclinical and clinical development.

An intervention to improve program implementation: findings from a two-year cluster randomized trial of Assets-Getting To Outcomes

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Studies have shown that communities have not always been able to implement evidence-based prevention programs with quality and achieve outcomes demonstrated by prevention science. Implementation support interventions are needed to bridge this gap between science and practice. The purpose of this article is to present two-year outcomes from an evaluation of the Assets Getting To Outcomes (AGTO) intervention in 12 Maine communities engaged in promoting Developmental Assets, a positive youth development approach to prevention. AGTO is an implementation support intervention that consists of: a manual of text and tools; face-to-face training, and onsite technical assistance, focused on activities shown to be associated with obtaining positive results across any prevention program. Methods This study uses a nested and cross-sectional, cluster randomized controlled design. Participants were coalition members and program staff from 12 communities in Maine. Each coalition nominated up to five prevention programs to participate. At random, six coalitions and their respective 30 programs received the two-year AGTO intervention and the other six maintained routine operations. The study assessed prevention practitioner capacity (efficacy and behaviors), practitioner exposure to and use of AGTO, practitioner perceptions of AGTO, and prevention program performance. Capacity of coalition members and performance of their programs were compared between the two groups across the baseline, one-, and two-year time points. Results We found no significant differences between AGTO and control group’s prevention capacity. However, within the AGTO group, significant differences were found between those with greater exposure to and use of AGTO. Programs that received the highest number of technical assistance hours showed the most program improvement. Conclusions This study is the first of its kind to show that use of an implementation support intervention-AGTO -yielded improvements in practitioner capacity and consequently in program performance on a large sample of practitioners and programs using a randomized controlled design. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT00780338 PMID:23924279

40 CFR 35.660 - Purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants for Tribes Pollution Prevention Grants (section 6605) § 35.660... Consortia under section 6605 of the Pollution Prevention Act. (b) Purpose of program. Pollution Prevention...

Employing continuous quality improvement in community-based substance abuse programs.

PubMed

Chinman, Matthew; Hunter, Sarah B; Ebener, Patricia

2012-01-01

This article aims to describe continuous quality improvement (CQI) for substance abuse prevention and treatment programs in a community-based organization setting. CQI (e.g., plan-do-study-act cycles (PDSA)) applied in healthcare and industry was adapted for substance abuse prevention and treatment programs in a community setting. The authors assessed the resources needed, acceptability and CQI feasibility for ten programs by evaluating CQI training workshops with program staff and a series of three qualitative interviews over a nine-month implementation period with program participants. The CQI activities, PDSA cycle progress, effort, enthusiasm, benefits and challenges were examined. Results indicated that CQI was feasible and acceptable for community-based substance abuse prevention and treatment programs; however, some notable resource challenges remain. Future studies should examine CQI impact on service quality and intended program outcomes. The study was conducted on a small number of programs. It did not assess CQI impact on service quality and intended program outcomes. Practical implications- This project shows that it is feasible to adapt CQI techniques and processes for community-based programs substance abuse prevention and treatment programs. These techniques may help community-based program managers to improve service quality and achieve program outcomes. This is one of the first studies to adapt traditional CQI techniques for community-based settings delivering substance abuse prevention and treatment programs.

Neighborhood perceptions and parent outcomes in family based prevention programs for Thai adolescents: the role of program engagement.

PubMed

Byrnes, Hilary F; Miller, Brenda A; Chamratrithirong, Aphichat; Rhucharoenpornpanich, Orratai; Cupp, Pamela K; Atwood, Katharine A; Fongkaew, Warunee; Rosati, Michael J; Chookhare, Warunee

2011-01-01

Due to concerns over Thai adolescent risky behaviors, effective prevention strategies are needed. Determining the role neighborhood context plays in program engagement and outcomes may inform these strategies. This study includes 170 mother-adolescent pairs (M = 13.44, SD = .52) in Bangkok, Thailand in a prevention program for adolescent substance use and sexual risk. Neighborhoods were related to engagement, which was critical to outcomes. Neighborhood disorganization was related to confidence in program effects and program completion. Completion was related to increased ATOD communication. Neighborhood cohesion was related to less program enjoyment, while neighborhood social control was related to more enjoyment. Enjoyment was related to increased ATOD communication and formation and monitoring of alcohol rules. Prevention strategies should focus on neighborhood contexts and enhancing engagement.

76 FR 76023 - National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, 2011

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-06

... enforcement measures and effective substance abuse prevention programs. During National Impaired Driving... legislation, and support successful, evidence-based prevention programs. These ongoing initiatives are... National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, 2011 By the President of the United States of America A...

From empower to Green Dot : successful strategies and lessons learned in developing comprehensive sexual violence primary prevention programming.

PubMed

Cook-Craig, Patricia G; Millspaugh, Phyllis H; Recktenwald, Eileen A; Kelly, Natalie C; Hegge, Lea M; Coker, Ann L; Pletcher, Tisha S

2014-10-01

This case study describes Kentucky's partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) EMPOWER (Enhancing and Making Programs Work to End Rape) program to enhance the mission and services of existing rape crisis centers to include comprehensive primary prevention programming to reduce rates of sexual violence perpetration. The planning process and the successful implementation of a statewide, 5-year, randomized control trial study of a bystander prevention program (Green Dot), and its evaluation are described. Lessons learned in generating new questions, seeking funding, building relationships and capacity, and disseminating knowledge are presented. © The Author(s) 2014.

Including fall prevention for older adults in your trauma injury prevention program--introducing Farewell to Falls.

PubMed

Corman, Ellen

2009-01-01

With data showing that more than 50% of visits to our trauma center for older adults 65 years and older are due to falls, injury prevention programs in trauma centers should be paying more attention to the area of fall prevention for older adults. Farewell to Falls, a free, home-based program of Stanford Hospital and Clinic's trauma service, utilizes a multifaceted approach to help reduce falls. In addition to improving the lives of seniors, the program fulfills a community benefit goal and provides strong hospital marketing opportunities. This program is a benefit to hospitals and the older adults they serve.

New Headings: Navy Alcoholism Prevention Program. Third Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bureau of Naval Personnel, Washington, DC.

This brief booklet outlines the goals and rationale behind the Navy Alcoholism Prevention Program (NAPP). The program is built upon the assumption that alcoholism is a preventable and treatable illness. More than half the directors, counselors, and support staff at NAPP are sober alcoholics whose primary objectives involve aiding other alcoholics…

Culturally Sensitive Risk Behavior Prevention Programs for African American Adolescents: A Systematic Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Metzger, Isha; Cooper, Shauna M.; Zarrett, Nicole; Flory, Kate

2013-01-01

The current review conducted a systematic assessment of culturally sensitive risk prevention programs for African American adolescents. Prevention programs meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria were evaluated across several domains: (1) theoretical orientation and foundation; (2) methodological rigor; (3) level of cultural integration; (4)…

Early Childhood Intervention Programs: Opportunities and Challenges for Preventing Child Maltreatment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Asawa, Lindsay E.; Hansen, David J.; Flood, Mary Fran

2008-01-01

Due to the destructive impact of child maltreatment and limited available funding to address its consequences, the value of preventive measures is evident. Early Childhood Intervention Programs (ECIPs) provide excellent opportunities to prevent and identify cases of child maltreatment, among other varied objectives. These programs are typically…

Social Cognitive Theory Recommendations for Improving Modeling in Adolescent Substance Abuse Prevention Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cleaveland, Bonnie L.

1994-01-01

Current state-of-the-art substance abuse prevention programs are mostly social cognitive theory based. However, there are few publications which review specifically how modeling is applied to adolescent substance abuse prevention programs. This article reviews theoretical considerations for implementing modeling for this purpose. (Author/LKS)

Dissonance and Healthy Weight Eating Disorder Prevention Programs: A Randomized Efficacy Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stice, Eric; Shaw, Heather; Burton, Emily; Wade, Emily

2006-01-01

In this trial, adolescent girls with body dissatisfaction (N = 481, M age = 17 years) were randomized to an eating disorder prevention program involving dissonance-inducing activities that reduce thin-ideal internalization, a prevention program promoting healthy weight management, an expressive writing control condition, or an assessment-only…

Moving from Efficacy to Effectiveness in Eating Disorders Prevention: The Sorority Body Image Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Becker, Carolyn Black; Ciao, Anna C.; Smith, Lisa M.

2008-01-01

Although eating disorders prevention research has begun to produce programs with demonstrated efficacy, many such programs simply target individuals as opposed to engaging broader social systems (e.g., schools, sororities, athletic teams) as participant collaborators in eating disorders prevention. Yet, social systems ultimately will be…

The Glass Is Half Full: Evidence for Efficacy of Alcohol-Wise at One University But Not the Other

PubMed Central

CROOM, KATHERINE; STAIANO-COICO, LISA; LESSER, MARTIN L.; LEWIS, DEBORAH K.; REYNA, VALERIE F.; MARCHELL, TIMOTHY C.; FRANK, JEREMY; IVES, STEPHANIE

2017-01-01

This research extends the growing literature about online alcohol prevention programs for first-year college students. Two independent randomized control studies, conducted at separate universities, evaluated the short-term effectiveness of Alcohol-Wise, an online alcohol prevention program not previously studied. It was hypothesized the prevention program would increase alcohol knowledge and reduce alcohol consumption, including high-risk alcohol-related behaviors, among first-year college students. At both universities, the intervention significantly increased alcohol-related knowledge. At one university, the prevention program also significantly reduced alcohol consumption and high-risk drinking behaviors, such as playing drinking games, heavy drinking, and extreme ritualistic alcohol consumption. Implications for the use of online alcohol prevention programs and student affairs are discussed. PMID:25909233

School-based depression and anxiety prevention programs for young people: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Werner-Seidler, Aliza; Perry, Yael; Calear, Alison L; Newby, Jill M; Christensen, Helen

2017-02-01

Depression and anxiety often emerge for the first time during youth. The school environment provides an ideal context to deliver prevention programs, with potential to offset the trajectory towards disorder. The aim of this review was to provide a comprehensive evaluation of randomised-controlled trials of psychological programs, designed to prevent depression and/or anxiety in children and adolescents delivered in school settings. Medline, PsycINFO and the Cochrane Library were systematically searched for articles published until February 2015. Eighty-one unique studies comprising 31,794 school students met inclusion criteria. Small effect sizes for both depression (g=0.23) and anxiety (g=0.20) prevention programs immediately post-intervention were detected. Small effects were evident after 12-month follow-up for both depression (g=0.11) and anxiety (g=0.13). Overall, the quality of the included studies was poor, and heterogeneity was moderate. Subgroup analyses suggested that universal depression prevention programs had smaller effect sizes at post-test relative to targeted programs. For anxiety, effect sizes were comparable for universal and targeted programs. There was some evidence that externally-delivered interventions were superior to those delivered by school staff for depression, but not anxiety. Meta-regression confirmed that targeted programs predicted larger effect sizes for the prevention of depression. These results suggest that the refinement of school-based prevention programs have the potential to reduce mental health burden and advance public health outcomes. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Fall prevention services for older Aboriginal people: investigating availability and acceptability.

PubMed

Lukaszyk, Caroline; Coombes, Julieann; Keay, Lisa; Sherrington, Catherine; Tiedemann, Anne; Broe, Tony; Lovitt, Lorraine; Ivers, Rebecca

2016-12-14

Falls and fall-related injury are emerging issues for older Aboriginal people. Despite this, it is unknown whether older Aboriginal people access available fall prevention programs, or whether these programs are effective or acceptable to this population. To investigate the use of available fall prevention services by older Aboriginal people and identify features that are likely to contribute to program acceptability for Aboriginal communities in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. A questionnaire was distributed to Aboriginal and mainstream health and community services across NSW to identify the fall prevention and healthy ageing programs currently used by older Aboriginal people. Services with experience in providing fall prevention interventions for Aboriginal communities, and key Aboriginal health services that delivered programs specifically for older Aboriginal people, were followed up and staff members were nominated from within each service to be interviewed. Service providers offered their suggestions as to how a fall prevention program could be designed and delivered to meet the health and social needs of their older Aboriginal clients. Of the 131 services that completed the questionnaire, four services (3%) had past experience in providing a mainstream fall prevention program to Aboriginal people; however, there were no programs being offered at the time of data collection. From these four services, and from a further five key Aboriginal health services, 10 staff members experienced in working with older Aboriginal people were interviewed. Barriers preventing services from offering appropriate fall prevention programs to their older Aboriginal clients were identified, including limited funding, a lack of available Aboriginal staff, and communication difficulties between health services and sectors. According to the service providers, an effective and acceptable fall prevention intervention would be evidence based, flexible, community-oriented and social, held in a familiar and culturally safe location and delivered free of cost. This study identified a gap in the availability of acceptable fall prevention programs designed for, and delivered to, older Aboriginal people in NSW. Further consultation with older Aboriginal people is necessary to determine how an appropriate and effective program can be designed and delivered. Terminology: The authors recognise the two distinctive Indigenous populations of Australia: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Because the vast majority of the NSW Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population is Aboriginal (95.4%)1, this population will be referred to as 'Aboriginal' in this manuscript.

Measuring teacher implementation in delivery of a bullying prevention program: the impact of instructional and procedural adherence and competence on student responsiveness.

PubMed

Goncy, Elizabeth A; Sutherland, Kevin S; Farrell, Albert D; Sullivan, Terri N; Doyle, Sarah T

2015-04-01

Although there is evidence that school-based prevention programs can produce positive effects on students' academic and behavioral functioning, the ability of teachers to sustain high-quality implementation remains an open and vexing question. Because teachers are often the intervention agents in school-based prevention programs, assessing both their adherence to program procedures and their competence in program delivery is critical for ensuring student responsiveness to prevention programs, which in turn may impact their efficacy. The current study assessed treatment fidelity of implementation of the Olweus' Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP) in two urban middle schools. Trained observers completed 280 observations of teachers' delivery of the class meeting component of the OBPP and rated teachers' instructional and procedural adherence and competence of delivery and students' responsiveness. Analyses using multilevel modeling indicated that competence of delivery was significantly related to student responsiveness above and beyond teacher instructional behavior adherence, such that class meetings conducted with higher instructional adherence and procedural competence resulted in higher student responsiveness to the program after controlling for the clustered nature of teachers, and several observation-level and teacher-level covariates. This study highlights the need for strategies to increase teacher use of effective instructional practices and competence with program procedures to enhance the efficacy of prevention programming in schools.

Forest Fire Prevention Programs and Their Evaluation In U.S. Forest Service Region 8

Treesearch

G. Richard Wetherill

1982-01-01

A telephone survey of all national forest ranger districts in Region 8 obtained data describing the status of forest fire prevention program evaluation. Out of the 396 programs being conducted on the 105 districts in the South, only one program had undergone any sort of systematic evaluation. Survey data indicate that ranger district prevention personnel are aware of...

The Effectiveness of Adapted Versions of an Evidence-Based Prevention Program in Reducing Alcohol Use among Alternative School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hopson, Laura M.; Holleran Steiker, Lori K.

2010-01-01

Although there is a strong evidence base for effective substance abuse prevention programs for youths, there is a need to facilitate the implementation and evaluation of these programs in real-world settings. This study evaluates the effectiveness of adapted versions of an evidence-based prevention program, keepin' it REAL (kiR), with alternative…

A National Model for Diabetes Prevention and Treatment Program in Civilian and Military Healthcare Beneficiary Populations

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-01

Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202-4302, and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (0704-0188) Washington, DC...evidence-based pediatric and adult primary prevention and management programs would reduce risk for diabetes and its complications in civilian and... management system for childhood obesity; (3) implemented primary prevention by disseminating the modified Diabetes Prevention Program strategies

Assessing the effects of a complementary parent intervention and prior exposure to a preadolescent program of HIV risk reduction for mid-adolescents.

PubMed

Stanton, Bonita; Wang, Bo; Deveaux, Lynette; Lunn, Sonja; Rolle, Glenda; Li, Xiaoming; Braithwaite, Nanika; Dinaj-Koci, Veronica; Marshall, Sharon; Gomez, Perry

2015-03-01

We (1) evaluated the impact of an evidence-based HIV prevention program with and without a parent component among mid-adolescents living in the Caribbean and (2) determined the effect of prior receipt of a related intervention during preadolescence on intervention response. A randomized, controlled 4-cell trial of a 10-session, theory-based HIV prevention intervention involving 2564 Bahamian grade-10 youths (some of whom had received a comparable intervention in grade 6) was conducted (2008-2011). Randomization occurred at the level of the classroom with follow-up at 6, 12, and 18 months after intervention. The 3 experimental conditions all included the youths' curriculum and either a youth-parent intervention emphasizing adolescent-parent communication, a parent-only goal-setting intervention, or no parent intervention. An intervention delivered to mid-adolescents in combination with a parent-adolescent sexual-risk communication intervention increased HIV/AIDS knowledge, condom-use skills, and self-efficacy and had a marginal effect on consistent condom use. Regardless of prior exposure to a similar intervention as preadolescents, youths benefited from receipt of the intervention. Preadolescents and mid-adolescents in HIV-affected countries should receive HIV prevention interventions that include parental participation.

Program Components | Cancer Prevention Fellowship Program

Cancer.gov

Annual Cancer Prevention Fellows' Scientific Symposium The Annual Cancer Prevention Fellows’ Scientific Symposium is held each fall. The symposium brings together senior fellows, new fellows, and the CPFP staff for a day of scientific exchange in the area of cancer prevention. The event provides an opportunity for fellows to discuss their projects, ideas, and potential future collaborations. Fellows plan the symposium, including developing the program agenda and special workshops, and selecting invited speakers.

Empowerment evaluation with programs designed to prevent first-time male perpetration of sexual violence.

PubMed

Noonan, Rita K; Gibbs, Deborah

2009-01-01

This special issue captures several threads in the ongoing evolution of sexual violence prevention. The articles that follow examine an empowerment evaluation process with four promising programs dedicated to preventing first-time male perpetration of sexual violence, as well as evaluation findings. Both the evaluation approach and the programs examined shed light on how sexual violence prevention can continue to be improved in the future.

A qualitative evaluation of the 2005-2011 National Academic Centers of Excellence in Youth Violence Prevention Program.

PubMed

Holland, Kristin M; Vivolo-Kantor, Alana M; Dela Cruz, Jason; Massetti, Greta M; Mahendra, Reshma

2015-12-01

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Violence Prevention (DVP) funded eight National Academic Centers of Excellence (ACEs) in Youth Violence Prevention from 2005 to 2010 and two Urban Partnership Academic Centers of Excellence (UPACEs) in Youth Violence Prevention from 2006 to 2011. The ACEs and UPACEs constitute DVP's 2005-2011 ACE Program. ACE Program goals include partnering with communities to promote youth violence (YV) prevention and fostering connections between research and community practice. This article describes a qualitative evaluation of the 2005-2011 ACE Program using an innovative approach for collecting and analyzing data from multiple large research centers via a web-based Information System (ACE-IS). The ACE-IS was established as an efficient mechanism to collect and document ACE research and programmatic activities. Performance indicators for the ACE Program were established in an ACE Program logic model. Data on performance indicators were collected through the ACE-IS biannually. Data assessed Centers' ability to develop, implement, and evaluate YV prevention activities. Performance indicator data demonstrate substantial progress on Centers' research in YV risk and protective factors, community partnerships, and other accomplishments. Findings provide important lessons learned, illustrate progress made by the Centers, and point to new directions for YV prevention research and programmatic efforts. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Upgrading public health programs for human papillomavirus prevention and control is possible in low- and middle-income countries.

PubMed

Steben, Marc; Jeronimo, Jose; Wittet, Scott; Lamontagne, D Scott; Ogilvie, Gina; Jensen, Christina; Smith, Jennifer; Franceschi, Silvia

2012-11-20

Cancer is an important cause of premature death in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Two preventive tools are available that have the potential together to sharply decrease the impact of cervical cancer in LMIC. The combination of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and cervical cancer screening within existing programs is possible. Although there is a great deal of concern about introducing and strengthening HPV prevention efforts in LMIC, recent projects have demonstrated feasibility. Thus, with appropriate prioritization and resources, HPV prevention can be introduced and scaled up. Comprehensive HPV prevention strategies, mainly those geared at preventing cervical cancer, should include both vaccination and screening. The integration of both screening and vaccination will save the most lives, and such strategies are endorsed by many international organizations. However, some vaccine and screening programs are financed almost entirely by special externally-based programs. These more closely resemble demonstration exercises than sustainable national programs. In order for successful demonstration projects to have a broad impact on prevention, sustainable national funding based on strong commitments is essential. There may be challenges to implementing HPV prevention programs, but none should be considered insurmountable. Many LMIC have successfully adopted an HPV prevention agenda despite prevailing pessimism. Failure to act on this issue can perpetuate inequity in sexually transmitted infection and cancer prevention. This article forms part of a special supplement entitled "Comprehensive Control of HPV Infections and Related Diseases" Vaccine Volume 30, Supplement 5, 2012. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Teachers or Psychologists: Who Should Facilitate Depression Prevention Programs in Schools?

PubMed Central

Wahl, Melanie S.; Adelson, Jill L.; Patak, Margarete A.; Pössel, Patrick; Hautzinger, Martin

2014-01-01

The current study evaluates a depression prevention program for adolescents led by psychologists vs. teachers in comparison to a control. The universal school-based prevention program has shown its efficacy in several studies when implemented by psychologists. The current study compares the effects of the program as implemented by teachers versus that implemented by psychologists under real-life conditions. A total of 646 vocational track 8th grade students from Germany participated either in a universal prevention program, led by teachers (n = 207) or psychologists (n = 213), or a teaching-as-usual control condition (n = 226). The design includes baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up (at 6 and 12 months post-intervention). The cognitive-behavioral program includes 10 sessions held in a regular school setting in same-gender groups and is based on the social information-processing model of social competence. Positive intervention effects were found on the change in girls’ depressive symptoms up to 12 months after program delivery when the program was implemented by psychologists. No such effects were found on boys or when program was delivered by teachers. The prevention program can successfully be implemented for girls by psychologists. Further research is needed for explanations of these effects. PMID:24837667

[Cost-benefit analysis of a school-based smoking prevention program].

PubMed

Hormigo Amaro, Jordi; García-Altés, Anna; López, M José; Bartoll, Xavier; Nebot, Manel; Ariza, Carles

2009-01-01

To analyze the efficiency of a school-based smoking prevention program in Barcelona (PASE.bcn program). A cost-benefit analysis was performed. As costs we included those corresponding to the design and implementation of the program. As benefits we considered healthcare costs and the productivity losses avoided. This study was conducted from a societal perspective, and the estimations of costs and benefits related to 2005. Assuming an effectiveness of 1%, the PASE.bcn program would achieve a total benefit of 1,558,311.46euro. The healthcare benefits per prevented smoker were 1997.57euro, and the indirect benefits per prevented smoker were 21,260.80euro. Given the total cost of the school-based program (68,526.03euro), the cost-benefit ratio was 22.74. From a societal perspective, the benefits of school-based tobacco prevention programs, in terms of healthcare costs and productivity losses avoided, are far greater than the costs. These results support universal application of this type of intervention.

Workplace violence prevention policies in home health and hospice care agencies.

PubMed

Gross, Nathan; Peek-Asa, Corinne; Nocera, Maryalice; Casteel, Carri

2013-01-31

Workplace violence in the home health industry is a growing concern, but little is known about the content of existing workplace violence prevention programs. The authors present the methods for this study that examined workplace violence prevention programs in a sample of 40 California home health and hospice agencies. Data was collected through surveys that were completed by the branch managers of participating facilities. Programs were scored in six different areas, including general workplace violence prevention components; management commitment and employee involvement; worksite analysis; hazard prevention and control; safety and health training; and recordkeeping and program evaluation. The results and discussion sections consider these six areas and the important gaps that were found in existing programs. For example, although most agencies offered workplace violence training, not every worker performing patient care was required to receive the training. Similarly, not all programs were written or reviewed and updated regularly. Few program differences were observed between agency characteristics, but nonetheless several striking gaps were found.

A Risk and Prevention Counselor Training Program Model: Theory and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mason, Michael J.; Nakkula, Michael J.

2008-01-01

The need for training mental health counselors in risk and prevention is presented, and justification of the development of an innovative and integrative prevention training program is offered. Theoretical underpinnings that connect the counseling discipline to the field of prevention are described. A risk and prevention training model from…

The Best Prevention: Model Alcohol and Drug Education Program. NHTSA Prevention Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (DOT), Washington, DC.

This guide was created for school administrators, parents, teachers, and community groups interested in developing effective alcohol and drug abuse prevention programs for elementary and secondary schools. A comprehensive approach to school-based alcohol and drug prevention is described and various prevention activities which have been selected by…

Cancer Prevention Fellowship Program (CPFP) | Division of Cancer Prevention

Cancer.gov

The Cancer Prevention Fellowship provides a strong foundation for scientists and clinicians to train in the field of cancer prevention and control. This structured, multidisciplinary program offers early career scientists from different health disciplines a variety of postdoctoral training opportunities . | Training to form a strong foundation in cancer prevention and control

Kaposi’s Sarcoma in HIV-infected patients in South Africa: multi-cohort study in the antiretroviral therapy era

PubMed Central

Bohlius, Julia; Valeri, Fabio; Maskew, Mhairi; Prozesky, Hans; Garone, Daniela; Sengayi, Mazvita; Fox, Matthew P.; Davies, Mary-Ann; Egger, Matthias

2015-01-01

The incidence of Kaposi’s Sarcoma (KS) is high in South Africa but the impact of antiretroviral therapy (ART) is not well defined. We examined incidence and survival of KS in HIV-infected patients enrolled in South African ART programs. We analyzed data of three ART programs: Khayelitsha township and Tygerberg Hospital programs in Cape Town and Themba Lethu program in Johannesburg. We included patients aged >16 years. ART was defined as a regimen of at least three drugs. We estimated incidence rates of KS for patients on ART and not on ART. We calculated Cox models adjusted for age, sex and time-updated CD4 cell counts and HIV-1 RNA. 18,254 patients (median age 34.5 years, 64% female, median CD4 cell count at enrolment 105 cells/μL) were included. During 37,488 person-years follow-up 162 patients developed KS. The incidence was 1,682/100,000 person-years (95% confidence interval [CI] 1,406–2,011) among patients not receiving ART and 138/100,000 person-years (95% CI 102–187) among patients on ART. The adjusted hazard ratio comparing time on ART with time not on ART was 0.19 (95% CI 0.13–0.28). Low CD4 cell counts (time-updated) and male sex were also associated with KS. Estimated survival of KS patients at one year was 72.2% (95% CI 64.9–80.2) and higher in men than in women. The incidence of KS is substantially lower on ART than not on ART. Timely initiation of ART is essential to preventing KS and KS-associated morbidity and mortality in South Africa and other regions in Africa with a high burden of HIV. PMID:24729433

Constructing "Packages" of Evidence-Based Programs to Prevent Youth Violence: Processes and Illustrative Examples From the CDC's Youth Violence Prevention Centers.

PubMed

Kingston, Beverly; Bacallao, Martica; Smokowski, Paul; Sullivan, Terri; Sutherland, Kevin

2016-04-01

This paper describes the strategic efforts of six National Centers of Excellence in Youth Violence Prevention (YVPC), funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to work in partnership with local communities to create comprehensive evidence-based program packages to prevent youth violence. Key components of a comprehensive evidence-based approach are defined and examples are provided from a variety of community settings (rural and urban) across the nation that illustrate attempts to respond to the unique needs of the communities while maintaining a focus on evidence-based programming and practices. At each YVPC site, the process of selecting prevention and intervention programs addressed the following factors: (1) community capacity, (2) researcher and community roles in selecting programs, (3) use of data in decision-making related to program selection, and (4) reach, resources, and dosage. We describe systemic barriers to these efforts, lessons learned, and opportunities for policy and practice. Although adopting an evidence-based comprehensive approach requires significant upfront resources and investment, it offers great potential for preventing youth violence and promoting the successful development of children, families and communities.

Implementing a comprehensive program for the prevention of conduct problems in rural communities: the Fast Track experience. The Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group.

PubMed

Bierman, K L

1997-08-01

Childhood conduct problems are predictive of a number of serious long-term difficulties (e.g., school failure, delinquent behavior, and mental health problems), making the design of effective prevention programs a priority. The Fast Track Program is a demonstration project currently underway in four demographically diverse areas of the United States, testing the feasibility and effectiveness of a comprehensive, multicomponent prevention program targeting children at risk for conduct disorders. This paper describes some lessons learned about the implementation of this program in a rural area. Although there are many areas of commonality in terms of program needs, program design, and implementation issues in rural and urban sites, rural areas differ from urban areas along the dimensions of geographical dispersion and regionalism, and community stability and insularity. Rural programs must cover a broad geographical area and must be sensitive to the multiple, small and regional communities that constitute their service area. Small schools, homogeneous populations, traditional values, limited recreational, educational and mental health services, and politically conservative climates are all more likely to emerge as characteristics of rural rather than urban sites (Sherman, 1992). These characteristics may both pose particular challenges to the implementation of prevention programs in rural areas, as well as offer particular benefits. Three aspects of program implementation are described in detail: (a) community entry and program initiation in rural areas, (b) the adaptation of program components and service delivery to meet the needs of rural families and schools, and (c) issues in administrative organization of a broadly dispersed tricounty rural prevention program.

Programs for the Prevention of Youth Depression: Evaluation of Efficacy, Effectiveness, and Readiness for Dissemination

PubMed Central

Brunwasser, Steven M.; Garber, Judy

2015-01-01

Objective To evaluate the current state of evidence of the effectiveness of depression prevention programs for youth, assess the degree to which current evidence supports broad implementation, and outline additional steps needed to close the gap between effectiveness and dissemination. Method We used the Society for Prevention Research’s Standards of Evidence (Flay et al., 2005) to evaluate the degree to which existing depression prevention programs have established intervention efficacy, effectiveness, and readiness for dissemination. We reviewed all depression prevention programs for youth that have been evaluated in at least two published, randomized controlled trials in which the intervention was compared to a no-intervention control group. A total of 37 studies evaluating 11 different programs were reviewed with regard to depressive symptoms and diagnoses post intervention and at follow-up (at least 6 months). Results Eight programs demonstrated significant main effects on depressive symptoms relative to controls in multiple RCTs; five programs had at least one trial with significant main effects present at least one year post-intervention. Two programs demonstrated efficacy for both depressive symptoms and depressive episodes across multiple independent trials. Regarding effectiveness, six programs had at least one study showing significant effects when delivered by endogenous service providers; four programs had significant effects in studies conducted independently of the program developers. Conclusions Several programs have demonstrated promise in terms of efficacy, but no depression prevention program for children or adolescents as yet has garnered sufficient evidence of effectiveness under real-world conditions to warrant widespread dissemination at this time. PMID:25933173

Alumni perspectives on career preparation during a postdoctoral training program: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Faupel-Badger, Jessica M; Raue, Kimberley; Nelson, David E; Tsakraklides, Sophia

2015-03-02

Published evaluations of career preparation of alumni from long-standing postdoctoral fellowship programs in the biomedical sciences are limited and often focus on quantitative analysis of data from extant publicly available sources. Qualitative methods provide the opportunity to gather robust information about specific program elements from structured postdoctoral training programs and the influence of this training on subsequent career paths of alumni. In-depth interviews with a subset of the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Prevention Fellowship Program (CPFP) alumni (n=27), representing more than 25 years of the program's history and multiple career sectors, were conducted to assess alumni reflections on the training environment and career preparation during their time in the CPFP. NVivo software was used to analyze data and identify major themes. Four main themes emerged from these interviews, including: the value of structured training curriculum, mentorship, transdisciplinary environment, and professional identity. Even when reflecting on training that occurred one to two decades earlier, alumni were able to highlight specific components of a structured postdoctoral training program as influencing their research and career trajectories. These results may have relevance for those interested in assessing how postdoctoral training can influence fellows throughout their careers and understanding salient features of structured programs. © 2015 J. M. Faupel-Badger et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2015 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

40 CFR 35.340 - Purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants Pollution Prevention State Grants (section 6605) § 35.340 Purpose. (a) Purpose of section. Sections 35.340 through 35.349 govern Pollution Prevention State Grants under section 6605 of the Pollution Prevention Act. (b) Purpose of program. Pollution Prevention State Grants are...

40 CFR 35.343 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants Pollution Prevention State Grants (section 6605) § 35.343 Definitions... Prevention State Grants program and to §§ 35.340 through 35.349: (a) Pollution prevention/source reduction is... other resources; or (ii) Protection of natural resources by conservation. (b) Pollution prevention...

76 FR 10907 - Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-28

... Project Division of Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Management Information System--Revision--National... Prevention (CDC). Background and Brief Description CDC's Division of Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention... two programs: The National Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program (NHDSPP), and the Well...

Examination of sustainability indicators for fall prevention strategies in three states.

PubMed

Smith, Matthew Lee; Durrett, Nicholas K; Schneider, Ellen C; Byers, Imani N; Shubert, Tiffany E; Wilson, Ashley D; Towne, Samuel D; Ory, Marcia G

2018-06-01

With 1-in-4 older adults suffering a fall each year, fall prevention efforts have emerged as a public health priority. Multi-level, evidence-based fall prevention programs have been promoted by the CDC and other government agencies. To ensure participants and communities receive programs' intended benefits, organizations must repeatedly deliver the programs over time and plan for program sustainability as part of 'scaling up' the initiative. The State Falls Prevention Project (SFPP) began in 2011 when the CDC provided 5 years of funding to State Departments of Health in Colorado, New York, and Oregon to simultaneously implement four fall prevention strategies: 1) Tai Chi: Moving for Better Balance; 2) Stepping On; 3) Otago Exercise Program; and 4) STEADI (STopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths, and Injuries) toolkit. Surveys were performed to examine systems change and perceptions about sustainability across states. The purposes of this study were to: 1) examine how funding influenced the capacity for program implementation and sustainability within the SFPP; and 2) assess reported Program Sustainability Assessment Tool (PSAT) scores to learn about how best to sustain fall preventing efforts after funding ends. Data showed that more organizations offered evidence-based fall prevention programs in participants' service areas with funding, and the importance of programming implementation, evaluation, and reporting efforts were likely to diminish once funding concluded. Participants' reported PSAT scores about perceived sustainability capacity did not directly align with previously reported perceptions about PSAT domain importance or modifiability. Findings suggest the importance of grantees to identify potential barriers and enablers influencing program sustainability during the planning phase of the programs. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Meta-analysis of the effectiveness of school substance abuse prevention programs in Spain.

PubMed

Espada, José P; Gonzálvez, María T; Orgilés, Mireia; Lloret, Daniel; Guillén-Riquelme, Alejandro

2015-01-01

There has been an increase in adolescent substance use that has led to the development and implementation of prevention programs. New evidence is needed in order to improve them and optimize the resources. The aim of this paper is to use a meta-analysis to analyze the effectiveness of school drug prevention programs in Spain. Twenty-one studies that evaluated drug abuse prevention programs in schools, were published between 2002 and 2013, and that met the selection criteria were identified. Preventive program effectiveness was low ( d = 0.16), although it was higher at the follow-up ( d = 0.30). The programs were most effective in changing attitudes ( d = 0.44) towards drugs. The models of health education ( d = 0.48) and social learning ( d = 0.20) were also very effective, especially in combination with oral, written, and audiovisual support material ( d = 0.21) and the implementation of joint programs by health education professionals and faculty members ( d = 0.25). Is possible to determine the need for more rigorous evaluations of interventions to establish useful programs.

Glutathione Decrement Drives Thermogenic Program In Adipose Cells.

PubMed

Lettieri Barbato, Daniele; Tatulli, Giuseppe; Maria Cannata, Stefano; Bernardini, Sergio; Aquilano, Katia; Ciriolo, Maria R

2015-08-11

Adipose tissue metabolically adapts to external stimuli. We demonstrate that the induction of the thermogenic program in white adipocytes, through cold exposure in mice or in vitro adrenergic stimulation, is accompanied by a decrease in the intracellular content of glutathione (GSH). Moreover, the treatment with a GSH depleting agent, buthionine sulfoximine (BSO), recapitulates the effect of cold exposure resulting in the induction of thermogenic program. In particular, BSO treatment leads to enhanced uncoupling respiration as demonstrated by increased expression of thermogenic genes (e.g. Ucp1, Ppargc1a), augmented oxygen consumption and decreased mitochondrial transmembrane potential. Buffering GSH decrement by pre-treatment with GSH ester prevents the up-regulation of typical markers of uncoupling respiration. We demonstrate that FoxO1 activation is responsible for the conversion of white adipocytes into a brown phenotype as the "browning" effects of BSO are completely abrogated in cells down-regulating FoxO1. In mice, the BSO-mediated up-regulation of uncoupling genes results in weight loss that is at least in part ascribed to adipose tissue mass reduction. The induction of thermogenic program has been largely proposed to counteract obesity-related diseases. Based on these findings, we propose GSH as a novel therapeutic target to increase energy expenditure in adipocytes.

Glutathione Decrement Drives Thermogenic Program In Adipose Cells

PubMed Central

Lettieri Barbato, Daniele; Tatulli, Giuseppe; Maria Cannata, Stefano; Bernardini, Sergio; Aquilano, Katia; Ciriolo, Maria R.

2015-01-01

Adipose tissue metabolically adapts to external stimuli. We demonstrate that the induction of the thermogenic program in white adipocytes, through cold exposure in mice or in vitro adrenergic stimulation, is accompanied by a decrease in the intracellular content of glutathione (GSH). Moreover, the treatment with a GSH depleting agent, buthionine sulfoximine (BSO), recapitulates the effect of cold exposure resulting in the induction of thermogenic program. In particular, BSO treatment leads to enhanced uncoupling respiration as demonstrated by increased expression of thermogenic genes (e.g. Ucp1, Ppargc1a), augmented oxygen consumption and decreased mitochondrial transmembrane potential. Buffering GSH decrement by pre-treatment with GSH ester prevents the up-regulation of typical markers of uncoupling respiration. We demonstrate that FoxO1 activation is responsible for the conversion of white adipocytes into a brown phenotype as the “browning” effects of BSO are completely abrogated in cells down-regulating FoxO1. In mice, the BSO-mediated up-regulation of uncoupling genes results in weight loss that is at least in part ascribed to adipose tissue mass reduction. The induction of thermogenic program has been largely proposed to counteract obesity-related diseases. Based on these findings, we propose GSH as a novel therapeutic target to increase energy expenditure in adipocytes. PMID:26260892

The contributions and future direction of Program Science in HIV/STI prevention.

PubMed

Becker, Marissa; Mishra, Sharmistha; Aral, Sevgi; Bhattacharjee, Parinita; Lorway, Rob; Green, Kalada; Anthony, John; Isac, Shajy; Emmanuel, Faran; Musyoki, Helgar; Lazarus, Lisa; Thompson, Laura H; Cheuk, Eve; Blanchard, James F

2018-01-01

Program Science is an iterative, multi-phase research and program framework where programs drive the scientific inquiry, and both program and science are aligned towards a collective goal of improving population health. To achieve this, Program Science involves the systematic application of theoretical and empirical knowledge to optimize the scale, quality and impact of public health programs. Program Science tools and approaches developed for strategic planning, program implementation, and program management and evaluation have been incorporated into HIV and sexually transmitted infection prevention programs in Kenya, Nigeria, India, and the United States. In this paper, we highlight key scientific contributions that emerged from the growing application of Program Science in the field of HIV and STI prevention, and conclude by proposing future directions for Program Science.

ALX/FPR2 receptor for RvD1 is expressed and functional in salivary glands

PubMed Central

Nelson, Joel W.; Leigh, Noel J.; Mellas, Rachel E.; McCall, Andrew D.; Aguirre, Alfredo

2013-01-01

Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by chronic inflammation and destruction of salivary and lacrimal glands, leading to dry mouth, dry eyes, and the presence of anti-nuclear antibodies. Despite modern advances, the current therapies for SS have no permanent benefit. A potential treatment could involve the use of resolvins, which are highly potent endogenous lipid mediators that are synthesized during the resolution of inflammation to restore tissue homeostasis. Our previous studies indicate that ALX/FPR2, the receptor for RvD1, is expressed and active in the rat parotid cell line Par-C10. Specifically, activation of ALX/FPR2 with RvD1 blocked inflammatory signals caused by TNF-α and enhanced salivary epithelial integrity. The goal of this study was to investigate RvD1 receptor expression and signaling pathways in primary salivary cells. Additionally, we determined the role of the aspirin-triggered 17R analog (AT-RvD1, a more chemically stable RvD1 epimeric form) in prevention of TNF-α-mediated salivary inflammation in mouse submandibular glands (mSMG). Our results indicate that ALX/FPR2 is expressed in mSMG and is able to elicit intracellular Ca2+ responses and phosphorylation of Erk1/2, as well as Akt. Given that these signaling pathways are linked to cell survival, we investigated whether AT-RvD1 was able to prevent programmed cell death in mSMG. Specifically, we determined that AT-RvD1 prevented TNF-α-mediated caspase-3 activation. Finally, we show that ALX/FPR2 is expressed in human minor salivary glands with and without SS, indicating the potential therapeutic use of AT-RvD1 for this condition. PMID:24259417

ALX/FPR2 receptor for RvD1 is expressed and functional in salivary glands.

PubMed

Nelson, Joel W; Leigh, Noel J; Mellas, Rachel E; McCall, Andrew D; Aguirre, Alfredo; Baker, Olga J

2014-01-15

Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by chronic inflammation and destruction of salivary and lacrimal glands, leading to dry mouth, dry eyes, and the presence of anti-nuclear antibodies. Despite modern advances, the current therapies for SS have no permanent benefit. A potential treatment could involve the use of resolvins, which are highly potent endogenous lipid mediators that are synthesized during the resolution of inflammation to restore tissue homeostasis. Our previous studies indicate that ALX/FPR2, the receptor for RvD1, is expressed and active in the rat parotid cell line Par-C10. Specifically, activation of ALX/FPR2 with RvD1 blocked inflammatory signals caused by TNF-α and enhanced salivary epithelial integrity. The goal of this study was to investigate RvD1 receptor expression and signaling pathways in primary salivary cells. Additionally, we determined the role of the aspirin-triggered 17R analog (AT-RvD1, a more chemically stable RvD1 epimeric form) in prevention of TNF-α-mediated salivary inflammation in mouse submandibular glands (mSMG). Our results indicate that ALX/FPR2 is expressed in mSMG and is able to elicit intracellular Ca2+ responses and phosphorylation of Erk1/2, as well as Akt. Given that these signaling pathways are linked to cell survival, we investigated whether AT-RvD1 was able to prevent programmed cell death in mSMG. Specifically, we determined that AT-RvD1 prevented TNF-α-mediated caspase-3 activation. Finally, we show that ALX/FPR2 is expressed in human minor salivary glands with and without SS, indicating the potential therapeutic use of AT-RvD1 for this condition.

E-Cigarette Aerosol Exposure Induces Reactive Oxygen Species, DNA Damage, and Cell Death in Vascular Endothelial Cells.

PubMed

Anderson, Chastain; Majeste, Andrew; Hanus, Jakub; Wang, Shusheng

2016-12-01

Cigarette smoking remains one of the leading causes of preventable death worldwide. Vascular cell death and dysfunction is a central or exacerbating component in the majority of cigarette smoking related pathologies. The recent development of the electronic nicotine delivery systems known as e-cigarettes provides an alternative to conventional cigarette smoking; however, the potential vascular health risks of e-cigarette use remain unclear. This study evaluates the effects of e-cigarette aerosol extract (EAE) and conventional cigarette smoke extract (CSE) on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). A laboratory apparatus was designed to produce extracts from e-cigarettes and conventional cigarettes according to established protocols for cigarette smoking. EAE or conventional CSE was applied to human vascular endothelial cells for 4-72 h, dependent on the assay. Treated cells were assayed for reactive oxygen species, DNA damage, cell viability, and markers of programmed cell death pathways. Additionally, the anti-oxidants α-tocopherol and n-acetyl-l-cysteine were used to attempt to rescue e-cigarette induced cell death. Our results indicate that e-cigarette aerosol is capable of inducing reactive oxygen species, causing DNA damage, and significantly reducing cell viability in a concentration dependent fashion. Immunofluorescent and flow cytometry analysis indicate that both the apoptosis and programmed necrosis pathways are triggered by e-cigarette aerosol treatment. Additionally, anti-oxidant treatment provides a partial rescue of the induced cell death, indicating that reactive oxygen species play a causal role in e-cigarette induced cytotoxicity. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Toxicology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Identifying, screening and engaging high-risk clients in private non-profit child abuse prevention programs.

PubMed

Barth, R P; Ash, J R; Hacking, S

1986-01-01

Child abuse prevention programs rely on varied strategies to identify, screen, obtain referrals of, and engage high risk parents. Available literature on community-based child abuse prevention projects is not conclusive about project outcomes nor sufficiently descriptive about implementation. From the literature, experience and interviews with staff from more than 20 programs, barriers to implementation are identifiable. Barriers arise during identifying and screening at-risk families, referral, continued collaboration with referrers, and engaging clients in services. The paper describes a diverse set of strategies for surmounting these barriers. Staff characteristics and concrete services partially predict the success of program implementation. So does the program's relationship to other agencies. Child abuse prevention programs assume independent, interdependent, and dependent relationships with other agencies and referrers. Interdependent programs appear to have the best chance of obtaining referrals and maintaining clients who match their program's intent.

The promise and limitations of cash transfer programs for HIV prevention.

PubMed

Fieno, John; Leclerc-Madlala, Suzanne

2014-01-01

As the search for more effective HIV prevention strategies continues, increased attention is being paid to the potential role of cash transfers in prevention programming in sub-Saharan Africa. To date, studies testing the impact of both conditional and unconditional cash transfers on HIV-related behaviours and outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa have been relatively small-scale and their potential feasibility, costs and benefits at scale, among other things, remain largely unexplored. This article examines elements of a successful cash transfer program from Latin America and discusses challenges inherent in scaling-up such programs. The authors attempt a cost simulation of a cash transfer program for HIV prevention in South Africa comparing its cost and relative effectiveness--in number of HIV infections averted--against other prevention interventions. If a cash transfer program were to be taken to scale, the intervention would not have a substantial effect on decreasing the force of the epidemic in middle- and low-income countries. The integration of cash transfer programs into other sectors and linking them to a broader objective such as girls' educational attainment may be one way of addressing doubts raised by the authors regarding their value for HIV prevention.

Organizational Strategies to Implement Hospital Pressure Ulcer Prevention Programs: Findings from a National Survey

PubMed Central

SOBAN, LYNN M.; KIM, LINDA; YUAN, ANITA H.; MILTNER, REBECCA S.

2017-01-01

Aim To describe the presence and operationalization of organizational strategies to support implementation of pressure ulcer prevention programs across acute care hospitals in a large, integrated healthcare system. Background Comprehensive pressure ulcer programs include nursing interventions such as use of a risk assessment tool and organizational strategies such as policies and performance monitoring to embed these interventions into routine care. The current literature provides little detail about strategies used to implement pressure ulcer prevention programs. Methods Data were collected by an email survey to all Chief Nursing Officers in Veterans Health Administration acute care hospitals. Descriptive and bivariate statistics were used to summarize survey responses and evaluate relationships between some variables. Results Organizational strategies that support pressure ulcer prevention program implementation (policy, committee, staff education, wound care specialists, and use of performance data) were reported at high levels. Considerable variations were noted in how these strategies were operationalized within individual hospitals. Conclusion Organizational strategies to support implementation of pressure ulcer preventive programs are often not optimally operationalized to achieve consistent, sustainable performance. Implications for Nursing Management The results of this study highlight the role and influence of nurse leaders on pressure ulcer prevention program implementation. PMID:27487972

California Programs To Prevent and Reduce Drug, Alcohol, and Tobacco Use among In-School Youth: An Interim Report about Tobacco Use. Report No. 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Southwest Regional Lab., Los Alamitos, CA.

This document presents an interim report about tobacco use and its prevention among students in California schools. It focuses on the efforts of the Tobacco Use Prevention Education (TUPE) program, a part of the California Department of Education's Drug, Alcohol, and Tobacco Education (DATE) program. It is noted that TUPE programs have operated in…

Adaptation and dissemination of an evidence-based obesity prevention intervention: design of a comparative effectiveness trial.

PubMed

Buscemi, Joanna; Odoms-Young, Angela; Stolley, Melinda L; Blumstein, Lara; Schiffer, Linda; Berbaum, Michael L; McCaffrey, Jennifer; Montoya, Anastasia McGee; Braunschweig, Carol; Fitzgibbon, Marian L

2014-07-01

Low-income youth are at increased risk for excess weight gain. Although evidence-based prevention programs exist, successful adaptation to provide wide dissemination presents a challenge. Hip-Hop to Health (HH) is a school-based obesity prevention intervention that targets primarily preschool children of low-income families. In a large randomized controlled trial, HH was found to be efficacious for prevention of excessive weight gain. The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) are USDA-funded nutrition education programs offered to low-income families, and may provide an ideal platform for the wide dissemination of evidence-based obesity prevention programs. A research-practice partnership was established in order to conduct formative research to guide the adaptation and implementation of HH through EFNEP and SNAP-Ed. We present the design and method of a comparative effectiveness trial that will determine the efficacy of HH when delivered by peer educators through these programs compared to the standard EFNEP and SNAP-Ed nutrition education (NE) curriculum. Results from this trial will inform larger scale dissemination. The dissemination of HH through government programs has the potential to increase the reach of efficacious obesity prevention programs that target low-income children and families. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Adaptation and Dissemination of an Evidence-Based Obesity Prevention Intervention: Design of a Comparative Effectiveness Trial

PubMed Central

Buscemi, Joanna; Odoms-Young, Angela; Stolley, Melinda L.; Blumstein, Lara; Schiffer, Linda; Berbaum, Michael L.; McCaffrey, Jennifer; Montoya, Anastasia McGee; Braunschweig, Carol; Fitzgibbon, Marian L.

2014-01-01

Low-income youth are at increased risk for excess weight gain. Although evidence-based prevention programs exist, successful adaptation to provide wide dissemination presents a challenge. Hip-Hop to Health (HH) is a school-based obesity prevention intervention that targets primarily preschool children of low-income families. In a large randomized controlled trial, HH was found to be efficacious for prevention of excessive weight gain. The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program--Education (SNAP-Ed) are USDA-funded nutrition education programs offered to low-income families, and may provide an ideal platform for the wide dissemination of evidence-based obesity prevention programs. A research-practice partnership was established in order to conduct formative research to guide the adaptation and implementation of HH through EFNEP and SNAP-Ed. We present the design and method of a comparative effectiveness trial that will determine the efficacy of HH when delivered by peer educators through these programs compared to the standard EFNEP and SNAP-Ed nutrition education (NE) curriculum. Results from this trial will inform larger scale dissemination. The dissemination of HH through government programs has the potential to increase the reach of efficacious obesity prevention programs that target low-income children and families. PMID:24952282

Effects of a work injury prevention program for housekeeping in the hotel industry.

PubMed

Landers, Merrill; Maguire, Lynn

2004-01-01

The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the effectiveness of a work injury prevention program in the housekeeping department of a hotel. Studies have validated the use of different injury prevention strategies to decrease the incidence of work-related injuries. Few studies, however, have reported the efficacy of an on-site work injury prevention program by a physical therapist. In 1995, implementation of a work injury prevention program by a physical therapist to 50 housekeeping supervisors, 60 house persons and 340 guest room attendants at a large hotel began. This program included a detailed work risk analysis of the work environment, development of job descriptions, identification of injury-related problematic work situations, and implementation of a job specific supervisor-training program. Supervisor, house person and guest room attendant training was also conducted at the end of 1995 and the beginning of 1997. Data of injury reports in 1995, 1996, and 1997 were analyzed to determine the results of the program. There was a reduction in total injury claims, total medical expenses, total lost work time and total restricted duty time. These results demonstrate the cost effectiveness of implementing a work injury prevention program for housekeeping guest room attendants in the hotel industry. Copyright 2004 IOS Press

Did we get our money's worth? Bridging economic and behavioral measures of program success in adolescent drug prevention.

PubMed

Griffith, Kevin N; Scheier, Lawrence M

2013-11-08

The recent U.S. Congressional mandate for creating drug-free learning environments in elementary and secondary schools stipulates that education reform rely on accountability, parental and community involvement, local decision making, and use of evidence-based drug prevention programs. By necessity, this charge has been paralleled by increased interest in demonstrating that drug prevention programs net tangible benefits to society. One pressing concern is precisely how to integrate traditional scientific methods of program evaluation with economic measures of "cost efficiency". The languages and methods of each respective discipline don't necessarily converge on how to establish the true benefits of drug prevention. This article serves as a primer for conducting economic analyses of school-based drug prevention programs. The article provides the reader with a foundation in the relevant principles, methodologies, and benefits related to conducting economic analysis. Discussion revolves around how economists value the potential costs and benefits, both financial and personal, from implementing school-based drug prevention programs targeting youth. Application of heterogeneous costing methods coupled with widely divergent program evaluation findings influences the feasibility of these techniques and may hinder utilization of these practices. Determination of cost-efficiency should undoubtedly become one of several markers of program success and contribute to the ongoing debate over health policy.

Suicide Prevention in the Dot Com Era: Technological Aspects of a University Suicide Prevention Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manning, Jessica; VanDeusen, Karen

2011-01-01

Western Michigan University's Suicide Prevention Program utilizes multiple technological components, including an online training course, a Web site, and 2 social networking Web site profiles, as integral aspects of a comprehensive program. This article discusses the development, maintenance, use, and impact of the technological aspects of this…

Effects of a National Indicated Preventive Intervention Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Husler, Gebhard; Werlen, Egon; Blakeney, Ronny

2005-01-01

As there have been few science-based evaluations of secondary prevention programs, the Federal Office of Public Health in Switzerland carried out a national program evaluation at 12 sites in the French- and German-speaking parts of Switzerland to study the question, "What works in secondary prevention?" These 12 centers offer different…

Resources for Developing Acquaintance Rape Prevention Programs for Men.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Earle, James P.; Nies, Charles T.

1994-01-01

Provides an annotated bibliography of videos and printed materials that may be used as educational tools in rape prevention programs. Focuses on sources that are aimed directly at men. Also outlines the use of consultants or lecturers as one of many resources in the construction and implementation of rape prevention programs. (KW)

Oregon Research Institute's Smoking Prevention Program: Helping Students Resist Peer Pressure.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Severson, Herbert; And Others

1981-01-01

In 1980, Oregon Research Institute implemented Programs to Advance Teen Health (PATH), a smoking prevention program that helps seventh and ninth graders learn to resist social pressures to smoke. This report describes PATH and discusses the reasons behind its smoking prevention strategy. The report first notes the importance of preventing…

The Moderating Effects of School Climate on Bullying Prevention Efforts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Low, Sabina; Van Ryzin, Mark

2014-01-01

Bullying prevention efforts have yielded mixed effects over the last 20 years. Program effectiveness is driven by a number of factors (e.g., program elements and implementation), but there remains a dearth of understanding regarding the role of school climate on the impact of bullying prevention programs. This gap is surprising, given research…

The Strong African American Families Program: Translating Research into Prevention Programming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brody, Gene H.; Murry, Velma McBride; Gerrard, Meg; Gibbons, Frederick X.; Molgaard, Virginia; McNair, Lily; Brown, Anita C.; Wills, Thomas A.; Spoth, Richard L.; Luo, Zupei; Chen, Yi-fu; Neubaum-Carlan, Eileen

2004-01-01

A randomized prevention trial contrasted families who took part in the Strong African American Families Program (SAAF), a preventive intervention for rural African American mothers and their 11-year-olds, with control families. SAAF is based on a contextual model positing that regulated, communicative parenting causes changes in factors protecting…

76 FR 49500 - Privacy Act of 1974; Department of Homeland Security United States Coast Guard-020 Substance...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-10

... system of records titled, ``DHS/USCG-020 Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Program System of.../United States Coast Guard--020 Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Program System of Records. In... Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment program, including to identify alcohol and drug abusers within the...

A Conceptual Three-Dimensional Model for Evaluating Community-Based Substance Abuse Prevention Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albers, Eric C.; Santangelo, Linda K.; McKinlay, George; Cavote, Steve; Rock, Stephen L.; Evans, William

2002-01-01

Presents a three-dimensional model for conceptualizing existing prevention programs, defining and measuring effects of prevention programs, and making a connection between those programmatic effects, and the interests of the funder. This paper describes the methodology and its use for promoting the efficiency and effectiveness of substance abuse…

Pennsylvania's Pre-Kindergarten Crisis: A Crime Prevention Tragedy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

2003

Noting that at-risk children who attend high quality early childhood care and pre-kindergarten programs are less likely to commit delinquent or criminal behaviors than children denied access to such programs, this report presents information on the effectiveness of such programs for preventing crime and argues that Pennsylvania can prevent crime…

School-Based Childhood Sexual Abuse Prevention Programs: An Integrative Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fryda, Candice M.; Hulme, Polly A.

2015-01-01

One prevention strategy for childhood sexual abuse (CSA) involves educational programs delivered to children in the school environment. The purpose of this integrative literature review was to determine the state of the science on school-based CSA prevention programs. The authors extracted data from 26 articles that fit inclusion criteria to…

Project "School:" A Handbook of a Validated Developmental Dropout Prevention Program's Methods and Procedures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hooban, Louis; Pugsley, Robert

Project SCHOOL (School Concerned with Helping Others' Objectives and Learning) is a program developed to prevent dropping out through group counseling, parent counseling, and positive reinforcement. Project SCHOOL operates as a dropout prevention program in grades 1-12. Teachers and counselors, using a locally developed check list and other…

Suicide Prevention Programs in the Schools: A Review and Public Health Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, David N.; Eckert, Tanya L.; Mazza, James J.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive review of school-based suicide prevention programs from a public health perspective. A literature review of empirical studies examining school-based suicide prevention programs was conducted. Studies were required to contain information pertaining to the implementation and outcomes of a…

Teacher and Principal Survey Results in the National Preventive Dentistry Demonstration Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klein, Stephen P.; And Others

The National Preventive Dentistry Demonstration Program was conducted to assess the costs and benefits of combinations of school-based preventive dental care procedures. The program involved almost 30,000 elementary school children from 10 sites across the country. Classroom procedures, such as weekly fluoride mouthrinse, were administered or…

Proposed Modification of a School-Wide Bully Prevention Program to Support All Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ostrander, Jason; Melville, Alysse; Bryan, Janelle K.; Letendre, Joan

2018-01-01

Bullying prevention programs in the United States are being implemented in schools from kindergarten through high school to reduce rates of bullying behaviors. The bully prevention in positive behavior support (PBIS) model is an evidence-based, whole school intervention program. The PBIS model trains teachers, school staff, and administrators to…

The Effect of a Depression Prevention Program on Negative Cognitive Style Trajectories in Early Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kindt, Karlijn C. M.; Kleinjan, Marloes; Janssens, Jan M. A. M.; Scholte, Ron H. J.

2016-01-01

As restructuring a negative cognitive style is a central skill taught in many depression prevention programs, we tested whether a universal prevention program evoked a change in negative cognitive style in adolescents. In addition, we examined distinct developmental trajectories of negative cognitive styles and assessed whether research condition…

Administrator's Handbook for Crime Prevention and Drug Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas Education Agency, Austin. Div. of Crime Prevention and Drug Education.

Acts of three Texas Legislatures have mandated that the schools of Texas provide a program for all public school students, grades K-12, in crime prevention and drug education. To assist schools in formulating a philosophy about and in developing appropriate programs and techniques for drug education and crime prevention programs, the Texas…

Parenting after Divorce: Evaluation of Preventive Programs for Divorcing Families.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warren, Nancy J.; And Others

Preventive educational programs are potentially useful in reducing the effects of divorce on children and families. Parenting After Divorce is an ongoing study designed to evaluate preventive programs. Divorcing families with children aged 7-12 are identified from court records and contacted to participate. Families are randomly assigned to one of…

Modeling the Bullying Prevention Program Preferences of Educators: A Discrete Choice Conjoint Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cunningham, Charles E.; Vaillancourt, Tracy; Rimas, Heather; Deal, Ken; Cunningham, Lesley; Short, Kathy; Chen, Yvonne

2009-01-01

We used discrete choice conjoint analysis to model the bullying prevention program preferences of educators. Using themes from computerized decision support lab focus groups (n = 45 educators), we composed 20 three-level bullying prevention program design attributes. Each of 1,176 educators completed 25 choice tasks presenting experimentally…

Galectin-1 Prevents Infection and Damage Induced by Trypanosoma cruzi on Cardiac Cells

PubMed Central

Benatar, Alejandro F.; García, Gabriela A.; Bua, Jacqeline; Cerliani, Juan P.; Postan, Miriam; Tasso, Laura M.; Scaglione, Jorge; Stupirski, Juan C.; Toscano, Marta A.

2015-01-01

Background Chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy caused by Trypanosoma cruzi is the result of a pathologic process starting during the acute phase of parasite infection. Among different factors, the specific recognition of glycan structures by glycan-binding proteins from the parasite or from the mammalian host cells may play a critical role in the evolution of the infection. Methodology and Principal Findings Here we investigated the contribution of galectin–1 (Gal–1), an endogenous glycan-binding protein abundantly expressed in human and mouse heart, to the pathophysiology of T. cruzi infection, particularly in the context of cardiac pathology. We found that exposure of HL–1 cardiac cells to Gal–1 reduced the percentage of infection by two different T. cruzi strains, Tulahuén (TcVI) and Brazil (TcI). In addition, Gal–1 prevented exposure of phosphatidylserine and early events in the apoptotic program by parasite infection on HL–1 cells. These effects were not mediated by direct interaction with the parasite surface, suggesting that Gal–1 may act through binding to host cells. Moreover, we also observed that T. cruzi infection altered the glycophenotype of cardiac cells, reducing binding of exogenous Gal–1 to the cell surface. Consistent with these data, Gal–1 deficient (Lgals1 -/-) mice showed increased parasitemia, reduced signs of inflammation in heart and skeletal muscle tissues, and lower survival rates as compared to wild-type (WT) mice in response to intraperitoneal infection with T. cruzi Tulahuén strain. Conclusion/Significance Our results indicate that Gal–1 modulates T. cruzi infection of cardiac cells, highlighting the relevance of galectins and their ligands as regulators of host-parasite interactions. PMID:26451839

Update on child abuse prevention.

PubMed

Krugman, Scott D; Lane, Wendy G; Walsh, Christina M

2007-12-01

Child abuse remains a significant problem in the United States with 2.9 million reports and 825 000 indicated cases in 2005. This report will highlight recent efforts toward child abuse prevention, focusing on home visiting programs, abusive head trauma primary prevention, parent training programs, sexual abuse prevention, and the effectiveness of laws banning corporal punishment. Most home visitation programs have demonstrated a lack of effectiveness in recent randomized trials. One exception is the Nurse Family Partnership, which remains the most effective and longest enduring intervention for high-risk families. Child sexual abuse prevention programs and parent training programs need further evaluation with more rigorous methodology and outcome measures. Providing universal parent education about coping with crying infants appears to be effective in lowering the incidence of abusive head trauma. Although advocated for, further study will determine the effectiveness of laws banning corporal punishment or mandating abusive head trauma education to parents of newborns. Pediatricians play an important role in the prevention of child maltreatment. Their knowledge of the effectiveness of different programs can help guide parents toward appropriate services.

Rescuing Our Warriors from Chronic Pain: A Battlefield-to-Nondeployment Means to Prevent Opioid-induced Amplification of Neuropathic Pain from Traumatic Injury

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

Amplification of Neuropathic Pain from Traumatic Injury PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Linda R. Watkins , Ph.D. CONTRACTING ORGANIZATION: Regents of the...0161 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) Linda R Watkins , Ph.D. Peter M Grace, Ph.D. Suzanne M Fulgham, M.S. 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK...but from their action on glia cells by binding to the TLR4 receptor ( Watkins , Hutchinson, Rice, Maier, Trends Pharmacol Sci., 2009). Opioid

Master--slave manipulators and remote maintenance at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jenness, R.G.; Wicker, C.D.

1975-01-01

The volume of master-slave manipulator maintenance at Oak Ridge National Laboratory has necessitated the establishment of a repair facility and the organization of a specially trained group of craftsmen. Emphasis on cell containment requires the use of manipulator boots and the development of precise procedures for accomplishing the maintenance of 283 installed units. To provide the most economical type of preventive maintenance, a very satisfactory computer- programmed maintenance system has been established at the Laboratory. (auth)

The value of partnerships in state obesity prevention and control programs.

PubMed

Hersey, James; Kelly, Bridget; Roussel, Amy; Curtis, LaShawn; Horne, Joseph; Williams-Piehota, Pamela; Kuester, Sarah; Farris, Rosanne

2012-03-01

State health departments funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity Program collaborate with multiple partners to develop and implement comprehensive obesity prevention and control programs. A mixed-methods evaluation of 28 state programs over a 5-year period assessed states' progress on program requirements, including developing statewide partnerships and coordinating with partners to support obesity prevention and control efforts. States with greater partnership involvement leveraged more funding support for their programs, passed more obesity-related policies, and were more likely to implement obesity interventions in multiple settings. Case studies provided guidance for establishing and maintaining strong partnerships. Findings from this study offer emerging evidence to support assumptions about the centrality of partnerships to states' success in obesity program development and implementation and related health promotion activities.

In vitro reconstruction of branched tubular structures from lung epithelial cells in high cell concentration gradient environment.

PubMed

Hagiwara, Masaya; Peng, Fei; Ho, Chih-Ming

2015-01-27

We have succeeded in developing hollow branching structure in vitro commonly observed in lung airway using primary lung airway epithelial cells. Cell concentration gradient is the key factor that determines production of the branching cellular structures, as optimization of this component removes the need for heterotypic culture. The higher cell concentration leads to the more production of morphogens and increases the growth rate of cells. However, homogeneous high cell concentration does not make a branching structure. Branching requires sufficient space in which cells can grow from a high concentration toward a low concentration. Simulation performed using a reaction-diffusion model revealed that long-range inhibition prevents cells from branching when they are homogeneously spread in culture environments, while short-range activation from neighboring cells leads to positive feedback. Thus, a high cell concentration gradient is required to make branching structures. Spatial distributions of morphogens, such as BMP-4, play important roles in the pattern formation. This simple yet robust system provides an optimal platform for the further study and understanding of branching mechanisms in the lung airway, and will facilitate chemical and genetic studies of lung morphogenesis programs.

Stem cell senescence. Effects of REAC technology on telomerase-independent and telomerase-dependent pathways.

PubMed

Rinaldi, S; Maioli, M; Pigliaru, G; Castagna, A; Santaniello, S; Basoli, V; Fontani, V; Ventura, C

2014-09-16

Decline in the gene expression of senescence repressor Bmi1, and telomerase, together with telomere shortening, underlay senescence of stem cells cultured for multiple passages. Here, we investigated whether the impairment of senescence preventing mechanisms can be efficiently counteracted by exposure of human adipose-derived stem cells to radio electric asymmetrically conveyed fields by an innovative technology, named Radio Electric Asymmetric Conveyer (REAC). Due to REAC exposure, the number of stem cells positively stained for senescence associated β-galactosidase was significantly reduced along multiple culturing passages. After a 90-day culture, REAC-treated cells exhibited significantly higher transcription of Bmi1 and enhanced expression of other stem cell pluripotency genes and related proteins, compared to unexposed cells. Transcription of the catalytic telomerase subunit (TERT) was also increased in REAC-treated cells at all passages. Moreover, while telomere shortening occurred at early passages in both REAC-treated and untreated cells, a significant rescue of telomere length could be observed at late passages only in REAC-exposed cells. Thus, REAC-asymmetrically conveyed radio electric fields acted on a gene and protein expression program of both telomerase-independent and telomerase-dependent patterning to optimize stem cell ability to cope with senescence progression.

Working with Youth in High-Risk Environments: Experiences in Prevention. OSAP Prevention Monograph-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marcus, Carol E., Ed.; Swisher, John D., Ed.

This report focuses on prevention programs developed with support from the Office for Substance Abuse Prevention's (OSAP) High-Risk Youth Demonstration Grant Program. Included are an Introduction (Eric Goplerud and others) and the following reports: (1) "Athletes Coaching Teens for Substance Abuse Prevention: Alcohol and Other Drug Use and Risk…

Common elements of adolescent prevention programs: minimizing burden while maximizing reach.

PubMed

Boustani, Maya M; Frazier, Stacy L; Becker, Kimberly D; Bechor, Michele; Dinizulu, Sonya M; Hedemann, Erin R; Ogle, Robert R; Pasalich, Dave S

2015-03-01

A growing number of evidence-based youth prevention programs are available, but challenges related to dissemination and implementation limit their reach and impact. The current review identifies common elements across evidence-based prevention programs focused on the promotion of health-related outcomes in adolescents. We reviewed and coded descriptions of the programs for common practice and instructional elements. Problem-solving emerged as the most common practice element, followed by communication skills, and insight building. Psychoeducation, modeling, and role play emerged as the most common instructional elements. In light of significant comorbidity in poor outcomes for youth, and corresponding overlap in their underlying skills deficits, we propose that synthesizing the prevention literature using a common elements approach has the potential to yield novel information and inform prevention programming to minimize burden and maximize reach and impact for youth.

Feasibility and acceptability of a child sexual abuse prevention program for childcare professionals: comparison of a web-based and in-person training.

PubMed

Rheingold, Alyssa A; Zajac, Kristyn; Patton, Meghan

2012-01-01

Recent prevention research has established the efficacy of some child sexual abuse prevention programs targeting adults; however, less is known about the feasibility of implementing such programs. The current study examines the feasibility and acceptability of a child sexual abuse prevention program for child care professionals provided in two different formats: in person and Web based. The sample consisted of 188 child care professionals from a large-scale, multisite, randomized controlled trial. Findings indicate that both in-person and online training formats are feasible to implement and acceptable to professionals. When comparing formats, the in-person format was favored in terms of comfort level and likelihood of sharing information with others. These findings have significant implications for dissemination of child sexual abuse prevention programs for child care professionals.

An Integrated Approach to Falls Prevention: A Model for Linking Clinical and Community Interventions through the Massachusetts Prevention and Wellness Trust Fund.

PubMed

Coe, Laura J; St John, Julie Ann; Hariprasad, Santhi; Shankar, Kalpana N; MacCulloch, Patricia A; Bettano, Amy L; Zotter, Jean

2017-01-01

Older adult falls continue to be a public health priority across the United States-Massachusetts (MA) being no exception. The MA Prevention and Wellness Trust Fund (PWTF) program within the MA Department of Public Health aims to reduce the physical and economic burdens of chronic health conditions by linking evidence-based clinical care with community intervention programs. The PWTF partnerships that focused on older adult falls prevention integrated the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Stopping Elderly Accidents, Death and Injuries toolkit into clinical settings. Partnerships also offer referrals for home safety assessments, Tai Chi, and Matter of Balance programs. This paper describes the PWTF program implementation process involving 49 MA organizations, while highlighting the successes achieved and lessons learned. With the unprecedented expansion of the U.S. Medicare beneficiary population, and the escalating incidence of falls, widespread adoption of effective prevention strategies will become increasingly important for both public health and for controlling healthcare costs. The lessons learned from this PWTF initiative offer insights and recommendations for future falls prevention program development and implementation.

Signaling via the transcriptionally regulated activin receptor 2B is a novel mediator of neuronal cell death during chicken ciliary ganglion development.

PubMed

Koszinowski, S; Buss, K; Kaehlcke, K; Krieglstein, K

2015-04-01

The TGF-β ligand superfamily members activin A and BMP control important aspects of embryonic neuronal development and differentiation. Both are known to bind to activin receptor subtypes IIA (ActRIIA) and IIB, while in the avian ciliary ganglion (CG), so far only ActRIIA-expression has been described. We show that the expression of ACVR2B, coding for the ActRIIB, is tightly regulated during CG development and the knockdown of ACVR2B expression leads to a deregulation in the execution of neuronal apoptosis and therefore affects ontogenetic programmed cell death in vivo. While the differentiation of choroid neurons was impeded in the knockdown, pointing toward a reduction in activin A-mediated neural differentiation signaling, naturally occurring neuronal cell death in the CG was not prevented by follistatin treatment. Systemic injections of the BMP antagonist noggin, on the other hand, reduced the number of apoptotic neurons to a similar extent as ACVR2B knockdown. We therefore propose a novel pathway in the regulation of CG neuron ontogenetic programmed cell death, which could be mediated by BMP and signals via the ActRIIB. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Transcriptional Mechanisms of Proneural Factors and REST in Regulating Neuronal Reprogramming of Astrocytes

PubMed Central

Masserdotti, Giacomo; Gillotin, Sébastien; Sutor, Bernd; Drechsel, Daniela; Irmler, Martin; Jørgensen, Helle F.; Sass, Steffen; Theis, Fabian J.; Beckers, Johannes; Berninger, Benedikt; Guillemot, François; Götz, Magdalena

2015-01-01

Summary Direct lineage reprogramming induces dramatic shifts in cellular identity, employing poorly understood mechanisms. Recently, we demonstrated that expression of Neurog2 or Ascl1 in postnatal mouse astrocytes generates glutamatergic or GABAergic neurons. Here, we take advantage of this model to study dynamics of neuronal cell fate acquisition at the transcriptional level. We found that Neurog2 and Ascl1 rapidly elicited distinct neurogenic programs with only a small subset of shared target genes. Within this subset, only NeuroD4 could by itself induce neuronal reprogramming in both mouse and human astrocytes, while co-expression with Insm1 was required for glutamatergic maturation. Cultured astrocytes gradually became refractory to reprogramming, in part by the repressor REST preventing Neurog2 from binding to the NeuroD4 promoter. Notably, in astrocytes refractory to Neurog2 activation, the underlying neurogenic program remained amenable to reprogramming by exogenous NeuroD4. Our findings support a model of temporal hierarchy for cell fate change during neuronal reprogramming. PMID:26119235

Biological Effects of Space Radiation and Development of Effective Countermeasures

PubMed Central

Kennedy, Ann R.

2014-01-01

As part of a program to assess the adverse biological effects expected from astronaut exposure to space radiation, numerous different biological effects relating to astronaut health have been evaluated. There has been major focus recently on the assessment of risks related to exposure to solar particle event (SPE) radiation. The effects related to various types of space radiation exposure that have been evaluated are: gene expression changes (primarily associated with programmed cell death and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling), oxidative stress, gastrointestinal tract bacterial translocation and immune system activation, peripheral hematopoietic cell counts, emesis, blood coagulation, skin, behavior/fatigue (including social exploration, submaximal exercise treadmill and spontaneous locomotor activity), heart functions, alterations in biological endpoints related to astronaut vision problems (lumbar puncture/intracranial pressure, ocular ultrasound and histopathology studies), and survival, as well as long-term effects such as cancer and cataract development. A number of different countermeasures have been identified that can potentially mitigate or prevent the adverse biological effects resulting from exposure to space radiation. PMID:25258703

Biological effects of space radiation and development of effective countermeasures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kennedy, Ann R.

2014-04-01

As part of a program to assess the adverse biological effects expected from astronauts' exposure to space radiation, numerous different biological effects relating to astronauts' health have been evaluated. There has been major focus recently on the assessment of risks related to exposure to solar particle event (SPE) radiation. The effects related to various types of space radiation exposure that have been evaluated are: gene expression changes (primarily associated with programmed cell death and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling), oxidative stress, gastrointestinal tract bacterial translocation and immune system activation, peripheral hematopoietic cell counts, emesis, blood coagulation, skin, behavior/fatigue (including social exploration, submaximal exercise treadmill and spontaneous locomotor activity), heart functions, alterations in biological endpoints related to astronauts' vision problems (lumbar puncture/intracranial pressure, ocular ultrasound and histopathology studies), and survival, as well as long-term effects such as cancer and cataract development. A number of different countermeasures have been identified that can potentially mitigate or prevent the adverse biological effects resulting from exposure to space radiation.

Identifying effective components of alcohol abuse prevention programs: effects of fear appeals, message style, and source expertise.

PubMed

Stainback, R D; Rogers, R W

1983-04-01

Despite the importance of alcohol abuse prevention programs, the effectiveness of many components of these programs has not been demonstrated empirically. An experiment tested the efficacy of three components of many prevention programs: fear appeals, one- versus two-sided message style, and the expertise of the source. The persuasive impact of this information was examined on 113 ninth-grade students' intentions to abstain from drinking alcohol while they are teenagers. The results reveal that fear appeals are successful in strengthening students' intentions to refrain from drinking. Implications are discussed for implementing these principles and for designing future investigations of alcohol abuse prevention programs.

The impact of universal suicide-prevention programs on the help-seeking attitudes and behaviors of youths.

PubMed

Klimes-Dougan, Bonnie; Klingbeil, David A; Meller, Sarah J

2013-01-01

While the ultimate goal of adolescent suicide-prevention efforts is to decrease the incidence of death by suicide, a critical intermediary goal is directing youths toward effective sources of assistance. To comprehensively review the universal prevention literature and examine the effects of universal prevention programs on student's attitudes and behaviors related to help-seeking. We systematically reviewed studies that assessed help-seeking outcomes including prevention efforts utilizing (1) psychoeducational curricula, (2) gatekeeper training, and (3) public service messaging directed at youths. Of the studies reviewed, 17 studies evaluated the help-seeking outcomes. These studies were identified through a range of sources (e.g., searching online databases, examining references of published articles on suicide prevention). The results of this review suggest that suicide-prevention programming has a limited impact on help-seeking behavior. Although there was some evidence that suicide-prevention programs had a positive impact on students' help-seeking attitudes and behaviors, there was also evidence of no effects or iatrogenic effects. Sex and risk status were moderators of program effects on students help-seeking. Caution is warranted when considering which suicidal prevention interventions best optimize the intended goals. The impact on adolescents' help-seeking behavior is a key concern for educators and mental-health professionals.

A systematic review of combined student- and parent-based programs to prevent alcohol and other drug use among adolescents.

PubMed

Newton, Nicola C; Champion, Katrina E; Slade, Tim; Chapman, Cath; Stapinski, Lexine; Koning, Ina; Tonks, Zoe; Teesson, Maree

2017-05-01

Alcohol and other drug use among adolescents is a serious concern, and effective prevention is critical. Research indicates that expanding school-based prevention programs to include parenting components could increase prevention outcomes. This paper aims to identify and describe existing combined student- and parent-based programs for the prevention of alcohol and other drug use to evaluate the efficacy of existing programs. The PsycINFO, Medline, Central Register of Controlled trials and Cochrane databases were searched in April 2015 and additional articles were obtained from reference lists. Studies were included if they evaluated a combined universal intervention for students (aged 11-18 years old) and their parents designed to prevent alcohol and/or other drug use, and were delivered in a school-based setting. Risk of bias was assessed by two independent reviewers. Because of the heterogeneity of the included studies, it was not possible to conduct a meta-analysis and a qualitative description of the studies was provided. From a total of 1654 screened papers, 22 research papers met inclusion criteria, which included 13 trials of 10 programs. Of these, nine programs demonstrated significant intervention effects in terms of delaying or reducing adolescent alcohol and/or other drug use in at least one trial. This is the first review of combined student- and parent-based interventions to prevent and reduce alcohol and other drug use. Whilst existing combined student- and parent-based programs have shown promising results, key gaps in the literature have been identified and are discussed in the context of the development of future prevention programs. [Newton NC, Champion KE, Slade T, Chapman C, Stapinski L, Koning I, Tonks Z, Teesson M. A systematic review of combined student- and parent-based programs to prevent alcohol and other drug use among adolescents. Drug Alcohol Rev 2017;36:337-351]. © 2017 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

RMP Guidance for Warehouses - Chapter 6: Prevention Program (Program 2)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

If substances you have above threshold are not covered by OSHA's PSM standard, you have a Program 2 process. Your prevention program must include safety information, hazard review, SOPs, training, maintenance, compliance audits, and incident investigation.

Aerosol-delivered programmed cell death 4 enhanced apoptosis, controlled cell cycle and suppressed AP-1 activity in the lungs of AP-1 luciferase reporter mice.

PubMed

Hwang, S-K; Jin, H; Kwon, J T; Chang, S-H; Kim, T H; Cho, C-S; Lee, K H; Young, M R; Colburn, N H; Beck, G R; Yang, H-S; Cho, M-H

2007-09-01

The long-term survival of lung cancer patients treated with conventional therapies remains poor and therefore the need for novel approaches remains high. This has led to the re-emergence of aerosol delivery as a therapeutic intervention. In this study, glucosylated polyethylenimine (GPEI) was used as carrier to investigate programmed cell death 4 (PDCD4) and PDCD4 mutant (D418A), an eIF4A-binding mutant, on PDCD4-related signaling and activator protein-1 (AP-1) activity in the lungs of AP-1 luciferase reporter mice. After confirming the efficiency of GPEI as a carrier in lungs, the effects of aerosol-delivered PDCD4 were investigated in AP-1 luciferase reporter mice. Aerosol delivery of GPEI/PDCD4 through a nose-only inhalation facilitated the apoptosis of lungs whereas aerosol PDCD4 mutant did not. Also, such aerosol delivery regulated proteins relevant to cell-cycle control and suppressed AP-1 activity. Results obtained by western blot analysis, immunohistochemistry, luciferase assay and deoxynucleotidyl-transferase-mediated nick end labeling study suggest that combined actions such as facilitating apoptosis, controlling cell cycle and suppression of AP-1 activity by PDCD4 may provide useful tool for designing lung tumor prevention and treatment by which PDCD4 functions as a transformation suppressor in the future.

Stretchable living materials and devices with hydrogel–elastomer hybrids hosting programmed cells

PubMed Central

Liu, Xinyue; Tang, Tzu-Chieh; Tham, Eléonore; Yuk, Hyunwoo; Lin, Shaoting; Lu, Timothy K.; Zhao, Xuanhe

2017-01-01

Living systems, such as bacteria, yeasts, and mammalian cells, can be genetically programmed with synthetic circuits that execute sensing, computing, memory, and response functions. Integrating these functional living components into materials and devices will provide powerful tools for scientific research and enable new technological applications. However, it has been a grand challenge to maintain the viability, functionality, and safety of living components in freestanding materials and devices, which frequently undergo deformations during applications. Here, we report the design of a set of living materials and devices based on stretchable, robust, and biocompatible hydrogel–elastomer hybrids that host various types of genetically engineered bacterial cells. The hydrogel provides sustainable supplies of water and nutrients, and the elastomer is air-permeable, maintaining long-term viability and functionality of the encapsulated cells. Communication between different bacterial strains and with the environment is achieved via diffusion of molecules in the hydrogel. The high stretchability and robustness of the hydrogel–elastomer hybrids prevent leakage of cells from the living materials and devices, even under large deformations. We show functions and applications of stretchable living sensors that are responsive to multiple chemicals in a variety of form factors, including skin patches and gloves-based sensors. We further develop a quantitative model that couples transportation of signaling molecules and cellular response to aid the design of future living materials and devices. PMID:28202725

Mathematical modeling of bone marrow--peripheral blood dynamics in the disease state based on current emerging paradigms, part I.

PubMed

Afenya, Evans K; Ouifki, Rachid; Camara, Baba I; Mundle, Suneel D

2016-04-01

Stemming from current emerging paradigms related to the cancer stem cell hypothesis, an existing mathematical model is expanded and used to study cell interaction dynamics in the bone marrow and peripheral blood. The proposed mathematical model is described by a system of nonlinear differential equations with delay, to quantify the dynamics in abnormal hematopoiesis. The steady states of the model are analytically and numerically obtained. Some conditions for the local asymptotic stability of such states are investigated. Model analyses suggest that malignancy may be irreversible once it evolves from a nonmalignant state into a malignant one and no intervention takes place. This leads to the proposition that a great deal of emphasis be placed on cancer prevention. Nevertheless, should malignancy arise, treatment programs for its containment or curtailment may have to include a maximum and extensive level of effort to protect normal cells from eventual destruction. Further model analyses and simulations predict that in the untreated disease state, there is an evolution towards a situation in which malignant cells dominate the entire bone marrow - peripheral blood system. Arguments are then advanced regarding requirements for quantitatively understanding cancer stem cell behavior. Among the suggested requirements are, mathematical frameworks for describing the dynamics of cancer initiation and progression, the response to treatment, the evolution of resistance, and malignancy prevention dynamics within the bone marrow - peripheral blood architecture. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Inactivation of Msx1 and Msx2 in neural crest reveals an unexpected role in suppressing heterotopic bone formation in the head

PubMed Central

Roybal, Paul G.; Wu, Nancy L.; Sun, Jingjing; Ting, Man-chun; Schaefer, Christopher; Maxson, Robert E.

2011-01-01

In an effort to understand the morphogenetic forces that shape the bones of the skull, we inactivated Msx1 and Msx2 conditionally in neural crest. We show that Wnt1-Cre inactivation of up to three Msx1/2 alleles results in a progressively larger defect in the neural crest-derived frontal bone. Unexpectedly, in embryos lacking all four Msx1/2 alleles, the large defect is filled in with mispatterned bone consisting of ectopic islands of bone between the reduced frontal bones, just anterior to the parietal bones. The bone is derived from neural crest, not mesoderm, and, from DiI cell marking experiments, originates in a normally non-osteogenic layer of cells through which the rudiment elongates apically. Associated with the heterotopic osteogeneis is an upregulation of Bmp signaling in this cell layer. Prevention of this upregulation by implantation of noggin-soaked beads in head explants also prevented heterotopic bone formation. These results suggest that Msx genes have a dual role in calvarial development: They are required for the differentiation and proliferation of osteogenic cells within rudiments, and they are also required to suppress an osteogenic program in a cell layer within which the rudiments grow. We suggest that the inactivation of this repressive activity may be one cause of Wormian bones, ectopic bones that are a feature of a variety of pathological conditions in which calvarial bone development is compromised. PMID:20398647

Cultural adaptation of a peer-led lifestyle intervention program for diabetes prevention in India: the Kerala diabetes prevention program (K-DPP).

PubMed

Mathews, Elezebeth; Thomas, Emma; Absetz, Pilvikki; D'Esposito, Fabrizio; Aziz, Zahra; Balachandran, Sajitha; Daivadanam, Meena; Thankappan, Kavumpurathu Raman; Oldenburg, Brian

2018-01-04

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is now one of the leading causes of disease-related deaths globally. India has the world's second largest number of individuals living with diabetes. Lifestyle change has been proven to be an effective means by which to reduce risk of T2DM and a number of "real world" diabetes prevention trials have been undertaken in high income countries. However, systematic efforts to adapt such interventions for T2DM prevention in low- and middle-income countries have been very limited to date. This research-to-action gap is now widely recognised as a major challenge to the prevention and control of diabetes. Reducing the gap is associated with reductions in morbidity and mortality and reduced health care costs. The aim of this article is to describe the adaptation, development and refinement of diabetes prevention programs from the USA, Finland and Australia to the State of Kerala, India. The Kerala Diabetes Prevention Program (K-DPP) was adapted to Kerala, India from evidence-based lifestyle interventions implemented in high income countries, namely, Finland, United States and Australia. The adaptation process was undertaken in five phases: 1) needs assessment; 2) formulation of program objectives; 3) program adaptation and development; 4) piloting of the program and its delivery; and 5) program refinement and active implementation. The resulting program, K-DPP, includes four key components: 1) a group-based peer support program for participants; 2) a peer-leader training and support program for lay people to lead the groups; 3) resource materials; and 4) strategies to stimulate broader community engagement. The systematic approach to adaptation was underpinned by evidence-based behavior change techniques. K-DPP is the first well evaluated community-based, peer-led diabetes prevention program in India. Future refinement and utilization of this approach will promote translation of K-DPP to other contexts and population groups within India as well as other low- and middle-income countries. This same approach could also be applied more broadly to enable the translation of effective non-communicable disease prevention programs developed in high-income settings to create context-specific evidence in rapidly developing low- and middle-income countries. Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12611000262909 . Registered 10 March 2011.

Examining the Acceptability of mHealth Technology in HIV Prevention Among High-Risk Drug Users in Treatment.

PubMed

Shrestha, Roman; Huedo-Medina, Tania B; Altice, Frederick L; Krishnan, Archana; Copenhaver, Michael

2017-11-01

Despite promising trends of the efficacy of mobile health (mHealth) based strategies to a broad range of health conditions, very few if any studies have been done in terms of the examining the use of mHealth in HIV prevention efforts among people who use drugs in treatment. Thus, the goal of this study was to gain insight into the real-world acceptance of mHealth approaches among high-risk people who use drugs in treatment. A convenience sample of 400 HIV-negative drug users, who reported drug- and/or sex-related risk behaviors, were recruited from a methadone clinic in New Haven, Connecticut. Participants completed standardized assessments of drug- and sex-related risk behaviors, neurocognitive impairment (NCI), and measures of communication technology access and utilization, and mHealth acceptance. We found a high prevalence of current ownership and use of mobile technologies, such as cell phone (91.5%) including smartphone (63.5%). Participants used mobile technologies to communicate mostly through phone calls (M = 4.25, SD = 1.24), followed by text messages (M = 4.21, SD = 1.29). Participants expressed interest in using mHealth for medication reminders (72.3%), receive information about HIV (65.8%), and to assess drug-related (72.3%) and sex-related behaviors (64.8%). Furthermore, participants who were neurocognitively impaired were more likely to use cell phone without internet and show considerable interest in using mHealth as compared to those without NCI. The findings from this study provide empirical evidence that mHealth-based programs, specifically cell phone text messaging-based health programs, may be acceptable to this high-risk population.

Haem oxygenase delays programmed cell death in wheat aleurone layers by modulation of hydrogen peroxide metabolism

PubMed Central

Wu, Mingzhu; Huang, Jingjing; Xu, Sheng; Ling, Tengfang; Xie, Yanjie; Shen, Wenbiao

2011-01-01

Haem oxygenase-1 (HO-1) confers protection against a variety of oxidant-induced cell and tissue injury in animals and plants. In this report, it is confirmed that programmed cell death (PCD) in wheat aleurone layers is stimulated by GA and prevented by ABA. Meanwhile, HO activity and HO-1 protein expression exhibited lower levels in GA-treated layers, whereas the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content was apparently increased. The pharmacology approach illustrated that scavenging or accumulating H2O2 either delayed or accelerated GA-induced PCD. Furthermore, pretreatment with the HO-1 specific inhibitor, zinc protoporphyrin IX (ZnPPIX), before exposure to GA, not only decreased HO activity but also accelerated GA-induced PCD significantly. The application of the HO-1 inducer, haematin, and the enzymatic reaction product of HO, carbon monoxide (CO) aqueous solution, both of which brought about a noticeable induction of HO expression, substantially prevented GA-induced PCD. These effects were reversed when ZnPPIX was added, suggesting that HO in vivo played a role in delaying PCD. Meanwhile, catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activities or transcripts were enhanced by haematin, CO, or bilirubin (BR), the catalytic by-product of HO. This enhancement resulted in a decrease in H2O2 production and a delay in PCD. In addition, the antioxidants butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), dithiothreitol (DTT), and ascorbic acid (AsA) were able not only to delay PCD but also to mimic the effects of haematin and CO on HO up-regulation. Overall, the above results suggested that up-regulation of HO expression delays PCD through the down-regulation of H2O2 production. PMID:20797999

Relapse Prevention in Health Promotion: Strategies and Long-Term Outcome.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gintner, Gary G.

1988-01-01

Reviews the efficacy of maintenance enhancement procedures to prevent relapse in smoking cessation, weight control, and exercise programs. Presents models of maintenance enhancement, reviews studies that have used relapse prevention strategies, and discusses ways of incorporating relapse prevention techniques into health promotion programs.…

Molecular control of steady-state dendritic cell maturation and immune homeostasis.

PubMed

Hammer, Gianna Elena; Ma, Averil

2013-01-01

Dendritic cells (DCs) are specialized sentinels responsible for coordinating adaptive immunity. This function is dependent upon coupled sensitivity to environmental signs of inflammation and infection to cellular maturation-the programmed alteration of DC phenotype and function to enhance immune cell activation. Although DCs are thus well equipped to respond to pathogens, maturation triggers are not unique to infection. Given that immune cells are exquisitely sensitive to the biological functions of DCs, we now appreciate that multiple layers of suppression are required to restrict the environmental sensitivity, cellular maturation, and even life span of DCs to prevent aberrant immune activation during the steady state. At the same time, steady-state DCs are not quiescent but rather perform key functions that support homeostasis of numerous cell types. Here we review these functions and molecular mechanisms of suppression that control steady-state DC maturation. Corruption of these steady-state operatives has diverse immunological consequences and pinpoints DCs as potent drivers of autoimmune and inflammatory disease.

In vivo inhibition of the mitochondrial H+-ATP synthase in neurons promotes metabolic preconditioning.

PubMed

Formentini, Laura; Pereira, Marta P; Sánchez-Cenizo, Laura; Santacatterina, Fulvio; Lucas, José J; Navarro, Carmen; Martínez-Serrano, Alberto; Cuezva, José M

2014-04-01

A key transducer in energy conservation and signaling cell death is the mitochondrial H(+)-ATP synthase. The expression of the ATPase inhibitory factor 1 (IF1) is a strategy used by cancer cells to inhibit the activity of the H(+)-ATP synthase to generate a ROS signal that switches on cellular programs of survival. We have generated a mouse model expressing a mutant of human IF1 in brain neurons to assess the role of the H(+)-ATP synthase in cell death in vivo. The expression of hIF1 inhibits the activity of oxidative phosphorylation and mediates the shift of neurons to an enhanced aerobic glycolysis. Metabolic reprogramming induces brain preconditioning affording protection against quinolinic acid-induced excitotoxicity. Mechanistically, preconditioning involves the activation of the Akt/p70S6K and PARP repair pathways and Bcl-xL protection from cell death. Overall, our findings provide the first in vivo evidence highlighting the H(+)-ATP synthase as a target to prevent neuronal cell death.

Actin-myosin contractility is responsible for the reduced viability of dissociated human embryonic stem cells.

PubMed

Chen, Guokai; Hou, Zhonggang; Gulbranson, Daniel R; Thomson, James A

2010-08-06

Human ESCs are the pluripotent precursor of the three embryonic germ layers. Human ESCs exhibit basal-apical polarity, junctional complexes, integrin-dependent matrix adhesion, and E-cadherin-dependent cell-cell adhesion, all characteristics shared by the epiblast epithelium of the intact mammalian embryo. After disruption of epithelial structures, programmed cell death is commonly observed. If individualized human ESCs are prevented from reattaching and forming colonies, their viability is significantly reduced. Here, we show that actin-myosin contraction is a critical effector of the cell death response to human ESC dissociation. Inhibition of myosin heavy chain ATPase, downregulation of myosin heavy chain, and downregulation of myosin light chain all increase survival and cloning efficiency of individualized human ESCs. ROCK inhibition decreases phosphorylation of myosin light chain, suggesting that inhibition of actin-myosin contraction is also the mechanism through which ROCK inhibitors increase cloning efficiency of human ESCs. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Human replication protein Cdc6 is selectively cleaved by caspase 3 during apoptosis

PubMed Central

Pelizon, Cristina; d’Adda di Fagagna, Fabrizio; Farrace, Lorena; Laskey, Ronald A.

2002-01-01

In eukaryotes, the initiation of DNA replication involves the ordered assembly on chromatin of pre-replicative complexes (pre-RCs), including the origin recognition complex (ORC), Cdc6, Cdt1 and the minichromosome maintenance proteins (MCMs). In light of its indispensable role in the formation of pre-RCs, Cdc6 binding to chromatin represents a key step in the regulation of DNA replication and cell proliferation. Here, we study the human Cdc6 (HuCdc6) protein during programmed cell death (apoptosis). We find that HuCdc6, but not HuOrc2 (a member of the ORC) or HuMcm5 (one of the MCMs), is specifically cleaved in several human cell lines induced to undergo apoptosis by a variety of stimuli. Expression of caspase-uncleavable mutant HuCdc6 attenuates apoptosis, delaying cell death. Therefore, an important function for cleavage of HuCdc6 is to prevent a wounded cell from replicating and to facilitate death. PMID:12151338

Integrin Beta 1 Suppresses Multilayering of a Simple Epithelium

PubMed Central

Chen, Jichao; Krasnow, Mark A.

2012-01-01

Epithelia are classified as either simple, a single cell layer thick, or stratified (multilayered). Stratified epithelia arise from simple epithelia during development, and transcription factor p63 functions as a key positive regulator of epidermal stratification. Here we show that deletion of integrin beta 1 (Itgb1) in the developing mouse airway epithelium abrogates airway branching and converts this monolayer epithelium into a multilayer epithelium with more than 10 extra layers. Mutant lung epithelial cells change mitotic spindle orientation to seed outer layers, and cells in different layers become molecularly and functionally distinct, hallmarks of normal stratification. However, mutant lung epithelial cells do not activate p63 and do not switch to the stratified keratin profile of epidermal cells. These data, together with previous data implicating Itgb1 in regulation of epidermal stratification, suggest that the simple-versus-stratified developmental decision may involve not only stratification inducers like p63 but suppressors like Itgb1 that prevent simple epithelia from inappropriately activating key steps in the stratification program. PMID:23285215

Fall Prevention for Older Adults Receiving Home Healthcare.

PubMed

Bamgbade, Sarah; Dearmon, Valorie

2016-02-01

Falls pose a significant risk for community-dwelling older adults. Fall-related injuries increase healthcare costs related to hospitalization, diagnostic procedures, and/or surgeries. This article describes a quality improvement project to reduce falls in older adults receiving home healthcare services. The fall prevention program incorporated best practices for fall reduction, including fall risk assessment, medication review/management, home hazard and safety assessment, staff and patient fall prevention education, and an individualized home-based exercise program. The program was implemented and evaluated during a 6-month time frame. Fewer falls occurred post implementation of the falls prevention program with no major injuries.

Harmonizing disease prevention and police practice in the implementation of HIV prevention programs: Up-stream strategies from Wilmington, Delaware

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Introduction Improving access to sterile injection equipment is a key component in community-based infectious disease prevention. Implementation of syringe access programs has sometimes been complicated by community opposition and police interference. Case description In 2006, the Delaware legislature authorized a pilot syringe exchange program (SEP). A program designed to prevent, monitor, and respond to possible policing and community barriers before they had a chance to effect program implementation and operation. A program designed to prevent, monitor, and respond to these barriers was planned and implemented by a multidisciplinary team of legal practitioners and public health professionals. Discussion We report on an integrated intervention to address structural barriers to syringe exchange program utilization. This intervention employs community, police and client education combined with systematic surveillance of and rapid response to police interference to preempt the kinds of structural barriers to implementation observed elsewhere. The intervention addresses community concerns and stresses the benefits of syringe exchange programs to officer occupational safety. Conclusions A cohesive effort combining collaboration with and educational outreach to police and community members based on the needs and concerns of these groups as well as SEP clients and potential clients helped establish a supportive street environment for the SEP. Police-driven structural barriers to implementation of public health programs targeting populations engaged in drug use and other illicit behavior can be addressed by up-stream planning, prevention, monitoring and intervention strategies. More research is needed to inform the tailoring of interventions to address police-driven barriers to HIV prevention services, especially among marginalized populations. PMID:22591836

An effective suicide prevention program in the Israeli Defense Forces: A cohort study.

PubMed

Shelef, L; Tatsa-Laur, L; Derazne, E; Mann, J J; Fruchter, E

2016-01-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of the IDF Suicide Prevention Program, implemented since 2006. Quasi-experimental (before and after) cohort study. Two cohorts of IDF mandatory service soldiers: the first inducted prior to (1992-2005, n=766,107) and the second subsequent to (2006-2012, n=405,252) the launching of the intervention program. The IDF Suicide Prevention Program is a population-based program, incorporating: reducing weapon availability, de-stigmatizing help-seeking behavior, integrating mental health officers into service units, and training commanders and soldiers to recognize suicide risk factors and warning signs. Suicide rate and time to suicide in cohorts before and after exposure to the Suicide Prevention Program. Trend analysis showed lower suicide rates in the cohort after intervention. The hazard ratio for the intervention effect on time to suicide was 0.44 (95% CI=0.34-0.56, P<.001) among males. Lower risk was associated with: male gender; born in Israel; higher socio-economic status; higher intelligence score; and serving in a combat unit (HR=0.43: 95% CI=0.33-0.55). There was a 57% decrease in the suicide rate following the administration of the IDF Suicide Prevention Program. The effect of the intervention appears to be related to use of a weapon, and being able to benefit from improved help-seeking and de-stigmatization. Future efforts should seek to extend the program's prevention reach to other demographic groups of soldiers. The success of the IDF program may inform suicide prevention in other military organizations and in the civilian sector. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

State Injury Programs' Response to the Opioid Epidemic: The Role of CDC's Core Violence and Injury Prevention Program.

PubMed

Deokar, Angela J; Dellapenna, Alan; DeFiore-Hyrmer, Jolene; Laidler, Matt; Millet, Lisa; Morman, Sara; Myers, Lindsey

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Core Violence and Injury Prevention Program (Core) supports capacity of state violence and injury prevention programs to implement evidence-based interventions. Several Core-funded states prioritized prescription drug overdose (PDO) and leveraged their systems to identify and respond to the epidemic before specific PDO prevention funding was available through CDC. This article describes activities employed by Core-funded states early in the epidemic. Four case examples illustrate states' approaches within the context of their systems and partners. While Core funding is not sufficient to support a comprehensive PDO prevention program, having Core in place at the beginning of the emerging epidemic had critical implications for identifying the problem and developing systems that were later expanded as additional resources became available. Important components included staffing support to bolster programmatic and epidemiological capacity; diverse and collaborative partnerships; and use of surveillance and evidence-informed best practices to prioritize decision-making.

Alternative Fuels Data Center

Science.gov Websites

Pollution Prevention Grants Program The Pollution Prevention (P2) Grants Program supports state and tribal technical assistance, education, and research programs that help businesses and industries

Moving evidence-based drug abuse prevention programs from basic science to practice: "bridging the efficacy-effectiveness interface".

PubMed

August, Gerald J; Winters, Ken C; Realmuto, George M; Tarter, Ralph; Perry, Cheryl; Hektner, Joel M

2004-01-01

This article examines the challenges faced by developers of youth drug abuse prevention programs in transporting scientifically proven or evidence-based programs into natural community practice systems. Models for research on the transfer of prevention technology are described with specific emphasis given to the relationship between efficacy and effectiveness studies. Barriers that impede the successful integration of efficacy methods within effectiveness studies (e.g., client factors, practitioner factors, intervention structure characteristics, and environmental and organizational factors) are discussed. We present a modified model for program development and evaluation that includes a new type of research design, the hybrid efficacy-effectiveness study that addresses program transportability. The utility of the hybrid study is illustrated in the evaluation of the Early Risers "Skills for Success" prevention program.

Where are the young men in HIV prevention efforts? Comments on HIV prevention programs and research from young men who sex with men in Los Angeles county.

PubMed

Holloway, Ian W; Cederbaum, Julie A; Ajayi, Antonette; Shoptaw, Steven

2012-12-01

Despite increasing rates of HIV infection among young men who have sex with men (YMSM), only a minority participate in formal HIV prevention efforts. Semi-structured mixed-methods interviews were conducted with a diverse sample of YMSM (N = 100, M(age) = 25.0 years) in Los Angeles, California, to identify facilitators and barriers to participation in HIV prevention programs. Summative content analyses were used to evaluate transcribed field notes from these interviews. Results showed that 28.0 % of all participants had previously attended an HIV prevention program, and that 21.3 % of those who were also asked if they had ever participated in any research pertaining to HIV prevention had done so. A significantly higher percentage of those who had participated in HIV prevention programs had been tested for HIV in the past 6 months compared to those who had not (p < .05). The most frequently mentioned barriers to participation in such a program were being too busy to attend (12.0 %), not perceiving themselves to be at risk for HIV infection (14.0 %), and believing that they already knew everything they needed to know about HIV transmission (23.0 %). YMSM suggested that future interventions should use technology (e.g., the Internet, mobile devices), engage their social networks, and highlight HIV prevention as a means for community connection. Collectively, these results provide some explanations for why YMSM account for a minority of HIV prevention program participants and offer possible directions for future HIV prevention efforts that target YMSM.

Emerging roles of apoptotic microtubules during the execution phase of apoptosis.

PubMed

Oropesa Ávila, Manuel; Fernández Vega, Alejandro; Garrido Maraver, Juan; Villanueva Paz, Marina; De Lavera, Isabel; De La Mata, Mario; Cordero, Mario D; Alcocer Gómez, Elizabet; Delgado Pavón, Ana; Álvarez Córdoba, Mónica; Cotán, David; Sánchez-Alcázar, José Antonio

2015-09-01

Apoptosis is a genetically programmed energy-dependent process of cell demise, characterized by specific morphological and biochemical events in which the activation of caspases has an essential role. During apoptosis the cytoskeleton participates actively in characteristic morphological rearrangements of the dying cell. This reorganisation has been assigned mainly to actinomyosin ring contraction, while microtubule and intermediate filaments are depolymerized at early stages of apoptosis. However, recent reports have showed that microtubules are reformed during the execution phase of apoptosis organizing an apoptotic microtubule network (AMN). AMN is organized behind plasma membrane, forming a cortical structure. Apoptotic microtubules repolymerization takes place in many cell types and under different apoptotic inducers. It has been hypothesized that AMN is critical for maintaining plasma membrane integrity and cell morphology during the execution phase of apoptosis. AMN disorganization leads apoptotic cells to secondary necrosis and the release of potential toxic molecules which can damage neighbor cells and promotes inflammation. Therefore, AMN formation during physiological apoptosis or in pathological apoptosis induced by anti-cancer treatments is essential for tissue homeostasis and the prevention of additional cell damage and inflammation. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Epidermal Cell Death in Rice Is Regulated by Ethylene, Gibberellin, and Abscisic Acid

PubMed Central

Steffens, Bianka; Sauter, Margret

2005-01-01

Programmed cell death (PCD) of epidermal cells that cover adventitious root primordia in deepwater rice (Oryza sativa) is induced by submergence. Early suicide of epidermal cells may prevent injury to the growing root that emerges under flooding conditions. Induction of PCD is dependent on ethylene signaling and is further promoted by gibberellin (GA). Ethylene and GA act in a synergistic manner, indicating converging signaling pathways. Treatment of plants with GA alone did not promote PCD. Treatment with the GA biosynthesis inhibitor paclobutrazol resulted in increased PCD in response to ethylene and GA presumably due to an increased sensitivity of epidermal cells to GA. Abscisic acid (ABA) was shown to efficiently delay ethylene-induced as well as GA-promoted cell death. The results point to ethylene signaling as a target of ABA inhibition of PCD. Accumulation of ethylene and GA and a decreased ABA level in the rice internode thus favor induction of epidermal cell death and ensure that PCD is initiated as an early response that precedes adventitious root growth. PMID:16169967

Opportunity for collaboration: a conceptual model of success in tobacco control and cancer prevention.

PubMed

Stillman, Frances A; Schmitt, Carol L; Rosas, Scott R

2012-01-01

Collaborations between cancer prevention and tobacco control programs can leverage scarce resources to address noncommunicable diseases globally, but barriers to cooperation and actual collaboration are substantial. To foster collaboration between cancer prevention and tobacco control programs, the Global Health Partnership conducted research to identify similarities and differences in how the 2 programs viewed program success. Using concept mapping, cancer prevention and tobacco control experts generated statements describing the components of a successful cancer prevention or tobacco control program and 33 participants sorted and rated the final 99 statements. Multidimensional scaling analysis with a 2-dimensional solution was used to identify an 8-cluster conceptual map of program success. We calculated Pearson correlation coefficients for all 99 statements to compare the item-level ratings of both groups and used t tests to compare the mean importance of ratings assigned to each cluster. Eight major clusters of success were identified: 1) advocacy and persuasion, 2) building sustainability, 3) partnerships, 4) readiness and support, 5) program management fundamentals, 6) monitoring and evaluation, 7) utilization of evidence, and 8) implementation. We found no significant difference between the maps created by the 2 groups and only 1 mean difference for the importance ratings for 1 of the clusters: cancer prevention experts rated partnerships as more important to program success than did tobacco control experts. Our findings are consistent with those of research documenting the necessary components of successful programs and the similarities between cancer prevention and tobacco control. Both programs value the same strategies to address a common risk factor: tobacco use. Identifying common ground between these 2 research and practice communities can benefit future collaborations at the local, state, tribal, national, and international levels, and inform the broader discussion on resource sharing among other organizations whose mission focuses on noncommunicable diseases.

A systematic review of school-based alcohol and other drug prevention programs facilitated by computers or the internet.

PubMed

Champion, Katrina E; Newton, Nicola C; Barrett, Emma L; Teesson, Maree

2013-03-01

The use of alcohol and drugs amongst young people is a serious concern and the need for effective prevention is clear. This paper identifies and describes current school-based alcohol and other drug prevention programs facilitated by computers or the Internet. The Cochrane Library, PsycINFO and PubMed databases were searched in March 2012. Additional materials were obtained from reference lists of papers. Studies were included if they described an Internet- or computer-based prevention program for alcohol or other drugs delivered in schools. Twelve trials of 10 programs were identified. Seven trials evaluated Internet-based programs and five delivered an intervention via CD-ROM. The interventions targeted alcohol, cannabis and tobacco. Data to calculate effect size and odds ratios were unavailable for three programs. Of the seven programs with available data, six achieved reductions in alcohol, cannabis or tobacco use at post intervention and/or follow up. Two interventions were associated with decreased intentions to use tobacco, and two significantly increased alcohol and drug-related knowledge. This is the first study to review the efficacy of school-based drug and alcohol prevention programs delivered online or via computers. Findings indicate that existing computer- and Internet-based prevention programs in schools have the potential to reduce alcohol and other drug use as well as intentions to use substances in the future. These findings, together with the implementation advantages and high fidelity associated with new technology, suggest that programs facilitated by computers and the Internet offer a promising delivery method for school-based prevention. © 2012 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

Suicide Prevention: Suicide Prevention for Department of the Army Civilians

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-12-01

TG 325D December 2009 SUICIDE PREVENTION SUICIDE PREVENTION FOR DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY CIVILIANS PREPARED BY THE U. S. ARMY... Suicide Prevention 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT... SUICIDE PREVENTION PROGRAM 2 INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES 3 INSTRUCTOR NOTE 3 SUICIDE AWARENESS TRAINING FOR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES

Efficacy of Schoolwide Programs to Promote Social and Character Development and Reduce Problem Behavior in Elementary School Children. Report from the Social and Character Development Research Program. NCER 2011-2001

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruby, Allen; Doolittle, Emily

2010-01-01

The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) and the Division of Violence Prevention in the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) collaborated to conduct a rigorous impact evaluation of programs aimed at improving students' behavior. For this evaluation, such programs were termed Social…

A community intervention trial of multimodal suicide prevention program in Japan: a novel multimodal community intervention program to prevent suicide and suicide attempt in Japan, NOCOMIT-J.

PubMed

Ono, Yutaka; Awata, Shuichi; Iida, Hideharu; Ishida, Yasushi; Ishizuka, Naoki; Iwasa, Hiroto; Kamei, Yuichi; Motohashi, Yutaka; Nakagawa, Atsuo; Nakamura, Jun; Nishi, Nobuyuki; Otsuka, Kotaro; Oyama, Hirofumi; Sakai, Akio; Sakai, Hironori; Suzuki, Yuriko; Tajima, Miyuki; Tanaka, Eriko; Uda, Hidenori; Yonemoto, Naohiro; Yotsumoto, Toshihiko; Watanabe, Naoki

2008-09-15

To respond to the rapid surge in the incidence of suicide in Japan, which appears to be an ongoing trend, the Japanese Multimodal Intervention Trials for Suicide Prevention (J-MISP) have launched a multimodal community-based suicide prevention program, NOCOMIT-J. The primary aim of this study is to examine whether NOCOMIT-J is effective in reducing suicidal behavior in the community. This study is a community intervention trial involving seven intervention regions with accompanying control regions, all with populations of statistically sufficient size. The program focuses on building social support networks in the public health system for suicide prevention and mental health promotion, intending to reinforce human relationships in the community. The intervention program components includes a primary prevention measures of awareness campaign for the public and key personnel, secondary prevention measures for screening of, and assisting, high-risk individuals, after-care for individuals bereaved by suicide, and other measures. The intervention started in July 2006, and will continue for 3.5 years. Participants are Japanese and foreign residents living in the intervention and control regions (a total of population of 2,120,000 individuals). The present study is designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the community-based suicide prevention program in the seven participating areas. UMIN Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN-CTR) UMIN000000460.

Abstinence-based programs for prevention of adolescent pregnancies. A review.

PubMed

Thomas, M H

2000-01-01

This article assesses the abstinence-based programs developed by family life educators and the factors associated with positive results through a review of abstinence promotion programs of the federal government. In 1996, Section 510 was added to Title V of the Social Security Act allocating US$50 million annually from 1998-2000 to fund abstinence education programs, while in 1997, a National Strategy to Prevent Teen Pregnancy was launched by the Office of Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention to provide teen pregnancy programs to at least 25% of the communities. Presented in this paper is a discussion of the Abstinence Only programs, which focus on the prevention of pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease among adolescents, and the Abstinence Plus programs, which emphasize other prevention methods as well as abstinence. Evaluation of Abstinence Only programs include Success Express, Project Taking Charge, Sex Respect, Teen Aid, Values and Choices and Facts and Feelings. Moreover, programs such as Reducing the Risk, Postponing Sexual Involvement, Project Education Now, and Babies Later were evaluated under the Abstinence Plus programs. Several programs evaluated have shown to have a positive effect on attitudes among adolescents, but are not proven to have a significant effect on sexual behavior. In conclusion, this article encourages exploration of new approaches to address teen pregnancy and the increasing incidence of sexually transmitted diseases among adolescents, while the federal government must utilize the implementation of existing programs with positive effects.

Enhancing Dating Attitudes through Peer Education as a Date Rape Prevention Strategy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holcomb, Derek R.; Seehafer, Roger W.

1995-01-01

Presents program development and peer education training considerations for programs that attempt to influence healthy attitudes toward dating and preventing date rape. The paper discusses the program's theoretical foundations, goal determination, mixed-gender programs, themes students raise during programs, the consensual sex scenario as a…

RMP Guidance for Chemical Distributors - Chapter 7: Prevention Program (Program 3)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The OSHA Process Safety Management program has legal authority for on-site consequences, EPA's Prevention Program for offsite consequences, so your process hazard analysis (PHA) team may have to assess new hazards to the public and offsite environment.

Improving Prevention Programs: First Results on the Relation between Subjectively Perceived Levels of Usefulness and Social Competencies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grumm, Mandy; Hein, Sascha; Fingerle, Michael

2013-01-01

School-based aggression prevention programs have been implemented in many educational institutions, and fostering the development of social competencies is one of the central aspects of many approaches. The aim of the present study was to assess the level of subjectively perceived usefulness of the prevention program "Faustlos" in…

Teen Drinking Prevention Program. Community Action Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (DHHS/PHS), Rockville, MD. Center for Substance Abuse Prevention.

Preventing the use of alcohol and other drugs by young people is a critical issue for all Americans. This action guide is designed to help communities create programs that prevent the tragedies caused by underage drinking. It is intended as a tool that communities can use to create a broad-based public education program in which they can…

Changing the Legacy of Divorce: Evidence from Prevention Programs and Future Directions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haine, Rachel A.; Sandler, Irwin N.; Wolchik, Sharlene A.; Tein, Jenn-Yun; Dawson-McClure, Spring R.

2003-01-01

Assesses efforts to prevent mental health problems in children of divorce by highlighting the importance of using theory in the design and evaluation of prevention programs and by reviewing the empirical research on the efficacy of programs to improve outcomes for children of divorce. Also proposes two future directions for advancing theory-based…

Stacked Deck: An Effective, School-Based Program for the Prevention of Problem Gambling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Robert J.; Wood, Robert T.; Currie, Shawn R.

2010-01-01

School-based prevention programs are an important component of problem gambling prevention, but empirically effective programs are lacking. Stacked Deck is a set of 5-6 interactive lessons that teach about the history of gambling; the true odds and "house edge"; gambling fallacies; signs, risk factors, and causes of problem gambling; and…

Young Adults in the Workplace: A Multisite Initiative of Substance Use Prevention Programs. RTI Press Book

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bray, Jeremy W., Ed.; Galvin, Deborah M., Ed.; Cluff, Laurie A., Ed.

2011-01-01

Although higher rates of substance use among young adults aged 16 to 24 are well-established (OAS, 2010), existing workplace substance use prevention and early intervention programs primarily target older workers. These data suggest that workplaces need substance abuse prevention and early intervention programs that are proven to be efficacious…

Model Dropout Prevention Program at Reidsville Middle School: A Case Study Evaluation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Sullivan, Rita G.

This case study describes a 2-year (1988-90) demonstration dropout prevention program, a collaboration between a rural school and a university. The dropout prevention program attempts to identify effective teaching strategies that will increase the academic successes of at-risk sixth-grade students and expand the use of those strategies among the…

Fat Bias and Weight-Related Teasing Prevention among Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miyairi, Maya

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to implement a weight-related teasing prevention program and evaluate the effectiveness of the program among adolescents. One hundred forty-three students in 7th-grade in health classes at the middle school were asked to participate in the study. The weight-related teasing prevention program was implemented as part of…

Sustainability: Building Program and Coalition Support. A Prevention 101 Series Publication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glider, Peggy

2010-01-01

Given the prevalence of alcohol and other drug abuse and violence on campuses and in communities, programs and coalitions developed to prevent or intervene in these problems are faced with a challenging and long-term task. While the development of coalitions or campus-based prevention programs is a healthy start, these efforts must be sustained…

Designing an Effective Prevention Program: Principles Underlying the Rand Smoking and Drug Prevention Experiment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellickson, Phyllis L.

This paper describes the Project ALERT program (Adolescent Learning Experiences in Resistance Training) which was established by the Rand Corporation to prevent smoking and drug use among seventh graders. The program is based on the social influence model of drug use initiation. Curriculum features are described including motivation to resist and…

Effects of Comprehensive, Multiple High-Risk Behaviors Prevention Program on High School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collier, Crystal

2013-01-01

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine the effect of a multiple high-risk behaviors prevention program applied comprehensively throughout an entire school-system involving universal, selective, and indicated levels of students at a local private high school during a 4-year period. The prevention program was created based upon the…

75 FR 69447 - Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-12

... Support Grants (Name changed to Child Abuse Prevention Program--OIS notified 6/2007). OMB No.: 0970-0155... the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (administratively known as the Community Based Child Abuse Prevention Program, (CBCAP), as set forth in Title II of Public Law 108-36, Child Abuse Prevention and...

76 FR 45259 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-28

... OMB Review; Comment Request Title: Child Abuse Prevention Program. OMB No.: 0970-0155. Description... Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (administratively known as the Community Based Child Abuse Prevention Program, (CBCAP), as set forth in Title II of Public Law 111-320, Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act...

Family Violence Prevention Programs in Immigrant Communities: Perspectives of Immigrant Men

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simbandumwe, Louise; Bailey, Kim; Denetto, Shereen; Migliardi, Paula; Bacon, Brenda; Nighswander, Maggie

2008-01-01

The Strengthening Families in Canada Family Violence Prevention Project was aimed at engaging immigrant and refugee communities in family violence prevention. The project, which received support from the Community Mobilization Program, National Crime Prevention Strategy, involved a partnership of four community health and education organizations.…

The Comprehensive Dropout Prevention Plan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Broward County School Board, Fort Lauderdale, FL.

The Comprehensive Dropout Prevention Plan utilizes the resources of Broward County public schools and the community for dropout prevention. A matrix of dropout prevention options has been assembled from both existing programs and from new program designs. General components of the plan include the following: (1) dropout retrieval activities; (2)…

77 FR 70473 - Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; Agency Information Collection Activities...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-26

... DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE [OMB Number 1121-0218] Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention... Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, will be... Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, 810 Seventh...

Participation of HIV prevention programs among men who have sex with men in two cities of China—a mixed method study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Although various HIV prevention programs targeting men who have sex with men (MSM) are operating in China, whether and how these programs are being utilized is unclear. This study explores participation of HIV prevention programs and influencing factors among MSM in two cities in China. Methods This is a mixed-method study conducted in Beijing and Chongqing. A qualitative study consisting of in-depth interviews with 54 MSM, 11 key informants, and 8 focus group discussions, a cross-sectional survey using respondent-driven sampling among 998 MSM were conducted in 2009 and 2010 respectively to elicit information on MSM’s perception and utilization of HIV prevention programs. Qualitative findings were integrated with quantitative multivariate factors to explain the quantitative findings. Results Fifty-six percent of MSM in Chongqing and 75.1% in Beijing ever participated in at least one type of HIV prevention program (P=0.001). Factors related to participation in HIV prevention programs included age, ethnicity, income, HIV risk perception, living with boyfriend, living in urban area, size of MSM social network, having talked about HIV status with partners, and knowing someone who is HIV positive. Reasons why MSM did not participate in HIV prevention programs included logistical concerns like limited time for participation and distance to services; program content and delivery issues such as perceived low quality services and distrust of providers; and, cultural issues like HIV-related stigma and low risk perception. Conclusions The study shows that there is much room for improvement in reaching MSM in China. HIV prevention programs targeting MSM in China may need to be more comprehensive and incorporate the cultural, logistic and HIV-related needs of the population in order to effectively reach and affect this population’s risk for HIV. PMID:23039880

BJ-3105, a 6-Alkoxypyridin-3-ol Analog, Impairs T Cell Differentiation and Prevents Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis Disease Progression

PubMed Central

Timilshina, Maheshwor; Kang, Youra; Dahal, Ishmit; You, Zhiwei; Nam, Tae-gyu; Kim, Keuk-Jun

2017-01-01

CD4+ T cells are essential in inflammation and autoimmune diseases. Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) secreting T helper (Th1) and IL-17 secreting T helper (Th17) cells are critical for several autoimmune diseases. To assess the inhibitory effect of a given compound on autoimmune disease, we screened many compounds with an in vitro Th differentiation assay. BJ-3105, a 6-alkoxypyridin-3-ol analog, inhibited IFN-γ and IL-17 production from polyclonal CD4+ T cells and ovalbumin (OVA)-specific CD4+ T cells which were activated by T cell receptor (TCR) engagement. BJ-3105 ameliorated the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model by reducing Th1 and Th17 generation. Notably, Th cell differentiation was significantly suppressed by BJ-3105 treatment without inhibiting in vitro proliferation of T cells or inducing programmed cell death. Mechanistically, BJ-3105 inhibited the phosphorylation of JAK and its downstream signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) that is critical for Th differentiation. These results demonstrated that BJ-3105 inhibits the phosphorylation of STAT in response to cytokine signals and subsequently suppressed the differentiation of Th cell responses. PMID:28095433

Economic evaluation of 3-drug antiretroviral regimens for the prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission in Thailand.

PubMed

Werayingyong, Pitsaphun; Phanuphak, Nittaya; Chokephaibulkit, Kulkunya; Tantivess, Sripen; Kullert, Nareeluk; Tosanguan, Kakanang; Butchon, Rukmanee; Voramongkol, Nipunporn; Boonsuk, Sarawut; Pilasant, Songyot; Kulpeng, Wantanee; Teerawattananon, Yot

2015-03-01

The current program for prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission in Thailand recommends a 2-drugs regimen for HIV-infected pregnant women with a CD4 count >200 cells/mm(3). This study assesses the value for money of 3 antiretroviral drugs compared with zidovudine (AZT)+single-dose nevirapine (sd-NVP). A decision tree was constructed to predict costs and outcomes using the governmental perspective for assessing cost-effectiveness of 3-drug regimens: (1) AZT, lamivudine, and efavirenz and (2) AZT, 3TC, and lopinavir/ritonavir, in comparison with the current protocol, AZT+sd-NVP. The 3-drug antiretroviral regimens yield lower costs and better health outcomes compared with AZT+sd-NVP. Although these 3-drug regimens offer higher program costs and health care costs for premature birth, they save money significantly in regard to pediatric HIV treatment and treatment costs for drug resistance in mothers. The 3-drug regimens are cost-saving interventions. The findings from this study were used to support a policy change in the national recommendation. © 2013 APJPH.

Translating Evidence Based Violence and Drug Use Prevention to Obesity Prevention: Development and Construction of the Pathways Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sakuma, Kari-Lyn K.; Riggs, Nathaniel R.; Pentz, Mary Ann

2012-01-01

Effective school-based obesity prevention programs are needed to prevent and reduce the growing obesity risk among youth. Utilizing the evidence-rich areas of violence and substance use prevention, translation science may provide an efficient means for developing curricula across multiple health behaviors. This paper introduces Pathways to Health,…

Two food-assisted maternal and child health nutrition programs helped mitigate the impact of economic hardship on child stunting in Haiti.

PubMed

Donegan, Shannon; Maluccio, John A; Myers, Caitlin K; Menon, Purnima; Ruel, Marie T; Habicht, Jean-Pierre

2010-06-01

Rigorous evaluations of food-assisted maternal and child health and nutrition programs are stymied by the ethics of randomizing recipients to a control treatment. Using nonexperimental matching methods, we evaluated the effect of 2 such programs on child linear growth in Haiti. The 2 well-implemented programs offered the same services (food assistance, behavior change communication, and preventive health services) to pregnant and lactating women and young children. They differed in that one (the preventive program) used blanket targeting of all children 6-23 mo, whereas the other (the recuperative program) targeted underweight (weight-for-age Z score < -2) children 6-59 mo, as traditionally done. We estimated program effects on height-for-age Z scores (HAZ) and stunting (HAZ < -2) by comparing outcomes of children in program areas with matched children from comparable populations in the Haiti Demographic and Health Survey. Children 12-41 mo in the preventive and recuperative program areas had lower prevalence of stunting than those in the matched control group [16 percentage points (pp) lower in preventive and 11 pp in recuperative]. Children in the 2 program areas also were more likely than those in the matched control group to be breast-fed up to 24 mo (25 pp higher in preventive, 22 in recuperative) and children 12 mo and older were more likely to have received the recommended full schedule of vaccinations (32 pp higher in preventive, 31 in recuperative). Both programs improved targeted behaviors and protected child growth in a time of deteriorating economic circumstances.

Adults with Pedophilic Interests in the United States: Current Practices and Suggestions for Future Policy and Research.

PubMed

Lasher, Michael P; Stinson, Jill D

2017-04-01

Adults with pedophilic interests are often viewed by the public as a homogenous subgroup based on what we know from those who sexually offend against children. The stigma associated with child sexual abuse may serve to deter such behaviors but may also interfere with the person's stability and willingness to seek assistance in managing pedophilic interests. This article contrasts the sex offender response and prevention efforts typically employed in the U.S. (i.e., containment, registration, and notification policies and public education programs) with treatment programs aimed at preventing child sexual abuse in Germany, Belgium, and Canada. Five major areas are identified that should be further examined with regard to implementing preventative outreach and treatment programs in the U.S.: barriers to outreach and treatment programs, how to expand or reframe current preventative educational programs, implementation of such programs in light of current mandating reporting policies, promising treatment approaches for pedophilic interests among non-offenders, and ethical concerns relevant to preventative psychological interventions.

The Effectiveness of Adapted Versions of an Evidence-based Prevention Program in Reducing Alcohol Use among Alternative School Students

PubMed Central

Hopson, Laura M.; Holleran Steiker, Lori K.

2010-01-01

Although there is a strong evidence base for effective substance abuse prevention programs for youth, there is a need to facilitate the implementation and evaluation of these programs in real world settings. This study evaluates the effectiveness of adapted versions of an evidence-based prevention program, keepin’ it REAL (kiR), with alternative school students. Programs are often adapted when used in schools and other community settings for a variety of reasons. The kiR adaptations, developed during an earlier phase of this study, were created to make the curriculum more appropriate for alternative high school youth. The adaptations were evaluated using a quasi-experimental design in which questionnaires were administered at pretest, posttest, and follow-up, and focus groups were conducted at posttest. MANOVA analyses indicate significantly reduced intentions to accept alcohol and, for younger participants, reduced alcohol use. Focus group data support the need for age appropriate prevention content. The authors discuss implications for practitioners implementing prevention programs in schools. PMID:20622971

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Grant Program. Final rule.

PubMed

2016-03-31

This rule adopts the interim rule implementing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) nutrition education and obesity prevention grant program with changes as provided in this rule. This rule also amends SNAP regulations to implement section 28 of the Food and Nutrition Act (FNA) of 2008, as added by section 241 of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (HHFKA) of 2010, to award grants to States for provision of nutrition education and obesity prevention programs. These programs provide services for eligible individuals that promote healthy food choices consistent with the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs). The rule provides State agencies with requirements for implementing section 28, including the grant award process and describes the process for allocating the Federal grant funding for each State's approved SNAP-Ed plan authorized under the FNA to carry out nutrition education and obesity prevention services each fiscal year. This final rule also implements section 4028 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Farm Bill of 2014), which authorizes physical activity promotion in addition to promotion of healthy food choices as part of this nutrition education and obesity prevention program.

Identifying Patterns in Implementation of Hospital Pressure Ulcer Prevention Programs: A Multisite Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Soban, Lynn M; Finley, Erin P; Miltner, Rebecca S

2016-01-01

To describe the presence or absence of key components of hospital pressure ulcer (PU) prevention programs in 6 acute care hospitals. Multisite comparative case study. Using purposeful selection based on PU rates (high vs low) and hospital size, 6 hospitals within the Veterans Health Administration health care system were invited to participate. Key informant interviews (n = 48) were conducted in each of the 6 participating hospitals among individuals playing key roles in PU prevention: senior nursing leadership (n = 9), nurse manager (n = 7), wound care specialist (n = 6), frontline RNs (n = 26). Qualitative data were collected during face-to-face, semistructured interviews. Interview protocols were tailored to each interviewee's role with a core set of common questions covering 3 major content areas: (1) practice environment (eg, policies and wound care specialists), (2) current prevention practices (eg, conduct of PU risk assessment and skin inspection), and (3) barriers to PU prevention. We conducted structured coding of 5 key components of PU prevention programs and cross-case analysis to identify patterns in operationalization and implementation of program components across hospitals based on facility size and PU rates (low vs high). All hospitals had implemented all PU prevention program components. Component operationalization varied considerably across hospitals. Wound care specialists were integral to the operationalization of the 4 other program components examined; however, staffing levels and work assignments of wound care specialists varied widely. Patterns emerged among hospitals with low and high PU rates with respect to wound care specialist staffing, data monitoring, and staff education. We found hospital-level variations in PU prevention programs. Wound care specialist staffing may represent a potential point of leverage in achieving other PU program components, particularly performance monitoring and staff education.

Primary prevention research: a preliminary review of program outcome studies.

PubMed

Schaps, E; Churgin, S; Palley, C S; Takata, B; Cohen, A Y

1980-07-01

This article reviews 35 drug abuse prevention program evaluations employing drug-specific outcome measures. Many of these evaluations assessed the effects of "new generation" prevention strategies: affective, peer-oriented, and multidimensional approaches. Only 14 studies evaluated purely informational programs. Evaluations were analyzed to ascertain (1) characteristics of the programs under study, (2) characteristics of the research designs, and (3) patterns among findings. This review provides some evidence that the newer prevention strategies may produce more positive and fewer negative outcomes than did older drug information approaches. Over 70% of the programs using the newer strategies produced some positive effects; only 29% showed negative effects. In contrast, 46% of informational programs showed positive effects; 46% showed negative effects. These findings must be approached with great caution, since the research was frequently scientifically inadequate, and since rigor of research was negatively correlated with intensity and duration of program services.

Preventing Occupational Skin Disease: A Review of Training Programs.

PubMed

Zack, Bethany; Arrandale, Victoria H; Holness, D Linn

Occupational contact dermatitis (OCD) is a common occupational disease that impacts a variety of worker groups. Skin protection and disease prevention training programs have shown promise for improving prevention practices and reducing the incidence of OCD. This review details the features of training programs for primary prevention of OCD and identifies gaps in the literature. Twelve studies were identified for in-depth review: many studies included wet workers employed in health care, hairdressing, cleaning, and food preparation; 1 program featured manufacturing workers. Few programs provided content on allergic contact dermatitis, and only 1 was evaluated for long-term effectiveness. Effective programs were similar in content, delivery method, and timing and were characterized by industry specificity, multimodal learning, participatory elements, skin care resource provision, repeated sessions, and management engagement. Long-term effectiveness, generalizability beyond OCD, workplace health and safety culture impact, and translation of programs in the North American context represent areas for future research.

Where to Go from Here? An Exploratory Meta-Analysis of the Most Promising Approaches to Depression Prevention Programs for Children and Adolescents

PubMed Central

Hetrick, Sarah E.; Cox, Georgina R.; Merry, Sally N.

2015-01-01

Objective: To examine the overall effect of individual depression prevention programs on future likelihood of depressive disorder and reduction in depressive symptoms. In addition, we have investigated whether Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) and other therapeutic techniques may modify this effectiveness. Methods: This study is based on and includes the trial data from meta-analyses conducted in the Cochrane systematic review of depression prevention programs for children and adolescents by Merry et al. (2011). All trials were published or unpublished English language randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or cluster RCTs of any psychological or educational intervention compared to no intervention to prevent depression in children and adolescents aged 5–19 years. Results: There is some evidence that the therapeutic approach used in prevention programs modifies the overall effect. CBT is the most studied type of intervention for depression prevention, and there is some evidence of its effectiveness in reducing the risk of developing a depressive disorder, particularly in targeted populations. Fewer studies employed IPT, however this approach appears promising. To our knowledge, this is the first study to have explored how differences in the approach taken in the prevention programs modify the overall treatment effects of prevention programs for children and adolescents. Conclusions: More research is needed to identify the specific components of CBT that are most effective or indeed if there are other approaches that are more effective in reducing the risk of future depressive episodes. It is imperative that prevention programs are suitable for large scale roll-out, and that emerging popular modes of delivery, such as online dissemination continue to be rigorously tested. PMID:25941844

Prevalence of the β(S) gene among scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward class groups in Central India.

PubMed

Shrikhande, Anuradha V; Arjunan, Aishwarya; Agarwal, Amit; Dani, Aarti; Tijare, Jayashri; Gettig, Elizabeth; Krishnamurti, Lakshmanan

2014-01-01

Sickle cell disease is an inherited disorder of the blood, and characterized by vasoocclusive crises (VOC), risks for pneumococcal infections and organ toxicities, is associated with morbidity and premature mortality. India, with a population of 1.2 billion individuals, is estimated to be home to over 50.0% of the world's patients with sickle cell disease. The β(S) gene [β6(A3)Glu→Val; HBB: c.20A>T] has the highest prevalence in three socio-economically disadvantaged ethnic categories: the Scheduled Castes (SC), the Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Class (OBC) groups in India. The tradition of endogamy practiced by the ethnic groups in India provides the rationale for the screening of individual populations to better understand the distribution of the β(S) gene, guide counseling and awareness programs and aid development of public policy. We undertook a study to describe the prevalence of the β(S) gene in these ethnic groups in the district of Nagpur, Maharashtra in Central India. Through community screening and subsequent targeted screening of high risk individuals, 35,636 individuals were screened, of whom 5466 were found to have sickle cell trait and 1010 were identified with sickle cell disease. Community screening revealed a sickle cell trait prevalence of 13.0% in the SC, 12.0% in the ST and 3.4% in the OBC population. This study describes the prevalence of the β(S) gene within these groups in Central India determined by large scale community screening. This program has uncovered previously undiagnosed cases, provided detailed information to guide population-based disease counseling, prevention and comprehensive care programs.

[The mechanism of phenoptosis: 2. Hayflick limit is caused by the programmed attenuation of bioenergetics].

PubMed

Trubitsin, A G

2010-01-01

This article continues earlier started theme on a substantiation of the programmed aging mechanism (phenoptosis). The concept underlying this mechanism is that the life represents a lot of the interconnected physical and chemical processes moving by the bioenergetics. The gradual programmed decrease of the level of bioenergetics causes the slow and coordinated attenuation of all physiological functions, i.e. aging. For a convincing substantiation of such mechanism it is necessary to show, how attenuation of bioenergetics causes the basic nocuous processes accompanying aging. It is shown earlier that the age dependent decrease in level of bioenergetics causes increase in production of reactive oxygen species by mitochondria and decrease in overall level of protein synthesis. The proof that Hayflick limit is also caused by the decrease in level of bioenergetics is presented in this article. Decrease in level of bioenergetics below certain critical level deprives a cell the ability to pass the restriction point of G1-phase of proliferative cycle. The inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinase, p27, prevents the passage through this critical point in all normal cells. During division of normal somatic cells p27 is removed by cyclin E-Cdk2 complex. Interaction p27 with cyclin E-Cdk2 complex can have two consequences. At the normal physiological level of bioenergetics the cyclin E-Cdk2 phosphorylates p27, then the latter is destroyed by proteolytic enzymes--the cell enters in S-phase. When the programme decreases the bioenergetics level below certain value the cyclin E-Cdk2 becomes the target for p27. As a result the inhibitor evacuation stops and restriction point becomes closed--a cell enters irreversible proliferative rest.

[Primary care follow-up of newborns with sickle cell disease detected in neonatal screening in the Community of Madrid].

PubMed

Rodríguez-Moldes, B; Carbajo, A J; Sánchez, B; Fernández, M; Garí, M; Fernández, M C; Álvarez, J; García, A; Cela, E

2015-04-01

The main aim of the study was to assess the effects of the recommended preventive program in the population affected with Sickle Cell Disease in Primary Care. The program included, antibiotic prophylaxis, immunizations and health education, following the introduction of universal neonatal screening program for Sickle Cell Disease in the Community of Madrid. A cross-sectional observational study was performed with retrospective data collected from a cohort of newborns with Sickle Cell Disease diagnosed by neonatal screening test in the Community of Madrid. From the data obtained from a sample of 20 patients, it was found that 95% had been diagnosed by the newborn screening test performed between 5 and 13 days of life. The mean age was 39 months when the study was conducted. During follow-up, from Primary Care Paediatric clinic, it was observed that the compliance for antibiotic prophylaxis was 90%, and the coverage for the official vaccination schedule was 85%. Specific vaccine coverage as a risk population was highly variable (85% for pneumococcal 23V, 50% for influenza, and 15% for hepatitis A). Health education only reached one in every four families. Acceptable compliance with antibiotic prophylaxis was observed during the follow-up of patients with sickle cell disease in Primary Care, but a low coverage of routine immunization, as well as specific immunizations. Coverage of health education was very low. Improving these parameters would require greater coordination and involvement of Primary Care Professionals so that these patients were followed up appropriately, and could be translated into a reduction of disease complications and an improvement in the quality of life of these patients. Copyright © 2013 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Cell death in neural precursor cells and neurons before neurite formation prevents the emergence of abnormal neural structures in the Drosophila optic lobe.

PubMed

Hara, Yusuke; Sudo, Tatsuya; Togane, Yu; Akagawa, Hiromi; Tsujimura, Hidenobu

2018-04-01

Programmed cell death is a conserved strategy for neural development both in vertebrates and invertebrates and is recognized at various developmental stages in the brain from neurogenesis to adulthood. To understand the development of the central nervous system, it is essential to reveal not only molecular mechanisms but also the role of neural cell death (Pinto-Teixeira et al., 2016). To understand the role of cell death in neural development, we investigated the effect of inhibition of cell death on optic lobe development. Our data demonstrate that, in the optic lobe of Drosophila, cell death occurs in neural precursor cells and neurons before neurite formation and functions to prevent various developmental abnormalities. When neuronal cell death was inhibited by an effector caspase inhibitor, p35, multiple abnormal neuropil structures arose during optic lobe development-e.g., enlarged or fused neuropils, misrouted neurons and abnormal neurite lumps. Inhibition of cell death also induced morphogenetic defects in the lamina and medulla development-e.g., failures in the separation of the lamina and medulla cortices and the medulla rotation. These defects were reproduced in the mutant of an initiator caspase, dronc. If cell death was a mechanism for removing the abnormal neuropil structures, we would also expect to observe them in mutants defective for corpse clearance. However, they were not observed in these mutants. When dead cell-membranes were visualized with Apoliner, they were observed only in cortices and not in neuropils. These results suggest that the cell death occurs before mature neurite formation. Moreover, we found that inhibition of cell death induced ectopic neuroepithelial cells, neuroblasts and ganglion mother cells in late pupal stages, at sites where the outer and inner proliferation centers were located at earlier developmental stages. Caspase-3 activation was observed in the neuroepithelial cells and neuroblasts in the proliferation centers. These results indicate that cell death is required for elimination of the precursor cells composing the proliferation centers. This study substantiates an essential role of early neural cell death for ensuring normal development of the central nervous system. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effectiveness of a multimedia program to prevent fetal alcohol syndrome.

PubMed

Lachausse, Robert G

2008-07-01

Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) continues to be the leading preventable cause of mental retardation in the United States. Because abstaining from alcohol prior to and throughout pregnancy is the only way to prevent FAS, some prevention programs try to target women before they become pregnant. The Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Teaching and Research Awareness Campaign (FASTRAC) is a multimedia, peer-delivered educational presentation designed to reduce the incidence of FAS. Results from an ethnically diverse sample of high school students indicate that the program increased participants' knowledge regarding FAS but had no significant effect on participants' attitudes, beliefs about the dangers of FAS or intention to use alcohol during pregnancy. The FASTRAC program failed partly because of its didactic approach and the lack of health education principles that have been shown to be effective in changing other substance use behaviors. Suggestions for improving FAS prevention education programs are offered.

Masculinity and preventing falls: insights from the fall experiences of men aged 70 years and over.

PubMed

Liddle, J L M; Lovarini, Meryl; Clemson, Lindy M; Jang, Haeyoung; Lord, Stephen R; Sherrington, Catherine; Willis, Karen

2018-01-11

To explore men's fall experiences through the lens of masculine identities so as to assist health professionals better engage men in fall prevention programs. Twenty-five men, aged 70-93 years who had experienced a recent fall, participated in a qualitative semi-structured interview. Men's willingness to engage in fall prevention programs taking account of individual contexts and expressions of masculinity, were conceptualised using constant comparative methods. Men's willingness to engage in fall prevention programs was related to their perceptions of the preventability of falls; personal relevance of falls; and age, health, and capability as well as problem-solving styles to prevent falls. Fall prevention advice was rarely given when men accessed the health system at the time of a fall. Contrary to dominant expectations about masculine identity, many men acknowledged fall vulnerability indicating they would attend or consider attending, a fall prevention program. Health professionals can better engage men by providing consistent messages that falls can be prevented; tailoring advice, understanding men are at different stages in their awareness of fall risk and preferences for action; and by being aware of their own assumptions that can act as barriers to speaking with men about fall prevention. Implications for rehabilitation Men accessing the health system at the time of the fall, and during rehabilitation following a fall represent prime opportunities for health professionals to speak with men about preventing falls and make appropriate referrals to community programs. Tailored advice will take account of individual men's perceptions of preventability; personal relevance; perceptions of age, health and capability; and problem-solving styles.

Identification of embryonic precursor cells that differentiate into thymic epithelial cells expressing autoimmune regulator

PubMed Central

Takizawa, Nobukazu; Miyauchi, Maki; Yanai, Hiromi; Tateishi, Ryosuke; Shinzawa, Miho; Yoshinaga, Riko; Kurihara, Masaaki; Yasuda, Hisataka; Sakamoto, Reiko; Yoshida, Nobuaki

2016-01-01

Medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) expressing autoimmune regulator (Aire) are critical for preventing the onset of autoimmunity. However, the differentiation program of Aire-expressing mTECs (Aire+ mTECs) is unclear. Here, we describe novel embryonic precursors of Aire+ mTECs. We found the candidate precursors of Aire+ mTECs (pMECs) by monitoring the expression of receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB (RANK), which is required for Aire+ mTEC differentiation. pMECs unexpectedly expressed cortical TEC molecules in addition to the mTEC markers UEA-1 ligand and RANK and differentiated into mTECs in reaggregation thymic organ culture. Introduction of pMECs in the embryonic thymus permitted long-term maintenance of Aire+ mTECs and efficiently suppressed the onset of autoimmunity induced by Aire+ mTEC deficiency. Mechanistically, pMECs differentiated into Aire+ mTECs by tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6-dependent RANK signaling. Moreover, nonclassical nuclear factor-κB activation triggered by RANK and lymphotoxin-β receptor signaling promoted pMEC induction from progenitors exhibiting lower RANK expression and higher CD24 expression. Thus, our findings identified two novel stages in the differentiation program of Aire+ mTECs. PMID:27401343

Defibrotide sodium for the treatment of hepatic veno-occlusive disease/sinusoidal obstruction syndrome.

PubMed

Richardson, Paul G; Triplett, Brandon M; Ho, Vincent T; Chao, Nelson; Dignan, Fiona L; Maglio, Michelle; Mohty, Mohamad

2018-02-01

Hepatic veno-occlusive disease/sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (VOD/SOS) is an unpredictable condition associated with endothelial-cell damage due to conditioning for hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) or chemotherapy without HSCT. Mortality in patients with VOD/SOS and multi-organ dysfunction (MOD) may be >80%. Areas covered: Defibrotide is the only approved drug for the treatment of severe hepatic VOD/SOS after HSCT in the European Union and hepatic VOD/SOS with renal or pulmonary dysfunction in the United States. Its efficacy in patients with VOD/SOS with MOD post-HSCT was demonstrated in a clinical-trial program that included a historically controlled treatment study, a phase 2 trial, and a large T-IND expanded-access program that also included patients without MOD and who received chemotherapy without HSCT. Expert commentary: Defibrotide appears to protect endothelial cells and restore the thrombolytic-fibrinolytic balance. It addresses a significant clinical need and has demonstrated favorable Day +100 survival and overall adverse-event rates that seem similar to control groups receiving supportive care alone. Currently, defibrotide is under investigation for the prevention of VOD/SOS in high-risk pediatric and adult patients.

Evaluation of a large healthy lifestyle program: informing program implementation and scale-up in the prevention of obesity.

PubMed

Kozica, S L; Lombard, C B; Harrison, C L; Teede, H J

2016-11-24

The Healthy Lifestyle Program for women (HeLP-her) is a low-intensity, self-management program which has demonstrated efficacy in preventing excess weight gain in women. However, little is known about the implementation, reach, and sustainability of low-intensity prevention programs in rural settings, where risk for obesity in women is higher than urban settings. We aimed to evaluate a low-intensity healthy lifestyle program delivered to women in a rural setting to inform development of effective community prevention programs. A mixed method hybrid implementation and evaluation study, guided by the RE-AIM framework (addressing the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance), was undertaken. Data collection tools included anthropometric measures, program checklists, questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews with participants and local stakeholders. The RE-AIM self-audit tool was applied to assess evaluation rigor. Six hundred and forty-nine women from 41 relatively socio-economic disadvantaged communities in Australia participated: mean age 39.6 years (±SD 6.7) and body mass index of 28.8 kg/m 2 (±SD 6.9). A between-group weight difference of -0.92 kg (95% CI -1.67 to -0.16) showed program effectiveness. Reach was broad across 41 towns with 62% of participants reporting influencing some of the health behaviors of their families. Strong implementation fidelity was achieved with good retention rates at 1 year (76%) and high participant satisfaction (82% of participants willing to recommend this program). Over 300 multi-level community partnerships were established supporting high adoption. Stakeholders reported potential capacity to implement and sustain the prevention program in resource poor rural settings, due to the low-intensity design and minimal resources required. Our comprehensive RE-AIM evaluation demonstrates that an evidence-based obesity prevention program can be successfully implemented in real-world settings. The program achieved broad reach, effectiveness, and satisfaction at the community and stakeholder level, revealing potential for program sustainability. The evaluation addressed implementation knowledge gaps to support future obesity prevention program scale-up. Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry ACTRN 12612000115831 [ http://www.anzctr.org.au/ ].

Effects of an age-specific anterior cruciate ligament injury prevention program on lower extremity biomechanics in children.

PubMed

DiStefano, Lindsay J; Blackburn, J Troy; Marshall, Stephen W; Guskiewicz, Kevin M; Garrett, William E; Padua, Darin A

2011-05-01

Implementing an anterior cruciate ligament injury prevention program to athletes before the age at which the greatest injury risk occurs (15-17 years) is important from a prevention standpoint. However, it is unknown whether standard programs can modify lower extremity biomechanics in pediatric populations or if specialized training is required. To compare the effects of traditional and age-specific pediatric anterior cruciate ligament injury prevention programs on lower extremity biomechanics during a cutting task in youth athletes. The authors hypothesized that the age-specific pediatric program would result in greater sagittal plane motion (ie, hip and knee flexion) and less motion in the transverse and frontal plane (ie, knee valgus, knee and hip rotation) as compared with the traditional program. Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1. Sixty-five youth soccer athletes (38 boys, 27 girls) volunteered to participate. The mean age of participants was 10 ± 1 years. Teams (n, 7) were cluster randomized to a pediatric injury prevention program, a traditional injury prevention program, or a control group. The pediatric program was modified from the traditional program to include more feedback, progressions, and variety. Teams performed their programs as part of their normal warm-up routine. Three-dimensional lower extremity biomechanics were assessed during a sidestep cutting task before and after completion of the 9-week intervention period. The pediatric program reduced the amount of knee external rotation at initial ground contact during the cutting task, F ((2,62)) = 3.79, P = .03 (change: pediatric, 7.73° ± 10.71°; control, -0.35° ± 7.76°), as compared with the control group after the intervention period. No other changes were observed. The injury prevention program designed for a pediatric population modified only knee rotation during the cutting task, whereas the traditional program did not result in any changes in cutting biomechanics. These findings suggest limited effectiveness of both programs for athletes younger than 12 years of age in terms of biomechanics during a cutting task.

Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect in Saudi Arabia: Are We Ready?

PubMed Central

Almuneef, Maha; Al-Eissa, Majid

2011-01-01

Although child abuse and neglect (CAN) have been recognized by medical professionals for the last 20 years, child protection services and child maltreatment prevention programs are still emerging in Saudi Arabia. This paper will review the progress made in the country in terms of recognition and implementation of child protection services. Furthermore, it will draw attention to the essential steps required to start child maltreatment prevention programs, as CAN prevention is currently viewed as a global healthcare priority with an emphasis on evidence-based interventions. In addition, this paper will assess Saudi Arabia's readiness to prevent CAN and the challenges that will be faced by the professionals in implementing evidence-based CAN prevention programs. PMID:22048511

Did We Get Our Money’s Worth? Bridging Economic and Behavioral Measures of Program Success in Adolescent Drug Prevention

PubMed Central

Griffith, Kevin N.; Scheier, Lawrence M.

2013-01-01

The recent U.S. Congressional mandate for creating drug-free learning environments in elementary and secondary schools stipulates that education reform rely on accountability, parental and community involvement, local decision making, and use of evidence-based drug prevention programs. By necessity, this charge has been paralleled by increased interest in demonstrating that drug prevention programs net tangible benefits to society. One pressing concern is precisely how to integrate traditional scientific methods of program evaluation with economic measures of “cost efficiency”. The languages and methods of each respective discipline don’t necessarily converge on how to establish the true benefits of drug prevention. This article serves as a primer for conducting economic analyses of school-based drug prevention programs. The article provides the reader with a foundation in the relevant principles, methodologies, and benefits related to conducting economic analysis. Discussion revolves around how economists value the potential costs and benefits, both financial and personal, from implementing school-based drug prevention programs targeting youth. Application of heterogeneous costing methods coupled with widely divergent program evaluation findings influences the feasibility of these techniques and may hinder utilization of these practices. Determination of cost-efficiency should undoubtedly become one of several markers of program success and contribute to the ongoing debate over health policy. PMID:24217178

Drug use prevention: factors associated with program implementation in Brazilian urban schools.

PubMed

Pereira, Ana Paula Dias; Sanchez, Zila M

2018-03-07

A school is a learning environment that contributes to the construction of personal values, beliefs, habits and lifestyles, provide convenient settings for the implementation of drug use prevention programs targeting adolescents, who are the population group at highest risk of initiating drug use. The objective of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of factors associated with implementing drug use prevention programs in Brazilian public and private middle and high urban schools. The present population-based cross-sectional survey was conducted with a probability sample of 1151 school administrators stratified by the 5 Brazilian administrative divisions, in 2014. A close-ended, self-reported online questionnaire was used. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with implementing drug use prevention programs in schools. A total of 51.1% of the schools had adopted drug use prevention programs. The factors associated with program implementation were as follows: belonging to the public school network; having a library; development of activities targeting sexuality; development of "Health at School Program" activities; offering extracurricular activities; and having an administrator that participated in training courses on drugs. The adoption of drug use prevention practices in Brazilian schools may be expanded with greater orchestration of schools through specialized training of administrators and teachers, expansion of the School Health Program and concomitant development of the schools' structural and curricular attributes.

A multi-level examination of how the organizational context relates to readiness to implement prevention and evidence-based programming in community settings.

PubMed

Chilenski, Sarah M; Olson, Jonathan R; Schulte, Jill A; Perkins, Daniel F; Spoth, Richard

2015-02-01

Prior theoretical and empirical research suggests that multiple aspects of an organization's context are likely related to a number of factors, from their interest and ability to adopt new programming, to client outcomes. A limited amount of the prior research has taken a more community-wide perspective by examining factors that associate with community readiness for change, leaving how these findings generalize to community organizations that conduct prevention or positive youth development programs unknown. Thus for the current study, we examined how the organizational context of the Cooperative Extension System (CES) associates with current attitudes and practices regarding prevention and evidence-based programming. Attitudes and practices have been found in the empirical literature to be key indicators of an organization's readiness to adopt prevention and evidence-based programming. Based on multi-level mixed models, results indicate that organizational management practices distinct from program delivery may affect an organization's readiness to adopt and implement new prevention and evidence-based youth programs, thereby limiting the potential public health impact of evidence-based programs. Openness to change, openness of leadership, and communication were the strongest predictors identified within this study. An organization's morale was also found to be a strong predictor of an organization's readiness. The findings of the current study are discussed in terms of implications for prevention and intervention.

A Multi-level Examination of how the Organizational Context Relates to Readiness to Implement Prevention and Evidence-Based Programming in Community Settings

PubMed Central

Chilenski, Sarah M.; Olson, Jonathan R.; Schulte, Jill A.; Perkins, Daniel F.; Spoth, Richard

2015-01-01

Prior theoretical and empirical research suggests that multiple aspects of an organization’s context are likely related to a number of factors, from their interest and ability to adopt new programming, to client outcomes. A limited amount of the prior research has taken a more community-wide perspective by examining factors that associate with community readiness for change, leaving how these findings generalize to community organizations that conduct prevention or positive youth development programs unknown. Thus for the current study, we examined how the organizational context of the Cooperative Extension System (CES) associates with current attitudes and practices regarding prevention and evidence-based programming. Attitudes and practices have been found in the empirical literature to be key indicators of an organization’s readiness to adopt prevention and evidence-based programming. Based on multi-level mixed models, results indicate that organizational management practices distinct from program delivery may affect an organization’s readiness to adopt and implement new prevention and evidence-based youth programs, thereby limiting the potential public health impact of evidence-based programs. Openness to change, openness of leadership, and communication were the strongest predictors identified within this study. An organization’s morale was also found to be a strong predictor of an organization’s readiness. The findings of the current study are discussed in terms of implications for prevention and intervention. PMID:25463014

Self-Assembly Drug Delivery System Based on Programmable Dendritic Peptide Applied in Multidrug Resistance Tumor Therapy.

PubMed

Chen, Si; Fan, Jin-Xuan; Qiu, Wen-Xiu; Liu, Li-Han; Cheng, Han; Liu, Fan; Yan, Guo-Ping; Zhang, Xian-Zheng

2017-11-01

In recent decades, diverse drug delivery systems (DDS) constructed by self-assembly of dendritic peptides have shown advantages and improvable potential for cancer treatment. Here, an arginine-enriched dendritic amphiphilic chimeric peptide CRRK(RRCG(Fmoc)) 2 containing multiple thiol groups is programmed to form drug-loaded nano-micelles by self-assembly. With a rational design, the branched hydrophobic groups (Fmoc) of the peptides provide a strong hydrophobic force to prevent the drug from premature release, and the reduction-sensitive disulfide linkages formed between contiguous peptides can control drug release under reducing stimulation. As expected, specific to multidrug resistance (MDR) tumor cells, the arginine-enriched peptide/drug (PD) nano-micelles show accurate nuclear localization ability to prevent the drug being pumped by P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in vitro, as well as exhibiting satisfactory efficacy for MDR tumor treatment in vivo. This design successfully realizes stimuli-responsive drug release aimed at MDR tumor cells via an ingenious sequence arrangement. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Differentiation-dependent Requirement of Tsix long non-coding RNA in Imprinted X-chromosome Inactivation

PubMed Central

Maclary, Emily; Buttigieg, Emily; Hinten, Michael; Gayen, Srimonta; Harris, Clair; Sarkar, Mrinal Kumar; Purushothaman, Sonya; Kalantry, Sundeep

2014-01-01

Imprinted X-inactivation is a paradigm of mammalian transgenerational epigenetic regulation resulting in silencing of genes on the paternally-inherited X-chromosome. The pre-programmed fate of the X-chromosomes is thought to be controlled in cis by the parent-of-origin-specific expression of two long non-coding RNAs, Tsix and Xist, in mice. Exclusive expression of Tsix from the maternal–X has implicated it as the instrument through which the maternal germline prevents inactivation of the maternal–X in the offspring. Here, we show that Tsix is dispensable for inhibiting Xist and X-inactivation in the early embryo and in cultured stem cells of extra-embryonic lineages. Tsix is instead required to prevent Xist expression as trophectodermal progenitor cells differentiate. Despite induction of wild-type Xist RNA and accumulation of histone H3-K27me3, many Tsix-mutant X-chromosomes fail to undergo ectopic X-inactivation. We propose a novel model of lncRNA function in imprinted X-inactivation that may also apply to other genomically imprinted loci. PMID:24979243

75 FR 18848 - Disease, Disability, and Injury Prevention and Control Special Emphasis Panel (SEP): Prevention...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-13

... Comparative Effectiveness Research Program, DP 10-003, Initial Review In accordance with Section 10(a)(2) of... to ``Prevention Research Centers Comparative Effectiveness Research Program, DP 10-003.'' Contact...

Cancer Prevention Fellowship Program Thrives 30 Years On | Division of Cancer Prevention

Cancer.gov

As the NCI Cancer Prevention Fellowship Program (CPFP) celebrates its 30th anniversary, the successful cycle continues with the call for applications for the next class of fellows, who would start in 2018. |

The role of life skills promotion in substance abuse prevention: a mediation analysis.

PubMed

Bühler, Anneke; Schröder, Elke; Silbereisen, Rainer K

2008-08-01

Research has shown that life skills programs are the most effective single activity in school-based substance abuse prevention. However, little is known about the processes through which they are effective. This study examines whether an evidence-based prevention program targeting general competence is effective through the promotion of knowledge about life skills and enhanced related behaviors. Based on a sample of 442 fifth graders participating in a quasi-experimental prevention study, as expected, mediation analyses revealed that increased knowledge about life skills paralleled an increase in students' distant attitudes toward alcohol and nicotine use. Unexpectedly, behaviors manifesting enhanced life skills were found not only among program participants who remained experimental/non-smokers or stopped smoking but also among smokers. In general, findings suggest that favorable prevention outcomes may be influenced through building knowledge about general life skills. The notion of uniform mechanisms of effectiveness in prevention programs is discussed.

An Evaluation of a Mixed-Gender Sexual Assault Prevention Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bradley, April R.; Yeater, Elizabeth A.; O'Donohue, William

2009-01-01

This study evaluated the short-term effectiveness of a mixed-gender sexual assault prevention program developed for college students. Program participants (n = 177) were compared to non-program participants (n = 132) prior to the program and during a 2-week follow-up period on measures of rape myths, victim empathy, perceived negative consequences…

Youth Suicide Prevention Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalafat, John

2006-01-01

Youth suicide prevention programs are described that promote the identification and referral of at-risk youth, address risk factors, and promote protective factors. Emphasis is on programs that are both effective and sustainable in applied settings.

PM Program Prevents Early AM Repairs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McRae, David

1974-01-01

Discusses how to initiate a preventive maintenance (PM) program: (1) make inventory of equipment that needs a PM program; (2) gather data about each piece of equipment; and (3) set maintenance goals. (Author/PG)

Theory and models for planning and evaluating institutional influenza prevention and control programs.

PubMed

Russell, Margaret L; Thurston, Wilfreda E; Henderson, Elizabeth A

2003-10-01

Low rates of staff influenza vaccine coverage occur in many health care facilities. Many programs do not offer vaccination to physicians or to volunteers, and some programs do not measure coverage or do so only for a subset of staff. The use of theory in planning and evaluation may prevent these problems and lead to more effective programs. We discuss the use of theory in the planning and evaluation of health programs and demonstrate how it can be used for the evaluation and planning of a hospital or nursing home influenza control program. The application of theory required explicit statement of the goals of the program and examination of the assumptions underlying potential program activities. This indicated that staff should probably be considered as employees, volunteers, physicians, and contractors of the facility. It also directed attention to evidence-based strategies for increasing vaccination rates. The application of a program planning model to a problem of institutional influenza prevention may prevent planners from excluding important target populations and failing to monitor the important indicators of program success.

Family predictors of parent participation in an adolescent drug abuse prevention program.

PubMed

Al-Halabi Díaz, Susana; Secades-Villa, Roberto; Pérez, José Manuel Errasti; Fernández-Hermida, José Ramón; García-Rodríguez, Olaya; Crespo, José Luis Carballo

2006-07-01

Low participation rates constitute a serious problem faced by family drug abuse prevention programs. In this study we analyse the factors related to participation in a Life Skills Training program implemented in three schools in Spain. Participants in the study were 485 pupils aged 12 - 14 years and their respective parents. The variables that predicted participation in the program were: number of children and educational level of parents, children's drug use, family conflict, parental rearing style, relationships between parents and children and family communication. The results from Spain are similar to those found in international studies, and indicate that the families most at risk of drug use are those least likely to participate in prevention programs. There is a need for strategies to increase participation in prevention programs of the families most at risk.

Historical context for the creation of the Office of Adolescent Health and the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program.

PubMed

Kappeler, Evelyn M; Farb, Amy Feldman

2014-03-01

In Fiscal Year 2010, Federal funds were dedicated to support evidence-based approaches to effectively target teen pregnancy prevention and resulted in the establishment of the Office of Adolescent Health (OAH) and the Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) Program. Through the tiered TPP Program, OAH supports replication and evaluation of programs using models whose effectiveness has been demonstrated through rigorous evaluation and the development and testing of promising or innovative pregnancy prevention strategies and approaches. This article documents the creation of OAH and the development of the TPP Program, the identification of a TPP evidence base, current program and evaluation efforts at OAH, and government coordination and partnerships related to reducing teen pregnancy. This article is of interest to those working to improve the health and wellbeing of adolescents. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Collecting costs of community prevention programs: communities putting prevention to work initiative.

PubMed

Khavjou, Olga A; Honeycutt, Amanda A; Hoerger, Thomas J; Trogdon, Justin G; Cash, Amanda J

2014-08-01

Community-based programs require substantial investments of resources; however, evaluations of these programs usually lack analyses of program costs. Costs of community-based programs reported in previous literature are limited and have been estimated retrospectively. To describe a prospective cost data collection approach developed for the Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW) program capturing costs for community-based tobacco use and obesity prevention strategies. A web-based cost data collection instrument was developed using an activity-based costing approach. Respondents reported quarterly expenditures on labor; consultants; materials, travel, and services; overhead; partner efforts; and in-kind contributions. Costs were allocated across CPPW objectives and strategies organized around five categories: media, access, point of decision/promotion, price, and social support and services. The instrument was developed in 2010, quarterly data collections took place in 2011-2013, and preliminary analysis was conducted in 2013. Preliminary descriptive statistics are presented for the cost data collected from 51 respondents. More than 50% of program costs were for partner organizations, and over 20% of costs were for labor hours. Tobacco communities devoted the majority of their efforts to media strategies. Obesity communities spent more than half of their resources on access strategies. Collecting accurate cost information on health promotion and disease prevention programs presents many challenges. The approach presented in this paper is one of the first efforts successfully collecting these types of data and can be replicated for collecting costs from other programs. Copyright © 2014 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. All rights reserved.

Single cell RNA Seq reveals dynamic paracrine control of cellular variation

PubMed Central

Shalek, Alex K.; Satija, Rahul; Shuga, Joe; Trombetta, John J.; Gennert, Dave; Lu, Diana; Chen, Peilin; Gertner, Rona S.; Gaublomme, Jellert T.; Yosef, Nir; Schwartz, Schraga; Fowler, Brian; Weaver, Suzanne; Wang, Jing; Wang, Xiaohui; Ding, Ruihua; Raychowdhury, Raktima; Friedman, Nir; Hacohen, Nir; Park, Hongkun; May, Andrew P.; Regev, Aviv

2014-01-01

High-throughput single-cell transcriptomics offers an unbiased approach for understanding the extent, basis, and function of gene expression variation between seemingly identical cells. Here, we sequence single-cell RNA-Seq libraries prepared from over 1,700 primary mouse bone marrow derived dendritic cells (DCs) spanning several experimental conditions. We find substantial variation between identically stimulated DCs, in both the fraction of cells detectably expressing a given mRNA and the transcript’s level within expressing cells. Distinct gene modules are characterized by different temporal heterogeneity profiles. In particular, a “core” module of antiviral genes is expressed very early by a few “precocious” cells, but is later activated in all cells. By stimulating cells individually in sealed microfluidic chambers, analyzing DCs from knockout mice, and modulating secretion and extracellular signaling, we show that this response is coordinated via interferon-mediated paracrine signaling. Surprisingly, preventing cell-to-cell communication also substantially reduces variability in the expression of an early-induced “peaked” inflammatory module, suggesting that paracrine signaling additionally represses part of the inflammatory program. Our study highlights the importance of cell-to-cell communication in controlling cellular heterogeneity and reveals general strategies that multicellular populations use to establish complex dynamic responses. PMID:24919153

Nanotechnology: what is it and why is small so big?

PubMed

Leary, James F

2010-10-01

SIZE matters… the size of the scalpel determines the precision of the surgery. Nanotechnology affords us the chance to construct nanotools that are on the size scale of molecules, allowing us to treat each cell of the human body as a patient. Nanomedicine will allow for eradication of disease at the single-cell level. Since nanotools are self-assembling, nanomedicine has the potential to perform parallel processing medicine on a massive scale. These nanotools can be made of biocompatible and biodegradable nanomaterials. They can be "smart" in that they can use sophisticated targeting strategies, which can perform error checking to prevent harm if even a very small fraction of them are mistargeted. Built-in molecular biosensors can provide controlled drug delivery with feedback control for individual cell dosing. If designed to repair existing cells rather than to just destroy diseased cells, these nanomedical devices can perform in-situ regenerative medicine, programming cells along less dangerous cell pathways to prevent tissues and organs from being destroyed by the treatments and thus providing an attractive alternative to allogeneic organ transplants. Nanomedical tools, while tiny in size, can have a huge impact on medicine and health care. Earlier and more sensitive diagnosis will lead to presymptomatic diagnosis and treatment of disease before permanent damage occurs to tissues and organs. This should result in the delivery of better medicine at lower costs with better outcomes. Lastly, and importantly, some of the first uses of nanotechnology and nanomedicine are occurring in the field of ophthalmology. Some of the potential benefits of nanotechnology for future treatment of retinopathies and optic nerve damage are discussed at the end of this paper.

Carbonic anhydrase IX inhibition affects viability of cancer cells adapted to extracellular acidosis.

PubMed

Andreucci, Elena; Peppicelli, Silvia; Carta, Fabrizio; Brisotto, Giulia; Biscontin, Eva; Ruzzolini, Jessica; Bianchini, Francesca; Biagioni, Alessio; Supuran, Claudiu T; Calorini, Lido

2017-12-01

Among the players of the adaptive response of cancer cells able to promote a resistant and aggressive phenotype, carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX) recently has emerged as one of the most relevant drug targets. Indeed, CAIX targeting has received a lot of interest, and selective inhibitors are currently under clinical trials. Hypoxia has been identified as the master inductor of CAIX, but, to date, very few is known about the influence that another important characteristic of tumor microenvironment, i.e., extracellular acidosis, exerts on CAIX expression and activity. In the last decades, acidic microenvironment has been associated with aggressive tumor phenotype endowed with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) profile, high invasive and migratory ability, apoptosis, and drug resistance. We demonstrated that melanoma, breast, and colorectal cancer cells transiently and chronically exposed to acidified medium (pH 6.7 ± 0.1) showed a significantly increased CAIX expression compared to those grown in standard conditions (pH 7.4 ± 0.1). Moreover, we observed that the CAIX inhibitor FC16-670A (also named SLC-0111, which just successfully ended phase I clinical trials) not only prevents such increased expression under acidosis but also promotes apoptotic and necrotic programs only in acidified cancer cells. Thus, CAIX could represent a selective target of acidic cancer cells and FC16-670A inhibitor as a useful tool to affect this aggressive subpopulation characterized by conventional therapy escape. Cancer cells overexpress CAIX under transient and chronic extracellular acidosis. Acidosis-induced CAIX overexpression is NF-κB mediated and HIF-1α independent. FC16-670A prevents CAIX overexpression and induces acidified cancer cell death.