Altered Folate Metabolism Maybeo the Develop Linked tment of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in African American Children.

Blood ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 114 (22) ◽  
pp. 4118-4118
Author(s):  
Qing Chen ◽  
Nancy Fassinger ◽  
Ronald Thomas ◽  
Ana C. Xavier ◽  
Yubin Ge ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Enzyme Activity ◽  
African American ◽  
The United States ◽  
Folate Metabolism ◽  
High Birth Weight ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Childhood All ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Significant Difference

Abstract Abstract 4118 Background Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is the most common form of childhood cancer in the United States. The incidence of ALL is approximately 2-3-fold higher in Caucasian compared to African American (AA) children, suggesting potential differences in genetic susceptibility and/or exogenous exposures. Multiple epidemiologic studies have examined both genetic and environmental factors linked to the development of childhood ALL, primarily in Caucasian populations. Hence, identifying factors associated with racial differences in incidence of leukemia may provide new insights into the role of endogenous versus exogenous factors in the development of leukemia. A number of studies have reported relationships between folate metabolism and the risk of developing ALL including: i)maternal folate supplementation during pregnancy (reduced risk of ALL in offspring); and ii)polymorphisms of genes encoding enzymes involved in folate metabolism, including 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) (increased and decreased risks). To date, no studies have been performed specifically examining the role of folate metabolism in AA children. The objective of this study was to identify factors associated with folate metabolism which may be linked to the development of ALL in AA children compared to healthy controls. Patients and Methods AA children with B-precursor (BP) ALL were enrolled from the Hematology/Oncology Division of Children's Hospital of Michigan, while healthy AA children were enrolled as controls. Patients' racial backgrounds were based on parental reporting. The frequencies of polymorphisms in the MTHFR [677C>T, 1298A>C], thymidylate synthase [TS 2R3R], cystathionine-β-synthase [CBS 844ins(68)], and reduced folate carrier [RFC 80G>A] genes were determined by genotyping between AA childhood BP-ALL [n=26; 14 males] and healthy AA children [n=87; 47 males]. The distributions of genotypes between cases and controls were compared using Fisher's exact test. Results The genotype distributions of the polymorphisms of the folate pathway genes are summarized in Table 1. The frequencies of the MTHFR gene variants 677 CT/TT were 2-fold higher in the ALL cohort than that in the healthy control cohort. MTHFR 677 CT/TT was significantly associated with a risk of developing ALL in the AA patients. There were no significant differences in the distributions of the TS, CBS, or RFC polymorphisms between the groups. High birth weight has been associated with an increased risk of developing ALL, though we found no significant difference in birth weights between ALL and control groups. Conclusion Our study is the first to demonstrate that there is a higher frequency of the variant MTHFR C677T polymorphism (associated with reduced enzyme activity and altered distribution of folate forms) in AA children with ALL compared to healthy controls. Low MTHFR enzyme activity leads to imbalances in the thymidylate and de novo purine biosynthetic pathways, ultimately affecting DNA synthesis and repair and likely increasing the risk of leukemia. Thus, the role of altered folate metabolism may contribute to the development of ALL in AA children similar to Caucasian children, although additional studies are still required to identify factors linked to the higher incidence of ALL in Caucasian children and/or low incidence in AA children. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

scholarly journals Exploring Condom Use Behaviors Among African American Adolescent Boys in the Deep South

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 155798832110090
Author(s):  
Jessica Thames Chambliss ◽  
Retta Evans ◽  
Anneliese Bolland ◽  
Martha S. Wingate ◽  
John M. Bolland
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
Condom Use ◽  
Sexual Behaviors ◽  
Unplanned Pregnancy ◽  
The United States ◽  
Deep South ◽  
Adolescent Boys ◽  
African American Adolescent ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Increased Risk

Risky sexual behaviors among adolescents can increase adverse outcomes including unplanned pregnancy or contraction or transmission of disease. Adolescents who engage in risky sexual activities are at increased risk for adverse health and social outcomes compared to those who do not engage. Despite declines in adolescent pregnancy and birth rates, the diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is steadily increasing among adolescents. Moreover, African American adolescent boys in the United States, specifically in the southeastern region are disproportionally at greater risk for STIs, and STI diagnosis within this population has increased over time, compared to their white counterparts. This study sought to identify factors associated with condom use among adolescent boys in the Deep South. Using data from the Mobile Youth Survey, a longitudinal adolescent community-based survey, this study assessed the relationship between personal, behavioral, and environmental factors and condom use among African American adolescent boys (14–19 years). Younger participants (14–15 and 16–17) were more likely to use a condom during the last sexual intercourse compared to older participants (18–19 years). High positive attachment to boy/girlfriend was associated with increased condom use. The number of sexual partners, age at their first sexual encounter, recent sexual behavior, and having an STI were also associated with increased condom use among participants. The study provides further insights into factors associated with condom use among African American adolescent boys and results can inform the development of sexual health interventions.

Abstract 78: Factors Associated with Thrombotic Events During Pregnancy in the United States: NIS 2000-2010

Stroke ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 46 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Razmara ◽  
Steven Cen ◽  
Diana L Jin ◽  
Nerses Sanossian ◽  
Amytis Towfighi
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
The United States ◽  
The South ◽  
Targeted Interventions ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Thrombosis Risk ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Acute Mi ◽  
Hospital Factors ◽  
Peripartum Period

Intro: Thrombosis risk is increased during pregnancy and puerperium. There are no recent data on nationwide trends in thrombotic events during the delivery period. Objective: To determine risk factors for thrombotic events in women hospitalized for deliveries. Methods: Data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (2000-2010) were used to identify deliveries. Weighted proportion of pregnancy hospitalizations with comorbid thrombotic events, including TIA, ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, acute MI, and venous thromboembolism, was determined. Poisson regression was used to identify risk factors for thrombotic events. The first multivariable model adjusted for sociodemographic and hospital factors. The second model in addition adjusted for comorbid conditions. Results: There were 4,305,561 women hospitalized for delivery (21.5 million US deliveries), of which 7,242 (0.17%) had thrombotic events in the peripartum period. From 2000-2010, there was an increase in deliveries with associated thrombotic events observed from 7.46/10K to 34.8/10K. Compared to 2000, deliveries with thromboses was 8-fold more likely in 2010 (RR 7.94, 95% CI 1.98-31.93). There was no significant difference in rates from 2000 to 2010 after adjustment for sociodemographic and hospital factors. From 2000-2010, pregnant women with thrombotic events were older, more likely to be White, to smoke, to lack insurance, to be admitted to rural hospitals, and to be admitted in the South or Midwest. After multivariable adjustment for sociodemographics, hospital factors, and comorbidities, admissions in the South (RR 1.26, 95% CI 1.02-1.55) or Midwest (1.33, 95% CI 1.05-1.68), atrial fibrillation (1.28, 95% CI 1.01-1.62), pre-/eclampsia (5.78, 95% CI 4.37-7.66), dyslipidemia (1.72, 95% CI 1.42-2.09), atrial septal defect (14.38, 95% CI 6.76-30.58), and valvular heart disease (1.67, 95% CI 1.25-2.24) were independently associated with higher risk of thrombotic events. Conclusions: From 2000-2010, there was a sizeable increase in deliveries with associated thrombosis. Identification of factors associated with thrombotic events for women hospitalized for normal pregnancies will aid in targeted interventions to screen for, prevent and treat thrombosis related to pregnancy.

scholarly journals Teacher Discrimination Reduces School Performance of African American Youth: Role of Gender

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shervin Assari ◽  
Cleopatra Howard Caldwell
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
School Performance ◽  
African American Youth ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Grade Point ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Males And Females

Background: Gender may alter African Americans’ vulnerability to discrimination. The type of outcomes that follow exposure to discrimination may also be gender-specific. Although teacher discrimination is known to deteriorate school performance, it is yet unknown whether male and female African American youth differ in the effect of teacher discrimination on school performance. Objective: This cross-sectional study explored the moderating role of gender on the effect of teacher discrimination on school performance in a national sample of African American youth. Methods: The National Survey of American Life-Adolescent Supplement (NSAL-A) enrolled a nationally representative sample (n = 810) of 13–17-year-old African American youth. Demographic factors, socioeconomic status, teacher discrimination, and school performance (grade point average, GPA) were measured. Linear multivariable regression models were applied for data analysis. Results: Males and females reported similar levels of perceived teacher discrimination. In the pooled sample, higher teacher discrimination was associated with lower school performance among African American youth (b = −0.35; 95% confidence interval (CI) = −0.49 to −0.22). Gender interacted with perceived teacher discrimination (b = 12; 95% CI = 0.24–2.02), suggesting a significant difference between males and females in the magnitude of the association between perceived teacher discrimination and GPA. In stratified models, perceived teacher discrimination was associated with worse school performance of females (b = −12; 95% CI = −0.03 to −2.78) but not males (b = 0.01; 95% CI = −0.07 to 0.08). Conclusion: In line with previous studies, gender was found to alter the vulnerability of African American youth to perceived discrimination. African American boys and girls may differ in their sensitivity to the effects of teacher discrimination on school performance.

scholarly journals The Role of Butyric Acid in Treatment Response in Drug-Naïve First Episode Schizophrenia

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xue Li ◽  
Xiaoduo Fan ◽  
Xiuxia Yuan ◽  
Lijuan Pang ◽  
Shaohua Hu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Response ◽  
Butyric Acid ◽  
Serum Levels ◽  
First Episode ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Drug Naïve ◽  
First Episode Schizophrenia ◽  
Risperidone Treatment

Background: Butyric acid, a major short-chain fatty acid (SCFA), has an important role in the microbiota–gut–brain axis and brain function. This study investigated the role of butyric acid in treatment response in drug-naïve first episode schizophrenia.Methods: The study recruited 56 Chinese Han schizophrenia inpatients with normal body weight and 35 healthy controls. Serum levels of butyric acid were measured using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS) analysis at baseline (for all participants) and 24 weeks after risperidone treatment (for patients). Clinical symptoms were measured using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) for patients at both time points.Results: At baseline, there was no significant difference in serum levels of butyric acid between patients and healthy controls (p = 0.206). However, there was a significant increase in serum levels of butyric acid in schizophrenia patients after 24-week risperidone treatment (p = 0.030). The PANSS total and subscale scores were decreased significantly after 24-week risperidone treatment (p's < 0.001). There were positive associations between baseline serum levels of butyric acid and the reduction ratio of the PANSS total and subscale scores after controlling for age, sex, education, and duration of illness (p's < 0.05). Further, there was a positive association between the increase in serum levels of butyric acid and the reduction of the PANSS positive symptoms subscale scores (r = 0.38, p = 0.019) after controlling for potential confounding factors.Conclusions: Increased serum levels of butyric acid might be associated with a favorable treatment response in drug-naïve, first episode schizophrenia. The clinical implications of our findings were discussed.

scholarly journals Situational Breakdowns Beyond Protest Violence

2019 ◽  
pp. 129-168
Author(s):  
Anne Nassauer
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
African American ◽  
The United States ◽  
Crucial Importance ◽  
Social Phenomena ◽  
Systemic Racism ◽  
Context Factors ◽  
Social Events ◽  
Micro Level

Chapter 9 explores whether the books’ findings hold in other contexts by examining other instances of surprising outcomes. First, the chapter discusses the outbreak of violence in uprisings after police shootings of African American citizens in the United States, such as Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014 and Baltimore, Maryland, in 2015. The first section takes a detailed look at the role of background and context factors (such as symbolic and systemic racism) and situational patterns in uprisings turning violent. Then the chapter discusses successful and failed armed store robberies. Here the surprising outcome is not violence but armed criminals failing to get the money from an unarmed store clerk. Findings suggest similar patterns of situational breakdowns in these occurrences as in protests and uprisings. Overall, the chapter discusses the crucial importance of the micro-level of social phenomena: if routines of both collective and individual social events are disrupted, surprising outcomes occur.

scholarly journals The Role of Risk Perception in Flu Vaccine Behavior among African-American and White Adults in the United States

Risk Analysis ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (11) ◽  
pp. 2150-2163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vicki S. Freimuth ◽  
Amelia Jamison ◽  
Gregory Hancock ◽  
Donald Musa ◽  
Karen Hilyard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
African American ◽  
Risk Perception ◽  
The United States ◽  
Flu Vaccine ◽  
White Adults

Study of the HLA-DPβ1 Locus by the Polymerase Chain Reaction Technique in Patients with Hodgkin's Disease

1993 ◽  
Vol 79 (2) ◽  
pp. 133-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guseppe Pellegris ◽  
Claudia Lombardo ◽  
Annelisa Cantoni ◽  
Liliana Devizzi ◽  
Monica Balzarotti
Keyword(s):  
Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽  
Hodgkin's Disease ◽  
Hodgkin’S Disease ◽  
Polymerase Chain Reaction Method ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Chain Reaction ◽  
Reaction Method ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Polymerase Chain

Background A number of reports have studied associations between Hodgkin's disease and HLA. Some of them established correlation between several antigens and Hodgkin's disease, and others found no correlations. Methods The HLA DP locus was determined by the polymerase chain reaction method in 31 Hodgkin's disease patients and 58 healthy controls. Results No significant difference between patients and controls was noted. Conclusions Further investigations are needed to confirm the hypothesis of a possible role of the HLA complex as one of the factors involved in Hodgkin's disease.

scholarly journals Opioid Consumption Patterns and the Risk of Prolonged Opioid Use Among Opioid-Naïve Patients Following Ankle Fracture Surgery

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 2473011419S0006
Author(s):  
Hope Skibicki ◽  
Sundeep Saini ◽  
Ryan Rogero ◽  
Kristen Nicholson ◽  
Rachel J. Shakked ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ankle Fracture ◽  
The United States ◽  
Opioid Consumption ◽  
Consumption Patterns ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Index Procedure ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Tibial Plafond ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Fracture Surgery

Category: Ankle Introduction/Purpose: Over the past two decades, the number of opioids dispensed in the United States has nearly tripled. Previous literature has demonstrated an association between acute opioid exposure and the risk of long-term opioid use. Statewide Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs) have been implemented to deter overprescribing and help monitor information pertaining to suspected abuse. The purpose of this study was to assess the immediate postoperative opioid consumption patterns as well as the incidence of new prolonged opioid use among opioid naïve patients following ankle fracture surgery. Methods: This was a retrospective review of prospectively collected data. Patients were included if they underwent outpatient open reduction and internal fixation of an ankle or tibial plafond fracture between October 2016 and September 2017. Patients were excluded if they received any narcotic prescriptions prior to the date of the initial injury. Patient demographics, medical history, fracture pattern, and opioid prescription and consumption details were collected. The morphine equivalent dose was calculated for each prescription and then converted to the equivalent of a 5-mg oxycodone “pill”. The New Jersey PDMP was used to determine all prescriptions of controlled substances filled up to 1 year postoperatively. Prolonged use was defined as filling a postoperative prescription for a controlled substance 90 days after the index procedure. Linear regression analysis was performed to identify independent factors associated with immediate postoperative opioid consumption and repeated to identify factors associated with prolonged use. Results: One-hundred seventy-one patients were included in this study. At the first postoperative visit, patients consumed a median of 24 pills, whereas the median number prescribed was 40. This resulted in an initial utilization rate of 60% and 2,736 pills left unused. Additionally, we found that 18.7% (n=32) of patients required a narcotic prescription after 90 days from the index procedure. There was no statistically significant difference found between specific fracture type (isolated distal fibula, bimalleolar, trimalleolar) and prolonged opioid consumption, however tibial plafond fractures could not be included due to insufficient sample size (n=5). Patients with a self-reported history of depression (p=.094) or diabetes (p=.097) demonstrated marginal correlation with prolonged narcotic use. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that patients who underwent outpatient surgical fixation of an ankle or tibial plafond fracture were initially overprescribed narcotics by nearly 67%, leaving a significant quantity of pills unused for potential abuse or diversion. 18.7% of originally opioid naïve patients required continued analgesia 90 days after the index procedure, however large variations in consumption rates make it difficult for physicians to predict prolonged narcotic use.

Factors Associated With Designation of a Substitute Decision-Maker in Older Asian Americans: The Role of Cultural Factors

2019 ◽  
Vol 91 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Min-Kyoung Rhee ◽  
Yuri Jang
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Decision Maker ◽  
Asian Americans ◽  
English Proficiency ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cultural Factors ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Substitute Decision Maker

The present study examined the prevalence of and factors associated with the designation of a substitute decision-maker (SDM) in a sample of older Asian Americans. Particular emphasis was placed on cultural factors (ethnicity, time in the United States, English proficiency, acculturation, and cultural belief) that might influence on one’s attitudes toward death and dying or end-of-life decision-making. Data were drawn from the 499 participants aged 60 years and older using the 2015 Asian American Quality of Life survey. Twenty-two percent of the sample had completed a legal document identifying a SDM. Results of a hierarchical logistic regression indicated that ethnicity, time in the United States, English proficiency, and acculturation were significant predictors. By examining the role of cultural factors in predicting SDM designation, the present study provided implications for culturally tailored strategies to help older Asian Americans plan their end-of-life care.

P760Clinical profile of African-American and non-Hispanic caucasian patients with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy syndrome in a large urban hospital in the United States of America

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
P Westman ◽  
K Ravindra ◽  
J Chiabrando ◽  
D Kadariya ◽  
G Maehara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
African American ◽  
Hospital Mortality ◽  
United States Of America ◽  
Troponin I ◽  
The United States ◽  
Stress Cardiomyopathy ◽  
Urban Hospital ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Caucasian Patients

Abstract Background Takotsubo (stress) cardiomyopathy is an acute reversible heart failure syndrome initially described in Japanese patients, but now well characterized in Caucasians patients in Europe or of European descent. An initial observation has suggested a lower incidence of Takotsubo in non-Caucasian subjects, particularly in the African-American (AA) population in the United States of America. The purpose of this study was to assess whether epidemiologic and clinical differences were present in Takotsubo in a large urban hospital in Virginia, USA. Methods We used an informatics-based system to query electronic health records (TriNetX, Cambridge, MA, USA) to search for cases of Takotsubo between 2010 and 2018 and a corresponding cohort of patients with non-ST segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). We then performed a chart-level review of 160 cases and obtained additional clinical information including symptoms, risk factors, co-morbidities, and in-hospital outcomes. This retrospective study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of our institution. Results We identified 260 cases of Takotsubo and 6,270 of NSTEMI in the same time period (1:24, 4.2%). Being AA was associated with an odds ratio of Takotsubo versus NSTEMI of 0.38 [0.29–0.50] (P=0.0001). With further evaluation of patients with Takotsubo (N=160), AA (N=44, 27.2%) and Non-Hispanic Caucasian (C) (N=110, 67.9%) had no differences in age and sex. AA patients with Takotsubo however were more likely than C patients to be affected by type II diabetes mellitus (38.6% versus 14.5%, P=0.002, OR 3.70 [1.65–8.28]), have history of drug abuse (27.3% versus 9.1%, P=0.009, OR 3.75 [1.48–9.49]) and of cocaine use in particular (9.1% versus 0.9%, P=0.024, OR 11.0 [1.19–101.4]). The pattern of wall motion abnormality was not different between the 2 groups. AA patients presented with a lower ratio of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) to troponin I (41.9 [12.7–258] pg./ml versus 281 [42–890] pg/ml, P=0.022). There was no significant difference of in-hospital mortality between the AA and C groups (9.1% versus 25%, respectively, OR 0.40 [0.13–1.24], P=0.11). Conclusions The incidence and clinical characteristics of Takotsubo (stress) cardiomyopathy appear to be different between African-American and Non-Hispanic Caucasian patients. African-American patients are more likely to have diabetes and illicit drug usage, but have a lower BNP/troponin I ratio. Both AA and Non-Hispanic Caucasian patients have similar in-hospital mortality.

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