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The Journal of Primary Prevention Feb 2016Contemporary prevention science has focused on the application of cultural adaptations of evidence-based prevention programs for minority youth populations. Far less is... (Review)
Review
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.
Topics: Adolescent; Culturally Competent Care; Health Status Disparities; Humans; Minority Groups; Preventive Medicine; Program Evaluation
PubMed: 26733384
DOI: 10.1007/s10935-015-0414-3 -
Actas Dermo-sifiliograficas Mar 2017Electrochemotherapy is a therapeutic option for the treatment of cutaneous and subcutaneous metastases from melanoma and other tumors. The procedure consists of the... (Review)
Review
Electrochemotherapy is a therapeutic option for the treatment of cutaneous and subcutaneous metastases from melanoma and other tumors. The procedure consists of the administration of anticancer drugs followed by locally applied electrical impulses to achieve an effect known as electroporation, which facilitates entry into the cytosol of drugs that cannot cross the cell membrane. The aim of this review is to evaluate the evidence that supports the use of electrochemotherapy as a therapeutic strategy in melanoma. We conducted a qualitative systematic review of the literature using advanced searches of bibliographic databases and full text reviews. Seven studies (3 systematic reviews and 4 cases series) were selected. The quality of the evidence was not good, but the coincidence of results for certain variables supports their consistency. Results of the meta-analyses favored electrochemotherapy over chemotherapy. Electrochemotherapy appears to be an effective procedure for the local treatment of malignant tumor nodules (evidence of intermediate or low quality). This inexpensive method is simple to apply, well tolerated, and achieves objective responses under certain circumstances. There is no evidence that electrochemotherapy alters the natural course of the disease and it should therefore be considered a palliative treatment. With an evidence level of 1- (minus), electrochemotherapy can be recommended for the palliative treatment of unresectable, locoregionally advanced melanoma (grade B recommendation).
Topics: Antineoplastic Agents; Clinical Trials as Topic; Electrochemotherapy; Evidence-Based Medicine; Humans; Melanoma; Meta-Analysis as Topic; Palliative Care; Skin Neoplasms; Treatment Outcome; Melanoma, Cutaneous Malignant
PubMed: 27769538
DOI: 10.1016/j.ad.2016.08.008 -
BMC Emergency Medicine Jan 2021Long-term prescription of opioids by healthcare professionals has been linked to poor individual patient outcomes and high resource utilization. Supportive strategies in... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Association between supportive interventions and healthcare utilization and outcomes in patients on long-term prescribed opioid therapy presenting to acute healthcare settings: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
BACKGROUND
Long-term prescription of opioids by healthcare professionals has been linked to poor individual patient outcomes and high resource utilization. Supportive strategies in this population regarding acute healthcare settings may have substantial impact.
METHODS
We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of primary studies. The studies were included according to the following criteria: 1) age 18 and older; 2) long-term prescribed opioid therapy; 3) acute healthcare setting presentation from a complication of opioid therapy; 4) evaluating a supportive strategy; 5) comparing the effectiveness of different interventions; 6) addressing patient or healthcare related outcomes. We performed a qualitative analysis of supportive strategies identified. We pooled patient and system related outcome data for each supportive strategy.
RESULTS
A total of 5664 studies were screened and 19 studies were included. A total of 9 broad categories of supportive strategies were identified. Meta-analysis was performed for the "supports for patients in pain" supportive strategy on two system-related outcomes using a ratio of means. The number of emergency department (ED) visits were significantly reduced for cohort studies (n = 6, 0.36, 95% CI [0.20-0.62], I = 87%) and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) (n = 3, 0.71, 95% CI [0.61-0.82], I = 0%). The number of opioid prescriptions at ED discharge was significantly reduced for RCTs (n = 3, 0.34, 95% CI [0.14-0.82], I = 78%).
CONCLUSION
For patients presenting to acute healthcare settings with complications related to long-term opioid therapy, the intervention with the most robust data is "supports for patients in pain".
Topics: Adolescent; Analgesics, Opioid; Emergency Service, Hospital; Humans; Pain; Patient Acceptance of Health Care; Patient Discharge
PubMed: 33514325
DOI: 10.1186/s12873-020-00398-9 -
International Journal of Cardiology.... Feb 2020Sigma-1 receptors are ligand-regulated chaperone proteins, involved in several cellular mechanisms. The aim of this systematic review was to examine the effects that the... (Review)
Review
Sigma-1 receptors are ligand-regulated chaperone proteins, involved in several cellular mechanisms. The aim of this systematic review was to examine the effects that the sigma-1 receptor has on the cardiovascular system. The interaction targets and proposed mechanisms of action of sigma-1 receptors were explored, with the aim of determining if the sigma-1 receptor is a potential pharmacological target for cardiac pathologies. This systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines and these were used to critically appraise eligible studies. Pubmed and Scopus were systematically searched for articles investigating sigma-1 receptors in the cardiovascular system. Papers identified by the search terms were then subject to analysis against pre-determined inclusion criteria. 23 manuscripts met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. The experimental platforms, experimental techniques utilised and the results of the studies were summarised. The sigma-1 receptor is found to be implicated in cardioprotection, via various mechanisms including stimulating the Akt-eNOS pathway, and reduction of Ca2 + leakage into the cytosol via modulating certain calcium channels. Sigma-1 receptors are also found to modulate other cardiac ion channels including different subtypes of potassium and sodium channels and have been shown to modulate intracardiac neuron excitability. The sigma-1 receptor is a potential therapeutic target for treatment of cardiac pathologies, particularly cardiac hypertrophy. We therefore suggest investigating the cardioprotective mechanisms of sigma-1 receptor function, alongside proposed potential ligands that can stimulate these functions.
PubMed: 31909177
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcha.2019.100449 -
Frontiers in Oncology 2022Chronic myeloid leukaemia is blood cancer due to a reciprocal translocation, resulting in a BCR-ABL1 oncogene. Although tyrosine kinase inhibitors have been successfully...
Chronic myeloid leukaemia is blood cancer due to a reciprocal translocation, resulting in a BCR-ABL1 oncogene. Although tyrosine kinase inhibitors have been successfully used to treat CML, there are still cases of resistance. The resistance occurred mainly due to the mutation in the tyrosine kinase domain of the BCR-ABL1 gene. However, there are still many cases with unknown causes of resistance as the etiopathology of CML are not fully understood. Thus, it is crucial to figure out the complete pathogenesis of CML, and miRNA can be one of the essential pathogeneses. The objective of this study was to systematically review the literature on miRNAs that were differentially expressed in CML cases. Their target genes and downstream genes were also explored. An electronic search was performed PubMed, Scopus, EBSCOhost MEDLINE, and Science Direct. The following MeSH (Medical Subject Heading) terms were used: chronic myeloid leukaemia, genes and microRNAs in the title or abstract. From 806 studies retrieved from the search, only clinical studies with experimental evidence on the target genes of the studied miRNAs in CML cells were included. Two independent reviewers independently scrutinised the titles and abstracts before examining the eligibility of studies that met the inclusion criteria. Study design, sample size, sampling type, and the molecular method used were identified for each study. The pooled miRNAs were analysed using DIANA tools, and target genes were analysed with DAVID, STRING and Cytoscape MCODE. Fourteen original research articles on miRNAs in CML were included, 26 validated downstream genes and 187 predicted target genes were analysed and clustered into 7 clusters. Through GO analysis, miRNAs' target genes were localised throughout the cells, including the extracellular region, cytosol, and nucleus. Those genes are involved in various pathways that regulate genomic instability, proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle, differentiation, and migration of CML cells.
PubMed: 35330714
DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.848199 -
Briefings in Bioinformatics May 2019In the course of infecting their hosts, pathogenic bacteria secrete numerous effectors, namely, bacterial proteins that pervert host cell biology. Many Gram-negative...
In the course of infecting their hosts, pathogenic bacteria secrete numerous effectors, namely, bacterial proteins that pervert host cell biology. Many Gram-negative bacteria, including context-dependent human pathogens, use a type IV secretion system (T4SS) to translocate effectors directly into the cytosol of host cells. Various type IV secreted effectors (T4SEs) have been experimentally validated to play crucial roles in virulence by manipulating host cell gene expression and other processes. Consequently, the identification of novel effector proteins is an important step in increasing our understanding of host-pathogen interactions and bacterial pathogenesis. Here, we train and compare six machine learning models, namely, Naïve Bayes (NB), K-nearest neighbor (KNN), logistic regression (LR), random forest (RF), support vector machines (SVMs) and multilayer perceptron (MLP), for the identification of T4SEs using 10 types of selected features and 5-fold cross-validation. Our study shows that: (1) including different but complementary features generally enhance the predictive performance of T4SEs; (2) ensemble models, obtained by integrating individual single-feature models, exhibit a significantly improved predictive performance and (3) the 'majority voting strategy' led to a more stable and accurate classification performance when applied to predicting an ensemble learning model with distinct single features. We further developed a new method to effectively predict T4SEs, Bastion4 (Bacterial secretion effector predictor for T4SS), and we show our ensemble classifier clearly outperforms two recent prediction tools. In summary, we developed a state-of-the-art T4SE predictor by conducting a comprehensive performance evaluation of different machine learning algorithms along with a detailed analysis of single- and multi-feature selections.
Topics: Algorithms; Bacterial Proteins; Bacterial Secretion Systems; Bayes Theorem; Machine Learning; Support Vector Machine
PubMed: 29186295
DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbx164 -
Estrogen sulfotransferase in the metabolism of estrogenic drugs and in the pathogenesis of diseases.Expert Opinion on Drug Metabolism &... Apr 2019Biotransformation is important in the metabolism of endobiotics and xenobiotics. This process comprises the activity of phase I and phase II enzymes. Estrogen...
Biotransformation is important in the metabolism of endobiotics and xenobiotics. This process comprises the activity of phase I and phase II enzymes. Estrogen sulfotransferase (SULT1E1 or EST) is a phase II conjugating enzyme that belongs to the family of cytosolic sulfotransferases. The expression of SULT1E1 can be detected in many tissues, including the liver. SULT1E1 catalyzes the transfer of a sulfate group from 3'-phosphoadenosine-5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS) to any available hydroxyl group in estrogenic molecules. The substrates of SULT1E1 include the endogenous and synthetic estrogens. Upon SULT1E1-mediated sulfation, the hydrosolubility of estrogens increases, preventing the binding between the sulfated estrogens and the estrogen receptor (ER). This sulfated state of the estrogens is not irreversible, as the steroid sulfatase (STS) can convert sulfoconjugated estrogens to free estrogens. The expression of SULT1E1 is inducible by several diseases that involve tissue inflammation, such as type 2 diabetes, sepsis, and ischemia-reperfusion injury. Areas covered: This systematic literature review aims to summarize the role of SULT1E1 in the metabolism of estrogenic drugs and xenobiotics, and the role of SULT1E1 in the pathogenesis of several diseases, including cancer, metabolic disease, sepsis, liver injury, and cystic fibrosis. Meanwhile, ablation or pharmacological inhibition of SULT1E1 can affect the outcomes of the aforementioned diseases. Expert opinion: In addition to its role in metabolizing estrogenic drugs, SULT1E1 is unexpectedly being unveiled as a mediator for the disease effect on estrogen metabolism and homeostasis. Meanwhile, because the expression and activity of SULT1E1 can affect the outcome of diseases, the same sulfotransferase and the reversing enzymes STS can be potential therapeutic targets to prevent or manage diseases. Accumulating evidence suggest that the physiological and pathophysiological effects of SULT1E1 can be estrogen-independent and it is necessary to elucidate what other possible substrates may be recognized by the enzyme. Moreover, human studies are paramount to confirm the human relevance of the animal studies.
Topics: Animals; Cytosol; Estrogens; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; Humans; Liver; Sulfotransferases; Xenobiotics
PubMed: 30822161
DOI: 10.1080/17425255.2019.1588884 -
BMC Public Health Jul 2009This paper reports on a systematic review of the literature on the post-conflict injury-related mortality of service members who deployed to conflict zones. (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
This paper reports on a systematic review of the literature on the post-conflict injury-related mortality of service members who deployed to conflict zones.
METHODS
Literature databases, reference lists of articles, agencies, investigators, and other sources were examined to find studies comparing injury-related mortality of military veterans who had served in conflict zones with that of contemporary veterans who had not served in conflict zones. Injury-related mortality was defined as a cause of death indicated by International Classification of Diseases E-codes E800 to E999 (external causes) or subgroupings within this range of codes.
RESULTS
Twenty studies met the review criteria; all involved veterans serving during either the Vietnam or Persian Gulf conflict. Meta-analysis indicated that, compared with non-conflict-zone veterans, injury-related mortality was elevated for veterans serving in Vietnam (summary mortality rate ratio (SMRR) = 1.26, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) = 1.08-1.46) during 9 to 18 years of follow-up. Similarly, injury-related mortality was elevated for veterans serving in the Persian Gulf War (SMRR = 1.26, 95%CI = 1.16-1.37) during 3 to 8 years of follow-up. Much of the excess mortality among conflict-zone veterans was associated with motor vehicle events. The excess mortality decreased over time. Hypotheses to account for the excess mortality in conflict-zone veterans included post-traumatic stress, coping behaviors such as substance abuse, ill-defined diseases and symptoms, lower survivability in injury events due to conflict-zone comorbidities, altered perceptions of risk, and/or selection processes leading to the deployment of individuals who were risk-takers.
CONCLUSION
Further research on the etiology of the excess mortality in conflict-zone veterans is warranted to develop appropriate interventions.
Topics: Cause of Death; Humans; Military Personnel; Veterans; Warfare; Wounds and Injuries
PubMed: 19594931
DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-9-231 -
Medicine Aug 2021Obesity strongly affects the prognosis of various malignancies, including breast cancer. Leptin (LEP) may be associated with obesity and breast cancer prognosis. The... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
PURPOSE
Obesity strongly affects the prognosis of various malignancies, including breast cancer. Leptin (LEP) may be associated with obesity and breast cancer prognosis. The purpose of our study was to determine the prognostic value of LEP in breast cancer.
METHOD
We conducted a multi-omic analysis to determine the prognostic role of LEP. Different public bioinformatics platforms (Oncomine, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis, University of California Santa Cruz Xena, bc-GenExMiner, PrognoScan database, R2-Kaplan-Meier Scanner, UALCAN, Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins database , and The Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery) were used to evaluate the roles of LEP. Clinicopathological variables were evaluated.
RESULTS
LEP was downregulated in breast cancer tissues compared to levels in normal tissues. By co-expressed gene analysis, a positive correlation between LEP and SLC19A3 was observed. Based on the clinicopathological analysis, low LEP expression was associated with older age, higher stage, lymph node status, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status, estrogen receptor (ER+) positivity, and progesterone receptor (PR+) positivity. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that low LEP expression indicated a poorer prognosis. LEP is hypermethylated in breast cancer tissues in PrognoScan and R2-Kaplan Meier Scanner, and low LEP expression was correlated with poor prognosis. LEP protein-protein interactions were analyzed using Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins database. Gene ontology analysis results showed that cellular component is mainly associated with the endosome lumen, cytosol, and secretory granules and is upregulated. For the biological process energy reserve, metabolic processes exhibited the greatest regulation compared to the others. In molecular function, it was mainly enriched in a variety of combinations, but hormone activity showed the highest regulation.
CONCLUSION
Our study provides evidence for the prognostic role of LEP in breast cancer and as a novel potential therapeutic target in such malignancies. Nevertheless, further validation is required.
Topics: Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Biomarkers, Tumor; Breast Neoplasms; Correlation of Data; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Leptin; Prognosis; Survival Rate
PubMed: 34414945
DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000026896