Environmental Behavioral Factors Research Articles

The Vaginal Microbiome: A Long Urogenital Colonization Throughout Woman Life.

Vaginal microbial niche is a dynamic ecosystem, composed by more than 200 bacterial species which are influenced by genes, ethnic background and environmental-behavioral factors. Several lines of evidence have well documented that vaginal microbiome constantly changes over the course of woman’s life, so to exert an important impact on woman quality of life, from newborn to post-menopausal ages. This review aims at analyzing the role of vaginal microbiome in the maintenance of woman’s homeostasis and at tracking critical changes that commonly occur across woman’s lifetime. The role of hormone replacement therapy in the modulation of vaginal microbiome composition and in the improvement of vaginal wellness in postmenopausal women with decreasing levels of circulating estrogen is discussed.

IMPACT OF WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT ON EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE: MEDIATING ROLE OF EMPLOYEE HEALTH

Purpose – Purpose of current study is to explore, impact of workplace environment i.e Physical Environmental Factors and Behavioral Environmental Factors on employee productivity (EP) through mediating role of employee health (EH). Research methodology – This study adopted questionnaire survey method and data was collected from 250 employees working in software houses in Pakistan. Data has been analysed using SPSS and AMOS software. Reliability and correlation analysis was performed by using SPSS while; path analysis was performed using AMOS. Findings – Results revealed that one unit variance in PEF incorporates 35% change in EH, 33% change in EH is caused by one unit increase in BEF and one unit increase in EH leads to 80% increase in EP. Physical and Behavioural Environmental Factors are positively affecting EH and EH is positivity affecting EP. Results of the study revealed that: employee health is mediating the relationship between workplace environment factors and employee performance. Research limitations – We used working Environment factors to determine employee health; future studies can consider compensation practices, insurance plans and health benefits by the organisation, a large sample or increased number of mediating variables can be used. The current study has adopted cross-sectional design while future studies can consider longitudinal design. Practical implications – Organisations must maintain a better environment in order to enhance employee productivity as, employee performance and workplace environment have direct and positive relationship, employees productivity and physical as well as behavioural environment are linked through employee health.

Interferon Stimulated Genes and Hepatitis C Virus Infection

Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is a major cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. In addition to viral and environmental behavioral factors, host genetic diversity is believed to contribute to the spectrum of the disease. The sequencing of the human genome, together with the development of high-throughput technologies that measure the function of the genome, have afforded unique opportunities to develop profiles that can distinguish and classify discrete subsets of a disease and predict a response to therapy. In 2011, 2 directly acting antivirals (DAAs) have been approved for chronic HCV genotype 1 infection, Telaprevir and Boceprevir, and open a new area for HCV therapy. These 2 NS3/4 protease inhibitors are given in combination with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. Several DAAs are in development. Since a significant number of patients will fail to respond to treatment, or will have significant side effects, it is of major interest to predict a response to treatment as early as possible. Several studies are ongoing to identify biomarkers that could predict treatment outcome in patients with hepatitis C before treatment. Many of the genes upregulated in the liver between nonresponders and responders codes molecules secreted in the serum and can constitute a logical functional approach for the development of serum markers predictors of response to treatment. In the next future, further studies have several challenges to fight. First, large prospective cohorts with well phenotyped patients and appropriate tissue controls are needed. For response to treatment, the appropriate definition of sustained response and the same treatment regimen have to be addressed. Furthermore, improved technology and analytical procedures and the use of large numbers of patients for validation are needed.

Abstract B01: Meta-analyses of MTHFR and UGT1A1 genes as risk factors for colorectal cancer prevention

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this meta-analysis was to identify genes that have been associated with colorectal cancer (CRC), and the risk factors associated with these genes for cancer prevention. CRC is the third leading cause of cancer related deaths worldwide. Epidemiological studies have shown that 70-90% of all cancers are related to the environmental behavioral factors and may have implications for cancer prevention. Two genes identified through the genome application framework, and well published in the literature, are methylenetetra-hydrofolate reductase (NAD(P)H) (MTHFR) and UDP glucuronosyltransferase 1 family, polypeptide A1 (UGT1A1). Previous meta-analyses on this topic published 2-3 years ago were based on less than or about 1,000 cases, more focused on identifying the CRC genes. Since then, at least 30 times more cases with controls have been published in the literature, further identifying the potential risk factors for the application of cancer genome and CRC prevention. Procedure: On-line literature were searched from PubMed (PM), PM Central, PM Health databases for systematic reviews and meta-analyses by using a variety of combinations of key words about CRC genes, cancer prevention, human models, and clinical trials. For this analysis, 51 studies that have been published within the last 10 years, published with data containing both control and CRC cases of human samples were identified. These papers were then evaluated with the criteria for the quality of studies. With exclusion of repeated data, 50 studies were included, 46 and 4 studies focused on MTHFR and UGT1A1 respectively. Summary of Data Findings: Preliminary analyses included 31,674 CRC cases and 30,543 controls associating the MTHFR with CRC in 46 studies; and 938 cases and 866 controls associating UGT1A1 gene with CRC in 4 studies. Risk factors identifying the potential benefits of folate and vitamin B's and C are included in the 35 studies that have associated MTHFR with CRC. These studies included samples of all races and many ethnicity groups, and both genders. They have been published across various continents worldwide. While there are inconsistent findings for the association of these genes with CRC, two major single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for the MTHFR associated with CRC are MTHFR C677T (rs 1801133) and MTHFR A1298C (rs 1801131). The SNP variants in MTHFR have been associated with the prognosis and treatment efficacies of CRC. For prevention, enzyme pathways for folate and vitamin B's or C intake and metabolic mechanisms have been associated with the prognosis and treatment effects of CRC. While folate and associated vitamins have benefits, alcohol intake increases the risks of CRC. Additionally, while a fiber rich diet including cruciferous vegetables and polyphenols from fruits may be beneficial for CRC prevention, smoking may increase the risk and worsen the prognosis. Conclusion: Following analysis of these studies, it can be recommended that primary prevention of CRC could include having a diet rich in fiber, high in folate and vitamin B's and C content, and avoid smoking and heavy alcohol use. Meta-analysis of these studies has important impact for health habits and screening. The most common risks for CRC are preventable with life style changes, such as taking nutritional diet and creating healthy behaviors to help the human epigenetic in-vivo environment free from cancers. Citation Format: Amanda Lie, S. Pamela Shiao, Melissa J. LaBonte, Ching-Yi Chiu, Linda H. Chiang, Rose Sakamoto. Meta-analyses of MTHFR and UGT1A1 genes as risk factors for colorectal cancer prevention. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Eleventh Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research; 2012 Oct 16-19; Anaheim, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Prev Res 2012;5(11 Suppl):Abstract nr B01.

Gene expression and hepatitis C virus infection

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of chronic liver disease, with about 170 million people infected worldwide. Up to 70% of patients will have persistent infection after inoculation,...

Genetics, Genomics, and Proteomics: Implications for the Diagnosis and the Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. The severity of disease varies widely from mild illness to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The progression of liver fibrosis in HCV patients determines the prognosis and, thus, the need for and urgency of therapy. In addition to viral and environmental behavioral factors, host genetic diversity is believed to contribute to the spectrum of clinical outcomes of patients chronically infected with HCV. The sequencing of the human genome together with the development of high-throughput technologies has provided opportunities to distinguish discrete subsets of HCV disease and predict the disease outcome or the response to therapy. This article reviews genetic, genomic, and proteomic aspects associated with the natural history of HCV infection (i.e., viral clearance, fibrosis progression) and the response to therapy.

From preventive policy to preventive practice

Characteristics of the relationship of preventive policy to preventive practice are reviewed. The relatively low emphasis on prevention compared with treatment programs is discussed and the particular problem of the “anonymity” of prevention is defined. Prevention programs suffer in part because of the lack of identity of the specific individuals benefited. Examples from the cardiovascular diseases are used to illustrate the general points. The contrast between community- and patient-oriented prevention is important. Adequate levels of disease prevention and health promotion will never be attained one case at a time. Interactions among individuals are determinants of environmental behavioral factors relevant to health. The policy forming process is intrinsically interactive in nature. The Institute of Medicine's 1988 study of the future of public health is reviewed with respect to its emphasis on professional participation in the health policy process. Prevention is an essentially multidisciplinary area requiring the participation of many professions and disciplines. This property of prevention will be enhanced in the future. Ten principles which can be useful in translating preventive policy into preventive practice are presented.