Risk Factor For Certain Diseases Research Articles

Effects of Indoor Environmental Quality in Urban Housing on Residents' Health and Wellbeing in Nigeria

The building industry's contribution as a non-clinical contributor to the quality of life is its impact on occupants' health. A health-based standardised questionnaire and a digital data collection device were used to investigate the susceptibility of building indoor air quality (IAQ) to infectious diseases. PM2.5 (63 μm/m3) and PM10 (228 μm/m3) obtained exceeded the international standard. Some associations between certain building characteristics and potential risk factors for certain diseases were seen. This study provides a platform for future intervention in housing and public health policies and addresses the conundrum of safe and healthy buildings for the urban populace in Nigeria

PROGRAMA SAÚDE NA ESCOLA E A SAÚDE BUCAL DOS ALUNOS EM UMA ESCOLA PÚBLICA EM GOIANA-PERNAMBUCO

Health education has always been linked to disease prevention, as a way of modifying behaviors identified as risk factors for certain diseases. identified as risk factors for certain diseases. diseases. It is, fundamentally, an educational activity designed to broaden the population's knowledge of health and to develop the understanding knowledge of the population in relation to health and to develop understanding and personal skills that promote health. and skills that promote health. These activities can be useful in drawing attention to the economic and environmental causes of health. economic and environmental causes of health and disease and, to this end, they should include in their content, information that, for example information that, for example, demonstrates the political feasibility and organizational possibilities of various forms of targeted action. the political feasibility and organizational possibilities of various forms of action aimed at achieving health-promoting environmental, economic or social changes. or social changes that favor health. In this way, health education and health promotion are closely intertwined, i.e., health education and health promotion are the active participation of a well-informed population promotes health, and education is a tool for health promotion. health, and education is a vitally important tool in this process. This research was qualitative in nature and investigated the level of satisfaction of the students of a public school in Goiana school in Goiana - Pernambuco, in relation to the School Health Program Team, especially within the perspective of Oral Health. especially within the perspective of Oral Health.

Call to Action: Addressing Social Determinants of Health in Pharmacy Practice.

Social determinants of health (SDOH) are conditions in which individuals are born, live, work, learn, play, and age that affect health, risks, functioning, and outcomes. SDOH are recognized barriers to care, risk factors for certain diseases, and associated with poorer health outcomes. Screening for SDOH in physician practices and hospitals is reportedly low. The accessibility of pharmacists and established relationships with patients make pharmacy settings ideal for identifying and mitigating social needs. An evaluation of the impact of SDOH on health outcomes and opportunities for pharmacists to embed screening into practice is warranted.

The Prebiotic Inulin Beneficially Alters the Gut Microbiome and Associated Metabolites in an APOE4 Mouse Model (P08-133-19)

Abstract Objectives The APOE4 allele is a genetic risk factor for certain diseases, due in part to alterations in lipid and glucose metabolism. The gut microbiota is also known to impact metabolic and can be beneficially modulated by prebiotics. Prebiotics are fermented into metabolites by the gut microbiota. These metabolites act as gut-brain axis components. However, the interaction of the APOE4 allele, gut microbiota, and prebiotics are unknown. The goal of the study was to use prebiotic diet to restore the gut microbiome of mice with human APOE4 (E4FAD) genes. We hypothesized that the microbial compositions of E4 mice fed inulin, compared to control fed, will correlate to metabolites being produced by the microbiome that confer benefit to host metabolism. Methods At 3 months of age the E4FAD mice were fed for 4 months with either control or inulin diet. We used 16S rRNA sequencing to determine gut microbiota diversity and species variations; non-targeted UPLC-MS/MS and GC-MS analysis was used to determine metabolic profiles of blood. Results The inulin fed mice showed a more beneficial microbial taxa profile than those mice that were control fed. Control mice showed higher levels of dimethylglycine, choline, creatine and the polyamine spermine. Higher levels of spermine, specifically, correlate to higher levels of the Proteobacteria which has been implicated in GI disorders. E4 inulin fed mice showed higher levels of bile acids, short chain fatty acids and metabolites involved in energy, increased levels of tryptophan metabolites and robust increases in sphingomyelins. Specifically in E4 inulin fed mice we saw increases in certain genera of bacteria, all of which have been implicated in being beneficial to the composition of the microbiome and producing one or more of the above mentioned metabolites. Conclusions We believe the disparities of microbial metabolite production between E4 inulin fed mice and E4 control fed mice can be attributed to differences in certain taxa that produce these metabolites, and that higher levels of these taxa are due to the dietary intervention of inulin. Despite the APOE4 allele increasing one's risk for certain diseases, we believe that beneficially modulating the gut microbiota may be one way to enhance host metabolism and decrease disease risk over time. Funding Sources NIH/NIDDK T323048107792, NIH/NIA R01AG054459, NIEHS/NIH P42ES007380. Supporting Tables, Images and/or Graphs

Suppressor Effects of Sodium Pentaborate Pentahydrate and Pluronic F68 on Adipogenic Differentiation and Fat Accumulation.

Obesity is a major public health problem worldwide and a risk factor for certain diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and depression. Unfortunately, currently available anti-obesity drugs have failed in the long-term maintenance of weight control. It has been a challenge to design novel drugs that could potentially treat obesity or prevent uncontrolled weight-gain which lies underneath the pathology of obesity. Since obesity in a way is a consequence of the accumulating new mature adipocytes from undifferentiated precursors which is a process also termed as adipogenesis, drugs that might control adipogenesis could be beneficial for the treatment of obesity. In the current study, combined effect of sodium pentaborate pentahydrate (NaB) and pluronic F68 on adipogenic differentiation was examined by administering various combinations of the two agents to human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) in in vitro. Immunocytochemistry and quantitative RT-PCR were performed to evaluate the levels of adipogenesis-promoting genes such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ), fatty acid binding protein (FABP4), and adiponectin. Results indicated that expressions of all these three genes were restrained. Furthermore, Oil Red O staining revealed that lipid vesicle formation was reduced in hADSCs treated with differentiation medium containing NaB/F68 combination. Finally, expression levels of Hippo pathway kinases Lats2, MST1, and scaffold protein Sav1 were reduced in these cells, suggesting a possible link between Hippo pathway-dependent downregulation of PPARγ and the NaB/F68 treatment. Herein, we showed that combination of NaB and F68 curtails adipocyte differentiation by inhibiting the adipogenic transcriptional program leading to a decrease in lipid accumulation in adipocytes even at very low doses, thereby uncovered a striking opportunity to use this combination in obesity treatment.

Variation in hematological parameters in adult male and female smokers in Quetta city

Abstract Smoking is the second leading cause of death in the world. It has many adverse effects on organs and systems of body. Rapidly increased rate of smoking in all over the world is the largest threat for the health. Smoking may change different cellular components of blood. Different chemicals especially nicotine changes the chemistry of blood. This study was designed to investigate the adverse effect of smoking in hematological parameters in male and female smokers. A total of 200 subjects participated in the study including 100 males (50 smokers and 50 non-smokers) and 100 females (50 smokers and 50 non-smokers). Complete blood count (CBC) was performed to analyze the hematological changes between the smokers and non-smokers control group by using HumaCount 60 TS. Statistical analysis was performed in SPSS version 20. CBC test was performed to calculate the values of different parameters in blood. Significantly higher values of hemoglobin (Hb), Red Blood Cells (RBCs), White Blood Cells (WBCs) and MCHC (mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration) were observed in male smokers (P<0.05) than non-smokers. Female smoker showed significant increase in Hb level and PCV (Hematocrit) as compared to non-smokers and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Comparison of hematological changes in male smokers and female smokers showed significant increase in WBCs count of male smokers. Our findings showed that both male and female smokers have high leucocyte count that serves as a risk factor for certain diseases like cardiovascular diseases and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Keywords: Complete blood count; Hematological parameters; Huma Count 60TS; Smoking http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2019.80028

Association of ABO Blood Group and Body Mass Index: A Cross-Sectional Study from a Ghanaian Population.

ABO blood group and body mass index (BMI) have individually been appraised as risk factors for certain diseases. From statistical perspective, it may be important to examine the relationship between the ABO blood antigen and BMI. This cross-sectional study involved 412 participants aged 18 to 46 at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi. Weight and height of participants were measured for BMI calculation; blood group determination was done using antisera. Blood group O was the most prevalent (51.2%), while Rhesus-positive individuals constituted 90.3%. 6.3% of the participants were obese, while 18.7% were overweight. There was significant (p=0.006) higher prevalence of obesity in females (10.3%) than in males (3.4%). The study did not observe any significant difference by association of ABO blood group with gender (p=0.973), BMI (p=0.307), or Rhesus status (p=0.723). Regarding gender (p=0.400) and BMI (p=0.197), no statistically significant difference was observed between Rhesus blood groups. The prevalence of overweight, obesity, blood type O, and rhesus positive observed among students in this study is largely similar to what has been reported in published studies in Ghana and from other countries. Overweight and obesity were not associated with ABO blood groups or Rhesus in this study.

EFFECTS OF CROWDING AND LONELINESS ON LIVER FUNCTIONS IN ADULT MALE ALBINO RATS

Background: Crowding is one of the most popular stressors in experimental medicine since it could be regulated easily. Social isolation and lack of social support have deleterious effects on health. These are regarded as one of the most relevant causes of human diseases. Objective: Evaluation of the possible effects of either crowding and loneliness on liver functions in adult male albino rats. Material and methods: Fifty four adult local strain male albino rats were chosen as a model for the present work. They were divided into equal three groups;control group, crowded group and reduced space group. Animal behavior was observed, and blood samples were obtained for determination of blood glucose level, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total serum protein, serum albumin and globulin. Liver samples were obtained for histopathological study. Results: Crowding or loneliness led to different homeostatic changes including disturbed liver functions, glucose metabolism, lipid profile and altered behavior in addition to marked cellular changes on histopathological examination. Conclusion: Housing conditions affected behavioral and biological responses of animalsand could be considered risk factors for certain diseases as diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia and liver injury. Further studies are required to demonstrate how chronic stress can exert a facilitative effect on inflammatory response and even increases the risk of developing pathological effects.

Unsupported Labeling of Race as a Risk Factor for Certain Diseases in a Widely Used Medical Textbook

Confounding of racial, socioeconomic, and behavioral characteristics may lead to the misidentification of race as a risk factor for certain diseases. The authors evaluated the validity of attributing race as a risk factor in a widely used pathology textbook. In 2009-2010, the authors searched Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, Professional Edition (8th ed) for assertions that African Americans have a different disease profile than do individuals of other races. They evaluated the references cited in the textbook, assessing the quality of the sources and whether those authors controlled for confounding variables, such as socioeconomic status and behavioral characteristics. For statements that remained unconfirmed, the authors searched the literature for evidence supporting or contradicting the claims made in the textbook. The authors classified each statement from the textbook as supported, unconfirmed, or contradicted. Of the 31 relevant statements, 11 were supported by the literature review, 17 remained unconfirmed, and three were contradicted. About two-thirds of the assertions that different risk factors exist for African Americans found in a widely used pathology textbook could not be supported by the published literature. Failure to separate race from other socioeconomic and behavioral characteristics as risk factors for certain diseases may contribute to the misdiagnosis of patients and interfere with efforts to identify and remove causes of health disparities.

Proximate Analysis of Dragon Fruit (Hylecereus polyhizus)

Problem statement: Dragon fruit (Hylecereus polyhizus ) is well known for the rich nutrient contents and it is commercially available worldwide for improving many health problems. Several studies show the proximity value of red pitaya frui ts but the nutrient composition of the stem has not been extensively studied. Approach: This study was carried out to measure the proximat e analysis of moisture content, water activity, ash, crude protei n, crude fat, crude fiber, glucose and ascorbic aci ds content in premature and mature of dragon fruit. Th e dried powder was produced from the stem of dragon fruit and the proximate analysis of dragon f ruit stem was compared between freeze drying process and drying oven process. Results: Results of this study showed that 96% moisture; 0. 270 g of protein; 0.552 g L -1 glucose and 132.95 mg L -1 ascorbic acid of dragon fruit stem found higher th an the fruit flesh of the dragon fruit. Conclusion: The premature stem had higher values than the mature stem of the dragon fruit which may helpful in preve nting the risk factors of certain diseases.

The 77C→G Mutation in the Human CD45 (PTPRC) Gene Leads to Increased Intensity of TCR Signaling in T Cell Lines from Healthy Individuals and Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

The 77C-->G mutation in exon A of the human CD45 gene occurs with low frequency in healthy individuals. An enhanced frequency of 77C-->G individuals has been reported in cohorts of patients suffering from multiple sclerosis, systemic sclerosis, autoimmune hepatitis, and HIV-1. To investigate the mechanisms by which the variant allele may contribute to disease susceptibility, we compared T cell reactivity in heterozygous carriers of the mutation (healthy individuals and multiple sclerosis patients) and wild-type controls. In vitro-generated T cell lines and freshly isolated CD4+CD45R0+ primed/memory T cells from 77C-->G individuals aberrantly expressed CD45RA isoforms and showed enhanced proliferation and IL-2 production when stimulated with anti-TCR/CD3 mAb or Ag. Mutant T cell lines contained a more active pool of p56lck tyrosine kinase and responded with increased phosphorylation of Zap70 and TCR-zeta and an enhanced Ca2+ flux to TCR/CD3 stimulation. These data suggest that 77C-->G may act as a risk factor for certain diseases by increasing the intensity of TCR signaling.

Evaluation of the Influence of Medical Education on the Smoking Attitudes of Future Doctors

To evaluate whether medical education influences the prevalence, awareness of, and attitudes to smoking of medical students in the first 3 years of their degree. In this descriptive longitudinal questionnaire-based study of university students, data for medical and veterinary students in their first 3 years were compared. Of the 226 registered first-year medical students, 181 (80%) returned the questionnaire. Of the 180 first-year veterinary students, 161 (89%) replied to the questionnaire. In the third year, 151 questionnaires from medical students and 139 from veterinary students were returned. There were no differences in age or sex between the 2 groups, and both had more women. The prevalence of smokers increased between the first year and the beginning of the third (from 20% to 31% among medical students and from 28% to 32% among veterinary students). An improvement in the awareness of smoking as a risk factor was observed for medical students, but no change in attitude was observed. The influence of medical education on this health concern is limited as there is no reduction in the prevalence of smoking. Medical education also seems unable to change attitudes to smoking. More students relate smoking to risk factors for certain diseases, showing greater awareness of the health problems caused by smoking.

Gastrointestinal infections in the immunocompromised host

Infectious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract continue to be an important source of morbidity and mortality. Viruses, bacteria, fungi, and protozoa that infect normal hosts also infect the gastrointestinal tract in immunocompromised hosts. Disease caused by these pathogens may be more severe and more difficult to treat in immunocompromised hosts. In addition, pathogens that rarely cause disease in normal hosts cause significant disease in immunosuppressed hosts. Diagnostic decisions need to take into account expected pathogens and response to therapy. Treatment decisions must be based on the findings of diagnostic procedures; expected pathogens; and recent data suggesting that highly active antiretroviral therapy, with its ability to reconstitute immune function, is an essential component of treatment. This review summarizes the most important developments made in the pathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of gastrointestinal infections in immunocompromised hosts in the past year.

Weight control in women: A challenge to the obstetriciangynecologist

Obesity is a major problem in American women, and there is great concern with regard to weight control among both the obese and the nonobese. Vast sums of money are spent in the area of weight reduction, often with little or no benefit. Although obesity affects longevity adversely, weight loss has not been clearly associated with a decrease in mortality risk. Reduction in weight, however, can decrease risk factors for certain diseases and improve the quality of life. Current methods of weight control include diet, exercise, surgery, and medication. Several studies have shown that, in contrast to previous supposition, medical management should be long term. Recent investigations into the basic mechanisms of appetite control, moreover, suggest that more physiologic management methods will be available in the near future.

Epidemiology and community studies: Africa

There is still far too little information available on the rheumatic diseases in Africa. Epidemiological studies are required in order to determine the burden of illness from rheumatic diseases on the African continent as well as to identify local risk factors for certain diseases. Such studies will also serve to enable the development of preventative and rehabilitation strategies. Functional disability has to be assessed in relation to the prevailing sociocultural lifestyle on the continent. Measures of disability that reflect this await development whilst regional diagnostic criteria also need to be worked out. The validity of tests and the stability of test reagents in a tropical climate require analysis. Continuing assessment of rheumatological services is essential to ensure their effectiveness and efficiency in the community and in particular to determine health care priorities and the best forms of therapeutic intervention. This will enable judicious use of limited resources. Community surveys in Africa are fraught with constraints and are difficult to undertake owing to a shortage of manpower and financial resources. For this reason, most studies hitherto have been hospital based. Hospital studies though useful lack applicability to the population as a whole and consequently more emphasis on cross-sectional and longitudinal community studies are required. It is hoped that despite the restraints, these studies will be performed.