A significant public health concern with regards to increasing rates of Alzheimer’s is that it disproportionately affects minority groups in the United States.The present ecological exploratory study uses secondary a...A significant public health concern with regards to increasing rates of Alzheimer’s is that it disproportionately affects minority groups in the United States.The present ecological exploratory study uses secondary aggregate data from the fifty United States in the year of 2019.The purpose of this study was to address the disparities in Alzheimer’s in minority populations in the US and explore associated factors.The“minority”populations considered were African American and Hispanic populations,and the“majority”population was referred to as“white”.The data were extracted from the United States Census Bureau,the CDC National Center for Health Statistics,and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System(BRFSS)Dataset.The prevalence rates of Alzheimer’s disease are greatest in both older Hispanic(12.2%)and African Americans(13.8%),compared to older whites(10.3%)in the investigated time period.Our results showed that being over 65 years old(p=.009),with a below-average($62,843)median household income(p=.024),history of stroke(p=.029),and being a part of the Hispanic population(p=.036),were significantly associated with Alzheimer’s mortality rates in the United States.By identifying disparities in access to Alzheimer’s healthcare and at-risk communities,more comprehensive intervention strategies can be developed to promote change and advocate for more Alzheimer’s education and resource allocation for minority populations.展开更多
AIM:To identify the frequency of iron overload and study the three mutations in the HFE gene (C282Y,H63D,and S65C) in patients with chronic liver disorders (CLD) and controls. METHODS:To identify patients with iron ov...AIM:To identify the frequency of iron overload and study the three mutations in the HFE gene (C282Y,H63D,and S65C) in patients with chronic liver disorders (CLD) and controls. METHODS:To identify patients with iron overload (transferrin saturation > 45% in females and > 50% in males and serum ferritin > 1000 ng/mL) we evaluated 236 patients with CLD,including 59 with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH),22 with alcoholic liver disease (ALD),19 of cirrhosis due to viruses (HBV,HCV),and 136 with cryptogenic cirrhosis. Mutations of the HFE gene were analyzed by PCR-RE. hundred controls were screened for iron status and the mutations. RESULTS:Seventeen patients with CLD showed evidence of iron overload. Fifteen cases of iron overload had cryptogenic cirrhosis and two had ALD. None of the controls showed iron overload. We did not find any individual with 282Y or 65C either in the cases or in the controls. The prevalence of H63D heterozygosity was 12% in normal individuals,14.8% in 236 patients (16.9% in NASH,13.6% in ALD,26.3% in viral and 12.5% in cryptogenic cirrhosis) and the overall prevalence was 13.98%. Only two of the 17 patients with primary iron overload were heterozygous for H63D. One patient with NASH and one normal individual who were homozygous for H63D showed no iron overload.CONCLUSION:Primary iron overload in Indians is nonHFE type,which is different from that in Europeans and further molecular studies are required to determine the defect in various iron regulatory genes.展开更多
Background: Head and neck cancers (HNCs) are a heterogeneous group of tumors that progress owing to varied enviromental and genetic risk factors. Viral infections are threatening and adept at altering the expression o...Background: Head and neck cancers (HNCs) are a heterogeneous group of tumors that progress owing to varied enviromental and genetic risk factors. Viral infections are threatening and adept at altering the expression of cellular transcription factors such as nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and deregulation of other cellular proteins like NF kappa B inhibitor alpha (IκBα). The present study was conducted to detect high-risk genotypes of human papillomavirus (HPV) and protein expression of NF-κB signaling pathway in HNC patients with HPV infection.Methods: For HPV detection, genomic DNA from 152 HNC tumors was extracted formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue DNA kit. For genotyping, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using a general primer, HPV type-specific primers and agarose gel electrophoresis were performed. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was also performed on 4-μm thick tissue sections using HPV E6 monoclonal antibody. Protein expression analysis of NF-κB signaling pathway including p50, p65, and IκBα was performed using IHC.Results: PCR analysis showed that 24.3% (37/152) of HNC cases were HPV positive. Among HPV positive, 86.5% (32/37) were tobacco users, while among HPV negative, 66.9% (77/115) were tobacco users. A significant association of HPV positivity and tobacco user was observed by univariate analysis [P < 0.01;odds ratio (OR): 0.310, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.110 to 0.870]. More HPV positive patients were with poor oral hygiene (78.3%) when compared with patients with good oral hygiene (21.6%) [P < 0.03, OR: 2.440, 95% CI: 1.650 to 3.600]. The results of the logistic regression analysis showed that age, tobacco use and oral hygiene are significant predictors (P < 0.02). PCR and IHC staining results confirmed that HPV16 was predominant among HNC cases (64.8%) when compared with HPV18 (35.2%). Expression of NF-κB proteins (p50, p65, and IκBα inhibitor) were also observed in HPV and non-HPV infected HNC tissues. IHC expression of p50, and p65 showed nuclear staining, while IκBα inhibitor showed cytoplasmic staining. Protein expression in HPV cases was higher as compared to HPV naive cases (P < 0.05).Conclusions: From the study, it can be established that the use of tobacco, oral hygiene, and HPV infection may be synergistically involved in modulating the expression of NF-κB signaling pathway for the development and progression of HNC in the Pakistani population.展开更多
文摘A significant public health concern with regards to increasing rates of Alzheimer’s is that it disproportionately affects minority groups in the United States.The present ecological exploratory study uses secondary aggregate data from the fifty United States in the year of 2019.The purpose of this study was to address the disparities in Alzheimer’s in minority populations in the US and explore associated factors.The“minority”populations considered were African American and Hispanic populations,and the“majority”population was referred to as“white”.The data were extracted from the United States Census Bureau,the CDC National Center for Health Statistics,and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System(BRFSS)Dataset.The prevalence rates of Alzheimer’s disease are greatest in both older Hispanic(12.2%)and African Americans(13.8%),compared to older whites(10.3%)in the investigated time period.Our results showed that being over 65 years old(p=.009),with a below-average($62,843)median household income(p=.024),history of stroke(p=.029),and being a part of the Hispanic population(p=.036),were significantly associated with Alzheimer’s mortality rates in the United States.By identifying disparities in access to Alzheimer’s healthcare and at-risk communities,more comprehensive intervention strategies can be developed to promote change and advocate for more Alzheimer’s education and resource allocation for minority populations.
基金a grant from the Department of Biotechnology, India
文摘AIM:To identify the frequency of iron overload and study the three mutations in the HFE gene (C282Y,H63D,and S65C) in patients with chronic liver disorders (CLD) and controls. METHODS:To identify patients with iron overload (transferrin saturation > 45% in females and > 50% in males and serum ferritin > 1000 ng/mL) we evaluated 236 patients with CLD,including 59 with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH),22 with alcoholic liver disease (ALD),19 of cirrhosis due to viruses (HBV,HCV),and 136 with cryptogenic cirrhosis. Mutations of the HFE gene were analyzed by PCR-RE. hundred controls were screened for iron status and the mutations. RESULTS:Seventeen patients with CLD showed evidence of iron overload. Fifteen cases of iron overload had cryptogenic cirrhosis and two had ALD. None of the controls showed iron overload. We did not find any individual with 282Y or 65C either in the cases or in the controls. The prevalence of H63D heterozygosity was 12% in normal individuals,14.8% in 236 patients (16.9% in NASH,13.6% in ALD,26.3% in viral and 12.5% in cryptogenic cirrhosis) and the overall prevalence was 13.98%. Only two of the 17 patients with primary iron overload were heterozygous for H63D. One patient with NASH and one normal individual who were homozygous for H63D showed no iron overload.CONCLUSION:Primary iron overload in Indians is nonHFE type,which is different from that in Europeans and further molecular studies are required to determine the defect in various iron regulatory genes.
基金Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC) in the form of Indigenous PhD fellowship(2MB1-487)。
文摘Background: Head and neck cancers (HNCs) are a heterogeneous group of tumors that progress owing to varied enviromental and genetic risk factors. Viral infections are threatening and adept at altering the expression of cellular transcription factors such as nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and deregulation of other cellular proteins like NF kappa B inhibitor alpha (IκBα). The present study was conducted to detect high-risk genotypes of human papillomavirus (HPV) and protein expression of NF-κB signaling pathway in HNC patients with HPV infection.Methods: For HPV detection, genomic DNA from 152 HNC tumors was extracted formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue DNA kit. For genotyping, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using a general primer, HPV type-specific primers and agarose gel electrophoresis were performed. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was also performed on 4-μm thick tissue sections using HPV E6 monoclonal antibody. Protein expression analysis of NF-κB signaling pathway including p50, p65, and IκBα was performed using IHC.Results: PCR analysis showed that 24.3% (37/152) of HNC cases were HPV positive. Among HPV positive, 86.5% (32/37) were tobacco users, while among HPV negative, 66.9% (77/115) were tobacco users. A significant association of HPV positivity and tobacco user was observed by univariate analysis [P < 0.01;odds ratio (OR): 0.310, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.110 to 0.870]. More HPV positive patients were with poor oral hygiene (78.3%) when compared with patients with good oral hygiene (21.6%) [P < 0.03, OR: 2.440, 95% CI: 1.650 to 3.600]. The results of the logistic regression analysis showed that age, tobacco use and oral hygiene are significant predictors (P < 0.02). PCR and IHC staining results confirmed that HPV16 was predominant among HNC cases (64.8%) when compared with HPV18 (35.2%). Expression of NF-κB proteins (p50, p65, and IκBα inhibitor) were also observed in HPV and non-HPV infected HNC tissues. IHC expression of p50, and p65 showed nuclear staining, while IκBα inhibitor showed cytoplasmic staining. Protein expression in HPV cases was higher as compared to HPV naive cases (P < 0.05).Conclusions: From the study, it can be established that the use of tobacco, oral hygiene, and HPV infection may be synergistically involved in modulating the expression of NF-κB signaling pathway for the development and progression of HNC in the Pakistani population.
