This commentary illustrates a recent case study within Ontario, Canada, in which the application of sociodemographic and health data was used by public health to support a legal case to oppose a retail licence application to consume liquor at a corner store located within a neighbourhood that has experienced low socio-economic factors, including low income, high unemployment and low educational attainment levels. Communities in a similar situation may draw from this situation to prevent expansion of alcohol retail availability in neighbourhoods that have low socio-economic status populations and high unemployment and other factors associated with high rates of alcohol-related harms.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTET2 haploinsufficiency is a driving event in myeloid cancers and is associated with a worse prognosis in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Enhancing residual TET2 activity using vitamin C increases oxidized 5-methylcytosine (mC) formation and promotes active DNA demethylation via base excision repair (BER), which slows leukemia progression. We utilize genetic and compound library screening approaches to identify rational combination treatment strategies to improve use of vitamin C as an adjuvant therapy for AML.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe 2007 melamine pet food contamination incident highlighted the need for enhanced reporting of toxicological exposures and development of a national quantitative disease surveillance system for companion animals. Data from poison control centers, such as the Animal Poison Control Center (APCC), may be useful for conducting real-time surveillance in this population. In this study, we explored the suitability of APCC call data for early warning of toxicological incidents in companion animal populations by using a-priori knowledge of the melamine-related nephrotoxicosis outbreak.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWith current trends in cannabis legalization, large efforts are being made to understand the effects of less restricted legislation on human consumption, health, and abuse of these products. Little is known about the effects of cannabis legalization and increased cannabis use on vulnerable populations, such as dogs. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of different state-level cannabis legislation, county-level socioeconomic factors, and dog-level characteristics on dog cannabis poisoning reports to an animal poison control center (APCC).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To evaluate data concerning suspected companion animal exposures to possibly hazardous substances reported during telephone calls to the US Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) for characterization of dog and cat exposures to potentially toxic substances in the United States.
Sample: Household-level poisonings events involving dogs and cats in the United States that were reported to the APCC in 2005 through 2014.
Procedures: Substances involved in reported poisonings of dogs and cats were classified into 20 general categories, and descriptive statistical analysis was used to examine the most common categories.