Community attitudes about discussing sexual health: assessing public opinion of local STD prevention campaigns.

Objectives: We assessed public views about the acceptability of and need for sexually transmitted disease (STD) and sexual health-related educational messaging in local campaigns.

Methods: A 28-item state-added module was included in the 2008 New York Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey (n=3,751). Respondents rated acceptability of venues/dissemination channels and messaging and agreement with attitudinal/need statements.

Ocular adnexal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: a review of epidemiology and risk factors.

Ocular adnexal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), the most common form of ophthalmic NHL, has a unique incidence pattern showing a steady and rapid increase in the past few decades, nearly equal rates among both genders, and predominance among Asians/Pacific Islanders. No major cause for ocular adnexal NHL has been identified, although infectious agents, immune disorders and genetic/epigenetic factors have all been implicated in its etiology. Identifying putative risk factors and biologic mechanisms leading to carcinogenesis in ocular adnexal NHL may enable implementation of effective preventive and/or therapeutic approaches for this malignancy.

Descriptive epidemiology of ophthalmic and ocular adnexal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

In this article, we provide an update on incidence rates of ophthalmic non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), in the context of other NHL, in the USA. We also provide population-based estimates of incidence and survival for ocular adnexal NHL, the most common form of ophthalmic NHL, for which descriptive patterns have not been previously reported. Ophthalmic and ocular adnexal NHL have unique incidence patterns, including equal rates among both genders, predominance among Asians/Pacific Islanders, and steady and rapid increases in the past few decades.

Privacy in the pharmacy environment: analysis of observations from inside the pharmacy.

Objective: To measure the extent to which pharmacist-patient conversations are private.

Design: Cross sectional.

Setting: New York State, April to June 2007.

Changes in community socioeconomic status and racial distribution associated with gonorrhea rates: an analysis at the community level.

Background: Gonorrhea persists despite nationwide disease control measures. Research has not focused on the longitudinal impact of community characteristics on gonorrhea. The authors assessed the association between community demographic and socioeconomic changes and gonorrhea rates.

Charting a Path to Location Intelligence for STD Control.

This article describes the New York State Department of Health's GeoDatabase project, which developed new methods and techniques for designing and building a geocoding and mapping data repository for sexually transmitted disease (STD) control. The GeoDatabase development was supported through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Outcome Assessment through Systems of Integrated Surveillance workgroup. The design and operation of the GeoDatabase relied upon commercial-off-the-shelf tools that other public health programs may also use for disease-control systems.

Identification of a potent, selective, and orally active leukotriene a4 hydrolase inhibitor with anti-inflammatory activity.

LTA 4H is a ubiquitously distributed 69 kDa zinc-containing cytosolic enzyme with both hydrolase and aminopeptidase activity. As a hydrolase, LTA 4H stereospecifically catalyzes the transformation of the unstable epoxide LTA 4 to the diol LTB 4, a potent chemoattractant and activator of neutrophils and a chemoattractant of eosinophils, macrophages, mast cells, and T cells. Inhibiting the formation of LTB 4 is expected to be beneficial in the treatment of inflammatory diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), asthma, and atherosclerosis.

Changes in population characteristics and their implication on public health research.

Population estimates are generally drawn from one point in time to study disease trends over time; changes in population characteristics over time are usually not assessed and included in the study design. We evaluated whether population characteristics remained static and assessed the degree of population shifts over time. The analysis was based on the New York State 1990 and 2000 census data with adjustments for changes in geographic boundaries.

Novel mutations in the gene encoding ATP binding cassette protein member A3 (ABCA3) resulting in fatal neonatal lung disease.

Aim: To investigate whether intractable respiratory distress syndrome in three Norwegian term infants was due to mutations in the ABCA3 gene.

Methods: The genes encoding SP-B (SFTPB), SP-C (SFTPC), and ABCA3 (ABCA3) were sequenced from the parents of one infant and two unrelated infants with fatal neonatal lung disease. Lung tissue was examined by histology, immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy.

Anti-inflammatory activity of a potent, selective leukotriene A4 hydrolase inhibitor in comparison with the 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor zileuton.

Leukotriene A(4) hydrolase (LTA(4)H) catalyzes production of the proinflammatory lipid mediator, leukotriene (LT) B(4), which is implicated in a number of inflammatory diseases. We have identified a potent and selective inhibitor of both the epoxide hydrolase and aminopeptidase activities of recombinant human LTA(4)H (IC(50), approximately 10 nM). In a murine model of arachidonic acid-induced ear inflammation, the LTA(4)H inhibitor, JNJ-26993135 (1-[4-(benzothiazol-2-yloxy)-benzyl]-piperidine-4-carboxylic acid), dose-dependently inhibited ex vivo LTB(4) production in blood, in parallel with dose-dependent inhibition of neutrophil influx (ED(50), 1-3 mg/kg) and ear edema.

Effects of partner notification on reducing gonorrhea incidence rate.

Objective: The objective of this study was to estimate the effectiveness of partner notification (PN) by linking measures of PN with the gonorrhea incidence rate in New York State exclusive of New York City.

Study Design: Gonorrhea cases were identified from the Communicable Disease Confidential Case Reports system. Case interview data were obtained from the case management database.

Learning from clients: an opportunity for sexually transmitted disease programs.

This article summarizes sexually transmitted disease (STD) knowledge, health care-seeking behaviors, and perceived advantages to seeking care from the perspective of 397 STD clinic clients interviewed between 1997 and 1999 in three northeastern cities. More than half reported a prior STD. Mean days delay in seeking treatment was 10.

Catalytic activity of ADAM8, ADAM15, and MDC-L (ADAM28) on synthetic peptide substrates and in ectodomain cleavage of CD23.

The ADAM family of disintegrin metalloproteases plays important roles in "ectodomain shedding," the process by which biologically active, soluble forms of cytokines, growth factors, and their receptors are released from membrane-bound precursors. Whereas ADAM8, ADAM15, and MDC-L (ADAM28) are expressed in specific cell types and tissues, their in vivo functions and substrates are not known. By screening a library of synthetic peptides as potential substrates, we show that soluble recombinant forms of these enzymes have similar proteolytic substrate specificity, clearly distinct from that of ADAM17 (TNFalpha-converting enzyme).

Effectiveness and cost-benefit of enhancements to a syphilis screening and treatment program at a county jail.

Background: High rates of syphilis are found in inmates of county jails. Treatment of this infected transient population necessitated the development of a rapid protocol.

Goal: To evaluate a rapid screening and treatment protocol for syphilis in a county jail.

Assessment of a geographically targeted field intervention on gonorrhea incidence in two New York State counties.

Background And Objectives: Using study findings that demonstrated the importance of core group members in gonorrhea transmission, in 1984, one New York State county changed its approach toward gonorrhea control by targeting its field intervention activities toward infected persons from a geographic core area. In late 1988, New York State experienced an epidemic increase in the number of syphilis cases. In response, the New York State sexually transmitted disease (STD) control program enacted a Syphilis Initiative, which required the diversion of field staff from gonorrhea to syphilis control activities for a 3-year period.

Impact of a mandatory syphilis delivery test on reported cases of congenital syphilis in Upstate New York.

A regulation mandating a syphilis serology test at delivery was implemented on December 6, 1989. To assess any impact on congenital syphilis reporting, we compared all cases reported in Upstate New York for the year directly preceding the regulation (n = 69) to those born in the three-year period following its implementation (n = 239). After implementation, the percentage of cases not tested at delivery decreased from 10 percent to 1 percent and reports of syphilitic stillbirths tripled.

Doxycycline and azithromycin for prevention of chlamydial persistence or recurrence one month after treatment in women. A use-effectiveness study in public health settings.

Background: To treat chlamydial infection, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends either a single dose of azithromycin or a 7-day course of doxycycline. Cost is a concern with the single-dose regimen; compliance is a concern with the multidose regimen.

Goal: To compare the use-effectiveness of azithromycin and doxycycline for preventing persistence or recurrence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in women and to evaluate associated risk behaviors.

Screening criteria for Chlamydia trachomatis in family planning clinics: accounting for prevalence and clients' characteristics.

The reliability of eight self-reported risk factors as criteria for screening women for Chlamydia trachomatis was evaluated in four family planning clinics in New York State that serve diverse populations. In all, 8,920 women were screened in these clinics; the rates of infection ranged from 2% to 7%. Results of multivariate analyses showed that age was the most important predictor of chlamydial infection in the three clinics where prevalence was 4% or higher; women aged 20-24 were 3-4 times as likely as older women to be infected, and those aged 13-19 were 4-6 times as likely.

Impact of institution size, staffing patterns, and infection control practices on communicable disease outbreaks in New York State nursing homes.

Institutional risk factors associated with the occurrence of nosocomial respiratory or gastrointestinal disease outbreaks in 1992 were examined in a case-cohort study of New York State nursing homes conducted in 1993. Facility size, staffing patterns, and employee sick leave policies were the principal effects found in an unconditional logistic regression model. The risk of having respiratory or gastrointestinal disease outbreaks was greater in larger nursing homes (adjusted risk ratio (RR) = 1.

Congenital syphilis surveillance in upstate New York, 1989-1992: implications for prevention and clinical management.

Descriptive characteristics and clinical information from 322 cases of congenital syphilis were reviewed. The births (318 mothers) included 31 (10%) stillborn and 59 (18%) with clinical evidence of congenital syphilis. Only 60 (19%) had a complete laboratory workup, including radiographs of long bones and spinal fluid analysis.

Is the high ischemic heart disease mortality rate in New York State just an urban effect?

To determine whether New York State's high ischemic heart disease mortality rate was due primarily to an urban effect, rates for regions in the State were compared with each other and with national data. New York State mortality rates for the period 1980-87 were highest for New York City (344.5 per 100,000 residents), followed by upstate urban and rural areas (267.

Impact of regulation on benzodiazepine prescribing to a low income elderly population, New York State.

On 1 January 1989, in an effort to reduce diversion of benzodiazepines for illicit use and reduce inappropriate prescribing, a regulation was implemented requiring the reporting of all benzodiazepine prescriptions to the New York State Department of Health. To assess the impact of the regulation on prescribing practices to the elderly, we followed the number of benzodiazepines and other central nervous system medications prescribed to a cohort of participants in an elderly pharmaceutical insurance program. Benzodiazepines were prescribed for 4652 (22%) of the 20,944 patients studied.

A multistate outbreak of sporotrichosis associated with sphagnum moss.

In the spring of 1988, the largest documented US outbreak of cutaneous sporotrichosis to date occurred, with 84 cases among persons from 15 states who were exposed to Wisconsin-grown sphagnum moss used in packing evergreen tree seedlings. In New York State, 13 cases occurred among 109 forestry workers. All 13 cases occurred among 76 workers who had handled evergreen seedlings and moss (attack rate = 17%).