Racial/ethnic disparities in the association between fine particles and respiratory hospital admissions in San Diego county, CA.

Ambient air pollution exposure is associated with exacerbating respiratory illnesses. Race/ethnicity (R/E) have been shown to influence an individual's vulnerability to environmental health risks such as fine particles (PM 2.5).

Defining heat waves and extreme heat events using sub-regional meteorological data to maximize benefits of early warning systems to population health.

Background: Extreme heat events have been consistently associated with an increased risk of hospitalization for various hospital diagnoses. Classifying heat events is particularly relevant for identifying the criteria to activate early warning systems. Heat event classifications may also differ due to heterogeneity in climates among different geographic regions, which may occur at a small scale.

Heat, Disparities, and Health Outcomes in San Diego County's Diverse Climate Zones.

Climate variability and change are issues of growing public health importance. Numerous studies have documented risks of extreme heat on human health in different locations around the world. Strategies to prevent heat-related morbidity and reduce disparities are possible but require improved knowledge of health outcomes during hot days at a small-scale level as important within-city variability in local weather conditions, socio-demographic composition, and access to air conditioning (AC) may exist.

Feasibility Pilot of a Randomized Faith-Based Intervention to Reduce Secondhand Smoke Exposure Among Korean Americans.

Introduction: Interventions are needed to prevent exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS), which persists in certain immigrant enclaves, including Koreans in the United States. A faith-based and culturally acceptable intervention was developed and pilot tested in collaboration with Korean churches to address SHS exposure among people of Korean descent.

Methods: A pilot cluster randomized intervention trial was conducted with 11 Korean churches in southern California and 75 Korean adults who were exposed to SHS.

Longitudinal study of household smoking ban adoption among Korean Americans.

Background: Few longitudinal studies have examined the adoption of bans on smoking in private homes.

Purpose: This longitudinal study examined: (1) the prevalence of home smoking bans at baseline, (2) the incidence and predictors of new ban implementation by follow-up, and (3) the reasons for banning smoking and the difficulties with enforcement.

Methods: The sample consisted of 1360 adults of Korean descent residing in California who were interviewed by telephone (in English/Korean) at baseline during 2001-2002 and re-interviewed in 2006-2007.

Home smoking restrictions among Koreans in Seoul.

The prevalence and correlates of home smoking bans in the Republic of Korea were examined using population-based data from telephone interviews with 500 Seoul adult residents in 2002. Most (97%) respondents indicated that they smoked, or that their spouse, other family member, or a regular friend smoked. Nearly all indicated that environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is harmful.

Children's exposure to secondhand smoke at home in Seoul, Korea.

here is little information about Korean children's secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure at home. This paper examines the extent and determinants of their SHS exposure at home. A population-based random digit dial telephone survey was conducted in 2002 with 500 adults in Seoul.

Secondhand smoke exposure among nonsmoking adults in Seoul, Korea.

Despite having one of the highest smoking rates among men, information about secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure among Korean adults is lacking. This study describes SHS exposure among Korean men and women. The results were derived from a population-based, cross-sectional telephone survey conducted with 332 adult nonsmokers in Seoul.

Environmental tobacco smoke exposure among Korean American nonsmokers in California.

Information about the extent and patterns of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure among Korean Americans is sparse, despite the population's having one of the highest male smoking rates. This paper estimates the prevalence of ETS exposure among Korean American nonsmokers in California, and identifies demographic and other characteristics associated with exposure. Data were collected during 2001-2002 from telephone interviews (in English or Korean) with 2,328 nonsmoking Korean American adults.

Human connexin43 gene locus, GJA1, sublocalized to band 6q21-->q23.2.

Gap junctions permit transfer of small molecules directly between cells. Several laboratories have mapped the human gap junction protein subunit, connexin43 (locus designation, GJA1), to overlapping regions of chromosome 6, localizing GJA1 to 6q14-->q24. We have sublocalized human GJA1 to a very small region.

Refined localization of human connexin32 gene locus, GJB1, to Xq13.1.

Connexins are the peptide subunits of gap junctions that interconnect cells to allow the direct, intercellular transfer of small molecules. Recently, the human connexin32 gene (locus designation GJB1) has been regionally mapped by three other laboratories to Xp11-q13, Xcen-q22, and Xp11-q22. The smallest region of overlap from these studies is Xcen-q13.

Inhibition of metabolic coupling by metals.

Several metals were evaluated in cell cultures for their ability to inhibit metabolic coupling, the intercellular transfer of low-molecular-weight metabolites by directly connecting gap junctions. To monitor inhibition of metabolic coupling, wild-type Chinese hamster V79 cells proficient in metabolism of 6-thioguanine (6-TG) were cocultured with mutant V79 cells unable to metabolize 6-TG to its toxic metabolite (6-TG-resistant cells). In the presence of 6-TG, inhibition of metabolic coupling by the metals was manifested as increased recovery of 6-TG-resistant cells compared to recovery in untreated cocultures.

Cultured myometrial cells establish communicating gap junctions.

Myometrial cells were isolated and cultured from term rat uterus. The myometrial origin of the cultures was verified by antibody staining of cellular desmin and alpha-smooth muscle actin. The presence of functional gap junctions was indicated by transfer of radiolabeled nucleotide and microinjected Lucifer yellow dye.

Interruption of cell-cell communication in Chinese hamster V79 cells by various alkyl glycol ethers: implications for teratogenicity.

Intercellular communication most likely plays a significant coordinating role in morphogenesis. Blockage of a specific type of intercellular communication, that mediated by gap junctions, has been proposed as a mechanism of action of some teratogens. Several glycol ethers have recently been shown to be teratogenic in laboratory animals.