The development of folate-functionalised palladium nanoparticles for folate receptor targeting in breast cancer cells.

Folate receptor-targeted therapy has excellent prospects for the treatment of breast cancer. A non-toxic concentration of folate-conjugated palladium-based nanoparticles was used to target the overexpressed folate receptor on breast cancer cells. The folate-conjugated nanoparticles were tailored to accumulate selectively in cancer cells relative to normal cells via the folate receptor.

Impact of delaying high school start times on weight and related behaviors - the START study.

In the US, few adolescents get adequate school night sleep, largely due to early school start times. In the START study we aimed to test the following hypothesis: That following the implementation of later high school start times students have lesser longitudinal increases in body mass index (BMI) and shift to more healthful weight-related behaviors relative to students attending schools that retain early start times. The study enrolled a cohort of students (n = 2426) in five high schools in the Twin Cities, MN metro.

Recruiting an underserved, difficult to reach population into a cancer trial: Strategies from the 2 Rehabilitation Trial for gay and bisexual prostate cancer patients.

Background/aims: Sexual minorities are small and under-researched populations that are at disproportionate risk for cancer and poor cancer outcomes. Described as a "hidden population," the principal research challenge has been to develop effective methods to identify and recruit such cancer patients into cancer studies. Online recruitment strategies, as well as targeted clinic recruitment using patient-entered sexual orientation and gender identity data from electronic medical records have potential to transform recruitment, but studies testing the effects of how to recruit using these have not been published.

Creation and Psychometric Validation of the Sexual Minorities and Prostate Cancer Scale (SMACS) in Sexual Minority Patients-The Restore-2 Study.

Background: Existing measures of sexual functioning in prostate cancer survivors focus primarily on erectile function and do not adequately measure the experiences of sexual minority men.

Aim: To develop and psychometrically evaluate a new scale to measure sexual functioning among sexual minority men with prostate cancer.

Methods: Sexual minority prostate cancer patients (n = 401) completed an online battery of urinary and sexual functioning tests in 2019, including a new 37-item instrument about their sexual functioning post-treatment for prostate cancer.

Association of Delaying School Start Time With Sleep Duration, Timing, and Quality Among Adolescents.

Importance: Sleep is a resource that has been associated with health and well-being; however, sleep insufficiency is common among adolescents.

Objective: To examine how delaying school start time is associated with objectively assessed sleep duration, timing, and quality in a cohort of adolescents.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This observational cohort study took advantage of district-initiated modifications in the starting times of 5 public high schools in the metropolitan area of Minneapolis and St Paul, Minnesota.

The START study: An evaluation to study the impact of a natural experiment in high school start times on adolescent weight and related behaviors.

Background: Research has shown that early high school start times, which are asynchronous with adolescent biology, are one of the most significant obstacles to youth being able to net sufficient sleep. Given that adolescence is a critical period that sets the stage for long-term obesity risk behavior patterns, there is an need to understand the obesity-related implications of increased sleep as a result of intervention and policy changes.

Methods: We evaluated a community-based natural experiment in school start time policy modification when several Minneapolis-St.

Correlates of short sleep duration among adolescents.

Introduction: Short sleep duration is exceedingly common among adolescents and has implications for healthy youth development. We sought to document associations between adolescents' sleep duration and characteristics of their schedules, behaviors, and wellbeing.

Methods: We used data from the baseline wave (9th grade year) of the START study, a cohort of 2134 students in five Minnesota high schools to assess how self-reported sleep duration was associated with the prevalence of time-use characteristics (i.

Sleep Duration and Weight-Related Behaviors among Adolescents.

Insufficient sleep is widespread among adolescents and has consequences that extend far beyond hampering day-to-day functioning. It may influence eating and physical activity patterns and be an important determinant of adolescent overweight/obesity status. We assessed how self-reported sleep duration on school nights was associated with weight-related behaviors (eating, diet, and physical activity) and overweight/obesity at the baseline wave (ninth grade year) of the START study ( = 2134).

The Sexual Functioning of Gay and Bisexual Men Following Prostate Cancer Treatment: Results from the Restore Study.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM). Few studies have assessed the effects of treatment on GBM's sexual behavior. For an online survey, 193 gay and bisexual men with prostate cancer were recruited from the North American's largest online cancer support group.

What Gay and Bisexual Men Treated for Prostate Cancer Are Offered and Attempt as Sexual Rehabilitation for Prostate Cancer: Results from the Study.

Introduction: This is the first known study to investigate what gay and bisexual men are offered and what they try as rehabilitation to address the sexual and urinary effects of prostate cancer treatment.

Methods: A total of 193 gay and bisexual men with prostate cancer were recruited from a large male cancer survivor support and advocacy website. Online participants completed survey questions asking what rehabilitation treatments were offered, what they tried and what their satisfaction was with outcomes.

What Gay and Bisexual Men Treated for Prostate Cancer Want in a Sexual Rehabilitation Program: Results of the Needs Assessment.

Introduction: While erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence are well-documented effects of prostate cancer treatment, the impact of sexual concerns on the lives of gay and bisexual men treated for prostate cancer has not been well researched. Specifically there are no known studies investigating what gay and bisexual men want in sexual recovery treatment.

Methods: To conduct this needs assessment, we recruited 193 gay and bisexual men with prostate cancer from the largest online cancer support group in North America.

The Emergency Public Relations Protocol: How to Work Effectively on Controversial Projects in an Academic Health Setting.

Certain research topics - including studies of sexual behavior, substance use, and HIV risk -- are more likely to be scrutinized by the media and groups opposed to this area of research. When studying topics that others might deem controversial, it is critical that researchers anticipate potential negative media events prior to their occurrence. By developing an at the genesis of a study, researchers can identify and plan for events that might result in higher scrutiny.

The effects of gay sexually explicit media on the HIV risk behavior of men who have sex with men.

This study sought to study consumption patterns of gay-oriented sexually explicit media (SEM) by men who have sex with men (MSM); and to investigate a hypothesized relationship between gay SEM consumption and HIV risk behavior. Participants were 1,391 MSM living in the US, recruited online to complete a SEM consumption and sexual risk survey. Almost all (98.

Anticancer activity of the liposome-encapsulated cyclic dipeptides, cyclo(His-Gly) and cyclo(His-Ala).

Cyclic dipeptides have been well characterized for their biological activity, including antimicrobial and anticancer activities. Cyclo(His-Gly) and cyclo(His-Ala) have also recently demonstrated significant anticancer activity against a range of cell lines, however, as a result of their physicochemistry, namely high solubility and low lipophilicity, it can be predicted that cellular permeability would be low, making them ideal candidates for liposome drug delivery. Liposomes were composed of phosphatidylcholine, hydrogenated soy phosphatidylcholine (HSPC), stearylamine, alpha-tocopherol and 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[amino(polyethylene glycol)-2000] (PEG-DSPE) or folate-polyethylene glycol-cholesteryl hemisuccinate (F-PEG-CHEMS) using the thin-film hydration method and characterized for size and encapsulation.

Recruiting gay alcohol establishments for studies: lessons learned from the SILAS study.

We contacted gay bar/club managers in 16 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) in the US from 2008 to 2010 and invited them to participate in survey of gay bar/club identification and patronage. The annual response rates were 58%, 74%, and 71%, respectively. We convened two, 1-hr meetings with research staff to discuss lessons learned from recruitment efforts.

Antimicrobial activity of liposome encapsulated cyclo(L-tyrosyl-L-prolyl).

Various studies have shown the potentially beneficial biological activities of cyclic dipeptides and in particular, cyclo(L-tyrosyl-L-prolyl) (cyclo(Tyr-Pro)) has shown fair antibacterial activity in vitro. This study aimed to determine if liposome encapsulation would have any significant effects on the antibacterial activity of this compound. The thin-film hydration method with extrusion was used to produce small unilamellar vesicles containing cyclo(Tyr-Pro) that were shown to have an average encapsulation of 9.

Can we assess blood alcohol levels of attendees leaving professional sporting events?

Background: We measured blood alcohol content (BAC) levels of attendees at professional sporting events and assessed the factors associated with higher BACs.

Methods: We conducted BAC tests of 362 adult attendees following 13 baseball games and three football games. We ran multivariate analyses to obtain factors associated with the risk of having a higher BAC.

Alcohol control policies and practices at professional sports stadiums.

Objective: Alcohol-related problems such as assaults and drinking-driving at or near professional sporting events are commonly reported in the media. An important strategy to reduce such problems may be the use of alcohol control policies at sports stadiums. The objective of this study was to examine alcohol control policies and practices at professional sports stadiums in the U.

Methods for recruiting men of color who have sex with men in prevention-for-positives interventions.

Men who have sex with men (MSM), especially MSM of color, are disproportionately impacted by HIV/AIDS compared to heterosexuals and Caucasians. Nonetheless, fewer sexual and ethnic minorities participate in prevention interventions for people with HIV. We consider recruitment for Positive Connections, a randomized controlled trial comparing unsafe sex prevention interventions primarily for HIV-positive (HIV+) MSM in six US epicenters.

Likelihood of illegal alcohol sales at professional sport stadiums.

Background: Several studies have assessed the propensity for illegal alcohol sales at licensed alcohol establishments and community festivals, but no previous studies examined the propensity for these sales at professional sport stadiums. In this study, we assessed the likelihood of alcohol sales to both underage youth and obviously intoxicated patrons at professional sports stadiums across the United States, and assessed the factors related to likelihood of both types of alcohol sales.

Methods: We conducted pseudo-underage (i.

The synthesis and anticancer activity of selected diketopiperazines.

Six selected diketopiperazines, cyclo(Gly-Val), cyclo(Gly-D-Val), cyclo(Gly-Leu), cyclo(Gly-Ile), cyclo(Phe-Cys) and cyclo(Tyr-Cys), were synthesized via various synthetic routes. Their potential to inhibit cancer cell growth in HT-29, HeLa and MCF-7 cells was determined. Cyclo(Tyr-Cys) caused the greatest inhibition in cervical carcinoma cells with near equivalent activity against HT-29 and MCF-7 cells.

A randomized trial to evaluate a management training program to prevent illegal alcohol sales.

Aims: To evaluate effects of a training program for owners/managers of alcohol establishments-Alcohol Risk Management (ARM)-on: (i) propensity to sell alcohol to obviously intoxicated patrons; and (ii) changing establishment-level policies/practices.

Design: We assigned alcohol establishments randomly to intervention (full-ARM) and delayed-intervention/control (ARM Express) conditions.

Setting: One large metropolitan area in Midwestern United States.