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BackgroundImpulsivity has been proposed as an important factor in the initiation and maintenance of addiction. Indirect evidence suggests that some methamphetamine users report less impulsivity when they are using methamphetamine compared to when abstaining from drug use, but this hypothesis has not been directly tested.Objectives/methodsIn this study, self-reports of impulsivity were obtained from 32 methamphetamine-dependent (DSM-IV) research participants and 41 healthy control subjects, using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11. The methamphetamine users were assessed during an active period of methamphetamine use, as determined through urinalysis, and again after approximately 1 week of confirmed abstinence. Control subjects likewise completed two assessments. A subset of participants also completed serial assessments of the Beck Depression Inventory (Methamphetamine Group, N = 17, Control Group, N = 38) and the Methamphetamine Withdrawal Questionnaire (Methamphetamine Group, N = 12).ResultsThere was a significant interaction of group with time on impulsivity (p = 0.044), reflecting a significant increase from the first to the second assessment in the methamphetamine users (p = 0.013), but no change among healthy control subjects. In contrast, depressive and withdrawal symptoms significantly decreased between the first and second assessments in the methamphetamine users (ps ≤0.01). Change in impulsivity in methamphetamine users was not significantly correlated with change in withdrawal or depression (ps >0.05).ConclusionsThese findings suggest that methamphetamine users report more impulsivity when abstaining from drug use, an effect that is not significantly related to methamphetamine withdrawal. Attenuation of impulsivity may reinforce continued methamphetamine use in these individuals.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess potential relationships among reproductive health knowledge, preventive health behaviors, perceived severity and risk of breast cancer, cervical cancer, and sexually transmitted infections and selected demographical variables and characteristics related to acculturation among Latina immigrants. Methods: A total of 204 Latinas from a Midwestern city in the United States consented to participate in the study. Health interviews were conducted using semistructured interviews and convenience sampling. Interviews were conducted in the participants' choice of language by trained bilingual administrators at a variety of Latino associated locations. Results: Characteristics associated with acculturation, such as English skill, play a role in preventive health behaviors--in this case, self breast exams and likelihood of getting Pap tests. Perception of risk and severity may be affected by acculturation characteristics such as barriers to access as well as perception of severity which appear to be higher among Latinas with lower education levels. Conclusion: Culturally appropriate efforts to assess the health needs of emerging Latino communities will contribute to preventive health education for women. (Contains 3 tables.)

In the author's first three years of teaching in Tununak, a Yup'ik Eskimo village of approximately 350 people on the southwest coast of Alaska, there is no question that she has learned just as much, if not more, from her students and this community than her students could ever learn from her. Learning about and getting involved in the local community are necessary to become a successful high school teacher in Tununak, Alaska. In this article, the author describes cultural challenges and shares the experiences that have made her a learner as well as a teacher.

Development of BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have improved outcomes for patients diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia and Philadelphia chromosome positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia. However, resistance or intolerance to these TKIs still leaves some patients without many treatment options. One point mutation in particular, the T315I mutation, has been shown to be resistant to first and second generation TKIs. The third generation TKI, ponatinib, may provide an option for these patients. Ponatinib (Iclusig®), an orally available, pan-tyrosine kinase inhibitor has a unique binding mechanism allowing inhibition of BCR-ABL kinases, including those with the T315I point mutation. A Phase II study evaluated ponatinib in patients who were resistant or intolerant to nilotinib or dasatinib or patients who had the T315I mutation. In the Phase II study, ponatinib produced a major cytogenetic response in 54% of chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia patients. It further achieved major hematologic response in 52% of patients in the accelerated phase, 31% of patients in the blast phase, and 41% of Philadelphia chromosome positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients. Ponatinib also showed efficacy in patients with the T315I mutation. Serious adverse events included arterial thrombosis, hepatotoxicity, cardiovascular risks, pancreatitis, hemorrhage, fluid retention, myelosuppression, rash, abdominal pain, and embryo-fetal toxicity. Due to the risk of these adverse events and potential drug interactions, the use of ponatinib must be carefully weighed against the benefits in treating patients who have limited treatment options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess potential relationships among reproductive health knowledge, preventive health behaviors, perceived severity and risk of breast cancer, cervical cancer, and sexually transmitted infections and selected demographical variables and characteristics related to acculturation among Latina immigrants. Methods: A total of 204 Latinas from a Midwestern city in the United States consented to participate in the study. Health interviews were conducted using semi- structured interviews and convenience sampling. Interviews were conducted in the participants' choice of language by trained bilingual administrators at a variety of Latino associated locations. Results: Characteristics associated with acculturation, such as English skill, play a role in preventive health behaviors -- in this case, self breast exams and likelihood of getting Pap tests. Perception of risk and severity may be affected by acculturation characteristics such as barriers to access as well as perception of severity which appear to be higher among Latinas with lower education levels. Conclusion: Culturally appropriate efforts to assess the health needs of emerging Latino communities will contribute to preventive health education for women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents commentaries on nursing. Criticism against the opinion of Massachusetts Hospital Association president, David Kinzer on nurses; Response to criticism against nursing aide; Argument in favor of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing as an entry level for nursing.

The WNT/β-catenin cellular network has been extensively studied in numerous diseases including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). IBD is a condition that increases the risk of developing colorectal cancer. WIF-1 is an inhibitory protein that acts by blocking the interactions of WNT with its receptor complex, thus leading to downregulation of end products of this pathway. While WIF-1 has been characterized in several cancers, its relationship with IBD has yet to be elucidated. In this study, the expression of WIF-1 in patients with IBD was analyzed in order to provide insights into the pathophysiology and rationale for alternative therapies. Biopsies of both normal and inflamed colonic mucosa from patients with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis were histologically examined for the degree of morphologic changes, immune cell infiltration and presence of WIF-1 through immunohistochemistry. No differences were observed in WIF-1 expression linked to a particular condition, but WIF-1 stain was significantly enhanced in the crypts and lamina propria as inflammation increased in biopsies from patients with both, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. These findings could give guidance to new therapeutic applications of the WNT/β-catenin system and WIF-1 in IBD.