Perceived neighborhood factors, health behaviors, and related outcomes in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos.

Hispanic/Latino populations may experience significant neighborhood disadvantage, but limited research has explored whether these factors affect their health behaviors. Associations between perceived neighborhood factors at Visit 1 and health behaviors and related outcomes at Visit 2 in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos were evaluated. Multivariable logistic regression assessed cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between perceived neighborhood social cohesion (NSC, 5 items), and neighborhood problems (NP, 7 items), with cancer screening, current smoking, excessive/binge drinking, hypertension, obesity, physical activity, and poor diet by gender and birthplace. NSC and NP scores were converted into quartiles. Mean age of participants was 42.5 years and 62.1% were women. Perceived NP, but not perceived NSC, differed by gender (p < 0.001). In unstratified models, no significant associations were observed between perceived NSC and any health behavior, whereas greater perceived NP was associated with less adherence to colon cancer screening (moderate level: aOR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.51, 090) and more physical activity (very high level: aOR = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.06, 1.69) compared to low perceived NP. Women with moderate perceived NP, versus low NP, had a lower odds of colon cancer screening at Visit 1 (aOR = 0.62, 95% CI = 0.43, 0.91) and higher odds of mammogram adherence at Visit 2 (aOR = 2.86, 95% CI = 1.44, 5.68). Men with high perceived NP had a higher odds of excessive or binge drinking at Visit 2 (aOR = 1.99, 95% CI = 1.19, 3.31). We conclude that perceived NP were significantly related to health behaviors among HCHS/SOL individuals. Perceptions of neighborhood environment may be considered modifiable factors of structural neighborhood environment interventions.

Chronic bronchitis and airflow obstruction is associated with household cooking fuel use among never-smoking women: a community-based cross-sectional study in Odisha, India.

BACKGROUND: The use of solid biomass as cooking fuel could be a potential risk factor for chronic bronchitis (CB) and airflow obstruction (AFO) among never-smoking women. The disease burden in India among women is generally underestimated due to limited population-based epidemiological investigations. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of CB and AFO among never-smoking women, and its association with household cooking fuel use. METHODS: We conducted a community-based cross-sectional study with a representative study sample (N = 1120) in Odisha, India during 2013-14. Study participants, never-smoking women aged 18-49 years, were recruited randomly from the population census. Trained community health volunteers administered a validated questionnaire that aligned with the standards of the Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) initiative and conducted spirometry. Prevalence estimates of CB (defined as "cough with productive of sputum for at least 3 months of the year for at least 2 years") and AFO (pre-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)/forced vital capacity (FVC) < 0.7) was estimated. Indoor PM2.5 exposure data were collected from a subset of 130 of the total 1120 homes in the study settings. Multivariable regression models were used to estimate the associated risk factors. RESULTS: Prevalence of CB and AFO were 7.3 and 22.4% respectively among the study participants. Of the study participants, 31% used exclusive liquefied petroleum gas, 18% used mixed fuel and 51% exclusively used solid biomass fuel for household cooking. In adjusted analysis, both CB (odds ratio 1·96, 95% CI: 1.06-3.64; p = 0·031) and AFO (OR 5.55, 95% CI: 3.51-8.78; p < 0·001) were found to be associated with cooking with solid biomass fuel. Interquartile range increases in PM2.5 was associated with significantly lower FEV1/FVC ratio. CONCLUSIONS: The study highlights that the estimates of population burden of CB and AFO are much higher than shown in previous epidemiological studies, and that cooking fuel type and time spent on cooking were associated with increased chronic bronchitis as well as decreased lung function as measured by FEV1/FCV ratios. To most accurately understand the current burden of disease and most effectively prevent an escalation in the future disease burden, further epidemiological investigations are warranted.

Stem cell impregnated nanofiber stent sleeve for on-stent production and intravascular delivery of paracrine factors.

Stem cell therapies for atherosclerotic diseases are promising, but benefits remain modest with present cell delivery devices in part due to cell washout and immune attack. Many stem cell effects are believed mediated by paracrine factors (PFs) secreted by the stem cells which potentiate tissue repair via activation and enhancement of intrinsic host repair mechanisms We therefore sought to create an "intravascular paracrine factor factory" by harnessing stem cells on a stent using a nanofiber (NF) stent sleeve, and thus providing a sheltered milieu for cells to continuously produce PFs on-stent. The NF sleeve acts as a substrate on which stem cells grow, and as a semi-permeable barrier that protects cells from washout and host immune response while allowing free outward passage of PFs. NF stent sleeves were created by covering stents with electrospun poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid nanofibers and were then uniformly coated with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). NF sleeves blocked cell passage but did not hamper MSC attachment or proliferation, and did not alter MSC morphology or surface markers. NF sleeve MSCs continued to secrete PFs that were biologically active and successfully induced tubulogenesis in human endothelial cells. NF stent sleeves seeded with allogeneic MSCs implanted in pigs remained patent at 7 days without thrombotic occlusion or immune rejection. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of creating an intravascular PF factory using a stem cell impregnated NF stent sleeve, and pave the way for animal studies to assess the efficacy of local PF production to treat ischemic artery disease.