Promoting safe hygiene practices in public restrooms: a pilot study.

The study described in this article examined the impact of hygiene posters in promoting safe hygiene practices for used toilet tissue disposal in public restrooms. Although the long-held hygiene norm in homes for the disposal of used toilet tissue in a container may occur in the rural U.S., it is critical in public environments to promote proper toilet tissue disposal in toilets to reduce potential transmission of bacteria and viruses. A control group time series design was used for observations of used toilet tissue disposal on the floor or in large trash cans in restrooms with and without signage for a two-week period. A significant decrease in observations was reported at intervention sites with posters (p = .025). No significant differences were reported at the control site. Posters were effective in motivating behavior change beyond hand hygiene. Further research may examine the impact of health posters in other environmental settings.

Transcriptional repression of the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit gene (CHRNA7) by activating protein-2α (AP-2α).

The CHRNA7 gene, which encodes the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7*nAChR), has been implicated as a candidate gene in schizophrenia. Expression of the α7*nAChR mRNA and protein are reduced in multiple regions of post-mortem brain from patients diagnosed with schizophrenia. Transcriptional regulation may therefore be an important mechanism for the regulation of this gene. A 230-bp proximal promoter fragment, necessary for transcription in cultured neuroblastoma cells, was used to study a putative AP-2α binding site. Mutation of the site indicates that AP-2α plays a negative role in regulating CHRNA7 transcription. This was confirmed through knockdown and overexpression of AP-2α. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) identified positive DNA-protein interaction at this same site, and supershift assays indicate that the complex includes AP-2α. The interaction was confirmed in cells using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP). DNA methylation was discovered as an anomalous mechanism for CHRNA7 regulation in one cell line. These studies suggest a role for AP-2α regulation of CHRNA7 mRNA expression in multiple tissues during development.

A 2-base pair deletion polymorphism in the partial duplication of the alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine gene (CHRFAM7A) on chromosome 15q14 is associated with schizophrenia.

Multiple genetic linkage studies support the hypothesis that the 15q13-14 chromosomal region contributes to the etiology of schizophrenia. Among the putative candidate genes in this area are the alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor gene (CHRNA7) and its partial duplication, CHRFAM7A. A large chromosomal segment including the CHRFAM7A gene locus, but not the CHRNA7 locus, is deleted in some individuals. The CHRFAM7A gene contains a polymorphism consisting of a 2 base pair (2 bp) deletion at position 497-498 bp of exon 6. We employed PCR-based methods to quantify the copy number of CHRFAM7A and the presence of the 2 bp polymorphism in a large, multi-ethnic population. The 2 bp polymorphism was associated with schizophrenia in African Americans (genotype p=0.005, allele p=0.015), and in Caucasians (genotype p=0.015, allele p=0.009). We conclude that the presence of the 2 bp polymorphism at the CHRFAM7A locus may have a functional significance in schizophrenia.

Association of the 5'-upstream regulatory region of the alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit gene (CHRNA7) with schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: The alpha7 neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit gene (CHRNA7) is localized in a chromosomal region (15q14) linked to schizophrenia in multiple independent studies. CHRNA7 was selected as the best candidate gene in the region for a well-documented endophenotype of schizophrenia, the P50 sensory processing deficit, by genetic linkage and biochemical studies. METHODS: Subjects included Caucasian-Non Hispanic and African-American case-control subjects collected in Denver, and schizophrenic subjects from families in the NIMH Genetics Initiative on Schizophrenia. Thirty-five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the 5'-upstream regulatory region of CHRNA7 were genotyped for association with schizophrenia, and for smoking in schizophrenia. RESULTS: The rs3087454 SNP, located at position -1831 bp in the upstream regulatory region of CHRNA7, was significantly associated with schizophrenia in the case-control samples after multiple-testing correction (P=0.0009, African American; P=0.013, Caucasian-Non Hispanic); the association was supported in family members. There was nominal association of this SNP with smoking in schizophrenia. CONCLUSIONS: The data support association of regulatory region polymorphisms in the CHRNA7 gene with schizophrenia.

Comparison of polymorphisms in the alpha7 nicotinic receptor gene and its partial duplication in schizophrenic and control subjects.

The hypothesis that the 15q13-15 region of chromosome 15 contains a gene that contributes to the etiology of schizophrenia is supported by multiple genetic linkage studies. The alpha7 neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (CHRNA7) gene was selected as the best candidate gene in this region for molecular investigation, based on these linkage findings and biological evidence in both human and rodent models. CHRNA7 receptors are decreased in expression in postmortem brain of schizophrenic subjects. A dinucleotide marker, D15S1360, in intron two of the CHRNA7 gene is genetically linked to an auditory gating deficit found in schizophrenics and half of the first-degree relatives of patients. Single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and sequence analyses of DNA from schizophrenic and control individuals identified 33 variants in the coding region and intron/exon borders of the CHRNA7 gene and its partial duplication, dupCHRNA7; common polymorphisms were mapped. Twenty-one variants were found in the exons, but non-synonymous changes were rare. Although the expression of CHRNA7 is decreased in schizophrenia, the general structure of the remaining receptors is likely to be normal.

Association of promoter variants in the alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit gene with an inhibitory deficit found in schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: The alpha7 neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit gene (CHRNA7) has been implicated as a candidate gene for schizophrenia, and for an auditory sensory processing deficit found in the disease, by both genetic linkage at 15q14 and biochemical data. The expression of CHRNA7 is reduced in several brain regions in schizophrenic subjects compared with control subjects. This study presents DNA sequence analysis of the core promoter region for CHRNA7 in schizophrenic and control subjects. METHODS: Single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis and DNA sequencing were used for mutation screening of the core promoter in the CHRNA7 gene. The sample included subjects from 166 schizophrenic families and 165 controls. Controls had no evidence of current or past psychosis and had auditory evoked potentials recorded. RESULTS: Multiple polymorphic patterns were identified in the CHRNA7 core promoter in both schizophrenic and control subjects. Functional analysis of polymorphisms indicated that transcription was reduced. The prevalence of functional promoter variants was statistically greater in schizophrenic subjects than in the controls. Presence of an alpha7 promoter polymorphism in controls was associated with failure to inhibit the P50 auditory evoked potential response. CONCLUSIONS: Although linkage disequilibrium with other genetic alterations cannot be excluded, the CHRNA7 core promoter variants, found in this study, may contribute to a common pathophysiologic feature of schizophrenia.

Temporal trends in tuberculosis hospitalization rates before and after implementation of directly observed therapy: New York City, 1988-1995.

New York City hospitalization rates were analyzed to investigate whether tuberculosis (TB) hospitalizations declined after implementation of directly observed therapy (DOT) for TB. TB hospitalization rates mirrored incidence rates in pattern but not in magnitude. Rates have declined significantly following widespread implementation of DOT in 1993.

Using hierarchical spatial models for cancer control planning in Minnesota (United States).

OBJECTIVE: Region-specific maps of cancer incidence, mortality, late detection rates, and screening rates can be very helpful in the planning, targeting, and coordination of cancer control activities. Unfortunately, past efforts in this area have been few, and have not used appropriate statistical models that account for the correlation of rates across both neighboring regions and different cancer types. In this article we develop such models, and apply them to the problem of cancer control in the counties of Minnesota during the period 1993-1997. METHODS: We use hierarchical Bayesian spatial statistical methods, implemented using modern Markov chain Monte Carlo computing techniques and software. RESULTS: Our approach results in spatially smoothed maps emphasizing either cancer prevention or cancer outcome for breast, colorectal, and lung cancer, as well as an overall map which combines results from these three individual cancers. CONCLUSIONS: Our methods enable us to produce a more statistically accurate picture of the geographic distribution of important cancer prevention and outcome variables in Minnesota, and appear useful for making decisions regarding targeting cancer control resources within the state.