Comparison of Census Tract-Level Chronic Disease Prevalence Estimates From 500 Cities and Local Health Claims Data.

OBJECTIVES: To compare city and census tract-level diabetes and hypertension prevalence using 500 Cities Project modeled estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and insurance claims data. METHODS: Insurance claims by census tract were collected from 3 local health plans for the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for 2015-2016; conditions were defined using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) and Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes. Crude prevalence estimates with 95% confidence intervals were downloaded from the CDC 500 Cities Web site to obtain modeled estimates by census tract. Confidence intervals were calculated for claims and compared with modeled estimates; nonoverlapping intervals were considered significant. Pearson correlation coefficients were generated for census tract-level comparison. RESULTS: City-level model-based and claims estimates were 9% versus 10% for diabetes and 31% versus 21% for hypertension. At the census tract level, model-based and insurance claims estimates were more concordant for diabetes (r = 0.366) than for hypertension (r = 0.220). Modeled estimates were significantly higher than claims estimates for 89% of census tracts for hypertension and 35% for diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: Modeled estimates from the 500 Cites Project were significantly higher than insurance claims estimates for hypertension but were more consistent for diabetes. Utilization of multiple data sources to understand local-level chronic disease burden requires consideration of the strengths and limitations of each.

New Approaches in Cancer Biology Can Inform the Biology Curriculum.

Students tend to be very interested in medical issues that affect them and their friends and family. Using cancer as a hook, the ART of Reproductive Medicine: Oncofertility curriculum (free, online, and NIH sponsored) has been developed to supplement the teaching of basic biological concepts and to connect biology and biomedical research. This approach allows integration of up-to-date information on cancer and cancer treatment, cell division, male and female reproductive anatomy and physiology, cryopreservation, fertility preservation, stem cells, ethics, and epigenetics into an existing biology curriculum. Many of the topics covered in the curriculum relate to other scientific disciplines, such as the latest developments in stem cell research including tissue bioengineering and gene therapy for inherited mitochondrial disease, how epigenetics occurs chemically to affect gene expression or suppression and how it can be passed down through the generations, and the variety of biomedical careers students could pursue. The labs are designed to be open-ended and inquiry-based, and extensions to the experiments are provided so that students can explore questions further. Case studies and ethical dilemmas are provided to encourage thoughtful discussion. In addition, each chapter of the curriculum includes links to scientific papers, additional resources on each topic, and NGSS alignment.

Reproductive Science for High School Students: A Shared Curriculum Model to Enhance Student Success.

The lack of a national reproductive biology curriculum leads to critical knowledge gaps in today's high school students' comprehensive understanding of human biology. The Oncofertility Consortium developed curricula that address the basic and clinical aspects of reproductive biology. Launching this academy and creating easy-to-disseminate learning modules allowed other universities to implement similar programs across the country. The expansion of this informal, extracurricular academy on reproductive health from Northwestern University to the University of California, San Diego, Oregon Health & Science University, and the University of Pennsylvania magnifies the scope of scientific learning to students who might not otherwise be exposed to this important information. To assess the experience gained from this curriculum, we polled alumni from the four centers. Data were collected anonymously from de-identified users who elected to self-report on their experiences in their respective reproductive science academy. The alumni survey asked participants to report on their current academic standing, past experiences in the academy, and future academic and career goals. The results of this national survey suggest the national oncofertility academies had a lasting impact on participants and may have contributed to student persistence in scientific learning.

Effects of various bases on acid-catalyzed amination of 2-chloro-5-ethylpyrimidine: synthesis of PPARpan agonist GW693085.

A unique buffering effect of various bases, i-Pr(2)NEt and CaCO(3) in particular, was observed for the acid-catalyzed chloro displacement of 2-chloro-5-ethylpyrimidine with a 2-methyl-2-phenylpropanamine. The use of the carefully chosen bases was essential for the progression of the chloro displacement as well as the stability of the product in the presence of HCl formed. Research work leading to an efficient synthesis of PPARpan agonist GW693085 is described, featuring highly selective sequential N- and O-alkylations.