Faculty Bibliography

Alcohol, marijuana, and ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine [MDMA], 'Molly') are among the most prevalent substances used by young adults; however, few studies have focused on the specific sexual effects associated with use. Examining subjective sexual effects (e.g. increased libido) associated with use can inform prevention efforts. Data were analysed from 679 nightclub and dance festival attendees in New York City (ages 18-25) to examine and compare self-reported sexual effects associated with use of alcohol, marijuana, and ecstasy. Results suggest that compared to marijuana, alcohol and ecstasy were more strongly associated with heightened perceived sexual effects (i.e. perceived sexual attractiveness of self and others, sexual desire, length of intercourse, and sexual outgoingness). Increased body and sex organ sensitivity and increased sexual intensity were most commonly associated with ecstasy use. Sexual dysfunction was most common while using alcohol or ecstasy, especially among males, and females were more likely to report sexual dysfunction after using marijuana. Post-sex regret was most common with alcohol use. Alcohol, marijuana, and ecstasy each have different sexual effects; therefore, each is associated with different risks and benefits for users. Findings can inform prevention and harm reduction as young adults are prone to use these substances.

BACKGROUND:School meals have the potential to improve diet quality for millions of students across the United States. OBJECTIVES:Evaluate the feasibility of the FAV5 program, which aims to strengthen school meals by increasing appeal of school meals and improving relationships within the team of child nutrition staff and with other staff/teachers at their schools. METHODS:Nutrition researchers facilitated partnerships between the following groups to develop and implement the FAV5 program: the child nutrition director (CND) and managers at seven elementary schools in a North Carolina county, teachers and principals at those schools, a chef, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, and volunteers. RESULTS:The partnerships developed through the FAV5 program produced successful taste test events in seven elementary schools that generated enthusiasm around the school meals program and strengthened relationships. CONCLUSIONS:Engaging child nutrition staff and other community partners to plan and implement the FAV5 program in schools is feasible.

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND:Link4Health, a cluster-RCT, demonstrated the effectiveness of a combination strategy targeting barriers at various HIV continuum steps on linkage to and retention in care; showing effectiveness in achieving linkage to HIV care within 1 month plus retention in care at 12 months after HIV testing for people living with HIV (RR 1.48, 95% CI 1.19-1.96, p = 0.002). In addition to standard of care, Link4Health included: 1) Point-of-care CD4+ count testing; 2) Accelerated ART initiation; 3) Mobile phone appointment reminders; 4) Care and prevention package including commodities and informational materials; and 5) Non-cash financial incentive. Our objective was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a scale-up of the Link4Health strategy in Swaziland. METHODS AND FINDINGS/RESULTS:We incorporated the effects and costs of the Link4Health strategy into a computer simulation of the HIV epidemic in Swaziland, comparing a scenario where the strategy was scaled up to a scenario with no implementation. The simulation combined a deterministic compartmental model of HIV transmission with a stochastic microsimulation of HIV progression calibrated to Swaziland epidemiological data. It incorporated downstream health costs potentially saved and infections potentially prevented by improved linkage and treatment adherence. We assessed the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of Link4Health compared to standard care from a health sector perspective reported in US$2015, a time horizon of 20 years, and a discount rate of 3% in accordance with WHO guidelines.[1] Our results suggest that scale-up of the Link4Health strategy would reduce new HIV infections over 20 years by 11,059 infections, a 7% reduction from the projected 169,019 cases and prevent 5,313 deaths, an 11% reduction from the projected 49,582 deaths. Link4Health resulted in an incremental cost per infection prevented of $13,310 and an incremental cost per QALY gained of $3,560/QALY from the health sector perspective. CONCLUSIONS:Using a threshold of <3 x per capita GDP, the Link4Health strategy is likely to be a cost-effective strategy for responding to the HIV epidemic in Swaziland.

Prenatal arsenic exposure is associated with adverse birth outcomes and disease risk later in life, which could be mediated through epigenetic dysregulation. We evaluated the association between arsenic and gestational age (GA) that was mediated through DNA methylation (DNAm) using data from a Bangladeshi birth cohort. Arsenic exposure was measured in maternal drinking water at ≤16 weeks GA and maternal toenails collected ≤1 month postpartum. Cord blood DNAm was measured using Infinium HumanMethylation450 arrays (n = 44, discovery phase). Top loci identified in the discovery phase were then pyrosequenced in a second group (n = 569, validation phase). Structural equation models (SEM) evaluated the direct and indirect effects of arsenic and DNAm on GA. In the discovery phase, arsenic was associated with differential DNAm of 139 loci that were associated with GA (P < 1.10X10^-6; |β regression|>0.10). Each doubling in water arsenic concentration decreased GA by 2 days, which was fully mediated through the main principal component of the top-ten CpGs (P < 0.001). In the validation phase, there were direct and indirect effects of miR214-3 and MCC DNAm on GA. In an adjusted SEM model, mediation of the association between arsenic and GA by miR124-3 was borderline significant (P = 0.061). This study therefore identified DNAm at specific loci in cord blood that mediated the effect of arsenic exposure on GA. Specifically, prenatal arsenic exposure was associated with lower methylation of miR124-3 that mediated the exposure-response of arsenic on GA. Future research should evaluate if these epigenetic changes are persistent and associated with disease risk.

Background/UNASSIGNED:The Community Healthy Activities Model Program for Seniors (CHAMPS) survey, summarized into weekly caloric expenditures, is a common physical activity (PA) assessment tool among older adults. Specific types of PA reported in the CHAMPS have not been systematically analyzed. We applied latent class analysis to identify the patterns of PA among sedentary older adults with diabetes reported in the CHAMPS survey. Methods/UNASSIGNED:Latent class models of PA were identified using the CHAMPS survey data reported by 115 individuals aged ≥60 years with type 2 diabetes whom volunteered for a clinical study of PA. Multinomial logistic regression was used to assess independent predictors of a specific latent class, including age, sex, and performance in physical function tests. Results/UNASSIGNED: = 0.03). Conclusions/UNASSIGNED:Individual PA response in CHAMPS can be categorized using latent class models into meaningful patterns which can inform PA interventions. Customized PA programs should consider the heterogeneity of the activities among sedentary older adults. Trial Registration/UNASSIGNED:ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT00344240; retrospectively registered 23 June 2006.

Introduction Oral mucositis (OM) is one of the most debilitating adverse effects in patients undergoing cancer treatment. Physiologically, chemotherapy (CT) and radiotherapy (RT) evoke a profound inflammatory response, resulting in mucosal injury, which can result in an increased susceptibility to infection. Objectives The objective of this pilot study was to asses the effects of a novel oral care protocol on OM severity and to evaluate salivary cytokines in head and neck cancer patients undergoing RT or CT/RT at the NYU Langone Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center. Methods A total of ten participants were included in this study, and randomized to an InterventionGroup (IG), or ControlGroup (CG). Subjects assigned to the CG received a standard of care oral hygiene on a bi-weekly basis. Subjects assigned to the IG received the Oral Mucosal Deterging and Dental Prophylaxis (OMDP) protocol weekly, which consisted of a periodontal surface debridement and cleansing and deterging of the oral mucosa surfaces. Results Salivary inflammatory biomarkers, noted in levels of IFN-gamma, IL10, IL12p70, IL13, TNFalpha and IL-6 had a significant increase in the CG and reduced or stayed the same under the IG. Although not statistically significant, a tendency of pain decrease was observed in the IG and difficulty in swallowing was statistically significant when both groups were compared (p = 0,016). Conclusions These results suggest that overall inflammation was consistently higher as compared to baseline in the CG, providing encouragement for the effectiveness of the oral care protocol as a coadjutant treatment for this population

Introduction Mucosal damage secondary to cancer therapy occurs in 30% of patients receiving standard chemotherapy and 80% of patients receiving high dose chemotherapy. Mucositis is painful, interferes with nutrition, hydration, and often causes delay or reduction in chemotherapy. 20%of CLABSIs at NYU Langone Health (NYULH) in 2015 were secondary to mucosal translocation Objectives The goal of the NYULH Interprofessional Mucositis Workgroup is to decrease the incidence of mucositis in adult and pediatric oncology patients. Methods An interprofessional team of inpatient and outpatient, adult and pediatric medical providers, dentists, nurse practitioners, nurses, pharmacists, and IT collaborated to develop a standardized NYULH mucositis guideline for prevention and treatment. Results An evidenced-based standardized guideline for mucositis prevention and treatment across adult and pediatric inpatient and outpatient was developed. Conclusions This project suggests that interprofessional collaboration is an effective strategy for development and implementation of a standardized guideline for both pediatric and adult inpatients and outpatients