Access

Format

Author / Creator

Subject

Recently added

Eresources

Language

Place of Publication

Dates

Location

Background Hispanics in the United States are disproportionately affected by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). While social distancing and quarantining are effective methods to reduce its spread, Hispanics, who are more likely to be essential workers and live in multigenerational homes than non-Hispanics, may face challenges that limit their ability to carry out these preventative efforts. We elicited the experiences of Hispanic adults with social distancing and self-quarantining during the COVID-19 pandemic in New York. Methods In this qualitative study, Hispanic adults receiving care at a federally qualified community health center in East Harlem, New York, were recruited for remote one-on-one semi-structured interviews from 5/15/2020 to 11/17/2020. Interviews were conducted by a bilingual interviewer in Spanish or English, using a semi-structured topic guide informed by the Health Belief Model. Audio-recordings were professionally transcribed. We used thematic analysis to iteratively code the data. Each transcript was independently coded by two research team members, then reconciled by a third. Major themes and subthemes were identified. Results Among 20 participants, four major themes emerged; Hispanics were: (1) fearful of contracting and transmitting COVID-19, (2) engaging in practices to reduce transmission of COVID-19, (3) experiencing barriers to social distancing and quarantining, and (4) facing an enduring psychological and physical toll from COVID-19. Conclusions Despite understanding the risks for contracting COVID-19 and taking appropriate precautions, Hispanics faced numerous challenges to social distancing and quarantining, such as living in crowded, multi-generational households, working as essential workers, and providing unpaid care to family members. Such challenges took a toll on their physical, emotional, and financial well-being. Our findings suggest that a tailored approach to public health messaging and interventions for pandemic planning are warranted among members of this community. Further research is needed to understand and mitigate the long term physical and psychological consequences of the pandemic among Hispanics. Keywords: Hispanic, Latino, Disparities, Equity, Social distancing, Quarantining, COVID-19, Social determinants, Crowding, Essential workers

BMC public health, 2021-10, Vol.21 (1), p.1-8, Article 1946

Challenges with social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic among Hispanics in New York City: a qualitative study

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) are linear organic nanomaterials derived from an abundant naturally occurring biopolymer resource. Strategic modification of the primary and secondary hydroxyl groups on the CNC introduces amine and iodine group substitution, respectively. The amine groups (0.285 mmol of amine per gram of functionalized CNC (fCNC)) are further reacted with radiometal loaded-chelates or fluorescent dyes as tracers to evaluate the pharmacokinetic profile of the fCNC in vivo. In this way, these nanoscale macromolecules can be covalently functionalized and yield water-soluble and biocompatible fibrillar nanoplatforms for gene, drug and radionuclide delivery in vivo. Transmission electron microscopy of fCNC reveals a length of 162.4 ± 16.3 nm, diameter of 11.2 ± 1.52 nm and aspect ratio of 16.4 ± 1.94 per particle (mean ± SEM) and is confirmed using atomic force microscopy. Size exclusion chromatography of macromolecular fCNC describes a fibrillar molecular behavior as evidenced by retention times typical of late eluting small molecules and functionalized carbon nanotubes. In vivo, greater than 50% of intravenously injected radiolabeled fCNC is excreted in the urine within 1 h post administration and is consistent with the pharmacological profile observed for other rigid, high aspect ratio macromolecules. Tissue distribution of fCNC shows accumulation in kidneys, liver, and spleen (14.6 ± 6.0; 6.1 ± 2.6; and 7.7 ± 1.4% of the injected activity per gram of tissue, respectively) at 72 h post-administration. Confocal fluorescence microscopy reveals cell-specific accumulation in these target tissue sinks. In summary, our findings suggest that functionalized nanocellulose can be used as a potential drug delivery platform for the kidneys.

Scientific reports, 2021-01, Vol.11 (1), p.157-12, Article 157

Fibrillar pharmacology of functionalized nanocellulose

Nanomedicine rests at the nexus of medicine, bioengineering, and biology with great potential for improving health through innovation and development of new drugs and devices. Carbon nanotubes are an example of a fibrillar nanomaterial poised to translate into medical practice. The leading candidate material in this class is ammonium-functionalized carbon nanotubes (fCNT) that exhibits unexpected pharmacological behavior in vivo with important biotechnology applications. Here, we provide a multi-organ evaluation of the distribution, uptake and processing of fCNT in nonhuman primates using quantitative whole body positron emission tomography (PET), compartmental modeling of pharmacokinetic data, serum biomarkers and ex vivo pathology investigation. Kidney and liver are the two major organ systems that accumulate and excrete [86Y]fCNT in nonhuman primates and accumulation is cell specific as described by compartmental modeling analyses of the quantitative PET data. A serial two-compartment model explains renal processing of tracer-labeled fCNT; hepatic data fits a parallel two-compartment model. These modeling data also reveal significant elimination of the injected activity (>99.8%) from the primate within 3 days (t1/2 = 11.9 hours). These favorable results in nonhuman primates provide important insight to the fate of fCNT in vivo and pave the way to further engineering design considerations for sophisticated nanomedicines to aid late stage development and clinical use in man.

PloS one, 2017-08, Vol.12 (8), p.e0183902

Carbon nanotubes exhibit fibrillar pharmacology in primates

Background:
Quantifying native cartilage thickness in pediatric and adolescent knees can help match donor and recipient sites for articular cartilage restoration procedures such as osteochondral autograft transplantation (OATS) and osteochondral allograft transplantation (OCA).
Hypothesis/Purpose:
The purpose of the current study was to quantify articular cartilage thickness in pediatric and adolescent knees using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We hypothesized that cartilage thickness is inversely correlated with skeletal maturity and age.
Methods:
One hundred and twenty MRI scans were evaluated in a cohort of patients 9 to 18 years old without osteochondral lesions, chondral wear or pathology, intraarticular fractures, history of knee surgery, or inflammatory arthropathy. Measurements of articular cartilage thickness at the medial femoral condyle, lateral femoral condyle, lateral trochlea, and patella were made on axial, coronal, and sagittal MRI scans (Figure 1). Skeletal maturity was categorized as ‘open’, ‘closing’, or ‘closed’ based on the status of the proximal tibial and distal femoral growth plates. Descriptive statistics was used to evaluate cartilage thickness by age and sex. Independent samples t-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and linear regression were performed to investigate for associations with sex, skeletal maturity, and age.
Results:
On the femur, cartilage was thickest at the lateral trochlea with mean articular thickness of 4.2 ± 1.4 mm in males and 3.6 ± 1.3 mm in females (p=0.015) (Table 1). Skeletally immature patients with open physes had significantly thicker cartilage at the medial femoral condyle, lateral femoral condyle, and lateral trochlea compared to patients with closing and closed physes (Figure 2). Linear regression analysis also revealed a significant association between femoral cartilage thickness and age (Figure 3). Age explained 63% of the variance at the medial femoral condyle (B=6.1, p<0.001), 64% of the variance at the lateral femoral condyle (B=4.9, p<0.001), and 68% of the variance at the lateral trochlea (B=8.2, p<0.001) (Table 2). In contrast, cartilage thickness at the patella did not significantly vary by age, sex, or skeletal maturity (Figures 2 and 4).
Conclusion:
There is a strong inverse association between increasing age and cartilage thickness of the femoral condyles and lateral trochlea. In particular, pediatric knees demonstrate relatively thick cartilage at the lateral trochlea that decreases with age. This information will help surgeons understand recipient site anatomy and identify appropriate donor site tissue for articular cartilage restoration procedures such as OATS and OCA in children and adolescents.
Tables:
Table 1.
Mean articular cartilage thickness of the femur and patella
Combined (n=120)
Male(n=40)
Female(n=60)
p value
Medial femoral condyle
3.2 ± 1.0
3.5 ± 1.0
2.9 ± 0.8
0.001
Lateral femoral condyle
2.8 ± 0.7
2.9 ± 0.7
2.7 ± 0.7
0.056
Lateral trochlea
3.9 ± 1.4
4.2 ± 1.4
3.6 ± 1.3
0.015
Median ridge of patella
4.2 ± 0.9
4.4 ± 0.9
4.1 ± 0.9
0.080
Medial facet of patella
4.7 ± 1.0
4.8 ± 1.0
4.6 ± 0.9
0.320
Lateral facet of patella
4.6 ± 0.8
4.7 ± 0.8
4.5 ± 0.8
0.185
Table 2.
Linear regression of articular cartilage thickness of the femur and patella by age
R2
B
p value
Medial femoral condyle
0.63
6.1
<0.001
Lateral femoral condyle
0.64
4.9
<0.001
Lateral trochlea
0.68
8.2
<0.001
Median ridge of patella
0.02
4.8
0.090
Medial facet of patella
0.04
5.5
0.032
Lateral facet of patella
0.001
4.5
0.741
Figures:
Figure 1.
Measurements of patellofemoral articular cartilage thickness
Measurements of articular cartilage thickness were made on (A) coronal, (B, C) sagittal, and (D) axial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the knee. For the medial femoral condyle, cartilage thickness was measured at five regions: midpoint of the medial condyle (MFC) and midpoints of Cahill zones 1 (MID1), 2 (MID2), B (MIDB) and C (MIDC). Similarly, measurements of cartilage thickness of the lateral femoral condyle were made at the midpoint of the lateral condyle (LFC) and midpoints of Cahill zones 4 (MID4), 5 (MID5), B (MIDB), and C (MIDC). Measurement of the lateral trochlea was made at midpoint of Cahill zone A (MIDA). Measurements on the patella were made at the midpoint of the medial facet (MF), midpoint of the lateral facet (LF), and the median ridge (MR) on axial and sagittal MRI scans.
Figure 2.
Mean articular cartilage thickness of the femur and patella by growth plate status
Figure 3.
Mean articular cartilage thickness of the femur by age
Figure 4.
Mean articular cartilage thickness of the patella by age

Orthopaedic journal of sports medicine, 2020-04, Vol.8 (4_suppl3)

ARTICULAR CARTILAGE THICKNESS IN PEDIATRIC AND ADOLESCENT KNEES DECREASES WITH AGE AND SKELETAL MATURITY: IMPLICATIONS FOR OSTEOCHONDRAL GRAFTING PROCEDURES

Export record to excel

Export this record

Export record to excel

Challenges with social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic among Hispanics in New York City: a qualitative study

Export this record

Export record to excel

Fibrillar pharmacology of functionalized nanocellulose

Export this record

Export record to excel

Carbon nanotubes exhibit fibrillar pharmacology in primates

Export this record

Export record to excel

ARTICULAR CARTILAGE THICKNESS IN PEDIATRIC AND ADOLESCENT KNEES DECREASES WITH AGE AND SKELETAL MATURITY: IMPLICATIONS FOR OSTEOCHONDRAL GRAFTING PROCEDURES

Refine your search