Responses to ozone (O3), an asthma trigger, are increased in obese (ob/ob) mice lacking the satiety hormone leptin. The long form of leptin receptor (Ob-Rb) is required for satiety; mice lacking this receptor (db/db mice) are also substantially obese. Here, wild-type (WT) and db/db mice were exposed to air or O3 (2 ppm) for 3 h. Airway responsiveness, measured by the forced oscillation technique, was greater in db/db than WT mice after air exposure. O3-induced increases in pulmonary resistance and airway responsiveness were also greater in db/db mice. BALF eotaxin, IL-6, KC, and MIP-2 increased 4 h after O3 exposure and subsided by 24 h, whereas protein and neutrophils continued to increase through 24 h. For each outcome, the effect of O3 was significantly greater in db/db than WT mice. Previously published results obtained in ob/ob mice were similar except for O3-induced neutrophils and MIP-2, which were not different from WT mice. O3 also induced pulmonary IL-1␤ and TNF-␣ mRNA expression in db/db but not ob/ob mice. Leptin was increased in serum of db/db mice, and pulmonary mRNA expression of short form of leptin receptor (Ob-Ra) was similar in db/db and WT mice. These data confirm obese mice have innate airway hyperresponsiveness and increased pulmonary responses to O3. Differences between ob/ob mice, which lack leptin, and db/db mice, which lack Ob-Rb but not Ob-Ra, suggest leptin, acting through Ob-Ra, can modify some pulmonary responses to O3. leptin; interleukin-1␤; airway responsiveness; macrophage inflammatory protein-2; neutrophil; ventilation EPIDEMIOLOGICAL DATA INDICATE that the prevalence of asthma is increased in the obese (21). Studies using objective measures of asthma, such as bronchodilator response, peak flow variability, or airway responsiveness, have confirmed this association (12,13,15,56). It is likely that obesity either causes or worsens asthma. Longitudinal studies indicate that obesity antedates asthma and that the relative risk of incident asthma increases with increasing body mass index (11,12,43). Furthermore, morbidly obese asthmatics studied after weight loss exhibit decreased severity and symptoms of asthma (1,24,53). Obesity may be particularly important for severe asthma since Ͼ75% of those visiting the emergency room for asthma are obese or overweight (56). In addition, ϳ70% of severe asthmatics are obese (2), and in women, asthma severity increases with body mass index (59).We have been investigating animal models that can be used to examine the mechanistic basis for the relationship between obesity and asthma. Ob/ob mice are genetically deficient in leptin, a satiety hormone, and Cpe fat mice are genetically deficient in carboxypeptidase E, an enzyme involved in processing of neuropeptides involved in satiety. Both ob/ob and Cpe fat mice are obese, and both types of mice exhibit innate airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), a characteristic feature of asthma (36,46,50). In addition, in both ob/ob and Cpe fat mice, airway responses to ozone (O 3 ), a common asthma trigger, are au...

Combining lower AUDIT cutoff scores and binge drinking measures may increase the detection of unhealthy alcohol use in primary care. Use of lower cutoff scores and dependence subscale scores may increase diagnosis of AD; however, better measures for detecting dependence are needed.

No abstract

Objective This pilot study examined whether breast cancer patients with childhood trauma exhibit increased fatigue, depression, and stress in association with inflammation as a result of whole breast radiotherapy (RT). Methods Twenty breast cancer patients were enrolled in a prospective, longitudinal study of fatigue, depression, and perceived stress prior to RT, week 6 of RT, and 6 weeks post-RT. Six weeks after RT, subjects completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Patients were also administered the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI), Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Self Reported (IDS-SR), and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) at all three time points, and underwent blood sampling prior to RT for gene expression and inflammatory markers previously associated with childhood trauma and behavioral symptoms in breast cancer patients. Results Eight subjects (40%) had past childhood trauma (CTQ+). Compared to CTQ− patients, CTQ+ patients had significantly higher fatigue, depression, and stress scores before, during and after RT (p<0.05), however, RT did not increase these symptoms in either group. CTQ+ patients also exhibited increased baseline expression of gene transcripts related to inflammatory signaling, and baseline inflammatory markers including c-reactive protein, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-1 receptor antagonist were positively correlated with depression, fatigue and stress scores in CTQ+ but not CTQ− patients. Conclusions Childhood trauma was prevalent and was associated with increased symptoms of fatigue, depression and stress irrespective of RT. Increased symptoms in CTQ+ patients were also associated with baseline inflammatory markers. Treatments targeting childhood trauma and related inflammation may improve symptoms in breast cancer patients.

4 Laryngoscope, 127:2057-2062, 2017.

4. Laryngoscope, 128:2326-2332, 2018.

The economic and personal distress resulting from the costs of cancer treatment has been referred to as financial toxicity. Nonmedical costs such as travel expenses are almost never reimbursed by insurance and can be a substantial out-of-pocket expense. This cross-sectional study aims to report parking fees at National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer treatment centers and to assess parking costs for the treatment duration of certain cancers.

In this hospital-based study, the addition of postoperative chemoradiation (either sequentially or concomitantly) after esophagectomy was associated with improved OS for patients with node-positive disease or positive margins.