Racial Background (racial + background)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Objective, Subjective, and Self-Assessment of Preadolescent Orthodontic Treatment Need , A Function of Age, Gender, and Ethnic/Racial Background?

JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH DENTISTRY, Issue 1 2009
Elizabeth A. Christopherson
Abstract Children from socioeconomically disadvantaged and/or underrepresented minority backgrounds in the United States have limited or no access to orthodontic treatment. Objectives: To determine whether preadolescents' (a) objectively assessed orthodontic treatment need; (b) subjectively assessed orthodontic treatment need; and (c) self-perceptions of the psychologic aspects of their oral health-related quality of life and desire to have braces vary as a function of age, gender, ethnicity/race, and socioeconomic status (SES). Methods: Data were collected from 1,566 preadolescents (age range: 8 to 11 years; 47.3 percent male/52.7 percent female; 55.7 percent African-American/39.7 percent White/2.9 percent Hispanic) in oral exams and in face to face interviews. Malocclusion was determined with the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need. Results: Children (17.2 percent) had definite treatment need, 33.7 percent were borderline, and 49.1 percent had little or no need. Objectively and subjectively assessed treatment need was not affected by the children's age or gender. However, girls were more critical of their smiles and wanted braces more than boys. The older the children were, the more critical they were and the more they wanted braces. African-American children and children in schools with higher percentages of children on free school lunches had less treatment need than White children and children in schools with lower percentages of students with free school lunches. While the provider-assessed treatment need was higher for White children than for Black children, Black children were less happy with their smiles than White children, and wanted braces more than White children. SES did not affect the children's self-perceptions. Conclusions: Findings showed that substantial percentages of the preadolescents have an orthodontic treatment need. Orthodontic need and child self-perceptions varied as a function of the children's age, gender, ethnicity/race, and SES. [source]


Women and attention deficit disorders: A great burden overlooked

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NURSE PRACTITIONERS, Issue 3 2007
Assistant Professor2), CS (Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Roberta Waite EdD
Abstract Purpose: To describe adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in relation to gender-based differences in symptom expression with particular emphasis on disparities concerning women, psychiatric comorbidities that affect assessment and detection, and evidenced-based treatment approaches for nurse practitioners (NPs). Data sources: Health sciences literature was reviewed using the following data-bases: Medline, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PubMed, Proquest, Psych Info, Wiley Interscience, Cambridge Press, Science Direct, and Thomson Gale. Conclusions: Recognizing adult ADHD may be challenging; however, with increased understanding regarding the subtle variations in symptoms, use of screening instruments, and careful assessment techniques, NPs will be better able to recognize the characteristics of ADHD that are important to early detection, proper diagnosis, and effective treatment. Implications for practice: Additional research and improved clinician education may facilitate early detection and treatment of ADHD among adults of all ages and ethnic/racial backgrounds. [source]


Do alcohol-metabolizing enzyme gene polymorphisms increase the risk of alcoholism and alcoholic liver disease?,

HEPATOLOGY, Issue 2 2006
Elias Zintzaras
Case,control studies that have investigated the association between alcoholism and alcohol-induced liver damage and the ADH2, ADH3, CYP2E1, and ADLH2 polymorphisms have reported controversial or inconclusive results. Thus, we conducted a meta-analysis of 50 association studies of the above polymorphisms. We explored potential sources of heterogeneity and bias, performed subgroup analyses by racial background and sex, performed sensitivity analyses for studies not in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, and performed a subgroup analysis for cases that met strict criteria for alcoholism. The present meta-analysis underscores significant associations of ADH2*1, ADH3*2, and ALDH2*1 alleles and the risk of alcoholism (OR = 1.89 [95% CI 1.56,2.28], 1.32 [95% CI 1.12,1.57], and 4.35 [95% CI 3.04,6.23], respectively). The subsequent subgroup analyses showed association for ADH2*1 and ADH3*2 only in East Asians (OR = 2.23 [95% CI 1.81,2.74] and 1.91 [95% CI 1.45,2.53], respectively) and East Asian males (OR = 2.21 [95% CI 1.57,3.10], 1.69 [95% CI 1.10,2.59], respectively). In East Asian males, the OR for ALDH2*1 was 3.66 (95% CI 1.68,7.96). In Caucasians, sensitivity analysis revealed an association for ADH2*1 in alcoholism (OR = 1.62 [95% CI 1.22,1.89]). When strict criteria were imposed, the pattern of results remained unaltered. For liver disease, there were no significant associations for ADH2*1, ADH3*2, or ALDH2*1 in all subpopulations. The CYP2E1 polymorphism showed no association whatsoever. There is evidence that alleles are mainly dominant. In conclusion, there was heterogeneity between studies in alcoholism for ADH2, ADH3, and ALDH2, and lack of bias in all polymorphisms. The above findings reinforce the need for more rigorous studies, and for regular synthesis of studies' results. (HEPATOLOGY 2006;43:352,361.) [source]


Investigation of the root canal configuration of mandibular first molars in a Taiwan Chinese population

INTERNATIONAL ENDODONTIC JOURNAL, Issue 11 2009
G. Chen
Abstract Aim, To investigate the root form and canal morphology of mandibular first molar teeth in a Taiwan Chinese population. Methodology, A total of 183 mandibular first molars were collected and examined visually through a dissecting microscope after rendering the teeth transparent. The number of roots, number of canals and canal configuration were recorded. The root canal morphology was categorized and compared according to Vertucci (1984). Results, Overall 46% of the mandibular first molars had four canals and 20% had extra-distal roots (distolingual root). In addition, 97% of the specimens had two mesial canals and 46% had two distal canals. In total, 68% of teeth with two mesial canals had two separated apical foramina, and 33% of teeth with two distal canals had two apical foramina. The most common canal configurations (Vertucci, 1984) of mesial roots were type 4 (46%) and type 2 (23%). Type 1 was encountered in 54% of the distal roots. Conclusions, The frequency of the extra-distal root on the mandibular first molar was 20%, and the incidence of three canals (Vertucci's type 8 classification) with separate apical foramina at the apex of the mesial root was 6%. The three-rooted variation of the mandibular first molar appears to be a genetic characteristic of an Asiatic racial background. [source]


Diagnostic clues to megaloblastic anaemia without macrocytosis

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LABORATORY HEMATOLOGY, Issue 3 2007
C. W. J. CHAN
Summary Masking of the macrocytic expression of megaloblastic anaemia (MA) by coexisting thalassaemia, iron deficiency and chronic illness has been widely reported. We described the haematological and clinical features of 20 Chinese patients with MA presenting with mean corpuscular volume (MCV) ,99 fl, and analysed the steps leading to the final diagnosis of MA with concomitant thalassaemia trait (n = 11), thalassaemia trait and iron deficiency (n = 3), iron deficiency (n = 4) and chronic illness (n = 2). We also compared the haematological characteristics of this group of patients with a group of normocytic anaemic patients without vitamin B12/folate deficiency, and identified certain laboratory information useful for differentiating the two groups. Statistically significant parameters included the mean values of haemoglobin, MCV, red cell distribution width (RDW), reticulocyte index, platelet count and serum bilirubin. All provided clues to maturation disorders within the marrow. A decision flowchart for the diagnosis of MA without macrocytosis was proposed. In the studied population, by using the parameters of haemoglobin <10 g/dl, MCV 80,99 fl, RDW , 16% and reticulocyte index , 2% as indicators, there was a 58% chance that a patient had MA without macrocytosis if he/she had all the four indicators, and a 2.2% chance of having it if he/she did not have these indicators. We emphasized the importance of including peripheral blood smear examination in the diagnostic procedures for such patients, as well as the importance of paying attention to patients' medical history, racial background and previous MCV value. [source]


Inner-City Children's Exposure to Community Violence: How Much Do Parents Know?

JOURNAL OF MARRIAGE AND FAMILY, Issue 4 2001
Rosario Ceballo
This study examines the psychological impact of children's exposure to violence and the influence of mothers' knowledge about their children's encounters with violence. Our sample consists of a poor, multiethnic sample of 104 fourth- or fifth-grade children and their mothers. Children in this sample were exposed to rather high levels of community violence, and on the whole, mothers greatly underestimated their children's exposure to violence and feelings of psychological distress. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that children's exposure to violence was associated with greater psychological distress. Our findings suggest that the detrimental effects of community violence are present for all children, irrespective of their racial background. Further, greater mother-child agreement about children's exposure to violence was related to better psychological functioning. The implications of these results for effective parenting strategies and community-based interventions are discussed. [source]


My Choice, Your Categories: The Denial of Multiracial Identities

JOURNAL OF SOCIAL ISSUES, Issue 1 2009
Sarah S. M. Townsend
Mixed-race individuals often encounter situations in which their identities are a source of tension, particularly when expressions of multiracial and biracial identity are not supported or allowed. Two studies examined the consequences of this identity denial. In Study 1, mixed-race participants reported that their biracial or multiracial identity caused tension in a variety of contexts. Study 2 focused on one often-mentioned situation: completing a demographic questionnaire in which only one racial background can be specified. Relative to mixed-race participants who were permitted to choose multiple races, those compelled to choose only one showed lower subsequent motivation and self-esteem. These studies demonstrate the negative consequences of constraining mixed-race individuals' expression of their chosen racial identity. Policy implications for the collection of racial and ethnic demographic data are discussed. [source]


Sports, ,race' and the Finnish national identity in Helsingin Sanomat in the early twentieth century

NATIONS AND NATIONALISM, Issue 3 2002
Mervi Tervo
The main goals of this article are first to examine through Olympic sports journalism what hierarchies and categorisations of the global space and the people populating it were considered important to the national imagery in Finland at the beginning of the twentieth century and, secondly, to assess how the notion of race was intertwined with these categorisations. Sports journalism played an important role in Finland by constructing and legitimising a national imagery and by providing accounts of other races, cultures and nationalities that were considered ,different' from ,us'. The article concludes that sports journalism at that time employed three major discursive practices that were aimed at constructing an image of a white, Western and Finnish nation living in the north. The ,others' were placed in a hierarchy, in which their position was determined by their racial background and assumed similarities/differences in appearance and behaviour as compared with Finnish males. [source]


Fasting c-peptide and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-1 levels help to distinguish childhood type 1 and type 2 diabetes at diagnosis

PEDIATRIC DIABETES, Issue 2 2007
Lorraine E Levitt Katz
Background:, Children with new onset diabetes (n = 175) were evaluated over 12-months. Patients were presumptively diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) (n = 26) based on obesity, a relative with T2DM, the ability to wean from insulin, and absence of glutamic acid decarboxylase-65 (GAD-65) antibodies. We hypothesized that markers of insulinization at diagnosis, including fasting C-peptide and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein (IGFBP)-1, in addition to initial CO2 levels and urine ketones, would help in distinguishing type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) from T2DM. Results:, Children with T1DM (84 male, 65 female) had a mean age of 8.7 ± 4.3 yr and a racial background of 78% white, 19% black, and 3% other. In contrast, children with T2DM (13 female, 13 male) had a mean age of 14.2 ± 3.1 yr with a racial background of 58% black, 27% white, and 15% other. Fasting C-peptide level was 0.38 ± 0.37 ng/mL in T1DM vs. 2.66 ± 2.14 ng/mL in T2DM; a C-peptide of 0.85 ng/mL had 83% sensitivity in distinguishing T1DM from T2DM. Fasting IGFBP-1 level was 38.1 ± 39.1 ng/mL (T1DM) vs. 3.6 ± 4.5 ng/mL (T2DM); a value of 3.6 ng/dL could distinguish the two types of diabetes with 93% sensitivity. Urinary ketones were found in 79% of children with T1DM compared with 56% of those with T2DM, and the magnitude was associated with type of diabetes. Initial CO2 level for T1DM was 17.9 ± 6.9 mmol/L vs. 22.7 ± 5.7 mmol/L for T2DM; a value of 21.5 mmol/L could distinguish the two types of diabetes with 83% sensitivity. Conclusions:, In addition to obesity, family history of T2DM, and absence of GAD-65 antibodies, children with new-onset T2DM may be distinguished from those with T1DM by a combination of biochemical parameters (C-peptide, IGFBP-1, CO2, and urine ketones). [source]


Dysfunctional proinflammatory high-density lipoproteins confer increased risk of atherosclerosis in women with systemic lupus erythematosus

ARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM, Issue 8 2009
Maureen McMahon
Objective Women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have an increased risk of atherosclerosis. Identification of at-risk patients and the etiology underlying atherosclerosis in SLE remain elusive. The antioxidant capacity of normal high-density lipoproteins (HDLs) is lost during inflammation, and these dysfunctional HDLs might predispose individuals to atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to determine whether dysfunctional proinflammatory HDL (piHDL) is associated with subclinical atherosclerosis in SLE. Methods Carotid artery ultrasound was performed in 276 women with SLE to identify carotid plaques and measure intima-media thickness (IMT). The antioxidant function of HDL was measured as the change in oxidation of low-density lipoprotein after the addition of HDL cholesterol. Two antiinflammatory HDL components, paraoxonase 1 and apolipoprotein A-I, were also measured. Results Among the SLE patients, 48.2% were determined to have piHDL on carotid ultrasound, while 86.7% of patients with plaque had piHDL compared with 40.7% of those without plaque (P < 0.001). Patients with piHDL also had a higher IMT (P < 0.001). After multivariate analysis, the only factors found to be significantly associated with plaque were the presence of piHDL (odds ratio [OR] 16.1, P < 0.001), older age (OR 1.2, P < 0.001), hypertension (OR 3.0, P = 0.04), dyslipidemia (OR 3.4, P = 0.04), and mixed racial background (OR 8.3, P = 0.04). Factors associated with IMT measurements in the highest quartile were the presence of piHDL (OR 2.5, P = 0.02), older age (OR 1.1, P < 0.001), a higher body mass index (OR 1.07, P = 0.04), a cumulative lifetime prednisone dose ,20 gm (OR 2.9, P = 0.04), and African American race (OR 8.3, P = 0.001). Conclusion Dysfunctional piHDL greatly increases the risk of developing subclinical atherosclerosis in SLE. The presence of piHDL was associated with an increased prevalence of carotid plaque and with a higher IMT. Therefore, determination of piHDL may help identify patients at risk for atherosclerosis. [source]


Racial differences in effectiveness of ,-fetoprotein for diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in hepatitis C virus cirrhosis

HEPATOLOGY, Issue 2 2002
Mindie H. Nguyen
,-Fetoprotein (AFP) is frequently used as a diagnostic marker for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Most available data concerning AFP come from studies of patients with chronic hepatitis B or other chronic liver diseases of mixed etiologies. Limited data concerning the diagnostic value of AFP for hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related HCC have to date come only from Asian and European studies, and results are conflicting. There may be significant differences in AFP levels depending on racial backgrounds and etiologies of primary liver disease. We conducted a multicenter, retrospective, case-control study of 163 HCC patients with HCV infection and 149 control patients with HCV-related cirrhosis. The positive likelihood ratios for AFP at 0 to 20, 21 to 50, 51 to 100, and 101 to 200 ng/mL were 0.46, 1.31, 1.15, and 6.90, respectively. No controls had AFP greater than 200 ng/mL. The sensitivity of AFP for the diagnosis of HCC in African Americans with HCV infection was lower than that of patients of all other ethnic groups combined (57.1% vs. 81.6% for AFP > 10 ng/mL, P = .02, and 42.9% vs. 66.0% for AFP > 20 ng/mL, P = .05). The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve was 0.81 for non-African Americans but only 0.56 for African Americans. In conclusion, AFP greater than 200 ng/mL can be used to confirm HCC in patients with HCV-related cirrhosis and a hepatic mass. However, AFP is insensitive for the diagnosis of HCC in African Americans. [source]


Referral rates for a functional vision screening among a large cosmopolitan sample of Australian children

OPHTHALMIC AND PHYSIOLOGICAL OPTICS, Issue 1 2002
Barbara Junghans
The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of functional vision problems in a large unselected cosmopolitan population of primary school-age children and to investigate whether constant clinical criteria for functional vision problems would be implemented by the practitioners involved in the screening. Refractive errors, near point of convergence, stereopsis, strabismus, heterophoria and accommodative facility were assessed for 2697 children (3,12 years) of varying racial backgrounds living in Australia. The spherical component of the refractive error ranged from ,7.75 to +9.50 D (mean +0.54 D, ±0.79) with a distribution skewed towards hypermetropia; astigmatism ranged from 0 to 4.25 D (mean ,0.16 D, ±0.35). There was a trend towards less hypermetropia and slightly more astigmatism with age. Mean near point of convergence was 5.4 ± 2.9 cm, heterophoria at far and near was 0.12 ± 1.58, exophoria and 1.05 ± 2.53, exophoria, respectively, 0.55% of children exhibited vertical phoria at near >0.5,, accommodative facility ranged from 0 to 24 cycles per minute (cpm) (mean 11.2 cpm, ±3.7), stereopsis varied from 20 to 800 s (,,) of arc with 50% of children having 40,, or better. The prevalence of strabismus was particularly low (0.3%). Twenty percent of the children were referred for further assessment based on criteria of one or more of: stereopsis >70,,, accommodative facility <8 cpm, near point of convergence (NPC) >9 cm, near exophoria >10, or near esophoria >5,, shift in eso or exophoria , 4, between distance and near, astigmatism , 1 D, myopia more than ,0.75 D, or hyperopia >+1.50 D. Post-hoc analysis of the record cards seeking the reason for further assessment indicates that referrals appear to have been based upon clinical intuition rather than on a set number of borderline or unsatisfactory results. [source]