University of Hawaii at Manoa

About: University of Hawaii at Manoa is a education organization based out in Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 13693 authors who have published 25161 publications receiving 1023924 citations.

Methamphetamine and other substance use during pregnancy: preliminary estimates from the Infant Development, Environment, and Lifestyle (IDEAL) study

Abstract: Objectives: Methamphetamine use is a continuing problem in several regions of the United States and yet few studies have focused on prenatal methamphetamine exposure. The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence and correlates of alcohol, tobacco, and other substance use—including methamphetamine—during pregnancy. Methods: The sample consisted of the first 1632 eligible mothers who consented to participate in a large-scale multisite study focused on prenatal methamphetamine exposure. This unselected screening sample included both users and nonusers of alcohol, tobacco, methamphetamine, and other drugs. Substance use was determined by maternal self-report and/or GC/MS confirmation of a positive meconium screen. Results: Overall, 5.2% of women used methamphetamine at some point during their pregnancy. One quarter of the sample smoked tobacco, 22.8% drank alcohol, 6.0% used marijuana, and 1.3% used barbiturates prenatally. Less than 1% of the sample used heroin, benzodiazapenes, and hallucinogens. Multivariate modeling results showed that tobacco smokers and illicit drug users were more likely to be single and less educated, have attended less than 11 prenatal visits, and utilize public financial assistance. Conclusions: This is the first large-scale investigation to report the prevalence of methamphetamine use during pregnancy in areas of the United States where methamphetamine is a notable concern. Follow-up research is ongoing to investigate the outcomes associated with prenatal methamphetamine exposure. Given that this research extends and confirms previous findings showing that high-risk groups of pregnant women can be identified on the basis of basic demographic characteristics, targeted interventions are greatly needed to reduce serious adverse outcomes associated with prenatal alcohol and tobacco use.

Vortex Rossby Waves in a Numerically Simulated Tropical Cyclone. Part II: The Role in Tropical Cyclone Structure and Intensity Changes

Abstract: In Part I, the author analyzed the asymmetric structure in the inner core of a numerically simulated tropical cyclone and found that the asymmetry near the eyewall in the mid–lower troposphere is dominated by wavenumber-1 and -2 vortex Rossby waves. These waves are found to be well coupled with asymmetries in eyewall convection and thus may play an important role in the life cycle of a tropical cyclone. In this paper, analyses are extended to include the role of these vortex Rossby waves in tropical cyclone structure and intensity changes. The waves are found to transport angular momentum from the eyewall to the eye, accelerating tangential winds in the eye at the expense of decelerating the tangential wind in the eyewall, and thus they play an important role in the inner core dynamics of the tropical cyclone. Convection in the eyewall is enhanced between the downstream trough and upstream ridge in the vortex Rossby waves but suppressed between the downstream ridge and upstream trough. This close...

Molecular characterization of MSI-H colorectal cancer by MLHI promoter methylation, immunohistochemistry, and mismatch repair germline mutation screening

Abstract: Microsatellite instability (MSI) occurs in 10% to 20% of colorectal cancers (CRC) and has been attributed to both MLH1 promoter hypermethylation and germline mutation in the mismatch repair (MMR) genes. We present results from a large population- and clinic-based study of MLH1 methylation, immunohistochemistry, and MMR germline mutations that enabled us to (a) estimate the prevalence of MMR germline mutations and MLH1 methylation among MSI-H cases and help us understand if all MSI-H CRC is explained by these mechanisms and (b) estimate the associations between MLH1 methylation and sex, age, and tumor location within the colon. MLH1 methylation was measured in 1,061 population-based and 172 clinic-based cases of CRC. Overall, we observed MLH1 methylation in 60% of population-based MSI-H cases and in 13% of clinic-based MSI-H cases. Within the population-based cases with MMR mutation screening and conclusive immunohistochemistry results, we identified a molecular event in MMR in 91% of MSI-H cases: 54% had MLH1 methylation, 14% had a germline mutation in a MMR gene, and 23% had immunohistochemistry evidence for loss of a MMR protein. We observed a striking age difference, with the prevalence of a MMR germline mutation more than 4-fold lower and the prevalence of MLH1 methylation more than 4-fold higher in cases diagnosed after the age of 50 years than in cases diagnosed before that age. We also determined that female sex is an independent predictor of MLH1 methylation within the MSI-H subgroup. These results reinforce the importance of distinguishing between the underlying causes of MSI in studies of etiology and prognosis.

Extending the context of service: from encounters to ecosystems

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to extend conceptually the context of service beyond service encounters and servicescapes by applying a service-ecosystem approach to context and experiential view on value. Design/methodology/approach – We develop a conceptual framework of an extended service context that is based on an S-D logic, service-ecosystems view. Findings – The service ecosystem approach proposed here contributes to the advancement of “services” marketing research by extending the context of service in two ways: its emphasis on service as the basis of all exchange allows the consideration of all instances of value-in-use, in-context, to be considered as a service experience; its conceptualization of context broadens the time/place dimensions that conventionally restrain research in service encounters and servicescapes beyond physical, social, symbolic and relational dimensions to consider the multiplicity of institutions across a wider socio-historic space. Research limitations/implications...