West Virginia University

About: West Virginia University is a education organization based out in Morgantown, West Virginia, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 25632 authors who have published 48308 publications receiving 1343934 citations. The organization is also known as: WVU & West Virginia University, WVU.

Overview of Focus Group Research

Abstract: This overview is intended to be a very general introduction to the use of focus groups as a research tool within the social and behavioral sciences. For more detailed information, readers are encouraged to seek out the primary sources cited here, particularly Krueger and Morgan, as well as their contributions in Qualitative Health Research (this issue).

Type of Multimorbidity and Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use among Adults.

Abstract: Objective. To examine the association between type of multimorbidity and CAM use among adults with multimorbidity. Methods. The current study used a cross-sectional design with retrospective data from 2012 National Health Interview Survey. Multimorbidity was classified into two groups: (1) adults with coexisting physical and mental illnesses and (2) adults with two or more chronic physical illnesses only. CAM use was measured using a set of 18 variables. Logistic regression and multinomial logistic regressions were used to assess the association between the type of multimorbidity and ever used CAM, CAM use in the past 12 months, and type of CAM. Results. Overall, 31.2% of adults with coexisting physical and mental illnesses and 20.1% of adults with only physical illnesses used CAM in the past 12 months. Adults with coexisting physical and mental illnesses were more likely to ever use CAM (AOR = 1.68, 95% CI = 1.49, 1.90), use CAM in the past 12 months (AOR = 1.32, 95% CI = 1.15, 1.52), and use mind-body therapies in the past 12 months (AOR = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.16, 1.59) compared to adults with only physical illnesses. Conclusion. Multimorbidity of chronic physical and mental illnesses was associated with higher CAM use.

cAMP-mediated inhibition of the epithelial brush border Na+/H+ exchanger, NHE3, requires an associated regulatory protein.

Abstract: NHE3 is the Na+/H+ exchanger located on the intestinal and renal brush border membrane, where it functions in transepithelial Na+ absorption. The brush border Na+ absorptive process is acutely inhibited by activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase, but the molecular mechanism of this inhibitory effect is poorly understood. We have identified two regulatory proteins, E3KARP and NHERF, that interact with NHE3 to enable cAMP to inhibit NHE3. The two regulatory proteins are structurally related, sharing ≈50% identity in amino acid sequences. It has been previously shown that when NHE3 is transfected into PS120 fibroblasts or Caco-2 cells, cAMP failed to inhibit NHE3 activity. Northern blot analysis showed that both PS120 and Caco-2 cells lacked the expression of both E3KARP and NHERF. In contrast, other cell lines in which cAMP inhibits NHE3, including OK, CHO, and LLC-PK1 cells, expressed NHERF-related regulatory proteins. To determine their functions in cAMP-dependent inhibition of NHE3, E3KARP and NHERF were transfected into PS120/NHE3 fibroblasts. Transfection in PS120/NHE3 fibroblasts with either NHERF or E3KARP reconstituted cAMP-induced inhibition of NHE3, resulting in 25–30% inhibition in these cells.