PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J P Pierce

Publications and source records attributed to J P Pierce.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

How effective are tobacco industry bar and club marketing efforts in reaching young adults?

OBJECTIVE: Recently, the tobacco industry has focused marketing efforts on young adults through bar and club promotions, such as advertising and distribution of free cigarettes in these settings. This study estimates the fraction of the California young adult population that might be exposed and potentially influenced by these efforts. DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: Data were from 9364 young adult (18-29 years) respondents to the cross sectional population based 2002 California Tobacco Survey. As background, we analysed social smoking (only smoke with other smokers), and enjoyment of smoking while drinking. Our main focus was on bar and club attendance, what was observed in bars and clubs, and how this might differ according to respondents' risk for future smoking. RESULTS: Social smokers comprised 30.0 (2.2)% of all current smokers, including experimenters. Nearly three quarters (74.5 (2.3)%) of current smokers/experimenters said they enjoyed smoking while drinking. About one third (33.8 (1.2)%) of all young adults said they attended bars and clubs at least sometimes; attendance was significantly higher among smokers and those at risk for future smoking. Close to 60% (57.9 (2.2)%) of bar and club attenders reported seeing cigarette advertising and promotions in these settings. Again, smokers and those at risk were more likely to report seeing such advertising and promotions in these settings. CONCLUSIONS: About 20% of all young adults and about 30% of those at risk for future smoking (including current smokers) were exposed to tobacco advertising and promotions in bars and clubs. These California results may be conservative, but nonetheless indicate that the group potentially influenced is sizable.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Adolescent smoking decline during California's tobacco control programme.

OBJECTIVE: California's comprehensive tobacco control programme was 13 years old in 2002; by then, children entering adolescence at the start of the programme were young adults. This study examines whether adolescent smoking declined over this period, whether any decline carried through to young adulthood, and whether it was specific to California. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Most data were from the 1990-2002 California Tobacco Surveys (CTS) (adolescents 12-17 years, > 5000/survey, young adults 18-24 years, > 1000/survey). Additional data were from the national 1992/93-2001/02 Current Population Survey (CPS) (young adults 18-24 years, > 15,000/survey). RESULTS: Over the 13 year period in California, ever puffing declined by 70% in 12-13 year olds, by 53% in 14-15 year olds from 1992-2002, and by 34% in 16-17 year olds from 1996-2002 (CTS). As noted, the decline commenced progressively later in each older group. Smoking experimentation (1+ cigarettes) and established smoking (> 100 cigarettes in lifetime) showed similar patterns. Compared to 1990, the percentage of California young adults (CTS data) who ever experimented declined by 14%, with half of the decline from 1999-2002. CPS young adult smoking prevalence (established and now smoke everyday or some days) was constant in the rest of the USA over the entire period, but California showed a recent 18% decline from 1998/99 to 2001/02. CONCLUSIONS: California's comprehensive programme may have kept new adolescent cohorts from experimenting with cigarettes. Low young adolescent experimentation rates at programme start appeared to carry through to young adulthood, resulting in a recent drop in young adult smoking prevalence in California not observed in the rest of the USA.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Compliance and support for smoke-free school policies.

Our objective was to examine factors associated with compliance and support for a smoke-free campus before and after a 1995 campus-wide smoking ban for everyone, including teachers and visitors, in California. Adolescent (12-17 years) data from the 1993, 1996, 1999 and 2002 (N approximately 6000 each year) California Tobacco Surveys (population-based telephone surveys) were analyzed. Trends in compliance with smoke-free school policies and support for smoke-free campuses were examined among students in public and private schools. Perceived compliance with the no-smoking rule by most or all student smokers increased from 43.7 +/- 1.6% in 1993 to 71.5 +/- 1.4% in 2002. While non-smokers have overwhelmingly favored smoke-free school grounds since 1993 (more than 85% each survey year), support among current smokers increased from 55.8 +/- 4.7% in 1996 to 69.1 +/- 6.8% in 2002. Student smokers who saw teachers smoking in school were less likely to favor school smoking bans (odds ratio = 0.25, 95% confidence interval 0.12-0.49). The percentage of private school students seeing teachers smoke on school grounds has been at least twice that of public school students since 1996. Compliance with and support for smoke-free schools increased since smoking was banned on campus for everyone. Perceived compliance by teachers, much lower in private schools, appears to undermine student smokers' support of this policy. Increased efforts are necessary to communicate to teachers the importance of their modeling of policy compliance to students.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Ferromagnetic stability in Fe nanodot assemblies on Cu(111) induced by indirect coupling through the substrate.

We report collective ferromagnetic behavior with high Curie temperatures (T(c)) in Fe dot assemblies supported by the Cu(111) surface. Our ability to tune the average size and spacing of the individual dots allows us to conclude that enhanced magnetic anisotropy cannot account for this high-T(c) ferromagnetic order. Because our Monte Carlo simulations have ruled out the dipolar interaction as the dominant factor in this system, we attribute the origin of the ferromagnetic order to indirect exchange coupling via the Cu(111) substrate.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2004

Correlates of obesity in postmenopausal women with breast cancer: comparison of genetic, demographic, disease-related, life history and dietary factors.

BACKGROUND: Obesity in women has been associated with a variety of factors, including genetic predisposition, social class, early age at menarche, exercise, alcohol consumption and diet. Obesity is a risk factor for the occurrence and the recurrence of breast cancer in postmenopausal women, perhaps because of increased exposure to estrogen, insulin and insulin-like growth factors (IGFs). The progesterone receptor (PR) and the steroid hormone receptor coactivator pCIP/ACTR/AIB1/TRAM1/RAC3 (AIB1) are hypothesized to mediate signaling crosstalk between these hormonal pathways. Polymorphisms in both genes have been described and their association with breast cancer risk reported. If genetic factors contribute to obesity, and the PR and AIB1 genes influence estrogenic, insulin and IGF pathways, then genetic patterns resulting from PR and AIB1 polymorphisms may be associated with obesity in postmenopausal women. OBJECTIVE: We compared the PR and AIB1 genotypes of postmenopausal women with breast cancer with demographic, disease-related, reproductive, lifestyle and dietary variables in terms of the strength of their relationship with obesity (BMI> or =30 kg/m2). SUBJECTS: A total of 301 postmenopausal women previously diagnosed with Stage I, II or IIIA breast cancer, who are enrolled in the Women's Healthy Eating and Living (WHEL) study (age: 34.5-70.8 y, BMI: 17.8-54.6 kg/m2). MEASUREMENTS: The PR polymorphism PROGINS was identified by PCR. The length of the AIB1 polyglutamine repeat was determined by PCR and nondenaturing gel electrophoresis or DNA sequencing. BMI was obtained at the baseline clinic visit upon entry into the WHEL study. Information about date of diagnosis, stage of disease, tumor hormone receptor status and adjuvant treatment received were obtained from medical records. Reproductive, menstrual history, demographic, family history of cancer, smoking history and exercise frequency and intensity information were obtained from questionnaires. Dietary and alcohol intake data came from four 24-h telephone recalls of food intake obtained at the study entry. RESULTS: The combined inheritance of PROGINS A1/A1 and AIB1 28/29, 28/30, 28/31, 29/29 or 29/30 (AIB1 LG) genotypes (adjusted odds ratio (OR)=2.22 (95% confidence interval 1.25-3.93)) and early age at menarche (<12 y) (adjusted OR=2.34 (1.12-4.86)) were each associated with the risk for obesity. Current use of tamoxifen (adjusted OR=0.49 (0.28-0.87)) and an alcohol intake > or =10 g/day (adjusted OR=0.28 (0.11-0.77)) were inversely associated with BMI > or =30 kg/m2. CONCLUSION: Early age at menarche and a PROGINS A1/A1+AIB1 LG genetic pattern had comparable levels of association with obesity in this cross-sectional sample of postmenopausal women with breast cancer. Since this was a cross-sectional rather than a case-control design, the association between PROGINS and AIB1 genotype and obesity found in this sample should be considered preliminary, and must be re-evaluated with a new and larger sample.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Changes in population attitudes about where smoking should not be allowed: California versus the rest of the USA.

BACKGROUND: The decade long California Tobacco Control Program is unique to the nation in its duration, emphasis, and level of funding. Programme emphasis is on changing social norms about smoking as a means to discourage smoking and thus reduce the harmful health effects of tobacco to the population. METHODS: Data from the 1992-93, 1995-96, and 1998-99 Tobacco Use Supplements to the national Current Population Survey (n > 175 000 each period) were used to examine changes in norms regarding where smoking should "not be allowed at all" in both California and in the rest of the USA. Venues queried were restaurants, hospitals, work areas, bars, indoor sports venues, and indoor shopping malls. RESULTS: There were substantial increases in the percentages of the adult population (18+ years) stating that smoking should not be allowed in the venues queried in California by 1998-99 compared to 1992-93; only modest increases were observed in the rest of the USA. In fact, for most venues, the percentages for the rest of the USA were lower in 1998-99 than in California in 1992-93. Further, the percentage increase over this period in respondents stating that smoking should not be allowed in four or more of the six venues was 30% in California and 23% in the rest of the USA. The most dramatic percentage increase in California occurred among current smokers (93%). CONCLUSIONS: A strong, comprehensive tobacco control programme such as California's can influence population norms, including those of smokers, with respect to where smoking should not be allowed.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Increased mu-opioid receptor labeling is found on inner molecular layer terminals of the dentate gyrus following seizures.

The hippocampal formation is a brain region sensitive to seizure development, a phenomenon thought to be mediated in part by mu-opioid receptor (MOR) activation. Previous studies have found a delayed increase in MOR immunoreactivity (IR) in the inner molecular layer (IML) of the dentate gyrus after experimentally induced seizures. However, whether these increases in MOR-IR are restricted to certain cell types or cellular compartments (i.e., presynaptic, postsynaptic, or glial profiles) has not been determined. Thus, the present study examined which subcellular profiles demonstrate changes in MOR-IR after kainic acid (KA)-induced seizures. Light microscopic (LM) analysis demonstrated seizure-induced increases in MOR-IR at three points of the IML (dorsal blade, ventral blade, and crest) at three levels of section (septal, mid-septotemporal, and temporal). Electron microscopic analysis of the IML revealed that MOR-IR was present in the same types of cellular profiles in both control and KA-treated rats. However, a significant increase in the number of MOR-labeled terminal profiles was revealed in KA-treated rats compared to controls. Additionally, some MOR-labeled terminals in KA-treated rats possessed excitatory-type morphology and contained enkephalin or dynorphin, peptides found in mossy fiber terminals. These data suggest that most of the seizure-induced increases in MOR expression in the IML are associated with terminals originating from several different neuronal populations, including granule cells, and possibly, surviving GABAergic interneurons, septal cholinergic, and/or supramamillary projection neurons.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Hilar neuropeptide Y interneuron loss in the aged rat hippocampal formation.

Neuropeptide Y-immunoreactive (NPY-I) interneurons in the dentate gyrus are vulnerable to various insults, including septohippocampal cholinergic deafferentation. The present study examined whether a loss of NPY-I neurons occurs during aging, when the functional integrity of the septohippocampal pathway is thought to be compromised. Sets of male Long Evans rats (consisting of young and aged rats, with and without spatial learning impairments assessed by the Morris water maze) were examined. Light microscopic analysis revealed that hilar NPY-I neuronal number in matched dorsal sections was significantly decreased in aged compared to young rats. Ultrastructural analysis disclosed that the microenvironment (the types of processes apposed to the plasmalemmal surface) of NPY-I neurons also differed significantly between young and aged rats. In particular, a subgroup of NPY-I neurons, distinguished by a higher percentage of unmyelinated axon coverage of the plasmalemmal surface, was present in young, but not aged, rats. Neither the number nor the microenvironment of NPY-I neurons significantly differed between aged animals that were impaired versus unimpaired in spatial learning performance. To our knowledge these findings represent the first report of an age-associated decline in the number of a specific, neurochemically identified neuronal subpopulation within the hippocampal formation. Additionally, they closely parallel observations in 192 IgG-saporin-lesioned animals, suggesting that a distinct subgroup of NPY-I interneurons is particularly dependent on the viability of septohippocampal cholinergic innervation for its survival. Since neuronal loss was not correlated with performance, this alteration by itself does not appear to be sufficient to produce learning impairment.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2003

Perforant path activation of ectopic granule cells that are born after pilocarpine-induced seizures.

Granule cells in the dentate gyrus are born throughout life, and various stimuli can affect their development in the adult brain. Following seizures, for instance, neurogenesis increases greatly, and some new cells migrate to abnormal (ectopic) locations, such as the hilus. Previous electrophysiological studies of this population have shown that they have intrinsic properties that are similar to normal granule cells, but differ in other characteristics, consistent with abnormal integration into host circuitry. To characterize the response of ectopic hilar granule cells to perforant path stimulation, intracellular recordings were made in hippocampal slices from rats that had pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus and subsequent spontaneous recurrent seizures. Comparisons were made with granule cells located in the granule cell layer of both pilocarpine- and saline-treated animals. In addition, a few ectopic hilar granule cells were sampled from saline-treated rats. Remarkably, hilar granule cells displayed robust responses, even when their dendrites were not present within the molecular layer, where perforant path axons normally terminate. The evoked responses of hilar granule cells were similar in several ways to those of normally positioned granule cells, but there were some differences. For example, there was an unusually long latency to onset of responses evoked in many hilar granule cells, especially those without molecular layer dendrites. Presumably this is due to polysynaptic activation by the perforant path. These results indicate that synaptic reorganization after seizures can lead to robust activation of newly born hilar granule cells by the perforant path, even when their dendrites are not in the terminal field of the perforant path. Additionally, the fact that these cells can be found in normal tissue and develop similar synaptic responses, suggests that seizures, while not necessary for their formation, strongly promote their generation and the development of associated circuits, potentially contributing to a lowered seizure threshold.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Self-assembly of nanometer-scale magnetic dots with narrow size distributions on an insulating substrate.

The self-assembly of iron dots on the insulating surface of NaCl(001) is investigated experimentally and theoretically. Under proper growth conditions, nanometer-scale magnetic iron dots with remarkably narrow size distributions can be achieved in the absence of a wetting layer. Furthermore, both the vertical and lateral sizes of the dots can be tuned with the iron dosage without introducing apparent size broadening, even though the clustering is clearly in the strong coarsening regime. These observations are interpreted using a phenomenological mean-field theory, in which a coverage-dependent optimal dot size is selected by strain-mediated dot-dot interactions.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2002

Was there significant tax evasion after the 1999 50 cent per pack cigarette tax increase in California?

OBJECTIVES: Several states, including California, have implemented large cigarette excise tax increases, which may encourage smokers to purchase their cigarettes in other lower taxed states, or from other lower or non-taxed sources. Such tax evasion thwarts tobacco control objectives and may cost the state substantial tax revenues. Thus, this study investigates the extent of tax evasion in the 6-12 months after the implementation of California's 0.50 dollars/pack excise tax increase. DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective data analysis from the 1999 California Tobacco Surveys (CTS), a random digit dialled telephone survey of California households. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Sources of cigarettes, average daily cigarette consumption, and reported price paid. RESULTS: Very few (5.1 (0.7)% (+/-95% confidence limits)) of California smokers avoided the excise tax by usually purchasing cigarettes from non- or lower taxed sources, such as out-of-state outlets, military commissaries, or the internet. The vast majority of smokers purchased their cigarettes from the most convenient and expensive sources: convenience stores/gas (petrol) stations (45.0 (1.9)%), liquor/drug stores (16.4 (1.6)%), and supermarkets (8.8 (1.2)%). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the potential savings, tax evasion by individual smokers does not appear to pose a serious threat to California's excise tax revenues or its tobacco control objectives.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Evidence for a satellite secretory pathway in neuronal dendritic spines.

Long-term information storage within the brain requires the synthesis of new proteins and their use in synapse-specific modifications [1]. Recently, we demonstrated that translation sites for the local synthesis of integral membrane and secretory proteins occur within distal dendritic spines [2]. It remains unresolved, however, whether a complete secretory pathway, including Golgi and trans Golgi network-like membranes, exists near synapses for the local transport and processing of newly synthesized proteins. Here, we report evidence of a satellite secretory pathway in distal dendritic spines and distal dendrites of the mammalian brain. Membranes analogous to early (RER and ERGIC), middle (Golgi cisternae), and late (TGN) secretory pathway compartments are present within dendritic spines and in distal dendrites. Local synthesis, processing, and transport of newly translated integral membrane and secretory proteins may thus provide the molecular basis for synapse-specific modifications during long-term information storage in the brain.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Parallel increases in the synaptic and surface areas of mossy fiber terminals following seizure induction.

Seizure induction tends to be followed by the development of a predisposition to future seizure activity and the concurrent sprouting of the mossy fiber pathway into the inner molecular layer of the dentate gyrus, where recurrent excitatory synapses are formed. To determine whether synaptic remodeling of mossy fiber terminals within the hilus also occurs, rats were administered pentylenetetrazol and, 2 days later, control and experimental tissue was processed for the ultrastructural immunohistochemical identification of mossy fiber terminals. Examination of the structure of these terminals within random hilar fields indicated that selective changes had occurred, which were only observed in the ventral hilus, and which were specific to terminals forming synapses with mossy cell spines (vs. interneurons). This terminal population displayed significant parallel increases in both the total active zone area and the surface area of an average terminal (measured from random two-dimensional samples of terminal structure). Increases in total active zone area must reflect increases in the number and/or size of individual active zones. These findings suggest that changes in terminal size can subserve adjustments in the overall strength of a set of synaptic connections. In the context of the ventral hilus, a selective increase in the apparent strength of mossy fiber connections with mossy cells could support increases in excitability following seizure induction. Mossy cells form connections with granule cell proximal dendrites, providing another pathway for recurrent excitation.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Reduction in fat intake is not associated with weight loss in most women after breast cancer diagnosis: evidence from a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: A reduction in dietary fat intake has been suggested as a method to promote weight loss in women at risk for breast cancer recurrence. METHODS: Weight change in response to diet intervention was examined in 1010 women who had completed treatment for Stage I, Stage II, or Stage IIIA (American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system) primary operable breast cancer during their first year of participation in a randomized, controlled, diet intervention trial to reduce risk of recurrence. Diet intervention was performed by telephone counseling and promoted a low fat diet that also was high in fiber, vegetables, and fruit. The comparison group was provided with general dietary guidelines to reduce disease risk. Multiple linear regression models were used to examine the relations among demographic and personal characteristics, changes in diet composition and exercise level, and change in body weight or body mass index. RESULTS: The average weight change in the 1-year period was 0.04 kg for the intervention group and 0.46 kg for the comparison group. For the total group, body weight was stable (+/- 5% baseline weight) for 743 women (74%), whereas 114 (11%) lost weight, and 153 (15%) gained weight. These distributions were similar in the two study groups inclusive of all study participants and for only those women with a baseline body mass index of > or = 25 kg/m2. Initial body mass index and changes in fiber and vegetable intakes, but not change in percent of energy obtained from fat, were associated independently with change in weight or body mass index. CONCLUSIONS: For most women at risk for breast cancer recurrence, diet intervention to promote a reduction in fat intake was not associated with significant weight loss. Testing the effect of a substantial change in diet composition on risk for breast cancer recurrence is unlikely to be confounded by weight loss in subjects who were the recipients of intensive intervention efforts.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Does cigarette price influence adolescent experimentation?

The economics literature generally agrees that state and federal excise taxes can play an important role in deterring adolescent smoking. Teens' apparent responsiveness to cigarette prices is puzzling, since the majority of adolescent smokers do not buy their cigarettes. Teens typically do not begin to purchase cigarettes until they have developed an established pattern of smoking. Previous studies have not had adequate measures of smoking experience to explore whether adolescents' price responsiveness may vary by smoking experience. This paper uses data from a 1993 national survey of youth smoking to explore this hypothesis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Dentate hilar mossy cells and somatostatin-containing neurons are immunoreactive for the alpha8 integrin subunit: characterization in normal and kainic acid-treated rats.

Integrins are heterodimeric cell surface receptors composed of different alpha and beta subunits that mediate cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions. They have been implicated in the regulation of neuronal migration, differentiation, process outgrowth, and plasticity. The alpha8 integrin subunit associates exclusively with the beta1 subunit to form a receptor (alpha8beta1) for fibronectin, vitronectin, tenascin, and osteopontin. In a previous study, we demonstrated that hippocampal dentate hilar neurons are immunoreactive for alpha8. The present study identifies the major types of alpha8-immunoreactive hilar neurons and characterizes the effects of kainic acid-induced seizures on alpha8-immunoreactivity in these cells. Examination of the hilus in normal rats revealed alpha8-immunoreactivity in the somatodendritic compartments of large hilar neurons identified as mossy cells, including a subset of dendritic thorny excrescences that were contacted by large mossy fiber terminals. alpha8-immunoreactivity also was found in approximately 71% of somatostatin-containing hilar cells. Kainic acid-induced seizures dramatically and rapidly altered the levels and distribution of alpha8-immunoreactivity in hilar neurons. After 1.5 h of seizures, alpha8-immunoreactivity in their dendrites was reduced greatly. One day after kainic acid treatment, labeling was diminished throughout the somatodendritic compartments of most hilar cells. This decrease appeared to be transient, since alpha8 labeling returned to normal levels in surviving hilar neurons within 2 weeks of treatment. In addition, many alpha8-immunoreactive hilar neurons, particularly in caudal dentate regions, were lost 3-5 weeks after kainic acid treatment. Our findings suggest that alpha8beta1 may mediate adhesive interactions of the dendritic processes of mossy cells and somatostatin-containing hilar neurons with other cellular elements or with extracellular matrix components. They also suggest that alpha8 may be susceptible to activity-dependent proteolysis that could modulate its function in the somatodendritic compartment of these cells.

Animals↗