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Issue 42, October 22, 2012

Vol. 4, Issue: 42, 10/22/12

The report consists of four components:

  • Top Ten Articles of the Week
  • CDC-authored publications
  • Key scientific articles in featured topic areas (this week featuring Chronic Diseases and Conditions - Breast Cancer)
  • Public health articles noted in the media

Several important non-communicable disease related risk factor and intervention studies lead off the featured articles this week. N Ahluwalia along with non-CDC collaborators review the evidence linking diet with inflammation and the metabolic syndrome (MetS), concluding that following the "Mediterranean diet" or national dietary guidelines can reduce inflammation and the MetS. Data from NHANES published in JAMA by MD Carroll et al indicates favorable trends in lipid levels among U.S. adults from 1988-2010. According to K Mattran and colleagues, awareness and use of federal physical activity promotion materials (such as the State Indicator Report on Physical Activity) can be improved through enhanced design and distribution. A "review of reviews" led by JL Matjasko from the CDC Division of Violence Prevention finds strong evidence for selected family-based youth violence prevention programs and also documents important gaps in the current knowledge base. MR Wehner et al, writing in BMJ, find in their systematic review and meta-analysis that indoor tanning increases the risk of non-melanoma skin cancer, and that this preventable exposure may be responsible for more than 150,000 cases in the US.

Moving to a globally important infectious disease with evolving characteristics of a chronic disease, two analyses provide perspectives on home-based HIV testing. W Dalal and colleagues find that such testing was well-accepted in rural and urban Kenyan communities, and that most HIV-infected persons were previously unaware of their serostatus. In the journal AIDS and Behavior, a group led by A Medley note that home-based testing must be linked to enrollment and retention in care, since less than half of HIV positive individuals reported receiving such care at the time of testing.

Two women's health studies conducted in CDC headquarters home state of Georgia are included as features this week. IJ Hall, along with CDC and non-CDC colleagues, summarize the success of the African American Women and Mass Media campaign in increasing awareness of breast cancer screening services in Savannah and Macon, GA. A study of more than 35,000 pregnancies in a managed care setting by FC Bruce et al finds that insurance coverage may lower risks of maternal morbidity in patients with lower socioeconomic status.

Last but not least, diagnostic advances and a proposed testing scheme for an important emerging infection, Chikungunya fever, are reviewed by a group led by V Reddy.

John Iskander

Editor, Science Clips


  1. Top Ten Articles of the Week


    Selected weekly by a senior CDC scientist from the standard sections listed below.
  2. CDC Authored Publications


    The names of CDC authors are indicated in bold text.
    Articles published in the past 6-8 weeks authored by CDC or ATSDR staff.
  3. Key Scientific Articles in Featured Topic Areas


    Subject matter experts decide what topic to feature, and articles are selected from the last 3 to 6 months of published literature. Key topic coincides monthly with other CDC products (e.g. Vital Signs).
  4. Public Health Articles Noted in the Media


    Articles about important public health topics that have been mentioned in the press.

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CDC Science Clips Production Staff:

  • John Iskander, MD MPH, Editor
  • Rebecca Satterthwaite, MS, Librarian
  • Gail Bang, MLIS, Librarian
  • Deidre Thomas, MLS, Librarian
  • Kathleen Connick, MSLS, Librarian
  • Joseph Dunlap, Web Developer

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DISCLAIMER: Articles listed in the CDC Science Clips are selected by the Stephen B. Thacker CDC Library to provide current awareness of the public health literature. An article's inclusion does not necessarily represent the views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention nor does it imply endorsement of the article's methods or findings. CDC and DHHS assume no responsibility for the factual accuracy of the items presented. The selection, omission, or content of items does not imply any endorsement or other position taken by CDC or DHHS. Opinion, findings and conclusions expressed by the original authors of items included in the Clips, or persons quoted therein, are strictly their own and are in no way meant to represent the opinion or views of CDC or DHHS. References to publications, news sources, and non-CDC Websites are provided solely for informational purposes and do not imply endorsement by CDC or DHHS.

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