Digital Commons Network^™

The Childhood Obesity Epidemic: Rebalancing The Scales, Kristy Alvarez, Christopher Sciamanna

Population Health Matters (Formerly Health Policy Newsletter)

No abstract provided.

Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome, With Attention To Its Occurrence With Atypical Antipsychotic Medication: A Review, Sarah Guzofski M.D. (Pgy2), Ruben Peralta M.D.

Jefferson Journal of Psychiatry

The neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is an idiopathic, life-threatening reaction to antipsychotic medication. NMS was traditionally attributed to potent dopamine antagonism of typical antipsychotics, but cases of NMS have now been reported for each of the newer antipsychotics. When NMS is caused by a newer, atypical antipsychotic the presentation differs somewhat; fever, rigidity, and, possibly, death may be less frequent. Diagnostic features, predisposing factors, and treatment are discussed, as is the important matter of reinstituting antipsychotic treatment.

No More Cuts: The Curious Fate Of Self-Mutilation In Its Development, Zhabiz Kazeminezhad M.D. (Pgy4), Salman Akhtar M.D.

Jefferson Journal of Psychiatry

In this article, we present descriptions of four young women with relatively severe personality disorders. All four were in psychodynamic psychotherapy and all had the symptom of self-cutting. During their treatment, it became evident that their self-cutting had undergone a transformation and a new symptom had appeared in its place. In three, self-cutting was substituted by behaviors that we might call "cutting equivalents" and, in the fourth, by an enhanced self-reflective attitude and by journal-writing. We suggest that symptom-replacement for self-cutting may be common in its developmental course or in its course as it becomes influenced by psychotherapy, and that …

Higher Self-Reported Physical Activity Is Associated With Lower Systolic Blood Pressure: The Dietary Intervention Study In Childhood (Disc) , Samuel S. Gidding, Bruce A. Barton, Joanne A. Dorgan, Sue Y.S. Kimm, Peter O. Kwiterovich, Normal L. Lasser, Alan M. Robson, Victor J. Stevens, Linda Van Horn, Denise G. Simons-Morton

Department of Pediatrics Faculty Papers

Objective: Children participating in a dietary clinical trial were studied to assess physical activity patterns in boys and girls longitudinally from late childhood through puberty; and to determine the association of level of physical activity on systolic blood pressure (SBP), low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and body mass index (BMI).

Patients and Methods: In the Dietary Intervention Study in Childhood (DISC), a randomized clinical trial of a reduced saturated fat and cholesterol diet in 8-10 year olds with elevated LDL, a questionnaire that determined time spent in five intensity levels of physical activity was completed at baseline and …

Evaluation Of A Telephone-Based Support Group Intervention For Female Caregivers Of Community-Dwelling Individuals With Dementia, Laraine Winter, Laura N. Gitlin

Center for Applied Research on Aging and Health Research Papers

Family caregivers, the "second victims" or hidden patients in dementia care, are at risk for social isolation, stress, depression, and mortality. Telephone-based support (telesupport groups) represents a practical, low-burden, low-cost source of emotional support. The present study evaluated the feasibility and effectiveness of professionally led telephone-based support groups for female family caregivers of community-dwelling dementia patients. Recruited through various community sources, 103 female caregivers were randomized to the telesupport group treatment or a control condition. Effects on caregiver burden, depression, and personal gains were evaluated at 6 months, the main end point. Older caregivers (≥65) in telesupport reported lower depression …

Combined Effects Of Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Variants And Maternal Mitochondrial Genes On Alcohol Consumption, Yedy Israel, Maria E. Quintanilla, Amalia Sapag, Lutske Tampier

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Two lines of rats bred to differ in their voluntary alcohol consumption — the alcohol-abstaining UChA rats and the alcohol-drinking UChB rats — differ in how effectively toxic acetaldehyde is removed during alcohol metabolism. UChB animals carry efficient variants of the aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) genes and have active mitochondria, resulting in fast removal of acetaldehyde. UChA animals, in contrast, carry less efficient ALDH2 variants and less active mitochondria, which result in transient elevations of acetaldehyde levels after alcohol ingestion. Cross-breeding studies have demonstrated that the presence of active mitochondria inherited from UChB females can fully abolish the reduction of …

Carah's Bookshelf

CenterPieces

Occupational Therapy and Dementia Care: The Home Environmental Skills-Building Program for Individuals and Families

by Laura N. Gitlin, PhD and Mary Corcoran, PhD, OTR/L with contributors, published by AOTA Press, the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

ISBN: 1569002037

Based on over 15 years of research, the book presents the Home Environmental Skill-building Program (ESP), an evidence-based intervention to support families and persons with dementia and enhance quality of life. The book provides the theoretical and empirical evidence for the program and describes its protocols in depth.

Physical Function in Older Adults: A Comprehensive Guide to Its Meaning and Measurement

by …

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CenterPieces

For easy printing, the full newsletter is available as a single PDF.

We Are Seeking Participants For The Following Studies

CenterPieces

Title: Experience of Suffering in Old Age

Funding Source: National Institute on Aging

Principal Investigator: Helen K. Black, PhD

Target population: Philadelphia area residents over the age of 80 years old.

This 4-year study examines the experience of suffering and its relation to health, gender, and ethnicity among community dwelling elders aged 80+ using the open-ended interview schedule as its primary tool. This project explores through qualitative research the under-studied construct of suffering in later life and how suffering affects mental, physical and spiritual health.

Participants are interviewed in their homes on three occasions and are paid for their interviews. …

A Focused Telephonic Nursing Intervention Delivers Improved Adherence To A1c Testing, Patty M. Orr, Matthew A. Mcginnis, Laurel R. Hudson, Sadie S. Coberley, Albert Crawford, Janice L. Clarke, Neil I. Goldfarb

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

Compliance with hemoglobin A1c (A1c) testing is suboptimal despite the clear national recommendations and guidelines established for care of patients with diabetes. Recent studies have demonstrated a relationship between participation in a diabetes disease management (DM) program and improved adherence to A1c testing. A focused intervention study was initiated to investigate the ability of a DM program to drive improvement in A1c testing. A cohort of 36,327 members experienced a statistically significant increase (29%) in A1c testing while participating in the 6-month focused intervention. This finding demonstrated that a focused DM intervention is able to deliver improvement in a clinical …

Mild Cognitive Impairment, Activity Participation, Functional Difficulty, & Adaptations , Laraine Winter, Laura N. Gitlin

Center for Applied Research on Aging and Health Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Current Health And Preferences For Life-Prolonging Treatments: An Application Of Prospect Theory To End-Of-Life Decision Making, Laraine Winter, Barbara Parker

Center for Applied Research on Aging and Health Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Hydroxyurea And Sickle Cell Anemia: Effect On Quality Of Life, Samir K. Ballas, Franca B. Barton, Myron K. Waclawiw, Paul Swerdlow, James R. Eckman, Charles H. Pegelow, Mabel Koshy, Bruce A. Barton, Duane R. Bonds

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Background: The Multicenter Study of Hydroxyurea (HU) in Sickle Cell Anemia (MSH) previously showed that daily oral HU reduces painful sickle cell (SS) crises by 50% in patients with moderate to severe disease. The morbidity associated with this disease is known to have serious negative impact on the overall quality of life(QOL) of affected individuals.

Methods: The data in this report were collected from the 299 patients enrolled in the MSH. Health quality of life (HQOL) measures were assessed in the MSH as a secondary endpoint to determine if the clinical benefit of HU could translate into a measurable benefit …

Peritoneal Perfusion With Oxygenated Perfluorocarbon Augments Systemic Oxygenation., Shamus R Carr, Joshua P Cantor, Atul S Rao, Thiru V Lakshman, Joshua E Collins, Joseph S Friedberg

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Despite maximal ventilatory support, many patients die from hypoxia in the setting of potentially reversible pulmonary failure. There remains a pressing need for additional pulmonary supportive care measures, especially techniques that do not require systemic anticoagulation. The objective of our experiments was to determine whether systemic oxygenation could be increased in a large animal, with induced hypoxia, by perfusing the abdominal cavity with oxygenated perfluorocarbons.

METHODS: Fifteen pigs with a mean (+/- SD) weight of 45 +/- 5 kg were intubated and rendered hypoxic by ventilating them with a blend of nitrogen and oxygen to achieve subatmospheric concentrations of …

Jefferson Review - Summer 2006

Jefferson Review

Contents

• 2 - Dean’s Column
• 4 - School of Nursing Debuts
• 6 - Honoring Rear Admiral Marsha J. Evans
• 7 - Spotlight on Faculty: Dr. Roseann Schaaf
• 9 - Career Development Center Announces New Online Career System

• DEPARTMENTAL NEWS
• 10 - Bioscience Technologies
• 10 - CARAH
• 12 - Nursing
• 15 - Occupational Therapy
• 16 - Physical Therapy
• 18 - Radiologic Sciences

• 19 - Class Notes
• 23 - In Memoriam
• 24 - New Online Directory Keeps Alumni in Touch

2006 Commencement For Jefferson College Of Health Professions And Jefferson College Of Graduate Studies

Jefferson College of Nursing Commencements

No abstract provided.

Level I Fieldwork Today: A Study Of Contexts And Perceptions., Caryn Johnson, Kristie P. Koenig, Catherine Verrier Piersol, Susan E. Santalucia, Wendy Wachter-Schutz

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

The last comprehensive examination of the Level I fieldwork experience was performed 15 years ago (Shalik, 1990) and addressed the different types of settings in which fieldwork occurred; amounts and types of supervision; structure and scheduling of the Level I experiences; and the effects of supervising Level I students on productivity. Although every occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant student encounters a number of Level I fieldwork opportunities, little is available describing the process and contexts of the Level I fieldwork experience today. This study, which examines 1,002 student reports on Level I fieldwork experiences, finds that Level I fieldwork …

The Impact Of Four Common Lumbar Spine Diagnoses Upon Overall Health Status, Michael A. Pahl, Brian Brislin, Scott Boden, Alan S. Hilibrand, Alexander Vaccaro, Brett Hanscom, Todd J. Albert

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty Papers

Background Context: The SF-36 health survey has been shown to be a valid instrument when used to measure the self-reported physical and mental health of patients. The impact of lumbar spinal disorders can be assessed as the difference between the SF-36 scale scores and age-and-gender specific population norms.

Purpose: To establish the impact upon the self-reported health status of patients with one of four common lumbar spinal diagnoses.

Study Design: A cross-sectional, observational assessment of the health status of spine patients.

Methods: Data from patients presenting to the participating centers of the National Spine Network with low back pain and/or …

Alterations In Vasodilator-Stimulated Phosphoprotein (Vasp) Phosphorylation: Associations With Asthmatic Phenotype, Airway Inflammation And Β2-Agonist Use, Annette T. Hastie, Min Wu, Gayle C. Foster, Gregory A. Hawkins, Vikas Batra, Katherine A. Rybinski, Rosemary Cirelli, James G. Zangrilli, Stephen P. Peters

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Background

Vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) mediates focal adhesion, actin filament binding and polymerization in a variety of cells, thereby inhibiting cell movement. Phosphorylation of VASP via cAMP and cGMP dependent protein kinases releases this "brake" on cell motility. Thus, phosphorylation of VASP may be necessary for epithelial cell repair of damage from allergen-induced inflammation. Two hypotheses were examined: (1) injury from segmental allergen challenge increases VASP phosphorylation in airway epithelium in asthmatic but not nonasthmatic normal subjects, (2) regular in vivo β₂-agonist use increases VASP phosphorylation in asthmatic epithelium, altering cell adhesion.

Methods

Bronchial epithelium was obtained from asthmatic …

Measuring Sustained Attention After Traumatic Brain Injury: Differences In Key Findings From The Sustained Attention To Response Task (Sart), John Whyte, Patricia Grieb-Neff, Christopher Gantz, Marcia Polansky

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine Faculty Papers

Clinical reports after traumatic brain injury (TBI) suggest frequent difficulties with sustained attention, but their objective measurement has proved difficult. In 1997, Robertson and colleagues reported on a new sustained attention assessment tool, the sustained attention to response task (SART). Individuals with TBI were reported to produce more errors of commission on the SART than control participants, and both groups showed a relationship between SART errors and everyday lapses of attention as measured by the cognitive failures questionnaire (CFQ). Although few direct replications of these findings have been reported, the SART has been used widely as a measure of sustained …

Effects Of Dorsiflexor Endurance Exercises On Foot Drop Secondary To Multiple Sclerosis: A Pilot Study, Julie Mount, Stan Dacko

Department of Physical Therapy Faculty Papers

PURPOSE: This is a pilot study to determine if endurance exercises for dorsiflexors will improve walking for people with foot drop secondary to MS, and if improvement in muscle endurance for persons with MS can be predicted based on the amount of central fatigue (CF) in the muscle.

SUBJECTS: Five individuals with foot drop secondary to MS and five age-matched controls.

METHODS: The intervention was 4 sets of 10 isometric contractions, at 60% of MVC, 3X/week, 8 weeks. Pretests-posttests included a dorsiflexor endurance test with superimposed electrical stimulation to measure CF, and a gait assessment including measurement of dorsiflexion at …

Jefferson Alumni Bulletin – Volume 55, Number 1, Winter 2006

The Bulletin (formerly the Jefferson Medical College Alumni Bulletin)

Jefferson Alumni Bulletin – Volume 55, Number 1, Winter 2006

Letters; Page 2

Dean’s Column: Disparities In Care; Page 3

On Campus: Pestell Appointed Director of the Kimmel Cancer Center; Page 6

Bookshelf; Page 9

Class Notes; Page 12

Alumni Profiles; Page 16

Achievement Award Winner Jim Baglan, MD’77; Page 17

Helping In Katrina-Ravaged New Orleans; page 18

Giving; page 20

Multiple Pregnancies: Determining Chorionicity And Amnionicity, Traci B. Fox

Department of Radiologic Sciences Faculty Papers

The determination of chorionicity and amnionicity in multiple gestations is one that confounds many in the medical field. The importance of diagnosing the type of multiple gestation cannot be overstated. This is intended to be an introductory primer and refresher to chorionicity and amnionicity. We will first examine what determines mono- versus dichorionic twinning including zygosity and cleavage of the zygote.