Digital Commons Network^™

The Importance Of Protein Context In Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3, Sean Luis Johnson

Wayne State University Dissertations

Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3 (SCA3) is a member of the family of polyglutamine (polyQ) neurodegenerative disorders that includes Huntington's Disease and several other SCAs. SCA3, the most common dominant ataxia in the world, is caused by polyQ tract expansion in the protein, ataxin-3. How SCA3 occurs and how to treat it remain unresolved issues. The primary culprit of toxicity in all polyQ diseases is the glutamine repeat: its abnormal expansion leads to neuronal dysfunction and death. With that said, there is indisputable evidence that the way polyQ-dependent toxicity presents—areas impacted, cellular processes perturbed—is predicated in large part on regions outside …

Novel Interaction Of Cxcr4 And Pi4kiiiα In Prostate Cancer, Barani Govindarajan

Wayne State University Dissertations

The CXCR4-CXCL12 chemokine signaling axis plays a key role in migration and bone metastasis in prostate cancer (PC). Androgens regulate CXCR4 expression and its receptor activation in lipid-raft micro domains of PC cells, resulting in higher protease expression and invasion. In order to identify some novel CXCR4 co-regulators associated within the lipid-raft, a SILAC (Stable isotope labeling using amino acid in cell culture)-based proteomic analysis was performed with PC3 stable cell-lines over-expressing or knocking-down CXCR4. Phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase III alpha (PI4KIIIα or PI4KA) and SAC1 lipid phosphatase were identified as candidate proteins enriched in CXCR4 expressing cells. PI4KA is an evolutionarily …

Backward Walking: A Novel Marker Of Fall Risk, Cognitive Dysfunction, And Myelin Damage In Persons With Multiple Sclerosis, Erin Edwards

Wayne State University Dissertations

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive, neurologic disease of the central nervous system that causes debilitating motor, sensory and cognitive impairments. As a result, persons with MS are at an increased risk for falls and falls represent a serious public health concern for the MS population. The current clinical measures used to assess fall risk in MS patients lack sensitivity and predictive validity for falls and are limited in their ability to capture to multiple functional domains (i.e., motor, sensory, cognitive and pathological domains) that are impaired by MS. Backward walking sensitively detects falls in the elderly and other neurologic …

Hearing And Other Factors Influencing Memory Performance In Remote Assessment, Erika Squires

Wayne State University Dissertations

With the revitalization of aural rehabilitation (AR) and increased use of telepractice services, there is a paucity of research examining factors that have the potential to affect remote assessment. An assessment of memory is commonly included in a comprehensive AR assessment because recently developed auditory-cognitive training programs include auditory-based cognitive activities, such as auditory memory tasks. This investigation explored the effect of presentation modality on speech discrimination performance and whether self-reported hearing ability correlated with remote memory assessment in older adults.Older adults self-reported their hearing abilities and completed speech discrimination and memory tasks. Data were collected remotely via a telephone …

The Lived Experiences Of Muslim Women With Infertility, Samia Abdelnabi

Wayne State University Dissertations

Background: Infertility, ranked as the 5th highest global disability, is estimated to impact 180 million couples worldwide. Muslim couples associate parenthood or the ability to have children as an accomplishment in their marriage, adulthood, social status, and security in later life. A failure to conceive in Muslim societies may lead to stigma, social isolation, grief, and despair. There is a gap in the literature on how Muslim women perceive, understand, and cope with infertility in the U.S. This knowledge gap limits the ability in to understand how social, religious, and cultural practices impact a diagnosis of infertility on Muslim American …

Clinical Significance, Functional Role And Molecular Mechanism Of 2’-O-Methyltransferase Ftsj3 In Promoting Cancer Progression, Morenci Manning-Powell

Wayne State University Dissertations

2’-O-methylation (2’-O-Me), one of the most common modifications within RNA, has multiple roles in modulating RNA structure, stability, and interactions, as well as gene transcription and translation. We previously performed integrative genomic and transcriptomic analysis of 58 RNA methyltransferases, and identified FTSJ3 (FtsJ RNA 2ʹ-O-methyltransferase 3) as significantly amplified/overexpressed in breast cancer. Knockdown of FTSJ3 inhibits breast cancer cell growth in vitro. However, the clinical significance, functional role, and molecular mechanism of FTSJ3 in human cancer remains to be elucidated. In the present study, we first analyzed the differential mRNA and protein expression of FTSJ3 between tumor and normal tissues …

Modulation Of Pharyngeal Health In Bacterial Diet-Dependent Survival, Deniz Sifoglu

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

MODULATION OF PHARYNGEAL HEALTH IN BACTERIAL DIET-DEPENDENT SURVIVAL

by

DENIZ SIFOGLU

August 2021

Advisor: Dr. Joy Alcedo Major: Biological Sciences Degree: Doctor of Philosophy Both diet and bacterial microbiome modulate insulin signaling, which regulates key physiological processes that are important for survival. However, the mechanisms through which diet and the microbiome modulate insulin signaling remain unclear. To understand these mechanisms, I turned to the nematode worm C. elegans, whose diet consists of different types of bacteria. Like humans and other animals, C. elegans has to modulate its responses to its diet and to bacteria to optimize its survival. Because …

Evaluating Historical Paradigms Of Sterility In Perinatal Microbiology And Ramifications For Pregnancy Outcomes, Jonathan Greenberg

Wayne State University Dissertations

Next-generation sequencing technologies, especially 16S rRNA gene and metagenomic sequencing have allowed investigations of low microbial biomass tissues of the human body. While these sequencing methodologies have provided large amounts of reliable data for higher microbial biomass sites, such as the mouth, intestine, and vagina, tissues of low microbial biomass sites are subject to specific caveats that were not appropriately considered in early investigations of these sites. Low microbial biomass sites of particular interest have included those of the reproductive and urinary systems. Utilization of DNA sequencing methodologies have allowed researchers to challenge existing paradigms of sterility around these sites …

Investigation Of Physiochemical Properties And Biocompatibility Of Amourphos Calcium Polyphosphate Hydrogel Doped With Antibiotics And Injectable Polymeric Dicalcium Phosphate Dihydrate Bone Cement, Yasaman Chehreghanianzabi

Wayne State University Dissertations

Amorphous calcium polyphosphate (ACPP) is an inorganic polymer ceramic. Here we use a simple method of preparing ACPP hydrogel in the presence of excess volume of water. Essentially, water availability to polyphosphate chains accelerates water molecule ingress and microstructural transformation of ACPP hydrogels. Antibiotic delivery capacity of ACPP hydrogel increases by the specific mixing and molding method, where the VCM has higher antibiotic encapsulation efficiency with the small burst release for the compressed discs. In part of this study, we investigate impact of ACPP hydrogel replacement by monomeric calcium phosphate on the quality of final product (dicalcium phosphate dihydrates (DCPD) …

Determinants Of Successful Diabetes Self-Management Behaviors Among Women Of Arab Descent With Type 2 Diabetes, Mona R. Alanzi

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) continues to be an escalating public health problem that contributes to increased morbidity and mortality worldwide (American Diabetes Association, 2017b). According to the National Diabetes Statistics Report (2017), approximately 30.3 million (9.4%) Americans have T2D. It accounted for 252,806 deaths in 2015 in the United States. Although the complications of T2D is a major threat to the health of women of Arab descent, there is lack of information about the health practices and diabetes self-management behaviors of this population. The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the impact of diabetes knowledge, social/family support, acculturation, …

Nutrition And Health Status Of Hemodialysis Patients In Dhaka, Bangladesh, Tanjina Rahman

Wayne State University Dissertations

Methods to identify patients at risk for End stage renal disease (ESRD) are a high priority in Bangladesh, where kidney transplants/dialysis options are limited and costly. Every year, 35,000 to 40,000 people reach ESRD in Bangladesh, but currently available facilities can hardly accommodate only 9000 to 10,000 new patients with twice weekly dialysis and the remaining 66% have no access to any kind of renal replacement therapy (RRT) in the form of dialysis or transplantation. Nutrition is an important factor in maintaining good health of hemodialysis patients. However, data on nutritional status of Bangladeshi dialysis patients is limited and is …

Mental Health Service Utilization Among Urban Adolescents: The Roles Of Perceived Mental Health Problems, Attitudes Towards Professional Help, And Stigma, Yi Tak Tsang

Wayne State University Dissertations

Mental health among adolescents is widely acknowledged as a significant concern in the United States. Based on a national survey, Merikangas et al. (2010) found that among 13-17 year olds, 42% to 48% reported experiencing mental health concerns. It is estimated that only half of adolescents with mental health problems utilize mental health services (Costello et al., 2014). An initial study found that caregivers of disadvantaged youth appeared to function as the “gatekeepers” to mental health services (Tsang et al., 2020). Also, the results suggested that positive attitude towards professional psychological help, but not stigma, predicted service enrollment. The current …

Age Differences In Hippocampal Glutamate Modulation During Associative Learning And Memory: A Proton Functional Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (1h Fmrs) Study, Chaitali Anand

Wayne State University Dissertations

Episodic and associative memory decline is one of the earliest cognitive impairments in normal aging and among the defining cognitive features of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Since, age-related cognitive decline gradually devolves into AD, with neuropathology preceding cognitive changes by many years, the identification of biomarkers of early disease progression is crucial. Reduction in glutamate, the main excitatory neurotransmitter involved in associative memory, in key brain regions such as the hippocampus, has been theorized as one of the cellular mechanisms underlying cognitive decline in aging and AD. A few neuroimaging studies that demonstrated a link between older adults’ weaker cognitive performance …

Hormonal Regulation Of Glycine Decarboxylase And Its Metabolic Outcomes, Ruta Milind Jog

Wayne State University Dissertations

The amino acid glycine is involved in generation of multiple critical metabolites including glutathione, heme, and creatinine. Interestingly, in both humans and rodents, circulating glycine levels are significantly reduced in obesity, glucose intolerance, type II diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The glycine cleavage system is the predominant glycine degradation pathway in humans. The rate-limiting enzyme of glycine cleavage system is glycine decarboxylase (GLDC), and loss-of-function mutations of GLDC cause hyperglycinemia. Here, we show that GLDC gene expression is upregulated in livers of mouse models of diabetes and diet-induced obesity as well as in the fasted state in normal animals. …

Pilot Evaluation Of The Computer-Based Assessment Of Non-Cognitive Attributes Of Health Professionals (Cana-Hp), Sara Faye Maher

Wayne State University Dissertations

To meet the needs of complex and/or underserved patient populations, health care professionals must possess diverse backgrounds, qualities, and skill sets. Holistic review has been used to diversify student admissions through examination of non-cognitive attributes of health care applicants. The objective of this study was to develop a novel methodology, the computer-based assessment of non-cognitive attributes of health professionals (CANA­ HP), to effectively screen non-cognitive attributes of applicants. Three research questions were delineated; 1.) To determine the CANA-HP instrument reliability (internal consistency & interrater), 2.) To determine if the CANA-HP measured attributes of non­cognitive variables, as demonstrated by low construct …

The Effects Of Postpartum Depression, Acculturative Stress, And Social Support On Mother-Infant Bonding Among U.S. Immigrant Women Of Arabic Descent, Darin Mansor Mathkor

Wayne State University Dissertations

Purpose and Background/Significance: The transition from “woman” to “mother” is a significant life event and can be extremely stressful when merged with the transition from ‘local’ to ‘immigrant’. The development of mother-infant bonding is considered a critical process in the postpartum period. Immigrant women have higher rates of PPD compared with women in their native countries. Among the general population, PPD is strongly associated with lower quality mother-infant bonding. Social support can play a central role in lowering the levels of PPD, and may contribute to higher quality of mother-infant bonding. Moreover, limited data suggests that acculturative stress is found …

Dynamic Resource Allocation For Coordination Of Inpatient Operations In Hospitals, Najibesadat Sadatijafarkalaei

Wayne State University Dissertations

Healthcare systems face difficult challenges such as increasing complexity of processes, inefficient utilization of resources, high pressure to enhance the quality of care and services, and the need to balance and coordinate the staff workload. Therefore, the need for effective and efficient processes of delivering healthcare services increases. Data-driven approaches, including operations research and predictive modeling, can help overcome these challenges and improve the performance of health systems in terms of quality, cost, patient health outcomes and satisfaction.

Hospitals are a key component of healthcare systems with many scarce resources such as caregivers (nurses, physicians) and expensive facilities/equipment. Most hospital …

Parametric Study Of Short Latency Vestibular Evoked Potentials In Healthy Young Adults, Sabahet Fatima Rizvi

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of developing a novel approach of otolith assessment in humans. This approach used vestibular short-latency evoked potentials (VsEP) to evaluate some fundamental characteristics of VsEP responses in healthy young adults. Currently, measures for direct assessment of the otoliths are non-existent, as vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs) rely on neck muscle contraction for cVEMPs or are a reflection of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) for oVEMPs, rather than the otoliths themselves (Fujimoto, Suzuki, Kinoshita, Egami, Sugasawa, & Iwasaki, 2018).

Stimuli consisted of bone-conducted vibrations elicited by a specialized vibrator (Bruel & Kjaer, …

Investigating Gray And White Matter Microstructure In Parkinson Disease Patients Using Diffusion Weighted Imaging, Wafaa Sweidan

Wayne State University Dissertations

Parkinson disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized histologically by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN), and clinically by motor symptoms. PD pathology extends beyond the SN, and involves the presence of intraneuronal inclusions in neuronal bodies (Lewy bodies) and dendrites (Lewy dendrites). A staging system for Lewy pathology has been proposed, where it is hypothesized that the disease initiates in the peripheral nerves system and spreads along a caudal-rostral pathway to the brain stem and the cerebral cortex. Histological and imaging studies highlight a role for cortical Lewy pathology and atrophy, respectively, in mediating the …

Development Of A Novel Cardiac Ischemia-Reperfusion Model In The Axolotl, Jeremy Tolentino Llaniguez

Wayne State University Dissertations

The Center for Disease Control’s National Center for Health Statistics data for mortality from diseases of the heart show the age-adjusted death rate has fallen from almost 600 deaths in the 1950s to just over 190 deaths per 100,000 U.S. residents today. With the recognized limitations of pharmacotherapy of myocardial infarction (MI), cell-based therapies have been undergoing rapid development and clinical testing. However, there is still no consensus about cell types, delivery routes, dosing and treatment schedules and pretreatment conditioning of cells prior to administration. Furthermore, a fundamental question remains unanswered about the reasons for the poor capacity for myocardial …

The Role Of Bca2 In Regulation Of Warburg-Like Glucose And Lactate Metabolism In Breast Cancer Cell Lines, Richard T. Arkwright Iii

Wayne State University Dissertations

Modified metabolism is a hallmark of cancer cell biology known as “The Warburg Effect,” characterized by increased glucose-consumption and lactate-production, providing the metabolites and energy necessary for rapid proliferation. Breast-cancer-associated-gene-2 (BCA2) is an E3-Ub-ligase known to modulate AMPK, the “master-regulator of energy-homeostasis.” BCA2 is an oncogene associated with poor patient-survival and breast cancer invasiveness. Phospho-proteomic analysis of siBCA2-MDA-MB-231 knockdown-(KD) revealed enrichment of Nicotinamide-Nucleotide-Adenylyl-transferase-1 (NMNAT1), an essential enzyme in nuclear NAD-synthesis and a tumor-suppressor.

Initial experiments demonstrated that glucose concentration was positively correlated with BCA2 and inversely with NMNAT1 protein expression. shBCA2-KD in MDA-MB-468/-231 reproduced the inverse correlation between BCA2 and …

Toward Enhancing Ecological Validity Of Cognitive-Linguistic Assessment: The Role Of Individual Differences In Cognitive Capacity On Oral Discourse Processing, Nancy Naperala

Wayne State University Dissertations

A growing body of multidisciplinary research indicates the need for more holistic tests of executive cognitive functioning and complex language metrics that predict real-life performance. However, empirical studies investigating cognitive aging, limited capacity processing and everyday discourse behaviours are still lacking. The present research focused on ecologically valid methods for capturing individual differences in cognitive capacity and the effects of cognitive load on oral discourse processing (ODP) in healthy adult participants. This methodology sought to tease apart the nature of capacity limits and provide a better estimate of age-related differences in everyday discourse behaviors in three parts. First, the effects …

A Model Of Agitated Behavioral Symptoms In Persons With Alzheimer Disease, Katherine Kero

Wayne State University Dissertations

Background: Worldwide population trends are shifting with the population of Elders expected to dramatically increase in absolute and relative numbers in coming years. Alzheimer Disease (AD) is a common and costly disease of aging with agitation being the most poorly managed and detrimental behavioral symptom of the condition. The Nursing Theory of Unpleasant Symptoms provides a conceptual basis for understanding agitated behavioral symptoms associated with AD in the context of its antecedent causes and outcomes of the symptoms.

Purpose: The purpose of this dissertation was to model the predictors and outcomes of agitated behavioral symptoms in persons with AD. The …

Health Literacy, Social Support, And Diabetes Self Care Among Individuals Of Arab Descent, Abeer Aseeri

Wayne State University Dissertations

HEALTH LITERACY, SOCIAL SUPPORT, AND DIABETES SELF-CARE AMONG INDIVUDALS OF ARAB DESCENT

BY ABEER ASEERI

August 2020 Advisor: Dr. Joan Visger & Dr. Nancy Hauff

Major: Nursing

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

Introduction/Objectives: Individuals of Arabic descent who live in the United States are at increased risk of diabetes because the Middle Eastern and North African regions have the second highest global rate of the disease which, is also projected to increase by over 95% by 2035. Diabetes self-care involves seven essential behaviors, including: (1) eating a healthy diet, (2) being physically active, (3) being compliant with medication, (4) monitoring blood …

Assessment Of Presumed Sterility Of The Human Placenta And Maternal Bladder, Ali Alhousseini

Wayne State University Dissertations

Introduction

Preterm birth is the number one cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. A causal link has been established between infection and preterm birth. Urinary tract infection is the number one infection in pregnancy. Evaluating the existence of a placental and maternal bladder microbiome is a major scientific and clinical milestone in perinatal medicine.

Methodology and Results

Chapter 2: This is a prospective case control study. 69 placentas were collected in a sterile fashion from six groups of women without infection: Term cesarean not in labor (n=18), term cesarean in labor (n=9), term vaginal (n=21), preterm cesarean not in labor …

Investigation Of The Role For Methyl-Cpg Binding Protein 2 Variant Mbd2_V2 In Cancer Stem Cells And Obesity-Associated Cancers, Emily A. Teslow

Wayne State University Dissertations

Obesity is a risk factor for both TNBC and PCa, and pro-inflammatory features associated with obesity, including upregulated production of ROS, promote CSCs. Previously published work from the Bollig-Fischer laboratory established that TNBC CSCs could be inhibited by neutralizing ROS in culture with H2O2 targeted antioxidants. In this report, antioxidant treatment resulted in the downregulation of mRNA splicing variant MBD2_v2. MBD2_v2 was highly expressed in CSCs versus bulk TNBC cells and supported self-renewal in vitro. As obesity is coupled with increased ROS, we hypothesized that obesity could drive CSCs via MBD2_v2 expression. The work presented in this thesis addressed this …

Personal Satisfaction, Cardiovascular Disease Risk, And Health Promoting Behavior Among Arab American Middle-Aged Women, Rnda Ibrahim Ashgar

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

PERSONAL SATISFACTION, CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE RISK, AND HEALTH PROMOTING BEHAVIOR AMONG ARAB AMERICAN MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN

by

RNDA I. ASHGAR

MAY 2019

Advisor: Dr. Debra Schutte Major: Nursing

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

Purpose and Background/Significance: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one leading cause of death among middle-aged women. It was estimated that CVD causes 1 in 3 deaths each year, or one woman each minute. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of personal satisfaction on CVD risk and health promoting behavior (HPB) among Arab American middle-aged women. The specific aims of this study were:

1) Specific …

Multiple Dimensions And Correlates Of Fatigue In Individuals On Hemodialysis: A Quantitative Study, Bincy Joshwa

Wayne State University Dissertations

Background: Fatigue is present in individuals on Hemodialysis (HD). Evidence on fatigue in HD are limited by focus on unidimensional aspect of fatigue, flawed unidimensional tools, lack of objective measures, and variability in the correlates of fatigue. Purpose: To examine severity and trajectory pattern of fatigue; delineate influencing physiological and situational factors pre-dialysis and post-dialysis. Theoretical Framework: The Theory of Unpleasant Symptoms was used to guide the study. Methodology: A descriptive, correlational, before-after design was utilized. Measures were Piper Fatigue Scale (PFS)-12, Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information Systems (PROMIS)-Fatigue, Charlson Comorbidity Index and six-minute walk test (6MWT). Adults, cognitively intact …

Understanding The Utilization Of Community-Based Services In Late Old Age: A Participatory Approach For Connecting Through The Communication Ecology, Carrie Leach

Wayne State University Dissertations

As the pool of eligible recipients continues to grow, understanding service system utilization and barriers can help ensure very old adults can access support from their communities when needed. Mounting research demonstrates that investment in community-based services to ensure seniors remain independent translates to saved government dollars. As a contributing researcher of a multi-year county-wide older adult needs assessment in Monroe County, Michigan, data collected from 1,870 people revealed a communication disjuncture between seniors and service providers. In response, officials convened a post assessment working group that focused on communication and outreach. Along with members of the Community Advisory Group …

Reporting Number Needed To Treat In Clinical Trials Published In Physical Therapy Specific Literature 1989 - 2018, Susan Ann Talley

Wayne State University Dissertations

Evidence-based practice requires physical therapists to make clinical decisions about the best intervention to use when providing services to patients/clients. Although null hypothesis significance testing (NHST) is frequently used to interpret the outcome of a clinical trial investigating the comparative effectiveness of an intervention, statistical significance does not directly translate into clinical importance. Number needed to treat (NNT) is a measure of effect size (ES) that may be particularly useful when translating the results from clinical trials to PT clinical practice. The purpose of this study was to conduct a bibliometric content analysis of the methods of reporting research results …