Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Reduction Of Endothelial Nitric Oxide Increases The Adhesiveness Of Constitutive Endothelial Membrane Icam-1 Through Src-Mediated Phosphorylation, Feng Gao, Brandon P. Lucke-Wold, Xiang Li, Aric F. Logsdon, Li-Chong Xu, Sulei Xu, Kyle B. Lapenna, Huaqi Wang, M.A. Hassan Talukder, Christopher A. Siedlecki, Jason D. Huber, Charles L. Rosen, Pingnian He

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Nitric oxide (NO) is a known anti-adhesive molecule that prevents platelet aggregation and leukocyte adhesion to endothelial cells (ECs). The mechanism has been attributed to its role in the regulation of adhesion molecules on leukocytes and the adhesive properties of platelets. Our previous study conducted in rat venules found that reduction of EC basal NO synthesis caused EC ICAM-1-mediated firm adhesion of leukocytes within 10–30min. This quick response occurred in the absence of alterations of adhesion molecules on leukocytes and also opposes the classical pattern of ICAM-1-mediated leukocyte adhesion that requires protein synthesis and occurs hours after stimulation. The objective …

Future Implications Of Using Registered Dietitians In Multidisciplinary Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Treatment, Wendy M. Wolf, Rachel A. Wattick, Pamela J. Murray, Melanie Clemmer, Melissa D. Olfert

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common reproductive endocrine disorder in females with insulin resistance playing a key role in pathogenesis. The objective of this study was to investigate current trends and future implications of multidisciplinary PCOS clinics with inclusion of dietitians. A two-phase, formative investigation on practitioners was conducted through an anonymous survey followed by focus groups. Survey respondents included 261 health care providers from around the world; the majority (59%) representing multidisciplinary teams. Focus group participants included four dietitians, three physicians, a health psychologist and a licensed nutritionist. Primary barriers for future multidisciplinary clinics included: money/resources, insurance …

Low Sucrose, Omega-3 Enriched Diet Has Region-Specific Effects On Neuroinflammation And Synaptic Function Markers In A Mouse Model Of Doxorubicin-Based Chemotherapy, Tonya S. Orchard, Monica M. Gaudier-Diaz, Panchita Phuwamongkolwiwat-Chu, Rebecca Andridge, Maryam B. Lustberg, Joshua Bomser, Rachel M. Cole, Martha A. Belury, Courtney A. Devries

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Chemotherapeutic agents such as doxorubicin may negatively affect long-term brain functioning in cancer survivors; neuroinflammation may play a causal role. Dietary approaches that reduce inflammation, such as lowering sucrose and increasing eicosapentaenoic acid plus docosahexaenoic acid (EPA + DHA), may attenuate chemotherapy-induced neuroinflammation and synaptic damage, thereby improving quality of life. Ovariectomized, C57BL/6 mice were assigned to a chemotherapy (9 mg/kg doxorubicin + 90 mg/kg cyclophosphamide) or vehicle two-injection regimen, with injections two and four weeks after starting diets. In Study 1, mice received low sucrose diets with EPA + DHA or No EPA + DHA for four to six …

A Novel Method For Training Mice In Visuo-Tactile 3-D Object Discrimination And Recognition, Xian Hu, Ogaga Urhie, Kevin Chang, Rachel Hostetler, Ariel Agmon

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Perceiving, recognizing and remembering 3-dimensional (3-D) objects encountered in the environment has a very high survival value; unsurprisingly, this ability is shared among many animal species, including humans. The psychological, psychophysical and neural basis for object perception, discrimination, recognition and memory has been extensively studied in humans, monkeys, pigeons and rodents, but is still far from understood. Nearly all 3-D object recognition studies in the rodent used the “novel object recognition” paradigm, which relies on innate rather than learned behavior; however, this procedure has several important limitations. Recently, investigators have begun to recognize the power of behavioral tasks learned through …

Adp-Ribosylation Factor-Like 2 (Arl2) Regulates Cilia Stability And Development Of Outer Segments In Rod Photoreceptor Neurons, Zachary C. Wright, Yuriy Loskutov, Daniel Murphy, Peter Stoilov, Elena Pugacheva, Andrew F.X. Goldberg, Visvanathan Ramamurthy

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Photoreceptor cells are specialized neurons with a sensory cilium carrying an elaborate membrane structure, the outer segment (OS). Inherited mutations in genes involved in ciliogenesis frequently result in OS malformation and blindness. ADP-ribosylation factor-like 2 (ARL2) has recently been implicated in OS formation through its association with Binder of ARL2 (BART or ARL2BP), a protein linked to inherited blinding disease. To test the role of ARL2 in vision we created a transgenic mouse model expressing a tagged-dominant active form of human ARL2 (ARL2-Q70L) under a rod-specific promoter. Transgenic ARL2-Q70L animals exhibit reduced photoreceptor cell function as early as post-natal day …

Analytical Cpg Model Driven By Limb Velocity Input Generates Accurate Temporal Locomotor Dynamics, Sergiy Yakovenko, Anton Sobinov, Valeriya Gritsenko

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The ability of vertebrates to generate rhythm within their spinal neural networks is essential for walking, running, and other rhythmic behaviors. The central pattern generator (CPG) network responsible for these behaviors is well-characterized with experimental and theoretical studies, and it can be formulated as a nonlinear dynam- ical system. The underlying mechanism responsible for locomotor behavior can be expressed as the process of leaky integration with resetting states generating appropriate phases for changing body velocity. The low-dimensional input to the CPG model generates the bilateral pattern of swing and stance modulation for each limb and is consistent with the desired …

Exposure To Mild Blast Forces Induces Neuropathological Effects, Neurophysiological Deficits And Biochemical Changes, Adan Hernandez, Chunfeng Tan, Florian Plattner, Aric F. Logsdon, Karine Pozo, Mohammad A. Yousuf, Tanvir Singh, Ryan C. Turner, Brandon P. Luke-Wold, Jason D. Huber, Charles L. Rosen, James A. Bibb

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Direct or indirect exposure to an explosion can induce traumatic brain injury (TBI) of various severity levels. Primary TBI from blast exposure is commonly characterized by internal injuries, such as vascular damage, neuronal injury, and contusion, without external injuries. Current animal models of blast-induced TBI (bTBI) have helped to understand the deleterious effects of moderate to severe blast forces. However, the neurological effects of mild blast forces remain poorly characterized. Here, we investigated the effects caused by mild blast forces combining neuropathological, histological, biochemical and neurophysiological analysis. For this purpose, we employed a rodent blast TBI model with blast forces …

Waking Up Every Day In A Body That Is Not Yours: A Qualitative Research Inquiry Into The Intersection Between Eating Disorders And Pregnancy, Elizabeth A. Claydon, Danielle M. Davidov, Keith J. Zullig, Christa L. Lilly, Lesley Cattrell, Stephanie C. Zerwas

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background: Women with eating disorders are more likely to negatively react to finding out they are pregnant, although this difference in attitudes between women with eating disorders and controls disappears at 18-weeks’ gestation. Those with anorexia also are twice as likely to have an unplanned pregnancy and those with bulimia have a 30-fold increased chance compared with healthy controls. Therefore, due to these considerations, pregnancy and the transition to motherhood can be an extremely challenging time for these women both psychologically and physically. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to understand the intersection between eating disorders and pregnancy …

Assessment Of A Mouse Xenograft Model Of Primary Colorectal Cancer With Special Reference To Perfluorooctane Sulfonate, Jeffrey H. Wimsatt, Caitlin Montgomery, Laurel S. Thomas, Charity Savard, Rachel Tallman, Kim Innes, Nezar Jrebi

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Colorectal cancer ranks third among the most commonly diagnosed cancers in the United States. Current therapies have a range of side effects, and the development of a reliable animal model to speed the discovery of safe effective preventative therapies would be of great value. A cross-sectional study in a large Appalachian population recently showed an association between low circulating levels of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and a reduced prevalence of colorectal cancer. A study using APCmin(C57BL/6J-ApcMin/J) mice prone to familial adenomatous polyposis found PFOS was protective when exposure occurred during tumor development. To test the possible benefit of PFOS on spontaneous …

Pedunculated And Obstructive Wilms' Tumor: A Rare Presentation In A 2 Year- T Old Male, Leor T. Arbel, Morris Jessop, Osama Al-Omar

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Wilms' tumor manifesting as an obstructing ureteral mass is extremely rare. Herein, we report an unusual case in which a child presented with a clinical picture concerning for and suggestive of ureteropelvic junction ob- struction (UPJO), but was instead found to have an intrapelvic pedunculated Wilms' tumor with extension into the proximal ureter. We discuss the patient's diagnostic workup, radiographic, operative and pathologic findings, as well as important lessons learned from this unusual case.

Titanium Hardware Extrusion Following Pediatric Cranioplasty, Cody L. Mullens, Luke J. Grome, Cesar A. Serrano, Rabia Qaiser, Aaron C. Mason

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Aging pediatric cranioplasty patients with titanium implants are a population at risk for scalp breakdown and implant extrusion. Complications from titanium use in adult cranioplasty patients are well documented in the medical literature. Reports of complications focused on pediatric populations are sparse. In this case series, we report two examples of negative sequelae associated with titanium utilization in infant cranioplasty and discuss our treatment strategy for each case.

Metabolic And Transcriptional Modules Independently Diversify Plasma Cell Lifespan And Function, Wing Y. Lam, Arijita Jash, Cong-Hui Yao, Lucas D'Souza, Rachel Wong, Ryan M. Nunley, Gordon P. Meares, Gary J. Patti, Deepta Bhattacharya

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Plasma cell survival and the consequent duration of immunity vary widely with infection or vaccination. Using fluorescent glucose analog uptake, we defined multiple developmentally independent mouse plasma cell populations with varying life- spans. Long-lived plasma cells imported more fluo- rescent glucose analog, expressed higher surface levels of the amino acid transporter CD98, and had more autophagosome mass than did short-lived cells. Low amino acid concentrations triggered re- ductions in both antibody secretion and mitochon- drial respiration, especially by short-lived plasma cells. To explain these observations, we found that glutamine was used for both mitochondrial respira- tion and anaplerotic reactions, yielding …

Relationship Of Transmural Variations In Myofiber Contractility To Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction: Implications For Modeling Heart Failure Phenotype With Preserved Ejection Fraction, Yanghoub Dabiri, Kevin L. Sack, Semion Shaul, Partho P. Sengupta, Julius M. Guccione

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The pathophysiological mechanisms underlying preserved left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF) in patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) remain incompletely understood. We hypothesized that transmural variations in myofiber contractility with existence of subendocardial dysfunction and compensatory increased subepicardial contractility may underlie preservation of LVEF in patients with HFpEF. We quantified alterations in myocardial function in a mathematical model of the human LV that is based on the finite element method. The fiber-reinforced material formulation of the myocardium included passive and active properties. The passive material properties were determined such that the diastolic pressure-volume behavior of the LV …

Quantum Confined Peptide Assemblies With Tunable Visible To Near-Infrared Spectral Range, Kai Tao, Zhen Fan, Leming Sun, Pandeeswar Makam, Zhen Tian, Mark Ruegsegger, Shira Shaham-Niv, Derek Hansford, Ruth Aizen, Zui Pan, Scott Galster, Jianjie Ma, Fan Yuan, Mingsu Si, Songnan Qu, Mingjun Zhang, Ehud Gazit, Junbai Li

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Quantum confined materials have been extensively studied for photoluminescent applica- tions. Due to intrinsic limitations of low biocompatibility and challenging modulation, the utilization of conventional inorganic quantum confined photoluminescent materials in bio- imaging and bio-machine interface faces critical restrictions. Here, we present aromatic cyclo-dipeptides that dimerize into quantum dots, which serve as building blocks to further self-assemble into quantum confined supramolecular structures with diverse morphologies and photoluminescence properties. Especially, the emission can be tuned from the visible region to the near-infrared region (420 nm to 820 nm) by modulating the self-assembly process. Moreover, no obvious cytotoxic effect is observed for …

Experimental Intravascular Hemolysis Induces Hemodynamic And Pathological Pulmonary Hypertension: Association With Accelerated Purine Metabolism, Victor P. Bilan, Frank Schneider, Enrico M. Novelli, Eric E. Kelley, Sruti Shiva, Mark T. Gladwin, Edwin K. Jackson, Stevan P. Tofovic

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is emerging as a serious complication associated with hemolytic disorders, and plexiform lesions (PXL) have been reported in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). We hypothesized that repetitive hemolysis per se induces PH and angioproliferative vasculopathy and evaluated a new mechanism for hemolysis-associated PH (HA-PH) that involves the release of adenosine deaminase (ADA) and purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) from erythrocytes. In healthy rats, repetitive admin- istration of hemolyzed autologous blood (HAB) for 10 days produced reversible pulmonary parenchymal injury and vascular remodeling and PH. Moreover, the combination of a single dose of Sugen-5416 (SU, 200mg/kg) and 10-day …

Impact Of Acute Diabetes Decompensation On Outcomes Of Diabetic Patients Admitted With St-Elevation Myocardial Infarction, Mayada Issa, Fahad Alqahtani, Chalak Berzingi, Mohammad Al-Hajji, Tatiana Busu, Mohamad Alkhouli

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background: Acute hyperglycemia is associated with worse outcomes in diabetic patients admitted with ST‐eleva‐ tion myocardial infarction (STEMI). However, the impact of full‐scale decompensated diabetes on STEMI outcomes has not been investigated.

Methods: We utilized the national inpatient sample (2003–2014) to identify adult diabetic patients admitted with STEMI. We defined decompensated diabetes as the presence of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) or hyperglycemic hyper‐ osmolar state (HHS). We compared in‐hospital morbidity and mortality and cost between patients with and without diabetes decompensation before and after propensity‐score matching.

Results: A total of 73,722 diabetic patients admitted with STEMI were included in the study. …

Fasudil In Combination With Bone Marrow Stromal Cells (Bmscs) Attenuates Alzheimer’S Disease-Related Changes Through The Regulation Of The Peripheral Immune System, Jiezhong Yu, Yuqing Yan, Qingfang Gu, Gajendra Kumar, Hongqiang Yu, Yijin Zhao, Chunyun Liu, Ye Gao, Zhi Chai, Jasleen Chumber, Bao-Guo Xiao, Guang-Xian Zhang, Han-Ting Zhang, Yuqiang Jiang, Cun-Gen Ma

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a chronic progressive neurodegenerative disease. Its mechanism is still not clear. Majority of research focused on the central nervous system (CNS) changes, while few studies emphasize on peripheral immune system modulation. Our study aimed to investigate the regulation of the peripheral immune system and its relationship to the severity of the disease after treatment in an AD model of APPswe/PSEN1dE9 transgenic (APP/PS1 Tg) mice. APP/PS1 Tg mice (8 months old) were treated with the ROCK-II inhibitor 1-(5-isoquinolinesulfonyl)- homo-piperazine (Fasudil) (intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections, 25 mg/kg/day), bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs; caudal vein injections, 1 × 106 BMSCs …

Spontaneous Dna Damage To The Nuclear Genome Promotes Senescence, T Redox Imbalance And Aging, Andria R. Robinson, Matthew J. Yousefzadeh, Tania A. Rozgaja, Jin Wang, Xuesen Li, Jeremy S. Tilstra, Chelsea H. Feldman, Siobhan Q. Gregg, Caroline H. Johnson, Erin M. Skoda, Marie-Celine Frantz, Harris Bell-Temin, Hannah Pope-Varsalona, Aditi U. Gurkar, Luigi A. Nasto, Rena A.S. Robinson, Heike Fuhrmann-Stroissnigg, Jolanta Czerwinska, Sara J. Mcgowan, Nadiezhda Cantu-Madellin, Jamie B. Harris, Salony Maniar, Mark A. Ross, Christy E. Trussoni, Nicholas F. Larusso, Eugenia Cifuentes-Pagano, Patrick J. Pagano, Barbara Tudek, Nam V. Vo, Lora H. Rigatti, Patricia L. Opresko, Donna B. Stolz, Simon C. Watkins, Christin E. Burd, Claudette M. St, Croix, Gary Siuzdak, Nathan A. Yates, Paul D. Robbins, Yinsheng Wang, Peter Wipf, Eric E. Kelley, Laura J. Neidernhofer

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Accumulation of senescent cells over time contributes to aging and age-related diseases. However, what drives senescence in vivo is not clear. Here we used a genetic approach to determine if spontaneous nuclear DNA damage is sufficient to initiate senescence in mammals. Ercc1-/Δ mice with reduced expression of ERCC1-XPF endonuclease have impaired capacity to repair the nuclear genome. Ercc1-/Δ mice accumulated spontaneous, oxidative DNA damage more rapidly than wild-type (WT) mice. As a consequence, senescent cells accumulated more rapidly in Ercc1-/Δ mice compared to repair-competent animals. However, the levels of DNA damage and senescent cells in Ercc1-/Δ mice never exceeded that …

Acute Effects Of Diets Rich In Almonds And Walnuts On Endothelial Function, Ravindra Bhardwaj, Harvinder Dod, Manjinder S. Sandhu, Rohil Bedi, Sachin Dod, Gregory Konat, H.K. Chopra, Rakesh Sharma, Abnash C. Jain, Navin Nanda

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Objective: Omega-3 fatty acids, especially alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which are present in nuts may reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, by changing vascular inflammation and improving endothelial dysfunction. The objective of the study was to evaluate the acute effects of two different diets, one containing walnuts and the other almonds on endothelial function.

Methods: Twenty-seven overweight volunteers underwent a randomized 2-period, crossover, controlled intervention study. The subjects were given either walnut or almond diets which varied in monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content. The walnut diet provided 23.1% energy from PUFA and the almond diet provided 7.6% …

Wdr5 Supports Colon Cancer Cells By Promoting Methylation Of H3k4 And Suppressing Dna Damage, Beth K. Neilsen, Binita Chakraborty, Jamie L. Mccall, Danielle E. Frodyma, Richard L. Sleightholm, Kurt W. Fisher, Robert E. Lewis

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background: KMT2/MLL proteins are commonly overexpressed or mutated in cancer and have been shown to support cancer maintenance. These proteins are responsible for methylating histone 3 at lysine 4 and promoting transcription and DNA synthesis; however, they are inactive outside of a multi-protein complex that requires WDR5. WDR5 has been implicated in cancer for its role in the COMPASS complex and its interaction with Myc; however, the role of WDR5 in colon cancer has not yet been elucidated.

Methods: WDR5 expression was evaluated using RT-qPCR and western blot analysis. Cell viability and colony forming assays were utilized to evaluate the …

Comparative Early Outcomes Of Tricuspid Valve Repair Versus Replacement For Secondary Tricuspid Regurgitation, Mohammad Alkhouli, Chalak Berzingi, Amer Kowatti, Fahad Alqahtani, Vinay Badhawr

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background Comparative outcome data on tricuspid valve repair (TVr) versus tricuspid valve replacement (TVR) for severe secondary tricuspid regurgitation (TR) are limited.

Methods We used a national inpatient sample to assess in-hospital morbidity and mortality, length of stay and cost in patients with severe secondary TR undergoing isolated TVr versus TVR.

Results A total of 1364 patients (national estimate=6757) underwent isolated tricuspid valve surgery during the study period, of whom 569 (41.7%) had TVr and 795 (58.3%) had TVR. There was no difference in the prevalence of major morbidities between the two groups, except for liver disease and hepatic cirrhosis, …

Contemporary Outcomes Of Isolated Bioprothestic Mitral Valve Replacement For Mitral Regurgitation, Chalak Berzingi, Vinay Badhwar, Fahad Alqahtani, Sami Aljohani, Zakeih Chaker, Mohamad Alkhouli

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background Early experience with transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) highlighted several investigational challenges related to this novel therapy. Conclusive randomised clinical trials in the field may, therefore, be years ahead. In the interim, contemporary outcomes of isolated surgical bioprosthetic mitral valve replacement (MVR) can be used as a benchmark for the emerging TMVR therapies. Methods We used the nationwide inpatient sample to examine recent trends and outcomes of surgical bioprosthetic MVR for mitral regurgitation (isolated and combined). Results 21 007 patients who had bioprosthetic MVR between 2003 and 2014 were included. Of those, 30% had isolated MVR and 70% had …

Statewide Cross-Sectional Survey Of Emergency Departments’ Adoption And Implementation Of The Ohio Opioid Prescribing Guidelines And Opioid Prescribing Practices, Jonathan Penm, Neil J. Mackinnon, Rebecca Mashni, Michael S. Lyons, Edmond A. Hooker, Erin L. Winstanley, Steve Carlton-Ford, Chloe Connelly, Erica Tolle, Jill Boone, Kathleen Koechlin, Jolene Defiore-Hyrmer

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

study objective: To evaluate the implementation of the Ohio Emergency and Acute Care Facility Opioids and Other Controlled Substances Prescribing Guidelines and their perceived impact on local policies and practice.

Methods: The study design was a cross-sectional survey of emergency department (ED) medical directors, or appropriate person identified by the hospital, perception of the impact of the Ohio ED Opioid Prescribing Guidelines on their departments practice. All hospitals with an ED in Ohio were contacted throughout October and November 2016. Distribution followed Dillman’s Tailored Design Method, augmented with telephone recruitment. Hospital chief executive officers were contacted when necessary to encourage …

Risk Perceptions Of Cellphone Use While Driving: Results From A Delphi Survey, Motao Zhu, Toni M. Rudisill, Kimberly J. Rauscher, Danielle M. Davidov, Jing Feng

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Cellphone use while driving has been recognized as a growing and important public health issue by the World Health Organization and U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Surveys typically collect data on overall texting while driving, but do not differentiate between various forms of cellphone use. This study sought to improve the survey indicators when monitoring cellphone use among young drivers. Experts and young drivers were recruited to propose behavioral indicators (cellphone use while driving behaviors) and consequential indicators (safety consequences of cellphone use while driving) in 2016. Subsequently, experts and young drivers selected the top indicators using the …

The Impact Of Conjunctival Flap Method And Drainage Cannula Diameter On Bleb Survival In The Rabbit Model, Cooper D. Rodgers, Alissa M. Meyer, Nicole C. Rosenberg, Zachary L. Lukowski, Jamie L. Schaefer, Gina M. Martorana, Monica A. Levine, Craig A. Meyers, Mark B. Sherwood

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Purpose

To examine the effect of cannula diameter and conjunctival flap method on bleb survival in rabbits undergoing cannula-based glaucoma filtration surgery (GFS).

Methods

Twelve New Zealand White rabbits underwent GFS in both eyes. The twenty-four eyes were divided into four groups. Two of the four groups (N = 12) received limbus-based con- junctival flaps (LBCF), and the other two (N = 12) received fornix-based conjunctival flaps (FBCF). Six FBCF rabbit eyes were implanted with 22-gauge drainage tubes, and the other six were implanted with 26-gauge tubes. Likewise, six LBCF rabbits received 22-gauge drainage tubes and six received 26-gauge tubes. …

Method Overtness, Forensic Autopsy, And The Evidentiary Suicide Note: A Multilevel National Violent Death Reporting System Analysis, Ian R. H. Rockett, Eric D. Caine, Steven Stack, Hilary S. Connery, Kurt B. Nolte, Christa L. Lilly, Ted R. Miller, Lewis S. Nelson, Sandra L. Putnam, Paul S. Nestadt, Haomiao Jia

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Objective

Higher prevalence of suicide notes could signify more conservatism in accounting and greater proneness to undercounting of suicide by method. We tested two hypotheses: (1) an evidentiary suicide note is more likely to accompany suicides by drug-intoxication and by other poisoning, as less violent and less forensically overt methods, than suicides by firearm and hanging/suffocation; and (2) performance of a forensic autopsy attenuates any observed association between overtness of method and the reported presence of a note.

Methods

This multilevel (individual/county), multivariable analysis employed a generalized linear mixed model (GLMM). Representing the 17 states participating in the United States …

A Small Molecule P53 Activator Attenuates Fanconi Anemia Leukemic Stem Cell Proliferation, Wei Du, Xiaoli Li, Andrew F. Wilson, Qishen Pang

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Although p53 mutations are common in solid tumors, such mutations are found at a lower frequency in hematologic malignancies. In the genetic disorder Fanconi anemia (FA), p53 has been proposed as an important pathophysiological factor for two important hematologic hallmarks of the disease: bone marrow failure and leukemogenesis. Here we show that low levels of the p53 protein enhance the capacity of leukemic stem cells from FA patients to repopulate immunodeficient mice. Furthermore, boosting p53 protein levels with the use of the small molecule Nutlin-3 reduced leukemia burden in recipient mice. These results demonstrate that the level of p53 protein …

Association Of Youth Characteristics And Recent Utilization Of Dental Services In The United States, Ilana R. A. Chertok, Nathaniel Chertok, Zelalem T. Haile, Bhakti Chavan

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background: Oral health is important for overall health of youth, although dental service utilization is lower than national goals. The purpose of the study was to identify sociodemographic and health behavioral characteristics of youth in the United States who reported having at least one dental visit in the past 12 months.

Methods: Secondary data analysis was conducted using the 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) to examine factors associated with dental care utilization using Andersen’s theory-based Behavioral Model of Health Care Utilization.

Results: Among 5,814 youth, nearly 78 percent reported visiting a dentist in the past 12 months. After adjusting …

The Complementary Health Approaches For Pain Survey (Chaps): Validity Testing And Characteristics Of A Rural Population With Pain, Termeh Feinberg, Dina L. Jones, Christa Lilly, Amna Umer, Kim Innes

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Objectives

Little is known about patterns and correlates of Complementary Health Approaches (CHAs) in chronic pain populations, particularly in rural, underserved communities. This article details the development and implementation of a new survey instrument designed to address this gap, the Complementary Health Approaches for Pain Survey (CHAPS).

Design

Following pilot-testing using pre-specified criteria to assess quality and comprehension in our target population, and after feedback regarding face-validity from content experts and stakeholders, the final cross-sectional self-report survey required 10–12 minutes to com- plete. It contained 69 demographic, lifestyle and health-related factors, and utilized a Trans- theoretical Model (TTM) underpinning to …

Total Sulfane Sulfur Bioavailability Reflects Ethnic And Gender Disparities In Cardiovascular Disease, Saurabh Rajpal, Pavan Katikaneni, Matthew Deshotels, Sibile Pardue, John Glawe, Xinggui Shen, Nuri Akkus, Kalgi Modi, Ruchi Bhandari, Paari Dominic, Pratap Reddy, Gopi K. Kolluru, Christopher G. Kevil

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has emerged as an important physiological and pathophysiological signaling molecule in the cardiovascular system influencing vascular tone, cytoprotective responses, redox reactions, vascular adap- tation, and mitochondrial respiration. However, bioavailable levels of H2S in its various biochemical metabolite forms during clinical cardiovascular disease remain poorly understood. We performed a case-controlled study to quantify and compare the bioavailability of various biochemical forms of H2S in patients with and without cardiovascular disease (CVD). In our study, we used the reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography monobromobimane assay to analytically measure bioavailable pools of H2S. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were also identified …