Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Donor Platelet Plasma Components Inactivate Sensitive And Multidrug Resistant Acinetobacter Baumannii Isolates, Chelsea M. Edelblute, Olga N. Pakhomova, Fanying Li, Barbara Y. Hargrave, Loree C. Heller

Bioelectrics Publications

Acinetobacter baumannii is an environmentally resilient healthcare-associated opportunistic pathogen responsible for infections at many body sites. In the last 10 years, clinical strains resistant to many or all commonly used antibiotics have emerged globally. With few antimicrobial agents in the pharmaceutical pipeline, new and alternative agents are essential. Platelets secrete a large number of proteins, including proteins with antimicrobial activity. In a previous study, we demonstrated that donor platelet supernatants and plasma significantly inhibited the growth of a reference strain of A. baumannii in broth and on skin. This inhibition appeared to be unrelated to the platelet activation state. In …

Household Bush Burning Practice And Related Respiratory Symptoms In Grenada, The Caribbean, Muge Akpinar-Elci, Kareem Coomansingh, James Blando, Larissa Mark

Center for Global Health Publications

The practice of household bush burning in Grenada occurs frequently, though it is not well documented. The effects of the emissions from bush burning on respiratory health of the population have never been researched in Grenada. The goal of the study was to measure the frequency of bush burning and to investigate the relationship between bush burning practice and respiratory health in Grenada. In this cross-sectional study, a questionnaire was used to gather information from households in the parishes of St. George and St. Andrew, Grenada. In total, 225 participants were recruited and their responses on household bush burning and …

The Search For High-Impact Diagnostic And Management Tools For Low-And Middle-Income Countries: A Self-Powered Low-Cost Blood Pressure Measurement Device Powered By A Solid-State Vibration Energy Harvester, Onur Bilgen, John G. Kenerson, Muge Akpinar-Elci, Rebecca Hattery, Lisbet M. Hanson

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

The World Health Organization has established recommendations for blood pressure measurement devices for use in low-resource venues, setting the triple A expectations of Accuracy, Affordability, and Availability. Because of issues related to training and assessment of proficiency, the pendulum has swung away from manual blood pressure devices and auscultatory techniques towards automatic oscillometric devices. As a result of power challenges in the developing world, there has also been a push towards semiautomatic devices that are not dependent on external power sources or batteries. Beyond solar solutions, disruptive technology related to solid-state vibrational energy harvesting may be the next iterative solution …

Disparities In Hospital Services Utilization Among Patients With Mental Health Issues: A Statewide Example Examining Insurance Status And Race Factors From 1999-2010, Viann N. Nguyen-Feng, Hind A. Beydoun, Michael K. Mcshane, James D. Blando

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

There exist many disconnects between the mental and general health care sectors. However, a goal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010 is to change this by improving insurance access and the intersection of mental and general health care. As insurance status intersects with race, the present study examines how race, insurance status, and hospital mental health services utilization differ across groups within the state of New Jersey. The present study aims to determine trends in hospital mental health care utilization by insurance status and race from 1999 to 2010. The rate of self-pay for mental health disorders in …

Student Adjustment To College: Examining The Impact Of An Outdoor Orientation Program, Timothy Posey, Eddie Hill, Edwin Gomez, Mike Mcfall, Shea Humenik, Dakota Clifford

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Faculty Publications

This pilot study examined the impact of an outdoor orientation program (First Ascent) on participants’ level of transference, resilience, well-being and transition to college. Pre and posttest instruments were administered during a four- day college outdoor orientation program, as well as an open-ended series of questions. Nonparametric tests revealed significant differences from the pre- and posttest of the measures on skill transference and resiliency. Additional, individual items from each questionnaire were examined.

Fibromyalgia Syndrome: Considerations For Dental Hygienists, Amber Walters, Susan L. Tolle, Gayle M. Mccombs

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

PURPOSE: Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a neurosensory disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain. Typically persistent fatigue, depression, limb stiffness, non-refreshing sleep and cognitive deficiencies are also experienced. Oral symptoms and pain are common, requiring adaptations in patient management strategies and treatment interventions. Appropriate dental hygiene care of patients suffering with this disorder is contingent upon an understanding of disease epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical characteristics, oral signs and symptoms, as well as treatment approaches. With this information dental hygienists will be better prepared to provide appropriate and effective treatment to patients with FMS.

Framework For Classifying Compliance And Medical Immediacy Among Low-Acuity Presentations At An Urban Trauma Center, Joshua G. Behr, Rafael Diaz, Barry Knapp, Cynthia Kratzke

VMASC Publications

Background: This research offers two exploratory frameworks for medical regimen compliance and medical immediacy. The first classifies compliance awareness, compliance mitigation, and financial limitation for those patients that exhibit nonadherence with a medical regimen. The second classifies medical immediacy and characterizes avoidable utilization.

Methods: Representative sampling of adult patients presenting at an emergency department (62,000/ppy) triaged as low acuity; emergency department physician assessment of noncompliance with medical regimen for those patients with a complaint related to a chronic condition; and emergency department physician assessment of medical immediacy and avoidable utilization.

Results: Physicians report 48.3% (95% confidence interval (CI) 43.5% to …

The Use Of Fluorescence Technology Versus Visual And Tactile Examination In The Detection Of Oral Lesions: A Pilot Study, Hadeel M. Ayoub, Tara L. Newcomb, Gayle B. Mccombs, Marshall Bonnie

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

PURPOSE: This study compared the effectiveness of the VELscope(R) Vx versus visual and tactile intraoral examination in detecting oral lesions in an adult, high risk population.

METHODS: The pilot study compared the intra oral findings between 2 examination types. The sample was comprised of 30 participants who were addicted to either cigarettes or a dual addiction (cigarettes plus hookah). High risk population was defined as males who were current cigarette smokers or had a dual addiction. Two trained and experienced licensed dental hygienists conducted all examinations. Throughout the study, all visual and tactile intraoral examinations were conducted first by one …

The Effectiveness Of Whole-Body-Vibration Training In Improving Hamstring Flexibility In Physically Active Adults, Megan N. Houston, Victoria Hodson, Kelda K. E. Adams, Johanna M. Hoch

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Faculty Publications

Clinical Scenario: Hamstring tightness is common among physically active individuals. In addition to limiting range of motion and increasing the risk of muscle strain, hamstring tightness contributes to a variety of orthopedic conditions. Therefore, clinicians continue to identify effective methods to increase flexibility. Although hamstring tightness is typically treated with common stretching techniques such as static stretching and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, it has been suggested that whole-body-vibration (WBV) training may improve hamstring flexibility. Clinical Question: Can WBV training, used in isolation or in combination with common stretching protocols or exercise, improve hamstring flexibility in physically active young adults? Summary of …

Outcomes Of Asymmetric Selection Pressure And Larval Dispersal On Evolution Of Disease Resistance: A Metapopulation Modeling Study With Oysters, Daphne M. Munroe, Eric N. Powell, Susan E. Ford, Eileen E. Hofmann, John M. Klinck

CCPO Publications

Marine diseases are a strong selective force that can have important economic and ecological consequences. Larval dispersal patterns, selective mortality and individual growth rates can modulate metapopulation responses to disease pressure. Here, we use a modeling framework that includes distinct populations, connected via larval transport, with varying disease selection pressure and connectivity to examine how these dynamics enhance or inhibit the evolution of disease resistance in metapopulations. Our system, oysters and MSX disease, is one in which disease resistance is highly and demonstrably heritable. Simulations show that under conditions of population isolation (i.e. local retention of larvae) and strong disease …

Neuroimaging And Neuromodulation Approaches To Study Eating Behavior And Prevent And Treat Eating Disorders And Obesity, D. Val-Laillet, E. Aarts, B. Weber, M. Ferrari, V. Quaresima, L. E. Stoeckel, M. Alonso-Alonso, M. Audette, C. H. Malbert, E. Stice

Computational Modeling & Simulation Engineering Faculty Publications

Functional, molecular and genetic neuroimaging has highlighted the existence of brain anomalies and neural vulnerability factors related to obesity and eating disorders such as binge eating or anorexia nervosa. In particular, decreased basal metabolism in the prefrontal cortex and striatum as well as dopaminergic alterations have been described in obese subjects, in parallel with increased activation of reward brain areas in response to palatable food cues. Elevated reward region responsivity may trigger food craving and predict future weight gain. This opens the way to prevention studies using functional and molecular neuroimaging to perform early diagnostics and to phenotype subjects at …

Diseases, Patients And The Epistemology Of Practice: Mapping The Borders Of Health, Medicine And Care, Michael Loughlin, Robyn Bluhm, Jonathan Fuller, Stephen Buetow, Kirstin Borgerson, Benjamin R. Lewis, Brent M. Kious

Philosophy Faculty Publications

Last year saw the 20th anniversary edition of JECP, and in the introduction to the philosophy section of that landmark edition, we posed the question: apart from ethics, what is the role of philosophy at the bedside'? The purpose of this question was not to downplay the significance of ethics to clinical practice. Rather, we raised it as part of a broader argument to the effect that ethical questions - about what we should do in any given situation - are embedded within whole understandings of the situation, inseparable from our beliefs about what is the case (metaphysics), what it …

Promoting Interprofessional Collaboration, Global Health Awareness And Leadership Skills Through International Service-Learning, Janice E. Hawkins, Christine A. Sump

Nursing Faculty Publications

Session presented on Saturday, November 7, 2015 and Sunday, November 8, 2015: International service-learning programs offer a unique opportunity to incorporate interprofessional education and global health awareness into health science curriculums. Through service activities, students develop leadership skills and collaborative team approaches to promote the health of diverse populations. Appreciation, respect, integration of knowledge, and communication between multiple disciplines are crucial components of international health care teams and desired outcomes for health science students. Graduates of health science programs must have the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values that prepare them to be "collaborative practice-ready" for the healthcare workforce. According to …

Mechanisms Of Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Field (Nspef)-Induced Cell Death In Cells And Tumors, Stephen J. Beebe

Bioelectrics Publications

The evolution of pulse power technology from high power physics to biology and medicine places nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEFs) in positions for in vitro and in vivo applications as non-ligand agonists that not only bypass plasma membrane receptors for induction of intracellular signaling pathways, but also bypass intracellular oncogenic impasses to induce cell death by regulated mechanisms. Based on work reviewed here, a likely scenario for cell and tumor demise includes nsPEF-induced permeabilization of the plasma membrane, Ca2+ influx, dissipation of the mitochondrial membrane potential, which is likely due to events beyond permeabilization of the inner mitochondrial membrane, cytochrome …

Increased Tissue Temperature Improves Electro-Transfer Mediated Gene Delivery To Skin, Anna Bulysheva, Amy Donate, Chelsea Edelblute, Derrick Jung, Karl Schoenbach, Richard Heller

Bioelectrics Publications

[Introduction] Developing an optimal gene electro-transfer system for delivery of plasmid DNA to the skin in vivo has been challenging with expression often confined in the epithelium requiring high voltage electric fields, which can cause cellular and tissue damage. Minimizing such damage, while optimizing gene expression profiles, are highly desirable for therapeutic applications of gene delivery to the skin. Cell membrane fluidity is temperature dependent, thus moderate temperature elevation can increase membrane fluidity. Utilizing this concept, we developed a novel gene electro-transfer electrode for in vivo applications with ability to heat tissue with a laser integrated into a four pin …

Gadolinium Modifies The Cell Membrane To Inhibit Permeabilization By Nanosecond Electric Pulses, Elena C. Gianulis, Andrei G. Pakhomov

Bioelectrics Publications

Lanthanide ions are the only known blockers of permeabilization by electric pulses of nanosecond duration (nsEP), but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. We employed timed applications of Gd³⁺ before or after nsEP (600-ns, 20 kV/cm) to investigate the mechanism of inhibition, and measured the uptake of the membrane-impermeable YO-PRO-1 (YP) and propidium (Pr) dyes. Gd³⁺ inhibited dye uptake in a concentration-dependent manner. The inhibition of Pr uptake was always about 2-fold stronger. Gd³⁺ was effective when added after nsEP, as well as when it was present during nsEP exposure and removed afterward. Pores formed by nsEP in …

Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors Prevent Pulmonary Endothelial Hyperpermeability And Acute Lung Injury By Regulating Heat Shock Protein 90 Function, Atul D. Joshi, Nektarios Barabutis, Charalampos Birmpas, Christiana Dimitropoulou, Gagan Thangjam, Mary Cherian-Shaw, John Dennison, John D. Catravas

Bioelectrics Publications

Transendothelial hyperpermeability caused by numerous agonists is dependent on heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) and leads to endothelial barrier dysfunction (EBD). Inhibition of Hsp90 protects and restores transendothelial permeability. Hyperacetylation of Hsp90, as by inhibitors of histone deacetylase (HDAC), suppresses its chaperone function and mimics the effects of Hsp90 inhibitors. In this study we assessed the role of HDAC in mediating lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced transendothelial hyperpermeability and acute lung injury (ALI). We demonstrate that HDAC inhibition protects against LPS-mediated EBD. Inhibition of multiple HDAC by the general inhibitors panobinostat or trichostatin provided protection against LPS-induced transendothelial hyperpermeability, acetylated and suppressed Hsp90 …

Urinary Dna Lesions As A Biomarker For Assessing Male Reproductive Health, Hueiwang Anna Jeng, Chih-Hung Pan, Chao Mu-Rong

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

The study aimed to examine whether urinary 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) could serve as a biomarker for assessing sperm DNA integrity. Urine and semen samples were collected from 124 coke-oven workers, who had chronically been exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), from a steel plant in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The coke-oven workers were divided into two subgroups: topside-oven workers and side-oven workers. Sperm DNA integrity was assessed in terms of DNA fragmentation and 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodGuo). Urine samples were used to detect 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) and urinary 8-OHdG, which served to assess exposure to PAHs and the whole body oxidative stress, respectively. Urinary 1-OHP concentrations …

Creating A Foundation For The Causal Relationship Between Libraries And Learning: A Proposed Application Of Nursing And Public Health Research Methods, Marcia A. Mardis, Sylvia K. Norton, Gail K. Dickinson, Shana Pribesh, Allison Cline, Sue Kimmel, Jody Howard

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Thomas Cook, a renowned causal research expert and professor of sociology, psychology, education, and social policy at Northwestern University (USA), called for school library researchers to parallel causality determination efforts in health-related fields. In this paper, we respond to Dr. Cook’s challenge with a proposed research design centered on Mixed Research Synthesis (MRS) as part of process validated by the U.S. Department of Education and National Science Foundation’s Common Guidelines for Education Research and Development. MRS studies, often used in nursing and public health research to develop causal theories, enable researchers to develop evidence summaries; identify and adjudicate rival and …

Possible Effects Of Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields On Proteins, Stephen J. Beebe

Bioelectrics Publications

No abstract provided.

You Are What You Tweet: Connecting The Geographic Variation In America's Obesity Rate To Twitter Content, Ross J. Gore, Saikou Diallo, Jose Padilla

VMASC Publications

We conduct a detailed investigation of the relationship among the obesity rate of urban areas and expressions of happiness, diet and physical activity on social media. We do so by analyzing a massive, geo-tagged data set comprising over 200 million words generated over the course of 2012 and 2013 on the social network service Twitter. Among many results, we show that areas with lower obesity rates: (1) have happier tweets and frequently discuss (2) food, particularly fruits and vegetables, and (3) physical activities of any intensity. Additionally, we provide evidence that each of these results offer different and unique insight …

Patient-Reported Outcomes In Male And Female Collegiate Soccer Players During An Athletic Season, Johanna M. Hoch, Beth Druvenga, Brittany A. Ferguson, Megan N. Houston, Matthew C. Hoch

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Context: Clinicians are urged to document patient-based outcomes during rehabilitation to measure health-related quality of life (HRQOL) from the patient's perspective. It is unclear how scores on patient-reported outcome instruments (PROs) vary over the course of an athletic season because of normal athletic participation.

Objective: Our primary purpose was to evaluate the effect of administration time point on HRQOL during an athletic season. Secondary purposes were to determine test-retest reliability and minimal detectable change scores of 3 PROs commonly used in clinical practice and if a relationship exists between generic and region-specific outcome instruments.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Athletic facility. …

Patient-Reported Outcome Measures In Individuals With Chronic Ankle Instability: A Systematic Review, Megan N. Houston, Johanna M. Hoch, Matthew C. Hoch

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Context: A comprehensive systematic literature review of the health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) differences among individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI), ankle-sprain copers, and healthy control participants has not been conducted. It could provide a better indication of the self-reported deficits that may be present in individuals with CAI.

Objective: To systematically summarize the extent to which HRQOL deficits are present in individuals with CAI.

Data Sources: We searched for articles in the electronic databases of EBSCO Host and PubMed Central using key words chronic, functional, mechanical, coper, instability, sprains, and patient-assessed. We also performed a hand search of reference lists, authors, …

Bracing Of The Trunk And Neck Has A Differential Effect On Head Control During Gait, S. Morrison, D. M. Russell, K. Kelleran, M. L. Walker

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

During gait, the trunk and neck are believed to play an important role in dissipating the transmission of forces from the ground to the head. This attenuation process is important to ensure head control is maintained. The aim of the present study was to assess the impact of externally restricting the motion of the trunk and/or neck segments on acceleration patterns of the upper body and head and related trunk muscle activity. Twelve healthy adults performed three walking trials on a flat, straight 65-m walkway, under four different bracing conditions: 1) control-no brace; 2) neck-braced; 3) trunk-braced; and 4) neck-trunk …

Hip Strengthening Compared With Quadriceps Strengthening In Conservative Treatment Of Patients With Patellofemoral Pain: A Critically Appraised Topic, Chyrsten L. Regelski, Brittany L. Ford, Matthew C. Hoch

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Clinical Scenario: Patellofemoral pain is a common injury that affects both athletic and sedentary populations. Clinicians may treat patellofemoral pain more effectively through a comprehensive understanding of the most effective exercise protocols. Clinical Question: In patients with patellofemoral pain, are hip abductor and external rotator muscle strengthening exercises more effective in reducing pain and improving patient-reported function compared with isolated quadriceps strengthening? Summary of Key Findings: A comprehensive and systematic database search was conducted for studies of level 2 evidence or higher. The search yielded 253 studies; of these studies, four randomized control trials and one comparative control trial fit …

Tracking Energy Balance In Adolescents: Levels Of Compliance, Energy Flux, And Learning, Senlin Chen, Xihe Zhu, Gregory J. Welk, Youngwon Kim

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Faculty Publications

Background/Objective: Advancing knowledge about energy balance (EB) is important for helping to reverse the obesity epidemic in many modern societies. This study examined adolescents' experience and perception of using an objective self-monitoring tool (SenseWear armband; SWA) and a portable diet journal to track EB for 7 days.

Methods: Forty-five 6th grade students in a midwestern state of the United States [Caucasian: n = 34, 76%; age: 11.7 ± 1.8 years; body mass index (BMI): 20.84 ± 3.94] participated in the study. The SWA, diet journal, and semistructured individual interview were used to measure energy expenditure (EE) and physical activity (PA), …

Contributors And Constraints To Involvement With Youth Sports Officiating, Lynn Ridinger

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Faculty Publications

There is a growing concern about the shortage of sports officials and its impact on organized youth sport. The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of psychosocial factors that impact involvement with youth sports officiating by comparing and contrasting the experiences of officials from two distinct sports. In-depth interviews were conducted with baseball umpires and lacrosse officials. Resulting themes were classified as either contributors or constraints to involvement with officiating. The most striking difference between the two groups was the support provided in terms of mentorship, training, and administrative consideration. The baseball umpires received greater support …

Long-Term Overall Survival From A Phase 1 Trial Using Intratumoral Plasmid Interleukin-12 With Electroporation In Patients With Melanoma, Adil Daud, Kathryn T. Takamura, Tu Diep, Richard Heller, Robert H. Pierce

Bioelectrics Publications

No abstract provided.

Cell Stimulation And Calcium Mobilization By Picosecond Electric Pulses, Iurii Semenov, Shu Xiao, Dongkoo Kang, Karl H. Schoenbach, Andrei G. Pakhomov

Bioelectrics Publications

We tested if picosecond electric pulses (psEP; 190 kV/cm, 500 ps at 50% height), which are much shorter than channel activation time, can activate voltage-gated (VG) channels. Cytosolic Ca²⁺ was monitored by Fura-2 ratiometric imaging in GH3 and NG108 cells (which express multiple types of VG calcium channels, VGCC), and in CHO cells (which express no VGCC). Trains of up to 100 psEP at 1 kHz elicited no response in CHO cells. However, even a single psEP significantly increased Ca²⁺ in both GH3 (by 114 +/- 48 nM) and NG108 cells (by 6 +/- 1.1 nM). Trains of …

Therapeutic Targeting Of Replicative Immortality, Paul Yaswen, Karen L. Mackenzie, W. Nicol Keith, Patricia Hentosh, Francis Rodier, Jiyue Zhu, Gary L. Firestone, Ander Matheu, Amancio Carnero, Alan Bilsland

Medical Diagnostics & Translational Sciences Faculty Publications

One of the hallmarks of malignant cell populations is the ability to undergo continuous proliferation. This property allows clonal lineages to acquire sequential aberrations that can fuel increasingly autonomous growth, invasiveness, and therapeutic resistance. Innate cellular mechanisms have evolved to regulate replicative potential as a hedge against malignant progression. When activated in the absence of normal terminal differentiation cues, these mechanisms can result in a state of persistent cytostasis. This state, termed “senescence,” can be triggered by intrinsic cellular processes such as telomere dysfunction and oncogene expression, and by exogenous factors such as DNA damaging agents or oxidative environments. Despite …