Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Black Hispanic And Black Nonhispanic Breast Cancer Survival Data Analysis With Half-Normal Model Application, Hafiz Mohammad Rafiqullah Khan, Anshul Saxena, Veronica Vera, Faheema Abdool-Ghany, Kemesha Gabbidon, Nancy Perea Perea, Ts Stewart, Venkataraghavan Ramamoorthy Ramamoorthy

USF St. Petersburg campus Faculty Publications

Background: Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death for women in the United States. Differences in survival of breast cancer have been noted among racial and ethnic groups, but the reasons for these disparities remain unclear. This study presents the characteristics and the survival curve of two racial and ethnic groups and evaluates the effects of race on survival times by measuring the lifetime data-based half-normal model. Materials and Methods: The distributions among racial and ethnic groups are compared using female breast cancer patients from nine states in the country all taken from the National Cancer Institute’s …

Cocaine Enhances Hiv-1 Infectivity In Monocyte Derived Dendritic Cells By Suppressing Microrna-155, Jessica Napuri, Sudheesh Pilakka-Kanthikeel, Andrea Raymond, Marisela Agudelo, Adriana Yndart-Arias, Madhavan Nair, Shailendra K. Saxena

HWCOM Faculty Publications

Cocaine and other drugs of abuse increase HIV-induced immunopathogenesis; and neurobiological mechanisms of cocaine addiction implicate a key role for microRNAs (miRNAs), single-stranded non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression and defend against viruses. In fact, HIV defends against miRNAs by actively suppressing the expression of polycistronic miRNA cluster miRNA-17/92, which encodes miRNAs including miR-20a. IFN-g production by natural killer cells is regulated by miR-155 and this miRNA is also critical to dendritic cell (DC) maturation. However, the impact of cocaine on miR-155 expression and subsequent HIV replication is unknown. We examined the impact of cocaine on two miRNAs, miR-20a and …

It’S Playoff Time – And A Reminder That Brain Health Comes First, Kenneth P. Serbin

At Risk for Huntington's Disease

No abstract provided.

Obesity Reduces Left Ventricular Strains, Torsion, And Synchrony In Mouse Models: A Cine Displacement Encoding With Stimulated Echoes (Dense) Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Study, Sage P. Kramer, David K. Powell, Christopher M. Haggerty, Cassi M. Binkley, Andrea C. Mattingly, Lisa A. Cassis, Frederick H. Epstein, Brandon K. Fornwalt

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Obesity affects a third of adults in the US and results in an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality. While the mechanisms underlying this increased risk are not well understood, animal models of obesity have shown direct effects on the heart such as steatosis and fibrosis, which may affect cardiac function. However, the effect of obesity on cardiac function in animal models is not well-defined. We hypothesized that diet-induced obesity in mice reduces strain, torsion, and synchrony in the left ventricle (LV).

METHODS: Ten 12-week-old C57BL/6 J mice were randomized to a high-fat or low-fat diet. After 5 months on …

Effect Of Arm Spasticity Grade On Blood Pressure Measurement, Chia-Min Lin, Huei-Yu Lo, Wai-Keung Lee, Meng-Tai Chen

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Objective: The arm spasticity in patients with stroke has been proved to affect blood pressure measurement. However, earlier studies showed inconsistent results of how the spasticity affected the measurement of blood pressure. In some cases, measurement of blood pressure in patients' involved arm is necessary, so the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of spasticity grade on blood pressure measurement in patients with stroke.Methods: We recruited 50 patients with hemiplegia or hemiparesis after stroke. The grade of arm spasticity was assessed using the modified Ashworth scale (MAS), while the bilateral brachial artery pressure was measured using an …

Investigating The Core Competencies For Rehabilitation-Related Therapists In Three Hospitals Belonging To A Medical Association In Southern Taiwan, Hing-Man Wu, Kuo-Shu Yuan, Daniel Chiung-Jui Su, Willy Chou

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Objectives: Few studies have focused on job competency among medical-technical staff in hospitals. This study investigated the core competencies for a professional job among rehabilitation-related therapists, and examined how these competencies are applied to human resource management in hospitals, including recruitment, selection, placement, development, and promotion. Methods: A total of 113 rehabilitation-related therapists (comprising 67 physical therapists, 34 occupational therapists, and 12 speech therapists) from 3 hospitals belonging to a medical association in Southern Taiwan participated in the study. A test of competency using the ＂Nine Competencies Star＂ system developed by 1111 Job Bank was administered to the participants. The …

Exploring The Possible Effects Of Mountaineering Activities On Sports Injuries, Body Composition And Thigh Muscle Function, Yi-Ting Fang, Chen-Liang Chou, Yi-Cheng Chen, Hong-Jen Chiou, Jin-Jong Chen, Hsuci-Chen Lee, Yi-Fen Shih

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Background: Mountaineering and hiking have become popular activities recently, but related research in Taiwan has focused mainly on physiological reactions, much more than on the musculoskeletal system. However, the results of studies from abroad cannot be directly transferred because of the unique mountain and forest environment in Taiwan. In addition, chronic mountaineering injuries and derivative benefits in terms of specific physical performances still await further study. Therefore, it is important to investigate the possible relationship between mountaineering activities and musculoskeletal or knee function changes. Purpose: This study seeks to compare the differences in sports injuries, body composition and thigh muscle …

The Relationship Between Heart Rate Turning Point And Anaerobic Threshold In Patients With Cardiopulmonary Diseases, Yi-Tien Su, Su-Ying Hung, Chen-Liang Chou

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Background: Exercise training is an efficient way to improve physical performance. Training at an intensity of a certain level of the anaerobic threshold (AT) is a successful and frequently adopted method to increase both maximal and submaximal exercise capacity. Several methods are currently used to detect the AT. Analysis of the respiratory gas exchange allows identification of the AT and is currently advocated as the ＂gold standard＂. The heart rate turning point (HRTP) is a downward or upward change from the linear HR work relationship evidenced during incremental exercise testing and has been reported to coincide with AT. Purpose: The …

Joint Effect Of Multiple Common Snps Predicts Melanoma Susceptibility, Shenying Fang, Jiali Han, Mingfeng Zhang, Li-E Wang, Qingyi Wei, Christopher I. Amos, Jeffrey E. Lee

Dartmouth Scholarship

Single genetic variants discovered so far have been only weakly associated with melanoma. This study aims to use multiple single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) jointly to obtain a larger genetic effect and to improve the predictive value of a conventional phenotypic model. We analyzed 11 SNPs that were associated with melanoma risk in previous studies and were genotyped in MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC) and Harvard Medical School investigations. Participants with ≥15 risk alleles were 5-fold more likely to have melanoma compared to those carrying ≤6. Compared to a model using the most significant single variant rs12913832, the increase in predictive …

Lower Extremity Prostheses Related Biomechanics, Valeria Chiu, Ming-Chuan Lin

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

During heel strike, a prosthetic foot must perform ground-reaction force shock absorption, and thereafter, must provide control of the smooth-rhythm plantar flexion movement. During the midstance phase, the foot must provide the controlled advancement of the tibia. During the terminal stance, the anterior part of the foot must act as a hard rocker to provide progression and roll over the toe and to allow center of gravity switching to the opposite site as the tibia advances. The biomechanics of the four-bar linkage knee simulates the motion of the actual human knee joint. It can be discussed by analyzed by five …

Research News: 2013, University Of Mississippi. School Of Pharmacy

Research News: Grants and Publications (2000-2014)

Grants and contracts recently awarded

Kneeling Leg Curl With Internal Rotation Training Improves Agility In Patients With Anterior-Posterior Laxity Of Knee, Chih-Kuan Wu, Shu-Chun Huang, Kuan-Chou Chen, Cheng-Hsiu Lai, Chia-Hua Kuo, Shih-Wei Chou

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Objective: Whether strengthening exercises emphasizing on internal rotators of the knee are more effective in improving shuttle-run agility of the knees with anterior-posterior laxity (AP laxity). Methods: Twenty men with AP laxity of knee were randomly assigned to the three experimental groups in different strengthening modes: plate-loaded squat press (SP), plate-loaded kneeling leg curl with internal rotation (KLCIR), and kneeling leg curl (KLC). Control group with stable knees received no training. Anterior-posterior laxity, shuttle-run agility, and isokinetic strength were evaluated before and after training. Results: Those with AP laxity of knee have poorer performance in the shuttle run test than …

The Effect Of Health Promotion With Physical Therapy And Intra-Articular Hyaluronic Acid For Knee Osteoarthritis, Chen-Liang Chou, Wen-Hsu Sung, Fu-Wei Liu, Hsuci-Chen Lee, Li-Lung Haung, Jin-Jong Chen

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Purpose: Knee osteoarthritis (knee OA) is a common chronic disease that affects elderly. Intra-articular injection of hyaluronic acid (IAHA) and physical therapy for knee OA have been shown to have clinical benefits in randomized, clinical trials separately. However, it is generally accepted that optimal management of knee OA requires a combination of pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatment. Currently, few studies have directly evaluated the benefits of combining the 2 treatments for knee OA. The purpose of this study explored the efficacy of interventions in patients with knee osteoarthritis through combined IAHA and physical therapy. This study investigated the potential benefit of …

The Treatment Of Pain With Heel Fat Pad Syndrome By Hyaluronic Acid Injection: A Casereport, Wei-Han Chang, Chih-Kuan Wu, Yu-Cheng Pei, Chih-Chi Chen, Alice Mk Wong

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Plantar fasciitis and heel fat pad syndrome are two of the most common causes of plantar heel pain. Because the clinical symptoms and signs are similar, the differential diagnosis between plantar fasciitis and heel fat pad syndrome is important for proper treatment. Unfortunately, conservative treatment strategies are less effective for plantar heel pain caused by heel fat pad syndrome. We present here a 56-year-old male patient with bilateral plantar heel pain that was especially severe in the left foot. We gave him an injection of 2 ml high-concentration, cross-linked hyaluronic acid into the deep derma of the painful heel pad …

Evaluation Of Pediatric Subjects With Swallowing Disorder Part I: Physiology And Pathology, Luh Karunia Wahyuni, Chan-Wei Lin, Tyng-Guey Wang

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Feeding and swallowing disorders are important issues in a pediatric population, which may lead to malnutrition, dehydration, or increased risk of pulmonary complications. Pediatric dysphagia is more complex than adult dysphagia in some aspects because it includes developmental progress in anatomical structures and physiological functions. To manage pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders, comprehensive knowledge regarding the development of normal swallowing and of the pathologies of common diseases related to pediatric dysphagia are necessary. In this article, we will reviewarticle the pediatric swallowing structures and physiology, and address the feeding and swallowing problems in common pediatric diseases, including cerebral palsy, cleft …

Evaluation Of Pediatric Subjects With Swallowing Disorder Part Ii, Luh Karunia Wahyuni, Ming-Yen Hsiao, Hsing-Kuo Wang, Tyng-Guey Wang

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

The characteristics of pediatric swallowing, anatomical differences between pediatrics and adults, and swallowing problems in common pediatric diseases had been introduced in Part 1 of the article. The common methods for evaluation of pediatric swallowing are discussed in this part. The evaluation of swallowing function in pediatric patients is a great clinical challenge. It requires a team approach, an integration of multiple disciplines, and instrumental evaluations for establishing a diagnosis and developing an appropriate management plan. This article provides an introduction of the vital concept of clinical bedside evaluation and instrumental evaluation including the videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSS), fibroptic endoscopic …

Cardiac Rehabilitation After Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Or Heart Valve Replacement Surgery-Experience Of A Medical Center, Ding-Hao Liu, Yi-Cheng Chen, Su-Ying Hung, Chen-Liang Chou

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Background and Purpose: Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a long-term program that includes exercise prescription, education, and counseling on the limitation of physiological and psychological effects of cardiac disease and to enhance the psychosocial and vocational status of selected patients. In spite of CR being approved for patients who have experienced the consequences of coronary artery disease and for those who have had heart valve surgery, CR is widely underused. The aim of this study was to research the current status of CR for patients receiving coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) or heart valve replacement (HVR) in a medical center in …

Medical Utilization Among Patients With Cerebral Palsy, Ching-Yi Chen, Ching-Chun Lin, Jiunn-Horng Kang

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

This study aimed to investigate the differences of medical utilization between patients with cerebral palsy (CP) and patients without using a population-based database in Taiwan. Data on the sampled subjects and their medical utilization were retrieved from the ＂Longitudinal Health Insurance Database (LHID2000)＂. This study comprised of 2317 patients with CP and 6961 comparison subjects. Medical utilization was evaluated in the one-year follow-up period as follows: number of outpatient visits and inpatient days, and the mean costs of outpatient and inpatient treatment. A multivariate regression analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between CP and total costs of health care …

Xenograft Tumors Vascularized With Murine Blood Vessels May Overestimate The Effect Of Anti-Tumor Drugs: A Pilot Study, Zhihong Dong, Atsushi Imai, Sudha Krishnamurthy, Zhaocheng Zhang, Benjamin David Zeitlin, Jacques E. Nör

All Dugoni School of Dentistry Faculty Articles

Recent evidence demonstrated that endothelial cells initiate signaling events that enhance tumor cell survival, proliferation, invasion, and tumor recurrence. Under this new paradigm for cellular crosstalk within the tumor microenvironment, the origin of endothelial cells and tumor cells may have a direct impact on the pathobiology of cancer. The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the effect of endothelial cell species (i.e. murine or human) on xenograft tumor growth and response to therapy. Tumor xenografts vascularized either with human or with murine microvascular endothelial cells were engineered, side-by-side, subcutaneously in the dorsum of immunodefficient mice. When tumors reached …

Sensory Integration Dysfunction Affects Effectiveness Of Speech Therapy On Children With Functional Articulation Disorders, Li-Chen Tung, Ching-I Hu, Chin-Kai Lin, Ching-Lin Hsieh, Daniel Chiung-Jui Su, Ching-Chi Chen

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Purpose: To compare the efficacy of speech therapy on children with functional articulation disorder with and without sensory integration dysfunction. Method: 20 young children were divided into two groups, those without sensory integration dysfunction (normal group, 10 children) and those with it (abnormal group, 10 children). The Mandarin Consonant Articulation Test for Preschool Children was administered on the children before and after therapy for articulation function. The oral motor function was evaluated by the Riley Motor Problems Inventory Oral Motor Tasks. Total of treatment sessions was recorded after the therapy. Results: Differences between the two groups in terms of age, …

Minimal Detectable Change And Responsiveness Of The 5-Item Barthel Index In Patients With Stroke, Wen-Shian Lu, Ya-Chen Lee, Fuh-Chour Twu, Ching-Lin Hsieh

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Background and Purpose: A concise measurement tool can be easily accepted by clinicians. The 5-item Barthel Index (BI-5) has only 5 items and thus the potential to be used routinely in clinical settings. However, the minimal detectable change (MDC) and responsiveness of the BI-5 have not been verified sufficiently, limiting the interpretability of the change scores of the BI-5. The purposes of this study were to investigate the MDC and responsiveness of the BI-5 in patients with stroke and to compare the MDC and responsiveness of the BI-5 to those of the original BI.Methods: This study used secondary data analysis. …

Abnormal Heart Rate Recovery After 6-Minute Walk Test Is Associated With Diabetic Retinopathy In Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Preliminary Study, Yu-Shiang Huang, Shu-Chen Chang, Shu-Fang Lee, Meng-Shuo Shen, Huey-Jen Chen, Miao-Ming Chen

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Diabetic retinopathy is associated with cardiac autonomic dysfunction in patients with diabetes mellitus. Abnormal heart rate recovery (HRR) after exercise can be used as a marker of reduced cardiac autonomic function in submaximal and symptom-limited exercise stress testing. The 6-minute walk test (6MWT) is considered as a submaximal test that is more appropriate to assess the capacity of performing activities of daily living, and can be applied to a variety of patients in clinical settings without the need of sophisticated equipment. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of diabetic retinopathy with HRR after 6MWT in …

Early Physical Therapy Intervention For A Child With Williams-Beuren's Syndrome And Presenting With Icf Model For Individual Activity And Participation: A Casereport, Shin-Mei Liu, Feng-Yin Lien, Shin-Tsu Chang, Heng-Yi Chu

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Williams-Beuren's syndrome (W-B syndrome) is one of the genetic diseases, often comes with cardiovascular disease, abnormality of facial and teeth structure, poor motor control, delayed development of cognition and spatial sense. Here we present one child with W-B syndrome who underwent early intervention since she was 7 months old. After 20-month training, the child has made impressive progress in motor function and abilities of carrying ADL. Furthermore, by giving the parents instructions and guidelines for home programs, the relationship between the child and her parents also improved a lot. As the matter of fact, this casereport showed that the early …

Health-Related Quality Of Life And Hemophilic Arthropathy In Hemophilia Patients, Chih-Ya Chang, Hui-Yi Su, Yung-Tsan Wu, Yu-Chin Chen, Liang-Cheng Chen, Shin-Tsu Chang, Tsung-Ying Li

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Introduction: Hemophilia is an X-linked recessive bleeding disorder caused by a deficiency of coagulation factor VIII (hemophilia A) or IX (hemophilia B). The prevalence of hemophilia is approximately 1 per 105 in the general population. Repeated joint bleeding leads to chronic synovitis, cartilage damage, and bone destruction, yielding reduced range of motion (ROM), painful joints, and muscle atrophy. Hemophilic arthropathy can negatively influence perceptions of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among hemophilia patients. This study explored the correlation between hemophilic arthropathy and HRQOL among hemophilia patients in Taiwan. Methods: The participants comprised 86 patients enrolled from a hemophilia center. We …

The Effects Of Hyaluronic Acid And Glucosamine On The Migration And Proliferation Of Tenocytes, Chien-Hung Chen, Jin-Fu Huang, Li-Lun Chen, Wen-Chung Tsai, Jong-Hwei S. Pang, Yu-Hsin Liao, Tung-Yang Yu

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Tendinopathy or tendon rupture is a common disease. Studies have showed that hyaluronic acid and glucosamine benefit the process of tendon repair. Tendon healing requires the migration of tenocytes to the repair site, followed by the proliferation and synthesis of the extracellular matrix. However, the effects of hyaluronic acid and glucosamine on tenocytes remain to be explored. Here, we treated tenocytes from rat Achilles tendons with hyaluronic acid or glucosamine. The ability of tenocytes to migrate and proliferate was assessed by transwell filter migration assay and MTT (3-[4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5- diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay, respectively. Results from transwell filter migration assays showed that …

Effects Of Low Power Laser On Pain And Balance Dysfunction Caused By Periostitis Of Lower Limb: A Case Series, Hui-Yi Su, Yu-An Hu, Wei-Chun Hsu, Shih-Chi Li, Shin-Tsu Chang

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Periostitis of the lower limb is a common problem in sports injury, and an appropriate treatment option is required for this medical issue. The purpose of this study was to assess pain reduction and functional improvement after low power laser therapy in the lower limbs with periostitis. A total of 29 adults (20-40 year-old) who had periostitis at our outpatient clinic were enrolled. The diagnosis of periostitis in the lower limbs was confirmed by skeletal scintigraphy. The treatment protocol adopted rehabilitation intervention involving low power laser treatment 3 times a day for 5 days, and a low-energy dosage of 1.4 …

Early Rehabilitation Intervention Can Reduce The Admission Duration Of Rotator Cuff Repair-Introducing The Rehabilitation Protocol, Kun Hung, Bu-Yu Han, Jian-Huang Guo, Tai-Yi Wu, Shu-Hua Lin, Chung-Sheng Ho, Yu-Ting Hsieh

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Currently, there is no standardized rehabilitation protocol for postoperative rotator cuff repair, particularly at acute stage. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the efficiency of preoperative patient education and acute stage rehabilitation, which may contribute in constructing a suitable rehabilitation protocol. The prospective observational study was conducted in a local teaching hospital over a period of 3 months. Twenty patients including 11 men and 9 women with a history of supraspinatus tear were enrolled in this study. The rehabilitation protocol involved preoperative patient education, postoperative proper positioning, passive range of motion exercises, and the usage of continuous passive …

Incidental Finding Of A Simple Dysraphic State Of A Closed Spinal Dysraphism And Tethered Cord In An Adult Patient With Low Back Pain: A Casereport, Lin-Chien Lee, Hung-Fu Lee, Fu-Kong Lieu

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

The recognition of a closed spinal dysraphism without a subcutaneous mass and cutaneous stigmata depends on the development of relevant neurological and urological symptoms and signs. It can also be an incidental finding when symptoms that do not originate from it are investigated. We describe a 39-year-old man who presented with spondylolysis-related low back pain. Plain film showed posterior spina bifida of S1 and magnetic resonance imaging of the L-spine revealed one intradural lipoma at the L5 level and cord tethering. Conservative treatment was suggested because no relevant symptoms or signs of a mass effect of the lipoma or tethered …

Effects Of Exercise Training On Cardiorespiratory Fitness And Cardiac Function Among Heart Failure Patients With Decreased Left Ventricular Function: A Pilot Study, Chia-Huei Lin, Bing-Hsiean Tzeng, Li-Chi Chiang, Wen-Chii Tzeng, Liang-Cheng Chen, Shang-Lin Chiang

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Background: Exercise is not only beneficial for physical and psychological health but can also improve cardiac contractility; thus, exercise can result in the improvement of the functional status of patients who suffer from irreversible damage from heart failure. However, there are limited local data on the effects of moderate-intensity exercise training on cardiorespiratory fitness and left ventricular function among patients with heart failure. Purpose: The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of moderate-intensity exercise training on cardiorespiratory fitness and left ventricular function among patients with heart failure. Methods: This is a pilot study with a single group …

The Effects Of Nesting Environment On Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Injury, Laura Grace Rollins

Graduate Masters Theses

Term neonates with hypoxic-ischemic (HI) injury are at risk for devastating neurological sequelae. The objective of this study is to determine if altering the early environment for maternal care-taking impacts the immediate and long-term sequelae of HI offspring. The Rice-Vannucci model was used to induce HI in postnatal day (PND) 7 Long-Evans pups. Litters were assigned to a closed nest (CN) or normal standard housing (SH) condition. Neurobehavioral development, cognitive ability, and stress response were assessed to establish any benefits of the CN condition. Finally, postmortem brain tissue was analyzed for morphometric markers of injury.