Digital Commons Network^™

Pain Threshold, Tolerance And Catastrophization In Women With Dyspareunia, Jennifer Bivens, Hilary Billings, Jenna Dilauro, Lea Thaler, Marta Meana

Festival of Communities: UG Symposium (Posters)

This study examined the impact of pain and sexual stimuli on the experience of experimentally induced pain, as well as pain threshold, tolerance and catastrophization levels in women with dyspareunia compared to control women.

Why Not Just Google It? An Assessment Of Information Literacy Skills In A Biomedical Science Curriculum, Karl Kingsley, Gillian M. Galbraith, M. Herring, Eva Stowers, Tanis Stewart, Karla V. Kingsley

Library Faculty Research

Background: Few issues in higher education are as fundamental as the ability to search for, evaluate, and synthesize information. The need to develop information literacy, the process of finding, retrieving, organizing, and evaluating the ever-expanding collection of online information, has precipitated the need for training in skill-based competencies in higher education, as well as medical and dental education.

Methods: The current study evaluated the information literacy skills of first-year dental students, consisting of two, consecutive dental student cohorts (n = 160). An assignment designed to evaluate information literacy skills was conducted. In addition, a survey of student online search engine …

Hepatocellular Carcinoma Survival In Uninsured And Underinsured Patients, Tien C Ko

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: The incidence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is increasing. The purpose of this study is to establish baseline survival in a medically-underserved population and to evaluate the effect of HCV seropositivity on our patient population.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed clinicopathologic parameters from a prospective tumor registry and medical records from the Harris County Hospital District (HCHD). Outcomes were compared using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and log-rank tests.

RESULTS: A total of 298 HCC patients were identified. The median survival for the entire cohort was 3.4 mo. There was no difference in survival between the HCV …

Open To The Public: Meeting The Nursing Challenge Of A Diverse America, Bonnie Wasilowsky Rn, Bspa-Hca, Cnrn

Patient Care Services / Nursing

No abstract provided.

Adolescents’ Lived Experiences During Treatment Of Cancer And Impact On Social Participation, Gary Grimaldi

Occupational Therapy Program Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This phenomenological study was designed to understand the lived experience of adolescents being treating for cancer and the impact of their lived experience on engagement in occupations and social participation. Participants in this study included four young adolescents 17-19 years of ages attending school on a part-time basis. They were on active treatment protocols for cancer and enjoyed participating in sports or other activities with friends. In-depth structured interviews with questions to illuminate the impact of cancer treatment on social participation were completed and audio recorded. Data analysis was completed utilizing a phenomenological reduction method to determine emerging themes and …

Igf2 Promotes Activation Of Estrogen Receptors In Basal-Like Breast Cancer Cells, Angelique Richardson

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The autocrine-paracrine effects of IGF2 are important in the growth and differentiation of normal breast. In breast cancer (BC), IGF2 is initially stimulated by estrogen, progesterone and prolactin to regulate proliferation and cancer progression. These actions are mediated by the IGF-1R and insulin receptor A (IR-A) both members of the tyrosine- kinase receptors family. The activation of Estrogen Receptor (ER) is also very important in BC growth and progression. As BC progresses to estrogen-independent growth, the IGF-1R and the estrogen receptor (ER) interact in crosstalk mechanisms that are synergistic and results in enhanced activation of both receptors signaling cascades. This …

Improving Outcomes For Hispanic Patients Undergoing Peginterferon/Ribavirin Therapy For Chronic Hepatitis C In An Internist-Led, Multidisciplinary, Multi-Cultural Practice: A Unique Application Of The Medical, Joseph L. Yozviak Do, Facp, Orlando J. Penaloza Md, Facp, Judith A. Knoop

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Urban Community Gardening The Impact On Fruit And Vegetable Intake, Christina Purcell

Students Learning with Communities

Urban community gardens are local projects managed for and by members of the local community. They may be run in partnership with local authorities or as part of community development or regeneration schemes (Hale et al., 2011). The gardens exist primarily in urban areas and are often established in response to a local community's lack of open green space (Viljoen et al., 2005). The scale and format of the gardens may vary. Depending on the available land and support, urban community gardening projects can be relatively small and in Dublin they range from small disused residential gardens (Cabra Park, See …

Hiv-1 Effects On Neuropsychological Performance In A Resource-Limited Country, Zambia, Gabriel Holguin, Mwanza Banda, Elizabeth J. Willen, Costantine Malama, Kaseya O. Chiyenu, Victor C. Mudenda, Charles Wood

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Zambia has substantially been affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic with prevalence rates at 14% in a population estimated at 12 million. Yet, the extent of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) in this population remains to be clearly understood. A series of culturally appropriate neuropsychological (NP) assessments [International HIV Dementia Scale (IHDS), Color Trails Test 1 and 2, Grooved pegboard Test, and Time Gait Test] were used to test the effects of HIV on NP performance of HIV seropositive and seronegative individuals. Twenty-two percent HIV positive individuals ARV naïve met the criteria for IHDS-defined NP impairment. Gender significantly influenced the performance on …

Molecular Bases Of Cutaneous And Uveal Melanomas, Sudeep Gaudi, Jane L. Messina

Pathology and Cell Biology Faculty Publications

Intensive research in recent years has begun to unlock the mysteries surrounding the molecular pathogenesis of melanoma, the deadliest of skin cancers. The high-penetrance, low-frequency susceptibility gene CDKN2A produces tumor suppressor proteins that function in concert with p53 and retinoblastoma protein to thwart melanomagenesis. Aberrant CDKN2A gene products have been implicated in a great many cases of familial cutaneous melanoma. Sporadic cases, on the other hand, often involve constitutive signal transduction along the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, with particular focus falling upon mutated RAS and RAF protooncogenes. The proliferative effects of the MAPK pathway may be complemented by the …

Primary Colorectal Adenocarcinoma Metastatic To The Breast: Case Report And Review Of Nineteen Cases, Rodney E. Shackelford, Pushpa Allam-Nandyala, Marilyn M. Bui, John V. Kiluk, Nicole Nicosia Esposito

Pathology and Cell Biology Faculty Publications

Metastases to the breast from extramammary primaries are uncommon and account for 0.5–6% of all breast malignancies (Georgiannos et al., 2001, and Vizcaíno et al., 2001). Malignant melanoma, lymphoma, and lung and gastric carcinomas are the most frequently encountered nonmammary metastases to the breast in adults (Georgiannos et al., 2001, and Chaignaud et al., 1994). Primary colorectal adenocarcinoma (CRC) metastatic to the breast is extremely rare, with the medical literature having only 19 recorded cases. Typically CRC metastatic to the breast is indicative of widely disseminated disease and a poor prognosis. Here we present a case of poorly differentiated colon …

Pathology Of Breast Carcinoma: Diagnostic, Prognostic, And Therapeutic Issues And Challenges, Rohit Bhargava, Sunati Sahoo, Nicole Nicosia Esposito, Beiyun Chen

Pathology and Cell Biology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Novel Molecular Markers Of Malignancy In Histologically Normal And Benign Breast, Aejaz Nasir, Dung-Tsa Chen, Mike Gruidl, Evita B. Henderson-Jackson, Chinnambally Venkataramu, Susan M. Mccarthy, Heyoung L. Mcbrid, Eleanor Harris, Nazanin Khakpour, Timothy J. Yeatman

Pathology and Cell Biology Faculty Publications

To detect the molecular changes of malignancy in histologically normal breast (HNB) tissues, we recently developed a novel 117-gene-malignancy-signature. Here we report validation of our leading malignancy-risk-genes, topoisomerase-2-alpha (TOP2A), minichromosome-maintenance-protein-2 (MCM2) and “budding-uninhibited-by-benzimidazoles-1-homolog-beta” (BUB1B) at the protein level. Using our 117-gene malignancy-signature, we classified 18 fresh-frozen HNB tissues from 18 adult female breast cancer patients into HNB-tissues with low-grade (HNB-LGMA; ) and high-grade molecular abnormality (HNB-HGMA; ). Archival sections of additional HNB tissues from these patients, and invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) tissues from six other patients were immunostained for these biomarkers. TOP2A/MCM2 expression was assessed as staining index (%) and …

Ovarian Epithelial-Stromal Interactions: Role Of Interleukins 1 And 6, Kamisha T. Woolery, Patricia A. Kruk

Pathology and Cell Biology Faculty Publications

Ovarian epithelial cancer is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy. The high mortality is attributed to the fact that most cases typically present in late stage when ovarian cancer (OC) has already spread beyond the ovary. Ovarian epithelial cancer cells are shed into intraperitoneal ascites and easily disseminate throughout the peritoneal cavity with preferential metastasis to the omentum, peritoneum, and local organs. Understanding how ovarian epithelial cells interact with and modulate their microenvironment can provide insight into the molecular mechanism(s) involved with malignant transformation and progression which may eventually identify novel diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic targets. The objective of this paper …

The Effect Of Spiritualism On The Neuropsychological Function Of Memory, Carla Farcello

McNair Poster Presentations

The amount of physiological-neurological research performed over the past few years has dramatically increased due to our ability to view the structure and function of the brain in living human beings. The use of imaging tools has resulted in huge strides forward in unlocking some of the mysteries of the 3 pound universe-the human brain. One of the more unique neural processes being recently addressed is the affect of belief and spiritualism-the sense of being connected to something larger than oneself-on the human brain. This study hypothesized that better memory will be documented among the experimental group who report being …

Children's Emotional State And False Memory In The Drm Paradigm, Pamela Cornejo

McNair Poster Presentations

Children are called to give testimony for highly emotional during court cases. Research indicates that children in a negative emotional state recall with lesser vividness (Berliner et al. 2003) and are more likely to incorporate false information (Levine, Burgess & Laney, 2008). The present study will examine this further by examining the influence of negative and positive emotional states on recall and recognition in child-normed lists within the Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) paradigm. The DRM paradigm is a cognitive task that relies on gist memory for remembrance of the critical lure in semantically associated word lists. It is expected that the eight …

Evaluation Of The Relationship Between Clinical Parameters Of Mineral And Bone Disease, Fibroblast Growth Factor 23, And Related Medication Use Among Hemodialysis Patients, Magdalene Marie Assimon

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Background

Şerefeddin Sabuncuoğlu’S Drawings Of Gyneco-Obstetric Instruments, Nuri̇ Seli̇m Kadioğlu, Oya Ögenler, İlter Uzel

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

The purpose of our study was to determine the contribution of Şerefeddin Sabuncuoğlu's achievement to bring gynecology to the modern knowledge level. The gynecological tools in the achievement of Serefeddin Sabuncuoğlu, who is the late period representative of classical medical paradigm, are examined in connection with the achievement of Zahravi, which belongs to the classical medical literature. It was determined that in the long time interval from Zahravi to Sabuncuoğlu a limited advancement occurred in medical knowledge, and that the differences between the achievements of the 2 doctors are important for reflecting the development between the 2 periods.

Physician Compliance With American Heart Association Guidelines For Prevention Of Bacterial Endocarditis In Dental Procedures, Banu Özveri̇ Koyuncu, Servet Kandemi̇r, Fatma Bahar Sezer, Tayfun Günbay

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

To evaluate physicians' compliance level with the American Heart Association (AHA) 2007 guidelines concerning the management of dental patients at risk for bacterial endocarditis. Materials and methods: This study included 103 patients with cardiac problems. The mean age was 41.02 ± 15.22 years. According to consultations with physicians, the selection of the antibiotic, the timing, and the dosage were recorded on patients' forms prior to dental procedures by the researchers of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Department of Oral Diagnosis and Radiology. Physicians' compliance level with the AHA 2007 recommendations was evaluated. Results: Antibiotic prophylaxis was prescribed …

The Seroprevalence Of Anaplasma Phagocytophilum In Humans From Two Different Climatic Regions Of Turkey And Its Co-Seroprevalence Rate With Borrelia Burgdorferi*, Turabi̇ Güneş, Ömer Poyraz, Mehmet Ataş, Nergi̇z Hacer Turgut

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

To investigate the seroprevalence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in people living in 2 different climatic regions and to evaluate the co-seroprevalence rate of A. phagocytophilum with Borrelia burgdorferi. Sinop and Tokat provinces, both in the middle Black Sea region of Turkey, have distinct climatic features. Materials and methods: In 2006-2007, serum samples were collected from people living in rural areas of Tokat and Sivas, and anti-A. phagocytophilum IgG antibodies were explored by the IFA method. Positive samples were further investigated for the possible presence of B. burgdorferi IgG antibodies. Results: A. phagocytophilum seropositivity was found in 29 (10.62%) out of 273 …

Physicians' Attitudes Toward Clinical Ethics Consultation: A Research Study From Turkey, Funda Gülay Kadioğlu, Rana Can, Selda Okuyaz, Si̇bel Öner Yalçin, Nuri̇ Seli̇m Kadioğlu

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

To identify the reasons why physicians request or do not request ethics consultation and to determine the priority of ethical issues for those demanding consultation. Materials and methods: This survey was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire, and 270 clinicians (surgeons and internists) from 3 different medical school hospitals were included. The questionnaire consisted of Likert-type statements related to the reasons for requesting or not requesting ethics consultation and a ranking list of ethical dilemmas according to the physicians' priorities. Results: Of all clinicians, 40.4% were employed in surgical departments and 59.6% in internal medicine departments. Most of the physicians (90%) …

A Comparison Of The Diagnostic Value Of 19-Gauge Histology And 22-Gauge Cytology Needles In Bronchoscopy For The Evaluation Of Endobronchial Lesions, Eli̇f Yilmazel Uçar, Mehmet Meral, Meti̇n Akgün, Sare Şi̇pal, Hasan Kaynar, Leyla Sağlam, Ali̇ Meti̇n Görgüner

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

To prospectively compare the sensitivity of Wang 22-gauge needle aspiration and 19-gauge needle aspiration with bronchial biopsy and determine whether there was difference between 22-gauge and 19-gauge needle aspirations in the diagnosis of endobronchial malignancies. Materials and methods: All patients (63 patients) in the study underwent fiberoptic bronchoscopy that included 22-gauge needle aspiration and 19-gauge needle aspiration. In 50 patients bronchial biopsy was done. The sensitivities of the individual techniques were compared. Results: Cancer was diagnosed in 48 patients by 22-gauge needle aspiration and 19-gauge needle aspiration, and in 43 patients by bronchial biopsy. The sensitivity of bronchial biopsy was …

Stem Cell Biology And Strategies For Therapeutic Development In Degenerative Diseases And Cancer, Angel A. Alvarez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Stem cell biology is an exciting field that will lead to significant advancements in science and medicine. We hypothesize that inducing the expression of stem cell genes, using the embryonic stem cell gene nanog, will reprogram cells and dedifferentiate human mesenchymal stem cells into pluripotent stem cells capable of neural differentiation. The aims of initial studies are as follows: Aim 1: Demonstrate that forced expression of the embryonic stem cell gene nanog induces changes in human mesenchymal stem cells to an embryonic stem cell-like phenotype. Aim 2: Demonstrate that induced expression of nanog up-regulates the expression of multiple embryonic stem …

Distinct Domains Of Bax Are Involved In Mitochondrial Bioenergetics And Apoptosis, Ge Zhang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Apoptosis is essential for cellular homeostasis and is also a pathologic feature of various diseases. The balance between Bcl-2 family proteins determines whether a cell will live or die. Bax, a member of the BCL-2 family proteins, is a pro-apoptotic protein that exists in both a soluble, cytoplasmic form and a membrane-bound form. Upon apoptotic stimuli, Bax undergoes a conformational change and translocates to the mitochondria, initiating apoptotic events. However, little is known about whether Bax is involved in the regulation of mitochondrial function under non-apoptotic conditions, and how Bax binds to mitochondria to exert its activity. Here, we investigate …

Serum Paraoxonase And Arylesterase Activities In Iron Deficiency Anemia During Pregnancy, Hakan Camuzcuoğlu, Harun Toy, Mehmet Vural, Aysun Camuzcuoğlu, Abdullah Taşkin, Haki̇m Çeli̇k

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

To investigate serum paraoxonase and arylesterase activities, and lipid hydroperoxide levels in pregnant women with iron deficiency anemia. Materials and methods: Paraoxonase and arylesterase activities, and lipid hydroperoxide levels were assessed for pregnant women with iron deficiency anemia (n = 50) and controls (n = 70). Serum basal and salt-stimulated paraoxonase, and arylesterase activities were measured spectrophotometrically. The lipid hydroperoxide levels were measured by ferrous ion oxidation xylenol orange assay. In addition, lipid parameters were determined by routine laboratory methods. Results: Basal and salt-stimulated paraoxonase, and arylesterase activities were significantly lower (P = 0.026, P = 0.031, and P = …

Toward A Mechanistic Understanding Of Narcolepsy With Cataplexy, William Mccurdy

McNair Poster Presentations

Narcolepsy (hypersomnolence) is a disorder that affects 1 in 2000 individuals in the United States and it is characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and catalepsy, which is a sudden loss of muscle tone. As of relatively recent years, there has been a general consensus amongst the scientific community concerning the etiology of narcolepsy as numerous studies suggest that it is caused by the deficiency of neurotransmitters called orexin-A and orexin-B (or hypocretin-1 and hypocretin-2). Research suggests that deficiencies of these proteins are related to a mutation on chromosome 6 in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) complex which is a …

Differential Effects Of Isoflurane And Propofol Anesthesia On Neurogenesis In Young And Aged Rats, Diana Marcela Erasso

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Worldwide, millions of young and elderly patients receive procedures that could not be performed without the use of anesthetics. Unfortunately, emerging animal and human data suggest an association between exposure to general anesthesia and impairment of cognitive function in pediatric and geriatric patients. Recent laboratory data have shown that general anesthetics are potentially damaging to the developing and aging brain. However, the mechanism by which this happens is still unknown. General anesthetics affect learning and memory, a brain function involving neural plasticity. An important form of neural plasticity receiving attention is postnatal neurogenesis. This process is highly regulated and involved …

The Role Of Hiv-1 Proteins In Alzheimer's Disease Pathology, Brian Nelson Giunta

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Prevalence of HIV-associated cognitive impairment is rising, the worst form of which is HIV-associated dementia (HAD). The disease is fuiled by a chronic innate type pro-inflammatory response in the brain which is highly dependent upon the activation of microglia. We first created an in vitro model of HAD composed of cultured microglial cells synergistically activated by the addition of IFN-gamma and the HIV-1 coat glycoprotein, gp120. This activation, as measured by TNF-alpha and NO release, is synergistically attenuated through the alpha7nAChR and p44/42 MAPK system by pretreatment with nicotine, and the cholinesterase inhibitor, galantamine. As these medications have been FDA …

The Effects Of Pre-Exercise Carbohydrate Supplementation On Resistance Training Performance During An Acute Resistance Training Session, Kelly Raposo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

It appears that "carbohydrate loading" may enhance the performance of resistance training, but studies on CHO supplementation prior to a resistance-training bout are limited and have resulted in conflicting findings. PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of pre-exercise CHO supplementation on high-intensity (>75% 1RM) resistance training performance for resistance-trained women during an acute bout of resistance exercise. METHODS: Thirteen resistance trained female participants (21.9 ± 4.8 yrs; 64.5 ± 3.0 in; 137.0 ± 14.8 lbs) came to the Exercise and Performance Nutrition Laboratory on three separate occasions; the day of the Familiarization Trial (FT) and the two Exercise Testing sessions …

Repeated Binge Pattern Ethanol Administration During Adolescence Or Adulthood: Long-Term Changes In Voluntary Ethanol Intake And Mesolimbic Dopamine Functionality In Male Rats, Antoniette Michelle Maldonado-Devincci

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Binge alcohol consumption is a rising concern in the United States, especially among adolescents as during this developmental period alcohol use is usually initiated and has been shown to cause detrimental effects on brain structure and function. These findings have been established through the use of binge models in animals, where animals are repeatedly administered high doses of ethanol typically over a period of three or four days. While such work has examined the effects of a four-day and repeated three-day binge, there has been almost no work conducted aimed at investigating the long-term behavioral and neurochemical and/or functional consequences …