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Com Outlook Winter 2008, College Of Osteopathic Medicine

COM Outlook

No abstract provided.

Research Annual Report 2007, Children's Mercy Hospital

Research Annual Reports

Annual report of the research at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City MO, a pediatric medical center.

Children's Mercy Hospital Annual Report 2007, Children's Mercy Hospital

Children's Mercy Annual Reports

Annual report for The Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City MO, a pediatric medical center.

A Novel And Generalizable Organotypic Slice Platform To Evaluate Stem Cell Potential For Targeting Pediatric Brain Tumors., Shengwen Calvin Li, William Gunter Loudon

Department of Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

Brain tumors are now the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in children under age 15. Malignant gliomas are, for all practical purposes, incurable and new therapeutic approaches are desperately needed. One emerging strategy is to use the tumor tracking capacity inherent in many stem cell populations to deliver therapeutic agents to the brain cancer cells. Current limitations of the stem cell therapy strategy include that stem cells are treated as a single entity and lack of uniform technology is adopted for selection of clinically relevant sub-populations of stem cells. Specifically, therapeutic success relies on the selection of a clinically competent …

Novel Implications Of The Kallikrein-Kinin System In Diabetic Vasculopathy: A Proposed Role Of Prekallikrein In The Causation And Development Of Vascular Pathology In Diabetics, Rany Abdallah

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Despite the clear association between diabetes and atherosclerotic vascular disease, the factors and mechanisms underlying the association between the two diseases are not well understood. Our preliminary studies, based on data obtained from the national Diabetes Control and Complication Trial/Epidemiology of Diabetes and Complications (DCCT/EDIC) cohort of type 1 diabetes subjects, suggest that diabetic atherosclerosis is linked to defects in the Kallikrein-Kinin System (KKS). Our research also found that apoliporotein E (ApoE) knockout mice, which have marked increase in total plasma cholesterol levels and a higher number of atherosclerotic lesions compared to wild type mice, have markedly higher plasma prekallikrein …

An Assessment Of Noninvasive Measurements Of Arterial Compliance, Andrea D. Boan

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Arterial stiffness is considered both a risk factor and indicator of cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations of cardiovascular risk indicators of arterial compliance among 226 black and white individuals enrolled in an outpatient clinical setting. Data were collected by survey and examination with a computerized arterial pulse waveform analyzer. Arterial stiffness was estimated by indirect estimates of small artery and large artery compliance, as well as pulse pressure. After adjustments for age, race, and gender, logistic regression identified hypertension, end organ damage, and overweight as the strongest predictors for the three arterial stiffness …

Pdgf-Driven Proliferation, Migration, And Il8 Chemokine Secretion In Human Corneal Fibroblasts Involve Jak2-Stat3 Signaling Pathway, Neeraj Vij, Ajay Sharma, Mahesh Thakkar, Sunilima Sinha, Rajiv R. Mohan

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Purpose: Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is associated with corneal fibroblast migration and proliferation and plays an important role in corneal wound healing. However, the intracellular mechanisms of PDGF-mediated functions in corneal fibroblasts are poorly understood. We tested the hypothesis that PDGF functional activities in the cornea involve the Janus kinase-2/signal transducers and activators of transcription-3 (JAK2-STAT3) signaling pathway and whether PDGF induces the expression of suppressors of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3), belonging to the novel family of feedback regulators of cytokine and growth factor activities.

Methods: Human corneal fibroblast (HSF) cultures were used as an in vitro model for functional …

Digest Of The Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine (Winter 2008), Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine

Digest

The Winter 2008 issue of the Digest of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine includes the following articles:

• Opening Remarks
• PCOM Updates and Kudos
• Women in Medicine: A Legacy of Achievement
• Reflections from the Past
• Leaders in Academic Medicine
• Advocates of Women’s Health
• Physician Workforce Issues: Bridging the Gender Gap
• Specialties: Breaking Down Barriers
• Founders’ Day
• James H. Black, DO ’62, O.J. Snyder Memorial Medal
• Sallee Ann Eckler, PhD, (DO ’08), Mason W. Pressly Memorial Medal
• Harm Reduction Therapy
• Willing and Able to Make a Difference
• Class Notes
• In Memoriam
• My Turn Essay
• Alumni Weekend 2008
• PCOM Events

Primary Drug Resistance To Antituberculous Drugs In Nwfp Pakistan, Arshad Javaid, Abdul Ghafoor, Abdul Rab, Anila Basit, Zia Ullah, Shaukat Ali, Afia Zafar, Rumina Hasan

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Objective: To assess the prevalence of Primary drug resistance to Antituberculous drugs in NWFP
Method: A cross-sectional prevalence study was undertaken to evaluate the prevalence of drug resistance among new TB patients, using a non-probability convenience sampling methodology. Sample size was calculated according to the population and WHO's estimated incidence of smear positive tuberculosis in the province/country. Sputum samples were obtained from 122 newly diagnosed patients of pulmonary tuberculosis from centres in Peshawar and Abbotabad in NWFP.
Results: Sensitivities were performed by proportion method which showed the following resistance values in 118 eligible patients: 15 (12.7 %) …

Sensitization Of Ovarian Cancer Cells To Cisplatin By Genistein: The Role Of Nf-Kappab, Leigh A. Solomon, Shadan Ali, Sanjeev Banerjee, Adnan R. Munkarah, Robert T. Morris, Fazlul H. Sarkar

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

Platinum-resistance (PR) continues to be a major problem in the management of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Response to various chemotherapeutic agents is poor in patients deemed PR. Genistein, a soy isoflavone has been shown to enhance the effect of chemotherapy in prostate and pancreatic cancer cells in vitro and in vivo by reversing chemo-resistance phenotype. The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of combination therapy with genistein and cisplatin as well as other cytotoxic conventional chemotherapeutic agents in platinum-sensitive (PS) and resistant EOC cells.

Methods

The PS human ovarian cancer cell line A2780 and its …

A Stable Explant Culture Of Her2/Neu Invasive Carcinoma Supported By Alpha-Smooth Muscle Actin Expressing Stromal Cells To Evaluate Therapeutic Agents, Marie P. Piechocki

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

To gain a better understanding of the effects of therapeutic agents on the tumor microenvironment in invasive cancers, we developed a co-culture model from an invasive lobular carcinoma. Tumor cells expressing HER2/neu organize in nests surrounded by alpha-Smooth Muscle Actin (α-SMA) expressing tumor stroma to resemble the morphology of an invading tumor. This co-culture, Mammary Adenocarcinoma Model (MAM-1) maintains a 1:1 ratio of HER2/neu positive tumor cells to α-SMA-reactive stromal cells and renews this configuration for over 20 passages in vitro.

Methods

We characterized the cellular elements of the MAM-1 model by microarray analysis, and immunocytochemistry. We developed …

Functional Analysis Of Human Beta Defensin-1: Novel Insight Into Its Role In Prostate Cancer, Rebecca S. Bullard

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men in the United States. The molecular pathogenesis of this disease includes genetic alterations, infection, and exposure to inflammatory or dietary oxidants. Recently, research has focused on the role of host defense peptides in tumor immunity. Defensins, a highly conserved multigene family of proteins that possess antimicrobial and antiviral properties, play an essential role in innate and adaptive immunity. These peptides are categorized into alpha- and beta-defensins based upon the spacing and connection between the six conserved cysteine residues of the mature peptide. Human Beta Defensin-1 (hBD-1), an important …

Sexual And Reproductive Health Needs Of Adolescents Perinatally Infected With Hiv In Uganda, Harriet Birungi, John Frank Mugisha, Juliana K. Nyombi, Francis Obare, Humphres Evelia, Hannington Nyinkavu

Reproductive Health

In Uganda, HIV/AIDS treatment, care and support programs are still organized around either adult or pediatric care and fail to adequately address the needs of adolescents, specifically perinatally-infected adolescents. This study, implemented jointly by the Population Council's Frontiers in Reproductive Health (FRONTIERS) program and the AIDS Support Organization (TASO), aimed to better understand the reproductive health and sexuality of this population group, and to identify anxieties or fears they have around entering social stages of adulthood. This study confirms that wide programmatic gaps exist in addressing the sexual and reproductive health needs of young people perinatally infected with HIV who …

Using Operations Research To Enhance Delivery Of Postpartum/Postabortion Family Planning Services In The Arab Region, Frontiers In Reproductive Health

Reproductive Health

The FRONTIERS program in Cairo organized a two-and-half day workshop to share programmatic experiences and lessons learned in integrating family planning with service providers from Egypt, Jordan, Sudan, and Yemen representing mid-level program managers and researchers. It was held in 2008 in tandem with a national end-of-project seminar for stakeholders in Egypt. Participants emphasized the need to capture missed opportunities in antenatal, delivery, postpartum or postabortion care by providing family planning services in all encounters between women and the health care system. They also agreed on an overarching need for operations research in assisting policy makers and program managers in …

Antibiotic Susceptibility Of Pathogens Isolated From Patients With Community-Acquired Respiratory Tract Infections In Pakistan--The Active Study, Afia Zafar, Zahid Hussain, Eale Lomama, Sophie Sibille, Seema Irfan, Erum Khan

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

BACKGROUND: Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) are amongst the most wide spread and serious infections, accounting for over 50 million deaths globally each year. In developing countries, infants under 4 years of age are at greatest risk of lower RTIs, whereas in developed countries the severity of infection and rate of mortality are greater in elderly. The objective of the survey was to determine the in vitro susceptibility of antibiotics commonly prescribed RTIs against Streptococcus pneumoniae (SP), Haemophilus influenzae (HI) and Streptococcus pyogenes, isolated from patients with community-acquired RTIs globally. This survey involved 9 countries. In this study we present the …

Continuous Source Of Care Among Young Underserved Children: Associated Characteristics And Use Of Recommended Parenting Practices., Esther K Chung, Leny Mathew, Kelly F Mccollum, Irma T Elo, Jennifer F Culhane

Department of Pediatrics Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to 1) assess sociodemographic and health characteristics associated with having a continuous source of care (CSOC) among young children and 2) determine the relationship between having a CSOC and use of parenting practices.

METHODS: We conducted a prospective, community-based survey of women receiving prenatal care at Philadelphia community health centers. We conducted surveys at the first prenatal visit and at a mean age +/- standard deviation of 3 +/-1, 11 +/- 1, and 24 +/- 2 months postpartum, obtaining information on sociodemographic and health characteristics, child's health care provider, and 6 parenting practices. …

Varying Efficiency Of Long-Term Replication Of Papillomaviruses In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Adam J. Rogers, Malte Loggen, Karen Lee, Peter C. Angeletti

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) replicate in mitotically active basal keratinocytes. Two virally encoded proteins, E1, a helicase, and E2, a transcription factor, are important players in replication and maintenance of HPV episomes. We previously showed that HPV16 could replicate stably in Saccharomyces cerevisiae [Angeletti, P.C., Kim, K., Fernandes, F.J., and Lambert, P.F. (2002)] and we identified cis-elements that mediate replication and maintenance [J. Virol. 76(7), 3350-3358.; Kim, K., Angeletti, P.C., Hassebroek, E.C., and Lambert, P.F. (2005)]. Here, we demonstrate that although multiple HPV genomes replicate stably in yeast, they do so with differing long-term efficiency; HPV6-Ura3 is replicated at the …

P1: Effect Of Age, Oestradiol Levels And Endometrial Thickness On Determining Success Of Frozen Embryo Transfers, Alfred Murage, Maybeth Jamieson, Robin Yates, Isabel Traynor, Helen Lyall, Scott Nelson

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Introduction: Frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) is a widely used technique, with replacement of embryos during natural menstrual cycles or in cycles constructed by exogenous steroids having similar outcomes in many series. Multiple factors have been proposed to have a positive influence on the success rate of FET, including increased endometrial thickness, younger maternal age and lower circulating oestradiol. The impact of these variables in the context of constructed cycles, using GnRH agonists to facilitate suppression of ovarian function prior to exogenous steroid administration, is not known. The aim of this study was to determine the predictive ability of these indices …

In-Vivo Delivery Of Dna Vaccines Using Metallo-Lipid Nanoparticles, Clarissa Sara Gomez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

There has been a rapidly growing area of research in the design and synthesis of molecules that self-organize in water to form functional nanosystems and due to the high interest in the area metal ligand complexes were tested as drug delivery systems with a Leishmania vaccine. Herein, we present the design, synthesis and functional activity of Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes that self-assemble in water to form spherical nanoscale structures that exhibit an affinity to bind DNA and deliver it into eukaryotic cells with a high percent efficiency in-vitro. In order to assess the effectiveness of these nanoparticles to deliver DNA …

Causes, Magnitude And Management Of Burns In Under-Fives In District Hospitals In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania., M. Justin-Temu, G. Rimoy, Zul Premji, G. Matemu

Pathology, East Africa

Objectives: To determine the causes, magnitude and management of burns in children under five years of age who were admitted in the district hospitals of Dar es Salaam City, Tanzania.

Methods: In this study, a total of 204 under fives were enrolled. Questionnaires were used to elicit if the parent/caretaker had the knowledge of the cause of the burns, what was done immediately after burn injury, first aid given immediately after burn, source of the knowledge of first aid and when the child was taken to the hospital. Also the questionnaire was cited with data on the management of burns …

Application Of In Vivo Induced Antigen Technology (Iviat) To Bacillus Anthracis, Sean M Rollins, Amanda Peppercorn, John S Young, Melissa Drysdale, Andrea Baresch, Margaret V Bikowski, David A Ashford, Conrad P Quinn, Martin Handfield, Jeffrey D Hillman, C Rick Lyons, Theresa M Koehler, Stephen B Calderwood, Edward T Ryan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

In vivo induced antigen technology (IVIAT) is an immuno-screening technique that identifies bacterial antigens expressed during infection and not during standard in vitro culturing conditions. We applied IVIAT to Bacillus anthracis and identified PagA, seven members of a N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase autolysin family, three P60 family lipoproteins, two transporters, spore cortex lytic protein SleB, a penicillin binding protein, a putative prophage holin, respiratory nitrate reductase NarG, and three proteins of unknown function. Using quantitative real-time PCR comparing RNA isolated from in vitro cultured B. anthracis to RNA isolated from BALB/c mice infected with virulent Ames strain B. anthracis, we confirmed induced …

The Role Of Sse1 In The De Novo Formation And Variant Determination Of The [Psi+] Prion, Jaou-Chen Huang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

In several species, a family of nuclear receptors, the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) composed of three isotypes, is expressed in somatic cells and germ cells of the ovary as well as the testis. Invalidation of these receptors in mice or stimulation of these receptors in vivo or in vitro showed that each receptor has physiological roles in the gamete maturation or the embryo development. In addition, synthetic PPAR gamma ligands are recently used to induce ovulation in women with polycystic ovary disease. These results reveal the positive actions of PPAR in reproduction. On the other hand, xenobiotics molecules (in herbicides, …

The Function And Mechanism Of Chmp1a In Tumor Development, Jing Li

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Chmp1A (Chromatin modifying protein 1A/Charged multivesicular protein 1A) is a member of the ESCRT-III (Endosomal Sorting Complex Required for Transport) family, which mediates trafficking via MVB (multivesicular body) formation and sorting. Our studies suggest that Chmp1A is a novel tumor suppressor, especially in the pancreas. Knockdown of Chmp1A resulted in an increase of anchorage-independent growth of HEK 293T cells. Moreover, we showed that Chmp1A depleted HEK 293T cells forms tumor in xenograft mice. Knockdown of Chmp1A in PanC-1 cells promoted cell growth. In contrast, Doxycycline induced over-expression of Chmp1A in pancreatic cancer cells (PanC-1) resulted in cell growth inhibition, tumor …

Primary Drug Resistance To Anti-Tuberculous Drugs In Karachi, Arshad Javaid, Nadim Rizvi, Mosavir Ansari, Ashraf Sadiq, Iqbal Sher Burki, Nadeem Ur Rehman, Rumina Hasan, Afia Zafar

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Objective: To assess the frequency of primary drug resistance among newly diagnosed tuberculosis cases in Karachi.
Study Design: Cross-sectional study.
Place and Duration of Study: Multicentric study involving various TB clinics and treatment centres of Karachi between April to December 2005.
Methodology: The frequency of drug resistance among new TB patients was evaluated using a non-probability convenient sampling methodology. Sputum sample was obtained from 140 newly diagnosed sputum smear-positive patients of pulmonary tuberculosis from various centres of Karachi. Sensitivities were performed by proportion method.
Results: Fifteen (11.5%) samples in 130 eligible patients showed primary resistance to one …

Oral Immunization Of Rhesus Macaques With Adenoviral Hiv Vaccines Using Enteric-Coated Capsules, George T. Mercier, Pramod N. Nehete, Marco F. Passeri, Bharti N. Nehete, Eric A. Weaver, Nancy Smyth Templeton, Kimberly Schluns, Stephanie S. Buchl, K. Buchl, Michael A. Barry

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Targeted delivery of vaccine candidates to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract holds potential for mucosal immunization, particularly against mucosal pathogens like the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Among the different strategies for achieving targeted release in the GI tract, namely the small intestine, pH sensitive enteric coating polymers have been shown to protect solid oral dosage forms from the harsh digestive environment of the stomach and dissolve relatively rapidly in the small intestine by taking advantage of the luminal pH gradient. We developed an enteric polymethacrylate formulation for coating hydroxy-propyl-methyl-cellulose (HPMC) capsules containing lyophilized Adenoviral type 5 (Ad5) vectors expressing HIV-1 gag …

Characterization Of The Anti-Angiogenic Properties Of Kdr-Ig4-7 And Its Variants As Potential Anti-Cancer Therapeutics, Jang Pyo Park

All Dissertations

Beginning with the development of an embryo and throughout one's adult life angiogenesis plays an essential role for organ growth and repair. The balancing of pro-angiogenic factors to anti-angiogenic factors is what regulates the process of angiogenesis. When this balance is disrupted in one direction or the other, numerous disorders can occur including ocular and inflammatory diseases and, in particular, tumor growth and metastasis. Therefore, inhibition of angiogenesis has become an effective therapy for arresting the growth of tumors.
A key regulator of angiogenesis involves vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor, VEGFR-2 (KDR). The binding of VEGF to …

An Assessment Of Athletic Health Care Provided To High School Athletes In Indiana, Lori Jane Vancza

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objective: The purpose of this study is to assess various aspects of athletic health care being provided to athletes in high risk sports in Indiana and the personnel providing this care relative to school enrollment size in comparison to the recent recommendations published by the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) regarding appropriate medical care for secondary school-aged athletes. Design and Settings: Based on a literature review, a 34 item web based survey for athletic directors (ADs) and a 33 item web based survey for identified head coaches were developed and distributed to 406 Indiana High School ADs. The survey instruments …

Illusory Predictors: Generalizability Of Findings In Cocaine Treatment Retention Research, Angela L Stotts, Marc E Mooney, Shelly L Sayre, Meredith Novy, Joy M Schmitz, John Grabowski

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Treatment retention is of paramount importance in cocaine treatment research as treatment completion rates are often 50% or less. Failure to retain cocaine patients in treatment has both significant research and clinical implications. In this paper we qualitatively and quantitatively demonstrate the inconsistency found across analyses of retention predictors in order to highlight the problem. First, a qualitative review of the published literature was undertaken to identify the frequency of predictors studied and their relations to treatment retention. Second, an empirical demonstration of predictor stability was conducted by testing a common set of variables across three similar 12-week cocaine clinical …

Modulation Of Tgf-Beta Signaling By Proinflammatory Cytokines In Articular Chondrocytes., Jorge A. Roman-Blas, David G. Stokes, Sergio A. Jimenez

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVE: The normal structure and function of articular cartilage are the result of a precisely balanced interaction between anabolic and catabolic processes. The transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) family of growth factors generally exerts an anabolic or repair response; in contrast, proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin 1 beta (IL-1beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) exert a strong catabolic effect. Recent evidence has shown that IL-1beta, and TNF-alpha, and the TGF-beta signaling pathways share an antagonistic relationship. The aim of this study was to determine whether the modulation of the response of articular chondrocytes to TGF-beta by IL-1beta or TNF-alpha signaling pathways …

Renal Cell Carcinoma Metastatic To The Duodenum: Treatment By Classic Pancreaticoduodenectomy And Review Of The Literature, Robert Adamo, Patrick J. Greaney Jr., Agnieszka Witkiewicz, Eugene P. Kennedy, Charles J. Yeo

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

Renal cell cancer (RCC) most commonly metastasizes to the lungs, bones, liver, renal fossa, and brain, although metastases can occur elsewhere. RCC metastatic to the duodenum is especially rare, with only a small number of cases reported in the literature. Herein, we describe a case of an 86-year-old woman with a history of RCC treated by radical nephrectomy 13 years previously. The patient presented with duodenal obstruction and anemia from a solitary duodenal mass invading into the pancreas and was treated via classic pancreaticoduodenectomy. Preoperative imaging and intra-operative assessment showed no evidence of other disease. Pathology confirmed metastatic RCC without …