Digital Commons Network^™

Well-Being Of Medical Students And Their Awareness On Substance Misuse: A Cross-Sectional Survey In Pakistan., Abdul Wahab Yousafzai, Syed Ahmer, Ehsanullah Syed, Naila Bhutto, Saman Iqbal, Mohammed Naim Siddiqi, Mohammed Zaman

Department of Psychiatry

Objective: To investigate psychological well-being and substance abuse among medical students in Pakistan. Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted in six medical colleges across Pakistan. Final-year medical students were interviewed by either a postgraduate trainee in psychiatry or a consultant psychiatrist. Results: A total of 540 medical students were approached, 342 participated and the response rate was 64.5%. Mean age was 23.73 years (SD 2.45 years), 52.5% were male and 90% single. Two out of every five respondents reported that work/study at medical school affected their personal health and well-being. A considerable proportion of students were aware of alcohol …

Accumulation Of Rhodopsin In Late Endosomes Triggers Photoreceptor Cell Degeneration, Yashodhan Chinchore, Amitavo Mitra, Patrick J. Dolph, Norbert Perrimon

Dartmouth Scholarship

Progressive retinal degeneration is the underlying feature of many human retinal dystrophies. Previous work using Drosophila as a model system and analysis of specific mutations in human rhodopsin have uncovered a connection between rhodopsin endocytosis and retinal degeneration. In these mutants, rhodopsin and its regulatory protein arrestin form stable complexes, and endocytosis of these complexes causes photoreceptor cell death. In this study we show that the internalized rhodopsin is not degraded in the lysosome but instead accumulates in the late endosomes. Using mutants that are defective in late endosome to lysosome trafficking, we were able to show that rhodopsin accumulates …

Download The Pdf Of The Full Issue

CenterPieces

Download the PDF of the Full Issue of CenterPieces, Fall 2007, Volume 2, Issue 1.

We Are Seeking Participants For The Following Studies

CenterPieces

All participants in our research projects receive compensation for participating in study interviews. For further information about these and other studies, please visit our website at www.jefferson.edu/jchp/carah or call 215-503-2897 to speak to a member of our staff.

Coping Tips For Caregivers

CenterPieces

Educate yourself about the disease your family member is facing and how it may affect his or her behavior, pain level or quality of life.

Find sources of help for caregiver tasks. Contact family, friends, neighbors, church/synagogue, workplace, Area Agency on Aging or other organizations.

Protect your personal time for something you enjoy or something you need to get done.

Helping Caregivers To Cope

CenterPieces

When Deb Lacktman promised her dying father that she would care for her mother, Margaret Rimato, after he passed, she wasn’t prepared for the challenges to come. Shortly after he passed, Margaret became increasingly forgetful and delusional. Deb attributed her mother’s memory loss to the stress of losing her husband. With time, however, Margaret’s condition worsened and she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

As the primary caregiver of a parent with Alzheimer’s, Deb dealt with various complications beyond the memory loss. Her mother continually roamed the house in the middle of the night, for no apparent reason. It turned out …

Speaking With Barry Rovner, Md

CenterPieces

Q: What Alzheimer’s related studies are you involved in currently at the Farber Institute for Neurosciences?

Dr. Rovner: We are evaluating three exciting new disease-modifying drug treatments that may slow down the course of Alzheimer’s disease. I am also a Principal Investigator of Jefferson’s Center for Excellence in Neurodegenerative Diseases funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Health Tobacco Settlement grant. We are testing innovative screening methods to identify dementia in community-based agencies serving older adults, as well as testing in-home skills training services to delay nursing home placement and reduce stress for a racially diverse group of family caregivers. This …

Message From Dr. Laura Gitlin, Director Of Carah, Laura N. Gitlin

CenterPieces

Welcome to the second issue of CenterPieces, the newsletter of the Center for Applied Research on Aging and Health. We dedicate this issue to the topic of dementia and family caregiving, a critical public health issue. There are 26 million individuals with dementia worldwide, and approximately 5 million individuals with the diagnosis in the US. This number may exceed 16 million in 2050.

For the past 15 years, CARAH has been in the forefront of developing and testing innovative approaches to supporting families in their heroic care efforts and enhancing the quality of life of affected individuals. CARAH’s current research …

Diurnal Variation Of The Human Adipose Transcriptome And The Link To Metabolic Disease., Andrey Loboda, Walter K. Kraft, Bernard Fine, Jeffrey Joseph, Michael Nebozhyn, Chunsheng Zhang, Yudong He, Xia Yang, Christopher Wright, Mark Morris, Ira Chalikonda, Mark Ferguson, Valur Emilsson, Amy Leonardson, John Lamb, Hongyue Dai, Eric Schadt, Howard E. Greenberg, Pek Yee Lum

Department of Anesthesiology Faculty Papers

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Circadian (diurnal) rhythm is an integral part of the physiology of the body; specifically, sleep, feeding behavior and metabolism are tightly linked to the light-dark cycle dictated by earth's rotation. METHODS: The present study examines the effect of diurnal rhythm on gene expression in the subcutaneous adipose tissue of overweight to mildly obese, healthy individuals. In this well-controlled clinical study, adipose biopsies were taken in the morning, afternoon and evening from individuals in three study arms: treatment with the weight loss drug sibutramine/fasted, placebo/fed and placebo/fasted. RESULTS: The results indicated that diurnal rhythm was the most significant driver …

The P53-Induced Siva-1 Plays A Significant Role In Cisplatin-Mediated Apoptosis, John L. Barkinge, Radhika Gudi, Hawkins Sarah, Fei Chu, Alip Borthakur, Bellur S. Prabhakar

Clinical & Translational Sciences

Background: The pro-apoptotic protein Siva-1 functions in both extrinsic and intrinsic cell death signaling; however, the exact contribution of the endogenous Siva-1 to DNA damage-induced apoptosis is unclear. Using cisplatin, a chemotherapeutic drug, to induce DNA damage and cell death, we determined the role of Siva-1.

Methods: Cisplatin treated HCT116 colorectal carcinoma cells (p53+/+ and -/-) were used in the study. With the help of recombinant lentivirus that can express siSiva (siRNA that specifi cally targets Siva-1), we also generated Siva-1 knockdown HCT116 cells. Apoptosis was determined by tetramethyl rhodamine methyl ester (TMRM) staining and propidium iodide (PI) staining.

Results: …

Facilitated Monocyte-Macrophage Uptake And Tissue Distribution Of Superparmagnetic Iron-Oxide Nanoparticles., Arnaud Beduneau, Zhiya Ma, Cassi B. Grotepas, Alexander Kabanov, Barrett E. Rabinow, Nan Gong, R. Lee Mosley, Huanyu Dou, Michael D. Boska, Howard Gendelman

Journal Articles: Radiology

BACKGROUND: We posit that the same mononuclear phagocytes (MP) that serve as target cells and vehicles for a host of microbial infections can be used to improve diagnostics and drug delivery. We also theorize that physical and biological processes such as particle shape, size, coating and opsonization that affect MP clearance of debris and microbes can be harnessed to facilitate uptake of nanoparticles (NP) and tissue delivery.

METHODS: Monocytes and monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) were used as vehicles of superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) NP and immunoglobulin (IgG) or albumin coated SPIO for studies of uptake and distribution. IgG coated SPIO was …

Interconnections Between Sigma B, Agr, And Proteolytic Activity In Staphylococcus Aureus Biofilm Maturation, Katherine J. Lauderdale, Blaise R. Boles, Ambrose L. Cheung, Alexander R. Horswill

Dartmouth Scholarship

Staphylococcus aureus is a proficient biofilm former on host tissues and medical implants. We mutagenized S. aureus strain SH1000 to identify loci essential for ica-independent mechanisms of biofilm maturation and identified multiple insertions in the rsbUVW-sigB operon. Following construction and characterization of a sigB deletion, we determined that the biofilm phenotype was due to a lack of sigma factor B (SigB) activity. The phenotype was conserved in a sigB mutant of USA300 strain LAC, a well-studied community-associated methicillin-resistant S. aureus isolate. We determined that agr RNAIII levels were elevated in the sigB mutants, and high levels of RNAIII expression are …

Genetic Contribution To Patent Ductus Arteriosus In The Premature Newborn, Naveed Hussain

Articles - Patient Care

BACKGROUND The most common congenital heart disease in the newborn population, patent ductus arteriosus, accounts for significant morbidity in preterm newborns. In addition to prematurity and environmental factors, we hypothesized that genetic factors play a significant role in this condition. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to quantify the contribution of genetic factors to the variance in liability for patent ductus arteriosus in premature newborns. PATIENTS AND METHODS A retrospective study (1991–2006) from 2 centers was performed by using zygosity data from premature twins born at ≤36 weeks’ gestational age and surviving beyond 36 weeks’ postmenstrual age. Patent ductus …

Alcohol In Moderation, Cardioprotection And Neuroprotection : Epidemiological Considerations And Mechanistic Studies, Dipak K. Das Dr.

UCHC Articles - Research

In contrast to many years of important research and clinical attention to the pathological effects of alcohol (ethanol) abuse, the past several decades have seen the publication of a number of peer-reviewed studies indicating beneficial effects of light-moderate, non-binge consumption of varied alcoholic beverages, as well as experimental demonstrations that moderate alcohol exposure can initiate typically cytoprotective mechanisms. A considerable body of epidemiology associates moderate alcohol consumption with significantly reduced risks of coronary heart disease and, albeit currently a less robust relationship, cerebrovascular (ischemic) stroke. Experimental studies with experimental rodent models and cultures (cardiac myocytes, endothelial cells) indicate that moderate …

Remission And Recovery In The Treatment For Adolescents With Depression Study (Tads): Acute And Long-Term Outcomes., Betsy D. Kennard, Susan G. Silva, Simon Tonev, Paul Rohde, Jennifer L. Hughes, Benedetto Vitiello, Christopher J. Kratochvil, John F. Curry, Graham J. Emslie, Mark Reinecke, John March

Journal Articles: Psychiatry

OBJECTIVE: We examine remission rate probabilities, recovery rates, and residual symptoms across 36 weeks in the Treatment for Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS).

METHOD: The TADS, a multisite clinical trial, randomized 439 adolescents with major depressive disorder to 12 weeks of treatment with fluoxetine, cognitive-behavioral therapy, their combination, or pill placebo. The pill placebo group, treated openly after week 12, was not included in the subsequent analyses. Treatment differences in remission rates and probabilities of remission over time are compared. Recovery rates in remitters at weeks 12 (acute phase remitters) and 18 (continuation phase remitters) are summarized. We also examined …

London City Life: A Call To Service, Mary Ann Colohan

Data and Test Instruments

London and the University of Western Ontario have a strong tradition of sending medical personnel to war. Afghanistan is no exception.

Helicobacter Pylori Infection Rate Decreases In Symptomatic Children: A Retrospective Analysis Of 13 Years (1993-2005) From A Gastroenterology Clinic In West Virginia, Yoram Elitsur, Yulia Dementieva, Mary Rewalt, Zanda Lawrence

Pediatrics

Background: The rate of Helicobacter pylori is decreasing in the developed countries, but few long-term studies are available from the United States. We retrospectively assessed the annual H. pylori infection rate in symptomatic children seen in our clinic over a 13-year study period.

Study: A retrospective analysis of all children who had histologic diagnosis of H. pylori infection between January 1993 and December 2005 in our pediatric gastroenterology clinic was performed. The annual infection rate and the overall infection rate were calculated.

Results: A total of 1743 upper endoscopy reports were reviewed, of which 212 (12.1%) were diagnosed with H. …

Non-Invasive Prediction Of St Elevation Myocardial Infarction Complications By Left Ventricular Tei Index, Nasir Rahman, Khawar Abbas Kazmi, Muniza Yousaf

Section of Cardiology

OBJECTIVE: To investigate association between the Tei index and cardiac complications of ST elevation of Myocardial Infarction.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of a 202 adult consecutive patients with first ST elevation MI (STEMI) were studied. Tei index was obtained as: (a _ b)/b, where "a" is the interval between the cessation and onset of mitral flow and "b" is the ejection time of aortic flow measured with the help of pulsed Doppler echocardiography. Subsequent complications, included Death, Congestive Heart Failure (CHF), Cardiogenic shock, Atrial Flutter/ Atrial Fibrillation, Sustained ventricular tachycardia, Advanced Atrio- Ventricular Clock (AV Block), Myocardial Infarction (MI), …

Risks For Preterm Delivery And Low Birth Weight Are Independently Increased By Severity Of Maternal Anaemia, Hussein Kidanto, Ingrid Mogren, Gunilla Lindmark, Siriel Massawe, Lennarth Nystrom

Faculty of Health Sciences, East Africa

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the effect of the severity of maternal anaemia on various perinatal outcomes.

DESIGN: A cross-sectional study.

SETTING: Labour Ward, Muhimbili National Hospital, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

METHOD: The haemoglobin of eligible pregnant women admitted for delivery between 15 November 2002 and 15 February 2003 was measured. Data on socio-demographic characteristics, iron supplementation, malaria prophylaxis, blood transfusion during current pregnancy, and current and previous pregnancy outcomes were collected and analysed. Anaemia was classified according to the World Health Organization (WHO) standards: normal - Hb >11.0 g/dl; mild - Hb 9.0 - 10.9 g/dl; moderate - …

Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy In Multiple Sclerosis, Balasrinivasa R Sajja, Jerry S Wolinsky, Ponnada A Narayana

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) provides tissue metabolic information in vivo. This article reviews the role of MRS-determined metabolic alterations in lesions, normal-appearing white matter, gray matter, and spinal cord in advancing our knowledge of pathologic changes in multiple sclerosis (MS). In addition, the role of MRS in objectively evaluating therapeutic efficacy is reviewed. This potential metabolic information makes MRS a unique tool to follow MS disease evolution, understand its pathogenesis, evaluate the disease severity, establish a prognosis, and objectively evaluate the efficacy of therapeutic interventions.

Oncolog Volume 54, Number 02, February 2009, Maude Veech, Joe Munch, Don Norwood

OncoLog MD Anderson's Report to Physicians (All issues) Archives

• Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation: A Promising Adjuvant to Lumpectomy Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Pediatric Regimens for Adolescents and
• House Call: Think About Your Medical Needs When Preparing for Natural Disasters
• Young Adults Yield Survival Advantages
• A New Biomarker for Bladder Cancer?

Gastrocnemius-Soleus Muscle Tendon Unit Changes Over The First 12 Weeks Of Adjusted Age In Infants Born Preterm, Marybeth Grant-Beuttler, Robert J. Palisano, Debra P. Miller, Barbara Reddien Wagner, Carolyn B. Heriza, Patricia A. Shewokis

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Background and Purpose: Differences in the gastrocnemius-soleus muscle and tendon have been documented shortly after birth in infants born preterm compared with infants born at term. Knowledge of muscle tendon unit lengths at term age to 12 weeks of age in infants born preterm may be useful in understanding motor development.

Participants and Method: Gastrocnemius-soleus muscle tendon unit lengths were compared at term age, at 6 weeks of age, and at 12 weeks of age (preterm adjusted age) in 20 infants born full term and 22 infants born preterm.

Results: Significant differences were found between the 2 groups on taut …

Multimodality Education For Airway Endoscopy Skill Development., Ellen S. Deutsch, Thomas Christenson, Joseph Curry, Jobayer Hossain, Karen Zur, Ian Jacobs

Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVES: Airway endoscopy is a difficult skill to master. A unique practicum was designed to help otolaryngology residents develop endoscopy skills. The learning modalities included lectures, an animal laboratory, high-fidelity manikins, virtual bronchoscopy simulation, and standardized patients. This study compares the relative subjective value of these learning modalities for skill development and realism. METHODS: Participants used a Likert scale (1=disagree to 5=agree) and open responses to anonymously rate the efficacy of 5 learning modalities for teaching airway management, endoscopy skills, and clinical leadership and for providing a realistic experience. RESULTS: The results in 2007 were uniformly positive, with mean scores …

Atorvastatin May Have No Effect On Acute Phase Reaction In Children After Intravenous Bisphosphonate Infusion., Tarak Srivastava, Connie J. Haney, Uri S. Alon

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Intravenous bisphosphonate therapy is associated with acute phase reaction characterized by fever and musculoskeletal pain. Bisphosphonates have been shown in vitro to activate gammadeltaT-cells to proliferate and produce cytokines, suggesting a role in acute phase reaction, which can be effectively blocked by statins. We conducted a double-blind randomized crossover placebo controlled study in 12 children (12.1 +/- 4.2 yr; 10 girls and 2 boys) receiving intravenous bisphosphonates to evaluate whether statins can be used to prevent acute phase reaction associated with therapy. Children received two cycles given 3-4 mo apart of intravenous bisphosphonate given on 2 consecutive days in each …

Analysis Of 2006 Maine Emergency Department Use: A Study Conducted On Behalf Of The Emergency Department Use Work Group Of The Maine Advisory Council On Health System Development, Carolyn E. Gray Mph, Catherine Mcguire Bs, Beth Kilbreth, Tamar Chitashvili

Population Health & Health Policy

This study, conducted on behalf of the Emergency Department Use Work Group of the Maine Advisory Council on Health System Development provides an analysis of visits to hospital emergency departments in Maine that took place in 2006. The study relied on two sources of data: a comprehensive file of hospital discharge records provided by the Maine Health Data Organization; and comprehensive claims records for most privately insured residents in Maine and most MaineCare members. The 2006 data used for this analysis pre-dated some of the initiatives undertaken by the Department of Human Services to improve access to primary care and …

Enhanced Estrogen-Induced Proliferation In Obese Rat Endometrium, Qian Zhang, Qi Shen, Joseph Celestino, Michael R Milam, Shannon N Westin, Robin A Lacour, Larissa A Meyer, Gregory L Shipley, Peter J A Davies, Lei Deng, Adrienne S Mccampbell, Russell R Broaddus, Karen H Lu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVE: We tested the hypothesis that the proliferative estrogen effect on the endometrium is enhanced in obese vs lean animals.

STUDY DESIGN: Using Zucker fa/fa obese rats and lean control, we examined endometrial cell proliferation and the expression patterns of certain estrogen-regulated proproliferative and antiproliferative genes after short-term treatment with estradiol.

RESULTS: No significant morphologic/histologic difference was seen between the obese rats and the lean rats. Estrogen-induced proproliferative genes cyclin A and c-Myc messenger RNA expression were significantly higher in the endometrium of obese rats compared with those of the lean control. Expression of the antiproliferative gene p27Kip1 was suppressed …

Author Response To Invited Commentary By Heathcock [Commentary For: Gastrocnemius/Soleus Muscle Tendon Unit Changes Over The First 12 Weeks Of Adjusted Age In Infants Born Preterm], Marybeth Grant-Beuttler, Robert J. Palisano, Debra P. Miller, Barbara Reddien Wagner, Carolyn B. Heriza, Patricia A. Shewokis

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

"We thank Heathcock for taking the time to write her commentaryregarding our study. Her comments are interesting, and our subsequent investigation into these ideas has led us to uncover some enlightening evidence in relation to the topics raised in the commentary. We will attempt to review each of the topics raised and the evidence associated with these topics."

Prevalence Of Gastric Mucosal Interleukin-1 Polymorphisms In Kenyan Patients With Advanced Gastric Cancer, Kimang’A Nyerere, Shahin Sayed, Gunturu Revathi, Peter Ojwang, Viviene Matiru, Smita Devani, Mahesh Shah, Samuel Kariuki

Pathology, East Africa

Helicobacter pylori is the main cause of peptic ulceration, distal gastric adenocarcinoma, and gastric lymphoma.1 Worldwide, gastric cancer is the second most common malignancy in men and women.1 According to data from the Nairobi Cancer Registry, gastric cancer is the fourth most common malignancy in adult males and the fifth most common in adult females. However, this may not represent the true situation because of under-reporting of cases. In the development of gastric cancer, environmental factors such as smoking, diet and, in particular, infection with H. pylori are significant.1 Based on epidemiological studies, the International Agency for Research on Cancer …

Impact Of Obesity On Perioperative Morbidity And Mortality Following Pancreaticoduodenectomy, Timothy K. Williams, Ernest L. Rosato, Eugune P. Kennedy, Karen A. Chojnacki, Jocelyn Andrel, Terry Hyslop, Cataldo Doria, Patricia K. Sauter, Jordan Bloom, Charles J. Yeo, Adam C. Berger

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

Background: Obesity has been implicated as a risk factor for perioperative and postoperative complications. The aim of this study was determine the impact of obesity on morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD).

Study Design: Between January 2000 and July 2007, 262 patients underwent PD at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital (TJUH), of whom 240 had complete data, including body mass index (BMI) for analysis. Data on BMI, preoperative parameters, operative details, and post-operative course were collected. Patients were categorized as obese (BMI >30 kg/m2), overweight (25≤BMI<30), or normal weight (BMI<25). Complications were graded according to previous published scales. Other endpoints included length of postoperative hospital stay, blood loss, and operative duration. Analyses were performed using univariate and multivariable models.

Results: There were 103 (42.9%) normal weight, 71 (29.6%) overweight and 66 (27.5%) …

Doptaus - A Simple Criterion For Improving Sonographic Diagnosis Of Acute Appendicitis, Saba Sohail, Kausar Jehan Siddiqui

Department of Radiology

Objective: To determine the efficacy of 'Detection Of Pin-point Tenderness on the Appendix on abdominal UltraSound' (DOPTAUS) for improving sonographic diagnosis by junior and senior ultrasound operators.
Methods: An analytical study was done at the Radiology Department, Dow University of Health Sciences and Civil Hospital Karachi from March 2005 to December 2006. Adult patients of either gender with clinically suspected acute appendicitis referred to the department during regular working hours and later operated in the same hospital were included. Each patient was scanned by a junior and a senior ultrasound operator using the conventional criteria first and later focused ultrasound …