Digital Commons Network^™

Mechanisms Of Erythropoietin-Induced Neuroprotection In: In-Vivo And In-Vitro Models Of Hypoxia Ischema, Rhonda Andrea Souvenir

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Hypoxic ischemic brain injury (HIBI) is a common cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity. Approximately 60 % of preterm babies and 2% of full term infants suffer from asphyxia. Asphyxia related death accounts for approximately 23% of neonatal mortality annually. Many therapeutic interventions show promise in the laboratory but fail in clinics. A thorough understanding of mechanisms by which promising therapeutic intervention confers its neuroprotection is necessary to promote smoother transitions from bench to the bedside. Erythropoietin (EPO), a hematopoietic growth factor that increases oxygen availability during hypoxia/ischemia is associated with cell survival and neuroprotection in: in vivo and in …

An Examination Of Diet, Acculturation And Risk Factors For Heart Disease Among Jamaican Immigrants, Carol Renee Oladele

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Background: The South Florida region is home to over 85,000 Jamaican immigrants. Yet, little is known about the dietary intakes and predictors of risk of disease within this immigrant group. An assessment of dietary intakes and the development of dietary intake methodologies specific to the Jamaican population was important as it permitted accurate estimation of the nutrient intakes of this immigrant population whose dietary habits are not well documented. In addition, nothing is known about the prevalence of risk factors for heart disease or factors influencing risk factors among this immigrant group. The purpose of this study was to assess …

Translation Of Research Instruments: Research Processes, Pitfalls And Challenges, Khairunnisa Dhamani, M. S. Richter

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Multilingual and multi-ethnic societies are becoming the norm in the era of globalisation. Given the cultural diversity and multiple languages spoken in many countries, healthcare researchers (including nurses) are challenged to use psychometrically sound research instruments that are culturally and linguistically sensitive. Most psychometrically sound research instruments have been developed and their properties assessed in English-speaking populations. A literature review was performed to understand the process of translation, use of qualitative and quantitative methods to assess the quality of translation, and lastly, to identify strategies to overcome the challenges of the translation process. One-way translation was observed to be the …

Decontamination Of Endodontic Gutta-Percha: An In-Vitro Study, Mariya Shnaydman

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

When Mountain Bellies Grow Round: Localized Knowledge And Behaviors Facilitating Pregnancy And Childbirth In Phaphlu, Nepal, Cailin Marsden

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In attempts to gain a level of understanding of a community’s localized experiences, beliefs, practices, and roles around pregnancy and childbirth, ethnographic fieldwork was conducted with the mothers and fathers of Phaphlu in the Solukhumbu district of Nepal. Aimed at the validation of diverse and localized ways of knowing revealed during the fieldwork period, this paper applies anthropologist Bridgette Jordan’s theoretical framework of authoritative knowledge to the emergent themes of subjectively understood childbirth (knowledge acquisition and flow, role of the husband, and protective behavior.)

A Review Of Ethnopsychiatric Studies Of Depression, Nancy E. Wilson, Ab, Daniel R. Wilson, Md

Jefferson Journal of Psychiatry

One of the common goals in medical anthropology is to elucidate the significance of culture in determining health and thus clarify the complex biopsychosocial model to provide better, more appropriate care (I). Prominent among environmental influences is the society in which a person develops: and it is his position in this constellation of people, with their shared ethos and world view, which molds experience, cognition, and affect (2). Cultural meanings, norms, and power arrangements shape illness to a great degree by defining the sick role and consequent illness behaviors. Medical anthropology, as a discipline, has among its concerns the cultural …

The Branched Actin Nucleator Arp2/3 Promotes Nuclear Migrations And Cell Polarity In The C. Elegans Zygote, William A. Mohler

UCHC Articles - Research

Regulated movements of the nucleus are essential during zygote formation, cell migrations, and differentiation of neurons. The nucleus moves along microtubules (MTs) and is repositioned on F-actin at the cellular cortex. Two families of nuclear envelope proteins, SUN and KASH, link the nucleus to the actin and MT cytoskeletons during nuclear movements. However, the role of actin nucleators in nuclear migration and positioning is poorly understood. We show that the branched actin nucleator, Arp2/3, affects nuclear movements throughout embryonic and larval development in C. elegans, including nuclear migrations in epidermal cells and neuronal precursors. In one-cell embryos the migration …

The Holistic Complementary Structure Of Western Bio-Medicine And Traditional Healing And Achieving Complete Health, Candace Gail Oubre

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Achieving complete health requires a deep understanding of complementary cultural competency sensitivity between physician and patient. This may include but is not limited to access to preventative health care resources, access to health educational resources and access to cultural healing resources, for example, shamans, Ayurvedic physicians, and herbal healers. Advocates of cultural competency emphasize great importance on knowledge of the patients' cultural background; however, the transcendence of this knowledge can be explained further through complementary cultural competency sensitivity. This is when the cultures of the physician and patient complement each other in terms of understanding what is in the patients' …

Anticancer Effects Of Red Raspberries On Immune Cells And Blood Parameters, Jannet Romero

All Dissertations

There is an abundance of research correlating diets rich in fruits and vegetables to the reduction or prevention of chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. Plants extracts have also been claimed to possess antiviral, antibacterial, and immunological properties. This study focused on the in vitro and in vivo effects of a water extract from lyophilized Meeker red raspberries on tumor cell viability and immune parameters. A large number of studies have demonstrated the cytotoxic effect of different fruit juices and extracts against tumor cell lines in vitro. However, studies also show that the blood plasma levels of berry …

Microglial P38Α Mapk Is A Key Regulator Of Proinflammatory Cytokine Up-Regulation Induced By Toll-Like Receptor (Tlr) Ligands Or Beta-Amyloid (Aβ), Adam D. Bachstetter, Bin Xing, Lucia De Almeida, Edgardo R. Dimayuga, D. Martin Watterson, Linda J. Van Eldik

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Overproduction of proinflammatory cytokines from activated microglia has been implicated as an important contributor to pathophysiology progression in both acute and chronic neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, it is critical to elucidate intracellular signaling pathways that are significant contributors to cytokine overproduction in microglia exposed to specific stressors, especially pathways amenable to drug interventions. The serine/threonine protein kinase p38α MAPK is a key enzyme in the parallel and convergent intracellular signaling pathways involved in stressor-induced production of IL-1β and TNFα in peripheral tissues, and is a drug development target for peripheral inflammatory diseases. However, much less is known about the quantitative …

When Knowing Just Isn't Enough: Examining The Role Of Moral Emotions In Health Decision Making Using The Theory Of Planned Behavior, Kate Duangdao

Department of Psychology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

A proposed integrated Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) model aimed to examine the role of moral emotions and two health outcomes: prosocial behaviors and smoking outcomes. Based on Tangney’s work with shame and guilt-proneness, it was expected that those more prone to guilt would engage in more prosocial behaviors and those more prone to shame would engage in more smoking behaviors. Prosocial behaviors were found to be negatively associated with smoking outcomes. However, results suggested that guilt and shame-proneness seem to function similarly in predicting behavioral outcomes. Components within the TPB were generally positively correlated with each health outcome, however …

Interviewing Older People; Relationships In Qualitative Research, Linda Robertson, Beatrica Hale

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Health practitioners who have already undertaken a considerable amount of interviewing would consider themselves as experienced interviewers, but there are questions and issues arising from research interviews which are different from assessment and interventionist interviews. The purpose of this study was to explore the role of the health professional researcher in qualitative research with older people and to make recommendations for preparatory interviewing in methodology courses. Method: A descriptive approach was used and semi-structured interviews with a sample size of eleven New Zealand health professionals/researchers. Results: A significant theme emerging was relationships. This was further divided into three categories: establishing …

Ohio Academy Of Medical History Annual Meeting Program, May 7, 2011, Ohio Academy Of Medical History

Annual Conference Programs

This tri-fold program is from the annual meeting of the Ohio Academy of Medical History held on May 7, 2011 at the Glen Helen Nature Preserve in Yellow Springs, Ohio. The program details the events and presentations of the meeting.

Defining The Bacterial Flora Of Periodontal Pockets In Chronic Periodontitis Patients, Rafael Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to describe the subgingival bacterial biodiversity in untreated chronic periodontitis patients through the use of next generation 16S rRNA molecular analysis, and to determine similarities or differences between deep and shallow pockets within the same patients. METHODS: The analysis involved paired subgingival plaque samples from 24 subjects diagnosed with Generalized Moderate to Severe Chronic Periodontitis. One sample was selected from a single site having a probing depth >5 mm (i.e. Deep Site), and the other from a site with a probing depth <3mm (i.e. Shallow Site) within each subject. Bacterial DNA amplification of the V4-V6 region of the 16S rRNA was performed. The amplicons were sequenced via 454 Roche Genome Sequencer FLX System. The identified sequences were evaluated, and then compared to calculated false discovery rates. RESULTS: A total of 119 independent microbial genera were identified within the samples analyzed. Seven genera were identified to be statistically significant (p<0.05) in their association to deep or shallow sites following t-test and boot strap randomization: Actinomyces (p=0.004), Methylobacterium (p=0.028), Veillonella (p=0.028), and Rothia (p=0.038), and Streptococcus (p=0.033) in Shallow sites; while Mycoplasma (p=0.007) and Fusobacterium (p=0.016) were associated with deep sites. However, taking into account the calculated false discovery rates, it is suggested that none of the 119 microbial genera identified in this study were significantly associated with either deep nor shallow sites. CONCLUSION: The microbial genera identified within this study to be associated with deep and shallow sites follows the traditional pattern anticipated from the literature. However, the calculated false discovery rates suggest that these results may have occurred by chance and not due to a true difference.

Identifying Group-Sensitive Physical Activities: A Differential Item Functioning Analysis Of Nhanes Data, Yong Gao, Weimo Zhu

Kinesiology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Purpose: To identify subgroup sensitive physical activities using differential item functioning (DIF) analysis.

Methods: A sub-unweighted sample of 1,857 (males = 923 and females = 934) from the 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Physical Activity (PA) questionnaire data was used for the analyses. Using Mantel-Haenszel, SIBTEST and ANOVA DIF methods, 33 specific leisure-time moderate and/or vigorous PA (MVPA) items were analyzed for DIF across race/ethnicity, gender, education, income and age groups.

Results: Many leisure-time MVPA items were identified as large DIF items. When participating in the same amount of leisure-time MVPAs, non-Hispanic Blacks (NHB) were …

Diesel Exhaust Activates & Primes Microglia: Air Pollution, Neuroinflammation, & Regulation Of Dopaminergic Neurotoxicity, Shannon Levesque, Thomas Taetzsch, Melinda E. Lull, Urmila Kodavanti, Krisztian Stadler, Alison Wagner, Jo Anne Johnson, Laura Duke, Prasada Kodavanti, Michael J. Surace, Michelle L. Block

Pharmacy Faculty/Staff Publications

BACKGROUND:

Air pollution is linked to central nervous system disease, but the mechanisms responsible are poorly understood.

OBJECTIVES:

Here, we sought to address the brain-region-specific effects of diesel exhaust (DE) and key cellular mechanisms underlying DE-induced microglia activation, neuroinflammation, and dopaminergic (DA) neurotoxicity.

METHODS:

Rats were exposed to DE (2.0, 0.5, and 0 mg/m3) by inhalation over 4 weeks or as a single intratracheal administration of DE particles (DEP; 20 mg/kg). Primary neuron-glia cultures and the HAPI (highly aggressively proliferating immortalized) microglial cell line were used to explore cellular mechanisms.

RESULTS:

Rats exposed to DE by inhalation demonstrated elevated levels …

A Cross-Cultural Study Of Korean And American Children’S Human Figure Drawings, Suhyun Tess Lee

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

Children’s human figure drawings (HFDs), known as one of the most widely used drawing assessment techniques, reflect various aspects of understanding children and some studies indicate that children’s HFDs are affected by cultural and environmental factors. Yet, the data collected are out of date or the studies predominantly included children from Western cultures. The purpose of this study was to explore the cultural impact on children’s HFDs from a non-western culture to promote a cross-cultural perspective in the field of art therapy.

In this quantitative study, 23 HFDs were collected in an elementary school setting in South Korea. Drawings were …

2011 - The Sixteenth Annual Symposium Of Student Scholars

Symposium of Student Scholars Program Books

The full program book from the Sixteenth Annual Symposium of Student Scholars, held on April 26, 2011. Includes abstracts from the presentations and posters.

A Synergistic Antiproliferation Effect Of Curcumin And Docosahexaenoic Acid In Sk-Br-3 Breast Cancer Cells: Unique Signaling Not Explained By The Effects Of Either Compound Alone., Jeffrey D. Altenburg, Andrew A. Bieberich, Colin Terry, Kevin A. Harvey, Justin F. Vanhorn, Zhidong Xu, Vincent J. Davisson, Rafat A. Siddiqui

Borch Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology Faculty Publications

Background

Breast cancer is a collection of diseases in which molecular phenotypes can act as both indicators and mediators of therapeutic strategy. Therefore, candidate therapeutics must be assessed in the context of multiple cell lines with known molecular phenotypes. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and curcumin (CCM) are dietary compounds known to antagonize breast cancer cell proliferation. We report that these compounds in combination exert a variable antiproliferative effect across multiple breast cell lines, which is synergistic in SK-BR-3 cells and triggers cell signaling events not predicted by the activity of either compound alone.

Methods

Dose response curves for CCM and DHA …

Bryant University Research And Engagement Day Program

Bryant REDay (Research and Engagement Day)

No abstract provided.

The Medical Essay As An Invitation For Interdisciplinary Exploration, Edwin Stieve

Quadrivium: A Journal of Multidisciplinary Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Creative And Stylistic Devices Employed By Children During A Storybook Narrative Task: A Cross-Cultural Study, Brenda K. Gorman, Christine Fiestas, Elizabeth Peña, Maya Reynolds Clark

Speech Pathology and Audiology Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of culture on the creative and stylistic features children employ when producing narratives based on wordless picture books.

Method: Participants included 60 first- and second-grade African American, Latino American, and Caucasian children. A subset of narratives based on wordless picture books collected as part of a larger study was coded and analyzed for the following creative and stylistic conventions: organizational style (topic centered, linear, cyclical), dialogue (direct, indirect), reference to character relationships (nature, naming, conduct), embellishment (fantasy, suspense, conflict), and paralinguistic devices (expressive sounds, exclamatory utterances).

Results …

Role Of Breastfeeding And Current Lifestyle On Maternal Long-Term Weight Change, Denise R. Hinds

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background: Evidence suggests that prolonged and exclusive breastfeeding is associated with health benefits to children and nursing mothers beyond the period of breastfeeding. Studies that support the role of breastfeeding in postpartum weight change primarily focused on short-term weight change (within 12 to 24 months postpartum) (Binns et al. 2003; Lederman 2004; Johnson et al. 2006), while few focused on the association between breastfeeding and long-term weight change (5 years or more postpartum) (Rooney, Schauberger et al. 2005).

Purpose: This study investigated the role of breastfeeding in long-term weight change, specifically 1) whether breastfeeding protects against weight gain, and 2) …

Low Levels Of Hydrogen Peroxide Stimulate Corneal Epithelial Cell Adhesion, Migration, And Wound Healing, Qing Pan, Wen-Ya Qiu, Ya-Nan Huo, Yu-Feng Yao, Marjorie F. Lou

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

PURPOSE. Intracellular reactive oxygen species have been reported to associate with growth factor and integrin signalings in promoting cell adhesion in many cell types. This study is to explore if exogenous H2O2 at low levels can be beneficial to cell adhesion, migration, and wound healing.

METHODS. Primary rabbit corneal epithelial cells treated with 0–70 M H2O2 were tested for viability by MTT assay, adhesion by centrifugation assay, focal contacts of vinculin and F-actin by immunofluorescence, activated Src(pY416), EGF receptor (pY845), vinculin(pY1065), FAK(pY397), and FAK(pY576) by immunoblotting. Cell migration was examined with 0–50 M H2O2 using the scratch wound technique. Corneal …

Defining And Assessing Organizational Culture, Jennifer Bellot Phd, Rn, Mhsa

College of Nursing Faculty Papers & Presentations

PROBLEM.  Using theories from several disciplines, the concept of organizational culture remains controversial. Conflicting definitions, lack of semantic clarity, and debate over the most appropriate methods for assessing organizational culture have led to disagreement over the value and validity of such inquiry.

METHODS.  This paper reviews development of the concept of organizational culture and methods for assessing organizational culture, focusing on the healthcare environment.

FINDINGS.  Most work on organizational culture concerns the traditional corporation. Therefore, some adaptation to the central goals and focus of a human services organization are necessary before application to healthcare settings.

Acsl6 Is Associated With The Number Of Cigarettes Smoked And Its Expression Is Altered By Chronic Nicotine Exposure, Jingchun Chen, Darlene H. Brunzell, Kia J. Jackson, Andrew Van Der Vaart, Jennie Z. Ma, Thomas J. Payne, Richard Sherva, Lindsay A. Farrer, Pablo Gejman, Douglas F. Levinson, Peter Holmans, Steven H. Aggen, Imad Damaj, Po-Hsiu Kuo, Bradley T. Webb, Raymond Anton, Henry R. Kranzler, Joel Gelemter, Minf D. Li, Kenneth S. Kendler, Xiangning Chen

Psychiatry Publications

Individuals with schizophrenia tend to be heavy smokers and are at high risk for tobacco dependence. However, the nature of the comorbidity is not entirely clear. We previously reported evidence for association of schizophrenia with SNPs and SNP haplotypes in a region of chromosome 5q containing the SPEC2, PDZ-GEF2 and ACSL6 genes. In this current study, analysis of the control subjects of the Molecular Genetics of Schizophrenia (MGS) sample showed similar pattern of association with number of cigarettes smoked per day (numCIG) for the same region. To further test if this locus is associated with tobacco smoking as measured …

Comprehensive Gene-Based Association Study Of A Chromosome 20 Linked Region Implicates Novel Risk Loci For Depressive Symptoms In Psychotic Illness, T. Bernard Bigdeli, Brion S. Maher, Zhongming Zhao, Edwin J. C. G. Van Den Oord, Dawn L. Thiselton, Jingchun Sun, Bradley T. Webb, Richard L. Amdur, Brandon Wormley, Francis A. O'Neill, Dermot Walsh, Brien P. Riley, Kenneth S. Kendler, Ayman H. Fanous

Human and Molecular Genetics Publications

Background

Prior genomewide scans of schizophrenia support evidence of linkage to regions of chromosome 20. However, association analyses have yet to provide support for any etiologically relevant variants.

Methods

We analyzed 2988 LD-tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 327 genes on chromosome 20, to test for association with schizophrenia in 270 Irish high-density families (ISHDSF, N = 270 families, 1408 subjects). These SNPs were genotyped using an Illumina iSelect genotyping array which employs the Infinium assay. Given a previous report of novel linkage with chromosome 20p using latent classes of psychotic illness in this sample, association analysis was also conducted …

Distinct Signatures Of The Immune Responses In Low Risk Versus High Risk Neuroblastoma, Madhu Gowda, Kamar Godder, Maciej Kmieciak, Andrea Worschech, Maria-Libera Ascierto, Ena Wang, Francesco M. Marincola, Masoud H. Manjili

Microbiology and Immunology Publications

Background

Over 90% of low risk (LR) neuroblastoma patients survive whereas less than 30% of high risk (HR) patients are long term survivors. Age (children younger than 18 months old) is associated with LR disease. Considering that adaptive immune system is well developed in older children, and that T cells were shown to be involved in tumor escape and progression of cancers, we sought to determine whether HR patients may tend to show a signature of adaptive immune responses compared to LR patients who tend to have diminished T-cell responses but an intact innate immune response.

Methods

We performed microarray …

Holistic Comfort And Bereavement Of Families Receiving Prenatal Hospice Support During The Loss Of An Unborn Child With Lethal Anomalies, Sally S. Smith

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The purpose of this descriptive study was to explore the grieving process and coping mechanism of families that was faced with the impeding loss of their unborn child. Grief is a very lonely process.

The aim of this research is to examine how parents cope with the lost of an unborn child with the aid of perinatal hospices. Giving families a broader range of options in regards to continuing their pregnancy. Each family has a right to choice what option is right for them. Choices should be in the hands of the family in regards to continuing with their pregnancy …

Fusion, 2011, George Washington University, William H. Beaumont Medical Research Honor Society

Fusion

No abstract provided.