Digital Commons Network^™

Fibroblast-Secreted Hepatocyte Growth Factor Mediates Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Resistance In Triple-Negative Breast Cancers Through Paracrine Activation Of Met, Kelly L. Mueller, Julie M. Madden, Gina L. Zoratti, Charlotte Kuperwasser, Karin List, Julie L. Boerner

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Introduction

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have shown clinical efficacy in lung, colon, and pancreatic cancers. In lung cancer, resistance to EGFR TKIs correlates with amplification of the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) receptor tyrosine kinase Met. Breast cancers do not respond to EGFR TKIs, even though EGFR is overexpressed. This intrinsic resistance to EGFR TKIs in breast cancer does not correlate with Met amplification. In several tissue monoculture models of human breast cancer, Met, although expressed, is not phosphorylated, suggesting a requirement for a paracrine-produced ligand. In fact, HGF, the ligand for Met, is not …

The Yellow Flag Of Quarantine: An Analysis Of The Historical And Prospective Impacts Of Socio-Legal Controls Over Contagion, Peter Oliver Okin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Under the ancient threat of morbidity and mortality from infectious diseases, human societies have responded for thousands of years by imposing social containment measures. Even before theorists and laymen recognized the existence of pathogenic organisms, or fully understood the principles of contagion, many societies and individuals did empirically infer that such diseases were transmissible from human to human (as well as sometimes between animals and humans). Having few effective technological measures to prevent or treat contagions, they did devise a variety of socio-behavioral procedures for separating overtly ill persons or suspected disease-carriers from nominally uninfected people. These methods included various …

Good Men Grow Corn: Embodied Ecological Heritage And Health In A Belizean Mopan Community, Kristina Linda Baines

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Recent developments in land rights and land use in the Toledo district, Belize has generated anthropological and activist interest surrounding traditional ecological knowledge and practice, and the role of heritage in communities. This study explores the connection between ecological knowledge and practices, and the concurrent construction of heritage, and community health and wellness, broadly defined. Developing and using the concept of "embodied ecological heritage," this dissertation takes a phenomenological approach to understanding the convergence of ecological heritage and health in multiple realms of everyday life, arguing that lived experience of participating in "traditional" practices is fundamentally connected to wellness in …

Cloning Of The Gene, Purification As Recombinant Protein And Functional Characterization Of Leishmania Mexicana Cytochrome B5 Reductase, Ala Azhari

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Leishmania are protozoan parasites that are transmitted by a sand fly vector. These parasites affect not only humans but also wild animals including domestic dogs and rodents, which form an additional challenge and public health problem to control the disease. Leishmaniasis is an important disease with worldwide distribution, including Saudi Arabia, the Middle East, and other tropical and subtropical areas around the world. Due to the expansion of irrigation and agricultural activities, more exposure to sand fly occurs, which leads to the expansion of leishmaniasis infections as newly emerging disease.

Emerging drug resistance in leishmaniasis is an additional problem, contributed …

Intimate Partner Physical Violence Against Women In Saudi Arabian Primary Healthcare Clinics, Halah M. Eldoseri

Health Services Research Dissertations

Intimate partner violence against women (IPPVAW) is a serious public health concern. The Ecological Model provides a model to study several factors associated with IPPVAW. In Saudi Arabia, studies addressing IPPVAW are limited and do not cover the various aspects of the problem. The purpose of this study was to investigate the various factors associated with IPPVAW at the personal, interpersonal, community and societal levels. Methods: 200 ever-married women attending six PHC in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia were recruited via convenient sampling method. Women were interviewed on factors related to IPPVAW using an adapted version of WHO survey for violence against …

Prevalence And Determinants For Overweight And Obesity Among Residents Of A Mining Township In Kitwe, Zambia, In 2011: A Population-Based Survey, Cosmas Zyaambo, Olesegun Babaniyi, Peter Songolo, Adamson S. Muula, Emmanuel Rudatsikira, Victor M. Mukonka, Seter Siziya

Faculty Publications

Background: Obesity and overweight in Africa have been attributed to demogra- phic and nutritional changes that have resulted from urbanization and sedentary lifestyles and increased caloric intake without much physical activities. This has put populations at an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, Diabetes mellitus, osteoarthritis, dyslipidemia, and cancer. The objective of this study was to deter- mine the prevalence and associated factors for combined overweight and obesity among residents of a mining town, Kitwe, in Zambia.

Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted using a modified WHO glo- bal Non Communicable Diseases Surveillance Initiative STEPs 1 and 2 method of …

A Review Of Air Medical Safety: 2005-2011, Andrew Holcomb

Online Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to research current air medical risks and identify the extent of the risk from 2005 - 2011 by looking at NTSB data. Sixty-eight rotorcraft air medical incidents were discovered based on preset criteria, such as resulting injury or significant damage to aircraft, for severe air medical incidents. Six major concerns in air medical safety were researched in this study: day and nighttime incidents, takeoff/landing and in-flight incidents, Part 91 and Part 135 regulations, pilot hours, post-crash fire, and changing visual conditions. From information given in the NTSB reports based on incident investigation, this information was collected …

Should Any Workplace Be Exempt From Smoke-Free Law: The Irish Experience, M. Mccaffrey, Patrick J. Goodman, A. Gavigan, C. Kenny, C. Hogg, L. Byrne, J. Mcloughlin, Luke Clancy

Articles

Background.

In 2004, the Irish Government introduced national legislation banning smoking in workplaces; with exemptions for “a place of residence”. This paper summarises three Irish studies of exempted premises; prisons, psychiatric hospitals and nursing homes. Methods. PM2.5 and nicotine were measured in nursing homes and psychiatric hospitals, in addition to ultrafine particles in the hospitals. In the prisons, officers (n = 30) completed exhaled breath Carbon Monoxide (CO) measurements. Questionnaires determined officers’ opinion on introducing smoking prohibitions in prisons. Nursing home smoking policies were examined and questionnaires completed by staff regarding workplace secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure. Findings. Ultrafine particle concentrations …

Defisiensi Riboflavin Dan Demensia Pada Usia Lanjut, Idral Purnakarya

Kesmas

Demensia Alzheimer menempati urutan kesembilan penyebab kematian di Amerika Serikat. Demensia adalah kondisi yang sering dialami yang berhubungan dengan berbagai faktor dan gaya hidup terutama diet. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui hubungan defisiensi asupan riboflavin (vitamin B12) dengan demensia pada usia lanjut (usila). Penelitian ini menggunakan desain studi cross sectional dan dilaksanakan pada bulan September 2007 sampai dengan Januari 2008. Sampel penelitian adalah 141 lansia berumur lebih dari sama dengan 60 tahun yang diambil secara purposive sampling. Demensia diukur menggunakan kuesioner MMSE (² 24, skor maksimum 30) dan asupan riboflavin diukur menggunakan form Semi Quantitative – FFQ. Penelitian ini memperlihatkan …

Rice Consumption Contributes To Arsenic Exposure In Us Women, Diane Gilbert-Diamond, Kathryn L. Cottingham, Joann F. Gruber, Tracy Punshon, Vicki Sayarath, A. Jay Gandolfi, Emily R. Baker, Brian P. Jackson, Carol L. Folt, Margaret R. Karagas

Dartmouth Scholarship

Emerging data indicate that rice consumption may lead to potentially harmful arsenic exposure. However, few human data are available, and virtually none exist for vulnerable periods such as pregnancy. Here we document a positive association between rice consumption and urinary arsenic excretion, a biomarker of recent arsenic exposure, in 229 pregnant women. At a 6-mo prenatal visit, we collected a urine sample and 3-d dietary record for water, fish/seafood, and rice. We also tested women's home tap water for arsenic, which we combined with tap water consumption to estimate arsenic exposure through water. Women who reported rice intake (n …

The Murine Caecal Microrna Signature Depends On The Presence Of The Endogenous Microbiota, Natasha Singh, Elize A. Shirdel, Levi Waldron, Regan-Heng Zhang, Igor Jurisica, Elena M. Comelli

Publications and Research

The intestinal messenger RNA expression signature is affected by the presence and compo-sition of the endogenous microbiota, with effects on host physiology. The intestine is also characterized by a distinctive micronome. However, it is not known if microbes also impact intestinal gene expression epigenetically. We investigated if the murine caecal microRNA expression signature depends on the presence of the microbiota, and the potential implica-tions of this interaction on intestinal barrier function. Three hundred and thirty four mi-croRNAs were detectable in the caecum of germ-free and conventional male mice and 16 were differentially expressed, with samples from the two groups clustering …

Genome-Wide Association Analysis Of Major Depressive Disorder And Its Related Phenotypes., Nagesh Ramarao Aragam

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a complex and chronic disease that ranks fourth as cause of disability worldwide. Thirteen to 14 million adults in the U.S. are believed to have MDD and an estimated 75% attempt suicide making MDD a major public health problem. Recently several genome-wide association (GWA) studies of MDD have been reported; however, few GWA studies focus on the analysis for MDD related phenotypes such as neuroticism and age at onset of MDD. The purpose of this study is to determine risk factors for MDD, identify genome-wide genetic variants affecting neuroticism and age at onset as quantitative …

Obesity: The Anthropometric And Demographic Characteristics Of Insured And Uninsured Individuals, Terra Fox Williams

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Objectives. This study evaluates the association between Body Mass Index (BMI) and health insurance status in attendees at a local health fair. BMI was also compared among ages, gender, and races.

Methods. Descriptive analysis conducted using data collected at the “Celebrating Life and Health” health fairs between the years 2008 and 2011. Data for this study were collected at the BMI booth staffed by Wright State Boonshoft School of Medicine students.

Results. The results of this particular study do not demonstrate a statistical difference between obesity and health insurance status. Consistent with other research articles this study does show that …

Effects Of Prenatal Food And Micronutrient Supplementation On Child Growth From Birth To 54 Months Of Age: A Randomized Trial In Bangladesh, Ashraful Islam Khan, Iqbal Kabir, Eva-Charlotte Ekström, Kajsa Åsling-Monemi, Dewan Shamsul Alam, Edward A. Frongillo Jr., Md Yunus, Shams Arifeen, Lars-Åke Persson

Faculty Publications

Background: There is a lack of information on the optimal timing of food supplementation to malnourished pregnant women and possible combined effects of food and multiple micronutrient supplementations (MMS) on their offspring's growth. We evaluated the effects of prenatal food and micronutrient interventions on postnatal child growth. The hypothesis was that prenatal MMS and early invitation to food supplementation would increase physical growth in the offspring during 0-54 months and a combination of these interventions would further improve these outcomes.

Methods: In the large, randomized MINIMat trial (Maternal and Infant Nutrition Interventions in Matlab), Bangladesh, 4436 pregnant women were enrolled …

Chhs December 2011 E-Newsletter, Dr. John Bonaguro, Dean, Vashon S. Wells, Editor, Wku College Of Health And Human Services, Western Kentucky University

College of Health & Human Services Publications

No abstract provided.

Spatio-Temporal Modeling Of Arthropod-Borne Zoonotic Diseases: A Proposed Methodology To Enhance Macro-Scale Analyses, Stephen Jones

All Dissertations

Zoonotic diseases are infectious diseases that can be transmitted from or through animals to humans, and arthropods often act as vectors for transmission. Emerging infectious diseases have been increasing both in prevalence and geographic range at alarming rates the last 30 years, and the majority of these diseases are zoonotic in nature. Many zoonotic diseases are considered notifiable by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, though state regulations or contractual obligations may require the reporting of certain diseases, significant underreporting is known to exist. Because of the rich volume of information captured in health insurance plan databases, …

Sexuality Education, Eva Goldfarb, Norman A. Constantine

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

Sexuality education comprises the lifelong intentional processes by which people learn about themselves and others as sexual, gendered beings from biological, psychological, and sociocultural perspectives. It takes place through a potentially wide range of programs and activities in schools, community settings, religious centers, as well as informally within families, among peers, and through electronic and other media. Sexuality education for adolescents occurs in the context of the biological, cognitive, and social-emotional developmental progressions and issues of adolescence. Formal sexuality education falls into two main categories: behavior change approaches, which are represented by abstinence-only and abstinence-plus models, and healthy sexual development …

Understanding The Association Of Biomedical, Psychosocial And Behavioral Risks With Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes, Michele Kiely, Ayman El-Mohandes, Marie G. Gantz, Dhuly Chowdhury, Jutta S. Thornberry, M. Nabil El-Khorazaty

Publications and Research

Objectives: This study investigates the relationship between diabetes, hypertension, preeclampsia, and Body Mass Index (BMI) -- the most common and interrelated medical conditions occurring during pregnancy; sociodemographic and behavioral risk factors; and adverse pregnancy outcomes in high-risk urban African American women in Washington, DC.

Methods: Data are from a randomized controlled trial conducted in 6 prenatal clinics. Women in their 1^st or 2^nd trimester were screened for behavioral risks (smoking, environmental tobacco smoke exposure, depression, and intimate partner violence) and demographic eligibility. 1,044 were eligible, interviewed and followed through their pregnancies. Classification and Regression Trees (CART) methodology was …

Association Between Childhood Demographics And Blood Lead Screening---Nevada Kindergarten Health Survey 2010, Lina Zhang

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Lead, as a toxic substance, invades the human body, and gradually damages the organs. Oftentimes, elevated blood lead levels are not recognized until serious health issues are found. In the United States, approximately 250,000 children aged 1-5 years have elevated blood lead levels greater than 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2004).

However, there is no effective treatment for lead poisoning. Chelation can merely decrease the blood lead levels but cannot reverse the existing damage. To prevent and control childhood lead poisoning, many studies have been conducted to investigate the sources of …

A Comparative Study Of Indicator Bacteria Present In Ice And Soda From Las Vegas Food Establishments, Kimberly Jo Hertin

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Microbial analysis has long been used as an indicator of water quality. Since the passing of the Safe Drinking Water Act in 1974, microbial standards have been strictly set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ensure that the public health is protected from bacterial pathogens. The bacteriological quality of water generally deteriorates as it travels from water treatment facilities through the main distribution system and into private plumbing and distribution systems. For example, Heterotrophic Plate Count (HPC) values typically increase once the water has entered plumbing devices such as beverage vending machines. Upon reaching a private facility, the opportunity …

Fathers And Their Views On Discussing Sex And Sexuality With Their Daughters, Kindann M. Stone

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research project was to identify characteristics and perceptions of fathers associated with discussions about sex and sexuality with their daughters. Parental communication, education, and value sharing reduces the risk of STD's and teen pregnancy. Participants were fathers (N=108) who were recruited by their daughters who were attending a Southeastern University. Demographics were utilized and researcher developed modified scales used in previous studies (citation). The newly developed scales were the Sexual Knowledge Inventory (SKI), Value of Self-Efficacy of Sexuality Communication (VSESC), Safe Sex of Self Efficacy of Sexuality Communication (SSSESC), Father's Role as Sex Educators Outcome Expectancy …

Current And Future Directions In Frailty Research., Anita Mohandas, Joanne Reifsnyder, Mimi Jacobs, Tim Fox

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

The concept of frailty has been evolving dramatically for the past 30 years. Through its evolution, a variety of single and multidimensional models have been used to describe frailty. This article reviews the current literature related to the defining dimensions of frailty and identifies the gaps in the literature requiring additional research. A detailed literature review was performed to identify key dimensions and models currently being used to define frailty, classify interventions that have been developed to reverse frailty, and identify potential areas for future research within this field. Despite the large body of research defining the dimensions of frailty, …

Overview Of Healthcare Quality: Hospitals And Public Health Trends: Rural Vs. Urban, Sandy S. Lee

Social Sciences

No abstract provided.

Development Of An Instrument Measuring The Perceived Attributes Of Using A Healthy Diet Innovation, Holly Ann Federico Huye

Dissertations

The Lower Mississippi Delta (LMD) is a rural region that is rich in agricultural resources but is one of the most impoverished areas in the US. Prior research has indicated LMD adults as having higher rates of obesity and diet-related chronic diseases as compared to US adults. While the need for dietary intervention in the LMD is evident, the first step in designing effective interventions is the assessment of one’s perceptions of dietary behaviors. The purpose of this research was to develop a valid and reliable instrument to assess individuals’ perceived attributes of using a healthy diet. Using the Diffusion …

The Effect Of Six Weeks Of Oral Echinacea Supplementation On Erythropoiesis, Nitric Oxide Production, And Exercise Performance, Tyler David Martin

Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of six weeks of oral Echinacea supplementation on serum erythropoietin (EPO) and erythropoietic status, plasma nitric oxide [NO], submaximal endurance exercise performance, and maximal oxygen uptake (V˙O_2max). Twenty-four males (mean ± SE): age = 25.2 ± 1.4 yr, height = 178.1 ± 1.4 cm, mass = 78.1 ± 1.6 kg, percent body fat = 12.7 ± 0.9 %, V˙O_max = 52.9 ± 0.9 mL·kg^-1·min^-1 were randomly grouped using a matched-pair, double-blind design and self-administered 8,000 mg·d^-1(5 × 400 mg × 4 …

Spatial Distribution Of Obesity Among West Virginia 5th Grade Children: Analysis Of The Socioeconomic, Physical, And Personal Environment, Sherry Roper

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Childhood obesity defined as a body mass index (BMI) at or above the 95th percentile for children of the same age and sex, is considered an epidemic in the United States. Biology and lifestyle behaviors have been identified as important factors in the development of childhood obesity; however, researchers are beginning to place more emphasis upon the impact that continual environmental exposures have upon obesity development. Environmental risk factors associated with obesity are distributed continuously over space, yet evidence suggests that burden of risk may not be evenly dispersed across a community. West Virginia (WV), a rural Appalachian community has …

Effect Of Gender On The Association Of Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms With Bipolar Disorder, Jerald Eric Mullersman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bipolar disorder is a relatively common form of mental illness that depends strongly on genetic inheritance for expression. The author of this study has sought to evaluate whether the gender of subjects influences which genetic variants are associated with the disease. A portion of the cases from a previously published study were analyzed using PLINK software and the association of single-nucleotide polymorphisms was evaluated separately for all cases, for female subjects alone, and for male subjects alone. The results obtained for male subjects alone reached higher levels of statistical significance than when both genders were evaluated together or when female …

Assessing Association For Bivariate Survival Data With Interval Sampling: A Copula Model Approach With Application To Aids Study, Hong Zhu, Mei-Cheng Wang

Johns Hopkins University, Dept. of Biostatistics Working Papers

In disease surveillance systems or registries, bivariate survival data are typically collected under interval sampling. It refers to a situation when entry into a registry is at the time of the first failure event (e.g., HIV infection) within a calendar time interval, the time of the initiating event (e.g., birth) is retrospectively identified for all the cases in the registry, and subsequently the second failure event (e.g., death) is observed during the follow-up. Sampling bias is induced due to the selection process that the data are collected conditioning on the first failure event occurs within a time interval. Consequently, the …

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 …

Health Policy Newsletter Fall 2011 Download Full Pdf

Population Health Matters (Formerly Health Policy Newsletter)

No abstract provided.