Digital Commons Network^™

Dry Needling For Myofascial Trigger Point Pain: A Clinical Commentary, Casey Unverzagt, Kathleen Berglund, J J. Thomas

Faculty Publications

Sports and orthopaedic physical therapists have long used a multitude of techniques in order to address pain and dysfunction associated with myofascial trigger points. One technique in particular has recently received overwhelming attention: trigger point dry needling (DN). Despite its efficacy and low risk, questions remain as to its effectiveness, safety, and whether the technique is within the scope of practice of physical therapists. Therefore, the purpose of this clinical commentary is to summarize the current literature related to the associated mechanisms of action of DN, the safety of DN, as well as to discuss relevant scope of practice concerns.

Mmv Malaria Box Activity Screening In Dormant Plasmodium Falciparum Phenotypes, Sandra Galusic

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The causative agent of malignant tertian malaria, Plasmodium falciparum undergoes an arrested growth phenotype of its erythrocytic stage when under drug-stress. Recent artemisinin treatment failures seem to be indicative of such induction followed by recrudescence rather than actual therapeutic failure. Likewise, P. vivax hypnozoites are the prototypic dormants and the latent infections for which they are responsible prove most difficult to treat. Dihydroartemisinin, an artemisinin-derivative, can be used to exploit this mechanism by inducing a dormant state in ring-stage P. falciparum parasites and in turn, their recovery may be used as a screening period for compounds that inhibit or foster …

Immunological Characterization Of Duffy Binding Protein Of Plasmodium Vivax, Miriam Thankam George

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Plasmodium vivax Duffy binding protein (DBP) is an essential ligand for reticulocyte invasion making it a premier asexual blood stage vaccine candidate. However, strain-specific immunity due to DBPII allelic variation may complicate vaccine efficacy, suggesting that an effective DBPII vaccine needs to target immune responses to conserved epitopes that are potential targets of strain-transcending neutralizing immunity. Anti DBPII monoclonal antibodies, which were previously characterized by COS7 cell binding assay as inhibitory and non-inhibitory to DBPII-erythrocyte binding, were mapped to DBPII gene fragment libraries using phage display. Inhibitory mAb 3C9 binds to a conserved conformation-dependent epitope in subdomain 3 while non-inhibitory …

Targeting T-Bet For Prevention Of Graft-Versus-Host Disease And Leukemia Relapse After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Jianing Fu

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is an effective therapeutic option for many malignant diseases. However, the efficacy of allo-HSCT is limited by the occurrence of destructive graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Since allogeneic T cells are the driving force in the development of GVHD, their activation, proliferation, and differentiation are key factors to understanding GVHD pathogenesis. On the other hand, antigen-presenting cells (APCs) are essential for allogeneic T-cell priming and the development of GVHD. The T-box transcription factor T-bet is a master regulator for IFN-γ production and Th1 differentiation. T-bet also regulates the functions of APCs including dendritic cells (DCs) and …

2,4-Disubstituted Quinazolines With Antileishmanial Or Antibacterial Activity, Megan Marie Barber

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Herein 47 2,4-disubstituted quinazolines were synthesized and tested against Leishmania donovani intracellular amastigotes. A structure-activity relationship was conducted and lead to the identification of quinazolines with EC50s in the single digit and high nanomolar range with favorable antileishmanial selectivity indexes. Quinazoline 2.6 and 2.31 underwent in vivo efficacy studies in murine models of visceral leishmaniasis, reducing liver parasitemia by 12 % and 24 %, respectively, when given by the intraperitoneal route at 15 mg/kg/day x 5 days. The antileishmanial efficacy and easy of synthesis make the 2,4-disubstituted quinazoline compound series a suitable platform for the future development of antileishmanial agents. …

Associations Between Social Determinants Of Health And Adolescent Pregnancy: An Analysis Of Data From The National Longitudinal Study Of Adolescent To Adult Health, Sarah Britney Maness

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation study utilized the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health to analyze empirical relationships between social determinants of health and adolescent pregnancy. Although rates of adolescent pregnancy are at an all-time low in the United States, disparities persist. Examining relationships between the social determinants of health and adolescent pregnancy provides support for funding and interventions that expand on the current focus of individual and interpersonal level factors. Based on the Healthy People 2020 Social Determinants of Health Framework, proxy measures for social determinants of health were identified within the Add Health study and analyzed in relationship with …

Exploring The Role Of Intracellular Aminopeptidases In Staphylococcus Aureus Pathogenesis, Devon Nicole Marking

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Staphylococcus aureus is a remarkably pathogenic bacterium that is widely prevalent among the human population. It is the leading agent of skin and soft tissue infections, and is also responsible for causing an array of severe and life threatening diseases. The invasiveness of the pathogen, coupled with increasing antibiotic resistance seen for S. aureus infections, makes this bacterium a prominent public health concern. The extended pathogenicity of S. aureus is largely due to its repertoire of virulence factors, which are typically characterized by being bound to the cell wall, or secreted into the extracellular environment. Previously, our lab identified a …

Impacts Of Agrochemical Pollution On Aquatic Communities And Human Disease, Neal T. Halstead

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The global human population is expected to exceed 9 billion individuals by 2050, putting greater strain on the natural resources needed to sustain such a population. To feed this many people, some expect agricultural production will have to double and agrochemical use will have to increase anywhere from two- to five-fold relative to the turn of the century. Although industrial agriculture has provided many benefits to society, it has caused declines in biodiversity, both directly (e.g., through conversion of habitat) and indirectly (e.g., through contamination of adjacent natural habitats). Agricultural activity has also been linked to increased prevalence and intensity …

Epic Failure Of Ebola And Global Health Security, David P. Fidler

Articles by Maurer Faculty

No abstract provided.

What Are The Possible Causes For Autism Spectrum Disorder?, Rochel Preiserowicz

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Ever since the mid 1980’s when Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) started to become increasingly prevalent, researchers have been trying to find a possible cause for it. Autism Spectrum Disorder is a developmental disorder that manifests itself in children who are between 18-30 months old. People with autism have reduced social skills, and they have a difficult time communicating verbally and non-verbally. Autism is diagnosed through a questionnaire and other instruments that allow psychologists, psychiatrists, speech therapists, neurologists and many other doctors to determine if a child has a form of ASD. There are many theories about what causes autism. It …

Is The Neuraminidase Inhibitor Tamiflu Effective In The Treatment Of Influenza?, Eliyakim Hershkop

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Influenza is a disease that has caused the deaths of tens of millions people in the last century alone. The influenza neuraminidase protein is essential in the mechanism infection. It enables the virus to leave the infected cell and proliferate. Antiviral neuraminidase inhibitor drugs can be used for treatment. The drug Tamiflu is the standard of care for both treatment and prophylaxis of influenza. The Cochrane reports of 2009 and 2014 conclude that evidence is lacking to support this. Numerous bodies disagree. Cochrane also question the accuracy and credibility of many studies and agencies in support of Tamiflu. This paper …

Mcl1 Enhances The Survival Of Cd8+ Memory T Cells After Viral Infection, Jingang Gui, Zhuting Hu, Ching-Yi Tsai, Tian Ma, Yan Song, Amanda Morales, Li-Hao Huang, Ethan Dmitrovsky, Ruth Craig, Edward Usherwood

Dartmouth Scholarship

Viral infection results in the generation of massive numbers of activated effector CD8+ T cells that recognize viral components. Most of these are short-lived effector T cells (SLECs) that die after clearance of the virus. However, a small proportion of this population survives and forms antigen-specific memory precursor effector cells (MPECs), which ultimately develop into memory cells. These can participate in a recall response upon reexposure to antigen even at protracted times postinfection. Here, antiapoptotic myeloid cell leukemia 1 (MCL1) was found to prolong survival upon T cell stimulation, and mice expressing human MCL1 as a transgene exhibited a skewing …

A Coding Variant In Tmc8 (Ever2) Is Associated With High Risk Hpv Infection And Head And Neck Cancer Risk, Caihua Liang, Karl T. Kelsey, Michael D. Mcclean, Brock C. Christensen, Carmen J. Marsit

Dartmouth Scholarship

HPV infection is a causal agent in many epithelial cancers, yet our understanding of genetic susceptibility to HPV infection and resultant cancer risk is limited. Epidermodysplasia Verruciformis is a rare condition of extreme susceptibility to cutaneous HPV infection primarily attributable to mutations in TMC6 and TMC8. Genetic variation in the TMC6/TMC8 region has been linked to beta-type HPV infection and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, cervical cancer, HPV persistence and progression to cervical cancer. Here, we have tested the hypothesis that the common TMC8 SNP rs7208422 is associated with high-risk HPV infection and risk of head and neck …

Factors Influencing The Passive, Innate, And Adaptive Immune System And Their Effects In Beef Cattle, James Joseph Gaspers

Animal Sciences

To investigate the factors influencing the passive, innate, and adaptive immune system and their effects in beef cattle, three experiments (exp.) were completed. Results from Exp. 1 indicate that there is some influence of birth weight and incidence of dystocia on the passive transfer of immunity from dam to offspring. Results from Exp. 2 indicated that supplemented dams had lower calving ease scores and tended to have greater colostrum production while their calves showed less evidence of mixed acidosis based on blood parameters of pCO2, lactate, and base excess. In Exp. 3, vaccine treatments initiated an inflammatory response with subcutaneous …

Incomplete Adherence Among Treatment-Experienced Adults On Antiretroviral Therapy In Tanzania, Uganda And Zambia, Julie A. Denison, Olivier Koole, Sharon Tsui, Joris Menten, Kwasi Torpey, Eric Van Praag, Ya Diul Mukadi, Robert Colebunders, Andrew F. Auld, Simon G. Agolory, Jonathan Kaplan, Modest Mulenga, Gideon Kwesigabo, Fred Wabwire-Mangen, David Bangsberg

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Objectives—To characterize antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence across different programmes and examine the relationship between individual and programme characteristics and incomplete adherence among ART clients in sub-Saharan Africa.

Design—A cross-sectional study.

Methods—Systematically selected ART clients (≥18 years; on ART ≥6 months) attending 18 facilities in three countries (250 clients/facility) were interviewed. Client self-reports (3-day, 30-day, Case Index ≥48 consecutive hours of missed ART), healthcare provider estimates and the pharmacy medication possession ratio (MPR) were used to estimate ART adherence. Participants from two facilities per country underwent HIV RNA testing. Optimal adherence measures were selected on the basis of degree of association …

Funding The Costs Of Disease Outbreaks Caused By Non Vaccination, Dorit Rubenstein Reiss, Charlotte A. Moser, Robert L. Schwartz

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Herd Immunity And Immunization Policy: The Importance Of Accuracy, Dorit Rubenstein Reiss

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Funding The Costs Of Disease Outbreaks Caused By Non-Vaccination, Robert L. Schwartz, Charlotte A. Moser, Dorit Rubenstein Reiss

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Cryptococcus Neoformans And Streptococcus Pneumoniae Co-Infection In Post-Traumatic Meningitis In A Patient With Unknown Hiv Status, Faryal Saleem, Naima Fasih, Afia Zafar

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Meningitis is a serious disease associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Mixed meningeal infections due to bacteria and fungi are exceptionally rare. Here we report a case of meningeal co-infection with cryptococcus neoformans and streptococcus pneumoniae in a patient with unknown human immunodeficiency virus status. Because of the rarity of such cases, stringent screening of every cerebrospinal fluid specimen to exclude the presence of multiple pathogens is imperative. Assessment of patients for immunodeficiencies in case of isolation of an opportunistic organism like cryptococcus is also needed.

Managing Denture Biofilm Related Diseases, Tingxi Wu, Wenyuan Shi, Zvi G. Loewy, Xuesong He

Touro College of Pharmacy (New York) Publications and Research

The oral cavity harbors more than 700 microbial species and is one of the most complex ecosystems ever described. While the majority of these microbes are considered commensal, some of them are responsible for oral infectious diseases such as dental caries, periodontitis, halitosis and stomatitis. The advancement of modern science has greatly furthered our understanding of oral microbes and their roles in host health and disease. It has also led to the development of new tools for early detection, effective treatment, and prevention of oral microbial infections. This perspective provides a general understanding of oral microbiology, and its clinical relationship …

Why Are We Watching Funny Videos In Our Pedagogy Course? Deconstructing Humorous Videos To Foster Social Activism In Educators, Anita Bright

Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

For critical educators working towards social justice and activism, it is imperative to promote a thoughtful and purposeful examination of the privileges that spring from institutionalised practices, and the ways belief systems may deny the normalcy of views or experiences of others. By employing critical discourse analysis and framing funny videos as part of larger, cultural “mirror” that reflects widely-held values and beliefs within local, institutional and societal domains, this paper identifies specific humorous videos and lines of inquiry that have supported educators in recognising their own complicity in promoting a narrow definition of normativity, along varying and intersecting planes, …

Sharing The Burden Of Ebola Vaccine Related Adverse Events, Sam Halabi, John T. Monahan

Articles, Chapters in Books and Other Contributions to Scholarly Works

No abstract provided.

Bone Mineral Density, Adiposity, And Cognitive Functions, Hamid R. Sohrabi, Kristyn A. Bates, Michael Weinborn, Romola S. Bucks, Stephanie R. Rainey-Smith, Mark A. Rodrigues, Sabine M. Bird, Belinda M. Brown, John Beilby, Matthew Howard, Arthur Criddle, Megan Wraith, Kevin Taddei, Georgia Martins, Athena Paton, Tejal Shah, Satvinder S. Dhaliwal, Pankaj D. Mehta, Jonathan K. Foster, Ian J. Martins, Nicola T. Lautenschlager, Francis Mastaglia, Simon Laws, Ralph Martins

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Cognitive decline and dementia due to Alzheimer's disease (AD) have been associated with genetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors. A number of potentially modifiable risk factors should be taken into account when preventive or ameliorative interventions targeting dementia and its preclinical stages are investigated. Bone mineral density (BMD) and body composition are two such potentially modifiable risk factors, and their association with cognitive decline was investigated in this study. 164 participants, aged 34–87 years old (62.78 ± 9.27), were recruited for this longitudinal study and underwent cognitive and clinical examinations at baseline and after 3 years. Blood samples were collected for …

Responding To The Childhood Vaccination Crisis: Legal Frameworks And Tools In The Context Of Parental Vaccine Refusal, Lois A. Weithorn, Dorit Rubenstein Reiss

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Ebola, Quarantine, And Flawed Cdc Policy, Robert Gatter

All Faculty Scholarship

The CDC’s Interim Guidance for Monitoring and Movements of Persons with Potential Ebola Virus Exposure is deeply flawed because it disregards the science of Ebola transmission. It recommends that officials quarantine individuals exposed to the virus but who do not have any symptoms of illness, ignoring the fact that only those with Ebola symptoms can communicate the virus to others. Consequently, any quarantine order based on the Guidelines is surely unconstitutional and illegal under most states’ public health statutes — as exemplified by the State of Maine’s failed petition to quarantine Nurse Kaci Hickox in October 2014. This article examines …

Endgame For Polio Eradication? Options For Overcoming Social And Political Factors In The Progress To Eradicating Polio., Pavan Ganapathiraju, Christiaan B Morssink, James D. Plumb

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

In 1988, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) was launched with the goal of eradicating polio by the year 2000. After 25 years, several dynamics still challenge this large public health campaign with new cases of polio being reported annually. We examine the roots of this initiative to eradicate polio, its scope, the successes and setbacks during the last 25 years and reflect on the current state of affairs. We examine the social and political factors that are barriers to polio eradication. Options are discussed for solving the current impasse of polio eradication: using force, respecting individual freedoms and gaining …