Digital Commons Network^™

Role Of Flgt In Anchoring The Flagellum Of Vibrio Cholerae, Raquel M. Martinez, Brooke A. Jude, Thomas J. Kirn, Karen Skorupski, Ronald K. Taylor

Dartmouth Scholarship

Flagellar motility has long been regarded as an important virulence factor. In Vibrio cholerae, the single polar flagellum is essential for motility as well as for proper attachment and colonization. In this study, we demonstrate that the novel flagellar protein FlgT is involved in anchoring the flagellum to the V. cholerae cell. A screen for novel colonization factors by use of TnphoA mutagenesis identified flgT. An in-frame deletion of flgT established that FlgT is required for attachment, colonization, and motility. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that while the flgT mutant is capable of assembling a phenotypically normal flagellum, …

Bold Signal In Both Ipsilateral And Contralateral Retinotopic Cortex Modulates With Perceptual Fading, Po-Jang Hsieh, Peter U. Tse

Dartmouth Scholarship

Under conditions of visual fixation, perceptual fading occurs when a stationary object, though present in the world and continually casting light upon the retina, vanishes from visual consciousness. The neural correlates of the consciousness of such an object will presumably modulate in activity with the onset and cessation of perceptual fading.

Method: In order to localize the neural correlates of perceptual fading, a green disk that had been individually set to be equiluminant with the orange background, was presented in one of the four visual quadrants; Subjects indicated with a button press whether or not the disk was subjectively visible …

Gis And Injury Prevention And Control: History, Challenges, And Opportunities, Nathaniel Bell, Nadine Schuurman

Faculty Publications

Intentional and unintentional injury is the leading cause of death and potential years of life lost in the first four decades of life in industrialized countries around the world. Despite surgical innovations and improved access to emergency care, research has shown that certain populations remain particularly vulnerable to the risks and consequences of injury. Recent evidence has shown that the analytical, data linkage, and mapping tools of geographic information systems (GIS) technology provide can further address these determinants and identify populations in need. This paper traces the history of injury prevention and discusses current and future challenges in furthering our …

Acellular Dermal Regeneration Template For Soft Tissue Reconstruction Of The Digits., John S. Taras, Anthony Sapienza, Josh B. Roach, John P. Taras

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty Papers

PURPOSE: Trauma to the digits often leaves soft tissue defects with exposed bone, joint, and/or tendon that require soft tissue replacement. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of acellular dermal regeneration template combined with full-thickness skin grafting for soft tissue reconstruction in digital injuries with soft tissue defects.

METHODS: Acellular dermal regeneration template was used to reconstruct digital injuries with exposed bone, joint, tendon, and/or hardware not amenable to treatment with healing by secondary intention, rotation flaps, or primary skin grafts. Acellular dermal regeneration template was applied to 21 digits in 17 patients. Nineteen digits had …

Electrically Mediated Delivery Of Plasmid Dna To The Skin, Using A Multielectrode Array, Richard Heller, Yolmari Criz, Loree C. Heller, Richard A. Gilbert, Mark J. Jaroszeski

Bioelectrics Publications

The easy accessibility of skin makes it an excellent target for gene transfer protocols. To take full advantage of skin as a target for gene transfer, it is important to establish an efficient and reproducible delivery system. Electroporation is a strong candidate to meet this delivery criterion. Electroporation of the skin is a simple, direct, in vivo method to deliver genes for therapy. Previously, delivery to the skin was performed by means of applicators with relatively large distances between electrodes, resulting in significant muscle stimulation and pain. These applicators also had limitations in controlling the directionality of the applied field. …

Cardioprotection By Regular Ethanol Consumption: Potential Mechanisms And Clinical Application., Masami Miyamae, Kazuhiro Kaneda, Naochika Domae, Vincent M. Figueredo, M.D.

Division of Cardiology Faculty Papers

Epidemiological studies demonstrate that excessive drinking is associated with hypertension, cerebral bleeding and loss of cardiac contractility. Conversely, studies have shown that mortality rates for people who regularly drink ethanol in moderation are lower than in abstainers, primarily due to decreased fatal ischemic heart disease. Further, moderate ethanol consumers have lower rates of myocardial infarction compared with abstainers. These beneficial cardiac effects may be due to pleiotropic effects of ethanol on lipids, platelets, and fibrinolytic activity. During the past decade, studies conducted in several animal models have revealed that light to moderate regular ethanol consumption renders hearts more tolerant to …

Smart Density: A More Accurate Method Of Measuring Rural Residential Density For Health-Related Research, Peter M. Owens, Linda Titus-Ernstoff, Lucinda Gibson, Michael L. Beach, Sandy Beauregard, Madeline A. Dalton

Dartmouth Scholarship

Studies involving the built environment have typically relied on US Census data to measure residential density. However, census geographic units are often unsuited to health-related research, especially in rural areas where development is clustered and discontinuous. We evaluated the accuracy of both standard census methods and alternative GIS-based methods to measure rural density.

Recent Experimental And Clinical Findings In The Skeleton Associated With Loss Of Estrogen Hormone Or Estrogen Receptor Activity, Eric P. Smith, Bonny Specker, Kenneth S Korach

Ethel Austin Martin Program Publications

Studies on rodent models and rare human disorders of estrogen production or response have revealed an increased complexity of the actions of estrogen on bone. ERalpha disruption in human males results in delayed epiphyseal maturation, tall stature, trabecular thinning, marked cortical thinning, genu valgum and significantly reduced cortical vBMD, but trabecular number is preserved and there is normal to increased periosteal expansion. Aromatase deficiency results overall in a similar phenotype, although less is known about skeletal architecture. Importantly, estrogen replacement in these individuals, even if provided late in the third decade, may normalize aBMD. Less certain is whether there is …

Indirect Costs Associated With Surgery For Low Back Pain-A Secondary Analysis Of Clinical Trial Data., Reginald Fayssoux, Neil I Goldfarb, Alexander R Vaccaro, James Harrop

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

This study examines the indirect costs associated with surgery for axial low back pain using data obtained from a prospective multicenter clinical trial that compared Charité artificial disc replacement with anterior lumbar interbody fusion using iliac crest bone graft. While 75% of study subjects reported full- or part-time employment prior to surgery, this percentage dropped to 45% at 6 weeks postoperatively. Return to preoperative employment levels occurred at approximately 6 months postoperatively. Two years after surgery, employment levels were 16% higher than preoperative levels. Lost productivity related to absenteeism resulted in lost wages averaging $2884 per patient during the first …

Eosinophilic Cholangitis And Cholangiopathy: A Sheep In Wolves Clothing, Catherine Nashed, Sujit Vijay Sakpal, Victoria Shusharina, Ronald Scott Chamberlain

Department of Surgery

BACKGROUND: Eosinophilic cholangitis (EC) is a rare benign disorder of the biliary tract which can cause biliary obstruction. Similar to other disease processes involving the bile ducts, this disorder can pose a difficult diagnostic challenge as it can mimic cholangiocarcinoma.

METHODS: A systematic search of the scientific literature was carried out using PubMed to access all publications related to EC. Search keywords that were utilized included "eosinophilic cholangitis," "etiology," "treatment," and "obstructive jaundice." Results. Twenty-three cases of EC have been reported. Nineteen patients (82.6%) who presented with EC remain disease-free; 15 of these 19 patients (78.9%) with followup time remain …

Myosin Light Chain Kinase Mediates Transcellular Intravasation Of Breast Cancer Cells Through The Underlying Endothelial Cells: A Three-Dimensional Fret Study, S. Khuon, L. Liang, R. W. Dettman, P. H. S. Sporn, R. B. Wysolmerski, T.-L. Chew

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Description Of Exercise Participation Of Adolescents With Cerebral Palsy Across A 4-Year Period., Laura K Brunton, Doreen J Bartlett

Physical Therapy Publications

Purpose: The primary purposes were to describe: 1) the types of exercise participation of adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP), 2) the weekly duration of stretching, strengthening, and cardiovascular exercise, and 3) how the level of activity compares to national health guidelines.

Methods: Participants were 126 males and 104 females (14.7, SD =1.7 years) who reported on the physical activities in the previous week using a questionnaire designed for this study. Analyses comprised frequency counts and proportions, stacked bar graphs and 2-way ANOVAs of exercise participation by GMFCS and gender.

Results: There was a significant interaction of GMFCS level and gender …

Vertical Dispersal Of Aedes (Stegomyia) Spp. In High-Rise Apartments In Putrajaya, Malaysia, Othman Wan-Norafikah, Wasi Ahmad Nazni, S. Noramiza, S. Shafa'ar-Ko'ohar, A. Azirol-Hisham, R. Nor-Hafizah, M.G. Sumarni, H. Mohd-Hasrul, Mohd Sofian-Azirun, H.L. Lee

Research Publications (2006 to 2010)

A preliminary study on the vertical dispersal of Aedes populations in high-riseapartments was carried out in Presint 9, Putrajaya, Malaysia. Ovitraps were placed indoorswithin four blocks of high-rise apartments from the ground floors (0.0 – 3.0 m) until upto the tenth floors (28.1 – 30.0 m). Aedes aegypti was the dominant species found in theovitraps (87.85%), while Aedes albopictus was found in lower numbers. From total numberof larvae collected (650), 40.92% of these larvae were obtained from the fourth block;Block D. The peak density of Aedes sp. was observed at level 6 (16.1 – 18.0 m), whileAe. aegypti was found …

The Most Important Medical Source: Aunt Mabel Knows Best., Lawrence Parish, Joseph A Witkowski

Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Faculty Papers

Not so long ago, one of us was consulted by a middle-aged woman with rosacea. For many years, she had had periodic flares of red papules and pustules on her nose and the adjoining areas. The confluent telangiectasia on her cheeks gave a permanent appearance of well-applied rouge. She had seen several dermatologists and had received a wide variety of medications, all of which seemed appropriate except to her as would be subsequently revealed. She wanted a new approach, but there were limitations placed upon her request: no pills or capsules; nothing odiferous; no agent that might bleach clothing; and …

Diverticular And Aneurysmal Structures Of The Left Ventricle In Adults: Report Of A Case Within The Context Of A Literature Review., Premraj Makkuni, Morris N Kotler, Vincent M. Figueredo

Department of Medical Genetics Faculty Papers

Left ventricular outpouchings are increasingly detected on cardiovascular imaging. Herein, we describe the case of a 45-year-old man who underwent noncardiac preoperative imaging and was found to have an asymptomatic left ventricular outpouching. The patient underwent successful surgical repair of the structure. When left ventricular outpouchings are detected, the main differential diagnoses are pseudoaneurysm, aneurysm, and diverticulum. The outcomes for these conditions differ substantially, and accurate diagnosis can be crucial in making clinical decisions. We review the relevant medical literature, outline the natural history of these left ventricular abnormalities, and discuss options in regard to their management.

Biological Impact Of Geometric Uncertainties: What Margin Is Needed For Intra-Hepatic Tumors?, Hsiang-Chi Kuo, Wen-Shan Liu, Andrew Wu, Dennis Mah, Keh-Shih Chuang, Linda Hong, Ravi Yaparpalvi, Chandan Guha, Shalom Kalnicki

Department of Radiologic Sciences Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: To evaluate and compare the biological impact on different proposed margin recipes for the same geometric uncertainties for intra-hepatic tumors with different tumor cell types or clinical stages. METHOD: Three different margin recipes based on tumor motion were applied to sixteen IMRT plans with a total of twenty two intra-hepatic tumors. One recipe used the full amplitude of motion measured from patients to generate margins. A second used 70% of the full amplitude of motion, while the third had no margin for motion. The biological effects of geometric uncertainty in these three situations were evaluated with Equivalent Uniform Doses …

High Prevalence Of Alpha- And Beta-Thalassemia In The Kadazandusuns In East Malaysia: Challenges In Providing Effective Health Care For An Indigenous Group, Jin Ai Mary Anne Tan, Ping Chin Lee, Yong Chui Wee, Kim Lian Tan, Noor Fadzlin Mahali, Elizabeth George, Kek Heng Chua

Research Publications (2006 to 2010)

Thalassemia can lead to severe transfusion-dependent anemia, and it is the most common genetic disorder in Malaysia. This paper aims to determine the prevalence of thalassemia in the Kadazandusuns, the largest indigenous group in Sabah, East Malaysia. alpha-and beta-thalassemia were confirmed in 33.6 and 12.8, of the individuals studied respectively. The high prevalence of alpha- and beta-thalassemia in the Kadazandusuns indicates that thalassemia screening, genetic counseling, and prenatal diagnosis should be included as part of their healthcare system. This preliminary paper serves as a baseline for further investigations into the health and genetic defects of the major indigenous population in …

Imaging Spontaneous Mmtvneu Transgenic Murine Mammary Tumors: Targeting Metabolic Activity Versus Genetic Products., Mathew L Thakur, Devakumar Devadhas, Kaijun Zhang, Richard G Pestell, Chenguang Wang, Peter Mccue, Eric Wickstrom

Department of Radiology Faculty Papers

INTRODUCTION: Despite the great strides made in imaging breast cancer (BC) in humans, the current imaging modalities miss up to 30% of BC, do not distinguish malignant lesions from benign ones, and require histologic examinations for which invasive biopsy must be performed. Annually in the United States, approximately 5.6 million biopsies find benign lesions. More than 50% of human BCs overexpress cyclin D1, and all BCs exhibit VPAC1 oncogene products. Together, these gene products may provide an excellent biomarker for the early and accurate detection of BC. We have evaluated 4 biologically active peptide analogs that have high affinity for …

Characterisation Of Copd Heterogeneity In The Eclipse Cohort, Alvar Agusti, Peter M.A. Calverley, Bartolome Celli, Harvey O. Coxson, Lisa D. Edwards, David A. Lomas, William Macnee, Bruce E. Miller, Steve I. Rennard, Edwin K. Silverman, Ruth Tal-Singer, Emiel Wouters, Julie C. Yates, Jørgen Vestbo, The Evaluation Of Copd Longitudinally To Identify Predictive Surrogate Endpoints (Eclipse) Investigators

Journal Articles: Pulmonary & Critical Care Med

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a complex condition with pulmonary and extra-pulmonary manifestations. This study describes the heterogeneity of COPD in a large and well characterised and controlled COPD cohort (ECLIPSE).

METHODS: We studied 2164 clinically stable COPD patients, 337 smokers with normal lung function and 245 never smokers. In these individuals, we measured clinical parameters, nutritional status, spirometry, exercise tolerance, and amount of emphysema by computed tomography.

RESULTS: COPD patients were slightly older than controls and had more pack years of smoking than smokers with normal lung function. Co-morbidities were more prevalent in COPD patients than in …

Bio-Informatics Analysis Of A Gene Co-Expression Module In Adipose Tissue Containing The Diet-Responsive Gene Nnat., X Li.X, Pa Thomason, Dj Withers, J Scott

Peninsula Medical School

Obesity causes insulin resistance in target tissues - skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, liver and the brain. Insulin resistance predisposes to type-2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Adipose tissue inflammation is an essential characteristic of obesity and insulin resistance. Neuronatin (Nnat) expression has been found to be altered in a number of conditions related to inflammatory or metabolic disturbance, but its physiological roles and regulatory mechanisms in adipose tissue, brain, pancreatic islets and other tissues are not understood.

A New Design For A Turing Test For Bots, Philip Hingston

Research outputs pre 2011

Interesting, human-like opponents add to the entertainment value of a video game, and creating such opponents is a difficult challenge for programmers. Can artificial intelligence and computational intelligence provide the means to convincingly simulate a human opponent? Or are simple programming tricks and deceptions more effective? To answer these questions, the author designed and organised a game bot programming competition, the BotPrize, in which competitors submit bots that try to pass a “Turing Test for Bots”. In this paper, we describe a new design for the competition, which will make it simpler to run, and, we hope, open up new …

Negative Intrusive Thoughts And Dissociation As Risk Factors For Self-Harm., Helen Batey, Jon May, Jackie Andrade

School of Psychology

Relationships between self-harm and vulnerability factors were studied in a general population of 432 participants, of whom 30% reported some experience of self-harm. This group scored higher on dissociation and childhood trauma, had lower self-worth, and reported more negative intrusive thoughts. Among the non-harming group, 10% scored similarly to the self-harmers on the dissociation and self-worth scales, and engaged in potentially maladaptive behaviors that are not defined as indicating clinical self-harm, but experienced fewer negative intrusive thoughts. This group may be at risk of future self-harm if they begin to experience negative intrusive thoughts. If negative intrusive thoughts are playing …

Hereditary 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D-Resistant Rickets With Alopecia Resulting From A Novel Missense Mutation In The Dna-Binding Domain Of The Vitamin D Receptor., Peter J. Malloy, Jining Wang, Tarak Srivastava, David Feldman

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

The rare genetic recessive disease, hereditary vitamin D resistant rickets (HVDRR), is caused by mutations in the vitamin D receptor (VDR) that result in resistance to the active hormone 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) (1,25(OH)(2)D(3) or calcitriol). In this study, we examined the VDR from a young boy with clinical features of HVDRR including severe rickets, hypocalcemia, hypophosphatemia and partial alopecia. The pattern of alopecia was very unusual with areas of total baldness, adjacent to normal hair and regions of scant hair. The child failed to improve on oral calcium and vitamin D therapy but his abnormal chemistries and his bone X-rays normalized …

Temporal Distance And Person Memory: Thinking About The Future Changes Memory For The Past., Na Wyer, Tj Perfect, S Pahl

School of Psychology

Psychological distance has been shown to influence how people construe an event such that greater distance produces high-level construal (characterized by global or holistic processing) and lesser distance produces low-level construal (characterized by detailed or feature-based processing). The present research tested the hypothesis that construal level has carryover effects on how information about an event is retrieved from memory. Two experiments manipulated temporal distance and found that greater distance (high-level construal) improves face recognition and increases retrieval of the abstract features of an event, whereas lesser distance (low-level construal) impairs face recognition and increases retrieval of the concrete details of …

Interaction Of The Mu-Opioid Receptor With Gpr177 (Wntless) Inhibits Wnt Secretion: Potential Implications For Opioid Dependence., Jay Jin, Saranya Kittanakom, Victoria Wong, Beverly A S Reyes, Elisabeth J Van Bockstaele, Igor Stagljar, Wade Berrettini, Robert Levenson

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Opioid agonist drugs produce analgesia. However, long-term exposure to opioid agonists may lead to opioid dependence. The analgesic and addictive properties of opioid agonist drugs are mediated primarily via the mu-opioid receptor (MOR). Opioid agonists appear to alter neuronal morphology in key brain regions implicated in the development of opioid dependence. However, the precise role of the MOR in the development of these neuronal alterations remains elusive. We hypothesize that identifying and characterizing novel MOR interacting proteins (MORIPs) may help to elucidate the underlying mechanisms involved in the development of opioid dependence. RESULTS: GPR177, the mammalian ortholog of Drosophila …

More Than Synaptic Plasticity: Role Of Nonsynaptic Plasticity In Learning And Memory, Riccardo Mozzachiodi, John H Byrne

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Decades of research on the cellular mechanisms of memory have led to the widely held view that memories are stored as modifications of synaptic strength. These changes involve presynaptic processes, such as direct modulation of the release machinery, or postsynaptic processes, such as modulation of receptor properties. Parallel studies have revealed that memories might also be stored by nonsynaptic processes, such as modulation of voltage-dependent membrane conductances, which are expressed as changes in neuronal excitability. Although in some cases nonsynaptic changes can function as part of the engram itself, they might also serve as mechanisms through which a neural circuit …

Social Support In An Internet Weight Loss Community, Kevin O Hwang, Allison J Ottenbacher, Angela P Green, M Roseann Cannon-Diehl, Oneka Richardson, Elmer V Bernstam, Eric J Thomas

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: To describe social support for weight loss shared by members of a large Internet weight loss community.

Methods: We conducted a mixed-methods study with surveys (n=193) and interviews (n=13) of community members along with a content analysis of discussion forum messages (n=1924 messages). Qualitative data were analyzed for social support themes.

Results: Survey respondents were primarily white (91.4%) and female (93.8%) with mean age 37.3 years and mean body mass index 30.9. They used forums frequently, with 56.8% reading messages, 36.1% replying to messages, and 18.5% posting messages to start a discussion related to weight loss on a daily …

Bite Size Oral Health Promotion., Robert Witton

Peninsula Dental School

UNLABELLED: Improving health is part of the Government's wider public health agenda and central to this theme is the requirement to help patients make informed healthy choices. The aim of the article is to review the basis of oral health promotion in primary dental care, explain why it is necessary and to give some practical tips on behaviour change in practice. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Understanding and relating well to your patients can make oral health promotion more successful, with communication skills being paramount in achieving this goal, along with the creation of a supportive health-orientated practice environment.

Less Food For Thought. Impact Of Attentional Instructions On Intrusive Thoughts About Snack Foods., Jon May, Jackie Andrade, Helen Batey, Lisa Marie Berry, David J. Kavanagh

School of Psychology

Intrusive thoughts about food may play a role in unhealthy eating behaviours. Food-related thoughts that capture attention can lead to craving and further intrusive thoughts (Kavanagh, Andrade, & May, 2005). We tested whether diverting attention to mental images or bodily sensations would reduce the incidence of intrusive thoughts about snack foods. In two experiments, participants reported their thoughts in response to probes during three 10min periods. In the Baseline and Post-task period, participants were asked to let their mind wander. In the middle, Experimental, period, participants followed mind wandering (Control), thought diversion, or Thought Suppression instructions. Self-directed or Guided Imagery, …

Cellular Functions Of Fak Kinases: Insight Into Molecular Mechanisms And Novel Functions, M. D. Schaller

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

No abstract provided.