Digital Commons Network^™

Collaborative Learning About E-Health For Mental Health Professionals And Service Users In A Structured Anonymous Online Short Course: Pilot Study., Emily J. Ashurst, Ray B. Jones, Graham R. Williamson, Tobit Emmens, Jon Perry

School of Nursing and Midwifery

BACKGROUND: Professionals are interested in using e-health but implementation of new methods is slow. Barriers to implementation include the need for training and limited awareness or experience. Research may not always convince mental health professionals (MHPs). Adding the 'voice' of mental health service users (MHSUs) in collaborative learning may help. Involving MHSUs in face-face education can be difficult. We had previously been unable to engage MHPs in online discussion with MHSUs. Here we assessed the feasibility of short online courses involving MHSUs and MHPs. METHODS: We ran three e-health courses, comprising live interactive webcast, week's access to a discussion forum, …

Does Initial Shunt Type For The Norwood Procedure Affect Echocardiographic Measures Of Cardiac Size And Function During Infancy?: The Single Vventricle Reconstruction Trial., Peter C. Frommelt, Lin T. Guey, L Luann Minich, Majeed Bhat, Tim J. Bradley, Steve D. Colan, Greg Ensing, Jessica Gorentz, Haleh Heydarian, J Blaine John, Wyman W. Lai, Jami C. Levine, William T. Mahle, Stephen G. Miller, Richard G. Ohye, Gail D. Pearson, Girish S. Shirali, Pierre C. Wong, Meryl S. Cohen, Pediatric Heart Network Investigators

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: The Pediatric Heart Network trial comparing outcomes in 549 infants with single right ventricle undergoing a Norwood procedure randomized to modified Blalock-Taussig shunt or right ventricle-pulmonary artery shunt (RVPAS) found better 1-year transplant-free survival in those who received RVPAS. We sought to compare the impact of shunt type on echocardiographic indices of cardiac size and function up to 14 months of age.

METHODS AND RESULTS: A core laboratory measured indices of cardiac size and function from protocol exams: early after Norwood procedure (age 22.5 ± 13.4 days), before stage II procedure (age 4.8 ± 1.8 months), and at 14 …

Process Evaluation Of A Positive Youth Development Program In Hong Kong Based On Different Cohorts, Ben M. F. Law, Daniel T. L. Shek

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

There are only a few process evaluation studies on positive youth development programs, particularly in the Chinese context. This study aims to examine the quality of implementation of a positive youth development program (the Project P.A.T.H.S.: Positive Adolescent Training through Holistic Social Programmes) and investigate the relationships among program adherence, process factors, implementation quality, and perceived program success. Process evaluation of 97 classroom-based teaching units was conducted in 62 schools from 2005 to 2009. Findings based on different cohorts generally showed that there were high overall program adherence and implementation quality. Program adherence and implementation process were highly correlated with …

Interim Evaluation Of The Project P.A.T.H.S.: Findings Based On Different Datasets, Daniel T. L. Shek, Lu Yu

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Interim evaluation studies were carried out in order to examine the implementation details of the Tier 1 Program of the Project P.A.T.H.S. (Positive Adolescent Training through Holistic Social Programmes) in Hong Kong. Quantitative results of the interim evaluation findings based on eight datasets collected from 2006 to 2009 are reported in this paper. Three hundred and seventy-eight schools were randomly selected to provide information on the implementation details of the program via face-to-face interviews, telephone interviews, and self-completed questionnaires. Results showed that a majority of the workers perceived that the students had positive responses to the program and the program …

Qualitative Evaluation Of Project P.A.T.H.S.: An Integration Of Findings Based On Program Participants, Daniel T. L. Shek, Rachel C. F. Sun

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

An integration of the qualitative evaluation findings collected in different cohorts of students who participated in Project P.A.T.H.S. (Positive Adolescent Training through Holistic Social Programmes) (n = 252 students in 29 focus groups) was carried out. With specific focus on how the informants described the program, results showed that the descriptions were mainly positive in nature, suggesting that the program was well received by the program participants. When the informants were invited to name three metaphors that could stand for the program, positive metaphors were commonly used. Beneficial effects of the program in different psychosocial domains were also voiced by …

Quantitative Patterns Of Stylistic Influence In The Evolution Of Literature, James M. Hughes, Nicholas J. Foti, David C. Krakauer, Daniel N. Rockmore

Dartmouth Scholarship

Literature is a form of expression whose temporal structure, both in content and style, provides a historical record of the evolution of culture. In this work we take on a quantitative analysis of literary style and conduct the first large-scale temporal stylometric study of literature by using the vast holdings in the Project Gutenberg Digital Library corpus. We find temporal stylistic localization among authors through the analysis of the similarity structure in feature vectors derived from content-free word usage, nonhomogeneous decay rates of stylistic influence, and an accelerating rate of decay of influence among modern authors. Within a given time …

Dna Methylation Arrays As Surrogate Measures Of Cell Mixture Distribution, Eugene Houseman, William P. Accomando, Devin C. Koestler, Brock C. Christensen, Carmen J. Marsit

Dartmouth Scholarship

There has been a long-standing need in biomedical research for a method that quantifies the normally mixed composition of leukocytes beyond what is possible by simple histological or flow cytometric assessments. The latter is restricted by the labile nature of protein epitopes, requirements for cell processing, and timely cell analysis. In a diverse array of diseases and following numerous immune-toxic exposures, leukocyte composition will critically inform the underlying immuno-biology to most chronic medical conditions. Emerging research demonstrates that DNA methylation is responsible for cellular differentiation, and when measured in whole peripheral blood, serves to distinguish cancer cases from controls.

Improved Tumor Contrast Achieved By Single Time Point Dual-Reporter Fluorescence Imaging, Kenneth M. Tichauer, Kimberley S. Samkoe, Kristian J. Sexton, Jason R. Gunn, Tayyaba Hasan, Brian W. Pogue

Dartmouth Scholarship

In this study, we demonstrate a method to quantify biomarker expression that uses an exogenous dual-reporter imaging approach to improve tumor signal detection. The uptake of two fluorophores, one nonspecific and one targeted to the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), were imaged at 1 h in three types of xenograft tumors spanning a range of EGFR expression levels (n  =  6 in each group). Using this dual-reporter imaging methodology, tumor contrast-to-noise ratio was amplified by >6 times at 1 h postinjection and >2 times at 24 h. Furthermore, by as early as 20 min postinjection, the dual-reporter imaging signal …

The Meaning Of Parenteral Hydration To Family Caregivers And Patients With Advanced Cancer Receiving Hospice Care., Marlene Z. Cohen, Isabel Torres-Vigil, Beth E. Burbach, Allison De La Rosa, Eduardo Bruera

Journal Articles: College of Nursing

CONTEXT: In the U.S., patients with advanced cancer who are dehydrated or have decreased oral intake almost always receive parenteral hydration in acute care facilities but rarely in the hospice setting.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the meaning of hydration for terminally ill cancer patients in home hospice care and for their primary caregivers.

METHODS: Phenomenological interviews were conducted at two time points with 85 patients and 84 caregivers enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial examining the efficacy of parenteral hydration in patients with advanced cancer receiving hospice care in the southern U.S. Transcripts were analyzed hermeneutically by the interdisciplinary research …

Recognition For Positive Behavior As A Critical Youth Development Construct: Conceptual Bases And Implications On Youth Service Development, Ben M. F. Law, Andrew M. H. Siu, Daniel T. L. Shek

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Recognition for positive behavior is an appropriate response of the social environment to elicit desirable external behavior among the youth. Such positive responses, rendered from various social systems, include tangible and intangible reinforcements. The following theories are used to explain the importance of recognizing positive behavior: operational conditioning, observational learning, self-determination, and humanistic perspective. In the current work, culturally and socially desirable behaviors are discussed in detail with reference to Chinese adolescents. Positive behavior recognition is especially important to adolescent development because it promotes identity formation as well as cultivates moral reasoning and social perspective thinking from various social systems. …

Relative Telomere Length: A Novel Non-Invasive Biomarker For The Risk Of Non-Cirrhotic Hepatocellular Carcinoma In Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B Infection., Xiaoying Fu, Shaogui Wan, Hie-Won Hann, Md, Ronald E Myers, Phd, Richard S Hann, Jennifer Au, Bicui Chen, Jinliang Xing, Hushan Yang

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Telomere length has emerged as a promising risk predictor of various cancers including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the majority of studies in this area measured telomere length in hepatocytes and one in lymphocytes with conflicting results. Moreover, no studies have been reported on using circulating DNA telomere length as a non-invasive HCC biomarker.

METHODS: We conducted a nested case-control study to determine the relative telomere length (RTL) in serum DNA from 140 hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related HCC cases and 280 frequency-matched cancer-free HBV controls.

RESULTS: Cases had a significantly longer RTL (median, 0.31; range, 0.02-2.31) than controls …

Nitrous Oxide Myelopathy Posing As Spinal Cord Injury., George M. Ghobrial, Md, Richard Dalyai, Md, Adam Flanders, Md, James Harrop, Md

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

The authors describe a patient who presented with acute tetraparesis and a proposed acute traumatic spinal cord injury that was the result of nitrous oxide myelopathy. This 19-year-old man sustained a traumatic fall off a 6-ft high wall. His examination was consistent with a central cord syndrome with the addition of dorsal column impairment. Cervical MRI demonstrated an isolated dorsal column signal that was suggestive of a nontraumatic etiology. The patient's symptoms resolved entirely over the course of 48 hours. Nitrous oxide abuse is increasing in prevalence. Its toxic side effects can mask vitamin B12 and folate deficiency and central …

Arsenic, Organic Foods, And Brown Rice Syrup, Brian P. Jackson, Vivien F. Taylor, Margaret R. Karagas, Tracy Punshon, Kathryn L. Cottingham

Dartmouth Scholarship

Background: Rice can be a major source of inorganic arsenic (As_i) for many sub-populations. Rice products are also used as ingredients in prepared foods, some of which may not be obviously rice based. Organic brown rice syrup (OBRS) is used as a sweetener in organic food products as an alternative to high-fructose corn syrup. We hypothesized that OBRS introduces As into these products.

Objective: We determined the concentration and speciation of As in commercially available brown rice syrups and in products containing OBRS, including toddler formula, cereal/energy bars, and high-energy foods used by endurance athletes.

Methods: We used …

Novel Napi-Iic Mutations Causing Hhrh And Idiopathic Hypercalciuria In Several Unrelated Families: Long-Term Follow-Up In One Kindred., Y Yu, S R. Sanderson, M Reyes, A Sharma, N Dunbar, Tarak Srivastava, H Jüppner, C Bergwitz

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Homozygous and compound heterozygous mutations in SLC34A3, the gene encoding the sodium-dependent co-transporter NaPi-IIc, cause hereditary hypophosphatemic rickets with hypercalciuria (HHRH), a disorder characterized by renal phosphate-wasting resulting in hypophosphatemia, elevated 1,25(OH)(2) vitamin D levels, hypercalciuria, rickets/osteomalacia, and frequently kidney stones or nephrocalcinosis. Similar albeit less severe biochemical changes are also observed in heterozygous carriers, which are furthermore indistinguishable from those encountered in idiopathic hypercalciuria (IH). We now searched for SLC34A3 mutations (exons and introns) in two previously not reported HHRH kindreds, which resulted in the identification of three novel mutations. The affected members of kindred A were compound heterozygous …

Adult Ecmo And Gastrointestinal Bleeding From Small Bowel Arteriovenous Malformations: A Novel Treatment Using Spiral Enteroscopy., Konrad Sarosiek, Hitoshi Hirose, Harrison T Pitcher, Nicholas C. Cavarocchi

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

Hemorrhagic complications on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) are common because of the need for anticoagulation to maintain the oxygenator and circuitry. Gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) is reported to occur in 3-6% of ECMO patients, ¹ requiring frequent transfusions as well as multiple diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. Multiple transfusions can result in volume overload, coagulopathies and infections leading to significant morbidity and mortality. We present the first published case of GIB from an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) treated with a novel therapy termed spiral enteroscopy while the patient remained on venoarterial (VA) ECMO.

Early Developmental Outcome In Children With Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome And Related Anomalies: The Single Ventricle Reconstruction Trial., Jane W. Newburger, Lynn A. Sleeper, David C. Bellinger, Caren S. Goldberg, Sarah Tabbutt, Minmin Lu, Kathleen A. Mussatto, Ismee A. Williams, Kathryn E. Gustafson, Seema Mital, Nancy Pike, Erica Sood, William T. Mahle, David S. Cooper, Carolyn Dunbar-Masterson, Catherine Dent Krawczeski, Alan Lewis, Shaji C. Menon, Victoria L. Pemberton, Chitra Ravishankar, Teresa W. Atz, Richard G. Ohye, J William Gaynor, Pediatric Heart Network Investigators, Girish S. Shirali

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Survivors of the Norwood procedure may experience neurodevelopmental impairment. Clinical trials to improve outcomes have focused primarily on methods of vital organ support during cardiopulmonary bypass.

METHODS AND RESULTS: In the Single Ventricle Reconstruction trial of the Norwood procedure with modified Blalock-Taussig shunt versus right-ventricle-to-pulmonary-artery shunt, 14-month neurodevelopmental outcome was assessed by use of the Psychomotor Development Index (PDI) and Mental Development Index (MDI) of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II. We used multivariable regression to identify risk factors for adverse outcome. Among 373 transplant-free survivors, 321 (86%) returned at age 14.3 ± 1.1 (mean ± SD) months. Mean …

A Two-Stage Cluster Sampling Method Using Gridded Population Data, A Gis, And Google Earth(Tm) Imagery In A Population-Based Mortality Survey In Iraq, Lp Galway, Nathaniel Bell, Al Shatari Sae, Amy Hagopian, Gilbert Burnham, Abraham Flaxman, Wiliam M. Weiss, Julie Rajaratnam, Tim K. Takaro

Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND:

Mortality estimates can measure and monitor the impacts of conflict on a population, guide humanitarian efforts, and help to better understand the public health impacts of conflict. Vital statistics registration and surveillance systems are rarely functional in conflict settings, posing a challenge of estimating mortality using retrospective population-based surveys.

RESULTS:

We present a two-stage cluster sampling method for application in population-based mortality surveys. The sampling method utilizes gridded population data and a geographic information system (GIS) to select clusters in the first sampling stage and Google Earth TM imagery and sampling grids to select households in the second sampling …

Spirituality As A Positive Youth Development Construct: A Conceptual Review, Daniel T. L. Shek

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

The concept of spirituality as a positive youth development construct is reviewed in this paper. Both broad and narrow definitions of spirituality are examined and a working definition of spirituality is proposed. Regarding theories of spirituality, different models pertinent to spiritual development and the relationship between spirituality and positive youth development are highlighted. Different ecological factors, particularly family and peer influences, were found to influence spirituality. Research on the influence of spirituality on adolescent developmental outcomes is examined. Finally, ways to promote adolescent spirituality are discussed.

Impact Of The Project P.A.T.H.S. In The Junior Secondary School Years: Objective Outcome Evaluation Based On Eight Waves Of Longitudinal Data, Daniel T. L. Shek, Cecilia M. S. Ma

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

To assess the effectiveness of the Tier 1 Program of the Project P.A.T.H.S., a randomized group trial with eight waves of data collected was carried out. At the fifth year of data collection, 19 experimental schools (n = 2, 662 students) and 24 control schools (n = 3, 272 students) participated in the study. Analyses based on individual growth curve modeling showed that participants in the experimental schools displayed better positive youth development than did participants in the control schools in terms of different indicators derived from the Chinese Positive Youth Development Scale, including moral competence and behavioral competence and …

Paramyxovirus Fusion And Entry: Multiple Paths To A Common End, Andres Chang, Rebecca Ellis Dutch

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Faculty Publications

The paramyxovirus family contains many common human pathogenic viruses, including measles, mumps, the parainfluenza viruses, respiratory syncytial virus, human metapneumovirus, and the zoonotic henipaviruses, Hendra and Nipah. While the expression of a type 1 fusion protein and a type 2 attachment protein is common to all paramyxoviruses, there is considerable variation in viral attachment, the activation and triggering of the fusion protein, and the process of viral entry. In this review, we discuss recent advances in the understanding of paramyxovirus F protein-mediated membrane fusion, an essential process in viral infectivity. We also review the role of the other surface glycoproteins …

Personal Construction Of Cough Medicine Among Young Substance Abusers In Hong Kong, Daniel T. L. Shek

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Although cough medicine abuse is a growing problem in many places, there is no study examining the views of young substance abusers toward cough medicine. The objective of this study was to examine personal constructions of cough medicine abusers via the repertory grid tests (N = 11). Several observations are highlighted from the study. First, personal constructions of cough medicine were mixed, including the benefits and harmful effects of its abuse. Second, although the informants perceived cough medicine to be addictive and harmful, they perceived cough medicine to be less addictive and less harmful than did heroin. Third, while the …

Evaluation Of The Project P.A.T.H.S. Based On Students' Weekly Diaries: Findings From Eight Datasets, Daniel T. L. Shek, Rachel C. F. Sun

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

This paper aims to investigate the effectiveness of the Tier 1 Program of the Project P.A.T.H.S. (positive adolescent training through holistic social programmes) based on eight datasets collected between 2005 and 2009. A total of 1,138 students who participated in the program were randomly invited (from the whole grade or in some classes) to write a piece of journal in the form of a weekly diary in order to reveal their perceptions and feelings regarding the program and the perceived benefits of the program. Based on an integration of findings from different databases, results showed that the respondents generally (1) …

Realist Synthesis: Illustrating The Method For Implementation Research., Jo Rycroft-Malone, Brendan Mccormack, Alison M. Hutchinson, Kara Decorby, Tracey K. Bucknall, Bridie Kent, Alyce Schultz, Erna Snelgrove-Clarke, Cheryl B. Stetler, Marita Titler, Lars Wallin, Val Wilson

School of Nursing and Midwifery

BACKGROUND: Realist synthesis is an increasingly popular approach to the review and synthesis of evidence, which focuses on understanding the mechanisms by which an intervention works (or not). There are few published examples of realist synthesis. This paper therefore fills a gap by describing, in detail, the process used for a realist review and synthesis to answer the question 'what interventions and strategies are effective in enabling evidence-informed healthcare?' The strengths and challenges of conducting realist review are also considered. METHODS: The realist approach involves identifying underlying causal mechanisms and exploring how they work under what conditions. The stages of …

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome And Perioperative Complications: A Systematic Review Of The Literature., Tajender S. Vasu, Md, Ms, Ritu G. Grewal, Md, Karl Doghramji, Md

Department of Sleep Medicine Faculty Papers

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a common sleep related breathing disorder. Its prevalence is estimated to be between 2% and 25% in the general population. However, the prevalence of sleep apnea is much higher in patients undergoing elective surgery. Sedation and anesthesia have been shown to increase the upper airway collapsibility and therefore increasing the risk of having postoperative complications in these patients. Furthermore, the majority of patients with sleep apnea are undiagnosed and therefore are at risk during the perioperative period. It is important to identify these patients so that appropriate actions can be taken in a timely …

Qualitative Evaluation Of The Project P.A.T.H.S.: An Integration Of Findings Based On Program Implementers, Daniel T. L. Shek

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

An integration of the qualitative evaluation findings collected from program implementers conducting the Project P.A.T.H.S. (Positive Adolescent Training through Holistic Social Programmes) in different years (n = 177 participants in 36 focus groups) was carried out. General qualitative data analyses utilizing intra and interrater reliability techniques were performed. Results showed that the descriptors used to describe the program and the metaphors named by the informants that could stand for the program were generally positive in nature. Program participants also perceived the program to be beneficial to the development of the students in different psychosocial domains. The present study further supports …

Pilates Based Core Stability Training In Ambulant Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis: Protocol For A Multi-Centre Randomised Controlled Trial., Jennifer Freeman, Esther Fox, Margaret Gear, Alan Hough

School of Health Professions

BACKGROUND: People with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) frequently experience balance and mobility impairments, including reduced trunk stability. Pilates-based core stability training, which is aimed at improving control of the body's stabilising muscles, is popular as a form of exercise with people with MS and therapists. A replicated single case series study facilitated by the Therapists in MS Group in the United Kingdom (UK) provides preliminary evidence that this approach can improve balance and mobility in ambulant people with MS; further evidence is needed to substantiate these findings to ensure that limited time, energy, finances and resources are used to best effect.This …

Rituximab Induces Sustained Reduction Of Pathogenic B Cells In Patients With Peripheral Nervous System Autoimmunity., Michael A Maurer, Goran Rakocevic, Carol S Leung, Isaak Quast, Martin Lukačišin, Norbert Goebels, Christian Münz, Hedda Wardemann, Marinos Dalakas, Jan D Lünemann

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

The B cell-depleting IgG1 monoclonal antibody rituximab can persistently suppress disease progression in some patients with autoimmune diseases. However, the mechanism underlying these long-term beneficial effects has remained unclear. Here, we evaluated Ig gene usage in patients with anti-myelin-associated glycoprotein (anti-MAG) neuropathy, an autoimmune disease of the peripheral nervous system that is mediated by IgM autoantibodies binding to MAG antigen. Patients with anti-MAG neuropathy showed substantial clonal expansions of blood IgM memory B cells that recognized MAG antigen. The group of patients showing no clinical improvement after rituximab therapy were distinguished from clinical responders by a higher load of clonal …

Onset Of Alcohol Or Substance Use Disorders Following Treatment For Adolescent Depression., John Curry, Susan Silva, Paul Rohde, Golda Ginsburg, Betsy Kennard, Christopher Kratochvil, Anne Simons, Jerry Kirchner, Diane May, Taryn Mayes, Norah Feeny, Anne Marie Albano, Sarah Lavanier, Mark Reinecke, Rachel Jacobs, Emily Becker-Weidman, Elizabeth Weller, Graham Emslie, John Walkup, Elizabeth Kastelic, Barbara Burns, Karen Wells, John March

Journal Articles: Psychiatry

OBJECTIVE: This study tested whether positive response to short-term treatment for adolescent major depressive disorder (MDD) would have the secondary benefit of preventing subsequent alcohol use disorders (AUD) or substance use disorders (SUD).

METHOD: For 5 years, we followed 192 adolescents (56.2% female; 20.8% minority) who had participated in the Treatment for Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS; TADS Team, 2004) and who had no prior diagnoses of AUD or SUD. TADS initial treatments were cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), fluoxetine alone (FLX), the combination of CBT and FLX (COMB), or clinical management with pill placebo (PBO). We used both the original …

Self-Harm And Suicidal Behaviors In Hong Kong Adolescents: Prevalence And Psychosocial Correlates, Daniel T. L. Shek, Lu Yu

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

The present paper examined the prevalence and psychosocial correlates of adolescent deliberate self-harm (DSH) and suicidal behavior in a representative sample of 3,328 secondary school students in Hong Kong. With reference to the previous year, 32.7% of the students reported at least one form of DSH, 13.7% of the respondents had suicide thoughts, 4.9% devised specific suicidal plans, and 4.7% had actually attempted suicide. Adolescent girls had significantly higher rates of DSH and suicidal behavior than did adolescent boys. Having remarried parents was related to an increased likelihood of DSH and suicide. While high levels of family functioning, overall positive …

Oral Microbial Biofilm Stimulation Of Epithelial Cell Responses, Rebecca Peyyala, Sreenatha S. Kirakodu, Karen F. Novak, Jeffrey L. Ebersole

Center for Oral Health Research Faculty Publications

Oral bacterial biofilms trigger chronic inflammatory responses in the host that can result in the tissue destructive events of periodontitis. However, the characteristics of the capacity of specific host cell types to respond to these biofilms remain ill-defined. This report describes the use of a novel model of bacterial biofilms to stimulate oral epithelial cells and profile select cytokines and chemokines that contribute to the local inflammatory environment in the periodontium. Monoinfection biofilms were developed with Streptococcus sanguinis, Streptococcus oralis, Streptococcus gordonii, Actinomyces naeslundii, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Porphyromonas gingivalis on rigid gas-permeable contact lenses. Biofilms, as well as planktonic cultures …