Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Editors' Notes-Women Of Color Sexual Health Across The Lifespan, Marya Shegog, Melva Thompson-Robinson

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

No abstract provided.

Editors' Notes: Men Of Color Sexual Health Across The Lifespan, Marya Shegog, Melva Thompson-Robinson

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

No abstract provided.

The Leishmania Years At Unl (Or, My Life As A Cell Biologist, 1966-1981), John J. Janovy Jr.

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Slides for a talk during which Professor Janovy discussed the methods he used in researching Leishmania during the years 1966-1981. Includes lists of references.

The Cell's Antenna And Bending With The Flow, Surya M. Nauli, Kimberly F. Atkinson, Sarmed H. Kathem

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is the most common life-threatening genetic disease worldwide – affecting about 12.5 million people. Patients with the condition have multiple fluid-filled cysts in their kidneys that lead to a massive enlargement of the organ and gradual worsening of its function, as well as complete failure in many cases. The lack of available treatment means patients may eventually require regular dialysis or a kidney transplant.

Fighting – And Writing – To Stay Healthy: Ten Years Of 'At Risk For Huntington's Disease', Kenneth P. Serbin

At Risk for Huntington's Disease

No abstract provided.

The Rehabilitative Potential Of Auditory To Visual Sensory Substitution Devices For The Blind, Naomi Perl

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Living with a sensory impairment is challenging, and those who have lost the use of one sensory modality need to find ways to deal with numerous problems encountered in daily life. When vision is lost, these challenges include navigation through space, finding objects, recognizing people or surroundings, reading or even communicating without access to nonverbal signs provided by others such as eye gaze or facial expressions. Nevertheless, the blind manage to function efficiently in their environment, often to a surprisingly high degree. The key to this amazing phenomenon lies in the plasticity of the brain and the connections it makes …

Briggs, James A., 1831-1900 (Sc 1504), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and scan (Click on "Additional Files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 1503. Dissertation titled "Medical topography and diseases of Warren County, Ky." written by James A. Briggs at the University of Nashville in 1851. He describes his belief in the causes of malaria, and discusses cholera and other maladies that struck Bowling Green and Warren County, Kentucky prior to 1850.

Assessment Of Three Acute Responses To Traumatic Brain Injury, Shoshana Fireworker

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Traumatic brain injury has a devastating effect on millions worldwide each year. As yet, there are no methods which have been proven to improve recovery from the trauma. Current treatment protocols revolve around reducing secondary insult, such as hypoxia, hypotension, and cerebral edema, which raises intracranial pressure. The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of three responses to traumatic brain injury. Two of them, the administration of hypertonic saline and the administration of progesterone, are pharmacologic, while the third, the performance of a decompressive craniectomy, is surgically invasive. A number of original studies have been analyzed to …

Two Potential Hookworm Daf-16 Target Genes, Snr-3 And Lpp-1: Gene Structure, Expression Profile, And Implications Of A Cis-Regulatory Element In The Regulation Of Gene Expression, Xin Gao, Kevin Goggin, Camille Dowling, Jason Qian, John Hawdon

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications

Background

Hookworms infect nearly 700 million people, causing anemia and developmental stunting in heavy infections. Little is known about the genomic structure or gene regulation in hookworms, although recent publication of draft genome assemblies has allowed the first investigations of these topics to be undertaken. The transcription factor DAF-16 mediates multiple developmental pathways in the free living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, and is involved in the recovery from the developmentally arrested L3 in hookworms. Identification of downstream targets of DAF-16 will provide a better understanding of the molecular mechanism of hookworm infection.

Methods

Genomic Fragment 2.23 containing a DAF-16 binding …

Active Immunotherapy And Adoptive Cell Transfer As An Effective Cancer Treatment, Philip Jay Cynamon

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

There are many ways to fight cancer using the body’s own immune system. Some methods include the administration of vaccines while others involve stimulatory factors injected near tumors. One promising method is enlisting the help of T cells. To fight cancer effectively, T cells must be able to recognize cancerous antigens and the environment in which these T cells reside must be conducive to their function, survival, and proliferation. This paper discusses a method of providing such an environment called adoptive cell transfer, as well as the elements that effect this protocol and the ways in which the environment can …

Systems Level Analysis Of Systemic Sclerosis Shows A Network Of Immune And Profibrotic Pathways Connected With Genetic Polymorphisms, J. Matthew Mahoney, Jaclyn Taroni, Viktor Martyanov, Tammara A. A. Wood, Casey S. Greene, Patricia A. Pioli, Monique E. Hinchcliff, Michael L. Whitfield

Dartmouth Scholarship

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare systemic autoimmune disease characterized by skin and organ fibrosis. The pathogenesis of SSc and its progression are poorly understood. The SSc intrinsic gene expression subsets (inflammatory, fibroproliferative, normal-like, and limited) are observed in multiple clinical cohorts of patients with SSc. Analysis of longitudinal skin biopsies suggests that a patient's subset assignment is stable over 6-12 months. Genetically, SSc is multi-factorial with many genetic risk loci for SSc generally and for specific clinical manifestations. Here we identify the genes consistently associated with the intrinsic subsets across three independent cohorts, show the relationship between these genes …

Human Animal Chimeras For Therapeutic Protocols, Bracha Sklar

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Research on humans is limited, therefore human animal chimeras have been used to study human systems. A Human animal chimera is an animal containing animal and human cell lines. The primary goal of human animal chimera research is to establish an animal with human cellular characters, which can and should more realistically be able to imitate as closely as possible the in vivo situations in humans. This research is very important, because it allows scientists to study human systems in vivo using a humanized animal model. However ethical issues arise when experimenting with humans and animals being mixed together. Using …

Police Killing Of Man With Huntington’S Disease Spotlights Need For Affected Families To Emphasize Proactive, Dignified Approach, Kenneth P. Serbin

At Risk for Huntington's Disease

No abstract provided.

The Mechanisms Of Weight Gain In Sleep-Deprived Individuals, Chaya Rosen

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

The obese population in America has grown during the last century. During these years as well, American’s have been sleeping less. Cross sectional studies show that there is a correlation of the two factors, and indeed find a greater number of overweight individuals amongst the sleep-deprived population. Though they are unclear, studies attempt to establish possible mechanisms through which weight gain occurs. Results of studies show that sleep deprivation may influence leptin and ghrelin levels, which can cause hunger, and excessive caloric intake. Sleep-deprived individuals also have an increased opportunity to eat during the wakeful nighttime hours. In the sleep-restricted …

The Relationship Between Cancer Incidence, Stage, And Poverty In The United States, Francis P. Boscoe, Kevin A. Henry, Recinda L. Sherman, Christopher J. Johnson

Epidemiology & Biostatistics Faculty Scholarship

We extend a prior analysis on the relation between poverty and cancer incidence in a sample of 2.90 million cancers diagnosed in 16 U.S. states plus Los Angeles over the 2005-2009 period by additionally considering stage at diagnosis. Recognizing that higher relative disparities are often found among less-common cancer sites, our analysis incorporated both relative and absolute measures of disparities. Fourteen of the 21 cancer sites analyzed were found to have significant variation by stage; in each instance, diagnosis at distant stage was more likely among residents of high-poverty areas. If the incidence rates found in the lowest-poverty areas for …

Evaluating The Effects Of An Interdisciplinary Practice Model With Pharmacist Collaboration On Hiv Patient Co-Morbidities, Rebecca Cope, Leonard Berkowitz, Rebecca Arcebido, Jun-Yen Yeh, Nathan Trustman, Agnes Cha

Touro College of Pharmacy (New York) Publications and Research

Treatment of HIV now occurs largely within the primary care setting, and the principal focus of most visits has become the management of chronic disease states. The clinical pharmacist’s potential role in improving chronic disease outcomes for HIV patients is unknown. A retrospective cohort study was performed for HIV-positive patients also diagnosed with diabetes, hypertension, or hyperlipidemia. Characteristics and outcomes in 96 patients treated by an interdisciplinary team which included a clinical pharmacist (i.e., the intervention group) were compared to those in 50 patients treated by an individual healthcare provider (i.e., the control group). Primary outcomes were changes from baseline …

Customized Order-Entry Sets Can Prevent Antiretroviral Prescribing Errors: A Novel Opportunity For Antimicrobial Stewardship, Yi Guo, Philip Chung, Caryn Weiss, Keith Veltri, Grace Y. Minamoto

Touro College of Pharmacy (New York) Publications and Research

Background: Patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection on antiretroviral (ARV) therapy are at increased risk for medication errors during transitions of care between the outpatient and inpatient settings. This can lead to treatment failure or toxicity. Previous studies have emphasized the prevalence of medication errors in such patients, but few have reported initiatives to prevent errors from occurring.

Methods: The study was conducted in a 1,400-bed health care center with a state-designated Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) Center in the Bronx, New York. The antimicrobial stewardship team and HIV specialists developed customized order-entry sets (COES) to guide ARV …

Majority Of Hiv/Hcv Patients Need To Switch Antiretroviral Therapy To Accommodate Direct Acting Antivirals, Rebecca Cope, Aaron Pickering, Thomas Glowa, Samantha Faulds, Peter Veldkamp, Ramakrishna Prasad

Touro College of Pharmacy (New York) Publications and Research

The impact of drug–drug interactions (DDIs) between interferon-free direct acting antiviral (DAA) regimens and antiretrovirals (ART) among HIV/HCV co-infected individuals in clinical practice settings is unknown. A singlecenter, retrospective chart review of co-infected patients was conducted from June 2014 to February 2015. Significant interactions between simeprevir (SMV), ledipasvir (LDV), and paritaprevir/ritonavir/ombitasvir plus dasabuvir (3D regimen) with ART were identified based on available literature. SMV had the largest number of DDIs and was further investigated to determine the feasibility of ART switch to allow for DAA use. Of 127 subjects, 23% had advanced liver disease; 86% of those with known HCV …

Treatment Outcomes For Infections Caused By “Spice” (S–Serratia, P–Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, I–Indole Positive Proteus, C–Citrobacter, E– Enterobacter) Organisms: Carbapenem Versus Non-Carbapenem Regimens, Stanley Moy, Roopali Sharma

Touro College of Pharmacy (New York) Publications and Research

Background. Techniques to identify AmpC β-lactamases in SPICE organisms are not yet optimized for the clinical laboratory and are not routinely done. Clinicians are often left with an uncertainty on the choice of antibiotic when a SPICE organism is isolated. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the outcomes of carbapenem versus non-carbapenem regimens in treating bacteremia or urinary tract infection (UTI) from a SPICE organism in a “real-world” setting.

Methods. This was a single-center, retrospective, case-cohort study consisting of adult patients who had clinical infection with a SPICE organism isolated from blood or urine cultures. Patients …

Reciprocal Interaction Of Wnt And Rxr-Alpha Pathways In Hepatocyte Development And Hepatocellular Carcinoma, J. Li, M. Chanrion, E. Sawey, T. Wang, E. Chow, A. Tward, Y. Su, W. Xue, R. Lucito, L. Zender, +3 Additional Authors

Journal Articles

Genomic analysis of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is potentially confounded by the differentiation state of the hepatic cell-of-origin. Here we integrated genomic analysis of mouse HCC (with defined cell-of-origin) along with normal development. We found a major shift in expression of Wnt and RXR-alpha pathway genes (up and down, respectively) coincident with the transition from hepatoblasts to hepatocytes. A combined Wnt and RXR-alpha gene signature categorized HCCs into two subtypes (high Wnt, low RXR-alpha and low Wnt, high RXR-alpha), which matched cell-of-origin in mouse models and the differentiation state of human HCC. Suppression of RXR-alpha levels in hepatocytes increased Wnt …

Cancer Stem Cells In The Screening Of Anticancer Drugs For Central Nervous System Tumors, Sarah Elizabeth Daron-Mathis

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

There is a growing need (in the medical field) to design personalized therapy for cancer patients. Decades of cancer research have found no silver bullet that can cure all or even most patients. This study evaluated four patients affected by central nervous system (CNS) tumors (Ependymoma and Glioblastoma), and found that tumors with the same histology had unique responses to treatment. Each sample presented different levels of heterogeneity in expressed biomarkers and responded to drugs at varying levels.

Oncologists conventionally treat cancer patients with drugs tested in large clinical trials. However, often patients do not experience positive outcomes following treatments …

Type I Diabetes In Children And Vitamin D, Ashley B. Litchfield, Rebecca M. Hayes, Franklin D. Shuler Md, Phd, Susan L. Flesher Md

MIIR Faculty Research

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with multiple childhood diseases including type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). T1DM in children is becoming more prevalent, with a 23% increase nationally from 2001 to 2009. Similarly, West Virginia has had an 8.1% increase in children with type 1Diabetes from 2008/2009 to 2010/2011. This article highlights the association between vitamin D and type 1 diabetes and discusses vitamin D’s potential role in the reduction and management of T1DM in children.

An Improved Method For Generating Axenic Entomopathogenic Nematodes., Shruti Yadav, Upasana Shokal, Steven Forst, Ioannis Eleftherianos

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Steinernema carpocapsae are parasitic nematodes that invade and kill insects. The nematodes are mutualistically associated with the bacteria Xenorhabdus nematophila and together form an excellent model to study pathogen infection processes and host anti-nematode/antibacterial immune responses. To determine the contribution of S. carpocapsae and their associated X. nematophila to the successful infection of insects as well as to investigate the interaction of each mutualistic partner with the insect immune system, it is important to develop and establish robust methods for generating nematodes devoid of their bacteria.

FINDINGS: To produce S. carpocapsae nematodes without their associated X. nematophila bacteria, we …

Treating The Cognitive And Social Dysfunctions Related To Type 2 Diabetes, Joseph Indelicato

The School of Health Sciences Publications and Research

While much has been written about the effects of diabetes on cardiovascular functioning, less attention has been paid upon the role of diabetes on cognitive functioning. While researchers are still debating the pathophysiology of the cognitive dysfunction triggered by diabetes, including the possibility that Alzheimer’s being Type III diabetes, among other possibilities. Less research has targeted addressing these problems among those with diabetes. Social problems associated with having cognitive dysfunctions in diabetics, have received very little attention. Social activities are perhaps the most difficult and complicated behaviors humans engage in, Even the concept of measurable Social Intelligence comes relatively new …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of A Heart Improvement Toolkit Program: A Pilot Project, Cheryl L. Mitchell

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Heart failure (HF) is a chronic, debilitating disease resulting in over one million hospitalizations with an estimated 30.7 million dollars in total health care cost per year (Go et al., 2014). Evidence shows that HF education programs that promote adherence to pharmacological and non-pharmacological provider recommendations are effective in reducing 30-day HF recidivism rates, increasing self-care behavior, and decreasing adverse clinical events. The purpose of this evidence-based project was to implement the Heart Improvement Toolkit (HIT) Program which is a one-on-one, comprehensive HF-specific education program, for patients with a HF diagnosis who have been admitted to non-cardiac specialty units. Program …

Medically Inoperable Peripheral Lung Cancer Treated With Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy, K. D. Kelley, D. L. Benninghoff, J. S. Stein, J. Z. Li, R. T. Byrnes, L. Potters, J. P. Knisely, H. D. Zinkin

Journal Articles

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is the most frequent cause of cancer-related death in North America. There is wide variation between patients who are medically inoperable and those managed surgically. The use of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) has narrowed the gap in survival rates between operative and non-operative management for those with early stage disease. This retrospective study reports outcomes for the treatment of peripheral non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) with SBRT from a single community practice. METHODS: Sixty-seven consecutive patients (pts) with inoperable, untreated peripheral lung tumors were treated from 2010 through 2012 and included in this study. Stereotactic targeting was …

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease And Alzheimer’S Disease: Does Overlap Of Mechanism Mean Overlap Of Treatment Methods?, David Rotblat

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States. More than 5.5 million People over the age of 65 are currently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease with predictions of 13.8 million to be diagnosed by the year 2050 (Sultana, et al., 2013) (Hebert, Weuve, Scherr, & Evans, 2013). With few treatments available, scientists are desperately looking for a solution to this growing epidemic. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is also a neurodegenerative disorder, but with a far less prevalence of only 4.6 persons per million per year. It was discovered that Alzheimer’s and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease …

Book Review: Stigma, Discrimination, And Living With Hiv/Aids: A Cross-Cultural Perspective, Joyce Addo-Atuah, William Lundmark

Touro University Libraries Publications and Research

The authors present a review of the book Stigma, Discrimination, and Living with HIV/AIDS: A Cross-Cultural Perspective.

The Carcinogenic Liver Fluke Opisthorchis Viverrini Is A Reservoir For Species Of Helicobacter., Raksawan Deenonpoe, Chariya Chomvarin, Chawalit Pairojkul, Yaowalux Chamgramol, Alex Loukas, Paul J. Brindley, Banchob Sripa

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications

There has been a strong, positive correlation between opisthorchiasis-associated cholangiocarcinoma and infection with Helicobacter. Here a rodent model of human infection with Opisthorchis viverrini was utilized to further investigate relationships of apparent co-infections with O. viverrini and H. pylori. A total of 150 hamsters were assigned to five groups: i) Control hamsters not infected with O. viverrini; ii) O. viverrini-infected hamsters; iii) non-O. viverrini infected hamsters treated with antibiotics (ABx); iv) O. viverrini-infected hamsters treated with ABx; and v) O. viverrini-infected hamsters treated both with ABx and praziquantel (PZQ). Stomach, gallbladder, liver, colonic tissue, colorectal feces and O. viverrini worms …

Comparison Of Findings Using Ultrasonography And Cystoscopy In Urogenital Schistosomiasis In A Public Health Centre In Rural Angola, Julio Santos, Jacinta Chaves, Heriberto Araujo, Nuno Vale, Jose Manuel Costa, Paul J. Brindley, Carlos Lopes, Jean Naples, Clive Shiff, Jorge Dupret, Lucio Lara Santos

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications

Background. Schistosomiasis is a chronic disease caused by infection with parasitic worms of the genus Schistosoma. In sub-Saharan Africa, infections with S. haematobium are most common. Cystoscopic examination (CE) has been accepted as the gold-standard test for detecting the late manifestations of schistosomiasis, including urothelial cancer of the bladder. However, this procedure is invasive and 10 - 40% of tumours may remain undetected. A non-invasive examination and a new generation of biomarkers are needed for better monitoring of the disease.

Objective. To assess the usefulness of ultrasound (US) scans for monitoring of structural urinary tract disease by local public health …