Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Development Of In Vitro Denture Biofilm Models For Halitosis Related Bacteria And Their Application In Testing The Efficacy Of Antimicrobial Agents, Tingxi Wu, Xuesong He, David J. Bradshaw, Alyson Axe, Zvi G. Loewy, Honghu Liu, Renate Lux

Touro College of Pharmacy (New York) Publications and Research

Objective: Since dentures can serve as a reservoir for halitosis-causing oral bacteria, halitosis development is a concern for denture wearers. In this study, we surveyed the prevalence of four selected halitosis-related species (Fusobacterium nucleatum, Tannerella forsythia, Veillonella atypica and Klebsiella pneumoniae) in clinical denture plaque samples, and developed denture biofilm models for these species in vitro to facilitate assessment of antimicrobial treatment efficacy. Design: Denture plaque from ten healthy and ten denture stomatitis patients was screened for the presence of aforementioned four species by PCR. Biofilm formation by these halitosis-associated species on the surfaces of denture …

Survey Of Certified Asthma Educator (Ae-C) Pharmacists – Who Are They And How Is This Credential Being Used?, Timothy R. Hudd, Susan G. Bollmeier, Enrique Seoane-Vazquez

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Objective: A survey was developed and distributed to pharmacists who have earned the certified asthma educator credential (AE-C) to assess asthma education services provided and their perceived value of the AE-C.

Design: A 28 item survey was developed, pretested and distributed electronically.

Participants: 224 AE-C certified pharmacists practicing within the United States were invited to participate.

Main Outcome Measures: Information pertaining to the level of education, professional affiliations, and practice setting was collected along with other demographic attributes.We also inquired about the types of asthma education services provided, related clinical activities, and whether AE-C pharmacists or …

Six Cool L.A. Ladies ‘Bare The Truth’ About Huntington's Disease, Highlighting An Exceptionally Creative Year For Advocacy, Kenneth P. Serbin

At Risk for Huntington's Disease

No abstract provided.

Web Tool For Estimating The Cancer Hazard Rates In Aging., Tengiz Mdzinarishvili, Alexander Sherman, Oleg Shats, Simon Sherman

Journal Articles: Eppley Institute

A computational approach for estimating the overall, population, and individual cancer hazard rates was developed. The population rates characterize a risk of getting cancer of a specific site/type, occurring within an age-specific group of individuals from a specified population during a distinct time period. The individual rates characterize an analogous risk but only for the individuals susceptible to cancer. The approach uses a novel regularization and anchoring technique to solve an identifiability problem that occurs while determining the age, period, and cohort (APC) effects. These effects are used to estimate the overall rate, and to estimate the population and individual …

Overcoming Barriers To Screening For Anal Intraepithelial Neoplasia For Persons Living With Hiv, Brandon Hastings

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Screening has proven an effective strategy in the management of diseases that plague the population. This technique has proven to be most effective when screening is conducted with those who are most at risk for developing the targeted illness and when the frequency of screening follows set guidelines. Currently there are no nationally recognized screening guidelines for anal intraepithelial neoplasia (AIN). Screening for AIN stands to reduce overall incidence of anal squamous cell carcinoma through destruction of the dysplastic cells before they become cancerous. The goals of this project were to identify the patient population that stands to benefit the …

Combating Hiv/Aids In Marginalized Communities: Papua And West Papua Provinces, Indonesia, Bani Cheema

Master's Theses

My study focuses on foreign aid and local initiatives for HIV/AIDS prevention in eastern Indonesia using the provinces of Papua and West Papua as a case study. The two provinces are home to indigenous tribal groups that are socioeconomically marginalized and most affected by the epidemic. My research investigates behavior change communication as a principal strategy undertaken by multiple organizations for HIV/AIDS prevention in this region. I take a qualitative approach by examining the effectiveness of this strategy in local communities and by revealing social and cultural barriers that impede success. Obstacles that negatively impact prevention efforts include structural violence, …

P53 And Cancer-Associated Sialylated Glygans Are Surrogate Markers Of Cancerization Of The Bladder Associated With Schistosoma Haematobium Infection, Julio Santos, Elisabete Fernandes, Jose Alexandre Ferreira, Luis Lima, Ana Tavares, Andreia Peixoto, Beatriz Parreira, Jose Manuel Correia Da Costa, Paul J. Brindley, Carlos Lopes, Lucio L. Santos

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications

Background

Bladder cancer is a significant health problem in rural areas of Africa and the Middle East where Schistosoma haematobium is prevalent, supporting an association between malignant transformation and infection by this blood fluke. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms linking these events are poorly understood. Bladder cancers in infected populations are generally diagnosed at a late stage since there is a lack of non-invasive diagnostic tools, hence enforcing the need for early carcinogenesis markers.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Forty-three formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded bladder biopsies of S. haematobium-infected patients, consisting of bladder tumours, tumour adjacent mucosa and pre-malignant/malignant urothelial lesions, were screened for bladder …

The Effect Of Chronic Sleep Deprivation On Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha And Bone Health In Peri-Menopausal Rats, Megan Robertson, Derek Booth, Erin Wainwright, Cody Arbuckle, Frank Frisch

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Post-menopausal osteoporosis is a common syndrome in the United States. The cessation of estrogen signaling coupled with the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines from sleep deprivation leads to an even greater risk of post-menopausal osteoporosis by creating an imbalance between osteoblasts and osteoclasts. With estrogen no longer present to regulate the concentration of osteoclasts and pro-inflammatory cytokines increasing production of osteoclasts, bone is degraded at a faster rate than it is formed. One of the most common treatments for osteoporosis is Zolendronate (a nitrogenous bisphosphonate), which decreases the number of osteoclasts in bone. This preliminary study looked at the effects on …

Sharon’S Inspirational Journey With Crossfit In The Fight Against Huntington's Disease, Kenneth P. Serbin

At Risk for Huntington's Disease

No abstract provided.

Cloned Microglias With Novel Delivery System In Multiple Sclerosis, Abdul Mannan Baig Dr.

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory neurological disease of the Central Nervous System (CNS), characterized by demyelination and activation of microglia. Mitochondrial mutations and dysfunctions in microglial cells are thought to contribute to the detrimental effects of neuroinflammation seen in MS. The Somatic Nuclear Transfer (SCNT) technology offers a more practical mode of therapy in MS, this method would attempt to dilute and/or progressively replace the mutated and activated microglia with cloned Olfactory Ensheathing Cells (OEC) with remyelinating and scavenging properties which would attempt to limit the progression of MS. Applying SCNTderived Embryonic Stem (ES) cells based therapy by …

Discovering A Gold Mine Of U.S. Government Information: Exploring The Hathitrust Catalog And Its Rich Veins, Bert Chapman

Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

The Hathitrust Catalog provides researchers at member institutions with exponentially expanded access to historical U.S. Government information resources. This presentation describes how researchers can use this resource to conduct substantive research using government information resources on public policy issues such as Internal Revenue Service program problems, infectious diseases such as Ebola, and U.S. foreign relations with the former Soviet Union/Russian Federation.

Population Genetics Of Two Key Mosquito Vectors Of Rift Valley Fever Virus Reveals New Insights Into The Changing Disease Outbreak Patterns In Kenya, David P. Tchouassi, Armanda D.S. Bastos, Catherine L. Sole, Mawlouth Diallo, Joel Lutomiah, James Mutisya, Francis Mulwa, Christian Borgemeister, Rosemary Sang, Baldwyn Torto

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Rift Valley fever (RVF) outbreaks in Kenya have increased in frequency and range to include northeastern Kenya where viruses are increasingly being isolated from known (Aedes mcintoshi) and newly-associated (Ae. ochraceus) vectors. The factors contributing to these changing outbreak patterns are unclear and the population genetic structure of key vectors and/or specific virus-vector associations, in particular, are under-studied. By conducting mitochondrial and nuclear DNA analyses on >220 Kenyan specimens of Ae. mcintoshi and Ae. ochraceus, we uncovered high levels of vector complexity which may partly explain the disease outbreak pattern. Results indicate that Ae. mcintoshi consists of a species complex …

Evaluating The Effectivesness Of Information Sources Regarding Hiv Among Gold Miners In Quảng Nam, Noah Landesberg

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Young migrant males in strenuous manual labor environments represent a high-­‐risk population for the transmission of HIV/AIDS. In Vietnam, gold miners are representative of this high-­‐risk population. Phước Sơn district, Quảng Nam province is home to much of Vietnam’s mining activity and has a comparatively high rate of HIV. Previous studies have been done on HIV/AIDS prevalence in Quảng Nam as well as related knowledge and practices. This analysis of a 2014 questionnaire examines the effects of varying information sources on HIV/AIDS knowledge. The sample of workers was mostly male and between 25 and 49 years old. Migrants made up …

E2f4 Regulatory Program Predicts Patient Survival Prognosis In Breast Cancer, Sari S. Khaleel, Erik H. Andrews, Matthew Ung, James Direnzo, Chao Chung

Dartmouth Scholarship

Genetic and molecular signatures have been incorporated into cancer prognosis prediction and treatment decisions with good success over the past decade. Clinically, these signatures are usually used in early-stage cancers to evaluate whether they require adjuvant therapy following surgical resection. A molecular signature that is prognostic across more clinical contexts would be a useful addition to current signatures. We defined a signature for the ubiquitous tissue factor, E2F4, based on its shared target genes in multiple tissues. These target genes were identified by chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) experiments using a probabilistic method. We then computationally calculated the regulatory activity score …

Syndecan 4 Is Required For Endothelial Alignment In Flow And Atheroprotective Signaling, Nicolas Baeyens, Mary Jo Mulligan-Kehoe, Federico Corti, David D. Simon, Tyler D. Ross, John M. Rhodes, Thomas Z. Wang

Dartmouth Scholarship

Atherosclerotic plaque localization correlates with regions of disturbed flow in which endothelial cells (ECs) align poorly, whereas sustained laminar flow correlates with cell alignment in the direction of flow and resistance to atherosclerosis. We now report that in hypercholesterolemic mice, deletion of syndecan 4 (S4−/−) drastically increased atherosclerotic plaque burden with the appearance of plaque in normally resistant locations. Strikingly, ECs from the thoracic aortas of S4−/− mice were poorly aligned in the direction of the flow. Depletion of S4 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) using shRNA also inhibited flow-induced alignment in vitro, which was rescued by re-expression …

Evaluating Current Management Of Drug-Resistanttuberculosis In Mumbai, India, Meryl Kus

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research was aimed at analyzing the current state of drug resistant tuberculosis in Mumbai and how effectively different actors in the realm of public health are managing DR-TB. The methods for this project involved a variety of semi-structured interviews as well as field observation. Key findings show a very present and largely negative private sector influence, effective NGO models for disease control, a burden of DR-TB/HIV comorbidity, and a rapid increase to transmission-based spread of DR-TB. Key implications of conclusions include the necessity of increasing the private sector’s compliance with WHO standards, adaptation of community and education based NGO …

H.E.A.P.S. In Advances Towards A Healthier Samoa The Health Education And Promotions Section’S Role In Combating Non-Communicable Diseases, Kara Le

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

With an increase in the number of health issues within Samoa, specifically in relation to non-communicable diseases (NCDs), it is important to examine the efforts being made by government health officials to improve Samoa’s overall health status. This study explores the role of the Health Education and Promotion Section (H.E.A.P.S.) of the Ministry of Health in establishing and promoting healthier standards within the Samoan community. The current efforts of H.E.A.P.S. in combating NCDs through recently introduced projects and programs were explored in-depth. Further analysis of the design and effectiveness of these programs in changing the unhealthy habits of Samoan people …

Increasing Hpv Vaccination Rates Using Social Marketing Strategies, Sharon Wilson Catledge

Doctoral Projects

The human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually-transmitted infection (STI). Approximately 20 million Americans between the ages of 15 and 49 years currently have HPV with > 6.2 million new HPV infections estimated to occur each year. Yet, HPV vaccination rates remain relatively low. More than 40 strains of HPV are transmitted through genital contact during vaginal, anal, or oral sex and can infect males and females. In addition to causing genital warts, HPV is associated with cervical, vulvar, vaginal, anus, penile, and oropharyngeal cancers. In women, the most prominent type of cancer is cervical with > 12,000 diagnoses each year …

Development Of Models For The Study Of The Molecular Mechanisms Of Host Restriction And Adaptation Of Hantaviruses., Ryan Carroll Mcallister 1988-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hantaviruses, family Bunyaviridae, are present throughout the globe in a variety of mouse, rat, mole, vole, shrew, or bat species. Hantaviruses persist for the lifetime of the animal reservoir, while causing no signs or symptoms of disease. Only the rodent-borne hantaviruses cause disease in humans. In contrast, a “spillover” infection of a hantavirus into a nonreservoir rodent species results in an asymptomatic acute infection. We and others in the field are interested in understanding the biology of these virus-host interactions and mechanisms that underlie these three very different outcomes. The second chapter of my thesis focused on probing the intrahost …

Regulation Of C-Reactive Protein Gene Expression And Function, Avinash N. Thirumalai

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Human C-reactive protein (CRP) is the prototypic acute phase protein whose serum concentration increases rapidly during inflammation. CRP is also associated with atherosclerosis; it is deposited at lesion sites where it may interact with modified lipoproteins. There are 2 major questions regarding CRP: 1. How is the serum concentration of CRP regulated? 2. What are the functions of CRP in atherosclerosis?

Our first aim was to determine the role of the constitutively expressed transcription factor Oct-1 in regulating CRP gene expression. We found that Oct-1 overexpression inhibited (IL-6+IL-1β)- induced CRP gene expression; maximal inhibition required the binding of Oct-1 to …

Pathogenic Role Of Acrolein In Alcoholic Liver Disease., Wei-Yang (Jeremy) Chen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Alcohol is the most socially accepted addictive drug, and it can cause alcoholic liver disease (ALD), which is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States and worldwide. Animal and human studies demonstrate that chronic alcohol consumption causes a pro-oxidant environment in the liver and increases hepatic lipid peroxidation and the accumulation of by-products such as acrolein and 4-hydroxynonenal. Acrolein is the most reactive and toxic aldehyde generated through lipid peroxidation. Also, acrolein is a major component of cigarette smoke, and there is increasing evidence that smoking negatively impacts the incidence, severity, and clinical course of chronic …

Comparison Of Self-Reported Alcohol Consumption To Phosphatidylethanol Measurement Among Hiv-Infected Patients Initiating Antiretroviral Treatment In Southwestern Uganda, Francis Bajunirwe, Jessica E. Haberer, Yap Boum Ii, Peter Hunt, Rain Mocello, Jeffrey Martin, David Bangsberg, Judith A. Hahn

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Alcohol consumption among HIV-infected patients may accelerate HIV disease progression or reduce antiretroviral therapy adherence. Self-reported alcohol use is frequently under-reported due to social desirability and recall bias. The aim of this study was to compare self-reported alcohol consumption to phosphatidylethanol (PEth), a biomarker of alcohol consumption, and to estimate the correlation between multiple measures of self-reported alcohol consumption with PEth.

Methods: The Uganda AIDS Rural Treatment Outcomes (UARTO) cohort is located in southwestern Uganda and follows patients on ART to measure treatment outcomes. Patients complete standardized questionnaires quarterly including questions on demographics, health status and alcohol consumption. Baseline …

Autoimmune Susceptibility Imposed By Public Tcrβ Chains, Yunqian Zhao

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is the strongest genetic risk factor for autoimmunity. It acts together with a corresponding TCR repertoire, yet, considering the extent of the repertoire's diversity, how this imposes disease susceptibility on a population is not well understood. We address the hypothesis that shared or public TCR, those present in most individuals, modulate autoimmune risk. High resolution analyses of autoimmune encephalomyelitis-associated T-cell receptor β chain (TCRβ) showed preferential utilization of public TCR sequences, implicating them in pathogenesis. Disease-associated public TCRβ, when transgenically expressed in association with endogenously rearranged T-cell receptor α chain (TCRα), could further endow unprimed …

Group Iv Cytosolic Phospholipase A2Α Is Critical For The Development Of Angiotensin Ii-Induced Hypertension And Associated Pathogenesis, Nayaab Shehbaz Khan

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Angiotensin II (Ang II) activates cytosolic phospholipase A2α and releases arachidonic acid (AA) from tissue phospholipids. AA metabolites mediate or modulate one or more renocardiovascular effects of this peptide and have been implicated in hypertension. Since AA release is the rate limiting step in eicosanoid production, it is possible that cPLA2α might play a central role in the development of Ang II-induced hypertension. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the effect of Ang II infusion for 13 days by micro-osmotic pumps (700 ng/kg/min), on systolic blood pressure and associated pathophysiological changes in wild type (cPLA2α+/+) and cPLA2α-/- mice. Ang II …

Is Postpartum Depression A Disease Of Modern Civilization?, Jennifer Hahn-Holbrook, Martie Haselton

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Access to calorie-dense foods, medicine, and other comforts has made modern humans healthier than our prehistoric ancestors in many respects. However, the epidemics of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease suggest that there are also drawbacks to modern living. Here, we address the question of whether the dramatic cultural changes that have occurred over the past century have inflated rates of postpartum depression, adding postpartum depression to the list of diseases of modern civilization. We review evidence from cross-cultural, epidemiological, and experimental studies documenting associations between postpartum depression and modern patterns of early weaning, diets deficient in essential fatty acids, low …

Rare Presentation Of Pancreatitis Secondary To Intussusception Of Duodenal Duplication Cyst, A Pediatric Case Report, Valentina Shakhnovich, Jennifer Colombo, Amita A. Desai, Shawn D. St Peter

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

No abstract provided.

Sustained Adrenergic Signaling Promotes Cervical Cancer Progression, Nouara C. Sadaoui

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Background: Chronic stress and sustained adrenergic signaling are known to promote tumor progression. The underlying mechanisms behind this process are not well understood. We examined the effects of sustained adrenergic signaling on cervical cancer progression through increased expression of HPV oncogenes, E6 and E7.

Materials and Methods: ADRβ expression levels were examined in patient-derived cervical cancer samples. We used an orthotopic model of cervical cancer to investigate the effects of restraint stress on tumor growth and metastasis. We evaluated the in vivo effects of a β-blocker, propranolol, and HPV E6/E7 siRNA. In vitro, ADRβ positive cervical cancer cells were …

Identification And The Significance Of Selective Proteins In Bile And Plasma Of Normal And Health-Compromised Chickens, Balamurugan Packialakshmi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

During the last 50 years, animal breeding programs in commercial poultry have made significant progress in the bodyweight gain of broilers but led to several metabolic and skeletal disorders. Lameness associated with proximal femur known as femoral head separation (FHS) or femoral head necrosis (FHN) is one of the major metabolic disorders in poultry industry. In order to select for healthy chickens, markers that can distinguish between healthy and affected birds are required. Biomarkers from blood represent an ideal and rich source of markers which can be obtained using minimally invasive methods. The biomarkers were explored in an experimental model …

Gut Bacteria And Their Influence On Metabolic Disorders, Stephanie Sorbara (Class Of 2015)

Biology Undergraduate Publications

The human gut microbial genome encodes for several metabolic processes that are not encoded for in the human genome. Through the study of metagenomics, mice, and human models, researchers have shown that changes in the gut bacterial composition can generate oxidative stress, release endotoxins, and induce lipogenesis. These pathways can disrupt normal metabolic function, resulting in obesity and other related metabolic disorders such as diabetes. Most of the health implications associated with obesity originate from the biological reactions carried out by the gut bacteria, which are strongly impacted by environmental factors. Probiotics, prebiotics and fecal transplantation are methods that can …

Building Capacity For Dementia Care In Latin America And The Caribbean, Francisco J. Gonzalez, Ciro Gaona, Marialcira Quintero, Carlos A. Chavez, Joyce Selga, Gladys E. Maestre

School of Medicine Publications

Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) have limited facilities and professionals trained to diagnose, treat, and support people with dementia and other forms of cognitive impairment. The situation for people with dementia is poor, and worsening as the proportion of elderly in the general population is rapidly expanding. We reviewed existing initiatives and provided examples of actions taken to build capacity and improve the effectiveness of individuals, organizations, and national systems that provide treatment and support for people with dementia and their caregivers. Regional barriers to capacity building and the importance of public engagement are highlighted. Existing programs need to …