Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Synergistic Effects Of Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields Combined With Low Concentration Of Gemcitabine On Human Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma In Vitro, Jing Wang, Jinsong Guo, Shan Wu, Hongqing Feng, Shujun Sun, Jie Pan, Jue Zhang, Stephen J. Beebe

Bioelectrics Publications

Treatment of cancer often involves uses of multiple therapeutic strategies with different mechanisms of action. In this study we investigated combinations of nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEF) with low concentrations of gemcitabine on human oral cancer cells. Cells (Cal-27) were treated with pulse parameters (20 pulses, 100 ns in duration, intensities of 10, 30 and 60 kV/cm) and then cultured in medium with 0.01 mu g/ml gemcitabine. Proliferation, apoptosis/necrosis, invasion and morphology of those cells were examined using MTT, flow cytometry, clonogenics, transwell migration and TEM assay. Results show that combination treatments of gemcitabine and nsPEFs exhibited significant synergistic activities …

Multilevel Analysis Of Physical Activity Among Us Adults Across Us Census Regions: The Role Of Environmental Contexts, Sariyamon Tiraphat

Health Services Research Dissertations

This study uses nationally representative data to explain the variation in physical activity among U.S. adults across four geographic regions of Northeast, Midwest, South, and West. The purpose of the study is to investigate whether environmental conditions inclusive of natural amenity, built environment, urbanization, crime, and social economic neighborhood are associated with physical activity and whether these associations are modified by geographic region. The study also investigates whether the influences of environmental contexts vary by subgroup and whether they are modified by geographic region. Determining regional factors that influence physical activity is essential to planning appropriate physical activity interventions.

The …

Identification Of Persistent Long Range Interactions In GA95 And GB95 Through Thermal Unfolding Simulations, Milen Redai Tesfamariam

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

For over five decades, different experiments have been performed to research how proteins attain their native three dimensional structures. However, the folding problem continues to be a puzzle in modern science. The design of two proteins that have maximal sequence identity but different folds and functions is one method that is being used to study the relationship between protein structure and amino acid sequence. In particular, mutant proteins of Streptococcus protein G, G_A and G_B, have 95% sequence identity and a 3a helix fold and β4/a fold, respectively. Molecular dynamics simulations of G_A95 …

Alternative Therapy And Treatment Of Type 2 Diabetes, Carmine R. Grieco

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

The rise in prevalence and incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) in the developing world continues unabated. Current treatment strategies, however, fall short of achieving optimal glycemic control. The aim of project I was to investigate the effect of an acute bout of a yogic breathing exercise on heart rate variability (HRV) in individuals with T2D. Project II was designed to assess the effectiveness of the neurohormone melatonin in lowering short- and long-term glucose levels, lipids and oxidative stress in T2D. Project III investigated the differential effects of two different styles of aerobic exercise on postprandial glycemia, mood and …

The Influence Of Interlimb Differences On Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury Risk Factors In Female Collegiate Soccer Athletes, Eric Kevin Greska

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Female collegiate soccer athletes suffer anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries at a rate of 0.31 per 1000 athlete-exposures, with 67% of injuries expected to be from a non-contact mechanism. As well, previous studies have demonstrated dissimilarity in non-contact ACL injuries relative to dominant and non-dominant legs; with the non-dominant leg being the involved side in 48-67% of reported incidents. The aim of this study was to examine lower extremity neuromechanics relative to leg dominance during an unanticipated sidestep cutting task, with differing states of fatigue and training.

Twenty female collegiate soccer players performed three valid trials for both the dominant …

Anthropogenic Climate Change And Allergic Diseases, James Blando, Leonard Bielory, Viann Nguyen, Rafael Diaz, Hueiwang Anna Jeng

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Climate change is expected to have an impact on various aspects of health, including mucosal areas involved in allergic inflammatory disorders that include asthma, allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis and anaphylaxis. The evidence that links climate change to the exacerbation and the development of allergic disease is increasing and appears to be linked to changes in pollen seasons (duration, onset and intensity) and changes in allergen content of plants and their pollen as it relates to increased sensitization, allergenicity and exacerbations of allergic airway disease. This has significant implications for air quality and for the global food supply.

In Vitro Antimicrobial Effect Of A Cold Plasma Jet Against Enterococcus Faecalis Biofilms, Chunqi Jiang, Christoph Schaudinn, David E. Jaramillo, Paul Webster, J. William Costerton

Bioelectrics Publications

The hypothesis that a cold plasma jet has the antimicrobial effect against Enterococcus faecalis biofilms was tested in vitro. 27 hydroxyapatite discs were incubated with E. faecalis for six days to form a monoculture biofilm on the disc surface. The prepared substrata were divided into three groups: the negative control, the positive control (5.25% NaOCl solution), and the plasma treatment group. Resultant colony-forming unit counts were associated with observations of bacterial cell morphology changes using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Treatment of E. faecalis biofilm with the plasma and 5.25% NaOCl for 5min resulted in 93.1% and 90.0% kill (P < 0.0001), respectively. SEM detected that nearly no intact bacteria were discernible for the plasmaexposed HA disc surfaces. The demonstrated bactericidal effect of the plasma with direct surface contact may be due to the enhanced oxidation by the locally produced reactive plasma species.

Advancing Our Understanding Of The Inheritance And Transmission Of Pectus Excavatum, Lisa Horth, Michael W. Stacey, Virginia K. Proud, Kara Segna, Chelsea Rutherford, Donald Nuss, Robert E. Kelly

Bioelectrics Publications

Pectus excavatum is the most common congenital chest wall abnormality expressed in children, yet its inheritance is poorly understood. Here we present the first comprehensive assessment of the inheritance of this disorder. After evaluating 48 pedigrees and 56 clinical traits of probands and family members, we find strong evidence of autosomal recessive, genetic control for this disorder. Additionally there is likely more than one pectus disease-associated allele, as well as a relatively large number of disease allele carriers in the human population. Some clinical traits appear important and may serve as reliable indicators for predicting the likelihood of pectus excavatum …

Probing Nanoparticle Interactions In Cell Culture Media, Ahmet C. Sabuncu, Janna Grubbs, Shizhi Qian, Tarek M. Abdel-Fattah, Michael W. Stacey, Ali Beskok

Bioelectrics Publications

Nanoparticle research is often performed in vitro with little emphasis on the potential role of cell culture medium. In this study, gold nanoparticle interactions with cell culture medium and two cancer cell lines (human T-cell leukemia Jurkat and human pancreatic carcinoma PANC1) were investigated. Gold nanoparticles of 10, 25, 50, and 100 nm in diameter at fixed mass concentration were tested. Size distributions and zeta potentials of gold nanoparticles suspended in deionized (DI) water and Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Media (DMEM) supplemented with fetal calf serum (FCS) were measured using dynamic light scattering (DLS) technique. In DI water, particle size distributions …

Microfluidic Impedance Spectroscopy As A Tool For Quantitative Biology And Biotechnology, Ahmet C. Sabuncu, Jie Zhuang, Juergen F. Kolb, Ali Beskok

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

A microfluidic device that is able to perform dielectric spectroscopy is developed. The device consists of a measurement chamber that is 250 μm thick and 750 μm radius. Around 1000 cells fit inside the chamber assuming average quantities for cell radius and volume fraction. This number is about 1000 folds lower than the capacity of conventional fixtures. A T-cell leukemia cell line Jurkat is tested using the microfluidic device. Measurements of deionized water and salt solutions are utilized to determine parasitic effects and geometric capacitance of the device. Physical models, including Maxwell-Wagner mixture and double shell models, are used to …

Novel Report Of Expression And Function Of Cd97 In Malignant Gliomas: Correlation With Wilms Tumor 1 Expression And Glioma Cell Invasiveness Laboratory Investigation, Archana Chidambaram, Helen L. Fillmore, Timothy E. Van Meter, Catherine I. Dumur, William C. Broaddus

Office of Research Faculty & Staff Publications

Object. The Wilms tumor 1 (WT1) protein—a developmentally regulated transcription factor—is aberrantly expressed in gliomas and promotes their malignant phenotype. However, little is known about the molecular allies that help it mediate its oncogenic functions in glioma cells.

Methods. The authors used short interfering RNA (siRNA) to suppress WT1 expression in glioblastoma (GBM) cells and evaluated the effect of this on GBM cell invasiveness. Gene expression analysis was then used to identify the candidate genes that were altered as a result of WT1 silencing. One candidate target, CD97, was then selected for further investigation into its role by suppressing …

Plantar Vibrotactile Detection Deficits In Adults With Chronic Ankle Instability, Matthew C. Hoch, Patrick O. Mckeon, Richard D. Andreatta

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Faculty Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the vibrotactile detection thresholds of the plantar cutaneous afferents in subjects with chronic ankle instability compared with healthy control subjects. Methods: Eight adults with chronic ankle instability and eight adults with no ankle sprain history participated. Vibrotactile detection thresholds were assessed using a mechanical stimulus generator system, mounted onto an articulated microscope arm, which delivered sinusoidal vibrotactile inputs to the foot sole at three different sites: head of the first metatarsal, base of the fifth metatarsal, and the heel. Vibrotactile stimulation was delivered at a range of test frequencies that corresponded …

Physical Activity: The Forgotten Tool For Type 2 Diabetes Management, Sheri R. Colberg

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Faculty Publications

Individuals who are currently sedentary, unfit, or overweight can benefit metabolically from simply taking breaks from sitting. Since avoidance of sedentary behavior appears to have a large impact on glycemic management, all individuals with type 2 diabetes should be encouraged to minimally engage in greater daily movement to better manage their diabetes and body weight. In addition, engaging in physical activity of any intensity (including low-intensity ones) likely positively impacts insulin action and blood glucose control acutely. Moreover, as long as total caloric expenditure during exercise is matched (i.e., total exercise dose), daily exercise may be done every other day …

A Preliminary Study On The Potential Of Manuka Honey And Platelet-Rich Plasma In Wound Healing, Scott A. Sell, Patricia S. Wolfe, Andrew J. Spence, Isaac A. Rodriguez, Jennifer M. Mccoll, Rebecca L. Petrella, Koyal Garg, Jeffery J. Ericksen, Gary L. Bowlin

Nursing Faculty Publications

Aim. The purpose of this study was to determine the in vitro response of cells critical to the wound healing process in culture media supplemented with a lyophilized preparation rich in growth factors (PRGF) and Manuka honey. Materials and Methods. This study utilized cell culture media supplemented with PRGF, as well as whole Manuka honey and the medical-grade Medihoney (MH), a Manuka honey product. The response of human fibroblasts (hDF), macrophages, and endothelial cells (hPMEC) was evaluated, with respect to cell proliferation, chemotaxis, collagen matrix production, and angiogenic potential, when subjected to culture with media containing PRGF, MH, Manuka honey, …

Protein Structure Networks, Lesley H. Greene

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

The application of the field of network science to the scientific disciplines of structural biology and biochemistry, have yielded important new insights into the nature and determinants of protein structures, function, dynamics and the folding process. Advancements in further understanding protein relationships through network science have also reshaped the way we view the connectivity of proteins in the protein universe. The canonical hierarchical classification can now be visualized for example, as a protein fold continuum. This review will survey several key advances in the expanding area of research being conducted to study protein structures and folding using network approaches.

Cyanobacteria Dominance In The Oligohaline Waters Of Back Bay, Virginia, Harold G. Marshall

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Back Bay and its flora have historically been influenced by the interaction of freshwater flow in combination with frequent intrusion of saline water into its basin. These events have resulted in a dynamic environmental setting influencing the abundance and composition of its phytoplankton community. Dominating these oligohaline waters is a diverse representation and high abundance of freshwater filamentous and colonial cyanobacteria. These include the nonheterocystous Planktolyngbya contorta, Planktolyngbya limnetica, and Pseudanabaena limnetica, taxa implicated as bloom producers in Bay waters with N:P molar ratios ranging from 23:1 to 74:1.

Signals From Intraventricular Depth Electrodes Can Control A Brain-Computer Interface, Jerry J. Shih, Dean J. Krusienski

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

A Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) is a device that enables severely disabled people to communicate and interact with their environments using their brain waves. Most research investigating BCI in humans have used scalp-recorded electroencephalography (EEG). We have recently demonstrated that signals from intracranial electrocorticography (ECoG) and stereotactic depth electrodes (SDE) in the hippocampus can be used to control a BCI P300 Speller paradigm. We report a case in which stereotactic depth electrodes positioned in the ventricle were able to obtain viable signals for a BCI. Our results demonstrate that event-related potentials from intraventricular electrodes can be used to reliably control the …

Decorin Expression, Straw-Like Structure, And Differentiation Of Human Costal Cartilage, Michael W. Stacey, Janna Grubb, Anthony Asmar, Julie Pryor, Hani Elsayed-Ali, Ali Beskok, Diganta Dutta, Annie Fecteau, Alice Werner, Dennis A. Darby, Robert Kelly

Bioelectrics Publications

Costal cartilage is much understudied compared with the load-bearing cartilages. Abnormally grown costal cartilages are associated with the inherited chest wall deformities pectus excavatum and pectus carinatum resulting in sunken and pigeon chests, respectively. A lack of understanding of the ultrastructural and molecular biology of costal cartilage is a major confounder in predicting causes and outcomes of these disorders. This study analyzed the structure of marginal human costal cartilage (ribs 6-10) through scanning electron and atomic force microscopes and identified the presence of straw-like structures running longitudinally. We also demonstrated that chondrocytes tend to occur singly or as doublets and …

Aging, Neuromuscular Decline, And The Change In Physiological And Behavioral Complexity Of Upper-Limb Movement Dynamics, S. Morrison, K. M. Newell

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Aging is characterized by a general decline in physiological and behavioral function that has been widely interpreted within the context of the loss of complexity hypothesis. In this paper, we examine the relation between aging, neuromuscular function and physiological-behavioral complexity in the arm-hand effector system, specifically with reference to physiological tremor and isometric force production. Experimental findings reveal that the adaptive behavioral consequences of the aging-related functional decline in neurophysiological processes are less pronounced in simple motor tasks which provides support for the proposition that the motor output is influenced by both extrinsic (e.g., task related) and intrinsic (e.g., coordination, …

Brain-Computer Interfaces In Medicine, Jerry J. Shih, Dean J. Krusienski, Johnathan R. Wolpaw

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) acquire brain signals, analyze them, and translate them into commands that are relayed to output devices that carry out desired actions. BCIs do not use normal neuromuscular output pathways. The main goal of BCI is to replace or restore useful function to people disabled by neuromuscular disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, cerebral palsy, stroke, or spinal cord injury. From initial demonstrations of electroenceph-alography-based spelling and single-neuron-based device control, researchers have gone on to use electroenceph-alographic, intracortical, electrocorticographic, and other brain signals for increasingly complex control of cursors, robotic arms, prostheses, wheelchairs, and other devices. Brain-computer interfaces …

An Epidemiological Model Of Rift Valley Fever With Spatial Dynamics, Tianchan Niu, Holly D. Gaff, Yiannis E. Papelis, David M. Hartley

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

As a category A agent in the Center for Disease Control bioterrorism list, Rift Valley fever (RVF) is considered a major threat to the United States (USA). Should the pathogen be intentionally or unintentionally introduced to the continental USA, there is tremendous potential for economic damages due to loss of livestock, trade restrictions, and subsequent food supply chain disruptions. We have incorporated the effects of space into a mathematical model of RVF in order to study the dynamics of the pathogen spread as affected by the movement of humans, livestock, and mosquitoes. The model accounts for the horizontal transmission of …