Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Should Benzodiazepines Be Prescribed To Treat Insomnia And Anxiety Related Disorders?, Judith Nicole Margareten

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

The following is an excerpt of the introduction of this article: Benzodiazepines are commonly prescribed drugs used to treat insomnia and anxiety. They are often found in forms such as Xanax (alprazolam) and Valium (diazepam). For many, these drugs have proven essential for ensuring a restful night’s sleep, but for others they are the cause of sleepless ones. Negative effects of benzodiazepines such as addiction, dependence, and impaired cognition plague many patients. While doctors are prone to prescribe these medications readily due to their high level of effectiveness, this practice can pose a great risk to certain populations.

A Proposed Mechanism For Drug-Induced Nightmares, Isaac Brezner

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

The following is the introduction of this article: The fields of neuropharmacology and psychopharmacology are known to be highly connected, despite our severe lack of knowledge in these fields. One of the many overlaps between the two fields is sleep, which itself entails many mechanisms and events which are, as of yet, unexplainable. From the perspective of either field, one of the most mysterious events occurring during sleep is dreaming. From the cause of dreams to their content, little is known about them or their more sinister subclassification: nightmares. In this field of disturbed dreaming, neuropharmacology makes a large intrusion …

One Student One Family And The Mozambique Eyecare Project, Stephen Thompson, Aoife Phelan, Tatiana Santana, Elizebete Catarino, Vivien Ocampo, Cesar Faria, James Loughman

Articles

Background - The Mozambique Eyecare Programme is funded by Irish Aid and designed to address the need for optometric education in Lusophone Africa. It is a multi-partner collaboration between Universidade Lúrio, Mozambique, Technological University Dublin, Ireland, University of Ulster, Northern Ireland, and The International Centre for Eyecare Education (ICEE) an international Non Government Organisation. A key output from the programme is the development of an optometry school based at Universidade Lúrio, the first of its kind in Mozambique. The aim is to address unmet eye care needs through human resource development.

All students enrolled at Universidade Lúrio, including the optometry …

Neurologic Improvement After Thoracic, Thoracolumbar, And Lumbar Spinal Cord (Conus Medullaris) Injuries, James S. Harrop, Md, Swetha Naroji, Mitchell G. Maltenfort, Phd, John K. Ratliff, Md, Stavropoula L. Tjoumakaris, Brian Frank, D. Greg Anderson, M.D., Todd Albert, Md, Alexander R. Vaccaro, Md, Phd

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty Papers

Study Design. Retrospective. Objective. With approximately 10,000 new spinal cord injury (SCI) patients in the United States each year, predicting public health outcomes is an important public health concern. Combining all regions of the spine in SCI trials may be misleading if the lumbar and sacral regions (conus) have a neurologic improvement at different rates than the thoracic or thoracolumbar spinal cord.

Summary of Background Data. Over a 10-year period between January 1995 to 2005, 1746 consecutive spinal injured patients were seen, evaluated, and treated through a level 1 trauma referral center. A retrospective analysis was performed on 150 patients …

The Role Of Lipoproteins/Cholesterol In Genomic Instability And Chromosome Mis-Segregation In Alzheimer's And Cardiovascular Disease, Antoneta Granic

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Several lines of evidence link Alzheimer's disease (AD) to atherosclerosis (CVD), including that elevated low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol is a common risk factor. Development of genomic instability could also link the two diseases. Previous fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analyses revealed a clonal expansion of aneuploid smooth muscle cells underlying atherosclerotic plaques. Likewise, cellular and mouse models of AD revealed tau-dependent mitotic defects and subsequent aneuploidy partly resulting from amyloid-beta (A&beta) interference with microtubule (MT) stability, and specific MT motors function. Moreover, AD patients develop aneuploid/hyperploid cells in brain and peripheral tissues, implicating similar mechanism that may lead to apoptosis …

Mitochondria, Amyloid Β, And Alzheimer's Disease, Ryan Douglas Readnower, Andrew David Sauerbeck, Patrick G. Sullivan

Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center Faculty Publications

Hypometabolism is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and implicates a mitochondrial role in the neuropathology associated with AD. Mitochondrial amyloid-beta (Aβ) accumulation precedes extracellular Aβ deposition. In addition to increasing oxidative stress, Aβ has been shown to directly inhibit mitochondrial enzymes. Inhibition of mitochondrial enzymes as a result of oxidative damage or Aβ interaction perpetuates oxidative stress and leads to a hypometabolic state. Additionally, Aβ has also been shown to interact with cyclophilin D, a component of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore, which may promote cell death. Therefore, ample evidence exists indicating that …

Expedient Treatment Of A Collodion Baby, Michael Chung, Jaime Pittenger, Stuart Tobin, Andrew Chung, Nirmala Desai

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Only ~270 cases of collodion babies have been reported in the literature since 1892. As the name suggests, the term "collodion baby" refers to a phenotype that can be characterized by a yellow, shiny, tight parchment-like membrane stretched over the skin. Although the collodion membrane is only an evanescent condition of the newborn, neonatal complications can occur in 45% of all collodion babies, leading to a mortality rate of ~11% in the first few weeks of life. Most children born as collodion babies will spontaneously desquamate within 2 weeks, but may be as long as 3 months. Eventually, these children …

Demographic, Cultural, And Environmental Factors Associated With Frequency And Severity Of Malnutrition Among Zambian Children Less Than Five Years Of Age, Selestine H. Nzalal, Seter Siyizal, Olusegun Babaniyi, Peter Songolo, Adamson S. Muula, Emmanuel Radatsikira

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Under-nutrition prevents growth and development in children and is the leading factor to illness and death among children less than five years of age in developing countries. The objective of the study was to determine associations of demographic, cultural and environmental factors with frequency and severity of malnutrition among children less than five years of age in Zambia. We used data from the Zambia multiple indicator cluster survey (MICS) from years of 1999 to 2000. Altogether 6,142 children participated in the survey. The prevalence rates for being "underweight", "stunted" and "wasted" were 17.6, 37.5 and 4.1%, respectively. Compared to children …

Prevalence And Socio-Demographic Correlates For Serious Injury Among Adolescents Participating In The Djibouti 2007 Global School-Based Health Survey, Adamson S. Muula, Seter Siziya, Emmanuel Rudatsikira

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background

Mental health and injury are neglected public health issues especially in low-income nations. The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence and socio-demographic correlates for serious injury in the last 12 months.

Findings

The study used data of the 2007 Djibouti Global School-based Health Survey. Logistic regression analysis was used to establish associations. Of the 1, 777 respondents, 61.1% (63.2% males and 57.8% females) reported having sustained serious injury (SSI). Compared to participants who were not bullied, those who reported being bullied 3-9 days per month were more likely to have sustained serious injury in the last …

Acceptability Of Behavioral Treatments For Insomnia, Daniel Bluestein, Amanda C. Healey, Carolyn M. Rutledge

Ellmer School of Nursing Faculty Publications

Background: Behavioral treatments for insomnia are safe and efficacious but may not be embraced by patients in primary care. Understanding factors associated with acceptability can enhance successful use of these modalities. The objective of this study was to identify demographic and clinical/psychosocial correlates of behavioral insomnia treatment acceptability.

Methods: This nonexperimental, inventory-based, cross-sectional study enrolled patients from a hospital-sponsored primary care clinic and 2 urban academic family practices. Participants (n = 236) were 18 years of age or older who had clinically significant insomnia (Insomnia Severity Index score >= 8) and were recruited consecutively at these sites. A study coordinator …

Synthesis Of 3-Phenylpyrazolopyrimidine-1,2,3-Triazole Conjugates And Evaluation Of Their Src Kinase Inhibitory And Anticancer Activities, Anil Kumar, Israr Ahmad, Bhupender S. Chhikara, Rakesh Tiwari, Deendayal Mandal, Keykavous Parang

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

A series of two classes of 3-phenylpyrazolopyrimidine-1,2,3-triazole conjugates were synthesized using click chemistry approach. All compounds were evaluated for inhibition of Src kinase and human ovarian adenocarcinoma (SK-Ov-3), breast carcinoma (MDA-MB-361), and colon adenocarcinoma (HT-29). Hexyl triazolyl-substituted 3-phenylpyrazolopyrimidine exhibited inhibition of Src kinase with an IC50 value of 5.6 µM. 4-Methoxyphenyl triazolyl-substituted 3-phenylpyrazolopyrimidine inhibited the cell proliferation of HT-29 and SK-Ov-3 by 73% and 58%, respectively, at a concentration of 50 µM.

Biochemical Comparison Of Osteoarthritic Knees With And Without Effusion, Nicole M. Cattano, Jeffrey B. Driban, Easwaran Balasubramanian, Mary F. Barbe, Mamta Amin, Michael R. Sitler

Sports Medicine Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Amyloid-Beta/Fyn–Induced Synaptic, Network, And Cognitive Impairments Depend On Tau Levels In Multiple Mouse Models Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Erik D. Roberson, Brian Halabisky, Jong W. Yoo, Jinghua Yao, Jeannie Chin, Fengrong Yan, Tiffany Wu, Patricia Hamto, Nino Devidze, Gui-Qiu Yu, Jorge J. Palop, Jeffrey L. Noebels, Lennart Mucke

Farber Institute for Neuroscience Faculty Papers

Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common neurodegenerative disorder, is a growing public health problem and still lacks effective treatments. Recent evidence suggests that microtubule-associated protein tau may mediate amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) toxicity by modulating the tyrosine kinase Fyn.Weshowed previously that tau reduction prevents, and Fyn overexpression exacerbates, cognitive deficits in human amyloid precursor protein (hAPP) transgenic mice overexpressing Aβ. However, the mechanisms by which Aβ, tau, and Fyn cooperate in AD-related pathogenesis remain to be fully elucidated. Here we examined the synaptic and network effects of this pathogenic triad. Tau reduction prevented cognitive decline induced by synergistic effects of Aβ …

A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo Controlled Trial Of Ramelteon For The Treatment Of Insomnia And Mood Stability In Patients With Euthymic Bipolar Disorder (Poster), Edward R. Norris Md, Fapa, Fapm, Karen Burke Rn, Julia R. Correll Ba, Ken Zemanek Md, Joel Lerman Md, Michael Kaufmann Md

Department of Psychiatry

No abstract provided.

Breast Cancer Medications And Vision: Effects Of Treatments For Early-Stage Disease, Alvin Eisner, Shiuh-Wen Luoh

Community Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

This review concerns the effects on vision and the eye of medications prescribed at three phases of treatment for women with early-stage breast cancer (BC): (1) adjuvant cytotoxic chemotherapy, (2) adjuvant endocrine therapy, and (3) symptomatic relief. The most common side effects of cytotoxic chemotherapy are epiphora and ocular surface irritation, which can be caused by any of several different regimens. Most notably, the taxane docetaxel can lead to epiphora by inducing canalicular stenosis. The selective-estrogen-receptor-modulator (SERM) tamoxifen, long the gold-standard adjuvant-endocrine-therapy for women with hormone-receptor-positive BC, increases the risk of posterior subcapsular cataract. Tamoxifen also affects the optic nerve …

Aortic Dissection Or Myocardial Infarction?, Saulat H. Fatimi, Maria Mahboob, Awais Ashfaq

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Aortic dissection is a rare and a life threatening event. Classically, aortic dissection presents as sudden, severe chest, back or abdominal pain that is characterized as ripping or tearing in nature. However, a timely diagnosis can be elusive in the event of an atypical presentation. So, a high index of clinical suspicion is mandatory for the accurate and rapid diagnosis of aortic dissection .We report a case of a 56 years old male who presented with signs and symptoms of myocardial infarction and was later found to have aortic dissection. This patient was successfully managed with surgery.

Toward A Mechanistic Understanding Of Narcolepsy With Cataplexy, William Mccurdy

McNair Poster Presentations

Narcolepsy (hypersomnolence) is a disorder that affects 1 in 2000 individuals in the United States and it is characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and catalepsy, which is a sudden loss of muscle tone. As of relatively recent years, there has been a general consensus amongst the scientific community concerning the etiology of narcolepsy as numerous studies suggest that it is caused by the deficiency of neurotransmitters called orexin-A and orexin-B (or hypocretin-1 and hypocretin-2). Research suggests that deficiencies of these proteins are related to a mutation on chromosome 6 in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) complex which is a …

Basal Internal Anal Sphincter Tone, Inhibitory Neurotransmission, And Other Factors Contributing To The Maintenance Of High Pressures In The Anal Canal, S. Rattan, J. Singh

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers

Maintenance of the basal tone in the internal anal sphincter (IAS) is critical for rectoanal continence. Effective evacuation requires a fully functional rectoanal inhibitory reflex (RAIR)-mediated relaxation of the IAS via inhibitory neurotransmission (INT). Systematic studies examining the nature of the INT in different species have identified nitric oxide (NO) as the major inhibitory neurotransmitter. However, other mediators such as vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), ATP, and carbon monoxide (CO) may also play species-specific role under certain experimental conditions. Measurements of the intraluminal pressures in the IAS along with the force of the isolated IAS tissues are the mainstay in the …

Quality Outcome Measures Of Robotic Department Of Surgery In Patients With Endometrial Cancer, Martin A. Martino Md, Shamol Williams Msii, Jocelyn Shubella, Rachel Miller Pa-C, Hai-Yen T. Nguyen Md, Amy Hordendorf, Richard Boulay Md, M Bijoy Thomas Md

Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology

No abstract provided.

Validation Of Updated Partin’S Table In Pakistani Patients Undergoing Radical Prostatectomy For Prostate Cancer, Nazim Muhammad, Farhat Abbas, Nuzhat Faruqui, Muhammad Islam, Zubair Ahmad

Section of Urology

Objectives: To establish the usefulness and validity of 2007 Partin’s table in our population with prostate cancer.
Materials and methods: Between January 1998 to June 2009, all patients with clinically localized carcinoma prostate who were treated with intent of radical retro-pubic prostatectomy (RRP) were included. Clinical, operative and pathological data was gathered. All biopsy and final histopathology Gleason scores were re-assigned in a double blind manner. Pre-operative serum PSA, TNM clinical stage and biopsy Gleason scores were plotted on Partin’s table and its predictive value and pathological findings of specimen were compared and analyzed by using Receiver operating characteristic …

Tuberculous Colitis, Firas G. Madbak Md, Dale A. Dangleben Md, Facs

Department of Surgery

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of Verbal Behavior In Older Adults, Amy Gross

Dissertations

Older adults make up a large and increasing portion of the population (U.S. apply those assessments to the evaluation of verbal behavior in older adults with and without dementia. The research addressed two questions. First, in what way do verbal behavior problems differ between older adults with and without dementia? Second, does language deteriorate in a pattern compatible with Skinner's analysis of functionally independent verbal operants? Thirty-one participants were categorized into Control (n=15) and Dementia (n=16) Groups based on their score on the Dementia Rating Scale-2. Verbal behavior assessments were administered to participants on two occasions, separated by one week. …

Primary Care Practice Addressing Child Overweight And Obesity: A Survey Of Primary Care Physicians At Four Clinics In Southern Appalachia, Nicole Holt, Karen E. Schetzina, William T. Dalton, Fred Tudiver, Hazel Fulton-Robinson, Tiejian Wu

ETSU Faculty Works

Objective: The prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity in southern Appalachia is among the highest in the United States (US). Primary care providers are in a unique position to address the problem; however, little is known about attitudes and practices in these settings.

Methods: A 61-item healthcare provider questionnaire assessing current practices, attitudes, perceived barriers, and skill levels in managing childhood overweight and obesity was distributed to physicians in four primary care clinics. Questionnaires were obtained from 36 physicians.

Results: Physicians' practices to address childhood overweight and obesity were limited, despite the fact that most physicians shared the attitude that …

Clinical Use Of Probiotics: A Survey Of Physicians’ Beliefs And Practice Patterns, Anastasia Ensminger

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Background: Probiotics have the potential to be used as a preventive agent or adjuvant therapy for various medical conditions, and recent research is beginning to illuminate some of the associated benefits. Some clinicians currently prescribe probiotics in practice. Understanding physicians’ beliefs and practice patterns regarding the use of probiotics will help identify current practices, barriers preventing their acceptance, and the sources of information that impact clinical practice.

Objective: To identify and describe physicians’ beliefs and practice patterns regarding the use of probiotics.

Methods: A cross-sectional online questionnaire was administered to 130 physicians employed by or affiliated with Danville …

Adrenal Beta-Arrestin 1 Inhibition In Vivo Attenuates Post-Myocardial Infarction Progression To Heart Failure And Adverse Remodeling Via Reduction Of Circulating Aldosterone Levels, Anastasios Lymperopoulos, Phd, Giuseppe Rengo, Md, Carmela Zincarelli, Md, Jihee Kim, Phd, Walter J. Koch, Phd

Center for Translational Medicine Faculty Papers

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: We investigated whether adrenal betaarrestin 1 (betaarr1)-mediated aldosterone production plays any role in post-MI HF progression.

BACKGROUND: Heart failure (HF) represents one of the most significant health problems worldwide and new and innovative treatments are needed. Aldosterone contributes significantly to HF progression after myocardial infarction (MI) by accelerating adverse cardiac remodeling and ventricular dysfunction. It is produced by the adrenal cortex after angiotensin II (AngII) activation of AngII type 1 receptors (AT1Rs), G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) that also signal independently of G proteins. G protein-independent signaling is mediated by betaarrestin (betaarr) -1 and -2. We recently reported that …

Efficacious And Safe Tissue-Selective Controlled Gene Therapy Approaches For The Cornea, Rajiv R. Mohan, Sunilima Sinha, Ashish Tandon, Rangan Gupta, Jonathan C. K. Tovey, Ajay Sharma

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Untargeted and uncontrolled gene delivery is a major cause of gene therapy failure. This study aimed to define efficient and safe tissue-selective targeted gene therapy approaches for delivering genes into keratocytes of the cornea in vivo using a normal or diseased rabbit model. New Zealand White rabbits, adeno-associated virus serotype 5 (AAV5), and a minimally invasive hair-dryer based vector-delivery technique were used. Fifty microliters of AAV5 titer (6.561012 vg/ml) expressing green fluorescent protein gene (GFP) was topically applied onto normal or diseased (fibrotic or neovascularized) rabbit corneas for 2-minutes with a custom vector-delivery technique. Corneal fibrosis and neovascularization in rabbit …

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder In Childhood Is Associated With Cognitive Test Profiles In The Geriatric Population But Not With Mild Cognitive Impairment Or Alzheimer's Disease, N. Ivanchak, Erin L. Abner, S. A. Carr, S. J. Freeman, A. Seybert, John Ranseen, Gregory A. Jicha

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

The frequency of ADHD in the aging population and its relationship to late-life cognitive decline has not been studied previously. To address this gap in our understanding, the Wender-Utah ADHD Rating scale (WURS) was administered to 310 geriatric subjects with cognitive status ranging from normal cognition to mild cognitive impairment to overt dementia. The frequency of WURS-positive ADHD in this sample was 4.4%. WURS scores were not related to cognitive diagnoses, but did show nonlinear associations with tasks requiring sustained attention. The frequency of ADHD appears stable across generations and does not appear to be associated with MCI or dementia …

Costing And Economic Analysis Of Strengthening Union Level Facility For Providing Normal Delivery And Newborn Care Services In Bangladesh, Sushil Ranjan Howlader

Reproductive Health

For a long time, the reduction of the maternal mortality ratio has constituted a major challenge for the health, nutrition, and population sector of Bangladesh. The objectives of this Population Council study is to estimate the costs of the additional inputs required for strengthening Health and Family Welfare Centers (HFWC) for providing normal delivery and newborn care services, the cost-effectiveness, and the financial implications of the addition of capacity. Results clearly show that the benefit-cost ratio for the intervention will be quite high. Some additional measures on the demand side should thus adopted. Intensive behavior change communication activities including interpersonal …

Expanding Access To Safe Abortion And Post-Abortion Care: Recommendations Of A South Asia Regional Consultation, Population Council

Reproductive Health

A South Asia Regional Consultation, organized by the Population Council with representation from governments and key stakeholders of Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan, was held in New Delhi, to discuss ways of expanding women’s access to safe abortion services. The Consultation deliberated on ways of expanding the provider base for safe induced abortion so as to overcome inadequate and inequitable access to safe abortion. They also looked to expand access to services for the management of incomplete abortion and complications of unsafe abortion that persist in the region and, thereby, to reduce morbidity and mortality resulting from unsafe abortion. In …

Introduction Of Medical Abortion In Ghana, Emmanuel Kuffour, Selina F. Esantsi, Placide Tapsoba, Gloria Quansah Asare, Ian Askew

Reproductive Health

To significantly expand women’s access to modern family planning and comprehensive abortion care services a provisional license was awarded to Marie Stopes International-Ghana by the Ghana Food and Drugs Board for the introduction and provision of the first medical abortion regimen (mifepristone and misoprostol) in Ghana. The Population Council conducted this study to document the introduction process; findings from the study will provide much needed evidence to inform policy decisionmaking and the scale-up phase. Overall the study has shown that medical abortion is a viable option for Ghanaian women--an overwhelming number of those who have benefitted from the procedure are …