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Virginia Commonwealth University

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2016

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Articles 1 - 30 of 96

Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Aapt Diagnostic Criteria For Chronic Sickle Cell Disease Pain, Carlton Dampier, Tonya M. Palermo, Deepika S. Darbari, Kathryn Hassell, Wally Smith, William Zempsky Dec 2016

Aapt Diagnostic Criteria For Chronic Sickle Cell Disease Pain, Carlton Dampier, Tonya M. Palermo, Deepika S. Darbari, Kathryn Hassell, Wally Smith, William Zempsky

Neurology Publications

Pain in sickle cell disease (SCD) is associated with increased morbidity, mortality, and high health care costs. Although episodic acute pain is the hallmark of this disorder, there is an increasing awareness that chronic pain is part of the pain experience of many older adolescents and adults. A common set of criteria for classifying chronic pain associated with SCD would enhance SCD pain research efforts in epidemiology, pain mechanisms, and clinical trials of pain management interventions, and ultimately improve clinical assessment and management. As part of the collaborative effort between the Analgesic, Anesthetic, and Addiction Clinical Trial Translations Innovations Opportunities …


The Association Between Sleep Problems, Sleep Medication Use, And Falls In Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Results From The Health And Retirement Study 2010, Yaena Min, Pramit A. Nadpara, Patricia W. Slattum Jan 2016

The Association Between Sleep Problems, Sleep Medication Use, And Falls In Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Results From The Health And Retirement Study 2010, Yaena Min, Pramit A. Nadpara, Patricia W. Slattum

Pharmacotherapy and Outcomes Science Publications

Background. Very few studies have assessed the impact of poor sleep and sleep medication use on the risk of falls among community-dwelling older adults. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between sleep problems, sleep medication use, and falls in community-dwelling older adults. Methods. The study population comprised a nationally representative sample of noninstitutionalized older adults participating in the 2010 Health and Retirement Study. Proportion of adults reporting sleep problems, sleep medication use, and fall was calculated. Multiple logistic regression models were constructed to examine the impact of sleep problems and sleep medication use on …


Promoting Cognitive Support Technology Use And Employment Success Among Postsecondary Students With Traumatic Brain Injuries, Phillip Rumrill, Eileen Elias, Deborah J. Hendricks, Karen Jacobs, Anne Leopold, Amanda Nardone, Elaine Sampson, Marcia Scherer, Callista Stauffer, Brian T. Mcmahon Jan 2016

Promoting Cognitive Support Technology Use And Employment Success Among Postsecondary Students With Traumatic Brain Injuries, Phillip Rumrill, Eileen Elias, Deborah J. Hendricks, Karen Jacobs, Anne Leopold, Amanda Nardone, Elaine Sampson, Marcia Scherer, Callista Stauffer, Brian T. Mcmahon

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Publications

OBJECTIVE: This article applies positive psychology principles to the purpose and objectives of a five-year, federally-funded initiative to provide cognitive support technology (CST) training and career preparatory services for undergraduate college students with mild and moderate traumatic brain injuries (TBI).

METHODS: A total of 48 students with TBI have participated in the project during its first 18 months of operation - 14 of whom are military veterans with disabilities who were in the Iraq and/or Afghanistan theaters.

CONCLUSION: Positive psychology interventions such as Best Possible Self, Intensely Positive Experiences, and Asset-based Assessments provide a framework for examining the activities of …


Major Depression As A Complex Dynamic System, Angélique O. J. Cramer, Claudia D. Van Borkulo, Erik J. Giltay, Han L. J. Van Der Maas, Kenneth S. Kendler, Marten Scheffer, Denny Borsboom Jan 2016

Major Depression As A Complex Dynamic System, Angélique O. J. Cramer, Claudia D. Van Borkulo, Erik J. Giltay, Han L. J. Van Der Maas, Kenneth S. Kendler, Marten Scheffer, Denny Borsboom

Psychiatry Publications

In this paper, we characterize major depression (MD) as a complex dynamic system in which symptoms (e.g., insomnia and fatigue) are directly connected to one another in a network structure. We hypothesize that individuals can be characterized by their own network with unique architecture and resulting dynamics. With respect to architecture, we show that individuals vulnerable to developing MD are those with strong connections between symptoms: e.g., only one night of poor sleep suffices to make a particular person feel tired. Such vulnerable networks, when pushed by forces external to the system such as stress, are more likely to end …


Sex Differences In Hiv Effects On Visual Memory Among Substance-Dependent Individuals, Michael K. Keutmann, Raul Gonzalez, Pauline M. Maki, Leah H. Rubin, Jasmin Vassileva, Eileen M. Martin Jan 2016

Sex Differences In Hiv Effects On Visual Memory Among Substance-Dependent Individuals, Michael K. Keutmann, Raul Gonzalez, Pauline M. Maki, Leah H. Rubin, Jasmin Vassileva, Eileen M. Martin

Psychiatry Publications

HIV’s effects on episodic memory have not been compared systematically between male and female substance-dependent individuals. We administered the Brief Visuospatial Memory Test–Revised (BVMT–R) to 280 substance-dependent HIV+ and HIV– men and women. Groups were comparable on demographic, substance use, and comorbid characteristics. There were no significant main effects of sex or HIV serostatus on BVMT–R performance, but HIV+ women performed significantly more poorly on delayed recall. This effect was most prominent among cocaine-dependent HIV+ women. Our findings are consistent with recent speculation that memory impairment may be more common among HIV+ women, particularly those with a history of cocaine …


Development Of A Translational Model To Screen Medications For Cocaine Use Disorder I: Choice Between Cocaine And Food In Rhesus Monkeys, Amy R. Johnson Jan 2016

Development Of A Translational Model To Screen Medications For Cocaine Use Disorder I: Choice Between Cocaine And Food In Rhesus Monkeys, Amy R. Johnson

Pharmacology and Toxicology Publications

Background

Homologous cocaine self-administration procedures in laboratory animals and humans may facilitate translational research for medications development to treat cocaine dependence. This study, therefore, sought to establish choice between cocaine and an alternative reinforcer in rhesus monkeys responding under a procedure back-translated from previous human studies and homologous to a human laboratory procedure described in a companion paper.

Methods

Four rhesus monkeys with chronic indwelling intravenous catheters had access to cocaine injections (0, 0.043, 0.14, or 0.43 mg/kg/injection) and food (0, 1, 3, or 10 1 g banana-flavored food pellets). During daily 5 h sessions, a single cocaine dose and …


Effects Of 7-Day Repeated Treatment With The 5-Ht2a Inverse Agonist/Antagonist Pimavanserin On Methamphetamine Vs. Food Choice In Male Rhesus Monkeys, Matthew L. Banks L. Banks Jan 2016

Effects Of 7-Day Repeated Treatment With The 5-Ht2a Inverse Agonist/Antagonist Pimavanserin On Methamphetamine Vs. Food Choice In Male Rhesus Monkeys, Matthew L. Banks L. Banks

Pharmacology and Toxicology Publications

Background

Preclinical drug vs. food choice is an emerging group of drug self-administration procedures that have shown predictive validity to clinical drug addiction. Emerging data suggest that serotonin (5-HT)2A receptors modulate mesolimbic dopamine function, such that 5-HT2A antagonists blunt the abuse-related neurochemical effects of monoamine transporter substrates, such as amphetamine or methamphetamine. Whether subchronic 5-HT2A antagonist treatment attenuates methamphetamine reinforcement in any preclinical drug self-administration procedure is unknown. The study aim was therefore to determine 7-day treatment effects with the 5-HT2A inverse agonist/antagonist pimavanserin on methamphetamine vs. food choice in monkeys.

Methods …


Identification Of The Metabolic Enzyme Involved Morusin Metabolism And Characterization Of Its Metabolites By Ultraperformance Liquid Chromatogaphy Quadrupole Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (Uplc/Q-Tof-Ms/Ms), Xianbao Shi, Brianna Mackie, Gang Zhang, Shuman Yang, Yonggui Song, Dan Su, Yali Liu, Lina Shan Jan 2016

Identification Of The Metabolic Enzyme Involved Morusin Metabolism And Characterization Of Its Metabolites By Ultraperformance Liquid Chromatogaphy Quadrupole Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (Uplc/Q-Tof-Ms/Ms), Xianbao Shi, Brianna Mackie, Gang Zhang, Shuman Yang, Yonggui Song, Dan Su, Yali Liu, Lina Shan

Pharmacology and Toxicology Publications

Morusin, the important active component of a traditional Chinese medicine, Morus alba L., has been shown to exhibit many vital pharmacological activities. In this study, six recombinant CYP450 supersomes and liver microsomes were used to perform metabolic studies. Chemical inhibition studies and screening assays with recombinant human cytochrome P450s were also used to characterize the CYP450 isoforms involved in morusin metabolism. The morusin metabolites identified varied greatly among different species. Eight metabolites of morusin were detected in the liver microsomes from pigs (PLMs), rats (RLMs), and monkeys (MLMs) by LC-MS/MS and six metabolites were detected in the liver microsomes from …


Metabolism And Metabolic Inhibition Of Xanthotoxol In Human Liver Microsomes, Zhongnv Ma, Xianbao Shi, Gang Zhang, Feng Guo, Lina Shan, Jiqun Cai Jan 2016

Metabolism And Metabolic Inhibition Of Xanthotoxol In Human Liver Microsomes, Zhongnv Ma, Xianbao Shi, Gang Zhang, Feng Guo, Lina Shan, Jiqun Cai

Medicinal Chemistry Publications

Cytochrome p450 (CYP450) enzymes are predominantly involved in Phase I metabolism of xenobiotics. In this study, the CYP450 isoforms involved in xanthotoxol metabolism were identified using recombinant CYP450s. In addition, the inhibitory effects of xanthotoxol on eight CYP450 isoforms and its pharmacokinetic parameters were determined using human liver microsomes. CYP1A2, one of CYP450s, played a key role in the metabolism of xanthotoxol compared to other CYP450s. Xanthotoxol showed stronger inhibition on CYP3A4 and CYP1A2 compared to other isoenzymes with the IC50 of 7.43 μM for CYP3A4 and 27.82 μM for CYP1A2. The values of inhibition kinetic parameters (Ki) were 21.15 …


Metabolism And Metabolic Inhibition Of Xanthotoxol In Human Liver Microsomes, Zhongnv Ma, Xianbao Shi, Gang Zhang, Feng Guo, Lina Shan, Jiqun Cai Jan 2016

Metabolism And Metabolic Inhibition Of Xanthotoxol In Human Liver Microsomes, Zhongnv Ma, Xianbao Shi, Gang Zhang, Feng Guo, Lina Shan, Jiqun Cai

Medicinal Chemistry Publications

Cytochrome p450 (CYP450) enzymes are predominantly involved in Phase I metabolism of xenobiotics. In this study, the CYP450 isoforms involved in xanthotoxol metabolism were identified using recombinant CYP450s. In addition, the inhibitory effects of xanthotoxol on eight CYP450 isoforms and its pharmacokinetic parameters were determined using human liver microsomes. CYP1A2, one of CYP450s, played a key role in the metabolism of xanthotoxol compared to other CYP450s. Xanthotoxol showed stronger inhibition on CYP3A4 and CYP1A2 compared to other isoenzymes with the IC50 of 7.43 μM for CYP3A4 and 27.82 μM for CYP1A2. The values of inhibition kinetic parameters (Ki) were 21.15 …


African-American Patients With Cancer Talking About Clinical Trials (Tact) With Oncologists During Consultations: Evaluating The Efficacy Of Tailored Health Messages In A Randomised Controlled Trial—The Tact Study Protocol, R F. Brown, R Davis, M Wilson Genderson, S Grant, D Cadet, M Lessard, J Alpert, J Ward, G Ginder Jan 2016

African-American Patients With Cancer Talking About Clinical Trials (Tact) With Oncologists During Consultations: Evaluating The Efficacy Of Tailored Health Messages In A Randomised Controlled Trial—The Tact Study Protocol, R F. Brown, R Davis, M Wilson Genderson, S Grant, D Cadet, M Lessard, J Alpert, J Ward, G Ginder

Health Behavior and Policy Publications

Introduction Low rates of accrual of African-American (AA) patients with cancer to therapeutic clinical trials (CTs) represent a serious and modifiable racial disparity in healthcare that impedes the development of promising cancer therapies. Suboptimal physician–patient consultation communication is a barrier to the accrual of patients with cancer of any race, but communication difficulties are compounded with AA patients. Providing tailored health messages (THM) to AA patients and their physician about CTs has the potential to improve communication, lower barriers to accrual and ameliorate health disparities.

Objective (1) Demonstrate the efficacy of THM to increase patient activation as measured by direct …


News Stories Of Intimate Partner Violence: An Experimental Examination Of Participant Sex, Perpetrator Sex, And Violence Severity On Seriousness, Sympathy, And Punishment Preferences, Matthew W. Savage, Jennifer A. Scarduzio, Kate Lockwood Harris, Kellie E. Carlyle, Sarah E. Sheff Jan 2016

News Stories Of Intimate Partner Violence: An Experimental Examination Of Participant Sex, Perpetrator Sex, And Violence Severity On Seriousness, Sympathy, And Punishment Preferences, Matthew W. Savage, Jennifer A. Scarduzio, Kate Lockwood Harris, Kellie E. Carlyle, Sarah E. Sheff

Health Behavior and Policy Publications

This study experimentally examines the effects of participant sex, perpetrator sex, and severity of violence on perceptions of intimate partner violence (IPV) seriousness, sympathy toward the victim, and punishment preferences for the perpetrator. Participants (N = 449) were randomly assigned to a condition, exposed to a composite news story, and then completed a survey. Ratings of seriousness of IPV for stories with male perpetrators were significantly higher than ratings of seriousness for stories with female perpetrators. Men had significantly higher sympathy for female victims in any condition than for male victims in the weak or strong severity of violence …


Substance Use And Depression Symptomatology: Measurement Invariance Of The Beck Depression Inventory (Bdi-Ii) Among Non-Users And Frequent-Users Of Alcohol, Nicotine And Cannabis, Ashlee A. Moore, Michael C. Neale, Judy L. Silberg, Brad Verhulst Jan 2016

Substance Use And Depression Symptomatology: Measurement Invariance Of The Beck Depression Inventory (Bdi-Ii) Among Non-Users And Frequent-Users Of Alcohol, Nicotine And Cannabis, Ashlee A. Moore, Michael C. Neale, Judy L. Silberg, Brad Verhulst

Psychiatry Publications

Depression is a highly heterogeneous condition, and identifying how symptoms present in various groups may greatly increase our understanding of its etiology. Importantly, Major Depressive Disorder is strongly linked with Substance Use Disorders, which may ameliorate or exacerbate specific depression symptoms. It is therefore quite plausible that depression may present with different symptom profiles depending on an individual’s substance use status. Given these observations, it is important to examine the underlying construct of depression in groups of substance users compared to non-users. In this study we use a non-clinical sample to examine the measurement structure of the Beck Depression Inventory …


Repeated Low-Dose Organophosphate Dfp Exposure Leads To The Development Of Depression And Cognitive Impairment In A Rat Model Of Gulf War Illness, Laxmikant Deshpande, Kristin Phillips Jan 2016

Repeated Low-Dose Organophosphate Dfp Exposure Leads To The Development Of Depression And Cognitive Impairment In A Rat Model Of Gulf War Illness, Laxmikant Deshpande, Kristin Phillips

Neurology Publications

Approximately 175,000 to 250,000 of the returning veterans from the 1991 Persian Gulf War exhibit chronic multi-symptom illnesses that includes neurologic co-morbidities such as depression, anxiety and cognitive impairments. Amongst a host of causative factors, exposure to low levels of the nerve agent Sarin has been strongly implicated for expression of Gulf War Illness (GWI). Nerve agents similar to pesticides are organophosphate (OP) compounds. There is evidence from civilian population that exposure to OPs such as in agricultural workers and nerve agents such as the survivors and first-responders of the Tokyo subway Sarin gas attack suffer from chronic neurological problems …


Cryptosporidium Priming Is More Effective Than Vaccine For Protection Against Cryptosporidiosis In A Murine Protein Malnutrition Model, Luther A. Bartelt, David T. Bolick, Glynis L. Kolling, James K. Roche, Edna I. Zaenker, Ana M. Lara, Francisco Jose Noronha, Carrie A. Cowardin, John H. Moore, Jerrold R. Turner, Cirle A. Warren, Gregory A. Buck, Richard L. Guerrant Jan 2016

Cryptosporidium Priming Is More Effective Than Vaccine For Protection Against Cryptosporidiosis In A Murine Protein Malnutrition Model, Luther A. Bartelt, David T. Bolick, Glynis L. Kolling, James K. Roche, Edna I. Zaenker, Ana M. Lara, Francisco Jose Noronha, Carrie A. Cowardin, John H. Moore, Jerrold R. Turner, Cirle A. Warren, Gregory A. Buck, Richard L. Guerrant

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Publications

Cryptosporidium is a major cause of severe diarrhea, especially in malnourished children. Using a murine model of C. parvum oocyst challenge that recapitulates clinical features of severe cryptosporidiosis during malnutrition, we interrogated the effect of protein malnutrition (PM) on primary and secondary responses to C. parvum challenge, and tested the differential ability of mucosal priming strategies to overcome the PM-induced susceptibility. We determined that while PM fundamentally alters systemic and mucosal primary immune responses to Cryptosporidium, priming with C. parvum (106 oocysts) provides robust protective immunity against re-challenge despite ongoing PM. C. parvum priming restores mucosal Th1-type effectors (CD3+CD8+CD103+ T-cells) …


Constitutive Association Of Tie1 And Tie2 With Endothelial Integrins Is Functionally Modulated By Angiopoietin-1 And Fibronectin, Annamarie C. Dalton, Tomer Shlamkovitch, Niv Papo, William A. Barton Jan 2016

Constitutive Association Of Tie1 And Tie2 With Endothelial Integrins Is Functionally Modulated By Angiopoietin-1 And Fibronectin, Annamarie C. Dalton, Tomer Shlamkovitch, Niv Papo, William A. Barton

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Publications

Functional cross-talk between Tie2 and Integrin signaling pathways is essential to coordinate endothelial cell adhesion and migration in response to the extracellular matrix, yet the mechanisms behind this phenomenon are unclear. Here, we examine the possibility that receptor cross-talk is driven through uncharacterized Tie-integrin interactions on the endothelial surface. Using a live cell FRET-based proximity assay, we monitor Tie-integrin receptor recognition and demonstrate that both Tie1 and Tie2 readily associate with integrins α5ß1 and αVß3 through their respective ectodomains. Although not required, Tie2-integrin association is significantly enhanced in the presence of the extracellular component and integrin ligand fibronectin. In vitro …


Family-Centered Rounds And Medical Student Performance On The Nbme Pediatrics Subject (Shelf) Examination: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Tiffany N. Kimbrough, Victor Heh, N. Romesh Wijesooriya, Michael S. Ryan Jan 2016

Family-Centered Rounds And Medical Student Performance On The Nbme Pediatrics Subject (Shelf) Examination: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Tiffany N. Kimbrough, Victor Heh, N. Romesh Wijesooriya, Michael S. Ryan

Pediatrics Publications

Objective

To determine the association between family-centered rounds (FCR) and medical student knowledge acquisition as assessed by the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) pediatric subject (shelf) exam.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was conducted of third-year medical students who graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine between 2009 and 2014. This timeframe represented the transition from ‘traditional’ rounds to FCR on the pediatric inpatient unit. Data collected included demographics, United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 and 2 scores, and NBME subject examinations in pediatrics (PSE), medicine (MSE), and surgery (SSE).

Results

Eight hundred and sixteen participants …


Midterm Follow Up For Knee Replacement: How Well Do We Follow Our Patients?, Micah Mabe, William Jiranek Md, Gregory Golladay Md Jan 2016

Midterm Follow Up For Knee Replacement: How Well Do We Follow Our Patients?, Micah Mabe, William Jiranek Md, Gregory Golladay Md

MD Student Summer Research Fellowship Program Posters

The lost to follow up rate specifically for five year post surgical UKAs is significantly higher for this population subset than the most recent published average as seen in a meta analysis review (Callahan et al. 1995). Follow up visits allow for proper assessment of complications such as wear and osteolysis which need early intervention to improve long-term outcomes and reduce the overall cost of care (Bhandari et al. 2012). Eleven patients, 27.5% of those that were lost to follow up, were without a correct or working phone number, which presents a significant barrier to care. Maintaining updated patient contact …


Impact Of Morbid Obesity On Left Ventricular Assist Device Support And Heart Transplantation, Sophia Cohen, Daniel Tang Md Jan 2016

Impact Of Morbid Obesity On Left Ventricular Assist Device Support And Heart Transplantation, Sophia Cohen, Daniel Tang Md

MD Student Summer Research Fellowship Program Posters

Morbidly obese patients requiring LVAD support encounter higher postoperative complications and wait longer for heart transplantation, however heart transplant and graft survival is comparable. Our study suggests that carefully selected morbidly obese patients should undergo LVAD placement and heart transplantation. However, our study was limited by a very small sample size and by the biases inherent to a retrospective data analysis.


Barriers, Perceptions And Compliance: Hand Hygiene In The Operating Room & Endoscopy Suite, Laura Pederson Bs, Gonzalo Bearman Md Mph Facp, Michael Stevens Md Mph Jan 2016

Barriers, Perceptions And Compliance: Hand Hygiene In The Operating Room & Endoscopy Suite, Laura Pederson Bs, Gonzalo Bearman Md Mph Facp, Michael Stevens Md Mph

MD Student Summer Research Fellowship Program Posters

Despite poor observed HH compliance, the majority of OR and EPR respondents are aware of HH policies and the benefits in reducing HAIs There is adequate access to foam in the OR/EPR and it is physically tolerated Although HH practices are encouraged in both areas, OR/EPR managers poorly role model HH OR nurses are empowered HH advocates, knowledgeable of the benefits of HH and may serve as change agents to improve HH compliance Hospitals promoting HH in the OR/EPR should: Be knowledgeable of perceptions and barriers across services Increase the awareness/education of HH to all providers Empower employees to address …


First Trimester Vaginal Microbiome As Pregnancy Outcome Predictor, Sarah K. Rozycki, Jennifer M. Fettwis Jan 2016

First Trimester Vaginal Microbiome As Pregnancy Outcome Predictor, Sarah K. Rozycki, Jennifer M. Fettwis

MD Student Summer Research Fellowship Program Posters

• We have developed clinical definiKons of healthy and complicated pregnancies based on pathologies that will be used in future VaHMP studies.

• Although one study7 found dysbioKc vagitypes in all three semesters of women who had PPROM, none of our PPROM subjects had a BVAB1 vagitype, and there were equal Gardnerella vaginalis vagitypes in both the controls and subjects who had PPROM (Fig. 2).

• While there were more PPROM subjects with Lactobacillus iners vagitypes, this Lactobacillus is less protecKve as it can coexist with pathogenic anaerobic bacteria.

• “Candidatus Mycoplasma girerdii”, Lactobacillus jensenii, and Ureaplasma were significantly associated …


Hypertension Comorbidity Exacerbates Cardiotoxicity Of Anti-Cancer Drugs: Evidences And Promising Novel Therapeutic Strategies, Robin K. Kuriakose, Rakesh Kukreja, Lei Xi Jan 2016

Hypertension Comorbidity Exacerbates Cardiotoxicity Of Anti-Cancer Drugs: Evidences And Promising Novel Therapeutic Strategies, Robin K. Kuriakose, Rakesh Kukreja, Lei Xi

MD Student Summer Research Fellowship Program Posters

No abstract provided.


Underuse And Potential Detrimental Effect Of Radiotherapy In The Management Of Ureteral Cancer, Reza Nabavizadeh, Mashya Abbassi, Emma C. Fields Md Jan 2016

Underuse And Potential Detrimental Effect Of Radiotherapy In The Management Of Ureteral Cancer, Reza Nabavizadeh, Mashya Abbassi, Emma C. Fields Md

MD Student Summer Research Fellowship Program Posters

Ureteral cancer is extremely rare, with only 3530 cases predicted in 2016. Therefore, published studies on ureteral cancers are limited to single-institution retrospective studies, which have not elucidated a clear recommendation on the best treatment modality. Large cancer databases such as the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program (SEER) are ideal for providing data for these rare cancers. Epidemiological studies using the SEER database with large sample sizes (13,800) found rising incidence of ureteral cancer over the past 30 years with worsened outcomes in older patients, males, and patients with regional/distant spread. However, to date, these studies have not used …


Can Plan Recommendations Improve The Coverage Decisions Of Vulnerable Populations In Health Insurance Marketplaces?, Andrew J. Barnes, Yaniv Hanoch, Thomas Rice Jan 2016

Can Plan Recommendations Improve The Coverage Decisions Of Vulnerable Populations In Health Insurance Marketplaces?, Andrew J. Barnes, Yaniv Hanoch, Thomas Rice

Health Administration Publications

Objective

The Affordable Care Act’s marketplaces present an important opportunity for expanding coverage but consumers face enormous challenges in navigating through enrollment and re-enrollment. We tested the effectiveness of a behaviorally informed policy tool—plan recommendations—in improving marketplace decisions.

Study Setting

Data were gathered from a community sample of 656 lower-income, minority, rural residents of Virginia.

Study Design

We conducted an incentive-compatible, computer-based experiment using a hypothetical marketplace like the one consumers face in the federally-facilitated marketplaces, and examined their decision quality. Participants were randomly assigned to a control condition or three types of plan recommendations: social normative, physician, and government. …


Accountable Care Organizations And Transaction Cost Economics, Stephen S. Farnsworth Mick, Patrick D. Shay Jan 2016

Accountable Care Organizations And Transaction Cost Economics, Stephen S. Farnsworth Mick, Patrick D. Shay

Health Administration Publications

Using a Transaction Cost Economics (TCE) approach, this paper explores which organizational forms Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) may take. A critical question about form is the amount of vertical integration that an ACO may have, a topic central to TCE. We posit that contextual factors outside and inside an ACO will produce variable transaction costs (the non-production costs of care) such that the decision to integrate vertically will derive from a comparison of these external versus internal costs, assuming reasonably rational management abilities. External costs include those arising from environmental uncertainty and complexity, small numbers bargaining, asset specificity, frequency of …


Rnaseq Analyses Identify Tumor Necrosis Factor-Mediated Inflammation As A Major Abnormality In Als Spinal Cord, David G. Brohawn, Laura C. O'Brien, James P. Bennett Jr. Jan 2016

Rnaseq Analyses Identify Tumor Necrosis Factor-Mediated Inflammation As A Major Abnormality In Als Spinal Cord, David G. Brohawn, Laura C. O'Brien, James P. Bennett Jr.

Physiology and Biophysics Publications

ALS is a rapidly progressive, devastating neurodegenerative illness of adults that produces disabling weakness and spasticity arising from death of lower and upper motor neurons. No meaningful therapies exist to slow ALS progression, and molecular insights into pathogenesis and progression are sorely needed. In that context, we used high-depth, next generation RNA sequencing (RNAseq, Illumina) to define gene network abnormalities in RNA samples depleted of rRNA and isolated from cervical spinal cord sections of 7 ALS and 8 CTL samples. We aligned >50 million 2X150 bp paired-end sequences/sample to the hg19 human genome and applied three different algorithms (Cuffdiff2, DEseq2, …


Time-Course Analysis Of Brain Regional Expression Network Responses To Chronic Intermittent Ethanol And Withdrawal: Implications For Mechanisms Underlying Excessive Ethanol Consumption, Maren L. Smith, Marcelo F. Lopez, Kellie Archer, Aaron R. Wolen, Howard C. Becker, Michael F. Miles Jan 2016

Time-Course Analysis Of Brain Regional Expression Network Responses To Chronic Intermittent Ethanol And Withdrawal: Implications For Mechanisms Underlying Excessive Ethanol Consumption, Maren L. Smith, Marcelo F. Lopez, Kellie Archer, Aaron R. Wolen, Howard C. Becker, Michael F. Miles

Pharmacology and Toxicology Publications

Long lasting abusive consumption, dependence, and withdrawal are characteristic features of alcohol use disorders (AUD). Mechanistically, persistent changes in gene expression are hypothesized to contribute to brain adaptations leading to ethanol toxicity and AUD. We employed repeated chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) exposure by vapor chamber as a mouse model to simulate the cycles of ethanol exposure and withdrawal commonly seen with AUD. This model has been shown to induce progressive ethanol consumption in rodents. Brain CIE-responsive expression networks were identified by microarray analysis across five regions of the mesolimbic dopamine system and extended amygdala with tissue harvested from 0-hours to …


Decreased Interleukin-4 Release From The Neurons Of The Locus Coeruleus In Response To Immobilization Stress, Hyun-Ju Lee, Hyun-Jung Park, Angela Starkweather, Kyungeh An, Insop Shim Jan 2016

Decreased Interleukin-4 Release From The Neurons Of The Locus Coeruleus In Response To Immobilization Stress, Hyun-Ju Lee, Hyun-Jung Park, Angela Starkweather, Kyungeh An, Insop Shim

School of Nursing Publications

It has been demonstrated that immobilization (IMO) stress affects neuroimmune systems followed by alterations of physiology and behavior. Interleukin-4 (IL-4), an anti-inflammatory cytokine, is known to regulate inflammation caused by immune challenge but the effect of IMO on modulation of IL-4 expression in the brain has not been assessed yet. Here, it was demonstrated that IL-4 was produced by noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus (LC) of the brain and release of IL-4 was reduced in response to IMO. It was observed that IMO groups were more anxious than nontreated groups. Acute IMO (2 h/day, once) stimulated secretion of plasma …


Wses Classification And Guidelines For Liver Trauma, Federico Coccolini, Fausto Catena, Ernest E. Moore, Rao Ivatury, Walter Biffl, Andrew Peitzman, Raul Coimbra, Sandro Rizoli, Yoram Kluger, Fikri M. Abu-Zidan, Marco Ceresoli, Giulia Montori, Massimo Sartelli, Dieter Weber, Gustavo Fraga, Noel Naidoo, Frederick A. Moore, Nicola Zanini, Luca Ansaloni Jan 2016

Wses Classification And Guidelines For Liver Trauma, Federico Coccolini, Fausto Catena, Ernest E. Moore, Rao Ivatury, Walter Biffl, Andrew Peitzman, Raul Coimbra, Sandro Rizoli, Yoram Kluger, Fikri M. Abu-Zidan, Marco Ceresoli, Giulia Montori, Massimo Sartelli, Dieter Weber, Gustavo Fraga, Noel Naidoo, Frederick A. Moore, Nicola Zanini, Luca Ansaloni

Surgery Publications

The severity of liver injuries has been universally classified according to the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) grading scale. In determining the optimal treatment strategy, however, the haemodynamic status and associated injuries should be considered. Thus the management of liver trauma is ultimately based on the anatomy of the injury and the physiology of the patient. This paper presents the World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) classification of liver trauma and the management Guidelines.


Wses Guidelines For The Management Of Acute Left Sided Colonic Diverticulitis In The Emergency Setting, Massimo Sartelli, Fausto Catena, Luca Ansaloni, Federico Coccolini, Ewen A. Griffiths, Fikri M. Abu-Zidan, Salomone Di Saverio, Jan Ulrych, Yoram Kluger, Ofir Ben-Ishay, Frederick A. Moore, Rao R. Ivatury, Raul Coimbra, Andrew B. Peitzman, Ari Leppaniemi, Gustavo P. Fraga, Ronald V. Maier, Osvaldo Chiara, Jeffry Kashuk, Boris Sakakushev, Dieter G. Weber, Rifat Latifi, Walter Biffl, Miklosh Bala, Aleksandar Karamarkovic, Kenji Inaba, Carlos A. Ordonez, Andreas Hecker, Goran Augustin, Zaza Demetrashvili, Renato Bessa Melo, Sanjay Marwah, Sanoop K. Zachariah, Vishal G. Shelat, Michael Mcfarlane, Miran Rems, Carlos Augusto Gomes, Mario Paulo Faro, Gerson Alves Pereira Júnior, Ionut Negoi, Yunfeng Cui, Norio Sato, Andras Vereczkei, Giovanni Bellanova, Arianna Birindelli, Isidoro Di Carlo, Kenneth Y. Kok, Mahir Gachabayov, Georgios Gkiokas, Konstantinos Bouliaris, Elif Çolak, Arda Isik, Daniel Rios-Cruz, Rodolfo Soto, Ernest E. Moore Jan 2016

Wses Guidelines For The Management Of Acute Left Sided Colonic Diverticulitis In The Emergency Setting, Massimo Sartelli, Fausto Catena, Luca Ansaloni, Federico Coccolini, Ewen A. Griffiths, Fikri M. Abu-Zidan, Salomone Di Saverio, Jan Ulrych, Yoram Kluger, Ofir Ben-Ishay, Frederick A. Moore, Rao R. Ivatury, Raul Coimbra, Andrew B. Peitzman, Ari Leppaniemi, Gustavo P. Fraga, Ronald V. Maier, Osvaldo Chiara, Jeffry Kashuk, Boris Sakakushev, Dieter G. Weber, Rifat Latifi, Walter Biffl, Miklosh Bala, Aleksandar Karamarkovic, Kenji Inaba, Carlos A. Ordonez, Andreas Hecker, Goran Augustin, Zaza Demetrashvili, Renato Bessa Melo, Sanjay Marwah, Sanoop K. Zachariah, Vishal G. Shelat, Michael Mcfarlane, Miran Rems, Carlos Augusto Gomes, Mario Paulo Faro, Gerson Alves Pereira Júnior, Ionut Negoi, Yunfeng Cui, Norio Sato, Andras Vereczkei, Giovanni Bellanova, Arianna Birindelli, Isidoro Di Carlo, Kenneth Y. Kok, Mahir Gachabayov, Georgios Gkiokas, Konstantinos Bouliaris, Elif Çolak, Arda Isik, Daniel Rios-Cruz, Rodolfo Soto, Ernest E. Moore

Surgery Publications

Acute left sided colonic diverticulitis is one of the most common clinical conditions encountered by surgeons in acute setting. A World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) Consensus Conference on acute diverticulitis was held during the 3rd World Congress of the WSES in Jerusalem, Israel, on July 7th, 2015. During this consensus conference the guidelines for the management of acute left sided colonic diverticulitis in the emergency setting were presented and discussed. This document represents the executive summary of the final guidelines approved by the consensus conference.