Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Gender Specific Differences In The Pros And Cons Of Smoking Among Current Smokers In Eastern Kentucky: Implications For Future Smoking Cessation Interventions, Dana A. Hazen, David M. Mannino, Richard Clayton

Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

This study investigated gender differences in the perceived “pros” and “cons” of smoking using the constructs of decisional balance (DB) and stage of change from the Transtheoretical Model. The population distribution for stage of change among a population-based, cross-sectional survey of 155 current smokers over 40 years was: precontemplation (22.6%), contemplation (41.9%), preparation (35.5%). Results of stepwise regression models indicated significant gender differences in DB were in the preparation stage of change; scores on the DB measure increased 3.94 points (95% CI: 1.94, 5.93) for male smokers. Interventions targeting the “pros” and “cons” of smoking may need to be gender …

Young People's Blood Alcohol Concentration And The Alcohol Consumption City Law, Brazil, Raquel De Boni, Carl G. Leukefeld, Flavio Pechansky

Center on Drug and Alcohol Research Faculty Publications

The paper assesses blood alcohol concentration and risk behaviors for traffic accidents before and after the implementation of a law which prohibits the use of alcoholic beverages on city gas stations. In Porto Alegre, Southern Brazil, young people go out at night and drive to gas station convenience stores to buy alcoholic beverages which are consumed on the premises of parking lots in gas stations. Data were obtained from self-administered questionnaires and breath analyzers in two cross-sectional collections with purposive samples of youngsters in May and July 2006 (n=62, and n=50, respectively). There were no significant differences between the groups …

Focus On Rna Isolation: Obtaining Rna For Microrna (Mirna) Expression Profiling Analyses Of Neural Tissue, Wang-Xia Wang, Bernard R. Wilfred, Donald A. Baldwin, R. Benjamin Isett, Na Ren, Arnold J. Stromberg, Peter T. Nelson

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are present in all known plant and animal tissues and appear to be somewhat concentrated in the mammalian nervous system. Many different miRNA expression profiling platforms have been described. However, relatively little research has been published to establish the importance of 'upstream' variables in RNA isolation for neural miRNA expression profiling. We tested whether apparent changes in miRNA expression profiles may be associated with tissue processing, RNA isolation techniques, or different cell types in the sample. RNA isolation was performed on a single brain sample using eight different RNA isolation methods, and results were correlated using a conventional …

Focal Cerebral Ischemia In The Tnfalpha-Transgenic Rat, L. Creed Pettigrew, Mark S. Kindy, Stephen W. Scheff, Joe E. Springer, Richard J. Kryscio, Yizhao Li, David S. Grass

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: To determine if chronic elevation of the inflammatory cytokine, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha), will affect infarct volume or cortical perfusion after focal cerebral ischemia.

METHODS: Transgenic (TNFalpha-Tg) rats overexpressing the murine TNFalpha gene in brain were prepared by injection of mouse DNA into rat oocytes. Brain levels of TNFalpha mRNA and protein were measured and compared between TNFalpha-Tg and non-transgenic (non-Tg) littermates. Mean infarct volume was calculated 24 hours or 7 days after one hour of reversible middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Cortical perfusion was monitored by laser-Doppler flowmetry (LDF) during MCAO. Cortical vascular density was quantified by stereology. …

Missense Mutation In Exon 2 Of Slc36a1 Responsible For Champagne Dilution In Horses, Deborah Cook, Samantha Brooks, Rebecca Bellone, Ernest Bailey

Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Champagne coat color in horses is controlled by a single, autosomal-dominant gene (CH). The phenotype produced by this gene is valued by many horse breeders, but can be difficult to distinguish from the effect produced by the Cream coat color dilution gene (CR). Three sires and their families segregating for CH were tested by genome scanning with microsatellite markers. The CH gene was mapped within a 6 cM region on horse chromosome 14 (LOD = 11.74 for theta = 0.00). Four candidate genes were identified within the region, namely SPARC [Secreted protein, acidic, cysteine-rich (osteonectin)], SLC36A1 (Solute Carrier 36 family …

Accelerated High Fidelity Prion Amplification Within And Across Prion Species Barriers, Kristi M. Green, Joaquín Castilla, Tanya S. Seward, Dana L. Napier, Jean E. Jewell, Claudio Soto, Glenn C. Telling

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

Experimental obstacles have impeded our ability to study prion transmission within and, more particularly, between species. Here, we used cervid prion protein expressed in brain extracts of transgenic mice, referred to as Tg(CerPrP), as a substrate for in vitro generation of chronic wasting disease (CWD) prions by protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA). Characterization of this infectivity in Tg(CerPrP) mice demonstrated that serial PMCA resulted in the high fidelity amplification of CWD prions with apparently unaltered properties. Using similar methods to amplify mouse RML prions and characterize the resulting novel cervid prions, we show that serial PMCA abrogated a transmission barrier …

Cd5 Plays An Inhibitory Role In The Suppressive Function Of Murine Cd4+ Cd25+ TReg Cells, Trivikram Dasu, Joseph E. Qualls, Halide Tuna, Chander Raman, Donald A. Cohen, Subbarao Bondada

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

A subset of CD4⁺ T cells, the CD4⁺ CD25⁺ regulatory T (T_reg) cells in the lymphoid organs and peripheral blood are known to possess suppressive function. Previous in vitro and in vivo studies have indicated that T cell receptor (TCR) signal is required for development of such ‘natural regulatory (T_reg) cells’ and for activation of the effector function of CD4⁺ CD25⁺ regulatory T cells. CD5 is a cell surface molecule present on all T cells and a subtype of B lymphocytes, the B-1 cells, primarily localized to coelomic cavities, Peyer's patches, …

Medical Students: Abuse Of Psychoactive Substances And Sexuality Aspects, Kepler Alencar Mendes Carvalho, Maria José Carvalho Sant'anna, Verônica Coates, Hatim A. Omar

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

University students aged 17 to 24 years of age are prone to many risk factors.

OBJECTIVES: Identify risk factors related to exploring sexuality and characteristics of consumption of psychoactive substances in students attending medical school.

METHODS: 465 Medical students from Santa Casa of São Paulo Faculty of Medical Sciences (FCMSCSP) were prospectively and transversely evaluated during 2005. An anonymous, semi-structured, self-filling questionnaire was used. The average age of the students was 21.5 years, 43% females. 76.2% preferred alcohol, and 11.1% tobacco consumption; chloroethane (lança-perfume) consumption occurred in 22.6% and 15.3% consumption of other types of illicit drugs, with marijuana as …

Medical Supervision Of Young Female Athletes Training In Complex Coordinational Sports, Irina Schevchenko, Viktor V. Abramov, Paul T Gibson, Hatim A. Omar

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

This article proposes simple medical criteria that can be used by trainers and others for effective medical supervision of young female athletes.

METHODS: The cross-sectional, age-stratified study compared girls 10-17 years of age involved in intensive training in gymnastic floor exercises, trampoline, or badminton. Each sport and/or control group was represented by 40-45 girls. Data included medical history, morphometric variables and observation of biological development.

RESULTS: Gymnasts started training earliest (approximately 5-years-old) and trained most intensely (18-20 h/wk), followed by trampolinists and then badmintonists. Height, weight, body mass index, and % body fat were reduced in athletes, with gymnasts showing …

Spatiotemporal Postural Control Deficits Are Present In Those With Chronic Ankle Instability, Patrick O. Mckeon, Jay Hertel

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Postural control deficits have been purported to be a potential contributing factor in chronic ankle instability (CAI). Summary forceplate measures such as center of pressure velocity and area have not consistently detected postural control deficits associated with CAI. A novel measurement technique derived from the dynamical systems theory of motor control known as Time-to-boundary (TTB) has shown promise in detecting deficits in postural control related to chronic ankle instability (CAI). In a previous study, TTB deficits were detected in a sample of females with CAI. The purpose of this study was to examine postural control in sample of males …

Caffeine Use: Association With Nicotine Use, Aggression, And Other Psychopathology In Psychiatric And Pediatric Outpatient Adolescents, Catherine A. Martin, Circe Cook, John H. Woodring, Gretchen Burkhardt, Greg Guenthner, Hatim A. Omar, Tom H. Kelly

Psychiatry Faculty Publications

The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between caffeine use, other drug use, and psychopathology in adolescents, using self-report measures. The study group consisted of 132 adolescents (average age 14.01 ± 2.06 years, 52% female, 19% African American, 5% other categories, 76% Caucasian). Most (47%) were recruited from a child psychiatry clinic with emphasis on youth with disruptive disorders, with 35% from an adolescent pediatric clinic with emphasis on prevention of risk-taking behavior and 18% from a pediatric clinic for families with limited resources. Subjects were consecutively recruited before or after regular clinic visits. Consent was obtained …

Surgical Treatment Of A Rare Primary Renal Carcinoid Tumor With Liver Metastasis, Roberto Gedaly, Hoonbae Jeon, Thomas D. Johnston, Patrick P. Mchugh, Randall G. Rowland, Dinesh Ranjan

Surgery Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Carcinoid tumors are characteristically low grade malignant neoplasms with neuroendocrine differentiation that arise in various body sites, most commonly the lung and gastrointestinal tract, but less frequently the kidneys, breasts, ovaries, testes, prostate and other locations. We report a case of a carcinoid of renal origin with synchronous single liver metastases on radiological studies.

CASE PRESENTATION: A 45 year-old patient who presented with abdominal pain was found on CT scan to have lesions in the right ovary, right kidney, and left hepatic lobe. CA-125, CEA, and CA 19-9 were within normal limits, as were preoperative liver function tests and …

The Expression Of Microrna Mir-107 Decreases Early In Alzheimer's Disease And May Accelerate Disease Progression Through Regulation Of Β-Site Amyloid Precursor Protein-Cleaving Enzyme 1, Wang-Xia Wang, Bernard W. Rajeev, Arnold J. Stromberg, Na Ren, Guiliang Tang, Qingwei Huang, Isidore Rigoutsos, Peter T. Nelson

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small regulatory RNAs that participate in posttranscriptional gene regulation in a sequence-specific manner. However, little is understood about the role(s) of miRNAs in Alzheimer's disease (AD). We used miRNA expression microarrays on RNA extracted from human brain tissue from the University of Kentucky Alzheimer's Disease Center Brain Bank with near-optimal clinicopathological correlation. Cases were separated into four groups: elderly nondemented with negligible AD-type pathology, nondemented with incipient AD pathology, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) with moderate AD pathology, and AD. Among the AD-related miRNA expression changes, miR-107 was exceptional because miR-107 levels decreased significantly even in patients with …

Obesity, Hypertension, And Mental Health Evaluation In Adolescents: A Comprehensive Approach, Stefan G. Kiessling, Kimberly K. Mcclanahan, Hatim A. Omar

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

The global epidemic of childhood and adolescent obesity in developing and developed countries has become a major public health concern. Given the relation between obesity and hypertension as documented in several landmark studies, it is no surprise that as the prevalence of obesity has increased in the pediatric population, the rates of hypertension have also increased substantially. Hypertension is one of the most important risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and stroke; therefore, evaluation and initiation of appropriate treatment are extremely important in the pediatric population. Evaluation for secondary causes of hypertension, including renovascular, renoparenchymal, and endocrine disease is the approach …