Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Dance-Based Exercise Therapy For People With Arthritis: An Update And Commentary, Ray Marks

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Prophylactic Bacteriophage Administration More Effective Than Post-Infection Administration In Reducing Salmonella Enterica Serovar Enteritidis Shedding In Quail, Mosab Ahmadi, M. Amir Karimi Torshizi, Shaban Rahimi, John J. Dennehy

Publications and Research

Infections caused by Salmonella bacteria, often through poultry products, are a serious public health issue. Because of drawbacks associated with antibiotic prophylaxis, alternative treatments are sought. Bacterial viruses (bacteriophages) may provide an effective alternative, but concerns remain with respect to bacteriophage stability and effectiveness. To this end, we assessed the stability of a novel bacteriophage isolated from poultry excreta, siphovirus PSE, and its effectiveness in reducing Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis colonization in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, we sought to determine how the timing (prophylactic or therapeutic) and route (oral gavage or vent lip) of PSE administration impacted its effectiveness. …

A Primate Apol1 Variant That Kills Trypanosoma Brucei Gambiense, Anneli Cooper, Paul Capewell, Caroline Clucas, Nicola Veitch, William Weir, Russell Thompson, Jayne Raper, Annette Macleod

Publications and Research

Humans are protected against infection from most African trypanosomes by lipoprotein complexes present in serum that contain the trypanolytic pore-forming protein, Apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1). The human-infective trypanosomes, Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense in East Africa and T. b. gambiense in West Africa have separately evolved mechanisms that allow them to resist APOL1-mediated lysis and cause human African trypanosomiasis, or sleeping sickness, in man. Recently, APOL1 variants were identified from a subset of Old World monkeys, that are able to lyse East African T. b. rhodesiense, by virtue of C-terminal polymorphisms in the APOL1 protein that hinder that parasite’s resistance mechanism. Such variants …

Mapping An Epitope In Ebna-1 That Is Recognized By Monoclonal Antibodies To Ebna-1 That Cross-React With Dsdna, Pragya Yadav, Matthew T. Carr, Ruby Yu, Alice Mumbey-Wafula, Linda Spatz

Publications and Research

Introduction: The Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) has been associated with the autoimmune disease, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). EBV nuclear antigen-I (EBNA-1) is the major nuclear protein of EBV. We previously generated an IgG monoclonal antibody (MAb) to EBNA-1, 3D4, and demonstrated that it crossreacts with double stranded DNA (dsDNA) and binds the 148 amino acid viral binding site (VBS) in the carboxyl region of EBNA-1. The aim of the present study was to characterize another antibody to EBNA-1 that cross-reacts with dsDNA, compare its immunoglobulin genes to 3D4, and finely map the epitope in EBNA-1 that is recognized by these …

Automobile, Construction And Entertainment Business Sector Influences On Sedentary Lifestyles, Diana C. Parra, Thiago H. De Sá, Carlos A. Monteiro, Nicholas Freudenberg

Publications and Research

Sedentary lifestyles contribute to premature death and health inequalities. Researchers have studied personal and community-level determinants of inactivity but few have analyzed corporate influences. To reframe the public health debate on inactivity and open new doors for public sector intervention, we conducted a scoping review of evidence from several disciplines to describe how the business and political practices of the automobile, construction, and entertainment sectors have encouraged sedentary lifestyles. In the last 50 years, these industries have found it profitable to produce motor vehicles, housing, and entertainment, which intentionally or unintentionally discourage physical activity. Ceding primary authority for policy decisions …

Third-Party Reproductive Practices: Legislative Inertia And The Need For Nuanced Empirical Data, Susan Markens

Publications and Research

In their article, ‘Gamete donor anonymity and limits on numbers of offspring: the views of three stakeholders’, Margaret K. Nelson, Rosanna Hertz and Wendy Kramer draw on survey data from gamete donors, parents who used gametes to conceive, and donor-conceived offspring in order to understand the position that various stakeholders are likely to hold regarding the regulation of two issues pertaining to gamete donation: anonymity and limits on numbers of offspring.1 This commentary elaborates on the politics underlying conflicts and agreements among various stakeholders involved with third-party reproduction and details the need for data to better inform legislation regarding assisted …

Maternal Age Of Menarche And Blood Pressure In Adolescence: Evidence From Hong Kong’S “Children Of 1997” Birth Cohort, Tsz Chun Lai, Gabriel Matthew Leung, C Mary Schooling

Publications and Research

Background Age of puberty has declined substantially in developed settings and is now declining in the rest of the world with economic development. Early age of puberty is associated with noncommunicable diseases in adulthood, and may be a long-term driver of population health with effects over generations. In a non-Western setting, we examined the association of maternal age of menarche with blood pressure in late childhood/adolescence.

Methods We used generalised estimating equations to estimate the adjusted association of maternal age of menarche with age-, sex- and height-adjusted blood pressure z-score from 10 to 16 years in Hong Kong’s population-representative birth …

When Actions Speak Louder Than Words: Extending The Reach Of Qualitative Data Collecting, Justine M. Mcgovern

Publications and Research

Through the lens of a study exploring dementia care partnering, the purpose of this methods article is to focus on the role of artifacts and embodied data in data collection. In addition, it illustrates how to use a range of data collecting methods. The article identifies benefits of additional data collecting methods to research and care. These include the need to expand data collecting methods beyond spoken word, integrate a range of data collecting approaches into research courses across disciplines, increase support of qualitative research, and advocate for greater inclusivity in research. Data collecting approaches can also have implications for …

Biodiversity Of Medicinal Plants In The Highlands: Problems And Perspectives, Vyacheslav Dushenkov

Publications and Research

Climate change is affecting medicinal plants around the world and could ultimately lead to losses of some key species, in particular species endemic to a region and causing plants to migrate to new ranges. As the situation unfolds, climate change may become a pressing issue for the herbal community, affecting medicinal plant supply chains with varying requirements for plant cultivation, resource management in the wild, harvesting, processing, and importantly marketing.

Tricurin, A Novel Formulation Of Curcumin, Epicatechin Gallate, And Resveratrol, Inhibits The Tumorigenicity Of Human Papillomaviruspositive Head And Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Longzhu Piao, Sumit Mukherjee, Qing Chang, Xiujie Xie, Hong Li, Mario R. Castellanos, Probal Banerjee, Hassan Iqbal, Ryan Ivancic, Xueqian Wang, Theodoros N. Teknos, Quintin Pan

Publications and Research

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most prevalent cancer worldwide with about 600,000 new cases diagnosed in the last year. The incidence of human papillomavirus-positive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HPV-positive HNSCC) has rapidly increased over the past 30 years prompting the suggestion that an epidemic may be on the horizon. Therefore, there is a clinical need to develop alternate therapeutic strategies to manage the growing number of HPV-positive HNSCC patients. TriCurin is a composition of three food-derived polyphenols in unique stoichiometric proportions consisting of curcumin from the spice turmeric, resveratrol from red grapes, and …

Untangling The Relationship Between Antiretroviral Therapy Use And Incident Pregnancy: A Marginal Structural Model Analysis Using Data From 47,313 Hiv-Positive Women In East Africa, Batya Elul, Kara K. Wools-Kaloustian, Yingfeng Wu, Beverly S. Musick, Harriet Nuwagaba-Biribonwoha, Denis Nash, Samuel Ayaya, Elizabeth Bukusi, Pius Okong, Juliana Otieno, Deo Wabwire, Andrew Kambugu, Constantin T. Yiannoutsos

Publications and Research

Background: Scale-up of triple-drug antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Africa has transformed the context of childbearing for HIV-positive women and may impact pregnancy incidence in HIV programs.

Methods: Using observational data from 47,313 HIV-positive women enrolled at 26 HIV clinics in Kenya and Uganda between 2001 and 2009, we calculated the crude cumulative incidence of pregnancy for the pre-ART and on-ART periods. The causal effect of ART use on incident pregnancy was assessed using inverse probability weighted marginal structural models, and the relationship was further explored in multivariable Cox models.

Results: Crude cumulative pregnancy incidence at 1 year after enrollment/ART initiation …

Muscle Activation Differs Between Three Different Knee Joint-Angle Positions During A Maximal Isometric Back Squat Exercise, Paulo Henrique Marchetti, Josinaldo Jarbas Da Silva, Brad J. Schoenfeld, Priscyla Silva Monteiro Nardi, Silvio Luis Pecoraro, Julia Maria D'Andrea Greve, Erin Hartigan

Publications and Research

The purpose of this study was to compare muscle activation of the lower limb muscles when performing a maximal isometric back squat exercise over three different positions. Fifteen young, healthy, resistance-trained men performed an isometric back squat at three knee joint angles (20∘, 90∘, and 140∘) in a randomized, counterbalanced fashion. Surface electromyography was used to measure muscle activation of the vastus lateralis (VL), vastus medialis (VM), rectus femoris (RF), biceps femoris (BF), semitendinosus (ST), and gluteusmaximus (GM). In general,muscle activity was the highest at 90∘ for the three quadricepsmuscles, yet differences in muscle activation between knee angles were muscle …

Burden Of Disease Resulting From Lead Exposure At Toxic Waste Sites In Argentina, Mexico And Uruguay, Jack Caravanos, Jonathan Carrelli, Russell Dowling, Brian Pavilonis, Bret Ericson, Richard Fuller

Publications and Research

Background: Though lead contaminated waste sites have been widely researched in many high-income countries, their prevalence and associated health outcomes have not been well documented in low- and middle-income countries.

Methods: Using the well-established health metric disability-adjusted life year (DALY) and an exposure assessment method developed by Chatham-Stephens et al., we estimated the burden of disease resulting from exposure to lead at toxic waste sites in three Latin American countries in 2012: Argentina, Mexico and Uruguay. Toxic waste sites identified through Pure Earth’s Toxic Sites Identification Program (TSIP) were screened for lead in both biological and environmental sample media. Estimates …

Botanical Therapeutics In The Modern World, Vyacheslav Dushenkov, Brittany L. Graf, Mary Ann Lila

Publications and Research

Plants are the source of a broad spectrum of biologically active phytochemicals. For effective defense against pathogens and abiotic stress, plants have developed complicated chemical strategies with different mechanisms of action. By harnessing these phytochemicals, humans have used plants for medicinal purposes for over 30,000 years, and they remain a valuable source for the development of modern therapeutics. Plant-derived materials are utilized as pharmaceuticals, botanical drugs, dietary supplements (nutraceuticals), functional food ingredients, and cosmeceuticals. The Global Institute for Bioexploration (GIBEX), an international conglomerate of researchers, is involved in multiple botanical therapeutics discovery and development programs.

Developing A Video-Based Ehealth Intervention For Hiv-Positive Gay, Bisexual, And Other Men Who Have Sex With Men: Study Protocol For A Randomized Controlled Trial, Sabina Hirshfield, Martin J. Downing Jr., Jeffrey T. Parsons, Christina Grov, Rachel J. Gordon, Steven T. Houang, Roberta Scheinmann, Patrick S. Sullivan, Irene S. Yoon, Ian Anderson, Mary Ann Chiasson

Publications and Research

Background: Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) accounted for 67% of new US human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections in 2012; however, less than 40% of HIV-positive GBMSM are virally suppressed. Preventing transmission from virally unsuppressed men who have condomless anal sex (CAS) with serodiscordant partners is a public health imperative. New HIV infections in GBMSM are attributed in part to online access to sex partners; therefore, low-cost eHealth interventions are a unique opportunity to reach men where they meet partners.

Objective: To describe the protocol of a randomized controlled trial evaluating whether video-based messaging delivered …

Assessing The Health Impact Of Transnational Corporations: Its Importance And A Framework, Frances E. Baum, David M. Sanders, Matt Fisher, Julia Anaf, Nicholas Freudenberg, Sharon Friel, Ronald Labontée, Leslie London, Carlos Monteiro, Alex Scott-Samuel, Amit Sen

Publications and Research

Background: The adverse health and equity impacts of transnational corporations’ (TNCs) practices have become central public health concerns as TNCs increasingly dominate global trade and investment and shape national economies. Despite this, methodologies have been lacking with which to study the health equity impacts of individual corporations and thus to inform actions to mitigate or reverse negative and increase positive impacts.

Methods: This paper reports on a framework designed to conduct corporate health impact assessment (CHIA), developed at a meeting held at the Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center in May 2015.

Results: On the basis of the deliberations …

Somatic And Vicarious Pain Are Represented By Dissociable Multivariate Brain Patterns, Anjali Krishnan, Choong-Wan Woo, Luke J. Chang, Luka Ruzic, Xiaosi Gu, Marina Lopez-Sola, Philip L. Jackson, Jesus Pujol, Jin Fan, Tor D. Wager

Publications and Research

Understanding how humans represent others’ pain is critical for understanding pro-social behavior. ‘Shared experience’ theories propose common brain representations for somatic and vicarious pain, but other evidence suggests that specialized circuits are required to experience others’ suffering. Combining functional neuroimaging with multivariate pattern analyses, we identified dissociable patterns that predicted somatic (high versus low: 100%) and vicarious (high versus low: 100%) pain intensity in out-of-sample individuals. Critically, each pattern was at chance in predicting the other experience, demonstrating separate modifiability of both patterns. Somatotopy (upper versus lower limb: 93% accuracy for both conditions) was also distinct, located in somatosensory versus …

An Analysis Of Weight Loss Articles And Advertisements In Mainstream Women’S Health And Fitness Magazines, Danna Ethan, Corey H. Basch, Grace Clarke Hillyer, Alyssa Berdnik, Mary Huynh

Publications and Research

Background: Magazines are a commonly used source for health and fitness information. Little is known about the nature and extent of weight loss strategies and products presented in mainstream women’s health and fitness magazines.

Methods: This preliminary cross-sectional study evaluated the prevalence of articles and advertisements featuring weight loss content and products in mainstream US-based health and fitness magazines, as well as assessed weight loss themes presented. Thirty-one US health and fitness-focused magazine issues were coded. Prevalence of, product type, and themes related to weight loss in articles and advertisements were assessed.

Results: Among the 31 issues of the five …

Spatial Heterogeneity Analysis In Evaluation Of Cell Viability And Apoptosis For Colorectal Cancer Cells, Aydin Saribudak, Herman Kucharavy, Karen Hubbard, Muharrem Umit Uyar

Publications and Research

In evaluation of cell viability and apoptosis, spatial heterogeneity is quantified for cancerous cells cultured in 3-D in vitro cell-based assays under the impact of anti-cancer agents. In 48-h experiments using human colorectal cancer cell lines of HCT-116, SW-620, and SW-480, incubated cells are divided into control and drug administered groups, to be grown in matrigel and FOLFOX solution, respectively. Our 3-D cell tracking and data acquisition system guiding an inverted microscope with a digital camera is utilized to capture bright field and fluorescent images of colorectal cancer cells at multiple time points. Identifying the locations of live and dead …

Mechanism Of Action And Applications Of Interleukin 24 In Immunotherapy, Leah Persaud, Dayenny De Jesus, Oliver Brannigan, Maria Richiez-Paredes, Jeannette Huaman, Giselle Alvarado, Linda Riker, Gissete Mendez, Jordan Dejoie, Moira Sauane

Publications and Research

Interleukin 24 (IL-24) is an important pleiotropic immunoregulatory cytokine, whose gene is located in human chromosome 1q32-33. IL-24’s signaling pathways have diverse biological functions related to cell differentiation, proliferation, development, apoptosis, and inflammation, placing it at the center of an active area of research. IL-24 is well known for its apoptotic effect in cancer cells while having no such effect on normal cells. IL-24 can also be secreted by both immune and non-immune cells. Downstream effects of IL-24, after binding to the IL-20 receptor, can occur dependently or independently of the JAK/STAT signal transduction pathway, which is classically involved in …

Neuroanatomical Alterations In High-Functioning Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Tehila Eilam-Stock, Tingting Wu, Alfredo Spagna, Laura J. Egan, Jin Fan

Publications and Research

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a pervasive neurodevelopmental condition, affecting cognition and behavior throughout the life span. With recent advances in neuroimaging techniques and analytical approaches, a considerable effort has been directed toward identifying the neuroanatomical underpinnings of ASD. While gray-matter abnormalities have been found throughout cortical, subcortical, and cerebellar regions of affected individuals, there is currently little consistency across findings, partly due to small sample-sizes and great heterogeneity among participants in previous studies. Here, we report voxel-based morphometry of structural magnetic resonance images in a relatively large sample of high-functioning adults with ASD (n = 66) and matched …

The Expert Advice: Dental Patient Compliance Hinges On Effective Communication Strategies, Diana V. Macri

Publications and Research

Most dental hygienists would agree that motivating patients to adopt good oral health behaviors-often referred to as compliance-is the most challenging aspect of practice. This critical component of patient care is not unique to dentistry and dental hygiene. In 2010, the costs of health care in the United States exceeded $2.7 trillion with "between $100 and $300 billion of avoidable health-care costs [attributable] to nonadherence in the US annually."1 Nonadherence (a term used in the medical literature, which is synonymous with noncompliance) is associated with progression of disease and, subsequently, poor health outcomes resulting in an additional burden of billions …

Mir-1207-3p Is A Novel Prognostic Biomarker Of Prostate Cancer, Dibash K. Das, Joseph R. Osborne, Hui-Yi Lin, Jong Y. Park, Olorunseun O. Ogunwobi

Publications and Research

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been found to be dysregulated in prostate cancer (PCa). In this study, we investigated if miR-1207-3p is capable of distinguishing between indolent and aggressive PCa and if it contributes to explaining the disproportionate aggressiveness of PCa in men of African ancestry (moAA). A total of 404 patients with primary adenocarcinoma of the prostate were recruited between 1988 and 2003 at the Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA. Patient clinicopathological features and demographic characteristics such as race were identified. RNA samples from 404 postprostatectomy prostate tumor tissue samples were analyzed by real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction …

Severity And Clustering Of Menopausal Symptoms Among Obese And Nonobese Postmenopausal Women In India, E. S. Sharanya Shre, Kate Trout, Sonia Pant Singh, Awnish Kumar Singh, Surapaneni Krishna Mohan, Ashish Joshi

Publications and Research

Background: The symptoms of menopause have a negative impact on quality of life, especially in women transitioning to menopause and earlier transitions. This study was conducted with the objective of assessing the effect of obesity on the severity of menopausal symptoms and the clustering of symptoms in postmenopausal women in India.

Methodology: The Menopausal Rating Scale (MRS) was used to assess the severity of menopausal symptoms of postmenopausal women of Chennai, visiting Saveetha Medical College, Chennai, India. This cross‑sectional study was conducted from August to November 2013 in Chennai, India. Sociodemographic characteristics, anthropometric measurements, blood pressure level, menopausal history, personal …

Kcnq Channel Openers Reverse Depressive Symptoms Via An Active Resilience Mechanism, Allyson K. Friedman, Barbara Juarez, Stacy M. Ku, Hongxing Zhang, Rhodora C. Calizo, Jessica J. Walsh, Depish Chaudhury, Song Zhang, Angel Hawkins, David M. Dietz, James W. Murrogh, Maria Ribadeneira, Erik H. Wong, Rachael L. Neve, Ming-Hu Han

Publications and Research

Less than half of patients suffering from major depressive disorder, a leading cause of disability worldwide, achieve remission with current antidepressants, making it imperative to develop more effective treatment. A new therapeutic direction is emerging from the increased understanding of natural resilience as an active stress-coping process. It is known that potassium (Kþ) channels in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) are an active mediator of resilience. However, no druggable targets have been identified to potentiate active resilience mechanisms. In the chronic social defeat stress model of depression, we report that KCNQ-type Kþ channel openers, including FDA-approved drug retigabine (ezogabine), show …

The Data Do Not Seem To Support A Benefit To Bcaa Supplementation During Periods Of Caloric Restriction, Brad P. Dieter, Brad Jon Schoenfeld, Alan A. Aragon

Publications and Research

J Int Soc Sports Nutr 13:1-015-0112-9, 2016 describe the efficacy of branched chain amino acid (BCAA) supplementation and resistance training for maintaining lean body mass during a calorie-restricted diet, and claim that this occurs with concurrent losses in fat mass. However, the reported results appear to be at odds with the data presented on changes in fat mass. This letter discusses the issues with the paper.

Epigenetic Profiles Signify Cell Fate Plasticity In Unipotent Spermatogonial Stem And Progenitor Cells, Ying Liu, Eugenia G. Giannopoulou, Duacheng Wen, Ilaria Falciatori, Oliver Elemento, C. David Allis, Shahin Rafii, Marco Seandel

Publications and Research

Spermatogonial stem and progenitor cells (SSCs) generate adult male gametes. During in vitro expansion, these unipotent murine cells spontaneously convert to multipotent adult spermatogonial-derived stem cells (MASCs). Here we investigate this conversion process through integrative transcriptomic and epigenomic analyses. We find in SSCs that promoters essential to maintenance and differentiation of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are enriched with histone H3-lysine4 and -lysine 27 trimethylations. These bivalent modifications are maintained at most somatic promoters after conversion, bestowing MASCs an ESC-like promoter chromatin. At enhancers, the core pluripotency circuitry is activated partially in SSCs and completely in MASCs, concomitant with loss of …

Religious Involvement And Psychological Stress As Predictors Of Dental Health, Yung Y. Chen, Anty Lam

Publications and Research

Religious involvement has been linked to many indicators of health, including longevity. Previous research has identified psychological stress as a possible mediator for the positive effects of religion on health. Fewer studies have investigated the potential relationship between these psychosocial factors and dental health. This study examined religious involvement, stress, and dental health in a community sample. Participants included 150 community residents who received dental care as part of the study. Results indicated a significant positive association between religiousness and dental health, and a negative association between stress and dental health. These findings encourage further research on religion, stress, and …

Factors Associated With Initiation Of Antiretroviral Therapy In The Advanced Stages Of Hiv Infection In Six Ethiopian Hiv Clinics, 2012 To 2013, Denis Nash, Olga Tymejczyk, Tsigereda Gadisa, Sarah Gorrell Kulkarni, Susie Hoffman, Muluneh Yigzaw, Batya Elul, Robert H. Remien, Maria Lahuerta, Shalo Daba, Wafaa El Sadr, Zenebe Melaku

Publications and Research

Introduction: Most HIV-positive persons in sub-Saharan Africa initiate antiretroviral therapy (ART) with advanced infection (late ART initiation). Intervening on the drivers of late ART initiation is a critical step towards achieving the full potential of HIV treatment scale-up. This study aimed to identify modifiable factors associated with late ART initiation in Ethiopia.

Methods: From 2012 to 2013, Ethiopian adults (n=1180) were interviewed within two weeks of ART initiation. Interview data were merged with HIV care histories to assess correlates of late ART initiation (CD4+ count <150 cells/mL or World Health Organization Stage IV).

Results: The median CD4 count at enrolment in HIV care was 263 cells/mL (interquartile range …

Timing Of Caffeine Therapy And Neonatal Outcomes In Preterm Infants: A Retrospective Study, Ivan Hand, Nahla Zaghloul, Lily Barash, Rudolph Parris, Ulrika Aden, Hsiu-Ling Li

Publications and Research

Caffeine is widely used to treat apnea of prematurity. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of early caffeine (1-2 DOL) in decreasing the incidence of adverse neonatal outcomes. Methods. A retrospective cohort was used to compare the neonatal morbidity of 150 preterm neonates with gestational age ≤29 weeks. Infants were divided into 3 groups based on the initiation timing of caffeine therapy; (1) early caffeine (1-2 DOL), (2) late caffeine (3–7 DOL), and (3) very late caffeine (≥8 DOL). Results. The neonatal outcomes of early caffeine were comparable with those of the late caffeine group. Moreover, when comparing the neonatal morbidity …