Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Virginia Dental Journal (Vol. 84, No. 3, 2007)

Virginia Dental Journal

No abstract provided.

Factors Associated With Employment Among Latinos Living With Hiv/Aids, Shaun Michael Burns, Lydia R. L. Young, Suzanne Maniss

Counseling Faculty Publications

This investigation explored the utility of various demographic, health-related, and psychological variables in predicting employment among Latinos living with HIV/AIDS. Results of an analysis of variance indicated that employed participants were younger, evinced significantly greater CD4 counts, physical and mental health functioning, and internal locus of control beliefs than those who were unable to work due to disabilities. A backward binary logistic regression demonstrated that age, CD4 count, internal locus of control, and mental health functioning contributed to the explanatory power of the final model. This model correctly classified group membership 72% of the time, 78% of participants who were …

The Impact Of College Student Immersion Service Learning Trips On Coping With Stress And Vocational Identity, Brad A. Mills, Richard B. Bersamina, Thomas G. Plante

Psychology

This study examined the impact of service learning immersion trips on vocational identity and coping with stress among college students. Fifty-one students (15 males, 36 females) who participated in immersion trips and 76 students (25 males, 51 females) in a non-immersion control group completed a series of questionnaires directly before and immediately after both fall and spring break immersion trips, and during a four-month follow up. Results suggest that, after returning from an immersion trip, students report a greater ability to cope with stress and a somewhat stronger sense of vocational identity relative to students who do not participate in …

Department Of Education: Fy2007 Annual Report, Lehigh Valley Health Network

Department of Education

No abstract provided.

Electromyographic Data Do Not Support A Progressive Recruitment Of Muscle Fibers During Exercise Exhibiting A Vo2 Slow Component, Daniel T. Cannon, Fred W. Kolkhorst, Daniel Cipriani

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

The origin of the slow component (SC) of oxygen uptake kinetics, presenting during exercise above the ventilatory threshold (VT), remains unclear. Possible physiologic mechanisms include a progressive recruitment of type II muscle fibers. The purpose of this study was to examine alterations in muscle activity through electromyography (EMG) and mean power frequency (MPF) analysis during heavy cycling exercise. Eight trained cyclists (mean±S.E.; age=30±3 years, height=177±4 cm, weight=73.8±6.5 kg, VO2max=4.33±0.28lmin−1) completed transitions from 20 W to a workload equaling 50% of the difference between VT and VO2max. VO2 was monitored using a breath-by-breath measurement system, and EMG data were gathered from …

Influence Of A Functional Knee Brace And Exercise On Lower Extremity Kinematics During Jogging, Brian M. Campbell, Daniel Cipriani, James A. Yaggie

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

ABSTRACT Context: Functional knee braces (FKB) are used prophylactically and in rehabilitation to aide in the functional stability of the knee joint. Objective: To determine if alterations in sagittal plane lower extremity kinematics remain evident throughout a one hour period in healthy individuals. Design: 2X5 repeated measures design. Setting: Biomechanics Laboratory. Subjects: Twenty subjects (14 male and 6 female, mean age 26.5±7 yrs; height 172.4±13 cm; weight 78.6±9 kg), separated into braced (B) and no brace (NB) groups. Intervention: A one-hour exercise program divided into three 20 minute increments. Main Outcome Measures: Synchronized three-dimensional …

Flavin Charge Transfer Transitions Assist Dna Photolyase Electron Transfer, Spiros S. Skourtis, Tatiana Prytkova, David Beratan

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

This contribution describes molecular dynamics, semi-empirical and ab-initio studies of the primary photo-induced electron transfer reaction in DNA photolyase. DNA photolyases are FADH−-containing proteins that repair UV-damaged DNA by photo-induced electron transfer. A DNA photolyase recognizes and binds to cyclobutatne pyrimidine dimer lesions of DNA. The protein repairs a bound lesion by transferring an electron to the lesion from FADH−, upon photo-excitation of FADH− with 350–450 nm light. We compute the lowest singlet excited states of FADH− in DNA photolyase using INDO/S configuration interaction, time-dependent density-functional, and time-dependent Hartree-Fock methods. The calculations identify the lowest singlet excited state of FADH− …

Family Medicine Predoctoral Education: 30-Something, Howard K. Rabinowitz

Department of Family & Community Medicine Faculty Papers

From the introduction:

The specialty of family medicine is now more than 30 years old. Fitting for its stage of life, family medicine predoctoral education has achieved appropriate maturity and parity with other core clinical departments and has assumed its role and responsibility in medical education within the academic health center. Of course, this wasn’t always true.

The Interplay Of Obesity And Asthma, James Plumb, Rickie Brawer, Nancy Brisbon

Department of Family & Community Medicine Faculty Papers

The relationships, interactions, and association between obesity and asthma are complex, and are active sources of hypotheses and research. An association between obesity and asthma has been reported in many studies, although considerable debate about the existence of the association and its meaning still exists. Potential associative relationships may result from genetics, immune system modifications, and mechanical mechanisms. The rising prevalence of asthma and obesity in children and adults, and the significant morbidity from both, makes it imperative that clinicians recognize the importance of weight management in patients with and without asthma.

Anesthesia Clinical Performance Outcomes: Does Teaching Methodology Make A Difference?, Nina E. Mclain

Theses and Dissertations

Researchers have studied memory recall of crisis-oriented or emotional events in non-educational settings. However, within the health care field, there has been a limited study of the the concept of recall of crisis oriented or emotional events in& health care education. Crisis-oriented events such as natural disasters, acts of bioterroism, and industrial accidents, have been reported to impact memory. Patient safety is a primary focus in anesthesia education, appropriate crisis management is imperative to quality anesthesia care. Due to the critical nature of anesthesia delivery, there is a strong, constant need to develop methods that will enhance, support, and improve …

A Hypothesis-Oriented Algorithm For Symptom-Based Diagnosis By Physical Therapists: Description And Case Series, Courtney D. Few, Todd E. Davenport, Hugh G. Watts

School of Pharmacy Faculty Articles

Study Design: Case series.

Subjects: Two patients referred to physical therapy with a diagnosis of lower back pain (LBP).

Background: The increasing role of physical therapists in primary care settings highlights the skills needed to determine the appropriateness of physical therapy for patients. A hypothesis-oriented algorithm for symptom-based diagnosis was developed for use by physical therapists. The goal of this process is to determine a diagnostic impression to guide decisions regarding patient disposition and physical therapist management. This case series demonstrates the process in two individuals with LBP referred to a community-based outpatient physical therapy clinic.

Diagnosis: Despite the fact …

Cannabinoid Modulation Of Chemotaxis Of Macrophages And Macrophage-Like Cells, Erinn Shenee Raborn

Theses and Dissertations

Exogenous and endogenous cannabinoids have been reported to modulate functional activities of macrophages. It is recognized that macrophages express primarily the CB2 cannabinoid receptor, but recent studies indicate that its expression is differential in relation to activation state with maximal levels occurring when cells are in "responsive" and "primed" states. The functional activities of macrophages when in these states of activation are the most susceptible to the action of cannabinoids, at least in terms of a functional linkage to the CB2. To assess the effect of cannabinoid treatment on macrophage chemotaxis and test the hypothesis that cannabinoids inhibit the chemotactic …

Interactions Of Mtfabh With Its Substrates And Inhibitors Reveal Novel Mechanistic Insights, Sarbjot Singh Sachdeva

Theses and Dissertations

Tuberculosis emerged from its grave to be one of the deadliest diseases of the present time after recently developing a synergy with AIDS. A fatty acid condensing enzyme-mtFabH has been proposed to connect the key processes involved in biosynthesis of mycolic acids, an important component of mycobacterial cell wall. It condenses long acyl Coenzymes A (CoA; up to C20CoA) with malonyl Acyl Carrier Protein (ACP) to form the elongated β-ketoacyl-ACP which further undergoes rounds of elongation to form mero-mycolate branch of mature mycolic acids. Owing to its proposed central position in mycolic acid synthesis, mtFabH has attracted considerable attention as …

Vocational Rehabilitation Of Clients With Brain Injury: An Investigation Of Racial Disparity Within The Rehabilitation Services Administration (Rsa) 911 Database, Stephanie A. Kolakowsky-Hayner

Theses and Dissertations

Finding and maintaining employment is an ongoing problem for persons with disabilities, especially those with brain injuries. State vocational rehabilitation agencies are the primary authority responsible for providing employment-related services for individuals with disabilities throughout the United States. Little effort has been committed to identifying disparities in health and rehabilitation services provided to Americans with disabilities, particularly those with brain injuries. The purpose of this investigation was to utilize Aday and Andersen's Framework for the Study of Access to examine racial disparity within the Rehabilitation Services Administration 911 Database, and thus the vocational rehabilitation system, among clients with brain injury. …

An Examination Of The Relationships Among Health Literacy, Social Support, And Patient Activation In Community Residing Older Adults, Brenda L. Harding Hage

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the relationships among the variables health literacy, social support, and patient activation. The subjects were 90 elderly, community residing adults meeting the inclusion criteria and who volunteered to participate in the study and completed three survey instruments: the Short Form of Functional Health Literacy (Parker, Baker, Williams & Nurss, 1995); the Medical Outcomes Survey (MOS) Social Support Survey Instrument (Sherboume & Stewart, 1991); the Patient Activation Measure (PAM) Short-Form (Hibbard, Mahoney, Stockard, & Tusler, 2005); and a demographic form.

A correlational design was used to test the hypotheses that social support and health literacy are positively related …

Stress And Anxiety In Adhd: Links To Sensory Over-Responsivity, Stacey E. Reynolds

Theses and Dissertations

Sensory Modulation Dysfunction (SMD) is characterized by an inability to consistently and accurately grade responses to sensory information. SMD, and specifically sensory over-responsivity (SOR), has been correlated with stress and anxiety in some developmentally delayed populations and has been associated with structures and functions of the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis. Recent attention has been given to HPA functioning in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), with a majority of studies identifying blunted or diminished cortisol patterns. In contrast, elevated cortisol has been associated with anxiety and anxious behaviors in both animal and human studies. The purpose of this study …

Determinants Of Obesity: Racial Differences, Nikkia L. Goforth

Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: Obesity is a major public health problem. Studies have shown that there are racial and ethnic differences in the prevalence of obesity. However, there is limited research that examines the effects of sedentary and poor lifestyle behaviors and obesity among different racial and ethnic groups. Furthermore, most studies focus on the problem of obesity among children. This study was conducted to examine racial differences in determinants of obesity in adults in the United States. METHODS: Data from the 2005 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System was used for this analysis. Demographics, lifestyle behaviors, and existence of chronic diseases were assessed. …

Chronic Itp: Analysis Of Various Factors At Presentation Which Predict Failure To First Line Treatment And Their Response To Second Line Therapy, Naveen Naz Syed, Salman Adil, Muhamed Raihan Sajid, Mohammad Usman, Bushra Moiz, G N Kakepoto, Mohammad Khurshid

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

OBJECTIVE: To observe the significance of various factors in chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) which predict the response of first line (corticosteroids) and second line therapy (splenectomy) and to evaluate their response to second line therapy.
METHODS: This was a descriptive, prospective study conducted from August 2004 till January 2006. Patients of all age groups and both genders with diagnosis of chronic ITP were included. Treatment protocol and criteria for response assessment was explained.
RESULTS: During 17 months period, 86 patients with chronic ITP were analyzed. Non-responders to first line therapy were 74 patients who ultimately required splenectomy. …

Diagnostic Importance Of Bone Marrow Examination In Non-Hematological Disorders, Naveen Naz Syed, Bushra Moiz, Salman Adil, Mohammad Khurshid

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Objective: To evaluate the frequency of involvement of bone marrow with non-haematologic disorders and to observe the significance of bone marrow examination in establishing primary diagnosis of the same.
Methods: It was a descriptive study that extended from January 2003 to September 2005. A total of 4569 bone marrow aspirate and trephines were reported during this period. Only the non-haematological disorders were analyzed for their clinical and laboratory parameter.
Results: During the study period, 63 patients (1.4%) were diagnosed to have non-haematological diseases detected primarily through bone marrow examination. The mean age of patients at time of …

Comparison Of Different Phenotypic Methods Of Detection Of Methicillin Resistance In Staphylococcus Aureus With The Molecular Detection Of Mec-A Gene, M Zeeshan, K Jabeen, E Khan, S Irfan, S Ibrahim, Z Parween, Afia Zafar

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate accuracy, cost-effectiveness and ease to perform different phenotypic methods i.e. Cefoxitin 30 microg disc, Oxacillin 1microg disc and Oxacillin agar screening plate (6microg/ml ) for early and accurate identification of MRSA by comparing with the detection of mec-A gene in our clinical isolates.
DESIGN: A comparative study.
PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Clinical samples submitted in the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, from 1st August to 31st October 2006.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: Out of 200 clinical samples, conventional Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was done on 62 pure biochemically identified S. aureus …

Evaluation Of Immune Response To Hepatitis B Vaccine In Health Care Workers At A Tertiary Care Hospital In Pakistan: An Observational Prospective Study, Mohammad Zeeshan, Kauser Jabeen, Anita Nausheen Akbar Ali, Ailia Wilayat Ali, Saadia Z Farooqui, Vikram Mehraj, Afia Zafar

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Background: Seroconversion rates reported after Hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination globally ranges from 85–90%. Health care workers (HCWs) are at high risk of acquiring HBV and non responders' rates after HBV vaccination were not reported previously in Pakistani HCWs. Therefore we evaluated immune response to HBV vaccine in HCWs at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan.
Methods: Descriptive observational study conducted at Aga Khan University from April 2003 to July 2004. Newly HBV vaccinated HCWs were evaluated for immune response by measuring serum Hepatitis B surface antibody (HBsAb) levels, 6 weeks post vaccination.
Results: Initially 666 employees were included …

Antimicrobial Resistance In Neisseria Gonorrhoeae And Limited Treatment Options, Afia Zafar, Kauser Jabeen

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

No abstract provided.

Nosocomial Buffalopoxvirus Infection, Karachi, Pakistan, Afia Zafar, Robert Swanepoel, Roger Hewson, Mazhar Nizam, Altaf Ahmed, Akhtar Husain, Antoinette Grobbelaar, Kevin Bewley, Valerie Mioulet, Barry Dowsett, Linda Easterbrook, Rumina Hasan

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

During 5 months in 2004–2005, buffalopoxvirus infection, confirmed by virus isolation and limited nucleic acid sequencing, spread between 5 burns units in Karachi, Pakistan. The outbreak was related to movement of patients between units. Control measures reduced transmission, but sporadic cases continued due to the admission of new patients with community-acquired infections.

Frequency Of Primary Solid Malignant Neoplasms In Both Sexes, As Seen In Our Practice, Zubair Ahmad, Najamul Sahar Azad, Nausheen Yaqoob, Akhtar Husain, Aamir Ahsan, Ambreen Nasir Khan, Rashida Ahmed, Naila Kayani, Shahid Pervez, Sheema H. Hassan

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Background: To determine the frequency of various histologic types of primary solid malignant neoplasms in males and females, in our practice, in a large series of surgical biopdies.

Method: A retrospective study of 20,000 consecutive surgical biopsies in the section of Histopathology, Aga Khan University Hospital (AKU), Karachi, in 2004.

Results: Squamous cell carcinoma of oral cavity was the commonest malignant neoplasm in males followed by diffuse Large B cell, Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and Prostatic adenocarcinoma. In females, infiltrating Ductal carcinoma of the breast was overwhelmingly the commonest malignant neoplasm followed by Squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity and esophagus. …

Comparative Predictive Value Of Three Prognostic Markers--S-Phase Fraction, Pcna And Mitotic Count On Axillary Lymph Node Metastasis In Carcinoma Breast, Shahid Pervez, Muhammad Nadeem Khan, Muhammad Israr Nasir

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Background: Axillary lymph node metastasis is the single most important prognostic factor in carcinoma of the breast. Therefore, prognostic markers that may reliably predict probability of lymph node (LN) metastases are of great value. This study was conducted to compare the predictive value of two novel prognostic / proliferative markers i.e. S-phase fraction (SPF) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in parallel with mitotic index.

Methods: Data of consecutive cases of infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC) breast diagnosed from July 2003 to July 2004 at the section of the Histopathology, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, were reviewed. A total of …

The Influence Of Insulin On Lipolysis In African American And Caucasian Prepubertal, Premenopausal, And Postmenopausal Females, Laura Lee T Goree

All ETDs from UAB

African Americans, compared to Caucasians, may have chronically suppressed free fatty acid (FFA) mobilization due to basal and postprandial hyperinsulinemia. The pur-pose of this study was to determine if lower FFA among African Americans are due to higher insulin concentration and if this ethnic difference in FFA, beta cell function, and insulin suppression of FFA declines with age. Subjects who qualified underwent a fre-quently-sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test (FSIGT) for determination of insulin sensitivity (Si) and the acute insulin response to glucose (AIRg). Body composition and fat distribution were assessed with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and com-puted tomography (CT), respectively. …

Assessing The Universal Declaration On Bioethics And Human Rights: Implications For Human Dignity And The Respect For Human Life, O. Carter Snead

Journal Articles

As advances in biomedical science and biotechnology continue to confer vast new powers to subdue nature for “the relief of man’s estate,” vexed moral and ethical questions inevitably arise about the use of such capacities. To what ends should they be applied? How might they be abused? Are they safe? What is the human meaning of such new powers? Might their use threaten human dignity? What does scientific freedom demand? What does justice require? Who should have access to the fruits of such scientific advances?

In democratic regimes, these questions do not long remain the subject of mere academic reflection …

Tgfβ3 Inhibits E-Cadherin Gene Expression In Palate Medial-Edge Epithelial Cells Through A Smad2-Smad4- Lef1 Transcription Complex, Ali Nawshad, Damian Medici, Chang-Chih Liu, Elizabeth D. Hay

College of Dentistry: Faculty Publications

Dissociation of medial-edge epithelium (MEE) during palate development is essential for mediating correct craniofacial morphogenesis. This phenomenon is initiated by TGFβ3 upon adherence of opposing palatal shelves, because loss of E-cadherin causes the MEE seam to break into small epithelial islands. To investigate the molecular mechanisms that cause this E-cadherin loss, we isolated and cultured murine embryonic primary MEE cells from adhered or non-adhered palates. Here, we provide the first evidence that lymphoid enhancer factor 1 (LEF1), when functionally activated by phosphorylated Smad2 (Smad2- P) and Smad4 (rather than β-catenin), binds with the promoter of the E-cadherin gene to repress …

Functional Interplay Between The B-Box 2 And The B30.2(Spry) Domains Of Trim5Α, Xi Ling, Byeongwoon Song, Shi-Hua Xiang, Joseph Sodroski

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

The retroviral restriction factors, TRIM5α and TRIMCyp, consist of RING and B-box 2 domains separated by a coiled coil from carboxy-terminal domains. These carboxy-terminal domains (the B30.2(SPRY) domain in TRIM5α and the cyclophilin A domain in TRIMCyp) recognize the retroviral capsid. Here we show that some B-box 2 changes in TRIM5α, but not in TRIMCyp, resulted in decreased human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) capsid binding. The phenotypic effects of these B-box 2 changes on the restriction of retroviral infection depended on the potency of restriction and the affinity of the TRIM5α interaction with the viral capsid, two properties specified by the …

Characterization Of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Monomeric And Trimeric Gp120 Glycoproteins Stabilized In The Cd4-Bound State: Antigenicity, Biophysics, And Immunogenicity, Barna Dey, Marie Pancera, Krisha Svehla, Yuuei Shu, Shi-Hua Xiang, Jeffrey Vainshtein, Yuxing Li, Joseph Sodroski, Peter D. Kwong, John R. Mascola, Richard Wyatt

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 exterior gp120 envelope glycoprotein is highly flexible, and this flexibility may contribute to the inability of monomeric gp120 immunogens to elicit broadly neutralizing antibodies. We previously showed that an S375W modification of a critical interfacial cavity central to the primary receptor binding site, the Phe43 cavity, stabilizes gp120 into the CD4-bound state. However, the immunological effects of this cavity-altering replacement were never tested. Subsequently, we screened other mutations that, along with the S375W alteration, might further stabilize the CD4-bound state. Here, we define a selected second cavity-altering replacement, T257S, and analyze the double mutations …