Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Sensory Experiences Of Children With An Autism Spectrum Disorder And Nursing Interventions For Over Stimulation, Felicia Ballentine

HIM 1990-2015

Background: Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of neuro-developmental disorders that are characterized by impaired social interaction, communication, and restricted or repetitive behavior. Children with an ASD also display significant sensory experiences due to sensory disintegration. This integrative review of literature examines the sensory experiences of children with an ASD and determines nursing interventions that will enable them to better cope within the hospital setting. Method: an extensive search of databases and current literature on sensory experiences of children with an ASD and interventions that facilitate coping. Results: Children with an ASD experience a wide range of sensitivity and …

Augmented Cocaine Seeking In Response To Stress Or Crf Delivered Into The Ventral Tegmental Area Following Long-Access Self-Administration Is Mediated By Crf Receptor Type 1 But Not Crf Receptor Type 2, Jordan M. Blacktop, Chad Seubert, David A. Baker, Nathan Ferda, Geng Lee, Evan N. Graf, John R. Mantsch

Biomedical Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Stressful events are determinants of relapse in recovering cocaine addicts. Excessive cocaine use may increase susceptibility to stressor-induced relapse through alterations in brain corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) regulation of neurocircuitry involved in drug seeking. We previously reported that the reinstatement of cocaine seeking by a stressor (footshock) is CRF dependent and is augmented in rats that self-administered cocaine under long-access (LgA; 6 h daily) conditions for 14 d when compared with rats provided shorter daily cocaine access [short access (ShA) rats; 2 h daily]. Further, we have demonstrated that reinstatement in response to intracerebroventricular CRF administration is heightened in LgA rats. …

Measures Of Socio-Demographic Factors For Child, Javed Yakoob, Safia Awan

Section of Gastroenterology

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of Chlamydia Pneumoniae And Ad-Like Pathology In The Brains Of Balb/C Mice Following Direct Intracranial Infection With Chlamydia Pneumoniae, Jessica Rachel Barton

PCOM Biomedical Studies Student Scholarship

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an age-related progressive neurodegenerative disorder and the most common form of dementia. The pathology in the central nervous system (CNS) impairs memory and cognition, hindering the capabilities and the quality of life of the individual. This project continues studying the role of infection and Alzheimer’s disease and contributes to the overall understanding of the possible causes of this disease. In this study, BALB/c mice were infected, via direct intracranial injection, with a respiratory isolate (AR-39) of Chlamydia pneumoniae. Their brains were analyzed at 7 and 14 days post-infection, using immunohistochemistry, for the presence of C. …

Preferential Quadriceps Activation In Female Athletes With Incremental Increases In Landing Intensity, Kevin R. Ford, Gregory D. Myer, Laura C. Schmitt, Timothy L. Uhl, Timothy E. Hewett

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to identify alterations in preparatory muscle activation patterns across different drop heights in female athletes. Sixteen female high school volleyball players performed the drop vertical jump from three different drop heights. Surface electromyography of the quadriceps and hamstrings were collected during the movement trials. As the drop height increased, muscle activation of the quadriceps during preparatory phase also increased (p < .05). However, the hamstrings activation showed no similar increases relative to drop height. Female athletes appear to preferentially rely on increased quadriceps activation, without an increase in hamstrings activation, with increased plyometric intensity. The resultant decreased activation ratio of the hamstrings relative to quadriceps before landing may represent altered dynamic knee stability and may contribute to the increased risk of ACL injury in female athletes.

A Formative Evaluation For A Food Choices Intervention In A Mississippi Delta Community: A Focus Group Of Rural African American Adolescents, Jovan Chantrell Eugene Williams

Master's Theses

A needs assessment should be conducted to plan effective interventions. This study used a qualitative research approach to examine the eating patterns, food purchasing and preparation skills and practices, barriers and facilitators of dietary change, social and contextual influences on food choices, and preferences for communication and presentation channels and styles of low-income rural African American adolescents. Seven focus groups were conducted with a total of 33 participants, 21 girls and 12 boys, aged 13-18. Adolescents were grouped by age and gender. A moderator, who was trained in focus group methodology, conducted the session using a focus group discussion guide …

Novel Irradiated Axial Rotational Flap Model In The Rodent, Adam J. Luginbuhl, Mara Modest, Bs, Kaiguo Yan, Joseph Curry, Ryan N. Heffelfinger

Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Faculty Papers

Abstract

Objectives: To design an easily reproducible rodent rotational skin flap and to evaluate the effects of radiation on flap viability.

Methods: Ten rats received 40 Gy irradiation to the abdominal wall. Following a recovery period of one month, a 3 X 8 cm fasciocutaneous flap based axially on the inferior epigastric vessel, was raised and rotated 60 degrees into a contralateral deficit. Five non-irradiated rats underwent the identical procedure as a control. Animals were sacrificed seven days postoperatively, areas of flap necrosis were documented, and histological specimens were taken to compare flap viability and vessel density.

Results: 60% of …

The Effects Of Hypothermia On Status Epilepticus-Induced Acquired Epilepsy, Kristin Phillips

Theses and Dissertations

Status epilepticus (SE) is a type of neurological injury characterized by continuous seizure activity and can lead to molecular and pathophysiological alterations leading to plasticity changes. SE can lead to the development of AE by the process of epileptogenesis, which is a phenomenon that describes the transformation of normal brain tissue into a hyperexcitable neuronal population. It has been demonstrated both in vivo and in vitro that calcium (Ca2+) dynamics are severely altered during and after SE, and these changes play a major role in the progression of epileptogenesis. It has also been reported that preventing the rise in intracellular …

Brain Activation And Connectivity In Non-Disabled Multiple Sclerosis Patients, Rene A. Colorado

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common demyelinating disease affecting the central nervous system. There is no cure for MS and current therapies have limited efficacy. While the majority of individuals with MS develop significant clinical disability, a subset experiences a disease course with minimal impairment even in the presence of significant apparent tissue damage on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The current studies combined functional MRI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to elucidate brain mechanisms associated with lack of clinical disability in patients with MS. Recent evidence has implicated cortical reorganization as a mechanism to limit the clinical manifestation of …

Chapter 01: The Making Cancer History® Voices Oral History Project, Stephen Tomasovic Phd, Tacey A. Rosolowski Phd

Interview Chapters

In this chapter, Dr. Tomasovic provides an overview of the Historical Resources Center –which he founded-- and the Making Cancer History Voices Oral History Project that it oversees.

Sub Total Aortic Replacement Using Simultaneous Bentall And Elephant Trunk Procedure, Mehreen Kisat, Umer Darr

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

A 22 year old female with valvular heart disease, moderate mitral valve insufficiency, moderate aortic insufficiency, extensive aneurysmal dilatation of the entire ascending aorta and arch, and segmental dilatation of descending aorta underwent entire anterior aortic replacement. We performed aortic root and valve replacement with a composite graft, followed by coronary artery reimplantation using the Bentall and De Bono technique. Simultaneously, we carried out a graft replacement of the transverse arch and descending aortic aneurysms with a woven Dacron graft using the Elephant Trunk technique. The goal of this surgery was to correct or optimally treat the multiple sites of …

Surgical Correction Of Aorto-Pulmonary Window: A Rare And Lethal Cause Of Pulmonary Hypertension, Adeel Ahmed Shamim, Mubashir Zareen Khan, Mehnaz Ahmed Atiq, Mansoor Ahmed Khan, Muhammad Muneer Amanullah

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Aorto-pulmonary window is a relatively rare congenital cardiac malformation with an overall incidence of 0.1%. Pulmonary hypertension develops quickly if the lesion is left untreated hence early surgical intervention is warranted after diagnosis. The surgery for correction of APW has evolved over years, currently an open repair on cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) with a single patch technique yields good results. Mortality is affected by association of pulmonary hypertension and other cardiac malformations. We present a case of an infant with a large type II APW with a relatively low pulmonary vascular resistance. Hospital stay was complicated because of pulmonary arterial disease …

Perceived Parent-Child Relationship And High-Risk Behaviors Among Christian College Students, Karla G. Lavin Williams

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background. Adolescents and young adults today are participating in high-risk behaviors such as dangerous sexual behaviors and drug and alcohol abuse at high rates. An increased incidence of negative effects associated with the aforementioned behaviors has led researchers to examine factors that influence and protect adolescents from certain devastating effects (Davis, Hendershot, George, Norris, & Heiman, 2007; Goldstein, Bamett, Pedlow, & Murphy, 2007; Hamilton, et al., 2007; Hingson, Heeren, & Winter, 2006; Hingson, Heeren, Winter, & Wechsler, 2003; Hingson, Heeren, Zakocs, Winter, & Wechsler, 2003; McCarty, et al., 2004; Mokdad, Marks, Stroup, & Gerberding, 2004; Mosher, Chandra, & Jones, 2005; …

Impact Of An Online Support System On Health Related Quality Of Life Among Men Diagnosed With Prostate Cancer, Daniel K. Osei

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Prostate cancer is a major public health issue worldwide and a significant cause of male cancer death in the USA. Though early screening and treatment has greatly enhanced the outcome, men diagnosed with prostate cancer face problems that compromise quality of life after treatment. Online support for prostate cancer clients is a convenient way to help because it is anonymous, inexpensive, and can be used at clients’ convenience. Yet few studies have explored how these supports impact these clients. This study used a longitudinal randomized experimental design to examine the impact of online services on quality of life of prostate …

Targeted Multistage Delivery Of Nanoparticles To The Bone Marrow, Aman Mann

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Bone marrow is a target organ site involved in multiple diseases including myeloproliferative disorders and hematologic malignancies and metastases from breast and prostate. Most of these diseases are characterized with poor quality of life, and the treatment options are only palliative due to lack of delivery mechanisms for systemically injected drugs which results in dose limitation to protect the healthy hematopoietic cells. Therefore, there is a critical need to develop effective therapeutic strategies that allow for selective delivery of therapeutic payload to the bone marrow. Nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems provide the opportunity to deliver drugs to the target tissue while …

In-Vivo Ct Dosimetry During Virtual Colonoscopy, Jonathon W. Mueller

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Virtual colonoscopy (VC) is a minimally invasive means for identifying colorectal polyps and colorectal lesions by insufflating a patient’s bowel, applying contrast agent via rectal catheter, and performing multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) scans. The technique is recommended for colonic health screening by the American Cancer Society but not funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) partially because of potential risks from radiation exposure. To date, no in‐vivo organ dose measurements have been performed for MDCT scans; thus, the accuracy of any current dose estimates is currently unknown.

In this study, two TLDs were affixed to the inner …

Growth Inhibition Of Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells By Overexpression Of G Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase 2, Zhengyu Wei, Reginald Hurtt, Cataldo Doria

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

Summary:

In this study, we investigated a novel approach for HCC treatment by inducing overexpression of GRK2 in human HCC cells. We found that overexpression of GRK2 through recombinant adenovirus transduction inhibits the growth of human HCC cells. BrdU incorporation assay showed that the growth inhibition caused by elevated GRK2 level was due tot he reduced cell proliferation but not apoptosis. To examine the anti-proliferative function of increased GRK2 level, we performed cell cycle analysis using propidium iodide staining. We found that the proliferation suppression was associated with G2/M phase cell cycle arrest by the wild type GRK2 but not …

Appropriate Medication Prescribing In Elderly Patients: How Knowledgeable Are Primary Care Physicians? A Survey Study In Parma, Italy., Vittorio Maio, Pharmd, Ms, Mph, Eric Jutkowitz, Ba, Karina Herrera Ba, Ms, Safiya Abouzaid Pharmd, Giavanna Negri, Pharmd, Stefano Del Canale, Md, Phd

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

What is known and Objective:  Increasing attention is being paid to inappropriate medication prescribing for the elderly. A growing body of studies have detected a prevalence of inappropriate prescribing ranging from 12% to 40% worldwide, including Regione Emilia-Romagna, Italy. To improve quality of prescribing, a multi-phase pilot project in the Local Health Unit (LHU) of Parma, Regione Emilia-Romagna, was established. This phase aimed to assess primary care physicians' knowledge of appropriate prescribing in elderly patients. Methods:  In total, 155 primary care physicians (51% of the total), convened by the LHU of Parma for an educational session, were asked to complete …

Access To Essential Medicines: In Pakistan Identifying Policy Research And Concerns, Shehla Zaidi, Noureen Nishtar

Community Health Sciences

The fundamental importance of ensuring access to medicines, particularly for the poor, is reflected in MDG 8 however remains poor in many low and middle income countries (LMICs). Country specific evidence on access to medicines is weak in LMICs and research has rarely been from an integrated health systems perspective. This study used an evidence based approach to identify key priority concerns and emerging research questions related to access to medicines in Pakistan. WHO’s Access to Medicine Framework was used as the conceptual basis for data collection on rational usage, affordability, financing and health systems. Methods involved a systematic desk …

Effect Of The Infection With Porcine Reproductive And Respiratory Syndrome Virus On The Regulation Of Cytokines: Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha And Interleukin-10, Sakthivel Subramaniam

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) causes late-term abortion in sows and pneumonia in growing piglets. PRRSV evades the host immune response by several mechanisms, including the modulation of cytokine secretions in infected pigs, which is the subject of this dissertation. Particularly, PRRSV reduces the secretion of the pro-inflammatory cytokine, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) but increases the secretion of the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10). The latter effect, however, is PRRSV strain-specific. In this dissertation, we have examined mechanisms by which PRRSV regulates TNF-α and IL-10 expressions. The pathogenic strain FL12, derived from a PRRSV infectious clone, consistently suppressed TNF-α …

Role Of Porcine Reproductive And Respiratory Syndrome Virus Non-Structural Protein 1 In Viral Replications And Pathogenesis, Lalit Kumar Beura

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is an infectious agent of significant concern to the global swine industry. PRRSV infection of pigs is initiated by a long viremia after which the virus enters in an extended persistent phase of 3-4 months that ultimately is resolved by the immune system. The delayed and weak host adaptive response is responsible for the protracted convalescence period. An initial sub-optimal innate immune response is postulated to be the reason behind such meager adaptive immune response. A major focus of the studies undertaken in this dissertation was to identify the viral non-structural proteins (nsps) …

Identification Of Host Proteins Required For Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Infection, Debasis Panda

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Viruses usurp host cell pathways for different stages of their infection. Understanding virus-host interaction will be invaluable to elucidate molecular mechanisms of virus infection and to identify drug targets. In order to identify such critical cellular genes in vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV, a model non-segmented negative strand RNA virus) infection, we developed a stable cell line constitutively expressing replication proteins of VSV. Attempts to establish a cell line replicating a sub-genomic replicon was not successful because of induction of interferon response by replication of viral genomic analog. Subsequently, we used siRNA technology and conducted a genome-wide siRNA screen in HeLa …

Exposing Privacy Concerns In Mhealth, Aarathi Prasad, Jacob Sorber, Timothy Stablein, Denise Anthony, David Kotz

Dartmouth Scholarship

We conducted several exploratory focus groups to understand what privacy concerns Patients might have with the collection, storage and sharing of their personal health information, when using mHealth devices. We found that Patients want control over their health information, and we noticed privacy trends that were particular to Patients in the same age group and with similar health experiences.

The Development Of Future Orientation: Underpinnings And Related Constructs, Sarah J. Beal

Department of Psychology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Future orientation has been conceptualized in a variety of ways across literatures in psychology, sociology, education, and vocation. The lack of a shared definition and measurement across theoretical perspectives has resulted in a challenge in comparing findings across literatures and organizing results in a way that provides a coherent sense of how future orientation impacts later outcomes. Trommsdorff (1979) provided a comprehensive definition of future orientation that included eight dimensions: extension, detail, domain, affect, motivation, control, sequence of events, and number of cognitions. Study 1 was designed to test this definition using measures from five prominent theories of future orientation …

Effects Of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms In The Human Holocarboxylase Synthetase Gene On Catalytic Activity, Shingo Esaki

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Holocarboxylase synthetase (HCS) catalyzes the covalent binding of biotin to carboxylases and histones in eukaryotic cells. Biotinylated carboxylases play essential roles in the metabolism of fatty acids, amino acids, and glucose; biotinylated histones play essential roles in gene regulation and genome stability. HCS null individuals are not viable whereas HCS deficiency is linked to developmental delays and phenotypes such as short life span and low stress resistance. Greater than 2,500 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been reported for HCS, but the biological importance of these polymorphisms is unknown. We hypothesized that some of these SNPs impair catalytic activity and that …

P2-498 Parents' Perceptions And Practices Regarding Consanguinity Related To Β-Thalassaemia: A Matched Case Control Study, M Beg, R Siddiqui, Khabir Ahmad, Khadija Humayun

Department of Surgery Docs

introduction b-thalassaemia is most common genetically transmitted disorder in Eastern Mediterranean region including Pakistan. Like other recessive disorders, prevalence increases through consanguinity; Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey reports 50% consanguineous marriages. Perceptions about consanguinity in our population have recently not been studied. Objectives were to determine consanguinity related characteristics among parents of children with thalassaemia and without thalassaemia visiting a major health centre in Karachi-Pakistan. To compare consanguinity practices among such families and to assess susceptibility, benefits and barriers towards thalassaemia. Methods Sample of 340 cases and 340 controls; age-sex matched were selected from February to April 2010. Parents of …

Identification Of Ssr Markers Associated With Height Using Pool-Based Genome-Wide Association Mapping In Sorghum, Paul W. Bible, Yi-Hong Wang, Rasiah Loganantharaj, Hari D. Upadhyaya

Computer Science Faculty publications

Sorghum has been proposed as a potential energy crop. However, it has been traditionally bred for grain yield and forage quality, not traits related to bioenergy production. To develop tools for genetic improvement of bioenergy-related traits such as height, genetic markers associated with these traits have first to be identified. Association mapping has been extensively used in humans and in some crop plants for this purpose. However, genome-wide association mapping using the whole association panel is costly and time-consuming. A variation of this method called pool-based genome-wide association mapping has been extensively used in humans. In this variation, pools of …

Why The Master? Human Capital Development For Practicing U.S. Cycling Coaches, Daniel Larson, Joel Maxcy

Faculty Articles

The economic structure of the industry of cycling coaches has yet to be the subject of any apparent published inquiry. This study describes the basic characteristics of practicing cycling coaches and presents economic models of the determinants of commercial success for individual coaches. Data were collected through an independent survey of current and former U.S.A. Cycling (USAC) coaches in 2010 (N = 386). Results of ordinary least squares and negative-binomial regression models suggest that coaching and competitive experience are associated with larger clienteles, but formal human capital investments do not generally add to a coach's ability to garner more clients. …

Acid Maltase Deficiency--Pompe's Disease, Sajjad Jamil, Shahid Ahmed, M. Tariq

Section of Internal Medicine

Mutation in genes encoding for proteins involved in glycogen synthesis, degradation or regulation results in various inborn errors of glycogen metabolism. The disorders that result in abnormal storage of glycogen are known as glycogen storage diseases (GSD). We report a rare and interesting case of a young boy who presented with generalized weakness and reduced muscle bulk since childhood. He was diagnosed to have acid maltase deficiency, also known as Pompe's disease, one of the rare types of glycogen storage disease. The case is presented here in the form of a case study, including a review of the pertinent literature …

Natural And Synthetic Corticosteroids Inhibit Uptake2-Mediated Transport In Cns Neurons, Jonathan E. Hill, Khadijah Makky, Lalita Shrestha, Cecilia J. Hillard, Paul J. Gasser

Biomedical Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

In addition to exerting actions via mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid receptors, corticosteroids also act by inhibiting uptake₂, a high-capacity monoamine transport system originally described in peripheral tissues. Recent studies have demonstrated that uptake₂ transporters are expressed in the brain and play roles in monoamine clearance, suggesting that they mediate some corticosteroid effects on physiological and behavioral processes. However, the sensitivity of brain uptake₂ to many natural and synthetic corticosteroids has not been characterized. Cultured rat cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs) were previously shown to exhibit corticosterone-sensitive accumulation of the uptake₂ substrate1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP⁺). We examined the …