Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Rheumatoid Arthritis-Associated Polymorphisms Are Not Protective Against Alzheimer's Disease, Christopher R. Simmons, Fanggeng Zou, Steven G Younkin, Steven Estus

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) are inversely associated. To test the hypothesis that genetic elements associated with increased RA risk are associated with decreased AD risk, we evaluated RA genetic risk factors recently identified in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for their association with AD in a two-stage, case-control analysis.

RESULTS: In our Stage 1 analysis of ~800 AD and ~1,200 non-AD individuals, three of seventeen RA-associated SNPs were nominally associated with AD (p < 0.05) with one SNP, rs2837960, retaining significance after correction for multiple testing (p = 0.03). The rs2837960_G (minor) allele, which is associated with increased RA risk, was associated with increased AD risk. Analysis of these three SNPs in a Stage 2 population, consisting of ~1,100 AD and ~2,600 non-AD individuals, did not confirm their association with AD. Analysis of Stage 1 and 2 combined suggested that rs2837960 shows a trend for association with AD. When the Stage 2 population was age-matched for the Stage 1 population, rs2837960 exhibited a non-significant trend with AD. Combined analysis of Stage 1 and the age-matched Stage 2 subset showed a significant association of rs2837960 with AD (p = 0.002, OR 1.24) that retained significance following correction for age, sex and APOE (p = 0.02, OR = 1.20). Rs2837960 is near BACE2, which encodes an aspartic protease capable of processing the AD-associated amyloid precursor protein. Testing for an association between rs2837960 and the expression of BACE2 isoforms in human brain, we observed a trend between rs2837960 and the total expression of BACE2 and the expression of a BACE2 transcript lacking exon 7 (p = 0.07 and 0.10, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS: RA-associated SNPs are generally not associated with AD. Moreover, rs2837960_G is associated with increased risk of both RA and, in individuals less than …

Childhood Meat Eating And Inflammatory Markers: The Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study, Mary Schooling, Chao Q. Jiang, Tai H. Lam, W. S. Zhang, Kar Keung Cheng, Gabriel M. Leung

Publications and Research

Background
We hypothesized that socio-economic development could, via nutritionally driven levels of pubertal sex-steroids, promote a pro-inflammatory state among men but not women in developing countries. We tested this hypothesis, using recalled childhood meat eating as a proxy for childhood nutrition, in southern China.

Methods
We used multivariable linear regression in the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study phase 3 (2006-8) to examine the adjusted associations of recalled childhood meat eating, <1/week (n = 5,023), about once per week (n = 3,592) and almost daily (n = 1,252), with white blood cell count and its differentials among older (≥50 years) men (n = 2,498) and women (n = 7,369).

Results
Adjusted for age, childhood socio-economic position, education and smoking, childhood meat eating had sex-specific associations with white blood cell count and lymphocyte count, but not granulocyte count. Men with childhood …

Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - 2011 - 137th Commencement, Office Of The Registrar, Lsu Health Sciences Center-No

Graduation & Commencement Programs

The program for the 137th Commencement of LSU Health Sciences Center - New Orleans held May 19, 2011.

Pulsed Out Of Awareness: Eeg Alpha Oscillations Represent A Pulsed-Inhibition Of Ongoing Cortical Processing, Kyle E. Mathewson, Alejandro Lleras, Diane M. Beck, Monica Fabiani, Tony Ro, Gabriele Gratton

Publications and Research

Alpha oscillations are ubiquitous in the brain, but their role in cortical processing remains a matter of debate. Recently, evidence has begun to accumulate in support of a role for alpha oscillations in attention selection and control. Here we first review evidence that 8–12 Hz oscillations in the brain have a general inhibitory role in cognitive processing, with an emphasis on their role in visual processing. Then, we summarize the evidence in support of our recent proposal that alpha represents a pulsed-inhibition of ongoing neural activity. The phase of the ongoing electroencephalography can influence evoked activity and subsequent processing, and …

13th Annual Pacific Research Day Abstracts, University Of The Pacific

Excellence Day

No abstract provided.

Electronic Feedback In A Diet- And Physical Activity-Based Intervention For Weight Loss: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Sara L. Shuger, Vaughn W. Barry, Xuemei Sui, Amanda C. Mcclain, Gregory A. Hand, Sarah Wilcox, Rebecca A. Meriwether, James W. Hardin, Steven N. Blair

Faculty Publications

Background: The SenseWear^TM Armband (SWA) (BodyMedia, Inc. Pittsburgh, PA) is a physical activity and lifestyle monitor that objectively and accurately measures free-living energy balance and sleep and includes software for self-monitoring of daily energy expenditure and energy intake. The real-time feedback of the SWA can improve individual self-monitoring and, therefore, enhance weight loss outcomes.

Methods: We recruited 197 sedentary overweight or obese adults (age, 46.8 ± 10.8 y; body mass index (BMI), 33.3 ± 5.2 kg/m²; 81% women, 32% African-American) from the greater Columbia, South Carolina area. Participants were randomized into 1 of 4 groups, a self-directed …

Biomedical And Psychosocial Factors Associated With Disability After Peripheral Nerve Injury, Christine B. Novak, Dimitri J. Anastakis, Dorcas E. Beaton, Susan E. Mackinnon, Joel Katz

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Recombination Phenotypes Of The Nci-60 Collection Of Human Cancer Cells, Dawn M. Stults, Michael W. Killen, Brent J. Shelton, Andrew J. Pierce

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: The NCI-60 is a collection of tumor cell lines derived from a variety of human adult cancer tissue types and is commonly used for genetic analysis and screening of potential chemotherapeutic agents. We wanted to understand the contributions of specific mechanisms of genomic instability to the etiology of cancers represented by the NCI-60.

RESULTS: We screened the NCI-60 for dysregulated homologous recombination by using the gene cluster instability (GCI) assay we pioneered, and for defects in base excision repair by sensitivity to 5-hydroxymethyl-2'-deoxyuridine (hmdUrd). We identified subsets of the NCI-60 lines that either displayed the characteristic molecular signature of …

Baseline Data For Maine Pediatric And Family Practices From Arra-Funded Hit Ambulatory Practice Survey Data, Kimberley S. Fox Mpa

Population Health & Health Policy

No abstract provided.

Possible Role Of Death Receptor-Mediated Apoptosis By The E3 Ubiquitin Ligases Siah2 And Posh, Perry A. Christian, Michael V. Fiandalo, Steven R. Schwarze

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: A functioning ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) is essential for a number of diverse cellular processes and maintenance of overall cellular homeostasis. The ability of proteasome inhibitors, such as Velcade, to promote extrinsic apoptotic effects illustrates the importance of the ubiquitin proteasome system in the regulation of death receptor signaling. Here, we set out to define the UPS machinery, particularly the E3 ubiquitin ligases, that repress apoptosis through the extrinsic pathway. A cell-based genome-wide E3 ligase siRNA screen was established to monitor caspase-8 activity following the addition of TRAIL.

RESULTS: Data from the high-throughput screen revealed that targeting the RING-finger …

Statistical Image Reconstruction For Quantitative Computed Tomography, Joshua Evans

Theses and Dissertations

Statistical iterative reconstruction (SIR) algorithms for x-ray computed tomography (CT) have the potential to reconstruct images with less noise and systematic error than the conventional filtered backprojection (FBP) algorithm. More accurate reconstruction algorithms are important for reducing imaging dose and for a wide range of quantitative CT applications. The work presented herein investigates some potential advantages of one such statistically motivated algorithm called Alternating Minimization (AM). A simulation study is used to compare the tradeoff between noise and resolution in images reconstructed with the AM and FBP algorithms. The AM algorithm is employed with an edge-preserving penalty function, which is …

Four Year Experience Of Sarcoma Of Soft Tissues And Bones In A Tertiary Care Hospital And Review Of Literature, Tayyaba Z. Ansari, Nehal Masood, Asra Parekh, Rabab Z. Jafri, Syed N. Niamatullah, Adnan A. Zaidi, Masood Umer

Department of Medicine

Background:

Sarcoma encompasses an uncommon group of cancer and the data is insufficient from Pakistan. We report our four years experience of Sarcoma of soft tissues and bones.

Methods:

This cross sectional study was carried out at Aga Khan University Hospital from 2004 to 2008. The Patients were divided into two groups from the outset i.e. initially diagnosed and relapsed group and separate sub group analysis was conducted.

Results:

Out of 93 newly diagnosed Patients, 58 belonged to bone sarcoma and 35 to soft tissue sarcoma group. While for relapsed Patients, 5 had soft tissue sarcoma and 9 had bone …

Potency Testing For Ntd Vaccines: Determining Relative Potency For The Na-Gst-1 Human Hookworm Vaccine, Amar R. Jariwala, Brian Keegan, Pavithra Raghavendra, Jordan L. Plieskatt, Maria Elena Bottazzi, Peter J. Hotez, Jeffrey M. Bethony

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Posters and Presentations

Over the next decade, a new generation of vaccines will target the neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) . The goal of most NTD vaccines will be to reduce the morbidity and decrease the chronic debilitating nature of these often-forgotten infections - outcomes that are hard to measure in the traditional potency-testing paradigm . The absence of measurable correlates of protection, a lack of permissive animal models for lethal infection, and a lack of clinical indications that do not include the induction of sterilizing immunity required us to reconsider the traditional bioassay methods for determining vaccine potency . Owing to these limitations, …

A Review Focused On The Psychological Effectiveness Of Tai Chi On Different Populations, Long Zhang, Thomas Lowder, Jian Liu

Computer Sciences and Electrical Engineering Faculty Research

As a popular exercise form, Tai Chi (TC) has been investigated to determine its contributions to an active and healthy lifestyle. There are an increasing number of researchers who focus on exploring the potential physiological and psychological benefits of TC but only a few systematic reviews of these benefits to a variety of populations. The purpose of this paper is to comprehensively evaluate the reported psychological benefits associated with practicing TC. Although many investigators have reported possible psychological benefits of TC for children, young adults, older healthy adults, and for a variety of patient populations, many of the reports suffer …

Inhibition Of Phosphorylated C-Met In Rhabdomyosarcoma Cell Lines By A Small Molecule Inhibitor Su11274., Jinxuan Hou, Jixin Dong, Lijun Sun, Liying Geng, J. Wang, Jialin C. Zheng, Yan Li, Julia A. Bridge, Steven H. Hinrichs, Shi-Jian Ding

Journal Articles: Pathology and Microbiology

BACKGROUND: c-Met is a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) that is over-expressed in a variety of cancers and involved in cell growth, invasion, metastasis and angiogenesis. In this study, we investigated the role of c-Met in rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) using its small molecule inhibitor SU11274, which has been hypothesized to be a potential therapeutic target for RMS.

METHODS: The expression level of phosphorylated c-Met in RMS cell lines (RD, CW9019 and RH30) and tumor tissues was assessed by phospho-RTK array and immunohistochemistry, respectively. The inhibition effects of SU11274 on RMS cells were studied with regard to intracellular signaling, cell proliferation, cell cycle …

Motivational Interviewing With Patient Education To Promote A Safe Sleep Environment For Lakota Infants, Kari Johnson

Theses and Graduate Projects

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) has preventable risk factors; the sleep environment of the infant is one of those risk factors. SIDS is the leading cause of infant deaths in the Aberdeen Area of Indian Health Service, accounting for more than one fourth of the infant deaths. The project proposed utilizes Madeline Leininger's Culture Care Theory combined with an education model incorporating motivational interviewing with the current patient education used by the Public Health Nursing Department at the Pine Ridge Indian Health Service Hospital promoting a safe sleep environment.

New Graduate Nurse Orientation Program, Darcie L. Thies

Theses and Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project is to create a new nurse orientation program. The project provides socialization, mentorship, organizational context, and information that is crucial for a new graduate nurse to successfully integrate into the IHS healthcare team. It is critical for all new graduate nurses to be socialized and acculturated into their practice environments. This is particularly true when a nurse is hired to work in an environment that has a very specific cultural context, such as Pine Ridge Hospital, located on the Pine Ridge lndian Reservation in South Dakota. lnformation for this project was gathered through a literature …

Lipid Phosphate Phosphatase 3 Enables Efficient Thymic Egress, Béatrice Bréart, Willy D. Ramos-Perez, Alejandra Mendoza, Abdelghaffar K. Salous, Michael Gobert, Yong Huang, Ralf H. Adams, Juan J. Lafaille, Diana Escalante-Alcalde, Andrew J. Morris, Susan R. Schwab

Gill Heart & Vascular Institute Faculty Publications

The signaling lipid sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) stabilizes the vasculature, directs lymphocyte egress from lymphoid organs, and shapes inflammatory responses. However, little is known about how S1P distribution is controlled in vivo, and it is not clear how a ubiquitously made lipid functions as a signal that requires precise spatial and temporal control. We have found that lipid phosphate phosphatase 3 (LPP3) enables efficient export of mature T cells from the thymus into circulation, and several lines of evidence suggest that LPP3 promotes exit by destroying thymic S1P. Although five additional S1P-degrading enzymes are expressed in the thymus, they cannot compensate for …

Notice Of 05/16/2011 Hsc Board Of Directors Mtg, Patrice Martin

HSC Committee (A subcommittee of the UNM Board of Regents)

No abstract provided.

Ada News - 05/16/2011, American Dental Association, Publishing Division

ADA News

Established in 1970 as the official newspaper of the American Dental Association, the ADA News serves practicing dentists and others allied to the dental profession in the U.S. and internationally. It is the No. 1 source of news and information about the many benefits and services the ADA delivers to members daily as well as timely information on scientific, social, political and economic developments affecting dentistry and health care.

Agenda Of 05/16/2011 Hsc Board Of Directors Mtg, Patrice Martin

HSC Committee (A subcommittee of the UNM Board of Regents)

No abstract provided.

Minutes Of 05/16/2011 Hsc Board Of Directors Mtg, Patrice Martin

HSC Committee (A subcommittee of the UNM Board of Regents)

No abstract provided.

Nfatc1 Regulation Of Trail Expression In Human Intestinal Cells, Qingding Wang, Yuning Zhou, Heidi L. Weiss, Chi-Wing Chow, B. Mark Evers

Surgery Faculty Publications

TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL; Apo2) has been shown to promote intestinal cell differentiation. Nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) participates in the regulation of a variety of cellular processes, including differentiation. Here, we examined the role of NFAT in the regulation of TRAIL in human intestinal cells. Treatment with a combination of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) plus the calcium ionophore A23187 (Io) increased NFAT activation and TRAIL expression; pretreatment with the calcineurin inhibitor cyclosporine A (CsA), an antagonist of NFAT signaling, diminished NFAT activation and TRAIL induction. In addition, knockdown of NFATc1, NFATc2, NFATc3, and NFATc4 blocked PMA/Io increased …

Mekk3 Regulates Ifn-Γ Production In T Cells Through The Rac1/2-Dependent Mapk Cascades, Xiaofang Wang

UCHC Articles - Research

MEKK3 is a conserved Ser/Thr protein kinase belonging to the MAPK kinase kinase (MAP3K) family. MEKK3 is constitutively expressed in T cells, but its function in T cell immunity has not been fully elucidated. Using Mekk3 T cell conditional knockout (T-cKO) mice, we show that MEKK3 is required for T cell immunity in vivo. Mekk3 T-cKO mice had reduced T cell response to bacterial infection and were defective in clearing bacterial infections. The Ag-induced cytokine production, especially IFN-γ production, was impaired in Mekk3-deficient CD4 T cells. The TCR-induced ERK1/2, JNK, and p38 MAPKs activation was also defective in Mekk3 …

Dance/Movement Therapy In Inpatient Hematological Cancer Treatment, Megan Hall

Creative Arts Therapies Theses

This quasi-experimental, mixed methods study examined the effects of dance/movement therapy on three types of outcomes (quality of life, anxiety and depression, and coping methods) for adult cancer inpatients who received treatment for a hematological cancer diagnosis. It was hypothesized that if hematological cancer patients participated in three or more dance/movement therapy sessions, then they would find a greater quality of life, decreased feelings of anxiety and depression, and an improvement in coping methods. Those patients who participated in three or more dance/movement therapy sessions while in the hospital formed the intervention group, and those who did not formed the …

Medical School Watercooler Newsletter - May 15, 2011, Lindsey Lyle

Watercooler Newsletter

This is the May 15, 2011 edition of the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine's newsletter - watercooler

Contents Include

• College of Medicine Conducting Research on Prevention of Birth Defects

• Dr. Pettyjohn Honored with Distinguished Alumni Award

• "Perfect Matches: New Doctors Pairing Off in Record Numbers"

• USA Medical Student Presents Research At Pediatric Academic Society Conference

• Decorated WWII Veteran Part of Grandson’s Medical School Graduation

• "Marathon Man" - Press-Register Features Dr. Phillip Fields

• Medical School Graduates Participate in Honors Convocation Ceremony

The Effects Of Computer-Based Education On Children's Knowledge About Asthma, Matyt L. Adler

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Asthma is a global health problem affecting people of all ages that can cause severe limitations when uncontrolled. In the United States, asthma was the most prevalent chronic disease among children and youth in 2008 (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2009). Because day-to-day management of asthma is the responsibility of the child or the parent, education of patients is one of four crucial components to effectively provide quality asthma care. Changes in workload complexities with primary care visits has increased and visit duration decreased, resulting in less available time to address individual patient needs including the education aspect …

Using A Telephone Reminder System To Improve Pneumococcal Vaccination Rates For Medicare Recipients, Julie A. Koch

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Despite recent advances in healthcare, Streptococcus pneumonia-associated infections contribute to significant morbidity and mortality in older adults. Because of the pneumococcal vaccine’s efficacy for preventing invasive disease, guidelines for vaccinating older adults have been developed; yet, the nation has not met immunization goals. The purpose of this EBP project was to determine if a telephone reminder, as compared to provider recommendation, would increase pneumococcal vaccination rates. The Iowa model and Kotter’s eight stages of change guided this project within a multi-provider office in Northwest Indiana. Within the practice, Medicare patients scheduled from September 1 to November 10, 2010 received a …

The Effect Of Tai Chi Exercise On Balance And Falls In Persons With Parkinson’S, Beth A. Gladfelter

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease that progresses to impair one’s gait and balance, often causing falls and subsequent disability. Current management of PD is aimed at treating the symptoms but is not effective in treating the underlying cause, nor does typical treatment effectively improve postural stability. Exercise can decrease symptoms of the disease and lessen disability. Providers need to find alternatives to the costly physical therapy that is prescribed to treat progressive and debilitating PD. Tai Chi (TC) has been shown to offer an enjoyable exercise routine that participants want to maintain. There is evidence to support the …

Interventions To Improve The Management Of Medically Uninsured Adult Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus In Primary Care, Community-Based Settings, Lynn Miskovich

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

This project measured the effect of a clinical algorithm on the provision of care to medically uninsured adult patients with type 2 diabetes and a low socioeconomic status (SES). Primary providers often fail to implement established standards for diabetes care to their maximal benefit and do not achieve American Diabetes Association (ADA) treatment standards. Saydah, et al. (2004) reported that only 48% of patients with diabetes achieved the recommended HbA1c goal, and 33% reached blood pressure and LDL targets. Goals for all three clinical parameters were obtained by only 7% of patients. The Stetler Model of Evidence-based Practice (EBP) provided …