Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Caring For Compromised Cattle: Assessing Animals At Risk

Nebraska Beef Quality Assurance Program

Cattlemen have long recognized the need to properly care for their livestock. Sound animal husbandry practices – based on research and decades of practical experience – are known to impact the well-being of cattle, individual animal health and herd productivity. There is no doubt that producers work hard to ensure that their cattle are properly cared for throughout all stages of production. Unfortunately, it’s a fact of raising cattle that some animals will become injured to the extent that they are unable to stand or walk without assistance.

Assessor’S Guide To A Beef Quality Assurance Cow-Calf Assessment

Nebraska Beef Quality Assurance Program

The BQA Cow-Calf Assessment is an on-site educational tool that allows for assessing and benchmarking key indicators of animal care and well-being as well as operational conditions. The Cow-Calf Assessment focuses on three main areas – Animals, Records and Best Management Practices (BMP), and Facilities and Equipment.

Chemotherapy-Induced Cognitive Impairment Is Associated With Decreases In Cell Proliferation And Histone Modifications, Teresita L. Briones, Julie Woods

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

In this study, we examined the effects of cyclophosphamide, methothrexate, and 5-Fluorouracil (CMF) drug combination on various aspects of learning and memory. We also examined the effects of CMF on cell proliferation and chromatin remodeling as possible underlying mechanisms to explain chemotherapy-associated cognitive dysfunction. Twenty-four adult female Wistar rats were included in the study and had minimitter implantation for continuous activity monitoring two weeks before the chemotherapy regimen was started. Once baseline activity data were collected, rats were randomly assigned to receive either CMF or saline injections given intraperitoneally. Treatments were given once a week for a total …

Activating Mutation In Met Oncogene In Familial Colorectal Cancer, Deborah W. Neklason, Michelle W. Done, Nykole R. Sargent, Ann G. Schwartz, Hoda Anton-Culver, Constance A. Griffin, Dennis J. Ahnen, Joellen M. Schildkraut, Gail E. Tomlinson, Louise C. Strong, Alexander R. Miller, Jill E. Stopfer, Randall W. Burt

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

In developed countries, the lifetime risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC) is 5%, and it is the second leading cause of death from cancer. The presence of family history is a well established risk factor with 25-35% of CRCs attributable to inherited and/or familial factors. The highly penetrant inherited colon cancer syndromes account for approximately 5%, leaving greater than 20% without clear genetic definition. Familial colorectal cancer has been linked to chromosome 7q31 by multiple affected relative pair studies. The MET proto-oncogene which resides in this chromosomal region is considered a candidate for genetic susceptibility.

Methods

MET exons …

High-Frequency Ultrasound For Intraoperative Margin Assessments In Breast Conservation Surgery: A Feasibility Study, Timothy E. Doyle, Rachel E. Factor, Christina L. Ellefson, Kristina M. Sorensen, Brady J. Ambrose, Jeffrey B. Goodrich, Vern P. Hart, Scott C. Jensen, Hemang Patel, Leigh A. Neumayer

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

In addition to breast imaging, ultrasound offers the potential for characterizing and distinguishing between benign and malignant breast tissues due to their different microstructures and material properties. The aim of this study was to determine if high-frequency ultrasound (20-80 MHz) can provide pathology sensitive measurements for the ex vivo detection of cancer in margins during breast conservation surgery.

Methods

Ultrasonic tests were performed on resected margins and other tissues obtained from 17 patients, resulting in 34 specimens that were classified into 15 pathology categories. Pulse-echo and through-transmission measurements were acquired from a total of 57 sites on the …

Fetal Erap2 Variation Is Associated With Preeclampsia In African Americans In A Case-Control Study, Lori D. Hill, Dashaunda D. Hilliard, Timothy P. York, Sindhu Srinivas, Juan P. Kusanovic, Ricardo Gomez, Michal A. Elovitz, Roberto Romero, Jerome F. Strauss Iii

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

Preeclampsia affects 3-8% of pregnancies and is a major cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. This complex disorder is characterized by alterations in the immune and vascular systems and involves multiple organs. There is strong evidence for a genetic contribution to preeclampsia. Two different single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the endoplasmic reticulum aminopeptidase 2 (ERAP2) gene were recently reported to be associated with increased risk for preeclampsia in two different populations. ERAP2 is expressed in placental tissue and it is involved in immune responses, inflammation, and blood pressure regulation; making it is an attractive preeclampsia …

The Pax Gene Eyegone Facilitates Repression Of Eye Development In Tribolium, Nazanin Zarinkamar, Xiaoyun Yang, Riyue Bao, Frank Friedrich, Rolf Beutel, Markus Friedrich

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

The Pax transcription factor gene eyegone (eyg) participates in many developmental processes in Drosophila, including the Notch signaling activated postembryonic growth of the eye primordium, global development of the adult head and the development of the antenna. In contrast to other Pax genes, the functional conservation of eyg in species other than Drosophila has not yet been explored.

Results

We investigated the role of eyg during the postembryonic development of the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum. Our results indicate conserved roles in antennal but not in eye development. Besides segmentation defects in the antenna, Tribolium eyg knockdown animals …

Cytogenetic Analysis Of An Exposed-Referent Study: Perchloroethylene-Exposed Dry Cleaners Compared To Unexposed Laundry Workers, James D. Tucker, Karen J. Sorensen, Avima M. Ruder, Lauralynn Mckernan, Christy L. Forrester, Mary Butler

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

Significant numbers of people are exposed to tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene, PCE) every year, including workers in the dry cleaning industry. Adverse health effects have been associated with PCE exposure. However, investigations of possible cumulative cytogenetic damage resulting from PCE exposure are lacking.

Methods

Eighteen dry cleaning workers and 18 laundry workers (unexposed controls) provided a peripheral blood sample for cytogenetic analysis by whole chromosome painting. Pre-shift exhaled air on these same participants was collected and analyzed for PCE levels. The laundry workers were matched to the dry cleaners on race, age, and smoking status. The relationships between levels of …

The Cns Microvascular Pericyte: Pericyte-Astrocyte Crosstalk In The Regulation Of Tissue Survival, Drew Bonkowski, Vladimir Katyshev, Roumen D. Balabanov, Andre Borisov, Paula Dore-Duffy

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

The French scientist Charles Benjamin Rouget identified the pericyte nearly 140 years ago. Since that time the role of the pericyte in vascular function has been difficult to elucidate. It was not until the development of techniques to isolate and culture pericytes that scientists have begun to understand the true impact of this unique cell in the maintenance of tissue homeostasis. In the brain the pericyte is an integral cellular component of the blood-brain barrier and, together with other cells of the neurovascular unit (endothelial cells, astrocytes and neurons) the pericyte makes fine-tuned regulatory adjustments and adaptations to promote …

Relationship Between Graduate Students’ Statistics Self-Efficacy, Statistics Anxiety, Attitude Toward Statistics, And Social Support, Michelle Perepiczka, Nichelle Chandler, Michael Becerra

School of Counseling and Human Services Publications

Statistics plays an integral role in graduate programs. However, numerous intra- and interpersonal factors may lead to successful completion of needed coursework in this area. The authors examined the extent of the relationship between self-efficacy to learn statistics and statistics anxiety, attitude towards statistics, and social support of 166 graduate students enrolled in master’s and doctoral programs within colleges of education. Results indicated that statistics anxiety and attitude towards statistics were statistically significant predictors of self-efficacy to learn statistics, yet social support was not a statistically significant predictor of self-efficacy. Insight into how this population responds to statistics courses and …

The Hippocratic Myth: Why Doctors Are Under Pressure To Ration Care, Practice Politics, And Compromise Their Promise To Heal, Frank Pasquale

Faculty Scholarship

Not many policymakers or scholars can write with the authority of Gregg Bloche. Bloche is not only a law professor, but a physician, who knows his way around a hospital. Throughout The Hippocratic Myth, Bloche cements his authority in the mind of the reader by relating stories of his experience as a clinician. In each of these stories, his humane and insightful approach as psychiatrist shines through. I do not say this to imply that Bloche uses his book to brag about his own abilities. Rather, these fluently-written passages strike one as the work of one of those rare practitioners …

Compromised Osseous Healing Of Dental Extraction Sites In Zoledronic Acid-Treated Dogs., M. R. Allen, D. J. Kubek, D. B. Burr, S. L. Ruggiero, T. M. G. Chu

Journal Articles

UNLABELLED: The goal of this study was to document how treatment with high doses of zoledronic acid affects dental extraction healing. Our results, showing significantly compromised osseous healing within the socket as well as presence of exposed bone and development of a sequestrum in one animal, provide a building block toward understanding osteonecrosis of the jaw.

PURPOSE: The goal of this study was to document how treatment with a bisphosphonate affects the bone tissue following dental extraction.

METHODS: Skeletally mature female beagle dogs were either untreated controls (CON) or treated with intravenous zoledronic acid (ZOL). Following the extraction of the …

Noninvasive Ventilation In Acute Respiratory Failure Due To H1n1 Influenza: A Word Of Caution, A. Singh, J. Singh

Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

Inside And Out: An Epicardial Lead Gone Astray, S. N. Hong, B. Rosenzweig, G. A. Crooke, I. Kronzon, M. B. Srichai

Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

Safety And Efficacy Of Abt-089 In Pediatric Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Results From Two Randomized Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trials., Timothy E. Wilens, Laura M. Gault, Ann Childress, Christopher J. Kratochvil, Lindsey Bensman, Coleen M. Hall, Evelyn Olson, Weining Z. Robieson, Tushar S. Garimella, Walid M. Abi-Saab, George Apostol, Mario D. Saltarelli

Journal Articles: Psychiatry

OBJECTIVE: To assess the safety and efficacy of ABT-089, a novel α(4)β(2) neuronal nicotinic receptor partial agonist, vs. placebo in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

METHOD: Two multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group studies of children 6 through 12 years of age were conducted. Study 1 (n = 274) assessed six treatment groups over 8 weeks: 4 once-daily (QD) ABT-089 doses (0.085-0.700 mg/kg), QD atomoxetine, and placebo. Study 2 (n = 119) assessed three treatment groups over 6 weeks: 2 QD ABT-089 doses (0.7 mg/kg, 1.4 mg/kg) and placebo. The primary efficacy variable was the investigator-administered Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Rating Scale-IV: Home …

The Roles Of Conserved And Nonconserved Cysteinyl Residues In The Oligomerization And Function Of Mammalian Prestin, Benjamin Currall, Danielle Rossino, Heather Jensen Smith, Richard Hallworth

Journal Articles: Eppley Institute

The creation of several prestin knockout and knockin mouse lines has demonstrated the importance of the intrinsic outer hair cell membrane protein prestin to mammalian hearing. However, the structure of prestin remains largely unknown, with even its major features in dispute. Several studies have suggested that prestin forms homo-oligomers that may be stabilized by disulfide bonds. Our phylogenetic analysis of prestin sequences across chordate classes suggested that the cysteinyl residues could be divided into three groups, depending on the extent of their conservation between prestin orthologs and paralogs or homologs. An alanine scan functional analysis was performed of all nine …

Microrna-183 Family Expression In Hair Cell Development And Requirement Of Micrornas For Hair Cell Maintenance And Survival, Michael D. Weston, Marsha L. Pierce, Heather Jensen Smith, Bernd Fritzsch, Sonia Rocha-Sanchez, Kirk W. Beisel, Garrett A. Soukup

Journal Articles: Eppley Institute

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) post-transcriptionally repress complementary target gene expression and can contribute to cell differentiation. The coordinate expression of miRNA-183 family members (miR-183, miR-96, and miR-182) has been demonstrated in sensory cells of the mouse inner ear and other vertebrate sensory organs. To further examine hair cell miRNA expression in the mouse inner ear, we have analyzed miR-183 family expression in wild type animals and various mutants with defects in neurosensory development. miR-183 family member expression follows neurosensory cell specification, exhibits longitudinal (basal-apical) gradients in maturating cochlear hair cells, and is maintained in sensory neurons and most hair cells into adulthood. …

Challenges And Benefits Of Using A Virtual Community To Explore Nursing Concepts Among Baccalaureate Nursing Students, Linnea L. Carlson-Sabelli, Jean F. Giddens, Louis Fogg, Ruth A. Fiedler

School of Nursing Publications

This research study examines learner perceptions of benefits and challenges associated with the Neighborhood (NBH), an innovative pedagogy that fosters learner engagement and integration of nursing concepts using a “virtual community” as an alternative to lecture. First-semester students from five baccalaureate nursing programs that used the NBH intervention were divided into high (N = 78) and low faculty use (N = 203) groups. Qualitative analysis revealed that the NBH intervention promoted application of concepts to real life situation was engaging and “eye-opening,” allowing students to understand health care issues from a variety of perspectives. A major challenge was busy work …

Tryptophan Degradation In Women With Breast Cancer: A Pilot Study, Debra E. Lyon, Jeanne M. Walter, Angela R. Starkweather, Christine M. Schubert, Nancy L. Mccain

School of Nursing Publications

Background

Altered tryptophan metabolism and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase activity are linked to cancer development and progression. In addition, these biological factors have been associated with the development and severity of neuropsychiatric syndromes, including major depressive disorder. However, this biological mechanism associated with both poor disease outcomes and adverse neuropsychiatric symptoms has received little attention in women with breast cancer. Therefore, a pilot study was undertaken to compare levels of tryptophan and other proteins involved in tryptophan degradation in women with breast cancer to women without cancer, and secondarily, to examine levels in women with breast caner over the course of chemotherapy. …

Decreasing Mortality In Severe Sepsis And Septic Shock Patients By Implementing A Sepsis Bundle In A Hospital Setting, Sandra C. P. L. Shiramizo, Alexandre R. Marra, Marcelino S. Durao, Angela T. Paes, Michael B. Edmond, Oscar Fernando Pavao Dos Santos

Internal Medicine Publications

Background

The Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) guidelines for the management of severe sepsis (SS) and septic shock (SSh) have been recommended to reduce morbidity and mortality.

Materials and Methods

A quasi-experimental study was conducted in a medical-surgical ICU. Multiple interventions to optimize SS and SSh shock patients' clinical outcomes were performed by applying sepsis bundles (6- and 24-hour) in May 2006. We compared bundle compliance and patient outcomes before (July 2005-April 2006) and after (May 2006-December 2009) implementation of the interventions.

Results

A total of 564 SS and SSh patients were identified. Prior to the intervention, compliance with the 6 …

The Living Textbook Project For Affordable Higher Education, Dayanjan S. Wijesinghe

Surgery Presentations

A blue print for ensuring that community college education remains affordable to the future generations via elimination of the cost of textbooks.

Bound Water At Protein-Protein Interfaces: Partners, Roles And Hydrophobic Bubbles As A Conserved Motif, Mostafa H. Ahmed, Francesca Spyrakis, Pietro Cozzini, Parijat K. Tripathi, Andrea Mozzarelli, J. Neel Scarsdale, Martin A. Safo, Glen E. Kellogg

Medicinal Chemistry Publications

Background

There is a great interest in understanding and exploiting protein-protein associations as new routes for treating human disease. However, these associations are difficult to structurally characterize or model although the number of X-ray structures for protein-protein complexes is expanding. One feature of these complexes that has received little attention is the role of water molecules in the interfacial region.

Methodology

A data set of 4741 water molecules abstracted from 179 high-resolution (≤ 2.30 Å) X-ray crystal structures of protein-protein complexes was analyzed with a suite of modeling tools based on the HINT forcefield and hydrogen-bonding geometry. A metric termed …

Ventricular Tachyarrhythmias After Cardiac Arrest In Public Versus At Home, Myron L. Weisfeldt, Siobahn Everson-Stewart, Colleen Sitlani, Thomas Rea, Tom P. Aufderheide, Diane L. Atkins, Blair Bigham, Steven C. Brooks, Christopher Foerster, Randal Gray, Joseph P. Ornato, Judy Powell, Peter J. Kudenchuk, Laurie J. Morrison

Emergency Medicine Publications

Background

The incidence of ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia as the first recorded rhythm after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest has unexpectedly declined. The success of bystander-deployed automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in public settings suggests that this may be the more common initial rhythm when outof-hospital cardiac arrest occurs in public. We conducted a study to determine whether the location of the arrest, the type of arrhythmia, and the probability of survival are associated.

Methods

Between 2005 and 2007, we conducted a prospective cohort study of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in adults in 10 North American communities. We assessed the frequencies of …

Early Versus Later Rhythm Analysis In Patients With Out-Of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest, Ian G. Stiell, Graham Nichol, Brian G. Leroux, Thomas D. Rea, Joseph P. Ornato, Judy Powell, James Christenson, Clifton W. Callaway, Peter J. Kudenchuk, Tom P. Aufderheide, Ahamed H. Idris, Mohamud R. Daya, Henry E. Wang, Laurie J. Morrison, Daniel Davis, Douglas Andrusiek, Shannon Stephens, Sheldon Cheskes, Robert H. Schmicker, Ray Fowler, Christian Vaillancourt, David Hostler, Dana Zive, Ronald G. Pirrallo, Gary M. Vilke, George Sopko, Myron Weisfeldt

Emergency Medicine Publications

Background

In a departure from the previous strategy of immediate defibrillation, the 2005 resuscitation guidelines from the American Heart Association–International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation suggested that emergency medical service (EMS) personnel could provide 2 minutes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) before the first analysis of cardiac rhythm. We compared the strategy of a brief period of CPR with early analysis of rhythm with the strategy of a longer period of CPR with delayed analysis of rhythm.

Methods

We conducted a cluster-randomized trial involving adults with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest at 10 Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium sites in the United States and Canada. Patients …

A Trial Of An Impedance Threshold Device In Out-Of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest, Tom P. Aufderheide, Graham Nichol, Thomas D. Rea, Siobhan P. Brown, Brian G. Leroux, Paul E. Pepe, Peter J. Kudenchuk, Jim Christenson, Mohamud R. Daya, Paul Dorian, Clifton W. Callaway, Ahamed H. Idris, Douglas Andrusiek, Shannon W. Stephens, David Hostler, Daniel Davis, James V. Dunford, Ronald G. Pirrallo, Ian G. Stiell, Catherine M. Clement, Alan Craig, Lois Van Ottingham, Terri A. Schmidt, Henry E. Wang, Myron L. Weistfeldt, Joseph P. Ornato, George Sopko

Emergency Medicine Publications

Background

The impedance threshold device (ITD) is designed to enhance venous return and cardiac output during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) by increasing the degree of negative intrathoracic pressure. Previous studies have suggested that the use of an ITD during CPR may improve survival rates after cardiac arrest.

Methods

We compared the use of an active ITD with that of a sham ITD in patients with out-ofhospital cardiac arrest who underwent standard CPR at 10 sites in the United States and Canada. Patients, investigators, study coordinators, and all care providers were unaware of the treatment assignments. The primary outcome was survival to …

Right Ventricular Dysfunction Following Acute Myocardial Infarction In The Absence Of Pulmonary Hypertension In The Mouse, Stefano Toldo, Herman J. Bogaard, Benjamin W. Van Tassell, Eleonora Mezzaroma, Ignacio M. Seropian, Roshanak Robati, Fadi N. Salloum, Norbert F. Voelkel, Antonio Abbate

VCU Health Publications

Background

Cardiac remodelling after AMI is characterized by molecular and cellular mechanisms involving both the ischemic and non-ischemic myocardium. The extent of right ventricular (RV) dilatation and dysfunction and its relation to pulmonary hypertension (PH) following AMI are unknown. The aim of the current study was to evaluate changes in dimensions and function of the RV following acute myocardial infarction (AMI) involving the left ventricle (LV).

Methods

We assessed changes in RV dimensions and function 1 week following experimental AMI involving the LV free wall in 10 mice and assessed for LV and RV dimensions and function and for the …

Alterations In The Interleukin-1/Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist Balance Modulate Cardiac Remodeling Following Myocardial Infarction In The Mouse, Antonio Abbate, Fadi N. Salloum, Benjamin W. Van Tassell, Elena Vecile, Stefano Toldo, Ignacio M. Seropian, Eleonora Mezzaroma, Aldo Dobrina

VCU Health Publications

Background

Healing after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is characterized by an intense inflammatory response and increased Interleukin-1 (IL-1) tissue activity. Genetically engineered mice lacking the IL-1 receptor (IL-1R1-/-, not responsive to IL-1) or the IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra, enhanced response to IL-1) have an altered IL-1/IL-1Ra balance that we hypothesize modulates infarct healing and cardiac remodeling after AMI.

Methods

IL-1R1-/- and IL-1Ra-/- male mice and their correspondent wild-types (WT) were subjected to permanent coronary artery ligation or sham surgery. Infarct size (trichrome scar size), apoptotic cell death (TUNEL) and left ventricular (LV) dimensions and function (echocardiography) were measured prior to …

Forever Young, Edward F. Ansello

Director's Editorials from Age in Action

Gerontologists theorize that each of us is shaped by the influences of cohort and historical time. If there's a oneness of who we were and who we are, then Bob Dylan's music is in many of us. Forever Young is not a paean to age denial. Rather, it seems to invoke virtues or characteristics that never grow old: charity to others, acceptance of kindness, hope, righteousness, courage, fortitude, industriousness, and joy.

Falls, Edward F. Ansello

Director's Editorials from Age in Action

Falls are common, affecting about one third of community-dwelling adults over age 65 and about half over age 80. The risk factors for falling are complex, and falls may themselves be a signal for other troubling conditions. When fear of falling emerges as an issue for some elders, they are likely to reduce their activities, thinking that this will reduce their risk, and isolation and depression can ensue. There are teaching roles for nurses, physicians, and physical therapists in sharing with other professions how to assess gait, vision, or dizziness.

Baby Boomers And Stereotypes, Edward F. Ansello

Director's Editorials from Age in Action

With age we become more and more like ourselves. This would mean millions and millions of individual Baby Boomers, each with his or her own characteristics and life trajectory. Stereotyping would, therefore, be wrong, but it is happening.