Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Potential For Screening For Interpersonal Violence In Community Pharmacies: An Exploratory Study, Marie Barnard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a public health problem of epidemic proportion; the only known effective health care intervention is routine screening for IPV exposure. Despite professional guidelines for routine screening, this intervention has been poorly adopted. Expansion of screening efforts to the community pharmacy setting provides an opportunity to have a substantial impact on the health, well-being of pharmacy patients. This investigation is the first to examine IPV screening related to the pharmacy environment. An existing measure of physicians' readiness to manage IPV (PREMIS) was adapted for the community pharmacy environment and validated in a national random sample of …

Effect Of Stretch Frequency And Sex On The Rate Of Gain And Rate Of Loss In Muscle Flexibility During A Hamstring-Stretching Program: A Randomized Single-Blind Longitudinal Study, Daniel Cipriani, Megan E. Terry, Michelle A. Haines, Amir P. Tabibnia, Olga Lyssanova

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

This study evaluated the effects of four different weekly stretching protocols on the rate of gain and decline in hamstring flexibility over an 8-week period, across sex. Using a randomized single-blind design, 53 healthy subjects aged 18–46 years were assigned to 1 of 4 stretching protocols or a control group. The stretching protocols consisted of either daily or 3 times per week stretching and performed once or twice each day. These protocols differed in terms of frequency and total weekly stretching time. All the subjects stretched their hamstring muscles for 4 weeks and were measured weekly for their hip range …

Determination Of Stabilogram Diffusion Analysis Coefficients And Invariant Density Analysis Parameters To Understand Postural Stability Associated With Standing On Anti-Fatigue Mats, Rahul Soangra, Thurmon E. Lockhart

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Prolonged standing has been associated with loss of balance, onset of low back pain symptoms and development of fatigue in lower extremity muscles in working populations. Although so far, it is unknown how individuals’ postural stability is affected by standing on rigid versus cushioned platform but many industries are opting for anti-fatigue mats at workstations to reduce fall and injury related socio-economic cost. The goal of this study is to test SATECH's anti-fatigue mat for its effects on postural stability. A pilot test with seven healthy subjects (25–35 years old) has been conducted with a force plate to obtain kinetics …

Non-Invasive Fall Risk Assessment In Community Dwelling Elderly With Wireless Inertial Measurement Units, Thurmon E. Lockhart, Han T. Yeoh, Rahul Soangra, Manutchanok Jongprasithporn, Jian Zhang, Xuefang Wu, Arka Ghosh

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Falls are among the most serious accidents among the elderly leading to increased injuries, reduced functioning and mortality. In 2009, about 2.2 million nonfatal fall injuries were reported among the elderly population (CDC, 2010). In this study, eleven community dwelling elderly (aged 65-84 years) participated in fall risk assessment camp at sterling senior center organized by Northern Virginia Fall Prevention Coalition (NVFPC). Three custom made wireless inertial measurement units (IMUs) were attached on trunk and both shanks. All participants performed postural and locomotor tasks such as sit-to-stand (STS) and timed up and go (TUG). Temporal and kinematic parameters were obtained. …

Does The Afferent Tubular Segment In An Orthotopic Bladder Substitution Compromise Ureteric Antireflux Properties? An Experimental Study In Dogs, Hassan Abol- Enein, Nuzhat Faruqui, Nashwa Barakat, Ahmed A. Shokeir

Section of Urology

Objective: To study the effects of a short ureter on renal function and histology in an orthotopic bladder substitution model using a long afferent limb, in a canine model.
Materials and methods: The study included nine adult mongrel dogs. A 40-cm segment of ileum was isolated, the distal half detubularized, configured into a U-shape and sutured to form a flat plate; this was then used to augment the bladder. The proximal half of the isolated ileum remained in continuity with the enterocystoplasty to form an isoperistaltic ileal ‘chimney’. The left ureter was divided at its lumbar part and …

Characterization Of A Hyperthermophilic Redox Protein, Rubredoxin, As A Potential Targeted Cancer Therapeutic, Siri Lakshmi Chirumamilla

PCOM Biomedical Studies Student Scholarship

Cancer is an elusive neoplastic disease that claims the lives of many people around the world every year. Though treatments have become more specific to the different types of cancer, the need remains for antineoplastic drugs that target cancer cells and leave normal cells unharmed, with little to no systemic toxicity. The search for a targeted cancer therapeutic is necessary and urgent, and Pyrococcus furiosus rubredoxin might be such a tool. Rubredoxin is a small (53 amino acids), water soluble, non-heme iron electron transfer protein that contains an iron atom cofactor bound by the sulfurs of four cysteine residues, which …

Conscientious Objection And Reproductive Health Service Delivery In Sub-Saharan Africa, V. M. Lema

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Lack of access to quality reproductive health services is the main contributor to the high maternal mortality and morbidity in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This is partly due to a shortage of qualified and experienced health care providers. However conscientious objection amongst the available few is a hitherto undocumented potential factor influencing access to health care in SSA. Provision of certain reproductive health services goes counter to some individual’s religious and moral beliefs and practices. Health providers sometimes refuse to participate in or provide such services to clients/patients on moral and/or religious grounds. While the rights to do so are protected …

Bi-Lateral Changes To Hippocampal Cholesterol Levels During Epileptogenesis And In Chronic Epilepsy Following Focal-Onset Status Epilepticus In Mice, Steve Meaney, Maura Heverin, Tobias Engel, Eva Jimenez-Mateosa, Reza Al-Aaudia, David Henshall

Articles

Brain cholesterol homeostasis has been shown to be disrupted in neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's and Huntington's diseases. Investigations in animal models of seizure-induced brain injury suggest that brain cholesterol levels are altered by prolonged seizures (status epilepticus) and are a feature of the pathophysiology of temporal lobe epilepsy. The present study measured hippocampal sterol levels in a model of unilateral hippocampal injury triggered by focal-onset status epilepticus, and in chronically epileptic mice. Status epilepticus was induced by intra-amygdala microinjection of kainic acid and ipsilateral and contralateral hippocampus analyzed. No significant changes were found for ipsilateral or contralateral hippocampal levels …

Use Of Colour Duplex Ultrasound As A First Line Surveillance Tool Following Evar Is Associated With A Reduction In Cost Without Compromising Accuracy, C. Gray, Patrick J. Goodman, C. C. Herron, L. P. Lawler, M. K. O'Malley, M. K. O'Donohoe, C. O. Mc. Donnell

Articles

CT scanning remains the postoperative surveillance imaging modality of choice following EVAR. Concerns regarding cost, exposure to ionising radiation and intravenous contrast have led to a search for a less expensive, equally efficacious and safer method of monitoring EVAR patients after endograft deployment. This study evaluated the cost saving obtained if CDUS was employed as a first line surveillance tool following EVAR, as well as comparing the two entities in terms of efficacy. Patients & methods: Postoperative surveillance CTs and CDUS scans in the 145 patients who have undergone EVAR from 1st June 2003 to 1st July 2010 were compared …

Development And Validation Of A Novel Reporter Assay For Human Papillomavirus Type 16 Late Gene Expression, Beatrice Orru, Ciaran Cunniffe, Fergus Ryan, Stefan Schwartz

Articles

To facilitate the investigations of HPV-16 late gene expression HPV-16 reporter plasmids were generated using previously described sub-genomic HPV-16 plasmids, named pBEL and pBELM, that, similar to the full viral genome, produce primarily HPV-16 early mRNAs and very little, if any, late mRNAs in cervical cancer cells. The HPV-16 late L1 gene was replaced by the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter gene, or green fluorescent protein (GFP), preceded by the poliovirus internal ribosome entry site (IRES). Results show that the reporter genes mimic the expression of L1 from these plasmids. For example, overexpression of adenovirus E4orf4 protein (E4orf4), polypyrimidine tract binding …

A Syntax-Based Reading Intervention For English As Second-Language Learners, Christina Tausch

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Students with English as second language (ESL) are typically behind monolingual peers in reading comprehension even when phonemic awareness skills, phonics and word recognition are at grade level. The lack of syntactic awareness is one of the reasons cited in multiple studies (August & Shanahan, 2010; Da Fountoura & Siegel, 1995; Lesaux & Siegel, 2003; Lesaux et al., 2006; Chong, 2009). This study investigated the effects of a six week intervention designed to increase syntactic awareness, including meta-awareness of key structures of English for young ESL students in the upper elementary grades. Twenty typically developing ESL students in the fourth …

Effects Of Rhyming Instruction On Learning The Alphabetic Principle, Phonemic Awareness, And Rhyming Complexity Skills With At-Risk Prekindergarten Students, Crystal Randolph

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

At-risk prekindergarten students (i.e., low SES, speech-language impaired) typically lag behind their peers in phonological awareness and other emergent literacy skills such as letter knowledge and vocabulary (Duursma et al., 2008; Lundberg, 2009). However, there is a limited amount of research that has studied the efficacy of phonological interventions for at-risk children (Ziolkowski & Goldstein, 2008). Because of the long-lived debate concerning the role of rhyme versus the role of phoneme awareness, it is uncertain whether learning rhyming skills will provide the most facilitative context to learn other emergent literacy skills (e.g., letter knowledge, phonemic awareness). The current study investigated …

Role Of Herpes Simplex Type I Glycoproteins In Entry And Cell-Cell Fusion, Sona Chowdhury

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Herpes simplex virus type I (HSV-1) is a neurotropic virus that infects primarily mucocutaneous epithelial cells and nervous tissue. Membrane fusion is an important aspect of the HSV-1 lifecycle, that occurs during viral entry (virus-cell fusion), viral spread (cell-to-cell fusion), as well as, during virion morphogenesis (assembly and egress). These membrane fusion steps involve complex interactions between multiple viral glycoproteins and cellular receptors. HSV-1 glycoprotein B (gB) is necessary but not sufficient for membrane fusion events. Despite the fact, that the majority of known hypermorphic mutations which cause extensive virus-induced cell fusion occur within glycoprotein K (gK); yet the role …

Health Effects Associated With Foreclosure: A Secondary Analysis Of Hospital Discharge Data, Nancy N. Menzel, Sheniz Moonie, Melva Thompson-Robinson

Environmental & Global Health Faculty Research

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the health effects of high home foreclosure rates in an area of the United States of America and the utility of hospital discharge data for this purpose.

Methods: We analyzed hospital discharge data from three postal zip codes using the principal diagnosis for 25 Diagnostic Related Groups associated with stress. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize hospital discharge rates for each condition by year and zip code. To test for differences across time, the Cochran-Armitage trend test was performed.

Results: Most conditions did not demonstrate a statistical change between 2005 and …

Inhibition Of Bone Loss By Cissus Quadrangularis In Mice: A Preliminary Report, Jameela Banu, Erika Varela, Ali N. Bahadur, Raheela Soomro, Nishu Kazi, Gabriel Fernandes

Health & Biomedical Sciences Faculty Publications

Women drastically loose bone during and after menopause leading to osteoporosis, a disease characterized by low bone mass increasing the risk of fractures with minor trauma. Existing therapies mainly reduce bone resorption, however, all existing drugs have severe side effects. Recently, the focus is to identify alternative medicines that can prevent and treat osteoporosis with minimal or no side effects. We used Cissus quadrangularis (CQ), a medicinal herb, to determine its effects on bone loss after ovariectomy in C57BL/6 mice. Two-month old mice were either sham operated or ovariectomized and fed CQ diet. After eleven weeks, mice were sacrificed and …

The Effect Of Canal Preparation On Fill Length In Curved Root Canals Obturated With Realseal 1 And Thermafil Plus, David Woodard

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: A preparation technique allowing for a predictable thermoplastic obturation length while ensuring a three-dimensional fill would be of clinical value. Methods: This in vitro study was conducted using 80 extracted mature and patent human 1st and 2nd maxillary and mandibular molar teeth with mesiobuccal (MB) roots exhibiting 20°- 45° canal curvature using Schneider's method. Teeth were randomly divided into 4 experimental groups (n=20). Groups 1 and 3 were prepared using a standard taper preparation (STP) to size 40/04 at working length (WL). Groups 2 and 4 were prepared using a varied taper preparation (VTP) to size 40/02 at WL. …

A Study Of The Management Of Opioid Prescriptions Among Patients With A History Of Substance Abuse, Kara G. Veeder

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Prescription opioid abuse is the fastest-growing drug problem in the United States and has been declared an epidemic by the U.S. White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. Immediate release (IR) opioids, especially hydrocodone and oxycodone, are abused or misused most commonly. Dentists are only second to family physicians in the number of IR opioid prescriptions written. Just under ten percent of the population in the United States in 2010 were classified with substance dependence or abuse in 2009. This study poses the following questions: 1. Do patients with a personal or family history of substance abuse manage prescription …

Tristetraprolin In Periodontal Homeostasis, Mary K. Gray

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Background: Tristetraprolin (TTP) is a key RNA-binding protein that regulates pro-inflammatory cytokines post-transcriptionally by binding to adenylate-uridylate-rich elements (AREs) within the 3'-untranslated (UTR) region. TTP is encoded by gene zfp-36. During inflammation, the p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway inactivates TTP by phosphorylation to inhibit its ability to shuttle mRNA to cytoplasmic degradation machinery. TTP knockout mice exhibit an inflammatory phenotype of arthritis, myeloid hyperplasia, and cachexia. We hypothesize that TTP directs cytokine expression in inflammatory bone loss during periodontal disease progression. Objectives: The purpose of this study is to determine if depletion of TTP affects alveolar bone loss …

Ethanol Interactions With Dl-Methylphenidate Versus D-Methylphenidate In Humans, Owen Reeves

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) affects~ 4.4% of the adult population, and patients with this disorder frequently have comorbid substance abuse disorders. Methylphenidate (MPH) is considered a first line pharmacotherapy agent in the treatment of ADHD, and is commonly used or co-abused with alcohol. Hydrolysis of oral racemic methylphenidate (dl-MPH) by carboxylesterase 1 (CES1) limits the bioavailability of the pharmacologically active d-MPH isomer to approximately 30% and that of the inactive 1-MPH isomer to only 1-2%. Co-administration of dl-MPH with ethanol results in elevated d-MPH plasma concentrations, as well as CES1 mediated enantioselective transesterification of 1-MPH to 1-ethylphenidate (EPH). The present …

Quantitative Analysis Of Some Important Metals And Metalloids In Tobacco Products By Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (Icp-Ms), Syed Ghulam Musharraf, Muhammad Shoaib, Amna Jabbar Siddiqui, Muhammad Najam-Ul-Haq, Aftab Ahmed

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background: Large scale usage of tobacco causes a lot of health troubles in human. Various formulations of tobacco are extensively used by the people particularly in developing world. Besides several toxic tobacco constituents some metals and metalloids are also believed to pose health risks. This paper describes inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometric (ICP-MS) quantification of some important metals and metalloids in various brands of smoked, sniffed, dipped and chewed tobacco products.

Results: A microwave-assisted digestion method was used for sample preparation. The method was validated by analyzing a certified reference material. Percentage relative standard deviation (% R.S.D.) between recovered …

A New, Simple, Green And One-Pot Four-Component Synthesis Of Bare And Poly(Α, Γ, L-Glutamic Acid) Capped Silver Nanoparticles, Magdalena Stevanović, Igor Savanović, Vuk Uskoković, Srečo D. Škapin, Ines Bračko, Uroš Jovanović, Dragan Uskoković

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

A simple and green chemical method has been developed to synthesize stable bare and capped silver nanoparticles based on the reduction of silver ions by glucose and capping by poly(α,γ,Lglutamic acid) (PGA). The use of ammonia during synthesis was avoided. PGA has had a dual role in the synthesis and was used as a capping agent to make the silver nanoparticle more biocompatible and to protect the nanoparticles from agglomerating in the liquid medium. The synthesized PGA-capped silver nanoparticles in the size range 5–45 nm were stable over long periods of time, without signs of precipitation. Morphological examination has shown …

Attenuation Of Corneal Myofibroblast Development Through Nanoparticle-Mediated Soluble Transforming Growth Factor-Β Type Ii Receptor (Stgfβrii) Gene Transfer, Ajay Sharma, Jason T. Rodier, Ashish Tandon, Alexander M. Klibanov, Rajiv R. Mohan

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Purpose: To explore (i) the potential of polyethylenimine (PEI)-DNA nanoparticles as a vector for delivering genes into human corneal fibroblasts, and (ii) whether the nanoparticle-mediated soluble extracellular domain of the transforming growth factor–β type II receptor (sTGFβRII) gene therapy could be used to reduce myofibroblasts and fibrosis in the cornea using an in vitro model.

Methods: PEI-DNA nanoparticles were prepared at a nitrogen-to-phosphate ratio of 30 by mixing linear PEI and a plasmid encoding sTGFβRII conjugated to the fragment crystallizable (Fc) portion of human immunoglobulin. The PEI-DNA polyplex formation was confirmed through gel retardation assay. Human corneal fibroblasts (HCFs) were …

Effects Of In Vivo Hepatic Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury On The Hepatobiliary Disposition Of Rhodamine 123 And Its Metabolites In Isolated Perfused Rat Livers, Ridhi Parasrampuria, Imam H. Shaik, Reza Mehvar

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Purpose. A few studies have shown that normothermic hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury may affect the mRNA and/or protein levels of canalicular transporters P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (Mrp2). However, the effects of the injury on the functions of these canalicular transporters with respect to the biliary excretion of drugs remain largely unknown. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of warm hepatic IR on the hepatobiliary disposition of rhodamine 123 (RH-123), a P-gp substrate, and its glucuronidated metabolite (RH-Glu), an Mrp2 substrate, in rats.

Methods. Twenty four or 72 h following a …

Mild Cognitive Impairment: Statistical Models Of Transition Using Longitudinal Clinical Data, Erin L. Abner, Richard J. Kryscio, Gregory E. Cooper, David W. Fardo, Gregory A. Jicha, Marta S. Mendiondo, Peter T. Nelson, Charles D. Smith, Linda J. Van Eldik, Lijie Wan, Frederick A. Schmitt

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) refers to the clinical state between normal cognition and probable Alzheimer's disease (AD), but persons diagnosed with MCI may progress to non-AD forms of dementia, remain MCI until death, or recover to normal cognition. Risk factors for these various clinical changes, which we term "transitions," may provide targets for therapeutic interventions. Therefore, it is useful to develop new approaches to assess risk factors for these transitions. Markov models have been used to investigate the transient nature of MCI represented by amnestic single-domain and mixed MCI states, where mixed MCI comprised all other MCI subtypes based on …

A Method To Assess The Organizing Behaviors Used In Physicians' Counseling Of Standardized Parents After Newborn Genetic Screening, Stephanie A. Christopher, Nadia Y. Ahmad, Lisa Bradford, Jenelle Collins, Kerry L. Eskra, Alison La Pean Kirschner, Faith O. O'Tool, Sara J. Roedl, Michael H. Farrell

College of Professional Studies Faculty Research and Publications

Well-organized conversation can improve people’s ability to comprehend and retain information. As part of a long-term effort to adapt Quality Improvement techniques for communication, we developed an explicit criteria method to assess usage of three organizing behaviors (OBs): ‘opening behaviors’ to establish goals; ‘structuring behaviors’ to guide patients through conversation; and ‘emphasizing behaviors’ that signal a need for attention. Pairs of abstractors independently reviewed transcripts in a demonstration sample of conversations between physicians and standardized parents after newborn screening identifies carrier status for sickle cell disease. Criteria for at least one OB were identified in 50/84 transcripts (60%), including 27 …

New Statistical Methods For The Analysis Of Periodontal Data, Anthony J. Parker

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Diagnostic (measurement) error is prevalent in medical research 16;22;29;31;37;43;54;69;79;81;89. Clinical studies in periodontology often produce large amounts of data subject to mea­surement error with potentially complex correlation structures 3;4;14;22;37;89. The periodontal probing depth (PPD) and clinical attachment level (CAL) are measures often used to as­sess periodontal disease status. PPD and CAL are commonly used as covariates or in the calculation of covariates when investigating outcomes of interest in periodontal studies. Current methods of measuring PPD and CAL are prone to measurement error 22;37;59;89. It has long been recognized that when regressing on independent variables measured with error, the estimate describing …

Equitable Consequences? Issues Of Evidence, Equity And Ethics Arising From Outdoor Smoke-Free Policies, Ann Pederson, Wendy Rice, Phoebe M. Long, Natasha Jategaonkar, Lorraine Greaves, Steven Chasey, Natalie Hemsing, Chizimuzo T.C. Okoli, Joan L. Bottorff

Nursing Faculty Publications

From Introduction:

Kass argues that an ethical approach in public health is one that places the fewest burdens on individuals’ health without significantly reducing the potential benefits of intervening. Yet many population health regulations are highly intrusive, compromising individual liberty and imposing penalties for non-compliance. Moreover, the benefits of these regulations and the burdens they impose may not be shared equally. When developing interventions, the state has, therefore, an obligation to consider the benefits and burdens, particularly on those vulnerable to health inequities and other disparities.

Practical Matters: Possibility Versus Probability, Irmo Marini

School of Rehabilitation Services & Counseling Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Injectable Contraceptives: Perspectives And Experiences Of Women And Health Care Providers In India, Shireen J. Jejeebhoy, A.J. Francis Zavier

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This report is the result of a study that aimed to shed light on the feasibility and acceptability of making injectable contraceptives more widely available to women in India. The study focused on injectable contraceptive users, new method adopters, and healthcare providers drawn from the facilities of a range of reproductive health. Healthcare providers were, for the most part, in favor of offering injectable contraceptives, however, they argued strongly for certain prerequisites, such as comprehensive and sensitive counseling and effective follow-up. Findings further suggest that there is a demand for injectable contraceptives among women, and that both women and healthcare …

Increasing Opportunities To Delay Marriage And Promote Schooling: Results From A Baseline Survey In Rural Tanzania, Eunice N. Muthengi, Annabel Erulkar

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This research brief describes girls' experience of early marriage, education, and sexual behavior in the Tabora region of Tanzania. Research shows that a considerable proportion of girls married early, have only limited discussions on health issues with their spouses, experience intimate partner violence, and have high unmet need for family planning. Tabora Development Foundation Trust, in partnership with the Population Council, is implementing strategies—including community awareness, support to get girls back into school and keep them there, and conditional transfers—to increase marriage age in the rural Tabora region. The goal is to identify effective, sustainable, and cost-effective approaches to increase …