Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Microbes Bind Complement Inhibitor Factor H Via A Common Site, T. Meri, H. Amdahl, M. J. Lehtinen, S. Hyvarinen, J. V. Mcdowell, A. Bhattachargee, S. Meri, R. Marconi, A. Goldman, T. S. Jokiranta

VCU Health Publications

To cause infections microbes need to evade host defense systems, one of these being the evolutionarily old and important arm of innate immunity, the alternative pathway of complement. It can attack all kinds of targets and is tightly controlled in plasma and on host cells by plasma complement regulator factor H (FH). FH binds simultaneously to host cell surface structures such as heparin or glycosaminoglycans via domain 20 and to the main complement opsonin C3b via domain 19. Many pathogenic microbes protect themselves from complement by recruiting host FH. We analyzed how and why different microbes bind FH via domains …

Isozyme-Specific Ligands For O-Acetylserine Sulfhydrylase, A Novel Antibiotic Target, Francesca Spyrakis, Ratna Singh, Pietro Cozzini, Enea Salsi, Paolo Felici, Samanta Raboni, Paolo Benedetti, Gabriele Cruciani, Glen E. Kellogg, Paul F. Cook, Andrea Mozzarelli

Medicinal Chemistry Publications

The last step of cysteine biosynthesis in bacteria and plants is catalyzed by O-acetylserine sulfhydrylase. In bacteria, two isozymes, O-acetylserine sulfhydrylase-A and O-acetylserine sulfhydrylase-B, have been identified that share similar binding sites, although the respective specific functions are still debated. O-acetylserine sulfhydrylase plays a key role in the adaptation of bacteria to the host environment, in the defense mechanisms to oxidative stress and in antibiotic resistance. Because mammals synthesize cysteine from methionine and lackO-acetylserine sulfhydrylase, the enzyme is a potential target for antimicrobials. With this aim, we first identified potential inhibitors of the two …

Fyn-Dependent Gene Networks In Acute Ethanol Sensitivity, Sean P. Farris, Michael F. Miles

Pharmacology and Toxicology Publications

Studies in humans and animal models document that acute behavioral responses to ethanol are predisposing factor for the risk of long-term drinking behavior. Prior microarray data from our laboratory document strain- and brain region-specific variation in gene expression profile responses to acute ethanol that may be underlying regulators of ethanol behavioral phenotypes. The non-receptor tyrosine kinase Fyn has previously been mechanistically implicated in the sedative-hypnotic response to acute ethanol. To further understand how Fyn may modulate ethanol behaviors, we used whole-genome expression profiling. We characterized basal and acute ethanol-evoked (3 g/kg) gene expression patterns in nucleus accumbens (NAC), prefrontal cortex …

Contribution Of Nadph Oxidase To Membrane Cd38 Internalization And Activation In Coronary Arterial Myocytes, Ming Xu, Xiao-Xue Li, Joseph K. Ritter, Justine M. Abais, Yang Zhang, Pin-Lan Li

Pharmacology and Toxicology Publications

The CD38-ADP-ribosylcyclase-mediated Ca2+ signaling pathway importantly contributes to the vasomotor response in different arteries. Although there is evidence indicating that the activation of CD38-ADP-ribosylcyclase is associated with CD38 internalization, the molecular mechanism mediating CD38 internalization and consequent activation in response to a variety of physiological and pathological stimuli remains poorly understood. Recent studies have shown that CD38 may sense redox signals and is thereby activated to produce cellular response and that the NADPH oxidase isoform, NOX1, is a major resource to produce superoxide (O2·−) in coronary arterial myocytes (CAMs) in response to muscarinic receptor agonist, which uses CD38-ADP-ribosylcyclase …

Association Study Of 167 Candidate Genes For Schizophrenia Selected By A Multi-Domain Evidence-Based Prioritization Algorithm And Neurodevelopmental Hypothesis, Zhongming Zhao, Bradley T. Webb, Peilin Jia, T. Bernard Bigdeli, Brion S. Maher, Edwin Van Den Oord, Sarah Bergen, Richard L. Amdur, Francis A. O'Neill, Dermot Walsh, Dawn L. Thiselton, Xianging Chen, Carlos N. Pato, The International Schizophrenia Consortium, Brien P. Riley, Kenneth S. Kendler, Ayman H. Fanous

Psychiatry Publications

Integrating evidence from multiple domains is useful in prioritizing disease candidate genes for subsequent testing. We ranked all known human genes (n = 3819) under linkage peaks in the Irish Study of High-Density Schizophrenia Families using three different evidence domains: 1) a meta-analysis of microarray gene expression results using the Stanley Brain collection, 2) a schizophrenia protein-protein interaction network, and 3) a systematic literature search. Each gene was assigned a domain-specific p-value and ranked after evaluating the evidence within each domain. For comparison to this ranking process, a large-scale candidate gene hypothesis was also tested by including genes with Gene …

Association Testing Strategy For Data From Dense Marker Panels, Donghyung Lee, Silviu-Alin Bacanu

Psychiatry Publications

Genome wide association studies have been usually analyzed in a univariate manner. The commonly used univariate tests have one degree of freedom and assume an additive mode of inheritance. The experiment-wise significance of these univariate statistics is obtained by adjusting for multiple testing. Next generation sequencing studies, which assay 10-20 million variants, are beginning to come online. For these studies, the strategy of additive univariate testing and multiple testing adjustment is likely to result in a loss of power due to (1) the substantial multiple testing burden and (2) the possibility of a non-additive causal mode of inheritance. To reduce …

Pyrazinamide Monoresistance In Clinical Isolates, Nezaket Kalir, Ayşe Aydan Özkütük, Nuran Esen, Nuri̇ Özkütük

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

To determine pyrazinamide (PZA) monoresistance in clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) isolated in hospitals in and around İzmir. Materials and methods: The study was performed between 2004 and 2009 with 150 streptomycin, isoniazid, rifampicin, and ethambutol susceptible MTBC clinical strains isolated in the university hospitals of İzmir and Manisa. The PZA susceptibility of the isolates was determined by the BACTEC 460 TB test. Results: The results indicated that resistance to PZA was present in 5 (3.3%) of the 150 MTBC isolates susceptible to all primary drugs except PZA. Conclusion: It is not essential to perform PZA susceptibility tests …

A Novel, Network-Wide Outpatient Generational Urine Antibiogram, Jarrod W. Kile Rphd, Lalita G. Shastry Md

Department of Pharmacy

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of Vancomycin Dosing And Corresponding Drug Concentrations In Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (Nicu) Patients, Christine Lam Pharmd, Jenny Boucher Bs, Pharmd, Jd, Bcps

Department of Pharmacy

No abstract provided.

Assessment Of Balance In Collegiate Cheerleaders: Is Implementing A Balance Training Program A Good Idea?, Caitlin Carroll

Bridges: A Journal of Student Research

Due to the nature of the activity, competitive cheerleaders are susceptible to falls, which can lead to injury. However, cheerleaders that get put into the air ("flyers"), may have better balance ability as compared to those that hold or support flyers ("bases"). However, no previous research could be located comparing balance ability and fall risk between these positions. The purpose of this study was to assess balance ability and fall risk in female, collegiate cheerleaders. It was found that within the past year, 63.6% of cheerleaders experienced a fall, while 45% reported lower extremity injuries due to participation in their …

Sex And Haplotype Associations With Adverse Effects Of Calcineurin Inhibitors Post-Renal Transplant, Daniel A. Brazeau, Calvin Meaney, Shirley Chang, Rocco Venuto, Nick Leca, Aijaz Gundroo, Sarah Morse, Joseph Consiglio, Louise Cooper, Kathleen Tornatore

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Posters

BACKGROUND: P-glycoprotein (P-gp), an ABC transport protein contributes to the interpatient pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic variability of calcineurin inhibitors(CNI), tacrolimus(TAC) and cyclosporine (CYA). ABCB1 encodes P-gp and the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) 1236C>T, 2677G>T/A, 3435C>T may alter protein expression or function. Our objective was to examine the association of ABCB1 haplotypes, sex and race with chronic CNI adverse effects (AE) in renal transplant recipients (RTR). METHODS: A meta-analysis of 3 prospective observational studies was completed in 149 stable RTR [GFR= 51 ±17 ml/min/1.73m2] using identical inclusion and exclusion criteria in 62 African Americans (AA) and 81 Caucasians (C) …

Prevalence Of Hiv, Hepatitis B And C, And Co-Infection In A Cohort Of Male Injection Drug Users In Delhi, Lopamudra Saraswati, Mary Philip Sebastian, Avina Sarna, Vartika Sharma, Ira Madan, Dean Lewis, Ibou Thior, Waimar Tun

HIV and AIDS

India has a large injection drug user (IDU) population estimated at 177,000 nationally with an HIV prevalence of 7.2 percent. Historically, the presence of IDU populations and associated HIV infection was concentrated in the northeastern states of the country. Recent evidence documents IDU populations in other parts of the country. Delhi has an estimated 17,000 IDUs and the second highest HIV prevalence in India at 18.3 percent. The probability of becoming infected with HIV after using an infected syringe ranges from 0.34 percent to 1.4 percent. By comparison, the risk for hepatitis C (HCV) ranges from 1.5 percent to 5 …

Scalable Decision Support At The Point Of Care: A Substitutable Electronic Health Record App For Monitoring Medication Adherence, William Bosl, Joshua Mandel, Magdalena Jonikas, Rachel Badovinac Ramoni, Issac Kohane, Kenneth Mandl

Nursing and Health Professions Faculty Research and Publications

Background: Non-adherence to prescribed medications is a serious health problem in the United States, costing an estimated $100 billion per year. While poor adherence should be addressable with point of care health information technology, integrating new solutions with existing electronic health records (EHR) systems require customization within each organization, which is difficult because of the monolithic software design of most EHR products.

Objective: The objective of this study was to create a published algorithm for predicting medication adherence problems easily accessible at the point of care through a Web application that runs on the Substitutable Medical Apps, Reusuable Technologies (SMART) …

Social Media For The Promotion Of Holistic Self-Participatory Care: An Evidence Based Approach, T Miron-Shatz, Margaret M. Hansen Edd, Msn, Rn, Fj Grajales, F Martin-Sanchez, Pd Bamidis

Nursing and Health Professions Faculty Research and Publications

Objectives: As health information is becoming increasingly accessible, social media offers ample opportunities to track, be informed, share and promote health. These authors explore how social media and holistic care may work together; more specifically however, our objective is to document, from different perspectives, how social networks have impacted, supported and helped sustain holistic self-participatory care.

Methods: A literature review was performed to investigate the use of social media for promoting health in general and complementary alternative care in particular. We also explore a case study of an intervention for improving the health of Greek senior citizens through digital and …

Self-Management Of Unpleasant Auditory Hallucinations: A Tested Practice Model, Robin Buccheri, L Trygstad, M Buffum, P Birmingham, G Dowling

Nursing and Health Professions Faculty Research and Publications

Individuals who experience auditory hallucinations (AH) frequently report hearing unpleasant voices saying disturbing things to them, making derogatory remarks about them, or commanding them to do something, including harming themselves or someone else. The Self-Management of Unpleasant Auditory Hallucinations Practice Model was developed to help psychiatric-mental health nurses in both inpatient and outpatient settings implement evidence-based nursing care for voice hearers who are distressed by unpleasant voices. The model's utility extends to nursing education, administration, and research. The model is comprised of three parts: (a) Assessment of Voice Hearer's Experience, (b) Nursing Interventions, and (c) Voice Hearer's Expected Positive Outcomes. …

Addressing Gaps In Quality And Safety Education During Pre-Licensure Clinical Rotations, Susan Pauly-O'Neill, Elizabeth E. Cooper

Nursing and Health Professions Faculty Research and Publications

United States national reports have called for improvement in healthcare professions education to better address patient care outcomes. In response, an initiative titled “Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN)” has been adopted by nursing programs across the nation, which describes the six main competencies to be included in nursing curricula. As early adopters of the QSEN competencies, the University of San Francisco nursing faculty promptly threaded the material throughout the 4-year Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN) curriculum. Confident that the topics were well covered in the classroom, we then sought to learn how often our students practiced these …

People Who Inject Drugs, Hiv Risk, And Hiv Testing Uptake In Sub-Saharan Africa, A K. Asher, J A. Hahn, Marie-Claude Couture, K Maher, Page

Nursing and Health Professions Faculty Research and Publications

Dramatic rises in injection drug use (IDU) in sub-Saharan Africa account for increasingly more infections in a region already overwhelmed by the HIV epidemic. There is no known estimate of the number of people who inject drugs (PWID) in the region, or the associated HIV prevalence in PWID. We reviewed literature with the goal of describing high-risk practices and exposures in PWID in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as current HIV prevention activities aimed at drug use. The literature search looked for articles related to HIV risk, injection drug users, stigma, and HIV testing in sub-Saharan Africa. This review found evidence …

Condom Negotiation Across Different Relationship Types By Young Women Engaged In Sex Work In Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Lisa Maher, Julie Mooney-Somers, Pisith Phlong, Marie-Claude Couture, Serey Serey Kien, Ellen Stein, Anna Juong Bates, Neth Sansothy, Kimberly Page, Young Women's Health Study Collaborative

Nursing and Health Professions Faculty Research and Publications

Cambodia’s 100% Condom Use Programme is credited with an increase in consistent condom use in commercial sexual interactions and a decrease in HIV prevalence among female sex workers (FSWs). There has been little improvement in condom use between FSWs and non-commercial partners, prompting calls for more innovative approaches to increasing condom use in these relationships. To understand why condoms are used or not used in sexual interactions involving FSWs, we examined condom negotiation across different types of relationships. We conducted 33 in-depth interviews with young (15 to 29 years) women engaged in sex work in Phnom Penh. There was an …

Liberation Health And The Role Of The Public Health Leader, Courtney Keeler

Nursing and Health Professions Faculty Research and Publications

The following short report lays the groundwork for rethinking the practice and implications of public health leadership in the context of liberation health. Liberation health reduces to a universal idea:health is freedom. In short, everyone holds a subjective notion of health and, within certain bounds, has the right to promote and maintain that health. This report briefly describes liberation health, discusses the implications of liberation health for public health leadership, and outlines two needed transformations in moving towards a liberation health model of leadership. The report details areas for future research on this topic among public health leaders …

Ada News Convention Daily - 2013 Day 1, American Dental Association, Publishing Division

ADA News

The ADA News Daily (also called the ADA News Convention Daily) is a special edition of the ADA News published each day during American Dental Association Annual Sessions.

Childhood Obesity And School Food Choices: Should The Government Intervene?, Elizabeth Acuna

Writing Across the Curriculum

Obesity rates in the United States are alarming, with more than one-third of U.S. adults and 17% of children qualifying as obese with a Body Mass Index greater than 30.0 (Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 2011).

In light of such a large national health burden, promotion of community health must include collaboration with political agencies to enact change.

Eastern Equine Encephalitis: An Assessment Of Vermont’S Treatment Plan And The Lack Of Preventative Treatment, Lauren E. Bierman

Writing Across the Curriculum

When an avian host and the Culiseta melanura mosquito meet in fresh water hardwood swamps, the Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus (EEE) is spread to the bird community. When that same bird is bitten by a mosquito that feeds on humans, such as the Aedes, Coquillettidia, and Culex species, the EEE virus has found its bridge vector. EEE is a rare disease in humans; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported in 2010 that the virus affects an average of 6 people per year (Epidemiology & Geographic Distribution section, para 2). In 2010, blood collected from deer …

Faculty And Staff Updates, Department Of Surgery, January 2013, Wright State University Department Of Surgery

Department of Surgery Updates

A one page newsletter created by the Department of Surgery documenting changes to the department. This issue contains news about the faculty and staff, important dates, committee meetings, a message from the chair, and more.

Measuring Distribution Of Attention As A Part Of Situational Awareness - A Different Approach, Katrin Meierfrankenfeld, Werner Greß, Tina Vorbach

International Symposium on Aviation Psychology - 2013

This paper outlines a different approach to measure pilot aptitudes during flight simulator missions. An algorithm was developed to assess a candidate’s distribution of attention beyond observation technique, eye-tracking or multidimensional tracking (e.g. altitude, speed, heading), thus getting rid of typical measurement problems. The algorithm used to evaluate candidate’s distribution of attention in Phase III, German Armed Forces’ third phase of aircrew selection consisting of simulator flights in a typical training scenario, is a mere time measure. The following article describes its construction as well as advantages and disadvantages.

A Collaborative Forum For The Distribution Of Multidisciplinary Scholarship In The Open-Access Environment: The Inception Of The Advanced Aviation Analytics Institute For Research (A3ir-Core), Brent Bowen, Erin Bowen, Thomas Carney, Jennifer Kirschner, Chien-Tsung Lu, Reilly Meehan, John Mott, Clay Wildt

International Symposium on Aviation Psychology - 2013

Identifying the need for a multi-faceted, interdisciplinary research team to investigate various issues within the aviation industry, Purdue University’s Department of Aviation Technology has organized the Advanced Aviation Analytics Institute for Research—A Center of Research Excellence (A3IR-CORE). A thorough meta-analytic review of collaborative network theory was the impetus for the organizational development of this forum. Focused on engaging a wide range of knowledge, talents, and experiences, this preeminent institute will fill the traditional void of academic material in the aviation industry by actively involving undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty in a collaborative environment that increases the dissemination of research …

2013 Annual Report, Center For Applied Research On Substance Use And Health Disparities

Center for Applied Research on Substance Use and Health Disparities Annual Reports

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Housing System, Slaughter Age, And Sex On Slaughter And Carcass Traits Of Native Turkish Ducks, Mehmet Sari, Kadi̇r Önk, Serpi̇l Işik, Muammer Ti̇lki̇, Tuncay Tufan

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of different housing systems, slaughter age, and sex on slaughter and carcass traits of native Turkish ducks. A total of 133 ducklings were used. One-day-old ducklings were divided into 2 housing groups, a cage system and a deep litter floor system, under uniform conditions. Housing system significantly affected hot carcass, cold carcass, breast, wing, neck, and back percentages (P < 0.05, P < 0.01, and P < 0.001). The results of the current study showed the influence of housing system, sex, and slaughter age on slaughter and carcass traits. The slaughter and carcass traits and feed conversion efficiency were higher in the deep litter floor system than in the cage system for native Turkish ducks. The slaughter and carcass traits of male ducks were higher than those of female ducks. The ideal slaughter weight for native Turkish ducks was reached at 8 weeks, whereas the results for hot carcass weight, cold carcass weight, hot carcass percentage, and cold carcass percentage were better at 10 weeks of age. Therefore, it seems most appropriate to slaughter native Turkish ducks at 10 weeks of age.

A One-Hour Sleep Restriction Impacts Brain Processing In Young Children Across Tasks: Evidence From Event-Related Potentials, Dennis Molfese, Anna Ivanenko, Alexandra P.F. Key, Adrienne Roman, Victoria J. Molfese, Louise M. O'Brien, David Gozal, Srinivas Kota, Caitlin M. Hudac

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

The effect of mild sleep restriction on cognitive functioning in young children is unclear, yet sleep loss may impact children's abilities to attend to tasks with high processing demands. In a preliminary investigation, six children (6.6 - 8.3 years of age) with normal sleep patterns performed three tasks: attention (“Oddball”), speech perception (conconant-vowel syllables) and executive function (Directional Stroop). Event-related potentials (ERP) responses were recorded before (Control) and following one-week of 1-hour per day of sleep restriction. Brain activity across all tasks following Sleep Restriction differed from activity during Control Sleep, indicating that minor sleep restriction impacts children's neurocognitive functioning.

Normative Topographic Erp Analyses Of Speed Of Speech Processing And Grammar Before And After Grammatical Treatment, Paul J. Yoder, Dennis Molfese, Micah M. Murray, Alexandra P.F. Key

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

Typically developing (TD) preschoolers and age-matched preschoolers with specific language impairment (SLI) received event-related potentials (ERPs) to four monosyllabic speech sounds prior to treatment and, in the SLI group, after 6 months of grammatical treatment. Before treatment, the TD group processed speech sounds faster than the SLI group. The SLI group increased the speed of their speech processing after treatment. Post-treatment speed of speech processing predicted later impairment in comprehending phrase elaboration in the SLI group. During the treatment phase, change in speed of speech processing predicted growth rate of grammar in the SLI group.

The Birds, The Bees And The Stds: A Content Analysis Of Teenage Sexual Health Internet Message Boards, Jessica A. Kruse

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Recent research indicates that teenagers rely on electronic media for information about sexual health. In the present study the author examined the online information-seeking behaviors of male and female teenagers on two Internet message boards. Content analyses were conducted on user questions about pregnancy, birth control and sexually transmitted infections. Results indicated that (1) teens are very concerned about pregnancy but are less concerned about STIs, and (2) teens are not comfortable with negotiating condom use or STI testing with sexual partners. The outcomes from this study support the previous findings that teens do discuss sexual health on the Internet …