Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Enteral Nutrition Support For A Sarcopenia In End-Stage Liver Disease, Dina Halegoua-De Marzio, Md, She-Yan Wong, Md, Flavius Guglielmo, Md, Jonathan M. Fenkel, Md

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers

Introduction

• Weight loss with muscle wasting, also known as sarcopenia, commonly occurs in patients with end-stage liver disease (ESLD).
• A robust association between sarcopenia and mortality in cirrhotic and post-liver transplant patients has been reported.
• This is a report of a patient with severe sarcopenia and ESLD who was provided enteral nutrition using a Dobhoff tube (DHT) pre-liver transplant resulting in successful bridging to transplant.

Leishmania Donovani Bodies In Bone Marrow, Natasha Ali, Shabneez Hussain

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

We report a case of a 5-year-old female, resident of Afghanistan, who presented with fever and massive splenomegaly. Bone marrow revealed Leishmania donovani bodies (LD bodies) in macrophages characterized by a kinetoplast and characteristic double dot appearance. She was diagnosed as visceral leishmaniasis which is transmitted by sandflies (Phlebotomus).

Characterization Of Somatosensory Processing In Relation To Schizotypal Traits In A Sample Of Nonclinical Young Adults, Maureen Patricia Daly

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

A core feature of schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs) is a basic sensory (e.g., visual, auditory) processing disruption, yet few studies have examined somatosensation. The current dissertation project examined somatosensory processes among individuals at varying degrees of psychometric risk for psychosis using tactile texture and spatial discrimination and letter recognition tasks. Differential patterns of associations of somatosensory abilities with schizotypal trait dimensions (positive, negative, disorganized), independent of anxiety and depressive symptoms, and the relative contributions of bottom-up (peripheral and morphologic features) versus top-down (error types) processing were examined. It was hypothesized that: 1) performance on somatosensory tasks would account for significant …

Birthing, Blackness, And The Body: Black Midwives And Experiential Continuities Of Institutional Racism, Keisha La'nesha Goode

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Within the last decade, historical and contemporary accounts of midwives, along with the efficacy of the Midwives Model of Care for pregnancy, childbirth and general women's health, have become increasing popular in mainstream publications and documentaries. Yet, very few of these accounts represent historical or contemporary black midwives (and midwives of color, more generally). Despite a long history of midwifery in the black community, black women currently represent less than 2% of the nation's reported 15,000 midwives. Relatedly, black women and infants experience the worst birth outcomes of any racial-ethnic cohort in the United States.

In the early 20th century, …

A Meta-Analysis Of The Prediction Of Violence Among Adults With Mental Disorders, Hing Po Lam

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The study of the risk for violence among persons with mental disorders has received substantial scientific attention over the past few decades; however, many uncertainties and controversies remain due to the wide disparities in the reported results. Using the state-of-the-art perspective of public health, a meta-analysis was conducted to clarify the ambiguities by synthesizing quantitative findings from 85 research reports (completed between January 1970 and May 2010) on violence risk assessment among mentally disordered adults. Results of this meta-analytic study revealed that the estimates of the prevalence of violence among the psychiatric population varied considerably from 1.1% to 78.4% with …

Intra- And Intergenerational Effects Of Migration And The Role Of The Psychosocial Environment In The Development Of Perinatal Depression, Hannah R. Simons

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Background: Perinatal depression is a significant public health issue that affects women and their families. Studies conducted outside of the United States (US) have found a higher prevalence of perinatal depression in immigrant compared to native-born women. US studies have been less consistent but have relied on convenience samples and lacked appropriate comparison groups.

Objectives: To characterize the relationship between migration to the US and risk for perinatal depressive symptomatology and to examine the role of the post-migration psychosocial environment on the occurrence of perinatal depressive symptoms.

Methods: The dissertation used two data sources, the NYC Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring …

Identification And Characterization Of Protein Kinase C Substrates In Human Breast Cells, Xin Zhao

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Aberrations in PKC signaling can lead to the development of multiple human diseases and the most prominent association of PKC with disease has been in tumor growth and metastasis. PKC and its related pathways have been recognized as promising targets for blocking the malignancy of breast cancer cells. To better understand PKC-mediated pathway in breast cancer cells, it is important to identify the cellular substrates of PKC. The main focus of this work is to identify physiologically relevant cellular substrates of PKC in human breast cells and to characterize their roles in cancer-related phenotypes. The work to be described consists …

When Less Can Be More: Dual Task Effects In Stuttering And Fluent Adults, Naomi Nechama Eichorn

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The present study tested the counterintuitive hypothesis that engaging cognitive resources in a secondary task while speaking could benefit aspects of speech production. Effects of dual task conditions on speech fluency, rate, and error patterns were examined in stuttering and fluent speakers based on specific predictions derived from three related theoretical frameworks. Twenty fluent adults and 19 adults with confirmed diagnoses of stuttering participated in the study. All participants completed two baseline tasks: (1) a continuous speaking task in which spontaneous speech was produced in response to given prompts; and (2) a working memory (WM) task involving manipulations of WM …

Clinical Implications Of Binaural Interference: A Systematic Review Of The Literature, Michael Bergen

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

A binaural advantage has been described in many studies over the past fifty years, although research also has demonstrated examples of a disadvantage known as binaural interference. The literature varies greatly in suggesting the incidence of binaural interference across all populations. It also raises questions about the underlying causes of this phenomenon, as well as whether age-related changes have an impact.

A systematic review was engaged to summarize the literature associated with binaural interference, to identify clinical implications of this body of literature, and to answer two research questions:

1) Does the literature describe changes in susceptibility to binaural interference …

The Status Of Neonatal Hearing Screening In Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review, David Engelman

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Late identification of hearing loss can lead to speech and language delays, as well as social and academic difficulties. Neonatal hearing screening has reduced the age of identification of hearing loss in many developed countries. However, the practice is limited or non-existent in much of the developing world, such as sub-Saharan Africa. This systematic review used currently available literature to determine the status of neonatal hearing screening programs in sub-Saharan Africa and to develop a model program for the region. Results suggested a lack of neonatal hearing screening services in sub-Saharan Africa, stressing the need for more pilot hearing screening …

Genotypes Frequencies Of Rs9923231 And Rs7294 Snps In The Vkorc1 Gene Among Emiratis And Their Implications For Warfarin Dosage, Hayat Saad Al-Jaibeji Al-Jaibeji

Theses

Warfarin is the most commonly used oral anticoagulant medication given as a prophylaxis and/or treatment of venous and arterial thromboembolic disorders. Warfarin doses vary up to 10-fold among patients due to pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and pharmacogenomics factors. In addition, Warfarin has a low therapeutic index with the risk of developing serious side effects such as severe bleeding or failure of therapy. Therefore, the main challenge to achieve the therapeutic goal in Warfarin treatment is estimating the appropriate dose for each patient. It is estimated that pharmacogenomic factors contribute to more than 60% of dose variability. The gene encoding for the target …

The Effects Of Cannabidiol On The Electrical And Contractile Properties Of Cardiomyocytes, Ramez Ali Mansour

Theses

In earlier studies, cannabidiol (CBD), a major nonpsychotropic cannabinoid found in cannabis plant, has been shown to influence cardiovascular functions under various physiological and pathological conditions. In the present study, the effects of CBD on contractility and electrical properties of rat ventricular myocytes were investigated. Video edge detection was used to measure myocyte shortening. Intracellular Ca2+ was measured in cells loaded with the fluorescent indicator fura-2 AM. CBD (1 μM) caused a significant decrease in the amplitudes of electrically-evoked myocyte shortening and Ca2+ transients. However, the amplitudes of caffeine-evoked Ca2+ transients and the rate of recovery of electrically-evoked Ca2+ transients …

Association Between Sella Turcica Bridging And Palatal Canine Impaction, Batool A. Haider, Attiya Shaikh, Mubassar Fida

Section of Dental-Oral Maxillofacial Surgery

Introduction: The association of sella turcica bridging and various dental anomalies has been an area of interest for researchers. Based on the evidence of a common embryologic origin between sella turcica and the teeth, the objectives of this study were to measure the dimensions of sella turcica and to test whether an association exists between sella bridging and impacted canines.
Methods: Orthodontic records comprising standard-quality lateral cephalograms and dental panoramic radiographs were selected. Thirty-one patients with palatally impacted canines (20 female, 11 male; mean age, 18.4 ± 8.9 years) and 70 controls with erupted canines (35 male, 35 female; mean …

Paradoxes Of Us Psychopharmacology Practice In 2013: Undertreatment Of Severe Mental Illness And Overtreatment Of Minor Psychiatric Problems, Jose De Leon

Psychiatry Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Documenting Mass Rape: Medical Evidence Collection Techniques As Humanitarian Technology, Jaimie Morse

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

Aim: Emerging global networks of human rights activists, doctors, and nurses have advocated for increased collection of medical evidence in conflict-affected countries to corroborate allegations of sexual violence and facilitate prosecution in international and domestic courts. Such initiatives are part of broader shifts in human rights advocacy to document human rights violations using rigorous, standardized methodologies. In this paper, I consider three principal forms of medical evidence to document sexual violence and their use in these settings: the patient medical record, the medical certificate, and the sexual assault medical forensic exam (commonly known as the “rape kit”).

Methods: Combining archival …

Genetics Of The Pig Tapeworm In Madagascar Reveal A History Of Human Dispersal And Colonization, Tetsuya Yanagida, Jean-François Carod, Yasuhito Sako, Minoru Nakao, Eric P. Hoberg, Akira Ito

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

An intricate history of human dispersal and geographic colonization has strongly affected the distribution of human pathogens. The pig tapeworm Taenia solium occurs throughout the world as the causative agent of cysticercosis, one of the most serious neglected tropical diseases. Discrete genetic lineages of T. solium in Asia and Africa/Latin America are geographically disjunct; only in Madagascar are they sympatric. Linguistic, archaeological and genetic evidence has indicated that the people in Madagascar have mixed ancestry from Island Southeast Asia and East Africa. Hence, anthropogenic introduction of the tapeworm from Southeast Asia and Africa had been postulated. This study shows that …

Evaluating Initial Spine Trauma Response: Injury Time To Trauma Center In Pa, Usa., James Harrop, Md, George M. Ghobrial, Md, Rohan Chitale, Md, Kelly Krespan, Laura Odorizzi, Tristan Fried, Mitchell Maltenfort, Phd, Murray Cohen, Md, Alex R. Vaccaro, Md

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

Historical perceptions regarding the severity of traumatic spinal cord injury has led to considerable disparity in triage to tertiary care centers. This article retrospectively reviews a large regional trauma database to analyze whether the diagnosis of spinal trauma affected patient transfer timing and patterns. The Pennsylvania Trauma database was retrospectively reviewed. All acute trauma patient entries for level I and II centers were categorized for diagnosis, mechanism, and location of injury, analyzing transportation modality and its influence on time of arrival. A total of 1162 trauma patients were identified (1014 blunt injuries, 135 penetrating injuries and 12 other) with a …

Contemporary Use Of Balloon Aortic Valvuloplasty In The Era Of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation, Dawn S Hui, David M Shavelle, Mark J Cunningham, Ray V Matthews, Vaughn A Starnes

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

The development of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has increased the use of balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) in treating aortic stenosis. We evaluated our use of BAV in an academic tertiary referral center with a developing TAVI program.

We reviewed 69 consecutive stand-alone BAV procedures that were performed in 62 patients (mean age, 77 ± 10 yr; 62% men; baseline mean New York Heart Association functional class, 3 ± 1) from January 2009 through December 2012. Enrollment for the CoreValve® clinical trial began in January 2011. We divided the study cohort into 2 distinct periods, defined as pre-TAVI (2009–2010) and …

Off-Pump Myocardial Revascularization In A High-Risk Patient With Essential Thrombocythemia, Ahmad K Darwazah, Hamad Madi, Rami Zagha, Yahia Hawash

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

Essential thrombocythemia is a rare type of myeloproliferative disorder. Cerebral, myocardial, and peripheral thrombosis are all frequent complications of the disease.

A 71-year-old man presented with severe coronary artery disease, associated with cerebral vascular ischemic changes and erythromelalgia. His platelet count was 1,486 ×103/μL. The patient underwent successful myocardial revascularization by means of an off-pump technique after his platelet count had been reduced by hydroxycarbamide administration.

We conclude that the use of off-pump cardiopulmonary bypass in high-risk patients with essential thrombocythemia is safe. Reducing platelet count via the administration of hydroxycarbamide and the careful balancing of antiplatelets and anticoagulants is …

Impact Of Pre-Stage Ii Hemodynamics And Pulmonary Artery Anatomy On 12-Month Outcomes In The Pediatric Heart Network Single Ventricle Reconstruction Trial., Ranjit Aiyagari, John F. Rhodes, Peter Shrader, Wolfgang A. Radtke, Varsha M. Bandisode, Lisa Bergersen, Matthew J. Gillespie, Robert G. Gray, Lin T. Guey, Kevin D. Hill, Russel Hirsch, Dennis W. Kim, Kyong-Jin Lee, Andrew N. Pelech, Jeremy Ringewald, Cheryl Takao, Julie A. Vincent, Richard G. Ohye, Pediatric Heart Network Investigators, Girish S. Shirali

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

OBJECTIVE: To compare the interstage cardiac catheterization hemodynamic and angiographic findings between shunt types for the Pediatric Heart Network Single Ventricle Reconstruction trial. The trial, which randomized subjects to a modified Blalock-Taussig shunt (MBTS) or right ventricle-to-pulmonary artery shunt (RVPAS) for the Norwood procedure, demonstrated the RVPAS was associated with a smaller pulmonary artery diameter but superior 12-month transplant-free survival.

METHODS: We analyzed the pre-stage II catheterization data for the trial subjects. The hemodynamic variables and shunt and pulmonary angiographic data were compared between shunt types; their association with 12-month transplant-free survival was also evaluated.

RESULTS: Of 549 randomized subjects, …

Factors Affecting Disruption In Families Of Adults With Mental Illness, M. Jane Suresky, Jaclene Zauszniewski, Abir K. Bekhet

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

PURPOSE: This study examined relationships between vulnerability/risk and protective factors, and family functioning in women family members of adults with serious mental illness.

DESIGN AND METHODS: Using a descriptive, correlational design, this secondary analysis examined characteristics of the family member with mental illness (e.g., diagnosis, level of care) and measures of caregiver stigma and strain, client dependence, family disruption, sense of coherence, and resourcefulness.

FINDINGS: Family disruption was greatest inwomenwho provided direct care and whose family member had major depression, followed by bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and panic disorder. Sense of coherence and resourcefulness were associated with lower family disruption, but …

Teaching Communication And Therapeutic Relationship Skills To Baccalaureate Nursing Students: A Peer Mentorship Simulation Approach, Leslie Miles, Linda Mabey, Sarah Leggett, Katie Stansfield

Faculty Publications

The literature on techniques for improving student competency in therapeutic communication and interpersonal skills is limited. A simulation approach to enhance the learning of communication skills was developed to address these issues. Second-semester and senior nursing students participated in videorecorded standardized patient simulations, with senior students portraying the patient. Following simulated interactions, senior students provided feedback to junior students on their use of communication skills and other therapeutic factors. To integrate the learning experience, junior students completed a written assignment, in which they identified effective and noneffective communication; personal strengths and weaknesses; and use of genuineness, empathy, and positive regard. …

Selective Elimination Of Malignant Melanoma Using The Novel Anti-Tumor Agents, Osw-1 And Peitc, Kausar Begam Riaz Ahmed

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Metastatic melanoma is amongst the most refractory of cancers. Drug resistance and lack of therapeutic selectivity are two main challenges to successful melanoma therapy. Herein, we investigated the mechanims of anticancer activity and therapeutic selectivity of two novel agents, 3β, 16β, 17α-trihydroxycholest-5-en-22-one 16-O-[2-O-4-methoxybenzoyl-β-D-xylopyranosyl]- [1→3]-2-O-acetyl-α-l-arabinopyranoside (OSW-1) and β-Phenylethyl Isothiocyanate (PEITC) in melanoma.

OSW-1 inhibited melanoma cell viability at nanomolar concentrations with minimal toxicity to normal melanocytes. Mechanistic studies revealed that OSW-1 suppressed Disialoganglioside 3 Synthase (GD3S) gene expression in melanoma cells, leading to inhibition of gangliosides GD3 and GD2. GD3 is an abundantly expressed melanoma …

College Of Public Health News, Georgia Southern University

College of Public Health: News & Publications

• Childhood Obesity Perceptions

Agency Of The South Sudanese: Compensating For Health Care In Mungula Refugee Settlement, Lauren Schmidt

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In reaction to the endemic violence, which has forced many South Sudanese to flee their homes and seek refuge within Uganda’s borders, the researcher spent the practicum interning with the Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) in Mungula refugee settlement, under academic advisor Steven Mawa. As the organization is the leading health provider in the settlement, the researcher gained insight into the provision of social services to the population, which allowed an extensive study on the ability of the South Sudanese to compensate for shortages in care and various complications associated with doing so.

The researcher sought to entertain these inquiries …

Intimate Partner Violence After Disclosure Of Hiv Test Results Among Pregnant Women In Harare, Zimbabwe, Simukai Shamu, Christina Zarowsky, Tamara Shefer, Marleen Temmerman, Naeemah Abrahams

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Background: HIV status disclosure is a central strategy in HIV prevention and treatment but in high prevalence settings women test disproportionately and most often during pregnancy. This study reports intimate partner violence (IPV) following disclosure of HIV test results by pregnant women.

Methods: In this cross sectional study we interviewed 1951 postnatal women who tested positive and negative for HIV about IPV experiences following HIV test disclosure, using an adapted WHO questionnaire. Multivariate regression models assessed factors associated with IPV after disclosure and controlled for factors such as previous IPV and other known behavioural factors associated with IPV.

Results: Over …

Subgroups Of Cancer Patients With Unique Pain And Fatigue Experiences During Chemotherapy, Heeju Kim, Patrick S. Malone, Andrea M. Barsevick

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

Context. Some cancer patients experience pain and fatigue, whereas others experience only one of the two symptoms. Yet, it is not clear who experiences these unique patterns and why.

Objectives. This study aimed to identify subgroups of cancer patients with unique pain and fatigue experiences in two different chemotherapy cycles to examine how selected factors influenced subgroup membership and identify how subgroups differed in concurrently measured functional limitation outcome.

Methods. The sample included 276 patients with diverse cancer types from four U.S. sites. To investigate subgroups, latent profile analyses were performed. Multinomial logistic regression and one-way analysis of variance-type analyses …

Use Of A Melody Pulmonary Valve In Transcatheter Valve-In-Valve Replacement For Tricuspid Valve Bioprosthesis Degeneration, David M Filsoof, David F Snipelisky, Brian P Shapiro

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

Bioprosthetic heart valves can degenerate and fail over time. Repeat surgery as a means of replacement increases morbidity and mortality rates, and some patients are not candidates for reoperation. A newer treatment, percutaneous transcatheter valve-in-valve implantation, might delay or substitute for invasive procedures. We present the case of a 51-year-old woman, a poor candidate for surgery who had prosthetic tricuspid valve degeneration and stenosis. We successfully performed valve-in-valve placement of a Melody® valve, using a procedure originally intended to treat pulmonary valve conduit obstruction or regurgitation. To our knowledge, this is among the first case reports to describe the use …

Troponin Leak Associated With Drug-Induced Methemoglobinemia., Robert D. Cannon Do, Michael Wagner, Jeanne L. Jacoby Md

Department of Emergency Medicine

Drug-induced methemoglobinemia is a well-described entity but has not been previously associated with elevated troponins in the absence of cardiac symptoms. We report a case of a patient presenting to the emergency department (ED) with complaints related to an exacerbation of her long-standing cystitis. A low pulse oximetry reading prompted an evaluation, revealing a troponin leak, which peaked at 10 hours. Her methemoglobin level was found to be elevated at 11.4%, but a preexisting anemia apparently prevented the clinical recognition of cyanosis. The methemoglobinemia was determined to be secondary to her ingestion of phenazopyridine and trimethoprim-sulfa methoxizole. Although phenazopyridine and …

Syrian Refugee Families’ Awareness Of The Health Risks Of Child Marriage And What Organizations Offer Or Plan In Order To Raise Awareness, Rachel Fowler

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The hypothesis of the study assumes: If Syrian refugee families understood the health risks involved with child marriage and the severity of these risks, they would be less likely to choose to marry off their daughter under the age of 18. If these families had more health educational programs and had more access to these programs, these programs would influence their decision towards avoiding child marriage for their daughter(s).

According to UNICEF, one-third of registered marriages among Syrian refugees in Jordan between January and March 2014 involved girls under the age of 18. Child marriage puts girls at risk of …