Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Segment And Fit Thresholding: A New Method For Image Analysis Applied To Microarray And Immunofluorescence Data., Elliot Ensink, Jessica Sinha, Arkadeep Sinha, Huiyuan Tang, Heather M. Calderone, Galen Hostetter, Jordan M. Winter, David Cherba, Randall E. Brand, Peter J. Allen, Lorenzo F. Sempere, Brian B. Haab

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

Experiments involving the high-throughput quantification of image data require algorithms for automation. A challenge in the development of such algorithms is to properly interpret signals over a broad range of image characteristics, without the need for manual adjustment of parameters. Here we present a new approach for locating signals in image data, called Segment and Fit Thresholding (SFT). The method assesses statistical characteristics of small segments of the image and determines the best-fit trends between the statistics. Based on the relationships, SFT identifies segments belonging to background regions; analyzes the background to determine optimal thresholds; and analyzes all segments to …

“Principal Component Analysis And The Cumulative Gait Index: Translational Tools To Assess Gait Impairments In Rats With Olivocerebellar Ataxia”, Chase Lambert

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Numerous studies suggest that modulation of the cholinergic system through the use of nicotinic agonists can improve motor function in humans or animals with motor disorders. Specifically, although there are no approved therapeutics for patients with ataxia, the nicotinic receptor agonist varenicline has demonstrated efficacy to improve coordination and gait in several groups of patients with different subtypes of ataxia. Importantly, the mechanism underlying the varenicline’s mechanism of action to improve motor function remains to be elucidated. Thus, the purpose of these experiments was to first quantify gait impairments in rats with olivocerebellar ataxia utilizing an objective treadmill-based system to …

The Statistics Of Sensitivity Analyses, Alexander R. Luedtke, Ivan Diaz, Mark J. Van Der Laan

U.C. Berkeley Division of Biostatistics Working Paper Series

Suppose one wishes to estimate a causal parameter given a sample of observations. This requires making unidentifiable assumptions about an underlying causal mechanism. Sensitivity analyses help investigators understand what impact violations of these assumptions could have on the causal conclusions drawn from a study, though themselves rely on untestable (but hopefully more interpretable) assumptions. Díaz and van der Laan (2013) advocate the use of a sequence (or continuum) of interpretable untestable assumptions of increasing plausibility for the sensitivity analysis so that experts can have informed opinions about which are true. In this work, we argue that using appropriate statistical procedures …

Cerium Oxide Nanoparticle Treatment Ameliorates Peritonitis-Induced Diaphragm Dysfunction, Shinichi Asano, Ravikumar Arvapalli, Nandini D. Manne, Mani Maheshwari, Bing Ma, Kevin M. Rice, Vellaisamy Selvaraj, Eric Blough

MIIR Faculty Research

The severe inflammation observed during sepsis is thought to cause diaphragm dysfunction, which is associated with poor patient prognosis. Cerium oxide (CeO₂) nanoparticles have been posited to exhibit anti-inflammatory and antioxidative activities suggesting that these particles may be of potential use for the treatment of inflammatory disorders. To investigate this possibility, Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned to the following groups: sham control, CeO₂ nanoparticle treatment only (0.5 mg/kg iv), sepsis, and sepsis+CeO₂ nanoparticles. Sepsis was induced by the introduction of cecal material (600 mg/kg) directly into the peritoneal cavity. Nanoparticle treatment decreased sepsis-associated impairments in …

Ada News - 10/05/2015, American Dental Association, Publishing Division

ADA News

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

What's Happening: October 5, 2015, Maine Medical Center

What's Happening

No abstract provided.

Medicare's Post-Acute Care Payment: An Updated Review Of The Issues And Policy Proposals, Sally Coberly

National Health Policy Forum

Medicare spending on post-acute care provided by home health agencies, skilled nursing facilities, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, and long-term care hospitals accounted for about 10 percent of total program outlays in 2013. The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission and others have noted several long-standing problems with the payment systems for post-acute care and have suggested refinements to Medicare's post-acute care payment systems that are intended to encourage the delivery of appropriate care in the right setting for a patient's condition. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 contained several provisions that affect the Medicare program's post-acute care payment systems, as …

Diagnostic Options And Challenges For Dengue And Chikungunya Viruses., Stacey K. Mardekian, Amity L. Roberts, Phd, D(Abmm)

Department of Medical Genetics Faculty Papers

Dengue virus (DENV) and Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) are arboviruses that share the same Aedes mosquito vectors and thus overlap in their endemic areas. These two viruses also cause similar clinical presentations, especially in the initial stages of infection, with neither virus possessing any specific distinguishing clinical features. Because the outcomes and management strategies for these two viruses are vastly different, early and accurate diagnosis is imperative. Diagnosis is also important for surveillance, outbreak control, and research related to vaccine and drug development. Available diagnostic tests are aimed at detection of the virus, its antigenic components, or the host immune antibody …

Week Of October 5, 2015, New York Medical College

InTouch

• School of Medicine Retreat Focuses on Diversity and Inclusion
• Late 19th Century Prize Microscopes Return to NYMC
• Historic Finds Now on Display in Sunshine Heritage Hall
• NYMC Seeds Selected for the Flu Vaccine
• NYMC Recognizes Three Decades of TB and HIV Lectures
• Meet the Farmers of the Good Food Farmers Network

Real-Time Detection Of Breast Cancer Cells Using Peptidefunctionalized Microcantilever Arrays, Hashem Etayash, Keren Jiang, Sarfuddin Azmi, Thomas Thundat, Kamaljit Kaur

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Ligand-directed targeting and capturing of cancer cells is a new approach for detecting circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Ligands such as antibodies have been successfully used for capturing cancer cells and an antibody based system (CellSearch®) is currently used clinically to enumerate CTCs. Here we report the use of a peptide moiety in conjunction with a microcantilever array system to selectively detect CTCs resulting from cancer, specifically breast cancer. A sensing microcantilever, functionalized with a breast cancer specific peptide 18-4 (WxEAAYQrFL), showed significant deflection on cancer cell (MCF7 and MDA-MB-231) binding compared to when exposed to noncancerous (MCF10A and HUVEC) cells. …

Testing The Concurrent Validity Of A Naturalistic Upper Extremity Reaching Task, Sydney Y. Schaefer, C. R. Hennge

Kinesiology and Health Science Faculty Publications

Point-to-point reaching has been widely used to study upper extremity motor control. We have been developing a naturalistic reaching task that adds tool manipulation and object transport to this established paradigm. The purpose of this study was to determine the concurrent validity of a naturalistic reaching task in a sample of healthy adults.This task was compared to the criterion measure of standard point-to-point reaching. Twenty-eight adults performed unconstrained out-and-back movements in three different directions relative to constant start location along midline using their nondominant arm. In the naturalistic task, participants manipulated a tool to transport objects sequentially between physical targets …

Stress Granules Modulate Syk To Cause Microglial Cell Dysfunction In Alzheimer's Disease, Soumira Ghosh, Robert Geahlen

Borch Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology Faculty Publications

Microglial cells in the brains of Alzheimer's patients are known to be recruited to amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques where they exhibit an activated phenotype, but are defective for plaque removal by phagocytosis. In this study, we show that microglia stressed by exposure to sodium arsenite or Aβ(1–42) peptides or fibrils form ex- tensive stress granules (SGs) to which the tyrosine kinase, SYK, is recruited. SYK enhances the formation of SGs, is active within the resulting SGs and stimulates the production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species that are toxic to neuronal cells. This sequestration of SYK inhibits the ability of microglial …

Medical School Watercooler Newsletter - October 4, 2015, Lindsey Lyle

Watercooler Newsletter

This is the October 4, 2015 edition of the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine's Newsletter - Watercooler.

Contents Include:

USA Health System Hosts Welcome Reception for New Physicians

Educators from UFM School of Medicine in Guatemala Visit USA to Learn about Team-Based Learning

Reminder - USA to Host Welcome Reception Oct. 8

Dr. Parker Featured on Inspirational Physicians List

USA Welcomes Dr. Jeffrey Brewer

Breast Cancer-Derived Extracellular Vesicles: Characterization And Contribution To The Metastatic Phenotype, Toni M. Green, Mary L. Alpaugh, Sanford H. Barsky, Germana Rappa, Aurelio Lorico

College of Science & Mathematics Departmental Research

The study of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in cancer progression is a complex and rapidly evolving field. Whole categories of cellular interactions in cancer which were originally presumed to be due solely to soluble secreted molecules have now evolved to include membrane-enclosed extracellular vesicles (EVs), which include both exosomes and shed microvesicles (MVs), and can contain many of the same molecules as those secreted in soluble form but many different molecules as well. EVs released by cancer cells can transfer mRNA, miRNA, and proteins to different recipient cells within the tumor microenvironment, in both an autocrine and paracrine manner, causing a …

Variation In Microbiome Composition And Stability For A Vancomycin Treated Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis Patient With Ulcerative Colitis Compared With Controls, Alanna Dubrovsky

Symposium

The bacterial composition of the human intestines contributes to much more than just digestion. In the inflammatory, autoimmune conditions primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and ulcerative colitis (UC), the microbiome may be, in some cases, a factor. To gain a better understanding of the composition and stability of the microbiome in a patient treated with vancomycin for PSC, terminal restriction fragment (TRF) analysis was performed on 13 controls and 1 patient, and 16s rRNA microbiome composition analysis was performed on 1 patient and 3 controls. Results showed similar levels of stability, with surprising differences in composition.

Assessing The Synergistic Effect Of Caffeine And Sugar On Cognitive Performance In Undergraduate Students, Sandra P. Urquiza, Michelle Vieyra

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Working independently, both caffeine and sugar provide benefits to attention and memory. However, there is sparse literature on the synergistic effects on improved cognitive performance between caffeine and sugar when taken together. This study explored the dynamics between caffeine and sugar when consumed under ordinary conditions – as a cup of coffee. Twenty-four undergraduate students (15 women and 9 men) were asked to complete a baseline cognitive test, and one of the three variables was given at random in the form of a cup of coffee: decaffeinated with sugar, caffeinated with no sugar, and caffeinated with sugar. The remaining two …

Positive Psychiatry, Amresh Srivastava

Data and Test Instruments

Revolutionary advances in understanding mental disorders and in providing novel treatments have enhanced the expectations of patients and relatives. There is a growing demand on newer research in providing interventions that allow patients to live a normal life. Of late, concept of the illness itself has undergone significant change. It is now proposed that expected outcome from treatment of mental disorder is to achieve a state of ‚ ‘wellness.’ Positive psychiatry is a newer branch of psychological medicine that seeks to promote understanding of wellness and examines its application in intervention and prevention of mental disorders. The concept of positive …

Do Mindfulness, Rumination Or Social Problem-Solving Factors Predict Distress?, Gabriela Lopez

Theses and Dissertations

Depression and anxiety continue to be prevalent concerns, with lifetime prevalence rates of 41% for depressive symptoms and 15% for anxious symptoms. Reputable studies confirm that high self-reported mindful awareness and social problem solving are both individually related to a lower severity of self-reported depressive symptoms. Rumination has also been found to have a significant relationship with depressive and anxious symptoms. Yet, these etiological factors have not been studied in combination, which is the focus of the current study. Hypothesis 1: Mindfulness, rumination, and social problem-solving will predict depressive symptoms after controlling for the variance predicted by Time 1 (T1) …

Notice Of 10/02/2015 Hsc Board Of Directors Mtg, Patrice Martin

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

No abstract provided.

Agenda Of 10/02/2015 Hsc Board Of Directors Mtg, Patrice Martin

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

No abstract provided.

Minutes Of 10/02/2015 Hsc Board Of Directors Mtg, Patrice Martin

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

No abstract provided.

Know Tommorrow Brown University Poster, Shepard Fairey, Risd Archives

Ecology and Environment

Poster for Brown University student event to demand action to counter climate change. "Brown emPOWER is joining dozens of colleges across the country for Know Tomorrow, a national day of action to raise awareness about climate change and its consequences. 2015 is the year for climate action as world leaders meet for the UN climate talks in Paris to sign a global agreement on climate. On October 2nd, join us for an evening of live music, engaging speakers, and environmental action on the Main Green at Brown University! Featuring: Kerry Kennedy, What Cheer? Brigade, Voces Verdes- Latino Leadership in …

A Case Report Of Enteric Duplication Cyst: A Unique Presentation With Multiple Rare Associations, Arsha Sreedhar Md, Ranjit R. Nair Md, William Scialla Do

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Pancreatitis Associated With Ttp: A Cause Or Effect?, Shannon Davis Do, Ranjit R. Nair Md, Nicole M. Agostino Do

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Fever, Acute Kidney Injury (Aki), Thrombocytopenia & Hemolytic Anemia With Schistocytes – Babesiosis Mimicking Ttp Symptomology, Dhwani Pandya Md, Harshal Shah Do, Timothy Coyle Md

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

A Case Report Of An Aggressive Mantle Cell Lymphoma Masquerading As A Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia With Catastrophic Treatment Complications, Ranjit R. Nair Md, Nicholas Lamparella Do

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

The Style Evolution Of Glasses: Acknowledging Well-Being For Wearable Medical Device, Lydia Royeen

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The focus of Peta Bush’s work is to create wearable medical devices that address all qualities of the individual, including physical, mental, emotional, and psychosocial aspects. Peta is completing a practice-based research PhD titled “Therapeutic jewelry: The craft of people-centric devices for wellbeing.” Her passion for creating wearable medical devices that are multi-dimensional stems from her personal experiences, as she has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. In addition, she uses her knowledge of well-being and the biopsychosocial model when creating her wearable medical devices. Peta currently uses technology, such as 3D printing, as one method to fabricate her collection. Her aspirations are for …

More Tips For Making An Editor Happy, Jan Andersen

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

Concise Arm And Hand Rehabilitation Approach In Stroke (Caras): A Practical And Evidence-Based Framework For Clinical Rehabilitation Management, Johan A. Franck, Jos Halfens, Rob Smeets, Henk Seelen

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The volume of information on new treatment techniques supporting the restoration of arm-hand function (AHF) and arm-hand skill performance (ASHP) in stroke survivors overwhelms therapists in everyday clinical practice when choosing the appropriate therapy. The Concise Arm and Hand Rehabilitation Approach in Stroke (CARAS) is designed for paramedical staff to structure and implement training of AHF and AHSP in stroke survivors. The CARAS is based on four constructs: (a) stratification according to the severity of arm–hand impairment (using the Utrecht Arm/Hand -Test [UAT]), (b) the individual’s rehabilitation goals and concomitant potential rehabilitation outcomes, (c) principles of self-efficacy, and (d) possibilities …

Occupational Therapy Students’ Perspectives Of Professionalism: An Exploratory Study, Theresa M. Sullivan, Andrea K. Thiessen

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Professionalism is a dynamic, socially constructed idea, rendering it difficult to comprehend. Though characterized by the demonstration of values and behaviors, its meaning has not been fully explored and remains tacit. To explore how first- and second-year master’s of occupational therapy students conceptualize professionalism.

Method: This qualitative pilot study evolved from an interpretivist theoretical perspective. Convenience sampling yielded four first-year and seven second-year students from one entry-level master’s program to participate in two separate focus groups. Line-by-line constant comparison methods were used to analyze the data and identify categories. An audit trail, peer debriefing, and member checking were employed. …