Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Utility Of The Qt Interval In Predicting Outcomes In Patients Presenting To The Emergency Department With Chest Pain., Toni A De Venecia, Marvin Y Lu, Chinualumogu C Nwakile, Vincent M. Figueredo, M.D.

Division of Cardiology Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate whether prolongation of the heart rate-corrected QT interval (QTc) is an independent risk factor for predicting future acute coronary syndrome (ACS) occurrence or mortality in patients with at least one cardiac risk factor presenting with chest pain to the emergency department (ED).

METHODS: This is a single-center, retrospective study of patients presenting with chest pain to the ED of Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia, between 2011 and 2012. Proportional hazards models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) for occurrence of ACS or death within 1 year. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to …

Ada News - 04/06/2015, 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.

Medical School Watercooler Newsletter - April 5, 2015, Lindsey Lyle

Watercooler Newsletter

This is the April 5, 2015 edition of the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine's Newsletter - Watercooler.

Contents Include:

April Declared Autism Awareness Month in Mobile

Mobile Medical Museum Lecture Series Continues with 'Civil War Medicine'

Med School Café - Expert Advice for the Community

USA Physician Shaves Head to Honor Patient

April 9 DSS to Feature Dr. Hua Lu

Using Emergence Theory-Based Curriculum To Teach Compromise Skills To Students With Autistic Spectrum Disorders, Lance Fein, Don Jones

Administrative Issues Journal

This study addresses the compromise skills that are taught to students diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) and related social and communication deficits. A private school in the southeastern United States implemented an emergence theory-based curriculum to address these skills, yet no formal analysis was conducted to determine its effectiveness. Guided by cognitive development and constructivist theories, a concurrent, mixed methods, case study design was used to investigate the impact of this curriculum on teaching compromise skills to middle school students with ASD and related deficits. For the qualitative sequence, teacher observations and compromise interventions from eight participants were open …

Successful Isolation Of Viable Adipose-Derived Stem Cells From Human Adipose Tissue Subject To Long-Term Cryopreservation: Positive Implications For Adult Stem Cell-Based Therapeutics In Patients Of Advanced Age., Sean Devitt, Md, Cynthia M Carter, Raia Dierov, Scott Weiss, Robert P Gersch, Ivona Percec

Jefferson Hospital Staff Papers and Presentations

We examined cell isolation, viability, and growth in adipose-derived stem cells harvested from whole adipose tissue subject to different cryopreservation lengths (2-1159 days) from patients of varying ages (26-62 years). Subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue was excised during abdominoplasties and was cryopreserved. The viability and number of adipose-derived stem cells isolated were measured after initial isolation and after 9, 18, and 28 days of growth. Data were analyzed with respect to cryopreservation duration and patient age. Significantly more viable cells were initially isolated from tissue cryopreserved2 years, irrespective of patient age. However, this difference did not persist with continued growth and …

Emotional Support Animals, Service Animals, And Pets On Campus, C. W. Von Bergen

Administrative Issues Journal

For decades, universities have been accommodating physically disabled students who require guide dogs and other types of service animals. Within the past several years, however, mentally disabled students have increasingly petitioned colleges with no-pet policies to permit them to bring their animals on campus because they need a companion or emotional support animal to make college life easier and to reduce their stress, loneliness, depression, and/or anxiety. Institutions that unlawfully reject such requests are finding themselves in court and charged with disability discrimination. Schools are understandably confused about their obligation, if any, to waive their no-pet rules under these circumstances. …

Effect Of Gamma Radiation On Growth And Mycotoxins Production Of Alternaria Alternata, Danny Karlet

Anatomy and Cell Biology Publications

The ubiquitous genus Alternaria contains many species that are able to invade cereals, oleaginous plants and other crops. Alternaria alternata is considered one of the most important species and can produce several mycotoxins under favourable conditions of temperature and humidity, including the economically important toxins: alternariol (AOH) and alternariol monomethyl ether (AME). The aim of this study was to evaluate the radio-sensitivity of Alternaria alternata spores through different gamma radiation doses. A. alternata growth and the production of AOH and AME were then analyzed. After fungal irradiation with 2 kGy, 5 kGy and 7 kGy, the spores were suspended with …

Trends In Initial Management Of Prostate Cancer In New Hampshire, Johann Ingimarsson, Maria Celaya, Michael Laviolette, Judy R. Rees, Elias Hyams

Dartmouth Scholarship

Purpose Prostate cancer management strategies are evolving with increased understanding of the disease. Specifically, there is emerging evidence that ‘‘low-risk’’ cancer is best treated with observation, while localized ‘‘high-risk’’ cancer requires aggressive curative therapy. In this study, we evaluated trends in management of prostate cancer in New Hampshire to determine adherence to evidence- based practice. Methods From the New Hampshire State Cancer Registry, cases of clinically localized prostate cancer diagnosed in 2004–2011 were identified and classified according to D’Amico criteria. Initial treatment modality was recorded as surgery, radiation therapy, expectant management, or hormone therapy. Temporal trends were assessed by Chi-square …

The Impact Of A Support Group For Mentors, Joel Bates

Senior Honors Theses

In recent years, mentoring has been recognized by organizations and researchers as having great importance and potential. One of the three major mentoring fields, youth mentoring has been utilized and noted as a source of support and benefit for youth. Although some reviews are conflicted, the literature has largely shown this practice of guiding youth to be effective in helping to produce improved outcomes for children later in life. Researchers have also found evidence for the benefits of mentoring for mentors that can be explained within the context of Erikson’s psychosocial theory of development. The program that was studied for …

Comparison Of Downstream Cell Survival Responses In Huvecs And Hlecs During Vegf Signaling, Haley Smith

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

Comparison of Downstream Cell Survival Responses in HUVECs and HLECs During VEGF Signaling

Author: Haley M. Smith

Mentor: Thomas L. Vandergon

Angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis are vital processes that allow the formation of new blood and lymph vessels from existing blood or lymph vessels. Formation of these vessels is essential to bring oxygen and nutrients to the body as well as maintaining tissue fluid balance. New blood or lymph vessel growth occurs in response to Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) signaling to vascular endothelial cells. The VEGF signal molecules bind to cell surface receptors and elicit a variety of responses including …

Filamin A Phosphorylation By Akt Promotes Cell Migration In Response To Arsenic, Lingzhi Li, Yongju Lu, Paul M. Stemmer, Fei Chen

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

We had previously reported that trivalent arsenic (As³⁺), a well-known environmental carcinogen, induces phosphorylation of several putative Akt substrates. In the present report, we characterized one of these substrates by immunoprecipitation and proteomics analysis. The results indicate that a cytoskeleton remodeling protein, filamin A, with a molecular weight around 280 kDa, is phosphorylated by Akt in HEK-293 cells treated with As³⁺, which was also confirmed in human bronchial epithelial cell line, BEAS-2B cells. Additional biochemical and biological studies revealed that serine 2152 (S2152) of filamin A is phosphorylated by activated Akt in the cells treated with …

Targeted Single Molecule Sequencing Methodology For Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome., Funda Orkunoglu-Suer, Arthur F. Harralson, David Frankfurter, Paul Gindoff, Travis J. O'Brien

Genomics and Precision Medicine Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: One of the most significant issues surrounding next generation sequencing is the cost and the difficulty assembling short read lengths. Targeted capture enrichment of longer fragments using single molecule sequencing (SMS) is expected to improve both sequence assembly and base-call accuracy but, at present, there are very few examples of successful application of these technologic advances in translational research and clinical testing. We developed a targeted single molecule sequencing (T-SMS) panel for genes implicated in ovarian response to controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) for infertility.

RESULTS: Target enrichment was carried out using droplet-base multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology (RainDance®) …

Environmental Health News, Georgia Southern University

Biostatistics, Epidemiology & Environmental Health Sciences: News & Publications (2011-2018)

• Key Determinants of the Fungal and Bacterial Microbiomes in Homes

Race/Ethnic Disparities In Treatment Patterns Among Newly Diagnosed Primary Prostate Cancer Patients In Florida, Vonetta L. Williams

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Study Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine whether there were differences in patterns of care between African American (AA) and Non-Hispanic White (NHW) men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer in Florida, and how the treatment patterns compare with the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) initial treatment recommendations.

Materials and Methods: This retrospective cohort study utilized data from the Florida Cancer Data System (FCDS), to identify incident cases of prostate cancer diagnosed between 1982 and 2012. The variables of interest included: race/ethnicity, marital status, age at diagnosis, stage at diagnosis, tumor grade, year of diagnosis, and treatment modality …

College Of Public Health News, Georgia Southern University

College of Public Health: News & Publications

• Key Determinants of the Fungal and Bacterial Microbiomes in Homes

Perceptions Of School And Health Department Emergency Preparedness Collaboration, Kaitlin A. O'Keefe, Katharine D. Arrington, Michael Prelip, Kimberley I. Shoaf

Frontiers in Public Health Services and Systems Research

Background: School systems often have the vital responsibility of protecting students during emergency situations. Collaborations with the local health department (LHD) can be invaluable in helping schools effectively fulfill this responsibility.

Purpose: An evaluation of existing organizational collaborations is needed to describe attitudes toward current efforts and to form recommendations for enhancing the effectiveness of future joint programs.

Methods: Questionnaires regarding perceptions of existing collaborations were distributed to a sample of LHDs and schools districts in spring and summer 2011. Participant responses from each organization were paired on jurisdictional area, forming 25 paired observations. Analyses were conducted in …

Letter From The Editor, Kelly S. Moor

Administrative Issues Journal

No abstract provided.

Clinoidal Meningioma Associated With An Internal Carotid Artery Aneurysm, Muhammad Waqas, Yousuf Bashir Hadi, Badar Uddin Ujjan, Gohar Javed

Section of Neurosurgery

Coexistence of primary brain neoplasms with intracranial aneurysms is rare but presents a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge to healthcare providers. We describe the case of a 60-year-old woman who had a left internal carotid artery aneurysm with a small ipsilateral clinoidal meningioma. The meningioma was an unexpected finding encountered during the surgery for aneurysmal clipping. Both the lesions were dealt with simultaneously.

Evaluation Of The American-English Quality Of Life In Short Stature Youth (Qolissy) Questionnaire In The United States., Monika Bullinger, Rachel Sommer, Andreas Pleil, Nelly Mauras, Judith L. Ross, Ron Newfield, Lawrence Silverman, Anja Rohenkohl, Janet Fox, Julia Quitmann

Department of Medical Genetics Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: The European Quality of Life in Short Stature Youth (QoLISSY) is a novel condition-specific instrument developed to assess health related quality of life (HrQoL) in children/adolescents with short stature from patient and parent perspectives. Study objective was to linguistically validate and psychometrically test the American-English version of the QoLISSY instrument.

METHODS: Upon conversion of the British-English version to American-English, content validity and acceptance of the questionnaire were examined through focus group discussions with cognitive debriefing in 28 children/adolescents with growth hormone deficiency (GHD) or idiopathic short stature (ISS) and their parents. In the subsequent field test with 51 families …

Lipid-Induced Epigenomic Changes In Human Macrophages Identify A Coronary Artery Disease-Associated Variant That Regulates Ppap2b Expression Through Altered C/Ebp-Beta Binding, Michael E. Reschen, Kyle J. Gaulton, Da Lin, Elizabeth J. Soilleux, Andrew J. Morris, Susan S. Smyth, Christopher A. O'Callaghan

Gill Heart & Vascular Institute Faculty Publications

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified over 40 loci that affect risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) and the causal mechanisms at the majority of loci are unknown. Recent studies have suggested that many causal GWAS variants influence disease through altered transcriptional regulation in disease-relevant cell types. We explored changes in transcriptional regulation during a key pathophysiological event in CAD, the environmental lipid-induced transformation of macrophages to lipid-laden foam cells. We used a combination of open chromatin mapping with formaldehyde-assisted isolation of regulatory elements (FAIRE-seq) and enhancer and transcription factor mapping using chromatin immuno-precipitation (ChIP-seq) in primary human macrophages before …

Human Books: Social Media, Unplugged, Patricia Wynne, Mslis, Dorothy E. Berenbrok, Mslis, Gary E. Kaplan, Mslis, Ahip, Helena Washington, Mslis

Academic Commons and Scott Memorial Library Staff Papers and Presentations

Objectives

Purpose: Enable health sciences students and staff to engage in dialogue to challenge common prejudices in a positive manner and to promote empathy for the patients and families they encounter.

Methods

Setting/Participants: Academic Health Sciences library serving students and staff in an urban hospital and university. The ‘reader’ participants included students, staff, and faculty from the academic medical center. The ‘book’ participants included volunteers from both inside and outside the institution.

Results

Brief Description: Adapting an international program, The Human Library, the library recruited ‘books’ who had experienced discrimination based on aspects of their lives such as race, sexual …

Factors That Lead To Hospital Readmissions And Interventions That Reduce Them: Moving Toward A Faith Community Nursing Intervention, Deborah J. Ziebarth

International Journal of Faith Community Nursing

Abstract

Hospital readmissions affect over 80 percent of all Medicare enrollees. Hospitals have a responsibility to their Medicare patients to keep them safe after discharge in their homes and communities. With changes in the Medicare reimbursement model, hospitals are examining efficient methods of decreasing avoidable re-admissions. A Faith Community Nurse Transitional Care Program may be just the answer to improve patient’s discharge experience, ensure post-discharge support and reduce re-hospitalization.

Methods

In preparations for testing a Faith Community Nurse Transitional Care Program Model, a systematic integrative review was needed. Using PRISMA, a search was done, inclusion criteria identified, and articles retrieved. …

Examining Faith Community Nurses’ Perception And Utilization Of Electronic Health Records, Carole N. Mattingly, M. Eve Main

International Journal of Faith Community Nursing

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to identify current faith community nurse documentation practices, explore factors impacting intention to adopt electronic health records, and identify perceived barriers and benefits to electronic health record use among faith community nurses practicing in the Midwest. The technology acceptance model is used to examine impact of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of electronic health records on intention to adopt.

This study is a quantitative exploratory research study utilizing a cross-sectional researcher-developed 39-item questionnaire. Surveys were distributed by mail and e-mail to faith community nurses practicing in South-Central Indiana and Western Kentucky. …

Practice Matters: Screening And Caring For Those With Hypertension, Dawn M. Garrett Wright, Maria E. Main, Mary L. Branstetter

International Journal of Faith Community Nursing

The purpose of this article is to review best practices for screening and monitoring hypertension for Faith Community Nurses (FCNs). Epidemiological data regarding hypertension will be presented, along with current guidelines for blood pressure monitoring. Information on lifestyle modification and patient education resources is included to assist the FCN to improve service to patients at risk for and with current hypertension.

Aggressive Anesthetic Management Of A Patient With Severely Dilated Cardiomyopathy For Non Cardiac Surgery, Muhammad F. Sarwar, Nabila Ahmed-Sarwar, David Vent

Pharmacy Faculty/Staff Publications

We report a case of a 37 year old man, with history of rhabdomyosarcoma as a child. Patient developed severe dilated cardiomyopathy secondary to the treatment of the cancer. He presented for resection of the small bowel. An intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) was placed preoperatively for mechanical cardiac support. A combined general/epidural technique was used for the surgery. Transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) was used to monitor patients cardiac status intraoperatively. Patient remained hemodynamically stable and tolerated the procedure well.

Slope Settlement And Post-Disaster Health Needs Of Urban Displacement In La Paz, Bolivia, James Steven Arango

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In 2011, a landslide displaced approximately six thousand people from the urbanized mountain slopes of La Paz, Bolivia. The municipal government of La Paz (GAMLP) managed the displacement by housing thousands of people in displacement camps throughout the city. By 2013, residents were attempting to return to still damaged lands. This research used participant observation and interviews with residents over eight weeks in 2013 to address the following questions: 1) What social, cultural, economic or historic factors influence the settling and then resettling of at-risk slope neighborhoods in La Paz, Bolivia? 2) What are the most pressing health needs of …

The Feasibility Of Delivering A Home-Based Motivational Exercise Program To African-American Breast Cancer Survivors, Denise Spector, Claudio Battaglini

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Most African-American breast cancer survivors do not meet current exercise recommendations for cancer survivors, which include both aerobic and strength-training exercises. This pilot study tested the feasibility of delivering a home-based exercise intervention to African-American breast cancer survivors. Sedentary African-American breast cancer survivors were recruited for a 16-week motivational home-based progressive aerobic and strength-training exercise pilot study. Participants completed weekly exercise logs and received weekly phone calls. To assess feasibility, we evaluated recruitment, retention, and adherence rates, as well as participant acceptance and safety. 17 women enrolled; 13 completed the intervention (76%). Participants had moderately-high adherence (70%) to walking goals, …

Racial/Ethnic Disparities Related To Health Insurance Coverage, Access To Care And Ease In Health Care Services Among Children In 2012 Cchaps Data, Jacquelynn Meeks, Sweety Baidhya

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

nObjective:The aim of this study was to examine racial/ethnic disparities in unmet medical care, dental care and prescription medications and ease of using heath care services.

Methods:This is a cross sectional study of households in a six-county service region in Texas (Tarrant, Johnson, Hood, Parker, Wise and Denton Counties). The participants included the parents/guardians of children aged 1-15 years. In 2012, a total of 8,439 parents completed the survey. In 2012, 4194 completed the version containing the health insurance type and unmet medical, prescription and dental health care and ease/difficulty in access to health care questions.The dependent variables …

Psychosocial Correlates Of Perceived Stress And Depressive Symptoms Among Help-Seeking Hispanic Smokers, Monica Webb Hooper Phd

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Objectives: Research has demonstrated robust associations between perceived stress, depressive symptoms, and cigarette smoking. The extent to which these findings from the general population generalize to Hispanic smokers is unknown. The present study examined (a) correlates of perceived stress and depressive symptoms among help-seeking Hispanic smokers and (b) whether maladaptive coping and social support were related to stress and depressive symptoms. Design: Hispanic smokers (N=123) enrolled in an RCT completed demographic and smoking history, perceived stress, depressive symptoms, perceived social support, and maladaptive coping measures. Results: Bivariate associations indicated that perceived stress was positively correlated with depressive symptoms …

Reducing Health Disparities Through The 2015 Mcat: A Bold Goal Requiring On-Going Assessment, Aliya G. Feroe, Stephen F. Loebs

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

There is broad consensus that reduction in health care disparities is an important and multi-faceted challenge. One possible approach, among many others, starts with the attraction of women and men to the field of medicine who have a broad based education and who can demonstrate cultural understanding and sensitivity. In this context, the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) has been revised, effective in 2015, to include many additional questions concerning the psychological, social, and behavioral sciences. There are important assumptions fueling the revised Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) and these will need to be tested. These assumptions range from influencing …