Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Rna Sequencing Reveals A Role Of Tonebp Transcription Factor In Regulation Of Pro-Inflammatory Genes In Response To Hyperosmolarity In Healthy Nucleus Pulposus Cells: A Homeostatic Response?, Zariel I. Johnson, Irving M. Shapiro, Makarand V. Risbud

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty Papers

Transcription factor tonicity-responsive enhancer-binding protein (TonEBP/NFAT5) is critical for osmo-adaptation and extracellular matrix homeostasis of nucleus pulposus (NP) cells in their hypertonic tissue niche. Recent studies implicate TonEBP signaling in inflammatory disease and rheumatoid arthritis pathogenesis. However, broader functions of TonEBP in the disc remain unknown. RNA sequencing was performed on NP cells with TonEBP knockdown under hypertonic conditions. 1140 TonEBP-dependent genes were identified and categorized using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. Bioinformatic analysis showed enrichment of matrix homeostasis and cytokine/chemokine signaling pathways. C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2), interleukin 6 (IL6), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), and nitric oxide synthase 2 (NOS2) …

Safety Culture And Fall Prevention: A Collaborative Effort, Cecilia Cortina

Seton Hall University DNP Final Projects

Patient falls in the United States (US) range from 700,000 to one million annually and one third of those falls can be prevented (Du Pree, Fritz-Campiz & Musbeno, 2014). Twenty to 30% of falls are moderate to severe (Schimke & Schimke, 2014). As of 2009, The Joint Commission’s (TJC) (2015) Sentinel Event databank held 465 reports of hospital falls with injury; deaths that resulted in those injuries were reported as 63 percent. Common denominators resulting in patient falls with injury are poor assessment, lack of communication, failure to follow protocols, insufficient training and supervision, staffing levels, unsafe environments and lack …

A Quality Improvement Initiative Aimed At Reducing Complications Related To Iv Fluid Administration In The Acute Care Setting, Katherine Connolly

Seton Hall University DNP Final Projects

Purpose: The purpose of this quality initiative is to bridge the gap between evidence and practice related to the management of intravenous (IV) fluids in the hospital setting and to increase awareness regarding important quality issues, highlighting the critical role of nurses in effecting change in the health delivery system.

Significance of Project: The administration of IV fluids is one of the most common interventions in the hospital setting. The associated complication rate is higher than previously believed. Adverse effects impact recovery time, length of stay, cost, patient safety and survival. Related complications are largely preventable and unmet educational needs …

Minority College Women’S Views On Condom Negotiation, Tywanda Mclaurin-Jones, Maudry-Beverly Lashley, Vanessa Marshall

Publications and Research

This study utilized quantitative and qualitative methods to (1) investigate the relationship between frequency of condom use and negotiation strategies and (2) evaluate experiences with condom negotiations among sexually active, heterosexual, African American college women. One hundred female students from a Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) completed a questionnaire that included the Condom Influence Strategies Scale (CIS) and participated in a focus group. An ANOVA was conducted to compare differences between never, inconsistent, and consistent condom users. Consistent condom users scored higher than never users on the “withholding sex” subscale of the CIS (4.88 vs. 3.55; p < 0.001) as well as endorsed items more strongly on the “direct request” subscale of the CIS (4.63 vs. 3.82, p < 0.05) than never users. A thematic analysis of open discussions identified overarching themes. Similarly, refusing sex and/or having direct communications with partner emerged as primary strategies. Threats to negotiation included deciding the “right timing” of discussion and having a previous history of sexual intercourse without a condom with their partner. Other key concepts that contribute to condom negotiation are the views that condoms are a male’s responsibility and stigma of women who carry condoms.

A Resident-Centered Dementia Care Staff Education Project To Reduce Challenging Behaviors At A Long-Term Care Facility, Margaret Huryk

Seton Hall University DNP Final Projects

Frequent use of antipsychotic medication (APM) for behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) persists at high levels in long- term care (LTC) facilities despite extensive evidence of modest clinical benefits, serious adverse effects, public health advisories and a national initiative to improve dementia care. There is a gap between best-practice evidence and actual clinical practice related to pharmacological and nonpharmacological care for persons with dementia (PWD) and BPSD and/or neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) of dementia. The literature shows that clinicians often ignore FDA (Food and Drug Administration) warnings, CMS (the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) initiatives and expert opinion …

Sexual Behavior And Substance Use Among Women Across The Spectrum Of Sexual Orientation, Margaret M. Wolff

Dissertations and Theses

Background: Compared to non-sexual minority women, sexual minority women are at greater risk for substance use and abuse, sexual risk behaviors, and unplanned teen pregnancy; few studies measure differing associations by sexual orientation (e.g., identity, behavior, attraction) or discordance (e.g., heterosexually-identified women with female partners) components. Minority stress may explain sexual minority women’s health disparities; thus, as U.S. policies evolve to reflect growing acceptance of all sexual minorities, research should examine sexual minority women’s health risk behaviors using multidimensional constructs of sexual orientation.

Methods: Using the female sample of the 2002-2013 National Survey of Family Growth (Aims 1-2 n=25,523; …

Suicide Risk Assessment In A Psychiatric Medical Unit, Olga D'Argenio

Master's Projects

Suicide is a major health concern in the United States. In a scholarly article, Hutton (2015) found that annually, 2.2 million adults plan suicide, 8.3 million have thoughts of suicide, and 1 million adults attempt suicide. A 2013 Center for Disease Control (CDC) analysis found that suicide rates among persons age 35 to 64 years have increased during the years of 1999-2010 by 28.4%. Bolton, Gunnell, and Turecki (2015) found that suicide is a major international public health problem claiming one life every 40 seconds. The study also states suicide is a second leading cause of death in people age …

Effects Of Evidence-Based Fall Reduction Programing On The Functional Wellness Of Older Adults In A Senior Living Community: A Clinical Case Study., Andrew Harnish, William Dieter, Albert G. Crawford, Tiffany E E. Shubert

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Older adults at a high risk of falls may be referred to a physical therapist. A physical therapy episode of care is designed for the transition of an older adult from a high fall risk to a moderate to low fall risk. However, these episodes of care are limited in time and duration. There is compelling evidence for the efficacy of group-based exercise classes to address risk, and transitioning an older adult from physical therapy to a group-based program may be an effective way to manage risk through the continuum of care.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was …

Gps’ Insights Into Prostate Cancer Diagnosis And Care In Regional Victoria, Australia, Rasa Ruseckaite, Sue Evans, Jeremy Millar, Sara Holton, Danielle Mazza, Jane Fisher, Maggie Kirkman

The Qualitative Report

The aim of this research was to ascertain General Practitioners’ (GPs) perceptions and experiences of prostate cancer (PCa) diagnosis, treatment, and care in metropolitan Melbourne and in a regional area of Victoria, Australia, associated with poorer PCa outcomes. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with GPs (N= 10) practising in the selected region and in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia. GPs thought that most men wanted PSA testing and were willing to undergo rectal examination. Some GPs were troubled by inconsistent screening guidelines from different professional bodies. They identified a need for resources to support them in educating patients about PCa. GPs thought …

Phase I Dose-Escalation Trial Of Intravaginal Curcumin In Women For Cervical Dysplasia, Leda Gattoc, Paula M. Frew, Shontell N. Thomas, Kirk A. Easley, Laura Ward, H-H Sherry Chow, Chiemi A. Ura, Lisa Flowers

Environmental & Global Health Faculty Research

Background: This is a Phase I trial demonstrating safety and tolerability of intravaginal curcumin for future use in women with cervical neoplasia. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of intravaginal curcumin in healthy women. Study design: We conducted a 3+3 dose-escalation Phase I trial in a group of women aged 18–45 years. Thirteen subjects were given one of four doses of curcumin powder (500 mg, 1,000 mg, 1,500 mg, and 2,000 mg) packed in gelatin capsules, which was administered intravaginally daily for 14 days. The primary end point for this study was …

College Of Public Health News, Georgia Southern University

College of Public Health: News & Publications

• Georgia Southern Examines urgent Challenges for Local Public Health Informatics
• Dr.Karl E. Peace Receives Notable Book Reviews

Health Policy & Management News, Georgia Southern University

Health Policy & Community Health: News & Publications (2011-2018)

• Georgia Southern Examines Urgent Challenges for Local Public Health Informatics

Digital Holographic Microscopy Of Phase Separation In Multicomponent Lipid Membranes, Vahideh Farzam Rad, Ali-Reza Moradi, Ahmad Darudi, Lobat Tayebi

School of Dentistry Faculty Research and Publications

Lateral in-homogeneities in lipid compositions cause microdomains formation and change in the physical properties of biological membranes. With the presence of cholesterol and mixed species of lipids, phospholipid membranes segregate into lateral domains of liquid-ordered and liquid-disordered phases. Coupling of two-dimensional intralayer phase separations and interlayer liquid-crystalline ordering in multicomponent membranes has been previously demonstrated. By the use of digital holographic microscopy (DHMicroscopy), we quantitatively analyzed the volumetric dynamical behavior of such membranes. The specimens are lipid mixtures composed of sphingomyelin, cholesterol, and unsaturated phospholipid, 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine. DHMicroscopy in a transmission mode is an effective tool for quantitative visualization of phase …

The Chemistry Of The Flint Water Crisis, Ernest M. Oleksy

The Downtown Review: An Interdisciplinary Journal Written and Peer-Reviewed by Mandel Honors College Students at Cleveland State University

Politics and science do not always go hand-in-hand. Nowhere was this more clear than in the Flint Water Crisis. Negligence towards growing levels of lead poisoning in drinking water led to incredibly deleterious effects on Flint's citizens. The chemistry of equilibrium and the shortcomings of local leaders led to Flint's water becoming a crisis.

The Perceived Social Norms Of Courtship Initiation In Various Social Situations, Peter Ray Concepcion

Ursidae: The Undergraduate Research Journal at the University of Northern Colorado

There have been a small number of studies that have examined different aspects of courtship such as courtship strategies, forms of communication, and various factors that affect the level of attraction between two individuals. However, very few researchers have examined the common techniques or methods that individuals use when initiating courtship. The current study investigated the common techniques that college students prefer when initiating courtship, whether there were any differences between men and women, and whether there was a difference in on-campus and off-campus scenarios regarding the most commonly preferred method. Forty-three undergraduate students, 36 females and 7 males, at …

Perceived Body Image And Reasons For Exercise Among College Students, Ileana Flores Delgado

Ursidae: The Undergraduate Research Journal at the University of Northern Colorado

Ideal body image perceptions from Western culture has led body dissatisfaction levels to increase significantly in the past 30 years. Researchers have found that individuals tend to have inaccurate perceptions of their bodies. Therefore, comparisons between inaccurate perceptions and an ideal body image cause body dissatisfaction. Minimal research has been done focusing on the relation between body image and specific exercise behaviors. The purpose of this research is to understand how someone’s own body perception affects their exercise behavior, type and frequency. Specifically, does body perception affect the behaviors the individual demonstrates while exercising? Exercise behaviors may include decisions for …

The Accuracy In The 6-Minute Walk Test In Determining V02peak In Cancer Survivors, Deandra Elcock

Ursidae: The Undergraduate Research Journal at the University of Northern Colorado

Peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) is critical for developing and implementing an exercise prescription to guide a cancer survivor’s rehabilitative exercise program. The Rocky Mountain Cancer Rehabilitation Institute’s (RMCRI) treadmill protocol is cancer-specific and accurately determines VO2peak; yet many clinicians are choosing a less strenuous protocol, the 6 Minute Walk Test (6MWT), to determine VO2peak. However, the 6MWT may yield inaccurate measurements. Purpose: To determine the accuracy of the VO2peak value from the 6MWT compared to the VO2peak value from the RMCRI treadmill protocol for cancer survivors. Methods: Thirty cancer survivors from RMCRI participated. Each participant engaged in the RMCRI’s Treadmill …

Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Adults Who Stutter: A Qualitative Study, Emilie Scharf

Ursidae: The Undergraduate Research Journal at the University of Northern Colorado

Stuttering is a phenomenon that affects millions of people worldwide, and up until now the disorder has most often been portrayed in a negative light. The purpose of this study is to understand the lived experiences of young adults who stutter, framing the research with more holistic perspective. Two participants will be interviewed in depth using a qualitative research approach to explore what it is like to live with stuttering and how it has affected their daily lives. Literature to date tends to group people who stutter into quantitative studies that problematize the disorder (Blood, G., Blood, I.M., Maloney, K., …

Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Activation Enhances Total Iga Secretion In Leishmania Major-Infected Mice, Madeline Metten

Ursidae: The Undergraduate Research Journal at the University of Northern Colorado

Secretory IgA (antibody A) plays a critical role in neutralizing microbial toxins, regulating non-pathogenic gut microbe populations, and protecting against infections at mucous membranes, like the airways or gut. Altered IgA levels have been associated with increased risk of allergies, infection, and autoimmunity. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a regulator of immune function, including IgA levels. Chemicals in food or the environment can affect IgA levels, and this has been proposed as a risk factor for human disease. In mice, activation of the AhR with a single dose of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), an environmental pollutant, has been shown to alter …

Articles For The Student Forum, Edward F. Rossomando, Jafar Kolahi, Francesco Chippelli, David G. Dunning, Heejung Bang, Saber Khazaei, Luca Giacomelli, Gunnar Hasselgren, Vuokko Anttonen

Journal Articles: College of Dentistry

No abstract provided.

Vamorolone, A Dissociative Steroidal Compound, Reduces Pro-Inflammatory Cytokine Expression In Glioma Cells And Increases Activity And Survival In A Murine Model Of Cortical Tumor., Elizabeth Wells, Madhuri Kambhampati, Jesse M Damsker, Heather Gordish-Dressman, Sridevi Yadavilli, Oren J Becher, Jamila Gittens, Mojca Stampar, Roger J. Packer, Javad Nazarian

Genomics and Precision Medicine Faculty Publications

Corticosteroids, such as dexamethasone, are routinely used as palliative care in neuro-oncology for their anti-inflammatory benefits, however many patients experience dose limiting side effects caused by glucocorticoid response element (GRE)-mediated transcription. The purpose of this study was to use a murine model to investigate a new steroid alternative, vamorolone, which promises to reduce side effects through dissociating GRE-mediated transcription and NF-κB -mediated anti-inflammatory actions. To compare vamorolone to dexamethasone in reducing pro-inflammatory signals in vitro, murine glioma cells were treated with dexamethasone, vamorolone or vehicle control. Changes in mRNA expression were assessed using the nanostring inflammatory platform. Furthermore, drug …

Comparative Genomic Analysis Of Two Serotype 1/2b Listeria Monocytogenes Isolates From Analogous Environmental Niches Demonstrates The Influence Of Hypervariable Hotspots In Defining Pathogenesis, Aidan Casey, Kieran Jordan, Aidan Coffey, Edward M. Fox, Olivia Mcauliffe

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

The vast majority of clinical human listeriosis cases are caused by serotype 1/2a, 1/2b, 1/2c, and 4b isolates of Listeria monocytogenes. The ability of L. monocytogenes to establish a systemic listeriosis infection within a host organism relies on a combination of genes that are involved in cell recognition, internalization, evasion of host defenses, and in vitro survival and growth. Recently, whole genome sequencing and comparative genomic analysis have proven to be powerful tools for the identification of these virulence-associated genes in L. monocytogenes. In this study, two serotype 1/2b strains of L. monocytogenes with analogous isolation sources, but …

Re-Optimization Of Radiation Therapy Dose To The Prostate Using Cbct: Reducing Dose To Organs At Risk, R. Charles Keider Jr.

Masters Theses

Cancer of the prostate is the second most common cancer among American males. The prostate is small gland, located in the pelvis, posterior to the bladder and anterior/inferior to the rectum. Due to this location when irradiating the prostate the normal tissue organs at risk are the bladder and rectum. Negative effects seen when these structures are irradiated can include; bladder stricture, dysuria, hematuria, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, and proctitis.

In order to eliminate or reduce these negative effects more precise and accurate treatment techniques have been employed. Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) has been successful in achieving greater precision when …

Self-Care Among Older Adults With Heart Failure, Sumayya Attaallah, Kay Klymko, Faith Pratt Hopp

Social Work Faculty Publications

Background: It is estimated that 5.7 million Americans are living with heart failure (HF) today. Despite the fact that HF is one of the most common reasons people aged 65 years and older are admitted into the hospital, few studies describe the self-care in this older adult population. Purpose: The purpose of the study was to review the current literature on self-care in this population to better understand the influence of selected factors on self-care and health outcomes. Methods: A literature search was completed and resulted in including 28 studies. Results: Multiple factors have been reported as barriers to self-care …

Interprofessional Collaboration With Aphasic Patients, Maxwel Doman

Graduate Independent Studies - Communication Sciences and Disorders

No abstract provided.

Robustness, Flexibility, And Sensitivity In A Multifunctional Motor Control Model, David N. Lyttle, Jeffrey P. Gill, Peter J. Thomas, Hillel J. Chiel

Faculty Scholarship

Motor systems must adapt to perturbations and changing conditions both within and outside the body. We refer to the ability of a system to maintain performance despite perturbations as “robustness,” and the ability of a system to deploy alternative strategies that improve fitness as “flexibility.” Different classes of pattern-generating circuits yield dynamics with differential sensitivities to perturbations and parameter variation. Depending on the task and the type of perturbation, high sensitivity can either facilitate or hinder robustness and flexibility. Here we explore the role of multiple coexisting oscillatory modes and sensory feedback in allowing multiphasic motor pattern generation to be …

Parental Perceptions Of The Social Environment Are Inversely Related To Constraint Of Adolescents' Neighborhood Physical Activity, Maura Kepper, Stephanie Broyles, Richard Scribner, Tung-Sung Tseng, Jovanny Zabaleta, Lauren Griffiths, Melinda Sothern

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: The current study examined relationships between the neighborhood social environment (parental perceived collective efficacy (PCE)), constrained behaviors (e.g., avoidance or defensive behaviors) and adolescent offspring neighborhood physical activity in low- versus high-incivility neighborhoods. METHODS: Adolescents ( = 71; 11-18 years (14.2, SD ± 1.6); male = 37 (52%); non-white = 24 (33.8%); low-income = 20 (29%); overweight/obese = 40 (56%)) and their parents/guardians enrolled in the Molecular and Social Determinants of Obesity in Developing Youth study were included in the current study. Questionnaires measured parents'/guardians' PCE, constrained outdoor play practices and offspring neighborhood physical activity. Systematic social observation performed …

Myofilament Calcium Sensitivity: Consequences Of The Effective Concentration Of Troponin I, Jalal K. Siddiqui, Svetlana B. Tikunova, Shane D. Walton, Bin Liu, Meredith Meyer, Pieter P. De Tombe, Nathan Neilson, Peter M. Kekenes-Huskey, Hussam E. Salhi, Paul M.L. Janssen, Brandon J. Biesiadecki, Jonathan P. Davis

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Control of calcium binding to and dissociation from cardiac troponin C (TnC) is essential to healthy cardiac muscle contraction/relaxation. There are numerous aberrant post-translational modifications and mutations within a plethora of contractile, and even non-contractile, proteins that appear to imbalance this delicate relationship. The direction and extent of the resulting change in calcium sensitivity is thought to drive the heart toward one type of disease or another. There are a number of molecular mechanisms that may be responsible for the altered calcium binding properties of TnC, potentially the most significant being the ability of the regulatory domain of TnC to …

Predicting Rift Valley Fever Inter-Epidemic Activities And Outbreak Patterns: Insights From A Stochastic Host-Vector Model, Sansao A. Pedro, Shirley Abelman, Henri E.Z. Tonnang

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Rift Valley fever (RVF) outbreaks are recurrent, occurring at irregular intervals of up to 15 years at least in East Africa. Between outbreaks disease inter-epidemic activities exist and occur at low levels and are maintained by female Aedes mcintoshi mosquitoes which transmit the virus to their eggs leading to disease persistence during unfavourable seasons. Here we formulate and analyse a full stochastic host-vector model with two routes of transmission: vertical and horizontal. By applying branching process theory we establish novel relationships between the basic reproduction number, R0, vertical transmission and the invasion and extinction probabilities. Optimum climatic conditions and presence …

An Urban Institute Community Outreach Program: The Changing Faces Of Pharmacy - A Student Enrichment Program, Manouchkathe Cassagnol, Vibhuti Arya, John Conry

Journal of Vincentian Social Action

Pharmacists serve as important resources for health and medication-related questions to many communities across various demographics, races and ethnicities throughout the U.S. This is particularly true for a place as diverse as New York City (NYC). The Changing Faces of Pharmacy-Student Enrichment Program has provided mentoring services and education to a growing cohort of high school students through the active participation of our Pharm.D. students. We will look to create strategic alliances that will provide broader services and support to this group of students, including financial and academic aspects. We will also look to develop partnerships to find STEM focused …