Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Image Restoration Using Automatic Damaged Regions Detection And Machine Learning-Based Inpainting Technique, Chloe Martin-King

Computational and Data Sciences (PhD) Dissertations

In this dissertation we propose two novel image restoration schemes. The first pertains to automatic detection of damaged regions in old photographs and digital images of cracked paintings. In cases when inpainting mask generation cannot be completely automatic, our detection algorithm facilitates precise mask creation, particularly useful for images containing damage that is tedious to annotate or difficult to geometrically define. The main contribution of this dissertation is the development and utilization of a new inpainting technique, region hiding, to repair a single image by training a convolutional neural network on various transformations of that image. Region hiding is also …

Secukinumab Efficacy On Resolution Of Enthesitis In Psoriatic Arthritis: Pooled Analysis Of Two Phase 3 Studies., Laura C Coates, Johan K Wallman, Dennis Mcgonagle, Georg A Schett, Iain B Mcinnes, Philip Mease, Lawrence Rasouliyan, Erhard Quebe-Fehling, Darren L Asquith, Andreas E R Fasth, Luminita Pricop, Corine Gaillez

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

BACKGROUND: Enthesitis is one of the psoriatic arthritis (PsA) domains. Patients with enthesitis are associated with worse outcomes than those without enthesitis. The effect of secukinumab on the resolution of enthesitis in patients with PsA was explored using pooled data from the FUTURE 2 and 3 studies.

METHOD: Assessments of enthesitis through week 104 used the Leeds Enthesitis Index. These post hoc analyses included resolution of enthesitis count (EC = 0), median time to first resolution of enthesitis (Kaplan-Meϊer estimate), and shift analysis (as observed) of baseline EC (1, 2, or 3-6) to full resolution (FR), stable (similar or reduction …

Pediatric Postoperative Pain Medication: Demographic Predictors And Parent Medication Attitudes, Vivian Luong

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Over 85% of children experience significant pain after surgery. Despite this presence of pain, research suggests that a quarter of these children receive very little pain medication at home. Such poor pain management in children can have harmful long-term consequences. Previous research indicates that the amount of pain medication administered to children in the home may be significantly impacted by the attitudes parents have regarding analgesics. Given this, the purpose of the present study is to identify how demographic factors such as child sex and ethnicity predict certain parent analgesic attitudes and, in turn, the amount of pain medication their …

Evaluation Of Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha In Sleep-Deprived Menopausal- Induced Rats And The Impact On Bone Health, Nicole Ellsworth, Dwight Curry Iii, Cj Deleon, Frank Frisch

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Post-menopausal osteoporosis as a consequence of estrogen depletion is a growing concern for women in the United States. As more women take on executive positions and experience sleep deprivation, there is the potential for up regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor alpha. It follows that the homeostatic imbalance of osteoclastic and osteoblastic activity leads to a greater risk of disease. Bisphosphonates generally, and Zolendronate specifically works by decreasing the number of osteoclasts. This current study investigated the impact of Zolendronate on the concentrations of tumor necrosis factor alpha-type (TNFɑ) in 32 ovariectomized Wistar rats. Throughout a five …

Secukinumab Efficacy On Resolution Of Enthesitis In Psoriatic Arthritis: Pooled Analysis Of Two Phase 3 Studies., Laura C Coates, Johan K Wallman, Dennis Mcgonagle, Georg A Schett, Iain B Mcinnes, Philip Mease, Lawrence Rasouliyan, Erhard Quebe-Fehling, Darren L Asquith, Andreas E R Fasth, Luminita Pricop, Corine Gaillez

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

BACKGROUND: Enthesitis is one of the psoriatic arthritis (PsA) domains. Patients with enthesitis are associated with worse outcomes than those without enthesitis. The effect of secukinumab on the resolution of enthesitis in patients with PsA was explored using pooled data from the FUTURE 2 and 3 studies.

METHOD: Assessments of enthesitis through week 104 used the Leeds Enthesitis Index. These post hoc analyses included resolution of enthesitis count (EC = 0), median time to first resolution of enthesitis (Kaplan-Meϊer estimate), and shift analysis (as observed) of baseline EC (1, 2, or 3-6) to full resolution (FR), stable (similar or reduction …

Assessing Participants' Feedback To Dental Screenings And Hygiene Care Provided By City Tech's Dental Hygiene Students, Alona Abdullaieva, Wen Wen Dong, Yujing Mei, Susan Davide, Audra Haynes

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Rapid And Sustained Response To Immune Checkpoint Inhibition In Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma After Allogenic Hematopoietic Cell Transplant For Sézary Syndrome, Karam Khaddour, Amy Musiek, Lynn A Cornelius, Farrokh Dehdashti, Peter Westervelt, Ryan Fields, George Ansstas

2010-2019 OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is not uncommon in association with indolent malignancies that were treated with prior radiotherapy and after allogenic bone marrow transplantation. On the other hand, cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) is a subtype of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma which is characterized by an indolent course, with relative refractoriness to conventional chemotherapies and radiotherapy, and occasionally referred for allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT). Recently, the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors has gained attention in the treatment of both cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma and hematological malignancies. However, many patients with hematological malignancies eventually undergo allo-HCT, raising the concern of potential …

A Shift In Global Thought And Practice: Assessing The Impacts Of The Human Security Paradigm On Global Public Health, Elizabeth Livingston Leone

Honors College Theses

With the increasing emphasis on health through human security since the 1990s by the United Nations, scholars have debated how human security has influenced public health. I examine how the idea of human security has become a paradigm and if this paradigm has adopted in public health programs. I argue that the rise of human security has led to an emphasis on the role of global actors, preventative care and health education when states adopt the paradigm. This adoption should in turn improve public health in Ghana and the Ivory Coast.

Exploring Relationships Among Environmental And Intrapersonal Variables And Evidence-Based Practice Implementation, Amanda N. Canada

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

Evidence-based practice (EBP) is not consistently implemented within healthcare settings; although many organizations claim it is how they deliver care in the 21^st century. In a review of the literature, multiple intrapersonal variables were found to impact the inconsistency with which EBP is applied and the success of its implementation within nursing practice. Organizational culture and perceived stress can influence the uptake of EBP beliefs and can affect EBP implementation. Clinicians who have more confidence in their EBP knowledge and skills are expected to implement best practices. Underpinned by Social Cognitive Theory, a model was developed to guide study …

Part I: Comparative Analysis Between Natural And Ceramic Teeth, Aneeza Hussain, Ibeth Erazo

Publications and Research

Ceramics play a fundamental role in Dentistry and are used widely, due to their ability to mimic the optical characteristics of enamel and dentine, as well as for their biocompatibility and strength. Initially, dental ceramics were materials that formed part of systems, designed with the purpose of producing dental prosthetics that in turn were used to replace missing or damaged dental structures. However, due to the increased demand for esthetics, its development has gone beyond in such a way that it has led to the development of all ceramic restorations. So that, in the last few decades, there have been …

An Overview Of The Health Delivery System In The State Of Mississippi, Cerlyn K. Ellis

Publications and Research

Imagine residing in a high-income country that doesn’t provide access to necessary healthcare. The state of Mississippi remains one of the poorest states in the United States. This has resulted in poor health outcomes and chronic access barriers. Residents of Mississippi ranks poorly in most health indicators, including Infectious Disease, Infant Mortality, Clinic Care, Obesity, Diabetes, and Premature Death.

With half of all rural hospitals in Mississippi threatened with closure, access and quality of care barriers will become more challenging to resolve. This comes partly as a result of the state largely governed by Republicans and the legislators refusing to …

Update To The Vitamin C, Thiamine And Steroids In Sepsis (Victas) Protocol: Statistical Analysis Plan For A Prospective, Multicenter, Double-Blind, Adaptive Sample Size, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Clinical Trial., Christopher J. Lindsell, Anna Mcglothlin, Samuel Nwosu, Todd W. Rice, Alex Hall, Gordon R. Bernard, Laurence W. Busse, E. Wesley Ely, Alpha A. Fowler, David F. Gaieski, Jeremiah S. Hinson, Michael H. Hooper, James C. Jackson, Gabor D. Kelen, Mark Levine, Greg S. Martin, Richard E. Rothman, Jonathan E. Sevransky, Kert Viele, David W. Wright, David N. Hager

Department of Emergency Medicine Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Observational research suggests that combined therapy with Vitamin C, thiamine and hydrocortisone may reduce mortality in patients with septic shock.

METHODS AND DESIGN: The Vitamin C, Thiamine and Steroids in Sepsis (VICTAS) trial is a multicenter, double-blind, adaptive sample size, randomized, placebo-controlled trial designed to test the efficacy of combination therapy with vitamin C (1.5 g), thiamine (100 mg), and hydrocortisone (50 mg) given every 6 h for up to 16 doses in patients with respiratory or circulatory dysfunction (or both) resulting from sepsis. The primary outcome is ventilator- and vasopressor-free days with mortality as the key secondary outcome. …

Human Adaptability For Deep Space Missions: An Exploratory Study, Paul T. Bartone, Robert R. Roland, Jocelyn V. Bartone, Gerald P. Krueger, Albert A. Sciarretta, Bjorn Helge Johnsen

Journal of Human Performance in Extreme Environments

The present qualitative study conducts in-depth interviews with astronauts and other subject matter experts in order to shed light on human adaptability in extreme environments. Deep space travel will entail a range of highly stressful conditions to which astronauts must adapt. Feelings of isolation will be increased, as the space traveler is farther from Earth for longer periods of time. Daily life will take place in small and confined areas, for durations extending into years. The dangers of the extreme environment of space are ever-present, and failure of critical equipment or components can lead to death. Astronauts will need to …

Editorial: Sudden Unexpected Death In Epilepsy: Bio-Markers, Mechanisms, Risk Identification And Prevention., Rainer Surges, Michael R. Sperling, Christopher M. Degiorgio

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

The Healing Power Of The Arts - Drama Therapy And The Use Of Theatre In The Treatment Of Trauma, Brooklyn Snyder

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Theatre is an incredibly valuable therapeutic tool. In this thesis, I explore the ways in which trauma can reshape individuals lives, both cognitively and physically, impeding their sense of self, ability to trust, engagement, and many other seemingly ordinary aspects of day to day life that those of us unaffected by trauma take for granted. Additionally, I cover how employing theatrical tools, like improvisation and role play, can act as a beneficial treatment option for those who have suffered a traumatic past. Drama therapy allows individuals to reconnect with their bodies and their minds, gain new perspectives on their experiences, …

Bone Strength And Distal Femur Trabecular Thickness In Sleep Deprived Ovariectomized Rats Treated With Zoledronate, Erin Nolte, Frank Frisch

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Osteoporosis is a disease that causes the density and quality of bone to be decreased, which can increase the risk of fracture by 40%. 1 in 3 women over the age of 50 will be affected by osteoporosis. This study aimed to show how bone strength and distal femur trabecular thickness might be affected by Zoledronate and sleep-deprivation in estrogen-deficient rats. Wistar female rats were ovariectomized to contrive postmenopausal estrogen-deficiency. The rats were separated into 4 groups. The control group (C, n=4) was given an intraperitoneal (IP) injection of 0.45 mL of 0.9% saline, were housed in standard conditions permitting …

Fabrication And Imaging Characterization Of Poly (Dimethyl Siloxane)/Sic Nano-Fillers Samples As Model Biomaterials, Tetiana Soloviova, Viorica Gutu, Zoya Vinokur, Akm S. Rahman, Subhendra Sarkar

Publications and Research

Biopolymers are being developed with embedded nanostructures for in vivo drug delivery to treat various diseases including cancers. In the current project we developed fabrication steps to prepare two biopolymers, poly di-methoxy siloxane (PDMS) with 0-0.9 vol% of SiC nano whisker (fillers) followed by non- destructive characterization. Optical reflection microscopy (5-100X) was performed to ensure loading and distribution of increasing SiC content. Optical microscopy showed progressively higher SiC distribution as filler loading was increased from 0-0.9 vol%. X-ray imaging at low kV (kilovoltage) and low mAs (milliamperage per second) were optimized to allow distinction between filled PDMS with SiC concentration …

Human Milk Omega-3 Fatty Acid Composition Is Associated With Infant Temperament, Jennifer Hahn-Holbrook, Adi Fish, Laura M. Glynn

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

There is growing evidence that omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty-acids (PUFAs) are important for the brain development in childhood and are necessary for an optimal health in adults. However, there have been no studies examining how the n-3 PUFA composition of human milk influences infant behavior or temperament. To fill this knowledge gap, 52 breastfeeding mothers provided milk samples at 3 months postpartum and completed the Infant Behavior Questionnaire (IBQ-R), a widely used parent-report measure of infant temperament. Milk was assessed for n-3 PUFAs and omega-6 (n-6) PUFAs using gas-liquid chromatography. The total fat and the ratio of n6/n-3 fatty acids …

Increasing The Reinforcing Value Of Exercise In Overweight Adults, Kyle D. Flack, Kelsey Elise Ufholz, Luann Johnson, James N. Roemmich

Dietetics and Human Nutrition Faculty Publications

Objectives: This study determined whether a moderate- or high-dose exercise program increases exercise reinforcement. Increasing the relative reinforcing value of exercise (RRV_exercise; i.e., incentive sensitization of exercise) may increase the usual physical activity (PA) participation. Preference and/or tolerance for the intensity of exercise was also assessed.

Design: Sedentary men and women (body mass index, BMI: 25–35 kg/m²) were randomized into parallel exercise training groups expending either 300 (n = 18) or 600 (n = 18) kcal/exercise session, five sessions/week, for 12 weeks.

Methods: The RRV_exercise was determined by how much …

Practicing Leadership Skills Through Peer Mentoring And Teaching: The Lived Experience Of Bsn Students, Alicia Bright

Nursing | Faculty Scholarship

Although leadership theory is introduced in baccalaureate nursing curriculum, opportunities to practice and develop leadership skills are limited for undergraduate nursing students. This study explores the experience of advanced nursing students who provided mentoring and tutoring to beginning nursing students. The experiences they describe are interpreted in light of literature on leadership education in undergraduate nursing schools, as well as that of peer mentoring and peer teaching. These advanced students described opportunities to practice and reflect on leadership skills and attributes. Peer mentoring and peer teaching programs may be an effective and efficient way of helping nursing students gain leadership …

Evaluating Preventative Care And Post-Hospitalization Primary Care Follow-Up In Adults With Intellectual And/Or Developmental Disabilities, Jason Xenakis

NYMC Student Theses and Dissertations

Post-Hospitalization Primary Care Follow-Up Abstract

Title: Characteristics that are associated with primary care follow-up and discharge summary receipt post-hospitalization in adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities.

Background: Transition from an inpatient to an outpatient setting is a high risk time for patients. Studies in the general population find that poor post-hospitalization primary care follow-up results in higher rates of readmissions – a widely used indicator of healthcare quality. There is no research that evaluates post-hospitalization primary care follow-up or discharge summary receipt in the IDD population.

Objective: To explore the demographic, socioeconomic, and clinical characteristics that are associated with whether …

Interleukin-27 Is Essential For Type 1 Diabetes Development And Sjögren Syndrome-Like Inflammation., Ashley E Ciecko, Bardees Foda, Jennifer Y Barr, Sheela Ramanathan, Mark A Atkinson, David V. Serreze, Aron M Geurts, Scott M Lieberman, Yi-Guang Chen

Faculty Research 2019

Human genetic studies implicate interleukin-27 (IL-27) in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes (T1D), but the underlying mechanisms remain largely unexplored. To further define the role of IL-27 in T1D, we generated non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice deficient in IL-27 or IL-27Rα. In contrast to wild-type NOD mice, both NOD.Il27^-/- and NOD.Il27ra^-/- strains are completely resistant to T1D. IL-27 from myeloid cells and IL-27 signaling in T cells are critical for T1D development. IL-27 directly alters the balance of regulatory T cells (Tregs) and T helper 1 (Th1) cells in pancreatic islets, which in turn modulates the diabetogenic activity …

Estimating Heritability And Genetic Correlations From Large Health Datasets In The Absence Of Genetic Data., Gengjie Jia, Yu Li, Hanxin Zhang, Ishanu Chattopadhyay, Anders Boeck Jensen, David R Blair, Lea Davis, Peter N Robinson, Torsten Dahlén, Søren Brunak, Mikael Benson, Gustaf Edgren, Nancy J Cox, Xin Gao, Andrey Rzhetsky

Faculty Research 2019

Typically, estimating genetic parameters, such as disease heritability and between-disease genetic correlations, demands large datasets containing all relevant phenotypic measures and detailed knowledge of family relationships or, alternatively, genotypic and phenotypic data for numerous unrelated individuals. Here, we suggest an alternative, efficient estimation approach through the construction of two disease metrics from large health datasets: temporal disease prevalence curves and low-dimensional disease embeddings. We present eleven thousand heritability estimates corresponding to five study types: twins, traditional family studies, health records-based family studies, single nucleotide polymorphisms, and polygenic risk scores. We also compute over six hundred thousand estimates of genetic, environmental …

Emergent Airway Management Outside Of The Operating Room - A Retrospective Review Of Patient Characteristics, Complications And Icu Stay., Uzung Yoon, Jeffrey Mojica, Matthew Wiltshire, Kara Segna, Michael Block, Anthony Pantoja, Marc Torjman, Elizabeth Wolo

Department of Anesthesiology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Emergent airway management outside of the operating room is a high-risk procedure. Limited data exists about the indication and physiologic state of the patient at the time of intubation, the location in which it occurs, or patient outcomes afterward.

METHODS: We retrospectively collected data on all emergent airway management interventions performed outside of the operating room over a 6-month period. Documentation included intubation performance, and intubation related complications and mortality. Additional information including demographics, ASA-classification, comorbidities, hospital-stay, ICU-stay, and 30-day in-hospital mortality was obtained.

RESULTS: 336 intubations were performed in 275 patients during the six-month period. The majority of …

Epigenomic Dysregulation-Mediated Alterations Of Key Biological Pathways And Tumor Immune Evasion Are Hallmarks Of Gingivo-Buccal Oral Cancer, Debodipta Das, Sahana Ghosh, Arindam Maitra, Nidhan K. Biswas, Chinmay K. Panda, Bidyut Roy, Rajiv Sarin, Partha P. Majumder

Journal Articles

Background: Gingivo-buccal oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC-GB) is the most common cancer among men in India and is associated with high mortality. Although OSCC-GB is known to be quite different from tongue cancer in its genomic presentation and its clinical behavior, it is treated identically as tongue cancer. Predictive markers of prognosis and therapy that are specific to OSCC-GB are, therefore, required. Although genomic drivers of OSCC-GB have been identified by whole exome and whole genome sequencing, no epigenome-wide study has been conducted in OSCC-GB; our study has filled this gap, and has discovered and validated epigenomic hallmarks of gingivobuccal …

A Case Of Ccdc6-Ret Fusion Mutation In Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (All), A Known Activating Mutation Reported In All, Mateo Mejia Saldarriaga, Amir Steinberg, Eric A. Severson, Adam Binder

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

We report the case of a patient with B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) who was found to harbor a gene fusion involving the CCDC6 and RET genes. Although the RET mutations have been identified before in othermalignancies, and it is thought to represent a driver mutation in these neoplasms, it has yet to be described in ALL. The identification of known fusion genes conferring activating tyrosine kinase activity in neoplasms can suggest potential therapeutic role of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI), an approach that has been exploited in several other fusion genes.

12-09-19 Hsc Committee Meeting Agenda, Hsc Committee

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

No abstract provided.

Chronic Muscle Weakness And Mitochondrial Dysfunction In The Absence Of Sustained Atrophy In A Preclinical Sepsis Model, Allison M. Owen, Samir P. Patel, Jeffrey D. Smith, Beverly K. Balasuriya, Stephanie F. Mori, Gregory S. Hawk, Arnold J. Stromberg, Naohide Kuriyama, Masao Kaneki, Alexander G. Rabchevsky, Timothy A. Butterfield, Karyn A. Esser, Charlotte A. Peterson, Marlene E. Starr, Hiroshi Saito

Physiology Faculty Publications

Chronic critical illness is a global clinical issue affecting millions of sepsis survivors annually. Survivors report chronic skeletal muscle weakness and development of new functional limitations that persist for years. To delineate mechanisms of sepsis-induced chronic weakness, we first surpassed a critical barrier by establishing a murine model of sepsis with ICU-like interventions that allows for the study of survivors. We show that sepsis survivors have profound weakness for at least 1 month, even after recovery of muscle mass. Abnormal mitochondrial ultrastructure, impaired respiration and electron transport chain activities, and persistent protein oxidative damage were evident in the muscle of …

Langerhans Cells Orchestrate The Protective Antiviral Innate Immune Response In The Lymph Node., Eric B. Wong, Brian Montoya, Colby Stotesbury, Maria Ferez, Ren-Huan Xu, Luis J. Sigal

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

During disseminating viral infections, a swift innate immune response (IIR) in the draining lymph node (dLN) that restricts systemic viral spread is critical for optimal resistance to disease. However, it is unclear how this IIR is orchestrated. We show that after footpad infection of mice with ectromelia virus, dendritic cells (DCs) highly expressing major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC class II^hi DCs), including CD207⁺ epidermal Langerhans cells (LCs), CD103⁺CD207⁺ double-positive dermal DCs (DP-DCs), and CD103⁻CD207⁻ double-negative dermal DCs (DN-DCs) migrate to the dLN from the skin carrying virus. MHC class II^{hi …}

Why Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients In The United States Use Or Do Not Use Emergency Medical Services Transport? Findings Of An Inpatient Survey, Sudha Xirasagar, Meng-Han Tsai, Khosrow Heidari, James W. Hardin, Yuqi Wu, Robert Wronski, Dana Hurley, Edward C. Jauch, Souvik Sen

Faculty Publications

Background: Patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) who use emergency medical services (EMS) receive quicker reperfusion treatment which, in turn, mitigates post-stroke disability. However, nationally only 59% use EMS. We examined why AIS patients use or do not use EMS.

Methods: During 2016–2018, a convenience sample of AIS patients admitted to a primary stroke center in South Carolina were surveyed during hospitalization if they were medically fit, available for survey when contacted, and consented to participate. The survey was programed into EpiInfo with skip patterns to minimize survey burden and self-administered on a touchscreen computer. Survey questions covered symptom characteristics, …