Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Role Of Microrna-221 And Hcv Genotype In Predicting Chronic Liver Disease Among Iraqi Patients, Leena Falh Abdalreda, Dawood Salman Dawood, Akram Ajeel Najeeb

Al-Nisour Journal for Medical Sciences

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been repeatedly shown to play important roles in liver pathologies, including hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and liver cancer. miRNAs are small RNA molecules that have the ability to regulate gene expression by targeting mRNA degradation or translational repression. miRNA-221 is one of the over 700 kinds of currently known miRNAs and is up-regulated in multiple tumors. This work was carried out to evaluate the ratio of HCV genotype in the studied sample of Iraqi HCV positive patients and to assess the expression level of miRNA-221 in the plasma as a diagnostic marker of liver injury in chronic hepatitis …

Does Ethnic Identity, In-Group Preference, And Acculturation Protect Latinas With A History Of Interpersonal Trauma From Developing Symptoms Of Ptsd?, Evelyn M. Ramirez

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Previous research suggests ethnic identity, a sense of belonging to a particular cultural group, may be protective against symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the role of ethnic identity, in-group preference (i.e., an individual’s preference for interactions with members of their own ethnic group) and acculturation (i.e., the level of comfort with the mainstream culture) have not been investigated as protective factors for Latinas with a history of interpersonal and sexual trauma. In this study, ethnic identity, in-group preference and acculturation were assessed via self-report on the Scale of Ethnic Experience in two samples of undergraduate Latina and non-Latina …

A Low-Cost Soft Robotic Hand Exoskeleton For Use In Therapy Of Limited Hand–Motor Function, Grant Rudd, Liam Daly, Vukica Jovanovic, Filip Cukov

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

We present the design and validation of a low-cost, customizable and 3D-printed anthropomorphic soft robotic hand exoskeleton for rehabilitation of hand injuries using remotely administered physical therapy regimens. The design builds upon previous work done on cable actuated exoskeleton designs by implementing the same kinematic functionality, but with the focus shifted to ease of assembly and cost effectiveness as to allow patients and physicians to manufacture and assemble the hardware necessary to implement treatment. The exoskeleton was constructed solely from 3D-printed and widely available of-the-shelf components. Control of the actuators was realized using an Arduino microcontroller, with a custom-designed shield …

A Musician Centered Toolkit For Audiologists, Ava Bonavita

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The toolkit for audiologists working with musicians includes a set of materials for use in a musician centered audiology practice. Given the rise in streaming of music by individuals of all ages and the recognition of susceptibility of musicians to hearing loss, the prevalence of hearing loss is on the rise necessitating the need for materials and protocols to better protect, educate, and treat music lovers of all ages who may be prone to hearing loss. Music induced hearing loss typically falls under the category of recreational noise exposure, a subset of noise induced hearing loss (NIHL). Musicians are the …

Electroencephalographic Asymmetry, Emotion Regulation, And Their Relationships With Depression Risk, Aliza Jacob

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Background: Research investigating patterns of electroencephalographic (EEG) brain asymmetry aids our understanding of neural systems involved in the processing of emotion, motivation, and psychopathology. Withdrawal-motivated negative emotions characteristic of depression are associated with relative right prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity, whereas approach- motivated positive emotions are associated with relative left PFC activity. Styles of emotion regulation (ER), or modulation of the intensity and duration of emotional responses, are also associated with presence (e.g., suppression, or maladaptive ER) versus absence (e.g., cognitive reappraisal, or adaptive ER) of depression vulnerability. Most PFC asymmetry studies of emotion, depression, and/or ER rely upon EEG recorded …

Emotion Processing Deficits In Psychopathy: Does Cueing To Relevant Facial Features Increase Cognitive And Emotional Empathy?, Shawn E. Fagan

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Psychopathy is a multifaceted disorder characterized by a lack of cognitive and emotional empathy. The traditional model of psychopathy divides the disorder into two factors: Factor 1 consists of the interpersonal and affective traits of psychopathy while Factor 2 measures antisocial behaviors and lifestyle choices. The attention-to-the-eyes hypothesis argues that psychopathic individuals have impaired emotion recognition (specifically for fear) due to deficits in orienting attention to salient facial features like the eyes. Psychopathic individuals also display blunted autonomic responding to emotional stimuli, though whether this is due to attention-orienting deficits remains to be clarified. The present project investigated whether empathy-related …

Impact Of Religiosity And Level Of Acculturation On Cultural Alignment: An Exploration Of Terror Management Mechanisms Among Muslim American Women, Farah T. Goheer

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

ABSTRACT

Impact of Religiosity and Level of Acculturation on Cultural Alignment: An Exploration of Terror Management Mechanisms among Muslim American Women

by

Farah Taha Goheer, M.A.

Advisor: Joel Sneed, Ph.D.

Background: Terror management theory (TMT) is based upon the notion that human beings require ongoing psychological protection from the unyielding, existential threat of death. A large body of evidence has shown that human beings manage death-related terror by aligning with and endorsing the dominant views of their cultural worldviews. Notably, as immigrants experience a new culture, worldviews become rearticulated to incorporate elements of host and heritage cultures. However, it is …

The Lived Experience Of Spirituality In The Lives Of Caribbean Men, Camille A. O. Hamilton

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This is a qualitative phenomenological study exploring the lived experience of spirituality in the lives of English-speaking Caribbean men, aged 40-60 years old, living with chronic illness and residing in the United States. In this study Caribbean men living with chronic illness are asked to reflect on their lived experiences and evolution of the experienced phenomenon of spirituality. A purposive sample of eleven English-speaking men from the Caribbean, living with chronic illness were recruited and interviewed for this study. Max van Manen’s 1997 Methodological Structure of Human Science Research was used as the phenomenological guide. The exploration uncovered 4 essential …

Developing A Dissociative Nanocontainer For Peptide Drug Delivery, Michael Patrick Kelly

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The potency and specificity of bioactive peptides have propelled these agents to the forefront of pharmacological research. However, delivery of peptides to their molecular target in cells is a major obstacle to their widespread application. A Trojan Horse strategy of packaging a bioactive peptide within a modified protein cage to protect it during transport, and releasing it at the target site, is a promising delivery method. Recent work has demonstrated that the viral capsid of the P22 bacteriophage can be loaded with an arbitrary, genetically-encoded peptide, and externally decorated with a cell-penetrating peptide, such as HIV-Tat, to translocate across in …

Effect Of Oxidized Soybean Oil On The Immune Response To Porcine Reproductive And Respiratory Syndrome Modified Live Virus Vaccine In Nursery Pigs, Alongkot Boonsoongnern, Pichai Jirawattanapong, Win Surachetpong, Prapassorn Boonsoongnern, Pariwat Poolperm

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

This study evaluated the effect of oxidized soybean oil on the immune response to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome modified live vaccine (PRRS-MLV), and the oxidative stress status in nursery pigs.Seventycastrated weaned pigs, from a free PRRS virus infected herd, were divided into two groups: treatment group (n=63) and control group (n=7). The treatment pigs were vaccinated with the PRRS-MLV and then divided into three groups based on different diet types containing different soybean oils: (A) 5% fresh oil, (B) 5% heated oil for 43 h, and (C) 5% heated oil for 38 h. The control pigs were not vaccinated …

Development Of Business Models For Indigenous Genetic Improvement In Small Ruminant Farms Through Reproductive Biotechnology, Sarawanee Khunmanee, Theerawat Swangchan-Uthai, Junpen Suwimonteerabutr, Pintira Thiangthientham, Sanya Supappornchai, Mongkol Techakumphu

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

This study aimed to establish a business model of reproductive biotechnology in small ruminant. Sets of questionnaires were administered to interview 115 farmers from different regions in Thailand. Data including age, educational background, farm size and type, source of replacement breeders, breeding technology, farm problems and attitude toward the technology were collected. Logistic regression analysis along with neutral network analysis was used to identify factors associated technology interest with P< 0.05. Results showed that among 115 participants, 72.2% were interested in reproductive biotechnology. In univariate logistic regression analysis, farmer’s age [OR=0.96, 95% CI (0.93,1.00)], educational background [OR=1.17, 95% CI (0.13,0.80)], production problems [OR=1.28, 95% CI (1.12,1.478)] and marketing problems [OR=1.40, 95% CI (1.18,1.67)] were independently associated with technology interest (P< 0.05). Similar to the neural network analysis, farmer’s age, overall farm problems, marketing problems, production problems and educational background were the primary factors influencing technology interest of farmers. Next, the data from 18 semi-structured interviews were interpreted to establish suggested business models of reproductive biotechnology package. This indicated that a single business model could not fit the expectation of all farmers. Thus, six business models were established and 2 models were initially implemented in 7 farms with a moderate successful rate. In conclusion, the implement ofreproductive biotechnology in small ruminant farm should be addressed to the young farmers with high education to improve the animal genetic value and sustain their livelihoods. However, the different farm managements play a key role in the success of these business models.

Validation Of Commercially Available Eia Kit For Measurement Of Feline Plasma Kisspeptin, Prattana Tanyapanyachon, Junpen Suwimonteerabutr, Olga Amelkina, Kaywalee Chatdarong

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Circulating kisspeptin is described to be related with the reproductive system. Astudy of plasma kisspeptin levels, thus, willprovide the better understanding of reproductive endocrinology in the domestic cat. The present study aimed (i) to validate the only available commercial kisspeptin EIA kit which is currently used in humansto be used in domestic catsand (ii) to determine and compare the plasma kisspeptin levels at different reproductive stages. The intra-assay coefficient of variation (CV) was 11.13%. The inter-assay CV ranged from 5.00 –8.25%. The parallel graphs represented the homology between human kisspeptin and feline endogenous kisspeptin. The recovery rate ranged from 78% …

Screening Antimicrobial Properties Against Mastitis Pathogens Of Turmeric Extract After Combination With Various Antiseptics, Wasana Chaisri, Noppason Pangprasit, Anyaphat Srithanasuwan, Montira Intanon, Witaya Suriyasathaporn

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

The aim of this study was to determine the screening for antimicrobial properties against mastitis pathogens of turmeric extract in combination with various antiseptics. The antibacterial effects of turmeric extract in combination with various antiseptics (5% povidone iodine, 0.5% v/v hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), 0.5% v/v chlorine (Cl2), and 0.5% v/v chlorhexidine) were determined using the agar welldiffusion method. Results showed that additional turmeric extract had significantly decreased the antimicrobial activities of either Cl2or chlorhexidine against almost all mastitis pathogens, except S. agalactiaefor Cl2 and gram negative bacteria for chlorhexidine. In contrast, no negative effect was found between turmeric extract and …

Comparison Of Different Methods For Sperm Vitality Assessment In Frozen-Thawed Holstein Bull Semen, Kakanang Buranaamnuay

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

The present study evaluated the accuracy of four methods, i.e. eosin-nigrosin, trypan blue, hypo-osmotic swelling test (HOST) and Hoechst 33342 (H342)/propidium iodide (PI) for assessing bovine sperm vitality. Frozen-thawed semen (n = 30) of Holstein bulls was layeredon 40%/80% percoll solutions to isolate viable spermatozoa. An aliquot of viable spermatozoa was kept at 37°C (live sample); the rest was submitted to cold shock (dead sample). The two aliquots were mixed in three proportions, corresponding to 0%, 50% and100% of viable cells; the sperm vitality was analyzed. The percentages of viable spermatozoa evaluated with the four methods significantly correlated with the …

A Case Of Retroperitoneal Fibrosis Secondary To Chronic Periaortitis, Mariam Omar, Naushad Karim, Saeed Samnakay

Imaging & Diagnostic Radiology, East Africa

Retroperitoneal fibrosis is a rare inflammatory disorder causing increased fibrotic deposition in the retroperitoneum, often leading to ureteral obstruction. We present a case report of a 33-year-old male with 2-month history of back pain. Initial imaging showed thickening around the infrarenal aorta. Six months later the patient presented with renal failure; a CT abdomen revealed extensive soft tissue mass around the aorta resulting in ureteral obstruction. Histology results of biopsy of the soft tissue mass revealed retroperitoneal fibrosis. It is important for clinicians to treat periaortitis early as this can prevent progression to retroperitoneal fibrosis which can cause severe secondary …

Elucidating Under-Studied Aspects Of The Link Between Obesity And Multiple Myeloma: Weight Pattern, Body Shape Trajectory, And Body Fat Distribution, Catherine R Marinac, Catherine A Suppan, Edward Giovannucci, Mingyang Song, Ane S Kværner, Mary K Townsend, Bernard A Rosner, Timothy R Rebbeck, Graham A Colditz, Brenda M Birmann

2010-2019 OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Although obesity is an established modifiable risk factor for multiple myeloma (MM), several nuanced aspects of its relation to MM remain unelucidated, limiting public health and prevention messages.

METHODS: We analyzed prospective data from the Nurses' Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study to examine MM risk associated with 20-year weight patterns in adulthood, body shape trajectory from ages 5 to 60 years, and body fat distribution. For each aforementioned risk factor, we report hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for incident MM from multivariable Cox proportional-hazards models.

RESULTS: We documented 582 incident MM cases during 4 …

Outcomes Of Bilateral Shoulder Arthroplasties: A Comparison Of Bilateral Total Shoulder Arthroplasties And Bilateral Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasties., Ryan Matthew Cox, Tyler James Brolin, Eric Michael Padegimas, Mark D. Lazarus, Charles Lonnie Getz, Matthew Lee Ramsey, Gerald Ross Williams, Joseph Albert Abboud

Rothman Institute Papers

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare outcomes of patients who underwent bilateral total shoulder arthroplasties (TSAs) for osteoarthritis (OA) versus bilateral reverse shoulder arthroplasties (RSAs) for cuff tear arthropathy (CTA).

Methods: Inclusion criteria were patients who underwent bilateral TSAs for OA or bilateral RSAs for CTA with at least 2 years of follow-up. Twenty-six TSA patients (52 shoulders) were matched 2 to 1 with 13 RSA patients (26 shoulders) by sex, age at first surgery, and time between surgeries. Outcomes measured were shoulder range of motion (ROM), complications, and patient-reported scores.

Results: Preoperatively, TSA patients had significantly …

Assessing Resident And Fellow Wellbeing And Burnout Levels: Lessons Learned From A Pilot Of The Ama Mini-Z Wellbeing Survey, Tanya A. Ensminger Ba, Margaret A. Hadinger Edd, Ms

Department of Education

No abstract provided.

Emerging Health Professionals: A Collaborative Strategy For Addressing Health Care Workforce Needs, Kerri Green Ms, Med., Margaret A. Hadinger Edd, Ms

Department of Education

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Ocrelizumab On Immunoglobulin Levels And The Risk Of Infection., Kyle Smoot

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Background: Ocrelizumab (OCR), a CD20 antibody, was approved in the US in 2017 for the treatment of relapsing MS (RMS) and primary progressive MS (PPMS). In clinical trials, infection rates are higher in patients receiving OCR. Rituximab, which is very similar to OCR, has been reported to be associated with higher risk of infection particularly in patients with low levels of IgM or IgG.

Objective: To determine if low levels of IgM or IgG increase the risk of infection in patients treated with OCR.

Methods: MS patients in the OCR registry with at least one IgM/IgG value at doses 2, …

Quantifying Skin Photodamage With Spatial Frequency Domain Imaging: Statistical Results, Jeffrey B. Travers, Chien Poon, Trevor J. Bihl, Benjamin Rinehart, Christina E. Borchers, Daniel J. Rohrbach, Samia Borchers, Julian J. Trevino, Max Rubin, Heidi Donnelly, Karl Kellawan, Lydia Carpenter, Shalini Bahl, Craig A. Rohan, Elizabeth Muennich, Scott Guenthner, Holly Hahn, Ali Rkein, Marc Darst, Nico Mousdicas, Elizabeth E. Cates, Ulas Sunar

Dermatology Faculty Publications

We investigated the change in optical properties and vascular parameters to characterize skin tissue from mild photodamage to actinic keratosis (AK) with comparison to a published photodamage scale. Multi-wavelength spatial frequency domain imaging (SFDI) measurements were performed on the dorsal forearms of 55 adult subjects with various amounts of photodamage. Dermatologists rated the levels of photodamage based upon the photographs in blinded fashion to allow comparison with SFDI data. For characterization of statistical data, we used artificial neural networks. Our results indicate that optical and vascular parameters can be used to quantify photodamage and can discriminate between the stages as …

The Potential Of Pay‑For‑Success As A Financing Strategy For Evidence‑Based Practices: An Illustration With Multisystemic Therapy, Alex R. Dopp, Cameron M. Perrine, Samantha Iovan, Paula M. Lantz

Psychological Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

There is a critical need to identify strategies for financing the implementation of evidence-based practices. We illustrate the potential of pay-for-success financing (PFS)—a strategy in which private investors fund implementation and receive a return on investment from a government payer—using multisystemic therapy as an example. We argue that standard multisystemic therapy (for serious juvenile offenders) and several of its adaptations (for other complex behavioral problems in youth) would be good candidates for PFS in the right contexts. Despite some challenges for policymakers and administrators, PFS has significant potential as a financing strategy for evidence-based practices.

Meta-Analysis A Myriad Of Data - Is It Helpful?, James Harrop

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

An Interdisciplinary Framework For Impacting Older Adults Health And Physical Activity, Christopher J. Dondzila, Elaine Vandoren

Open Access Publishing Support Funded Articles

The exploration of feasible and cost-effective strategies is warranted to mitigate rising healthcare costs and lessen the impact of chronic diseases, functional decline, and disability in older adults. The overwhelming sedentariness of older adults is accompanied by a lack of expertise by healthcare professionals in exercise programming that acknowledge factors influencing physical activity (PA) patterns. We present a framework for a nursing/exercise science interdisciplinary effort to increase PA and improve health in older adults via the delivery of individually tailored exercise programming for an 8-week intervention. Results from this study will be integral in translating effective interdisciplinary efforts across diverse …

Dominican Sisters Quality Of Life Assessment, Eva Vanartsen

Biomedical Sciences Undergraduate Research

Background: The quality of life in older women has been found to decrease with poverty, poor health, decreased access to healthcare and low education, while marriage and children can both improve or decrease the quality of life. The information on the quality of life of older women living in faith based communities is lacking.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore the quality of life and factors impacting quality of life in Sisters living in an assisted living facility.

Methods: The short form 36 Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36) was used to measure quality of life of the Dominican …

Diabetes-Related Amylin Dyshomeostasis: A Contributing Factor To Cerebrovascular Pathology And Dementia, Han Ly, Florin Despa

Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences Faculty Publications

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) increases the risk for cerebrovascular disease (CVD) and dementia. The underlying molecular mechanisms remain elusive, which hampers the development of treatment or/and effective prevention strategies. Recent studies suggest that dyshomeostasis of amylin, a satiety hormone that forms pancreatic amyloid in patients with T2D, promotes accumulation of amylin in cerebral small blood vessels and interaction with Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. Overexpression of human amylin in rodents (rodent amylin does not form amyloid) leads to late-life onset T2D and neurologic deficits. In this Review, we discuss clinical evidence of amylin pathology in CVD and AD and identify critical …

The Effects Of Therapeutic Riding On Social Skills And Sensory Functioning In Children With Autism, Betsy Donahoe-Fillmore, Mary Insana Fisher, Christy Lee, Jordan Bevins, Cristin Carter, Stephanie Dailey, Kelsey Haynes, Allison Richard, Sarah Soboslay

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Purpose and Significance: Therapeutic riding (TR) is equine-assisted riding lessons that are adapted for people with a wide variety of impairments and is often used as an adjunct to traditional therapies. Previous research has shown that TR helped to improve sensory functioning, cognition and social skills in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) but sessions have typically been for 10-12 weeks. The purpose of this study was to investigate if social skills and sensory functioning improved after only 8 weeks of TR.

Subjects: Children were recruited from a local TR center. Participants included seven children (5M, 2F) with a diagnosis …

Guidelines For Costing Of Social And Behavior Change Health Interventions, James Rosen, Willyanne Decormier Plosky, Lori Bollinger

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

These Guidelines for Costing of Social and Behavior Change Health Interventions (SBC Costing Guidelines) provide a framework for estimating the cost of interventions for social and behavior change, which seek to change health behaviors by addressing factors such as knowledge, attitudes, and social norms.

Patient And Provider Perspectives On Sexual History Taking During Gynecological Care: A Pilot Study In An Academic Family Medical Setting In New York City, Ashley M. Chastain

Dissertations and Theses

Background: In the United States (US), women face a number of serious issues concerning sexual health. Current surveillance data indicates that overall rates of bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are increasing rapidly. While rates of new diagnoses have decreased, the risks of acquiring HIV are still relatively high for some females, specifically Black/African-American women. In New York City (NYC), where this dissertation research was conducted, similar HIV/STI rates exist among females of reproductive age (aged 15-44). Among women in the US, there are also high estimated rates of other sexual health problems, such as sexual anxiety, sexual dysfunction, and intimate …

Long-Distance Axon Regeneration Promotes Recovery Of Diaphragmatic Respiratory Function After Spinal Cord Injury., Mark W. Urban, Biswarup Ghosh, Cole G. Block, Laura R. Strojny, Brittany A. Charsar, Miguel Goulão, Sreeya S. Komaravolu, George M. Smith, Megan C. Wright, Shuxin Li, Angelo C. Lepore

Farber Institute for Neuroscience Faculty Papers

Compromise in inspiratory breathing following cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) is caused by damage to descending bulbospinal axons originating in the rostral ventral respiratory group (rVRG) and consequent denervation and silencing of phrenic motor neurons (PhMNs) that directly control diaphragm activation. In a rat model of high-cervical hemisection SCI, we performed systemic administration of an antagonist peptide directed against phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), a central inhibitor of neuron-intrinsic axon growth potential. PTEN antagonist peptide (PAP4) robustly restored diaphragm function, as determined with electromyography (EMG) recordings in living SCI animals. PAP4 promoted substantial, long-distance regeneration of injured rVRG axons through …