Public Health Commons^™

Elucidating The Expression Profile Of Ezh2 Isoforms In Endometriosis: An Immunohistochemical Study, John Soto-Vargas, Idhaliz Flores, Phd, Mariano Colón-Caraballo, Andrés Velázquez-Garcia

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent gynecological disease that affects 1 out of 10 women of reproductive age causing severe pelvic pain and infertility. Factors including genetics, environment, inflammation, and recently epigenetics have been shown to play roles in the pathophysiology of this disease. Histone methylation is an epigenetic modification that modulates gene expression by causing changes in the chromatin structure. Trimethylation of histone 3 at lysine residue 27 (H3K27me3) is a histone mark related to gene repression. EZH2 is the histone methyltransferase (HMT) responsible of catalyzing H3K27me3. It has been shown that the EZH2 is involved in carcinogenesis; however, the specific …

Glioblastoma Stem Cells, Michael Quintero, Qi Cui, Yanhong Shi, Phd

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Glioblastoma multiforme(GBM) is the most common and malignant primary brain tumor in humans. GBM accounts for 55% of all primary brain cancers, with a median survival rate of 14.6 months. The grim prognosis of GBM can be attributed to glioma stem cells (GSCs), which initiate tumor formation through the stem-like properties of self-renewal and differentiation. The ability of GSCs to resist radiation and chemotherapy contributes to the high rate of tumor recurrence in GBM patients. Consequently, novel therapies that effectively target the population of GSCs are of vital importance.

A promising is to induce the differentiation of GSCs. Previous studies …

Rgs2 And Human Adipogenesis, Kaia Partlow, Alma Madrigal, Yuanxiang Zhao, Phd

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Obesity is characterized by excess adipose tissue and is one of the leading public-health issues of the industrialized world. Gain of adipose tissue can result from accumulation of fat in existing adipocytes (fat cells), as well as increased commitment of stem cells into new adipocytes through a process known as adipogenesis. Although a number of key adipogenic transcription factors such as PPARgamma2 and CEBPalpha are well characterized, the temporal and spatial molecular and cellular events that occur during adipogenesis are still largely unknown. Better understanding of these events could have important implications in finding treatments for obesity.

Human mesenchymal stem …

Dietary Restriction In Drosophila Melanogaster Increases Flight Duration, Nelson Nunez, Mark Frye, Phd, Mehmet Keles, Phd Candidate

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Caloric restriction extends the lifespan in several model animals, including fruit flies, but less is known about the influence upon endurance and sensory-motor performance. For this experiment, all flies will be raised on standard media. At the point of eclosion, they will be transferred to rich, standard, or restricted media. The endurance of a fruit fly can be tested by monitoring how long it is able to maintain active flight. Flight power is quantified by measuring wing beats per second and total wing stroke amplitude. Sensory-motor performance is measured by the animal’s ability to actively fixate on a black bar …

Application Of The Transtheoretical Model In Hispanic And African American Populations To Assess Deceased Kidney Donor Noncompliance, Cynthia Mancilla, Amy D. Waterman, Phd, Crystal Kynard-Amerson, Mph, Aubre Parnicky, Msw

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Given existing health disparities such as financial barriers, lack of education and inadequate health care in minority communities, the rates of deceased kidney donation continues to decline. The transtheoretical model (TTM) assesses the patients’ willingness to pursue deceased kidney donation through application of a stage structured curriculum.

Patients are evaluated into five different stage groups; pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. This assessment of behavior change as applied to the willingness of a patient to pursue a deceased kidney donor transplant can be tracked over time and used to help determine what stage of change a patient is in during …

Exploration Of Antagonist Efficacy For Lpra2 Like Peptide, Ayobami Loye, Ruben R. Gonzalez-Perez, Phd

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Leptin is a small protein hormone that controls satiety and is produced by adipocytes. Obese people have increased levels of circulating leptin. Excessive leptin levels cause a break down in the control of leptin signaling pathways leading to increased angiogenesis, proliferation, cell migration, invasion, and anti-apoptotic events. Obesity and leptin signaling have been linked to cancer progression. Literature shows that LPrA2 is an effective leptin antagonist as it decreases proliferation of breast cancer cells in vitro.

This project compares the effectiveness of LPrA2 like compounds in breast cancer cell-line MDA-MB-468 (M-468 BCs). We hypothesize that the new peptide antagonists have …

Design And Optimization Of A Mycoplasma Detection Assay, Carlos J. León-Rodríguez, Richard J. Noel, Jr., Phd, Tirtsa Porrata-Doria, Ms

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Mycoplasma are among the smallest free living microorganisms. These bacteria grow slowly, lack a rigid cell wall and are not eliminated by filter sterilization methods used in tissue culture. Mycoplasma infection affects biochemical and genetic aspects of cultured cells, resulting in experimental inconsistency. Therefore, it is necessary to establish routine testing for mycoplasma contamination in tissue culture laboratories.

Our goal is to develop a reliable and cost-effective test for mycoplasma in cell culture based on established methods found in literature. We first cloned and sequenced a PCR product from a commercial mycoplasma detection kit. Sequencing revealed the 16s rRNA as …

Role Of Hiv-1 Nef Lysine Residues 4 And 7 In The Interaction With Calnexin And Inhibition Of Abca1 Activity, Valeria Kaufman, Michael Burkinsky, Md, Phd, Ruth Hunegnaw, Msc, Phd Candidate

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Patients infected with HIV are at increased risk of developing atherosclerosis, a result due partly to the functional impairment of cellular cholesterol transporter, ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1). This transporter mediates efflux of cholesterol from cells to high density lipoprotein, thus allowing cells to maintain normal levels of cholesterol. When ABCA1 function is inhibited, cells, and in particular macrophages, accumulate cholesterol, resulting in formation of atherosclerotic plaques. The HIV-1 protein, Nef downregulates ABCA1 and inhibits the activity of this protein, thereby reducing cholesterol efflux and promoting atherosclerosis, but the molecular mechanism by which Nef inhibits ABCA1 is unknown.

Previous studies …

Collagen Iv Assembly: Production Of A Recombinant Construct For Mechanistic Studies, Kennedy Harris, Billy Hudson, Phd, Isi Ero-Tolliver, Phd, Kyle Brown, Phd

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Basement membranes, specialized extracellular matrix, provide mechanical support for epithelial cells and shape cell behavior by interacting with cell receptors. Collagen IV, the predominant component of basement membrane, comprises six genetically distinct alpha chains (α1 to α6) that assemble to form protomers, which associate to form hexamers, in the scaffold. Non-assembly due to mutations within alpha chains give rise to kidney diseases. Yet, the mechanism of assembly is poorly understood.

Preliminary data in our lab indicated that amino acid 78 of collagen IV α2 NC1 (non-collagenous) domains may play a role in a chloride-dependent switch that supports hexamer formation. We …

Sex Differences In The Sex Differences In The Effects Of Environmental Enrichment After An Early Life Stressor, Alfredo Gutierrez, Annelyn Torres-Reverón, Phd, Raura Doreste-Méndez

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Studies have shown that environmental enrichment can compensate for the effects of an early life stressor such as maternal separation. Behavioral responses and immunohistochemical markers in rats are affected by environmental enrichment after maternal separation. In this study we seek to investigate whether sex influences the behavioral responses of environmental enrichment after maternal separation.

Prior scientific evidence suggests that there are behavioral sex differences in: 1) neural processes underlying successful or failed fear extinction (Gruene et al, 2014); (2) prenatal stress exposure and response to behavioral anxiety tests (Said et al, 2015); and (3) glutamate receptor expression in response to …

Cox2 Plays An Important Role In Maintenance Of Mammary Cancer Stem Cell Population In Human Breast Cancer Cell Lines, Mayra Garcia, Shehla Pervin, Phd, Easter Thames, Meher Parveen, Phd, Melanie Baker

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Breast cancer is a malignant growth in the adipose-rich mammary gland. Initiation and progression of breast tumors involve multiple cell types, among which mammary cancer stem cells play an important role. There are two main types of adipocytes; white adipocytes have previously been found to influence the disease while brown adipocytes, which uniquely express uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), were recently detected in breast tumors.

We have detected Myf5, a transcription factor, which is expressed in the progenitor population of brown adipocytes, in breast cancer cell lines. We also found an association between expression of Myf5 and COX2 (or Ptgs2), which …

The Role Of Integrin-Associated Protein “Pinch” In Kidney Development, Tyrone Gamble Jr, Roy Zent, Phd, Bertha C. Elias, Phd

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

PINCH (a particularly interesting new cysteine-histidine-rich protein) is a protein that binds with Integrin-linked kinase and Parvin, to form an IPP complex. This complex is formed only when integrin molecules are activated upon interaction with the basement membrane. The IPP complex then acts as a platform for other proteins to come together and regulate cell signaling to and from the extracellular matrix (ECM). This allows for various cellular activities to progress like cell adhesion, migration, proliferation, etc. There are two types of PINCH proteins, PINCH-1 and PINCH-2. Studies from our group have shown that the lack of PINCH-1 in the …

Nitric Oxide And Cyclic Gmp Signaling In Cancer Therapy, Armond Dorsey, Ferid Murad, Md, Phd, Ka Bian, Md, Phd

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

The nitric oxide-3’,5’-cyclic guanosine monophosphate signaling pathway (NO-cGMP signaling pathway) is a well-known signal transduction pathway which elicits several physiological processes including: cell proliferation, vasodilation, cardiac protection, etc. In this pathway, NO binds to the ferrous heme of histidine-105 on the prosthetic heme of the β₁ subunit of soluble guanylyl cyclase, resulting in the production of cGMP. This pathway, however, is inhibited in certain cancer cells—as observed in glioma cell lines. As a result, the production of cGMP is reduced. This mechanism may facilitate uncontrolled tumor cell growth.

The cancers under research—lung carcinoma, glioma, and pancreatic carcinoma—are all highly …

Potential Cost Savings Of Not Doing Cd4 Counts In Hiv Positive People In Rhode Island With An Undetectable Viral Load, Ruth Dele-Oni, Ferdinand Schumacher, Zachary Markus, Timothy Flanigan, Md

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

CD4 cells fight infections in the body. When someone contacts Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), their CD4 cells are taken over by HIV which turns them into manufacturers of many copies of the virus. The Viral Load (VL) measures the amount of virus in the blood. When HIV takes over the CD4 cells, the VL increases while the number of necessary CD4 cells decreases. When patients maintain stable treatment, their CD4 counts rise, and VLs may become undetectable, indicating the virus is too little to be detected in their blood. Knowing this, is frequent CD4 counts necessary for those with undetectable …

Defining The Role For Zbp-89 In Atm-Mediated Dna Damage Response To Irradiation In The Intestine, Christine Carethers, Juanita L. Merchant, Md, Phd

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

ZBP-89 (ZNF148, Zfp148) is a zinc-finger transcription factor that inhibits cellular proliferation when overexpressed in cell lines. ZBP-89 forms a protein-protein interaction with p53 and Ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM). However, it is unclear how the interaction modulates the function of these two proteins in vivo.

Double strand DNA breakage induced by -irradiation induces ATM phosphoinositol kinase activity, which initiates a cascade of events culminating in cell cycle arrest, DNA repair or apoptosis. Elevated levels of ZBP-89 induce growth arrest and apoptosis in gastrointestinal cell lines. Therefore, we hypothesize that ZBP-89 facilitates cell growth arrest and activation of the DNA repair pathway …

Induction Of Dusp9 In Xenografts From Human Breast Cancer Cell Lines Increases Mammary Cancer Stem Cells, Albert Barrios, Meher Parveen, Phd, Easter Thames, Melanie Baker, Shelha Pervin, Phd

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Breast cancer remains a complex disease that kills 40,000 women every year. Initiation and progression of breast cancer is influenced by heterogeneous groups of cells, including mammary cancer stem cells (MCSCs). Progression of this dreadful disease is driven by many signaling pathways among which MAPK pathway is highly prominent. Since targeting prominent kinases in MAPK pathway has been unsuccessful to control breast cancer, it is important to examine the phosphatases that regulate the activity of these kinases.

Using xenograft model from breast cancer cell lines, our lab has found that during the initial stages of xenograft development (week 1-4, 100-200mg …

Preparing Underrepresented High School Students To Increase Diversity In The Research And Health Professions, Dolores E. Caffey-Fleming, Ms, Mph, Christopher Reid, Md, Phd

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

This article introduces the work that was done through the Coordinating Center at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science.

The Step Up Program, Lawrence Agodoa, Md

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

The Short-Term Research Experience Program for Underrepresented Persons (STEP-UP) was established as part of the NIDDK Strategic Plan on Minority Health Disparities. This article provides an overview and introduction of this program. All of the articles that are included in this special issue reflect the work of our coordinating centers, the mentors and their staff, as well as the students.

Living With Traumatic Brain Injury In A Rural Setting: Supports And Barriers Across The Continuum Of Care, Anne L. Harrison, Elizabeth G. Hunter, Heather Thomas, Paige Bordy, Erin Stokes, Patrick H. Kitzman

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Purpose: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is prevalent in Kentucky and comes with a high cost in care and quality of life for individuals and caregivers affected. Many people living with the condition of TBI have unmet needs. Research among people living with TBI in rural areas is limited. The purposes of this study were to (1) increase understanding of the lived experience of people with TBI and caregivers in rural regions of Kentucky across the continuum of their care and (2) provide their perspectives on barriers and facilitators of optimal function and well-being.

Methods: A qualitative descriptive interview study was …

Smoking On The Margins: A Comprehensive Analysis Of A Municipal Outdoor Smoke-Free Policy, Ann Pederson, Chizimuzo T. C. Okoli, Natalie Hemsing, Renée O'Leary, Amanda T. Wiggins, Wendy Rice, Joan L. Bottorff, Lorraine Greaves

Nursing Faculty Publications

Background: This study examined the formulation, adoption, and implementation of a ban on smoking in the parks and beaches in Vancouver, Canada.

Methods: Informed by Critical Multiplism, we explored the policy adoption process, support for and compliance with a local bylaw prohibiting smoking in parks and on beaches, experiences with enforcement, and potential health equity issues through a series of qualitative and quantitative studies.

Results: Findings suggest that there was unanimous support for the introduction of the bylaw among policy makers, as well as a high degree of positive public support. We observed that smoking initially declined following the ban’s …

Dementia In Prison: An Argument For Training Correctional Officers, Rachele Vogel

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Dementia is a significant public health problem that is occurring behind bars. However, the number of inmates suffering from this disease is unknown (Feczko, 2014). Current research has exposed a serious gap in correctional health care for older adults, and correctional institutions are being encouraged to make changes to better address the needs of this population (Fellner, 2012; OIG, 2016; Williams, Stern, Mellow, Safer, & Greifinger, 2012b). The purpose of this paper is to bring awareness to the aging problem behind bars and respond to the identified need for additional training for custodial staff (correctional, parole, and probation officers). Training …

Using Scientific Inquiry To Increase Knowledge Of Vaccine Theory And Infectious Diseases, Zachary Walls, John B. Bossaer, David Cluck

ETSU Faculty Works

Background: The aim of this study was to design and evaluate a laboratory activity based on scientific inquiry to educate first-year pharmacy students in the U.S. about vaccination theory and the attributes of common pathogens. Methods: The laboratory activity had two principal sections. The first consisted of an interactive game during which students rolled a die to determine outcomes based on a set of pre-determined criteria. In the second section, students generated and tested hypotheses about vaccine theory using a computer simulation that modeled disease transmission within a large population. In each section students were asked to evaluate epidemiological data …

Psychological Aspects Of Head And Neck Cancer, Katherine Rieke

Theses & Dissertations

Patients with head and neck cancer may be at increased risk for depression diagnosis when compared to other cancer sites, both before and after their cancer diagnosis. Behavioral risk factors for head and neck cancers, including tobacco and alcohol use, may be indicative of depression before cancer diagnosis. Further, head and neck cancers and their treatments can cause serious morbidity among patients, including physical disfigurement and loss of function. Additionally, these cancers are often accompanied by social stigma, personal shame, and guilt. While there is a significant body of research examining depression in this cancer population, there are still several …

Assessing Change In Baseline Preparedness Knowledge In Long-Term Care Facilities, Heidi L. Wheeler

Theses & Dissertations

With much of the focus and federal resources in recent history going to support hospital preparedness, long-term care facilities have been left behind even though they house one of our most vulnerable populations. Few regulations and standards have required these facilities to keep pace with preparing for an increasingly volatile environment and aging society. This is changing with the proposal of new federal standards and regulations requiring more thorough and robust preparedness planning. These new requirements do not have to be overwhelming or burdensome to facilities but can be included quite simply into routine planning and training. This study looks …

Leisure Time Physical Activity Preferences, Behaviors, And Hypertension: Evidence From The China Health & Nutrition Survey, 2004-2011, Junmin Zhou

Theses & Dissertations

Background: Physical activity has been continuously declining in China. At the same time, prevalence of hypertension has dramatically increased. The associations between leisure time physical activity preference, behavior, and development of hypertension in Chinese adults remained not fully understood and few studies have examined these associations using longitudinal data.

Objectives: This dissertation examined the interrelationships among leisure time activity preference, behavior, and the incidence of hypertension using longitudinal data from 2004 to 2011 in the China Health and Nutrition Survey. It also assessed the urban-rural disparities.

Methods: A total of 2,687 adults were included in the analysis. Multivariate logistic regressions …

Aldehyde Adducts And Lung Injury, Muna Sapkota

Theses & Dissertations

From the time of discovery, people have used both alcohol and tobacco in various forms all around the world. Alcohol abuse and cigarette smoking causes thousands of preventable deaths in the US each year. Several lung diseases such as COPD, asthma, respiratory infections, pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, cancer of neck, throat, mouth and lung are associated with smoking and drinking. Even though some studies have examined the role of alcohol and cigarette smoke in lung diseases, only a few studies have focused on the role of reactive aldehydes generated in the lungs of those who abuse alcohol and smoke …

Surveillance Of Non-Fatal Agricultural Injuries Among Farm Operators In The Central States Region Of The United States, Ketki Patel

Theses & Dissertations

Agriculture is a major industry in the U.S. with high rates of fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries. The dynamic nature of the U.S. agriculture industry, regional variations in farming practices, and the diverse workforce make surveillance of injuries challenging. A recent National Academies (U.S.) evaluation reported that data for non-fatal agricultural injury are scarce, and mainly available through national surveys. Limited data are available for employees in the agriculture sector, especially farm owners and operators. The objectives of this study were to- 1) review and evaluate existing survey-based systems for surveillance of non-fatal agricultural injuries on U.S. farms, and 2) …

Epidemiological And Virological Characterization Of Influenza B Virus Infections, Sivan Sharabi, Yaron Drori, Michal Micheli, Nehemya Friedman, Aharona Glatman-Freedman, Michal Mandelboim

NYMC Faculty Publications

While influenza A viruses comprise a heterogeneous group of clinically relevant influenza viruses, influenza B viruses form a more homogeneous cluster, divided mainly into two lineages: Victoria and Yamagata. This divergence has complicated seasonal influenza vaccine design, which traditionally contained two seasonal influenza A virus strains and one influenza B virus strain. We examined the distribution of the two influenza B virus lineages in Israel, between 2011-2014, in hospitalized and in non-hospitalized (community) influenza B virus-infected patients. We showed that influenza B virus infections can lead to hospitalization and demonstrated that during some winter seasons, both influenza B virus lineages …

Improving Workplace Wellness At Kaiser Permanente, Megan Conolly

Master's Projects and Capstones

A sedentary lifestyle is linked to many serious health problems including cardiovascular disease, obesity, and early death. Since the majority of jobs are done at a desk, those in the workforce have become particularly vulnerable to becoming sedentary. Workplace wellness programs are beginning to become a more common practice, and Kaiser Permanente is leading the way. However, they are discovering that simply providing resources is not enough. To enhance their workplace wellness, the Wellness Leaders program was implemented in order to get all departments involved in wellness activities and practices. While the program continues to grow, a shift in the …

Effective Health Communication Measures Within The Silicon Valley, Lauren V. Rodrigues

Master's Projects and Capstones

Effective and reliable communication is vital in the field of Public Health. Fieldwork conducted with the Silicon Valley Leadership Group’s Communication Team demonstrated the importance of using various social media platforms to effectively reach the largest audience. Content creators need to be aware of the target audience and identify the appropriate communication platform in order to provide relevant information in the most user-friendly and efficient manner. This paper is a summary of a 300 hour fieldwork experience completed through an internship with the Silicon Valley Leadership Group.