Loma Linda University

About: Loma Linda University is a education organization based out in Loma Linda, California, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Medicine. The organization has 9220 authors who have published 13485 publications receiving 447094 citations. The organization is also known as: University of Loma Linda.

Ultrasound as a complement to mammography and breast examination to characterize breast masses.

Abstract: This study was designed to determine if complementary ultrasound (US) imaging and Doppler could decrease the number of biopsies for benign masses. A total of 761 breast masses were sequentially scored on a level of suspicion (LOS) of 1-5, where 1 represented low, and 5 was a high suspicion of malignancy, for mammography, US, and color flow with pulse Doppler (DUS). After biopsy, the results were analyzed using 2 x 2 contingency tables and ROC analysis, for mammography alone and in combination with US and DUS. The addition of US increased the specificity from 51.4% to 66.4% at a prevalence of 31.3% malignancy. ROC analysis showed that the addition of US significantly improved the performance over mammography alone in women 55 years old (p = 0.029); masses 1 cm (p = 0.016). These results show that the addition of US to mammography alone could substantially reduce the number of breast biopsies for benign disease.

Couples surviving prostate cancer: Long-term intimacy needs and concerns following treatment.

Abstract: Couples surviving prostate cancer face long-term challenges in their relationships as they adapt to chronic illness. Ten couples surviving prostate cancer were brought together in a focus group to discuss their experiences and concerns regarding intimacy in their relationships. During three 30-minute segments, couples described their experiences (a) as couples, (b) as individual men and women in two concurrent break-out groups, and (c) regarding current intimacy and relationship needs. Questions asked of couples focused on (a) the process of being diagnosed and treated for prostate cancer, (b) what the experience was like for them as a couple, (c) what was helpful, harmful, and surprising throughout the experience, (d) what they currently needed most as a couple, and (e) what advice they had for other couples. Findings suggested that men and women think and respond differently to intimacy and relationship challenges that occur as a result of prostate cancer, diagnosis, and treatment. Consequently, healthcare providers in any clinical setting who may interact with prostate cancer survivors must consider the relationship and intimacy needs that are unique to men, women, and couples.

Effect of eugenol-containing endodontic sealer on retention of prefabricated posts luted with adhesive composite resin cement.

Abstract: Reported studies have implicated eugenol in the reduction in retention of restorations luted with chemically cured composite resin cement. This study investigated the effect of residual eugenol in the root canal on the retention of ParaPost dowels cemented with Panavia EX composite resin. An attempt was also made to identify and to determine the most effective cleansing procedure. Findings of this study demonstrated a substantial decrease in retention of posts luted with Panavia composite resin cement in the presence of eugenol. Irrigation with ethyl alcohol (ethanol) or etching with 37% phosphoric acid gel was found to be effective in restoring the resistance to dislodgment of the posts, but alcohol produced the most consistent and reliable results.

Regulation of phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase (PI3K)/Akt and nuclear factor‐kappa B signaling pathways in dystrophin‐deficient skeletal muscle in response to mechanical stretch

Abstract: Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) signaling pathways play a critical role in mediating survival signals In this study we have investigated how loss of dystrophin (the primary cause of Duchenne muscular dystrophy) modulates the activation of PI3K/Akt and NF-kappaB signaling pathways in skeletal muscle in response to mechanical stimulation Activation of Akt was significantly higher in diaphragm muscle from dystrophin-deficient mdx mice compared to normal mice at both prenecrotic and necrotic states Higher activation of Akt was also observed in cultured dystrophin-deficient primary myotubes differentiated in vitro Application of passive mechanical stretch ex vivo synergistically increased the activation of Akt in diaphragm of mdx mice Stretch-induced activation of PDK-1 and PI3K were also higher in diaphragm of mdx mice compared to normal mice Pretreatment of diaphragm with PI3K inhibitor LY294002 blocked the activation of Akt in normal and mdx mice Higher activation of Akt was associated with increased phosphorylation of its downstream targets glycogen synthase kinase 3beta (GSK3beta), FKHR, and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) Treatment of diaphragm muscle with LY294002 inhibited the stretch-induced activation of IkappaB (IkappaB) kinase (IKK) and NF-kappaB transcription factor in normal and mdx mice Mechanical stretch also reduced the interaction of HDAC1 with RelA subunit of NF-kappaB in diaphragm muscle Finally, cellular levels of Bcl-2, cIAP1, and integrin beta1 and activation of integrin linked kinase were higher in diaphragm muscle of mdx mice compared to normal mice Taken together, our data suggest that loss of dystrophin and/or mechanical stretch results in the up-regulation of P13K/Akt and NF-kappaB signaling pathways in skeletal muscle