Browsing by Author "Cook, Shannon"

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    Construction of a Database for Socio-Demographic, Medico-Legal, Anatomic, and Genomic Research into Suicide
    (Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, 2015-04-17) Engle, Kaitlyn; Cook, Shannon; Levey, Daniel; Ballew, Alfarena; Yard, Michael
    Suicide is a potentially preventable tragedy. Over 180 cases of suicide a year occur in Marion County. We have created a database that permits integration of socio-demographic data, medico-legal information, anatomic images, and genomic results. We have collected over 50 cases to date. We will show results of analyses looking at method of suicide, toxicology results, and genomic biomarker correlates. It is hoped that this resource would permit the study of risk factors and the creation of predictive algorithms that may better identify people at risk, and lead to early intervention and prevention efforts.
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    DNA/RNA Degradation Rate in Fixed Tissue
    (Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, 2014-04-11) Cook, Shannon; Dodge, Chelsea; Morgan, Randy; Sandusky, George E.
    In today’s research driven society, it has become commonplace for institutions to rely upon DNA and RNA extraction techniques to help obtain genomic data from old specimens. Generally, specimens were commonly preserved for future gross examination and/or teaching. Using histological examination of specimens from museum jars from the Pathology Department at the Indiana University School of Medicine, the sequential and chronological degradation of DNA and RNA has been studied. We examined gross specimens from nine decades from 1920 until 2000. We evaluated histologic preservation of nuclear structure in these samples. Nuclear preservation was based on amount of nuclei per 20x microscopic field, the crispness of the nuclear membrane and internal features. The nuclei in high lipid tissues such as the brain were found to degrade at a quicker rate than dense proteinaceous structures such as the heart and uterus. Our study has shown specimens preserved beyond roughly fifty years are likely to have little to no nuclei left, thus indicating that there was little to no DNA and RNA remaining. This technique of histologic evaluation is an important finding and general guideline which may save research institutions from the expensive process of DNA and RNA extraction
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    DNA/RNA Degradation Rate in Long Term Fixed Museum Specimens
    (2014-04-11) Cook, Shannon; Dodge, Chelsea; Morgan, Randy; Sandusky, George E.
    In today’s research driven society, it has become commonplace for institutions to rely upon DNA and RNA extraction techniques to help obtain genomic data from old specimens. Generally, specimens were commonly preserved for future gross examination and/or teaching. Using histological examination of specimens from museum jars from the Pathology Department at the Indiana University School of Medicine, the sequential and chronological degradation of DNA and RNA has been studied. We examined gross specimens from nine decades from 1920 until 2000. We evaluated histologic preservation of kidney, liver, heart, lung, spleen, uterus, and brain for nuclear structure in these samples. Nuclear preservation was based on amount of nuclei per 20x microscopic field and the crispness of the nuclear membrane and internal features. The nuclei in high lipid tissues such as the brain were found to degrade at a quicker rate than dense tissues such as the heart and uterus. Our study has shown specimens preserved beyond fifty years were likely to have little to no nuclei left, thus indicating that there was little to no DNA and RNA remaining. This technique of histologic evaluation first is an important finding and a general guideline which may save research institutions from the expensive process of DNA and RNA extraction.
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    Increased Ischemic Cardiac Deaths in Central Indiana in Summer Months Compared to Winter Months
    (Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, 2013-04-05) Cook, Shannon; Lloyd, Frank, Jr.; Ballew, Alfie; Sandusky, George E.
    Cardiovascular diseases have been the leading cause of death in the United States for several decades. Despite sustained declines in the mortality rates from these diseases, the magnitude of the disease is still staggering. One large recent study, using data on hundreds of heart attacks documented in the National Registry of Myocardial Infarction, found that 53 percent more cases in winter than in summer. The primary culprit, many believe, is temperature. Cold weather narrows coronary arteries and raises blood pressure, stressing the heart. Physical strain and ruptured plaques caused by shoveling snow are also commonly cited. But in a recent study, two researchers, found that the risk increases even in warm climates. Analyzing death certificates in seven regions with different climates, Los Angeles, Texas, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and others found that cardiovascular deaths rose up to 36 percent between summer and winter, regardless of climate and temperatures In this study we evaluated the incidence of ischemic cardiomyopathy in the Central Indiana area in the winter months compared to the summer months for the years 1998 to 2002. Approximately 5325 deaths were seen in the Marion County Morgue in central Indiana in this time period. There were 609 ischemic cardiac deaths seen in the summer (March 15th through October 15th) compared to 434 ischemic cardiac deaths seen in the winter (October 15th through March 15th). The deaths by years in the summer were 129, 131, 92, 127, and 130 and in the winter were 95, 96, 90, 96, and 57 respectively. In conclusion, this study was consistent with the outcome as the previous study done in multiple northern and southern cities in the country.