Univers i ty of Iowa Col lege of Dentis t ry I ssue 884

January 22, 2010

I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :

Ralph Daniello: NJ, Da Nang, and IA

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Local Research Day, 2/9/10:

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Live Healthy Iowa 100 Day

Challenge!

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Recent Publications

7

Filling Station Menu

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TIAA-Cref Rep at the DSB!

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Chris White, Editor

DSB WEEKLY Ralph Daniello: New Jersey, Da Nang, and Iowa

Ralph Daniello, assistant nurse manager in the De-partment of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, was raised in Fort Lee, New Jersey, a city, he jokes, “that holds up the Jersey side of the beautiful George Washington Bridge.” During his senior year of high school, Ralph and his best friend signed up for two years of active duty in the Navy Re-serves. After graduating in 1966, he trained as a hospital

corpsman at the Great Lakes Training Center (IL) and was sent to Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base (NC) for field medical training. Ralph volunteered for Operation Deep Freeze, a mission to Antarctica, but was sent to Vietnam for one year as a hospital corps-man for the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines. As one of seven corpsmen in his platoon, Ralph ad-ministered IVs, sutured wounds, and per-formed tracheotomies. Ralph and his battal-ion’s front line fighting included Khe Sanh, Da Nang, Quang Tri, and Con Thien. During his tour of duty, two corpsmen were killed in one day and a third corpsman had to be evacuated for dysentery. In his company, nearly half of the Marines were either killed in action or wounded. Ralph received a shrapnel wound from an exploding booby trap and was hospitalized for three weeks,

but not sent home. Ralph later received the Pur-ple Heart. After Ralph’s discharge in 1968, he re-turned to New Jersey and worked briefly in a lo-cal hero (sub sandwich) shop. When the owner was forced to close his business because of debts to the Mafia, Ralph began working in the home office mailroom of Mercedes Benz of North Amer-ica. He later moved to a job in the company’s computer room where he learned some program-ming. (Ralph Daniello, continued on page 3)

Farewell Reception for Ralph Daniello January 25, 2010

See Page 8

Ralph (above and below, right)

(Above): Photos of Ralph and his fellow soldiers in Vietnam.

Lindsey Pingel Featured on Poster for Upcoming Jakobsen Conference

See page 2,6

Page 2 DSB Weekly

Hold the Date! Local Research Day is February 9, 2010

The 57th Annual Meeting of the Iowa Section of the American Association for Dental Research (AADR) will be held on February 9, 2010, at the College of Dentistry. Please note the following dates: January 15, 2010: Deadline for AADR fellowship applications

January 19, 2010: Ed Media poster material submission deadline for Local AADR poster February 9, 2010: Local Research Day March 3-6, 2010: AADR 87th General Session, Washington, D.C.

April 1, 2010: Student research proposals due for the 2010-2011 year The Local Research Day guest speaker (pictured left) will be Leslie Winston, DDS (Iowa ’88), PhD, who is director, North America Professional and Scientific Relations, Proctor & Gamble Professional Oral Health. Dr. Winston is responsible for representing Crest Oral-B science and products to the dental community, dental professional organizations, and opinion leaders. Dr. Winston will present “Learning to Collaborate.” Her talk will focus on the im-portance of collaboration, the increasing emphasis on translational research in the labo-ratory, and the skills needed to make laboratory research relevant to daily patient care

through collaboration. All AADR members, research staff, and students involved in dental research are encouraged to attend the Local AADR Research Day reception and awards, which will be held on February 9, 2010, at the Coralville Holiday Inn. To fill out a copy of the form, or for more information, go to this Web page (http://www.dentistry.uiowa.edu/missions/research/local_aadr/). Give the banquet form, along with a check that is payable to the Local AADR, to Dr. Saulo Geraldeli (S234) by Tuesday, February 2, 2010.

2010 Celebration of Human Rights: Understanding Our Cultural Differences — See page 13

Yoga at Your Desk — Coming Soon! See page 14

Lindsey Pingel Featured in 2010 James F. Jakobsen Conference Promotion

Last year, Lindsey Pingel (D4), won third place for her 2009 Jakobsen Conference oral presentation, “HBD3 inhibits binding of Porphyromonas gingivalis Hemaglutinin B (rHagB) to human keratinocytes and dendritic cells.” Co-authors on her research included Tina Srikantha, formerly Dows; M. Belanger; A. Progulske-Fox; Dr. Zoya Kurago, now New York University; and Dr. Kim Brogden, Dows and Periodontics, who has been Lindsey’s mentor. This year, she is being featured in a promotion for the 2010 James F. Jakobsen Con-ference, which will be held March 27, 2010, at the IMU. Go to page 6 to see the con-ference flier. For additional information, go to http://gss.grad.uiowa.edu/jakobsen-conference/awardee-spotlights/2009?page=3 .

Majd Haddad Co-Author of Article Published in Journal of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

Majd Haddad (D3) is co-author of an article, “New arthroscopic disc repositioning and su-turing technique for treating internal derangement of the temporomandibular joint: part II-magnetic resonance imaging evaluation,” that was recently published in Journal of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery. His co-authorship is a result of his clinical research internship in Shanghai, China, through the Iowa Biosciences Advantage program at Iowa. See Recent Publications on page 7 of this issue for complete citation information about the article.

Page 3 (Ralph Daniello, continued from page 1)

In 1971, Ralph entered a three-year nursing program at Holy Name Hospital in Teaneck, NJ. When he graduated in 1974, Ralph was hired as a nurse in the pediatrics unit at New York Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center but when his father died, Ralph later began working in the operating room.

In 1975, Ralph and his first wife, Linda, moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and within a year, they divorced. Ralph then worked for three years in a local hospital’s operating room and then one year in their dialysis unit.

When Ralph met his current wife, Deb, a nurse and UI graduate, it was love at first sight. “It took me a while to convince her that she couldn’t live without me,” he jokes. Ralph and Deb now have two children: Melissa, 28, an artist, lives in North Liberty with her husband, Joe (now serving his second tour in Iraq), and their 15-month-old daughter, Elise Joy. Kimberly, 26, lives in Chicago and is an occupa-tional therapist. Ralph’s 36-year-old son, Jason, from his first marriage, his wife, Liz, and their son, Gus, live in North Carolina where he is a spokesman for the Moog guitar. He is also an accomplished singer and song writer.

Ralph then worked in the local VA Hospital’s operating room (OR) and later in their dialysis de-partment. Eventually, he was offered the head nurse position in the dialysis unit at Presbyterian Hospital, but Reaganomics closed down several dialysis units. He was offered the head nurse position of a 16-suite operating room, but after a year, he says, “I’d had about all of the stress I wanted to deal with.” He transferred to the ambulatory surgery unit at Anna Kasam Hospital. Ralph and Deb moved from Albu-querque to Los Lunas, a small town where they had a large yard, three goats and a cow named Angie.

In 1986, Ralph and Deb decided to move to Letts, Iowa, to be closer to her parents. The trip was an adventure:

“My in-laws transported our cow and three goats (two were nursing) to Iowa,” Ralph says. Deb’s parents had to stop and milk the goats twice a day. Ralph drove a U-Haul truck and trailer while Deb transported a dozen chickens, including a rooster; two cats; and two dogs in their pickup truck with a topper.

The trailer, however, was incorrectly loaded and the back end was heavier than the front. While driving the first night, Ralph turned down his walkie talkie and was listening to loud music. Glancing out the side window, he noticed sparks flying, then realized Deb was desperately yelling, “Pull over! Pull over!” on her walkie talkie. The truck hitch had detached, one of the chains had broken, and only one remaining chain was holding the trailer to the U-Haul truck. Deb and Ralph wrapped baling wire around the hitch and made it to the next town around 3 am. The hitch was repaired and they were advised to move the heavier items to the front of the trailer.

After settling in Letts, Deb began working at the VA Hospital and Ralph found a part-time night job in the ER at Mercy Hospital. Later, Ralph began working full time at the UI Hospitals and Clinics in the dialysis unit. Over several years, he also worked in the cardiovascular intensive care unit and later the operating room.

In 1993, Ralph interviewed for a nurse position at the College of Dentistry Department of Oral Surgery and was hired.

Ralph was in the Army Reserve from 1986-2006 as a first lieutenant and later as a captain. From 2003 to 2004, he spent one year of active duty at Fort Lewis’ Madigan Army Medical Hospital in Tacoma, Washington. During this time, Ralph began experiencing symptoms of essential tremors. He recalls, “I felt different when I returned after a year on active duty, but I wasn’t sure what it was. The Oral Sur-gery staff noticed my movements were slow and my gait was different. Dr. Synan was the first to sug-gest the diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease. He is one of the best diagnosticians I know. “ (Continued on page 4)

(Ralph Daniello, continued from page 3)

“At that point I didn’t know where to turn. Dr. Danny Lew, who is like a father to me, arranged a consult with Dr. Robert Rodnitzky, UIHC, one of the leading names in movement disorders. He officially diagnosed me with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) on December 17, 2005. Parkinson’s is known to have famil-ial tendencies, although my family does not have a history of PD. Herbicides can also be a contributing factor. When I was in Vietnam, we ate, drank and slept in areas that had been sprayed by crop dusters. When I went to Hong Kong for R&R, our entire plane was sprayed with insecticide to prevent us from bringing any bugs into the country.

“On October 13, 2009, independent studies linked Parkinson’s to Agent Orange. When the VA ac-cepted these findings, PD and two other diseases were added to the Agent Orange presumptive list, bringing the list total to fifteen diseases and conditions. “The past ten years have been the happiest of my professional life. I never felt like I had a job, but rather I had a place to go every day to be with people who loved me and whom I love; and we got to do what I consider to be the most fulfilling work of my life. The words “we are like a family” are used so often and sometime said without proper thought behind the true meaning. But in this case, “we are fam-ily” is the right term. And like a family, each member has his/her own personality and role in the family. Sometimes we get on each other’s nerves. But let someone come in from the outside and give one of us some grief, and that’s when the family bands together to support each other.

“I want to thank everyone who has been there for me, especially since I returned from my year of military service from 2003 to 2004.

“But I digress. I don’t think I’ve never been closer to the people I’ve worked with in the past. Sometimes I forget that Dr. Kirk Fridrich is my boss because he is like a brother to me. During my pro-fessional career of thirty-five plus years in nursing, most of which has been in a surgical setting from New York, New Jersey, New Mexico and Iowa City. I have had the privilege of working with one of the finest men and surgeon I have ever met. I have worked with Kirk for more than 20 years and he has always been a gentleman. I have seen him angry, but I have never witnessed him lashing out at anyone. Where does the time go, Bro?

“What can I say about Dr. Lew, who comes into a good clinic and makes it great? I’ve known him for nearly twenty years and have learned so much from him, both about oral surgery and more impor-tantly, about life experiences. I spent the last ten years here at the COD because of his genuine care and concern for me and my professional career.

“The Oral Surgery faculty and staff work together like a well-oiled machine with one common goal: good patient care. But it goes beyond that -- there is genuine caring for each other. If someone needs help or advice, it doesn’t matter what position you have in the unit -- any of us will go the extra mile for each other.

“Kate Kane, I have said more than once, is one of the tallest people I know. She is the glue that keeps us altogether. I could not have asked for a better work wife. Kiera, Teresa, Sandi, Andi and Cindy, our dental assistants, go above and beyond what is expected. Our faculty, Richard Burton, Bill Synan, Teresa Morgan, Charlie Ringgold, John Rice, and Jeff Purk are second to none. They are excellent technicians and create a pleasant working environment. I call Vickie and Karen "Captain Central." They know how to keep the schedule running smoothly. I can't imagine what we did before they joined us. Mel has been a positive addition to our staff as well as a friend. The front desk can be a stressful place to work. We are lucky to have Robyn, Carly, and Debbie to ease tense situations.  Over the years we have had excellent student help: Lindsey Hove, Will McBride and Peter Steifel. Karen Baker, who is a walking encyclopedia for pharmaceuticals, is always so willing to help. (Ralph Daniello, cont. on page 5)

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(Ralph Daniello, continued from page 4)

“Cindy Marek is also a wealth of knowledge and is always ready to lend a hand. I would be remiss

if I didn't mention our staff out at Hawkeye Oral Surgery: Shelley, Beth and Gail. They are like aces up our sleeves. Connie Hamilton has taught me so much about oral surgery. And then she left me three times but upon her return, I was there waiting every time. Brenda Colbert was a lifesaver for me the year Connie was gone. And everyone needs a Jane in their life. She organizes, follows through, and has personally helped me immensely in my retirement phase. She is one of the most thoughtful people I know.

“On a sad note, I have lost two close friends, Mark Jaspers and Jay Pronk. Both made a differ-ence in my life and I miss them dearly.

“I would like to thank Dean Johnsen and Vicky Green for their support and for allowing me the privilege of working in such a fine institution. There are countless others at the college who I consider my friends and I will miss you all.

“Last, but not least, all the dental students and residents past and present, you are a large part of what has made my job fun and meaningful and you have kept me young.”

We wish Ralph Daniello the best of luck and look forward to his return visits to the College of Den-tistry. We hope he will continue to pursue creative photography. The photos below are a sample of his talent. To see more of his photos, visit the Oral Surgery waiting room, which displays a variety of his photos.

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Jakobsen Conference Poster Promotes Lindsey Pingel’s 2009 Award In 2009, Lindsey Pingel (D4) participated in the James F. Jakobsen Conference and received third place honors in the Biological & Health Sciences category. More than 125 graduate students competed for this prestigious award. The Jakobsen Conference provides an excellent opportunity to showcase their work and gain presentation experience without travel or registration expenses. Submissions are due February 1, 2010. Details can be found at ggs.grad.uiowa.edu/jakobsen-conference.

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Dental Filling Station January 25-29

Monday

BBQ Chicken Sandwich & Chips $ 3.99

Soup du Jour $2.49 / $3.49

Salad Bar, Deli, Pizza,

Sushi & Paninis

Tuesday:

Smoked Pork Sandwich & Chips $4.79

Soup du Jour $2.49 / $3.49

Salad Bar, Deli, Pizza

Paninis

Wednesday:

Cheddar Bacon Chicken Sandwich & Chips $ 4.99

Soup du Jour $2.49 / $3.49

Salad Bar, Deli, Pizza

Paninis

Thursday:

Taco Bar!!!

Chicken Strips & Ranch Dressing $3.99

Soup du Jour $2.49 / $3.49

Salad Bar, Deli, Pizza

Paninis

Friday:

Mini Steak Burger $1.29

Soup du Jour $2.49 / $3.49

Salad Bar, Deli, Pizza

Paninis

~Menu is subject to change~

DSB Weekly

Recent Publications

Ettinger RL. Meeting oral health needs to promote the well-being of the geriatric popu-lation: educational research issues. J Dent

Educ. 2010 Jan;74(1):29-35. Zhang SY, Liu XM, Yang C, Cai XY, Chen MJ, Haddad MS, Yun B, Chen ZZ. New arthroscopic disc repo-sitioning and suturing technique for treating internal de-rangement of the temporomandibular joint: part II-magnetic resonance imaging evaluation. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2009 Dec 29. [Epub ahead of print]

Coming Soon! TIAA-CREF

Counseling Session at the DSB See page 15 for details

Understanding Our Cultural Differences Noon-1 pm Friday, January 22, 2010

Oral B Classroom (N212) DSB

See page 13 for information

Live Healthy Iowa

100 Day Challenge

January 14-April

23, 2010

See page 7 for details!

DSB Weekly Page 8

January 14 – April 23, 2010

The Live Healthy Iowa 100 Day Challenge is a team based weight loss and physical activity program that will assist you and your teammates in making positive changes that lead to a healthier life-style. By competing in LHI you will begin to form healthy habits through physical activity and improved nutrition.

How do I start? Form a team of 2-10 co-workers and nominate a Team Captain. Register anytime after Decem-ber 15 at www.livehealthyiowa.org. See how to register step-by-step in the FAQ section. What is the cost? There is a $20 per person registration fee. A $5 coupon will is available from Hy-Vee to re-ceive a discounted registration fee. (PDF) (http://www.hy-vee.com/docs/LHA-registration-coupon.pdf) Additionally UI Wellness will refund $15 to UI employees (in 50% or greater, regular positions) who submit data into the Live Healthy Iowa website on at least 12 weeks during the program. This reimbursement is not available for volunteers, student employees or temporary staff.

How will Live Healthy Iowa know that I am a University of Iowa team? When team captains are reg-istering, enter LHIUIOWA as the Start Code to be counted as a University’s team. You will enter your Employee ID number (PDF instructions) with registration. See “Frequently Asked Questions” for additional details.

How will Live Healthy Iowa know that I am a University of Iowa employee? You will enter your Em-ployee ID number with registration. See “Frequently Asked Questions” for additional details.

What is included with my entry?

UI Wellness Supportive Programming (See Events Calendar)

A Free one year subscription to a lifestyle magazine upon logging on to your personal dashboard.

Live Healthy Iowa Training Shirt

Weekly activity, nutrition and recipe tips via e-mail

Personalized online dashboard to track your progress

Team Leaderboards

Access to the LHI resource page powered by Fitness Magazine

Personalized meal plans

Customized Workouts

Community Discussion board

Calorie charts and MORE

UI Wellness Health Coach, Erin Litton, is the “Program Administrator” for the Live Healthy UIOWA teams. Contact her at erin-litton@uiowa.edu with questions.

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UI and Palmer College Jaw Pain Study Invites Participants

People age 21 or older with chronic jaw pain classi-fied as temporomandibular disorder may be eligible to participate in a clinical research study investigating whether the Activator Chiropractic Technique can reduce head and neck pain and the need for prescription pain medications, and improve quality of life. The collaborative study involves the University of Iowa College of Dentistry, the UI Institute for Clinical and Translational Science's Dental Clinical Research Center, and the Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research at Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport. Study participants will be randomly assigned to one of four different treatment groups. Participation, includ-ing follow-up, will last six months and involves examina-tions and treatment at the UI Dental Clinical Research Center. Participants assigned to chiropractic care will be referred to a private practice in Coralville. All examina-tions and treatment are provided free of charge. For more information, contact the UI Dental Clinical Research Center at 319-335-7387 or 319-335-6763.

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Volunteers Invited

Do you have a need for two dental fillings on your permanent back teeth? The UI College of Den-tistry is recruiting subjects for a research study to evaluate dental fillings of the back teeth. You may qualify if you have:

recession of the gumline on your back teeth

eroded, abraded areas or notches at the necks of your back teeth near the gumline

Call the Dental Clinical Research Center for a screening appointment at (319) 335-6763.

Compensation is provided. The DCRC will provide special assistance for people with physical or other disabilities.

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