Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

A Note Regarding The Mathematical Treatment Of A Class Of Steady-State Compartmental Models Of The Circulation, Ronald White

Center for Advanced Mineral and Metallurgical Processing (CAMP)

A class of steady-state compartmental models of the circulation is examined and it is shown that the mathematical problem for this model class involves a single nonlinear equation. In an important subclass and with certain assumptions regarding the form of the Starling-type cardiac function curves, the single equation is of the form Z = μ + λ log[(1 − Z)/Z] where μ and λ are mathematical parameters related to the physiological parameters of the system and Z is proportional to the cardiac output. This result holds regardless of the number and arrangement of compartments within the model …

Respiratory Rate Variability In Sleeping Adults Without Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Guillermo Gutierrez, Jeffrey Williams, Ghadah Alrehaili, Anna Mclean, Ramin Pirouz, Richard L. Amdur, Vivek Jain, Jalil Ahari, Amandeep Bawa, Shawn Kimbro

Surgery Faculty Publications

Characterizing respiratory rate variability (RRV) in humans during sleep is challenging, since it requires the analysis of respiratory signals over a period of several hours. These signals are easily distorted by movement and volitional inputs. We applied the method of spectral analysis to the nasal pressure transducer signal in 38 adults with no obstructive sleep apnea, defined by an apnea‐hypopnea index <5, who underwent all‐night polysomnography (PSG). Our aim was to detect and quantitate RRV during the various sleep stages, including wakefulness. The nasal pressure transducer signal was acquired at 100 Hz and consecutive frequency spectra were generated for the length of the PSG with the Fast Fourier Transform. For each spectrum, we computed the amplitude ratio of the first harmonic peak to the zero frequency peak (H1/DC), and defined as RRV as (100 − H1/DC) %. RRV was greater during wakefulness compared to any sleep stage, including rapid‐eye‐movement. Furthermore, RRV correlated with the depth of sleep, being lowest during N3. Patients spent most their sleep time supine, but we found no correlation between RRV and body position. There was a correlation between respiratory rate and sleep stage, being greater in wakefulness than in any sleep stage. We conclude that RRV varies according to sleep stage. Moreover, spectral analysis of nasal pressure signal appears to provide a valid measure of RRV during sleep. It remains to be seen if the method can differentiate normal from pathological sleep patterns.

The Global Economic And Health Burden Of Human Hookworm Infection., Sarah M Bartsch, Peter J. Hotez, Lindsey Asti, Kristina M Zapf, Maria Elena Bottazzi, David J. Diemert, Bruce Y Lee

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Even though human hookworm infection is highly endemic in many countries throughout the world, its global economic and health impact is not well known. Without a better understanding of hookworm's economic burden worldwide, it is difficult for decision makers such as funders, policy makers, disease control officials, and intervention manufacturers to determine how much time, energy, and resources to invest in hookworm control.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPLE FINDINGS: We developed a computational simulation model to estimate the economic and health burden of hookworm infection in every country, WHO region, and globally, in 2016 from the societal perspective. Globally, hookworm infection resulted in …

Microfluidic Platform For Electrophysiological Recordings From Host-Stage Hookworm And Ascaris Suum Larvae: A New Tool For Anthelmintic Research, Janis Weeks, William Roberts, Kristin Robinson, Melissa Keaney, Jon Vermiere, Joseph Urban, Shawn Lockery, John M. Hawdon

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications

The screening of candidate compounds and natural products for anthelmintic activity is important for discovering new drugs against human and animal parasites. We previously validated in Caenorhabditis elegans a microfluidic device (‘chip’) that records non-invasively the tiny electrophysiological signals generated by rhythmic contraction (pumping) of the worm's pharynx. These electropharyngeograms (EPGs) are recorded simultaneously from multiple worms per chip, providing a medium-throughput readout of muscular and neural activity that is especially useful for compounds targeting neurotransmitter receptors and ion channels. Microfluidic technologies have transformedC. elegans research and the goal of the current study was to validate hookworm andAscaris …

Concurrent Presentation Of Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia And Angioimmunoblastic T-Cell Lymphoma, Amar Jariwala, Fadi Alakeel, Elsie Lee, Donald S. Karcher

Pathology Faculty Publications

A 73-year-old woman presented with generalized lymphadenopathy, atypical peripheral blood lymphocytosis, and Coombs-positive hemolytic anemia. She was diagnosed with Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM)/lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (LPL), on the basis of IgM monoclonal gammopathy, significant lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate in bone marrow, circulating plasmacytoid lymphocytes in peripheral blood, monoclonal B lymphocytes with LPL-compatible immunophenotype by flow cytometry in bone marrow and peripheral blood, and clonal immunoglobulin heavy-chain gene rearrangement by polymerase chain reaction in peripheral blood. Molecular study results for MYB deletion and MYD88 mutation were negative. Following brief chemotherapy for WM, the patient's IgM monoclonal gammopathy and hemolytic anemia improved and the number of …

Cyp2c44 Gene Disruption Exacerbated Pulmonary Hypertension And Heart Failure In Female But Not Male Mice, Sachindra R. Joshi, Anand Lakhkar, Vidhi Dhagia, Ariadne Zias, Vasiliki Soldatos, Kaori Oshima, Houli Jiang, Katherine Gotlinger, Jorge H Capdevila, Michal L. Schwartzman, Ivan F. Mcmurtry, Sachin A. Gupte

NYMC Faculty Publications

Epoxyeicosatrienoicacids (EETs), synthesized from arachidonic acid by epoxygenases of the CYP2C and CYP2J gene subfamilies, contribute to hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) in mice. Despite their roles in HPV, it is controversial whether EETs mediate or ameliorate pulmonary hypertension (PH). A recent study showed that deficiency of Cyp2j did not protect male and female mice from hypoxia-induced PH. Since CYP2C44 is a functionally important epoxygenase, we hypothesized that knockout of the Cyp2c44 gene would protect both sexes of mice from hypoxia-induced PH. We tested this hypothesis in wild-type (WT) and Cyp2c44 knockout (Cyp2c44 (-/-)) mice exposed to normoxia (room air) and …

Experimental Infection Of Conventional Nursing Pigs And Their Dams With Porcine Deltacoronavirus, Sarah Vitosh-Sillman, John Dustin Loy, Bruce W. Brodersen, Clayton L. Kelling, Alan R. Doster, Christina L. Topliff, Eric A. Nelson, Jianfa Bai, Erin Schirtzinger, Elizabeth Poulsen, Barbara Meadors, Joseph Anderson, Benjamin Hause, Gary Anderson, Richard Hesse

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) is a newly identified virus that has been detected in swine herds of North America associated with enteric disease. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the pathogenicity, course of infection, virus kinetics, and aerosol transmission of PDCoV using 87 conventional piglets and their 9 dams, including aerosol and contact controls to emulate field conditions. Piglets 2–4 days of age and their dams were administered an oronasal PDCoV inoculum with a quantitative real-time reverse transcription (qRT)-PCR quantification cycle (Cq) value of 22 that was generated from a field sample having 100% nucleotide identity to USA/Illinois121/2014 determined …

Mice With A Heterozygous Lrp6 Deletion Have Impaired Fracture Healing, Travis A. Burgers, Juan F. Vivanco, Juraj Zahatnansky, Andrew J. Vander Moren, James J. Mason, Bart O. Williams

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

Bone fracture non-unions, the failure of a fracture to heal, occur in 10%–20% of fractures and are a costly and debilitating clinical problem. The Wnt/β-catenin pathway is critical in bone development and fracture healing. Polymorphisms of linking low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 6 (LRP6), a Wnt-binding receptor, have been associated with decreased bone mineral density and fragility fractures, although this remains controversial. Mice with a homozygous deletion of Lrp6 have severe skeletal abnormalities and are not viable, whereas mice with a heterozygous deletion have a combinatory effect with Lrp5 to decrease bone mineral density. As fracture healing closely models embryonic skeletal …

Pediatric Statin Administration: Navigating A Frontier With Limited Data., Jonathan B. Wagner, Susan M. Abdel-Rahman

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Increasingly, children and adolescents with dyslipidemia qualify for pharmacologic intervention. As they are for adults, 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins) are the mainstay of pediatric dyslipidemia treatment when lifestyle modifications have failed. Despite the overall success of these drugs, the magnitude of variability in dose-exposure-response profiles contributes to adverse events and treatment failure. In children, the cause of treatment failures remains unclear. This review describes the updated guidelines for screening and management of pediatric dyslipidemia and statin disposition pathway to assist the provider in recognizing scenarios where alterations in dosage may be warranted to meet patients' specific needs.

Peritoneal Lymphomatosis: The Failure Of Occam’S Razor, Ranjit R. Nair Md, Nicole M. Agostino Do, Shereen M F Gheith Md, Usman Shah Md

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Application Of Bioinstrumentation In Developing A Pressure Suit For Suborbital Flight, Pedro Llanos, Erik Seedhouse

Publications

This presentation features Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's U-2 pressure suit. Built to be light and cost-effective, this suit is comfortable, comes in multiple sizes, operates in pressures up to 5 PSID, has an active airflow-based cooling system, and features bio-instrumentation to measure heart rate, breathing rate, skin temperature and other vitals.

Primary Pulmonary Meningioma Mimicking Lung Metastases, Sameer Tolay Md, Brian J. Patson Md, Sherry Li Md

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Adrenal Incidentaloma In Young – A Gray Zone?, Ranjit R. Nair Md, Stacey Smith Md, Facp

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

A Quantitative Comparison Of The Hemispheric, Areal, And Laminar Origins Of Sensory And Motor Cortical Projections To The Superior Colliculus Of The Cat., Blake E Butler, Nicole Chabot, Stephen G Lomber

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

The superior colliculus (SC) is a midbrain structure central to orienting behaviors. The organization of descending projections from sensory cortices to the SC has garnered much attention; however, rarely have projections from multiple modalities been quantified and contrasted, allowing for meaningful conclusions within a single species. Here, we examine corticotectal projections from visual, auditory, somatosensory, motor, and limbic cortices via retrograde pathway tracers injected throughout the superficial and deep layers of the cat SC. As anticipated, the majority of cortical inputs to the SC originate in the visual cortex. In fact, each field implicated in visual orienting behavior makes a …

Venous Thromboembolism Following Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation-A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Mohammad Faizan Zahid, M Hassan Murad, Mark R. Litzow, William J. Hogan, Mrinal S. Patnaik, Alok Khorana, Alex C. Spyropoulos, Shahrukh K. Hashmi

Medical College Documents

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common complication of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is another complication of HSCT that may modify the risk of VTE. Our objective was to explore the incidence of VTE (deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism) following HSCT and to evaluate its association with GVHD. A comprehensive search of Medline In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Scopus was conducted to search for both retrospective and prospective HSCT studies which had reported VTE. Random-effects meta-analysis was used to pool incidence rates. We included 17 studies reporting …

An Unusual Case Of Igg4 Associated Marginal Zone B-Cell Lymphoma Presenting As Subcutaneous Nodules Mimicking Lipomas, Ryan Mayo Md, Ranjit R. Nair Md, Shereen M F Gheith Md, Phd

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Obscure Gastrointestinal Bleeding: A Case Series, Eric Nellis Md, Patrick Hickey Do, Shashin Shah Md, Hiral N. Shah Md

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

A Predictive Model For Intensive Chemotherapy Outcomes In Newly Diagnosed Elderly Patients With Aml, Sameer Tolay Md, David F. Claxton Md, Junjia Zhu Md

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Incidence Of Deep Vein Thrombosis In Patients Undergoing Right Internal Jugular Vein Cannulation For Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation, Taryn Samet Md, Timothy S. Misselbeck, Rita Pechulis Md, Fccp, James A. Burke Md, Phd, James K. Wu Md, Nicole Stansbury

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Peroxiredoxin Catalysis At Atomic Resolution, Arden Perkins, Derek Parsonage, Kimberly J. Nelson, O. Maduka Ogba, Paul Ha-Yeon Cheong, Leslie B. Poole, P. Andrew Karplus

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Peroxiredoxins (Prxs) are ubiquitous cysteine-based peroxidases that guard cells against oxidative damage, are virulence factors for pathogens, and are involved in eukaryotic redox regulatory pathways. We have analyzed catalytically active crystals to capture atomic resolution snapshots of a PrxQ-subfamily enzyme (from Xanthomonas campestris) proceeding through thiolate, sulfenate, and sulfinate species. These analyses provide structures of unprecedented accuracy for seeding theoretical studies, and show novel conformational intermediates giving insight into the reaction pathway. Based on a highly non-standard geometry seen for the sulfenate intermediate, we infer that the sulfenate formation itself can strongly promote local unfolding of the active site to …

Selecting Medical Hardware Using Pairwise Comparisons: A Patient's Perspective Of Cochlear Implant Device Selection, Timothy R. Anderson, Shabnam Razeghian Jahromi

Engineering and Technology Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Selecting medical hardware can be a difficult and permanent decision for patients that they are often unprepared for. The authors explore the use of pairwise comparison techniques to better inform medical decision making in an application of choosing between three major cochlear implant manufacturers. This paper appears to be the first study to apply a pairwise comparison decision making approach for cochlear implant device selection. Also, unlike many medical decision making studies that are developed by the healthcare professional, this model and analysis was conducted entirely by the patient for the purpose of making the real-world decision of a device. …

Changing Diagnostic Methods And Increased Detection Of Verotoxigenic Escherichia Coli, Ireland, Thomas Rice, Noreen Quinn, Roy D. Sleator, Brigid Lucey

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

The recent paradigm shift in infectious disease diagnosis from culture-based to molecular-based approaches is exemplified in the findings of a national study assessing the detection of verotoxigenic Escherichia coli infections in Ireland. The methodologic changes have been accompanied by a dramatic increase in detections of non-O157 verotoxigenic E. coli serotypes.

Neural Control Of Tongue Movements Across Effort Levels, Megan Rovang, Angela M. Dietsch

UCARE Research Products

Background

A hallmark of Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a mismatch between the perceived effort and actual forces exerted during functional activities such as speech. Current evidence supports therapy to help reset this perception of effort, but the neurological underpinnings of such treatments are unclear. This study examined brain activity during tongue movements performed at varying levels of effort to determine (1) which brain areas are involved in each task, and (2) which areas, if any, scale in activation according to effort level. These results, considered with the neurological changes associated with PD, can be used to develop and refine treatment …

Clinical Utility Of Immature Platelet Fraction - An Advanced Parameter In Laboratory Hematology, Muhammad Shariq Shaikh, Sidra Asad Ali

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

No abstract provided.

Neuropsychological Effects Of Pomegranate Supplementation Following Ischemic Stroke, John A. Bellone

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Polyphenols are compounds found in fruits and vegetables that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Mounting evidence suggests that dietary polyphenol intake can reduce the detrimental effects of various disease processes, and pomegranates have frequently been examined because of their particularly high polyphenol content. Since stroke induces both oxidative stress and inflammation and is currently the leading cause of long-term disability in the U.S., we sought to determine whether dietary supplementation with polyphenols could enhance cognitive recovery in individuals who had suffered an ischemic stroke. We administered polyphenols via 2 POMx pills containing polyphenols derived from pomegranates equivalent to the content …

Design, Development And Evaluation Of A Compact Telerobotic Catheter Navigation System., Mohammad Ali Tavallaei, Daniel Gelman, Michael Konstantine Lavdas, Allan C Skanes, Douglas L Jones, Jeffrey S Bax, Maria Drangova

Medical Biophysics Publications

BACKGROUND: Remote catheter navigation systems protect interventionalists from scattered ionizing radiation. However, these systems typically require specialized catheters and extensive operator training.

METHODS: A new compact and sterilizable telerobotic system is described, which allows remote navigation of conventional tip-steerable catheters, with three degrees of freedom, using an interface that takes advantage of the interventionalist's existing dexterity skills. The performance of the system is evaluated ex vivo and in vivo for remote catheter navigation and ablation delivery.

RESULTS: The system has absolute errors of 0.1 ± 0.1 mm and 7 ± 6° over 100 mm of axial motion and 360° of …

Sample Size Formulas For Estimating Intraclass Correlation Coefficients In Reliability Studies With Binary Outcomes, Mengxiao Xu

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Introduction: Measurement errors can seriously affect quality of clinical practice and medical research. It is therefore important to assess such errors by conduct- ing studies to estimate a coefficients reliability and assessing its precision. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), defined on a model that an observation is a sum of information and random error, has been widely used to quantify reliability for continuous measurements. Sample formulas have been derived for explicitly incorporation of a prespecified probability of achieving the prespecified precision, i.e., the width or lower limit of a confidence interval for ICC. Although the concept of ICC is applicable …

A Murine Model Of Inflammation-Induced Cerebral Microbleeds, Rachita K. Sumbria, Mher Mahoney Grigoryan, Vitaly Vasilevko, Tatiana B. Krasieva, Miriam Scadeng, Alexandra K. Dvornikova, Annlia Paganini-Hill, Ronald Kim, David H. Cribbs, Mark J. Fisher

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background: Cerebral microhemorrhages (CMH) are tiny deposits of blood degradation products in the brain and are pathological substrates of cerebral microbleeds. The existing CMH animal models are β-amyloid-, hypoxic brain injury-, or hypertension-induced. Recent evidence shows that CMH develop independently of hypoxic brain injury, hypertension, or amyloid deposition and CMH are associated with normal aging, sepsis, and neurodegenerative conditions. One common factor among the above pathologies is inflammation, and recent clinical studies show a link between systemic inflammation and CMH. Hence, we hypothesize that inflammation induces CMH development and thus, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced CMH may be an appropriate model to …

Requirements For Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Type I-F Crispr-Cas Adaptation Determined Using A Biofilm Enrichment Assay, Gary E. Heussler, Jon L. Miller, Courtney E. Price, Alan J. Collins

Dartmouth Scholarship

CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat)-Cas (CRISPR-associated protein) systems are diverse and found in many archaea and bacteria. These systems have mainly been characterized as adaptive immune systems able to protect against invading mobile genetic elements, including viruses. The first step in this protection is acquisition of spacer sequences from the invader DNA and incorporation of those sequences into the CRISPR array, termed CRISPR adaptation. Progress in understanding the mechanisms and requirements of CRISPR adaptation has largely been accomplished using overexpression of cas genes or plasmid loss assays; little work has focused on endogenous CRISPR-acquired immunity from viral predation. …

Benefits Of A Flexitarian Diet: Educating College Students Of Lifestyle Approaches To Reduce The Risk Of Developing Breast And Prostate Cancer, Abbigail Pace

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Practicing the Flexitarian diet, a plant-based diet, in conjunction with physical activity can promote a lifestyle consistent with the American Cancer Society’s recommendations for reducing risks of breast and prostate cancer (American Cancer Society Guidelines on Nutrition and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention, 2015) College students were assessed on knowledge of the relationship between diet and cancer risk prior to and after accessing information on the American Institute of Cancer Research site or the WKU Flexitarian Pinterest Page. Participants were recruited from the National Panhellenic and Interfraternity Council memberships and the International students at Western Kentucky University. Participants completed a …