Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Applying Modern Immunology To The Plague Of Ancient Athens, Juhi C. Patel

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

During the 5^th century BCE, ancient Athens and Sparta were involved in a major war during which an epidemic disease broke out in Athens, claiming the lives of a substantial part of the population. Although the ancient Greek historian Thucydides provides a first-hand account of the symptoms of the plague, modern historians have not been able to definitively identify the pathogen that caused the deadly epidemic. In 1994, a burial tomb of Athens was unearthed that unveiled the likely remains of plague victims. In 2005, scientists conducted molecular testing on the dental remains and used suicide PCR to compare …

The Current Neuroscientific Understanding Of Alzheimer's Disease, Rachel A. Brandes

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative neurological illness characterized by the deterioration of brain regions implicated in memory and cognitive function. While researchers have yet to find a cure or effective treatment, they have gained a better understanding of its pathology and development. Through years of neuroscience research, scientists have discovered much of what happens in the brain during Alzheimer’s disease onset and how this causes its symptoms; many hypotheses regarding this aspect of the illness involve temporal lobe atrophy, neurofibrillary tangles, and amyloid plaques. Although Alzheimer’s disease affects millions of people every day, it seems that most are unaware of …

Feasibility Of Using Participant Owned Smartphone Features To Conduct Ecological Momentary Assessment Of Planned Exercise Behavior In College-Aged Adults, Lucas F. Sheridan, Lindsay Toth, Kelley Strohacker

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

Background: Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) allows input of affective, social, and behavioral factors by participants in real time, which reduces recall bias. While such data may help predict exercise behavior, one limitation is the need for additional devices (palm pilot) or the creation of an app for a smartphone. The use of an online survey distribution platform compatible with personal smartphones to conduct EMA of exercise behavior in free-living adults is still unclear. Methods: Across 14 days, texts with a survey link were distributed at 9:30 am, 1:30 pm, 5:30 pm, and 9:30 pm. The survey assessed hypothesized …

Review Of Literature: The Clinical Nurses' Perception Of Their Role In Hospital Reimbursement, Mckinsey Patterson

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

Background: Nursing-sensitive indicators (NSI’s) serve to measure the impact nurses have in promotion of quality care. Existing research highlights the value-based purchasing (VBP) system implemented by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Few studies explore nurse perception.

Method: This review provides a state-of-the-science addressing NSI’s regarding delivery of quality care, hospital assessment related to value-based purchasing and the role of patient satisfaction regarding nursing care in the reimbursement of hospitals. Existing data related to nurses’ roles in VBP reimbursement efforts is described.

Results: A theme in the literature is that the HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) survey, …

Crohn’S Disease Linked Polymorphisms Associated With Autophagy Contribute To Th17 Cell Induction Through Increasing The Expression Of Il-1Β And Tnf-Α, Daniel Clayton Morse

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

Abstract

Genome wide association studies (GWAS) have linked polymorphisms in autophagy genes to Crohn’s Disease (CD). Interestingly, recent studies have shown that defective autophagy leads to increased levels of the cytokines IL-1b and TNF-a, which play a critical role in Th17 cell differentiation. This is significant because CD is marked by a Th17 cell mediated inflammatory response. This article examines the manners in which defective expression of autophagy linked proteins, can indirectly amplify and sustain Th17 cell induction through increasing the production of Th17 positively differentiating cytokines (IL-1b and TNF-a) and decreasing the production …

Fty720 (Fingolimod) Provides Insight Into The Molecular Mechanisms Of Multiple Sclerosis, Madelyn Elizabeth Crawford

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by a prolonged immune- mediated inflammatory response that targets myelin. Nearly all of the drugs approved for the treatment of MS are general immunosuppressants or only function in symptom management. The oral medication fingolimod, however, is reported to have direct therapeutic effects on cells of the central nervous system in addition to immunomodulatory functions. Fingolimod is known to interact with sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptors, and the most widely- accepted theory for its mechanism of action is functional antagonism of the receptor. This review examines significant neuromodulatory effects achieved by functional antagonism of the …