Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Investigation Of Parasites And Other Pathogens Associated With Eastern Wild Turkey (Meleagris Gallopavo Silvestris) Declines In Tennessee, Laura K. Horton

Doctoral Dissertations

This multi-part research project was carried out in order to investigate and address disease aspects which may be at play in the Middle Tennessee Wild Turkey population. This population has been experiencing declines since a restoration period which spanned from 1990-2000. In combined effort with Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency, the National Wild Turkey Federation, and collaboration with other research groups at the University of Tennessee, this survey of parasites and diseases of known risk to Wild Turkeys was carried out in the study population from 2020-2023. We evaluated the prevalence of the following pathogens for three field seasons: Histomonas meleagridis …

Exploring The Mechanistic Trail Connecting Cellular Function, Health, And Athletic Performance With Phase Angle: A Review On The Physiology Of Phase Angle And Exercise-Based Interventions, Trevor Short, Paulette Yamada

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology Volume 5: Issue 1, Article 7, 2024. Bioelectrical impedance analysis-derived phase angle (PhA) has been widely used in clinical and sports settings, as it is positively associated with health and fitness. However, what PhA is measuring at the cellular level has not been addressed, which limits our interpretation of PhA. The purpose of this review is to provide a roadmap, starting with the mechanistic link between the dielectric properties of mammalian cells and their physiological function. In simplistic terms, PhA measures cellular permittivity and electrical conductivity. These characteristics determine cellular health and function. This …

Nutritional Deuterium Depletion And Health: A Scoping Review, Nicole Korchinsky

Department of Nutrition Student Projects

Background: Deuterium depletion is an untapped area of energy metabolism and health.

Objectives: The purpose of this scoping review is to examine the health effects through deuterium depletion via deuterium-depleted water and a deuterium-depleted diet (ketogenic).

Methods: A protocol process approach was used to retrieve current research in deuterium depletion.

Results: 15 research articles were used. Deuterium depletion was found to have beneficial health effects in the following conditions: cancer prevention, cancer treatment, depression, diabetes, long-term memory, anti-aging, and sports performance.

Conclusion: Even with limited data, consistent deuterium depletion was seen across all conditions reviewed. …

Association Between Expedited Review Designations And The Us Or Global Burden Of Disease For Drugs Approved By The Us Food And Drug Administration, 2010–2019: A Cross-Sectional Analysis, Matthew J. Jackson, Gregory Vaughan, Fred D. Ledley

Natural & Applied Sciences Faculty Publications

Pharmaceutical innovation can contribute to reducing the burden of disease in human populations. This research asks whether products approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from 2010 to 2019 and expedited review programmes incentivising development of products for serious disease were aligned with the US or global burden of disease.

An Ewas Of Dementia Biomarkers And Their Associations With Age, African Ancestry, And Ptsd, Mark W. Miller, Erika J. Wolf, Xiang Zhao, Mark W. Logue, Sage E. Hawn

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background

Large-scale cohort and epidemiological studies suggest that PTSD confers risk for dementia in later life but the biological mechanisms underlying this association remain unknown. This study examined this question by assessing the influences of PTSD, APOE ε4 genotypes, DNA methylation, and other variables on the age- and dementia-associated biomarkers Aβ40, Aβ42, GFAP, NfL, and pTau-181 measured in plasma. Our primary hypothesis was that PTSD would be associated with elevated levels of these markers.

Methods

Analyses were based on data from a PTSD-enriched cohort of 849 individuals. We began by performing factor analyses of the biomarkers, the results of which …

Plasma Protein Signatures Of Adult Asthma, Gordon J. Smilnak, Yura Lee, Abhijnan Chattopadhyay, Annah B. Wyss, Julie D. White, Sinjini Sikdar, Jianping Jin, Andrew J. Grant, Alison A. Motsinger-Reif, Jian-Liang Li, Mikyeong Lee, Bing Yu, Stephanie J. London

Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Publications

Background: Adult asthma is complex and incompletely understood. Plasma proteomics is an evolving technique that can both generate biomarkers and provide insights into disease mechanisms. We aimed to identify plasma proteomic signatures of adult asthma.

Methods: Protein abundance in plasma was measured in individuals from the Agricultural Lung Health Study (ALHS) (761 asthma, 1095 non-case) and the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study (470 asthma, 10,669 non-case) using the SOMAScan 5K array. Associations with asthma were estimated using covariate adjusted logistic regression and meta-analyzed using inverse-variance weighting. Additionally, in ALHS, we examined phenotypes based on both asthma and seroatopy (asthma with …

Menakar Kesiapan Puskesmas Dalam Penuntasan Penanganan Penyakit: Analisa Data Riset Fasilitas Kesehatan 2019, Harimat Hendarwan, Suparmi Suparmi

Jurnal Ekonomi Kesehatan Indonesia

The completion of disease treatment at the health center was important for payment of Capitation Based on Fulfillment of Service Commitment (PCFSC/KBPKP) and the Non-Specialist Case Outpatient Referral (NSOR/RRNS) was one of the key indicators. This study aimed to assess public health center readiness in the completion of disease treatment for those stipulated in Ministerial Decree number 514 of the year 2015. This study used Health Facility Research (Rifaskes) data conducted in 2019 with a total of 9831 health centers as observations. Analysis was conducted by comparing the availability of equipment, laboratories, and medicines with existing regulations. Health center readiness …

Beyond The Basics: Unraveling The Complexity Of Coronary Artery Calcification, Satwat Hashmi, Pashmina Wiqar Shah, Zouhair Aherrahrou, Elena Aikawa, Rédouane Aherrahrou

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

Coronary artery calcification (CAC) is mainly associated with coronary atherosclerosis, which is an indicator of coronary artery disease (CAD). CAC refers to the accumulation of calcium phosphate deposits, classified as micro- or macrocalcifications, that lead to the hardening and narrowing of the coronary arteries. CAC is a strong predictor of future cardiovascular events, such as myocardial infarction and sudden death. Our narrative review focuses on the pathophysiology of CAC, exploring its link to plaque vulnerability, genetic factors, and how race and sex can affect the condition. We also examined the connection between the gut microbiome and CAC, and the impact …

Impacts Of Environmental Stressors On Native South Dakota Amphibian Physiology And Survival, Danielle Jean Galvin

Dissertations and Theses

Amphibian populations around the world are declining, with some of the most likely drivers behind these declines including emerging infectious diseases and environmental contaminants. To address major gaps in the current literature, I sought to evaluate the effect of two major environmental stressors on various aspects of amphibian physiology: emerging infectious diseases and environmental contaminants. Emerging infectious diseases of amphibians include fungal, viral, and parasitic pathogens which have expanded in host range, either geographically or in competent host species. Environmental contaminants include chemicals which may be naturally occurring in the environment, or which may be introduced to the environment, often …

Organ Aging Signatures In The Plasma Proteome Track Health And Disease, Hamilton Se-Hwee Oh, Yun Ju Sung, Lihua Wang, Jigyasha Timsina, Dan Western, Menghan Liu, Pat Kohlfeld, John Budde, Carlos Cruchaga, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Animal studies show aging varies between individuals as well as between organs within an individual

Understanding The Consumption Of Antimicrobial Resistance–Related Content On Social Media: Twitter Analysis, Hyunuk Kim, Chris R. Proctor, Dylan Walker, Ronan R. Mccarthy

Business Faculty Articles and Research

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the most pressing concerns in our society. Today, social media can function as an important channel to disseminate information about AMR. The way in which this information is engaged with depends on a number of factors, including the target audience and the content of the social media post.

Objective: The aim of this study is to better understand how AMR-related content is consumed on the social media platform Twitter and to understand some of the drivers of engagement. This is essential to designing effective public health strategies, raising awareness about antimicrobial …

Prevention Of Obesity-Related Morbidity & Mortality In Adults, Rachelle Virgin

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

Poster presentation on the prevention of obesity related morbidity and mortality in adults.

Investigating The Physiological Use Of An Organ-On-A-Chip Device Through The Design And Fabrication Of A Micro-Electrical Blood-Brain Barrier (Μe-Bbb) System, Amrita Srinivasan, Kiana Aran, Jonalyn Herce, Noor Chaudhry, Allexa Ortiz

CMC Senior Theses

Aging is considered the main risk factor for various neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). Aging is associated with an increase in neuroinflammation, which is a significant contributor to cognitive impairment observed in these age-related neurodegenerative diseases. However, studying brain behavior remains a challenge due to the complex nature of isolating brain tissue from an organism. Modeling the brain allows for further study of these neurodegenerative diseases. Organ-on-a- chip (OoC), a system containing engineered or natural tissues grown within microfluidic chips, has emerged as a promising tool for mimicking human physiology in a controlled microenvironment. A …

Creating A Primary Care Track In Prelicensure Nursing Education, Janice E. Hawkins, Lynn L. Wiles, Jamela Martin, Beth Tremblay, Karen Higgins, Ingrid Mahoney

Nursing Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: RNs practicing in primary care (PC) increase access to health care and contribute to better patient outcomes and cost savings, yet undergraduate nursing education traditionally focuses on disease-oriented care. This article describes a curricular track for infusing PC prelicensure programs.

METHOD: PC content is threaded across four semesters with targeted assignments and clinical experiences. Providing clinical immersion experiences with practicing RNs as preceptors in community and PC settings is a key component of this initiative.

RESULTS: Student feedback has been favorable. Students stated they gained insight to the role of RNs in PC through class assignments and clinical rotations. …

Social Network Analysis Of White-Tailed Deer Scraping Behavior: Implications For Disease Transmission, Michael E. Egan, Kim M. Pepin, Justin Fischer, Scott R. Hygnstrom, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Guillaume Bastille-Rousseau

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Host contact structure affects pathogen transmission in host populations, but many measures of host contact do not distinguish contacts that are relevant to pathogen transmission from those that are not. Scrapes are sites for chemical communication by white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) during the breeding season and potential sites of transmission of prions, the causative agent of chronic wasting disease (CWD). Scrape-related behaviors vary in their probability of transmitting prions to or from the environment, suggesting that behavior be combined with contact structure to better reflect potential heterogeneity in prion transmission at scrapes. We recorded visits and behaviors by …

Prednisolone For Copd Exacerbations: Time For A Rethink, Sanjay Ramakrishnan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Prednisolone given universally for COPD exacerbations causes harm without any benefit. Patients deserve blood eosinophil-guided prednisolone treatment for COPD exacerbations.

The Potencial Of Ginger (Zingiber Officinale R.) As A Standardized Herbal Product In North Sumatera, Rahmad Syukur Siregar, Rika Ampuh Hadiguna, Insannul Kamil, Novizar Nazir, Nofialdi Nofialdi

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

Indonesia has more than 9,609 plant species which have medicinal properties that is spread across various regions in Indonesia. Ginger is a group of medicinal plants that are therapeutic. Ginger has been cultivated on a large scale with the highest harvested area, total production and demand in Indonesia, including the Province of North Sumatra. The use of ginger as a medicinal plant has been carried out on the scale of the Traditional Medicine Industry (IOT), of which there are 135 IOTs in Indonesia and one of them is in North Sumatra, namely in the city of Medan. This article uses …

Association Of Chlorhexidine Use And Scaling And Root Planing With Birth Outcomes In Pregnant Individuals With Periodontitis: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Maxwell Akonde, Rajat Das Gupta, Maxwell Akonde, Mark Reynolds, Stephanie Smith-Warner, Jihong Liu Sc.D., Fouzia Tarannum, James Beck, Donald Mattison

Faculty Publications

Importance Chlorhexidine mouthwash enhances treatment effects of conventional periodontal treatment, but data on chlorhexidine as a source of heterogeneity in meta-analyses assessing the treatment of maternal periodontitis in association with birth outcomes are lacking.

Objective To assess possible heterogeneity by chlorhexidine use in randomized clinical trials (RCTs) evaluating the effect of periodontal treatment (ie, scaling and root planing [SRP]) vs no treatment on birth outcomes.

Data Sources Cochrane Oral Health’s Trials Register, Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth’s Trials Register, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE Ovid, Embase Ovid, LILACS BIREME Virtual Health Library (Latin American and Caribbean Health Science …

Proteomic Profiling Platforms Head To Head: Leveraging Genetics And Clinical Traits To Compare Aptamer- And Antibody-Based Methods, Daniel H. Katz, Jeremy M. Robbins, Shuliang Deng, Usman A. Tahir, Alexander G. Bick, Akhil Pampana, Zhi Yu, Debby Ngo, Mark D. Benson, Zsu-Zsu Chen, Daniel E. Cruz, Dongxiao Shen, Yan Gao, Claude Bouchard, Mark A. Sarzynski Facsm, Adolfo Correa, Pradeep Natarajan, James G. Wilson, Robert E. Gerszten

Faculty Publications

High-throughput proteomic profiling using antibody or aptamer-based affinity reagents is used increasingly in human studies. However, direct analyses to address the relative strengths and weaknesses of these platforms are lacking. We assessed findings from the SomaScan1.3K (N = 1301 reagents), the SomaScan5K platform (N = 4979 reagents), and the Olink Explore (N = 1472 reagents) profiling techniques in 568 adults from the Jackson Heart Study and 219 participants in the HERITAGE Family Study across four performance domains: precision, accuracy, analytic breadth, and phenotypic associations leveraging detailed clinical phenotyping and genetic data. Across these studies, we show evidence …

Role Of Temperature, Transmission Pathways, And Pathogen Load In Batrachochytrium Salamandrivorans Epidemiology, Edward Davis Carter

Doctoral Dissertations

Amphibian populations are experiencing dramatic population declines. Amphibian diseases are one of the major reasons for these declines. A newly described fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal), has been recently introduced to Europe and is currently decimating European salamander populations. Sampling efforts have not detected Bsal yet in the United States in captive or wild populations. Disease management hinges on knowing how environmental, host, and pathogen interactions influence disease occurrence and severity. Understanding routes of pathogen transmission is also critical as knowledge of these routes can elucidate management strategies. In Chapter I of my dissertation, I measured how environmental …

A Study Of Bone-Vascular Axis In Health And Disease, Alaa A. Ali Al Sayedb, Emad M. El-Shebiny, Enas S. Zahran, Sabry A. Shoeib

Menoufia Medical Journal

Objectives The aim was to study bone–vascular axis in health and disease. Data sources Medline databases (PubMed and MedScape) and all materials available in the internet were searched. The search was performed in September 2021. Study selection The initial search presented 120 articles. The number of studies that met the inclusion criteria was 21. The articles included both sexes and patients with bone–vascular disease. Data extraction If the studies did not fulfill the inclusion criteria, they were excluded. Data from each eligible study were independently abstracted in duplicate using a data collection form to capture information on study characteristics, interventions, …

Effect Of Vitamin D On The Efficacy Of Topical Artificial Tears In Patients With Dry-Eye Disease, A M. S. Fayed, Dina G. H. Abd Elmonem, Hatem M. Marey, Marwa A. Zaky

Menoufia Medical Journal

Background The tear film is a complex mix of electrolytes, proteins (lipocalins, lactoferrin, transferrin, defensin, and lysozyme), phospholipids, oligopeptides, glycopeptides, and immunoglobulins. Objective The aim was to investigate the efficacy of topical carbomer-based lipid-containing artificial tears and hyaluronate in patients with dry-eye disease (DED) based on serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25HD) levels and cholecalciferol (vitamin D) supplementation. Patients and methods A nonrandomized clinical trial study was conducted on 42 patients with DED by Schirmer tear-secretion test (mm) who were examined by Ophthalmology Department, Menoufia University Hospital, Egypt, during the study period from March 2020 to March 2021. Results Serum 25HD …

Effects Of Education On Correcting Misconceptions And Acceptance Of The Influenza Vaccination Among A College Campus, Travis E. Fairbanks

DNP Scholarly Projects

Educating patients on the influenza vaccination is an important goal for health care providers. It fosters a working relationship between provider and patient and allows patients to make an informed decision on their health care needs. The percentage of individuals who receive the influenza vaccine in the United States has been consistently below goals set by the committee for Healthy People 2020. This DNP scholarly project aimed to determine whether the introduction of education was effective at increasing individuals’ choice to vaccinate against the influenza virus among college campus students. The study was a non-experimental, non-randomized control trial that utilized …

How Different Pre-Existing Mental Disorders And Their Co-Occurrence Affects Covid-19 Clinical Outcomes? A Real-World Data Study In The Southern United States, Shan Qiao Ph.D., Jiajia Zhang Ph.D., Shujie Chen, Bankole Olatosi Ph.D., Suzanne Hardeman, Meera Narasimhan, Larisa Bruner, Abdoulaye Diedhiuo, Cheryl Scott, Ali Mansaray, Sharon Weissman, Xiaoming Li Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Background: Although a psychiatric history might be an independent risk factor for COVID-19 infection and mortality, no studies have systematically investigated how different clusters of pre-existing mental disorders may affect COVID-19 clinical outcomes or showed how the coexistence of mental disorder clusters is related to COVID-19 clinical outcomes. Methods: Using a retrospective cohort study design, a total of 476,775 adult patients with lab-confirmed and probable COVID-19 between March 06, 2020 and April 14, 2021 in South Carolina, United States were included in the current study. The electronic health record data of COVID-19 patients were linked to all payer-based claims data …

Biol 335 Pathophysiology: Bracketology: Disease Edition, Meredith A. Rowe Ph.D.

Open Educational Resources

This project was designed for use in BIOL 335 Pathophysiology, an elective course for which Anatomy & Physiology I and II are prerequisites. The project is based on a single-elimination bracket where progression to the next round is decided by vote of the class, but the votes are independent of student grades. As individual students are “eliminated” by the voting process, they are assigned to work with another student who is still “in,” so the groups gradually become larger as the project progresses. There are two graded assignments for each round: one is a presentation, and one is a written …

Recommendations For Infection Control In Congregate Shelters Following A Natural Disaster, Megan Schultz, Blaine Winters

Student Works

Infection control is at the forefront of nurses’ minds, particularly following a natural disaster. Natural disasters often displace people from their homes, requiring them to stay in congregate shelters for a short period of time. The risk of infection is significantly increased in shelters environments. The purpose of this literature review is to determine the appropriate strategies to mitigate the spread of infection in congregate shelters following a natural disaster. Implications for practice are identified.

Optimizing Management Of Invasions In An Uncertain World Using Dynamic Spatial Models, Kim M. Pepin, Amy J. Davis, Rebecca S. Epanchin-Niell, Andrew M. Gormley, Joslin L. Moore, Timothy J. Smyser, H. Bradley Shaffer, William L. Kendall, Katriona Shea, Michael C. Runge, Sophie Mckee

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Dispersal drives invasion dynamics of nonnative species and pathogens. Applying knowledge of dispersal to optimize the management of invasions can mean the difference between a failed and a successful control program and dramatically improve the return on investment of control efforts. A common approach to identifying optimal management solutions for invasions is to optimize dynamic spatial models that incorporate dispersal. Optimizing these spatial models can be very challenging because the interaction of time, space, and uncertainty rapidly amplifies the number of dimensions being considered. Addressing such problems requires advances in and the integration of techniques from multiple fields, including ecology, …

Association Of Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration With Migraine, Tung-Mei Kuang, Sudha Xirasagar, Yi-Wei Kao, Jau-Der Ho, Herng-Ching Lin

Faculty Publications

Patients with early onset vascular pathology have been reported to manifest neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD). While the blood vessels involved in pathogenesis of migraine remains controversial, it is generally accepted that a major contributor is blood vessel pathology. This study aimed to examine the association between migraine and AMD using a nationwide population-based dataset. Retrospective claims data were collected from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. We identified 20,333 patients diagnosed with neovascular AMD (cases), and we selected 81,332 propensity score-matched controls from the remaining beneficiaries in Taiwan's National Health Insurance system. We used Chi-square tests to explore …

Antibiotics May Be Unnecessary In The Treatment Of Acute Uncomplicated Diverticulitis, Madison Gump

Capstone Showcase

Acute diverticulitis is one of the most common gastrointestinal diseases worldwide and is increasing in prevalence. Symptoms include abdominal pain, fever, changes in bowel habits, nausea, and vomiting. Traditionally, this disease has been treated with antibiotics, but new research has emerged that has provided evidence that it may be safe to treat acute uncomplicated cases without antibiotics. This represents an area of medicine where it may be possible to reduce the use of unnecessary antibiotics and, therefore, contribution to bacterial antibiotic resistance. The current research studies do have some limitations and future studies with larger, more diverse patient populations and …

Uterine Fibroid Prevalence And Health Care Disparities By County. Florida, 2010-2019, Saarah K. Sherifi

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Also known as uterine fibroids, leiomyomas occur in 70% of women. A uterine leiomyoma is a benign growth in the muscular wall of the uterus which, if left untreated, can grow, and affect surrounding organs, leading to complications, including hemorrhage and death. Symptomatic women often experience pain and debilitating menstrual cycles which, in turn, result in poor health, poor quality of life, and loss of income. Preventative and treatment services in Florida could benefit from the characteristics of women affected the most by this disease in the state. Thus, we describe the demographic characteristics and estimate the prevalence rate of …