Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Alcohol Worsens Bipolar Disorder: Fact Or Myth?, Kushal Seni, Pooja A. Chawla

Research Symposium

Bipolar disorder is a chronic and complex psychiatric condition characterized by alternating episodes of mania and depression. The suffering person’s quality of life, behaviour, and mood are all deeply impacted. Although drinking alcohol is a typical practise among those who have bipolar disorder, little is known about how it affects the illness. The objective of this paper is to give an overview of how alcohol affects bipolar disorder. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant that can cause mood fluctuations and make bipolar disorder symptoms stronger. Alcohol may at first give off an instantaneous sensation of excitement, but over time, …

Periacetabular Osteotomy: An Analysis Of Social Media To Determine The Most Common Questions Asked By The Periacetabular Osteotomy Population, John M. Gaddis, Ryan Bialaszewski, Bretton Laboret, Joel Wells, Adina Stewart

Research Symposium

Background: Social media has become an increasingly popular resource for patients and a platform to share one’s experiences. Patients undergoing periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) may gravitate towards social media for support, guidance and understanding. The aim of this study was to investigate Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to further understand what the most common preoperative and postoperative questions patients undergoing PAO are asking.

Methods: Facebook, Instagram and Twitter were queried consecutively from February 1, 2023 to November 23, 2011. Facebook was searched for the two most populated interest groups; “Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO)” and “Periacetabular Osteotomy Australia”. Instagram and Twitter were queried for …

Analyzing And Addressing Telemedicine Barriers Among Lubbock Medicaid Patients, Ariel Santos, Tim Fox, Meredith Hopson, Joey Almaguer, Zoe Davis, Joey Almaguer

Research Symposium

Background: There has been a widespread demand for virtual medicine ever since the COVID-19 pandemic. Benefits to telemedicine include less expenses for the patient and industry, reduced risk of acquiring communicable diseases, improved chronic disease management, and the elimination of traditional barriers to care (e.g. transportation, time off work, childcare, location/distance etc.). However, there are pertinent limitations, such as access to reliable internet, access to Zoom-capable technology, and technological literacy. These limitations may serve as barriers to utilizing virtual medicine as a source of health care.

Methods: Using retrospective chart review, we sent a Qualtrics questionnaire to Medicaid …

Association Of Variability And Hypertensive Peaks In 24-H Blood Pressure With Cardiovascular Risk And Mortality, Jesus D. Melgarejo, Luis J. Mena, Kristina P. Vatcheva, Jose A. Garcia, Dhrumil Patil, Claudia Satizabal, Carlos A. Chavez, Rosa V. Pirela, Gustavo Calmon, Joseph H. Lee, Joseph D. Terwilliger, Sudha Seshadri, Gladys E. Maestre

Research Symposium

Background: Blood pressure (BP) variability relates to cardiovascular (CV) diseases and one unexplored mechanism may involve hypertensive peaks caused by high BP variability. OBJECTIVES: To test this hypothesis, we studied the association of cumulative hypertensive peaks (CHP) in 24-h systolic BP with CV risk.

Methods: A total of 1212 participants from the Maracaibo Aging Study (mean age, 66; women, 67.2%) underwent 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring and were followed between 1998 and 2010. BP variability was the 24-h average real variability (ARV). CHP in systolic BP (expressed as %) was the number of systolic BP measures ≥125 mmHg (based on …

Molecular Insights Into The Anti-Stress Function Of Fucoxanthin, A Major Component Of An Edible Seaweed (Wakame), Shi Yang, Huayue Zhang, Hyonchol Kim, Sunil Kaul, Renu Wadhwa

Research Symposium

Background: Mortalin, a member of the Hsp70 family of proteins, enriched in many types of cancers, has been shown to promote carcinogenesis and metastasis by multiple ways of which inactivation of p53 has been firmly established. Downregulation of mortalin by small RNAs and disruption of mortalin-p53 interactions by small molecules have earlier been shown to activate tumor suppressor activities of p53 yielding growth arrest/apoptosis in cancer cells. In this premise, screening of a chemical library to identify potential abrogators of mortalin-p53 interaction was performed using two-way imaging assay involving (i) shift of mortalin staining pattern from perinuclear (characteristics of cancer …

Nurturing The Environment: Enhancing Pet-Plastic Degradation By A Slow-Growing Miracle Microbe, Felipe-Andrés Piedra, Anthony Maresso

Research Symposium

Background: Plastic pollution is a global problem of enormous (5.5 billion tons) and growing proportion (1). A promising solution involves fermentation of plastic waste to produce microbial biomass that can be used in a range of applications including compost production. However, few microbial species able to consume plastic waste have been identified, and those that have been, including the recently discovered gram-negative bacterial species Ideonella sakaiensis (I. sakaiensis) which consumes polyethylene terephthalate (PET) (2) – a common throwaway plastic – do so exceedingly slowly (2). Here we report results from a screen of 190 carbon sources to identify small molecule …

Rational Design Of An Antimicrobial Peptide, Elvira Alanis, Miguel Alanis, Frank B. Dean, Yonghong Zhang

Research Symposium

Background: Clostridioides difficile is a gram-positive, spore-forming anaerobic bacterium that is the leading cause of nosocomial infections. Due to its detergent-resistant spores and antibiotic resistance, C. difficile infection is an urgent threat since it is difficult to eliminate, allowing it to persist in healthcare institutions. Inadequate treatments available for this infection lead to the problem that C. difficile infection rates may rise in coming years due to an increase in hospital-acquired infections following the COVID-19 pandemic, and therefore the discovery of new antimicrobial compounds is of utmost importance. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have become a promising alternative due to their …

Treatment Strategies For Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease (Mafld) In Childhood: A Systematic Review, Anthony Alanis, Alisha Valdez, Hector Rivera-Marrero, Joshua Membreno, Isabel Omaña-Guzman, Marisol Rosas-Diaz, Yoscelina Estrella Martínez-López, Esperanza Milagros Garcia-Oropesa, Nayely Garibay-Nieto, Alejandra Bustamante, Octelina Castillo-Ruiz, Beatriz Tapia, Leonel Vela, Kathleen V. Carter, Juan Carlos Lopez-Alvarenga

Research Symposium

Introduction: Obesity is associated with various metabolic conditions, but the impact differs between children and adults. Our previous research has demonstrated that children may exhibit reversibility in biochemical features, while experiencing less response in terms of anatomical damage. Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD) is a condition that necessitates urgent treatment during childhood to mitigate future complications, such as worsening chronic inflammation and increased predisposition to diabetes, hypertension, or endothelial damage. In this study, we aim to evaluate the main clinical interventions (including drugs, behavioral treatments, nutrition programs, and traditional medicine) that effectively reduce MAFLD in children with obesity. …

The Impact Of Alcoholism In Depression, Anjali Sharma, Pooja Chawla

Research Symposium

Depression is a common mental health condition characterized by lack of passion or enjoyment in activities as well as persistent emotions of sadness and hopelessness. Excessive alcohol consumption is a chronic issue on nationwide and presents a significant public health concern. Consuming alcohol is linked to worse outcomes in terms of how depression develops it happens when the untreated alcoholism intensifies, it leads to depressive states, decreases responsiveness to conventional therapeutics as well as increases the likelihood of suicide, suicide attempts and other self-destructive behavior. Major depressive episodes and excessive alcohol use have long been thought to be related clinically …

Alcoholism And Psychiatric Comorbidity: A Complex Relationship, Aniket Saini, Pooja Chawla

Research Symposium

Alcoholism, also known as alcohol use disorder (AUD), is a chronic and relapsing condition characterized by the excessive and compulsive consumption of alcohol which leads to negative effects on the physical as well as mental health. Heavy drinking associated with alcoholism can coexist with or contribute to several different psychiatric disorders like depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, antisocial personality disorder, and schizophrenia. In patients with AUD, around 80% of cases suffer from a social anxiety disorder, 27% -40% of cases are diagnosed with major depressive disorder, 19%-26% of young adults suffer from attention-deficient hyperactivity disorder, 21% of patients with AUD …

Understanding The Lgbtq+ Divide: A Review On The Impact Of Geographic Location And Political Climate On Lgbtq+ Patient Care In The United States., Conner Clark

Cooper Rowan Medical Journal

Background:

In the United States, laws and policies are proposed and passed daily that either protect or restrict transgender patients’ access to care. The objective of this study is to review the existing body of literature on the effect of state-level policy on transgender patients’ overall health.

Methods:

Primary literature was identified through PubMed and the National Institutes of Health. Search terms included keywords related to the following concepts: LGBTQ terms, differentiating terms, regional terms, and health outcome terms. Inclusion criteria: Quantifiable studies conducted on the American LGBTQ and Transgender population from January 2015 to April 2023. Exclusion criteria: Studies …

Hypertension Health Literacy Education For Unlicensed Assistive Living Facility Staff, Rhonda Gary Jackson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Molecular Mechanisms In Pathophysiology Of Mucopolysaccharidosis And Prospects For Innovative Therapy, Yasuhiko Ago, Estera Rintz, Krishna Sai Musini, Zhengyu Ma, Shunji Tomatsu

Department of Pediatrics Faculty Papers

Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPSs) are a group of inborn errors of the metabolism caused by a deficiency in the lysosomal enzymes required to break down molecules called glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). These GAGs accumulate over time in various tissues and disrupt multiple biological systems, including catabolism of other substances, autophagy, and mitochondrial function. These pathological changes ultimately increase oxidative stress and activate innate immunity and inflammation. We have described the pathophysiology of MPS and activated inflammation in this paper, starting with accumulating the primary storage materials, GAGs. At the initial stage of GAG accumulation, affected tissues/cells are reversibly affected but progress irreversibly to: (1) …

Standardized Pre-Clinical Surgical Animal Model Protocol To Investigate The Cellular And Molecular Mechanisms Of Ischemic Flap Healing, Edita Aksamitiene, Ryan Heffelfinger, Jan Hoek, Edmund Pribitkin

Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Some of the most complex surgical interventions to treat trauma and cancer include the use of locoregional pedicled and free autologous tissue transfer flaps. While the techniques used for these reconstructive surgery procedures have improved over time, flap complications and even failure remain a significant clinical challenge. Animal models are useful in studying the pathophysiology of ischemic flaps, but when repeatability is a primary focus of a study, conventional in-vivo designs, where one randomized subset of animals serves as a treatment group while a second subset serves as a control, are at a disadvantage instigated by greater subject-to-subject variability. …

Treatment Effects Of N-Acetyl Cysteine On Resting-State Functional Mri And Cognitive Performance In Patients With Chronic Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Longitudinal Study, Faezeh Vedaei, Andrew B. Newberg, M. Alizadeh, George Zabrecky, Emily Navarreto, Chloe Hriso, Nancy Wintering, Feroze Mohamed, Daniel A. Monti

Marcus Institute of Integrative Health Faculty Papers

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a significant public health concern, specially characterized by a complex pattern of abnormal neural activity and functional connectivity. It is often associated with a broad spectrum of short-term and long-term cognitive and behavioral symptoms including memory dysfunction, headache, and balance difficulties. Furthermore, there is evidence that oxidative stress significantly contributes to these symptoms and neurophysiological changes. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on brain function and chronic symptoms in mTBI patients. Fifty patients diagnosed with chronic mTBI participated in this study. They were categorized into two groups …

Self-Efficacy Of Urban African Americans In Response To Covid-19 Health Information, Katrina Volbrecht

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Hip Preservation Surgery In Patients With Femoroacetabular Impingement Syndrome And Acetabular Dysplasia Improves Functional Measures And Pain Catastrophizing, John M. Gaddis, Rafael De Souza, Benjamin Montanez, Paul A. Nakonezny, Bretton Laboret, Ryan Bialaszewski, Joel Wells

School of Medicine Publications and Presentations

Background Chronic hip pain is a debilitating condition that severely reduces one's quality of life. Prior studies uncovered a link between hip pathologies and pain catastrophizing, anxiety, and depression. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether hip preservation surgery in patients with femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) and acetabular dysplasia (AD) improves functional outcomes and pain catastrophizing. Methods Patients with FAIS and AD were requested to complete a hip questionnaire both preoperatively and postoperatively at a single academic center (University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA). Pain catastrophizing was evaluated using the pain catastrophizing scale, and pain …

Nonhormonal Pharmacotherapies For The Treatment Of Postmenopausal Vasomotor Symptoms, Taylor Witten, Julia Staszkiewicz, Logan Gold, Mallory A. Granier, Rachel J. Klapper, Gabriel Lavespere, Bradley Dorius, Varsha Allampalli, Shahab Ahmadzadeh, Sahar Shekoohi, Alan D. Kaye, Giustino Varrassi

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

An average of 60-80% of all menopausal women experience bothersome vasomotor symptoms (VMSs), such as flushing and sweating, within the first seven years of onset. However, despite increasing prevalence, these hot flashes remain hard to treat and have a negative effect on the quality of life. Though hormone replacement therapy is commonly utilized as a standard treatment for VMSs, this therapy is not recommended for all women. Specifically, the oral form of hormone replacement therapy is associated with several contraindications, including a history of thromboembolic disease, migraine headache with aura, liver failure, heart disease, and hormone-dependent cancers. For women with …

Regulation Of Tissue Factor Activity By Interaction With The First Pdz Domain Of Magi1, Mohammad A. Mohammad, Sophie Featherby, Camille Ettelaie

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background; Tissue factor (TF) activity is stringently regulated through processes termed encryption. Post-translational modification of TF and its interactions with various protein and lipid moieties allows for a multi-step de-encryption of TF and procoagulant activation. Membrane-associated guanylate kinase-with inverted configuration (MAGI) proteins are known to regulate the localisation and activity of a number of proteins including cell-surface receptors. Methods; The interaction of TF with MAGI1 protein was examined as a means of regulating TF activity. MDA-MB-231 cell line was used which express TF and MAGI1, and respond well to protease activated receptor (PAR)2 activation. Proximity ligation assay (PLA), co-immunoprecipitation and …

Using The R = Mc2 Heuristic To Understand Barriers To And Facilitators Of Implementing School-Based Physical Activity Opportunities: A Qualitative Study, Derek W Craig, Timothy J Walker, Paula Cuccaro, Shreela V Sharma, Natalia I Heredia, Michael C Robertson, Maria E Fernandez

Journal Articles

BACKGROUND: Schools are a key setting for supporting youth physical activity, given their broad reach and diverse student populations. Organizational readiness is a precursor to the successful implementation of school-based physical activity opportunities. The R = MC

METHODS: We analyzed interview data from 15 elementary school staff (principals, assistant principals, physical education teachers, and classroom teachers) from a school district in Texas. We focused on factors related to adopting, implementing, and sustaining a variety of school-based physical activity opportunities. We used the Framework Method to guide the analysis and coded data using deductive (informed by the R = MC

RESULTS: …

Draft Genomes Of 12 Bifidobacterium Isolates From Human Ibd Fecal Samples, Cole E Souza, Nicole E Jacobson, Michelle A An, Lindsay Droit, Alejandro A Vega, Mariel Rosales, Kathie A Mihindukulasuriya, Karina Pastrana, Scott A Handley, Miles Parkes, Joanna Rimmer, David Wang, Elizabeth A Dinsdale, Robert A Edwards, Anca M Segall

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Twelve

The Etiology Of Nurse Educator Shortages: Replenishing And Flourishing The Profession, Kara R. Delafosse

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

Nursing shortages nationwide have been exemplified since the global pandemic demanding an examination of contributing factors crippling the profession. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that 200,000 annual vacant registered nurse positions for the next decade, are problematic due to the mass exodus of individuals serving in the occupation (Gaines, 2022). A study of approximately 900 nursing schools in the country indicates two vacancies exist per establishment illuminating the critical shortages of educators (Morris, 2023). A growing phenomenon is the challenge to maintain and replenish leaders in nurse education necessary to train and prepare students enrolled in nursing …

Fibromyxoid Sarcoma Of The Breast: An Atypical Presentation Of A Rare Mesenchymal Tumor, Aaron I. Dadzie, Yossef Alsabawi, Lois C. Akpati, Valentine S. Alia, Roger Galindo

Research Symposium

Background: Low-grade Fibromyxoid Sarcoma (LGFMS) is a rare soft-tissue sarcoma with an incidence rate of 0.18 per million, first introduced into the literature by Harry L. Evans in 1987 [1]. This tumor, of mesenchymal origin, has a predilection for young adults and is most commonly found in the upper and lower extremities of deep soft tissues [1,2,3,4,5]. LGFMS has been described as having multiple variants, often presenting histologically as alternating fibrous and myxoid areas containing bland spindle and stellate cells arranged in a swirling, whorled appearance [6]. The predominant chromosomal abnormality of LGFMS has a FUS-CREB3L2 fusion gene with a …

Small Cell Carcinoma Of The Bladder: A Rare Case, Simita Gaglani, James Sander

Research Symposium

In this case report, we explore a case of small cell bladder carcinoma in a 75-year-old man with a history of smoking. This is a unique, aggressive subtype of bladder cancer which, in this patient, presented with gross hematuria. Workup included cystoscopy and transurethral resection of the bladder tumor, and pathological confirmation of the diagnosis elicited a referral to oncology for staging CT and potential chemotherapeutic measures. While the small cell carcinoma was successfully identified, it had already invaded the detrusor muscle on presentation, prompting the question of how to go about diagnosing and treating this subtype of bladder cancer …

Rare Presentation Of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Of The Tongue With Ectopic Β-Hcg Secretion: A Case Report And Literature Review, Taha Al Hassan, Rachel A. Giese

Research Symposium

Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma is the most common form of cancer in the oral cavity and pharynx, comprising more than 90% of all cases, with approximately half presenting with regional lymph node spread at the time of diagnosis. Pathogenesis includes various stages of progression encompassing multiple genetic and cellular events that ultimately lead to the malignant transformation of the squamous cells and invasion into surrounding tissues. Given the multistep nature of disease progression, recent studies have investigated potential prognostic indicators and screening markers through immunohistochemical staining and few studies suggest that human chorionic gonadotropin may be one marker that …

The Difficulty In The Diagnosis And Management Of Antidepressant Discontinuation Syndrome, Sidney Charm D. Reyes

Research Symposium

Background: Antidepressant discontinuation syndrome (ADS) is a condition that occurs in about 20% of patients following the abrupt reduction/stoppage of any antidepressant medication that has been taken continuously for at least 1 month. The difficulty of diagnosing ADS lies in the fact that the symptoms tend to be mistaken for other illnesses. Symptoms are commonly variable per individual, and the staggered presentation of symptoms can contribute to the difficulty in diagnosing ADS.

Case Presentation: We present a 36-year-old Hispanic woman who comes for evaluation of worsening, generalized body aches for the past 3 days. Associated signs and symptoms included rhinorrhea, …

Cost Effective Treatment Options For Uninsured Patients With Diabetes, Sidney Selva, Ryan Bialaszewski, Elizabeth Althaus, Pamela Campos, Shuaibahmed M. Arab, Chelsea Chang

Research Symposium

Background: Approximately 37.3 million people in the United States have diabetes, accounting for 14.7% of the US population. Additionally, an estimated 2 million adults with diabetes have no health insurance coverage, which can contribute to chronic co-morbidities and increase all-cause mortality. Given the economic challenges these uninsured patients may face, it is important for healthcare providers to understand the cost-effective treatment options available to improve long-term outcomes. Therefore, this abstract aims to provide a cost-effective treatment algorithm for uninsured patients with diabetes.

Case Presentation: Our patient was a 47-year-old uninsured Hispanic female with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus. The …

Case Report: Kidney Transplant Pyelonephritis, Shuchita Jhaveri, Ruayda Bouls, Duc Khiem Ngo, Laura E. Garcia

Research Symposium

Background: Individuals with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), and especially those who have received kidney transplants, are at an increased risk of developing urinary tract infection (UTI). UTI, especially recurrent UTI, is a common problem occurring in >75% of kidney transplant (KTX) recipients. Progression of infection can have significant consequences on the functioning of the transplanted kidney. It may be challenging to distinguish complicated UTI from acute or chronic rejection when patients present with fever and abdominal pain at the transplanted location. In this case study, we present the clinical scenario of a patient with a history of hypertension and ESKD …

Exploration Of Treatment Options For A Hispanic Patient With Obesity Class Iii And Multiple Comorbidities, Shuaibahmed M. Arab, Elizabeth Althaus, Pamela Campos, Sidney Selva, Ryan Bialaszewski, Chelsea Chang

Research Symposium

Introduction: The prevalence of obesity has reached epidemic proportions worldwide, presenting a significant challenge to public health systems and clinicians alike. The CDC published new statistics for the prevalence of obesity in the United States, with numbers reaching 41.9% from 2017-2020. Morbid obesity, indicated by a body mass index (BMI) of 40 kg/m² or higher, is associated with an increased risk of numerous comorbidities, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and musculoskeletal disorders. This case report aims to explore the available treatment options for a Hispanic female with Obesity Class III and multiple comorbidities while keeping insurance coverage and …

Simultaneous Brachial Artery Injury And Ulnar Nerve Palsy: A Case Study Of An Atv Accident Survivor, Ryan Bialaszewski, Sidney Selva, Shuaibahmed M. Arab, Pamela Campos, Elizabeth Althaus, Chelsea Chang

Research Symposium

Background: All-terrain vehicle (ATV) accidents are a common cause of traumatic elbow injuries due to outstretched arms accepting contact at greater forces. However, their complexity and clinical significance often go unrecognized upon initial evaluation, especially in patients without acute fractures. Sequelae of such injuries can include neurovascular deficits, leading to chronic pain, limb ischemia, and paresthesias. This article aims to present a case study detailing a post-traumatic elbow injury with chronic neurovascular deficits following an ATV accident. Additionally, we address common clinical findings in post-traumatic concomitant brachial artery and ulnar nerve injuries, their evaluation, and respective management plans.

Case Presentation: …