Diseases Commons^™

Paternal Ages And Genetic Diseases And Congenital Anomalies, Neda Hamood

The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal

he purpose of this research is to investigate the link between Advanced Paternal Ages (APA) (i.e., APA ≥ 35 years and APA ≥ 50 years) and genetic diseases and congenital anomalies. Currently, the relationship between both APA and genetic diseases and congenital anomalies remains unclear. There is room for improvement, however, to investigate systematically the relationship between specific congenital anomalies in newborns and APA. More recently, the link between APA (as opposed to existing studies analyzing Advanced Maternal Age alone) and genetic diseases has been recognized by researchers, epidemiologists, and various health experts. Thus, this study serves to examine the …

Topographical Distribution And Morphology Of Sympathetic Postganglionic Innervation And Chronic Intermittent Hypoxia (Cih) Induced Remodeling Of The Whole Heart At Single Cell/Axon/Varicosity Scale, Ariege Bizanti

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

The sympathetic nervous system is crucial for controlling multiple cardiac functions and its overactivity is associated with many cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) is a current model for sleep apnea, which constitutes a major risk factor for CVD through sympathetic overactivity. However, a comprehensive neuroanatomical map of the sympathetic innervation of the heart is unavailable which impedes our understanding of the remodeling of this map in pathological conditions. First, we used a combination of state-of-the-art techniques, including flat-mount tissue processing, immunohistochemistry for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH, a sympathetic marker), confocal microscopy and Neurolucida 360 software to trace, digitize, and …

The Effect Of L-Citrulline Supplementation On Blood Pressure: An Updated Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Randomized Controlled Trials, Vraj Amin

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Cardiovascular disease remains one of the most prevalent diseases in the United States and has remained as the leading cause of death. Large Mendelian randomization studies have found significant correlations between high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease (CVD). In fact, high blood pressure is the single most important independent risk factor for CVD. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of L-citrulline on blood pressure to determine whether it could be advised as an effective treatment for high blood pressure. L-citrulline is a naturally occurring amino acid that readily converts to L-arginine within the human body. L-arginine …

Split Catalytic Probes For The Detection Of Monkeypox Virus, Jaehyun Ahn

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The COVID-19 outbreak highlighted the important role that diagnostic tests play in the healthcare system. To reduce the impact of infectious disease outbreaks, the development of rapid and cost-effective point-of-care-tests (POCTs) is crucial. With the dissemination of the Monkeypox (Mpox) virus, it became a necessity to produce POCTS that are inexpensive and easy to use. This work explored the construction of two colorimetric assays that aim to detect Mpox genetic signatures. One is based on the split-peroxidase-like deoxyribozyme probes (sPDz), while the other utilizes a cascade system of split RNA-cleaving deoxyribozyme (sDz) and peroxidase-like deoxyribozyme (PDz). Both rely on catalytic …

Role Of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Response In Parainfluenza Virus Acute To Persistent Infections, Lauren L. Abbitt

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Persistent viral infections are a major health concern, with persistently infected (PI) cells being a source of continued shedding of virus and generation of viral mutants. Here, we hypothesized that cells persistently infected with the enveloped virus parainfluenza virus 5 (PIV5) would show altered expression of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress proteins and increased resistance to death caused by drug-induced ER stress. To test this, lysates of mock-infected, PIV5 acute-infected, and PIV5 PI human lung A549 cells were collected and levels of ER stress proteins were compared. Western blotting revealed that immunoglobulin heavy chain binding protein (BiP/GRP78) was present in higher …

Acute Myocardial Infarction Among People Living With Hiv: Comparing Immunological And Virological Control By Hispanic Ethnicity Of The All Of Us Research Program Participants, Eugenio Reina

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In the United States, individuals of Hispanic ethnicity receive disproportionately lower-quality healthcare. These healthcare disparities exacerbate unequal access to quality healthcare services, including disparities in cardiovascular disease (CVD) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) care. Research on the role of ethnicity on the CVD outcomes of people living with HIV (PLWH) has been limited. We hypothesize that immunological (CD4+ cell count) and virological (HIV viral load) control may play a role in the development of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) among PLWH, and that Hispanic ethnicity may worsen these outcomes.

To verify our hypotheses, we conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study to investigate …

Turning The Tables On Covid-19, Wei Wei

Rosen Research Review

The COVID-19 pandemic all but eviscerated the restaurant industry. Around the world, businesses shut doors. For some this would prove to be forever, and those that did reopen were stifled by strict social-distancing regulations and the challenge of how best to rearrange their servicescapes to meet regulations and still provide an enjoyable dining experience. The big question: how best to do this? Dr. Wei Wei from UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management and her collaborators examined the issues of built density and customer power to uncover a vital piece of the puzzle.

Essential Worker Heroes, Cynthia Mejia

Rosen Research Review

The COVID-19 pandemic brought with it untold disruptions to the hospitality and related services industries, and it also prompted a dramatic shift in public perceptions towards line-level workers. Normally associated with unskilled and ‘dirty’ labor, these workers were embraced as ‘heroes’ by providing essential services in the face of a severe and frightening public health threat. This phenomenon provided a rare opportunity for researchers in the fields of hospitality and psychology to examine how those workers, and the society they served, made sense of this perceptive shift.

Restaurants Post Covid-19, Elizabeth Yost, Murat Kizildag, Jorge Ridderstaat

Rosen Research Review

When you’re suddenly forced to close 1,800 restaurant dining rooms without any certainty of being able to reopen them any time soon, you need to act decisively and prioritize if you plan to be around for a grand reopening. For Darden Restaurants and their market-leading US brands, those priorities during lockdown were ‘look after the people – look after the cash!’ Dr. Elizabeth Yost, Dr. Murat Kizildag and Dr. Jorge Ridderstaat of UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management investigate the company’s achievement.

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Restaurant Workers, Diego Bufquin, Jeong-Yeol Park, Robin Back

Rosen Research Review

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit many business sectors hard, none more so than the hospitality industry. Restaurant employees were already known to report high levels of depression and anxiety, as well as alcohol and drug use. How has the pandemic contributed to these problems? In the first study of its kind, Dr. Diego Bufquin, Dr. Jeong-Yeol Park and Dr. Robin Back from UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management, along with two collaborators, examine the relationships between restaurant employees’ work status, mental health, substance use, and career turnover intentions during the pandemic.

Why Employees Are Learving And Will Not Return To Work In The Hospitality Industry, Robertico Croes, Kelly Semrad, Manuel Rivera

Rosen Research Review

An important new report by Rosen College researchers should be taken as a wakeup call for the tourism and hospitality industry in the U.S. following the COVID-19 pandemic.

An Examination Of Lung Cancer Treatment Characteristics On Lung Cancer Patients With Co-Existing Heart Disease, Elias Rhanime

Honors Undergraduate Theses

With the rising rates of heart disease incidents in the United States and the increase in lung cancer deaths as well, many individuals suffer and get their treatments compromised due to these diseases. Especially considering that many lung cancer and heart disease patients are over 70 years of age, treatment options and success rates drop significantly. Due to this, a great concern is raised for patients with co-existing heart disease and lung cancer. This was a case-control study that assessed lung cancer treatment options and success rates for patients with co-existing heart disease. We used research papers that discussed lung …

An Investigation Of The Relationship Between Respiration And Seismocardiographic Signals Using Signal Processing, Machine Learning And Finite Element Analysis, Tanvir Hassan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the major causes of death worldwide. Disease management, as well as patient health, can be significantly improved by early detection of patient deterioration and proper intervention. Review of the patient's medical history and physical examination including stethoscope auscultation and electrocardiograms (ECG), echocardiography imaging, numerous blood testing, and computed tomography are common means of evaluating cardiac function. Seismocardiographic (SCG) signals are the vibrations of the chest wall due to the mechanical activity of the heart. These signals can provide useful information about heart function and could be used to diagnose cardiac problems. The variability in …

Stress, Coping, And Disease Awareness With Metabolic Disease Risk: A Longitudinal Cohort Study, Chelsea Anestal

Honors Undergraduate Theses

College students undergo stressors (e.g., potential financial strain, changes in workload or location), which may precipitate metabolic syndrome (MetS) risk associated with obesity and high blood pressure. Concerning rises in young adult obesity and type 2 diabetes, prompt study into MetS risk factor prevalence and awareness in youthful populations transitioning to new environments, such as college. This study assessed perceived stress, coping resources, and disease awareness differences in the first time on campus and final-year students associated with MetS risk factors (elevated body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure). We hypothesized lower stress perception, lower weight gain and blood …

Diabetes Mellitus Among Black/African Americans: A Critical Discourse Analysis Of Epigenetic Research, Eliana Jacobs

Honors Undergraduate Theses

During their lifetime, Black/African Americans have a higher likelihood of developing the diabetes mellitus metabolic disorder than other racial and ethnic groups in the United States. While research indicates that socioeconomic status, diet, and obesity factor into race disparities, the epigenetics field additionally identifies historical and contemporary racism as contributors to race disparities. This study is a qualitative analysis that examines a sample of health science research articles that use an epigenetics approach to understand diabetes among Black/African Americans. I analyzed the extent and mechanisms through which articles subtly reproduce dominant stereotypes of Black/African Americans and diabetes through representations of …

The Relationship Between Sarcopenia And Diabetes Among Different Ethnic Groups, Rachel K. Williams

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Sarcopenia and diabetes are two conditions that reflect ongoing changes in global health trends: aging and obesity. Sarcopenia affects approximately 10-40% of the global population and type II diabetes affects around 415 million individuals (6.28% globally), with obesity contributing to a majority of the cases. Currently, approximately 9.3% of the population (727 million individuals) is aged 65 years or older; this number is predicted to reach 16% of the global population (around 1.5 billion individuals) in 2050. Many developed countries are undergoing demographic population pyramid rearrangements whereby an increasingly aging population must be supported by a shrinking youth cohort. Sarcopenia …

Reexamining Cytolethal Distending Toxin's Host Cell Entry And Trafficking: The First Steps Down A Long Road, George Huhn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Cytolethal distending toxin (CDT) is a virulence factor produced by many Gram-negative bacteria, including Haemophilus ducreyi, the causative agent of genital chancroid. CDT is a heterotrimeric toxin consisting of a cell-binding domain (CdtA + CdtC) and a catalytic domain (CdtB) that has DNase activity. After binding to the host plasma membrane, CDT undergoes endocytosis and travels through the endosomes en route to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Only CdtB and CdtC arrive in the Golgi before moving to the ER. Only then does CdtB move into the nucleus, causing DNA damage that induces cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis. The previous CDT trafficking …

Cholera Transmission Dynamic Model With Environmental Impacts Of Plankton Reservoirs, Sweety Sarker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Cholera is an acute disease that is a global threat to the world and can kill people within a few hours if left untreated. In the last 200 years, seven pandemics occurred, and, in some countries, it remains endemic. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global initiative to prevent cholera by 2030. Cholera dynamics are contributed by several environmental factors such as salinity level of water, water temperature, presence of plankton especially zooplankton such as cladocerans, rotifers, copepods, etc. Vibrio cholerae (V. cholerae) bacterium is the main reason behind the cholera disease and the growth of V. cholerae depends …

Investigating The Role Of The Skeletal Muscle In Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Neuromuscular Junction Dysfunction, Agnes Badu-Mensah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Neuromuscular junction (NMJ) dysfunction has been identified as one of the earliest events in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) pathology. However, which tissue type induces NMJ disruption; be it the motoneurons (hMN), Schwann cells or skeletal muscle (hSKM) remains unresolved. While mechanisms by which ALS hMN contribute to NMJ dysfunction are well-described in literature, limited information exist on how the other tissue types in the tripartite synapse (hSKM and Schwann cells) induce and/or contribute to ALS NMJ disruption. A fair understanding of the role of each tissue type in NMJ dysfunction would help shape the trajectory of future ALS research and …

The State Of The Hospitality Industry 2021 Employment Report: Covid-19 Labor Force Legacy, Robertico R. Croes, Kelly Semrad, Manuel A. Rivera

Dick Pope Sr. Institute Publications

The purpose of this study is to investigate the COVID-19 pandemic's ongoing impact on the U.S. hospitality industry. The report details the primary economic issues the industry faces as well as provides a unique workforce analysis that anticipates continued labor shortages as the country moves towards an endemic. The research was conducted using a national survey with almost 1,000 U.S. hospitality workers. The survey includes questions pertaining to COVID-19 related hospitality employee topics such as: the impact COVID-19 had on hospitality jobs, employees' intentions to leave the industry, employees likelihood to accept or look for a hospitality job, employees' perceived …

Human-Machine Communication: Complete Volume. Volume 3. Diffusion Of Human-Machine Communication During And After The Covid-19 Pandemic

Human-Machine Communication

This is the complete volume of HMC Volume 3. Diffusion of Human-Machine Communication During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic

The Role Of Vidura Chatbot In The Diffusion Of Knowcovid-19 Gateway, Kerk F. Kee, Prasad P. Calyam, Hariharan Regunath

Human-Machine Communication

The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented global emergency. Clinicians and medical researchers are suddenly thrown into a situation where they need to keep up with the latest and best evidence for decision-making at work in order to save lives and develop solutions for COVID-19 treatments and preventions. However, a challenge is the overwhelming numbers of online publications with a wide range of quality. We explain a science gateway platform designed to help users to filter the overwhelming amount of literature efficiently (with speed) and effectively (with quality), to find answers to their scientific questions. It is equipped with a chatbot …

Covid-19: Exploring The Probability Of Disease Extinction - A Modeling And Simulation Study, Donald Porchia

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

There are two distinct topics considered in this dissertation. The first is the formulation of a compartmental model using reactive social distancing in which disease transmission changes as a function of the state variables of the model; in this case, the cumulative incidence. The model assumes a single strain epidemic of Covid-19 in the United States and is used to estimate the cumulative number of deaths due to the epidemic where incidence data is used to calibrate and validate the model. The second topic concerns the use of the stochastic threshold to determine disease persistence or extinction. The Covid-19 pandemic …

The Relationship Between Depression And Cardiovascular Disease, Jomaries O. Gomez

The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal

While there has been extensive research on the link between depression and cardiovascular disease, few reviews have summarized the array of findings. In this literature review, we examined approximately 50 clinical papers and research studies to determine if reducing depression could reduce the risk of having a cardiovascular incident and if reducing the severity of cardiovascular disease could reduce depression. We identified two major mechanisms through which depression affects the cardiovascular system. We present evidence that depression and cardiovascular disease may have a reciprocal relationship. For instance, depression is as much of a risk factor for heart disease as smoking …

Chitosan-Gallium Nanocomposite: Synthesis, Characterization And Antibacterial Activity, Samjhana Bhandari

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

The emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains of bacteria and the lack of a novel class of antibiotics has become a global health concern. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one common MDR bacteria responsible for nosocomial infections and related mortality worldwide. It has developed resistance against commonly available antibiotics and is in the WHO's priority list of bacteria for which new antibiotics are desperately needed. Currently there is a growing interest in developing metal and non-metal-based nanoparticles to target multidrug-resistant bacteria. The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of a novel nanocomposite of two non-traditional antimicrobials: a metal (Ga-III) and …

Anti-Map Triple Therapy Supports Immunomodulatory Therapeutic Response In Crohn's Disease Through Downregulation Of Nf-Kb Activation In The Absence Of Map Detection, Erij Elkamel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

The triple antibiotic formulation, known as anti-MAP therapy, exhibits unique synergistic antimicrobial activity and should be effective for treatment of Crohn's disease (CD) associated with Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP). The absence of MAP detection in some CD cases may be linked to poor diagnostics or lack of association with the disease. To understand the therapeutic response of some CD patients to anti-MAP therapy in absence of MAP detection, the immunomodulatory potency of anti-MAP therapy and its major ingredients, clarithromycin (CLA) and rifabutin (RIF), in THP-1, Caco-2, and Jurkat T-cells were investigated. Anti-MAP formulation at 2.0 µg/mL decreased MAP viability …

Role Of Rela In Dormancy And Toxr Proteolysis In Vibrio Cholerae, Zachary J. Malaussena

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Vibrio cholerae, the etiological agent of the severe diarrheal disease cholera, is an enteric pathogen that can be found in aquatic ecosystems when not colonizing the human gastrointestinal tract. Under adverse environmental conditions, V. cholerae is capable of entering dormant states that increase its survival during these ecological fluctuations. In these states, V. cholerae slows its metabolic activity and exhibits drastically altered gene expression and morphology. Stressors that lead to entry into these states vary from nutrient limitation, suboptimal pH, or antimicrobials. Cells in these dormant states are highly resistant to antimicrobials and cannot be detected using standard microbiological techniques …

Developing A Targeted Ultrasound-Responsive Nanobubble-Based Gene Delivery System For Osteoporosis Treatment, Angela Shar

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The overall goal of this project was to develop, optimize, and test an ultrasound-responsive targeted nanobubble for delivering osteoporosis-related silencing genes such as Cathepsin K small interfering RNA (CTSK siRNA) for osteoporosis treatment. The nanobubbles were synthesized using an in situ sonochemical method. The nanobubble (NB) is composed of a gas core made from perfluorocarbon, stabilized with albumin, encapsulated with CTSK siRNA, and embedded with alendronate (AL) for bone targeting (CTSK siRNA-NB-AL). Following its development, the responsiveness of CTSK siRNA-NB-AL to a therapeutic ultrasound probe was examined. The results of biocompatibility tests with human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells proved …

Modeling And Analysis Of Covid-19 And Dynamical Systems In Biology And Physics, Vladimir Grbic

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In this paper, we study various examples of dynamical systems found in nature and extract the necessary concepts to build upon. Then, we develop and propose a new deterministic model for COVID-19 propagation. Our model should serve two purposes. First, we will approximate the infected and deceased individuals after a given time during the pandemic. Then, using a linearized subsystem describing infectious compartments about the disease- free equilibrium (DFE), we will determine the basic reproductive number (R0) by the next-generation matrix method.

The Fighting Journey Of A Premature Baby: A Systemic Review Of Developmental And Neurological Complications Of The Premature Baby, Dana Patel

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Prematurity is a worldwide problem. Every year, 15 million babies are born prematurely, and 1 million of those babies die because of related complications. The surviving premature babies are struggling to hold on to their lives, and even when they do live, most of them end up having various complications to survive and get stronger. There are physical complications faced on their journey such as having underdeveloped lungs, pneumonia, obesity, sepsis, retinopathy of prematurity, respiratory distress syndrome, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, asthma, wheezing, bronchiolitis, cerebral palsy, and motor impairment. They can also develop mental and behavioral health complications such as depression, seizures …