Medical Physiology Commons^™

The Importance Of Serial 12-Lead Ecgs In The Prehospital Setting: A Case Of Transient St Elevation Myocardial Infarction (Tstemi), Zachary J. Blickley Nrp, Fp-C, Matthew E. Kent Nrp, Fp-C, Benjamin J. Lawner Do, Emt-P

Tower Health Research Day

No abstract provided.

Piriformis Syndrome With A Variant Presentation, Roberto Chuapoco, Ryan E. Linford

Annual Research Symposium

Piriformis syndrome has long been a diagnostic quandary due to its tendency to present as other nerve-related conditions. Piriformis syndrome is commonly caused by entrapment of the sciatic nerve as it travels through the greater sciatic foramen due to hypertrophy of the piriformis muscle. However, its constellation of symptoms, including radiating pain down the thigh, can easily be mistaken for lumbosacral radiculopathy. This case report aims to address the misdiagnosis of piriformis syndrome which has prolonged pain for many patients and increased the cost of medical care. It demonstrates a 76-year-old female with a confounding presentation of piriformis syndrome: buttock …

Change In Basic Pulmonary Function In Response To Altitude Change, Holly Radke, Mitchell Rush

Annual Research Symposium

Purpose: This study aims to determine if there is a lasting effect in lung function when an individual relocates from an area of low elevation to an area of high elevation.

Methods: Our study monitored changes in pulmonary function over time after individuals moved from a region of low elevation (1,000 feet above sea level or lower) to a higher elevation area (4,500 feet above sea level in Provo, Utah). We followed incoming students to Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine from places of elevation lower than 1,000 feet. Spirometry was used to assess forced vital capacity (FVC) and peak expiratory …

Human Airway Mucociliary Tissue Cultures Chronically Exposed To E-Cigarette Vapors Exhibit Altered Cell Populations And Increased Secretion Of Immunomodulatory Cytokines, Vanessa Pizutelli, Vincent Manna, Shannon Dwyer, Salvatore Caradonna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Vape-pens or electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are handheld battery powered devices that use a vape-liquid to produce a vapor that is inhaled by the user. The active ingredients in commercial vape-liquids are commonly nicotine, tetrahydrocannabinol or cannabidiol. A consequence of the rise in e-cigarette usage was the 2019 emergence of a vaping-induced respiratory disease denoted ‘e-cigarette or vaping use-associated lung injury’ (EVALI). One of the suspected causes of EVALI is Vitamin E Acetate (VEA), which was found to be a diluent in certain illicit tetrahydrocannabinol vape-pens, whereas nicotine is commonly diluted in equal parts propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin (PG:VG). The …

Impact Of Sex On Macrovascular Endothelial Function During Prolonged Sitting With A Mild Hypercapnic Environemnt, Andres Benitez-Albiter, Michael Allen, Elizabeth J. Pekas, Cody P. Anderson, Song-Young Park

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

IMPACT OF SEX ON MACROVASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL FUNCTION DURING PROLONGED SITTING WITH A MILD HYPERCAPNIC ENVIORNMENT

Andres Benitez-Albiter¹, Michael F. Allen¹, Elizabeth J. Pekas¹, Cody P. Anderson¹, and Song-Young Park¹

1 - School of Health & Kinesiology University of Nebraska Omaha, Omaha, NE

Introduction: Prolonged sitting (PS), defined as sitting for 2+ hours at a time[SYP1] , has been identified as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. It has been well-documented that an acute PS bout can impair macro- and microvascular dysfunction in healthy young individuals. Recently, we reported that …

Change In Basic Pulmonary Function With Change In Altitude, Jaden Arnold, Mindy Cook, Bivash Neupane, Erika Noonan Md, Rex Ripplinger Md

Annual Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Alcohol Consumption On Metabolic Factors In The Alive-Ex Study Participants, Meva Beganovic, Stefany D. Primeaux

Medical Student Research Poster Symposium

Alcohol consumption among people living with HIV (PLWH) is common and increases the risk for metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance and diabetes. Adiponectin is an adipokine, produced in adipocytes, that protects against insulin resistance by increasing insulin sensitivity and thus may play a preventative role against the development of metabolic disease. Previous studies have demonstrated an inconsistency regarding the impact of alcohol consumption on adiponectin levels. In a cross-sectional analysis of participants enrolled in the ALIVE-Ex Study, we did not find a significant relationship between at-risk alcohol use, as measured by Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) score, in …

Translational Investigation Of Sex Differences In Alcohol Analgesic Efficacy: Comparison Across Preclinical And Clinical Domains, Sumin Lee, Noor Alrashed, Erin Davis, Jessica A. Cucinello-Ragland, Patricia E. Molina, Scott Edwards

Medical Student Research Poster Symposium

Although chronic pain affects over 220 million Americans and significantly contributes to both the development and maintenance of alcohol use disorder (AUD), there is an alarming gap in knowledge regarding the mechanisms underlying the anti-nociceptive effects of alcohol. The goals of the current project were to: 1) relate self-reported pain rating in people living with HIV (PLWH) and 2) investigate neuroadaptations in the phosphorylation status of excitatory and inhibitory protein markers produced by alcohol in the central amygdala (CeA) and the insula in an animal model of chronic inflammatory pain. Towards our first goal, we asked participants in the New …

The Effect Of Nicotine Inhalation On Taste Receptor Gene Expression And Fungiform Papillae Density, Chloe Sterling, Jolie Primeaux, Jason Gardner, Stefany Primeaux

Medical Student Research Poster Symposium

BACKGROUND: Smoking is one of many acquired causes of smell and taste disorders. The effect on taste may be due to cigarette smoke causing a gustatory disturbance through changing the form, quantity, and vascularization of taste buds. Nicotine’s negative impact on taste buds is elicited through aversive sensory effects like oral irritation and pain as well as bitter taste. Taste buds are located on fungiform, circumvallate, and foliate papillae found on the tongue. Taste receptor cells can be stimulated by one of five basic taste qualities, which are sweet, bitter, umami (savory), salty, and sour. More recently, fat has been …

The Characterization Of Rodent Diet Influences On Ethanol Consumption In Mice, Selby White, Franciely Paliarin, Evan Dore, Cameron Gabriel, Rajani Maiya

Medical Student Research Poster Symposium

The gut-brain axis is a distinct, yet uncharacterized tract of the nervous system that provides direct communication between the myenteric and the central nervous systems. The gut-brain axis is implicated in numerous underlying pathological phenomena, such as depression, Parkinson’s disease, and autoimmune disorders. Signaling along the gut-brain axis is primarily mediated by the Vagus nerve, which projects to the Nucleus Tractus Solitarius (NTS). From the NTS, projections link to higher order brain structures, namely reward regions, such as the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, Locus Coeruleus and the Prefrontal cortex. Alcohol Use Disorder is a complex and widespread disease with …

Chronic Binge Alcohol Impairs Myoblast Differentiation: Role Of Microrna-206, Peter Bergeaux, Brianna Bourgeois, Patricia E. Molina, Liz Simon

Medical Student Research Poster Symposium

Background: With recent advances in antiretroviral therapy, people living with HIV (PLWH) now have a near-normal life expectancy. As such, PLWH experience aging-related comorbidities, such as metabolic disorders and frailty earlier in life than the general population. At-risk alcohol use is twice as likely in PLWH compared to the general population and alcoholic myopathy occurs in 40- 60% of people with an alcohol use disorder. Previous studies demonstrate that chronic binge alcohol (CBA) in simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-infected rhesus macaques causes decreased myoblast differentiation and downregulation of microRNA-206 (miR-206) in skeletal muscle. Additionally, lower miR-206 expression is associated with increased …

The Role Of Traf3ip2 In The Progression Of Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy, Nicholas R. Harris, Joshua M. Edavettal, Jason D. Gardner

Medical Student Research Poster Symposium

Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy (ACM) manifests in humans after excessive alcohol consumption and is characterized by ventricular dilation and cardiac function impairment. Previous studies have identified deterioration of mitochondrial homeostasis, increased oxidative stress, and inflammation as mechanisms of ACM development. However, little is known of the molecular mechanism of ACM. Here, we focus on the role of TRAF3IP2, a proinflammatory cytoplasmic adapter protein, in the pathogenesis of ACM. Previous work suggests TRAF3IP2 is a master regulator of inflammation; thus, being a potential therapeutic target. In this study, we used a mouse model of chronic plus binge alcohol feeding described by the NIAAA. …

Rna Isolation In Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (Dmd) Mice Models, Salem Abu Al-Burak

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Fibrosis is a progressive and typically irreversible disease process characterized by the excessive deposition of collagen in organs and in tissues of the musculoskeletal (MSK) system^1,2. This process, which causes loss of organ and tissue function, can be initiated by micro-traumas³, an excessive and/or prolonged immune response¹, the activation and proliferation of fibrosis-inducing progenitor cells⁴, and a pro-fibrotic extra-cellular microenvironment⁵. In parallel with the events that initiate fibrosis, genetic or environmental influences may cause cells and tissues to become predisposed to fibrosis development prior to initiation. This suggests that these …

The Effect Of Type 1 Diabetes On The Metabolic Response To Exercise, Theres Tijo

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) is an autoimmune disorder that results in insufficient endogenous insulin production. Regular exercise has numerous health benefits for individuals with T1DM, however, most insulin-dependent diabetics avoid physical activity due to the fear of exercise-induced hypoglycemia (low blood glucose/BG).

The risk of hypoglycemia in this population may be partly due to lower liver glycogen stores which is a major source of blood glucose during exercise. However, the mechanism that leads to lower glycogen stores in T1DM is unknown.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of an acute bout of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise …

Health Promoting Self-Care: Evaluating The Impact Of Food And Fitness Challenge On The Physical And Psychological Health Of Healthcare Workers, Giancarlo Lyle-Edrosolo, Gena Oppenheim, Emily Enos, Marlon G Saria

2022 Southern California Nursing Research Conference

Background: The unprecedented rates of burnout, stress, and turnover amongst healthcare workers following the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of prioritizing caregiver physical and mental health. Despite a direct correlation between nurses with multiple health problems and turnover intention, literature searched over the last two decades yielded minimal results using terms such as, nurses and diet, fitness or exercise therapy. A recent study, which focused on female nurses, found an improvement in psychological health by addressing diet, while another found a decrease in occupational stress with an aerobics program. There is even less data to support the use of a …

Admission Pao2 And Mortality Among Pediatric Icu Patients And Critically Ill Subgroups, Cara Holton

Research Days

Watch recording of live presentation

Background and Objectives: Studies analyzing the association between hyperoxia and mortality in critically ill pediatric patients and those admitted after cardiac arrest are conflicting and limited by small sample sizes. The aim of this study is to evaluate the association between PaO2 on admission to the pediatric ICU and mortality in a heterogeneous, multicenter cohort and among subgroups of critically ill patients.

Methods/Design: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from Virtual Pediatric Systems (VPS) database. VPS is a clinical pediatric critical care database with over 135 participating hospitals in North America. All VPS …

Short-Term Muscle Fatigue And Recovery In Different Types Of Athletes, Morgan D. Morris, Jayson C. Sumner, Aaron F. Valenti

ONU Student Research Colloquium

Having poor grip strength can cause an increase of injuries and difficulty to perform day to day tasks. The goal of this IRB approved research was to investigate how athletic sport activities impact muscle fatigue and recovery in grip strength. The study consisted of ten males between the ages of 18 and 24 from four different collegiate sport teams: (1) wrestlers, (2) football players, (3) e-sports players, and (4) basketball players, at Ohio Northern University. For each athlete, grip strength (pounds per square inch) was measured before and after squeezing a 60 kg. grip strengthener 30 times to induce muscle …

Peripheral Immune Cell Pro- And Anti-Nociceptive Gene Expression In Chronicbinge Alcohol Administered Siv-Infected Rhesus Macaques, Michael Dubic, Liz Simon, Patricia Molina

Medical Student Research Poster Symposium

People living with HIV (PLWH) have a 2-fold higher prevalence of chronic pain compared to the general population. Reports in the literature indicate that alcohol consumption to self-medicate pain may increase the incidence of at-risk alcohol use. Chronic alcohol use, HIV infection, and anti-retroviral therapy (ART) all independently lead to altered pain states, yet the underlying pathophysiology is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to explore the utility of peripheral blood mono nuclear cells (PBMCs) as indicators of alcohol-, ART-, and HIV- associated alterations in pro and anti- nociceptive pathways in a relevant preclinical model of HIV-infection. Four- …

Impaired Aicd In Senescent Cd8 T-Cells: Cell Death Pathwayselectivity & The Effects Of Alcohol, Nabil Essajee, I Welsh, Pm Mcternan, David A. Welsh, Robert W. Siggins

Medical Student Research Poster Symposium

Background: Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is prevalent in People Living with HIV (PLWH). Chronic alcohol use and HIV infections are both stressors that can accelerate the onset of cellular senescence, a pro-inflammatory phenotype associated with unhealthy ageing and contributor to the phenomenon known as “inflamm-aging.” Furthermore, it has been observed that in senescent cells, there is an impairment of Activation-Induced Cell Death (AICD). The mechanism of impairment of AICD in senescent cells remains unknown. The goal of our research is to investigate by which pathway of cell death (apoptosis, pyroptosis, necroptosis) senescent cells are susceptible by analyzing markers of senescence …

Neurobiological Consequences Of Chronic Binge Alcohol Exposure And Ovariectomy On Markers Of Hippocampal Plasticity In Siv-Infected Rhesus Macaques, Taylor Fitzpatrick-Schmidt, Larry B. Coleman, Kimberly N. Edwards, Liz Simon, Patricia E. Molina, Scott Edwards

Medical Student Research Poster Symposium

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection has profound impacts on the central nervous system, including HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND). HIV-associated cognitive deficits can be further exacerbated by alcohol consumption1 . With the rising prevalence of alcohol use disorder (AUD) in females, understanding the neurobiological impact of AUD and HIV infection in this population is increasingly important 2 . The hippocampus is part of the brain’s limbic system and plays prominent roles in both cognition and affective regulation. Thus, investigating hippocampal neuroadaptations in the context of comorbid HIV infection and AUD is critical for understanding the mechanisms of neurocognitive and affective impairment …

Short-Term High Fat, High Sucrose Diet Increases Markers Associated With Hepaticlipid Accumulation In Rhesus Macaques, Eden Gallegos, Liz Simon, Patricia Molina

Medical Student Research Poster Symposium

Self-reported data collected from our clinical cohort, the New Orleans Alcohol Use in HIV (NOAH), shows that a significant number of people living with HIV (PLWH) consume a suboptimal diet as determined by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Consumption of a high fat, high sucrose diet (HFSD), known as a Western Diet contributes to metabolic dyshomeostasis and development of metabolic syndrome and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. At-risk alcohol consumption, HIV-infection, and consumption of a HFSD independently can lead to liver disease. Thus, PLWH with at risk alcohol consumption and consuming a HFSD may have increased risk for liver pathology. Alcoholic …

Female Mice Are Protected From Chronic Inhaled Nicotine-Induced Pulmonaryhypertension Via A Sex Hormone-Independent Mechanism, Idanis Z. Garcia, Nicholas D. Fried, Anna K. Whitehead, Eric Lazartigues, Xinping Yue, Jason D. Gardner

Medical Student Research Poster Symposium

Introduction: Cigarette smoking has declined in the United States, but e-cigarettes use increased by 46.2% in young adults and 77.8% in high school students between 2017-2018. Little is known about the long-term health implications of these nicotine-containing devices, but cigarette smoking is a major risk factor for cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases, which are the primary cause of death in industrialized countries. Our group previously demonstrated that chronic inhaled nicotine induces pulmonary hypertension (PH) and right ventricular (RV) remodeling in male mice, but female mice exposed to nicotine failed to develop PH, suggesting a sex difference. This led us to hypothesize …

Role Of Lymph From Alcohol-Treated Animals On Naïve Perilymphaticadipose Tissue Immunomodulation, Kourtney Weaver, Flavia Souza-Smith

Medical Student Research Poster Symposium

Alcohol impairs innate and adaptive immune responses, harming host defense against infections. Chronic alcohol administration has also been shown to impact early manifestations of metabolic dysfunction such as insulin resistance in rodent models. In our previous studies, we found that alcohol induces mesenteric lymphatic leakage and perilymphatic adipose tissue (PLAT) immunometabolic dysregulation. Whether the lymph from alcohol-treated animals is directly causing PLAT immunometabolic dysregulation is still to be determined. We hypothesize that lymph contents from alcohol-treated animals will immunomodulate naïve PLAT explants. To test this hypothesis, male Fischer 344 rats received Lieber-DeCarli liquid diet containing 36% of calories from alcohol …

Floppy Eyelid Syndrome And Obesity (Flo) Study, Bethany S. Acosta, Kyle V. Acosta, Stefany D. Primeaux

Medical Student Research Poster Symposium

Floppy Eyelid Syndrome (FES) was first described in 1981 by Culbertson and Ostler. Often under-diagnosed, the reported incidence ranges from 0.5-31.5% with an average age of 51 years. A patient will typically present with a soft, rubbery tarsus that folds in on itself, a loose upper eyelid that everts easily with manual manipulation, and papillary conjunctivitis. Studies indicate that patients with FES are often diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and have high rates of obesity (Body Mass Index (BMI) > 30). Patients with FES exhibit a diminished quantity of elastin fibers throughout the pretarsal orbicularis oculi muscle and tarsus. Interestingly, …

The Effects Of Estrogen In The Glucoregulatory Response To Exercise In Type 1 Diabetes, Mitchell James Sammut

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Regular exercise has shown to benefit the health of individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). However, a barrier to regular exercise for this population is the fear of low blood glucose (BG) levels, also known as hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia can result in short and long-term side-effects, such as recurring loss of consciousness or in severe cases death.

In non-diabetics, sex-related differences in fuel selection during exercise are well established. Women shift towards using fats as fuel whereas men rely mostly on sugars (i.e., carbohydrates) for energy production. Exercise during the luteal phase of the female menstrual cycle, where estrogen levels …

Point Substitutions In G Protein-Coupled Receptors, Jessica Brown

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are proteins that are important in physiological regulatory processes within the body, and for this reason are important drug targets. When bound to an agonist, such as neurotransmitters or hormones, the receptor adopts an active state to allow these biochemical pathways to occur. However, mutations can arise within the receptor that affect its ability to bind its agonist. This natural variation found within the genome can make it difficult to design pharmaceuticals to target the receptors.

To see the effects of these point substitutions on agonist-induced receptor activation, mutations were made within a negative allosteric site …

Oral Contraceptives As Possible Acl Injury Prevention Method, Haley Schweizer

Capstone Showcase

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries are an upsetting setback for many athletes that require a long and costly recovery process. The injury rates are four times greater in women than men. Preventative measures that help to prevent ACL injuries are limited to stretching and strengthening. Therefore, this review aims to investigate if oral contraceptive [I] usage provides a possible new avenue for prevention of ACL injury [O] in young female athletes (ages 18-30) [P] compared to those that do not take oral contraceptives [C].

Methods: A literature review was performed though PubMed, Google Scholar, SCOPUS Database, and ClinicalKey …

Aortoduodenal Fistula Forms From Primary Aortic Stump Graft In A Two-Time Multi-Visceral Transplant Patient With Presentation Of Gastrointestinal Bleed And Bowel Perforation: A Case Report, Brielle Corrente

Graduate Student Research Symposium

Usually not diagnosed until open laparotomy, aortoduodenalfistulas (ADF) are one of the rarest complications of intestinal transplant surgery. With an incidence rate of only 0.04% at autopsy and only 250 documented cases since the early 1800’s, aortoduodenal fistulas are the most deadly complications of intestinal transplantation with a mortality rate of 100% without surgical intervention. A 39 year old, two-time multi-visceral transplant African American female patient suffered from a primary aortoduodenal fistula formation in a primary modified multi-visceral transplant aortic stump graft site. With emergency open laparotomy repair, revascularization of the secondary multi-visceral transplant was performed, saving the life of …

Developing Novel Therapeutics For Bacterial Lung Infections, Brandon J. Baer, Ruud Veldhuizen, Cory Yamashita

Western Research Forum

Background: Bacterial lung infections are leading causes of death worldwide. Unfortunately, increasing resistance to antibiotics and the inflammation often accompanying these infections are leading to poor outcomes despite antibiotic intervention. Complicating treatment further, the tree-like branching structure of the lung makes drug delivery to distal sites of infection difficult. Our research aims to address these challenges by developing new therapeutics and new tools to improve and assess drug delivery, bacterial killing and inflammation. Our therapy combines host defense peptides, which have been shown to kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria and down regulate inflammation, with a pulmonary vehicle, exogenous surfactant, that can improve …

Targeting Cancer Stem Cells In Recurrent Lung Cancer, Karen T. Udoh

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality in the world. Five-year survivability still remains dismal due to drug resistance. The development of drug resistance with cisplatin or platinum/taxane combination chemotherapies has led patients to suffer from recurrent lung cancer. These chemotherapy treatments target cancer cells but leave behind cancer stem cells. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are stem-like tumor cells that have the potential to differentiate, self-renew, and proliferate. This allows the cancer to relapse even after initial elimination of the tumor. We hypothesize that Verrucarin J will inhibit cell proliferation in lung cancer cells and CSCs by inducing …