Medical Sciences Commons^™

Balancing The Mind: The Role Of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors In Managing Anxiety, Olivia Mace

Best Integrated Writing

Olivia’s senior capstone review article focuses on the role of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) escitalopram in the management of anxiety. SSRIs have been successfully used to treat depression for decades, with fluoxetine (Prozac) being introduced to the US market in 1987. Recently it has been found that the SSRI escitalopram has efficacy in treating anxiety as well as depression. Olivia’s review is detailed and timely. Unmanaged anxiety and depression are common among students and this review will be of interest to students, parents and the university population in general.

Resolving The Longitudinal Triglyceride Phenotype Of Heterozygous Lpl And Apo A-V Deficiency, Shehan D. Perera

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. However, only the triglyceride (TG) phenotype produced by biallelic loss-of-function (LOF) variants in the canonical TG metabolism genes is well understood. The TG phenotype produced by monoallelic LOF variants is poorly understood. We aimed to evaluate the TG phenotype associated with monoallelic LOF variants in the canonical TG metabolism genes.

Next-generation sequencing panel was employed to identify patients heterozygous for LOF variants in two of the canonical TG metabolism genes LPL and APOA5, followed by chart review to determine baseline and longitudinal TG phenotype in these patients.

My findings suggest …

Structure And Function Of Long-Covid Evaluated Using Pulmonary Imaging, Harkiran Kaur Kooner

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in millions of global respiratory infections, ranging in severity from asymptomatic to fatal. One of the many consequences of the pandemic is the emergence of long-COVID, which is an umbrella term used to describe the long-term sequelae and poor quality-of-life following recovery from acute COVID-19 infection. However, the pathophysiology and mechanisms responsible for the heterogenous manifestation of long-COVID remain poorly understood. Hyperpolarized ¹²⁹Xe magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides a non-invasive and radiation-free method to regionally visualize and quantify inhaled gas distribution and ventilation in vivo. A strong foundation for the use of pulmonary …

Study Protocol: Identifying Transcriptional Regulatory Alterations Of Chronic Effects Of Blast And Disturbed Sleep In United States Veterans, Molly J. Sullan, Kelly A. Stearns-Yoder, Zhaoyu Wang, Andrew J. Hoisington, Adam D. Brenoweth, Walter Carr, Yongchao Ge, Hanga Galfalvy, Fatemah Haghighi, Lisa A. Brenner

Faculty Publications

Injury related to blast exposure dramatically rose during post-911 era military conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is among the most common injuries following blast, an exposure that may not result in a definitive physiologic marker (e.g., loss of consciousness). Recent research suggests that exposure to low level blasts and, more specifically repetitive blast exposure (RBE), which may be subconcussive in nature, may also impact long term physiologic and psychological outcomes, though findings have been mixed. For military personnel, blast-related injuries often occur in chaotic settings (e.g., combat), which create challenges in the immediate assessment of …

Intouch Week Of March 25, 2024, New York Medical College

InTouch

• 35^th Annual Graduate Student Research Forum Showcases Groundbreaking Research
• NYMC and Regeneron Debut Neighborhood Science Seminar Series
• Orthopedics Research Fellowship Yields Prolific Results for SOM Student
• LCME Elements of the Week
• Tell Us What You Think
• Alumni Spotlight: SLP Alumna Opens Local Private Practice in Honor of Late Sister

Unraveling Sorafenib Resistance In Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Exploring Key Facets, Dennis Kwabiah, Kyle Doxtater, Yamile Abuchard, Sophia Leslie, Ricardo Pequeno Bracho, Shaibir Hussain, Manish K. Tripathi

Research Symposium

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) stands as the prevalent form of primary liver cancer worldwide, diagnosing over half a million new cases annually. Surgical interventions like hepatectomy and liver transplantation offer a potential cure for early-stage HCC. However, the prognosis for advanced stages remains grim due to drug resistance, particularly with high refractoriness rates. Sorafenib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is an approved treatment for advanced HCC. Despite its use, the overall survival extension for these patients remains limited due to the drug's ineffectiveness, and the mechanism behind advanced HCC's resistance to sorafenib remains elusive. TCGA analysis of HCC patient cohorts reveals elevated …

Spontaneous Tumor Lysis Syndrome In A Patient With Recent Diagnosis Of Multiple Myeloma — An Unusual Presentation, Taha Al Hassan, Olga G. Cantu-Rodriguez, Eunbee Cho, Edgar G. Dorsey Trevino

Research Symposium

Background: Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) is an oncologic emergency that surfaces as a constellation of metabolic imbalances due to the rapid destruction of cancer cells and subsequent dissemination of their contents. However, a markedly rare subtype of TLS, known as spontaneous TLS (STLS), occurs without an evident trigger, such as cytotoxic therapy, and carries a similar mortality risk. It is paramount to recognize high-risk cases early and implement therapeutic measures to prevent complications of STLS.

Case Presentation: We present the case of a 74-year-old gentleman with a recent diagnosis of Kappa-restricted multiple myeloma who presented with worsening weakness, tremors, ataxia, …

Ongoing Study Of The Association Of Apoe Gene Polymorphisms With Cognitive Impairment In The Rio Grande Valley Hispanic Population, Jaime Miguel L. Saveron, Daniela Gamez, Chun Xu

Research Symposium

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD), a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder, exhibits a significant genetic component. In addition, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a key risk factor for AD. While certain demographic factors and genetic variants associated with AD and cognitive impairment have been identified in non-Hispanic populations, limited research exists on this subject within the Hispanic population, particularly in the Rio Grande Valley. This study aims to investigate the relationship between the APOE gene, specifically its ε4 allele, and cognitive impairment in the Hispanic population of the Rio Grande Valley.

Methods: A total of 269 Hispanic subjects, aged 60 and above, with …

Lncrna Impact On Regorafenib Resistance In Colorectal Cancer, Ricardo Pequeno Bracho, Kyle Doxtater, Dennis Kwabiah, Yamile Abuchard Anaya, Sophia Leslie, Mohammad Shabir Hussain, Manish Tripathi

Research Symposium

Cancer metastasis is one of the deadliest aspects of the disease, with about 90% of all cancer-related deaths due to its development at different sites within the body. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer mortality in the United States, with 40-50% of all patients developing metastasis at some point during their fight with the disease. With the approval of Regorafenib for treating metastatic colorectal cancer, steps have been taken to combat metastasis in colorectal cancer. A vital aspect of the development of metastasis is the development of resistance to first-line chemotherapy. Regorafenib is an oral small-molecule …

Gene By Environment Interaction: The Social Determinants Of Health And Depression, Sowmya Duddu, Eron Manusov, Vincent Diego, Marcio Almeida, Sandra Laston, John Blangero, Sarah Williams-Blangero

Research Symposium

Background: Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) influence health through psychological, social, environmental, and cultural domains according to the psychosocial-cultural model of health. This report provides evidence of the intricate relationship between genetics, depression, and the Social Determinants of Health (SDoH). We applied a joint interaction model to account for G×Sex and G×SDoH interaction in the face of depression to establish if both types of interactions are important and independent of one another in the setting of depression. We estimated the corresponding genetic effect and extracted envophenotypes using Best Linear Unbiased Prediction to remove the influence of genetic variation on expression. …

Pilot Study For Use Of An Arthrometer To Assess Joint Laxity In People With Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Dawn T. Gulick, Valerie Iovine, Kerstin Palombaro

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Joint hypermobility is a condition in which synovial joints move beyond normal limits. Approximately 10-25% of children and 5-25% of adults experience hypermobility syndrome. One such hypermobility syndrome is an inherited connective tissue disorder known as Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). Typically, a score of 4-5 out of 9 on the Beighton scale is indicative of hypermobility in adults. Whereas 6 out of 9 is the criteria for children. No significant correlations were found between the systemic features of EDS and the Beighton score. The purpose of this pilot study was to see if an arthrometer could be used …

Teaching Exercise Physiology With Flipped Classroom Method In The Era Of Covid-19: Experience Of A Remote Course, Valéria Panissa, Cláudia Lúcia De Moraes Forjaz, Bruno Rocha De Avila Pelozin, Gabriel Loureiro Martins, Ailma Oliveira Da Paixão, Raphael Ferreira De Paiva Barreto, Patricia Chakur Brum

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to describe the use of flipped classroom method in a forced remote Exercise Physiology course during the COVID-19 pandemic and assess the students’ motivation and learning throughout the course. METHODS: Undergraduate students received recorded asynchronous activities each week that should be done before a weekly synchronous meeting. During synchronous and asynchronous activities, strategies to emphasize students’ active participation were applied. Weekly, learning evaluation activities were applied, and the motivation was assessed. At the end of the course, students’ motivation and learning about each activity were evaluated. RESULTS: Of the 14 course topics, 2 …

A Quantum Logic Gate In The Dna Deoxyribose Moiety, F. Matthew Mihelic

Faculty Publications

The deoxyribose moiety of a nucleotide in the DNA molecule can act as a quantumlogic gate, in which the enantiomeric shift between the C2-endo and C3-endo conformations of each nucleotide, occurs within a logically and thermodynamically reversible situation of electron spin qubits, that are coherently held within the topologically insulating DNA crystalline nanostructure, and that are coherently conducted along the delocalized electrons of the pi-stacked nucleotide base pairs. The enantiomeric symmetry between the C2-endo and C3-endo conformations is logically and thermodynamically reversible because it functions as a symmetry-breaking Szilard engine that is effectively built out of the physicality of the …

Breastfeeding Vs. Formula-Feeding: Effects On Early Childhood Immune Health, Nicole L. Taylor, Gavin C. Tuttle, Grace A. Theurer

SACAD: John Heinrichs Scholarly and Creative Activity Days

Objective: Collect and analyze data to compare benefits/risks of breastfeeding/formula-feeding on immune systems through early childhood.

Design: Pragmatic Experimental Comparative Effectiveness Research

Setting: Hays Medical Center Pediatrics

Participants: 300 newborn babies – through first 8 years

Results/Conclusions: Data collection and results pending

Exploring Neuroplasticity Changes In Neurotoxin-Induced Parkinson’S Disease: A Preliminary Analysis Using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, Tomas Gomez Jr., Daniel Salinas, Kelsey Potter-Baker, Nawaz Hack, Ramu Vadukapuram

Research Symposium

Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative condition that affects movement, cognition, gait, and significantly impacts one's quality of life. Studies have suggested that neurotoxin pre-exposure is related to PD pathology and progressive motor/non-motor deficits, though it remains unclear how neurotoxin exposure affects neuroplasticity. The present study aimed to examine neurotoxin–induced PD-associated neuroplasticity changes in relationship to mental acuity and PD motor functionalities.

Methods: 7 voluntary participants experiencing early-stage PD symptoms with self-reported neurotoxin pre-exposure were enrolled in the longitudinal, repeated-measures clinical study; 2 sex-matched, age-matched, and occupation-matched healthy subjects were recruited for controlled comparative analysis (n=9). UTRGV’s Institute …

Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (Gaba) Neurons And Perineuronal Nets (Pnn) In The Monodelphis Domestica And Relevance To Psychiatric Disorders, Jatziry Z. Luna Escobedo, Mariela Garcia, John L. Vandeberg, Mario Gil

Research Symposium

Background/ Purpose: Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is an amino acid that serves as the central nervous system’s (CNS) main inhibitory neurotransmitter. By inhibiting nerve transmission, it works to lower neuronal excitability. Altered GABA levels have been associated with a variety of psychiatric disorders, for example Epilepsies, Parkinson’s Disease, and Schizophrenia. Perineuronal nets (PNN) are extracellular molecules that are released by neurons and glial cells that modulate many neuronal and glial functions by encapsulating the inhibitory cells and neurites. Altered PNN levels serve as a potential trigger to synaptic imbalance. The purpose of this study is to quantify and analyze the presence, …

Development Of Solitary Keratoacanthoma From A Cutaneous Wart, Joshua M. Ninan, Veronica Salazar

Research Symposium

Background: Common cutaneous warts, referred to in medicine as verrucae vulgaris, are proliferative lesions caused by human papillomavirus. These lesions are mostly benign and usually resolve without incident, except in the case of the patient mentioned in this report. Our patient developed a solitary keratoacanthoma, currently accepted as a clinical variant of squamous cell carcinoma, as a result of several risk factors and traumatic exposure. The current literature does not have an established association of HPV with solitary keratoacanthomas. This case report explores the presentation and pathogenesis of solitary keratoacanthomas within the setting of HPV.

Case Presentation: 48-year-old Caucasian female …

Contribution Of 24-H Blood Pressure Variability To Dementia-Related Disorders In Hispanics, Nura Salhadar, Kristina Vatcheva, Silvia Mejia-Arango, Luis J. Mena, Ney Alliey-Rodriguez, Carlos A. Chavez, Ciro A. Goana, Egle Silva, Gustavo Calmon, Rosa P. Mavarez, Joseph H. Lee, Joseph D. Terwilliger, Jesus D. Melgarejo, Gladys E. Maestre

Research Symposium

Introduction: As the number of people living with dementia is increasing at alarming rates worldwide, there is an urgent need to understand the physiopathology of dementia syndromes. Among the most important preventable risk factors, treatment of vascular risk factors such as high blood pressure (BP) decreases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). Recent evidence suggests that examining BP variability provides additional physiopathological and predictive information above the mean BP level. However, studies examining the relationship between 24-h BP variability and ADRD are limited, and evidence of the association with dementia has not been documented yet. Therefore, we …

Intouch Week Of March 18, 2024, New York Medical College

InTouch

• Match Day Marks Another Milestone for Class of 2024
• Intersection of Innovation and Health Care Subject of NYMedTalks
• Study Reveals Concerning Link Between Growth Hormone Therapy and Growth Plate Fractures in Children
• Students, Staff, and Faculty Pet Their Stress Away
• LCME Element of the Week
• Alumni Spotlight: D.P.T. Alumnus Finds Solace in Writing After Cardiac Event

Automated Seizure Detection Based On State-Space Model Identification, Zhuo Wang, Michael Sperling, Dale Wyeth, Allon Guez

Department of Neuroscience Faculty Papers

In this study, we developed a machine learning model for automated seizure detection using system identification techniques on EEG recordings. System identification builds mathematical models from a time series signal and uses a small number of parameters to represent the entirety of time domain signal epochs. Such parameters were used as features for the classifiers in our study. We analyzed 69 seizure and 55 non-seizure recordings and an additional 10 continuous recordings from Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, alongside a larger dataset from the CHB-MIT database. By dividing EEGs into epochs (1 s, 2 s, 5 s, and 10 s) and …