Digital Commons Network^™

The Inherited Intestinal Microbiota From Myeloid-Specific Zip8ko Mice Impairs Pulmonary Host Defense Against Pneumococcal Pneumonia, Derrick R. Samuelson, Deandra R. Smith, Kelly C. Cunningham, Sabah Haq, Daniel N. Villageliú, Christi Christi Ellis, Niaz Bahar Chowdhury, Amanda E. Ramer-Tait, Jeff Price, Daren L. Knoell

Food for Health: Publications

Intestinal dysbiosis increases susceptibility to infection through the alteration of metabolic profiles, which increases morbidity. Zinc (Zn) homeostasis in mammals is tightly regulated by 24 Zn transporters. ZIP8 is unique in that it is required by myeloid cells to maintain proper host defense against bacterial pneumonia. In addition, a frequently occurring ZIP8 defective variant (SLC39A8 rs13107325) is strongly associated with inflammation-based disorders and bacterial infection. In this study, we developed a novel model to study the effects of ZIP8-mediated intestinal dysbiosis on pulmonary host defense independent of the genetic effects. Cecal microbial communities from a myeloid-specific Zip8 knockout mouse …

Cdk5-Prmt1-Wdr24 Signaling Cascade Promotes Mtorc1 Signaling And Tumor Growth, Shasha Yin, Liu Liu, Lauren E Ball, Yalong Wang, Mark T Bedford, Stephen A Duncan, Haizhen Wang, Wenjian Gan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The mammalian target of rapamycin complex1 (mTORC1) is a central regulator of metabolism and cell growth by sensing diverse environmental signals, including amino acids. The GATOR2 complex is a key component linking amino acid signals to mTORC1. Here, we identify protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1) as a critical regulator of GATOR2. In response to amino acids, cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) phosphorylates PRMT1 at S307 to promote PRMT1 translocation from nucleus to cytoplasm and lysosome, which in turn methylates WDR24, an essential component of GATOR2, to activate the mTORC1 pathway. Disruption of the CDK5-PRMT1-WDR24 axis suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell proliferation …

Machine Learning-Based Routine Laboratory Tests Predict One-Year Cognitive And Functional Decline In A Population Aged 75+ Years, Karina Braga Gomes, Ramon Gonçalves Pereira, Alexandre Alberto Braga, Henrique Cerqueira Guimarães, Elisa De Paula França Resende, Antônio Lúcio Teixeira, Maira Tonidandel Barbosa, Wagner Meira Junior, Maria Das Graças Carvalho, Paulo Caramelli

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Cognitive and functional decline are common problems in older adults, especially in those 75+ years old. Currently, there is no specific plasma biomarker able to predict this decline in healthy old-age people. Machine learning (ML) is a subarea of artificial intelligence (AI), which can be used to predict outcomes Aim: This study aimed to evaluate routine laboratory variables able to predict cognitive and functional impairment, using ML algorithms, in a cohort aged 75+ years, in a one-year follow-up study.

METHOD: One hundred and thirty-two older adults aged 75+ years were selected through a community-health public program or from long-term-care …

Neoadjuvant Pembrolizumab In Localized Microsatellite Instability High/Deficient Mismatch Repair Solid Tumors, Kaysia Ludford, Won Jin Ho, Jane V Thomas, Kanwal P S Raghav, Mariela Blum Murphy, Nicole D Fleming, Michael S Lee, Brandon G Smaglo, Y Nancy You, Matthew M Tillman, Carlos Kamiya-Matsuoka, Selvi Thirumurthi, Craig Messick, Benny Johnson, Eduardo Vilar, Arvind Dasari, Sarah Shin, Alexei Hernandez, Xuan Yuan, Hongqui Yang, Wai Chin Foo, Wei Qiao, Dipen Maru, Scott Kopetz, Michael J Overman

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: Pembrolizumab significantly improves clinical outcomes in advanced/metastatic microsatellite instability high (MSI-H)/deficient mismatch repair (dMMR) solid tumors but is not well studied in the neoadjuvant space.

METHODS: This is a phase II open-label, single-center trial of localized unresectable or high-risk resectable MSI-H/dMMR tumors. Treatment is pembrolizumab 200 mg once every 3 weeks for 6 months followed by surgical resection with an option to continue therapy for 1 year followed by observation. To continue on study, patients are required to have radiographic or clinical benefit. The coprimary end points are safety and pathologic complete response. Key secondary end points are response …

Mixed Depression In The Post-Covid-19 Syndrome: Correlation Between Excitatory Symptoms In Depression And Physical Burden After Covid-19, Alessio Simonetti, Evelina Bernardi, Stella Margoni, Antonello Catinari, Antonio Restaino, Valentina Ieritano, Marta Palazzetti, Federico Mastrantonio, Delfina Janiri, Matteo Tosato, Francesco Landi, Gabriele Sani

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The relationship between depression and post-COVID-19 disease syndrome (post-COVID-19 syndrome) is established. Nevertheless, few studies have investigated the association between post-COVID-19 syndrome and mixed depression, i.e., a specific sub-form of depression characterized by high level of excitatory symptoms. Aims of the present study are: (a) to compare the post-COVID-19 syndrome's burden in depressed and non-depressed patients, and (b) to investigate the correlation between post-COVID-19 syndrome's burden and the severity of mixed depression. One thousand and forty six (n = 1460) subjects with post-COVID-19 syndrome were assessed. Subjects were divided into those with (DEP) or without (CONT) depression. Sociodemographically, post-COVID-19 syndrome's …

Education In The Emergency Department For Cardiac Conditions, Shelby Thomason

Nursing | Student Research Posters

In the United States 610,000 people die every year from coronary artery disease which equates to 1 in 4 deaths. Inequity in access to healthcare is a persistent issue that impact patient outcomes. Tracking adherence and patient outcomes can be challenging, especially for patients who may not have access to necessary resources or support. Nurses are often overworked and have limited time to provide in-depth education. Patients and their families often struggle to afford caregivers or other resources that can help manage these chronic cardiac conditions.

Survey Of Nutrition Education Among Medical Students, Michael P. Duggan, Anahita T. Kodali, Zach A. Panton, Shannon M. Smith, Grant J. Riew, Jack F. Donaghue, Gregory A. Leya, Logan G. Briggs

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: The current literature regarding both specific interventions and the current level of nutrition education in the United States is scarce. The purpose of this paper is to provide medical student perspectives on both the degree and necessity of nutrition education during medical school.

Methods: Medicine in Motion (MM) is a non-profit student-run organization founded in 2018 that aims to address burnout in medicine through physical activity, community service, and philanthropy. MM issued a survey to nine of its chapters in January 2021 to assess a range of topics including burnout, physical activity, and nutrition education.

Results: Of 5500 invited …

Children's And Caregivers' Review Of A Guided Imagery Therapy Mobile App Designed To Treat Children With Functional Abdominal Pain Disorders: Leveraging A Mixed Methods Approach With User-Centered Design, John M Hollier, Tiantá A Strickland, C Michael Fordis, Miranda Al Van Tilburg, Robert J Shulman, Debbe Thompson

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPDs) are highly prevalent and associated with substantial morbidity. Guided imagery therapy (GIT) is efficacious; however, barriers often impede patient access. Therefore, we developed a GIT mobile app as a novel delivery platform.

OBJECTIVE: Guided by user-centered design, this study captured the critiques of our GIT app from children with FAPDs and their caregivers.

METHODS: Children aged 7 to 12 years with Rome IV-defined FAPDs and their caregivers were enrolled. The participants completed a software evaluation, which assessed how well they executed specific app tasks: opening the app, logging in, initiating a session, setting the …

Phase I Study Of Sapanisertib With Carboplatin And Paclitaxel In Mtor Pathway Altered Solid Malignancies, Omar Alhalabi, Roman Groisberg, Ralph Zinner, Andrew W Hahn, Aung Naing, Shizhen Zhang, Apostolia M Tsimberidou, Jordi Rodon, Siqing Fu, Timothy A Yap, David S Hong, Ming Sun, Yunfang Jiang, Shubham Pant, Amishi Y Shah, Amado Zurita, Nizar M Tannir, Raghunandan Vikram, Jason Roszik, Funda Meric-Bernstam, Vivek Subbiah

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Pre-clinically, the mTORC1/2 inhibitor sapanisertib restored sensitivity to platinums and enhanced paclitaxel-induced cancer cell killing. NCT03430882 enrolled patients with mTOR pathway aberrant tumors to receive sapanisertib, carboplatin and paclitaxel. Primary objective was safety and secondary objectives were clinical response and survival. One patient had a dose-limiting toxicity at dose level 4. There were no unanticipated toxicities. Grade 3-4 treatment-related adverse events included anemia (21%), neutropenia (21%), thrombocytopenia (10.5%), and transaminitis (5%). Of 17 patients evaluable for response, 2 and 11 patients achieved partial response and stable disease, respectively. Responders included a patient with unclassified renal cell carcinoma harboring EWSR1-POU5F1 fusion …

Ether Phospholipids Are Required For Mitochondrial Reactive Oxygen Species Homeostasis, Ziheng Chen, I-Lin Ho, Melinda Soeung, Er-Yen Yen, Jintan Liu, Liang Yan, Johnathon L Rose, Sanjana Srinivasan, Shan Jiang, Q Edward Chang, Ningping Feng, Jason P Gay, Qi Wang, Jing Wang, Philip L Lorenzi, Lucas J Veillon, Bo Wei, John N Weinstein, Angela K Deem, Sisi Gao, Giannicola Genovese, Andrea Viale, Wantong Yao, Costas A Lyssiotis, Joseph R Marszalek, Giulio F Draetta, Haoqiang Ying

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Mitochondria are hubs where bioenergetics, redox homeostasis, and anabolic metabolism pathways integrate through a tightly coordinated flux of metabolites. The contributions of mitochondrial metabolism to tumor growth and therapy resistance are evident, but drugs targeting mitochondrial metabolism have repeatedly failed in the clinic. Our study in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) finds that cellular and mitochondrial lipid composition influence cancer cell sensitivity to pharmacological inhibition of electron transport chain complex I. Profiling of patient-derived PDAC models revealed that monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and MUFA-linked ether phospholipids play a critical role in maintaining ROS homeostasis. We show that ether phospholipids support mitochondrial …

The Melanocortin Action Is Biased Toward Protection From Weight Loss In Mice, Hongli Li, Yuanzhong Xu, Yanyan Jiang, Zhiying Jiang, Joshua Otiz-Guzman, Jessie C Morrill, Jing Cai, Zhengmei Mao, Yong Xu, Benjamin R Arenkiel, Cheng Huang, Qingchun Tong

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The melanocortin action is well perceived for its ability to regulate body weight bidirectionally with its gain of function reducing body weight and loss of function promoting obesity. However, this notion cannot explain the difficulty in identifying effective therapeutics toward treating general obesity via activation of the melanocortin action. Here, we provide evidence that altered melanocortin action is only able to cause one-directional obesity development. We demonstrate that chronic inhibition of arcuate neurons expressing proopiomelanocortin (POMC) or paraventricular hypothalamic neurons expressing melanocortin receptor 4 (MC4R) causes massive obesity. However, chronic activation of these neuronal populations failed to reduce body weight. …

Predicting Walking Ability And Prosthetic Candidacy Following Lower Extremity Amputation; An Updated Systematic Review And Treatment Pathway, Scott Love, Carolyn Dias-Karch, Bianca Saragusti, Rebekah Langrek, Kayla Aponte, Rebecca Miro, Michael Jason Highsmith

Physical Therapy Collection

Background: There is not a clear compilation of existing literature that determines walking ability and prosthetic candidacy following lower extremity amputation (LEA). There is no multi-disciplinary instrument or patient centric decision-making protocol accepted that can predict walking ability and prosthetic candidacy nor support a treatment pathway. It is important to determine these factors to better assist clinicians in determining a patient’s MFCL K-level to assist with the delivery of proper prosthetic componentry. Medicare Functional Classification Level (MFCL) K-level is a 0 to 4-point scale of functional level for those with limb loss. The purpose of this systematic literature review …

A Reduced Pancreatic Polypeptide Response Is Associated With New-Onset Pancreatogenic Diabetes Versus Type 2 Diabetes, Phil A Hart, Yogish C Kudva, Dhiraj Yadav, Dana K Andersen, Yisheng Li, Frederico G S Toledo, Fuchenchu Wang, Melena D Bellin, David Bradley, Randall E Brand, Kenneth Cusi, William Fisher, Kieren Mather, Walter G Park, Zeb Saeed, Robert V Considine, Sarah C Graham, Jo Ann Rinaudo, Jose Serrano, Mark O Goodarzi

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: Pancreatogenic diabetes refers to diabetes mellitus (DM) that develops in the setting of a disease of the exocrine pancreas, including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and chronic pancreatitis (CP). We sought to evaluate whether a blunted nutrient response of pancreatic polypeptide (PP) can differentiate these DM subtypes from type 2 DM (T2DM).

METHODS: Subjects with new-onset DM (<3 >years' duration) in the setting of PDAC (PDAC-DM, n = 28), CP (CP-DM, n = 38), or T2DM (n = 99) completed a standardized mixed meal tolerance test, then serum PP concentrations were subsequently measured at a central laboratory. Two-way comparisons of …

Low And Differential Polygenic Score Generalizability Among African Populations Due Largely To Genetic Diversity, Lerato Majara, Allan Kalungi, Nastassja Koen, Kristin Tsuo, Ying Wang, Rahul Gupta, Lethukuthula L Nkambule, Heather Zar, Dan J Stein, Eugene Kinyanda, Elizabeth G Atkinson, Alicia R Martin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

African populations are vastly underrepresented in genetic studies but have the most genetic variation and face wide-ranging environmental exposures globally. Because systematic evaluations of genetic prediction had not yet been conducted in ancestries that span African diversity, we calculated polygenic risk scores (PRSs) in simulations across Africa and in empirical data from South Africa, Uganda, and the United Kingdom to better understand the generalizability of genetic studies. PRS accuracy improves with ancestry-matched discovery cohorts more than from ancestry-mismatched studies. Within ancestrally and ethnically diverse South African individuals, we find that PRS accuracy is low for all traits but varies across …

Identification Of A Gabaergic Neural Circuit Governing Leptin Signaling Deficiency-Induced Obesity, Yong Han, Yang He, Lauren Harris, Yong Xu, Qi Wu

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The hormone leptin is known to robustly suppress food intake by acting upon the leptin receptor (LepR) signaling system residing within the agouti-related protein (AgRP) neurons of the hypothalamus. However, clinical studies indicate that leptin is undesirable as a therapeutic regiment for obesity, which is at least partly attributed to the poorly understood complex secondary structure and key signaling mechanism of the leptin-responsive neural circuit. Here, we show that the LepR-expressing portal neurons send GABAergic projections to a cohort of α3-GABAA receptor expressing neurons within the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus (DMH) for the control of leptin-mediated obesity phenotype. We identified the …

Physio-Psycho-Social Interaction Mechanism In Dyadic Health Of Young And Middle-Aged Stroke Survivors And Their Spousal Caregivers: A Longitudinal Observational Study Protocol, Dandan Xiang, Zhen-Xiang Zhang, Song Ge, Wen Na Wang, Bei-Lei Lin, Su-Yan Chen, Er-Feng Guo, Peng-Bo Zhang, Zhi-Wei Liu, Hui Li, Yong-Xia Mei

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: In recent years, stroke has become more common among young people. Stroke not only has a profound impact on patients' health but also incurs stress and health threats to their caregivers, especially spousal caregivers. Moreover, the health of stroke survivors and their caregivers is interdependent. To our knowledge, no study has explored dyadic health of young and middle-aged stroke survivors and their spousal caregivers from physiological, psychological and social perspectives. Therefore, this proposed study aims to explore the mechanism of how physiological, psychological and social factors affect dyadic health of young and middle-aged stroke survivors and their spousal caregivers. …

A Rare Metastatic Mesenteric Malignant Pecoma With Tsc2 Mutation Treated With Palliative Surgical Resection And Nab-Sirolimus: A Case Report, Luke Meredith, Timothy Chao, Avinoam Nevler, Atrayee Basu Mallick, Rajan Singla, Peter Mccue, Wilbur Bowne, Wei Jiang, Md, Phd

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Malignant perivascular epithelioid cell tumors (PEComas) are exceedingly rare malignant mesenchymal neoplasms with characteristic morphological and immunohistochemical (IHC) patterns. However, some malignant PEComas are poorly differentiated with atypical histopathological features, making a definitive diagnosis difficult. PEComas are most commonly found in females and often show either TSC1 or TSC2 alterations, which result in the activation of the mTOR pathway, or TFE3 fusions. Given these molecular characteristics, mTOR inhibitors have recently been approved by the FDA in the treatment of malignant PEComas, particularly in those with TSC1/2 alterations. Therefore, molecular analyses may be helpful for both the diagnostic workup of …

Upper Age Limits For Us Male Human Papillomavirus Vaccination For Oropharyngeal Cancer Prevention: A Microsimulation-Based Modeling Study, Rebecca Landy, Gregory Haber, Barry I Graubard, Nicole G Campos, Stephen Sy, Jane J Kim, Emily A Burger, Li C Cheung, Hormuzd A Katki, Maura L Gillison, Anil K Chaturvedi

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Human papillomavirus (HVP)-positive oropharyngeal cancer is the most common HPV-associated cancer in the United States. The age at acquisition of oral HPV infections that cause oropharyngeal cancer (causal infections) is unknown; consequently, the benefit of vaccination of US men aged 27-45 years remains uncertain.

METHODS: We developed a microsimulation-based, individual-level, state-transition model of oral HPV16 and HPV16-positive oropharyngeal cancer among heterosexual US men aged 15-84 years, calibrated to population-level data. We estimated the benefit of vaccination of men aged 27-45 years for prevention of oropharyngeal cancer, accounting for direct- and indirect effects (ie, herd effects) of male and female …

Mapping The Metabolic Reprogramming Induced By Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibition, Aviram Kogot-Levin, Yael Riahi, Ifat Abramovich, Ofri Mosenzon, Bella Agranovich, Liat Kadosh, Rachel Ben-Haroush Schyr, Doron Kleiman, Liad Hinden, Erol Cerasi, Danny Ben-Zvi, Ernesto Bernal-Mizrachi, Joseph Tam, Eyal Gottlieb, Gil Leibowitz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Diabetes is associated with increased risk for kidney disease, heart failure, and mortality. Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) prevent these adverse outcomes; however, the mechanisms involved are not clear. We generated a roadmap of the metabolic alterations that occur in different organs in diabetes and in response to SGLT2i. In vivo metabolic labeling with 13C-glucose in normoglycemic and diabetic mice treated with or without dapagliflozin, followed by metabolomics and metabolic flux analyses, showed that, in diabetes, glycolysis and glucose oxidation are impaired in the kidney, liver, and heart. Treatment with dapagliflozin failed to rescue glycolysis. SGLT2 inhibition increased glucose oxidation …

Transcriptomic Changes Predict Metabolic Alterations In Lc3 Associated Phagocytosis In Aged Mice, Anuradha Dhingra, John W. Tobias, Nancy J. Philp, Kathleen Boesze-Battaglia

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

LC3b (Map1lc3b) plays an essential role in canonical autophagy and is one of several components of the autophagy machinery that mediates non-canonical autophagic functions. Phagosomes are often associated with lipidated LC3b to promote phagosome maturation in a process called LC3-associated phagocytosis (LAP). Specialized phagocytes, such as mammary epithelial cells, retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, and sertoli cells, utilize LAP for optimal degradation of phagocytosed material, including debris. In the visual system, LAP is critical to maintain retinal function, lipid homeostasis, and neuroprotection. In a mouse model of retinal lipid steatosis-mice lacking LC3b (LC3b−/−), we observed increased lipid deposition, metabolic dysregulation, …

Cd73-Dependent Adenosine Signaling Through Adora2b Drives Immunosuppression In Ductal Pancreatic Cancer, Erika Y Faraoni, Kanchan Singh, Vidhi Chandra, Olivereen Le Roux, Yulin Dai, Ismet Sahin, Baylee J O'Brien, Lincoln N Strickland, Le Li, Emily Vucic, Amanda N Warner, Melissa Pruski, Trent Clark, George Van Buren, Nirav C Thosani, John S Bynon, Curtis J Wray, Dafna Bar-Sagi, Kyle L Poulsen, Lana A Vornik, Michelle I Savage, Shizuko Sei, Altaf Mohammed, Zhongming Zhao, Powel H Brown, Tingting Mills, Holger K Eltzschig, Florencia Mcallister, Jennifer M Bailey-Lundberg

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The microenvironment that surrounds pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is profoundly desmoplastic and immunosuppressive. Understanding triggers of immunosuppression during the process of pancreatic tumorigenesis would aid in establishing targets for effective prevention and therapy. Here, we interrogated differential molecular mechanisms dependent on cell of origin and subtype that promote immunosuppression during PDAC initiation and in established tumors. Transcriptomic analysis of cell-of-origin-dependent epithelial gene signatures revealed that Nt5e/CD73, a cell-surface enzyme required for extracellular adenosine generation, is one of the top 10% of genes overexpressed in murine tumors arising from the ductal pancreatic epithelium as opposed to those rising from acinar cells. …

Investigating The Link Between O-Glcnacylation And Parkin In Parkinson’S Disease, Kathryn E. Henderson

Selected Honors Theses

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease (ND) that is believed to impact around 1 million Americans, from both reported and nonreported cases. It is characterized by impaired motor and cognitive functioning resulting from a host of proposed causes, including the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and the more debated aggregation of proteins. The role of proteins in PD is the focus of the following proposed research, which aims to evaluate the link between O-GlcNAcylation and the phosphorylation states of protein in NDs. This link has been investigated in other NDs such as Alzheimer’s as well …

Oropharyngeal Therapy With Breastmilk In Premature Neonates And Its Implications For Neonatal Outcomes, Asma Qamruddin

Quality Improvement/Patient Safety Symposium

Title: Oropharyngeal Therapy with Breastmilk in Premature Neonates and its Implications for Neonatal Outcomes

Authors: Asma Qamruddin MD, and Kevin P Vlahovich MD MS

Background: Breastmilk contains protective immune factors which are antimicrobial, immunomodulatory, and pro-maturational. Early oropharyngeal therapy (OPT) with breastmilk helps to stimulate a neonate’s innate immune system which could potentially decrease the risk of infection and feeding intolerance in premature infants. We examined and compared the neonatal outcomes with or without OPT.

Intervention Description: This was a quasi-experimental study conducted at Advocate Children's Hospital Illinois. Infants born(n =56 infants) and those from June 2020 to November 2020 …

Effects Of Diet On Lcn2 Expression And Onset Of Neuroinflammation In An Alzheimer’S Disease Mice Model, Abdirahman A. Hayir

Neuroscience Honors Projects

This project covers the findings regarding the impact of diet on lipocalin 2 (LCN2) and the effects it has on neuroinflammation Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). LCN2 is a protein that is critical to the functionality of mitochondria and inflammatory responses. Evidence has shown that mitochondrial dysfunction is a potential central event in driving AD pathogenesis and contributing to formation of pathological hallmarks such as chronic inflammation. Furthermore, studies have shown that LCN2 can be deficient under metabolic conditions such as high-fat-diet (HFD). This study investigates if HFD induces LCN2 deficiency and increased neuroinflammation in an AD mice model.

Oral Health In Relation To The Covid-19 Pandemic, Anika L. Gram

Honors Thesis

Oral health has seen significant changes through the Covid-19 pandemic. Many people experienced the lifestyle alteration of wearing a mask for a major portion of their day-to-day life, and some went to the dentist significantly less than they did pre-pandemic. The literature review explores dental practices during the Covid-19 pandemic. It also examines mask-wearing behaviors both before and during the pandemic and the research that has been conducted previously regarding the potential effects of mask-wearing. Despite the decrease in use of masks post-pandemic, many healthcare professionals continue to wear masks daily. Additionally, in the event of future disease outbreak, it …

Exploring Modern Trends And Prevention Strategies For Childhood Obesity: A Comprehensive Literature Review, Anya E. Bogen

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This literature review seeks to provide an overview of the current research on childhood obesity. The study examines the prevalence and causes of childhood obesity, including genetic, environmental, and behavioral factors. The review also discusses the health consequences associated with childhood obesity, such as the increased risk for chronic diseases and psychological and social problems. Additionally, the review explores the effectiveness of interventions designed to prevent childhood obesity, including individual lifestyle modifications, education from health practitioners and school programs, and global, national, and state programs to promote wellness. The literature review concludes that childhood obesity is a complex and multifactorial …

The Effects Of Exercise On The Lipid Profile Of Extracellular Vesicles, Tesha Kerr

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

We sought to ascertain the effect of different types of exercise (aerobic training and resistance training) on the lipid profile of extracellular vesicles. Thus, we had participants perform bouts of AT and RT and rest (control) and collected blood samples from them immediately after (timepoint 0) and 30 minutes after (timepoint 30) exercise. Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) were isolated from plasma of participants using cushioned-density gradient ultracentrifugation (C-DGUC). Small EV size, morphology, and protein markers were determined using nanoparticle tracking analysis, transmission electron microscopy, and western blot, respectively. Additionally, we performed untargeted lipidomics on the sEV isolate. We found that …

The Revolutionary Genome Editor: Crispr-Cas9 Systems, Grace Spade

Senior Honors Theses

Genetic engineering is the modification of an organism's genetic material to alter its traits through adding, deleting, or changing specific genes. CRISPR-Cas9 systems are groundbreaking tools for genetic engineering, in short utilizing a molecule called RNA to guide a protein called Cas9 to a specific location in DNA to add, delete, or replace genes. The history of how the CRISPR-Cas9 systems came into existence, how it was adapted from a natural defense system in bacteria, and its mechanism of action in both are explained. Its applications, both present and future, competing genetic modifiers, advantages and disadvantages, and the ethical dilemmas …

Health Consequences Of Low Energy Availability In Females And Their Underlying Physiological Mechanisms, Grace Parry

Senior Honors Theses

Low energy availability (LEA) is a state in which energy intake is insufficient to support energy expenditure while maintaining energy balance, which has been shown to result in gastrointestinal distress, immunosuppression, reduced metabolic rate, menstrual dysfunction, diminished bone health, and impaired cardiovascular function in females. Alterations to the microbiome and mucosal lining may propagate gastrointestinal complaints and compromised immune function associated with LEA. The pathophysiology of LEA is otherwise largely driven by hormonal adaptations. Diminished production of thyroid hormones is known to contribute to reduced metabolic rate. Decreases in leptin and insulin and increases in ghrelin disrupt reproductive function through …

Renal-Hepatic-Pancreatic Dysplasia Type 2: Perinatal Lethal Condition Or A Multisystemic Disorder With Variable Expressivity, Kathryn Gunther, Essam M Imseis, Joyce P Samuel, Elizabeth A Hillman, Tiina H Ojala, Timo Jahnukainen, Paul R Hillman

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Renal-hepatic-pancreatic dysplasia type 2 (RHPD2) is a rare condition that has been described in the literature disproportionately in perinatal losses. The main features of liver and kidney involvement are well described, with cardiac malformations and cardiomyopathy adding additional variation to the phenotype. Many patients reported are within larger cohorts of congenital anomalies of kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) or liver failure, and with minimal phenotypic and clinical course data.

METHODS: An independent series of phenotypes and prognosis was aggregated from the literature. In this literature review, we describe an additional patient with RHPD2, provide a clinical update on the …