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Validity And Reliability Of The Tampa Scale For Kinesiophobia For Adolescents With Heart Disease., David A. White, William R. Black, Emily Cramer, Lindsey Malloy-Walton, Mollie Walton, Laura Martis, Brandy Enneking, Kelli M. Teson, Jessica S. Watson, Jami Gross-Toalson Jun 2025

Validity And Reliability Of The Tampa Scale For Kinesiophobia For Adolescents With Heart Disease., David A. White, William R. Black, Emily Cramer, Lindsey Malloy-Walton, Mollie Walton, Laura Martis, Brandy Enneking, Kelli M. Teson, Jessica S. Watson, Jami Gross-Toalson

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

PURPOSE: To assess the validity and reliability of a newly adapted Tampa Scale for KP for adolescents with HD (TSK-Heart-A).

METHODS: The TSK-Heart-A survey consists of 17 Likert scale items, producing a summary score (SS) ranging from 17 (low KP) to 68 (high KP). Following content and face validity, adolescents (age 12-18 yr) with arrhythmia disorders or Fontan palliation were recruited. The PROMIS pediatric anxiety and depression short forms, Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) generic core and cardiac module, and a PA questionnaire for adolescents (PAQ-A) were used for criterion validity. The TSK-Heart-A was completed twice (20.4 ± 6.3 …


Glp-1 Agonists For Pediatric Psychopharmacology: Opportunities And Cautions., Michael Bartkoski, Ethan Poweleit, Stephani L. Stancil Jun 2025

Glp-1 Agonists For Pediatric Psychopharmacology: Opportunities And Cautions., Michael Bartkoski, Ethan Poweleit, Stephani L. Stancil

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists (GLP-1A) are increasingly prescribed to treat obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus in children and adolescents. Emerging evidence suggesting neuropsychiatric effects presents an opportunity for pediatric psychopharmacology but requires careful consideration of potential adverse effects and risk of misuse. This perspective examines potential applications and cautions surrounding GLP-1As for pediatric mental health, particularly substance use, depression, and eating disorders, and advocates for research and clinical monitoring to ensure their safety and efficacy.


Cardiovascular And Thromboembolic Events In Children And Adults With Glomerular Disease: Findings From The Cure Glomerulonephropathy (Curegn) Network., Shikha Wadhwani, Sarah A. Mansfield, Abigail R. Smith, Bruce M. Robinson, Eman Abdelghani, Amira Al-Uzri, Isa F. Ashoor, Sharon M. Bartosh, Aftab S. Chishti, Salim S. Hayek, Michelle A. Hladunewich, Bryce A. Kerlin, Siddharth S. Madapoosi, Laura H. Mariani, Amy K. Mottl, Michelle N. Rheault, Michelle M. O'Shaughnessy, Christopher John Sperati, Tarak Srivastava, David T. Selewski, Chia-Shi Wang, Craig S. Wong, Donald J. Weaver, Myda Khalid, Glomerulonephropathy (Curegn) Study Consortium Jun 2025

Cardiovascular And Thromboembolic Events In Children And Adults With Glomerular Disease: Findings From The Cure Glomerulonephropathy (Curegn) Network., Shikha Wadhwani, Sarah A. Mansfield, Abigail R. Smith, Bruce M. Robinson, Eman Abdelghani, Amira Al-Uzri, Isa F. Ashoor, Sharon M. Bartosh, Aftab S. Chishti, Salim S. Hayek, Michelle A. Hladunewich, Bryce A. Kerlin, Siddharth S. Madapoosi, Laura H. Mariani, Amy K. Mottl, Michelle N. Rheault, Michelle M. O'Shaughnessy, Christopher John Sperati, Tarak Srivastava, David T. Selewski, Chia-Shi Wang, Craig S. Wong, Donald J. Weaver, Myda Khalid, Glomerulonephropathy (Curegn) Study Consortium

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE: Cardiovascular (CV) and thromboembolic (TE) events are known complications of glomerular disease (GD), but their incidence and risk factors are poorly characterized. This analysis describes CV and TE outcomes in the Cure GlomeruloNephropathy (CureGN) Network.

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study.

SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: CureGN is a prospective cohort study of children and adults with biopsy-proven minimal change disease (MCD), focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), membranous nephropathy (MN), or IgA nephropathy (IgAN)/vasculitis (IgAV). Data from 2,545 children and adults (23% MCD, 23% MN, 25% FSGS, 29% IgAN/IgAV) was analyzed.

EXPOSURE: Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), proteinuria, serum albumin, tobacco …


Postoperative Caregiver Decision Regret Following Velopharyngeal Dysfunction Surgery., Rohit Nallani, Nathan Farrokhian, Meghan Tracy, Kevin J. Sykes, Jill M. Arganbright Jun 2025

Postoperative Caregiver Decision Regret Following Velopharyngeal Dysfunction Surgery., Rohit Nallani, Nathan Farrokhian, Meghan Tracy, Kevin J. Sykes, Jill M. Arganbright

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Decision regret (DR) is a powerful factor in medical decision-making, particularly for surgical decisions which carry multiple risks, impact quality of life (QOL), and have uncertain outcomes. While prior studies have investigated caregiver DR after tonsillectomy and otologic surgery, there is a paucity of data assessing DR following pediatric otolaryngology procedures. The aim of this study is to measure DR following velopharyngeal dysfunction (VPD) surgery.

METHODS: A cross-sectional survey study with chart review was performed of caregivers of children who had VPD surgery performed by a single surgeon at a tertiary children's hospital. Demographic, medical, and surgical history were …


Morphological Variation And Change In The Lateral Ventricles And Caudate Nucleus Across Schizophrenia Types: A Metric Analysis, Devin Venezia Jun 2025

Morphological Variation And Change In The Lateral Ventricles And Caudate Nucleus Across Schizophrenia Types: A Metric Analysis, Devin Venezia

PCOM Biomedical Studies Student Scholarship

Schizophrenia is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that alters cognitive function, perception, and behavior. The disorder affects one percent of the global population and is characterized by symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech, cognitive function, and emotional expression (Hany et al., 2024). While previous research involves three-dimensional (3D) renderings of subcortical structures that demonstrate schizophrenic-specific morphology (Narr et al., 2001; Zhang et al., 2023), the variation expressed by different schizophrenia subtypes require greater focus. This research study explores the structural variations in the lateral ventricles and the caudate nucleus across different schizophrenia subtypes, emphasizing potential sexbased differences. This study hypothesized …


Whole-Exome Sequencing Identified Molecular Variants Linked To The Progression Of Gastric Precancerous Lesions In Patients From Southwestern Colombia—An Exploratory Approach., Lizeth Mejia-Ortiz, Jovanny Zabaleta, Jone Garai, Luis Eduardo Bravo, Andres Castillo Jun 2025

Whole-Exome Sequencing Identified Molecular Variants Linked To The Progression Of Gastric Precancerous Lesions In Patients From Southwestern Colombia—An Exploratory Approach., Lizeth Mejia-Ortiz, Jovanny Zabaleta, Jone Garai, Luis Eduardo Bravo, Andres Castillo

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.


Topodino: Self-Supervised Topological Representation Learning For Neuronal Morphologies, Yasser Binbisher Jun 2025

Topodino: Self-Supervised Topological Representation Learning For Neuronal Morphologies, Yasser Binbisher

Master's Theses

Neuronal cell types are categorized by transcriptomic identity, yet their morphological heterogeneity defies this classification. In response, researchers have adopted unsupervised graph representation learning as a tool to reveal morphological variation within single-class transcriptomic types. However, the complex geometry of neuronal morphology—especially long axons and dense dendrites—challenges graph neural networks, which struggle with message propagation across extended structures. To mitigate this, current approaches enforce sub-sampling on neuronal graphs and omit axons entirely, sacrificing critical biological features for computational efficiency. To overcome this trade-off, this thesis introduces TopoDINO, a self-supervised, topology-aware representation learning model designed to preserve the full hierarchical organization …


Down Syndrome In Africa: Challenges, Opportunities, And Future Directions, Eimear Mcglinchey, Salina Tewolde, Amanda He, Juan Fortea, Lingani Mbakile-Mahlanza, Ayda Tefera, Emmanuel Epenge, Jason Hassenstab, Rachel Maina, Zul Merali Jun 2025

Down Syndrome In Africa: Challenges, Opportunities, And Future Directions, Eimear Mcglinchey, Salina Tewolde, Amanda He, Juan Fortea, Lingani Mbakile-Mahlanza, Ayda Tefera, Emmanuel Epenge, Jason Hassenstab, Rachel Maina, Zul Merali

Brain and Mind Institute

INTRODUCTION: As life expectancy improves for people with Down syndrome (DS) in Africa, the risk of developing DS-associated Alzheimer’s disease (DSAD) will rise. There is a pressing need to plan for this emerging challenge, particularly in the context of existing health and social disparities.

METHODS: This work emerged from a pan-African collaboration, including discussions at the Brain Ageing and Dementia in Low- and Middle-Income Countries conference held in Nairobi in 2024, where stakeholders identified regional priorities for DS and dementia care.

RESULTS: Limited epidemiological, cognitive, biomarker data, delayed diagnoses, and gaps in specialized services may impact access …


Evaluating Artificial Intelligence Chatbots For Patient Education In Oral And Maxillofacial Radiology, Dilek Helvacioglu-Yigit, Husniye Demirturk, Kamran Ali, Dania Tamimi, Lisa J. Koenig, Abeer Almashraqi Jun 2025

Evaluating Artificial Intelligence Chatbots For Patient Education In Oral And Maxillofacial Radiology, Dilek Helvacioglu-Yigit, Husniye Demirturk, Kamran Ali, Dania Tamimi, Lisa J. Koenig, Abeer Almashraqi

School of Dentistry Faculty Research and Publications

Objective

This study aimed to compare the quality and readability of the responses generated by 3 publicly available artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots in answering frequently asked questions (FAQs) related to Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology (OMR) to assess their suitability for patient education.

Study Design

Fifteen OMR-related questions were selected from professional patient information websites. These questions were posed to ChatGPT-3.5 by OpenAI, Gemini 1.5 Pro by Google, and Copilot by Microsoft to generate responses. Three board-certified OMR specialists evaluated the responses regarding scientific adequacy, ease of understanding, and overall reader satisfaction. Readability was assessed using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL) …


Irnet: Immunotherapy Response Prediction Using Pathway Knowledge-Informed Graph Neural Network, Yuexu Jiang, Manish Sridhar Immadia, Duolin Wang, Shuai Zeng, Yen On Chan, Jing Zhou, Dong Xu, Trupti Joshi Jun 2025

Irnet: Immunotherapy Response Prediction Using Pathway Knowledge-Informed Graph Neural Network, Yuexu Jiang, Manish Sridhar Immadia, Duolin Wang, Shuai Zeng, Yen On Chan, Jing Zhou, Dong Xu, Trupti Joshi

Biomedical Sciences

Introduction: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are potent and precise therapies for various cancer types, significantly improving survival rates in patients who respond positively to them. However, only a minority of patients benefit from ICI treatments.

Objectives: Identifying ICI responders before treatment could greatly conserve medical resources, minimize potential drug side effects, and expedite the search for alternative therapies. Our goal is to introduce a novel deep-learning method to predict ICI treatment responses in cancer patients.

Methods: The proposed deep-learning framework leverages graph neural network and biological pathway knowledge. We trained and tested our method using ICI-treated patients’ data from several …


Flexible Pathways In Medical Science - Evaluating The Impact Of Hyflex Teaching Modes, Aine Balfe Jun 2025

Flexible Pathways In Medical Science - Evaluating The Impact Of Hyflex Teaching Modes, Aine Balfe

Case studies: Digital Education

The HyFlex teaching model has been implemented in the part-time TU088 Higher Diploma in Medical Science programme to support students who work as hospital laboratory aides. This flexible approach reduces on-site attendance requirements while maintaining academic standards. TU088 runs concurrently with two full-time programs - TU867 BSc in Medical Science and TU888 HDip in Medical Science—and shares key modules delivered in HyFlex mode in stage 2 and stage 4. Additionally, HyFlex is employed in a final-year research module co-taught across TU867, TU866 BSc in Biomedical and Molecular Diagnostics, and TU886 BSc in Biomolecular Science. This supports students completing research projects …


The Compassionate H.E.A.R.T. Of Relationship-Centered Care, Dustin Willis Jun 2025

The Compassionate H.E.A.R.T. Of Relationship-Centered Care, Dustin Willis

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The patient-provider interaction (PPI) represents a critical dimension of healthcare delivery that significantly influences clinical outcomes, yet the nuanced dynamics of compassionate care remain operationally elusive. This dissertation presents the Compassionate H.E.A.R.T. (Helping Ease, Alleviate, & Relieve Therapeutically) framework—a novel theoretical model for understanding and enhancing relationship-centered care—and examines its validity, reliability, and therapeutic impact.

Through four interconnected studies, this research explores the multifaceted nature of compassionate care. First, a comprehensive literature review excavates the landscape of patient-provider interactions, highlighting terminological inconsistencies, incomplete theoretical frameworks, and methodological challenges in measuring these ethereal qualities. Second, the Compassionate H.E.A.R.T. model is introduced, …


Sunlight Exposure And The Risk Of Mortality And Breast Cancer Incidence, Noor Nadhim Jun 2025

Sunlight Exposure And The Risk Of Mortality And Breast Cancer Incidence, Noor Nadhim

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background: Prolonged sun exposure increases the risk of skin cancer. However, multiple sunlight-related health benefits have been identified. The overall impact of sun exposure on mortality is not clear. Sunlight could be associated with breast cancer risk via stimulating vitamin D photosynthesis; however, evidence has been mixed. Objectives: To investigate the association of time spent outdoors in daylight (in warmer and cooler months, and the total [annual]) and UV irradiance using the residential locations of participants with the risks of mortality (all-cause and cause-specific: cancer, cardiovascular [CVD], and non-cancer non-CVD) and primary invasive breast cancer.

Methods: This research …


Nursing Advocacy In Maternal Health For Women With Sickle Cell Disease, Jodian Lyn Jun 2025

Nursing Advocacy In Maternal Health For Women With Sickle Cell Disease, Jodian Lyn

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Over 80% of pregnancy-related deaths among Black women in the U.S. are preventable. Racial disparities, biases, and discrimination negatively impact maternal health, by contributing to higher stress levels, affecting pregnancy outcomes. The maternal death rate for Black women with sickle cell (SCD) is 629, Black women without SCD is 12, and the general population 6 per 100,000. The voices of these women are often missing in research.

This qualitative study, using Hermeneutic Phenomenological approach, explores the lived experiences of Black women with SCD during pregnancy. Data analysis was completed using an interpretive framework to elucidate the essence of the lived …


Perioperative Fluid Therapy Impairs Lymphatic Pump Function In Male Rats, Rebecca C Harlow-Adamek, Reetu Singh, Randolph H Stewart, Cristine L Heaps, Glen A Laine, Charles S Cox, Ranjeet M Dongaonkar Jun 2025

Perioperative Fluid Therapy Impairs Lymphatic Pump Function In Male Rats, Rebecca C Harlow-Adamek, Reetu Singh, Randolph H Stewart, Cristine L Heaps, Glen A Laine, Charles S Cox, Ranjeet M Dongaonkar

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

Because of its life-saving benefits, perioperative IV fluid therapy remains a cornerstone of medical treatment. However, it also induces sustained edemagenic stress. The resulting persistent interstitial edema-excessive fluid accumulation in the interstitium-significantly delays recovery and worsens patient outcomes. Therefore, to gain a detailed understanding of the lymphatic functional consequences of perioperative fluid therapy, this study aimed to test the hypothesis that perioperative IV fluid therapy compromises lymphatic pump function within 3 days after major surgery. Following a midline laparotomy, animals received IV fluid therapy over 48 h during recovery (FLTP). Three days post-surgery, mesenteric lymphatic vessels from FLTP and sham …


The Ethnobotany And Pharmacology Of Medicinal Plants For Caribbean Women’S Health, Ella Thomas Vardeman Jun 2025

The Ethnobotany And Pharmacology Of Medicinal Plants For Caribbean Women’S Health, Ella Thomas Vardeman

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Approximately 55% of the world’s population lives in cities, and the United Nations estimates that this number will rise to 68% by 2050. Urban ethnobotany, the study of people’s traditional knowledge and use of plants in cities, is increasingly important as people adapt their cultural traditions to changing environments. In New York City (NYC), there have been several urban ethnobotany investigations in collaboration with Caribbean immigrant groups. However, there has yet to be an ethnobotanical survey that documents and botanically authenticates the medicinal plants used in the Haitian community. Previous collaborative research with women from the Caribbean in NYC has …


Spectrum Of Demyelinating Diseases In Pakistan: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study, Zainab Aslam Saeed Memon, Safia Awan, Haris Majid Rajput, Qamar Un Nisa, Muhammad Subhan, Lal Chand, Muhammad Wazir Ali Khan Jun 2025

Spectrum Of Demyelinating Diseases In Pakistan: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study, Zainab Aslam Saeed Memon, Safia Awan, Haris Majid Rajput, Qamar Un Nisa, Muhammad Subhan, Lal Chand, Muhammad Wazir Ali Khan

Pakistan Journal of Neurological Sciences (PJNS)

Background and Objective: Demyelinating diseases are a heterogeneous group of disorders of the central nervous system, including multiple sclerosis (MS), neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM). Data from South Asia remain scarce, despite potential regional variations in disease spectrum and outcomes. The objective of this study was to characterize the demographic, clinical, and disability profile of patients with demyelinating disorders across Pakistan.

Methods: This multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted between August 2017 and December 2019 across 39 neurology centers in Pakistan. Adult patients (≥18 years) diagnosed with demyelinating disorders using standardized criteria were included. Data on …


Overcoming Vaccine-Associated Enhanced Respiratory Disease In Swine Flu With Lipid Nanoparticle-Dna Technology, The Nguyen Jun 2025

Overcoming Vaccine-Associated Enhanced Respiratory Disease In Swine Flu With Lipid Nanoparticle-Dna Technology, The Nguyen

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The two primary challenges in developing vaccines against swine influenza A virus (IAV-S) are the continuous viral evolution and vaccine-associated enhanced respiratory disease (VAERD). Current vaccine strategies share a common limitation: the significant time required for licensing updated vaccines. Moreover, the strain selection for vaccine updates depends entirely on predictions, raising the risk that chosen strains may not match circulating viruses. Such mismatches not only reduce vaccine efficacy but also risk exacerbating disease severity through VAERD. Here, in this thesis, we developed and evaluated a novel DNA-based vaccine platform designed to address the need for rapid updates in response to …


Development And Mechanistic Investigation Of Recombinant Type Iii Humanized Collagen Gel For Mid-Facial Soft Tissue Repair, Qian Wang, Qifei An, Yuanzhou Wang, Jingbo Yang, Xiujuan Zhang, Shibo Jiang, Min Chen, Lu Lu, Yun Zhu Jun 2025

Development And Mechanistic Investigation Of Recombinant Type Iii Humanized Collagen Gel For Mid-Facial Soft Tissue Repair, Qian Wang, Qifei An, Yuanzhou Wang, Jingbo Yang, Xiujuan Zhang, Shibo Jiang, Min Chen, Lu Lu, Yun Zhu

Center for Translational Medicine Faculty Papers

Mid-facial depression is a key sign of facial aging, primarily caused by the loss of collagen leading to depletion of the extracellular matrix (ECM). However, the existing fillers for soft tissue augmentation have shown certain limitations in repairing mid-facial depression. Therefore, we herein report the development of a novel recombinant humanized type III collagen gel (C3Gel) through rational design and modification of a commercially available recombinant type III humanized collagen lyophilized fiber product. Both biological activity and tissue repair mechanisms of C3Gel were systematically evaluated in vitro and in vivo. C3Gel formed a dense fibrous structure around cells, significantly improving …


Pacific Rxtracts - June 2025, Pacific Rxtracts Jun 2025

Pacific Rxtracts - June 2025, Pacific Rxtracts

Pacific RxTracts

Articles:

  • Atzumi Receives FDA Approval as First Nasal Powder DHE for Migraine Treatment
  • IMAAVY: First and Only FDA-approved Neonatal Fc Receptor Inhibitor for gMG
  • New Prophylactic Treatment Approved for Hemophilia A or B, With or Without Factor Inhibitors
  • Cytisinicline: The Next Smoking Cessation Aid
  • FDA Approves Dupilumab for the Management of Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria
  • Study Shows Promise in Combining Behavioral Treatment with Phentermine
  • Metformin for Osteoarthritis
  • A New Direction in Atopic Dermatitis Treatment
  • Orforglipron: A Potential Oral Alternative to Injectable GLP-1 Agonists
  • Beyond GLP-1s: MariTide’s Dual Mechanism in Weight Loss Therapy
  • Atrasentan Gains FDA Approval to Combat Proteinuria in Primary …


Associations Between Vitamin D Deficiency And Sociodemographic Factors, Lifestyle Behaviors, And Metabolic Conditions: A Cross-Sectional Study From The Hnnhs In Greece, Asmae Mohamad Sadek Jun 2025

Associations Between Vitamin D Deficiency And Sociodemographic Factors, Lifestyle Behaviors, And Metabolic Conditions: A Cross-Sectional Study From The Hnnhs In Greece, Asmae Mohamad Sadek

Theses

Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is a widespread global health concern associated with various sociodemographic, lifestyle, dietary, and metabolic factors. While previous studies examined VDD in Greece, few provided a comprehensive analysis across multiple determinants using representative national data. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and predictors of VDD among Greek adults and to examine its associations with sociodemographic, dietary, behavioral, and metabolic variables using data from the Hellenic National Nutrition and Health Survey (HNNHS). A cross-sectional analysis was conducted among 978 adults (≥19 years) from the HNNHS. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations < 20 ng/mL were defined as deficient and ≥20 ng/mL as normal. The median age of participants was 40.2 years, and 62.0% were female. The overall prevalence of VDD was 46.0%, with the highest rate observed among adults aged ≥60 years (62.2%). VDD was significantly associated with older age (p < 0.001), retirement status (62.9% among retired; p < 0.001), low and sedentary physical activity (32.7% and 32.6% vs. 50.8% among highly active; p < 0.001), higher HDL (median 52.0 vs. 49.0 mg/dL among VDD vs Normal; p = 0.001), elevated serum calcium (median 9.4 vs. 9.2 mg/dL among VDD vs Normal; p = 0.020), and lower insulin levels (median 7.5 vs. 8.0 μIU/mL among VDD vs Normal; p = 0.044). Dietary intake (total energy and macronutrients) and body composition were not significantly associated with VDD. In the multivariate model, significant independent predictors of VDD included being retired (AOR = 2.383; 95% CI: 1.596–3.558; p < 0.001), having higher serum calcium levels (AOR = 1.563; 95% CI: 1.078–2.266; p = 0.019), and higher HDL levels (AOR = 1.016; 95% CI: 1.005–1.027; p = 0.001). Physical activity level was also a key determinant; participants classified as sedentary or low active had significantly higher odds of deficiency compared to highly active individuals (AOR = 0.468; 95% CI: 0.319–0.690; p < 0.001). This counterintuitive result may be influenced by factors such as increased indoor physical activity, and warrants further investigation. Dietary intake and body composition were not significantly associated with VDD. The findings underscore the importance of incorporating sociodemographic and lifestyle factors into prevention strategies. Interventions should particularly focus on older adults, retired individuals, even if they have higher HDL and calcium levels, and are physically active.


Examining Long-Term Care For Ncaa Student-Athletes: Improving Concussion Protocols And Healthcare, Sydney Watson Jun 2025

Examining Long-Term Care For Ncaa Student-Athletes: Improving Concussion Protocols And Healthcare, Sydney Watson

University Honors Theses

Sports-related concussions (SRC) are a significant issue in collegiate athletics, particularly in high-impact sports. While the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has protocols for immediate injury management, they don't fully address the long-term effects retired athletes experience. This paper examines whether former NCAA athletes who suffered from SRC should receive more comprehensive concussion-related healthcare. Findings reveal that current NCAA measures, such as baseline assessments and return-to-play protocols, fall short in addressing the lasting physical, cognitive, and emotional challenges of student-athletes who suffered multiple SRC. Protocols and procedures set by professional leagues like the NFL and NHL highlight the NCAA's gaps …


A Comprehensive Literature Review Of Gender Differences In Perception And Response To Stress, Zoe M. Shankland Jun 2025

A Comprehensive Literature Review Of Gender Differences In Perception And Response To Stress, Zoe M. Shankland

University Honors Theses

It is well established that psychological stress, whether acute, chronic, or recurring, creates an imbalance in the body’s ability to regulate itself, leading to the potential for long-term disease. This paper looks at the possibility that women (anyone who identifies as a woman) experience more general mental stress than men (anyone who identifies as a man) due to women experiencing unique stressors under a patriarchal society. Men and women live different lives in modern society due to differing societal expectations and biological processes for women (menstruation, pregnancy, menopause). These extra feelings of stress may be tied to traditional gender roles …


Quantitative Analysis Using Mri Of Patients That Are High Risk For Pancreatic Cancer, Aqsa Tarik Jun 2025

Quantitative Analysis Using Mri Of Patients That Are High Risk For Pancreatic Cancer, Aqsa Tarik

University Honors Theses

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a cancer that is detected in its later stages, causing its five-year survival rate of 2-9% (3). The majority of patients who develop PDAC unfortunately deal with a low survival rate due to the progression of the tumor in the body. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can assess the structure of the tissue within organs in the body. These scans can also be used in order to detect and diagnose tumors, allowing them to be a generator of cancer biomarkers. PDAC isn’t distinguishable on conventional images, as the pancreas will appear normal, allowing the tumor progress …


Access To Healthcare For Rural Transgender Adults In The United States, Devon Smith Jun 2025

Access To Healthcare For Rural Transgender Adults In The United States, Devon Smith

University Honors Theses

Urban and rural healthcare differ significantly in the amount of facilities, providers and kinds of specialty care that are offered in each environment. The United States is split into urban and rural counties in any given region, and based on those population sizes, are the allocation of healthcare resources for residents. In rural areas in the U.S., transgender adults lack access to gender-affirming care and encounter a lack of gender-affirming care providers due to workforce shortages, discrimination, and a lack of cultural competency. To determine if these residents lacked access to care compared with their urban counterparts, I performed a …


In Vitro Evaluation Of A Novel Computationally Designed Anticancer Peptide In Ovarian Cancer Cell Models, Basma A. Shaala Jun 2025

In Vitro Evaluation Of A Novel Computationally Designed Anticancer Peptide In Ovarian Cancer Cell Models, Basma A. Shaala

Theses and Dissertations

Ovarian cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality among

women, highlighting the need for novel therapeutic agents with improved selectivity and

reduced toxicity. Anticancer peptides (ACPs) have emerged as promising candidates

due to their ability to selectively target cancer cells. In this study, the anticancer activity

of a computationally designed ACP was evaluated in vitro using the SKOV-3 ovarian

cancer cell line, with HEK cells employed as a non-cancerous control.

Cell viability was assessed using the MTT assay, and cytotoxicity was further confirmed

by the trypan blue exclusion method. Apoptosis and necrosis were analyzed using

Annexin V-FITC/Propidium …


Digesting The Details: How Cooking Shapes The Microbiome And Influences Obesity, Tracy Lieu Jun 2025

Digesting The Details: How Cooking Shapes The Microbiome And Influences Obesity, Tracy Lieu

University Honors Theses

Obesity is a growing global health concern linked to chronic diseases and changes in the gut microbiome. While diet is known to affect gut microbes, less attention has been given to how food processing methods, such as heating, fermentation, and cold processing, change food in ways that influence the gut microbiome and health. This thesis reviews research on how different cooking and preparation techniques affect the availability of nutrients for microbial fermentation and the resulting effects on microbial diversity and metabolism. The findings show that fermentation and cold processing are the most supportive of gut health. These methods help preserve …


Diabetes-Related Distress Over Time And Its Associations With Glucose Levels In School-Aged Children., Susana R. Patton, Nicole Kahhan, Amy Milkes, Ryan J. Mcdonough, Matthew Benson, Mark A. Clements, Jessica S. Pierce Jun 2025

Diabetes-Related Distress Over Time And Its Associations With Glucose Levels In School-Aged Children., Susana R. Patton, Nicole Kahhan, Amy Milkes, Ryan J. Mcdonough, Matthew Benson, Mark A. Clements, Jessica S. Pierce

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

INTRODUCTION: In a cohort of families of school-age children (8-12.99 years old) with type 1 diabetes, we examined the stability of parent and child diabetes-related distress (DRD) over 6 months and the associations between parent and child DRD and child glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) over time.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We recruited families from two large pediatric hospital systems in the USA and used validated measures of parent (Parent Problem Areas in Diabetes-Child, PPAID-C) and child (Problem Areas in Diabetes-Child, PAID-C) DRD and children's HbA1c. We collected data at baseline and 6 months. We calculated minimal clinically important differences in PPAID-C …


Large-Scale Plasma Proteomic Profiling Unveils Diagnostic Biomarkers And Pathways For Alzheimer’S Disease, Gyujin Heo, Ying Xu, Erming Wang, Muhammad Ali, Hamilton Se-Hwee Oh, Patricia Moran-Losada, Federica Anastasi, Armand González Escalante, Raquel Puerta, Soomin Song, Jigyasha Timsina, Menghan Liu, Daniel Western, Katherine Gong, Yike Chen, Pat Kohlfeld, Allison Flynn, Alvin G Thomas, Joseph Lowery, John C Morris, David M Holtzman, Joel S Perlmutter, Suzanne E Schindler, Natalia Vilor-Tejedor, Marc Suárez-Calvet, Pablo García-González, Marta Marquié, Maria Victoria Fernández, Mercè Boada, Amanda Cano, Agustín Ruiz, Bin Zhang, David A Bennett, Tammie Benzinger, Tony Wyss-Coray, Laura Ibanez, Yun Ju Sung, Carlos Cruchaga Jun 2025

Large-Scale Plasma Proteomic Profiling Unveils Diagnostic Biomarkers And Pathways For Alzheimer’S Disease, Gyujin Heo, Ying Xu, Erming Wang, Muhammad Ali, Hamilton Se-Hwee Oh, Patricia Moran-Losada, Federica Anastasi, Armand González Escalante, Raquel Puerta, Soomin Song, Jigyasha Timsina, Menghan Liu, Daniel Western, Katherine Gong, Yike Chen, Pat Kohlfeld, Allison Flynn, Alvin G Thomas, Joseph Lowery, John C Morris, David M Holtzman, Joel S Perlmutter, Suzanne E Schindler, Natalia Vilor-Tejedor, Marc Suárez-Calvet, Pablo García-González, Marta Marquié, Maria Victoria Fernández, Mercè Boada, Amanda Cano, Agustín Ruiz, Bin Zhang, David A Bennett, Tammie Benzinger, Tony Wyss-Coray, Laura Ibanez, Yun Ju Sung, Carlos Cruchaga

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Proteomic studies have been instrumental in identifying brain, cerebrospinal fluid and plasma proteins associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here, we comprehensively examined 6,905 aptamers corresponding to 6,106 unique proteins in plasma in more than 3,300 well-characterized individuals to identify new proteins, pathways and predictive models for AD. We identified 416 proteins (294 new) associated with clinical AD status and validated the findings in two external datasets representing more than 7,000 samples. AD-related proteins reflected blood-brain barrier disruption and other processes implicated in AD, such as lipid dysregulation or immune responses. A machine learning model was used to identify a set …


Protecting The Future Of Medical Innovation: Balancing Fiscal Responsibility With The Need For National Institutes Of Health And Federal Health Funding, Irina Petrache, Raed A. Dweik, Michelle Ng Gong, Jesse Roman, M. Patricia Rivera, Karen J. Collishaw Jun 2025

Protecting The Future Of Medical Innovation: Balancing Fiscal Responsibility With The Need For National Institutes Of Health And Federal Health Funding, Irina Petrache, Raed A. Dweik, Michelle Ng Gong, Jesse Roman, M. Patricia Rivera, Karen J. Collishaw

Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.