Digital Commons Network^™

Targeted Treatment For Kras12d For Pdac Treatment, Ana Bulnes, Orlando Garcia, Poornima Devi Shaji, Melissa Elizondo, Swathi Holla, Nirnoy Dan, Anupam Dhasmana, Shabnam Malik, Murali Yallapu, Stephen Behrman

Research Symposium

Introduction: Cellular stress is known to function in synergistic cooperation with oncogenic mutations during tumorigenesis to drive cancer progression. Oncogenic RAS is a strong inducer of a variety of pro-tumorigenic cellular stresses, and also enhances the ability of cells to tolerate these stresses through multiple mechanisms that leads to resistance to chemotherapy and to therapies that target the RAS pathway. Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients exhibit extremely poor prognosis. KRAS mutation on codon-12 is present in 70–95% of PDAC cases and it drives stress-adaptive mechanisms, PDAC growth and progression. Galectin-1 (Gal-1) is present in both PDAC and stromal cells, being …

Studying The Molecular Mechanism Of Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Shabnam Malik, Mohammed Sikander, S. Mishra, Daniel Zubieta, S. K. Jain, Deepshikha Pande Katare, Meena Jaggi, Subhash Chauhan

Research Symposium

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a poor prognosis due to ineffective therapeutic modality and lack of early diagnostic marker. Accumulating studies have shown that elevated expression of mucin 13 as potential oncogene and predictive biomarker for various cancer. However, very little is known about its expression and function for development and progression of HCC.

Objective: To investigate mucin 13 expression in chemically induced hepatocellular carcinoma model.

Methodology: Diethyl nitrosamine (DEN) and 2-Acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF) induced method was employed for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma in Male Wistar rats. Serum and tissues were collected at regular intervals of time and routinely validated …

Neurocellular Er Stress Response In Alzheimer's Disease And Related Dementias (Adrd) Risk, Satish Kumar, Miriam Aceves, Jose C. Granados, Ana C. Leandro, Juan M. Peralta, Sarah Williams-Blangero, Joanne E. Curran, John Blangero

Research Symposium

Background: Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) pathology, characterized by neurodegeneration, amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques, and intracellular tangles of hyperphosphorylated Tau, starts in the entorhinal cortex and then spreads to the hippocampus and cerebral cortex. The presence of AD pathology in the hippocampus is strongly correlated with cognitive decline. The hippocampus is also one of the major sites of adult neurogenesis in the brain and accumulating evidence now suggests that adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) that occurs throughout life (albeit declining with age) is essential for cellular homeostasis and hippocampus-dependent cognitive functions, and is severely impaired in ADRD patients. However, the causation of impaired AHN …

Triterpenoid Cddo-Ea Protects From Obesity And Insulin Resistance In An Animal Model Of Type 2 Diabetes, A. Cantu, Denae Cantu, Cordelia Rasa, Shizue Mito, Juan C. Lopez-Alvarenga, Sara M. Reyna

Research Symposium

Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is characterized by insulin resistance, an impaired response to insulin by cells. Although several medications target insulin sensitivity, they fail to prevent progression to T2D in most high-risk individuals. Oleanolic acid (OA) is a pentacyclic triterpenoid found in plants with unique cardioprotective and anti-diabetic properties. OA can serve as a scaffold to produce synthetic molecules, known as synthetic oleanane triterpenoids (SOs), with enhanced biological activity. Our published findings show that the SO CDDO-EA (2-cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9(11)-dien-28-oic acid-ethyl amide) facilitates translocation of the glucose transporter protein, GLUT4, as a new mechanism of CDDO-EA in regulating glucose metabolism. Thus, …

Perceived Outcomes Of Periacetabular Osteotomy, Ryan Bialaszewski, John M. Gaddis, Bretton Laboret, Joel Wells, Adina Stewart

Research Symposium

Aims: Social media is a popular resource for patients seeking medical information and sharing experiences. periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) is the gold-standard treatment for symptomatic acetabular dysplasia with good long-term outcomes. However, little is known regarding the perceived outcomes of PAO on social media. The aims of this study were to describe the perceived outcomes following PAO using three social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly known as Twitter).

Methods: Facebook, Instagram, and X posts were retrospectively collected from 1 February 2023. Facebook posts were collected from the two most populated interest groups: “periacetabular osteotomy” and “PAO Australia.” Instagram and …

Results From An Association-Scan Of The Extended Mhc-Class-Ii Region Using Novel Association-Based Statistical Methods Establish That Dq Allotypes Influence The Risk Of Fviii Inhibitor Development In Hemophilia-A Patients, Ruayda Bouls, Paola Ibarra, Marcio Almeida, Vincent P. Diego, Joanne E. Curran, Juan M. Peralta, Satish Kumar, John Blangero, Sarah Williams-Blangero, Tom E. Howard

Research Symposium

Background: Hemophilia-A (HA) is caused by factor VIII (FVIII)-gene (F8) mutations, variably deficient plasma FVIII activity (FVIII:C), and reduced to absent intrinsic-pathway amplification of coagulation. Infused therapeutic-FVIII-proteins (tFVIIIs) prevent bleeding in all HA patients (HAPs) but about 25-30% with severe-HA and 5-10% with non-severe-HA become refractory with the development of neutralizing-tFVIII-antibodies (“FVIII-inhibitors (FEIs)”). We use Immunochip genotyping in the PATH Study to screen the MHC-class-II (MHCII)-region for classical- and non-classical-HLA-class-II (HLAII)-genes and -pseudogenes for association with FEI-risk while accounting for the non-independence of data due to genetic relatedness and F8 mutational heterogeneity using novel statistical methods. Our results establish that …

Effect Of Alcohol On Alzheimer's Disease, Rabin Debnath, Pooja A. Chawla

Research Symposium

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder that is characterised by cognitive decline and cholinergic dysfunction. According to studies, drinking alcohol can result in serious problems such as degenerative neuro-inflammation. Although a decreased incidence of AD has been associated with moderate alcohol intake. Alcohol use may be a risk factor for AD. Alcoholism is associated with cognitive problems, especially alcoholic dementia. Alcohol's impact on mental functions, such as brain disorders and neurochemistry, is believed to increase the risk of developing AD. According to some research, moderate alcohol use may have a protective effect on AD, depending on the type …

Signs Of Rheumatoid Arthritis With Negative Serum Markers: A Diagnostic Challenge, Prakhar Jain, Chelsea Chang, Jessica Marcela Daza

Research Symposium

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis affects 1.3 million adults in US and can be challenging to diagnose. Clinicians need to develop a good sense of pretest probability, or likelihood of this disease, before initiating testing. This case explores the association between palmar erythema, rheumatoid arthritis, the differential diagnoses and testing available.

Case presentation: This case involves a 55 year old woman with no past medical history who is presenting to the clinic with a 1 year duration of 7 out of 10 throbbing pain of the bilateral palms. There is no arthralgia. The pain worsens with activities that involve the hands and …

Effective Management And Implementation Of A Coordinated Health Program - The Steps Snap-Ed Experience, Moises Cisneros, Brenda Rodriguez-Guerra, Joseph Reyes, Emilio Puente Barrios

Research Symposium

Purpose: Coordinated health programs have been proposed for more than four decades to improve the health of children in school settings. Although a challenging task, it has the potential to touch many lives, especially those from impoverished communities (Darlington, Violon, & Jourdan, 2018). The South Texas Early Prevention Studies (STEPS) aim to positively impact the community of the Rio Grande Valley, a population known to have a high rate of obesity, by implementing a comprehensive and proactive approach with various components within a preschool students’ life. The project's goal has been to plant a seed at an early age for …

Targeting Β-Catenin Signaling Pathway For Cervical Cancer Therapy, Mohammed Sikander, Shabnam Malik, John Apraku, Sonam Kumari, Parvez Khan, Daniel Zubieta, Hassan Mandil, Aditya Ganju, Bhavin Chauhan, Maria C. Bell, Man Mohan Singh, Sheema Khan, Murali M. Yallapu, Fathi T. Halaweish, Meena Jaggi, Subhash Chauhan

Research Symposium

Aberrant activation of β-catenin signaling is strongly associated with cancer proliferation, invasion, migration, and metastasis, thus small molecules that can inhibit this pathway might have great clinical significance. Our molecular modeling studies suggest that Ormeloxifene (ORM), a triphenylethylene molecule docks with β-catenin, and its brominated analogue (Br-ORM) bind more effectively with relatively less energy (-7.6 kcal/mol) to the active site of β-catenin as compared to parent ORM. Herein, we report the synthesis and characterization of a Br-ORM by NMR and FTIR, as well as its anti-cancer potential in cervical cancer models in vitro and in vivo. Br-ORM treatment effectively …

Submental Intubation In Oral Maxillofacial Surgery: A Case Report And Review Of Indications And Complications, Jennifer Inofomoh, Mark Lavering, Ed Wong Alvarado, Diego Aleman

Research Symposium

Introduction/ Background: Submental intubation is a valuable alternative airway management technique employed in oral maxillofacial surgery when intraoral or nasal intubation is contraindicated or poses a potential risk (Schütz, 2008). This case report presents a clinical scenario in which a patient underwent oral maxillofacial surgery necessitating submental intubation. Additionally, we review the indications, technique, and potential complications associated with this specialized intubation approach.

Oral maxillofacial surgeries frequently involve complex fractures, extensive soft tissue injuries, or anatomical variations that preclude traditional intraoral or nasal intubation. Submental intubation provides a safe and effective option in such cases, avoiding the need for tracheostomy …

Impact Of Fiber-Rich Foods On Glucose Levels In Relation To Liver Fat Infiltration: Preliminary Results., Mariana S. Mendez-Ramirez, Claudia X. Munguia-Cisneros, Alma Alejandra Cantu-Martinez, Mara Itzel Hernandez-Ahumada, Enyli Balandrano-Cantu, Laura Sheila De Leon-Sanchez, Samuel Elian Chavez-Acosta, Alejandra Yazmin Santos-Vega, Amairani Sanchez-Diaz, Evelyn Poleth Vega-Saldierna, Adela Perez-Mar, Carlos Ramirez-Pfeiffer, Juan Lopez-Alvarenga

Research Symposium

Introduction: Previous studies have indicated the consumption of fiber-rich food rich can decrease glucose levels. Additionally, fat infiltration is a common finding in people with type 2 diabetes Mellitus (T2D) and may contribute to metabolic imbalances. However, there needs to be more research investigating the combined effects of fiber intake and liver fat infiltration on glucose levels. In this study, we aimed to analyze the impact of fiber-rich foods on glucose levels, considering the scores of liver fat infiltration.

Methods: After obtaining written consent was approved by the UAT IRB, the participants (relatives of students) were invited at 7 am …

Alcohol Worsens Bipolar Disorder: Fact Or Myth?, Kushal Seni, Pooja A. Chawla

Research Symposium

Bipolar disorder is a chronic and complex psychiatric condition characterized by alternating episodes of mania and depression. The suffering person’s quality of life, behaviour, and mood are all deeply impacted. Although drinking alcohol is a typical practise among those who have bipolar disorder, little is known about how it affects the illness. The objective of this paper is to give an overview of how alcohol affects bipolar disorder. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant that can cause mood fluctuations and make bipolar disorder symptoms stronger. Alcohol may at first give off an instantaneous sensation of excitement, but over time, …

Periacetabular Osteotomy: An Analysis Of Social Media To Determine The Most Common Questions Asked By The Periacetabular Osteotomy Population, John M. Gaddis, Ryan Bialaszewski, Bretton Laboret, Joel Wells, Adina Stewart

Research Symposium

Background: Social media has become an increasingly popular resource for patients and a platform to share one’s experiences. Patients undergoing periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) may gravitate towards social media for support, guidance and understanding. The aim of this study was to investigate Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to further understand what the most common preoperative and postoperative questions patients undergoing PAO are asking.

Methods: Facebook, Instagram and Twitter were queried consecutively from February 1, 2023 to November 23, 2011. Facebook was searched for the two most populated interest groups; “Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO)” and “Periacetabular Osteotomy Australia”. Instagram and Twitter were queried for …

Analyzing And Addressing Telemedicine Barriers Among Lubbock Medicaid Patients, Ariel Santos, Tim Fox, Meredith Hopson, Joey Almaguer, Zoe Davis, Joey Almaguer

Research Symposium

Background: There has been a widespread demand for virtual medicine ever since the COVID-19 pandemic. Benefits to telemedicine include less expenses for the patient and industry, reduced risk of acquiring communicable diseases, improved chronic disease management, and the elimination of traditional barriers to care (e.g. transportation, time off work, childcare, location/distance etc.). However, there are pertinent limitations, such as access to reliable internet, access to Zoom-capable technology, and technological literacy. These limitations may serve as barriers to utilizing virtual medicine as a source of health care.

Methods: Using retrospective chart review, we sent a Qualtrics questionnaire to Medicaid …

Association Of Variability And Hypertensive Peaks In 24-H Blood Pressure With Cardiovascular Risk And Mortality, Jesus D. Melgarejo, Luis J. Mena, Kristina P. Vatcheva, Jose A. Garcia, Dhrumil Patil, Claudia Satizabal, Carlos A. Chavez, Rosa V. Pirela, Gustavo Calmon, Joseph H. Lee, Joseph D. Terwilliger, Sudha Seshadri, Gladys E. Maestre

Research Symposium

Background: Blood pressure (BP) variability relates to cardiovascular (CV) diseases and one unexplored mechanism may involve hypertensive peaks caused by high BP variability. OBJECTIVES: To test this hypothesis, we studied the association of cumulative hypertensive peaks (CHP) in 24-h systolic BP with CV risk.

Methods: A total of 1212 participants from the Maracaibo Aging Study (mean age, 66; women, 67.2%) underwent 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring and were followed between 1998 and 2010. BP variability was the 24-h average real variability (ARV). CHP in systolic BP (expressed as %) was the number of systolic BP measures ≥125 mmHg (based on …

Molecular Insights Into The Anti-Stress Function Of Fucoxanthin, A Major Component Of An Edible Seaweed (Wakame), Shi Yang, Huayue Zhang, Hyonchol Kim, Sunil Kaul, Renu Wadhwa

Research Symposium

Background: Mortalin, a member of the Hsp70 family of proteins, enriched in many types of cancers, has been shown to promote carcinogenesis and metastasis by multiple ways of which inactivation of p53 has been firmly established. Downregulation of mortalin by small RNAs and disruption of mortalin-p53 interactions by small molecules have earlier been shown to activate tumor suppressor activities of p53 yielding growth arrest/apoptosis in cancer cells. In this premise, screening of a chemical library to identify potential abrogators of mortalin-p53 interaction was performed using two-way imaging assay involving (i) shift of mortalin staining pattern from perinuclear (characteristics of cancer …

Nurturing The Environment: Enhancing Pet-Plastic Degradation By A Slow-Growing Miracle Microbe, Felipe-Andrés Piedra, Anthony Maresso

Research Symposium

Background: Plastic pollution is a global problem of enormous (5.5 billion tons) and growing proportion (1). A promising solution involves fermentation of plastic waste to produce microbial biomass that can be used in a range of applications including compost production. However, few microbial species able to consume plastic waste have been identified, and those that have been, including the recently discovered gram-negative bacterial species Ideonella sakaiensis (I. sakaiensis) which consumes polyethylene terephthalate (PET) (2) – a common throwaway plastic – do so exceedingly slowly (2). Here we report results from a screen of 190 carbon sources to identify small molecule …

Rational Design Of An Antimicrobial Peptide, Elvira Alanis, Miguel Alanis, Frank B. Dean, Yonghong Zhang

Research Symposium

Background: Clostridioides difficile is a gram-positive, spore-forming anaerobic bacterium that is the leading cause of nosocomial infections. Due to its detergent-resistant spores and antibiotic resistance, C. difficile infection is an urgent threat since it is difficult to eliminate, allowing it to persist in healthcare institutions. Inadequate treatments available for this infection lead to the problem that C. difficile infection rates may rise in coming years due to an increase in hospital-acquired infections following the COVID-19 pandemic, and therefore the discovery of new antimicrobial compounds is of utmost importance. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have become a promising alternative due to their …

Treatment Strategies For Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease (Mafld) In Childhood: A Systematic Review, Anthony Alanis, Alisha Valdez, Hector Rivera-Marrero, Joshua Membreno, Isabel Omaña-Guzman, Marisol Rosas-Diaz, Yoscelina Estrella Martínez-López, Esperanza Milagros Garcia-Oropesa, Nayely Garibay-Nieto, Alejandra Bustamante, Octelina Castillo-Ruiz, Beatriz Tapia, Leonel Vela, Kathleen V. Carter, Juan Carlos Lopez-Alvarenga

Research Symposium

Introduction: Obesity is associated with various metabolic conditions, but the impact differs between children and adults. Our previous research has demonstrated that children may exhibit reversibility in biochemical features, while experiencing less response in terms of anatomical damage. Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD) is a condition that necessitates urgent treatment during childhood to mitigate future complications, such as worsening chronic inflammation and increased predisposition to diabetes, hypertension, or endothelial damage. In this study, we aim to evaluate the main clinical interventions (including drugs, behavioral treatments, nutrition programs, and traditional medicine) that effectively reduce MAFLD in children with obesity. …

The Impact Of Alcoholism In Depression, Anjali Sharma, Pooja Chawla

Research Symposium

Depression is a common mental health condition characterized by lack of passion or enjoyment in activities as well as persistent emotions of sadness and hopelessness. Excessive alcohol consumption is a chronic issue on nationwide and presents a significant public health concern. Consuming alcohol is linked to worse outcomes in terms of how depression develops it happens when the untreated alcoholism intensifies, it leads to depressive states, decreases responsiveness to conventional therapeutics as well as increases the likelihood of suicide, suicide attempts and other self-destructive behavior. Major depressive episodes and excessive alcohol use have long been thought to be related clinically …

Alcoholism And Psychiatric Comorbidity: A Complex Relationship, Aniket Saini, Pooja Chawla

Research Symposium

Alcoholism, also known as alcohol use disorder (AUD), is a chronic and relapsing condition characterized by the excessive and compulsive consumption of alcohol which leads to negative effects on the physical as well as mental health. Heavy drinking associated with alcoholism can coexist with or contribute to several different psychiatric disorders like depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, antisocial personality disorder, and schizophrenia. In patients with AUD, around 80% of cases suffer from a social anxiety disorder, 27% -40% of cases are diagnosed with major depressive disorder, 19%-26% of young adults suffer from attention-deficient hyperactivity disorder, 21% of patients with AUD …

Communication And Cultural Strategies Impacting Ukrainian Refugees And Others Involved, Kimberley Barker, David A. Victor, Christine R. Day

Global Advances in Business Communication

The Russian armed forces moved into Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Immediately and in the months following, millions of Ukrainians left their homes to seek a safe haven elsewhere. The dimensions of the Ukrainian refugee crisis are, in the words of Germany’s representative to the United Nations High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR) Katherina Lumpp, “unprecedented… the refugee movement we are now seeing in Ukraine is unique. It is currently the second largest refugee[1] situation in the world. No situation has developed this rapidly since the Second World War” (Bauer, 2022). As of October 2023, the UN Refugee Agency has …

Pentachlorophenol Degradation In The Heterogeneous Catalytic Ozonation Process Using Al2o3 As A Catalyst Agent, Tariq J. Al-Musawi

Al-Mustaqbal Journal of Sustainability in Engineering Sciences

In this study, an investigation of the catalytic ozonation of pentachlorophenol (PCP) in the presence of aluminum oxide (Al2O3) and the formation of byproducts during the ozonation has been done. From the results, it is clear that catalytic ozonation in the presence of Al2O3 can substantially enhance the efficiency of the PCP degradation to a higher degree than when the ozonation process alone is used. Several environmental parameters, including the pH of the solution, initial PCP concentration, Al2O3 dosage and dissolved ozone concentration were also investigated in terms of their influence. The highest efficiency of PCP degradation (100% degradation) was …

Sustainable Development Via Blockchain Technology, Salar Essa, Eslam Mohamed Husein Al-Khateeb

Al-Mustaqbal Journal of Sustainability in Engineering Sciences

The use of blockchain technology provides a reliable system for digital services, promoting trust and decentralization. It offers a range of benefits such as automation, resilience, immutability, and trust, making it an excellent enabler for sustainable development. This article aims to highlight the potential of blockchain technology in supporting the transition to a sustainable society by explaining its fundamental properties and available options. It also outlines the challenges that hinder blockchain technology's full potential. Therefore, the article encourages professionals, enthusiasts, and researchers from various sectors to continue exploring blockchain technology while raising awareness of its thoughtful and prudent usage.

Artificial Intelligence And Sustainable Development, Riyam K. Marjan, Ali Mohammed Hasan Zubaidi

Al-Mustaqbal Journal of Sustainability in Engineering Sciences

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming various areas such as business, corporate practices, and governmental policy. With its deep learning capabilities, machines and robotics equipped with AI have brought significant disruptions and opportunities to these fields, as well as larger trends in global sustainability. The AI revolution could lead to a positive future where machines and humans coexist in harmony, or a negative one filled with conflict, poverty, and suffering. The impact of AI on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is still uncertain, as it could either accelerate progress or hinder it. This article examines …

Marshall University Newsletter, January 17, 2024, Office Of Marshall University Communications

Marshall University Newsletter 2023-Current

No abstract provided.

Wnt Signaling In Cell Adhesion, Development, And Colon Cancer, Nydia Tejeda-Muñoz, Kuo-Ching Mei

Pharmacy Faculty Scholarship

Wnt signaling is essential for embryonic development, influencing processes such as axis formation, cell proliferation and differentiation, cell fate decisions, and axon guidance. It also plays a role in maintaining tissue homeostasis in adult organisms. The loss of normal cell polarity and adhesion caused by Wnt signaling activation is a fundamental step for tumor progression and metastasis. Activating the canonical Wnt pathway is a driving force in many human cancers, especially colorectal, hepatocellular, and mammary carcinomas. Wnt causes the stabilization and nuclear transport of newly synthesized transcriptional regulator β-catenin. The generally accepted view is that the canonical effects of Wnt …

Development And Evaluation Of A Mitochondrial Dna Marker For The Detection Of Rattus Rattus And Rattus Norvegicus Fecal Contamination, A'Aden Redhead

Graduate Research Showcase

No abstract provided.

Rising Star Award Honors Exceptional Life Story Of Alum Jerry Davis-El., Office Of Marketing And Communications

Newsroom

No abstract provided.