Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Interventricular Septal Rupture In A 62-Year-Old Man With Familial Amyloid Polyneuropathy, Stefano Pidello, Erika Simonato, Fulvio Orzan, Simone Frea, Antonella Barreca, Mauro Rinaldi, Massimo Boffini

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

Cardiac involvement in familial amyloid polyneuropathy consists of arrhythmias, conduction disturbances, and heart failure. To our knowledge, heart rupture has never been described in association with this condition. We report the case of a 62-year-old man with a 6-year history of refractory familial amyloid polyneuropathy who underwent liver transplantation. The operation was complicated by severe hypotension because the neuropathy involved the autonomic system. Perioperatively, the patient had a myocardial infarction, and during the next 10 days, a complete interventricular septal rupture developed, resulting in a systemic-to-pulmonary shunt. Coronary angiographic findings were normal. However, the shunt caused unstable hemodynamics, resulting in …

The Efficacy Of Different Type Of Phototherapy Light Devices For Neonatal Jaundice Treatment, Ismail Mohammad Hanafi

Student Works (2020-2029)

It has been reported that 60% of term neonates and 80% of the pre-terms develop jaundice in the first week of life and the proportion of jaundice in Malaysia is on the rise. As phototherapy light is the primary source of treatment for jaundice, it is crucial for hospital to have the best phototherapy light devices which can help to treat jaundice effectively. This would help to shorten neonate patient hospital stay, reduce staff workload as well as increasing treatment capacity of the hospital. Hospitals in Malaysia are using several type of phototherapy devices in their wards. The most commonly …

The Use Of Animal-Assisted Therapeutic Interventions In The Hospital Setting During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Alicia Cesare

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Handlers of therapy and/or facility dogs working within hospital settings have experienced various barriers and challenges within their practice during the COVID-19 pandemic. Animal-assisted interventions, specifically therapeutic working dogs, are a valued source of support to individuals, communities, hospital settings, and disaster sites during times of community distress. The purpose of this study was to identify barriers and solutions to the continued use of animal-assisted therapeutic interventions in support of patients and families within the hospital setting during the COVID-19 pandemic. This researcher’s position within the research is the knowledge and experience of being a facility dog handler within the …

“Tomorrow Never Dies”: Recent Advances In Diagnosis, Treatment, And Prevention Modalities Against Coronavirus (Covid-19) Amid Controversies, Partha Laskar, Murali M. Yallapu, Subhash C. Chauhan

School of Medicine Publications

The outbreak of novel coronavirus disease (2019-nCoV or COVID-19) is responsible for severe health emergency throughout the world. The attack of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is found to be responsible for COVID-19. The World Health Organization has declared the ongoing global public health emergency as a pandemic. The whole world fights against this invincible enemy in various capacities to restore economy, lifestyle, and safe life. Enormous amount of scientific research work(s), administrative strategies, and economic measurements are in place to create a successful step against COVID-19. Furthermore, differences in opinion, facts, and implementation methods laid additional layers …

Intussusception In An Infant As A Manifestation Of Covid-19, Zorays Moazzam, Areej Saleem, Alina Ashraf, Fyezah Jehan, Muhammad Arshad

Medical College Documents

Gastrointestinal manifestations of COVID-19 are rare and have primarily been limited to diarrhea or vomiting. Intussusception is the most common cause of bowel obstruction in infants, with up to 30% of pediatric intussusception cases having a preceding viral illness. We present the rare case of intussusception in a SARS-CoV-2 positive infant. This is the first documented case of survival in a SARS-CoV-2 positive patient presenting with intussusception as the primary manifestation. As our knowledge of this disease evolves, surgeons need to remain suspicious for possible gastrointestinal manifestations of COVID-19.

Direct True Lumen Versus Conventional Cannulation For Acute Type-A Aortic Dissection, Asra Wahid, Syed Shahabuddin, Muhammad Muneer Amanullah, Shiraz Hashmi, Shahid Ahmed Sami

Medical College Documents

Acute type-A aortic dissection is a surgical emergency and has a high rate of short-term mortality. Aortic dissection is highly under-reported in Pakistan. With the technological developments in its management, arterial cannulation technique of direct true lumen cannulation has emerged with improved outcomes. We aimed to compare the mortality and morbidity outcomes between direct true lumen and conventional cannulation techniques for arterial access in patients with acute type- A aortic dissection under a single-centre retrospective review from 2007 to 2017. Mean age of the participants was 43.3±11.6 vs 45±12.4 years with males being dominant in both groups. Frequency of overall …

The Inhibitory Effects Of An Antimicrobial Gel On The Staphylococcus Species, Mara Trinkle

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The prevalence of antibiotic resistant bacteria has made the choices for topical treatments for patients who experience burns wounds extremely limited. The Staphylococcus genus is naturally occurring in and on the human body but can become harmful once it enters the bloodstream. A novel antimicrobial gel has been shown by our laboratory to inhibit both the planktonic growth and biofilm formation of Staphylococcus aureus in previous studies. The antimicrobial gel is made of seven natural compounds including antioxidants (vitamin C and E). We wanted to examine the effects of the antimicrobial gel on numerous other Staphylococcal species because it is …

Prevalence Of Allergic Rhinitis Among Healthcare Workers And Its Impact On Their Work: A Cross-Sectional Survey At A Tertiary Healthcare Centre In Pakistan, Moghira Iqbaluddin Siddiqui, Rahim Dhanani, Huzaifa Moiz

Section of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery

A study was conducted to determine the frequency of allergic rhinitis among healthcare professionals and its impact on their work at the Aga Khan University Hospital Karachi Pakistan. Healthcare workers including doctors, nurses, technicians and pharmacists were included. Participants were asked to fill a questionnaire consisting of score for allergic rhinitis (SFAR), and work productivity and activity impairment questionnaires. Out of 167 workers, 101 were males. Mean age of the participants was 29.0 ± 5.9 years. Overall prevalence of allergic rhinitis among healthcare workers was found to be frequency (19.2%). We noted that 13 individuals reported to have missed their …

Combating Covid On College Campuses: The Impact Of Structural Changes On Viral Transmissions, Jared Knofczynski, Aria Killebrew Bruehl, Ben Warner, Ryne Shelton

altREU Projects

One of the most significant issues in the COVID-19 pandemic is the reopening of schools while minimizing the transmission of coronavirus. Opportunities for evaluating the effectiveness of policies that might be utilized at such institutions are limited, as the necessary empirical data has not been gathered yet. Agent-based modeling, where various entities within an environment are simulated as agents, offers an opportunity to examine the effectiveness of various policies in a way that drastically minimizes the health and economic risks involved. Agent-based modeling is common within biology, ecology and other fields; and has seen some use within the coronavirus literature. …

Evaluating Soluble Axl As A Biomarker For Glioblastoma, Daniel Raymond

All NMU Master's Theses

AXL, a receptor tyrosine kinase, is known to promote malignant phenotypes in various types of cancer. AXL overexpression is commonly observed in glioblastoma and correlates with a worse prognosis. Detectable in most biological fluids, the extracellular domain of AXL, sAXL, is the product of enzymatic cleavage by ADAM10/17. Here we used ELISA, BCA and BCG assays to characterize blood serum from 23 newly diagnosed GBM patients which was collected roughly 24 hours before and after surgery as well as every three months post-surgery, corresponding to follow-up treatment visits. Immunoblotting was used to determine relative AXL expression in 13 patient tumor …

Development, Expansion And Role Of Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells In Post-Sepsis Immune Suppression, Tuqa Alkhateeb

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) numbers increase significantly in sepsis and are associated with high mortality rates. These myeloid cell precursors promote immunosuppression, especially in the late (post sepsis) stage. However, the mechanisms that underlie MDSC expansion and programming are not completely understood. To investigate these mechanisms, we used a cecal-ligation and puncture (CLP) mouse model of polymicrobial sepsis that progresses from an early/acute proinflammatory phase to a late/chronic immunosuppressive phase. Previous studies in our laboratory showed that microRNA (miR)-21 and miR-181b elevate levels of the transcription factor nuclear factor 1 (NFI-A) that promotes MDSC expansion. We report here that miR-21 …

Investigating The Metabolic Progression Of Glioblastoma With Hyperpolarized Magnetic Resonance, Travis Salzillo

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Rapid diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring of aggressive diseases such as glioblastoma (GBM) can improve patient survival by providing physicians the time to optimally deliver treatment. This includes early in development, while the tumor is still manageable, or following initial therapy, when alternative treatments should be considered. The main goal of this project was to determine whether metabolic imaging with hyperpolarized magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) could detect changes in tumor progression more rapidly than conventional anatomic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patient-derived GBM murine models. To comprehensively capture the dynamic nature of cancer metabolism, in vivo pyruvate-to-lactate conversion with hyperpolarized MRI, …

Longitudinal Effects Of A Novel Advanced Pneumatic Compression Device On Patient-Reported Outcomes In The Management Of Cancer-Related Head And Neck Lymphedema: A Preliminary Report, Carolina Gutiérrez, Harvey N Mayrovitz, Syed Hassan Shiraz Naqvi, Ron J Karni

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors experience head and neck lymphedema (HNL), which requires treatment to prevent morbidity. We explore the self-reported outcomes and satisfaction of patients with HNC receiving treatment for HNL with an advanced pneumatic compression device (APCD).

METHODS: HNC survivors (n = 205) prescribed with an at-home Flexitouch head and neck APCD completed pretreatment and posttreatment self-reported assessments addressing efficacy, function, and symptoms. Participant average age was 60 years with 74% male. Pre-post responses for ≥25 days of use were assessed via the non-parametric Wilcoxon Signed Rank test.

RESULTS: Analysis revealed statistically significant improvement in all …

Role Of Oxidative Stress And Altered Thyroid Hormones In Unexplained Infertility, Rehana Rehman, Hiba Ismail Rajpar, Mussarat Ashraf, Najeeha Talat Iqbal, Salima Lalani, Faiza Alam

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

Objective: To explore the link between altered thyroid profile and oxidative stress marker in females with unexplained infertility.
Methods: The cross-sectional case-control study was carried out at the Islamabad Clinic Serving Infertile Couples, Islamabad, Pakistan, from June 2016 to August 2017, and comprised women aged 18-40 years regardless of ethnic background who were divided into two groups; those with unexplained infertility were the cases, while fertile women acted as the controls. Serum was analysed for triiodothyronine, thyroxine and thyroid stimulating hormone as well as for oxidative stress markers including manganese superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase and adrenaline using enzymelinked immunosorbent assay. …

Sexually Transmitted Infections And The 65 And Older Population: Knowledge And Perceived Risk, Alexus Miranda

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Sexually transmitted infections (STI) can impact all persons. Since 2000, the number of STIs has steadily increased among persons aged 50 years and older in the United States (Purpora, 2012). Persons over the age of 60 accounted for the biggest increase of in-office treatments of STIs between 2014 and 2017 (Howley, 2018). The purpose of this study was to use the Sexual Health Model to examine the relationship between various predictors and these persons’ perceived risk of STIs, their STI knowledge, and other barriers that impact the sexual health of persons 65 years of age and older. This study used …

Modulation Of Inflammatory Pathway By Inflammatory Inhibitor Jsh-23 Mitigates Diabetic Retinopathy., Rubens Petit Homme

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the most common microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus (DM). Its pathology is consisted of the breakdown of the blood-retinal barrier (BRB), particularly the inner blood-retinal barrier (iBRB). The exact mechanism that leads to the iBRB impairment and the development of DR has not been elucidated yet. However, chronic inflammation that is hallmark of the type I DM has recently become a key focus in DR study. Hyperglycemia causes dysregulation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kB); and its constant activation increases the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in the …

Plasmodium Impairs Antibacterial Innate Immunity To Systemic Infections In Part Through Hemozoin-Bound Bioactive Molecules., Christopher Lynn Harding

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite efforts to decrease the global health burden of malaria, infections with Plasmodium species continue to cause over 200 million episodes of malaria each year which resulted in 405,000 deaths in 2018 [1]. One complication of malaria is increased susceptibility to invasive bacterial infections. Plasmodium infections impair host immunity to non-Typhoid Salmonella (NTS) through activities of heme oxygenase I (HO-I) )-induced release of immature granulocytes and myeloid cell-derived IL-10. Yet, it is not known if these mechanisms are specific to NTS. We show here, that Plasmodium yoelii 17XNL (Py) infected mice had impaired clearance of systemic Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) during …

Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement For Treating Native Mitral Valve Disease: Current Status, Yan Chen, Junjie Hu, Shunqiang Wu, San Zhang, Kaiqin Wu, Wenli Wang, Yongxin Zhou

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

Transcatheter mitral valve replacement is increasingly being used as a treatment for high-risk patients who have native mitral valve disease; however, no comprehensive studies on its effectiveness have been reported. We therefore searched the literature for reports on patients with native mitral valve disease who underwent transcatheter access treatment. We found 40 reports, published from September 2013 through April 2017, that described the cases of 66 patients (mean age, 71 ± 12 yr; 30 women; 30 patients with mitral stenosis, 34 with mitral regurgitation, and 2 mixed) who underwent transcatheter mitral valve replacement. We documented their baseline clinical characteristics, comorbidities, …

Atrial Pacing In Wide-Complex Rhythm, Yang Yang, John Allison, Mark Pollet, Yochai Birnbaum

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

No abstract provided.

Impact Of The Societal Response To Covid-19 On Access To Healthcare For Non-Covid-19 Health Issues In Slum Communities Of Bangladesh, Kenya, Nigeria And Pakistan: Results Of Pre-Covid And Covid-19 Lockdown Stakeholder Engagements, Syed A K Shifat Ahmed, Motunrayo Ajisola, Kehkashan Azeem, Pauline Bakibinga, Yen-Fu Chen, Narjis Rizvi, Syed Iqbal Azam, Romaina Iqbal, Ahsana Nazish, Komal Tabani

Community Health Sciences

Introduction: With COVID-19, there is urgency for policymakers to understand and respond to the health needs of slum communities. Lockdowns for pandemic control have health, social and economic consequences. We consider access to healthcare before and during COVID-19 with those working and living in slum communities.
Methods: In seven slums in Bangladesh, Kenya, Nigeria and Pakistan, we explored stakeholder perspectives and experiences of healthcare access for non-COVID-19 conditions in two periods: pre-COVID-19 and during COVID-19 lockdowns.
Results: Between March 2018 and May 2020, we engaged with 860 community leaders, residents, health workers and local authority representatives. Perceived common illnesses in …

Reducing Overtreatment Of Urinalysis In Obstetric Triage Patients, Emelia Winston, Rachel Marteney, Erin Casey, Kevin Conway

Marshall Journal of Medicine

Introduction

Overtreatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) is a major issue that has been coming to the forefront in recent decades. Studies have shown that it can lead to adverse side effects, extra costs, and antimicrobial resistance. The purpose of this study was to determine the number of patients presenting to obstetric triage who were overtreated for a urinalysis (UA) and to see if an educational intervention could reduce the incidence of overtreatment for suspected ASB.

Methods

This was a retrospective chart review analyzing UA results and outcomes of OB triage patients that came through labor and delivery before and after …

Chronic Abdominal Pain In A Geriatric Patient: A Rare Case Of A Spigelian Hernia, Thomas D. Wright, Olumayowa Dayo, Lynne J. Goebel

Marshall Journal of Medicine

We present a case of Spigelian hernia in a 77-year-old patient to highlight the difficulty in making this diagnosis and to raise awareness of this rare condition among physicians who care for geriatric patients with chronic bouts of abdominal pain. The patient presented to the emergency department with a two-day complaint of abdominal pain after three years of similar recurrent attacks. Results of the physical examination and computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen were consistent with a left-sided Spigelian hernia. Operative repair was performed using robotic-assisted reduction and the patient recovered without any complications.

Take A Deep Breath, Edward Stewart

Community Reflections

Email sent by Fr. Ed Stewart on his departure from SHU: Early on in the pandemic, Father Tony asked Campus Ministry and Volunteer Programs staff to come up with a way of reaching out to the wider SHU community during our dispersal. With that, the daily Take A Deep Breath reflections were born.

A Novel Serpinb1 Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism Associated With Glycemic Control And Β-Cell Function In Egyptian Type 2 Diabetic Patients, Dina H. Kassem, Aya Adel, Ghada H. Sayed, Mohamed M. Kamal

Pharmacy

Aims: Serine protease inhibitor B1 (SerpinB1) is a neutrophil elastase inhibitor that has been proved to be associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus and pancreatic β-cell proliferation. In this study, we investigated 2 SERPINB1 SNPs, rs114597282 and rs15286, regarding their association with diabetes risk and various anthropometric and biochemical parameters in Egyptian type 2 diabetic patients.

Materials and Methods: A total of 160 subjects (62 control and 98 type 2 diabetic patients) participated in this study. Various anthropometric and biochemical parameters were assessed. Genotyping assay for the two SNPs was done using TaqMan genotyping assays. The association of rs15286 variants …

Prospects For Rnai Therapy Of Covid-19, Hasan Uludağ, Kylie Parent, Hamidreza Montazeri Aliabadi, Azita Haddadi

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

COVID-19 caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus is a fast emerging disease with deadly consequences. The pulmonary system and lungs in particular are most prone to damage caused by the SARS-CoV-2 infection, which leaves a destructive footprint in the lung tissue, making it incapable of conducting its respiratory functions and resulting in severe acute respiratory disease and loss of life. There were no drug treatments or vaccines approved for SARS-CoV-2 at the onset of pandemic, necessitating an urgent need to develop effective therapeutics. To this end, the innate RNA interference (RNAi) mechanism can be employed to develop front line therapies against …

Neurological Symptoms Due To Coronavirus Disease 2019, Farage Ftiha, Moshe Shalom, Henry Jradeh

Publications and Research

In this review, we focus on summarizing everything that is known about the neurological effects of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2). It has been shown that Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) may result in neuromuscular disorders or damage to nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord, which may lead to weakness, numbness, and pain. Published literature has stated that SARS-COV-1 may infect the central nervous system and due to its similarities to SARS-COV-2, we suspect that SARS-COV-2 has the same potential. We conclude that Covid-19 has neurological manifestations. Further research should be done in this field to understand …

Environmental Surveillance As A Tool For Identifying High-Risk Settings For Typhoid Transmission, Jason R. Andrews, Alexander T. Yu, Senjuti Saha, Jivan Shakya, Kristen Aiemjoy, Lily Horng, Farah Qamar, Denise Garret, Stephen Baker, Samir Saha, Stephen P. Luby

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Enteric fever remains a major cause of morbidity in developing countries with poor sanitation conditions that enable fecal contamination of water distribution systems. Historical evidence has shown that contamination of water systems used for household consumption or agriculture are key transmission routes for Salmonella Typhi and Salmonella Paratyphi A. The World Health Organization now recommends that typhoid conjugate vaccines (TCV) be used in settings with high typhoid incidence; consequently, governments face a challenge regarding how to prioritize typhoid against other emerging diseases. A key issue is the lack of typhoid burden data in many low- and middle-income countries where TCV …

Outlaw Operators: Prevention Failures And The Resurgence Of Black Lung In Central Appalachia, Aysha Bodenhamer

Carsey Publications

In this brief, author Aysha Bodenhamer describes how prevention failures in the coal mining industry have resulted in the resurgence of black lung disease. Caused by the chronic inhalation of coal and silica dust, black lung is progressive, incurable, life-altering, and fatal. Despite it being a preventable disease, black lung is resurgent among coal miners in Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia. Fieldwork including in-depth interviews with miners, clinic workers, black lung attorneys, government employees, and lay advocates, and a case-study analysis of two black lung clinics in southwest Virginia inform this analysis. These data reveal that coal operators routinely evade …

Neuroinvasion, Neurotropic, And Neuroinflammatory Events Of Sars-Cov-2: Understanding The Neurological Manifestations In Covid-19 Patients, Yassine Yachou, Abdeslem El Idrissi, Vladimir Belapasov, Said Ait Benali

Publications and Research

Respiratory viruses are opportunistic pathogens that infect the upper respiratory tract in humans and cause severe illnesses, especially in vulnerable populations. Some viruses have neuroinvasive properties and activate the immune response in the brain.These immune events may be neuroprotective or they may cause long-term damage similar to what is seen in some neurodegenerative diseases. The new “Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2” (SARS-CoV-2) is one of the Respiratory viruses causing highly acute lethal pneumonia coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with clinical similarities to those reported in “Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus” (SARS-CoV) and the “Middle East Respiratory SyndromeCoronavirus” (MERS-CoV) including neurological …

The Surveillance For Enteric Fever In Asia Project (Seap), Severe Typhoid Fever Surveillance In Africa (Seta), Surveillance Of Enteric Fever In India (Sefi), And Strategic Typhoid Alliance Across Africa And Asia (Strataa) Population-Based Enteric Fever Studies: A Review Of Methodological Similarities And Differences, Megan E. Carey, William R. Macwrigh, Justin Im, James E. Meiring, Malick M. Gibani, Se Eun Park, Ashley Longley, Hyon Jin Jeon, Caitlin Hemlock, Mohammad Tahir Yousafzai, Farah Qamar

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Building on previous multicountry surveillance studies of typhoid and others salmonelloses such as the Diseases of the Most Impoverished program and the Typhoid Surveillance in Africa Project, several ongoing blood culture surveillance studies are generating important data about incidence, severity, transmission, and clinical features of invasive Salmonella infections in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. These studies are also characterizing drug resistance patterns in their respective study sites. Each study answers a different set of research questions and employs slightly different methodologies, and the geographies under surveillance differ in size, population density, physician practices, access to healthcare facilities, and access to …