Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Selective Autonomic Stimulation Of The Av Node Fat Pad To Control Rapid Post-Operative Atrial Arrhythmias., Marco A Mercader, Dingchao He, Aditya C Sharma, Mark C Marchitto, Gregory Trachiotis, Gene A Bornzin, Richard A. Jonas, Jeffrey P Moak

Medicine Faculty Publications

Junctional ectopic tachycardia (JET) and atrial fibrillation (AF) occur in patients recovering from open-heart surgery (OHS). Pharmacologic treatment is used for the control of post-operative atrial arrhythmias (POAA), but is associated with side effects. There is a need for a reversible, modulated solution to rate control. We propose a non-pharmacologic technique that can modulate AV nodal conduction in a selective fashion. Ten mongrel dogs underwent OHS. Stimulation of the anterior right (AR) and inferior right (IR) fat pad (FP) was done using a 7-pole electrode. The IR was more effective in slowing the ventricular rate (VR) to AF (52 +/- …

A Fashi Lymphoproliferative Phenotype Reveals Non-Apoptotic Fas Signalling In Htlv-1-Associated Neuroinflammation., Soraya Maria Menezes, Fabio E Leal, Tim Dierckx, Ricardo Khouri, Daniele Decanine, Gilvaneia Silva-Santos, +Several Additional Authors

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV)-1 was the first human retrovirus to be associated to cancer, namely Adult T-cell Leukemia (ATL), but its pathogenesis remains enigmatic, since only a minority of infected individuals develops either ATL or the neuroinflammatory disorder HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). A functional FAS -670 polymorphism in an interferon (IFN)-regulated STAT1-binding site has been associated to both ATL and HAM/TSP susceptibility. Fashi T stem cell memory (Tscm) cells have been identified as the hierarchical apex of ATL, but have not been investigated in HAM/TSP. In addition, both FAS and STAT1 have been identified in an IFN-inducible HAM/TSP …

Nasopharyngeal Microbiome Diversity Changes Over Time In Children With Asthma, Marcos Pérez-Losada, Lamia Alamri, Keith Crandall, Robert J. Freishtat

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Background

The nasopharynx is a reservoir for pathogens associated with respiratory illnesses such as asthma. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has been used to characterize the nasopharyngeal microbiome of infants and adults during health and disease; less is known, however, about the composition and temporal dynamics (i.e., longitudinal variation) of microbiotas from children and adolescents. Here we use NGS technology to characterize the nasopharyngeal microbiomes of asthmatic children and adolescents (6 to 18 years) and determine their stability over time.

Methods

Two nasopharyngeal washes collected 5.5 to 6.5 months apart were taken from 40 children and adolescents with asthma living in the …

Relationship Of Common Vascular Anatomy To Cannulated Catheters., Paul Gagne, Karun Sharma

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Superficial veins of the upper extremity are the primary location for placement of peripheral IV catheters (PIVC). It is believed that a significant portion of PIVCs placed may cross or abut valves and branching veins or occlude a significant portion of the vein, limiting the ability to aspirate blood from the PIVC. Two separate clinical investigations using ultrasound were performed to understand the potential interaction between PIVCs and the vein lumen and the venous valves and branches of the superficial veins of the upper extremity. One study with 35 adult volunteers interrogated 210 vein segments where a PIV would likely …

Perspectives On Model Forecasts Of The 2014–2015 Ebola Epidemic In West Africa: Lessons And The Way Forward, Gerardo Chowell, Cecile Viboud, Lone Simonsen, Stefano Merler, Alessandro Vespignani

Global Health Faculty Publications

The unprecedented impact and modeling efforts associated with the 2014–2015 Ebola epidemic in West Africa provides a unique opportunity to document the performances and caveats of forecasting approaches used in near-real time for generating evidence and to guide policy. A number of international academic groups have developed and parameterized mathematical models of disease spread to forecast the trajectory of the outbreak. These modeling efforts often relied on limited epidemiological data to derive key transmission and severity parameters, which are needed to calibrate mechanistic models. Here, we provide a perspective on some of the challenges and lessons drawn from these efforts, …

Hiv Prevalence, Risky Behaviors, And Discrimination Experiences Among Transgender Women In Cambodia: Descriptive Findings From A National Integrated Biological And Behavioral Survey, Siyan Yi, Chanrith Ngin, Sovannary Tuot, Pheak Chhoun, Srean Chhim, Khuondyla Pal, Gitau Mburu

Background: Transgender people are disproportionately affected by HIV. Despite their high vulnerability to HIV, lack of adequate epidemiological and surveillance data related to this population in many countries prevents provision of appropriate services. This paper summarizes descriptive findings from a national integrated biological and behavioral survey and discusses policy implications of the findings on HIV prevention among transgender women in Cambodia.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2015 and February 2016. Participants were recruited from 20 sites in the capital city and 12 provinces of Cambodia using Respondent Driven Sampling (RDS) method. Behavioral data were collected …

Non-Communicable Diseases And Related Risk Behaviors Among Men And Women Living With Hiv In Cambodia: Findings From A Cross-Sectional Study, Pheak Chhoun, Chanrith Ngin, Martin Steel, Jennifer Dionisio, Hattie Pearson, Carinne M. Brody, Siyan Yi

Background: There is a growing concern for an increasing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in people living with HIV. This concern is evident especially in developing countries where dietary and lifestyle risk factors associated with NCDs are becoming more prominent. This study explored the prevalence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia and related risk factors in men and women living with HIV in Cambodia.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 510 adult people living with HIV randomly selected from one city and four provinces in Cambodia. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on socio-demographic characteristics, …

Awareness And Willingness To Use Hiv Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Among Men Who Have Sex With Men In Low- And Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Siyan Yi, Sovannary Tuot, Grace W. Mwai, Chanrith Ngin, Kolab Chhim, Khuondyla Pal, Gitau Mburu

Introduction: To facilitate provision of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), a better understanding of potential demand and user preferences is required. This review assessed awareness and willingness to use oral PrEP among men who have sex with men (MSM) in LMIC.

Methods: Electronic literature search of Cochrane library, Embase, PubMed, PsychINFO, CINHAL, Web of Science, and Google Scholar was conducted between July and September 2016. Reference lists of relevant studies were searched, and three authors contacted for additional data. Non-peer reviewed publications were excluded. Studies were screened for inclusion, and relevant data abstracted, assessed …

Clinical And Mucosal Immune Correlates Of Hiv-1 Semen Levels In Antiretroviral-Naive Men., Brendan J W Osborne, Angie K Marsh, Sanja Huibner, Kamnoosh Shahabi, Cindy Liu, Tania Contente, Nico J D Nagelkerke, Colin Kovacs, Erika Benko, Lance Price, Kelly S Macdonald, Rupert Kaul

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Background.

This study was done to characterize parameters associated with semen human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 ribonucleic acid (RNA) viral load (VL) variability in HIV-infected, therapy-naive men. Methods.

Paired blood and semen samples were collected from 30 HIV-infected, therapy-naive men who have sex with men, and 13 participants were observed longitudinally for up to 1 year. Human immunodeficiency virus RNA, bacterial load by 16S RNA, herpesvirus (Epstein-Barr virus and cytomegalovirus [CMV]) shedding, and semen cytokines/chemokines were quantified, and semen T-cell subsets were assessed by multiparameter flow cytometry. Results.

Semen HIV RNA was detected at 93% of visits, with >50% of men …

From Sea To Shining Sea, And The Great Plains To Patagonia: A Review On Current Knowledge Of Diabetes Mellitus In Hispanics/Latinos In The U.S. And Latin America, Larissa Aviles-Santa, Uriyoán Colon-Ramos, Nangel Lindberg, Joseimer Mattei, Francisco Pasquel, Cynthia Perez

Global Health Faculty Publications

The last two decades have witnessed many advances in the prevention, treatment, and control of diabetes mellitus and its complications. Increased screening has led to a greater recognition of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (Type 2 DM) and prediabetes; however, Hispanics/Latinos, the largest minority group in the U.S., have not fully benefited from these advances. The Hispanic/Latino population is highly diverse in ancestries, birth places, cultures, languages, and socioeconomic backgrounds, and it populates most of the Western Hemisphere. In the U.S., the prevalence of diabetes mellitus varies among Hispanic/Latino heritage groups, being higher among Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, and Dominicans, and lower …

Spinal Epidural Abscess Complicated By Meningitis, Sepsis And Thrombocytopenia In A Patient Lacking Traditional Risk Factors, Christian Spano, Michael Ward, Nicole Zagelbaum

Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine (Middletown) Publications and Research

Spinal epidural abscess is a rare diagnosis with a classic triad of fever, spinal pain and neurologic deficits. Only a small proportion of patients have all three findings, making the diagnosis challenging. Here we present a case of cervical and thoracic spinal epidural abscess complicated by meningitis, sepsis and thrombocytopenia in a patient lacking traditional risk factors. The patient was initially treated non-operatively secondary to thrombocytopenia but subsequently required transfer to a tertiary care facility for surgical drainage after clinical deterioration. This case report highlights the need for a high index of suspicion and low threshold for imaging when considering …

Testing Mice At Risk Of Pancreatic Cancer For Altered Protein Pathways Found In Diabetes, Henley Cheung

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Pancreatic cancer is nearly asymptomatic, which can result in extensive grow and even metastasis to other organs before detection. When diagnosed at a late stage, the survival rate is 3%. Early detection is therefore the key to treating pancreatic cancer. Diabetes was identified as a risk factor for the development of pancreatic cancer, but the mechanism remains unknown. In this project, the objective was to delineate a link between diabetes and pancreatic cancer by examining their shared protein signaling pathways. In a previous study, hyper-activation of AKT1 resulted in a pre-diabetic phenotype and also increased upregulation of downstream phosphorylated mTOR …

The Distinct Metabolic Phenotype Of Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma Defines Selective Vulnerability To Glycolytic Inhibition, Justin Goodwin, Michael L. Neugent, Shin Yup Lee, Joshua H. Choe, Hyunsung Choi, Dana M. R. Jenkins, Robin J. Ruthenborg, Maddox W. Robinson, Ji Yun Jeong, Masaki Wake, Hajime Abe, Norihiko Takeda, Hiroko Endo, Masahiro Inoue, Zhenyu Xuan, Hyuntae Yoo, Min Chen, Jung-Mo Ahn, John D. Minna, Kristi L. Helke, Pankaj K. Singh, David B. Shackelford, Jung-Whan Kim

Journal Articles: Eppley Institute

Adenocarcinoma (ADC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SqCC) are the two predominant subtypes of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and are distinct in their histological, molecular and clinical presentation. However, metabolic signatures specific to individual NSCLC subtypes remain unknown. Here, we perform an integrative analysis of human NSCLC tumour samples, patient-derived xenografts, murine model of NSCLC, NSCLC cell lines and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and reveal a markedly elevated expression of the GLUT1 glucose transporter in lung SqCC, which augments glucose uptake and glycolytic flux. We show that a critical reliance on glycolysis renders lung SqCC vulnerable to glycolytic inhibition, …

Body Mass Index Change In Gastrointestinal Cancer And Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Is Associated With Dedicator Of Cytokinesis 1, Merry-Lynn Noelle Mcdonald, Sungho Won, Manuel Mattheisen, Peter J. Castaldi, Michael H. Cho, Erica Rutten, Megan Hardin, Wai-Ki Yip, Stephen I. Rennard, David A. Lomas, Emiel F.M. Wouters, Alvar Agusti, Richard Casaburi, Christoph P. Lange, George O'Connor, Craig P. Hersh, Edwin K. Silverman

Journal Articles: Pulmonary & Critical Care Med

BACKGROUND: There have been a number of candidate gene association studies of cancer cachexia-related traits, but no genome-wide association study (GWAS) has been published to date. Cachexia presents in patients with a number of complex traits, including both cancer and COPD. The objective of the current investigation was to search for a shared genetic aetiology for change in body mass index (ΔBMI) among cancer and COPD by using GWAS data in the Framingham Heart Study.

METHODS: A linear mixed effects model accounting for age, sex, and change in smoking status was used to calculate ΔBMI in participants over 40 years …

The Impact Of Arthritis On The Health-Related Quality Of Life Among Individuals At The University Of Central Florida, Ryan E. Garwood

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This purpose of the study is to examine the difference in the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) between individuals who suffer from physician-diagnosed arthritis compared with individuals who do not suffer from physician-diagnosed arthritis in a population of university students, faculty, and staff. The study sampled from a population of students, faculty, and staff at the University of Central Florida. Through the implantation of a cross-sectional ecological design, differences between the two groups were measured with a survey that measures health-related quality of life, such as the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). The SF-36 questionnaire was distributed to subjects …

Aβ Vaccination In Combination With Behavioral Enrichment In Aged Beagles: Effects On Cognition, Aβ, And Microhemorrhages, Paulina R. Davis, Ginevra Giannini, Karin Rudolph, Nathaniel Calloway, Christopher M. Royer, Tina L. Beckett, M. Paul Murphy, Frederick Bresch, Dieter Pagani, Thomas Platt, Xiaohong Wang, Amy Skinner Donovan, Tiffany L. Sudduth, Wenjie Lou, Erin L. Abner, Richard J. Kryscio, Donna M. Wilcock, Edward G. Barrett, Elizabeth Head

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

Beta-amyloid (Aβ) immunotherapy is a promising intervention to slow Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Aging dogs naturally accumulate Aβ and show cognitive decline. An active vaccine against fibrillar Aβ 1–42 (VAC) in aged beagles resulted in maintenance but not improvement of cognition along with reduced brain Aβ. Behavioral enrichment (ENR) led to cognitive benefits but no reduction in Aβ. We hypothesized cognitive outcomes could be improved by combining VAC with ENR in aged dogs. Aged dogs (11–12 years) were placed into 4 groups: (1) control/control (C/C); (2) control/VAC (C/V); (3) ENR/control (E/C); (4) ENR and VAC (E/V) and treated for 20 months. …

Actionable Patient Safety Solution (Apss) #3c: Improve Prevention Of Severe Hypoglycemia, Jerika Lam, Steven Barker, Michael Ramsay, Ariana Longley, Joe Kiani

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

This report presents a plan of action for introducing a "program to reduce errors in the recognition and treatment of [severe hypoglycemia]".

Anatomical Distribution Of Clinostomum Metacercariae In The Tissues Of Pond-Raised Channel Catfish (Ictaluris Puctatus), J. Singleton, James J. Daly Sr., K. Wagner

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Analyzing The Phenotypic Effect Of Three Candidate Genes Associated With Nonsyndromic Craniosynostosis Using A Zebrafish Model, Megan A. Hept

Theses and Dissertations

In normal cranial suture development, the cranial sutures close at predetermined periods of development to allow the brain the capability to grow in a malleable environment. However, in craniosynostosis, cranial sutures prematurely fuse before birth which can lead to a wide range of developmental issues and complications. Craniosynostosis can be categorized as nonsyndromic which involves the sole fusion of one or more of the cranial sutures, or syndromic in which cranial sutures fuse as well as other abnormalities associated with a genetic disorder. Past research has identified three candidate genes that could be possible disease causing mutations in nonsyndromic sagittal …

Altered Axon Initial Segment Structure And Function In Inflammatory Disease, Kareem C. Clark

Theses and Dissertations

Axonal pathology is a key contributor to long-term disability in multiple sclerosis (MS), an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS), but the mechanisms that underlie axonal insults remain unclear. While most axonal pathologies characterized in MS are a direct consequence of myelin loss, we propose that axonal pathologies also occur independent of demyelination. In support of this idea, we recently reported that mice that develop experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a model commonly used to mimic the pathogenesis of MS, exhibit a structural and functional disruption of the axon initial segment (AIS), a subdomain of the axon that …

Relationship Of Stress, Sleep, Physical Activity, And Food Insecurity On Eating Behaviors And Obesity, Amy Lee Richards

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is an urgent need to find effective interventions to prevent and reduce obesity as it is associated with chronic disease and decreased quality of life. Gaining a better understanding of how modifiable variables such as stress, sleep, physical activity, and food insecurity are related to eating behaviors associated with obesity is essential to guide the direction of future interventions and research. Interventions that hold promise need to be tested to determine if they have merit or not. This dissertation presents three papers. Two papers are cross-sectional studies evaluating associations between eating behaviors, obesity, and modifiable variables (stress, sleep, physical …

A Neighborhood-Wide Association Study (Nwas): Example Of Prostate Cancer Aggressiveness, Shannon M. Lynch, Nandita Mitra, Michelle Ross, Craig Newcomb, Karl Dailey, Tara Jackson, Charnita M. Zeigler-Johnson, Harold Riethman

School of Medical Diagnostics & Translational Sciences Publications

Purpose

Cancer results from complex interactions of multiple variables at the biologic, individual, and social levels. Compared to other levels, social effects that occur geospatially in neighborhoods are not as well-studied, and empiric methods to assess these effects are limited. We propose a novel Neighborhood-Wide Association Study(NWAS), analogous to genome-wide association studies(GWAS), that utilizes high-dimensional computing approaches from biology to comprehensively and empirically identify neighborhood factors associated with disease.

Methods

Pennsylvania Cancer Registry data were linked to U.S. Census data. In a successively more stringent multiphase approach, we evaluated the association between neighborhood (n = 14,663 census variables) and prostate …

Neonatal Hypoglycemia In Diabetic Mothers: A Systematic Review, Brook T. Alemu, Olaniyi Olayinka, Hind A. Baydoun, Matthew Hoch, Muge Akpinar-Elci

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Hypoglycemia occurs in approximately 8-30% of neonates born to mothers with diabetes. The full extent of the individual and contextual risk factors of hypoglycemia remains unclear and no systematic review of the available studies exists to date. We identified published studies using PubMed and EBSCO host search engines. A modified STROBE statement was used to assess studies' strengths, weaknesses, and generalizability. A total of 16 articles were eligible for full text review. The clinical risk factors in these studies were broadly classified into two: infant-related and mother-related risk factors. The identified infant-related risk factors were SGA, macrosomia, prematurity, lower cord …

Orientia Tsutsugamushi Secretes Two Ankyrin Repeat-Containing Effectors Via A Type 1 Secretion System To Inhibit Host Nf-Κb Function, Sean M. Evans

Theses and Dissertations

Scrub typhus is a potentially fatal infection that threatens one billion persons in the Asia-Pacific region and is caused by the obligate intracellular bacterium, Orientia tsutsugamushi. How this organism facilitates its intracellular survival and pathogenesis is poorly understood. Intracellular bacterial pathogens utilize the Type 1 (T1SS) or Type 4 secretion system (T4SS) to translocate ankyrin repeat-containing proteins (Anks) into the host cell to modulate host cell processes. The O. tsutsugamushi genome encodes one of the largest known bacterial Ank libraries as well as Type 1 and Type 4 secretion systems (T1SS and T4SS), which are expressed during infection. In …

Determining The Effects Of Methanol, Ethanol, Isopropanol, And Glycerol On Both Thermal Stability And Catalytic Activity Of Rv0045c, An Enzyme From M. Tuberculosis, Katelyn Baumer

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Tuberculosis (TB) is a highly infectious respiratory disease contracted through the inhalation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Serine hydrolases are abundant in M. tuberculosis and serve as a model for studying the inhibition of TB. Rv0045c is an example of such with little known regarding its biological function. Rv0045c was exposed to methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, or glycerol and the effects of varying concentration of these alcohols on the catalytic efficiency and thermal stability of the enzyme was determined. The thermal stability of Rv0045c was found to decrease with concentration of methanol, ethanol, or isopropanol. The opposite was true of the thermal stability …

An Evaluation Of Mumps Antibody Titers Among Pharmacy Students Before And After A University Mumps Outbreak, Kiley Shelley

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Mumps outbreaks continue to transpire across the United States despite the available MMR (Measles-Mumps-Rubella) vaccine and seemingly high vaccination rates. There is limited evidence surrounding the management, impact, and prevention of mumps outbreaks. In particular, there are currently no formal recommendations from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) regarding the administration of additional doses of the MMR vaccine during a mumps outbreak. Furthermore, there are unanswered questions of possible waning of vaccine-induced mumps immunity and the impact of a third dose of the MMR vaccine to assist in mumps outbreak control. Existing studies suggest that administration of the …

Anticoagulation Therapy For The Elderly With Atrial Fibrillation, Rebecca Hoistad

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

• Atrial fibrillation increases in occurrence as we age with about 9% of patients developing it by age 90. When a patient is diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, one of the drugs that they are prescribed is an anticoagulant. The purpose of this drug is to prevent thrombus formation in addition to preventing an ischemic stroke. Today, there are many options available for anticoagulation therapy. The options include aspirin, vitamin K antagonists like warfarin, factor Xa inhibitors like rivaroxaban and apixaban, direct thrombin inhibitors like dabigatran, and antiplatelet agents such as clopidogrel.

• A review of the literature was done of …

Effectiveness And Safety Of The Bronchial Thermoplasty Procedure, Kathy Mohammadi

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

• Asthma: a heterogeneous disease characterized by chronic airway inflammation resulting in respiratory difficulty.

• Bronchial Thermoplasty (BT): a bronchoscopy procedure that delivers radiofrequency energy to the tissues of airway walls thus heating the tissue, causing ablation to reduce the mass of the airway smooth muscle (ASM), hence attenuating bronchoconstriction.

• BT was designed to decrease, de-bulk or partially eliminate excess smooth muscle tissue in the distal airways, with a subsequent decrease in the number of severe asthma attacks.

• BT is an alternative treatment for patients with severe, uncontrolled asthma in which the airway smooth muscle is eliminated using …

Brugada Syndrome; Preventive Screening Measures To Decrease Associated Cardiac Deaths, Matthew Ryba

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

• Brugada syndrome is a sodium channel deficiency in the myocardium that can cause arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. The myocardium deficient sodium channels can be inherited or affected by environment factors such as fever or medications.

• Screening for this syndrome can be challenging because many times the first symptom of Brugada syndrome is cardiac arrest. Though incidents of sudden cardiac deaths are low, sudden cardiac death can impact families and communities.

• In Italy, screening ECG’s is claimed to have reduced sudden cardiac events by 85% (Maron, 2014). Preventing sudden cardiac death in these patients through sensible, reasonable …

University Of Montana Students And The Gardasil Vaccine, Markie C. Glidewell

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Gardasil^® is a vaccine for human papilloma virus (HPV), a sexually transmitted virus that can cause genital warts, cervical cancer, and other diseases. Males and females ages 9-26 are recommended to receive the Gardasil^® vaccination. Most students attending the University of Montana (UM) are within the recommended age range for Gardasil^® vaccination and would benefit from receiving it if they have not yet done so. Gardasil^® is available at the Health Services Pharmacy on the UM campus and is often covered by insurance plans with no patient copay. In the fall semester of 2016, surveys were …