Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Impact Of Estrogen Receptor Alpha Signaling On Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells In Systemic Lupus Erythematous, Jennifer L. Scott

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Female lupus prone NZM2410 estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) functionally deficient (ERαKO) mice are protected from renal disease and have prolonged survival compared to wild type (WT) littermates, however the mechanism of protection is unknown. Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) and type I interferon (IFN) drive lupus pathogenesis and estrogen acting via ERα enhances both pDC development and IFN production. The objectives for this work were to determine if ERα modulates pDC number, maturation, or function in pre-disease NZM2410 mice as a possible protective mechanism of ERα functional deficiency in lupus prone mice. We measured the effect of ERα functional deficiency on …

The Significance Of Crispr/Cas9-Directed Cul3 Knockout On Human Colorectal Cancer Cells, Zoe A. Lautz

Departmental Honors Projects

Cancer, the second leading cause of death in the US, is caused by mutations in select genes that alter cellular function leading to uncontrolled proliferation. Understanding the specific genes that drive cancer can lead to the generation of novel cancer therapies. To identify novel genes that drive cancer in the colon (CRC), lungs, and ovaries in mice, Starr et al. employed a transposon-based insertional mutagenesis system. One of the genes identified, APC, is mutated in 70-80% of human CRCs. CUL3, suspected to be a general driver gene, was discovered in the lung cancer screen. CUL3 was analyzed for its role …

Killing Adherent And Nonadherent Cancer Cells With The Plasma Pencil, Mounir Laroussi, Soheila Mohades, Nazir Barekzi

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

The application of low temperature plasmas in biology and medicine may lead to a paradigm shift in the way various diseases can be treated without serious side effects. Low temperature plasmas generated in gas mixtures that contain oxygen or air produce several chemically reactive species that have important biological implications when they interact with eukaryotic or prokaryotic cells. Here, a review of the effects of low temperature plasma generated by the plasma pencil on different cancerous cells is presented. Results indicate that plasma consistently shows a delayed killing effect that is dose dependent. In addition, there is some evidence that …

Development Of A Multivalent Subunit Vaccine Against Tularemia Using Tobacco Mosaic Virus (Tmv) Based Delivery System, Sukalyani Banik, Ahd Ahmed Mansour, Ragavan Varadharajan Suresh, Sherri Wykoff-Clary, Meenakshi Malik, Alison A. Mccormick, Chandra Shekhar Bakshi

Faculty Publications & Research of the TUC College of Pharmacy

Francisella tularensisis a facultative intracellular pathogen, and is the causative agent of a fatal human disease known as tularemia. F. tularensis is classified as a Category A Biothreat agent by the CDC based on its use in bioweapon programs by several countries in the past and its potential to be used as an agent of bioterrorism. No licensed vaccine is currently available for prevention of tularemia. In this study, we used a novel approach for development of a multivalent subunit vaccine against tularemia by using an efficient tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) based delivery platform. The multivalent subunit vaccine was formulated …

Pseudomonas Aeruginosa-Induced Bleb-Niche Formation In Epithelial Cells Is Independent Of Actinomyosin Contraction And Enhanced By Loss Of Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane-Conductance Regulator Osmoregulatory Function, Amber L. Jolly, Desire Takawira, Olufolarin O. Oke, Sarah A. Whiteside, Stephanie W. Chang, Emily R. Wen, David J. Evans

Faculty Publications & Research of the TUC College of Pharmacy

The opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa can infect almost any site in the body but most often targets epithelial cell-lined tissues such as the airways, skin, and the cornea of the eye. A common predisposing factor is cystic fibrosis (CF), caused by defects in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane-conductance regulator (CFTR). Previously, we showed that when P. aeruginosa enters epithelial cells it replicates intracellularly and occupies plasma membrane blebs. This phenotype is dependent on the type 3 secretion system (T3SS) effector ExoS, shown by others to induce host cell apoptosis. Here, we examined mechanisms for P. aeruginosa-induced bleb formation, focusing on its …

Association Of Abc (Hba1c, Blood Pressure, Ldl-Cholesterol) Goal Attainment With Depression And Health-Related Quality Of Life Among Adults With Type 2 Diabetes, Bijal M. Shah, Dylan J. Mezzio, Jackie Ho, Eric J. Ip

Faculty Publications & Research of the TUC College of Pharmacy

Aims: To determine the relationship between ABC goal attainment, depression, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among a national sample of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM).

Methods: A retrospective, cross-sectional analysis was performed examining 808 non-pregnant patients ≥ 20 years old with T2DM from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007-2012. ABC goals were defined as HbA1c < 7%, BP < 130/80mmHg, and LDL-C < 100mg/dL. Patient characteristics associated with ABC goal attainment were examined.

Results: Overall, 23.7% of participants achieved simultaneous ABC goals. Severe depression was significantly associated with lower rates of ABC goal attainment compared to those with no depression (5.0% vs. 25.4%, p = 0.048). ABC goal attainment rates …

Coccidia (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) Of Three-Toed Box Turtles, Terrapene Carolina Triunguis (Reptilia: Testudines), From Arkansas And Oklahoma, C. T. Mcallister, D. Motriuk-Smith, R. S. Seville, C. Hudson, M. B. Connior, H. W. Robison

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

We collected 50 three-toed box turtles (Terrapene carolina triunguis) from 9 counties of Arkansas and 4 counties of Oklahoma, and examined their feces for coccidial parasites. Nine of 24 (38%) turtles from Arkansas and 8 of 26 (31%) from Oklahoma were found to be passing oocysts of Eimeria ornata. This represents two new geographic distributional records for this coccidian. Measurements of individual isolates of E. ornate as well as morphological characteristics are provided with comparison to its original description and to another Terrapene coccidian, Eimeria carri. In addition, we noted an adelid pseudoparasite being passed by a single T. c. …

Program Active Ii: Design And Methods For A Multi-Center Community-Based Depression Treatment For Rural And Urban Adults With Type 2 Diabetes, Mary De Groot, Jay H. Shubrook, Frank Schwartz, W. Guyton Hornsby Jr., Yegan Pillay, Chandan Saha

Faculty Publications & Research of the TUC College of Osteopathic Medicine

Objective: Depression affects one in four adults with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and is associated with worsened diabetes complications, increased health care costs and early mortality. Rural and low-income urban areas, including the Appalachian region, represent an epicenter of the T2DM epidemic. Program ACTIVE II is a comparative effectiveness treatment trial designed to test whether a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and community-based exercise (EXER) will offer greater improvements in diabetes and depression outcomes compared to individual treatment approaches and usual care (UC). The secondary aims are to assess changes in cardiovascular risk factors across groups and to …

Sodium Glucose Co-Transporter 2 Inhibitors In The Treatment Of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Eden Miller, Jay H. Shubrook

Faculty Publications & Research of the TUC College of Osteopathic Medicine

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic, progressive disease, control of which typically requires multiple therapies. Current guidelines suggest that, in addition to improving glycemic control, antihyperglycemic therapy should be chosen on the basis of its effects on body weight and the risk of hypoglycemia. The newest class of oral antihyperglycemic agents, the sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, reduces renal glucose reabsorption and increases urinary glucose excretion via an insulin-independent mechanism of action. SGLT2 inhibitors have been shown to improve glycemic control and to reduce body weight and systolic blood pressure, and their use is associated with a …

Synthesis And Evaluation Of The Diarylthiourea Analogs As Novel Anti-Cancer Agents, Shengquan Liu, Maggie C. Louie, Vanishree Rajagopalan, Guangyan Zhou, Esmerelda Ponce, Tran Nguyen, Linda Green

Faculty Publications & Research of the TUC College of Osteopathic Medicine

No abstract provided.

Climate, Environmental And Socio-Economic Change: Weighing Up The Balance In Vector-Borne Disease Transmission, Paul E. Parham, Joanna Waldock, George K. Christophides, Deborah Hemming, Folashade Agusto, Katherine J. Evans, Nina Fefferman, Holly Gaff, Abba Gumel, Shannon Ladeau

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Arguably one of the most important effects of climate change is the potential impact on human health. While this is likely to take many forms, the implications for future transmission of vector-borne diseases (VBDs), given their ongoing contribution to global disease burden, are both extremely important and highly uncertain. In part, this is owing not only to data limitations and methodological challenges when integrating climate-driven VBD models and climate change projections, but also, perhaps most crucially, to the multitude of epidemiological, ecological and socio-economic factors that drive VBD transmission, and this complexity has generated considerable debate over the past 10-15 …

Long-Term Effect Of Respiratory Training For Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients At An Outpatient Clinic: A Randomised Controlled Trial, Feng Xi, Zheng Wang, Yong Qi, Richard F. Brightwell, Peter Roberts, Angus Stewart, Wei Wang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Objective: To assess the effect of respiratory training (RT ) on lung function, activity tolerance and acute exacerbation frequency with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Design: A randomised controlled trial. Setting: Outpatient clinic and home of the COPD patients, Zhengzhou City, China. Subjects: Sixty participants with COPD were randomised into two groups: an intervention group ( n = 30) which received the RT in self-management and a control group ( n = 30) that received an education program during the study. Intervention: Pulmonary function, activity tolerance and frequency of acute exacerbation of these COPD patients were evaluated before and after …

The Clinical Utility Of Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation In Individuals With Huntington’S Disease, Travis Miles Cruickshank

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Background

Huntington’s disease (HD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder characterised by a progressive loss of cognitive function, motor control and psychiatric features. Individuals also display a variety of systemic features. Progressive neuronal dysfunction and neuronal cell death are thought to underlie the onset and progression of many clinical features of HD.

Despite scientific progress, there is still no cure or disease modifying therapy for HD, and available pharmaceutical agents only provide partial relief of motor and psychiatric features. An emerging body of evidence indicates that lifestyle enrichment may delay the onset and progression of clinical features, and exert favourable effects …

The Physiological Stress Response Caused By Hypoxia And Reperfusion Injury In Striped Bass (Morone Saxatilis) And Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis Niloticus), Amanda C. Reynolds

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Approximately five million people in the United States are affected by cardiovascular related diseases yearly contributing to 300,000 annual deaths, making CVD the leading cause of mortality worldwide. It has been suggested that apoptosis (programmed cell death) contributes to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. When blood flow is reduced or cut off from the heart, usually by a thrombus, this results in oxygen deprivation (hypoxia) to the cardiomyocytes (heart cells). In response to this hypoxic stress, cardiomyocytes will undergo apoptosis. Since many species of fish can survive levels of hypoxia that would be fatal to mammals, fish are an ideal …

The Efficacy Of Electrocardiograms As A Screening Tool To Detect Cardiac Abnormalities In Young Athletes, Cody William

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

• Sudden cardiac death (SCD) among athletes can be attributed to increased cardiovascular demands associated with vigorous exercise.

• The majority of athletes who experience sudden cardiac death are asymptomatic.

• Pre-participation history and physicals, (H&P) help to identify underlying cardiovascular disorders with the potential to increase the risk of SCD in an athlete.

• The efficacy of pre-participation H&Ps to identify underlying cardiac etiology has been debated.

• The purpose of this research is to:

---Determine incidence and cause of SCD among athletes (Table 1).

---Determine the efficacy and evidenced-based criteria for the interpretation of ECGs in athletes.

---Evaluate …

Information Maximizing Component Analysis Of Left Ventricular Remodeling Due To Myocardial Infarction, Xingyu Zhang, Bharath Ambale-Venkatesh, David A. Bluemke, Brett R. Cowan, J. Paul Finn, Alan H. Kadish, Pau Medrano-Gracia

Office of the President Publications and Research

Background: Although adverse left ventricular shape changes (remodeling) after myocardial infarction (MI) are predictive of morbidity and mortality, current clinical assessment is limited to simple mass and volume measures, or dimension ratios such as length to width ratio. We hypothesized that information maximizing component analysis (IMCA), a supervised feature extraction method, can provide more efficient and sensitive indices of overall remodeling.

Methods: IMCA was compared to linear discriminant analysis (LDA), both supervised methods, to extract the most discriminatory global shape changes associated with remodeling after MI. Finite element shape models from 300 patients with myocardial infarction from the …

Educator's Implementation Of The Connecticut Guidelines For The Identification And Education Of Children And Youth With Autism, Linda K. Grimm

Dissertations

The Problem

As the number of children with autism needing educational support continues to increase, combined with the limited availability of resources, this study aims to examine how educators responsible for teaching children with autism have experienced implementation of the Connecticut Guidelines for the Identification and Education of Children and Youth with Autism (2005), (Guidelines). At this time there have been no studies done in the State of Connecticut to assess the implementation of the components for effective education of children with autism, as set forth in the Connecticut Guidelines.

Method

The Connecticut Autism Needs Survey, an on-line self-report survey …

The Effectiveness Of A Computer-Assisted, Cognitive-Behavior Program For Treating Anxiety Symptoms In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jennifer A. Zabel

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex and multifaceted, neurodevelopmental disorder that severely impacts children and families across a variety of settings. Prevalence rates of ASD are continuing to increase rapidly, with sizeable intervention and treatment costs placed on families and society. Further complicating the matter, many individuals with ASD also evidence co-occurring anxiety symptoms or disorders and tend to be at a higher risk for developing such problems when compared to other clinical populations or typically developing children. This study investigated the effectiveness of a computer-assisted CBT program, Camp Cope-A-Lot (CCAL), in regards to reducing anxiety symptoms in four …

The Germ Theory Of Dystopias: Fears Of Human Nature In 1984 And Brave New World, Clea D. Harris

Scripps Senior Theses

This project is an exploration of 20^th century dystopian literature through the lens of germ theory. This scientific principle, which emerged in the late 19^th century, asserts that microorganisms pervade the world; these invisible and omnipresent germs cause specific diseases which are often life threatening. Additionally, germ theory states that vaccines and antiseptics can prevent some of these afflictions and that antibiotics can treat others. This concept of a pervasive, invisible, infection-causing other is not just a biological principle, though; in this paper, I argue that one can interpret it as an ideological framework for understanding human existence …

Histological And Immunohistochemical Analyses Used To Study Craniosynostosis In Pediatric Patients, Palvir Kaur Baadh

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Craniosynostosis is a condition in which one or more of the sutures of the skull grow together (fuse) earlier than normal in infants. Sutures are large gaps located at the bony plates or joints of the head. Craniosynostosis causes the skull to expand and grow in the direction of any normal open suture, creating craniofacial complications, such as drooping eyelids and abnormal intracranial pressure, head shape, or brain morphology. This premature fusion or ossification of sutures affects approximately 300-500 live births in 1,000,000 (Kolpakova-Hart et al., 2008) with considerable variation in phenotype, depending on which suture(s) is involved. Corrective …

Morphometric Analysis Of Left & Right Tonsils In Adult Symptomatic Type 1 Chiari Patients And Healthy Controls, Louis J. Konstan

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Historically, CMI has been radiographically defined by cerebellar tonsillar descent below the foramen magnum (FM) more than 5 mm (2). This measurement is typically made with a single sagittal plane T1-or T2-weighted MR image. Studies have obtained additional morphometric measurements to help diagnose CMI, and establish normal values (3,4). These studies were somewhat These studies were somewhat successful in differentiating CMI patients from healthy subjects. However, results from these studies have shown that the standard TD measurement does not necessarily correlate with neurological symptom severity as patients with CMI-like symptoms have been found with a TD of less than 5 …

Alternative Therapy For Sickle Cell Disease, Huda Alsultan

Graduate Research Papers

Sickle cell disease can lead to serious complications, such as stroke, acute chest syndrome, pulmonary hypertension, organ damage, blindness, skin ulcers, gallstones and priapism. Additionally, patients with sickle cell disease usually have several pain crises during the year, which means they have to be admitted to the hospital a couple days or weeks in order to treat these crises by pain relievers through IV line or veins. This necessitates quite often that the patient would be absent from their jobs or schools. Frequent absences may cause people with sickle cell disease to experience stress which in turn leads to a …

Is Regenerative Injection Therapy (Prolotherapy) Effective At Reducing Pain Associated With Knee Osteoarthritis?, Ashley Aloi

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not “Is regenerative injection therapy (prolotherapy) effective at reducing pain associated with knee osteoarthritis?”

Study Design: Review of all English language primary studies published in 2012 and 2013.

Data Sources: One randomized control trial, one randomized crossover study and one single-arm uncontrolled study were found using PubMed and Ebscohost.

Outcomes Measured: Clinical outcome for all three articles was measured using the Western Ontario McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC); which specifically focuses on quality of life, function, and pain reduction after the use of prolotherapy versus the saline …

Is Rabeprazole A Safe Treatment For Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease In Children Ages 1-16 Years?, Sarah Applegarth

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of the selective EBM review is to determine whether or not Rabeprazole is a safe treatment for GERD in children less than sixteen years old.

Study Design: Review of three randomized controlled studies. All three studies were published in English between 2007-2013.

Data Sources: Three randomized, un-blinded, controlled studies found using Medline and PubMed

Outcomes Measured: Each trial measured the adverse events that occurred with the use of Rabeprazole for the treatment of GERD in children less than sixteen years of age. This was done by using subjective reporting of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAE’s). Differences in the …

Is Collagenase Clostridium Histolyticum A Safe And Effective Treatment For Adult Patients With Dupuytren’S Contracture?, Heather N. Bailey

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not collagenase clostridium histolyticum is a safe and effective treatment for adult patients with Dupuytren’s contracture.

STUDY DESIGN: Review of two double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized controlled trials and one cross-sectional study. All of these studies are published in English between 2009-2013.

DATA SOURCES: Two double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized controlled trials and one cross-sectional study found using PubMed.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: Each randomized controlled trial measured the ability to meet the primary end point and all secondary endpoints, percent decrease in degree of contracture, increase in range of motion, patient satisfaction, …

How Safe And Effective Is Tryptophan In Improving Sleep In Healthy Individuals With Mild Sleep Disorders?, Genevieve Asante-Odame

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not tryptophan is effective in improving sleep in healthy individuals with mild sleep disorders.

STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review of three published, randomized controlled trials (double-blind, placebo-controlled) between 2005-2010, all English language.

DATA SOURCES: Three randomized controlled trials published between 2005 and 2010 were found using PubMed/MEDLINE and Cochrane databases.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: Improved sleep quality and duration of sleep, which were measured using sleep diaries and sleep study questionnaires.

RESULTS: The first study, Cubero et al showed that administration of diet containing high levels of tryptophan reflected more …

Is Yoga Effective In Reducing Fibromyalgia-­Related Symptoms In Women With Fibromyalgia?, Molly R. Beckmann

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not yoga is effective in reducing fibromyalgia-related symptoms in women with fibromyalgia.

Study Design: Review of two published double blind, randomized controlled trials published in 2010 and one before-after study published in 2012 were used for this review and selected based on their relevance to the clinical question

Data Source: Studies were found using PubMed, AMED, and CINAHL Plus.

Outcomes Measured: All three studies measured improvement of fibromyalgia symptoms based on a variety of well-validated measures, most notably the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, the Quality of Life Profile …

Does Far Infrared Therapy Reduce The Incidence Of Arteriovenous Fistula Malfunction In Patients With Renal Disease Undergoing Hemodialysis?, Parker Barrett

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective evidence based medicine review is to determine whether or not far infrared therapy reduces the incidence of arteriovenous fistula (AVF) malfunction in patients with renal disease undergoing hemodialysis.

STUDY DESIGN: Review of three primary randomized controlled trial studies published from 2007-2013.

DATA SOURCES: Three peer-reviewed randomized controlled trials studying the effectiveness of far infrared therapy in the preservation of native arteriovenous fistula function in patients with chronic kidney disease requiring hemodialysis. Data searches done in PubMed, CINAHL Plus and EBSCOhost.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: Primary outcome measured was episodes of AVF malfunction due to stenotic complication. …

Is Treatment With Topical Glyceryl Trinitrate Effective In Reducing Elbow Pain In Patients With Lateral Epicondylitis?, Benjamin Chartier

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not treatment with topical glyceryl trinitrate is effective in reducing elbow pain in patients with lateral epicondylitis.

Study Design: Review of two English language randomized controlled trials and one primary study published 2003, 2009, 2011.

Data Sources: Two double blind randomized controlled and one prospective comparison study comparing the effectiveness of gylceryl trinitrate to placebo in the treatment of pain related to lateral epicondylitis, found using PubMed, EBSCOhost, and CINAHL Plus.

Outcome(s) Measured: The outcome studied was patient self-rated elbow pain at rest, pain with activity, pain …

Will The Addition Of Oxaliplatin To 5-Fluorouracil (5fu), And Leucovorin Improve Disease Free Survival Of Patients With Stage Iii Colon Cancer Who Had Surgical Resection Of The Tumor?, Sarah Cotter

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not the addition of oxaliplatin to 5FU and leucovorin will improve disease free survival of patients with stage III colon cancer who had surgical resection of the tumor.

Study Design: Review of three published, double blind randomized control trials in the English language in 2004, 2007, and 2009.

Outcomes Measured: The outcome is disease free survival of colon cancer. It is measured using periodic patient follow-up. History and PE, neuro assessment, liver and kidney function tests, CEA test, CBC, and imaging studies such as colonoscopy or barium …