Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Integrating Genetic Modifier Genotype With Serum Proteomics In Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Clinical Trials Links Ltbp4 Genetic Modifier To Il-23/Cd93 Pathways In Muscle, Utkarsh J. Dang, Yuan Fang, Daniele Sabbatini, Elena Pegoraro, Luca Bello, Paula R. Clemens, Michela Guglieri, John Van Den Anker, Jesse Damsker, Laura Hagerty, Yetrib Hathout, Michael Ziemba, Lauren Morgenroth, Surajit Bhattacharya, Kanneboyina Nagaraju, Jyoti K. Jaiswal, Eric P. Hoffman

Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Publications

Genetic modifiers of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) that alter disease severity or response to therapy have been reported using natural history or registry data sets of older corticosteroid-treated patients. We tested associations of genetic modifiers on motor function outcomes in young (4 to <  7 years) steroid naïve clinical trial participants. Participants in clinical trials (VBP15-002/003 [n = 48]; VBP15-004 [n = 121]; DNA available for n = 110) were genotyped for eight published genetic modifier loci, and associations of genotypes with baseline motor function defined via an age-adjusted linear model. Corticosteroid drug response was modeled by genotype-stratified placebo vs. steroid treatment at 12- and 24-weeks posttreatment (mixed model for repeated measures). …

Decreased Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Capillary Recruitment In Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, David Langleben, Stylianos E. Orfanos, Benjamin D. Fox, Michele Giovinazzo, Magali Kaddis, John D. Catravas

Bioelectrics Publications

The human lung normally accommodates exercise-induced cardiac output increases mainly via recruitment of non-concomitantly perfused pulmonary capillaries. Recruitment is detectable by measuring the first-pass transpulmonary metabolism of ³H-benzoyl-Phe-Ala-Pro, providing an estimate of functional capillary surface area (FCSA). Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) results from luminal narrowing of small precapillary arterioles, reducing downstream perfused FCSA. We hypothesized that exercising PAH patients would not be able to recruit FCSA normally. We studied two patients with severe PAH. Despite exercising to maximal dyspnea, neither could recruit FCSA. These limited data are the first direct measurements of FCSA in exercising PAH patients.

Metabolic Reprogramming Following Mitochondrial Transfer Between Idh2-Mutant Chondrosarcoma Cells And A Normal B-Cell Line, Caleb Wyckoff, Christopher Osgood, Ellen Jing, Michael Stacey

Bioelectrics Publications

Background/Objectives: Chondrosarcoma, glioblastoma, acute myeloid leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and cholangiocarcinoma cancers all contain mutations in the gene isocitrate dehydrogenase 2 (IDH2). The mutant IDH2 enzyme metabolizes alpha-ketoglutarate (αKG) into the potent oncometabolite D-2-hydroxyglutarate (D2HG) in the mitochondria of these cancers, leading to altered cellular metabolism. Emerging evidence suggests that mitochondrial transfer between cancer and recipient cells represents an important form of intercellular communication that may influence cellular metabolism. The presence of intercellular TNTs between IDH2-mutant chondrosarcoma cells motivated an investigation into mitochondria-associated physiological changes occurring during an intercellular exchange with immune cells. A mitochondrial transfer is a two-way …

Synergistic Sensitization Of Pancreatic Cancer Cells By Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields And Cold Atmospheric Plasma Via Amplifying Ros And Apoptotic Signaling, Zobia Minhas, Edwin A. Oshin, Lifang Yang, Chunqi Jiang, Siqi Guo

Bioelectrics Publications

Pancreatic cancer remains a highly lethal malignancy, with standard therapies offering limited benefits in advanced stages; thus, novel strategies that exploit specific cancer cell vulnerabilities are urgently needed. Building on our previous findings that nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEF) combined with cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) produce enhanced cytotoxicity, this study investigates the molecular mechanisms underlying this synergy. Pan02 pancreatic cancer cells were subjected to nsPEF, CAP, or a combination of both. We assessed cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and mitochondrial integrity using metabolic assays, flow cytometry, and fluorescence microscopy. Apoptotic markers were evaluated via Western blotting and caspase …

Nanosecond Electric Pulses As A Novel In Situ Vaccination Strategy For Cancer Treatment: Mechanisms, Challenges And Prospects, Siqi Guo

Bioelectrics Publications

Nanosecond electric pulses (nsEPs) are an emerging pulsed-power technology with unique bioelectric characteristics distinct from conventional long-pulse electroporation. As a tunable physical modality, nsEPs can modulate intracellular structures, membrane dynamics, and signaling pathways. Increasing evidence supports nsEPs as a promising non-thermal tumor ablation approach due to their high spatial precision, preservation of critical tissue structures, and minimal adverse effects. One of the most significant discoveries associated with nsEP tumor ablation is the induction of potent systemic antitumor immunity, particularly in situ vaccination (ISV) effects and, in some cases, abscopal effects against distant untreated tumors. Substantial evidence demonstrates that nsEPs can …

Nutrient-Driven Transcription Factor-Dna Interactions And Their Signaling Mechanisms In Metabolic Disease, Evelyn A. Bates

Theses and Dissertations--Nutritional Sciences

Metabolic homeostasis is maintained through tightly coordinated signaling networks that integrate diverse physiological inputs. Central to this regulation are transcription factors, which sense nutrient, hormonal, and vitamin-derived signals and translate them into coordinated gene expression programs. Transcription factor activity is governed by DNA binding, recruitment of coregulatory proteins, and interactions with specific response elements in gene promoters, which allows them to selectively modulate diverse metabolic pathways. Owing to their multifactorial and tunable nature, transcription factors have emerged as promising targets for the treatment and diagnosis of metabolic diseases, including metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). This dissertation explores the molecular …

The Treatment Of Obesity In The Context Of The Obesity Paradox In Patients With Heart Failure: A Narrative Review, Pamela L. Alebna, Sarah Martey, Anurag Mehta, Carl J. Lavie, Salvatore Carbone

EVMS School of Health Professions Faculty Publications

Purpose of review

While excess adiposity is a known risk factor for incident heart failure ( HF), once the condition is established, observational data suggest that increased body mass index (BMI) may confer a survival advantage. This paradox has emphasized the underlying roles of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), and body composition, particularly lean mass (LM), in influencing clinical outcomes.

Recent findings

In this review, we explore the multifaceted nature of the obesity paradox in HF, with a focus on emerging anti-obesity incretin-mimetic therapies, such as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) and dual GLP-1/glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor agonists. These agents …

Chronic Alcohol Consumption Enhances The Differentiation Capacity Of Hematopoietic Stem And Progenitor Cells Into Osteoclast Precursors, Hami Hemati, Madison B. Blanton, Jude Koura, Rupak Khadka, Kathleen A. Grant, Ilhem Messaoudi

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

Chronic alcohol consumption (CAC) is associated with an enhanced risk of bone fracture, reduced bone density, and osteoporosis. In a rhesus macaque model of voluntary ethanol consumption, CAC induces functional, transcriptomic, and epigenomic changes in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) and their resultant monocytes/macrophages, skewing them toward a hyper-inflammatory response. In the present study, those studies were extended to investigate alterations in osteoclast development, which, in postnatal life, differentiate from HSPCs and play a critical role in maintaining bone homeostasis. Spectral flow cytometry revealed a skewing of HSPCs toward granulocyte-monocyte progenitors in the CAC group, consistent with an increased …

Chronic Alcohol Consumption Reprograms Osteoclast Lineage Communications To Promote Osteoclastogenesis, Hami Hemati, Brianna M. Doratt, Ilhem Messaoudi

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

Chronic alcohol consumption increases the risk of osteoporosis and fracture by disrupting bone remodeling, in part by enhancing osteoclastogenesis. However, the cellular mechanisms underlying this process remain incompletely defined. We analyzed scRNA-seq data from osteoclasts differentiated in vitro from bone marrow mononuclear cells obtained from macaques following 12 months of chronic ethanol or isocaloric control solution consumption. Module scoring, trajectory inference with generalized additive modeling (tradeSeq), and CellChat-based analyses of intercellular communication were applied to uncover ethanol-induced changes in metabolic reprogramming, lineage progression, and signaling network dynamics. Module scoring indicated metabolic reprogramming toward oxidative phosphorylation, with reduced glycolytic, migratory, and …

Alcohol Consumption Exacerbates High-Fat Diet- Mediated Disruptions In Myelopoiesis And Osteoclastogenesis In Mouse Models Of Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Liver Diseases, Hami Hemati, Madison B. Blanton, Lauren Rutt, Nicholas Keiran, Rebecca Geron, Florence Lima, Rebecca L. Mccullough, Ilhem Messaoudi

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

Objective: Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) and Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Alcohol-related Liver Disease (MetALD) exhibit systemic immune abnormalities. Given that such immune dysregulation is closely linked to the skeletal complications frequently observed in MASLD and MetALD, we sought to comprehensively characterize the bone marrow hematopoietic compartment and its link to osteoclastogenesis.

Methods: We utilized bone marrow from mouse models of MASLD (high-fat diet, HFD) and MetALD (high-fat diet plus ethanol, HFD+EtOH), followed by flow cytometric analysis to phenotype hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs), as well as in vitro and in vivo assays to evaluate osteoclastogenesis.

Results: We found that …

Surveillance Of A Novel Vesivirus Discovered In An Urban Mephitis Mephitis Population, Amanda E. Diggins

Honors Theses and Capstones

Caliciviridae is a family of non-enveloped, positive-sense, single stranded RNA viruses, including eleven defined genera that contain important pathogens of humans and animals. Within the Caliciviridae family, the genus Vesiviridae includes feline calicivirus, a leading cause of upper respiratory disease in cats, and vesicular exanthema of swine virus, a historical disease of domestic swine that has now been implicated in several marine mammal vesicular diseases, one of which has been confirmed zoonotic. Urban landscapes create a unique environment for rapid intra- and interspecies transmission of viruses. Clustered resources attract high-density populations of synanthropic wildlife species, increasing spatial overlap and heightening …

Exploring Biopsychosocial Influences On Hookup Culture And Disrupting Compulsory Behaviors In Emerging Adults: A Multidisciplinary Analysis Of A Contemporary Public Health Concern, Catherine Benjamin

Honors Theses and Capstones

Multidisciplinary analysis, including biology, psychology, and sociology, to better understand the compulsory Hookup Culture that exists as a contemporary public health concern among the age group defined as emerging adults. Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) diagnoses are steadily rising in the United States and disproportionately affecting college students. Early socialization and current educational resources that contribute to shame and stigma are discussed to explain how lifestyle and social conditions can act as risk factors for individual health outcomes.

Preserved Artificial Grammar Learning In Individuals With Parkinson’S Disease: A Systematic Review, Sarah I. Cranna

Honors Theses and Capstones

Abstract

            Implicit statistical learning is a crucial cognitive function that is highly involved in the learning and processing of language. Since both language and implicit statistical learning are supported by the basal ganglia through cortico-striatal networks, disruptions to this network could result in their impairment. Parkinson’s Disease (PD) can therefore be used to model disruptions to this system as it is primarily characterized by dysfunction in the basal ganglia. Thus, this review aims to examine the current literature studying the performance of individuals with PD on artificial grammar tasks in order to investigate the impact of impaired basal ganglia function …

Stress And Reward Interactions In Substance Use Disorder: An Evolutionary Mismatch Framework, Nicholas L. Castrucci

Honors Theses and Capstones

Substance use disorder (SUD) is a major public health concern characterized by compulsive substance use despite adverse consequences. While contemporary models emphasize biological, psychological, and environmental contributors, stress- and reward-related systems are often examined in isolation. This review integrates these systems within an evolutionary mismatch framework to examine how chronic stress exposure and repeated substance use increase vulnerability to addiction. Stress and reward systems are evolutionarily conserved but may become chronically dysregulated under modern conditions characterized by persistent psychosocial stressors and highly potent rewarding stimuli. This is associated with converging neuroadaptations across stress and reward circuitry, resulting in altered affective …

The Role Of Body Composition In Predicting Fitness Performance Of Law Enforcement Officers, Taylor J. Parmentier

Theses and Dissertations

Law enforcement officers (LEOs) perform physically demanding tasks such as foot pursuits, lifting, carrying, dragging, and physical restraint. Effectively performing these duties requires significant muscular strength, endurance, and cardiorespiratory fitness. Lower fitness levels pose risks for reduced health, performance, slower recovery, increased fatigue, and potentially affecting decision-making under strenuous conditions. The purpose of this study was to identify the strongest predictor of physical fitness performance among active-duty LEOs. Body composition analysis and a comprehensive fitness evaluation of twenty-nine male LEOs (age: 36.2 ± 9.3 years, body mass (BM): 95 ± 13.7 kg, height: 1.8 ± 0.1 m) was completed. The …

A Rare Case Of A Silent Pheochromocytoma Concomitant With An Incidentally Found Small Bowel Carcinoid Tumor, Michael Salzle, Anna Szafran-Swietlik, Tobias Carling

West Florida Division GME Research Day 2026

No abstract provided.

Bpa: Effects Of The "Plastic Era", Bianca G. Pietrangeli

Student Work

Infographic review of sources of BPA and its impacts on human health with a focus on osteoporosis.

Trustworthy Multimodal Ai For Medical Imaging: Enhancing Diagnosis, Reasoning, And Human-Agent Interaction In Extended Reality, Jai Prakash Veerla

Computer Science and Engineering Dissertations

The transition from traditional microscopy to digital pathology has digitized diagnostic data, yet clinical workflows remain constrained by two-dimensional screens and passive, opaque analysis tools that fail to capture the spatial complexity of biological systems. While Foundation Models now promise to reason across histology and genomics, a critical disconnect persists between the richness of this data and the limited cognitive bandwidth of clinicians, who currently lack the immersive interfaces and trustworthy agents necessary to utilize it effectively. This dissertation presents a unified framework for "Embodied Agentic AI," establishing a pipeline that augments physician capabilities through immersive visualization, robust security, and …

Transcriptional Signatures Of Rapid Protection From Sudan Virus Infection By A Single Dose Of A Vesicular Stomatitis Virus-Based Vaccine, Brianna M. Doratt, Sheridan B. Wagner, Delphine C. Malherbe, Gregory T. Smith, Andrea Marzi, Ilhem Messaoudi

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

Sudan virus (SUDV) has caused multiple outbreaks of human disease with case fatality rates ranging from 41 to 100%. We have previously shown that a single vaccination with a recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus-based vaccine expressing the SUDV-Gulu glycoprotein (VSV-SUDV) prevented clinical and fatal disease from lethal SUDV challenge in cynomolgus macaques. With the high probability of future outbreaks, it is critical to determine the molecular mechanisms of VSV-SUDV-mediated protection and the ability to impart rapid protection against SUDV infection. In this study, RNA from whole blood samples obtained from nine cynomolgus macaques that were challenged with SUDV-Gulu post-vaccination with either …

Characterizing Immune Perturbations In Peripheral Blood Following The East Palestine, Ohio Train Derailment, Sheridan B. Wagner, Hami Hemati, Siva Gandhapudi, Timothy J. Hilbert, Candace J. Brancato, Erin N. Haynes, Ilhem Messaoudi

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

Background: The East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment on February 3rd, 2023, resulted in the exposure of residents and the surrounding area to numerous hazardous chemicals, which included known acute irritants and human carcinogens. Despite evacuation and cleanup, both residents and responders reported high occurrences of symptoms associated with exposure in the months following, such as eye, skin, and respiratory irritation, headaches, and fatigue. The long-term health consequences for residents remain uncertain.

Objective: To assess the potential for immune perturbations resulting from the exposure, we performed a broad investigation of circulating immune cells and mediators from residents of East Palestine, OH, …

Combinatorial Immunotherapy Drives Exhaustion In Tumor Antigen–Specific Cd8+ T Cells Within The Mouse Renal Tumor Microenvironment, Holly R. Stephens, Elizabeth Elkins, Jing Li, Zoey N. Swalley, Henry Nnaemeka Ogbonna, Pia Muri, Zachary Roberts, Francesca R. Dempsey, Md Akkas Ali, Md Hasanul Banna Siam, Richard Kirkman, Jianqing Zhang, Sunil Sudarshan, Daniel J. Tyrrell, Hubert M. Tse, Daniel L. Smith Jr, Lyse A. Norian

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

Immunotherapies have greatly improved outcomes for patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC), yet response rates remain suboptimal and the factors promoting therapy resistance versus sensitivity are incompletely understood. Currently, no preclinical model of orthotopic renal cancer exists that permits evaluation of tumor antigen–specific (TAS) CD8⁺ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). To address this deficiency, we developed a mouse renal cancer model that permits tracking of adoptively transferred TAS CD8⁺ T cells. Renca-LUC tumor cells were transduced to express tumor ERK (tERK), a model antigen expressing a one-amino-acid change from wild-type ERK, resulting in recognition by tERK/H-2K^d-specific DUC Thy1.1 …

Risk Of Gestational Diabetes By Aerobic And Resistance Exercise During The First And Second Trimesters, Takaki Tanamoto, George Saade, Leryn J. Reynolds, Tetsuya Kawakita

Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Faculty Publications

Objective

While some studies have shown that exercise reduces the incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), there is limited evidence on whether aerobic or resistance exercise is more beneficial. This study aimed to examine the rate of GDM according to the type of exercise during early pregnancy.

Study design

We analyzed data from the Nulliparous Pregnancy Outcomes Study: Monitoring Mothers-to-Be (nuMoM2b), a prospective cohort of individuals enrolled during the first and second trimesters. We excluded participants with pregestational diabetes or delivery < 20 weeks. The primary exposure was either aerobic or resistance exercises in the first or second trimester. For each trimester, the metabolic equivalent of task hours per week (MET-h/week) was calculated for each exercise. Participants were grouped as follows: "Aerobic exercise" (≥7.5 MET-h/week from aerobic exercises), "Resistance exercise" (≥2 times/week from resistance exercises), "Both types of exercise" (≥7.5 MET-h/week from aerobic exercise and ≥2 times/week from resistance exercises), and "Insufficient exercise" (≤7.5 MET-h/week from aerobic exercise and ≤2 times/week from resistance exercises). Our primary outcome was GDM. Adjusted relative risks (aRRs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated using modified Poisson regression, adjusting for potential confounders.

Results

In both the first and second trimesters, analyses included 9049 individuals. In the first trimester, individuals who performed …

Prevalence And Outcome Of Splenic Injury Among Pediatric Trauma Patients, Omar Emad El-Din Bedair Hassan El-Nekity, Magdy Basheer, Amir A. Fikry, Mohamed Shetiwy

Mansoura Medical Journal

Background Pediatric trauma represents a critical public health issue, being the leading contributor of death and long-term disability in this age group. Blunt abdominal trauma is particularly common, with the spleen identified as the most frequently injured organ due to children's distinct anatomical traits. This study aims to detect morbidity, mortality, and complications resulting from splenic injuries in the pediatric population. Patients and methods This observational cross-sectional study was conducted at Mansoura University Emergency Hospital from September 2024 to September 2025. It included 104 pediatric patients with splenic injury out of 3600 pediatric trauma patients. Results The prevalence of splenic …

Health Disparities In Cardiovascular Care: The Impact Of Diabetes Education And Post-Discharge Interventions For African American Adults At Risk For And After Myocardial Infarction, Trinity L. Billingsley

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, affecting African American adults at higher rates compared to other racial and ethnic groups. Diabetes as a comorbidity is one of the risk factors of experiencing a myocardial infarction, remaining one of the leading causes of death among individuals with diabetes. Objective: To examine the effectiveness of structured diabetes education tailored to African American adults who are at risk for and after a myocardial infarction. Additionally assessing the complications of a myocardial infarction, the outcomes associated with structured education will be compared to the outcomes of …

Silver Nanoparticle-Induced Disruption Of Astrocytic Morphology And Synaptic Microarchitecture In Rat Brain, Elli Williams

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are widely incorporated into consumer and medical products due to their antibacterial properties, increasing the potential for chronic exposure. AgNPs can be released into the environment, enter the body through ingestion or inhalation, cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), and bioaccumulate in brain tissue. Previous in vitro studies demonstrate that AgNP exposure disrupts cytoskeletal organization and induces neurite collapse in neural cells, suggesting vulnerability of cytoskeleton-dependent structures in vivo. Astrocytes, through their perisynaptic astrocytic processes (PAPs) and perivascular endfeet, play critical roles in maintaining synaptic and neurovascular architecture, both of which rely heavily on cytoskeletal integrity. This …

Mxene-Enabled Wearable Biosensors: A Design Framework For Autonomous Biosensing, Jegan Rajendran, Gymama Slaughter

Center for Bioelectronics Publications

MXenes, a rapidly expanding family of two-dimensional transition metal carbides and nitrides, have emerged as leading materials for wearable bioelectronics due to their metallic conductivity, termination-rich surfaces, mechanical compliance, and tunable interlayer structures. However, wearable biosensor performance does not arise from conductivity alone, but from coupled interactions among surface termination chemistry, heterointerface engineering, hierarchical architecture, and device integration under dynamic physiological conditions. This review establishes a predictive structure-interface-device framework linking MXene chemistry to system-level performance across electrochemical, mechanical, gas, optical, and energy-storage modalities. We analyze how termination-controlled adsorption governs charge transfer and selectivity, how heterojunction formation modulates carrier density and …

Pilot Study On The Use Of Multimorbidity Index In Patients Receiving Home Parenteral Nutrition, Michael M. Rothkopf, Mohan Pant, Zachary Rothkopf, Rebecca Brown Rdn, Jaime Haselhorst Rdn, Debbie L. Stevenson Rdn, Andrew Depalma Mba, Michael Saracco

Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background

Home parenteral nutrition (HPN) patients often have multiple comorbidities. A validated multimorbidity index (MMI) could help determine resource needs and risks with HPN. We evaluated MMI scoring to determine if it predicted HPN resource use and outcomes.

Methods

We performed a secondary analysis of 60 HPN patients from a previous study based on Cumulative Illness Rating Scale (CIRS) scoring. We examined three variables: PN formula changes, hospitalizations, and hospital length of stay (LOS). Density plots were produced to select a CIRS score cutoff value. Spearman correlations among the three variables of interest were computed. The data were then subjected …

Vitamin D Status During Pregnancy Modulates The Effect Of Pre-Pregnancy Obesity On Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Risk: A Birth Cohort Study, Ali H. Ziyab, Abdullah Al-Taiar, Reem Al-Sabah, Majeda S. Hammoud, Saeed Akhtar

Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Objective:

To determine whether gestational vitamin D status modulates the effect of pre-pregnancy obesity on gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) risk while stratifying by maternal age.

Design:

Birth cohort.

Setting:

A major maternity hospital in Kuwait.

Participants:

Pregnant women in their second/third trimester of gestation were enrolled. Pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI, kg/m²) was categorized as under/normal weight (< 25.0), overweight (25.0 to < 30.0), and obesity (≥30.0). Gestational 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations were categorized as deficiency (< 50 nmol/L) or insufficiency/sufficiency (≥50 nmol/L). GDM status was ascertained according to international guidelines. Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using logistic regression.

Results:

Data from 957 pregnant women were analyzed, with GDM affecting 166 (17.4%) pregnancies. Pre-pregnancy obesity and gestational vitamin D deficiency was ascertained in 275 (28.7%) and 533 (55.7%) pregnant women, respectively. The association between pre-pregnancy obesity and GDM risk differed according …

Potential Environmental Triggers Of Goodpasture's Disease And The Role Of The Sulfimine Crosslink, Colton S. Miller, Andrea Florian, Elena Pokidysheva

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Goodpasture’s syndrome (GP) is an autoimmune disorder that primarily affects kidneys and lungs. The main issue for patients with Goodpasture's syndrome is the binding of autoantibodies to the glomerular basement membrane (GBM), which hinders the filtration of blood. A key characteristic of Goodpasture's syndrome is the presence of autoantibodies that target the NC1 domain of the α345 isoform of type IV collagen, a crucial component of the GBM that provides structural support and is critical for filtration function. Sulfilimine bonds crosslink the collagen IV NC1 hexamers, contributing to the stabilization of these structures. A recent clinical case of recurring Goodpasture's …

Perinatal Inflammation And Oxidative Stress Alter Adult Rat (Rattus Norvegicus) Motor Behavior, Alexander Young

Honors College Theses

Recent evidence in comparative animal models suggests that early life exposure to elevated inflammation (via LPS exposure) and oxidative stress (via acetaminophen exposure) may synergistically interact to alter typical neurodevelopmental trajectories, resulting in lasting effects on both behavior and gut-brain neurochemistry. The current study observed emotional and motor behaviors and collected fecal-boli to measure Tyrosine (TE) levels in male and female Long-Evans (Rattus norvegicus) rats. Subjects were either treated with [1] saline [2] lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to introduce an inflammatory state, [3] acetaminophen (APAP) to introduce oxidative stress, or [4] a dual-hit of both LPS + APAP on postnatal day (PD) …