Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Impact Of Obesity Vs Non-Obesity Body Mass Index (Bmi) On Adalimumab Efficacy In Ulcerative Colitis, Mekhala Santebennur, Kathryn Mozzochi, Diana Gavilanes Md, Evelyn J. Calderon Martinez Md, Anas Atrash Md

Tower Health Research Day

No abstract provided.

Do Cervical Spine Injuries Require Airway Monitoring In The Surgical Intensive Care Unit?, Nikki Rimlinger, Tom Parker, Sujay Deshpande, Kyle Yang, Alison Muller Msph, Mls, Anthony Martin Rn, Bsn, Tcrn, Adrian Ong Md, Eugene F. Reilly Md, Mhci, Christopher A. Butts Phd, Do

Tower Health Research Day

No abstract provided.

Navigating New Onset Hearing Loss In Medical School: A Case Report, Sriprachodaya Gaddam, Alyssa Terk, Seema Baranwal, Stacy Ellen

Tower Health Research Day

No abstract provided.

Thyrotoxic Periodic Paralysis: Acute Paralysis As The Initial Presentation Of Graves' Disease Triggering A Stroke Alert, Osadebamwen Osaghae, Hafiza Qadeer, Sapna Sharma, Vinita Singh

Tower Health Research Day

No abstract provided.

Storm-Induced Supply Challenges: A Case Of Hurricane-Driven Iv Fluid Use And Venous Air Embolism, Davin Evanson

Tower Health Research Day

No abstract provided.

Massive Subcutaneous Hematoma Of The Back In Patient With Neurofibromatosis Type 1, Sriprachodaya Gaddam, Olivia Orris, Leigham Breckenridge, Michael Van Etten

Tower Health Research Day

No abstract provided.

From Rights To Risks: Mental Health Implications For Pregnant Patients Following The Reversal Of Roe V. Wade, Andrew Murdock, Angelica Arshoun, Eduardo Espiridion

Tower Health Research Day

No abstract provided.

When Elevated Creatinine Is Not What It Seems: Intraperitoneal Urinary Leak Mimicking Acute Kidney Injury, Hatem Ahmed, Mohamed K. Mansour, Hamza Obeid

Tower Health Research Day

No abstract provided.

Case Report: Non-Operative Management Of A Diaphragmatic Hematoma, Taylor Gong, Kendall Ozorowski, Davin Evanson, Michael Romeo

Tower Health Research Day

No abstract provided.

Tale Of A Colossal Heart: Coxsackie B Virus Related Dilated Cardiomyopathy Presenting As Ambulatory Cardiogenic Shock, Mahmood Danishwar, Muhammad Asad Hanif, Raesham Bukhari, Brian Mccauley

Tower Health Research Day

No abstract provided.

Finding A Leg To Stand On ; An Unexpected Case Of Anterior Ankle Pain Diagnosed By Pocus In A 48 Year Old Man ., Olawale Adeyemi Md,Mph, Madhulika Badri Bs

Tower Health Research Day

No abstract provided.

Transcatheter Repair Of Perivalvular Leak With A Ventricular Septal Defect Occluder In A Prosthetic Mitral Valve: A Case Report Of Recurrence And Challenges, Diane Lee, Mohammad Wajih Baig, Muhammad Mohsin Zafar, Muhammad Umer Riaz Gondal, Muhammad Ijaz Khan, Masroor Anwar, Michael Macciocca

Tower Health Research Day

No abstract provided.

Use Of Arrow Clarke Pleuraseal Thoracentesis Kit To Perform A Pericardiocentesis Emergency Medicine Physician Education Quality Improvement On High Acuity Low Occurrence Procedures, Kendall Higgins Md, Joshua Hamilton Do, Grant Nugent Md, Monisha Bindra Do, Shaila Quazi Do

Tower Health Research Day

No abstract provided.

Unlocking Prognostic Potential: Biomarker Predictors Of Admission And Length Of Stay In Pediatric Sickle Cell Vaso-Occlusive Pain Crisis, Jeffrey Hernandez, Abhishek Dutta, Jacob Lowry, Bruce Bernstein, Luis Gamboa, Nataly Apollonsky

Tower Health Research Day

No abstract provided.

Dyke-Davidoff-Masson Syndrome: A Rare Cause Of Drug Refractory Epilepsy In An Adult, Paresh Zanzmera, Vaidehi Chauhan, Tvisha Patel, Jaineel Patel, Ankit Dumaswala, Kinjal Shah

Tower Health Research Day

No abstract provided.

Trends In Pulmonary Embolism Mortality Amongst Pennsylvania Adults (1999-2020), Muhammad Umer Riaz Gondal, Zainab Kiyani, Anthony Donato

Tower Health Research Day

No abstract provided.

Session Iib: Natural Sciences Presentation 1 - Pantry To Plate: Using Local Food Pantries To Improve Diabetes Self-Care Deficits, Rachelle Zielazienski

Life of the Scholar Multidisciplinary Conference

The purpose of this project was to improve diabetes self-management, knowledge of healthier diabetes eating habits, and cultural relevance through diabetes education and meal planning by including pertinent information in food boxes provided by a food pantry over two months of project implementation. The project provided culturally sensitive educational resources on diabetic food education and meal planning to individuals with diabetes, pre-diabetics, or those who prepare meals for diabetic individuals. The assistance of a qualified diabetes specialist was used to provide a collaborative effort offering educational support for participants' diabetes health goals and evidence-based diabetes food education.

Session Iib: Natural Sciences Presentation 3 - The Effects Of Human Umbilical Mesenchymal Stem Cells In Treating Premature Ovarian Failure, Lainey Proffitt

Life of the Scholar Multidisciplinary Conference

Short lit review of the factors in using human mesenchymal stems cells to treat premature ovarian failure.

Session Ia: Biology Presentation 3 - Beyond Weight Loss: The Effects Of The Glp-1 Agonist, Semaglutide, On Weight Care, Type Ii Diabetes Management, And Cardiac Function In Obese Patients, Amber Smith

Life of the Scholar Multidisciplinary Conference

Determining whether the drug Semaglutide, also known as Ozempic or Wegovy, is not only an effective treatment for weight loss, but also for management of type II diabetes and obesity-related heart failure, such as adverse cardiac remodeling and left atrial volume increase.

Session Ia: Biology Presentation 4 - Parkinson's Disease: Understanding Risk Factors, Causes, And Potential Treatments, Emma Hewitt

Life of the Scholar Multidisciplinary Conference

No abstract provided.

Expanding Realities: Augmented Reality Exposure Therapy For Trauma And Beyond, Mackenzie Jenuwine M.A., Madeleine Reardon M.A.

Great Lakes Regional Counseling Psychology Conference

This symposium explores Augmented Reality Exposure Therapy (ARET) for the treatment of trauma and stressor-related disorders. We define ARET and discuss the unique ability to target the social deficits of trauma, providing an example of a population in which social isolation can increase the risk of suicide.

Prevalence And Severity Of Depression After Stroke In South Texas: A Five-Year Retrospective Study, Edrick Garcia, Mayrin A. Perez, Kelsey Baker

Research Symposium

Stroke, a type of cerebrovascular disease, is becoming exceedingly common, causing approximately 1 in every 6 deaths in the United States. Healthcare disparities are prevalent within stroke, particularly in Hispanics. Here, we sought to understand disparities that exist in individuals with a stroke who identified as Hispanic. Particularly, we sought to understand the severity of depression after stroke in a predominantly Hispanic region: Rio Grande Valley (RGV), Texas. We hypothesized that the prevalence of depression would be reduced in RGV while depression severity, particularly in areas regarding self-worth, would be increased. To evaluate our hypothesis we conducted a five-year retrospective …

Confounding Factors Of Cervical Carcinogenesis And Cervical Cancer Health Disparity, Vivek Kumar Kashyap, Namita Sinha, Nadeem Zafar, Murali M. Yallapu, Santosh Kumar, Everardo Cobos, Subhash C. Chauhan

Research Symposium

Clinical studies show that cervical cancer is the most frequently detected cancer in women living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which has been defined as an acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Women living with HIV are 6 times more likely to develop cervical cancer compared to the general population, and an estimated 5% of all cervical cancer cases are attributable to HIV. Studies suggest that several genes are involved in different molecular pathways, which can influence the vulnerability, severity, or advancement of cervical cancer in the presence of HIV and human papillomavirus (HPV) co-infection. Clinical studies have also shown levels of …

Successful Limb Salvage In A Severe Diabetic Foot Infection: A Case Study Of Aggressive Surgical Intervention And Grafting Technique, Stephanie N. Campbell, Amanda Killeen, Michael Sobolevsky

Research Symposium

Background: Severe necrotizing diabetic foot infections are known to have high morbidity, high amputation risk, and high complication rates. Efforts at preserving the limb require significant surgical efforts and lengthy wound care. This process is more complicated in patients with significant housing instability.

Case Presentation: A 53-year-old male with uncontrolled diabetes (A1c 7.9%), housing insecurity, food insecurity presented with severe necrotizing diabetic foot infection with ascending cellulitis, infectious hemorrhagic bullae, multi-compartment abscesses of the foot and anterior leg. It is known that patients with diabetes are at increased risk of both amputation and surgical interventions than patients without diabetes. This …

Hiv And Bacterial Lps Synergistically Activate Aim2 Inflammasome In Primary Human Oral Keratinocytes, Md Shafayat Jamil, Deepa Roy, Upal Roy, Hansapani Rodrigo, Nirakar Sahoo, Chun Xu

Research Symposium

Background: HIV infection profoundly disrupts the oral microbiome, increasing the presence of Gram-negative bacteria such as Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis), which is detected in over 80% of cases. P. gingivalis secretes lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a potent immune stimulant that can damage primary human oral keratinocytes (HOK) even in antiretroviral therapy (cART) treated people with HIV (PWH). HOK cells respond to bacterial and viral stimuli by activating inflammasome complexes, including AIM2, a DNA-sensing inflammasome protein. While LPS alone is known to trigger canonical and non-canonical pathways, leading to inflammasome activation, our study investigates how HIV exposure synergizes with LPS to induce the …

Elevated Familism As A Protective Factor Against Type 2 Diabetes And Alzheimer’S Disease In The Rgv Hispanic Communities, Juan F. Lopez, Luis Aguillon, Chun Xu, Daniela Ollervides Charles, Gladys Maestre

Research Symposium

Background: Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) are significant contributors to cognitive decline, disproportionately affecting Hispanic/Latino populations. T2DM increases the risk of AD and dementia through mechanisms such as insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, and neurodegeneration (Umegaki, 2014; González et al., 2020). Social determinants such as socioeconomic status, healthcare access, and cultural factors, including familism, exacerbating disease progression (Vega et al., 2017). Familism—a cultural value emphasizing strong family ties, loyalty, and caregiving—may play a dual role, both as a factor shaping disease management and as a potential protective element.

Elevated familism can foster supportive family networks that …

Navigating Choices: The Key Factors Shaping Women's Decisions On Cervical Cancer Screening In Texas, Ramya Kunta, Ruben Castaneda, Mariella Gonzalez Davila, Christian Hernandez, Hannah Martinez, Juan Soto

Research Symposium

Background: Cervical cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in Texas among women ages 20-39 and the fifth most common among women ages 40-49. Understanding factors that influence decisions to undergo screening is crucial given that regular screenings are pivotal for the early detection and treatment of cervical cancer, thus increasing survival rates. This study aims to identify sociodemographic factors that shape Texas women’s decisions to seek cervical cancer screening.

Methods: Using the 2020 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), we utilized the responses to the BRFSS question entitled “Have …

Utilization Of Bmp-2 Or Bmp-7 For Nonunion Fractures Of The Upper And Lower Extremity, Yolanda V. Gutierrez, Alyssa A. Sepulveda, Ronald A. Shaju, Joaquin S. Rivera, Aamir Ahmad Md

Research Symposium

Background: Bone morphogenic proteins (BMPs) are critical in maintaining the homeostasis between osteoclasts and osteoblasts. With novel technology, BMPs have been increasingly successful in treating nonunion fractures. BMPs demonstrate promising results over other treatments such as bone grafting because it prevents complications like donor site morbidity, and limited grafting availability. This systematic review aims to evaluate the time of union, rate of success, and complications between BMP-2 and BMP-7 in upper and lower extremity non union fractures.

Methods: This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA). Three databases were utilized: …

Treatment And Return To Sport In Athletes With Scaphoid Fractures, Yolanda V. Gutierrez, Ronald A. Shaju, Joaquin S. Rivera, Alyssa S. Sepulveda, Aamir Ahmad

Research Symposium

Background: The scaphoid is a unique carpal bone due to its anatomical position and due to its retrograde blood supply it is highly vulnerable to fractures, nonunion, and avascular necrosis. Acute stress fractures occur more commonly due to falling on an outstretched hand while stress fractures are observed in instances where there is repetitive dorsiflexion of the wrist. Some instances of acute stress fractures are observed in contact sports such as football and stress fractures are more common in sports such as gymnastics. Management for both types of scaphoid fractures can be conservative or surgical with screw fixation and bone …

The Association Of Secondary Hyperparathyroidism And Tendon Ruptures In Patients Undergoing Dialysis, Yolanda V. Gutierrez, Joaquin S. Rivera, Alyssa S. Sepulveda, Ronald S. Shaju, Aamir Ahmad

Research Symposium

Background: Spontaneous tendon ruptures are rare occurrences observed in dialysis patients and are strongly correlated with secondary hyperparathyroidism. Secondary hyperparathyroidism occurs due to decreased renal function causing unregulated calcium and phosphate levels that can impact the parathyroid hormone (PTH) and weaken tendons. Increased PTH hormone causes bone resorption and calcification at tendon site which can further increase the likelihood of rupture. Tendon ruptures commonly occur in weight bearing tendons such as the quadriceps, patellar, and achilles tendon. Treatment management ranges from suture anchor fixation of tendons or tendon repair with immobilization followed by physiotherapy. Prevention can also be implemented with …