Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Clostridium Septicum Growth From A Total Knee Arthroplasty Associated With Intestinal Malignancy: A Case Report, Demetri M. Economedes, Jerome Santoro, Carl A. Deirmengian

PCOM Scholarly Papers

BACKGROUND: Previous reports of infection with Clostridium septicum have identified an unexpected association with concurrent malignancy. The reported rate of associated malignancy has been found to be as high as 81 percent. The purpose of this case report was to present a case of a total knee arthroplasty infected with C. septicum and the subsequent finding of an occult colonic malignancy.

CASE PRESENTATION: A 74 year-old man underwent uneventful bilateral total knee arthroplasties. Two weeks post-operatively, he presented with acute swelling, redness and pain of the left knee. Aspiration of the knee was sent for cell count and …

Digest Of The Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine (Fall 2012), Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine

Digest

The Fall 2012 issue of the Digest of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine includes the following articles:

• Message from the President
• PCOM Updates
• Development News
• Protecting Human Rights
• Relieving Suffering
• On Leaders and Legacies
• Profiles of Nine PCOM Alumni Who Influence Osteopathic Medical Education
• Pharmacists’ Changing Role: From Behind the Counter to Direct Patient Care
• PCOM School of Pharmacy Is Preparing Students to Practice as Part of the Healthcare Team
• Class Notes
• In Memoriam
• My Turn Essay
• The Fund for PCOM

Pcom Georgia Do Class Of 2017 Composite Sheet, Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine

Class Composite Sheets

PCOM Georgia DO Class of 2017 student portraits, matriculating Fall 2012.

Digest Of The Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine (Summer 2012), Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine

Digest

The Summer 2012 issue of the Digest of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine includes the following articles:

• Message from the President
• PCOM Updates
• Commencement 2012
• Honors and Awards
• Development News
• Giving Back and Paying it Forward: Three alumni talk about their Careers and their Support for the College
• Top 100 Donors
• Transitioning into Retirement
• Trends in Forensic Medicine: Dramatic Rise in Prescription Drug Use
• Remembering Nicholas C. Pedano, DO ’61, FACOS
• Class Notes
• In Memoriam
• My Turn Essay
• The Fund for PCOM

The Real-Time Measurements Of Blood Nitric Oxide (No) And Hydrogen Peroxide (H2o2) Levels Under Acute Hyperglycemia, Michael Minni

PCOM Biomedical Studies Student Scholarship

Vascular endothelial dysfunction is one of the earliest recognizable events under hyperglycemic conditions. It is characterized by decreased endothelium-derived nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability and increased oxidative stress, such as superoxide and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) overproduction. However, the real-time changes in blood NO and H₂O₂ levels under acute hyperglycemia have not been evaluated. In this study, acute hyperglycemia (200 mg/dl, 400 mg/dL, and 600 mg/dL) was induced by intravenous infusion of 20%, 30%, and 50% D-glucose respectively for 180 min. Infusion of saline or 30% L-glucose serve as controls. Blood NO or H_{2 …}

Evaluation Of A Surgical Intervention To Experimentally Compare Co2 Laser To Scalpel Incisions, Added Growth Factor, And Suture Material To Reduce Cutaneous Scarring, Rhian E. Davies

PCOM Biomedical Studies Student Scholarship

Introduction The goal of this study was to determine if the repair of full thickness skin incisions in an animal model could be improved by using a CO2 laser vs. scalpel, commercial vs. swine intestinal submucosa (SIS) sutures, and addition of exogenous nerve growth factor (NGF).

Materials and Methods A rat model was used to evaluate the following tissue components: prevalence of mast cell granules, thickness of epidermis, organization of collagen, infiltration of tissue into SIS, neutrophil presence around suture holes, and granulation tissue production around suture holes.

Results Added NGF led to a significant decrease in the number of …

The Effect Of Mechanical Force On Gene Expression Of Human Bladder Smooth Muscle Cells, Christopher A. Callan

PCOM Biomedical Studies Student Scholarship

The purpose of this project is to define, at the molecular level, the process by which gene expression of the extracellular matrix is regulated by mechanical forces in the Human Bladder Smooth Muscle cells (BSMCs). The goal is to first localize several functionally distinct transmembrane proteins; Sarcoglycans (α, β, γ, δ and ε), cytoskeletal proteins Vimentin, and Desmin to verify their presence in the cultured BSMCs using fluorescent-labeled antibodies specific for each protein. The sarcoglycans are primarily responsible for transferring intracellular force generated by the interaction of actin and myosin while the extracellular proteins are responsible for linking the cells …

Correlation Of In-Vitro Drug Dissolution And In-Vivo Drug Absorption Of Various Therapeutically Equivalent Pharmaceutical Solid Dosage Forms Of Simvastatin, Aphrodite Kotrotsios

PCOM Biomedical Studies Student Scholarship

Simvastatin is a well known anti-cholesterol drug that is commercially available in the United States in various strengths including Simvastatin Tablets, USP 80 mg, that are under the brand name Zocor (manufactured by Merck Pharmaceutical Co.) and various generic equivalent products for example those manufactured by Teva Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, Ltd. When generic products are tested in the United States, they must be found to be equivalent with their branded products by the FDA. Therefore, generic Simvastatin Tablets, USP 80 mg, have been tested and approved by the FDA as equivalents to, and substitutable with, the branded …

Effect Of Age And Vaccination On Extent And Spread Of Chlamydia Pneumoniae Infection In C57bl/6 Mice, Taylor Eddens, Sarah Beaudoin, Amanda Steinberger, Christopher Scott Little, Dawn Shell, Benjamin Wizel, Brian J. Balin Phd, Kerin L. Fresa-Dillon

PCOM Scholarly Papers

BACKGROUND: Chlamydia pneumoniae is an obligate intracellular respiratory pathogen for humans. Infection by C. pneumoniae may be linked etiologically to extra-respiratory diseases of aging, especially atherosclerosis. We have previously shown that age promotes C. pneumoniae respiratory infection and extra-respiratory spread in BALB/c mice.

FINDINGS: Aged C57BL/6 mice had a greater propensity to develop chronic and/or progressive respiratory infections following experimental intranasal infection by Chlamydia pneumoniae when compared to young counterparts. A heptavalent CTL epitope minigene (CpnCTL7) vaccine conferred equal protection in the lungs of both aged and young mice. This vaccine was partially effective in protecting against C. …

Changes In Expression Of Genes Associated With Autophagy And Apoptosis In Neuronal Cells Infected With Hsv-1may Suggest Infection-Induced Mechanisms Of Neurodegeneration, Alexis Mark, Fiora D. Zoga, Brian J. Balin Phd, Denah M. Appelt Phd, Susan T. Hingley

Research Day

Background:This study investigates the potential role of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), by exploring changes in gene expression related to antiviral immunity and the autophagic pathway. Autophagy is a process that recycles organelles and proteins to create more energy for the cell. This pathway has been linked to neurodegeneration, as malfunctions in the completion of this process lead to a decline in overall cellular health and function. Interestingly, HSV-1 has been shown to block the completion of autophagy, which would potentially contribute to the cytopathic changes observed …

The Effects Of Dihydrobiopterin And Tetrahydrobiopterin On Hydrogen Peroxide And Nitric Oxide Release During Extracorporeal Shockwave Lithotripsy, Brittany L. Deiling, Edward S. Iames, Kerry-Anne Perkins, Qian Chen Phd, Lindon H. Young Phd

Research Day

Extracorporeal shockwave lithrotripsy (ESWL) is an effective, non-invasive clinical therapy utilized to break up stones in the kidney and urinary tract. A lithotripter generates high-energy acoustic pulses and propagates those shock waves through a lens on a region that focuses on the location of the stone, in turn breaking up the stone. The successive pulses generate shearing forces and cavitation bubbles. Cavitation bubbles are the formation and implosion of liquid free zones. The cavitation bubbles implode rapidly to create their own shockwaves that also put pressure on the stone. After treatment, fragmentation of the stone allows the debris to be …

Mechanisms Of Mouse Hepatitis Virus Entry Into Cells, Philip J. Koehler, Kristina Cade, Fiora D. Zoga, Susan T. Hingley

Research Day

Background: Viruses can enter cells through several mechanisms, two common ones being clathrin-mediated and caveolin-mediated endocytosis. The clathrin pathway delivers viral particles to endosomes, with subsequent acidification of the endosome and endosome/lysosome fusion often a prerequisite for release of the viral genome into the cytoplasm. The caveolin-mediated pathway delivers virus initially into vesicles called caveosomes, which have a neutral pH, before viral uncoating occurs. Viral entry pathways can be examined by using various drugs to inhibit the different endocytosis pathways, as well as by siRNA technology to down-regulate expression of clathrin or caveolin proteins on the surface of host …

Characterization Of A Small Iron Protein, Pyrococcus Furiosus Rubredoxin, As A Potential Cancer Drug Delivery System, Siri L. Chirumamilla, David L. Blum, Ray L. Mernaugh, Francis E. Jenney

Research Day

Background: Cancer is an elusive neoplastic disease that claims the lives of many people around the world every year. Though treatments have become more specific to the different types of cancer, the need for antineoplastic drugs that target cancer cells and leave normal cells unharmed, with little to no systemic toxicity remains, and rubredoxin might be such a tool. Rubredoxin is a small (53 amino acids), water soluble, non-heme iron electron transfer protein that contains an iron atom cofactor, which can be substituted with various cytotoxic transition metals such as nickel and cobalt with little or no effect on …

Predicting Acute Urinary Retention In Patients With Elevated Post Void Residuals, David B. Cahn Mbs, Curtis P. Ross Do, Michelle L. Persun Md, Philip C. Ginsberg Jd, Do

Research Day

Objectives: To perform a retrospective analysis in order to evaluate factors that may help predict which men with elevated PVRs that were at increased risk to develop AUR.

Imp2 Expression In The Mouse Nervous System, Sarah E. Chmielewski, Paige E. Black, Tiffany M. Holmes, Kelly S. Lau, Gary J. Bassell

Research Day

Background: Insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II) mRNA-binding protein-2 (IMP2) is one of the three homologs (IMP1-3) that play important roles in the posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression in several tissues. IMP1/ZBP1 (zipcode binding protein) has been shown to play important roles in axon guidance and regeneration by regulating the localization and translation of specific mRNAs. However, the function of IMP2 is least understood, largely because an isoform-specific antibody is not available, which makes the conventional techniques to locate protein expression not feasible.

An Analysis Of Functional Status In Multiple Sclerosis Patients After Progressive Non-Aerobic High-Intensity Maximal Effort Exercise (Mee), Hilda Lai, Michael L. Kuchera, R T. Dombroski, T Vardy, F Thomas, S O’Brien, P Yagnik, K Wenzel, S Stoll, Bruce C. Stouch, M. T. Wallin, I. Vargas,, Olufolake Odutola

Research Day

Background: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a disease with a wide-ranging impact on functional status. MS patient function has been assessed using Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite Score (MSFCS). The MSFCS includes the standardized scores (Z-score) of three functional tests: the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT-3”) for cognitive function, 9-Hole Peg Test (9-HPT) for upper extremity function, and timed 25-foot walk (25-TW) for lower extremity function. One of the most common symptoms experienced by MS patients is severe fatigue, often brought on suddenly by aerobic exercise. Non-aerobic maximal effort exercise (MEE) is thought to increase strength without increasing fatigue. The …

The Effect Of Progressive Non-Aerobic High-Intensity Maximal Effort Exercise (Mee) On The Health-Related Quality Of Life In Patients With Multiple Sclerosis, Olufolake Odutola, Michael L. Kuchera, R T. Dombroski, T Vardy, F Thomas, S O’Brien, P Yagnik, K Wenzel, S Stoll, Bruce C. Stouch, M T. W, I Vargas, Hilda Lai

Research Day

Background: Studies indicate that Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients are less satisfied with the quality of their lives than healthy individuals in similar circumstances. Common symptoms experienced include fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, pain, spasticity, depression, bladder/bowel dysfunction and sexual dysfunction. Several pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods have been employed for such symptoms to try to increase quality of life and reduce the mortality rate. Non-pharmacological methods recommended for MS patients include lifestyle modifications, exercise programs and physical therapy. MS patients easily fatigue during aerobic exercise but a non-aerobic progressive maximal effort exercise (MEE) protocol consisting of a few short, duration isometric and eccentric …

Infection With Chlamydia Pneumoniae Alters Calcium-Associated Gene Regulation And Processes In Neuronal Cells And Monocytes: Implications For Alzheimer’S Disease, Keith G. Williams, Juliana Zoga, Susan T. Hingley, Brian J. Balin, Denah M. Appelt, Marcus G. Bell

Research Day

Background: First proposed by Khachaturian in 1994, the calcium hypothesis postulates that sustained disturbance of intracellular calcium is the leading cause of neurodegenerative disorders. Studies showing alteration in calcium signaling in both sporadic and familial Alzheimer’s disease (AD) support this hypothesis. Intracellular calcium signaling is tightly regulated in time, intensity, and space, and is responsible for a variety of neuronal functions. Calcium influx from the extracellular environment modulates calcium levels, as do intracellular stores in the endoplasmic reticulum. The focus of this study was to test various calcium related genes in both monocytes and neuronal cells. Previous studies have shown …

Documenting Pressures Used For Manual Diagnosis And Treatment Of Cervical Spine Somatic Dysfunction, Joseph Yoha, Michael L. Kuchera, Precious Barnes, Frank Casella, Jeffrey A. Nelson

Research Day

Background: Palpatory assessment of free or restricted motion patterns is part of the diagnosis of spinal somatic dysfunction (SD). Diagnostically, local soft tissues are compressed (pre-loaded) over the structure of interest followed by one or more test impulses to assess the quality of the “end-feel” motion in several planes. These barrier sensations are often described qualitatively but have not been objectively quantified. Noninvasive, tactile pressure sensors built into a digital palpation monitoring system (IsoTOUCH®; Neuromuscular Engineering; Nashville TN, USA) were used to document loading and impulse pressures for palpatory segmental diagnosis and to first engage and then quickly move …

Effects Of Non-Aerobic Maximal Effort Exercise On Fatigue In Deconditioned Men And Women With Multiple Sclerosis, Jessica U. Korsh, Michael L. Kuchera, R T. Dombroski, T Vardy, F Thomas, S O’Brien, P Yagnik, K Wenzel, S Stoll, Bruce C. Stouch, M T. Wallin, Jeffrey A. Nelson

Research Day

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a neurodegenerative disease of unknown etiology affecting women more frequently than men. Mental and physical fatigue complaints are often the most disabling symptoms for an MS patient. Both are multifactorial, potentially exacerbated by aerobic exercise, may prevent sustained physical functioning, and significantly interfere with activities of daily living1. A multi-center study was designed to investigate the effects of non-aerobic maximal effort exercise (MEE) for deconditioned persons with MS, with the expectation of minimizing fatigue. The IsoPUMP (Neuromuscular Engineering; Nashville, TN), is a specialized exercise and strength-sensing machine, designed to allow individuals to safely perform and record …

The Human Pathogen Clostridium Dificle: A Look At A Putative Involved In Protection From Oxidative Stress, Tashinea Lee, Francis E. Jenney

Research Day

Background: Hospital acquired infections due to Clostridium difficile (C. diff) is associated with nosocomial diarrhea and pseudomembranous colitis. Using a published microarray analysis of C. diff strain 630, several open reading frames (ORFs) were noted for their upregulation under different environmental stresses. One of these genes (CD1134) is a putative glyoxalase I. The glyoxalase enzymes detoxify a side product of glycolysis, methylglyoxal, and use metals as a cofactor.

Digest Of The Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine (Spring 2012), Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine

Digest

The Spring 2012 issue of the Digest of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine includes the following articles:

• Message from the President
• PCOM Updates
• Development News
• Tug of War
• Founders’ Day 2012
• Building Social and Emotional Competence in Preschool Children
• Pioneering Color in MRI Imaging
• Class Notes
• In Memoriam
• My Turn Essay
• The Fund for PCOM

Synapsis: Georgia Campus (2012), Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine

All Yearbooks

Includes Corley Elementary Health Fair, Student Government Association, Class Officers, Clubs, Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine, Ob/Gyn, Obstetrics/Gynecology, Ophthalmology, Play, Complimentary and Atlernative Medicine, Student National Medical Association, SNMA, Christian Medical and Dental Association, Undergraduate American Association of Osteopathy, UAAO, Surgery, Association of Military Osteopathic Physicians & Surgeons, AMOPS, SIGN, Student Osteopathic Medical Association, SOMA, Sigma Sigma Phi, SSPh, (ΣΣΦ), Sports Medicine, Halloween Formal, Belize Mission Trip 2009, DO Day on the Hill, White Coat Ceremony, Green Team, White Water Rafting, Adopt-a-Highway, OMT Fellows

Synapsis: Philadelphia Campus (2012), Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine

All Yearbooks

This yearbook includes American Medical Association (AMA), American Medical Student Association (AMSA), American Medical Women's Association (AMWA), Association of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP), Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association (APAMSA), Robert Berger, DO Pediatrics Society, Christian Medical Dental Association (CMDA), Kappa Sigma Phi, KSPh, (ΚΣΦ) Women's Osteopathic Society, Medical Students for Choice, Military Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons (AMOPS), Muslim Student Medical Association, National Latino Health Organization (NLHO), Phi Sigma Gamma PSG, (ΦΣΓ) Fraternity, Physicians for Human Rights Club, Physicians for Social Responsibility Club, Sigma Sigma Phi SSPh, (ΣΣΦ) Honorary Osteopathic Service Fraternity, Student American Osteopathic Academy …

Physician Assistant Class Of 2012, Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine

All Yearbooks

White Coat Ceremony 2010, Retreat at Camp Ockanickon, Halloween 2010, Clinical Skills Day, Lab Skills Days, Classroom candids, PA Olympics, AAPA Conference 2011, Rotations,

Insulin Pump School: Back To The Basics Of Pump Therapy, Sara Wilson Reece, Cheryl Williams

Scholarly Posters

The Longstreet Clinic (TLC), P.C. is a regional multidisciplinary physician practice. The Internal Medicine (IM) and Family Medicine (FM) departments are located in Gainesville and Oakwood (Hall County), Georgia. • Hall County is located in Northeast Georgia 50 miles northeast of Atlanta. It lies at the southern edge of the Chattahoochee National Forest and the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The population of Hall County is approximately 187,700. • Diabetes Education and Medical Nutritional Therapy department provides diabetes education and management services for IM and FM patients with diabetes. • Team of CDEs: RN, RD, PharmD • RN and …

Autophagy And Apoptotic Genes Implicated In Alzheimer’S Disease Are Modulated Following Infection Of Neuronal Cells With Chlamydia Pneumoniae, Denah M. Appelt, Ian Kohler, Annette K. Slutter, Juliana Zoga, Susan T. Hingley, Brian J. Balin

Scholarly Posters

Background: The focus of the current studies was to determine the relationship between the molecular mechanisms interconnecting autophagy and apoptosis following Chlamydia pneumoniae infection in neuronal cells. Dysfunctions in apoptosis and autophagy have been implicated in the neurodegeneration associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Autophagy in AD pathogenesis has been shown to play a role in amyloid processing through the endosomal-lysosomal system. Apoptosis may contribute to the neuronal cell loss observed in AD; however, there is limited evidence of the apoptotic process proceeding to terminal completion. Although Aβ1-42 has been shown to induce apoptosis in neurons and may be an early …

Reducing The Stigma Of Mental Illness Among Medical Students, Victoria Lawn, Matthew Jaffa, Catherine Babbitt-Cook, Burton Mark, Jane Dumsha, Marcus G. Bell, Denah M. Appelt

Scholarly Posters

Abstract: The American Osteopathic Association House of Delegates Resolution 205 recommends “increased awareness of depression amongst U.S. Medical students” due to the increasing body of research describing the rise of depression, burn-out and suicide ideation among medical students. There is consequently a need to understand mental health issues as a component of professional development. Hypothesis: A student-led symposium addressing mental and emotional health topics relevant to medical students would reduce the stigma associated with mental illness. Materials and Methods: A 2-hour student-run “Patient Perspective” was held during the second neuroscience block at an osteopathic medical school in the northeastern United …

Does Mucosal Or Serosal Side Approximation Affect The Efficacy Of Native Small Intestinal Submucosa Graft Repair Of Neurotmesis?, Ferro Nguyen

PCOM Biomedical Studies Student Scholarship

FDA approved, commercial, modified porcine small intestinal submucosa (SIS) is utilized clinically for peripheral nerve repair. However, if measures can be put in place to insure its safety, native SIS prepared from locally available porcine resources would provide easy access to an inexpensive alternative. Both forms of this material lack antigenicity, have inherit properties which provides a favorable growth environment, and have been successfully used experimentally as a natural conduit in peripheral nerve repair. Successful recovery from a peripheral nerve injury is dependent on the efficiency and speed of axonal regeneration to the point of distal interruption of the nerve. …

Characterization Of A Hyperthermophilic Redox Protein, Rubredoxin, As A Potential Targeted Cancer Therapeutic, Siri Lakshmi Chirumamilla

PCOM Biomedical Studies Student Scholarship

Cancer is an elusive neoplastic disease that claims the lives of many people around the world every year. Though treatments have become more specific to the different types of cancer, the need remains for antineoplastic drugs that target cancer cells and leave normal cells unharmed, with little to no systemic toxicity. The search for a targeted cancer therapeutic is necessary and urgent, and Pyrococcus furiosus rubredoxin might be such a tool. Rubredoxin is a small (53 amino acids), water soluble, non-heme iron electron transfer protein that contains an iron atom cofactor bound by the sulfurs of four cysteine residues, which …