Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Hiv Treatment And Research: A Call To Action, Tiffany Chenneville, Kemesha Gabbidon, Patricia Hanson, Cashea Holyfield

USF St. Petersburg Campus Faculty Publications

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is far reaching, with devastating effects on individuals, communities, and societies across the world. People with chronic health conditions may be at greater risk of contracting or experiencing complications from COVID-19. In addition to illness or death for those who contract the virus, the physical distancing required to flatten the curve of new cases is having a negative impact on the economy, the effects of which intersect with mental health and other existing health concerns, thus affecting marginalized communities. Given that HIV also has a disproportionate impact on marginalized communities, COVID-19 is affecting people …

Proceedings Of The 2019 Nanoflorida International Conference Held At The University Of South Florida, Tampa, Fl, Shyam S. Mohapatra, Robert D. Frisina, Subhra Mohapatra, Mandip Singh, Manh-Huong Phan

Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Relt Stains Prominently In B-Cell Lymphomas And Binds The Hematopoietic Transcription Factor Mdfic, John K. Cusick, Yasmeen Alhomsy, Stephanie Wong, George Talbott, Vladimir N. Uversky, Cara Hart, Nazila Hejazi, Aaron T. Jacobs, Yihui Shi

Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

Receptor Expressed in Lymphoid Tissues (RELT) is a human tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member (TNFRSF) that is expressed most prominently in cells and tissues of the hematopoietic system. RELL1 and RELL2 are two homologs that physically interact with RELT and co-localize with RELT at the plasma membrane. This study sought to further elucidate the function of RELT by identifying novel protein interactions with RELT family members. The transcription factor MyoD family inhibitor domain-containing (MDFIC) was identified in a yeast two-hybrid genetic screen using RELL1 as bait. MDFIC co-localizes with RELT family members at the plasma membrane; this co-localization was …

Unstructured Biology Of Proteins From Ubiquitin-Proteasome System: Roles In Cancer And Neurodegenerative Diseases, Kundlik Gadhave, Prateek Kumar, Shivani K. Kapuganti, Vladimir N. Uversky, Rajanish Giri

Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

The 26S proteasome is a large (~2.5 MDa) protein complex consisting of at least 33 different subunits and many other components, which form the ubiquitin proteasomal system (UPS), an ATP-dependent protein degradation system in the cell. UPS serves as an essential component of the cellular protein surveillance machinery, and its dysfunction leads to cancer, neurodegenerative and immunological disorders. Importantly, the functions and regulations of proteins are governed by the combination of ordered regions, intrinsically disordered protein regions (IDPRs) and molecular recognition features (MoRFs). The structure–function relationships of UPS components have not been identified completely; therefore, in this study, we have …

Zooming Into The Dark Side Of Human Annexin-S100 Complexes: Dynamic Alliance Of Flexible Partners, Judith Weisz, Vladimir N. Uversky

Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

Annexins and S100 proteins form two large families of Ca2+-binding proteins. They are quite different both structurally and functionally, with S100 proteins being small (10–12 kDa) acidic regulatory proteins from the EF-hand superfamily of Ca2+-binding proteins, and with annexins being at least three-fold larger (329 ± 12 versus 98 ± 7 residues) and using non-EF-hand-based mechanism for calcium binding. Members of both families have multiple biological roles, being able to bind to a large cohort of partners and possessing a multitude of functions. Furthermore, annexins and S100 proteins can interact with each other in either a Ca2+-dependent or Ca2+-independent manner, …

Drug Discovery Targeting The Disorder-To-Order Transition Regions Through The Conformational Diversity Mimicking And Statistical Analysis, Insung Na, Sungwoo Choi, Seung Han Son, Vladimir N. Uversky, Chul Geun Kim

Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

Intrinsically disordered proteins exist as highly dynamic conformational ensembles of diverse forms. However, the majority of virtual screening only focuses on proteins with defined structures. This means that computer-aided drug discovery is restricted. As a breakthrough, understanding the structural characteristics of intrinsically disordered proteins and its application can open the gate for unrestricted drug discovery. First, we segmented the target disorder-to-order transition region into a series of overlapping 20-amino-acid-long peptides. Folding prediction generated diverse conformations of these peptides. Next, we applied molecular docking, new evaluation score function, and statistical analysis. This approach successfully distinguished known compounds and their corresponding binding …

Yersinia Outer Membrane Vesicles As Potential Vaccine Candidates In Protecting Against Plague, Andrey A. Byvalov, Ilya V. Konyshev, Vladimir N. Uversky, Svetlana V. Dentovskaya, Andrey P. Anisimov

Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

Despite the relatively low incidence of plague, its etiological agent, Yersinia pestis, is an exceptional epidemic danger due to the high infectivity and mortality of this infectious disease. Reports on the isolation of drug-resistant Y. pestis strains indicate the advisability of using asymmetric responses, such as phage therapy and vaccine prophylaxis in the fight against this problem. The current relatively effective live plague vaccine is not approved for use in most countries because of its ability to cause heavy local and system reactions and even a generalized infectious process in people with a repressed immune status or metabolic disorders, as …

Yersinia Pestis Plasminogen Activator, Florent Sebbane, Vladimir N. Uversky, Andrey P. Anisimov

Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

The Gram-negative bacterium Yersinia pestis causes plague, a fatal flea-borne anthropozoonosis, which can progress to aerosol-transmitted pneumonia. Y. pestis overcomes the innate immunity of its host thanks to many pathogenicity factors, including plasminogen activator, Pla. This factor is a broad-spectrum outer membrane protease also acting as adhesin and invasin. Y. pestis uses Pla adhesion and proteolytic capacity to manipulate the fibrinolytic cascade and immune system to produce bacteremia necessary for pathogen transmission via fleabite or aerosols. Because of microevolution, Y. pestis invasiveness has increased significantly after a single amino-acid substitution (I259T) in Pla of one of the oldest Y. pestis …

Linear Relationships Between Partition Coefficients Of Different Organic Compounds And Proteins In Aqueous Two-Phase Systems Of Various Polymer And Ionic Compositions, Nuno R. Da Silva, Luisa A. Ferreira, Pedro P. Madeira, José A. Teixeira, Vladimir N. Uversky, Boris Y. Zaslavsky

Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

Analysis of the partition coefficients of small organic compounds and proteins in different aqueous two-phase systems under widely varied ionic compositions shows that logarithms of partition coefficients for any three compounds or proteins or two organic compounds and one protein are linearly interrelated, although for protein(s) there are ionic compositions when the linear fit does not hold. It is suggested that the established interrelationships are due to cooperativity of different types of solute–solvent interactions in aqueous media. This assumption is confirmed by analysis of distribution coefficients of various drugs in octanol-buffer systems with varied ionic compositions of the buffer. Analysis …

The Pathophysiological Significance Of Fibulin-3, Imogen Livingstone, Vladimir N. Uversky, Dominic Furniss, Akira Wiberg

Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

Fibulin-3 (also known as EGF-containing fibulin extracellular matrix protein 1 (EFEMP1)) is a secreted extracellular matrix glycoprotein, encoded by the EFEMP1 gene that belongs to the eight-membered fibulin protein family. It has emerged as a functionally unique member of this family, with a diverse array of pathophysiological associations predominantly centered on its role as a modulator of extracellular matrix (ECM) biology. Fibulin-3 is widely expressed in the human body, especially in elastic-fibre-rich tissues and ocular structures, and interacts with enzymatic ECM regulators, including tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3 (TIMP-3). A point mutation in EFEMP1 causes an inherited early-onset form of macular …

Mmtr/Dmap1 Sets The Stage For Early Lineage Commitment Of Embryonic Stem Cells By Crosstalk With Pcg Proteins, Young Jin Lee, Seung Han Son, Chang Su Lim, Si Woo Lee, Sangwoon Lee, Jinseon Jeon, Dae Hyun Ha, Na Rae Jung, Su Youne Han, Byung-Rok Do, Insung Na, Vladimir N. Uversky, Chul Geun Kim

Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

Chromatin remodeling, including histone modification, chromatin (un)folding, and nucleosome remodeling, is a significant transcriptional regulation mechanism. By these epigenetic modifications, transcription factors and their regulators are recruited to the promoters of target genes, and thus gene expression is controlled through either transcriptional activation or repression. The Mat1-mediated transcriptional repressor (MMTR)/DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1)-associated protein (Dmap1) is a transcription corepressor involved in chromatin remodeling, cell cycle regulation, DNA double-strand break repair, and tumor suppression. The Tip60-p400 complex proteins, including MMTR/Dmap1, interact with the oncogene Myc in embryonic stem cells (ESCs). These proteins interplay with the stem cell-related proteome networks and regulate …

Collagen Xii Is A Regulator Of Corneal Stroma Structure And Function, Mei Sun, Nabeel Zafrullah, Floriane Devaux, Chinda Hemmavanh, Sheila Adams, Noel M. Ziebarth, Manuel Koch, David E. Birk, Edgar M. Espana

Molecular Pharmacology & Physiology Faculty Publications

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the roles of collagen XII in the regulation of stromal hierarchical organization, keratocyte organization, and corneal mechanics.

Methods: The temporal and spatial expression of collagen XII at postnatal days 4, 10, 30, 90, and 150 were evaluated in wild-type (WT) mice. The role of collagen XII in hierarchical organization was analyzed by measuring fibril diameter and density, as well as stromal lamellar structure, within ultrastructural micrographs obtained from WT and collagen XII-deficient mice (Col12a1–/–). Keratocyte morphology and networks were assessed using actin staining with phalloidin and in vivo confocal …

Effects Of An Exogenous Ketone Supplement On Five‐Kilometer Running Performance, Philip J. Prins, Andrew P. Koutnik, Dominic P. D’Agostino, Christopher Q. Rogers, Jacob F. Seibert, Jillian A. Breckenridge, Daniel S. Jackson, Edward J. Ryan, Jeffrey D. Buxton, Dana L. Ault

Molecular Pharmacology & Physiology Faculty Publications

Numerous oral ketone supplements are marketed with the claim that they will rapidly induce ketosis and improve exercise performance. The purpose of this study was to assess exercise performance time and related physiological, metabolic and perceptual responses of recreational endurance runners after ingestion of a commercially available oral ketone supplement. Recreational endurance runners (n = 10; age: 20.8 ± 1.0 years; body mass: 68.9 ± 5.6 kg; height: 175.6 ± 4.9 cm) participated in a double-blind, crossover, repeated-measures study where they were randomized to 300 mg.kg-1 body weight of an oral β-hydroxybutyrate-salt + Medium Chain Triglyceride (βHB-salt+MCT) ketone supplement or …

Ketone Bodies Attenuate Wasting In Models Of Atrophy, Andrew P. Koutnik, Angela M. Poff, Nathan P. Ward, Janine M. Deblasi, Maricel A. Soliven, Matthew A. Romero, Paul A. Roberson, Carl D. Fox, Michael D. Roberts, Dominic P. D'Agostino

Molecular Pharmacology & Physiology Faculty Publications

Background: Cancer Anorexia Cachexia Syndrome (CACS) is a distinct atrophy disease negatively influencing multiple aspects of clinical care and patient quality of life. Although it directly causes 20% of all cancer-related deaths, there are currently no model systems that encompass the entire multifaceted syndrome, nor are there any effective therapeutic treatments.

Methods: A novel model of systemic metastasis was evaluated for the comprehensive CACS (metastasis, skeletal muscle and adipose tissue wasting, inflammation, anorexia, anemia, elevated protein breakdown, hypoalbuminemia, and metabolic derangement) in both males and females. Ex vivo skeletal muscle analysis was utilized to determine ubiquitin proteasome degradation pathway activation. …

Influence Of Cigarettes And Alcohol On The Severity And Death Of Covid-19: A Multicenter Retrospective Study In Wuhan, China, Mengyuan Dai, Liyuan Tao, Zhen Chen, Zhi Tian, Xiaofang Guo, Diane S Allen-Gipson, Ruirong Tan, Rui Li, Li Chai, Fen Ai, Miao Liu

All publications

Background: The recent emergence and rapid global spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is leading to public health crises worldwide. Alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking (CS) are two known risk factors in many diseases including respiratory infections.

Methods: We performed a multi-center study in the four largest hospitals designated for COVID-19 patients in Wuhan. There are totally 1547 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 enrolled in the study, alcohol consumption and CS history were evaluated among these patients. The epidemiology, laboratory findings and outcomes of patients contracted COVID-19 were further studied.

Results: Our findings indicated that COVID-19 patients with a history of …

Safety And Efficacy Of Tocilizumab In The Treatment Of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 Pneumonia: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Atul Patel, Kinjal Shah, Mitkumar Dharsandiya, Ketan Patel, Tushar Patel, Mukesh Patel, Tea Reljic, Ambuj Kumar

All publications

Background: Cytokine release storm (CRS) in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS CoV-2) is thought to be the cause for organ damage and death which is independent of the actual viral burden. Tocilizumab (TCZ), an interleukin-6 receptor antagonist, is approved for the treatment of CRS. We describe the efficacy and safety of TCZ in SARS CoV-2 pneumonia. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital from April 20 2020 to May 21 2020. The primary endpoint was the cumulative incidence of a composite of either need for admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) with invasive mechanical …

Faith In Trump, Moral Foundations, And Social Distancing Defiance During The Coronavirus Pandemic, Amanda Graham, Francis T. Cullen, Justin T. Pickett, Cheryl Lero Jonson, Murat Haner, Melissa M. Sloan

All publications

Purpose: Over the past several months, the coronavirus has infected more than six million Americans and killed nearly 200,000. Governors have issued stay-at-home orders, and prosecutors have filed criminal charges against individuals for defying those orders. And yet many Americans have still refused to keep their distance from their fellow citizens, even if they had symptoms of infection. The authors explore the underlying causes for those who intend to defy these norms.

Methods: Using national-level data from a March 2020 survey of 989 Americans, the authors explore intentions to defy social distancing norms by testing an interactionist theory of foundation-based …

Comparative Analysis Of Covid-19 Guidelines From Six Countries: A Qualitative Study On The Us, China, South Korea, The Uk, Brazil, And Haiti, Ji Youn Yoo, Samia Valeria Ozorio Dutra, Dany Fanfan, Sarah Sniffen, Hao Wang, Jamile Siddiqui, Hyo-Suk Song, Sung Hwan Bang, Dong Eun Kim, Shihoon Kim, Maureen Groer

All publications

Background: In late January, a worldwide crisis known as COVID-19 was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the WHO. Within only a few weeks, the outbreak took on pandemic proportions, affecting over 100 countries. It was a significant issue to prevent and control COVID-19 on both national and global scales due to the dramatic increase in confirmed cases worldwide. Government guidelines provide a fundamental resource for communities, as they guide citizens on how to protect themselves against COVID-19, however, they also provide critical guidance for policy makers and healthcare professionals on how to take action to decrease …

"It’S Just A Bad Period" And Other Ways Of Dismissing Women's Pain: An Ethnographic Look Into The Experience Of Endometriosis, Selina Hays

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis uses online ethnographic methods to analyze the impact of patriarchal values on the illness experiences of women with endometriosis. Current literature suggests that negative impact on patients with endometriosis with regard to cultural discourse surrounding menstruation and chronic illness. Utilizing a combination of critical discourse analysis and constructivist grounded theory, the results of this research demonstrate that patients engage in a form of performance that is reactive to normalization and dismissal of pain by doctors and wider social support due in part to cultural stigmas of menstruation and chronic pain, as well as the inherent power imbalance in …

Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Retroperitoneal Lymph Node Dissection: A Minimally Invasive Surgical Approach For Testicular Cancer., Harsha R Mittakanti, James R Porter

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) can been employed as primary treatment for stage I non-seminomatous germ cell tumor (NSGCT) as well as for treatment of post-chemotherapy masses. Open RPLND (O-RPLND) has long been the standard approach for lymphadenectomy, but is associated with significant morbidity. Laparoscopic RPLND (L-RPLND) was developed to mitigate the morbidity associated with O-RPLND, but is a technically challenging procedure requiring significant experience with laparoscopic dissection and suturing to remove lymph nodes behind the great vessels and to control vascular injury. Robotic RPLND (R-RPLND) has gained traction in recent years as an alternative to both O-RPLND and L-RPLND. …

Systematic Review Of Energy Drinks And Qtc Prolongation, Cecilia Alvarez

Physician Assistant Studies | Student Authored Articles

The importance of healthcare providers educating the public regarding the consequences of energy drink consumption is critical as energy drink popularity and consumption continues to rise. The purpose of this systematic review is to add to the research that proves the correlation between energy drink consumption and cardiovascular disease. Energy drinks are a contributing factor to cardiovascular disease which is the number one cause of deaths globally. The four studies reviewed in this systematic review demonstrate a statistically significant correlation between energy drinks and QTc prolongation. Further research is needed to have a better understanding of the correlation between energy …

Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy: Treating Depression And Anxiety With Mushrooms, Sofia Beck

Physician Assistant Studies | Student Authored Articles

Depression and anxiety are debilitating mental health conditions that affect a large portion of the United States. Current pharmacological treatments for these disorders require daily administration, are associated with a number of side effects, and can be ineffective for some. Emerging evidence in novel treatment options may necessitate a shift toward how we treat these psychiatric disorders.

Studies involving the psychedelic serotonin agonist, psilocybin, are currently experiencing a resurgence as an alternative for patients who are unresponsive to traditional treatments. Clinical trials using psilocybin in combination with psychotherapy have demonstrated sustained reductions in depression and/or anxiety symptoms. When used in …

Risk Of Uterine Rupture With Vaginal Birth After Cesarean In Twin Gestations, Kimya Baradaran

Physician Assistant Studies | Student Authored Articles

Background: Women with a previous cesarean delivery may attempt a subsequent vaginal birth or repeat cesarean. Vaginal birth after cesarean carries a greater risk of uterine rupture, defined as the disruption of all uterine layers, resulting in maternal-fetal morbidity or mortality. It is unclear how the risk of uterine rupture compares in patients with twin gestations who undergo different delivery methods.

Objective: The purpose of this systematic review is to determine if there is an increased risk of uterine rupture in patients with twin gestations attempting vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) versus planned repeat cesarean delivery (PRCD).

Study …

Prophylaxis Of Food Allergen Sensitivity, Dustin Gottfeld

Physician Assistant Studies | Student Authored Articles

Food allergies can have a severe and drastic effect on a person’s lifestyle, while prevention of allergic disease can help to ensure others do not have to live with this burden. There are a variety of differing hypotheses that offer explanations for the early development of food allergies, particularly peanut allergies. Two of the foremost hypotheses are the Hygiene Hypothesis and the Dual-Allergen Hypothesis. The Hygiene Hypothesis claims that the diversity of a child’s microbiota creates a beneficial balance of microorganisms which can help prevent the development of allergic disease. Alternatively, the Dual-Allergen Hypothesis states that early environmental exposure to …

Marketing Policies Of E-Cigarettes, Albert Vu

Physician Assistant Studies | Student Authored Articles

Purpose of Review

There has been an increased use of e-cigarettes among adolescents with the CDC reporting that 27.5% of high school students have used e-cigarette in the past 30 days in 2019. This review will highlight marketing restrictions and the lack thereof allowing companies to target adolescents.

Recent Findings

When evaluating the history of traditional combustion cigarette policies there was a steady increase of cigarette users in the 1900s which began to decline after 1964 when aggressive policies and education began to take place. E-cigarettes however are not bound by the same rules and regulations, through a research conducted …

Benefits Of Intermittent Fasting: A Systematic Review Of Randomized Clinical Trials, Kavisha N. Abeyasekera

Physician Assistant Studies | Student Authored Articles

Background: Daily calorie restriction regimens are still the most common diet strategies implemented for weight loss. ^[2,3] In the recent years, intermittent fasting (IMF) has gained popularity among some of the easier diets to follow.^[4]

Objective: The objective of this study is to use the available data on short- and long-term effects of intermittent fasting, either by time restricted feeding or alternate day fasting and help healthcare providers decide on which patients should be recommended IMF as a dietary option.

Study design: Searched Google Scholar, CINAHL, PubMed and Cochrane databases for evidence-based literature on intermittent fasting. Included studies: …

Lowering Hba1c Levels In Type 2 Diabetics With Cinnamon Supplementation, Annie Phan

Physician Assistant Studies | Student Authored Articles

Cinnamon has been evaluated in clinical studies, including RCTS, for its glycemic-lowering effects. The studies have been small and produced conflicting results. The objective of this paper is to provide an updated systematic review that evaluates the relationship between cinnamon supplementation and A1c levels among individuals with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

The Performance Effect Of Scheduled Carbohydrate And Caffeine Intake During Simulated Team Sport Match-Play, John Keane, Aidan Shovlin, Simon Devenney, Shane Malone, Damien Young, Giuseppe Coratella, Kieran Collins, Marcus Shortall

Articles

The aim of the current investigation was to identify the effects of scheduled carbohydrate (CHO) and caffeine (CAF) supplementation on simulated team sport match-play performance. Ten male hurling players completed three hurling match-play simulation protocols (HSP) performed 7 days apart in a double-blind, randomized design. Supplementation included CHO, CHO + CAF, and placebo (PLA). In a randomized order, participants ingested either a 6% CHO solution, a PLA solution of similar taste, or a combined intake of 6% CHO solution + 200 mg CAF capsule. At specific time points (Pre-0 min; half time (HT)-30 min; full time (FT)-60 min), participants completed …

Analysis Of Student Perceptions Of Just-In-Time Teaching Pedagogy In Pharmd Microbiology And Immunology Courses, Charitha Madiraju, Eglis Tellez-Corrales, Henry Hua, Jozef Stec, Andromeda M. Nauli, Deborah M. Brown

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Just-In-Time Teaching (JiTT) active learning pedagogy is utilized by various disciplines, but its value in a professional pharmacy curriculum has not yet been demonstrated. The purpose of our research study is to implement and evaluate JiTT in a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program. The impetus in implementing JiTT into a PharmD curriculum was to provide students with an out-of-classroom learning opportunity to enhance knowledge-based skills. The current study summarizes the implementation of JiTT in four distinct instances: two iterations of the required courses “Integrated Microbiology and Virology” (Fall 2016 and Fall 2017) and “Integrated Immunology” (Winter 2016–2017 and Winter 2017–2018). …

Lack Of Cd8+ T-Cell Co-Localization With Kaposi’S Sarcoma- Associated Herpesvirus Infected Cells In Kaposi’S Sarcoma Tumors, Salum J. Lidenge, For Yue Tso, Owen Ngalamika, Jaydeep Kolape, John R. Ngowi, Julius Mwaiselage, Charles Wood, John T. West

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Despite the close association between Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) and immune dysfunction, it remains unclear whether tumor infiltrating immune cells (TIIC), by their absence, presence, or dysfunction, are mechanistically correlated with KS pathogenesis. Therefore, their potential capacity to serve as prognostic biomarkers of KS disease progression or control is unclear. Because epidemic-KS (EpKS) occurs with HIV-1 co-infection, it is particularly important to compare TIIC between EpKS and HIV-negative African endemic-KS (EnKS) to dissect the roles of HIV-1 and Kaposi Sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) in KS pathogenesis. This cross-sectional study of 13 advanced KS (4 EnKS, 9 EpKS) patients and 3 healthy controls …