Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Rna Editing Of Microtubule-Associated Protein Tau Circular Rnas Promotes Their Translation And Tau Tangle Formation, Justin Ralph Welden, Giorgi Margvelani, Karol Andrea Arizaca Maquera, Bhavani Gudlavalleti, Sandra C. Miranda Sardón, Alexandre Rosa Campos, Noémie Robil, Daniel C. Lee, Alvaro G. Hernandez, Wang-Xia Wang, Jing Di, Pierre De La Grange, Peter T. Nelson, Stefan Stamm

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

Aggregation of the microtubule-associated protein tau characterizes tauopathies, including Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD-Tau). Gene expression regulation of tau is complex and incompletely understood. Here we report that the human tau gene (MAPT) generates two circular RNAs (circRNAs) through backsplicing of exon 12 to either exon 7 (12→7 circRNA) or exon 10 (12→10 circRNA). Both circRNAs lack stop codons. The 12→7 circRNA contains one start codon and is translated in a rolling circle, generating a protein consisting of multimers of the microtubule-binding repeats R1–R4. For the 12→10 circRNA, a start codon can be introduced by two …

Nucleic Acid Extraction Of Human Immunodeficiency Virus From Municipal Wastewater, Fritz Vanderford, Hayley Baker, Ching-Lan Chang

Undergraduate Research Symposium Lightning Talks

In 2021, globally there were ~ 38.4 million people living with Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), ~650,000 people died from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) related illnesses, ~1.5 million people acquired HIV. In the US, ~1.9 million people had HIV at the end of 2019, ~30,635 people were diagnosed with HIV in 2020.

Antibiotic Production Of Facultative Anaerobic Bacteria From Soil Isolates, Cierra Paaaina-Daquioag, Debra Kerr

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

In nature, antibiotics are produced by organisms to deter and possibly communicate with other organisms. The use of antibiotics to treat infections revolutionized medicine, but bacteria and fungal pathogens become resistant due to the overuse of these medications. A potential solution is to search for novel antibiotics produced by soil bacteria. Bacteria gene expression patterns, including antibiotic production, are different under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. The objective of this research project was to identify soil bacteria that produce antibiotics that inhibit the growth of benign relatives of the ESKAPE pathogens under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. A secondary objective was to …

Groundwater Remediation Using Modified Biochar, Kers Ung-Watson, Ismail Abdulraheem, Nikki Tibayan, Suraj Pochampally

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Biochar, a lightweight black residue made of carbon, has proved to be an effective adsorbent to remove TCE from groundwater. Not only is it an economical substitute for conventional adsorbents but it can be created by using a variety of organic materials. For this project, it will rely on walnut shell feedstock to create biochar as this had the best ability to adsorb TCE.

Hdl Cholesterol: Too Much Of A Good Thing? Cardiovascular, Elizabeth A. Moxley

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

It is considered a well-established fact that high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) is a robust, inverse predictor of the risk of experiencing an atherosclerotic cardiovascular (ASCVD) event.[i] Whereas, low HDL-C characterizes an atherogenic dyslipidemia that reflects adverse lifestyle choices, impaired metabolism, and increased cardiovascular risk.[ii]

Pharmacotherapy For Opioid Use Disorder In Mississippi, Amanda Michelle Whitacre

Doctoral Projects

The opioid epidemic is affecting Mississippi’s young to middle-aged adult population in a profound way. Pharmacotherapy for opioid use disorder (OUD) is the gold standard treatment. Despite the FDA-approved evidence-based treatment of pharmacotherapy for OUD, rural areas often lack providers available who will initiate and provide maintenance of this life-saving medication. For this doctoral project, a 36-question survey was developed based on a preliminary literature review. The survey was disseminated to advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) in the family and psychiatric specialties across Mississippi to assess the barriers to APRNs filling the gap in pharmacotherapy prescribing for OUD. A continuing …

Epigenetic Basis Of Diabetic Vasculopathy, Theja Bhamidipati, Manishekhar Kumar, Sumit S. Verma, Sedat Kacar, Diamond Reese, Michelle M. Martinez, Malgorzata M. Kamocka, Kenneth W. Dunn, Chandan K. Sen, Kanhaiya Singh

Einstein Health Papers

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) causes peripheral vascular disease because of which several blood-borne factors, including vital nutrients fail to reach the affected tissue. Tissue epigenome is sensitive to chronic hyperglycemia and is known to cause pathogenesis of micro- and macrovascular complications. These vascular complications of T2DM may perpetuate the onset of organ dysfunction. The burden of diabetes is primarily because of a wide range of complications of which nonhealing diabetic ulcers represent a major component. Thus, it is imperative that current research help recognize more effective methods for the diagnosis and management of early vascular injuries. This review addresses …

Effects Of A Behavioral Intervention On Physical Activity, Diet, And Health-Related Quality Of Life In Pregnant Women With Elevated Weight: Results Of The Hipp Randomized Controlled Trial, Sarah Wilcox Phd, Jihong Liu, Gabrielle Turner-Mcgrievy Ph.D., Rd, Alycia K. Boutte, Ellen Wingard Msph, Rd, Ld

Faculty Publications

Background

Physical activity (PA), diet, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) are related to maternal and infant health, but interventions to improve these outcomes are needed in diverse pregnant women with elevated weight.

Methods

Health In Pregnancy and Postpartum (HIPP) was a randomized controlled trial. Women who were pregnant (N=219, 44% African American, 56% white) with overweight or obesity but otherwise healthy were randomized to a behavioral intervention grounded in Social Cognitive Theory (n=112) or to standard care (n=107). The intervention group received an in-depth counseling session, a private Facebook group, and 10 content-based …

Determinism V. Free Will & Genetic Evidence Of Addiction In Plea Bargaining And Sentence Mitigation: Conversion Of Incarceration To Probation And Rehabilitation Based On Genetic Addiction Risk Severity (Gars) Test, Kenneth Blum, Paul Mullen, Richard Green

St. Mary's Law Journal

In this Article, Dr. Kenneth Blum and his team present the case of a presently abstinent, thirty-five year old alcoholic (“AG”) who has several convictions for DWI. AG has undergone and continues to be engaged in out-patient substance abuse treatment. He entered treatment before adjudication and was mandated by the court to continue treatment to assist in maintaining sobriety. Treatment included the administration of the Genetic Addiction Risk Severity (“GARS”) Test.

AG was facing a probable five-year sentence for his fifth DWI conviction in Bexar County, Texas. However, because AG’s genetic risk results indicated a genetically induced dopamine dysfunction, hypodopaminergia, …

Improving The Timing Of Insulin Administration In Adult Acute Care Patients, Hollie Gow, Harold Girado, Venessa Rodriguez, Lourdes Talavera, Leyner Martinez, Pierce R. Buzzi Davidson, Esty Trimino, Dayana M. Aguilera, Catherina Chang Martinez, Annette Caravia, Joy Mitts, Shelli Anne Marie Chernesky, Diana Maria Lopez, Hector Gonzalez, Sandy Jones, Sara Perez, Nell Mayendia Blanco, Orlando Bodes Ramil, Christopher Scott, Andrea Calvo, Jan V. Roy, Yaribey Lopez, Margie Martin, Angelines Diaz, Yessenia Muniz, Joey Carralero

Nursing & Health Sciences Research Journal

Background: The correct timing of insulin administration in diabetic patients admitted to the hospital is important for the prevention of transient and serious glycemic deviations that could lead to negative patient outcomes. In November 2021, a South Florida Hospital identified an area of opportunity for quality improvement related to the process of subcutaneous insulin administration. In addition to bar code scanning, manual verification of the insulin dose by the primary nurse and another nurse was required prior to administration. Patients were experiencing delays in the timing of their insulin dose and nurses were reporting frustration with the process. Methods: The …

Achieving 6th Magnet Designation Via Virtual Visit During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Lourdes C. Castaneda, Suzanne S. Spoerl, Catherina Chang Martinez

Nursing & Health Sciences Research Journal

Despite the challenges encountered with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, Baptist Hospital of Miami achieved the prestigious American Nursing Credentialing Center Magnet 6^th designation. We describe the journey including writing the documents, preparing for the virtual visit, and efforts from key stakeholders to support the virtual site visit with the use of technology, to hold videoconferencing and tours “on wheels.” Nurses showcased their professional practice and excellence in patient care through exemplars and narratives presented during the virtual visit. Last, we provide recommendations for success to organizations contemplating a virtual site visit.

Telehealth Acceptance Among Appalachian Respondents During Covid 19: A Secondary Data Analysis, Victoria Hood-Wells, Florence M. Weierbach, Amy Wahlquist, Janet M. Keener, Manik Ahuja, Hadii M. Mamudu

ETSU Faculty Works

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between telehealth use, telehealth satisfaction, and chronic medical conditions among residents living in Appalachian and non-Appalachian communities.

Sample: A COVID-19 public health survey was distributed via social media and healthcare clinics in the tri-state region of central Appalachia. Survey responses were limited to adults aged ≥18 years who consented to participate in the survey that self-identified as an individual with one or more chronic medical conditions (n=195).

Method: Simple descriptive statistics including frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations (SDs) were calculated for variables of interest both overall and by …

Moral Status And The Oversight Of Research Involving Chimeric Animals, Patricia Marshall, Kaitlynn P. Craig

Faculty Scholarship

The use of nonhuman animals in research has long been a source of bioethical and scientific debate. We consider the oversight and use of nonhuman animals in chimeric research. We conducted interviews with twelve members of embryonic stem cell research oversight committees, nine members of institutional animal care and use committees, and fourteen scientists involved in human–nonhuman-animal chimeric research in different areas of the United States. Interviews addressed animal welfare and conceptual issues associated with moral status and humanization of nonhuman animals that contain human cells. Our findings suggest that concepts of enhanced moral status and consciousness are not very …

Testing Wickelgren's Model Of Interference And Decay, Gabriel Hull, Isabella Lacy

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Two explanations have been proposed to explain forgetting: decay (forgetting occurs as a function of time) and interference (the mental activity can impinge on the consolidation of a recently acquired memory). Wickelgren (1974) proposed a model of forgetting which suggests that forgetting is a function of both decay and interference, best expressed as a power-exponential function. The present research will be the first to directly examine whether Wickelgren’s model accurately predicts the observed effects of these two components on forgetting. This research will further the study of human memory by improving current models, and helping to resolve the debate surrounding …

Adolescent Athlete Perceptions Of Gender Differences In Coaching, Ivannia Cabrera

Undergraduate Research Symposium Lightning Talks

How is the preference for coaching intertwined with sports? Do athletes differ in their perceptions of having a male or female coach? Is there an obvious preference between the genders? What kind of behaviors are associated with each gender?

Altered Dna Methylation Of Cyp2e1 Gene In Schizophrenia Patients With Tardive Dyskinesia, Ping Zhang, Yanli Li, Kesheng Wang, Junchao Huang, Brenda Bin Su, Chun Xu, Zhiren Wang, Shuping Tan, Fude Yang, Yunlong Tan

Health & Biomedical Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

About 20–30% of patients with schizophrenia develop tardive dyskinesia (TD). Oxidative stress is one potential causes of TD. CYP2E1 is considered as an oxidative stress-related gene, however, no study has been reported on the DNA methylation levels of the CYP2E1 in schizophrenia or TD.

Methods

A total of 35 schizophrenia patients with TD, 35 schizophrenia patients without TD (NTD), and 35 health controls (HCs) were collected in Beijing, China. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples. The promoter methylation levels of CYP2E1 were detected using pyrosequencing. The generalized linear model (GLM) was used to examine the methylation levels of …

A Text-Based Smoking Cessation Intervention For Sexual And Gender Minority Groups: Protocol For A Feasibility Trial, Irene Tami-Maury, Rebecca Klaff, Allison Hussin, Nathan Grant Smith, Shine Chang, Lorna Mcneill, Lorraine R Reitzel, Sanjay Shete, Lorien C Abroms

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Smoking among sexual and gender minority (SGM) groups, which include lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals, has been reported to be highly prevalent. This is attributed to several factors, including minority-specific stress and targeted tobacco marketing. Therefore, this population is at an increased risk for tobacco-related diseases. SMS text messaging programs have been found to be effective for smoking cessation and appeal to traditionally hard-to-reach populations over other interventions. It has also been suggested that targeted and tailored interventions could be more effective among SGM smokers because they can be designed to assure a safe, validating health care …

High-Frequency Ultrasound In Patients With Seronegative Rheumatoid Arthritis, Junkui Wang, Miao Wang, Qinghua Qi, Zhibin Wu, Jianguo Wen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This study aimed to investigate the value of high-frequency ultrasound (HFUS) in differentiation of the seronegative rheumatoid arthritis (SNRA) and osteoarthritis (OA) and in the diagnosis of SNRA. 83 patients diagnosed with SNRA (SNRA group) and 40 diagnosed with OA (OA group) who received HFUS were retrospectively analyzed. The grayscale (GS) scores, power Doppler (PD) scores, and bone erosion (BE)scores were recorded, and added up to calculate the total scores of US variables. The correlations of the total scores of US variables with the 28-joint disease activity score (DAS28), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were analyzed. The …

Distance To Radiation Therapy Facility Influences Surgery Type Among Older Women With Early-Stage Breast Cancer, Pratibha Shrestha, Quyen D. Chu, Mei Chin Hsieh, Yong Yi, Edward S. Peters, Edward Trapido, Qingzhao Yu, Tekeda Ferguson, Xiao-Cheng Wu

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Background: Breast-conserving surgery plus radiation (BCT) yields equivalent or better survival than mastectomy for early-stage breast cancer (ESBC) women. However, nationwide mastectomy trends increased in recent decades, attracting studies on underlying causes. Prior research identified that long distance to the radiation treatment facility (RTF) was associated with mastectomy. Still, it is unclear whether such association applies to young and old ESBC women comparably. We sought to delineate such impacts by age. Methods: Women diagnosed with stages 0–II breast cancer in 2013–2017 receiving either BCT or mastectomy were identified from the Louisiana Tumor Registry. We assessed the association of surgery (mastectomy …

Association Of Brafv600e Mutation With The Aggressive Behavior Of Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma: A Meta-Analysis Of 33 Studies, Abdallah S. Attia, Mohammad Hussein, Peter P. Issa, Ahmad Elnahla, Ashraf Farhoud, Brandon M. Magazine, Mohanad R. Youssef, Mohamed Aboueisha, Mohamed Shama, Eman Toraih, Emad Kandil

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

An association between the BRAFV600E mutation and the clinicopathological progression of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) has been suggested. We aimed to summarize the relevant literature and determine the predictive value of BRAFV600E mutation in predicting clinical outcomes and risk stratification in patients with PTMC. A systematic search using PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase up to February 2020 was performed. A total of 33 studies met the inclusion criteria, resulting in a pool of 8838 patients, of whom 5043 (57.1%) patients were positive for BRAFV600E mutation. Tumors with positive BRAFV600E mutation had a higher tendency for multifocality (RR = 1.09, 95%CI = …

Effects Of A Behavioral Intervention On Physical Activity, Diet, And Health-Related Quality Of Life In Pregnant Women With Elevated Weight: Results Of The Hipp Randomized Controlled Trial, Sara Wilcox Ph.D., Jihong Liu, Gabrielle Turner-Mcgrievy Ph.D., Rd, Alycia K. Boutté, Ellen Wingard

Faculty Publications

Background

Physical activity (PA), diet, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) are related to maternal and infant health, but interventions to improve these outcomes are needed in diverse pregnant women with elevated weight.

Methods

Health In Pregnancy and Postpartum (HIPP) was a randomized controlled trial. Women who were pregnant (N=219, 44% African American, 56% white) with overweight or obesity but otherwise healthy were randomized to a behavioral intervention grounded in Social Cognitive Theory (n=112) or to standard care (n=107). The intervention group received an in-depth counseling session, a private Facebook group, and 10 content-based …

Early Prediction And Longitudinal Modeling Of Preeclampsia From Multiomics, Ivana Marić, Kévin Contrepois, Mira N. Moufarrej, Ina A. Stelzer, Dorien Feyaerts, Xiaoyuan Han, Andy Tang, Natalie Stanley, Ronald J. Wong, Gavin M. Traber, Mathew Ellenberger, Alan L. Chang, Ramin Fallahzadeh, Huda Nassar, Martin Becker, Maria Xenochristou, Camilo Espinosa, Davide De Francesco, Mohammad S. Ghaemi, Elizabeth K. Costello, Anthony Culos, Xuefeng B. Ling

Pacific Faculty Work

Preeclampsia is a complex disease of pregnancy whose physiopathology remains unclear. We developed machine-learning models for early prediction of preeclampsia (first 16 weeks of pregnancy) and over gestation by analyzing six omics datasets from a longitudinal cohort of pregnant women. For early pregnancy, a prediction model using nine urine metabolites had the highest accuracy and was validated on an independent cohort (area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve [AUC] = 0.88, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.76, 0.99] cross-validated; AUC = 0.83, 95% CI [0.62,1] validated). Univariate analysis demonstrated statistical significance of identified metabolites. An integrated multiomics model further improved accuracy (AUC …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Personal Health Care Challenges Experienced By Iranian Divorcees, Farzaneh Golboni, Zainab Alimoradi, Bengt Fridlund, Liselott Årestedt, Mark Griffiths, Anders Broström, Amir Hajiagha Pakpour Ahp

The Qualitative Report

Divorce, nowadays an increasingly more prevalent life event in Iran, can create poor general health among Iranian women, possibly due to bigger challenges for health-related behaviors. The aim was to explore challenges to achieve health-related behaviors as experienced by divorced Iranian women acting as household-heads. An inductive exploratory design based on qualitative content analysis was utilized. Twenty strategically selected divorced women acting as household-heads in Tehran were interviewed between September 2019 and January 2020. The divorced women experienced individual-centered and social and environmental-centered challenges concerning their health-related behaviors. Lack of competence, lack of personal control, and lack of emotional support …

Unraveling The Anti-Inflammatory Mechanisms And Efficacy Of Cannabidiol On The Progression Of A Murine Model Of Multiple Sclerosis From The Innate To The Adaptive Immune System To Clinical Symptoms, Christa Marie Frodella

Theses and Dissertations

Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychotropic phytocannabinoid with structural similarity to Δ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is currently being investigated as a therapeutic for its immunosuppressive effects. One disease for which CBD is extensively researched is multiple sclerosis (MS), a demyelinating, autoimmune disorder, and its murine model counterpart, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). The focus of this dissertation aimed to analyze the transcriptomic brain pathways in EAE and its comparison to MS in addition to CBD’s immunosuppressive mechanisms in the innate and adaptive immune systems. Evidence presented here showed that transcriptomic signaling pathways in the EAE brain of mice with clinical symptoms were similar …

Development Of A Crosslinked Osteochondral Xenograft And A Collagen Stabilizing Intra-Articular Injection To Remediate Cartilage Focal Lesions To Prevent Osteoarthritis, Mark Lewis Mosher

Theses and Dissertations

Osteoarthritis is one of the most common causes of disability in adults in America. It is a progressive and degenerative disease where the articular cartilage is broken down and lost from the surfaces of bones causing chronic pain and swelling in the joints, and currently has no cure. The most commonly osteoarthritis starts from a focal lesion on the cartilage surface, which will expand on the surface and downwards through the thickness of the tissue. The current gold standard for correcting cartilage focal lesions is the osteochondral autograft/allograft transplantation (OAT), which replaces the defect with a fresh osteochondral graft. The …

Electrochemical Inactivation Of Tobacco Mosaic Virus: A Novel Vaccine Method, Angelica Diaz

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

We tested the effectiveness of using electrochemistry to irreversibly damage Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV). Hypothesis: By utilizing the acidic properties of DNA and RNA, viral genetic material can be irreversibly and selectively damaged using electrochemical methods. Technique could assist in development of highly targeted and effective vaccines.

Horizontal Ladder Task: Assessing The Effect Of A Walking Intervention On Mobility In People With Lower Limb Amputation, Chelsea Domingo

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Hundreds of thousands of people struggle with mobility due to lower limb amputation. Learning how to do something you have never done is a difficult task for anyone. Practice is important when person with amputation uses a prosthesis because each environment they encounter could vary. Across settings, different textures such as even and uneven terrain require different skills to maintain balance. The purpose of this research is to determine if practicing walking on uneven terrain will help people with amputation improve their ability to walk in different environments. We will use a horizontal ladder task (Christie et al., 2020) to …

Emotional Engagement To Music Is Correlated With Enhanced Frisson Experience But Not Misophonia, Sarah Al-Shimary, Nicole Datastanyan, Shelbie Silvers, Sivan Barashy, Solena Mednicoff

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

There is evidence that individuals who are particularly sensitive or intolerant to sounds are also more engaged or fascinated with positive sounds such as music.

Localization Of Ipmk, Braden Sio

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Inositol Polyphosphate Multikinase (IPMK) is a relatively new gene found in mammalian cells. To determine where I should further conduct our research, I localized this gene within HEK-293 cells. For this study, HEK-293 cells are used. These cells are easily cultured and transfected, both of which are needed for this study. IPMK tagged with Green Fluorescent Protein is transfected into our test group. The control group is transfected with only Green Fluorescent Protein. After transfecting the HEK-293 cells, the cells are put under a fluorescent microscope under the GFP setting. In the HEK-293 cells that were transfected with IPMK GFP, …

Poliovirus Detection In Las Vegas Wastewater, Sage Boss, Hayley Baker, Ching-Lan Chang

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Wastewater surveillance for poliovirus is a useful tool for spatial surveillance and evaluation of immunization efficacy. Polio testing in wastewater has been conducted since the 1980s in Finland and Israel, and the virus was recently discovered in New York. With increasing concern regarding the vaccination of children against the virus, there has been worry that polio cases could once again present themselves in the Las Vegas Valley. By testing for the virus in wastewater, we can monitor any new cases or outbreaks that occur and inform authorities as to the location and viral count. The wastewater samples were collected at …