Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Impact Of Esophageal Motility On Microbiome Alterations In Symptomatic Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Patients With Negative Endoscopy: Exploring The Role Of Ineffective Esophageal Motility And Contraction Reserve, Ming-Wun Wong, I-Hsuan Lo, Wei-Kai Wu, Po-Yu Liu, Yu-Tang Yang, Chun-Yao Chen, Ming-Shiang Wu, Sunny H Wong, Wei-Yi Lei, Chih-Hsun Yi, Tso-Tsai Liu, Jui-Sheng Hung, Shu-Wei Liang, C Prakash Gyawali, Chien-Lin Chen

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Ineffective esophageal motility (IEM) is common in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and can be associated with poor esophageal contraction reserve on multiple rapid swallows. Alterations in the esophageal microbiome have been reported in GERD, but the relationship to presence or absence of contraction reserve in IEM patients has not been evaluated. We aim to investigate whether contraction reserve influences esophageal microbiome alterations in patients with GERD and IEM.

METHODS: We prospectively enrolled GERD patients with normal endoscopy and evaluated esophageal motility and contraction reserve with multiple rapid swallows during high-resolution manometry. The esophageal mucosa was biopsied for …

Empowering Patient Care Technicians To Reduce Non-Ventilated Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia In An Acute Care Hospital In Northern California, Barbra Pacatang

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

Problem: Non-ventilator hospital-acquired pneumonia (nv-HAP) is increasingly becoming a significant concern in healthcare settings. Studies have indicated that nv-HAP accounts for a substantial portion of hospital-acquired pneumonia cases, with a high associated mortality rate. The prevalence of nv-HAP underscores the importance of implementing robust HAP prevention bundles. Prevention, early recognition, and appropriate management of nv-HAP are essential to improve patient outcomes and reduce the burden on healthcare facilities.

Context: A 28-bed capacity Stroke Telemetry Unit incurred six nv-HAP incidents in 2023. Patients needed to be more compliant with the nv-HAP prevention bundles. Patient care technicians (PCTs) are instrumental nurses’ …

Leveraging Generative Artificial Intelligence Models In Patient Education On Inferior Vena Cava Filters, Som Singh, Aleena Jamal, Farah Qureshi, Rohma Zaidi, Fawad Qureshi

SKMC Student Presentations and Publications

Background: Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) filters have become an advantageous treatment modality for patients with venous thromboembolism. As the use of these filters continues to grow, it is imperative for providers to appropriately educate patients in a comprehensive yet understandable manner. Likewise, generative artificial intelligence models are a growing tool in patient education, but there is little understanding of the readability of these tools on IVC filters. Methods: This study aimed to determine the Flesch Reading Ease (FRE), Flesch–Kincaid, and Gunning Fog readability of IVC Filter patient educational materials generated by these artificial intelligence models. Results: The ChatGPT cohort had …

Exploring The Impact Of Electrocardiographic Parameters On The Risk Of Common Arrhythmias: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study, Guangheng Wu, Qiaoyun Zhang, Jie Zhang, Jinqi Zhu, Deqiang Zheng, Youxin Wang, Lijuan Wu

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Observational studies have shown that heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), P-wave terminal force, P-wave duration, T-wave amplitude and PR interval are associated with risk factors for atrial fibrillation (AF) or bradycardia. Arrhythmias are associated with many causes of hospitalization. However, observational studies are susceptible to confounding factors that have not yet been identified. The objective of this study was to clarify the causal relationships by Mendelian randomization analysis. Methods: We conducted a two-sample and multivariate Mendelian randomization (MVMR) analysis using genome-wide association study (GWAS) data from a European population to assess the total and direct causal effects …

Adhesion G Protein-Coupled Receptor Latrophilin 1 (Adgrl1): A Novel Regulator Of Glucose And Energy Homeostasis., Kavaljit H Chhabra

Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Nursing Shortage Crisis: Can Implementing Supplemental Instruction Impact Nursing Students' Success In Nursing Programs?, Lauren Smith

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

This quality improvement project (QI) aimed to provide nursing students in the traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program with different forms of supplemental instruction (SI). The problem identified considered that nursing students' success rates have been dwindling for years, decreasing the number of nurses available. The purpose was to evaluate the effectiveness of SI in promoting student success throughout the semester. SI was first introduced at the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 1973 and is utilized primarily to improve student success in courses that are often considered "high-risk" for failure (Bowman et al., 2021). When SI is appropriately …

Evaluation Of A Peer Mentoring Program In Baccalaureate Nursing Students: A Quality Improvement Project, Leigh E. Swartzendruber

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Nursing school can be rigorous, stressful, and anxiety-producing for students trying to progress to graduation, with students leaving the program if they encounter barriers. Academia must consider strategies to support students; peer mentoring is an evidence-based approach. The project evaluated an existing peer mentoring program to understand the benefits and barriers entry-level sophomore students experience with the program, comparing survey results from 2022 and 2024 cohorts—a mixed-methods descriptive statistical study was conducted with the spring 2024 peer mentoring program. Using a PDSA cycle, the program was transformed from an in-person to a hybrid format. At the end of the program, …

Associations Between Coping Style And Perceptions Of Web-Delivered Physical Activity Messages Among Women In Midlife With Cardiovascular Health Risks, Kristen Pasko

Theses and Dissertations

Midlife women are at unique risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and benefit from increasing physical activity (PA). Many PA interventions involve social support, though fail to address related processes such as social comparison. Desire for specific types of social support and comparison may represent emotion-focused versus problem-solving coping, though little is known about women’s preferences for/responses to these coping opportunities. The present study examined women’s selections of PA content in a digital environment. Over 7 days, women in midlife ≥1 CVD risk factor (N = 60, MAge = 50.70, SD = 5.89) wore a PA monitor and visited a proprietary …

Navigating Nutrition Challenges In The Cicu: Ecmo, Vad & Malnutrition For Complex Infant & Pediatric Patients, Mona Kasik

2024

No abstract provided.

Discharge Planning & Nutrition Monitoring For Single-Ventricle Patients During The Interstage Period, Sarah Dundas, Brooke Kealey

2024

No abstract provided.

A Retrospective Analysis Of Primary Breast Cancer Surgical Procedures (Mastectomy Versus Breast Conserving Surgery) Performed On Women Living In Rural And Urban Counties In South Carolina, Talitha M. Massaquoi

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Women dealing with a diagnosis of breast cancer may be challenged when attempting to seek and obtain medical care while living in a rural community. It is not known whether geography impacts the decision-making process for women considering elective breast cancer surgery (mastectomy versus breast conserving surgery (BCS)) in South Carolina. We performed a retrospective analysis of breast cancer surgical options offered to women to examine if a difference exists in both rural and urban settings. Although there was a higher proportion of women in South Carolina who elected to undergo a mastectomy instead of BCS (4,416 [79.5%] vs. 1,139 …

Aplicación De La Serie De Fourier En La Eliminación De Armónicos Musicales Para Obtener Un Tono Puro, Kelly Johana Infante Beltrán, Néstor Orlando Forero Díaz, Adalberto Pardo Rodríguez

Educación

Este libro explora la relación entre las matemáticas y la música a través de la aplicación de la serie de Fourier para eliminar armónicos y obtener tonos puros, fundamentales tanto en la audiometría médica como en la afinación de instrumentos musicales. Utilizando herramientas como Matlab y Sonic Visualiser, se analiza la pureza de las cuerdas de la guitarra clásica, destacando la importancia de esta técnica en diversos campos, desde la acústica hasta la medicina. El estudio incluye un simulador en Matlab para eliminar armónicos y una comparación de frecuencias específicas, mostrando cómo la comprensión de la serie de Fourier enriquece …

Liposomal Fba And Met6 Peptide Vaccination Protects Mice From Disseminated Candidiasis, Wei-Chiao Huang, Karen Eberle, Jonothan Rosario Colon, Jonathan F. Lovell, Hong Xin

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

UNLABELLED: Epitopes from the cell surface proteins Fba and Met6 are putative vaccine targets for invasive candidiasis. Here, we describe a vaccine approach in which short peptides derived from Fba and Met6 are used in spontaneous nanoliposome antigen particle (SNAP) format. SNAP was enabled by the interaction of cobalt porphyrin phospholipid in liposomes with three histidine residues on the N-terminus of synthetic short peptide immunogens from Fba (F-SNAP), Met6 (M-SNAP), or bivalent Fba and Met6 (FM-SNAP). Liposomes were adjuvanted with synthetic monophosphoryl lipid and QS-21. In mice, immunization with F-SNAP, M-SNAP, or FM-SNAP induced antigen-specific IgG responses and mixed Th1/Th2 …

Differential Effect Of An Evolving Amyloid And Tau Pathology On Brain Phospholipids And Bioactive Lipid Mediators In Rat Models Of Alzheimer-Like Pathology, Sonia Do Carmo, Marie Audrey I. Kautzmann, Surjyadipta Bhattacharjee, Bokkyoo Jun, Carolyn Steinberg, Joshua T. Emmerson, Janice C. Malcolm, Quentin Bonomo, Nicolas G. Bazan, A. Claudio Cuello

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

Background: Brain inflammation contributes significantly to the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease, and it is manifested by glial cell activation, increased production of cytokines/chemokines, and a shift in lipid mediators from a pro-homeostatic to a pro-inflammatory profile. However, whether the production of bioactive lipid mediators is affected at earlier stages, prior to the deposition of Aβ plaques and tau hyperphosphorylation, is unknown. The differential contribution of an evolving amyloid and tau pathology on the composition and abundance of membrane phospholipids and bioactive lipid mediators also remains unresolved. Methods: In this study, we examined the cortical levels of DHA- and AA-derived bioactive …

Adaptive Immune Profiling Of Sin Nombre Hantavirus And Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection, Tonilynn M. Baranowski

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Hantaviruses are causative agents of potentially fatal respiratory illness and/or organ failure in humans worldwide. In the United States, the predominant hantavirus species, Sin Nombre hantavirus (SNV), causes a severe disease pathology, called hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS). Infection with SNV and subsequent clinical manifestations of HCPS lends itself to case fatality rates approaching 40%, even under supportive care. This is partially due to the lack of FDA-approved vaccines and antivirals, in addition to a deficit in our knowledge regarding the human immune response to SNV. Further investigation of the adaptive immune response may reveal key targets to mediate disease outcome. …

Potential Targeting Mechanisms For Bone-Directed Therapies, Betul Celik, Andrés Leal, Shunji Tomatsu

Department of Pediatrics Faculty Papers

Bone development is characterized by complex regulation mechanisms, including signal transduction and transcription factor-related pathways, glycobiological processes, cellular interactions, transportation mechanisms, and, importantly, chemical formation resulting from hydroxyapatite. Any abnormal regulation in the bone development processes causes skeletal system-related problems. To some extent, the avascularity of cartilage and bone makes drug delivery more challenging than that of soft tissues. Recent studies have implemented many novel bone-targeting approaches to overcome drawbacks. However, none of these strategies fully corrects skeletal dysfunction, particularly in growth plate-related ones. Although direct recombinant enzymes (e.g., Vimizim for Morquio, Cerezyme for Gaucher, Elaprase for Hunter, Mepsevii for …

Social Vulnerabilities In Head-Neck Melanoma Care: A Retrospective Cohort Study In The United States, Lillian Mccampbell, David Jun Fei-Zhang, Daniel Chelius, Ling-Lun Bob Hsia, Robert Dellavalle, Jill D'Souza, David Bentrem, Jeffrey Wayne, Jeffrey Rastatter, Anthony Sheyn

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Studies addressing social determinants of health (SDH) in head-neck melanomas (HNM) have only assessed socioeconomic factor impact but not a wider scope of SDH. OBJECTIVE: Utilizing the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), to assess the influence of specific SDH and their quantifiable associations with HNM management disparities across the varied community contexts in the United States. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study analyzed adults diagnosed with HNM from 1975 to 2017 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program database. RESULTS: A total of 374,138 HNM in adults from 1975 to 2017 were assessed for disparities affiliated with increasing overall vulnerability/SVI …

Statistical Methods For Predicting E-Cigarette Use Events Based On Beat-To-Beat Interval (Bbi) Data Collected From Wearable Devices, James J Yang, Megan E Piper, Premananda Indic, Anne Buu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The prevalence of e-cigarette use among young adults in the USA is high (14%). Although the majority of users plan to quit vaping, the motivation to make a quit attempt is low and available support during a quit attempt is limited. Using wearable sensors to collect physiological data (eg, heart rate) holds promise for capturing the right timing to deliver intervention messages. This study aims to fill the current knowledge gap by proposing statistical methods to (1) de-noise beat-to-beat interval (BBI) data from smartwatches worn by 12 young adult regular e-cigarette users for 7 days; and (2) summarize the de-noised …

Lipidomic Risk Score To Enhance Cardiovascular Risk Stratification For Primary Prevention, Jingqin Wu, Corey Giles, Aleksandar Dakic, Habtamu B. Beyene, Kevin Huynh, Tingting Wang, Thomas Meikle, Gavriel Olshansky, Agus Salim, John Blangero

School of Medicine Publications

Background

Accurate risk stratification is vital for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, traditional tools such as the Framingham Risk Score(FRS) may underperform within the diverse intermediate-risk group, which includes individuals requiring distinct management strategies.

Objectives

This study aimed to develop a lipidomic-enhanced risk score (LRS), specifically targeting risk prediction and reclassification within the intermediate group, benchmarked against the FRS.

Methods

The LRS was developed via a machine learning workflow using ridge regression on the Australian Diabetes, Obesity, and Lifestyle Study (AusDiab; n = 10,339). It was externally validated with the Busselton Health Study (n = 4,492), and …

Treatment Response With Potassium-Competitive Acid Blockers Based On Clinical Phenotypes Of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: A Systematic Literature Review And Meta-Analysis, Seungyeon Seo, Hye-Kyung Jung, C Prakash Gyawali, Hye Ah Lee, Hyung Seok Lim, Eui Sun Jeong, Seong Eun Kim, Chang Mo Moon

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is typically managed based on the clinical phenotype. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of potassium-competitive acid blockers (PCABs) in patients with various clinical GERD phenotypes.

METHODS: Core databases were searched for studies comparing PCABs and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) in clinical GERD phenotypes of erosive reflux disease (ERD), non-erosive reflux disease (NERD), PPI-resistant GERD and night-time heartburn. Additional analysis was performed based on disease severity and drug dosage, and pooled efficacy was calculated.

RESULTS: In 9 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the initial treatment of ERD, the risk ratio for healing with PCABs versus …

A Quality Improvement Project: Implementing A Mental Health Screening Program For International Business Travelers., Joyce Ighedosa

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

A Quality Improvement Project: Implementing a Mental Health Screening Program for International Business Travelers.

PURPOSE The purpose of the Quality Improvement project was to implement a mental health screening program for international business travelers in an oil and gas organization. The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2) was implemented

BACKGROUND The project was implemented in a global oil and gas organization. The original medical screening for pre-travel preparation was on identification of physiological disorders, proper management of identified disease processes; infectious disease prevention; vaccine review and update; malaria chemoprophylaxis and vector control. Mental Health was not reviewed.

METHODOLOGY The PHQ-2 was …

Adaptive Fine-Tuning Based Transfer Learning For The Identification Of Mgmt Promoter Methylation Status, Erich Schmitz, Yunhui Guo, Jing Wang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background. Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) is an aggressive form of malignant brain tumor with a generally poor prognosis. O 6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter methylation has been shown to be a predictive bio-marker for resistance to treatment of GBM, but it is invasive and time-consuming to determine methylation status. There has been effort to predict the MGMT methylation status through analyzing MRI scans using machine learning, which only requires pre-operative scans that are already part of standard-of-care for GBM patients. Purpose. To improve the performance of conventional transfer learning in the identification of MGMT promoter methylation status, we developed a 3D SpotTune …

The F Plasmid Conjutome: The Repertoire Of E Coli Proteins Translocated Through An F-Encoded Type Iv Secretion System, Abu Amar M Al Mamun, Kimberley Kissoon, Yang Grace Li, Erin Hancock, Peter J Christie

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Bacterial conjugation systems pose a major threat to human health through their widespread dissemination of mobile genetic elements (MGEs) carrying cargoes of antibiotic resistance genes. Using the Cre Recombinase Assay for Translocation (CRAfT), we recently reported that the IncFV pED208 conjugation system also translocates at least 16 plasmid-encoded proteins to recipient bacteria. Here, we deployed a high-throughput CRAfT screen to identify the repertoire of chromosomally encoded protein substrates of the pED208 system. We identified 32 substrates encoded by the Escherichia coli W3110 genome with functions associated with (i) DNA/nucleotide metabolism, (ii) stress tolerance/physiology, (iii) transcriptional regulation, or (iv) toxin inhibition. …

Gemykibivirus Detection In Acute Encephalitis Patients From Nepal, Eans Tara Tuladhar, Smita Shrestha, Susan Vernon, Lindsay Droit, Kathie A Mihindukulasuriya, Mamta Tamang, Lata Karki, Annie Elong Ngono, Bimlesh Jha, Bal Krishna Awal, Bimal Sharma Chalise, Runa Jha, Sujan Shresta, David Wang, Krishna Das Manandhar

2020-Current year OA Pubs

UNLABELLED: Acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) causes significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. In Nepal, Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) accounts for ~5-20% of AES cases, but ~75% of AES cases are of unknown etiology. We identified a gemykibivirus in CSF collected in 2020 from an 8-year-old male patient with AES using metagenomic next-generation sequencing. Gemykibiviruses are single stranded, circular DNA viruses in the family

IMPORTANCE: Viral encephalitis is a devastating disease, but unfortunately, worldwide, the causative virus in many cases is unknown. Therefore, it is important to identify viruses that could be responsible for cases of human encephalitis. Here, using metagenomic sequencing …

Exploring The Pdz, Duf, And Lim Domains Of Pdlim5 In Dendrite Branching, Yogesh Srivastava, Maxsam Donta, Lydia L Mireles, Adriana Paulucci-Holthauzen, Leilei Shi, Mark T Bedford, M Neal Waxham, Pierre D Mccrea

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The branched architecture of neuronal dendrites is a key factor in how neurons form ordered networks and discoveries continue to be made identifying proteins and protein-protein interactions that direct or execute the branching and extension of dendrites. Our prior work showed that the molecular scaffold Pdlim5 and delta-catenin, in conjunction, are two proteins that help regulate the branching and elongation of dendrites in cultured hippocampal neurons and do so through a phosphorylation-dependent mechanism triggered by upstream glutamate signaling. In this report we have focused on Pdlim5's multiple scaffolding domains and how each contributes to dendrite branching. The three identified regions …

The Interaction Of Endorepellin And Neurexin Triggers Neuroepithelial Autophagy And Maintains Neural Tube Development, Lei Lu, Meizhu Bai, Yufang Zheng, Xiukun Wang, Zhongzhong Chen, Rui Peng, Richard H Finnell, Tongjin Zhao, Chengtao Li, Bo Wu, Yunping Lei, Jinsong Li, Hongyan Wang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Heparan sulfate proteoglycan 2 (HSPG2) gene encodes the matrix protein Perlecan, and genetic inactivation of this gene creates mice that are embryonic lethal with severe neural tube defects (NTDs). We discovered rare genetic variants of HSPG2 in 10% cases compared to only 4% in controls among a cohort of 369 NTDs. Endorepellin, a peptide cleaved from the domain V of Perlecan, is known to promote angiogenesis and autophagy in endothelial cells. The roles of enderepellin in neurodevelopment remain unclear so far. Our study revealed that endorepellin can migrate to the neuroepithelial cells and then be recognized and bind with the …

Interpreting Ppv And Npv Of Diagnostic Tests With Uncertain Prevalence, Yakov Ben-Haim, Clifford C Dacso

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

OBJECTIVE: Medical decision-making is often uncertain. The positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) are conditional probabilities characterizing diagnostic tests and assessing diagnostic interventions in clinical medicine and epidemiology. The PPV is the probability that a patient has a specified disease, given a positive test result for that disease. The NPV is the probability that a patient does not have the disease, given a negative test result for that disease. Both values depend on disease incidence or prevalence, which may be highly uncertain for unfamiliar diseases, epidemics, etc. Probability distributions for this uncertainty are usually unavailable. We develop …

Application Of Geographic Information Systems (Gis) In The Study Of Prostate Cancer Disparities: A Systematic Review, Christiane J. El Khoury

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

Introduction: PCa is one of the cancers that exhibits the widest disparity gaps. Geographical place of residence has been shown to be associated with healthcare access/utilization and PCa outcomes. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) are widely being utilized for PCa disparities research, however, inconsistencies in their application exist. This systematic review will summarize GIS application within PCa disparities research, highlight gaps in the literature, and propose alternative approaches. Methods: This paper followed the methods of the Cochrane Collaboration and the criteria set of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Articles published in peer-reviewed journals were searched through …

A Rare Case Of Cardiac Angiosarcoma Presenting As Recurrent Atrial Flutter/Fibrillation, Muhammad Umer Riaz Gondal, Luke Rovenstine, Muhammad Asad Hanif, Nayab Mirza, Arjun Basnet, Fawwad Ansari, Muhammad Ibraiz Bilal, Zainab Kiyani, Rohail Azhar, Arun Kundra

Transformative Medicine

Introduction

Cardiac angiosarcomas are extremely rare, with an incidence of only 0.056%. They can have various presentations, including arrhythmias.

Case

A 65-year-old male presented to an outside hospital one year ago with palpitations. Heart rates were 130 bpm, and EKG revealed new-onset atrial flutter with 2-1 block. Apixaban and metoprolol tartrate were started, with plans for a TEE and cardioversion in 4 weeks. He went to the emergency department twice the following month with rapid atrial fibrillation and had TEE and cardioversion twice one week apart. A 2.5 cm mass in the right atrium was noted on the TEE.

The …

The Intersection Of Interprofessional Education And One Health: A Qualitative Study In Human And Veterinary Medical Institutions, Claire Tucker, Jake Keyel, Amy Blue, Ruthanne Chun, Amara Estrada, Hossein Khalili, Anuja Riles, Rohini Roopnarine, Brian Sick, Sue Vandewoude, Brittany Watson, Lauren Wisnieski, Tracy Webb

College of Humanities and Social Sciences Departmental Research

Interprofessional Education (IPE) and One Health are two common and overlapping frameworks for teaching collaborative practice. IPE is common at human medical institutions, while One Health is more common in graduate and veterinary programs. The connection between IPE and One Health is still being explored both in scholarship and in real-world professional settings. This prospective, qualitative research study examines the intersection of IPE and One Health at institutions that are members of the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) One Health Alliance (COHA). COHA consists of veterinary schools partnered with medical institutions through the National Institutes of Health CTSA funding …