Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

On! Original Flavor Oral Nicotine Pouch Characterization: Biorelevant In Vitro Nicotine Release Apparatus Assessment, Jason C. Funderburk, Melissa Morgan, Maria Lasaosa Garcia, Andreas S. L. Mendez, Matthew S. Halquist

Graduate Research Posters

Background: Oral nicotine pouch (ONP) use is rising. The sales of ONPs in 2019 were 126 million units, increasing to 808 million units in 2022. Understanding ONP in vitro release is critical for assessing exposure to ONP products.

Methods: The commercial brand ON! ONPs with nicotine label claims of 2, 4, and 8 mg, were evaluated in vitro for cumulative nicotine release using the bidirectional transmucosal apparatus (BTA) for 90 minutes. Nicotine quantification was performed by HPLC-PDA. For pH determination, ONP samples were prepared in water or artificial saliva (pH 6.8) with measurements for 30 minutes. BTA results were compared …

Nf-Κb-Mediated Oxidative Stress Drives Cigarette Smoke-Induced Emt In Human Bronchial Cells, Sarah M. Alqithami

Theses and Dissertations--Toxicology and Cancer Biology

Cigarette smoke contains over 7,000 chemicals, many being carcinogens and proinflammatory agents contributing to chronic respiratory diseases like COPD and lung cancer. This study investigated responses of human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs) to cigarette smoke condensate (CSC), focusing on oxidative stress and NF-κB signaling. Three HBEC lines were exposed to non-cytotoxic CSC doses for 48 hours, inducing morphological changes consistent with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). RNA sequencing revealed transcriptomic shifts in all cell lines, particularly affecting genes related to oxidative stress, inflammation, hypoxia, and metabolism. Enrichment analyses confirmed activation of NRF2 antioxidant, NF-κB and IL-17 inflammatory, and hypoxiainducible factor pathways, indicating …

Elucidating The Adverse Effects Of Chronic Pfos Exposure On Gastrointestinal Pathology And Colorectal Cancer, Jerika Durham

Theses and Dissertations--Toxicology and Cancer Biology

Commonly referred to as "forever chemicals," per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been linked to a number of detrimental health effects, including an elevated risk of cancer. One "long-chain" subtype of PFAS, perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), has a long elimination half-life and a significant propensity for bioaccumulation. Because PFOS is commonly found in drinking water, the gastrointestinal system absorbs it at a high rate. Recent studies demonstrate that PFAS exposures promote intestinal inflammation and gut barrier dysfunction. However, how a long-term PFOS exposure affects colorectal cancer (CRC) progression is not known. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to understand how …

Investigating Plk1 In Pulmonary Fibrosis, Tempany Arbogast

Theses and Dissertations--Toxicology and Cancer Biology

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive and fatal interstitial lung disease, with a median survival of only 2–3 years following diagnosis. In the United States, the disease contributes to more than 40,000 deaths annually, underscoring its severe clinical burden. Alveolar type II (AT2) lung epithelial cells serve as progenitors that maintain alveolar integrity by replenishing epithelial populations and producing surfactants, while fibroblasts and myofibroblasts regulate the extracellular matrix and structural support. In pulmonary fibrosis (PF) injury to AT2 cells promotes cytokine and growth factor release, driving inflammation, fibroblast proliferation, myofibroblast accumulation, and excessive extracellular matrix deposition. Aberrant AT2 cell …

A Vexing Case: A Newly Discovered Autoinflammatory Disease, Ashley Edwards, Md, Caroline Mcculley

Books, Presentations, Posters, Etc.

Introduction: Vacuoles, E1 enzyme, X-linked, autoinflammatory, somatic (VEXAS) Syndrome is a recently recognized adult-onset autoinflammatory disease that can lead to potentially lifethreatening multi-system inflammation with estimated prevalence of up to 1 in 5,000 males over the age of 50. Given its significant morbidity and mortality and high prevalence, increased awareness of this condition is of foremost importance. Herein we outline a case of VEXAS syndrome. Case Presentation: Mr. N is a 73-year-old male with a past medical history significant for hypertension and recent episode of uveitis who first presented to the hospital for significant unintentional weight loss, fevers, and abdominal …

Caregiver Perspectives On Sensory Diets, Naomi Sosa, Catharina Smith, Skylar Simpson, Giavanna Stavros

Occupational Therapy | OTD Research Papers

A sensory diet, a targeted sensory intervention designed to address an individual’s sensory needs, requires a child to engage in frequent, brief activities throughout their day that promote an adaptive response and improve occupational performance. While occupational therapists formulate the sensory diet, the role of administering the sensory diet ultimately lies with the child’s caregiver. Several studies have examined the effectiveness of sensory-based interventions and how caregivers support children with sensory processing disorders; however, caregiver perspectives on implementing sensory diets for their children have yet to be studied. Methods: This study used a descriptive, mixed-methods survey approach capturing quantitative data …

Professional Identity Levels Of Occupational Therapists In Different Practice Settings, Megan Maekawa, Alyssa Vessel, Ryan Yambao

Occupational Therapy | OTD Research Papers

Occupational therapists may experience weakened professional identity when their practice settings’ cultures, policies, resources, or interdisciplinary teams do not support occupational therapy’s core philosophies and values. Each practice environment has different workplace cultures and resources that influence an occupational therapist's ability to provide quality service for their clients. For example, when an occupational therapist works in a practice setting that does not support a core philosophy like occupation-based practice, they may experience a blurring of roles and responsibilities with other professionals. Overlap and confusion of responsibilities can lead to unclear expectations about their unique contribution to the client’s care. Additionally, …

Vaccines And Publics: A Variety Of Engagement Experiences, David H. Lee

Publications and Research

This chapter is about some of the sites and scenes where members of the public are exposed to (and engage in) vaccination discourse. To preview, after a brief introduction, we begin with messaging models of communication, followed by the move from messaging to engagement. Next, case examples of public engagement with vaccines are introduced, from pandemic influenza preparedness in the U.S., to polio eradication initiatives in India, and then to COVID-19 public engagement events in England. Settings of public engagement are noted, including online, in churches and museums. Then, there’s a section about communication and public participation, seen as either …

Mycotic Aneurysm And Rare Complication From Infection Masquerading As Lung Cancer, Rithvik Nallapareddy, Mary Anne Nidiry

Books, Presentations, Posters, Etc.

Introduction: Mycotic Aneurysm: Dilation of an arterial wall due to infection • Majority are bacterial, Staphylococcus and Salmonella • Called mycotic because it resembled the appearance of fleshy fungus1 • Most commonly in femoral artery, aorta, and visceral Causes • Form from adjacent bacteria infections • Lung, esophagus, endocarditis • Direct invasion of vessel walls or atherosclerotic plaque in bacteremia General Presentation • Fever, back pain, immunocompromised, IV drug user • Positive blood cultures 50-85%2 • Elevated WBC, ESR, CRP • Lack of standard criteria for diagnosis and management Risk Factors • Tobacco • Atherosclerosis • Diabetes Mellitus Case Presentation: …

Investigation Of Heterosynaptic Long-Term Potentiation Of Non-Nociceptive Synapses, Synaptically Relevant Kinase Discovery, And Virtual Screening For A Pkmz Inhibitor In Hirudo Verbana", Avery Franzen

Dissertations and Theses

There is a considerable lack in efficacy for current chronic pain treatments. One therapy that has gained attention are cannabinoid-based medications. However, preclinical and clinical trials do not produce anti-nociceptive results consistently and occasionally produce pro-nociceptive results. Understanding this ambiguity between anti-nociceptive and pro-nociceptive effects is vital to cannabinoids’ future utilization. One symptom of chronic pain conditions is allodynia in which pain is perceived following non-painful stimuli. This may be due to non-nociceptive afferents activating nociceptive circuitry in an abnormal manner. Using the medicinal leech, Hirudo verbana, we have begun to elucidate mechanisms by which endocannabinoids strengthen non-nociceptive afferent synapses. …

Health Center Patient Satisfaction: Pre, During, And Post Covid-19, Patricia A. Stroup, Patricia Stroup

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

This study aims to evaluate patients' attitudes toward healthcare services in a predominantly Hispanic population at an urban health center serving a significantly disadvantaged population.  This center is in one of the poorest areas of the city and has one of the highest diabetes rates in the nation. For over 50 years, Federal health centers have provided care to inner-city, rural, homeless and public housing residents. They provide care to vulnerable populations that would not otherwise be available in medically underserved communities. Central to overcoming disparities is assuring patient satisfaction with their healthcare. This study evaluates patients' satisfaction with the …

Passion For Purple: Individual Differences In Strength Of Color Preferences, Eleanor Klein

A with Honors Projects

Abstract:

In response to the frequently circulating idea that people who have purple as a favorite color are more passionate about it than others about their own favorite colors, this study sought to survey 48 individuals on their favorite colors, how strongly they felt about them, and whether they had a neurodevelopmental disorder that may impact the strength and expression of this preference. While there was no statistically significant relationship between favorite color and passion for it as measured by four questions, failing to reject the null hypothesis that no specific favorite color is related to more passion for it, …

An Electrochemical Sensor For Tenofovir Monitoring, Abdellatif Ait Lahcen, Gymama Slaughter

Center for Bioelectronics Publications

Effective monitoring of tenofovir (TFV) adherence is critical for ensuring the success of antiretroviral therapies in preventing and managing HIV, as nonadherence can lead to treatment failure and the development of drug-resistant strains. In this study, a highly sensitive and selective novel biomimetic sensor for TFV determination is developed utilizing laser-scribed graphene (LSG) modified with gold spiky nanostructures (AuNSp) and molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP). The MIP layer is engineered with precise control to maximize molecular specificity for TFV. Electrochemical characterization demonstrates excellent performance, including the broadest linear detection range (10 nM to 200 μM) reported to date with a sensitivity …

Radiologic Technology 50th Year Celebration, Hailey Gaines

A with Honors Projects

Presentation detailing the Radiologic Technology 50th anniversary celebration at Parkland College.

The Impact And Perceptions Of Open Educational Resources And Oer-Enabled Pedagogy On Affordability, Enrollment, And Student Success In Undergraduate Anatomy And Physiology, Justin Burr

Dissertations and Theses

Open educational resources (OER) can help improve the affordability of higher education. While the impacts of OER on student success and cost savings have been studied in some areas, the literature lacks evidence for undergraduate anatomy and physiology. Additionally, the potential impact OER has on student enrollment choices in undergraduate anatomy and physiology remains unstudied. The cost of textbooks has been a notable hurdle to higher education participation and success, particularly among minority and underserved populations. This study aimed to evaluate the impacts of OER on affordability (cost), access (enrollment), and student success. A mixed-methods approach was used to answer …

Building Healthcare Students’ Research Skills Through Co-Creating A Game To Teach Research: A Qualitative Study, Lise Johns, Leanne Bisset, Stacey Weightman, Gary Grant, Mary-Ann Shuker, Thea Van De Mortel

Health Professions Education

Purpose. Healthcare students may lack the knowledge and confidence to apply research. This study evaluated the impact of immersion in student-academic co-creation and evaluation of a gamified resource on healthcare students’ research knowledge, and confidence.

Method. A qualitative descriptive design was utilised. Student partners contributed to all aspects of design, implementation, and evaluation of the game. Students’ perceptions of this process were evaluated via a group interview and thematic analysis.

Results. Six undergraduate students from five healthcare disciplines participated. Two overarching themes were identified. The first related to impacts of the immersion process on students’ own research knowledge and confidence, …

A Bibliometric Analysis On Climate Change And Its Implications For Medical Education, Sungkono Sungkono, Firdian Makrufardi, Annisa Fairuz Nur Azizah, Firdiawan Ekaputra

Health Professions Education

This study aims to conduct a comprehensive examination of research in medical education, especially in graduate medical education within the context of climate change. Moreover, this study examined the current research trends on climate change for graduate medical education. The analysis encompasses citation, co-citation, co-occurrence, thematic mapping and evolutionary analyses. Through this bibliometric review, researchers will gain valuable insights by identifying influential publications and understanding the fundamental structure of the field. Additionally, this review paved the way for future studies by highlighting influential research trends and emerging topics. The findings delineate various approaches of discussion based on clusters identified through …

Physical And Perceived Effects Of The Menstrual Cycle On Female Athletes, Talia E. Casarella, Alyssa M. Quiteles, Emily E. Liddick, Madelyn R. Swarthout, Rebecca J. Turner

Student Research Poster Presentations 2025

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to understand the physical and perceived effects of the menstrual cycle on female athletes’ performance during training and competition.

Hypothesis: The researchers hypothesized that there would be a significant difference in performance based on the phase of the menstrual cycle.

Methods: This study used EBSCO Academic Search Complete and Science Direct, focusing on peer-reviewed articles from the last 10 years. Search terms included: (exercise or physical fitness or physical activity) AND (menstrual cycle or period or menstruation or menses or follicular phase or luteal phase) AND (female athletes or women athletes or athletic …

Radiation Dose In Computed Tomography, Jonathan Paniagua

Student Research Poster Presentations 2025

This poster provides detail of the radiation doses patients are exposed to in computed tomography (CT). CT helps give radiologists a more detailed image of patients. With CT first coming in the United States in the 1970s the usage has increased every decade. Presently over 100 million CT examinations are done annually. With increased usage some patients are being overexposed by scanners. A study done in the late 2000s found patients received up to eight times the radiation needed. Incidents such as this caused the need for imaging campaigns to be launched by the American Society of Radiologic Technologists to …

Time Of Urine Sampling May Influence The Association Between Urine Specific Gravity And Body Composition, Patrick B. Wilson, Brian K. Ferguson, Ian P. Winter

Exercise Science Faculty Publications

Urine specific gravity (USG) is frequently utilized in sports practice and research to assess hydration status. Prior research suggests that individuals with large amounts of fat-free mass (FFM) and muscle have elevated USG, but little is known about whether the time of collection (first-morning vs. spot sampling) and various nutritional factors influence these relationships. This cross-sectional, observational study assessed fasted first-morning (n = 55) and non-fasted spot USG (n = 51) samples in adults and evaluated relationships of USG with body composition and nutrition intake. The InBody 770 was used to estimate FFM, skeletal muscle mass (SMM), and total body …

Predicting Biologic Nonadherence In Inflammatory Bowel Disease Using Machine Learning Models, Christian Rhudy

Theses and Dissertations--Clinical and Translational Science

Inflammatory bowel disease is a chronic relapsing-remitting disease of the intestinal tract affecting approximately 0.5% of the population in the US. Moderate to severe inflammatory bowel disease is managed with biologic therapies to induce and maintain remission, however nonadherence to biologics occurs in and estimated 16.9% and 45% of patients. Nonadherence to biologics can increase the risk of disease flares, emergent healthcare utilization, and surgical intervention. While numerous factors have been associated with biologic nonadherence, there are limited resources for prospectively assessing patient-specific risk of biologic nonadherence. Accordingly, objective of this work is to develop machine learning methods of predicting …

Association Of State Cannabis Legalization With Cannabis Use Disorder And Cannabis Poisoning, Jayani Jayawardhana, Jialin Hou, Patricia Freeman, Jeffery C. Talbert

Health Management and Policy Faculty Publications

IMPORTANCE Whether state implementation of medical and recreational cannabis laws is associated with increased cannabis use disorder (CUD) and/or cannabis poisoning among adults is not evident.

OBJECTIVE To examine state-level medical and recreational cannabis laws’ associations with CUD and cannabis poisoning, overall and by sex and age subgroups.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In this longitudinal cohort study, state-level CUD and cannabis poisoning diagnoses from January 2011 to December 2021 were examined across all 50 US states and the District of Columbia before and after the implementation of medical and recreational cannabis laws (MCLs and RCLs, respectively) using a staggered adoption …

Demographic Variation In Continuous Glucose Monitoring Utilisation Among Patients With Type 1 Diabetes From A Us Regional Academic Medical Centre: A Retrospective Cohort Study, 2018–2021, Omer Atac, Kory R. Heier, Daniela Moga, John L. Fowlkes, Min-Woong Sohn, Aaron J. Kruse-Diehr, Teresa M. Waters, Mary E. Lacy

Health Management and Policy Faculty Publications

Objective: While continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) utilisation has been increasing among patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D), few studies have examined patterns of use across age, race/ethnicity and insurance status together. In this study, we examine CGM utilisation among patients with T1D from a regional academic medical centre across all insurance types.

Design and Setting: This is a retrospective cohort study including both paediatric and adult patients with T1D who visited a regional academic medical centre between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2021.

Methods: Patients were followed from the date of their first T1D encounter during the study period …

Plasma S100Β Is A Predictor For Pathology And Cognitive Decline In Alzheimer’S Disease, Geetika Nehra, Bryan J. Maloney, Rebecca Smith, Wijitra Chumboatong, Erin L. Abner, Peter T. Nelson, Björn Bauer, Anika M. S. Hartz

UK CARES Faculty Publications

Background Blood–brain barrier dysfunction is one characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and is recognized as both a cause and consequence of the pathological cascade leading to cognitive decline. The goal of this study was to assess markers for barrier dysfunction in postmortem tissue samples from research participants who were either cognitively normal individuals (CNI) or diagnosed with AD at the time of autopsy and determine to what extent these markers are associated with AD neuropathologic changes (ADNC) and cognitive impairment.

Methods We used postmortem brain tissue and plasma samples from 19 participants: 9 CNI and 10 AD dementia patients who …

Artesunate Enhances The Efficacy Of Enzalutamide In Advanced Prostate Cancer, Xinyi Wang, Jinghui Liu, Fengyi Mao, Yifan Kong, Qiongsi Zhang, Chaohao Li, Daheng He, Chi Wang, Yanquan Zhang, Ruixin Wang, Sally R. Ellingson, Qiou Wei, Zhiguo Li, Xiaoqi Liu

Toxicology and Cancer Biology Faculty Publications

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the leading causes of death among men worldwide. Treatments targeting the androgen receptor pathway remain the standard therapy for PCa patients. Enzalutamide (ENZ), a second-generation androgen receptor inhibitor, was developed to treat castration-resistant prostate cancer. However, while patients initially respond to ENZ, drug resistance typically develops within a few months. Artesunate (ART), a semisynthetic derivative of the Artemisinin plant, is approved for antimalaria treatment. In this study, we conducted an FDA-approved drug screening and identified ART as a potential candidate for overcoming ENZ resistance in PCa. Mechanistically, ART induces the degradation of c-Myc, enhancing …

Rural Hospital Closure And Medicaid Expansion, Jason White

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Introduction: In the United States, hospitals in rural areas have been under financial pressure and have been closing at an increasing rate.  This reduces access to care for rural citizens.  The Affordable Care Act of 2010 was passed in order to increase access to medical care, partially through an optional expansion of Medicaid coverage to a larger percentage of the population.  As some states adopted the expansion and some states did not, an opportunity was created to examine the policy’s effect on rural hospital stability.

Purpose of the Study:  This study was designed to examine the effect of …

Metformin In Overcoming Enzalutamide Resistance In Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer, Kendall Simpson, Derek B. Allison, Daheng He, Jinpeng Liu, Chi Wang, Xiaoqi Liu

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Androgen deprivation is the standard treatment for patients with prostate cancer. However, the disease eventually progresses as castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Enzalutamide, an androgen receptor inhibitor, is a typical drug for treating CRPC and with continuous reliance on the drug, can lead to enzalutamide resistance. This highlights the necessity for developing novel therapeutic targets to combat the gain of resistance. Metformin has been recently investigated for its potential antitumorigenic effects in many cancer types. In this study, we used enzalutamide and metformin in combination to explore the possible rescued efficacy of enzalutamide in the treatment of enzalutamide-resistant CRPC. We first …

Portable Multi-Parametric Microscopy For Noninvasive Metabolic And Vascular Imaging Of Orthotopic Tongue Cancer Models In Vivo, Pranto Soumik Saha, Jing Yan, Caigang Zhu

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Significance: Precise imaging of tumor metabolism with its vascular microenvironment becomes emerging critical for cancer research because increasing evidence shows that the key attribute that allows a tumor to survive therapies is metabolic and vascular reprogramming. However, there are surprisingly few imaging techniques available to provide a systems-level view of tumor metabolism and vasculature in vivo on small animals for cancer discoveries.

Aim: We aim to develop a new multi-parametric microscope that can faithfully recapitulate in vivo metabolic and vascular changes with a wide field of view and microscope-level resolution to advance cancer-related investigations. To maximize the ease and accessibility …

Dihydropyrimidine Enzyme Activity And Its Effect On Chemotherapy Toxicity: Importance Of Genetic Testing, Alexia Shamaei Zadeh, Danielle Roberts, Abby Williams, Deepali Pandey, John L. Villano

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Purpose

Patients with partial or complete DPD deficiency have decreased capacity to degrade fluorouracil and are at risk of developing toxicity, which can be even life-threatening.

Case

A 43-year-old man with moderately differentiated rectal adenocarcinoma on capecitabine presented to the emergency department with complaints of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, and lower abdominal pain for several days. Laboratory findings include grade 4 neutropenia (ANC 10) and thrombocytopenia (platelets 36,000). Capecitabine is used as a component of first-line adjuvant therapy by approximately 2 million patients worldwide each year. Capecitabine is metabolized to fluorouracil via the enzyme dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD). With worsening pancytopenia …

Addressing Ai Usage In Your Course Syllabus: A Guide For Faculty, Diana Almodovar Ph.D.

Open Educational Resources

No abstract provided.