Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment Commons^™

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome And Hyperinsulinemia: Overview And Treatment, Amanda M. Meyer, Lauren D. Bajbus, Sarah E. Drake, Kristen M. Quertinmont, Ashley Overy, Anne Gentry

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Polycystic ovary syndrome is a prevalent issue in women's health that is associated with hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance and can lead to long-term health problems. The most highly recommended treatments are diet and lifestyle changes. If these changes alone are not enough, pharmacologic treatments may be employed which include metformin, spironolactone or thiazolidinediones, although more research is needed to fully realize their role. The role of the pharmacist in this disease state includes counseling patients on healthy lifestyle changes, consulting with the physician about prescribing the best medication for each patient, and monitoring therapy adherence in the patient.

Management Of Hypertensive Emergencies In Pediatrics, Jennifer L. Bauer, Jamie L. Amero, Amanda C. Mcdavid, Ryan A. Fischer, Alison L. Huet, Karen L. Kier

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

As hypertension becomes more prevalent in the pediatric population, clinicians are more likely to encounter hypertensive emergencies in children, which require pharmacists and physicians to be educated on the therapeutic options for these emergencies. However, the strict governmental requirements on the testing of these drugs in pediatric patients have limited the amount of available evidence on which to base clinical decisions. This review will highlight the available evidence and preferred treatment options for the management of pediatric hypertensive emergencies.

Recent Advances Spark Significant Guideline Change: Antiretroviral Therapy (Art) At High Cd4+ Counts In The Treatment Naïve Patient, Joshua Ilenin, Kelly Fargo, Lisa Berni, Kristen Thatcher, Caitlin Swann, Andrew Roecker

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) targets CD4+ lymphocytes, a critical component to proper functioning of the human immune system. HIV is a significant public health concern, having resulted in over 27 million deaths since its discovery. Currently, several different treatment options exist, with combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) at the forefront. Despite the success of ART therapy, there are number of problems, including poor patient compliance. Due to this, the appropriate time to initiate therapy in the treatment naïve patient is under continuous scrutiny. Recently, several trials have demonstrated evidence suggesting that initiating ART at high CD4+ counts in the treatment naïve …

Evolution Of Acute Ischemic Stroke Treatment As Supported By Clinical Trials, Savya S. Shukla, Brian F. Baigorri Md, Roberto I. Fourzali Md, Yafell Serulle Md

Radiology

No abstract provided.

The Use Of Propranolol In The Treatment Of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Tana M. Peterman, Alison L. Huet, Sarah E. Drake, Jamie L. Drees, Robert D. Raiff, B. Shane Martin

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

This article examines the rising issue of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and possible treatment options. PTSD is a behavioral disorder resulting from memory formation and association with a traumatic event. A search of the published literature reveals several positive studies and case reports suggesting that propranolol, a beta adrenergic receptor antagonist, may be useful for both treatment and prevention of PTSD. Additionally, current studies are being completed in different population groups to determine the overall effectiveness and mechanism by which propranolol is able to provide relief from certain symptoms common to the disorder. This article discusses the medical evidence and …

Role Of The Pharmacist In Improving Treatment For Children With Concurrent Gastrointestinal And Autism Spectrum Disorders, Whitney R. Henry, Kaitlin A. Sanders, Jenna L. Schaffner, Leslie M. Hart, Whitney N. Detillion, Anne F. Gentry

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Over the last several years, a noteworthy association between gastrointestinal (GI) disorders and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has been documented, although no large population-based studies exist. GI disorders in ASD children may stem from the underlying behavioral, communication, sensory or neurological issues intrinsic to the autistic disorder itself; therefore, the incorporation of alternative therapies, including behavioral modification, may be compelling treatment additions to the GI care traditionally recommended in children. To improve GI symptoms and quality of life in ASD children, a multidisciplinary approach is optimal, with pharmacists playing an active role in determining appropriate pharmacotherapy. Although there is a …

Options For Breast Cancer Prevention In High-Risk Patients, Ashley M. Overy, Lacey A. Shumate, Sarah M. Webb, Ashley E. Lehnert, Monica A. Weisenberger, Whitney N. Detillion, Andrew M. Roecker

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed non-skin cancer in women, and one in eight women will develop breast cancer within their Iifetimes. Unfortunately, the strongest risk factors for breast cancer (i.e. age, family history, hormonal factors) are not easily modified. There is some evidence that chemopreventative drugs may be able to prevent breast cancer in high-risk patients. Tamoxifen and raloxifene have been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer in high-risk women but may be associated with several serious adverse events. Clinical trials are currently in progress to determine if aromatase inhibitors are a viable alternative for breast …

Identification And Molecular Analysis Of Dna In Exosomes, Jena Tavormina

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Exosomes are heterogeneous nanoparticles 50-150nm in diameter. Exosomes contain many functional cargo components, such as protein, DNA, and RNA. While protein and RNA exosome content has been extensively studied, very little work has been done to characterize exosomal DNA. Here, we demonstrate that exosomal DNA is heterogeneous and its packaging into exosomes is dependent on the cell of origin. Furthermore, through a rigorous assessment of various isolation methods, we identify Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC) as the best method for the isolation of exosomal DNA for downstream applications. Additionally, we evaluate the methylation status of exosomal DNA and demonstrate that exosomal …

Rapidly Recurrent Basilar Artery Thrombosis Treated With Emergent Mechanical Thrombectomies And Stenting, Mark Cohen, Amna Imran, Ankur Garg

Neurology

Acute basilar artery thrombosis (BAT) is a life-threatening condition that can be treated by emergent mechanical thrombectomy (EMT). Recurrent acute BAT is a rare phenomenon. Here we describe a case of rapid recurrent acute BAT that was treated each time by EMT and finally by emergent basilar artery stenting with good outcome

Creating An Interprofessional Collaborative Research Opportunity For Physical And Occupational Therapy Students, Anne Fleischer, Mary Insana Fisher, Shirley P. O'Brien

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) professional associations assert the importance that entry-level therapists learn and apply the knowledge and skills necessary for interprofessional collaborative practice; however, the majority of PT and OT programs do not have the other discipline at their university. A challenge exists for the creation of a transparent active learning opportunity promoting interprofessional student engagement when the two professions do not reside in the same university. This case study provides a model for how to feasibly create an interprofessional experience for students in universities that do not include a complementary or collaborative allied health professional …

A Novel Polyelectrolyte Multilayer Nanofilm-Based Synthetic Bioresorbable Antimicrobial Matrix Accelerated Healing Of Chronic Wounds In A Prospective Clinical Evaluation, Sarah Waterman Manning Md, David A. Humphrey, Michael J. Schurr, Eric C. Crawford, Gaurav Pranami, William Shillinglaw, Lorinda K. Baker, Michael J. Schurr

General Surgery

No abstract provided.

Size Matters: A Case Of Recurrent Proximal Esophageal Stenoses Treated With A Biliary Self Expanding Metal Stent (Sems), Sahityan Viswanathan, Timothy Dobin, Long T. Hoang

Gastroenterology

Esophageal stenosis after radiotherapy occurs in up to 15% of patients within three months of treatment. Endoscopic dilation remains the standard of care for cervical esophageal stenosis with refractory cases requiring stenting. Proximal stenosis poses a challenge as standard esophageal stents can cause cervicalgia and globus sensation due to their size and expansive force. We report on the usage of a biliary SEMS for a severe-recurrent stricture at the level of the proximal esophageal sphincter.

Iron Pill-Induced Gastropathy In Elderly Patients: A Case Series Report, Isin Y. Comba Md, Richard Henriquez, Sundeep Kumar, Ruthvik Srinvasa-Murthy, Maria Wallis-Crespo, Lakhinder Bhatia Md, Joshua Shultz

Gastroenterology

Introduction: Iron deficiency anemia is a global health problem with an estimated two billion cases worldwide. Oral iron supplementation is considered the first line treatment. However, recent studies favor the use of short-term IV iron especially in patients with drug tolerance and efficacy concerns. In this report, we present three cases of iron pill gastropathy in patient's whose clinical courses were complicated by gastric erosion, ulcer or gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. All of our patients had a history of iron deficiency anemia and were being treated with oral ferrous sulfate.

Case Description/Methods: The first case involved a 72-year-old male with multiple …

Non-Incarcerated Inguinal Hernia With Sigmoidal Diverticulitis, Umair J. Khan, Ali Hassan, Kingsley Dah, M Lambing, P Mathew

Internal Medicine

Introduction: Abdominal wall hernia is defined as a protrusion of a part or whole organ through the wall of a cavity. Inguinal hernias account for 75% of abdominal wall hernias, with a lifetime risk of 27% in men and 3% in women. Indirect inguinal hernia account for 80% of total inguinal hernias. A wide variety of pathological processes can present as inguinal hernias however, large reducible inguinal hernias are quite rare. Recent studies have associated abdominal wall hernia with colonic diverticulosis, a term referred to as herniosis. This association suggests that an underlying connective tissue disorder could be a common …

Peripheral Nerve Stimulator For Treating Nummular Headaches And Occipital Neuralgia, Bruce Dixon Do, Stephen Pyles Md, Ettore Crimi Md

Anesthesiology

No abstract provided.

Severe Bradycardia During A Spinal Cord Stimulator Procedure, Marc Blanchard Md, Ettore Crimi Md, Stephen Pyles Md

Anesthesiology

We report a case of severe bradycardia during spinal cord implantation. A 43 year old female with a history of chronic refractory lumbar back pain presented for revision of spinal cord stimulator. Preoperative assessment was positive only for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy. During the procedure, surgeon’s attempt to advance the lead through scar tissue elicited severe bradycardia (HR 28) resolved with glycopyrrolate. Compression of spinal cord secondary to difficult lead placement could be the cause of this cardiovascular event. Anesthesiologists need to be aware that severe bradycardia can occur during spinal cord implantation.

Using Education To Increase Compliance With Heart Failure Medications, Kara Stout Do, Isaac Navarro Dmd

Internal Medicine

• Approximately 5.7 million adults in the United States have heart failure.
• 25% of individuals die within one year of diagnosis and more than 80% die within 8 years.
• Full adherence to medications may be as low as 30% in heart failure patients.
• Non-compliant patients are two times more likely to be readmitted to the hospital and have a three times higher mortality rate.

Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome From Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor Use During Pregnancy, Elizabeth Kramer, Maria Patnella, Rachel Bulko, Allie Harrison, Hannah Lamb, Manoranjan D'Souza

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is a concern for infants born to mothers receiving treatment with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) throughout the pregnancy. The risk of NAS associated with SSRI use during pregnancy varies with the specific SSRI that is used by the patient during pregnancy. Common symptoms of NAS include premature delivery, gastrointestinal disturbances, irritability, low birth weight, short length and lack of response to various stimuli. Neonates that present with these symptoms can be scored using either the Finnegan or Lipsitz scoring tools. Neonates experiencing NAS can be calmed or treated using nonpharmacologic methods such as swaddling, …

Preimplantation Genetic Testing (Pgt) And Frozen Embryo Transfer (Fet) Synergistically Decrease Pre-Term Delivery In Patients Undergoing In Vitro Fertilization (Ivf), Luke Ying Md, Mark Sanchez Md, James Baron Md, Ying Ying

OB-GYN

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of FET and FET post PGT (FET/PGT) on pre-term and very pre-term deliveries in patients undergoing IVF with elective single embryo transfer (eSET).

DESIGN: Retrospective cohort Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART) data study.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the publicly available data in the SART National Summary Report from 2014 to 2017. Cycle inclusion criteria were eSET, fresh embryo transfers (ET), and frozen embryo transfers (FET) with or without PGT (FET/PGT). Exclusion criteria were use of gestational carriers and donor eggs. Pregnancy outcomes included live births and gestational age …

Effects Of Dabigatran In Mouse Models Of Aging And Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy, Neethu Michael, Mher Mahoney Grigoryan, Kelley Kilday, Rachita K. Sumbria, Vitaly Vasilevko, Joanne Van Ryn, David H. Cribbs, Annlia Paganini-Hill, Mark J. Fisher

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Oral anticoagulants are a critical component of stroke prevention, but carry a risk of brain hemorrhage. These hemorrhagic complications tend to occur in elderly individuals, especially those with predisposing conditions such as cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA). Clinical evidence suggests that non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants are safer than traditional oral anticoagulants. We analyzed whether the anticoagulant dabigatran produces cerebral microhemorrhage (the pathological substrate of MRI-demonstrable cerebral microbleeds) or intracerebral hemorrhage in aged mice with and without hemorrhage-predisposing angiopathy. We studied aged (22 months old) Tg2576 (a model of CAA) and wild-type (WT) littermate mice. Mice received either dabigatran etexilate (DE) …

Prediction Of Anal Cancer Recurrence After Chemoradiotherapy Using Quantitative Image Features Extracted From Serial (18)F-Fdg Pet/Ct, Michael Chuong

All Publications

No abstract provided.

Cannabidiol Is Beneficial In Management Of Drug-Resistant Dravet Syndrome, Nikita Desai

Clinical Research in Practice: The Journal of Team Hippocrates

A critical appraisal and clinical application of Devinsky O, Cross H, Laux L, et al. Trial of Cannabidiol for Drug-Resistant Seizures in the Dravet Syndrome. N Engl J Med. 2017;376(21):2011-2020. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1611618.

Influence Of Gut Microbiome On Obesity In Western-Style Dietary Practices Versus Other Diets: A Systematic Review, Keely A. Niemeyer, Doris I. Buezo, Loren Landeros, Karina Corral

OSRI Journal of Student Research and Innovation

BACKGROUND: The human gut is home to a microbiome that has a complex relationship to human health. Like the human genome project, microbiome is catching the attention of researchers who seek new methods to combat obesity and negative health outcomes associated with it.

OBJECTIVES: This systematic review aims to distinguish the impact of a Western diet on gut health verses a plant-based diet.

DATA SOURCES: EBSCOHost library databases inclusive of CINAHL plus, ScienceDirect, and PubMed using keywords to better understand the correlation of dietary practices and microbiome balance.

STUDY ELIGIBILITY: Criteria that include diet, current research, and scholarly peer reviewed …

Chemical Epitope Targeting: Review Of A Novel Screening Technology, Qurrat Ul-Ain, Rene Kandler, Dylan Gillespie, Arundhati Nag

Scholarly Undergraduate Research Journal at Clark (SURJ)

Chemical Epitope Targeting is a novel technology developed for designing peptide ligands with high affinity and specificity against specific regions of a protein that may be inaccessible to small molecules or antibodies. In this review, we summarize the key steps and significant applications of this technology. Operating on the same principles as antibody-antigen interactions, this technique involves chemically synthesizing the region of interest on the protein, called the epitope, as a polypeptide with a biotin detection tag and a strategically placed alkyne or azide presenting amino acid. The constructed epitope is screened against a comprehensive linear or cyclic One Bead …

The Effects Of Therapeutic Riding On Social Skills And Sensory Functioning In Children With Autism, Betsy Donahoe-Fillmore, Mary Insana Fisher, Christy Lee, Jordan Bevins, Cristin Carter, Stephanie Dailey, Kelsey Haynes, Allison Richard, Sarah Soboslay

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Purpose and Significance: Therapeutic riding (TR) is equine-assisted riding lessons that are adapted for people with a wide variety of impairments and is often used as an adjunct to traditional therapies. Previous research has shown that TR helped to improve sensory functioning, cognition and social skills in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) but sessions have typically been for 10-12 weeks. The purpose of this study was to investigate if social skills and sensory functioning improved after only 8 weeks of TR.

Subjects: Children were recruited from a local TR center. Participants included seven children (5M, 2F) with a diagnosis …

Developing A Dissociative Nanocontainer For Peptide Drug Delivery, Michael Patrick Kelly

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The potency and specificity of bioactive peptides have propelled these agents to the forefront of pharmacological research. However, delivery of peptides to their molecular target in cells is a major obstacle to their widespread application. A Trojan Horse strategy of packaging a bioactive peptide within a modified protein cage to protect it during transport, and releasing it at the target site, is a promising delivery method. Recent work has demonstrated that the viral capsid of the P22 bacteriophage can be loaded with an arbitrary, genetically-encoded peptide, and externally decorated with a cell-penetrating peptide, such as HIV-Tat, to translocate across in …

Non-Viral Transfection Efficiencies For The Advancement Of Car-T Therapy., Emily M Murphy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Leukemias are the most common form of childhood cancer making up 30% of total pediatric oncological cases, and Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) makes up a significant portion (12%) of the total pediatric cancer diagnoses. In 2017, the FDA approved a successful immunotherapy called CAR-T therapy for the treatment of pediatric B-cell ALL. This therapy includes a CAR (chimeric antigen receptor) that is loaded into the T-cell and expressed. Currently, the loading of the CAR utilizes viral transduction, but consistency issues lead to adverse symptoms in the patients. Better methods of transduction/transfection are being studied in order to improve these consistency …

Evaluating The Therapeutic Efficacy Of Grb2 Inhibition In Ovarian Malignancies, Olivia Lara

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Purpose: Adaptor proteins such as growth factor receptor-bound protein-2 (Grb2) play important roles in cancer cell signaling. In the present study, we examined the biological effects of liposomal antisense oligodeoxynucleotide that blocks Grb2 expression (L-Grb2) in ovarian cancer models.

Experimental Design: Murine orthotopic models of ovarian cancer (OVCAR5 and SKOV3ip1) were used to study the biological effects of L-Grb2 on tumor growth. In vitro experiments (cell viability assay, Western blot analysis, siRNA transfection, and reverse phase protein array) were carried out to elucidate the mechanism and potential predictors of tumor response to L-Grb2.

Results: Treatment with L-Grb2 decreased tumor growth …

The Wet Bridge Transfer System: An Novel In Vitro Tool For Assessing Exogenous Surfactant As A Pulmonary Drug Delivery Vehicle, Brandon J. Baer

Western Research Forum

Background:

Due to its complex branching structure, direct drug delivery to the remote areas of the lung is a major challenge. Consequently, most therapies, such as those treating pulmonary infection and inflammation, must utilize large systemic dosing, with the potential for adverse side effects. A novel alternative strategy is to use exogenous surfactant, a material capable of distributing throughout the lung, as a pulmonary drug delivery vehicle.

Objective:

Utilize an in vitro transferring system to assess exogenous surfactant (BLES) as a pulmonary delivery vehicle for different therapeutics.

Methods:

An in vitro technique was developed to simultaneously study surfactant delivery and …

Near Infrared Gumbos And Nanogumbos For Biomedical Applications, Mi Chen

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Recent advances in development of nanomaterials have provided great opportunities for cancer research. In this dissertation, nanoGUMBOS derived from a group of uniform materials based on organic salts (GUMBOS) were investigated for several biomedical applications including chemotherapy, photothermal therapy (PTT), and drug delivery. GUMBOS are solid-phase organic salts consisting of bulky cations and anions. Similar to ionic liquids, GUMBOS display highly tunable properties with counter-ions variation, but with a defined melting point range of 25–250 °C. Nanomaterials derived from GUMBOS, i.e. nanoGUMBOS, display enhanced properties at the nanoscale level. This dissertation focuses on development of near infrared IR780 nanoGUMBOS for …