Chemicals and Drugs Commons^™

Novel Biomarkers Of Ciliary Extracellular Vesicles Interact With Ciliopathy And Alzheimer’S Associated Proteins, Ashraf M. Mohieldin, Amal Alachkar, John R. Yates Iii, Surya M. Nauli

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Ciliary extracellular vesicles (ciEVs), released from primary cilia, contain functional proteins that play an important role in cilia structure and functions. We have recently shown that ciEVs and cytosolic extracellular vesicles (cyEVs) have unique and distinct biomarkers. While ciEV biomarkers have shown some interactions with known ciliary proteins, little is known about the interaction of ciEV proteins with proteins involved in ciliopathy and neurodegenerative disorders. Here, we reveal for the first time the protein-protein interaction (PPI) between the top five ciEVs biomarkers with ciliopathy and Alzheimer disease (AD) proteins. These results support the growing evidence of the critical physiological roles …

Sglt2 Inhibitors In The Management Of Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction, Susannah Jackson, Meghan Mathis

Physician Assistant Capstones, 2020-current

Objective: to assess whether SGLT2 inhibitors significantly reduce the risk of hospitalization for heart failure (HAHF) and cardiovascular death in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Design: systematic literature review. Methods: searches were conducted in PubMed with the terms "SGLT2 Inhibitors,” “heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF),” and "hospitalization” and the following limits: publication within the last 5 years, clinical trials, meta-analyses, randomized control trials, humans, and English. These criteria determined the selected literature: randomized control trial (RCT), use of an SGLT2i compared to placebo, and outcomes including HAHF and/or cardiovascular related death. Results: DAPA-HF: 27% …

Steviol Represses Glucose Metabolism And Translation Initiation In Pancreatic Cancer Cells, Sonam Kumari, Mohammed Sikander, Shabnam Malik, Manish Tripathi, Bilal B. Hafeez, Murali M. Yallapu, Subhash C. Chauhan, Sheema Khan, Meena Jaggi

School of Medicine Publications

Pancreatic cancer has the worst prognosis and lowest survival rate among all cancers. Pancreatic cancer cells are highly metabolically active and typically reprogrammed for aberrant glucose metabolism; thus they respond poorly to therapeutic modalities. It is highly imperative to understand mechanisms that are responsible for high glucose metabolism and identify natural/synthetic agents that can repress glucose metabolic machinery in pancreatic cancer cells, to improve the therapeutic outcomes/management of pancreatic cancer patients. We have identified a glycoside, steviol that effectively represses glucose consumption in pancreatic cancer cells via the inhibition of the translation initiation machinery of the molecular components. Herein, we …

Comparative Metabolism Of Aflatoxin B1 In Two Quail Genera Coturnix Japonica And Callipepla Californica, Sean Moody

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Avian species are highly susceptible to the hepatotoxic mycotoxin aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁). Domesticated turkeys are exquisitely sensitive, due to a combination of highly-efficient hepatic cytochrome P450 (CYP)-mediated bioactivation, and to dysfunctional alpha-class glutathione S-transferases (GSTAs) which typically detoxify the bioactivated electrophilic metabolite exo-AFB₁-8,9-epoxide (AFBO). Wild turkeys are relatively resistant to AFB₁ in large part due to expression of functional GSTAs. Quail, a related Galliforme, are slightly less sensitive in vivo to AFB₁, but whether this is related to the hepatic metabolic profiles of these two critical enzymes has not been rigorously evaluated. …

Role Of Meibum And Tear Phospholipids In The Evaporative Water Loss Associated With Dry Eye., Samiyyah M. Sledge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It is generally believed that the tear film lipid surface film inhibits the rate of evaporation (Revap) of the underlying tear aqueous. It is also generally believed that changes in the composition of the tear film lipid layer is responsible for an increase in Revap in patients with dry eye. Both of these ideas have never been proven. The purpose of the current studies was to test these ideas. Revap was measured in vitro gravimetrically. Lipid spreading was measured using Raman spectroscopy and microscopy. The influence of the following surface films on the Revap of the sub phase of physiologically …

Eradication Of Enterococcus Faecalis In Conventional Endodontic Retreatments (A Randomized Clinical Trial), Fadl H. Khaled, Roula S. Abiad, Khaled Abd El Galil, Essam Osman

BAU Journal - Creative Sustainable Development

Enterococcus faecalis is the most common bacteria isolated in conventional endodontic retreatments. Aim: To compare the impact of three irrigation modalities on the elimination of the isolated microbial strains of Enterococcus faecalis. Materials and Methods: Thirty patients requiring conventional endodontic retreatment for one of their mandibular premolars and tested positive for E. faecalis were chosen. Patients were randomly divided into three groups (n=10) according to the irrigation modality to be used; group I: syringe irrigation (NaOCl 2.625%), group II: NaOCl 2.625%+EndoActivator and group III: NaOCl 2.625%+diode laser. Before obturation, samples S2 were collected and PCR analysis was performed to identify …

Colchicine, Covid-19 And Hematological Parameters: A Meta-Analysis, Musharraf Sarwar, Zahid Ali, Mahnoor Fatima, Zouina Sarfraz, Azza Sarfraz, Ivan Cherrez-Ojeda

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Introduction: Colchicine has the potential in reducing patient morbidity and mortality in COVID-19 infection owing to its anti-inflammatory properties. This study aims to determine the efficacy of colchicine in optimizing inflammatory hematological biomarker levels among COVID-19 patients.
Methods: In accordance to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 statement guidelines, a systematic search was conducted using the following keywords: Colchicine, covid*, SARS-CoV-2, anti-inflammatory, trials, clinical, hematological, laboratory. Databases were searched from December 2019 until August 26, 2021: MEDLINE/PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane, Scopus, and EMBASE. Other sources were located through ClinicalTrials.Gov, manually searching SAGE, Science Direct, Elsevier, …

Multiple Sclerosis And Its Symptom Management Through Supplementation And Dietary Planning, Lindsey J. Davis

Selected Honors Theses

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune, neuroinflammatory disorder that is characterized by the breakdown of myelinated axons in the Central and Peripheral Nervous Systems. It is a potentially debilitating autoimmune disease that affects almost 1 million people in the United States, and nearly 2.5 million people worldwide. The precise etiology of MS is still being researched, but much progress has been made towards understanding the molecular mechanisms and impactful ways to treat this disease. While there is still no cure, new treatment plans are constantly being orchestrated in effort to alleviate the burden that MS carries. Combination treatment plans have …

Preliminary Findings Of A Study On The Practice Of Self-Medication Of Antibiotics Among The Practicing Nurses Of A Tertiary Care Hospital, Akbar Shoukat Ali, Rahim Jandani, Arwa A. Al-Qahtani, Abdulkarem A S. Alenzi

Department of Medicine

Objectives: Antibiotic resistance is indeed a global concern. It is of significant concern especially in the low-middle income countries because of the ease of accessibility, affordability, and absence of regulations pertaining to the dispensing of non-prescription antibiotics. This study aims to estimate the frequency and factors associated with the self-medication of antibiotics found among the practicing nurses.
Methods: We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan from July 2016 to August 2016.
Results: Of the 48 recruited nurses, 60.4% (29/48) were practicing self-medication of antibiotics. There were slightly more male nurses (17/29) than their …

Atomistic Simulations And In Silico Mutational Profiling Of Protein Stability And Binding In The Sars-Cov-2 Spike Protein Complexes With Nanobodies: Molecular Determinants Of Mutational Escape Mechanisms, Gennady M. Verkhivker, Steve Agajanian, Deniz Yasar Oztas, Grace Gupta

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Structure-functional studies have recently revealed a spectrum of diverse high-affinity nanobodies with efficient neutralizing capacity against SARS-CoV-2 virus and resilience against mutational escape. In this study, we combine atomistic simulations with the ensemble-based mutational profiling of binding for the SARS-CoV-2 S-RBD complexes with a wide range of nanobodies to identify dynamic and binding affinity fingerprints and characterize the energetic determinants of nanobody-escaping mutations. Using an in silico mutational profiling approach for probing the protein stability and binding, we examine dynamics and energetics of the SARS-CoV-2 complexes with single nanobodies Nb6 and Nb20, VHH E, a pair combination VHH E + …

Angiogenesis' Effect Overall On Health And Disease, Wendy Tang

The Cardinal Edge

Angiogenesis plays a major role in the development of diseases and cancer. The development of illnesses like metastatic breast cancer, cell carcinomas, tumors and various other illnesses, originate from the activation of endothelial cells. When the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is released from hypoxic tissues, they bind to vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFR). The binding of VEGF and VEGFR allows for cellular proliferation, increased migration of lattice networks, and the invasion of endothelial cells, which stimulate the formation of new blood vessels from pre-existing ones. As a result, it can be concluded that the inhibition of VEGFs would …

The Onset Of Exercise-Associated Hyponatremia And Individual Differences In Inappropriate Arginine Vasopressin Excretion: A Review Of Proposed Mechanisms, Michelle Stehman, Stephen A. Maris

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology Volume 2: Issue 1, Article 10, 2021. Exercise-associated hyponatremia (EAH) has been reported to develop during endurance events such as triathlons and marathons. As these events become more popular, the incidence of developing EAH also increases. The development of EAH is commonly associated with the overconsumption of hypotonic fluids such as water and tends to be more prevalent in females. There is also evidence to suggest the inappropriate secretion of arginine vasopressin (AVP) leading to water retention may predispose an individual for developing EAH, especially when coupled with the overconsumption of fluids. Recent research …

Does Epa Cause A Decrease In Inflammation Of Bend.3 Cells Through Ffar4?, Clay J. Weidenhamer

Masters Theses

Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease initiated by low and oscillatory shear stress on the endothelium. The inflammatory process recruits leukocytes to the vessel wall by expression of the adhesion molecule VCAM-1. Activation of the NF-κB inflammatory signaling pathway is responsible for the increase in VCM-1 expression. Omega 3 FAs, such as EPA, reduce the risk of atherosclerosis by decreasing this inflammatory response. The pathway by which omega 3 FAs is proposed to inhibit inflammation includes activating FFAR4 to decrease NF-κB activation thereby reducing expression of adhesion molecules. We hypothesized that treatment of endothelial cells with 30 μM EPA would decrease …

Gene Expression Profiling Of Mapk Pathway Inhibitor Resistance In Cutaneous Melanoma: Can Bioinformatics Be Used To Select Better Melanoma Cell Lines?, Stephen Luebker

Theses & Dissertations

Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer, and incidence has continued to increase. Half of all melanomas have a BRAF V600E mutation and respond to MAPK pathway inhibitors, including BRAF inhibitor therapy or BRAF/MEK inhibitor combination therapy, but nearly all patients develop treatment resistance. Melanoma cell lines produce variable results as models of MAPK pathway inhibitor resistance. To better understand how the genomic similarity of a melanoma cell line to patient-derived tumors affects resistance mechanisms, differences in DNA mutations and copy-number alterations were compared between melanoma cell lines profiled by the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia and cutaneous melanoma tumors …

Insights Into The Mechanisms Of Brain Endothelial Erythrophagocytosis, Jiahong Sun, Prema Vyas, Samar Mann, Annlia Paganini-Hill, Ane C. F. Nunes, Wei Ling Lau, David H. Cribbs, Mark J. Fisher, Rachita K. Sumbria

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

The endothelial cells which form the inner cellular lining of the vasculature can act as non-professional phagocytes to ingest and remove emboli and aged/injured red blood cells (RBCs) from circulation. We previously demonstrated an erythrophagocytic phenotype of the brain endothelium for oxidatively stressed RBCs with subsequent migration of iron-rich RBCs and RBC degradation products across the brain endothelium in vivo and in vitro, in the absence of brain endothelium disruption. However, the mechanisms contributing to brain endothelial erythrophagocytosis are not well defined, and herein we elucidate the cellular mechanisms underlying brain endothelial erythrophagocytosis. Murine brain microvascular endothelial cells (bEnd.3 …

Suppression Of Dc-Sign And Gh Reveals Complex, Subset-Specific Mechanisms For Kshv Entry In Primary B Lymphocytes, Nancy Palmerin, Farizeh Aalam, Romina Nabiee, Murali Muniraju, Javier Gordon Ogembo, Jennifer Totonchy

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is the causative agent of multiple cancers in immunocompromised patients including two lymphoproliferative disorders associated with KSHV infection of B lymphocytes. Despite many years of research into the pathogenesis of KSHV associated diseases, basic questions related to KSHV molecular virology remain unresolved. One such unresolved question is the cellular receptors and viral glycoproteins needed for KSHV entry into primary B lymphocytes. In this study, we assess the contributions of KSHV glycoprotein H (gH) and the cellular receptor DC-SIGN to KSHV infection in tonsil-derived B lymphocytes. Our results show that (1) neither KSHV-gH nor DC-SIGN are essential …

Ganglioside Alters Phospholipase Trafficking, Inhibits Nf-Κb Assembly, And Protects Tight Junction Integrity, John J. Miklavcic, Qun Li, Jordan Skolnick, Alan B. R. Thomson, Vera C. Mazurak, Michael Tom Clandinin

Food Science Faculty Articles and Research

Background and Aims: Dietary gangliosides are present in human milk and consumed in low amounts from organ meats. Clinical and animal studies indicate that dietary gangliosides attenuate signaling processes that are a hallmark of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Gangliosides decrease pro-inflammatory markers, improve intestinal permeability, and reduce symptoms characteristic in patients with IBD. The objective of this study was to examine mechanisms by which dietary gangliosides exert beneficial effects on intestinal health.

Methods: Studies were conducted in vitro using CaCo-2 intestinal epithelial cells. Gangliosides were extracted from milk powder and incubated with differentiated CaCo-2 cells after exposure to pro-inflammatory stimuli. …

Crohn’S Disease And Omega 3: Can It Decrease Crp? A Literature Review, Ariana L. Vyvjala

Bachelors of Science in Nursing

The Crohn’s and Colitis foundation of America estimates that 70,000 Americans are diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) each year (2021). Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease characterized by periods of remission and exacerbation triggered by an increase in stress (Mackner et al., 2020). Patients can experience debilitating abdominal pain, diarrhea, fatigue, blood in the stool, and reduced appetite during an exacerbation period, all of which can lead to life-threatening complications (Mayo Clinic, 2020). In most cases, patients are diagnosed in their late teens or early adulthood years, and are prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs (Mayo Clinic, 2020). As there is …

Formulation Of Coffee Extract As Polymeric Nanoparticles And Studying Their Potential Biological Activities, Nouran Sharaf

Theses and Dissertations

Coffee extract was prepared and optimized (by solvent extraction) and subsequently entrapped into PLGA nanoparticles using single emulsion-solvent evaporation method (using Design Expert software). Dynamic Light Scattering, Scanning Electron Microscope, Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopy and Folin Ciocalteau assay were used to characterize the NPs and to aid in selecting the optimum formulation conditions. The optimized NPs were in-vitro evaluated for their antimicrobial (by agar-well diffusion method), antioxidant (by DPPH assay) and anticancer (by MTT assay) activities. Finally, the release rate study was conducted for the NP sample showing the highly promising results.

The succeeded NP sample, in terms of the most …

Full Issue: The International Undergraduate Journal Of Health Sciences, Volume 1, Issue 1, June 2021, Iujhs Full Issue

International Undergraduate Journal of Health Sciences

The full June 2021 issue (Volume 1, Issue 1) of the International Undergraduate Journal of Health Sciences

Engineering And Characterization Of Human Β-Defensin-3 And Its Analogues And Microcin J25 Peptides Against Mannheimia Haemolytica And Bovine Neutrophils, Harpreet Dhingra, Kamaljit Kaur, Baljit Singh

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Mannheimia haemolytica-induced bovine respiratory disease causes loss of millions of dollars to Canadian cattle industry. Current antimicrobials are proving to be ineffective and leave residues in meat. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) may be effective against M. haemolytica while minimizing the risk of drug residues. Cationic AMPs can kill bacteria through interactions with the anionic bacterial membrane. Human β-Defensin 3 (HBD3) and microcin J25 (MccJ25) are AMPs with potent activity against many Gram-negative bacteria. We tested the microbicidal activity of wild-type HBD3, three HBD3 peptide analogues (28 amino acid, 20AA, and 10AA) derived from the sequence of natural HBD3, and MccJ25 …

Activation Of Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Signaling In Human Trophoblasts Alters Markers Of Growth And Differentiation, Asmaa Alsousi

Research Days

Background: It is estimated that 1.7% of pregnant women smoke during their pregnancy globally, with the highest levels observed in Europe at 8.1%, and lowest in Africa at 0.8. The association of maternal cigarette smoking with increased risk of poor birth outcomes such as preterm birth, congenital anomalies, and neonatal mortality is well-established. In addition, evidence suggests that intrauterine exposure to maternal smoking impacts the risk of developing diseases later in life; however, we still do not understand the exact mechanism(s) leading to these outcomes. Once components of cigarette smoke (CS) cross the placenta and enter the fetal compartment, several …

Development Of Long-Acting Antiviral Drug Nanoformulations, Denise Cobb

Theses & Dissertations

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has improved the quality and duration of life for people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. However, opportunities to improve its profile abound. ART is limited by putative viral reservoir penetrance, emergence of viral mutations, inherent toxicities, and regimen non-adherence. These highlight the need improved drug delivery schemes. Previously, our lab has demonstrated that targeting mononuclear phagocytes for antiretroviral drug delivery extends drug half-life and improves penetrance into viral reservoirs, addressing these limitations of ART. Herein, we developed synthetic and biologic antiretroviral (ARV) drug nanocarriers improve the pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) profiles of ARVs through …

Characterization Of Di-Aryl Urea Compounds Against Acute And Chronic Toxoplasma Gondii, Austin Sanford

Theses & Dissertations

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite that has infected nearly 60 million individuals in the United States alone. Acute infection causes ill effects to the fetus in utero when mothers are primarily infected, and to immunocompromised individuals. Chronic infection consists of quiescent tissue cysts located primarily in brain tissue and is capable of reverting back to the acute stage causing severe toxoplasma encephalitis in immunocompromised individuals. Current treatments for acute infection are lacking while there are no approved treatments for the clearance of chronic infection. The aim of this research was to evaluate a family of di-aryl urea compounds …

Fucoxanthin: A Review Of Potential Benefits Relative To Human Health, Michael R. White

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Fucoxanthin is a carotenoid sourced and extracted mainly from dark orange and brown seaweeds found in the pacific ocean, such as the wakame algae. The allenic bonds and unique oxygen groups give fucoxanthin its unique structure and are thought to be part of the reason fucoxanthin has unique physiological functions. Fucoxanthin has potentially numerous effects on the physiology of human health, ranging from skin health to metabolic health, which have been demonstrated in animal model research. The goal of this review is to examine current literature to discuss fucoxanthin’s potential application as a nutraceutical, treatment for obesity, type 2 diabetes, …

Robotripping: The Dangers Of Abusing Dextromethorphan, Tiffany Sin, James Espinosa, Dana Fichter

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Dextromethorphan (3-methoxy-N-methylmorphinan), also known as “DXM,” is a synthetically produced drug available in many over-the- counter (OTC) cough and cold medications as a centrally acting cough suppressant that binds to NMDA receptors. In a 2006 national survey of 50,000 students, 4, 5, and 7% of 8, 10, and 12th graders reported DXM abuse in the past year. In high doses, DXM can cause euphoria, hallucinations, dissociations, and distortion of cognition and perception. DXM abuse is also known as “Robotripping,” “Robodosing,” “Dexing,” “Tussin,” or “Triple Cs” because Robitussin® and Coricidin® Cough and Cold are most frequently abused. DXM has replaced codeine …

The Effect Of Carfilzomib And Bortezomib Based Regimes On Cardiotoxicity In Multiple Myeloma Patients At Cooper University Hospital, Ami Patel, Tulin Budak-Alpdogan, Stalam Tapati

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Introduction

• Multiple myeloma (MM) is a cancer of plasma cells, which is a white blood cell that normally produces antibodies
• Treatment in patients younger than 65 years old is typically high dose chemotherapy, usually with bortezomib based regimens or lenalidomide dexamethasone, followed by a stem cell transplant
• For patients with relapsed myeloma, carfilzomib is usually the treatment of choice
• Carfilzomib is a highly selective, irreversible proteasome inhibitor that binds to the 20 S proteasome. Several studies have illustrated that carfilzomib has been associated with cardiovascular adverse events (CVAE).
• Current literature on the role and effect of bortezomib on cardiotoxicity is …

Alteplase Used In A Child With An Acute Ischemic Stroke, Shah Nawaz Chaudhary, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna, Adam Richards

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Stroke, also known as cerebrovascular accident (CVA), is a neurological injury caused by inadequate brain perfusion due to either ischemia or hemorrhage. There is an abundance of literature on the management of ischemic strokes in adults and this has led to well-defined diagnostic and treatment guidelines. However, the management of pediatric ischemic strokes is currently based on clinical experience of experts, recommendations of consensus guidelines, case studies and extrapolation from adult clinical trials. In this case report, a pediatric patient suffering from an ischemic stroke is successfully treated with IV alteplase (tPA).

Acute Flecainide Toxicity Treated With Intravenous Lipid Emulsion, Joseph S. Schreiner

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Flecainide is a Vaughn-Williams class IC antiarrhythmic used in the treatment of supraventricular tachycardias including atrial fibrillation. While overdose is rare, its negative effects on cardiac inotropy and conduction pathways can be readily fatal. This is further complicated by the redistribution of the drug out of the plasma and deposition in tissue, rendering reversal by sodium bicarbonate (the standard first line treatment agent) relatively ineffective. A case study of the successful treatment of hemodynamic collapse using sodium bicarbonate in conjunction with intravenous lipid emulsion (ILE) in a patient who ingested a large amount of flecainide in a suicide attempt will …

Case Presentation: Lower Back Pain Or Chronic Acetaminophen Overdose?, Meghan Whitt, Christopher Schwartz, Bhumi Shah

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Unintentional ingestions can pose a difficult challenge to diagnose in the setting of the Emergency Department. Many may present with vague symptoms that are not consistent with classic overdose prodromes. Many patients do not identify or disclose over the counter medications, such as analgesics, with which acute/chronic ingestion in large quantities can result in life threatening medical emergencies. Their underlying symptoms may also cloud their clinical picture, further complicating workup within the ED.