Chemicals and Drugs Commons^™

A Review Of Ankylosing Spondylitis, Hannah L. Owen

Senior Honors Theses

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a systemic autoimmune disorder that induces ankylosis of the spine (fusion of the vertebrae at their various joints) and inflammatory arthritis of peripheral joints among other symptoms. Overexpression of cytokines, the presence of genetic mutations not exclusive to the human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-B27 region, and environmental factors all have large roles in the progressive development of AS. Although a definitive pathology continues to be sought after, researchers believe the adaptive immune system in AS patients attacks fibrocartilaginous entheses (supportive connective tissue between bone and attached structures like tendon, ligament, and fascia).

AS markedly reduces proper systemic …

Antibiotic Overuse: The History, Consequences, And Possible Solutions, Brooke A. Bost

Senior Honors Theses

Antibiotic overuse has become alarmingly accepted in the developed world. This overuse is leading to drug resistance in microbes, resulting in bacterial infections that are impossible to treat. Steps must be taken to reverse the damage that has already been done and prevent further resistance from developing. This thesis will examine the context and societal situations that led to this acceptance of antibiotic overuse and misuse seen in both health care professionals and the public, the biochemical and genetic pathways that allow a microbe to develop drug resistance, the various methods that have been suggested by experts to prevent and …