Diseases Commons^™

Proteome Alterations In Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma, Sheng Pan, Teresa A Brentnall, Ru Chen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Proteins are the essential functional biomolecules profoundly implicated in all aspects of pancreatic tumorigenesis and its progression. While common genomic factors, such as KRAS, TP53, SMAD4, and CDKN2A have been well recognized in association of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), our understanding of functional changes at the proteome level merits further investigation. Malignance associated proteome alterations can be attributed to the convoluted outcomes from genetic, epigenetic and environmental factors in initiating and progressing PDAC, and may reflect on changes in protein expressional level, structure, localization, as well as post-translational modifications (PTMs) status. The study of localized or systemic proteome alterations in …

Molecular Genetic Cancer Screening: Role Of Prediction Of Colorectal Disease In The Clinic Setting, Samantha Spinks

DNP Research Projects

Colorectal Cancer is the third most common cancer in men and women and the second leading cause of cancer related deaths (ACS, 2019). Colonoscopy screening can prevent colon cancer by early detection and removal of adenomatous colon polyps. The ACS has been lowered from age 50 to 45 due to an increase in the prevalence of colon cancer in people below the age of 50 years of age. Molecular genetic screening is a tool that providers can use to identify patients who are at risk for premature adenomas. People who have a genetic variant are more likely to develop adenomas …

Prevalence Of The Hypervirulent Nap1/Bi/027 Strain Of C. Difficile In Southwestern Virginia And Risk Factors Associated With Infection, Andrew O. Hanna, Anthony Baffoe-Bonnie, Shikha Vasudeva

Graduate Medical Education (GME) Resident and Fellow Research Day Posters

C. difficile infection (CDI) incidence has increased over the last several decades. The BI/NAP1/027 ribotype was discovered in 2005 and has since been responsible for multiple outbreaks in the US and Canada. This subtype of C. Difficile is known to be more virulent in vivo and produce more severe disease. Limited regional data of the prevalence of this ribotype is available, which could help guide treatment. Using infection control data from a large regional hospital and a VA medical center, this study documented the prevalence of the 027 ribotype in Southwest Virginia. Patients were included if they were tested at …

Thermal Analysis Of Infrared Irradiation-Assisted Nanosecond-Pulsed Tumor Ablation, James Hornef, Chelsea M. Edelblute, Karl H. Schoenbach, Richard Heller, Siqi Guo, Chunqi Jiang

Bioelectrics Publications

Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields (nsPEF) have the potential to treat a variety of cancer types including melanoma, pancreatic and lung squamous cancers. Recent studies show that nsPEF-based cancer therapy may be improved further with the assistance of moderate heating of the target. A feedbacklooped heating system, utilizing a 980-nm fiber optic laser, was integrated into nsPEF electrodes for tumor ablation. The laser beam profile was determined to be Gaussian using a knife-edge technique. Thermal properties of the biological target were evaluated based on the treatment area, penetration depth and thermal distribution due to laser irradiation with or without nsPEF. Synergistic …

Elucidating The Complex Signaling Events Driving Intestinal Stem Cell Plasticity Following Injury, Evan Lynch

Theses and Dissertations--Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics

Signaling events governing intestinal stem cell (ISC) homeostasis maintain the delicate balance of active self-renewal and passive differentiation to replenish intestinal epithelial cells (IEC) every 3-5 days. However, under certain contexts, ISC function is irreversibly compromised—requiring committed IEC lineages to dedifferentiate and regain “stemness”. In the current studies, we examine the signaling events driving epithelial cell responses to injury to expose pathologic failures in the healing response. Our specific goal is to tease out the cellular contexts that promote dedifferentiation to design effective therapeutics for disease conditions compromising ISC function.

First, we generated a novel transgenic animal using the epithelial-specific …

Help-Seeking Behaviour For Fatigue In Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Doireann Ní Dhálaigh

Theses

Background: Fatigue is a common and burdensome symptom of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Although many symptoms of IBD can be debilitating, fatigue is reported to be the most burdensome. It is experienced by up to 86% of people in active disease and 41-48% in remission and impacts greatly on all aspects of people’s lives. Fatigue is an invisible symptom and can often be overlooked by healthcare professionals. Since it is invisible, it can only be made known to healthcare professionals if patients seek help for it. This study aims to explore the determinants of help-seeking behaviour for fatigue in IBD …

The Efficacy Of Peppermint Oil And Physical Activity Vs. Eluxadoline For The Treatment Of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Julian Kang

Capstone Showcase

Introduction: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), defined as a chronic functional disorder that is characterized by recurring abdominal pain and altered bowel habits, is the most commonly diagnosed gastrointestinal disease in Western populations. While not yet completely understood, IBS has multiple factors believed to contribute to its pathophysiology. There are several treatment methods regarding non-pharmacological (such as lifestyle modifications) and pharmacological options (including anti-spasmodics, opioid agonists, and anti-depressants). Peppermint oil is a product derived from the natural herb, Mentha Piperita, and has been used as a nonpharmacological method to treat abdominal pain. Therefore, this review analyzes the use of …

A Remarkable Response Of Granulomatous Hypophysitis To Infliximab In A Patient With A Background Of Crohn's Disease-A Case Report, Bahar K Force, Tiphanie P Vogel, Dang M Nguyen, Kent A Heck, Sherly Sebastian, Mas Takashima, Daniel Yoshor, Susan L Samson

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Associated Data

Probiotics And The Prevention Of Clostridioides Difficile: A Review Of Existing Systematic Reviews, Andrea L. Onstad

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Clostridioides difficile is the leading cause of infectious diarrhea (Vernaya et al., 2017). Probiotics have been proposed to provide a protective benefit against Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI). The objective of this literature review was to examine the research evidence pertaining to the use of probiotics for the prevention of CDI in individuals receiving antibiotic therapy. A systematic literature review of studies published between 2015 and 2019 was performed. Five databases were searched, which yielded 10 systematic reviews that met strict inclusion criteria. Overall, the majority of evidence indicated that probiotics versus no treatment, placebo, or usual care have the potential …

Metaproteomic Analysis Of Human Gut Microbiome In Digestive And Metabolic Diseases, Sheng Pan, Ru Chen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Metaproteomics, as a subfield of proteomics, has quickly emerged as a pivotal tool for global characterization of a microbiome system at a functional level. It has been increasingly applied in studying human digestive and metabolic diseases, and provides information-rich data to identify the dysbiosis of human gut microbiome related to healthy or disease states to elucidate the molecular events underlying host-microbiota interplays. While significant technical challenges still exist, this emerging technology has been demonstrated to provide essential information in interrogating functional changes in the human gut microbiome, complementary to metagenomics and metatranscriptomics. This chapter overviews the overall metaproteomic work flow …

Prevalence Of Chronic Hepatitis B In Oro Province, Papua New Guinea, Alice Unah Lee, Luke Mair, Bob Kevin, Lily Gandi, Olive Tarumuri, Caroline Lee, Sue Huntley, David Carl Hilmers

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) affects over 250 million people worldwide. In Papua New Guinea, the prevalence of CHB has been estimated to be over 8%, and it is a leading cause of death. To address this problem, an alliance was formed between the government of Oro Province, a large private employer and an Australian nongovernmental organization, which established a CHB test and treatment programme. Between 2014 and 2019, rapid hepatitis B surface antigen testing was performed on 4068 individuals in Oro Province. The crude prevalence rate was 12.98% and was significantly higher in males (15.26%) than females (10.94%) (P < 0.001). The rate was 4.72% among children aged 10 years and under, 12.81% among women of childbearing age (19–35 years) and 18.48% among health-care workers. These results indicate that the rates of vaccination at birth and later among women of childbearing age and health-care workers must be improved to prevent transmission of CHB.

Targeted Inhibition Of Histone Deacetyltransferases For Pancreatic Cancer Therapy, Richard Laschanzky

Theses & Dissertations

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a deadly disease with a dismal five-year survival rate of less than 10%. One major obstacle in PDAC treatment is acquired drug resistance. Pan-histone deacetylase inhibitors (pan-HDACi) are a relatively new class of anti-cancer drugs, with demonstrated ability to overcome drug resistance and re-sensitize PDAC tumors to Gemcitabine (Gem). These agents target HDACs, a family of 18 enzymes (divided into four classes, I-IV) that catalyze the deacetylation of histones and other cellular proteins and have multiple effects on cell growth, differentiation, survival, and tumorigenesis. Although pan-HDACi have shown significant efficacy in preclinical analysis, and some …

Long Term Outcomes Of Surgical And Clinical Symptoms Following Minimally Invasive Heller Myotomy: A Retrospective Clinical Database Review, Laura E. Flores, Priscila Rodrigues Armijo, Bhavani Pokala, Sarah Samreen, Dmitry Oleynikov

Graduate Medical Education Research Journal

I

Introduction

Minimally invasive Heller myotomy rates have increased, but little evidence is available regarding long term clinical and surgical outcomes. Our aim was to evaluate long term symptom improvement and medication resolution for patients undergoing minimally invasive Heller myotomy.

Methods

A single-institution database was retrospectively reviewed for patients undergoing laparoscopic Heller myotomy (LHM) or robotic Heller myotomy (RHM) during 2007-2018. Patients with primary HM followed by a Dor fundoplication were included. Demographics and surgical data were analyzed. Esophageal symptoms, testing, and medication use were collected preoperatively (pre-op), at 6-month (6-mo), 12-month (12-mo), and long-term (LT; 12-mo+) follow-up. Analysis was …

Ramucirumab: A New Agent For Advanced Or Metastatic Gastric Junction Adenocarcinoma, Adam Smith, Rebecca Worden, Jessica Hoffert, Brendon Rasor, Hannah Stewart, David Koh

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Ramucirumab (Cyramza®), approved April 21, 2014, is a vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) antagonist with a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) indication for the treatment of advanced or metastatic gastric/gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma. Gastric cancer is a prevalent cancer in the United States with a poor prognosis. The phase 3 trial, REGARD, shows that ramucirumab, when used within four months after the last dose of first-line chemotherapy or six months after the last dose of adjuvant chemotherapy, increases overall survival. Also, ramucirumab has been included in combination therapy, such as in the RAINBOW trial, which demonstrated its effectiveness …

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 …

It's A Hard Nacht Life: Understanding How Nlrp12 Ticks, Abbigale Julia Brown

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The protein NOD- like receptor pyrin domain containing 12 (NLRP12) comes from a family of protein receptors with a wide range of functions including fertility as well as anti-inflammatory properties. The biological role of NLRP12 is poorly understood: research on the mechanisms behind its function and/or activation remains contradictory between different cell models. Current research suggests its involvement in a multi-protein complex named the inflammasome. The alternative hypothesis that has also been proposed is that NLRP12 is not a part of the inflammasome, rather it negatively regulates a transcription factor known as NF-��B down stream of Toll-like receptors. NLRP12 is …

Acute Diagnosis Of Wilson’S Disease In A Teenage Patient, Sarah Irvin, Ryan Mccarthy

Marshall Journal of Medicine

Wilson’s Disease, a rare autosomal recessive genetic disease, is caused by a mutation in the ATP7B enzyme gene. Without this enzyme, copper builds up in the brain, liver, and cornea causing a multitude of symptoms. It is important to consider Wilson’s disease because the prognosis is dependent on timely diagnosis. This is an interesting case of a 19-year-old male who presented with suicidal thoughts and rapid weight loss. After many months and an extensive work-up, Wilson’s Disease was diagnosed. Due to his rapid decline, he was transferred to a larger university healthcare center where he is currently enrolled in clinical …

Bone Metastasis In Appendicular Skeleton: Rare Occurrence In Colorectal Cancer, Pratikkumar Vekaria Md, Chandrika Raiyani Md, Ravis Patel Md, Devin Vaishnani Md, Tejas Raiyani Md

Gastroenterology

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is considered as preventable cancer if diagnosed in the early stage. It is also second leading cause of death from cancer in US. Bone metastases (BM) is uncommon presentation with CRC and if it occurs, it involves axial skeletal more than extremities. Many case studies also reports that survival after BM is considerably poor than without BM. Cancer type and genetic mutations also play an important role in such metastasis.

Gastroenterology, A Guiding Light In Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis, Sahityan Viswanathan, Jeffrey Capati, Long T. Hoang

Gastroenterology

No abstract provided.

Double Pylorus: Case Report Of Atypical Presentation, Christopher Lozano Orpiano Do, Gurjeet Kang Do, Michael Quinn Do, Lakshminarasimhan Venu Md, Joseph Staffetti Md

Gastroenterology

Introduction: Double pylorus is a rare endoscopic finding that has been reported in 0.001% to 0.4% of upper gastrointestinal endoscopies, consisting of a gastroduodenal fistula extending from the prepyloric gastric antrum to the duodenal bulb through an accessory channel. In the majority of cases, it is a complication when peptic ulcers erode and create a fistula between the duodenal bulb and the distal stomach. It usually presents on the lessor curvature of the gastric antrum and on a superior wall of the duodenal bulb. It is commonly an endoscopic finding, since clinical presentation is similar to other peptic diseases.

Case …

Rare Obscure Cause Of Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding: Bleeding Duodenal Lymphangiectasia, Sufian Sorathia, Rulz Cantave, Vivek Choksi, Kairavee D. Dave, Steven Kaplan

Gastroenterology

Introduction: While ulcerative and erosive mucosal changes are more commonly the culprit lesion of upper gastrointestinal bleeding, bleeding can also occur from traumatic, malignant or vascular lesions. An unusual and infrequent vascular cause of bleeding is from a focal intestinal lymphangiectasia (IL). We describe a patient who presented with bleeding from a duodenal IL.

Case Description/Methods: A 94-year-old female was sent by her nursing home for witnessed melena and new onset normocytic anemia with a hemoglobin of 7 g/dl. She was unable to provide a reliable history due to her advanced dementia. Her medical history was unknown. She was hypotensive …

A Scary Case Of Gastroenteritis, Kairavee D. Dave, Vivek Choksi, Sufian Sorathia, Rulz Cantave, Steven Kaplan

Gastroenterology

No abstract provided.

A Hiatal Hernia Causing Atrial Fibrillation Through Direct Mechanical Irritation, Kirolus Sourial, Zaid Yaqoob, Anthony Chahin, Saif Borgan, Ernesto S. Robalino Gonzaga, Aamir Javaid, Olga Karasik

Gastroenterology

Introduction: Hiatal hernia (HH) is anatomically classified into four types according to herniated structures. Giant HH refers to a herniation of > 50% of the stomach. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia, frequently seen in association with cardiovascular diseases. We report a case of AF caused by a giant HH compressing the left atrium.

Case Description/Methods: A 90+ year-old female with a past medical history of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), was admitted for surgical evaluation of symptomatic HH. During hospital stay the patient developed AF with rapid ventricular response, became hypotensive and lightheaded. EKG (Figure 1) confirmed new onset AF …

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 …

Doxycycline-Induced Acute Pancreatitis: A Likely Source Rarely Seen, Paul Hoffman Do, Wilco Civil Sr, Jung Yoon Do, Gurjeet Kang Do, Christopher Lozano Orpiano Do, Michael Quinn Do, Joseph Staffetti Md, Dilip Ghanekar Md, Lakshminarasimhan Venu Md, Lily N. Jones Do, Ji Kwon Do, Shaival Thakore Md

Gastroenterology

No abstract provided.

Pancreatic Cancer: Leading To Failure Of Rivaroxaban As An Anticoagulant, Pratikkumar Vekaria Md, Chandrika Raiyani, Daniel Robitshek Md, Tejas Raiyani Md

Internal Medicine

Vascular Thromboembolism (VTE) is seen with hypercoagulable state and it can be a reason of significant morbidity and mortality. Cancer is considered as one of the most common causes of hypercoagulability and developing VTE. Since novel oral anticoagulants (NOAC) have been introduced in market for VTE prophylaxis and treatment, their use have been increased significantly as they are easy to use without episodic monitoring. Rivaroxaban is one of the commonly used NOACs and some of studies have shown its good efficacy for VTE.

Nasal Crohn's: Rare But Real Possibility, Pratikkumar Vekaria Md, Johnnie Mao Md, Ravis Patel Md, Devin Vaishnani Md, Tejas Raiyani Md

Internal Medicine

Crohn’s disease(CD) is an autoimmune IBD that can occur anywhere along GI tract. Its pathology show transmural granulomatous inflammation that can include all layers of GI lining. Extra-intestinal manifestations can be seen in multiple organ systems like skin, joints, eyes, and mouth. These symptoms are common in patient involving large intestine compare to involving only small-intestine. Nasal involvement is rare with CD and very few cases have been reported so far.

Female Predominance In Metronidazole-Induced Acute Pancreatitis: A Case Report And Review Of Literature, Eileen Chang Do, Marvin Vaishnani Md, Ian Chang Do, Whitney Jennings Md

Internal Medicine

Acute pancreatitis is a relatively common condition in the hospital. About 75% of cases are associated with excessive alcohol use or gallstones, and only 0.1 to 2% are drug-induced. The clinical and pathologic findings are similar regardless of the inciting cause. We have suspicion that metronidazole-induced pancreatitis occurs at a significantly higher incidence, or maybe exclusively, in females.

Spontaneous Fungal Peritonitis: A Rare Complication Of Ascites Secondary To Right Heart Failure: A Case Report, Saaah Siddiqui Md, Dharti R. Patel Md, Arshad M. Iqbal Md, Ateeq Mubarik Md, Salman Muddassir Md, Fahad Zafar Md

Internal Medicine

•Spontaneous fungal peritonitis (SFP) is an infection defined as a neutrophil count (> 250 cells/mL) in the ascitic fluid with the evidence of positive fungal culture (1) while excluding other intra-abdominal infections. SFP is not as common as spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and has higher mortality rates due to late recognition and difficulty in differentiation between SFP and SBP. (1,2). The common risk factors that have shown to increase the mortality for SFP include hepatorenal syndrome, patient on SBP prophylaxis, elevated APACHE II scores on admission, and elevated lactate levels (2,3). Candida albicans and Candida glabrata are the two …

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 …