Diseases Commons^™

Evaluating The Association Of Influenza Vaccination On Long-Term Covid-19 Symptoms In U.S. Adults, Ratnakar Pingili

Capstone Experience

Objective. To evaluate the association of influenza vaccination in the past 12 months with Long COVID effects and clinical and sociodemographic factors.

Methods. Cross-sectional study with data from the 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), covering 415,132 non-institutionalized U.S. adults with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis and influenza vaccination reported within the last 12 months. Logistic regression was conducted between influenza vaccination (exposure) and Long COVID (outcome), controlling for demographic variables, pre-existing health conditions, and socioeconomic status.

Results. Of 120,603 participants, 21.89% reported Long COVID symptoms and 42.04% had received an influenza vaccine. Findings indicate a statistically significant 13% reduction …

Development And Implementation Of An Evidence Based Practice Guideline Related To The Management Of Adult Angioedema, Megan Przybysz

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Angioedema (AE) is a potentially life-threatening medical condition that occurs with a higher frequency than medical providers may expect, with the emergency department (ED) serving as the usual first point of medical contact for patients. Any hesitation in recognizing AE or inconsideration of the disease process in differential diagnoses may lead to a dangerous delay of care. Due to the potential rapid progression of airway obstruction in AE, inexperienced providers should not attempt intubation, instead deferring to providers experienced in alternative airway techniques (i.e., anesthesia providers). The primary goal of this project is to develop an evidencebased practice guideline for …

Role Of Circular Rna Asph In Macrophage Polarization And Response In Sepsis, Tan Ze Wang

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Circular RNAs (circRNAs), a novel non-coding RNA species generated by back-splicing, has been shown to participate in gene regulation of leukocytes. Our previous RNA sequencing results show circular RNA ASPH (circASPH) to be highly expressed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of sepsis patients at the start of intensive care. Macrophages, as ubiquitous innate immune cells, are responsible for the recruitment of other immune cells at sepsis onset. This work investigates the role of circASPH in the regulation of macrophage polarization in sepsis. Using an in vitro THP-1 cell model, it was found that circASPH levels peaked after 24 h of …

Adherence To A Gluten-Free Diet And Depression, And Nutrient Distribution In Participants With Celiac Disease, Mohammad K. Shushari

Theses and Dissertations

Celiac disease (CD), an autoimmune disorder affecting millions of Americans, poses significant obstacles leading to a normal life. With no known cure, adherence to a strict glutenfree diet (GFD) is essential. However, the cost and limited availability of gluten-free alternatives can burden individuals with CD. Additionally, factors such as socioeconomic status, nutrient deficiencies, and the nature of the disease may contribute to mental health issues. This study aimed to investigate the influence of adherence to a GFD on depression in CD patients. The prevalence of depression among individuals with CD from diverse backgrounds was examined, along with the analysis of …

The Role Of Complement In Stroke And Traumatic Brain Injury, Christine Couch

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Brain and neural injury are a non-specific disease category that includes traumatic brain injury (TBI) and stroke. Both TBI and stroke are common, costly, and leading causes of severe disability in adults. Both stroke and TBI are responsible for substantial disability in working age adults, with stroke being the second leading cause of death worldwide [1] and TBI a major cause of disability in people younger than their 40's [2]. The immune response after brain injury is multifactorial and involves both local and systemic events at the cellular and molecular level. The complement system is a component of both the …

The Cx3cl1-Cx3cr1 Chemokine Axis Contributes To Tumor Immune Evasion And Its Blockade Enhances Responses To Anti-Pd-1 Immunotherapy, Apoorvi Chaudhri

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

CX3CL1 secreted in the tumor microenvironment serves as a chemoattractant playing a critical role in metastasis of CX3CR1 expressing cancer cells. While CX3CR1 can be expressed in both cancer and immune-inhibitory myeloid cells to facilitate their migration, the mechanisms employed by this axis on these cells to mediate immune suppression remain poorly understood. Here, we explore the immune evasion strategies implemented by this axis and find that it initiates a resistance program in cancer cells that results in 1) facilitation of tumor cell migration, 2) secretion of soluble mediators to generate a pro-metastatic niche, 3) secretion of mediators to attract …

Uncovering Novel Mechanism Of Immune Modulation Of Invariant Natural Killer T Cells By Liposomal Α-Galactosylceramide, Alexandra S. Flegle

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Invariant Natural Killer T cells (iNK-T cells) are a powerful regulatory immune cell that can recruit both innate and adaptive immune cells. Unlike conventional T cells (CD4⁺ and CD8α⁺), they recognize glycolipid antigens via the MHC-class-I like molecule, CD1d. A synthetically derived glycolipid from the marine sponge, Agelas mauritianus, alpha-Galactosylceramide (α-GalCer) potently activates iNK-T cells. Within a few hours after activation, iNK-T cells produce high quantities of T_H1 and T_H2 type cytokines, thus shape subsequent adaptive immunity towards inflammation (T_H1) or immune-suppression (T_H2). Structural modification of α-GalCer’s phytosphingosine …

Adipocytes And Innate Immunity In Systemic Sclerosis, Nancy Wareing

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Systemic sclerosis (SSc; scleroderma) is a chronic systemic autoimmune and connective tissue disorder characterized by vasculopathy, autoimmune phenomena, and widespread fibrosis. Skin thickening and tightening is the cardinal feature of SSc and is responsible, in part, for the considerable morbidity of this disease. There are currently no targeted treatments for skin manifestations in SSc, primarily due to our fragmented understanding of its pathophysiologic mechanisms. In PART I, we report a previously unappreciated link between aberrant expression of the developmental gene sine oculis homeobox homolog 1 (SIX1) in skin-associated adipocytes in SSc skin and the early loss of dermal white adipose …

Mir125a As Molecular Target Of Vitamin D Mediated Inhibition Of Cd4+ T Cell Differentiation Into Th17 Cells In Mrl/Lpr Lupus-Prone Mice, Miranda Hilt

Undergraduate Distinction Papers

The dynamic function of vitamin D in an array of immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory mechanisms and its implication in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases has been the topic of much recent scholarship. Here I attempt to elucidate the molecular mechanism of vitamin D-mediated inhibition of the differentiation of CD4+ T cells into pro-inflammatory Th17 cells in MRL/lpr lupus prone mice by investigating how miR-125a expression is affected by dietary modulation of cholecalciferol (vitamin D₃). MRL/MpJ and MRL/lpr mice were split into three experimental groups and fed specially formulated diets that varied in their concentrations of vitamin D. …

The Effect Of An Educational Handout On Knowledge, Awareness And Attitudes Of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (Prep) Among Participants At A Needle And Syringe Exchange Site, Mckenzie Buckel

DNP Projects

Background: In 2018, the total number of HIV cases in the United States was 1.2 million. Almost 186,500 of these cases were attributed to intravenous drug use. With the adherence to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) there is approximately a 49% decrease in the rates of HIV among people who inject drugs and the most significant barrier to PrEP among this population is a lack of awareness and knowledge.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine participants’ of a needle and syringe exchange site knowledge, awareness and attitudes of PrEP after reviewing an educational handout about PrEP.

Methods: A quasi …

Characterizing The Function Of B Cells That Accumulate In The Inflamed Central Nervous System In Anti-Myelin Autoimmunity, Lika Chowdhury

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

While the role of autoimmune T cells has been extensively studied in anti-myelin

autoimmunity, little is known about the function of B cells in multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS). B cells form clusters with T cells in the meninges directly adjacent to demyelinating lesions. Previous studies have shown that disease progression is dependent on the depletion of specific populations of B cells, but it is not clear which contributes to pathology or how. The purpose of this thesis is to characterize the population of meningeal B cells to determine how they differ …

Investigating The Pi3k/Akt/Atm Pathway, Telomeric Dna Damage, T Cell Death, And Crispr/Cas9-Mediated Gene Editing During Acute And Chronic Hiv Infection, Sushant Khanal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection initiates major metabolic and cell- survival complications. Anti-retroviral therapy (ART) is the current approach to suppress active HIV replication to a level of undetected viral load, but it is not a curative approach. Newer and sophisticated gene editing technologies could indeed be a potent antiviral therapy to achieve a clinical sterilization/cure of HIV infection. Chronic HIV patients, even under a successful ART regimen, exhibit a low-grade inflammation, immune senescence, premature aging, telomeric DNA attrition, T cell apoptosis, and cellular homeostasis. In this dissertation, we investigated CD4 T cell homeostasis, degree of T cell apoptosis, an …

Mixture Models For Interval Censored Outcomes, Yibai Zhao

Doctoral Dissertations

Silent events such as the first detectable HIV infection, the onset of Type 2 diabetes and prostate cancer progression are often ascertained by diagnostic tests and/or self-reports that are scheduled periodically. In such applications, we only observe the time to the event of interest to lie between the times of last negative and the first positive tests, resulting in interval-censored observations. In addition, in some medical studies, a substantial proportion of participants may experience the events before the study, so-called prevalent cases, or participants may never experience the event, that is regarded as non-susceptible cases (or indolent cancer or long-term …

Enhancing Physician Perspectives Of Skilled Occupational Therapy Services For Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis, Valerie S. Trinidad

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

This Capstone Project, with a focus in research, sought to identify a relationship between self-reported functional performance and participation restriction as described by satisfaction with one’s execution or participation in a described occupation. A correlational study design was employed under the mentorship of Dr. Thomas Decker, EdD, OTD, OTR/L who oversaw all IRB processes, documentation, study development and deployment, as well as co-authored and provided mentorship for creation of a publishable manuscript of this project. The established Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI) and the newer Keele Assessment of Participation (KAP) were the two outcome measures of focus for surveying …

Myasthenia Gravis, Rebecca Wheeler

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Myasthenia gravis (MG), a neuromuscular and autoimmune disorder, is not completely understood by clinicians and scientists. The primary cause is thought to be anti-Acetylcholine receptor antibodies that attack the neuromuscular junction, causing destruction of post-synaptic junctional folds and blockade of the receptor. This causes frequent weakness and fatigability of voluntary muscles, making activities of daily living difficult for those living with MG. Although it is not an incredibly prevalent disease, the incidence is increasing in the United States due to better testing and diagnosis. Treatments are available, including cholinesterase inhibitors that raise the concentration of Acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction …

Pathophysiology Of Aortic Stenosis, Melissa Lee

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Pathophysiology of Aortic Stenosis

Melissa J. Lee

Department of Nursing, Otterbein University

NURS 6810: Advanced Pathophysiology for the Advanced Practice Nurse

Dr. Deana Batross & Dr. Shivani Bhatnagar

July 29, 2022

Pathophysiology of Aortic Stenosis

Proper evaluation of co-morbidities is imperative for patient safety and successful outcomes for patients undergoing anesthesia. Aortic stenosis (AS) is one of the most complex diseases encountered in anesthesia, affecting five percent of older adults and ten percent of the 80-89-year-old-cohort (Joseph et al., 2017). The pathophysiological development of AS is the end result of an inflammatory process caused by endothelial damage from mechanical stress, …

Impacts Of Population Level Environmental Contaminants, Sex Hormones, And Fibroblast Cell Subsets On Systemic Sclerosis (Ssc), Noelle N. Kosarek

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare autoimmune disease characterized by fibrosis of the skin and internal organs, vascular abnormalities, and autoantibody formation. The etiology of SSc is unknown, though the disease is thought to arise in genetically predisposed individuals after exposure to an environmental factor. There are few FDA approved disease modifying medications available to treat SSc.

The express aims of this dissertation are tripart. First, we aimed to validate a 3D tissue model known as the self-assembled skin equivalent (saSE) model. Second, we sought to describe the geographic distribution of SSc in a US Medicare population to better understand …

The Role Of Reactive Oxygen Species In The Accumulation Of Driver Mutations In B Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Mia P. Sams

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) is the most prevalent type of cancer in young children and is associated with recurrent mutations and high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The antioxidant N-acetylcysteine was tested for its ability to prolong lifespan of a mouse model of B-ALL and reduce frequency of mutations. Mice treated with 1g/L of N-acetylcysteine in drinking water were found to have delayed onset of B-ALL at 11 weeks of age and changes in gene expression relating to B cell development, calcium-apoptosis signaling, and pathways in cancer, although no differences in lifespan were observed. Tumours from treated …

Quality Of Life For Women With Chronic Lyme Disease: A Socioeconomic Investigation, Dale M. Jones

Doctoral Dissertations

This is a mixed methods investigation of how chronic Lyme disease, including Lyme-like diseases and co-infections, affects the quality of life of women who have chronic Lyme. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used during three phases of research: a 91-question survey instrument followed by focus group discussions and written narratives. The research considered the socioeconomic impact on quality of life in five areas: obtaining a diagnosis, relationships and personal support systems, struggles with the medical system, the ability to work, and access to treatment. There were 500 responses to the survey, of which 373 were analyzed; 11 participants in …

The Life Story Analysis Of Those Suffering From Autoimmune Thyroiditis, Azalea Di Nardi

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand the pervasive impacts of autoimmune thyroiditis, specifically Hashimoto’s and Graves’ disease. To accomplish this, the life story methodology was utilized to gather individual experiences from 11 participants diagnosed with Hashimoto’s or Graves’ disease. The participants completed a background and general health questionnaire and 45- to-100-minute virtual interview disclosing their journey from the onset of symptoms, through diagnosis, to their most recent state. Themes were compiled from the interviews, which allowed identification of the largest areas of impact, needs, and future implications for practitioners and providers. Major themes identified were decreased quality of …

Isolation And Characterization Of Α-Hcd7 Scfv Expressing Exosomes And Synthesis Of Hybrid Exosome-Liposome For Analyses, Sahil Patel

Biotechnology Theses

The goal of this thesis project is to isolate and characterize exosomes that express anti-human CD7 (α-hCD7) single chain variable fragment (scFv), which will be further utilized for T celltargeted gene editing. To reach this goal, exosomes from HEK 293 cells and Jurkat cells were isolated and characterized with different methodologies. To obtain α-hCD7 scFv-expressing exosomes, the HEK 293 cells were subjected to transfection of custom-plasmid pDisplay-αhCD7 scFv, and the expression of α-hCD7 scFv on the HEK 293-derived exosomes were then confirmed by immunogold staining, western blotting, and flow cytometry. To transfect 293 cells, calcium phosphate transfection was utilized, and …

The Development Of Polymeric Dexamethasone Prodrug Nanomedicines For The Treatment Of Lupus Nephritis, Zhifeng Zhao

Theses & Dissertations

Lupus nephritis (LN) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among lupus patients. Glucocorticoids (GCs) are uniformly used in clinical LN management. Their notorious toxicities, however, have hampered the long-term clinical application. To circumvent GCs’ adverse effects while maintaining their potent therapeutic efficacy, we have developed a micelle-forming polyethylene glycol (PEG)-conjugated dexamethasone prodrug (ZSJ-0228), which could passively target the inflamed kidney in NZB/W F1 lupus-prone mice. It was found that monthly ZSJ-0228 treatment for five months significantly reduced the incidence of nephritis in NZB/W F1 mice with an improved survival rate. Unlike the dose equivalent daily dexamethasone treatment, long-term …

Psychological Trauma Alters T-Lymphocyte Inflammation And Redox Through Sympathetic Mechanisms, Safwan K. Elkhatib

Theses & Dissertations

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a devastating psychiatric disorder characterized by distinctive symptom clusters, including intrusive memories (i.e., flashbacks), avoidance of related stimuli, affective changes, and hyperarousal. Strikingly, patients with PTSD face a significantly increased risk for a number of inflammation-driven pathologies, ranging from cardiovascular to autoimmune disease. Yet, the exact etiology of this increased risk remains unknown. The immune system is known to be strongly influenced by the sympathetic nervous system, and sympathetic overactivity is a hallmark of PTSD. Lymphoid organs, such as the spleen, are richly innervated by sympathetic nerve fibers which terminate near adaptive immune …

The Role Of Calprotectin In T-Lymphocyte Driven Inflammation In A Mouse Model Of Psychological Trauma, Cassandra Moshfegh

Theses & Dissertations

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating psychological disorder that affects nearly 45 million Americans. This mental disorder is characterized by behavioral symptoms such as learned helplessness, hyperarousal, withdrawal, and flashbacks. The deleterious effects of PTSD are far-reaching and go beyond behavioral dysfunction, as these individuals are at a three-fold higher risk of comorbid inflammatory diseases. Autonomic, metabolic, and cardiovascular diseases plague these individuals later in their lifetime, however, the mechanistic link connecting psychological trauma to this systemic peripheral immunological dysfunction remains elusive. T-lymphocyte-induced inflammation plays a significant role in all these disease pathologies. Previous work from our laboratory demonstrated …

Lgbtq+ Health Disparities: Healthcare Intervention, Kara Steinbrecher

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) community has carried the burden of countless health disparities throughout its history tied to discrimination, bias, prejudice, and stigma. LGBTQ+ individuals are disproportionately at higher risk for substance abuse, sexually transmitted diseases, cardiovascular disease, mental illness, suicide, and unequal access to healthcare, related to social stigma and bias that exists in healthcare itself. The purpose of this systematic literature review is to analyze existing health disparities among the LGBTQ+ population in the United States and the efficacy of various interventions of health care professionals to reduce them. Twenty-one articles from multiple online …

Ameliorative Effects Of Minor Cannabinoids Over Hiv-1 Tat-Mediated Visceral Pain, Charlie Worth

Honors Theses

As the total number of people living with HIV continues to rise across the world, an effective HIV treatment is still sought after. While modern-day advanced therapies exist for mitigating much of the negative effects of HIV, the virus remains evasive and problematic in the central nervous system. Thus, even with treatment, many people living with HIV continue to suffer from a plethora of symptoms. However, a large proportion of HIV-positive patients claim to feel a reduction in those persevering symptoms after cannabis usage. This anecdotal evidence has sparked interest in the efficacy of cannabis constituents for HIV therapy. This …

Selective Gsk3Β Inhibition Mediates An Nrf2-Independent Anti-Inflammatory Microglial Response, Mohamed H. Yousef

Theses and Dissertations

Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 (GSK3) is associated with the proinflammatory phenotype of microglia and has been shown to act in concert with Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). . GSK3 is also a suppressor of Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), the principal regulator of redox homeostasis. Agreeing with the oxidative paradigm of aging, Nrf2 is often deregulated in parainflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we aimed to explore a multimodal disease-modifying utility of GSK3 inhibition, beyond neuronal proteopathologies, Furthermore, we aimed to underscore the difference in therapeutic value between the two GSK3 paralogs by isoform-selective chemical inhibition.

The …

Effects Of Gaba On Inflammation And Intestinal Barrier Disruption, Tyrel W. Long

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

Gut dysbiosis and intestinal barrier disruption have been linked to multiple sclerosis (MS). Our previous works show that experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) induction modifies the gut's microbiota composition, reducing frequencies of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-producing bacteria. GABA levels are reduced in the brains and circulation of MS patients. We engineered Lactococcus lactis with extra copies of gadB (glutamic acid decarboxylase) and gadC (glutamate/GABA antiporter) to increase GABA levels produced by the bacterium (GAD-L. lactis). EAE studies showed that the treatment with GAD-L. lactis and not with a L. lactis control expressing an empty plasmid (P-L. lactis) reduced the severity of the …

Effects Of Annexin A5 On Endothelial Inflammation Induced By Lipopolysaccharide-Activated Platelets And Extracellular Vesicles, Brent Jeffrey Tschirhart

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Sepsis is a dysregulated immune response to infection and the leading cause of mortality globally, accounting for 11 million deaths in 2017. To date, no therapeutics are available to treat the underlying septic response. Previous research from our laboratory has shown that annexin A5 (Anx5) treatment increased survival by 40% in mice with endotoxemia, a model of sepsis. During sepsis, activated platelets release membrane fragments called extracellular vesicles (EVs) with externalization of phosphatidylserine to which annexin A5 binds with a high affinity. We hypothesized that annexin A5 will block the pro-inflammatory response induced by activated platelets and EVs in vascular …

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 …