Diseases Commons^™

Relationship Of Stress, Sleep, Physical Activity, And Food Insecurity On Eating Behaviors And Obesity, Amy Lee Richards

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is an urgent need to find effective interventions to prevent and reduce obesity as it is associated with chronic disease and decreased quality of life. Gaining a better understanding of how modifiable variables such as stress, sleep, physical activity, and food insecurity are related to eating behaviors associated with obesity is essential to guide the direction of future interventions and research. Interventions that hold promise need to be tested to determine if they have merit or not. This dissertation presents three papers. Two papers are cross-sectional studies evaluating associations between eating behaviors, obesity, and modifiable variables (stress, sleep, physical …

A Neighborhood-Wide Association Study (Nwas): Example Of Prostate Cancer Aggressiveness, Shannon M. Lynch, Nandita Mitra, Michelle Ross, Craig Newcomb, Karl Dailey, Tara Jackson, Charnita M. Zeigler-Johnson, Harold Riethman

School of Medical Diagnostics & Translational Sciences Publications

Purpose

Cancer results from complex interactions of multiple variables at the biologic, individual, and social levels. Compared to other levels, social effects that occur geospatially in neighborhoods are not as well-studied, and empiric methods to assess these effects are limited. We propose a novel Neighborhood-Wide Association Study(NWAS), analogous to genome-wide association studies(GWAS), that utilizes high-dimensional computing approaches from biology to comprehensively and empirically identify neighborhood factors associated with disease.

Methods

Pennsylvania Cancer Registry data were linked to U.S. Census data. In a successively more stringent multiphase approach, we evaluated the association between neighborhood (n = 14,663 census variables) and prostate …

Neonatal Hypoglycemia In Diabetic Mothers: A Systematic Review, Brook T. Alemu, Olaniyi Olayinka, Hind A. Baydoun, Matthew Hoch, Muge Akpinar-Elci

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Hypoglycemia occurs in approximately 8-30% of neonates born to mothers with diabetes. The full extent of the individual and contextual risk factors of hypoglycemia remains unclear and no systematic review of the available studies exists to date. We identified published studies using PubMed and EBSCO host search engines. A modified STROBE statement was used to assess studies' strengths, weaknesses, and generalizability. A total of 16 articles were eligible for full text review. The clinical risk factors in these studies were broadly classified into two: infant-related and mother-related risk factors. The identified infant-related risk factors were SGA, macrosomia, prematurity, lower cord …

Orientia Tsutsugamushi Secretes Two Ankyrin Repeat-Containing Effectors Via A Type 1 Secretion System To Inhibit Host Nf-Κb Function, Sean M. Evans

Theses and Dissertations

Scrub typhus is a potentially fatal infection that threatens one billion persons in the Asia-Pacific region and is caused by the obligate intracellular bacterium, Orientia tsutsugamushi. How this organism facilitates its intracellular survival and pathogenesis is poorly understood. Intracellular bacterial pathogens utilize the Type 1 (T1SS) or Type 4 secretion system (T4SS) to translocate ankyrin repeat-containing proteins (Anks) into the host cell to modulate host cell processes. The O. tsutsugamushi genome encodes one of the largest known bacterial Ank libraries as well as Type 1 and Type 4 secretion systems (T1SS and T4SS), which are expressed during infection. In …

Determining The Effects Of Methanol, Ethanol, Isopropanol, And Glycerol On Both Thermal Stability And Catalytic Activity Of Rv0045c, An Enzyme From M. Tuberculosis, Katelyn Baumer

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Tuberculosis (TB) is a highly infectious respiratory disease contracted through the inhalation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Serine hydrolases are abundant in M. tuberculosis and serve as a model for studying the inhibition of TB. Rv0045c is an example of such with little known regarding its biological function. Rv0045c was exposed to methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, or glycerol and the effects of varying concentration of these alcohols on the catalytic efficiency and thermal stability of the enzyme was determined. The thermal stability of Rv0045c was found to decrease with concentration of methanol, ethanol, or isopropanol. The opposite was true of the thermal stability …

An Evaluation Of Mumps Antibody Titers Among Pharmacy Students Before And After A University Mumps Outbreak, Kiley Shelley

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Mumps outbreaks continue to transpire across the United States despite the available MMR (Measles-Mumps-Rubella) vaccine and seemingly high vaccination rates. There is limited evidence surrounding the management, impact, and prevention of mumps outbreaks. In particular, there are currently no formal recommendations from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) regarding the administration of additional doses of the MMR vaccine during a mumps outbreak. Furthermore, there are unanswered questions of possible waning of vaccine-induced mumps immunity and the impact of a third dose of the MMR vaccine to assist in mumps outbreak control. Existing studies suggest that administration of the …

The Effect Of Alcohol Prep Pads And Blood Drop Number On Capillary Blood Glucose Values, Joanna E. Foos

Honors Theses and Capstones

Capillary blood glucose monitoring is a common nursing procedure. However, no consensus exists regarding which drop of blood to test (drop 1 vs. drop 2) and whether using alcohol pads to prepare the fingertip affects blood glucose values. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of these factors and contribute to the development of evidence-based nursing protocols for capillary blood glucose monitoring. A quantitative, quasi-experimental study was conducted in a laboratory at the University of New Hampshire. 96 volunteers were randomly assigned to one of three groups. Each group underwent a pair of capillary blood glucose tests …

University Of Montana Students And The Gardasil Vaccine, Markie C. Glidewell

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Gardasil^® is a vaccine for human papilloma virus (HPV), a sexually transmitted virus that can cause genital warts, cervical cancer, and other diseases. Males and females ages 9-26 are recommended to receive the Gardasil^® vaccination. Most students attending the University of Montana (UM) are within the recommended age range for Gardasil^® vaccination and would benefit from receiving it if they have not yet done so. Gardasil^® is available at the Health Services Pharmacy on the UM campus and is often covered by insurance plans with no patient copay. In the fall semester of 2016, surveys were …

Why Do Chemotherapeutic Drugs And Radiation Induce Cardiomyopathy And Cardiac Failure In Cancer Patients: Is This A Consequence Of Unrecognized Hypomagnesemia And Release Of Ceramides And Platelet-Activating Factor?, Burton M. Altura, Nilank C. Shah, Gatha J. Shah, Bella T. Altura

Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine (Middletown) Publications and Research

The following is an excerpt from the text:

Almost four decades ago [13], two of us pointed out that there was a scattered number of clinical studies that were beginning to indicate that at least three of the chemotherapeutic drugs (i.e., cisplatin, vinbastine, and bleomycin) appeared to suggest that chemotherapeutic anticancer drugs may deplete the body of magnesium (Mg) [for references and review, see [1, 2, 3, 12]. Ever since we suggested the potential danger of these drugs to the heart and cardiovascular system[13], a growing body of evidence has borne-out these initial dangers to cancer patients [e.g., for reviews …

Why Is Cardiac Morbidity And Mortality Greater Around Christmas, New Year’S, Monday Mornings And In The Morning Hours: Potential Roles Of Unrecognized Ionized Hypomagnesemia And Release Of Ceramides?, Burton M. Altura, Joshua Burack, R. F. Tranbaugh, Z. Zisbrod, J. N. Cunningham, Nilank C. Shah, Bella T. Altura

Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine (Middletown) Publications and Research

The following is the introduction to this article: There is a growing incidence of lethal cardiac events around Christmas, New Year’s and in the morning hours from 4:00 to 10:00 a.m. which is well-established in the USA and in The Southern Hemisphere [1-7]. In addition, many cardiac deaths often occur on Mondays with no satisfactory explanation [2,3]. Many of these deaths are, for the most part, unexplained and listed as “death from “natural causes”. Although in the USA, the deaths which occur around Christmas and New Years happen in the cold –winter months, this does not account for many cardiac …

Cardiometabolic Risk Factors, Metabolic Syndrome And Pre-Diabetes In Adolescents In The Sierra Region Of Ecuador, Sharon L. Casapulla, Cheryl A. Howe, Gabriela Rosero Mora, Darlene Berryman, Mario J. Grijalva, Edgar W. Rojas, Jay H. Shubrook

Faculty Publications & Research of the TUC College of Osteopathic Medicine

Background: Excess weight (overweight and obesity) is the major modifiable risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and other non-communicable diseases. However, excess weight may not be as predictive of diabetes risk as once thought. While excess weight and other obesity-related non-communicable diseases are of growing concern in low-middle income countries in Latin America, there is limited research on risk factors associated with T2DM in adolescents. This study investigated prevalence of overweight, obesity, prediabetes, diabetes and metabolic syndrome in adolescents in Ecuador.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 433 adolescents from two schools in a small …

Meta Analysis Of Human Alzgene Database: Benefits And Limitations Of Using C. Elegans For The Study Of Alzheimer's Disease And Co-Morbid Conditions, Behrad Vahdati Nia, Christine Kang, Michelle G. Tran, Deborah Lee, Shin Murakami

Faculty Publications & Research of the TUC College of Osteopathic Medicine

Human genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and linkage studies have identified 695 genes associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD), the vast majority of which are associated with late-onset AD. Although orthologs of these AD genes have been studied in several model species, orthologs in the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans, remain incompletely identified, with orthologs to only 17 AD-related genes identified in the C. elegans database, WormBase. Therefore, we performed a comprehensive search for additional C. elegans orthologs of AD genes using well-established programs, including OrthoList, which utilizes four ontology prediction programs. We also validated 680 of the AD genes as a unique …

Rationale For, Initiation And Titration Of The Basal Insulin/Glp-1ra Fixed-Ratio Combination Products, Ideglira And Iglarlixi, For The Management Of Type 2 Diabetes, Virginia Valentine, Jennifer Goldman, Jay H. Shubrook

Faculty Publications & Research of the TUC College of Osteopathic Medicine

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a progressive disease affecting glucose regulation and a major cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Many patients are not escalated up the treatment ladder appropriately despite failing to achieve glycemic control, with barriers such as fear of hypoglycemia, weight gain, and treatment burden recognized as factors. Exogenous basal insulin is titrated to address control of fasting plasma glucose and may preserve residual β-cell function, thus promoting a greater endogenous prandial insulin response. Native glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is a peptide hormone secreted by the gut in response to nutrient ingestion; it increases insulin secretion, inhibits glucagon …

Nitrosative Stress Sensing In Porphyromonas Gingivalis: Structure And Function Of The Heme Binding Transcriptional Regulator Hcpr, Benjamin R. Belvin

Theses and Dissertations

Porphyromonas gingivalis, a Gram negative anaerobe implicated in the progression of periodontal disease, is capable of surviving and causing infection despite high levels of reactive nitrogen species found in the oral cavity due to its efficient nitrosative stress response. HcpR is an important sensor-regulator that plays a vital step in the initiation of the nitrosative stress response in many Gram negative anaerobic bacteria. We employ a combination of X-ray crystallography, SAXS, resonance Raman spectroscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and molecular biology techniques to better understand this key regulator. Knockout of the hcpR gene in W83 P. gingivalis results in the inability of …

Network-Based Analysis Reveals Novel Gene Signatures In Peripheral Blood Of Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Ma'en Obeidat, Yunlong Nie, Virginia Chen, Casey P. Shannon, Anand Kumar Andiappan, Bernett Lee, Olaf Rotzschke, Peter J. Castaldi, Craig P. Hersh, Nick Fishbane, Raymond T. Ng, Bruce Mcmanus, Bruce E. Miller, Stephen I. Rennard, Peter D. Paré, Don D. Sin

Journal Articles: Pulmonary & Critical Care Med

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is currently the third leading cause of death and there is a huge unmet clinical need to identify disease biomarkers in peripheral blood. Compared to gene level differential expression approaches to identify gene signatures, network analyses provide a biologically intuitive approach which leverages the co-expression patterns in the transcriptome to identify modules of co-expressed genes.

METHODS: A weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was applied to peripheral blood transcriptome from 238 COPD subjects to discover co-expressed gene modules. We then determined the relationship between these modules and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV …

Enhanced Potency Of Bivalent Small Molecule Gp41 Inhibitors, Vladimir Sofiyev, Hardeep Kaur, Beth A. Snyder, Priscilla A. Hogan, Roger G. Ptak, Peter Hwang, Miriam Gochin

Faculty Publications & Research of the TUC College of Osteopathic Medicine

Low molecular weight peptidomimetic inhibitors with hydrophobic pocket binding properties and moderate fusion inhibitory activity against HIV-1 gp41-mediated cell fusion were elaborated by increasing the available surface area for interacting with the heptad repeat-1 (HR1) coiled coil on gp41. Two types of modifications were tested: 1) increasing the overall hydrophobicity of the molecules with an extension that could interact in the HR1 groove, and 2) forming symmetrical dimers with two peptidomimetic motifs that could potentially interact simultaneously in two hydrophobic pockets on the HR1 trimer. The latter approach was more successful, yielding 40–60 times improved potency against HIV fusion over …

Development And Characterization Of Histidine-Tagged Hpv16 L2 And Ms2-Arginine-Tagged Recombinant Proteins For Downstream Processes, Tahiyat Alothaim

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are the most common sexually transmitted infections. Persistent infection with HPV can lead to anogenital cancers including head and neck cancers. Three prophylactic vaccines have been approved to prevent against some types of HPV infection. However, the vaccines are HPV-type specific and protect mostly against the HPV types included in the vaccines. To offer broader protection against more HPV types, studies in the field are developing candidate vaccines targeting a conserved minor capsid protein, L2. Nevertheless, reagents for developing and assessing L2 vaccines are limited. For example, antibodies to assess the antigenicity of some L2 epitopes are …

Characterizing The Role Of Cpsa In Mycobacterial Pathogenesis, Amir Hassan

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Mycobacterium tuberculosis infects one-third of the world’s population and causes an estimated 2 million deaths per year, more than any other single bacterial pathogen. The inadequacies of existing tuberculosis therapies demand the discovery of novel agents to treat M. tuberculosis infection, which requires mechanistic insight into the pathways involved in mycobacterial pathogenesis. We identified an unanticipated role of the M. tuberculosis protein CpsA in preventing phago-lysosome fusion by host macrophages, resulting in enhanced intracellular survival of bacteria within the host. Strains of M. tuberculosis lacking cpsA are severely attenuated in both macrophage and mouse models, thus establishing CpsA as a …

Molecular Mechanisms Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Abraham Bordon

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Alzheimer’s disease was first discovered in 1906 by Alois Alzheimer. It is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the buildup of toxic amyloid plaque and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles, which results in the progressive loss of cognitive function and memory. Since its discovery, the disease has become a growing health concern, particularly in the developed world, where the ageing demographics have contributed to an increase in its prevalence and incidence. The earliest research into the disease focused on neurochemical analyses and resulted in the formulation of the cholinergic hypothesis. The mechanism of disease was explained as the degeneration of the cholinergic system …

Possible Causes Of Alzheimer’S Disease Related Amyloid-Β Plaques And Neurofibrillary Tangles, Rochelle Rubenstein

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Alzheimer’s disease is a major cause of dementia in the elderly and is a global health concern. However, researchers are not sure what causes the characteristic amyloid-β plaque accumulation and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain. Several model mechanisms have been proposed to answer this question. This paper examines three of these possibilities. Research suggests that a particular allele of the apoE gene is responsible for the neurodegeneration found in Alzheimer’s disease. Another hypothesis is that the mechanism of Alzheimer’s is related to prion-mediated protein misfolding. Other studies indicate that certain environmental factors can cause the neuropathology of Alzheimer’s. Specifically, this …

Are Contact Lenses An Effective Vehicle For Ocular-Disease Drug Delivery?, Chana Haimowitz

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Due to numerous drawbacks with current modes of treatment for various ocular diseases, researchers are synthesizing drug dispensing contact lenses. The lenses will contribute to greater bioavailability of the drug, the minimization of negative side effects, and increased patient compliance. As treatment for glaucoma, in vivo studies have been conducted with latanoprost, timolol maleate, and brimonidine tartrate-eluting lenses, and have succeeded in reducing intraocular pressure to desired values (Ciolino et al., 2016), (Schultz and Mint, 2002). As treatment for fungal keratitis, in vitro studies prove that econazole and natamycin-eluting contact lenses have been successful in killing 100% of fungi for …

Do Antibiotics In Early Life Contribute To Obesity?, Shimon Kadosh

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

In recent years, science has made great strides in its understanding of the microbiome, discovering that it plays a role in regulating many body processes. One area of study is the microbiomes interaction and influence on host metabolic processes. Studies using both mice and humans have established a clear correlation between obesity and the composition of the microbiome, identifying a microbiome unique to obese individuals. Furthermore, experiments with germ-free mice have shown that the microbiome effects host metabolism, causing germ free mice to increase in mass when inoculated with normal microbiota. Inoculation with microbiota from obese mice yielded greater increases …

Repurposing Diabetes Drugs To Treat Insulin Resistance In Alzheimer’S Disease‌, Yael Lazarus

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative condition which results in a significant decline in cognitive status. Novel treatment approaches for Alzheimer’s are sorely needed, as current medications for the disease offer only marginal clinical benefit. Research has discovered a connection between the pathology of Alzheimer’s and Type 2 Diabetes, two serious and seemingly unrelated disorders. Clinical studies have shown that Alzheimer’s disease is associated with brain insulin resistance similar to the pathology of Type 2 Diabetes. This observation has led to the notion that drugs developed for the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes may be beneficial in modifying the cognitive function …

The Impacts Of Childhood Obesity On Adult Health And Quality Of Life‌, Miriam Weinstock

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Obesity has emerged as one of the most preeminent concerns of the modern era. Thirty six percent of our country’s citizens are classified as obese and six percent qualify as extremely obese. Developing obesity as an adult is fairly common, but countless studies have shown a direct correlation between childhood obesity and remaining severely overweight as an adult. Aside from the physical and aesthetic discomfort of maintaining superfluous girth, the health hazards threatening the obese population are extremely discomfiting. The enormity of the issue requires extensive study so that society can educate themselves of the dangers and how to prevent …

The Relationship Between Periodontitis And Cardiovascular Disease, Jonathan Krupka

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

The relationship between periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease has been the subject of much research in recent years. The aim of this study is to review and analyze the relevant literature regarding this relationship, with an emphasis on determining a presence of periodontal bacteria from the periodontal pocket in atheromatous plaques, and to explore the biological role of inflammatory mechanisms that may link periodontitis and cardiovascular disease. Although there seems to be conflicting reports, the overall consensus confirms the presence of periodontal bacteria, such as Porphyromonas gingivalis, in atheromatous plaques. Additionally, the presence of systemic markers of cardiovascular disease in …

Luteinizing Hormone And Alzheimer’S Disease: Impact And Possibilities Of Treatment, Rachel Walkin

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Alzheimer’s disease is a common neurodegenerative disease that is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States. An estimated 5 million Americans are afflicted nationwide and the cost to the economy is valued at 259 billion dollars. Additionally, unlike other major causes of death in the United States, there is no treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease. Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease and it is strongly tied to aging. In most cases symptoms make their first appearance in the late 60’s and gradually worsen, eventually leading to a loss of cognitive function and death. The two outstanding changes in the …

Is Gene Therapy A Viable Option For Cancer Treatment?, Aliza Applebaum

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

The use of gene therapy as a medical treatment option was first introduced to the world in 1990, when a four-year-old girl became its first patient. Since then gene therapy has met great success but also severe drawback. Incidences with severely negative outcomes on patients gave gene therapy a bad name and many began skeptical towards its use, but the constant work and progress on the safety and effectiveness of gene therapy is making it a more viable route of treatment. This paper focuses on gene therapy as a form of cancer treatment. Viral insertion of the modified genetic material …

Should Genetic Testing Be Recommended For Long Qt Syndrome Patients And Their Relatives?, Menachem Braun

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

No abstract provided.

Macular Pigment Is Associated With Glare-Affected Visual Function And Central Visual Field Loss In Glaucoma, James Loughman, We Fong Siah, Colm O’Brien

Articles

Aim

To evaluate the relationship between macular pigment optical density (MPOD) and glare disability in open-angle glaucoma.

Methods A cross-sectional analysis of baseline data (88 subjects; median age, 67 (range 36–84) years) collected during the Macular Pigment and Glaucoma Trial (ISRCTN registry number: 56985060). MPOD at 0.25°, 0.5° and 1° of retinal eccentricity was measured using customised heterochromatic flicker photometry. Mesopic contrast sensitivity with glare (mCSg), photostress recovery time (PRT) and self-reported glare symptoms were evaluated. Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography was used to analyse ganglion cell complex (GCC) and identify foveal involvement.

Results Low spatial frequency (f) mCSg was significantly …

Consequences Of Altered Short-Chain Carbon Metabolism In Heart Failure, Julie Horton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cardiovascular disease is currently the foremost cause of death within the United States. Heart failure (HF) is a syndrome defined by the inability of the heart to adequately execute requisite pump function in order to deliver nutrients and oxygen to peripheral tissues, irrespective of etiology. One of the most common causes of HF is chronic pressure overload due to hypertension. Ischemic heart disease is also a common driver of HF, often in conjunction with hypertension. Pressure overload initially causes compensatory metabolic changes. Structural changes follow shortly thereafter typically resulting in left ventricular hypertrophy. Eventually, the heart loses the ability to …