Diseases Commons^™

Implementing Zero/Neutral Displacement Iv Connectors To Reduce Blood Stream Infections, Kirsten Mitchell, Barbara Mcclaskey

Posters

Catheter related blood stream infections are a major problem in the United States and account for over $225 million each year with over 1,300 infections occurring each day. By researching the most effective type of IV connector, health care providers can provide the best and safest care possible to patients requiring IV access. Zero/neutral IV connectors may be the answer to decreasing these infections as they produce no reflux in the connector which is a breeding ground for bacteria and occlusions. This literature review found that zero/neutral connectors performed better than positive and negative IV connectors when comparing both reflux …

Stop The Potential Killer: Prevention Of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (Mrsa), Brody Wild, Barbara Mcclaskey

Posters

The risk for hospital-acquired methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections in the ICU is great considering the length of stay and the invasive procedures most patients go through. MRSA infections may lead to death and contribute greatly to the cost of care. The purpose of this study was to examine the evidence for the best possible means of preventing MRSA. The methodology was a review of the current research. Some of the measures that were found to be beneficial included daily bathing with chlorhexidine, environmental decon­tamination, MRSA screenings upon admission, isolation precautions for positive patients, eradication therapy, and strict hand hygiene. …

Male Determining Gene Nix May Bring An End To Transmission Of Diseases Through Mosquitoes, Mohammed Mahdi

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

Female mosquitoes take blood from humans to gain protein needed to produce eggs, and in the process they can transmit viruses, such as Zika, Dengue, and chikungunya, or parasites, such as malaria. Male mosquitoes do not transmit diseases. This literature review will examine what is known about how sex is determined in mosquitoes and how this can be used to manipulate the females that spread diseases to humans. Using CRISPR Cas9, the lab of Zhijian Tu removed the Nix gene from mosquito embryos; all of these were feminized. Ectopic overexpression of Nix gene product in mosquito embryos caused even genetically …

Predicting The Effects Of Medicaid's Sobriety Requirements On The Spread Of Hepatitis C In Rhode Island, Mary Cate Gallagher

Honors Projects in Science and Technology

Hepatitis C (HCV) is the most prevalent infectious disease in America (1). This virus is spread through blood to blood contact, and disproportionally affects the People Who Inject Drugs (PWID) community. There is a 99% effective curative treatment available. However, Rhode Island Medicaid stipulates that a patient must be six months sober before accessing this treatment. Because of this barrier, less than 16% of people infected with HCV are able to access the curative treatment and the disease continues to run rampant throughout the state. Using SIS disease spread modeling techniques fit to current published Rhode Island Department of Health …

A Surveillance Study On Culex Sp. In Southeast Kansas And Prevalence Of West Nile Virus In The Mosquito Population, Sara Goins, Anuradha Ghosh

Posters

West Nile virus (WNV) is the most common mosquito-borne disease in Kansas and the United States. Several species of mosquitoes are responsible for transmission of arboviruses but Culex species are the primary vector for WNV in Kansas and the United States. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 80 percent of people infected with WNV show no symptoms. But for the remaining 20 percent, symptoms can include headaches, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea, or rash. Even less commonly, about one in every 150 people develop serious symptoms affecting the central nervous system, including brain and …

Increasing Hepatitis C Infection Related To Growing Opioid Epidemic, Chelsea Poell, Barbara Mcclaskey

Posters

Hepatitis C (HCV) is rapidly growing and has become the most common blood-borne infection throughout the United States. The objective of this study was to compare trends in rates of injection drug use (IDU), spe­cifically opioid injection, with national trends in the incidence of acute HCV infection to assess whether these events correlated over time. The methodology was a literature review. To test for trends researchers calculated the annual incidence rate, demographics, and risk characteristics of reported cases of acute HCV infection using surveillance data from 2004 to 2014. They also analyzed the annual percentage of admissions to substance use …

Prophylactic Use Of Lmwh Vs Ufh In Pe Patients, Kyleigh Grieshaber, Barbara Mcclaskey

Posters

As a result of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a pulmonary embo­lism (PE) can occur which creates a blockage in the body’s pulmonary circulation, leading to cell death. PE is the third leading cause of death in the U.S., while being the most common, most preventable cause of death in hospitalized patients. Understanding the signs and symptoms of PE is essential in order to save patients’ lives. The objective of this research study was to compare the prophylactic use of Unfractionated Heparin (UFH) and Low Molecular Weight Heparin (LMWH) in patients effected with PE. Information for this research project was gathered …

Dual Therapy Treatment Of Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia With Blinotumomab And A Standard Chemotherapy Regimen, Tori I. Scheffler

Selected Honors Theses

Leukemia is the number one cancer affecting children in the nation, with acute lymphoblastic leukemia being the most prevalent classification.1 While new and innovative treatment protocols have greatly increased the success rate of primary cancer patients, those who face relapse receive a much more dismal prognosis. Recent studies have shown that patients who relapse quite frequently have developed drug-resistant clones of the original cancer cells, leading to a need for various secondary treatment options. The drug-resistance is due to clonal mutations that take place within the cancer cell, most often because of an outside pressure or stress within the environment …

Huntington's Disease, Diana Gonzalez '20, Grace Yue '20, Amy Xxx, Trinity Coates '20, Annie Xu '19

Human Diseases Graphic Novels

No abstract provided.

Cardiac Tamponade, Eric Errampalli '19

Human Diseases Graphic Novels

No abstract provided.

Diabetes, Diana Gonzalez '19, Grace Yue '19, Amy Churchill '20, Trinity Coates '20, Annie Xu '19

Human Diseases Graphic Novels

No abstract provided.

Epilepsy, Diana Gonzalez '20, Grace Yue '20, Amy Churchill '20, Trinity Coates '20, Annie Xu '19

Human Diseases Graphic Novels

No abstract provided.

Prevalence And Practice For Rare Diseases In Primary Care: A National Cross-Sectional Study In The Usa, Ara Jo, Samantha Larson, Peter Carek, Michael R. Peabody, Lars E. Peterson, Arch G. Mainous

Family and Community Medicine Faculty Publications

Objectives There are more than 7000 rare diseases in the USA, and they are prevalent in 8% of the population. Due to life-threatening risk and limited therapies, early detection and treatment are critical. The purpose of this study was to explore characteristics of visits for patients with rare diseases seen by primary care physicians (PCPs).

Design The study used a cross sectional study using a national representative dataset, the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey for the years 2012–2014.

Setting Primary care setting.

Participants Visits to PCPs (n=22 306 representing 354 507 772 office visits to PCPs).

Primary outcome measures Prevalence …

Maximum Iv Tpa Dose For Obese Patients Is Associated With Greater Likelihood Of Hemorrhagic Conversion And Worse Functional Outcome At Discharge, Amy Starosciak, Felipe De Los Rios La Rosa

All Publications

No abstract provided.

The Proliferation Of Porcine Retinal Ganglion Cells Using Pnu 282987, Rebecca Karl, David Linn

Honors Projects

The retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) from porcine eyes were extracted to work towards a potential therapy for glaucoma. There is not a known cause of glaucoma or the apoptosis of RGCs that cause the eventual blindness associated with glaucoma. The goal of this protocol is to protect the RGCs from dying by adding a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor activator to induce neuronal proliferation and protect against glutamate-induced excitotoxicity. PNU 282987 was used as the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor activator due to its neuroprotective properties. We hypothesized that we would observe the proliferation of RGCs (associated with increased cell numbers) with varying levels …

The Impact Of Concomitant Empiric Cefepime On Patient Outcomes Of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Bloodstream Infections Treated With Vancomycin, Evan J. Zasowski, Trang D. Trinh, Safana M. Atwan, Marina Merzlyakova, Abdalhamid M. Langf, Sahil Bhatia, Michael J. Rybak

Faculty Publications & Research of the TUC College of Pharmacy

Background: Data suggest that vancomycin + β-lactam combinations improve clearance of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) bloodstream infections (BSIs). However, it is unclear which specific β-lactams confer benefit. This analysis evaluates the impact of concomitant empiric cefepime on outcomes of MRSA BSIs treated with vancomycin.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study of adults with MRSA BSI from 2006 to 2017. Vancomycin + cefepime therapy was defined as ≥24 hours of cefepime during the first 72 hours of vancomycin. The primary outcome was microbiologic failure, defined as BSI duration ≥7 days and/or 60-day recurrence. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between …

The Effects Of Intermittent Fasting On Chronic Disease In Adults: A Systematic Review, Brendan Teeters

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This systematic review investigated thirteen primary and secondary research studies from the past 20 years to determine the effects of intermittent fasting on chronic disease in adults through evaluation of biological markers pertaining to inflammation, oxidative stress, and the cardiovascular system. The dependent variables examined included heart rate, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels for cardiovascular risk; leptin and TNF-a for inflammatory risk; and F₂-Isoprostanes and free radicals for oxidative stress biomarkers. The reviewed studies found that there was a decrease in resting heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, blood LDL and total cholesterol levels, inflammatory cells, like …

Redefining Burnout: Exploring Common Conceptualizations And The Neurophysiology Of Chronic Stress To Establish An Integrated Allostatic Model, Danny A. Guzzi

Dissertations

Burnout is a widely researched stress-related phenomenon associated with numerous adverse outcomes for employees and organizations. Unfortunately, burnout is not well understood and research to this point has been flawed due to a lack of consensus on the definition, dimensionality, and context of the construct. Prevalent conceptualizations of burnout have been criticized for being arbitrarily developed without solid theoretical foundation and for failing to clearly distinguish burnout from depression or other work-related conditions such as compassion fatigue, secondary traumatization, and vicarious traumatization. The current project first examines relevant literature to identify commonalities among prevalent burnout conceptualizations. Then relevant stress research …

Subsequent Event Risk In Individuals With Established Coronary Heart Disease, Riyaz S. Patel, Vinicius Tragante, Amand F. Schmidt, Raymond O. Mccubrey, Michael V. Holmes, Laurence J. Howe, Kenan Direk, Axel Åkerblom, Karin Leander, Salim S. Virani

Office of the Provost

Background: The Genetics of Subsequent Coronary Heart Disease (GENIUS-CHD) consortium was established to facilitate discovery and validation of genetic variants and biomarkers for risk of subsequent CHD events, in individuals with established CHD.
Methods: The consortium currently includes 57 studies from 18 countries, recruiting 185 614 participants with either acute coronary syndrome, stable CHD, or a mixture of both at baseline. All studies collected biological samples and followed-up study participants prospectively for subsequent events.
Results: Enrollment into the individual studies took place between 1985 to present day with a duration of follow-up ranging from 9 months to 15 years. Within …

Health Effects Of A Vegan Diet And Pediatric Cancer Prevention, Lindsay Wisehart

Senior Honors Theses

Veganism is a diet which excludes consumption of all animal products. With proper planning and vitamin supplementation to ensure adequate intake of protein, fat, calcium, zinc, iron, and vitamins D and B12, a vegan diet is widely accepted as suitable for growing and developing children. The decreased levels of dairy, red and processed meats, fat, and protein, and increased levels of fruits and vegetables characteristic of a vegan diet have been shown to reduce risk of mortality and a number of diseases including adult and childhood cancer. Childhood cancer is the second leading cause of childhood death in Western society. …

Predictors Of Good Functional Outcome At Discharge In Stroke Patients With Depression In The Fl-Pr Collaboration To Reduce Stroke Disparities, Amy Starosciak

All Publications

No abstract provided.

Long-Term Use Of Antibiotics And Risk Of Colorectal Adenoma, Yin Cao, Kana Wu, Raaj Mehta, David A. Drew, Mingyang Song, Paul Lochhead, Long H. Nguyen, Jacques Izard, Charles S. Fuchs, Wendy S. Garrett, Curtis Huttenhower, Shuji Ogino, Edward L. Giovannucci, Andrew T. Chan

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Objective: Recent evidence suggests that antibiotic use, which alters the gut microbiome, is associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer. However, the association between antibiotic use and risk of colorectal adenoma, the precursor for the majority of colorectal cancers, has not been investigated.

Design: We prospectively evaluated the association between antibiotic use at age 20–39 and 40–59 (assessed in 2004) and recent antibiotic use (assessed in 2008) with risk of subsequent colorectal adenoma among 16,642 women aged ≥ 60 enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study who underwent at least one colonoscopy through 2010. We used multivariate logistic …

Unconventional 2:1 Ventricular Pacing In A Neonate With Congenital Heart Block And Biventricular Noncompaction, Andrew E Schneider, Philip L Wackel

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

Congenital complete heart block with concomitant biventricular noncompaction cardiomyopathy has been reported once previously. Although not universal, when restrictive physiology is present, impaired diastolic filling may pose a distinct challenge to pacing during the neonatal period. We present the case of a neonate with congenital complete heart block and biventricular noncompaction that resulted in severe diastolic dysfunction and atrioventricular dyssynchrony. We intentionally used 2:1 ventricular pacing to provide atrioventricular synchrony with every paced beat, and this resulted in hemodynamic and clinical improvement. This unconventional pacing technique may be beneficial in other neonates who have complete heart block and diastolic dysfunction.

Minimally Invasive Endovascular Repair Of Ascending Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm With Use Of Local Anesthesia And Conscious Sedation, Abdelkader Almanfi, Zvonimir Krajcer

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

Ascending thoracic aortic aneurysm (ATAA) is typically treated surgically. No commercially available device has been specifically designed for endovascular ATAA repair, and currently, multiple anatomic and technical challenges affect its feasibility. Previously, such repairs have been performed with the patients under general anesthesia. We describe a novel, minimally invasive approach to endovascular repair of ATAA, involving local anesthesia, conscious sedation, and 24-hour hospitalization. Two consecutive male patients (ages, 79 and 54 yr) who had comorbidities underwent percutaneous transfemoral endovascular ATAA repair with use of commercially available endografts. Patient 1 had a saccular aneurysm, and Patient 2 had a pseudoaneurysm consequent …

Identification Of Inadvertent Azygous Vein Cannulation Using Transthoracic Echocardiography During Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Initiation., Bethany Runkel, Jason D. Fraser, John Daniel, Karina M. Carlson

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

It is well known that optimal cannula positioning during initiation of venoarterial (VA) extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is directly related to ECMO circuit function. Malpositioned cannulae can have deleterious effects on clinical outcomes, and inadvertent cannulation of the azygous vein during initiation of ECMO is a rare but potentially devastating complication that has been reported only a few times in the literature. Here we report a case of azygous vein cannulation in a neonate that was not identified on chest radiography but was recognized and corrected expeditiously with the use of transthoracic echocardiography.

Effectiveness Of Artificial Neochordae Implantation In Tricuspid Valve Repair, Salih Salihi, H Tarik Kiziltan, Ahmad Huraibat, Askin Ali Korkmaz, Ibrahim Kara, Mustafa Guden

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

Various techniques for treating tricuspid regurgitation have been described; however, because of scarce data about the long-term outcomes of different repairs, the optimal technique has not been established. We evaluated the effectiveness and durability of artificial neochordae implantation in the treatment of tricuspid regurgitation. From 2009 through 2014, 507 patients underwent tricuspid valve repair at our institution. Of those, 48 patients implanted with artificial neochordae were included in our study. The median age of the participants was 62 years (range, 4-77 yr) and 50% were women. Thirty patients (63%) were in New York Heart Association functional class III, and 11 …

More On Waiting For Test Results: When A Doctor Is The Patient, Herbert L Fred

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

No abstract provided.

An Unusual Case Of Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy In Pheochromocytoma, Paolo Angelini

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

No abstract provided.

Effect Of Percutaneous Suction Thromboembolectomy On Improved Right Ventricular Function, Akbarshakh Akhmerov, Heidi Reich, James Mirocha, Danny Ramzy

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

Venous thromboembolism is a leading cause of cardiovascular death. Historically, surgical intervention has been associated with high morbidity rates. Pharmacologic therapy alone can be inadequate for patients with substantial hemodynamic compromise, so minimally invasive procedures are being developed to reduce clot burden. We describe our initial experience with using the AngioVac system to remove thromboemboli percutaneously. We reviewed all suction thromboembolectomy procedures performed at our institution from March 2013 through August 2015. The main indications for the procedure were failed catheter-directed therapy, contraindication to thrombolysis, bleeding-related complications, and clot-in-transit phenomena. We collected details on patient characteristics, procedural indications, thrombus location, …

Transapical Implantation Of Edwards Sapien Xt Valve To Close A Left Ventricular Outflow Tract Pseudoaneurysm, Jorge Peñalver, Wassim Shatila, Francisco Y Macedo, Guilherme V Silva

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

No abstract provided.