Diseases Commons^™

Diet Quality As Assessed By The Healthy Eating Index-2020 Among Different Smoking Status: An Analysis Of National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey (Nhanes) Data From 2005 To 2018, Ting Luo, Tung Sung Tseng

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Background: Combining smoking with poor eating habits significantly elevates the risk of chronic illnesses and early death. Understanding of how dietary quality shifts post-smoking cessation remains limited. The objective of this study is to examine dietary quality – using Healthy Eating Index (HEI – 2020) and its 13 components, among current, former, and never smokers, and particularly the impact of quitting and the duration of cessation on dietary habits. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of 31,569 adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005–2018 was conducted. Dietary quality was assessed using HEI-2020 scores, which were determined by NIH …

Rapid Increase Of Female But Not Male Obesity: Analysis Of The 2023 Vanuatu Health Transition Project Survey On Aneityum, Matthew Christian, Olivia Lasalle, Zhiqiao Huang, Hannah Chen, Ricky Chen, J. Koji Lum

Binghamton University Undergraduate Journal

Globally, obesity rates are continuing to increase and countries in the midst of modernization are most vulnerable. Developing nations are undergoing a health transition alongside rapid economic modernization. The nation of Vanuatu, like other Pacific island countries, is experiencing such a transition marked by decreased cases of infectious disease and increased incidence of chronic and non-communicable diseases. Aneityum is a small and sparsely populated island in Vanuatu and is behind more developed islands in its transition. This present study is the latest in a multi-year project examining health in Vanuatu as it undergoes a health transition with an increased prevalence …

Sdrnas Participate In The Maintenance And Onset Of Prostate Cancer, Neil Chaudhary

Poster Presentations

What is an sdRNA? Noncoding RNA (ncRNA) is a class of RNA that includes microRNA (miRNA) and small nucleolar RNA (snoRNA). Fragments excised from ncRNAs are known as noncodingderived RNA (ndRNA). A certain class of ndRNAs that are derived from snoRNAs have been denoted as Small Nucleolar Derived RNAs (sdRNAs). Our lab has previously hypothesized and demonstrated that sdRNAs display regulatory functions on target genes, similar to the functions of miRNAs. sdRNAs are almost identical to microRNAs and differ mainly in their source of origin.

Our lab has shown that sdRNA-93 is frequently misexpressed in breast cancer cell lines and …

Isolation Of Aged Mouse Primary Microglia As A Model System For Alzheimer’S Disease Research, Michael Landis

Biology Honors Papers

Microglia and their role as the immune cells of the central nervous system are an emerging area of interest within Alzheimer’s research, particularly as they have shown in a benevolent and malevolent cellular context. Models of Alzheimer’s disease are very light in studying microglia, so in this study a model of microglia isolated from aged mice is established in order to study the phagocytic activity and protein expression of microglia in response to Amyloid Beta. The cells were isolated from aged mice and cultured before being used to confirm cellular identity, as well as to measure phagocytic activity. This study …

The Role Of Microrna-152 In The Pathogenesis Of Diabetic Cardiomyopathy, Joy Olaoluwa Gbadegoye

Alternative Theses and Dissertations (AETDs)

Diabetes mellitus, one of the world’s fast-growing diseases, is characterized by high death rates from cardiac complications named diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). DCM is a heart disease that occurs in both type 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus patients. Many management options have been explored in the management of DCM, including ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, etc.; however, limited success has been recorded from these. MicroRNAs, recently discovered gene regulators, have been reported to be associated with various physiology and pathological processes in the mammalian body. These include cell proliferation, cell death, senesis, carcinogenesis, diabetes, and heart failure, among others. Various miRs have been …

The Pam-1 Aminopeptidase Protects Against Neurodegeneration In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Caleb Coil

Honors College Theses

The deteriorating effects of neurodegenerative conditions seem inescapable for many as they age. The experimental exploration of the molecular and cellular mechanisms responsible for neurodegeneration is aided using animal models. For instance, genetic screens have identified the puromycin-sensitive aminopeptidase (PSA) as a novel effector of neurodegeneration, as mutations in PSA in fruit flies result in perturbations of neuron anatomy and an accelerated onset of neuron death. We have tested the hypothesis that PAM-1, the Caenorhabditis elegans ortholog of PSA, plays a similar role in governing neurodegeneration in nematodes. Genetic strains were created that express the green fluorescent protein (GFP) in …

Improving Fertility: Evaluating The Addition Of Prednisone To Enhance The Effectiveness Of Clomid And Femara In Anovulatory Patients., Jeffrey Bradford

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Chronic Anovulation and PCOS is a major infertility issue that affects the ability of many female patients to conceive and obtain a pregnancy. General anovulation is influenced by a combination of factors such as hypoandrogenism, hormonal imbalances, and an irregular menstrual cycle. The current methods of treatments include the usage of first-line medications such as Clomid and Femara or more expensive options such as menotropin regimens, Intrauterine Insemination (IUI), or In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). While Clomid and Femara remain the most common and successful method, an estimated 25% of general anovulation patients will fail to ovulate despite a maximum dosage …

Global Burden Of 288 Causes Of Death And Life Expectancy Decomposition In 204 Countries And Territories And 811 Subnational Locations, 1990–2021: A Systematic Analysis For The Global Burden Of Disease Study 2021, Gbd 2021 Causes Of Death Collaborators, Veincent Christian F. Pepito

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Background

Methods

Global Incidence, Prevalence, Years Lived With Disability (Ylds), Disability-Adjusted Life-Years (Dalys), And Healthy Life Expectancy (Hale) For 371 Diseases And Injuries In 204 Countries And Territories And 811 Subnational Locations, 1990–2021: A Systematic Analysis For The Global Burden Of Disease Study 2021, Gbd 2021 Diseases And Injuries Collaborators, Veincent Christian F. Pepito

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Background

Detailed, comprehensive, and timely reporting on population health by underlying causes of disability and premature death is crucial to understanding and responding to complex patterns of disease and injury burden over time and across age groups, sexes, and locations. The availability of disease burden estimates can promote evidence-based interventions that enable public health researchers, policy makers, and other professionals to implement strategies that can mitigate diseases. It can also facilitate more rigorous monitoring of progress towards national and international health targets, such as the Sustainable Development Goals. For three decades, the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors …

Long-Term Healthcare Utilisation, Costs And Quality Of Life After Invasive Group B Streptococcus Disease: A Cohort Study In Five Low-Income And Middle-Income Countries, Farah Seedat, Simon Procter, Ziyaad Dangor, Shannon Leahy, Sridhar Santhanam, Hima John, Quique Bassat, Celine Aerts, Amina Abubakar, Carophine Nasambu

Institute for Human Development, East Africa

Introduction There are no published data on the long-term impact of invasive group B Streptococcus disease (iGBS) on economic costs or health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in low-income and middle-income countries. We assessed the impact of iGBS on healthcare utilisation, costs and HRQoL in Argentina, India, Kenya, Mozambique and South Africa.

Methods Inpatient and outpatient visits, out-of-pocket (OOP) healthcare payments in the 12 months before study enrolment, and health-state utility of children and caregivers (using the EuroQol 5-Dimensions-3-Level) were collected from iGBS survivors and an unexposed cohort matched on site, age at recruitment and sex. We used logistic or Poisson …

Exploring The Neuroprotective Effects Of Cannabinoids On Oxygen Glucose Deprived Neurons In An In-Vitro Model Of Stroke, Bhavya Chatragadda, Emily Potts, Hang Ma, Navindra Seeram, Claudia Fallini

Senior Honors Projects

Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability and decreased mobility worldwide. During stroke, neuronal damage results from both the initial oxygen-glucose deprivation and the increase in excitotoxicity and oxidative stress after restoration of blood flow, a phase called Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury (IRI). Reducing the impact of these processes could result in better outcomes for post-stroke patients by preventing excessive neuronal death. Many natural compounds derived from the Cannabis Sativa plant have been tested for neuroprotective effects due to their potential antioxidant properties. We hypothesized that neurons treated with cannabinoids immediately after experiencing an acute ischemic event will have an overall …

Vulnerability Of Semantic Networks In Multiple Sclerosis: An Analysis Of Verbal Fluency Data, Sophia Lall

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Word finding difficulty is a frequently reported subjective cognitive concern among persons with Multiple Sclerosis (pwMS). Word-finding relies on several information retrieval processes, including search and retrieval from the conceptual store, the phonological store, the syllabary, as well as other stores of information. Neuropsychological assessments, including the semantic verbal fluency measure, can be used to measure word retrieval abilities. Despite this, the MS research literature shows that neuropsychological assessment of semantic verbal fluency yields mixed results in detecting word-finding difficulties. While some studies report finding statistically lower semantic fluency scores in pwMS relative to healthy controls (HC), others found no …

The Role Of B Cell Activation State And Sex In Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Mediated Induction Of Chemokine Receptor 9 And Alpha4beta7 Expression In Vitro, Logan Bauerle

Master's Theses

Defense of mucosal tissues from microbial infection and allergy is reliant on continual production of antibodies. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is known to regulate B cell development and is associated with suppression of systemic humoral immunity. Recent attention has been paid to the role of the AhR in altering expression of cell adhesion molecules (CAMs). B cells express CAMs and chemokine receptors to migrate around the body for localized secretion of antibodies. AhR agonists promote B cell migration to the small intestine through upregulation of chemokine receptor 9 (CCR9) and integrin α₄β₇. Both the AhR …

Investigating The Antibacterial Properties Of Capsaicin In Synergy With Antibiotics Against A. Baumannii, Jack Guffey

Undergraduate Theses

As the ever-increasing issue of antibiotic resistance looms, naturally derived compounds have been increasingly investigated as possible synergists with antibiotics. One of these compounds, capsaicin, is a potent vanilloid that is the dominant cause of Capsicum peppers’ spiciness. Capsaicin’s intrinsic ability to inhibit a wide array of bacterial growth has been well documented. The focal organism of this study, Acinetobacter baumannii, has become an increasingly common hospital acquired infection due to its persistence on fomites. Capsaicin, however, is able to inhibit this growth at higher concentrations as well as reduce the necessary minimum inhibitory concentration while decreasing biofilm formation …

Analysis Of Antibiotic Sensitivity Patterns In Pasteurellaceae Family Isolates: A Microbial And Molecular Investigation, Jillian Barron

Honors Scholar Theses

Bacteria in the Pasteurellaceae family are known to cause disease in both human and animal species. Like all species of bacteria, the pathogens in the Pasteurellaceae family evolve and acquire antimicrobial-resistant traits. Antimicrobial resistance of bacteria is a significant public health concern, as treatment of resistant pathogens becomes more difficult, if not impossible, with current medical capabilities. In this project, phenotypic and genotypic analyses were performed on Pasteurellaceae family isolates sourced from the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory. Phenotypic antibiotic sensitivity patterns of each isolate were assessed against a panel of antibiotics through a Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion test. Disk diffusion …

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Role Of Pnpla3 And Its Association With Environmental Chemicals, Shakil A. Saghir, Ata Abbas, Saleh Alfuraih, Ajay Sharma, Jean Latimer, Yadollah Omidi, Rais Ansari

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Globally, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is on the rise with 30-32%, 27-33%, 35-48%, 36%, 9-20%, and 36-38% prevalence in Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Africa, and Australia, respectively. Approximately, 5-10% of NAFLD proceeds to hepatitis called non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). NASH often progresses to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Precise mechanism(s) for the development of HCC is not fully understood in NAFLD and NASH patients. Higher insulin levels in type 2 diabetes (T2D) can result in lipolysis of adipose tissue activating lipid synthesizing enzymes such as fatty acid synthase and stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1, resulting in lipid accumulation in …

A Meta-Analysis For Laboratory Diagnostics For Coccidioidomycosis, Mary C. Cowen

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Coccidioidomycosis, commonly referred to as Valley Fever, is a fungal infection found in arid regions of the southwestern United States and Mexico. Infection occurs through inhalation of airborne spores from Coccidioides species, Coccidioides immitis and/or Coccidioides posadasii, and proceeds in both pulmonary and disseminated fashions. Approximately 60% of patients with coccidioidomycosis remain asymptomatic, while 40% will experience symptoms. Within the literature, there are no papers that summarize sensitivity and specificity values between different tests; therefore, this paper presents sensitivity and specificity results across different tests and companies (Meridian, IMMY, and MiraVista).

Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis (Cvst): A Retrospective Study, Nia Acharya

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This retrospective study investigates the long-term management of Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis (CVST) in 51 patients over a 3-month follow-up. The analysis covers demographics, risk factors, CVST presentation, associated diseases, thrombophilia, laboratory results, and antithrombotic treatments. CVST, a rare thrombosis of dural/cerebral sinuses, poses life-threatening risks with an annual incidence aligning with literature, notably affecting young individuals. Underlying causes range from rare disorders to common triggers, complicating diagnosis, especially during pregnancy. Imaging techniques aid diagnosis, with systemic anticoagulation preferred despite bleeding risks. Noteworthy findings include a higher incidence in women, predominantly presenting with headaches. Two cases of vaccine-induced immune thrombotic …

Integrating Galectin-3 Into A Computational Model Of Cardiac Fibrosis Progression, Adam Pieratt

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Cardiac fibrosis, a large contributor to heart failure, is the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix in response to stress or injury. There are no approved treatments for cardiac fibrosis, and targeting specific species involved creates complex problems for drug development, so a computational model of the cardiac fibroblast signaling network can be used to observe the interactions involved in the progression of cardiac fibrosis. In this paper, a new protein called galectin-3 is integrated into this existing model, and connections are established to expand the coverage of the network. The additions are described, simulated using Netflux biological system simulation software, …

Intervention Measures Alleviating Bacterial Chondronecrosis With Osteomyelitis In Broilers: Experimental Lameness And Feed Additive Treatments, Andi Asnayanti

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As the global population grows, the supply and demand for meat have dramatically increased. The poultry industry has managed to satisfy the high demand for chicken meat through fast-growing broilers. The poultry breeder industry has successfully provided modern broilers with high liveability, feed efficiency, and processing yields through genetic selection of the traits of interest such as growth rate, feed conversion rate, and breast quality. Nevertheless, the intensive selection of modern broiler chickens for fast growth and feed efficiency leads to unintended side effects, such as excessive fat, low reproductive performance, leg abnormalities, low immunity, cardiovascular diseases, and metabolic disorders. …

Long Term Effects On Health: Analyzing The Lasting Effects Of Covid-19 On The Human Body, Kaylie Stachelski

University Honors College

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has raised concerns regarding the long-term effects it can leave on an individual’s health. This abstract provides an overview of the emerging evidence of the long-term effects of COVID-19. Research indicates that COVID-19 can lead to acute or chronic health effects, affecting multiple systems in the body. The symptoms that have been known to effect quality of life in patients that have been suffering from long-haul COVID. While the full spectrum and mechanisms of long-term effects are still under investigation, understanding and addressing the long-term health consequences of COVID-19 remain critical for patient care and public …

The Diet As Medicine: The Power Of Lifestyle Habits To Control Autoimmune Diseases, Jacob Huber

University Honors College

Autoimmune diseases are a family of conditions that result from a malfunction in the immune system. The immune system mistakenly targets healthy tissue in the body, causing severe inflammation and pain in the part that it targets. While research of the diseases has come a long way, there are still a lot of questions unanswered about their origins and treatments. There are no known cures for any of the over 80 identified diseases, and treatment involves reducing the conditions activity to as low as possible. Still, autoimmune patients often live with constant levels of discomfort and impaired quality of life. …

Mismatch Repair Deficient Neoantigen And Associated Circulating T-Cell Receptor Repertoires In Lynch Syndrome, Ana Bolivar

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Lynch Syndrome (LS) is the most common inherited colorectal cancer (CRC) syndrome. It constitutes the perfect model to understand DNA mismatch repair deficient (MMRd) carcinogenesis, which underlies 15% of early-stage CRC. LS patients develop MMRd tumors with high loads of shared neoantigens (neoAgs), which are recognized by the immune system. Previous research has concentrated on discovering neoAgs and their potential as targets for vaccines in LS patients. However, these studies have primarily identified shared neoAgs from cancers, lacking detailed information on targetable neoAgs present in precancerous lesions. Understanding this landscape of pre-cancer derived neoAgs is crucial for intercepting cancer development …

Uncovering Capillary Endothelial Cells Response During Lung Injury-Repair, Celine Shuet Lin Kong

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Once thought to be a homogenous population, capillary endothelial cells (ECs) have embodied organotypic specialization and heterogenous properties, both during homeostasis and tissue injury. In the lung, capillary ECs consist of two distinct populations, CAP1 and CAP2s; how each population responds to diverse tissue injury is incompletely understood. In this thesis, I report the induction and function of a truncated isoform of Ntrk2, Ntrk2^-tk (lacking the tyrosine kinase domain) in multiple injury models. Using a combinatorial approach of single-cell multiome, mouse genetics and viral infection models, I found that Ntrk2^-tk is broadly induced in CAP1s after the initial …

Exploring Subtype C Hiv-1 Tissue Reservoirs And The Impact Of Cannabis Use In Virally Suppressed African Individuals, Zhou Liu

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has dramatically prolonged the lives of people living with HIV (PLWH), but it is not curative as it cannot eliminate integrated HIV-1 proviruses in different tissue reservoirs. Even though subtype C HIV-1 accounts for almost half of global HIV-1 infections, few studies had evaluated HIV-1 reservoirs for this subtype. Many co-factors, including the lifestyle factor cannabis use, have been investigated for their potential effects in HIV-1 infection. However, only limited information exists regarding cannabis’s effects on HIV-1 infections in vivo, and the impact of cannabis use on HIV-1 parenchymal tissue reservoirs is unexplored. This dissertation aims to …

Age At Lung Cancer Diagnosis In Females Versus Males Who Never Smoke By Race And Ethnicity, Batel Blechter, Jason Y Y Wong, Li-Hsin Chien, Kouya Shiraishi, Xiao-Ou Shu, Qiuyin Cai, Wei Zheng, Bu-Tian Ji, Wei Hu, Mohammad L Rahman, Hsin-Fang Jiang, Fang-Yu Tsai, Wen-Yi Huang, Yu-Tang Gao, Xijing Han, Mark D Steinwandel, Gong Yang, Yihe G Daida, Su-Ying Liang, Scarlett L Gomez, Mindy C Derouen, W Ryan Diver, Ananya G Reddy, Alpa V Patel, Loïc Le Marchand, Christopher Haiman, Takashi Kohno, Iona Cheng, I-Shou Chang, Chao Agnes Hsiung, Nathaniel Rothman, Qing Lan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: We characterized age at diagnosis and estimated sex differences for lung cancer and its histological subtypes among individuals who never smoke.

METHODS: We analyzed the distribution of age at lung cancer diagnosis in 33,793 individuals across 8 cohort studies and two national registries from East Asia, the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK). Student's t-tests were used to assess the study population differences (Δ years) in age at diagnosis comparing females and males who never smoke across subgroups defined by race/ethnicity, geographic location, and histological subtypes.

RESULTS: We found that among Chinese individuals diagnosed with lung cancer …

The Sexual Trauma Of The Female Body: Violence Against Women In Contemporary Spanish And Latin American Cultures, Lara Armenteros Garrido

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This dissertation focuses on the idea that women’s bodies have a sexual stigma attached to them as a consequence of different forms of heteropatriarcal violence inflicted on them. From violence in public spaces, such as street harassment or the sexual exploitation of women, to the intimacy of the relationship, like intimate partner violence or the orgasm gap, it becomes increasingly difficult for women to escape violence. Through the analysis of films, documentaries, narratives, and the testimonies of women from Spain and Latin America, I argue there is still a lack of adequate sexual and emotional knowledge to help complete agency …

Sarcopenia And The Importance Of Resistance Training And Protein-Rich Diets For Prevention Of Muscle Loss In Older Adults: A Literature Review And Informational Pamphlet, Madison Steele

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The growing prevalence of sarcopenia among older adults as well as youths has prompted further research aimed at developing effective preventative measures and treatment plans. Sarcopenia is often thought to occur solely due to aging, but several other factors contribute to progressive muscle loss. Previous research studies have found an effect of physical activity and dietary protein levels on the risk of developing sarcopenia as well as its onset age. This study aims to review existing knowledge in the field to compile an extensive list of sarcopenia causes and methods of prevention. The main causes identified in this review are …

A Comparative Analysis Of Hiv/Aids In France And The United States: Historical Context And Preventative Actions, Rebecca A. Liebsack

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The HIV/AIDS pandemic is the result of transmission of a zoonotic disease known as simian immunodeficiency virus. The pandemic has had profound social and economic consequences and continues to be present today. France and the United States’ response to the discovery of HIV will be compared and the impact that HIV/AIDS had on their countries and future responses. They had rather similar responses, however, the United States had a slower initial response compared to France. Both had similar takeaways such as aiming at improving prevention and utilizing tactics developed during the start of the pandemic like frequent testing and vaccines.

Profiling The Activity Of The Para-Caspase Malt1 In B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia For Potential Targeted Therapeutic Application, Firas M Safa, Terri Rasmussen, Lorena Fontan, Min Xia, Ari Melnick, Adrian Wiestner, Patricia Lobelle-Rich, Jan A Burger, Yara Mouawad, Hana Safah, Erik K Flemington, Nakhle S Saba

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) remains a hard-to-treat disease with a poor prognosis in adults. Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma translocation protein 1 (MALT1) is a para-caspase required for B-cell receptor (BCR)-mediated NF-κB activation. Inhibition of MALT1 in preclinical models has proven efficacious in many B-cell malignancies including chronic lymphocytic leukemia, mantle cell lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. We sought to examine the role of MALT1 in B-ALL and determine the biological consequences of its inhibition. Targeting MALT1 with both Z-VRPR-fmk and MI-2 efficiently kills B-ALL cells independent of the cell-of-origin (pro, pre, mature) or the presence of the Philadelphia …