Diseases Commons^™

Investigating The Development Of Alcohol Tolerance In The Eskape Pathogens, Hannah Durkee

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Antiseptics and disinfectants are used globally to kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria to prevent infection. Considering the well-documented development of antibiotic resistance, the potential for evolved tolerance to alcohol-based antimicrobial agents raises concern. The ESKAPE bacterial pathogens (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter spp.) are a major cause of healthcare-associated mortality and present a threat to public health due to the progression of multi-drug resistance. We conducted an experiment to determine if the ESKAPE pathogens develop an increased tolerance to ethanol upon repeated exposure by selecting for survivors after a …

Selecting And Evaluating Key Mds-Updrs Activities Using Wearable Devices For Parkinson's Disease Self-Assessment, Yuting Zhao, Xulong Wang, Xiyang Peng, Ziheng Li, Fengtao Nan, Menghui Zhuo, Jun Qi, Yun Yang, Zhong Zhao, Lida Xu, Po Yang

Information Technology & Decision Sciences Faculty Publications

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a complex neurodegenerative disease in the elderly. This disease has no cure, but assessing these motor symptoms will help slow down that progression. Inertial sensing-based wearable devices (ISWDs) such as mobile phones and smartwatches have been widely employed to analyse the condition of PD patients. However, most studies purely focused on a single activity or symptom, which may ignore the correlation between activities and complementary characteristics. In this paper, a novel technical pipeline is proposed for fine-grained classification of PD severity grades, which identify the most representative activities. We also propose a multi-activities combination scheme based …

Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields Increase Antibiotic Susceptibility In Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, Alexandra E. Chittams-Miles, Areej Malik, Erin B. Purcell, Claudia Muratori

Bioelectrics Publications

Staphylococcus aureus is the leading cause of skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTIs). SSTIs caused by bacteria resistant to antimicrobials, such as methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), are increasing in incidence and have led to higher rates of hospitalization. In this study, we measured MRSA inactivation by nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEF), a promising new cell ablation technology. Our results show that treatment with 120 pulses of 600 ns duration (28 kV/cm, 1 Hz), caused modest inactivation, indicating cellular damage. We anticipated that the perturbation created by nsPEF could increase antibiotic efficacy if nsPEF were applied as a co-treatment. To test this …

Impacts Of Climate Change On Vector-Borne Disease Burden In The United States: Exploring The Epidemiological Evidence, Leah V. Loetman

Honors Theses

Climate change models predict shifts in vector-borne diseases (VBDs) around the world, including in the United States. However, to my knowledge there has yet to be a comprehensive descriptive epidemiological study examining prevalence, geographic distribution, and trends for all tick- and mosquito-borne diseases in the United States. I compiled data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), which publishes yearly case numbers for 17 vector-borne diseases. However, these publications depend on a scattered framework of state regulations regarding disease reporting. I compiled data from the CDC to determine the current geographic distribution, prevalence, and trends of tick- and mosquito-borne …

Adaptation D’Outils Pour Soutenir Le Retour Progressif Au Travail, Marie-José Durand, Marie-France Coutu, Chantal Sylvain, Daniel Côté, Marie-Andrée Paquette

Rapports de recherche scientifique

L’incapacité au travail en raison de troubles musculosquelettiques (TMS) ou mentaux courants (TMC) affecte une portion importante de travailleurs et génère des coûts substantiels. La mise en œuvre de modalités de retour progressif au travail (RPAT) constitue un moyen efficace pour favoriser le retour et le maintien au travail des travailleurs concernés. Le Guide d’évaluation de la marge de manœuvre (GEMM) et l’Outil de retour progressif au travail (ORPAT) constituent des outils pertinents pour soutenir la pratique des professionnels de la santé et des milieux de travail à cet égard. Toutefois, leur utilisation dans la pratique demeure peu répandue et …

Quantification Of Antiviral Drug Tenofovir (Tfv) By Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (Sers) Using Cumulative Distribution Functions (Cdfs), Marguerite R. Butler, Jana Hrncirova, Meredith Clark, Sucharita Dutta, John B. Cooper

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is an ultrasensitive spectroscopic technique that generates signal-enhanced fingerprint vibrational spectra of small molecules. However, without rigorous control of SERS substrate active sites, geometry, surface area, or surface functionality, SERS is notoriously irreproducible, complicating the consistent quantitative analysis of small molecules. While evaporatively prepared samples yield significant SERS enhancement resulting in lower detection limits, the distribution of these enhancements along the SERS surface is inherently stochastic. Acquiring spatially resolved SERS spectra of these dried surfaces, we have shown that this enhancement is governed by a power law as a function of analyte concentration. Consequently, by definition, …

Exploration Of Potential Broad-Spectrum Antiviral Targets In The Enterovirus Replication Element: Identification Of Six Distinct 5' Cloverleaves, Morgan G. Daniels, Meagan E. Werner, Rockwell T. Li, Steven M. Pascal

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Enterovirus genomic replication initiates at a predicted RNA cloverleaf (5′CL) at the 5′ end of the RNA genome. The 5′CL contains one stem (SA) and three stem-loops (SLB, SLC, SLD). Here, we present an analysis of 5′CL conservation and divergence for 209 human health-related serotypes from the enterovirus genus, including enterovirus and rhinovirus species. Phylogenetic analysis indicates six distinct 5′CL serotypes that only partially correlate with the species definition. Additional findings include that 5′CL sequence conservation is higher between the EV species than between the RV species, the 5′CL of EVA and EVB are nearly identical, and RVC has the …

Reiq-Mediated Alarmone Signalling Regulates Growth, Stress-Induced Biofilm Formation And Spore Accumulation In Clostridioides Difficile, Areej Malik, Adenrele Oludiran, Asia Poudel, Orlando Berumen Alvarez, Charles Woodward, Erin B. Purcell

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

The bacterial stringent response (SR) is a conserved transcriptional reprogramming pathway mediated by the nucleotide signalling alarmones, (pp)pGpp. The SR has been implicated in antibiotic survival in Clostridioides difficile, a biofilm- and spore-forming pathogen that causes resilient, highly recurrent C. difficile infections. The role of the SR in other processes and the effectors by which it regulates C. difficile physiology are unknown. C. difficile RelQ is a clostridial alarmone synthetase. Deletion of relQ dysregulates C. difficile growth in unstressed conditions, affects susceptibility to antibiotic and oxidative stressors and drastically reduces biofilm formation. While wild-type C. difficile displays increased biofilm …

Germicidal Ultraviolet (Guv): A Powerful Tool For Improving Indoor Air Quality And Reducing Disease Transmission, P. Jacob Bueno De Mesquita

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

High Prevalence Of Trypanosoma Cruzi Infection In Raccoons (Procyon Lotor) And Associated Risk To Humans In Central Illinois, Esther Onuselogu

Masters Theses

Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, remains a neglected tropical disease and a growing health threat in the United States. Raccoons (Procyon lotor) often coexist with humans in urban and suburban areas and serve as reservoir hosts for T. cruzi. While T. cruzi is rare in humans and domestic animals in the U.S., it is common in wildlife species, particularly raccoons and Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana). This study aimed to assess the prevalence of T. cruzi infection in the raccoon population of Central Illinois and evaluate the risk of transmission to humans. …

Exploring Drivers Of Sex-Based Disparities In Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis, Stephanie K. Buxhoeveden

Theses and Dissertations

Females are three times more susceptible to relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) and males typically have more severe disease, but the molecular underpinnings of these sex-based disease disparities are unknown and represent a critical knowledge gap.Subject Population: Blood samples from a demographically homogenous group of treatment naïve males and females with relapsing-MS and healthy controls. Research Design: Cross-sectional combinatorial omics pilot study. Instruments: Whole transcriptomic analysis with messenger RNA (mRNA) expression profiling using next generation sequencing (RNA-seq) and micro-RNA (miRNA) expression using NanoString technology. Aim 1) Identify and compare the actively expressed mRNAs in the transcriptome of males and …

The Splice Index As A Prognostic Biomarker Of Strength And Function In Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1, Marina Provenzano

Theses and Dissertations

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a slowly progressive, multisystem disorder caused by a CTG repeat expansion in the DMPK 3’UTR that leads to global dysregulation of alternative splicing. The resulting decline in physical function is slow, and no reliable biomarkers exist for predicting disease progression; however, an RNA mis-splicing biomarker associated with weakness may have utility in predicting functional outcomes. Here we validate the Splice Index (SI) as a potential biomarker of DM1-associated strength and function. Muscle biopsies of the tibialis anterior were collected from DM1-affected individuals at baseline (n = 46) and 3-months (n = 34), along with …

Polygenic And Transcriptional Risk Scores Identify Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Subtypes In The Copdgene And Eclipse Cohort Studies, Matthew Moll, Julian Hecker, John Platig, Jingzhou Zhang, Auyon J. Ghosh, Katherine A. Pratte, Rui-Sheng Wang, Davin Hill, Iain R. Konigsberg, Joe W. Chiles, Craig P. Hersh, Peter J. Castaldi, Kimberly Glass, Jennifer G. Dy, Don D. Sin, Ruth Tal-Singer, Majd Mouded, Stephen I. Rennard, Gary P. Anderson, Gregory L. Kinney, Russell P. Bowler, Jeffrey L. Curtis, Merry-Lynn Mcdonald, Edwin K. Silverman, Brian D. Hobbs, Michael H. Cho

Journal Articles: Pulmonary & Critical Care Med

BACKGROUND: Genetic variants and gene expression predict risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but their effect on COPD heterogeneity is unclear. We aimed to define high-risk COPD subtypes using genetics (polygenic risk score, PRS) and blood gene expression (transcriptional risk score, TRS) and assess differences in clinical and molecular characteristics.

METHODS: We defined high-risk groups based on PRS and TRS quantiles by maximising differences in protein biomarkers in a COPDGene training set and identified these groups in COPDGene and ECLIPSE test sets. We tested multivariable associations of subgroups with clinical outcomes and compared protein-protein interaction networks and drug repurposing …

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Genetic Susceptibility, Shakil A. Saghir, Nicole Shams, Lianette Veliz, Saleh Alfuraih, Yadollah Omidi, Jaleh Barar, Ajay Sharma, Rais Ansari

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

The prevalence of Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is increasing, particularly in individuals who consume minimal to no alcohol. Currently, NAFLD affects at least 32% of the global population. Although not all but approximately 5-10% cases of NAFLD progress to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a condition arising from lipotoxicity. Patients with NASH may further develop liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, it is important to note that progression from NAFLD to NASH and HCC is not inevitable for all patients. The pathogenesis of HCC in the context of NAFLD and NASH remains poorly understood, however, fat accumulation, often due …

Health And Lifestyle Behavioral Changes To Prevent Myocardial Infarction (Mi): Mixed Methods Approach To Understand Secondary Mi Prevention, Naila Idreesa Saghir

Global Public Health | Senior Theses

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading causes of death globally and about 200,000 individuals experience their second myocardial infarction yearly. There is a lack of understanding about how lifestyle and behavioral changes can prevent secondary myocardial infarction a year in the United States. The objective of this study is to use a mixed methods approach to understand how individuals who have made lifestyle behavioral changes to prevent their secondary myocardial infarction. Surveys and interviews consisted of questions about the participants' health behaviors and health history. Demographics, background information, and lifestyle behavioral changes were measured using Qualtrics. Valid and reliable tools such …

‘Door-To-Prophylaxis’ As A Novel Quality Improvement Metric In Prevention Of Venous Thromboembolism Following Traumatic Injury, Jan-Michael Van Gent, Thomas W Clements, David E Lubkin, Carter W Kaminski, Jonathan K Bates, Mariela Sandoval, Thaddeus J Puzio, Bryan A Cotton

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVE: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk reduction strategies include early initiation of chemoprophylaxis, reducing missed doses, weight-based dosing and dose adjustment using anti-Xa levels. We hypothesized that time to initiation of chemoprophylaxis would be the strongest modifiable risk for VTE, even after adjusting for competing risk factors.

METHODS: A prospectively maintained trauma registry was queried for patients admitted July 2017-October 2021 who were 18 years and older and received emergency release blood products. Patients with deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism (VTE) were compared to those without (no VTE). Door-to-prophylaxis was defined as time from hospital arrival to first dose of …

Unveiling The Complex World Of Extracellular Vesicles: Novel Characterization Techniques And Manufacturing Considerations, James J Lai, John J Hill, Casey Y Huang, Gino C Lee, Karol W Mai, Maggie Y Shen, Simon K Wang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) function as potent mediators of intercellular communication for many in vivo processes, contributing to both health and disease related conditions. Given their biological origins and diverse functionality from correspondingly unique "cargo" compositions, both endogenous and modified EVs are garnering attention as promising therapeutic modalities and vehicles for targeted therapeutic delivery applications. Their diversity in composition, however, has revealed a significant need for more comprehensive analytical-based characterization methods, and manufacturing processes that are consistent and scalable. In this review, we explore the dynamic landscape of EV research and development efforts, ranging from novel isolation approaches, to their analytical …

Exploring The Physiology Of Clostridioides Difficile: Selenium-Dependent Catabolism Of Host-Derived Nutrients, Michael A. Johnstone

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Clostridioides difficile is a bacterial pathogen that causes pseudomembranous colitis and the majority of antibiotic-associated diarrheal cases. Broad-spectrum antibiotic usage disrupts the normal gut microbiota and thereby compromises colonization resistance, the main defense against C. difficile infection. Treatment options are limited to vancomycin, fidaxomicin, and the fecal microbiota transplant. Addressing the scarcity of these therapeutics, we documented two explorations in C. difficile drug discovery: (i) evaluation of antibacterial and toxin-suppressing activity of (+)-puupehenone and similar derivatives, and (ii) clarification of a discrepancy in the hypothesized mechanism of auranofin against C. difficile. A better understanding of how C. difficile colonizes …

A Structured Review Of The Associations Between Breast Cancer And Exposures To Selected Organic Solvents, Sydney Westra, Mark S. Goldberg, France Labrèche, Jill Baumgartner, Vikki Ho

Revues de littérature, synthèses de connaissances

Introduction

Our objective was to identify published, peer-reviewed, epidemiological studies that estimated associations between the risk of developing or dying from malignant breast cancer and past exposure to selected organic solvents with reactive metabolites, to delineate the methods used and to synthesize the results.

Content

We undertook a structured review of case-control and cohort studies used to investigate breast cancer risk and exposure to selected organic solvents that produce reactive metabolites in the body. We used SCOPUS, MEDLINE (Ovid) and Web of Science databases from 1966 to December 31, 2023 to identify epidemiological studies that estimated associations between the risk …

Distribution Of Tick Species On Free-Ranging Ungulates In Northern New England, Karisa Graham

Honors Theses and Capstones

In Northern New England, ungulates are often parasitized by ticks, which is one of the leading causes for the decline in population. Ungulates are a good host for ticks, specifically deer ticks and winter ticks, and these ticks cause many tick-borne diseases in humans as well. The purpose of this study was to assess passive sampling from harvested animals as a means of tick surveillance in Vermont and New Hampshire. Ticks were collected from deer and moose and mapped throughout the two states by ArcGIS to visualize the trends in distribution. Relative abundance was greater in southeastern Vermont, with no …

A Case Of Parenchymal Hemorrhade Secondary To Dural Venous Sinus Thrombosis, Parnia Forouzan, Jesse Cai, Dewey Le

Gulf Coast Division GME Research Symposium 2024

No abstract provided.

Acyclovir As A Novel Treatment For Severe Chronic Active Epstein-Barr Virus, Mary Therese Thomas, Philip Mardock, Amanda Wright, Kedar Arukala

South Atlantic Division GME Research Day 2024

No abstract provided.

Interventional Radiology Approaches For Grade Iv-V Renal Injuries, Rohan Kapuria, Rishabh Agrawal, Hanping Wu

South Atlantic Division GME Research Day 2024

No abstract provided.

Where You See Smoke, There Is Probably Fire, Algimantas Simpson, Isait Alvarado, Marvin Sineath Jr.

South Atlantic Division GME Research Day 2024

No abstract provided.

Blunt Traumatic Pancreatitis In Pediatric Patient After Wrestling Injury, Connor Talbott, Jason An

Far West Division GME Research Day 2024

No abstract provided.

A Case Of Primary Cutaneous Cd4+ Small/Medium Sized Pleomorphic T-Cell Lymphoproliferative Disorder, Anthony Concilla, Michelle Militello, Sarah Ferrer-Bruker

South Atlantic Division GME Research Day 2024

No abstract provided.

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis In The Setting Of Syphilis On The Us-Mx Border, Jourdan Harper, Enkhbileg Batbileg, Andrew Bush, Cesar Calianga, Hector Zepeda

Central & West Texas GME Research Day 2024

No abstract provided.

Pre-Workout Pancreatitis, Mohammad Ridha, Gilberto Rivera-Gonzalez, Seenivasagam Makeswaran

Central & West Texas GME Research Day 2024

No abstract provided.

Plasma Cell Rich Lymphoid Neoplasm In An Endocervical Polyp Of The Uterine Cervix In A Perimenopausal 52-Year-Old Woman, Anjali Patel, Jacqueline Haas, Angela Kueck

Central & West Texas GME Research Day 2024

No abstract provided.

Perforated Marginal Ulcer Resulting In A Gastropericardial Fistula: Endoscopic Management Of A Rare Complication After Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass, Maximillian Starr, Andrew Nicholson, Kenneth Copperwheat

Continental, MidAmerica, & Mountain Divisions GME Research Day 2024

No abstract provided.