Diseases Commons^™

Costs And Impact Of Disease In Adults With Sickle Cell Disease: A Pilot Study, Sophie Lanzkron, Nicole Crook, Joanne Wu, Sarah Hussain, Randall G. Curtis, Derek Robertson, Judith R. Baker, Diane Nugent, Amit Soni, Jonathan C. Roberts, Megan M. Ullman, Julie Kanter, Michael B. Nichol

Cardeza Foundation for Hematologic Research

We assessed the feasibility to estimate illness burden in adults with SCD, investigated factors associated with health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and estimated societal burden. We recruited 32 participants and collected data on fatigue, HRQoL, and work productivity and activity impairment via patient survey. Health care utilization was abstracted for the 12 months before enrollment using medical chart review. Mean age was 36.7 years; 84.4% of participants had hemoglobin SS or Sβthal0 disease, and 81.3% reported chronic pain (experiencing pain on ≥3 days per week in the past 6 months). Mean EQ-5D-3L visual analogue scale score was 63.4 and the …

Comprehensive Considerations For Dermatologists: The Application Of Fdg-Pet In Evaluating Cutaneous Lesions In Pediatric Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis, Sahithi Talasila, Eric M. Teichner, Robert C. Subtirelu, Naga Chaitanya P. Talasila, Sricharvi Mannam, Thomas Werner, Abass Alavi, Mona-Elisabeth Revheim

Student Papers, Posters & Projects

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a complex disorder characterized by the clonal proliferation of Langerhans cells, primarily affecting children and adolescents. This condition exhibits a wide spectrum of clinical presentations, necessitating a multidisciplinary approach for diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up. Cutaneous manifestations of LCH are significant, mimicking common dermatoses and posing diagnostic challenges. [18F]Fluorodeoxyglucose-Positron Emission Tomography (FDG-PET) has emerged as an important tool in the evaluation of pediatric LCH, offering insights into disease activity, extent, and therapeutic response. Moreover, FDG-PET provides a non-invasive means to distinguish between active LCH skin lesions and other dermatological conditions with similar clinical appearances, enhancing diagnostic …

A Fungal Metabolic Regulator Underlies Infectious Synergism During Candida Albicans-Staphylococcus Aureus Intra-Abdominal Co-Infection, Saikat Paul, Olivia A. Todd, Kara R. Eichelberger, Christine Tkaczyk, Bret R. Sellman, Mairi C. Noverr, James E. Cassat, Paul L. Fidel, Brian M. Peters

School of Dentistry Faculty Publications

Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus are two commonly associated pathogens that cause nosocomial infections with high morbidity and mortality. Our prior and current work using a murine model of polymicrobial intra-abdominal infection (IAI) demonstrates that synergistic lethality is driven by Candida-induced upregulation of functional S. aureus α-toxin leading to polymicrobial sepsis and organ damage. In order to determine the candidal effector(s) mediating enhanced virulence, an unbiased screen of C. albicans transcription factor mutants was undertaken revealing that zcf13Δ/Δ fails to drive augmented α-toxin or lethal synergism during co-infection. A combination of transcriptional and phenotypic profiling approaches shows that ZCF13 regulates …

Tfeb Safeguards Trophoblast Syncytialization In Humans And Mice, Wanshan Zheng, Yue Zhang, Peiqun Xu, Zexin Wang, Xuan Shao, Chunyan Chen, Han Cai, Yinan Wang, Ming-An Sun, Wenbo Deng, Fan Liu, Jinhua Lu, Xueqin Zhang, Dunjin Cheng, Indira U Mysorekar, Haibin Wang, Yan-Ling Wang, Xiaoqian Hu, Bin Cao

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The formation of multinucleated syncytiotrophoblast (STB) through cell fusion of cytotrophoblast, also termed syncytialization, ensures the proper placental structure and functions. Nutrient insufficiency and inactivation of the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) in trophoblasts have been shown to enhance STB formation; however, the underlying mechanism remains elusive. Here, we showed that the deficiency of a mTORC1 downstream transcriptional factor, TFEB, significantly impaired STB formation in human trophoblasts and knock-out mice. TFEB conferred direct transcriptional activation of the fusogen ERVFRD-1 and thereby promoted trophoblast syncytialization. Additionally, TFEB expression positively correlated with the reinforced trophoblast syncytialization in human fetal growth …

Leukocyte Immunoglobulin-Like Receptor B1 (Lilrb1) Protects Human Multiple Myeloma Cells From Ferroptosis By Maintaining Cholesterol Homeostasis, Miao Xian, Qiang Wang, Liuling Xiao, Ling Zhong, Wei Xiong, Lingqun Ye, Pan Su, Chuanchao Zhang, Yabo Li, Robert Z Orlowski, Fenghuang Zhan, Siddhartha Ganguly, Youli Zu, Jianfei Qian, Qing Yi

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematologic malignancy characterized by uncontrolled proliferation of plasma cells in the bone marrow. MM patients with aggressive progression have poor survival, emphasizing the urgent need for identifying new therapeutic targets. Here, we show that the leukocyte immunoglobulin-like receptor B1 (LILRB1), a transmembrane receptor conducting negative immune response, is a top-ranked gene associated with poor prognosis in MM patients. LILRB1 deficiency inhibits MM progression in vivo by enhancing the ferroptosis of MM cells. Mechanistic studies reveal that LILRB1 forms a complex with the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) and LDLR adapter protein 1 (LDLRAP1) to facilitate LDL/cholesterol …

Developing The Openflexure Microscope Towards Medical Use: Technical And Social Challenges Of Developing Globally Accessible Hardware For Healthcare, Joe Knapper, Freya Whiteford, Daniel Rosen, William Wadsworth, Julian Stirling, Catherine Mkindi, Joram Mduda, Valerian L Sanga, Paul T Nyakyi, Thomas Hervé Mboa Nkoudou, Elisée Jafsia, Stephane Fadanka, Kelsey Hummel, Sharmila Anandasabapathy, Richard Bowman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The OpenFlexure Microscope is an accessible, three-dimensional-printed robotic microscope, with sufficient image quality to resolve diagnostic features including parasites and cancerous cells. As access to lab-grade microscopes is a major challenge in global healthcare, the OpenFlexure Microscope has been developed to be manufactured, maintained and used in remote environments, supporting point-of-care diagnosis. The steps taken in transforming the hardware and software from an academic prototype towards an accepted medical device include addressing technical and social challenges, and are key for any innovation targeting improved effectiveness in low-resource healthcare. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Open, reproducible …

Daratumumab In Transplant-Eligible Patients With Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma: Final Analysis Of Clinically Relevant Subgroups In Griffin, Ajai Chari, Jonathan L Kaufman, Jacob Laubach, Douglas W Sborov, Brandi Reeves, Cesar Rodriguez, Rebecca Silbermann, Luciano J Costa, Larry D Anderson, Nitya Nathwani, Nina Shah, Naresh Bumma, Sarah A Holstein, Caitlin Costello, Andrzej Jakubowiak, Tanya M Wildes, Robert Z Orlowski, Kenneth H Shain, Andrew J Cowan, Huiling Pei, Annelore Cortoos, Sharmila Patel, Thomas S Lin, Peter M Voorhees, Saad Z Usmani, Paul G Richardson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The randomized, phase 2 GRIFFIN study (NCT02874742) evaluated daratumumab plus lenalidomide/bortezomib/dexamethasone (D-RVd) in transplant-eligible newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM). We present final post hoc analyses (median follow-up, 49.6 months) of clinically relevant subgroups, including patients with high-risk cytogenetic abnormalities (HRCAs) per revised definition (del[17p], t[4;14], t[14;16], t[14;20], and/or gain/amp[1q21]). Patients received 4 induction cycles (D-RVd/RVd), high-dose therapy/transplant, 2 consolidation cycles (D-RVd/RVd), and lenalidomide±daratumumab maintenance (≤ 2 years). Minimal residual disease–negativity (10−5) rates were higher for D-RVd versus RVd in patients ≥ 65 years (67.9% vs 17.9%), with HRCAs (54.8% vs 32.4%), and with gain/amp(1q21) (61.8% vs 28.6%). D-RVd showed a …

Trends In Heart Failure Costs For Commercially Insured Patients In The United States (2006–2021), Jianwei Zheng, Islam Abudayyeh, Cyril Rakovski, Louis Ehwerhemuepha, Ahmad Rezaie Mianroodi, Jay N. Patel, Alomari Ihab, Chizobam Ani

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Although prior research has estimated the overarching cost burden of heart failure (HF), a thorough analysis examining medical expense differences and trends, specifically among commercially insured patients with heart failure, is still lacking. Thus, the study aims to examine historical trends and differences in medical costs for commercially insured heart failure patients in the United States from 2006 to 2021.

Methods

A population-based, cross-sectional analysis of medical and pharmacy claims data (IQVIA PharMetrics^® Plus for Academic) from 2006 to 2021 was conducted. The cohort included adult patients (age > = 18) who were enrolled in commercial insurance plans and …

Luspatercept Enhances Hemoglobin Levels In A Chinese Boy With Congenital Sideroblastic Anemia: A Case Report, Yuan Li, Lei Ye, Kang Zhou, Hui-Hui Fan, Jian-Ping Li, You-Zhen Xiong, Yang Yang, Guang-Xin Peng, Wen-Rui Yang, Xin Zhao, Li-Ping Jing, Li Zhang, Feng-Kui Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Congenital sideroblastic anemia (CSA) is a rare and heterogeneous group of genetic disorders. Conventional treatment include pyridoxine (vitamin B6) and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), and can alleviate anemia in the majority of cases. Nevertheless, some CSA cases remain unresponsive to pyridoxine or are unable to undergo allo-HSCT. Novel management approaches is necessary to be developed. To explore the response of luspatercept in treating congenital sideroblastic anemia.

CASE SUMMARY: We share our experience in luspatercept in a 4-year-old male patient with CSA. Luspatercept was administered subcutaneously at doses of 1.0 mg/kg/dose to 1.25 mg/kg/dose every 3 wk, three …

Hampton's Hump- A Rare Radiographic Finding In Pulmonary Embolism, Tanshi Anand

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

Background- Pulmonary embolism is a condition that is characterized by occlusion of the pulmonary circulation, usually originating from deep vein thrombosis in the lower extremities. This condition is difficult to diagnose as it can present with a wide spectrum of nonspecific symptoms, making it a life-threatening illness.

Case Description- A 50-year-old man with a medical history of deep vein thrombosis, ischemic heart disease, dilated cardiomyopathy with left ventricular dysfunction, diabetes, hypertension, and COPD presented with fever, cough with expectoration, orthopnea, and exertional dyspnea. A routine X-ray was done and revealed Hampton’s hump, a rare radiographic finding persistent with possible …

Myth Or Fact? An Analysis Of Covid-19 Deaths In Red Or Blue States Of America, Kwabena S. Duku, Nishat Ara Mozid, Olcay Akman

Spora: A Journal of Biomathematics

This study examines the correlation between political leanings and COVID-19 mortality across the states of America affiliated with Republican and Democratic governance. Employing emergent self-organizing map (ESOM), cluster analysis, and the logistic classification, we group states based on COVID-19 properties, identify risk patterns, and assess risk levels. Factors considered include poverty rate, education rate, vaccination rate, and demographics. The Logistic Algorithm succinctly summarizes findings, integrating ESOM, cluster analysis, and logistic classification results. This multi-method approach aims to offer a concise, yet comprehensive understanding of the COVID-19 risk landscape in politically diverse states, shedding light on potential associations between political affiliations …

Coexistence Of Large Cell Transformed Mycosis Fungoides And Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma In One Patient, Thomas Z. Rohan, Jayson Suriano, Volkan Tekmen, Safiyyah Bhatti, Sahithi Talasila, Daniel Joffe, Caleb Holtmeyer, Jason B. Lee, Onder Alpdogan, Neda Nikbakht

Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Faculty Papers

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common and aggressive subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The overall risk of developing DLBCL is increased in patients with other lymphomas, such as mycosis fungoides (MF). In this report, we present an 81-year-old female with early-stage MF who simultaneously progressed to tumor stage, large-cell transformed (LCT) MF and developed a primary DLBCL in a lymph node (LN). She presented with a tumor on her leg and new lymphadenopathy in her right axilla. Skin biopsy of the tumor revealed infiltration of large atypical CD3+, CD4+, and CD30+ cells, and a smaller portion of CD8+ …

Genetic Diversity Of 1,845 Rhesus Macaques Improves Genetic Variation Interpretation And Identifies Disease Models, Jun Wang, Meng Wang, Ala Moshiri, R Alan Harris, Muthuswamy Raveendran, Tracy Nguyen, Soohyun Kim, Laura Young, Keqing Wang, Roger Wiseman, David H O'Connor, Zach Johnson, Melween Martinez, Michael J Montague, Ken Sayers, Martha Lyke, Eric Vallender, Tim Stout, Yumei Li, Sara M Thomasy, Jeffrey Rogers, Rui Chen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Understanding and treating human diseases require valid animal models. Leveraging the genetic diversity in rhesus macaque populations across eight primate centers in the United States, we conduct targeted-sequencing on 1845 individuals for 374 genes linked to inherited human retinal and neurodevelopmental diseases. We identify over 47,000 single nucleotide variants, a substantial proportion of which are shared with human populations. By combining rhesus and human allele frequencies with established variant prediction methods, we develop a machine learning-based score that outperforms established methods in predicting missense variant pathogenicity. Remarkably, we find a marked number of loss-of-function variants and putative deleterious variants, which …

Antitumor Effects Of Resveratrol Opposing Mechanisms Of Helicobacter Pylori In Gastric Cancer, Daniela Trautmann, Francesca Suazo, Keila Torres, Layla Simón

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Gastric cancer is an aggressive and multifactorial disease. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is identified as a significant etiological factor in gastric cancer. Although only a fraction of patients infected with H. pylori progresses to gastric cancer, bacterial infection is critical in the pathology and development of this malignancy. The pathogenic mechanisms of this bacterium involve the disruption of the gastric epithelial barrier and the induction of chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, angiogenesis and metastasis. Adherence molecules, virulence (CagA and VacA) and colonization (urease) factors are important in its pathogenicity. On the other hand, resveratrol is a natural polyphenol with …

The Evolving Role Of Chlorthalidone And Hydrochlorothiazide As First-Line Treatments For Hypertensive Patients, Alan D. Kaye, Sarah C. Corley, Ellen Ingram, Peter P. Issa, Logan T. Roberts, Elisa E. Neuchat, Matthew J. Sharpe, Nicolette Doan, Olga Willett, Adam M. Kaye, Sahar Shekoohi, Giustino Varrassi

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Hypertension is attributable long-term to various negative health outcomes, including atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and, more broadly, to cardiovascular events such as congestive heart disease, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and stroke. Effective hypertension treatment is essential to lower the risk of these outcomes. Treatment of hypertension includes both nonpharmacologic and, if necessary, pharmacologic interventions. The drug classes proven in trials to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease events in cases with hypertension include angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, thiazide diuretics, and calcium channel blockers. When considering thiazide diuretics as a first-line treatment, chlorthalidone (CTD) is currently recommended by the American …

Salvage Of A Kidney Transplant With A Mycotic Extrarenal Pseudoaneursym Using Donor Vessels, Audrey Horn, Kelli L. Summers, William Fuell, Adarsh Vijay, Hoonbae Jeon, Melissa Donovan, Kiara Tulla, Anil Paramesh

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

A 63-year-old male developed a mycotic pseudoaneurysm (MPA) two months after a renal transplant at the anastomotic site. He presented with uncontrolled hypertension and elevated creatinine. The pseudoaneurysm occurred at the anastomosis between the two donor renal arteries and the left external iliac artery. We describe a unique surgical reconstruction where the MPA was resected and the vasculature was reconstructed using deceased donor vessels. A deceased donor common iliac artery including superior gluteal and inferior gluteal branches were used as a jump graft from the contralateral common iliac artery to the two transplanted renal arteries. The external iliac artery was …

Sump Syndrome: The Forgotten Cause Of Painless Jaundice In The Elderly, Mark Ayoub, Amna Anees

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Painless jaundice is a common presentation of abdominal malignancy seen in elderly patients. While malignancy may be a common cause of obstructive jaundice in that population group, anchor bias should always be avoided. We present a case of an elderly woman who presented with painless jaundice and weight loss. She had a very remote history of cholecystitis. She was found to have Sump syndrome due to a stricture at the Choledochoduodenostomy (CDD) site. She underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) with stent placement which shortly led to resolution of her jaundice. Biopsy from the stricture site came back negative for malignancy.

Addressing Disparities In Pediatric Congenital Heart Disease: A Call For Equitable Health Care, Devyani Chowdhury, Pietro A Elliott, S Yukiko Asaki, Shahnawaz Amdani, Quang-Tuyen Nguyen, Christina Ronai, Seda Tierney, Victor Y Levy, Kriti Puri, Carolyn A Altman, Jonathan N Johnson, Julie S Glickstein

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

While significant progress has been made in reducing disparities within the US health care system, notable gaps remain. This article explores existing disparities within pediatric congenital heart disease care. Congenital heart disease, the most common birth defect and a leading cause of infant death, has garnered substantial attention, revealing certain disparities within the US health care system. Factors such as race, ethnicity, insurance coverage, socioeconomic status, and geographic location are all commonalities that significantly affect health disparities in pediatric congenital heart disease. This comprehensive review sheds light on disparities from diverse perspectives in pediatric care, demonstrates the inequities and inequalities …

Strengthening Linkages Between Health Care And Public Health: A Novel Framework For Public Health Action In Health Care Settings To Improve Cardiovascular Disease Risk, Candice Fryda, Liz Gebhart-Morgan, Mindy Anderson-Knott, Nicole Roseberry, Jamie Hahn, Kelli Niemeier, Jennifer Rutt, Debra Miller

UNL Office of Research and Innovation, Social/Behavioral Sciences Research Consortium

The Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Program (CDPCP) at the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services developed a novel public health framework and tools to translate public health knowledge, grant work, and terminology to a health care audience in order to inform clinical practice changes in the management of hyperlipidemia and hypertension. The CDPCP piloted the tools with 2 accountable care organizations that included 19 clinics and then funded 9 independent clinics. The project sought to empower clinics to design and implement interventions for reducing high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol focused on populations disproportionately at risk for …

Efficacy Of Tezepelumab In Patients With Severe, Uncontrolled Asthma Across Multiple Clinically Relevant Subgroups In The Navigator Study, Tara F Carr, Wendy C Moore, Monica Kraft, Guy Brusselle, Mario Castro, Geoffrey L Chupp, Michael E Wechsler, Gillian Hunter, Andrew W Lindsley, Jean-Pierre Llanos, Luke K Burke, Shradha Chandarana, Christopher S Ambrose

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: Many patients with severe asthma continue to experience symptoms and exacerbations despite treatment with standard-of-care therapy. In the phase 3 NAVIGATOR study, tezepelumab significantly reduced exacerbations over 52 weeks compared with placebo in patients with severe, uncontrolled asthma. This analysis assessed the efficacy of tezepelumab in reducing asthma exacerbations in various clinically relevant subgroups of patients in NAVIGATOR.

METHODS: NAVIGATOR was a phase 3, multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Participants (12-80 years old) with severe, uncontrolled asthma were randomized 1:1 to receive tezepelumab 210 mg or placebo subcutaneously every 4 weeks for 52 weeks. Pre-specified and post hoc analyses …

Triticale As A Source Of Resistance To Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus And Triticum Mosaic Virus, Marcos Winicius Goncalves De Souza

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV) and Triticum mosaic virus (TriMV) present a great threat to wheat production in the Great Plains area of the United States due to the loss of photosynthetic area causing reductions in crop yields. Effective control of these viruses is limited to a few available strategies including controlling volunteer wheat and using currently identified resistant genes to both the vector and viruses. While effective, these genes show temperature sensitivity and yield drag, and evidence that the vectors and viruses can overcome them has been found. Thus, new methods of genetic resistance are urgently needed. Field observations …

Dynamic Disability Measures Decrease The Clinico-Radiological Gap In People With Severely Affected Multiple Sclerosis, Alex Burnham

Emerson Authors, Researchers, & Creators

PwMS recruited from The Boston Home (TBH), a specialized residential facility for severly-affected pwMS and University at Buffalo (UB) MS Center were assessed using EDSS, MS Severity Scale, age-related MSS, Scripps Neurological Rating Scale (SNRS) and Combinatorial Weight-Adjusted Disability Score (CombiWISE). In all scores except SNRS, higher score indicates greater disability. MRI measures of T1, T2-lesion volume (LV), whole brain, gray matter, medulla oblongata and thalamic volumes (WBV, GMV, MOV, TV) and thalamic dysconnectivity were obtained.

Results

Greatest disability differences between the TBH and UB pwMS were in SNRS (24.4 vs 71.9, p < 0.001, Cohen's d = 4.05) and CombiWISE (82.3 vs. …

Ekg Is Key: A Quality Improvement Project To Decrease Door-To-Ekg Time In A Rural Emergency Department, Amanda Southwell

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Electrocardiograms (EKGs) are the priority when evaluating patients with chest pain who present to the Emergency Department (ED). The American Heart Association and other governing bodies suggest a 10-minute door-to-EKG (DTE) time. The target facility displayed a delay in DTE times.

Purpose: The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) quality improvement (QI) project aimed to decrease the average DTE time for patients over 18 years old with chest pain who presented to the ED registration area.

Methods: The DNP project consisted of an EKG suite to perform EKGs near the ED registration/triage area. Registration and ED staff were educated on …

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome After Sars-Cov-2 Infection, Elizabeth R. Unger, Jin-Mann S. Lin, Lauren E. Wisk, Huihui Yu, Michelle L'Hommedieu, Helen Lavretsky, Juan Carlos C. Montoy, Michael A. Gottlieb, Kristin L. Rising, Nicole L. Gentile, Michelle Santangelo, Arjun K. Venkatesh, Robert M. Rodriguez, Mandy J. Hill, Rachel E. Geyer, Efrat R. Kean, Sharon Saydah, Samuel A. Mcdonald, Ryan Huebinger, Ahamed H. Idris, Jocelyn Dorney, Bala Hota, Erica S. Spatz, Kari A. Stephens, Robert A. Weinstein, Joann G. Elmore

Department of Emergency Medicine Faculty Papers

IMPORTANCE: Chronic symptoms reported following an infection with SARS-CoV-2, such as cognitive problems, overlap with symptoms included in the definition of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of ME/CFS-like illness subsequent to acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, changes in ME/CFS symptoms through 12 months of follow-up, and the association of ME/CFS symptoms with SARS-CoV-2 test results at the acute infection-like index illness.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This prospective, multisite, longitudinal cohort study (Innovative Support for Patients with SARS-CoV-2 Infections Registry [INSPIRE]) enrolled participants from December 11, 2020, to August 29, 2022. Participants were adults aged 18 to 64 …

Data-Driven Drug Repurposing For Immune System-Related Diseases, Sabyasachi Mohanty

Department of Biochemistry: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In this research, we explore a data-driven approach for drug repurposing to enhance the immunomodulatory effect by integrating pattern-based search and genome-scale metabolic modeling. This research helps to find a solution to the preexisting problems of drug discovery which includes expenses and a high amount of time consumption. By leveraging the pre-existing data of the approved drugs to identify the major metabolic pathway changes, we can find new drugs with similar effects with less off-target effects.

The focus on the immune system modulating drugs is due to the high prevalence of immune system-involved diseases and the growing demand for effective …

Development Of A Durable And Low-Dose Universal Vaccine Against Swine Influenza A Virus, Erika Petro-Turnquist

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

Swine Influenza A Virus (IAV-S) imposes a significant burden on the pork industry and poses a great threat to public health due to its zoonotic potential. Susceptibility to human, avian, and swine influenza make pigs the ultimate mixing vessels for reassorted influenza A virus strains. Current vaccination strategies induce short-lived and strain-specific responses against IAV-S. Further, the substantial genetic diversity of IAV-S necessitates consistent revaccination and updating of commercial vaccines. Computational platforms have recently emerged as a promising strategy to develop new-age vaccines against infectious diseases in livestock animals. Here, we describe a computationally derived set of vaccine immunogens, called …

Identification Of Immune-Associated Biomarkers Of Diabetes Nephropathy Tubulointerstitial Injury Based On Machine Learning: A Bioinformatics Multi-Chip Integrated Analysis, Lin Wang, Jiaming Su, Zhongjie Liu, Shaowei Ding, Yaotan Li, Baoluo Hou, Yuxin Hu, Zhaoxi Dong, Jingyi Tang, Hongfang Liu, Weijing Liu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a major microvascular complication of diabetes and has become the leading cause of end-stage renal disease worldwide. A considerable number of DN patients have experienced irreversible end-stage renal disease progression due to the inability to diagnose the disease early. Therefore, reliable biomarkers that are helpful for early diagnosis and treatment are identified. The migration of immune cells to the kidney is considered to be a key step in the progression of DN-related vascular injury. Therefore, finding markers in this process may be more helpful for the early diagnosis and progression prediction of DN.

METHODS: The …

The Latest Ic3d Classification Of Corneal Dystrophies—Overview And Changes Of The 3rd Edition, Tim Berger, Jayne S. Weiss, Walter Lisch, Berthold Seitz

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

The International Committee on Classification of Corneal Dystrophies (IC3D) was founded in 2005 to address difficulties arising from the outdated nomenclature for corneal dystrophies (CD) and to correct misconceptions in the literature. For each of the 22 CDs, a separate template was created to represent the current clinical, pathological and genetic knowledge of the disease. In addition, each template contains representative clinical photographs as well as light and electron microscopic images and, if available, confocal microscopic and coherence tomographic images of the respective CD. After the first edition was published in 2008, the revised version followed in 2015. The third …

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Signs Of Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension, Dagmar Beier, Johanne Juhl Korsbæk, Gabriel Bsteh, Stefan Macher, Wolfgang Marik, Berthold Pemp, Hsiangkuo Yuan, Areeba Nisar, Lisbeth Høgedal, Laleh Dehghani Molander, Snorre Malm Hagen, Christoph Patrick Beier, Simon Bang Kristensen, Rigmor Højland Jensen

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

IMPORTANCE: The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) criteria currently used to diagnose idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) are based on expert opinion and have limited accuracy. Additional neuroimaging signs have been proposed and used with contradictory results; thus, prospective evidence is needed to improve diagnostic accuracy.

OBJECTIVE: To provide evidence-based, accurate MRI signs for IIH diagnosis.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This prospective cohort study was conducted from January 2018 to May 2021 with 3 validation cohorts at 2 Danish headache centers and with 3 independent international cohorts. Consecutive patients with suspected IIH were enrolled. Eligibility required the clinical suspicion of IIH, age …

Wide-Field Optical Coherence Tomography Imaging Improves Rate Of Change Detection In Progressing Glaucomatous Eyes Compared With Standard-Field Imaging, Christopher Bowd, Akram Belghith, Jasmin Rezapour, Jost B. Jonas, Leslie Hyman, Robert N. Weinreb, Linda M. Zangwill

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

PURPOSE: To compare rates of retinal nerve fiber layer change over time in healthy, eyes with nonprogressing glaucoma and eyes with progressing glaucoma using single wide-field (SWF) and optic nerve head (ONH) cube scan optical coherence tomography (OCT) images.

METHODS: Forty-five eyes of 25 healthy individuals and 263 eyes of 161 glaucoma patients from the Diagnostic Innovations in Glaucoma Study were included. All eyes underwent 24-2 visual field testing and OCT (Spectralis SD-OCT) ONH and macular imaging. SWF images (up to 43° × 28°) were created by stitching together ONH cube scans centered on the optic disc and macular cube …