Library Award for Undergraduate Research

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/11324


***Submissions are accepted 11 December - 13 March by NOON each year***




The University of Maryland Libraries and the Maryland Center for Undergraduate Research have partnered to showcase and reward undergraduate research projects. The Library Award for Undergraduate Research aims to promote the value and use of library services and information resources.

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2019 - 20202

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Author: search.filters.author.Ighani, Mehrnaz

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    No association between cortical lesions and leptomeningeal enhancement on 7-Tesla MRI in multiple sclerosis
    (2020-02-15) Ighani, Mehrnaz; Cuffy, Nicole; Cuffy, Nicole; English
    Background: Autopsy data suggest a causative link between meningeal inflammation and cortical lesions (CLs) in multiple sclerosis (MS). Objective: To use leptomeningeal enhancement (LME) and CLs on 7-Tesla (7T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to investigate associations between meningeal inflammation and cortical pathology. Methods: Forty-one participants with MS underwent 7T MRI of the brain. CLs and foci of LME were quantified. Results: All MS participants had CLs; 27 (65.8%) had >1 focus of LME. Except for hippocampal CL count (ρ = 0.32 with spread/fill-sulcal pattern LME, p = 0.042), no significant correlations were seen between LME and CLs. Mean cortical thickness correlated with the number of LME foci (ρ = –0.43, p = 0.005). Participants with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) showed no correlation with neocortical CLs, but significant correlations were seen between LME and hippocampal lesion count (ρ = 0.39, p = 0.030), normalized cortical gray matter (GM) volume (ρ = –0.49, p = 0.005), and mean cortical thickness (ρ = –0.59, p < 0.001). Conclusion: This study supports a relationship between LME and cortical GM atrophy but does not support an association of LME and neocortical CLs. This may indicate that meningeal inflammation is involved with neurodegenerative inflammatory processes, rather than focal lesion development.
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    Evolving Techniques in Partial Endothelial Keratoplasty: A Comprehensive Literature Review
    (2019-02-15) Ighani, Mehrnaz; Cuffy, Nicole; Behavioral and community health
    Individuals with endothelial disorders such as Fuchs’ corneal dystrophy and bullous keratopathy require corneal transplantation of the diseased corneal tissue once their endothelial cell density has decreased significantly. In the past century, penetrating keratoplasty (PK) or full corneal transplantation has been the most widely used procedure to treat endothelial dysfunction. However, endothelial keratoplasty (EK) has replaced PK as it has lower post-operative complications. EK consists of Descemet’s stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK) and Descemet’s membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK). This study consists of a literature review on the advantages and disadvantages of DMEK and DSEK and their post-operative complications. Patients who undergo the DMEK procedure experience lower rates of graft rejection, more frequent re-bubbling and follow-up appointments, and faster visual recovery period. Patients who undergo the DSEK procedure have higher rates of graft rejection, longer visual recovery period, and less re-bubbling rates and follow-up appointments. Surgical techniques for repairing endothelial dysfunction are evolving, but we need larger long-term studies to prove that new techniques are superior to the current surgical techniques.