Life Sciences Commons^™

Health-Promoting Benefits Of Lentils: Anti-Inflammatory And Anti-Microbial Effects, Rachel Alexander, Abdullah Khaja, Nicholas Debiec, Alex Fazioli, Mary Torrance, Mohammed S. Razzaque

School of Medicine Publications and Presentations

This paper describes how lentils (Lens culinaris species) can positively affect health by reducing inflammation, providing antioxidants, and displaying antimicrobial properties. Lentils are rich in proteins, essential amino acids, minerals, and fibers, making them a valuable source of nutrition, particularly in low and middle-income countries. Lentils have many health benefits, including positive effects on diabetes management, support for cardiovascular health, and antioxidative properties. The antioxidative properties of lentils, attributed to their phenolic content, and their ability to inhibit inflammation-related enzymes are also discussed. We discuss the potential of lentils as a dietary tool in promoting immunity, reducing disease burdens, …

Covid‑19‑Related Risk, Resilience, And Mental Health Among Mexican American Mothers Across The First Year Of The Pandemic, Amy L. Non, Elizabeth S. Clausing, Sandraluz Lara‑Cinisomo, Kimberly L. D’Anna Hernandez

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty and Staff Publications

Background Latina mothers have been especially affected by the pandemic and historically exhibit high rates of depression and anxiety. However, few longitudinal studies have assessed the effect of the pandemic on this vulnerable population. We hypothesized that COVID-19-related stressors would associate with psychological distress among Latina mothers across the first year of the pandemic.

Methods We investigated COVID-19-related impact, stigma, and fears across two critical time points and changes in these measures in relation to changes in maternal anxiety and depression among mothers of Mexican descent living in Southern California (n=152). Surveys were administered within 5–16 weeks of …

Correlates Of Covid-19 Vaccine Acceptance And Hesitancy In Rural Communities In Western Kenya, Fletcher J. Njororai, Kogutu Caleb Nyaranga, Wilberforce Cholo, Walter Amulla, Harrison Ndetan

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Vaccine hesitancy is a significant global public health concern. This study sought to determine the correlates of acceptance and hesitancy regarding COVID-19 vaccines in rural populations of selected counties in Western Kenya and assess the strategies that can be used to improve COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in Kenya. The study used a quantitative research strategy with a sample of 806 individuals in the Kisumu, Vihiga, and Kakamega counties. Descriptive statistics, correlations and regression analyses were used. Of the 806 study participants, 55% were males and 45% females. Vaccine acceptance was significantly associated with being a male (AOR: 1.46, 95% CI: 1.24–1.59, …

Nutrition In Times Of Crisis: A Qualitative Study In Siargao Island, Philippines, During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Gideon Lasco, Vincen Gregory Yu, Julie Madelo Compra, Phetdavanh Leuangvilay, Rapeepong Suphanchaimat, Yunting Zhang, Charina Javier

Development Studies Faculty Publications

Objectives

Despite the public-health significance of both malnutrition and crises, little has been done to explore the convergence of the two domains and develop ways to improve policies and practices, especially in rural communities. This article remedies that knowledge gap by focusing on nutrition-related changes, responses, and practices during crisis situations in Siargao Island, Philippines, using the COVID-19 pandemic as a backdrop.

Methods

Forty-six (46) semi-structured interviews were conducted among parents, caregivers, local health workers, and local officials of Del Carmen, Siargao Island. Principles of thematic analysis were applied to data analysis using NVivo 12. Afterwards, the preliminary data were …

Sars-Cov-2 Serostatus And Covid-19 Illness Characteristics By Variant Time Period In Non-Hospitalized Children And Adolescents, Sarah E Messiah, Michael D Swartz, Rhiana A Abbas, Yashar Talebi, Harold W Kohl, Melissa Valerio-Shewmaker, Stacia M Desantis, Ashraf Yaseen, Steven H Kelder, Jessica A Ross, Lindsay N Padilla, Michael O Gonzalez, Leqing Wu, David Lakey, Jennifer A Shuford, Stephen J Pont, Eric Boerwinkle

Journal Articles

OBJECTIVE: to describe COVID-19 illness characteristics, risk factors, and SARS-CoV-2 serostatus by variant time period in a large community-based pediatric sample.

DESIGN: Data were collected prospectively over four timepoints between October 2020 and November 2022 from a population-based cohort ages 5 to 19 years old.

SETTING: State of Texas, USA.

PARTICIPANTS: Participants ages 5 to 19 years were recruited from large pediatric healthcare systems, Federally Qualified Healthcare Centers, urban and rural clinical practices, health insurance providers, and a social media campaign.

EXPOSURE: SARS-CoV-2 infection.

MAIN OUTCOME(S) AND MEASURE(S): SARS-CoV-2 antibody status was assessed by the Roche Elecsys

RESULTS: Over half …

Mind The Gap: A White Paper On Maine's Missing Covid-19 Surveillance Data, How They Perpetuate Health Disparities Of Maine's Citizens With Disabilities, And What Can Be Done To Increase Maine's Public Health Data & Service Equity, Michelle Fong

Student and Trainee Scholarship

A white paper by Michelle Fong, a 2023 NH-ME Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) trainee and MPH student at the University of New England. Equitable health data represents all populations and can be linked to their common characteristics. Maine’s COVID-19 data can be disaggregated by gender, race, ethnicity, and age, but not by disability status or type. It is an example of inequity in data collection, or a data gap, that prevents analysis of pandemic health outcomes for Mainers with disabilities.

Prevalence Of Sars-Cov-2 Antibodies In Liberty University Student Population, Emily Bonus

Senior Honors Theses

In 2020, the virus SARS-CoV-2 gained attention as it spread around the world. Its antibodies are poorly understood, and little research focuses on those with few COVID-19 complications yet large numbers of close contacts: university students. This longitudinal study recorded SARS-CoV-2 antibody presence in 107 undergraduate Liberty University students twice during early 2021. After extensive data cleaning and the application of various statistical tests and ANOVAs, the data seems to show that in the case of COVID-19 infections, SARS-CoV-2 IgM antibodies are immediately produced, and then IgG antibodies follow later. However, the COVID-19 vaccine causes the production of both IgM …

Autonomic Function Recovery And Physical Activity Levels In Post-Covid-19 Young Adults After Immunization: An Observational Follow-Up Case-Control Study, Ana Paula Coelho Figueira Freire, Shaan Amin, Fabio Santos Lira, Ana Elisa Von Ah Morano, Telmo Pereira, Manuel-João Coelho-E-Silva, Armando Caseiro, Diego Giulliano Destro Christofaro, Vanessa Ribeiro Dos Santos, Osmar Marchioto Júnior, Ricardo Aurino Pinho, Bruna Spolador De Alencar Silva

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of Education and Professional Studies

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has detrimental multi-system consequences. Symptoms may appear during the acute phase of infection, but the literature on long-term recovery of young adults after mild to moderate infection is lacking. Heart rate variability (HRV) allows for the observation of autonomic nervous system (ANS) modulation post-SARS-CoV-2 infection. Since physical activity (PA) can help improve ANS modulation, investigating factors that can influence HRV outcomes after COVID-19 is essential to advancements in care and intervention strategies. Clinicians may use this research to aid in the development of non-medication interventions. At baseline, 18 control (CT) and 20 post-COVID-19 (PCOV) participants were …

Antibody Duration After Infection From Sars-Cov-2 In The Texas Coronavirus Antibody Response Survey, Michael D Swartz, Stacia M Desantis, Ashraf Yaseen, Frances A Brito, Melissa A Valerio-Shewmaker, Sarah E Messiah, Luis G Leon-Novelo, Harold W Kohl, Cesar L Pinzon-Gomez, Tianyao Hao, Shiming Zhang, Yashar Talebi, Joy Yoo, Jessica R Ross, Michael O Gonzalez, Leqing Wu, Steven H Kelder, Mark Silberman, Samantha Tuzo, Stephen J Pont, Jennifer A Shuford, David Lakey, Eric Boerwinkle

Journal Articles

Understanding the duration of antibodies to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus that causes COVID-19 is important to controlling the current pandemic. Participants from the Texas Coronavirus Antibody Response Survey (Texas CARES) with at least 1 nucleocapsid protein antibody test were selected for a longitudinal analysis of antibody duration. A linear mixed model was fit to data from participants (n = 4553) with 1 to 3 antibody tests over 11 months (1 October 2020 to 16 September 2021), and models fit showed that expected antibody response after COVID-19 infection robustly increases for 100 days postinfection, and predicts …

Covid-19 Vaccination And Alcohol Consumption: Justification Of Risks, Pavel A. Solopov

Bioelectrics Publications

Since the beginning of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, pharmaceutical companies and research institutions have been actively working to develop vaccines, and the mass roll-out of vaccinations against COVID-19 began in January 2021. At the same time, during lockdowns, the consumption of alcoholic beverages increased. During the peak of vaccination, consumption remained at high levels around the world, despite the gradual relaxation of quarantine restrictions. Two of the popular queries on search engines were whether it is safe to drink alcohol after vaccination and whether this will affect the effectiveness of vaccines. Over the past two …

Evaluation Of Roost Culling As A Management Strategy For Reducing Invasive Rose‑Ringed Parakeet (Psittacula Krameri) Populations, C. Janes Anderson, Leonard A. Brennan, William P. Bukoski, Steven C. Hess, Clayton D. Hilton, Aaron B. Shiels, Shane Siers, Bryan M. Kluever, Page E. Klug

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Rose-ringed parakeets (Psittacula krameri) are one of the most widespread invasive avian species worldwide. This species was introduced to the island of Kaua‘i, Hawai‘i, USA, in the 1960s. The rapidly increasing population has caused substantial economic losses in the agricultural and tourism industries. We evaluated the efficacy of a roost culling program conducted by an independent contractor from March 2020 to March 2021. We estimated island-wide minimum abundance was 10,512 parakeets in January 2020 and 7,372 in April 2021. Over 30 nights of culling at four roost sites, approximately 6,030 parakeets were removed via air rifles with 4,415 …

Experiences With Covid-19 Stress Among Hispanic/Latino Farmworkers, Brenda Berumen-Flucker, Hadiza Galadima, Sylvia Shangani, Michele Kekeh, Muge Akpinar-Elci

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Hispanics/Latinos, particularly those that identify as foreign-born, are overrepresented in the agricultural sector in the U.S. Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, this subpopulation of farmworkers was recognized as an invaluable group of essential workers unable to implement COVID-19 protections.

METHODS: Previously validated COVID-19 stress scale measures were identified, adapted, and translated to collect COVID-19 stress data from Hispanic/Latino agricultural workers in two heavily agricultural counties in northeastern North Carolina. Participants were recruited using purposive convenience sampling. Data collection took place from June to November of 2021.

RESULTS: The majority of Hispanic/Latino agricultural workers surveyed reported experiencing worries …

Wastewater Pandemic Preparedness: Toward An End-To-End Pathogen Monitoring Program, Justin R Clark, Austen Terwilliger, Vasanthi Avadhanula, Michael Tisza, Juwan Cormier, Sara Javornik-Cregeen, Matthew Clayton Ross, Kristi Louise Hoffman, Catherine Troisi, Blake Hanson, Joseph Petrosino, John Balliew, Pedro A Piedra, Janelle Rios, Jennifer Deegan, Cici Bauer, Fuqing Wu, Kristina D Mena, Eric Boerwinkle, Anthony W Maresso

Journal Articles

Molecular analysis of public wastewater has great potential as a harbinger for community health and health threats. Long-used to monitor the presence of enteric viruses, in particular polio, recent successes of wastewater as a reliable lead indicator for trends in SARS-CoV-2 levels and hospital admissions has generated optimism and emerging evidence that similar science can be applied to other pathogens of pandemic potential (PPPs), especially respiratory viruses and their variants of concern (VOC). However, there are substantial challenges associated with implementation of this ideal, namely that multiple and distinct fields of inquiry must be bridged and coordinated. These include engineering, …

A Coalition-Driven Examination Of Organization Capacity To Address Food Insecurity In Greater Houston: A Qualitative Research Study, Jemima C John, Jennifer Gonzalez, Sara-Grace Chan, Heidi Mcpherson, Jennifer N Aiyer, Esperanza Galvan, Nicole Browning, Shreela V Sharma

Journal Articles

BACKGROUND: Economic and social hardships have worsened food insecurity, particularly among low income and racial-ethnic minority groups. Given the core goal of the 150+ member Houston Health Equity Collective (HEC) to reduce food insecurity by 5% in 2025, we explored member organizations' capacity and challenges faced in screening and responding to food insecurity through care coordination efforts.

METHODS: A twice-administered Qualtrics XM survey (Provo, Utah) with 76 organizations, followed by five focus groups with 22 of these organizations, explored reach and response efforts to food insecurity. Qualitative assessments lasted between 0.5 to 1.5 h, were audio-recorded, cleaned, coded, and thematically …

Metformin Is Associated With Reduced Covid-19 Severity In Patients With Prediabetes., Lauren E Chan, Elena Casiraghi, Bryan Laraway, Ben D Coleman, Hannah Blau, Adnin Zaman, Nomi L Harris, Kenneth Wilkins, Blessy Antony, Michael Gargano, Giorgio Valentini, David Sahner, Melissa Haendel, Peter N Robinson, Carolyn Bramante, Justin Reese

Faculty Research 2022

AIMS: Studies suggest that metformin is associated with reduced COVID-19 severity in individuals with diabetes compared to other antihyperglycemics. We assessed if metformin is associated with reduced incidence of severe COVID-19 for patients with prediabetes or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), common diseases that increase the risk of severe COVID-19.

METHODS: This observational, retrospective study utilized EHR data from 52 hospitals for COVID-19 patients with PCOS or prediabetes treated with metformin or levothyroxine/ondansetron (controls). After balancing via inverse probability score weighting, associations with COVID-19 severity were assessed by logistic regression.

RESULTS: In the prediabetes cohort, when compared to levothyroxine, metformin was …

Evaluating College Students’ Health Literacy And Its Effects On Their Perceptions Of Information Concerning Mask-Wearing In The Covid-19 Pandemic Ve Information Concerning Mask-Wearing In The Covid-19 Pandemic, Hannah S. Ketchum

Honors Program Projects

Background: Mask-wearing was a controversial and polarizing phenomenon during the COVID-19 pandemic. Beliefs concerning mask-wearing differed depending on sources of information concerning the pandemic, levels of health literacy, political leaning, demographics, or other factors. This project attempted to connect college students’ level of health literacy to their understanding of and adherence to mask-wearing in the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a gap in research connecting health literacy to understanding information concerning pandemics and an even bigger lack of studies conducted that relate college students’ health literacy to their perception of illnesses or pandemics. It is important to understand the impact of …

Chemical Explosion, Covid-19, And Environmental Justice: Insights From Low-Cost Air Quality Sensors, Guning Liu, Katie Moore, Wei-Chung Su, George L Delclos, David Gimeno Ruiz De Porras, Bing Yu, Hezhong Tian, Bin Luo, Shao Lin, Grace Tee Lewis, Elena Craft, Kai Zhang

Journal Articles

OBJECTIVES: to examine the impact of the Intercontinental Terminals Company (ITC) fire and COVID-19 on airborne particulate matter (PM) concentrations and the PM disproportionally affecting communities in Houston using low-cost sensors.

METHODS: We compared measurements from a network of low-cost sensors with a separate network of monitors from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the Houston metropolitan area from Mar 18, 2019, to Dec 31, 2020. Further, we examined the associations between neighborhood-level sociodemographic status and air pollution patterns by linking the low-cost sensor data to EPA environmental justice screening and mapping systems.

FINDINGS: We found increased PM levels during …

High-Temporal Resolution Profiling Reveals Distinct Immune Trajectories Following The First And Second Doses Of Covid-19 Mrna Vaccines., Darawan Rinchai, Sara Deola, Gabriele Zoppoli, Basirudeen Syed Ahamed Kabeer, Sara Taleb, Igor Pavlovski, Selma Maacha, Giusy Gentilcore, Mohammed Toufiq, Lisa Mathew, Li Liu, Fazulur Rehaman Vempalli, Ghada Mubarak, Stephan Lorenz, Irene Sivieri, Gabriella Cirmena, Chiara Dentone, Paola Cuccarolo, Daniele Roberto Giacobbe, Federico Baldi, Alberto Garbarino, Benedetta Cigolini, Paolo Cremonesi, Michele Bedognetti, Alberto Ballestrero, Matteo Bassetti, Boris P Hejblum, Tracy Augustine, Nicholas Van Panhuys, Rodolphe Thiebaut, Ricardo Branco, Tracey Chew, Maryam Shojaei, Kirsty Short, Carl G Feng, Predict-19 Consortium, Susu M Zughaier, Andrea De Maria, Benjamin Tang, Ali Ait Hssain, Davide Bedognetti, Jean-Charles Grivel, Damien Chaussabel

Faculty Research 2022

Knowledge of the mechanisms underpinning the development of protective immunity conferred by mRNA vaccines is fragmentary. Here, we investigated responses to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) mRNA vaccination via high-temporal resolution blood transcriptome profiling. The first vaccine dose elicited modest interferon and adaptive immune responses, which peaked on days 2 and 5, respectively. The second vaccine dose, in contrast, elicited sharp day 1 interferon, inflammation, and erythroid cell responses, followed by a day 5 plasmablast response. Both post-first and post-second dose interferon signatures were associated with the subsequent development of antibody responses. Yet, we observed distinct interferon response patterns after each …

Covid-19, Nutrition, And Gender: An Evidence-Informed Approach To Gender-Responsive Policies And Programs, Anna Kalbarczyk, Noora-Lisa Aberman, Bregje S M Van Asperen, Rosemary Morgan, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, Bianca Carducci, Rebecca Heidkamp, Saskia Osendarp, Neha Kumar, Anna Lartey

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

In addition to the direct health impacts of COVID-19, government and household mitigation measures have triggered negative indirect economic, educational, and food and health system impacts, hitting low-and middle-income countries the hardest and disproportionately affecting women and girls. We conducted a gender focused analysis on five critical and interwoven crises that have emerged because of the COVID-19 crisis and exacerbated malnutrition and food insecurity. These include restricted mobility and isolation; reduced income; food insecurity; reduced access to essential health and nutrition services; and school closures. Our approach included a theoretical gender analysis, targeted review of the literature, and a visual …

Microplastics In Freshly Fallen Snow: How May It Adversely Impact Human Health And Exacerbate The Covid-19 Crisis?, Ayesha Liaquat, Aleena Kashif, Sushma Rathi, Alishba Raza

Medical College Documents

No abstract provided.

A Brief Report Relating Physical Activity And Depressive Symptoms In Women During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Kim Hollingdale, Casey Mace Firebaugh, Stephanie M. Morgan

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of Education and Professional Studies

Purpose.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between self-reported physical activity and depressive symptoms in US women during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods.

A quantitative self-report online survey was administered to adult women (n > 800) in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Physical activity was measured for frequency, intensity, and duration by using Likert scales, along with descriptive measures of types of activity. The Beck Depression Inventory II was applied to assess depressive symptoms.

Results.

The Beck Depression Inventory II score of participants not engaging in physical activity (b = 13.344, …

Mortality Prediction Analysis Among Covid-19 Inpatients Using Clinical Variables And Deep Learning Chest Radiography Imaging Features., Xuan V Nguyen, Engin Dikici, Sema Candemir, Robyn L Ball, Luciano M Prevedello

Faculty Research 2022

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic over a relatively brief interval illustrates the need for rapid data-driven approaches to facilitate clinical decision making. We examined a machine learning process to predict inpatient mortality among COVID-19 patients using clinical and chest radiographic data. Modeling was performed with a de-identified dataset of encounters prior to widespread vaccine availability. Non-imaging predictors included demographics, pre-admission clinical history, and past medical history variables. Imaging features were extracted from chest radiographs by applying a deep convolutional neural network with transfer learning. A multi-layer perceptron combining 64 deep learning features from chest radiographs with 98 patient clinical …

Antibody Responses To Sars-Cov-2 After Infection Or Vaccination In Children And Young Adults With Inflammatory Bowel Disease., Joelynn Dailey, Lina Kozhaya, Mikail Dogan, Dena Hopkins, Blaine Lapin, Katherine Herbst, Michael Brimacombe, Kristen Grandonico, Fatih Karabacak, John Schreiber, Bruce Tsan-Liang Liang, Juan C Salazar, Derya Unutmaz, Jeffrey S Hyams

Faculty Research 2022

BACKGROUND: Characterization of neutralization antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination in children and young adults with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) receiving biologic therapies is crucial.

METHODS: We performed a prospective longitudinal cohort study evaluating SARS-CoV-2 spike protein receptor binding domain (S-RBD) IgG positivity along with consistent clinical symptoms in patients with IBD receiving infliximab or vedolizumab. Serum was also obtained following immunization with approved vaccines. The IgG antibody to the spike protein binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 was assayed with a fluorescent bead-based immunoassay that takes advantage of the high dynamic range of fluorescent molecules using flow cytometry. A sensitive and …

A 2022 Assessment Of Food Security And Health Outcomes During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Ashley C. Mccarthy, Farryl Bertmann, Emily H. Belarmino, Sam Bliss, Jennifer Laurent, Jonathan Malacarne, Scott Merrill, Rachel E. Schattman, Kathryn Yerxa, Meredith T. Niles

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

We conducted a Northern New England survey to understand the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on food security, food access, home food production, health behaviors, and health outcomes. The surveys were conducted in the spring of 2022 (April-May) with a total of 1,013 adults (598 in Maine and 415 in Vermont) responding to the survey. Key findings include:1. The prevalence of food insecurity remains similarly high to early points in the pandemic, likely driven by inflation and food prices, and long-term impacts from the pandemic. 2. The majority (62%) indicated the recent rise in food prices affected their food purchasing, …

Food Insecurity And Health-Related Concerns Among Elementary Schoolteachers During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Fangyu Li, Nivedhitha Parthasarathy, Feng Zhang, Ru-Jye Chuang, Mallika Mathur, Mike Pomeroy, Jacqueline Noyola, Christine M Markham, Shreela V Sharma

Journal Articles

INTRODUCTION: US school systems underwent major upheaval, including closures, implementation of virtual and/or hybrid learning, and stringent infection mitigation protocols, during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to examine the association between food insecurity and perceived health, perceived stress, and social determinants of health concerns among elementary schoolteachers serving predominantly low-income children during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS: Brighter Bites, a nonprofit organization that weekly distributes fresh fruits and vegetables and nutrition education materials to more than 300 schools serving racial and ethnic minority populations with low income, conducts annual surveys of participating teachers to help determine subsequent …

Nsaid Use And Clinical Outcomes In Covid-19 Patients: A 38-Center Retrospective Cohort Study., Justin T Reese, Ben D Coleman, Lauren Chan, Hannah Blau, Tiffany J Callahan, Luca Cappelletti, Tommaso Fontana, Katie R Bradwell, Nomi L Harris, Elena Casiraghi, Giorgio Valentini, Guy Karlebach, Rachel Deer, Julie A Mcmurry, Melissa A Haendel, Christopher G Chute, Emily Pfaff, Richard Moffitt, Heidi Spratt, Jasvinder A Singh, Christopher J Mungall, Andrew E Williams, Peter N Robinson

Faculty Research 2022

BACKGROUND: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly used to reduce pain, fever, and inflammation but have been associated with complications in community-acquired pneumonia. Observations shortly after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 suggested that ibuprofen was associated with an increased risk of adverse events in COVID-19 patients, but subsequent observational studies failed to demonstrate increased risk and in one case showed reduced risk associated with NSAID use.

METHODS: A 38-center retrospective cohort study was performed that leveraged the harmonized, high-granularity electronic health record data of the National COVID Cohort Collaborative. A propensity-matched cohort of 19,746 COVID-19 inpatients was …

Combining Genomic And Epidemiological Data To Compare The Transmissibility Of Sars-Cov-2 Variants Alpha And Iota., Mary E Petrone, Jessica E Rothman, Mallery I Breban, Isabel M Ott, Alexis Russell, Erica Lasek-Nesselquist, Hamada Badr, Kevin Kelly, Gregory Omerza, Nicholas Renzette, Anne E Watkins, Chaney C Kalinich, Tara Alpert, Anderson F Brito, Rebecca Earnest, Irina R Tikhonova, Christopher Castaldi, John P Kelly, Matthew Shudt, Jonathan Plitnick, Erasmus Schneider, Steven Murphy, Caleb Neal, Eva Laszlo, Ahmad Altajar, Claire Pearson, Anthony Muyombwe, Randy Downing, Jafar Razeq, Linda Niccolai, Madeline S Wilson, Margaret L Anderson, Jianhui Wang, Chen Liu, Pei Hui, Shrikant Mane, Bradford P Taylor, William P Hanage, Marie L Landry, David R Peaper, Kaya Bilguvar, Joseph R Fauver, Chantal B F Vogels, Lauren M Gardner, Virginia E Pitzer, Kirsten St George, Mark D Adams, Nathan D Grubaugh

Faculty Research 2022

SARS-CoV-2 variants shaped the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic and the discourse around effective control measures. Evaluating the threat posed by a new variant is essential for adapting response efforts when community transmission is detected. In this study, we compare the dynamics of two variants, Alpha and Iota, by integrating genomic surveillance data to estimate the effective reproduction number (R_t) of the variants. We use Connecticut, United States, in which Alpha and Iota co-circulated in 2021. We find that the R_t of these variants were up to 50% larger than that of other variants. We then …

Perceived Exertion During Moderate And Vigorous Physical Activity While Mask Wearing: A Quantitative And Qualitative Pilot Study, Jennifer L. Scheid, Corinne Edwards, Michael Seils, Sarah L. West

Articles & Book Chapters

There is limited research examining the perception of exertion during exercise while wearing a facemask. The current study examined if mask usage during moderate or vigorous physical activity (MVPA) changed the self-reported perception of exertion. Seventy-two adults (18 years and older) who were physically active before the COVID-19 pandemic completed a questionnaire that assessed exercise habits and perceptions of mask wearing during MVPA. Participants reported their ratings of perceived exertion (RPE, on a scale of 1–10) while exercising. Wearing a mask resulted in higher RPE vs. no mask during both vigorous (8.4 ± 0.2 vs. 7.4 ± 0.1; p < 0.001) and moderate PA (6.6 ± 0.2 vs. 5.6 ± 0.2; p < 0.001). Qualitative analysis revealed mostly negative perceptions of exercising while wearing a mask, including respiratory issues, detriments to cardiovascular endurance, and general discomfort. A total of 40% of participants reported that they stopped exercising in an indoor/public setting because of a mask mandate in their region. Participants reported participating in less vigorous PA (4.7 ± 0.4 vs. 4.0 ± 0.4 h/week; p = 0.046), but not less moderate PA (3.3 ± 0.3 vs. 3.0 ± 0.3 h/week; p = 0.443) pre vs. during the pandemic. Our study suggests that facemask usage during MVPA causes an increase in RPE and may be one reason for a decrease in vigorous PA during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Comparative Transmissibility Of Sars-Cov-2 Variants Delta And Alpha In New England, Usa., Rebecca Earnest, Rockib Uddin, Nicholas Matluk, Nicholas Renzette, Sarah E Turbett, Katherine J Siddle, Christine Loreth, Gordon Adams, Christopher H Tomkins-Tinch, Mary E Petrone, Jessica E Rothman, Mallery I Breban, Robert Tobias Koch, Kendall Billig, Joseph R Fauver, Chantal B F Vogels, Kaya Bilguvar, Bony De Kumar, Marie L Landry, David R Peaper, Kevin Kelly, Greg Omerza, Heather Grieser, Sim Meak, John Martha, Hannah B Dewey, Susan Kales, Daniel Berenzy, Kristin Carpenter-Azevedo, Ewa King, Richard C Huard, Vlad Novitsky, Mark Howison, Josephine Darpolor, Akarsh Manne, Rami Kantor, Sandra C Smole, Catherine M Brown, Timelia Fink, Andrew S Lang, Glen R Gallagher, Virginia E Pitzer, Pardis C Sabeti, Stacey Gabriel, Bronwyn L Macinnis, New England Variant Investigation Team, Ryan Tewhey, Mark D Adams, Daniel J Park, Jacob E Lemieux, Nathan D Grubaugh

Faculty Research 2022

The SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant rose to dominance in mid-2021, likely propelled by an estimated 40%-80% increased transmissibility over Alpha. To investigate if this ostensible difference in transmissibility is uniform across populations, we partner with public health programs from all six states in New England in the United States. We compare logistic growth rates during each variant's respective emergence period, finding that Delta emerged 1.37-2.63 times faster than Alpha (range across states). We compute variant-specific effective reproductive numbers, estimating that Delta is 63%-167% more transmissible than Alpha (range across states). Finally, we estimate that Delta infections generate on average 6.2 (95% …

Physician's Attitudes On Pulmonary Rehabilitation Following Covid-19: A Brief Perspective From A Developing Country, Ivan Cherrez-Ojeda, Emanuel Vanegas, Miguel Felix, María José Farfán Bajaña, Azza Sarfraz, Zouina Sarfraz, Genesis Camacho, Alanna Barrios-Ruiz, Jack Michel

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Despite the uncertainty about the follow up of COVID-19 survivors, there is a growing body of evidence supporting specific interventions including pulmonary rehabilitation, which may lead to a reduced hospital stay and improved overall respiratory function. The aim of this short report was to assess the attitudes toward pulmonary rehabilitation following COVID-19 among Ecuadorian physicians. A cross-sectional study was conducted, in which a 5-question survey was used to assess the level of agreement to specific statements with a 5-point Likert scale. Out of the 282 participants, 48.2% (n=136) were male, with a mean of 12.6 (SD=11.3) years of experience. More …