Digital Commons Network^™

Rapid, Successful Adoption Of Virtual Outpatient Cardiology Care During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Lesley Jones Larson, D Christensen, S Long, Lian Wang, Kateri Spinelli, Xiaoyan Huang

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

No abstract provided.

Epidemiology And Outcomes Of Hospitalized Adults With Sars-Cov-2 Community-Acquired Pneumonia In Louisville, Kentucky, Julio A. Ramirez, T'Shura Ali, Thomas Chandler, Stephen P. Furmanek, Daniya Sheikh, Vidyulata Salunkhe, Steven Gootee, Mohammad Tahboub, William A. Mattingly, Demetra Antimisiaris, Jiapeng Huang, Jose Bordon, Rodrigo Cavallazzi, Paul Schulz, William P. Mckinney, Dawn Balcom, Mark Burns, Ruth Carrico, Forest W. Arnold, Cerid Covid-19 Study Group

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Background: During the ongoing pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), SARS-CoV-2 community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) has been the primary cause of hospitalization. The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of 1,013 patients hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 CAP from September 2020 through March 2021 in Louisville, Kentucky.

Methods: This was a retrospective observational study of 1,013 patients hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 CAP at eight of the adult hospitals in the city of Louisville from September 2020 through March 2021. Patients with 1) a positive reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for SARS-CoV-2, 2) fever, cough, or …

Primary Care In A Pandemic: A Qualitative Study On The Impact Of Covid-19 On Workplace Wellness, Oriana Pando, Amy Cunningham, Erin Kelley, Randa Sifri, Kelsey Smith

Phase 1

Introduction:

On March 16, 2020, the city of Philadelphia announced a state of emergency due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. The Primary Care Department of Thomas Jefferson Hospital had to alter operations to protect patients, providers and staff. These changes included an increase in telehealth, personal protective equipment (PPE), spacing in-person visits, and working from home. This study was designed to qualitatively assess how these changes have impacted providers and staff in Jefferson’s primary care settings.

Methods:

We conducted 31 qualitative semi-structured interviews with employees of Jefferson Primary Care practices. Though, our population was heavily skewed toward clinical staff (N=9), …

Comparing The Quality Of An In-Person Versus Virtual Diabetes Education Course Due To Covid 19 Pandemic, Allie Hamilton, Rickie Brawer, Phd

Phase 1

Introduction: Group diabetes education courses are proven to improve patients’ diabetes knowledge and metabolic control. Due to the COVID19 pandemic, Stephen Klein Wellness Center (SKWC) shifted their diabetes education course to an online format over Zoom. This study aimed to investigate difference in patient experience and course effectiveness between the in-person and online courses.

Methods: The population for this study includes 89 patients at SKWC that completed either the in-person or online diabetes education course. Participant satisfaction was measured with phone interviews and a survey. Course effectiveness was measured using surveys to assess the change in patients’ weight, amount of …

Education Of Infectious Diseases Fellows During The Covid-19 Pandemic Crisis: Challenges And Opportunities, Lisa M Chirch, Wendy S Armstrong, Gayle P Balba, Prathit A Kulkarni, Constance A Benson, Victoria Konold, Vera P Luther, Obinna N Nnedu, Sarah Perloff, Raymund R Razonable, Wendy Stead, George R Thompson, Michael T Melia

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

One of the many challenges that has befallen the Infectious Diseases and Graduate Medical Education communities during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is the maintenance of continued effective education and training of the future leaders of our field. With the remarkable speed and innovation that has characterized the responses to this pandemic, educators everywhere have adapted existing robust and safe learning environments to meet the needs of our learners. This paper will review distinct aspects of education and training of the Infectious Diseases fellows we believe the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted most, including mentoring, didactics, and wellness. We anticipate …

The Quest For Conquering Covid-19: Updates From The Laboratory, David B. Nash

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

Covid-19 Infection Outcome In African American Renal Transplant Recipients: Detroit Medical Center, Claudia Jarrin Tejada Md, Mareena Zachariah Md, Angela Cruz Md, Shakir Hussein Md, Elizabeth Wilpula Pharmd, Nicole Meeks, Jeffrey A. Wolff Msn, Agacnp-Bc, Pranatharthi Chandrasekar Md

Medical Student Research Symposium

Background: Transplant recipients are more vulnerable to infections including COVID-19, given their comorbidities and chronic immunosuppression. Most preliminary care series report rapid clinical progression and higher mortality compared to the general population.

Methods: Retrospective study at Harper University Hospital - Detroit Medical Center. Twenty-five renal transplant recipients (RTR) presenting consecutively with COVID-19 symptoms and positive NP swab PCR for SARS-CoV2 between 03/01/2020 - 05/01/2020 were included. Data on demographics, clinical presentation, laboratory findings, management and outcomes were collected.

Results: Patients had a median age of 56, all African American and deceased donor transplant recipients. Most had hypertension …

The Cardiovascular Manifestations Of Covid-19: A Review Of The Literature And Institutional Experience, Gina Polsinelli, Steven J. Korzeniewski, Oksana M. Doubrovski, James Paxton

Medical Student Research Symposium

The cardiovascular health of those infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) plays a major role in rates of hospitalization, mortality risk, and rates of mechanical ventilation. In patients with COVID-19, acute myocardial injury and history of cardiovascular disease are both independently established risk factors for poor patient prognosis. In addition to myocardial injury, numerous acute cardiovascular manifestations of COVID-19 disease have been identified. Previous work on this topic typically focused either upon a general description of the acute cardiovascular manifestations and sequalae of COVID-19, or upon broad-based clinical outcomes associated with COVID-19 in patients with history of …

Silent Epidemic Of Childhood Bronchiectasis In Pakistan: An Infectious Disease Physician's Perspective, Fatima Mir

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

No abstract provided.

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 96, No. 15, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news. This issue contains articles:

• Bertucci, Leo. An Alumnus’ Journey to Shape Education – Gary Houchens
• Latimer, Jacob. Student Government Association Prepares for Another Unusual Semester
• Differing State & WKU Quarantine Guidelines Are Confusing, But It Has to Be Done
• Pepke, Brenna. The Man Behind the Tie – Tyreon Clark, Boys to Men Leadership Group of Kentucky
• Gaylord, Kaden. Hilltoppers Series Against Old Dominion Postponed – Basketball
• Snyder, Sean. Kicking It Again, Lady Topper Soccer is Back
• Kieser, Nick. Views: Charles Bassey Continues to Bulk Resume for NBA

Manganese Exposure In Juvenile C57bl/6 Mice Increases Glial Inflammatory Responses In The Substantia Nigra Following Infection With H1n1 Influenza Virus., Collin M Bantle, C Tenley French, Jason E Cummings, Shankar Sadasivan, Kevin Tran, Richard A Slayden, Richard Jay Smeyne, Ronald B Tjalkens

Farber Institute for Neuroscience Faculty Papers

Infection with Influenza A virus can lead to the development of encephalitis and subsequent neurological deficits ranging from headaches to neurodegeneration. Post-encephalitic parkinsonism has been reported in surviving patients of H1N1 infections, but not all cases of encephalitic H1N1 infection present with these neurological symptoms, suggesting that interactions with an environmental neurotoxin could promote more severe neurological damage. The heavy metal, manganese (Mn), is a potential interacting factor with H1N1 because excessive exposure early in life can induce long-lasting effects on neurological function through inflammatory activation of glial cells. In the current study, we used a two-hit model of neurotoxin-pathogen …

Identification Of 3-Chymotrypsin Like Protease (3clpro) Inhibitors As Potential Anti-Sars-Cov-2 Agents., Vicky Mody, Joanna Ho, Savannah Wills, Ahmed Mawri, Latasha Lawson, Maximilian C C J C Ebert, Guillaume M Fortin, Srujana Rayalam, Shashidharamurthy Taval

PCOM Scholarly Works

Emerging outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is a major threat to public health. The morbidity is increasing due to lack of SARS-CoV-2 specific drugs. Herein, we have identified potential drugs that target the 3-chymotrypsin like protease (3CLpro), the main protease that is pivotal for the replication of SARS-CoV-2. Computational molecular modeling was used to screen 3987 FDA approved drugs, and 47 drugs were selected to study their inhibitory effects on SARS-CoV-2 specific 3CLpro enzyme in vitro. Our results indicate that boceprevir, ombitasvir, paritaprevir, tipranavir, ivermectin, and micafungin exhibited inhibitory effect towards 3CLpro enzymatic activity. The 100 …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 96, No. 14, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

WKU campus newspaper reporting campus, athletic and Bowling Green, Kentucky news. This issue contains articles:

• Deppen, Laurel. In Loving Memory of Our Friend, Elliott Wells
• Collins, Michael. Quarantine Housing Relocates, Updates Meals
• Deppen, Laurel. The Only Consistent Thing is Change
• Mallon, Sam. Delayed – Maggie Smith
• Bertucci, Leo. WKU Aids in Contact Tracing for Spring 2021
• Murray, Debra. COVID-19 Vaccine
• Kieser, Nick. TOPCARE Focuses on Athletes’ Mental Health
• Toennies, Drew. Lady Toppers to Host Middle Tennessee State University – Basketball
• Gaylord, Kaden. Hilltoppers Poised for Second Sweep – Basketball

Association Of Presenting Symptoms With Abnormal Laboratory Values For Vector-Borne Illness — Experience In An Urban Gastroenterology Practice, Michael D. Erdman, Niloofar Kossari, Jessica Ye, Kristen H. Reynolds, Emily Blodget, B. Robert Mozayeni, Farshid Sam Rahbar

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Background: In the clinical setting, it is not common practice to consider a vector bite, such as from a tick or flea, to be a contributing factor to chronic digestive symptoms. This article investigates associations we have observed among symptomatic patients and positive blood tests for vector-borne illness (VBI).

Methods: Patients who visited an urban gastroenterology clinic over a 3-year period were retrospectively reviewed. A total of 270 patients presenting with a constellation of digestive symptoms — and who had no apparent digestive pathology and reported no prior diagnosis or treatments for VBI — were analyzed. Before the initial visit, …

Comprehensive Echocardiographic Findings In Critically Ill Covid-19 Patients With Or Without Prior Cardiac Disease, Renuka Jain, Pedro D. Salinas, Stacie Kroboth, Abigail Kaminski, Sarah Roemer, Ana Cristina Perez Moreno, Bijoy K Khandheria

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Purpose: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) presents with a spectrum of disease severity, the most serious cases requiring intensive care. Echocardiography is a front-line tool in evaluating cardiovascular complications of COVID-19 in the intensive care unit (ICU); we analyzed transthoracic echocardiograms obtained from this patient population with state-of-the-art ultrasound technology.

Methods: All patients with COVID-19 requiring ICU admission on whom a transthoracic echocardiogram was obtained were included in the study. Focused transthoracic protocols were performed by experienced sonographers. Echocardiographic variables, including speckle-tracking echocardiography, were collected and analyzed. Clinical information was obtained from the electronic medical record. Patients were followed until discharge. …

A Practice Innovation To Improve Staff Vaccination Knowledge And Skills, Ijeoma Ugochukwu

Nursing Posters

Abstract:

The practice improvement project explored the best practices for equipping CentraCare Health System's (CCHS) Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) and Certified Medical Assistants' (CMAs) with childhood vaccination knowledge and communication skills necessary to educate hesitant patients and parents about the benefits of vaccination compliance. Innovative computer-based education (CBE) was identified and developed to empower LPNs and CMAs working in the ambulatory setting with childhood vaccination knowledge and communication skills to improve their ability to educate hesitant patients and parents about the benefits of vaccination. The CBE module was guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior in identifying vaccination knowledge and …

Antibiotics And Antimicrobial Resistance In The Covid-19 Era: Perspective From Resource-Limited Settings, Mentor Ali Ber Lucien, Michael F. Canarie, Paul E. Kilgore, Gladzin Jean-Denis, Natael Fénélon, Manise Pierre, Mauricio Cerpa, Gerard A. Joseph, Gina Maki, Marcus J. Zervos, Patrick Dely, Jacques Boncy, Hatim Sati, Ana Del Rio, Pilar Ramon-Pardo

Department of Pharmacy Practice

The dissemination of COVID-19 around the globe has been followed by an increased consumption of antibiotics. This is related to the concern for bacterial superinfection in COVID-19 patients. The identification of bacterial pathogens is challenging in low and middle income countries (LMIC), as there are no readily-available and cost-effective clinical or biological markers that can effectively discriminate between bacterial and viral infections. Fortunately, faced with the threat of COVID-19 spread, there has been a growing awareness of the importance of antimicrobial stewardship programs, as well as infection prevention and control measures that could help reduce the microbial load and hence …

High Prevalence Of Pre-Existing Serological Cross-Reactivity Against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (Sars-Cov-2) In Sub-Saharan Africa, For Yue Tso, Salum J. Lidenge, Phoebe B. Peña, Ashley A. Clegg, John R. Ngowi, Julius Mwaiselage, Owen Ngalamika, Peter Julius, John T. West, Charles Wood

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Objective: Significant morbidity and mortality have occurred in the USA, Europe, and Asia due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), whereas the numbers of infections and deaths in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have remained comparatively low. It has been hypothesized that exposure of the population in SSA to other coronaviruses prior to the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in some degree of cross-protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection and pathogenesis. We evaluated this hypothesis by comparing SARS-CoV-2 cross-reactive antibodies in pre-pandemic plasma samples collected from SSA and the USA.

Method: Pre-COVID-19 pandemic plasma samples from SSA and the USA were collected and tested by …

Voices From The Field: A Qualitative Study Of The Challenges And Promising Practices Of Rural Public Health In Addressing Hiv And Hepatitis C, Martha Elbaum Williamson Mpa, Karen B. Pearson Mlis, Ms, Amanda R. Burgess Mppm, Jennifer D. Lenardson Mhs, Erika C. Ziller Phd

Population Health

Rural areas of the United States may be vulnerable to an HIV or hepatitis C (HCV) outbreak among persons who inject drugs. Researchers at the University of Southern Maine’s Rural Health Research Center examined the capacity of rural public health systems to prepare for, identify, control, and respond to an HIV or HCV outbreak. Through semi-structured interviews with 36 state and local public health professionals from six rural states, we sought to understand the challenges related to HIV, HCV, and serving rural persons who inject drugs and to identify strategies to address those challenges. Challenges limiting the public health capacity …

Developing A Self-Sanitizing Mask To Combat The Spread Of Infectious Disease, Matthew Crawford

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Masks have become an important part of everyday life, protecting both the wearer and individuals nearby from the spread of infectious diseases, most notably severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the coronavirus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, these masks are easily contaminated, whether through continued use or by the wearer touching the mask fabric with contaminated hands, therefore reducing the efficacy and exposing the user to these contagions. When the mask becomes contaminated, it can be discarded, which produces large amounts of waste that will end up in a landfill, or it can be washed, which is …

Antimicrobial Use In Positive Respiratory Viral Panel: Impact Of Procalcitonin Use And Antimicrobial Stewardship, David Beleny

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

increasing antibiotic resistant microbes.¹ Blood and sputum cultures are the gold standard for bacterial identification, but they are difficult to obtain and take days to receive back from the lab. Physicians commonly treat patients empirically with antibiotics because there is an increased risk of 30-day mortality in patients with bacterial community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).² Overuse of antibiotics is commonplace in hospitalized patients which is detrimental as it contributes to antibiotic resistance, costs money, wastes resources, and puts patients at risk for unnecessary adverse effects of the medications.³ It was found that 75% of patients presenting with a respiratory …

The Intellectual Property Of Covid-19, Ana Santos Rutschman

All Faculty Scholarship

The response to COVID-19 is indissolubly tied to intellectual property. In an increasingly globalized world in which infectious disease pathogens travel faster and wider than before, the development of vaccines, treatments and other forms of medical technology has become an integral part of public health preparedness and response frameworks. The development of these technologies, and to a certain extent the allocation and distribution of resulting outputs, is informed by intellectual property regimes. These regimes influence the commitment of R&D resources, shape scientific collaborations and, in some cases, may condition the widespread availability of emerging technologies. As seen throughout this chapter, …

Gaps In Worker Protections That Increase Essential Workers’ Exposure To Covid-19, Ruqaiijah Yearby

All Faculty Scholarship

States and localities designated more than 55 million Americans as essential workers. Essential workers not only comprise those employed by the health care and food and agriculture industry, but also include teachers, grocery store workers, transit and airline workers, mail and delivery workers, energy sector and utility workers, and domestic workers (Petition for Emergency, 2020). Racial and ethnic minorities are disproportionately employed as essential workers, with Black Americans the most likely to be essential workers (Petition for Emergency, 2020). Essential workers have been left vulnerable to workplace COVID-19 infections and deaths in large part due to the federal and state …

Evaluating Racial And Ethnic Disparities In Access To Primary Care Among Gay And Bisexual Men In The Us, A Population At High-Risk Of Hiv Infection, Jessica S. Kiernan, April D. Kimmel

Graduate Research Posters

BACKGROUND: 69% of new HIV diagnoses in the US are among gay and bisexual men, with disparities by race and ethnicity. Primary care providers increasingly provide HIV prevention. Racial and ethnic disparities in primary care access are well-documented, but their persistence among gay and bisexual men is unknown. We examined racial and ethnic disparities in access to primary care among this population.

METHODS: We used nationally representative person-level sociodemographic, health status and utilization data, and data on organizational- and socially determinant barriers to care, from the National Health Interview Survey, 2013-2018. Outcomes were: 1) general physician visit

RESULTS: The sample …

Association Between Race/Ethnicity And Covid-19 Disease Outcomes In The United States: A Qualitative Systematic Review Of The Literature, Jacob Smith

MEDI 9331 Scholarly Activities Clinical Years

Background/Objective: As studies have shown disparities in coronavirus disease-19 prevalence and severity, we sought to evaluate differences in outcomes of acute SARS-CoV-2 infection by race/ethnicity.

Design: Systematic review

Data Source: Studies from PubMed were included.

Review methods: Articles published in English language from January 1, 2019 through March 22, 2020. Studies included were observational studies that examined racial or ethnic disparities in SARS-CoV-2 infection outcomes in the United States. One reviewer performed data extraction.

Results: Out of a possible 1,944 articles, 99 observational studies (82 individual-level and 17 population-level) were included. Differential rates of hospitalization or otherwise severe illness …

Collaboration Between Public Health And Marketing Experts As A Response To Covid-19, M. Courtney Hughes, Yihui Tang, Shupei Yuan

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

Since the beginning of 2020, as the world’s population has dealt with COVID-19 and abrupt changes to the normal status quo, academic scholars are no exception, experiencing radical changes to their teaching modalities (remote versus in-person) and often major interruptions in their research. One month after the initial shift to working remotely in March, we obtained approval from Northern Illinois University’s Institutional Review Board to conduct a brief survey with recently published academic scholars in the fields of public health and marketing to understand their views of how this unprecedented time may affect their work. In examining patterns in the …

White Paper On Engineering Controls For Bioaerosols In Non-Industrial/ Non-Healthcare Settings, Cheri L. Marcham, American Conference Of Governmental Industrial Hygienists

Publications

The list of disease pathogens that can be transmitted in the air is extensive. This list includes the common cold, SARS, measles, Hansen's disease (leprosy), polio, influenza, Legionella (Legionnaires’ disease and Pontiac fever), and tuberculosis (TB). TB, SARSCoV-1, avian influenza, varicella, and now SARS-CoV-2 all have received public notice due not only to their known or assumed ability to be transmitted in the air rapidly from one individual to another, but also for their virulence. Other bioaerosols that can be transmitted through the air include bacteria, fungal spores and fragments, dust mites, and pollen. This document was developed to address …

Impact Of Smoking And Hpv Status On Cervical Cancer Survival In Women Living In Kentucky, 2004-2005 And 2014-2015, Brittany M. Mckinley

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

BACKGROUND/ OBJECTIVE: Cervical cancer is the fourth most commonly occurring malignancy in women worldwide, with an estimated 530,000 new cases and 270,000 new deaths each year (Small et al, 2017). While the incidence of cervical cancer has decreased by approximately 1.9% per year between 2007 and 2011, the death rate has remained stable (Bernard et al, 2014). Studies have shown that nearly all cervical cancer cases are associated with the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Many studies support the association of smoking with increased risk of invasive cervical cancer in women with high-risk HPV (Castle et al, 2002; Fang et al, …

Methenamine Prophylaxis For Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections In A Tertiary Referral Center, Cameron A. Wade

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Purpose: Methenamine hippurate (MH) is a urinary antiseptic, indicated for prophylaxis of recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) but with only few and limited studies regarding its efficacy. To help address this knowledge gap we reviewed our experience with MH for UTI prophylaxis, focusing on women with recurrent uncomplicated UTIs.

Materials and Methods: The University of Kentucky electronic health record was queried to identify adults who were prescribed MH from the Urology clinic between January 2013 and January 2019. Charts were reviewed to assess patient-reported UTI frequency, demographics and relevant health factors. Treatment success was defined as 0-1 UTI in 6 …

Characterizing The Physiology And Genetics Of Contact Dependent Growth Inhibiton Systems In Burkholderia Species, Alice Elizabeth Oates

Theses and Dissertations--Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics

Contact-dependent growth inhibition (CDI) systems mediate interbacterial competition. The genes encoding these systems are widespread among Gram-negative bacteria, including Burkholderia pathogens. CDI systems of Burkholderia species are composed of two-partner secretion pathway proteins and function to deliver the toxic C-terminus of a polymorphic surface-exposed exoprotein BcpA (Burkholderia CDI protein A) to the cytoplasm of neighboring recipient bacteria upon cell-cell contact. Specific outer and inner membrane proteins facilitate BcpA translocation both out of the donor bacterium and into the recipient cell cytoplasm. Most Burkholderia species-specific CDI translocation factors in recipient cells are unknown. BcpA intoxication functions as a mechanism by …