Digital Commons Network^™

Monoclonal Outbreak Of Ralstonia Solanacearum Catheter-Related Bloodstream Infectionassociated With Contaminated Package Of Normal Saline Solution In A Tertiary Carehospital, Özlem Güzel Tunçcan, Murat Di̇zbay, Hasan Selçuk Özger, Si̇dre Ergani̇ş, Fatma Nur Baran Aksakal, Ayşe Meltem Çirak, Gülendam Bozdayi, Kayhan Çağlar

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Ralstonia solanacearum is a very rare cause of infection in humans. There is no described nosocomial outbreak due to R. solanacearum so far. We determined R. solanacearum as the source of catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI) outbreak. Materials and methods: This outbreak analysis was carried out in a 1000-bed tertiary care university hospital in Turkey. The outbreak analysis included hematology, oncology, nephrology, gastroenterology wards, emergency department, and intensive care units. The first case with R. solanacearum CRBSI was detected on May 20, 2019 and R. solanacearum was isolated in catheter blood cultures in 34 patients until October 3, 2019 Results: …

Evaluation Of Ambulance Calls For Patients Over 65 Years Of Age In İzmir, Turkey: A Twoyear Retrospective Analysis, Ahu Pakdemi̇rli̇, Başak Bayram, Erkan Güvenç, Hülya Elli̇dokuz

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Analysis of interventions for special patient groups is important for the planning of health services, especially emergency medical services. In this study, we aimed to evaluate emergency medical service (EMS) interventions for the elderly and determine the decisive factors affecting transfer to the hospital of EMS team over 2 years (2017 and 2018) in İzmir. Materials and methods: Records of 112 emergency calls that were made between 2017 and 2018 followed up with interventions for patients aged 65 years and older were obtained from the 112 system. The reasons for the calls, outcomes, possible diagnoses of the patients, differences …

Sars-Cov-2 Associated Rhabdomyolysis In 32 Patients, Josef Finsterer, Fulvio Scorza

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: This mini-review aims at summarising and discussing previous and recent findings concerning the clinical manifestations, therapeutic management, and outcome of SARS-CoV-2 associated rhabdomyolysis. Materials and methods: Literature search in the PubMed database by applying appropriate search terms. Results: A total of 26 articles reporting SARS-CoV-2 associated rhabdomyolysis in 32 patients were identified. Age ranged from 16 to 80 years. Four patients were female and 25 were male. Onset of rhabdomyolysis was prior to onset of COVID-19 in 7 patients, and after onset of COVID-19 in the remaining patients. Exposure to myotoxic medication was identified in 18 patients. Myotoxic drugs …

Which Hematological Markers Have Predictive Value As Early Indicators Of Severecovid-19 Cases In The Emergency Department?, İshak Şan, Emi̇n Gemci̇oğlu, Mehmet Davutoğlu, Rami̇s Çatalbaş, Berkan Karabuğa, Enes Kaptan, Abdulsamet Erden, Orhan Küçükşahi̇n, İhsan Ateş, Selma Karaahmetoğlu, İmran Hasanoğlu, Osman İnan, Büşra Nur Ünal, Ecem Erdemi̇r, Fati̇h Ahmet Kahraman

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is a pandemic infectious disease that causes morbidity and mortality. As a result of high mortality rate among the severe COVID-19 patients, the early detection of the disease stage and early effective interventions are very important in reducing mortality. Hence, it is important to differentiate severe and nonsevere cases from each other. To date, there are no proven diagnostic or prognostic parameters that can be used in this manner. Due to the expensive and not easily accessible tests that are performed for COVID-19, researchers are investigating …

Decrease Of Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction In Severe Illness Patients Due To Covid-19may Improve As The Disease Resolves, Aykut Demi̇rkiran, Lütfi̇ Çağatay Onar, Mustafa Doğan

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Increase in publications supporting myocardial involvement in the COVID-19 disease has led to need to gain insight into the the global burden of heart failure after pandemic. We examined the course of myocardial systolic function in patients without elevated troponin levels. Materials and methods: We performed a prospective study. Patients with high troponin levels were excluded from the study in order to definitively exclude complications known to cause permanent left ventricular systolic dysfunction, such as acute coronary syndromes. Two echocardiographic examinations were performed. The first evaluation was performed within the days of hospitalization, if possible, on the day when …

The Investigation Of Adrenal Involvement In Carbapenem Resistant Acinetobacterbaumannii Sepsis: Experimental Mouse Model, Esma Eryilmaz Eren, Gökçen Di̇nç, Olgun Kontaş, Emi̇ne Alp Meşe, Mehmet Doğanay

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: In the last years, incidence of carbapenem resistant Acinetobacter baumannii sepsis is increasing with high mortality. However, it is not clear whether this is due to inadequate antimicrobial choice or a more severe clinical course. We aimed to evaluate the inflammation and adrenal involvement in the carbapenem resistant A. baumannii by using experimental mouse model sepsis. Materials and methods: Balb/c female mice were randomly put into control and three sepsis groups (A. baumannii susceptible to carbapenem-CSAB-, A. baumannii resistant to carbapenem-CRAB-, Escherichia coli). A total of sixty mice were included in this study with each group having 15 mice. …

First Known Covid-19 Case And Contact Tracing Efforts In İstanbul, Turkey, Abdullah Emre Güner, Aral Sürmeli̇, Kemal Kural, Esra Şahi̇n, Peri̇han Alkan, Erdoğan Kocayi̇ği̇t, Mustafa Hati̇poğlu, Şuayip Bi̇ri̇nci̇, Kemal Memi̇şoğlu, Işil Maral

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: COVID-19 has now become a global pandemic. Understanding the routes of transmission is vital in the mitigation and suppression of the disease. İstanbul has become one of the disease's epicenters. This study aims to describe the first COVID-19 case and contact tracing efforts around it in İstanbul. Materials and methods: The descriptive study was conducted in İstanbul, Turkey. The first COVID-19 cases and those associated with them were investigated with contact tracing, and primary and secondary cases were described. Results: The source case was an individual who returned to Turkey from international travel at the beginning of March and …

A Biochemical Characterization Of The Fusion Proteins From Enveloped Rna Viruses, Chelsea T. Barrett

Theses and Dissertations--Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry

Enveloped viruses must bind target cells and then fuse the viral membrane with a cell membrane to enter a host cell. These viruses use one or more surface glycoproteins to carry out these critical functions. The surface glycoprotein that carries out the fusion function, termed a fusion protein, is divided into three classes based on structural similarities. Some of the most studied human viral pathogens, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Ebola virus, influenza, measles, and the recently emerged severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), possess class I fusion proteins. Following synthesis, class I fusion proteins associate as non-covalently …

Safety And Efficacy Of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation To Treat And Prevent Recurrent Clostridioides Difficile In Cancer Patients, Hiba Ali, Shruti Khurana, Weijie Ma, Yuanzun Peng, Zhi-Dong Jiang, Herbert Dupont, Hao Chi Zhang, Anusha S Thomas, Pablo Okhuysen, Yinghong Wang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Cancer patients are at increased risk of recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (rCDI) due to malignancy itself, cancer therapy, and frequent antibiotic use and have a lower response rate to standard oral antibiotics. There are limited data on the safety and efficacy of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) for treating rCDI in cancer patients. We aim to describe our experience of using FMT to treat rCDI at a tertiary cancer center.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of cancer patients who underwent FMT for rCDI at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center from June 2017 through January 2020. Baseline …

Special Issue: Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia Coli, Rodney A. Moxley

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Globally, Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is an important cause of diarrheal disease, most notably hemorrhagic colitis, and post-diarrheal sequela, such as hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) [1]. Cattle are a major reservoir of STEC, with approx- imately half of the cases in humans attributable to foodborne exposure [2]. Prevention of human illness has mainly been through food safety measures [2]. Despite extensive research, no other generally accepted and effective preventive measures or therapies for STEC infections in human patients are available [3]. Many questions remain about STEC virulence factors, pathogenesis, detection, and other aspects that necessitate a continua- tion of basic …

การคาดการณ์การติดเชื้อซีเอ็มวีโดยการวัดระดับควอนติเฟอร์รอนซีเอ็มวีในผู้ป่วยที่ได้รับการปลูกถ่ายอวัยวะที่มีซีเอ็มวีซีโรโลยีเป็นบวก ในโรงพยาบาลจุฬาลงกรณ์, กมลาสน์ อำนวย

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

ที่มา: ในประเทศไทยการดูแลผู้ป่วยที่มีซีเอ็มวีซีโรโลยีให้ผลบวกในผู้ป่วยปลูกถ่ายอวัยวะ จะใช้วิธีการตรวจระดับซีเอ็มวีไวรัสในเลือดอย่างใกล้ชิดซึ่งเป็นวิธีที่มีค่าใช้จ่ายสูง วัตถุประสงค์: เพื่อศึกษาความสามารถในการวินิจฉัยการติดเชื้อไวรัสซีเอ็มวีในช่วง 3 เดือนหลังการปลูกถ่ายอวัยวะ โดยใช้วิธีทดสอบภูมิคุ้มกันชนิด ควอนติเฟอร์รอนซีเอ็มวี วิธีการศึกษา: งานวิจัยรูปแบบการศึกษาไปข้างหน้า รวบรวมประชากรตัวอย่างที่ได้รับการปลูกถ่ายอวัยวะ และมีซีเอ็มวีซีโรโลยีให้ผลบวก ได้รับการตรวจติดตามระดับไวรัสซีเอ็มวี ในเลือดทุก1-2 สัปดาห์ ควบคู่กับการตรวจ ควอนติเฟอร์รอนซีเอ็มวี ก่อนการปลูกถ่ายอวัยวะ, 1 และ 3 เดือนหลังการปลูกถ่ายอวัยวะ ผลการศึกษา: ผู้ป่วยตัวอย่างได้รับการปลูกถ่ายไตทั้งหมด 41 คน พบมีภาวะการติดเชื้อไวรัสซีเอ็มวี 25 คน คิดเป็นร้อยละ 61 จากงานวิจัยพบว่า ควอนติเฟอร์รอนซีเอ็มวีที่ 1 เดือนหลังการปลูกถ่ายอวัยวะ มีความไวและความจำเพาะต่ำ คิดเป็นร้อยละ 48 และ 62.5 ตามลำดับ และ พบควอนติเฟอร์รอนซีเอ็มวีที่ 3 เดือนหลังการปลูกถ่ายอวัยวะมีค่า Negative predictive value ร้อยละ 91.7 สรุปผลการวิจัย: ควอนติเฟอร์รอนซีเอ็มวีที่ 1 เดือน มีความสามารถในการคาดกาณ์การเกิดการติดเชื้อไวรัสซีเอ็มวีต่ำทั้งความไวและความจำเพาะ อย่างไรก็ตาม ผลบวกที่ 3 เดือน อาจมีประโยชน์ในแง่การเริ่มยารักษาการติดเชื้อซีเอ็มวี

Identification Of Snp Barcode For Classify Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (Cre) And Non-Cre Using Nanopore Sequencing, Nicha Sangpiromapichai

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Background: The continuous increase of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) prevalence has been a serious problem for public health worldwide. In the previous study, 25% of 3864 Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates were carbapenem-resistant. One of the most important risks of bacterial drug resistance is the improper use of antibiotics. The routine antimicrobial-susceptibility test requires overnight and has a turnaround time of approximately 2–3 days which delays the proper antibiotics. This study aims to develop a technique to classify CRE and non-CRE by SNP barcode. Method: Forty Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP) clinical isolates were collected from 2020–2021 at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital. Twenty samples were …

A Pilot Study, Randomized Control Trial On Effect Of Oral Calcium Carbonate To Fecal Functional Levofloxacin Concentration In Healthy Volunteer Taking Oral Levofloxacin, Ophat Janphet

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Objective: We conducted a pilot randomized control trial (RCT) to study whether oral calcium carbonate (CaCO3) can lower fecal levofloxacin (LVX) concentration and preserve gut microbiota diversity in healthy volunteers. Methods: The healthy volunteers received a 5-day course of once-daily 500 mg LVX oral tablet and were randomly assigned to treatment (6-day course of 1,000 mg CaCO3 oral tablet twice daily) and control group (no CaCO3). The primary outcome was fecal LVX concentration by MIC and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) on day 2 and 5. The secondary outcomes were fecal microbiota diversity Shannon index (H) by 16s rDNA analysis, plasma …

การตรวจติดตามระดับยา Meropenem และการประเมินผลการรักษาทางคลินิกในผู้ป่วยเด็กวิกฤต, ภัสสรา ไม้มงคล

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

การติดเชื้อแบคทีเรียแกรมลบดื้อยาหลายขนาน (multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria, MDR-GNB) ในโรงพยาบาลทำให้ผู้ป่วยวิกฤตมีอัตราการเสียชีวิตสูงขึ้น นอกจากนี้เมื่อผู้ป่วยวิกฤตติดเชื้อในกระแสเลือดจะส่งผลต่อการเปลี่ยนแปลงเภสัชจลนศาสตร์ของยาปฏิชีวนะซึ่งอาจทำให้ระดับยาในพลาสมาไม่เพียงพอต่อการรักษาโดยเฉพาะยา meropenem ซึ่งมักนิยมนำมาใช้รักษาการติดเชื้อ MDR-GNB ในโรงพยาบาล งานวิจัยนี้จึงทำการตรวจติดตามระดับยา meropenem ในผู้ป่วยวิกฤตเด็กเพื่อเปรียบเทียบระดับยา meropenem ในรูปอิสระที่ mid-dose (Cmid, fT ร้อยละ 50), trough (Ctrough, fT ร้อยละ 100), เปรียบเทียบสัดส่วนผู้ป่วยที่มีระดับยาเป็นไปตาม PK-PD targets (fT>MIC ร้อยละ 50 และ 100) และผลการรักษาทางคลินิกระหว่างผู้ป่วยที่ได้รับยา meropenem ทางหลอดเลือดดำแบบหยดยืดเวลา (extended infusion, EI) กับแบบหยดยาระยะสั้น (intermittent bolus, IB) ซึ่งงานวิจัยนี้ศึกษาในผู้ป่วยเด็กอายุตั้งแต่ 1 เดือนถึง 18 ปี หลังจากผู้ป่วยได้รับยา meropenem ทุก 8 ชั่งโมงด้วยวิธี EI หรือ IB จากข้อมูลการตรวจติดตามระดับยา meropenem ในผู้ป่วยเด็กจำนวน 72 ราย ขนาดยา meropenem ที่ผู้ป่วยได้รับ คือ 120 และ 60 มก./กก./วัน ด้วยวิธี EI และ IB ตามลำดับ หลังจากวัดระดับยา meropenem ในพลาสมาผู้ป่วยและเปรียบเทียบ Cmid และ Ctrough พบว่า Cmid ของการให้ยาแบบ EI และ IB เท่ากับ 17.3 มก./ล. (13.7-21.8) และ 3.4 มก./ล. (1.7-6.7) (P<0.001) ตามลำดับ Ctrough ของการให้ยาแบบ EI และ IB เท่ากับ 2.3 มก./ล. (1.6-3.4) และ 0.8 มก./ล. (0.4-1.5) (P=0.005) ตามลำดับ นอกจากนี้สัดส่วนผู้ป่วยที่มีระดับยา meropenem เป็นไปตาม PK-PD targets ในกลุ่ม EI มีมากกว่ากลุ่ม IB จากผลการสำรวจแสดงให้เห็นว่าแบบแผนการให้ยา meropenem 20 มก./กก./ครั้ง ด้วยวิธี IB ไม่ควรใช้ในผู้ป่วยวิกฤตเด็กเนื่องจากทำให้ระดับยาไม่เพียงพอต่อการรักษา ส่วนแบบแผนการให้ยา meropenem 40 มก./กก./ครั้ง ด้วยวิธี EI สามารถทำให้ Cmid' Ctrough และสัดส่วนผู้ป่วยที่มีระดับยาเป็นไปตาม PK-PD targets สูงกว่า

Structural Changes To Desmosomal Architecture During Assembly And Maturation, Reena R. Beggs

All ETDs from UAB

Desmosomes are macromolecular junctions important in adhesion and resisting mechanical stress in epithelial and cardiac tissue. Desmosomes have a complex architecture with transmembrane cadherins, desmogleins and desmocollins, constituting the adhesive interface and plaque proteins, including plakoglobin and desmoplakin, binding the cadherin tails and integrating with intermediate filaments. Dysregulation of desmosomes occurs in many disease states, such as cardiomyopathies, skin diseases, and various cancers. While mature desmosomes' structure is generally understood, less is known about desmosome architecture during assembly and recycling. Desmosomes are dynamic, biochemically intractable, and diffraction-limited, making them challenging to study. To overcome these obstacles, I applied the super-resolution …

Alpha-Single Chains Of Collagen Type Vi Inhibit The Fibrogenic Effects Of Triple Helical Collagen Vi In Hepatic Stellate Cells, Christian Freise, Hyunho Lee, Christopher Chronowski, Doug Chan, Jessica Cziomer, Martin Rühl, Tarkan Dagdelen, Maik Lösekann, Ulrike Erben, Andre Catic, Werner Tegge, Detlef Schuppan, Rajan Somasundaram, Ergun Sahin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The interaction of extracellular matrix (ECM) components with hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is thought to perpetuate fibrosis by stimulating signaling pathways that drive HSC activation, survival and proliferation. Consequently, disrupting the interaction between ECM and HSCs is considered a therapeutical avenue although respective targets and underlying mechanisms remain to be established. Here we have interrogated the interaction between type VI collagen (CVI) and HSCs based on the observation that CVI is 10-fold upregulated during fibrosis, closely associates with HSCs in vivo and promotes cell proliferation and cell survival in cancer cell lines. We exposed primary rat HSCs and a rat …

Protein-Functionalized Poly(Ethylene Glycol) Hydrogels As Scaffolds For Monolayer Organoid Culture, Reid L Wilson, Ganesh Swaminathan, Khalil Ettayebi, Carolyn Bomidi, Xi-Lei Zeng, Sarah E Blutt, Mary K Estes, K Jane Grande-Allen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Stem cell-derived, organotypic in vitro models, known as organoids, have emerged as superior alternatives to traditional cell culture models due to their unparalleled ability to recreate complex physiological and pathophysiological processes. For this reason, they are attractive targets of tissue-engineering efforts, as constructs that include organoid technology would be expected to better simulate the many functions of the desired tissue or organ. While the 3D spheroidal architecture that is the default architecture of most organoid models may be preferred for some applications, 2D monolayer arrangements remain the preferred organization for many applications in tissue engineering. Therefore, in this work, we …

Helicobacter Pylori Diagnosis And Therapy In The Era Of Antimicrobial Stewardship, Akiko Shiotani, Priya Roy, Hong Lu, David Y Graham

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The diagnosis and therapy of Helicobacter pylori infection have undergone major changes based on the use the principles of antimicrobial stewardship and increased availability of susceptibility profiling. H. pylori gastritis now recognized as an infectious disease, as such there is no placebo response allowing outcome to be assessed in relation to the theoretically obtainable cure rate of 100%. The recent recognition of H. pylori as an infectious disease has changed the focus to therapies optimized to reliably achieve high cure rates. Increasing antimicrobial resistance has also led to restriction of clarithromycin, levofloxacin, or metronidazole to susceptibility-based therapies. Covid-19 resulted in …

Effects Of Hydroxychloroquine And Favipiravir On Clinical Course In Outpatients Withcovid-19, Seyda Kayhan Ömeroğlu, Fehmi̇naz Temel, Di̇lek Altun, Mehmet Burak Öztop

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Due to the importance of early outpatient treatment to prevent hospitalization and disease progression, we examined the effects of hydroxychloroquine and favipiravir, which were initiated in early period, on the clinical course of COVID-19 outpatients. Materials and methods: Data of confirmed COVID-19 outpatients over a 4-month period were analyzed retrospectively. Public Health Management System (HSYS) was used for the case-based follow-up. Patients on antiviral therapy for at least five days, including hydroxychloroquine and / or favipiravir and patients who were followed-up for 30 days were included in this analysis. Results: We enrolled 1489 patients in this study. Overall, 775 …

Retrospective Evaluation Of Seven Different Treatment Protocols In Hospitalizedcovid-19 Patients, Kübra Demi̇r Önder, Ayşegül Seremet Keski̇n, Hande Berk Cam, Derya Seyman, Nefi̇se Öztoprak Çuvalci

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: As the experience has increased regarding SARS-CoV-2 in time, treatment trends have changed since the beginning of the pandemic. This study aimed to compare the outcomes of different treatment modalities for inpatients in a tertiary pandemic hospital in Antalya, Turkey. Materials and methods: Individuals aged 18 years and above who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in PCR with presenting COVIDrelated radiological findings, hospitalized for at least 3 days, and completed follow-up between March 15, 2020 and November 30, 2020 were included in the study. Patients' data were reviewed retrospectively. Seven treatment groups based on the single or combined use of …

Epidemic Situation Of The Complex Seasonality Of Imported Influenza A And B Virustransmission In Guangxi Ports Of China, Xiangjuan Li, Zhongping Liang, Jie Gan, Lingmin Lu

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Analysis of the characteristics of influenza virus in imported cases in Guangxi province of China. Materials and methods: Throat swabs of imported cases with influenza-like symptoms were detected by real-time PCR from July 2016 to December 2019. Results: 1292 laboratory detections of influenza were reported in 3974 influenza-like cases, of which 71.67% (926) were influenza A. The ratio of test positive was 32.82%. The proportion of detections of influenza B was 28.33% (366). A total of 70.51% of the cases mostly came from Vietnam (911). A total of 86.76% (1121) of the cases were imported from Dongxing Port, Nanning …

Cold Atmospheric-Pressure Plasma Caused Protein Damage In Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Cells In Biofilms, Li Guo, Lu Yang, Yu Qi, Gulimire Niyazi, Lingling Huang, Lu Gou, Zifeng Wang, Lei Zhang, Dingxin Liu, Xiaohua Wang, Hailan Chen, Michael G. Kong

Bioelectrics Publications

Biofilms formed by multidrug-resistant bacteria are a major cause of hospital-acquired infections. Cold atmospheric-pressure plasma (CAP) is attractive for sterilization, especially to disrupt biofilms formed by multidrug-resistant bacteria. However, the underlying molecular mechanism is not clear. In this study, CAP effectively reduced the living cells in the biofilms formed by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and 6 min treatment with CAP reduced the S. aureus cells in biofilms by 3.5 log₁₀. The treatment with CAP caused the polymerization of SaFtsZ and SaClpP proteins in the S. aureus cells of the biofilms. In vitro analysis demonstrated that recombinant SaFtsZ lost …

Cost Efficacy Of Rapid Whole Genome Sequencing In The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Erica Sanford Kobayashi, Bryce Waldman, Branden M Engorn, Katherine Perofsky, Erika Allred, Benjamin Briggs, Chelsea Gatcliffe, Nanda Ramchandar, Jeffrey J Gold, Ami Doshi, Elizabeth G Ingulli, Courtney D Thornburg, Wendy Benson, Lauge Farnaes, Shimul Chowdhury, Seema Rego, Charlotte Hobbs, Stephen F Kingsmore, David P Dimmock, Nicole G Coufal

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The diagnostic and clinical utility of rapid whole genome sequencing (rWGS) for critically ill children in the intensive care unit (ICU) has been substantiated by multiple studies, but comprehensive cost-effectiveness evaluation of rWGS in the ICU outside of the neonatal age group is lacking. In this study, we examined cost data retrospectively for a cohort of 38 children in a regional pediatric ICU (PICU) who received rWGS. We identified seven of 17 patients who received molecular diagnoses by rWGS and had resultant changes in clinical management with sufficient clarity to permit cost and quality adjusted life years (QALY) modeling. Cost …

Extensive Mycobacterium Abscessus Pneumonia In An Immunocompetent Infant With No Underlying Lung Pathology, Morouge M Alramadhan, James R Murphy, Michael L Chang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Pulmonary infection due to Mycobacterium abscessus occurs in patients with cystic fibrosis, but rarely in immunocompetent children without underlying lung pathology. Treatment is complicated by frequent resistance to many antibiotics. We present a case report of a 4-month-old female infant with 2 months of cough, difficulty feeding, and failure to thrive, with extensive culture-confirmed M. abscessus pulmonary infection without identified immunodeficiency or underlying lung pathology following multidisciplinary evaluation. We describe our complete evaluation including immunodeficiency evaluation incorporating whole-exome sequencing, describe our antibiotic selection and treatment duration given complicated susceptibility pattern of the M. abscessus isolate, and review literature for nontuberculous …

Of Pigs And Men: The Best-Laid Plans For Prevention And Control Of Swine Fevers, Jishu Shi, Lihua Wang, David Scott Mcvey

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

John Steinbeck drew the title of his novel “Of Mice and Men” from a line in a Robert Burns poem “To a mouse”: “The best-laid plans of mice and men/Go often awry.” Unlike John Steinbeck who used the title to mirror the characters who were struggling during the Great Depression to the mouse whose nest was accidentally destroyed by the poet (Burns 1785), we chose this line to emphasize that the best-laid plan can go wrong in infectious disease control and prevention. Here, we will discuss the contributing factors behind the global successes and failures in the prevention and control …

Impact Of The Histidine‐Containing Phosphocarrier Protein Hpr On Carbon Metabolism And Virulence In Staphylococcus Aureus, Linda Pätzold, Anne-Christine Brausch, Evelyn-Laura Bielefeld, Lisa Zimmer, Greg A. Somerville, Markus Bischoff, Rosmarie Gaupp

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Carbon catabolite repression (CCR) is a common mechanism pathogenic bacteria use to link central metabolism with virulence factor synthesis. In gram‐positive bacteria, catabolite control protein A (CcpA) and the histidine‐containing phosphocarrier protein HPr (encoded by ptsH) are the predominant mediators of CCR. In addition to modulating CcpA activity, HPr is essential for glucose import via the phosphotransferase system. While the regulatory functions of CcpA in Staphylococcus aureus are largely known, little is known about the function of HPr in CCR and infectivity. To address this knowledge gap, ptsH mutants were created in S. aureus that either lack the open reading …

An Evaluation Of The Anti-Carcinogenic Response Of Major Isothiocyanates In Non-Metastatic And Metastatic Melanoma Cells, Melina Mitsiogianni, Sotiris Kyriakou, Ioannis Anestopoulos, Dimitrios T. Trafalis, Maria V. Deligiorgi, Rodrigo Franco, Aglaia Pappa, Mihalis I. Panayiotidi

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Malignant melanoma is one of the most deadly types of solid cancers, a property mainly attributed to its highly aggressive metastatic form. On the other hand, different classes of isothiocy- anates, a class of phytochemicals, present in cruciferous vegetables have been characterized by considerable anti-cancer activity in both in vitro and in vivo experimental models. In the current study, we investigated the anti-cancer response of five isothiocyanates in an in vitro model of melanoma consisting of non-metastatic (A375, B16F-10) and metastatic (VMM1, Hs294T) malignant melanoma as well as non-melanoma epidermoid carcinoma (A431) and non-tumorigenic melanocyte-neighboring keratinocyte (HaCaT) cells. Our aim …

Inhibition Of Zika Virus Replication By G-Quadruplex-Binding Ligands, Prativa Majee, Aryamav Pattnaik, Bikash R. Sahoo, Uma Shankar, Asit K. Pattnaik, Amit Kumar, Debasis Nayak

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Zika virus (ZIKV), a mosquito-transmitted Flavivirus, emerged in the last decade causing serious diseases and affecting human health globally. Currently, no licensed vaccines or antivirals are available to combat ZIKV, although several vaccine candidates are in the pipeline. In recent years, the presence of non-canon- ical G-quadruplex (GQ) secondary structures in viral genomes has ignited significant attention as potential targets for anti- viral strategy. In this study, we identified several novel conserved potential GQ structures by analyzing published ZIKV genome sequences using an in-house algorithm. Bio- physical and biochemical analysis of the RNA sequences con- taining these potential GQ sequences …

Il-10 As A Th2 Cytokine: Differences Between Mice And Humans, Mahima T. Rasquinha, Meghna Sur, Ninaad Lasrado, Jay Reddy

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

The discovery of interleukin (IL)-10 more than 30 years ago marked the beginning of our understanding of how cytokines regulate immune responses, based on cross-regulation between T helper (Th)1 and Th2 cytokines. Although multiple cell types were shown to produce IL-10, its identity as a Th2 cytokine remained strong since it was rigidly associated with Th2 clones in mice, whereas both Th1 and Th2 clones could secrete IL-10 in humans. However, as new Th1/Th2 cell functionalities emerged, anti-inflammatory action of IL-10 gained more attention than its inhibitory effect on Th1 cells, which may occur as an indirect consequence of suppression …

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 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 …