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With Biden’S Win, America, Thankfully, ‘Ain’T What We Was’, F. Michael Higginbotham

All Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Regiospecific Synthesis Of Calcium‐Independent Daptomycin Antibiotics Using A Chemoenzymatic Method, Nagaraju Mupparapu, Yu-Hsin Cindy Lin, Tae Ho Kim, Sherif I. Elshahawi

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Daptomycin (DAP) is a calcium (Ca2+)‐dependent FDA‐approved antibiotic drug for the treatment of Gram‐positive infections. It possesses a complex pharmacophore hampering derivatization and/or synthesis of analogs. In order to mimic the Ca2+‐binding effect we uses a chemoenzymatic approach to modify the tryptophan (Trp) residue of DAP and synthesize kinetically characterized and structurally elucidated regiospecific Trp‐modified DAP analogs. We demonstrated that the modified DAPs are several‐folds active than the parent molecule against antibiotic‐susceptible and antibiotic‐resistant Gram‐positive bacteria. Strikingly and in contrast to the parent molecule, the DAP derivatives do not rely on calcium or any additional elements for activity.

The Weekly Challenger, November 26, 2020, The Weekly Challenger, Et Al

Weekly Challenger Newspaper Collection

The November 26, 2020, issue of The Weekly Challenger.

Dc-Based Vaccines For Cancer Immunotherapy, Chunmei Fu, Li Zhou, Qing-Sheng Mi, Aimin Jiang

Dermatology Articles

As the sentinels of the immune system, dendritic cells (DCs) play a critical role in initiating and regulating antigen-specific immune responses. Cross-priming, a process that DCs activate CD8 T cells by cross-presenting exogenous antigens onto their MHCI (Major Histocompatibility Complex class I), plays a critical role in mediating CD8 T cell immunity as well as tolerance. Current DC vaccines have remained largely unsuccessful despite their ability to potentiate both effector and memory CD8 T cell responses. There are two major hurdles for the success of DC-based vaccines: tumor-mediated immunosuppression and the functional limitation of the commonly used monocyte-derived dendritic cells …

Governing The Gold Rush Into Emerging Markets: A Case Study Of Indonesia’S Regulatory Responses To The Expansion Of Chinese-Backed Online P2p Lending, Angela Tritto, Yujia He, Victoria Amanda Junaedi

Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce Faculty Publications

Peer-to-peer (P2P) lending has the potential to boost financial inclusion in emerging markets. This paper contributes to the literature on fintech governance in emerging Asian markets. It examines the case of the Indonesian government’s approach in regulating the P2P lending sector using both primary interviews and secondary firm-level data. Driven by regulation tightening in China and regulatory gaps in Indonesia, Chinese investments became the largest in this sector contributing, however, to growing risks from illegal business practices. The Indonesian government responded by creating new regulations and institutions, mitigating risks without stifling the potential for financial inclusion. We conclude a proactive …

Developing Physical Exam Skills In Residency: Comparing The Perspectives Of Residents And Faculty About Values, Barriers, And Teaching Methods, John W. Ragsdale, Catherine Habashy, Sarita Warrier

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: The physical examination (PE) skills of residents are often not improved since medical school. Unfortunately, how residents learn PE is not well understood. There is a paucity of research on the factors involved and the differences between resident and faculty perspectives. The authors sought to determine resident and faculty perceptions about the value of PE, the major barriers to learning PE, and the most effective teaching methods.

Methods: Based on a rigorous process of literature review and semi-structured interviews, the authors developed an online survey which was sent to 406 internal medicine residents and 93 faculty at 3 institutions. …

Working Towards Inclusive And Equitable Trauma Treatment Guidelines: A Child-Centered Reflection, Eva Alisic, Jessica Roth, Vanessa Cobham, Rowena Conroy, Alexandra De Young, Gertrud Hafstad, Tobias Hecker, Rachel Hiller, Nancy Kassam-Adams, Betty Lai, Markus Landolt, Meghan L. Marsac, Soraya Seedat, David Trickey

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Clinical practice guidelines, such as those focusing on traumatic stress treatment, can play an important role in promoting inclusion and equity. Based on a review of 14 international trauma treatment guidance documents that explicitly mentioned children, we reflect on two areas in which these guidelines can become more inclusive and equitable; a) representation of children's cultural background and b) children's opportunity to have their voice heard. While a few guidelines mentioned that treatment should be tailored to children's cultural needs, there was little guidance on how this could be done. Moreover, there still appears to be a strong white Western …

Development, Implementation And Outcomes Of A Quality Assurance System For The Provision Of Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy In The Intensive Care Unit, Eloy F. Ruiz, Victor M. Ortiz-Soriano, Monica Talbott, Bryan A. Klein, Melissa L. Thompson Bastin, Kirby P. Mayer, Emily B. Price, Robert Dorfman, Brandi N. Adams, Lisa J. Fryman, Javier A. Neyra, The University Of Kentucky Crrt Quality Assurance Group

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Critically ill patients with requirement of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) represent a growing intensive care unit (ICU) population. Optimal CRRT delivery demands continuous communication between stakeholders, iterative adjustment of therapy, and quality assurance systems. This Quality Improvement (QI) study reports the development, implementation and outcomes of a quality assurance system to support the provision of CRRT in the ICU. This study was carried out at the University of Kentucky Medical Center between September 2016 and June 2019. We implemented a quality assurance system using a step-wise approach based on the (a) assembly of a multidisciplinary team, (b) standardization of …

Effect Of Lockdown On Hcho And Trace Gases Over India During March 2020, Akshansha Chauhan, Ramesh P. Singh

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

COVID-19 is one of the deadly Epidemics that has impacted people living in more than 200 countries. In order to mitigate the impact of COVID-19, India observed total lockdown in the first phase for a period of 21 days (24 March–13 May 2020), so that social distancing is maintained. However, this sudden decision severely affected the normal life of people. The air quality improved due to lockdown, some relaxation was given in different cities and within some areas in the city where the people were not affected by COVID-19. In this paper, we discuss results of detailed analysis of trace …

Medical Therapy Vs Early Revascularization In Diabetics With Chronic Total Occlusions: A Meta-Analysis And Systematic Review, Muhammad Shayan Khan, Farhad Sami, Hemindermeet Singh, Waqas Ullah, Ma'en Al-Dabbas, Khalid Hamid Changal, Tanveer Mir, Zain Ali, Ameer Kabour

Abington Jefferson Health Papers

BACKGROUND: Management of chronic total occlusions (CTO) in diabetics is challenging, with a recent trend towards early revascularization [ER: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and bypass grafting] instead of optimal medical therapy (OMT). We hypothesize that ER improves morbidity and mortality outcomes in diabetic patients with CTOs as compared to OMT.

AIM: To determine the long term clinical outcomes and to compare morbidity and mortality between OMT and ER in diabetic patients with CTOs.

METHODS: Potentially relevant published clinical trials were identified in Medline, Embase, chemical abstracts and Biosis (from start of the databases till date) and pooled hazard ratios (HR) …

Effects Of Left Ventricular Assist Device On Pulmonary Functions And Pulmonary Hemodynamics: A Meta-Analysis, Waqas Ullah, Casey Meizinger, Zain Ali, Ankur Panchal, Rehan Saeed, Donald C. Haas, Eduardo Rame

Abington Jefferson Health Papers

BACKGROUND: Given current evidence, the effect of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation on pulmonary function tests remains controversial.

AIM: To better understand the factors contributing to the changes seen on pulmonary function testing and the correlation with pulmonary hemodynamics after LVAD implantation.

METHODS: Electronic databases were queried to identify relevant articles. The summary effect size was estimated as a difference of overall means and standard deviation on a random-effects model.

RESULTS: A total of four studies comprising 219 patients were included. The overall mean forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC) and diffusion lung capacity …

Patient Factors Influencing Acute Gluten Reactions And Cytokine Release In Treated Coeliac Disease., Jason A Tye-Din, A James M Daveson, Kaela E Goldstein, Holly L Hand, Kristin M Neff, Gautam Goel, Leslie J Williams, Kenneth E Truitt, Robert P Anderson, Anthony Dimariono (Reset Ced Study Group)

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Patients with coeliac disease (CD) commonly report a variety of adverse symptoms to gluten, but descriptions of the symptomatic response in the literature may have been confounded by the presence of food components such as fermentable carbohydrates (FODMAPs) causing symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome independent of gluten. In recent unmasked and masked low FODMAP gluten challenge studies in small groups of treated CD patients, nausea and vomiting were shown to be the key symptoms associated with serum interleukin (IL)-2 release. Our objective was to utilise a large and diverse cohort of people with CD undertaking a standardised gluten food …

Speed Of Online And Print Peer-Reviewed Ophthalmology Publications And Correlation To Journal Bibliometric Measures, Ronaldo Nuesi, John Y. Lee, Ajay E. Kuriyan, Jayanth Sridhar

Journal of Academic Ophthalmology

Abstract

Objective This study aimed to explore the relationship between publishing speeds and peer-reviewed journal bibliometric measures in ophthalmology.

Methods Journal Citation Reports and Scopus Database were accessed for identification of journal bibliometric measures in ophthalmology. Twelve randomly selected articles from 2018 for all identified journals were studied. All outcome measures were extracted from the full text of articles and correlated with journal bibliometric measures. Statistical analysis was performed on measured parameters in comparison to a previous study.

Main Outcomes and Measures Journal impact factor, Eigenfactor score, and CiteScore were correlated with time from submission or acceptance of manuscripts to …

The Early Impact Of Covid-19 On Ophthalmology Resident Training And Wellness, Michael Woodfin, Karine D. Bojikian, Parisa Taravati, Leona Ding, Michele D. Lee, Shu Feng

Journal of Academic Ophthalmology

Abstract

Objective The aim of this article is to assess the initial impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on ophthalmology resident training and wellness.

Design Online national survey of ophthalmology residents distributed by residency program directors and education coordinators of participating programs.

Setting US ophthalmology residency programs during the COVID-19 pandemic (May 20th, 2020 to June 10th, 2020).

Participants Ophthalmology residents enrolled in the US residency programs currently in postgraduate years two through four of training.

Results Two-hundred thirty-six of 785 (30.1%) residents responded to the survey. One-hundred eighteen of 234 (50.4%) residents reported exposure to known COVID-19 …

Effect Of Scribes On Efficiency In Academic Ophthalmology Practice, Meredith Furst, Edward Chu, Kendall Wannamaker, Brian Planchard, Lisa Pacheco, Laura Vigil, Tarana Ahmed, Daniel Johnson, Corey Waldman

Journal of Academic Ophthalmology

Abstract

Objective The aim of the study is to determine the effects of scribes on efficiency in an academic ophthalmology practice.

Design This is a quality improvement study conducted by two ophthalmologists at an academic ophthalmology practice at UT Health San Antonio from January 2018 to April 2018. Implementation of scribes in practice was the primary intervention. Session time, patient encounter time, and template time adherence were recorded pre- and post-intervention. A second retrospective arm of the study at the same institution was performed to evaluate long-term effects of scribes on efficiency in ophthalmology practice on session times and patient …

Differences In Gynecologic Tumor Development In Amhr2-Cre Mice With Krasg12d Or Krasg12v Mutations, Eucharist H S Kun, Yvonne T M Tsang, Sophia Lin, Sophia Pan, Tejas Medapalli, Anais Malpica, Joanne S Richards, David M Gershenson, Kwong-Kwok Wong

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

How different KRAS variants impact tumor initiation and progression in vivo has not been thoroughly examined. We hypothesize that the ability of either KRASG12D or KRASG12V mutations to initiate tumor formation is context dependent. Amhr2-Cre mice express Cre recombinase in tissues that develop into the fallopian tubes, uterus, and ovaries. We used these mice to conditionally express either the KRASG12V/+ or KRASG12D/+ mutation. Mice with the genotype Amhr2-Cre Pten(fl/fl) KrasG12D/+(G12D mice) had abnormal follicle structures and developed low-grade serous ovarian carcinomas with 100% penetrance within 18 weeks. In contrast, mice with …

Has English League Football Become Less Exciting?, J Eales, J Stander, Borja M Corina

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Bill Shankly, a former manager of Liverpool Football Club, once said: “Some people believe football is a matter of life and death. I'm very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that.” Many die-hard fans of the sport would agree. But as much they might love “the beautiful game”, some will tell you that… well, it’s not always that exciting to watch. Of course, excitement, like all emotions, is subjective and depends a lot on context. Most fans come to see goals being scored, and the more scored by your team, the …

Multi-Institution Research And Education Collaboration Identifies New Antimicrobial Compounds, Amelia A. Fuller, Amy B. Dounay, Douglas Schirch, Daniel G. Rivera, Karl A. Hansford, Alysha G. Elliott, Johannes Zuegg, Matthew A. Cooper, Mark A. T. Blaskovich, Jacob R. Hitchens, Sarah Burris-Hiday, Kristiana Tenorio, Yanira Mendez, J. Geno Samaritoni, Martin J. O’Donnell, William L. Scott

Chemistry and Biochemistry

New antibiotics are urgently needed to address increasing rates of multidrug resistant infections. Seventy-six diversely functionalized compounds, comprising five structural scaffolds, were synthesized and tested for their ability to inhibit microbial growth. Twenty-six compounds showed activity in the primary phenotypic screen at the Community for Open Antimicrobial Drug Discovery (CO-ADD). Follow-up testing of active molecules confirmed that two unnatural dipeptides inhibit the growth of Cryptococcus neoformans with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ≤ 8 μg/mL. Syntheses were carried out by undergraduate students at five schools implementing Distributed Drug Discovery (D3) programs. This report showcases that a collaborative research and educational …

Perceptions, Knowledge And Attitudes Towards The Concept And Approach Of Palliative Care Amongst Caregivers: A Cross-Sectional Survey In Karachi, Pakistan, Sameera Shah, Faizan Qaisar, Iqbal Azam Syed, Khairunnisa Mansoor

Department of Family Medicine

Background: Limited comprehension of the concept of palliative care and misconceptions about it are barriers to meaningful utilisation of palliative care programs. As caregivers play an integral role for patients with terminal illness, it is necessary to assess their perceptions and attitudes towards the palliative care approach.
Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted. Data was collected from the Aga Khan Hospital in-patient and out-patient departments and home-based palliative care services. All adult caregivers who met the inclusion criteria and consented, completed a questionnaire till the sample size was reached. Univariate and multivariate multivariable analysis was done and results were reported …

A Study Of Filter Drain Performance For The Pollution Control Of Urban Runoff., Kamal Radwan, Ibrahim Metwalli, Ahmed Al-Sarawy

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Construction, vehicular traffic and maintenance of highway surfaces are sources of pollutants, which accumulate on highway surfaces and other roadside areas. During rainfall runoff events these pollutants are washed from these surfaces and flow to surface and subsurface waters. This research is a study to assess the ability of a constructed filter drain as one of Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) in removing suspended solids, petroleum hydrocarbons, metals in the form of Copper and Zinc and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were used for the present study from urban runoff. The constructed filter drain was successful in controlling, attenuating and treating runoff …

A Novel Noninvasive Approach For Evaluating Work Of Breathing Indices In A Developmental Rat Model Using Respiratory Inductance Plethysmography., Yan Zhu, Zubair H. Aghai, Suhita G. Betal, Michael Favara, Gina Fong, Tariq Rahman, Thomas H. Shaffer

Department of Pediatrics Faculty Papers

Pulmonary function testing (PFT) is an important component for evaluating the outcome of experimental rodent models of respiratory diseases. Respiratory inductance plethysmography (RIP) provides a noninvasive method of PFT requiring minimal cooperation. RIP measures work of breathing (WOB) indices including phase angle (Ф), percent rib cage (RC %), breaths per minute (BPM), and labored breathing index (LBI) on an iPad. The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of a recently developed research instrument, pneuRIP, for evaluation of WOB indices in a developmental rat model. Sprague Dawley rats (2 months old) were commercially acquired and anaesthetised with isoflurane. …

Nurses' Use Of Personal Smartphone Technology In The Workplace: Scoping Review, Andrea De Jong, Lorie Donelle Phd, Rn, Fcan, Michael Kerr

Publications

BACKGROUND: There has been an increase in the technological infrastructures of many health care organizations to support the practice of health care providers. However, many nurses are using their personal digital devices, such as smartphones, while at work for personal and professional purposes. Despite the proliferation of smartphone use in the health care setting, there is limited research on the clinical use of these devices by nurses. It is unclear as to what extent and for what reasons nurses are using their personal smartphones to support their practice. OBJECTIVE: This review aimed to understand the current breadth of research on …

Evaluating The Untapped Potential Of U.S. Conservation Investments To Improve Soil And Environmental Health, Andrea Basche, Katherine Tully, Nora L. Alvarez-Berrios, Julian Reyes, Laura Lengnick, Tabitha Brown, Jennifer M. Moore, Rachel E. Schattman, Lana Koepke Johnson, Gabrielle Roesch-Mcnally

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

There is increasing enthusiasm around the concept of soil health, and as a result, new public and private initiatives are being developed to increase soil health-related practices on working lands in the United States. In addition, billions of U.S. public dollars are dedicated annually toward soil conservation programs, and yet, it is not well quantified how investment in conservation programs improve soil health and, more broadly, environmental health. The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is one of the major U.S. public conservation programs administered on privately managed lands for which public data are available. In this research, we developed a …

Role Of Metabolism In Bone Development And Homeostasis, Akiko Suzuki, Mina Minamide, Chihiro Iwaya, Kenichi Ogata, Junichi Iwata

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Carbohydrates, fats, and proteins are the underlying energy sources for animals and are catabolized through specific biochemical cascades involving numerous enzymes. The catabolites and metabolites in these metabolic pathways are crucial for many cellular functions; therefore, an imbalance and/or dysregulation of these pathways causes cellular dysfunction, resulting in various metabolic diseases. Bone, a highly mineralized organ that serves as a skeleton of the body, undergoes continuous active turnover, which is required for the maintenance of healthy bony components through the deposition and resorption of bone matrix and minerals. This highly coordinated event is regulated throughout life by bone cells such …

Gastrointestinal Endoscopy In The Era Of Covid-19, Abhilash Perisetti, Hemant Goyal, Neil Sharma Md

PCI Publications and Projects

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), which led to a worldwide pandemic that started in early 2020. Healthcare systems across the world encountered an unprecedented surge of COVID-19 patients resulting in more than half a million deaths globally. COVID-19 has affected multiple sub-specialties and procedure-related fields, including gastroenterology. Gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy centers are specialized units where thousands of endoscopies are performed annually. A significant proportion of these procedures are affected due to the national and regional lockdowns across the globe. To adapt to this rapidly evolving situation, endoscopy centers have undergone significant changes …

Ophthalmology Program Directors' Perspectives On The Impact Of The United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 Change To Pass-Fail Scoring, David Cui, Ingrid U. Scott, Heidi Luise Wingert

Journal of Academic Ophthalmology

Abstract

Purpose This article investigates the perspectives of ophthalmology residency program directors (PDs) regarding the impact of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 change from graded to pass-fail scoring on ophthalmology resident selection and medical education.

Methods The PDs of all United States ophthalmology residency programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education were identified using a public, online database. An anonymous web-based survey constructed using REDCap was emailed to each PD in February 2020.

Results Surveys were completed by 64 (54.2%) PDs, with the majority (81.2%) disagreeing with the change to pass-fail scoring. The …

Ophthalmology Program Director Perspectives Of Scoring Step 1 Pass/Fail, Saif A. Hamdan, Alan T. Makhoul, Brian C. Drolet, Jennifer L. Lindsey, Janice C. Law

Journal of Academic Ophthalmology

Abstract

Background Scoring for the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 was recently announced to be reported as binary as early as 2022. The general perception among program directors (PDs) in all specialties has largely been negative, but the perspective within ophthalmology remains uncharacterized.

Objective This article characterizes ophthalmology residency PDs' perspectives regarding the impact of pass/fail USMLE Step 1 scoring on the residency application process.

Methods A validated 19-item anonymous survey was electronically distributed to 111 PDs of Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited ophthalmology training programs.

Results Fifty-six PDs (50.5%) completed the survey. The median age …

Behavioural Immune System Responses To Coronavirus: A Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory Explanation Of Conformity, Warmth Towards Others And Attitudes Towards Lockdown, Alison M. Bacon, Philip J. Corr

School of Psychology

Behavioural immune system (BIS) describes psychological mechanisms that detect cues to infectious pathogens in the immediate environment, trigger disease-relevant responses and facilitate behavioural avoidance/escape. BIS activation elicits a perceived vulnerability to disease (PVD) which can result in conformity with social norms. However, a response to superficial cues can result in aversive responses to people that pose no actual threat, leading to an aversion to unfamiliar others, and likelihood of prejudice. Pathogen-neutralizing behaviours, therefore, have implications for social interaction as well as illness behaviours and responses to health communications. In this study, we investigate how PVD influences conformity, attitudes to other …

Co-Occurrence Patterns Of Character Strengths And Measured Core Virtues In German-Speaking Adults, Willibald Ruch, Sonja Heintz, Lisa Wagner

School of Psychology

The VIA Classification on character strengths and virtues suggests 24 character strengths clustered into six core virtues (wisdom and knowledge, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, and transcendence). Three recent studies employed different methods for testing the assignment of character strengths to virtues (e.g., expert and layperson ratings), and generally supported the VIA classification. However, the co-occurrence of character strengths and virtues within individuals has not been examined yet. Another untested assumption is that an individual’s composition of character strengths is related to being considered of “good character.” Thus, the present study addresses three research questions: (1) How do character strengths and …

Carfilzomib, Lenalidomide, And Dexamethasone Plus Transplant In Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma, Jagoda K Jasielec, Ravi Vij, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

In this phase 2 multicenter study, we evaluated the incorporation of autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) into a carfilzomib-lenalidomide-dexamethasone (KRd) regimen for patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM). Transplant-eligible patients with NDMM received 4 cycles of KRd induction, ASCT, 4 cycles of KRd consolidation, and 10 cycles of KRd maintenance. The primary end point was rate of stringent complete response (sCR) after 8 cycles of KRd with a predefined threshold of ≥50% to support further study. Seventy-six patients were enrolled with a median age of 59 years (range, 40-76 years), and 35.5% had high-risk cytogenetics. The primary end point …