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Mathematical Analysis Of An Sir Disease Model With Non-Constant Transmission Rate, Emma Bollinger, Tayler Valdez, Swarup Ghosh, Sunil Giri

Student Research

• Epidemiology: A branch of medicine that studies causes, transmission, and control methods of diseases at the population level.
• Mathematical epidemiology deals with creating a model for a disease through the study of incidence and distribution of the disease throughout a population.
• Here, we have examined the behavior of a measles-like disease[2] that is characterized by a non-constant transmission rate.

Medical School Watercooler Newsletter - April 14, 2022, Lindsey Lyle

Watercooler Newsletter

This is the April 14, 2022 edition of the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine's newsletter - Watercooler.

Contents include:

• Basic medical sciences student wins travel award to international conference
• MAA Annual Fund drive begins
• Pathology faculty and resident present at USCAP meeting
• Meet a Ph.D. Student: Meagan M. Taylor

Molecular Approaches For The Validation Of The Baboon As A Nonhuman Primate Model For The Study Of Zika Virus Infection, Emma Mask, V. L. Hodara, Jessica E. Callery, L. M. Parodi, V. Obregon-Perko, S. Yagi, J. Glenn, P. Frost, E. Clemmons, J. L. Patterson, L. A. Cox, Luis D. Giavedoni

Biology Faculty Research

Nonhuman primates (NHP) are particularly important for modeling infections with viruses that do not naturally replicate in rodent cells. Zika virus (ZIKV) has been responsible for sporadic epidemics, but in 2015 a disseminated outbreak of ZIKV resulted in the World Health Organization declaring it a global health emergency. Since the advent of this last epidemic, several NHP species, including the baboon, have been utilized for modeling and understanding the complications of ZIKV infection in humans; several health issues related to the outcome of infection have not been resolved yet and require further investigation. This study was designed to validate, in …

Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among Arab Americans, Mira H. Kheil, Deepti Jain, Jamil Jomaa, Brandon Askar, Yasmeen Alcodray, Shatha Wahbi, Salar Brikho, Ali Kadouh, Deanna Harajli, Zain N. Jawad, Ziad Fehmi, Malaak Elhage, Tala Tawil, Omar Fehmi, Suma J. Alzouhayli, Deema Ujayli, Noor Suleiman, Omar Kazziha, Rawan Saleh, Evi Abada, Anita B. Shallal, Seongho Kim, Vijaya Arun Kumar, Marcus J. Zervos, Michele L. Cote, Rouba Ali-Fehmi

Infectious Diseases Articles

Background: Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) vaccines have a significant impact on reducing morbidity and mortality from infection. However, vaccine hesitancy remains an obstacle in combating the pandemic. The Arab American (AA) population is understudied; thus, we aimed to explore COVID-19 attitudes within this community.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. An anonymous online survey was distributed to members of different AA associations and to the community through the snowball method.

Results: A total of 1746 participants completed the survey. A total of 92% of respondents reported having received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. A total of 73% reported …

Mucormycosis: Covid-19 And Corticosteroids, Mittal Savaliya, Nivedita Jha, Steven B Lippmann

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

No abstract provided.

Guided Hybrid Modified Simulated Annealing Algorithm For Solving Constrained Global Optimization Problems, Ali Wagdy Mohamed, Salem Mahdi, Khalid Abdulaziz Alnowibet, Mahmoud El-Alem

Faculty Journal Articles

In this paper, a hybrid gradient simulated annealing algorithm is guided to solve the constrained optimization problem. In trying to solve constrained optimization problems using deterministic, stochastic optimization methods or hybridization between them, penalty function methods are the most popular approach due to their simplicity and ease of implementation. There are many approaches to handling the existence of the constraints in the constrained problem. The simulated-annealing algorithm (SA) is one of the most successful meta-heuristic strategies. On the other hand, the gradient method is the most inexpensive method among the deterministic methods. In previous literature, the hybrid gradient simulated annealing …

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 …

Decipher Reliable Covid-19 Related Information Among College Students, Emily Ackershoek

Undergraduate Research Competition

On March 11, 2020 the world changed forever. The World Health Organization declared COVID- 19 a global pandemic. Nearly two years later with numerous mutations of COVID-19 and with medical advancements of vaccines we are still living in a pandemic. This project will further decipher reliable COVID-19 related information among college students. With more downtime due to the pandemic and classes being shifted to virtual, more and more students are downloading popular social media apps like TikTok to cope with the lockdown. Many public health related agencies are taking advantage of the opportunity of using TikTok to share COVID-19 related …

Divergent Attitudes Regarding The Benefits Of Face Masks In Aviation Colleges And Universities, Andrew Dattel, Maxine Lubner, Peiheng Gao, Hanzi Xie

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Opinions and practices regarding face masks (FM) to attenuate COVID-19’s spread remains polarized across the United States. We examined whether these attitudes extend to the aviation collegiate community. A 14-question survey was sent to 90 aviation colleges and universities throughout the country. Responses were solicited from students, faculty, and staff. Of the 598 respondents, 77% were students, 13% were faculty, and 10% were staff. Pilots comprised 66% of the respondents. A Principal Component Analysis reduced the questions to two scales: Benefits and Inconvenience. Females, non-pilots, and older respondents reported greater benefits to wearing a FM and fewer inconveniences. A multiple …

The Presence Of Ehrlichia In White-Tailed Deer In Central Virginia, Brenna Kurtz

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

Theoretical Proposal

Vitamin D Deficiency And Covid-19 Illness Severity: A Systematic Review, Randi Acheson

Liberty University Research Week

Graduate

Theoretical Proposal

Something Fishy In Seafood Trade?, Kathy Baylis, Lia Nogueira, Linlin Fan, Kathryn Pace

Cornhusker Economics

The safety of food imports continues to be in the spotlight. Globally, each year, contaminated food causes almost 1 in 10 people to fall ill and 420 thousand people to die (WHO, 2017). Protecting consumers from unsafe foods is complicated by the increased role of international trade in our food system. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that disease outbreaks associated with imported food increased from 1996 to 2014, with fish and produce being the main culprits (Gould et al., 2017). For example, in 2019, two separate cases of tuna from Vietnam were found to have sickened …

Juneau, Alaska’S Successful Response To Covid-19: A Case Study Of Adaptive Leadership In A Complex System, James E. Powell, Robert W. Orttung, Sean Asiqłuq Topkok, Hana Akselrod, Joseph Little, Peggy Wilcox

Faculty, Staff, and Students

Juneau, Alaska, kept COVID-19 deaths lower than in other similar jurisdictions. We argue that adaptive leadership—the early decisions and actions of Juneau’s leaders, effective communications, and emergent new collaborative structures—in the context of municipal ownership of key assets enabled Juneau’s success. The result of 61 interviews and follow-up research, this case study contributes a better understanding of which institutional design, communication, and collaborative factors mattered in responding to the pandemic. Adaptive leadership provides a better explanation for Juneau’s success than alternatives that focus on its isolation, home-rule status, and socio-economic structure.

Vulvovaginal Candidiasis: A Review Of The Evidence For The 2021 Centers For Disease Control And Prevention Of Sexually Transmitted Infections Treatment Guidelines., Paul Nyirjesy, Carolyn Brookhart, Gweneth Lazenby, Jane Schwebke, Jack D Sobel

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is a common cause of vulvovaginal itching and discharge. This article discusses the latest CDC STI Treatment Guidelines for VVC.

METHODS: A literature search of relevant topics was performed, and a team of experts was convened to discuss (1) diagnosis/testing modalities; treatment of (2) uncomplicated VVC , (3) complicated VVC, and (4) VVC caused by non-albicans yeast; (5) alternative treatment regimens; (6) susceptibility testing of yeast; Special Populations: (7) pregnancy and (8) HIV and VVC.

RESULTS: Yeast culture remains the gold standard for diagnoses. Newer molecular assays have been developed for the diagnosis of VVC and …

Audit Of Antibiotic Prescription In Suspected Neonatal Sepsis At An Indian Tertiary Care Hospital, Geetha S, Deepa Patil, Raghu Prasada M S, Sathisha Aithal

Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy Research

Neonatal sepsis is one of the most typical causes of neonatal morbidity and mortality in the developing world. Rational use of antibacterial is a priority to prevent the emergence of resistance and to reduce the burden of treatment failure. This study was a prospective, cross-sectional study that collected data from 148 records of clinically suspected neonatal sepsis in a tertiary care hospital between January to December 2017. The isolated organisms, prescribing patterns, approval status, and list of antibacterial in WHO Essential Medicines List/NLEM were analyzed and presented as percentages, mean and standard deviations using appropriate tables and graphs. Of the …

Microbial Isolates And Their Resistance Patterns At An Indian Teaching Hosptial - A Retrospective Study, Poojitha A, Sultana Gouhar, Bindu Madhavi V, N.Hanisha Gupta, Qamar U.B Siddiqui, Mustafa Afzal, Mohammed A. Ghufran

Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy Research

Rapidly rising antibiotic resistance is a challenge to comprehensive patient care in all branches of medical science. A retrospective observational study was conducted to determine the antimicrobial resistance patterns in a tertiary care hospital for six months. The data was collected from laboratory test reports and patient case files using a structured data collection form. A total of 200 cases having a positive culture report were included in the study. Of these, 186 cases were identified to have gram-negative infections, and 14 had gram-positive infections. Escherichia coli (E. Coli) (47%) was the predominant isolate among gram-negative organisms, followed by Klebsiella …

Facemasks: Perceptions And Use In An Ed Population During Covid-19, Vidya Eswaran, Anna Marie Chang, R. Gentry Wilkerson, Kelli N. O’Laughlin, Brian Chinnock, Stephanie A. Eucker, Brigitte M. Baumann, Nancy Anaya, Daniel G. Miller, Adrianne N. Haggins, Jesus R. Torres, Erik S. Anderson, Stephen C. Lim, Martina T. Caldwell, Ali S. Raja, Robert M. Rodriguez

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Study objective Facemask use is associated with reduced transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Most surveys assessing perceptions and practices of mask use miss the most vulnerable racial, ethnic, and socio-economic populations. These same populations have suffered disproportionate impacts from the pandemic. The purpose of this study was to assess beliefs, access, and practices of mask wearing across 15 urban emergency department (ED) populations. Methods This was a secondary analysis of a cross-sectional study of ED patients from December 2020 to March 2021 at 15 geographically diverse, safety net EDs across the US. The primary outcome was frequency of mask use outside the …

Adaptive Coping For Covid-Related Stress, Sandra Maloy

Undergraduate Research Conference

The restrictions placed on society by the COVID- 19 pandemic for the purpose of limiting spread of the disease appear to have produced a different set of potential chronic health issues. Through lockdown and social distancing measures the general public lost access to key elements of daily life. The literature and qualitative interview data primarily support a negative association between participation in spiritual and physical activity and COVID-19 related stress. These findings are not surprising based on previous research investigating coping and other chronic stressors.

The Effects Of Covid-19 Pandemic On Emergency Medical Services Workers Mental Health In Montgomery County, Va, Renata Yassa

Liberty University Research Week

Graduate

Applied

Antibiotics Isolated From Soil, Aryan Hudson, Anna Arauz

2022 Student Academic Showcase

Dr. Bewick and I have partnered with the Small World Initiative to transform our Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Biology lab into an authentic Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE). Our students are isolating bacteria from soil and testing to see if they produce antibiotics. The students haven't finished collecting data yet, so I am submitting this "dummy" abstract in place of their real abstract. The students are going to vote as a class on April 5 as to who should present at the SAC. We talked to Dr. Bagley earlier in the semester and she said this would be fine. …

Covid-19 Newsletter (Vol. 114), Center For Disaster Medicine, New York Medical College

COVID-19 Newsletter

No abstract provided.

I-Valued Neutrosophic Ahp:An Application To Assess Airline Service Quality After Covid-19 Pandemy, Kenan Tas, Aysegul Tas, Feride Bahar Isin

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

Can We Use Antipredator Behavior Theory To Predict Wildlife Responses To High-Speed Vehicles?, Ryan B. Lunn, Bradley Blackwell, Travis L. Devault, Esteban Fernández-Juricic

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Animals seem to rely on antipredator behavior to avoid vehicle collisions. There is an extensive body of antipredator behavior theory that have been used to predict the distance/time animals should escape from predators. These models have also been used to guide empirical research on escape behavior from vehicles. However, little is known as to whether antipredator behavior models are appropriate to apply to an approaching high-speed vehicle scenario. We addressed this gap by (a) providing an overview of the main hypotheses and predictions of different antipredator behavior models via a literature review, (b) exploring whether these models can generate quantitative …

Characterizing The Inducible 1-Cysteine Peroxiredoxin Promoter In The Malaria Parasite Plasmodium Berghei, Lara Ladney

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

The deadly, infectious disease malaria causes more than 200 million infections and a million deaths annually. The protozoan, malaria-causing parasite Plasmodium requires two hosts: the human and Anophelesmosquito. My research project investigates the antioxidant defense mechanisms Plasmodium berghei utilizes to survive within the oxidizing environment of the Anopheles mosquito, particularly through upregulation of the inducible antioxidant defense gene 1-Cysteine Peroxiredoxin (1-CPrx), which boosts Plasmodium’s immune response against reactive oxygen species in the mosquito host. Our goal is to characterize the inducible promoter of 1-CPrx to further understand the sensory mechanisms Plasmodium employs to adapt to hostile environmental changes.

Public Goods From Private Data: An Effectiveness And Justification Dilemma For Digital Contact Tracing, Andrew Buzzell

The Journal of Sociotechnical Critique

Debate about the adoption of digital contact tracing (DCT) apps to control the spread of COVID-19 has focussed on risks to individual privacy. This emphasis reveals significant challenges to ethical deployment of DCT, but generates constraints which undermine justification to implement DCT. It would be a mistake to view this result solely as the successful operation of ethical foresight analysis, preventing deployment of potentially harmful technology. Privacy-centric analysis treats data as private property, frames the relationship between individuals and governments as adversarial, entrenches technology platforms as gatekeepers, and supports a conception of emergency public health authority as limited by individual …

Binding Affinities Of Bpa Derivatives To The Human Estrogen Receptor: Utilization And Assessment Of Autodock Vina, Luke Newman

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

Basic

Characterizing The Cutaneous Microbiome Of Eurycea Lucifuga As A Potential Defense Against Infectious Diseases, Madeline Key, Mckenzie Perkins

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

Basic

Pasteurella Multocida Bacteremia Due To Obstructive Pneumonia In An Immunocompromised Patient, Kriti Lnu, David Orozco, Carlos Cream

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Abstract: Background: Pasteurella multocida is a gram-negative pathogen commonly associated with soft tissue infections caused by bites or scratches from household animals. However, Pasteurella multocida infections have been reported without prior zoonotic exposure or associated soft tissue or skin infection in immunocompromised individuals.

Case: A 73-year-old patient with history significant for multiple malignancies including lung cancer presented to the emergency department with a fever, chills, and rigor. Patient denied any zoonotic exposure and did not have any soft tissue or skin structure infection. Laboratory testing and imaging revealed sepsis secondary to pneumonia and further lower respiratory cultures grew Pasteurella. Subsequent …

Pulmonary Evaluation Of Post-Covid-19 Patients: An Ecuadorian Experience, Ivan Cherrez-Ojeda, Efraín Sanchez-Angarita, Emanuel Vanegas, María José Farfán Bajaña, Karla Robles-Velasco, María F. Osorio, Azza Sarfraz, Zouina Sarfraz, Juan C. Calderón, Jorge Cáneva, Laura Gochicoa-Rangel, Matías Panchana Lascano, Juan Carlos Fernández Cadena, Derly Madeleiny Andrade Molina, Amado X Freire, Miguel Felix

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Background: Despite the growing concerns related to the potential of long-term pulmonary sequelae due to COVID-19, data about intermediate and long-term changes in the respiratory function of patients who recover is relatively sparse, particularly in developing countries. Objectives: To assess the characteristics and pulmonary function at follow-up in a sample of Ecuadorian patients that recovered from the virus. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study that included 43 patients after symptomatic COVID infection, who were evaluated by spirometry, single breath DLCO, and 6MWT. For statistical analysis we performed point biserial correlations, and chi squared tests. Results: Overall, 30.3% of patients (n=13) …

A Middle Aged Gentleman Presenting With Subacute Neurosyphilis: Report And Literature Review, Sherif Elkattawy, Hardik Fichadiya, Tanya Shankar, Xutong Guo, Omar Elkattawy, Harshil Fichadiya, Aditya Patel, Clark Sherer

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease spread by spirochete Treponema Pallidum, it has a varied range of symptoms and is divided into stages primary, secondary and tertiary. Central nervous system (CNS) invasion occurs early in the disease in almost all the patients, and does not follow any particular stage. However, clinical manifestation depends on whether inflammatory response occurs. (1)(2) Early neurosyphilis typically affects cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and meninges presenting like meningitis, while late affects the brain and spinal cord parenchyma, presenting as tabes dorsalis and paresis. Here we present a case of a patient with symptomatic neurosyphilis presenting with CSF …