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September 2023: Region 10 Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Center (Resptc) At Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center & Children’S Hospital, Providence - Special Pathogens Program

Special Pathogens Newsletters

REGION 10 SPECIAL PATHOGENS NEWSLETTER

Connecting Underrepresented Scientists To The Biology Core Curriculum, Volume 1, Aaron Schirmer, Lisa C. Wallis, Sumaiya Ahmed, Carla M. Amaya, Sara Crow, Dallia Husameddin, Nahid (Nina) Irani, Sadia Khanam, Dahlia Lou, Ivan Morales, Eduardo Vaca, Brittany Zaruszak

Open Educational Resources

Northeastern Illinois University and its Department of Biology have been working to center diversity and amplify the voices of underrepresented scholars. To help with this, we (the editors) developed an assignment where undergraduate and graduate students identified underrepresented scientists and researched their personal story and their contributions to science. This assignment culminated in a final paper based on the students’ research. In the Spring of 2023, this assignment was instituted in our Senior Seminar and Biological Literature courses for upper-level undergraduates and graduate students, respectively. From the completed assignments ten were chosen for inclusion in this publication. These ten scientists …

Covid-19 Vaccines Hesitancy Among Universities Staff In The Kurdistan Region/Iraq: A Cross-Sectional Study, Avin Muhsin Assad, Rukhosh Esaq Mekha, Dawan Jamal Hawezy, Azhi Aram Kareem

Polytechnic Journal

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) started in Wuhan, China, and become a pandemic quickly. The disease affected the lifestyle and damaged socio-economic status due to prevention measures. These measures had benefits at the time but did not stop the spread of the virus, so vaccination was another strategy to prevent the spread of the virus. This study aimed to explore the COVID-19 vaccines hesitancy among Universities staff in the Kurdistan Region/Iraq. Methods: A survey which consisted of four sections prepared and social media groups and emails were used to recruit universities staff in the Kurdistan Region/Iraq. The survey was created …

Needle Exchange Programs And Their Impact On Hiv Incidence In West Virginia: Is It Working?, Amber Graves, Katie Duty, Thomas Norton, Alberto Coustasse

Management Faculty Research

The opioid epidemic has had a strong impact on West Virginia, due to various social, economic, cultural, and environmental hardships. To aid users, Needle Exchange Programs (NEPs) were created to exchange used needles for new sterile ones and provide awareness of treatment and rehabilitation options. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of NEPs in reducing HIV and Hepatitis C infections in West Virginia, and the subsequent decrease in healthcare costs. In 2018 and 2019, there was an HIV outbreak in Cabell County, with 85 cases requiring CDC intervention in 2019. This occurred after the county-run needle exchange was reduced. …

Prevalence And Antibiotic Resistance Profile Of Secondary Bacterial Pneumonia And Bloodstream Infections Among Hospitalized Covid-19 Patients And Their Relation To Procalcitonin, Azhin D. Aziz, Adel K. Khider

Polytechnic Journal

Background and Objectives: in COVID-19 patients, secondary bacterial infections (SBIs) are a known complication of viral respiratory infections and are significantly associated with poorer outcomes.Our study aimed to determine the prevalence, clinical profile, antimicrobial resistance profile, and patient outcomes of secondary bacterial pneumonia and blood infections in COVID-19 hospitalized patients and their correlation with procalcitonin (PCT) levels.Method: During 7 months’ study, 260 clinical samples (blood and respiratory specimens) were collected from 130 hospitalized COVID-19 patients, of which 90 were from intensive care units (ICUs) and 40 from non-ICU departments, at six hospitals in Erbil city, Iraq. All samples were applied …

Evidence-Based Public Health Practice: Searching For Evidence, Lisa M. Acuff, Jonathan Eldredge, Alexis Ellsworth-Kopkowski, Gale G. Hannigan

Educational Resources

No abstract provided.

Antibiotic-Induced Gut Dysbiosis And Cognitive, Emotional, And Behavioral Changes In Rodents: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Shivdeep S. Hayer, Soonjo Hwang, Jonathan B. Clayton

Food for Health: Publications

There are previous epidemiological studies reporting associations between antibiotic use and psychiatric symptoms. Antibiotic-induced gut dysbiosis and alteration of microbiota-gut-brain axis communication has been proposed to play a role in this association. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we reviewed published articles that have presented results on changes in cognition, emotion, and behavior in rodents (rats and mice) after antibiotic-induced gut dysbiosis. We searched three databases—PubMed, Web of Science, and SCOPUS to identify such articles using dedicated search strings and extracted data from 48 articles. Increase in anxiety and depression-like behavior was reported in 32.7 and 40.7 percent of the …

Antibiotic-Induced Gut Dysbiosis And Cognitive, Emotional, And Behavioral Changes In Rodents: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Shivdeep S. Hayer, Soonjo Hwang, Jonathan B. Clayton

Food for Health: Publications

There are previous epidemiological studies reporting associations between antibiotic use and psychiatric symptoms. Antibiotic-induced gut dysbiosis and alteration of microbiota-gut-brain axis communication has been proposed to play a role in this association. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we reviewed published articles that have presented results on changes in cognition, emotion, and behavior in rodents (rats and mice) after antibiotic-induced gut dysbiosis. We searched three databases—PubMed, Web of Science, and SCOPUS to identify such articles using dedicated search strings and extracted data from 48 articles. Increase in anxiety and depression-like behavior was reported in 32.7 and 40.7 percent of the …

Ene 661-101:Environmental Microbiology, Wen Zhang

Civil and Environmental Engineering Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Hss-404 (H03): Sts Seminar: Medicine And Globalization, Gareth Edel

Humanities Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Ptc-660 (851): Medical Ethics, Andrew Deek

Humanities Syllabi

No abstract provided.

State Capacity And Hiv Incidence Reduction In The Developing World: Preliminary Empirical Evidence, Andrew Price-Smith, Steven Tauber, Anand Bhat

Journal of Diplomacy and International Relations

No abstract provided.

Hist 213 - 101, 003, 105: The Twentieth-Century World, Ilektra Kostopoulou

History Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Transfusion Reactions Associated With Covid-19 Convalescent Plasma In Outpatient Clinical Trials, Moises A. Huaman, Jay S. Raval, James H. Paxton, Giselle S. Mosnaim, Bela Patel, Shweta Anjan, Barry R. Meisenberg, Adam C. Levine, Christi E. Marshall, Anusha Yarava, Aarthi G. Shenoy, Sonya L. Heath, Judith S. Currier, Yuriko Fukuta, Janis E. Blair, Emily S. Spivak, Joann R. Petrini, Patrick B Broderick, William Rausch, Marieelena Cordisco, Jean Hammel, Benjamin Greenblatt, Valerie C Cluzet, Daniel Cruser, Kevin Oei, Matthew Abinante, Laura L. Hammitt, Catherine G. Sutcliffe, Donald N. Forthal, Martin S Zand, Edward R. Cachay, Seble G. Kassaye, Malathi Ram, Ying Wang, Piyali Das, Karen Lane, Nichol A Mcbee, Amy L Gawad, Nicky Karlen, Daniel E Ford, Oliver Laeyendecker, Andrew Pekosz, Sabra L. Klein, Stephan Ehrhardt, Bryan Lau, Sheriza N. Baksh, David M. Shade, Arturo Casadevall, Daniel F. Hanley, Jiangda Ou, Thomas J. Gniadek, Alyssa Ziman, Shmuel Shoham, Kelly A. Gebo, Evan M. Bloch, Aaron A R Tobian, David J. Sullivan, Jonathan M. Gerber

Pathology Research and Scholarship

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP) is an important therapeutic option for outpatients at high risk of hospitalization from SARS-CoV-2 infection. We assessed the safety of outpatient CCP transfusions administered during clinical trials.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We analyzed data pertaining to transfusion-related reactions from two randomized controlled trials in the U.S. that evaluated the efficacy of CCP versus control plasma in various ambulatory settings. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess whether CCP was associated with transfusion reactions, after adjusting for potential confounders.

RESULTS: The combined study reported 79/1351 (5.9%) adverse events during the transfusion visit, with the majority 62/1351 …

Real-World Use Of Mold-Active Triazole Prophylaxis In The Prevention Of Invasive Fungal Diseases: Results From A Subgroup Analysis Of A Multicenter National Registry, M Hong Nguyen, Luis Ostrosky-Zeichner, Peter G Pappas, Thomas J Walsh, Joseph Bubalo, Barbara D Alexander, Marisa H Miceli, Jeanette Jiang, Yi Song, George R Thompson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Antifungal prophylaxis can prevent invasive fungal diseases (IFDs) in high-risk, immunocompromised patients. This study assessed the real-world use of mold-active triazoles (MATs) for the prevention of IFDs.

METHODS: This subgroup analysis of a multicenter, observational, prospective registry in the United States from March 2017 to April 2020 included patients who received MATs for prophylaxis (isavuconazole, posaconazole, and voriconazole) at study index/enrollment. The primary objective was to describe patient characteristics and patterns of MAT use. Exploratory assessments included the frequency of breakthrough IFDs and MAT-related adverse drug reactions (ADRs).

RESULTS: A total of 1177 patients (256 isavuconazole, 397 posaconazole, 272 …

Sars-Coronavirus-2 Gene Mutagenesis, Anna Anderson, Salina Acharya

Early Year Research & Creative Mentoring 2022-2023

No abstract provided.

Renin As A Biomarker Of Acute Kidney Injury And Mortality In Children With Severe Malaria Or Sickle Cell Disease, Daniel Adan, Anthony Batte, Ruth Namazzi, Ivan Mufumba, Caroline Kazinga, Kagan Mellencamp, Caitlin Bond, Robert Opoka, Chandy John, Andrea Conroy

Paediatrics and Child Health, East Africa

Background: Globally, a very high percentage of acute kidney injury (AKI) occurs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where late recognition contributes to increased mortality. There are challenges with using existing biomarkers of AKI in LMICs. Emerging evidence suggests renin may serve as a biomarker of kidney injury that can overcome limitations in creatinine-based diagnostics.

Methods: Two study populations in Uganda were assessed. Cohort #1 was a two-site, prospective cohort study enrolling 600 children with severe malaria (SM). Cohort #2 was a prospective cohort study enrolling 185 children with sickle cell disease (SCD) hospitalized with a vaso-occlusive crisis. Plasma or …

Outpatient Management Of Urinary Tract Infections By Medical Officers In Nairobi, Kenya: Lack Of Benefit From Audit And Feedback On Adherence To Treatment Guidelines, Florence Mbatia, James Orwa, Mary B. Adam, Gulnaz Mohamoud, Rodney Adam

Family Medicine, East Africa

Introduction: Acute uncomplicated urinary tract infections are common in outpatient settings but are not treated optimally. Few studies of the outpatient use of antibiotics for specifc diagnoses have been done in sub-Saharan Africa, so little is known about the prescribing patterns of medical ofcers in the region.

Methods: Aga Khan University has 16 outpatient clinics throughout the Nairobi metro area with a medical ofcer specifcally assigned to that clinic. A baseline assessment of evaluation and treatment of suspected UTI was performed from medical records in these clinics. Then the medical ofcer from each of the 16 clinics was recruited from …

Beyond The Symptom: The Biology Of Fatigue, David M. Raizen, Janet Mullington, Christelle Anaclet, Gerard Clarke, Hugo Critchley, Robert Dantzer, Ronald Davis, Kelly L. Drew, Josh Fessel, Patrick M. Fuller, Erin M. Gibson, Mary Harrington, W. Ian Lipkin, Elizabeth B. Klerman, Nancy Klimas, Anthony L. Komaroff, Walter Koroshetz, Lauren Krupp, Anna Kuppuswamy, Julie Lasselin, Laura D. Lewis, Pierre J. Magistretti, Heidi Y. Matos, Christine Miaskowski, Andrew H. Miller, Avindra Nath, Maiken Nedergaard, Mark R. Opp, Marylyn D. Ritchie, Dragana Rogulja, Asya Rolls, John D. Salamone

Psychology: Faculty Publications

A workshop titled “Beyond the Symptom: The Biology of Fatigue” was held virtually September 27–28, 2021. It was jointly organized by the Sleep Research Society and the Neurobiology of Fatigue Working Group of the NIH Blueprint Neuroscience Research Program. For access to the presentations and video recordings, see: https://neuroscienceblueprint.nih.gov/about/event/beyond-symptom-biology-fatigue. The goals of this workshop were to bring together clinicians and scientists who use a variety of research approaches to understand fatigue in multiple conditions and to identify key gaps in our understanding of the biology of fatigue. This workshop summary distills key issues discussed in this workshop and provides a …

Investigation Of Common Milkweed As A Novel Food Crop For New England, Colter Allen Flynn

Master's Theses and Capstones

Neglected and underutilized crop species (NUCS) represent a reservoir of biodiversity that can be leveraged to help develop a more robust and sustainable food production system. This investigation sought to identify an edible crop species with potential as a novel food crop for the New England food system and conduct a subsequent evaluation of the chosen species based on agronomic traits of interest. A series of interviews were conducted between August and December 2020 with regional experts and specialists with experience in the subject matter. Based on interview data and a subsequent literature review, Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed) emerged as …

The First Collective Examination Of Immunosuppressive Practices Among American Intestinal Transplant Centers, Joshua Weiner, Nathaly Llore, Dylan Ormsby, Masato Fujiki, Maria Cristina Segovia, Mark Obri, Syed-Mohammed Jafri, Jedson Liggett, Alexander H. K Kroemer, Cal Matsumoto, Jang Moon, Pierpaolo Di Cocco, Gennaro Selvaggi, Jennifer Garcia, Armando Ganoza, Ajai Khanna, George Mazariegos, Danielle Wendel, Jorge Reyes

Gastroenterology Articles

BACKGROUND: Unlike other solid organs, no standardized treatment algorithms exist for intestinal transplantation (ITx). We established a consortium of American ITx centers to evaluate current practices.

METHODS: All American centers performing ITx during the past 3 y were invited to participate. As a consortium, we generated questions to evaluate and collect data from each institution. The data were compiled and analyzed.

RESULTS: Ten centers participated, performing 211 ITx during the past 3 y (range, 3-46; mean 21.1). Induction regimens varied widely. Thymoglobulin was the most common, used in the plurality of patients (85/211; 40.3%), but there was no consensus regimen. …

Biol 468-H01: Disease Ecology & Evolution, Gareth Russell

Biology Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of Prevention, Management, And Eradication Strategies Of Brucellosis In Cattle In Albania, Nesturi Mario

International Programs

The aim of this poster is to evaluate the control strategies of Brucellosis diseases in Albania and to highlight specific challenges that Albania faces with the management of this disease.Brucellosis is a neglected zoonotic disease caused by a type of bacteria called Brucella spp. that affects approximately 500,000 humans annually.[����] It affects various animals, including big and small ruminants, swine, and dogs. The bacteria can be transmitted through direct contact with infected animals, consuming contaminated raw animal products, inhaling airborne agents.[����] Even though it has rarely been reported (in humans) it can also be transmitted sexually or vertically (from mother …

2023-2024 Catalog, College Of The Holy Cross

Course Catalogs

This catalog lists available courses for the 2023-2024 academic year. The College Catalog is a document of record issued in September 2022.The Catalog contains current information regarding the College calendar, admissions, degree requirements, fees, regulations and course offerings. It is not intended to be, and should not be relied upon, as a statement of the College’s contractual undertakings.

Computational Analysis Of Plasma Lipidomics From Mice Fed Standard Chow And Ketogenic Diet, Amy L. Seufert, James W. Hickman, Jaewoo Choi, Brooke A. Napier

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Dietary saturated fatty acids (SFAs) are upregulated in the blood circulation following digestion. A variety of circulating lipid species have been implicated in metabolic and inflammatory diseases; however, due to the extreme variability in serum or plasma lipid concentrations found in human studies, established reference ranges are still lacking, in addition to lipid specificity and diagnostic biomarkers. Mass spectrometry is widely used for identification of lipid species in the plasma, and there are many differences in sample extraction methods within the literature. We used ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled to a high-resolution hybrid triple quadrupole-time-of-flight (QToF) mass spectrometry (MS) …

Comparisons Of Performance On Postgraduate Year Entrance Examinations Between Medical Students From 6-Year And Post-Baccalaureate Medicine Programs In Taiwan, Jo-Chu Yen, Chih-Jen Yang, Jong-Hau Hsu, Po-Liang Lu, Cheng-Sheng Chen

Journal of Medical Education

Introduction: Kaohsiung Medical University (KMU) is the only institution in Taiwan that has both a school of medicine (M) and a post-baccalaureate (PB) program. The performance of graduates from these two programs has been a subject of interest in medical education. This study aimed to compare the performance of M and PB graduates from KMU on the postgraduate year (PGY) residency entrance program at KMU-affiliated hospitals. Methods: This study included KMU graduates who applied for the PGY residency program affiliated with KMU Hospital from 2020 to 2022. Differences in basic information, rank in class (i.e, performance vis-à-vis one's peers), PGY …

Research Nexus : Volume 5 - 2023, Office Of Research And Graduate Studies

Office of Research and Graduate Studies

• Researcher Spotlight: Dr Sajid Soofi, CoE-WCH
• Research Office Launches Pure: Revolutionizing Research Grant Management
• AKU ISMC Achieves UKRI Accreditation: Opening New Doors for Research
• Student Research Forum Unites AKU and UBC for Climate Change Study
• LevelUp: Elevating Research Administration and Grants Management Skills

Protocol For Optimizing Production And Quality Control Of Infective Ecohiv Virions, Hammodah Rawhi Hammodah Alfar, Daphne N. Pariser, Harry Chanzu, Smita Joshi, Daniёlle M. Coenen, Joshua Lykins, Kanakanagavalli Shravani Prakhya, Mary Jane Potash, Wei Chao, Jennifer Kelschenbach, David J. Volsky, Kelly Metcalf-Pate

Saha Cardiovascular Research Center Faculty Publications

EcoHIV is a model of HIV infection that recapitulates aspects of HIV-1 pathology in mice. However, there are limited published protocols to guide EcoHIV virion production. Here, we present a protocol for producing infective EcoHIV virions and essential quality controls. We describe steps for viral purification, titering, and multiple techniques to analyze infection efficacy. This protocol produces high infectivity in C57BL/6 mice which will aid investigators in generating preclinical data.

Gregarine Parasites In Zygoptera Of Keith County, Ne, Anisha Kadubandi, B. Gage Kircher Ii, Scott L. Gardner

UCARE: Research Products

Prevalence of Gregarine Protozoa Infection in Zygoptera Sourced from Varying Collection Sites in Keith County, Nebraska

B.G Kircher II, A. Kadubandi, and S.L. Gardner S. H.W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Cedar Point Biological Station, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Damselflies are ubiquitous flying insects of the order Odonata with thousands of species found around the world. The parasites associated with damselfly species are equally as ubiquitous, with the most common being gregarine protozoa and water mites, though other parasitic organisms such as trematodes are also found in these animals. Gaining an understanding of the relationships among hosts and …

Identifying Sources Of Antibiotic Resistance Genes In The Environment Using The Microbial Find, Inform, And Test Framework, Corinne Wiesner-Friedman, Rachelle E. Beattie, Jill R. Stewart, Krassimira R. Hristova, Marc L. Serre

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Introduction: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an increasing public health concern for humans, animals, and the environment. However, the contributions of spatially distributed sources of AMR in the environment are not well defined.

Methods: To identify the sources of environmental AMR, the novel microbial Find, Inform, and Test (FIT) model was applied to a panel of five antibiotic resistance-associated genes (ARGs), namely, erm(B), tet(W), qnrA, sul1, and intI1, quantified from riverbed sediment and surface water from a mixed-use region.

Results: A one standard deviation increase in the modeled contributions of elevated AMR from bovine sources or land-applied waste sources [land application …