Digital Commons Network^™

Corrigendum: The Presence Of Silver Nanoparticles Reduces Demand For Dissolved Phosphorus To The Benefit Of Biological Nitrogen Fixation In The Coastal Eastern Mediterranean Sea, Ap Rees, E Faraggiana, K Tait, M Celussi, E Dafnomilli, V Manna, A Manning, P Pitta, A Tsiola, S Živanović

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Enteropathogens On Faltering Growth In A Resource-Limited Setting, Furqan Kabir, Junaid Iqbal, Zehra Jamil, Najeeha Talat Iqbal, Fatima Aziz, Adil Kalam, Sahrish Muneer, Aneeta Hotwani, Sheraz Ahmed, Fayyaz Umrani, Sana Syed, Kamran Sadiq, Syed Asad Ali

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Introduction: Environmental enteropathy is an important contributor to childhood malnutrition in the developing world. Chronic exposure to fecal pathogens leads to alteration in intestinal structure and function, resulting in impaired gut immune function, malabsorption, and growth faltering leading to environmental enteropathy.
Methods: A community-based intervention study was carried out on children till 24 months of age in Matiari district, Pakistan. Blood and fecal specimens were collected from the enrolled children aged 3-6 and 9 months. A real-time PCR-based TaqMan array card (TAC) was used to detect enteropathogens.
Results: Giardia, Campylobacter spp., enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC), Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), …

Ada News - 01/09/2023, American Dental Association, Publishing Division

ADA News

Established in 1970 as the official newspaper of the American Dental Association, the ADA News serves practicing dentists and others allied to the dental profession in the U.S. and internationally. It is the No. 1 source of news and information about the many benefits and services the ADA delivers to members daily as well as timely information on scientific, social, political and economic developments affecting dentistry and health care.

Improvement Of Long Covid Symptoms Over One Year., Carlos R Oliveira, Leonard A Jason, Derya Unutmaz, Lucinda Bateman, Suzanne D Vernon

Faculty Research 2023

IMPORTANCE: Early and accurate diagnosis and treatment of Long COVID, clinically known as post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), may mitigate progression to chronic diseases such as myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Our objective was to determine the utility of the DePaul Symptom Questionnaire (DSQ) to assess the frequency and severity of common symptoms of ME/CFS, to diagnose and monitor symptoms in patients with PASC.

METHODS: This prospective, observational cohort study enrolled 185 people that included 34 patients with PASC that had positive COVID-19 test and persistent symptoms of >3 months and 151 patients diagnosed with ME/CFS. PASC patients were followed …

Reverse Social Impact Of Oil Palm Plantation Expansion: A Study Of Three Communities In Jambi, Indonesia, Pahmi Pahmi, Budhi Gunawan, Johan Iskandar, Rini Soemarwoto

Forest and Society

Studies on the social impacts of oil palm development have focused on various communities with distinct characteristics. Due to the rarity of comparative investigations, this study aimed to examine the impact of oil palm plantation expansion on the Suku Anak Dalam, Jambi Malay, and the Javanese transmigrant, the three communities with different socio-economic characteristics. In-depth interviews and observations were conducted to understand the communities' interaction and dependence on forest resources. The study also conducted a household census to assess 67 Malay and 66 Javanese transmigrant families. However, a household census could not be conducted to asses 45 families of …

The Relationship Among Spirituality, Self-Efficacy, And Quality Of Life In Adults With Sickle Cell Disease, Maxine A. Adegbola

Dissertations

For the individual with sickle cell disease (SCD), the lifespan is increasing but adults report decreased quality of life (QOL), low self-efficacy, and ineffective coping skills. The care of adult patients with SCD requires a complex multidisciplinary team approach with focus not only on physiological, psychological, and social needs, but also on spiritual needs. Quality of life, spirituality, and self-efficacy have been sparsely and separately studied in individuals with SCD. These three constructs have never been combined in one study in the adult SCD population.

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the relationships among spirituality, self-efficacy, …

Bacteriuria In Older Adults Triggers Confusion In Healthcare Providers: A Mindful Pause To Treat The Worry, Robin L.P. Jump

Faculty Scholarship

The evidence base for refraining from screening for or treating asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) in older adults is strong, but both practices remain prevalent. Clinical confusion over how to respond to a change from baseline, when to order a urinalysis and urine culture, and what to do with a positive urine culture fuels unnecessary antibiotic use for ASB. If the provider can take a mindful pause to apply evidenced-based assessment tools, the resulting increased clarity in how to manage the situation can reduce overtreatment of ASB.

A Healthy Partnership, Eric F. Spina

President's Blog: From the Heart

As an anchor institution, we pride ourselves on developing mutually beneficial partnerships in the community, but the one with Premier Health stands tall in my mind. As neighbors, we share a special bond that goes beyond proximity to philosophy.

Impact And Mitigation Measures Of Covid-19 Towards Food Security Through Participation In Forest Management By Community In Sook, Keningau District, Sabah, Vilaretti Atin, Walter Lintangah

Forest and Society

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted food security for the people due to the imposition of stringent measures to halt the spread of COVID-19 transmission. This study aimed to measure the community's perception of the level of COVID-19 impacts on their food security and to identify the community's participation in forest management around the Forest Management Unit (FMU) in Sook, Keningau District of Sabah, to improve their livelihood. A mixed-method approach was conducted where a total of 122 respondents were sampled using a questionnaire survey, focus group discussion with communities, and expert interviews to gather more valuable data. The result …

Evaluation Of Serum Concentration Of Acute-Phase Proteins (Haptoglobin And Serum Amyloid A) In The Affected Arabian Foals With Rhodococcosis, Ali Hassanpour, Sina Moghaddam

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Early detection of Rhodococcus equi pneumonia in foals is essential for horse health and for veterinarians.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to demonstrate the usefulness of assessing the serum concentration of acute-phase proteins (APPs) in the early diagnosis of pneumonia.

METHODS: The study evaluated APPs in 19 Arabian foals with R. equi pneumonia and compared them with 18 normal Arabian foals in equestrian clubs in Tabriz, Iran. Affected foals were identified through history, clinical findings and bacterial culture of tracheal washing. Biochemical methods and polymerase chain reaction tests were performed by examining the 16S rRNA and vapA genes to confirm …

Identification Of Collaborative Cross Mouse Strains Permissive To Salmonella Enterica Serovar Typhi Infection, Kishore Alugupalli, Sudeep Kothari, Matthew P Cravens, Justin A Walker, Darren T Dougharty, Gregory S. Dickinson, Louis A Gatto, Andreas J Bäumler, Tamding Wangdi, Darla R Miller, Fernando Pardo-Manuel De Villena, Linda D Siracusa

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi is the causative agent of typhoid fever restricted to humans and does not replicate in commonly used inbred mice. Genetic variation in humans is far greater and more complex than that in a single inbred strain of mice. The Collaborative Cross (CC) is a large panel of recombinant inbred strains which has a wider range of genetic diversity than laboratory inbred mouse strains. We found that the CC003/Unc and CC053/Unc strains are permissive to intraperitoneal but not oral route of S. Typhi infection and show histopathological changes characteristic of human typhoid. These CC strains are immunocompetent, …

Moderation Effect Of Community Health On The Relationship Between Racial/Ethnic Residential Segregation And Hiv Viral Suppression In South Carolina: A County-Level Longitudinal Study From 2013 To 2018, Fanghui Shi, Jiajia Zhang Ph.D., Xueying Yang Ph.D., Xiaowen Sun, Zhenlong Li, Chengbo Zeng, Huan Ning, Sharon Weissman, Bankole Olatosi Ph.D., Xiaoming Li Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Background: Viral suppression is the ultimate goal of the HIV treatment cascade and a primary endpoint of antiretroviral therapy. Empirical evidence found racial/ethnic disparities in viral suppression among people living with HIV (PWH), but the evidence of the relationship between racial/ethnic residential segregation and place-based viral suppression is scarce. Further exploring potential structural moderators in this relationship has substantial implications for healthcare policymaking and resource allocation. The current study aimed to investigate the spatial-temporal disparities in the HIV viral suppression rate across 46 counties in South Carolina from 2013 to 2018. We also examined the impact of racial/ethnic residential segregation …

Subunit Vaccine Targeting Phosphate Abc Transporter Atp-Binding Protein, Pstb, Provides Cross-Protection Against Streptococcus Suis Serotype 2, 7, And 9 In Mice, Zujie Yan, Xiaohui Yao, Ruyi Pan, Junjie Zhang, X Ma, Nihua Dong, Jianchao Wei, K Liu, Yafeng Qiu, Katie Sealey, Hester Nichols, Michael A. Jarvis, Mathew Upton, X Li, Z Ma, J Liu, B Li

School of Biomedical Sciences

Streptococcus suis is a significant pathogen in pigs and a newly emerging zoonotic agent in humans. The presence of multiple serotypes and strains with diversified sequence types in pig herds highlights the need for the identification of broadly cross-reactive universal vaccine antigen targets, capable of providing cross-protection against S. suis infection. Subunit vaccines based on the conserved proteins shared between different S. suis serotypes are potential candidates for such a universally protective vaccine. In the present study, phosphate ABC transporter ATP-binding protein PstB (PstB), an immunogenic protein of the S. suis bacterium, was expressed and purified, and then subjected to …

Subunit Vaccine Targeting Phosphate Abc Transporter Atp-Binding Protein, Pstb, Provides Cross-Protection Against Streptococcus Suis Serotype 2, 7, And 9 In Mice, Zujie Yan, Xiaohui Yao, Ruyi Pan, Junjie Zhang, X Ma, Nihua Dong, Jianchao Wei, K Liu, Yafeng Qiu, Katie Sealey, Hester Nichols, Michael A. Jarvis, Mathew Upton, Xiangdong Li, Z Ma, J Liu, B Li

School of Biomedical Sciences

Streptococcus suis is a significant pathogen in pigs and a newly emerging zoonotic agent in humans. The presence of multiple serotypes and strains with diversified sequence types in pig herds highlights the need for the identification of broadly cross-reactive universal vaccine antigen targets, capable of providing cross-protection against S. suis infection. Subunit vaccines based on the conserved proteins shared between different S. suis serotypes are potential candidates for such a universally protective vaccine. In the present study, phosphate ABC transporter ATP-binding protein PstB (PstB), an immunogenic protein of the S. suis bacterium, was expressed and purified, and then subjected to …

Technology Meets Tils: Deciphering T Cell Function In The -Omics Era, William H Hudson, Andreas Wieland

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

T cells are at the centerstage of cancer immunology due to their ability to recognize mutations within tumor cells and directly mediate cancer cell killing. Immunotherapies to rejuvenate exhausted T cell responses have transformed the clinical management of several malignancies. In parallel, the development of novel multidimensional analysis platforms such as single-cell RNA-sequencing and high-dimensional flow cytometry has yielded unprecedented insights into immune cell biology. This convergence has revealed substantial heterogeneity of tumor-infiltrating immune cells, both within single tumors, across tumor types, and among cancer patients. Here, we discuss the opportunities and challenges of studying the complex tumor microenvironment with …

Not A Waste: Wastewater Surveillance To Enhance Public Health, Anna Gitter, Jeremiah Oghuan, Anuja Rajendra Godbole, Carlos A. Chavarria, Carlos Monserrat, Tao Hu, Yun Wang, Anthony W. Maresso, Blake M. Hanson, Kristina D. Mena, Fuqing Wu

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Domestic wastewater, when collected and evaluated appropriately, can provide valuable health-related information for a community. As a relatively unbiased and non-invasive approach, wastewater surveillance may complement current practices towards mitigating risks and protecting population health. Spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, wastewater programs are now widely implemented to monitor viral infection trends in sewersheds and inform public health decision-making. This review summarizes recent developments in wastewater-based epidemiology for detecting and monitoring communicable infectious diseases, dissemination of antimicrobial resistance, and illicit drug consumption. Wastewater surveillance, a quickly advancing Frontier in environmental science, is becoming a new tool to enhance public health, improve …

Technology Meets Tils: Deciphering T Cell Function In The -Omics Era, William H Hudson, Andreas Wieland

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

T cells are at the centerstage of cancer immunology due to their ability to recognize mutations within tumor cells and directly mediate cancer cell killing. Immunotherapies to rejuvenate exhausted T cell responses have transformed the clinical management of several malignancies. In parallel, the development of novel multidimensional analysis platforms such as single-cell RNA-sequencing and high-dimensional flow cytometry has yielded unprecedented insights into immune cell biology. This convergence has revealed substantial heterogeneity of tumor-infiltrating immune cells, both within single tumors, across tumor types, and among cancer patients. Here, we discuss the opportunities and challenges of studying the complex tumor microenvironment with …

Editorial: What Does Not Kill You Makes You Stronger: Interactions Between Environmental Stresses And Microbial Virulence, Liang Wang, Ling-Jun Zhan, Michael J. Wise

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The intriguing sit-and-wait hypothesis predicts that “virulence should be positively correlated with durability in the external environment because high durability reduces the dependence of transmission on host mobility” (Walther and Ewald, 2004) (Figure 1). Since the hypothesis was first proposed in the late 20th century (Ewald, 1983), both theoretical and computational studies have been reporting the relationships between environmental durability and microbial virulence (Sundberg et al., 2014; Wang et al., 2017, 2018, 2019a,b, 2020; Rafaluk-Mohr, 2019; Li et al., 2021) [...].

Interdependent Progression Of Bidirectional Sister Replisomes In E Coli, Po Jui Chen, Anna B Mcmullin, Bryan J Visser, Qian Mei, Susan M Rosenberg, David Bates

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Bidirectional DNA replication complexes initiated from the same origin remain colocalized in a factory configuration for part or all their lifetimes. However, there is little evidence that sister replisomes are functionally interdependent, and the consequence of factory replication is unknown. Here, we investigated the functional relationship between sister replisomes in Escherichia coli, which naturally exhibits both factory and solitary configurations in the same replication cycle. Using an inducible transcription factor roadblocking system, we found that blocking one replisome caused a significant decrease in overall progression and velocity of the sister replisome. Remarkably, progression was impaired only if the block …

A 68-Year-Old Man With Multiple Comorbidities Presents With A Weeping Wound Of The Left Lower Extremity: A Case Report, Hameed Ali

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

In cases of cellulitis, identification of a specific pathogen is often not possible on clinical grounds, and in our institution the recommended practice for empiric treatment of skin infections is to cover for the usual pathogens, such as Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes. This article describes the management of a 68-year-old man in whom the choice of appropriate antibiotic treatment for suspected cellulitis was complicated by many factors, including several known risk factors for recurrent cellulitis, multiple comorbid conditions, and the patient’s wish to leave hospital as soon as possible. Given this patient’s clinical syndrome, coverage for methicillin-resistant S. aureus …

Cryptococcal Peritonitis In A Patient With Decompensated Liver Cirrhosis, Robert Libera, Christian Akem Dimala, Kathleen Oakes, Caitlyn Moss

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Cryptococcus is a rare pathogenic fungus that is known primarily for causing meningeal and pulmonary disease in immunocompromised patients. There are scarce reports of other varieties of cryptococcal infections, such as disseminated and peritoneal disease. Here we present a very rare case of an elderly female patient with a history of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) cirrhosis who presented with symptoms of dyspnea and abdominal distention and was found to have Cryptococcus neoformans pleuritis and peritonitis without evidence of disseminated disease. The patient was treated with antifungals consisting of amphotericin and flucytosine followed by fluconazole. This case describes a previously unknown pattern …

A Case Of Concurrence Of Clonorchis Sinensis And Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma- A Diagnostic Dilemma, Syed Mohammad Mazhar Uddin, Omair Ali Khan, Wai Ming Tang, Avleen Kaur, Lina Alhanshali, Arafat Ali Farooqui, Sanjay Maheshwari, Akhil Mehta, Daria Yunina, Maryia Astashkevich

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Clonorchis Sinensis, a common liver fluke, is known to cause biliary disease and can present with a wide array of symptoms. It’s mostly found in Asian countries due to consumption of undercooked or raw fish. Although Cholangiocarcinoma is a known serious complication of this disease, Pancreatic neoplasms are rare and have seldom been reported. Here, we report a case of an 80-year-old man who presents with pancreatic adenocarcinoma associated with Clonorchis Sinensis infection

Acute Diarrhea Isn’T Always Infectious: An Atypical Presentation Of Adrenal Insufficiency, Ariana Tagliaferri, Arielle Aiken, Madhav Patel, Monisha Singhal

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Adrenal insufficiency can be a primary or secondary disorder occurring from a hormone deficiency or suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis from various etiologies. The diagnosis can be challenging given the lack of specificity and indolence of symptoms. Diarrhea is not a typical presenting symptom of adrenal insufficiency and can be overlooked as an infectious disease during an adrenal crisis. Herein we present a patient with an undiagnosed adrenal insufficiency who presented with subacute diarrhea during an adrenal crisis after a dental procedure and esophagogastroduodenoscopy.

Applying Game Theory Models To Inpatient Medicine: Opportunities To Improve Care, Ho-Man Yeung, Shreya Makkapati

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Inpatient hospital costs have been increasing exponentially in the United States. Part of this increase is attributed to over and undertreatment, leading to higher costs and potential patient harm. Research improving clinician-patient interactions can help minimize and optimize the costs. Game theory has the ability improve clinician- patient interaction by modeling outcomes. Using variations of game theory, the bad doctor bad patient stigma can reframed to incentives. We believe the use of different models (prisoner dilemma, centipede game, assurance game, and chicken game) can outline the challenges faced during common inpatient scenarios, including end of life conversations and aggressive procedures. …

Infectious Complications After Tocilizumab In Patients With Covid: A Real-World Experience, Hongli Liu, Chengu Niu, Ahmed Elkhapery, Kaiwen Zhu, Lakshmi G Nair, Zauraiz Anjum, Charoo Iyer, Hafsa Faisal, Ming Chow

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Introduction Controversies remain regarding the safety of tocilizumab in the treatment of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. In this study, we seek to describe the infectious complications after tocilizumab in COVID patients and determine the related risk factors. Methods A single-center retrospective observational study was conducted among adult patients with SARS -CoV-2 infection admitted between 06/01/2020 and 12/31/2021 who received tocilizumab at our institution. Baseline demographics and laboratory values are obtained through reviewing electronic medical records. Risk factors of infectious complications after tocilizumab are identified through regression analysis. Statistics are performed using SPSS. P-value

The 2022 Monkeypox Epidemic And What Has Led To The Current State Of The Disease In The Us: A Systematic Review, Samriddh Chaudhari, Leah Treffeisen, Jaswinder Virk, Taral Parikh, Naveen Prasad Gopalakrishnan Ravikumar, Ashish M. Goti, Lokesh Goyal, Kanica Yashi

Student Publications

Monkeypox virus (MPOX) is a zoonotic disease in humans. It is similar genetically to its virus family member, smallpox. This virus has been studied since the 1970s. The virus remains endemic to the Congo and West African regions, but non-endemic spreads have been cited. The most recent non-endemic outbreak in the spring of 2022 amidst the current COVID-19 pandemic is of interest due to its impact on global medical, economic, and societal climates. This literature review aims to highlight the virology, clinical signs and symptoms, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of MPOX and discuss the social implications of the recent 2022 …

Discovery And Characterization Of A New Class Of O-Linking Oligosaccharyltransferases From The Moraxellaceae Family, Cory J Knoot, Paeton L Wantuch, Lloyd S Robinson, David A Rosen, Nichollas E Scott, Christian M Harding

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Bacterial protein glycosylation is commonly mediated by oligosaccharyltransferases (OTases) that transfer oligosaccharides en bloc from preassembled lipid-linked precursors to acceptor proteins. Natively, O-linking OTases usually transfer a single repeat unit of the O-antigen or capsular polysaccharide to the side chains of serine or threonine on acceptor proteins. Three major families of bacterial O-linking OTases have been described: PglL, PglS, and TfpO. TfpO is limited to transferring short oligosaccharides both in its native context and when heterologously expressed in glycoengineered Escherichia coli. On the other hand, PglL and PglS can transfer long-chain polysaccharides when expressed in glycoengineered E. coli. Herein, we …

Echinococcus Multilocularis Calreticulin Interferes With C1q-Mediated Complement Activation, Siqi Xian, Lujuan Chen, Yan Yan, Jianfang Chen, Guixia Yu, Yuxiao Shao, Bin Zhan, Yanhai Wang, Limei Zhao

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

As a zoonotic disease caused by Echinococcus multilocularis larvae, alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is one of the most severe forms of parasitic infection. Over a long evolutional process E. multilocularis has developed complex strategies to escape host immune attack and survive within a host. However, the mechanisms underlying immune evasion remain unclear. Here we investigated the binding activity of E. multilocularis calreticulin (EmCRT), a highly conserved Ca2+-binding protein, to human complement C1q and its ability to inhibit classical complement activation. ELISA, Far Western blotting and immunoprecipitation results demonstrated that both recombinant and natural EmCRTs bound to human C1q, …

The Future Of Pandemics: Land Use Controls As Means Of Preventing Zoonotic Disease, Bailey Andree

Pace International Law Review

Zoonotic diseases are increasing in frequency as climate change worsens around the world, with the recent COVID-19 pandemic highlighting the inadequate mechanisms in place to counteract disease spread. This article reviews various zoonotic diseases and their patterns of spread, highlighting land use change as the key driver of disease to demonstrate the need for legal intervention. International land use law is a little-developed subsect of environmental law that holds the key to combating this disease spread, and this article proposes solutions through this legal lens. Land use techniques which may be used to combat disease spread include conservation laws, setback …

Traditional Plants That Are Utilized To Treat Urinary Tract Infections: A Review, Rasha Hadi Saleh, Aseel Mohammad Omran, Rafah S. Almuttairi Alhilla

Maaen Journal for Medical Sciences

Among the most serious problems affecting public health is urinary tract infection (UTI). There are several parts of the urinary tract affected by this type of inflammation and affects women more frequently than men. As the antibacterial resistance problem is growing in urological medicine, there is a increasing and a continuing requirement to add antimicrobial medication which could be from medicinal herbs in regulatory UTIs. Since the beginning of civilization, medicinal plants have been an integral element of human society in the fight against diseases. For the aim of reducing costs, increasing the effectiveness of treatment and eliminating the side …