Digital Commons Network^™

Immunopeptidomic Mhc-I Profiling And Immunogenicity Testing Identifies Tcj2 As A New Chagas Disease Mrna Vaccine Candidate, Leroy Versteeg, Rakesh Adhikari, Gonteria Robinson, Jungsoon Lee, Junfei Wei, Nelufa Islam, Brian Keegan, William K Russell, Cristina Poveda, Maria Jose Villar, Kathryn Jones, Maria Elena Bottazzi, Peter Hotez, Edwin Tijhaar, Jeroen Pollet

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Trypanosoma cruzi is a protozoan parasite that causes Chagas disease. Globally 6 to 7 million people are infected by this parasite of which 20-30% will progress to develop Chronic Chagasic Cardiomyopathy (CCC). Despite its high disease burden, no clinically approved vaccine exists for the prevention or treatment of CCC. Developing vaccines that can stimulate T. cruzi-specific CD8+ cytotoxic T cells and eliminate infected cells requires targeting parasitic antigens presented on major histocompatibility complex-I (MHC-I) molecules. We utilized mass spectrometry-based immunopeptidomics to investigate which parasitic peptides are displayed on MHC-I of T. cruzi infected cells. Through duplicate experiments, we identified an …

Increasing Access To Behavioral Health Care: Examples Of Task Shifting In Two Us Government Health Care Systems, Kathryn E Kanzler, Mark E Kunik, Chase A Aycock

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Addressing U.S. health disparities in behavioral health care requires innovative solutions to expand access beyond the traditional specialty behavioral health (BH) service model. One evidence-based strategy to increase access is task shifting, whereby tasks usually reserved for licensed clinicians are delegated to less specialized but uniquely capable health workers. Health care systems in the United States have been slow to adopt this approach, despite the widespread success of task shifting in other countries. However, two large government health care systems have employed unique task-shifting models for decades, integrating nonclinician health workers into BH settings: the Defense Health Agency (behavioral …

Bst2 Facilitates Activation Of Hematopoietic Stem Cells Through Erk Signaling, Marcus A Florez, Apoorva Thatavarty, Duy T Le, Holly A Hill, Youngjae Jeong, Brian M Ho, Pawel Kus, Trisha K Wathan, Bailee N Kain, Shixia Huang, Dongsu Park, Katherine Y King

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The proinflammatory cytokine interferon-gamma (IFNγ) is upregulated in a variety of infections and contributes to bone marrow failure through hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) activation and subsequent exhaustion. The cell surface protein, bone marrow stromal antigen 2 (BST2), is a key mediator of this process, as it is induced upon interferon stimulation and required for interferon-dependent HSC activation. To identify the mechanism by which BST2 promotes interferon-dependent HSC activation, we evaluated its role in niche localization, immune cell function, lipid raft formation, and intracellular signaling. Our studies indicated that knock out (KO) of BST2 in a murine model does not disrupt …

Fournier's Gangrene Severity Index And Charlson Comorbidity Index Predict Mortality, Intensive Care Unit Admission, And Length Of Hospital Stay In Patients With Fournier's Gangrene: An Analysis Of 264 Consecutive Patients, Nicholas Hauser, Chenlin Huang, Girija Vaidya, Timothy Chrusciel, Krithika Narayana Kumarasan, John Culhane, Sameer Siddiqui

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Fournier’s gangrene (FG) is a rapidly progressing necrotizing fasciitis. The Fournier's Gangrene Severity Index (FGSI), in conjunction with the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), has been used as a mortality predictor during hospitalization. Patients with diabetes have also been shown to be at an increased risk for the development of FG. This study explores the potential of using FGSI, CCI, and patient diabetes status in predicting more extensive patient outcomes, including intensive care unit (ICU) admission and length of hospital stay.

Methods: From 2013 to 2023, inpatient admissions with the diagnosis of FG were selected from the EPIC Clarity database …

Fournier's Gangrene Severity Index And Charlson Comorbidity Index Predict Mortality, Intensive Care Unit Admission, And Length Of Hospital Stay In Patients With Fournier's Gangrene: An Analysis Of 264 Consecutive Patients, Nicholas Hauser, Chenlin Huang, Girija Vaidya, Timothy Chrusciel, Krithika Narayana Kumarasan, John Culhane, Sameer Siddiqui

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction

Fournier’s gangrene (FG) is a rapidly progressing necrotizing fasciitis. The Fournier's Gangrene Severity Index (FGSI), in conjunction with the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), has been used as a mortality predictor during hospitalization. Patients with diabetes have also been shown to be at an increased risk for the development of FG. This study explores the potential of using FGSI, CCI, and patient diabetes status in predicting more extensive patient outcomes, including intensive care unit (ICU) admission and length of hospital stay.

Methods

From 2013 to 2023, inpatient admissions with the diagnosis of FG were selected from the EPIC Clarity database …

Google Trends And Syphilis, Theodore Rosen, Maci Terrell

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: This study aims to assess the correlation between Centers for Disease Control-reported syphilis incidence rates and case burden and public interest in syphilis as indicated by Google search trends.

Methods: This study utilized Google Trends data to analyze popular syphilis-related search terms from 2013 to 2023. The latest Centers for Disease Control-reported syphilis incidence rates for 2022 were compared to Google Trends data to identify patterns or correlations.

Results: Google Trends data showed a 37.65-percent increase in average annual searches for syphilis-related terms in the United States from 2013 to 2023. The largest increase in search volume was observed …

Medical School Ranking And Provider Outpatient Medicare Part D Claims For Antibiotics Among Older Patients In The Usa, Mayar Al Mohajer, David Slusky, David Nix, Catia Nicodemo

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Our study aimed to assess whether there was a relationship between graduating from higher-ranked medical schools and the rate of prescribing antibiotics among Medicare Part D providers in the USA.

METHODS: The study obtained data from the Medicare Part D Prescribers (FY2013-2021) and the Doctor and Clinicians National repositories. A regression model was fitted to assess the relationship between provider medical school ranking and the rate of antibiotic days supplied per 100 beneficiaries at the provider level.

RESULTS: A total of 197 540 providers were included. No association was found between the medical school ranking and the rate of …

Finding Them Before They Find Us: Solving The Emerging Infectious Disease Crisis, Daniel R. Brooks

MANTER: Journal of Parasite Biodiversity

The human population grows daily, it’s on the move, and it’s carving a deep technological footprint on our planet. We alter landscapes and perturb ecosystems, inserting ourselves and other species into novel regions of the world, leading to potentially irreversible changes in the biosphere. This is not news. More than 75 years ago, Charles Elton, one of the founders of modern ecology, wrote, “We must make no mistake; we are seeing one of the greatest historical convulsions in the world’s fauna and flora.” We are also in the midst of a public health and epidemiological crisis. Climate change alters movements …

Assessing Knowledge And Preventive Practices Regarding Infectious Diseases Among Healthcare Workers In Hail City, Saudi Arabia, Sandro Costanilla Villareal

Jurnal Keperawatan Indonesia

Studies suggest that there may be gaps in knowledge and compliance with infection control measures among healthcare workers in Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to determine the knowledge of, and preventive measures employed by the healthcare workers in Hail City, Saudi Arabia, regarding infectious diseases. A cross-sectional design was employed, and the study participants were 265 healthcare workers aged 18 or older who were currently employed at government hospitals, involved in patient care or essential healthcare services, and fluent in English. Healthcare workers on leave, with cognitive impairments, with language barriers, or who refused to participate in the study were …

Unmasking The 'New Normal' And The 'Vernacular Of The Veracious' During A Pandemic, Aurelio S. Agcaoili

Budhi: A Journal of Ideas and Culture

This paper argues that the deployment of a figurative language like the phrase “new normal” and many other verbal formulations during a pandemic is a form of power and control by political leaders. This deployment is calculated and calculating as it is meant to condition the minds of the masses that depend on the ruling political class for clarity, guidance, and some form of redemption. These “weaponized” words are presented as expressions of the veracious—essentially a vernacular of power—by persons of authority for a semblance of credibility. There are at least two versions of the veracious that are at play …

Covid-19 And The Metaphors Of War, Miwako Hosoda

Budhi: A Journal of Ideas and Culture

COVID-19 and the Metaphors of War

Berries In Baskets Versus Apples In Crates: Arguing For Ecocentrism In A Post-Covid World, Abhik Gupta

Budhi: A Journal of Ideas and Culture

The global outbreak of COVID-19 has raised questions about human relationships with nature vis-à-vis development models that are largely followed worldwide. Conservation biologist Raymond F. Dasmann introduced the concept of “ecosystem people” to describe predominantly rural communities who largely depend on the resources available in one or a few ecosystems around them. These societies are also characterized by their close relationships with nature and their ecocentric worldviews. However, the world today is dominated by “biosphere people” who populate the urban areas and typically use resources extracted from all over the world. This biosphere model of existence has also given rise …

Relational Egalitarianism And The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jacqueline Marie J. Tolentino

Budhi: A Journal of Ideas and Culture

The current COVID-19 pandemic has called for unprecedented measures to contain it and, as such, has reinforced and produced complex and intertwining health and non-health inequalities. I take the perspective of relational egalitarianism and argue that these inequalities are not only issues of public health and economics but also of social justice. I thus aim to construct a relational egalitarian framework to examine how and why the inequalities of COVID-19 are unjust and to work out what structural changes and processes might be required to justly respond to these inequalities.

Risk Factors Of Covid-19 Infection Among Health Workers Post-Vaccination In Jakarta, Rahmat Saputra, Nurhayati Adnan Prihartono, Mondastri Korib Sudaryo, Renti Mahkota, Yeni Devita, Ni Wayan Deisy Arisanti

Kesmas

One of the best approaches to stop the COVID-19 pandemic is vaccination. In Indonesia, the first round of vaccinations was prioritized for health workers on January 14, 2021 (first dose) and March 1, 2021 (second dose). However, some health workers who have been vaccinated were found to be reinfected after receiving the second dose. This cross-sectional study examined the risk factors for COVID-19 infection among health workers after vaccination using secondary and primary data. The data analysis was carried out in univariate (examining the frequency distribution and proportion of independent variables), bivariate (Chi-square test to explore the relationship between independent …

Household Food Expenditure Typology And Its Association With Child Stunting And Anemia In Indonesia, Ratu Ayu Dewi Sartika, Yusnita Yusnita, Winda M. Ningsih, Ririn Arminsih Wulandari, Siti A. Pujonarti, Fadila Wirawan

Kesmas

Stunting and anemia remain the coexisting nutritional problems among Indonesian children. However, evidence of household-level food expenditure and its association with child stunting and anemia is limited. This study aimed to observe the association between household food expenditure typology and child stunting and anemia in Indonesia. Data was obtained from the 2007 and 2014 Indonesia Family Life Survey (IFLS). The household food expenditure, child nutritional status, and anemia were observed in 2007 and 2014. Latent class analysis was taken to identify the food expenditure pattern. Binary logistic regression was applied to analyze the association between household food expenditure patterns and …

Site-Specific Prevalence Of Human Papillomavirus Infection In Malaysian Men, Mohd Khairul Anwar Shafii

Student Works (2020-2029)

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is among one of the common infections among the female population and is closely associated with cervical cancer. It has gained attention since the introduction of prophylactic HPV vaccines. However, the epidemiology of HPV infection among the male population in the Asian context remains largely unknown. The worldwide report on the prevalence of HPV infection among men varies depending on the target population and method of sampling. This study aims to determine the knowledge, and site-specific prevalence of anogenital HPV infection, and its associated factors among sexually active men in an urban middle-income Asian setting. The …

Staff Education To Increase Knowledge And Awareness Of Hand Hygiene, Karamjeet Kaur

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are a significant concern in healthcare, contributing to increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. Despite the effectiveness of hand hygiene in preventing HAIs, compliance among healthcare providers remains suboptimal. This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project aimed to evaluate whether an educational intervention could improve healthcare professionals’ knowledge and awareness of hand hygiene practices in a clinical setting. A convenience sample of 11 participants attended a 10-day educational intervention. Participants completed pretests and posttests to measure knowledge and awareness. The mean pretest score for knowledge was 8.73 (SD = 1.19), while the mean posttest score was 10.00 …

Association Of Acute Rejection And De Novo Renal Cell Carcinoma In Kidney Transplant Patients: An Optn Data Analysis, Molly Casey, Emmalie Yanacek, Hitesh Kaul, John Knorr, Kamran Khanmoradi, Afshin Parsikia, Nikolaos Chandolias, Kevin Zarrabi, Radi Zaki

Einstein Health Papers

Background: Kidney Transplant Recipients (KTRs) are at risk of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The risk of RCC in KTRs is approximated to be 5–10 times higher compared with the general population. A relation between kidney rejection and renal malignancy has been described and relates to the effect of immunosuppression at the genomic level. We decided to investigate any suggestive clinical evidence of this in the OPTN database. Methods: KTRs with de novo RCC between July 2004 and June 2022 were identified. Demographics, baseline characteristics, virology, and immunology data were compared between patients with and without RCC. Our follow-up period was …

Strategies To Enhance Diagnostic Capabilities For The New Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (Dr-Tb) Drugs, Antonia Morita Iswari Saktiawati, Anca Vasiliu, Francesca Saluzzo, Onno W Akkerman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The global burden of drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) continues to challenge healthcare systems worldwide. There is a critical need to tackle DR-TB by enhancing diagnostics and drug susceptibility testing (DST) capabilities, particularly for emerging DR-TB drugs. This endeavor is crucial to optimize the efficacy of new therapeutic regimens and prevent the resistance and overuse of these invaluable weapons. Despite this urgency, there remains a lack of comprehensive review of public health measures aimed at improving the diagnostics and DST capabilities. In this review, we outline strategies to enhance the capabilities, especially tailored to address the challenges posed by resistance to new …

Breast Cancer Screening In Transgender Women With High-Risk Family History, John F. Lloyd

Clinical Research in Practice: The Journal of Team Hippocrates

A clinical decision report using:

de Blok CJM, Wiepjes CM, Nota NM, et al. Breast cancer risk in transgender people receiving hormone treatment: nationwide cohort study in the Netherlands. BMJ. 2019;365:l1652. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l1652

for a transgender woman with family history of breast cancer.

Saan A Maymaysat' Aldaw: Education In Democracy, Social Justice, And Inclusion In Ilokano Life, Aurelio S. Agcaoili

Budhi: A Journal of Ideas and Culture

The essay argues that there has been a cognitive dissonance between the country’s formal education system (adal) and the Ilokano people’s vocation to knowledge (sursuro). Unless this dissonance is addressed, fundamental problems relative to education in democracy, social justice, and inclusion will never be solved. The Ilokano people’s sense of education—sursuro—shows us the way to correct that dissonance.

Not Taking "No" For An Answer: The Interactional Organization Of Accepting And Refusing Childhood Vaccination In The Netherlands, Robert Prettner, Hedwig Te Molder, Jeffrey D. Robinson

Communication Faculty Publications and Presentations

Communication-intervention strategies for reducing vaccine hesitancy have been primarily based on survey and interview data. Virtually absent is an understanding of how vaccine hesitancy is organized interactionally in its primary, natural environment of medical consultations between parents and healthcare providers. This article uses conversation analysis to describe the sequence organization of the action of providers soliciting parents’ vaccination intent. We demonstrate that parents’ acceptance is “preferred” and sequence-closure relevant and that refusal is “dispreferred” and sequence-expansion relevant. Regarding vaccine refusal, we describe three different sequence-expansive actions, including soliciting an account, cautioning about the consequences of vaccine refusal, and “keeping the …

Immuno-Informatics Insight Into The Relationship Between Cholesterol And Cytokines In Cutaneous Leishmaniasis: From Clinics To Computation, Evan H. Sulaiman, Layth J. Mohammad, Allaa H. Thanoon, Isaac Karimi

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Objectives: The role of serum cholesterol and its interactions with cytokines in human cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) pathophysiology is unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the correlation among serum total cholesterol (TC), very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides (TG) and cytokines (including interleukin [IL] 10), IL-12 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-α]) in CL. The cholesterol–cytokine network was analysed to illuminate the pathogenesis of CL. Methods: This case-control study was conducted from December 2022 to March 2023 in hospitals within Baghdad and Wasit provinces, Iraq, and included CL and CL-free subjects ranging between 20–30 years …

Profile Of Perinatal Infections Among Abandoned Neonates Admitted In A Tertiary Hospital In Oman, Laila Al Yazidi, Tahani Almughaizwi, Khuloud Al Maamari, Fatma Al Farsi, Mohamed Abdellatif, Naema Al Shibli

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Objectives: Little is known about the profile of perinatal infections among abandoned neonates, and there are no specific evidence-based guidelines on how to screen and manage these neonates. This study aimed to report the rate of perinatal infections among abandoned babies managed at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH), Muscat, Oman, over 15 years (2006–2021). Methods: This retrospective cohort study included all abandoned babies admitted at SQUH from January 2006 to December 2021. Demographic data, the area where they were found, anthropometric parameters, symptoms, investigations and management were included in the study. Results: Of the 20 neonates included in this study, …

Inclusion Body Myositis: A Case Report On Navigating Diagnostic Challenges, Marwa Al Sharji, Salim Al Busaidi, Suad Al Jahdhami, Zabah Jawa, Hatem Farhan, Abdullah M. Al Alawi

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Inclusion body myositis (IBM) is a rare progressive myopathy affecting individuals older than 50 years. It is associated with significant morbidity by restricting the patient's mobility and it has a relatively low mortality risk with respiratory muscles involvement. Muscle biopsy is the gold standard method for diagnosis. We report a 72-year-old female patient who was admitted to a tertiary care hospital in Muscat, Oman, in 2023 with progressive weakness of lower limbs. Various diagnostic tests were performed and the patient was subsequently diagnosed with IBM. The patient was treated with methylprednisolone, immunoglobulins, rituximab and prednisolone; this resulted in moderate clinical …

Factors Associated With Quality Of Postnatal Care In Kenya: An Analysis Of The 2022 Kenya Demographic And Health Survey, Lilian Nuwabaine, Angella Namulem, Quraish Sserwanja, Joseph Kawuki, Earnest Amwiine, Mathius Amperiize, Grace Nakate, John Baptist Asiimwe

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Introduction: Despite the significant contribution of postnatal care (PNC) to maternal and newborn survival, few studies have explored the concept of the quality of PNC received by mothers in Kenya. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with the quality of PNC in Kenya.

Methods: Secondary data from the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) of 2022 were analyzed, comprising 11,863 women who were aged 15 to 49 years. The quality of PNC was indicated as receiving all components of PNC in the first two days after childbirth. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to determine the …

Respiratory Diseases, Maggie Mckay, Edward Lyon

Parent-ish Podcast

With so much overlap in symptoms, how can parents tell whether their child has the flu, RSV, or COVID-19? Dr. Lyon offers clarity on these illnesses, helping you understand what to look out for and when to seek medical care.

Click here to stream the podcast episode.

Clinical Effects Of Dexamethasone Among Patients With Sickle Cell Disease Hospitalized With Covid-19: Outcomes From A Single Academic Health System, William M. Garneau, Matthew J. Lankiewicz, Catherine R. Lesko, Ashley P. Lauriello, Kelly A. Gebo, Sophie M. Lanzkron

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Dexamethasone is a steroid used in the treatment of hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19. However, the effect of dexamethasone in patients with SCD remains unclear given that steroids may precipitate vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) in patients with SCD.

METHODS AND FINDINGS: We performed a retrospective analysis of patients with SCD who were hospitalized at Johns Hopkins Health System between June 1, 2020 and June 26, 2022. We reviewed individual charts to assess severity of illness and eligibility for dexamethasone treatment. The exposure of interest was treatment with dexamethasone. Outcomes of interest included incident VTE, length of hospital stay, ICU admission, …

Multiple Factors Regulate The Expression Of Sufcdsub In Streptococcus Mutans, Kassapa Ellepola, Lauren C. Guillot, Bradley Comeaux, Yiran Han, Jessica K. Kajfasz, Jacob P. Bitoun, Grace Spatafora, Jose A. Lemos, Zezhang T. Wen

School of Dentistry Faculty Publications

Introduction: The sufCDSUB gene cluster, encoding the sole iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster assembly system in S. mutans, was recently shown to be up-regulated in response to oxidative stressors and Fe limitation. Methods: In this study, luciferase reporter fusion assays, electrophoretic gel mobility shift assays (EMSA) and in vitro transcription assays (IVT) were used to dissect the cis- and trans-acting factors that regulate the expression of sufCDSUB. Results and discussion: Results showed deletion of perR, for the only Fur-family transcriptional regulator in S. mutans, resulted in > 5-fold increases in luciferase activity under the control of the sufCDSUB promoter (P < 0.01), as compared to the parent strain, UA159 when the reporter strains were grown in medium with no supplemental iron. Site-directed mutagenesis of a PerR-box in the promoter region led to elevation of the reporter activity by >1.6-fold (P < 0.01). In an EMSA, recombinant PerR (rPerR) was shown to bind to the cognate sufCDSUB promoter leading to mobility retardation. On the other hand, the reporter activity was increased by > 84-fold …

Association Between Various Types Of Corticosteroids And Mortality For Severe Community-Acquired Pneumonia In Adults: A Systematic Review And Network Meta-Analysis, Peng Wang, Jun Wan, Qiaoyu You, Yuxin Zheng, Wenhao Xu, Jialing He, Liyuan Peng, Cuyubamba Dominguez Jorge Luis, Yuning Feng, Ping Xu, Xinrong Li, Weelic Chong, Yang Hai, Lu Jia, Fang Fang, Yu Zhang

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to conduct a systematic review and network meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of specific corticosteroids, including but not limited to hydrocortisone, methylprednisolone, prednisolone, and dexamethasone, in the treatment of severe community-acquired pneumonia (SCAP). Efficacy will be assessed using specific outcomes, such as 30-day mortality and the requirement for mechanical ventilation. Safety evaluations will include adverse events like gastrointestinal bleeding and healthcare-associated infections. The study seeks to address the gaps identified in the latest guidelines regarding the optimal use of different corticosteroid types and to provide recommendations for clinical practice.

DATA SOURCES: This study conducted …