Digital Commons Network^™

Reducing Communicable-Disease Risk After Earthquakes: Vaccination And Prevention Lessons For Venezuela's Doublet, Alfonso J Rodriguez-Morales, Ivan Arturo Rodríguez-Sabogal, Adriana Sucari, Wendy Moncada, Lili Vanessa Hernández-Serrano, Florencia Escarrá, Pasesa Pascuala Quispe-Torrez, Francisco Javier Membrillo, Tomás Orduna, Susana Lloveras, Tânia S S Chaves, Miguel M Cabada, Cecilia Perret, René Echavarría, Ana F Ribeiro, Melinda Tanabe, Fernando Bazzino, Maximiliano Ramirez, Baruch Diaz, Karen Mirna Loro Morejón, Karen Daly, Reinaldo Rosas, Maria Belen Lopez, Cristina Miranda, Marisa Liliana Fernandez, Yasemin Özsürekçi, Wasin Matsee, Yenddy Carrero, Cristian Biscayart, Sergio Cimerman, Maria L Avila-Aguero, Roberto Debbag, Jose Brea, Alejandro Risquez, Jaime David Acosta-España, Rolando Ulloa-Gutierrez, Carlos Espinal, Carlos N Torres-Martinez, Marta González-Sanz, Aula Abbara, Jill Weatherhead, Bernal Cordero, Virgilio Lezcano, Amanda Guerrero, Herberth Maldonado, Luis Cuellar, Ines Ceron, Yori Roque, Melisa Florentin, Rosa Infante, Ana Carvajal, Lily M Soto-Ávila, Marbelys Hernández, Hector Villaroel, Gianmary Miozzi, Rafael Navas, Moraima Hernández, Carlos Pérez-Vega, Manuela Mérida, David A Forero-Peña, Juan-Carlos Navarro, Claudia Beltrán-Arroyave, Mario Masana

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Spatiotemporal Patterns Of Vaccine Uptake For Measles Outbreaks In Katsina State, Nigeria, Zeenat Kabir Asma'i

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Measles remains a public health concern in Nigeria despite the availability of effective vaccines, yet limited research has comprehensively examined spatiotemporal patterns and contextual determinants of vaccination coverage and measles incidence in Katsina State. Guided by the socioecological model, this quantitative ecological study examined spatiotemporal patterns of measles incidence among children aged 9–59 months of age across 183 wards in 34 local government areas of Katsina State, Nigeria, from 2018 to 2022. Confirmed cases (n = 376) were analyzed using negative binomial regression and spatial methods, including Moran’s I, SaTScan, and geographically weighted regression (GWR). Urban wards had higher incidence …

Rapid Recovery Of Peripheral Oxygen Saturation In Hypoxic Covid-19 Patients With Ivermectin/Doxycycline/Zinc Multidrug Therapy, Sabine Hazan, Adriana C. Vidal, Eleftherios Gkioulekas, Anoja W. Gunaratne, Sibaish Dolai, Robert L. Clancy, Peter A. Mccullough, Thomas J. Borody

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

Several combination therapies for the early outpatient treatment of COVID-19 were proposed by independent research groups at the onset of the pandemic during 2020 and 2021. In this observational study, we report on the outcomes of an off-label triple combination therapy, consisting of ivermectin, doxycycline, and zinc, with adjunct vitamin C and D3 supplementation, which was used on high-risk COVID-19 patients. These patients refused an initial recommendation to seek inpatient care, despite a high-risk presentation compounded with one or more comorbidities and/or severe hypoxia. Telemedicine was used to administer personalized treatment to patients at home, who did not have access …

The Isotopic Profile Of Plague Victims Buried On The Quarantine Islands Of Venice, Italy, Katherine L. Dunning

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis combined carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen stable isotope analysis and historical documentation to explore diet and mobility for 45 individuals whose remains were excavated from the Venetian island Lazzaretto Vecchio, where plague victims were quarantined, cared for, and buried between 1423 and 1700 CE. δ13C from bone collagen, bone apatite, and tooth enamel apatite was evaluated to determine terrestrial, aquatic, C3, and C4 contributors to diet. δ15N from bone collagen was evaluated to understand the individuals’ trophic levels. δ18O from tooth enamel apatite and bone apatite was evaluated to detect mobility over the life course. Adult diet was primarily …

A Differential Equation–Based Epidemiological Model Of Post-Operative Chronic Pain In Scoliosis Patients With Data-Driven Analysis, Paige Zhu, Padmanabhan Seshaiyer

CODEE Journal

Chronic post-surgical pain (CPSP) is a common and often overlooked complication following surgical correction of idiopathic scoliosis, impacting long-term patient wellbeing despite improvements in surgical outcomes. This project introduces a novel epidemiological framework to model the progression of CPSP using a compartmental structure. By applying a coupled system of nonlinear differential equations, we simulate pain trajectories over time and assess the effectiveness of surgical interventions. The model is implemented for a single-cohort population and extended to a two-cohort design to compare outcomes between Posterior Spinal Fusion (PSIF) and Vertebral Body Tethering (VBT) procedures. Further stratification by patient age enables us …

Recommendations For Conducting Ethical Network Research, Francisca Ortiz Ruiz, Paola Tubaro, José Luis Molina, Jennifer Watling Neal, Raffaele Vacca, Jana Diesner, Jimi Adams, Michelle Birkett, Jenny Godley, Juniper Lovato, Michael Schönhuth, Laura Teves, Michael Zimmer

Faculty Publications

Ethical considerations in social network studies are grounded in the general principles of human subjects’ research, including avoidance of harm, promotion of justice, equitable distribution of burdens and benefits, respect for human dignity, and protection of confidentiality. To help navigate these challenges, this article presents recommendations for conducting ethical network research, developed by a multi-disciplinary and multi-national working group. The article is divided in three main sections where there are certain recommendations identified for each one of them: data collections, use, and availability. Discovering how others addressed and solved problems can be a way for all of us to improve …

The Back Burn: A Case Report Of Mollaret’S Meningitis In A Young Male, Muneeba Ali, Md, Lubaba Mukhtar, Md, Warda Naqvi, Md, Joseph Hassey, Md, Muhammad Ayub, Md

The Medicine Forum

Mollaret’s syndrome, or benign recurrent aseptic meningitis, is a rare condition characterized by recurrent, self-limited episodes of aseptic meningitis. We present the case of a 49-year-old male with a past medical history of herpes meningitis as a teenager, who presented to the emergency department (ED) with a headache, and whose initial lumbar puncture results were consistent with viral meningitis. HSV-2 was detectable in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) DNA by PCR but not detected on quantitative PCR. He was diagnosed with Mollaret’s meningitis, and all intravenous antiviral therapy was discontinued, with the patient making a full recovery. This case highlights the important …

Radiation-Induced Biliary Strictures Leading To Recurrent Pyogenic Liver Abscesses: A Case Report, Rhea Ratan, Md, Beatriz Torre, Md, Rishi Pawa, Md

The Medicine Forum

Introduction

Radiation-induced biliary damage, including strictures, stenosis, cholangitis, and posthepatic cholestasis, is a rare complication of radiation therapy reported most frequently in the context of hepatobiliary cancers and other upper abdominal mal ignancies.^1-3 This complication often occurs with a delayed presentation, with a variable latency period ranging from months to as late as decades after treatment.^1-4 Histologic examination demonstrates segmental bile duct wall thickening, cholestasis, fibrosis, and features consistent with radiation injury.^1,5 Most reported cases involve the common bile duct and major hepatic ducts, where endoscopic and percutaneous interventions remain feasible. These are identified during surveillance imaging, …

From The Editors, Nehar Damle, Md, Pharmd, Hamzah Shariff, Md, Allison Kayne, Md, Jasmine Lee, Md

The Medicine Forum

As physicians in training, much of our work is shaped by immediacy – responding to evolving clinical situations, navigating diagnostic uncertainty, and making decisions with present information. In this environment, it can be easy to prioritize action over reflection. Yet it is through reflection, inquiry, and shared scholarship that we deepen our understanding of medicine and the patients we serve.

It is within this spirit that we present Volume 27 of The Medicine Forum. This publication represents not only scholarly achievement, but also the intellectual curiosity and dedication that define our community.

This year, we were particularly struck by …

Table Of Contents: The Medicine Forum, Volume 27, 2025-2026

The Medicine Forum

Table of Contents: The Medicine Forum, Volume 27, 2025-2026

The Medicine Forum: Volume 27

The Medicine Forum

The Journal of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital - Department of Internal Medicine, Volume 27, 2025-2026

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Case Reports
• Letter to the Editor
• Research Studies
• Humanities & Reflections

Diagnostic And Clinical Management Performance Of Large Language Models In Pediatric Infectious Diseases: A Multi-Model Comparative Cross-Sectional Study With Healthcare Professionals And Medical Students, Sait Ramazan Gülbay, Muhammed Yusuf Ozan Avcı, Muhammed Nezih Koç, Hanife Tutan, Sümeyye Koç, Ömer Adil İlhan, Metin Doğan

Journal of Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Objective: Large language models (LLMs) are increasingly investigated to support clinical decision-making. However, their comparative performance against human expertise in pediatric infectious diseases remains insufficiently characterized. This study compared diagnostic accuracy and management score between healthcare professionals, medical students, and multiple LLM configurations. Methods: A cross-sectional comparative study was conducted using 30 standardized pediatric infectious disease cases stratified by difficulty (6 easy, 12 medium, 12 difficult). Each case included three multiple-choice questions: a diagnostic gateway question and two management questions. A conditional scoring framework was applied: management questions were scored only when the diagnostic gateway question was answered correctly. The …

Risk Factors Associated With Poor Prognosis In Children With Severe Pneumonia And Their Clinical And Nursing Implications, Chao Fan, Jiarong Li, Jiao Yuan

Journal of Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Objective: Severe pneumonia (SP) accompanied by high fever is frequently encountered in pediatric emergency and intensive care settings and is associated with unfavorable short-term outcomes. Early identification of factors associated with poor prognosis may support timely risk recognition and nursing awareness. Methods: This retrospective observational study included 195 children with SP complicated by high fever who were admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) or the Emergency Department of our hospital between January 2019 and January 2022. Demographic characteristics, baseline clinical indicators, and laboratory parameters at admission were extracted from medical records. Poor prognosis was determined according to predefined …

Serum Igf-1 And Igfbp-3 In Preschool Children With Adjudicated Sepsis: A Retrospective Case–Control Study, Wei Pan, Wenwen Zhang

Journal of Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Objective: Sepsis in children is accompanied by marked inflammatory and metabolic perturbations. Conventional markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) reflect inflammation but do not capture broader endocrine–metabolic responses. We therefore examined serum insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) in preschool children with retrospectively adjudicated sepsis and explored their in-sample discriminatory ability within this dataset. This study was exploratory and was not designed to validate clinically actionable biomarkers. Methods: We conducted a retrospective case–control study of 73 children aged 4–6 years with retrospectively adjudicated sepsis and 80 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. For …

Efficacy Of Dipyridamole As Adjuvant Therapy On Coronary Artery Outcomes In Children With Intravenous Immunoglobulin-Resistant Kawasaki Disease: A Multicenter, Randomized, Open-Label Trial, Qingping Wu, Lianzhen Wang, Xiaohong Long

Journal of Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Objective: Non-responsive Kawasaki disease to intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) increases the risk of coronary artery damage in pediatric patients. There is an urgent clinical need for adjunctive therapies that can improve outcomes in these high-risk children. Dipyridamole, with its antiplatelet and vasodilatory effects, may improve outcomes in such patients, but prospective research evidence is currently lacking. Methods: This multicenter, randomized, open-label trial enrolled 144 pediatric patients with IVIG-resistant Kawasaki disease. Participants were randomly allocated to receive either standard therapy supplemented with oral dipyridamole (2 mg/kg, three times daily), or standard therapy alone. The primary endpoint was the change in mean coronary …

Predictors Of Time To Positive Blood Culture In Neonatal Sepsis And Its Utility As A Guide For Optimizing Antibiotic Duration, Asmaa Almilhem, Doha Mouneer Moustafa, Izdehar Nached, Yaser Ali, Mona Khalaf, Hala Ismail, Ahmed Azzam, Aisha Alkhaaldi

Journal of Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Objective: Neonatal sepsis is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in neonatal units. Neonates are often exposed to prolonged periods of antibiotics, leading to adverse outcomes. This study aimed to assess the time to positivity (TTP) in early-onset neonatal sepsis (EONS) and late-onset neonatal sepsis (LONS) and its impact on the duration of empirical antibiotics. Methods: A retrospective cohort review was conducted from January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2023, at Al Qassimi Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) with positive blood cultures and confirmed EONS or LONS …

Epstein-Barr Virus Infection In Children Of Hangzhou During Strict And Optimized Covid-19 Control Periods: Epidemiological Characteristics And Variation Distributions, Hao Wang, Lin Chen, Shuangshuang Huang, Zhijian Song, Chunhong Zhu, Tong Wang, Fengqing Cai, Zhaoyang Peng, Hongqiang Shen

Journal of Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Objective: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection is linked to multiple pediatric disorders, and COVID-19 control measures may have modified its epidemiological profiles. This study analyzed EBV infection characteristics and distribution changes among children in Hangzhou before and after the promulgation of the ‘10 prevention and control measures,’ comparing the strict (2022) and relaxed (2023) pandemic periods. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 38,086 children with suspected EBV-related diseases who underwent EBV serological antibody testing via chemiluminescence immunoassay at Children's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine between January 2022 and December 2023. The percentages and distributions of Seropositive across years, …

Integrating Geo Analysis And Machine Learning For Identifying Transcriptomic Signature Of Ev-A71 Infection, Li Li, Guifang Hu

Journal of Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Objective: To identify a transcriptomic signature associated with EV-A71 infection using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) transcriptome profiles from the public dataset GSE135964, which compares samples from subjects with Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) infection against healthy controls based on bioinformatics and machine learning algorithms, for exploratory biomarker discovery. Methods: The publicly available dataset GSE135964, accessed through the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database WAS analyzed. Differential expression analysis was conducted with a |log2FC| ≥ 0.5 and an adj.P.Val < 0.05 cutoff. The resulting gene set was then visualized through box plots, PCA, volcano plots, and heatmaps. Subsequently, we utilized the random forest algorithm, which quantified gene importance by integrating the mean decrease in both accuracy and the Gini index. This process culminated in the selection of the highest-ranking 10% of genes for subsequent candidacy. Functional characterization of the candidate genes involved Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses, alongside the establishment of a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network leveraging the STRING database. Results: Our analysis revealed 438 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), with a marked imbalance towards upregulation (415 genes) compared to downregulation (23 genes). Random forest screening identified 44 candidate genes. PPI analysis identified 23 key genes, and LASSO regression finally pinpointed three feature genes: IFIT5, OASL, and PLSCR1. ROC analysis showed AUC values of 0.964, 0.921, and 0.894 for OASL, PLSCR1, and IFIT5, respectively, indicating a strong association with EV-A71 infection. Enrichment analysis implicated these feature genes in antiviral biological processes, suggesting a core mechanism involving antiviral defense (GO:0051607) to viral RNA binding (GO:0003727). Conclusions: The identified three-gene signature, enriched in antiviral response pathways, provides a theoretical basis for future research into host transcriptomic responses to EV-A71 infection and the RIG-I signaling axis. This transcriptomic signature analysis offers an exploratory resource for understanding EV-A71–associated HFMD.

Balancing Diagnostic Accuracy And Antimicrobial Stewardship In Neonatal Sepsis, Jeslyn Tengkawan, Mmdeah Hapsari, Dimas Tri Anantyo, Helmia Farida, Adhie Nur Radityo, Moh Syarofil Anam, Seda Yilmaz Semerci

Journal of Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Objective: Neonatal sepsis continues to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality globally, particularly in developing countries. The rising rate of antimicrobial resistance underscores the urgent need for reliable, practical sepsis prediction tools to optimize antibiotic use. The Sepsis Prediction Score (SPS) integrates clinical and laboratory parameters and has shown a positive impact in simplifying clinical decision-making. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the SPS in predicting late-onset sepsis (LOS) in a tertiary referral hospital in Indonesia. Methods: This diagnostic study used a cross-sectional design and was conducted at Dr. Kariadi General Hospital, using medical records …

Empirical Antibiotic Use In Children With Acute Fever: Clinical Evidence And Sociocultural Perspectives Literature Review, Hussein Moustafa Shehata, Ranya Khairy Ammar

Journal of Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Objective: Empirical antibiotic therapy in children with acute fever remains a controversial clinical issue. Fever is one of the most common presenting symptoms in pediatric care, yet most febrile episodes are self-limiting and attributable to viral infections. To evaluate the clinical evidence on empirical antibiotic therapy in febrile children, assess clinical outcomes, synthesize international guideline recommendations, and analyze the impact of sociocultural factors on prescribing practices. Methods: A narrative literature review was conducted using PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, and Google Scholar (January 2014 – March 2025), supplemented by guideline databases from the World Health Organization (WHO), the European Society for Paediatric Infectious …

Community-Based Tuberculosis Screening With Computer-Aided Detection Technology Alone And In Combination With Point-Of-Care C-Reactive Protein Testing: A Paired Screen-Positive Trial, Klaus Reither, Fiona Vanobberghen, Anna Verjans, Harsh Harkare, Bart Jacobs, Alastair Heerden, Shriya Misra, Fabrizio Tedios, Curdin Brugger, Alfred Keter

Population Health, East Africa

Background Active tuberculosis case-finding in communities is crucial for early disease detection and disruption of transmission; however, it is complex and costly. A thorough analysis of tuberculosis screening strategies is essential, particularly because the health systems affected often have limited resources. We aimed to compare two community screening approaches in terms of tuberculosis case yield and cost.

Methods This pragmatic community trial, with a paired screen-positive design (ie, within-person comparison), was conducted in the Butha-Buthe District in Lesotho and the uMgungundlovu District in South Africa. All household members aged at least 18 years were eligible to participate, except those who …

Performance Evaluation Of The Xpert® Hcv Test On Fingerstick Blood In A Prospective Observational Clinical Study At Clia-Waived Sites In The United States, Jennifer R. Havens, Shelly Ann Fluker, Jonathan Schimmel, L. Madeline Mccrary, Lesley S. Miller, Tomoko Udo, Yukari C. Manabe, Anne Luetkemeyer, Greer Burkholder, Andrew M. Moon, Cody A. Chastain, Jennifer C. Price, John Cafardi, Juan F. Gallegos-Orozco, Brittany A. Young, Jesse Young, Carlos Aparicio, Yu Song, Eric Lai, Gail E. Louw

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background: A major barrier to hepatitis C virus (HCV) elimination in the United States is the lack of a point-of-care test to confirm the presence of HCV RNA. The purpose of this clinical trial was to evaluate the performance of the Xpert® HCV test at CLIA-waived sites in the United States. Methods: Participants at risk and/or with signs/symptoms of HCV infection provided fingerstick blood that was tested on the Xpert® HCV test and venous blood tested using the cobas® HCV and Elecsys® Anti-HCV II tests. Fingerstick blood was collected at CLIA-waived sites by individuals self-trained on collection procedures. Results: Participants …

Summer 2026, Augustana College, Rock Island Illinois

Augustana Magazine

No abstract provided.

Rethinking Preoperative Mrsa/Mssa Screening Through Molecular Triage, Rob E. Carpenter, Greg Whitlock

Human Resource Development Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Preoperative screening for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) is intended to identify patients at increased risk of surgical site infection and guide decolonization and perioperative antimicrobial prophylaxis. However, many molecular assays reduce this decision to a binary positive/ negative result, potentially obscuring clinically important distinctions in organism identity, methicillin resistance attribution, and mupirocin resistance risk. Methods: This structured narrative review organized direct perioperative evidence and indirect mechanistic, implementation, and economic evidence around one question: how MRSA/MSSA screening can move from organism detection to actionable molecular triage. Results: Useful preoperative reporting depends on assigning resistance markers …

Uti, Delirium, And Dementia: A Conceptual Bioinformatics Framework For Clinical Attribution, Rob E. Carpenter, Andrew Krouse

Human Resource Development Faculty Publications and Presentations

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is frequently invoked to explain delirium, confusion, and functional decline in persons with dementia. Yet urine positivity in this population often reflects asymptomatic bacteriuria, colonization, chronic pyuria, contamination, or sampling noise rather than clinically attributable infection. For biomedical informatics and computational diagnostics readers, this narrative review contributes an integrative conceptual bioinformatics framework for probabilistic clinical attribution of suspected UTI in dementia under uncertainty. We formalizes the attribution problem by distinguishing organism detection from a clinically plausible infection-related contribution to neurocognitive decline. The framework integrates clinical, laboratory, biological, and longitudinal data to clarify whether urinary findings are …

Improving Emr Accessibility In Remote & Resource-Limited Regions: Insights From The Nirog System For Rohingya Refugees, Ishan S. Abdullah, Maeve Mclaughlin, Samia Tasneem

URGENT Matters

No abstract provided.

Fluoroquinolone Use And Risk Of Pneumothorax In Adults Hospitalized With Community Acquired Pneumonia: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Steven Yi B. S., Saurav Sumughan B.S., Jessica Cobb M. D., Erika J. Yoo

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Objectives: The objective of this study is to examine the relationship between fluoroquinolone exposure and pneumothorax risk in patients hospitalized with pneumonia.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study used the TriNetX US Collaborative Network. We defined two mutually exclusive cohorts of hospitalized adults based on exposure to antibiotic classes commonly used to treat community acquired pneumonia: fluoroquinolone (ciprofloxacin, moxifloxacin, levofloxacin, and ofloxacin) versus nonfluoroquinolone (amoxicillin, azithromycin, ceftriaxone, and doxycycline). Patients with connective tissue disorders were excluded. The primary outcome was the occurrence of pneumothorax within 60 days. We used Cox proportional hazards regression to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) adjusted for demographics, …

Investigating Culicoides Diversity, Distribution, And Behavior In Arkansas, Cassandra Steele

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Culicoides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) are globally important vectors of pathogens affecting livestock and wildlife. In the United States (US), transmission of bluetongue virus (BTV), epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV), and vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) results in economic losses and periodic mortality events of wild and domestic ruminants. Culicoides sonorensis is the confirmed vector of BTV and EHDV in the western regions of the US, however this species is uncommon throughout much of the eastern and southeastern US, where hemorrhagic diseases remain endemic. There are likely other putative vector species responsible for pathogen transmission. This research investigated Culicoides diversity, distribution, …

Antibody-Oligonucleotide Conjugates: An Emerging Modality For Precision Rna Therapeutics, Chen-Hsu Yu, Summer Y Y Ha, Zhiqiang An, Kyoji Tsuchikama, Wenbo Li

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

RNA-targeting therapeutics have enormous potential to precisely target disease-causing RNAs, extending beyond the traditional limits of "druggability" for small molecules, antibodies, and protein-targeting cell therapies. However, one crucial limitation is that RNA-targeting drug modalities (such as oligonucleotides) cannot effectively reach diseased tissue or cell types. Antibody-oligonucleotide conjugates (AOCs) emerge as a promising frontier in aiding RNA therapeutics by harnessing antibodies to deliver drug modalities to target specific RNAs in desired tissues or cells. In this Review, we summarize the critical components of AOCs, key considerations for their design and manufacturing, ongoing AOCs in preclinical/clinical development, and disease indications. We discuss …

Assessing Hpv And Hpv Vaccine Awareness And Perception Amongst Undergraduate Students, Maura Hawkins

Honors Theses

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections in the United States. Vaccination rates remain low among college-aged students despite an effective vaccine being available. This study investigates HPV and HPV vaccination-related knowledge, beliefs, and perceptions among undergraduate students to inform targeted intervention strategies. Participants included undergraduate students (n = 19) who attended one of three focus groups conducted in April 2025 at the University of South Alabama. Structured interview guides explored HPV knowledge, perceived risk and severity, attitudes towards vaccination, autonomy in health decision-making, trust in health information sources, and preferred educational strategies. Discussions were …