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Interleukin-21: A Potential Biomarker For Diagnosis And Predicting Prognosis In Covid-19 Patients, Ni̇lüfer Ayli̇n Acet Öztürk, Ahmet Ursavaş, Asli Görek Di̇lektaşli, Ezgi̇ Demi̇rdöğen, Necmi̇ye Funda Coşkun, Dane Edi̇ger, Ayşe Esra Uzaslan, Di̇ğdem Yöyen Ermi̇ş, Mert Karaca, Orkun Eray Terzi̇, Merve Bayram, Di̇lara Ömer Topçu, Büşra Yi̇ği̇tli̇ler, Ahmet Yurttaş, Shahri̇yar Maharramov

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: COVID-19 patients have a wide spectrum of disease severity. Several biomarkers were evaluated as predictors for progression towards severe disease. IL-21 is a member of common γ-chain cytokine family and creates some specific effects during programming and maintenance of antiviral immunity. We aimed to assess IL-21 as a biomarker for diagnosis and outcome prediction in patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Materials and methods: Patients with a preliminary diagnosis of COVID-19 and pneumonia other than COVID-19 admitted to a tertiary care hospital were included consecutively in this comparative study. Results: The study population consisted of 51 patients with COVID-19 and 11 …

Assessment Of Olfactory And Gustatory Functions In Covid-19 Patients, Muammer Meli̇h Şahi̇n, Eray Uzunoğlu, Mücahi̇t Yalçin, Gökçen Cesur, Mehmet Yildiz, Pinar Aysert Yildiz, Hasan Selçuk Özger, Süleyman Cebeci̇, Recep Karamert, Mehmet Düzlü, Hakan Tutar, Murat Di̇zbay, Alper Ceylan

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: This study aims to evaluate of olfactory and gustatory functions of COVID-19 patients and possible risk factors for olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions. Materials and methods: The cross-sectional study included adult patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 in Gazi University Hospital between April 2020 and June 2020. Volunteered patients participated in a survey in which olfactory and gustatory functions and various clinical information were questioned. Sinonasal Outcome Test-22 was also administrated to all patients. Results: A hundred and seventy-one patients participated in this study. Olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions rates were 10.5% (n: 18) and 10.5% (n: 18), respectively. Patients without …

Assessment Of A Program For Sars-Cov-2 Screening And Environmental Monitoring In An Urban Public School District, John Crowe, Andy T. Schnaubelt, Scott Schmidtbonne, Kathleen Angell, Julia Bai, Teresa Eske, Molly Nicklin, Catherine Pratt, Bailey White, Brodie Crotts-Hannibal, Nicholas Staffend, Vicki L. Herrera, Jeramie Cobb, Jennifer Conner, Julie Carstens, Jonell Tempero, Lori Bouda, Matthew Ray, James V. Lawler, Walter S. Campbell, John-Martin Lowe, Joshua L. Santarpia, Shannon Bartelt-Hunt, Michael R. Wiley, David Brett-Major, Cheryl Logan, M. Jana Broadhurst

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

Importance: Scalable programs for school-based SARS-CoV-2 testing and surveillance are needed to guide in-person learning practices and inform risk assessments in kindergarten through 12th grade settings.

Objectives: To characterize SARS-CoV-2 infections in staff and students in an urban public school setting and evaluate test-based strategies to support ongoing risk assessment and mitigation for kindergarten through 12th grade in-person learning.

Design, Setting, and Participants: This pilot quality improvement program engaged 3 schools in Omaha, Nebraska, for weekly saliva polymerase chain reaction testing of staff and students participating in in-person learning over a 5-week period from November 9 to December 11, 2020. …

A Midwestern Academic Hiv Clinic Operation During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Implementation Strategy And Preliminary Outcomes, Nada Fadul, Nichole Regan, Layan Kaddoura, Susan Swindells

Journal Articles: Infectious Diseases

During the COVID-19 pandemic, HIV clinics had to transform care delivery for people with HIV (PWH). We developed a multifaceted telehealth implementation strategy and monitored number of out of care patients (OOC), medical visit frequency (MVF), gap in care (GiC) and viral suppression (VS), and compared measures to baseline data. Between April and October 2020, 1559 visits were scheduled; 328 (21%) were missed, and 63 (4%) were new to care. Of the remaining 1168 follow-up visits, 412 (35%) were telehealth visits. As of October 2020, there were 53 patients OOC, MVF was 55% and GiC was 24% compared to 34, …

Nonprofit Capacity To Manage Hurricane-Pandemic Threat: Local And National Perspectives On Resilience During Covid-19, Nicole S. Hutton, Steven W. Mumford, Marina Saitgalina, Juita-Elena (Wie) Yusuf, Joshua G. Behr, Rafael Diaz, John J. Kiefer

Political Science & Geography Faculty Publications

This paper examines nonprofits' capacity for responding to simultaneous hurricane-pandemic threat, addressing: (1) strategies nonprofits use to deliver services during the COVID-19 pandemic, and (2) how natural hazards may affect nonprofit roles in emergency service delivery during a pandemic. Data come from a survey of New Orleans-based nonprofits demonstrating effects of pandemic on local nonprofit service delivery, and workshops with U.S. coastal community stakeholders exploring expectations for nonprofit roles in emergency operations nationwide. Nonprofits have applied resilient strategies including virtual operations, staff reductions, and funding diversification, but vulnerabilities remain. Findings guide a research agenda for building nonprofit and community resilience.

High Prevalence Of Pre-Existing Serological Cross-Reactivity Against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (Sars- Cov-2) In Sub-Saharan Africa, For Yue Tso, Salum Lidenge, Phoebe B. Peña, Ashley A. Clegg, John R. Ngowi, Julius Mwaiselage, Owen Ngalamika, Peter Julius, John T. West, Charles Wood

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Objective: Significant morbidity and mortality have occurred in the USA, Europe, and Asia due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), whereas the numbers of infections and deaths in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have remained comparatively low. It has been hypothesized that exposure of the population in SSA to other coronaviruses prior to the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in some degree of cross-protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection and pathogenesis. We evaluated this hypothesis by comparing SARS-CoV-2 cross-reactive antibodies in pre-pandemic plasma samples collected from SSA and the USA.

Method: Pre-COVID-19 pandemic plasma samples from SSA and the USA were collected and tested by …

The Mental Health Of Latinx Adults In The United States During The Coronavirus Pandemic: A Snapshot Of Anxiety, Depression, And Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, Bianca T. Villalobos, Juventino Hernandez Rodriguez

Psychological Science Faculty Publications

The current study documented levels of anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress, and COVID-19 fears and impacts among Latinxs in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants of this cross-sectional study were 388 Latinx adults who completed an online survey between June and November 2020. Almost half of participants showed clinical levels of anxiety and depression and more than a quarter of participants showed clinical levels of posttraumatic stress. Latinxs reported on average 22 types of negative pandemic life impacts. Group differences based on gender, educational attainment, income, vulnerability to COVID-19, and essential worker status were found for mental health symptoms. Severity …

Nutritional Approach For Increasing Public Health During Pandemic Of Covid-19: A Comprehensive Review Of Antiviral Nutrients And Nutraceuticals, Vahideh Ebrahimzadeh-Attari, Ghodratollah Panahi, James R. Hébert Scd, Alireza Ostadrahimi, Maryam Saghafi-Asl, Neda Lotfi-Yaghin, Behzad Baradaran

Faculty Publications

Background: The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is considered as the most life-threatening pandemic disease during the last decade. The individual nutritional status, though usually ignored in the management of COVID-19, plays a critical role in the immune function and pathogenesis of infection. Accordingly, the present review article aimed to report the effects of nutrients and nutraceuticals on respiratory viral infections including COVID-19, with a focus on their mechanisms of action.

Methods: Studies were identified via systematic searches of the databases including PubMed/ MEDLINE, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Google Scholar from 2000 until April 2020, using keywords. All relevant clinical and experimental studies …

A Needs Assessment Tool To Evaluate Hiv Care In South Carolina: Utilizing A Telehealth Model During Covid-19, Tanya Philpott Brown

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

A newly identified virus coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 caused a worldwide pandemic named COVID-19. This pandemic caused an interruption in the way medical care was traditionally delivered to People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). To meet the ongoing medical needs of PLWHA, HIV medical care was expanded to telehealth (i.e., telephone calls, video chat). Telehealth was implemented to keep patients engaged in care and treatment adherent. This study explores patients’ feelings and attitudes around their HIV care during the COVID-19 pandemic. A one-time survey was administered to patients who received care at an outpatient Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program funded HIV clinic in the …

Impact Of Covid-19 On Participants Of A Fruit And Vegetable Program, Christabelle Ong

Public Health Theses

Objective: To investigate the impact of COVID-19 on the participants of a multi-city fruit and vegetable incentive program.Design: A six-month cohort study was conducted. Pre-program and post-program data were collected using an online survey platform. Setting: Eight cities across the United States. Participants: A total of 822 individuals were recruited through local site partners to participate in a fruit and vegetable incentive program (n=822; 79.4% women, 20.6% men; median age: 57 years old). Intervention: Participants received $50 monthly fruit and vegetable vouchers, a sneaker gift card or gift basket, and access to a weight loss app. Main Outcome Measures: The …

Covid-19: The Spearpoint Of Human–Wildlife Interactions, Terry A. Messmer

Human–Wildlife Interactions

This is the letter from the editor-in-chief.

Perspectives For Immune Plasma Treatment Of Covid-19, Başak Sayinalp, Olgu Erki̇n Çinar, İbrahi̇m Celaletti̇n Haznedaroğlu

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: The SARS-CoV-2 infection was declared as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020, and the death toll from COVID-19, which is the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, has already surpassed that of many previous epidemics. A wide variety of treatment options are being considered for COVID-19, but there is still no definitive treatment or vaccine. This study aims to explain the background of convalescent plasma (CP) treatment and its relations with COVID-19 immunity, to define ideal treatment procedures, and to reveal present and future perspectives in the light of the rapidly growing data. Immunological basis …

Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Psychology And Disease Activity In Patients Withankylosing Spondylitis And Rheumatoid Arthritis, Şaki̇r Gica, Yasemi̇n Akkubak, Zaki̇re Kübra Aksoy, Adem Küçük, Erkan Cüre

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: The COVID-19 outbreak is known to increase stress levels of most patients with chronic diseases. Patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are highly susceptible to environmental stress. In the current study, we aimed to determine how the COVID-19 pandemic psychologically affected patients with chronic progressive diseases such as AS and RA and the effects of these psychological factors on disease activity. Materials and methods: Age and sex-matched patients with AS (n = 80), RA (n = 80), and healthy controls (n = 80) were included in the study. All participants were evaluated with the "Perceived COVID-19 …

Collaboration Between Public Health And Marketing Experts As A Response To Covid-19, M. Courtney Hughes, Yihui Tang, Shupei Yuan

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

Since the beginning of 2020, as the world’s population has dealt with COVID-19 and abrupt changes to the normal status quo, academic scholars are no exception, experiencing radical changes to their teaching modalities (remote versus in-person) and often major interruptions in their research. One month after the initial shift to working remotely in March, we obtained approval from Northern Illinois University’s Institutional Review Board to conduct a brief survey with recently published academic scholars in the fields of public health and marketing to understand their views of how this unprecedented time may affect their work. In examining patterns in the …

Examining Social Vulnerability And The Association With Covid-19 Incidence In Harris County, Texas, Guillermo A Tortolero, Marcia De Oliveira Otto, Ryan Ramphul, Jose-Miguel Yamal, Alison Rector, Michael Brown, Melissa F Peskin, Dania Mofleh, Eric Boerwinkle

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Studies have investigated the association between social vulnerability and SARS-CoV-2 incidence. However, few studies have examined small geographic units such as census tracts, examined geographic regions with large numbers of Hispanic and Black populations, controlled for testing rates, and incorporated stay-at-home measures into their analyses. Understanding the relationship between social vulnerability and SARS-CoV-2 incidence is critical to understanding the interplay between social determinants and implementing risk mitigation guidelines to curtail the spread of infectious diseases. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between CDC's Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) and SARS-CoV-2 incidence while controlling for testing rates and …

A Fuzzy Expert System For Predicting The Mortality Of Covid'19, Monika Mangla, Nonita Sharma, Poonam Mittal

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a widespread impact on health and economy across the globe. It is leading to a huge number of deaths per day. Few researchers have been attracted to analyzing the mortality rate of COVID-19 from various perspectives. During the research, it has become evident that these fatalities are not only caused by COVID19, but they are also affected by some other factors. The authors of this paper aim to encompass three important types of factors viz. risk factors, clinical factors, and miscellaneous factors that influence the mortality of COVID-19. This manuscript presents a rule-based model under …

Environmental Law, Disrupted By Covid-19, Rebecca Bratspies, Vanessa Casado Peréz, Robin Kundis Craig, Lissa Griffin, Sarah Krakoff, Keith Hirokawa, Katrina Kuh, Jessica Owley, Melissa Powers, Shannon Roesler, Jonathan Rosenbloom, J. B. Ruhl, Erin Ryan, David Takacs

Publications

For over a year, the COVID-19 pandemic and concerns about systemic racial injustice have highlighted the conflicts and opportunities currently faced by environmental law. Scientists uniformly predict that environmental degradation, notably climate change, will cause a rise in diseases, disproportionate suffering among communities already facing discrimination, and significant economic losses. In this Article, members of the Environmental Law Collaborative examine the legal system’s responses to these crises, with the goal of framing opportunities to reimagine environmental law. The Article is excerpted from their book Environmental Law, Disrupted, to be published by ELI Press later this year.

A Pandemic At The Library: Lessons From Covid-19 About Technology Needs For Remote Working During A Crisis, Rebecca Ciota, Erika Barber

Publications

No abstract provided.

Application Of Data And Geospatial Analysis In Energy And Health Systems, Ali Faghani

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Having sustainable energy and health systems are the main factors in the vision plan of every country. Both of these systems are correlated with a variety of frameworks, including social, physical, technological, political, and economic factors. Therefore, different types of analytics methods can be implemented to develop the required assessments for those who make plans since understanding the effect of such factors individually, also their interactions, and the overall effect is crucial. With this regard, applications of data analysis and geospatial techniques in both energy, and health systems have recently gained attention. The proposed research here deployed advanced data analytics …

N95 Respirator Reuse, Decontamination Methods, And Microbial Burden: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Zi Yang Jiang, Zhen Huang, Isaac Schmale, Eric L Brown, Michael C Lorenz, Scott J Patlovich, Karan Goswami, Hannah B Wilson, Jumah Ahmad, Ronda Alexander, William Bryan, Luke Burke, Martin J Citardi, Jose Elias, Tang Ho, Jack Jacob, Garren Low, Pedro Miramón, Aniruddha U Patki, William C Yao, Amber U Luong

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: to evaluate the effectiveness and ease of N95 respirator decontamination methods in a clinic setting and to identify the extent of microbial colonization on respirators associated with reuse.

METHODS: In a prospective fashion, N95 respirators (n = 15) were randomized to a decontamination process (time, dry heat, or ultraviolet C light [UVC]) in outpatient clinics. Each respirator was re-used up to 5 separate clinic sessions. Swabs on each respirator for SARS-CoV-2, bacteria, and fungi were obtained before clinic, after clinic and post-treatment. Mask integrity was checked after each treatment (n = 68). Statistical analyses were performed to determine factors …

Discourse Of Renewal: A Qualitative Analysis Of The University Of Montana’S Covid-19 Crisis Communication, Haley Renae Gabel

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The COVID-19 pandemic has proven to be a public health crisis that has affected lives and impacted organizations across the world. The pandemic has interrupted student learning and threatened universities nationwide. Crises are trying times for organizations, and when faced with a crisis, an organization has an obligation to keep its members informed; therefore, it must carefully choose how to respond and communicate about the crisis. This study uses discourse of renewal theory as a lens to analyze the University of Montana’s communication about COVID-19, studying 37 pages of university emails and documents on the university website. Results indicate that …

Taking Account Of Asymptomatic Infections: A Modeling Study Of The Covid-19 Outbreak On The Diamond Princess Cruise Ship, Li-Shan Huang, Li Li, Lucia Dunn, Mai He

Open Access Publications

The COVID-19 outbreak on the Diamond Princess (DP) cruise ship has provided empirical data to study the transmission potential of COVID-19 with the presence of pre/asymptomatic cases. We studied the changes in R0 on DP from January 21 to February 19, 2020 based on chain binomial models under two scenarios: no quarantine assuming a random mixing condition, and quarantine of passengers in cabins-passengers may get infected either by an infectious case in a shared cabin or by pre/asymptomatic crew who continued to work. Estimates of R0 at the beginning of the epidemic were 3.27 (95% CI, 3.02-3.54) and 3.78 (95% …

Guidelines For Conducting Virtual Cognitive Interviews During A Pandemic, James A Shepperd, Gabrielle Pogge, Jean M Hunleth, Sienna Ruiz, Erika A Waters

Open Access Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged researchers working in physical contact with research participants. Cognitive interviews examine whether study components (most often questionnaire items) are worded or structured in a manner that allows study participants to interpret the items in a way intended by the researcher. We developed guidelines to conduct cognitive interviews virtually to accommodate interviewees who have limited access to the internet. The guidelines describe the essential communication and safety equipment requirements and outline a procedure for collecting responses while maintaining the safety of the participants and researchers. Furthermore, the guidelines provide suggestions regarding training of participants to use …

Clinical Prediction Rule For Sars-Cov-2 Infection From 116 U.S. Emergency Departments 2-22-2021, Jeffrey A. Kline, Stacey House, Et Al.

Open Access Publications

OBJECTIVES: Accurate and reliable criteria to rapidly estimate the probability of infection with the novel coronavirus-2 that causes the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2) and associated disease (COVID-19) remain an urgent unmet need, especially in emergency care. The objective was to derive and validate a clinical prediction score for SARS-CoV-2 infection that uses simple criteria widely available at the point of care.

METHODS: Data came from the registry data from the national REgistry of suspected COVID-19 in EmeRgency care (RECOVER network) comprising 116 hospitals from 25 states in the US. Clinical variables and 30-day outcomes were abstracted from medical records …

Cxcl17 Is A Specific Diagnostic Biomarker For Severe Pandemic Influenza A(H1n1) That Predicts Poor Clinical Outcome, Jose Alberto Choreño-Parra, Shabaana A Khader, Et Al

Open Access Publications

The C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 17 (CXCL17) is chemotactic for myeloid cells, exhibits bactericidal activity, and exerts anti-viral functions. This chemokine is constitutively expressed in the respiratory tract, suggesting a role in lung defenses. However, little is known about the participation of CXCL17 against relevant respiratory pathogens in humans. Here, we evaluated the serum levels and lung tissue expression pattern of CXCL17 in a cohort of patients with severe pandemic influenza A(H1N1) from Mexico City. Peripheral blood samples obtained on admission and seven days after hospitalization were processed for determinations of serum CXCL17 levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The …

Outcomes Associated With Social Distancing Policies In St Louis, Missouri, During The Early Phase Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Elvin H. Geng, Joshua Schwab, Randi Foraker, Branson Fox, Christine M. Hoehner, Mario Schootman, Aaloke Mody, William Powderly, Byron Yount, Keith Woeltje, Maya Petersen

Open Access Publications

Importance: In the absence of a national strategy in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many public health decisions fell to local elected officials and agencies. Outcomes of such policies depend on a complex combination of local epidemic conditions and demographic features as well as the intensity and timing of such policies and are therefore unclear.

Objective: To use a decision analytical model of the COVID-19 epidemic to investigate potential outcomes if actual policies enacted in March 2020 (during the first wave of the epidemic) in the St Louis region of Missouri had been delayed.

Design, Setting, and Participants: A previously …

Public Preferences For Social Distancing Policy Measures To Mitigate The Spread Of Covid-19 In Missouri, Ingrid Eshun-Wilson, Aaloke Mody, Virginia Mckay, Matifadza Hlatshwayo, Cory Bradley, Vetta Thompson, David V. Glidden, Elvin H. Geng

Open Access Publications

Importance: Policies to promote social distancing can minimize COVID-19 transmission but come with substantial social and economic costs. Quantifying relative preferences among the public for such practices can inform locally relevant policy prioritization and optimize uptake.

Objective: To evaluate relative utilities (ie, preferences) for COVID-19 pandemic social distancing strategies against the hypothetical risk of acquiring COVID-19 and anticipated income loss.

Design, Setting, and Participants: This survey study recruited individuals living in the Missouri area from May to June 2020 via randomly distributed unincentivized social media advertisements and local recruitment platforms for members of minority racial and ethnic groups. Participants answered …

Using Lorenz Curves To Measure Racial Inequities In Covid-19 Testing, Aaloke Mody, Kristin Pfeifauf, Elvin H. Geng

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Understanding Drivers Of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) Racial Disparities: A Population-Level Analysis Of Covid-19 Testing Among Black And White Populations, Aaloke Mody, Kristin Pfeifauf, Cory Bradley, Branson Fox, Matifadza G. Hlatshwayo, Will Ross, Vetta Sanders-Thompson, Karen Joynt Maddox, Mat Reidhead, Mario Schootman, William G. Powderly, Elvin H. Geng

Open Access Publications

BACKGROUND: Disparities in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) testing-the pandemic's most critical but limited resource-may be an important but modifiable driver of COVID-19 inequities.

METHODS: We analyzed data from the Missouri State Department of Health and Senior Services on all COVID-19 tests conducted in the St Louis and Kansas City regions. We adapted a well-established tool for measuring inequity-the Lorenz curve-to compare COVID-19 testing rates per diagnosed case among Black and White populations.

RESULTS: Between 14/3/2020 and 15/9/2020, 606 725 and 328 204 COVID-19 tests were conducted in the St Louis and Kansas City regions, respectively. Over time, Black individuals consistently …

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

Publications

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