Digital Commons Network^™

Health Care Workers’ Comfort Ratings For Elastomeric Half-Mask Respirators Versus N95® Filtering Facepiece Respirators During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Lisa Pompeii, Janelle Rios, Colleen S Kraft, Marie Kasbaum, Elisa Benavides, Scott J Patlovich, Luis Ostrosky-Zeichner, Adam Hornbeck, Caitlin Mcclain, Rohan D Fernando, Margaret Sietsema, Morgan Lane

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Reusable elastomeric half-mask respirators (EHMR) are an alternative to address shortages of disposable respirators. While respirator discomfort has been noted as a barrier to adherence to wearing an N95 filtering facepiece respirator (FFR) among health care personnel (HCP), few have examined EHMR comfort while providing patient care, which was the purpose of this study.

METHOD: Among a cohort of 183 HCP, we prospectively examined how HCP rated EHMR tolerability using the Respirator Comfort, Wearing Experience, and Function Instrument (R-COMFI) questionnaire at Study Week 2 and Week 10. At the completion of the study (Week-12), HCP compared EHMR comfort with …

Long-Term Immune Response To Sars-Cov-2 Infection And Vaccination In Children And Adolescents, Sarah E Messiah, Yashar Talebi, Michael D Swartz, Rachit Sabharwal, Haoting Han, Emma Bergqvist, Harold W Kohl, Melissa Valerio-Shewmaker, Stacia M Desantis, Ashraf Yaseen, Steven H Kelder, Jessica Ross, Lindsay N Padilla, Michael O Gonzalez, Leqing Wu, David Lakey, Jennifer A Shuford, Stephen J Pont, Eric Boerwinkle

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: This analysis examined the durability of antibodies present after SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination in children and adolescents.

METHODS: Data were collected over 4 time points between October 2020-November 2022 as part of a prospective population-based cohort aged 5-to-19 years (N = 810). Results of the (1) Roche Elecsys® Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Immunoassay for detection of antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein (Roche N-test); and (2) qualitative and semi-quantitative detection of antibodies to the SARS CoV-2 spike protein receptor binding domain (Roche S-test); and (3) self-reported antigen/PCR COVID-19 test results, vaccination and symptom status were analyzed.

RESULTS: N antibody levels reached a …

Clinical Presentation And Outcomes Of Care In Adults With Diabetic Ketoacidosis Pre-Covid-19 And During-Covid-19 At A Tertiary, Referral Hospital In Nairobi, Kenya, Sairabanu Sokwalla, Jasmit Shah, Sangeeta Chauhan, Reena Shah, Salim Surani, Eric Njenga, Nancy Kunyiha

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background: Prognosis of DKA has improved over time with the availability of evidence-based protocols and resources. However, in Kenya, there are limited resources for the appropriate diagnosis and management of DKA, mostly limited to tertiary-level referral facilities. This study aimed to review the clinical presentation, management, and outcomes of adult patients admitted with DKA and assess differences in these parameters before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: This was a retrospective study of DKA admissions from January 2017 to December 2021. Patient data were retrieved from the medical records department using ICD-10 codes, and individual details were abstracted on clinical …

Risk Factors Of Ischemic Stroke In Covid-19 Patients, Rana Ismael Ali, Nameer Mohammed Altalib

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

Background: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS- CoV-2), has become one of the worst pandemics in this century. COVID-19 may increase the risk of acute ischemic stroke similar to the increased risk of 3.2-fold to 7.8-fold seen within the first 3 days after other respiratory tract infections.Aim: To have the ability of predicting risk of stroke development in COVID19 patients by relaying on variable parameters involving clinical and inflammatory markers.Methods and materials: A case control study conducted in Baghdad, the capital of Iraq at Baghdad teaching Hospital, in a …

Hepatitis B Reactivation And Liver Failure Because Of Covid-19 Infection, Muhammad Mushtaq, Keegan Colletier, Akshata Moghe

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been associated with liver injury incidence reported between 15% and 53%. Viral binding to ACE2 receptors in hepatobiliary cells is believed to cause liver inflammation. The relationship between hepatitis B and COVID-19 is poorly understood, but patients treated with immunosuppressive therapy for COVID-19 are at higher risk of hepatitis B reactivation (HBVr). We present a case of a patient with HBVr because of COVID-19, in the absence of any immunosuppressive treatment, leading to fulminant liver failure and subsequent requiring liver transplantation. Given low incidence, limited data, and no current guidelines, further studies are needed to …

Social Media And Dermatology During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Analyzing User-Submitted Posts Seeking Dermatologic Advice On Reddit, Vivek V Shukla, Benjamin A Carper, Namasivayam Ambalavanan, Matthew A Rysavy, Edward F Bell, Abhik Das, Ravi M Patel, Carl T D'Angio, Kristi L Watterberg, C Michael Cotten, Stephanie L Merhar, Myra H Wyckoff, Pablo J Sánchez, Neha Kumbhat, Waldemar A Carlo, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute Of Child Health And Human Development Neonatal Research Network

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

HYPOTHESIS: Increased social distancing was associated with a lower incidence of extremely preterm live births (EPLB) during the initial COVID-19 pandemic period.

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective study at the NICHD Neonatal Research Network sites comparing EPLB (22

RESULTS: EPLB and EPIS percentages did not significantly decrease (1.58-1.45%, p = 0.07, and 0.08-0.06%, p = 0.14, respectively). SDI was not significantly correlated with percent change of EPLB (CC = 0.29, 95% CI = -0.12, 0.71) or EPIS (CC = -0.23, 95% CI = -0.65, 0.18). Percent change in mean gestational age was positively correlated with SDI (CC = 0.49, 95% CI = …

Is Telehealth Equivalent To In-Person Intervention? A Replication And Extension Of Peers For Adolescents, Elyse Jeannine Adler

Dissertations (1934 -)

One commonly requested area of support for autistic youth centers around teaching and maintaining social skills, as social communication differences are a core feature of autism spectrum disorder. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many healthcare services transitioned to telehealth, and some caregivers were concerned about if telehealth services were efficacious. There is a growing body of literature supporting the effectiveness of in-person social skills interventions, however research on telehealth administration of social skills intervention is more limited. This study aimed to evaluate if the telehealth version of PEERS for Adolescents has similar effects for autistic youth as the originally developed in-person …

Predicting Critical Risks And Long-Term Impact Of Covid-19 Patients With Substance Use Disorder (Sud) Using Machine Learning, Jiawei Wu

Dissertations (1934 -)

The crisis of substance use disorder (SUD), a problematic pattern of substance use that causes significant impairment or distress, is one of the most devastating threats to the public health system in the United States and it is ongoing. Opioid dependency or opioid overdose is a common drug use disorder and the number of deaths due to opioid overdose is increasing significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic because opioid use impacts mostly human respiratory, increases vulnerability to COVID-19, and further leads to higher morbidity and mortality. Other substance use disorders, including alcohol, cocaine, cannabis, and tobacco, will also exacerbate both physical …

Breast Cancer (Bc) And Severe Covid-19 (C-19) Outcomes: A Matched Analysis, Marija Sullivan, Xiudong Lei, Sharon H Giordano, Mariana Chavez-Macgregor

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Patients with cancer receiving anticancer treatment have a higher risk of severe COVID-19 (C-19) outcomes. We examine the association between breast cancer (BC), recent treatment (systemic therapy, surgery, radiation), and C-19 outcomes.

Methods: Retrospective matched cohort study using the Optum® de-identified C-19 Electronic Health Record dataset (2007-2022). Patients with C-19 were categorized into: no cancer, BC with recent treatment, and BC without recent treatment and matched based on age, C-19 diagnosis date, and comorbidity score. We evaluated 30-day mortality, mechanical ventilation, intensive care unit (ICU) stay, and hospitalization. A composite outcome including all outcomes was analyzed. Multivariable logistic regression …

Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells Control Homeostasis Of Megakaryopoiesis, Florian Gaertner, Hellen Ishikawa-Ankerhold, Susanne Stutte, Wenwen Fu, Jutta Weitz, Anne Dueck, Bhavishya Nelakuditi, Valeria Fumagalli, Dominic Van Den Heuvel, Larissa Belz, Gulnoza Sobirova, Zhe Zhang, Anna Titova, Alejandro Martinez Navarro, Kami Pekayvaz, Michael Lorenz, Louisa Von Baumgarten, Jan Kranich, Tobias Straub, Bastian Popper, Vanessa Zheden, Walter Anton Kaufmann, Chenglong Guo, Guido Piontek, Saskia Von Stillfried, Peter Boor, Marco Colonna, Sebastian Clauß, Christian Schulz, Thomas Brocker, Barbara Walzog, Christoph Scheiermann, William C Aird, Claus Nerlov, Konstantin Stark, Tobias Petzold, Stefan Engelhardt, Michael Sixt, Robert Hauschild, Martina Rudelius, Robert A J Oostendorp, Matteo Iannacone, Matthias Heinig, Steffen Massberg

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Platelet homeostasis is essential for vascular integrity and immune defence1,2. Although the process of platelet formation by fragmenting megakaryocytes (MKs; thrombopoiesis) has been extensively studied, the cellular and molecular mechanisms required to constantly replenish the pool of MKs by their progenitor cells (megakaryopoiesis) remains unclear3,4. Here we use intravital imaging to track the cellular dynamics of megakaryopoiesis over days. We identify plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) as homeostatic sensors that monitor the bone marrow for apoptotic MKs and deliver IFNα to the MK niche triggering local on-demand proliferation and maturation of MK progenitors. This pDC-dependent feedback loop is crucial for MK …

Randomized Placebo-Controlled, Biomarker-Stratified Phase Ib Microbiome Modulation In Melanoma: Impact Of Antibiotic Preconditioning On Microbiome And Immunity, Isabella C Glitza, Yongwoo David Seo, Christine N Spencer, Jennifer R Wortman, Elizabeth M Burton, Farah A Alayli, Christopher P Loo, Shikha Gautam, Ashish Damania, Julie Densmore, Justin Fairchild, Christopher R Cabanski, Matthew C Wong, Christine B Peterson, Brian Weiner, Nathan Hicks, John Aunins, Christopher Mcchalicher, Emily Walsh, Michael T Tetzlaff, Omid Hamid, Patrick A Ott, Genevieve M Boland, Ryan J Sullivan, Kenneth F Grossmann, Nadim J Ajami, Theresa Lavallee, Matthew R Henn, Hussein A Tawbi, Jennifer A Wargo

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Gut-microbiota modulation shows promise in improving immune-checkpoint blockade (ICB) response; however, precision biomarker-driven, placebo-controlled trials are lacking. We performed a multicenter, randomized placebo-controlled, biomarker-stratified phase I trial in patients with ICB-naïve metastatic melanoma using SER-401, an orally delivered Firmicutesenriched spore formulation. Fecal microbiota signatures were characterized at baseline; patients were stratified by high versus low Ruminococcaceae abundance prior to randomization to the SER-401 arm (oral vancomycin-preconditioning/SER-401 alone/nivolumab + SER-401), versus the placebo arm [placebo antibiotic/placebo microbiome modulation (PMM)/nivolumab + PMM (NCT03817125)]. Analysis of 14 accrued patients demonstrated that treatment with SER-401 + nivolumab was safe, with an overall response rate …

Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells Control Homeostasis Of Megakaryopoiesis, Florian Gaertner, Marco Colonna, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Platelet homeostasis is essential for vascular integrity and immune defence

The Fear Of Covid-19 Scale: A Case Of A Filipino Adaptation And Validation Study, Alexie Basileyo, Dennis Erasga

Asia-Pacific Social Science Review

As a significant international health emergency, COVID-19, formerly known as 2019-nCov and later termed SARS-Cov-2 or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2, has introduced a myriad of behavioral, emotional, and social problems, most notably the fear of the virus itself. In response, a team of researchers developed a scale that measures COVID-19-related fear in 2020. Today, however, the scale has not been fully tested among the Filipino population in general. Hence, the present research addressed the situation by adapting and validating the original scale. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and other relevant reliability analyses were employed to assess the scale’s reliability …

A Non-Invasive Ai-Based System For Precise Grading Of Anosmia In Covid-19 Using Neuroimaging, Hossam Magdy Balaha, Mayada Elgendy, Ahmed Alksas, Mohamed Shehata, Norah Saleh Alghamdi, Fatma Taher, Mohammed Ghazal, Mahitab Ghoneim, Eslam Hamed Abdou, Fatma Sherif, Ahmed Elgarayhi, Mohammed Sallah, Mohamed Abdelbadie Salem, Elsharawy Kamal, Harpal Sandhu, Ayman El-Baz

All Works

COVID-19 (Coronavirus), an acute respiratory disorder, is caused by SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome). The high prevalence of COVID-19 infection has drawn attention to a frequent illness symptom: olfactory and gustatory dysfunction. The primary purpose of this manuscript is to create a Computer-Assisted Diagnostic (CAD) system to determine whether a COVID-19 patient has normal, mild, or severe anosmia. To achieve this goal, we used fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) Magnetic Resonance Imaging (FLAIR-MRI) and Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) to extract the appearance, morphological, and diffusivity markers from the olfactory nerve. The proposed system begins with the identification of the olfactory …

Hubungan Komorbiditas Terhadap Kondisi Akhir Pasien Covid-19 Di Rsud Siti Fatimah Provinsi Sumatera Selatan, Dewie Suranti

Jurnal Epidemiologi Kesehatan Indonesia

Pada tahun 2021, Indonesia menempati peringkat pertama dengan kasus COVID-19 terbanyak di ASEAN. Angka kematian COVID-19 di Indonesia sebesar 3,4% dan peringkat ke-5 ditempati oleh Provinsi Sumatera Selatan. Penelitian terdahulu menunjukkan komorbiditas berkontribusi terhadap kematian pasien COVID-19 disertai usia dan jenis kelamin. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis peran usia, jenis kelamin, dan komorbiditas terhadap kondisi akhir pasien COVID-19 di RSUD Siti Fatimah. Metode penelitian menggunakan desain cohort retrospective dengan analisis cox regression pendekatan model proportional hazard. Penelitian ini menggunakan data sekunder yaitu rekam medik pasien terkonfirmasi COVID-19 di RSUD Siti Fatimah dari Januari-Desember 2021 berjumlah 928 pasien yang diambil dengan …

All Zoomed Out: Engaging Students With Remote Outreach, Maria Atilano

Library Faculty Presentations & Publications

This poster will describe how one academic library reset their engagement priorities and connected with students via the use of remote outreach programs. While more effort may go into implementing these events and activities, the opportunity to engage with new or wary users more than paid off in the quality of relationships built. Over the course of two academic years, library staff created, hosted, and assessed more than two dozen asynchronous remote outreach programs for students, including many who had never stepped foot on campus. What began as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, in conjunction with the campus’s move …

Perceived Disruption Of Covid-19 On Medical Education In Incoming Psychiatric Residents, Steven Sprenger, Ashley Mahajan, Jeffrey Anderson, Napatkamon Ayutyanont, Jessica C. Wells, Gregory Guldner

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

In 2020, the global COVID-19 pandemic caused educational disruptions to many medical students nationally. Societal and hospital guidelines, including social distancing protocols, resulted in the cancellation or postponement of many elective procedures. A shortage in personal protective equipment also contributed to restrictions in clinical experiences for trainees. The purpose of this study was to determine resident-perceived preparedness in core clinical competencies and evaluate the disruptions to core clerkships.

Methods

A survey was developed to assess self-perceptions of clinical competencies and disruptions to core clerkship experiences. It was distributed to 63 incoming psychiatric residents who were matched to training programs …

The Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Resident Education And Burnout, Timbre Backen, Oliwier Dziadkowiec, Jeffery S. Durbin, Gregory Guldner, Glenda Quan

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the residency experience for physicians across all specialties. There have been studies examining resident perspectives on changes in curriculum and clinical experiences due to the pandemic; however, little research has been conducted on how residents in different specialties interpreted their educational experience and rates of burnout during the pandemic.

Methods

We extended surveys to 281 residents across 15 separate residency programs between November 17, 2020, and December 20, 2020. The questions pertained to burnout and the effects of the pandemic on their careers. Differences between general and specialty medicine resident responses were analyzed using …

Teaching Bioinformatics Through The Analysis Of Sars-Cov-2: Project-Based Training For Computer Science Students, Pavlin G Poličar, Martin Špendl, Tomaž Curk, Blaž Zupan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

MOTIVATION: We learn more effectively through experience and reflection than through passive reception of information. Bioinformatics offers an excellent opportunity for project-based learning. Molecular data are abundant and accessible in open repositories, and important concepts in biology can be rediscovered by reanalyzing the data.

RESULTS: In the manuscript, we report on five hands-on assignments we designed for master's computer science students to train them in bioinformatics for genomics. These assignments are the cornerstones of our introductory bioinformatics course and are centered around the study of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). They assume no prior knowledge of molecular …

Mortality And Comorbidities Associated With Covid-19 Infection In Psychiatric Patients From A State Hospital, Nicole Ann E. Villa, Matthew Driben, Regina Reed, Maria Yee, Eduardo Espiridion

Transformative Medicine

Introduction: Coronavirus (COVID-19) infection has spread globally and resulted in more than one million deaths in the US as of July 2023, where it has been more severe in psychiatric wards. State hospitals are a particularly transmissible location for COVID-19, and the medications that psychiatric patients typically utilize may contribute to the incidence of comorbidities including obesity, hypertension, and diabetes. Studies have found that patients with preexisting mental health disorders and comorbidities tend to have worse COVID-19 outcomes. Thus, we examine the mortality and comorbidity rate of patients, and discuss how psychiatric medications may contribute to the risk of …

Evaluating The Role Of In-Person And Virtual Poverty Simulations In Promoting Empathy Among Healthcare Students Before And During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Savannah S. Poole, Susan M. Smith, Edward T. Chiyaka, Ryan E. Owens

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether differing poverty simulation formats during the first year of didactic training increase healthcare students’ empathy toward and/or understanding of people living with poverty. Methods: Data collected from 2019 and 2021 poverty simulations was retrospectively analyzed to determine the impact of in-person and virtual simulations on the understanding of poverty. Pre-simulation surveys were compared to detect potential differences in empathy due to the emergence of COVID-19. The 2019 simulation was performed in-person utilizing the Missouri Association of Community Action (MACA) simulation kit. The 2021 simulation was performed virtually due to COVID-19; …

Long Covid Among Young Adults: Findings From The Household Pulse Survey, Ragan Grantham, Molly Jacobs, Charles Ellis Jr

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Substantial research has been completed to describe the prevalence and risk factors associated with COVID-19. However, less attention has been given to persisting symptoms beyond three months. These persisting symptoms defined as long COVID include fatigue, difficulty thinking or concentrating, memory problems, mobility issues, difficulty seeing, trouble hearing, shortness of breath, and dizziness. Further, less attention has been given to young adults who are more likely to experience mild forms of COVID-19 and potentially differential effects of long COVID. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of young adults experiencing long COVID symptoms and explore the …

The Reading And Phonological Awareness Skills Of Elementary English Language Learners Post Covid-19 Pandemic, Mollie Virginia Jane Breckenridge

Student Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to examine the reading skills of English language learning (ELLs) elementary students post-COVID-19. Furthermore, this study analyzed the relationship between phonological awareness (PA) and the reading skills of the students. The participants included 22 ELL students in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade that attended an after-school program offered by the local Hispanic Center in Jonesboro, Arkansas. To measure the participants’ literacy skills, the primary investigator administered select portions of the Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests-Third Edition (WRMT-III: (Woodcock, 2011) as well as select portions of the DIBELS (DIBELS: University of Oregon, n.d.) assessment. According to …

How Did Cognitive Status Impact Health Care Use Among Older Adults During The Covid-19 Pandemic?, Katarina Sako, Janet Wilmoth

Population Health Research Brief Series

Physical distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the lives of older adults. Older adults experiencing dementia and other forms of cognitive decline have impaired executive functioning that made it even more difficult to contend with these disruptions. This brief presents findings from research that used data from the 2021 Health and Retirement Study to examine differences in health care delays and health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic among a nationally representative sample of U.S. older adults (ages 50+) with versus without cognitive decline. Results show that most older adults did not delay getting health care and did not experience …

A Comparison Of Icare And Goldmann Applanation Tonometry Measurements During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Retrospective Study, Shreya Swaminathan, Amber M. Kisielewski, M. Hossein Nowroozzadeh, Shahin Hallaj, Daniel Lee, Natasha N. Kolomeyer, Jonathan S. Myers, Reza Razeghinejad

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

PURPOSE: To evaluate factors associated with differences in intraocular pressure (IOP) readings between iCare and Goldmann applanation tonometry (GAT) in established glaucoma patients.

METHODS: This retrospective comparative study included clinical data of 350 eyes from 350 established glaucoma patients who had iCare and GAT IOP measured by an ophthalmic technician and a glaucoma specialist, respectively. The main outcome measure was the difference in IOP measurements of the right eyes with iCare and GAT.

RESULTS: The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) between GAT and iCare was 0.90. The mean IOP difference between tonometers was - 0.18 ± 2.89 mmHg. Bland-Altman plots indicated …

Where's My Compass? Navigating Uncertainty With Business Planning Tools For Performing Arts Graduates - A Teaching Case Study, Steven Sparling

Journal of Arts Entrepreneurship Education

This teaching case study looks at the phenomenon of musical theatre students graduating in spring 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down both their graduation showcase opportunities and the majority of the audition and work opportunities that would normally be available to graduate performers. In both cases presented, the actors set up small businesses-- in bookkeeping and video production, respectively-- that allowed them to generate income to keep themselves afloat while preserving their primary identity as artists despite challenging market conditions. The accompanying Instructor's Manual uses SWOT Analysis and the Ansoff Matrix as tools to assist students in analyzing the …

‘The Overheated World’: Crisis Politics And Neoliberal Inertia, Shomik Chakrabarti

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, policymakers were forced to balance the maintenance of ongoing economic activity alongside the measures advised by epidemiologists and other public health officials to contain the viral spread. The magnitude of the pandemic forced major conduits of the global economy to come to a sudden halt through incidents such as border closures, supply chain disruptions, lockdowns and calls for individuals to distance themselves from one another. Like the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, COVID-19 was thought to signal an inflection point for neoliberal political economy where a possible post-neoliberal era would develop in the aftermath …

Discovery Of Runs-Of-Homozygosity Diplotype Clusters And Their Associations With Diseases In Uk Biobank, Ardalan Naseri, Degui Zhi, Shaojie Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Runs-of-homozygosity (ROH) segments, contiguous homozygous regions in a genome were traditionally linked to families and inbred populations. However, a growing literature suggests that ROHs are ubiquitous in outbred populations. Still, most existing genetic studies of ROH in populations are limited to aggregated ROH content across the genome, which does not offer the resolution for mapping causal loci. This limitation is mainly due to a lack of methods for the efficient identification of shared ROH diplotypes. Here, we present a new method, ROH-DICE (runs-of-homozygous diplotype cluster enumerator), to find large ROH diplotype clusters, sufficiently long ROHs shared by a sufficient number …

Pilgrimage In The Covid-19 Era: Uncovering Supply Side Challenges And Opportunities In Media Representations, Reni Polus, Ismail Shaheer, Naresh P. Nayak

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Pilgrimage travel, a common practice across major religions, has historically exhibited remarkable resilience to global crises, owing to the unwavering conviction of its followers. However, the COVID-19 pandemic marked a significant departure from this trend, disrupting pilgrimage tourism, unlike any event since World War II. Despite extensive research on the pandemic’s impact on tourism, limited attention has been directed towards understanding its specific effects on pilgrimage travel. This study seeks to address this gap by examining the challenges and opportunities faced by pilgrimage tourism suppliers in the aftermath of COVID-19. To obtain a comprehensive global perspective, we collected and analysed …

Dissociative Facial And Extra-Facial Motor Disorder In The Background Of Covid-19, Mithun S. Acharya, Prathvi Kalathur

Manipal Journal of Medical Sciences

Dissociative facial motor disorder/Psychogenic Facial Movement Disorder (PFMD) with extra facial features is a unique presentation. A middle-aged female working as a community health worker; presented with a 5 day acute onset illness, fluctuating in severity of unilateral left facial deficits with left eyelid closure, deviation of mouth to the right side and slurring of speech. However, her emotional facial expressions, swallowing, and cough reflex were intact. Associated ipsilateral upper and lower limb motor weakness and ataxic gait were present. Clinical examination, neuro-imaging, laboratory investigations ruled out medically explainable differentials for this presentation. Psychiatric evaluation revealed 2 years history of …