Digital Commons Network^™

Asymmetrical Glymphatic Dysfunction In Patients With Long Covid Associated Neurocognitive Impairment- Correlation With Bbb Disruption, Joga Chaganti, Tanush Talekar, Bruce J. Brew

Department of Radiology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The glymphatic system, a waste clearance pathway, has been implicated in several neurological conditions associated with neuroinflammation. COVID-19 associated neurocognitive impairment, part of the post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), is strongly associated with neuroinflammation and disrupted blood-brain barrier (BBB). Several studies have implicated a synergistic interaction between the glymphatic system dysfunction and BBB disruption. In this proof-of-concept study, we investigated the role of the MRI metric diffusion along the perivascular spaces DTI (DTI-ALPS) in patients with PASC and correlated this with the BBB capillary permeability metric- K trans derived from Dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) perfusion.

MATERIALS …

Covid-19 Conspiracies: A Bodyguard Of Lies, Chris Hables Gray

Secrecy and Society

No abstract provided.

A Narrative Review Of The Covid-19 Infodemic And Censorship In Healthcare, Mitchell Liester, Sohaib Ashraf, Patricia Callisperis, Hector Carvallo, Shankara Chetty, Robert Enzenauer, Carlos Franco-Paredes, Raul Pineda, Panagis Polykretis, Rachel Wilkenson, Peter Mccullough

Secrecy and Society

Ideological and financial motivations have undermined science for decades. In this narrative review, we explore how organizations and governments used misinformation, disinformation, censorship, and secrecy to manage the COVID-19 pandemic. Various rationales for employing censorship and secrecy during the COVID-19 pandemic are examined including how organizations and governments create confusion about the risks associated with their products and blame avoidance to shift responsibility and to avoid accountability for their actions. Methods of censorship employed during the COVID-19 pandemic are reviewed, examples are provided, and the consequences of these actions are reviewed. Information included in this review was obtained from scientific …

Covid Cover-Up: Secrecy, Censorship And Suppression During The Pandemic, Brian Martin

Secrecy and Society

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, most health authorities, governments, and mass media organizations presented a single official view concerning lockdowns, masking, distancing, and vaccines. The methods used against contrary views can be classified into four types: flooding, ignoring, censoring, and attacking. The method of information flooding involves presenting dominant views in a unified front, overwhelming contrary views by volume and consistency. The method of ignoring includes the absence of research on alternative approaches, failure to report on research contrary to orthodoxy, and not mentioning challenging views. Censoring involves active measures to prevent the circulation of contrary information and …

Older Women In The U.S. Were Lonelier Than Men During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Qiyu Deng

Population Health Research Brief Series

Loneliness damages health and quality of life. The COVID-19 pandemic increased social isolation and loneliness among some groups in the U.S. This data slice uses data from the 2020 Health and Retirement Study to examine gender and age differences in loneliness among older adults (50+) in the U.S. during the first year of the pandemic. The author finds that loneliness was more prevalent among women than among men, with the highest rate among women ages 80 and older.

Association Of Messenger Rna Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) Vaccination And Reductions In Post Covid Conditions Following Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection In A Us Prospective Cohort Of Essential Workers, Josephine Mak, Sana Khan, Amadea Britton, Spencer Rose, Lisa Gwynn, Katherine D Ellingson, Jennifer Meece, Leora R Feldstein, Harmony Tyner, Laura J Edwards, Matthew S Thiese, Allison Naleway, Manjusha Gaglani, Natasha Solle, Jefferey L Burgess, Julie Mayo Lamberte, Meghan Shea, Taryn Hunt-Smith, Alberto Caban-Martinez, Cynthia Porter, Ryan Wiegand, Ramona Rai, Kurt T Hegmann, James Hollister, Ashley Fowlkes, Meredith Wesley, Andrew L Philips, Patrick Rivers, Robin Bloodworth, Gabriella Newes-Adeyi, Lauren E W Olsho, Sarang K Yoon, Sharon Saydah, Karen Lutrick

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Background: Data are limited on whether vaccination reduces post COVID conditions (PCCs) risk after less severe nonhospitalized coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study assessed whether COVID-19 vaccination protected against PCCs in persons with mild initial infections during Delta and Omicron variant predominance.

Methods: This study utilized a case-control design, nested within the HEROES-RECOVER cohort. Participants aged ≥18 years with test-confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus disease 2 (SARS-CoV-2) between 28 June 2021 and 14 September 2022 were surveyed for PCCs, defined by symptoms lasting >4 weeks after initial infection. Cases self-reported PCCs and controls self-reported no PCCs. The exposure was …

Supporting Local-Food Businesses To Conduct E-Commerce During Covid-19 Through Remote Student Internships, Angel Cruz, Barry Nash, Daniel Holloman, Joyce Yao

Journal of Extension

During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the global lockdowns changed the way food was accessed and prepared. These changes at the consumer level impacted farms and fisheries of all types and sizes. To compensate for the loss of larger markets and restaurant revenue, small-scale food producers pivoted to direct marketing to remain viable during the pandemic. However, not all businesses and producers had the time, skills or flexibility needed for a direct marketing business model. To support producers, the North Carolina Local Food Council developed a new internship program: Remote Internship to Support Enterprises (RISE) for Local Foods. The …

Precision Phenotyping For Curating Research Cohorts Of Patients With Unexplained Post-Acute Sequelae Of Covid-19, Alaleh Azhir, Jonas Hügel, Jiazi Tian, Jingya Cheng, Ingrid V Bassett, Douglas S Bell, Elmer V Bernstam, Maha R Farhat, Darren W Henderson, Emily S Lau, Michele Morris, Yevgeniy R Semenov, Virginia A Triant, Shyam Visweswaran, Zachary H Strasser, Jeffrey G Klann, Shawn N Murphy, Hossein Estiri

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Scalable identification of patients with post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) is challenging due to a lack of reproducible precision phenotyping algorithms, which has led to suboptimal accuracy, demographic biases, and underestimation of the PASC.

METHODS: In a retrospective case-control study, we developed a precision phenotyping algorithm for identifying cohorts of patients with PASC. We used longitudinal electronic health records data from over 295,000 patients from 14 hospitals and 20 community health centers in Massachusetts. The algorithm employs an attention mechanism to simultaneously exclude sequelae that prior conditions can explain and include infection-associated chronic conditions. We performed independent chart reviews …

Regional Government Preparedness In Response To The Covid-19 Pandemic In Indonesia, Eme Stepani Sitepu, Dumilah Ayuningtyas, Purnawan Junadi, Satibi Satibi

Journal of Health Research

Background: The high number of COVID-19 cases in Indonesia, with 6,811,201 people affected and 161,844 deaths up to June 2023, was influenced by regional governments' varying approaches to disease control. This study aimed to analyze regional government preparedness in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the factors that influenced their preparedness.

Methods: We conducted a qualitative research study using purposive sampling. We collected data from September 2023 to April 2024 via semi-structured interviews with staff at health and disaster agencies in Bali and West Java. The interview guide was developed using the Six Building Blocks of World Health Organization (WHO)’s …

Experiences Of Caregivers Of Children With Covid-19 In Isolation Rooms: A Qualitative Study Conducted At Queen Sirikit National Institute Of Child Health In Bangkok, Thailand, Kidjapan Pinchai, Surasak Treenai, Chollada Jongsomjitt

Journal of Health Research

Background: Children were significantly impacted during COVID-19 surges, especially with highly transmissible variants like Delta. This study explored caregivers' experiences of children with COVID-19 in hospital isolation rooms, focusing on psychological and practical challenges.

Methods: Qualitative methods were used to describe the experiences of caregivers of children with COVID-19. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and from field and observation notes to capture reflections, ideas, and meanings. Content analysis was used to generate themes until saturation was reached with seven participants. The study was conducted at the Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health (QSNICH) in Bangkok, Thailand.

Results: The …

Exploring Creative Arts Therapists' Experiences With Online Therapy In South Korea During Covid-19, Changho Song

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

This study explored the experiences of creative arts therapists (CATs) in South Korea who conducted online therapy sessions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The global crisis forced a rapid shift to virtual platforms, raising concerns about the effectiveness of online creative arts therapy (OCAT) and its impact on therapeutic relationships. Grounded in phenomenological and arts-based research (ABR), this study examined the challenges, adaptations, and effectiveness of OCAT. The research addressed the following questions: (1) How did CATs experience the transition to online therapy? (2) What challenges did they encounter, and how did they adapt? (3) How did online therapy affect therapeutic …

Impact Of Changes In Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Diagnostic Criteria During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jessica Neville, Kelly Foley, Seán Lacey, Antoinette Tuthill, Oratile Kgosidialwa, Mairead O’Riordan, Fiona O’Halloran, Seán J. Costelloe

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

Background/Aims

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Health Service Executive (HSE) and Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) recommended fasting and random plasma glucose (FPG/RPG) alongside glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) to replace the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) for diagnosing Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM).

Methods

The study compared testing patterns and diagnostic rates for GDM before and after implementing the RCOG guidelines (01/05/2020) in pregnancies beginning 01/11/2018 to 31/03/2021. Trends were inspected using Cochrane-Armitage tests. Differences between General Practice (GP) and Secondary Care (SCare) were assessed by chi-square analysis. A significance level of p <  0.05 was used for all analyses. Information on maternal and pregnancy characteristics was accessed where available.

Results

Data indicated a significant reduction in …

Digital Storytelling To Communicate Covid-19 Research Efforts, Carolyn E. Gray, Kelly Waters, Kathyrn Bizier, Brenda M. Joly

Journal of Maine Medical Center

Problem statement: COVID-19 was a once-in-a-century pandemic that hit the world in March 2020. Overnight, the SARS-CoV-2 virus threatened not only survival, but also food security, social supports, transportation issues, financial constraints, and more. Timely research became crucial to understanding how to mitigate viral spread, treat patients, and address the consequences and health implications.

Background: Advancing the infrastructure to support research in northern New England has been the focus of the Northern New England Clinical and Translational Research (NNE-CTR) Network since 2017. The NNE-CTR Network is a multi-year initiative in Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire that brings together academic institutions, …

New Onset Atrial Fibrillation In Hospitalized Patients, Arafat Ali Farooqui, Syed Mohammad Mazhar Uddin, Sanjay Kumar Maheshwari, Kevin Clements, Rabiah Ashraf, Jay Keith, Neha Sharma, Haris Bilal, Naira Saleem, Vijay S. Shetty

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Objectives: To evaluate different factors precipitating new onset atrial fibrillation (AF) in hospitalized patients and their effect on in-patient mortality.

Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study

Setting: Urban tertiary care center in New York City

Measurements:

Primary outcomes:

• Determine different factors precipitating new onset atrial fibrillation in hospitalized patients and their effect on in-patient mortality

Secondary outcomes:

• Determine the duration of hospital stay after admission precipitating new onset atrial fibrillation and its effect on mortality
• Evaluate different factors in COVID-19 patients with new onset atrial fibrillation

Results: Out of 464 patients; 62.3% were males and 37.72% were females. Evaluation of patients before …

The Hidden Faces Behind The Covid-19 Vaccine, Julia Brittain

Osmosis Magazine

When you think about the COVID-19 vaccine, the names Pfizer or Moderna probably come to mind. It’s no surprise that these companies are often mentioned in discussions of the COVID- 19 vaccine. After all, in December 2020, Pfizer-BioNTech became the first biopharmaceutical company to receive emergency use authorization for their COVID-19 vaccine from the FDA, and Moderna followed shortly after.

Overcoming Vaccine Hesitancy: Evidence From Italy During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Alessandro Del Ponte, Audrey De Dominicis, Paolo Canofari

Political Science Faculty Articles and Research

Objectives

Study design

Investing In Residential Real Estate: Understanding Homebuilder Exchange-Traded Fund Performance, Robert W. Mcleod, Davinder K. Malhotra

School of Business Faculty Papers

Homebuilder ETFs provide investors with a diversified portfolio of residential construction and sales companies which reduces risks associated with individual stock selection in the sector. This study examines the net monthly returns of homebuilder exchange-traded funds (ETFs) through various performance evaluation models and market situations. The results reveal that these ETFs outperformed benchmark indices in absolute returns. Despite homebuilding being part of the real estate sector, the correlation between monthly returns of homebuilder ETFs and the Dow Jones US Real Estate Index, though positive, is not very high. The performance of ETFs varied across market conditions, demonstrating both outperformance and …

The Cost-Effectiveness Of Long-Term Post-Treatment Peer Recovery Support Services In The United States, Sierra Castedo De Martell, Margaret Brannon Moore, Hannah Wang, Lori Holleran Steiker, J Michael Wilkerson, Nalini Ranjit, Sheryl A Mccurdy, H Shelton Brown

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background:

Peer recovery support services (PRSS) have been widely adopted across a variety of settings, but little is known about their economic impact.

Objectives:

To conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis of long-term, PRSS delivered after specialty substance use disorder (SUD) treatment (post-treatment), and to describe the development of a free, web-based cost-effectiveness calculator based on this analysis.

Methods:

Using publicly-available data from a variety of sources, post-treatment PRSS were compared to specialty SUD treatment from the societal (broad perspective including costs like participant time) and health systems perspectives (only costs borne by health system), and in terms of quality-adjusted life years …

Trends In Respiratory Pathogen Testing At Us Children's Hospitals., Matthew J. Molloy, Matthew Hall, Jessica L. Markham, Jillian M. Cotter, Elisha Mccoy, Michael J. Tchou, Megan E. Collins, Michael J. Steiner, John R. Stephens, Andrew G. Yu, Irma T. Ugalde, Rustin B. Morse, Monika K. Goyal, Samantha A. House

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

IMPORTANCE: Respiratory pathogen testing has been a common deimplementation focus. The COVID-19 pandemic brought new considerations for respiratory testing; recent trends in testing rates are not well understood.

OBJECTIVE: To measure trends in respiratory testing among encounters for acute respiratory infections among children and adolescents (agedyears) from 2016 to 2023, assess the association of COVID-19 with these trends, and describe associated cost trends.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This retrospective serial cross-sectional study included emergency department (ED) encounters and hospitalizations in US children's hospitals among children and adolescents with a primary acute infectious respiratory illness diagnosis. Data were ascertained from the …

The Importance Of Country Of Origin In Vaccine Messaging For H-2a Farmworkers, Anna M. Scheyett, Maria Bowie, Virginia Brown, Andrea Scarrow

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: H-2A farmworkers are disproportionately vulnerable to COVID-19 and understanding their beliefs regarding COVID-19 vaccines is important for public health outreach, yet to date little research has examined the influence of country of origin (COO) on the vaccine beliefs of this uniquely transient population.

Methods: Three focus groups (N=30) were held with H-2A farmworkers in South Georgia to explore their beliefs on COVID-19 vaccines, using thematic analyses to identify COO influences on these beliefs.

Results: Family in COO influenced worker vaccine beliefs through direct advice, commonly held beliefs in COO about harmful government agendas via vaccines increased worker vaccine fears, …

The Learning Crisis In The United States Three Years After Covid-19, Harry Anthony Patrinos, Maciej Jakubowski, Tomasz Gajderowicz

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic caused widespread disruptions to education, with school closures affecting over one billion children. These closures, aimed at reducing virus transmission, resulted in significant learning losses, particularly in mathematics and science. Using United States data from TIMSS, this study analyzes the impact of school closure on learning outcomes. The losses amount to 0.36 SD for mathematics and 0.16 SD for science. The declines are similar across grades. The average decline in mathematics performance among U.S. students is substantially greater than the global average. n science, the decline observed among U.S. students does not significantly differ from the global …

Scaling Covid-19 Rates With Population Size In The United States, Austin R. Cruz, Brian J. Enquist, Joseph R. Burger

Biology Faculty Publications

Using county-level data from the United States, we assessed allometric scaling relationships of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases, deaths and age structure within and across the first four major waves of the pandemic (wild-type, alpha, delta, omicron). Results generally indicate that the burden of cases disproportionately impacted larger-sized counties, while the burden of deaths disproportionately impacted smaller counties. This may be partially due to multiple interacting social mechanisms, including a higher proportion of older adults who live in smaller counties. Moreover, these likely social mechanisms interacting with vaccinations and virus waves created a dynamic pattern whereby the rate and magnitude of …

Factors Associated With Student Engagement In Online Learning During Covid-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review, Yam B. Limbu, Christopher Mckinley

College of Communication and Media Scholarship and Creative Works

While extant literature reveals various factors associated with student engagement in online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, the findings are inconsistent. A systematic review of the factors influencing student engagement in online learning during the pandemic will provide state-of-the-art knowledge of existing literature and offer future research directions. This study systematically reviews factors driving college student engagement in online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Performed in accordance with the guidelines of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, a systematic search of four databases identified 50 eligible studies. The most prevalent factors associated with student engagement were student-related factors …

Analyzing Steel Supply Chain Factors With Analytic Hierarchy Process, Edilberto Urena Jr

Construction Management

The global steel supply chain is a critical component of construction and manufacturing industries. It is a fundamental pillar supporting infrastructure development, economic growth, and technological innovation. However, disruptions in supply, price volatility, and logistical challenges necessitate an in-depth evaluation of key factors affecting the steel supply chain. These uncertainties can pose significant risks to project timelines, cost efficiency and sustainability. This study employes the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), a multi-criteria decision-making approach to systematically rank and prioritize factors influencing the supply chain. A literature review identified critical variables, which are then structured into a hierarchical model after the opinion …

Rising Mortality Rates Linked To Type-2 Diabetes And Obesity In The United States: An Observational Analysis From 1999 To 2022, Mushood Ahmed, Abdullah Nofal, Aimen Shafiq, Hira Javaid, Areeba Ahsan, Zain Ali Nadeem, Raheel Ahmed, Mahboob Alam, Mamas A Mamas, Marat Fudim, Gregg C Fonarow

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: The prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity are increasing in the United States. However, population-level data for mortality trends due to T2D and obesity are limited. This study aims to assess these death trends among adults in the United States categorized by sex, race, and geographical location.

Methods: We queried the CDC-WONDER database for multiple cause of death data of adults aged ≥25 years. The crude mortality rates (CMR), age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs), annual percent change (APC), and the average APC (AAPC) along with a 95% confidence interval (CI) were analyzed.

Results: From 1999 to 2022, a …

The Importance Of Public Health In College Populations: Why Vaccines Are Important, Kashish Poore

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This paper examines the importance of vaccines in college populations, where high-density living environments create unique vulnerabilities to infectious disease outbreaks. Despite vaccine mandates at most institutions, research indicates that many college students possess incomplete understanding of vaccine mechanisms and importance. The paper addresses three interconnected aspects: the biological foundations of vaccine-induced immunity, the significance of vaccination in collegiate settings, and the current state of vaccine literacy among students. Historical outbreaks on campuses, including meningitis at Princeton and mumps across several institutions, highlight the consequences of undervaccination. Social media misinformation has contributed significantly to vaccine hesitancy, particularly since COVID-19. The …

The Relationship Between Food Insecurity And Emotional Eating During The Coronavirus Pandemic In Northern California, Andreza S.B. Souza, Marcelle M. Dougan, Giselle A.P. Pignotti

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Objectives: This cross-sectional study examined the association between food insecurity and emotional eating and explored correlations between emotional eating and dietary behavior in the U.S during the pandemic. Methods: Participants (N = 515, 77.1 % female, 44.1 ± 14.7 years old) completed a validated online survey between August and November of 2020 including questions about food security and eating behaviors. A multivariable linear regression model was used to evaluate the association between food insecurity and emotional eating. Pearson correlations were calculated to assess the relationship between emotional eating and dietary behavior Results: Overall, 31.3 % of the participants experienced food …

Decolonizing Global Health Research: Experiences From The Women In Health And Their Economic, Equity And Livelihood Statuses During Emergency Preparedness And Response (Wheeler) Study, Ahmed Adam, Lisa Lazarus, Bernadette Kina, Robert Lorway, Bilali Mazoya, Michaela Mantel, Marleen Temmerman, Lisa Avery, Evaline Chepchirchir Langat

Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

Decolonizing global health research involves rethinking power structures and research collaboration to prioritize the voices and experiences of communities that have been historically marginalized. Cross-sectoral and cross-regional partnerships based on reciprocity, trust, and transparency can be facilitated by decolonized research frameworks. To address global health issues in a way that is inclusive, context-specific, and genuinely advantageous to all parties involved, especially communities most impacted by health disparities, the ethics behind this change is imperative. We applied a decolonizing health research approach to the Women in Health and their Economic, Equity, and Livelihood Statuses During Emergency Preparedness and Response (WHEELER) study …

Comparing Pca-Based Machine Learning Algorithms For Covid-19 Classification Using Chest X-Ray Images, Hussein Ahmed Ali, Walid Hariri, Nadia Smaoui Zghal, Dalenda Ben Aissa

Baghdad Science Journal

The rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has strained global healthcare systems, necessitating efficient diagnostic methods. While Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and antigen tests are common, they have limitations in speed and precision. Enhancing the accuracy of imaging techniques, especially Chest X-rays (CXR) and Computerized Tomography (CT) scans, is crucial for detecting COVID-19-related lung abnormalities. CXR, being cost-effective and accessible, is preferred over CT scans, but accurate diagnosis often requires technological support. To address this, an extensive dataset of CXR images categorized into five classes is available on Kaggle. Processing such data involves steps like grayscale conversion, image intensity adjustment, …

A Natural Law Approach To Parental Rights, Richard A. Epstein

The Journal of Contemporary Legal Issues

The modern interest in the twin cases of Meyer v. Nebraska, and Pierce v. Society of Sisters has sparked a renewed curiosity in the intellectual foundations and current applicability of those two cases. In this instance, I stress less the constitutional underpinnings of the cases in order to focus more on their natural law approach to the parent-child relationship. Based on Lockean principles, I conclude that the standard rules of abuse and neglect offer the sole justification for such intervention, where the state is put to a high standard of proof for intervention. This framework has had only an …