Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Medical School Watercooler Newsletter - February 18, 2021, Lindsey Lyle

Watercooler Newsletter

This is the February 18, 2021 edition of the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine's newsletter - Watercooler.

Contents Include:

• Mark your calendar for upcoming grand rounds
• USA COM faculty reacts to elimination of Step 2 clinical skills exam
• Meet a Med Student: Jesse Stutzman
• Med School Café to address breast cancer
• A message from the Gold Humanism Honor Society

Forward Together Update [Vaccination Clinic], February 18, 2021, University Of Northern Iowa

UNI Response to COVID-19

A memo announcing the fact the first public vaccination clinic was held February 15, 2021 for those on campus who were eligible under the state guidelines in phases 1A and 1B.

2021-02-18_Michiganoverview_Covidbedppe, Michigan Department Of Health & Human Services

Michigan COVID-19 Hospital Data

The webpage was obtained from Michigan's Coronavirus Cumulative Data page, under the link Hospitals. Data is self-reported by hospitals daily to the EM Resource System per MDHHS Director Robert Gordon's Emergency Order.

Contains the tables Statewide Hospital Capacity Report for COVID-19, COVID-19 Metrics, Statewide Hospital Available PPE Tracking for COVID-19, as well as the tables PPE Days On Hand and Patient Census.

2021-02-18_Michiganoverview_Covidoutbreak, Michigan Department Of Health & Human Services

Michigan COVID-19 Outbreak Reports

The Outbreak Data page was obtained from Michigan's COVID-19 data page: https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus/0,9753,7-406-98163_98173_102057---,00.html.

This report is created by the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services from data self-reported by local health departments. Data is updated every week.

COVID-19 outbreaks are generally defined as two or more cases with a link by place and time indicating a shared exposure outside of a household. Local health departments report the number of new and ongoing outbreaks they are investigating by the setting of the outbreak. New outbreaks are those outbreaks that were first identified during the current reporting week. Ongoing outbreaks are …

Srpk1/2 And Pp1Α Exert Opposite Functions By Modulating Srsf1-Guided Mknk2 Alternative Splicing In Colon Adenocarcinoma., Hongda Liu, Zheng Gong, Kangshuai Li, Qun Zhang, Zekuan Xu, Yunfei Xu

Faculty Research 2021

BACKGROUND: The Mnk2 kinase, encoded by MKNK2 gene, plays critical roles in MAPK signaling and was involved in oncogenesis. Human MKNK2 pre-mRNA can be alternatively spliced into two splicing isoforms, the MKNK2a and MKNK2b, thus yielding Mnk2a and Mnk2b proteins with different domains. The involvement of Mnk2 alternative splicing in colon cancer has been implicated based on RNA-sequencing data from TCGA database. This study aimed at investigating the upstream modulators and clinical relevance of Mnk2 alternative splicing in colon adenocarcinoma (CAC).

METHODS: PCR, western blotting and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were performed to assess the expression of Mnk2 and upstream proteins in …

2021-02-18_Michigandaily_Covidmap, Michigan Department Of Health & Human Services

Daily Michigan COVID-19 Update

The "WHERE WE STAND WITH COVID-19" map was obtained from Michigan's main COVID-19 page: https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus. Data was compiled by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). The information was updated daily at 3p.m., Monday - Saturday.

The State of Michigan is working around the clock to test and treat COVID-19 patients. Below is the most recent data healthcare experts across the state have compiled.

The image contained a map, indicating total cases by county, and also provides statistics on Total Confirmed Cases, Total COVID-19 Deaths, Daily Confirmed Cases, and Daily COVID-19 Deaths. There …

2021-02-18_Michiganoverview_Covidstats, Michigan Department Of Health & Human Services

Cumulative Michigan COVID-19 Data

The COVID Overview page was obtained from Michigan's main COVID-19 page: https:/www.michigan.gov/coronavirus/0,9753,7-406-98163-520743--,00.html.

The State of Michigan is working around the clock to test and treat COVID-19 patients. Below is the most recent data healthcare experts across the state have compiled. It is updated Monday - Saturday.
This report is provisional and subject to change. City of Detroit and Wayne County are reported separately. MDHHS began tracking probable cases April 5, 2020. FCI indicates federal correctional institute. MDOC indicates Michigan Department of Corrections. Diagnostic tests, including nucleic acid amplification/real-time polymerase chain reaction (NAAT/RT-PCR) and rapid virus antigen detection point of …

Anti-Inflammatory Effects Of Α7-Nicotinic Ach Receptors Are Exerted Through Interactions With Adenylyl Cyclase-6, Simeng Zhu, Shiqian Huang, Guofang Xia, Jin Wu, Yan Shen, Ying Wang, Rennolds S. Ostrom, Ailian Du, Chengxing Shen, Congfeng Xu

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background and purpose

Alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (CHRNA7) suppress inflammation through diverse pathways in immune cells, so is potentially involved in a number of inflammatory diseases. However, the detailed mechanisms underlying CHRNA7’s anti‐inflammatory effects remain elusive.

Experimental approach

The anti‐inflammatory effects of CHRNA7 agonists in both murine macrophages (RAW 264.7) and bone marrow‐derived macrophages (BMDM) stimulated with LPS were examined. The role of adenylyl cyclase 6 (AC6) in Toll‐like Receptor 4 (TLR4) degradation was explored via overexpression and knockdown. A mouse model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was used to confirm key findings.

Results

Anti‐inflammatory effects of CHRNA7 were …

Unmet Needs Are Associated With Increased Stress And Poor Physical And Mental Health In Early Adulthood, Colleen Heflin, Katie Green, Ying Huang, Asiya Validova

Population Health Research Brief Series

Material hardship, such as not being able to pay bills, negatively affects both physical and mental health. This research brief examines how different types of material hardship (difficulty paying for food, bills, and health care) are associated with self-rated health, depression, sleep problems, and suicidal thoughts among U.S. young adults (ages 24-32).

Repurposing Dextromethorphan And Metformin For Treating Nicotine-Induced Cancer By Directly Targeting Chrna7 To Inhibit Jak2/Stat3/Sox2 Signaling, Lu Wang, Du Liang, Xiao Xiong, Yusheng Lin, Jianlin Zhu, Zhimeng Yao, Shuhong Wang, Yi Guo, Yuping Chen, Kyla Geary, Yunlong Pan, Fuyou Zhou, Shegan Gao, Dianzheng Zhang, Sai-Ching Jim Yeung, Hao Zhang

PCOM Scholarly Works

Smoking is one of the most impactful lifestyle-related risk factors in many cancer types including esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). As the major component of tobacco and e-cigarettes, nicotine is not only responsible for addiction to smoking but also a carcinogen. Here we report that nicotine enhances ESCC cancer malignancy and tumor-initiating capacity by interacting with cholinergic receptor nicotinic alpha 7 subunit (CHRNA7) and subsequently activating the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. We found that aberrant CHRNA7 expression can serve as an independent prognostic factor for ESCC patients. In multiple ESCC mouse models, dextromethorphan and metformin synergistically repressed nicotine-enhanced cancer-initiating cells (CIC) …

Pace Yourself: Impact Of Covid-19 On Patient-Centered Care Experience, Kristen Wilhite, Mikael D. Jones, Clark D. Kebodeaux

Pharmacy Practice and Science Faculty Publications

(1) Background: The outbreak of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, forced colleges of pharmacy to implement new online learning methodologies to ensure that students could complete required courses. This transition was especially acute for laboratory simulation courses that require students to practice professional skills. This study aims to compare student assessment performance within a simulation-based laboratory course for students who completed the module prior to and after the online transition. (2) Methods: This study was a retrospective cohort comparison of student outcome performance with two distinct content delivery methods. Students were organized into two tracks at the beginning of the semester …

Allocation Of Anchors During Labral Repair: A Multicenter Cohort Analysis Of Labral Treatment In Hip Arthroscopy., Ryan P Mcgovern, John J Christoforetti, Benjamin R Kivlan, Shane J Nho, Andrew B Wolff, John P Salvo, Dean Matsuda, Thomas J Ellis, Allston J Stubbs, Dominic S Carreira

Rothman Institute Papers

Background: While previous studies have established several techniques for suture anchor repair of the acetabular labrum to bone during arthroscopic surgery, the current literature lacks evidence defining the appropriate number of suture anchors required to effectively restore the function of the labral tissue.

Purpose/Hypothesis: To define the location and size of labral tears identified during hip arthroscopy for acetabular labral treatment in a large multicenter cohort. The secondary purpose was to differentiate the number of anchors used during arthroscopic labral repair. The hypothesis was that the location and size of the labral tear as well as the number of anchors …

International Medical Graduates In Nephrology: Impressions Of The Implications Of Visa Status In A Cohort Of Program Directors And Division Chiefs, Flor Alvarado, Deidra C. Crews, Cynthia Delgado, Javier A. Neyra

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Racial Disparities In Necrotizing Enterocolitis., Alain Cuna, Venkatesh Sampath, Minesh Khashu

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a serious disease of the intestinal tract affecting 5-10% of pre-term infants with up to 50% mortality in those that require surgery. There is wide variation in the rates and outcomes of NEC by race and ethnicity, and the reasons for this disparity are poorly understood. In this article, we review the epidemiology and discuss possible explanations for racial and ethnic differences in NEC. Most of the current evidence investigating the role of race in NEC comes from North America and suggests that Hispanic ethnicity and non-Hispanic Black race are associated with higher risk of NEC …

Correspondence Between Perceived Pubertal Development And Hormone Levels In 9-10 Year-Olds From The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study., Megan M Herting, Kristina A Uban, Marybel Robledo Gonzalez, Fiona C Baker, Eric C Kan, Wesley K Thompson, Douglas A Granger, Matthew D Albaugh, Andrey P Anokhin, Kara S Bagot, Marie T Banich, Deanna M Barch, Arielle Baskin-Sommers, Florence J Breslin, B J Casey, Bader Chaarani, Linda Chang, Duncan B Clark, Christine C Cloak, R Todd Constable, Linda B Cottler, Rada K Dagher, Mirella Dapretto, Anthony S Dick, Nico Dosenbach, Gayathri J Dowling, Julie A Dumas, Sarah Edwards, Thomas Ernst, Damien A Fair, Sarah W Feldstein-Ewing, Edward G Freedman, Bernard F Fuemmeler, Hugh Garavan, Dylan G Gee, Jay N Giedd, Paul E A Glaser, Aimee Goldstone, Kevin M Gray, Samuel W Hawes, Andrew C Heath, Mary M Heitzeg, John K Hewitt, Charles J Heyser, Elizabeth A Hoffman, Rebekah S Huber, Marilyn A. Huestis, Luke W Hyde, M Alejandra Infante, Masha Y Ivanova, Joanna Jacobus, Terry L Jernigan, Nicole R Karcher, Angela R Laird, Kimberly H Leblanc, Krista Lisdahl, Monica Luciana, Beatriz Luna, Hermine H Maes, Andrew T Marshall, Michael J Mason, Erin C Mcglade, Amanda S Morris, Bonnie J Nagel, Gretchen N Neigh, Clare E Palmer, Martin P Paulus, Alexandra S Potter, Leon I Puttler, Nishadi Rajapakse, Kristina Rapuano, Gloria Reeves, Perry F Renshaw, Claudiu Schirda, Kenneth J Sher, Chandni Sheth, Paul D Shilling, Lindsay M Squeglia, Matthew T Sutherland, Susan F Tapert, Rachel L Tomko, Deborah Yurgelun-Todd, Natasha E Wade, Susan R B Weiss, Robert A Zucker, Elizabeth R Sowell

Institute of Emerging Health Professions Faculty Papers

Aim: To examine individual variability between perceived physical features and hormones of pubertal maturation in 9-10-year-old children as a function of sociodemographic characteristics.

Methods: Cross-sectional metrics of puberty were utilized from the baseline assessment of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study—a multi-site sample of 9–10 year-olds (n = 11,875)—and included perceived physical features via the pubertal development scale (PDS) and child salivary hormone levels (dehydroepiandrosterone and testosterone in all, and estradiol in females). Multi-level models examined the relationships among sociodemographic measures, physical features, and hormone levels. A group factor analysis (GFA) was implemented to extract latent variables of pubertal …

Acute Necrotizing Pancreatitis: Has Conservative Management Replaced Surgery? Perspective From A Tertiary Care Centre In Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Study, Fatima Mannan, Roger Christopher Gill, Abdul Ahad Sohail, Abdul Rehman Alvi, Khabir Ahmad

Department of Surgery Docs

Background: The main purpose of this study was to review the trends in management of patients presenting with acute necrotizing pancreatitis (ANP) over the last seven years and its effect on morbidity and mortality.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on all patients presenting with the diagnosis of acute necrotizing pancreatitis to the Aga Khan University Hospital in between the year 2008-2015. The study population was broadly categorized in to two groups based on the way these were managed. The first group consisted of patient who underwent surgery for acute necrotizing pancreatitis while the second group was composed of those …

Valtoco® (Diazepam Nasal Spray) For The Acute Treatment Of Intermittent Stereotypic Episodes Of Frequent Seizure Activity, Elyse M. Cornett, Sam N. Amarasinghe, Alexis Angelette, Tunde Abubakar, Adam M. Kaye, Alan David Kaye, Elisa E. Neuchat, Ivan Urits, Omar Viswanath

School of Pharmacy Faculty Articles

Valtoco® is a new FDA-approved nasal spray version of diazepam indicated for the treatment of acute, intermittent, and stereotypic episodes of frequent seizure activity in epilepsy patients six years of age and older. Although IV and rectal diazepam are already used to treat seizure clusters, Valtoco® has less variability in plasma concentration compared to rectal diazepam. Furthermore, the intranasal administration of Valtoco® is more convenient and less invasive than rectal or IV diazepam, making it ideal for self-administration outside of a hospital setting. Multiple clinical trials have taken place comparing Valtoco® to the oral, rectal, and IV forms of diazepam. …

Neuronal Actions Of Transspinal Stimulation On Locomotor Networks And Reflex Excitability During Walking In Humans With And Without Spinal Cord Injury, Md. Anamul Islam, Timothy S. Pulverenti, Maria Knikou

Publications and Research

This study investigated the neuromodulatory effects of transspinal stimulation on soleus H-reflex excitability and electromyographic (EMG) activity during stepping in humans with and without spinal cord injury (SCI). Thirteen able-bodied adults and 5 individuals with SCI participated in the study. EMG activity from both legs was determined for steps without, during, and after a single-pulse or pulse train transspinal stimulation delivered during stepping randomly at different phases of the step cycle. The soleus H-reflex was recorded in both subject groups under control conditions and following single-pulse transspinal stimulation at an individualized exactly similar positive and negative conditioning-test interval. The EMG …

When The Pandemic Opts For The Lockdown: Secretion System Evolution In The Cholera Bacterium, Francis J. Santoriello, Stefan Pukatzki

Publications and Research

Vibrio cholerae, the causative agent of the diarrheal disease cholera, is a microbe capable of inhabiting two different ecosystems: chitinous surfaces in brackish, estuarine waters and the epithelial lining of the human gastrointestinal tract. V. cholerae defends against competitive microorganisms with a contact-dependent, contractile killing machine called the type VI secretion system (T6SS) in each of these niches. The T6SS resembles an inverted T4 bacteriophage tail and is used to deliver toxic effector proteins into neighboring cells. Pandemic strains of V. cholerae encode a unique set of T6SS effector proteins, which may play a role in pathogenesis or pandemic …

Conducting Household Surveys On Reproductive Health In Urban Settings: Lessons From Karachi, Pakistan, Mirbaz Khan, Sidrah Nausheen, Imtiaz Hussain, Kristy Hackett, Kaneez Zehra, Khalid Feroz, David Cannin, Iqbal Shah, Sajid Bashir Soofi

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: Data collection is the most critical stage in any population health study and correctly implementing fieldwork enhances the quality of collected information. However, even the most carefully planned large-scale household surveys can encounter many context-specific issues. This paper reflected on our research team's recent experience conducting surveys for a quasi-experimental evaluation of a reproductive health program in urban areas of Karachi, Pakistan. We aim to describe the issues encountered and lessons learned from this process, and present some potential solutions for conducting future household surveys in similar urban environments.
Methods: The study followed a three-stage random sampling design. Initially, …

Limited Effects Of Long-Term Daily Cranberry Consumption On The Gut Microbiome In A Placebo-Controlled Study Of Women With Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections, Timothy J Straub, Wen-Chi Chou, Abigail L Manson, Henry L Schreiber 4th, Bruce J Walker, Christopher A Desjardins, Sinéad B Chapman, Kerrie L Kaspar, Orsalem J Kahsai, Elizabeth Traylor, Karen W Dodson, Meredith A J Hullar, Scott J Hultgren, Christina Khoo, Ashlee M Earl

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) affect 15 million women each year in the United States, with > 20% experiencing frequent recurrent UTIs. A recent placebo-controlled clinical trial found a 39% reduction in UTI symptoms among recurrent UTI sufferers who consumed a daily cranberry beverage for 24 weeks. Using metagenomic sequencing of stool from a subset of these trial participants, we assessed the impact of cranberry consumption on the gut microbiota, a reservoir for UTI-causing pathogens such as Escherichia coli, which causes > 80% of UTIs.

RESULTS: The overall taxonomic composition, community diversity, carriage of functional pathways and gene families, and relative abundances …

Epidemiology, Biostatistics, And Population Health Concepts, Allison R. Casola, Phd, Mph, Mches

Department of Family & Community Medicine Presentations and Grand Rounds

Overview

Study Designs

• Overview

Epidemiology and Biostatistics

• Vocabulary Review
• Reliability, Variability, and Bias
• Diagnostic Testing and Measures of Association

Population Health

• Evidence Based Medicine
• Interpreting and Evaluating Literature
• Clinical Decision Making

Perinatal Maternal Mood Disorders, Sarah Elizabeth Hirsh Cokenakes, Md

Department of Family & Community Medicine Presentations and Grand Rounds

Learning Objectives

1. To identify the spectrum of peripartum mood disorders, their features, diagnostic criteria, and treatments.
2. To review FDA pregnancy safety categories and lactation categories for commonly prescribed mood medications.
3. To identify the role of family physicians in identifying and treating peripartum mood disorders.

Global Point-Of-Care Ultrasound Education And Training In The Age Of Covid-19., Onyinyechi F Eke, Patricia C. Henwood, Grace W Wanjiku, Abiola Fasina, Sigmund J Kharasch, Hamid Shokoohi

Department of Emergency Medicine Faculty Papers

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted traditional global point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) education and training, as a result of travel restrictions. It has also provided an opportunity for innovation using a virtual platform. Tele-ultrasound and video-conferencing are alternative and supportive tools to augment global POCUS education and training. There is a need to support learners and experts to ensure that maximum benefit is gained from the use of these innovative modalities.

Sars-Cov-2 Early Infection Signature Identified Potential Key Infection Mechanisms And Drug Targets, Yue Li, Ashley Duche, Michael R. Sayer, Don Roosan, Farid G. Khalafalla, Rennolds S. Ostrom, Jennifer Totonchy, Moom Roosan

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background

The ongoing COVID-19 outbreak has caused devastating mortality and posed a significant threat to public health worldwide. Despite the severity of this illness and 2.3 million worldwide deaths, the disease mechanism is mostly unknown. Previous studies that characterized differential gene expression due to SARS-CoV-2 infection lacked robust validation. Although vaccines are now available, effective treatment options are still out of reach.

Results

To characterize the transcriptional activity of SARS-CoV-2 infection, a gene signature consisting of 25 genes was generated using a publicly available RNA-Sequencing (RNA-Seq) dataset of cultured cells infected with SARS-CoV-2. The signature estimated infection level accurately in …

Gender Identity And Pronoun Usage In Standardized Patient Encounters, Martha M. Popescu, Emily J. Noonan, Laura A. Weingartner

Grawemeyer Colloquium Papers

One of the most common documentation frameworks clinicians use for patient evaluations are Subjective, Objective, Assessment, and Plan, (SOAP) notes. The clinician will usually record medical, family, social, etc. history as “subjective” information. Temperature, blood pressure, lab work, etc. would be considered “objective” information. An evaluation of the patient’s health and possible medical issues would be considered the “assessment,” and their intentions for current and future treatment would be the “plan” within these notes. Trainees often write SOAP notes after completing a standardized patient (SP) encounter—an educational practice used in medical schools to simulate real-world physician-patient interactions in order to …

Kl-6 Levels In Covid-19, Giuliana Scarpati

Translational Medicine @ UniSa

We present preliminary results which encourage KL‐6 evaluation as a potential biomarker for phenotyping COVID-19 patients according to disease severity.

The Importance Of Outdoor Games In The Formation Of Motor Skills In Preschool Children, Vasila Bakhtiyarovna Aripova

Eurasian Journal of Sport Science

Aim: The purpose of the study is to develop a method of outdoor games used for the formation of motor skills in preschool children.

Methods: Literature analysis, pedagogical observation, questionnaire survey, anthropometry, pulse measurement, pedagogical experiment, mathematical and statistical methods.

Results: Development of a special set of exercises for the effective organization of the process of physical education of preschoolers, the development of physical qualities of the child, depending on the age and development of physical development and the level of fitness.

Conclusion: Results of experiment indicates a higher efficiency of the program developed by us and applied in the …

Meeting Minutes, Wku Council Of Academic Deans

Council of Academic Deans

Meeting regarding graduate fair, commencement, enrollment, accreditation, zoom connect classroom and fifth week assessment.

2021-02-17_Michigandaily_Covidmap, Michigan Department Of Health & Human Services

Daily Michigan COVID-19 Update

The "WHERE WE STAND WITH COVID-19" map was obtained from Michigan's main COVID-19 page: https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus. Data was compiled by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). The information was updated daily at 3p.m., Monday - Saturday.

The State of Michigan is working around the clock to test and treat COVID-19 patients. Below is the most recent data healthcare experts across the state have compiled.

The image contained a map, indicating total cases by county, and also provides statistics on Total Confirmed Cases, Total COVID-19 Deaths, Daily Confirmed Cases, and Daily COVID-19 Deaths. There …