Medical Immunology Commons^™

Lymphatic Dysfunction And Associated Systemic Inflammation In Lymphedema, Assessed By Nirf-Li Imaging And Plasma Cytokine/Chemokine Analysis, Anna Vang

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) manifests as swelling of the upper extremities and trunk as a result of lymphatic fluid buildup due to radiation therapy (RT), surgical lymph node removal, or chemotherapy. As there is currently no cure, BCRL treatment aims to improve quality of life (QOL). First-line treatment involves specialized massage therapy and the use of compression garments. Second-line treatments include reparative lymphatic microsurgeries such as lymphovenous bypass (LVB) and/or vascularized lymph node transplant (VLNT). There is a need for better understanding of the etiology of BCRL and lymphatic microsurgery outcomes. Blood specimens and near-infrared fluorescent lymphatic imaging (NIRF- LI)data …

A Review Of Staphylococcus Aureus Pathogenesis, Global Impact, And The Rise Of Antibiotic-Resistant Clones, Anders Kleinbeck

Honors Scholar Theses

Staphylococcus aureus is a pathogen of grave concern to global public health. The pathogen has shown an unrivaled propensity to obtain resistance to nearly every antibiotic drug approved and prescribed for its treatment. This review will provide an overview of the history and evolution of S. aureus, including an analysis of its transition from the nosocomial setting to the community and the factors contributing to the species’ innate pathogenicity. This paper will also discuss the molecular mechanisms by which resistance to a wide range of popular antibiotic substances was obtained and will provide insight into the evolutionary patterns exhibited by …

Bladder Mucosal Cystitis Cystica Lesions Are Tertiary Lymphoid Tissues That Correlate With Recurrent Urinary Tract Infection Frequency In Postmenopausal Women, Marianne M Ligon, Brooke Liang, Stacy M Lenger, Priyanka Parameswaran, Siobhan Sutcliffe, Jerry L Lowder, Indira U Mysorekar

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

PURPOSE: We identify correlates and clinical outcomes of cystitis cystica, a poorly understood chronic inflammatory bladder change, in women with recurrent urinary tract infections.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective, observational cohort of women with recurrent urinary tract infections who underwent cystoscopy (n=138) from 2015 to 2018 were identified using electronic medical records. Cystitis cystica status was abstracted from cystoscopy reports and correlations were identified by logistic regression. Urinary tract infection-free survival time associated with cystitis cystica was evaluated by Cox proportional hazards regression. Exact logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with changes to cystitis cystica lesions on repeat …

Clinical Course Of A Patient With Agammaglobulinemia Caused By Slc39a7 Defect, Thao Le, Emily Farrow, Alvin Singh, Isabelle Thiffault, Nikita Raje

Posters

Case Report: A 10-year-old unimmunized boy initially presented to the hospital at 18-months of age with pneumonia and failure to thrive. He had multiple infections including Escherichia coli urosepsis, viral croup, chronic otitis media with bilateral ruptured tympanic membranes, and bacterial pneumonia. On physical examination, he was ill appearing and had diffuse crackles. His laboratory work-up showed leukocytosis, normocytic anemia, undetectable immunoglobulin (Ig) G, A, and E, low IgM (28 mg/dL), absent B cell with normal T cell (7800 mm3) and NK cell (527 mm3) counts, and low zinc level (63 mcg/dL). Genetic testing was negative for Bruton tyrosine kinase …

Uncovering Novel Mechanism Of Immune Modulation Of Invariant Natural Killer T Cells By Liposomal Α-Galactosylceramide, Alexandra S. Flegle

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Invariant Natural Killer T cells (iNK-T cells) are a powerful regulatory immune cell that can recruit both innate and adaptive immune cells. Unlike conventional T cells (CD4⁺ and CD8α⁺), they recognize glycolipid antigens via the MHC-class-I like molecule, CD1d. A synthetically derived glycolipid from the marine sponge, Agelas mauritianus, alpha-Galactosylceramide (α-GalCer) potently activates iNK-T cells. Within a few hours after activation, iNK-T cells produce high quantities of T_H1 and T_H2 type cytokines, thus shape subsequent adaptive immunity towards inflammation (T_H1) or immune-suppression (T_H2). Structural modification of α-GalCer’s phytosphingosine …

A Novel Neuroinvasive Infection Modality For Francisella Tularensis Elicits Neuroinflammation Resulting In Cellular Damage, Mireya Griselle Ramos-Muniz

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Francisella tularensis (Ft.) is a gram-negative coccobacillus bacterium that causes the zoonotic disease tularemia in humans. Ft. causes the most severe, often fatal, form of the disease through inhalation. However, Ft. is most commonly transmitted through direct contact with infected animal carcasses such as rodents and rabbits, consumption of contaminated food or water, or through arthropod bites, particularly ticks. Due to its extremely low infectious dose, high mortality rate, and potential use as a biological warfare agent, Ft. is classified by the CDC as a "Tier 1 select agent". Ft. infection triggers an overactive inflammatory response, termed a "cytokine storm", …

Comparison Of Maturation Stages Of Natural Killer Cell Differentiation Culture From Cultured And Freshly Isolated Umbilical Cord Blood Hematopoietic Stem Cells, Samuel Febrian Wijaya, Retno Lestari, Inna Rahmawati, Imelda Rosalyn Sianipar, Robby Nuraditya, Iqbal Fasha, Gita Pratama, Radiana Dhewayani Antarianto

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Natural killer (NK) cells originate from the differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in the common lymphoid progenitor pathway, and HSCs can be obtained from umbilical cord blood (UCB). Comparative studies of NK cell differentiation between cultured and freshly isolated HSCs are important in the development of NK cell therapy for cancer. This study aimed to compare the maturation stages of NK cell differentiation between cultured and newly isolated HSC samples using interleukin-2 in the absence of feeder cells.

Methods: Differentiation cultures were divided into two groups according to HSC source. Giemsa staining and flow cytometry were …

Ido1 And Inflammatory Neovascularization: Bringing New Blood To Tumor-Promoting Inflammation, Alexander J. Muller, Arpita Mondal, Souvik Dey, George C Prendergast

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

In parallel with the genetic and epigenetic changes that accumulate in tumor cells, chronic tumor-promoting inflammation establishes a local microenvironment that fosters the development of malignancy. While knowledge of the specific factors that distinguish tumor-promoting from non-tumor-promoting inflammation remains inchoate, nevertheless, as highlighted in this series on the 'Hallmarks of Cancer', it is clear that tumor-promoting inflammation is essential to neoplasia and metastatic progression making identification of specific factors critical. Studies of immunometabolism and inflamometabolism have revealed a role for the tryptophan catabolizing enzyme IDO1 as a core element in tumor-promoting inflammation. At one level, IDO1 expression promotes immune tolerance …

Hica Toxin-Based Counterselection Marker For Allelic Exchange Mutations In Fusobacterium Nucleatum, Bibek Gc, Peng Zhou, Chenggang Wu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The study of fusobacterial virulence factors has dramatically benefited from the creation of various genetic tools for DNA manipulation, including galK-based counterselection for in-frame deletion mutagenesis in Fusobacterium nucleatum, which was recently developed. However, this method requires a host lacking the galK gene, which is an inherent limitation. To circumvent this limitation, we explored the possibility of using the hicA gene that encodes a toxin consisting of a HicAB toxin-antitoxin module in Fusobacterium periodonticum as a new counterselective marker. Interestingly, the full-length hicA gene is not toxic in F. nucleatum, but a truncated hicA gene version lacking the first …

Investigating Differences In Iga Antibody Response Against Aspergillus Fumigatus In Wild Type And Tlr7 Protein Deficient Mice, Courtney Folk

Student Academic Conference

Aspergillus fumigatus is a commonly inhaled, respiratory fungal pathogen and an allergen found in flooded indoor environments, household dust, soil, and plant matter. While a competent immune system effectively clears the inhaled fungus, this same fungus poses a significant threat to weakened immune systems due to its potential to invade the lungs, bloodstream and brain tissue. The mouse genome is 99% similar to the human genome and can serve effectively model the effects of inhaled A. fumigatus (Guénet, 2005). Antibodies play a crucial role in neutralizing pathogens and in mediating an allergic response. In this study, we will investigate the …

Barriers To Care In Juvenile Localized And Systemic Scleroderma: An Exploratory Survey Study Of Caregivers’ Perspectives, Leigh A Stubbs, Andrew M Ferry, Danielle Guffey, Christina Loccke, Erin Moriarty Wade, Pamela Pour, Kaveh Ardalan, Peter Chira, Ingrid M Ganske, Daniel Glaser, Gloria Higgins, Nadia Luca, Katharine F Moore, Vidya Sivaraman, Katie Stewart, Natalia Vasquez-Canizares, Raegan D Hunt, Renata S Maricevich, Kathryn S Torok, Suzanne C Li, Childhood Arthritis, Rheumatology Research Alliance (Carra) Scleroderma Workgroup

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Juvenile localized scleroderma (LS) and systemic sclerosis (SSc) are rare pediatric conditions often associated with severe morbidities. Delays in diagnosis are common, increasing the risk for permanent damage and worse outcomes. This study explored caregiver perspectives on barriers they encountered while navigating diagnosis and care for their child's scleroderma.

METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, caregivers of juvenile LS or SSc patients were recruited from a virtual family scleroderma educational conference and a juvenile scleroderma online interest group. The survey queried respondents about their child's condition and factors affecting diagnosis and treatment.

RESULTS: The response rate was 61% (73/120), with …

Application Of A Novel Lytic Jerseyvirus Phage Lpsent1 For The Biological Control Of The Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella Enteritidis In Foods, Rashad R. Al-Hindi, Mona G. Alharbi, Ibrahim Alotibi, Sheren A. Azhari, Khloud M. Algothmi, Ahmed Esmael

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Non-typhoidal Salmonella is the tremendously predominant source of acquired foodborne infection in humans, causing salmonellosis which is a global threat to the healthcare system. This threat is even worse when it is combined with the incidence of multidrug-resistant Salmonella strains. Bacteriophage therapy has been proposed as a promising potential candidate to control a diversity of foodborne infective bacteria. The objective of this study designed to isolate and characterize lytic phages infecting zoonotic multi-drug resistant and strong biofilm producer Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis EG.SmE1 and then apply the isolated phage/s as a biocontrol agent against infections in ready-to-eat food articles including …

The Sars-Cov-2 Utr’S Intrudes Host Rbp’S And Modulates Cellular Splicing, Anjali Singh, Kush Kumar Pandey, Shubham Kumar Agrawal, Rupesh K. Srivastava, Sankar Bhattacharyya, Bhupendra Verma

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

SARS-CoV-2 is a novel coronavirus that causes a potentially fatal respiratory disease known as coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and is responsible for the ongoing pandemic with increasing mortality. Understanding the host-virus interaction involved in SARS-CoV-2 pathophysiology will enhance our understanding of the mechanistic basis of COVID-19 infection. The characterization of post-transcriptional gene regulatory networks, particularly pre-mRNA splicing, and the identification and characterization of host proteins interacting with the 5' and 3'UTRs of SARS-CoV-2 will improve our understanding of posttranscriptional gene regulation during SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis. Here, we demonstrate that either SARS-CoV-2 infection or exogenous overexpression of the 5' and 3’UTRs of the …

The Effects Of Specialized Pro-Resolving Mediator Lipoxin A4 On Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Biofilms And Interactions With Monocytes, Julianne M. Thornton

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is an opportunistic pathogen known as a major cause of hospital-acquired secondary infections, commonly causing chronic respiratory infections in immunocompromised individuals, especially those with cystic fibrosis, and often found in wound infections. P. aeruginosa uses the quorum sensing pathway to readily form protective biofilms, which reduce the efficacy of antibiotics and access by host immune cells to eradicate the pathogen. Specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) are lipids endogenously produced by the host immune response to infection to aid in infection resolution. One SPM, Lipoxin A4 (LxA4), has been shown to be a robust quorum sensing inhibitor.

The …

Contribution Of Adaptive Immunity To Human Copd And Experimental Models Of Emphysema, Farrah Kheradmand, Yun Zhang, David B Corry

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The pathophysiology of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the undisputed role of innate immune cells in this condition have dominated the field in the basic research arena for many years. Recently, however, compelling data suggesting that adaptive immune cells may also contribute to the progressive nature of lung destruction associated with COPD in smokers have gained considerable attention. The histopathological changes in the lungs of smokers can be limited to the large or small airways, but alveolar loss leading to emphysema, which occurs in some individuals, remains its most significant and irreversible outcome. Critically, however, the question of why …

Antibodies For Β2-Microglobulin And The Heavy Chains Of Hla-E, Hla-F, And Hla-G Reflect The Hla-Variants On Activated Immune Cells And Phases Of Disease Progression In Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Under Treatment, Mepur H. Ravindranath, Narendranath M. Ravindranath, Carly J. Amato-Menker, Fatiha El Hilali, Senthamil R. Selvan, Edward J Filippone, Luis Eduardo Morales-Buenrostro

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a progressive, inflammatory, autoimmune, symmetrical polyarticular arthritis. It is characterized by synovial infiltration and activation of several types of immune cells, culminating in their apoptosis and antibody generation against "altered" autoantigens. β2-microglobulin (β2m)-associated heavy chains (HCs) of HLA antigens, also known as closed conformers (Face-1), undergo "alteration" during activation of immune cells, resulting in β2m-free structural variants, including monomeric open conformers (Face-2) that are capable of dimerizing as either homodimers (Face-3) or as heterodimers (Face-4). β2m-free HCs uncover the cryptic epitopes that can elicit antibodies (Abs). We report here the levels of IgM and IgG Abs …

Impact Of Testosterone Use On The Vaginal Microbiota Of Transgender Men, Including Susceptibility To Bacterial Vaginosis: Study Protocol For A Prospective, Observational Study, Christina A. Muzny, Olivia T. Van Gerwen, Julia A. Schroeder, Emma Sophia Kay-Duncan, Krishmita Siwakoti, Kristal J. Aaron, Isaac C. Eastlund, Keonte J. Graves, Jacob H. Elnaggar, Ashutosh Tamhane, Dustin Long, Nicholas Van Wagoner, Evelyn Toh, Christopher M. Taylor

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

Introduction The effect of testosterone (T) therapy on the vaginal microbiota of transgender men (TGM) is not well characterised, although one cross-sectional study comparing the vaginal microbiota of cisgender women to TGM on T≥1 year found that, in 71% of the TGM, the vaginal microbiota was less likely to be Lactobacillus-dominated and more likely to be enriched with >30 other bacterial species, many associated with bacterial vaginosis (BV). This prospective study aims to investigate changes in the composition of the vaginal microbiota over time in TGM who retain their natal genitalia (ie, vagina) and initiate T. In addition, we will …

Design And Preclinical Evaluation Of A Universal Sars-Cov-2 Mrna Vaccine, Jane Qin, Ju Hyeong Jeon, Jiangsheng Xu, Laura Katherine Langston, Ramesh Marasini, Stephanie Mou, Brian Montoya, Carolina R Melo-Silva, Hyo Jin Jeon, Tianyi Zhu, Luis J. Sigal, Renhuan Xu, Huabin Zhu

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

Because of the rapid mutations of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), an effective vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 variants is needed to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). T cells, in addition to neutralizing antibodies, are an important component of naturally acquired protective immunity, and a number of studies have shown that T cells induced by natural infection or vaccination contribute significantly to protection against several viral infections including SARS-CoV-2. However, it has never been tested whether a T cell-inducing vaccine can provide significant protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection in the absence of preexisting antibodies. In this study, we designed and evaluated …

Fresh Produce As A Potential Vector And Reservoir For Human Bacterial Pathogens: Revealing The Ambiguity Of Interaction And Transmission, Ahmed Esmael, Rashad R. Al-Hindi, Raed S. Albiheyri, Mona G. Alharbi, Amani A. R. Filimban, Mazen S. Alseghayer, Abdulaziz M. Almaneea, Meshari Ahmed Alhadlaq, Jumaa Ayubu, Addisu D. Teklemariam

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

The consumer demand for fresh produce (vegetables and fruits) has considerably increased since the 1980s for more nutritious foods and healthier life practices, particularly in developed countries. Currently, several foodborne outbreaks have been linked to fresh produce. The global rise in fresh produce associated with human infections may be due to the use of wastewater or any contaminated water for the cultivation of fruits and vegetables, the firm attachment of the foodborne pathogens on the plant surface, and the internalization of these agents deep inside the tissue of the plant, poor disinfection practices and human consumption of raw fresh produce. …

Post Hoc Analysis Examining Symptom Severity Reduction And Symptom Absence During Food Challenges In Individuals Who Underwent Oral Immunotherapy For Peanut Allergy: Results From Three Trials, Katharina Blumchen, Andreas Kleinheinz, Ludger Klimek, Kirsten Beyer, Aikaterini Anagnostou, Christian Vogelberg, Sergejus Butovas, Robert Ryan, David Norval, Stefan Zeitler, George Du Toit

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

PURPOSE: Peanut allergy and its current management, involving peanut avoidance and use of rescue medication during instances of accidental exposure, are burdensome to patients and their caregivers and can be a source of stress, uncertainty, and restriction. Physicians may also be frustrated with a lack of effective and safe treatments other than avoidance in the current management of peanut allergy. Efficacy, determined using double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenges (DBPCFCs), of oral immunotherapy with peanut (Arachis hypogaea) allergen powder-dnfp (PTAH; Palforzia

METHODS: Symptom data recorded during screening and/or exit DBPCFCs from participants aged 4 to 17 years receiving PTAH or placebo were …

Global Epidemiology And Clinical Outcomes Of Carbapenem-Resistant Pseudomonas Aeruginosa And Associated Carbapenemases (Pop): A Prospective Cohort Study, Jinnethe Reyes, Lauren Komarow, Liang Chen, Lizhao Ge, Blake M Hanson, Eric Cober, Erica Herc, Thamer Alenazi, Keith S Kaye, Julia Garcia-Diaz, Lanjuan Li, Souha S Kanj, Zhengyin Liu, Jose M Oñate, Robert A Salata, Kalisvar Marimuthu, Hainv Gao, Zhiyong Zong, Sandra L Valderrama-Beltrán, Yunsong Yu, Paul Tambyah, Gregory Weston, Soraya Salcedo, Lillian M Abbo, Qing Xie, Karen Ordoñez, Minggui Wang, Martin E Stryjewski, Jose M Munita, David L Paterson, Scott Evans, Carol Hill, Keri Baum, Robert A Bonomo, Barry N Kreiswirth, Maria Virginia Villegas, Robin Patel, Cesar A Arias, Henry F Chambers, Vance G Fowler, Yohei Doi, David Van Duin, Michael J Satlin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA) is a global threat, but the distribution and clinical significance of carbapenemases are unclear. The aim of this study was to define characteristics and outcomes of CRPA infections and the global frequency and clinical impact of carbapenemases harboured by CRPA.

Methods: We conducted an observational, prospective cohort study of CRPA isolated from bloodstream, respiratory, urine, or wound cultures of patients at 44 hospitals (10 countries) between Dec 1, 2018, and Nov 30, 2019. Clinical data were abstracted from health records and CRPA isolates were whole-genome sequenced. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality from the day …

Pyroptosis In Neutrophils: Multimodal Integration Of Inflammasome And Regulated Cell Death Signaling Pathways, George R Dubyak, Brandon A Miller, Eric Pearlman

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Pyroptosis is a proinflammatory mode of lytic cell death mediated by accumulation of plasma membrane (PM) macropores composed of gasdermin-family (GSDM) proteins. It facilitates two major functions in innate immunity: (i) elimination of intracellular replicative niches for pathogenic bacteria; and (ii) non-classical secretion of IL-1 family cytokines that amplify host-beneficial inflammatory responses to microbial infection or tissue damage. Physiological roles for gasdermin D (GSDMD) in pyroptosis and IL-1β release during inflammasome signaling have been extensively characterized in macrophages. This involves cleavage of GSDMD by caspase-1 to generate GSDMD macropores that mediate IL-1β efflux and progression to pyroptotic lysis. Neutrophils, which …

Urinary Cd163 Is A Marker Of Active Kidney Disease In Childhood-Onset Lupus Nephritis, Haleigh Inthavong, Kamala Vanarsa, Jessica Castillo, M John Hicks, Chandra Mohan, Scott E Wenderfer

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the utility of urine CD163 for detecting disease activity in childhood-onset SLE (cSLE) patients.

METHODS: Sixty consecutive pediatric patients fulfilling four or more ACR criteria for SLE and 20 healthy controls were recruited for testing of urinary CD163 using ELISA. SLE disease activity was assessed using the SLEDAI-2K.

RESULTS: Urine CD163 was significantly higher in patients with active LN than inactive SLE patients and healthy controls, with receiver operating characteristics area under the curve values ranging from 0.93 to 0.96. LN was ascertained by kidney biopsy. Levels of CD163 significantly correlated …

Corrigendum To 'The Hemophilia Joint Health Score Version 21 Validation In Adult Patients Study: A Multicenter International Study' [Research And Practice In Thrombosis And Haemostasis, 6/2, (2022) E12690], Adrian Minford, Leonardo R Brand Ao, Maha Othman, Christoph Male, Rezan Abdul-Kadir, Paul Monagle, Andrew D Mumford, Dorothy Adcock, Björn Dahlbäck, Predrag Miljic, Maria T Desancho, Jun Teruya

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

This corrects the article "The Hemophilia Joint Health Score version 2.1 Validation in Adult Patients Study: A multicenter international study" in volume 6, e12690.

Sleep Duration, Hypnotic Drug Use, And Risk Factors: Cross- Sectional Study, Nazanin Jalali, Parvin Khalili, Zahra Jamali, Zahra Jalali, Amir Moghadam-Ahmadi, Alireza Vakilian, Fatemeh Ayoobi

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

Both short sleep duration (SSD) and long sleep duration (LSD) are associated with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Here, we aimed to assess the prevalence of sleep duration disturbances among adults in association with demographic, medication use, personal habits, and chronic diseases, while also considering the impact of hypnotic drug use. We performed a cross-sectional study of 9991 adult participants of the Rafsanjan Cohort Study (RCS), as part of the Prospective epidemiological research studies in Iran (PERSIAN). Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the association between short (< 6 h) and long (> 9 h) sleep duration with demographic and lifestyle …

Role Of Biomarkers (Sflt-1/Plgf) In Cases Of Covid-19 For Distinguishing Preeclampsia And Guiding Clinical Management, Guilherme M Nobrega, Jose P Guida, Juliana M Novaes, Larissa M Solda, Luciana Pietro, Adriana G Luz, Giuliane J Lajos, Carolina C Ribeiro-Do-Valle, Renato T Souza, Jose G Cecatti, Indira U Mysorekar, Tabata Z Dias, Maria Laura Costa

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

OBJECTIVES: To analyze soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1) and placental growth factors (PlGF) concentrations and their ratio in pregnant and postpartum women with suspected COVID-19, and further investigate conditions associated with an increased ratio (sFlt-1/PlGF > 38), including preeclampsia (PE) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

STUDY DESIGN: The present study is a secondary analysis of a prospective cohort. Blood samples were collected at time of COVID-19 investigation and the serum measurements of sFlt-1 and PlGF were performed. Clinical background, SARS-CoV-2 infection characteristics, maternal and perinatal outcomes were further analyzed.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Serum measurements of sFlt-1 and PlGF; obstetrics …

The Quality And Management Of Penicillin Allergy Labels In Pediatric Primary Care, Margaret G Taylor, Torsten Joerger, Sara Anvari, Yun Li, Jeffrey S Gerber, Debra L Palazzi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Penicillin allergy labels are the most common drug allergy label. The objective of this study was to describe the quality and management of penicillin allergy labels in the pediatric primary care setting.

METHODS: Retrospective chart review of 500 of 18 015 children with penicillin allergy labels born from January 1, 2010 to June 30, 2020 randomly selected from an outpatient birth cohort from Texas Children's Pediatrics and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia networks. Penicillin allergy risk classification ("not allergy," "low risk," "moderate or high risk," "severe risk," "unable to classify") was determined based on documentation within (1) the …

Fine Needle Aspiration Of Pancreatic Lesions Focusing On Secondary Tumors With Emphasis Of Metastatic Breast Cancer: A Clinicopathological Study With Follow-Up, Maria Yanqing Chen, Neda Zarrin-Khameh, Ya Xu

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: The data on metastatic tumors to the pancreas diagnosed by fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy is limited. We report our experience of FNA of primary and secondary pancreatic tumors emphasizing metastatic breast cancer in the pancreas.

METHOD: Total 274 cases of pancreatic FNA in 10 years were retrospectively reviewed. Literature review of metastatic breast cancers to the pancreas was performed.

RESULTS: Out of the 274 cases, 7 (7/274, 2.6%) cases were non-diagnostic, 46 (46/274, 16.8%) cases were negative for malignancy, and 40 (40/274, 14.6%) cases were under the category of atypical cells. There were 133 (133/274, 48.5%) cases diagnosed …

Alternative Splicing Mediates The Compensatory Upregulation Of Mbnl2 Upon Mbnl1 Loss-Of-Function, Larissa Nitschke, Rong-Chi Hu, Andrew N Miller, Lathan Lucas, Thomas A Cooper

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Loss of gene function can be compensated by paralogs with redundant functions. An example of such compensation are the paralogs of the Muscleblind-Like (MBNL) family of RNA-binding proteins that are sequestered and lose their function in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 (DM1). Loss of MBNL1 increases the levels of its paralog MBNL2 in tissues where Mbnl2 expression is low, allowing MBNL2 to functionally compensate for MBNL1 loss. Here, we show that loss of MBNL1 increases the inclusion of Mbnl2 exon 6 and exon 9. We find that inclusion of Mbnl2 exon 6 increases the translocation of MBNL2 to the nucleus, while …

The Immunomodulating Effects Of Morphine Dependence And Withdrawal In A Rat Model, Mark Stoll

Annual Research Symposium

Would you like to know what happens to the immune system during opioid drug withdrawal?