Allergy and Immunology Commons^™

Study On The Formulation And Characterization Of A Photoprotective Cream Containing A New Synthetized Compound, Teodora Dalila Balaci, Emma Adriana Ozon, Daniela Luiza Baconi, Georgiana Nițulescu, Bruno Velescu, Cristian Bălălău, Ioana Păunică, Cătălina Ancuța Fița

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Starting from a new organic sunscreen synthesized in our laboratory by the condensation of sodium salt of the p-aminosalicylic acid with 2,6 – dichloroacetanilide, efficient cosmetic formulation with broad photoprotective properties was obtained by using the new compound as organic UV filter, metal oxides as inorganic filters, and vegetable extracts, oils and other ingredients with emollient, protective, and moisturizing effect. After showing the lack of toxicity of the new compound, in order to reduce the amount of UV filter used, it was encapsulated into nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs). The final cream has demonstrated good qualities for skin application, possessing suitable …

Novel Use Of Fresh Frozen Plasma In Treating Hereditary Angioedema: A Success Story From Pakistan, Amber Sabeen Ahmed, Sidra Fayyaz

Section of Internal Medicine

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) due to a C1-esterase inhibitor(C1-INH) deficiency is a rare and potentially life-threatening disorder. It is characterized by an episodic and self-limiting increase in vascular permeability. The condition manifests itself as recurrent attacks of swelling in any part of the body. The angioedema can cause the involvement of the respiratory tract, skin, and gastrointestinal tract. Laryngeal involvement can make the condition life-threatening. It does not respond well to conventional angioedema therapy of steroids, adrenaline, and antihistamines. The targeted therapy for HAE consists of plasma-derived or recombinant C1-INH, ecallantide, and icatibant or bradykinin receptor antagonist. In the absence of …

Complex Tissue Regeneration In Mammals Is Associated With Reduced Inflammatory Cytokines And An Influx Of T Cells, Thomas R. Gawriluk, Jennifer Simkin, Corin K. Hacker, John M. Kimani, Stephen G. Kiama, Vanessa O. Ezenwa, Ashley W. Seifert

Biology Faculty Publications

While mammals tend to repair injuries, other adult vertebrates like salamanders and fish regenerate damaged tissue. One prominent hypothesis offered to explain an inability to regenerate complex tissue in mammals is a bias during healing toward strong adaptive immunity and inflammatory responses. Here we directly test this hypothesis by characterizing part of the immune response during regeneration in spiny mice (Acomys cahirinus and Acomys percivali) vs. fibrotic repair in Mus musculus. By directly quantifying cytokines during tissue healing, we found that fibrotic repair was associated with a greater release of pro-inflammatory cytokines (i.e., IL-6, CCL2, and CXCL1) …

The Spectrum Of Primary Immunodeficiencies At A Tertiary Care Hospital In Pakistan, Sonia Qureshi, Fatima Mir, Samina Junejo, Khalid Saleem, Samreen Zaidi, Abdullah B. Naveed, Khalil Ahmad, Farah Naz Qamar

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: Primary Immunodeficiency Disorders (PIDs) are well-known disorders in the West. but the recognition and diagnosis of these disorders is challenging in developing countries. We present the spectrum of PIDs seen at a tertiary care center in Pakistan, identified using clinical case definitions and molecular methods.
Methods: A retrospective chart review of children suspected to have PID was conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) Karachi, Pakistan from 2010 to 2016. Data on demographics, clinical features, family history of consanguinity, sibling death, details of laboratory workup done for PID and molecular tests targeted panel next generation sequencing (NGS) or …

Prevalence Of Allergic Rhinitis Among Healthcare Workers And Its Impact On Their Work: A Cross-Sectional Survey At A Tertiary Healthcare Centre In Pakistan, Moghira Iqbaluddin Siddiqui, Rahim Dhanani, Huzaifa Moiz

Section of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery

A study was conducted to determine the frequency of allergic rhinitis among healthcare professionals and its impact on their work at the Aga Khan University Hospital Karachi Pakistan. Healthcare workers including doctors, nurses, technicians and pharmacists were included. Participants were asked to fill a questionnaire consisting of score for allergic rhinitis (SFAR), and work productivity and activity impairment questionnaires. Out of 167 workers, 101 were males. Mean age of the participants was 29.0 ± 5.9 years. Overall prevalence of allergic rhinitis among healthcare workers was found to be frequency (19.2%). We noted that 13 individuals reported to have missed their …

Development, Expansion And Role Of Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells In Post-Sepsis Immune Suppression, Tuqa Alkhateeb

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) numbers increase significantly in sepsis and are associated with high mortality rates. These myeloid cell precursors promote immunosuppression, especially in the late (post sepsis) stage. However, the mechanisms that underlie MDSC expansion and programming are not completely understood. To investigate these mechanisms, we used a cecal-ligation and puncture (CLP) mouse model of polymicrobial sepsis that progresses from an early/acute proinflammatory phase to a late/chronic immunosuppressive phase. Previous studies in our laboratory showed that microRNA (miR)-21 and miR-181b elevate levels of the transcription factor nuclear factor 1 (NFI-A) that promotes MDSC expansion. We report here that miR-21 …

Molecular Mechanisms And Epidemiology Of Covid-19 From An Allergist’S Perspective, Koa Hosoki, Abhijit Chakraborty, Sanjiv Sur

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The global pandemic caused by the newly described severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused worldwide suffering and death of unimaginable magnitude from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The virus is transmitted through aerosol droplets, and causes severe acute respiratory syndrome. SARS-CoV-2 uses the receptor-binding domain of its spike protein S1 to attach to the host angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor in lung and airway cells. Binding requires the help of another host protein, transmembrane protease serine S1 member 2. Several factors likely contribute to the efficient transmission of SARS-CoV-2. The receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 has a 10- to 20-fold …

Automatic Recognition, Segmentation, And Sex Assignment Of Nocturnal Asthmatic Coughs And Cough Epochs In Smartphone Audio Recordings: Observational Field Study, Filipe Barata, Peter Tinschert, Frank Rassouli, Claudia Steurer-Stey, Elgar Fleisch, Milo Puhan, Martin Brutsche, David Kotz, Tobias Kowatsch

Dartmouth Scholarship

Background: Asthma is one of the most prevalent chronic respiratory diseases. Despite increased investment in treatment, little progress has been made in the early recognition and treatment of asthma exacerbations over the last decade. Nocturnal cough monitoring may provide an opportunity to identify patients at risk for imminent exacerbations. Recently developed approaches enable smartphone-based cough monitoring. These approaches, however, have not undergone longitudinal overnight testing nor have they been specifically evaluated in the context of asthma. Also, the problem of distinguishing partner coughs from patient coughs when two or more people are sleeping in the same room using contact-free audio …

Convalescent Plasma In Covid-19, Ranjit S. Banwait, Joshua K. Salabei, Troy J. Fishman, Uma G. Iyer

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

The recent pandemic of SARS-CoV-2, which causes novel coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), has had devastating impact on a global and national scale. In order to overcome this outbreak it is imperative we find treatments that are safe and effective. To date, no definitive treatment is available that can curtail the spread of this viral syndrome. Convalescent plasma (CP) is one such option that has repeatedly served as an important tool in treatment of various bacterial and viral infections, especially in the setting of no specific antimicrobial or vaccination against an infectious disease. Herein, we review the history of CP, prior …

Multi-Omics: Differential Expression Of Ifn-Γ Results In Distinctive Mechanistic Features Linking Chronic Inflammation, Gut Dysbiosis, And Autoimmune Diseases, Heekyong R. Bae, Patrick S. C. Leung, Deborah L. Hodge, John M. Fenimore, Seon Min Jeon, Vishal Thovarai, Amiran Dzutsev, Andrew A. Welcher, Michael Boedigheimer, Michael A. Damore, Myung Sook Choi, Richard A. Fravell, Giorgio Trinchieri, M. Eric Gershwin, Howard A. Young

United States Public Health Resources

Low grade, chronic inflammation is a critical risk factor for immunologic dysfunction including autoimmune diseases. However, the multiplicity of complex mechanisms and lack of relevant murine models limit our understanding of the precise role of chronic inflammation. To address these hurdles, we took advantage of multi-omics data and a unique murine model with a low but chronic expression of IFN-γ, generated by replacement of the AU-rich element (ARE) in the 3’ UTR region of IFN-γ mRNA with random nucleotides. Herein, we demonstrate that low but differential expression of IFN-γ in mice by homozygous or heterozygous ARE replacement triggers distinctive gut …

Dynamic Ultrasound Uniquely Reveals Anterior Capsular Tear Communicating With Vastus Intermedius Fibers, Shiv J Patel, Jasvinder A Singh, Max H Epstein, Prathap Jayaram

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

We present a case of an anterior capsular tear of the right knee in a previously healthy, active individual. The patient was a 31-year-old male seen one month after the onset of throbbing anterior right knee pain, which progressed to sharp suprapatellar pain over the next three months. Both dynamic ultrasound (US) and MRI were obtained. Dynamic US revealed a tear of the anterior capsule of the right knee complicated by a suprapatellar effusion communicating into the vastus intermedius fibers of the quadriceps tendon. However, these findings were not evident on MRI. In addition to discussing this unique pathology, we …

Diagnosis Of Peanut Allergy Using Continuous Likelihood Ratios, Nalin Ug

Research Days

No abstract provided.

Two Cases Of Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Disease With No Known Variants Identified In Genes Associated With Immunodeficiencies, Megan H. Tucker

Research Days

No abstract provided.

What Are The Rhetorical Strategies And Consequences Of Food Labels Regarding Health, Lifestyle, And Ethics Of Consumers With Food-Related Diseases And Allergies?, Delaney Borchers

Master of Arts in Media and Communication Plan II Graduate Projects

In this study, it is investigated on how health, lifestyle and ethical factors of a consumer with a gluten-related disease and allergy influence their understanding and awareness of gluten-free food labels. This study was implemented through an online survey on a Facebook support group with a total of 195 respondents. The results show that consumers do have a strong awareness and understanding of the differences between certified gluten-free and non-certified gluten-free food labels. This indicates that having this strong awareness and understanding is influenced based upon a consumer’s health, lifestyle and ethical factors of following a gluten-free diet.

Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis, Ashan Hatharasinghe, Hossein Akhondi, Don Pepito

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Introduction: Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is a rare autoimmune demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system. Clinical manifestations include encephalopathy, motor deficits, ataxia, and meningeal signs. In most cases, ADEM is preceded by either vaccination or viral illness. Here, we present a case with neither of the two predisposing elements.

Discussion: A 28-year-old Hispanic female presenting with substance use and suicidal ideation was placed on an involuntary psychiatric hold, started on olanzapine and scheduled for a psychiatric facility transfer. The following day, she was noted to have neurological deficits when ambulating. Computed tomography of the brain showed a right frontal …

How Immune T-Cell Augmentation Can Help Prevent Covid-19: A Possible Nutritional Solution Using Ketogenic Lifestyle, Ravi K. Kamepalli Md,Fidsa,Cwsp

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

No abstract provided.

The Reliability Of Histamine Pharmacodynamic Response Phenotype Classification In Children With Allergic Disease., Shaun S Kumar, Xiaoxi Liu, Catherine M Sherwin, Bridgette Jones

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

We have identified distinct histamine pharmacodynamic response phenotypes in children with allergic disease utilizing histamine iontophoresis with laser Doppler (HILD). These response phenotypes may be relevant in guiding therapeutic decision making for agents targeting the allergic response pathways. However, the reliability of these response phenotypes has not been assessed. Therefore, we performed HILD in children with allergic rhinitis and/or asthma on two to three separate occasions. HILD response-time data were analyzed in NONMEM using a linked effect PKPD model. Examination of observed vs. classified response phenotypes predicted response plots and the sum of residuals. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was …

Food Allergy Among University Students: Uncharted Territory., Ali Hassan, Amna Alsaihati, Malak Al Shammari, Haitham Alaithan, Wejdan Al-Johani, Nouf Alshamlan, Salman Aljubran

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Background: Food allergy is a growing global health concern, with limited studies conducted in developing countries. High-risk behavior regarding allergies is common among young adults, making them prone to severe allergic reactions. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of food allergies among Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (IAU) students and to determine the rate of high-risk behaviors in this group.

Methods: An online survey was conducted among IAU students enrolled between the academic years of 2008 and 2018. The survey addressed food allergies with respect to age of onset, allergy testing, self-injectable epinephrine (SIE) prescription, associated allergic conditions, and …

Enhancing Immunization Rates In Two Urban Academic Primary Care Clinics: A Before And After Assessment, Zeeshan Yacoob, Christopher Cook, Fabiana Kotovicz, Jessica J.F. Kram, Marianne Klumph, Marisa Stanley, Paul Hunter, Dennis J. Baumgardner

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Purpose: Immunization rates in many cities in the United States remain suboptimal compared to Healthy People 2020 Goals and are lower than national averages. This study aimed to determine whether a lecture-based educational intervention targeted at nurses and medical assistants would improve vaccination rates.

Methods: We conducted a quality improvement study in two urban academic family medicine clinics serving a predominantly Medicaid patient population as well as a sizable proportion of refugees. The intervention consisted of 3 lectures that were delivered to clinic nurses and medical assistants. Vaccinations in 1689 patients — 872 in the 3-month preintervention period, 817 in …

Selecting The Optimal Unrelated Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Donor For Relapse Prevention In Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Elizabeth Krieger, Rehan Qayyum, Amir Toor

Graduate Medical Education (GME) Resident and Fellow Research Day Posters

Introduction/Background

Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) provides

a cure for patients with acute myeloid leukemia.

Natural killer cells (NK) play an important role

in graft versus leukemia (GVL) effect after HCT,

through killer immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR)

interaction with HLA ligands. This study is

undertaken to validate our previously published

mathematical model accounting for the KIR-KIRL

interactions in a post HCT setting.

Methods

Retrospective data were obtained from the Center

for International Blood and Marrow Transplant

Registry for 2317 donor recipient pairs (DRP) who

underwent 7/8 or 8/8 HLA allelic matched

unrelated donor (URD) HCT for AML. KIR-HLA

interaction scores were calculated …