Viruses Commons^™

Stutzman, Kelsi - Covid-19 Journal, Kelsi Stutzman

Personal Journals

Personal journal of Kelsi Stutzman, a student in Dr. Laughlin-Schultz's HIS3810 History of Illinois course during Fall, 2020

Vitamin D In Covid-19 Pneumonia: High Yield With Low Risk, Shahan Waheed, Emaduddin Siddiqui

Department of Emergency Medicine

No abstract provided.

Investigating Virological, Immunological, And Pathological Avenues To Identify Potential Targets For Developing Covid-19 Treatment And Prevention Strategies, Zafar Mahmood, Hani Alrefai Alrefai, Helal F. Hetta, Hidaya A. Kader

Books and Book Chapters

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is an emerging coronavirus causing respiratory disease commonly known as COVID-19. This novel coronavirus transmits from human to human and has caused profound morbidity and mortality worldwide leading to the ongoing pandemic. Moreover, disease severity differs considerably from individual to individual. Investigating the virology of COVID-19 and immunological pathways underlying its clinical manifestations will enable the identification and design of effective vaccines and potential therapies. In this review, we explore COVID-19 virology, the contribution of the immune system (innate and adaptive) during infection and control of the virus. Finally, we highlight vaccine development …

Molecular Mechanisms Lead To Sex-Specific Covid-19 Prognosis And Targeted Therapies, Thushara Galbadage, Brent M. Peterson, Jeffrey S. Wang, Avishka Jayasekara, Danny A. Ramirez, Joseph Awada, John P. Walsh, Richard S. Gunasekera

Faculty Articles & Research

Clinical and epidemiological studies have identified male sex as an important risk factor for COVID-19 clinical outcomes and mortality. This raises the question as to how this risk factor can be addressed in the prognosis, clinical management, and the treatment of patients with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Currently, there are no guidelines or protocols to help alter the course of sex-specific COVID-19 prognosis, especially in severe disease presentations. This is partly due to the lack of research studies characterizing the differences in male vs. female host response to the severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and a lack of …

Delayed Interventions, Low Compliance, And Health Disparities Amplified The Early Spread Of Covid-19, Aliea M. Jalali, Sumaia G. Khoury, Jongwon See, Alexis M. Gulsvig, Brent M. Peterson, Richard S. Gunasekera, Gentian Buzi, Jason Wilson, Thushara Galbadage

Faculty Articles & Research

The United States (US) public health interventions were rigorous and rapid, yet failed to arrest the spread of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic as infections spread throughout the US. Many factors have contributed to the spread of COVID-19, and the success of public health interventions depends on the level of community adherence to preventative measures. Public health professionals must also understand regional demographic variation in health disparities and determinants to target interventions more effectively. In this study, a systematic evaluation of three significant interventions employed in the US, and their effectiveness in slowing the early spread of COVID-19 was …

Understanding Human Astrovirus From Pathogenesis To Treatment, Virginia Hargest

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

While human astroviruses (HAstV) were discovered nearly 45 years ago, these small positive-sense RNA viruses remain critically understudied. These studies provide fundamental new research on astrovirus pathogenesis and disruption of the gut epithelium by induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) following astrovirus infection. Here we characterize HAstV-induced EMT as an upregulation of SNAI1 and VIM with a down regulation of CDH1 and OCLN, loss of cell-cell junctions most notably at 18 hours post-infection (hpi), and loss of cellular polarity by 24 hpi. While active transforming growth factor- (TGF-) increases during HAstV infection, inhibition of TGF- signaling does not hinder EMT induction. …

Characterization Of A Plasmid-Based Dna Vaccine For Simian Immunodeficiency Virus, Priya Sanipara

Honors Theses

Described as one of the world’s worst pandemics, HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) infects millions of people each year and is the cause for AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). Despite the development of vaccines for numerous infectious diseases such as polio, small pox, and influenza, a vaccine for HIV remains elusive due to the virus’s high mutation rate and ability to evade the immune system. HIV causes depletion of CD4+ lymphocytes, resulting in a weakened immune system. However, the development of a plasmid-based DNA vaccine approach may help revolutionize vaccine development for HIV due to its ability to confer cellular and humoral …

Life During A Pandemic, Srinivasan Ragothaman

Creative Work

This is a short poem (6 stanzas) about the current pandemic and the trials and tribulations people are going through. This describes the heroic efforts by the doctors, nurses, and other frontline warriors in tackling the virus related illnesses and pays a rich tribute to all heroes from every walk of life who are in the front fighting this disease. It hopes for a plan, a vaccine, and a cure soon. This poem also describes the switchover to remote instruction at a reginal University, student and faculty adjustments to the pandemic and pokes gentle fun at the opportunity to watch …

Smrt Sequencing Of Paramecium Bursaria Chlorella Virus-1 Reveals Diverse Methylation Stability In Adenines Targeted By Restriction Modification Systems, Samantha R. Coy, Eric R. Gann, Spiridon E. Papoulis, Michael E. Holder, Nadim J. Ajami, Joseph F. Petrosino, Erik R. Zinser, James L. Van Etten, Steven W. Wilhelm

James Van Etten Publications

Chloroviruses (family Phycodnaviridae) infect eukaryotic, freshwater, unicellular green algae. A unique feature of these viruses is an abundance of DNA methyltransferases, with isolates dedicating up to 4.5% of their protein coding potential to these genes. This diversity highlights just one of the long-standing values of the chlorovirus model system; where group-wide epigenomic characterization might begin to elucidate the function(s) of DNA methylation in large dsDNA viruses. We characterized DNA modifications in the prototype chlorovirus, PBCV-1, using single-molecule real time (SMRT) sequencing (aka PacBio). Results were compared to total available sites predicted in silico based on DNA sequence alone. SMRT-software detected …

Drake, Benjamin - Covid-19 Journal, Benjamin Drake

Personal Journals

EIU student Benjamin Drake (freshman at the time of his journal writing in Spring, 2020), and History of Illinois (HIS 3810) student, reflects on the early months of the pandemic. He discusses the frustrations of the disruption of social life, not being on campus with friends, and also experiences with activities like playing virtual Dungeons and Dragons.

Zamora, Celeste - Covid-19 Journal, Celeste Zamora

Personal Journals

EIU student Celeste Zamora recounts life while quarantining in Charleston, IL while maintaining her studies and also working at a local hotel. She details Covid policies as they develop, including hotel practices such as the constant wearing of gloves, putting in place a new glass window, and no admittance of out of state people.

Messer, Braden - Covid-19 Journal, Braden Messer

Personal Journals

EIU student Braden Messer recounts the transition from Spring Break to online classes. He talks of quarantine life at home, and his stepmother's role as an attorney working with forced quarantine orders.

Osborne, Ethan - Covid-19 Journal, Ethan Osborne

Personal Journals

EIU student Ethan Osborne recounts in detail the experience and frustration of living at home and working on his family farm in the early months of the pandemic, March-May 2020. He also details his observations of and feelings about the news coverage of the pandemic as well as the disregard (particularly by young people) for shelter in place mandates.

Klein, Will - Covid-19 Journal, Will Klein

Personal Journals

EIU student and baseball player (drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 5th round of the 2020 draft) documents the upheaval of life in Charleston and at EIU in the early weeks of the pandemic. In particular he describes the distress of day he found out about the cancellation of the baseball season, while the EIU baseball team was travelling.

Mchale, Marguerite - Covid-19 Journal, Marguerite Mchale

Personal Journals

Marguerite McHale, and EIU student in Professor Mark Dries' HIS 1595 class maintains an upbeat journal documenting the challenges of the pandemic. Of particular note, she describes the growing divide between those supportive of the social distancing and masking initiatives, as well as the impact on high school students who she maintains friendships with as one who graduated a year early from high school. She includes a number of pieces of high school student commentary as well as memes related to the pandemic, and links to news stories. She also describes her home life, and finding ways to keep busy …

Klepzig, Logan - Covid-19 Journal, Logan Klepzig

Personal Journals

EIU student Logan Klepzig documents travel from Charleston, IL to Mohomet, IL (approximately 1 hour) to deliver groceries to, and visit his grandparents. He also describes the difficulty of not being able to celebrate birthdays, and see family. His journal also includes a number of links to regional and national news stories from the months of March and April of 2020, as well as images documenting pandemic restrictions around the EIU campus.

Spencer, Julia - Covid-19 Journal, Julia Spencer

Personal Journals

EIU student Julia Spencer describes the challenges adjusting to the new normal of the pandemic as it sets in. In particular she writes about struggles staying motivated to keep up with her studies, and the oddity of having classes on zoom. Her experience is compounded by health scares involving her mother and a friend.

Can Technology Help Improve Diarrhoea Management?, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta

Woman and Child Health

No abstract provided.

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.

Impact Of The Affordable Care Act On Referral To Care For People Living With Hiv In Appalachia, Cameron A. Wade, Timothy N. Crawford, Nicole Leedy, Alice C. Thornton

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: The Affordable Care Act (ACA) enacted on March 23, 2010 significantly impacted access to healthcare for people living with HIV (PLWH). Expansion of care was accomplished in three areas: eliminating exclusions for pre-existing conditions, elimination of lifetime caps on healthcare expenditures, and expansion of Medicaid eligibility.

Purpose: This study evaluated the impact of state implementation of the ACA Medicaid expansion on referral to HIV care at a Ryan White federally funded clinic in Kentucky (University of Kentucky Bluegrass Care Clinic [UK BCC]).

Methods: Retrospective chart review of all newly enrolled patients at the UK BCC between March 2010 and …