Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mustafa Buyukozkan, Sergio Alvarez-Mulett, Alexandra C. Racanelli, Frank Schmidt, Richa Batra, Katherine L. Hoffman, Hina Sarwath, Rudolf Engelke, Luis Gomez-Escobar, Will Simmons, Elisa Benedetti, Kelsey Chetnik, Guoan Zhang, Edward Schenck, Karsten Suhre, Justin J. Choi, Zhen Zhao, Sabrina Racine-Brzostek, He S. Yang, Mary E. Choi, Augustine M. K. Choi, Soo Jung Choo, Jan Krumsiek
Summary: In this study, large-scale integrative multi-omics analyses were conducted on serum samples from COVID-19 patients to uncover the pathogenic complexities and identify molecular signatures that predict clinical outcomes. A network of protein-metabolite interactions was assembled, revealing cross talk related to immune modulation, energy and nucleotide metabolism, vascular homeostasis, and collagen catabolism. A novel composite outcome measure for COVID-19 disease severity based on metabolomics data was developed and showed high predictive power.
Article
Physiology
Li-Fang Chou, Ting-Wen Chen, Huang-Yu Yang, Ya-Chung Tian, Ming-Yang Chang, Cheng-Chieh Hung, Shen-Hsing Hsu, Chung-Ying Tsai, Yi-Ching Ko, Chih-Wei Yang
Summary: This study demonstrates that background subclinical leptospirosis may enhance subsequent secondary nephrotoxic kidney injury, leading to exacerbated fibrosis and mimicking the pathophysiological process of progressive chronic kidney disease. Comparison with a murine model and patients with chronic kidney disease reveals potential markers involved in renal fibrosis progression, indicating that secondary nephrotoxic injury exacerbated by chronic Leptospira infection may contribute to the progression of chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-RENAL PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Hongye Wang, Dongshan Yan, Ya Li, Yanfei Gong, Yulin Mai, Bingxiang Li, Xiaoyong Zhu, Xinrui Wan, Liyun Xie, HuaKe Jiang, Min Zhang, Ming Sun, Yufeng Yao, Yongzhang Zhu
Summary: The clinical characteristics and antibody responses between severe and non-severe COVID-19 patients differ significantly. Patients in the severe group show more pronounced clinical features and higher levels of antibody responses. Antibody detection provides important clinical information in the progression of COVID-19.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES OF POVERTY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ronika De, Rajeev K. Azad
Summary: This article presents a novel gene co-expression network based pipeline to uncover genes and pathways involved in different clinical manifestations of COVID-19. The study identified several novel genes potentially significant in the progression and pathogenesis of COVID-19, which could aid in the development of new therapeutics.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Umaporn Limothai, Nuttha Lumlertgul, Phatadon Sirivongrangson, Win Kulvichit, Sasipha Tachaboon, Janejira Dinhuzen, Watchadaporn Chaisuriyong, Sadudee Peerapornratana, Chintana Chirathaworn, Kearkiat Praditpornsilpa, Somchai Eiam-Ong, Kriang Tungsanga, Nattachai Srisawat
Summary: This study found that high levels of leptospiremia, pNGAL, and IL-6 are associated with severe leptospirosis. The factors were significantly higher in severe cases compared to non-severe cases, indicating their potential contribution to disease severity.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Femke V. M. Mulder, Dorothea Evers, Masja de Haas, Marjan J. Cruijsen, Sophie J. Bernelot Moens, Wilma Barcellini, Bruno Fattizzo, Josephine M. I. Vos
Summary: This article discusses severe autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA), including its definition, understanding of severity and prognosis. Though there are no validated predictors for severe disease course, certain risk factors can aid in identifying severe cases. Certain serological subtypes are associated with lower hemoglobin levels, higher transfusion need and mortality. Currently, there is no evidence-based therapeutic approach, but there are general management strategies and emerging therapeutic options. Further research and development of prediction models and new drugs are needed in the future.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Junjuan Wang, Xulei Zheng, Jianbin Chen
Summary: This study examined 260 patients with severe COVID-19, showing that most patients presented symptoms within 8 days before admission and a proportion had medical comorbidities. Abnormal blood biochemical results were common upon admission. The mortality rate was 9.6%, with 70.4% of patients discharged.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Marina Boziki, Christos Bakirtzis, Styliani-Aggeliki Sintila, Evangelia Kesidou, Evdoxia Gounari, Aliki Ioakimidou, Vasiliki Tsavdaridou, Lemonia Skoura, Asimina Fylaktou, Vasiliki Nikolaidou, Maria Stangou, Ioannis Nikolaidis, Virginia Giantzi, Eleni Karafoulidou, Paschalis Theotokis, Nikolaos Grigoriadis
Summary: This study assessed the efficacy of Ocrelizumab in patients with active primary progressive MS and found that treatment response was linked to reduced gray matter cerebellar volume loss and decreased plasmablast depletion.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Haitao Zhang, Guisen Li, Xueqing Yu, Junwei Yang, Aili Jiang, Hong Cheng, Junzhou Fu, Xinling Liang, Jun Liu, Jizhuang Lou, Mei Wang, Changying Xing, Aihua Zhang, Miao Zhang, Xiangcheng Xiao, Chen Yu, Rong Wang, Li Wang, Yuqing Chen, Tianjun Guan, Ai Peng, Nan Chen, Chuanming Hao, Bicheng Liu, Suxia Wang, Dan Shen, Zhenhua Jia, Zhihong Liu
Summary: Baseline findings from the China Dialysis Calcification Study revealed a high prevalence of vascular calcification among patients with end-stage kidney disease, but data on calcification progression were limited. This study aimed to understand the progression of calcification at different anatomical sites, identify risk factors, and assess the association with cardiovascular events and death. The results may have implications for improving the management of chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder among dialysis patients.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Susan Martins Pereira, Florisneide Rodrigues Barreto, Ramon Andrade de Souza, Carlos Antonio de Souza Teles Santos, Marcos Pereira, Enny Santos da Paixao, Carla Cristina Oliveira de Jesus Lima, Marcio Santos da Natividade, Ana Angelica Bulcao Portela Lindoso, Eder Gatti Fernandes, Evonio Barros Campelo Campelo Junior, Julia Moreira Pescarini, Kaio Vinicius Freitas de Andrade, Fernanda Mattos de Souza, Elisangela Alves de Britto, Ceuci Nunes, Maria Yuri Ichihara, Margareth Dalcolmo, Anete Trajman, Manoel Barral-Netto, Ibrahim Abubakar, Mauricio Lima Barreto, Ricardo Arraes de Alencar Ximenes, Laura Cunha Rodrigues
Summary: This study investigated the association between previous BCG vaccination and the severity of COVID-19 clinical progression. The results showed that BCG vaccination was highly protective against clinical progression of COVID-19, especially in individuals aged 60 or younger.
Article
Neurosciences
Fatemah Sakr, Martin Dyrba, Anja Braeuer, Stefan Teipel
Summary: This study found that lipid alterations can be observed in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease and that a specific lipidomic signature in blood may provide insights into an individual's metabolic status and predict the risk of clinical progression.
JOURNAL OF ALZHEIMERS DISEASE
(2022)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Apostolos G. Pappas, Andreas Panagopoulos, Artemis Rodopoulou, Michaella Alexandrou, Anna-Louiza Chaliasou, Konstantinos Skianis, Eleftheria Kranidioti, Eleftheria Chaini, Ilias Papanikolaou, Ioannis Kalomenidis
Summary: Factors associated with poor outcomes in patients with moderate COVID-19 include older age, extent of pneumonia, tachypnea, lower oxygen saturation, higher systolic blood pressure, and lymphopenia.
JOURNAL OF PERSONALIZED MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Mohamed Omar, Luigi Marchionni, Georg Haecker, Mohamed Tarek Badr
Summary: Malaria is a major international public health problem, especially prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa. Existing diagnostic tools for malaria lack reliability, especially in distinguishing severe and cerebral malaria cases, but machine learning algorithms can help identify reliable blood gene signatures for this purpose.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Zhihao Guo, Jiajie Mo, Chao Zhang, Jianguo Zhang, Wenhan Hu, Kai Zhang
Summary: This study aimed to explore the correlations of brain-clinical signatures with the clinical phenotype and VNS responsiveness in drug-resistant epilepsy patients. Results showed a higher seizure reduction in the VNS-treated group and abnormal imaging representation was commonly observed in this group. The brain-clinical signature illustrated its clinical potential in predicting the VNS response.
CNS NEUROSCIENCE & THERAPEUTICS
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Tomohiro Takano, Takayuki Matsumura, Yu Adachi, Kazutaka Terahara, Saya Moriyama, Taishi Onodera, Ayae Nishiyama, Ai Kawana-Tachikawa, Shoji Miki, Kaori Hosoya-Nakayama, Midori Nakamura-Hoshi, Sayuri Seki, Natsuo Tachikawa, Yukihiro Yoshimura, Nobuyuki Miyata, Hiroshi Horiuchi, Hiroaki Sasaki, Kazuhito Miyazaki, Noriko Kinoshita, Tsutomu Sudo, Yutaro Akiyama, Rubuna Sato, Tadaki Suzuki, Tetsuro Matano, Yoshimasa Takahashi
Summary: An expanded myeloid cell compartment is a key feature of severe COVID-19, with polymorphonuclear (PMN)-MDSCs selectively expanding in survivors of severe cases in Japan, positively correlating with IL-8 levels. This transient expansion of PMN-MDSC subset could serve as a predictor of prognosis in severe COVID-19 cases.
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Margaret L. Lind, Olivia L. Schultes, Alexander J. Robertson, Amy J. Houde, Derek A. T. Cummings, Albert Ko, Byron S. Kennedy, Robert P. Richeson
Summary: Through evaluation of the BinaxNOW rapid antigen test in different collection frequency strategies, this study provides evidence for the utility of serial rapid antigen test collection in congregate facility settings. The findings demonstrate high diagnostic accuracy of serial antigen test collection, supporting its use in outbreak investigation, screening, and situations requiring rapid detection.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
James J. Kang, Albert Ko, Sang Hoon Kil, Jon Mallen-St. Clair, Daniel Sanghoon Shin, Marilene B. Wang, Eri S. Srivatsan
Summary: Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are cell surface receptors that bind growth factor ligands and initiate cellular signaling. Among the 20 classes of RTKs, 7 classes are linked to head and neck cancers (HNCs). The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is the most studied class of RTK, with overexpression observed in 20% of tumors and a variant III expression seen in 15% of aggressive chemoradiotherapy resistant HNCs. Current treatments include EGFR monoclonal antibodies and inhibitors targeting the EGFR, MAPK, and mTOR pathways, with immunotherapy showing effectiveness in a subset of patients with HNC. Combination therapy of immunotherapy and EGFR monoclonal antibodies is being explored to overcome EGFR resistance.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-REVIEWS ON CANCER
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
J. J. Shin, W. Fanr, J. Par-Youngs, M. Piecychna, L. Leng, K. Israni-Winger, H. Qing, J. Gu, H. Zhao, W. L. Schulz, S. Unlu, J. Kuster, G. Young, J. Liu, A. Ko, A. Baeza Garcia, M. Sauler, A. Wisnewski, L. Young, A. Orduna, A. Wang, K. Ocskay, A. Garcia-Blesa, P. Hegyi, M. E. Armstrong, P. D. Mitchell, D. Bernardo, A. Garami, I Kang, R. Bucala
Summary: This study found that the high-expression MIF CATT(7) allele was less frequent in COVID-19 patients compared to healthy controls, but more frequent in hospitalized patients compared to outpatients. In addition, hospitalized COVID-19 patients had higher serum MIF levels compared to outpatients and uninfected healthy controls. Experimental mice with a high-expression MIF allele showed more severe disease than those with a low-expression MIF allele. Therefore, the polymorphism of the MIF gene is associated with susceptibility to COVID-19 and disease severity.
QJM-AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Guillaume Favre, Eva Gerbier, Emeline Maisonneuve, Leo Pomar, Ursula Winterfeld, Karine Lepigeon, Kitty W. M. Bloemenkamp, Odette de Bruin, Eimir Hurley, Hedvig Nordeng, Satu J. Siiskonen, Miriam C. J. M. Sturkenboom, David Baud, Alice Panchaud
Summary: This study aimed to describe the use of COVID-19-related medicines during pregnancy and how it evolved between the early and late periods of the pandemic. The results showed that the proportion of pregnant women who used COVID-19-related medicines increased with disease severity. The use of antibiotics, antivirals, and hydroxychloroquine was lower during the late period of the pandemic.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Erica J. Rayack, Hibah Mahwish Askari, Elissa Zirinsky, Sarah Lapidus, Hassan Sheikha, Chikondi Peno, Yasaman Kazemi, Devyn Yolda-Carr, Chen Liu, Nathan D. Grubaugh, Albert I. Ko, Anne L. Wyllie, Erica S. Spatz, Carlos R. Oliveira, Amy K. Bei
Summary: In the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, a PCR-based COVID-19 surveillance program was established in childcare facilities to collect actionable public health data and aid in the resumption of standard operations. This study describes the development of a saliva testing program for children and childcare center staff, providing a feasible method of asymptomatic screening and symptomatic testing. The study emphasizes the importance of cooperation between childcare centers, parents/guardians, and staff to mitigate COVID-19 transmission.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Urology & Nephrology
Steven Menez, Steven G. Coca, Dennis G. Moledina, Yumeng Wen, Lili Chan, Heather Thiessen-Philbrook, Wassim Obeid, Brian T. Garibaldi, Evren U. Azeloglu, Ugochukwu Ugwuowo, C. John Sperati, Lois J. Arend, Avi Z. Rosenberg, Madhurima Kaushal, Sanjay Jain, F. Perry Wilson, Chirag R. Parikh
Summary: The study found that sTNFR1 and sTNFR2 are independently associated with MAKE in patients hospitalized with COVID-19, and both can serve as predictors for adverse kidney outcomes.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF KIDNEY DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Mary E. Petrone, Carolina Lucas, Bridget Menasche, Mallery Breban, Inci Yildirim, Melissa Campbell, Saad B. Omer, Edward C. Holmes, Albert Ko, Nathan D. Grubaugh, Akiko Iwasaki, Craig B. Wilen, Chantal B. F. Vogels, Joseph R. Fauver
Summary: Developing a timely and effective response to emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern is crucial for public health. Global health surveillance relies not only on genomic data but also on methods that utilize genomic data to estimate the epidemiological dynamics of emerging lineages. In this study, the differences in reporting delays among SARS-CoV-2 VOCs were analyzed, indicating that these delays may have delayed the global response to the Mu variant. The nonsystematic biases in the reporting of genomic data could impede the assessment of future emerging variants.
GENOME BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Banenat B. Dogonyaro, Henriette van Heerden, Andrew D. Potts, Folorunso O. Fasina, Arnau Casanovas-Massana, Francis B. Kolo, Christine Loetter, Charles Byaruhanga, Albert I. Ko, Elsio A. Wunder, Abiodun A. Adesiyun
Summary: This study provides the first molecular characterization of Leptospira spp. from slaughtered livestock in South Africa. The findings demonstrate the presence of pathogenic Leptospira in the livestock population, particularly in sheep, with a higher detection rate using molecular methods compared to culture-based isolation. This highlights the importance of molecular diagnostic approaches in reducing the under-reporting of leptospirosis in livestock, especially in South Africa.
Article
Criminology & Penology
Margaret L. L. Lind, Byron S. S. Kennedy, Murilo Dorion Nieto, Amy J. J. Houde, Peri Sosensky, Ryan Borg, Derek A. T. Cummings, Albert I. I. Ko, Robert P. P. Richeson
Summary: Residents in Connecticut DOC-operated jails are more likely to get vaccinated against COVID-19 compared to the community. This demonstrates the effectiveness of vaccination programs within jails, but the low vaccination rate in both jails and the community suggests the need for additional program development.
Article
Cell Biology
Joann Diray-Arce, Slim Fourati, Naresh Doni Jayavelu, Ravi Patel, Cole Maguire, Ana C. Chang, Ravi Dandekar, Jingjing Qi, Brian H. Lee, Patrick van Zalm, Andrew Schroeder, Ernie Chen, Anna Konstorum, Anderson Brito, Jeremy P. Gygi, Alvin Kho, Jing Chen, Shrikant Pawar, Ana Silvia Gonzalez-Reiche, Annmarie Hoch, Carly E. Milliren, James A. Overton, Kerstin Westendorf, Charles B. Cairns, Nadine Rouphael, Steven E. Bosinger, Seunghee Kim-Schulze, Florian Krammer, Lindsey Rosen, Nathan D. Grubaugh, Harm van Bakel, Michael Wilson, Jayant Rajan, Hanno Steen, Walter Eckalbar, Chris Cotsapas, Charles R. Langelier, Ofer Levy, Matthew C. Altman, Holden Maecker, Ruth R. Montgomery, Elias K. Haddad, Rafick P. Sekaly, Denise Esserman, Al Ozonoff, Patrice M. Becker, Alison D. Augustine, Leying Guan, Bjoern Peters, Steven H. Kleinstein, IMPACC Network
Summary: The IMPACC cohort study analyzed more than 1,000 hospitalized COVID-19 patients and identified five illness trajectory groups. By performing deep immunophenotyping and utilizing 14 distinct assays, the study revealed cellular and molecular signatures that differentiate moderate from severe and fatal COVID-19 cases within 72 hours of hospital admission. Importantly, these signatures also distinguish patients with different disease outcomes, such as recovery or progression to fatal outcomes, within 28 days. The study highlights the potential of characterizing immune responses to inform clinical prognosis and interventions.
CELL REPORTS MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Giselle da Silva Duarte, Alexandra Jones, Luciano Pamplona de Goes Cavalcanti, Moacyr Jesus Barreto de Melo Rego, Guilherme Ribeiro, Rosemary Boyton, Dhelio Batista Pereira, Julio Henrique Rosa Croda, Fabio Trindade Maranhao Costa, Angela Pinto Duarte, Marcia Edilaine Lopes Consolaro, Rodrigo Guerino Stabeli, Fabio Juliano Negrao, Jose Luiz Proenca-Modena, Juan Miguel Villalobos-Salcedo, Geraldo da Rocha Castelar Pinheiro, Amanda Pinheiro de Barros Albuquerque, Francisca Kalline de Almeida Barreto, Jose Moreira, Idalina Cristina Ferrari, Patricia Martinez Evora, Vania Ramos Sela da Silva, Marcus Vinicius Guimaraes Lacerda, Daniel Altmann, REPLICK Network, Andre M. Siqueira
Summary: This study is the largest evaluation of the long-term sequelae of individuals infected with CHIKV in the Brazilian population, focusing on musculoskeletal manifestations, mental health, quality of life, and chronic pain. The aim of this study is to better understand the disease burden and costs associated with CHIKV infection and to inform therapeutic guidelines.
BMC INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Tereza Magalhaes, Moyra M. Portilho, Patricia S. S. Moreira, Milena L. Marinho, Wiler P. Dias, Natalia M. Goncalves, Osiyalle A. S. Rodrigues, Jane Montes, Leila Reis, Dilma F. Jesus, Tarcisio O. Silva, Lua S. Dultra, Joilda S. Nery, Guilherme S. Ribeiro
Summary: Dried blood spot (DBS) sampling is a simple and minimally invasive method for blood collection, especially useful for diagnostic or epidemiological studies in hard-to-reach populations. This study validated the use of DBS in a commercial assay for measuring IgG against chikungunya virus (CHIKV IgG ELISA). The results showed that DBS at an optimized dilution is reliable for investigating the prevalence of CHIKV IgG antibodies in population surveys.
JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGICAL METHODS
(2023)
Editorial Material
Medicine, General & Internal
Albert I. Ko, Salim S. Abdool Karim, Carlos Morel, Soumya Swaminathan, Peter Daszak, Gerald T. Keusch
Summary: The new policy implemented by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) regarding foreign subrecipients of funding deviates sharply from previous efforts to promote research integrity and global research capacity building, which may result in significant negative consequences.
NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Weinan Zhu, Felipe J. Passalia, Camila Hamond, Cecilia M. Abe, Albert I. I. Ko, Angela S. Barbosa, Elsio A. A. Wunder Jr
Summary: This study identified MPL36 as the major plasminogen binding protein in pathogenic Leptospira, playing a crucial role in the invasion ability of the bacteria and its interaction with host tissues during infection. This finding contributes to the understanding of leptospiral pathogenesis and offers a potential candidate for improving the diagnosis and prevention of this important zoonotic disease.
Article
Parasitology
Carla Celina Ribeiro, Andrea da Silva Santos, Daniel Henrique Tshua, Roberto Dias de Oliveira, Everton Ferreira Lemos, Paul Bourdillon, Alexandre Laranjeira, Crhistinne Cavalheiro Maymone Goncalves, Jason Andrews, Albert Ko, Julio Croda
Summary: This study evaluated the delay in the diagnosis and treatment of TB in Brazilian prisons, finding that the number of TB cases in prisons is higher than that in the general population and is the most common cause of death in prisons. Delays were significant between reporting of the first symptoms and diagnosis, highlighting the need for control strategies to avoid delays in diagnosis and treatment and reduce TB transmission.
REVISTA DA SOCIEDADE BRASILEIRA DE MEDICINA TROPICAL
(2023)