COVID-19 Status Differentially Affects Olfaction: A Prospective Case-Control Study

Objective The symptoms and long-term sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection have yet to be determined, and evaluating possible early signs is critical to determine which patients should be tested and treated. The objective of this ongoing study is to evaluate initial and short-term rhinologic symptoms, olfactory ability, and general quality of life in patients undergoing SARS-CoV-2 testing. Study Design Prospective case-control. Setting Academic institute. Methods Adult patients tested for SARS-CoV-2 were prospectively enrolled and separated into positive and negative groups. Each participant completed 4 validated patient-reported outcome measures. The UPSIT (University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test) was distributed to patients who were SARS-CoV-2 positive. Results The positive group reported significantly decreased sense of smell and taste on the 22-item Sinonasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) as compared with the negative group (mean ± SD: 3.4 ± 1.7 vs 1.2 ± 1.4, P < .001). The positive group had a much higher probability of reporting a decrease in smell/taste as “severe” or “as bad as it can be” (63.3% vs 5.8%) with an odds ratio of 27.6 (95% CI, 5.9-128.8). There were no differences between groups for overall SNOT-22 domain scores, PHQ-4 depression/anxiety (Patient Health Questionnaire−4), and 5-Level EQ-5D quality-of-life scores. Mean Self-MOQ (Self-reported Mini Olfactory Questionnaire) scores were 7.0 ± 5.6 for the positive group and 1.8 ± 4.0 for the negative group (P < .001). The mean UPSIT score was 28.8 ± 7.2 in the positive group. Conclusion Symptomatic patients who are SARS-CoV-2 positive report severe olfactory and gustatory dysfunction via the Self-MOQ and SNOT-22 as compared with symptomatic patients testing negative

Accumulation of M1dG DNA adducts after chronic exposure to PCBs, but not from acute exposure to polychlorinated aromatic hydrocarbons

Oxidative DNA damage is one of the key events thought to be involved in mutation and cancer. The present study examined the accumulation of M1dG, 3-(2′-deoxy-β-D-erythro-pentofuranosyl)-pyrimido[1,2-a]-purin-10(3H)-one, DNA adducts after single dose or one-year exposure to polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons (PHAH) in order to evaluate the potential role of oxidative DNA damage in PHAH toxicity and carcinogenicity. The effect of PHAH exposure on the number of M1dG adducts was explored initially in female mice exposed to a single dose of either 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) or a PHAH mixture. This study demonstrated that a single exposure to PHAH had no significant effect on the number of M1dG adducts compared to the corn oil control group. The role of M1dG adducts in polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) induced toxicity and carcinogenicity was further investigated in rats exposed for a year to PCB 153, PCB 126, or a mixture of the two. PCB 153, at doses up to 3000 μg/kg/d, had no significant effect on the number of M1dG adducts in liver and brain tissues from the exposed rats compared to controls. However, 1000 ng/kg/d of PCB 126 resulted in M1dG adduct accumulation in the liver. More importantly, co-administration of equal proportions of PCB 153 and PCB 126 resulted in dose-dependent increases in M1dG adduct accumulation in the liver from 300-1000 ng/kg/d of PCB 126 with 300-1000 μg/kg/d of PCB 153. Interestingly, the co-administration of different amounts of PCB 153 with fixed amounts of PCB 126 demonstrated more M1dG adduct accumulation with higher doses of PCB 153. These results are consistent with the results from cancer bioassays that demonstrated a synergistic effect between PCB 126 and PCB 153 on toxicity and tumor development. In summary, the results from the present study support the hypothesis that oxidative DNA damage plays a key role in toxicity and carcinogenicity following long-term PCB exposure

Intra- and Inter-cellular Rewiring of the Human Colon during Ulcerative Colitis

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have revealed risk alleles for ulcerative colitis (UC). To understand their cell type specificities and pathways of action, we generate an atlas of 366,650 cells from the colon mucosa of 18 UC patients and 12 healthy individuals, revealing 51 epithelial, stromal, and immune cell subsets, including BEST4(+) enterocytes, microfold-like cells, and IL13RA2(+)IL11(+) inflammatory fibroblasts, which we associate with resistance to anti-TNF treatment. Inflammatory fibroblasts, inflammatory monocytes, microfold-like cells, and T cells that co-express CD8 and IL-17 expand with disease, forming intercellular interaction hubs. Many UC risk genes are cell type specific and coregulated within relatively few gene modules, suggesting convergence onto limited sets of cell types and pathways. Using this observation, we nominate and infer functions for specific risk genes across GWAS loci. Our work provides a framework for interrogating complex human diseases and mapping risk variants to cell types and pathways.Peer reviewe

Expert range maps of global mammal distributions harmonised to three taxonomic authorities

AimComprehensive, global information on species' occurrences is an essential biodiversity variable and central to a range of applications in ecology, evolution, biogeography and conservation. Expert range maps often represent a species' only available distributional information and play an increasing role in conservation assessments and macroecology. We provide global range maps for the native ranges of all extant mammal species harmonised to the taxonomy of the Mammal Diversity Database (MDD) mobilised from two sources, the Handbook of the Mammals of the World (HMW) and the Illustrated Checklist of the Mammals of the World (CMW).LocationGlobal.TaxonAll extant mammal species.MethodsRange maps were digitally interpreted, georeferenced, error-checked and subsequently taxonomically aligned between the HMW (6253 species), the CMW (6431 species) and the MDD taxonomies (6362 species).ResultsRange maps can be evaluated and visualised in an online map browser at Map of Life (mol.org) and accessed for individual or batch download for non-commercial use.Main conclusionExpert maps of species' global distributions are limited in their spatial detail and temporal specificity, but form a useful basis for broad-scale characterizations and model-based integration with other data. We provide georeferenced range maps for the native ranges of all extant mammal species as shapefiles, with species-level metadata and source information packaged together in geodatabase format. Across the three taxonomic sources our maps entail, there are 1784 taxonomic name differences compared to the maps currently available on the IUCN Red List website. The expert maps provided here are harmonised to the MDD taxonomic authority and linked to a community of online tools that will enable transparent future updates and version control

Prognostic model to predict postoperative acute kidney injury in patients undergoing major gastrointestinal surgery based on a national prospective observational cohort study.

Background: Acute illness, existing co-morbidities and surgical stress response can all contribute to postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients undergoing major gastrointestinal surgery. The aim of this study was prospectively to develop a pragmatic prognostic model to stratify patients according to risk of developing AKI after major gastrointestinal surgery. Methods: This prospective multicentre cohort study included consecutive adults undergoing elective or emergency gastrointestinal resection, liver resection or stoma reversal in 2-week blocks over a continuous 3-month period. The primary outcome was the rate of AKI within 7 days of surgery. Bootstrap stability was used to select clinically plausible risk factors into the model. Internal model validation was carried out by bootstrap validation. Results: A total of 4544 patients were included across 173 centres in the UK and Ireland. The overall rate of AKI was 14·2 per cent (646 of 4544) and the 30-day mortality rate was 1·8 per cent (84 of 4544). Stage 1 AKI was significantly associated with 30-day mortality (unadjusted odds ratio 7·61, 95 per cent c.i. 4·49 to 12·90; P < 0·001), with increasing odds of death with each AKI stage. Six variables were selected for inclusion in the prognostic model: age, sex, ASA grade, preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate, planned open surgery and preoperative use of either an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or an angiotensin receptor blocker. Internal validation demonstrated good model discrimination (c-statistic 0·65). Discussion: Following major gastrointestinal surgery, AKI occurred in one in seven patients. This preoperative prognostic model identified patients at high risk of postoperative AKI. Validation in an independent data set is required to ensure generalizability

A single-cell survey of the small intestinal epithelium

Intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) absorb nutrients, respond to microbes, provide barrier function and help coordinate immune responses. We profiled 53,193 individual epithelial cells from mouse small intestine and organoids, and characterized novel subtypes and their gene signatures. We showed unexpected diversity of hormone-secreting enteroendocrine cells and constructed their novel taxonomy. We distinguished between two tuft cell subtypes, one of which expresses the epithelial cytokine TSLP and CD45 (Ptprc), the pan-immune marker not previously associated with non-hematopoietic cells. We also characterized how cell-intrinsic states and cell proportions respond to bacterial and helminth infections. Salmonella infection caused an increase in Paneth cells and enterocytes abundance, and broad activation of an antimicrobial program. In contrast, Heligmosomoides polygyrus caused an expansion of goblet and tuft cell populations. Our survey highlights new markers and programs, associates sensory molecules to cell types, and uncovers principles of gut homeostasis and response to pathogens

Undergraduate Session IIIC Natural Sciences: Presentation 5 - Neisseria Meningitis: Pathophysiology, Immune Defense, and Vaccination

This research explores how the meningitis bacteria infect the body, the immune system\u27s response, and the development and administration of the vaccine

Undergraduate Session IIC Natural Sciences: Presentation 3 - An Analysis of Hospital Waste Management Policies in North Carolina: Efficacy, Impacts, and Advancements

This is a condensed version of my thesis where I discuss the categories of medical waste, waste treatment methods, impacts of mistreatment of medical waste, and potential solutions

Undergraduate Session IB: Alpha Chi Collaboration - A New Era in Genetic Modification

An analysis of the evolution of genetic technology, ethical concerns, current opinion of college demographic, and healthcare applications