Consumer Bankruptcy Update

Materials from the Consumer Bankruptcy Update presentations held by UK/CLE in December 2000

Whole-genome sequencing reveals host factors underlying critical COVID-19

Critical COVID-19 is caused by immune-mediated inflammatory lung injury. Host genetic variation influences the development of illness requiring critical care1 or hospitalization2–4 after infection with SARS-CoV-2. The GenOMICC (Genetics of Mortality in Critical Care) study enables the comparison of genomes from individuals who are critically ill with those of population controls to find underlying disease mechanisms. Here we use whole-genome sequencing in 7,491 critically ill individuals compared with 48,400 controls to discover and replicate 23 independent variants that significantly predispose to critical COVID-19. We identify 16 new independent associations, including variants within genes that are involved in interferon signalling (IL10RB and PLSCR1), leucocyte differentiation (BCL11A) and blood-type antigen secretor status (FUT2). Using transcriptome-wide association and colocalization to infer the effect of gene expression on disease severity, we find evidence that implicates multiple genes—including reduced expression of a membrane flippase (ATP11A), and increased expression of a mucin (MUC1)—in critical disease. Mendelian randomization provides evidence in support of causal roles for myeloid cell adhesion molecules (SELE, ICAM5 and CD209) and the coagulation factor F8, all of which are potentially druggable targets. Our results are broadly consistent with a multi-component model of COVID-19 pathophysiology, in which at least two distinct mechanisms can predispose to life-threatening disease: failure to control viral replication; or an enhanced tendency towards pulmonary inflammation and intravascular coagulation. We show that comparison between cases of critical illness and population controls is highly efficient for the detection of therapeutically relevant mechanisms of disease

Whole-genome sequencing reveals host factors underlying critical COVID-19

Critical COVID-19 is caused by immune-mediated inflammatory lung injury. Host genetic variation influences the development of illness requiring critical care1 or hospitalization2,3,4 after infection with SARS-CoV-2. The GenOMICC (Genetics of Mortality in Critical Care) study enables the comparison of genomes from individuals who are critically ill with those of population controls to find underlying disease mechanisms. Here we use whole-genome sequencing in 7,491 critically ill individuals compared with 48,400 controls to discover and replicate 23 independent variants that significantly predispose to critical COVID-19. We identify 16 new independent associations, including variants within genes that are involved in interferon signalling (IL10RB and PLSCR1), leucocyte differentiation (BCL11A) and blood-type antigen secretor status (FUT2). Using transcriptome-wide association and colocalization to infer the effect of gene expression on disease severity, we find evidence that implicates multiple genes—including reduced expression of a membrane flippase (ATP11A), and increased expression of a mucin (MUC1)—in critical disease. Mendelian randomization provides evidence in support of causal roles for myeloid cell adhesion molecules (SELE, ICAM5 and CD209) and the coagulation factor F8, all of which are potentially druggable targets. Our results are broadly consistent with a multi-component model of COVID-19 pathophysiology, in which at least two distinct mechanisms can predispose to life-threatening disease: failure to control viral replication; or an enhanced tendency towards pulmonary inflammation and intravascular coagulation. We show that comparison between cases of critical illness and population controls is highly efficient for the detection of therapeutically relevant mechanisms of disease

The Interest in Permanent Contraception Peaked Following the Leaked Supreme Court Majority Opinion of Roe vs. Wade: A Cross-Sectional Google Trends Analysis

Introduction With the leaked Supreme Court draft regarding Roe vs. Wade, substantial public reactions followed as the horizon of abortion laws within the United States of America have been changing. We sought to compare internet searches for vasectomy and tubal ligation seven days following the leaked draft on May 2, 2022. Methods We used public data provided by Google Trends to investigate the interest and geographic distribution of searches for the two forms of permanent contraception: Vasectomy and tubal ligation. We calculated the mean Search Volume Index (SVI) of these terms. Data analysis was performed with Microsoft Excel Version 16.60 (Redmond, USA), and comparisons between groups were performed using paired t-tests. Results The term 'vasectomy' saw a 121% increase (p=0.0063), and 'tubal ligation' had a 70% (p=0.029) increase compared to the week prior. 49/50 states had increased search inquiries for each term. However, the North and Southwestern regions of the U.S. had increased relative surge for vasectomy and the Midwest region for tubal ligation procedures, respectively. South Dakota and Idaho, with trigger laws that banned abortion immediately following the overturn of Roe vs. Wade, had the greatest surge in SVI for tubal ligation and vasectomy, respectively. Conclusion Our study indicates that with the potential overturn of Roe vs. Wade, there was a significantly increased interest in these two forms of permanent contraception. Future studies should investigate specific concerns and questions patients may have when it comes to the different options of contraception.