Discovery of a Unique Set of Dog-Seroreactive Proteins Using Nucleic Acid Programmable Protein Array.

Valley Fever (VF), caused by fungi in the genus , is a prevalent disease in southwestern and western parts of the United States that affects both humans and animals, such as dogs. Although the immune responses to infection with spp. are not fully characterized, antibody-detection assays are used in conjunction with clinical presentation and radiologic findings to aid in the diagnosis of VF.

Mucosal and systemic antigen-specific antibody responses correlate with protection against active tuberculosis in nonhuman primates.

Background: Increasing evidence supports that antibodies can protect against active tuberculosis (TB) but knowledge of potentially protective antigens, especially in the airways, is limited. The main objective of this study was to identify antigen-specific airway and systemic immunoglobulin isotype responses associated with the outcome of controlled latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection (LTBI) versus uncontrolled infection (TB) in nonhuman primates.

Methods: In a case-control design, using non-parametric group comparisons with false discovery rate adjustments, we assessed antibodies in 57 cynomolgus macaques which, following low-dose airway Mtb infection, developed either LTBI or TB.

Quantitative assessment of multiple pathogen exposure and immune dynamics at scale.

Serology reveals exposure to pathogens, as well as the state of autoimmune and other clinical conditions. It is used to evaluate individuals and their histories and as a public health tool to track epidemics. Employing a variety of formats, studies nearly always perform serology by testing response to only one or a few antigens.

Development of a rapid lateral flow assay for detection of anti-coccidioidal antibodies.

spp. are dimorphic fungi that are capable of infecting human and non-human mammals and can cause diverse manifestations of coccidioidomycosis or Valley fever (VF). In combination with clinical symptoms and radiographic findings, antibody-based diagnostic tests are often used to diagnose and monitor patients with VF.

Serological survey to estimate SARS-CoV-2 infection and antibody seroprevalence at a large public university: A cross-sectional study.

Objective: This study investigated the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among adults over 18 years.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Settings: A large public university.

Associations between COVID-19 sleep patterns, depressive symptoms, loneliness, and academic engagement: a latent profile analysis.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had important implications for college students' socioemotional and academic well-being. Sleep problems were common during this time, which may have further impacted well-being. Five hundred and fifty-two college students ( = 19.

Volatile Metabolites in Lavage Fluid Are Correlated with Cytokine Production in a Valley Fever Murine Model.

Coccidioides immitis and Coccidioides posadasii are soil-dwelling fungi of arid regions in North and South America that are responsible for Valley fever (coccidioidomycosis). Forty percent of patients with Valley fever exhibit symptoms ranging from mild, self-limiting respiratory infections to severe, life-threatening pneumonia that requires treatment. Misdiagnosis as bacterial pneumonia commonly occurs in symptomatic Valley fever cases, resulting in inappropriate treatment with antibiotics, increased medical costs, and delay in diagnosis.

Clinical Laboratory Utility of a Humanized Antibody in Commercially Available Enzyme Immunoassays for Coccidioidomycosis.

Coccidioidomycosis, also called valley fever (VF), is a fungal infection with endemicity in desert regions of the western United States as well as certain arid regions of Central and South America. Laboratory-based diagnosis of VF often relies on the composite results from three serologic-based diagnostics, complement fixation, immunodiffusion, and enzyme immunoassay (EIA). EIA is commonly performed in clinical laboratories because results can be obtained in a few hours.

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Composite Score Rating for Pulmonary Resection for Lung Cancer.

Background: The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) General Thoracic Surgery Database (GTSD) has developed composite quality measures for lobectomy and esophagectomy. This study sought to develop a composite measure including all resections for lung cancer.

Methods: The STS lung cancer composite score is based on 2 outcomes: risk-adjusted mortality and morbidity.

Multi-platform Approach for Microbial Biomarker Identification Using as a Model.

The identification of microbial biomarkers is critical for the diagnosis of a disease early during infection. However, the identification of reliable biomarkers is often hampered by a low concentration of microbes or biomarkers within host fluids or tissues. We have outlined a multi-platform strategy to assess microbial biomarkers that can be consistently detected in host samples, using , the causative agent of Lyme disease, as an example.

Evaluation of Virex® II 256 and Virex® Tb as Disinfectants of the Dimorphic Fungi Coccidioides immitis and .

To date, limited published data exists regarding the efficacy of commonly used disinfectants in inactivating the Risk Group 3 dimorphic fungal pathogens, and . Newer generation quaternary ammonium compounds, like Virex® II 256 and Virex® Tb, have not been previously evaluated. Herein, these disinfectants are evaluated against 10% bleach and 70% ethanol, for their ability to inactivate 5×10 arthroconidial spores of RS or strain Silveira within 2, 5, 10 or 20 minutes contact time in aqueous solution.

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgery Database 2019 Update on Outcomes and Quality.

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgery Database (STS GTSD) remains the most robust thoracic surgical database in the world, providing participating institutions semiannual risk-adjusted performance reports and facilitating multiple quality improvement initiatives each year. In 2018, the STS GTSD Data Collection Form was substantially revised to acquire the most important variables with the least data manager burden. In addition, a composite quality measure for all pulmonary resections for cancer was developed, and the impact that minimally invasive approaches have on the model was assessed.

Defining Proficiency for The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Participants Performing Thoracoscopic Lobectomy.

Background: Parameters defining attainment and maintenance of proficiency in thoracoscopic video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) lobectomy remain unknown. To address this knowledge gap, this study investigated the institutional performance curve for VATS lobectomy by using risk-adjusted cumulative sum (Cusum) analysis.

Methods: Using The Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgery Database, the study investigators identified centers that had performed a total of 30 or more VATS lobectomies.

Ibrutinib inhibition of ERBB4 reduces cell growth in a WNT5A-dependent manner.

Alterations in ERBB family members have been associated with many tumor malignancies. EGFR and ERBB2 have been extensively explored in clinical oncology and several drugs currently target them therapeutically. However, the significance of ERBB4 as a potential therapeutic target remains mostly unexplored, even though ERBB4 is overexpressed or mutated in many solid tumors.

Proteogenomic Re-Annotation of Coccidioides posadasii Strain Silveira.

The aims of this study are to provide protein-based evidence upon which to reannotate the genome of Coccidiodes posadasii, one of two closely related species of Coccidioides, a dimorphic fungal pathogen that causes coccidioidomycosis, also called Valley fever. Proteins present in lysates and filtrates of in vitro grown mycelia and parasitic phase spherules from C. posadasii strain Silveira are analyzed using a GeLC-MS/MS method.

Automatic Identification and Quantification of Extra-Well Fluorescence in Microarray Images.

In recent studies involving NAPPA microarrays, extra-well fluorescence is used as a key measure for identifying disease biomarkers because there is evidence to support that it is better correlated with strong antibody responses than statistical analysis involving intraspot intensity. Because this feature is not well quantified by traditional image analysis software, identification and quantification of extra-well fluorescence is performed manually, which is both time-consuming and highly susceptible to variation between raters. A system that could automate this task efficiently and effectively would greatly improve the process of data acquisition in microarray studies, thereby accelerating the discovery of disease biomarkers.

Database Audit in Thoracic Surgery.

Administrative data are less accurate and relevant than specialty-specific, procedure-specific, risk-adjusted data collected in voluntary registries such as the Society of Thoracic Surgeons-General Thoracic Surgery Database (GTSD). Voluntary clinical databases must be proven accurate and complete before they are accepted as credible information sources. With substantial growth of the GTSD, an annual audit was initiated in 2010 to assess the completeness, accuracy, and quality of the data collected.

Identification of Antibody Targets for Tuberculosis Serology using High-Density Nucleic Acid Programmable Protein Arrays.

Better and more diverse biomarkers for the development of simple point-of-care tests for active tuberculosis (TB), a clinically heterogeneous disease, are urgently needed. We generated a proteomic () High-Density Nucleic Acid Programmable Protein Array (HD-NAPPA) that used a novel multiplexed strategy for expedited high-throughput screening for antibody responses to the proteome. We screened sera from HIV uninfected and coinfected TB patients and controls ( = 120) from the US and South Africa (SA) using the multiplex HD-NAPPA for discovery, followed by deconvolution and validation through single protein HD-NAPPA with biologically independent samples ( = 124).

Establishing a Dedicated General Thoracic Surgery Subspecialty Program Improves Lung Cancer Outcomes.

Background: Various factors may influence outcomes after lobectomy for lung cancer. Postgraduate subspecialty training in general thoracic surgery with a focus on minimally invasive surgery (MIS) and thoracic oncology was completed by an established cardiothoracic surgeon on the hospital staff in July 2007, and principles emphasized in that training were incorporated into practice through formation of a subspecialty program. We hypothesized that establishing a dedicated general thoracic surgeon-lead subspecialty program, with focus on MIS and thoracic oncology, would improve short-term and long-term outcomes.

Total and Lectin-Binding Proteome of Spherulin from Coccidioides posadasii.

Coccidioides is a virulent dimorphic fungus that causes coccidioidomycosis (valley fever) in mammals, including humans. Although the genome has been sequenced, a proteomic analysis does not exist. To address this gap in proteomic knowledge, we generated the proteome of spherulin (a well-studied lysate of fungal spherules) and identified 1390 proteins.

Failure to Rescue Rates After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: An Analysis From The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Adult Cardiac Surgery Database.

Background: Failure to rescue (FTR) is increasingly recognized as an important quality indicator in surgery. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons National Database was used to develop FTR metrics and a predictive FTR model for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Methods: The study included 604,154 patients undergoing isolated CABG at 1,105 centers from January 2010 to January 2014.

Predictors of Major Morbidity or Mortality After Resection for Esophageal Cancer: A Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgery Database Risk Adjustment Model.

Background: The purpose of this analysis was to revise the model for perioperative risk for esophagectomy for cancer utilizing The Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgery Database to provide enhanced risk stratification and quality improvement measures for contributing centers.

Methods: The Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgery Database was queried for all patients treated for esophageal cancer with esophagectomy between July 1, 2011, and June 30, 2014. Multivariable risk models for major morbidity, perioperative mortality, and combined morbidity and mortality were created with the inclusion of surgical approach as a risk factor.

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Lung Cancer Resection Risk Model: Higher Quality Data and Superior Outcomes.

Background: The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) creates risk-adjustment models for common cardiothoracic operations for quality improvement purposes. Our aim was to update the lung cancer resection risk model utilizing the STS General Thoracic Surgery Database (GTSD) with a larger and more contemporary cohort.

Methods: We queried the STS GTSD for all surgical resections of lung cancers from January 1, 2012, through December 31, 2014.