Genomic Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 Sequence Variants at Universities in Southwest Idaho.

Although the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on major metropolitan areas is broadly reported and readily available, regions with lower populations and more remote areas in the United States are understudied. The objective of this study is to determine the progression of SARS-CoV-2 sequence variants in a frontier and remote intermountain west state among university-associated communities. This study was conducted at two intermountain west universities from 2020 to 2022. Positive SARS-CoV-2 samples were confirmed by quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and variants were identified by the next-generation sequencing of viral genomes. Positive results were obtained for 5355 samples, representing a positivity rate of 3.5% overall. The median age was 22 years. Viral genomic sequence data were analyzed for 1717 samples and phylogeny was presented. Associations between viral variants, age, sex, and reported symptoms among 1522 samples indicated a significant association between age and the Delta variant (B 1.167.2), consistent with the findings for other regions. An outbreak event of AY122 was detected August-October 2021. A 2-month delay was observed with respect to the timing of the first documented viral infection within this region compared to major metropolitan regions of the US.

Prevalence of Objective Voice Measurement Use in Laryngology Practices in the United States.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of use of objective voice measurements (OVM), instrumentation, and factors that may impact OVM outcomes, such as setting and implementation to clarify current practice. Doing so should clarify the impact of OVM research on patient care. METHODS: A 12-question, one-time anonymous survey using the Research Electronic Data Capture tool was distributed during January 2023 to laryngologists in the United States identified through membership in The Voice Foundation (TVF) or previous participation in a TVF symposium. RESULTS: A total of 101 responses to 418 emails yielded a response rate of 24.2%. Seventeen point eight percentage (N = 18) were in private practice, 63.4% (N = 64) were in academic settings, and 18.8% (N = 19) were classified as mixed private and academic. Common OVMs used were fundamental frequency 95.12% (N = 78), maximum phonation time 90.24% (N = 74), noise-to-harmonic ratio 71.95% (N = 59), jitter 71.95% (N = 59), and shimmer 70.73% (N = 58). Common equipment and software used Pentax Multi-Dimensional Voice Program 42.68% (N = 35), Pentax Computerized Speech Lab Model 4500B 37.80% (N = 31), and Pentax Visi-Pitch, Model 3950C 23.17% (N = 19), PRAAT 21.95% (N = 18), OperaVOX 4.88% (N = 4), VoceVista 3.66% (N = 3). Fifty one point two percentage (N = 42) stated that they used OVMs with the majority of their patients, most commonly for the assessment of treatment effectiveness (84.1%, N = 69), documentation (78.0%, N = 64), research (70.7%, N = 58), and/or diagnosis (61.0%, N = 50). Ninety point two percentage (N = 74) stated that OVMs were used during initial evaluation of patients. CONCLUSION: This study estimates of the prevalence of OVM use among laryngologists in the United States. There appears to be sufficient consistency among laryngology centers to permit comparison of results between centers, although additional research is needed. Future OVM research should compare measurements and equipment commonly used by laryngologists to define further the generalizability of results.

Emerging Perspectives on Leukemia Inhibitory Factor and its Receptor in Cancer.

Tumorigenesis and metastasis have deep connections to inflammation and inflammatory cytokines, but the mechanisms underlying these relationships are poorly understood. Leukemia Inhibitory Factor (LIF) and its receptor (LIFR), part of the interleukin-6 (IL-6) cytokine family, make up one such ill-defined piece of the puzzle connecting inflammation to cancer. Although other members of the IL-6 family have been shown to be involved in the metastasis of multiple types of cancer, the role of LIF and LIFR has been challenging to determine. Described by others in the past as enigmatic and paradoxical, LIF and LIFR are expressed in a diverse array of cells in the body, and the narrative surrounding them in cancer-related processes has been vague, and at times even contradictory. Despite this, recent insights into their functional roles in cancer have highlighted interesting patterns that may allude to a broader understanding of LIF and LIFR within tumor growth and metastasis. This review will discuss in depth the signaling pathways activated by LIF and LIFR specifically in the context of cancer-the purpose being to summarize recent literature concerning the downstream effects of LIF/LIFR signaling in a variety of cancer-related circumstances in an effort to begin teasing out the intricate web of contradictions that have made this pair so challenging to define.