Digital Commons Network^™

Needle Exchange Programs For The Prevention Of Hepatitis C Virus Infection In People Who Inject Drugs: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis, Stephen M. Davis, Shay Daily, Alfgeir L. Kristjansson, George A. Kelley, Keith Zullig, Adam Baus, Danielle Davidov, Melanie Fisher

Clinical and Translational Science Institute

Background: Previous research on the effectiveness of needle exchange programs (NEP) in preventing hepatitis C virus (HCV) in people who inject drugs (PWID) has shown mixed findings. The purpose of this study was to use the meta-analytic approach to examine the association between NEP use and HCV prevention in PWIDs. Methods: Study inclusion criteria were (1) observational studies, (2) PWIDs, (3) NEP use, (4) HCV status ascertained by serological testing, (5) studies published in any language since January 1, 1989, and (6) data available for measures of association. Studies were located by searching four electronic databases and cross-referencing. Study quality …

Dental Workforce Availability And Dental Services Utilization In Appalachia: A Geospatial Analysis, Xue Feng, Usha Sambamoorthi, R. Constance Wiener

Clinical and Translational Science Institute

Objectives—There is considerable variation in dental services utilization across Appalachian counties, and a plausible explanation is that individuals in some geographical areas do not utilize dental care due to dental workforce shortage. We conducted an ecological study on dental workforce availability and dental services utilization in Appalachia. Methods—We derived county-level (n = 364) data on demographic, socio-economic characteristics and dental services utilization in Appalachia from the 2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) using person-level data. We obtained county-level dental workforce availability and physician-to-population ratio estimates from Area Health Resource File, and linked them to the county-level BRFSS data. The …

The Effect Of The 2015 Earthquake On The Bacterial Community Compositions In Water In Nepal, Sital Uprety, Pei-Ying Hong, Nora Sadik, Bipin Dangol, Rameswor Adhikari, Antarpreet Jutla, Joanna L. Shisler, Patrick Degnan, Thanh H. Nguyen

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

We conducted a study to examine the effect of seasonal variations and the disruptive effects of the 2015 Nepal earthquake on microbial communities associated with drinking water sources. We first characterized the microbial communities of water samples in two Nepali regions (Kathmandu and Jhapa) to understand the stability of microbial communities in water samples collected in 2014. We analyzed additional water samples from the same sources collected from May to August 2015, allowing the comparison of samples from dry-to-dry season and from dry-to-monsoon seasons. Emphasis was placed on microbes responsible for maintaining the geobiochemical characteristics of water (e.g., ammonia-oxidizing and …

Comparison Of Orchid Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Species Composition Collected With Four Chemical Attractants, Kenneth W. Mccravy, Joseph Van Dyke, Thomas J. Creedy, Katie Williams

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Orchid bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Euglossini) are a diverse and important group of Neotropical pollinators. Numerous chemicals have been used in sampling orchid bees, and species-specific attraction, particularly of males, to these chemicals is well known. However, there have been few studies that have quantified differences in the species composition of orchid bees attracted to particular chemicals. In this study, we compared the abundance and species composition of orchid bees collected with 4 commonly used attractants: benzyl acetate, eucalyptol (or cineole), eugenol, and methyl salicylate. Eucalyptol collected the greatest abundance and species richness of orchid bees. Indicator species analysis revealed that …

Space Use And Habitat Associations Of Long-Distance Migratory First-Year Golden Eagles (Aquila Chrysaetos) From Interior Alaska In A Changing Landscape, Mark D. Paulson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Understanding a species space use and habitat associations is integral to comprehensive wildlife management. Habitat associations change spatially and temporally and those changes may be especially dramatic for animals that cover long distances throughout their annual cycle. While many studies of habitat associations and space use concentrate on breeding season behavior, studies of migratory connectivity demonstrate how condition of habitats on non-breeding ranges potentially affect key demographic parameters, such as survival, reproduction, and movement in other seasons. This is also important because wildlife habitats, especially land cover, are changing rapidly from both anthropogenic and natural forces in direct and indirect …

Wildlife In An Anthropogenically-Driven World: How Humans Have Shaped The Distribution, Genetic Composition, And Gene Expression Of North American Forest Hawks (Genus: Accipiter), Meghan K. Jensen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Humans are causing drastic environmental change on a global scale and this trend strongly influences the evolution of species. It is also becoming clear that tolerances to anthropogenic disturbance varies widely among organisms. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms by which wildlife cope with humans is a pressing question in modern ecology. North America's forest raptors (Genus: Accipiter) are a useful model for investigating the effects of humans on wildlife species. All three Accipiter species experienced historic demographic declines as a result of anthropogenic activities, yet each species has rebounded differently since these declines. One species in particular is now exploiting urban …

The Dynamics Of Economic Status And Health Among Working-Age Adults In The United States, Abdulkarim Mohammad Meraya

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The relationship between economic status and health has been documented in the previous literature. Economic, sociological and epidemiological studies have indicated that higher economic status is associated with better physical and mental health. While these studies have made significant contributions in this area, a comprehensive evaluation of the relationships between economic indicators and health is still lacking. Most studies focused on a single measure of economic status or health. Further, most studies have focused on one-direction -- economic indicators affecting health; little is known about the effect of health improvement on gain in economic status. Furthermore, only a few studies …

The Utility Of Fine-Scale Remote Sensing Data For Modeling Habitat Characteristics And Breeding Bird Species Distributions In An Appalachian Mature Deciduous Forest., James Sheehan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

In this study, I tested the potential for remote sensing data with a high spatial resolution to model breeding forest bird species and their habitat at a fine spatial scale. The research took place on ridgetops in a large, relatively contiguous Appalachian mature deciduous forest in northwestern WV, USA. The remote sensing data sources were a leaf-on QuickBird satellite image (0.6-m panchromatic and 2.4-m multispectral) and a 3-m digital elevation model (DEM). For the first part of the study, I extracted spectral and textural measures from the satellite image and terrain information from the DEM. I then used these data …

Using A Species Distribution Model And Site-Specific Microclimatic Variables To Model Presence Of Spodic Soil Properties And Relative Occurrence Rate Of Picea Rubens (Red Spruce) To Inform Red Spruce Management, Adrienne Nottingham

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Red spruce restoration efforts in the central Appalachians are of interest to land managers because of the reduced current extent and the numerous ecosystem services provided by red spruce forests. These land managers require information regarding the best places to focus restoration efforts. Studies attempting to locate optimal locations for red spruce restoration have been conducted to in the central Appalachians, most of which utilize modeling. In particular, podzolization, a soil formation pathway present under conifer vegetation in the central Appalachians has been used to help select areas for red spruce restoration. The effectiveness of using recent podzolization (as evidenced …

Needle Exchange Programs For The Prevention Of Hepatitis C Virus Infection In People Who Inject Drugs: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis, Stephen M. Davis, Shay Daily, Alfgeir L. Kristjansson, George A. Kelley, Keith Zullig, Adam Baus, Danielle Davidov, Melanie Fisher

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background

Previous research on the effectiveness of needle exchange programs (NEP) in preventing hepatitis C virus (HCV) in people who inject drugs (PWID) has shown mixed findings. The purpose of this study was to use the meta-analytic approach to examine the association between NEP use and HCV prevention in PWIDs.

Methods

Study inclusion criteria were (1) observational studies, (2) PWIDs, (3) NEP use, (4) HCV status ascertained by serological testing, (5) studies published in any language since January 1, 1989, and (6) data available for measures of association. Studies were located by searching four electronic databases and cross-referencing. Study quality …