Digital Commons Network^™

Prevention Conference Vii - Obesity, A Worldwide Epidemic Related To Heart Disease And Stroke: Executive Summary, Robert H. Eckel, David A. York, Stephan Rössner, Van Hubbard, Ian Caterson, Sachiko T. St. Jeor, Laura L. Hayman, Rebecca M. Mullis, Steven N. Blair

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Study Of Pediatric Heart Transplant Patients In Relationship To Post Transplant Coronary Artery Disease, Mark Randall

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Post transplant coronary artery disease influences short and long-term survival of pediatric heart transplant recipients. Associated cardiovascular disease risk factors among non-heart transplant adult and pediatric heart populations for development of coronary artery disease have been documented. Little is known about these typical cardiovascular disease risk factors as well as other possible risk factors in the development of post transplant coronary artery disease. Objective: The purpose of this research was to examine children/adolescents (n=194), 5-18 years old, at least one-year post heart transplant. This study also investigated if there were physiological and psychological/behavioral differences between recipients with (n = 28) …

Dynamical Epidemic Suppression Using Stochastic Prediction And Control, Ira Schwartz, Lora Billings, Erik Bollt

Department of Mathematics Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

We consider the effects of noise on a model of epidemic outbreaks, where the outbreaks appear randomly. Using a constructive transition approach that predicts large outbreaks prior to their occurrence, we derive an adaptive control scheme that prevents large outbreaks from occurring. The theory is applicable to a wide range of stochastic processes with underlying deterministic structure.

Descriptive And Comparative Study Of The Nutritional Knowledge And Behavior Of Mothers Of Young Children Who Have Received Targeted Nutritional Education And Those Who Have Not As A Method To Ascertain The Effectiveness Of The Little Tree Nutritional And Educational Centre In Combating Malnutrition In The Pienaarsig Township Of Nieu Bethesda, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, Amelia Peterson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

No abstract provided.

History-Adjusted Marginal Structural Models And Statically-Optimal Dynamic Treatment Regimes, Mark J. Van Der Laan, Maya L. Petersen

U.C. Berkeley Division of Biostatistics Working Paper Series

Marginal structural models (MSM) provide a powerful tool for estimating the causal effect of a treatment. These models, introduced by Robins, model the marginal distributions of treatment-specific counterfactual outcomes, possibly conditional on a subset of the baseline covariates. Marginal structural models are particularly useful in the context of longitudinal data structures, in which each subject's treatment and covariate history are measured over time, and an outcome is recorded at a final time point. However, the utility of these models for some applications has been limited by their inability to incorporate modification of the causal effect of treatment by time-varying covariates. …

Tick-Tock: Preparing For The Next Influenza Pandemic, Eileen Salinsky

National Health Policy Forum

This paper describes the nature of pandemic influenza and highlights key challenges for responding to this disease threat. It explains how an influenza pandemic would differ from annual influenza outbreaks and examines how a pandemic virus could emerge. It also explores important issues involved in pandemic preparedness capabilities, including disease surveillance, vaccine production and distribution, antiviral stockpiling, health care system readiness, and public health containment measures. The national pandemic preparedness plan is briefly reviewed, and unresolved policy issues related to the plan’s implementation are identified.

Development Of A Safe Neutralization Assay For Sars-Cov And Characterization Of S-Glycoprotein, Dong P. Han, Hyung G. Kim, Young B. Kim, Michael W. Cho

Faculty Scholarship

The etiological agent of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) has been identified as a novel coronavirus SARS-CoV. Similar to other coronaviruses, spike (S)-glycoprotein of the virus interacts with a cellular receptor and mediates membrane fusion to allow viral entry into susceptible target cells. Accordingly, S-protein plays an important role in virus infection cycle and is the primary target of neutralizing antibodies. To begin to understand its biochemical and immunological properties, we expressed both full-length and ectodomain of the protein in various primate cells. Our results show that the protein has an electrophoretic mobility of about 160–170 kDa. The protein is …

Seasonal Analyses Of Air Pollution And Mortality In 100 U.S. Cities, Roger D. Peng, Francesca Dominici, Roberto Pastor-Barriuso, Scott L. Zeger, Jonathan M. Samet

Johns Hopkins University, Dept. of Biostatistics Working Papers

Time series models relating short-term changes in air pollution levels to daily mortality counts typically assume that the effects of air pollution on the log relative rate of mortality do not vary with time. However, these short-term effects might plausibly vary by season. Changes in the sources of air pollution and meteorology can result in changes in characteristics of the air pollution mixture across seasons. The authors develop Bayesian semi-parametric hierarchical models for estimating time-varying effects of pollution on mortality in multi-site time series studies. The methods are applied to the updated National Morbidity and Mortality Air Pollution Study database …

A Brief Interview With Vice Admiral Richard H. Carmona, Md, Mph, Facs Surgeon General Of The United States

Florida Public Health Review

No abstract provided.

Birth Of An Electronic Journal – The Florida Public Health Review

Florida Public Health Review

No abstract provided.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome : Description, Epidemiology, And Control Measures, Jorge E. Galva

International Journal of Global Health and Health Disparities

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (hereinafter SARS) is the first severe and readily transmissible new disease to emerge in the 21st century 1. The presence of this infectious agent was first recognized in early November 2002 in the province of Guangdong in the People's Republic of China. SARS rapidly spread from there to other parts of the world, notably Southeast Asia and Canada. According to data compiled in August 2003, altogether 8,422 cases occurred in 29 countries. The most severely affected countries were China (including the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong and Taiwan), Canada, Singapore and Vietnam, all of which …

Epidemiologic And Environmental Investigation Of A Recreational Water Outbreak Caused By Two Genotypes Of Cryptosporidium Parvum In Ohio In 2000, Els Mathieu, Deborah A. Levy, Fran Veverka, Mary-Kay Parrish, John Sarisky, Nancy Shapiro, Stephanie Johnston, Thomas Handzel, Allen Hightower, Lihua Xiao, Yeuk-Mui Lee, Steve York, Michael Arrowood, Robin Lee, Jeffrey L. Jones

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

In August 2000, the Ohio Department of Health requested assistance to investigate a cryptosporidiosis outbreak with more than 700 clinical case-patients. An epidemiologic and environmental investigation was conducted. Stool specimens, pool water, and sand filter samples were analyzed. A community-based case-control study showed that the main risk factor was swimming in pool A (odds ratio [OR] = 42, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 12.3-144.9). This was supported by results of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis, which showed the presence of both the human and bovine genotypes of Cryptosporidium parvum in case-patients and samples from the filter of pool A. A …

Did A Severe Flood In The Midwest Cause An Increase In The Incidence Of Gastrointestinal Symptoms?, Timothy J. Wade, Sukhminder K. Sandhu, Deborah A. Levy, Sherline Lee, Mark W. Lechevallier, Louis Katz, John M. Colford

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

Severe flooding occurred in the midwestern United States in 2001. Since November 2000, coincidentally, data on gastrointestinal symptoms had been collected for a drinking water intervention study in a community along the Mississippi River that was affected by the flood. After the flood had subsided, the authors asked these subjects (n = 1,110) about their contact with floodwater. The objectives of this investigation were to determine whether rates of gastrointestinal illness were elevated during the flood and whether contact with floodwater was associated with increased risk of gastrointestinal illness. An increase in the incidence of gastrointestinal symptoms during the flood …

Sars Surveillance During Emergency Public Health Response, United States, March-July 2003, Stephanie J. Schrag, John T. Brooks, Chris Van Beneden, Umesh D. Parashar, Patricia M. Griffin, Larry J. Anderson, William J. Bellini, Robert F. Benson, Dean D. Erdman, Alexander Klimov, Thomas G. Ksiazek, Teresa C. T. Peret, Deborah F. Talkington, W. Lanier Thacker, Maria L. Tondella, Jacquelyn S. Sampson, Allen W. Hightower, Dale F. Nordenberg, Brian D. Plikaytis, Ali S. Khan, Nancy E. Rosenstein, Tracee A. Treadwell, Cynthia G. Whitney, Anthony E. Fiore, Tonji M. Durant, Joseph F. Perz, Annemarie Wasley, Daniel Feikin, Joy L. Herndon, William A. Bower, Barbara W. Klibourn, Deborah A. Levy, Victor G. Coronado, Joanna Buffington, Clare A. Dykewicz, Rima F. Khabbaz, Mary E. Chamberland

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

In response to the emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), the United States established national surveillance using a sensitive case definition incorporating clinical, epidemiologic, and laboratory criteria. Of 1,460 unexplained respiratory illnesses reported by state and local health departments to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from March 17 to July 30, 2003, a total of 398 (27%) met clinical and epidemiologic SARS case criteria. Of these, 72 (18%) were probable cases with radiographic evidence of pneumonia. Eight (2%) were laboratory-confirmed SARS-coronavirus (SARS-CoV) infections, 206 (52%) were SARS-CoV negative, and 184 (46%) had undetermined SARS-CoV status because of …

Health For All: Project Export Addresses An Elusive Goal With An Expanded Journal, Michele Yehieli

International Journal of Global Health and Health Disparities

During the past century, tremendous advances were made in reducing illness around the world. Many of these dramatic improvements in health status and life expectancy were the result of public health interventions such as clean water, better living conditions, prenatal care and immunizations. Nonetheless, with globalization and industrialization now increasing, significant health disparities still exist, both between nations and within them. Indeed, some 25 years after the historic Alma Ata primary care conference where the World Health Organization and leading non-governmental organizations called for "Health for All by the Year 2000," global health equity has yet to be achieved (PAHO, …

Anthrax In A Highly Endemic Area: Survey Of Knowledge, Attitudes And Beliefs Among Haitian Livestock Owners And Follow-Up Public Health Practice, Katie Steneroden

International Journal of Global Health and Health Disparities

Anthrax, a zoonotic disease with worldwide distribution, is endemic and enzootic in Haiti. Hyper-endemic areas exist and regional outbreaks occur sporadically throughout the country. The number of cases of human cutaneous anthrax reported in a rural area of central Haiti has increased in the last several years. A cross-sectional questionnaire was developed to ascertain livestock owners' knowledge of anthrax and analyzed for potential risk factors and intervention strategies. Results of this survey indicate that a lack of knowledge of the signs, symptoms and transmission of anthrax may be contributing to an increase in human cases. Survey results have been reported …

Challenges For Reducing Inequities In Health And Healthcare For The 21st Century, Osman Galal, Roberto De Vogli

International Journal of Global Health and Health Disparities

Human life expectancy during the time of the Roman Empire was approximately 28 years. In 1990, global life expectancy had increased to 65 years. The advances in life expectancy in the 20th century were remarkable by any standard. Although many factors contributed to this enhanced life expectancy, including medical technologies, by far the largest proportion of the increase occurred as a consequence of economic growth, rising living standards and nutrition. Despite the large improvements in terms of life expectancy, significant health variations still remain between countries and across different socioeconomic classes with in countries. As the 20th century proceeded, a …

West Nile Virus Blood Transfusion-Related Infection Despite Nucleic Acid Testing, Alexandre Macedo De Oliveira, Brady D. Beecham, Susan P. Montgomery, Robert S. Lanciotti, Jeffrey M. Linnen, Cristina Giachetti, Larry A. Pietrelli, Susan L. Stramer, Thomas J. Safranek

United States Public Health Resources

BACKGROUND: A case of West Nile virus (WNV) encephalitis associated with transfusion of blood that did not react when tested for WNV by minipool (MP) nucleic acid testing (NAT) is described. A Nebraska man developed clinical encephalitis 13 days after surgery and transfusion of 26 blood components. Antibody testing confirmed WNV infection. An investigation was initiated to determine the source of this infection.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: The patient’s family members were interviewed to identify risk factors for WNV infection. Residual samples were retested for WNV RNA using transcription-mediated amplification (TMA) assay and two polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays. …

Unequal Access: The Crisis Of Health Care Inequality For Low-Income African-American Residents Of The District Of Columbia, Robyn Whipple Diaz

Journal of Health Care Law and Policy

No abstract provided.

Surveillance For Waterborne-Disease Outbreaks Associated With Drinking Water--United States, 2001-2002, Brian G. Blackburn, Gunther F. Craun, Jonathan S. Yoder, Vincent Hill, Rebecca L. Calderon, Nora Chen, Sherline H. Lee, Deborah A. Levy, Michael J. Beach

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

PROBLEM/CONDITION: Since 1971, CDC, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists have maintained a collaborative surveillance system for collecting and periodically reporting data related to occurrences and causes of waterborne-disease outbreaks (WBDOs). This surveillance system is the primary source of data concerning the scope and effects of waterborne disease outbreaks on persons in the United States.

REPORTING PERIOD COVERED: This summary includes data on WBDOs associated with drinking water that occurred during January 2001-December 2002 and on three previously unreported outbreaks that occurred during 2000.

DESCRIPTION OF SYSTEM: Public health departments in the states, …

Caught Between Paradise And Power: Public Health, Pathogenic Threats, And The Axis Of Illness, David P. Fidler

Articles by Maurer Faculty

No abstract provided.

Surveillance For Waterborne-Disease Outbreaks Associated With Recreational Water--United States, 2001-2002, Jonathan S. Yoder, Brian G. Blackburn, Gunther F. Craun, Vincent Hill, Deborah A. Levy, Nora Chen, Sherline H. Lee, Rebecca L. Calderon, Michael J. Beach

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

PROBLEM/CONDITION: Since 1971, CDC, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists have maintained a collaborative surveillance system for collecting and periodically reporting data related to occurrences and causes of waterborne-disease outbreaks (WBDOs) related to drinking water; tabulation of recreational water-associated outbreaks was added to the surveillance system in 1978. This surveillance system is the primary source of data concerning the scope and effects of waterborne disease outbreaks on persons in the United States.

REPORTING PERIOD COVERED: This summary includes data on WBDOs associated with recreational water that occurred during January 2001-December 2002 and on …

Evaluation Of The Hayes E. Willis Health Center In South Richmond -- Has It Served Its Targeted Population?, Shannon Nicole Shaw

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: The Hayes E. Willis Health Center (HWHC) was opened in a neighborhood of South Richmond in October 1993 to remove the barriers that prevented South Richmond residents from accessing primary healthcare services. The major objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the HWHC in providing primary care to the South Richmond Community deemed to be in need. An additional objective was to describe the changes in characteristics of clinic users and illnesses seen over time.Methods: Patient data was compared from the HWHC�s first full year of operation in which patient data was collected (1995) to the …

Muscular Fitness And All-Cause Mortality: Prospective Observations, Shannon J. Fitzgerald, Carolyn E. Barlow, James B. Kampert, James R. Morrow Jr., Allen W. Jackson, Steven N. Blair

Faculty Publications

Background: The beneficial effects of cardiorespiratory fitness on mortality are well known; however, the relation of muscular fitness, specifically muscular strength and endurance, to mortality risk has not been thoroughly examined. The purpose of the current study is to determine if a dose-response relation exists between muscular fitness and mortality after controlling for factors such as age and cardiorespiratory fitness.

Methods: The study included 9105 men and women, 20-82 years of age, in the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study who have completed at least one medical examination at the Cooper Clinic in Dallas, TX between 1981 and 1989. The exam included …

Fighting The Axis Of Illness: Hiv/Aids, Human Rights, And U.S. Foreign Policy, David P. Fidler

Articles by Maurer Faculty

No abstract provided.

Constitutional Outlines Of Public Health's "New World Order", David P. Fidler

Articles by Maurer Faculty

No abstract provided.

Bacteriolytic Activity Of Selected Vertebrate Sera For Borrelia Burgdorferi Sensu Stricto And Borrelia Bissettii, Amy J. Ullmann, Robert S. Lane, Klaus Kurtenbach, Michael Miller, Martin E. Schriefer, Nordin Zeidner, Joseph Piesman

United States Public Health Resources

An in vitro assay to evaluate the bacteriolytic activity of the complement pathway was applied to 2 strains of Borrelia bissettii, CO501 and DN127, and compared with that of B. burgdorferi sensu stricto B31. Sera from mule deer ( Odocoileus hemionus) and the Western Fence lizard ( Sceloporus occidentalis) were completely borreliacidal for B. burgdorferi and for both strains of B. bissettii. Serum from Bobwhite quail ( Colinus virginianus) was nonlytic for B. burgdorferi and partially lytic for B. bissettii strains, CO-501 and DN127. Serum from a New Zealand White rabbit ( Oryctolagus cuniculus) …

Barriers To Lesbian Health Care, Paula Bowles

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The primary purpose of this research was to examine a sample of sixteen lesbian women regarding the barriers to lesbian health-care. From this information several interpretive findings regarding lesbian health-care are made. Data were gathered via indepth interviews with each individual lesbian. The data suggest that most lesbian women do not reveal their sexual orientation to their primary-care physician for fear of reprisal. Most of the women interviewed do feel they receive adequate health-care from their physician. The women who participated in this project did so confidentially and were assigned pseudonyms. They were asked questions on a variety of topics, …

Socio-Economic And Demographic Factors Associated With Injecting Drug Use Among Drug Users In Karachi, Pakistan, A. Agha, S. Parviz, M. Younus, Zafar Fatmi

Community Health Sciences

Objective: To identify the socio-economic and demographic factors associated with injecting drug users (IDUs) in Karachi.

Methods: We recruited 242 IDUs (taking drugs through sub-dermal routes) and 231 non-IDUs (taking drugs other than sub-dermal routes) from February through June 1996. IDUs were interviewed regarding sociodemographic factors, economic condition, and social network (marital status, living with spouse). In addition, information regarding location of drug users within the city (districts of Karachi) and current history of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) were gathered. Moreover, blood samples were also obtained for HIV testing

.Results: Multivariate analysis showed that the income generation via illegal …

Multijurisdictional Approach To Biosurveillance, Kansas City., Mark A Hoffman, Tiffany H Wilkinson, Aaron Bush, Wayne Myers, Ron G Griffin, Gerald L Hoff, Rex Archer

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

No abstract provided.