Digital Commons Network^™

Identification And Biochemical Investigations Of Rhamnose And Glycoprotein In Mycoplasmas, David Jordan

All ETDs from UAB

Mycoplasmas are host-specific human and animal pathogens within the class of wall-deficient bacteria named Mollicutes and have smaller sizes and genomes than the walled bacteria. Mycoplasma genome sequences reveal few if any genes for synthesis of a glycocalyx. Nevertheless, we find that mycoplasmas produce glycolipids, glycoprotein, and polysaccharides. Using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, glucose, mannose, rhamnose, and galactose were detected in the glycolytic species Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Mycoplasma pulmonis. All of these sugars except galactose was found in Mycoplasma arthritidis. Rhamnose was in the rare D configuration in the glycolytic species and in both D and L forms in …

Uptake Of Antenatal Care Services And Pregnancy Outcome In Kumasi, Ghana, Asundep Ntui

All ETDs from UAB

A prior study reported a 44.6% prevalence of adverse pregnancy outcomes in Kumasi, Ghana. This study investigated factors that may influence antenatal care (ANC) utilization and their association with adverse pregnancy outcomes; defined as low birth weight, stillbirth, preterm delivery or small for gestational age among pregnant women in Kumasi. A quantitative cross sectional study of 643 women, age 19-48 years who presented for delivery at select public hospitals and private traditional birth attendants from July through November 2011 was conducted. Information on socio-demographic characteristics and other factors associated with ANC attendance was collected using a structured questionnaire. Medical and …

Host Genetic Factors Associated With Cervical Human Papillomavirus Clearance, Staci Lynn Sudenga

All ETDs from UAB

This dissertation research focuses on how variants in various host genes are associated with clearance of HPV in three longitudinal cohorts from the United States. I first examined the definition of the intermediate phenotype to cervical cancer, HPV persistence and then I incorporated this phenotype in all my three aims by examining variations in xenobiotic metabolism genes in HIV-1 negative and immune-related genes in HIV-1 positive females and how these contribute to HPV infection outcomes. Several significant variants were associated with HPV clearance for the three aims. For the first aim, in ALTS assessing functional variants within xenobiotic metabolism genes …

Interracial Couple Status In Relation To Birth Outcomes Among Singleton Infants Born To U.S. Resident Mothers, 2004-2008., Su Jin Jeong

All ETDs from UAB

Due to the growing trend in interracial marriages in the United States, the issue of birth outcomes to infants born to such couples deserves more attention and examination. The purpose of this population-based, cross-sectional, observational study is to examine the association between interracial couple status and birth outcomes (i.e. low birth weight, very low birth weight, preterm birth, very preterm birth, small for gestational age) among singleton infants delivered in the United States. Interracial couples are defined as those in a relationship who are not of the same race or ethnic designation. Non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, Hispanic, Asian, Chinese, Filipino, …

The First Hundred Years Of The Nebraska Public Health Laboratory: A Major Role Played In The Development Of Public Health, Kristin A. Watkins, Peter C. Iwen, Anthony R. Sambol

History of the College of Public Health: Papers and Posters

Public health laboratories are the invisible key to public health. These laboratories have played a significant role in the health of the community since their inception in the late 1800s. They provide confirmation of disease outbreaks and statistics on the health and welfare of the people, with more recent activities in the detection of biological and chemical agents of terrorism. However, the history of these laboratories is mostly unknown. For instance, a recent brief historical account of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services did not include information on the state public health laboratory in the timeline of historical …

Impact Of Climate Change On Occupational Health And Safety, Ariane Adam-Poupart, France Labrèche, Audrey Smargiassi, Patrice Duguay, Marc-Antoine Busque, Charles Gagné, Joseph Zayed

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Les effets des changements climatiques (CC) sont souvent discutés en fonction de leurs impacts sur l’environnement et sur la population générale. Toutefois, leurs conséquences sur la santé et la sécurité des travailleurs (SST) n'ont été que très peu abordées par la communauté scientifique. Pourtant, les travailleurs peuvent être directement ou indirectement affectés par les CC notamment par des contraintes thermiques auxquelles ils peuvent être exposés ou encore, par des modifications aux écosystèmes qui sont à la base de leurs activités économiques. L’objectif général de cette étude était d’explorer les avenues de recherche en regard de l’impact négatif des changements climatiques …

Presence, Intensity, And Temporal Changes In Generalized Anxiety Disorder Maintenance Factors In Workers Undergoing Rehabilitation For Persistent Musculoskeletal Pain, Marie-France Coutu, Marie-José Durand, André Marchand, Marie-Élise Labrecque, Djamal Berbiche, Geneviève Cadieux

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Cliquez ici pour la version française de ce rapport

Problématique : La prévalence du trouble d’anxiété généralisée (TAG) est plus élevée chez les personnes ayant une lombalgie, comparativement à la population en générale. En présence d’un TAG, l’intolérance à l’incertitude sera élevée et des stratégies inefficaces entraîneront le maintien de l’anxiété. À long terme, une réduction de l’efficacité personnelle à résoudre des problèmes et l’apparition de symptômes dépressifs pourraient nuire au retour au travail. L’objectif général de cette étude exploratoire vise à mieux comprendre la nature des manifestations anxieuses de travailleurs ayant un TMS persistant. Pour ce faire l’objectif principal …

Characterization And Control Of Occupational Exposure To Nanoparticles And Ultrafine Particles, Maximilien Debia, Charles Beaudry, Scott Weichenthal, Robert Tardif, André Dufresne

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Cliquez ici pour la version française de ce rapport

De nombreux travailleurs sont exposés à un ensemble de particules présentes à une échelle nanométrique. En hygiène du travail, il est commun de différencier les nanoparticules (NP) manufacturées, des particules ultrafines (PUF) qui proviennent de sources naturelles, humaine ou industrielle. Étant donné qu’il existe des lacunes importantes dans les démarches usuelles d'évaluation du risque à ces particules, l’objectif de cette recherche était d’évaluer les expositions professionnelles à des PUF et des NP. L’objectif secondaire était de tester globalement les capacités d’évaluation des expositions professionnelles aux NP et aux PUF dans un …

Strengths And Limitations Of Qualitative Approaches To Research In Occupational Health Psychology, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Joseph J. Mazzola

Publications and Research

Like all research methods, qualitative methods have strengths and limitations. This chapter describes seven strengths and five limitations. With an understanding of their strengths and limitations and how to minimize and/or balance them, occupational health psychology (OHP) researchers can benefit from qualitative methods. It is important to understand that qualitative findings do not establish generalizable cause-effect relations. However, qualitative methods can help an OHP researcher develop a theory of causality and derive hypotheses related to the theory and, thus, motivate quantitatively organized research designed to test the hypotheses. The challenge for the OHP researcher is to be mindful of what …

Placental Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone Mediates The Association Between Prenatal Social Support And Postpartum Depression, Jennifer Hahn-Holbrook, Christine Dunkel Schetter, Chander Arora, Calvin J. Hobel

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Three decades of research point to both biological and psychological risk factors for postpartum depression, but very little research integrates the two. This study bridged this gap by testing whether prenatal social support predicted depressive symptoms at 8 weeks postpartum in a multiethnic sample of 210 women and whether the stress hormone placental corticotropinreleasing hormone (pCRH), measured at 19, 29, and 37 weeks’ gestation, mediated this relationship. We found that prenatal family support predicted significantly fewer depressive symptoms postpartum and more gradual increases in pCRH from 29 to 37 weeks’ gestation. Furthermore, steeper increases in pCRH during this same period …

Biomarker Validation Of Recent Unprotected Sexual Intercourse In A Prospective Study Of Young Women Engaged In Sex Work In Phnom Penh, Cambodia, J L. Evans, Marie-Claude Couture, E S. Stein, N Sansothy, L Maher, K Page, Young Women’S Health Study Collaborative

Nursing and Health Professions Faculty Research and Publications

Summary—A study of female sex workers in Phnom Penh, Cambodia found self-reported condom use to be of questionable validity, particularly among amphetamine-type stimulant (ATS) users and those with multiple partners.

Background—Accurate measurement of unprotected sex is essential in HIV prevention research. Since 2001, the 100% Condom Use Program targeting female sex workers (FSW) has been a central element of the Cambodian National HIV/AIDS Strategy. We sought to assess the validity of self-reported condom use using the rapid prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test among Cambodian FSW.

Methods—From 2009 to 2010 we enrolled 183 FSW in Phnom Penh in a prospective study of …

Mothers Who Formula Feed: Their Practices, Support Needs And Factors Influencing Their Infant Feeding Decision., Roslyn Tarrant, Margaret Sheridan-Pereira, Roberta A. Mccarthy, Katherine M. Younger, John M. Kearney

Articles

The majority of mothers in Ireland provide formula milk to their infants during the initial weeks postpartum; however, data are lacking on their formula feeding practices and support needs. This prospective Dublin-based observational study, which included 450 eligible mother-term infant pairs recruited and followed up to 6 months postpartum, aimed to advance our understanding of maternal formula feeding practices, their reasons for deciding to formula feed, sources of feeding information and perceived support needs; insights into infant formula milk consumption patterns in relation to current feeding guidelines are also provided. In summary, the vast majority of infants at 6 weeks …

Harnessing The Power Of The Grassroots To Conduct Public Health Research In Sub-Saharan Africa: A Case Study From Western Kenya In The Adaptation Of Community-Based Participatory Research (Cbpr) Approaches, Allan Kamanda, Lonnie Embleton, David Ayuku, Lukoye Atwoli, Peter Gisore, Samuel Ayaya, Rachel Vreeman, Paula Braitstein

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background: Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is a collaborative approach to research that involves the equitable participation of those affected by an issue. As the field of global public health grows, the potential of CBPR to build capacity and to engage communities in identification of problems and development and implementation of solutions in sub-Saharan Africa has yet to be fully tapped. The Orphaned and Separated Children’s Assessments Related to their Health and Well-Being (OSCAR) project is a longitudinal cohort of orphaned and non-orphaned children in Kenya. This paper will describe how CBPR approaches and principles can be incorporated and adapted into …

Apparent Change In Obesity-Mortality Associations: Methodological Issues In Survival Analyses With Censored Outcomes, Tapan Shirish Mehta

All ETDs from UAB

Analyses of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) have suggested that the mortality rate (MR) associated with obesity has decreased over calendar time. However, there has been conflicting evidence about the apparent change in the obesity-MR over calendar time. This dissertation investigates some of the empirical and methodological issues involved in assessing the longitudinal change in the obesity-mortality associations. In the first manuscript, Obesity and Mortality: Are the Risks Declining? Evidence from Multiple Prospective Studies in the U.S., a multiple longitudinal design is proposed and implemented to evaluate whether the obesity-mortality associations have declined over calendar time after …

High Density Genotyping For Immunogenetic Polymorphisms Associated With Transmission And Control Of Hiv-1 Infection In Zambian Heterosexual Serodiscordant Couples, Heather Prentice

All ETDs from UAB

Understanding host genetic correlates of HIV-1 outcomes in sub-Saharan African populations is of continued importance due to the disproportionate disease burden in this population. We sought to identify genetic variants associated with HIV-1 acquisition in a sample of 439 initially seronegative individuals enrolled in the Zambia-Emory HIV Research Project, as well as novel variants associated with viral load (VL) in a sample of 172 seroconverters (SCs) with an estimated date of infection and 449 seroprevalent individuals (SPs). We were unable to detect any statistically significant associations in our analysis of HIV-1 acquisition, though one signal in the HLA-DOA gene associated …

A Study Of Multi-Group And Multivariate Tests Of Equivalence With Application To Microarray And, Celeste Yang

All ETDs from UAB

In this dissertation we have adapted two multi-group equivalence tests to be performed on high-dimensional data. The F and Range test for multi-group equivalence were applied to the public microarray dataset GSE11291 to detect equivalently expressed genes. They were also evaluated in terms of type I error and power using single gene simulation and a high-dimension simulation. The F test has higher power than the Range for the same simulated data and parameter settings, in the single gene simulations. The power of the two tests is similar in the high-dimension simulation. The multi-group equivalence tests that were applied to the …

Exploring African American And White 18-19 Year Old Males' Communication Experiences With Their Parents And Partners About Sex And Contraception, Charlotte Toole Galloway

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Increasing parent-child and partner communication about sex and contraception have been identified as protective factors that are amenable to change by teen pregnancy prevention programs.

Purpose and Methods: From June through July 2012, a total of six focus groups (N=30) were conducted with African American and White 18-19 year old males to retrospectively explore their communication experiences with parents and partners about sex and contraception, and their attitudes and beliefs about sex, pregnancy, and contraception.

Results: Most participants felt that parent-child sexual risk communication would be more effective when parents had a history of open communication and a good …

Investigating Developmental Patterns Of Symptom And Impairment Change Among Youth With Adhd, Subthreshold Adhdand Youth Without Adhd, Lorie Love Geryk

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction. Despite a substantial prevalence of subthreshold Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and research indicating that many youth with this disorder have impaired functioning and negative outcomes, few studies have considered patterns of symptom and functioning change for youth with probable ADHD, subthreshold ADHD and youth without ADHD transitioning from childhood to adolescence. Additionally, we are not aware of any studies examining predictors of impairment severity among youth with subthreshold ADHD, and few studies have examined predictors of treatment utilization and patterns of symptom and functioning change based on medication status for youth with subthreshold ADHD compared to youth with ADHD. Methods. …

The Incidence And Aetiology Of Hospitalised Community-Acquired Pneumonia Among Vietnamese Adults: A Prospective Surveillance In Central Vietnam, Kensuke Takahashi, Motoi Suzuki, Le Minh, Nguyen Anh, Luu Thi Huong, Tran Vo Son, Phan Long, Nguyen Thi Ai, Le Tho, Konosuke Morimoto, Paul E. Kilgore, Dang Anh, Koya Ariyoshi, Lay Yoshida

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

Lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) including Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common infectious disease that is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The patterns of aetiological pathogens differ by region and country. Special attention must be paid to CAP in Southeast Asia (SEA), a region facing rapid demographic transition. Estimates burden and aetiological patterns of CAP are essential for the clinical and public health management. The purposes of the study are to determine the incidence, aetiological pathogens, clinical pictures and risk factors of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in the Vietnamese adult population.

Methods

A prospective surveillance for hospitalised adult …

Quantitative Measures Of Estrogen Receptor Expression In Relation To Breast Cancer-Specific Mortality Risk Among White Women And Black Women, Huiyan Ma, Yani Lu, Polly A. Marchbanks, Suzanne G. Folger, Brian L. Strom, Jill A. Mcdonald, Michael S. Simon, Linda K. Weiss, Kathleen E. Malone, Ronald T. Burkman, Jane Sullivan-Halley, Dennis M. Deapen, Michael F. Press, Leslie Bernstein

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Introduction

The association of breast cancer patients’ mortality with estrogen receptor (ER) status (ER + versus ER-) has been well studied. However, little attention has been paid to the relationship between the quantitative measures of ER expression and mortality.

Methods

We evaluated the association between semi-quantitative, immunohistochemical staining of ER in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded breast carcinomas and breast cancer-specific mortality risk in an observational cohort of invasive breast cancer in 681 white women and 523 black women ages 35-64 years at first diagnosis of invasive breast cancer, who were followed for a median of 10 years. The quantitative measures of …

Residential Proximity To Industrial Combustion Facilities And Risk Of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma: A Case–Control Study, Anjoeka Pronk, John R. Nuckols, Anneclaire J. De Roos, Matthew Airola, Joanne S. Colt, James R. Cerhan, Lindsay Morton, Wendy Cozen, Richard Severson, Aaron Blair, David Cleverly, Mary H. Ward

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

Residence near municipal solid waste incinerators, a major historical source of dioxin emissions, has been associated with increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in European studies. The aim of our study was to evaluate residence near industrial combustion facilities and estimates of dioxin emissions in relation to NHL risk in the United States.

Methods

We conducted a population-based case–control study of NHL (1998–2000) in four National Cancer Institute-Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results centers (Detroit, Iowa, Los Angeles, Seattle). Residential histories 15 years before diagnosis (similar date for controls) were linked to an Environmental Protection Agency database of dioxin-emitting …

Analysis Of Vitamin D Status At Two Academic Medical Centers And A National Reference Laboratory: Result Patterns Vary By Age, Gender, Season, And Patient Location, Jonathan R. Genzen, Jennifer T. Gosselin, Thomas C. Wilson, Emilian Racila, Matthew D. Krasowski

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Testing for 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] has increased dramatically in recent years. The present report compares overall utilization and results for 25(OH)D orders at two academic medical centers - one in New York and one in Iowa – in order to characterize the vitamin D status of our inpatient and outpatient populations. Results are also compared to those from a national reference laboratory to determine whether patterns at these two institutions reflect those observed nationally.

Methods: Retrospective data queries of 25(OH)D orders and results were conducted using the laboratory information systems at Weill Cornell Medical College / New York Presbyterian …

More Than Feeding: Lived Experiences Of Low-Income Women Receiving Lactation Support, Emily Anne Dunn

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Increasing breastfeeding duration, especially among low-income women, has become a national public health priority. These mothers and their babies have less equitable access to support, resources, and the health benefits of breastfeeding. This thesis examines breastfeeding from a biocultural perspective with a focus on political economy, embodiment, and human rights. This research explores the lived experiences of new mothers who receive services from a community non-profit lactation support program which is aimed at providing in-home postpartum breastfeeding support to low-income/at-risk mothers. Evaluation of program services and analysis of women's narratives will provide insight into improvement of lactation services for all …

Survivorship, Infertility And Parenthood: Experiencing Life After Cancer In Puerto Rico, Karen Elizabeth Dyer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

While incidence rates are increasing for many cancers in Puerto Rico, mortality rates are declining (Torres-Cintron, et al. 2010), resulting in growing numbers of survivors and creating a situation in which long-term survivorship concerns are beginning to emerge as priorities. The importance of quality-of-life among survivors of cancer is increasingly being recognized among healthcare providers, although there remains a gap in knowledge of how young adult survivors cope with long-term treatment-related physical effects, such as infertility, and of the impact of cancer on survivors' social relationships and future goals.

Because understandings of "cancer survivorship," as well as of reproduction, vary …

The Professionalization And Practice Of Lactation Consulting: Medicalized Knowledge, Humanistic Care, Aimee R. Eden

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Breastfeeding support for mothers and their babies historically was the informal work of family and community members. In the United States today, breastfeeding support is embedded in the biomedical system, and is provided by a new allied health professional: the International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). This dissertation explores this professionalization of breastfeeding support and the origins of this new profession. It studies how IBCLCs working in the U.S. cultural context perceive and practice the profession and examines the relationship between the profession of lactation consulting and the medicalization of breastfeeding. Oral history interviews with 17 founders of the profession, …

Evaluation Of Four Portable Cooling Vests For Workers Wearing Gas Extraction Coveralls In Hot Environments, Joseph Kevin Johnson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Excessive exposure to heat stress can cause a host of heat-related illnesses. For laborers, job specific work demands and protective garments greatly increase the risk of succumbing to the effects of heat stress. Microclimate cooling has been used to control heat stress exposure where administrative or engineering controls are not adequate. This study tested the performance of four personal cooling vests for use with insulated protective clothing (gas extraction coveralls) in warm-humid (35 ° C, 50% relative humidity) and hot-dry (40°C, 30% relative humidity) conditions. On 10 separate occasions, 5 male volunteers walked on a treadmill to elicit a target …

Associations Of Perceived Stress, Sleep, And Human Papillomavirus In A Prospective Cohort Of Men, Stephanie Kay Kolar

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Mucosal human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) and is associated with genitals warts, anogenital cancers, and oropharyngeal cancers. Most sexually active persons will become infected with HPV at some point in their lives, however few will develop HPV-related diseases such as warts, lesions, or cancer as a result of the infection. It is unclear why a minority of individuals fail to clear HPV infection and develop clinical disease. Due to initial associations with cervical lesions, much research has focused on women. Th1 type immune responses have been associated with successful response to HPV …

Framing Colombian Women's Beliefs, Values And Attitude Towards Sex And Sexual High-Risk Behaviors, Rosa Ore

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hispanic immigrants constitute the largest and fastest growing groups of minorities in the United States. According to the 2010 Census, there are 50.5 million Hispanics in the United States, making up 16.3% of the total population (Passel, Cohn & Lopez, 2011). Furthermore, the state of Florida is home to 4,223,806 Hispanics (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010). Because the Hispanic population continues to grow, it is important to study their sexual health behaviors because diseases linked to risky sexual behaviors account for approximately 20,000 U.S. deaths each year, and are linked to a number of adverse reproductive outcomes (Abraido-Lanza, Chao, & Florez, …

"When You Tell Them, Your Secret Is Out There": Experiences Of Sexuality And Intimacy Among Hiv Positive Black Women, Mackenzie Rae Tewell

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

HIV/AIDS infections disproportionately impact African Americans within the United States. In 2010, black Americans made up 12 percent of the United States population, yet accounted for 44 percent of new HIV/AIDS infections (Kaiser Family Foundation 2013). The majority of black women (85 percent) are infected with the virus through heterosexual contact, meaning it is critical examine their sexual lives in order to gain insight into this infection within this population (CDC 2011b). Through semi-structured interviews at a Tampa, Florida AIDS service organization, this study presents the experiences of sexuality and intimacy among HIV positive black women. Results demonstrate that HIV …

Eco-Epidemiology Of Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus, Patrick Vander Kelen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus (EEEV) is an alphavirus with high pathogenicity in both humans and horses. Florida continues to have the highest occurrence of human cases in the USA, with four fatalities recorded in 2010. Unlike other states, Florida supports year-round EEEV transmission. This research uses Geographic Information Science (GIS) to examine spatial patterns of documented sentinel seroconversions and horse cases in order to understand the relationships between habitat and transmission intensity of EEEV in Florida. Sentinel sites were categorized as enzootic, periodically enzootic, and negative based on the amount of chicken seroconversions to EEEV. Sentinel sites were analyzed …