Digital Commons Network^™

A Human Capital Approach To Reduce Health Disparities, Saundra H. Glover, Sudha Xirasagar, Yunho Jeon, Keith T. Elder, Crystal N. Piper, Harris Pastides

Faculty Publications

Objective: To introduce a human capital approach to reduce health disparities in South Carolina by increasing the number and quality of trained minority professionals in public health practice and research.

Methods: The conceptual basis and elements of Project EXPORT in South Carolina are described. Project EXPORT is a community based participatory research (CBPR) translational project designed to build human capital in public health practice and research. This project involves Claflin University (CU), a Historically Black College University (HBCU) and the African American community of Orangeburg, South Carolina to reduce health disparities, utilizing resources from the University of South Carolina (USC), …

Cardiorespiratory Fitness And Digestive Cancer Mortality: Findings From The Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study (Acls), J. Brent Peel, Xuemei Sui, Charles E. Matthews, Swann Arp Adams, James R. Hébert, James W. Hardin, Timothy S. Church, Steven N. Blair

Faculty Publications

Although higher levels of physical activity are inversely associated with risk of colon cancer, few prospective studies have evaluated overall digestive system cancer mortality in relation to cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). The authors examined this association among 38,801 men aged 20−88 years and who performed a maximal treadmill exercise test at baseline in the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study (Dallas, Texas) during 1974−2003. Mortality was assessed over 29 years of follow-up (1974−2003). 283 digestive system cancer deaths occurred during a mean 17-year of observation. Age-adjusted mortality rates per 10,000 person-yrs according to low, moderate, and high CRF groups were 6.8, 4.0, and …

“The Womb People” : Detection, Treatment, And Prevention Of Cervical Cancer With The Khayelitsha Cervical Cancer Screening Project In Khayelitsha, South Africa, Kirsten Lynch

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The current policy concerning cervical cancer screenings is not effectively addressing the specific needs of the female South African population. The program, as outlined by the South African Department of Health, is not sufficiently accessing women due to problems in availability, access, organization, and education. As women are living longer with HIV/AIDS, due to antiretroviral (ARV) treatment, they are becoming more susceptible to opportunistic infections that can lead to cervical cancer, such as Human strains of the virus can be prevented with administration of an HPV vaccination and advancement of precancerous lesions can be detected and treated with current technology. …

Smoking Enhances Risk For New External Genital Warts In Men, Dorothy J. Wiley, David Elashoff, Emmanuel V. Masongsong, Diane M. Harper

Dartmouth Scholarship

Repeat episodes of HPV-related external genital warts reflect recurring or new infections. No study before has been sufficiently powered to delineate how tobacco use, prior history of EGWs and HIV infection affect the risk for new EGWs. Behavioral, laboratory and examination data for 2,835 Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study participants examined at 21,519 semi-annual visits were evaluated. Fourteen percent (391/2835) of men reported or were diagnosed with EGWs at 3% (675/21,519) of study visits. Multivariate analyses showed smoking, prior episodes of EGWs, HIV infection and CD4+ T-lymphocyte count among the infected, each differentially influenced the risk for new EGWs.

Shelter-In-Place: Indoor Exposure Assessment During An Airborne Chemical, Biological, Radiological, And Nuclear (Cbrn) Event, Robert D. Schmidtgoessling

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of Shelter-In-Place (SIP) is to reduce human exposure to chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) agents in the event of an accidental or intentional airborne release into the outdoor environment. The Air Force Bioenvironmental Engineering (BE) career field is responsible for providing hazard identification, evaluation, and control capabilities as well as executing health risk assessments to recommend appropriate courses of action to commanders pre-, trans-, and post-incident. Specifically, BE is responsible for providing sampling, identification, and quantification input to hazard prediction models and supporting evacuation plan development to provide risk-based control recommendations. This also includes providing exposure and …

Controlling Hazardous Noise And Dust Within The Industrial Workforce Using A Simple Barrier, Daniel D. Sweeney

Theses and Dissertations

The United States Air Force (USAF) has experienced a dramatic increase in hearing loss claims since 2001. Additionally, many operations within the USAF expose personnel to hazardous dust levels. Likewise, the US mining industry has difficulties controlling hazardous noise and dust exposures in underground mining. Specifically, studies have shown that coal mine longwall shearer operators are routinely exposed to noise levels at 151 percent of the allowable dose and approximately 20 percent exceed regulatory dust levels. An above ground full scale model of the underground shearing operation was developed to test the feasibility of mounting a permanent partial barrier on …

Argument Structure Effects In Action Verb Naming In Static And Dynamic Conditions, Dirk B. Den Ouden, Steve Fix, Todd B. Parrish, Cynthia K. Thompson

Faculty Publications

Argument structure, as in the participant roles entailed within the lexical representation of verbs, affects verb processing. Recent neuroimaging studies show that when verbs are heard or read, the posterior temporoparietal region shows increased activation for verbs with greater versus lesser argument structure complexity, usually bilaterally. In addition, patients with agrammatic aphasia show verb production deficits, graded based on argument structure complexity. In the present study, we used fMRI to examine the neural correlates of verb production in overt action naming conditions. In addition, we tested the differential effects of naming when verbs were presented dynamically in video segments versus …

Elders With Diabetes: Implications For Depression Screening, Cynthia Clinkingbeard

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Diabetes has been concluded to be a global epidemic (Wild, Sicree, Roger, King & Green, 2004). By the year 2030, it is predicted that depression will become the second leading cause of disability worldwide (World Health Organization [WHO], 2007). The relationship between diabetes and depression is likely not casual.

Those with diabetes are twice as likely to develop depression (Eaton, Armenian, Gallo, Pratt & Ford, 1996; Kawakami, Shimizu, Takatsuka, & Ishibashi, 1999). Conversely, diabetes doubles the likelihood of comorbid depression (Anderson, Clouse, Freedland & Lustman, 2001). The intersection of these two devastating diseases is far from benign. Black, Markides and …

Detailed Analysis Of Sequence Changes Occurring During Vlse Antigenic Variation In The Mouse Model Of Borrelia Burgdorferi Infection, Loïc Coutte, Douglas J. Botkin, Lihui Gao, Steven J. Norris

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Lyme disease Borrelia can infect humans and animals for months to years, despite the presence of an active host immune response. The vls antigenic variation system, which expresses the surface-exposed lipoprotein VlsE, plays a major role in B. burgdorferi immune evasion. Gene conversion between vls silent cassettes and the vlsE expression site occurs at high frequency during mammalian infection, resulting in sequence variation in the VlsE product. In this study, we examined vlsE sequence variation in B. burgdorferi B31 during mouse infection by analyzing 1,399 clones isolated from bladder, heart, joint, ear, and skin tissues of mice infected for 4 …

Mutual Information For Testing Gene-Environment Interaction, Xuesen Wu, Li Jiin, Momiao Xiong

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Despite current enthusiasm for investigation of gene-gene interactions and gene-environment interactions, the essential issue of how to define and detect gene-environment interactions remains unresolved. In this report, we define gene-environment interactions as a stochastic dependence in the context of the effects of the genetic and environmental risk factors on the cause of phenotypic variation among individuals. We use mutual information that is widely used in communication and complex system analysis to measure gene-environment interactions. We investigate how gene-environment interactions generate the large difference in the information measure of gene-environment interactions between the general population and a diseased population, which motives …

Hepatitis B Virus Subgenotypes D1 And D3 Are Prevalent In Pakistan, Anwar Ali Siddiqui, Saeeda Baig, Runu Chakravarty Runu Chakravarty, Tariq Moatter

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

Background:

As the hepatitis B genotyping is important for assessing its clinical implications and geographical distribution, the sub-genotypes have been found useful for determination of specific genomic markers related to hepatocarcinogenesis. In Pakistan, there is no reported data on molecular evolutionary analysis of HBV. A study was, therefore, much needed to evaluate the spectra of mutations present in the strains prevalent here.

Findings:

To confirm specificity of PCR typing, phylogenetic analysis of the pre-S1 region and the divergence was studied through 13 sequences of 362 bp (accession number EF432765 – EF432777). A total of 315 serum samples, selected from HBsAg …

The Dental School Applicant Pool And The Oral Healthcare Workforce, Lauren Mentasti Consonni

UCHC Graduate School Masters Theses 2003 - 2010

One of the major challenges faced by the dental profession today is the recruitment of the most qualified dental school applicants who are capable of serving the nation’s future oral healthcare needs. The Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH) also recognizes this challenge, describing one of the three core functions of public health as “assuring that all populations have access to appropriate and cost effective care, including health promotion and disease prevention services.” To achieve this core function, the ASPH cites “a competent public health and personal healthcare workforce” as one of the ten essential public health services. Unfortunately, …

Analyses Of Occupational Illnesses And Implementation Of Preventive Strategies At Connecticut Tobacco Farms, William Carter Iii

UCHC Graduate School Masters Theses 2003 - 2010

No abstract provided.

Misperceptions And Barriers To Seeking Dermatologic Care In Minority Populations, Titilopemi Aina

UCHC Graduate School Masters Theses 2003 - 2010

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Depression On Long-Term Care Needs And Utilization, John Kouch

UCHC Graduate School Masters Theses 2003 - 2010

No abstract provided.

Fusion, 2009, George Washington University, William H. Beaumont Medical Research Honor Society

Fusion

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Resilience And Body Image In College Women, Robert J. Mcgrath, Wiggin Julie, Rosemary M. Caron

Health Management & Policy

Possessing a negative body image is associated with unhealthy eating habits and eating disorders in college women and has been linked to depression and negative feelings of self worth. Limited research exists on protective factors that have the potential to mitigate body image dissatisfaction. This paper examines the relationship of resilience to body image dissatisfaction in college women. Female, undergraduate college students were studied using previously validated measures. Results indicate that increased resilience is associated with improved body image.

Sand Fly Fever: What Have We Learned In One Hundred Years?, David Brett-Major, David M. Claborn

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

Sand fly fever has severely impacted military missions in southern Europe and the Middle East for hundreds of years. After a brief respite following the malaria eradication programs of World War II, it has returned as a significant disease among residents in and travelers to the Mediterranean rim. It is a more severe disease now, with potential vectors in the United States. Sand fly fever is discussed in terms of its viruses, vectors, disease, control, and potential domestic impact.

Occupational Health And Safety Status Of Indigenous And Latino Farmworkers In Oregon, Stephanie Farquhar, Nancy M. Goff, Nargess Shadbeh, Julie Samples, Santiago Ventura, Valentin Sanchez, Pamela Rao, Shelley Davis

Community Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Exposure to pesticides poses great risk to agricultural workers and their families. Of the approximately 174,000 agricultural workers in Oregon, studies estimate that up to 40% of the workers in Oregon are indigenous and may be particularly vulnerable to the health risks of working in pesticide treated areas. Surveys conducted with Oregon farmworkers suggest that Latino and indigenous farmworkers differ demographically and may have diverse occupational and health needs. All Latino workers reported Spanish as their native language, while indigenous workers spoke several different native languages. Latino workers were employed mostly in orchards (28%) and nurseries (24%), while indigenous workers …

Summary Of Findings From The 2009 Child Death Review Annual Report, Nevada Institute For Children's Research And Policy Reports

Nevada Institute for Children's Research and Policy Reports

The 2009 Annual Report of Child Deaths in Clark County, Nevada provides data regarding all infant, child, and fetal (over 20 weeks gestation) deaths occurring in Clark County in 2009. This represents the second year that the Child Death Review Team in Clark County reviewed 100% of the child deaths referred to the team by the Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner; this includes all natural deaths, as well as all accidents, homicides, suicides, and undetermined cases. The team also reviewed all fetal deaths over 20 weeks gestation.

Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program: 2008-2009 Annual Report, Southern Nevada Health District

Nevada Institute for Children's Research and Policy Reports

The goal of the Southern Nevada Health District Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (CLPPP) is to eliminate lead poisoning as a significant health risk for children living in the state of Nevada. These efforts started in Clark County, where over 70 percent of the state’s population resides, with the hope of expanding to Northern and rural Nevada by the end of the grant term.

Exposure To Pesticides And Breast Cancer Revisited, Samantha Shapiro

International Journal of Global Health and Health Disparities

Pesticide use raises a number of environmental health concerns for the general public as pesticides are commonly used to increase agricultural productivity and control invading insects, weeds, fungi and rodents (Jurewicz et al., 2006). Pesticides have been suspected to present danger to consumers and bystanders, as well as workers during the manufacturing and transporting process of these chemicals. This is a problem of great significance because if pesticides do play a role in the etiologies of breast cancer, many people are put at an increased risk in their daily lives by consuming and inhaling such toxins. Due to the fact …

Childhood Vaccination And Autism, Peggy K. Brinkman

International Journal of Global Health and Health Disparities

In March, 2008, parents of a girl in Georgia were ruled to be entitled to compensation because their daughter developed autistic symptoms after being vaccinated with childhood vaccines (Doheny, 2008). This ruling truly questions the necessity of vaccination for childhood diseases and puts the question in the mind of every parent as to if they should vaccinate their child or not. The purpose of this study is to review literature on the epidemiologic relationship between childhood vaccinations and the development of autism.

Ethical Considerations Of Genetic Presymptomatic Testing For Huntington's Disease, Alberto Coustasse, Alicia Pekar, Andrew Sikula Sr., Sue Lurie

Management Faculty Research

The aim of this literature review was to determine if there is adequate ethical justification for presymptomatic genetic testing on potential Huntington's disease patients. Huntington's disease is a neurological genetic disorder characterized by midlife onset which consists of cognitive, physical, and emotional deterioration. Although genetic testing has traditionally been guided by the principle of autonomy, severe psychological consequences such as depression, anxiety, survival guilt, and suicide have complicated the ethical issue of providing a presymptomatic yet definitive diagnosis for an incurable disease. An analysis of available articles yielded inconclusive findings, namely due to insufficient evidence, self-selection bias of test participants, …

Ua94/6/1 Student / Alumni Personal Papers Western Kentucky University Small Collections, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Small collections of personal papers and oral histories relating to the Western Kentucky University.

Affective Decision-Making Predictive Of Chinese Adolescent Drinking Behaviors, Lin Xiao, Antoine Bechara, Jerry L. Grenard, Alan W. Stacy, Paula Palmer, Yonglan Wei, Yong Jia, Xiaolu Fu, C. Anderson Johnson

CGU Faculty Publications and Research

The goal of the current investigation was to address whether affective decision making would serve as a unique neuropsychological marker to predict drinking behaviors among adolescents. We conducted a longitudinal study of 181 Chinese adolescents in Chengdu city, China. In their 10th grade (ages 15–16), these adolescents were tested for their affective decision-making ability using the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) and working memory capacity using the Self-Ordered Pointing Test. Self-report questionnaires were used to assess academic performance and drinking behaviors. At 1-year follow-up, questionnaires were completed to assess drinking behaviors, and the UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale was used to examine …

Risk Assessment For Suicide Behaviour : Clinical Challenges, Amresh Srivastava, Charles Nelson

Data and Test Instruments

This is an audio-visual about risk assessment of suicide behavior. Part 1. Reformulating the concept of RISK and a New instrument for assessment: Risk assessment is an important clinical responsibility, which can be ‘life-saving’. Literature on risk factors has become voluminous; however a traditional risk assessment does not take into account the most relevant factors. This reflects the prevailing conceptualization of risk, which has not been fully and completely tied to clinical outcomes. Psychopathology is currently understood in biopsychosocial terms. A more progressive conceptualization of risk should consider the interplay of both, risk and protective factors. The present work proposes …

Launching A Novel Preclinical Infrastructure: Comparative Oncology Trials Consortium Directed Therapeutic Targeting Of Tnfα To Cancer Vasculature, Melissa C. Paoloni, Anita Tandle, Christina Mazcko, Engy Hanna, Stefan Kachala, Amy Leblanc, Shelley Newman, David Vail, Carolyn Henry, Douglass Thamm, Karin Sorenmo, Amin Hajitou, Renata Pasqualini, Wadih Arap, Chand Khanna, Steven K. Libutti

United States Public Health Resources

Background: Under the direction and sponsorship of the National Cancer Institute, we report on the first pre-clinical trial of the Comparative Oncology Trials Consortium (COTC). The COTC is a novel infrastructure to integrate cancers that naturally develop in pet dogs into the development path of new human drugs. Trials are designed to address questions challenging in conventional preclinical models and early phase human trials. Large animal spontaneous cancer models can be a valuable addition to successful studies of cancer biology and novel therapeutic drug, imaging and device development.

Methodology/Principal Findings: Through this established infrastructure, the first trial of …

The Role Of Glutamate And Its Receptors In Mesocorticolimbic Dopaminergic Regions In Opioid Addiction, Yuan Guo, Hui-Ling Wang, Xiao-Hui Xiang, Yan Zhao

United States Public Health Resources

Accumulating evidence suggests that glutamate, as one of the most important excitatory neurotransmitters in the brain, plays a key role in drug addiction including opioid addiction. There is substantial evidence for glutamatergic projections into mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic neurons, which are associated with opioid psychological dependence and are also the key regions of enhancement effect. Glutamate may be involved in the process of opioid addiction not only by acting on its ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors that activate several signal transduction pathways, but also by interacting with other neurotransmitters or neuropeptides such as opioids, dopamine, y-aminobutyric acid and substance P in the …

Comparison Of Video Laryngoscopy Technologies, C. Chiesa, N. Miljkovic, N. Schulte, J. B. Callahan, Jr., D. J. Miller, B. H. Boedeker

United States Public Health Resources

Indirect laryngoscopy allows practitioners to “see around the corner” of a patient’s airway during intubation. Inadequate airway management is a major contributor to patient injury, morbidity and mortality. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the video quality of commercially available video laryngoscopy systems. A team of four investigators at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and the Peter Kiewit Institute performed intubation simulations using a number of video laryngoscopy systems. Testing was done with a Laerdal Difficult Airway Manikin (Laerdal Medical Corp., Wappingers Falls, NY) in a setting that simulated difficult airways, adverse lighting conditions and various …