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College Of Public Health News, Georgia Southern University

College of Public Health: News & Publications

• Public health student named 2021 Outstanding Undergraduate Major of the Year by national honor society

College Of Public Health News, Georgia Southern University

College of Public Health: News & Publications

• Public health student named 2021 Outstanding Undergraduate Major of the Year by national honor society

Development And Validation Of An Isothermal Amplification Assay For Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus, Mikayla D. Maddison

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus (EEEV) is a neurotrophic alphavirus for which there is no effective treatment or vaccine for humans. Periodic outbreaks in the Eastern United States represent an ongoing public health problem; Florida serves as the reservoir for EEEV for the rest of the country. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is the current gold standard for molecular diagnostic testing of the presence of EEEV in vectors. However, RT-PCR is technically complex and can be difficult for mosquito control districts to utilize. In order to provide a simple, cost-effective alternative for mosquito surveillance and control, a novel one step reverse …

Evidence-Based Approach To Early Outpatient Treatment Of Sars-Cov-2 (Covid-19) Infection, J Drew Payne, Kimberly Sims, Cynthia Peacock, Tanis Welch, Ruth E Berggren

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Misinformation and promotion of well-intended but disproved therapies for COVID-19 have plagued evidence-based shared decision-making throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. In times of crisis, clinicians may feel that their strong inclination to prescribe potentially harmful, unproven therapies on behalf of their patients is supported by beneficence. Clinicians should mindfully identify and avoid commission bias during this pandemic, especially as more data have accumulated to assist with clinically sound decision-making. We describe a more evidence-based approach to treatment of early outpatient COVID-19, stressing the availability of Food and Drug Administration emergency use authorization therapies and considering plausibly beneficial, nonprescription supplements that are …

Can Racial Disparities In Poor Birth Outcomes Be Partially Attributed To Stress: A Mendellian Randomization Study, Madeline Travers

Dissertations and Theses

In the United States, low birth weight (LBW) is a leading cause of infant death overall, and the leading cause of death for Black infants. Understanding and preventing adverse birth outcomes is a major public health priority. Observationally, there is some evidence to support the hypothesis that maternal stress may be associated with LBW. To clarify the effect of maternal stress exposure on LBW, I conducted three separate-sample instrumental variable analyses with genetic instruments (Mendelian randomization) based on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP), from genome wide association studies, strongly (p-value < 5 × 10⁻⁶) and independently associated with neuroendocrine, vascular, and immune measures …

The Association Of Psychosocial Stressors With Childhood Asthma: A Cross-Sectional Study Using The National Survey Of Children's Health 2018, Sharon Joseph

Dissertations and Theses

ABSTRACT

Background: Asthma is recognized as a major public health issue for US children. Evidence suggests that psychosocial stressors experienced by parents and caretakers of children and the children themselves can also be associated with childhood asthma prevalence. Psychosocial stressors such as parents’ perception of neighborhood safety/support, as well as experiencing bullying and/or racial/ethnic discrimination can cause physiologic changes in the body favorable for asthma symptoms. However, there is a paucity of evidence regarding associations of these specific psychosocial stressors with the prevalence of childhood asthma. The goals of this study were to investigate the association between three common psychosocial …

Global Analysis Of High Cited Papers On “Impact Of Covid-19 On Mental Health” During 2020-21, Ghouse Modin Nabeesab Mamdapur Mr., Brij Mohan Gupta Dr., Sandeep Grover Dr.

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

A bibliometric analysis based on 160 highly cited papers extracted from the Scopus international database was carried out to provide insights into literature characteristics and publication performances of various participating actors on “Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health”. Quantitative and qualitative Indicators were applied to measure the productivity and citation impact of most productive participating countries, organizations, authors, journals and significant keywords and to visualise and measure collaborative interaction among them using VOSviewer software. Results obtained from this study can provide valuable information for researchers and policy-makers to identify present and future hotspots in research on “Impact of COVID-19 on …

Developmental Ethanol Exposure Causes Central Nervous System Dysfunction And May Slow The Aging Process In A Drosophila Model Of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Khaoula Belhorma, Nahed Darwish, Elizabeth Benn-Hirsch, Annalisa Duenas, Hillary Gates, Navneet Sanghera, Jodie Wu, Rachael L. French

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Alcohol is a known teratogen, and developmental exposure to ethanol results in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Children born with FASD can exhibit a range of symptoms including low birth weight, microcephaly, and neurobehavioral problems. Treatment of patients with FASD is estimated to cost 4 billion dollars per year in the United States alone, and 2 million dollars per affected individual's lifetime. We have established Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism for the study of FASD. Here we report that mutations in Dementin (Dmtn), the Drosophila ortholog of the Alzheimer's disease-associated protein TMCC2, convey sensitivity to developmental ethanol exposure, …

Incompatibility Group I1 (Inci1) Plasmids: Their Genetics, Biology, And Public Health Relevance, Steven L. Foley, Pravin R. Kaldhone, Steven C. Ricke, Jing Han

United States Food and Drug Administration: Publications

Bacterial plasmids are extrachromosomal genetic elements that often carry antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes and genes encoding increased virulence and can be transmissible among bacteria by conjugation. One key group of plasmids is the incompatibility group I1 (IncI1) plasmids, which have been isolated from multiple Enterobacteriaceae of food animal origin and clinically ill human patients. The IncI group of plasmids were initially characterized due to their sensitivity to the filamentous bacteriophage If1. Two prototypical IncI1 plasmids, R64 and pColIb-P9, have been extensively studied, and the plasmids consist of unique regions associated with plasmid replication, plasmid stability/maintenance, transfer machinery apparatus, single-stranded DNA …

Exploring The Structural Relationships Between Course Design Factors, Learner Commitment, Self-Directed Learning, And Intentions For Further Learning In A Self-Paced Mooc, Dongho Kim, Eulho Jung, Meehyun Yoon, Yunjeong Chang, Sanghoon Park, Dongsim Kim, Fatih Demir

Public and Population Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

The open and massive characteristics of Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) lead to a lack of instructor presence, which potentially hinders learners' commitment and learning processes. As a result, the effectiveness of MOOCs is contingent upon the extent to which learners direct their own learning. However, learners' self-directed learning and commitment are largely influenced by course design factors due to lack of direct learner-instructor interactions. In order to address the current gap in the literature with regard to how course design factors influence learning processes and outcomes, this study investigated the relationships between MOOC design factors, learner commitment, self-directed learning, …

Serological Survey Of Leptospira Infection In Arabian Horses In Poland, Bernard Wasiński, Katarzyna Paschalis-Trela, Jan Trela, Michał Czopowicz, Jerzy Kita, Monika Żychska, Anna Cywińska, Iwona Markowska-Daniel, Craig N. Carter, Lucjan Witkowski

Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Faculty Publications

Leptospirosis is one of the most common zoonotic infections worldwide, including in most livestock, some companion animals, horses, wildlife, and humans. Epidemiological estimation of its prevalence in all species is difficult due to the variety of clinical presentations and challenges regarding laboratory diagnosis. The purpose of this study was to measure the seroprevalence of leptospiral infection in Arabian horses kept in the largest breeding farms in Poland, representing over 15% of the Polish Arabian horse population. Leptospira antibodies were detected by MAT (cut-off 1:100) in 33.2% of serum samples (204 of 615 animals) (CI 95%: 29.6–37.0%), most frequently reacting with …

Maternal Sociodemographic Factors And Antenatal Stress, Maheshwari Andhavarapu, James Orwa, Marleen Temmerman, Wangira Musana

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Antenatal stress has been associated with adverse birth outcomes such as fetal growth restriction, low birth weight, and preterm birth. Understanding key determinants of stress in a vulnerable pregnant population has the potential of informing development of targeted cost-effective interventions to mitigate against these adverse birth outcomes. We conducted a secondary analysis of data from 150 pregnant women attending antenatal care services at a rural referral hospital in Kenya. The participants completed a sociodemographic and clinical questionnaire, the Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and gave a hair sample for cortisol and cortisone analysis. The association between selected sociodemographic predictors (age, …

Using A Global Food Environment Framework To Understand Relationships With Food Choice In Diverse Low- And Middle-Income Countries, Shilpa V. Constantinides, Christopher Turner, Edward A. Frongillo Jr., Shiva Bhandari, Ligia I. Reyes, Christine E. Blake

Faculty Publications

This study aimed to determine if the Turner et al. (2018) framework allows researchers to identify and study relationships between food environments and individual food choice in diverse contexts and if updates to the framework are warranted. We mapped evidence from 15 drivers of food choice projects to the framework, using thematic analysis to identify common drivers within the food environment across countries and emergent characteristics not listed in the framework. The framework contained breadth and depth of content necessary to identify common drivers – prices and affordability, availability, and vendor and product properties. Insights regarding common drivers and emergent …

Commencement Program 2021 (School Of Public Health), Loma Linda University

Commencement Programs

CONTENTS

1 | Message from the President

2 | 2021 Events of Commencement

4 | University Administration

5 | Significance of Academic Regalia

6 | University History Highlights

8 | Criteria for Institutional Awards

10 | Loma Linda University Health and Loma Linda University Honorees

23 | The Program, The School Honorees, and The Speaker

25 | Candidates for Degrees

Exposure Characterization And Assessment Of Airborne Chemicals And Sars-Cov-2 Transmission In New York City Nail Salons, Amelia P. H. Watkins

Dissertations and Theses

Background: Currently, there are 156,000 people employed as manicurists or pedicurists in the United States. Employment in this sector is expected to grow by 10% over the next decade. Exposure assessments have revealed that salon workers are chronically exposed to a variety of substances that cause respiratory sensitization, developmental problems, contact dermatitis, blood, liver, and kidney issues, as well as nervous system impacts. Most recently, the SARS-Cov-2 pandemic has raised the issue of the vulnerability of nail salon workers to airborne infectious diseases as well. This dissertation aims to characterize and assess the chemical exposures that nail salon workers …

Assessing Hiv Risk, Syndemics, Resilience And Engagement In Care In A Large National Cohort Of Gay, Bisexual And Other Men Who Have Sex With Men In The United States, Javier Lopez-Rios

Dissertations and Theses

Background: HIV continues to be a pervasive public health issue in the United States with more than 1.2 million people living with HIV (PLWHIV) across the nation. Gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBM) account for over two-thirds of all new HIV diagnoses with racial and ethnic minorities shouldering a large proportion of the burden of disease. Although HIV transmission is predominantly driven by sexual behaviors, there are underlying complex individual, behavioral, and structural factors that contribute to high rates of sexual behavior and subsequent HIV acquisition. Moreover, difficulties remain in maximizing linkage to care …

Construct Validity And Invariance Assessment Of The Social Impacts Of Occupational Heat Stress Scale (Siohss) Among Ghanaian Mining Workers, Victor F. Nunfam, Ebenezer Afrifa-Yamoah, Kwadwo Adusei-Asante, Eddie J. Van Etten, Kwasi Frimpong, Isaac Adjei-Mensah, Jacques Oosthuizen

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Heat exposure studies over the last decade have shown little attention in assessing and reporting the psychometric properties of the various scales used to measure impacts of occupational heat stress on workers. A descriptive cross-sectional survey including 320 small- and large-scale mining workers was employed to assess the construct validity of the social impacts of occupational heat stress scale (SIOHSS) in the Western Region of Ghana in 2017. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and invariance analysis were carried out using AMOS version 25 and statistical product and service solutions (SPSS) version 26 to examine the model fit and establish consistency …

Management Of Intimate Partner Violence In Health Care Settings: A Training Manual For Health Care Providers, Division Of Reproductive And Maternal Health

Reproductive Health

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is any behavior by an intimate partner that causes physical, sexual, or psychological harm. In healthcare settings where providers are well trained, caring, and sensitive, most survivors respond positively to being asked about their exposure to violence. Healthcare providers are in a unique position to identify survivors and offer appropriate management and referrals. The World Health organization developed clinical guidelines to provide evidence-based guidance to healthcare providers on the identification and appropriate response to IPV and sexual violence. Based on this guidance, the Ministry of Health developed a comprehensive training manual to empower healthcare providers with …

Reducing Stroke Burden Through A Targeted Self-Management Intervention For Reducing Stroke Risk Factors In High-Risk Ugandans: A Protocol For A Randomized Controlled Trial, Shirley Moore, Carol Blixen, Martha Sajatovic

Faculty Scholarship

Introduction: Stroke burden is rapidly increasing globally. Modifiable risk factors offer an opportunity to intervene, and targeting hypertension is a key actionable target for stroke risk reduction in sub-Saharan Africa. This 3-site planned randomized controlled trial builds on promising preliminary data. Methods: A total of 246 Ugandan adults will be recruited randomized to experimental intervention vs. enhanced treatment control. Intervention participants will receive six weekly group-format stroke risk reduction self-management training sessions, and the controls will receive information on cardiovascular risk. The primary study outcome is systolic B.P. measured at baseline, 13-week, 24 weeks (6 months). Secondary outcomes include other …

Clinical, Neuroimaging, And Molecular Spectrum Of Tecpr2-Associated Hereditary Sensory And Autonomic Neuropathy With Intellectual Disability, Sonja Neuser, Barbara Brechmann, Gali Heimer, Ines Brösse, Susanna Schubert, Lauren O'Grady, Michael Zech, Siddharth Srivastava, Shahnaz Ibrahim, Fatima Khan

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Bi-allelic TECPR2 variants have been associated with a complex syndrome with features of both a neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorder. Here, we provide a comprehensive clinical description and variant interpretation framework for this genetic locus. Through international collaboration, we identified 17 individuals from 15 families with bi-allelic TECPR2-variants. We systemically reviewed clinical and molecular data from this cohort and 11 cases previously reported. Phenotypes were standardized using Human Phenotype Ontology terms. A cross-sectional analysis revealed global developmental delay/intellectual disability, muscular hypotonia, ataxia, hyporeflexia, respiratory infections, and central/nocturnal hypopnea as core manifestations. A review of brain magnetic resonance imaging scans demonstrated a …

The Effect Of Smoking On Carbon Monoxide Respiration Among Active Smokers In Palembang City, Indonesia, Rico Januar Sitorus, Imelda Gernauli Purba, Merry Natalia, Kraichat Tantrakarnapa

Kesmas

Smoking leads to disease and disability as well as harm nearly every organ of the body. Furthermore, smoking of tobacco is known to cause pulmonary dysfunction and lead to complications, pain, or even death. This study aimed to measure the risk factors for the respiration of carbon monoxide among smokers. A cross-sectional design was implemented by involving 156 smokers in Karyajaya Subdistrict, Palembang City. The dependent variable was carbon monoxide levels (ppm), while the independent variables were smoking frequency, duration, and the last period of smoking. The carbon monoxide levels (ppm) measured with a PiCO + Smokerlyzer® device from Bedfont …

The Significance Of Super Depo Sutorejo: Waste Management Project In Surabaya Municipality, Indonesia, Yohanes Kambaru Windi, Dyah Wijayanti, Eko Rustamaji Wiyatno, Loetfia Dwi Rahariyani

Kesmas

The Super Depo Sutorejo Surabaya (SDSS) Project was created to separate household waste into fractions, but its separation effect is unknown. This study assessed the significance of the project in sorting general waste into biodegradable, non-biodegradable, and assorted. The t-test compared the means of general and biodegradable waste (normally distributed). The non-biodegradable and assorted waste were not significantly distributed; therefore, the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test was used to compare their medians against general waste. The multivariate analysis compared the significance level of each waste fraction. Each statistical analysis showed that the SDSS significantly sorts the general waste. The p-values were …

A Path Analysis Model For Explaining The Factors Influencing Wearing A Mask Among Commuting Workers Using Commuter Line Bogor-Jakarta, David Kusmawan, Shofi Andari, Ira Gustina, Indri Hapsari Susilowati, Mufti Wirawan

Kesmas

Jakarta is one of the most air-polluted cities in the world, which can increase the health risk of commuting workers exposed to pollutants. This study aimed to determine the factors that directly and indirectly affect healthy behavior (wearing a mask) for commuters using the Bogor-Jakarta Commuter Line. Furthermore, a total of 155 respondents participated and the data collected were analyzed using descriptive and path analysis. The commuters aware of the hazard potential related to air pollution during commuting were 137 people (88.4%). While 104 people (67.1%) were aware of the good perception of pollution and 125 uses masks during commuting …

Attitudes Concerning Sexual Behavior Towards Risky Sexual Behavior Of Sexual Transmitted Infections Among Male Adolescents In Indonesia, Helda Helda, Nurul Muchlisa

Kesmas

There has been an increase of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as HIV/AIDS worldwide, especially in Indonesia. Several studies on adolescent behavior, especially the male as the main predictor, reported increased in STIs’ cases due to risky sexual behavior. This study aimed to show the relationship between attitudes, sexual behavior, and the risks of STIs among male adolescents in Indonesia based on the Indonesia Demographic and Health Survey (IDHS) data in 2017. This cross-sectional study involved 10,547 male adolescents using the total sampling method according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were analyzed using a complex sample logistic regression …

Investigation Of Some Factors Associated With Utilization Of Maternal Health Care Services By Adolescent Mothers In Tanzania, Elia Magwaja, Jacqueline Minja, Majige Selemani Budeba, Rocky R.J. Akarro

Tanzania Journal of Science

This study examined some factors associated with the utilization of maternal health care servicesby adolescent mothers (15-19 years) in Tanzania in order to provide advice accordingly. The studyused cross-sectional study of adolescent mothers aged 15-19 years using Demographic HealthSurvey and Malaria indicator Survey 2015/16 data. The dependent variables were number ofantenatal care visits, the place where an adolescent mother delivered and post-natal checkup(adolescent mother’s health checking after being discharged or after a home delivery). Theindependent variables were birth order, education level of a mother, marital status of a mother,media exposure, wealth index, distance to health facility. Multiple binary logistic regression …

Amending Traditional Substrate Rice Straw With Agroforestry Tree Foliage Increases Production Cycle And Nutritional Value Of Pleurotus Floridanus, Samora M Andrew, John R Mbwambo

Tanzania Journal of Science

The recent heightened attention on mushrooms has not considered shortening the production time and increasing nutritional value using substrates from agroforestry trees in addition to traditionally used agro-industrial residues. This study therefore, examined harvesting time, protein and essential minerals of Pleurotus floridanus grown on rice straw amended with Gliricidia sepium foliage in Morogoro, Tanzania. Mushrooms were cultivated in 30 x 40 cm 4 kg dry weight polythene bags in randomized complete block design (RCBD) experiment. Results showed that the addition of 5% G. sepium into rice straw reduced total time between spawning and first harvest of P. floridanus. Gliricidia sepium …

Application Of Optimal Control To Tuberculosis Model With Parameter Estimations: Bayesian Approach, Goodluck M Mlay, Alfred K Hugo

Tanzania Journal of Science

In this paper, one-strain tuberculosis (TB) model with two control mechanisms, education campaigns and chemoprophylaxis of TB-infected patients, was studied to determine their effects on the reduction of latent and active TB cases. In the case of analysis, boundedness and positivity of the model solutions were carried out to determine the biological feasibility of the study. Besides, the calibration of the parameters by utilizing the identifiability technique through the Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) was thoroughly analysed. The optimum conditions for controlling TB were derived from the Pontryagin Maximum Principle. The numerical simulations were carried out using the forward-back sweep …

Teachable Moments, John E. Franklin

Journal of Transformative Touch

A Veterinarian's Induction into the Feldenkrais Method and the Dynamic Systems Approach to the Development of Cognition and Action.

The Biopsychosocial Model And Clinical Decision Science In The Age Of Black Lives Matter: A Clinical Reflection, Abdul-Rahman M. Suleiman, Samer Ilayan

Clinical Research in Practice: The Journal of Team Hippocrates

The author reflects on the biopsychosocial considerations of elevated blood pressure in teenage African American youth during the era of Black Lives Matter (BLM). Parallels are drawn between Dr. Engel’s biopsychosocial model and clinical decision science.

Cannabis Use And Car Crashes: A Review., Ulrich W Preuss, Marilyn A. Huestis, Miriam Schneider, Derik Hermann, Beat Lutz, Alkomiet Hasan, Joseph Kambeitz, Jessica W M Wong, Eva Hoch

College of Health Professions Faculty Papers

In this review, state-of-the-art evidence on the relationship between cannabis use, traffic crash risks, and driving safety were analyzed. Systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and other relevant papers published within the last decade were systematically searched and synthesized. Findings show that meta-analyses and culpability studies consistently indicate a slightly but significantly increased risk of crashes after acute cannabis use. These risks vary across included study type, crash severity, and method of substance application and measurement. Some studies show a significant correlation between high THC blood concentrations and car crash risk. Most studies do not support this relationship at lower THC concentrations. However, …