Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Public Health

Institution
Keyword
Publication Year
Publication
Publication Type
File Type

Articles 9361 - 9390 of 13265

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

Optimisations And Challenges Involved In The Creation Of Various Bioluminescent And Fluorescent Influenza A Virus Strains For In Vitro And In Vivo Applications, Monique I. Spronken, Kristy Short, Sander Herfst, Theo M. Bestebroer, Vincent P. Vaes, Erin Sorrell, + 9 More Aug 2015

Optimisations And Challenges Involved In The Creation Of Various Bioluminescent And Fluorescent Influenza A Virus Strains For In Vitro And In Vivo Applications, Monique I. Spronken, Kristy Short, Sander Herfst, Theo M. Bestebroer, Vincent P. Vaes, Erin Sorrell, + 9 More

Health Policy and Management Faculty Publications

Bioluminescent and fluorescent influenza A viruses offer new opportunities to study influenza virus replication, tropism and pathogenesis. To date, several influenza A reporter viruses have been described. These strategies typically focused on a single reporter gene (either bioluminescent or fluorescent) in a single virus backbone. However, whilst bioluminescence is suited to in vivo imaging, fluorescent viruses are more appropriate for microscopy. Therefore, the idea l reporter virus varies depending on the experiment in question, and it is important that any reporter virus strategy can be adapted accordingly. Herein, a strategy was developed to create five different reporter viruses in a …


The Search For High-Impact Diagnostic And Management Tools For Low-And Middle-Income Countries: A Self-Powered Low-Cost Blood Pressure Measurement Device Powered By A Solid-State Vibration Energy Harvester, Onur Bilgen, John G. Kenerson, Muge Akpinar-Elci, Rebecca Hattery, Lisbet M. Hanson Aug 2015

The Search For High-Impact Diagnostic And Management Tools For Low-And Middle-Income Countries: A Self-Powered Low-Cost Blood Pressure Measurement Device Powered By A Solid-State Vibration Energy Harvester, Onur Bilgen, John G. Kenerson, Muge Akpinar-Elci, Rebecca Hattery, Lisbet M. Hanson

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

The World Health Organization has established recommendations for blood pressure measurement devices for use in low-resource venues, setting the triple A expectations of Accuracy, Affordability, and Availability. Because of issues related to training and assessment of proficiency, the pendulum has swung away from manual blood pressure devices and auscultatory techniques towards automatic oscillometric devices. As a result of power challenges in the developing world, there has also been a push towards semiautomatic devices that are not dependent on external power sources or batteries. Beyond solar solutions, disruptive technology related to solid-state vibrational energy harvesting may be the next iterative solution …


Confidence And Connectedness: A Mixed Methods Study On Patients Managing Co-Occuring Physical And Behavioral Health Conditions, Peter Young Fifield Aug 2015

Confidence And Connectedness: A Mixed Methods Study On Patients Managing Co-Occuring Physical And Behavioral Health Conditions, Peter Young Fifield

All Theses And Dissertations

Treating chronic illness is becoming increasingly team based, yet most team building concepts relate to the team as a dichotomous unit: the medical team and the patient. Patients are expected to be “engaged” and “activated” members of the team, yet there is a gap in knowledge regarding how patients most effectively integrate into the team. Exacerbating the complexity of patient as team member is the multifaceted, ever-changing mood state of patients with co-occurring medical and mental health conditions. The medical field is well aware of the correlations between mental health and chronic illnesses. The purpose of this study is to …


The Presence Of Clostridium Difficile On Environmental Surfaces In Healthcare Facilities Pre- And Post-Decontamination Of Patient Rooms, Theresa Trice Aug 2015

The Presence Of Clostridium Difficile On Environmental Surfaces In Healthcare Facilities Pre- And Post-Decontamination Of Patient Rooms, Theresa Trice

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are infections related to receiving medical care. HAIs are responsible for an excess of morbidity and mortality among hospitalized patients. Though most HAIs rates are on the decline, Clostridium difficile infection rates are at an all-time high, primarily due to the persistence of C. difficile spores in the environment. In the United States, Clostridium difficile-related mortality rates per million have increased from 5.7 in 1999 to 23.7 in 2004, with an estimated 26,642 deaths due to Clostridium difficile infections (CDIs). Clostridium difficile is transmitted via the fecal-oral route or aerosolized endospores, but it can also be transmitted …


Detection Of Genes Influencing Chronic And Mendelian Disease Via Loss-Of-Function Variation, Alexander H. Li Aug 2015

Detection Of Genes Influencing Chronic And Mendelian Disease Via Loss-Of-Function Variation, Alexander H. Li

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

A typical human exome harbors dozens of loss-of-function (LOF) variants predicted to severely disrupt or abolish gene function. These variants are enriched at the extremely rare end of the allele frequency spectrum (< 0.1%), suggesting purifying selection against these sites. However, most previous population-based sequencing studies have not included analysis of genotype-phenotype relationships with LOF variants. Thus, the contribution of LOF variation to health and disease within the general population remains largely uncharacterized.

Using whole exome sequence from 8,554 participants in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study, we explored the impact of LOF variation on a broad spectrum of human phenotypes. First, we selected 20 common chronic disease risk factor phenotypes and performed gene-based association tests. Analysis of this sample verified two relationships in well-studied genes (PCSK9 and APOC3) and identified eight new loci. Novel relationships included …


Kaposi’S Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus Transmission And Infection Among Young Zambian Children, Landon N. Olp Aug 2015

Kaposi’S Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus Transmission And Infection Among Young Zambian Children, Landon N. Olp

School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is the etiologic agent for all forms of Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS)—one of the most common pediatric cancers in sub-Saharan Africa during the AIDS epidemic. KS was endemic in sub-Saharan Africa prior to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, but KS cases drastically increased thereafter. Our laboratory previously observed that KSHV infection is common among Zambian children and saliva is the major route of transmission. However, additional factors associated with the transmission of KSHV to children are poorly understood. Since a vaccine against KSHV is not currently available, it is paramount to understand factors associated with transmission so that alternative …


Association Of Obesity With Infertility Among Pakistani Men: A Case Control Study, Nida Zahid, Sarah Saleem, Syed Iqbal Azam, Tariq Moatter Aug 2015

Association Of Obesity With Infertility Among Pakistani Men: A Case Control Study, Nida Zahid, Sarah Saleem, Syed Iqbal Azam, Tariq Moatter

Community Health Sciences

Background: The reported prevalence of infertility in Pakistan is 21% of which 35% is contributed by male factor. Male infertility has multifactorial etiologies ranging from modifiable to genetic risk factors. Among all the risk factors that may account for male infertility, obesity is one of the emerging public health problems. Therefore, the aim of the study was to determine the association of obesity with infertility in Pakistani men.
Methods: We conducted a case control study. Cases were men with impaired semen parameters and controls did not have impaired semen parameters.
Results: The final multivariable logistic regression model after adjusting for …


Agave Chewing And Dental Wear: Evidence From Quids, Emily E. Hammerl, Melissa A. Baier, Karl Reinhard Jul 2015

Agave Chewing And Dental Wear: Evidence From Quids, Emily E. Hammerl, Melissa A. Baier, Karl Reinhard

Karl Reinhard Publications

Agave quid chewing is examined as a potential contributing behavior to hunter-gatherer dental wear. It has previously been hypothesized that the contribution of Agave quid chewing to dental wear would be observed in communities wherever phytolith-rich desert succulents were part of subsistence. Previous analysis of coprolites from a prehistoric agricultural site, La Cueva de los Muertos Chiquitos in Durango, Mexico, showed that Agave was a consistent part of a diverse diet. Therefore, quids recovered at this site ought to be useful materials to test the hypothesis that dental wear was related to desert succulent consumption. The quids recovered from the …


Bronchoscopie En Milieu Hospitalier : Évaluation Des Expositions Aux Bioaérosols, Jacques Lavoie, Geneviève Marchand, Yves Cloutier, Yves Beaudet, Stéphane Hallé, Sylvie Nadeau, Gilbert Pichette, Caroline Duchaine Jul 2015

Bronchoscopie En Milieu Hospitalier : Évaluation Des Expositions Aux Bioaérosols, Jacques Lavoie, Geneviève Marchand, Yves Cloutier, Yves Beaudet, Stéphane Hallé, Sylvie Nadeau, Gilbert Pichette, Caroline Duchaine

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Lors des examens de bronchoscopie en milieu hospitalier, des aérosols provenant de la bouche et du nez du patient peuvent se retrouver en suspension dans l’air ambiant. Les aérosols produits peuvent contenir des microorganismes pathogènes, tels des mycobactéries, des bactéries, des virus et même des moisissures. Ces microorganismes peuvent également être aérosolisés lors du nettoyage des bronchoscopes effectué après l’examen. Selon la nature de ces microorganismes ou bioaérosols, ils peuvent persister assez longtemps dans l’air et potentiellement causer des infections chez les travailleurs exposés. L’objectif principal de cette recherche est de mesurer les concentrations des particules totales et biologiques lors …


Smoking Duration, Respiratory Symptoms, And Copd In Adults Aged ≥45 Years With A Smoking History, Yong Liu, Roy A. Pleasants, Janet B. Croft, Anne G. Wheaton, Khosrow Heidari, Ann M. Malarcher, Jill A. Ohar, Monica Kraft, David M. Mannino, Charlie Strange Jul 2015

Smoking Duration, Respiratory Symptoms, And Copd In Adults Aged ≥45 Years With A Smoking History, Yong Liu, Roy A. Pleasants, Janet B. Croft, Anne G. Wheaton, Khosrow Heidari, Ann M. Malarcher, Jill A. Ohar, Monica Kraft, David M. Mannino, Charlie Strange

Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship of smoking duration with respiratory symptoms and history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the South Carolina Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey in 2012.

METHODS: Data from 4,135 adults aged ≥45 years with a smoking history were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression that accounted for sex, age, race/ethnicity, education, and current smoking status, as well as the complex sampling design.

RESULTS:The distribution of smoking duration ranged from 19.2% (1-9 years) to 36.2% (≥30 years). Among 1,454 respondents who had smoked for ≥30 years, 58.3% were current …


Caffeine Consumption Contributes To Skin Intrinsic Fluorescence In Type 1 Diabetes., Karen M Eny, Trevor J Orchard, Rachel Grace Miller, John Maynard, Denis M Grant, Tina Costacou, Patricia A. Cleary, Barbara H Braffett, Andrew D Paterson, Dcct/Edic Research Group Jul 2015

Caffeine Consumption Contributes To Skin Intrinsic Fluorescence In Type 1 Diabetes., Karen M Eny, Trevor J Orchard, Rachel Grace Miller, John Maynard, Denis M Grant, Tina Costacou, Patricia A. Cleary, Barbara H Braffett, Andrew D Paterson, Dcct/Edic Research Group

GW Biostatistics Center

Background: A variant (rs1495741) in the gene for the N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) protein is associated with skin intrinsic fluorescence (SIF), a noninvasive measure of advanced glycation end products and other fluorophores in the skin. Because NAT2 is involved in caffeine metabolism, we aimed to determine whether caffeine consumption is associated with SIF and whether rs1495741 is associated with SIF independently of caffeine.

Materials and Methods: SIF was measured in 1,181 participants with type 1 diabetes from the Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications study. Two measures of SIF were used: SIF1, using a 375-nm excitation light-emitting diode (LED), and …


Nos Inhibition Modulates Immune Polarization And Improves Radiation-Induced Tumor Growth Delay, Lisa A. Ridnour, Robert Y.S. Cheng, Jonathan M. Weiss, Sukhbir Kaur, David R. Soto-Pantoja, Debashree Basudhar, Julie L. Heinecke, C. Andrew Stewart, William Degraff, Anastasia L. Sowers, Angela Thetford, Aparna H. Kesarwala, David D. Roberts, Howard A. Young, James B. Mitchell, Giorgio Trinchieri, Robert H. Wiltrout, David A. Wink Jul 2015

Nos Inhibition Modulates Immune Polarization And Improves Radiation-Induced Tumor Growth Delay, Lisa A. Ridnour, Robert Y.S. Cheng, Jonathan M. Weiss, Sukhbir Kaur, David R. Soto-Pantoja, Debashree Basudhar, Julie L. Heinecke, C. Andrew Stewart, William Degraff, Anastasia L. Sowers, Angela Thetford, Aparna H. Kesarwala, David D. Roberts, Howard A. Young, James B. Mitchell, Giorgio Trinchieri, Robert H. Wiltrout, David A. Wink

United States Public Health Resources

Nitric oxide synthases (NOS) are important mediators of progrowth signaling in tumor cells, as they regulate angiogenesis, immune response, and immune-mediated wound healing. Ionizing radiation (IR) is also an immune modulator and inducer of wound response. We hypothesized that radiation therapeutic efficacy could be improved by targeting NOS following tumor irradiation. Herein, we show enhanced radiation-induced (10 Gy) tumor growth delay in a syngeneic model (C3H) but not immunosuppressed (Nu/Nu) squamous cell carcinoma tumor-bearing mice treated post-IR with the constitutive NOS inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME). These results suggest a requirement of T cells for improved radiation tumor response. In …


Evaluating The Validity Of Self-Reported Smoking In Mexican Adolescents, María Del Carmen Valladolid-López, Tonatiuh Barrientos-Gutiérrez, Luz Myriam Reynales-Shigematsu, Jim Thrasher, Ingris Peláez-Ballestas, Eduardo Lazcano-Ponce, Mauricio Hernández-Ávila Jul 2015

Evaluating The Validity Of Self-Reported Smoking In Mexican Adolescents, María Del Carmen Valladolid-López, Tonatiuh Barrientos-Gutiérrez, Luz Myriam Reynales-Shigematsu, Jim Thrasher, Ingris Peláez-Ballestas, Eduardo Lazcano-Ponce, Mauricio Hernández-Ávila

Faculty Publications

Objectives We aimed to evaluate the validity of the self-reported smoking indicator used in the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS).

Setting 43 middle and high-school classrooms from 26 schools were selected from Mexico City and Cuernavaca, Morelos.

Participants A total of 1257 students provided both a questionnaire and a urine sample.

Primary and secondary outcome Sensitivity and specificity of self-reported smoking compared to urinary cotinine. Validity indices were evaluated by subgroups of gender, social acceptability of smoking (ie, smoking parents or friends) and smoking frequency.

Results Sensitivity and specificity for current smoking were 93.2% and 81.7%, respectively. Validity indices remained …


Convalescent Serum Therapy As Rapid Advance Treatment For Ebola In West Africa, J Bankole Thompson Md, Phd, Patricia F. Mejabi Msc., Olugbenga O. Mejabi Phd, S Ahmed Tejan-Sie Md Jul 2015

Convalescent Serum Therapy As Rapid Advance Treatment For Ebola In West Africa, J Bankole Thompson Md, Phd, Patricia F. Mejabi Msc., Olugbenga O. Mejabi Phd, S Ahmed Tejan-Sie Md

International Journal of African Development

The 2014 public health crisis in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone has brought Ebola Viral Disease (EVD) to everyone’s attention. Discovered in 1976, this deadly disease infrequently struck in remote areas of Africa. This article will critically review the literature and describe the pathobiology, transmission, signs and symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of EVDwhich, was predicted by the Centers for Disease Control to potentially infect 1.4 million persons in Liberia and Sierra Leone by January 2015 (“Questions and Answers”, 2014). Thankfully this worst case scenario did not occur and we may be experiencing natural burn out of the outbreak along …


The Kynurenine Pathway Of Tryptophan Catabolism And Aids-Associated Kaposi's Sarcoma In Africa, Helen Byakwaga, Peter W. Hunt, Miriam Laker-Oketta, David V. Glidden, Yong Huang, Bosco M. Bwana, Rain Mocello, John Bennett, Victoria Walusansa, Sheila C. Dollard, David R. Bangsberg, Edward K. Mbidde, Jeffrey N. Martin Jul 2015

The Kynurenine Pathway Of Tryptophan Catabolism And Aids-Associated Kaposi's Sarcoma In Africa, Helen Byakwaga, Peter W. Hunt, Miriam Laker-Oketta, David V. Glidden, Yong Huang, Bosco M. Bwana, Rain Mocello, John Bennett, Victoria Walusansa, Sheila C. Dollard, David R. Bangsberg, Edward K. Mbidde, Jeffrey N. Martin

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background—Other than Kaposi's sarcoma (KS)-associated herpesvirus and CD4+ T cell lymphopenia, the mechanisms responsible for KS in the context of HIV are poorly understood. One recently explored pathway of HIV pathogenesis involves induction of the enzyme indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase-1 (IDO), which catabolizes tryptophan into kynurenine and several other immunologically active metabolites that suppress T cell proliferation. We investigated the role of IDO in the development of KS in HIV disease.

Methods—In a case-control study among untreated HIV-infected Ugandans, cases were adults with KS and controls were without KS. IDO activity was assessed by the ratio of plasma kynurenine to tryptophan …


Rationale, Design And Respondent Characteristics Of The 2013–2014 New York City Health And Nutrition Examination Survey (Nyc Hanes 2013–2014), Lorna E. Thorpe, Carolyn Greene, Amy Freeman, Elisabeth Snell, Jesica S. Rodriguez-Lopez, Martin Frankel, Amado Punsalang Jr., Claudia Chernov, Elizabeth Lurie, Mark Friedman, Ram Koppaka, Sharon E. Perlman Jul 2015

Rationale, Design And Respondent Characteristics Of The 2013–2014 New York City Health And Nutrition Examination Survey (Nyc Hanes 2013–2014), Lorna E. Thorpe, Carolyn Greene, Amy Freeman, Elisabeth Snell, Jesica S. Rodriguez-Lopez, Martin Frankel, Amado Punsalang Jr., Claudia Chernov, Elizabeth Lurie, Mark Friedman, Ram Koppaka, Sharon E. Perlman

Publications and Research

Purpose. Capacity to monitor non-communicable diseases (NCDs) at state or local levels is limited. Emerging approaches include using biomeasures and electronic health record (EHR) data. In 2004, New York City (NYC) performed a population-based health study on adult residents using biomeasures (NYC Health and Nutrition Examination Study, or NYC HANES), modeled after NHANES. A second NYC HANES was launched in 2013 to examine change over time, evaluate municipal policies, and validate a proposed EHR-based surveillance system. We describe the rationale and methods of NYC HANES 2013–2014.

Methods. NYC HANES was a population-based, cross-sectional survey of NYC adults using three-stage cluster …


Optimal Exposure Biomarkers For Nonpersistent Chemicals In Environmental Epidemiology, Antonia M. Calafat, Matthew P. Longnecker, Holger M. Koch, Shanna H. Swan, Russ Hauser, Lynn R. Goldman, +7 Additional Authors Jul 2015

Optimal Exposure Biomarkers For Nonpersistent Chemicals In Environmental Epidemiology, Antonia M. Calafat, Matthew P. Longnecker, Holger M. Koch, Shanna H. Swan, Russ Hauser, Lynn R. Goldman, +7 Additional Authors

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

We discuss considerations that are essential when evaluating exposure to nonpersistent, semivolatile environmental chemicals such as phthalates and phenols (e.g., bisphenol A). A biomarker should be chosen to best represent usual personal exposures and not recent, adventitious, or extraneous exposures. Biomarkers should be selected to minimize contamination arising from collection, sampling, or analysis procedures. Pharmacokinetics should be considered; for example, nonpersistent, semivolatile chemicals are metabolized quickly, and urine is the compartment with the highest concentrations of metabolites. Because these chemicals are nonpersistent, knowledge of intraindividual reliability over the biologic window of interest is also required. In recent years researchers have …


Neurological, Nutritional And Cognitive Effects Of Environmental Lead Exposure In Infants And Children, Melissa Bianchi Jul 2015

Neurological, Nutritional And Cognitive Effects Of Environmental Lead Exposure In Infants And Children, Melissa Bianchi

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Environmental lead exposure is a pertinent public health risk that affects our rural population in Wyandot County, Ohio. Children exposed to lead hazards through toys, home remodeling and contaminated soil and water are at a greater risk for developing neurological, cognitive and behavioral issues than are children not exposed to lead (Cecil et al., 2011). Wyandot County parents are not adequately educated on the risks and consequences of elevated blood lead levels in their children. As a child advocate and director of the Women, Infant and Children program for Wyandot County there is an obligation to educate and inform parents …


Fetal, Neonatal, Infant, And Child International Growth Standards: An Unprecedented Opportunity For An Integrated Approach To Assess Growth And Development., Cutberto Garza Jul 2015

Fetal, Neonatal, Infant, And Child International Growth Standards: An Unprecedented Opportunity For An Integrated Approach To Assess Growth And Development., Cutberto Garza

Global Health Faculty Publications

The recent publication of fetal growth and gestational age-specific growth standards by the International Fetal and Newborn Growth Consortium for the 21st Century Project and the previous publication by the WHO of infant and young child growth standards based on the WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study enable evaluations of growth from ∼9 wk gestation to 5 y. The most important features of these projects are the prescriptive approach used for subject selection and the rigorous testing of the assertion that growth is very similar among geographically and ethnically diverse nonisolated populations when health, nutrition, and other care needs are met …


Using Whole Genome Analysis To Examine Recombination Across Diverse Sequence Types Of Staphylococcus Aureus, Elizabeth M. Driebe, Jason W. Sahl, Chandler Roe, Jolene R. Bowers, James M. Schupp, Lance B. Price, +11 Additional Authors Jul 2015

Using Whole Genome Analysis To Examine Recombination Across Diverse Sequence Types Of Staphylococcus Aureus, Elizabeth M. Driebe, Jason W. Sahl, Chandler Roe, Jolene R. Bowers, James M. Schupp, Lance B. Price, +11 Additional Authors

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Staphylococcus aureus is an important clinical pathogen worldwide and understanding this organism's phylogeny and, in particular, the role of recombination, is important both to understand the overall spread of virulent lineages and to characterize outbreaks. To further elucidate the phylogeny of S. aureus, 35 diverse strains were sequenced using whole genome sequencing. In addition, 29 publicly available whole genome sequences were included to create a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based phylogenetic tree encompassing 11 distinct lineages. All strains of a particular sequence type fell into the same clade with clear groupings of the major clonal complexes of CC8, CC5, …


The Role Of Community Pharmacy-Based Vaccination In The Usa: Current Practice And Future Directions, Albert Bach, Jeffery A. Goad Jul 2015

The Role Of Community Pharmacy-Based Vaccination In The Usa: Current Practice And Future Directions, Albert Bach, Jeffery A. Goad

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Community pharmacy-based provision of immunizations in the USA has become commonplace in the last few decades, with success in increasing rates of immunizations. Community pharmacy-based vaccination services are provided by pharmacists educated in the practice of immunization delivery and provide a convenient and accessible option for receiving immunizations. The pharmacist's role in immunization practice has been described as serving in the roles of educator, facilitator, and immunizer. With a majority of pharmacist-provided vaccinations occurring in the community pharmacy setting, there are many examples of community pharmacists serving in these immunization roles with successful outcomes. Different community pharmacies employ a number …


Assessing The Health And Safety Aspects Of Reboiler Maintenance Activities, William Svendsen Jul 2015

Assessing The Health And Safety Aspects Of Reboiler Maintenance Activities, William Svendsen

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Maintenance on equipment at an oil and gas facility is an everyday occurrence in Alberta, Canada. Due to their inherent hazards, especially from explosion, fire and chemicals, these facilities (refineries and upgraders) are tightly regulated places in which to work. In these plants, hazards can come in many different shapes and forms; all of which must be mitigated to ensure the safety of both the equipment and the workers. Examples of such hazards include hydrogen sulphide (H2S), naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM), ergonomics and noise.

The intent of this survey was to determine if there were any gaps in Client …


Exposure Assessment To Respirable Crystalline Silica Particles During Airfield Maintnenance Concrete Operations, Kenneth Pratt Jul 2015

Exposure Assessment To Respirable Crystalline Silica Particles During Airfield Maintnenance Concrete Operations, Kenneth Pratt

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Crystalline silica is found in naturally occurring and manmade materials. According to OSHA, approximately 2.2 million people are exposed to silica each year (OSHA, 2002). These individuals are at an increased risk of silicosis, an incurable disease that is often fatal. The objective of this project was to determine if airport maintenance workers are exposed to crystalline silica over the current permissible exposure limit. Two days of sampling was conducted and it was determined that there was some exposure to the Airfield Paint Crew exceeding the action level. The highest employee exposure was at 0.362 mg/m3 with a corresponding PEL …


Heat Stress Prevention Program For Workers In Demilitarization Protective Ensemble At Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant Training Facility, Joseph Padayhag Jul 2015

Heat Stress Prevention Program For Workers In Demilitarization Protective Ensemble At Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant Training Facility, Joseph Padayhag

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

The Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP) is being constructed to dispose of the entire stockpile of sulfur mustard contained in munitions stored at Pueblo Chemical Depot, Colorado. The PCAPP Training Facility provides courses on protective measures necessary for making entries into areas with hazardous concentrations of chemical warfare agents in air. Students are trained to work in Demilitarization Protective Ensemble (DPE), an encapsulating, impermeable, and positive pressure suit. The course includes wearing the suit and performing tasks to simulate work in PCAPP toxic areas.

Wearing DPE will increase the heat stress load for workers making entries. The PCAPP heatstress …


Literature Review Of Studies Linking Benzene And Leukemia, Kylene Owens Jul 2015

Literature Review Of Studies Linking Benzene And Leukemia, Kylene Owens

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

The purpose of this review was to discover how the by-products of oil production, such as benzene played a significant role in health issues, particularly leukemia. The objective is to evaluate the association of benzene exposure and leukemia through laboratory toxicity studies and public and occupational epidemiology studies. Multiple articles were researched to find a link between benzene exposure and the development of leukemia. Several articles were viewed and some eliminated due to their irrelevant to this paper or their duplicated information with other articles. A total of six articles were selected for this paper. Research has shown that benzene …


Hiv Risk Perception And Risk Behaviors Among Men Who Have Sex With Men In Nigeria, George I. Eluwa, Adebajo Sylvia, Stanley Luchters, Babatunde Ahonsi Jul 2015

Hiv Risk Perception And Risk Behaviors Among Men Who Have Sex With Men In Nigeria, George I. Eluwa, Adebajo Sylvia, Stanley Luchters, Babatunde Ahonsi

Population Health, East Africa

Background: Some studies have shown that greater perceived vulnerability to HIV is associated with less involvement in risk taking. We evaluated prevalence and correlates of HIV risk perception among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Nigeria.

Methods: A cross sectional study using respondent driven sampling (RDS) was conducted in six Nigerian states in 2010. Weighted HIV risk perceptions were calculated using an RDS analytic tool. Logistic regression was used to determine correlates of HIV risk perception, stratified by state.

Results: The total number of MSM ranged from 217 in Abuja to 314 in Cross River state. Median age …


Airborne Infection In Healthcare Environments: Implications To Hospital Corridor Design, Ehsan Mousavi Jul 2015

Airborne Infection In Healthcare Environments: Implications To Hospital Corridor Design, Ehsan Mousavi

Department of Construction Engineering and Management: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Several studies have linked nosocomial transmission airborne diseases to airflow in healthcare settings. Quasi-experimental methods are developed to observe the aerodynamic transport behavior of synthetic respiratory particles in corridors of a hospital. Computational models, validated by experimental results, are then developed to explore the spatial relationships of supply-exhaust air ventilation in patient corridors. The aim of this study is to determine optimal HVAC design strategies to contain and remove airborne contaminants in healthcare environments.

In addition to occupant comfort, hospital HVAC systems are designed to provide ventilation and directional airflow to contain, dilute and remove contaminants including airborne disease. Of …


Modification Of Traffic-Related Respiratory Response By Asthma Control In A Population Of Car Commuters, Maria C. Mirabelli, Rachel Golan, Roby Greenwald, Amit U. Raysoni, Fernando Holguin, Priya Kewada, Andrea Winquist, W Dana Flanders, Jeremy A. Sarnat Jul 2015

Modification Of Traffic-Related Respiratory Response By Asthma Control In A Population Of Car Commuters, Maria C. Mirabelli, Rachel Golan, Roby Greenwald, Amit U. Raysoni, Fernando Holguin, Priya Kewada, Andrea Winquist, W Dana Flanders, Jeremy A. Sarnat

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Effects of traffic-related exposures on respiratory health are well documented, but little information is available about whether asthma control influences individual susceptibility. We analyzed data from the Atlanta Commuter Exposure study to evaluate modification of associations between rush-hour commuting, in- vehicle air pollution, and selected respiratory health outcomes by asthma control status.

Methods: Between 2009 and 2011, 39 adults participated in Atlanta Commuter Exposure, and each conducted two scripted rush-hour highway commutes. In-vehicle particulate components were measured during all commutes. Among adults with asthma, we evaluated asthma control by questionnaire and spirometry. Exhaled nitric oxide, forced expiratory volume in …


A Study Of A Simulated Infectious Disease On Healthcare Workers' Reaction, Knowledge, Attitudes, And Performance Towards Hand Hygiene, Lydia Wigglesworth-Ballard Jul 2015

A Study Of A Simulated Infectious Disease On Healthcare Workers' Reaction, Knowledge, Attitudes, And Performance Towards Hand Hygiene, Lydia Wigglesworth-Ballard

Health Services Research Dissertations

Problem Statement. The high rate of healthcare worker-patient contact provides many opportunities for exposure to pathogens, which creates challenges in assessing healthcare workers' success at preventing healthcare associated infections caused by these dangerous pathogens.

Methods. This study explored the effects of a simulated infectious disease on healthcare workers' hand hygiene knowledge, attitudes, performance, and reactions using Kirkpatrick's Four levels of Evaluation. The study utilized a mixed method pre-test – 2 post-test design. The dependent variables were hand hygiene knowledge, attitudes toward hand hygiene guidelines, hand hygiene performance, and reaction to the overall experience. Data was collected three times over a …


Familiarity With And Preferences For Oral And Long-Acting Injectable Hiv Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (Prep) In A National Sample Of Gay And Bisexual Men In The U.S., Jeffrey T. Parsons, H. Jonathan Rendina, Thomas H.F. Whitfield, Christian Grov Jun 2015

Familiarity With And Preferences For Oral And Long-Acting Injectable Hiv Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (Prep) In A National Sample Of Gay And Bisexual Men In The U.S., Jeffrey T. Parsons, H. Jonathan Rendina, Thomas H.F. Whitfield, Christian Grov

Publications and Research

Objectives: We sought to determine preferences for oral versus long-acting injectable (LAI) PrEP among gay and bisexual men (GBM).

Methods: We surveyed a national U.S. sample of 1,071 GBM about forms of PrEP.

Results: Overall, 46.0% preferred LAI, 14.3% oral, 21.7% whichever was most effective, 10.1% had no preference, and 7.8% would not take PrEP. There were no differences in PrEP preferences by race/ethnicity, income, region of residence, or relationship status. Those unwilling to take PrEP were significantly older than those who preferred LAI PrEP and those who would take either. Those who preferred the most effective …