Digital Commons Network^™

Path Analyses Of Risk Factors For Linear Growth Faltering In Four Prospective Cohorts Of Young Children In Ghana, Malawi And Burkina Faso, Elizabeth L. Prado, Elizabeth Yakes Jimenez, Stephen Vosti, Robert Stewart, Christine P. Stewart, Jérôme Somé, Anna Pulakka, Jean Bosco Ouédraogo, Harriet Okronipa, Eugenia Ocansey, Brietta Oaks, Kenneth Maleta, Anna Lartey, Emma Kortekangas, Sonja Y. Hess, Kenneth Brown, Jaden Bendabenda, Ulla Ashorn, Per Ashorn, Mary Arimond, Seth Adu-Afarwuah, Souheila Abbeddou, Kathryn Dewey

Nutrition Faculty Publications

Stunting prevalence is an indicator of a country’s progress towards United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 2, which is to end hunger and achieve improved nutrition. Accelerating progress towards reducing stunting requires a deeper understanding of the factors that contribute to linear growth faltering. We conducted path analyses of factors associated with 18-month length-for-age z-score (LAZ) in four prospective cohorts of children who participated in trials conducted as part of the International Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements Project in Ghana (n=1039), Malawi (n=684 and 1504) and Burkina Faso (n=2619). In two cohorts, women were enrolled during pregnancy. In two other cohorts, infants were …

Prenatal Iron Deficiency And Replete Iron Status Are Associated With Adverse Birth Outcomes, But Associations Differ In Ghana And Malawi, Brietta M. Oaks, Josh M. Jorgensen, Lacey M. Baldiviez, Seth Adu-Afarwuah, Ken Maleta, Harriet Okronipa, John Sadalaki, Anna Lartey, Per Ashorn, Ulla Ashorn, Stephen Vosti, Lindsay H. Allen, Kathryn G. Dewey

Nutrition Faculty Publications

Background

Previous literature suggests a U-shaped relation between hemoglobin concentration and adverse birth outcomes. There is less evidence on associations between iron status and birth outcomes.

Objective

Our objective was to determine the associations of maternal hemoglobin concentration and iron status with birth outcomes.

Methods

We conducted a secondary data analysis of data from 2 cohorts of pregnant women receiving iron-containing nutritional supplements (20–60 mg ferrous sulfate) in Ghana (n = 1137) and Malawi (n = 1243). Hemoglobin concentration and 2 markers of iron status [zinc protoporphyrin and soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR)] were measured at ≤20 weeks and …

Momentum: Research & Innovation For Spring 2019, University Of Rhode Island

Publications (Research and Economic Development)

The Spring 2019 issue of Momentum: Research & Innovation, a periodical focused on research at the University of Rhode Island.

Even Obligate Symbioses Show Signs Of Ecological Contingency: Impacts Of Symbiosis For An Invasive Stinkbug Are Mediated By Host Plant Context, Janelle Couret, Lynn Huynh-Griuffin, Ivan Antolic-Soban, Tarik Salam Acevedo-Gonzalez, Nicole M. Gerardo

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Many species interactions are dependent on environmental context, yet the benefits of obligate, mutualistic microbial symbioses to their hosts are typically assumed to be universal across environments. We directly tested this assumption, focusing on the symbiosis between the sap‐feeding insect Megacopta cribraria and its primary bacterial symbiont Candidatus Ishikawaella capsulata. We assessed host development time, survival, and body size in the presence and absence of the symbiont on two alternative host plants and in the insects' new invasive range. We found that association with the symbiont was critical for host survival to adulthood when reared on either host plant, with …

Antagonism Of Quorum Sensing Phenotypes By Analogs Of The Marine Bacterial Secondary Metabolite 3-Methyl-N-(2′-Phenylethyl)-Butyramide, Susan M. Meschwitz, Margaret E. Teasdale, Ann Mozzer, Nicole Martin, Jiayuan Liu, Stephanie Forschner-Dancause, David C. Rowley

Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Quorum sensing (QS) antagonists have been proposed as novel therapeutic agents to combat bacterial infections. We previously reported that the secondary metabolite 3-methyl-N-(2′-phenylethyl)-butyramide, produced by a marine bacterium identified as Halobacillus salinus, inhibits QS controlled phenotypes in multiple Gram-negative reporter strains. Here we report that N-phenethyl hexanamide, a structurally-related compound produced by the marine bacterium Vibrio neptunius, similarly demonstrates QS inhibitory properties. To more fully explore structure–activity relationships within this new class of QS inhibitors, a panel of twenty analogs was synthesized and biologically evaluated. Several compounds were identified with increased attenuation of QS-regulated phenotypes, most notably N-(4-fluorophenyl)-3-phenylpropanamide against the …

Longitudinal Analysis Of Memory B And T Cell Responses To Dengue Virus In A 5-Year Prospective Cohort Study In Thailand, Luis A. Sánchez-Vargas, Sonia Kounlavouth, Madison L. Smith, Kathryn B. Anderson, Anon Srikiatkhachorn, Damon W. Ellison, Jeffrey R. Currier, Timothy P. Endy, Anuja Mathew, Alan L. Rothman

Cell and Molecular Biology Faculty Publications

Prior exposure to dengue virus (DENV) has a profound impact on the outcome of infection, which varies according to the interval between infections. Antibodies secreted by B cells and cytokines secreted by T cells are thought to contribute both to protective immunity against DENV and the pathogenesis of dengue disease. We analyzed peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) collected from Thai children over a 5-year prospective cohort study to define the dynamics of DENV-specific memory B and T cell responses and the impact of symptomatic or subclinical DENV infections. To measure B cell responses, PBMC were stimulated with IL-2 plus R848 …

Bacterial Community Dynamics In An Oyster Hatchery In Response To Probiotic Treatment, Rebecca J. Stevick, Saebom Sohn, Tejashree H. Modak, David R. Nelson, David C. Rowley, Karin Tammi, Roxanna Smolowitz, Kathryn Markey Lundgren, Anton F. Post, Marta Gomez-Chiarri

Cell and Molecular Biology Faculty Publications

Larval oysters in hatcheries are susceptible to diseases caused by bacterial pathogens, including Vibrio spp. Previous studies have shown that daily addition of the probiotic Bacillus pumilus RI06-95 to water in rearing tanks increases larval survival when challenged with the pathogen Vibrio coralliilyticus. We propose that the presence of probiotics causes shifts in bacterial community structure in rearing tanks, leading to a net decrease in the relative abundance of potential pathogens. During three trials spanning the 2012–2015 hatchery seasons, larvae, tank biofilm, and rearing water samples were collected from control and probiotic-treated tanks in an oyster hatchery over a …

Trends In Collection Of Microbiological Cultures Across Veterans Affairs Community Living Centers In The United States Over 8 Years, Haley J. Appaneal, R. Caffrey, Maria-Stephanie A. Hughes, Vrishali V. Lopes, Robin L.P. Jump, Kerry L. Laplante, David M. Dosa

Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Objectives: To describe and evaluate changes in the collection of microbiological cultures across Veterans Affairs (VA) Community Living Centers (CLCs) nationally.

Design: Descriptive study.

Setting: 146 VA CLCs.

Participants: We identified both positive and negative microbiological cultures collected during VA CLC admissions from January 2010 through December 2017.

Measures: We measured the average annual percentage change (AAPC) in the rate of cultures collected per 1000 bed days and per admission, overall and stratified by culture type (ie, urine, blood, skin and soft tissue, and respiratory tract). AAPCs were also calculated for the proportion and rate …

Comparative Effectiveness Of Exclusive Exposure To Nafcillin Or Oxacillin, Cefazolin, Piperacillin/Tazobactam, And Fluoroquinolones Among A National Cohort Of Veterans With Methicillin-Susceptible Staphylococcus Aureus Bloodstream Infection, Maya Beganovic, A. Cusumano, Vrishali Lopes, Kerry L. Laplante, Aisling R. Caffrey

Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Objective: Beta-lactam antibiotics are recommended as first-line for treatment of methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) bacteremia. The objective of this study was to compare effectiveness of anti-MSSA therapies among bacteremia patients exclusively exposed to 1 antimicrobial.

Method: This was a national retrospective cohort study of patients hospitalized in Veterans Affairs medical centers with MSSA bacteremia from January 1, 2002, to October 1, 2015. Patients were included if they were treated exclusively with nafcillin, oxacillin, cefazolin, piperacillin/tazobactam, or fluoroquinolones (moxifloxacin and levofloxacin). We assessed 30-day mortality, time to discharge, inpatient mortality, 30-day readmission, and 30-day S. aureus reinfection. Hazard ratios …

Proton-Pump Inhibitors Do Not Influence Clinical Outcomes In Patients With Staphylococcus Aureus Bacteremia, Aisling R. Caffrey, T. Timbrook, Syed Raza Ali, Victor Nizet, George Sakoulas

Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Background: Proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) are commonly used in clinical practice for gastric acid suppression. However, these agents have also been associated with certain negative clinical outcomes. We evaluated the real-world effects of incident PPI use on clinical outcomes in patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients admitted to Veterans Affairs hospitals with positive S. aureus blood cultures collected between 2002 and 2013 that received appropriate antibiotics within 48 hours of culture collection. Clinical outcomes among three PPI exposure groups, each compared to nonusers, were assessed with propensity-score-matched Cox proportional-hazard regression models: pretreated PPI users …

Heterogeneity In The Treatment Of Bloodstream Infections Identified From Antibiotic Exposure Mapping, Aisling R. Caffrey, R. Babcock, Vrishali V. Lopes, Tristan T. Timbrook, Kerry L. Laplante

Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Purpose: As changes in antibiotic therapy are common, intent‐to‐treat and definitive therapy exposure definitions in infectious disease clinical trials and observational studies may not accurately reflect all antibiotics received over the course of the infection. Therefore, we sought to describe changes in antibiotic therapy and unique treatment patterns among patients with bacteremia.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of hospitalizations from Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Centers (January 2002‐September 2015) and community hospitals (de‐identified Optum Clinformatics DataMart with matched Premier Hospital data; October 2009‐March 2013). In the VA population, antibiotic exposures were mapped from the culture collection date among those …

National Trends In The Treatment Of Urinary Tract Infections Among Veterans’ Affairs Community Living Center Residents, Haley J. Appaneal, R. Caffrey, Vrishali V. Lopes, Christopher J. Crnich, David M. Dosa, Kerry L. Laplante

Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Objective: To describe urinary tract infection (UTI) treatment among Veterans’ Affairs (VA) Community Living Centers (CLCs) nationally and to assess related trends in antibiotic use.

Design: Descriptive study.

Setting and participants: All UTI episodes treated from 2013 through 2017 among residents in 110 VA CLCs. UTI episodes required collection of a urine culture, antibiotic treatment, and a UTI diagnosis code. UTI episodes were stratified into culture-positive and culture-negative episodes.

Methods: Frequency and rate of antibiotic use were assessed for all UTI episodes overall and were stratified by culture-positive and culture-negative episodes. Joinpoint software was used for regression analyses of trends …

Overcoming Contemporary Obstacles In Drug Delivery Via Acetalated Dextran Particle Formulations, Nishan K. Shah

Open Access Dissertations

Particle-based delivery systems have been investigated for their potential to increase the efficacy of patient diagnoses and treatments. In many cases, these systems increase the bioavailability and/or decrease the toxicity of clinically relevant drugs. These developments have led to improvements in patient compliance, morbidity, mortality, and quality of life. To date, particle-based delivery systems have been evaluated in hundreds of clinical trials around the world. Unlike conventional delivery systems, particle-based delivery systems offer increased surface area, colloidal stability, and system tunability, all of which can be tailored to target the disease state of interest and specific patient population.

Although there …

Predictors Of Clostridioides Difficile Recurrence Across A National Cohort Of Veterans In Outpatient, Acute, And Long-Term Care Settings, Haley J. Appaneal, R. Caffrey, Maya Beganivic, Sanja Avramovic, Kerry L. Laplante

Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Purpose: The greatest challenge in treating Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is disease recurrence, which occurs in about 20% of patients, usually within 30 days of treatment cessation. We sought to identify independent predictors of first recurrence among a national cohort of veterans with CDI.

Methods: We conducted a case-control study among acute and long-term care Veterans Affairs (VA) inpatients and outpatients with a first CDI episode (positive stool sample for C. difficile toxin[s] and receipt of at least 2 days of CDI treatment) between 2010 and 2014. Cases experienced first recurrence within 30 days from the end of …

Oyster-Associated Microbial Community Dynamics, Rebecca Jean Stevick

Open Access Dissertations

Oysters are keystone species in the coastal environment, providing ecological, economic, and cultural services. A significant ecosystem service is their ability to improve water quality by filtration and denitrification. These ecological functions are made possible by oyster-associated microbes, but may also be threatened by microbial pathogens. This positions the oyster as a model system for the study of marine host-associated microbial diversity and function. However, studies of microbial diversity and function in shellfish are lacking, particularly in response to environmental perturbations. As coastal ecosystems change due to anthropogenic impacts and climate variability, it is important to understand how the oyster …

Exploring Hpv Knowledge, Awareness, Beliefs, Attitudes, And Vaccine Acceptability Of Latino Fathers Living In The United States: An Integrative Review, Paloma Suárez, Sherrie F. Wallington, Mary L. Greaney, Ana Cristina Lindsay

Kinesiology Faculty Publications

To conduct an integrative review to identify and synthesize studies exploring human papillomavirus (HPV) knowledge, awareness, beliefs, attitudes, and acceptability of the HPV vaccine among Latino fathers living in the United States. The review methodology was informed by those developed by Whittemore and Knafl, which allow for the inclusion of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods studies. Using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews meta-analyses guidelines, five electronic databases (PubMed, Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Science Direct) were searched for peer-reviewed, full-text studies published in English with samples that included Latino fathers and examined knowledge, awareness, beliefs, attitudes about the HPV and …

Maternal Blood Pressure In Relation To Low Birth Weight And The Effect Of A Nutritional Supplement, Alyssa Abreu

Open Access Master's Theses

Background: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy impact over 10% of pregnancies worldwide, while increasing the risk of low birth weight. Research is conflicting on the effect of nutrient supplementation on hypertension during pregnancy. The cutoffs to define hypertension have also recently changed to include a lower systolic blood pressure, and little research has examined the association between the newly proposed blood pressure cutoffs and low birth weight.

Objectives: Our objectives were to 1) evaluate the impact of prenatal lipid-based nutrient supplement consumption on maternal blood pressure; and 2) assess the association between maternal blood pressure during early and late …

Analysis Of The Tcr Repertoire In Hiv-Exposed But Uninfected Infants, Benjamin Gabriel, Carey Medin, Jeremiah Alves, Ruth Nduati, Rose Kerubo Bosire, Dalton Wamalwa, Carey Farquhar, Grace John-Steward, Barbara L. Lohman-Payne

Cell and Molecular Biology Faculty Publications

Maternal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection has been shown to leave profound and lasting impacts on the HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) infant, including increased mortality and morbidity, immunological changes, and developmental delays compared to their HIV-unexposed (HU) counterparts. Exposure to HIV or antiretroviral therapy may influence immune development, which could increase morbidity and mortality. However, a direct link between the increased mortality and morbidity and the infant’s immune system has not been identified. To provide a global picture of the neonatal T cell repertoire in HEU versus HU infants, the diversity of the T cell receptor beta chain (TRB) expressed in …

Usage Statistics: Project Counter R4 Journal Report 1 (Jr1) 2017-2018, Andrée Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Project COUNTER R4 Journal Report 1 (JR1) for the University of Rhode Island for the period from July 1, 2017 - June 30, 2018. Journal Report 1 is defined as "Number of Successful Full-Text Article Requests by Month and Journal." This report presents an annual total only.

File for download is Excel spreadsheet generated by Alma Analytics.

Results: 957,289 successful full-text article requests for 27,451 reported titles.

Distribution Of Dengue And Zika Virus Igg Immunoglobulin, Madison Smith, Awadalkareem Adam, Anuja Mathew

Senior Honors Projects

Introduction. Dengue Virus (DENV) and Zika Virus (ZIKV) are viruses that belong to the Flavivirus family. They are transmitted by the Aedes aegypti species of mosquitoes. Infection with DENV can result in no symptoms, mild symptoms which include fever, rash, and headache (dengue fever) or more severe symptoms which include hemorrhage, dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and shock, dengue shock syndrome (DSS). ZIKV, until recently caused mild disease but an outbreak in Brazil was associated with fetal complications such as microcephaly or Guillain-Barré syndrome in adults. Due to the similarity between ZIKV and DENV, antibodies (Abs) generated in humans to these …

Measuring Progress From 1990 To 2017 And Projecting Attainment To 2030 Of The Health-Related Sustainable Development Goals For 195 Countries And Territories: A Systematic Analysis For The Global Burden Of Disease Study 2017, Ali S. Akanda, Et Al

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Background: Efforts to establish the 2015 baseline and monitor early implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) highlight both great potential for and threats to improving health by 2030. To fully deliver on the SDG aim of “leaving no one behind”, it is increasingly important to examine the health-related SDGs beyond national-level estimates. As part of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2017 (GBD 2017), we measured progress on 41 of 52 health-related SDG indicators and estimated the health-related SDG index for 195 countries and territories for the period 1990–2017, projected indicators to 2030, and …

Curriculum And Standards Committee Report #2018-19-2 (Courses), University Of Rhode Island Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Bills

No abstract provided.

An Essential Staphylococcus Aureus Cell Division Protein Directly Regulates Ftsz Dynamics, Prahathees J. Eswara, Robert S. Brzozowski, Marissa G. Viola, Gianni Graham, Catherine Spanoudis, Catherine Trebino, Jyoti Jha, Joseph I. Aubee, Karl M. Thompson, Jodi L. Camberg, Kumaran S. Ramamurthi

Cell and Molecular Biology Faculty Publications

Binary fission has been well studied in rod-shaped bacteria, but the mechanisms underlying cell division in spherical bacteria are poorly understood. Rod-shaped bacteria harbor regulatory proteins that place and remodel the division machinery during cytokinesis. In the spherical human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus, we found that the essential protein GpsB localizes to mid-cell during cell division and co-constricts with the division machinery. Depletion of GpsB arrested cell division and led to cell lysis, whereas overproduction of GpsB inhibited cell division and led to the formation of enlarged cells. We report that S. aureus GpsB, unlike other Firmicutes GpsB orthologs, directly …

Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes, Zika And Other Arboviruses, Community Engagement, Costs, And Patents: Ethical Issues, Zahra Meghani, Christophe Boëte

Philosophy Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Alma Link Resolver Title & Issn Report (Top 500) 2017-2018, Andrée J. Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Statistics for 2017-2018 on the total number of OpenURL requests by journal title and ISSN made to the Ex Libris Alma link resolver for items held by the University of Rhode Island Libraries. Includes only the top 500 journals.

Information provided includes journal Title, ISSN, EISSN, Number of Requests, Number of Clicked Requests, % Clicks from Requests.

Antibiotic Resistance Rates For Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Clinical Respiratory And Bloodstream Isolates Among The Veterans Affairs Healthcare System From 2009 To 2013, Haley J. Appaneal, R. Caffrey, Lan Jiang, David Dosa, Leonard A. Mermel, Kerry L. Laplante

Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a major cause of healthcare-associated infections and resistance among isolates is an increasing burden. The study purpose was to describe national resistance rates for clinical P. aeruginosa respiratory and bloodstream cultures and the prevalence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) P. aeruginosa within the Veterans Affairs (VA). MDR was defined as non-susceptibility to at least one drug in at least 3 of the following 5 categories: carbapenems, extended-spectrum cephalosporins, aminoglycosides, and piperacillin/tazobactam. We reviewed 24,562 P. aeruginosa respiratory and bloodstream isolates across 126 VA facilities between 2009 to 2013. Most isolates were collected from inpatient settings (82%). Resistance was highest …

A Review Of Combination Antimicrobial Therapy For Enterococcus Faecalis Bloodstream Infections And Infective Endocarditis, Maya Beganovic, K. Luther, Louis B. Rice, Cesar A. Arias, Michael J. Rybak, Kerry L. Laplante

Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Enterococci, one of the most common causes of hospital-associated infections, are responsible for substantial morbidity and mortality. Enterococcus faecalis, the more common and virulent species, cause serious high-inoculum infections, namely infective endocarditis, that are associated with cardiac surgery and mortality rates that remained unchanged for the last 30 years. The best cure for these infections are observed with combination antibiotic therapy; however, optimal treatment has not been fully elucidated. It is the purpose of this review to highlight treatment options, their limitations, and provide direction for future investigative efforts to aid in the treatment of these severe infections. While ampicillin …

Usage Statistics: Project Counter R4 Journal Report 1 (Jr1) 2016-2017, Andrée Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Project COUNTER R4 Journal Report 1 (JR1) for the University of Rhode Island for the period from July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2017. Journal Report 1 is defined as "Number of Successful Full-Text Article Requests by Month and Journal." This report presents the data on an annual basis.

File for download is Excel spreadsheet generated by Alma Analytics.

Momentum: Research & Innovation For Spring 2018, University Of Rhode Island

Publications (Research and Economic Development)

The Spring 2018 issue of Momentum: Research & Innovation, a periodical focused on research at the University of Rhode Island.

High Background In Elispot Assays Is Associated With Elevated Levels Of Immune Activation In Hiv‐1‐Seronegative Individuals In Nairobi, Amy Y. Liu, Stephen C. De Rosa, Brandon L. Guthrie, Robert Y. Choi, Rose Kerubo-Bosire, Barbara A. Richardson, James Kiarie, Carey Farquhar, Barbara L. Lohman-Payne

Cell and Molecular Biology Faculty Publications

Introduction: Spontaneous interferon‐γ (IFNγ) released detected by enzyme‐linked immunospot (ELISpot) assays may be a biological phenomenon. Markers of immune activation levels were assessed as correlates of high background among individuals in Kenya. Methods: Couples concordantly seronegative for HIV‐1 were enrolled. IFN‐γ ELISpot assays were conducted and negative control wells were categorized as having either high or low background (≥50 and <50 SFU/10⁶ peripheral blood mononuclear cells [PBMC], respectively). PBMC were stained for CD4, CD8, and immune activation markers (CD38 and HLA‐DR) and analyzed using flow cytometry. Proportions of activated T‐cells were compared between those with low and high background …