Digital Commons Network^™

Hiv/Aids Programming And Sexuality Of Young People Perinatally Infected With Hiv, Harriet Birungi

Reproductive Health

These conference proceedings draw on preliminary data from an ongoing project implemented by TASO Uganda and the Population Council that contributes to the promotion of sexual and reproductive health rights of young people aged 10–19 years perinatally infected with HIV. The key argument is that HIV/AIDS programming in Uganda and elsewhere in Africa will need to acknowledge that the population of young people perinatally infected with HIV is growing and to specifically target that population. HIV/AIDS programming will also address the sexual desires of young people perinatally infected with HIV by providing them with information and practical support to understand …

Adults' Perceived Prevalence Of Enteric Fever Predicts Laboratory-Validated Incidence Of Typhoid Fever In Children, Xinguang Chen, Bonita Stanton, Al Pach, Andrew Nyamete, R. Leon Ochiai, Linda Kaljee, Baiqing Dong, Dipika Sur, S.K. Bhattacharya, Siti Sapardiyah Santoso, Magdarina Agtini, Zahid Memon, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, Canh Gia Do, Lorenz Von Seidlein, John Clemens

Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

This study was undertaken to develop a model to predict the incidence of typhoid in children based on adults’ perception of prevalence of enteric fever in the wider community. Typhoid cases among children, aged 5-15 years, from epidemic regions in five Asian countries were confirmed with a positive Salmonella Typhi culture of the blood sample. Estimates of the prevalence of enteric fever were obtained from random samples of adults in the same study sites. Regression models were used for establishing the prediction equation. The percentages of enteric fever reported by adults and cases of typhoid incidence per 100,000, detected through …

Detection Of Rifampin Resistant Tuberculosis Meningitis By Polymerase Chain Reaction Linked Single Strand Conformation Polymorphism Analysis Of Cerebrospinal Fluid, Kiarash Ghazvini, Ashraf T. Sani, Sara Rastegari, Javad Ghanaat, Mahdi Behdani

Neurosciences

OBJECTIVE: To rapidly detect rifampin resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates causing meningitis in northeast Iran. METHODS: This study presents the results of a polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) analysis for the evaluation of rifampin resistance directly from the CSF of 47 patients strongly suspicious to have tuberculosis meningitis in Emam Reza University Hospital, Mashhad, Iran over 3 years (2002 to 2005). Each CSF sample underwent microscopic examination, culture and DNA amplification by 2 PCR protocols and subsequent detection of mutations by SSCP analysis. RESULTS: Among these patients, no mutations were revealed in the rpoB segment by SSCP. CONCLUSION: …

High Frequency Of Igm Antiphospholipid Antibodies In Young Iranian Patients With Stroke, Mohammad Saadatnia, Mohammad Zare, Sassan Haghighi, Marzieh Tajmirriahi, Silva Hovsepian

Neurosciences

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the presence of IgG and IgM types of anticardiolipin (aCL) and antiphospholipid (aPL) antibodies in younger Iranian patients with ischemic stroke. METHODS: Both IgG and IgM types of aPL (cardiolipin, anti phosphatidyl inositol, anti phosphatidyl serine, anti phosphatidic acid and beta 2-glycoprotein I [B2-GPI]) and aCL alone (cardiolipin and B2-GPI) were measured in 117 patients with ischemic stroke (aged <45 years) during an 18-month period from September 2002 to March 2004 in Al-Zahra Hospital, Isfahan, Iran. The demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of patients with a positive titer were recorded. RESULTS: Seven men and 16 women (23 patients, 19.6%) had increased IgG types of aPL antibodies. Increased titers of IgM and IgG were found in 19 (82.6%) and 6 (26%) patients for aPL antibodies and in 15 (83.3%) and 8 (44.4%) cases for aCL alone. CONCLUSION: Despite European studies, high titers of IgM aPL antibodies found in a large number of patients can be caused by the presence of unknown triggering factors (infections or poisons), that are more prevalent in developing countries compared to developed countries. This hypothesis remains to be investigated further.

Anticardiolipin Antibodies In Stroke Patients In Sudan. Appraisal Of Their Significance In A Region Of High Burden Of Endemic Infections, Hassab A. Ali, Rasha R. Osman, Mohamed N. Idris, Tag-Eldin O. Sokrab

Neurosciences

OBJECTIVE: To screen and evaluate the significance of anticardiolipin seroprevalence in patients with acute ischemic stroke, in patients with infectious disease, and in healthy subjects resident in Sudan, a tropical country endemic for several infectious diseases. METHODS: We conducted the study in Khartoum Teaching Hospital in Khartoum, Sudan between July 2003 and January 2005. We included 89 stroke cases, 30 infectious disease patients, and 30 asymptomatic healthy subjects. We estimated IgG and IgM anticardiolipin antibody titers in serum samples from all subjects in the 3 study categories at the time of hospital admission. RESULTS: We found a significantly higher prevalence …

Depletion Of 32-Kbp Circular Plasmids From Borrelia Burgdorferi, Amanda Paige Derouen Polito

LSU Master's Theses

The Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi has a very unusual genome composed of one linear chromosome and up to 21 linear and circular plasmids. Several plasmids are known to be important either for mammalian infection or tick colonization. A single spirochete harbors up to 7 different cp32 plasmids; however, nothing is known about their role in mammalian infection. The plasmids in this family are well maintained during in vitro cultivation, making it difficult to study their functions. To effectively deplete the plasmids, an 8kbp fragment containing essential elements for replication and partitioning in B. burgdorferi was amplified from one of …

Detection Of Vibrio Vulnificus By Direct Colony Immunoblot, Reshani Nisansala Senevirathne

LSU Master's Theses

Vibrio vulnificus (Vv) is a natural occurring bacterium of world wide estuarine environments, which concentrate on filter feeding shellfish. Under cooked seafood contaminated with this pathogen is a leading cause of 95% of seafood-related, foodborne deaths. The development of a rapid, reliable and user-friendly method for Vv enumeration would help to reduce mortality rate. A direct colony immunoblot (DCI) method was developed and used as a rapid enumeration with high sensitivity and the specificity. This method was optimized using Vv agar plates incubated for 16 h at 35 °C. Colonies were transferred from incubated plates to polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes …

Influences Of Chromium (Iii) Picolinate On Pigs Under Thermal, Immune Or Dietary Stress, And On Adrenal Steroid Secretion, Beob Gyun Kim

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

The objectives were to investigate the effects of chromium (III) picolinate (CrPic; up to 2,000 ppb of Cr) on growing pigs subjected to a variety of stressors including thermal, immune, or dietary stress and to examine the effects of CrPic on steroidogenesis from adrenocortical cells. In the thermal stress study, high ambient temperature caused reduced weight gain and feed consumption (P andlt; 0.01), and low ambient temperature caused increased feed intake and feed:gain (P andlt; 0.01). However, these effects were not moderated by CrPic, and respiratory rate, plasma cortisol, or plasma glucose were unaffected by CrPic. In the immune stress …

International Cooperation To Defend The Food Supply Chain, John T. Hoffman, Shaun Kennedy

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

Global Food System Defense is an area where, so far, we have not yet obtained real traction in this post-September 11, 2001 world of international terrorism. Cooperative international efforts to defend and protect the global food supply system may well be crucial to the security of every developed nation in the coming years. Affordable energy--currently fossil fuels--and food are at the heart of the security and prosperity of every nation. Yet the food protection efforts that have been historically supported by the international community have focused on traditional "food security," defined as access to sufficient calories and nutrition to sustain …

Vision 2007

Vision

No abstract provided.

The Future Of Clinical Laboratory Science: A Delphi Study., Beverly A. Kirby

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The critical shortage of clinical laboratory scientists indicates an urgency for planning for the future. A three-round Delphi study explored the future of the clinical laboratory science profession as predicted by a panel of experts. Thirty-two nationally known authorities in the field were invited and 24 agreed to participate as an expert panel. The first round asked the panelists to respond to the statement, “As I consider the next 20 years of clinical laboratory science as a profession, I believe that the following events might occur.” Round One generated more than 200 events which the investigator synthesized into a 147-event …

Enhancing Food Safety And Quality: Part 1. Determining Effectiveness Of Electron Beam On Inactivation Of Salmonella Enterica Subsp. Enterica Serovar Montevideo. Part 2. Examining Growth Parameters Of Crypthecodinium Cohnii., Deborah Linnell James

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Through science, we can meet increasing consumer demand to make foods safer and healthier, both by increasing the safety by decreasing possible microbial contamination and by increasing the nutritive value of food by supplementation. This thesis focuses on two facets of food science: safety and value-added foods. The effectiveness of electron beam (e-beam) irradiation on the reduction of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Montevideo in pureed tomatoes was tested, and growth parameters of the microalga Crypthecodinium cohnii for production of the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were evaluated. E-beam is a technology that uses ionizing radiation to destroy bacteria …

Download The Pdf Of The Entire Issue: Pehc Vol. 1, Issue 2

Prescriptions for Excellence in Health Care Newsletter Supplement

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Human Gene Patents On Innovation And Access: Survey Of Human Gene Patent Litigation, Christopher M. Holman

Faculty Works

In 2005, an article in the highly influential journal Science reported that roughly 20% of human genes are patented. This figure has been widely cited and at times over-interpreted. For example, a popular science fiction author warns the public that their bodies are "owned" by someone else. A bill was introduced in Congress in 2007 that would essentially seek to ban the patenting of DNA. The bill appears motivated in part by a perception that one-fifth of our genes are owned by somebody else, that these owners can do whatever they want with these genes, and that there is "nothing …

Hiv/Aids And Conservation Agency Capacity In Southern Africa: Perceptions Of Critical Impacts, Barriers, And Intervention Strategies, Jennifer Ann Cash

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The HIV/AIDS pandemic permeates all aspects of southern African civil society including the ability of organizations to practice conservation. The purpose of this research is to understand how management perceives HIV/AIDS influencing southern African conservation agencies workforce capacity to meet their missions. Research goals include: (1) identifying perceptions of the impacts of HIV/AIDS on workforce capacity; (2) elucidating barriers to addressing these impacts; and (3) exploring mitigation strategies. Data collection involved two stages: (1) semi-structured interviews of managers and scientists (n=23) to better understand impacts and barriers; and (2) a panel of key experts (n=30) within southern African conservation agencies …

Private And Public Necessity And The Violation Of Property Rights, John Alan Cohan

North Dakota Law Review

No abstract provided.

Books Received, Natural Resources Journal

Natural Resources Journal

No abstract provided.

Polymorphisms Of Cul5 Are Associated With Cd4+ T Cell Loss In Hiv-1 Infected Individuals, Ping An, Priya Duggal, Li Hua Wang, Stephen J. O'Brien, Sharyne Donfield, James J. Goedert, John Phair, Susan Buchbinder, Gregory D. Kirk, Cheryl Winkler

Biology Faculty Articles

Human apolipoprotein B mRNA editing enzyme, catalytic polypeptide-like 3 (Apobec3) antiretroviral factors cause hypermutation of proviral DNA leading to degradation or replication-incompetent HIV-1. However, HIV-1 viral infectivity factor (Vif) suppresses Apobec3 activity through the Cullin 5-Elongin B-Elongin C E3 ubiquitin ligase complex. We examined the effect of genetic polymorphisms in the CUL5 gene (encoding Cullin 5 protein) on AIDS disease progression in five HIV-1 longitudinal cohorts. A total of 12 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) spanning 93 kb in the CUL5 locus were genotyped and their haplotypes inferred. A phylogenetic network analysis revealed that CUL5 haplotypes were grouped into two clusters …

An Eye-Opening Approach To Developing And Communicating Integrated Environmental Assessments, Todd R. Lookingbill, William C. Dennison, Tim J.B. Carruthers, Jane M. Hawkey, Shawn L. Carter

Geography and the Environment Faculty Publications

Communication among managers, the public, and scientists is the key to successful ecosystem management; however, the varied perspectives and interests of these groups can make such communication difficult. One way to achieve effective communication is to develop a common knowledge base by combining syntheses of key scientific results with information-rich visual elements. Within a management landscape, integrated environmental assessments provide a useful framework for evaluating resources and directing management efforts. The integrated assessment process involves (1) initial investigation, (2) development of a conceptual framework, (3) data navigation, (4) environmental report cards, and (5) science communication. Each step requires the synthesis …

Idiopathic Granulomatous Mastitis Masquerading As Carcinoma Of The Breast: A Case Report And Review Of The Literature., Richard Tuli, Brian J O'Hara, Janet Hines, Anne L Rosenberg

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis is an uncommon, benign entity with a diagnosis of exclusion. The typical clinical presentation of idiopathic granulomatous mastitis often mimics infection or malignancy. As a result, histopathological confirmation of idiopathic granulomatous mastitis combined with exclusion of infection, malignancy and other causes of granulomatous disease is absolutely necessary. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a case of a young woman with idiopathic granulomatous mastitis, initially mistaken for mastitis as well as breast carcinoma, and successfully treated with a course of corticosteroids. CONCLUSION: There is no clear clinical consensus regarding the ideal therapeutic management of idiopathic granulomatous mastitis. Treatment options …

A Theory And Definition Of Public Health Law, Lawrence O. Gostin

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

I offer a brief excerpt from my book, Public Health Law: Power, Duty, Restraint. My definition of public health law follows, and the remainder of this excerpt offers a justification as well as an expansion of the ideas presented: Public health law is the study of the legal powers and duties of the state, in collaboration with its partners (e.g., health care, business, the community, the media, and academe), to assure the conditions for people to be healthy (to identify, prevent, and ameliorate risks to health in the population) and the limitations on the power of the state to constrain …

Knowledge And Beliefs Of Adolescents Regarding Sexually Transmitted Infections And Hiv/Aids In A Rural District In Pakistan, Hafsa Raheel, Franklin White, Muhammad Masood Kadir, Zafar Fatmi

Community Health Sciences

Objective:

To assess the knowledge and beliefs of adolescents (15-19 years girls and boys) regarding sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV/AIDS.

Methods:

A community based cross-sectional survey was conducted in October 2002 in a rural district (Mirpurkhas) of Sindh province, Pakistan.

Results:

A total of 428 adolescent girls and boys were interviewed. Only 44% correctly named at least one STI, while 55% knew at least two modes of transmission for HIV/AIDS. Adolescents with education greater than or equal to secondary level, those who were able to read the newspaper, possessed electricity in their homes and were allowed to meet their …

Maternal Characteristics In Relation To Income In A Semi-Rural Community In Pakistan, A R. Siddiqui

Community Health Sciences

Women's health and socioeconomic status is fundamental to development. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship of monthly household income with demographic, nutritional and social characteristics in women living in a semi-rural location near Karachi. Thus 1111 mothers with at least 1 child under 5 years of age were interviewed. Self-reported monthly income was positively associated with gravidity, mid upper-arm circumference, cooking frequency per day and self and spousal literacy; it was negatively associated with number of occupants per room, wood used as cooking fuel, and spouse in a skilled occupation. Income is dependent on non-income factors …

Resource Allocation Within The National Aids Control Program Of Pakistan: A Qualitative Assessment Of Decision Maker's Opinions, Sara Husain, Masood Kadir, Zafar Fatmi

Community Health Sciences

Background:

Limited resources, whether public or private, demand prioritisation among competing needs to maximise productivity. With a substantial increase in the number of reported HIV cases, little work has been done to understand how resources have been distributed and what factors may have influenced allocation within the newly introduced Enhanced National AIDS Control Program of Pakistan. The objective of this study was to identify perceptions of decision makers about the process of resource allocation within Pakistan's Enhanced National AIDS Control Program.

Methods:

A qualitative study was undertaken and in-depth interviews of decision makers at provincial and federal levels responsible to …

Noncommunicable Diseases And Injuries: Action Needed In South Asia Too, Ali Khan Khuwaja, Riaz Qureshi, Zafar Fatmi

Community Health Sciences

No abstract provided.

Pldb, A Putative Phospholipase D Homologue, Mediates Quorum Sensing In Dictyostelium Discoideum Development, Yi Chen

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Quorum sensing, the ability to measure the local cell density, is required for animal cells to achieve proper cell growth, differentiation and development. However, because of the genetic intractability of mammalian cells, we study quorum sensing in the genetically pliable unicellular eukaryote Dictyostelium discoideum. D. discoideum cells live as individual cells under vegetative conditions. Starvation sets off development to a multicellular organism. But cells won't develop unless enough cells are under starvation conditions. Approximately 10⁵ cells are needed to form a fruiting body, the final stage of the development. When starved, cells are able to calculate the concentration …

Growth And Immunocomptence In Parasitized Domestic Turkeys( Meleagris Gallapavo): Is There A Trade-Off?, Virginia Austin Harrison

Honors Theses

Parasitic infection can prove to be detrimental to the condition, reproductive fitness, and survival of the host organism. During infection, an organism experiences trade-offs between functions such as growth, reproduction, and immunological activity as a result of limited resources. When challenged by infection, wild turkeys, adapted for survival, should fight the infection rather than invest in growth. Because domestic turkeys have been artificially selected to grow rapidly, I hypothesized that they would invest in growth rather than immunocompetence. To test this hypothesis, I infected domestic turkeys with coccidia and measured components of growth and immunocompetence. Turkeys were infected with the …

Genetic Variation And Immune Response In The Wolf Spider: Rabidosa Rabida, Patrice Louise Jones

Honors Theses

Genetic variation has been shown to positively correlate with the strength of the immune response, especially in vertebrates. Smaller populations have less genetic diversity than larger populations as a result of random genetic drift. We estimated heterozygosity levels for six populations, which were known to vary significantly in size^ using 15 microsatellite loci. We wished to see if generalized loss of genetic variation, as measured by a random sample of neutral loci, would correlate with levels of immune response to a physical challenge (needle prick). Experiments were performed using the wolf spider species Rabidosa rabida. Immune response was measured as …

Vol. 36, No. 1: Full Issue, Denver Journal Of International Law & Policy

Denver Journal of International Law & Policy

No abstract provided.

Knowledge, Attitude And Practice Regarding Immunization Among Family Practice Patients, Waris Qidwai, Syed Sohail Ali, Semi Ayub, Salma Ayub

Department of Family Medicine

Objective: To determine the knowledge, attitude and practices about immunization among family practice patients.
Design: A questionnaire based survey.
Patients and Method: A questionnaire was developed in line with the study objectives. It was administered to patients visiting family physicians, after they were administered, informed consent and assurance with regards to confidentiality was provided. Epi-info and SPSS software was used for data management.
Results: A total of 97 patients were surveyed. The majority were men (59.8%) with a mean age of 29.69 years. Majority was unmarried (51.5%), with graduate and post-graduate education (73%), and in government and …