Digital Commons Network^™

Pediatric Disease Burden And Vaccination Recommendations: Understanding Local Differences, Angela Gentile, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, Lulu Bravo, Aly Gamal Samy, R. Dennis J. Garcia, Anwar Hoosen, Tazul Islam, Abdollah Karimi, Mona Salem, Sriluck Simasathien, Amir Sohail, Veerachai Watanaveeradej, Karin Wiedenmayer, Heinz-J. Schmitt

Woman and Child Health

Background:Diphtheria (D), tetanus (T), pertussis (P), hepatitis B (HepB), invasive Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) disease, and measles cause substantial global morbidity and mortality.
Methods: This unique review highlights geographic differences in disease burden across certain countries in the African, Americas, Mediterranean, South-East Asian, and Western Pacific World Health Organization (WHO) regions, and relates this to vaccination coverage and local vaccine recommendations using the authors' countries as illustrations.
Results: Substantial differences were observed in the incidence of these diseases and in vaccination coverage between the countries studied. Disease incidence often reflected inadequate surveillance, but also variable or poor vaccination …

Checkup, Lehigh Valley Health Network

Checkup

No abstract provided.

Individual-Based Modeling Of White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) Movements And Epizootiology, Lene Jung Kjaer

Dissertations

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are important game mammals and potential reservoirs of diseases of domestic livestock, so diseases of deer are of great concern to wildlife managers. In many situations, models can be useful for integrating existing data, understanding disease transmission patterns, and predicting effects on host populations. Individual-based modeling (IBM) has become more commonplace in ecology as a tool to link individual behavior to population dynamics and community interactions, especially for gauging the effects of management actions. Spatially explicit IBMs are especially useful when ecological processes, such as disease transmission, are affected by the spatial composition of the environment. …

Landmarks In The Evolution Of Technologies For Identifying Trypanosomes In Tsetse Flies, John C. Enyaru, Johnson O. Ouma, Imna I. Malele, Enock Matovu, Daniel K. Masiga

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Understanding what the trypanosome pathogens are, their vectors and mode of transmission underpin efforts to control the disease they cause in both humans and livestock. The risk of transmission is estimated by determining what proportion of the vector population is carrying the infectious pathogens. This risk also depends on the infectivity of the trypanosomes to humans and livestock. Most livestock pathogens are not infective to humans, whereas the two sub-species that infect humans also infect livestock. As with other infectious diseases, we can therefore trace the foundation of many continuing disease control programs for trypanosomiasis to the discovery of the …

Contextualizing The Health Belief Model And The Social Epidemiology Theories In The Study Of Aids In Malawi, Kumbirai Madondo

All Theses

The association between HIV/AIDS knowledge, risk perception and risky sexual behavior remains a valuable area of study among scholars seeking to understand the AIDS epidemic in Africa. Past research has focused only on either the Health Belief Model or social epidemiology ideas to understand AIDS but never combined the two. The current study is unique and adds to the body of knowledge by making use of both the Health Belief Model and social epidemiology ideas to understand these relationships more clearly and, more importantly, to explore the role that keeping AIDS a secret has in the contexts of risk perception, …

Further Purification And Characterization Of Jenseniin P, A Bacteriocin Produced By Propionibacterium Jensenii B1264, Gaoyan Wang

All Theses

Jenseniin P, a bacteriocin discovered by Prince, can inhibit the growth of several strains of propionibacteria and lactobacillus(Prince 1993). Ratnam further purified jenseniin P by ammonia sulfate precipitation and anion exchange chromatography. In that study, partially purified jenseniin P was stable in various pH ranges, SDS concentrations, several solvents, and remained active after holding at 100 ¡C for 60 minutes. The molecular weight was estimated to be between 6 and 9 kDa. In addition, jenseniin P was demonstrated to be inhibitory to Propionibacterium acnes using the spot-on-lawn method. Thus, Ratnam postulated its possible application in acne treatment(Ratnam 1997).
In this …

Scraping Behavior In Male White-Tailed Deer As A Potential Means Of Transmitting Chronic Wasting Disease, Travis C. Kinsell

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) has become a concern for wildlife managers and hunters across the United States. High prevalence of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in older male white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) suggests that sex-specific social behavior may contribute to the spread of the disease among males. Scraping is a marking behavior performed by male white-tailed deer during the rut in which a pawed depression and associated over-hanging branch are marked with saliva, glandular secretions, urine, and feces. We placed 71 and 35 motion-activated cameras on scrapes in DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge in western Nebraska and eastern Iowa from …

Legacy - August 2010, South Carolina Institute Of Archaeology And Anthropology--University Of South Carolina

SCIAA Magazine - Legacy & PastWatch

Contents:

New USC Press Book on the Discovery of Rock Art in South Carolina.....p. 1
Director's Note - Student Support and Volunteers.....p. 2
Savannah River Valley - 2010 Field Season.....p. 4
New Post-Doctoral Scholar Joins Staff.....p. 11
Tar River Geoarchaeological Survey.....p. 12
Camden Battlefield.....p. 8
Williamson's Plantation Battlefield.....p. 18
Archaeological Resources Act Signed by Governor Sanford.....p. 20
Carmen Beard Leaves SCIAA.....p. 21
What is SCAPOD.....p. 22
South Carolina Archaeology Month 2010.....p. 24
New Book on Brunswick Town by Stanley South.....p. 25
Topper Documentary Award.....p. 25
ART/SCIAA Donors 2009-2010.....p. 26
ART CHALLENGE.....p. 28

Sa-4-1bbl As A Modulator Of T Effector To T Regulatory Cell Conversion., Shravan Madireddi 1980-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The immune system is of profound importance for host survival due to its ability to clear many acquired diseases. In case of infections and cancer, disease arises due to under-performance of immune system. Whereas in autoimmunity and transplantation, deleterious immunity to normal self-antigens and allogeneic antigens arises due to enhanced immune responses. Regulatory T (Treg) cells play a critical role in immune homeostasis in health and disease. Treg cells are important in the development and maintenance of immune tolerance towards self or transplantation antigens. However, Treg cells also play an obstructive role in cancer-related immunity by suppressing various effector cells. …

The Elderly Somali Bantu Experience Of American Health Care: The New Way, Cathy Marie Deckys

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

A paucity of research exists involving the emic, or insider perspective, of the elderly Somali Bantu as it pertains to their experience of health care.  The purpose of this qualitative, descriptive study is to gain insight into the factors that influence the elderly Somali Bantus’ experience of American health care in Boise, Idaho based on their perspective.  The elderly Somali Bantu refugee has experienced many changes since their resettlement to the United States from United Nations’ refugee camps in Kenya four to seven years ago.  The majority of this population is illiterate and has no native written language.  This is …

New Post-Doctoral Scholar Joins Staff In 2010-2011, Charles R. Cobb

Faculty & Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Variables Affecting Hand Sanitizer Use In Public Facilities, Amy Katherine Loukus

Theses

The following research was conducted to contribute to the greater understanding of the impact that most often utilized methods of public awareness and education have on behaviors relative to sickness and disease for the general public in terms of action toward prevention behaviors within a healthcare setting. The psycho educational approach is often considered an effective means to promote behavior change as it relates to preventative behavior, and in the clinical therapeutic setting has shown some relevance as an effective procedure. Unfortunately, no research as of yet speaks to the comparative effectiveness this approach may have over other approaches often …

A Major Role For Mammals In The Ecology Of Mycobacterium Ulcerans, Janet A. Fyfe, Caroline J. Lavender, Kathrine A. Handasyde, Alistair R. Legione, Carolyn R. O'Brien, Timothy P. Stinear, Sacha J. Pidot, Torsten Seemann, Mark Eric Benbow, John R. Wallace, Christina Mccowan, Paul D. R. Johnson

Biology Faculty Publications

Background: Mycobacterium ulcerans is the causative agent of Buruli ulcer (BU), a destructive skin disease found predominantly in sub-Saharan Africa and south-eastern Australia. The precise mode(s) of transmission and environmental reservoir(s) remain unknown, but several studies have explored the role of aquatic invertebrate species. The purpose of this study was to investigate the environmental distribution of M. ulcerans in south-eastern Australia.

The Role Of Unrealistic Optimism In Explaining Preventive Behaviors In High Versus Low Endemic Malaria Settings In Belize, Daniel G. Handysides

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background: Of all the diseases an individual can encounter in the world, malaria is one of the most destructive. Simple measures like sleeping under a bednet would greatly reduce the burden (Abeku, 2007). When people estimate their risk relative to others, they are most often unrealistically optimistic, which may explain why those at risk often fail to perform behaviors, such as using a bednet that will reduce their risk. However, one study showed that people at high risk for malaria held pessimistic perceptions of their risk for the disease, but the reasons for this finding are unclear (Morrison, Ager, & …

Defining The Role Of Il-15 Trans-Presentation By Distinct Cell-Types During The Development And Homeostasis Of Natural Killer And Invariant Natural Killer T Cells, Eliseo F. Castillo

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

The immuno-regulatory functions displayed by NK and iNKT cells have highlighted their importance as key lymphocytes involved in innate and adaptive immunity. Therefore, understanding the dynamics influencing the generation of NK and iNKT cells is extremely important. IL-15 has been shown to provide a critical signal throughout the development and homeostasis of NK and iNKT cells; however, the cellular source of IL-15 has remained unclear. In this investigation, I provide evidence that the cell-type providing IL-15 to NK and iNKT cells via trans-presentation is determined by the tissue site and the maturation status of NK and iNKT cells. For NK …

Questioning The Frequency And Wisdom Of Compulsory Licensing For Pharmaceutical Patents, F. Scott Kieff, Richard A. Epstein

Coase-Sandor Institute for Law & Economics Research Paper Series

Many advocates for using compulsory licensing ("CL") for pharmaceutical patents in developing countries like Thailand rest their case in part on the purported use of CL in the United States. In this paper we take issue with that proposition on several grounds. As a theoretical matter, we argue that the basic presumption in favor of voluntary licenses for IP should apply in the international arena, in addition to the domestic one. In the international context, voluntary licenses are of special importance because they strengthen the supply chain for distributing pharmaceuticals and ease the government enforcement of safety standards. Next, this …

The Relationship Between Breastfeeding And Child Care For Working Mothers In The United States, Patricia Wonch Hill

Department of Sociology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Whether or not child care provider characteristics and factors related to the care giving environment impact breastfeeding duration for working mothers has not been systematically studied. In this dissertation, I use Ecological Health Promotion Theory to explore the relationship between child care and breastfeeding through three different analyses. First, I interviewed nine child care providers to assess their knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about infant feeding and whether they vary on these factors across individuals and child care licensing types. Second, I conducted a small mail survey of 93 licensed child care providers in order to create a scale measuring attitudes …

The Relationship And Effects Of Mindfulness On Comfort, Work Satisfaction, And Burnout Among Nurses Who Provide Direct Patient Care, Pamela Lichtenberg Heard

Dissertations

This study proposed to examine the problem of burnout in the nursing profession and ways to ameliorate burnout. Many burnout studies in the past focused on the problem and possible solutions that managers and/or hospital administrators could incorporate into their organization. The focus of this study is to evaluate ways that nurses can decrease their own propensity to burnout through the use of mindfulness. Therefore, this study examined burnout in a non-traditional manner. It is not assumed that others must assist nurses with decreasing their levels of burnout. Mindfulness is a means by which nurses can empower themselves to combat …

Full Issue 5.2

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

No abstract provided.

Discussing Indigenous Genocide In Argentina: Past, Present, And Consequences Of Argentinean State Policies Toward Native Peoples, Walter Delrio, Diana Lenton, Marcelo Musante, Marino Nagy

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

For a long time the historiographical and anthropological narrative in Argentina contributed to a double assumption that is nowadays strongly grounded in citizens’ common sense. On the one hand, the extinction of Indigenous peoples is vaguely dated to a period from the Spanish conquest to the military campaigns known as the ‘‘conquest of the desert’’; on the other hand, such extinction is simultaneously interpreted as a ‘‘natural’’ process in universal history. Argentine state policies were thus naturalized. It is frequently assumed that this set of natural processes might have left only individual ‘‘descendants,’’ in place of political entities. There- fore, …

Predominance Of Ctx-M Genotype Among Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamase Isolates In A Tertiary Hospital In Saudi Arabia, Khalid Bindayna, Husam S. Khanfar, Abiola C. Senok, Giuseppe A. Botta

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVE: To determine the molecular characterization of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) isolates from a tertiary center in Saudi Arabia using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique and assess their antibiotic susceptibility pattern. METHODS: Prospective study conducted at the Saudi Aramco Dhahran Health Center, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia between April-December 2006. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases phenotype of isolates identified by automated methods was confirmed using E-test. Multiplex PCR for the detection of blaTEM, blaSHV and blaCTX-M was performed. Susceptibility to a panel of antibiotics was determined. RESULTS: One hundred isolates (Escherichia coli [E.coli] n=84; Klebsiella pneumoniae [K. pneumoniae] n=16) were studied and 71% harbored the …

Prevalence Of Rubella Igg Antibodies Among Syrian Females Of Childbearing Age, Mahmood D. Al-Mendalawi

Saudi Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

In Memoriam: Mark Dmitrievich Sonin, 1932-2010, K. V. Galaktionov, A. J. Russ, O. Pugachev, A. Pelgunov, A. L. Kontrimavichus, Eric P. Hoberg

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

In memoriam for Mark Dmitrievich Sonin, parasitologist at the Russian Academy of Sciences, 1932-2010.

Immune Recognition Of Self Nucleic Acids Driven By Endogenous Antimicrobial Peptides: Role In Autoimmunity, Dipyaman Ganguly

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Innate immune recognition of extracellular host-derived self-DNA and self-RNA is prevented by endosomal seclusion of the Toll-like receptors (TLRs) in the dendritic cells (DCs). However, in psoriasis plasmacytoid dendritic cells have been found to be able to sense self-DNA molecules in complex with the endogenous cationic antimicrobial peptide LL37, which are internalized into the endosomal compartments and thus can access TLR9. We investigated whether this endogenous peptide can also interact with extracellular self-RNA and lead to DC activation. We found that LL37 binds self-RNA as well as self-DNA going into an electrostatic interaction; forms micro-aggregates of nano-scale particles protected from …

Characterization Of Alpha-Galactosylceramide As A Mucosal Adjuvant, Amy N. Courtney

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Adjuvants are essential components of vaccine formulations that enhance adaptive immune responses to antigens, particularly for immunizations targeting the tolerogenic mucosal tissues, which are more biologically relevant for protective immunity against pathogens transmitted by the mucosal routes. Adjuvants possess the inherent capacity to bridge innate and adaptive immune responses through activating innate immune mediators. Here evidence is presented in support of the effectiveness of a synthetic glycolipid, alpha-Galactosylceramide (-GalCer), as an adjuvant for mucosal immunization with peptide and protein antigens, by oral and intranasal routes, to prime antigen-specific immune responses in multiple systemic and mucosal compartments. The adjuvant activity of …

Chemical Modification And Biological Activity Exploration Of The Natural Product-Gossypol, Juanjuan Yin

All Dissertations

Gossypol is a naturally occurring, highly colored yellow pigment indigenous to the small intercellular pigment glands of the cotton plant genus Gossypium, which is proposed to be part of plant's defense system. Gossypol is characterized by wide contraceptive, antiviral, anticancer and antifungal properties. However, the relatively high toxicity of gossypol precludes its application in medical therapy. For this reason the syntheses and tests of gossypol derivatives, have been tried to enable their application as drugs. In our study, gossypol based methylation, glycosylation and nanoconjugate reactions were explored. The gossypol derivatives were all fully characterized by NMR, MS, FT-IR, UV spectrometry, …

Food Safety For 4-H Youth: A Survey Of Interests And Educational Methods, David C. Diehl, Dale W. Pracht, Larry F. Forthun, Amy H. Simonne

Journal of Extension

Improper food safety practices cause numerous illnesses and cost Americans billions of dollars each year. The study reported here addressed food safety issues by analyzing data from surveys with 4-H youth about their food safety attitudes, behaviors, and preferred methods of educational delivery. Analyses of gender differences indicate that males and females have distinct attitudes, behaviors, and preferences, necessitating more tailored educational approaches. Youth are most interested in food safety information that is fun, interactive, and built around cooking demonstrations. 4-H staff and others in Extension can optimize youth learning and practice change by approaching food safety from this experiential …

The Challenge Of Head & Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Control In Pakistan, Syed Mohammad Asad Zaidi, Nauman Fazal Manzoor, Shabbir Akhtar

Section of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery

No abstract provided.

Perceived Stigma Among Patients Receiving Antiretroviral Treatment: A Prospective Randomised Trial Comparing An M-Dot Strategy With Standard-Of-Care In Kenya, Susan Kaai, Sandra Bullock, Avina Sarna, Matthew Chersich, Stanley Luchters, Scott Geibel, Kishorchandra Mandaliya, Marleen Temmerman, Naomi Rutenberg

Population Health, East Africa

HIV and AIDS remain highly stigmatised. Modified directly observed therapy (m-DOT) supports antiretroviral treatment (ART) adherence but little is known about its association with perceived stigma in resource-constrained settings. In 2003, 234 HIV-infected adults enrolled in a two-arm randomised trial comparing a health centre-based m-DOT strategy with standard self-administration of ART. Data on perceived stigma were collected using Berger's HIV stigma scale prior to starting ART and after 12 months. This was a secondary analysis to examine whether perceived stigma was related to treatment delivery. Perceived stigma scores declined after 12 months of treatment from a mean of 44.9 (sd=7.6) …

The 71f Advantage: Applying Army Research Psychology For Health And Performance Gains, Paul T. Bartone, Ross H. Pastel, Mark A. Vaitkus

Books

This book grew out of paper presentations and discussions at the Army Research Psychology Biennial Conference held April 24–25, 2008, in Bethesda, Maryland. It provides a snapshot of groundbreaking research currently being done by Army research psychologists around the globe. The book illuminates the many contributions of Army research psychologists to supporting Soldiers and their families, as well as enhancing their performance and wellbeing.