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Haitian-Dominican Relations In Times Of Cholera: Migration, Public Health And Human Security On The Border, Erin Christine Coldsmith

Open Access Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine how the cholera outbreak in the Dominican Republic has affected the human security of both Haitians and Dominicans living in the Dominican Republic. Additionally, it explores whether the policies implemented to control the spread of cholera on the border with Haiti have been effective or have detrimentally affected the human security of the population of Dajabón. An ethnographic study was conducted in Dajabón, Dominican Republic from September 15, 2011 until October 21, 2011. Data was collected through observation, ethnographic mapping and semi-structured, open-ended interviews with residents, public officials and healthcare workers in …

The Good 5 Cent Cigar (4/27/2012), University Of Rhode Island

The Good 5 Cent Cigar (Student Newspaper Archives)

This is a digitized, downloadable version of the University of Rhode Island school newspaper.

Characterization And Manipulation Of Nanorods Via An Applied Magnetic Field, Summer Wu '13

Student Publications & Research

A remote system capable of controlling the motion of magnetic nanorods was created. Two different systems, electromagnets and magnetic stirrers, were used to create continuously changing magnetic fields thus applying a constant torque to make nanorods rotate as “nano stirbars”. The system was tested on three different types of synthesized nanorods: multi-segmented Ni/Au, pure Ni, and pure Au nanorods. Ni and Au were chosen due to the combination of the magnetic properties of Ni and the biocompatible properties of Au. Variables such as length, shape, and geometries of the nanorods were characterized by a scanning electron microscope and an atomic …

A Two-Stage Cluster Sampling Method Using Gridded Population Data, A Gis, And Google Earth(Tm) Imagery In A Population-Based Mortality Survey In Iraq, Lp Galway, Nathaniel Bell, Al Shatari Sae, Amy Hagopian, Gilbert Burnham, Abraham Flaxman, Wiliam M. Weiss, Julie Rajaratnam, Tim K. Takaro

Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND:

Mortality estimates can measure and monitor the impacts of conflict on a population, guide humanitarian efforts, and help to better understand the public health impacts of conflict. Vital statistics registration and surveillance systems are rarely functional in conflict settings, posing a challenge of estimating mortality using retrospective population-based surveys.

RESULTS:

We present a two-stage cluster sampling method for application in population-based mortality surveys. The sampling method utilizes gridded population data and a geographic information system (GIS) to select clusters in the first sampling stage and Google Earth TM imagery and sampling grids to select households in the second sampling …

Risk Factors For Secondary Infertility Among Women In Karachi, Pakistan., Neelofar Sami, Tazeen S. Ali, Saba Wasim, Sarah Saleem

Community Health Sciences

Background: Secondary infertility in developing countries is mostly attributable to blockage of the fallopian tubes due to adhesions caused by reproductive tract infections. There is a dearth of information on the prevalence and causes of secondary infertility from Pakistan. This paper presents results on factors associated with secondary infertility among married women in Karachi, Pakistan. Methods: A matched case-control study was conducted. Cases were women aged 15-35 years with history of at least one previous conception and currently seeking treatment for secondary infertility. Controls were women residing in the neighborhood of cases with at least one live birth and not …

A Two-Stage Cluster Sampling Method Using Gridded Population Data, A Gis, And Google Earth Tm Imagery In A Population-Based Mortality Survey In Iraq, Lindsay P. Galway, Nathaniel Bell Ph.D., Sahar A.E. Al Shatari, Amy Hagopian, Gilbert Burnham, Abraham Flaxman, Wiliam M. Weiss, Julie Rajaratnam, Tim K. Takaro

Publications

Background: Mortality estimates can measure and monitor the impacts of conflict on a population, guide humanitarian efforts, and help to better understand the public health impacts of conflict. Vital statistics registration and surveillance systems are rarely functional in conflict settings, posing a challenge of estimating mortality using retrospective population-based surveys.Results: We present a two-stage cluster sampling method for application in population-based mortality surveys. The sampling method utilizes gridded population data and a geographic information system (GIS) to select clusters in the first sampling stage and Google Earth TM imagery and sampling grids to select households in the second sampling stage. …

Semi-Interpenetrating Nanofiber Scaffolds For Transbuccal Drug Delivery, Donald Aduba Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The oral buccal mucosa is a promising absorption site for drug administration because it is permeable, highly vascularized and allows ease of administration. Although there are many platforms that have been used for drug delivery, nanofiber scaffolds as a platform for local or systemic drug delivery through the oral mucosa have not been fully explored. In this thesis, we fabricated a biocompatible electrospun gelatin nanofiber scaffold for local drug delivery at the oral mucosa. To stabilize the electrospun gelatin nanofibers and allow non-invasive incorporation of therapeutics into the scaffold, photo-reactive polyethylene-glycol (PEG)-diacrylate was employed to crosslink the scaffold to form …

Golden Rice: The Need, The Science, And Public Reception Of Gmos, Elizabeth A. Quemada

Honors Theses

Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) affects people all over the world. The most severely affected individuals are those in countries where access to Vitamin A rich foods such as dark leafy greens and dark red or orange vegetables, along with liver, eggs, and cheeses are not readily available. Vitamin A deficiency most harmfully affects young children, where it is needed for correct development, and pregnant women, where Vitamin A stores are depleted. Several methods have been put into action over the years in severely affected countries to help combat VAD. There are programs to increase the availability of Vitamin A in …

Screening Antimicrobial Activity Of Actinomycetes Isolated From Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, Arif Nurkanto, Heddy Julistiono, Andria Agusta

Makara Journal of Science

Penapisan Aktivitas Antimikroba dari Actinomycetes yang Diisolasi dari Raja Ampat, Papua Barat, Indonesia. Dalam rangka pencarian aktivitas antimikroba dari aktinomycetes di Papua, sebanyak seratus isolat Actinomycetes yang berasal dari tanah dan serasah dari beberapa ekosistem di Pulau Batanta dan Salawati, Papua Barat telah diuji. Sebanyak 200 ekstrak dari 100 isolat Actinomycetes telah diperoleh melalui dua tahap ekstraksi. Metabolit non polar diekstraksi menggunakan pelarut etil asetat : metanol (4:1), sedangkan metabolit polar diperoleh dari pemekatan medium menggunakan metode kering beku. Berdasarkan hasil pengujian menggunakan metode difusi agar, sebanyak 43 dari 200 ekstrak (21,5%) memiliki aktivitas antimikroba terhadap bakteri dan khamir (Escherichia …

Uterine Epithelial Cells Specifically Induce Interferon-Stimulated Genes In Response To Polyinosinic-Polycytidylic Acid Independently Of Estradiol, Mickey V. Patel, Mimi Ghosh, John V. Fahey, Charles R. Wira

Dartmouth Scholarship

Interferon β (IFNβ) is an antiviral cytokine secreted in response to pathogenic exposure that creates a restrictive intracellular environment through the action of downstream interferon-stimulated genes (ISG). The objective of this study was to examine the expression of IFNβ and ISG in both human uterine epithelial cells (UEC) and the ECC-1 uterine epithelial cell line and determine if expression changes with TLR stimulation and hormone exposure. Stimulation of primary uterine epithelial cells and ECC-1 cells with the TLR3 agonist poly (I∶C) induced the mRNA expression of IFNβ, MxA, OAS2 and PKR. Other TLR agonists including imiquimod and CpG had no …

Kadar Interferon Gamma Pada Kontak Serumah Dengan Penderita Tuberkulosis, Sri Andarini Indreswari, Suharyo Suharyo

Kesmas

Menurut World Health Organization sekitar sepertiga penduduk dunia telah terinfeksi kuman tuberkulosis dan deteksi dini pada kontak serumah dengan penderita memungkinkan upaya pengobatan dan pencegahan dilakukan dengan efektif. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk membandingkan hasil pemeriksaan tes Mantoux dengan pemeriksaan serologis kadar interferon gamma (IFN - γ) pada kelompok kontak serumah dengan penderita tuberkulosis yang mempunyai hasil pemeriksaan basil tahan asam (BTA) positif. Penelitian ini menggunakan desain kohort pada kelompok terpajan dan tidak terpajan pada penderita tuberkulosis (umur > 15 tahun). Pemilihan subjek dilakukan secara acak sederhana dan jumlah yang digunakan adalah 34 orang pada masing-masing kelompok. Penelitian ini menggunakan tes Mantoux …

Community Variation Of Gastrointestinal Parasites Found In Urban And Rural Coyotes (Canis Latrans) Of Calgary, Alberta, Alexander G. Watts, Shelley M. Alexander

Cities and the Environment (CATE)

We compared parasite variation in coyote feces collected in eight urban sites within Calgary, Alberta, to those in six rural sites outside the city limits. Four hundred and sixty fresh fecal samples (< 4 days old) were collected weekly between July 2009 and June 2010. Fecal flotation analysis identified parasites to the level of genus. We calculated parasite richness, diversity, and evenness. Parasite richness was significantly greater in rural than urban sites. Disparities in the parasite community included a significant variation in parasite richness, diversity, and evenness among rural and urban sites. Toxascaris leonina and Cystoisospora spp. were shared among all urban sites, while these species in addition to Taenia-like spp. and Trichuris spp. were shared among all rural sites. Both urban and rural sites yielded evidence of Toxocara canis, Taenia-like spp., and Giardia spp., which are potential zoonotic parasites. Toxocara canis was at highest prevalence in a core urban site, Inglewood Wildlands, which exhibits unique …

Supportive Housing For Families In Child Welfare: Client Characteristics And Risk Factors At Intake, Kellie G. Randall

Master's Theses

Many families involved in the child welfare system also face housing difficulties. Housing problems can disrupt family preservation efforts and delay reunifications from foster care. Supportive housing programs work with families who have dual vulnerabilities in housing and child welfare to integrate services and improve outcomes. Families in these programs might face barriers in addition to their housing and child welfare needs, but little is known about other risk factors in this population. This study uses a sample of 80 clients referred to a supportive housing for families program in order to examine the rate and prevalence of other risk …

Population Genetic Structure Of Aedes Polynesiensis In The Society Islands Of French Polynesia: Implications For Control Using A Wolbachia-Based Autocidal Strategy, Corey L. Brelsfoard, Stephen L. Dobson

Entomology Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Aedes polynesiensis is the primary vector of Wuchereria bancrofti in the South Pacific and an important vector of dengue virus. An improved understanding of the mosquito population genetics is needed for insight into the population dynamics and dispersal, which can aid in understanding the epidemiology of disease transmission and control of the vector. In light of the potential release of a Wolbachia infected strain for vector control, our objectives were to investigate the microgeographical and temporal population genetic structure of A. polynesiensis within the Society Islands of French Polynesia, and to compare the genetic background of a laboratory strain …

The Effectiveness Of Visual Aids In Motivational Counseling On Oral Health Literacy, Christian Peck

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine if motivational interviewing with written/illustrated infant oral health education provided to caregivers of pediatric dental patients increases caregivers’ oral health literacy compared to verbal only motivational instruction. Methods: This is a cohort study of caregivers and their child receiving oral health anticipatory guidance utilizing motivational interviewing with and without visual aids. Caregivers (N=20) of pediatric dental patients age 0-4 that presented to the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry for a new patient exam were recruited for the study. Caregivers were randomly assigned into 2 groups: the intervention group (IG), and …

Assessing The Genotoxicity Of Triclosan In Tadpoles Of The American Bullfrog, Lithobates Catesbeianus., David Emery

Theses and Dissertations

Amphibians are particularly sensitive to environmental degradation and, therefore, serve as effective environmental quality indicators. Research has suggested that amphibian declines are exacerbated by manmade environmental toxicants, especially those found in high concentrations in urban areas. The NIH has pinpointed genotoxicity as a major route of cancer causation, and has since developed stringent testing procedures for potentially hazardous chemicals. One such method, recognized for its simplicity and economy, is the micronucleus assay. A study was conducted assessing the genotoxicity of the widely used antimicrobial agent Triclosan to American Bullfrog tadpoles. Lithobates catesbeianus tadpoles were reared in glass aquaria containing ultra-high …

An Inquiry Into The Moral Question Of Xeno-Transplantation, Jonathan C. Okeke, Chris O. Akpan

Journal of Health Ethics

The practice of cross species transplantation has generated enormous controversies over time. Recently the lack of human organ donors has prompted an intense research effort throughout the medical community towards the possibility for animal organ transplants. Taking advantage of the overwhelming success of human to human transplantation, xeno-transplantation aims to reduce the demand-supply gap for organs. This paper examined whether the potentiality of saving thousands of lives should annihilate the ethical implications of xeno-transplantation and whether the possibility of ethical and health problems should overshadow the benefits of this new technology.

Determination Of Anti-Malarial Properties Of Delta Lactam Derivatives From Mycosynthetix Sample 232697, Alexander Gonzalez-Jacobo

Honors Thesis and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

The Evaluation Of Novel Beta-Lactam Antibiotics On Clinical Bacterial Isolates, Melvin Grimes

Academic Summit

The distribution and occurrence of multi-drug resistant bacteria is an increasing public health problem. The emergence of resistant bacteria makes the task of synthesizing new antibiotics imperative to combating these bacteria. In this study, new beta-lactam antibiotics are tested for broad spectrum activity using clinical E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus strains. The clinical isolates were grown on Mueller Hinton (MH) agar. The novel beta-lactam antibiotics were placed on sterile disc and placed on the MH plates, incubated overnight, and each zone of inhibition was measured. Our results show several novel antibiotics are effective against the clinical isolates.

Application Of Pharmacokinetics/Pharmacodynamics (Pk/Pd) In Designing Effective Antibiotic Treatment Regimens, Ghada F. Ahmed, Ayman Noreddin

Pharmacy Faculty Books and Book Chapters

"Designing antibiotic dosing regimens is often not optimal and the dose-response relationship for most antibiotics is not well-known1. Both Pharmacokinetics (PK) and Pharmacodynamics (PD) are characteristics of antimicrobial agents that should be considered in the development of effective antibiotic therapy. By linking the concentration time profile at the site of action to the drug effect (PK/PD), the effect of varying dosage regimens against pathogens could be simulated enabling the identification of effective dosage strategies. It is known that inadequate antibiotic dosing could not only lead to a therapeutic failure, but also to the development of bacterial resistance. Importantly, the evolution …

Demographics And Survival Of Aids Cases With Cancer, Washington, Dc, 1996-2006, Heather A. Young, Eric Engels, Anne-Marie Sufian-Kargbo, Alicia Vargas, Kathleen Rogers, Tiffany West, Amanda D. Castel

Epidemiology Faculty Publications

Background

Washington, DC (DC) has one of the highest HIV/AIDS rates in the U.S and cancer is the second leading cause of death among DC residents. This study sought to examine the demographic characteristics and survival of persons with AIDS defining cancers (ADCs) compared to those with non-AIDS defining cancers (NADCs) between the early HAART era (1996-2001) and the late HAART era (2002-2006) in DC.

Methods

Cases reported from 1996-2006 to the DC Cancer Registry and the AIDS Surveillance Registry were linked using a probabilistic matching algorithm. Cases were included if the cancer occurred from 4 months to 60 months …

Polyglutamine Toxicity Is Controlled By Prion Composition And Gene Dosage In Yeast, He Gong, Nina V. Romanova, Kim D. Allen, Pavithra Chandramowlishwaran, Kavita Gokhale, Gary P. Newnam, Piotr Miceczkowski, Michael Y. Sherman, Yury O. Chernoff

Publications and Research

Polyglutamine expansion causes diseases in humans and other mammals. One example is Huntington’s disease. Fragments of human huntingtin protein having an expanded polyglutamine stretch form aggregates and cause cytotoxicity in yeast cells bearing endogenous QN-rich proteins in the aggregated (prion) form. Attachment of the proline(P)-rich region targets polyglutamines to the large perinuclear deposit (aggresome). Aggresome formation ameliorates polyglutamine cytotoxicity in cells containing only the prion form of Rnq1 protein. Here we show that expanded polyglutamines both with (poly-QP) or without (poly-Q) a P-rich stretch remain toxic in the presence of the prion form of translation termination (release) factor Sup35 (eRF3). …

Mold Is Gold: But, Will It Be The Next Asbestos?, Thelma Jarman-Felstiner

Pepperdine Law Review

No abstract provided.

Using State And Local Health Survey Data To Advance Phssr, Glen P. Mays

Health Management and Policy Presentations

State and local health survey data can be used to evaluate the implementation and impact of public health delivery innovations in real-world practice settings.

Report: The Illinois State University Faculty-Staff Newsletter, April 17, 2012, Illinois State University

Illinois State University Report (1966-2012)

Illinois State University bi-weekly employee newsletter.

Health And Empires: Implications For Political Development On The Health Of The Inhabitants Of Great Moravia (9th--10th Centuries), Megan Michelle Ellicott

Anthropology

The early medieval period was a time of great change in Europe. Politically thee empires ruled Europe: Charlemagne's Carolingian Empire, the Holy Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire. During this time early cities began to form in Europe, and new patterns of settlement developed. Great Moravia was a state level society in the southeastern region of the Czech Republic during the late 9th and early 10th centuries. This thesis explores the impact of urban development on the health of its inhabitants. In order to do this, rural (Josefov and Lahovice) and urban (Mikulcice-Kostelisko) skeletal populations were examined for cribra orbitalia, …

Effect Of Local Anesthesia On Postoperative Pain With General Anesthesia, Belinda Campbell

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine if the use of local anesthesia with general anesthesia results in less postoperative pain. The alternative hypothesis is that children will experience less postoperative discomfort when utilizing intraligamental local anesthetic during the intra-operative time period. Methods: Patients were recruited for this single blind, randomized, prospective cohort study with the following inclusion criteria: English speaking children age 3-6 years, ASA I/II requiring general anesthesia for dental treatment. Randomization was done to place patients in groups of no local anesthetic vs. local anesthetic administration. A Wong-Baker Faces Pain Scale was utilized to evaluate …

Policy And Food Security: A Comparison Of Viet Nam And India, Roxanne Nicole Buckman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

The following project investigates the important links between state policy decisions and food security by comparing the cases of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam and the Republic of India. In this way, the project demonstrates how policy decisions impact food security by determining what a state does with its food resources. Each case study describes the types of policies pursued by the respective countries as well as the state of food (in)security within the population. The findings are then analyzed alongside one another to compare and contrast the different policy approaches and resulting food security situations. This analysis shows …

Heart's Blood: A Biography Of Lemuel Whitley Diggs, Richard Harold Nollan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

This dissertation examines the career of Lemuel Whitley Diggs, who joined the faculty in 1929 at the University of Tennessee Medical Units in Memphis. As a white doctor, he spent his career seeking more effective therapies for patients afflicted with sickle cell anemia, which was considered a black disease, a racial marker, and a sign of black inferiority. His most insightful contributions to understanding sickle cell occurred in the 1930s and 1940s while he was relatively unknown except to a handful of sickle cell researchers nationwide. By the late 1940s, storing blood for later transfusion became a practical reality, enabling …

Epizootic Of Beak Deformities In Alaska: Investigation Of An Emerging Avian Disease, Caroline Van Hemert

Biological Sciences

The sudden appearance of morphological abnormalities in a wild population is often associated with underlying ecological disturbances, including those related to introduction of new pathogens or pollutants. An epizootic of beak deformities recently documented among Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) and other resident bird species in Alaska has raised concern about underlying causes. This dissertation describes results from several recent studies of what we have termed "avian keratin disorder." The primary objectives of the research were to characterize the physiology and pathology of beak deformities and to address specific ecological questions related to this emerging avian disease. In a study of …