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The Composition And Stability Of The Vaginal Microbiota Of Normal Pregnant Women Is Different From That Of Non-Pregnant Women, Roberto Romero, Sonia S. Hassan, Pawel Gajer, Adi L. Tarca, Douglas W. Fadrosh, Lorraine Nikita, Marisa Galuppi, Ronald F. Lamont, Piya Chaemsaithong, Jezid Miranda, Tinnakorn Chaiworapongsa, Jacques Ravel

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

This study was undertaken to characterize the vaginal microbiota throughout normal human pregnancy using sequence-based techniques. We compared the vaginal microbial composition of non-pregnant patients with a group of pregnant women who delivered at term.

Results

A retrospective case–control longitudinal study was designed and included non-pregnant women (n = 32) and pregnant women who delivered at term (38 to 42 weeks) without complications (n = 22). Serial samples of vaginal fluid were collected from both non-pregnant and pregnant patients. A 16S rRNA gene sequence-based survey was conducted using pyrosequencing to characterize the structure and stability of the vaginal …

Back Matter, North American Bird Bander

North American Bird Bander

No abstract provided.

A Qualitative Study Of Supervisees’ Internal Representations Of Supervisors, Sarah Knox, William Caperton, David Phelps, Nate Pruitt

College of Education Faculty Research and Publications

Eleven US-based doctoral student supervisees were interviewed regarding their internal representations (IRs) of their clinical supervisors. Data were analyzed using consensual qualitative research. In speaking about their overall IR experiences, supervisees reported that their exposure to IRs occurred at off-site practicum placements. The IRs, which were both spontaneous and intentionally invoked, usually were auditory in form, were stimulated by supervisees’ clinical work, were used to guide their clinical performance, and were considered a normal part of their development. When describing one specific IR, supervisees characterized the relationship with the supervisor as positive, and noted that supervision focused on clinical interventions. …

Climate Change Triage, Noah M. Sachs

Law Faculty Publications

Climate change is the first global triage crisis. It is caused by the overuse of a severely limited natural resource—the atmosphere’s capacity to absorb greenhouse gases—and millions of lives depend on how international law allocates this resource among nations.

This Article is the first to explore solutions for climate change mitigation through the lens of triage ethics, drawing on law, philosophy, moral theory, and economics. The literature on triage ethics—developed in contexts such as battlefield trauma, organ donation, emergency medicine, and distribution of food and shelter—has direct implications for climate change policy and law, yet it has been overlooked by …

Sox, Corporate Transparency, And The Cost Of Debt, Sandro Andrade, Gennaro Bernile, Frederick Hood

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

We investigate the impact of the Sarbanes–Oxley (SOX) Act on the cost of debt through its effect on the reliability of financial reporting. Using Credit Default Swap (CDS) spreads and a structural CDS pricing model, we calibrate a firm-level corporate opacity parameter in the pre- and post-SOX periods. Our analysis shows that corporate opacity and the cost of debt decrease significantly after SOX. The median firm in our sample experiences an 18 bp reduction on its five-year CDS spread as a result of lower opacity following SOX, amounting to total annual savings of $ 844 million for the 252 firms …

External Validation Of The Garvan Nomograms For Predicting Absolute Fracture Risk: The Tromso Study, Luai A. Ahmed, Nguyen D. Nguyen, Ashild Bjornerem, Ragnar M. Joakimsen, Lone Jorgensen, Jan Stormer, Dana Bliuc, Jacqueline R. Center, John A. Eisman, Tuan V. Nguyen, Nina Emaus

Medical Papers and Journal Articles

Background: Absolute risk estimation is a preferred approach for assessing fracture risk and treatment decision making. This study aimed to evaluate and validate the predictive performance of the Garvan Fracture Risk Calculator in a Norwegian cohort.

Methods: The analysis included 1637 women and 1355 aged 60+ years from the Tromsø study. All incident fragility fractures between 2001 and 2009 were registered. The predicted probabilities of non-vertebral osteoporotic and hip fractures were determined using models with and without BMD. The discrimination and calibration of the models were assessed.Reclassification analysis was used to compare the models performance.

Results: The incidence of osteoporotic …

High Expression Of Cathepsin E In Tissues But Not Blood Of Patients With Barrett’S Esophagus And Adenocarcinoma, Oliver M. Fisher, Angelique J. Levert-Mignon, Sarah J. Lord, Natalie K. Botelho, Araluen K. Freeman, Melissa L. Thomas, Dan Falkenback, Antony Wettstein, David C. Whiteman, Yuri V. Bobryshev, Reginald V. Lord

Medical Papers and Journal Articles

Background Cathepsin E (CTSE), an aspartic proteinase, is differentially expressed in the metaplasia–dysplasia–neoplasia sequence of gastric and colon cancer. We evaluated CTSE in Barrett’s esophagus (BE) and cancer because increased CTSE levels are linked to improved survival in several cancers, and other cathepsins are up-regulated in BE and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Methods A total of 273 pretreatment tissues from 199 patients were analyzed [31 normal squamous esophagus (NE), 29 BE intestinal metaplasia, 31 BE with dysplasia (BE/D), 108 EAC]. CTSE relative mRNA expression was measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction, and protein expression was measured by immunohistochemistry. CTSE serum levels …

Domestic Violence Is A Leading Risk Factor In Default From Colposcopy Services, Rachael R. Collier, Julie Quinlivan

Medical Papers and Journal Articles

Aim: Domestic violence is common in women and is associated with poorer healthcare outcomes. However, no causal pathway has been identified to explain this observation. We have followed a cohort of women to determine whether poorer outcomes can be explained by high rates of default and lost to follow up.

Methods: A prospective cohort study was performed. Institutional ethics approval was obtained. Participants were consecutive patients attending colposcopy clinics at a major metropolitan hospital in Australia. Following ascertainment of domestic violence status, appointment outcomes for colposcopy services were tracked for a three-year period. Multivariate analysis was undertaken to determine demographic …

Management Of Behavioural Change In Patients Presenting With A Diagnosis Of Dementia: A Video Vignette Study With Australian General Practitioners, M Jiwa, P Nichols, P Magin, G Pagey, X Meng, R Parsons, V Pillai

Medical Papers and Journal Articles

Objective: To test the impact of feedback on the proposed management of standardised patients presenting with behavioural change with a diagnosis of dementia in Australian primary care.

Materials and methods: A video vignette study was performed with Australian general practitioners (GPs) in 2013. Participants viewed six pairs of matched videos depicting people presenting changed behavior in the context of a dementia diagnosis in two phases. In both phases GPs indicated their diagnosis and management. After phase 1, GPs were offered feedback on management strategies for the patients depicted. Analyses focused on identification of change in management between the two phases …

Rating General Practitioner Consultation Performance In Cancer Care: Does The Specialty Of Assessors Matter? A Simulated Patient Study, M Jiwa, G Halkett, X Meng, M Berg

Medical Papers and Journal Articles

Background: Patients treated for prostate cancer may present to general practitioners (GPs) for treatment follow up, but may be reticent to have their consultations recorded. Therefore the use of simulated patients allows practitioner consultations to be rated. The aim of this study was to determine whether the speciality of the assessor has an impact on how GP consultation performance is rated.

Methods: Six pairs of scenarios were developed for professional actors in two series of consultations by GPs. The scenarios included: chronic radiation proctitis, Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) ‘bounce’, recurrence of cancer, urethral stricture, erectile dysfunction and depression or anxiety. …

'Workshops In Healing' For Senior Medical Students: 5 Year Overview And Appraisal, John Kearsley, Elizabeth Lobb

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

We report upon the design, content and feedback from an interactive, experiential series of Workshops in Healing for senior medical students. Fifty-six final year medical students enrolled in 2×3 h workshops designed around the core themes of ‘physician know thyself’ (Workshop 1) and ‘confronting suffering’ (Workshop 2). Of the 56 students who initially enrolled, 48 students completed both workshops and provided a written openended reflection of their learning experience. The study, undertaken over a consecutive 5-year period (2008–2012), employed an emergent, qualitative design using thematic analysis of the reflective comments. We found that the design and content of both workshops …

The Importance Of Translating Evidence Into Practice In Counseling Individuals With Life-Threatening Illness, Elizabeth Lobb

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

A review of Counseling Individuals with Life-Threatening Illness (2nd Edition) by Kenneth J Doka. New York: Springer Publishing Company, 2013. 324 pp. (ISBN: 978-0826195814).

Odorant And Gustatory Receptors In The Tsetse Fly Glossina Morsitans Morsitans, George F.O. Obiero, Paul O. Mireji, Steven R.G. Nyanjom, Alan Christoffels, Hugh M. Robertson, Daniel K. Masiga

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Tsetse flies use olfactory and gustatory responses, through odorant and gustatory receptors (ORs and GRs), to interact with their environment. Glossina morsitans morsitans genome ORs and GRs were annotated using homologs of these genes in Drosophila melanogaster and an ab initio approach based on OR and GR specific motifs in G. m. morsitans gene models coupled to gene ontology (GO). Phylogenetic relationships among the ORs or GRs and the homologs were determined using Maximum Likelihood estimates. Relative expression levels among the G. m. morsitans ORs or GRs were established using RNA-seq data derived from adult female fly. Overall, 46 and …

Serological Surveillance Development For Tropical Infectious Diseases Using Simultaneous Microsphere-Based Multiplex Assays And Finite Mixture Models, Yoshito Fujii, Satoshi Kaneko, Samson Muuo Nzou, Matilu Mwau, Sammy M. Njenga, Chihiro Tanigawa, James Kimotho, Anne Wanjiru Mwangi, Ibrahim Kiche, Sohkichi Matsumoto, Mamiko Niki, Mayuko Osada-Oka, Yoshio Ichinose, Manabu Inoue, Makoto Itoh, Hiroshi Tachibana, Kazunari Ishii, Takafumi Tsuboi, Lay Myint Yoshida, Dinesh Mondal, Rashidul Haque, Shinjiro Hamano, Mwatasa Changoma, Tomonori Hoshi, Ken Ichi Kamo, Mohamed Karama, Masashi Miura, Kenji Hirayama

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Background:A strategy to combat infectious diseases, including neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), will depend on the development of reliable epidemiological surveillance methods. To establish a simple and practical seroprevalence detection system, we developed a microsphere-based multiplex immunoassay system and evaluated utility using samples obtained in Kenya.Methods:We developed a microsphere-based immuno-assay system to simultaneously measure the individual levels of plasma antibody (IgG) against 8 antigens derived from 6 pathogens: Entamoeba histolytica (C-IgL), Leishmania donovani (KRP42), Toxoplasma gondii (SAG1), Wuchereria bancrofti (SXP1), HIV (gag, gp120 and gp41), and Vibrio cholerae (cholera toxin). The assay system was validated using appropriate control samples. The assay …

Laboratory Colonisation And Genetic Bottlenecks In The Tsetse Fly Glossina Pallidipes, Marc Ciosi, Daniel K. Masiga, Charles M.R. Turner

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Background:The IAEA colony is the only one available for mass rearing of Glossina pallidipes, a vector of human and animal African trypanosomiasis in eastern Africa. This colony is the source for Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) programs in East Africa. The source population of this colony is unclear and its genetic diversity has not previously been evaluated and compared to field populations.Methodology/Principal Findings:We examined the genetic variation within and between the IAEA colony and its potential source populations in north Zimbabwe and the Kenya/Uganda border at 9 microsatellites loci to retrace the demographic history of the IAEA colony. We performed classical …

Accurate Calculations Of Rotationally Inelastic Scattering Cross Sections Using Mixed Quantum/Classical Theory, Alexander Semenov, Dmitri Babikov

Chemistry Faculty Research and Publications

For computational treatment of rotationally inelastic scattering of molecules, we propose to use the mixed quantum/classical theory, MQCT. The old idea of treating translational motion classically, while quantum mechanics is used for rotational degrees of freedom, is developed to the new level and is applied to Na + N₂ collisions in a broad range of energies. Comparison with full-quantum calculations shows that MQCT accurately reproduces all, even minor, features of energy dependence of cross sections, except scattering resonances at very low energies. The remarkable success of MQCT opens up wide opportunities for computational predictions of inelastic scattering cross sections …

A Systems Biology Approach To Detect Eqtls Associated With Mirna And Mrna Co-Expression Networks In The Nucleus Accumbens Of Chronic Alcoholic Patients, Mohammed Mamdani

Theses and Dissertations

Alcohol Dependence (AD) is a chronic substance use disorder with moderate heritability (60%). Linkage and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have implicated a number of loci; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying AD are unclear. Advances in systems biology allow genome-wide expression data to be integrated with genetic data to detect expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL), polymorphisms that regulate gene expression levels, influence phenotypes and are significantly enriched among validated genetic signals for many commonly studied traits including AD.

We integrated genome-wide mRNA and miRNA expression data with genotypic data from the nucleus accumbens (NAc), a major addiction-related brain region, of 36 …

Rhetorical Ripples: The Church Of The Subgenius, Kenneth Burke & Comic, Symbolic Tinkering, Lee A. Carleton

Theses and Dissertations

Humor has long been an effective way to engage difficult sociopolitical topics in a way that avoids polemical confrontation and provides opportunity for pleasure, catharsis and self-knowledge. In the context of today’s polarized politics and protest, creative satirical performance that deploys “symbolic tinkering” can provide a “comic frame of reference” that, according to Kenneth Burke, more effectively conveys its message while providing reflexive insight. The satirical Church of the SubGenius naturally practices this rhetorical frame in their multimedia creations. Using the lens of Burke’s Attitudes Toward History, this essay is an analysis of SubGenius rhetoric with a focus on …

Pyrene-Derived Porous Organic Polymers: Design, Synthesis, And Application To Gas Storage And Separation, Ali Kemal Sekizkardes Phd

Theses and Dissertations

Porous organic polymers (POPs) received great attention in recent years because of their novel properties such as permanent porosity, adjustable chemical nature, and remarkable thermal and chemical stability. These attractive features make POPs very promising candidates for use in gas separation and storage applications. In particular, CO₂ capture and separation from gas mixtures by POPs have been intensively investigated in recent years because of the greenhouse nature of CO₂, which is considered a leading cause for global warming. CO₂ chemical absorption by amine solutions from the flue gas of coal-fired power plants suffers from several challenges …

Transportation Safety In Virginia: Positive Changes And Future Prospects, Nouran Hakami

Theses and Dissertations

Measured by the level of transportation safety, the Commonwealth of Virginia stands out from all the States because despite increased need for mobility, it manages to maintain its safety indices at exceptionally good levels. In many respects we can attribute this success to the comprehensive Strategic Highway Safety Plan of Virginia (SHSP), which is, as concluded from the analysis of its analogues, among the best in the US. The programs and policies described in this document embrace all aspects of transportation safety and create a harmonious system. To assess the effectiveness of the SHSP, this thesis used correlation and regression …

The E-Volving Picturebook: Examining The Impact Of New E-Media/Technologies On Its Form, Content And Function (And On The Child Reader), Stella K. Reinhard

Theses and Dissertations

The technology of the codex book and the habit of reading appear to be under attack currently for a variety of reasons explored in the Introduction of this Dissertation. One natural response to attack is a resulting effort to adapt in a bid to survive. Noël Carroll, leading American philosopher in the contemporary philosophy of art, touches on this concept in his discussion of the evolution of a new medium in his article, “Medium Specificity Arguments and Self-Consciously Invented Arts: Film, Video, and Photography,” from his Cambridge University Press 1996 text, Theorizing the Moving Image. Carroll proposes that any …

Longitudinal Relations Between Peer Victimization And Delinquency: The Mediating Roles Of Sadness, Fear, And Anger, Lisa J. Ulmer

Theses and Dissertations

Peer victimization is a common occurrence among youth, and it has been linked to a number of negative outcomes, including delinquent behaviors (e.g., physical aggression, theft/property damage, and substance use). Several studies examined relations between peer victimization and delinquency, though few have done so longitudinally or examined whether negative emotions are underlying processes that explain associations between these constructs. The current study’s purpose is to examine whether several negative emotions (i.e., anger, fear, and sadness) mediate relations between several types of peer victimization and delinquency among middle and high school youths. The study’s sample of 318 youths was predominately African …

Design And Validation Of A Computational Model For Study Of Scapholunate Joint Kinematics, Edward J. Tremols

Theses and Dissertations

As computational power has increased, computational modeling has become a very promising tool to model the biomechanics of complex joint systems. Musculoskeletal computational models have become more complex when compared to original iterations which utilized a number of simplifications. This thesis utilized a three-dimensional computational model of the wrist joint structure to investigate scapholunate kinematics. The model accurately represented the bony anatomy of the wrist and hand and represented soft tissue structures such as ligaments, tendons, and other surrounding tissues. Creation of the model was done using commercially available computer-aided design and medical image processing software, and utilized the rigid …

The Contribution Of Parent Psychosocial Functioning To Parental Monitoring, Youth Adherence, And Glycemic Control During Adolescence, Elizabeth M. Robinson

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: Type 1 diabetes is one of the most common pediatric chronic illnesses. Adolescents are at risk for poorer adherence and in turn, poorer glycemic control; however, youth whose parents remain involved in diabetes care are in better control. A parent’s level of involvement is dependent in part upon his or her own social and emotional functioning. Much is known about the link between separate aspects of parent psychosocial functioning (e.g., depressive symptoms, parental stress) and parent involvement in diabetes care, adherence, and glycemic control. However, no study to our knowledge has examined these constructs simultaneously as they interrelate …

2014-01-00 Newsletter, Morehead State University. Staff Congress.

Staff Congress Records

Staff Congress newsletter for January of 2014.

Developing A Caenorhabditis Elegans Model For Marfan Syndrome, Pauline Fotopoulos

Theses and Dissertations

Marfan Syndrome (MFS) is one of the most common monogenic diseases and affects approximately 1 in 5,000 individuals worldwide. The syndrome is characterized by elongated extremities, tall stature, slender frame, and cardiac, and vision abnormalities due to severe connective tissue defects. It is caused by mutations in the fbn1 gene, which encodes an extracellular matrix glycoprotein, and is required for proper cardiac and skeletal development and for sequestration of TGFβ (transforming growth factor beta) and BMP (bone morphogenetic protein) within the extracellular matrix (ECM). The primary objective of this study was to establish a C.elegans MFS model and use this …

Christian And Muslim Mutual Relatedness And Directedness As Our Common Destiny In The Balkans, Marko Djurić

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The author gives his own religious perspective about mutual relatedness and directedness between Christians and Muslims in the Balkans. According to him, the relatedness and directedness between Orthodox Christians and Sunni Muslims in the Balkans were never at the level of which one could be proud. The contemporary historical moment it is important to improve contacts not only between Christians and Muslims, but also between their religious institutions. This relation would not harm their identity, but would only enrich and help building religious peace among believers on the Balkans. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to know the …

Toward A Public Health Legal Structure For Child Welfare, Josh Gupta-Kagan

Nebraska Law Review

The present American child welfare system infringes upon the fundamental liberty interests of millions of children and parents, is adversarial and punitive, and fails to prevent child maltreatment or protect children adequately from its most severe forms. Many in the field now recognize that a public health model would more effectively support the parent–child relationship and protect children from maltreatment than the current paradigm. Despite much attention to such an approach, the field has yet to develop a clear vision for how the law could or should support a public health approach or shape the actions of individuals and institutions …

Interpreting The Meaning Of “Corruptly Persuades”: Why The Ninth Circuit Got It Right In United States V. Doss, 630 F.3d 1181 (9th Cir. 2011), Daniel Leddy

Nebraska Law Review

The prosecution and deterrence of witness tampering is unmistakably a major concern of our criminal justice system. Indeed, “[w]ithout the cooperation of victims and witnesses, the criminal justice system would cease to function.” As important as this concern is, however, there must be clear limits on what type of conduct comprises witness tampering in the eyes of the law. Congress has laid out those limits in 18 U.S.C. § 1512—the federal witness tampering statute. Section 1512(b) prohibits the corrupt persuasion of another person with the intent to impede an official proceeding. Unfortunately, courts apply different interpretations of § 1512(b), resulting …

Indexes To Volume 92

Nebraska Law Review

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