Digital Commons Network^™

Status Of The World’S Baleen Whales, Peter O. Thomas, Randall R. Reeves, Robert L. Brownell Jr.

United States Department of Commerce: Staff Publications

No global synthesis of the status of baleen whales has been published since the 2008 IUCN Red List assessments. Many populations remain at low numbers from historical commercial whaling, which had ceased for all but a few by 1989. Fishing gear entanglement and ship strikes are the most severe current threats. The acute and long-term effects of anthropogenic noise and the cumulative effects of multiple stressors are of concern but poorly understood. The looming consequences of climate change and ocean acidification remain difficult to characterize. North Atlantic and North Pacific right whales are among the species listed as Endangered. Southern …

Dynamics Of Virus Shedding And In Situ Confirmation Of Chelonid Herpesvirus 5 In Hawaiian Green Turtles With Fibropapillomatosis, T. M. Work, J. Dagenais, G. H. Balazs, N. Schettle, M. Ackermann

United States Department of Commerce: Staff Publications

Cancers in humans and animals can be caused by viruses, but virus-induced tumors are considered to be poor sites for replication of intact virions (lytic replication). Fibropapillomatosis (FP) is a neoplastic disease associated with a herpesvirus, chelonid herpesvirus 5 (ChHV5), that affects green turtles globally. ChHV5 probably replicates in epidermal cells of tumors, because epidermal intranuclear inclusions (EIIs) contain herpesvirus-like particles. However, although EIIs are a sign of herpesvirus replication, they have not yet been firmly linked to ChHV5. Moreover, the dynamics of viral shedding in turtles are unknown, and there are no serological reagents to confirm actual presence of …

Dominicanas Redefining Hiv In San Pedro De Macorís, Emily Frances Surico

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

This study explored the social support among women impacted by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) living in the Province of San Pedro de Macorís, República Dominicana. Social support is one way that social networks can influence health status. Social networks impact health behaviors and overall health outcomes which include infectious diseases, morbidity rates, and mortality rates. Social networks can promote health and minimize risky behavior: “cohesive, supportive networks may themselves blunt stressful experiences and enable people to resist risky behavior and maintain healthier choices” (Berkman, Kawachi, & Krishna, 2014, p. 248). Qualitative methods were used to explore how social support systems …

Restoring The Parameters Of Public Health In A Time Of Hobby Lobby And Ebola: The Case For A Wellness Account, John D. Blum

Belmont Law Review

The genesis of this piece lies in two seemingly unrelated events in law and public health, the governmental response to the Ebola crisis, and the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, sparked by religious objections to certain employer mandates under the Affordable Care Act. While this essay focuses on the Burwell v. Hobby Lobby case and not Ebola, its core premise is that health policy is best served when government authorities focus strategies and responses within the parameters of individual and population concern. This piece will propose an alternative approach to women’s health promotion, a wellness account, …

Uab Magazine - Spring 2015, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

UAB Magazine

No abstract provided.

Identification Of Circulating Biomarkers In Sera Of Plasmodium Knowlesi-Infected Malaria Patients - Comparison Against Plasmodium Vivax Infection, Yeng Chen, Choon K. Chan, Jesinda P. Kerishnan, Yee Ling Lau, Yin Ling Wong, Subash Chandra Bose Gopinath

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

Background: Plasmodium knowlesi was identified as the fifth major malaria parasite in humans. It presents severe clinical symptoms and leads to mortality as a result of hyperparasitemia in a short period of time. This study aimed to improve the current understanding of P. knowlesi and identify potential biomarkers for knowlesi malaria. Methods: In the present study, we have employed two-dimensional gel electrophoresis-coupled immunoblotting techniques and mass spectrometry to identify novel circulating markers in sera from P. knowlesi-infected patients. Specifically, we have compared serum protein profiles from P. knowlesi-infected patients against those of healthy or P. vivax-infected individuals. Results: We identified …

Differential Expression Of Basal Micrornas' Patterns In Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells, P. Vasanthan, V. Govindasamy, N. Gnanasegaran, W. Kunasekaran, S. Musa, N.H. Abu Kasim

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate translation of mRNA into protein and play a crucial role for almost all biological activities. However, the identification of miRNAs from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), especially from dental pulp, is poorly understood. In this study, dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) were characterized in terms of their proliferation and differentiation capacity. Furthermore, 104 known mature miRNAs were profiled by using real-time PCR. Notably, we observed 19 up-regulated miRNAs and 29 significantly down-regulated miRNAs in DPSCs in comparison with bone marrow MSCs (BM-MSCs). The 19 up-regulated miRNAs were subjected to ingenuity analysis, which were …

Antibiograms, Resistance Genes, Class I Integrons And Pfge Profiles Of Zoonotic Salmonella In Malaysia, M.G. Abatcha, Z. Zakaria, K.D. Gurmeet, Kwai Lin Thong

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

Salmonella infections occur worldwide, in both developed and developing countries, and a major contributor to morbidity and economic costs. A total of 32 Salmonella isolates isolated from dogs (n=15/162), cats (n=1/126) and snakes (n=16/42) in the Klang valley, Peninsular Malaysia during 2012-2013, were used in this study and 6 serovars were identified. The isolates were then characterized for their susceptibility to commonly used antimicrobial agents using the standard disk diffusion method. The presence of relevant resistance genes and class 1 integrons were investigated by using PCR. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was carried out to determine the genetic diversity of these …

Outlook Magazine, Autumn 2015

Outlook Magazine

No abstract provided.

Species-Specific Transmission Of Novel Picornaviruses In Lemurs, Efrem S. Lim, Sharon L. Deem, Ingrid J. Porton, Song Cao, David Wang

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Stratification Of Surgical Site Infection By Operative Factors And Comparison Of Infection Rates After Hernia Repair, Margaret A. Olsen, Katelin B. Nickel, Anna E. Wallace, Daniel Mines, Victoria J. Fraser, David K. Warren

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Isolation Of Leclercia Adecarboxylata From A Patient With A Subungual Splinter., Rina Allawh, Brendan J Camp

Medicine Faculty Publications

Leclercia adecarboxylata is a rarely described motile, aerobic, gram-negative bacillus reported to cause clinically significant solitary infections in immunocompromised patients and polymicrobial wound infections in immunocompetent patients [1-5]. We present a case of a polymicrobial infection including L. adecarboxylata in a healthy female patient with a subungual splinter, to increase awareness and aid in the diagnosis and treatment of cutaneous L. adecarboxylata infections. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of trauma-related subungual L. adecarboxylata infection reported in the dermatology literature.

Repeated Plasmodium Vivax Malaria Relapses In A Peruvian Sailor., Adam P. Mcfarland, Juan F Sanchez, Alejandro Mercado, Julio A Ventocilla, Sofia Cavalcanti, Sofia Gonzalez, Andres G Lescano

Medicine Faculty Publications

Two Plasmodium vivax recurrences in a Peruvian sailor with weight above the 60 kg (cap for primaquine dosage) highlight the importance of adequate radical cure weight dosage for patient treatment and control efforts, particularly within the military.

Composition, Taxonomy And Functional Diversity Of The Oropharynx Microbiome In Individuals With Schizophrenia And Controls., Eduardo Castro-Nallar, Matthew L Bendall, Marcos Pérez-Losada, Sarven Sabuncyan, Emily G Severance, Faith B Dickerson, Jennifer R Schroeder, Robert H Yolken, Keith A Crandall

Computational Biology Institute

The role of the human microbiome in schizophrenia remains largely unexplored. The microbiome has been shown to alter brain development and modulate behavior and cognition in animals through gut-brain connections, and research in humans suggests that it may be a modulating factor in many disorders. This study reports findings from a shotgun metagenomic analysis of the oropharyngeal microbiome in 16 individuals with schizophrenia and 16 controls. High-level differences were evident at both the phylum and genus levels, with Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria dominating both schizophrenia patients and controls, and Ascomycota being more abundant in schizophrenia patients than controls. Controls …

An Innovative Interactive Modeling Tool To Analyze Scenario-Based Physician Workforce Supply And Demand, Saurabh Gupta, W. Stephen Black-Schaffer, James M. Crawford, David Gross, Donald S. Karcher, Jill Kaufman, +13 Additional Authors

Pathology Faculty Publications

Effective physician workforce management requires that the various organizations comprising the House of Medicine be able to assess their current and future workforce supply. This information has direct relevance to funding of graduate medical education. We describe a dynamic modeling tool that examines how individual factors and practice variables can be used to measure and forecast the supply and demand for existing and new physician services. The system we describe, while built to analyze the pathologist workforce, is sufficiently broad and robust for use in any medical specialty. Our design provides a computer-based software model populated with data from surveys …

Gene Function In Schistosomes: Recent Advances Toward A Cure, Arnon D. Jurburg, Paul J. Brindley

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Dual Transcriptomic Profiling Of Host And Microbiota During Health And Disease In Pediatric Asthma., Marcos Pérez-Losada, Eduardo Castro-Nallar, Matthew L. Bendall, Robert J. Freishtat, Keith A. Crandall

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: High-throughput sequencing (HTS) analysis of microbial communities from the respiratory airways has heavily relied on the 16S rRNA gene. Given the intrinsic limitations of this approach, airway microbiome research has focused on assessing bacterial composition during health and disease, and its variation in relation to clinical and environmental factors, or other microbiomes. Consequently, very little effort has been dedicated to describing the functional characteristics of the airway microbiota and even less to explore the microbe-host interactions. Here we present a simultaneous assessment of microbiome and host functional diversity and host-microbe interactions from the same RNA-seq experiment, while accounting for …

Adar1 Facilitates Hiv-1 Replication In Primary Cd4+ T Cells., Eloy Cuadrado, Thijs Booiman, John L Van Hamme, Machiel H Jansen, Karel A Van Dort, Adeline Vanderver, Gillian I Rice, Yanick J Crow, Neeltje A Kootstra, Taco W Kuijpers

Neurology Faculty Publications

Unlike resting CD4+ T cells, activated CD4+T cells are highly susceptible to infection of human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1). HIV-1 infects T cells and macrophages without activating the nucleic acid sensors and the anti-viral type I interferon response. Adenosine deaminase acting on RNA 1 (ADAR1) is an RNA editing enzyme that displays antiviral activity against several RNA viruses. Mutations in ADAR1 cause the autoimmune disorder Aicardi-Goutieères syndrome (AGS). This disease is characterized by an inappropriate activation of the interferon-stimulated gene response. Here we show that HIV-1 replication, in ADAR1-deficient CD4+T lymphocytes from AGS patients, is blocked at the level of …

Mitral Subvalvular Aneurysm In A Patient With Chagas Disease And Recurrent Episodes Of Ventricular Tachycardia., Tereza Augusta Grillo, Guilherme Rafael S Athayde, Ana Flávia L Belfort, Reynaldo C Miranda, Andrea Z. Beaton, Bruno R Nascimento

Neurology Faculty Publications

Subvalvular left ventricular aneurysm is a rare disease of obscure origin suggesting unique causes such as congenital, traumatic, and inflammatory or infectious diseases. Its mortality is closely related to heart failure, mitral insufficiency, thromboembolic phenomena, and cardiac arrhythmias. Although association with coronary artery disease is not described, the compression of epicardial vessels by the aneurysm may lead to ischemic manifestations. We report here a case of mitral subvalvular left ventricular aneurysm of probable chagasic origin, in a patient with normal left ventricular function evolving with repeated episodes of monomorphic ventricular tachycardia, despite noninducible electrophysiological testing and the use of optimal …

Scaling Down To Scale Up: A Health Economic Analysis Of Integrating Point-Of-Care Syphilis Testing Into Antenatal Care In Zambia During Pilot And National Rollout Implementation., Katharine D. Shelley, Éimhín M. Ansbro, Alexander Tshaka Ncube, Sedona Sweeney, Colette Fleischer, Grace Tembo Mumba, Michelle M. Gill, Susan Strasser, Rosanna W. Peeling, Fern Terris-Prestholt

GW Biostatistics Center

Maternal syphilis results in an estimated 500,000 stillbirths and neonatal deaths annually in Sub-Saharan Africa. Despite the existence of national guidelines for antenatal syphilis screening, syphilis testing is often limited by inadequate laboratory and staff services. Recent availability of inexpensive rapid point-of-care syphilis tests (RST) can improve access to antenatal syphilis screening. A 2010 pilot in Zambia explored the feasibility of integrating RST within prevention of mother-to-child-transmission of HIV services. Following successful demonstration, the Zambian Ministry of Health adopted RSTs into national policy in 2011. Cost data from the pilot and 2012 preliminary national rollout were extracted from project records, …

Comparison Of Bacterial Flora In Fish Mucus And Lake Water, Robert W. Thomas

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

Although commonly known for their ability to cause deadly infectious diseases, there are populations of bacteria (identified as normal flora) that symbiotically live on and amongst larger host organisms and positively impact survival of the host. In previous research, culturing methods suggest that freshwater fish (i.e. bluegill and northern pike) maintain a normal flora population and that this flora aids in protection and the health of the fish. Our study used Ion torrent PGM sequencing to identify a larger, more complete population of normal flora in 2 different lake samples from three different species of fish. Identifying and comparing the …

Multiplexed Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Of The 16s Rrna Gene For The Diagnosis Of Neonatal Sepsis In Resource-Limited Environments, Griffin T. Sonaty

Inquiry: The University of Arkansas Undergraduate Research Journal

Sepsis, or dysregulated inflammation caused by bacterial infection, places a disproportionately high burden on newborns in developing countries. This is due in part to a lack of diagnostic tools suitable for sustainable use in resource-limited nurseries. One potential vehicle for a new diagnostic assay is loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), a high-yield DNA amplification method. LAMP has previously been used to detect genes from single species of bacteria in blood serum samples to aid in sepsis diagnosis. LAMP could be adapted to detect a broad set of bacteria, while retaining a degree of specificity that allows clinicians to begin directed antimicrobial …

Mosquito-Borne Diseases In Mississippi, Ryan J. Rodriguez

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Life Cycle:
Egg Must be exposed to water to hatch
Larvae Live in aquatic habitats
Pupa Stay near the surface of water to breath
Adults: Only females feed on blood; Males feed on nectar

Public Health •Besides being a nuisance, they cause numerous health hazards to humans (and other animals) •In some cases, they may cause severe allergic reactions •Diseases they transmit: •Eastern Equine Encephalitis •Japanese Encephalitis •La Crosse Encephalitis •St. Louis Encephalitis •West Nile Virus •Western Equine Encephalitis •Dengue Fever •Malaria •Rift Valley Fever •Yellow Fever

Mosquito-Borne Diseases in Mississippi and its Vectors •Chikungunya Virus •Aedes species •Eastern Equine …

Played To The Bone: Skeletal Trauma, Assumptions Of Warfare, And An Apalachee Ballgame In Spanish La Florida, Nancy Shipley

Theses & ETDs

In the study of violence, warfare and conflict are often seen as inherent among certain groups of people. This is especially true for colonial populations wherein the image of the snarling native is preserved so vividly from popular media. In this thesis, I attempt to combat those views by using bioarchaeology to show that trauma in the archaeological record is not always caused by warfare. In the first chapter I discuss a meaning of violence and its use in social context. In the second chapter, I present an overview of bioarchaeology in Spanish La Florida. The third chapter deals with …

Removing The Insecurity Bottleneck To Development In Colombia: A Case Study, Peter Austin Raab

Theses & ETDs

The Colombian civil war began its 51st year in 2015. The duration of the conflict has had permanent negative effects on Colombia’s economic development. The negative effects range from lower education levels directly caused from violent actors, to lower government spending on social programs resulting from the redirection of government funds toward the military. The primary national policies addressed in this thesis are Plan Colombia, The Pastrana Peace Negotiations, the Justice and Peace Law of Colombia, the Victims and Land Restitution Law, and the development plan Prosperity for All. The development of security legislation has reduced the scope of the …

Knowledge, Information, And Water Treatment Behavior Of Residents In The Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, Hari Katuwal, Mona K. Qassim, José A. Pagán, Jennifer A. Thacher, Alok K. Bohara

Development Journal of the South

Access to safe drinking water plays a crucial role in the overall social and economic development of a community. Unsafe water delivered to household taps increases the risks of waterborne diseases and threatens population health. Consumers can adopt a number of averting behaviors such as filtering or boiling their water. While these approaches are effective in reducing the likelihood of contracting a waterborne disease, not all households treat their water. Given this, it is important to develop a better understanding of factors that influence water treatment behavior. In this paper, we examine determinants of water treatment behavior using survey data …

Educating Pastoralists And Extension Officers On Diverse Livestock Diseases In A Changing Environment In Tanzania, Christopher Gustafson, Elizabeth Vanwormer, Rudovick Kazwala, Asha Makweta, Goodluck Paul, Woutrina Smith, Jonna A. K. Mazet

Department of Agricultural Economics: Faculty Publications

East African pastoralists and their livestock are vulnerable to alterations in resource availability and disease transmission and frequently face poor access to livestock health services. Government veterinarians tasked with guiding health services must prioritize livestock health risks and allocate limited resources across disparate ecosystems with different disease threats. To identify livestock diseases of concern and strategies for improving herd health and resilience, we conducted community focus groups with pastoralists and interviewed pastoralist household leaders, village extension officers, and government veterinary officials in south-central Tanzania, an area experiencing rapid population growth and environmental change. All participants discussed pastoralist access to livestock …

Efavirenz Pharmacokinetics And Pharmacodynamics In Hiv-Infected Persons Receiving Rifapentine And Isoniazid For Tuberculosis Prevention, Anthony T. Podany, Yajing Bao, Susan Swindells, Richard E. Chaisson, Janet W. Andersen, Thando Mwelase, Khuanchai Supparatpinyo, Lerato Mohapi, Amita Gupta, Constance A. Benson, Peter Kim, Courtney V. Fletcher

United States Public Health Resources

Background. Concomitant use of rifamycins to treat or prevent tuberculosis can result in subtherapeutic concentrations of antiretroviral drugs. We studied the interaction of efavirenz with daily rifapentine and isoniazid in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)–infected individuals receiving a 4-week regimen to prevent tuberculosis.

Methods. Participants receiving daily rifapentine and isoniazid with efavirenz had pharmacokinetic evaluations at baseline and weeks 2 and 4 of concomitant therapy. Efavirenz apparent oral clearance was estimated and the geometric mean ratio (GMR) of values before and during rifapentine and isoniazid was calculated. HIV type 1 (HIV-1) RNA was measured at baseline and week 8.

Results …

Infectious Disease Physician Assessment Of Hospital Preparedness For Ebola Virus Disease, Philip M. Polgreen, Scott Santibanez, Lisa M. Koonin, Mark E. Rupp, Susan E. Beekmann, Carlos Del Rio

United States Public Health Resources

Background: The first case of Ebola diagnosed in the United States and subsequent cases among two healthcare workers caring for that patient highlighted the importance of hospital preparedness in caring for Ebola patients.

Methods: Infectious disease physicians who are part of the Emerging Infections Network (EIN) were surveyed about current Ebola preparedness at their institutions from October 21-November 11, 2014.

Results: Of 1566 EIN physician members, 869 (55.5%) responded to this survey. Almost all institutions represented in this survey showed a substantial degree of preparation for the management of patients with suspected and confirmed Ebola virus disease. Despite concerns regarding …

Origins And Implications Of Neglect Of G6pd Deficiency And Primaquine Toxicity In Plasmodium Vivax Malaria, J. Kevin Baird

United States Public Health Resources

Most of the tens of millions of clinical attacks caused by Plasmodium vivax each year likely originate from dormant liver forms called hypnozoites. We do not systematically attack that reservoir because the only drug available, primaquine, is poorly suited to doing so. Primaquine was licenced for anti-relapse therapy in 1952 and became available despite threatening patients having an inborn deficiency of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) with acute haemolytic anaemia. The standard method for screening G6PD deficiency, the fluorescent spot test, has proved impractical where most malaria patients live. The blind administration of daily primaquine is dangerous, but so too are the …