Digital Commons Network^™

Development Of Inducible Anti-Influenza Therapies, Cynthia Marie Mcmillen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Influenza viruses continue to cause significant morbidity and mortality each year despite the development of vaccines and antiviral therapies targeting these viruses. The inherent ability of influenza viruses to accumulate mutations over time has led to the emergence of strains resistant to antiviral therapies. Furthermore, genetic reassortment creates antigenically diverse viruses, making it difficult to develop vaccines that yield broad protection. The objective of the following research studies is to develop two alternative approaches to current methods of antiviral therapeutics.;Six new siRNAs targeting influenza protein expression by RNA interference (RNAi) were characterized. Three siRNAs (M747, M776, M832) knocked down the …

Water Permeability Of New And Maximum Laundered Isolation Gown Cuffs, Stacey Kamarec

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

ANSI/AAMI PB70 "Liquid barrier performance and classification of protective apparel and drapes intended for use in healthcare facilities" sets barrier performance requirements for the classification of isolation gowns. Manufacturers voluntarily follow these requirements for gowns used in minimal and low risk situations but end users must decide which gown is most suitable for the required task. ANSI/AAMI PB70 classifies isolation gowns based on the level of barrier protection the gowns are expected to provide and recommends several tests to help manufacturers assign the levels to the gowns (1-4). Published literature has identified performance concerns of isolation gowns, but there are …

Understanding Hiv-Related Vulnerabilities And Stigma Among Egyptian Youth, Nahla G. Abdel-Tawab, Doaa Oraby, Sally Saher, Sarah Ismail

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

The overall objective of this study is to provide an evidence-based description and interpretation of the HIV-related risks and vulnerabilities faced by different subgroups of youth in Egypt. The report is part of a six-country study that was conducted by the Population Council in Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, and Uganda. The study examines social, economic, cultural, and legal factors that may contribute to youth’s increased vulnerability to HIV and documents the situation of the policy and programmatic responses. The study identified poverty, unemployment, delayed marriage, and gender inequality as examples of factors that increase young people’s risk-taking behavior …

Using Peers To Improve Sexual And Reproductive Health And Rights Of Young People Living With Hiv In Uganda: Findings From A Link Up Evaluation, Population Council

HIV and AIDS

Link Up, a global consortium led by the International HIV/AIDS Alliance, sought to meet the immediate HIV care needs and also the broader sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for Ugandan young people living with HIV (YPLHIV), by creating linkages between comprehensive community- and facility-based HIV and SRHR services. In addition, Link Up delivered health education, counseling, and peer support tailored to the needs of YPLHIV in order to educate and empower them to recognize their rights, and feel confident in seeking health services. This brief presents findings from the Population Council’s evaluation of Link Up activities among YPLHIV …

The New Overcrowding Symposium Essay, Jonathan Simon

Connecticut Law Review

American prisons are seriously overcrowded, perhaps more than ever in our history. Before the era of mass incarceration, prisoner advocates sought to build on progressive penological ideas about the proper standards for housing prisoners, which focused on one person to each prison cell to create a jurisprudence of overcrowding that might compel states to reduce their reliance on incarceration. The goal failed, and states adopted tough new sentencing laws that increased imprisonment. As the prison book got under way, the Supreme Court decisively rejected the one person to a cell rule in the 1981 case of Rhodes v. Chapman. This …

Seventeenth Annual Grotius Lecture Series - Some Thoughts About Grotius 400 Years On, Sir Kenneth J. Keith

American University International Law Review

No abstract provided.

Effect Of Provision Of An Integrated Neonatal Survival Kit And Early Cognitive Stimulation Package By Community Health Workers On Developmental Outcomes Of Infants In Kwale County, Kenya: Study Protocol For A Cluster Randomized Trial, Lisa G. Pell, Diego G. Bassani, Lucy Nyaga, Isaac Njagi, Catherine Wanjiku, Thulasi Thiruchselvam, William Macharia, Ripudaman S. Minhas, Patricia Kitsao-Wekulo, Amyn Lakhani, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, Robert Armstrong, Shaun K. Morris

Paediatrics and Child Health, East Africa

Background: Each year, more than 200 million children under the age of 5 years, almost all in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), fail to achieve their developmental potential. Risk factors for compromised development often coexist and include inadequate cognitive stimulation, poverty, nutritional deficiencies, infection and complications of being born low birthweight and/or premature. Moreover, many of these risk factors are closely associated with newborn morbidity and mortality. As compromised development has significant implications on human capital, inexpensive and scalable interventions are urgently needed to promote neurodevelopment and reduce risk factors for impaired development.

Method/Design: This cluster randomized trial aims at …

Setting Research Priorities To Improve Global Newborn Health And Prevent Stillbirths By 2025, Sachiyo Yoshida, José Martines, Peter Gisore, Joy E. Lawn, Stephen Wall, Joăo Paulo Souza

Paediatrics and Child Health, East Africa

Background: In 2013, an estimated 2.8 million newborns died and 2.7 million were stillborn. A much greater number suffer from long term impairment associated with preterm birth, intrauterine growth restriction, congenital anomalies, and perinatal or infectious causes. With the approaching deadline for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2015, there was a need to set the new research priorities on newborns and stillbirth with a focus not only on survival but also on health, growth and development. We therefore carried out a systematic exercise to set newborn health research priorities for 2013–2025.

Methods: We used adapted Child …

The Unusual Substrate Specificity Of A Virulence Associated Serine Hydrolase From The Highly Toxic Bacterium, Francisella Tularensis, Alexander M. Farberg, Whitney K. Hart, R. Jeremy Johnson

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

Francisella tularensis is the causative agent of the highly, infectious disease, tularemia. Amongst the genes identified as essential to the virulence of F. tularensis was the proposed serine hydrolase FTT0941c. Herein, we purified FTT0941c to homogeneity and then characterized the folded stability, enzymatic activity, and substrate specificity of FTT0941c. Based on phylogenetic analysis, FTT0941c was classified within a divergent Francisella subbranch of the bacterial hormone sensitive lipase (HSL) superfamily, but with the conserved sequence motifs of a bacterial serine hydrolase. FTT0941c showed broad hydrolase activity against diverse libraries of ester substrates, including significant hydrolytic activity across alkyl ester substrates from …

Ada Estelle Schweitzer, Jason Lantzer

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

Jason Lantzer's essay on Ada Estelle Schweitzer, a Contribution to The Indiana Historical Society's publication: Indiana's 200: The People Who Shaped the Hoosier State.

Nutritional Status And Tuberculosis Risk In Adult And Pediatric Household Contacts, Omowunmi Aibana, Xeno Acharya, Chuan-Chin Huang, Mercedes C. Becerra, Jerome T. Galea, Silvia S. Chiang, Carmen C. Contreras, Roger Calderon, Rosa Yataco, Gustavo E. Velásquez, Karen Tintaya, Judith Jimenez, Leonid Lecca, Megan B. Murray

Social Work Faculty Publications

Background: Studies show obesity decreases risk of tuberculosis (TB) disease. There is limited evidence on whether high body mass index also protects against TB infection; how very high body mass indices influence TB risk; or whether nutritional status predicts this risk in children. We assessed the impact of body mass index on incident TB infection and disease among adults and children.

Methods and Findings: We conducted a prospective cohort study among household contacts of pulmonary TB cases in Lima, Peru. We determined body mass index at baseline and followed participants for one year for TB infection and disease. We used …

Images Of History: Kant, Benjamin, Freedom, And The Human Subject, Richard Thomas Eldridge

Philosophy Faculty Works

Developing work in the theories of action and explanation, Eldridge argues that moral and political philosophers require accounts of what is historically possible, while historians require rough philosophical understandings of ideals that merit reasonable endorsement. Both Immanuel Kant and Walter Benjamin recognize this fact. Each sees a special place for religious consciousness and critical practice in the articulation and revision of ideals that are to have cultural effect, but they differ sharply in the forms of religious-philosophical understanding, cultural criticism, and political practice that they favor. Kant defends a liberal, reformist, Protestant stance, emphasizing the importance of liberty, individual rights, …

The Inadequate Global Policy Response To Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights: Impact On Access To Medicines In Low- And Middle-Income Countries, Lisa Forman

Maryland Journal of International Law

No abstract provided.

Getting Real About Essential Medicines: The Last Kilometer, Lucie White

Maryland Journal of International Law

No abstract provided.

Structural And Functional Characterization Of Spoa Domains In Salmonella Typhimurium Type Iii Secretion Systems, Ryan Q. Notti

Student Theses and Dissertations

Once optimistically believed to be a relic of the pre-antibiotic era, bacterial pathogens remain a substantial threat to human health, and the growing epidemic of antibiotic resistance has raised concerns for the long term prospects of antimicrobial therapy. By understanding the mechanisms used by bacteria to manipulate their host and cause disease, it is hypothesized that we might more rationally approach anti-infective therapeutic design. Type III secretion systems (T3SS) are employed by some gram-negative human pathogens to manipulate the host environment. One T3SS subtype, known as the "injectisome," delivers virulence factors directly into host cells. The other T3SS subtype secretes …

Evaluation Of Guideline-Recommended Combined Antiretroviral Treatment Regimens In Commercially-Insured Patients Living In The United States Between 2007 And 2009, Joye Brigitte Allen

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Background: Randomized clinical trials of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) inform the use of specific antiretrovirals (ARV) and their combination for optimizing therapeutic efficacy. It is critical that patients have access to and receive the most appropriate first-line treatment.

Objective: To examine factors that impact receiving initial guideline-recommended cART within a cohort of commercially insured patients in the United States (US)

Research Design: A population based cohort study.

Data Sources: A secondary administrative insurance claims database.

Subjects: Employed, commercially insured individuals with HIV who were continuously eligible for insurance coverage from January 2007 through December 2009 and received a new ARV …

Undiagnosed Pulmonary Obstruction And Restriction And Dust Exposure: Pilot Investigations Examining The Relationship Among Agricultural Workers, Caroline E. Holsinger

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive disease that is characterized by limited airflow.1 In the United States (U.S.) alone, COPD is the third leading cause of death.2,3 While smoking remains the strongest risk factor for COPD, 20 percent of patients who die from COPD have never smoked.5–7 The American Thoracic 3 Society showed that about 15% of COPD cases might be attributable to workplace exposure.8 Agricultural dust exposure has long been recognized as a cause of decreased respiratory function, and exposures to both forms of dust may exacerbate other important risk factors of COPD and lead to the …

The Association Between Latent Tuberculosis Infection And Diabetes Mellitus Control In The United States, Whitney L. Remy

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Rationale: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is recognized as a common comorbid condition for tuberculosis (TB). Those with comorbid conditions are more likely to develop active TB, to have trouble with treatment, and to have more severe symptoms.

Objective: To measure the prevalence and distribution of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) and DM control in the United State and test their association when measured by tuberculin skin test (TST) or QuantiFERON®-TB Gold In-Tube blood test (QFT-GIT) and by HbA1c, respectively. Literature Review: One-third of the world population is infected with TB. Ten percent of TB cases worldwide are linked to diabetes mellitus. Studies …

Risk Factors For Tuberculosis And Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis Complications Among Foreign-Born Persons In Houston, Texas, James N. Isaboke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Tuberculosis (TB) is a leading public health problem across the world. For various reasons, TB and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) have increased. Clarification on TB/HIV co-infection and homelessness as risk factors for TB and MDR-TB is required to inform policy interventions to reduce TB-related morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. In this quantitative study, data from the Houston Health Department (N = 341) were analyzed to explore the relationship between TB and MDR-TB outcomes and TB/HIV co-infection and type of housing/homelessness. Foreign-born persons are disproportionately affected in the United States. The socio-ecological model provided a theoretical framework for the investigation. Multiple and …

Factors Associated With Harm Reduction Model Use Among Substance Abuse Counselors, Tiffany Madden

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Drug overdose death rates in the United States have more than tripled since 1990 with more than 36,000 dying in 2008. In 2007 the estimated cost of drug use to U.S. society due to lost productivity, increased health care, and criminal justice costs was over $193 billion. Previous researchers have found that harm reduction is a viable treatment option within the field of addiction. The guiding premise in the harm reduction approach is that all people can achieve improved psychological and physiological health even if they are unable to be substance-free. However, there remains an important gap in the current …

Evaluation Of Low Immunization Coverage Among The Amish Population In Rural Ohio, Christine Marie Kettunen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Amish communities have persistently low childhood immunization rates. Prior to this study, reasons for low rates had not been clearly identified. Researchers have speculated that access to health care, religious factors, and fear might be reasons that Amish parents refuse childhood immunizations, but more empirical evidence was warranted.The purpose of this study was to gather that empirical evidence regarding the knowledge, attitudes, opinions, and beliefs of Amish parents residing in Ashtabula County Ohio, an additional purpose was to examine how these factors influence timely immunizations of Amish children. The theoretical framework was the PEN-3-Cultural Model, focusing on cultural influences, beliefs, …

Health Literacy Program Proposal For Health Care Workers, Shevon Naomi Howard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Health information literacy influences patient health outcomes, yet almost 90% of adults

struggle to understand health information. This study explored the impact of an education course in health literacy on healthcare professionals' methods of providing information to patients in order to increase effective communication and improve patient outcomes. This study drew from an integrated theoretical framework that suggests development and validation of tools to measure health literacy. Access to and understanding of reliable, high-quality health care information equalizes many other variables that impact health outcomes, including age, economic class, and cultural background. This study analyzed survey data collected from 2 …

An Ecological Perspective On Pertussis, Jody Ruth Goard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2012, 48,277 cases of pertussis were diagnosed in the United States. Pertussis, otherwise known as whooping cough, is a highly contagious, often debilitating, sometimes deadly, vaccine-preventable disease with an increasing incidence and death rate in the U.S, which may be due to vaccine exemptions. The purpose of this project was to determine if a relationship exists between immunization policies and immunization exemption rates, immunization exemption rates and pertussis rates, and immunization policies and pertussis rates in each state. Bronfenbrenner's bio-ecological framework was used to guide the project. Publically available data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), …

Malondialdehyde (Mda) And Glutathione Peroxidase (Gpx) Are Elevated In Crohns Disease-Associated With Mycobacterium Avium Subspecies Paratuberculosis (Map), Ahmad Qasem

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Inflamed tissue in Crohn’s disease (CD) are continuously producing toxic oxygen metabolites leading to cellular injury and apoptosis. Here, we are evaluating the role of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) in oxidative stress in CD by evaluation of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant defense activity. Specifically, we measured malondialdehyde (MDA) level and selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity in the plasma from patients and cattle infected with MAP. The level of MAP antibodies in bovine sera was determined by IDEXX kit whereas detection of MAP DNA was performed by IS900-based nPCR. A total of 42 cattle (21 infected with MAP and 21 …

Does Skin Color, Facial Shape, And Facial Width To Height Ratio (Fwhr) Play A Role In Black Male Facial Evaluation, T. Joel Wade

Faculty Journal Articles

The present research sought to determine how skin color, facial shape, and facial width to height ratio (fWHR) affect ratings of 10 Black male facial shapes. Based on evolutionary theory and prior research, the rectangular, quadratic, inverted trapezium, and pentagonal faces were hypothesized to receive the highest attractiveness, dominance, maturity, masculinity, strength, and social competence ratings. Additionally, faces with higher fWHRs were expected to receive higher dominance, strength, and masculinity ratings. Smaller, round or oval faces were hypothesized to receive highest warmth ratings. The results were partially consistent with these hypotheses. The examination of the effect of skin color was …

A Systematic Review Of Yoga Interventions In The Incarcerated Setting, Alexandra S. Wimberly, Jia Xue

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

While yoga interventions in the incarcerated setting are on the rise, little is known regarding their efficacy. The objective of this article is to assess the effects of yoga on the well-being of incarcerated populations. Two reviewers systematically searched PubMed, PsycInfo, EBSCO MegaFILE, Web of Science, Science Direct, AMED, and Google Scholar for yoga intervention studies in jails and prisons. The search yielded 54 results; ten papers met inclusion criteria. Evaluated outcomes included stress, cognitive performance, mental and physical well-being and re-incarceration rates. While the majority of yoga practiced was hatha, yoga interventions also included a focus on yogic philosophy …

The Presumptions Of Classical Liberal Constitutionalism, Matthew Lindsay

All Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

The Uneasy Case For Food Safety Liability Insurance, John Aloysius Cogan Jr.

Brooklyn Law Review

Foodborne illnesses sicken millions and kill thousands of Americans every year, leading many to conclude that our dysfunctional government food safety system, which still relies heavily on physical inspections of food and facilities, is incapable of protecting us. As a result, many now look to the private market for solutions to our food safety crisis. One private market approach, food safety liability insurance, is gaining popularity. This article examines the benefits and drawbacks to food safety liability insurance and raises doubts about its ability to improve food safety. The market for safe food is plagued by overwhelming information problems that …

Comparison Of Telavancin And Vancomycin Antibiotic Lock Solutions In The Eradication Of Biofilm-Producing Staphylococci And Enterococci From Central Venous Catheters, Megan K. Luther, A. Mermel, Kerry L. Laplante

Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Purpose: Results of a study of the activity of antibiotic lock solutions of vancomycin and telavancin against biofilm-forming strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecalis, and Staphylococcus aureus are reported.

Methods: An established in vitro central venous catheter model was used to evaluate lock solutions containing vancomycin (5 mg/mL) or telavancin (5 mg/mL), with and without preservative-containing heparin sodium (with 0.45% benzyl alcohol) 2500 units/mL, heparin, and 0.9% sodium chloride solution. Lock solutions were introduced after 24-hour bacterial growth in catheters incubated at 35 °C. After 72 hours of exposure to the lock solutions, catheters were drained, flushed, and …

Impact Of A Prospective Audit And Feedback Antimicrobial Stewardship Program At A Veterans Affairs Medical Center: A Six-Point Assessment, Haley J. Morrill, R. Caffrey, Melissa M. Gaitanis, Kerry L. Laplante

Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Background:

Prospective audit and feedback is a core antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) strategy; however its impact is difficult to measure.

Methods:

Our quasi-experimental study measured the effect of an ASP on clinical outcomes, antimicrobial use, resistance, costs, patient safety (adverse drug events [ADE] and Clostridium difficile infection [CDI]), and process metrics pre- (9/10–10/11) and post-ASP (9/12–10/13) using propensity adjusted and matched Cox proportional-hazards regression models and interrupted time series (ITS) methods.

Results:

Among our 2,696 patients, median length of stay was 1 day shorter post-ASP (5, interquartile range [IQR] 3–8 vs. 4, IQR 2–7 days, p

Conclusions …