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Azithromycin Pharmacodynamics Against Non-Typeable H. Influenzae, James Fisher

Public Health Theses

Introduction

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death in the United States. Significant clinical disease in COPD patients has been tied to non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHI) infection. However, reasons why some NTHI strains persist despite antimicrobial therapy remain unknown.

Objective

The primary objective was to characterize the pharmacodynamics of azithromycin against a persistent pair of NTHI isolates.

Methods

A persistent pair of NTHI isolates (5P28H1 and 5P54H1) cultured from the sputum of an adult with COPD and determined to be the same strain by multilocus sequence typing was carried for 819 days. The Minimum Inhibitory …

Neighborhood-Level Socioeconomic Status And County Fairs And The Risk Of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia Coli Incidence In Connecticut, 2012 To 2014, Gili Hrusa

Public Health Theses

Abstract

Background: Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) is a reportable illness. It is associated with a spectrum of clinical manifestations that range from watery and/or bloody diarrhea to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a life threatening condition which causes acute renal failure in both children and adults. A study in Connecticut (CT) by Whitney et al. (2015) found a strong association between higher socioeconomic status (SES) and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli incidence. In the same study, there was a weaker association demonstrated between rurality and STEC incidence as well. The primary aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between …

A Healthy Herd: Addressing The Justifications For Vaccine Denial And Applying The Health Belief Model To The Current Anti-Vaccination Movement, Sarah L. Mchugh

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to explore and analyze the existing literature regarding the refusal to receive vaccinations designed specifically to prevent Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR), which has spurred a serious public health issue that puts every unvaccinated person at risk. It will investigate the reasons people refuse to get vaccinations for themselves or their children. The analysis of the current situation and the application of the Health Belief Model to the related factors will provide potential explanations regarding how the decision-making process may strengthen efforts towards increasing vaccination rates.

Factors Influencing Care-Seeking Behavior Among Patients In Ethiopian Primary Health Care Units, Orit Abrahim

Public Health Theses

Abstract

Background

The utilization of primary health care in many countries in sub-Saharan Africa has been limited. The objective of this study was to evaluate the factors that influenced why patients sought care at health centers versus primary hospitals in the primary health care unit (PHCU) in three regions in Ethiopia. The study also examined whether these factors varied based on a patient’s clinical or demographic characteristics and by whether they had sought prior care.

Methods and Findings

We conducted a cross-sectional study using face-to-face interviews in the local language with 796 people (99% response rate) seeking outpatient care in …

"Sociocultural Predictors Of Risky Sexual Behaviors: 1 The Role Of Nativity Status, Race, Ethnic Identity And Self-Construal", Elvine B. Andjembe

Dissertations and Theses

Recent national health reports have shown that despite a considerable increase in sexual health knowledge, risky sexual behaviors’ rates among the youth are on the rise. Minorities are disproportionately affected, which translates into strong racial disparities in health outcomes such as STI/STDs, and HIV prevalence. The literature examining ethnic differences in health behaviors has studied ethnic identity (self-identification with and commitment to the values of one’s ethnic group) as a protective factor against an array of maladaptive behaviors. In addition, self-construal, which refers to the extent to which one is individualistic or collectivistic has also been established as a positive …

Globalization, Tourism And Sustainable Development: The Multifaceted Impact Of Tourism On Development And Poverty Alleviation In Brazil, Gaëlle Lopes Saraiva

Dissertations and Theses

Globalization is a popular concept deeply embedded in our era that represents the widespread intensification of transnational connections emblematic of this century. In general, this study aims to clarify the contradictory effects globalization exerts on development by specifically analyzing the particular impact of tourism in the emerging economy of Brazil. It is argued that the unequal distribution of tourism activities between urban and rural areas, and the prevalence of specific sizes and types of tourism are the main factors involved in sustaining unequal patterns of development across the country. The study concludes that public-private partnerships in tourism should prioritize the …

A Benefit-Cost Analysis Decision Framework For Mitigation Of Disease Transmission At The Wildlife–Livestock Interface, Stephanie A. Shwiff, Steven J. Sweeney, Julie L. Elser, Ryan S. Miller, Matthew L. Farnsworth, Pauline Nol, Steven S. Shwiff, Aaron M. Anderson

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The economics of managing disease transmission at the wildlife–livestock interface have received heightened attention as agricultural and natural resource agencies struggle to tackle growing risks to animal health. In the fiscal landscape of increased scrutiny and shrinking budgets, resource managers seek to maximize the benefits and minimize the costs of disease mitigation efforts. To address this issue, a benefit-cost analysis decision framework was developed to help users make informed choices about whether and how to target disease management efforts in wildlife and livestock populations. Within the context of this framework, we examined the conclusions of a bene� t-cost analysis conducted …

Fish Pain: Would It Change Current Best Practice In The Real World?, B. K. Diggles

Animal Sentience

Much of the “fish pain debate” relates to how high the bar for pain should be set. The close phylogenetic affinities of teleosts with cartilaginous fishes which appear to lack nociceptors suggests caution should be applied by those who seek to lower the bar, especially given the equivocal and conflicting nature of the experimental data currently available for teleosts. Nevertheless, even if we assume fish “feel pain,” it is difficult to see how current best practice in aquaculture would change. This is because of the need to avoid stress at all stages of the rearing process to optimize health, growth …

Characterization Of The Interaction Between Basigin And The Pattern Recognition Receptor Tlr4, Josephine Michelle Brown

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a major group of pattern recognition receptors expressed on the surface of immune cells that recognize molecular patterns associated with all classes of pathogenic microorganisms. TLR4 recognizes the lipopolysaccharide component of Gram-negative bacterial cell walls and is the only TLR known to induce signaling through both the MyD88 and TRIF pathways. Basigin, a ubiquitous cell adhesion molecule, is a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily that has the ability to influence cell signaling mediated by the MyD88 and TRIF pathways, the same signaling pathways induced by the TLR4 receptor protein. Analysis of the Basigin protein sequence indicates …

Evidence Of Genotypic Variation, Mhc Class I Copy Number Variation And Recombination Within The Chicken Major Histocompatibility Complex-Y System, Renee T. Kopulos

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is a gene region found in all jawed vertebrates. These highly polymorphic, tightly linked genes are responsible for immune regulation by presenting self and non-self antigens to the immune system. The MHC is the most polymorphic vertebrate genome region because its genes face considerable selective pressure since survival depends on the capacity to respond to bacterial, viral and parasitic diseases. The MHC organization in different species has clearly evolved in separate and unique ways since the time that birds and mammals diverged from a common ancestor 310 million years ago. The size and organization of …

Risk Assessment And The Utility Of Ct Coronary Angiography For Coronary Artery Disease In Hiv Infection, James Nadel

Theses

Background

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is now considered a chronic, treatable disease, although treatment is associated with increased rates of coronary artery disease (CAD). Screening of this at-risk population for CAD remains contentious. The aim of this thesis is to provide some guidance into the management of cardiovascular disease in HIV and examine the utility of screening CTCA in this population group.

Methods

We set out to disseminate our generated results via publications. The first paper was a literature review that sought to provide insight into the management of this complex population, in particular focusing on the risk assessment …

Living With Hiv: A Potential Source Of Trauma In Children And Adolescents, Kaitlyn P. Ahlers

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Due to advances in medical treatment for HIV/AIDS, individuals infected with HIV are living longer. HIV is now considered a chronic illness, and there has been limited research into the mental health problems that can arise from living with HIV, particularly among children and adolescents. Past research has demonstrated that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can result from experiences related to chronic illness. Importantly, HIV could affect children and adolescents in a distinct way when compared to any other incurable, chronic illness. The present study examined the mental health issues faced by children and adolescents who are infected with HIV as …

Analysis Of Policy Changes Aimed At Breastfeeding Promotion As Part Of The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program For Women, Infants, And Children (Wic): Making It Work For Michigan, Elizabeth L. Macquillan

Michigan Journal of Public Health

In 2011, changes to the specific type, timing, and amount of food benefits to mothers in the WIC program were rolled out nationwide. These were the first substantive changes since 1980 and were designed to increase breastfeeding initiation rates and extend breastfeeding duration among WIC program participants. Effectiveness of the program changes have been mixed and variable by geographic area of the U.S., however. In Michigan, breastfeeding duration has not increased. This analysis examines the implementation of the national policy change at the state level for Michigan and suggests additions to program to specifically target duration breastfeeding by Michigan mothers.

Natural History And Conservation Of Bolitoglossine Salamanders In Central Panama, Leslie Caren Brinkman

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

I conducted a mark-recapture study to assess the natural history of a Neotropical salamander community in three discrete 4–6 week sampling periods at Chorro Las Yayas, a protected natural area of about 8000 m2 in central Panama, during an extended drought. I captured 87 Bolitoglossa biseriata, 17 Oedipina complex, and 15 O. parvipes. Bolitoglossa biseriata, had a mean mass of 0.8 ± 0.4 g with a mean snout-vent length (SVL) of 31.45 ± 5.30 mm. Bolitoglossa biseriata was active throughout the night, and its detection rate varied with season, air temperature, and amount of precipitation in the previous 24 h. …

The Epidemiology Of Traumatic Event Exposure Worldwide: Results From The World Mental Health Survey Consortium, Corina Benjet, E Bromet, E G. Karam, R C. Kessler, K A. Mclaughlin, A M. Ruscio, V Shahly, D J. Stein, M Petukhova, E Hill, J Alonso, Lukoye Atwoli, B Bunting, R Bruffaerts, J M. Caldas-De-Almeida

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background: Considerable research has documented that exposure to traumatic events has negative effects on physical and mental health. Much less research has examined the predictors of traumatic event exposure. Increased understanding of risk factors for exposure to traumatic events could be of considerable value in targeting preventive interventions and anticipating service needs.

Method: General population surveys in 24 countries with a combined sample of 68 894 adult respondents across six continents assessed exposure to 29 traumatic event types. Differences in prevalence were examined with cross-tabulations. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to determine whether traumatic event types clustered into interpretable factors. …

Germline Restriction Of B Cell Receptor Repertoire Influences Antigenic Epitope Recognition And Primary Antibody Deficiency Pathogenesis, Yuge Wang

All ETDs from UAB

Part I. Mouse Studies Complementarity determining region 3 of the immunoglobulin (Ig) H chain (CDR-H3) lies at the center of the antigen binding site where it often plays a decisive role in antigen recognition and binding. Amino acids encoded by the diversity (DH) gene segment are the main component of CDR-H3. Each DH has the potential to rearrange into one of six DH reading frames (RFs), each of which exhibits a characteristic amino acid hydrophobicity signature that has been conserved among jawed vertebrates by natural selection. A preference for use of RF1 promotes the incorporation of tyrosine into CDR-H3 while …

Regulation Of Vibrio Cholerae Biofilm Formation By H-Ns Repression And Anti-Repression, Julio Cesar Ayala-Figueredo

All ETDs from UAB

The diarrheal disease cholera is caused by the Gram-negative and motile bacterium Vibrio cholerae of serogroups O1 and O139. V. cholerae can switch between planktonic (motile) and sessile (biofilm) lifestyles. Biofilms are sessile communities encased in a self-produced extracellular matrix mainly composed of exopolysaccharide, proteins and extracellular DNA. Biofilm formation enhances the capacity of V. cholerae to persist in environmental waters and increases its infectivity. The bacterial second messenger cyclic diguanylic acid (c-di-GMP) regulates the transition between motile and biofilm lifestyles in V. cholerae. At low cell density, two c-di-GMP receptors, the LuxR-type regulator VpsT and the NtrC-type regulator VpsR …

Fcrl5 Counter-Regulates Natural And T Cell-Independent Immunoglobulin Production By Innate-Like B Cells, Eugene John Becker

All ETDs from UAB

At homeostasis and during the initial phases of primary responses to pathogens, humoral host defense is chiefly coordinated by specialized B cells known as splenic marginal zone (MZ) and body cavity-derived B-1 B cells. These front line immune mediators are termed “innate like” due to their ability to secrete broadly-reactive natural antibodies and respond rapidly to antigens in a T cell-independent manner. The production of natural antibodies possessing specificities for self-antigens allows clearance of cellular debris, maintenance of homeostasis and protection from infections that can also predispose the host to immunological disease. However, how the functions of these specialized cells …

Targeting The Tumor-Promoting Microenvironment With Inhibitors Of Pro-Hgf Activation, Benjamin Yaw Owusu

All ETDs from UAB

The tumor microenvironment plays a key role in tumor progression and therapeutic resistance. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), commonly expressed by cancer-associated fibroblasts, mediates signaling via its receptor, MET, and promotes survival, proliferation, migration and invasion of cancer cells. In addition, HGF dependence has emerged as a hallmark of therapeutic resistance. HGF is secreted as an inactive precursor, pro-HGF, which requires proteolytic cleavage and processing to form the mature, active HGF. This is the rate-limiting step in the HGF/MET signaling pathway and it is achieved by one of the serine proteases, matriptase, hepsin and HGF activator (HGFA). At Southern Research, we …

Glycosyltransferases Involved In The Glycosylation Of Serine-Rich Glycoproteins From Streptococci, Fan Zhu

All ETDs from UAB

Serine - rich repeat glycoproteins (SRRPs) play important roles in mediating bac-terial attachment to a variety of host and microbial surfaces. They have been im-plicated in the development of tissue infections such as pneumonia, infective en-docarditis, meningitis and oral infectious diseases. Streptococcus parasanguinis, one of the commensal streptococci present in the oral cavity, utilizes its fimbriae to mediate the initial attachment to the tooth pellicle. Fap1 (Fimbriae-associated-protein 1), the first identified SRRP, is the subunit of the fimbriae which utilizes proteins encoded by an 11-gene cluster (gly-gtf3-dGT1-galT2 and secY2-gap1-gap2-gap3-secA2-gtf1-gtf2) to mediate its glycosylation and secretion. The key enzymes responsible for …

The Phase-Out And Sunset Of Travel Restrictions In The International Health Regulations, Sarah R. Goldfarb

Brooklyn Journal of International Law

Whether and to what extent travel restriction should be implemented during international infectious disease epidemics became a controversial issue, most recently, during the 2014 Ebola outbreak. The primary authority on the manner in which to respond to such epidemics is the International Health Regulations (IHR). The IHR is a treaty, established by the World Health Organization (WHO), which governs and coordinates international responses to international infectious disease epidemics. Despite the WHO's strong advisement to the contrary, many countries who were signatories to the IHR implemented travel bans and other types of travel restrictions to prevent the transmission of the disease …

Political, Economic, And Health Determinants Of Tuberculosis Incidence, Ashley Rutherford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The epidemiologic transition has shifted major causes of mortality from infectious disease to chronic disease; however, infectious diseases are again re-emerging as a major global concern (Diamond, 1997; Karlen, 1995; McNeil, 1976). This research aimed to identify potential areas of infectious disease influence that are not health-related in order to help governments and policymakers establish new policies, correct current policies, or further address these issues in order to effectively prevent and combat infectious disease. This study employed a retrospective, cross-sectional, non-experimental design via structural equation modeling (SEM) and examined tuberculosis incidence rates at the country-level. Secondary data from open-source, international …

Preschool Attendance: A Parental And Teacher Perspective Of Barriers And Behaviors Using Grounded Theory Research, Anne Meoli

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Preschool children from single-parent households with lower socioeconomic status (SES) are absent from preschool at rates higher than any other group. Some children are chronically absent, missing more than 10% of the school year. The phenomenon of preschool attendance related to behaviors, practices, and parental decision making associated with health and illness in lower SES households has not been previously studied using grounded theory methodology. Aim: The purpose of this study was to explore decision making related to supporting attendance in a preschool of 67 children (aged 3 to 4 years) with primarily low-income, single parents and preschool teachers …

Airborne Assassin: Why The Official Stockpiles Of The Smallpox Virus Must Be Destroyed, Kylie Thompson

Emory International Law Review

In 1980, after a successful immunization campaign, WHO declared that smallpox, a virus that ravaged the human race, was eradicated. Today, the smallpox virus officially exists within two government laboratories: the CDC and Vector. The issue of whether or not to destroy the official stockpiles of the smallpox virus has been vigorously debated. Recent incidents, such as protocol lapses and the discovery of a forgotten stockpile, have further pushed the issue. In an increasingly interconnected world, the outbreak of a highly contagious, eradicated disease is more than disconcerting. The threat of bioterrorism also cannot be ignored as smallpox has been …

Why Animal Welfarism Continues To Fail, Lori Marino

Animal Sentience

Welfarism prioritizes human interests over the needs of nonhuman animals. Despite decades of welfare efforts other animals are mostly worse off than ever before, being subjected to increasingly invasive and harmful treatments, especially in the factory farming and biomedical research areas. A legal rights-based approach is essential in order for other animals to be protected from the varying ethical whims of our species.

The Relationship Between Healthcare Spending And Gross Domestic Product: A Study From A Sample Of African Countries, Steven Harrington Addo

Wayne State University Dissertations

In this essay I estimate the elasticity of total healthcare expenditures with respect to gross domestic product. I also address the stationary properties of total healthcare expenditures and gross domestic product, and whether these measures are cointegrated. The empirical exercise uses a sample of African countries so that the estimates can be compared to those that have been made using data on OECD countries. To address the issue of possible endogeneity of GDP in the healthcare expenditure equation, I assume that total healthcare expenditures and gross domestic product are simultaneously determined, and using structural equations, I identify instrumental variables for …

Whsc1l1 Regulates Estrogen Receptor Activity In Sum44 Breast Cancer Cells, Jonathan Curtis Irish

Wayne State University Dissertations

Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the second leading

cause of cancer death in women. While ER-positive breast cancer subtypes are initially

well-managed by targeted therapies targeting estrogen signaling, many women are

suffering from recurrence of a more aggressive, hormone insensitive cancer 5 or more years after initial remission. Late recurrence of hormone resistant breast cancer in patients

who were previously successfully treated with anti-estrogen therapies worsens

overall long-term outcomes, and specific oncogenic mutations may be driving late recurring aggressive disease in these patients. More complete characterization of the oncogenome of

a tumor may allow for the possibility …

Calponin And Cytoskeleton Dynamics In Macrophage Functions And The Pathogenesis Of Atherosclerosis, Rong Liu

Wayne State University Dissertations

Arterial atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease. Macrophages play a major role in the pathogenesis and progression of atherosclerotic lesions. Modulation of macrophage function is a therapeutic target for the treatment of atherosclerosis. Calponin is an actin-filament-associated regulatory protein that inhibits the activity of myosin-ATPase and dynamics of the actin cytoskeleton. Encoded by the Cnn2 gene, calponin isoform 2 is expressed at significant levels in macrophages. Deletion of calponin 2 increases macrophage migration and phagocytosis. In the present study, we investigated the effect of deletion of calponin 2 in macrophages on the pathogenesis and development of atherosclerosis. The results showed that …

Imagining Global Health With Justice, Lawrence O. Gostin

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

This article offers a way to achieve global health with justice as a global health imperative. It is possible to have global health without justice, meaning that improvements in health outcomes could be achieved, but without a fair distribution of the benefits of good health. It is also possible to have justice without global health, where health outcomes are evenly distributed across the population but overall health is not improved. With this understanding, this article challenges current ways of understanding global health, and argues that absolute reductions in morbidity and premature mortality are not robust indicators of success in the …

Special Treatment Stigma After The Ada Amendments Act, Nicole Buonocore Porter

Faculty Publications

This Article explores a unique source of stigma suffered by individuals with disabilities in the workplace. Instead of focusing on those with the most stigmatizing disabilities, I focus on those individuals who have disabilities that are not perceived as very severe, yet they still suffer stigma. These individuals are stigmatized because of the special treatment they receive (or are perceived as receiving) through workplace accommodations provided pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In prior work, I have called this phenomenon "special treatment stigma, " the harm that arises from receiving special treatment in the workplace, especially when coworkers …