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Optimal Approaches For Inline Sampling Of Organisms In Ballast Water: L-Shaped Vs. Straight Sample Probes, Timothy P. Wier, Cameron S. Moser, Jonathan F. Grant, Scott C. Riley, Stephanie H. Robbins-Wamsley, Matthew R. First, Lisa A. Drake

United States Navy: Publications

Both L-shaped (“L”) and straight (“Straight”) sample probes have been used to collect water samples from a main ballast line in land-based or shipboard verification testing of ballast water management systems (BWMS). A series of experiments was conducted to quantify and compare the sampling efficiencies of L and Straight sample probes. The findings from this research—that both L and Straight probes sample organisms with similar efficiencies— permit increased flexibility for positioning sample probes aboard ships.

Using Optimal Transport Theory To Estimate Transition Probabilitiesin Metapopulation Dynamics, J. M. Nichols, J. A. Spendelow, J. D. Nichols

United States Navy: Publications

This work considers the estimation of transition probabilities associated with populations moving among multiple spatial locations based on numbers of individuals at each location at two points in time. The problem is generally underdetermined as there exists an extremely large number of ways in which individuals can move from one set of locations to another. A unique solution therefore requires a constraint.The theory of optimal transport provides such a constraint in the form of a cost function, to be minimized in expectation over the space of possible transition matrices. We demonstrate the optimal transport approach on marked bird data and …

Caught In A Net: Retention Efficiency Of Microplankton ≥10 And< 50 Μm Collected On Mesh Netting, Vanessa Molina, Stephanie H. Robbins-Wamsley, Scott C. Riley, Matthew R. First, Lisa A. Drake

United States Navy: Publications

Living organisms ≥10 μm and< 50 μm in ballast water discharged from ships are typically collected by filtering samples through a monofilament mesh net with pore openings sized to retain organisms ≥10 μm. This (or any) filtering method does not result in perfect size fractionation, and it can induce stress, mortality, and loss of organisms that, in turn, may underestimate the concentration of organisms within samples. To address this loss, the retention efficiency (RE) was determined for six filtration approaches using laboratory cultures of microalgae and ambient marine organisms. The approaches employed a membrane filter or mesh nettings of different compositions (nylon, stainless steel, polyester, and polycarbonate), nominal pore sizes (5, 7, and 10 μm), and filtering sequences (e.g., pre-filtering water through a coarse filter). Additionally, in trials with polycarbonate track etched (PCTE) membrane filters, water was amended with particulate material to increase turbidity. Organisms ≥10 μm were counted in the material retained on the filter (the filtrand), the material passing through the filter (the filtrate), and the …

Reproductive Success Of Mariana Swiftlets (Aerodramus Bartschi) On The Hawaiian Island Of O’Ahu, Nathan C. Johnson, Susan M. Haig, Stephen M. Mosher, Jeff P. Hollenbeck

United States Navy: Publications

Mariana Swiftlets (Aerodramus bartschi) are federally listed as endangered, with populations currently limited to just three islands in the Mariana Islands plus an introduced population on the Hawaiian island of O’ahu. Before efforts are made to reintroduce Mariana Swiftlets to other islands in the Mariana archipelago, additional information is needed concerning their breeding biology. Therefore, our objective was to examine the reproductive biology of Mariana Swiftlets over five annual cycles on the Hawaiian island of O’ahu. This introduced population used a human-made tunnel for roosting and nesting, and was studied as a surrogate to negate interference with endangered …

Circulating And Intraprostatic Sex Steroid Hormonal Profiles In Relation To Male Pattern Baldness And Chest Hair Density Among Men Diagnosed With Localized Prostate Cancers, Cindy Ke Zhou, Frank Z. Stanczyk, Muhannad Hafi, Carmela C. Veneroso, Barlow Lynch, Roni T. Falk, Shelley Niwa, Eric Emanuel, Yu-Tang Gao, George P. Hemstreet, Ladan Zolfghari, Peter R. Carroll, Michael J. Manyak, Isabell A. Sesterhenn, Paul H. Levine, Ann W. Hsing, Michael B. Cook

United States Department of Veterans Affairs: Publications

Background: Prospective cohort studies of circulating sex steroid hormones and prostate cancer risk have not provided a consistent association, despite evidence from animal and clinical studies. However, studies using male pattern baldness as a proxy of early-life or cumulative androgen exposure have reported significant associations with aggressive and fatal prostate cancer risk. Given that androgens underlie the development of patterned hair loss and chest hair, we assessed whether these two dermatological characteristics were associated with circulating and intraprostatic concentrations of sex steroid hormones among men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer.

Methods:We included 248 prostate cancer patients from the NCI …

Effect Of Low-Level Co2 On Innate Inflammatory Protein Response To Organic Dust From Swine Confinement Barns, David Schneberger, Jane M. Devasure, Kristina L. Bailey, Debra J. Romberger, Todd A. Wyatt

United States Department of Veterans Affairs: Publications

Background: Organic hog barn dust (HDE) exposure induces lung inflammation and long-term decreases in lung function in agricultural workers. While concentrations of common gasses in confined animal facilities are well characterized, few studies have been done addressing if exposure to elevated barn gasses impacts the lung immune response to organic dusts. Given the well documented effects of hypercapnia at much higher levels we hypothesized that CO₂ at 8 h exposure limit levels (5000 ppm) could alter innate immune responses to HDE.

Methods: Using a mouse model, C57BL/6 mice were nasally instilled with defined barn dust extracts and then housed …

Detection Of Allergen Markers In Food: Analytical Methods, Girdhari M. Sharma, Sefat E. Khuda, Christine H. Parker, Anne C. Eischeid, Marion Pereira

United States Food and Drug Administration: Publications

Food allergens are proteins that are well tolerated by most, but can cause severe reactions in sensitive individuals. Since there is no cure for food allergy, strict adherence to an allergen-free diet is the only safe choice currently available for allergic consumers. Accurate food labeling can help consumers avoid foods containing an allergenic ingredient. Regulatory agencies have mandated the labeling of major food allergens on packaged foods to help with safe food choices. However, the inadvertent presence of an allergen in food due to cross-contact and labeling error can jeopardize consumer health. Analytical methods are developed for allergen detection and …

Multiple Imputation To Evaluate The Impact Of An Assay Change In National Surveys, Maya Sternberg

United States Food and Drug Administration: Publications

National health surveys, such as the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, are used to monitor trends of nutritional biomarkers. These surveys try to maintain the same biomarker assay over time, but there are a variety of reasons why the assay may change. In these cases, it is important to evaluate the potential impact of a change so that any observed fluctuations in concentrations over time are not confounded by changes in the assay. To this end, a subset of stored specimens previously analyzed with the old assay is retested using the new assay. These paired data are used to …

Rapid Testing Of Food Matrices For Bacillus Cereus Enterotoxins, Sandra M. Tallent, Jennifer M. Hait, Ann M. Knolhoff, Reginald W. Bennett, Thomas S. Hammack, Timothy R. Croley

United States Food and Drug Administration: Publications

Nine different food products frequently associated with Bacillus cereus outbreaks were chosen as representative matrices to be evaluated with end-point polymerase chain reaction (PCR), enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, lateral flow device and mass spectrometry for detection of enterotoxins associated with human illness. Testing was performed on food portions inoculated with a bacterial strain and incubated at 30C for either 5 h or 24 h. A screening end-point multiplex PCR targeting enterotoxin genes including the emetic toxin and three diarrheal toxins, hemolytic hemolysin BL (Hbl), nonhemoltyic enterotoxin (Nhe), and cytolysin K. Commercially available kits were used to determine the presence/absence of …

Food Safety Traceability, Yimin Wei, Boli Guo, Hongyan Liu, Shuai Wei, Jianrong Zhang

United States Food and Drug Administration: Publications

With globalized economics, it is becoming more frequent to trade food across country and regional borders, which leads to expanding and spreading of all kinds of food safety incidents and hazards. Mad cow disease, foot and mouth disease, avian flu and other zoonotic diseases pose a grave threat to food safety and human health, causing serious economic losses for food industries and causing social panic at the same time. In order to reduce the losses caused by such serious zoonotic diseases, as well as to ensure food safety, many countries have started to implement food safety traceability systems. The European …

Quality By Design: Process Trajectory Development For A Dynamic Pharmaceutical Coprecipitation Process Based On An Integrated Real‐Time Process Monitoring Strategy, Huiquan Wu, Mansoor A. Khan

United States Food and Drug Administration: Publications

Increasing prevalence of poorly water‐soluble drugs in pharmaceutical development provides notable risks of new products demonstrating low and erratic bioavailability. This dissolution‐limited bioavailability may have consequences for safety and efficacy, particularly for drugs delivered by the oral route of administration. Several novel drug delivery technologies have been developed to improve drug solubility, dissolution rates, and bioavailability. Among those are solid dispersion, nanotechnology, supercritical fluid technology, lipid‐based technology, and crystal engineering. Although these strategies are available for enhancing the bioavailability of drugs with low aqueous solubility, the success of these approaches is not yet guaranteed and is greatly dependent on the …

Modeling And Statistical Issues Related To Salmonella In Low Water Activity Foods, Sofia M. Santillana Farakos, Michelle Danyluk, Donald Schaffner, Régis Pouillot, Linda J. Harris, Bradley P. Marks

United States Food and Drug Administration: Publications

The presence and survival of Salmonella in low water activity (a_w) foods continues to pose a challenge for the food industry. Peer‐reviewed literature data on prevalence and levels of contamination of Salmonella in low water activity foods in the United States are limited. Available published data include those on: Salmonella contamination on nuts and peanuts (Calhoun et al., 2013), almonds (Danyluk et al., 2007; Bansal et al., 2010), pecans (Brar, Strawn, and Danyluk, 2016), and walnuts (Davidson et al., 2015); prevalence and levels of Salmonella on spices (Van Doren et al., 2013); as …

Disparities In Hypertension And Cardiovascular Disease In Blacks: The Critical Role Of Medication Adherence, Keith C. Ferdinand, Kapil Yadav, Samar A. Nasser, Helene D. Clayton-Jeter, John Lewin, Dennis R. Cryer, Fortunato Fred Senatore

United States Food and Drug Administration: Publications

Blacks are two to three times as likely as whites to die of preventable heart disease and stroke. Declines in mortality from heart disease have not eliminated racial disparities. Control and effective treatment of hypertension, a leading cause of cardiovascular disease, among blacks is less than in whites and remains a challenge. One of the driving forces behind this racial/ethnic disparity is medication nonadherence whose cause is embedded in social determinants. Eight practical approaches to addressing medication adherence with the potential to attenuate disparities were identified and include: (1) patient engagement strategies, (2) consumer-directed health care, (3) patient portals, (4) …

Current Practices In Corrosion, Surface Characterization, And Nickel Leach Testing Of Cardiovascular Metallic Implants, Srinidhi Nagaraja, Matthew Di Prima, David Saylor, Erica Takai

United States Food and Drug Administration: Publications

In an effort to better understand current test practices and improve nonclinical testing of cardiovascular metallic implants, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) held a public workshop on Cardiovascular Metallic Implants: corrosion, surface characterization, and nickel leaching. The following topics were discussed: (1) methods used for corrosion assessments, surface characterization techniques, and nickel leach testing of metallic cardiovascular implant devices, (2) the limitations of each of these in vitro tests in predicting in vivo performance, (3) the need, utility, and circumstances when each test should be considered, and (4) the potential testing paradigms, including acceptance criteria for each test. In …

High Throughput Quantification Of Apolipoproteins A-I And B-100 By Isotope Dilution Ms Targeting Fast Trypsin Releasable Peptides Without Reduction And Alkylation, Bryan A. Parks, David M. Schieltz, Michael L. Andrews, Michael S. Gardner, John C. Rees, Christopher A. Toth, Jeffrey I. Jones, Lisa G. Mcwilliams, Zsuzsanna Kuklenyik, James L. Pirkle, John R. Barr

United States Food and Drug Administration: Publications

Purpose: Apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I) and apolipoprotein B-100 (ApoB-100) are amphipathic proteins that are strong predictors of cardiovascular disease risk. The traceable calibration of apolipoprotein assays is a persistent challenge, especially for ApoB-100, which cannot be solubilized in purified form.

Experimental design: A simultaneous quantitation method for ApoA-I and ApoB-100 was developed using tryptic digestion without predigestion reduction and alkylation, followed by LC separation coupled with isotope dilution MS analysis. The accuracy of the method was assured by selecting structurally exposed signature peptides, optimal choice of detergent, protein: enzyme ratio, and incubation time. Peptide calibrators were value assigned by isobaric tagging …

Me-Em 2016-17 Annual Report, Department Of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Annual Reports

Table of Contents

• Undergrad Features
• Graduate Features
• Enrollment & Degrees
• Graduates
• Faculty & Staff
• Department News
• Alumni
• Donors
• Contracts & Grants
• Patents & Publications

Review Of Trends In Health Social Media Analysis, Liliya Akhtyamova, Mikhail Alexandrov, John Cardiff

Conference Papers

This paper surveys recent publications (2008-2017) on using social media data to study public health. The survey describes the main topics being discussed in forums and presents short information about methods and tools used for analysis health social media. We put especial attention on adverse drug reaction detection problem (ADR).

Adverse Drug Extraction In Twitter Data Using Convolutional Neural Network, Liliya Akhtyamova, John Cardiff, Mikhail Alexandrov

Conference Papers

The study of health-related topics on social media has become a useful tool for the early detection of the different adverse medical conditions. In particular, it concerns cases related to the treatment of mental diseases, as the effects of medications here often prove to be unpredictable. In our research, we use convolutional neural networks (CNN) with word2vec embedding to classify user comments on Twitter. The aim of the classification is to reveal adverse drug reactions of users. The results obtained are highly promising, showing the overall usefulness of neural network algorithms in this kind of tasks.

Title Ix’S Field Of (Unrealistic?) Dreams: If You Build It, Will They Come?, Becky Jacobs

Scholarly Works

In the wonderful, magical realism of the iconic baseball movie, Field of Dreams, Kevin Costner’s character, Ray Kinsella, hears the phrase, “If you build it, he will come,” as he walks in his Iowa fields. The voice’s pronouncement was prophetic, and, when Ray builds a baseball diamond, Shoeless Joe Jackson and other long-dead baseball legends do come – they come to play baseball on his field. Authors R. Vivian Acosta and Linda Jean Carpenter also make use of this movie quote in one of their biennial reports on women in intercollegiate sport. Regrettably, however, while Title IX has made strides …

Whither The Functional Parent? Revisiting Equitable Parenthood Doctrines In Light Of Same-Sex Parents’ Increased Access To Obtaining Formal Legal Parent Status, Jessica Feinberg

Articles

Until relatively recently, the law did not provide avenues through which both members of a same-sex couple could gain recognition as the parents of the children they were raising together. Instead, generally only the member of the same-sex couple who was the child’s biological parent was recognized as the child’s legal parent, and the nonbiological parent was considered a legal stranger to the child. Historically, nonbiological parents in same-sex relationships could not gain legal parent status because the traditional avenues for establishing legal parent status in the United States have been based upon biology, marriage, and adoption. Since joint biological …

Hemiataxia: A Novel Presentation Of Anti-Nmda Receptor Antibody Mediated Encephalitis In An Adolescent., Greg D Phillips, Gillian N Jones, Maureen Callaghan, Marc P Difazio

Neurology Faculty Publications

Anti-NMDA receptor antibody associated encephalitis as a cause of new-onset neuropsychiatric manifestations in children and adults can represent a significant diagnostic challenge for clinicians. Clinical signs often include encephalopathy, new-onset psychosis, and movement phenomenon. Although orofacial dyskinesias were initially identified as a characteristic movement phenomenon in this type of encephalitis, an expanded range of abnormalities has recently been reported, including isolated ataxia. We report a case of isolated hemiataxia in a young adult with mild initial psychiatric manifestations. A personal and family history of preceding neuropsychiatric symptoms produced diagnostic confusion and resulted in a significant diagnostic and therapeutic delay. Our …

The Effect Of Hiv Infection And Hcv Viremia On Inflammatory Mediators And Hepatic Injury-The Women's Interagency Hiv Study., Sheila M Keating, Jennifer L Dodge, Philip J Norris, John Heitman, Stephen J Gange, Audrey L French, Marshall J Glesby, Brian R Edlin, Patricia S Latham, Maria C Villacres, Ruth M Greenblatt, Marion G Peters

Pathology Faculty Publications

Hepatitis C virus infection induces inflammation and while it is believed that HIV co-infection enhances this response, HIV control may reduce inflammation and liver fibrosis in resolved or viremic HCV infection. Measurement of systemic biomarkers in co-infection could help define the mechanism of inflammation on fibrosis and determine if HIV control reduces liver pathology. A nested case-control study was performed to explore the relationship of systemic biomarkers of inflammation with liver fibrosis in HCV viremic and/or seropositive women with and without HIV infection. Serum cytokines, chemokines, growth factors and cell adhesion molecules were measured in HIV uninfected (HIV-, n = …

Terahertz Molecular Spectroscopy As A Tool For Analytical Probing Of Cellular Metabolism, Mitchell Cameron Paul

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Terahertz spectroscopy has found use as an analytical tool in determining chemical composition of exhaled human breath. This thesis demonstrates a novel application of this technology - analytical sensing of gaseous metabolic products of several types of human cell cultures. An innovative experimental system was developed for probing cellular metabolism using terahertz [THz] rotational spectroscopy. Gaseous emissions of cell cultures were analyzed and compared between several cell types. Cancerous and healthy lung cells as well as cancerous liver cells were studied. This technique carries a lot of promise as a noninvasive method of distinguishing between cell types and identifying cell …

Occupational Therapy Program 2017, Nova Southeastern University

Health Professions Divisions Course Catalogs and Course Descriptions

No abstract provided.

Telephone Follow-Up To Reduce The Readmission Rate In Gynecologic Oncology Surgery Patients, Karla Kenyon Fernandez

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Unplanned hospital readmissions are commonly viewed as a marker of poor quality care and result in increased costs for both healthcare institutions and patients. Factors associated with readmission for gynecological oncology patients can be related to the radical surgical interventions required for the management of their disease, as well as complex comorbidity profiles, surgical complexity, cancer stage, and perioperative complications. The purpose of this study was to explore and examine the impact of nursing-led telephone follow up on the reduction of the readmission rate in gynecologic oncology abdominal surgery patients following initial discharge post-operatively. A cross-sectional research study was used …

Hospice Nurses’ Perception Of Factors Influencing Nurse Retention, Vanessa Kelly Boris

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Aim. To identify factors that affect hospice nurses’ intent to remain employed. Background. Recent literature indicates that turnover is a major problem for health care organizations, since it is costly and negatively affects patient care. Several strategies have been highlighted to help improve retention rates, however hospice nurses have special needs. Methods. To assess hospice nurse perspectives, a survey was conducted using registered nurses working in a multi-county Hospice and Palliative Care facility in the southeastern U.S. Survey items were based on information gathered from previous focus groups exploring determinants of nurse retention. Results. Eighty-eight percent (n=7) of nurses chose …

Stress And Social Media: Implications For Nurses' Quality Of Life, Crystal A. Goodman

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

This study sought to explore relationships between nurse stress, social media use, and emotional wellbeing. Social media being such a popular trend, has been studied a lot in recent years to determine impacts on health. Nurses are also impacted by this societal trend and research has not focused on this particular group to see how it impacts their emotional wellbeing. The framework for this research was Cognitive-Relational Theory and Margaret Newman’s Theory of Expanding Consciousness. A review of literature was performed to gather data on direct care nurse stress, social media use, coping mechanisms, quality of life, and strategies for …

The Greatest Undertaking: The Unique History Of The Nebraska Forest Service, Tony Foreman

Nebraska Forest Service: Publications

Perhaps forests and trees are not the first images one conjures when thinking about Nebraska. Indeed, an old joke claims the Nebraska State Tree is a wooden football goalpost. Yet Nebraska has a unique forestry history. Pioneers of the mid-nineteenth century moved into what was popularly known as the Great American Desert, and they rolled the dice that this semi-arid land, seemingly incapable of sustaining trees, could somehow grow crops. After winning that gamble, the settlers yearned for the trees they had grown accustomed to in the Eastern United States. They missed the beauty of the wooded areas and the …

2001 Lilley Cornett Woods Soil Data, Ryan W. Mcewan, Julia I. Chapman, Robert N. Muller

Data Files: Big Everidge Hollow Permanent Plots

Data collected in 2001 on the soil in the Big Everidge Hollow portion of the Lilley Cornett Woods Appalachian Ecological Research Station in southeastern Kentucky. Data key is provided in a supplemental file.

DOI: http://doi.org/10.26890/lcw.r9anrrko79

Shock And Awe: American Exceptionalism And The Imperatives Of The Spectacle In Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court, William V. Spanos

Dartmouth College Press

About the Book

Shock and Awe Inspired by the foreign policy entanglements of recent years, William V. Spanos offers a dramatic interpretation of Twain's classic A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, providing a fresh assessment of American exceptionalism and the place of a global America in the American imaginary. Spanos insists that Twain identifies with his protagonist, particularly in his defining use of the spectacle, and thus with an American exceptionalism that uncannily anticipates the George W. Bush administration's normalization of the state of exception and the imperial policy of "preemptive war," unilateral "regime change," and "shock and awe" …