Digital Commons Network^™

Validation Of A New Concept For Measuring Respirable Dusts, Xiao Liu

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Sampling of airborne dust in industry is influenced by the potential health effects associated with human exposure. Health effects depend on mass concentration and particle size which influences the site of pulmonary deposition. Occupational diseases tend to be associated with dust deposition in specific regions of the respiratory tract. The ACGIH size selective TLVs are expressed in three forms: Inhalable Particulate Matter, Thoracic Particulate Matter, and Respirable Particulate Matter. In pneuomoconioses, the amount of dust deposited in the lungs can be estimated by sampling the respirable fraction. Dose-response relationships are derived by relating the health experience of workers to the …

Public Health Emergency Preparedness: Globalizing Risk, Localizing Threats, Lawrence O. Gostin

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Infectious diseases are a constant reality, yet it takes a shock to jolt the public’s attention and spur political action. The past weeks saw such as a shock at busy US airports, with the emergency quarantine of 3 flights. At the same time, seemingly a world away, insecurity, weak health systems, and distrust are fueling a second major Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) this year. Yet reacting to periodic shocks won’t safeguard our collective future. Emergency preparedness requires proactive planning and funding, with US leadership pivotal.

Microbial Diversity In Urban Environments: Concern For Antibiotic Resistance, Ality Aghedo, Mangala Tawde, Nazrul I. Khandaker

Publications and Research

We are almost oblivious to the presence of microorganisms in our daily lives, but they exist and come into contact with us all the time. While some bacteria are harmless, and even beneficial, other bacteria can cause infections. A common treatment to bacterial infections is antibiotics and the success of an antibiotic depends on the resistance of the bacteria to the antibiotic. We conducted experiments to identify the types of bacteria that can be found on surfaces or within soil environments that come into contact with a vast number of people on a daily basis and how this can affect …

Estimating And Exploring The Proportions Of Inter- And Intrastate Cattle Shipments In The United States, Lindsay M. Beck-Johnson, Clayton Hallman, Ryan S. Miller, Katie Portacci, Erin E. Gorsich, Daniel A. Grear, Katherine Hartmann, Colleen T. Webb

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Mathematical models are key tools for the development of surveillance, preparedness and response plans for the potential events of emerging and introduced foreign animal diseases. Creating these types of plans requires data; when data are incomplete, mathematical models can help fill in missing information, provided they are informed by the data that are available. In the United States, the most complete national-scale data available on cattle shipments are based on Interstate Certificates of Veterinary Inspection, which track the shipment of cattle between states; data on intrastate cattle shipments are lacking. Here we develop four new datasets on intrastate cattle shipments …

Research Output Analysis Of Most Productive Universities Of Tamil Nadu, India : A Scientometric Analysis, Sadik Batcha M

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Scientometrics is an important field of information science as it represents a unique set of techniques and tools for the monitoring and analysis of information resources and for the management of knowledge in social and organizational contexts. This article analysed the various Scientometric components of the articles published by top six universities of Tamil Nadu from 2000-2017. The study identifies research trend, characteristics growth and collaboration pattern of published literature. The analysis of data reveals that the average growth rate increases at the rate of 9.76%. Further, the average citation per paper observed is 12.18%. High degree of international collaboration …

Vol 5 #1 Full Issue, Ginger Walker

Journal of Prison Education and Reentry (2014-2023)

Journal of Prison Education and Reentry Vol 5 No 1 Full Issue PDF

Full Issue Winter 2016 Volume 11, Issue 1

School Leadership Review

No abstract provided.

“Pure Water” Sale And Its Socio - Economic Implications In Nigeria., Muhammad Bello Muhammad, Muhammad Tasiu Dansabo

Journal of Environmental Sustainability

The study aim to show the gradual acceptance of buying water in the open market across Nigeria. The commoditization of water is most manifest in the boom of packaged water, especially the ones in sachets popularly called ‘pure water’. The initial position of the government was to ignore the industry as part of the informal economy. After considerable concerns were raised on public health grounds that water merchants were selling ‘pure gutter’ instead of ‘pure water’, the government, through the National Agency for Food and Drugs Control (NAFDAC) intervened to regulate standards. Proprietors of packaged water are expected to apply …

Optimal Control And Cost-Effectiveness Analysis For Dysentery Epidemic Model, Hailay Weldegiorgis Berhe, Oluwole Daniel Makinde, David Mwangi Theuri

Applied Mathematics & Information Sciences

In this paper, optimal control theory is applied to a system of ordinary differential equations representing a dysentery diarrhea epidemic. Optimal control strategies are proposed to reduce the number of infected humans and the cost of interventions. The Pontryagin’s maximum principle is employed to find the necessary conditions for the existence of the optimal controls. Runge- Kutta forward-backward sweep numerical approximation method is used to solve the optimal control system. The incremental costeffectiveness analysis technique is used to determine the most cost-effective strategy.We observe that the control measure implementing sanitation and education campaign is the most efficient and cost-effective.

Ada Code Of Ethics (November 2018), American Dental Association

Code of Ethics

The ADA Code of Ethics has three main components: The Principles of Ethics, the Code of Professional Conduct and the Advisory Opinions. Contents may also include: Amendment to ADA Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct and Insert for the ADA Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct. The most current issue is available on the ADA’s website.

Nicotine Vaccines For Smoking Prevention And Treatment From Utilitarian And Deontological Ethical Perspectives, Enam A. Alsrayheen, Khaldoun Aldiabat

Journal of Health Ethics

Nicotine vaccines are a new prevention and treatment method for smoking addiction. They are promoted as a method to cease smoking among those who smoke and possibly prevent this behaviour from taking place among those who do not smoke. However, offering these vaccines to adults, adolescents, and children will undoubtedly raise an ethical debate among policy-makers, health professionals, and the public. This paper discusses the possibility of using nicotine vaccines treat and prevent smoking among adults/children/adolescents through the lenses of two ethical theories: utilitarianism and deontology (Kantianism). From an utilitarian perspective, nicotine vaccines are good for society because they provide …

Safety, Tolerability, And Pharmacokinetics Of Long-Acting Injectable Cabotegravir In Low-Risk Hiv-Uninfected Individuals: Hptn 077, A Phase 2a Randomized Controlled Trial., Raphael J Landovitz, Sue Li, Beatriz Grinsztejn, Halima Dawood, Albert Y Liu, Manya Magnus, Mina C Hosseinipour, Ravindre Panchia, Leslie Cottle, Gordon Chau, Paul Richardson, Mark A Marzinke, Craig W Hendrix, Susan H Eshleman, Yinfeng Zhang, Elizabeth Tolley, Jeremy Sugarman, Ryan Kofron, Adeola Adeyeye, David Burns, Alex R Rinehart, David Margolis, William R Spreen, Myron S Cohen, Marybeth Mccauley, Joseph J Eron

Epidemiology Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Cabotegravir (CAB) is a novel strand-transfer integrase inhibitor being developed for HIV treatment and prevention. CAB is formulated both as an immediate-release oral tablet for daily administration and as a long-acting injectable suspension (long-acting CAB [CAB LA]) for intramuscular (IM) administration, which delivers prolonged plasma exposure to the drug after IM injection. HIV Prevention Trials Network study 077 (HPTN 077) evaluated the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of CAB LA in HIV-uninfected males and females at 8 sites in Brazil, Malawi, South Africa, and the United States.

METHODS AND FINDINGS: HPTN 077 was a double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2a trial. Healthy …

In Silico Validation Of The Autoinflammatory Disease Damage Index, Nienke M. Ter Haar, Amber Laetitia Justine Van Delft, Kim Valerie Annink, Henk Van Stel, Sulaiman M. Al-Mayouf, Gayane Amaryan, Jordi Anton, Karyl S. Barron, Susanne Benseler, Paul A. Brogan, Luca Cantarini, Marco Cattalini, Alexis Virgil Cochino, Fabrizio De Benedetti, Fatma Dedeoglu, Adriana Almeida De Jesus, Erkan Demirkaya, Pavla Dolezalova, Karen L. Durrant, Giovanna Fabio, Romina Gallizzi, Raphaela Goldbach-Mansky, Eric Hachulla, Veronique Hentgen, Troels Herlin, Michaël Hofer, Hal M. Hoffman, Antonella Insalaco, Annette F. Jansson

Paediatrics Publications

Introduction Autoinflammatory diseases can cause irreversible tissue damage due to systemic inflammation. Recently, the Autoinflammatory Disease Damage Index (ADDI) was developed. The ADDI is the first instrument to quantify damage in familial Mediterranean fever, cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes, mevalonate kinase deficiency and tumour necrosis factor receptor-associated periodic syndrome. The aim of this study was to validate this tool for its intended use in a clinical/research setting. Methods The ADDI was scored on paper clinical cases by at least three physicians per case, independently of each other. Face and content validity were assessed by requesting comments on the ADDI. Reliability was tested …

Validation Of Apolipoprotein A-1 And Fibronectin Fragments As Markers Of Parasitological Cure For Congenital Chagas Disease In Children Treated With Benznidazole, Elizabeth Ruiz-Lancheros, Asieh Rasoolizadeh, Eric Chatelain, Facundo Garcia-Bournissen, Samanta Moroni, Guillermo Moscatelli, Jaime Altcheh, Momar Ndao

Paediatrics Publications

Background. No reliable tests or validated biomarkers exist to ensure parasitological cure following treatment of Chagas disease (CD) patients chronically infected with Trypanosoma cruzi. As seroreversion, the only marker of cure, happens more quickly in children, we investigated the correlation between previously identified biomarkers and seroreversion in children. Methods. Thirty CD children (age 1 month to 10 years) diagnosed as T. cruzi positive (time point S0) were treated with benznidazole (BZ) 5-8 mg/kg/d for 60 days. At least 2 serological tests were used to evaluate treatment efficacy from the end of treatment (S1) until seroreversion (S2). Thirty children (age 1 …

Large Mediastinal Mass In A 15-Year-Old Boy, Mariyam Gohar Ali, Ali Bin Sarwar Zubairi, Farah Naz Qamar

Section of Pulmonary & Critical Care

Hyperimmunoglobulin E syndrome is a rare multisystem inherited disorder characterised by high serum IgE levels, skin disorder causing eczema, dermatitis, recurrent staphylococcal infections and pulmonary infections and various skeletal and connective tissue abnormalities. Common presentation is with recurrent skin and sinopulmonary infections. Several features unrelated to immune system such as characteristic facial features, hyperextensibility of joints, multiple bone fractures and craniosynostosis have been described in the literature. We describe a rare presentation of this disease with invasive aspergillosis presenting as mediastinal mass with extension to mediastinalstructures and pulmonary vasculature.

Vwa Proteins Of Leptospira Interrogans Induce Hemorrhage In Leptospirosis By Competitive Inhibition Of Vwf/Gpib-Mediated Platelet Aggregation., Jia-Qi Fang, Muhammad Imran, Wei-Lin Hu, David M. Ojcius, Yang Li, Yu-Mei Ge, Kai-Xuan Li, Xu'ai Lin, Jie Yan

All Dugoni School of Dentistry Faculty Articles

BACKGROUD: Leptospira interrogans is the major causative agent of leptospirosis, a worldwide zoonotic disease. Hemorrhage is a typical pathological feature of leptospirosis. Binding of von Willebrand factor (vWF) to platelet glycoprotein-Ibα (GPIbα) is a crucial step in initiation of platelet aggregation. The products of L. interrogans vwa-I and vwa-II genes contain vWF-A domains, but their ability to induce hemorrhage has not been determined.

METHODS: Human (Hu)-platelet- and Hu-GPIbα-binding abilities of the recombinant proteins expressed by L. interrogans strain Lai vwa-I and vwa-II genes (rLep-vWA-I and rLep-vWA-II) were detected by flowcytometry, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). Hu-platelet …

Estimating The Elimination Feasibility In The 'End Game' Of Control Efforts For Parasites Subjected To Regular Mass Drug Administration: Methods And Their Application To Schistosomiasis, Arathi Arakala, Christopher M. Hoover, John M. Marshall, Susanne H. Sokolow, Guilio A. De Leo, Jason R. Rohr, Justin V. Remais, Manoj Gambhir

Integrative Biology Faculty and Staff Publications

Progress towards controlling and eliminating parasitic worms, including schistosomiasis, onchocerciasis, and lymphatic filariasis, is advancing rapidly as national governments, multinational NGOs, and pharmaceutical companies launch collaborative chemotherapeutic control campaigns. Critical questions remain regarding the potential for achieving elimination of these infections, and analytical methods can help to quickly estimate progress towards—and the probability of achieving—elimination over specific timeframes. Here, we propose the effective reproduction number, R_eff, as a proxy of elimination potential for sexually reproducing worms that are subject to poor mating success at very low abundance (positive density dependence, or Allee effects). R_eff is the …

Basic Considerations For The Use Of Monoclonal Antibodies In Migraine., Morris Levin, Stephen D Silberstein, Robert Gilbert, Sylvia Lucas, Leanne Munsie, Alyssa Garrelts, Kate Kennedy, Nicole Everman, Eric Pearlman

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

BACKGROUND: Migraine impacts more than 36 million people in the United States and 1 billion people worldwide. Despite the increasing availability of acute and preventive therapies, there is still tremendous unmet need. Potential treatments in development include monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Appropriate use of these “biologic” treatments will necessitate an understanding of the aspects that distinguish them from traditional medications.

AIM: Many drug classes are prescribed for migraine treatment, but all have limitations. Recently, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) activity has shown a significant promise as a target for preventive therapy. In this review, we provide an overview of the potential role …

Diagnostic Value Of Gauze Filtration Technique: A Comparison With Conventional Methods In A Diagnostic Laboratory In Pakistan, Naima Maqsood, Aymen Shakeel, Najia Karim Ghanchi, Ahmed Raheem Buksh, ,Feroz Zaheruddin, Ghazala Jabeen, Afsheen Raza, Mohammad A. Beg

Section of Internal Medicine

Background: Intestinal parasites cause significant morbidity and impact human development with an enormous global burden. Diagnosis of intestinal parasites by conventional methods has several limitations. The gauze filtration technique is a relatively simple method that has been shown to identify intestinal parasites with a high sensitivity and specificity. The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic value of this technique as compared to more conventional methods in a large acclaimed laboratory within Pakistan.

Methods: A total of 50 stool samples collected for routine diagnostic workup from patients age between 2-70 years were collected from the parasitology section of …

963. Whole Blood Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Differences In Erythropoiesis And Neurologically Relevant Pathways Between Cerebral Malaria And Severe Malarial Anemia, Srinivas Nallandhighal, Gregory Park, Yen-Yi Ho, Robert Opoka, Chandy John, Tuan Tran

Paediatrics and Child Health, East Africa

Background: Plasmodium falciparum malaria can rapidly progress to severe disease that can lead to death if left untreated. Severe malaria cases commonly present as severe malarial anemia (SMA), defined in children as hemoglobin (Hb) <5 g/dL with parasitemia, or as cerebral malaria (CM), which manifests as parasitemia with acute neurological deficits and has an inpatient mortality rate of ~20%. The molecular and cellular processes that lead to CM and SMA are unclear.

Methods: In a cross-sectional study, we compared genome-wide transcription profiles of whole blood obtained from Ugandan children with acute CM (n = 17) or SMA (n = 17) and community children without P. falciparum infection (n = 12) who were enrolled in a parent cohort study of severe malaria. We determined the relationships between gene expression, hematological indices, and plasma biomarkers, including inflammatory cytokines. …

Mapping Maternal Mortality Rate Via Spatial Zero-Inflated Models For Count Data: A Case Study Of Facility-Based Maternal Deaths From Mozambique, Osvaldo Loquiha, Niel Hens, Leonardo Chavane, Marleen Temmerman, Nafissa Osman, Christel Faes, Marc Aerts

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Maternal mortality remains very high in Mozambique, with estimates from 2015 showing a maternal mortality ratio of 489 deaths per 100,000 live births, even though the rates tend to decrease since 1990. Pregnancy related hemorrhage, gestational hypertension and diseases such as malaria and HIV/AIDS are amongst the leading causes of maternal death in Mozambique, and a significant number of these deaths occur within health facilities. Often, the analysis of data on maternal mortality involves the use of counts of maternal deaths as outcome variable. Previously we showed that a class of hierarchical zero-inflated models were very successful in dealing with …

Triatomines: Trypanosomatids, Bacteria, And Viruses Potential Vectors?, Caroline Barreto Viera, Yanna Reis Praça, Kaio Luis Da Silva Bentes, Paula Beatriz Santiago, Sofia Marcelino Martins Silva, Gabriel Dos Santos Silva, Flávia Nader Motta, Izabela Marques Dourado Bastos, Jaime Martins De Santana, Carla Nunes De Araújo

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Library Materials

Triatominae bugs are the vectors of Chagas disease, a major concern to public health especially in Latin America, where vector-borne Chagas disease has undergone resurgence due mainly to diminished triatomine control in many endemic municipalities. Although the majority of Triatominae species occurs in the Americas, species belonging to the genus Linshcosteus occur in India, and species belonging to the Triatoma rubrofasciata complex have been also identified in Africa, the Middle East, South-East Asia, and in the Western Pacific. Not all of Triatominae species have been found to be infected with Trypanosoma cruzi, but the possibility of establishing vector transmission …

The Sex Specific Effect Of Alcohol Consumption On Circulating Levels Of Ctrp3, Ashley R. Degroat, Christina K. Fleming, Samantha M. Dunlay, Kendra L. Hagood, Jonathan P. Moorman, Jonathan M. Peterson

ETSU Faculty Works

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. The goal of this project was to establish the effect of alcohol consumption on the circulating levels of the adipose tissue derived protein C1q TNF Related Protein 3 (CTRP3). Adipose tissue secretes several adipokines, such as adiponectin and leptin, which exert a multitude of biological effects important for human health. However, adipose tissue is extremely sensitive to alcohol consumption, leading not only to disrupted fat storage, …

Characterization Of Tick Organic Anion Transporting Polypeptides (Oatps) Upon Bacterial And Viral Infections, Vikas Taank, Wenshou Zhou, Xuran Zhuang, John F. Anderson, Utpal Pal, Hameeda Sultana, Girish Neelakanta

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Ixodes scapularis organic anion transporting polypeptides (OATPs) play important roles in tickrickettsial pathogen interactions. In this report, we characterized the role of these conserved molecules in ticks infected with either Lyme disease agent Borrelia burgdorferi or tick-borne Langat virus (LGTV), a pathogen closely related to tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV).

Results: Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed no significant changes in oatps gene expression upon infection with B. burgdorferi in unfed ticks. Synchronous infection of unfed nymphal ticks with LGTV in vitro revealed no significant changes in oatps gene expression. However, expression of specific oatps was significantly downregulated upon …

Multidisciplinary Authorship Among Infectious Diseases Society Of America Clinical Practice Guidelines: Examining The Contributions Of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists, Lauren K. Freeman, Jasmine N. Lindsay, Sarah Elizabeth Davis, Brian F. Norman, April W. Thompkins, Vera P. Luther, Christopher A. Ohl, P Brandon Bookstaver

Faculty Publications

We describe the proportion of pharmacist representation among current and corresponding prior editions of Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). Pharmacist representation was 13% and 21% in previous and current editions, respectively, increasing significantly since 2011. We advocate for continued collaborations between IDSA and pharmacy organizations to enhance multidisciplinary representation in CPGs.

Premedical Programs Newsletter, November-December 2018, University Of Dayton

Pre-Health Resource Center Campus Communications

Newsletter for students, staff, and faculty in the premedical and predental programs.

The Right Hammer For The Right Nail: Public Health Tools In The Struggle Between Pain And Addiction, Melissa Mcpheeters, Mary K. Bratton

University of Memphis Law Review

No abstract provided.

Azithromycin For Early Pseudomonas Infection In Cystic Fibrosis. The Optimize Randomized Trial., Nicole Mayer-Hamblett, George Retsch-Bogart, Margaret Kloster, Frank Accurso, Margaret Rosenfeld, Gary Albers, Philip Black, Perry Brown, Annemarie Cairns, Stephanie D. Davis, Gavin R. Graff, Gwendolyn S. Kerby, David Orenstein, Rachael Buckingham, Bonnie W. Ramsey, Optimize Study Group

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

RATIONALE: New isolation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa) is generally treated with inhaled antipseudomonal antibiotics such as tobramycin inhalation solution (TIS). A therapeutic approach that complements traditional antimicrobial therapy by reducing the risk of pulmonary exacerbation and inflammation may ultimately prolong the time to Pa recurrence.

OBJECTIVES: To test the hypothesis that the addition of azithromycin to TIS in children with cystic fibrosis and early Pa decreases the risk of pulmonary exacerbation and prolongs the time to Pa recurrence.

METHODS: The OPTIMIZE (Optimizing Treatment for Early Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection in Cystic Fibrosis) trial was a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, 18-month trial …

The Right Hammer For The Right Nail: Public Health Tools In The Struggle Between Pain And Addiction, Melissa Mcpheeters, Mary K. Bratton

University of Memphis Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Type I Interferon Receptor Is Not Required For Protection In The Chlamydia Muridarum And Hsv-2 Murine Super-Infection Model, Jessica A. Slade, Jennifer V. Hall, Jennifer Kintner, Robert V. Schoborg

ETSU Faculty Works

Chlamydia trachomatis/HSV-2 vaginal co-infections are seen clinically, suggesting that these sexually transmitted pathogens may interact. We previously established an intravaginal Chlamydia muridarum/HSV-2 super-infection model and observed that chlamydial pre-infection protects mice from a subsequent lethal HSV-2 challenge. However, the mechanism of protection remains unknown. The type I interferon, IFN-β, binds to the type I interferon receptor (IFNR), elicits a host cellular antiviral response and inhibits HSV replication in vitro and in vivo. Previous studies have demonstrated that C. muridarum infection stimulates genital tract (GT) IFN-β production; therefore, we hypothesized that chlamydial pre-infection protects mice from HSV-2 challenge via the IFN-β/IFNR-induced …