Digital Commons Network^™

Effect Of Learning To Use A Mobility Aid On Gait And Cognitive Demands In People With Mild To Moderate Alzheimer's Disease: Part Ii - 4-Wheeled Walker., Susan W. Hunter, Alison Divine, Humberto Omana, Walter Wittich, Keith D Hill, Andrew M Johnson, Jeffrey D Holmes

Physical Therapy Publications

BACKGROUND: Cognitive deficits and gait problems are common and progressive in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Prescription of a 4-wheeled walker is a common intervention to improve stability and independence, yet can be associated with an increased falls risk.

OBJECTIVES: 1) To examine changes in spatial-temporal gait parameters while using a 4-wheeled walker under different walking conditions, and 2) to determine the cognitive and gait task costs of walking with the aid in adults with AD and healthy older adults.

METHODS: Twenty participants with AD (age 79.1±7.1 years) and 22 controls (age 68.5±10.7 years) walked using a 4-wheeled walker in a straight …

White Matter Biomarkers Associated With Motor Change In Individuals With Stroke: A Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation Study, K P Wadden, Sue Peters, M R Borich, J L Neva, K S Hayward, C S Mang, N J Snow, K E Brown, T S Woodward, S K Meehan, L A Boyd

Physical Therapy Publications

Continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) is a form of noninvasive repetitive brain stimulation that, when delivered over the contralesional hemisphere, can influence the excitability of the ipsilesional hemisphere in individuals with stroke. cTBS applied prior to skilled motor practice interventions may augment motor learning; however, there is a high degree of variability in individual response to this intervention. The main objective of the present study was to assess white matter biomarkers of response to cTBS paired with skilled motor practice in individuals with chronic stroke. We tested the effects of stimulation of the contralesional hemisphere at the site of the …

Modeling Cell Line-Specific Recruitment Of Signaling Proteins To The Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 Receptor, Keesha E. Erickson, Dipak Barua, For Full List Of Authors, See Publisher's Website.

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) typically contain multiple autophosphorylation sites in their cytoplasmic domains. Once activated, these autophosphorylation sites can recruit downstream signaling proteins containing Src homology 2 (SH2) and phosphotyrosine-binding (PTB) domains, which recognize phosphotyrosine-containing short linear motifs (SLiMs). These domains and SLiMs have polyspecific or promiscuous binding activities. Thus, multiple signaling proteins may compete for binding to a common SLiM and vice versa. To investigate the effects of competition on RTK signaling, we used a rule-based modeling approach to develop and analyze models for ligand-induced recruitment of SH2/PTB domain-containing proteins to autophosphorylation sites in the insulin-like growth factor 1 …

Pilot Gwas Of Caries In African-Americans Shows Genetic Heterogeneity, E. Orlova, J. C. Carlson, M. K. Lee, E. Feingold, D. W. Mcneil, R. J. Crout, R. J. Weyant, M. L. Marazita, J. R. Shaffer

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background

Dental caries is the most common chronic disease in the US and disproportionately affects racial/ethnic minorities. Caries is heritable, and though genetic heterogeneity exists between ancestries for a substantial portion of loci associated with complex disease, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of caries specifically in African Americans has not been performed previously.

Methods

We performed exploratory GWAS of dental caries in 109 African American adults (age > 18) and 96 children (age 3–12) from the Center for Oral Health Research in Appalachia (COHRA1 cohort). Caries phenotypes (DMFS, DMFT, dft, and dfs indices) assessed by dental exams were tested for association …

Hyperpolarized 3he Mri Ventilatory Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Of Alpha-1 Antitrypsin, Andrew Westcott, Dante P I Capaldi, Alexei Ouriadov, David G Mccormack, Grace Parraga

Medical Biophysics Publications

Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) leads to disabling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Current therapy aimed at slowing lung disease progression includes exogenous alpha-1 antitrypsin augmentation therapy, but there are few potential new treatments under development. Currently used measurements of AATD-related emphysema include the forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and the diffusing capacity of carbon monoxide (DLCO); both are relatively insensitive to therapy, although computed tomography (CT) lung density measurements have been shown to worsen more slowly in treated patients.

Steroid Therapy And Outcome Of Parapneumonic Pleural Effusions (Stoppe): Study Protocol For A Multicenter, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Randomized Clinical Trial, Deirdre B. Fitzgerald, Grant W. Waterer, Catherine A. Read, Edward T. Fysh, Ranjan Shrestha, Christopher Stanley, Sanjeevan Muruganandan, Norris S. H. Lan, Natalia D. Popowicz, Carolyn J. Peddle-Mcintyre, Najib M. Rahman, Seng Khee Gan, Kevin Murray, Yun Chor Gary Lee

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

BACKGROUND: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a major global disease. Parapneumonic effusions often complicate CAP and range from uninfected (simple) to infected (complicated) parapneumonic effusions and empyema (pus). CAP patients who have a pleural effusion at presentation are more likely to require hospitalization, have a longer length of stay and higher mortality than those without an effusion. Conventional management of pleural infection, with antibiotics and chest tube drainage, fails in about 30% of cases. Several randomized controlled trials (RCT) have evaluated the use of corticosteroids in CAP and demonstrated some potential benefits. Importantly, steroid use in pneumonia has an acceptable safety …

Time-To-Event Analysis For Sports Injury Research Part 2: Time-Varying Outcomes, Rasmus Oestergaard Nielsen, Michael Lejbach Bertelsen, Daniel Ramskov, Merete Møller, Adam Hulme, Daniel Theisen, Caroline F. Finch, Lauren Victoria Fortington, Mohammad Ali Mansournia, Erik Thorlund Parner

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

BACKGROUND: Time-to-event modelling is underutilised in sports injury research. Still, sports injury researchers have been encouraged to consider time-to-event analyses as a powerful alternative to other statistical methods. Therefore, it is important to shed light on statistical approaches suitable for analysing training load related key-questions within the sports injury domain.

CONTENT: In the present article, we illuminate: (i) the possibilities of including time-varying outcomes in time-to-event analyses, (ii) how to deal with a situation where different types of sports injuries are included in the analyses (ie, competing risks), and (iii) how to deal with the situation where multiple subsequent injuries …

Residential Household Yard Care Practices Along Urban-Exurban Gradients In Six Climatically-Diverse U.S. Metropolitan Areas, Dexter H. Locke, Colin Polsky, J. Morgan Grove, Peter M. Groffman, Kristen C. Nelson, Kelli L. Larson, Jeannine Cavender-Bares, James B. Heffernan, Rinku Roy Chowdhury, Sarah E. Hobbie, Neil D. Bettez, Sharon J. Hall, Christopher Neill, Laura Ogden, Jarlath O’Neil-Dunne

Geography

Residential land is expanding in the United States, and lawn now covers more area than the country’s leading irrigated crop by area. Given that lawns are widespread across diverse climatic regions and there is rising concern about the environmental impacts associated with their management, there is a clear need to understand the geographic variation, drivers, and outcomes of common yard care practices. We hypothesized that 1) income, age, and the number of neighbors known by name will be positively associated with the odds of having irrigated, fertilized, or applied pesticides in the last year, 2) irrigation, fertilization, and pesticide application …

Evaluation Of Plan Quality And Treatment Efficiency For Single-Isocenter/Two-Lesion Lung Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy, Lana Sanford, Janelle A. Molloy, Sameera S. Kumar, Marcus Randall, Ronald C. Mcgarry, Damodar Pokhrel

Radiation Medicine Faculty Publications

Purpose/objectives: To evaluate the plan quality and treatment delivery efficiency of single‐isocenter/two‐lesions volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) lung stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT).

Materials/methods: Eight consecutive patients with two peripherally located early stage nonsmall‐cell‐lung cancer (NSCLC) lung lesions underwent single‐isocenter highly conformal noncoplanar VMAT SBRT treatment in our institution. A single‐isocenter was placed between the two lesions. Doses were 54 or 50 Gy in 3 and 5 fractions respectively. Patients were treated every other day. Plans were calculated in Eclipse with AcurosXB algorithm and normalized to at least 95% of the planning target volume (PTV) receiving 100% of the prescribed …

Serological Proteomic Screening And Evaluation Of A Recombinant Egg Antigen For The Diagnosis Of Low-Intensity Schistosoma Mansoni Infections In Endemic Area In Brazil, Vanessa Silva-Moraes, Lisa Marie Shollenberger, William Castro-Borges, Ana Lucia Teles Rabello, Donald A. Harn, Lia Carolina Soares Medeiros, Wander De Jesus Jeremias, Liliane Maria Vidal Siqueira, Caroline Stephane Salviano Pereira, Maria Luysa Camargos Pedrosa, Nathalie Bonatti Franco Almeida, Aureo Almeida, Jose Roberto Lambertucci, Nidia Francisca De Figueiredo Carneiro, Paulo Marcos Zech Coelho, Refaella Fortini Queiroz Grenfell

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

Despite decades of use of control programs, schistosomiasis remains a global public health problem. To further reduce prevalence and intensity of infection, or to achieve the goal of elimination in low-endemic areas, there needs to be better diagnostic tools to detect low-intensity infections in low-endemic areas in Brazil. The rationale for development of new diagnostic tools is that the current standard test Kato-Katz (KK) is not sensitive enough to detect low-intensity infections in low-endemic areas. In order to develop new diagnostic tools, we employed a proteomics approach to identify biomarkers associated with schistosome-specific immune responses in hopes of developing …

Lipid-Polymer Hybrid Nanoparticles As A Next-Generation Drug Delivery Platform: State Of The Art, Emerging Technologies, And Perspectives., Anubhab Mukherjee, Ariana K Waters, Pranav Kalyan, Achal Singh Achrol, Santosh Kesari, Venkata Yenugonda

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles (LPHNPs) are next-generation core-shell nanostructures, conceptually derived from both liposome and polymeric nanoparticles (NPs), where a polymer core remains enveloped by a lipid layer. Although they have garnered significant interest, they remain not yet widely exploited or ubiquitous. Recently, a fundamental transformation has occurred in the preparation of LPHNPs, characterized by a transition from a two-step to a one-step strategy, involving synchronous self-assembly of polymers and lipids. Owing to its two-in-one structure, this approach is of particular interest as a combinatorial drug delivery platform in oncology. In particular, the outer surface can be decorated in multifarious ways …

Human And Nonhuman Animals: Towards Equality, Catherine Price

Animal Sentience

Chapman & Huffman argue that we should not consider humans as unique and superior to nonhuman animals. Ecofeminism advocates the respectful treatment of humans, nonhuman animals, and the environment.

Embracing Differences To Improve Success: American Orthopaedic Association Presidential Address, Boston, Massachusetts, June 23, 2017: Aoa Critical Issues, Regis J O'Keefe

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Time-To-Event Analysis For Sports Injury Research Part 1: Time-Varying Exposures, Rasmus Oestergaard Nielsen, Michael Lejbach Bertelsen, Daniel Ramskov, Merete Møller, Adam Hulme, Daniel Theisen, Caroline F. Finch, Lauren Victoria Fortington, Mohammad Ali Mansournia, Erik Thorlund Parner

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

BACKGROUND: ‘How much change in training load is too much before injury is sustained, among different athletes?’ is a key question in sports medicine and sports science. To address this question the investigator/practitioner must analyse exposure variables that change over time, such as change in training load. Very few studies have included time-varying exposures (eg, training load) and time-varying effect-measure modifiers (eg, previous injury, biomechanics, sleep/stress) when studying sports injury aetiology.

AIM: To discuss advanced statistical methods suitable for the complex analysis of time-varying exposures such as changes in training load and injury-related outcomes.

CONTENT: Time-varying exposures and time-varying effect-measure …

Glioblastoma Treated With Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Guided Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy: Safety, Efficacy, And Outcomes, Ashwin A. Kamath, Daniel D. Friedman, S Hassan A. Akbari, Albert H. Kim, Yu Tao, Jinqin Luo, Eric C. Leuthardt

Open Access Publications

BACKGROUND: Despite the multitude of available treatments, glioblastoma (GBM) remains an aggressive and uniformly fatal tumor. Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) is a novel, minimally invasive treatment that holds promise for treating patients with GBM who are not candidates for traditional open craniotomy. However, due to the recent introduction of LITT into clinical practice, large series that evaluate safety and long-term outcomes after LITT are lacking.

OBJECTIVE: To present our institution's series of over 50 GBM patients treated with LITT, with regard to safety, efficacy, and outcomes.

METHODS: We performed a retrospective descriptive study of patients with histologically proven GBM …

Syndemic Effects Of Hiv Risk Behaviours: Results From The Nhanes Study, L Smith, C Cao, X Zong, D T Mcdermott, S Stefanac, S Haider, S E Jackson, N Veronese, G F López-Sánchez, A Koyanagi, L Yang, I Grabovac

Open Access Publications

The aim of the present study is to use the syndemic framework to investigate the risk of contracting HIV in the US population. Cross-sectional analyses are from The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We extracted and aggregated data on HIV antibody test, socio-demographic characteristics, alcohol use, drug use, depression, sexual behaviours and sexually transmitted diseases from cycle 2009-2010 to 2015-2016. We carried out weighted regression among young adults (20-39 years) and adults (40-59 years) separately. In total, 5230 men and 5794 women aged 20-59 years were included in the present analyses. In total, 0.8% men and 0.2% women were …

Training As An Intervention To Decrease Medical Record Abstraction Errors Multicenter Studies., Meredith Nahm Zozus, Leslie W. Young, Alan E. Simon, Maryam Garza, Lora Lawrence, Songthip T. Ounpraseuth, Megan Bledsoe, Sarah Newman-Norlund, J Dean Jarvis, Mary Mcnally, Kimberly R. Harris, Russell Mcculloh, Rachel Aikman, Sara Cox, Lacy Malloch, Anita Walden, Jessica Snowden, Irene Mangan Chedjieu, Chester A. Wicker, Lauren Atkins, Lori A. Devlin

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Studies often rely on medical record abstraction as a major source of data. However, data quality from medical record abstraction has long been questioned. Electronic Health Records (EHRs) potentially add variability to the abstraction process due to the complexity of navigating and locating study data within these systems. We report training for and initial quality assessment of medical record abstraction for a clinical study conducted by the IDeA States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network (ISPCTN) and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Neonatal Research Network (NRN) using medical record abstraction as the primary data …

The Relationship Between Physical Activity And Cardiorespiratory Fitness Among People Living With Human Immunodeficiency Virus Throughout The Life Span, Allison R. Webel, Joseph Perazzo, J. Craig Phillips, Kathleen M. Nokes, Cynthia Rentrope, Rebecca Schnall, Rita Musanti, Kimberly Adams Tufts, Elizabeth Sefcik, Mary Jane Hamilton, Carmen Portillo, Puangtip Chaiphibalsarisdi, Penelope Orton, Liana Davis, Carol Dawson Rose

Nursing Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: People living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV) are at an increased risk for developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). Physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness in PLHIV are poorly understood.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to describe physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness by sex and age and to examine the association between physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness in PLHIV, controlling for covariates.

METHODS: Seven hundred two PLHIV participated in a cross-sectional study and completed validated measures of self-reported physical activity (7-day Physical Activity Recall) and cardiorespiratory fitness (6-minute walk test). Participants were recruited from 7 diverse sites in the United …

Field Testing Integrated Interventions For Schistosomiasis Elimination In The People's Republic Of China: Outcomes Of A Multifactorial Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial, Gail M. Williams, Yue-Sheng Li, Darren J. Gray, Zheng-Yuan Zhao, Donald A. Harn, Lisa M. Shollenberger, Sheng-Ming Li, Xinglin Yu, Zeng Feng, Jia-Gang Guo, Jie Zhou, Yu-Lan Dong, Yuan Li, Biao Guo, Patrick Driguez, Marina Harvie, Hong You, Allen G. Ross, Donald P. Mcmanus

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Despite significant progress, China faces the challenge of re-emerging schistosomiasis transmission in currently controlled areas due, in part, to the presence of a range of animal reservoirs, notably water buffalo and cattle, which can harbor Schistosoma japonicum infections. Environmental, ecological and social-demographic changes in China, shown to affect the distribution of oncomelanid snails, can also impact future schistosomiasis transmission. In light of their importance in the S. japonicum, lifecycle, vaccination has been proposed as a means to reduce the excretion of egg from cattle and buffalo, thereby interrupting transmission from these reservoir hosts to snails. A DNA-based vaccine (SjCTPI) …

The Copy Number Variation Landscape Of Congenital Anomalies Of The Kidney And Urinary Tract., Miguel Verbitsky, Rik Westland, Alejandra Perez, Krzysztof Kiryluk, Qingxue Liu, Priya Krithivasan, Adele Mitrotti, David A. Fasel, Ekaterina Batourina, Matthew G. Sampson, Monica Bodria, Max Werth, Charlly Kao, Jeremiah Martino, Valentina P. Capone, Asaf Vivante, Shirlee Shril, Byum Hee Kil, Maddalena Marasà, Jun Y. Zhang, Young-Ji Na, Tze Y. Lim, Dina Ahram, Patricia L. Weng, Erin L. Heinzen, Alba Carrea, Giorgio Piaggio, Loreto Gesualdo, Valeria Manca, Giuseppe Masnata, Maddalena Gigante, Daniele Cusi, Claudia Izzi, Francesco Scolari, Joanna A E Van Wijk, Marijan Saraga, Domenico Santoro, Giovanni Conti, Pasquale Zamboli, Hope White, Dorota Drozdz, Katarzyna Zachwieja, Monika Miklaszewska, Marcin Tkaczyk, Daria Tomczyk, Anna Krakowska, Przemyslaw Sikora, Tomasz Jarmoliński, Maria K. Borszewska-Kornacka, Robert Pawluch, Maria Szczepanska, Piotr Adamczyk, Malgorzata Mizerska-Wasiak, Grazyna Krzemien, Agnieszka Szmigielska, Marcin Zaniew, Mark G. Dobson, John M. Darlow, Prem Puri, David E. Barton, Susan L. Furth, Bradley A. Warady, Zoran Gucev, Vladimir J. Lozanovski, Velibor Tasic, Isabella Pisani, Landino Allegri, Lida M. Rodas, Josep M. Campistol, Cécile Jeanpierre, Shumyle Alam, Pasquale Casale, Craig S. Wong, Fangming Lin, Débora M. Miranda, Eduardo A. Oliveira, Ana Cristina Simões-E-Silva, Jonathan M. Barasch, Brynn Levy, Nan Wu, Friedhelm Hildebrandt, Gian Marco Ghiggeri, Anna Latos-Bielenska, Anna Materna-Kiryluk, Feng Zhang, Hakon Hakonarson, Virginia E. Papaioannou, Cathy L. Mendelsohn, Ali G. Gharavi, Simone Sanna-Cherchi

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) are a major cause of pediatric kidney failure. We performed a genome-wide analysis of copy number variants (CNVs) in 2,824 cases and 21,498 controls. Affected individuals carried a significant burden of rare exonic (that is, affecting coding regions) CNVs and were enriched for known genomic disorders (GD). Kidney anomaly (KA) cases were most enriched for exonic CNVs, encompassing GD-CNVs and novel deletions; obstructive uropathy (OU) had a lower CNV burden and an intermediate prevalence of GD-CNVs; and vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) had the fewest GD-CNVs but was enriched for novel exonic CNVs, …

Antibodies In The Diagnosis, Prognosis, And Prediction Of Psychotic Disorders., Thomas A Pollak, Jonathan P Rogers, Robert G Nagele, Mark Peakman, James M Stone, Anthony S David, Philip Mcguire

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Blood-based biomarker discovery for psychotic disorders has yet to impact upon routine clinical practice. In physical disorders antibodies have established roles as diagnostic, prognostic and predictive (theranostic) biomarkers, particularly in disorders thought to have a substantial autoimmune or infective aetiology. Two approaches to antibody biomarker identification are distinguished: a "top-down" approach, in which antibodies to specific antigens are sought based on the known function of the antigen and its putative role in the disorder, and emerging "bottom-up" or "omics" approaches that are agnostic as to the significance of any one antigen, using high-throughput arrays to identify distinctive components of the …

Clinical Application Of Genome And Exome Sequencing As A Diagnostic Tool For Pediatric Patients: A Scoping Review Of The Literature., Hadley Stevens Smith, J Michael Swint, Seema R Lalani, Jose-Miguel Yamal, Marcia C De Oliveira Otto, Stephan Castellanos, Amy Taylor, Brendan H Lee, Heidi V Russell

Library Staff Publications

PURPOSE: Availability of clinical genomic sequencing (CGS) has generated questions about the value of genome and exome sequencing as a diagnostic tool. Analysis of reported CGS application can inform uptake and direct further research. This scoping literature review aims to synthesize evidence on the clinical and economic impact of CGS.

METHODS: PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane were searched for peer-reviewed articles published between 2009 and 2017 on diagnostic CGS for infant and pediatric patients. Articles were classified according to sample size and whether economic evaluation was a primary research objective. Data on patient characteristics, clinical setting, and outcomes were extracted and …

Fresh Clues To The Life And Times Of The Denisovans, A Little-Known Ancient Group Of Humans, Zenobia Jacobs, Bo Li, Kieran O'Gorman, Richard G. Roberts

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: Part B

We know that some modern human genomes contain fragments of DNA from an ancient population of humans called Denisovans, the remains of which have been found at only one site, a cave in what is now Siberia. Two papers published in Nature today give us a firmer understanding of when these little-known archaic humans (hominins) lived. Denisovans were unknown until 2010, when their genome was first announced. The DNA was obtained from a girl's fingerbone found buried in Denisova Cave in the Altai Mountains of southern Siberia. The new studies provide the first robust timeline for the Denisovan fossils and …

Pediatric Dermatology Workforce In The United States., Brea Prindaville, Kimberly A. Horii, Elaine C. Siegfried, Heather Brandling-Bennett

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Studies have suggested there is a shortage of pediatric dermatologists in the United States, but the workforce has not been well defined. The Society for Pediatric Dermatology (SPD) Workforce Committee sought to characterize the US pediatric dermatology workforce with a nine-question survey, sent to all 484 US SPD members in December 2016. The response rate was 30%. Most pediatric dermatologists were practicing in major metropolitan markets, seeing an average of 80 patients a week with an average 6-week wait time. These findings indicate that geographic maldistribution and long wait times for new patient appointments remain substantial hurdles for adequate access …

Standardized Bedside Handoff: One Organization's Journey., Shanon Fucik

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

No abstract provided.

Mapping Of Lymphatic Filariasis In Loiasis Areas: A New Strategy Shows No Evidence For Wuchereria Bancrofti Endemicity In Cameroon, Samuel Wanji, Mathias Eyong Esum, Abdel Jelil Njouendou, Amuam Andrew Mbeng, Patrick W Chounna Ndongmo, Raphael Awah Abong, Jerome Fru, Fanny F. Fombad, Gordon Takop Nchanji, Glory Ngongeh, Narcisse V. Ngandjui, Peter Ivo Enyong, Helen Storey, Kurt C. Curtis, Kerstin Fischer, Joseph R. Fauver, Daphne Lew, Charles W. Goss, Peter U. Fischer

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

BACKGROUND: Mapping of lymphatic filariasis (LF) caused by Wuchereria bancrofti largely relies on the detection of circulating antigen using ICT cards. Several studies have recently shown that this test can be cross-reactive with sera of subjects heavily infected with Loa loa and thus mapping results in loiasis endemic areas may be inaccurate.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In order to develop an LF mapping strategy for areas with high loiasis prevalence, we collected day blood samples from 5,001 subjects residing in 50 villages that make up 6 health districts throughout Cameroon. Antigen testing using Filarial Test Strip (FTS, a novel platform that uses …

Risk Mitigation For Travelers: Managing Endemic And Emerging Threats, Shannon M. Wood, David Brett-Major

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

International travel continues to increase in numbers and complexity. Despite the availability of pretravel health advice, travelers remain at risk for exposure to common organisms as well as emerging pathogens. With low rates of travel clinic utilization, it is important for the general practitioner to remain aware of the importance of travel health, risk factors unique to individual patients, and evolving threats. This review highlights important considerations when evaluating ill travelers, incorporating emerging infectious threats.

Improving Socioeconomic Status May Reduce The Burden Of Malaria In Sub Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Abraham Degarege, Kristopher Fennie, Dawit Degarege, Shasank Chennupati, Purnima Madhivanan

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

BACKGROUND: A clear understanding of the effects of housing structure, education, occupation, income, and wealth on malaria can help to better design socioeconomic interventions to control the disease. This literature review summarizes the relationship of housing structure, educational level, occupation, income, and wealth with the epidemiology of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted following the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines. The protocol for this study is registered in PROSPERO (ID=CRD42017056070), an international database of prospectively registered systematic reviews. On January 16, 2016, available literature was searched in PubMed, Embase, …

Effect Of Abo Blood Group On Asymptomatic, Uncomplicated And Placental Plasmodium Falciparum Infection: Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Abraham Degarege, Merhawi T. Gebrezgi, Consuelo M. Beck-Sague, Mats Wahlgren, Luiz Carlos De Mattos, Purnima Madhivanan

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

BACKGROUND: Malaria clinical outcomes vary by erythrocyte characteristics, including ABO blood group, but the effect of ABO blood group on asymptomatic, uncomplicated and placental Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) infection remains unclear. We explored effects of ABO blood group on asymptomatic, uncomplicated and placental falciparum infection in the published literature.

METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines. Articles in Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL and Cochrane Library published before February 04, 2017 were searched without restriction. Studies were included if they reported P. falciparum infection incidence or prevalence, …

Improving Behavioral Health Workforce Supply And Needs Estimates Using Active Surveillance Data, Shinobu Watanabe-Galloway, Li-Wu Chen, Kate Trout, David Palm, Marlene Deras, Zaeema Naveed

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

INTRODUCTION: Previous studies show that supply of behavioral health professionals in rural areas is inadequate to meet the need. Measuring shortage using licensure data on psychiatrists is a common approach. Although inexpensive, the licensure data have many limitations. An alternative is to implement an active surveillance system, which uses licensure data in addition to active data collection to obtain timely and detailed information.

METHODS: Nebraska Health Professions Tracking Service (HPTS) data were used to examine differences in workforce supply estimates between the passive (licensure data only) and active (HPTS data) surveillance systems. The impact of these differences on the designation …