Digital Commons Network^™

Oromo Ethiopians Perceptions Of The Prevalence, Causes, Treatment And Prevention Of Trachoma, Linda L. Gross

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In Ethiopia, one of the primary contributors to blindness is trachoma, which is an infectious ocular disease. There is no record of any prevention programs in rural Ethiopian villages of Oromia, where the prevalence of trachoma is high. The original purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions of rural Oromo villagers in Ethiopia on the causes, treatment, and prevention of trachoma, using the health belief model and the social-ecological model as a theoretical framework. Due to a security situation in Ethiopia, final interviews were conducted with immigrant Ethiopians in the US, all of them from the trachoma-endemic …

Ifi16, A Nuclear Innate Immune Dna Sensor, Mediates Epigenetic Silencing Of Herpesvirus Genomes By Its Association With H3k9 Methyltransferases Suv39h1 And Glp, Arunava Roy, Anandita Ghosh, Binod Kumar, Bala Chandran

Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

IFI16, an innate immune DNA sensor, recognizes the nuclear episomal herpes viral genomes and induces the inflammasome and interferon-β responses. IFI16 also regulates cellular transcription and act as a DNA virus restriction factor. IFI16 knockdown disrupted the latency of Kaposi’s sarcoma associated herpesvirus (KSHV) and induced lytic transcripts. However, the mechanism of IFI16’s transcription regulation is unknown. Here, we show that IFI16 is in complex with the H3K9 methyltransferase SUV39H1 and GLP and recruits them to the KSHV genome during de novo infection and latency. The resulting depositions of H3K9me2/me3 serve as a docking site for the heterochromatin-inducing HP1α protein …

Evaluating Fda Generic Approval After 2017 Agency Initiatives, Kuo Jiao

Public Health Theses

Importance: Generic drugs play an essential role in the US healthcare system, providing less costly alternatives to branded drugs that are equally effective and safe. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory policies influence the standards for generic drug approval. In 2017, the FDA instituted several initiatives to promote generic drug approval, particularly focused on those with limited competition.

Objective: To determine whether the initiatives begun by FDA in 2017 were associated with greater numbers of approvals of generic drugs with limited generic competition and histories of drug shortage.

Study Sample and Design: We conducted a cross-sectional study of …

Understanding How Displacement Affects Hiv Prevalence Among Displaced Populations- A Scoping Review, Ryan Evan Yucha

Public Health Theses

Over the course of the past two decades, the number of people who have been displaced has increased dramatically. With this brings a new set of health challenges for these populations as well as the countries to which these populations are displaced such as HIV/AIDS. There is evidence to show that forced displacement can cause an increase in the HIV prevalence among those displaced. However, there is evidence to suggest the contrary, as well.

The aim of this scoping review study is to determine what the existing literature can and cannot tell us about how forced displacement affects HIV prevalence …

A Qualitative Research Synthesis Of Contextual Factors Contributing To Female Overweight And Obesity Over The Life Course In Sub-Saharan Africa, Ifeoma Ozodiegwu, Mary Ann Littleton, Christian Nwabueze, Oluwaseun Famojuro, Megan Quinn, Rick L. Wallace, Hadii M. Mamudu

ETSU Faculty Works

Objective: Adult women are disproportionately affected by overweight and obesity in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. Existing evidence on the sociocultural context remains unconsolidated. In this qualitative research synthesis, we aggregate research literature on contextual factors that potentially predispose adult women and adolescent girls to overweight and obesity to inform research, policies and programs over the life course.

Methods: PubMed, CINAHL, PsychInfo, ProQuest Central, EMBASE, and Web of Science were searched to locate qualitative research articles conducted in SSA countries beginning in the year 2000. After assessment for eligibility and critical appraisal, 17 studies were included in the synthesis. Textual data …

Overcoming Contemporary Obstacles In Drug Delivery Via Acetalated Dextran Particle Formulations, Nishan K. Shah

Open Access Dissertations

Particle-based delivery systems have been investigated for their potential to increase the efficacy of patient diagnoses and treatments. In many cases, these systems increase the bioavailability and/or decrease the toxicity of clinically relevant drugs. These developments have led to improvements in patient compliance, morbidity, mortality, and quality of life. To date, particle-based delivery systems have been evaluated in hundreds of clinical trials around the world. Unlike conventional delivery systems, particle-based delivery systems offer increased surface area, colloidal stability, and system tunability, all of which can be tailored to target the disease state of interest and specific patient population.

Although there …

Sex-Related Differences In Immune Response And Symptomatic Manifestations To Infection With Leishmania Species, Ryan D. Lockard, Mary E. Wilson, Nilda E. Rodriguez

Faculty Work

Worldwide, an estimated 12 million people are infected with Leishmania spp. and an additional 350 million are at risk of infection. Leishmania are intracellular parasites that cause disease by suppressing macrophage microbicidal responses. Infection can remain asymptomatic or lead to a spectrum of diseases including cutaneous, mucocutaneous, and visceral leishmaniasis. Ultimately, the combination of both pathogen and host factors determines the outcome of infection. Leishmaniasis, as well as numerous other infectious diseases, exhibits sex-related differences that cannot be explained solely in terms of environmental exposure or healthcare access. Furthermore, transcriptomic evidence is revealing that biological sex is a variable impacting …

Constitutional Cohesion And The Right To Public Health, Daniel G. Aaron, James G. Hodge, Haley Augur, Ashley Cheff, C. Joseph Ross Daval, Drew Hensley

Utah Law Faculty Scholarship

Despite years of significant legal improvements stemming from a renaissance in public health law, Americans still face major challenges and barriers in assuring their communal health. Reversals of legal reforms coupled with maligned policies and chronic underfunding contribute to diminished public health outcomes. Underlying preventable morbidity and mortality nationally is an interpretive reality of our existing constitutional infrastructure. In essence there is no general obligation of government to protect or promote the public’s health. Under principles of “constitutional cohesion,” structural facets and rights-based principles interwoven within the Constitution protect individuals and groups from governmental vices (i.e., oppression, overreaching, tyranny, and …

Climate Change And Salmonella, New York State, Kevin Taylor Welch

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

A study of climate change and Salmonella was conducted, serving as the evidence-based results for action to mitigate adverse Salmonella outcomes for the population of New York State (NYS), and to facilitate dissemination of findings in regard to validated approaches for broader use to mitigate climate change and adverse communicable disease outcomes in a variety of other settings. This study bolsters understanding of dynamic exposures and outcomes for improved and targeted public health approaches to localized climate change and communicable disease outcomes. The approach was developed and refined through continuously validated and calibrated methodology for the enhancement of disease control …

Anxiety Among Women Living With Hiv In Kazakhstan, Kathryn Emily Mishkin

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Research shows that mental illness has an impact on the health and quality of life of women living with HIV. As a result, many countries have adopted integrated care models to provide holistic treatment to women living with HIV. However, some countries, where the HIV burden is particularly high, have been ineffective at addressing the mental health needs of these women, primarily because of a compartmentalized health care structure that limits interaction among sectors. By describing the prevalence of anxiety and comorbid anxiety-depression among women living with HIV in affected areas, there is an opportunity for effective policies to be …

Examining The Association Between Toxocara Infection And Lung Function In A Nationally Representative Sample Of U.S. Adults Aged 18-79 Years, Tejaswini Chakravarthy

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Introduction:

Descriptive And Risk Factor Analysis Of Infantile Cataracts, Marine Nalbandyan

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Infantile cataract is a lens opacity diagnosed by 12 months of age. It is a major cause of childhood blindness, with about 200,000 children worldwide being blind because of bilateral cataracts. Blindness has a negative impact on the quality of a child’s life and is associated with increased healthcare costs. While reduction/elimination of childhood blindness is a priority issue in public health, risk factors remain unknown for about two-thirds of infantile cataract cases. The primary aims of this dissertation were to (1) identify, evaluate, and summarize observational studies investigating non-genetic risk factors for infantile cataracts, (2) estimate birth prevalence and …

Phenotypic And Genetic Variation Of The Brazilian Malaria Vector Nyssorhynchus Darlingi At Regional And Local Scales, Virginia Mildred Chu

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

There have been major successes in the fight to eliminate malaria in the Americas, with 11

Transcriptional Regulation Of Dksa In E. Coli, Daniel Thomas Woods

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

DksA is a global transcription factor that binds RNAP directly to regulate the expression of many genes and operons, including ribosomal RNA, in a ppGpp-dependent or ppGpp–independent manner. It is also involved in facilitating the process of DNA replication by removing stalled transcription elongation complexes that could block the progress of the replication fork. In addition, DksA is important for colonization, establishment of biofilms, and pathogenesis. In order to sustain these various functions, an adequate level of cellular DksA is required. This work tested the hypothesis that the E. coli dksA is substantially regulated at the level of transcription. Using …

The Clinical Laboratory Workforce In New York State : A Study Of Supply And Demand, Stephanie H. Shulman

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

ABSTRACT

Sers For Protein Detection At A Single Molecule Level For Developing A New Medical Diagnostics Platform, Lamyaa Almehmadi

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

A two-step process of protein detection at a single molecule level using Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) was developed as a new platform for medical diagnostics in this proof-of-concept study. First, a protein molecule was bound to a linker in the bulk solution and then this adduct was chemically reacted with the SERS substrate. Traut’s Reagent (TR) was used to thiolate Bovine serum albumin (BSA) in solution followed by chemical cross linking to a gold surface through a sulfhydryl group. A Glycine-TR adduct was used as a control sample to identify the protein contribution to the SER spectra. Gold SERS …

Assessing The Sustainability Of Collaborations Between Local Health Departments And Nonprofit Hospitals For Population Health, Christopher Mierow Maylahn

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

In 2008, New York’s health commissioner asked LHDs and nonprofit hospitals to collaborate with community partners to conduct community health needs assessments, identify two or three health priorities to focus on, and implement evidence-based strategies to address them. The actions taken as part of the New York State Prevention Agenda mirrored the IRS rules and PHAB recommendations that followed. The dearth of published studies on public health-hospital collaborations and the momentum to understand how communities in New York have responded to the IRS rules and PHAB standards are the impetus for this research.

Study Of Small Molecules With Dna Monolayers On Gold Electrodes Using Electrochemical Quartz Crystal Microbalance On The Millisecond Timescale, Sarasi Kaushalya Kumari Galagedera

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Biosensors based on DNA self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) combined with electrochemical transducers have shown great potential to serve an important role in simple, accurate and inexpensive genetic analyses relevant to many fields. The most popularly adapted method in designing biosensing platforms is the self-assembly of 5’-alkylthiol-modified single stranded or double stranded DNA on gold surfaces followed by a passivation step using a diluent like mercaptohexanol (MCH). Since analytical performance (sensitivity, selectivity and stability) of such sensors is solely related to the probe surface architecture, methods to characterize and measure the surface density has gained a lot of interest among the scientific …

Ovarian Stimulation Induces High Expression Of Interleukin-1ss And Disrupts The Histological Features Of The Fallopian Tube, Mahmoud Moussa, Sameh Mohamed Farouk

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The objective of this study was to investigate whether there is an association between ovarian stimulation and interrupted gamete interaction in the rat fallopian tube in vivo. We evaluated the protein expression of interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) via immunohistochemistry and assessed the key histological features of the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and uteri of the rats following treatment with mild (15 IU) and high (30 IU) doses of gonadotropins compared to an unstimulated control group. The serum concentration of estradiol was also determined by immunoassay. The results revealed that high levels of circulating estrogen were associated with higher expression of the IL-1ß protein …

Evaluation Of Milk Glutathione Peroxidase And Superoxide Dismutase Levels In Subclinical Mastitis In Damascus Goats, İsfendi̇yar Darbaz, Seçki̇n Salar, Serkan Sayiner, İdi̇l Baştan, Osman Ergene, Ayhan Baştan

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The aim of this study was to evaluate milk glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels in Damascus goats with subclinical mastitis. According to the somatic cell counts (SCCs), 193 Damascus goats included in the study were divided into healthy (n = 75; SCC 0.05). In summary, a significant increase in GPx and decrease in SOD levels, respectively, were determined in goat milk samples with subclinical mastitis, and these changing trends were correlated with milk SCCs. However, age, parity, and number of offspring were not associated with these changing patterns.

Genetic Analysis Of Iranian Mycoplasma Gallisepticum Isolates Using Gene-Targeted Sequencing Of Complete Pvpa Gene, Naghmeh Kabiri, Mohsen Bashashati, Mehdi Vasfi Marandi, Mansour Banani, Fereshteh Sabouri

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

This study aims to evaluate Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) genetic diversity through the complete sequencing of the pvpA gene among six MG isolates present in industrial poultry from 2015 to 2016. The genetic comparison of these six isolates showed similarities of over 94% and 92% in terms of nucleotide and amino acid sequences, respectively. The size of the PvpA protein in the studied isolates included three different sizes with 361, 364, and 366 amino acids. The carboxy-terminus of the studied PvpA proteins contained 11 tetrapeptides of P-R-P-M/Q/N motifs with truncation in the proline-rich region. Based on the BLAST analysis, the pvpA …

Isolation And Molecular Characterization Of Salmonella Enterica And Escherichia Coli From Poultry Samples, Ayli̇n Cesur, Saci̇de Özlem Ulutaş, Yeşi̇m Soyer

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Innumerable foodborne pathogens including Salmonella and Escherichia coli pose a serious threat to human health and food safety. As perishable foods, poultry products are considered one of the most common sources of foodborne pathogens including Salmonella and E. coli due to transmission of drug resistance, dissemination of organisms, and cross-contamination. In our study, phenotypic and genotypic characterizations of Salmonella enterica and E. coli isolated from packaged raw chicken products were carried out. Samples belonging to different commercial brands were collected in Ankara in 2015. Among 15 out of 19 Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica strains isolated from different and/or same poultry …

A Class Of Finite Difference Schemes For Singularly Perturbed Delay Differential Equations Of Second Order, Pramod Chakravarthy Podila, Kamalesh Kumar

Turkish Journal of Mathematics

In this paper, we proposed a new class of finite difference schemes for solving singularly perturbed delay differential equation of second order. The proposed schemes are oscillation-free and more accurate than conventional schemes on a uniform mesh. These schemes are easily adaptable on special meshes like Shishkin mesh or Bakhvalov mesh and are uniformly convergent with respect to the perturbation parameter. The error analysis has been carried out and numerical examples are presented to show the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed schemes.

Between-Host Hiv Model: Stability Analysis And Solution Using Memeticcomputing, Musharif Ahmed, Ijaz Mansoor Qureshi, Muhammad Aamer Saleem, Muhammad Zubair, Saad Zafar

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

HIV poses a great threat to humanity for two major reasons. First it attacks the immunity system of the body and second, it is epidemic in nature. Mathematical models of HIV have been instrumental in understanding and controlling the infection. In this paper, we solve the between host epidemic model of HIV, described by nonlinear coupled differential equations, by using memetic computing. Under this model, the sexually active population is divided into four classes and we investigate the transfer of individuals from one class to another. The solution consists of Bernstein polynomials whose parameters have been optimized by using differential …

Exploiting Stochastic Petri Nets With Fuzzy Parameters To Predict Efficient Drug Combinations For Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Rza Bashi̇rov, Recep Duranay, Adi̇l Şeytanoğlu, Mani Mehraei, Ni̇met Akçay

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

Randomness and uncertainty are two major problems one faces while modeling nonlinear dynamics of molecular systems. Stochastic and fuzzy methods are used to cope with these problems, but there is no consensus among researchers regarding which method should be used when. This is because the areas of applications of these methods are overlapping with differences in opinions. In the present work, we demonstrate how to use stochastic Petri nets with fuzzy parameters to manage random timing of biomolecular events and deal with the uncertainty of reaction rates in biological networks. The approach is demonstrated through a case study of simulation-based …

Performance Evaluation Of Webrtc-Based Online Consultation Platform, Ergün Alperay Tarim, Hüseyi̇n Cumhur Teki̇n

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

Information technologies give patients the opportunity to communicate with medical professionals remotely. Telemedicine uses these technologies to provide advanced healthcare and medical services. We present a medical online consultation application based on Web Real-Time Communications (WebRTC) technology enabling chat, audio, and video calls. Communication architecture and protocols of the application are explained in detail. Additionally, the user interface of the application is shown via performed calls. The application is tested and evaluated on different network connections (3G, 4G, local, and DSL) and different browsers and mobile operating systems (Android, Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, iOS, Opera, Safari). During calls, communication quality …

Ncuwm Talk Abstracts 2019

Nebraska Conference for Undergraduate Women in Mathematics

No abstract provided.

Ncuwm Poster Abstracts 2019

Nebraska Conference for Undergraduate Women in Mathematics

No abstract provided.

How Do Teachers Use Comics To Promote Engagement, Equity, And Diversity In Science Classrooms?, Camilla Matuk, Talia Hurwich, Amy Spiegel, Judy Diamond

World of Viruses

Equitable learning opportunities are critical to the goals of science education. However, major curriculum standards are vague on how to achieve equity goals, and educators must often develop their own resources and strategies to achieve equity goals. This study examines how educators used a comic book series designed to interest youth in virology as a way to make science more broadly appealing to their diverse students. We begin with the notion of Pedagogical Design Capacity, which describes a dynamic relationship between teachers and their tools and the ability for teachers to perceive and leverage affordances of artifacts as tools in …

Incidence And Etiology Of Fever Following Seasonal Influenza Vaccination In Hospitalized Patients, Kap Sum Foong, Ed Casabar, David K. Warren

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.