Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Association Between Hiv Replication And Serum Leptin Levels: An Observational Study Of A Cohort Of Hiv-1-Infected South African Women, Livio Azzoni, Nigel J. Crowther, Cynthia Firnhaber, Andrea S. Foulkes

Andrea S Foulkes

Background - Advanced HIV infection can result in lipoatrophy and wasting, even in the absence of ongoing opportunistic infections, suggesting that HIV may directly affect adipose tissue amount and distribution. Methods - We assessed the relationship of fat (measured using anthropometry, DEXA, MRI scans) or markers related to glucose and lipid metabolism with viral load in a cross-sectional sample of 83 antiretroviral-naïve HIV-1-infected South African women. A multivariable linear model was fitted to log10VL to assess the combined effect of these variables. Results - In addition to higher T cell activation, women with viral load greater than the population median …

Long Chain N-3 Fatty Acids Intake, Fish Consumption And Suicide In A Cohort Of Japanese Men And Women — The Japan Public Health Center-Based (Jphc) Prospective Study, Kalpana Poudel-Tandukar, Akiko Nanri, Motoki Iwasaki, Tetsuya Mizoue, Yumi Matsushita, Yoshihiko Takahashi, Mitsuhiko Noda, Manami Inoue, Shoichiro Tsugane

Elaine Marieb College of Nursing Faculty Publication Series

Objective: Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) have been implicated as protective against suicide. However, it is uncertain whether a higher intake of EPA and DHAor of fish, a major source of these nutrients, lowers suicidal risk among Japanese, whose fish consumption and suicide rate are both high. This study prospectively examined the relation between fish, EPA, or DHA intake and suicide among Japanese men and women.Method: Subjects were 47,351 men and 54,156 women aged 40–69 years who participated in the JPHC Study, completed a food frequency questionnaire in 1995–1999, and were followedfor death through December 2005. We used …

Elevated Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Concentrations Amplify Alternaria Alternata Sporulation And Total Antigen Production, Julie Wolf, Nichole R. O’Neill, Christine A. Rogers, Michael L. Muilenberg, Lewis H. Ziska

Christine A. Rogers

Background

Although the effect of elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration on pollen production has been established in some plant species, impacts on fungal sporulation and antigen production have not been elucidated.

Objective

Our purpose was to examine the effects of rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations on the quantity and quality of fungal spores produced on timothy (Phleum pratense) leaves.

Methods

Timothy plants were grown at four CO2 concentrations (300, 400, 500, and 600 μmol/mol). Leaves were used as growth substrate for Alternaria alternata and Cladosporium phlei. The spore abundance produced by both fungi, as well as the size (microscopy) and antigenic …

What Toxicologists And Risk Assessors Think About Hormesis: Results Of A Knowledge And Opinion Survey, Amy C. Jones

Open Access Dissertations

Hormesis is a nonlinear dose-response characterized by biological responses at low doses that are opposite to those observed at higher doses. Studies and review articles on hormesis are being published at an increasing rate by researchers from diverse disciplines and debate has emerged over the role hormesis in risk assessment. As a result, a survey was conducted to assess toxicologists and risk assessors knowledge and attitudes about the hormesis dose response. Study goals were to: 1) ascertain attitudes towards hormesis and other dose-response models, 2) identify whether acceptance or rejection of hormesis is based on knowledge of hormesis, predisposing values, …

Seasonal And Sex Variation Of High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein In Healthy Adults: A Longitudinal Study, David E. Chiriboga, Yunsheng Ma, Wenjun Li, Edward J. Stanek, James R. Hébert, Philip A. Merriam, Eric S. Rawson, Ira S. Ockene

Edward J. Stanek

BACKGROUND

Cross-sectional studies have reported seasonal variation in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP). However, longitudinal data are lacking. METHODS

We collected data on diet, physical activity, psychosocial factors, physiology, and anthropometric measurements from 534 healthy adults (mean age 48 years, 48.5% women, 87% white) at quarterly intervals over a 1-year period between 1994 and 1998. Using sinusoidal regression models, we estimated peak-to-trough amplitude and phase of the peaks. RESULTS

At baseline, average hsCRP was 1.72 mg/L (men, 1.75 mg/L; women, 1.68 mg/L). Overall seasonal variation amplitude was 0.16 mg/L (95% CI 0.02 to 0.30) and was lower in men (0.10 mg/L, …

Predicting Low Dose Effects For Chemicals In High Through-Put Studies, Edward J. Stanek, E. J. Calabrese

Edward J. Stanek

High through-put studies commonly use automated systems with 96-well plates in which multiple chemicals are tested at multiple doses using log-2 dose increments after a suitable incubation period. There are typically multiple (ranging from five to eleven) doses on each chemical, and occasionally plate replications of the dose-response studies. The target endpoint for such studies is typically the LC50, but for some chemicals, there may be multiple doses below a benchmark dose where there is no apparent adverse response relative to control response. We show how an estimation approach can lead to clearly interpretable results about response in the low …

Recreational Physical Activity And Premenstrual Syndrome In College-Aged Women, Aimee R. Kroll

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

It is estimated that up to 85% of premenopausal women experience at least one premenstrual symptom and 15-20% meet clinical criteria for premenstrual syndrome (PMS). PMS has a high morbidity level and reduces the quality of life for many women of reproductive age, with pharmaceutical treatments having limited efficacy and substantial side effects. Physical activity has been recommended as a method of reducing menstrual symptom severity. However, little evidence exists to support a clear relationship between physical activity and PMS. Using a cross-sectional design, we evaluated the relationship between physical activity and PMS and menstrual symptoms among 186 women aged …

Investigation Of The Correlation Between Odd Oxygen And Secondary Organic Aerosol In Mexico City And Houston, Ezra Wood, M. Canagaratna, S. Herndon, J. Kroll, T. Onasch, C. Kolb, D. Worsnop, W. Knighton, R. Seila, M. Zavala, L. Molina, P. Decarlo, J. Jimenez, A. Weinheimer, D. Knapp, B. Jobson, J. Stutz, W. Kuster, E. Williams

Public Health Department Faculty Publication Series

Many recent models underpredict secondary organic aerosol (SOA) particulate matter (PM) concentrations in polluted regions, indicating serious deficiencies in the models' chemical mechanisms and/or missing SOA precursors. Since tropospheric photochemical ozone production is much better understood, we investigate the correlation of odd-oxygen ([Ox]≡[O3]+[NO2]) and the oxygenated component of organic aerosol (OOA), which is interpreted as a surrogate for SOA. OOA and Ox measured in Mexico City in 2006 and Houston in 2000 were well correlated in air masses where both species were formed on similar timescales (less than 8 h) and not well correlated when their formation timescales or location …

Defining Accelerometer Thresholds For Physical Activity In Girls Using Roc Analysis, Sofiya Alhassan, Thomas Robinson

Sofiya Alhassan

Background Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis is a common method used in diagnostic and screening tests to define thresholds levels of a factor that discriminates between 2 levels of another factor. The purpose of this analysis was to use ROC analysis to determine the optimal accelerometer-measured physical activity (PA) thresholds for predicting selective cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. Methods ROC was performed using data from Stanford Girls Health Enrichment Multisite Studies trial. PA was assessed for multiple days using accelerometers. CVD variables were overweight, elevated triglyceride, reduced HDL-C, hypertension, impaired fasting glucose, fasting insulin, and clustering of multiple CVD risk …

Smoking During Pregnancy And Risk Of Abnormal Glucose Tolerance: A Prospective Cohort Study, Penelope Susan Pekow, Amy E. Haskins, Elizabeth R. Bertone-Johnson, Elena Carbone, Renee T. Fortner, Lisa Chasen-Tabe

Penelope Susan Pekow

Background: Disturbances in glucose metabolism during pregnancy are associated with negative sequalae for both mother and infant. The association between smoking and abnormal glucose tolerance (AGT) remains controversial. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the relationship between smoking prior to and during pregnancy and risk of AGT. Methods: We utilized data from a prospective cohort of 1,006 Hispanic (predominantly Puerto Rican) prenatal care patients in Western Massachusetts. Women reported pre- and early pregnancy smoking at recruitment (mean = 15 weeks) and mid pregnancy smoking at a second interview (mean = 28 weeks). AGT was defined as > 135 …

Prediction-Based Classification For Longitudinal Biomarkers, Andrea S. Foulkes, Livio Azzoni, Xiaohong Li, Margaret A. Johnson, Colette Smith, Karam Mounzer, Luis J. Montaner

Andrea S Foulkes

Assessment of circulating CD4 count change over time in HIV-infected subjects on antiretroviral therapy (ART) is a central component of disease monitoring. The increasing number of HIV-infected subjects starting therapy and the limited capacity to support CD4 count testing within resource-limited settings have fueled interest in identifying correlates of CD4 count change such as total lymphocyte count, among others. The application of modeling techniques will be essential to this endeavor due to the typically nonlinear CD4 trajectory over time and the multiple input variables necessary for capturing CD4 variability. We propose a prediction-based classification approach that involves first stage modeling …

Correlates Of Sharing Injection Equipment Among Male Injecting Drug Users In Kathmandu, Nepal, Krishna Poudel, Kalpana Poudel-Tandukar, Junko Yasuoka, Anand Joshi, Masamine Jimba

Elaine Marieb College of Nursing Faculty Publication Series

Background: HIV prevalence is high and risky injection practices occur frequently among injecting drug users (IDUs) in Nepal. We explored the correlates of sharing injection equipment (having injected with a needle or syringe previously used by another) among male IDUs in Kathmandu, Nepal. Methods: From August to September 2007, we anonymously interviewed 296 male IDUs in Kathmandu, Nepal, using a structured questionnaire. We performed bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis and identified variables associated with sharing injection equipment. Results: Over half (n = 152) of the participants reported injecting drugs with a needle or syringe previously used by another in …

The Complementary Roles Of Public Health & Medicine In The Us Health Care System, David Buchanan

UMass Institute for Global Health Community Education and Outreach

No abstract provided.

Pskov Youth Reproductive Health Project, David Buchanan

UMass Institute for Global Health Community Education and Outreach

The goals of the Comprehensive Community-Based Public Health Prevention Project in Pskov, Russia are: (1) to improve reproductive health outcomes, by reducing high rates of abortion and STIs, by increasing use of protective contraceptive methods; and (2) to increase life expectancy and improve quality of life, by reducing high rates of diabetes and stroke, by implementing community-based health promotion activities focusing on improving dietary and physical activities and reducing smoking and alcohol consumption, in Pskov, Russia.

The project is based in the city of Pskov, which is the capital of Pskov Oblast. Pskov Oblast is one of 86 states in …

Application Of Quantum Cascade Lasers To High-Precision Atmospheric Trace Gas Measurements, Ezra Wood, J. Barry Mcmanus, Mark Zahniser, David Nelson, Joanne Shorter, Scott Herndon, Rick Wehr

Public Health Department Faculty Publication Series

We review our recent results in development of high-precision laser spectroscopic instrumentation using midinfrared quantum cascade lasers (QCLs). Some of these instruments have been directed at measurements of atmospheric trace gases where a fractional precision of 10−3 or better of ambient concentration may be required. Such high precision is needed in measurements of fluxes of stable atmospheric gases and measurements of isotopic ratios. Instruments that are based on thermoelectrically cooled midinfrared QCLs and thermoelectrically cooled detectors have been demonstrated that meet the requirements of high-precision atmospheric measurements, without the need for cryogens. We also describe the design of and results …

Application Of Positive Matrix Factorization To On-Road Measurements For Source Apportionment Of Diesel- And Gasoline-Powered Vehicle Emissions In Mexico City, D. Thornhill, A. Williams, T. Onasch, Ezra Wood, S. Herndon, C. Kolb, W. Knighton, M. Zavala, L. Molina, L. Marr

Public Health Department Faculty Publication Series

The goal of this research is to quantify diesel- and gasoline-powered motor vehicle emissions within the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) using on-road measurements captured by a mobile laboratory combined with positive matrix factorization (PMF) receptor modeling. During the MCMA-2006 ground-based component of the MILAGRO field campaign, the Aerodyne Mobile Laboratory (AML) measured many gaseous and particulate pollutants, including carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), benzene, toluene, alkylated aromatics, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acetone, ammonia, particle number, fine particulate mass (PM2.5), and black carbon (BC). These serve as inputs to the receptor model, which is able to resolve three factors …

Automated Detection Of Infectious Disease Outbreaks In Hospitals: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Susan S. Huang, Deborah S. Yokoe, John Stelling, Hilary Placzek, Martin Kulldorff, Ken Kleinman, Thomas F. O'Brien, Michael S. Calderwood, Johanna Vostok, Julie Dunn, Richard Platt

Public Health Department Faculty Publication Series

BACKGROUND:

Detection of outbreaks of hospital-acquired infections is often based on simple rules, such as the occurrence of three new cases of a single pathogen in two weeks on the same ward. These rules typically focus on only a few pathogens, and they do not account for the pathogens' underlying prevalence, the normal random variation in rates, and clusters that may occur beyond a single ward, such as those associated with specialty services. Ideally, outbreak detection programs should evaluate many pathogens, using a wide array of data sources.

METHODS AND FINDINGS:

We applied a space-time permutation scan statistic to microbiology …

Program Evaluation For Tdap Immunization Standing Orders In A Birthing Hospital, Helen Crean Taugher

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Newborn infants are vulnerable to pertussis infections. Although the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends that babies begin their diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis (DTaP) immunization series at two months of age, the minimum age for administration of the vaccine is six weeks of age (Centers for Disease Control [CDC], 2008). Young infants are at risk for whooping cough infection transmitted from parents, siblings and care-givers during the pre-vaccination period in the first two months of life, particularly pertussis transmitted from their mothers. Since the licensure of adult/adolescent formulations of tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine in 2005, …

The Role Of Community Advisory Boards In Health Research: Divergent Views In The South African Experience, David Buchanan, Priscilla Reddy, Sibusio Sifunda, Shamagonam James, Nasheen Naidoo

UMass Institute for Global Health Faculty Publications

In the light of the growing involvement of community advisory boards (CABs) in health research, this study presents empirical findings of the functions and operations of CABs in HIV/AIDS vaccine trials in South Africa. The individual and focus group interviews with CAB members, principal investigators, research staff, community educators, recruiters, ethics committee members, trial participants and South African AIDS Vaccine Initiative (SAAVI) staff members demonstrated differences in the respondents’ perceptions of the roles and responsibilities of CABs. These findings question the roles of the CABs. Are they primarily there to serve and be accountable to the community, or to serve …

Short-Term Variation In Near-Highway Air Pollutant Gradients On A Winter Morning, J. Durant, C. Ash, Ezra Wood, S. Herndon, J. Jayne, W. Knighton, M. Canagaratna, J. Trull, D. Brugge, W. Zamore, C. Kolb

Public Health Department Faculty Publication Series

Quantification of exposure to traffic-related air pollutants near highways is hampered by incomplete knowledge of the scales of temporal variation of pollutant gradients. The goal of this study was to characterize short-term temporal variation of vehicular pollutant gradients within 200–400 m of a major highway (>150 000 vehicles/d). Monitoring was done near Interstate 93 in Somerville (Massachusetts) from 06:00 to 11:00 on 16 January 2008 using a mobile monitoring platform equipped with instruments that measured ultrafine and fine particles (6–1000 nm, particle number concentration (PNC)); particle-phase (>30 nm) equation M1, equation M2, and organic compounds; volatile organic compounds …

Use Of Outcomes To Evaluate Surveillance Systems For Bioterrorist Attacks, Kerry A. Mcbrien, Ken P. Kleinman, Allyson M. Abrams, Lisa A. Prosser

Public Health Department Faculty Publication Series

Background

Syndromic surveillance systems can potentially be used to detect a bioterrorist attack earlier than traditional surveillance, by virtue of their near real-time analysis of relevant data. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis using the area under the curve (AUC) as a comparison metric has been recommended as a practical evaluation tool for syndromic surveillance systems, yet traditional ROC curves do not account for timeliness of detection or subsequent time-dependent health outcomes.

Methods

Using a decision-analytic approach, we predicted outcomes, measured in lives, quality adjusted life years (QALYs), and costs, for a series of simulated bioterrorist attacks. We then evaluated …

Evidence That Pneumococcal Serotype Replacement In Massachusetts Following Conjugate Vaccination Is Now Complete, William P. Hanage, Jonathan A. Finkelstein, Susan S. Huang, Stephen I. Pelton, Abbie E. Stevenson, Ken Kleinman, Virginia L. Hinrichsen, Christophe Fraser

Public Health Department Faculty Publication Series

Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) has been reduced in the US following conjugate vaccination (PCV7) targeting seven pneumococcal serotypes in 2000. However, increases in IPD due to other serotypes have been observed, in particular 19A. How much this "serotype replacement" will erode the benefits of vaccination and over what timescale is unknown. We used a population genetic approach to test first whether the selective impact of vaccination could be detected in a longitudinal carriage sample, and secondly how long it persisted for following introduction of vaccine in 2000. To detect the selective impact of the vaccine we compared the serotype diversity …