Public Health Commons^™

Factors That Influence The Blood Flow Response Of Skin To Electrical Stimulation, Abdul-Majeed Raja Al-Malty

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Female reproductive hormones, aging, global heating and local heating are factors affecting skin blood flow (SBF), but their effect on electrical stimulation (ES) has never been examined until the present investigation. To investigate female reproductive hormones, nine women (age= 25.6±3.5 years) with a normal menstrual cycle (MC) underwent ES in thermoneutral (25°±0.5°C) and warm environments (35°±0.5°C). To investigate aging, ES was applied on active young (n=15, age=32.1±8.3 years) and old (n=8, 64.5±6.2 years) groups in thermoneutral and warm environments. To investigate the effect of global and local heating, groups of 15 and 18 subjects (age= 18-40 years) experienced ES under …

Assessment Of Whole Grain Intake And Health Correlates In An Aging Population, Alexis Howard

Senior Honors Projects

Research suggests that whole grain intake may decrease the risk of heart disease, type II diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and many types of cancer. The overall goal of this work is to increase the health status of an older adult population through comprehensive nutrition risk assessment and exposure to tailored nutrition education interventions. This project involved assisting in baseline and post-intervention assessment of the knowledge, attitude, and intake of whole grain foods within a convenience sample of fifty-eight older adults residing in low-income housing sites across Rhode Island. Anthropometry, including height, weight, waist circumference, and blood pressure was measured, along with …

Pyemotes Herfsi (Acari: Pyemotidae), A Mite New To North America As The Cause Of Bite Outbreaks, Alberto B. Broce, Ludek Zurek, James A. Kalisch, Robert Brown, David L. Keith, David Gordon, Janis Goedeke, Cal Welbourn, John Moser, Ronald Ochoa, Eduardo Azziz-Baumgartner, Fuyuen Yip, Jacob Weber

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

High incidences of red, itching, and painful welts on people in the midwestern United States led to the discovery of a European species of mite, Pyemotes herfsi (Oudemans) (Acari: Pyemotidae), preying on gall-making midge larvae on oak leaves. The mites' great reproductive potential, small size, and high capacity for dispersal by wind make them difficult to control or avoid.

A Coprological View Of Ancestral Pueblo Cannibalism, Karl Reinhard

Karl Reinhard Publications

As the object of my scientific study, I’ve chosen coprolites. It’s not a common choice, but to a paleonutritionist and archaeoparasitologist, a coprolite—a sample of ancient feces preserved by mineralization or simple drying—is a scientific bonanza. Analysis of coprolites can shed light on both the nutrition of and parasites found in prehistoric cultures. Dietary reconstructions from the analysis of coprolites can inform us about, for example, the origins of modern Native American diabetes. With regard to parasitology; coprolites hold information about the ancient emergence and spread of human infectious disease. Most sensational, however, is the recent role of coprolite analysis …

Intellectual Property Management Strategies To Accelerate The Development And Access Of Vaccines And Diagnostics: Case Studies On Pandemic Influenza, Malaria And Sars, Anatole Krattiger, Stanley P. Kowalski, Robert Eiss, Anthony Taubman

Law Faculty Scholarship

Achieving global access to vaccines, diagnostics, and pharmaceuticals remains a challenge. Throughout the developing world, intellectual property (IP) constraints complicate access to critically essential medical technologies and products. Vaccines for malaria and pandemic strains of influenza, as well as diagnostic and vaccine technologies for SARS, are not only relevant to global public health but are particularly critical to the needs of developing countries. A global access solution is urgently needed. This article offers a timely case‐by‐case analysis of preliminary patent landscape surveys and formulates options via patent pools and other forms of creative IP management to accelerate development and access. …

Gpnn: Power Studies And Applications Of A Neural Network Method For Detecting Gene-Gene Interactions In Studies Of Human Disease, Alison A. Motsinger, Stephen L. Lee, George Mellick, Marylyn D. Ritchie

Dartmouth Scholarship

The identification and characterization of genes that influence the risk of common, complex multifactorial disease primarily through interactions with other genes and environmental factors remains a statistical and computational challenge in genetic epidemiology. We have previously introduced a genetic programming optimized neural network (GPNN) as a method for optimizing the architecture of a neural network to improve the identification of gene combinations associated with disease risk. The goal of this study was to evaluate the power of GPNN for identifying high-order gene-gene interactions. We were also interested in applying GPNN to a real data analysis in Parkinson's disease.

Science-Based Organic Farming 2006: Toward Local And Secure Food Systems, Charles A. Francis, Katja Koehler-Cole, Twyla Hansen, Peter Skelton

Publications from the Center for Applied Rural Innovation (CARI)

Organic farming includes growing food and fiber—animals, agronomic crops, horticultural fruits and vegetables, related products—as one dynamic and rapidly evolving component of our complex U.S. food system. Even as more farmers are moving toward organic certification and participation in an environmentally sound and economically lucrative market, questions arise about the long-term social impacts and sustainability of a set of practices that has gone from a movement to an industry. Consolidations in the organic trade have brought multinational corporations to the table, as they have observed a grassroots activity that has grown by 20% per year for the past two decades, …

Need For Cognition And Message Complexity In Motivating Fruit And Vegetable Intake Among Callers To The Cancer Information Service, Pamela Williams-Piehota, Judith Pizarro, Stephanie A. Navarro Silvera, Linda Mowad, Peter Salovey

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

This field experiment examined the impact of an individual's need for cognition (NFC; the tendency to enjoy thinking deeply about issues), complex versus simple messages, and the interaction of NFC and message type on encouraging fruit and vegetable consumption. Callers to the Cancer Information Service of the National Cancer Institute (N = 517) were asked to participate in the experiment at the end of their call. Individual NFC was assessed, and participants were assigned randomly to receive a telephone message promoting fruit and vegetable consumption that was either complex and multifaceted or simple and straightforward. Similarly constructed brochures were mailed …

Combined Inhibitory Effect Of Nisin With Edta Against Listeria Monocytogenes In Soy-Protein Edible Coating On Turkey Frankfurters Stored At 4°C And 10°C, Emily Bennett, T. Sivarooban, N. S. Hettiarachchy, M. G. Johnson

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Several food contamination outbreaks are linked to Listeria monocytogenes. More effective methods are needed to prevent the growth and recontamination of L. monocytogenes on ready-to-eat (RTE) food products. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to evaluate the inhibitory activities of nisin (10,000 IU/mL), EDTA (sodium Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid: 1.6 mg/mL), and the combination of nisin (10,000 IU/mL) with EDTA 1.6 mg/mL either in brain-heart-infusion (BHI) media at 37°C for 72 h or in soy-protein edible coating on the surface of full-fat commercial turkey frankfurters against the cell populations of approximately 106 colony forming units (CFU/mL) of L. monocytogenes. The surface-inoculated …

Drying Of Post-Harvest Rough Rice With Silica Gel: A Preliminary Investigation, Stephen J. O'Brien, Terry J. Siebenmorgen

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Rice drying operations can encounter problems of over drying and losses in head rice yield (HRY) through the formation of fissures. Typical rice drying methods also utilize large volumes of expensive fossil fuels to dry the kernels. Drying of rice with a solid desiccant such as silica gel has several potential advantages that avoid some of these problems. Two cultivars of long-grain rough rice, ‘Cheniere’ and ‘Wells’ with harvest moisture contents of 17.8% and 22.0%, respectively, were dried over a 48-h period with various ratios of rough rice-to-silica gel. It was found that an intimate mixture of 3:1 rough rice …

Comparison Of Microbial Water Quality Parameters Of Four Geographically Similar Creeks In Northeast Tennessee, Kimberlee K. Hall, L. K. Gallagher, Brian G. Evanshen, Kurt J. Maier, Phillip R. Scheuerman

ETSU Faculty Works

Four creeks within the Watauga River watershed in Northeast Tennessee are routinely monitored for water quality assessments. To identify sources and monitor remediation, Sinking Creek, Cash Hollow Creek, Buffalo Creek and Boones Creek are monitored for chemical and microbial parameters. These parameters include phosphates, nitrates, BOD and fecal coliforms. Sinking Creek is a tributary of the Watauga River with 10 miles of impaired water. Cash Hollow Creek enters the Watauga River at river mile 11.4 with 3.4 miles of impaired water. Boones Creek contains 18.6 impaired miles while the status of water quality in Buffalo Creek is not yet determined. …

Molecular Epidemiology Of Antibiotic Resistant Salmonella Enterica Strains From Different Animal And Human Sources In Ireland, David George Lee

Theses

In this study, 176 isolates of Salmonella were collected from different laboratories in Ireland. All isolates were confirmed to be of the genus Salmonella by performing bacteriological and biochemical tests. Briefly, all isolates were cultured onto XLD agar after which pure cultures were verified and stocked at this institute. Definitive identification was carried out using the API 20-E system and a separate urease test was also performed on all isolates. After confirmation of the genus, all isolates were prepared for antibiotic susceptibility testing and r-types were determined using sixteen antibiotics. Depending on the antibiotic resistance profiles, isolates were selected for …

Comparison Study Of Sediment Microbial Enzyme Activities To Biochemical Oxygen Demand, Nitrate Concentration, Phosphate Concentration In The Sediments Of A Fecally-Contaminated Stream In Northeast Tennessee Relative To Season And Land Use, Brian G. Evanshen, Kurt J. Maier, Phillip R. Scheuerman

ETSU Faculty Works

Microbial metabolism reacts quickly to environmental conditions. These reactions are dependent on the need for nutrients and respiration and can be measured using an assay of individual microbial enzyme activities (MEA’s). In this study, we measured MEA’s in the sediments of a stream in northeast Tennessee that had an approved fecal coliform Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL). These values were compared to biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), phosphate concentration and nitrate concentration in the water column of this stream. Comparisons were grouped by season and land use. Stream sediments and water were collected monthly for one year and then quarterly for …

Sl1 Rna Gene Recovery From Enterobius Vermicularis Ancient Dna In Pre-Columbian Human Coprolites, Alena M. Iñiguez, Karl Reinhard, Marcelo Luiz Carvalho Gonçalves, Luiz Fernando Ferreira, Adauto Araújo, Ana Carolina Paulo Vincente

Karl Reinhard Publications

Enterobius vermicularis, pinworm, is one of the most common helminths worldwide, infecting nearly a billion people at all socio-economic levels. In prehistoric populations the paleoparasitological findings show a pinworm homogeneous distribution among hunter-gatherers in North America, intensified with the advent of agriculture. This same increase also occurred in the transition from nomad hunter-gatherers to sedentary farmers in South America, although E. vermicularis infection encompasses only the ancient Andean peoples, with no record among the pre-Colombian populations in the South American lowlands. However, the outline of pinworm paleo epidemiology has been supported by microscopic finding of eggs recovered from coprolites. …

The Perceptions Of Roles And Practices Of Preceptors And Their Expectations For Students In The Coordinated Program In Dietetics At Indiana State University, Carin R. Aloisio

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Dietetics education requires a minimum of a baccalaureate degree and 900 hours of supervised practice for eligibility of candidates to sit for the Registration Exam. The primary goals of this study are to determine perceptions of preceptors of supervised practice about their roles and practices and their expectations for students, and to compare and/or contrast these between the three main areas of dietetics: clinical, community and food service management.

Spatial Autocorrelation Of Deer-Vehicle Accidents In Vigo County, J. Scott Horn

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Deer-vehicle accidents (DV As) are a problem in many areas. They cause millions of dollars in property damage, personal injury, and loss of life each year. This thesis examines whether DVAs in Vigo County, Indiana during the year 2000 were spatially autocorrelated; and whether DV As selected by deer habitat were spatially autocorrelated. Specifically using Moran's I to test for spatial autocorrelation this study determined if and to what degree spatial autocorrelation existed among these DVAs. A Moran's I value of .0023 shows that the accidents occurred randomly. These DV A data were then used to plot a map which …

Eating Behavior And Obesity Risk Of Youth Living In The City Of San Bernardino, California, Carolyn A. Corder

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Adolescents living in the City of San Bernardino, California, are susceptible to health risks due to high rates of violence, suicide, teen pregnancy, and poverty, which place them among the most vulnerable in the Nation to disability, early death, unhealthy offspring, illiteracy, economic disadvantage, and chronic disease. This study analyzed data from the Youth Risk Behavior (YRBS) and local surveys conducted in the City’s Unified School District from 1999 through 2001. The investigators focused on the relationship, if any, of dietary and anthropometric factors to the priority adolescent behaviors targeted for intervention by the Healthy People 2010 objectives: accidental injuries …

Effects Of Resistance Training Volume And Variety On Dietary Intake And Mood State In Untrained Subject, Suzette K. Smith

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background: While there is research on the effects of aerobic training on various aspects of mood state and nutrient intake, little is known of the effect of resistance training on these variables.

Purpose: To examine the effects of resistance training (RT) volume and variety on total energy (kcal) and macronutrient intake, and mood states in a healthy, untrained population.

Method:The investigation was part of a prospective experimental study examining the effects of three RT protocols on body composition and strength. An initial 102, healthy, untrained male and female participants, ages 20-40, were recruited, and randomized into one of three …

The Effects Of Long Term Walnut Consumption On Levels Of Plasma Tocopherols And Inflammatory Mediators, Suwimol Sapwarobol

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of long term walnut consumption on plasma levels of tocopherols and the inflammatory mediators interleukin-1β (IL-1β ), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) and Creactive protein (CRP) in healthy participants. Ninety participants were recruited into a 12-month randomized crossover intervention study, which consisted of two phases, the walnut supplemented diet and the habitual diet. Participants were randomly assigned to either of these two phases for six months and then switched to the other phase for the second six months. During the walnut supplemented diet phase, participants incorporated walnuts (28-56 g/d) …

Reliability And Validity Of Skinfold Testers When Estimating Body Composition In Indiana High School Wrestlers: A Case Report, William Rowe Mathie Jr.

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objective: To determine the reliability and validity of the measurements taken by skin fold testers on Indiana High School wrestlers. Design and Setting: A 2 x 3 x 3 repeated measures design was used for this study. Three independent variables were evaluated. The first independent variable was Body Composition technique (skin fold and hydrostatic weighing), the second is Tester (1 thru 3) and the third is Trial (1 thru 3). The one dependent variable was Body Fat Percentage. Subjects: Three Indiana certified skin fold measurers were recruited to be testers for this study. Twelve male high school wrestlers (age: 16.1±0.9, …

Environmental Factors In Autoimmunity: Assessment Of Immunotoxicity Of Phthalates In The Induction Of Lupus-Type Anti-Dna Antibodies, So-Yon Lim

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objectives: Little is known of the role of specific environmental factors in promoting autoimmune disorders such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The broad objective of this study was to address how exposure to phthalates, common environmental factors m foods, and biomedical devices could affect the immune functions of resistant and autoimmune-prone mice. Methods: The environmental chemical model used in this study is phthalates, which are widely used in various forms and readily occur during day-to-day human contacts. Groups of nonautoimmune-prone (BALB/c, DBA/2 and C57BL/6) and susceptible (NZB, NZB/W Fl) mice were immunized with phthalates ( ortho, meta and para) conjugated …

How Many Years Of Life Could Be Saved If Malaria Were Eliminated From A Hyperendemic Area Of Northern Ghana?, Ayaga A. Bawah, Fred N. Binka

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

For some time, Chinese government policies have treated rural and urban areas very differently, and a by-product of China’s rapid development seems to be an even greater differentiation between urban and rural social and economic life. Over the next several decades, in part because of rapid fertility declines and in part as a result of mortality declines at older ages, China and other developing countries will experience enormous increases in the proportion of older adults and the proportion of the “oldest-old.” It is reasonable to expect that these age structure changes will alter the provision of health care, making an …

Body Image, Emotional Regulation, And Binge Eating In Obese Females, Courtney D. Stahl

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Individuals with binge eating disorder (BED) tend to endorse significant overconcerns with weight and shape and a greater propensity to eat in response to negative mood states. The primary aim of this study was to examine the impact of body image disturbance on the self-regulation of affect in female obese non-binge (n=46) and binge eaters (n=l09). Groups were similar in age (M=46.3) and race (84% Caucasian). Obese non-binge eaters were significantly less obese (BMI=35.50) than their binge eating counterparts (BMI=38.60). On the Multidimensional Body Self-Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ), obese binge eaters endorsed significantly higher levels of body dissatisfaction, greater feelings of …

Accuracy Of Msi Testing In Predicting Germline Mutations Of Msh2 And Mlh1: A Case Study In Bayesian Meta-Analysis Of Diagnostic Tests Without A Gold Standard, Sining Chen, Patrice Watson, Giovanni Parmigiani

Johns Hopkins University, Dept. of Biostatistics Working Papers

Microsatellite instability (MSI) testing is a common screening procedure used to identify families that may harbor mutations of a mismatch repair gene and therefore may be at high risk for hereditary colorectal cancer. A reliable estimate of sensitivity and specificity of MSI for detecting germline mutations of mismatch repair genes is critical in genetic counseling and colorectal cancer prevention. Several studies published results of both MSI and mutation analysis on the same subjects. In this article we perform a meta-analysis of these studies and obtain estimates that can be directly used in counseling and screening. In particular we estimate the …

The Anti-Proliferation Effects Of Lycopene On Breast Cancer Cells, Tixieanna Dissmore

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background: The incidence and deaths from breast cancer represent the most cause of all cancer deaths among women. Lycopene, the carotenoid in tomatoes has been associated with decreasing risk of prostate, breast, and digestive tract cancers. Various mechanisms of lycopene action have been proposed, including antioxidant activity and pro-differentiation activities. Identifying changes in the expression of proteins modified by lycopene can provide information to study the modulating effects of lycopene carcinogenesis and tumorigenesis development.

Objective: The objective was to study the anti-proliferative effects of lycopene on MCF- 7 human breast cancer cells and to identify changes in protein expression patterns. …

Economic Efficiency And Consumer Choice Theory In Nutritional Labeling, Michael Mccann

Law Faculty Scholarship

As more Americans consume fast food each year, more Americans are contracting serious diseases related to obesity. Considering that obesity ranks second behind tobacco use as the largest contributor to mortality rates in the United States, and also that it gives rise to greater publicly funded health care expenses than does tobacco, this phenomenon begs the obvious question: To what extent does the growing consumption of fast food contribute to the obesity epidemic and the incidence of disease? If the answer indicates a meaningful contribution, a natural follow-up question then emerges: In a sensible legal system, what instruments would best …

Public Posting As A Strategy To Increase Walking: A Worksite Intervention, Rayleen Earney, Timothy J. Bungum

Environmental & Global Health Faculty Research

Because most American adults do not meet recommended physical activity guidelines, the need for new and innovative strategies is apparent. The current study employed public posting in an attempt to increase walking behavior in a worksite setting. Pedometer generated data was publicly posted in a prominent location in the worksite. In our study that utilized a pre-experimental design, we found that walking steps were statistically higher during the intervention and in a post intervention period as compared to the baseline data. We conclude that the public posting of physical activity data has the potential to increase walking behavior.

Do Recent Data From The Seychelles Islands Alter The Conclusions Of The Nrc Report On The Toxicological Effects Of Methylmercury?, Alan H. Stern, Joseph L. Jacobson, Louise Ryan, Thomas A. Burke

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

In 2000, the National Research Council (NRC), an arm of the National Academy of Sciences, released a report entitled, "Toxicological Effects of Methylmercury." The overall conclusion of that report was that, at levels of exposure in some fish- and marine mammal-consuming communities (including those in the Faroe Islands and New Zealand), subtle but significant adverse effects on neuropsychological development were occurring as a result of in utero exposure. Since the release of that report, there has been continuing discussion of the public health relevance of current levels of exposure to Methylmercury. Much of this discussion has been linked to …

Detecting Spatiotemporal Clusters Of Accidental Poisoning Mortality Among Texas Counties, Us, 1980 – 2001, Ella T. Nkhoma, Chiehwen E. Hsu, Victoria I. Hunt, Ann M. Harris

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background Accidental poisoning is one of the leading causes of injury in the United States, second only to motor vehicle accidents. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rates of accidental poisoning mortality have been increasing in the past fourteen years nationally. In Texas, mortality rates from accidental poisoning have mirrored national trends, increasing linearly from 1981 to 2001. The purpose of this study was to determine if there are spatiotemporal clusters of accidental poisoning mortality among Texas counties, and if so, whether there are variations in clustering and risk according to gender and race/ethnicity. The Spatial …

Sensory Evaluation Of Gluten-Free Brownies Prepared Using Green Banana Flour, Banana-Potato Blend And Rice-Potato-Tapioca Blend, Sonia F. Murgueytio

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Increasing numbers of people worldwide are being diagnosed with Celiac Disease, an intestinal disorder caused by ingestion of foods containing gluten. Traditional baked goods are prepared using wheat flour that contains gluten. Literature suggests that the absorptive surface of the small intestine is damaged in people susceptible to gluten. Alternative gluten-free products are needed to improve the health of people with this disease. The purpose of this study was to assess the overall acceptability and palatability of chocolate brownies made with 100% banana flour or a blend of banana flour and potato starch. Appearance, color, texture, flavor and overall acceptability …