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Plasma Prekallikrein Levels Are Positively Associated With Circulating Lipid Levels And The Metabolic Syndrome In Children., James A. Mackenzie, Kristen A. Roosa, Brooks B. Gump, Amy K. Dumas, Kestutis G. Bendinskas

Falk College Research Center

Plasma prekallikrein (PK) has been shown to be associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its risk factors, but these associations have not been investigated in children. The present study examined PK activity in relation to well-established cardiovascular risk factors in a cohort of children aged 9–11 years (N = 97). We found a significant and positive association between PK and fasting levels of total cholesterol (p < 0.01), non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p < 0.01), and triglycerides (p < 0.001). In addition, there was a significant association between PK activity and the metabolic syndrome, a clustering of risk factors considered to have an impact on atherosclerosis and CVD mortality. Finally, we found that children with a family history of CVD had significantly elevated PK activity. These novel findings warrant further investigations into the relationship between circulating PK levels and CVD risk factors because PK may be involved in the progression of the disease state. Il est bien connu que la pre´kallicre´ine (PK) est associe´e a` la maladie cardiovasculaire (CVD) et a` ses facteurs de risque, mais ces associations n’ont pas e´te´ ve´rifie´es chez les enfants. Cette e´tude se propose de ve´rifier l’association entre l’activite´ de la PK et les facteurs de risque de CVD aupre`s d’une cohorte d’enfants aˆge´s de 9 a` 11 ans (N = 97). On observe une corre´lation positive significative entre la PK et les variables suivantes : la concentration totale de choleste´rol a` jeun (p < 0,01), les concentrations des lipoprote´ines non a` haute densite´ (p < 0,01) et la concentration des triglyce´rides (p < 0,001). De plus, on observe une corre´lation significative entre l’activite´ de la PK et le syndrome me´tabolique constitue par un ensemble de facteurs ayant un effet sur l’athe´roscle´rose et la mortalite´ due a` la CVD. En dernier lieu, les enfants avec des ante´ce´dents familiaux de CVD pre´sentent une plus importante activite´ de la PK, et ce, de fac¸on significative. Ces premie`res observations sugge`rent d’autres e´tudes sur la relation entre la concentration sanguine de PK et les facteurs de risque de CVD, car la PK pourrait eˆtre implique´e dans la progression de la maladi

Prescriptions For Excellence In Health Care Issue 9 Summer 2010 Download Full Pdf

Prescriptions for Excellence in Health Care Newsletter Supplement

No abstract provided.

Clinical And Economic Impact Of Infusion Reactions In Patients With Colorectal Cancer Treated With Cetuximab., K A Foley, P F Wang, B L Barber, S R Long, J E Bagalman, V Wagner, X Song, Z Zhao

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Systemic agents in cancer treatment were often associated with possible infusion reactions (IRs). This study estimated the incidence of IRs requiring medical intervention and assessed the clinical and economic impacts of IRs in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) treated with cetuximab.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Details on patients with CRC receiving cetuximab in 2004-2006 were extracted from a large USA administrative claims database. IRs were identified based on the occurrence of outpatient treatment, emergency room (ER) visit, and/or hospitalization for hypersensitivity and allergic reactions. Multivariate regressions were used to examine potential risk factors and quantify the economic impact of IRs. …

Situational Analysis Of Household Energy And Biomass Use And Associated Health Burden Of Indoor Air Pollution And Mitigation Efforts In Pakistan, Zafar Fatmi, Asma Rahman, Ambreen Kazi, Muhammad Masood Kadir, Nalini Sathiakumar

Community Health Sciences

Biomass fuel burning leads to high levels of suspended particulate matter and hazardous chemicals in the indoor environment in countries where it is in common use, contributing significantly to indoor air pollution (IAP). A situational analysis of household energy and biomass use and associated health effects of IAP was conducted by reviewing published and un-published literature about the situation in Pakistan. In addition to attempt to quantify the burden of ill health due to IAP, this paper also appraises the mitigation measures undertaken to avert the problem in Pakistan. Unfortunately, IAP is still not a recognized environmental hazard in Pakistan …

A Current Examination Of Dietary Intakes Of Fiber, Calcium, Iron, And Zinc And Their Relationship To Blood Lead Levels In U.S. Children Aged 1–5 Years, Stephanie A. Melchert

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

A CURRENT EXAMINATION OF DIETARY INTAKES OF FIBER, CALCIUM, IRON, AND ZINC AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO BLOOD LEAD LEVELS IN U.S. CHILDREN AGED 1-5 YEARS Stephanie Ann Melchert, M.S. University of Nebraska, 2010 Adviser: Kaye Stanek Krogstrand The effect of lead on the health and well-being of those exposed has been well documented and many efforts have been made to reduce exposure of lead to the United States population. Despite these efforts, many studies have documented cognitive impairments and behavioral problems in children with even low levels of lead in their blood. Previous studies have suggested that a proper diet …

A Parasitological Paradox: Why Is Ascarid Infection So Rare In The Prehistoric Americas?, Daniela Leles, Karl Reinhard, Martín Horacio Fugassa, Luis Fernando Ferreira, Alena M. Iñiguez, Adauto Araujo

Karl Reinhard Publications

Ascaris lumbricoides (giant roundworm) and Trichuris trichiura (whipworm) are the most common intestinal parasites found in humans worldwide today and they almost always co-occur. However, we find two distinct patterns in archae­ological material. In historical North American and Old World contexts, the association of A. lumbricoides and T. trich­iura is similar to the modern epidemiological picture. In contrast, the co-occurrence of A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura eggs in prehistoric South America is rare. For prehistoric contexts, T. trichiura is the most common parasite found in ar­chaeological material. Recently molecular biology techniques pointed to a subdiagnosis of roundworm infection in pre- …

Hiv And Hepatocellular And Esophageal Carcinomas Related To Consumption Of Mycotoxin-Prone Foods In Sub-Saharan Africa, Jonathan H. Williams, Jessica A. Grubbs, Jerry W. Davis, Jia-Sheng Wang, Pauline E. Jolly, Nii-Ayi Ankrah, William O. Ellis, Evans Afriyie-Gyawu, Natalie M. Johnson, Abraham G. Robinson, Timothy D. Phillips

Environmental Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background: Promotion of the HIV epidemic by aflatoxin is postulated but not yet established. Sub-Saharan populations commonly consume food contaminated by mycotoxins, particularly aflatoxins (predominantly found in peanut, maize, rice, and cassava) and fumonisins, which occur primarily in maize. Aflatoxin promotes hepatocellular cancer, and fumonisin may promote esophageal cancer.

Objectives: This analysis was undertaken to test the hypotheses that consumption of mycotoxin-prone staple foods is 1) related to the incidence of HIV infection in Africa and 2) related to “signature” cancer rates confirming exposure to aflatoxins and fumonisins.

Design: World Health Organization data for causes of death and the Food …

Aids Epidemic In The Russian Federation And Policy Reform, Veronika Kiselev

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The AIDS epidemic in the Russian Federation has been a constant struggle for the government and the population since the early 90’s. The epidemic is the most rapidly growing epidemic of HIV/AIDS seen in history and has caused much international attention. The epidemic coinciding with the fall of the Soviet Union and the transition of the Russian government from socialist to democratic state has had a huge impact on the policy and government actions to fight the epidemic. The financial struggles that hit a large portion of the population as a result of the fall of the Soviet Union caused …

The Decontamination Of Methamphetamine Labs - A Search For Best Practices, Robert Perry

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

The use of methamphetamine as a drug of abuse in the United States has skyrocketed in recent years, with much of the drug being manufactured in primitive makeshift laboratories clandestinely located in residential dwellings. The contamination of these environments with methamphetamine, its precursors, and its by-products can be severe. Often, after being contaminated, these dwellings are re-occupied by people unaware of the former use as a methamphetamine production site, and unaware of the contaminant load they now find themselves living in. This paper discusses the extent of contamination of the lab area and how this contaminant loading may affect the …

Strengthening Primary Care To Bend The Cost Curve: The Expansion Of Community Health Centers Through Health Reform, Leighton C. Ku, Patrick Richard, Avi Dor, Ellen Tan, Peter Shin, Sara J. Rosenbaum

Geiger Gibson/RCHN Community Health Foundation Research Collaborative

The recent enactment of health reform sets into motion important changes that will expand health insurance coverage, increase funding for community health centers and alter the way that health centers are paid. These reforms will have a major impact on two major challenges of health reform: bolstering the capacity of the nation's primary care system and reducing the long term growth in health care costs.

Our analyses examine the impact of the new health reform law on the number of patients who will receive primary care services at community health centers and the effect of the service expansions on overall …

Improving Statistical Analysis Of Prospective Clinical Trials In Stem Cell Transplantation. An Inventory Of New Approaches In Survival Analysis, Aurelien Latouche

COBRA Preprint Series

The CLINT project is an European Union funded project, run as a specific support action, under the sixth framework programme. It is a 2 year project aimed at supporting the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) to develop its infrastructure for the conduct of trans-European clinical trials in accordance with the EU Clinical Trials Directive, and to facilitate International prospective clinical trials in stem cell transplantation. The initial task is to create an inventory of the existing biostatistical literature on new approaches to survival analyses that are not currently widely utilised. The estimation of survival endpoints is introduced, …

Who Is Exposed To Smoke At Home? A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Survey In Central Vietnam, Motoi Suzuki, Vu Dinh Thiem, Lay-Myint Yoshida, Dang Duc Anh, Paul E. Kilgore, Koya Ariyoshi

Department of Pharmacy Practice

No abstract provided.

Gender, Germs, And Dirt: A Case Study Of Properly Politicised Science, Sharyn Clough

XIV IAPh Symposium 2010

This presentation is part of the Feminist Perspectives in the Sciences: Epidemiology track.

The relatively recent increase in cases of allergies and asthma, especially in industrialised nations of the north and west, has been explained by the “hygiene hypothesis”—viz., that increased cleanliness and sanitation have unintended negative consequences for immune health—an hypothesis that has received robust epidemiological support (e.g., Platts-Mills 2002). Over the last few years, support for the hypothesis has increased with the discovery that populations regularly exposed to certain parasitic worms (helminths) have very low incidence of chronic inflammatory diseases such as Crohn’s (Elliot, Summers, and Weinstock 2007). …

Dukungan Suami Dalam Pemberian Asi Eksklusif Di Wilayah Kerja Puskesmas Air Tawar Kota Padang, Sumatera Barat, Mery Ramadani, Ella Nurlaella Hadi

Kesmas

Manfaat pemberian ASI yang sangat besar ternyata belum mampu meningkatkan angka cakupan ASI eksklusif. Hal tersebut terlihat pada tingkat pemberian ASI eksklusif di tanah air yang masih rendah berada pada kisaran 39%-40%. Tujuan penelitian ini mengetahui dukungan suami dalam pemberian ASI eksklusif di Wilayah Kerja Puskesmas Air Tawar, Kota Padang Tahun 2009. Rancangan penelitian potong lintang digunakan pada bulan Maret-April 2009 dengan responden ibu bayi usia 7-12 bulan. Hasil penelitian mendapatkan 55,4% ibu memberikan ASI eksklusif dan 57% ibu mendapat dukungan suami dalam pemberian ASI eksklusif. Ada hubungan antara dukungan suami dengan pemberian ASI eksklusif, ibu yang suaminya mendukung pemberian …

Persepsi Risiko Berkendara Dan Perilaku Penggunaan Sabuk Keselamatan Di Kampus Universitas Indonesia, Depok, Ing Kurnia Salihat, L. Meily Kurniawidjaja

Kesmas

Kematian dan cedera akibat kecelakaan lalu lintas telah menjadi masalah kesehatan masyarakat di seluruh dunia termasuk Indonesia. Di lingkungan Universitas Indonesia, setiap tahun terjadi peningkatan kejadian kecelakaan. Penelitian ini bertujuan melihat hubungan antara persepsi risiko keselamatan berkendara dengan perilaku penggunaan sabuk keselamatan pada mahasiswa Universitas Indonesia. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan semi kuantitatif dan desain penelitian potong lintang. Partisipan adalah 98 mahasiswa Universitas Indonesia di Kampus Depok, berusia 18-25 tahun yang mengendarai kendaraan sendiri. Faktor internal yang membentuk persepsi risiko keselamatan berkendara secara bermakna adalah pengalaman (nilai p = 0,000) dan kepercayaan (nilai p = 0,008), sedangkan faktor eksternal yang signifikan …

Kebijakan Pengelolaan Kualitas Udara Terkait Transportasi Di Provinsi Dki Jakarta, Andi Alfian Zainuddin

Kesmas

Pemerintah Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta yang mengeluarkan beberapa kebijakan penanggulangan pencemaran udara menghadapi banyak kendala implementasi. Tujuan penelitian ini mengetahui implementasi kebijakan pengelolaan kualitas udara perkotaan terkait transportasi di provinsi tersebut dengan pendekatan model sistem. Faktor yang diamati meliputi instrumen kebijakan, sumber daya dan manajemen. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode penelitian kualitatif yang menggunakan sumber data primer dengan metode wawancara mendalam dan sumber data sekunder telaah dokumen. Data primer digali dari berbagai informan yang berkompeten meliputi Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat Daerah, Biro Hukum, Badan Pengelola Dampak Lingkungan Daerah, Dinas Perhubungan, Dinas Kesehatan dan Samsat. Penelitian ini menemukan bahwa instrumen kebijakan telah ada, …

Keeping Health Insurance After A Job Loss: Cobra Continuation Coverage And Subsidies, Kathryn Linehan

National Health Policy Forum

Many Americans under 65 have health insurance through an employer. Beginning in 1985, a federal law known as COBRA required that eligible workers and their dependents have the option to continue employer-based group health coverage when employment is terminated. Because premiums for COBRA coverage can be very expensive, the 111th Congress included provisions in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (and subsequent legislation) to temporarily subsidize premiums for those who have lost their jobs since September 2008. This issue brief outlines the eligibility rules for COBRA as well as the current COBRA subsidies. It also discusses the possible …

Recent Trends In Exposure To Secondhand Smoke In The United States Population, Chieh-I Chen, Tanya Burton, Christine L. Baker, Vera Mastey, David Mannino

Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Previous research using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) data documented a significant downward trend in secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure between 1988 and 2002. The objective of this study was to assess whether the downward trend in exposure continued from 2001 through 2006.

METHODS: We analyzed data from the 2001-2006 NHANES to estimate exposure of nonsmokers to SHS. Geometric means of serum cotinine levels for all nonsmokers were computed.

RESULTS: Overall serum cotinine levels (95% Confidence Intervals) in 2001-2002, 2003-2004, and 2005-2006 were 0.06 ng/mL (0.05-0.07), 0.07 ng/mL (0.06-0.09), and 0.05 ng/mL (0.05-0.06), respectively. Subgroup analysis by …

Students’ Willingness To Purchase Vegan Menu Items In The National School Lunch Program, Jill Eckart, Kathryn A. Strong, Darlene K. Moppert, Neal D. Barnard

Florida Public Health Review

Offering plant-based options in school lunches may help schools meet U.S. Department of Agriculture nutrient standards by providing students with options that are low in fat and cholesterol-free. Research indicates that well- planned vegetarian and vegan diets are appropriate for all ages and have certain health benefits; however, it is not clear whether students are willing to incorporate vegetarian foods into their diets. We assessed students’ willingness to purchase vegan menu items in school lunches and evaluate the nutrient profiles of vegan and nonvegan menu items offered. Vegan items were offered once per week for four weeks in elementary and …

Early Childhood Care And Education For All In 2015: Is This A Mirage In Nigeria?, Esther A. Oduolowu

Journal of Global Initiatives: Policy, Pedagogy, Perspective

This paper examines the possibility of the provision of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) for all children from birth to age five in Nigeria by 2015. In the paper are the history of preschool education in Nigeria) situation of ECCE worldwide in the 1980s) and the, global trends in basic education in the 1990s. The paper also examines the limitations of the attempt and offers probable solutions.

Forced Migration And The Survival Needs Of The Nigerian Child, Ngozi Diwunma Obidike

Journal of Global Initiatives: Policy, Pedagogy, Perspective

This article identifies the survival needs of the forced migrant Nigerian child as well as the extent to which the identified needs are satisfied. The population consisted of 600 forced migrant children and 10 emergency workers who were chosen based on their experiences being forced migrants. A questionnaire was used for the study. The result showed) among other things, that although the need for food, clean water, education, peace, and shelter were identified as the five most essential needs, other needs were also identified as necessary for the children's survival. Based on the results, recommendations were made.

Conditions D’Intégration Des Nouveaux Travailleurs Dans Le Secteur Minier : Une Étude Exploratoire, Sylvie Ouellet, Élise Ledoux, Esther Cloutier, Pierre-Sébastien Fournier

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Cette étude de cas, menée dans deux entreprises minières, a permis de confirmer les défis de recrutement et d’intégration des nouveaux travailleurs que doivent relever les entreprises : l’une d’elles a dû renouveler 72 % de sa main-d’œuvre entre 2003 et 2008. Des mesures (rencontres d’information, formation sur les aspects de sécurité et compagnonnage) ont été mises en place pour accueillir et intégrer ces travailleurs. Or, la transmission des savoirs de métier repose essentiellement sur les bonnes intentions et les habiletés de communication des travailleurs expérimentés, ainsi que sur les conditions de formation ou de travail. Certaines de ces conditions …

Can Daytime Use Of Bed Nets Not Treated With Insecticide Reduce The Risk Of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever Among Children In Vietnam?, Ataru Tsuzuki, Vu Dinh Thiem, Motoi Suzuki, Hideki Yanai, Toru Matsubayashi, Lay-Myint Yoshida, Le Huu Tho, Truong Tan Minh, Dang Duc Anh, Paul E. Kilgore, Masahiro Takagi, Koya Ariyoshi

Department of Pharmacy Practice

The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of bed net use and elucidate the effect of daytime bed net use on preventing dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) among children in Vietnam. We conducted a population-based cross-sectional survey and a matched case–control study in Khanh Hoa Province where not only some pre-schoolchildren but also some school children, who take a nap during lunch break prior to returning to school, used bed nets during the day. Among 36,901 children 2–10 years of age, most used untreated bed nets during the night (98.3%) compared with 8.4% during the day. The results …

Health Care Shortage Designations: Hpsa, Mua, And Tbd, Eileen Salinsky

National Health Policy Forum

A wide variety of federal programs designed to improve access to health care services rely on specific criteria to designate areas and populations eligible for funding and other types of aid. Two related yet distinct designations, the Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) and the Medically Underserved Area (MUA), are most commonly used to identify underserved people or places. This background paper reviews the methodologies currently utilized in these designations, identifies the federal programs that use these designations to allocate resources, describes proposals that have been advanced to consolidate and improve these designations, and discusses key issues and challenges for future …

Heath Care Spending: Why Is Miami An Outlier?, Laura A. Dummit, Mary Ellen Stahlman

National Health Policy Forum

The National Health Policy Forum’s site visit to Miami focused on the complex factors that drive health care spending and is the latest in a series on the dynamics of health care markets. Miami has long been recognized as having among the highest Medicare per capita spending in the country, along with high rates of uninsured, strong managed care presence, and a history of health care fraud. This colorful health care market brings into stark relief many of the reasons for high and growing health care spending across the country. It also highlights several issues involved in building and maintaining …

A Comparison Of 1978 And 2006 Peak Pollen Seasons And Sampling Methods In Missoula, Montana, Kelly L. Crispen, Donald N. Gillespie, Emily C. Weiler, Curtis W. Noonan, Raymond F. Hamilton, Tony Ward

Public and Community Health Sciences Faculty Publications

A study was conducted in Missoula, Montana to compare local pollen counts from 1978 with those measured nearly 30 years later in 2006 using two different measurement techniques (Durham gravimetric sampler and a Burkard volumetric sampler). Trends in peak pollen times measured during the spring, summer and autumn, respectively, were compared between the two years by Pearson’s correlation and frequency of occurrence of plant genus. Meteorological conditions were also examined during each of the two study periods.

In comparing the two years, there was a statistically significant linear association between the different counts for the months of April through August, …

Urinary Levoglucosan As A Biomarker For Wood Smoke: Results Of Human Exposure Studies, Megan Ann Bergauff, Tony Ward, Curtis W. Noonan, Christopher T. Migliaccio, Christopher D. Simpson, Ashley R. Evanoski, Christopher P. Palmer

Public and Community Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Urinary levoglucosan was investigated as a potential biomarker for wood smoke exposure in two different controlled experimental settings. Nine subjects were exposed to smoke from a campfire in a controlled setting and four were exposed to smoke from an older model wood stove. All subjects were asked to provide urine samples before and after exposure, and to wear personal PM_2.5 monitors during the exposure. Urinary levoglucosan measurements from both studies showed no consistent response to the smoke exposure. A third experiment was conducted to assess the contribution of dietary factors to urinary levoglucosan levels. Nine subjects were asked to …

Chhs June Enewsletter, Dr. John Bonaguro, Dean, Vashon S. Wells, Editor, Wku College Of Health & Human Services

College of Health & Human Services Publications

No abstract provided.

Early Childhood Professional Development: A Synthesis Of Recent Research, Allyson Dean

Children, Youth, & Families

This literature review explores the current status of research on the impacts of investments in different types of professional development in early child care settings.

Workers Killed While Collecting Solid Waste, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Kentucky Haz Alerts--Motor Vehicle

To prevent solid waste collection injuries:

• An applicable worker safety program should be established
• Before the solid waste truck is moved, visible hand signal communication between the driver and tipper should be established
• A standard operating procedure (SOP) should be established for stacking dumpsters as a result of a job hazard analysis
• A drug testing program should be incorporated in a worker safety program
• Pre-trip and post-trip vehicle inspections should be performed
• An ANSI ISEA 107-1999 safety vest should be worn at all times when on duty
• Do not ride on the steps if the truck is going faster than …