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Full-Text Articles in Public Health

A Bland–Altman Comparison Of The Lead Care® System And Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry For Detecting Low-Level Lead In Child Whole Blood Samples, Christina Sobin, Tanner Schaub, Natali Parisi, Eva De La Riva Mar 2025

A Bland–Altman Comparison Of The Lead Care® System And Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry For Detecting Low-Level Lead In Child Whole Blood Samples, Christina Sobin, Tanner Schaub, Natali Parisi, Eva De La Riva

Departmental Papers (PH)

Chronic childhood lead exposure, yielding blood lead levels consistently below 10 μg/dL, remains a major public health concern. Low neurotoxic effect thresholds have not yet been established. Progress requires accurate, efficient, and cost-effective methods for testing large numbers of children. The LeadCare® System (LCS) may provide one ready option. The comparability of this system to the “gold standard” method of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for the purpose of detecting blood lead levels below 10 μg/dL has not yet been examined. Paired blood samples from 177 children ages 5.2–12.8 years were tested with LCS and ICP-MS. Triplicate repeat tests …


The Ethical Dilemma Of Social Media, Janet H. Southerland Mar 2025

The Ethical Dilemma Of Social Media, Janet H. Southerland

New Orleans Dental Association News

Social media has transformed dentistry, enhancing communication, education, and patient engagement. However, ethical challenges, including privacy concerns and misinformation, pose risks. This article explores the benefits and challenges of social media in dentistry, emphasizing the need for ethical guidelines to uphold professional standards while leveraging digital advancements for improved care and education.


A Peculiar Pancreatitis: Investigating The Adverse Effects Of Mesalamine, Elias Arellano Villanueva, Miguel Lopez, Alhasan Asaad, Jose Campo Maldonado Mar 2025

A Peculiar Pancreatitis: Investigating The Adverse Effects Of Mesalamine, Elias Arellano Villanueva, Miguel Lopez, Alhasan Asaad, Jose Campo Maldonado

Research Symposium

Background: Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a leading cause of gastrointestinal-related hospitalizations in the United States, accounting for approximately 300,000 emergency department visits annually. It is characterized by parenchymal and peripancreatic fat necrosis accompanied by inflammation. The clinical diagnosis of AP is based on elevated serum amylase and lipase levels, characteristic imaging findings, and epigastric pain often radiating to the back. While gallstones and alcohol use are the most common causes of AP, drug-induced pancreatitis (DIP) is a rare but increasingly recognized etiology, contributing to 0.1–5% of cases. DIP is typically diagnosed by excluding other causes and is often associated with …


National Cancer Centers And Cancer Rates In Nevada, 2017-2021, Yashesvi Sharma, Ivan Sun, Taylor Volk, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr., Fatma Nasoz Mar 2025

National Cancer Centers And Cancer Rates In Nevada, 2017-2021, Yashesvi Sharma, Ivan Sun, Taylor Volk, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr., Fatma Nasoz

Health

This fact sheet presents data from the National Institutes of Health including the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) “State Cancer Profiles” report and includes age-adjusted cancer incidence rates by race/ethnicity in Nevada, between 2017 and 2021. The fact sheet also shows data from the 2024 National Cancer Institute’s “NCI-Designated Cancer Centers” map, listing NCI-Designated Cancer Centers by state, and the distance to the nearest NCI-Designated Cancer Centers from the Las Vegas metro and Reno metro.


The Athletes’ Plate: Understanding Influences Of Athletes’ Eating Attitudes, Exercise Behaviors, And Body Image Satisfaction, Delanie Patterson, Brooklynn Raacke, Ryssa Schlaefli Mar 2025

The Athletes’ Plate: Understanding Influences Of Athletes’ Eating Attitudes, Exercise Behaviors, And Body Image Satisfaction, Delanie Patterson, Brooklynn Raacke, Ryssa Schlaefli

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Delanie Patterson1, Brooklynn Raacke1, and Ryssa Schlaefli2

1Department of Psychology, Fort Hays State University

2Department of Health and Human Performance, Fort Hays State University

Faculty Sponsors: Brooke Mann1, Ph.D. and Jessica Phelan2, Ph.D.

1Department of Psychology, Fort Hays State University

2Department of Health and Human Performance, Fort Hays State University

Hays, Kansas

Introduction: Disordered eating (DE), compulsive exercise (CE), and body image satisfaction (BIS) negatively affect male and female athletes. These variables each have a core symptomology but continue to evolve with the increased usage of social …


The Cost-Effectiveness Of Long-Term Post-Treatment Peer Recovery Support Services In The United States, Sierra Castedo De Martell, Margaret Brannon Moore, Hannah Wang, Lori Holleran Steiker, J Michael Wilkerson, Nalini Ranjit, Sheryl A Mccurdy, H Shelton Brown Mar 2025

The Cost-Effectiveness Of Long-Term Post-Treatment Peer Recovery Support Services In The United States, Sierra Castedo De Martell, Margaret Brannon Moore, Hannah Wang, Lori Holleran Steiker, J Michael Wilkerson, Nalini Ranjit, Sheryl A Mccurdy, H Shelton Brown

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background:

Peer recovery support services (PRSS) have been widely adopted across a variety of settings, but little is known about their economic impact.

Objectives:

To conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis of long-term, PRSS delivered after specialty substance use disorder (SUD) treatment (post-treatment), and to describe the development of a free, web-based cost-effectiveness calculator based on this analysis.

Methods:

Using publicly-available data from a variety of sources, post-treatment PRSS were compared to specialty SUD treatment from the societal (broad perspective including costs like participant time) and health systems perspectives (only costs borne by health system), and in terms of quality-adjusted life years …


Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome: A Current Perspective, Astrid-Ines Foamkom, Maria Sophia Zaraspe Malbas, Kory D. Punch, Victor A. Bob-Yellowe, Allison J. Mcadams, Julia Paz, Karina Zamora, Kelsey Baker, Ihsan Salloum, Ney Alliey-Rodriguez Mar 2025

Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome: A Current Perspective, Astrid-Ines Foamkom, Maria Sophia Zaraspe Malbas, Kory D. Punch, Victor A. Bob-Yellowe, Allison J. Mcadams, Julia Paz, Karina Zamora, Kelsey Baker, Ihsan Salloum, Ney Alliey-Rodriguez

Research Symposium

Background: Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (WKS) is a debilitating neuropsychological condition characterized by the profound loss of thiamine (vitamin B1). The neuropsychological presentation of WKS has been increasingly refined since its discovery in the nineteenth century, leading to a more robust understanding of the condition. In general, it has been shown that WKS causes differ amongst individuals but the main causes for the condition include chronic alcoholism, immunodeficiency, genetic disorders, malnutrition, drug-induced thiamine deficiency, and hyperemesis gravidarum. However, it remains unclear how demographic, environmental, and ethnic differences may influence WKS etiology and severity. Here, we sought to conduct a systematic review of …


Utilidad De La Combinación De Los Biomarcadores: Procalcitonina, Proteína C Reactiva Y Volumen Plaquetario Medio En El Diagnóstico Temprano De Sepsis Neonatal [Usefulness Of The Combination Of Biomarkers: Procalcitonin, C-Reactive Protein And Mean Platelet Volume In The Early Diagnosis Of Neonatal Sepsis], Oscar Manuel Berlanga Bolado Jr, Patricia Rivera Vazquez, Arely Socorro Hernández García, Angelica Lizbeth Martinez Ortiz Mar 2025

Utilidad De La Combinación De Los Biomarcadores: Procalcitonina, Proteína C Reactiva Y Volumen Plaquetario Medio En El Diagnóstico Temprano De Sepsis Neonatal [Usefulness Of The Combination Of Biomarkers: Procalcitonin, C-Reactive Protein And Mean Platelet Volume In The Early Diagnosis Of Neonatal Sepsis], Oscar Manuel Berlanga Bolado Jr, Patricia Rivera Vazquez, Arely Socorro Hernández García, Angelica Lizbeth Martinez Ortiz

Research Symposium

Introducción: La sepsis neonatal es una causa frecuente de morbilidad y mortalidad infantil. Se le ha definido como un síndrome clínico caracterizado por signos sistémicos de infección, acompañado de bacteriemia en el primer mes de vida. Por lo tanto, el diagnóstico temprano es fundamental.

Objetivo: Conocer la sensibilidad y especificidad de la combinación de biomarcadores séricos como procalcitonina, proteína C reactiva y volumen plaquetario medio en el diagnóstico temprano de sepsis neonatal.

Material y métodos: Estudio clínico, de tipo prospectivo, predictivo, observacional, analítico, longitudinal y conveniencia. Se analizaron los biomarcadores como PCT, PCR, VPM para diagnosticar sepsis neonatal. Se incluyeron …


Trauma In Pregnancy: A Statistical Retrospective Analysis Of Leading Causes And Demographic Insights, Andrea Argenal, Sonya Bhatia, Sowmya Duddu, Julia Paz, Sriya Gullapalli, Kelsey Baker, Bharathi Gadad Mar 2025

Trauma In Pregnancy: A Statistical Retrospective Analysis Of Leading Causes And Demographic Insights, Andrea Argenal, Sonya Bhatia, Sowmya Duddu, Julia Paz, Sriya Gullapalli, Kelsey Baker, Bharathi Gadad

Research Symposium

Background: Trauma during pregnancy is a significant contributor to maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Understanding the leading causes of trauma can guide interventions to improve outcomes of injuries for pregnant women. This study aimed to analyze the distribution of trauma causes in a cohort of pregnant women treated in Texas Emergency Department over the year 2021.

Methods: A retrospective statistical analysis was conducted on a sample of 96 pregnant women who experienced trauma. Data was collected from the Texas Emergency Department for patients admitted to the hospital during 2021 and categorized by the cause of injury; some of these …


From Crisis To Action: Investigation, Research, And Response In The Rio Grande Valley Following The Anencephaly Cluster Of 1990-1991, Jonathan Hebert, Miguel Lopez, Padmanabhan Rengasamy Mar 2025

From Crisis To Action: Investigation, Research, And Response In The Rio Grande Valley Following The Anencephaly Cluster Of 1990-1991, Jonathan Hebert, Miguel Lopez, Padmanabhan Rengasamy

MEDI 9331 Scholarly Activities Clinical Years

The 1990-1991 birth defect cluster of anencephaly in the Rio Grande Valley has had lasting effects on Texas public health and birth defect prevention nationwide. The purpose of this study is to clearly illuminate public health efforts to investigate, identify, and combat the rise of anencephaly and other neural tube defects (NTDs) in the Rio Grande Valley and other border counties following the 1990-1991 cluster, as well as to report the findings of each branch of environmental, infectious, and genetic investigation into the possible causes of the disaster. Information was gathered via a literature review and from other sources including …


Alcohol Use Disorder Medication Coverage And Utilization Management In Medicaid Managed Care Plans, Maureen T. Stewart, Sage R. Feltus, Christina M. Andrews Ph.D., Andrea Acevedo, Cindy Parks Thomas, Jeffrey Bratberg, Constance M. Horgan, Dominic Hodgkin, Rachel Sayko Adams Mar 2025

Alcohol Use Disorder Medication Coverage And Utilization Management In Medicaid Managed Care Plans, Maureen T. Stewart, Sage R. Feltus, Christina M. Andrews Ph.D., Andrea Acevedo, Cindy Parks Thomas, Jeffrey Bratberg, Constance M. Horgan, Dominic Hodgkin, Rachel Sayko Adams

Faculty Publications

Importance: Evidence-based, patient-centered treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD) can include pharmacotherapy with naltrexone, acamprosate, or disulfiram; however, these medications are rarely used. Medicaid managed care plans (MCPs) manage health services for nearly 80% of Medicaid enrollees and are the largest payer for addiction treatment services. Little is known about Medicaid MCP policies for AUD medications. Objectives: To describe Medicaid MCPs' coverage and management of acamprosate, naltrexone, and disulfiram for AUD and examine associations of plan characteristics and state policies with medication coverage. Design, Setting, and Participants: In this cross-sectional study, a content analysis was performed of 2021 insurance benefit …


Identifying Pregnant Women With Disabilities And Maternal And Newborn Outcomes, Alka Dev, Willi Horner-Johnson, Andrew Schaefer, Cecilia Ganduglia-Cazaban, Thérèse A Stukel, David C Goodman, Joanna K Leyenaar Mar 2025

Identifying Pregnant Women With Disabilities And Maternal And Newborn Outcomes, Alka Dev, Willi Horner-Johnson, Andrew Schaefer, Cecilia Ganduglia-Cazaban, Thérèse A Stukel, David C Goodman, Joanna K Leyenaar

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Importance: Pregnant women with disabilities are at higher risk of poor pregnancy and birth outcomes. Different methods for identifying disability may affect estimates of health disparities in this population.

Objective: To compare pregnancy and birth outcomes among pregnant women using different ways of identifying maternal disability.

Design, setting, and participants: Retrospective cohort study of linked vital records and maternal and newborn claims for Medicaid-insured live births from January 2010 to December 2014 in Texas. Data analysis was conducted from October 2023 to May 2024.

Exposure: Births grouped into 5 maternal cohorts: no identified disability, disability benefits enrollment only, disability diagnostic …


Analysis Of Systematic Trade-Offs Between Military And Healthcare Expenditure Alongside Gdp Growth Of Select Asian And Western Exporting Economies In The 21st Century, Rahul Balamurugan, Carlos Gershenson, Preethi Nanjundan, Hiroki Sayama Mar 2025

Analysis Of Systematic Trade-Offs Between Military And Healthcare Expenditure Alongside Gdp Growth Of Select Asian And Western Exporting Economies In The 21st Century, Rahul Balamurugan, Carlos Gershenson, Preethi Nanjundan, Hiroki Sayama

Northeast Journal of Complex Systems (NEJCS)

This study explores the complexity in the trade-offs between military expenditure, healthcare expenditure, and GDP growth across select Asian nations and major weapon-exporting countries, examining how nations allocate finite resources between national security and human well-being over the past two decades. Using a systems science approach, the research integrates Granger causality testing to analyze temporal and directional relationships among GDP growth, military expenditure, and healthcare expenditure, uncovering their dynamic interdependencies. The methodology includes trend and slope analysis, Granger causality testing, outlier detection, and clustering to identify heterogeneity in resource allocation strategies. Developed, weapon-exporting nations exhibit complementary trends, with strong causality …


The Importance Of Country Of Origin In Vaccine Messaging For H-2a Farmworkers, Anna M. Scheyett, Maria Bowie, Virginia Brown, Andrea Scarrow Mar 2025

The Importance Of Country Of Origin In Vaccine Messaging For H-2a Farmworkers, Anna M. Scheyett, Maria Bowie, Virginia Brown, Andrea Scarrow

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: H-2A farmworkers are disproportionately vulnerable to COVID-19 and understanding their beliefs regarding COVID-19 vaccines is important for public health outreach, yet to date little research has examined the influence of country of origin (COO) on the vaccine beliefs of this uniquely transient population.

Methods: Three focus groups (N=30) were held with H-2A farmworkers in South Georgia to explore their beliefs on COVID-19 vaccines, using thematic analyses to identify COO influences on these beliefs.

Results: Family in COO influenced worker vaccine beliefs through direct advice, commonly held beliefs in COO about harmful government agendas via vaccines increased worker vaccine fears, …


The Learning Crisis In The United States Three Years After Covid-19, Harry Anthony Patrinos, Maciej Jakubowski, Tomasz Gajderowicz Mar 2025

The Learning Crisis In The United States Three Years After Covid-19, Harry Anthony Patrinos, Maciej Jakubowski, Tomasz Gajderowicz

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic caused widespread disruptions to education, with school closures affecting over one billion children. These closures, aimed at reducing virus transmission, resulted in significant learning losses, particularly in mathematics and science. Using United States data from TIMSS, this study analyzes the impact of school closure on learning outcomes. The losses amount to 0.36 SD for mathematics and 0.16 SD for science. The declines are similar across grades. The average decline in mathematics performance among U.S. students is substantially greater than the global average. n science, the decline observed among U.S. students does not significantly differ from the global …


Associations Among Shopping Methods, Diet Adherence, And Nutrition Knowledge Of Employed Primary Grocery Shoppers In Households With Children, Baylee Schneider Mar 2025

Associations Among Shopping Methods, Diet Adherence, And Nutrition Knowledge Of Employed Primary Grocery Shoppers In Households With Children, Baylee Schneider

Master's Theses

Obesity is a prominent risk factor for chronic disease, which is the leading cause of death in the United States. Obesity and chronic disease rates continue to rise, requiring a need for prevention and intervention efforts. The future role of dietetics is to provide treatment and prevention through holistic approaches, by understanding individuals’ habits that contribute to the onset of disease, specifically their food choices, grocery shopping methods, and influences that waver these selections. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationship between grocery shopping methods (online or in-store), Mediterranean diet adherence, nutrition knowledge, and food purchase patterns …


The Present And Future Of Ai: Ethical Issues And Research Opportunities, Ankita Srivastava, Marco Marabelli, Danielle Blanch-Hartigan, Jeffrey Moriarty, Evan Carey Mar 2025

The Present And Future Of Ai: Ethical Issues And Research Opportunities, Ankita Srivastava, Marco Marabelli, Danielle Blanch-Hartigan, Jeffrey Moriarty, Evan Carey

Philosophy Faculty Publications

Healthcare is currently a fast-changing industry with AI and generative AI (GenAI) playing a prominent role in the transformation of clinical as well as managerial practices. Clinical practices involve AI to diagnose diseases and develop new drugs and compounds, while managerial practices concern AI-supporting processes such as billing patients and insurance companies, handling electronic medical records, and supporting remote connections with patients, increasingly using virtual and augmented reality. Yet, all these opportunities offered by AI come with challenges involving potential ethical issues, such as discrimination, bias, lack of accessibility, and privacy issues. In March 2024, we organized a panel with …


From Past To Present: Tracing Africa’S Path To Universal Health Coverage, Evaline Chepchirchir Langat, Paul Russell Ward, Hailay Abrha Gesesew, Lillian Mwanri Mar 2025

From Past To Present: Tracing Africa’S Path To Universal Health Coverage, Evaline Chepchirchir Langat, Paul Russell Ward, Hailay Abrha Gesesew, Lillian Mwanri

Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

At the 58th World Health Assembly in 2005, the international community charted a course for universal health coverage (UHC), aiming to ensure access to health care for all in need, of sufficient quality, and without causing financial hardship. At the time, barriers to accessing health care were overwhelming, particularly in low-and middle-income countries like Africa. Currently, 50 of Africa’s 54 countries are in various phases of UHC implementation. Some are developing national UHC agendas, while others have made significant progress but still face gaps in meeting UHC targets. This mini review comprehensively examines the literature to understand the temporal and …


Neurocognitive Gains Among Ugandan Children With Sickle Cell Anemia On Hydroxyurea: 18-Month Trial Interim Results, Shubaya Kasule Naggayi, Dennis Kalibbala, Vincent Mboizi, John M. Ssenkusu, Zhezhen Jin, Caterina Rosano, Deogratias Munube, Bill Wambaka, Ruth Namazzi, Robert Opoka Mar 2025

Neurocognitive Gains Among Ugandan Children With Sickle Cell Anemia On Hydroxyurea: 18-Month Trial Interim Results, Shubaya Kasule Naggayi, Dennis Kalibbala, Vincent Mboizi, John M. Ssenkusu, Zhezhen Jin, Caterina Rosano, Deogratias Munube, Bill Wambaka, Ruth Namazzi, Robert Opoka

Paediatrics and Child Health, East Africa

Children with sickle cell anemia (SCA) frequently develop progressive neurocognitive impairment. We aimed to determine effects of hydroxyurea therapy on neurocognitive function in Ugandan children with SCA by comparing levels at enrollment to a planned 18-month interim assessment. Ugandan children (N=264) ages 3-9 years were enrolled from a SCA clinic and treated in a 30-month singlearm open-label trial with escalation to maximum tolerated dose (MTD). Primary outcome was the effects of hydroxyurea on cognition, attention and executive function, along with transcranial doppler ultrasound (TCD) blood flow velocity. Sibling controls (N=110) without SCA underwent neurocognitive testing in parallel to establish age-normalized …


Risk Factors And Public Health Interventions Associated With Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Among Females Aged 10–19 Years In Kenya: A Scoping Review Protocol, Kimbley Asaso Omwodo, Abdu Mohiddin, Danielle Denwood, Augustine N. Gitonga Mar 2025

Risk Factors And Public Health Interventions Associated With Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Among Females Aged 10–19 Years In Kenya: A Scoping Review Protocol, Kimbley Asaso Omwodo, Abdu Mohiddin, Danielle Denwood, Augustine N. Gitonga

Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

Background ; Adolescent pregnancy is associated with multifaceted challenges that impact countries’ health, education and economic stability. Despite ongoing interventions, in developing countries such as Kenya, adolescent pregnancy rates continue to be high. There is a need for more synthesised evidence on regional-specific risk factors to support tailored prevention strategies.

Objective; This scoping review aims to explore what is known about the risk factors and intervention strategies focused on adolescent pregnancy prevention in Kenya.

Methods and analysis; Using the Arksey and O’Malley framework combined with a three-step search strategy as recommended by the Joanna Briggs Institute, relevant articles will be …


Assessing Healthcare Insurance Policies In Mississippi: An Evaluation Of Public And Private Options, Latarsha H. Michael, Brieah D. Hudson Mar 2025

Assessing Healthcare Insurance Policies In Mississippi: An Evaluation Of Public And Private Options, Latarsha H. Michael, Brieah D. Hudson

The Journal of the Research Association of Minority Professors

Medicaid is the main payer for maternity care in the U.S., covering nearly half of all births. Federal law provides postpartum coverage for 60 days, but gaps exist, especially in non-expansion states. The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 allows states to extend Medicaid postpartum coverage to 12 months. Mississippi, where Medicaid covers 65% of births, faces severe maternal and infant health challenges. Despite its surplus, extending postpartum care to 12 months could cost $7 million annually. This study examines private and public health insurance coverage for perinatal care in Mississippi. This involves analyzing how different insurance policies address the …


Violence Against Healthcare Workers In Kenya: A Cross-Sectional Sub-Analysis Of The Global Vishwas Study, Reena Shah, Jasmit Shah, Rakhtan K. Qasba, Ruman K. Qasba, Annastacia Mbithi, Eric Njenga, Akshat Banga, Rahul Kashyap, Salim Surani Mar 2025

Violence Against Healthcare Workers In Kenya: A Cross-Sectional Sub-Analysis Of The Global Vishwas Study, Reena Shah, Jasmit Shah, Rakhtan K. Qasba, Ruman K. Qasba, Annastacia Mbithi, Eric Njenga, Akshat Banga, Rahul Kashyap, Salim Surani

Institute for Educational Development, East Africa

Background: Global concern exists for workplace violence against healthcare workers (HCWs), especially in low and middle-income nations. This violence includes physical, verbal, or sexual abuse and has a significant impact despite initiatives like Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines. We conducted a study in Kenya to address this issue.

Methods: We did a cross-sectional survey that collected responses during June 6th to August 9th, 2022, focused on healthcare professionals in Kenya within the global ViSHWaS study. Violence against healthcare professionals in multiple Kenyan counties was analysed, The study reached participants through social media, emails, and other channels using a …


Sedentary Leisure Behaviour, Physical Activity, And Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: Evidence From A Mendelian Randomization Analysis, Shan Lu, Yahong Zhu, Mingyu Cui, Zheng Guo, Xingang Li, Ying Song Mar 2025

Sedentary Leisure Behaviour, Physical Activity, And Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: Evidence From A Mendelian Randomization Analysis, Shan Lu, Yahong Zhu, Mingyu Cui, Zheng Guo, Xingang Li, Ying Song

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background and Aims: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is common worldwide. Although associations between sedentary behaviour (LSBs), physical activity (PAs), and GERD have been reported, their causal relationships remain unclear. This study uses Mendelian randomization (MR) to examine these associations with GERD. Methods: Genetic instruments from the UK Biobank and other consortia were utilized to assess the causal relationship between LSBs, PAs, and GERD. Causal analyses employed inverse variance weighted (IVW), weighted-median (WM), and MR-Egger regression. Sensitivity analyses included Cochran's Q test, MR-Egger intercept test, leave-one-out analysis, and funnel plot assessment. Outliers were detected using MR-PRESSO and Radial MR. A risk …


Thorium Ore Dust Research Applicable To Mineral Sands Industry Workers, Gregory S. Hewson, M. I. Ralph, M. Cattani Mar 2025

Thorium Ore Dust Research Applicable To Mineral Sands Industry Workers, Gregory S. Hewson, M. I. Ralph, M. Cattani

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Historically, radiation exposure to mineral sands workers arose primarily from intake of thorium associated with monazite dust generated in mineral separation plants. Research investigations in the 1990s provided greater insight into the characteristics of inhaled thorium ore dust and bioassay studies inferred that some workers had accumulated significant lung burdens of thorium. Recent changes to biokinetic models have increased the radiation dose assessed to arise from thorium intake, raising questions on the appropriateness of current assumptions used in exposure assessment and feasibility of further bioassay research. Past radiation research undertaken in the Western Australian mineral sands industry is summarised and …


Interdisciplinary Research Among Tourism, Public Health, And Global Health: A Promising Stream Focusing On Populations With Suboptimal Health Status, Jun Wen, Fangli Hu, Danni Zheng, Haifeng Hou, Wei Wang Mar 2025

Interdisciplinary Research Among Tourism, Public Health, And Global Health: A Promising Stream Focusing On Populations With Suboptimal Health Status, Jun Wen, Fangli Hu, Danni Zheng, Haifeng Hou, Wei Wang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Research suggests that approximately 75% of the world's population suffers from suboptimal health status, meaning these individuals often feel unwell but have no clearly diagnosable conditions. Suboptimal health status, originating from traditional Chinese medicine, signifies an intermediate state between health and disease. Tourism has been deemed beneficial for personal health and general well-being. More recently, it has been proposed as a non-pharmacological intervention for individuals with dementia, given its potential contributions to health promotion and disease prevention/treatment. Yet, the tourism literature has paid scarce attention to populations with suboptimal health status, even as an aging society becomes inevitable. This paper …


Exposures Of Western Australian Wildland Firefighters: Insights From Real-Time Monitoring, Kiam Padamsey, Adelle Liebenberg, Ruth Wallace, Jacques Oosthuizen Mar 2025

Exposures Of Western Australian Wildland Firefighters: Insights From Real-Time Monitoring, Kiam Padamsey, Adelle Liebenberg, Ruth Wallace, Jacques Oosthuizen

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Inhalation of bushfire smoke is a risk to the health of firefighters, particularly across Australia where bushfires are becoming more frequent and intense. This study aimed to use real-time monitoring devices to assess the particle and chemical exposures of Western Australian firefighters during prescribed burns and bushfires. Methods: Participants included volunteer bushfire firefighters and forestry firefighters. Real-time gas and particulate monitors were used across nine unique fire events to evaluate the occupational exposures of firefighters. Findings: Firefighters (n = 40) were exposed to high concentrations of particulate matter (PM), particularly PM10, with concentrations varying widely between individuals and events. …


Musculoskeletal Injury In Australian Infantry Personnel: A Cross-Sectional Study To Understand Prevention Priorities, Joanne Stannard, Caroline Finch, Paula Dabovich, Lauren Fortington Mar 2025

Musculoskeletal Injury In Australian Infantry Personnel: A Cross-Sectional Study To Understand Prevention Priorities, Joanne Stannard, Caroline Finch, Paula Dabovich, Lauren Fortington

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Musculoskeletal injury patterns are under-investigated in the Royal Australian Infantry Corps. Subsequently, more evidence is needed to support injury prevention processes in this population. One difficulty in collecting injury information to monitor injury patterns within combat populations accurately is known injury concealment behaviors in such populations. This study aims to examine musculoskeletal injury epidemiology within Australian infantry battalions using a tailored approach to mitigate reporting avoidance. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study using an anonymous online survey captured musculoskeletal injury information directly from personnel serving within 2 Australian infantry battalions. The survey requested information on participants’ injury frequency in …


Thorium Bioassay Of Miners Revisited, Gregory Hewson, Martin Ralph, Marcus Cattani Mar 2025

Thorium Bioassay Of Miners Revisited, Gregory Hewson, Martin Ralph, Marcus Cattani

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study aimed to revisit previous in-vitro thorium studies on workers and reevaluate their significance against the current International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) models for thorium intake. Thorium concentrations in the urine and blood serum of Western Australian mineral sands workers had previously been interpreted using biokinetic models recommended by the ICRP. These findings revealed significant inconsistencies with those of other monitoring methods, including in-vivo lung counting and personal air sampling. Data on thorium concentrations in the urine and blood serum of workers and their exposure records were extracted from the previously published research and assessed using the Taurus …


Global Burden Of Major Chronic Liver Diseases In 2021, Gong Feng, Yusuf Yilmaz, Luca Valenti, Wai Kay Seto, Calvin Q. Pan, Nahum Méndez Sánchez, Feng Ye, Silvia Sookoian, Giovanni Targher, Christopher Opio Mar 2025

Global Burden Of Major Chronic Liver Diseases In 2021, Gong Feng, Yusuf Yilmaz, Luca Valenti, Wai Kay Seto, Calvin Q. Pan, Nahum Méndez Sánchez, Feng Ye, Silvia Sookoian, Giovanni Targher, Christopher Opio

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background: This study utilised the Global Burden of Disease data (2010–2021) to analyse the rates and trends in point preva-lence, annual incidence and years lived with disability (YLDs) for major chronic liver diseases, such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C,metabolic dysfunction-associated liver disease, cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases.

Methods: Age-standardised rates per 100,000 population for prevalence, annual incidence and YLDs were compared acrossregions and countries, as well as the socio-demographic index (SDI). Trends were expressed as percentage changes (PC) andestimates were reported with uncertainty intervals (UI).

Results: Globally, in 2021, the age-standardised rates per 100,000 population for the …


Management Of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Current Strategies And Future Prospects, Munish Sharma, Vivek Paudyal, Saifullah Khalid Syed, Rubi Thapa, Nadeem Kassam, Salim Surani Mar 2025

Management Of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Current Strategies And Future Prospects, Munish Sharma, Vivek Paudyal, Saifullah Khalid Syed, Rubi Thapa, Nadeem Kassam, Salim Surani

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH), now known as pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), has induced significant treatment breakthroughs in the past decade. Treatment has focused on improving patient survival and quality of life, and delaying disease progression. Current therapies are categorized based on targeting different pathways known to contribute to PAH, including endothelin receptor antagonists (ERAs), phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDE-5 inhibitors), prostacyclin analogs, soluble guanylate cyclase stimulators, and activin signaling inhibitors such as Sotatercept. The latest addition to treatment options is soluble guanylate cyclase stimulators, such as Riociguat, which directly stimulates the nitric oxide pathway, facilitating vasodilation. Looking to the future, advancements in …