Epidemiology Commons^™

Bait-And-Kill: Targeting A Novel Heme Biochemical Pathway In Hundreds Of Cancers, Christopher G. Marinescu

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cancer cells are characterized by their ability to grow and proliferate in rates that far exceed normal cells by modifying their iron/heme metabolisms to levels higher than normal. This imbalance of heme biosynthesis can lead to cancer cells having a flux of heme intermediates to the point where they enter a state called heme-overdrive. Heme-overdrive is a process unique to a variety of cancers but absent in normal tissues. With this enhanced production, heme can act as an epigenic regulator for signaling proliferation (18). Through the novel strategy called ‘bait-and-kill,’ cancer cells will be coerced into a state of heme …

Defining Early And Late Clinical Outcomes In Patients With Sars-Cov-2 Pneumonia, Julio A. Ramirez, Jose Bordon, Rodrigo Cavallazzi, Stephen P. Furmanek, Jiapeng Huang, Timothy L. Wiemken, Forest W. Arnold

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

No abstract provided.

Cat Flea Infestation, Evolution And Endosymbionts, And Community Awareness Towards Fleas And Flea-Borne Diseases, Noor Azrizal Abdul Wahid

Student Works (2020-2029)

The cat flea Ctenocephalides felis is the cosmopolitan ectoparasite infesting cats. Occurrence of this flea on cats has led to several disease problems resulted from its ectoparasitic activity and associated pathogens. For prevention measure, study on its prevalence and genetic structure can help in identifying the infestation risk factors and its vectorial capability. In this study, infestation survey indicated overall high prevalence (71.8 %) of C. felis on cats sampled from four different regions in Peninsular Malaysia and the prevalence was associated (p < 0.05) with several risk factors including age, body weight, hair length, body condition and status of the cats. Among the regions, infestation rate was significantly highest on cat population in western region (28.9 %). Moreover, an assessment of knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) among cat owners showed possession of moderate level for knowledge on fleas and relatively low level for knowledge on flea-borne diseases. However, there were positive attitudes and good practices shown by the community in regard to prevention measures. Principle Component Analysis of KAP level, nevertheless, did not exert any variability among the respondents from different regions. Furthermore, analysis of cat flea mtDNA inferred from barcoding genes (cox1 and cox2) showed genetic variations between the four regions with western demonstrated the highest genetic diversity (Hd = 0.7833, Pi = 0.0127, Nh = 9). However, in overall, this study observed low nucleotide and haplotype diversities, indicating high homogeneity in genetic content among flea populations resulted from high gene flow. There were 15 haplotype numbers (AB1 – AB15) revealed in cat flea populations in Malaysia. Global comparison, however, indicated that Malaysian cat fleas had limited geographical distribution within Southeast Asian region while had genetic proximity with population from tropical region. Analyses of endosymbiont bacteria showed that cat fleas in Peninsular Malaysia carry Bartonella and Rickettsia bacteria with 28 % of flea samples were positive for Bartonella DNA and 14 % for Rickettsia DNA. Meanwhile, the tested flea populations were negative for Mycoplasma infection. Three Bartonella species were recorded including B. clarridgeiae, B. hensalae and the first record in Malaysia, B. koehlerae. Meanwhile, Rickettsia asembonensis was the only rickettsial bacteria identified in the present study. Statistical analyses revealed no association on the bacterial infection towards the mtDNA diversity of the cat fleas. However, in overall pathogen infection, infected population demonstrated lower haplotype and nucleotide diversities and showed lower number of haplotypes. Ultimately, the finding from this study will be beneficial in flea management and control program related to veterinary practices by providing insights on flea infestation, community awareness, evolution and its associated pathogens. The present findings highlighted the need for ongoing public health programs, given the relatively low possession of flea related knowledge among cat owners, and high infection rates of pathogens in cat flea populations in Peninsular Malaysia.

Meeting Minutes, Wku Council Of Academic Deans

Council of Academic Deans

Meeting regarding eSports, first destination survey, Respondus Monitor, DELO funds, graduate assistant instructors, salaries and working remotely.

Relationship Between Diet Quality Scores And The Risk Of Frailty And Mortality In Adults Across A Wide Age Spectrum, Kulapong Jayanama, Olga Theou, Judith Godin, Leah Cahill, Nitin Shivappa Mbbs, Mph, Ph.D., James Hébert, Michael David Wirth Msph, Phd, Yong-Moon Park, Teresa T. Fung, Kenneth Rockwood

Faculty Publications

Background

Beyond intakes of total energy and individual nutrient, eating patterns may influence health, and thereby the risk of adverse outcomes. How different diet measures relate to frailty—a general measure of increased vulnerability to unfavorable health outcomes—and mortality risk, and how this might vary across the life course, is not known. We investigated the associations of five dietary indices (Nutrition Index (NI), the energy-density Dietary Inflammatory Index (E-DII™), Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015), Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS), and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)) with frailty and mortality.

Methods

We included 15,249 participants aged ≥ 20 years from the 2007–2012 cohorts …

Using A Hybrid Agent-Based And Equation Based Model To Test School Closure Policies During A Measles Outbreak, Elizabeth Hunter, John D. Kelleher

Articles

Background

In order to be prepared for an infectious disease outbreak it is important to know what interventions will or will not have an impact on reducing the outbreak. While some interventions might have a greater effect in mitigating an outbreak, others might only have a minor effect but all interventions will have a cost in implementation. Estimating the effectiveness of an intervention can be done using computational modelling. In particular, comparing the results of model runs with an intervention in place to control runs where no interventions were used can help to determine what interventions will have the greatest …

H1n1 Influenza Virus (Swine Flu): A Comprehensive Insight Into Escalating Catch-22 Scenarios, Muhammad Shahzaib, Ehsan Ul Haq

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Introduction: Viruses have always been a major cause of various disastrous pandemics in mankind’s history. H1N1 became a threat when its original strain was first discovered back in the swine flu pandemic of 2009. It became highly catastrophic on a large scale because none of the therapeutic interventions and methodologies that were already present at the time were effective against the virus.

Methods: A vast amount of literature and research is available regarding H1N1 influenza from different reputable sources online. The data were gathered with the contrasting and relative situations of 1918 and 2009 pandemics in mind. The overall extracted …

Heterogeneous Contributions Of Change In Population Distribution Of Body Mass Index To Change In Obesity And Underweight, Ncd Risk Factor Collaboration (Ncd-Risc), Maria Lc Iurilli, Bin Zhou, James E. Bennett, Rodrigo M. Carrillo-Larco, Marisa K. Sophiea, Andrea Rodriguez-Martinez, Honor Bixby, Bethlehem D. Solomon, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta

Woman and Child Health

From 1985 to 2016, the prevalence of underweight decreased, and that of obesity and severe obesity increased, in most regions, with significant variation in the magnitude of these changes across regions. We investigated how much change in mean body mass index (BMI) explains changes in the prevalence of underweight, obesity, and severe obesity in different regions using data from 2896 population-based studies with 187 million participants. Changes in the prevalence of underweight and total obesity, and to a lesser extent severe obesity, are largely driven by shifts in the distribution of BMI, with smaller contributions from changes in the shape …

Lag Effects Of Ozone, Pm2.5, And Meteorological Factors On Covid-19 New Cases At The Disease Epicenter In Queens, New York, Atin Adhikari, Jingjing Yin

Biostatistics, Epidemiology & Environmental Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

The influences of environmental factors on COVID-19 may not be immediate and could be lagged for days to weeks. This study investigated the choice of lag days for calculating cumulative lag effects of ozone, PM2.5, and five meteorological factors (wind speed, temperature, relative humidity, absolute humidity, and cloud percentages) on COVID-19 new cases at the epicenter of Queens County, New York, before the governor’s executive order on wearing of masks in public places (1 March to 11 April 2020). Daily data for selected air pollutants and meteorological factors were collected from the US EPA Air Quality System, weather observation station …

Nih Funding For Vaccine Readiness Before The Covid-19 Pandemic, Anthony E. Kiszewski, Ekaterina Galkina Cleary, Matthew J. Jackson, Fred D. Ledley

Natural & Applied Sciences Faculty Publications

Rapid development of vaccines for COVID-19 has relied on the application of existing vaccine technologies. This work examines the maturity of ten technologies employed in candidate vaccines (as of July 2020) and NIH funding for published research on these technologies from 2000–2019. These technologies vary from established platforms, which have been used successfully in approved products, to emerging technologies with no prior clinical validation. A robust body of published research on vaccine technologies was supported by 16,358 fiscal years of NIH funding totaling $17.2 billion from 2000–2019. During this period, NIH funding for published vaccine research against specific pandemic threats …

Factors Associated With Chronic Kidney Disease Of Non-Traditional Causes Among Children In Guatemala, Alejandro Cerón, Brooke M. Ramay, Luis Pablo Méndez-Alburez, Randall Lou-Meda

Anthropology: Faculty Scholarship

Objective. To identify factors associated with chronic kidney disease of non-traditional causes among children in Guatemala. Methods. A cross-sectional survey was conducted. The study population was all pediatric patients with stage 5 chronic kidney disease active in FUNDANIER’s pediatric nephrology unit (N = 156). Simple random sampling led to a total of 100 participants. Data collection consisted of a questionnaire addressing individual and household characteristics, access and utilization of health care, and place of residence when the disease began. Chronic kidney disease etiology was obtained from medical records. Municipality-level secondary data were collected. Descriptive statistics were estimated. Logistic regression was …

Protecting P-Glycoprotein At The Blood-Brain Barrier From Degradation In An Alzheimer's Disease Mouse Model, Yujie Ding, Yu Zhong, Andrea Baldeshwiler, Erin L. Abner, Björn Bauer, Anika M. S. Hartz

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Failure to clear Aβ from the brain is partly responsible for Aβ brain accumulation in Alzheimer's disease (AD). A critical protein for clearing Aβ across the blood-brain barrier is the efflux transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp). In AD, P-gp levels are reduced, which contributes to impaired Aβ brain clearance. However, the mechanism responsible for decreased P-gp levels is poorly understood and there are no strategies available to protect P-gp. We previously demonstrated in isolated brain capillaries ex vivo that human Aβ40 (hAβ40) triggers P-gp degradation by activating the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. In this pathway, hAβ40 initiates P-gp ubiquitination, leading to internalization and …

International Respiratory Infections Society Covid Research Conversations: Podcast 1 With Dr. Francesco Blasi, Julio A. Ramirez Md, Francesco Blasi Md, Phd

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Section(s) Topics

1–2 Introductions

3 Foundations of best practice

4 COVID-19 as stimulus for innovation

5 Adapting and evolving therapeutic approach

6 Age and comorbidities as risk factors

7 Over-capacity ICU

8 Adapting the ER for COVID-19

9 Training personnel for COVID-19

10 Psychological support, healthcare heroes, and COVID fatigue

11 Increased oxygen requirement

12–13 Milan’s multi-disciplinary unit

14 Standardizing respiratory support measures

15 Nutrition, sedation, and life support

16 CPAP successes and failures

17 Prone and lateral positioning of patients on CPAP

18 Different COVID-19 phenotypes?

19 Thromboembolism risk score, age, and comorbidities

20 Cardiorespiratory considerations: hypertension, echocardiography

21 …

An Update On The Leading Covid-19 Vaccines, Ahmed A. Eladely, Javaria Anwer Mbbs, Ashwini Gotimukul Mbbs, Manish Kc Mbbs, Jessica Petrey Msls, Alex Glynn Ma, Ruth M. Carrico Phd, Dnp, Julio A. Ramirez Md

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

We reviewed the COVID-19 vaccines that reached phase III of clinical development. For each of the 10 vaccines identified, we described the technology used for vaccine development, the available data from phase III clinical trials, data on vaccine safety, and the role of new SARS-CoV-2 variants on vaccine efficacy.

Detection Of Mutations Associated With Variants Of Concern Via High Throughput 2 Sequencing Of Sars-Cov-2 Isolated From Nyc Wastewater, Davida S. Smyth, Monica Trujillo, Kristen Cheung, Anna Gao, Irene Hoxie, Sherin Kannoly, Nanami Kubota, Michelle Markman, Kaung Myat San, Geena Sompanya, John J. Dennehy

Publications and Research

Monitoring SARS-CoV-2 genetic diversity is strongly indicated because diversifying selection may lead to the emergence of novel variants resistant to naturally acquired or vaccine-induced immunity. To date, most data on SARS-CoV-2 genetic diversity has come from the sequencing of clinical samples, but such studies may suffer limitations due to costs and throughput. Wastewater-based epidemiology may provide an alternative and complementary approach for monitoring communities for novel variants. Given that SARS-CoV-2 can infect the cells of the human gut and is found in high concentrations in feces, wastewater may be a valuable source of SARS-CoV-2 RNA, which can be deep sequenced …

Mortalidad Por Infarto Agudo De Miocardio En Guatemala 2018: Patrones E Inequidades, Alejandro Cerón, Gila Goldstein

Anthropology: Faculty Scholarship

El presente estudio busca analizar la mortalidad por infarto agudo de miocardio (IAM) en Guatemala con el propósito de identificar posibles criterios epidemiológicos que orienten la priorización de acciones de salud pública. El riesgo de morir de IAM en Guatemala muestra marcadas desigualdades por departamento, las que son aún más marcadas al comparar por municipio. El riesgo de morir es también más alto en personas mestizas o ladinas, en niveles educativos bajos, y en personas que se dedican a ocupaciones elementales. Deberían implementarse medidas de salud pública orientadas a los municipios y grupos en mayor riesgo de morir de IAM. …

Incidence And Pathophysiology Of Diabetes In South Asian Adults Living In India And Pakistan Compared With Us Blacks And Whites, K M Venkat Naraya, Dimple Kondal, Natalie Daya, Unjali P. Gujral, Deepa Mohan, Shivani A. Patel, Roopa Shivashankar, Ranjit Mohan Anjana, Lisa R. Staimez, Muhammad Masood Kadir

Community Health Sciences

Introduction: We compared diabetes incidence in South Asians aged ≥45 years in urban India (Chennai and Delhi) and Pakistan (Karachi), two low-income and middle-income countries undergoing rapid transition, with blacks and whites in the US, a high-income country.
Research design and methods: We computed age-specific, sex-specific and body mass index (BMI)-specific diabetes incidence from the prospective Center for Cardiometabolic Risk Reduction in South Asia Study (n=3136) and the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study (blacks, n=3059; whites, n=9924). We assessed factors associated with incident diabetes using Cox proportional hazards regression.
Results: South Asians have lower BMI and waist circumference than blacks …

Estimasi Risiko Kesehatan Pajanan Besi Dan Mangan Pada Air Tanah Sebagai Air Minum Masyarakat Di Kota Depok, Jawa Barat (Hasil Survei Kualitas Air Bpp Pdam Tirta Asasta Kota Depok 2018), Marhamah Dwi Anjani, Bambang Wispriyono

Jurnal Nasional Kesehatan Lingkungan Global

Background. Groundwater plays an important role as a source of fulfillment of daily clean water and drinking water in Depok City. Groundwater is considered to have good natural qualities, but that does not mean that all groundwater is good quality. Iron and manganese are essential but also toxic metals that are often found in groundwater. Methods. This study uses the Environmental Health Risk Assessment (EHRA) method which aims to estimate the level of iron and manganese risk exposure in groundwater as drinking water. Data collection of iron and manganese concentration was obtained from groundwater quality survey results by BPP PDAM …

Hubungan Kontaminasi Escherichia Coli Pada Makanan Dengan Kejadian Diare Pada Murid Di Sekolah Menengah Atas (Sma) Di Kecamatan Bogor Barat Tahun 2019, Inneza Rahmelia, Ema Hermawati

Jurnal Nasional Kesehatan Lingkungan Global

Background. One of the contamination food in school is Escherichia coli bacteria which can cause diarrhea. Diarrhea is associated with inadequate environmental conditions and unhealthy behavior. The case of diarrhea in Bogor Barat District 2016 was 5700 cases. Prevalence of diarrhea for 15-24 years of age group is 7,2%. Senior high school students in Indonesia are required to attend a full day school. Those schools have canteens which serves food to the students and are supposed to ensure afood safety. The purpose of this study was to determine the association between Escherichia coli contamination in food and diarrhea among students …

Hubungan Antara Ruang Terbuka Hijau Dengan Prevalensi Hipertensi Di Provinsi Dki Jakarta Tahun 2018, Dwi Nutfa Liani, Laila Fitria

Jurnal Nasional Kesehatan Lingkungan Global

Background. Study about the relationship between green space with the prevalence of hypertension in DKI Jakarta is necessary to be done considering of the availability of green spaces that are less than the minimum standard, and the prevalence of hypertension that continues to increase, The increase of urbanization in DKI Jakarta provokes many problems. One of the problems is about the availability of green spaces. The availability of green spaces in DKI Jakarta is only 10% from all the areas. Besides, according to UU No. 26 Tahun 2007 Tentang Penataan Ruang, the minimum standard of green space in city is …