Data-Driven Approach to Modeling Microfabricated Chemical Sensor Manufacturing.

We have developed a statistical model-based approach to the quality analysis (QA) and quality control (QC) of a gas micro pre-concentrator chip (μPC) performance when manufactured at scale for chemical and biochemical analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). To test the proposed model, a medium-sized university-led production batch of 30 wafers of chips were subjected to rigorous chemical performance testing. We quantitatively report the outcomes of each manufacturing process step leading to the final functional chemical sensor chip.

Teaching Provider Wellness and Physician Assistant Student Well-Being.

Purpose: The purpose of this novel study was to determine whether any association exists between student well-being and physician assistant (PA) program approaches to teaching provider health and well-being (provider wellness).

Methods: Data were sourced from 3 PA Education Association surveys. Data from the 2019 Matriculating Student and End of Program Surveys (EOPS) were analyzed to compare student-reported well-being across 6 measures.

Portable chemical detection platform for on-site monitoring of odorant levels in natural gas.

The adequate odorization of natural gas is critical to identify gas leaks and to reduce accidents. To ensure odorization, natural gas utility companies collect samples to be processed at core facilities or a trained human technician smells a diluted natural gas sample. In this work, we report a detection platform that addresses the lack of mobile solutions capable of providing quantitative analysis of mercaptans, a class of compounds used to odorize natural gas.

Stable electrospray signal on a microfabricated glass chip with three-dimensional open edge and tiered depth geometries.

This paper presents the microfabrication and performance of a three-dimensional electrospray ionization (ESI) emitter tip made from glass, which achieves stable current signals important for chemical analysis. Our novel microfabrication process and custom-built signal conditioning hardware provides the advantage of providing accurate features and steady signals. The fabrication process relies on standard microfabrication techniques (i.

No Evidence of Food or Alcohol Substitution in Response to a Sweetened Beverage Tax.

Introduction: Evidence suggests real-world beverage taxes reduce sweetened beverage purchases, but it is unknown if consumers consequently increase food or alcohol purchases. This study examines whether Philadelphia's 1.5 cents/ounce beverage tax was associated with substitution to 3 kinds of hypothesized substitutes: snacks, nontaxed beverage concentrates, and alcohol.

The Association Of A Sweetened Beverage Tax With Changes In Beverage Prices And Purchases At Independent Stores.

In January 2017 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, implemented an excise tax of 1.5 cents per ounce on beverages sweetened with sugar or artificial sweeteners. Small independent stores are an important yet understudied setting.

One-year changes in sugar-sweetened beverage consumers' purchases following implementation of a beverage tax: a longitudinal quasi-experiment.

Background: Few longitudinal studies examine the response to beverage taxes, especially among regular sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumers.

Objective: This study aimed to examine changes in objectively measured beverage purchases associated with the Philadelphia beverage tax on sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened beverages.

Methods: A longitudinal quasi-experiment was conducted with adult sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumers in Philadelphia (n = 306) and Baltimore (n = 297; a nontaxed comparison city).

On the Convergence of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Data Science.

Epidemiology, biostatistics, and data science are broad disciplines that incorporate a variety of substantive areas. Common among them is a focus on quantitative approaches for solving intricate problems. When the substantive area is health and health care, the overlap is further cemented.

Modeling HPV vaccination scale-up among urban young men who have sex with men in the context of HIV.

Introduction: Young men who have sex with men (YMSM) are at high risk to contract human papillomavirus (HPV). While an effective vaccination exists, its use among YMSM is markedly lower compared to non-MSM and women. This study compares scaling up HPV vaccination in conjunction with other prevention strategies.

Association of a Beverage Tax on Sugar-Sweetened and Artificially Sweetened Beverages With Changes in Beverage Prices and Sales at Chain Retailers in a Large Urban Setting.

Importance: Policy makers have implemented beverage taxes to generate revenue and reduce consumption of sweetened drinks. In January 2017, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, became the second US city to implement a beverage excise tax (1.5 cents per ounce).

Association of a Beverage Tax on Sugar-Sweetened and Artificially Sweetened Beverages With Changes in Beverage Prices and Sales at Chain Retailers in a Large Urban Setting.

Importance: Policy makers have implemented beverage taxes to generate revenue and reduce consumption of sweetened drinks. In January 2017, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, became the second US city to implement a beverage excise tax (1.5 cents per ounce).

Unemployment claims in Philadelphia one year after implementation of the sweetened beverage tax.

Objectives: Possible adverse economic impacts of sweetened drink taxes are a key concern for numerous stakeholders. This study examined changes in unemployment benefit claims filings in Philadelphia compared to its neighboring counties two years prior to and 14 months post implementation of a 1.5 cents per ounce excise tax on sugar- and artificially-sweetened beverages.

The Effect of PrEP on HIV Incidence Among Men Who Have Sex With Men in the Context of Condom Use, Treatment as Prevention, and Seroadaptive Practices.

Background: HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an effective tool in preventing HIV infection among high-risk men who have sex with men (MSM). It is unknown how effective PrEP is in the context of other implemented HIV prevention strategies, including condom use, seroadaption, and treatment as prevention (TasP). We evaluate the impact of increasing uptake of PrEP in conjunction with established prevention strategies on HIV incidence in a high-risk population of MSM through simulation.

An Easy to Manufacture Micro Gas Preconcentrator for Chemical Sensing Applications.

We have developed a simple-to-manufacture microfabricated gas preconcentrator for MEMS-based chemical sensing applications. Cavities and microfluidic channels were created using a wet etch process with hydrofluoric acid, portions of which can be performed outside of a cleanroom, instead of the more common deep reactive ion etch process. The integrated heater and resistance temperature detectors (RTDs) were created with a photolithography-free technique enabled by laser etching.

Sexual and reproductive health risk behaviours among South African university students: results from a representative campus-wide survey.

Among South African university students, HIV prevalence is lower than in age-peers, but at 3.8% it is not negligible. We examined prevalence of factors potentially associated with HIV risk, focusing on partnership characteristics and consistent condom use.

The benefits of data linkage for firefighter injury surveillance.

Background: While survey data are available for national estimates of fire events and firefighter fatalities, data on firefighter injury at the national and local levels remain incomplete and unreliable. Data linkage provides a vehicle to maximise case detection and deepen injury description for the US fire service.

Methods: By linking departmental Human Resources records, despatch data, workers' compensation and first reports of injury, researchers were able to describe reported non-fatal injuries to 3063 uniformed members of the Philadelphia Fire Department (PFD), for the period of 2005 through 2013.

Expecting the unexpected: A mixed methods study of violence to EMS responders in an urban fire department.

Background: Struck by injuries experienced by females were observed to be higher compared to males in an urban fire department. The disparity was investigated while gaining a grounded understanding of EMS responder experiences from patient-initiated violence.

Methods: A convergent parallel mixed methods design was employed.

What role does transactional sex play in the HIV/STI and reproductive health risk behaviour among high-tier entertainment centre workers in China?

China's rapid economic growth over the last three decades has led to increased population wealth and the proliferation of entertainment centres where people can conduct business, relax and meet new people. Little is known about the sexual risk behaviours of employees at high-tier entertainment centres. This paper addresses this gap in knowledge by comparing HIV risk perception and sexual and reproductive health behaviours among female and male employees at three high-tier entertainment centres in two cities in China, comparing those who report a history of transactional sex to those who do not.

Identification of a nuclear export sequence in the MHC CIITA.

Initiation of an immune response through expression of MHC class II and related genes is under the control of the CIITA. Normally found in both the cytoplasm and nucleus, CIITA is tightly controlled by a variety of posttranslational modifications as well as interactions with other nuclear and cytoplasmic factors, whereas disruption of this dual subcellular localization impairs CIITA functioning and expression of target genes. Although CIITA has well-defined domains necessary for its nuclear import, the region responsible for the translocation of CIITA from the nucleus has not been characterized.

A public health perspective on HIV/AIDS in Africa: Victories and unmet challenges.

More than three decades after the first cases of HIV were recognized in the United States and worldwide, Africa remains a remarkable example of both public health successes and remaining challenges. Although many African countries initially lacked the resources and sociopolitical will to advance HIV treatment and prevention strategies, world governments, a committed scientific community, and activists have made tremendous advances. We present a public health perspective on the history of the HIV epidemic in Africa, combining summaries of the epidemiology of HIV infection rates and risk factors for horizontal and vertical HIV transmission, along with a historic perspective on programmatic and funding initiatives that have strongly reduced levels of HIV infection across the continent.

Use of the Internet and mobile-based "apps" for sex-seeking among men who have sex with men in New York City.

The Internet continues to be a popular venue for men who have sex with men (MSM) to seek sexual partners. Increased sexual risk behavior has been linked to MSM who use the Internet to seek partners. However, there has been little research on how new mobile-based social networking applications ("apps") may affect sex-seeking and sexual risk behaviors of MSM.