A Comparative Study of Health Disparities in Cervical Cancer Mortality Rates Through Time Between Black and Caucasian Women in Alabama and the US.

Background: The main purpose of this study was to assess changes in cervical cancer mortality rates through time between Black and Caucasian women residing in Alabama and the US.

Methods: Alabama cervical cancer mortality rates (MR), percentage differences, percentage changes and annual percentage changes for trends were compared with the US baseline and target rates. The US Baseline data and target objectives of utilization of cervical cancer screening and MR were obtained from Healthy People 2020.

Quantitative risk assessment of entry of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia through live cattle imported from northwestern Ethiopia.

Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) is a highly contagious bacterial disease of cattle caused by Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies mycoides small colony (SC) bovine biotype (MmmSC). It has been eradicated from many countries; however, the disease persists in many parts of Africa and Asia. CBPP is one of the major trade-restricting diseases of cattle in Ethiopia.

The Role of Computational Epidemiology and Risk Analysis in the Fight Against HIV/AIDS.

Substantial progress in the understanding of HIV and CD4 cell dynamics using computational models undergirded by sound epidemiologic and mathematical principles has been achieved. The early stages of the applications of these models were based on relatively simple mathematical models that considered the body as a one-compartment system. In spite of these models attractiveness due to the experimental and/or mathematical standpoints, the underlying simplification neglected a lot of important factors affecting the population dynamics both on macro (human) and micro (cellular) population levels.

A comparative study of substance use before and after establishing HIV infection status among people living with HIV/AIDS.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if significant differences exist in substance use among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) before and after establishing their HIV infection status. METHOD: The study participants are HIV positive clients of a community based HIV/AIDS outreach facility located in Montgomery, Alabama. The questionnaire includes demographics, substance use and risky sexual behaviors pertaining to HIV transmission.

The association between religious affiliation and frequency of attendance at religious services on HIV risky behaviors among people living with HIV/AIDS.

The purpose of this study was to examine if religious affiliation and frequency of attendance at religious services were associated with HIV risky behaviors among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). The participants are HIV positive clients of a community based HIV/AIDS outreach facility (CBHAOF) located in Montgomery, Alabama, USA. The participants completed the questionnaire during their medical visits to the clinic at their own convenience and that of the facility's staff.

Novel genomic tools for specific and real-time detection of biothreat and frequently encountered foodborne pathogens.

The bacterial genera Escherichia, Salmonella, Shigella, Vibrio, Yersinia, and Francisella include important food safety and biothreat agents. By extensive mining of the whole genome and protein databases of diverse, closely and distantly related bacterial species and strains, we have identified novel genome regions, which we utilized to develop a rapid detection platform for these pathogens. The specific genomic targets we have identified to design the primers in Francisella tularensis subsp.

Psychosocial factors as predictors of HIV/AIDS risky behaviors among people living with HIV/AIDS.

Infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is still rising globally. In order to develop effective HIV/AIDS risky behavior reduction intervention strategies and to further decrease the spread of HIV/AIDS, it is important to assess the prevalence of psychosocial problems and HIV/AIDS risky behaviors in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). The objective of this study is to assess the relationship between psychosocial variables and HIV/AIDS risky behaviors among PLWHA.

Epidemiology of influenza A 2009 H1N1 virus pandemic in the U.S.

A novel influenza, Influenza A 2009 H1N1 virus outbreak, emerged in mid-April 2009, and by December 2009, spread across the world. This epidemiologic analysis uses the epidemiologic problem oriented approach to gather information for, and develop a quantitative risk assessment model that evaluates the likelihood of an influenza outbreak in the U.S.

Effects of orange juice pH on survival, urease activity and DNA profiles of Yersinia enterocolitica and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis stored at 4 degree C.

The objective of this study was to determine the survival, growth rate and possible cellular adaptation mechanisms of Y. pseudotuberculosis and Y. enterocolitica in orange juice under different pH conditions.

Psychosocial responses associated with perceived risk of cancer in an African-American community.

This epidemiologic health survey study examined the association between health risk perceptions and psychosocial factors in 145 African Americans in East Montgomery, Alabama. The survey gathered information on demographics, population dynamics, health risk perceptions, and coping behaviors. Psychosocial variables measured were worries, concern, stress, and trauma associated with perceived risk of cancer.

A quantitative risk assessment of multiple factors influencing HIV/AIDS transmission through unprotected sex among HIV-seropositive men.

The objective of this study is to conduct a quantitative risk assessment of multiple factors influencing HIV/AIDS transmission through unprotected sexual practices among HIV-seropositive men. A knowledgebase was developed by reviewing different published sources. The data were collected from different sources including Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, selected journals, and reports.

Combination of cysteine- and oligomerization domain-mediated protein immobilization on a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) gold chip surface.

Here we report an effective method for protein immobilization on a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) gold chip, describing the combination of cysteine- and oligomerization domain-mediated immobilization of enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) as a model protein for the purpose of orientation-controlled surface density packing. In order to facilitate the oligomerization of EGFP, the dimeric and trimeric constructs derived from GCN4- leucine zipper domain were chosen for multimeric EGFP assembly. For orientation-controlled immobilization of the protein, EGFP modified with cysteine residues showing excellent orientation on a gold chip was used as a starting protein, as previously reported in our earlier study (Anal.

Assessing HIV/AIDS intervention strategies using an integrative macro-micro level computational epidemiologic modeling approach.

Introduction: Epidemiologic research involves the study of a complex set of host, environmental and causative agent factors as they interact to impact health and diseases in any population. The most advanced of these efforts have focused on micro (cellular) or macro (human) population level studies but lacked the integrative framework as presented in this article. Modeling the cumulative impact of HIV/AIDS at the cellular, molecular, and individual behaviors at the population-level can be complex.

Applying the epidemiologic problem oriented approach (EPOA) methodology in developing a knowledge base for the modeling of HIV/AIDS.

Introduction: In the epidemiologic modeling of diseases, the epidemiologic problem oriented approach (EPOA) methodology facilitates the development of systematic and structured knowledge bases, which are crucial for development of models. A detailed understanding of the epidemiology of a given disease provides the essential framework for model development and enables the laying out of the comprehensive and fundamental structures for the models.

Objective: To develop such a knowledge base for developing HIV/AIDS models.

The correlation between alcohol consumption and risky sexual behaviors among people living with HIV/AIDS.

The objectives of this study were to determine if significant correlation exists between drinking any alcoholic beverage and risky sex among 326 AIDS patients. Participants completed anonymous surveys. The result of the regression and Pearson Correlation analyses revealed a significant positive correlation between drinking alcohol before sex and frequency of condom use (p < .

Conspiracy beliefs about HIV/AIDS among HIV-positive African-American patients in rural Alabama.

This is apparently the first survey examining endorsement of HIV/ AIDS conspiracy beliefs and their relations to educational attainment among 205 HIV-positive African-American patients receiving care at an AIDS Outreach Organization in Alabama. 31% somewhat or strongly believed that, "AIDS is a form o genocide against African Americans," 29% strongly agreed that "AIDS was created by the government to control the black population," 56.1% agreed that the government is withholding a cure for AIDS, and 69.

Computational Modelling of Intracellular Viral Kinetics and CD4+ Cellular Population Dynamics of HIV/AIDS.

Computational microepidemiologic modelling can facilitate the understanding of complex biomedical systems. It provides novel methods for quantitatively studying population health dynamics from the micro level of genomes and molecules to the higher macro levels such as HIV/AIDS in humans. Untangling the dynamics between the human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) and CD4(+) lymphocyte populations and intracellular molecular kinetics of interactions in an integrative systems dynamics approach can help to understand the effective points of interventions in the HIV life cycle.

PERCEPTIONS OF HIV AND PREVENTION EDUCATION AMONG INMATES OF ALABAMA PRISONS.

A 3-year interactive and passive training for HIV prevention education was conducted for 2,600 prisoners; 1,404 (54%) black, 1,092 (42%) white and 204 (4%) Hispanic. Less than 520 (20%) of inmates knew all the routes of HIV transmission. A post-presentation test showed that 96% became aware of HIV/AIDS transmission and can better protect themselves.

Real-time PCR assay for rapid detection and quantification of Campylobacter jejuni on chicken rinses from poultry processing plant.

Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) is the leading cause of food-borne gastroenteritis in the United States. Detection of Campylobacter in food samples by conventional culture is cumbersome; therefore, there is a need to develop rapid and cost-effective detection and quantification methods.