Rapidly measured indicators of recreational water quality and swimming-associated illness at marine beaches: a prospective cohort study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>In the United States and elsewhere, recreational water quality is monitored for fecal indicator bacteria to help prevent swimming-associated illnesses. Standard methods to measure these bacteria take at least 24 hours to obtain results. Molecular approaches such as quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) can estimate these bacteria faster, in under 3 hours. Previously, we demonstrated that measurements of the fecal indicator bacteria <it>Enterococcus </it>using qPCR were associated with gastrointestinal (GI) illness among swimmers at freshwater beaches. In this paper, we report on results from three marine beach sites.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We interviewed beach-goers and collected water samples at marine beaches affected by treated sewage discharges in Mississippi in 2005, and Rhode Island and Alabama in 2007. Ten to twelve days later, we obtained information about gastrointestinal, respiratory, eye, ear and skin symptoms by telephone. We tested water samples for fecal indicator organisms using qPCR and other methods.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We enrolled 6,350 beach-goers. The occurrence of GI illness among swimmers was associated with a log₁₀-increase in exposure to qPCR-determined estimates of fecal indicator organisms in the genus <it>Enterococcus </it>(AOR = 2.6, 95% CI 1.3-5.1) and order <it>Bacteroidales </it>(AOR = 1.9, 95% CI 1.3-2.9). Estimates of organisms related to <it>Clostridium perfringens </it>and a subgroup of organisms in the genus <it>Bacteroides </it>were also determined by qPCR in 2007, as was F+ coliphage, but relationships between these indicators and illness were not statistically significant.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study provides the first evidence of a relationship between gastrointestinal illness and estimates of fecal indicator organisms determined by qPCR at marine beaches.</p

Mediators of Attachment Style, Social Support, and Sense of Belonging in Predicting Woman Abuse by African American Men

Recent studies have focused on attachment and related variables to explain partner abuse. These studies have not included significant numbers of African American men. Path analysis was used to examine the relationship between interpersonal relatedness (i.e., attachment, social support, and sense of belonging) as mediated by affect (hopelessness and depression) to explain abusive behaviors in African American men arrested for partner abuse. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires from a convenience sample of 69 African American men 18 to 69 years of age. The strongest effect was from sense of belonging in predicting severity-weighted frequency of physical, psychological, and sexual abuse. Preoccupation with closeness had a negative direct effect on severity-weighted frequency of sexual abuse. Hopelessness and depression did not act as mediators. Implications for further research are discussed.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/96494/2/Rankin-Saunders-Williams 2000-Mediators of Attachment Style Pred Woman Abuse in Afr Amer Men - J Interpers Viol.pdfDescription of Rankin-Saunders-Williams 2000-Mediators of Attachment Style Pred Woman Abuse in Afr Amer Men - J Interpers Viol.pdf : Articl

Measurement of D-s(+) and D-s(*+) production in B meson decays and from continuum e(+)e(-) annihilation at root s=10.6 GeV

New measurements of D-s(+) and D-s(*+) meson production rates from B decays and from q(q) over bar continuum events near the Y(4S) resonance are presented. Using 20.8 fb(-1) of data on the Y(4S) resonance and 2.6 fb(-1) off-resonance, we find the inclusive branching fractions B(B-->Ds+X) = (10.93+/-0.19+/-0.58+/-2.73)% and B(B-->Ds*+X) = (7.9+/-0.8+/-0.7+/-2.0)%, where the first error is statistical, the second is systematic, and the third is due to the D-s(+)-->phipi(+) branching fraction uncertainty. The production cross sections sigma(e(+)e(-)-->Ds+X)xB(D-s(+)-->phipi(+)) = 7.55+/-0.20+/-0.34 pb and sigma(e(+)e(-)-->Ds*+/-X)xB(D-s(+)-->phipi(+)) = 5.8+/-0.7+/-0.5 pb are measured at center-of-mass energies about 40 MeV below the Y(4S) mass. The branching fractions SigmaB(B-->D-s((*)+)(D) over bar ((*))) = (5.07+/-0.14+/-0.30+/-1.27)% and SigmaB(B-->D-s(*+)(D) over bar ((*))) = (4.1+/-0.2+/-0.4+/-1.0)% are determined from the D-s((*)+) momentum spectra. The mass difference m(D-s(+)) -m(D+) = 98.4+/-0.1+/-0.3 MeV/c(2) is also measured