Tortious Toxics

In this Article we offer one small idea with potentially large implications. We propose the recognition arid development of a special tort for toxic exposures, where the exposures have not yet led to a physical illness such as cancer. We argue, in brief, that this new tort would, in one simple step, accomplish three things: it would address many of the problems with the courts\u27 current handling of toxic torts; it would consolidate the many overlapping causes of action now pressed in toxic tort cases into one single claim; and it would give expression to the real injury motivating these cases - a dignitary and autonomy-based harm, not a physical one

Service Usage as a Measure of Program Effectiveness: One Agency\u27s Experience

This is a program evaluation of a community support program for adults with a serious and persistent mental illness. Since the deinstitutionalization of persons with a serious and persistent mental illness, many programs have been developed with the aim of keeping this population as independent in their communities as possible. Existing research shows the effectiveness of community-based programs in reducing acute care hospitalizations for this population yet fails to determine which components of these programs are most necessary and for whom. A simple random sample of currently active files (N=38) was conducted, and data was collected on type and frequency of service usage and number of hospitalizations. Subjects were compared on characteristics such as gender, type of services used, and length of involvement in the program. The results indicate that clients who were involved in the program for greater lengths of time and who used more service hours per month had fewer hospitalizations than clients who had less involvement and of a shorter duration in the program

Alcohol mixed with energy drinks: Expectancies of use and alcohol-related negative consequences among a young adult sample

Objective: Energy drinks are a popular mixer with alcohol among college-aged young adults. Few studies to date have examined the relationships between expectancies of alcohol mixed with energy drink (AmED) use, AmED use and AmED-related negative consequences. Methods: Eighty college-aged young adults were surveyed regarding their alcohol and AmED use, related negative consequences and AmED expectancies. Associations were assessed using chi-square tests and Cramér\u27s V. A simple mediational model also was used to explore the potential relationships between AmED expectancies, AmED use and AmED-related negative consequences. Results: AmED use was associated with more types of related negative consequences than heavy alcohol use alone, and where AmED use and heavy alcohol use were mutually associated with a related negative consequence, the strength of association was stronger for AmED use. While several AmED-related negative consequences were associated with AmED expectancies, unwanted sexual contact and getting into a verbal argument were associated with the greatest number of expectancies. The mediational model identified a statistically significant indirect effect of AmED expectancies on AmED-related negative consequences mediated by AmED use. Conclusions: The study results contribute to the evidence that AmED use may confer additional risk for related negative consequences beyond heavy alcohol use and suggest that AmED expectancies may have a role in AmED use, which, in turn, is associated with AmED-related negative consequences. AmED expectancies may be targets for intervention to reduce AmED use considering the possible subsequent related negative consequences, especially those involving negative interpersonal experiences

Morphological and Molecular Characterization of \u3ci\u3eDiscocriconemella inarata\u3c/i\u3e, an Endemic Nematode from North American Native Tallgrass Prairies

Discocriconemella inarata, a plant parasitic nematode species originally discovered in a virgin tallgrass prairie in northwest Iowa, was re-examined by molecular and morphological analyses of topotype material. This species has never been recorded in cultivated fields and could potentially serve as an indicator for high quality prairie habitats. DNA sequence from a conserved 3’ portion of the 18S ribosomal gene exhibited an identical match between D. inarata topotype specimens and topotype specimens of Mesocriconema xenoplax from Fresno, California. Higher resolution sequence analyses using the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) and a portion of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome b (cytb) allowed discrimination of D. inarata apart from M. xenoplax. This pair of species formed a well-supported clade with other Mesocriconema species exclusive of tropical Discocriconemella species. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed the absence of submedian lobes on D. inarata, suggesting a secondary loss of this defining morphological characteristic for Mesocriconema. Observations and measurements of D. inarata juveniles were added for the first time. Surveys of other prairies within the Great Plains expanded the known distribution of this species

Assessing threats to North American bats: impacts of white-nose syndrome and climate on reproduction and survival

Many cave-hibernating North American bat species currently face the threat of extinction due to the newly emergent wildlife disease, white-nose syndrome (WNS). WNS is a fungal disease that has been causing catastrophic declines of bat populations in the eastern United States and Canada since it first emerged in 2006. The fungal pathogen, Pseudogymnoascus destructans, infects the wings, ears and nose of bats that hibernate in caves in winter while both cave temperatures and bats’ body temperatures are low. The hibernating bats' immune systems do not respond to the infection, leading to wing damage, emaciation, depletion of fat stores, and often death. Infected bats that survive winter mount a vigorous immune response upon exiting hibernation. These bats typically clear the infection, regenerate wing tissue and survive. WNS mortality varies greatly by species. Some species have suffered greater than 90% population declines, while other species appear to have not declined at all. Although researchers have made great strides in the last nine years in understanding WNS, there are still many unknowns. The vast majority of our knowledge of the effects of WNS comes from M. lucifugus because it is one of the most abundant North American species, and is also heavily affected by WNS (population declines > 90%). Aside from estimates of rates of population declines at hibernation sites, the effects of WNS on species other than M. lucifugus are not well resolved. In the next most abundant species, E. fuscus, estimates of population declines range from 0% to 40%. Wing damage had not been studied prior to WNS, making inferences about the relationship between wing damage and WNS difficult. The effects of WNS on reproduction are unknown. Population viability analyses of M. lucifugus determined that population growth is most influenced by survival of reproductive females, but the factors that affect reproductive female survival remain unknown. Currently, the primary WNS population model assumes no effect on reproductive function due to lack of data on the subject. If WNS reduces reproductive output, this model will need to be adjusted to accurately project bat population growth in the post-WNS era. Climate change is another factor that could affect the accuracy of models that project bats' likelihoods of persistence in the post-WNS era. There are few publications on the effects of a changing climate on North American cave-hibernating bats. Climate change has the potential to impact the persistence of cave-hibernating bat species, which have annual cycles of activity and hibernation that are precisely timed to coincide with the availability of their insect prey and temperatures that are conducive to reproduction. Published data on the effects of climate on bat survival are limited to a study of the little brown myotis (Myotis lucifugus) in New Hampshire and the big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) in Colorado. These studies indicate that M. lucifugus survival increases with high precipitation in the Northeastern United States, and E. fuscus survival decreases during drought periods in the Rocky Mountain region. This suggests an overall positive relationship between bat survival and precipitation, but the universality of this relationship is unclear without comparable data on multiple species from multiple regions. To my knowledge, Rick Adams’s six-species Colorado study is the only published data of the effects of climate on reproduction in temperate-zone North American bats. He found that four of the six species had significantly lower proportions of reproductive females in drought years. Again, it is unclear how universally this applies to the other 42 bat species of the United States, and the extent to which it affects populations outside of the severely water-limited Rocky Mountain region. My dissertation addresses aspects of the knowledge gaps described above. I conducted a survey of wing damage on bats that had been captured in Illinois prior to the arrival of WNS. I found that wing discoloration in particular is common among multiple species of bats. Additionally, I found that in E. fuscus wing discoloration increases in severity in early summer then decreases in severity in late summer, and also varies by year (possibly decreasing in drought years). I conducted a mark-recapture study of M. lucifugus and E. fuscus at a site in western Illinois to test predictions of trends in survival and reproduction in years that varied in temperature and precipitation. This study also modeled population-level effects on the two species as WNS entered the region. I found that reproduction decreased significantly in the drought year for both species, but did not find an effect of temperature or precipitation on survival rates. Survival rates for M. lucifugus dropped drastically in the presumed post-WNS year. There was no change in survival for E. fuscus, nor was there any significant difference in reproduction for either species in the presumed post-WNS year. I conducted an additional study of M. lucifugus at this site on the effects of annual spring temperature on parturition dates, and the effects of parturition date on maternal survival. I found that parturition dates occurred significantly earlier in the hottest year, but did not find an effect of parturition date on maternal survival. Finally, I conducted a study of the effects of WNS on M. lucifugus female fertility during hibernation, and estimated the impact of those effects on population growth rates. I found no effect of WNS on female fertility. My models demonstrated that even if fertility were reduced by 17% (the maximum included in the 95% confidence intervals of my results), post-WNS populations would not become extinct any sooner than they would if there were no effect of WNS on fertility. Unexpectedly, I observed that both infected and uninfected females had neutrophils (a white blood cell that responds to infection) present in their reproductive tracts where sperm were present. This was surprising given that all published studies of the P. destructans-infected wing tissue in hibernating bats report an absence of neutrophils and other white blood cells. The studies that I present in this dissertation contribute to our knowledge of WNS and bat conservation in several ways. I found that wing discoloration should not be interpreted as an indicator of WNS, and that researchers should anticipate changes in the severity of this type of damage from season-to-season and year-to-year. In a rare bit of good news from WNS studies, I found that the current WNS population model is accurate in terms of reproductive output: there is no effect of WNS on reproduction in hibernation, and no effect during the summer maternity season. However, I did find that reproduction drops in drought years for both species studied. This is similar to results from a previously published study in Colorado, and indicates that bat populations in both the Midwest and Rocky Mountain regions may face declines if the climate becomes hotter and drier in coming years. My results do not show evidence of reduced survival in drought years. This also comes as good news, because bat population growth is influenced more by survival than by reproduction. Additionally, I found a clue that may improve our understanding of bats’ immune function during hibernation: Although hibernating bats do not mount an immune response to P. destructans infection, they are capable of immune cell recruitment. I look forward to investigating this apparent paradox in future studies

Better Engaging Social Science Graduate Students in Introductory Research Methods Courses: A Class Activity

This paper outlines a classroom activity to help students engage in research methods and lessen anxiety and apprehension commonly associated with research methods courses. The described class activity offers students a shared research experience to promote the skills necessary to understand, conduct and translate research into ethical social science practice. The activity was conducted in a graduate social work programme but is applicable across the social sciences. Content covered includes sampling, research design, ethical considerations, brief evaluation and helping students think critically about ways to improve research methods in order to facilitate competencies necessary for evidence-based practice (EBP). An introduction to the activity, class discussion points including integration throughout the course, and implications for curricula and practice are discussed

A Land Use Plan for Brightmoor

http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/110972/1/landuseBrightmooropt2008.pd

Investigating the Lytic Staphylococcus aureus Bacteriophage Reservoir Amongst a South Carolina University Population: Discovery, Characterization, and Identification of a Potential Bacteriophage Treatment for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Bacteriophages are viruses that only infect bacterial cells and can be used to treat antibiotic resistant bacterial infections. This study focused on the isolation and characterization of bacteriophages lytic to Staphylococcus aureus at Coastal Carolina University (CCU) in Conway, South Carolina, as a means to isolate bacteriophages that can potentially be used to treat methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), an antibiotic-resistant S. aureus variant. From 2014 to 2018, collection of ear and nose samples from 225 randomly selected CCU volunteers was conducted. Filter sterilization, amplification, microbial tests, and PCR analyses were performed in order to identify and characterize bacteriophages. Coliphage populations were also monitored as an indicator of temporal competition and fecal contamination. A pilot study was initiated in 2017 in which 15 CCU volunteers were sampled once a month from October 2017 through March 2018 in order to investigate coliphage and S. aureus phage population dynamics. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the lytic Staphylococcus aureus phage repository found in the CCU community, and to explore S. aureus phage dynamics amongst the CCU populace. Results indicated that a considerable S. aureus and E. coli phage reservoir exists amongst the CCU population. Most phages could not be characterized via PCR analysis, suggesting high diversity. The preliminary study indicated that S. aureus and E. coli hosts potentially exhibit temporal competition, of which might be explanatory of phage population fluctuations

Cancer Survivorship Care: An Emphasis On Rehabilitation Needs In Maine

The first section of this report addresses the evidence of causation concerning impairments developed as a result of a cancer diagnosis and cancer treatment. The second section investigates the evidence regarding rehabilitation and physical activity as an effective intervention in the prevention and treatment of impairments from cancer diagnosis and cancer treatment. The third section discusses the underlying behavioral change theory for incorporation of our Cancer Survivorship Rehabilitation Algorithm (Appendix 1), which details our proposed use of rehabilitation and wellness services in the continuum of cancer care and includes an outline for a survivorship care plan. This section also discusses the efficacy of delivery of our product to healthcare professionals. The fourth section outlines our proposed methods of evaluation for the utilization of our algorithm