Smart Homes for Smart Health: Developing an Interactive System to Reduce In-Home Secondhand Smoke

Smoke from any source is potentially harmful because it contains fine particulate matter that is associated with acute and chronic conditions. Second-hand smoke (SHS) is particularly unsafe for children due to biological characteristics (higher breathing rates, immature lungs and underdeveloped immune systems) that make it difficult to filter toxins.To address this concern, we recently completed Project Fresh Air (PFA), an NIH-funded R01 intervention that installed air particle sensors in the households of tobacco smokers who lived with children. The purpose of our research is to investigate and develop efficient smart home devices that monitor SHS in various living spaces to specifically protect the children residents, specifically Amazon Alexa and Awair Air Quality devices. The development of these efficient smart home devices will be used in a study to decrease second-hand smoke exposure to children living in homes with smoking guardians. We developed the infrastructure of the components that was coded into the Alexa skill program. As well as investigated the capabilities of the air particle detection system (Awair device) to best integrate it into the Alexa program. Furthermore, a skill map was designed to outline the progress of our development which also allowed the development of the Alexa skill to be understood by a wider audience. After the design and development of the Amazon Alexa and Awair Air Quality devices, a participant survey was created to assess participant feasibility. We expect the participants to be able to easily engage with the devices and successfully be aware of their smoking behavior. Overall, the success of our devices will allow participants to create a cleaner environment for both their own health and the health of their children

Reaction to the Arthurs Report

It is now more than two years since the publication of Law and Learning: The Report of The Consultative Group on Research and Education in Law to the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, known to all legal academics as the Arthurs Report . In that time the Canadian Bar Review has published one commentary on the Report and there have been a few comments in academic law journals, but the reaction in print is not commensurate with the importance of the Report or the interest in it among teachers and scholars of law in Canada generally and at the Dalhousie Law School in particular. Moreover, it is important not only to Canada\u27s law faculties and the practicing legal profession but also to scholars in related disciplines, to the teachers and advisors of future law students and to those future law students themselves. All will do well to understand the implications of the Report, and their contributions would enrich any debate about its findings and recommendations

Repurposing of Meropenem and Nadifloxacin for Treatment of Burn Patients?

The escalating number of multidrug resistant pathogens has demanded the swift development of new and potent antibiotics (ref. 2). Metallo-[beta]-lactamases (MBLs) continue to evolve, rendering the latest generation of carbapenem antibiotics useless (ref. 8). SPM-1, a recently discovered MBL, was isolated from a juvenile leukemia patient residing in a hospital in San Palo, Brazil just prior to the patient succumbing to septicemia brought on by Pseudomonas aeruginosa expressing SPM-1 (ref. 8). Screening of the Johns Hopkins Compound library of 1,514 FDA or FAD approved drugs (ref. 1) identified a novel SPM-1 inhibitor that is synergistically compatible with meropenem. Using clinically achievable concentrations, meropenem coupled with nadifloxacin inhibits Pseudomonas aeruginosa expressing SPM-1. This shotgun approach to new drug discovery provided a prompt solution to the grave problem of antibiotic resistant pathogens that are thriving in hospitals today

Duval County 2009, 2011, and 2013 Fruit and Vegetable Intake by Health Zone: Data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey

The purpose of this study was to compare the results of fruit and vegetable intake data from the 2009, 2011, 2013 Duval County Youth Risk Surveys (YRBS) by health zone. The survey instrument (questionnaire) is administered using a cluster sample design in all ninth grade classes in public schools (except charter schools) every two (odd) years. The surveys are anonymous and there is parental notification. Oversampling is done to allow for sub-county analysis. There were no statistically significant differences across health zones for any of the fruit and vegetable consumption questions for year 2009 however all health zones were below the recommended level of fruit and vegetable intake. For years 2011 and 2013 despite significant statistical differences by health zone in the frequency of consumption for fruits and vegetables, all health zones had a low mean intake of fruits and vegetables for years 2009, 2011 and 2013. Most respondents indicated consuming fruits, green salad, potatoes (not fried), carrots and vegetables “1 to 3 times during the past 7 days.” Overall intake of fruits and vegetables, however, was low for all health zones

Fruit, Vegetable and Beverage Consumption in Duval County Middle School Students: Youth Risk Behavior Survey 2009-2013

Public health professionals have the opportunity to impact middle school students’ dietary behaviors to combat childhood obesity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the dietary behavior results from the YRBS taken by middle school students in Duval County in 2009, 2011 and 2013. A two-stage cluster design was used and the survey was completed by 6th through 8th grade students following parent notification. Compared to other health zones, Health Zone 1 had the lowest intake of fruits and vegetables in 2009 (2.66 ±1.65) and 2011 (2.77 ± 1.60) and the second lowest intake in 2013 (2.92 ± 1.70). In 2009, 2011 and 2013, Health Zone 1 students’ response for soda intake was consistently higher compared to other health zones (2.39 ±1.54; 2.40 ±1.47; 2.29 ± 1.54 respectively). Health Zone 1, the urban core of Jacksonville, consistently had the lowest intake of fruits and vegetables and the highest intake of soda. Public health strategies should focus on improving fruit and vegetable intake and reducing soda intake within the school environment particularly focusing on Health Zone 1

Treatment with ETC-1002 alone and in combination with ezetimibe lowers LDL cholesterol in hypercholesterolemic patients with or without statin intolerance

BackgroundETC-1002 is an oral, once-daily, first-in-class medication being developed to treat hypercholesterolemia.ObjectivesTo compare 2 doses of ETC-1002, alone or combined with ezetimibe 10 mg (EZE), vs EZE monotherapy for lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C).MethodsThis phase 2b, multicenter, double-blind trial-evaluated hypercholesterolemic patients (LDL-C, 130 to 220 mg/dL) with (n = 177) or without (n = 171) muscle-related intolerance to ≥2 statins; 1 at lowest approved dose. Subjects were randomized to 12-week treatment with ETC-1002 120 mg or ETC-1002 180 mg alone, EZE alone, ETC-1002 120 mg plus EZE, or ETC-1002 180 mg plus EZE.ResultsEZE alone lowered LDL-C by 21%, whereas ETC-1002 monotherapy with 120 mg or 180 mg reduced LDL-C by 27% (P = .0008 vs EZE) and 30% (P < .0001 vs EZE), respectively. The combination of ETC-1002, 120 mg or 180 mg plus EZE reduced LDL-C by 43% and 48%, respectively (both P < .0001 vs EZE). ETC-1002 alone or combined with EZE also reduced non–high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, LDL particle number, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein compared with EZE alone. Across all treatment groups, statin-intolerant patients reported more muscle-related adverse events than did statin-tolerant patients. ETC-1002 was safe and well tolerated, and rates of muscle-related adverse events were similar in all treatment groups.ConclusionsIn patients with and without statin intolerance, daily treatment with ETC-1002 120 mg and 180 mg alone or with EZE reduced LDL-C more than EZE alone and had a similar tolerability profile (NCT01941836)