Investigating the Relationship Between Food Contamination and Enteric Pathogen Infections in Infants Living in Low-to-middle-income Countries Dozens of viral, bacterial, and protozoan enteric pathogens are transmitted by fecal contamination of the environment in low to middle-income countries (LMICs), collectively causing 2.5 billion episodes of diarrhea and 580,000 deaths in children under five years of age each year. Infection, whether diarrheal or asymptomatic, elevates a child’s susceptibility to co-infection, enteric dysfunction, and long-term cognitive and developmental stunting. Illness and death among children under 5 years of age accounts for 40 percent of the total global health impact of foodborne illness, and studies universally find higher concentrations of bacterial contamination in weaning foods than drinking water, and there is evidence that weaning foods are more contaminated than foods consumed by adults. Our prior research has shown that in low-income neighborhoods of Kenya, the enteric pathome children ingest is taxonomically complex, and co-ingestion of multiple pathogens is common. This project’s focus is to build off of two recent studies conducted in Kenya on infant food and infections. We will study relationships between food and infections using data obtained from polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses, structured observations, and self-reported 7 day diarrhea. PCR allows us to detect the concentration of a wide array of pathogens in both food and in infants, and with these data we will apply exploratory data analyses and formal inferential approaches to learn how and to what extent safe food practices may decrease enteric pathogenic infections in infants.
The Association of REM Sleep Behavior Disorder with Impulsive-compulsive Behaviors in Early Parkinson’s Disease REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is characterized by elaborate and violent motor behaviors during sleep. Parkinson’s disease (PD) comorbid with RBD predicts a more severe course of the disease and has a prevalence estimated up to 25 percent in early PD patients. Impulsive-compulsive behaviors (ICBs) develop in up to 60 percent of PD patients. Cross-sectional studies examining the association of RBD with ICBs development have shown mixed results. To date, no longitudinal study has assessed whether RBD is a possible risk factor for the development of ICBs. Using longitudinally collected data from Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI), an ongoing observational, international, multicenter study aimed at identifying biomarkers of PD progression, we aim to assess the association of RBD with the development of ICBs symptoms in patients with early PD using a joint model of time-dependent RBD and ICB symptom development.
Large Vessel Occlusion in Acute Stroke Large vessel occulusion in acute stroke is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Particularly in communities located far from large medical centers, difficult transport and treatment decisions must be made. In this project, we’ll examine optimal decisions as applied to the state of Iowa, performing Bayesian spatial analyses to determine, based on patient characteristics, when it would be better to transport patients directly to a major hospital, and when it would be better to rush to the nearest hospital for triage and transfer.