To date very few promising leads from natural products (NP) secondary metabolites with antiviral and immunomodulatory properties have been identified for promising/potential intervention for COVID-19. Using in-silico docking studies and... more
To date very few promising leads from natural products (NP) secondary metabolites with antiviral and immunomodulatory properties have been identified for promising/potential intervention for COVID-19. Using in-silico docking studies and genome based various molecular targets, and their in vitro anti-SARS CoV-2 activities against whole cell and/or selected protein targets, we select a few compounds of interest, which can be used as potential leads to counteract effects of uncontrolled innate immune responses, in particular those related to the cytokine storm. A critical factor for prevention and treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection relates to factors independent of viral infection or host response. They include population-related variables such as concurrent comorbidities and genetic factors critically relevant to COVID-19 health disparities. We discuss population risk factors related to SARS-CoV-2. In addition, we focus on virulence related to glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficien...
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Research Interests: Medicine and Mammography
Type-2 diabetes is a growing lifestyle disease mainly due to increasing physical inactivity but also associated with various other variables. In Saudi Arabia, around 58.5% of the population is deemed to be physically inactive. Against... more
Type-2 diabetes is a growing lifestyle disease mainly due to increasing physical inactivity but also associated with various other variables. In Saudi Arabia, around 58.5% of the population is deemed to be physically inactive. Against this background, this study attempts explore the spatial heterogeneity of Type-2 diabetes prevalence in Jeddah and to estimate various socio-economic and built environment variables contributing to the prevalence of this disease based on modelling by ordinary least squares (OLS), weighted regression (GWR) and multi-scale geographically weighted (MGWR). Our OLS results suggest that income, population density, commercial land use and Saudi population characteristics are statistically significant for Type-2 diabetes prevalence. However, by the GWR model, income, commercial land use and Saudi population characteristics were significantly positive while population density was significantly negative in this model for 70.6%, 9.1%, 26.6% and 58.7%, respectivel...
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Genes, behaviour, and the environment are known to be the major risk factors for common diseases. When the patient visits a physician, typical questions include family history (genes) and lifestyle of the patient (behaviour), but... more
Genes, behaviour, and the environment are known to be the major risk factors for common diseases. When the patient visits a physician, typical questions include family history (genes) and lifestyle of the patient (behaviour), but questions concerning environmental risk factors often remain unasked. It is ironic that 25 centuries ago Hippocrates, known as the father of medicine, noted the importance of environmental exposure in medical investigation as documented in his classic work, “Airs, Waters, Places”, yet the practice of routinely incorporating environmental risk factors is still not in place. Modern epigenetic studies have found that unhealthy lifestyle and environmental factors can cause changes to our genes that can increase disease risk factors. Therefore, attempting to solve the puzzle of diseases using heredity and lifestyle alone will be incomplete without accounting for the environmental exposures. The primary reason why environmental exposure has not yet been a routine...
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The state of Mississippi has the highest colorectal cancer (CRC) mortality rate in the USA. The geographic distribution of CRC screening resources and geographic- and population-based CRC characteristics in Mississippi are investigated to... more
The state of Mississippi has the highest colorectal cancer (CRC) mortality rate in the USA. The geographic distribution of CRC screening resources and geographic- and population-based CRC characteristics in Mississippi are investigated to reveal the geographic disparity in CRC screening. The primary practice sites of licensed gastroenterologists and the addresses of licensed medical facilities offering on-site colonoscopies were verified via telephone surveys, then these CRC screening resource data were geocoded and analyzed using Geographic Information Systems. Correlation analyses were performed to detect the strength of associations between CRC screening resources, CRC screening behavior and CRC outcome data. Age-adjusted colorectal cancer incidence rates, mortality rates, mortality-to-incidence ratios, and self-reported endoscopic screening rates from the years 2006 through 2010 were significantly different for Black and White Mississippians; Blacks fared worse than Whites in al...
Research Interests: Geography, Environmental Health, Medical geology, Medicine, Colorectal cancer, and 15 morePopulation, Humans, Mississippi, Incidence, Registries, Colonoscopy, African Americans, Aged, Middle Aged, European Continental Ancestry Group, Geospatial Analysis of Population and Health, Geographic Health Disparities, Colorectal Neoplasms, Early detection of cancer, and healthcare disparities
ABSTRACT With the increasing awareness of the health impacts of particulate matter there is a growing need to comprehend the spatial and temporal variations of the global abundance of ground level airborne particulate matter (PM2.5). Here... more
ABSTRACT With the increasing awareness of the health impacts of particulate matter there is a growing need to comprehend the spatial and temporal variations of the global abundance of ground level airborne particulate matter (PM2.5). Here we use a suite of remote sensing and meteorologi-cal data products together with ground based observations of PM2.5 from 8,329 measurement sites in 55 countries taken between 1997-2014 to train a machine learning algorithm to estimate the daily distributions of PM2.5 from 1997-present. In this first paper of a series we present the method-ology and global average results from 1997-2014 and demonstrate that the new PM2.5 data product can reliably represent global observations of PM2.5 for epidemiological studies.
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Research Interests: Earth Sciences, Environmental Science, Algorithms, Remote Sensing, Machine Learning, and 13 moreGlobal Health, Population Health, Environmental Monitoring, Population ecology, Air pollution, Air Pollution and Health Effects, Medical geology, Humans, PM, Weather, Airborne Particulates, Particulate Matter, and Geospatial Health
Editor's note: The authors, staff members at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC), have developed a syndromic surveillance system with GIS disease mapping capabilities. The GeoMedStat system incorporates real-time... more
Editor's note: The authors, staff members at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC), have developed a syndromic surveillance system with GIS disease mapping capabilities. The GeoMedStat system incorporates real-time discharge data from an urban ...
Application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in health sciences is relatively new, but it appears to be expanding faster than any other areas of GIS application. Although health scientists have long been using geographic... more
Application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in health sciences is relatively new, but it appears to be expanding faster than any other areas of GIS application. Although health scientists have long been using geographic information conceptually, the current availability of user-friendly GIS tools has caused a rapid endorsement of GIS in community health research. Locations of disease incidence, surrounding environments, health care facilities, geographic boundaries of the communities, and other essential community infrastructures have always been essential components of epidemiological and health care studies. This article provides an example of the effective use of GIS in a community assessment project. The purpose of this project was to survey the households in Hinds County, Mississippi, to assess community health status and the under-utilization of health care services. Ultimately, the assessment will be used to positively influence health outcomes within defined geographic communities. Community assessment was accomplished using extensive face-to-face surveys coupled with GIS technology to optimize the process and to evaluate the results.
Research Interests: Nursing, Community, Geo-spatial analysis with GIS and GPS, Nursing Research, Humans, and 11 moreNeeds Assessment, Health Services, Community health nursing, Mississippi, Health Status, Health surveys, Nursing Assessment, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Geographic Information System, Geographic Information Systems, and Health Care Surveys
... Md. Khalequzzaman Lock Haven University, Lock Haven, PA 17745, USA Puneet Srivastava Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849-5417 ... The major rivers in the Indian subcontinent include the Ganges, Subarnarekha, Brahmaputra, Meghna,... more
... Md. Khalequzzaman Lock Haven University, Lock Haven, PA 17745, USA Puneet Srivastava Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849-5417 ... The major rivers in the Indian subcontinent include the Ganges, Subarnarekha, Brahmaputra, Meghna, Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri ...
More than ever, we have increasingly large amounts of data on the body, both spatial and non-spatial, its systems, disease and our social and physical environment. These data have a geospatial component. An exciting new era is dawning... more
More than ever, we have increasingly large amounts of data on the body, both spatial and non-spatial, its systems, disease and our social and physical environment. These data have a geospatial component. An exciting new era is dawning where we are simultaneously collecting multiple datasets to describe many aspects of health, wellness, human activity, environment and disease. Valuable insights from these datasets can be extracted using massively multivariate computational techniques, such as machine learning, coupled with geospatial techniques. These computational tools help us to understand the topology of the data and provide insights for scientific discovery, decision support and policy formulation. This paper outlines a holistic paradigm called Holistics 3.0 for analyzing health data with a set of examples. Holistics 3.0 combines multiple big datasets anchored in their geospatial context describing as many areas of a problem as possible with machine learning and causality, to bo...
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IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated health inequalities across the globe, disproportionately affecting those with poor social determinants of health (SDOHs). It is imperative to understand how SDOH influences the... more
IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated health inequalities across the globe, disproportionately affecting those with poor social determinants of health (SDOHs). It is imperative to understand how SDOH influences the transmission and outcomes (positive case, hospitalisation and mortality) of COVID-19. This systematic review will investigate the impact of a wide range of SDOHs across the globe on the transmission and outcomes of COVID-19.Methods and analysisThis review will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocol guidelines. We will search three electronic bibliographical databases (MEDLINE via PubMed, Embase and Scopus), as well as the WHO COVID-19 Global Research on Coronavirus Disease database. We will consider observational studies that report statistical relationships between the SDOHs (as listed in PROGRESS-Plus and Healthy People 2020) and COVID-19 transmission and outcomes. There will be no limitation on the geographica...
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The completion of a carefully planned and time consuming research project is a milestone for many researchers; however, the journey does not end there. The next phase involves sharing that knowledge with the scientific community at large.... more
The completion of a carefully planned and time consuming research project is a milestone for many researchers; however, the journey does not end there. The next phase involves sharing that knowledge with the scientific community at large. A published manuscript describing the research findings allows others to learn from and expound on that information so that society ultimately benefits. The preparation of a manuscript requires much time and careful consideration. There are many principles to apply in order to make sure that a manuscript is accepted for publication. Authors must maintain their sense of purpose throughout the publication process in order to fulfill their mission to add value and knowledge to the scientific community. This article aims to provide potential authors with ten important points to remember when writing and submitting manuscripts. Common mistakes made, recommended guidelines, and related research to each topic will be discussed in the hope that this articl...
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Considering spatial accessibility of health services is a critical part in the planning and management of health services. There is evidence that poor geographical locations can obstruct prompt basic health care services to some... more
Considering spatial accessibility of health services is a critical part in the planning and management of health services. There is evidence that poor geographical locations can obstruct prompt basic health care services to some population sections. We developed a location-allocation P-median model for health centres after analysing their sites, demand location of health services and the road network in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This model attempts to optimize health care services network and to put forward location recommendations to maximise service coverage. Our model is shown to be useful as it provides a robust evidence base to urban planners and policymakers responsible for making spatial decisions for the development of the health sector. Besides, it follows the paradigm of new urbanism that encourages decentralisation of essential facilities including basic healthcare in cities, where emphasis is on offering all basic services within walkable distances of 15 min. or less.
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Research Interests: Remote Sensing, Environmental Health, Air pollution, Environmental Remote Sensing, Public Health, and 12 moreSpatial epidemiology, Multidisciplinary, GE, Earth Observation, Health Gis, Influenza, Geospatial Analysis, Vector borne diseases, Geospatial Technology, Geographic Scales, Landscape Epidemiology, and Geospatial Health
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This exemplar highlights how geospatial information technology was effective in supporting academic practice, faculty outreach, and education initiatives at the University of Mississippi School of Nursing. Using this cutting-edge... more
This exemplar highlights how geospatial information technology was effective in supporting academic practice, faculty outreach, and education initiatives at the University of Mississippi School of Nursing. Using this cutting-edge technology created a community-based prototype for fully integrating point-of-service research, practice, and academics into a cohesive strategy to influence change within the health care delivery system. This exemplar discusses ways this knowledge benefits practice and curriculum development; informs critical decision making affecting the people we serve; underscores the vital role nurses play in linking this technology to practice; and develops community residents as partners in their own health and that of the community.
Research Interests: Sociology, Nursing, Primary Health Care, Medical Education, Medicine, and 13 moreCurriculum, Nursing Research, Humans, Needs Assessment, Nursing Education, Community health nursing, Mississippi, The, Outreach, Curriculum and Pedagogy, Rural Health Services, Geographic Information Systems, and nursing faculty practice
Exposure to aeroallergens, including many species of mold spores, can trigger allergic reactions, including hypersensitivity pneumonitis, allergic rhinitis, cardiovascular and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, and asthma. People... more
Exposure to aeroallergens, including many species of mold spores, can trigger allergic reactions, including hypersensitivity pneumonitis, allergic rhinitis, cardiovascular and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, and asthma. People vulnerable to mold spore exposure can benefit from information on increased spore level and healthcare professionals can use this information to develop strategies in preventing some adverse outcomes if the information is available at local scale. The purpose of this project is to estimate spatiotemporal distribution of mold spores associated with health effects. As collection and quantitation of airborne spores are expensive, actual spore data for many parts of the country, including Mississippi, are non-existent. Our work focuses on developing spore estimates utilizing ground monitored meteorological data, NOAA/ NASA meteorological and ground condition data, dispersion model, and actual mold spore counts for validation purpose. For this study, the ou...
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This research evaluated the validity of an economic-based measure of agricultural chemical use on specific crop types. Estimated chemical use measures, reported in a budget planning document prepared collaboratively with input from... more
This research evaluated the validity of an economic-based measure of agricultural chemical use on specific crop types. Estimated chemical use measures, reported in a budget planning document prepared collaboratively with input from farmers, vendors, researchers, and representatives from numerous agricultural agencies, were compared to chemical use measures collected through face-to-face interviews with local farmers regarding their actual chemical application practices over the past growing season. A rural agricultural-based county in Mississippi, USA, was the study area for this project. The measures of comparison were the estimated and actual ounces of individual fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides used per acre on corn, rice, soybean, wheat, and cotton fields, and the estimated and actual total chemical load, which is the sum of all fungicides, herbicides and insecticides used on the various crops. To obtain information regarding crop type and area of cultivated land, contem...
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The literature pertaining to the scientific peer-review process, which explains the history as well as the controversial debate over whether peer review truly enhances the quality of published studies, was reviewed. The strengths and... more
The literature pertaining to the scientific peer-review process, which explains the history as well as the controversial debate over whether peer review truly enhances the quality of published studies, was reviewed. The strengths and weaknesses of peer review are summarized, and an overview of the possible future evolution of the practice is given. The studies that are included reflect a wide array of findings which both support and negate the practice. The implications are crucial for both authors and reviewers in the allied health sciences.
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Environmental factors may play an important role in the etiology of female breast cancer. This paper reviews existing evidence to compare and analyze environmental agents in relation to breast cancer. The authors have reviewed multiple... more
Environmental factors may play an important role in the etiology of female breast cancer. This paper reviews existing evidence to compare and analyze environmental agents in relation to breast cancer. The authors have reviewed multiple studies focusing on xenoestrogens, organochlorines, polychlorinated biphenyls, and other environmental agents, and the results are cited. Current use of oral contraceptives and prolonged use of hormone replacement therapy moderately increase risk. Evidence regarding organochlorine exposure and breast cancer risk is mixed. Atrazine is not associated with breast cancer risk, but dieldrin and lindane are. The effects of polychlorinated biphenyls vary according to specific congeners. An observational study has linked benzene to breast cancer, but another case control study has refuted the association. Risk of breast cancer with smoking is strong in families with a history of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, or both. Studies have shown a positive association...
Research Interests: Breast Cancer, Environmental Health, Public Health, Risk assessment, Medicine, and 15 moreInsecticides, Humans, United States, Female, Polychlorinated Biphenyls, Estrogens, Public Administration and Policy, Public health systems and services research, Risk Assessment, Medicine and Health Sciences, Education Continuing, Environmental Exposure, Hormone Replacement Therapy, ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT, and Breast Neoplasms
Breast cancer is a major public health problem in the United States and in most industrialized countries. Environmental exposure to several chemicals has been implicated in the cause of breast cancer. However, data are not consistent... more
Breast cancer is a major public health problem in the United States and in most industrialized countries. Environmental exposure to several chemicals has been implicated in the cause of breast cancer. However, data are not consistent about the role of the environment in breast cancer incidence. To assess environmental risks for breast cancer, patterns of breast cancer incidence in relation to environmental chemicals in Mississippi counties were mapped. This article presents an analysis of age-adjusted incidence rates of female breast cancer and environmental chemical emissions by county in the state of Mississippi. The incidence data were obtained from the State Department of Health, and emissions data sources included the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Air-Data and Toxics Release Inventory Program. Counties having a significantly higher incidence of breast cancer compared with the state's rate were identified. Also identified were counties with higher levels of chemical emissions. The incidence of breast cancer in 1998 was significantly associated with the amount of ammonia (r = 0.268, P = 0.015), minimum emissions (r = 0.233, P = 0.035), and maximum emissions (r = 0.237, P = 0.032) of the facilities in the county. A linear dose-response relationship was observed between increased amounts of chemical emissions and breast cancer incidence. This study found a significant link between breast cancer incidence and maximum emissions of environmental chemicals. However, further research using individual-level data is needed.
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To determine whether the availability of mammography resources affected breast cancer incidence rates, stage of disease at initial diagnosis, mortality rates and/or mortality-to-incidence ratios throughout Mississippi. Mammography... more
To determine whether the availability of mammography resources affected breast cancer incidence rates, stage of disease at initial diagnosis, mortality rates and/or mortality-to-incidence ratios throughout Mississippi. Mammography facilities were geocoded and the numbers of residents residing within a thirty minute drive of a mammography facility were calculated. Other data were extracted from the Mississippi Cancer Registry, the U.S. Census, and the Mississippi Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS). There were no statistically-significant differences between breast cancer incidence rates in Black versus White females in Mississippi; however, there were significant differences in the use of mammography, percentages of advanced-stage initial diagnoses, mortality rates, and mortality-to-incidence ratios, where Black females fared worse in each category. No statistically-significant correlations were observed between breast cancer outcomes and the availability of mammograp...
Research Interests: Medicine and Mammography
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ABSTRACT Natural hazards and major land-use/land-cover change can have significant impacts on humans around the world. If these two concerns exist together in a coastal area, the consequences for people and the environment may be severe.... more
ABSTRACT Natural hazards and major land-use/land-cover change can have significant impacts on humans around the world. If these two concerns exist together in a coastal area, the consequences for people and the environment may be severe. This study investigated the combined effects of land-use changes and natural disasters in the southwest coastal area of Bangladesh. Satellite images were analyzed to detect changes in land cover in the study period of 13 years (1999–2012). Three areas were selected for ground data collection. Household surveys and focus groups were conducted to discover the type, level and effects of disasters. Probit regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship between various disasters with overall income, agricultural production and outward migration. Results from image analysis showed an overall 30 % increase in shrimp culture ponds in the past 13 years. Agricultural land and vegetation decreased by 48 and 3 %, respectively. Barren and built-up areas increased by 73 % due to both land-use activity and natural hazards. Analysis of household data showed cyclones and storm surges had important effects on income, agricultural production and migration. Sustainable management and enhancement of resilience capacity of this area will be crucial in the near future.
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Air pollutants, such as particulate matter with a diameter ≤2.5 microns (PM2.5) and ozone (O3), are known to exacerbate asthma and other respiratory diseases. An integrated surveillance system that tracks such air pollutants and... more
Air pollutants, such as particulate matter with a diameter ≤2.5 microns (PM2.5) and ozone (O3), are known to exacerbate asthma and other respiratory diseases. An integrated surveillance system that tracks such air pollutants and associated disease incidence can assist in risk assessment, healthcare preparedness and public awareness. However, the implementation of such an integrated environmental health surveillance system is a challenge due to the disparate sources of many types of data and the implementation becomes even more complicated for a spatial and real-time system due to lack of standardised technological components and data incompatibility. In addition, accessing and utilising health data that are considered as Protected Health Information (PHI) require maintaining stringent protocols, which have to be supported by the system. This paper aims to illustrate the development of a spatial surveillance system (GeoMedStat) that is capable of tracking daily environmental pollutan...
Research Interests: Computer Science, Remote Sensing, Environmental Health, Environmental Monitoring, Air pollution, and 15 moreRemote sensing and GIS, Medicine, Humans, Spatial, PM, Satellite Imagery, Hospital Information Systems, Ozone, Particulate Matter, Survelliance Systems, Geographic Information Systems, Air Pollutants, Geospatial Health, Population surveillance, and Respiratory Tract Diseases
We have developed a Web-based real-time syndromic surveillance system with geographic information system disease mapping capabilities. The system includes four major components: real-time data collection, syndrome classification, dynamic... more
We have developed a Web-based real-time syndromic surveillance system with geographic information system disease mapping capabilities. The system includes four major components: real-time data collection, syndrome classification, dynamic spatial mapping, and query capabilities. An electronic medical record system at an urban teaching hospital is the source of real-time ICD-9 discharge data which are then mapped into syndrome categories. The GIS disease mapping is a Web-based tool of value to epidemiologists and public health officials for the interpretation and analysis of both routine and outbreak-related health data.
Research Interests: Demography, Computer Science, Atherosclerosis, African American, Female, and 15 moreCohort Study, Article, African Americans, Aged, Adult, Geocoding, Epidemiologic Studies, Censuses, Geographic Information System, Geographic Information Systems, Geographical Indication, Cohort Studies, Geospatial Health, Environmental Public Health Tracking, and Geospatial Health Surveillance
Research Interests: Geology, Arsenic, Arsenic Contamination in Ground Water, Groundwater, Environmental Monitoring, and 15 moreBangladesh, Humans, Environmental public health, Female, Drinking Water, Key words, Iron, Health Problems, Fertilizers, Food Contamination, Arsenic Contamination, Ion Exchange, Arsenic Poisoning, Ferric Compounds, and Epidemiological monitoring
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Research Interests: Algorithms, Medical Image Processing, Cancer, Medicine, Algorithm, and 13 moreHumans, Hyperspectral Scanning, Cytology, Female, Diagnostic Imaging, Hyperspectral Imaging, Spectrum analysis, Sensitivity and Specificity, Computer, Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia, Uterine Cervical Neoplasms, Papanicolaou test, and Vaginal smears
Aerosol optical depth (AOD), an indirect estimate of particulate matter using satellite observations, has shown great promise in improving estimates of PM2. 5 (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to 2.5 μm)... more
Aerosol optical depth (AOD), an indirect estimate of particulate matter using satellite observations, has shown great promise in improving estimates of PM2. 5 (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to 2.5 μm) surface. Currently, few studies ...
Research Interests: Environmental Engineering, Environmental Science, Air Quality, Remote Sensing, Atmospheric Science, and 15 moreAtmospheric Aerosols, Air pollution, Atmospheric sciences, Real Time Systems, Performance Model, Satellite, Real Time, Real Time system, Particulate Matter, Optical Thickness, Aerosol Optical Depth, Air Quality Index, Atmospheric Environment, Mean Squared Error, and Model performance
Studies have shown that reducing exposure to triggers such as air pollutants can reduce symptoms and the need for medication in asthma patients. However, systems that track asthma are generally not integrated with those that track... more
Studies have shown that reducing exposure to triggers such as air pollutants can reduce symptoms and the need for medication in asthma patients. However, systems that track asthma are generally not integrated with those that track environmental hazards related to asthma. Tlvs lack of ...