Last data update: May 06, 2024. (Total: 46732 publications since 2009)
Records 1-29 (of 29 Records) |
Query Trace: Moore SM[original query] |
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The role of emergency incident type in identifying first responders' health exposure risks
Haas EJ , Yoon KN , Furek A , Casey M , Moore SM . J Saf Sci Resilience 2023 4 (2) 167-173 Fire-based emergency management service (EMS) personnel are dispatched to various incidents daily, many of which have unique occupational risks. To fully understand the variability of incident types and how to best prepare and respond, an exploration of the U.S. coding system of incident types is necessary. This study uses potential exposure to SARS-CoV-2 as a case example to understand if and how coding categories for incident call types may be updated to improve data standardization and emergency response decision making. Researchers received emergency response incident data generated by three fire department computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems between March and September 2020. Each incident was labeled EMS, Fire, or Other. Of the 162,766 incidents, approximately 8.1% (n = 13,144) noted potential SARS-CoV-2 exposure within their narrative descriptions of which 86.3% were coded as EMS, 9.9% as Fire, and 3.9% as Other. To assess coding variability across incident types, researchers used the original 3-incident type variable and a new 5-incident type variable reassigned by researchers into EMS, Fire, Other, Hazmat, and Motor Vehicle. Logit regressions compared differences in potential exposure using the 3- and 5-incident type variables. When evaluating the 3-incident type variable, those responding to a Fire versus an EMS incident were 84% less likely to be associated with potential exposure to SARS-CoV-2. For the 5-incident type variable, those responding to Fire incidents were 77% less likely to be associated with a potential exposure than those responding to EMS incidents. Changes in potential exposure between the 3- and 5-incident type models show the need to understand how incident types are assigned. This demonstrates the need for data standardization to accurately categorize incident types to improve emergency preparedness and response. Results have implications for incident type coding at fire department municipality and national levels. |
Spatial repellents: The current roadmap to global recommendation of spatial repellents for public health use
Achee NL , Perkins TA , Moore SM , Liu F , Sagara I , Van Hulle S , Ochomo EO , Gimnig JE , Tissera HA , Harvey SA , Monroe A , Morrison AC , Scott TW , Reiner RC Jr , Grieco JP . Curr Res Parasitol Vector Borne Dis 2023 3 100107 Spatial repellent (SR) products are envisioned to complement existing vector control methods through the continual release of volatile active ingredients (AI) providing: (i) protection against day-time and early-evening biting; (ii) protection in enclosed/semi-enclosed and peri-domestic spaces; (iii) various formulations to fit context-specific applications; and (iv) increased coverage over traditional control methods. SR product AIs also have demonstrated effect against insecticide-resistant vectors linked to malaria and Aedes-borne virus (ABV) transmission. Over the past two decades, key stakeholders, including World Health Organization (WHO) representatives, have met to discuss the role of SRs in reducing arthropod-borne diseases based on existing evidence. A key focus has been to establish a critical development path for SRs, including scientific, regulatory and social parameters that would constitute an outline for a SR target product profile, i.e. optimum product characteristics. The principal gap is the lack of epidemiological data demonstrating SR public health impact across a range of different ecological and epidemiological settings, to inform a WHO policy recommendation. Here we describe in brief trials that are designed to fulfill evidence needs for WHO assessment and initial projections of SR cost-effectiveness against malaria and dengue. |
Exploring perceptions of U.S. Healthcare & Public Safety Workers at the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Haas EJ , Casey ML , Furek A , Moore SM . Prof Saf 2022 67 (5) 16-21 There is a gap in research associated with emerging infectious diseases and the role that individual perceptions have on attitudes and health-protective behaviors. NIOSH researchers sought to understand healthcare and emergency medical services (EMS) workers’ perceived risks toward SARS-CoV-2 and what factors may significantly influence subsequent health-protective behaviors. Between March and May 2020, 122 healthcare and EMS workers completed an assessment on a mobile safety application provided by their workplace. The results inform organizational practices regarding COVID-19 information sharing. First, it is important that all employees have access to information about respiratory protection as well as organizational resources such as their updated respiratory protection plans that may influence health-protective behaviors at work. Second, messaging for employees with individualistic attitudes may significantly differ and more research should be done to determine whether science-based consensus messages are the most effective risk communication strategy. |
Use of a modified preexposure prophylaxis vaccination schedule to prevent human rabies: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices - United States, 2022
Rao AK , Briggs D , Moore SM , Whitehill F , Campos-Outcalt D , Morgan RL , Wallace RM , Romero JR , Bahta L , Frey SE , Blanton JD . MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2022 71 (18) 619-627 Human rabies is an acute, progressive encephalomyelitis that is nearly always fatal once symptoms begin. Several measures have been implemented to prevent human rabies in the United States, including vaccination of targeted domesticated and wild animals, avoidance of behaviors that might precipitate an exposure (e.g., provoking high-risk animals), awareness of the types of animal contact that require postexposure prophylaxis (PEP), and use of proper personal protective equipment when handling animals or laboratory specimens. PEP is widely available in the United States and highly effective if administered after an exposure occurs. A small subset of persons has a higher level of risk for being exposed to rabies virus than does the general U.S. population; these persons are recommended to receive preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a series of human rabies vaccine doses administered before an exposure occurs, in addition to PEP after an exposure. PrEP does not eliminate the need for PEP; however, it does simplify the rabies PEP schedule (i.e., eliminates the need for rabies immunoglobulin and decreases the number of vaccine doses required for PEP). As rabies epidemiology has evolved and vaccine safety and efficacy have improved, Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations to prevent human rabies have changed. During September 2019-November 2021, the ACIP Rabies Work Group considered updates to the 2008 ACIP recommendations by evaluating newly published data, reviewing frequently asked questions, and identifying barriers to adherence to previous ACIP rabies vaccination recommendations. Topics were presented and discussed during six ACIP meetings. The following modifications to PrEP are summarized in this report: 1) redefined risk categories; 2) fewer vaccine doses in the primary vaccination schedule; 3) flexible options for ensuring long-term protection, or immunogenicity; 4) less frequent or no antibody titer checks for some risk groups; 5) a new minimum rabies antibody titer (0.5 international units [IUs]) per mL); and 6) clinical guidance, including for ensuring effective vaccination of certain special populations. |
Effective coordination, collaboration, communication, and partnering are needed to close the gaps for occupational PFAS exposure
Moore SM , Brown C , Kiederer M , Calkins MM , Burgess JL , D'Alessandro M , Davis R , Fenton SE , Morrison P , Reh CM . Am J Ind Med 2022 66 (5) 351-352 Over the past few decades, there has been a growing concern over the health effects associated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure especially among worker populations. High levels of PFAS exposure have been linked to various health outcomes including cancer and increased cholesterol levels.1 Existing research on occupational PFAS exposure is limited to only a few industries. Given this, the focus of the American Journal of Industrial Medicine's special issue on occupational PFAS exposures is to review current knowledge of occupational exposures to PFAS; identify newer, emerging, or unstudied sources of exposure; assess gaps in present understanding of their occupational use and hazards; and outline the needs for future research and worker protection. This special issue will help advance the scientific community's understanding of PFAS and aid current and future research projects. However, there are additional critical drivers to the success of reducing occupational exposures to PFAS which need to be addressed. These critical drivers are effective coordination, collaboration, communication, and partnerships. |
Lessons Learned from the Development and Demonstration of a PPE Inventory Monitoring System for US Hospitals
Haas EJ , Casey ML , Furek A , Aldrich K , Ragsdale T , Crosswy S , Moore SM . Health Secur 2021 19 (6) 582-591 An international system should be established to support personal protective equipment (PPE) inventory monitoring, particularly within the healthcare industry. In this article, the authors discuss the development and 15-week deployment of a proof-of-concept prototype that included the use of a Healthcare Trust Data Platform to secure and transmit PPE-related data. Seventy-eight hospitals participated, including 66 large hospital systems, 11 medium-sized hospital systems, and a single hospital. Hospitals reported near-daily inventory information for N95 respirators, surgical masks, and face shields, ultimately providing 159 different PPE model numbers. Researchers cross-checked the data to ensure the PPE could be accurately identified. In cases where the model number was inaccurately reported, researchers corrected the numbers whenever possible. Of the PPE model numbers reported, 74.2% were verified-60.5% of N95 respirators, 40.0% of face shields, and 84.0% of surgical masks. The authors discuss the need to standardize how PPE is reported, possible aspects of a PPE data standard, and standards groups who may assist with this effort. Having such PPE data standards would enable better communication across hospital systems and assist in emergency preparedness efforts during pandemics or natural disasters. |
Applying the Social Vulnerability Index as a Leading Indicator to Protect Fire-Based Emergency Medical Service Responders' Health.
Haas EJ , Furek A , Casey M , Yoon KN , Moore SM . Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021 18 (15) During emergencies, areas with higher social vulnerability experience an increased risk for negative health outcomes. However, research has not extrapolated this concept to understand how the workers who respond to these areas may be affected. Researchers from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) merged approximately 160,000 emergency response calls received from three fire departments during the COVID-19 pandemic with the CDC’s publicly available Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) to examine the utility of SVI as a leading indicator of occupational health and safety risks. Multiple regressions, binomial logit models, and relative weights analyses were used to answer the research questions. Researchers found that higher social vulnerability on household composition, minority/language, and housing/transportation increase the risk of first responders’ exposure to SARS-CoV-2. Higher socioeconomic, household, and minority vulnerability were significantly associated with response calls that required emergency treatment and transport in comparison to fire-related or other calls that are also managed by fire departments. These results have implications for more strategic emergency response planning during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as improving Total Worker Health® and future of work initiatives at the worker and workplace levels within the fire service industry. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. |
Negligible risk of rabies importation in dogs thirty days after demonstration of adequate serum antibody titer
Smith TG , Fooks AR , Moore SM , Freuling CM , Müller T , Torres G , Wallace RM . Vaccine 2021 39 (18) 2496-2499 Importation of one rabid dog from areas where rabies virus (RABV) is circulating into a country or zone that is declared free of rabies poses a threat of rabies re-introduction into the resident dog population (if “herd” immunity is insufficient) or congeneric species. To prevent rabies importation, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Terrestrial Code (8.14.7) currently recommends that rabies-vaccinated animals, individually identifiable and not showing any rabies clinical signs, have a minimum waiting period of three months between proof of adequate rabies serum antibody titer (≥ 0.5 IU/mL) and entry into a rabies free country. Alternatively, dogs may undergo a 6 month quarantine prior to import. The waiting period ensures that a dog with RABV neutralizing antibodies (rVNA) detected through OIE recommended methods is not incubating RABV, which can induce rVNA in late stages of disease. We propose reducing the waiting period to 30 days. |
Lagging or leading Exploring the temporal relationship among lagging indicators in mining establishments 2006-2017
Yorio PL , Haas EJ , Bell JL , Moore SM , Greenawald LA . J Safety Res 2020 74 179-185 PROBLEM: Safety management literature generally categorizes key performance indicators (KPIs) as either leading or lagging. Traditional lagging indicators are measures related to negative safety incidents, such as injuries, while leading indicators are used to predict (and therefore can be used to prevent) the likelihood of future negative safety incidents. Recent theory suggests that traditional lagging indicators also possess characteristics of leading indicators, and vice versa, however empirical evidence is limited. METHOD: The current research investigated the temporal relationships among establishment-level injuries, near misses, and fatal events using injury and employment data from a sample of 24,910 mining establishments over a 12-year period. RESULTS: While controlling for employee hours worked, establishment-level reported injuries and near misses were associated with of future fatal events across the sample of mines and over the time period studied. Fatal events were also associated with increases in future reported near misses, providing evidence of a cyclic relationship between them. DISCUSSION: These findings challenge the strict categorization of injuries, near misses, and fatal events as lagging indicators. Practical applications: Understanding the KPIs that should be used to manage organizational safety, and how they can be used, is of critical practical importance. The results of the current study suggest that, depending on several considerations, metrics tied to negative safety incidents may be used to anticipate, and possibly prevent, future negative safety events. |
Heinrich revisited: A new data-driven examination of the safety pyramid
Moore SM , Yorio PL , Haas EJ , Bell JL , Greenawald LA . Min Metall Explor 2020 37 (6) 1857-1863 Although researchers have struggled to replicate Heinrich’s safety triangle findings (Heinrich 1931) for various reasons (e.g., no access to his original database and it is unclear if the database was of a single establishment/operation or for an entire industry), the occupational safety community has continued to adopt and expand the applications of this theory (e.g., McSween 2003). Within the mining industry, the potential exists for operations and companies to use concepts from the safety triangle as a way to inform or challenge the practices employed within their health and safety management systems (HSMS) to prevent incidents (Backlund 2016). This paper considers data obtained from the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s databases and demonstrates the validity of applying the safety triangle theory at the mine level. The results support the use of this theory and demonstrate that lower severity incidents can predict fatalities in a subsequent year where significant nuances and caveats to applying the theory are identified and discussed. |
Developing a methodology to collect empirical data that informs policy and practices for stockpiling personal protective equipment
Greenawald LA , Moore SM , Wizner K , Yorio PL . Am J Infect Control 2020 49 (2) 166-173 BACKGROUND: Personal protective equipment (PPE) are stockpiled across the nation to offset supply depletion during public health emergencies. Stockpiled PPE inventories vary across the U.S. by type, model, quantity, and the conditions in which they are stored. Over the past decade, federal, state, and local stockpile managers have had concerns for the viability of aging PPE. METHODS: To understand factors that may affect stockpiled PPE, we explored the breadth of stockpile storage conditions and respirator and surgical gown inventories through collaboration with the national PPE community, qualitative observations collected at 10 different U.S. stockpiles, and by compiling stockpile PPE inventories and climate data from a convenience sample of U.S. stockpiles. RESULTS: The aggregated inventory from 20 stockpiles is reported, accounting for approximately 53 million respirators. Most respirators (69% or 35.8 million) have been stored between 5 and 10 years. Upon visiting 10 stockpile facilities, we report on the storage conditions observed and summarize the storage environment data collected. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to identify common PPE types, inventories, and storage conditions across federal, state, and local government stockpile facilities as well as healthcare organization-managed caches. These findings will be leveraged to guide the development of sampling protocols for air-purifying respirators and surgical gowns in U.S. stockpiles to understand the performance viability after long-term storage. |
An open challenge to advance probabilistic forecasting for dengue epidemics.
Johansson MA , Apfeldorf KM , Dobson S , Devita J , Buczak AL , Baugher B , Moniz LJ , Bagley T , Babin SM , Guven E , Yamana TK , Shaman J , Moschou T , Lothian N , Lane A , Osborne G , Jiang G , Brooks LC , Farrow DC , Hyun S , Tibshirani RJ , Rosenfeld R , Lessler J , Reich NG , Cummings DAT , Lauer SA , Moore SM , Clapham HE , Lowe R , Bailey TC , Garcia-Diez M , Carvalho MS , Rodo X , Sardar T , Paul R , Ray EL , Sakrejda K , Brown AC , Meng X , Osoba O , Vardavas R , Manheim D , Moore M , Rao DM , Porco TC , Ackley S , Liu F , Worden L , Convertino M , Liu Y , Reddy A , Ortiz E , Rivero J , Brito H , Juarrero A , Johnson LR , Gramacy RB , Cohen JM , Mordecai EA , Murdock CC , Rohr JR , Ryan SJ , Stewart-Ibarra AM , Weikel DP , Jutla A , Khan R , Poultney M , Colwell RR , Rivera-Garcia B , Barker CM , Bell JE , Biggerstaff M , Swerdlow D , Mier YTeran-Romero L , Forshey BM , Trtanj J , Asher J , Clay M , Margolis HS , Hebbeler AM , George D , Chretien JP . Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019 116 (48) 24268-24274 A wide range of research has promised new tools for forecasting infectious disease dynamics, but little of that research is currently being applied in practice, because tools do not address key public health needs, do not produce probabilistic forecasts, have not been evaluated on external data, or do not provide sufficient forecast skill to be useful. We developed an open collaborative forecasting challenge to assess probabilistic forecasts for seasonal epidemics of dengue, a major global public health problem. Sixteen teams used a variety of methods and data to generate forecasts for 3 epidemiological targets (peak incidence, the week of the peak, and total incidence) over 8 dengue seasons in Iquitos, Peru and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Forecast skill was highly variable across teams and targets. While numerous forecasts showed high skill for midseason situational awareness, early season skill was low, and skill was generally lowest for high incidence seasons, those for which forecasts would be most valuable. A comparison of modeling approaches revealed that average forecast skill was lower for models including biologically meaningful data and mechanisms and that both multimodel and multiteam ensemble forecasts consistently outperformed individual model forecasts. Leveraging these insights, data, and the forecasting framework will be critical to improve forecast skill and the application of forecasts in real time for epidemic preparedness and response. Moreover, key components of this project-integration with public health needs, a common forecasting framework, shared and standardized data, and open participation-can help advance infectious disease forecasting beyond dengue. |
Interstitial lung diseases in the U.S. mining industry: Using MSHA data to examine trends and the prevention effects of compliance with health regulations, 1996-2015
Yorio PL , Laney AS , Halldin CN , Blackley DJ , Moore SM , Wizner K , Radonovich LJ , Greenawald LA . Risk Anal 2018 38 (9) 1962-1971 Given the recent increase in dust-induced lung disease among U.S. coal miners and the respiratory hazards encountered across the U.S. mining industry, it is important to enhance an understanding of lung disease trends and the organizational contexts that precede these events. In addition to exploring overall trends reported to the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), the current study uses MSHA's enforcement database to examine whether or not compliance with health regulations resulted in fewer mine-level counts of these diseases over time. The findings suggest that interstitial lung diseases were more prevalent in coal mines compared to other mining commodities, in Appalachian coal mines compared to the rest of the United States, and in underground compared to surface coal mines. Mines that followed a relevant subset of MSHA's health regulations were less likely to report a lung disease over time. The findings are discussed from a lung disease prevention strategy perspective. |
Examining Factors that Influence the Existence of Heinrich's Safety Triangle Using Site-Specific H&S Data from More than 25,000 Establishments
Yorio PL , Moore SM . Risk Anal 2018 38 (4) 839-852 In the 1930s, Heinrich established one of the most prominent and enduring accident prevention theories when he concluded that high severity occupational safety and health (OSH) incidents are preceded by numerous lower severity incidents and near misses. Seventy-five years of theory expansion/interpretation includes two fundamental tenets: (1) the ratio of lower to higher severity incidents exists in the form of a "safety-triangle" and (2) similar causes underlie both high and low severity events. Although used extensively to inform public policy and establishment-level health and safety priorities, recent research challenges the validity of the two tenets. This study explored the validity of the first tenet, the existence of the safety triangle. The advantage of the current study is the use of a detailed, establishment-specific data set that evaluated over 25,000 establishments over a 13-year time period, allowing three specific questions to be explored: (1) Are an increased number of lower severity incidents at an establishment significantly associated with the probability of a fatal event over time? (2) At the establishment level, do the effects of OSH incidents on the probability of a fatality over time decrease as the degree of severity decreases-thereby taking the form of a triangle? and (3) Do distinct methods for delineating incidents by severity affect the existence of the safety triangle form? The answer to all three questions was yes with the triangle form being dependent upon how severity was delineated. The implications of these findings in regard to Heinrich's theory and OSH policy and management are discussed. |
Risk factors for inadequate antibody response to primary rabies vaccination in dogs under one year of age
Wallace RM , Pees A , Blanton JB , Moore SM . PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017 11 (7) e0005761 Ensuring the adequacy of response to rabies vaccination in dogs is important, particularly in the context of pet travel. Few studies have examined the factors associated with dogs' failure to achieve an adequate antibody titer after vaccination (0.5 IU/ml). This study evaluated rabies antibody titers in dogs after primary vaccination. Dogs under one year of age whose serum was submitted to a reference laboratory for routine diagnostics, and which had no prior documented history of vaccination were enrolled (n = 8,011). Geometric mean titers (GMT) were calculated and univariate analysis was performed to assess factors associated with failure to achieve 0.5 IU/mL. Dogs vaccinated at >16 weeks of age had a significantly higher GMT compared to dogs vaccinated at a younger age (1.64 IU/ml, 1.57-1.72, ANOVA p < 0.01). There was no statistical difference in GMT between dogs vaccinated <12 weeks and dogs vaccinated 12-16 weeks (1.22 IU/ml and 1.21 IU/ml). The majority of dogs failed to reach an adequate titer within the first 3 days of primary vaccination; failure rates were also high if the interval from vaccination to titer check was greater than 90 days. Over 90% of dogs that failed primary vaccination were able to achieve adequate titers after booster vaccination. The ideal timing for blood draw is 8-30 days after primary vaccination. In the event of a failure, most dogs will achieve an adequate serologic response upon a repeat titer (in the absence of booster vaccination). Booster vaccination after failure provided the highest probability of an acceptable titer. |
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in human serum and urine samples from a residentially exposed community
Worley RR , Moore SM , Tierney BC , Ye X , Calafat AM , Campbell S , Woudneh MB , Fisher J . Environ Int 2017 106 135-143 BACKGROUND: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are considered chemicals of emerging concern, in part due to their environmental and biological persistence and the potential for widespread human exposure. In 2007, a PFAS manufacturer near Decatur, Alabama notified the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) it had discharged PFAS into a wastewater treatment plant, resulting in environmental contamination and potential exposures to the local community. OBJECTIVES: To characterize PFAS exposure over time, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) collected blood and urine samples from local residents. METHODS: Eight PFAS were measured in serum in 2010 (n=153). Eleven PFAS were measured in serum, and five PFAS were measured in urine (n=45) from some of the same residents in 2016. Serum concentrations were compared to nationally representative data and change in serum concentration over time was evaluated. Biological half-lives were estimated for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) using a one-compartment pharmacokinetic model. RESULTS: In 2010 and 2016, geometric mean PFOA and PFOS serum concentrations were elevated in participants compared to the general U.S. POPULATION: In 2016, the geometric mean PFHxS serum concentration was elevated compared to the general U.S. POPULATION: Geometric mean serum concentrations of PFOA, PFOS, and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) were significantly (p≤0.0001) lower (49%, 53%, and 58%, respectively) in 2016 compared to 2010. Half-lives for PFOA, PFOS, and PFHxS were estimated to be 3.9, 3.3, and 15.5years, respectively. Concentrations of PFOA in serum and urine were highly correlated (r=0.75) in males. CONCLUSIONS: Serum concentrations of some PFAS are decreasing in this residentially exposed community, but remain elevated compared to the U.S. general population. |
El Nino and the shifting geography of cholera in Africa
Moore SM , Azman AS , Zaitchik BF , Mintz ED , Brunkard J , Legros D , Hill A , McKay H , Luquero FJ , Olson D , Lessler J . Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017 114 (17) 4436-4441 The El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and other climate patterns can have profound impacts on the occurrence of infectious diseases ranging from dengue to cholera. In Africa, El Nino conditions are associated with increased rainfall in East Africa and decreased rainfall in southern Africa, West Africa, and parts of the Sahel. Because of the key role of water supplies in cholera transmission, a relationship between El Nino events and cholera incidence is highly plausible, and previous research has shown a link between ENSO patterns and cholera in Bangladesh. However, there is little systematic evidence for this link in Africa. Using high-resolution mapping techniques, we find that the annual geographic distribution of cholera in Africa from 2000 to 2014 changes dramatically, with the burden shifting to continental East Africa-and away from Madagascar and portions of southern, Central, and West Africa-where almost 50,000 additional cases occur during El Nino years. Cholera incidence during El Nino years was higher in regions of East Africa with increased rainfall, but incidence was also higher in some areas with decreased rainfall, suggesting a complex relationship between rainfall and cholera incidence. Here, we show clear evidence for a shift in the distribution of cholera incidence throughout Africa in El Nino years, likely mediated by El Nino's impact on local climatic factors. Knowledge of this relationship between cholera and climate patterns coupled with ENSO forecasting could be used to notify countries in Africa when they are likely to see a major shift in their cholera risk. |
MINER Act technology; Past, present and the future
Snyder DP , Burr JF , Moore SM , Fernando R . Min Eng 2016 68 (12) 45-54 The Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006 (MINER Act Public Law 109-236) was passed by Congress in response to three major underground coal mine accidents in the United States that claimed the lives of 19 miners. The Act resulted in substantial changes in the underground coal industry relative to the use of technology for mine escape, rescue, disaster response and other areas where the lack of these technologies contributed to the fatalities caused by these tragedies. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the MINER Act, which makes it an opportune time to reflect on the events that led to its passage, the changes that have been made since then, and the work that remains to be done. |
Seasonal fluctuations of small mammal and flea communities in a Ugandan plague focus: evidence to implicate Arvicanthis niloticus and Crocidura spp. as key hosts in Yersinia pestis transmission
Moore SM , Monaghan A , Borchert JN , Mpanga JT , Atiku LA , Boegler KA , Montenieri J , MacMillan K , Gage KL , Eisen RJ . Parasit Vectors 2015 8 11 BACKGROUND: The distribution of human plague risk is strongly associated with rainfall in the tropical plague foci of East Africa, but little is known about how the plague bacterium is maintained during periods between outbreaks or whether environmental drivers trigger these outbreaks. We collected small mammals and fleas over a two year period in the West Nile region of Uganda to examine how the ecological community varies seasonally in a region with areas of both high and low risk of human plague cases. METHODS: Seasonal changes in the small mammal and flea communities were examined along an elevation gradient to determine whether small mammal and flea populations exhibit differences in their response to seasonal fluctuations in precipitation, temperature, and crop harvests in areas within (above 1300 m) and outside (below 1300 m) of a model-defined plague focus. RESULTS: The abundance of two potential enzootic host species (Arvicanthis niloticus and Crocidura spp.) increased during the plague season within the plague focus, but did not show the same increase at lower elevations outside this focus. In contrast, the abundance of the domestic rat population (Rattus rattus) did not show significant seasonal fluctuations regardless of locality. Arvicanthis niloticus abundance was negatively associated with monthly precipitation at a six month lag and positively associated with current monthly temperatures, and Crocidura spp. abundance was positively associated with precipitation at a three month lag and negatively associated with current monthly temperatures. The abundance of A. niloticus and Crocidura spp. were both positively correlated with the harvest of millet and maize. CONCLUSIONS: The association between the abundance of several small mammal species and rainfall is consistent with previous models of the timing of human plague cases in relation to precipitation in the West Nile region. The seasonal increase in the abundance of key potential host species within the plague focus, but not outside of this area, suggests that changes in small mammal abundance may create favorable conditions for epizootic transmission of Y. pestis which ultimately may increase risk of human cases in this region. |
Climate change influences on the annual onset of Lyme disease in the United States
Monaghan AJ , Moore SM , Sampson KM , Beard CB , Eisen RJ . Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2015 6 (5) 615-22 Lyme disease is the most commonly reported vector-borne illness in the United States. Lyme disease occurrence is highly seasonal and the annual springtime onset of cases is modulated by meteorological conditions in preceding months. A meteorological-based empirical model for Lyme disease onset week in the United States is driven with downscaled simulations from five global climate models and four greenhouse gas emissions scenarios to project the impacts of 21st century climate change on the annual onset week of Lyme disease. Projections are made individually and collectively for the 12 eastern States where >90% of cases occur. The national average annual onset week of Lyme disease is projected to become 0.4-0.5 weeks earlier for 2025-2040 (p<0.05), and 0.7-1.9 weeks earlier for 2065-2080 (p<0.01), with the largest shifts for scenarios with the highest greenhouse gas emissions. The more southerly mid-Atlantic States exhibit larger shifts (1.0-3.5 weeks) compared to the Northeastern and upper Midwestern States (0.2-2.3 weeks) by 2065-2080. Winter and spring temperature increases primarily cause the earlier onset. Greater spring precipitation and changes in humidity partially counteract the temperature effects. The model does not account for the possibility that abrupt shifts in the life cycle of Ixodes scapularis, the primary vector of the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi in the eastern United States, may alter the disease transmission cycle in unforeseen ways. The results suggest 21st century climate change will make environmental conditions suitable for earlier annual onset of Lyme disease cases in the United States with possible implications for the timing of public health interventions. |
Meteorological influences on the seasonality of Lyme disease in the United States
Moore SM , Eisen RJ , Monaghan A , Mead P . Am J Trop Med Hyg 2014 90 (3) 486-96 Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi infection) is the most common vector-transmitted disease in the United States. The majority of human Lyme disease (LD) cases occur in the summer months, but the timing of the peak occurrence varies geographically and from year to year. We calculated the beginning, peak, end, and duration of the main LD season in 12 highly endemic states from 1992 to 2007 and then examined the association between the timing of these seasonal variables and several meteorological variables. An earlier beginning to the LD season was positively associated with higher cumulative growing degree days through Week 20, lower cumulative precipitation, a lower saturation deficit, and proximity to the Atlantic coast. The timing of the peak and duration of the LD season were also associated with cumulative growing degree days, saturation deficit, and cumulative precipitation, but no meteorological predictors adequately explained the timing of the end of the LD season. |
Blood meal identification in off-host cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) from a plague-endemic region of Uganda
Graham CB , Borchert JN , Black WC4th , Atiku LA , Mpanga JT , Boegler KA , Moore SM , Gage KL , Eisen RJ . Am J Trop Med Hyg 2012 88 (2) 381-9 The cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, is an inefficient vector of the plague bacterium (Yersinia pestis) and is the predominant off-host flea species in human habitations in the West Nile region, an established plague focus in northwest Uganda. To determine if C. felis might serve as a Y. pestis bridging vector in the West Nile region, we collected on- and off-host fleas from human habitations and used a real-time polymerase chain reaction-based assay to estimate the proportion of off-host C. felis that had fed on humans and the proportion that had fed on potentially infectious rodents or shrews. Our findings indicate that cat fleas in human habitations in the West Nile region feed primarily on domesticated species. We conclude that C. felis is unlikely to serve as a Y. pestis bridging vector in this region. |
Improvement of disease prediction and modeling through the use of meteorological ensembles: human plague in Uganda
Moore SM , Monaghan A , Griffith KS , Apangu T , Mead PS , Eisen RJ . PLoS One 2012 7 (9) e44431 Climate and weather influence the occurrence, distribution, and incidence of infectious diseases, particularly those caused by vector-borne or zoonotic pathogens. Thus, models based on meteorological data have helped predict when and where human cases are most likely to occur. Such knowledge aids in targeting limited prevention and control resources and may ultimately reduce the burden of diseases. Paradoxically, localities where such models could yield the greatest benefits, such as tropical regions where morbidity and mortality caused by vector-borne diseases is greatest, often lack high-quality in situ local meteorological data. Satellite- and model-based gridded climate datasets can be used to approximate local meteorological conditions in data-sparse regions, however their accuracy varies. Here we investigate how the selection of a particular dataset can influence the outcomes of disease forecasting models. Our model system focuses on plague (Yersinia pestis infection) in the West Nile region of Uganda. The majority of recent human cases have been reported from East Africa and Madagascar, where meteorological observations are sparse and topography yields complex weather patterns. Using an ensemble of meteorological datasets and model-averaging techniques we find that the number of suspected cases in the West Nile region was negatively associated with dry season rainfall (December-February) and positively with rainfall prior to the plague season. We demonstrate that ensembles of available meteorological datasets can be used to quantify climatic uncertainty and minimize its impacts on infectious disease models. These methods are particularly valuable in regions with sparse observational networks and high morbidity and mortality from vector-borne diseases. |
A regional climatography of West Nile, Uganda, to support human plague modeling
Monaghan AJ , MacMillan K , Moore SM , Mead PS , Hayden MH , Eisen RJ . J Appl Meteorol Climatol 2012 51 (7) 1201-1221 The West Nile region in northwestern Uganda is a focal point for human plague, which peaks in boreal autumn and is spread by fleas that travel on rodent hosts. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is collaborating with the National Center for Atmospheric Research to quantitatively address the linkages between climate and human plague in this region. The aim of this paper is to advance knowledge of the climatic conditions required to maintain enzootic cycles and to trigger epizootic cycles and ultimately to target limited surveillance, prevention, and control resources. A hybrid dynamical-statistical downscaling technique was applied to simulations from the Weather Research and Forecasting Model (WRF) to generate a multiyear 2-km climate dataset for modeling plague in the West Nile region. The resulting dataset resolves the spatial variability and annual cycle of temperature, humidity, and rainfall in West Nile relative to satellite-based and in situ records. Topography exerts a first-order influence on the climatic gradients in West Nile, which lies in a transition zone between the drier East African Plateau and the wetter Congo Basin, and between the unimodal rainfall regimes of the Sahel and the bimodal rainfall regimes characteristic of equatorial East Africa. The results of a companion paper in which the WRF-based climate fields were applied to develop an improved logistic regression model of human plague occurrence in West Nile are summarized, revealing robust positive associations with rainfall at the tails of the rainy season and negative associations with rainfall during a dry spell each summer. |
Task-specific postures in low-seam underground coal mining
Moore SM , Pollard JP , Nelson ME . Int J Ind Ergon 2012 42 (2) 241-248 The objective of this study was to determine low-seam mine worker exposure to various postures as they pertain to job classifications and job tasks. Sixty-four mine workers from four low-seam coal mines participated. The mine workers reported the tasks they were required to complete and the two postures they used most frequently to perform them. They were provided with a schematic of postures from which to select. The two postures reported most frequently were identified for each task along with the job classification of the workers performing the tasks. Of the 18 tasks reported, over two thirds were performed by at least two different job classifications and over one third were performed by four or more job classifications. Across tasks, the postures used appeared to vary greatly. However, when grouped by job classification, the most frequently reported posture across all job classifications was kneeling near full flexion. Operating the continuous miner was associated with frequent squatting and was likely used because it affords great mobility, allowing operators to move quickly to avoid hazards. However, for environments with a restricted vertical height such as low-seam mining, the authors recommend squatting be avoided as data demonstrates that large amounts of femoral rollback and high muscle activity for the extensors when performing lateral lifts in this posture. Kneeling near full flexion was reported as the most frequently used posture by all job classifications and was likely due to the fact that it requires the least amount of muscle activity to maintain and has reduced pressures at the knee. However, the authors recommend this posture be avoided when performing lateral lifting tasks. Like squatting, kneeling near full flexion results in increased femoral rollback and may increase the stresses applied to the meniscus. Unlike lateral lifting, maintaining a static posture results in knee loading and muscle activity such that the mine worker should consider kneeling near full flexion and sitting on their heels. Although kneeling near full flexion is associated with injuries, there are benefits to this posture that are realized when statically kneeling (minimal muscle activity, allows worker to maintain an upright torso in low heights, and decreased loading at the knee). However, cartilage is avascular and nourished by synovial fluid. Therefore, one should frequently rotate between postures, assuming a more upright kneeling posture when possible and frequently fully flexing and extending the knee allowing nutrients to the cartilage. Relevance to industry: In 2009, over one fourth of underground coal mines that produced coal in the United States were considered low seam with an average working height of <109.2 cm (MSHA, 2009) restricting workers to their knees. Data exists regarding the biomechanical implications of kneeling postures and demonstrates the possibility of detrimental consequences to varying degrees for each posture. With each posture posing a different level of exposure to musculoskeletal disorder risk factors, it is essential to determine the postures mine workers use to perform their job tasks and how their postural options are restricted by the low-seam underground mining environment. |
Climate predictors of the spatial distribution of human plague cases in the West Nile region of Uganda
MacMillan K , Monaghan AJ , Apangu T , Griffith KS , Mead PS , Acayo S , Acidri R , Moore SM , Mpanga JT , Enscore RE , Gage KL , Eisen RJ . Am J Trop Med Hyg 2012 86 (3) 514-23 East Africa has been identified as a region where vector-borne and zoonotic diseases are most likely to emerge or re-emerge and where morbidity and mortality from these diseases is significant. Understanding when and where humans are most likely to be exposed to vector-borne and zoonotic disease agents in this region can aid in targeting limited prevention and control resources. Often, spatial and temporal distributions of vectors and vector-borne disease agents are predictable based on climatic variables. However, because of coarse meteorological observation networks, appropriately scaled and accurate climate data are often lacking for Africa. Here, we use a recently developed 10-year gridded meteorological dataset from the Advanced Weather Research and Forecasting Model to identify climatic variables predictive of the spatial distribution of human plague cases in the West Nile region of Uganda. Our logistic regression model revealed that within high elevation sites (above 1,300 m), plague risk was positively associated with rainfall during the months of February, October, and November and negatively associated with rainfall during the month of June. These findings suggest that areas that receive increased but not continuous rainfall provide ecologically conducive conditions for Yersinia pestis transmission in this region. This study serves as a foundation for similar modeling efforts of other vector-borne and zoonotic disease in regions with sparse observational meteorologic networks. |
"Complexities in hindcasting models - when should we say enough is enough,"
Maslia ML , Aral MM , Faye RE , Grayman WM , Suarez-Soto RJ , Sautner JB , Anderson BA , Bove FJ , Ruckart PZ , Moore SM . Ground Water 2011 50 (1) 10-6; discussion 16-8 In a recent article, TP Clement (2010, hereafter referred to as TPC) discusses the complexities and limitations of "hindcasting" models and criticizes the use of complex models when undertaking investigations of subsurface reactive transport processes. TPC implies that complex numerical models that stimulate reactive transport processes in groundwater are likely if not always an inappropriate tool to apply to "hindcasting" investiagtions and that scientists and engineers who implement these investiagtions using such models are somehow not aware of teh technical and scientific complexities and limitations of such methods and approaches. To illustrate his point of view, TPC uses a case study of an ongoing health study of exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in drinking water at US Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina (hereafter referred to as the case-control health study at Camp Lejeune). The article presents some thought-provoking points-of-view. However, we believe there is a lack of detail on several key issues that require specificity and clarification, particularly with respect to modleing approaches and methods, the physics of containment occurrence and reactive transport in teh subsurface, and agency policies for the review and dissemination of data and reports. |
Pressure distribution on the anatomic landmarks of the knee and the effect of kneepads
Porter WL , Mayton AG , Moore SM . Appl Ergon 2010 42 (1) 106-13 This study examines stress transmitted to anatomic landmarks of the knee (patella, combined patella tendon and tibial tubercle) while in static kneeling postures without kneepads and while wearing two kneepads commonly worn in the mining industry. Ten subjects (7 male, 3 female) simulated postures utilized in low-seam mines: kneeling in full flexion; kneeling at 90 degrees of knee flexion; and kneeling on one knee while in one of three kneepad states (no kneepads, non-articulated kneepads, and articulated kneepads). For each posture, peak and mean pressure on the anatomic landmarks of the knee were obtained. The majority of the pressure was found to be transmitted to the knee via the combined patellar tendon and tibial tubercle rather than through the patella. While the kneepads tested decreased the maximum pressure experienced at the combined patellar tendon and tibial tubercle, peak pressures of greater than 25psi were still experienced over structures commonly injured in mining (e.g. bursa sac - bursitis/Miner's Knee). The major conclusion of this study is that novel kneepad designs that redistribute the stresses at the knee across a greater surface area and to other regions of the leg away from key structures of the knee are needed. |
Fall from equipment injuries in U.S. mining: identification of specific research areas for future investigation
Moore SM , Porter WL , Dempsey PG . J Safety Res 2009 40 (6) 455-60 INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to evaluate the circumstances leading to fall from equipment injuries in the mining industry. METHOD: The 2006 and 2007 Mine Safety and Health Administration annual injury databases were utilized for this study whereby the injury narrative, nature of injury, body part injured, mine type, age at injury, and days lost were evaluated for each injury. RESULTS: The majority of injuries occurred at surface mining facilities (approximately 60%) with fractures and sprains/strains being the most common injuries occurring to the major joints of the body. Nearly 50% of injuries occurred during ingress/egress, predominantely during egress, and approximately 25% of injuries occurred during maintenance tasks. The majority of injuries occurred in relation to large trucks, wheel loaders, dozers, and conveyors/belts. The severity of injury was independent of age and the median days lost was seven days; however, there was a large range in severity. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: From the data obtained in this study, several different research areas have been identified for future work, which include balance and stability control when descending ladders and equipment design for maintenance tasks. |
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