scholarly journals Anthrax: How it kills, and how it can be stopped

2004 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 15-17
Author(s):  
Jeremy Mogridge
Keyword(s):  
Bacillus Anthracis ◽  
Biological Weapon ◽  
Biological Weapons ◽  
The Public ◽  
Medical Researchers ◽  
Bacillus Anthracis Spores ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Impact

The intentional release of Bacillus anthracis spores in the USA during the autumn of 2001 alerted the public to the possibility of future attacks using biological weapons. It also underscored the importance of understanding the pathogenesis of the organism and the need for developing new therapeutics and vaccines. Fortunately, there has been a resurgence in anthrax research. This review focuses on the characteristics of B. anthracis that have led to its use as a biological weapon and the approaches that are being taken by medical researchers to minimize the impact of another release.

scholarly journals Fast and Sensitive Detection of Bacillus anthracis Spores by Immunoassay

2012 ◽  
Vol 78 (18) ◽  
pp. 6491-6498 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathalie Morel ◽  
Hervé Volland ◽  
Julie Dano ◽  
Patricia Lamourette ◽  
Patricia Sylvestre ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bacillus Anthracis ◽  
Electrical Current ◽  
Biological Weapons ◽  
Meso Scale Discovery ◽  
Simple Method ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Bacillus Anthracis Spores ◽  
Luminescent Signal ◽  
Sample Purification ◽  
Phosphate Buffered Saline

ABSTRACTBacillus anthracisis one of the most dangerous potential biological weapons, and it is essential to develop a rapid and simple method to detectB. anthracisspores in environmental samples. The immunoassay is a rapid and easy-to-use method for the detection ofB. anthracisby means of antibodies directed against surface spore antigens. With this objective in view, we have produced a panel of monoclonal antibodies againstB. anthracisand developed colorimetric and electrochemiluminescence (ECL) immunoassays. Using Meso Scale Discovery ECL technology, which is based on electrochemiluminescence (ECL) detection utilizing a sulfo-Tag label that emits light upon electrochemical stimulation (using a dedicated ECL plate reader, an electrical current is placed across the microplate with electrodes integrated into the bottom of the plate, resulting in a series of electrically induced reactions leading to a luminescent signal), a detection limit ranging between 0.3 × 103and 103CFU/ml (i.e., 30 to 100 spores per test), depending on theB. anthracisstrain assayed, was achieved. In complex matrices (5 mg/ml of soil or simulated powder), the detection level (without any sample purification or concentration) was never altered more than 3-fold compared with the results obtained in phosphate-buffered saline.

scholarly journals The Impact of Pharmacist Vaccination Privilege during a Nation-Wide Measles Outbreak

Pharmacy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanya Singh ◽  
Renae L. Smith-Ray ◽  
Michael Taitel
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
New York State ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Susceptible Population ◽  
Maximum Capacity ◽  
The Public ◽  
Health Value ◽  
Measles Outbreak ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Impact

The 2019 measles outbreak was the worst since the USA eliminated measles in 2000. This paper presents the vaccination trends for a large chain-pharmacy, Walgreens, and examines the estimated vaccination capacity and impact of pharmacist privilege policies across states. Specifically, we estimated the number of people who could have been vaccinated in eight states with reduced or no measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination privilege during the study period January–June, 2019. During the study period, Walgreens pharmacists administered MMR vaccines to 62,526 patients, a 231.9% increase. If pharmacists had been permitted to vaccinate against measles in the eight states investigated, Walgreens pharmacies would have administered between 12,404 and 36,551 additional vaccinations during that time. We also estimated all chain pharmacies’ capacity to vaccinate in one state that was severely impacted by the measles outbreak, New York, using a range from normal pharmacy operating conditions to maximum capacity. Assuming sufficient demand, it was estimated that chain pharmacies in New York State would have the capacity to vaccinate between 47,688 and 174,856 patients daily, achieving MMR vaccination (first dose) of the measles-susceptible population within 8–28 days. Overall, this study demonstrates the public health value of pharmacist vaccination privilege during a nation-wide outbreak of measles.

scholarly journals Detection of Bacillus anthracis Spores Using Peptide Functionalized SERS-Active Substrates

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Atanu Sengupta ◽  
Chetan Shende ◽  
Stuart Farquharson ◽  
Frank Inscore
Keyword(s):  
Bacillus Anthracis ◽  
Dipicolinic Acid ◽  
Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy ◽  
Biological Weapons ◽  
Low Concentrations ◽  
Biological Warfare Agents ◽  
Active Metal ◽  
Bacillus Anthracis Spores ◽  
Surface Enhanced Raman ◽  
Warfare Agents

The need for portable technologies that can rapidly identify biological warfare agents (BWAs) in the field remains an international priority as expressed at the 2011 Biological Weapons Convention. In recent years, the ability of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) to rapidly detect various BWAs at very low concentrations has been demonstrated. However, in the specific case of Bacillus anthracis, differentiation at the species level is required since other bacilli are common in the environment, representing potential false-positive responses. To overcome this limitation, we describe the use of a peptide attached to the SERS-active metal that selectively binds Bacillus anthracis-Sterne as the target analyte. Using this approach, 109  B. anthracis-Sterne spores/mL produced an intense dipicolinic acid spectrum upon the addition of acetic acid, while the same concentration and treatment of B. cereus and B. subtilis did not.

scholarly journals Sustainable Cities: Some Reflections on Companies’ Settlements

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (22) ◽  
pp. 12622
Author(s):  
Stefano De Falco ◽  
Alberto Corbino
Keyword(s):  
Urban Policy ◽  
Dynamic Equilibrium ◽  
Urban Centers ◽  
Urban Dynamics ◽  
The Public ◽  
Commercial Space ◽  
Urban Settlements ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The City

Urban dynamics in recent years show a tendency that cannot be ignored in terms of the impacts that they induce, with regard to many companies, especially big companies, that are settled in the downtown districts of the main cities, where economic spaces are blended with urban spaces. This study, therefore, aims to investigate the sustainability of cities by using the specific perspective of their relationship with the companies’ urban settlements. Some questions in the present work are discussed: What advantages derive from the firms’ settlements in downtown areas? What is the impact on urban geographies? What role does urban policy play in this process? How do cities perceive this large business settlement? To answer to these questions, a model of dynamic equilibrium, referred to as the public–private relationship, is provided. The analysis starts from the context of the city as a commercial space, then identifies the determinants of the establishment of businesses in the city centers and the mediating function of politics in this urban morphogenesis. Case studies from the USA on large companies returning to urban centers complete the analysis.

Effects of police agency diversification on officer attitudes

2017 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan Alderden ◽  
Amy Farrell ◽  
William P. McCarty
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Perceptions Of Fairness ◽  
Police Agencies ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Citizen Perceptions ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Officer Attitudes ◽  
The Impact

Purpose In light of recent calls to increase the diversity of America’s police, the purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of agency and leadership diversification on officer job satisfaction and reported perceptions of fairness within the organization, factors known to influence retention and performance. Design/methodology/approach A survey of 15,236 officers representing 88 agencies was used, as well as other agency- and community-level variables. Multi-level models were used to assess how these individual- and agency-level variables, including measures of diversification, affected job satisfaction and perceptions of fairness. Findings Diversification in agency leadership positions was found to improve perceptions of fairness among all officers, in addition to ameliorating some feelings of unfairness among African-American officers. Diversification of the sworn ranks, in comparison to the population of the community, however, was not found to significantly affect the outcome measures. Research limitations/implications The study only examined the effects of diversification on officer perceptions. Future studies that link measures of diversification to citizen perceptions are needed to understand how members of the public respond to the image and characteristics of sworn personnel in their communities. Practical implications The results indicate the importance of retention and promotion of more diverse leadership in police agencies. Originality/value This study is one of the first to assess the effects of diversification in such a large sample of agencies of all types and sizes throughout the USA.

Voluntary disclosure and information asymmetry: do investors in US capital markets care about carbon emission?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ajay Adhikari ◽  
Haiyan Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Information Asymmetry ◽  
Capital Markets ◽  
Carbon Emission ◽  
Complete Information ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Bid Ask Spread ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to exploit the varying level of responses to the carbon disclosure project (CDP) to assess the economic consequences of carbon emission disclosure by disclosure level. Economic theory suggests that increased disclosures by a firm should lower the information asymmetry component of the firm’s cost of capital. Using CDP disclosures by US firms, the authors study the effect of voluntary carbon emission on the information asymmetry risk in capital markets. Design/methodology/approach The authors conduct cross-sectional analyses to examine whether, from the investor perspective, firms with varying CDP disclosure levels experience differential information asymmetric risk. The authors also conduct a pre- and post-disclosure comparison to examine whether the market responds to first-time carbon emission disclosure with decreases in the relative bid-ask spread. Findings In the cross-sectional analysis, the authors find that firms that decline to disclose carbon emission information, firms that provide incomplete information and firms that do not respond to the CDP survey have higher information asymmetry than firms that provide complete information and opt to make it available to the public. Using a pre- and post-disclosure comparison, the authors find that the market responds to first-time carbon emission disclosure with decreases in the relative bid-ask spread. Additionally, only firms that participate, provide complete disclosures and opt to make it available to the public enjoy the largest reduction in bid-ask spreads, which is followed by firms that provide incomplete information. Other firms do not experience a reduction in information asymmetry. Research limitations/implications This study examines the impact of CDP disclosures on information asymmetry using a US sample. The results of the study may not be generalizable to other countries that have different institutional arrangements and settings. Practical implications The study has important social and policy implications. The findings on the role of carbon emission disclosures in reducing information asymmetry in the capital markets suggest the need for policymakers to promote greater carbon emission disclosures in the USA and other countries where such disclosures have been traditionally less emphasized. As to stakeholders, bringing corporate carbon emission disclosure in line with recommended guidelines will require them to exercise more direct stakeholder pressure to encourage firms to fully participate in the CDP project. This is particularly critical in settings of regulatory inaction and weak enforcement with respect to environmental policies and disclosure such as the USA. Social implications The results span the current gap between two broad perspectives on corporate social responsibilities. The traditional shareholder perspective argues that companies only participate in socially responsible activities which increase shareholder value, while an alternate perspective argues that companies also undertake social responsibilities to benefit society even at the cost of shareholders (Moser and Martin, 2012). The study demonstrates that the two perspectives are not always at odds, carbon emission disclosure not only provides important information on the corporate social responsibility of the firm but also contributes to enriching the information environment leading to reduced information asymmetry in the equity markets for US firms. Thus, from both a stakeholder and capital market perspective, firms have incentives to provide carbon emission disclosures voluntarily. More direct stakeholder pressure may be helpful to encourage more firms to provide complete carbon emission information and opt to make it available to the public. Originality/value Few studies investigate the impact of CDP disclosure on the information environment of public companies. The lack of research on this key connection between new disclosures on carbon emissions and information asymmetry in the capital markets is the primary motivation for the paper. The study also provides important insights on disclosure level; just participating in the CDP survey is not enough, the degree of participation is also important. The results of the study suggest that the varying level of disclosure matters, the greatest benefits in terms of reduction of information asymmetry accrue to firms that provide complete information and opt to make it available to the public.

scholarly journals The Impact of Immigrant Religions on the Nature of Religious Pluralism in the USA and Western Europe

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 8-32
Author(s):  
Elena D. Rutkevich
Keyword(s):  
Western Europe ◽  
Religious Pluralism ◽  
Immigrant Incorporation ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Usa ◽  
History Of ◽  
American Society ◽  
Private Domain ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Private Religiosity

Some of the most significant consequences of transnational immigration is growing religious diversity and finding a way to manage it. This article considers the concept of pluralism, the differences in religious pluralism between America and Western Europe occurring due to immigration, as well as the roles and possibilities of immigrant religions in the process of adapting to the host society. The history of immigration, models of immigrant incorporation and adaption, patterns of religious pluralism and types of secularism strongly vary in the aforementioned regions. Religion in America is a positive resource and a basis for incorporating immigrants into American society, their recognition in public life, assimilation and construction of an American identity. By contrast, in Western Europe immigrant religions, particularly Islam, are perceived primarily as an obstacle to incorporating immigrants into European societies and their recognition in the public domain. This is explained mainly by the secularist mindset of European people in general, their uncertain “private” religiosity in the context of “Euro-secularity”, the European concept of religion’s place in the “private domain”, as well as types of state-religion relations and institutional patterns of recognition which differ from America.

scholarly journals THE REAL POWER OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA, THE INTERPRETATION OF THE ESTABLISHING COMMUNICATION WAYS, AS ILLUSTRATED BY THE TURKISH ASSISTANCE DURING THE KOSOVO CRISES

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 266
Author(s):  
Njomza Krasniqi
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Political Affiliation ◽  
General Picture ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Social ◽  
The World ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Media ◽  
The Impact

As it is always with new inventions in human history the role they play in their early stages is mostly none acknowledged before they make a more widespread impact. The social media is one of them. Due to the new aspects that this relatively new kind of media its role is mostly negligee in favors of the more vastly popular other forms. In the kind of era that we live technology means that the place where we get the information is irrelevant in the grand scheme of the things, however that does not mean that the impact is lesser or higher. To make the example more clear even though a news that the currency is going to raise or lower in the USA- for example its mostly limited to the USA citizens it has a dire impact in the rest of the world, but even though the means for this news is the generic media, the ones to give the means to understand and make amends to prepare for the consequences to the rest of the world. Due to this kind of functionality is always difficult to separate where the generic forms of the media begin and where the social media begin. What is interesting is that this function of social media begins since the first forms of the internet and it’s just more pronounced nowadays. As an example of this functionality the more prominent one is the way Turkey interfered in the Kosovo Crises. More than the generic news and political affiliation at the time the most impact in the public opinion did the social media. This paper is a research in this regard. It’s not very detailed and it shows a general picture of the situation and only deal with the main aspects of the behavior of the social media, however is a beginning which shows the great impact all forms of communications, especially the social media.

scholarly journals The Real Power of the Social Media, the Interpretation of the Establishing Communication Ways, as Illustrated by the Turkish Assistance during the Kosovo Crises

2015 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 100
Author(s):  
Njomza Krasniqi
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Political Affiliation ◽  
General Picture ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Social ◽  
The World ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Media ◽  
The Impact

As it is always with new inventions in human history the role they play in their early stages is mostly none acknowledged before they make a more widespread impact. The social media is one of them. Due to the new aspects that this relatively new kind of media its role is mostly negligee in favors of the more vastly popular other forms. In the kind of era that we live technology means that the place where we get the information is irrelevant in the grand scheme of the things, however that does not mean that the impact is lesser or higher. To make the example more clear even though a news that the currency is going to raise or lower in the USA- for example its mostly limited to the USA citizens it has a dire impact in the rest of the world, but even though the means for this news is the generic media, the ones to give the means to understand and make amends to prepare for the consequences to the rest of the world. Due to this kind of functionality is always difficult to separate where the generic forms of the media begin and where the social media begin. What is interesting is that this function of social media begins since the first forms of the internet and it’s just more pronounced nowadays. As an example of this functionality the more prominent one is the way Turkey interfered in the Kosovo Crises. More than the generic news and political affiliation at the time the most impact in the public opinion did the social media. This paper is a research in this regard. It’s not very detailed and it shows a general picture of the situation and only deal with the main aspects of the behavior of the social media, however is a beginning which shows the great impact all forms of communications, especially the social media.

Building Capacity of the Public Health Education Workforce Through Partnerships

2003 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-59
Author(s):  
Mark Tomita
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Disparities ◽  
Health Education ◽  
Public Health Education ◽  
Professional Associations ◽  
State University ◽  
Cd Rom ◽  
The Public ◽  
Prevention Services ◽  
The Usa

The Global Health Disparities CD-ROM Project reaffirmed the value of professional associations partnering with academic institutions to build capacity of the USA public health education workforce to meet the challenges of primary prevention services. The Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) partnered with the California State University, Chico to produce a CD-ROM that would advocate for global populations that are affected by health disparities while providing primary resources for public health educators to use in programming and professional development. The CD-ROM development process is discussed

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