Life Sciences Commons^™

The Aid Effectiveness Architecture In Africa: An Analysis Of Aid Structures In Kenya’S Agriculture Sector, Daniel Kipleel Borter

International Journal of African Development

This study examines in detail the development aid architecture in Kenya’s agriculture sector. The focus is on the mechanisms in place within the Kenyan government (and ministry of agriculture in particular), mechanisms among and within donor agencies, and overall coordination mechanisms that bring together the donors and the government. Findings show that coordination and harmonization activities among donors are yet to yield the desired outcomes such as the division of labor protocol and joint programming. Weaknesses are also observed on the government side where it appears authorities are yet to internalize PD concepts and interpret them to suit the country's …

A Deep Learníng-Based Data Minimization Algorithm For Big Genomics Data In Support Of Lot And Secure Smart Health Services, Mohammed Aledhari

Dissertations

In the age of Big Genomics Data, institutes such as the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI),1000-Genomes project, and the international cancer sequencing consortium are faced with the challenge of sharing large volumes of data between internationallydispersed sample collectors, data analyzers, and researchers, a process that up until now has been plagued by unreliable transfers and slow connection speeds. These occur due to the inherent throughput bottlenecks of traditional transfer technologies. One suggested solution is using the cloud as an infrastructure to solve the store and analysis challenges. However, the transfer and share of the genomics datasets between biological laboratories …

Papermaking Factors Affecting Lateral Web Position During Commercial Heat Set Web Offset Printing, George W. Shields

Masters Theses

The interaction of water with paper plays a role in web handling characteristics during commercial heat set web offset printing. Water absorption leads to lower web tension for a given strain.

This research investigates paper properties and their role in preventing lateral web movement from cross machine air flows in the drying section during normal printing operations. Tensile properties of sheets are measured at various moisture contents and then used to determine the equilibrium stress-strain relationship for papers at moisture contents typical of heat set web offset printing. Permeability, fiber orientation and tensile stiffness are evaluated against lateral web movement …

Scalable Data Structure To Compress Next-Generation Sequencing Files And Its Application To Compressive Genomics, Sandino Vargas-Perez, Fahad Saeed

Parallel Computing and Data Science Lab Technical Reports

It is now possible to compress and decompress large-scale Next-Generation Sequencing files taking advantage of high-performance computing techniques. To this end, we have recently introduced a scalable hybrid parallel algorithm, called phyNGSC, which allows fast compression as well as decompression of big FASTQ datasets using distributed and shared memory programming models via MPI and OpenMP. In this paper we present the design and implementation of a novel parallel data structure which lessens the dependency on decompression and facilitates the handling of DNA sequences in their compressed state using fine-grained decompression in a technique that is identified as in …

Symptoms, Infectious Pathway, Treatment, And History Of Rabies In The United States, Paul Beckman-Ellenwood

Honors Theses

Rabies is a virus of the Lyssavirus family that is endemic to almost all parts of the world and claims over 55,000 lives every year. The virus is capable of being vectored through any warm-blooded animal and has a variable incubation time in its hosts. Once the disease finishes incubating and symptoms appear in the host, the disease is always fatal to humans. To prevent this there are several treatments available, but they can be expensive or difficult to obtain in parts of the world that have the most problems with rabies. To solve this vaccines have been created to …

Evolution Of Caffeine Biosynthetic Enzymes And Pathways In Flowering Plants, Ruiqi Huang

Dissertations

Convergent evolution generally refers to the independent evolution of similar biological function more than once in unrelated species. Caffeine is thought to have evolved by convergence, and is naturally produced through secondary metabolism in plants to defend against pathogen attack and insect feeding or to attract pollinators. The same caffeine biosynthetic pathway has been elucidated in Camellia (tea) and Coffea (coffee), in which xanthosine is sequentially methylated to caffeine via 7-methylxanthine and theobromine. However, although the same catalysis pathway is used, different (paralogous) enzymes in the SAMT/BAMT/theobromine synthase (SABATH) multigene family are used in the two species. In my dissertation, …

Defining The Immune Response And Cellular Pathologies In Multiple System Atrophy, Annamarie Valenti

Masters Theses

Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the accumulation of misfolded α-synuclein (α-Syn) in oligodendrocytes of the central nervous system (CNS). A previous study in our lab used Affymetrix DNA microarray analysis to show the downregulation of various mitochondrial related genes, as well as the upregulation of genes involved in inflammatory/immune responses in MSA brain tissue. Therefore, it is hypothesized that an increased presence of immune proteins exists in the MSA brain accompanied by glial cell pathology including decreases in cell metabolism and cell viability. This study uses immunohistochemistry (IHC) to show the increased presence of CD68 …

The Role Of Calcium In Regulation Of Glial Cell Line Derived Neurotrophic Factor By Skeletal Muscle Cells, Alicia M. Boynton

Masters Theses

Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is an important signaling molecule for the somatic motor nervous system. GDNF protein is produced and secreted by skeletal muscle cells and helps maintain motor neuron innervation at the neuromuscular junction. Treatment with exogenous GDNF prevents denervation which is characteristic of aging and neurodegenerative disease. The therapeutic potential of GDNF cannot be fully explored without understanding the mechanisms by which GDNF protein production is regulated. The primary objective of this study was to determine the role of calcium in regulating GDNF protein expression by skeletal muscle cells. Skeletal muscle cells (C2C12) were grown in …

Oncolytic Tanapoxvirus For Melanoma Therapy, Tiantian Zhang

Dissertations

Oncolytic viruses (OVs), which preferentially infect cancer cells and induce host anti- tumor immune responses, have emerged as an effective melanoma therapy. Tanapoxvirus (TPV), which possesses a large genome and causes mild self-limiting disease in humans, is potentially an ideal OV candidate. The purposes of our studies are to engineer TPV into effective OVs via arming immumo-stimulatory proteins and/or manipulating the virokines, and to explore the immuno-modulatory activities of TPV.

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) plays a critical role in activating T cells, natural killer cells and macrophages in both the innate and adaptive immune systems. In our study, a recombinant TPV expressing …

Fate Of Conductive Ink Pigments During Recycling And Landfill Deposition Of Paper-Based Printed Electronics, James Edward Atkinson

Dissertations

Printed electronics (PE) are being developed as an alternative to traditional electronics, due to the more efficient use of materials and lower cost of production. The overall goal of this study was to understand how metallic pigments in conductive inks in PE are partitioned during landfill disposal and paper recycling conditions. The purpose is to assess the potential environmental impacts of PE landfilling in terms of metal leaching and to help develop new strategies for sequestering metallic ink components while paper-based PE are subjected to conventional paper recycling methods. The objective of this research is to study the fate of …

Health Benefits Of A Plant-Based Diet, Jenna Jackson

Honors Theses

While the rise and spread of Western culture has created remarkable advances in science, healthcare, and technology, it has also brought about a variety of chronic diseases that never once existed. Much of these ailments can be attributed to the typical Western diet, which places heavy emphasis on meats, dairy, and refined grains, contrasting the typical Eastern or Oriental diet which primarily focuses on fruits, vegetables, fish, and whole grains. This dietary transition has resulted in increased glycemic load, increased levels of unhealthy fats and cholesterol, decreased micronutrient and fiber levels, and skewed acid-base and sodium-potassium ratios. All of these …

Enzyme Characterization Of Sabath Family Members, Troy Burtchett

Honors Theses

Enzymes can have many different functions within an organism. One such common function is methylation. The SABATH family of enzymes perform methylation of various organic acids. Many of the members of this family of enzymes have become specialized in the acid they methylate. For example: salicylic acid methyl transferase (SAMT) will primarily methylate salicylic acid, and benzoic acid methyl transferase (BAMT) will primarily methylate benzoic acid. By comparing the sequence of these enzymes, it has been found that a conserved region consisting of the sequence SSYSLMWLS appears in some form across all the members of the SABATH family. The 6 …

Implementation Of A Biology Summer Bridge Program For First-Year Biology Majors, Madelyn Aittama

Honors Theses

Students are entering higher education at an escalated rate, but many are unprepared for the rigorous coursework that lies ahead of them. As nationwide programs are continuously being implemented throughout high schools to better prepare students for college life, many students are still not equipped with the skills necessary to succeed in obtaining a bachelor’s degree. Many students feel discouraged and inadequate when they perform below their academic expectations, and for a large portion of students pursuing higher education, this results in discontinuing their education. While retention rates amongst STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) students are particularly low, the …

Characterization Of A Neuroprotective Retinal Synapse After Inducing Glaucoma In Long Evans Rats, Cynthia A. Cooley-Themm

Research and Creative Activities Poster Day

Glaucoma is a group of degenerative retinal diseases characterized by progressive loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and their axons leading to irreversible loss of vision. Neuroprotection has been defined as any intervention that prevents optic nerve damage or RGC death. The neurotransmitter, acetycholine (ACh), has been linked to neuroprotection against excitotoxic cell death and neurodegenerative diseases of the central nervous system (CNS). Results from our lab have demonstrated that ACh provides neuroprotection against glutamate-induced excitotoxicity in isolated pig and rat RGCs in vitro. Additional studies using an in vivo rat model of glaucoma have shown that intravitreal injections or …

Assessing A Punching Bag Feedback Performance Device, Neil Deochand

Dissertations

Physical exercise has been integrated into treatment efforts in reversing the number of overweight and obese individuals. Furthermore, exercise extends mortality, enhances general quality of life, and it is a protective health factor for preventing the progression some mental health disorders. Electronic athletic training equipment easily allows monitoring of real-time physical activity, and enables tracking of progress made toward individualized performance goals. There are limitations to only using visual feedback (e.g., visual depictions of heart rate, speed, distance traveled, or calories burned etc.) to track and improve exercise and athletic performance, especially for some sports, such as boxing. This issue …

Human-Nonhuman Chimeras, Ontology, And Dignity: A Constructivist Approach To The Ethics Of Conducting Research On Cross-Species Hybrids, Jonathan M. Vajda

The Hilltop Review

Developments in biological technology in the last few decades highlight the surprising and ever-expanding practical benefits of stem cells. With this progress, the possibility of combining human and nonhuman organisms is a reality, with ethical boundaries that are not readily obvious. These inter-species hybrids are of a larger class of biological entities called “chimeras.” As the concept of a human-nonhuman creature is conjured in our minds, either incredulous wonder or grotesque horror is likely to follow. This paper seeks to mitigate those worries and demotivate reasonable concerns raised against chimera research, all the while pressing current ethical positions toward their …

First 100 Cases Of Bls First Responder A Dministered Naloxone In A Statewide Ems System, Joshua Mastenbrook, James Markman, Tyler Koedam, William Fales

Research Day

Abstract Title: FIRST 100 CASES OF BLS FIRST RESPONDER ADMINISTERED NALOXONE IN A STATEWIDE EMS SYSTEM Abstract ID: 240 Abstract Category: Clinical Research BACKGROUND: In October 2015, a midwestern state law mandated that all BLS first responder (FR) agencies be trained and equipped to administer naloxone to suspected opioid-overdose patients. Although well intentioned, several questions have arisen: does naloxone use displace emphasis on early positive pressure ventilation (PPV), is naloxone being appropriately administered, and does the mandate affect patient outcome. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the first 100 cases of FR administered naloxone (FR-naloxone) for administration appropriateness …

A Case Of Difficult-To-Treat Asthma Due To Uncontrolled Atypical Gastroesophageal Reflux, Alissa Welsh, Andrey Leonov

Research Day

Introduction: 
In uncontrolled asthma, comorbid conditions should be treated in order to achieve better asthma control. The contribution of gastro-esophageal reflux (GER) may be overlooked when its presentation is atypical. 
Case Report: 
11 year-old male with moderate persistent asthma and allergic rhinitis presented with persistent barky cough, diagnosed as spasmodic croup after bronchoscopy, esophagram, swallow study and magnified airway x-ray failed to show anatomical abnormality. Empiric proton pump inhibitor (PPI) treatment was started with improvement in cough. Patient was referred to Gastroenterology for evaluation of GER, despite lack of heartburn or vomiting. Endoscopy revealed esophageal candida infection which was treated. …

Traumatic Laceration Of The Posterior Tibial Tendon Treated With Novel Technique, Nicholas Miladore, Robert Gorman

Research Day

Abstract Title: TRAUMATIC LACERATION OF THE POSTERIOR TIBIAL TENDON TREATED WITH NOVEL TECHNIQUE Abstract ID: 249 Abstract Category: Clinical Research INTRODUCTION: Posterior tibial tendon (PTT) insufficiency is a common entity, and can result in chronic tendon disruption. Acute disruption is a rare occurrence, but has been described in the literature. Most reported cases are associated with ipsilateral ankle fractures. Laceration of the posterior tibial tendon has also been described, typically in the operative setting as a result of iatrogenic injury. 
CASE REPORT: A 15 year old male presented to the clinic with complaints of right ankle pain and weakness. 2.5 …

A Highly Unusual Case Of Metastatic Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma, Zachary Koehn, Lauren Piper

Research Day

Introduction: Pancreatic cancer is a rare malignancy, with nearly a 100% mortality rate. The strongest risk factor for pancreatic cancer is advanced age; the median age of diagnosis is 70. Here we discuss a case of pancreatic cancer in a 32 year-old woman. Case Description: S.R. is a 32 year-old female presenting with new-onset jaundice. Two months prior to presentation, she reported vomiting and LUQ pain, and was treated for H. pylori. Her symptoms improved, but she developed anorexia, RUQ pain, 35 lb weight loss and clay-colored diarrhea. Her medical history is negative except for 10-pack-year smoking history. Exam revealed …

Rare Presentation Of High Grade Retroperitoneal Angiosarcoma In A Patient Status Post Endovascular Aortic Repair (Evar), Jairo Espinosa M.D., Alan Hifko, Julia Miladore M.D., John T. Collins

Research Day

INTRODUCTION: Primary angiosarcoma of the aorta is a rare malignancy arising from the aorta’s endothelial lining. The most common presentation is claudication, however in the presence of an endograft a tumor originating in the aneurysmal sac may remain undetected and mimic common graft pathology. Diagnosis is typically delayed due to vague clinical presentation and imaging being indistinguishable from common complications of endografts such as leaks, infections or hematomas. We report a case of primary angiosarcoma of the aorta after endovascular repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm. This case report describes the sixth case in the literature of primary angiosarcoma arising …

A Case Of Successful Treatment Of Skin Excoriation Disorder With N-Acetyl Cysteine, Nauman Khan M.D., Priya Mahajan M.D., Sadia Shaukat M.D., Matthew Lacasse D.O., Mark Kanzawa D.O.

Research Day

Introduction: We present a case of a middle age patient with skin excoriation disorder since age 15 who experienced significant improvement with augmentation of her treatment regimen with N-acetyl cysteine. This improvement occurred despite a recurrence of her depression, alcohol use disorder, and stimulant use disorder. Case Presentation: A 59 year-old-female with 44 years of unsuccessful treatment of self-excoriation disorder presented with symptoms of unspecified depression, OCD and stimulant use disorder. She was referred by her surgeon who had to postpone a revision of her hip replacement as she was self-excoriating the right axillary lymphadenectomy site. Initial administration of PHQ-9 …

Paired Samples Analysis Of Isolated Gastrocnemius Contracture In Patients With Foot And Ankle Pathology, Adam Green, James Jastifer M.D.

Research Day

INTRODUCTION: Prior studies have demonstrated that patients with foot and ankle pain have an associated isolated gastrocnemius contracture (decrease in ankle dorsiflexion). It remains unclear if this is a casual, or a causal relationship. The purpose of the current study is to report validated ankle dorsiflexion in both legs of patients with unilateral foot and ankle pain to provide some insight into the relationship between an isolated gastrocnemius contracture and foot and ankle pain. Our hypothesis was that patients presenting with foot and ankle pain would have similar measured ankle range of motion in both ankles despite having unilateral foot …

Acute Hypoxic Respiratory Failure As A Complication Of A Urinary Tract Infection During Pregnancy: A Case Presentation, Manpreet S. Narwal, Susan Jevert-Eichorn, Narinder Nina Clair

Research Day

Urinary tract infections (UTI), as well as asymptomatic bacteriuria, have the potential to cause serious morbidity during pregnancy making it imperative to identify and treat them promptly. If left untreated, a UTI can lead to pyelonephritis and sepsis. More importantly, UTIs are independently associated with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), premature rupture of membranes (PROM), preterm delivery, pulmonary edema, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), preeclampsia, and cesarean delivery. We report the case of NC, a 19 year old G1P0 at 36 weeks and 3 days GA who presented to the hospital with concern for rupture of membranes with associated back and …

Widening The Differential: A Case Of Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis Disguised As A Fever Of Unknown Origin, Emily Cordes

Research Day

Introduction: Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is an under recognized, aggressive inflammatory disease characterized by excessive activity of histiocytes and lymphocytes. According to the HLH-2004 guidelines, five of the following eight criteria must be met to diagnose HLH: fever >38.5¡ã C, splenomegaly; cytopenias affecting ¡Ý two cell lines; hypertriglyceridemia/hypofibrinogenemia; evidence of hemophagocytosis in the bone marrow, spleen or lymph nodes; hyperferritinemia; low NK cell activity; or high levels of soluble CD25. Once a diagnosis of HLH is established, investigations for infectious, malignant or autoimmune etiologies must be pursued. We report a case of fever of unknown origin (FUO) that presented multiple times …

A Case Of Native Valve Staphylococcus Epidermidis Endocarditis With Cardiac Abscess Formation, Emily Cordes, Chris Jacob, Mark Loehrke

Research Day

Introduction: Staphylococcus epidermidis is the most common commensal bacteria of the skin; however it can be pathogenic and is the most frequent cause of medical device associated endocarditis. It is also a well-known cause of endocarditis in IV drug abuse (IVDA). However, in individuals without obvious disruption of the skin barrier, it is a relatively rare, but emerging entity of native valve endocarditis. Coagulase negative staphylococci account for only 1-5% of community acquired native valve infective endocarditis and most resolve with treatment. We report a case of a 56 year old male with an aggressive strain of community acquired Staphylococcus …

Enhancing Childrens Social-Emotional Learning Skills Through Mindfulness Practices, Shun Yi Wan, Stephanie Chang, Jordan Fenlon, Amrith Shettigar, Mckenzie Johnson, Sam Lealofi

Research Day

Background: The Kalamazoo Eastside neighborhood has been subject to a great deal of economic and functional instability, particularly impacting the youth. Local demographic studies indicate that 90% of children are eligible for free or reduced lunch due to low income, 58% of households are single-female households, and 29% of parents do not have a high school diploma. Eastside Youth Strong (EYS) is a local organization focused on improving the lives of these children. This study will be investigating the EYS afterschool program’s mindfulness initiative. Purpose: Social and emotional learning were chosen to be studied because these skills are critical for …

Death Related To Fistulas Involving The Gastrointestinal And Cardiovascular Systems, Allan Joseph Medwick Edd, Joseph Prahlow

Research Day

BACKGROUND/INTRODUCTION: Gastrointestinal tract fistulas are relatively uncommon and can be congenital or acquired. Fistulas may communicate with a variety of anatomic locations, including body cavities, the skin, and other organ systems. Acquired fistulas which communicate with the cardiovascular system are of particular concern, as they may be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. This study reports on three cases of acquired, post-surgical fistula formation involving the gastrointestinal and cardiovascular systems. CASE REPORTS: Case 1 - A 57-year-old man experienced sudden cardiac death shortly after having a permanent pacemaker placed for atrial fibrillation. Approximately two years earlier, he underwent surgical resection …

Benefit Of Ultrasound Curriculum Development For Family Medicine Residents, Nithin Natwa, Uzair Munshey, Duncan Vos, Robert Baker

Research Day

Introduction/Purpose: Musculoskeletal problems comprise some of the most common reasons for ambulatory care encounters in the United States, accounting for 8.3% of the 1.2 billion visits per year according to the CDC. Musculoskeletal Ultrasound use has become more common in primary care for diagnosis and therapeutics. In Family Medicine Residency (FMR) Programs there is a deficiency of a structured, competency-based musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSK US) training despite its growing popularity. Currently, there is no formalized requirement for Ultrasound education as in other residency programs in spite of its benefit. Methods: We received a positive response on our needs analysis survey for …

Childhood Idiopathic Pulmonary Hypertension: A Case Report, Nathaniel Balmert, Joseph Prahlow

Research Day

Introduction: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is characterized as average pulmonary artery pressure of greater than 25mm Hg at rest. Childhood idiopathic pulmonary hypertensions (CIPH) is distinguishable from PAH by the absence of family history or underlying disease. Symptoms of CIPH include dyspnea, exercise limitation, and syncope. Common organ-specific changes include right ventricular hypertrophy and right ventricular strain. We present the case of a 6-year-old girl presenting with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension aggravated by esophageal intubation. Methods: This case is from the files of one of the authors, a forensic pathologist. Case Report and Discussion: Diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension when …