Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Isolation And Investigation Of The Exopolysaccharide From Thauera Sp. Mz1t, Michael S. Allen

Doctoral Dissertations

Thauera sp. strain MZ1T is a floc-forming bacterium isolated from the wastewater treatment plant of Eastman Chemical Company. Its overabundance in that system in the form of zoogloeal clusters was positively correlated to episodes of poor dewatering of activated sludge (Lajoie 2000). The specific cause of this problem was thought to be due to the production of large quantities of hydrophilic exopolysaccharide (EPS) by MZ1T, which entraps water in the form of a hydrated gel, and results in a sludge that is resistant to mechanical dewatering.

A method for the reproducible extraction of EPS from pure cultures of MZ1T was …

Cutting Edge: Persistent Viral Infection Prevents Tolerance Induction And Escapes Immune Control Following Cd28/Cd40 Blockade-Based Regimen, Thandi M. Onami, M. A. Williams, A. B. Adams, M. M. Durham, T. C. Pearson, R. Ahmed, C. P. Larsen

Microbiology Publications and Other Works

A continuing concern with CD28 and/or CD40 blockade-based strategies to induce tolerance and mixed chimerism is their potential to disrupt protective immunity to preexisting infections. In this report, we find that preexisting persistent infection with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) clone 13 prevents the induction of tolerance, mixed chimerism, and donor-reactive T cell deletion. Mice continue to be refractory to tolerance induction even after viremia has been resolved and virus is present only at very low levels in peripheral tissues. Conversely, we find that the full tolerance regimen, or costimulation blockade alone, specifically inhibits already ongoing antiviral immune responses, leading to …

Short Communication: Relationship Between Body Growth And Mammary Development In Dairy Heifers, L F. Silva, M J. Vandehaar, Brian K. Whitlock, R P. Radcliff, H A. Tucker

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Large Animal Clinical Sciences

Our objective was to determine if prepubertal rate of body weight (BW) gain, independent of diet, was related to mammary development of dairy heifers. Data from two studies recently conducted at Michigan State University were used to identify factors, within a dietary treatment group, that would account for variation in first lactation milk production or amount of mammary parenchymal DNA at the time of puberty. Factors analyzed for variation in milk production during first lactation were: postpartum BW, prepubertal BW gain, gestational BW gain, postpartum BW gain, body condition score (BCS) at breeding, and BCS at calving. Factors analyzed for …

Molecular Cloning And Characterization Of A Novel Mouse Macrophage C-Type Lectin, Mmgl2, Which Has A Distinct Carbohydrate Specificity From Mmgl1, Thandi M. Onami, M. Tsuiji, M. Fujimori, Y. Ohashi, N. Higashi, S. M. Hendrick, T. Irimura

Microbiology Publications and Other Works

A novel mouse macrophage galactose-type C-type lectin 2 (mMGL2) was identified by BLAST analysis of expressed sequence tags. The sequence of mMGL2 is highly homologous to the mMGL, which should now be called mMGL1. The open reading frame of mMGL2 contains a sequence corresponding to a type II transmembrane protein with 332 amino acids having a single extracellular C-type lectin domain. The 3'-untranslated region included long terminal repeats of mouse early transposon. The Mgl2 gene was cloned from a 129/SvJ mouse genomic library and sequenced. The gene spans 7,136 base pairs and consists of 10 exons, which is similar to …

Generation Of Mice Deficient For Macrophage Galactose- And N-Acetylgalactosamine-Specific Lectin: Limited Role In Lymphoid And Erythroid Homeostasis And Evidence For Multiple Lectins, Thandi M. Onami, M. Y. Lin, D. M. Page, S. A. Reynolds, C. D. Katayama, J. D. Marth, T. Irimura, A. Varki, N. Varki, S. M. Hedrick

Microbiology Publications and Other Works

Macrophage receptors function in pattern recognition for the induction of innate immunity, in cellular communication to mediate the regulation of adaptive immune responses, and in the clearance of some glycosylated cells or glycoproteins from the circulation. They also function in homeostasis by initiating the engulfment of apoptotic cells. Evidence has suggested that macrophage receptors function to recognize cells that are destined for programmed cell death but not yet overtly apoptotic. We have examined the function of a macrophage receptor specific for unsialylated glycoproteins, known as the mouse macrophage galactose- and N-acetylgalactosamine-specific lectin (mMGL) (Ii et al., J. Biol. Chem. 265:11295-11298, …

Dynamic Regulation Of T Cell Immunity By Cd43, Thandi M. Onami, L. E. Harrington, M. A. Williams, M. Galvan, C. P. Larsen, T. C. Pearson, N. Manjunath, L. G. Baum, B. D. Pearce, R. Ahmed

Microbiology Publications and Other Works

During a viral response, Ag-specific effector T cells show dramatically increased binding by the mAb 1B11 and the lectin peanut agglutinin (PNA). We investigated the contribution of CD43 expression to 1B11 and PNA binding as well as its role in generation and maintenance of a CD8 T cell response. Analysis of CD43(-/-) mice revealed no increased 1B11 binding and reduced PNA binding on virus-specific CD8 T cells from -/- mice compared with +/+ mice. Furthermore, we examined the role of CD43 in the kinetics of an immune response. We show that CD43 expression modestly effects generation of a primary virus-specific …

Effect Of Dietary Protein On Prepubertal Mammary Development In Rapidly Growing Dairy Heifers, Brian K. Whitlock, M J. Vandehaar, L F. Silva, H A. Tucker

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Large Animal Clinical Sciences

The objective was to determine whether increased dietary protein would enhance mammary development in prepubertal heifers fed for rapid body growth (1.2 kg/d). Fifty-four Holstein heifers (weighing approximately 134 kg) were assigned to one of three treatments. Heifers were fed a total mixed ration with metabolizable energy at 2.85 Mcal/kg and metabolizable protein at low, standard, or high concentrations (37, 41, or 44 g/Mcal of metabolizable energy, respectively) from 3.5 mo of age until slaughter at approximately 46 d after puberty. Heifers fed low, standard, and high protein gained 1130, 1170, and 1180 g/d, respectively. Dietary protein did not affect …

Analysis Of Aneuploidy During Mouse Spermatogenesis, April D. Pyle

Doctoral Dissertations

Successful transition through meiosis is required for production of chromosomally-balanced gametes. When chromosome segregation goes awry during meiosis, aneuploidy can occur. Unfortunately, the mechanisms behind this nondisjunction are not well understood. Therefore, this dissertation has focused on learning more about the causative factors associated with aneuploidy during spermatogenesis. Are there factors that are always associated with leading to production of aneuploid sperm? One of the main goals of this dissertation is to find mouse models to study what factors may be involved in chromosome malsegregation; such as pairing, recombination, and transition through the division phases of meiosis.

The first part …

Investigation Of Cognitive Impairments Using Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (Fmri) And Positron Emission Tomography (Pet) In Patients With Mild Alzheimer's Disease, Mateja De Leonni Stanonik

Doctoral Dissertations

Awareness and interest in diseases, which pertain to cognitive and affective functions in the elderly, has been increasing, as the proportion of elderly people in the population grows larger. Afflicting an estimated 19 million people worldwide the syndrome of dementia comprises some of the most prevalent and devastating diseases. The development of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most frequent cause of dementia in the elderly, is associated with a number of pathogenic mechanisms that include genetic, immunologic, and vascular factors. AD is often unrecognized in its earliest stages even though it is the most common cause of dementia in the aged …

Analysis And Diagnostic Implications Of The Fusion And Attachment Protein Genes Of Respiratory Syncytial Viruses Of Ruminants, Nasser Zakaria Eleraky

Doctoral Dissertations

Respiratory syncytial viruses (RSVs) in ruminants are classified into two subgroups, ovine RSV and bovine RSV. Although ovine RSV infects cattle, its contribution to bovine respiratory tract disease has not been established which is an important issue for vaccine development in cattle.

Diagnosis by virus isolation or serology has low or variable sensitivity and/or specificity and PCR has been recommended as a rapid and sensitive technique for RSV detection. Prior to this study, a laboratory test to differentiate between bovine and ovine RSVs did not exist.

First, the nucleotide sequence of the ovine RSV fusion (F) gene was determined and …

Aquaporins And Aquaglyceroporins Of Legume Nodules: Structure, Function, And Regulation, James F. Guenther

Doctoral Dissertations

By isolating RNA from mature nodules of the legume Lotus japonicas and employing an RT-PCR approach, two new cDNAs were characterized whose open reading frames code for members of the MIP (Major Intrinsic Protein) family of membrane proteins. These two genes products were termed (Lotus Intrinsic Membrane Protein 1 and 2) LIMP1 and LIMP2. Both LIMP1 and LIMP2 display all the hallmarks of the MIP protein family including, six putative transmembrane domains based on hydropathy plots, and the invariant NPA (asparagine-proline-alanine) signature motifs located symmetrically on two loops, which connect transmembrane helix 3-4 and transmembrane helix 5-6. Based on sequence …

Bordetella Bronchiseptica: A Candidate Mucosal Vaccine Vector, Sreekumari Rajeev

Doctoral Dissertations

Bordetella bronchiseptica colonizes the upper respiratory tract of a wide variety of mammals and is involved in diseases such as kennel cough in dogs, atrophic rhinitis in pigs and upper respiratory tract infections of laboratory animals. Studies were focused on developing a heterologous antigen expression system in B. bronchiseptica and to evaluate the potential of this organism as a candidate mucosal vaccine vector. Since the role of Bordetella bronchiseptica and Pasteurella multocida toxin (PMT) in the disease atrophic rhinitis of pigs was well documented, this research was focused in the possibility of developing a refined vaccine to control this disease. …

Testing A Theory Of Decision Making Derived From King's Systems Framework In Women Eligible For A Cancer Clinical Trial, H.E. Ehrenberger, M.R. Alligood, Sandra Thomas, D.C. Wallace, C.M. Licavoli

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Nursing

The purpose of this study was to test an explanatory theory of decision-making in women eligible for a cancer clinical trial. The theory derived from King’s framework proposed that the concepts of uncertainty, role functioning, and social support relate to emotional health (hope and mood state), which in turn relates to the treatment decision. A correlational study design was used to test the theory in a sample of 40 women. Findings provided empirical evidence of the adequacy of King’s framework and supported, in part, theorized relationships among the critical factors. However, these factors did not illuminate the treatment decision.

Differentiation And Treatment Of Anemia In Hiv Disease, Kenneth D. Phillips, M Groer

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Nursing

Anemia is a frequent complication of HIV disease that contributes to decreased quality of life and increased morbidity and mortality. The three major categories of anemia in HIV disease are anemia due to impaired red blood cell production, anemia due to increased red blood cell destruction, and anemia due to increased red blood cell loss. Although anemia of chronic illness is the most common type of anemia in HIV disease, other classifications of anemia may be encountered. Understanding the pathophysiology of anemia and laboratory tests that are frequently used to establish the differential diagnosis of anemia helps to ensure that …

What's Therapeutic About The Therapeutic Milieu?, Sandra Thomas, M. Shattell, T. Martin

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Nursing

While the milieu of an inpatient facility is considered a treatment modality, extant literature focuses on the staff's role in creating the milieu rather than the patient's perception of it. Not since Goffman's Asylums (1961) has there been an in-depth examination of the phenomenal world of the hospitalized psychiatric patient. In this study, eight inpatients (ages 23 to 58) on the acute psychiatric unit of a metropolitan general hospital participated in phenomenological interviews about their experience of the environment. The essential meaning of the hospital was refuge from self-destructiveness. Prominent aspects of patients' experience within the place of refuge were …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Experience Of The Spouse Of A Heart Transplant Recipient, A.H. Mccurry, Sandra Thomas

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Nursing

In this phenomenological study, in-depth interviews were used to obtain a description of spouses’ experiences in heart transplantation. Thematic analysis of the transcripts revealed four major, interrelated themes: death-life, vigilance, change, and gift. The experience was contextualized by the existential grounds of time and other people. Findings suggested that the changes inherent in the transplant experience have not been fully described in previous studies. The theme of death-life was dominant and pervasive in all interviews. As the threat of their husbands’ deaths became less prominent, wives reported difficulty letting go of their vigilance. Although the most outstanding gift was that …

Incidence And Correlates Of Violence Among Hiv-Infected Women At Risk For Pregnancy In The Southeastern United States, R.L. Sowell, Kenneth D. Phillips, B. Seals, C. Murdaugh, C. Rush

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Nursing

To identify the incidence and correlates of physical and sexual violence among HIV-infected women at risk for pregnancy, a cross-sectional examination was conducted within a longitudinal study of reproductive decision making. Participants consisted of 275 HIVinfected women 17 to 49 years of age (mean = 30.1 years).Women were predominantly African American (87%) and single (82%), with annual incomes of $10,000 or less (66%). Overall, 68% of the women reported experiencing lifetime physical and/or sexual violence. Before becoming HIV infected, 65% of the women reported having been physically or sexually abused. After HIV diagnosis, 33% of the women reported experiencing physical …

Age Differences In Anger Frequency, Intensity, And Expression, Sandra Thomas

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Nursing

BACKGROUND: Although research consistently indicates harmful effects of mismanaged anger, little attention has been given to age differences in the experience and expression of this emotion. It is plausible that, with age and experience, people have less intense anger or learn to manage it more constructively.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this project was to examine age differences in anger frequency, intensity, and expression in a nonclinical sample of students, faculty, and staff who participated in a health fair at a large southeastern university.

STUDY DESIGN: This descriptive study involved a predominantly white sample, ranging in age from 18 to 76 …

Variability Of Placental Expression Of Cyclin E Low Molecular Weight Variants, A Bukovsky, Maria Cekanova Ms, Rndr, Phd, Mr Caudle, J Wimalasena, Js Foster, Ja Keenan, Rf Elder

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology

No abstract provided.

Adaptive Functions Of The Corpus Striatum: The Past And Future Of The R-Complex, Neil Greenberg

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

The basal ganglia is emerging from the shadow cast by the most conspicuous clinical expression of its dysfunction: motor disorders.What is revealed is the nexus of a widely distributed system which functions in integrating action with cognition, motivation, and affect. Prominent among non-motor functions are striatal involvement in building up of sequences of behavior into meaningful, goal-directed patterns and repertoires and the selection of appropriate learned or innate sequences in concert with their possible predictive control. Further, striatum seems involved in declarative and strategic memory (involving intentional recollection and the management of retrieved memories, respectively). Findings from reptile experiments indicate …

Ethological Aspects Of Stress In A Model Lizard, Anolis Carolinensis, Neil Greenberg

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Research on the stress response in reptiles can provide a useful comparative perspective for understanding how the constituent elements of the response can be put into service of diverse behavioral adaptations. A summary of the neural and endocrine causes and consequences of specific behavioral patterns seen in the small diurnal lizard, Anolis carolinensis, has provided a model for the exploration of the dynamics of autonomic and neurohormonal contributions to adaptive behavior.

In this species, changes in body color provide indices of the flux of circulating stress relevant hormones, and are seen in situations from spontaneous exploration through agonistic behavior. Furthermore, …