Sars-Cov-2 Reveals That Chimeric Agents Are The Bioweapons Of The Future, Rachel Craig

Senior Honors Theses

Bioweapons programs have existed since their development during the Cold War. These biowarfare programs initially utilized naturally occurring pathogens capable of infecting crops, livestock populations, and human populations. Anthrax is a widely exploited bioagent responsible for attacks ranging from the Germans’ deployment in World War I to the mailing of anthrax through the postal service in attempts on U.S. senators’ lives. With the development of genetic manipulations, the Soviet Union began modifying anthrax to resist detection and treatment. With the continued advancement of science and technology, a new bioagent has entered the scene – the man-made chimeric virus. Chimeric viruses …

Analysis Of Edna To Assess Effects Of Water Quality On Freshwater Fungal Diversity In A Virginia Coastal Watershed, Lauren French

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Freshwater fungi comprise a phylogenetically and functionally diverse group which contributes to wide-ranging ecosystem processes in aquatic systems. Saprotrophic fungi convert detritus into nutrient-rich food sources for fish and invertebrates, whereas pathogenic and parasitic fungi can cause disease and population declines of other aquatic organisms. With their diverse and important roles, changes in freshwater fungal community structure may have far-reaching impacts on ecosystems. To understand how natural and anthropogenic stressors to freshwater systems impact fungal-mediated ecosystem processes, a greater understanding of the taxonomic and functional composition of freshwater fungal communities is needed. We assessed relationships among freshwater habitat types, water …

Life Stage And Proximity To Roads Shape The Skin Microbiota Of Eastern Newts (Notophthalmus Viridescens), Vanessa P. Wuerthner, Jessica Hua, Obed Hernandez-Gomez

Natural Sciences and Mathematics | Faculty Scholarship

Host-associated microbiomes play an essential role in the health of organisms, including immune system activation, metabolism, and energy uptake. It is well established that microbial communities differ depending on the life stage and natural history of the organism. However, the effects of life stage and natural history on microbial communities may also be influenced by human activities. We investigated the effects of amphibian life stage (terrestrial eft vs. aquatic adult) and proximity to roadways on newt skin bacterial communities. We found that the eft and adult life stages differed in bacterial community composition; however, the effects of roads on community …

Isolation And Identification Of Some Species Of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (Pgpr) From Some Bio-Fertilizers عزل وتحديد بعض أنواع الرايزوبكتيريا المحفزة لنمو النبات (Pgpr) من بعض المخصبات الحيوية, Yaser Hammad

Arab Journal of Arid Environments المجلة العربية للبيئات الجافة

This study was conducted to isolate and identify some species of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) form three biofertilizers; Rhizobacterin, Phosphorine and Potassiomag. Specific bacterial media were used for Isolation and identification of bacterial species. The isolates were identified according to its cultural and morphological characteristics, gram staining, microscopy examination, motility and biochemical characteristics.

The results showed that the isolates which identified from Rhizobacterin were nitrogen-fixing bacteria Azotobacter chroococcum (NFBac). We also isolated and identified two other isolates; phosphate mobilizing bacteria Pseudomonas fluorescens (PSBpf) and Potas solubilizing bacteria Bacillus circulans (KSBbc) from commercial complex Phosphorine and Potassiomag, Respectively.

هدف البحث …

Isolation And Identification Of Bacillus Spp. From Syrian Soils And Testing Their Antifungal Activity Against Botrytis Cinerea In Vitro (In Vitro) في ظروف المخبر (Botrytis Cinerea)من ترب سورية واختبار فعاليتها التضادية تجاه الفطر (Bacillus) عزل وتعريف أنواع من الجنس, Naffaa Walid

Arab Journal of Arid Environments المجلة العربية للبيئات الجافة

Three hundred seventy eight isolates of Bacillus spp. from Syrian soils were screened in vitro for their ability to inhibit the growth of Botrytis cinerea, agent of gray mold disease. The B307 isolate showed the highest antagonism activity with growth inhibition of 68%. In addition, B307 had chitinolytic activity, and the fraction from the isolate with more than 50KDa of its cell free crude extract showed the highest chitinolytic and antagonism activity against B. cinerea. This isolate was identified as Bacillus licheniformis according to the 16S DNA gene sequencing data with homology of 99%. The results of this …

Antibacterial, Hemagglutination, And Insecticidal Activity Studies On The Solvent Extracts Of The Roots Of Olea Ferruginea, Muhammad Yaseen, Muhammad Kamran, Arshad Farid, Salmah Ismail, Muhammad Muzammal, Kamal Abdul Amir, Muhammad Hashim Khan, Sohail Ahmad, Sheikh Abdur Rashid

Makara Journal of Science

Olea ferruginea has been used to treat skin ailments, as well as kidney and ocular problems for a long time. The current study was designed with the aim of investigating and scientifically validating its widespread use. Chloroform, n-hexane, and ethyl acetate were used to assess the antibacterial, hemagglutination, and insecticidal properties of O. ferruginea roots. Escherichia coli, Micrococcus luteus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were among the bacterial strains selected for assessing antibacterial activity. The results showed that ethyl-acetate (EtOAc) extract (56%) and chloroform (CHCl₃) extract (56%) showed the widest zone of inhibition against …

An Investigation To Corroborate Volatile And Biological Profiles Of Human Odor For Forensic Subject Identification, Chantrell J.G. Frazier

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hands are an integral part in transferring complex microbial communities to and from our surroundings. As a result, hands are significant in provenance investigations as specific microbiota can be deposited on everyday objects through touch interactions. Skin microbiome, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses, are unique to each person, and this ‘uniqueness’ can be exploited and applied to forensic identification. Skin microbiota and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are closely related due to specific bacteria breaking down non-volatile organic compounds to volatile organic compounds that are characteristically present in human scent. However, analyses of microbiota from touch interactions have proven to be …

Ohio Anuran Gut Microbiomes, Serena Hoffman

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

Recent studies focusing on the skin and gut microbiome of vertebrates have found how important microbiomes are to maintaining host health. Understanding the role the gut microbiome plays to host health is of great importance for conservation. Less is known about the gut microbiome than the skin microbiome for amphibians. Literature is especially lacking for local Ohio anuran species. The purpose of this study was to establish the baseline composition of the gut microbiome for local Ohio anurans and to determine whether host species or habitat is the best predictor of gut microbiome composition. Tadpoles were collected from seven different …

The Role Of Cd5 In The Periodontal Disease: Insights Into Chronic Inflammation, Ellie Bybee

Annual Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

A Quantitative Analysis Of The Efficacy Of Various Essential Oils Against The Sars Cov-2 Virus, Elizabeth Wagstaff, Chandrelyn Kraczek, Jack Brandon Lopez

Annual Research Symposium

A poster presentation and abstract for the Roseman Symposium. The project focuses on testing 3 essential oil blends and two disinfectants containing an essential oil blend against SARS CoV-2 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The project procedure involves plaque assays, disinfection, and neutralization techniques.

Meta-Analysis Of Transcriptomic Datasets For The Investigation Of Differential Expression In Hantavirus-Infected Human Tissue, John Krapohl

Annual Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Absence Of Streptococcus Pneumoniae Capsule Increases Bacterial Binding, Perisstence, And Inflammation In Corneal Infection, Mary A. Carr, Dennis Marcelo, K. Michael Lovell, Angela H. Benton, Nathan A. Tullos, Erin W. Norcross, Brandon Myers, Hayley Craddieth, Mary E. Marquart

Student Publications

The role of the pneumococcal polysaccharide capsule is largely unclear for Streptococcus pneumoniae keratitis, an ocular inflammatory disease that develops as a result of bacterial infection of the cornea. In this study, capsule-deficient strains were compared to isogenic parent strains in their ability to adhere to human corneal epithelial cells. One isogenic pair was further used in topical ocular infection of mice to assess the contribution of the capsule to keratitis. The results showed that non-encapsulated pneumococci were significantly more adherent to cells, persisted in significantly higher numbers on mouse corneas in vivo, and caused significant increases in murine ocular …

Microbiological Contamination Associated With The Proximity Of A Refuse Dumpsite To A River Situated In Okada, Edo State, Nigeria, Ebere J. Okafor-Elenwo, Odaro S. Imade, Osazee E. Izevbuwa

Journal of Bioresource Management

This study was performed to evaluate the potential contamination of the Okponha river situated near a dumpsite in Okada, Edo State, Nigeria. Water samples were collected and analyzed for bacteriological and parasitological quality using standard procedures. Isolation and enumeration of bacterial colonies were performed by pour plate technique and the isolated bacteria were identified by standard phenotypic tests. Helminths and protozoa were screened by the direct smear technique. The values of HPC (3.79 ± 0.12 log₁₀ CFU/ml) and TCC (2.20 ± 0.14 log₁₀ CFU/ml) obtained from the river water samples exceeded WHO and NAFDAC recommended limits (≤ 2 …

Amelioration Of Cr (Vi) Into Cr (Iii) By Some Heavy Metal Resistant Bacterial Strains Isolated From Naran Valley, Ifrah Fayyaz, Asma Kalsoom, Rida Batool

Journal of Bioresource Management

Total thirty-two strains were isolated from both water and soil samples collected from Naran Valley which is surrounded by the rugged mountains, located in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Streak plate method was used to screen the bacterial strains for resistance against selected heavy metals like chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni) and zinc (Zn). Resistance against multiple heavy metals was shown by all the strains, but S15 and W15 were significant as they exhibited a maximum resistance to chromium and copper (1200 µg/ml). These strains also presented multiple antibiotic (ampicillin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, and erythromycin) resistance patterns. …

Current Epidemiological Status And Antibiotic Resistance Profile Of Urinary Tract Infection, Muddasir Khan, Syed Hussain Shah, M. Abdullah, Muhammad Salman, Fawad Hayat, Raheela Sarwar, Neelma Hassan, Sohail Ahmad Jan, M. Saddam, Ziaur Rahman, Imran Qazi

Journal of Bioresource Management

With a longitudinal (2020–2021) completion, a set of 300 urine samples of individuals suspected of UTI was characterized based on the biochemical analysis and Kirby Bauer's disc diffusion method. Throughout, a total of 167 samples revealed UTI positivity by obtaining bacterial growth. Reporting that E. coli (69.4 %) was the most dominant when compared with Klebsiella (14.3 %), Proteus (5.9 %), S. aureus (4.7 %), P. aeruginosa (3.5 %), and Enterobacter (1.7 %), respectively. Gender-wise discrimination showed that E. coli was highly distributed among female (50.2 %) patients. A prominent percentage of E. coli (41.9 %) was found in the …

Evaluation Of Selected Bacteria And Yeast For Probiotic Potential In Poultry Production, Beverly Dixon, Agnes Kilonzo-Nthenge, Maureen Nzomo, Sarayu Bhogoju, Samuel Nahashon

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Performance and efficiency of feed utilization in poultry is highly influenced by gut health, which is dependent on intestinal microbial balance. Probiotics are live microbial feed supplements or viable microorganisms that beneficially affect the host animal by improving its gastrointestinal tract (GIT) microbial balance. However, their mode of action and suitable GIT environment favoring their colonization of the GIT is obscure. The probiotic properties of Lactobacillus plantarum, Bifidobacterium longum, and Saccharomyces boulardii were evaluated. These microbes were tested in vitro against gastrointestinal conditions for survivability and their ability to attach to the intestinal mucosa. The ability of the microbes to …

Screening For Binding Partners And Protein-Protein Interactions Of A Fungal Transcription Factor- Xdr1, Nishadi Punsara Gallala Gamage

Masters Theses

Clarireedia spp. (formerly Sclerotinia homoeocarpaF.T. Bennett) is the causal agent dollar spot, the most economically important turfgrass disease impacting golf courses in North America. The most effective strategy for dollar spot control is repeated application of multiple classes of fungicides. However, reliance on chemical application has led to resistance to four classes of fungicides as well as multidrug resistance (MDR). Fungi are known to detoxify xenobiotics, like fungicides, through transcriptional regulation of three detoxification phases: modification, conjugation and secretion. Little is known, however, of the protein-protein interactions that facilitate these pathways. Following next-generation RNA sequencing of Clarireedia spp., a …

Antibacterial Activity, Structure-Activity Relationships, And Scale-Up Reaction Of 1,3,4-Oxadiazoles, Olivia Marie Smith

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

Oxadiazoles are compounds in the field of organic chemistry that have been gathering interest in the medicinal chemistry and microbiology communities for their biological properties, which range from anti-inflammatory agents, to chemotherapy drugs, to antibiotics. The synthesis of oxadiazoles can be difficult due to the expensive and complex nature of the techniques used as well as the volatile reagents and elevated temperatures that are often required in organic synthesis. The Grote lab has recently developed a new method for the synthesis of 1,3,4-oxadiazoles under mild conditions. The goals of this thesis were thus twofold: to develop a viable scale-up procedure …

Combination Of Amphiphilic Cyclic Peptide [R4W4] And Levofloxacin Against Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria, Muhammad Imran Sajid, Sandeep Lohan, Shun Kato, Rakesh Kumar Tiwari

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Bacterial resistance is a growing global concern necessitating the discovery and development of antibiotics effective against the drug-resistant bacterial strain. Previously, we reported a cyclic antimicrobial peptide [R₄W₄] containing arginine (R) and tryptophan (W) with a MIC of 2.67 µg/mL (1.95 µM) against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Herein, we investigated the cyclic peptides [R₄W₄] or linear (R₄W₄) and their conjugates (covalent or noncovalent) with levofloxacin (Levo) with the intent to improve their potency to target drug-resistant bacteria. The physical mixture of the Levo with the cyclic [R_{4 …}

Linking Soil Microbial Community Structure To Potential Carbon Mineralization: A Continental Scale Assessment Of Reduced Tillage, Elizabeth L. Rieke, Shannon B. Cappellazzi, Michael Cope, Daniel Liptzin, Gregory Mac Bean, Kelsey L.H. Greub, Charlotte E. Norris, Paul W. Tracy, Ezra Aberle, Amanda Ashworth, Oscar Bañuelos Tavarez, Andy I. Bary, Roland L. Baumhardt, Alberto Borbón Gracia, Daniel C. Brainard, Jameson R. Brennan, Dolores Briones Reyes, Darren Bruhjell, Cameron N. Carlyle, James J.W. Crawford, Cody F. Creech, Steve W. Culman, Bill Deen, Curtis J. Dell, Justin D. Derner, Thomas F. Ducey, Sjoerd W. Duiker, Miles F. Dyck, Benjamin H. Ellert, Avelino Espinosa Solorio, Steven J. Fonte, Simon Fonteyne, Ann-Marie Fortuna, Jamie L. Foster, Lisa M. Fultz, Audrey V. Gamble, Charles M. Geddes, Deirdre Griffin-Lahue, John H. Grove, Stephen K. Hamilton, Xiying Hao, Zachary D. Hayden, Nora Honsdorf, Julie A. Howe, James A. Ippolito, Gregg A. Johnson, Mark A. Kautz, Newell R. Kitchen, Sandeep Kumar, Kirsten S.M. Kurtz, Francis J. Larney, Katie L. Lewis, Matt Liebman, Antonio Lopez Ramirez, Stephen Machado, Bijesh Maharjan, Miguel Angel Martinez Gamiño, William E. May, Mitchel P. Mcclaran, Marshall D. Mcdaniel, Neville Millar, Jeffrey P. Mitchell, Amber D. Moore, Philip A. Moore, Manuel Mora Gutiérrez, Kelly A. Nelson, Emmanuel C. Omondi, Shannon L. Osborne, Leodegario Osorio Alcalá, Philip Owens, Eugenia M. Pena-Yewtukhiw, Hanna J. Poffenbarger, Brenda Ponce Lira, Jennifer R. Reeve, Timothy M. Reinbott, Mark S. Reiter, Edwin L. Ritchey, Kraig L. Roozeboom, Yichao Rui, Amir Sadeghpour, Upendra M. Sainju, Gregg R. Sanford, William F. Schillinger, Robert R. Schindelbeck, Meagan E. Schipanski, Alan J. Schlegel, Kate M. Scow, Lucretia A. Sherrod, Amy L. Shober, Sudeep S. Sidhu, Ernesto Solís Moya, Mervin St Luce, Jeffrey S. Strock, Andrew E. Suyker, Virginia R. Sykes, Haiying Tao, Alberto Trujillo Campos, Laura L. Van Eerd, Nele Verhulst, Tony J. Vyn, Yutao Wang, Dexter B. Watts, Bryan B. William, David L. Wright, Tiequan Zhang, Cristine L.S. Morgan, C. Wayne Honeycutt

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Potential carbon mineralization (Cmin) is a commonly used indicator of soil health, with greater Cmin values interpreted as healthier soil. While Cmin values are typically greater in agricultural soils managed with minimal physical disturbance, the mechanisms driving the increases remain poorly understood. This study assessed bacterial and archaeal community structure and potential microbial drivers of Cmin in soils maintained under various degrees of physical disturbance. Potential carbon mineralization, 16S rRNA sequences, and soil characterization data were collected as part of the North American Project to Evaluate Soil Health Measurements (NAPESHM). Results showed that type of cropping system, intensity of physical …