Digital Commons Network^™

A Novel Silver-Ruthenium-Based Antimicrobial Kills Gram-Negative Bacteria Through Oxidative Stress-Induced Macromolecular Damage, Patrick O. Tawiah

Theses and Dissertations

The rise in drug-resistant bacteria, together with the decline in antibiotic development, requires new strategies for infectious disease control. Gram-negative pathogens are particularly challenging to combat due to their outer membrane. This study highlights the effectiveness of the silver-containing antimicrobial AGXX® against the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli. AGXX® is a promising silver coating that presumably kills bacteria through the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, neither AGXX®’s mode of action is fully understood, nor have its effects on Gram-negative bacteria or bacterial response and defense mechanisms towards AGXX® been studied in detail. Here, I report that the bactericidal …

Toxin-Like Proteins In The Venom Of Drosophila Parasitoids, Lady V. Cardenas

Dissertations and Theses

The figitid parasitoid wasps of Drosophila are gaining importance in agriculture due to their ability to kill the resilient soft-fruit pest Drosophila suzukii. Their success and infection strategies vary, and the mechanisms underlying these differences are largely unknown. Some of their venom proteins have been shown to be important in suppressing host defense. Here, we report that Ganaspis brasiliensis, a parasitoid of D. suzukii survives well on Drosophila yakuba, a host species with a strong cellular immunity, and infected flies are unable to mount a strong immune response. To predict possible toxin-like proteins in Ganaspis venoms that might suppress cellular …

The Role Of Host Factor Sptbn1 In Hiv-1 Capsid Uncoating In Human Microglial Cells, Callie Marie Fry

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

HIV-1 is the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), and currently, there is no cure once an individual is infected. The development of new drugs targeting HIV-1 replication steps is essential for keeping viral loads low or undetectable to prevent further transmission. An attractive replication step for new drug targets is viral capsid uncoating, where the virus loses the protein structure encapsulating the genome. The exact mechanism of capsid uncoating is unknown; however, several host-factors may be involved including protein SPTBN1. Recent studies have shown a significant decrease in viral infectivity when SPTBN1 is knocked down, yet its role …

Caspases Protect Against Hyperglycemia Induced Necroptosis-Like Cell Death In Brain Endothelial Cells, Aleena S. Mathew

Theses and Dissertations

Acute diabetes characterized by high spikes in blood glucose levels in association with severe hyperglycemia can lead to an increased risk of ischemic stroke in the brain. To better understand high blood glucose levels, hyperglycemia, in the brain we explored its effects on endothelial cells. Endothelial cells line the inner walls of blood vessels and are directly impacted in hyperglycemia. Brain endothelial cells are a major component of the blood brain barrier (BBB) which tightly regulates the brain’s microenvironment. The type of cell death such as apoptosis, caspase dependent, or necroptosis, caspase independent, can exacerbate diabetes associated complications. There is …

The Effect Of Sars-Cov-2 On Bacterial Diversity And Abundance In Community Wastewater, Joshua Lambert

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) enters human respiratory cells through binding of its spike (S) protein to the ACE-2 receptor, which is highly expressed in lung cells, but is also found in over 150 other cell types encompassing major organs including GI enterocytes. SARS-CoV-2 causes gut dysbiosis in infected individuals and patients with COVID-19 and also coincides with lower alpha diversity of the individual’s gut microbiome. Certain gut microbiome-associated genera are lower in abundance in COVID-19 patients including Lachnospira, Prevetolla, Roseburia, Bifidobacterium, and Faecalibacterium while genera such as Bacteroides, Enterococcus and Proteobacteria are increased during a SARS-CoV-2 …

Schistosoma Mansoni Infection Causes Consistent Changes To The Fecal Bacterial Microbiota Of Mice Across And Within Sites, Mariam A. Mhanna, David T. Gauthier, Lisa M. Shollenberger

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Eggs of Schistosoma mansoni are produced by adult female worms in mesenteries of infected hosts. Eggs can cross the intestinal barrier and form granulomas in the tissue or breach and exit the host through fecal excretion. These interactions may affect the host microbiome assemblages. Given the potential for schistosomal alteration of host gut microbiome and subsequent effects on the fecal bacterial composition, it is important to conduct controlled microbiome studies on model animals. While pursuing these studies, it is important to take into account the different conditions in which microbiome studies are conducted and their consequent impacts on variability and …

Description Of All Stages Of A New Tick Species From California Haemaphysalis Vespertina (Acari: Ixodidae), With Redescription Of H. Leporispalustris Packard, 1869 Adults And Phylogenetic Relationships Among Related U.S. Taxa, Andrea Egizi, Santiago Nava, Angie Nakano, Megan E. M. Saunders, Lauren P. Maestas, Autumn D. Angelus, Bruce Noden, Robyn M. Nadolny, Waheed I. Bajwa, Charles Lubelcyzk, Chanakya R. Bhosale, Susan Paskewitz, Holly D. Gaff, Lorenza Beati

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

All active stages of Haemaphysalis vespertina sp. nov. (Acari: Ixodidae), a tick previously identified as H. leporispalustris Packard, 1869, are described from specimens collected on the vegetation and from leporids in California and Oregon. The adults of H. leporispalustris Packard, 1969 are redescribed based on type material. Adults of the two species can be distinguished by their overall size, the dorsal shape of palpal segment II, the number and shape of dorsal and ventral setae on palpal segment II, the number of spurs on coxae II, the length of setae on scutum, legs and coxae, and the pattern of scutal …

Tick Responses To Diverse Chemical Attractants To Enhance Tick Surveillance Methods' Efficacy, Pamela Kelman, Tyler Chavers, Emily Owens Pickle, Daniel Sonenshine, Melissa S. Nolan, Holly Gaff

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Amblyomma maculatum Koch (Acari: Ixodidae), Ixodes scapularis Say, and Dermacentor variabilis Say are three hard-bodied ticks responsible for vectoring pathogens that cause most human tick-borne diseases in the United States of America (USA). Tick surveillance is critical to elucidate high-risk areas for targeted vector control and public health interventions. Despite tick-borne diseases having a higher annual incidence compared to mosquito-borne diseases in the USA, tick traps used for surveillance are grossly under-developed compared to the suite of sophisticated mosquito traps available on the commercial market. This study sought to identify potential prospective tick trap improvements by evaluating the relative attraction …

Helminth Parasites Of Galápagos Mammals: A New Cestode Of The Genus Raillietina From The Endemic Rice Rat Nesoryzomys Swarthi And A Summary Of Parasites From Both Endemic And Invasive Rodents, Scott Lyell Gardner, Emma K. Chesley, Michael C. Friedle, Altangerel Tsogtsaikhan Dursahinhan

Scott L. Gardner Publications

In this first report of endoparasites from endemic land-mammals of the Galápagos Islands, we describe a new species of cestode of the genus Raillietina (Cyclophyllidea: Davaineidae) from a species of Nesoryzomys and summarize the extent of helminth parasitism in both oryzomyine endemics and introduced species of Rattus. Up to the current time, no helminth parasites have been reported from rodents of the Galápagos, and little work has yet been done describing and synthesizing Galápagos parasite diversity. In historical times, several species of autochthonous rodents have occupied the islands including: Nesoryzomys narboroughi Heller 1904, N. fernandinae Hutterer and Hirsch …

Diabetes Potentiates The Emergence And Expansion Of Antibiotic Resistance, John C. Shook, Benjamin P. Darwitz, Kaleb J. Tyson, Amanda Z. Velez, Sophia K. Bridwell, Joshua B. Parsons, Sarah E. Rowe, Christopher Marshall, Brian P. Conlon, Lance R. Thurlow

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Individuals with diabetes mellitus frequently develop severe skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) that are recalcitrant to antibiotic treatment. We examined how diabetes affects the emergence of antibiotic resistance in a Staphylococcus aureus SSTI. We determined that S. aureus evolves antibiotic resistance rapidly in diabetic mice, while resistance did not occur in nondiabetic mice over the course of infection. Diabetes-associated immune cell dysfunction plays a minor role in the emergence of resistance, while hyperglycemia plays a dominant role facilitating the expansion and takeover of resistant mutants in diabetic infections. Furthermore, vancomycin intermediate resistant isolates display a pronounced fitness defect in …

Using Fungal Dna Barcoding To Identify Fungal Species In A James River Park System Soil Microbiome, Erwin Murray, D Jennings

UROP Posters

Fungi in the soil have the ability to form mutualistic relationships with plant roots and improve the way they resist a variety of plant diseases and abiotic stressors, influencing the survivability of the plants. The James River Park System (JRPS) is home to a variety of ecosystems that support diverse plant and fungal populations, including native plants and invasive plants. Therefore, it is important to identify what is present in the soil microbiome. The purpose of this project is to isolate fungal sequences from soil samples collected in the JRPS to identify what fungal species are present in the JRPS …

Endothelial Cell Cd36 In Alzheimer’S Disease And Breast Cancer Progression, Atul Kumar

All ETDs from UAB

Vascular endothelial cells (ECs) are increasingly recognized as a distinct class of innate immune cells, with CD36, an innate immunity receptor, playing a pivotal role in regulating immune function and its regulation, angiogenesis, cancer progression, brain related disorder as well as the exchange of nutrients and waste. To investigate this further, we developed EC-specific CD36 knockout mice using the translating ribosome affinity purification (TRAP) technique. By isolating ribosome-bound mRNA directly from vascular endothelial cells in vivo in these knockout and control mice, we conducted deep RNA sequencing and transcriptional profiling. Our findings revealed that CD36 deficiency in brain endothelia led …

Effects Of Nitrogen, Phosphorus And The Fungicide Azoxystrobin Additions On Larval And Post-Metamorphic Fitness Of American Toads (Anaxyrus Americanus), Michael Vosburgh

Dissertations

Since European settlement, vast areas of U.S. land have been modified by humans. In the Midwest, an estimated 99% of native grasslands have been replaced by agriculture and urban development. Such alternations have replaced native habitat, redefined hydrology and introduced a wide array of chemicals into aquatic ecosystems. Modern agricultural practices utilize fertilizers and pesticides to maximize crop production. These chemicals frequently runoff into surrounding waters, potentially effecting aquatic organisms. One group of organism thought to be susceptible to agricultural contaminants are amphibians. Amphibians are vulnerable to pollution due, in part, to their permeable skin and biphasic life history. Global …

Bakterielle Schutzmechanismen Gegen Hypochlorige Säure, Jan-Ulrik Dahl

Faculty Publications – Biological Sciences

Reactive chlorine species (RCS) are highly bactericidal and produced in large amounts during host defense to kill invading pathogens. More recent studies have investigated how bacteria respond to and defend RCS, which appear to elicit more multifaceted responses compared to reactive oxygen species. A comprehensive understanding of bacterial RCS responses has clear potential to devise strategies that increase the sensitivity of bacterial pathogens to host defenses without harming commensals.

Evaluation And Identification Of Novel Viruses In Wild Fishes Using Varied Molecular Biology Techniques, Clayton Douglas Raines

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Viruses are among the most abundant biological entities on Earth, yet their diversity and ecological roles in aquatic vertebrates, particularly fishes, remain poorly characterized. This dissertation advances fish virology through integrative approaches that combine historical context, molecular diagnostics, and genomic discovery. A novel hepadnavirus (ApHBV) was identified in asymptomatic Alosa pseudoharengus, emphasizing the prevalence of subclinical infections in migratory forage species. In Catostomus commersonii, transcriptomic profiling revealed sexually dimorphic immune responses to hepatitis B and C-like viruses, highlighting complex host-pathogen dynamics. In Micropterus nigricans, next-generation sequencing uncovered a novel nackednavirus and multiple adomaviruses within hyperpigmented lesions, expanding …

Npr1 As A Temperature-Sensitive Regulator Of Pipecolic Acid-Mediated Plant Systemic Immunity, Spencer Tout

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Healthy plant development requires balancing both abiotic (e.g. climate) and biotic (e.g. pathogen) challenges, which intercept important signaling pathways in plants. For example, climate change-associated elevated temperature can negatively modulate various aspects of plant immunity, including the production of central immune signals salicylic acid (SA) and N-hydroxypipecolic acid (NHP). Since SA and NHP signaling both require the master immune co-activator protein NON-EXPRESSOR OF PATHOGENESIS-RELATED GENES 1 (NPR1), it is important to investigate NPR1 as a potentially temperature-regulated molecular hub. Although the NPR1 gene is not transcriptionally downregulated at elevated temperatures (28° C vs. 23° C), little is known about …

Pla-Based Bone Tissue Engineering Scaffolds Incorporating Hydroxyapatite And Bioactive Glass Using Digital Light Processing, Engin Gepek, Fateme Fayyazbakhsh, Lev Suliandziga, Vadym Mochalin, Osman Iyibilgin, Yue-Wern Huang, Ming C. Leu

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Bone tissue engineering (BTE) aims to repair bone defects using biocompatible materials with tailored geometries and pore structures, providing appropriate mechanical support and control over biodegradation kinetics to promote bone growth. In this study, we utilized digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing to fabricate scaffolds with varying pore sizes using polymer–ceramic slurries composed of polylactic acid (PLA) as the main polymer matrix, incorporated with hydroxyapatite (HA) and bioactive borate glass (BBG) at various ratios. We studied the effect of composition on rheological behavior, printability, mechanical properties, bioactivity, degradation rate, and biocompatibility. While HA increased viscosity and reduced printing accuracy, it …

Neonatal Immune System Development, Miriam Solomson

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

The immune system is essential for the body’s function and survival, consisting of two main components, the innate and adaptive immune systems. This paper will explore the various components of the neonatal immune system, such as the innate and adaptive or acquired systems, the initial colonization of microbes, and the crucial role of maternal antibodies. Additionally, this paper will delve into the significance of breastfeeding, the influence of different birth methods on gut microbiota, and the success of vaccines on neonates. This research paper’s goal is to provide insight into neonatal immune system development, the various factors that have an …

Risk Factors Of Covid-19 Mortality, Ellie Wolff

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

This paper investigates the relationship between key health demographics and COVID-19 mortality while focusing on identifying both physiological and genetic factors that contribute to variations in mortality rates. Specifically, it examines how pre-existing conditions—such as sex, autoimmune disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and obesity—interact with COVID-19 pathophysiology to influence patient outcomes. While previous research has highlighted demographic disparities in hospital mortality rates, this study aims to establish a causal, mechanistic link between these health factors and COVID-19 severity. Methods to extract and analyze data included literature review using existing studies such as peer-reviewed articles and reports from PubMed, CDC, etc. By analyzing …

Spatial Analysis Of American Chestnut (Castanea Dentata) Distribution And Ecology In Kentucky’S Federal Lands, Jacob Raymond Pease

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Anthropogenic factors have been the cause of the decline of tree species across the globe. From unsustainable logging and development to disease and improper management, threats to forests have taken their toll. The American chestnut (Castanea dentata) was once an integral basal tree species in Appalachian forests, but chestnut blight drove the species to functional extinction by the mid-1900s. The recent creation of genetically modified chestnuts gives hope for future restoration of the species throughout its historical range. Despite blight resistance, effective restoration will require optimal site selection for finding and planting chestnuts, which will maximize limited resources. …

Bat Cutaneous Microbial Assemblage Functional Redundancy Across A Host-Mediated Disturbance, Matthew Grisnik, Donald M. Walker

Biology

Understanding the processes and factors that influence the structure of host-associated microbial assemblages has been a major area of research as these assemblages play a role in host defense against pathogens. Previous work has found that bacterial taxa within bat cutaneous microbial assemblages have antifungal capabilities against the emerging fungal pathogen, Pseudogymnoascus destructans. However, our understanding of natural fluctuations in these cutaneous microbial assemblages over time due to shifts in host habitat is lacking. The objective of this work was to understand how the taxonomic and functional bat cutaneous microbial assemblage responds to seasonal shifts in host habitat. We hypothesized …

Interactions Of The Sars-Cov-2 Viral Genome 3’-Untranslated Region With Viral And Host Rnas, Caleb Frye, Mihaela Rita Mihailescu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on the characterization of RNA-RNA interactions within the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) genome and with host microRNAs. As the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), SARS-CoV-2 has evolved rapidly since its appearance. This has warranted prompt characterization of the virus particularly of its single stranded RNA (ssRNA) genome. By using a combination of bioinformatics, biophysics, and/or biological assays, we analyzed the SARS-CoV-2 viral genomic RNA and uncovered interactions of genomic RNA with host RNAs, highlighting an underutilized method of targeting RNA viruses. We showed here that the conserved elements in the viral genomic …

Organ-On-A-Chip Platforms For Drug Development, Cellular Toxicity Assessment, And Disease Modelling, Muhammad Maaz Khurram, Göktürk Ci̇nel, Özlem Yeşi̇l Çeli̇ktaş, Erdal Bedi̇r

Turkish Journal of Biology

Organ-on-a-chips (OoCs) or microphysiological platforms are biomimetic systems engineered to mimic organ structures onto microfluidic devices for biomedical research. These microdevices can mimic biological environments that enable cell-cell interactions at a small scale by mimicking 3D in vivo microenvironments outside the body. Thus far, numerous single and multiple OoCs that recapitulate organs have been developed, and they have emerged as forerunners for drug efficacy and cytotoxicity testing. This review explores OoC platforms to portray their versatility in investigating drug safety, efficacy, and toxicity. We also reflect upon the potential of OoCs to effectively demonstrate disease models for probable novel therapeutics, …

Characterizing The Francisella Tularensis Universal Stress Protein, Benjamin Girardo

Theses & Dissertations

Francisella tularensis is an extremely virulent pathogen responsible for the zoonotic disease tularemia. F. tularensis employs various defense mechanisms to survive and persist under diverse environmental and host-induced stress conditions. Despite its significance, the full spectrum of stress factors that enable F. tularensis persistence remain inadequately understood. In many bacterial species, universal stress proteins (Usp) play a crucial role in managing adverse conditions. The aim of this study was to elucidate the role of Usp in F. tularensis as a means of clarifying the stress response mechanisms of this pathogen. The F. tularensis Usp is encoded by a single, highly …

Achieving Inter- And Transdisciplinarity In Ecohealth: Insights From A Rodent-Borne Disease Project In A Polycrisis Era, Isabelle Arpin, Clémence Massart, Vincent Bourret, Guillaume Castel, Valeria Carolina Colombo, Jana Eccard, Jasmin Firozpoor, Maciej Grzybek, Heikki A. Henttonen, Herwig Leirs, Andrew Mcmanus, Ben Roche, Tarja Sironen, Vincent Sluydts, Peter Stuart, Annetta Zintl, Nathalie Charbonnel

Publications

Introduction: Inter- and transdisciplinary research (ITDR) is increasingly promoted to address “wicked problems”, particularly in health sectors adopting approaches like Ecohealth. Our Ecohealth-inspired project on rodent-borne diseases, initiated just before the COVID-19 pandemic, provided an opportunity to evaluate ITDR implementation.

Methods: We employed a recently developed semi-quantitative evaluation method to measure our project’s success in achieving ITDR and analyzed factors influencing this achievement.

Results: The project showed strengths in system description, team task allocation, and data sharing, but had lower scores in engaging societal actors throughout the project cycle.

Discussion: We identified the underexplored influence of problem wickedness as a …

Bat Activity Across Urban Forest Plantings In Lexington, Kentucky, Grayson Marie Collier

Online Theses and Dissertations

Urbanization has led to major forest loss and negatively impacts ecosystem services. Urban reforestation efforts, such as Reforest the Bluegrass (RTB) in the Lexington-Fayette metropolitan area of Kentucky, have been implemented to address these negative effects, and to create habitat for forest-dependent wildlife such as bats. My research focused on assessing differences in bat activity across a 20-year chronosequence of RTB sites. Acoustic detectors were deployed across 10 different-aged plantings at 60 randomly-defined detector locations. Each planting was surveyed across 8 sampling periods from May – August 2023. Each recording session spanned ca. 7 consecutive nights, yielding a total of …

Comparing Multivalent Cross-Linked Sodium Alginate/ Montmorillonite Beads Containing Curcumin Or Cayenne Pepper As Drug Carriers And Their Antimicrobial Resistance, Shionainn Traynor, Shubham Sharma

SURE Journal: Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal

The aim of the following work was to investigate and compare curcumin and cayenne pepper in microbeads composed of sodium alginate (SA) crosslinked with montmorillonite (MMT) to act as drug carriers and their antimicrobial resistance. The microbeads were prepared through ion-exchange in multivalent solutions of CaCl₂, MgCl₂ and AlCl₃. The microbeads were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) and the time required for intercalation of curcumin and cayenne pepper with MMT. Simulated intestinal fluid (pH 7.3) and gastric fluid (pH 1.2) at 37°C were used for comparison in swelling studies. …

Editorial - Sure Journal Vol 6, Anne M. Friel, Eva Campion, Sinead Loughran

SURE Journal: Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal

.

A Kid's Guide To Infectious Disease, Abby Carroll

Honors Theses

A Kid’s Guide to Infectious Disease is an educational illustrated book intended for young pediatric patients, ages three to five. This project was inspired by my personal interests, involvement at the University of Mississippi, and experience as a medical assistant. Over the past couple of years, I have had the opportunity to work as a medical assistant, interacting with many pediatric patients and their families at HealthPointe Primary Care. As a pre-physician assistant student studying biology, I was inspired to create a resource for these kids by both my classes at the University of Mississippi and my passion for pediatric …

An In-Depth Investigation Into Yersinia Pestis Phages: Isolating A Yersinia Pestis Phage From Soil And Constructing A Comprehensive Phylogenetic Analysis Of Known Yersinia Pestis Phages, Jacqueline Chavez

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of the plague, has become increasingly resistant to many antibiotics; therefore, alternatives such as phage therapy are necessary. Phage therapy uses combinations of bacteriophages or phages, which are viruses that only infect bacteria. However, phages—especially Y. pestis phages —are severely understudied. Thus, this research has sought to specifically isolate a phage from soil that infects Y. pestis. There were 146 samples that were collected from across the US, focusing on those with reported cases of plague. These samples were enriched with Y. pestis to maximize the amount of potential phage that target Y. pestis. …