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2022 September 16 - Board Of Trustees Agenda And Minutes, Board Of Trustees, East Tennessee State University

Board of Trustees Agendas and Minutes

No abstract provided.

2022 September 16 - Board Of Trustees Academic, Research, And Student Success Committee Agenda And Minutes, Board Of Trustees, East Tennessee State University

Board of Trustees Agendas and Minutes

No abstract provided.

2022-September-14-Etsu Celebrates Ciidi Ribbon Cutting, University Marketing And Communication, East Tennessee State University

ETSU News

JOHNSON CITY (September 14, 2022) – For the first time in its eight-year history, East Tennessee State University’s Center of Excellence in Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity (CIIDI) has a physical presence to call its own.

Today, university officials celebrated the official ribbon cutting for the new space, located on the second floor of Building 6 on the James H. Quillen VA Medical Center at Mountain Home.

CIIDI officially moved into its new space in late 2020, and they have spent the past year renovating the area, adding state-of-the-art scientific equipment and preparing it to become a hub of research …

2022-August-01-Etsu To Expand Services For Hivaids Care, University Marketing And Communication, East Tennessee State University

ETSU News

JOHNSON CITY – A new grant will allow East Tennessee State University to expand clinical services to provide support for individuals with HIV in the region.

Dr. Jonathan Moorman, co-director of the ETSU Center of Excellence in Inflammation, Infectious Diseases and Immunity and vice chair for Research and Scholarship in the Department of Internal Medicine, has received a notice of award from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services/Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

The Ryan White HIV Center of Excellence (COE) has received Ryan White Part B funding from the Tennessee Department of Health for more than …

The Role Of Middle And High School Principals During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Phenomenological Study, Dustin Ford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine middle and high school principal roles prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic to gain a better understanding about how leadership responsibilities adapted or changed. Data collection strategies included one-on-one interviews with nine middle and high school principals in East Tennessee. To qualify for the study participants had to have experience in the principalship prior to the pandemic. The analysis of data was based on the theoretical frameworks of adaptive leadership (Heifetz et al., 2009) and change theory (Fullan, 2020). The results revealed five key themes that were consistent during the …

Quillen Magazine - Summer 2022, Quillen College Of Medicine, East Tennessee State University

Quillen Magazine

No abstract provided.

2022-June-02-Mba Capstone Project Collaborates With Ciidi Clinical Research Office, University Marketing And Communication, East Tennessee State University

ETSU News

JOHNSON CITY (June 2, 2022) – The Center of Excellence in Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity (CIIDI) at East Tennessee State University expanded operations in 2021 by creating a Clinical Research Office on the Quillen College of Medicine campus. The office functions as a facilitator for interprofessional and cross-disciplinary investigators as it pertains to basic, preclinical, clinical, and epidemiologic research.

“With CIIDI’s influx of recruitment rates, sample acquisition, and additional large-scale collaborative efforts, it was imperative to create a formal Clinical Research Office,” said James Adkins, director. “We have secured a physical space where the biomedical community can access our …

2022-June-01-Sherrod Library Pride Month, University Marketing And Communication, East Tennessee State University

ETSU News

In celebration of Pride Month, the Sherrod Library at East Tennessee State University has hand-selected a collection of LGBTQ+ fiction and non-fiction books. The following assortment has a variety of narratives, including topics from heartwarming fictional romances to thought-provoking memoirs.

Non-Fiction  

“Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place” by Neema Avashia (2022) 

“’Another Appalachia’ examines both the roots and the resonance of Neema Avashia's identity as a queer Desi Appalachian woman. With narrative explorations of foodways, religion, sports, standards of beauty, social media, gun culture and more, "Another Appalachia" mixes nostalgia and humor, sadness and sweetness, …

Identification Of Genetic Elements Involved In Alcaligenes Faecalis’ Inhibitory Mechanism Against Polymicrobial Species, Abigail Mathis

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The rise of antibiotic resistance in common human pathogens and the lack of development of novel therapeutic treatments has created a threat to global health. A unique source for potential novel treatments are from microorganisms, particularly within the complex, antagonistic polymicrobial interactions that take place in microbial communities. These unique mechanisms utilized by microorganisms to fight each other could potentially identify novel therapeutic targets for use at a clinical level, however, there is a lack of research in this area to determine its applicability. Alcaligenes faecalis is a Gram-negative bacterium that seldom causes human disease and has been observed in …

Covid-19 In Tennessee: Lessons Learned And A Tool For The Future, Allen Archer, Randy Wykoff, Megan Quinn

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background: In late 2019, the SARS-CoV-2 virus was identified in Wuhan, China. Within a matter of weeks, the virus spread to the United States and many other countries around the world. By March 5, 2020, the first case of COVID-19 (the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus) was identified in the state of Tennessee, and the first known COVID-19 associated death in the state followed on March 20, 2020. In 2020 alone, there were 514,922 confirmed cases and 6,760 COVID-19 attributed deaths in the state of Tennessee. It is important to understand, however, that confirmed COVID-19 deaths do not accurately …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Restorative Justice Rehabilitative Services Available In Northeast Tennessee For Mothers Diagnosed With Substance Use Disorder, Claire Roberson

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Substance Use Disorder (SUD) has plagued families of rural Appalachia for many years, perpetuating involvement in the criminal justice system as well as generational trauma for people diagnosed with SUD and their children. This points to the necessity of a trauma-informed, restorative-justice based framework for rehabilitative services to most effectively heal families, address trauma, and re-integrate people diagnosed with SUD into society. A restorative justice-based program would provide health care services for addiction and any comorbid mental health disorders as well as teach parents how to properly provide for themselves and their families, manage finances, obtain employment, and further education. …

2022-May-01-Research Spotlight, University Marketing And Communication, East Tennessee State University

ETSU News

JOHNSON CITY – Five East Tennessee State University scientists recently participated in an international study focused on developing new approaches to improve the effectiveness of vaccines.

Research Spotlight

Data from this multi-institutional study, “An adjuvant strategy enabled by modulation of the physical properties of microbial ligands expands antigen immunogenicity,” was published in the journal Cell.

The research focused on modulating the physical properties of fungal sugars, called mannans, to …

Examining The State Of Substance Use Treatment Among Youth And Adults In The United States, Esther Adejoke Adeniran

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the United States (US), substance use, misuse, and substance use disorders are significant public health problems. Additionally, the difference between needing substance use treatment (SUT) and receiving treatment is becoming more pronounced. Therefore, the aims of this dissertation include, 1) to synthesize evidence of barriers and facilitators to integrating SUT into mainstream health care (MHC) after the Affordable Care Act was nationally implemented in 2014, 2) to examine the rate of treatment completion and dropout, along with its associated factors, among youth who received Medication-Assisted Opioid Therapy (MAT), 3) to determine the relationship between prior treatment episodes and length …

Genetic Characterization Of A Klebsiella Pneumoniae Secreted Anti-Microbial Protein, Ethan Becker

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Antimicrobial-resistant bacteria are a major source of ailment in modern-day nosocomial settings, with numerous risks including leading to possible further drug resistance or spreading to those who cannot fight off the infection due to immune suppression or dysfunction. Previous work in our laboratory has determined that Klebsiella pneumoniae possesses inhibitory effects on the growth of a variety of bacteria that contain antimicrobial-resistant properties in the Enterobacteriaceae family, a major source of nosocomial antimicrobial-resistance. This novel property of K. pneumoniae inhibits the growth of Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter aerogenes, and Enterobacter cloacae through an anti-microbial protein. The antimicrobial protein secreted from K. …

Contributing Factors To Drug Abuse In The Appalachian Region, Will Holcombe

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The Appalachian region faces wide scale drug use and opioid addiction that exceeds the national average, and the crisis needs more attention in order to properly address the epidemic. Many previous studies have documented the problems Appalachian residents face regarding opioid addiction and other diseases of despair. However, this study focuses on two specific contributing causes of the opioid crisis: a lack of access to medical care and over-prescription of opioids. Additionally, while the problems of substance abuse, particularly opioid abuse, are well represented in media accounts, there is an under-representation of drug recovery and the positive aspects of the …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On The Opioid Epidemic, Hailey Stewart

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic adversely affected the lives of most Americans. People with Substance Use Disorder (SUD) were particularly vulnerable to the negative effects brought on by the pandemic. This study explored the increase in deaths due to opioid overdose during the pandemic exacerbated by factors such as increased stress, decrease in treatment options due to social distancing requirements and facility closures, social isolation, and an increase in spare time. Access to treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) was interrupted by the measures meant to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Through a systematic review of current literature, it was demonstrated that …

Epidemiology And Impacts Of A Leaf Spot Disease In Veratrum Viride (Melanthiaceae), Leeah R. Sutton, Foster Levy

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Fungal phytopathogens can cause disease epidemics in crops, weeds, and
populations of native plants. To investigate the impact of a foliar phytopathogen on the native herbaceous species, Veratrum viride, a demographic and disease assessment was carried out on two high elevation grassy bald populations on Roan Mountain, Tennessee. A leaf spot disease impacted all plants in both populations, causing widespread premature senescence of leaves and stems. Disease severity increased over the course of the growing season. Based on host disease symptoms and fungal conidia morphology, Pseudocercosporella sublineolata was shown to be the causal pathogen. A study of herbarium specimens …

Gastrointestinal Alterations In Two Mouse Models Associated With Social Behavior Deficits, Gracie Leamon

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a diverse habitat for multiple microorganisms. Disturbances in the microbiome of the GI tract have been associated with psychiatric disorders including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Individuals with ASD, when compared to neurotypical individuals, have demonstrated differing gut species. Also, it has been shown that microbial transplant therapies impact ASD symptoms in patients. Animal models of behaviors associated with ASD might offer insight for the actual role these microbial differences may occupy regarding symptoms. Unfortunately, ASD does not have an accepted animal model where the GI alterations have been thoroughly explored. In this study, we sought …

The Role Of Stm1987 And Arti In Arginine Response Of Salmonella Typhimurium, Deeba Mohseni

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Cyclic-di-GMP, a common bacterial second messenger, has been thought to help develop virulence and biofilms in bacteria, most specifically in Salmonella Typhimurium. By being able to dysregulate cyclic-di-GMP production, virulence may be better combatted. STM1987, an L-arginine-responsive diguanylate cyclase with a periplasmic sensory domain, dimerizes and generates the bacterial second messenger cyclic-di-GMP in response to the amino acid L-arginine in a pathway that also requires the periplasmic L-arginine-binding protein ArtI. Their biochemical responses to L-arginine and when they dimerize could help clarify this pathway, so I sought to develop a periplasmic dimerization sensor to better monitor these biochemical interactions. Similar …

Vitamin D And Its In Vitro Therapeutic Action Mediated Through Vdr Rather Than Pdia3, Jaeden Pyburn

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Brain calcification is a common occurrence in the aging process, with >20% of individuals over the age of 65 showing hardened plaques in the basal ganglia. Loss of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) in transgenic mice leads to formation of calcified plaques in the basal ganglia and thalamus within the mice. Vitamin D signals through two known vitamin D responsive proteins, protein disulfide isomerase A3 (PDIA3) and VDR. In vitro, vitamin D has been demonstrated to suppress calcification in osteoblast-like cells. Here, we aim to elucidate which of either PDIA3 or VDR transduce vitamin D mediated suppression of calcification in …

Community Voices Magazine - Volume 1, Issue 1, Office Of Equity And Inclusion, East Tennessee State University

Community Voices [magazine]

Take an informative walk through the history of race in the United States that ends with a ray of hope.

Find out what Equity and Inclusion really mean at ETSU in a conversation with Doctors Johnson and Cooper.

Dive in to our cover story. Listen to a beautiful tale of trans life, lyrics, and love from an ETSU Old Time Country Music Program graduate.

Best Practices: Antibiotic Stewardship And The Implementation Of Evidence-Based Guidelines During Upper Respiratory Infections Among Rural, Primary Care Patients, Sandra Johnson

Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference

Best Practices: Antibiotic Stewardship and the Implementation of Evidence-Based Guidelines During Upper Respiratory Infections Among Rural, Primary Care Patients

Sandra Kay Johnson, Doctor of Nursing Practice Candidate

East Tennessee State University College of Nursing

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance is a challenging clinical issue seen in the treatment of upper respiratory infections (URIs).

Purpose/Aims: The purpose of this project is to implement an antibiotic stewardship (AS) program using antibiotic prescribing guidelines for URIs and clinic-wide patient education. The aim was to reduce antibiotic overuse.

Processes: This quality improvement (QI) project was conducted at a rural clinic. Participants included the nurse practitioners and …

Office Of Equity And Inclusion Newsletter - April 2022, Office Of Equity And Inclusion, East Tennessee State University

Office of Equity and Inclusion Newsletters

No abstract provided.

2022-March-30-Welcome To Etsu, University Marketing And Communication, East Tennessee State University

ETSU News

East Tennessee State University welcomes the following faculty and staff members who recently joined the university:

Ben Carpenter is a transfer advisor in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. He comes to ETSU from Bushnell University, where he was an academic advisor. He holds a Master of Divinity degree from Milligan University.

Olivia Dover is director of Clinical Education and assistant professor of radiologic science in the Department of Allied Health Sciences. She was previously a CT technologist at Blue Ridge Regional Hospital. She holds a Master of Science in Allied Health degree from ETSU.

Dr. Richard Hough is a professor …

2022-March-01-Spotlight On Biomedical Sciences Graduates, University Marketing And Communication, East Tennessee State University

ETSU News

Graduate Spotlight

East Tennessee State University’s Center of Excellence in Inflammation, Infectious Disease and Immunity (CIIDI) caught up with three recent graduates of Quillen College of Medicine’s Biomedical Sciences Ph.D. program to find out what they are doing since they participated in their hooding ceremony at ETSU’s Commencement on Dec. 11, 2021:
 

Dr. Min Fan

Dr. Min Fan has continued to earn national recognition for her research with an American Heart Association (AHA) Postdoctoral Fellowship. 

The AHA Postdoctoral Fellowship promotes mentorship of postdoctoral Fellows who are embedded in a senior researcher’s …

2022-February-23-New Scholarship Program In Honor Of President Noland's 10th Anniversary, University Marketing And Communication, East Tennessee State University

ETSU News

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Feb. 23, 2022) – This year marks Dr. Brian Noland’s 10th anniversary as President of East Tennessee State University. In honor of that milestone, community leaders from across the region have come together to launch a new scholarship program. The program, named the Noland Family First-Generation Scholarship Endowment, aims to assist low-income students who are the first in their families to attend college.  

The fund, which was announced in a surprise on-court ceremony during the ETSU men’s basketball game against Chattanooga tonight, has been established through the generous initial gifts of the following donors:  

• 
  Jerry and …

2022 February 18 - Board Of Trustees Academic, Research, And Student Success Committee Agenda And Minutes, Board Of Trustees, East Tennessee State University

Board of Trustees Agendas and Minutes

No abstract provided.

Deficiency Of Ataxia Telangiectasia-Mutated Kinase (Atm) Preserves Heart Function By Affecting Cardiac Remodeling In Response To Western-Type Diet (Wd) In Female Mice, Paulina Ramirez

Tennessee Posters at the Capitol [2022]

WD and deficiency of ATM protein independently associates with heart disease. Previous work demonstrated that WD in male ATM deficient mice induces accelerated body weight gain and heart dysfunction (Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2021;320:H2324-H2338). Conversely, WD in female ATM deficient mice attenuates weight gain and preserves heart function (unpublished). Here, we investigated the mechanism by which ATM deficiency preserves heart function in female mice. Female wild-type (WT) and ATM heterozygous knockout (hKO) mice, aged 6 weeks, were fed with normal chow (NC) or WD for 14 weeks. Heart sections were stained with Masson’s trichrome to quantify fibrosis, TUNEL-stained …

Using Polymicrobial Interactions To Identify Possible Novel Targets In Staphylococcus, Bacillus, And Candida, Sheyda Amirfaiz

Tennessee Posters at the Capitol [2022]

Microbes all compete for the same limited nutrients, space, and resources; therefore, they show competitive relationships. There is a component of Alcaligenes faecalis that inhibits the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, a gram-positive bacterium that causes many clinical diseases. We are interested in finding what genetic factors in Alcaligenes faecalis are responsible for killing Staphylococcus aureus. Transposon mutagenesis was used to interrupt certain gene segments by introducing a foreign piece of DNA into the Alcaligenes faecalis genome. By creating mutants of Alcaligenes faecalis, we were able to test these against Staphylococcus aureus to find those that can no …

2022-February-15-Adkins Appointed Director Of Ciidis Clinical Research Office, University Marketing And Communication, East Tennessee State University

ETSU News

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Feb. 15, 2022) – James L. Adkins is the first director of Clinical Research for the Center of Excellence in Inflammation, Infectious Disease, and Immunity (CIIDI) at East Tennessee State University. 

The creation of the Clinical Research Office and Adkins’ appointment as the new director highlights CIIDI’s growth in translational and clinical research activity. 

“Our clinical research enterprise has expanded dramatically over the last three years, making it necessary for us to create a Clinical Research Office and to hire both another clinical research coordinator as well as a phlebotomist,” said CIIDI Co-Director Dr. Jonathan Moorman. “Mr. …