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Pubh 510.50: Introduction To Epidemiology, Curtis W. Noonan

University of Montana Course Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of A New Method For Large-Scale And Gene-Targeted Next Generation Dna Sequencing In Nonmodel Species, Ted Cosart

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The efficient method called exon capture provides for sequencing genes genome-wide, targeting candidate genes, and sampling specific exons within genes. Although developed for model species with available whole genome sequences, the method can capture exons in nonmodel species using the genomic resources of a related model species. How close the relatives must be for effective exon capture is not known. The work herein demonstrates cross-taxa capture in ungulates, using the domestic cow genome as a reference. It also describes a computer program designed for collecting exon sequences for exon capture, allowing users to set per-gene and overall base pair (bp) …

Examining The Impact Of Hepatitis C In Montana: A Descriptive Case Study, Blair Rice Snyder

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The purpose of this study was to gather information about how Hepatitis C (HCV) affects Montanans. Montana specific information was collected about HCV transmission; factors influencing transmission; physical, social and psychological effects of having HCV and undergoing treatment; barriers to prevention and treatment; current available resources to those infected with HCV and ways to improve prevention and treatment. Secondary data consisted of a comprehensive literature review to describe the above factors and epidemiological information. Primary data was collected through key informant interviews and summary reports completed by people living with HCV. The findings suggest that HCV is primarily transmitted through …

Household Organization In The Fur Trade Era: Socioeconomic And Spatial Organizations Of Housepit 54, Alexandra Christine Williams

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Households are fundamental units of society that possess powerful explanatory potential; however, few studies have approached household organization during the critical contact period within the Mid-Fraser Canyon. The 2012 excavation of Bridge River’s Housepit 54 (HP 54) offers a rare opportunity to investigate such socioeconomic relationships and their spatial manifestations. Hypotheses structured with a household archaeology theoretical framework emphasize household socioeconomic strategies. The first hypothesis outlines a network strategy characterized by greater centralization of power, hierarchical complexity, and material-wealth that is reflected in residential units with individual features and disparate accumulations of prestige goods and high utility resources. Such floor …

Biochemical Reconstitution Of Hemorrhagic-Fever Arenavirus Envelope Glycoprotein-Mediated Membrane Fusion, Celestine J. Thomas, Sundaresh Shankar, Hedi E. Casquilho-Gray, Joanne York, Stephen Sprang, Jack H. Nunberg

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The membrane-anchored proteins of enveloped viruses form labile spikes on the virion surface, primed to undergo large-scale conformational changes culminating in virus-cell membrane fusion and viral entry. The prefusion form of these envelope glycoproteins thus represents an important molecular target for antiviral intervention. A critical roadblock to this endeavor has been our inability to produce the prefusion envelope glycoprotein trimer for biochemical and structural analysis. Through our studies of the GPC envelope glycoprotein of the hemorrhagic fever arenaviruses, we have shown that GPC is unique among class I viral fusion proteins in that the mature complex retains a stable signal …

Montana Kaimin, October 26, 2012, Students Of The University Of Montana, Missoula

Montana Kaimin, 1898-present

Student newspaper of the University of Montana, Missoula.

Microbial Degradation Of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid On The Greenland Ice Sheet, Marek Stibal, Jacob Baelum, William E. Holben, Sebastian R. Sørensen, Anders Jensen, Carsten S. Jacobsen

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The Greenland ice sheet (GrIS) receives organic carbon (OC) of anthropogenic origin, including pesticides, from the atmosphere and/or local sources, and the fate of these compounds in the ice is currently unknown. The ability of supraglacial heterotrophic microbes to mineralize different types of OC is likely a significant factor determining the fate of anthropogenic OC on the ice sheet. Here we determine the potential of the microbial community from the surface of the GrIS to mineralize the widely used herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). Surface ice cores were collected and incubated for up to 529 days in microcosms simulating in situ …

Dissection Of The Role Of The Stable Signal Peptide Of The Arenavirus Envelope Glycoprotein In Membrane Fusion, Emily L. Messina, Joanne York, Jack H. Nunberg

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The arenavirus envelope glycoprotein (GPC) retains a stable signal peptide (SSP) as an essential subunit in the mature complex. The 58-amino-acid residue SSP comprises two membrane-spanning hydrophobic regions separated by a short ectodomain loop that interacts with the G2 fusion subunit to promote pH-dependent membrane fusion. Small-molecule compounds that target this unique SSP-G2 interaction prevent arenavirus entry and infection. The interaction between SSP and G2 is sensitive to the phylogenetic distance between New World (Junin) and Old World (Lassa) arenaviruses. For example, heterotypic GPC complexes are unable to support virion entry. In this report, we demonstrate that the hybrid GPC …

February 2012 News Releases, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of University Relations

University of Montana News Releases, 1928, 1956-present

No abstract provided.

The Curious Case Of Arenavirus Entry, And Its Inhibition, Jack H. Nunberg, Joanne York

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Arenaviruses comprise a diverse family of enveloped negative-strand RNA viruses that are endemic to specific rodent hosts worldwide. Several arenaviruses cause severe hemorrhagic fevers in humans, including Junin and Machupo viruses in South America and Lassa fever virus in western Africa. Arenavirus entry into the host cell is mediated by the envelope glycoprotein complex, GPC. The virion is endocytosed on binding to a cell-surface receptor, and membrane fusion is initiated in response to physiological acidification of the endosome. As with other class I virus fusion proteins, GPC-mediated membrane fusion is promoted through a regulated sequence of conformational changes leading to …

Brucellosis Transmission Between Wildlife And Livestock In The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem: Inferences From Dna Genotyping, Michael Patrick O'Brien

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Brucellosis transmission between wildlife species and cattle in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem has been difficult to assess because the causative agent Brucella abortus bacteria is extremely difficult to isolate for DNA genotyping. We examined transmission of B. abortus between bison, elk, and cattle using nine variable-number tandem repeat (VNTR) markers on DNA from 98 isolates of B. abortus recovered from elk, bison, and cattle. All specimens were from geographically distinct populations in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. A haplotype network consisting of 54 individual haplogroups was generated from these isolates using Network v4.61. Network assessments of genetic relatedness among Brucella isolates …

The Ecology Of Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever In Western North America, Tammi Lynne Johnson

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

In North America the primary cause of tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF) is the spirochete Borrelia hermsii that is vectored by the tick Ornithodoros hermsi. Ecological investigations were combined with mathematical modeling and genetics to gain a clearer understanding of the interactions and mechanisms responsible for disease maintenance, distribution, and genetic diversity. The objectives of this research were to: 1) identify mammals associated with B. hermsii and O. hermsi by determining active infection and antibody presence, 2) develop a deterministic model to ascertain ecological and epidemiological parameters essential for disease persistence, 3) resolve the phylogeographic structure of B. hermsii and …

Pubh 510.50: Introduction To Epidemiology, Curtis W. Noonan

University of Montana Course Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Subjective Quality Of Life In Dialysis Patients, Cindy Schaumberg

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

With the ever increasing ability of medical technology to prolong life, quality of life is an increasingly legitimate medical outcome. This is an ethnographic study on the perceived quality of life of hemodialysis dependent end stage renal disease patients. The study used participant observations and in-depth patient interviews to elicit the perspective of hemodialysis dependent end stage renal disease patients. Findings addressed the utility of dialysis for patients of, patient values leading to renal replacement therapy, and issues that might make patients perceive treatment as futile.

Genetic Structure And Disease Prevalence Of Boreal Toads (Bufo Boreas) In Glacier National Park, Brett Rebekah Addis

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Amphibians are more threatened than any other vertebrate group, with 41% of species experiencing declines. The causes of most declines are not well understood, though many declines have been linked to the emerging infectious disease chytridiomycosis. Additionally, amphibians are physiologically constrained to moist habitats and considered poor dispersers; thus, they may suffer genetic consequences of population isolation. To address threats to the persistence of boreal toads (Bufo boreas) in Glacier National Park, USA, I genotyped 551 individuals at 11 microsatellite loci and used spatially independent (STRUCTURE) and spatially explicit (GENELAND) Bayesian methods to describe population genetic structure and identify barriers …

Women's Views On Conservation-Based Income Generation And Women's Empowerment In Kwandu Conservancy In Caprivi, Namibia, Kathryn Elizabeth Khumalo

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

While advocates of Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) contend that this decentralized approach to natural resource management has higher potential for the distribution of conservation and social benefits throughout civil society than conventional protected area approaches, there is limited empirical research to confirm it, especially regarding goals and claims of gender empowerment. To assess the impact of CBNRM on women's empowerment, this research selected Kwandu Conservancy in Namibia's Caprivi Region for in-depth study, an area with a relatively long and nationally-praised experience with CBNRM. The research was organized around the following two questions: how do women residing in Kwandu Conservancy …

Ph Modulation Of Fibril Dissociation And Copper Binding Properties Of The Prion Protein, Xu Qi

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The cellular form of prion protein (PrP^C) is a cell-surface glycoprotein attached to lipid rafts via its glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor. Conversion of PrP^C to its "scrapie" conformer (PrP^Sc, the fibrillar form) constitutes the key event of the etiology of prion diseases. Fibril dissociation is necessary for efficient conversion and continued propagation of the disease state. Recent studies have revealed that conversion occurs along the endocytic pathway. To better understand the dissociation process, we have investigated the effect of low pH on the stability of recombinant prion fibrils. We show that under conditions that mimic the endocytic …

Another Day, Another Donut: Political Economy, Agency, And Food In A Montanan Homeless Shelter, Jacqueline Devereaux Semmens

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Despite widespread undernutrition among the homeless, there has been little anthropological research on the experience of food insecurity in this population. Between 20 and 40 percent of the homeless population is undernourished and one third regularly miss meals (Gelberg 1995). This thesis addresses the significant problem of food insecurity in the homeless from a political economic perspective, analyzing how larger social structures influence the individual person. Fifteen residents at a shelter in Missoula, MT were interviewed about their dietary practices and experience of social service programs. The macro-social level influences the diet of the individual in two important ways: first, …

Capitalism, Contraception And Chemicals: A Medical Anthropological Analysis Of The Premature Sexual Development Epidemic In Puerto Rican Females, Holly Lynn Horan

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

An Investigation of Etiologies: The Biosocial Exploration of Premature Sexual Development in Puerto Rico Objective: The purpose of this study was to argue for an anthropological approach in the investigation of the world’s highest recorded prevalence of precocious puberty and premature thelarche that occurred in Puerto Rico in the late 1970s. After 30 years of biomedical research, definite etiologies of this epidemic remain unknown; prompting for a more dynamic, biosocial approach in studying this pediatric health phenomenon. Methods: This research began with a literature review of mixed-methods data. Literature sources were segmented by qualitative and quantitative methods. Each source was …

Mathematical Modeling And Disease Related Applications: A New Method Of Estimating Bacterial Mutation Rates, Dynamics Of Killer Yeast In A Chemostat, And Other Problems, Nicholas Fitzgerald Mcclure

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Among the main mechanisms of evolution we find adaptation, genetic drift, gene flow, mutation, natural selection and speciation. The following thesis explores bacterial mutation rate, mutants, mutators, and how competition acts as a driving force of adaptation.

In chapter 1, the system used in reference for mutation is the devolopment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa antibacterial resistance in the Cystic Fibrosis patients. Current methods for determining mutation rate are quite involved mathematically or complicated experimentally. A new method for estimating mutation rate is discussed and compared with two other widely used methods.

In chapter 2, a microarray data set of different strains …

December 2011 News Releases, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of University Relations

University of Montana News Releases, 1928, 1956-present

No abstract provided.

Exome-Wide Dna Capture And Next Generation Sequencing In Domestic And Wild Species, Albano Beja-Pereira, Shanyuan Chen, Theodore F. Cosart, Gordon Luikart, Sarah B. Ng, Jay Shendure

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Our understanding of the molecular, genetic basis of adaptations and phenotypic differentiation among individuals will advance quickly thanks to new molecular techniques. This understanding is crucial given that accelerating environmental change and human population growth are increasingly threatening natural populations of fish and wildlife as well as increasing demands for agricultural production in domesticated species. This makes it urgent in many wild and domestic species to investigate the genetic basis of fitness, adaptation, and disease resistance [1], and to discover adaptive genes and speciation genes, i.e., the "loci of evolution" [2].

A Specific Interaction Of Small Molecule Entry Inhibitors With The Envelope Glycoprotein Complex Of The Junín Hemorrhagic Fever Arenavirus, Celestine J. Thomas, Hedi E. Casquilho-Gray, Joanne York, Dianne L. Decamp, Dongcheng Dai, Erin B. Petrilli, Dale L. Boger, Richard A. Slayden, Sean M. Amberg, Stephen Sprang, Jack H. Nunberg

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Arenaviruses are responsible for acute hemorrhagic fevers worldwide and are recognized to pose significant threats to public health and biodefense. Small molecule compounds have recently been discovered that inhibit arenavirus entry and protect against lethal infection in animal models. These chemically distinct inhibitors act on the tripartite envelope glycoprotein (GPC) through its unusual stable signal peptide subunit to stabilize the complex against pH-induced activation of membrane fusion in the endosome. Here, we report the production and characterization of the intact transmembrane GPC complex of Junín arenavirus and its interaction with these inhibitors. The solubilized GPC is antigenically indistinguishable from the …

Montana Kaimin, February 2, 2011, Students Of The University Of Montana, Missoula

Montana Kaimin, 1898-present

Student newspaper of the University of Montana, Missoula.

T-705 (Favipiravir) Inhibition Of Arenavirus Replication In Cell Culture, Michelle Mendenhall, Andrew Russell, Terry Juelich, Emily L. Messina, Donald F. Smee, Alexander N. Freiberg, Michael R. Holbrook, Yousuke Furuta, Juan-Carlos De La Torre, Jack H. Nunberg, Brian B. Gowen

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

A number of New World arenaviruses (Junin [JUNV], Machupo [MACV], and Guanarito [GTOV] viruses) can cause human disease ranging from mild febrile illness to a severe and often fatal hemorrhagic fever syndrome. These highly pathogenic viruses and the Old World Lassa fever virus pose a significant threat to public health and national security. The only licensed antiviral agent with activity against these viruses, ribavirin, has had mixed success in treating severe arenaviral disease and is associated with significant toxicities. A novel pyrazine derivative currently in clinical trials for the treatment of influenza virus infections, T-705 (favipiravir), has demonstrated broad-spectrum activity …

Is Wildlife Going To The Dogs? Impacts Of Feral And Free-Roaming Dogs On Wildlife Populations, Julie K. Young, Kirk A. Olson, Richard P. Reading, Sukh Amgalanbaatar, Joel Berger

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

In human-populated landscapes, dogs (Canis familiaris) are often the most abundant terrestrial carnivore. However, dogs can significantly disrupt or modify intact ecosystems well beyond the areas occupied by people. Few studies have directly quantified the environmental or economic effects of free-roaming and feral dogs. Here, we review wildlife-dog interactions and provide a case study that focuses on interactions documented from our research in Mongolia to underscore the need for studies designed to best determine how dogs affect native wildlife and especially imperiled populations. We suggest additional research, public awareness campaigns, and the exclusion of dogs from critical wildlife habitat. The …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of A Commercial Portable Air Purifier In Homes With Wood Burning Stoves: A Preliminary Study, Julie F. Hart, Tony J. Ward, Terry M. Spear, Richard J. Rossi, Nicholas N. Holland, Brodie G. Loushin

Public and Community Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Wood burning for residential heating is prevalent in the Rocky Mountain regions of the United States. Studies have shown that wood stoves can be a significant source of PM2.5 within homes. In this study, the effectiveness of an electrostatic filter portable air purifier was evaluated (1) in a home where a wood stove was the sole heat source and (2) in a home where a wood stove was used as a supplemental heat source. Particle count concentrations in six particle sizes and particle mass concentrations in two particle sizes weremeasured for ten 12-hour purifier on and ten purifier off trials …

Staphylococcus Aureus Panton-Valentine Leukocidin (Pvl) Alters Human Neutrophil Viability And Function, Shawna Graves

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Community-associated methicillin-resistant S. aureus (CA-MRSA) infections are the leading cause of community bacterial infections in the United States. Genes encoding Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) are present in most Staphylococcus aureus strains that cause CA-MRSA infections. Despite an association of PVL with the most abundant CA-MRSA strains, its role in pathogenesis--if any--remains unknown. PVL is a pore-forming toxin with specificity for myeloid cells, including polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs or neutrophils). It is widely assumed that PVL-mediated pore formation in the plasma membrane of PMNs leads ultimately to cytolysis. However, this hypothesis has not been tested and previous studies indicate that levels of PVL …

Multi-Element Regulation Of The Tropical Forest Carbon Cycle, Alan R. Townsend, Cory C. Cleveland, Benjamin Z. Houlton, Caroline B. Alden, James W. C. White

Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences Faculty Publications

Tropical ecosystems dominate the exchange of carbon dioxide between the atmosphere and terrestrial biosphere, yet our understanding of how nutrients control the tropical carbon (C) cycle remains far from complete. In part, this knowledge gap arises from the marked complexity of the tropical forest biome, in which nitrogen, phosphorus, and perhaps several other elements may play roles in determining rates of C gain and loss. As studies from other ecosystems show, failing to account for nutrient–C interactions can lead to substantial errors in predicting how ecosystems will respond to climate and other environmental changes. Thus, although resolving the complex nature …

Interactive Effects Of Wildfire And Disturbance History On Amphibians And Their Parasites, Blake Roger Hossack

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Climate-driven changes in wildfire and other disturbance regimes are expected to affect populations and communities worldwide. Understanding how these changes will affect native species is critical for future conservation efforts, especially on managed forests. Using data from several wildfires that burned between 1988 and 2003 in and next to Glacier National Park, Montana, I examined how fire affected the distribution, abundance, and infection status of 3 native amphibians. In Chapter 1, I used long-term data on wetland occupancy to show the long-toed salamander (Ambystoma macrodactylum) and Columbia spotted frog (Rana luteiventris) were resistant to change during the first 6 years …