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2-Aminopyridyl Functionalized Scaffold As A Tool For Systematic Investigation Of B-Glucan Binding And Dectin-1 Activation, Jasper Alinea Aquino

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Tuberculosis (TB) – an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) – remains an epidemic worldwide contributing to millions of deaths each year. Vaccination is possibly the best means of addressing this global threat. In recent years, synergistic Th1 and Th17 immune responses have emerged as the key players for a vaccine-induced protection against TB. There is currently no vaccine approved for humans that elicits a Th17-mediated immune response. C-Type Lectin Receptors (CLR), specifically Dectin-1, a pattern recognition receptor (PRR) of β-1,3-glucans (β-glucans) primarily from fungi cell walls, is known to induce a Th17-mediated response. The Th17 response upon binding …

Healthcare Provider Uncertainty And Communicative Management Strategies, Katie Benson

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Uncertainty exists ubiquitously within provider-patient interactions. Healthcare providers (HCPs) often face uncertainty during patient-provider interactions, for reasons including inconclusive test results, ambiguous communication, and lacking the resources to make diagnoses. When healthcare providers experience uncertainty, their behavior and communication can be negatively impacted. For example, prior research suggests when HCPs experience uncertainty, they may engage in authoritative, prejudiced and assumption-ridden behavior towards patients (Dietta & Rand, 2007; Drewniak et al., 2017: Portnoy et al., 2013; Poteat et al., 2013). To date, research on HCP uncertainty has been limited to specific health conditions and contexts such as cancer, vascular anomalies, and …

Missed Opportunities To Vaccinate Teens Against Human Papillomavirus: Variation And Mechanisms Between Public And Private Facilities, Patrick E. Boise

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common sexually transmitted infection that causes at least 37,300 new cases of cancer every year in the United States. While effective vaccines to prevent HPV infection have been approved and available since 2006, 23.1% of US adolescents aged 13- 17 continue to miss out on the opportunity for immunization (Pingali 2022). This study examines missed opportunities (MOs) for HPV vaccination among US teens, where the teen receives either Tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) and/or Meningococcal vaccines, but the recommended HPV dose is not administered. This study uses a health economics framework and multinomial logistic …

A Dual-Function Filamentous Pf Bacteriophage Protein Modulates Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Virulence Potential, Caleb Michael Schwartzkopf

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that often plagues hospitals. More than half of P. aeruginosa isolates are infected by temperate Pf bacteriophage. Pf virions protect bacteria from antibiotics, promote biofilm formation, and modulate animal immune responses in ways that promote chronic infection. These virions can be produced without lysing P. aeruginosa, but lysis may occur during superinfection. Superinfection is the process whereby virions of the same or similar phage infect an already infected host. Temperate phages typically encode superinfection exclusion mechanisms. Here we elucidate one such mechanism in Pf phage. We observed that superinfection-surviving P. aeruginosa were transiently resistant …

Chth 491.01: Principles Of Epidemiology, Erin O'Brien Semmens

University of Montana Course Syllabi, 2021-2025

No abstract provided.

Pubh 510.50: Introduction To Epidemiology, Ellen Leahy

University of Montana Course Syllabi, 2021-2025

No abstract provided.

Pubh 475e: Public Health Ethics, Jeffrey C. Peterson

University of Montana Course Syllabi, 2021-2025

No abstract provided.

Pubh 155.01: Reimagining Global Health - Biosocial Perspectives, Gilbert A. Quintero

University of Montana Course Syllabi, 2021-2025

No abstract provided.

Pubh 615.50: Infectious Disease Epidemiology And Control, Sophia Raff Newcomer, Erin Landguth

University of Montana Course Syllabi, 2021-2025

No abstract provided.

Low Amphibian Larvae Recruitment At Restoration Site In Western Montana: Is Fish Predation Responsible?, Mackenzie E. Weiland

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Amphibian populations around the world are declining at an alarming rate and the decline of western Montana amphibians reflects this trend. As part of the restoration monitoring efforts at Milltown State Park, MT, native amphibian occupancy should be measured. I chose Milltown State Park because it is the largest Superfund site in the U.S. and millions of dollars have been spent on restoration efforts since 2008. However, little is known about amphibian occupancy at the site. Currently, egg masses of the native Columbia spotted frog are found in permanent wetland sites at Milltown State Park, yet larvae detection at these …

The Forgotten Epidemic: Identification Of Mtbc In The Neolithic Trypillia Of Verteba Cave, Ukraine, Tre Blohm

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

Microorganisms have plagued humankind for millennia and frequently participate in an evolutionary arms race against their hosts. Diseases from various microorganisms have crippled entire countries or led to massive population declines in recent history. However, much is unknown about epidemiology in ancient times. My project will be the first comprehensive paleoepidemiological approach to understand disease across populations in Europe during the Neolithic era (7000-1700BC). The Neolithic was one of the most profound transformations in human history, both culturally and biologically. Massive migrations, formations of the earliest settlements in Europe, and introduction of agriculture and pastoralism led to new environments for …

Biom 402.01: Medical Bacteriology & Mycology, Michael Minnick

University of Montana Course Syllabi, 2021-2025

No abstract provided.

Anty 513.01: Seminar In Bioarchaeology & Skeletal Biology, Meradeth H. Snow

University of Montana Course Syllabi, 2021-2025

No abstract provided.

Psci 377.R01: Global Health Issues, Peter Koehn

University of Montana Course Syllabi, 2021-2025

No abstract provided.

Biom 460.01: Ecology Of Infectious Diseases, Angela Dawn Luis

University of Montana Course Syllabi, 2021-2025

No abstract provided.

Ptrm 491.01: Applied Risk Management For Outdoor Programs, Andrea G. Stephens

University of Montana Course Syllabi, 2021-2025

No abstract provided.

Equitable Pharmacogenetic Testing Implementation For Rural And Underserved Populations, Shayna Killam

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Pharmacogenetic testing has potential to transform healthcare, yet implementation strategies have been limited to major academic medical centers serving metropolitan communities and large health systems. In contrast, rural, community-based health systems are slow to implement these advances, threatening to exacerbate existing healthcare disparities for rural populations. A majority of Montanans live in rural areas, with unique challenges in providing access to pharmacogenetics.

We have established partnerships with three clinical sites who serve rural, underserved populations including American Indian, pediatric, and low socioeconomic status patients. We conducted a needs assessment for pharmacogenetic testing implementation by interviewing 48 key stakeholders. Interview questions …

A Novel Pathway For The Production Of Poly-N-Acetylglucosamine By Borreliaceae, Adam Matthew Drobish

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Poly-N-acetylglucosamine (PNAG) is an extracellular polysaccharide consisting of β-1,6 N-acetylglucosamine monomers. PNAG is a key component of biofilms produced by diverse bacteria including Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Yersinia pestis, Bacillus subtilis¸and many more. The structure of PNAG is highly conserved across the microbial world. Here, we demonstrate that PNAG is produced by two Borrelia species, Borrelia (Borreliella) burgdorferi and Borrelia hermsii. PNAG production in B. burgdorferi, the Lyme disease spirochete, depends on pngA (bb0620), a gene annotated to express a glycosyl hydrolase family 3 (GH3) enzyme, which is a novel pathway. Surprisingly, in B. burgdorferi, PNAG appears to be intracellular, …

Vision 2022

Vision

No abstract provided.

The Combination Of Tlr7/8 And Tlr4 Adjuvants In An Influenza Vaccine Produce Unique Antigen-Specific Adaptive Immunity And Protect Against Lethal Heterologous Influenza Challenge, Shelby Lynn Cole

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Influenza virus infection is a global health concern resulting in death and illness each year, which disproportionally effects high-risk individuals. While there are several approved vaccines for seasonal influenza, there are some limitations to consider: current vaccines provide minimal cross protection against seasonally drifted influenza subtypes, influenza vaccine strains change each year, requiring timely manufacture of a new vaccine. Thus, vaccines capable of inducing a more robust and broadly protective immune response to multiple influenza subtypes remains a critical unmet need. Adjuvants and novel delivery systems are an interesting and promising avenue of exploration for enhancing and broadening seasonal influenza …

Voices Of The Often Unheard: The Environmental Impacts Of Catastrophic Wildfire Events On Individuals With Developmental Disabilities, Mary Madison Mckenzie

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The Thomas Fire for a time was the largest wildfire in California history, burning 281,893 acres and destroying 1,063 structures. Within three years, the August Complex Fire, at 1,032,649 acres, almost quadrupled that record. Climate related disasters such as these have impelled social science researchers to heed calls for a paradigm shift in understanding the risks climate change poses to the social world, in particular, disaster risks for vulnerable groups. Existing research tends to focus on disasters such as hurricanes, featuring risks for vulnerable populations by race, class, and/or individuals with disabilities in general, but not for individuals with developmental …

Tracing Migration And Social Stratification In Subadults At The Archaeological Site Of Convento: A Preliminary Strontium Isotopic Analysis, Holli Kaye Mcdonald

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.

Combinatorial Administration Of Synthetic Tlr4 Agonist Ini-2002 And Novel Mincle Agonist Um-1098 Delivered Via A-Snps Results In Synergistic Il-1Β Production In Human Primary Cells And Enhances Th1 And Th17 Responses In Vivo, Grace D. Jones, Asia Marie Stephanie Riel, Alexander Riffey, Cassandra Buhl

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Tuberculosis (TB) kills more people each year than any infectious disease worldwide with recent exception of SARS-CoV-2. Though the Bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG) vaccine confers protection against severe extrapulmonary forms of TB, there is no licensed vaccine for the prevention of pulmonary tuberculosis. The strongest correlate of protection against pulmonary tuberculosis is Th1/Th17 biased cell mediated immunity. Several candidates for TB vaccine adjuvants have shown Th1/Th17 polarizing capacity in clinical trials including Mincle agonist trehalose dibehenate (TDB) and TLR4 agonist monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL). Furthermore, combinatorial administration of MPL and TDB formulated in dimethyldioctadecylammonium (DDA) liposomes has been previously reported …

Pharmacy-Based Immunization Laws And Adolescent Well-Child Checkup Tradeoffs: Results From The Nis-Teen 2019, Teigan Avery

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Pharmacy-based immunization (PBI) has been heralded as a barrier-reducing way to immunize Americans and reach public health targets. PBI programs vary by state; some states prohibit vaccinating children in pharmacies while others allow pharmacists to prescribe and immunize persons of any age. There is concern that liberal PBI programs may boost vaccination rates at the cost of well-child visits. Parents may see PBI as an alternative to preventive well-check visits at a doctor’s office rather than as a complement, particularly for adolescents. This paper estimates the effect of state vaccination policies on individual adolescent 11–12-year-old well-checks using probit regression for …

A Thinking Person's Guide To Immigration And Environmental Racism At The Us - Mexico Border, Emma H. Kiefer

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

In recent years, more attention has been paid to the immigration crisis at the US-Mexico border thanks in part to the strict immigration restrictions from the Trump administration, such as the family separation policy. Immigration remains a widely misunderstood issue and arguments against increased immigration are often laced with racist stereotypes and perceptions that find their roots in centuries of US policy, court cases, and administrative rules. Similarly, the concept of environmental racism can be difficult for the American public to understand when modern-day racism alone has become more insidious. Intersectionality, a concept coined by sociologist Kimberlé Crenshaw, asks us …

Geo 508.01: Fundamentals Of Academic Research, Joel T. Harper

University of Montana Course Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Anty 210n.01: Introduction To Physical Anthropology, Randall Royce Skelton

University of Montana Course Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Geo 488.01: Snow, Ice, And Climate Change, Joel T. Harper

University of Montana Course Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Biom 227.01: Vectors And Parasites, Brent Jay Ryckman

University of Montana Course Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Ecns 491.01: Special Topics - Advanced Topics In Health Economics, Katrina L. Mullan

University of Montana Course Syllabi

No abstract provided.