Digital Commons Network^™

A Bacterial Quorum-Sensing Precursor Induces Mortality In The Marine Coccolithophore, Emiliania Huxleyi, Elizabeth L. Harvey, Robert W. Deering, David C. Rowley, Abrahim El Gamal, Michelle Schorn, Bradley Moore, Matthew Johnson, Tracy J. Mincer, Kristen E. Whalen

Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Interactions between phytoplankton and bacteria play a central role in mediating biogeochemical cycling and food web structure in the ocean. However, deciphering the chemical drivers of these interspecies interactions remains challenging. Here, we report the isolation of 2-heptyl-4-quinolone (HHQ), released by Pseudoalteromonas piscicida, a marine gamma-proteobacteria previously reported to induce phytoplankton mortality through a hitherto unknown algicidal mechanism. HHQ functions as both an antibiotic and a bacterial signaling molecule in cell–cell communication in clinical infection models. Co-culture of the bloom-forming coccolithophore, Emiliania huxleyi with both live P. piscicida and cell-free filtrates caused a significant decrease in algal growth. Investigations …

Changes In Depression And Stress After Release From A Tobacco-Free Prison In The United States, Jacob J. Van Der Berg, Mary B. Roberts, Beth C. Bock, Rosemarie A. Martin, L.A.R. Stein, Donna R. Parker, Arthur R. Mcgovern, Sarah Hart Shuford, Jennifer G. Clarke

Psychology Faculty Publications

Prior research has found high levels of depression and stress among persons who are incarcerated in the United States (U.S.). However, little is known about changes in depression and stress levels among inmates post-incarceration. The aim of this study was to examine changes in levels of depression and stress during and after incarceration in a tobacco-free facility. Questionnaires that included valid and reliable measures of depression and stress were completed by 208 male and female inmates approximately eight weeks before and three weeks after release from a northeastern U.S. prison. Although most inmates improved after prison, 30.8% had a worsening …

Dengue Vaccine: The Need, The Challenges And Progress, Alan L. Rothman, Francis A. Ennis

Institute for Immunology and Informatics Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Cpg Improves Influenza Vaccine Efficacy In Young Adult But Not Aged Mice, Alejandro Ramirez, Mary Co, Anuja Matthew

Institute for Immunology and Informatics Faculty Publications

Several studies have shown a reduced efficacy of influenza vaccines in the elderly compared to young adults. In this study, we evaluated the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of a commercially available inactivated influenza vaccine (Fluzone^®) in young adult and aged mice. C57/BL6 mice were administered a single or double immunization of Fluzone^® with or without CpG and challenged intranasally with H1N1 A/California/09 virus. A double immunization of Fluzone^® adjuvanted with CpG elicited the highest level of protection in young adult mice which was associated with increases in influenza specific IgG, elevated HAI titres, reduced viral titres …

Tick‐, Mosquito‐, And Rodent‐Borne Parasite Sampling Designs For The National Ecological Observatory Network, Yuri P. Springer, Howard S. Ginsberg, Et Al

Plant Sciences and Entomology Faculty Publications

Parasites and pathogens are increasingly recognized as significant drivers of ecological and evolutionary change in natural ecosystems. Concurrently, transmission of infectious agents among human, livestock, and wildlife populations represents a growing threat to veterinary and human health. In light of these trends and the scarcity of long‐term time series data on infection rates among vectors and reservoirs, the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) will collect measurements and samples of a suite of tick‐, mosquito‐, and rodent‐borne parasites through a continental‐scale surveillance program. Here, we describe the sampling designs for these efforts, highlighting sampling priorities, field and analytical methods, and the …

Laser Facilitates Vaccination, Ji Wang, Peiyu Li, Xinyuan Chen, Mei X. Wu

Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Development of novel vaccine deliveries and vaccine adjuvants is of great importance to address the dilemma that the vaccine field faces: to improve vaccine efficacy without compromising safety. Harnessing the specific effects of laser on biological systems, a number of novel concepts have been proposed and proved in recent years to facilitate vaccination in a safer and more efficient way. The key advantage of using laser technology in vaccine delivery and adjuvantation is that all processes are initiated by physical effects with no foreign chemicals administered into the body. Here, we review the recent advances in using laser technology to …

Design For Mosquito Abundance, Diversity, And Phenology Sampling Within The National Ecological Observatory Network, D. Hoekman, Y. P. Springer, C. M. Barker, R. Barrera, M. S. Blackmore, W. E. Bradshaw, D. H. Foley, Howard S. Ginsberg, M. H. Hayden, C. M. Holzapfel, S. A. Juliano, L. D. Kramer, S. L. Ladeau, T. P. Livdahl, C. G. Moore, R. S. Nasci, W. K. Reisen, H. M. Savage

Plant Sciences and Entomology Faculty Publications

The National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) intends to monitor mosquito populations across its broad geographical range of sites because of their prevalence in food webs, sensitivity to abiotic factors, and relevance for human health. We describe the design of mosquito population sampling in the context of NEON's long‐term continental scale monitoring program, emphasizing the sampling design schedule, priorities, and collection methods. Freely available NEON data and associated field and laboratory samples, will increase our understanding of how mosquito abundance, demography, diversity, and phenology are responding to land use and climate change.

Passive Surveillance Of Ixodes Scapularis (Say), Their Biting Activity, And Associated Pathogens In Massachusetts, Guang Xu, Thomas N. Mather, Craig S. Hollingsworth, Stephen M. Rich

Plant Sciences and Entomology Faculty Publications

A passive surveillance of tick-borne pathogens was conducted over a 7-year period (2006–2012), in which a total of 3551 ticks were submitted to the University of Massachusetts for PCR testing. The vast majority of these ticks were Ixodes scapularis from Massachusetts (N = 2088) and hence were the focus of further analysis. Two TaqMan duplex qPCR assays were developed to test I. scapularis ticks for the presence of three human pathogens: Borrelia burgdorferi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Babesia microti. I. scapularis submissions were concentrated from Cape Cod, the eastern half of the state outside of the Boston …

College Of Pharmacy Annual Report For Fy2016, Uri College Of Pharmacy

College of Pharmacy Reports

Annual report for the College of Pharmacy of the University of Rhode Island for the year 2015-2016.

Includes information and statistics for the academic programs, research work and developments by faculty and students, community engagement and donations.

Ampicillin In Combination With Ceftaroline, Cefepime, Or Ceftriaxone Demonstrates Equivalent Activities In A High-Inoculum Enterococcus Faecalis Infection Model, Megan K. Luther, B. Rice, Kerry L. Laplante

Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Ampicillin-ceftriaxone combination therapy has become a predominant treatment for serious Enterococcus faecalis infections, such as endocarditis. Unfortunately, ceftriaxone use is associated with future vancomycin-resistant enterococcus colonization. We evaluated E. faecalis in an in vitro pharmacodynamic model against simulated human concentration-time profiles of ampicillin plus ceftaroline, cefepime, ceftriaxone, or gentamicin. Ampicillin-cefepime and ampicillin-ceftaroline demonstrated activities similar to those of ampicillin-ceftriaxone against E. faecalis.

Predictors Of Mortality Among U.S. Veterans With Streptococcus Pneumoniae Infections, Jacob B. Morton, J. Morrill, Kerry L. Laplante, Aisling R. Caffrey

Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Introduction

Serious Streptococcus pneumoniae infections, encompassing pneumonia, bacteremia, and meningitis, are a major cause of mortality. However, literature regarding mortality is often limited to invasive pneumococcal disease, excluding pneumonia. This study sought to identify predictors of mortality among adults with serious pneumococcal disease, including pneumonia and invasive pneumococcal disease.

Methods

This was a nested case-control study of unvaccinated older Veterans with positive S. pneumoniae cultures (blood, cerebrospinal fluid, respiratory) admitted to Veterans Affairs medical centers nationally between 2002 and 2011. Patients vaccinated against pneumococcal disease were excluded. Using multivariable logistic regression, predictors of 30-day mortality were identified, including patient demographics, …

Comparison Of Telavancin And Vancomycin Antibiotic Lock Solutions In The Eradication Of Biofilm-Producing Staphylococci And Enterococci From Central Venous Catheters, Megan K. Luther, A. Mermel, Kerry L. Laplante

Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Purpose: Results of a study of the activity of antibiotic lock solutions of vancomycin and telavancin against biofilm-forming strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecalis, and Staphylococcus aureus are reported.

Methods: An established in vitro central venous catheter model was used to evaluate lock solutions containing vancomycin (5 mg/mL) or telavancin (5 mg/mL), with and without preservative-containing heparin sodium (with 0.45% benzyl alcohol) 2500 units/mL, heparin, and 0.9% sodium chloride solution. Lock solutions were introduced after 24-hour bacterial growth in catheters incubated at 35 °C. After 72 hours of exposure to the lock solutions, catheters were drained, flushed, and …

Impact Of A Prospective Audit And Feedback Antimicrobial Stewardship Program At A Veterans Affairs Medical Center: A Six-Point Assessment, Haley J. Morrill, R. Caffrey, Melissa M. Gaitanis, Kerry L. Laplante

Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Background:

Prospective audit and feedback is a core antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) strategy; however its impact is difficult to measure.

Methods:

Our quasi-experimental study measured the effect of an ASP on clinical outcomes, antimicrobial use, resistance, costs, patient safety (adverse drug events [ADE] and Clostridium difficile infection [CDI]), and process metrics pre- (9/10–10/11) and post-ASP (9/12–10/13) using propensity adjusted and matched Cox proportional-hazards regression models and interrupted time series (ITS) methods.

Results:

Among our 2,696 patients, median length of stay was 1 day shorter post-ASP (5, interquartile range [IQR] 3–8 vs. 4, IQR 2–7 days, p

Conclusions …

Consensus Of Recommendations Guiding Comparative Effectiveness Research Methods, Jacob B. Morton, Mcconeghy, Kirstin Heinrich, Nicolle M. Gatto, Aisling R. Caffrey

Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Purpose

Because of an increasing demand for quality comparative effectiveness research (CER), methods guidance documents have been published, such as those from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). Our objective was to identify CER methods guidance documents and compare them to produce a summary of important recommendations which could serve as a consensus of CER method recommendations.

Methods

We conducted a systematic literature review to identify CER methods guidance documents published through 2014. Identified documents were analyzed for methods guidance recommendations. Individual recommendations were categorized to determine the degree of overlap. …

Antimicrobial Stewardship In Long-Term Care Facilities: A Call To Action, Haley J. Morrill, R. Caffrey, Robin L. P. Jump, David Dosa, Kerry L. Laplante

Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Antimicrobial resistance is a global public health crisis and a national security threat to the United States, as stated in an executive order signed by the president in September 2014. This crisis is a result of indiscriminant antimicrobial use, which promotes selection for resistant organisms, increases the risk of adverse drug events, and renders patients vulnerable to drug-resistant infections. Antimicrobial stewardship is a key measure to combat antimicrobial resistance and specifically seeks to do this by improving antimicrobial use. Antimicrobial stewardship compliments infection control practices and it is important to note that these 2 disciplines are distinct and cannot be …

The Effect Of Molecular Rapid Diagnostic Testing On Clinical Outcomes In Bloodstream Infections: A Systematic Review & Meta-Analysis, Tristan T. Timbrook, B. Morton, Kevin W. Mcconeghy, Aisling R. Caffrey, Eleftherios Mylonakis, Kerry L. Laplante

Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Background. Previous reports on molecular rapid diagnostic testing (mRDT) do not consistently demonstrate improved clinical outcomes in bloodstream infections (BSIs). This meta-analysis seeks to evaluate the impact of mRDT in improving clinical outcomes in BSIs.

Methods. We searched PubMed, CINAHL, Web of science, and EMBASE through May 2016 for BSI studies comparing clinical outcomes by mRDT and conventional microbiology methods.

Results. Thirty-one studies were included with 5,920 patients. Risk of morality was significantly lower with mRDT as compared to conventional microbiology methods (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.54-0.80) yielding a NNT of 20. The risk of mortality was …

Evaluation Of The Efficacy Of Candidate Probiotics For Disease Prevention In Shellfish Hatcheries, Saebom Sohn

Open Access Dissertations

In the United States of America, oyster production is an important component of the seafood economy in many communities in coastal states. The severe impact of disease outbreaks and mass mortality of oyster larvae in hatcheries impacts production, since the oyster industry is largely dependent on hatchery and nursery production. The use of probiotics has been proposed as a potential preventative measure to limit the impact of bacterial diseases in shellfish hatcheries. In previous laboratory studies, the probiotic bacteria Phaeobacter inhibens S4 and Bacillus pumillus RI06-95 improved the survival of eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) larvae against the pathogens …

Antimicrobial Resistance Patterns And Protective Effects Of Statins In Bacteremic Patients, Ajinkya Pawar

Open Access Dissertations

The significant increase in antimicrobial resistance over the past few years is a serious global public health concern, particularly as the development of new antimicrobial agents had been slow for many years. Infections with resistant organisms are associated with poor clinical outcomes and higher cost burdens. Determining antimicrobial resistance patterns can help identify problem areas and modify treatment practices to improve clinical outcomes. Additionally, identifying adjunctive therapies can also help improve clinical outcomes among infected patients. The objectives, hypotheses, methods and results of this dissertation are threefold:

Manuscript 1: The objective was to analyze antimicrobial resistance trends in E. faecalis …

Dry Powder Aerosol Nanocomposite Microparticles For The Treatment Of Pulmonary Diseases, Zimeng Wang

Open Access Dissertations

Dry powder aerosols have attracted increasing attention for the treatment of pulmonary diseases due to their capability of providing direct and efficient drug delivery to the lungs. Unfortunately, barriers exist in the implementation of dry powder pulmonary delivery systems, including: (1) dry powder aerosols with aerodynamic diameters smaller than 1 μm will often be exhaled; (2) particles with aerodynamic diameters above 5 μm tend to deposit in the mouth, throat or upper lung mucosa and will then be eliminated due to mucosal clearance mechanisms; and (3) particles larger than 1 μm that deposit in the deep lung area may be …

Retrospective Cohort Study Of Tobacco Dependence Treatment Patterns In A Us Commercially Insured Population, Elizabeth Anne Maclean

Open Access Dissertations

Recognizing the substantial public health impact of tobacco dependence (TD) and consequent importance of reducing tobacco use, the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) issues evidence based clinical practice guidelines (CPG) that urge “clinicians and health care delivery systems to consistently identify and document tobacco use status and treat every tobacco user seen in a health care setting”. The latest guidelines, published in 2008, were written “in response to new, effective clinical treatments for tobacco dependence” identified since 1999 and contain strategies and recommendations designed to assist clinicians, administrators, insurers, and purchasers in “delivering and supporting effective treatments for tobacco …

Evaluating The Effect Of Minimal Risk Natural Products For Control Of The Tick, Ixodes Scapularis, Megan C. Dyer

Open Access Master's Theses

I evaluated the knock-down and residual activity of eleven minimal risk natural products (MRNP) against host-seeking nymphal stage blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis Say) using a novel micro-plot product screening system in a landscape setting similar to a wooded residential property. The micro-plot system reduced variability between testing sites typically seen in larger field trials and provided the opportunity to compare results of studies conducted under the same environmental conditions, saving both time and money by confining product application and tick sampling to a 0.3 m diameter arena. By seeding the arenas with a known number of laboratory-raised blacklegged tick …

Analysis Of Cell-Mediated Immune Responses In Support Of Dengue Vaccine Development Efforts, Alan L. Rothman, Jeffrey R. Currier, Heather L. Friberg, Anuja Mathew

Institute for Immunology and Informatics Faculty Publications

Dengue vaccine development has made significant strides, but a better understanding of how vaccine-induced immune responses correlate with vaccine efficacy can greatly accelerate development, testing, and deployment as well as ameliorate potential risks and safety concerns. Advances in basic immunology knowledge and techniques have already improved our understanding of cell-mediated immunity of natural dengue virus infection and vaccination. We conclude that the evidence base is adequate to argue for inclusion of assessments of cell-mediated immunity as part of clinical trials of dengue vaccines, although further research to identify useful correlates of protective immunity is needed.

Satellite Based Assessment Of Hydroclimatic Conditions Related To Cholera In Zimbabwe, Antarpreet Jutla, Haidar Aldaach, Hannah Billian, Ali S. Akanda, Anwar Huq, Rita Colwell

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Introduction:

Cholera, an infectious diarrheal disease, has been shown to be associated with large scale hydroclimatic processes. The sudden and sporadic occurrence of epidemic cholera is linked with high mortality rates, in part, due to uncertainty in timing and location of outbreaks. Improved understanding of the relationship between pathogenic abundance and climatic processes allows prediction of disease outbreak to be an achievable goal. In this study, we show association of large scale hydroclimatic processes with the cholera epidemic in Zimbabwe reported to have begun in Chitungwiza, a city in Mashonaland East province, in August, 2008.

Principal Findings:

Climatic factors in …

Vancomycin Dosing Considerations In A Real-World Cohort Of Obese And Extremely Obese Patients, Haley J. Morrill, R. Caffrey, Eunsun Noh, Kerry L. Laplante

Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Study Objective:

To compare the effects of empiric vancomycin dosing regimens on attainment of optimal target trough concentrations in obese (body mass index [BMI] 30–40 kg/m²) and extremely obese (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m²) patients.

Design:

Retrospective cohort study.

Data Source:

National Veterans Affairs standardized databases.

Patients:

A total of 263 obese and 71 extremely obese (actual body weight range 72–244 kg in both groups) inpatients from all Veterans Affairs facilities nationally who had suspected methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia and were treated with vancomycin between 2002 and 2012.

Measurements and Main Results:

Patients with steady-state trough concentrations …

Evaluation Of Cardiac Involvement In Children With Dengue By Serial Echocardiographic Studies, Tawatchai Kirawittaya, In-Kyu Yoon, Sineewanlaya Wichit, Sharone Green, Francis A. Ennis, Robert V. Gibbons, Stephen J. Thomas, Alan L. Rothman, Siripen Kalayanarooj, Anon Srikiatkhachorn

Institute for Immunology and Informatics Faculty Publications

Background:

Infection with dengue virus results in a wide range of clinical manifestations from dengue fever (DF), a self-limited febrile illness, to dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) which is characterized by plasma leakage and bleeding tendency. Although cardiac involvement has been reported in dengue, the incidence and the extent of cardiac involvement are not well defined.

Methods and Principal Findings:

We characterized the incidence and changes in cardiac function in a prospective in-patient cohort of suspected dengue cases by serial echocardiography. Plasma leakage was detected by serial chest and abdominal ultrasonography. Daily cardiac troponin-T levels were measured. One hundred and eighty …

Serials Solutions Subject Search Report 2014-2015, Andree Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Statistics on the total number of Serials Solutions subject searches at the University of Rhode Island Libraries by month for 2014-2015. Shows how many times the A-Z full text electronic journal list (at http://zu4tq4pb5v.search.serialssolutions.com/) was browsed by specific subjects.

Structure-Based Redesign Of Lysostaphin Yields Potent Antistaphylococcal Enzymes That Evade Immune Cell Surveillance, Kristina Blazanovic, Hongliang Zhao, Yoonjoo Choi, Wen Li, Regina S. Salvat, Daniel C. Osipovitch, Jennifer Fields, Leonard Moise, Brett L. Berwin, Steven N. Fiering, Chris Bailey-Kellogg, Karl E. Griswold

Institute for Immunology and Informatics Faculty Publications

Staphylococcus aureus infections exert a tremendous burden on the health-care system, and the threat of drug-resistant strains continues to grow. The bacteriolytic enzyme lysostaphin is a potent antistaphylococcal agent with proven efficacy against both drug-sensitive and drug-resistant strains; however, the enzyme’s own bacterial origins cause undesirable immunogenicity and pose a barrier to clinical translation. Here, we deimmunized lysostaphin using a computationally guided process that optimizes sets of mutations to delete immunogenic T cell epitopes without disrupting protein function. In vitro analyses showed the methods to be both efficient and effective, producing seven different deimmunized designs exhibiting high function and reduced …

Different Populations Of Blacklegged Tick Nymphs Exhibit Differences In Questing Behavior That Have Implications For Human Lyme Disease Risk, Isis M. Arsnoe, Graham J. Hickling, Howard S. Ginsberg, Richard Mcelreath, Jean I. Tsao

Plant Sciences and Entomology Faculty Publications

Animal behavior can have profound effects on pathogen transmission and disease incidence. We studied the questing (= host-seeking) behavior of blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) nymphs, which are the primary vectors of Lyme disease in the eastern United States. Lyme disease is common in northern but not in southern regions, and prior ecological studies have found that standard methods used to collect host-seeking nymphs in northern regions are unsuccessful in the south. This led us to hypothesize that there are behavior differences between northern and southern nymphs that alter how readily they are collected, and how likely they are …

Treatment Options For Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae Infections, Haley J. Morrill, M. Pogue, Keith S. Kaye, Kerry L. Laplante

Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Research Faculty Publications

This article provides a comprehensive review of currently available treatment options for infections due to carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE). Antimicrobial resistance in Gram-negative bacteria is an emerging and serious global public health threat. Carbapenems have been used as the “last-line” treatment for infections caused by resistant Enterobacteriaceae, including those producing extended spectrum ß-lactamases. However, Enterobacteriaceae that produce carbapenemases, which are enzymes that deactivate carbapenems and most other ß-lactam antibiotics, have emerged and are increasingly being reported worldwide. Despite this increasing burden, the most optimal treatment for CRE infections is largely unknown. For the few remaining available treatment options, there are …

Ethanol And Isopropyl Alcohol Exposure Increases Biofilm Formation In Staphylococcus Aureus And Staphylococcus Epidermidis, Megan K. Luther, Bilida, Leonard A. Mermel, Kerry L. Laplante

Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Introduction

Alcohols, including ethanol and isopropyl alcohol, are used in clinical practice for disinfection and infection prevention. Recent studies, however, demonstrate that alcohols may enhance biofilm production in Staphylococci.

Methods

We quantified biofilm formation in the presence of ethanol and isopropyl alcohol in six different, well-characterized strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus. After 24 h of biofilm development, each strain was exposed to normal saline (NS), ethanol, or isopropyl alcohol (40%, 60%, 80% and 95%) for additional 24 h incubation. Adherent biofilms were stained and optical density was determined. Viability of strains was also determined after alcohol …