Digital Commons Network^™

Assessment Of Prolonged Occupational Exposure To Heat Stress, Ximena Garzon-Villalba Garzon-Villalba

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Heat stress is a recognized occupational hazard present in many work environments. Its effects increase with increasing environmental heat loads. There is good evidence that exertional heat illness is associated with ambient thermal conditions in outdoor environments. Further, there is reason to believe that risk of acute injury may also increase with the ambient environment. For these reasons, the assessment of heat stress, which can be done through the characterization of the wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT), is designed to limit exposures to those that could be sustained for an 8-h day. The ACGIH Threshold Limit Value (TLV) for heat …

From Tolerance To Transmission: Linking Within-Individual To Community-Level Disease Processes, Sarah Catherine Burgan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hosts have two main strategies for coping with infections: resistance and tolerance. Resistance is aimed at preventing or eliminating parasites, whereas the goal of tolerance is to maintain performance regardless of parasite burden. The balance between resistance and tolerance within a host may mediate host competence, or the propensity of a host to infect other hosts or vectors. Hosts with high tolerance and low resistance to an infection, for instance, may be highly competent and possess the greatest potential to act as superspreaders. These superspreading hosts will contribute disproportionately to transmission, thus posing the greatest risk to other hosts within …

Smoking Among Youth Living With Hiv: The Intersection Of Behavioral Health And Chronic Disease, Todd Wells

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Smoking amongst youth living with HIV (YLWH) has major public health implications. When combined with the complications associated with smoking such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) or heart disease, the impact of a HIV positive diagnosis increases morbidity exponentially (Nahvi & Cooperman, 2009). The purpose of this study was two-fold, to investigate the perceptions of smoking amongst YLWH aged 18-25 who received care at the CMS Clinic located at the University of South Florida and to determine factors related to cessation. A study design utilizing two components, a systematic literature review and primary qualitative data was used in this …

Bat–Man Disease Transmission: Zoonotic Pathogens From Wildlife Reservoirs To Human Populations, N. Allocati, A. G. Petrucci, P. Di Giovanni

KIP Articles

Bats are natural reservoir hosts and sources of infection of several microorganisms, many of which cause severe human diseases. Because of contact between bats and other animals, including humans, the possibility exists for additional interspecies transmissions and resulting disease outbreaks. The purpose of this article is to supply an overview on the main pathogens isolated from bats that have the potential to cause disease in humans.

The Effectiveness Of An Intervention Designed To Improve Chlorhexidine (Chg) Bathing Technique In Adults Hospitalized In Medical Surgical Units, Janette Echemendia Denny

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Central line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) are one of the most fatal types of healthcare associated infections (HAIs) and their economic impact is significant. Although some studies have found no signification reduction in CLABSI rates with chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bathing; good evidence exists to support the use of CHG bathing as an intervention to reduce CLABSIs (Bleasdale et al., 2007; Climo et al., 2009; Climo et al., 2013; Montecalvo et al., 2012). CHG bathing performance may influence the effectiveness of the CHG bathing protocol.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a targeted educational approach involving …

Inquiry Of Lipid Membranes Interacting With Functional Peptides And Polyphenol Drug Molecules, Chian Sing Ho

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cellular membranes are important targets for many membrane-active peptides and drug compounds. Here we are interested in deciphering how lipid membranes are perturbed by several membrane-active molecules, including the transmembrane domain of the influenza M2 protein (M2TM), aggregates formed by a synthetic polyglutamine peptide, and three polyphenol compounds (i.e., tamoxifen, genistein, and verapamil). We employ phase-separated ternary lipid model membranes in the form of giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) to simulate raft-like structures that have been proposed to govern many important processes in plasma membranes (e.g., intracellular singling and trafficking). Specifically, we use fluorescent microscopy to interrogate how those membrane additives …

Staphylococcus Aureus Coordinates Leukocidin Expression And Pathogenesis By Sensing Metabolic Fluxes Via Rpirc, Divya Balasubramanian, Elizabeth A Ohneck, Jessica Chapman, Andy Weiss, Min Kyung Kim, Tamara Reyes-Robles, Judy Zhong, Lindsey N. Shaw, Desmond S. Lun, Beatrix Ueberheide, Bo Shopsin, Victor J Torres

Molecular Biosciences Faculty Publications

Staphylococcus aureus is a formidable human pathogen that uses secreted cytolytic factors to injure immune cells and promote infection of its host. Of these proteins, the bicomponent family of pore-forming leukocidins play critical roles in S. aureus pathogenesis. The regulatory mechanisms governing the expression of these toxins are incompletely defined. In this work, we performed a screen to identify transcriptional regulators involved in leukocidin expression in S. aureus strain USA300. We discovered that a metabolic sensor-regulator, RpiRc, is a potent and selective repressor of two leukocidins, LukED and LukSF-PV. Whole-genome transcriptomics, S. aureus exoprotein proteomics, and metabolomic analyses revealed that …

Novel Partitivirus Infection Of Bat White-Nose Syndrome (Wns) Fungal Pathogen Pseudogymnoascus Destructans Links Eurasian And North American Isolates, Ping Ren, Sunanda S. Rajkumar

KIP Articles

Bat White-nose Syndrome (WNS) fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans had caused mass mortality in the North American bats. A single clone of the pathogen (Hap_1) was likely introduced in the United States while Eurasian population comprised of several haplotypes. The origin and spread of P. destructans remain enigmatic due in part to a lack of precise population markers. We searched for P. destructans mycoviruses as they are highly host-specific, and their spread could provide a window on the origin of the host fungus. We discovered a P. destructans bipartite virus PdPV-1 with two double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) segments - LS (1,683 bp) and …

Identification Of Ecdysone Hormone Receptor Agonists As A Therapeutic Approach For Treating Filarial Infections, Amruta S Mhashilkar, Sai L Vankayala, Canhui Liu, Fiona Kearns, Priyanka Mehrotra, George Tzertzinis, Subba R Palli, H. Lee Woodcock Iii, Thomas R Unnasch

Chemistry Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: A homologue of the ecdysone receptor has previously been identified in human filarial parasites. As the ecdysone receptor is not found in vertebrates, it and the regulatory pathways it controls represent attractive potential chemotherapeutic targets.

METHODOLOGY/ PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Administration of 20-hydroxyecdysone to gerbils infected with B. malayi infective larvae disrupted their development to adult stage parasites. A stable mammalian cell line was created incorporating the B. malayi ecdysone receptor ligand-binding domain, its heterodimer partner and a secreted luciferase reporter in HEK293 cells. This was employed to screen a series of ecdysone agonist, identifying seven agonists active at sub-micromolar concentrations. …

Growth, And Development Of Care For Leprosy Sufferers Provided By Religious Institutions From The First Century Ad To The Middle Ages, Philippa Juliet Meek

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis aims to outline the causes, symptoms, and treatments related to leprosy, and how it can be diagnosed in patients and identified in human remains. The thesis also aims to demonstrate the ways in which care for leprosy sufferers developed as the disease became more prevalent and more commonly, and correctly identified. It analyses the social stigmas inflicted upon sufferers, and the medical care and attention provided for them by religious institutions when other groups or organisations shunned those suffering from leprosy. The rationale for this study is to identify trends surrounding the social stigmas attached to leprosy and …

Foraging Choices Of Vampire Bats In Diverse Landscapes: Potential Implications For Land‐Use Change And Disease Transmission, Daniel G. Streicker, Jacob E. Allgeier

KIP Articles

In Latin America, the common vampire bat Desmodus rotundus is the primary reservoir of rabies, a zoonotic virus that kills thousands of livestock annually and causes sporadic and lethal human rabies outbreaks. The proliferation of livestock provides an abundant food resource for this obligate blood‐feeding species that could alter its foraging behaviour and rabies transmission, but poor understanding of the dietary plasticity of vampire bats limits understanding of how livestock influences rabies risk. We analysed individual‐ and population‐level foraging behaviour by applying δ 13 C and δ 15 N stable isotope analysis to hair samples from 183 vampire bats captured …

Anogenital Human Papillomavirus Infection And Hiv Infection Outcomes Among Peruvian Transgender Women: Results From A Cohort Study, Brandon Brown, Jerome T. Galea, Gita Byraiah, Tonia Poteat, Segundo R. Leon, Gino Calvo, Hugo Sánchez, Thomas J. Coates, Jeffrey D. Klausner

Social Work Faculty Publications

Latin American transgender women are highly vulnerable to HIV infection, and although much is known about factors associated with HIV infection in this population, little is known about the association of human papilloma virus (HPV) with HIV infection. We investigated anogenital HPV and cumulative HIV incidence among 68, initially HIV uninfected, Peruvian transgender women enrolled into a 2-year, prospective cohort study: 95.6% had at least one anogenital HPV genotype at baseline, 19.1% had visible anogenital warts, and 6.0% became infected with HIV over the course of the study. Due to the high anogenital HPV prevalence, this population would likely benefit …

Genetic Diversity Of Coronaviruses In Miniopterus Fuliginosus Bats, Jiang Du, Xianwen Ren, Junpeng Zhang

KIP Articles

Coronaviruses, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, pose significant public health threats. Bats have been suggested to act as natural reservoirs for both these viruses, and periodic monitoring of coronaviruses in bats may thus provide important clues about emergent infectious viruses. The Eastern bent-wing bat Miniopterus fuliginosus is distributed extensively throughout China. We therefore analyzed the genetic diversity of coronaviruses in samples of M. fuliginosus collected from nine Chinese provinces during 2011–2013. The only coronavirus genus found was Alphacoronavirus. We established six complete and five partial genomic sequences of alphacoronaviruses, which revealed that …

Costumbres, Creencias, Y “Lo Normal”: A Biocultural Study On Changing Prenatal Dietary Practices In A Rural Tourism Community In Costa Rica, Allison Rachel Cantor

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the relationship between tourism, the nutrition transition, and prenatal dietary practices in the Monteverde Zone, Costa Rica. This rural tourism community, located in the central highlands of Costa Rica, has seen rapid growth and development since the tourism boom in the early 1990s, leading to changes in the local food system and increased food insecurity. This investigation added to this work by identifying the ways that prenatal dietary practices have shifted over time in the context of increased tourism and the concomitant nutrition transition, and by describing the relationship between food insecurity and nutritional status among pregnant …

Planning For Climate Change: The Need For Mechanistic Systems-Based Approaches To Study Climate Change Impacts On Diarrheal Diseases, Jonathan E. Mellor, Karen Levy, Julie Zimmerman, Mark Elliott, Jamie Bartram, Elizabeth Carlton, Thomas Clasen, Rebecca Dilingham, Joseph Eisenberg, Richard Guerrant, Daniele Lantagne, James Mihelcic, Kara Nelson

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Increased precipitation and temperature variability as well as extreme events related to climate change are predicted to affect the availability and quality of water globally. Already heavily burdened with diarrheal diseases due to poor access to water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, communities throughout the developing world lack the adaptive capacity to sufficiently respond to the additional adversity caused by climate change. Studies suggest that diarrhea rates are positively correlated with increased temperature, and show a complex relationship with precipitation. Although climate change will likely increase rates of diarrheal diseases on average, there is a poor mechanistic understanding of the underlying …

Hunting, Food Subsidies, And Mesopredator Release: The Dynamics Of Crop-Raiding Baboons In A Managed Landscape, Rachel A. Taylor, Sadie J. Ryan, Justin S. Brashares, Leah R. Johnson

Integrative Biology Faculty and Staff Publications

The establishment of protected areas or parks has become an important tool for wildlife conservation. However, frequent occurrences of human-wildlife conflict at the edges of these parks can undermine their conservation goals. Many African protected areas have experienced concurrent declines of apex predators alongside increases in both baboon abundance and the density of humans living near the park boundary. Baboons then take excursions outside of the park to raid crops for food, conflicting with the human population. We model the interactions of mesopredators (baboons), apex predators, and shared prey in the park to analyze how four components affect the proportion …

Mechanistic Binding Insights For 1-Deoxy-D-Xylulose-5-Phosphatesynthase, The Enzyme Catalyzing The First Reaction Of Isoprenoid Biosynthesis In The Malaria-Causing Protists, Plasmodium Falciparum And Plasmodium Vivax, Matthew R. Battistini, Christopher Shoji, Sumit Handa, Leonid Breydo, David J. Merkler

Chemistry Faculty Publications

We have successfully truncated and recombinantly-expressed 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate synthase (DXS) from both Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum. We elucidated the order of substrate binding for both of these ThDP-dependent enzymes using steady-state kinetic analyses, dead-end inhibition, and intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence titrations. Both enzymes adhere to a random sequential mechanism with respect to binding of both substrates: pyruvate and D-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate. These findings are in contrast to other ThDP-dependent enzymes, which exhibit classical ordered and/or ping-pong kinetic mechanisms. A better understanding of the kinetic mechanism for these two Plasmodial enzymes could aid in the development of novel DXS-specific inhibitors that might prove useful …

Targeting Histone Deacetylases In Melanoma And T-Cells To Improve Cancer Immunotherapy, Andressa Sodre De Castro Laino

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are key mediators of gene expression and, thus, major regulators of cell function. As such, HDACs play a role in orchestrating tumor biology, and the use of small inhibitors targeting theses proteins is attractive for the field of cancer therapy. Indeed, several HDAC inhibitors have received FDA-approval for the treatment of malignancies, while a myriad of these compounds continue to be evaluated in clinical trials. Besides their direct impact on tumor growth, HDAC inhibitors have been shown to increase immunogenicity of cancer cells, facilitating generation of a productive immune response against tumors. Immunotherapeutic approaches take advantage of …

The Household Water Management System In The Village Of Falifah, Gambia: A Case Study In Sustainable Local Development, Baboucar Jobe

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Access to safe and clean water is a problem in many countries in the world, especially sub-Saharan Africa. The urgency of the was recognized by the United Nations through its 2008 Millennium Development Goals, which were recently replaced by the new Sustainable Development Goals. Lack or poor access to clean water not only creates conflicts and rifts among the people, but also makes them more susceptible to a wide assortment of water borne diseases.

The purpose of this dissertation is to complete a pilot study of ways of thinking and actions of a small group of people from Falifah, a …

Quantifying The Association Between Active Tuberculosis Incidence And Migrant Farm Worker Populations Among Florida Counties, 2009-2013: An Ecological Study, Ryan Nicolas Ortega

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nearly 20 studies conducted in the last 40 years indicate that tuberculosis (TB) represents a major health concern among migrant farm worker (MFW) populations, but their role in the transmission of TB within the broader community is poorly understood. To this end an ecological study was undertaken which examined 67 Florida counties between years 2009 through 2013. Its aims were as follows: (1) to describe the demographic, geographic, and temporal distribution of the incidence of active TB, (2) to examine the effect of agriculturally relevant seasonal periods on the incidence of active TB, and (3) to quantify the strength and …

Development And Evaluation Of A Hypocrisy Induction Intervention For Exercise, Morgan Sophia Lee

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hypocrisy induction is a dissonance-based intervention approach that has been successful in changing a number of health-related behaviors; however, no published studies have evaluated a hypocrisy induction intervention for exercise. The present two-stage study involved developing and subsequently evaluating a hypocrisy induction intervention for exercise in a small-scale randomized controlled trial (RCT). Outcomes of interest were intention to exercise, immediate physical activity-related behavior choice, and short-term (one-week) changes in self-reported exercise and objectively assessed physical activity. Self-esteem was evaluated as a potential moderator of intervention effects. After two rounds of pilot testing in the Development Phase, the intervention was evaluated …

Critical Heat Stress Evaluation In Two Ebola Ensembles, Christopher T. Lee

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Ebola, a type of filovirus that causes hemorrhagic fevers, dominated global headlines in 2014 when the largest Ebola epidemic in history took place in West Africa. Healthcare practitioners were at particular risk of contracting Ebola while taking care of patients with the disease because they were easily exposed to bodily fluids such as blood, urine, saliva, and feces, quite often in the intensive care unit (ICU). While personal protective equipment (PPE) protects the healthcare practitioner by providing an effective barrier against the virus, users were also at risk for heat stress because of the type of protective clothing. In this …

Concerns Of Water Scarcity And Water Quality Among Two Andean Communities In Peru, Kelsey Anne Anderson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis sought to explore the perceptions and experiences of Andean women regarding water quality, water scarcity, and health among two communities in Carhuaz province of Ancash, Peru. Household surveys (n=25), semi-structured interviews (n=10), unstructured interviews (n=2), and participant observation were conducted with local women to investigate their concerns and perceptions of water and health. An additional two unstructured interviews were conducted with a local water authority and doctor in order gain another perspective on the issues of water security and health.

The pressure of a changing climate and of a problematic water governance system in Andean Peru create an …

An Examination Of The Distribution Of Diabetes Mellitus Among Tb Patients With Pulmonary Tuberculosis And Drug Resistant Tuberculosis In The State Of Florida, Usa., Mandzisi Mbongeni Mkhontfo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Background: Pulmonary Tuberculosis (PTB) is considered a disease of the past but it remains a major cause of mortality among immune compromised patients and continues to be a significant threat to public health globally. Notably, the prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) has increased over the years. The biological link of TB and DM has been reported in numerous literature with DM attributed to three folds increase in the risk of TB and linked to Drug Resistant TB, especially amongst aged diabetic patients. The aim of the study was to examine the distribution of DM among TB patients and explore …

Factors Associated With Sexually Transmitted Infections (Stis) And Multiple Sti Co-Infections: Results From The Evri Hiv Prevention Preparedness Trial, Ubin Pokharel

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Objective: The objective of this study was to describe the prevalence of sexually transmitted co-infections and assess factors associated with a single infection and co-infections.

Methods: A total of 388 women were included in this study. At enrollment of the EVRI trial women were tested for five STIs: Human papilloma virus (HPV), Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2) and Treponema pallidum. Prevalence of STI infections and proportion of women with different combinations of co-infections were calculated. Factors associated with single infection and STI co-infection were assessed using a polytomous logistic regression model and odds ratio …

Combined Effects Of Pesticides And Trematode Infections On Hourglass Tree Frog Polypedates Cruciger., Uthpala A. Jayawardena, Jason R. Rohr, Ayanthi N. Navaratne, Priyanie H. Amerasinghe, Rupika S. Rajakaruna

Integrative Biology Faculty and Staff Publications

The impact of widespread and common environmental factors, such as chemical contaminants, on infectious disease risk in amphibians is particularly important because both chemical contaminants and infectious disease have been implicated in worldwide amphibian declines. Here we report on the lone and combined effects of exposure to parasitic cercariae (larval stage) of the digenetic trematode, Acanthostomum burminis, and four commonly used pesticides (insecticides: chlorpyrifos, dimethoate; herbicides: glyphosate, propanil) at ecologically relevant concentrations on the survival, growth, and development of the common hourglass tree frog, Polypedates cruciger Blyth 1852. There was no evidence of any pesticide-induced mortality on cercariae because all …

Unique Loss Of The Pyhin Gene Family In Bats Amongst Mammals: Implications For Inflammasome Sensing, Matae Ahn, Jie Cui, Aaron T. Irving, Lin-Fa Wang

KIP Articles

Recent genomic analysis of two bat species ( Pteropus alecto and Myotis davidii ) revealed the absence of the PYHIN gene family. This family is recognized as important immune sensors of intracellular self and foreign DNA and activators of the inflammasome and/or interferon pathways. Further assessment of a wider range of bat genomes was necessary to determine if this is a universal pattern for this large mammalian group. Here we expanded genomic analysis of this gene family to include ten bat species. We confirmed the complete loss of this gene family, with only a truncated AIM2 remaining in one species …

Compositions Including Triciribine And Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Inhibitor Compounds Or Salts Thereof And Methods Of Use Thereof, Jin Q. Cheng, Said M. Sebti

USF Patents

This application relates to combination therapies including triciribine compounds and epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor compounds, particularly erlotinib-like compounds and compositions with reduced toxicity for the treatment and prevention of tumors, cancer, and other disorders associated with abnormal cell proliferation.

Replication And Shedding Of Mers-Cov In Jamaican Fruit Bats (Artibeus Jamaicensis), Vincent J. Munster, Danielle R. Adney, Neeltje Van Doremalen, Vienna R. Brown, Kerri L. Miazgowicz, Shauna Milne-Price, Trenton Bushmaker, Rebecca Rosenke, Dana Scott, Ann Hawkinson, Emmie De Wit, Tony Schountz, Richard A. Bowen

KIP Articles

The emergence of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) highlights the zoonotic potential of Betacoronaviruses . Investigations into the origin of MERS-CoV have focused on two potential reservoirs: bats and camels. Here, we investigated the role of bats as a potential reservoir for MERS-CoV. In vitro , the MERS-CoV spike glycoprotein interacted with Jamaican fruit bat ( Artibeus jamaicensis ) dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) receptor and MERS-CoV replicated efficiently in Jamaican fruit bat cells, suggesting there is no restriction at the receptor or cellular level for MERS-CoV. To shed light on the intrinsic host-virus relationship, we inoculated 10 Jamaican fruit …

Evolution And Comparative Analysis Of The Bat Mhc-I Region, Justin H. J. Ng, Mary Tachedjian, Janine Deakin, James W. Wynne, Jie Cui, Volker Haring, Ivano Broz, Honglei Chen, Katherine Belov, Lin-Fa Wang, Michelle L. Baker

KIP Articles

Bats are natural hosts to numerous viruses and have ancient origins, having diverged from other eutherian mammals early in evolution. These characteristics place them in an important position to provide insights into the evolution of the mammalian immune system and antiviral immunity. We describe the first detailed partial map of a bat ( Pteropus alecto ) MHC-I region with comparative analysis of the MHC-I region and genes. The bat MHC-I region is highly condensed, yet relatively conserved in organisation and is unusual in that MHC-I genes are present within only one of the three highly conserved class I duplication blocks. …