A Comparison Of The Antimicrobial Efficacy Of Silver Diamine Fluoride And Silver Nitrate: An Ex Vivo Study, Reham M. Alnajjar

Theses and Dissertations

A comparison of the antimicrobial efficacy of silver diamine fluoride and silver nitrate on various cariogenic bacteria: an ex vivo study By: Reham AlNajjar, D.D.S.

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Dentistry at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2019

Thesis Advisor: William Dahlke, D.M.D., Associate Professor and Chair of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry

Purpose: The use of silver-based antimicrobials is an emerging method for the treatment of dental caries. In this study, the authors compare the efficacy of the two most prominent silver- based therapeutics, silver diamine …

Housing Status, Patient Characteristics, And Ed Utilization Associated With Medication Prescribing At Ed Discharge Among Homeless And Nonhomeless Adults In Urban Hospitals In The United States, Lauren Cox

Theses and Dissertations

This cross-sectional study used a weighted sample of ED visits contained in the 2010-2015 years of the National Hospital Ambulatory Care Survey-Emergency Department (NHAMCS-ED) dataset. The purpose of this study was to: 1) identify differences in predisposing, enabling, and need characteristics, and ED use and medication prescribing characteristics between homeless and nonhomeless ED users; 2) assess the association between housing status and medication prescribing at ED discharge, and identify variables contributing to the disparity in medication prescribing between homeless and nonhomeless ED users; and 3) assess the predisposing, enabling, need, and ED use characteristics that predict medication prescribing at ED …

Bed And Breakfast: The Role Of Sleep And Affect In Breakfast Intake, Ashley R. Macpherson

Theses and Dissertations

Breakfast intake is associated with numerous positive physical and mental health outcomes, yet breakfast skipping remains common in adults. Chronotype and sleep show potential as predictors of breakfast intake; however the existing literature has methodological limitations and fails to examine how psychological mechanisms might explain the relation between sleep and breakfast. The current investigation explored the association of means and variability of sleep behaviors (bedtime, midsleep, sleep duration) as predictors of breakfast intake frequency and high-protein breakfast intake frequency. Additionally, the role of positive and negative affect as mediators in the sleep—breakfast association was examined. Hierarchical regressions and PROCESS parallel …

Using The Frog Epidermis To Uncover Desmosome Function And Regulation In The Developing Embryo, Navaneetha Krishnan Bharathan

Theses and Dissertations

The desmosome is one of the major cell adhesion junctions found in the epithelia, heart, and hair follicle. Described as a “rivet” that hold cells together, it provides these tissues with the integrity to withstand the tremendous forces they face in everyday life. Defects in this junction can lead to devastating diseases where patients are susceptible to skin infections and cardiovascular defects. Limited treatments exist for diseases of the desmosome, and strategies do not target all symptoms. Therefore, delineating the function and regulation of desmosomes is of paramount importance for the development of prevention and treatment strategies. The Xenopus laevis …

The Influence Of Clinically Meaningful Factors On The Performance Of The Recommended Annual Diabetic Foot Screening, Trisha A. Sando

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Diabetic foot ulcers are the result of multiple complications from hyperglycemia and lead to poor quality of life and high healthcare costs. The annual diabetes foot screening exam (ADFSE) and prevention interventions can reduce DFUs up to 75%. In 2015, 71% of the US population received the ADFSE.

Objectives: The main objectives of this dissertation were: 1) to determine the association between adherence to diabetes self-management behaviors and the ADFSE, 2) to determine the association between concordant and discordant comorbidities and the ADFSE and 3) to determine the association between the performance of diabetes preventive care processes, number of …

Glycolytic Atp Production Is Required For Innate Mast Cell Activation And Is Limited By Lactic Acid, Which Effectively Reduces Lps-Induced Cytokine Production In Mast Cells And In Vivo, Heather Caslin

Theses and Dissertations

The metabolic pathways required for adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production within the cell are well understood, however recent publications suggest that metabolic pathways are closely linked to immune cell activation and inflammatory diseases. There has been little examination of the metabolic pathways that modulate mast cell activation and the feedback regulator lactic acid. Here we examine metabolic pathways and regulation within mast cells in the context of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interleukin (IL-33) activation, for which there has been little to no reported studies. First, we examine the effects of lactic acid, previously considered only a by-product of glycolysis and now understood …

Lps-Induced Inos Mrna And The Pro-Apoptotic Signaling Pathway In Leukocytes Of Fit And Unfit Males, Tiffany M. Zuniga

Theses and Dissertations

Overexpression of the enzyme iNOS induces apoptotic cellular death by increasing indices of pro-inflammation and oxidative stress. Aerobic physical activity has been known to have anti- inflammatory benefits and reduce oxidative stress. Purpose: Therefore, this study aimed to examine the impact of aerobic fitness on LPS-induced iNOS mRNA expression and the relationship of this expression with indices of oxidative stress, pro-inflammation and apoptosis in isolated leukocytes. Methods: Whole blood samples from aerobically fit and unfit males were stimulated with and without LPS. Thereafter, iNOS mRNA expression and MDA, TNF-α and p53 concentrations were analyzed. Results: iNOS mRNA expression levels following …

Engineering Surface Properties To Modulate Inflammation And Stem Cell Recruitment Through Macrophage Activation, Kelly M. Hotchkiss

Theses and Dissertations

Biomaterials are becoming the most commonly used therapeutic method for treatment of lost or damaged tissue in the body. Metallic materials are chosen for high strength orthopaedic and dental applications. Titanium (Ti) implants are highly successful in young, healthy patients with the ability to fully integrate to surrounding tissue. However the main population requiring these corrective treatments will not be healthy or young, therefore further research into material modifications have been started to improve outcomes in compromised patients. The body’s immune system will generate a response to any implanted material, and control the final outcome. Among the first and most …

Understanding The Role Of Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase And Its Function As A Driving Force Behind The Er Stress Response In Fibrostenotic Crohn’S Disease-Affected Ileal Smooth Muscle Cells, Prashant Yadav

Theses and Dissertations

Crohn’s disease (CD) affects about 780,000 people in the United States alone, and it is estimated that 6-15 per 100,000 persons will receive a diagnosis of this disease each year. There currently is no cure for Crohn’s disease, and available medical therapies simply serve to alleviate the inflammation. This does not help treat fibrostenosis that Crohn’s disease patients may develop, which can only be treated surgically. Finding alternatives to treat CD requires an understanding of mechanisms at the biochemical level. In this thesis, we attempted to gain a better understanding of certain pathways found to be active in Crohn’s disease-affected …

Commonwealth Times 2017-08-21

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

Modeling Hiv Dynamics Following 3bnc117 Antibody Infusion, Samantha Erwin

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

Methods For Parameter Estimation Of A Stochastic Seir Model, Kaitlyn Martinez

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

Environment, Host And Pathogen Diversity On Probability Of Disease Extinction, Linda Allen

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

The Role Of E-Antigen In Hepatitiv B Virus Infection, Mirjam Sarah Kadelka

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

Mathematical Modeling For The Transmission Dynamics Of {\It Mycobacterium Marinum} Incorporating Intra-Host Variability, Lihong Zhao

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

Clarithromycin Attenuates Il-13–Induced Periostin Production In Human Lung Fibroblasts, Kosaku Komiya, Shoichiro Ohta, Kazuhiko Arima, Masahiro Ogawa, Shoichi Suzuki, Yasutaka Mitamura, Satoshi Nunomura, Yasuhiro Nanri, Tomohito Yoshihara, Atsushi Kawaguchi, Jun-Ichi Kadota, Bruce K. Rubin, Kenji Izuhara

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Publications

Background

Periostin is a biomarker indicating the presence of type 2 inflammation and submucosal fibrosis; serum periostin levels have been associated with asthma severity. Macrolides have immunomodulatory effects and are considered a potential therapy for patients with severe asthma. Therefore, we investigated whether macrolides can also modulate pulmonary periostin production.

Methods

Using quantitative PCR and ELISA, we measured periostin production in human lung fibroblasts stimulated by interleukin-13 (IL-13) in the presence of two 14-member–ring macrolides—clarithromycin or erythromycin—or a 16-member–ring macrolide, josamycin. Phosphorylation of signal transducers and activators of transcription 6 (STAT6), downstream of IL-13 signaling, was evaluated by Western blotting. …

A Two-Species Stage-Structured Model For West Nile Virus Transmission, Taylor A. Beebe, Suzanne L. Robertson

Mathematics and Applied Mathematics Publications

We develop a host–vector model of West Nile virus (WNV) transmission that incorporates multiple avian host species as well as host stage-structure (juvenile and adult stages), allowing for both species-specific and stage-specific biting rates of vectors on hosts. We use this ordinary differential equation model to explore WNV transmission dynamics that occur between vectors and multiple structured host populations as a result of heterogeneous biting rates on species and/or life stages. Our analysis shows that increased exposure of juvenile hosts generally results in larger outbreaks of WNV infectious vectors when compared to differential host species exposure. We also find that …

A Consensus Definitive Classification Of Scavenger Receptors And Their Roles In Health And Disease, Mercy R. Prabhudas, Cynthia L. Baldwin, Paul L. Bollyky, Dawn M. E. Bowdish, Kurt Drickamer, Maria Febbraio, Joachim Herz, Lester Kobzik, Monty Krieger, John Loike, Benita Mcvicker, Terry K. Means, Soren K. Moestrup, Steven R. Post, Tatsuya Sawamura, Samuel Silverstein, Robert C. Speth, Janice C. Telfer, Geoffrey M. Thiele, Xiang-Yang Wang, Samuel D. Wright, Joseph El Khoury

Human and Molecular Genetics Publications

Scavenger receptors constitute a large family of proteins that are structurally diverse and participate in a wide range of biological functions. These receptors are expressed predominantly by myeloid cells and recognize a diverse variety of ligands including endogenous and modified host-derived molecules and microbial pathogens. There are currently eight classes of scavenger receptors, many of which have multiple names, leading to inconsistencies and confusion in the literature. To address this problem, a workshop was organized by the United States National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, to help develop a clear definition of scavenger receptors and …

Scedosporium Prolificans Septic Arthritis, Collier S. Pace, Jessica A. Frankenhoff, Jonathan E. Isaacs

Surgery Publications

Scedosporium prolificans is an emerging fungal pathogen that can cause significant morbidity, and even mortality, in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients. Approximately 10% of patients affected by this rare fungal pathogen present with septic osteomyelitis or arthritis. Overall, the rate of mortality is close to 50%, and several patients with orthopedic infections have required amputations.1 Our patient is a 59-year-old woman, with a history of rheumatoid arthritis requiring immunosuppressants, who presented with a 5-month history of right wrist pain and swelling. She described an oscillating course of swelling, erythema, and pain involving the dorsal aspect of her wrist that did …

The Global Alliance For Infections In Surgery: Defining A Model For Antimicrobial Stewardship—Results From An International Cross-Sectional Survey, Massimo Sartelli, Francesco M. Labricciosa, Pamela Barbadoro, Leonardo Pagani, Luca Ansaloni, Adrian J. Brink, Jean Carlet, Ashish Khanna, Alain Chichom-Mefire, Federico Coccolini, Salomone Di Saverio, Addison K. May, Pierluigi Viale, Richard R. Watkins, Luigia Scudeller, Lilian M. Abbo, Fikri M. Abu-Zidan, Abdulrashid K. Adesunkanmi, Sara Al-Dahir, Majdi N. Al-Hasan, Halil Alis, Carlos Alves, André R. Araujo Da Silva, Goran Augustin, Miklosh Bala, Philip S. Barie, Marcelo A. Beltrán, Aneel Bhangu, Belefquih Bouchra, Stephen M. Brecher, Miguel A. Caínzos, Adrian Camacho-Ortiz, Marco Catani, Sujith J. Chandy, Asri Che Jusoh, Jill R. Cherry-Bukowiec, Osvaldo Chiara, Elif Colak, Oliver A. Cornely, Yunfeng Cui, Zaza Demetrashvili, Belinda De Simone, Jan J. De Waele, Sameer Dhingra, Francesco Di Marzo, Agron Dogjani, Gereltuya Dorj, Laurent Dortet, Therese M. Duane, Mutasim M. Elmangory, Mushira A. Enani, Paula Ferrada, J. Esteban Foianini, Mahir Gachabayov, Chinmay Gandhi, Wagih Mommtaz Ghnnam, Helen Giamarellou, Georgios Gkiokas, Harumi Gomi, Tatjana Goranovic, Ewen A. Griffiths, Rosio I. Guerra Gronerth, Julio C. Haidamus Monteiro, Timothy C. Hardcastle, Andreas Hecker, Adrien M. Hodonou, Orestis Ioannidis, Arda Isik, Katia A. Iskandar, Hossein S. Kafil, Souha S. Kanj, Lewis J. Kaplan, Garima Kapoor, Aleksandar R. Karamarkovic, Jakub Kenig, Ivan Kerschaever, Faryal Khamis, Vladimir Khokha, Ronald Kiguba, Hong B. Kim, Wen-Chien Ko, Kaoru Koike, Iryna Kozlovska, Anand Kumar, Leonel Lagunes, Rifat Latifi, Jae G. Lee, Young R. Lee, Ari Leppäniemi, Yousheng Li, Stephen Y. Liang, Warren Lowman, Gustavo M. Machain, Marc Maegele, Piotr Major, Sydney Malama, Ramiro Manzano-Nunez, Athanasios Marinis, Isidro Martinez Casas, Sanjay Marwah, Emilio Maseda, Michael E. Mcfarlane, Ziad Memish, Dominik Mertz, Cristian Mesina, Shyam K. Mishra, Ernest E. Moore, Akutu Munyika, Eleftherios Mylonakis, Lena Napolitano, Ionut Negoi, Milica D. Nestorovic, David P. Nicolau, Abdelkarim H. Omari, Carlos A. Ordonez, José-Artur Paiva, Narayan D. Pant, Jose G. Parreira, Michal Pędziwiatr, Bruno M. Pereira, Alfredo Ponce-De-Leon, Garyphallia Poulakou, Jacobus Preller, Céline Pulcini, Guntars Pupelis, Martha Quiodettis, Timothy M. Rawson, Tarcisio Reis, Miran Rems, Sandro Rizoli, Jason Roberts, Nuno Rocha Pereira, Jesús Rodríguez-Baño, Boris Sakakushev, James Sanders, Natalia Santos, Norio Sato, Robert G. Sawyer, Sandro Scarpelini, Loredana Scoccia, Nusrat Shafiq, Vishalkumar Shelat, Costi D. Sifri, Boonying Siribumrungwong, Kjetil Søreide, Rodolfo Soto, Hamilton P. De Souza, Peep Talving, Ngo Tat Trung, Jeffrey M. Tessier, Mario Tumbarello, Jan Ulrych, Selman Uranues, Harry Van Goor, Andras Vereczkei, Florian Wagenlehner, Yonghong Xiao, Kuo-Ching Yuan, Agnes Wechsler-Fördös, Jean-Ralph Zahar, Tanya L. Zakrison, Brian Zuckerbraun, Wietse P. Zuidema, Fausto Catena

Surgery Publications

Background

Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs (ASPs) have been promoted to optimize antimicrobial usage and patient outcomes, and to reduce the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant organisms. However, the best strategies for an ASP are not definitively established and are likely to vary based on local culture, policy, and routine clinical practice, and probably limited resources in middle-income countries. The aim of this study is to evaluate structures and resources of antimicrobial stewardship teams (ASTs) in surgical departments from different regions of the world.

Methods

A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted in 2016 on 173 physicians who participated in the AGORA (Antimicrobials: A Global …

Screening For Gynecologic Conditions With Pelvic Examination Us Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement, Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, David C. Grossman, Susan J. Curry, Michael J. Barry, Karina W. Davidson, Chyke A. Doubeni, John W. Epling Jr, Francisco A. R. García, Alex R. Kemper, Alex H. Krist, Ann E. Kurth, C. Seth Landefeld, Carol M. Mangione, William R. Phillips, Maureen G. Phipps, Michael Silverstein, Melissa Simon, Albert L. Siu, Chien-Wen Tseng

Internal Medicine Publications

IMPORTANCE Many conditions that can affect women's health are often evaluated through pelvic examination. Although the pelvic examination is a common part of the physical examination, it is unclear whether performing screening pelvic examinations in asymptomatic women has a significant effect on disease morbidity and mortality.

OBJECTIVE To issue a new US Preventive Services Task Force(USPSTF) recommendation on screening for gynecologic conditions with pelvic examination for conditions other than cervical cancer, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, for which the USPSTF has already made specific recommendations.

EVIDENCE REVIEW The USPSTF reviewed the evidence on the accuracy, benefits, and potential harms of performing screening …

A Systematic Review Of Diagnostic Methods To Differentiate Acute Lung Injury/Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome From Cardiogenic Pulmonary Edema, Kosaku Komiya, Tomohiro Akaba, Yuji Kozaki, Jun-Ichi Kadota, Bruce K. Rubin

Emergency Medicine Publications

Background

Discriminating acute lung injury (ALI) or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) from cardiogenic pulmonary edema (CPE) is often challenging. This systematic review examines studies using biomarkers or images to distinguish ALI/ARDS from CPE.

Methods

Three investigators independently identified studies designed to distinguish ALI/ARDS from CPE in adults. Studies were identified from PubMed, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials database until July 3, 2017.

Results

Of 475 titles and abstracts screened, 38 full texts were selected for review, and we finally included 24 studies in this systematic review: 21 prospective observational studies, two retrospective observational studies, and one …

Tetr Family Regulator Brpt Modulates Biofilm Formation In Streptococcus Sanguinis, Jinlin Liu, Victoria N. Stone, Xiuchun Ge, Madison Tang, Fadi Elrami, Ping Xu

Microbiology and Immunology Publications

Biofilms are a key component in bacterial communities providing protection and contributing to infectious diseases. However, mechanisms involved in S. sanguinis biofilm formation have not been clearly elucidated. Here, we report the identification of a novel S. sanguinis TetR repressor, brpT (Biofilm Regulatory Protein TetR), involved in biofilm formation. Deletion of brpT resulted in a significant increase in biofilm formation. Interestingly, the mutant accumulated more water soluble and water insoluble glucans in its biofilm compared to the wild-type and the complemented mutant. The brpT mutation led to an altered biofilm morphology and structure exhibiting a rougher appearance, uneven …

Hepatocyte-Specific Deletion Of Tristetraprolin Family Of Rna Binding Proteins Result In The Development Of Hepatocellular Carcinomas, Sonika Patial

Hepatobiliary Cancers: Pathobiology and Translational Advances

No abstract provided.

Discovery Of Mor Selective, Reversible Opioid Antagonist For Potential Use In Treatment Of Drug Dependence, Abdulmajeed Jali

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

DISCOVERY OF MOR SELECTIVE, REVERSIBLE OPIOID ANTAGONIST FOR POTENTIAL USE IN TREATMENT OF DRUG DEPENDENCE

Abdulmajeed M. Jali, M.S.

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of Master of Science at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Virginia Commonwealth University, 2017

Director: Dana E. Selley, Ph. D., Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology

Opioid dependence/addiction is a major public health problem that is associated with multiple health and social costs. Pharmacotherapeutic treatment has been relatively effective, but the risk of relapse after treatment remains high. Naltrexone, an opioid antagonist, is FDA-approved for long-term maintenance therapy to reduce relapse risk. However, naltrexone …

Modulating The Innate Immune Response To Electrospun Scaffolds And Polymer Degradative Byproducts, Daniel Abebayehu

Theses and Dissertations

Implanted biomaterials often induce inflammation that frequently leads to the foreign body response, fibrosis, and the failure of the implant. Thus, it is important to evaluate how cells interact with materials to promote a more regenerative response. It is critical to determine how to modulate the response of tissue resident innate immune cells, as they are among the first cells to interact with implanted materials. Among tissue resident innate immune cells are mast cells, which are inflammatory sentinels that degranulate and orchestrate the fate of other cell populations, such as monocytes/macrophages and lymphocytes. Mast cells have also been reported to …

Orientia Tsutsugamushi Secretes Two Ankyrin Repeat-Containing Effectors Via A Type 1 Secretion System To Inhibit Host Nf-Κb Function, Sean M. Evans

Theses and Dissertations

Scrub typhus is a potentially fatal infection that threatens one billion persons in the Asia-Pacific region and is caused by the obligate intracellular bacterium, Orientia tsutsugamushi. How this organism facilitates its intracellular survival and pathogenesis is poorly understood. Intracellular bacterial pathogens utilize the Type 1 (T1SS) or Type 4 secretion system (T4SS) to translocate ankyrin repeat-containing proteins (Anks) into the host cell to modulate host cell processes. The O. tsutsugamushi genome encodes one of the largest known bacterial Ank libraries as well as Type 1 and Type 4 secretion systems (T1SS and T4SS), which are expressed during infection. In …

Nitrosative Stress Sensing In Porphyromonas Gingivalis: Structure And Function Of The Heme Binding Transcriptional Regulator Hcpr, Benjamin R. Belvin

Theses and Dissertations

Porphyromonas gingivalis, a Gram negative anaerobe implicated in the progression of periodontal disease, is capable of surviving and causing infection despite high levels of reactive nitrogen species found in the oral cavity due to its efficient nitrosative stress response. HcpR is an important sensor-regulator that plays a vital step in the initiation of the nitrosative stress response in many Gram negative anaerobic bacteria. We employ a combination of X-ray crystallography, SAXS, resonance Raman spectroscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and molecular biology techniques to better understand this key regulator. Knockout of the hcpR gene in W83 P. gingivalis results in the inability of …

Type 2 Immune Responses In The Context Of Helminth Infection, Asthma, Dendritic Cells, And Myeloid Derived Suppressor Cell Function, Sheela Ruby Damle

Theses and Dissertations

Type 2 (T_H2) immune responses evolved to respond to helminth parasite infections by the production of T_H2 cytokines, which stimulate anti-helminth immunity. Macrophage migration inhibitor factor (MIF) is a pleiotropic cytokine, which is produced by many cell types. We demonstrate that mice deficient in MIF have enhanced clearance of a helminth parasite. MIF deficiency in CD4⁺ T cells was found to be the most important for mediating parasite clearance. We mimicked MIF deficiency by administering an inhibitor of the MIF tautomerase activity, sulforaphane, and this also increased parasite clearance (Section I).

T_H2 immune …

Designing Effective Messages To Promote Future Zika Vaccine Uptake, Jeanine Guidry

Theses and Dissertations

The Zika virus is associated with the devastating birth defect microcephaly, and while a vaccine was not yet available in early-2017, several were under development. It is imperative to identify effective communication strategies to promote uptake of a new vaccine, particularly among women of reproductive age. Moreover, though the Zika outbreak has received much social media attention, little is known about these conversations on Instagram. The purpose of this dissertation, therefore, was to understand current Zika-focused communication on Instagram and to inform effective communication strategies to promote future Zika vaccine uptake intent.

The study aims were: (1) explore Zika conversations …