Digital Commons Network^™

Regulating Death And Building Empire : American Doctors And The Construction Of The Panama Canal, 1904-1914, Sarah Rhoads

Honors Theses

In May 1904, American engineers, doctors, nurses, and laborers arrived in Panama to begin work on one of the most expensive, challenging, and rewarding technological achievements of the twentieth century- the Panama Canal. At the time, the majority of Americans saw Panama as a wild tropical jungle, with dangerous diseases and a hostile climate. One of the most prevalent diseases in tropical regions, yellow fever, also known as yellow jack, was known to pose an enormous challenge to the success of the canal construction- the first mountain blocking Panama from successful U.S. intervention (see image above). In the popular U.S. …

Mechanism Of Action Of A Novel Antifungal Compound, Amber Ward

Honors Theses

Opportunistic fungal infections have become problematic in recent years. There has been an emergence of new fungal pathogens, development of antifungal resistance, and increasing prevalence. In addition, toxicity, resistance, and lack of efficacy as a single agent limit the effectiveness of current antifungal drugs. Therefore, new drugs targeting new pathways are greatly needed. An analog derived from the marine natural product phloeodictine, analog PHL5-34A, was identified as having strong in vitro antifungal activity. In this study, its mechanism of action (MOA) was investigated in the model yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This study made use of a collection of 166 yeast mutants …

The Design And Creation Of A Portable Water Purification System, Adam Shull

Honors Theses

A portable, low-power water purification system was developed for use by aid workers in underdeveloped world regions. The design included activated carbon and ceramic candle filtration to 0.2 microns for bacteria and turbidity reduction followed by UV irradiation for virus destruction. Flexibility and modularity were incorporated into the system with AC, DC, and environmental power supply options as well as the facility to purify water from either surface or local utility sources. Initial prototype testing indicated the successful filtration of methylene blue dye to well above the 75% UV transmittance level required for virus destruction by the UV reactor.

Legislative Effects On The Morbidity Rates Of Meningococcal Disease Within The United States, Ashley Brown

Honors Theses

The main focus of this research is to compare the different methods used to control the outbreak of meningococcal disease and determine which one has the greatest effect on the morbidity rates by comparing the number of annual cases before and after the passing of the law. I hypothesize that the variation in state requirements will result in a difference in the incidence of meningococcal disease in each state. I predict that states requiring the vaccine will show a significant decrease in morbidity rates after the passing of the legislation.

Searching For The Soul Of American Medicine : What Three High-Quality, Low-Cost Health Care Systems Can Teach U.S. Policymakers, Benjamin A. Paul

Honors Theses

"The United States health care system is broken." This common refrain has been echoed by policymakers and politicians, Democrats and Republicans, and liberals and conservatives alike. They point to the unacceptably high number of uninsured Americans, out of control costs, and questionable quality as just some of the problems that afflict American health care. Before the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in March, 2010, over 45 million Americans were without health insurance coverage.1 Health care spending currently accounts for 17% of this country‘s gross domestic product. In contrast, most industrialized European countries cover all of their …

The Effect Of Xylitol On The Growth Of Three Normal Oral Commensal Or Probiotic Bacteria, Laura Walters

Honors Theses

Xylitol is a pentitol often used as a sweetener in products such as chewing gum. It is recommended to prevent dental caries because of its inhibitory effect on the most common etiological agent of caries, Streptococcus mutans. Xylitol inhibits the growth of S. mutans by inhibiting its glycolysis, causing a futile cycle. It also inhibits the adhesion of S. mutans by reducing the expression of the gene gtfB, which causes the secretion of sticky substances. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of xylitol on normal oral bacteria, particularly commensal and probiotic strains. The strains tested were …

The Impact Of Tricaine Methanesulfonate, 2-Phenoxyethanol, And Carvone-Methyl Salicylate On The Innate Immune Response Of Zebrafish (Danio Rerio), Charles R. Wulff

Honors Theses

Anesthesia plays a vital role in the maintenance of aquaculture species, where it is used to minimize stress during complex handling tasks such as transport, assessment, and harvesting. However, anesthetics have been shown to suppress the innate immune response, which could impact immunity and increase risk of infection. Tricaine methanesulfonate (MS-222) and 2-Phenoxyethanol (2-PE) represent two of the most commonly used anesthetics in aquaculture, with R-(+)-carvone, in the form of carvone-methyl salicylate (CMS) has recently been proposed as an alternative anesthetic for food fish. These three anesthetics were used to assess the influence of anesthetics on the immune system of …

Transboundary Animal Diseases And Their Likelihood To Be Used In An Agroterrorist Attack On The United States, James Willard Allen

Honors Theses

All data and information contained in this investigation are open source and publically available. The assessment uses six different transboundary animal diseases which are not currently routine occurrences in the United States and through analytic methods, assesses the likelihood that each might be used in an agroterrorist attack on the United States' animal production sector. The assessment examines each disease using key details that would directly affect the likelihood of its use in an attack, focusing on potential economic damage. The three main animal populations considered are bovine, swine, and poultry due to their large size and value in domestic …

Comparative Analysis Of Salt And Water Fluoridation In Non-Industrialized Countries, Chelsea Elizabeth Mitchell

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Molecular Analysis Of Endophytic Bacteria Associated With Lettuce., Shelly Leigh Osborn

Honors Theses

Bacteria associated with lettuce and spinach have been linked to outbreaks of infectious diseases in humans. While studies have examined the culturable bacteria residing on lettuce surfaces, few have evaluated the non-culturable bacteria within the plant. This study used molecular techniques to examine the bacterial community present in five different salad greens (green leaf lettuce, red leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce, iceberg lettuce, and baby spinach). Both conventionally and organically grown samples of each salad type were examined, and samples were processed as purchased and following surface sterilization. DNA was extracted from homogenized samples and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used …

Water, Water Everywhere: An Analysis Of The Effectiveness Of World Bank's And Unicef's Efforts To Provide Access To Clean Water In Nigeria, Jessica-Phillips Tyson

Honors Theses

This thesis examines the debate surrounding the effectiveness of international aid organizations’ efforts to reduce poverty and promote economic development. Its goal is consider two major international organizations, World Bank and UNICEF, in order to make a judgment on which approach is more effective: direct government aid or community-based efforts. Specifically, this thesis examines World Bank’s and UNICEF’s efforts to provide access to clean water in Nigeria. In the first chapter, it reports on the significance of clean water to an individual, the United States, developing nations, and the world at large. This thesis provides its own criteria for an …

How Much Did The Germans Know About The Final Solution?: An Examination Of Propaganda In The Third Reich, Issa A. Braman

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

On The Ethics Of Human Genetic Engineering, John Ryan Speights

Honors Theses

In this paper I propose a guideline that we may use to determine when it is ethical to take advantage of the technology that we call human genetic engineering. I first clarify the purpose of the paper by explaining the science behind the technology, defining much of the debate in the process. In short, manufactured DNA is introduced into the human genome for the purpose of modifying the expression of the genes and the person that they produce. I indicate that this is a value theory paper rather than a detailed policy paper. This is significant because it merely addresses …

An Epidemiologic Study Comparing The Health Environment Of Honduras And The United States., Martha Magee Mangum

Honors Theses

The content of this project investigates the deficit that exists within the area of healthcare in the Central American country of Honduras. It is a descriptive epidemiologic study, describing and comparing the demographics, health statistics, and healthcare system infrastructure of Honduras and the United States in hopes of bridging the gap between the statistics found through research and a firsthand experience in the country of Honduras.

Localization Of Deformed Wing Virus (Dwv) In The Brains Of Apis Mellifera (European Honey Bees), Karan Samir Shah

Honors Theses

The purpose of the current research project is to design a successful in-situ hybridization to identify regions within the brains of honeybees where DWV replicates. The localization of the virus in the brains of the bees can draw a connection between CCDand DWV.In conclusion, these results demonstrate that in bees infected with DWV the virus replicates actively in very important regions of the brain, including neuropils that are responsible for vision and olfaction. This means that the virus could adversely affect the vision and olfaction of the honeybees making it difficult for bees to behave normally.

The Emergence Of Biotechnology In The State Of Mississippi: A Review, Whitman Scott Dowlen

Honors Theses

This publication was written with the intention of performing an analysis of the present in-state bioscience initiative and subsequent Mississippi industry incumbents. Hopefully, this publication will be employed as an informative tool to Mississippi residents, universities, policy makers and private corporations considering investment in research and development in the state of Mississippi.

The Foundation, Education, And Practice Of Osteopathic Medicine, Anthony P. Salvador

Honors Theses

Osteopathic medicine has quickly grown into a successful and respectable branch of medical practice. It was created out of a necessity for change in the late 1800s, and continues to be a credible form of alternative medicine. After reviewing literary material, journal articles, and numerous osteopathic college sources it was seen that osteopathic medicine can be practiced in numerous settings and will become integral in the near future due to the shortage of physicians in the United States. Today, osteopaths work closely with all types of medical personal including medical doctors.

Growth And Immunocomptence In Parasitized Domestic Turkeys( Meleagris Gallapavo): Is There A Trade-Off?, Virginia Austin Harrison

Honors Theses

Parasitic infection can prove to be detrimental to the condition, reproductive fitness, and survival of the host organism. During infection, an organism experiences trade-offs between functions such as growth, reproduction, and immunological activity as a result of limited resources. When challenged by infection, wild turkeys, adapted for survival, should fight the infection rather than invest in growth. Because domestic turkeys have been artificially selected to grow rapidly, I hypothesized that they would invest in growth rather than immunocompetence. To test this hypothesis, I infected domestic turkeys with coccidia and measured components of growth and immunocompetence. Turkeys were infected with the …

Genetic Variation And Immune Response In The Wolf Spider: Rabidosa Rabida, Patrice Louise Jones

Honors Theses

Genetic variation has been shown to positively correlate with the strength of the immune response, especially in vertebrates. Smaller populations have less genetic diversity than larger populations as a result of random genetic drift. We estimated heterozygosity levels for six populations, which were known to vary significantly in size^ using 15 microsatellite loci. We wished to see if generalized loss of genetic variation, as measured by a random sample of neutral loci, would correlate with levels of immune response to a physical challenge (needle prick). Experiments were performed using the wolf spider species Rabidosa rabida. Immune response was measured as …

Synthesis Of 2-Oxo-16-(3', 4'-Methylenedioxyphenyl)-Trans-15-Hexadecene, Adelajda Zorba

Honors Theses

This work presents the progress made towards synthesizing 2-oxo-16-(3', 4'methylenedioxyphenyl)-trans-15-hexadecene, an antimycobacterial compound that was originally isolated from the leaves of Piper Sanctum. The hydrocarbon chain of the molecule was synthesized first by opening a 15-pentadecanolactone ring by means of HI, and performing an E2 elimination reaction on the molecule followed by an organolithium reaction with CH3Li. Hexadec-15-en-2-one that was afforded this way was later reacted with 5-bromobenzo[d][1,3]dioxole following the appropriate Heck reaction protocol that allows for the formation of a palladium catalyzed carbon-carbon bond.

The modes of action of 2-oxo-16-(3', 4'-methylenedioxyphenyl)-trans-15hexadecene are comparable to the ones of rifampicin, a …

Non-Adherence: A Symptom Of The Current Health Care Model, Margaret Duggan

Honors Theses

This paper aims to provide a systematic review of the discourse surrounding patient adherence in an effort to illustrate the extent of the problem, how it is framed, and how intervention is currently approached. The paper begins with a general review of adherence, to ground the reader in the current discourse. The next section of the paper will focus specifically on adherence through the lens of HIV/AIDS. Since HIV/AIDS treatment and adherence to antiretroviral drugs is pertinent to adherence issues due to the complexity and lifelong duration of treatment. Furthermore, adherence with HIV/AIDS medications is particularly important due to the …

The Presence, Prevalence And Antibiotic Resistance Of Microbes In The Pamunkey River Basin, Christina Mcdowell

Honors Theses

This project examined the presence, prevalence and antibiotic resistance of Coliforms (mainly Escherichia coli), Staph/occocus aureus, fecal Streptococcus, andEnterobacteriacae found in the water samples taken from three selected sites on the North Anna, South Anna, and Little Rivers of the Pamunkey River Basin. The diversity and concentration of the microbes isolated from these sites was evaluated in late January and late March allowing for a comparison of the occurrence of microbes at different times and between the different sites. Over the course of two months the concentration of colonies increased based on colony counts from Nutrient agar. The rate of …

Fecal Coliforms And Antibiotic Resistance Of Tuckahoe Creek, Catherine C. Parker

Honors Theses

The Tuckahoe Creek has been classified impaired by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) indicating that one of the following parameters exceed the accepted limits: pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), phosphates, nitrates, and concentration of fecal coliforms. Throughout the course of this study, two selected sites have been monitored monthly in order to measure these parameters. Route 288 is located near a construction site, and Route 621 is near Sycamore Creek Golf Course in a more rural area. The results from this study have shown that the fecal coliforms have been uniformly within the set legal limit of 1,000 …

Medicine Men Of The Anti-Progressive Party : Sacred Sites, Public Lands, And The Construction Of Religious Liberty, Jacob Culbertson

Honors Theses

On December 29, 1890 the United States Seventh Calvary descended upon a group of practitioners of the blossoming Ghost Dance religion and killed more than 300 Indians belonging to multiple Northern Plains nations. The massacre at Wounded Knee Creek was the apex of the United States government's violent campaign to win the American west from its original inhabitants, and it marked a transition in strategy in the young republic's assault on Native America. Having essentially won the land battles to annex the bulk of the economically valuable Native territory, the United States turned its attention away from the physical disposal …

Nazi Medical Experimentation: Should The Data Obtained Be Used?, Elizabeth S. Dyal

Honors Theses

Many researchers question whether or not the data obtained from Nazi medical experiments should be used. This paper examines which experiments were conducted, the data that was found, and the ethical questions related to using this data. Beyond the ethical questions, this paper also determines if the data can be used due to the way the experiments were conducted.

Invasion Of Mouse Fibroblasts And Macrophages By Human Isolates Of Agrobacterium, Karmon Leigh Kriechbaum

Honors Theses

In the past few decades there has been growing evidence that species of Agrobacterium can be opportunistic animal pathogens. One of these species is Agrobacterium tumefaciens, which for years has been studied as a plant pathogen. The results of one published experiment suggested that an Agrobacterium toxin could kill mice (12). Other strong evidence for Agrobacterium as an opportunistic human pathogen is the over fifty published clinical cases in which humans were infected by Agrobacterium species (3, 13-25). In almost all of these cases the patient was immunocompromised in some way and they often had an invasive procedure such as …

Fighting Aids With Holistic Weapons: An Integrated Approach, Tom Goodwin

Honors Theses

The current AIDS epidemic has changed the way we view the world as well as our society as a whole. Diseases have ravaged humanity since the dawn of time, so what makes AIDS so much different from every other disease encountered by man? One reason is its transmission method. We know that HIV passes from person to person via blood, semen, and vaginal secretions. Most people that suffer from this disease contract it during sex, during intravenous drug use, or during a blood transfusion. Early accounts of HIV disease occurred in minority groups, namely homosexual men. This may have bee …

Nicaragua: Before And After The Revolution, Laura M. Zaremba

Honors Theses

The victorious Sandinistas and their governing junta stood on the threshold of a Nicaragua eager to be transformed form the exploited, dependent, and terribly poor nation-state it had been virturally since its independence from Spain into a truly new society based on popular will and welfare. After a decade of governing with this goal in sight, however, the Sandinista government led by President Daniel Ortega was defeated in the 1990 elections. I will examine this electoral defeat as the last in a series of setbacks that prevented a revolutionary society from emerging. I will attempt to demonstrate how it was …

The Great Potato Debate, James D. Hudson

Honors Theses

Anencephaly and spina bifida cystica are two of the most common severe congenital malformations consistently observed in human populations. Both represent defects in the neural tube and share a significant number of similar epidemiological associations among them, occupational class, geography, sex ratio, maternal age, year and season of the year. In anencephaly most of the brain and upper skull never form usually resulting in death within a few hours of birth. Spina bifida cystica is a malformation of the spinal cord often causing paralysis, vulnerability to infection, and early death. In 1972, Dr. J.H. Renwick presented a controversial hypothesis which …

Dr. Walter Reed And Yellow Fever, Reade W. Corr

Honors Theses

All my life I have been hearing about Dr. Walter Reed. He has been known to me as the man who made possible the building of the Panama Canal. This I was told he did by eliminating yellow fever from Central America. How he succeeded in doing this or when it was done, I did not know. Indeed, people in general seem to know nothing whatever concerning him. In order to inform myself of Dr. Reed's work I have have decided to prepare this paper. I also feel that it is my duty to learn of Dr. Reed. He was …