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Interactions Between Protozoan Prey (Phylum Protista) And Their Mosquito Predators (Order Diptera, Family Cuclicidae) Prey Size And Predator Behavior Effects, Jeffrey Jay Skiff

Master's Theses

Mosquitoes (Diptera. Culicidae) are insects that are medically important as adults as they vector numerous diseases. Yet, understanding the ecology of the larval stage can lead to surveillance and control of adult populations. Aedes albopictus, Aedes triseriatus, Cu/ex corona/or, and Culex quinquefasciatus are four species of mosquito that co-occur in discarded automobile tires. Mosqui-to larvae feed on microorganisms (including protozoans) and particulate organic matter Most larval feeding experiments. howt:ver, have dealt exclusively with bacteria, fungi , and particulate organic matter Although bactena and fungi are important sources of nitrogen and lipids, they may be 111sufficient sources of carbon, which may …

Automated Point-Of-Care Image Processing Methodology For The Diagnosis Of Malaria, Michael B. Jorgensen

Master's Theses

Malaria has profoundly influenced human history for over four thousand years and despite numerous attempts at eradication, the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of malaria have been largely ineffective. More than five hundred million people are affected by malaria every year resulting in over one million deaths. Drug resistance development by the parasite has diminished the effectiveness of numerous treatment options due, in part, to overtreatment of negative patients based on insufficient clinical algorithms and diagnostic methods. The goal of this research was to develop an image analysis algorithm to diagnose malaria with a high degree of sensitivity and specificity in …

The Effect Of Vitamin D On Human T Regulatory Cell Differentiation, Stephanie Anne Chapman

Master's Theses

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are required for the induction and maintenance of immune homeostasis. Singh et al. demonstrated that depletion of Tregs in mice results in a loss of self-tolerance that manifests in the development of autoimmune diseases such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). In humans, autoimmune diseases such as IBD, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), and Type 1 Diabetes are thought to occur due to a deficiency in the number or function of Tregs. The importance of Tregs in modulating the human immune system is perhaps best exemplified by IPEX (immune dysregulation, polyendocrinopathy, enteropathy, x-linked syndrome), a severe autoimmune disease characterized …

Foraging Behavior, Habitat, Health, And Survival Of Resident And Translocated Hawaiian Monk Seals At Nihoa Island, Hawaii, Tenaya A. Norris

Master's Theses

Translocations aimed at promoting population recovery for threatened and endangered species also can function as forced dispersals. To assess the efficacy of translocating Hawaiian monk seals (Monachus schauinslandi) and examine post-dispersal effects on monk seals, in 2008-2009, 12 weanling seals were translocated from French Frigate Shoals (FFS) to Nihoa Island (NIH). In addition, nine adult and eight weanling resident seals were captured at NIH. Satellite instrument attachment, biological sampling, and morphometry were conducted on seals at capture. Focal video camera drops also were conducted at 45 sites around NIH (< 100 m) in 2010-2011. Translocated and resident weanlings primarily dove to 40-60 m and used sandy-bottomed habitat < 13 km from NIH. In contrast, resident adults had greater variability in foraging behavior and habitat use. There also was a low prevalence of infectious disease in translocated and resident seals, excluding Chlamydophila abortus and enteric bacteria. First-year survival was greater for …

Evidence For Renewal And Reconstitution Of Marginal Zone Macrophages In Young And Aged Mice, Erika Bahamon

Master's Theses

Aging in humans and mice correlates with decline in immune health, affecting both innate and adaptive immunity. Response against blood-borne bacterial pathogens is compromised because of the deterioration of the marginal zones of the spleen and decrease in frequency of marginal zone macrophages (MZM). This thesis asked if low cell turnover is the cause for the decrease of MZM, using cell proliferation to indicate cell turnover in spleens of mice. First, evidence showed MZM proliferation occurred in spleens of young mice and was decreased in the MZM from aged mice. Second, transfer of young bone marrow into old mice replenished …

Characterization Of Inducible Regulatory T Cells: An Umbilical Cord Blood Model, Rebecca Anne Krier

Master's Theses

The immune system is a group of structures and processes that protect us from disease. To function properly it must recognize a wide variety of pathogens such as viruses and bacteria. T cells play a crucial role in an immune response; however, an overactive immune response can lead to autoimmune diseases, therefore it is important that the immune system has the ability to negatively regulate an immune response. In the periphery, regulatory T cells (CD4⁺CD25⁺Foxp3⁺) are involved in the maintenance of self-tolerance and immune homeostasis. Mechanisms involved in the induction of iTregs from naïve …

Exosomes: Antiviral Agents In The Human Lung, Jennifer Alexandra Novak

Master's Theses

Hundreds of interferon effectors comprise the immediate host response to virus infection. One family of interferon stimulated genes is the IFITM (Interferon-Induced Transmembrane) proteins. IFITM3, in particular, has been shown to block virus cell entry of Influenza A Virus, SARS Coronavirus, and West Nile Virus, among others. IFITM3 has also been identified as an essential factor for host protection against Influenza A Virus in mice and humans. However, the mechanism by which IFITM3 functions remains unclear.

IFITM3 may function both intracellularly and extracellularly to block virus infection in the human lung. The extracellular milieu contains microscopic vesicles termed exosomes which …

Selective Expansion Of B Cells By Intestinal Microbiota, Karina Ochoa

Master's Theses

In rabbits, antibody diversity and B cell expansion are generated in gut-associated lymphoid tissues (GALT), in an antigen- and T cell-independent mechanism, and require interaction with intestinal microbiota. I investigated, in vitro, the mechanism by which commensals drive GALT reactions. Bacteria were isolated from the GALT of rabbits and identified by 16sRNA sequencing. I found that the commensals can bind to Ig, independently of their specificity. In addition, a ~20kDa bacterial molecule was immunoprecipitated with recombinant Ig molecules. Stimulation of B cells with selected bacterial molecules induced the activation of B cells. Stimulation of B cells through TLR2 induced the …

Antibodies To Inhibit Clostridium Difficile Adhesion To Human Gut Epithelial Cell Line, Wonbeom Paik

Master's Theses

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a major hospital-acquired diarrhea that can cause life-threatening complications such as pseudomembranous colitis. CDI is caused by colonization of host with C. difficile, a Gram positive, anaerobic bacterium known to produce toxins that cause disease. Normally, the gut microbiota protects the host from CDI, but disruption of the microbial composition through antibiotic treatment can leave one vulnerable for CDI. To date, no vaccines for preventing CDI are available.

In this study, the potential of antibodies directed against specific surface molecules of C. difficile to block bacterial adherence to host gut epithelial cells was studied, in …

An Ecological Assessment Of Insect Diversity At Organic Central Coast Vegetable Farms On Two Spatial Scales, Emily Musgrave

Master's Theses

Modern industrial agriculture is the principal cause of anthropogenic land use changes for terrestrial ecosystems. Approximately 40% of the planet's land surface, or half of the habitable area, is now composed of agricultural landscapes. The simplification and industrialization of agriculture are the biggest drivers of global biodiversity loss, especially on Californian's Central Coast. Diversified organic agriculture, however, may offer some refuge for non-crop species. In this study we analyzed insect and plant biodiversity on and adjacent to organic vegetable farms on the Central Coast of California at two spatial scales, the landscape-scale and a smaller within-farm scale. At the landscape-scale, …

Development Of Repressible Systems To Control Gene Expression In Vaccinia Virus, Allison Titong

Master's Theses

Two vaccinia virus (VACV) expression systems that contain elements from the lactose (lac) and the tetracycline (tet) operons of E. coli were developed to repress the expression of a reporter gene, enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP), in the presence of tet operon inducers. In the first system, lac and tet operon elements were arranged in a gene circuit, and in the presence of increasing concentrations of a lac operon inducer (isopropyl-β-D-thiogalactoside, IPTG), EGFP expression increased in a dose dependent manner and at high IPTG concentrations, expression reached the same levels as a positive control virus. Importantly, in the …

Panic Behind The Mask: The Spanish Influenza Epidemic Of 1918 In New Orleans, Sarah Theresa Savage

Master's Theses

As part of the most devastating influenza pandemic in modern history, the Spanish Influenza epidemic in New Orleans left the city emotionally and physically crippled as residents struggled to resume daily life after thousands succumbed to a bloody cough and painful death in October 1918. When New Orleans public health officials reacted to the explosion of Spanish Influenza cases on October 10, 1918, the virus had already traveled throughout the population. Unlike previous influenza outbreaks, the 1918 epidemic killed primarily young healthy adults, the backbones of the working force and families. In an attempt to quarantine the ill from the …

Diffusion Barriers Of The Lateral Ventricular System, Anitha Saravanakumar

Master's Theses

Adult neurogenesis in mammalian brain has become a well-accepted phenomenon. The neural stem cells in the sub ventricular zone (SVZ) along the lateral wall of the lateral ventricle, the largest germinal center of adult neurogenesis, are maintained by the neural stem cell niche. One prominent feature of the niche is its close proximity to the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF). The role of micromolecules (such as ions, water and gases) present in the CSF and diffusing through the lateral ventricular wall and how the stem cell micro-environment is maintained is poorly understood. The cytoarchitecture of the lateral ventricular wall with a …

Comparing Anti-Vegf Antibodies And Aptamers On Paper Microfluidic-Based Platforms, Katherine Noel Clayton

Master's Theses

The field of microfluidics is expanding into what is known as paper microfluidics. This uses a paper platform rather than materials (i.e. PDMS, PMMA) that are commonly used in microfluidics research. Current devices require an expensive manufacturing process and external sources to power the device. Such devices are not practical in low resource environments. As a consequence, it is the goal of this Thesis to develop a three-dimensional, multiplexed assay chip using nitrocellulose membranes. This device comprises of multiple layers of nitrocellulose membranes with defined fluidic channels. The multiple layers are bound together using double backed tape, and imbedded between …

Nitrocellulose Paper Based Microfluidic Platform Development And Surface Functionalization With Anti-Ige Aptamers, Jennifer Guerin Ward

Master's Theses

The purpose of this thesis project was to demonstrate the ability to utilize the capabilities of aptamers so that they may act as capture reagents for paper microfluidic devices. Several characterization experiments were conducted as a precursor before the final experimentation was performed. Paper characterization, manufacturing protocols for printing and heating, as well as 3D chip fabrication were all performed and analyzed. The results confirmed that the control of fluid through a 3D microfluidic device based in nitrocellulose is possible.

For the biochemistry portion of this thesis report, antibodies and aptamers were chosen to react with IgE, an antibody that …

Synthesis Of S-Ribosyl-L-Homocysteine And Analogs Modified At The Homocysteine-C3 Position, Ruoyi Liu

Master's Theses

Quorum sensing (QS) is a process of bacterial cell-to-cell communication that conveys population density information in order to coordinate gene expression to produce synchronized behaviors. QS regulates the expression of virulence genes in many species of bacteria; hence, the manipulation of QS pathways may lead to treatment options against many bacterial diseases. The LuxS enzyme converts S-ribosyl-L-homocysteine (SRH) into homocysteine (HCys) and 4(S),5-dihydroxypentane-2,3-dione (DPD), which is the precursor of autoinducer-2 (AI-2). Thus, inhibitors of LuxS could prevent QS by halting the conversion of SRH to AI-2 rendering the cell “uncommunicative”. This work shows the successful chemical synthesis …

Oral Health Needs Assessment Of An Inner-City Homeless Population And Follow-Up Of Dental Referrals, Jennifer R. Jaskolka

Master's Theses

Background: The University of Connecticut (UConn) School of Dental Medicine (SODM) routinely recruits dental students and faculty volunteers to conduct no-cost dental health screenings for transient residents at South Park Inn Homeless Shelter in Hartford, CT. Once screened, patients are referred to UConn or another hospital-based dental clinic in the area for treatment. The purpose of this study was to determine the demographics and oral health needs of the homeless population at South Park Inn and referrals to UConn SODM were followed to verify patient presentation at UCONN SODM. Dental students’ attitudes towards working with the underserved were also assessed. …

Raccoon Acclimation Towards Traps And Its Effect On Surveillance And Monitoring Of Zoonotic Diseases, Lindsay Rollend

Master's Theses

Raccoons (Procyon lotor) serve as a source of infection with various pathogens for people, most notably, rabies. Raccoons are specifically targeted for the control of rabies in the United States, primarily due to the 100% fatality rate in humans and animals. There is no cure or treatment for rabies and vaccines may be administered to people if it is administered promptly. In order to evaluate how successful trapping of raccoons is by using conventional methods, motion sensing cameras were placed on traps in order to captured raccoon behaviors. Pictures were coded based on these behaviors (around the trap but not …

Addressing Congenital Syphilis In Rural Haiti: Beyond Maternal Screening And Treatment, Cheryl Bayart

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Supportive Housing For Families In Child Welfare: Client Characteristics And Risk Factors At Intake, Kellie G. Randall

Master's Theses

Many families involved in the child welfare system also face housing difficulties. Housing problems can disrupt family preservation efforts and delay reunifications from foster care. Supportive housing programs work with families who have dual vulnerabilities in housing and child welfare to integrate services and improve outcomes. Families in these programs might face barriers in addition to their housing and child welfare needs, but little is known about other risk factors in this population. This study uses a sample of 80 clients referred to a supportive housing for families program in order to examine the rate and prevalence of other risk …

Dc Dielectrophoretic Assisted Anti-Fouling Filtration System, Nathan M. Cohen

Master's Theses

Filtration processes, whether on the microfluidic, clinical treatment systems, or industrial scale (e.g., point-of-care diagnostics, dialysis, and biopharmaceutical manufacturing, respectively), are often inseparable from membrane clogging (fouling). As a consequence, most, if not all, filtration systems require frequent maintenance to maintain functionality and efficiency. The thesis of this project hypothesizes that Dielectrophoresis can be combined with standard filtration to reduce filter fouling, extending membrane life, and enabling continuous operation. This project investigates a method to reduce fouling, add specificity and efficiency, and decrease the cost and challenge of filtration based biofluid separations.

To substantiate this thesis, we designed, fabricated, and …

Urinary Antimicrobial Peptides And The Urinary Microbiota In A Uti-Susceptible Population Of Female Pelvic Floor Surgery Patients, Vanessa Nienhouse

Master's Theses

Urinary tract infections (UTI)s are a national priority. Women who undergo surgery for pelvic floor disorders such as pelvic organ prolapse (POP) or urinary incontinence (UI) are at increased risk for UTI, as 10-30% will contract a post-instrumentation UTI (postI-UTI) within six weeks after surgery. Currently, the factors that contribute to the high rate of postI-UTI are unknown, and there is currently no clinical assessment to identify at-risk patients. However, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and characteristics of the urinary microbiota have the potential to serve as biomarkers, identifying patients at UTI risk and facilitating clinical prevention studies.

While it was previously …

Binge Ethanol Leads To Decreased Macrophage Accumulation In Infected Cutaneous Wounds, Sara Hlavin

Master's Theses

Trauma patients who consumed alcohol prior to sustaining injuries have higher rates of morbidity and mortality than those with comparable injuries who did not drink. Additionally, those who drank had impaired wound healing and increased susceptibility to infection. Despite these clinical observations, few studies have explored the effect of ethanol on the innate immune cell function in a healing wound or how this may alter resolution of cutaneous infection. A murine model of ethanol and cutaneous wound infection was used to examine bacterial growth and recruitment of innate immune cells. Mice were given either ethanol (2.2 g/kg) or saline 30 …

Dynamics Of Vibrio With Virulence Genes Detected In Pacific Harbor Seals (Phoca Vitulina Richardii) Off California: Implications For Marine Mammal Health, Stephanie Nichole Hughes

Master's Theses

Given their coastal site fidelity and opportunistic foraging behavior, harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) may serve as sentinels for coastal ecosystem health. Seals using urbanized coastal habitat can acquire enteric bacteria, including Vibrio, that may affect their health. To understand Vibrio dynamics in seals, demographic and environmental factors were tested for predicting potentially virulent Vibrio in free-ranging and stranded Pacific harbor seals (P. v. richardii) off the coast of California. Vibrio prevalence did not vary with season and was greater in free-ranging seals (29%, n = 319) compared with stranded seals (17%, n = 189). Of …

Characterization Of The Clostridium Difficile Biofilm, Michelle Laning

Master's Theses

Clostridium difficile is a Gram-positive, spore forming bacterium and an opportunistic gastrointestinal pathogen. Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a common nosocomial infection. Upon antibiotic treatment, patients can be colonized with C. difficile from ingestion of spores. After colonization, cells produce toxins creating symptoms from diarrhea to pseudomembranous colitis, and many patients develop recurrent infections. Interactions between host epithelium and the bacteria is a critical step in infection, yet the interaction is not well understood. It is not known how C. difficile evades host immune responses. These are important mechanisms to answer in advancing CDI treatment. A biofilm could contribute to …

Correlation Of Cough Frequency With Treatment Efficacy In Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients In Lima, Peru, Jesus Gutierrez

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Influence Of Detritus Levels And Organic Pollution On Interspecific Resource Competition, Oviposition Behavior, And Larval Survival Of Two Tire-Inhabiting Mosquito Species (Diptera: Culicidae), David Wayne Allgood

Master's Theses

Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) are vectors of disease in the adult stage, but understanding the factors affecting distributions of the immature stages is important to the understanding and control of adult populations. Discarded automobile tires comprise important larval mosquito habitats. The Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) and the southern house mosquito (Culex quinquefasciatus) are two medically important species commonly found in tires, but factors affecting their larval distributions in tires have not been studied, nor have their interspecific interactions. I investigated the effects of chemicals associated with organic pollution on oviposition preferences and larval survival of both …

Tick Infestations And Their Consequences For Migratory Songbirds During Spring Stopover, Johnny Michael Sellers Jr.

Master's Theses

Migratory birds face a number of challenges during their seasonal movement from tropical/sub-tropical Central and South America to more temperate North America. Maintaining health during migration is of particular concern. This study seeks to understand how haematophageous ectoparasites, such as ticks (Ixodida), impact host body condition as they feed on passerines during migration. We hypothesized that foraging location would impact tick acquisition by migrants and that tick burdens during migration would negatively impact body condition. We surveyed 2,064 birds during spring 2009 and 2010 and found that 2.4% of the surveyed birds were infested with one or more …

Ancestral Analysis Of The French Colonial Moran Cemetery, Biloxi, Mississippi, Danielle Nicole Cook

Master's Theses

The Moran site (22HR511) in Biloxi, Mississippi, dates from 1719 to 1723 and is the earliest known French Colonial cemetery in the United States. Historical records suggest that those interred likely represent immigrants from Western Europe as well as Africa who were relocated in an effort to colonize the Louisiana Territory. Given the variety of cultural backgrounds at the site, an ancestral analysis of the 25 individuals uncovered has been conducted. Traditional markers such as cranial and tooth morphology and metrics, and enamel composition, were evaluated in all individuals, and DNA was analyzed in five. Stable isotope levels were also …

Decontamination Of Endodontic Gutta-Percha: An In-Vitro Study, Mariya Shnaydman

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.