Digital Commons Network^™

Determining Interactions Between Bacteriophage And Urinary Microbiome Lysogens, Michael Bochert

Master's Theses

Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that infect bacteria. They are the most abundant life forms on earth. It is estimated that there are approximately 10³⁰ phages on the planet (Chibani-Chennoufi et al. 2004). They outnumber their bacterial hosts approximately 10 to 1. Bacteria inhabit most niches on the planet including the human body, where they play critical roles in health and disease. Since phages shape bacterial populations the same way that viruses, such as smallpox and measles, shaped human populations, it is important to understand how they interact with their bacterial hosts. The majority of the phages that we know of …

Induction Of Zika And Dengue Virus-Specific Cd8+ T Cells By Means Of Dna Vaccine, Natalie Jachym

Master's Theses

Zika virus (ZIKV) and Dengue virus (DENV) are flaviviruses that circulate in the same endemic regions and can co-infect the same individual. While primary infection by DENV leads to life-long immunity to the infecting serotype, it does not provide immunity to other serotypes. Moreover, ZIKV and DENV antibodies can be cross-reactive and potentially enhance infection of the other virus through a process known as antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE). In this mechanism, antibodies weakly bind the infecting virus and direct virions to immunoglobulin Fc receptors on macrophages. This promotes viral uptake and infection rather than neutralize the virus. Due to this mechanism, …

Patient Knowledge About Disease Self-Management Of Cirrhosis, Thuy Xuan Trinh

Master's Theses

This study aimed to define the level of understanding of self-management for patients with liver cirrhosis. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted. Thirty cirrhotic patients (14 females and 16 males) in the Gastroenterology Department of University Medical Center, Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam participated in answering the questionnaire to evaluate their knowledge about liver disease self-management. The majority of cirrhotic patients had an unsatisfactory level of knowledge regarding self management of their disease, particularly in terms of recognizing and preventing complications from hepatic encephalopathy, monitoring for liver cancer, and awareness of medications they should not use. Implications of the …

Effectiveness Of Teaching About Preventing And Detecting Complications Of Hand, Foot, And Mouth Disease At My Phuoc Hospital, Ha Thi Kim Phung

Master's Theses

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is an infectious illness that affects millions of people, especially children under five years of age. The social impact of severe HFMD to the health community, family members, and children is also of big concern. In the south of Vietnam, Binh Duong province is located in the area affected by HFMD. Unfortunately, caregivers have little knowledge to prevent and detect HFMD severity in children. The research question asked how effective teaching about HFMD was to improve knowledge of caregivers for detecting HFMD severity in children under five years of age at My Phuoc Hospital …

Characterizing The Susceptibility And Type I Interferon Response Of Primary Mammalian Cells During Zika Virus Infection, Douglas Petty

Master's Theses

Zika virus (ZIKV), a member of the genus Flavivirus, has become a major public health concern since 2007. During the most recent 2015 outbreak, ZIKV rapidly spread from South America to over 84 countries and territories across the world in two years. ZIKV has also been associated with previously uncharacterized neurological manifestations during the 2013 and 2015 outbreaks. The novel manifestations include Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) in adults and Congenital Zika Syndrome (CZS) in newborns. GBS is a progressive paralysis caused by damage to the peripheral nervous system; while CZS is an all-encompassing term for the severe neurological and developmental complications …

Mindfulness And Resilience As Predictors Of Burnout, Julie Tu

Master's Theses

The faster pace of work due to technological advances and globalization as well as global competition in the workforce may lead to increased chances of stress and burnout among employees. Understanding more predictors of burnout may help companies create better work environments to increase productivity and minimize consequences of burnout (e.g., higher absenteeism, turnover, substance abuse, anxiety, depression). However, not enough research has been done to study the degree to which personality traits predict burnout. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to examine the degree to which trait mindfulness and trait resilience predict burnout. The study was a …

Heat Activation Of Bacillus Anthracis Persists Over A Seven Day Period, Nathan T. Ross

Master's Theses

Bacteria of the Bacillus genera are capable of forming dormant and resilient cells called spores in response to starvation. Spores can break dormancy in the presence of nutrients in a process called germination. Historically, spores are exposed to sublethal heat treatments to increase the extent and rate of germination. This process is known as heat activation (HA). Previous studies on Bacillus species indicate the effects of HA are reversible after 72 hours. After this time period, the spores must be reactivated. However, spores of Bacillus anthracis, a member of the Bacillus family, have not been tested to see how long …

The Evolutionary Diversity And Biological Function Of Phenazine Metabolite Biosynthesis In Burkholderia Spp, Samuel Hendry

Master's Theses

Burkholderia encompass a group of ubiquitous Gram-negative bacteria that include numerous saprophytes, as well as several species that cause infections in animals, immunocompromised patients, and plants. Some species of Burkholderia produce colored redox-active secondary metabolites called phenazines (Phz). In the model opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, phenazines strongly contribute to the competitiveness, formation of biofilms, and virulence in multiple models of infection. Similar depth of knowledge on the diversity, biosynthesis, and biological functions of phenazines in Burkholderiais missing. This project aimed to bridge this gap in knowledge by focusing on phenazine pathways of B. lata and closely related …

Development Of A Prolyl Endopeptidase Expression System In Lactobacillus Reuteri To Reduce The Clinical Manifestation Of Celiac Disease, Kara Lynn Jew

Master's Theses

Celiac Disease (CD) is an autoimmune disorder that emerges due to the ingestion of gluten, a protein found in a variety of common grains such as wheat, rye, and barley. Approximately 1 in 100 individuals in the US suffer from CD, making it the most commonly diagnosed gastrointestinal disorder (Ciclitira et. al., 2005). These proline-rich gluten peptides are resistant to proteolysis and accumulate in the duodenum of the small intestine. Once in the duodenum, these peptides illicit an autoimmune response resulting in villous atrophy. Current treatment for CD requires a rigorous adherence to a gluten-free diet. Nevertheless, gluten-containing grains are …

The Effectiveness Of Medication Assisted Treatment (Mat) Programs In Correctional Facilities: A Review Of The Evidence And Recommendations, Woodlyn Joachim

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Overactive Bladder: Shortcomings Of Current Diagnostic And Treatment Approaches And A New Etiological Paradigm, Nina L. Franzen

Master's Theses

Aims: To examine the effectiveness of the current diagnostic and treatment approach of overactive bladder (OAB) and the relative impact of cognition on what is currently a bladder-centric condition. Methods: A review of the literature on OAB from the population to organ/brain level was conducted. The impact of age-induced bladder dysfunction via cognitive changes to sensory integration and attention control are discussed. Results: OAB uses bladder-centric terminology to represent a collection of symptoms with inconsistent and often unknown pathology. Proposed etiologies and therapeutic models for overactive bladder focus on the bladder organ, but evidence suggests that age-related degradation to inhibitory …

See The Forest For The Leaves: Foliar Fungal Community Composition And Volatile Organic Compound Production, Joshua Copeland

Master's Theses

Endophytes are microbes that live within plants without causing detectable illness. These microorganisms can emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs), airborne signaling molecules that can significantly affect plant growth. Despite the prevalence of endophytes and their VOCs, little is known about these factors important to plant health. With this in mind I isolated fungal endophytes from leaves of Populus trichocarpa and Populus fremontii, tree species with economic and environmental uses, to determine if endophyte communities are reserved between the closely related tree species and over seasons. Surface sterilized leaf fragments were plated onto malt extract agar and the resulting fungi were …

Attenuated Responses To Inflammatory Cytokines In Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells: Biological Implications And The Molecular Basis, Bohan Chen

Master's Theses

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) have attracted intense interest due to their great potential for regenerative medicine. However, their immune property is an overlooked but a significant issue that needs to be thoroughly investigated not only to resolve the concern for therapeutic applications but also for further understanding the early stage of organismal development. Recent studies demonstrated that ESCs are deficient in innate immune responses to viral/bacterial infections and inflammatory cytokines. Inflammatory conditions generally inhibit cell proliferation, which could be detrimental to ESCs, since cell proliferation is their dedicated task during early embryogenesis. Thus, I hypothesize that the attenuated innate immunity …

Zika Message Analysis, Alexandria Phipps

Master's Theses

The following study employs the Extended Parallel Processing Model and Theory of Planned Behavior to understand how to create health messages with the greatest influence on individuals’ behavioral intent to adopt mosquito-borne virus protection behaviors. The study employs a 2 (susceptibility) x 2 (self-efficacy) factorial design, evenly distributing the participants between four messages (N=186). Although the selfefficacy manipulation was ultimately unsuccessful, the findings highlighted the significance of perceived susceptibility on one’s intent to adopt protective behaviors. The results exemplify the importance of the theoretical critical point of the EPPM, where danger control shifts to fear control, and the importance of …

California Livestock Owners: An Assessment Of Familiarity With New Antimicrobial Rules And Access To Educational Outreach, Philip Theodor Paulson

Master's Theses

The purpose of this research is to support the California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA) with education and outreach about recent changes regarding antimicrobial use in livestock, and to enhance their emergency communications network. This was done by characterizing a population of small-scale livestock owners underserved with regards to educational outreach about animal health issues, such as antimicrobial use rules. The project also seeks to enhance public understanding of the importance of responsible antimicrobial use in animal and human health.

To accomplish this, the study used a survey administered in person at local farm supply stores and online to …

The Role Of Polyamines In Enteroviral Attachment, Thomas Mckenzie Kicmal

Master's Theses

Polyamines are small polycationic molecules with flexible carbon chains that are found in all eukaryotic cells. Polyamines are involved in the regulation of many host processes and have been shown to be implicated in viral replication. Depletion of polyamine pools in cells with FDA approved drugs restricts replication of diverse RNA viruses. Viruses can exploit host polyamines to facilitate packaging, transcription, translation, and protease activity but other mechanisms remain largely unknown. Picornaviruses, including Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3), are sensitive to depletion of polyamines and remain a significant public health threat. We employed CVB3 as a model system to investigate a potential …

Dissecting A Role For Polyamines In Rift Valley Fever Virus Infection, Vincent Mastrodomenico

Master's Theses

Bunyaviruses are emerging viral pathogens that cause encephalitis, hemorrhagic fevers, and meningitis. Rift Valley fever virus is a particularly devastating bunyavirus, infecting both humans and livestock with significant morbidity and mortality. By coordinating several host and viral processes Rift Valley fever virus is able to produce infectious virions. Polyamines are small, positively-charged host-derived molecules that play diverse roles in human cells and in infection. We previously demonstrated that polyamines are crucial for RNA viruses; however, the mechanisms by which polyamines function remain unknown. Here, we investigated polyamines' role in the replication of the Rift Valley fever virus (vaccine strain MP-12). …

Assessing The Role Of A Putative Peptidase In The Processing And Transport Of Aip In The Agr Quorum Sensing System Of Staphylococcus Aureus, Chance Joseph Cosgriff

Master's Theses

Staphylococcus aureus infections are a global burden on human health. The wide rangeof infectious diseases caused by S. aureus stem from the production of myriad virulence factors that manipulate host immune responses and promote bacterial survival. These virulence traits, coupled with the rise in antibiotic resistance, demonstrate a need for novel therapeutics to control infection. Many current therapeutic initiatives focus on targeting the virulence factors produced by S. aureus or the regulatory systems that control their expression such as the Accessory gene regulatory system, Agr.Initial characterization of a putative S. aureus peptidase MroQ indicates a major role in regulation of …

Modulation Of Coxsackievirus Protease Activity By Polyamines, Courtney Noelle Dial

Master's Theses

Coxsackievirus type B (CVB3) is one of the six serotypes of the Coxsackievirus family of non-enveloped, linear, and positive-sense single-stranded RNA viruses. It is a pathogenic enterovirus that belongs to the same genus as the notable pathogen poliovirus. CVB3 can cause a range of illnesses from a fever to gastrointestinal distress but is most noteworthy for the ability to cause viral myocarditis, a swelling of the heart muscle. Coxsackievirus, like all RNA viruses, tends to develop mutations rapidly due to its error prone polymerase and lack of proofreading activity. These mutations can be advantageous for the virus, allowing it to …

Longitudinal Urinary Microbiome Studies: A Need To Transition To Voided Urine, Baylie Hochstedler

Master's Theses

It is now established that the bladder is not sterile; it contains communities of microbes (microbiota). While the healthy bladder microbiota have been defined using expanded quantitative urine culture (EQUC) and urines obtained by transurethral catheterization (TUC), longitudinal and population studies have not previously been possible. These studies cannot be done using TUC urines, as it would be impractical to catheterize participants daily. Instead, we must transition to using voided urines.In order to make this switch, we have addressed three main issues raised by using voided urine. First, we showed that EQUC out performs standard urine culture on voided urines …

Infection Control In Total Knee Replacement Prosthesis Using Nitric Oxide Releasing Biomaterials, Ashley Widing

Master's Theses

Replacing a weight-bearing joint is accompanied by long procedures, even longer recovery times, and intensive monitoring. This burden increases after infection; a complication requiring revision surgeries and therefore extensive additional recovery time. Infection can present itself at any time during the process, making it hard to predict. Currently, a two-part revision surgery is completed by removing all infected tissue and implanting an antibiotic spacer. The spacer fills the joint gap and is removed prior to the revision total knee replacement. A revision total knee replacement follows the same procedure as the initial surgery. Not only is this detrimental to patient …

Tall Tales Of Danger And Security: How A Critical Human Security Approach Can Address Major Contradictions Revealed Through A Critical Narrative Analysis Of Dominant U.S. Security Strategies, Stephen Schneider

Master's Theses

Over many generations, humans have developed many perspectives and practices regarding the best ways to recognize and address what they perceive to be dangerous. Stories are used to help shape and narrate perceptions about the world, and they serve to pass on vital information that impacts how a society responds to threats and vulnerabilities. These narratives of danger and security are subjective to the experiences and political intentions of society, and therefore in many ways are partial and biased in their assessments and policies. This results in flawed security practices that may actually exacerbate threats or create new insecurities. What …

Investigating Possible Scurvy In The Postclassic Maya Of Tipu, Emmalea Gomberg

Master's Theses

Although residing in a tropical environment, numerous researchers have posited the possibility of scurvy in the Maya in recent years. The historic population of Tipu in western Belize dating to AD 1541-1638 is one of the largest and best preserved Maya series, and was therefore evaluated for possible presence of scurvy since the diet appears typical of the pre-contact Petén populations. The temporal bones and greater wings of the sphenoid were analyzed for scorbutic activity in 143 individuals, along with periodontal disease and antemortem tooth loss to determine if there was a co-occurrence with scurvy.

Overall, 27% of the sample …

Environmental Factors That Affect Kenneled Shelter Dogs In Connecticut, Laura Burban

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Substance Use, Hiv Serostatus Disclosure, And Sexual Risk Behavior In People Living With Hiv: An Event-Level Analysis, Matthew Sullivan

Master's Theses

Objective. Sexually active people living with HIV (PLWH) face difficult decisions about disclosing their HIV status to sexual partners. Alcohol and other drug use are prevalent in medically engaged PLWH, and could impact these decision-making processes. We sought to examine the event-level relationships between substance use, HIV disclosure, and condom use in PLWH.

Method. Adult PLWH were recruited from care settings in a southeastern US city. Participants reported psychosocial and health information at baseline, and reported their sexual behavior for 28 consecutive days via text message prompts. Multi-level modeling was employed to examine event-level associations between substance use, HIV disclosure, …

Understanding How The Costimulatory Molecule Ox40 Engagement On T Cells Can Boost Immune Responses For Vaccine Applications And Immunotherapy., Archibald Agyekum-Yamoah, Archibald Agyekum-Yamoah

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Detecting A Probiotic Product Within The Gut Of Broiler Chickens, Anneka Pisula

Master's Theses

As of January 2017, the U.S. poultry industry banned the use of antibiotics and now relies on alternatives such as probiotics to help protect animal health. Although probiotic use is not a new concept in the poultry industry, identifying the best combination of bacterial strains to generate an effective probiotic formula requires further investigation. This study aimed to detect a probiotic product of four bacterial strains (Pedioccoccus acidilactici, Pediococcus pentosaceus, Lactobacillus plantarum, and Bacillus subtilis) in a feeding trial with broiler chickens. Birds given the probiotic were predicted to show an improved growth performance with …

Seeing Red: Analyzing Iucn Red List Data Of South And Southeast Asian Amphibians, Alexandra Gonzalez

Master's Theses

In the midst of the sixth mass extinction event which is currently underway, it appears that amphibians are one of the most impacted vertebrates. Over 6,500 amphibian species are listed on the IUCN Red List (an assessment tool which provides species’ conservation status, perceived threats, and distribution range). While it is well-known that populations under multiple stressors are more likely to undergo significant declines, there are little to no resources available for visualizing how these threats may work synergistically and interact within a species’ range. This is especially the case for Southeast Asian amphibians, which much less attention has been …

The Use Of Econsults To Improve Access To Dermatological Care For Underserved Populations In Connecticut, Fludiona Naka

Master's Theses

Importance: Medically underserved populations receiving care at community health centers lack access to specialty care.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of a dermatology electronic consultation (eConsult) program on a statewide scale focusing on access to care for medically underserved patients.

Design: Retrospective cohort study of 2385 dermatology referrals from June 2014 through November 2015.

Setting: Large, multi-site Federally Qualified Health Center in Connecticut.

Participants: Dermatology referrals pre-eConsult implementation from June to November 2014 (n=1258) and post-eConsult implementation from June to November 2015 (n=1127). All referrals came from primary care providers from twelve primary care sites in CT.

Intervention: Implementation of …

Assessment Of A Modified Heat Tolerance Test In Recreational Runners, Kelsey M. Rynkiewicz

Master's Theses

Exercising in hot and humid conditions is a stressful environment that can be taxing on the human body. In certain situations, uncompensable heat stress may occur in which there is an overwhelming of the thermoregulatory system. This may result in exertional heat illnesses, particularly exertional heat stroke, which warrant rapid and appropriate treatment to avoid long term complications, or even death.

Returning to activity, duty, or play after an exertional heat stroke, or for those who exhibit difficulty exercising in the heat, is a complex process. However, heat tolerance tests have been used, particularly in warriors, as an evaluation tool …