Digital Commons Network^™

The Effect Of Aeration Rate And Free-Floating Carrier Media On The Emission Of Bacillus Globigii In Bioaerosols, Andrew J. Owens

Theses and Dissertations

Aerosols produced by turbulent mechanical mixing and bubble aeration at Waste Water Treatment Plants (WWTPs) become bioaerosols with the entrainment of biological materials. Bioaerosols become a public health risk when human pathogens are present. This study evaluated bioaerosols containing Bacillus globigii (BG) spores, and the effects that aeration rate and the addition of Free-Floating Carrier Media (FFCM) had on the amount of BG spores collected following aerosolization. A series of laboratory-scale experiments investigated two different sizes of floating polystyrene spheres as FFCM and four different aeration rates. When the differences in compared aeration rates were sufficiently large, a positive correlation …

Electronic Image Detectability Under Varying Illumination Conditions, Jeremy J. Miller

Theses and Dissertations

Light in the built environment plays an essential role in the vision and the health of humans through non-visual receptors in the eyes. Unfortunately, image analysts and other Air Force personnel who engage in the detection of objects on softcopy displays are often required to work in very dimly-lit or dark environments as higher illumination reduces the contrast of displayed information. Literature has shown that increases in light exposure improves circadian rhythm entrainment and reduces the negative health consequences of insufficient lighting. This research examines the effects of indoor lighting to determine if increases in ambient illumination or changes to …

Kujdesi Infermieror Tek Pacientët Me Infeksione Purulente, Ermale Shala

Theses and Dissertations

Hyrje: Një sëmundje purulente është ajo që gjeneron shumë qelb.Një akumulim i qelbës në një hapësirë indi të mbyllur njihet si një absces, ndërsa një koleksion i dukshëm i qelbës brenda ose nën epidermës njihet si një puçërr ose njoll.Ky punim është realizuar me qëllim të zgjerimit të njohurive të infermierëve të ardhshëm në fushën e parandalimit të infeksioneve purulente ndaj pacientit respektivisht kujdesit infermieror ndaj tyre.

Metodologjia: Kemi kryer një studim retrospektiv tek pacientët me infeksione purulente përkatsisht me abses flegmon dhe fascit nekrotizues të shtruar dhe te trajtuar në Kliniken e Kirurgjisë Plastike QKUK Prishtinë gjatë periudhës kohore …

Gestational Infections And Obesity: Implications For Intellectual Disability Risk, Maggie S. J. Mccarter

Theses and Dissertations

Maternal body weight, measured as Body Mass Index (BMI) and infection during pregnancy are established risk factors of multiple adverse birth outcomes that are also associated with intellectual disability (ID) in children, but little is known of the interaction of these two factors. This retrospective cohort study sought to explore whether BMI is an effect modifier in the association between maternal infection during pregnancy and ID of the child, and to make comparisons between categories of gestational infection. The study sample (n= 124,047 after exclusion) was derived from Medicaid administrative data. After preliminary analysis of interaction, stratified logistic regression analysis …

Socio-Economic Inequalities In Accessing Treatment Of Non-Communicable Diseases In Egypt Using Health Issues Survey 2015, Radwa Ahmed Elmoneer

Theses and Dissertations

The right to health is a fundamental human right, medications constitute a vital component of any health system worldwide. Hence, access to medicines is one entitlement of the right to health, and governments pay increasing concerns to improve equitable access to healthcare and medications among all citizens. Egypt is a middle income country, with tight resources and capabilities to spend on health, and a pluralistic and fragmented healthcare system. Therefore, aggravated challenges are facing the government towards the achievement of the "Health for all" constitutional right. Identifying where inequalities exist, and monitoring their change over time, is a major prerequisite …

Positive Deviance Inquiry Of Breastfeeding In Egypt, Ayah Sarhan

Theses and Dissertations

Increases in malnutrition among Egyptian children under five years have been associated with decreases in rates of breastfeeding. International and national research have identified personal and contextual challenges that lower the chances of women breastfeeding. These challenges include lack of knowledge and support by medical personnel and family, negative societal attitudes, and institutional practices that inhibit breastfeeding. In this study, a positive deviance approach was used to identify the practices that enabled middle-class Egyptian women to initiate and continue breastfeeding. Data was collected from 33 positive deviant mothers using a survey and a semi-structured interview. Findings confirmed that they faced …

Immunization Training Modules: Identifying Student Nurse Learning, Katie Bates

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Despite the importance of vaccination in disease prevention some people choose to remain unvaccinated. Nurses are influential in the choice to vaccinate. Considering the possibility of poor public understanding of vaccines and need for continued improvement in vaccination rates, it is essential for nurses to be knowledgeable and adept at addressing vaccine concerns. Vaccination education formally begins in nursing school. Objective: To identify nursing students' vaccine understanding by exploring information learned from formal online vaccine education specifically the Nursing Initiative Promoting Immunization Training Modules (NIP-IT). Design/Setting/Participants/Methods: Nursing students enrolled in a Community Health Nursing course were required to complete …

Gm-1111 Preserves Phagocytic Function Of Macrophages Exposed To Prolonged Hyperoxia Via Interruption Of Hmgb1-Mediated Signaling, Leanne Daley

Theses and Dissertations

Supraphysiological levels of oxygen (i.e. hyperoxia) are used to treat patients with respiratory distress. Prolonged exposure to hyperoxia can impair alveolar macrophage functions and increase susceptibility to ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Hyperoxia-induced alveolar macrophage dysfunction is, in part, mediated by high airway levels of the pro-inflammatory mediator, high mobility group box-1 (HMGB1). An early generation glycosaminoglycan (GAG), 2-O, 3-O desulfated heparin (ODSH), attenuates hyperoxia-compromised innate immunity by preventing the binding of HMGB1 with receptors that activate pro-inflammatory pathways. In this study, we investigated whether the next generation GAG, GM-1111, can attenuate hyperoxia-compromised macrophage function. GM-1111 (100μM) prevented hyperoxia-induced (95% O2 for …

Agal Antigen And Rutinose Glycosides As Model Compounds For The Design Of Classical And Conformational Glycomimetics, Dhwani Ashish Mehta

Theses and Dissertations

αGal or Galili epitope (αGal(1→3)βGal(1→4)GlcNAc) is a natural trisaccharide associated with cell-surface glycoproteins of certain mammalian and non-mammalian cells. The saccharide is not expressed by humans and anti-αGal antibodies account for ~1% of the total circulating antibodies in sera as a result of our constant exposition to the antigen from food and intestinal flora. Our interest in αGal relies on its involvement in a variety of pathologies including red meat allergy, hyperacute xenotransplant rejection, and parasitic and bacterial infections. In particular, we have an interest in developing structurally simple glycomimetics for engaging in high-affinity binding αGal-recognizing receptors such as the …

Chemical Space Exploration Around Thieno[3,2-D]Pyrimidin-4(3h)-One Scaffold Led To A Novel Class Of Highly Active Clostridium Difficile Inhibitors, Xuwei Shao

Theses and Dissertations

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is the leading cause of healthcare-associated infection in the United States. Therefore, development of novel treatments for CDI is a high priority. Toward this goal, we began in vitro screening of a structurally diverse in-house library of 67 compounds against two pathogenic C. difficile strains (ATCC BAA 1870 and ATCC 43255), which yielded a hit compound, 2-methyl-8-nitroquinazolin-4(3H)-one (2) with moderate potency (MIC = 312/156 µM). Optimization of 2 gave lead compound 6a (2-methyl-7-nitrothieno[3,2-d]pyrimidin-4(3H)-one) with improved potency (MIC = 19/38 µM), selectivity over normal gut microflora, CC50s >606 µM against mammalian cell lines, and acceptable stability in …

Characterizing A20 Function In Periodontal Tissue Homeostasis, Erin Mooney

Theses and Dissertations

The regulation of inflammatory signaling pathways is critical for proper innate immune responses to pathogens as well as the prevention of chronic inflammation. Ubiquitination, a covalent posttranslational modification, has been identified as a key regulator of multiple signaling cascades, including nuclear factor (NF)-κB. A20 (also known as TNF alpha induced protein 3 or TNFAIP3) has emerged as critical ubiquitin-editing enzyme that functions as an endogenous regulator of inflammation through termination of NF-κB activation as part of a negative feedback loop. Through its function in a plethora of biological processes, aberrant expression and/or function of A20 has been implicated in gastrointestinal, …

Transcriptomic Profiling Of Postmortem Prefrontal Cortex And Nucleus Accumbens From Chronic Alcohol Abusers., Eric S. Vornholt

Theses and Dissertations

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a debilitating psychiatric illness that develops from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. While it is well documented that AUD is heritable, the shift from recreational alcohol use to abuse/dependence is poorly understood. In this dissertation, using postmortem brain tissue from individuals with alcohol dependence (AD), we profiled the genome-wide expression of circular RNA (circRNA), microRNA (miRNA), and messenger RNA (mRNA) to better understand the impact of gene expression on the development of AUD. To achieve this, we performed two independent studies that explore transcriptome differences between AD cases and controls. The first of …

Culturally-Relevant Factors That Influence Healthy Eating Among African American College Students, Danyel Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Obesity is a national epidemic in the US, disproportionately affecting African Americans, such that the obesity prevalence in African Americans (49.6%) surpassed the national prevalence (42.4%) in 2018. Those same disparities exist at the collegiate level, such that 27.4% of a sample of African Americans college students had obesity, surpassing the national prevalence of obesity (12.1%) in 2018. Diet, an important driver of obesity, is influenced by several psychological, social, and environmental factors. However, cultural factors influencing diet are understudied among African American college students. The overarching goal of the current study was to identify culturally-relevant factors that promote healthy …

I Hope My Black Skin Don't Dirt This White Tuxedo, Luis A. Vasquez La Roche

Theses and Dissertations

I Hope My Black Skin Don't Dirt This White Tuxedo is a series of works--sculpture, installations, and performances--that explore themes of shame, failure, commodity, ephemerality, ritual, resilience, erasure, race, and death. The research and interest in these themes stem from a page of the Trinidad and Tobago Slave Registry. I use the research that surrounds this document to highlight different moments in history, in my personal life, and to imagine near futures.

The Heat Is On: Comparison Of Thermoregulatory Behavior In Parasitised Versus Unparasitized Caterpillars Of The Tobacco Hornworm, Manduca Sexta (L.) [Lepidoptera: Sphingidae], Jessica M. Johnston

Theses and Dissertations

Insect thermoregulatory research has demonstrated evidence of variation occurring within and among species with respect to infection, pathogens, and parasitism, but few studies have examined differences in thermoregulatory behavior in a host-parasite system with a coevolved symbiotic virus. I investigated the role of parasitism by Cotesia congregata (Say) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) on the thermoregulatory behavior of Manduca sexta (L.) (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) using an experimental design in a thermal gradient chamber and a complementary observational field study on wild M. sexta collected from tobacco farms. Parasitism and larval age were not found to have a significant effect on the preferred body temperature …

Anti-Tumor Functions Of Sphingosine Kinase 1 And Sphingosine Kinase 2 In Breast Cancer Development, Melissa A. Maczis

Theses and Dissertations

Bioactive sphingolipid metabolite sphingosine-1‐phosphate (S1P) circulating levels have been implicated in breast cancer (BC) progression. BCs usually respond to 17β-Estradiol (E2) through canonical receptor ERα66 for genomic effects, however, E2 also triggers rapid, non-genomic responses. E2 has been shown to activate sphingosine kinase 1 (SphK1), increasing S1P for S1P receptors signaling important for BC. The E2 receptor activating SphK1 has not been identified. We demonstrate triple negative BC cells, expressing only novel ERα splice variant ERα36, E2-induced SphK1 activation for S1P secretion. Tamoxifen, first-line BC endocrine therapy, an ERα66 antagonist but ERα36 agonist, activates SphK1 and increases S1P secretion in …

Synthesis And The Genetic Encoding Of Novel Lysine Post-Translational Modifications, Sahan A. Galbada Liyanage

Theses and Dissertations

Post-translational modifications (PTMs) play a significant role in regulating cell signaling and regulating the inner cellular environment. The study of PTMs and their primary biological functions is critical for the development of new medicines targeting the pathways and biomolecules responsible for the PTMs.

Previous studies revealed the direct coupling of the β -hydroxybutyryl lysine (K_BHB) modification with the gene expression. K_BHB in histone proteins links metabolism to epigenetics and gene expression and enables to study in-depth, how cell metabolism controls the gene expression and vice versa. Similar novel histone modification, K_Lac, attracts a special interest …

Plant-Pollinator Associations In An Eastern Serpentine Savannah And The Effects Of Overbrowsing, Allyson Richins

Theses and Dissertations

Chapter 1: Native plant response to deer overbrowsing in a serpentine savannah

Plants are particularly vulnerable to physical disturbance in low productivity areas, due to a high cost of replacing lost plant tissue. In the eastern United States, serpentine grasslands are fragmented ecosystems with high concentrations of rare endemic plant species, low concentrations of soil nutrients, and uncontrolled deer overpopulation. This study assessed functional responses of native angiosperms in a rare eastern serpentine savannah to selective deer browsing. Plant count, flower count, floral area, vegetative area, and plant height of 10 serpentine plant species were compared inside and outside of …

Augmenting Guadecitabine To Promote Anticancer Immunity In Murine Breast Cancer, Timothy M. Smith Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

In immune-competent individuals, tumor growth occurs due to a failure of the immune system to recognize and destroy malignant cells. Immune surveillance can be curtailed by the presence of immunosuppressive cells such as myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and T-regulatory cells (Tregs) which both serve to dampen antitumor immunity. These studies utilize a metronomic low-dose therapeutic approach to examine the effects of anticancer drugs against murine breast cancer and the effects on the immune cell compartments. The focus of these studies revolve around the drug guadecitabine (guad), a second-generation DNA methyl-transferase inhibitor (DNMTi). DNMTi’s have been shown to dysregulate the methylation …

Enhancing Chemosensitivity Of Lung Cancers By Manipulating The Tumor Microenvironment: Local Lung Delivery And Nanocarrier-Based Therapies, Hanming Zhang

Theses and Dissertations

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in United States causing an estimated six hundred thousand death in 2019. Among different types of cancer, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer related death in both male and female. While targeted therapy and immunotherapy have shown promising clinical outcomes, currently there remain a significant proportion of patients who do not benefit from these strategies or who cannot tolerate them, making Pt based doublet chemotherapy still an indispensable component in almost all stages of treatment. However, partially due to the poor tumor distribution of small molecule drug, the development of …

Symmetry Algebras Of The Canonical Lie Group Geodesic Equations In Dimension Five, Hassan Almusawa

Theses and Dissertations

Nowadays, there is much interest in constructing exact analytical solutions of differential equations using Lie symmetry methods. Lie devised the method in the 1880s. These methods were substantially developed utilizing modern mathematical language in the 1960s and 1970s by several different groups of authors such as L.V. Ovsiannikov, G. Bluman, and P. J. Olver, and have since been implemented as a software package for symbolic computation on commonly used platforms such as Mathematica and MAPLE.

In this work, we first develop an algorithmic scheme using the MAPLE platform to perform a Lie symmetry algebra identification and validate it on nonlinear …

A Theoretically-Based Mixed Methods Approach To Examining Mental Health Disorders And Help-Seeking Behaviors Among University-Enrolled African American Men, Kofoworola D.A. Williams

Theses and Dissertations

Recent studies show that African American men in college are disproportionately experiencing high levels of psychological distress, increasing their risk of developing mental health symptoms associated with depression and anxiety. Despite being at higher risk for developing mental health symptoms, university-enrolled, African American men are not seeking help even when experiencing high levels of stress and anxiety, impacting their academic performance. The evidence base describing mental health symptom prevalence and evidence-based prevention strategies among university-enrolled, African American men is limited. To that end, this dissertation work utilized a concurrent, mixed methods approach, theoretically-based in the Social Ecological Model (SEM), to …

Examining Body Mass Index And Sepsis Mortality At One Year After Sepsis, Jamie D. Robinson

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Sepsis is a serious and life-threatening syndrome affecting 1.7 million Americans annually and resulting in approximately 270,000 deaths. An “obesity paradox” where obese individuals have lower sepsis mortality than their non-obese counterparts has been described. The problem is that the longevity of the effect is unknown, and few studies have examined the obesity paradox after 1-2 months post-diagnosis.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study examined clinical, demographic, and biomarker variables thought to affect sepsis mortality at three-time points: 30 days, 180 days, and at one year post-sepsis diagnosis in order to shed light on specific factors that might define …

Reaction Profiling Of Extracellular Protein Phosphorylation Through A Microfluidic Reactor Coupled With Raman Spectroscopy, Abigail Casey

Theses and Dissertations

Diseases and disorders in the human body are considered abnormalities of proper cellular function. Understanding the signal transduction mechanisms that cause these abnormalities is crucial to developing earlier detection methods, better treatment options and effective cures. While current diagnostic procedures are powerful tools in diagnosing diseases, they are ineffective in informing physicians on the real-time behavior of the signal transduction mechanisms associated with diseases and disorders. Currently, disease progression is monitored over time through routine patient visits and testing by one or more of the above techniques. By developing an approach that can monitor structural and conformational changes of proteins …

Characterization Of The Gonococcal Calprotectin Zn-Acquisition System, Tdfh, And The Efficacy Of Metal Starvation For Treating Gonococcal Disease, Michael T. Kammerman

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Characterization of the Gonococcal Calprotectin Zn-Acquisition System, TdfH, and the Efficacy of Metal Starvation for Treating Gonococcal Disease.

By Michael T. Kammerman, B.S.

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University

Virginia Commonwealth University, 2020

Major Director: Cynthia Nau Cornelissen, Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology

Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the bacterial agent that is responsible for the human disease gonorrhea, has had a steady increase in the number of infections per year. In 2018 the WHO estimated over 87 million infections occurred world-wide, and the CDC …

The Impact Of Aging And Mechanical Injury On Alveolar Epithelial And Macrophage Responses In Acute Lung Injury And Inflammation, Michael S. Valentine

Theses and Dissertations

Patients with severe lung pathologies, such as Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), often require mechanical ventilation as a clinical intervention; however, this procedure frequently exacerbates the original pulmonary issue and produces an exaggerated inflammatory response that potentially leads to sepsis, multisystem organ failure, and mortality. This acute lung injury (ALI) condition has been termed Ventilator-Induced Lung Injury (VILI). Alveolar overdistension, cyclic atelectasis, and biotrauma are the primary injury mechanisms in VILI that lead to the loss of alveolar barrier integrity and pulmonary inflammation. Stress and strains during mechanical ventilation are believed to initiate alveolar epithelial mechanotransduction signaling mechanisms that contribute …

Novel Bayesian Techniques For Dose Response Data, Faten Alamri

Theses and Dissertations

All forms of life are being exposed to different levels of harmful chemicals that can cause various and serious side effects. Toxicological experiments enable researchers to test these chemicals on animal to determine their major effects. Although optimal and acceptable dose levels have been investigated, researchers continue to strive to minimize side effects and the chemical dosages. Dose-response models and other benchmark approaches play a role in determining the acceptable exposure levels of hazardous chemicals. Parametric techniques, used to determine the tolerable dosages, utilizing ANOVA and non-linear regression models are well represented in the literature. We determined the benchmark dose …

Development Of A Screening Assay For Type Iii Secretion System Inhibitors And High Throughput Screening Campaign Of Inhibitors Of Prp Of Staphylococcus Aureus, Heather A. Pendergrass

Theses and Dissertations

Antibiotics inhibit the growth or survival of bacteria by targeting their essential functions.¹ Due to weaknesses in traditional antibiotics and the increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes, virulence factors are being targeted for therapeutic treatment of bacterial infection.² We have developed an assay to quantify and observe type III secretion system (T3SS) activity. The type III secretion system (T3SS) is a virulence factor present in some Gram-negative pathogens including enteropathogenic and enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EPEC and EHEC, respectively),³ and others.^4–9 The T3SS between EPEC and EHEC are highly conserved and share over 90% sequence identity with …

Zoonotic Risk Of Emerging Influenza Viruses From Domestic Animals, Sherry Blackmon

Theses and Dissertations

Influenza poses a significant global health risk due to the high morbidity and mortality associated with endemic strains and the pandemic potential of novel strains. This research characterizes the zoonotic risk of emerging influenza viruses from domestic animals. Chapter two investigates the genetic compatibility of pandemic H1N1 and emerging canine influenza H3N2 (CIV-H3N2), first identified in dogs in 2007 and currently responsible for outbreaks in shelters in the U.S. We generated 51 of the 127 possible reassortant viruses: 19 showed high-growth phenotypes and 13 replicated in mice lungs. A reassortant with the HA and NP genes derived from CIV-H3N2 transmitted …

Development And Evaluation Of An Automated System To Deliver A Live-Attenuated Edwardsiella Ictaluri Vaccine In Commercial Catfish Production Systems, John Wesley Lowe

Theses and Dissertations

Catfish aquaculture is the largest cultured food fish industry in the United States, accounting for approximately $375 million in sales annually, with Mississippi leading the industry with 36,200 surface acres of production. However, infectious diseases such as enteric septicemia of catfish (ESC) are decreasing production efficiencies, creating losses of $40-60 million annually. Live-attenuated oral ESC vaccines are effective in preventing ESC infections, but have not been widely adopted by the catfish industry due to the lack of a system to administer the oral vaccine at the scale seen in commercial catfish production systems. An automated system was developed to administer …