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Effects Of The In Ovo Injection Of Inovocox Em1 Vaccine On The Embryogenesis, Posthatch Performance, And Gut Pathology Of Ross Ross 708 Broilers, Adebayo Oluwaseun Sokale

Theses and Dissertations

Effects of the in ovo injection of Inovocox EM1 vaccine (EM1 vaccine) suspended in commercial diluent on developing broiler embryos were investigated in 3 trials. Effects of the EM1vaccine administered by in ovo injection on broiler embryogenesis and posthatch performance was determined by evaluating site of injection (SOI), embryo staging (ES), hatchability, and chick quality parameters. Oocyst output, microscopic lesion scores, and grow-out performance were further examined through day 35 posthatch. In these studies, it was shown that oocyst output began at day 3 posthatch (6 days post-injection), and peaked at day 7 posthatch (10 days post-injection). The EM1 vaccine …

Investigation Of Microbial Aspects Related To Salmonella As A Food Pathogen Bioluminescent Reporting System And Mechanisms For Host Invasion, Kevin Howe

Theses and Dissertations

Salmonella can reside in healthy animals without the manifestation of any adverse effects on the carrier. If raw products of animal origin are not handled properly during processing or cooked to a proper temperature during preparation, salmonellosis can occur. In this research, microbial aspects related to Salmonella as a food pathogen are investigated. A bioluminescent reporting system was developed for Salmonella to monitor the attachment and growth of the pathogen on food products. Twelve and eleven Salmonella strains from the broiler production continuum were tagged with bioluminescence by plasmid and integration of the lux operon into the chromosome, respectively. To …

Caffeine Use Within The Safety Sensitive Industry, Cory Austin Mullins

Theses and Dissertations

This study is an in-depth look at caffeine use and its effect on individuals who work within a safety and security sensitive job industry. The focus of this paper is on the current use of caffeine in our society as well as the overuse/abuse of the drug and the causes behind it. This paper will highlight the negative impacts caffeine has on the human body and its cognitive thinking skills but does not neglect the positive impacts as well. Caffeine in energy drinks and similar products is used in an attempt to retain one’s alertness and focus, with little regard …

Selection And Use Of Pantoea Dispersa Strain Jfs As A Non-Pathogenic Surrogate For Salmonella Typhimurium Phage Type 42 In Flour, James R. Fudge

Theses and Dissertations

Salmonella, a common food pathogen, costs more than any other pathogen in the United States in terms of health care costs and loss of work due to the illnesses it causes. Low-moisture foods, especially flour, are susceptible to being contaminated by Salmonella. Food producers want flour to be pathogen-free but to also retain the same functionality of non-treated flour. Heat treatment is the most common method employed for lowering the concentration of pathogens in food. However, heating can result in the loss of the flour’s functionality. Pantoea dispersa strain JFS has been isolated from flour as a nonpathogenic bacterial surrogate …

Evaluation Of Vaccination Policies Among Outpatient Oncology Clinics In Utah: A Pilot Study, Sarah Louise Stocksdale

Theses and Dissertations

Background: In Utah, all major hospital facilities have employee vaccination policies. However, the presence of health care worker vaccination policies in the Utah outpatient oncology setting was unknown. Objectives: The objectives were to identify Utah oncology outpatient employee vaccination policies and to identify what consequences, if any, were present for unvaccinated employees. Methods: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study design in which clinic managers from outpatient oncology clinics in Utah were asked, via questionnaire, to describe the clinic's employee vaccination policy and the consequences for refusing the policy. Findings: Most vaccination policies applied to employees primarily assigned to work in …

Bacterially-Based Immune Challenges And Trauma Elicit Terminal Investment In Male Aedes Aegypti, Molly K. Schumacher

Theses and Dissertations

Investment in life history traits such as immune function and reproduction is constrained by finite available resources. A cost-of-immunity trade-off may occur in response to infection when resources are diverted away from reproductive effort and into an immune response. Alternatively, an infected individual may enhance reproductive effort to maximize terminal reproductive success in response to the survival threat inherent to infection (terminal investment). We measured male Aedes aegypti reproductive behavior following inoculations with: living bacteria; killed bacteria as an immune elicitor; and a sham control. Mating competitiveness relative to naïve males was also determined through a binary mate choice experiment …

Expression, Localization, And Kinetic Characterization Of The Phospholipid Biosynthesis Enzyme Ctp: Phosphocholine Cytidylyltransferase From The Protozoan Parasite Leishmania Major, Justin Daniel Theodore Lange

Theses and Dissertations

The eukaryotic parasite Leishmania is the causative agent of the disease leishmaniasis. L. major is the most common of 21 species that causes visceral leishmaniasis in humans, and 30 that cause the same disease in other mammals. Visceral leishmaniasis causes fever, weight loss, and over a short amount of time, multiple organ failure, and has a 100% mortality rate within 2 years. This makes it the second largest parasitic killer in the world behind malaria. Over 90% of the worldâ??s cases of visceral leishmaniasis have been reported in underdeveloped countries of India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sudan, Ethiopia and Brazil, with 500,000 …

Analysis Of The Microbial Community Along Three Sites Of The Rio Grande By Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis, Rebeca Imelda Castro

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT Analysis of the Microbial Community of Three Sites Along the Rio Grande by Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (May 2014) Rebeca Imelda Castro, B. A., Texas A & M International University; Chair of Committee: Dr. Monica Mendez In the last decades, the increase in population growth and differences in enforcement regulations on both sides of the Rio Grande may have affected the bacterial composition as a result of effluent discharges, industrial waste, raw sewage outfalls, and agricultural runoff. The purpose of this study was to compare structural differences in the microbial communities of the Rio Grande-Rio Bravo waters based on …

Need For Cognition And Rumour Theory In Post-Revolutionary Egypt, Lina Ashour

Theses and Dissertations

Egyptian society went through a number of significant changes between 2011 and 2015 as a result of the January 25 Revolution. Beyond the political implications, there have also been shifts in the social and psychological motivations behind the way people consume media and share information. This included a sharp increase in the public’s interests in political affairs after spending years of being generally apathetic. This paper examines whether this could be described as an increase in Need for Cognition on a social level and whether this has affected the spread of rumours in Egyptian society. Through in-depth interviews with a …

An Exploration Of Hepatitis Polices And Prevalence In Prison: An Ecological Approach, Kristen Lynn Stives

Theses and Dissertations

Hepatitis is an infectious disease that affects millions of people worldwide. The current project seeks to achieve two objectives: 1) To understand how hepatitis policies affect hepatitis prevalence in prison, and 2) To understand how hepatitis prevalence in prison affects the general population. Using a content analysis of correctional policies available through each state Department of Corrections (DOC) and secondary data from the 2010 Census, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Corrections Compendium; hepatitis prevalence and policies are analyzed. The content analysis employed for this study revealed that some states have more comprehensive policies than others. However, all states …

Characterization Of The Relationship Of Ros And Bcl-2 Family Members During Streptococcus Pneumoniae And Staphylococcus Aureus Challenge, Katie Elizabeth Heath

Theses and Dissertations

Apoptosis of innate immune is an important part of proper resolution of infection and inflammation. One major protein involved in apoptosis is p53 up-regulated mediator of apoptosis (PUMA). We hypothesize apoptosis induced by the p53/PUMA pathway is initially triggered by ROS thereby preventing neutrophils from defaulting to another form of cell death or remaining in a state of hyper-activation that is harmful to the host. HL-60 granulocytic cells were stimulated with the Streptococcus pneumoniae strain SpxB-. Despite inducing both ROS and DNA damage, PUMA transcription and subsequent apoptosis appeared to be independent of both factors. However, PUMA is still relevant …

Cannabinoid-Mediated Epigenetic Regulation Of Immune Functions, Jessica Margaret Sido

Theses and Dissertations

The cannabinoid system consisting of exogenous and endogenous ligands as well as dedicated receptors has been proposed to play a regulatory role in immune functions. The exogenous cannabinoid Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), one of the most widely studied marijuana derivatives, has been associated with multiple anti-inflammatory properties over the years. The majority of THC research has centered on the shift from Th1 to Th2 responses however, the complexity of inflammation has since increased. Recent studies have revealed that epigenome, Th cell subsets, and immunoregulatory cell induction, are all known to impact inflammation. In the current research, we have attempted to look holistically …

The Efficacy Of School Head Lice Policies: A Review Of The Literature, Sheila Hurst

Theses and Dissertations

Each year millions of people in the United States are infested with head lice. Despite common beliefs that schools are the epicenter of transmission, this has been not been proven to be true. Regardless of this fact many schools continue to enforce no nit/lice policies by excluding children perceived to be infected from school. Consequences of such policies include loss of school days, mistreatment, economic burden, and shame. This paper provides a review of the literature providing best evidence regarding the efficacy of no nit/lice school policies. Method: 4 Sixteen articles were extracted for final review from CINAHL, PubMed, Psychlnfo, …

Vaccinations: Home School Children's Effects On The Community, Kristy E. Peterfeso

Theses and Dissertations

Measles, a word that seemed to be obsolete, has now made a comeback recently in the news with the increase in outbreaks that are becoming apparent in communities throughout the United States. The definition of measles according to Frank Domino MD, editor of The Five Minute Clinical Consult Standard of 2015, is a "highly communicable acute viral illness that is characterized by a maculopapular rash and the classic triad of cough, coryza, and conjunctivitis" (Domino, 2015, p.742). Many individuals in today's society are choosing to not vaccinate their children for religious or their own personal reasons. Schools still require vaccinations …

Resurgence Of Measles In The U.S. Despite A Preventable Vaccine And School Entity, Tamara Troutman

Theses and Dissertations

Measles, a vaccine preventable, highly contagious infectious disease was once considered eradicated from the U.S. (Kutty et al., 2014). However measles outbreaks have recently reoccurred in the U.S. even despite the preventable vaccine and school entry laws. As evidenced by research, non-medical exemptions coupled with measles endemics worldwide have contributed to the recent U.S. measles outbreaks (Gustanaduy et al., 2014; Wang, Clymer, Davis Hayes, & Buttenheim, 2014; and World Health Organization, 2015). Even though compulsory vaccination may seem like an answer to decrease non-medical exemptions research has shown it could do more harm than good (Elliman & Bedford, 2013; Doshi …

An Application Of Social Network Analysis On Military Strategy, System Networks And The Phases Of War, Thomas S. Furman

Theses and Dissertations

The research developed in this study will utilize Social Network and Graph Theory terminology and methodology applied to groups of systems, rather than individuals within a given system, in order to shape strategic level goals. With regard to military operations, Social Network Analysis has been used to show that enemy networks and relationships can be accurately represented using weighted layers with weighted relationships in order to identify the key player(s) that must be influenced and/or removed so that a particular effect on the enemy might be realized. Social Network Analysis is therefore a significant tool concerning tactical level of operations …

Molecular Modeling And Insilico Characterization Of Mutations Associated With Multiple Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (Mdr-Tb) And Extensive Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (Xdr-Tb), Sravanthi Joginipelli

Theses and Dissertations

The increasing emergence of multiple and extensive drug resistant tuberculosis poses a significant threat to effective control of tuberculosis (TB) globally. Resistance is a serious threat in the battle against the treatment and eradication of Tuberculosis. The continuing rise in tuberculosis incidence and the problem of drug resistance strains have prompted the research on developing new drug candidates and understanding the mechanism of drug resistance. Highly frequent mutations in gene sequence of mycobacterium tuberculosis were identified and were used to understand the mechanism of resistance and were computationally modeled to identify potential drug candidates for the treatment of MDR-TB and …

Environmental Impacts On Life History In Container Breeding Mosquitoes, Kathleen May Westby

Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation I explore different ways that the environment impacts life history in mosquitoes in ways that may alter vectorial capacity. In chapter I, I tested if short-term sugar deprivation experienced after exposure to La Crosse virus altered infection rates in Aedes albopictus and if sugar treatment and virus infection status altered blood feeding behavior and fecundity. I found no evidence that sugar deprivation impacted infection rates or fecundity. Sugar deprivation did increase blood feeding. There was no effect of infection status on blood feeding or fecundity. In chapter II, I tested for effects of seasonal cues (temperature and …

Exploring The Antibacterial, Antioxidant, And Anticancerproperties Of Lichen Metabolites, Gajendra Shrestha

Theses and Dissertations

Natural products have been a significant source of new drugs, especially in treating cancer, infectious diseases, hypertension, and neurological disorders. Although many natural metabolites have been screened and yielded pharmaceutically important drugs, many potential sources of natural product drug therapies still need to be investigated, including lichens. Lichens are symbiotic systems consisting of a filamentous fungus and a photosynthetic partner (an eukaryotic alga and/or cyanobacterium). Lichens produce an impressive variety of unique secondary compounds and have been used as ingredients in folk medicines for centuries. Demonstrated biological roles based on lichen chemistry include: antibiotics, anti-proliferative, antioxidants, anti-HIV, anti-cancer, immunomodulation, and …

Estimating Economic And Epidemiological Burden Of Hepatitis C In Egypt, 2015-2025, Wessam Mankoula

Theses and Dissertations

Hepatitis C is the most pressing public health challenge in Egypt where Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) prevalence is the highest in the world. In 2015, Egypt Health Issues Survey showed that 10% of Egyptians between 15 – 59 years of age had been infected with HCV infection, while 7% are chronic active hepatitis C patients. This paper aims to estimate the current and future economic and epidemiological burden of HCV between 2015 and 2025. In addition, it compares the impact of different scenarios for management of this huge public health problem to identify the most cost effective strategy capable of …

Lipid-Based Nanoparticles For Altering Immune Response: A Step Towards Targeted Cancer Immunotherapy, Noha Samir Ismail

Theses and Dissertations

Since cancer is an extremely heterogeneous disease of origin, scientists are always trying to define novel approaches that can eliminate this disease. Over decades now, surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy have been the conventional methods to eradicate cancer. Unfortunately, cancer resistance has developed, in which tumor cells became resistant to the majority of chemotherapeutics. Consequently, people started to use combination therapy as a more intensified protocol to counteract the aggressiveness of cancer. However, the results are not satisfactory till now and lots of optimizations are needed in order to make sure that synergistic not antagonistic effects are happening. That is why …

Self-Determination Theory And Wellness Tourism: How Do Wellness Facilities Contribute To Wellbeing?, Karen I. Thal

Theses and Dissertations

Wellness tourism as a subsector is differentiated in terms of the pursuit and enhancement of wellbeing. Wellness itself is defined as holistic wellbeing and optimal psychological states. Enhanced wellbeing is cited as the motivation and outcome of travel and in terms of dedicated infrastructure, services, and amenities at destinations. Yet enhanced wellbeing following a wellness vacation is typically assumed rather than assessed. While tourism studies have focused on wellbeing as the outcome of leisure travel, a theoretical framework that might be adapted to assess wellbeing following a stay at a wellness facility was not apparent. The majority of tourism studies …

The Effect Of Optogenetic Manipulation Of Ss Interneurons Within Malformed, Epileptogenic Cortex, Nicole Ekanem

Theses and Dissertations

A large percentage of individuals with intractable epilepsies have an accompanying cortical malformation, the underlying cellular mechanisms of which are poorly understood. It is known however that in an animal model for one such malformation, polymicrogyria, epileptogenesis occurs most easily from an adjacent area termed the paramicrogyral region (PMR). Previous studies implicate SS interneurons as a potential contributor to this pathology, which lead to our hypothesis: in PMR, SS interneurons exert a higher modulatory influence on excitatory pyramidal cells, as compared to the same by SS interneurons within homologous control cortex.

Using a freeze-lesion model for polymicrogyria in transgenic mice …

Characterization Of A Novel Protease In Staphylococcus Aureus, Adam L. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

A newly discovered cysteine protease, Prp, has been shown to perform an essential, site-specific cleavage of ribosomal protein L27 in Staphylococcus aureus. In Firmicutes and related bacteria, ribosomal protein L27 is encoded with a conserved N-terminal extension that must be removed to expose residues critical for ribosome function. Uncleavable and pre-cleaved variants were unable to complement an L27 deletion in S. aureus, indicating that this N-terminal processing event is essential and likely plays an important regulatory role. The gene encoding the responsible protease (prp) has been shown to be essential, and is found in all organisms …

High-Throughput Data Analysis: Application To Micronuclei Frequency And T-Cell Receptor Sequencing, Mateusz Makowski

Theses and Dissertations

The advent of high-throughput sequencing has brought about the creation of an unprecedented amount of research data. Analytical methodology has not been able to keep pace with the plethora of data being produced. Two assays, ImmunoSEQ and the cytokinesisblock micronucleus (CBMN), that both produce count data and have few methods available to analyze them are considered.

ImmunoSEQ is a sequencing assay that measures the beta T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire. The ImmunoSEQ assay was used to describe the TCR repertoires of patients that have undergone hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Several different methods for spectratype analysis were extended to the TCR …

Ixodes Scapularis In North Dakota: Phenology, Population Genetics, And Local Host Reservoir Competency In An Emerging Vector Population, Michael Dougherty

Theses and Dissertations

Tick surveillance in eastern North Dakota has revealed the presence of established I. scapularis populations in fragmented forest habitats previously regarded as unsuitable for this species. Understanding I. scapularis phenology, the reservoir competency of local vertebrate hosts, and population structure of blacklegged ticks in this region is essential to determining potential human risk of Lyme disease. Tick surveys were conducted throughout North Dakota by flagging and small mammal trapping. 1,701 ticks were collected, including 297 I. scapularis exhibiting a relatively low Borrelia burgdorferi infection rate (ca. 3-5%). Seasonal abundance varied greatly among life stages, with adult I. scapularis being most …

The N-Terminus Of Type Iii Secretion Needle Protein Yscf From Yersinia Pestis Functions To Modulate Innate Immune Responses, Patrick Osei-Owusu

Theses and Dissertations

The type III secretion system is employed by many pathogens, including the genera Yersinia, Shigella, Pseudomonas, and Salmonella, to deliver effector proteins into eukaryotic cells. The injectisome needle is formed by the polymerization of a single protein, e.g., YscF (Yersinia pestis), PscF (Pseudomonas aeruginosa), PrgI (Salmonella enterica SPI-1), SsaG (Salmonella enterica SPI-2), or MxiH (Shigella flexneri). In this study, we demonstrated that the N termini of some needle proteins, particularly the N terminus of YscF from Yersinia pestis, influences host immune responses. The N termini of several needle proteins were truncated and tested for the ability to induce inflammatory responses …

The Role Of Atg7 In The Host Defense Against Bacterial Infection, Yan Ye

Theses and Dissertations

Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kp) is a Gram-negative bacterium that can cause serious infections in humans. Autophagy-related gene 7 (Atg7) has been involved in certain bacterial infections; however, the role of Atg7 in macrophage-mediated immunity against Kp infection has not been elucidated. To gain a better understanding of Kp-host interaction which may provide insight into the design of novel and effective therapeutics for this infection, we set out to investigate the potential immune role for autophagy in Kp infection in vitro and in vivo. We found that Atg7 was significantly induced in murine alveolar macrophages (MH-S) upon Kp infection, indicating that Atg7 …

The Influence Of Self-Reported Degree Of Masculinity/Femininity On Condom Use Among Black Men Who Have Sex With Men In The Deep South, Elizabeth D. Peeler

Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, 50,000 Americans are diagnosed with HIV each year (CDCa, 2014). The HIV/AIDS epidemic has had a particularly devastating impact on the southern U.S., especially the Deep South – Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina (Reif, Whetten, Wilson, McAllaster, Pence, Legrand, & Gong, 2014). The Deep South, while only composing of 36% of the national population, accounts for 50% of all people living with HIV/AIDS in the nation (Human Rights Watch, 2010). No other population has been hit harder than men who have sex with men (MSM; Prejean, Tang, & hall, 2013). Black MSM …

The Implications Of Moral Injury Among African American Females With A History Of Substance Abuse: A Preliminary Study, Jaimee Silvera Hartman

Theses and Dissertations

Moral injury is a concept that has been applied to the challenges facing veterans returning from combat due to the discrepancy between their moral values and the behaviors they engaged in due to war. In recovery women have expressed similar challenges due to the illicit behavior they engaged in while in their addiction as well as the prevalence of trauma that has impacted their transition into substance use. Thirteen female participants in treatment for substance abuse participated in this qualitative study. The majority of the women experienced a history of childhood and/or adult trauma that perpetuated their use of substances …