Digital Commons Network^™

Winter 2004

University of Richmond Magazine

No abstract provided.

Effects Of An Antibiotic Cycling Program On Antibiotic Prescribing Practices In An Intensive Care Unit, Liana R. Merz, David K. Warren, Marin H. Kollef, Victoria J. Fraser

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Assessing Family Functioning, Coping Strategies, And Behavioral Functioning: Children With Primary Immunodeficiency Disorders And Kidney Disease., Carrie Piazza-Waggoner

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to examine children's behavioral functioning to two chronic health conditions having received little empirical study in the pediatric psychology literature: primary immunodeficiency disorders (PIDDs) and kidney disease (KD). Children with PIDD are at increased risk for infections, respiratory-related concerns, gastrointestinal difficulties, inflammatory bowel disease, and malignancy. Children with PIDD and KD seem to share many similar experiences (e.g., dialysis or IVIg treatments, frequent invasive medical procedures). As such, these children were compared to each other and to a healthy comparison group. The aims of this study were to: (a) compare the perceptions of children …

Topical Cidofovir Is More Effective Than Is Parenteral Therapy For Treatment Of Progressive Vaccinia In Immunocompromised Mice, Donald F. Smee, K. W. Bailey, M-H. Wong, M. K. Wandersee, R. W. Sidwell

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Background.Severe complications may arise as a result of virus dissemination after smallpox (live vaccinia virus) vaccination, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. We developed a new mouse model for studying the effects of antiviral agents on progressive vaccinia virus infections.

Methods.Hairless mice were treated with cyclophosphamide (100 mg/kg/day) every 4 days starting 1 day before vaccinia virus exposure to wounded skin. Primary lesions progressed in severity, satellite lesions developed, and the infection eventually killed the mice.

Results.Topical treatment with 1%‐cidofovir cream (twice daily for 7 days) was much more effective in reducing the severity of primary lesions and the number of satellite …

Usd President's Report 2004, University Of San Diego

President's Reports (1985- )

Letter from the President, Discovery from the Deep, A Reputation for Success, Creating Hope from Desperation, At the Junction of Justice and Religion, Testing Ideas on A New School of Thought, Faith Revealed Through Real Life, The Year in Review, Financial Operations, The Campaign for the University of San Diego, Board of Trustees/ Executive Officers/ Deans

Ecological Determinants Of Lyme Disease In An Endemic Community, Neeta N. Pardanani

Open Access Dissertations

We investigated potential risk factors for Lyme disease at the level of a southern Rhode Island community where vector ticks ( Ixodes scapularis Say) and human Lyme disease are endemic. We recruited homeowners with and without household histories of Lyme disease that would permit sampling of ticks and small mammals around the wooded edge of their properties. Entomologic factors including nymphal tick abundance, rates of tick infection with Lyme disease-causing bacteria (Borrelia burgdorferi ), and the density of infected nymphs were measured. We evaluated the relationship between these variables and the history of Lyme disease cases within households. The relationship …

Management Of Flounder Infectious Necrotizing Enteritis (Fine) In Cultured Juvenile Summer Flounder, Eric Joseph Gauger

Open Access Dissertations

Knowledge that can be applied towards the diagnosis and prevention of Flounder Infectious Necrotizing Enteritis in summer flounder ( Paralichthys dentatus), caused by the bacterial pathogen Vibrio harveyi, are presented in this research. Biochemical profiles are insufficient to differentiate V. harveyi from other closely related species. Biochemical profiles can, however, be used in conjunction with 16S ribosomal DNA sequencing to provide a reliable method for identifying V. harveyi. A monitoring program for V. harveyi and other potential bacterial pathogens in cultured juvenile summer flounder found that V. harveyi was the most abundant and commonly found bacterial species in juvenile summer …

A Spatial-Temporal Optimization Approach To Watershed Management: Amd Treatment In The Cheat River Watershed, West Virginia., Xiaobing Zhao

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Most water management studies concentrate on the inter-temporal allocation problem or, more recently, spatial dynamics—but not both. While early spatial-temporal studies focused on the allocation of water quantity, this paper presents an approach to water quality analysis that incorporates both spatial and temporal dynamics in a watershed framework. The model developed is an explicit economic watershed optimization model built upon an underlying water quality model where pollution loads are driven by pollution sources and alternative control strategies. It reflects the spatial aspects of pollution loads and treatment and the way the system reacts over time to management options and natural …

The Prevalence Of The Q-Fever Agent Coxiella Burnetii In Ticks Collected From An Animal Shelter In Southeast Georgia, John H. Smoyer Iii

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Author's abstract: Q-fever is a zoonosis caused by a worldwide-distributed bacterium Coxiella burnetii. Ticks are vectors of the Q-fever agent but play a secondary role in transmission because the agent is also transmitted via aerosols. Most Q-fever studies have focused on farm animals but not ticks collected from dogs in animal shelters. In order to detect the Q-fever agent in these ticks, a nested PCR technique targeting the 16S rDNA of Coxiella burnetii was used. A collection of 450 ticks from the animal shelter were screened via nested PCR and 144 (32%) were positives. The positive PCR products were also …

A Regional Approach To Human Security In East Asia: Global Debate, Regional Insecurity And The Role Of Civil Society, James T. H. Tang

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

The concept of human security as a new paradigm presents a particular challenge for East Asia. While the region experienced dramatic political, economic and social transformations in the last few decades, much of the region’s key security concerns are state-focused. In fact East Asian regional security structures that are products of the Cold War era have remained largely intact.

Parks As Gyms? Recreational Paradigms And Public Health In The National Parks, Jay D. Wexler

Faculty Scholarship

When scholars and policymakers think about the relationship between public health and environmental law and policy, they likely think first about controlling pollution and other toxic substances. As other articles have amply demonstrated, water pollution, air pollution, and other environmental toxins can have significant deleterious effects on the public's health. Scholars rightly pay serious attention to these relationships, and policymakers wisely devise methods and strategies to ameliorate the public health risks posed by these polluting substances.

Although pollution control might be the most obvious and important intersection between environmental policy and public health, legal and policy decisions regarding the management …

Bioactive Secondary Metabolites Produced By Marine Microorganisms: Their Isolation, Structural Elucidation And Function, Jiayuan Liu

Open Access Master's Theses

Compared to their terrestrial counterparts, marine microorganisms seem to be a relatively unexplored resource for novel bioactive metabolites. This thesis research aimed to discover new bioactive compounds of pharmaceutical value from the secondary metabolites produced by marine bacteria and fungi. The ecological role of marine bacteria involving the production of antibacterial metabolites was also investigated.

This thesis describes three different studies, all of which are focused on the secondary metabolites produced by marine bacteria or fungi. First, bacteria-bacteria antagonism as a mechanism limiting the spread of Vibrio cholerae in the ocean was investigated using a marine particle-attached bacterial model, SWAT3, …

Laboratory Automation Curriculum At Keck Graduate Institute, James D. Sterling

Business and Information Technology Faculty Research & Creative Works

A novel curriculum in laboratory automation and high-throughput technologies has been developed at the Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) over the past five years as part of the professional master's degree program in applied life sciences. The goal of this curriculum has been four-fold: (1) motivate study by describing the need for automation through several example problems in combinatorial biological discovery, (2) provide elements of fundamental engineering science that are required for the development of the technologies and tools that enable automation, (3) provide opportunities for the students to see and use state-of-the-art instruments, learn about existing industry standards, and to …

Course Information/Syllabus Microbiology, Steelman Library, Victorine Alleyne Dr.

Syllabus Repository

No abstract provided.

Assessing The Identity Of Black Indians In Louisiana: A Quantitative And Qualitative Analysis, Francis J. Powell

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study shows the existence of Black Indians in Louisiana and investigates whether differences exist between Black Indians who are members of officially recognized tribes and those who do not have any type of recognition. The study examined if a relationship exist between tribal recognition and ethnic identity, subjective well-being, and social support. A cross-sectional survey design was used. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to obtain qualitative data. The sample consisted of 60 participants. 30 were from recognized tribal groups and 30 were from non-recognized tribal communities. The study specifically examined variables related to the perceptions of Black Indians in Louisiana …

A Spatial Analysis Of The Smallpox Epidemic In Sheffield, United Kingdom, 1887-1888, Ann-Marie Cain

LSU Master's Theses

One of today's most fecund fields of research in medical geography involves using historical datasets from past epidemics and contemporary cadastre maps to plot the course of the contagion. The purpose is to study the spatial patterns of diseases that are rare or extinct today but still have large research value. The best example of this problem is smallpox. This project involves taking one of the most complete records of a smallpox epidemic, plotting the cases in a geographic information system (GIS), and exploring the spatial patterns using statistical software. As one of the most contagious and damaging diseases to …

The Control, Survival, And Growth Of Listeria Monocytogenes On Food Products, Richelle Lynn Beverly

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Listeria monocytogenes, a ubiquitous foodborne pathogen, was recognized over 70 years ago. It is the source of the human disease listeriosis. The majority of Listeria monocytogenes that have been isolated from food product or human cases are of the serotypes ½ a, ½ b and 4b. Due to the recent outbreaks, recalls and deaths associated with Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat meat products, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) on October 2, 2003 issued a directive for the control of Listeria monocytogenes on ready-to-eat products. The ready-to-eat food industry must impose a post-lethality treatment …

Chromosomal Localization Of A Proinsulin Transgene Inserted With A Transposon-Based Vector Into Japanese Quail, Coturnix Coturnix, Lacey R. Mcnally

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The overall goals of this research were to develop a reproducible method of detecting stable DNA insertion into Japanese quail and provide a method for gene location on avian chromosomes. This research resulted in the development of a different method of obtaining chromosome spreads in Japanese quail, the establishment of primed in situ hybridization as a method for the chromosomal gene detection in birds, development of Teflon-coated coverslip slides to facilitate laser microdissection of 0.5 ƒÝm samples, and chromosomal identification of proinsulin transgene insertions by laser microdissection and nucleotide sequence from G2 Japanese quail. The 28S rDNA was found on …

Fighting The Axis Of Illness: Hiv/Aids, Human Rights, And U.S. Foreign Policy, David P. Fidler

Articles by Maurer Faculty

No abstract provided.

Constitutional Outlines Of Public Health's "New World Order", David P. Fidler

Articles by Maurer Faculty

No abstract provided.

Estimation Of The Effect Of Misclassifications On Diagnostic Test Performance In Two Persistent Bovine Viral Infections, Kimberly Orr

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Validation of diagnostic assay performance is hampered where no gold standard exists. Bayesian estimates of the sensitivity and specificity were applied to studies of two persistent bovine infections: bovine immunodeficiency virus (BIV), and bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV). BVDV pathogenesis is well described. Losses of $20 million in 1992 alone led the Danish government to mandate eradication. Two enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) tests were developed; one antibody-based to detect exposure, one antigen-based to detect persistent infection. Bayesian estimates of the sensitivity and specificity were 96.6% and 99.2%, and 98.2% and 99.8% for the antibody and antigen ELISA, respectively. Maximum Likelihood …

The Tri-Ethnic Dilemma: Race, Equality, And The Fourteenth Amendment In The American West, Tom I. Romero Ii

Scholarly Works

No abstract provided.

Inactivation Of A Bacterial Virulence Pheromone By Phagocyte-Derived Oxidants: New Role For The Nadph Oxidase In Host Defense, Jacob M. Rothfork, Graham S. Timmins, Michael N. Harris, Xian Chen, Aldons J. Lusis, Michael Otto, Ambrose L. Cheung, Hattie D. Gresham

Dartmouth Scholarship

Quorum sensing triggers virulence factor expression in medically important bacterial pathogens in response to a density-dependent increase in one or more autoinducing pheromones. Here, we show that phagocyte-derived oxidants target these autoinducers for inactivation as an innate defense mechanism of the host. In a skin infection model, expression of phagocyte NADPH oxidase, myeloperoxidase, or inducible nitric oxide synthase was critical for defense against a quorum-sensing pathogen, Staphylococcus aureus, but not for defense against a quorum sensing-deficient mutant. A virulence-inducing peptide of S. aureus was inactivated in vitro and in vivo by reactive oxygen and nitrogen intermediates, including HOCl and ONOO(-). …

Prevalence Of Hepatitis C Virus In Lymphoproliferative Disorders, F. Bilwani, Y. Zaidi, G. N. Kakepoto, Salman Adil, Mohammad Khurshid

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Objective: To study the prevalence of hepatitis C virus in lymphoproliferative disorders.
Methods: A case control prospective study was performed on 143 patients with lymphoproliferative disorders and 29 patients with non-hematological malignancies were taken as controls. All the patients in both groups were analyzed for various risk factors for infection with hepatitis C virus and were tested for the presence of hepatitis C virus antibody (anti HCV), cryoglobulins and rheumatoid factor antibody. Hepatitis C viremia was documented by detection of HCV RNA by polymerase chain reaction.
Results: There was no significant difference for risk factors for hepatitis …

Use Of System Dynamics And Easel For Simulation Of The Software Development Process, Alicia Strupp

Theses

Team software development is a complex and mostly unpredictable process and is characterized by inefficient use of staff and calendar resources. Given the magnitude of software development costs, a deeper understanding of the process may suggest ways to improve resource utilization. Simulation modeling is a useful approach to study the dynamics of complex systems. System dynamics characterizes systems as collections of interacting, non-linear feedback loops. The foundations of system dynamics were developed at MIT in the early 1950s. Since that time, system dynamics has been applied to a large number of complex system domains. In the early 1980s, the system …

Photo-Control Of Dna Oligonucleotides With Cage Compounds, Bilal Ghosn

LSU Master's Theses

Many biochemical processes in which DNA and other nucleic acids participate are central to functions in both living cells and in molecular biology assays. While many compounds have been used to regulate the activity of DNA, these strategies are limited to the aqueous-based diffusion of the activator to the target DNA molecule. An improvement to the induction of DNA bioactivity is to move to a light-based modulation. This research demonstrates a light-based technique using a photo-cleavable cage compound to transiently inactivate DNA hybridization. Function can be restored with exposure to near-UV light, allowing for temporal control of DNA oligonucleotide (ODN) …

Social And Behavioral Aspect Of Mother’S Health Behaviors And Neonatal Health: Risk Factor Analysis Of Neonatal Septicemia In Urban Slums Of Muntinlupa, Philippines, Chisaki Sato

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Reducing neonatal mortality can contribute to the further reduction of infant mortality rates in international health as it is responsible for about half of the mortality rate for those underfive today. The situation of infant mortality in the Philippines is no exception to this global trend. This study of the social demographic aspects of sepsis neonatorum in the Philippines has explored the conditions of the urban environment, and local cultures related to newborn illnesses and the patterns of health seeking behaviors of urban poor mothers which can affect the survival of newborns. The mix of qualitative and quantitative research methods …