Digital Commons Network^™

Outbreak Of Postoperative Endophthalmitis In A Thai Tertiary Care Center, Anucha Apisarnthanarak, Supanee Jirajariyavej, Kanokporn Thongphubeth, Chananart Yuekyen, David K. Warren, Victoria J. Fraser

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

A Reverse Transcriptase-Pcr Assay For Detecting Filarial Infective Larvae In Mosquitoes, Sandra J. Laney, Caitlin J. Buttaro, Sabato Visconti, Nils Pilotte, Reda M. R. Ramzy, Gary J. Weil, Steven A. Williams

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

New Challenges In Studying Nutrition-Disease Interactions In The Developing World, Andrew M. Prentice, M. Eric Gershwin, Ulrich E. Schaible, Gerald T. Keusch, Cesar G. Victora, Jeffrey I. Gordon

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Antimicrobial Peptides For Use In Oyster Aquaculture: Effect On Pathogens, Commensals, And Eukaryotic Expression Systems, Tarquin Dorrington, Marta Gomez-Chiarri

Fisheries, Animal and Veterinary Sciences Faculty Publications

Two antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) of marine origin, tachyplesin from the Japanese horseshoe crab, Tachypleus tridentatus, and pleurocidin-amide from the winter flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus, were tested for their potential effectiveness in disease treatment in oyster aquaculture. Tachyplesin had a greater antimicrobial effect than pleurocidin-amideagainst a range of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, with minimum inhibitor concentrations in the range of 0.625 to 5ug mL^–1. Tachyplesin (50 mg mL^–1) was also more effective than pleurocidin-amide (250 mg mL^–1) against the oyster protozoan parasite Perkinsus marinus, reducing its viability to 9% versus 22% in vitro …

Randomized Controlled Trial Of Low Cost Interventions To Reduce Childhood Immunization Dropouts In Pakistan, Hussain Raza Usman

All ETDs from UAB

Childhood immunization coverage in Pakistan remains sub-optimal despite universal and free of cost availability of vaccines. Structural impediments to progress may include the immunization card that is hard to read and interpret. A randomized controlled trial was conducted to assess the effect of redesigned immunization card and center-based education to mothers on immunization completion at rural immunization centers in Karachi, Pakistan. Other objectives were to identify the predictors of immunization completion and to identify factors associated with delay at first dose of diphtheria-tetanuspertussis (DTP1). Mother-child units were enrolled from six immunization centers at DTP1 and randomized to four study groups: …

The Effect Of Malaria And Intestinal Helminth Coinfection On Birth Outcomes In Ghana, Nelly J. Yatich

All ETDs from UAB

Several studies have reported the relationship between malaria during pregnancy and adverse pregnancy outcomes including maternal anemia, low birthweight, as well as preterm delivery and small for gestational age infants. Some studies have also demonstrated the linkage between helminth infection and maternal anemia. Few studies have assessed the occurrence of coinfection of these infections in pregnancy and its effects on maternal anemia and birth outcomes. The objective of this dissertation was to assess the effect of malaria and intestinal helminth coinfection on birth outcomes in Ghana. A cross-sectional study of 785 women presenting for delivery in two hospitals in Kumasi, …

Enhancement Of Bonding To Enamel And Dentin Prepared By Er,Cr:Ysgg Laser, Ali Obeidi

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Human Leukocyte Antigen Supertypes In Relation To Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection Among Populations Of African Ancestry, Aleksandr Lazaryan

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

The Ethnomedical Context Of Tuberculosis In A Northern Ecuadorian Province, Yamira Alejandra Araujo

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Background. Tuberculosis (TB) prevention and control remains a major global public health challenge. Ecuador has among the highest estimated population prevalence rates for TB, TB-mortality, and multidrug resistant TB in the Americas (WHO, 2007; PAHO, 2004). However, with the exception of one prior study of a high-risk group of suspected cases and household contacts referred for TB testing (Armijos et al., 2008), very little is known about the disease and treatment knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and practices of Ecuadorian groups and the various socio-cultural and other factors (e.g., rurality, education, gender, disease experience) that shape these. The improved understanding of …

In-Vivo Delivery Of Dna Vaccines Using Metallo-Lipid Nanoparticles, Clarissa Sara Gomez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

There has been a rapidly growing area of research in the design and synthesis of molecules that self-organize in water to form functional nanosystems and due to the high interest in the area metal ligand complexes were tested as drug delivery systems with a Leishmania vaccine. Herein, we present the design, synthesis and functional activity of Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes that self-assemble in water to form spherical nanoscale structures that exhibit an affinity to bind DNA and deliver it into eukaryotic cells with a high percent efficiency in-vitro. In order to assess the effectiveness of these nanoparticles to deliver DNA …

Molecular Characterization Of Trypanosoma Cruzi And Shed Vesicle Components Involved In Host Immunomodulation And Cell Invasion, Ernesto Satoshi Nakayasu

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Chagas disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi is a devastating infectious disease with millions of cases in Latin America, and recently became a public health concern in United States and Europe. Although many efforts have been made for the development of an effective immunotherapy, currently there is no human vaccine for Chagas disease. Thus, the treatment is based only on two drugs that have limited efficacy and in some cases present severe side effects. One restriction for the rational approach to develop new therapies against this disease is the limited information about the proteins, glycolipids and protein posttranslational modifications expressed by …

A Study Of The Distribution And Abundance Of The Adult Malaria Vector In Western Kenya Highlands, Li Li, Ling Bian, Guiyun Yan

Political Science & Geography Faculty Publications

Background: A sharp rise in the malaria mortality rate has been observed recently in western Kenya. Malaria is transmitted by mosquito vectors. Malaria control strategies can be more successful if the distribution and abundance of mosquito vectors is predicted. However, how mosquito vectors are distributed in space remain poor understood, and this question is rarely studied using spatial methods. This study aims to provide a better understanding of the distribution and abundance of mosquito vectors. To achieve this objective, spatial and non-spatial methods were employed. The data on the distribution of adult mosquitoes, and mosquito breeding habitats in a study …

Giardia Lamblia: Genomic And Molecular Analyses Of Flippase, Diana Leticia Villazana-Kretzer

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Giardia lamblia, is an intestinal protozoan parasite responsible as a major cause of water-borne intestinal infection in humans (giardiasis). It has been proposed earlier that Giardia has limited lipid synThesis ability and therefore relies on preformed lipid molecules from outside sources. It has also been proposed that lipids are taken up through passive and active transport, and giardial flippasse play a significant role in this process. This study describes the identification and characterization of a putative homologue of flippase gene from Giardia. Flippase is an enzyme that functions as a trans-bilayer transport system facilitating the flip flop diffusion of phospholipids …

Biological Control Of Fusarium Oxysporum Wilt Disease Of Tomato By Antagonistic And Plant Growth Promoting Actinomycetes, Nada Mohammed Ibrahim Al-Shugairan

Theses

Soil-borne fungal plant pathogens cause some of the most widespread and serious plant diseases. Root diseases caused by these pathogens such as wilt, root rot, collar rot, foot rot, seedling pre- and post-emergence damping-off are the foremost of problems which are gaining importance from day to day in the world and for which no direct control measures have been evolved so far. Fusarium spp. is a widespread soil-borne plant pathogen and is the causal agents of wilt disease of many economically important crops. Fusarium spp. is a limiting factor in the plant productivity in most agricultural soils. Wilt disease of …

Protean Jus Ad Bellum, Sean D. Murphy

GW Law Faculty Publications & Other Works

The jus ad bellum is generally viewed as a static field of law. The standard account is that when the UN Charter was adopted in 1945, it enshrined a complete prohibition on the use of force in inter-state relations, except when action is being taken in self-defense against an armed attack or under authorization of the UN Security Council. Yet it seems likely that in the years to come, many states and non-state actors will increasingly insist upon a different vision of the jus ad bellum, one that conceives of it as more protean in nature.

Protean jus ad bellum …

Seroprevalence Of Brucellosis In Human, Cattle, And Buffalo Populations In Pakistan, Iftikhar Hussain, Muhammad Imran Arshad, Muhammad Shahid Mahmood, Masood Akhtar

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

A total of 1500 serum samples were collected from cattle, buffaloes, and humans. The Rose Bengal plate test (RBPT) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) detected Brucella antibodies in 56 (10.18%) and 44 (8%) of the cattle, respectively. In samples collected from buffaloes 9.38% and 6.92% were positive, whereas 14% and 11% of the samples from humans were found to be positive by RBPT and ELISA, respectively. Among village workers a higher prevalence of brucellosis was recorded in females than in males. Abattoir-associated personnel also had a higher incidence of brucellosis. Results of the present study revealed that RBPT and ELISA …

Disseminated Streptococcus Equi Subsp. Zooepidemicus Infection In A Foal And Associated Mastitis In A Mare, A. Levent Kocabiyik, Esra Büyükcangaz, Ahmet Akkoç, Cüneyt Özakin, İ. Taci̇ Cangül

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

A systemic infection with Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus is described in a 22-day-old female foal for the first time in Turkey. Clinically the foal was in poor condition and had severe pneumonia. Painful swellings of the carpal and tarsal joints were evident. Examination of the dam revealed clinical mastitis. Postmortem histopathological and microbiological examinations of samples from the foal revealed a disseminated infection with S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus. The causative agent was also recovered in pure culture from a milk sample of the mare.

The Future Of Enterprise Regulation: Corporate Social Accountability And Human Freedom, Lindsay J. Thompson

Journal of Business & Technology Law

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of A Marketing Information System: A Case Study Of Smart-Baltimore, Tanvi Kothari, D. R. Fesenmaier, Z. Xiang

Faculty Publications, School of Management

The purpose of this study is to use existing theories of technology and organizational change to assess the impact of technology implementation within the context of the tourism industry. The framework is applied as a case study to analyze the perceived implications of implementing a destination marketing information system by the Baltimore Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. The results of the study indicate that the most important value of the system is the richness and timeliness of information. The key informants perceive that this system will not only impact the marketing activities at the organization but will not influence the …

Conclusions And Recommendations Of A Who Expert Consultation Meeting On Iron Supplementation For Infants And Young Children In Malaria Endemic Areas [Conclusions Et Recommandations À L'Issue De La Consultation De L'Oms Sur La Lutte Contre La Carence Martiale Chez Le Nourrisson Et Le Jeune Enfant Dans Les Pays D'Endémie Palustre], L. Allen, R.E. Black, N. Brandes, G. Brittenham, G. Chazot, C Chunming, J. Crawley, B. De Benoist, N. Dalmiya, I. Darnton-Hill, K. Dewey, S. El-Arifeen, O. Fontaine, C. Geissler, H. Haberle, P. Harvey, J. Hasler, C. Hershko, R. Hurrell, M.A. Juma, B. Lonnerdal, B. Lozoff, S. Lynch, H. Martines Salgado, E. Mclean, J. Metz, S. Oppenheimer, Zul Premji, A. Prentice, M. Ramsan, C. Ratledge, R. Stoltzfus, J. Tielsch

Pathology, East Africa

This article presents the results of an expert consultation meeting aimed at evaluating the safety and public health implications of administering supplemental iron to infants and young children in malaria-endemic areas. Participants at this meeting that took place in Lyon, France on June 12-14, 2006 reached consensus on several important issues related to iron supplementation for infants and young children in malaria-endemic areas. The conclusions in this report apply specifically to regions where malaria is endemic.

State Policies Matter: The Case Of Outpatient Drug Treatment Program Practices, Jamie Chriqui, Yvonne Terry-Mcelrath, Duane C. Mcbride, D Eidson

Faculty Publications

This study examined relationships between state policy requirements governing outpatient substance abuse treatment services and reported outpatient treatment program practices. State policies effective as of February 1, 2003, and February 1, 2004, were collected and analyzed via primary legal research; data were validated by state officials (88% response rate; > 90% validation rate). Treatment practice data were obtained from the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services for the years 2003 and 2004. Multivariate analyses clustered by state were conducted, controlling for state, program, and state-aggregated client admission characteristics. Results indicated that treatment programs located in states with requirements for comprehensive …

Application Of In Vivo Induced Antigen Technology (Iviat) To Bacillus Anthracis, Sean M Rollins, Amanda Peppercorn, John S Young, Melissa Drysdale, Andrea Baresch, Margaret V Bikowski, David A Ashford, Conrad P Quinn, Martin Handfield, Jeffrey D Hillman, C Rick Lyons, Theresa M Koehler, Stephen B Calderwood, Edward T Ryan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

In vivo induced antigen technology (IVIAT) is an immuno-screening technique that identifies bacterial antigens expressed during infection and not during standard in vitro culturing conditions. We applied IVIAT to Bacillus anthracis and identified PagA, seven members of a N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase autolysin family, three P60 family lipoproteins, two transporters, spore cortex lytic protein SleB, a penicillin binding protein, a putative prophage holin, respiratory nitrate reductase NarG, and three proteins of unknown function. Using quantitative real-time PCR comparing RNA isolated from in vitro cultured B. anthracis to RNA isolated from BALB/c mice infected with virulent Ames strain B. anthracis, we confirmed induced …

Characterization Of Microorganisms Of Interest To Homeland Security And Public Health Utilizing Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry, Robert A. Everley

Theses and Dissertations

Liquid chromatography/quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (LC/QTOF MS) utilizing electrospray ionization was employed to monitor protein expression in Escherichia coli and Shigella organisms. Automated charge state deconvolution, spectral subtraction and spectral mirroring were used to reveal subtle differences in the LC/MS data. Reproducible intact protein biomarkers were discovered based on their unique mass, retention time and relative intensity. These markers were implemented to differentiate closely related strain types, (e.g. two distinct isolates of E. coli O157:H7) and to correctly identify unknown pathogens. Notable, was the distinction of multiple serotypes of enterohaemorrhagic E. coli which cannot be distinguished by clinical …

An Scir Model Of Meningococcal Meningitis, Kalimah Vereen

Theses and Dissertations

A model for meningitis is developed by adding a class of carriers to the basic SIR model. This model is used to analyze the impact a vaccination program can have on the health of the population of epidemic prone countries. Analysis of the model shows the local stability of the disease free equilibrium, the existence of an endemic equilibrium and computation of the reproduction number, ℜ0 . Using a MATLAB program we simulate a time course of the model using parameters gathered from the World Health Organization. The numerical solution demonstrates that our reproduction number was correct. We thenconcluded that …

Augmentation Of T Cell Expansion For Adoptive Immunotherapy By Alternate Gamma Chain Cytokines And By Gemcitabine Mediated Inhibition Of Myeloid Derived Suppressor Cells, Hanh Le

Theses and Dissertations

Successful treatment of cancer with adoptive immunotherapy (AIT) is dependent on the ability to produce large numbers of tumor-specific, functional T cells. The purpose of this thesis is to explore ways in which T cell expansion could be augmented. We have focused on exploring alternate gamma chain cytokines as stimulators of T cell proliferation and differentiation in addition to investigating the potential usefulness of gemcitabine (GEM) in abrogating the immunosuppressive effects of myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). B16 melanoma sensitized draining lymph node cells that have been activated in vitro with bryostatin-1 and ionomycin (B/I) were expanded in either IL-7/15 …

Air Passenger Health And Consumer Protection, Usha Balasubramaniam

Journal of Air Law and Commerce

No abstract provided.

The Signal Recognition Particle Pathway Is Required For Virulence In Streptococcus Pyogenes, Jason W. Rosch, Luis Alberto Vega, John M. Beyer, Ada Lin, Michael G. Caparon

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Molecular Variations In Klebsiella Pneumoniae And Escherichia Coli Fimh Affect Function And Pathogenesis In The Urinary Tract, David A. Rosen, Jerome S. Pinkner, Jennifer N. Walker, Jennifer Stine Elam, Jennifer M. Jones, Scott J. Hultgren

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Detection Of Kpc-2 In A Clinical Isolate Of Proteus Mirabilis And First Reported Description Of Carbapenemase Resistance Caused By A Kpc Β-Lactamase In P. Mirabilis, Robert J. Tibbetts, Jonathan G. Frye, Jonas Marschall, David K. Warren, W. Michael Dunne, Jr.

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Association Between 16s-23s Internal Transcribed Spacer Sequence Groups Of Mycobacterium Avium Complex And Pulmonary Disease, Jason E. Stout, Gregory W. Hopkins, Jay R. Mcdonald, Anita Quinn, Carol D. Hamilton, L. Barth Reller, Richard Frothingham

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.