Digital Commons Network^™

Wandering The Web-To Your Good Health: Health Websites For Parents, Tenns And Kids, Carol Watwood

Against the Grain

No abstract provided.

Cliff Swallows, Swallow Bugs, And West Nile Virus: An Unlikely Transmission Mechanism, Paul T. Oesterle, Nicole M. Nemeth, Ginger Young, Nicole Mooers, Stacey Elmore, Richard Bowen, Paul Doherty, Jeffrey Hall, Robert Mclean, Larry Clark

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The cliff swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) could play an important role in the transmission of West Nile virus (WNV) because of its breeding ecology, reservoir competence status, and potentially high natural exposure rates. Cliff swallows nest within colonies and their nests are occupied year-round by swallow bugs (Oeciacus vicarius), hematophagus ectoparasites that feed primarily on cliff swallows. These parasites are likely exposed to WNV while feeding on infectious blood of nesting cliff swallow adults and nestlings and thus, if competent vectors, could contribute to seasonal elevations in WNV transmission. In addition, swallow bugs remain within nests year-round …

Mathematical And Computational Applications In Disease And Landscape Ecology, Erin Landguth

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The Individualized Interdisciplinary Program (IIP) at the University of Montana allows students to work with faculty in the design of a graduate curriculum tailored to their unique academic, creative, and professional needs. The principal goal of the National Science Foundation's IGERT: Montana - Ecology of Infectious Diseases (MEID) program is to produce graduates with expertise to lead the collaborative, cross-, and inter-disciplinary efforts in education and research needed to address complex problems as exemplified by the ecology of endemic, epidemic, and emergent infectious diseases. Under the envelope of these two programs, I have developed a Ph.D. program in which I …

Detection And Molecular Characterisation Of Rotavirus, Adenovirus And Bocavirus Circulating In Southern Ireland, Olivia Cashman

Theses

This study reports the detection and molecular characterisation of group A rotavirus circulating in the south of Ireland in both the bovine and human population. Characterisation of the group A rotavirus was carried out through the extraction of viral nucleic acid in faecal specimens collected from hospitals in the Cork and Waterford area and Cork regional veterinary laboratory from 2006-2009. Other gastroenteritis viruses characterised during this study include adenovirus type 41, and the newly identified gastrointestinal virus, human bocavirus, which was identified for the first time in Ireland during this study. The human bocaviruses identified in children in the south …

Phage Lysins - Structure, Genetics And Applications, Jennifer Garry

Theses

Antibiotics are of the utmost importance in the fight against pathogenic bacteria, however, in recent years there has been a continual increase in the development of antibiotic resistance among bacteria. As a result it has become essential to develop new technologies to combat these pathogens. One such technology is the application of phage lysins as antimicrobial agents against pathogenic infections. A promising phage lysin is LysK, a 495 amino-acid protein derived from Staphylococcal Phage K. LysK can lyse a wide range of staphylococcal species including MRSA. It is also capable of killing both live and dead cells increasing its potential …

Isolation And Molecular Characterization Of Mycobacterium Avium Subsp. Paratuberculosis In Ireland, Pierre Emmanuel Douarre

Theses

MAP is a proven animal pathogen causing Johne's disease, one of the most widespread and economically important diseases of ruminants. Since 1992 and the opening of the European market, the prevalence of MAP in Ireland has increased considerably. Improvements in diagnostic strategies for Ireland and elsewhere are urgently required. MAP infects a wide host range and has emerged as a potential threat to human health and has been associated with Crohn's disease. The control of paratuberculosis infection requires a better understanding of the genetic diversity of the pathogen. The objective of this study was to isolate and characterize this enteric …

Detection And Molecular Characterization Of Canine Enteric Viruses In Southern Ireland., Susan Mcelligott

Theses

Enteric viruses, such as canine parvovirus (CPV) and canine coronavirus (CCoV), are a major cause of gastroenteritis in dogs. More serious clinical symptoms occur in young pups, or when both of these viruses infect an animal simultaneously. Caliciviruses and rotaviruses can also cause gastroenteritis in dogs, but these viruses, while causing significant problems in other animal species and humans, are considered to be less significant pathogens of canines. However, on occasion, these viruses have been reported to produce severe clinical symptoms such as vomiting, haemorrhagic enteritis and severe dehydration.

Many viral vaccines for canines are formulated using old vaccine viral …

Mass Privatisation And The Post-Communist Mortality Crisis: Is There Really A Relationship?, John S. Earle, Scott G. Gehlbach

Upjohn Institute Working Papers

We reexamine the recent, well-publicized claim that "rapid mass privatisation [of state-owned enterprises]...was a crucial determinant of differences in adult mortality trends in postcommunist countries" (Stuckler, King and McKee, 2009). Our analysis shows that the estimated correlation of privatization and mortality in country-level data is not robust to recomputing the mass-privatization measure, to assuming a short lag for economic policies to affect mortality, and to controlling for country-specific mortality trends. Further, in an analysis of the determinants of mortality in Russian regions, we find no evidence that privatization increased mortality during the early 1990s. Finally, we reanalyze the relationship between …

Dominant Aerobic Bacterial Community Of Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus Labrax L.1758) Larvae During Weaning From Artemia To Dry Feed In Culture Conditions, Ayberk Ayaz, Süheyla Karataş

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The aim of this study was to determine the dominant aerobic bacterial community of sea bass larvae during their weaning period in 2 different marine hatcheries in Muğla-Bodrum region. Samplings were made in January, March, and May 2005. Larvae and water samples were diluted in certain ratios and were inoculated to Marine Agar, TCBS Agar, Pseudomonas Agar, King Bee Agar, MRS agar, Blood Agar and Plate Count Agar, in that order. Water temperature, pH, saturation, salinity, and features of the system used were recorded. Isolated bacterial strains were identified with standard biochemical methods and API 20E Rapid Identification Kits. In …

Something Stinks: The Need For Environmental Regulation Of Puppy Mills, Melissa Towsey

Villanova Environmental Law Journal (1991 - )

No abstract provided.

Prevalence Of Rubella Igg Antibodies Among Syrian Females Of Childbearing Age, Faraj Barah, Amer G. Chehada

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVE: To examine the current sero-epidemiology of rubella IgG among Syrian females of childbearing age that missed rubella vaccination. METHODS: A cross-sectional study examined healthy female students of the Pharmacy College, Kalamoon University, Deratiah, Syria. Ninety sera were collected between March and May 2008, and were subject to rubella specific IgG screening and titration using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-based technique provided by Diamed Eurogen in the Microbiology Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy. RESULTS: The quantitative analysis for rubella IgG showed a noticeable variability in the values of antibodies that ranged between 0-363 IU/ml. A total of 77 participants were positive for …

The Newest Religious Sect Has Started In Los Angeles: Race, Class, Ethnicity, And The Origins Of The Pentecostal Movement, 1906 – 1913, Marne Campbell

African American Studies Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Drug Safety Issues Focusing On Liver And Pancreas Toxicity, Thamir M. Alshammari

Open Access Dissertations

Background: Medications benefit people with diseases and medical conditions, improving many patients' lives and in some cases significantly increasing their quality of life. Despite these great benefits, medications can lead to serious adverse effects. Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are the 4^th leading cause of death, greater than major killers including pulmonary diseases, diabetes and automobile death. Not all medication groups have the same incidence in inducing diseases. Anti-infective agents - including antibacterial agents- are the most likely to induce diseases followed by cardiovascular agents and antineoplastic agents.

Objectives: Drug safety is a very important issue in patient …

Expert Testimony In Child Sexual Abuse Litigation: Consensus And Confusion, John E.B. Myers

McGeorge School of Law Scholarly Articles

No abstract provided.

The Im-9 Cell Line: A Model For Evaluating Tcdd-Induced Modulation Of The Polymorphic Human Hs1,2 Enhancer Within The 3' Immunoglobulin Heavy Chain Regulatory Region, Ruth C. Chambers-Turner

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), a disrupter, of B-cell differentiation, induces binding of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) nuclear complex to dioxin responsive elements (DRE) within the mouse immunoglobulin heavy chain regulatory region (3'IgHRR), and produces a marked inhibition of 3'IgHRR activation, IgH expression, and antibody secretion in a well-characterized mouse B-cell line (CH12.LX). The mouse 3'IgHRR consists of at least four enhancers (hs3a; hs1,2; hs3b; hs4), and is highly homologous with the three enhancers (hs3; hs1,2; hs4) of the human 3'IgHRR. A polymorphism of the human hs1,2 enhancer (resulting in varying numbers of tandem repeats containing a DRE and κB site) has …

Rev Interacts With Tubulin Heterodimers To Cause Cell Cycle Defects, Poornima Kotha Lakshmi Narayan

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Rev is a regulatory protein that plays an important role in the replication of HIV virus by post-transcriptionally promoting expression of viral proteins late in infection. Rev expression also slows cell growth, leads to an accumulation of cells in G2/M specifically before the spindle checkpoint, and can produce changes in ploidy. Because Rev is capable of depolymerizing microtubules (MTs) in vitro, possibly by a mechanism shared with Kinesin-13 proteins, themselves potent cellular MT depolymerases, I tested the hypothesis that these cellular defects were due to an interaction between Rev and tubulin.

To this end, Rev and select Rev mutants defective …

2010-2011 Nursing Undergraduate Student Handbook, Morehead State University. Nursing Department.

Nursing Department Publications Archive

2010-2011 Undergraduate Student Handbook of the Department of Nursing at Morehead State University.

The Characterization And Calculation Of Diet Quality For A Low-Income Population In Quito, Ecuador, Rachel Ann Beyatte

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Diet is an important factor in disease prevention and health promotion. According to Global Health, in 2006 four of the top five leading causes of death in Ecuador were heart disease, cerebrovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus and hypertensive diseases which are all associated with dietary intake. Knowledge of eating patterns enables the formulation of public policies directed toward health promotion and disease prevention. Studies using indices that measure dietary quality and summarize the main characteristics of healthful eating habits enables the evaluation of possible associations between health determinants and health indicators. Most studies using score-based approaches have generally shown more varied …

Resistant Starches Types 2 And 4 Have Differential Effects On The Composition Of The Fecal Microbiota In Human Subjects, Ines Martinez, Jaehyoung Kim, Patrick R. Duffy, Vicki L. Schlegel, Jens Walter

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Background: To systematically develop dietary strategies based on resistant starch (RS) that modulate the human gut microbiome, detailed in vivo studies that evaluate the effects of different forms of RS on the community structure and population dynamics of the gut microbiota are necessary. The aim of the present study was to gain a community wide perspective of the effects of RS types 2 (RS2) and 4 (RS4) on the fecal microbiota in human individuals.

Methods and Findings: Ten human subjects consumed crackers for three weeks each containing either RS2, RS4, or native starch in a double-blind, crossover design. Multiplex sequencing …

The O'Neill Institute For National And Global Health Law: Discovering Innovative Solutions For The Most Pressing Health Problems Facing The Nation And The World, Lawrence O. Gostin, Oscar A. Cabera, Susan C. Kim

Minnesota Journal of Law, Science & Technology

No abstract provided.

How Birds Combat Ectoparasites, Dale H. Clayton, Jennifer A. H. Koop, Christopher W. Harbison, Brett R. Moyer, Sarah E. Bush

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Library Materials

Birds are plagued by an impressive diversity of ectoparasites, ranging from feather-feeding lice, to feather-degrading bacteria. Many of these ectoparasites have severe negative effects on host fitness. It is therefore not surprising that selection on birds has favored a variety of possible adaptations for dealing with ectoparasites. The functional significance of some of these defenses has been well documented. Others have barely been studied, much less tested rigorously. In this article we review the evidence--or lack thereof--for many of the purported mechanisms birds have for dealing with ectoparasites. We concentrate on features of the plumage and its components, as well …

Phylogenetic Position Of The Acariform Mites: Sensitivity To Homology Assessment Under Total Evidence, Almir R. Pepato, Carlos E. F. Da Rocha, Jason A. Dunlop

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Library Materials

Background: Mites (Acari) have traditionally been treated as monophyletic, albeit composed of two major lineages: Acariformes and Parasitiformes. Yet recent studies based on morphology, molecular data, or combinations thereof, have increasingly drawn their monophyly into question. Furthermore, the usually basal (molecular) position of one or both mite lineages among the chelicerates is in conflict to their morphology, and to the widely accepted view that mites are close relatives of Ricinulei.

Results: The phylogenetic position of the acariform mites is examined through employing SSU, partial LSU sequences, and morphology from 91 chelicerate extant terminals (forty Acariformes). In a static homology framework, …

Genbank, Dennis A. Benson, Ilene Karasch-Mizrachi, David J. Lipman, James Ostell, Eric W. Sayers

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Library Materials

GenBank(R) is a comprehensive database that contains publicly available nucleotide sequences for more than 380,000 organisms named at the genus level or lower, obtained primarily through submissions from individual laboratories and batch submissions from large-scale sequencing projects, including whole genome shotgun (WGS) and environmental sampling projects. Most submissions are made using the web-based BankIt or standalone Sequin programs, and accession numbers are assigned by GenBank staff upon receipt. Daily data exchange with the European Nucleotide Archive (ENA) and the DNA Data Bank of Japan (DDBJ) ensures worldwide coverage. GenBank is accessible through the NCBI Entrez retrieval system that integrates data …

Evolutionary History Of Mammalian Sucking Lice (Phthiraptera: Anoplura), Jessica E. Light, Vincent S. Smith, Julie M. Allen, Lance A. Durden, David L. Reed

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Library Materials

Background

Sucking lice (Phthiraptera: Anoplura) are obligate, permanent ectoparasites of eutherian mammals, parasitizing members of 12 of the 29 recognized mammalian orders and approximately 20% of all mammalian species. These host specific, blood-sucking insects are morphologically adapted for life on mammals: they are wingless, dorso-ventrally flattened, possess tibio-tarsal claws for clinging to host hair, and have piercing mouthparts for feeding. Although there are more than 540 described species of Anoplura and despite the potential economical and medical implications of sucking louse infestations, this study represents the first attempt to examine higher-level anopluran relationships using molecular data. In this study, we …

Current And Future Molecular Approaches To Investigate The White Pine Blister Rust Pathosystem, B. A. Richardson, A. K. M. Ekramoddoulah, J.-J. Liu, M.-S. Kim, N. B. Klopfenstein

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Molecular genetics is proving to be especially useful for addressing a wide variety of research and management questions on the white pine blister rust pathosystem. White pine blister rust, caused by Cronartium ribicola, is an ideal model for studying biogeography, genetics, and evolution because: (1) it involves an introduced pathogen; (2) it includes multiple primary and alternate hosts occurring in large, relatively undisturbed ecosystems; (3) some hosts exhibit endemic resistance; and (4) the disease interaction is long enduring. Molecular techniques are used to investigate population genetics, phylogenetics, hybrids, and proteomics in white pine (Pinus, subgenus Strobus) …

Primary Gamma-Herpesviral Infection In Zambian Children, Veenu Minhas, Brad P. Brayfield, Kay L. Crabtree, Chipepo Kankasa, Charles D. Mitchell, Charles Wood

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Background: HHV-8 is closely related to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), but the clinical presentations of these two infections in early childhood are not well understood. Also, it is not known whether infection by one virus correlates with another. Here, we compare the natural history of infection by these two viruses along with the clinical manifestations and risk factors that are associated with early childhood infection in Zambia, which is an endemic area for HHV-8.

Methods: This study was conducted in a cohort of 12 month old Zambian children (N = 677). Data on socio-economic status and a wide range …

Topological Layers In The Hiv-1 Gp120 Inner Domain Regulate Gp41 Interaction And Cd4-Triggered Conformational Transitions, Andrés Finzi, Shi-Hua Xiang, Beatriz Pacheco, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Wang, Jessica Haight, Aemro Kassa, Brenda Danek, Marie Pancera, Peter D. Kwong, Joseph Sodroski

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

The entry of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) into cells is initiated by binding of the gp120 exterior envelope glycoprotein to the receptor, CD4. How does CD4 binding trigger conformational changes in gp120 that allow the gp41 transmembrane envelope glycoprotein to mediate viral-cell membrane fusion? The transition from the unliganded to the CD4-bound state is regulated by two potentially flexible topological layers (layers 1 and 2) in the gp120 inner domain. Both layers apparently contribute to the noncovalent association of unliganded gp120 with gp41. After CD4 makes initial contact with the gp120 outer domain, layer 1-layer 2 interactions strengthen gp120-CD4 binding …

Neuroaids In Africa, Kevin Robertson, Jeff Liner, James Hakim, Jean-Louis Sankalé, Igor Grant, Scott Letendre, David Clifford, Amadou Gallo Diop, Assan Jaye, Georgette Kanmogne, Alfred Njamnshi, T. Dianne Langford, Tufa Gemechu Weyessa, Charles Wood, Mwanza Banda, Mina Hosseinipour, Ned Sacktor, Noeline Nakasuja, Paul Bangirana, Robert Paul, John Joska, Joseph Wong, Michael Boivin, Penny Holding, Betsy Kammerer, Annelies Van Rie, Prudence Ive, Avindra Nath, Kathy Lawler, Clement Adebamowo, Walter Royal Iii, Jeymohan Joseph

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

In July 2009, the Center for Mental Health Research on AIDS at the National Institute of Mental Health organized and supported the meeting “NeuroAIDS in Africa.” This meeting was held in Cape Town, South Africa, and was affiliated with the 5th IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention. Presentations began with an overview of the epidemiology of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa, the molecular epidemiology of HIV, HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HANDs), and HAND treatment. These introductory talks were followed by presentations on HAND research and clinical care in Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda, …

Functional Properties Of The Hiv-1 Subtype C Envelope Glycoprotein Associated With Mother-To-Child Transmission, Hong Zhang, Marzena Rola, John T. West, Damien C. Tully, Piotr Kubis, Jun He, Chipepo Kankasa, Charles Wood

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Understanding the properties of viruses capable of establishing infection during perinatal transmission of HIV-1 is critical for designing effective means of limiting transmission. We previously demonstrated that the newly transmitted viruses (in infant) were more fit in growth, as imparted by their envelope glycoproteins, than those in their corresponding mothers. Here, we further characterized the viral envelope glycoproteins from six mother-infant transmission pairs and determined whether any specific envelope functions correlate with HIV-1 subtype C perinatal transmission. We found that most newly transmitted viruses were less susceptible to neutralization by their maternal plasma compared to contemporaneous maternal viruses. However, the …

Chronology And Evolution Of The Hiv-1 Subtype C Epidemic In Ethiopia, Damien C. Tully, Charles Wood

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Objective—To reconstruct the onset date and evolutionary history of the HIV-1 subtype C epidemic in Ethiopia - one of the earliest recorded subtype C epidemics in the world.

Design—HIV-1 C env sequences with a known sampling year isolated from HIV-1 positive patients from Ethiopia between 1984 and 2003.

Methods—Evolutionary parameters including origin and demographic growth patterns were estimated using a Bayesian coalescent-based approach under either strict or relaxed molecular clock models.

Results—Bayesian evolutionary analysis indicated a most recent common ancestor date of 1965 with three distinct epidemic growth phases. Regression analysis of root-to-tip distances revealed a highly similar estimate for …