Digital Commons Network^™

Role Of Human Cytomegalovirus In Breast Cancer, Cendy Valle Oseguera, Juliet V. Spencer

Creative Activity and Research Day - CARD

Cancer results from unregulated cell growth that invades neighboring tissues. While there are many known risk factors for cancer, one area that remains largely unexplored is the impact of infectious disease. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is highly prevalent in the population and has also been found in several types of tumors. We are investigating the possibility that a viral protein released from infected cells, cmvIL-10, promotes tumor metastasis by enhancing the invasive potential of breast cancer cells. These results will clarify the role of HCMV in breast cancer progression and could have broad implications for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

The Scope Of The Malnutrition Epidemic In Guatemala: Its Implications On The Development Of The Child And Of The Nation, Rebekah M. Zello

Senior Honors Theses

Research reveals that malnutrition is a severe problem in the nation of Guatemala, as it is the country with the highest rate of malnutrition in Latin America and the Western hemisphere, and the fourth highest rate in the world. The epidemic of malnutrition in Guatemala not only inhibits the development of each child, but also the development of the nation as a whole. The causes and effects of child malnutrition both on the individual and on Guatemalan society will be explored. Infant malnutrition in Guatemala is an injustice which manifests itself severely through the cognitive, physical, and psychosocial shortcomings in …

Exploring The Social Determinants Of Sexually Transmitted Disease And High-Risk Sexual Behaviors, River Pugsley

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract 1: A multi-level assessment of disproportionate population sex ratios and high-risk sexual behaviors among STD clinic patients Low male-to-female sex ratios in a population may influence high-risk sexual behaviors, such as multiple sex partners and inconsistent condom use, which facilitate the transmission of STDs. This study used multi-level modeling to assess whether population sex ratios were associated with these two individual-level behaviors. All analyses were stratified by gender. Interview data were collected from patients (N = 9,203, 48% male) attending participating STD clinics. Interviews included information on socio-demographics and sexual behavior, including number of sex partners in the previous …

Saints, "Savages," And Smallpox: Epidemic Disease And The Colonization Of New England, 1616-1637, Steven Charles Buckingham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

This thesis argues that native epidemics of European infections were crucial to the English colonization of New England. In the early seventeenth century, this region was densely populated with natives who were happy to trade with Europeans but prevented them from establishing permanent settlements there. But in 1616, an epidemic, probably of smallpox, killed thousands of natives along the New England coast, creating conditions that helped ensure the survival of the Pilgrims' settlement at Plymouth and facilitating subsequent English expansion in New England. Then in 1633, in the midst of the Puritan "Great Migration," another smallpox outbreak caused extensive native …

"Probing Classical Physiology With New Tools: Case Studies In Translational Medicine", Matthew D. Troyer '86 M.D.

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Complete 2012 Program, Illinois Wesleyan University

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

No abstract provided.

A Social Controversy: Autism Spectrum Disorder's Correlation To The Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccination, Lindsay A. Frye

Senior Honors Theses

A 1998 research study lead by Dr. Andrew Wakefield linked the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination as a probable cause to autism spectrum disorder. This publication has started a significant debate among healthcare professionals and instigated an anti-vaccination movement within the general population. This vaccination controversy was started by parents who readily accepted Wakefield’s findings as truth and frequently would choose to withdrawal the administration of vaccinations from their children’s care plans. There has also been disapproval by healthcare professionals over Wakefield’s study since numerous research teams have been unable to replicate his findings. This disagreement surrounding the MMR vaccination is likely …

Deletion Of Foxn1 In The Thymic Medullary Epithelium Reduces Peripheral T Cell Responses To Infection And Mimics Changes Of Aging, Jianfei Guo, Yan Feng, Peter Barnes, Fang-Fang Huang, Steven Idell, Dong-Ming Su, Homayoun Shams

School of Medicine Faculty Publications and Presentations

Aging increases susceptibility to infection, in part because thymic involution culminates in reduced naïve T-lymphocyte output. Thymic epithelial cells (TECs) are critical to ensure normal maturation of thymocytes and production of peripheral T cells. The forkhead-class transcription factor, encoded by FoxN1, regulates development, differentiation, and function of TECs, both in the prenatal and postnatal thymus. We recently showed that expression of FoxN1, by keratin 14 (K14)-expressing epithelial cells is essential for maintenance of thymic medullary architecture, and deletion of FoxN1 in K14 promoter-driven TECs inhibited development of mature TECs and reduced the number of total thymocytes. These findings are reminiscent …

Volume Cxxix, Number 19, April 13, 2012, Lawrence University

The Lawrentian

No abstract provided.

A Communication Strategy To Address Health Inequities In Municipal Settings, Christine Unson, Ben Tyson, Angela Funaiole, Comfort Agaba

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

This study assessed knowledge of health inequities, importance and benefits/barriers of addressing inequities, and ways of communicating information about inequities among municipal officials. Five focus groups (N=47) were conducted with officials from economic development, land use and housing, public safety, education, and environment departments. Discussions were recorded, transcribed and analyzed for key themes. Findings show that participants had an uneven understanding of the symptoms and causes of health inequities and identified limitations to participating in health equity initiatives and collaborating with local health departments. Recommendations are that a communication strategy to reduce health inequities should aim to increase awareness of …

Infectious Syphilis In Non-Hispanic Blacks And Hispanics In An Urban Std Clinic, Tai Hunte, Maria L. Alcaide, Ricardo Franco, Khaled Deeb, Jose G. Castro

Florida Public Health Review

Syphilis is a complex infectious disease caused by Treponema pallidum and acquired through sexual contact or vertical transmission. The natural history of syphilis is divided in primary, secondary, latent and tertiary stages. The syphilis epidemic has evolved over the years. National rates of syphilis infection dropped to the lowest in 2000 and have since increased in certain populations. Men who have sex with men (MSM) account for 60% of new infections and high rates occur in individuals with human immune deficiency virus co-infection. This study describes and compares the demographic characteristics, risk factors, and clinical presentation ofinfectious syphilis cases diagnosed …

Clean Water In Haiti, Hannah Mchugh

2012 Awards for Excellence in Student Research & Creative Activity - Documents

In the past few years, Haiti has been a topic that has been in the news here in the United States for many reasons. These reports typically show the faces of hundreds of starving and injured Haitians who live in turmoil and they discuss the disasters that have befallen the country. While these reports do not usually show the more pleasant aspects, they are relatively accurate in showing the state of the majority of the country. A major impact on a country that is in such a dire state is the presence and availability of clean water. But to understand …

The Nurse In The School Health Office: Exploring Health Care In A Public School, Pamela A. Rademacher

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

To provide a high-quality education for all its students, schools must address a variety of needs that are related to physical, social and/or emotional health. School nurses are positioned to do that in the schools that they serve. Exploring how the school nurse intervenes to help children and their families to maintain a high level of health may contribute to an understanding of health care and academic achievement in the educational community. The purpose of this qualitative study is to gain an understanding of what a nurse does on a regular basis to provide health care to all children in …

Enhancing The Immune Response Through Ikkbeta-Induced Activation Of Nf-Kappab, Emily Hopewell

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) is one of the main regulators of inflammatory and immune responses. It is a family of transcription factors composed of five members: RelA, RelB, cRel, NF-κB1 (p105/p50), and NF-κB2 (p100/p52). Homo- and hetero-dimers of family members are inhibited by inhibitor of &klappaB (IκB) family members and activated by IκB kinase (IKK) family members. The IKK family is comprised of IKKα, IKKΒ, and IKKγ. The focus of my dissertation delves into the role of NF-κB activation by IKKΒ in both an immunotherapy setting and its role in T cell mediated anti-tumor immune responses.

A central focus of immunotherapy …

Instituting An Oral Health Preventive Service Program, Including Fluoride Varnish, For Preschool Children Birth To Five Years In A Rural Health Clinic: A Clinical Scholarship Project, Carol Ann Berger

Dissertations

Abstract This project was designed to institute an oral health preventive program in a rural health clinic, in a dental provider shortage area, promoting oral health in preschool children birth to five years by: (a) instituting a program that supports the Missouri preventive service program in oral health, (b) promoting oral screenings and fluoride varnish twice yearly, (c) assessing the risk of caries, (d) referring to appropriate dental services and (e) educating parents or guardian about the importance of oral health and how to maintain oral health at home with children birth to five years. This project sought to answer …

Regulation Of Natural Killer Cells: Ship-1, 2b4, And Immunomodulation By Lenalidomide, Nicole Renee Fortenbery

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Natural Killer cells (NK) are critical components of the innate immune system. Often referred to by their morphology, these large granular lymphocytes (LGLs) are bone marrow-derived lymphocytes and can be found throughout the body. NK cells reside in the liver, lymph nodes, spleen, thymus, and mucosal-associated lymphoid tissues (MALT). Importantly, NK cells also circulate throughout the blood where they function as surveyors of the body and are armed to eliminate malignant, infected, damaged, or foreign cells.

NK cells function by a dual receptor system. That is, NK receptors are broadly categorized as inhibitory or activating. It is a fine balance, …

Evaluation And Verification Of Washing Practices On Pathogen Recovery And Survival On Produce, Wilbert Long Iii

Student Theses and Dissertations

Food sanitation is a very important issue that affects the global market. Proper sanitation can help reduce microbial pathogens which influence public health by causing illnesses and death and financial resources (e.g. time lost at work, loss of produce due to spoilage, and recalls). In a number of incidences, foods may be reported as extremely susceptible to pathogens and are denoted as potentially hazardous by health organizations such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and state institutions. Pathogenic contamination of foods may be caused by factors that include growing environment, handling, processing, produce structure, water activity (the amount of …

Antibody Seroprevalence To Hantaviruses In Rodents From Reserva De La Biosfera Sierra De Huatla, Morelos, Elizabeth Arellano, Iván Castro-Arellano, Gerardo Suzán, Francisco X. González-Cózatl, Ricardo Morales Jiménez

Western North American Naturalist

No abstract provided.

Modulation Of Gsk-3Β Activity In Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus Infection, Kylene Kehn-Hall, Aarthi Narayanan, Lindsay Lundberg, Gavin Sampey, Chelsea Pinkham, Irene Guendel, Rachel Van Duyne, Svetlana Senina, Kimberly L. Schultz, Eric Stavale, M. Javad Aman, Charles Bailey, Fatah Kashanchi

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications

Alphaviruses, including Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus (VEEV), cause disease in both equine and humans that exhibit overt encephalitis in a significant percentage of cases. Features of the host immune response and tissue-specific responses may contribute to fatal outcomes as well as the development of encephalitis. It has previously been shown that VEEV infection of mice induces transcription of pro-inflammatory cytokines genes (e.g., IFN-γ, IL-6, IL-12, iNOS and TNF-α) within 6 h. GSK-3β is a host protein that is known to modulate pro-inflammatory gene expression and has been a therapeutic target in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's. Hence inhibition of GSK-3β …

7th Annual Research In The Capitol [Program], April 4, 2012, University Of Northern Iowa. University Honors Program., Iowa State University. Honors Program., University Of Iowa. Honors Program.

Research in the Capitol Programs

Program of research presentations given at the Capitol by students from the University of Northern Iowa, Iowa State University, and the University of Iowa.

Characterization Of Truncated Yscf: Innate Immune And Proinflammatory Responsiveness, Melody N. Toosky

Theses and Dissertations

Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, is a highly pathogenic gram negative bacterium that attenuates the host immune response by translocating effector proteins, known as Yops, directly from the bacterial cytoplasm into the eukaryotic cell cytoplasm using a Type III secretion system. The Type III secretion system uses a polymerized needle to translocate Yops into the eukaryotic cell. This self-polymerizing needle is composed of YscF. YscF has been tested as a possible vaccine alternative to other subunit vaccines. Wild type YscF has been previously shown to provide a low amount of protection against challenge with Y. pestis. The focus …

Amphiphilic Polyanhydride Nanoparticles Stabilize Bacillus Anthracis Protective Antigen, L. K. Petersen, Y. Phanse, Amanda E. Ramer-Tait, M. J. Wannemueler, B. Narasimhan

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Advancements towards an improved vaccine against Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax, have focused on formulations composed of the protective antigen (PA) adsorbed to aluminum hydroxide. However, due to the labile nature of PA, antigen stability is a primary concern for vaccine development. Thus, there is a need for a delivery system capable of preserving the immunogenicity of PA through all the steps of vaccine fabrication, storage, and administration. In this work, we demonstrate that biodegradable amphiphilic polyanhydride nanoparticles, which have previously been shown to provide controlled antigen delivery, antigen stability, immune modulation, and protection in a single …

John Wesley Powell Research Conference, Sherry Wallace

News and Events (Discontinued Series)

No abstract provided.

Ykl-40 Genetic Polymorphisms And The Risk Of Liver Disease Progression In Patients With Advanced Fibrosis Due To Chronic Hepatitis C, Herbert L. Bonkovsky

UCHC Articles - Research

Abstract

Background/Aims

The aim of this study was to explore the association of a functional YKL-40 promoter polymorphism (rs4950928) with baseline disease stage, response to antiviral therapy, and risk of liver disease progression in a group of patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC).

Methods

YKL-40 promoter polymorphisms were determined in 456 HALT-C Trial patients with bridging fibrosis or cirrhosis entering a prerandomization lead-in peginterferon/ribavirin 24-week treatment phase and in 462 patients followed for a mean of 3.8 years after randomization to maintenance peginterferon or observation.

RESULTS

Mean patient age was 49.5 years, 70.4% were male, and 71.2% were Caucasian. The …

Medicine + Health, Spring 2012, George Washington University, School Of Medicine And Health Sciences, Office Of Communications And Marketing

Medicine + Health Magazine

No abstract provided.

Plasma Persistence Of 2-Aminothiazoline-4-Carboxylic Acid In Rat System Determined By Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry, Ilona Petrikovics, Jorn C.C. Yu, David E. Thompson, Prashanth Jayanna, Brian A. Logue, Jessica Nasr, Raj K. Bhandari, Steven I. Baskin, Gary Rockwood

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

2-Aminothiazoline-4-carboxylic acid (ATCA) was intravenously injected to rats in order to investigate its plasma distribution. ATCA was extracted from plasma samples by solid phase extraction (SPE) and molecularly imprinted polymer stir bar sorption extraction (MIP-SBSE). Detection and quantification of ATCA were achieved by using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). It was found that the intravenously injected ATCA concentration quickly decreased to half within 2.5 h in the rat system. However, after 2.5 h, the concentration of ATCA in plasma stayed constant at least 5 folds above the endogenous ATCA level for more then 48 h. This finding can be used …

Cloning And Characterization Of The Cell Wall Acting Enzyme Cd1034 From The Pathogen Clostridium Difficile, Zachary Suter

Honors Projects in Science and Technology

The manifestation of multidrug resistance in bacteria over the past several decades has resulted in one of the foremost challenges in the management of infectious diseases. The question arises, “How do we address this growing problem?” One solution to stem the growing rise in antimicrobial resistance is to investigate new targets, while another approach is to re-examine classical antibacterial targets with a fresh perspective. The aim of this paper is to begin the process of antibacterial development for the pathogen Clostridium difficile by characterizing the cell wall acting glucosaminidase CD1034. It is inunderstanding how CD1034 functions biochemically that it can …

2012 Vol. 60 No. 6, Cleveland-Marshall College Of Law

2010s

No abstract provided.

Genetic Manipulation Of Schistosomes - Progress With Integration Competent Vectors, Sutas Suttiprapa, Gabriel Rinaldi, Paul J. Brindley

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications

Draft genome sequences for Schistosoma japonicum and S. mansoni are now available. The schistosome genome encodes ∼13 000 protein-encoding genes for which the functions of few are well understood. Nonetheless, the new genes represent potential intervention targets, and molecular tools are being developed to determine their importance. Over the past 15 years, noteworthy progress has been achieved towards development of tools for gene manipulation and transgenesis of schistosomes. A brief history of genetic manipulation is presented, along with a review of the field with emphasis on reports of integration of transgenes into schistosome chromosomes.

Five-Year Longitudinal Assessment Of The Downstream Impact On Schistosomiasis Transmission Following Closure Of The Three Gorges Dam., Darren J. Gray, Aaron P. Thrift, Gail M. Williams, Feng Zheng, Yue-Sheng Li, Jiagang Guo, Honggen Chen, Tianping Wang, Xin J. Xu, Rong Zhu, Hongqing Zhu, Chun Li Cao, Dan D. Lin, Zhen Y. Zhao, Robert S. Li, George M. Davis, Donald P. Mcmanus

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications

Background

Schistosoma japonicum is a major public health concern in the Peoples' Republic of China (PRC), with about 800,000 people infected and another 50 million living in areas at risk of infection. Based on ecological, environmental, population genetic and molecular factors, schistosomiasis transmission in PRC can be categorised into four discrete ecosystems or transmission modes. It is predicted that, long-term, the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) will impact upon the transmission of schistosomiasis in the PRC, with varying degree across the four transmission modes.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We undertook longitudinal surveillance from 2002 to 2006 in sentinel villages of the three transmission …