Digital Commons Network^™

Activity Of Daptomycin Or Linezolid In Combination With Rifampin Or Gentamicin Against Biofilm-Forming Enterococcus Faecalis Or E. Faecium In An In Vitro Pharmacodynamic Model Using Simulated Endocardial Vegetations And An In Vivo Survival Assay Using Galleria Mellonella Larvae, Megan K. Luther, Arvanitis, Eleftherios Mylonakis, Kerry L. Laplante

Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Enterococci are the third most frequent cause of infective endocarditis. A high-inoculum stationary-phase in vitro pharmacodynamic model with simulated endocardial vegetations was used to simulate the human pharmacokinetics of daptomycin at 6 or 10 mg/kg of body weight/day or linezolid at 600 mg every 12 h (q12h), alone or in combination with gentamicin at 1.3 mg/kg q12h or rifampin at 300 mg q8h or 900 mg q24h. Biofilm-forming, vancomycin-susceptible Enterococcus faecalis and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (vancomycin-resistant enterococcus [VRE]) strains were tested. At 24, 48, and 72 h, all daptomycin-containing regimens demonstrated significantly more activity (decline in CFU/g) than any linezolid-containing …

Clinical Management Of Skin And Soft Tissue Infections In The U.S. Emergency Departments, Rakesh Mistry, Daniel J. Shapiro, Monika Goyal, Theoklis Zaoutis, Jeffrey Gerber, Catherine Liu, Adam L. Hersh

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

Community-associated methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) has emerged as the most common cause of skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTI) in the United States. A nearly three-fold increase in SSTI visit rates had been documented in the nation's emergency departments (ED). The objective of this study was to determine characteristics associated with ED performance of incision and drainage (I+D) and use of adjuvant antibiotics in the management of skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI).

METHODS:

Cross-sectional study of the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, a nationally representative database of ED visits from 2007-09. Demographics, rates of I+D, and adjuvant antibiotic …

Bedbugs Biting Back? A Multifactorial Consideration Of Bedbug Resurgence, Vanessa L. Abejuela-Matt

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Bedbugs, previously thought to be eradicated during the mid-20th century, have reemerged in the new millennium with unforeseen furor. Affected patients and families frequently present in primary care settings, not only with complaints of pruritus or rash, but with anxiety and shame regarding the condition. Changes in eradication techniques and resistance, as well as lack of reporting – from both patients and lodging institutions – have hindered control. The increased mobility of goods and the human population has provided further avenues for bedbug spread. While current literature thoroughly describes the clinical presentation of bedbugs and the increasingly problematic effects on …

2008 Lno Annual Report To The Executive Board, Long Term Ecological Research Network

Long Term Ecological Research Network

This report summarizes activities and accomplishments of the LTER Network Office (LNO) during the period March 1, 2007 until February 28, 2008. Along with the survey of sites administered by the Executive Board, this document will be used to facilitate the annual review of LNO performance.

Temporal Variations In The Abundance And Composition Of Biofilm Communities Colonizing Drinking Water Distribution Pipes, John J. Kelly, Nicole Minalt, Alessandro Culotti, Marsha Pryor, Aaron Packman

Biology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Pipes that transport drinking water through municipal drinking water distribution systems (DWDS) are challenging habitats for microorganisms. Distribution networks are dark, oligotrophic and contain disinfectants; yet microbes frequently form biofilms attached to interior surfaces of DWDS pipes. Relatively little is known about the species composition and ecology of these biofilms due to challenges associated with sample acquisition from actual DWDS. We report the analysis of biofilms from five pipe samples collected from the same region of a DWDS in Florida, USA, over an 18 month period between February 2011 and August 2012. The bacterial abundance and composition of biofilm communities …

Acculturation, Self-Efficacy And Breastfeeding Behavior In A Sample Of Hispanic Women, Ivonne F. Hernandez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Breastfeeding confers immunological, physiological and psychological benefits for the infant and mother as well as social and economic benefits to the nation. The United States Department of Health and Human Servcies (HHS), Healthy People 2020 has established national objectives for the initiation and duration of breastfeeding at 82% initiation, 61% at six months and 34% at one year. In addition, they have set goals for exclusive breastfeeding at 3 months to be 46% and 25% at 6 months of infant's age. Currently breastfeeding initiation is at the highest recorded level of 76.9%, yet significant disparities exist (CDC, 2012). The purpose …

Implications Of Human Umbilical Cord Blood Cells: An Immunotherapeutic Strategy For Alzheimer's Disease, Donna Darlington

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common progressive age related dementia and the fourth major cause of mortality in the elderly in the United States. AD is pathologically characterized by deposition of amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques in the brain parenchyma and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) within the neuronal soma. While pharmacological targets have been discovered, current strategies for the symptomatic or disease-modifying treatment of AD do not significantly slow or halt the underlying pathological progression of the disease. Consequently, more effective treatment is needed. One possibility for amelioration is using human umbilical cord blood cell (HUCBC) therapy. HUCBCs comprise a …

Urinary Estrogen Metabolites And Self-Reported Infertility In Women Infected With Schistosoma Haematobium, Julio Santos, Maria Joao Gouveia, Nuno Vale, Maria De Lurdes Delgado, Ana Goncalves, Gabriel Rinaldi, Paul J. Brindley, +10 Additional Authors

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications

Background

Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease, endemic in 76 countries, that afflicts more than 240 million people. The impact of schistosomiasis on infertility may be underestimated according to recent literature. Extracts of Schistosoma haematobium include estrogen-like metabolites termed catechol-estrogens that down regulate estrogen receptors alpha and beta in estrogen responsive cells. In addition, schistosome derived catechol-estrogens induce genotoxicity that result in estrogen-DNA adducts. These catechol estrogens and the catechol-estrogen-DNA adducts can be isolated from sera of people infected with S. haematobium. The aim of this study was to study infertility in females infected with S. haematobium and its …

Comprehensive T Cell Antigen Discovery Using A Genomic Approach, Jessica Baker

Vaccine Technology IV

No abstract provided.

Interventions To Improve Delivery Of Isoniazid Preventive Therapy: An Overview Of Systematic Reviews, Lisa V. Adams, Elizabeth A. Talbot, Karen Odato, Heather Blunt, Karen R. Steingart

Dartmouth Scholarship

Background:

Uptake of isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) to prevent tuberculosis has been poor, particularly in the highest risk populations. Interventions to improve IPT delivery could promote implementation. The large number of existing systematic reviews on treatment adherence has made drawing conclusions a challenge. To provide decision makers with the evidence they need, we performed an overview of systematic reviews to compare different organizational interventions to improve IPT delivery as measured by treatment completion among those at highest risk for the development of TB disease, namely child contacts or HIV-infected individuals.

Methods:

We searched the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, the …

Time-Varying, Serotype-Specific Force Of Infection Of Dengue Virus, Kanya C. Long, Robert C. Reiner, Steven T. Stoddard, Brett M. Froshey, Aaron A. King, Alicia M. Ellis, Alun L. Lloyd, Claudio Rocha, Stalin Vilcarromero, Helvio Astete, Isabel Bazan, Audrey Lenhart, Gonzalo M. Vazquez-Prokopec, Valerie A. Paz-Soldan, Phlip J. Mccall, Uriel Kitron, John P. Elder, Eric S. Halsey, Amy C. Morrison, Tadeusz J. Kochel, Thomas W. Scott

Faculty Publications

Infectious disease models play a key role in public health planning. These models rely on accurate estimates of key transmission parameters such as the force of infection (FoI), which is the percapita risk of a susceptible person being infected. The FoI captures the fundamental dynamics of transmission and is crucial for gauging control efforts, such as identifying vaccination targets. Dengue virus (DENV) is a mosquito-borne, multiserotype pathogen that currently infects ∼390 million people a year. Existing estimates of the DENV FoI are inaccurate because they rely on the unrealistic assumption that risk is constant over time. Dengue models are thus …

Public Health Services & Systems Research And The Reforming U.S. Health System, Glen P. Mays

Health Management and Policy Presentations

This session reviews progress in the field of public health services & systems research (PHSSR), with a specific focus on findings that can inform the implementation and impact of health reform strategies on the U.S. public health system.

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Of Tunneled Central Venous Catheter Dressings In Canadian Blood Stem Cell Transplant, Melanie Keeler

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

Central venous catheters (CVC) are an integral tools used in blood stem cell transplant with registered nurses responsible for maintenance and catheter care. However, CVC practice guidelines in the literature are inconsistent or absent. Gaps in the evidence generated several research questions regarding potential variability in CVC practice across Canada and the impact that variability may have on healthcare spending and patient outcomes. A survey of Canadian practice revealed differences in CVC practice across the nation that coincide with discrepant and/or absent guidelines. Device-associated complications such as catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI) are both costly and avoidable. Current cost-analyses within the …

Bjc Today

BJC Today

No abstract provided.

California Drought: A Need For Agricultural Revolution In The Golden State, Benjamin Clinkinbeard

2014 Student Theses

California is in a drought State of Emergency, which is fueling negative social and economic consequences. After multiple years of below average rainfall, California has arrived at one of the most severe droughts in recorded history. Climate change is upon the Golden State, and the ugly consequences need to encourage citizens to spur green movements combating environmental destruction. The agriculture industry is in need of drastic change in order to secure a future that includes clean water, and fresh food for a growing population. Currently, the agricultural techniques practiced are far from sustainable. Adopting a new ideal on what it …

The Use Of Natural Products As Potential Anti-Pseudomonas Agents, Margaret B. Bell

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Pseudomonas is a genus of gram-negative gammaproteobacteria with a large range of diversity. Because of its ability to grow at low temperature, Pseudomonas is a cause of food spoilage. This bacterium is also a very common nosocomial infection of hospital patients. In this study, we investigated the effects of different natural products on Pseudomonas. The products included a polysaccharide, two flavonoids tangeretin and nobiletin and their derivatives, 5’OH-tangeretin and 5’OH-nobiletin, black tea polyphenol – theaflavins (TFs), as well as an herb named Fallopia multiflora (Chinese Knotweed). P. fluorescens and P. aeruginosa were used as model organisms. Antimicrobial effects were …

To Be Or Not To Be Smoke Free: An Analysis Of The University Of Alaska Anchorage Peer Institutions Smoking And Tobacco Policies, Joy D. Britt

Student Projects for Graduate Degrees

More colleges and universities are adopting smoke-and tobacco-free policies, yet no literature exists on how types of enforcement protocols aide in policy success. The goal of this study was to assess the comprehensive smoke- and tobacco-free policies of the University of Alaska Anchorage’s peer and neighboring postsecondary institutions to determine what enforcement type may benefit the university in moving towards a comprehensive smoke-free campus policy. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used. In particular, content analysis was used to determine each peer institution’s campus tobacco policy and enforcement strategy, while case study analysis was used to assess the effectiveness of …

The Renaissance Of Isothermal Titration Calorimetry, Vu Hoang Le

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is a composite of some of the research that I have conducted during the course of my PhD study. The larger goal of this dissertation is to renew the interests among the scientific community for an otherwise under-appreciated technique called Isothermal Titration Calorimetry. The resurgence of calorimetry in the biophysical community and the shift to investigations of more complex biological systems signal a real need for more sophisticated analysis techniques. This dissertation expounds on new ITC analysis methods that we have developed as well as results from the study of thermodynamic properties of higher order DNA structures. In …

Identification Of The Edwardsiella Ictaluri Genes Causing Impaired Growth In Complex Medium, Safak Kalindamar

Theses and Dissertations

Edwardsiella ictaluri is the causative agent of enteric septicemia of catfish (ESC). Although some virulence mechanisms in E. ictaluri have been identified, further research is needed to discover new virulence genes, which could be used to develop safe and efficacious live vaccines. Here, we report production of growth deficient E. ictaluri mutants on complex agar media and identification of genes causing this growth deficiency. The overall goal of this project is to generate growth deficient E. ictaluri mutants and identify genes causing this growth deficiency on complex media. Mutants exhibiting slow growth in complex media may be potential candidates for …

Identification And Characterization Of Microbial Contaminants And Associated Bacterial Viruses In Bioethanol Production Facilities To Suggest A Potential Alternative To Antibiotic Treatment, Charles Austin Coomer

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

In recent years, bioethanol has received worldwide interest as a bioenergy source. This interest has stimulated the production of substantial quantities of ethanol annually. However, the inability to produce bioethanol under sterile conditions plagues the industry, resulting in frequent microbial contamination. Bacterial contamination is one of the more challenging problems facing the bioethanol industry because contaminants drastically lower ethanol yield. Conventional methods of antibiotic application to eradicate bacterial contaminants are expensive and prohibitive. A more sustainable approach to control bacterial contamination of industrial ethanol fermentation systems is to use bacteriophages (phage). The goal of this research was to create a …

The Isolation And Characterization Of Tirotheta9, A Novel A4 Mycobacterium Phage, Sarah Schrader

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Bacteriophages are the most abundant biological entities on earth, yet relatively few have been characterized. In this project, a novel bacteriophage was isolated from the environment, characterized, and compared with others in the databases. Mycobacterium smegmatis, a harmless soil bacterium, served as the host and facilitated the enrichment and recovery of mycobacteriophages. A single phage type was purified to homogeneity and named TiroTheta9 (TT9). Electron microscopy revealed that the phage particles have icosahedral heads 58 ± 2 nm in diameter and tails 174 ± 5 nm in length. The TT9 genomic DNA was purified and sequenced using 454 pyrosequencing …

Hepatitis E Seroprevalence Study In Canis Lupis Familiaris And Associations To Human Owners, Smith County, Texas, Andrea Grzybowski

Health and Kinesiology Theses

Sporadic, acute Hepatitis E is emerging more frequently in humans in the developed world, including Texas, and may be more abundant than we realize. One US human seroprevalence survey found HEV IgG rates of 21%. Many theorize a zoonotic nature of transmission; antibodies have been detected in a wide range of mammals. A recent study found 40% HEV prevalence in laboratory rabbits. Currently the USDA and CDC place suspicion on feral pigs. But studies in Asia have found HEV in up to 23% of domestic canines so what about man's best friend as a vector of transmission? A seroprevalence study …

Murine Neonates Infected With Yersinia Enterocolitica Develop Rapid And Robust Pro-Inflammatory Responses In The Intestinal Lymphoid Tissues, David Travis Siefker

Open Access Dissertations

It is becoming increasingly apparent that neonates are not immune-compromised, but rather immune-variant. We have described a neonatal model of Yersinia enterocolitica infection in which protective inflammation occurs at the level of the mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN). The expression of pro-inflammatory, but not anti-inflammatory, cytokine genes was markedly induced in the neonatal MLN early after infection. Strikingly, the expression levels in neonates greatly exceeded those seen in infected adults. Elevated pro-inflammatory gene expression was quickly followed by enhanced innate phagocyte recruitment to the MLN of neonates, compared to adults. Neither CD4+ nor B cells were required for inflammation in the …

A Look At What Are The Best Practices For Infant And Toddler Care, Tara Greaney

Graduate Student Independent Studies

The first part of this project looks at what qualifications and trainings are currently required to be an infant/toddler caregiver in New York City. This is followed by a literature review of the professional development training program's best practices for infant/toddler care in five states. Interviews with seasoned directors of infant/toddler programs and surveys are also included.

A Case Study Of "The Shelter Program For Families In Temporary Housing" At The Children's Museum Of Manhattan, Leah Taradash

Graduate Student Independent Studies

The purpose of this study was to examine the benefits of museum outreach programs, specifically the ways in which such programs contribute to the social, physical, and language development of children. Findings revealed how a museum's commitment to reach out to families in underserved populations positively affects the developmental needs of children, which may be lacking in their current living situation.

The Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Exoenzyme Y Impairs Endothelial Cell Proliferation And Vascular Repair Following Lung Injury, Trevor C. Stevens, Cristhiaan D. Ochoa, K. Adam Morrow, Matthew J. Robson, Nutan Prasain, Chun Zhou, Diego F. Alvarez, Dara W. Frank, Ron Balczon, Troy Stevens

University Faculty and Staff Publications

Exoenzyme Y (ExoY) is a Pseudomonas aeruginosa toxin that is introduced into host cells through the type 3 secretion system (T3SS). Once inside the host cell cytoplasm, ExoY generates cyclic nucleotides that cause tau phosphorylation and microtubule breakdown. Microtubule breakdown causes interendothelial cell gap formation and tissue edema. Although ExoY transiently induces interendothelial cell gap formation, it remains unclear whether ExoY prevents repair of the endothelial cell barrier. Here, we test the hypothesis that ExoY intoxication impairs recovery of the endothelial cell barrier following gap formation, decreasing migration, proliferation, and lung repair. Pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVECs) were infected with …

Can Community Water Projects Combat Child Diarrhea? Results From The Solomon Islands, Thomas G. Sackman

Master's Theses

There is a vast amount of existing literature that has empirically scrutinized whether or not community water projects have the ability to mitigate diarrheal disease. A strong and persistent belief thinks that community water projects do have the means, however, over the decades empirical work commonly finds this to simply not be true. This study expands the research question to the Solomon Islands. The research tests the hypothesis using a differences-in-differences identification strategy by utilizing the government’s staggered timing rollout of community water subprojects with whether or not a village received a community water subproject to test for a program …

Projected Future Distributions Of Vectors Of Trypanosoma Cruzi In North America Under Climate Change Scenarios, Miroslava Garza, Teresa Patricia Feria-Arroyo, Edgar A. Casillas, Victor Sanchez-Cordero, Chissa-Louise Rivaldi, Sahotra Sarkar

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Background

Chagas disease kills approximately 45 thousand people annually and affects 10 million people in Latin America and the southern United States. The parasite that causes the disease, Trypanosoma cruzi, can be transmitted by insects of the family Reduviidae, subfamily Triatominae. Any study that attempts to evaluate risk for Chagas disease must focus on the ecology and biogeography of these vectors. Expected distributional shifts of vector species due to climate change are likely to alter spatial patterns of risk of Chagas disease, presumably through northward expansion of high risk areas in North America.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We forecast the future …

Use Of Cholera Toxin B As A Vaccine Adjuvant Activates Antigen Presenting Cells And Stimulates Production Of Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines, Heather C. Romlein

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Francisella tularensis is an intracellular pathogen that has been classified as a category “A” bioterrorism agent by the Centers For Disease Control. To date, there is no approved vaccine to provide protection against this pathogen. Previous in vivo studies with mice have shown that a mucosally targeted vaccine preparation of inactivated F. tularensis (iFt) adjuvanted with Cholera toxin “B” (CTB), successfully granted full protection against a less virulent strain (FT LVS) of the bacterium and provided partial protection against a more virulent strain (SchuS4). However, the mechanisms of this protection are not fully understood. In this …

An Hsi Fact Sheet: The Environmental, Public Health, And Social Impacts Of Pig Factory Farming, Humane Society International

HSI FACT SHEETS

Since the mid-20th century, small, extensive farms have given way to massive, commercial pig production facilities. In 2009, more than 1.3 billion pigs were raised and slaughtered globally. Between 1980 and 2000, though world pork production nearly doubled, there was a decrease in the total number of farms. Large industrial farm animal production facilities, or factory farms, that often confine thousands of pigs indoors, are becoming more widespread throughout the world, particularly in developing countries. Factory farms are now responsible for more than half of all global pork production.

A significant implication of the shift toward factory farms has been …