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An Hsi Fact Sheet: Avian Influenza In India, Humane Society International

HSI FACT SHEETS

Avian influenza (AI), commonly known as bird flu, typically causes little or no harm to its wild waterfowl hosts. In 2003-2004, however, nine Asian countries reported unprecedented outbreaks of high-mortality AI in domestic poultry. This viral lineage, subtype H5N1, has spread to over 60 countries, and is considered endemic in at least four.

In India, H5N1 outbreaks were first recorded in 2006, and have continued each year since, reaching a total of 86 by 2012. Millions of India’s chickens and ducks have been culled in efforts to contain and eliminate the virus. India has declared itself free of AI a …

An Hsi Fact Sheet: Biosecurity Challenges Of Industrial Farm Animal Production, Humane Society International

HSI FACT SHEETS

Industrial farm animal production (IFAP) has become increasingly common throughout the world. Worldwide, industrial systems now account for approximately two-thirds of poultry meat production and half of egg and pig meat production, with developing countries already producing approximately half of the world’s industrial pork and poultry by 2006.

Inherent design and operational requirements of IFAP facilities can create biosecurity problems with both bioexclusion and biocontainment—efforts to prevent the respective influx and efflux of pathogens. These may help explain why large commercial flocks may be up to 10,000 times more likely to report outbreaks with pathogens such as highly pathogenic avian …

The Use Of Nanotrap Particles Technology In Capturing Hiv-1 Virions And Viral Proteins From Infected Cells, Elizabeth Jaworski, Mohammed Saifuddin, Gavin C. Sampey, Nazly Shafagati, Rachel Van Duyne, Sergey N. Iordanskiy, Kylene Kehn-Hall, Lance Liotta, Emanuel F. Petricoin Iii, Mary Young, Benjamin Lepene

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications

HIV-1 infection results in a chronic but incurable illness since long-term HAART can keep the virus to an undetectable level. However, discontinuation of therapy rapidly increases viral burden. Moreover, patients under HAART frequently develop various metabolic disorders and HIV-associated neuronal disease. Today, the main challenge of HIV-1 research is the elimination of the residual virus in infected individuals. The current HIV-1 diagnostics are largely comprised of serological and nucleic acid based technologies. Our goal is to integrate the nanotrap technology into a standard research tool that will allow sensitive detection of HIV-1 infection. This study demonstrates that majority of HIV-1 …

White-Nose Syndrome Fungus: A Generalist Pathogen Of Hibernating Bats, Jan Zukal, Hana Bandouchova, Tomas Bartonicka, Hana Berkova, Virgil Brack, Jiri Brichta, Matej Dolinay, Kamil S. Jaron, Veronika Kovacova, Miroslav Kovarik, Natália Martínková, Karel Ondracek, Zdenek Rehak, Gregory G. Turner, Jiri Pikula

KIP Articles

No abstract provided.

University Of Texas Southwestern Medical Center V. Nassar: Undermining The National Policy Against Discrimination, Matthew A. Krimski

Maryland Law Review Online

No abstract provided.

Medical School Watercooler Newsletter - May 11, 2014, Lindsey Lyle

Watercooler Newsletter

This is the May 11, 2014 edition of the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine's newsletter - Watercooler.

Contents Include:

• Journal of Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society Features Art of USA Physician's Son
• COM Training Program Begins Third Cycle of Funding from National Heart, Lung, Blood Institute
• May Med School Café - 'Your Brain is What You Feed It: Effects of Nutrition on the Brain'
• Medical School Graduates Participate in Honors Convocation Ceremony

Doctor Of Medicine Commencement: May 10, 2014, University Of North Dakota

UND Commencement Programs

Doctor of Medicine Commencement program from May 10, 2014.

2014 May 10-11

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Vegetarian Meal Consumption And The Influence On College Success And Health, Sarah Marie Jochem

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Studies reveal there are many health benefits to following a vegetarian diet such as lower body mass index (BMI) compared to non-vegetarians, and lowered risk for obesity, coronary heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between consuming vegetarian meals and the academic success and health status of college students. All undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at James Madison University during the Fall 2013 semester were contacted to participate in an online questionnaire. Seven hundred and twenty eight students enrolled during the 2013-2014 school year participated in the online questionnaire. In comparison to …

Role Of Interleukin-3 In Blood-Stage Malaria Infection Caused By Plasmodium Berghei Anka, Abdalla Sheikh

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Malaria is a blood-borne disease caused by protozoans of the genus Plasmodium. Currently, 300-500 million cases are reported each year and 1.3 million deaths occur world-wide, with the majority taking place in developing nations. Four major species of Plasmodium cause disease in humans, the most wide-spread of them being Plasmodium falciparum. Typical symptoms of malaria include fever, lethargy, splenomegaly, and anemia, and in severe cases, neurological symptoms may arise. Interleukin-3 (IL-3), a cytokine released primarily by activated T-cells and mast cells, is known for its hematopoietic growth functions. It has also been shown to play a protective role in nematode …

The Role Of Lipocalin 2 In Early Stage Colon Cancer Metastasis To The Liver, Fides Elamparo

Senior Theses

Metastasis, frequently from the colon to the liver, is the major cause of death with colorectal cancer, reducing the five-year survival to less than 6%. Metastasis occurs due to productive collaborations between tumor cells and host-derived cells in the tumor microenvironment, where a pre-metastatic niche is created to prime for cancer cell invasion into the target organ. In a highly metastatic colorectal cancer cell line implanted into the cecum of Balb/c mice, microarray analysis showed lipocalin 2 (Lcn2) is one of the most highly expressed proteins in the liver of tumor-bearing mice prior to metastasis.

When RT-PCR was performed, greater …

2014-2015 A&S Signed Budget Bill, Abdool Aziz

Legislative Branch Publications

No abstract provided.

Needs Assessment Of Child Malnutrition In Bolivia, Eloisa Michelle Amaya Sandoval

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

The World Health Organization reports that severe acute malnutrition, one of the leading causes of death in the developing world, is not stressed enough on the international agenda, and few countries, have specific comprehensive policies to address it (World Health Organization [WHO], 2007). According to the Central Intelligence Agency (2013), Bolivia, is affected by severe acute malnutrition and is classified as the poorest nation in South America. La Paz, the seat of government, faces poverty, malnutrition, poor sanitation, and poor access to healthcare for impoverished people. The USA non-profit organization Child Family Health International (CFHI) in La Paz, has created …

Immunodiagnostic Analysis Of Lacritin In Human Breast Milk, Veronica Christine Vassilev

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Purpose: Human breast milk and tears share a number of common proteins including lysozyme, lactoferrin, albumin, secretory immunoglobulins, and mucins. Human breast milk has been used as self-medication for conjunctivitis and has been recently reported to improve corneal healing in an animal model system. Lacritin is prosecretory, mitogenic and when cleaved, antimicrobial. Topical application promotes sustained basal tearing in rabbits. This study aims to determine if lacritin can be detected in human breast milk. Methods: Milk fat from human breast milk was removed by centrifugation and samples were subjected to DEAE and Hydrophobic Interaction Chromatography (HIC) to separate proteins in …

Household Reporting Of Childhood Respiratory Health And Air Pollution In Rural Alaska Native Communities, Desirae N. Ware, Johnnye Lewis, Scarlett Hopkins, Bert Boyer, Luke Montrose, Curis W. Noonan, Erin O. Semmens, Tony J. Ward

Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Background. Air pollution is an important contributor to respiratory disease in children.

Objective. To examine associations between household reporting of childhood respiratory conditions and household characteristics related to air pollution in Alaska Native communities.

Design. In-home surveys were administered in 2 rural regions of Alaska. The 12-month prevalence of respiratory conditions was summarized by region and age. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated to describe associations between respiratory health and household and air quality characteristics.

Results. Household-reported respiratory health data were collected for 561 children in 328 households. In 1 region, 33.6% of children aged/or bronchitis. Children with these conditions …

Exploration Of Genomic Determinants For Host Range In Phages Of Pathogenic And Non-Pathogenic Mycobacteria, Anisa Christine Tracy

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The genus Mycobacterium is diverse, ranging from slow-growing human pathogens such as M. tuberculosis to fast-growing saprophytes such as M. smegmatis. M. ulcerans is the causative agent of the neglected disease known as Buruli ulcer, an emerging pathogen first described in Buruli County, Uganda. Antibiotic resistance among Mycobacterial pathogens is growing at an alarming rate and is creating an urgent need for novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Elucidating the details of virus/host interactions among the mycobacteria and their phages thus has the potential to affect how we think about the role of these bacteria in both clinical and environmental settings. …

Producing Population Health: Collective Action Requires Infrastructure, Incentives & Evidence, Glen P. Mays

Health Management and Policy Presentations

Population health improvement strategies are collective action problems that require targeted infrastructure, incentives, and information to succeed. Research on collective action problems and solutions in public health and other spheres of practice offer insight for the successful scale and spread of population health innovations.

Interleukin-3-Deficient Mice Have Increased Resistance To Blood-Stage Malaria, Sarah Rebekah Auclair

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The contribution of interleukin-3 (IL-3), a hematopoietic growth factor and immunoregulatory cytokine, to resistance to blood-stage malaria was investigated by infecting IL-3-deficient (knockout [KO]) mice with Plasmodium berghei NK65. The results show that endogenous IL-3 significantly alters the susceptibility of BALB/c mice to P. berghei NK65 infection as reflected by measures of survival, anemia, parasitemia, and splenomegaly. Male IL-3 KO mice, but not female mice, were more resistant to infection than wild-type (WT) mice, as evidenced by lower peak parasitemia and prolonged survival. Both male and female IL-3 KO mice had increased splenomegaly and were more anemic than corresponding WT …

Curricular Affairs Committee Report #515, University Of Rhode Island Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Committee Reports and Appendices

No abstract provided.

Growing Roots: Gardening As A Means To Mitigate Urban Poverty And Its Symptoms, Maeve Bassett

2014 Student Theses

Urban gardening has become a very popular trend in the last few years in both affluent neighborhoods as a form of relaxation and in impoverished areas as a form of hunger relief. In impoverished areas, urban gardens are usually exclusively advertised as a solution to limited food access; however, there is a naïve belief that these gardens are effective forms of mass food production. Presently, these gardens are not productive enough to globally effect food production and the environment. However, to the communities surrounding the gardens, the effects are immense. Urban gardens are cheap and effective solutions for many of …

Volume 51, Number 38: May 07, 2014, University Of North Dakota

University Letter Archive

No abstract provided.

Mortality Risk And Survival In The Aftermath Of The Medieval Black Death, Sharon Dewitte

Faculty Publications

The medieval Black Death (c. 1347-1351) was one of the most devastating epidemics in human history. It killed tens of millions of Europeans, and recent analyses have shown that the disease targeted elderly adults and individuals who had been previously exposed to physiological stressors. Following the epidemic, there were improvements in standards of living, particularly in dietary quality for all socioeconomic strata. This study investigates whether the combination of the selective mortality of the Black Death and post-epidemic improvements in standards of living had detectable effects on survival and mortality in London. Samples are drawn from several pre- and post-Black …

The Dimerization Domain In Dape Enzymes Is Required For Catalysis, Boguslaw Nocek, Anna Starus, Magdalena Makowska-Grzyska, Blanca Gutierrez, Stephen Sanchez, Robert Jedrzejczak, Jamey C. Mack, Kenneth W. Olsen, Andzrej Joachimiak, Richard C. Holz

Chemistry Faculty Research and Publications

The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains underscores the importance of identifying new drug targets and developing new antimicrobial compounds. Lysine and meso-diaminopimelic acid are essential for protein production and bacterial peptidoglycan cell wall remodeling and are synthesized in bacteria by enzymes encoded within dap operon. Therefore dap enzymes may serve as excellent targets for developing a new class of antimicrobial agents. The dapE-encoded N-succinyl-L,L-diaminopimelic acid desuccinylase (DapE) converts N-succinyl-L,L-diaminopimelic acid to L,Ldiaminopimelic acid and succinate. The enzyme is composed of catalytic and dimerization domains, and belongs to the M20 peptidase family. To understand the specific role …

Health-Related Quality Of Life In Children With Biliary Atresia, S.Y. Ong, R.T. Ng, K.M. Khoh, W.S. Lee

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

BACKGROUND: In children with biliary atresia (BA) who did not have surgery or in those who had an unsuccessful surgery, survival beyond three years of age is rare without liver transplantation (LT). Children with BA who had a successful surgery require long term follow up to detect complications associated with chronic liver disease (CLD). OBJECTIVE: We investigated the quality of life (QoL) in children with BA, comparing it with children who have other forms of CLD, and with normal healthy children. DESIGN/METHODS: Children with BA and other CLD, aged between 2 to 18 years old, who were followed up in …

Motivational Interviewing Education For San Mateo County’S Adolescent Healthcare Providers: Focus On Healthy Diet And Physical Activity, Emilie J. Gruhl

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Motivational interviewing has been endorsed by San Mateo County as an evidence-based effective form of behavior change counseling. Eighty percent of pediatric healthcare providers in San Mateo County have been trained in motivational interviewing, however 70% of the providers use it less than 50% of the time. The goal of this project was to reeducate the adolescent providers of San Mateo County in motivational interviewing with an emphasis on individualized training and feedback, directed toward healthy diet and exercise. Results of the quality improvement project showed an average 2.5-point increase in provider confidence on a zero to ten-point scale, and …

Conformationally Stabilized Hiv Envelope Immunogens, Peter Kwong, John Mascola, Gary Nabel, Richard Wyatt, Barna Dey, Ling Xu, Tongqing Zhou, Joseph Sodroski, Wen Yuan, Shi-Hua Xiang

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Isolated immunogens including a HIV-1 gp120 polypeptide or immunogenic fragment thereof stabilized in a CD4 bound confirmation by crosslinked cysteines, and methods of their use are disclosed. The immunogens are useful, for example, for generating an immune response to HIV-1 gp120 in a Subject.

Signal-To-Noise Measurements And Particle Focusing In Liquid-Core Waveguides, Michael A. Olson

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents an analysis of the signal-to-noise ratio in liquid core anti-resonant reflecting optical waveguides (ARROWs) and the application of hydrodynamic focusing to the waveguides. These concepts are presented as a method to improve the detection capabilities of the ARROW platform. The improvements are specifically targeted at achieving single molecule detection (SMD) with the devices. To analyze the SNR of the waveguides a test platform was designed and fabricated. This test platform was then used to examine relationship between the SNR and the location of the excitation region. It was determined that the excitation region should be moved closer …

The Mystery Of Fut2: A Population Genetics Analysis Of The Secretor Gene Using The 1000 Genomes Project, Brienna Herold

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

Because the ability to resist infectious disease has been a constant factor in the survival of humans over the past few millennia, disease resistance has played a crucial role in shaping the genes of the immune system. One of these genes, FUT2, is suggested to have evolved as an adaption reinforcing the immune system, although the specific function of its Lewis b and ABO blood group antigens in body fluids and secretions are still unclear. However, nonfunctional alleles are present in populations worldwide at frequencies higher than expected under neutral evolution. To elucidate the role of FUT2 in the immune …

Basal Nf-Κb Controls Il-7 Responsiveness Of Quiescent Naïve T Cells, Michelle L. Miller, Luqiu Chen, Ping Zhou, Xindong Liu, Monica Michelotti, Nicole Tramontini Gunn, Sarah E. Powers, Xiaoping Zhu, Cesar Evaristo, Maria-Luisa Alegre, Luciana L. Molinero

Biology Department Faculty Articles

T cells are essential for immune defenses against pathogens, such that viability of naïve T cells before antigen encounter is critical to preserve a polyclonal repertoire and prevent immunodeficiencies. The viability of naïve T cells before antigen recognition is ensured by IL-7, which drives expression of the prosurvival factor Bcl-2. Quiescent naïve T cells have low basal activity of the transcription factor NF-κB, which was assumed to have no functional consequences. In contrast to this postulate, our data show that basal nuclear NF-κB activity plays an important role in the transcription of IL-7 receptor α-subunit (CD127), enabling responsiveness of naïve …

A Novel Method For Assessing Medication-Related Adverse Outcomes In A Community Hospital, Christopher M. Patty

Doctoral Projects

The use of medications for hospitalized patients is universal, and unfortunately medication-related adverse outcomes are common. The accurate assessment of medication-related harm in hospitalized patients is foundational to the development of an effective hospital medication safety program. Every hospital has its own unique "fingerprint" of harm, accurate determination of the nature of medication-related harm specific to each hospital is necessary to facilitate prevention of that harm with specific and effective interventions. This project has provided a community hospital with its first systematic methodology for assessing medication-related harm. The methodology is adapted from that used in a recent national-level study.

Several …