Digital Commons Network^™

Preventing Thymus Involution In K5.Cyclin D1 Transgenic Mice Sustains The Naïve T Cell Compartment With Age, Michelle L. Bolner

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

The thymus maintains T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire diversity through perpetual release of self-MHC restricted naive T cells. However, thymus involution during the aging process reduces naïve T cell output, leading to defective immune responsiveness to newly encountered antigens. We have found that early thymus involution precipitates the age-associated shift favoring memory T cell dominancy in young control mice. Furthermore, we have shown that age-related thymus involution is prevented in mice expressing a keratin 5 promoter-driven Cyclin D1 (K5.D1) transgene in thymic epithelial cells (TECs). Thymopoiesis occurs normally in K5.D1 transgenic thymi and sustains T cell output to prevent the …

Examination Of The Chagas Disease Vector, Triatoma Gerstackeri, In The Lower Rio Grande Valley, Alfredo Flores

Theses and Dissertations

Chagas disease is caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which is carried by an insect vector of the family Reduviidae, and of the subfamily Triatomina. The species Triatoma gerstaeckeri is identified as the primary vector of T. cruzi within the Rio Grande Valley. Species of Triatoma gerstaeckeri were trapped in La Sal del Rey National Refuge in 2012 and 2013.

Data indicates a seasonal dispersal pattern of activity for T. gerstaeckeri. Optimal time of capture was between 1-2 hours after sunset. Different methods were utilized to determine the best combination of lures. Results indicate that the UV-light alone is …

The Neurobiology Of Circadian Rhythms, Patricia J. Sollars, Gary E. Pickard

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Daily rhythms in nature, such as the opening and closing of flowers or our patterns of sleep and wakefulness and their association with the perpetual alteration of night and day, were recognized in antiquity although their origins were not questioned until the eighteenth century. The French Astronomer Jean-Jacques d’Ortous de Mairan conducted an investigation into whether the leaves of the Mimosa plant opened in response to light.¹ While de Mairan’s experiments were the first to question the origin of such daily rhythms, Augustin Pyramus de Candolle is credited with the first suggestion that they arose through an internal timekeeping …

A Synthetic Porcine Reproductive And Respiratory Syndrome Virus Strain Confers Unprecedented Levels Of Heterologous Protection, Hiep Vu, Fangrui Ma, William W. Laegreid, Asit K. Pattnaik, David Steffen, Alan R. Doster, Fernando Osorio

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Current vaccines do not provide sufficient levels of protection against divergent porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) strains circulating in the field, mainly due to the substantial variation of the viral genome. We describe here a novel approach to generate a PRRSV vaccine candidate that could confer unprecedented levels of heterologous protection against divergent PRRSV isolates. By using a set of 59 nonredundant, full-genome sequences of type 2 PRRSVs, a consensus genome (designated PRRSV-CON) was generated by aligning these 59 PRRSV full-genome sequences, followed by selecting the most common nucleotide found at each position of the alignment. Next, the …

Measles Vaccination Has Saved An Estimated 17.1 Million Lives Since 2000

Saudi Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

The Neurochemistry Of Group Singing: Bonding And Oxytocin, Jason Keeler

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the neurochemical correlates of group vocal improvisation and to determine the feasibility of the research methods. One group of four participants sang together in two conditions: pre-composed and improvised. Concentrations of plasma oxytocin and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) were measured before and after each singing condition to assess levels of hormones associated with social affiliation, engagement and arousal. Successful implementation of the methodology, including recruitment, data collection, and sample analysis, served as the primary outcome of this study. ACTH concentrations decreased in both conditions, and significantly so in the pre-composed singing condition. Mean …

Bioarchaeological Analysis Of Oak View Landing (40dr1): An Archaic Population In The Kentucky Lake Reservior, Katy D. Grant-Mclemore

Master's Theses

The biocultural examination of the Archaic population recovered at Oak View Landing (40DR1) investigates the lifeways and adaptations of prehistoric people as they reflect sociopolitical and subsistence strategies.

A comprehensive bioarchaeological analysis was conducted on the adult individuals (18 males, 16 females, 16 of indeterminate sex) excavated from a multiple occupation site located along the Tennessee River in Decatur County, Tennessee. Skeletal indicators used to understand biocultural phenomena were assessed macroscopically on cranial and postcranial elements. Furthermore, mortuary data, for adults and subadults, were used to determine any patterns of preferential treatment at death.

Results from this study indicate that …

Paleopathology At The Shady Grove Site (22qu525): A Study Of Health In The Upper Yazoo Basin During The Middle Mississippian Period, Christopher Brady Davis

Master's Theses

The Mississippian Period (AD 1000-1539) is characterized by increasingly sedentary populations, mound building, ranked societies, and intensified agriculture. As agriculture spread throughout the Eastern Woodlands, it led to widespread health consequences, including poor nutrition and increased levels of infection. Also, environmental shifts during the Mississippian Period (AD 1000-1539) caused drier conditions, potentially leading to crop failures further exacerbating nutritional problems.

This thesis focuses on the health of the Shady Grove site in the Upper Yazoo Basin, a Middle to Late Mississippian medium sized mound center where an ossuary containing up to 100 individuals was excavated in 2010. Focusing only on …

Understanding Chytridiomycosis Resistance By Investigating The Cutaneous Defense Mechanisms Of Marsupial Frogs, David Burkart

Theses

Anurans are declining worldwide because of the spread of Batachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), the fungus that causes chytridiomycosis. However, some frogs are resistant to this disease, and understanding why may be critical to saving those that are susceptible. In Peru, Gastrotheca excubitor is resistant to chytridiomycosis while Gastrotheca nebulanastes is susceptible. Two anuran skin defenses, symbiotic bacteria and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), have demonstrated the ability to inhibit Bd in vitro when isolated from certain frogs. We tested if these defenses can explain the difference in susceptibility between the two Gastrotheca species. The cutaneous bacteria and AMPs of both species were collected, …

Role Of Stat3 In Human Nk Cell Functions, Prasad V. Phatarpekar

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Natural Killer (NK) cells are cytotoxic lymphocytes, which play a critical role in the immune response against malignant cells and microbial infections. NK cells are equipped with activating receptors, which upon detecting ligands expressed on stressed cells induce cytolytic activity of NK cells. Stimulation of NK cell proliferation and priming of NK cytolytic capability are accomplished by cytokines, which mediate their signals mainly through JAK-STAT signaling pathway. Previously, we found that K562 cells genetically modified to express membrane bound IL-21 (mbIL-21), which predominantly activates STAT3, induce robust expansion and activation of human NK cells. Further investigations revealed role of STAT3 …

Determining The Mechanisms Generating Soluble Il-15 Complexes, Scott Anthony

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

A diverse assortment of infectious pathogens and TLR agonists enhance the expression of Interleukin (IL)-15. Additionally, inducing lymphopenia enhances anti-tumor responses in an IL-15-dependent manner. Paradoxically, despite the limited expression of IL-15 during homeostasis, the role of IL-15 during the steady state is well-known, while its roles during inflammation and infections remain largely undefined. IL-15 uses a unique method of production and presentation to support the development and homeostasis of NK and CD8 T cells. IL-15 is produced with its high affinity IL-15Rα and this IL-15Rα/IL-15 complex is shuttled to the cell surface where it is presented in-trans or cleaved …

Defining The Molecular Networks Necessary For Thymus Fate And Organogenesis, Kaitlin A. Reeh

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

The thymus and parathyroid (PT) glands originate from endodermal progenitors in the bilateral third pharyngeal pouches (3^rd pps). By E11.5 during mouse development, cells committed to the thymus lineage express Foxn1 whereas PT-fated cells express Gcm2. While these transcription factors are required for organ-specific differentiation, the exact molecular mechanisms that specify endodermal progenitors to either the thymus or parathyroid lineage are not well defined. Tbx1 is initially expressed throughout the 3^rd pp endoderm, as it is required for segmentation of the pharyngeal apparatus, but is downregulated in the thymus-fated domain by E10.5. Despite the widely held notion …

A Lipidomics Approach To The Viral–Host Dynamics Of The Unicellular, Eukaryotic Alga Chlorella Variabilis And Its Viral Pathogen, Pbcv-1, Suzanne L. Rose

School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This thesis focuses on the sterol and sphingolipid composition in the unicellular, green alga Chlorella variabilis and the lipidomic changes that occur during viral infection. Using lipid analysis by mass spectrometry, we have identified the major sterol, ergosterol and sphingolipid, glucosyl inositol phosphoceramide (GIPC) as constituents of C. variabilis cell membranes. Sterols and sphingolipids have essential biological functions such as hormone-based signaling, plant defense, and apoptosis as well as critical roles in structural components of the cell and organelle membranes. In chapters two and three, we focus on the characterization of sterol composition among both freshwater and marine alga …

A Physiologically-Based Pharmacokinetic Model For Vancomycin, Rebekah White

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Vancomycin is an antibiotic used for the treatment of systemic infections. It is given

intravenously usually every twelve or twenty-four hours. This particular drug has a

medium level of boundedness, with approximately fty percent of the drug being free

and thus physiologically eective. A physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK)

model was used to better understand the absorption, distribution, and elimination of

the drug. Using optimal parameters, the model could be used in the future to test

how various factors, such as BMI or excretion levels, might aect the concentration

of the antibiotic.

Are Pre-School Girls More Likely To Be Under-Nourished In Rural Thatta, Pakistan?-A Cross-Sectional Study., Rozina Nuruddin, Wilbur C. Hadden

Community Health Sciences

BACKGROUND:

Pakistan ranks third lowest on a global gender index (2013) and 13(th) highest on the prevalence of underweight among under-five children (2010). Through this population-based study, we examined gender differentials in the prevalence of stunting, wasting and under-weight defined by World Health Organization (WHO) Growth Standard among rural pre-school Pakistani children.

METHODS:

We performed secondary analysis of data collected through a cross-sectional survey of Thatta district during 1992-93. Prevalence ratios were calculated for 1051 children aged 0-35 months from 95 randomly selected villages of rural Pakistan using a clustered adjusted log binomial model. Level 1 variables included child and …

Predicting Invasive Range Of Eucalyptus Globulus In California, Anthony J. Lopez

Master's Theses

Eucalyptus globulus is the subject of intense debate in California. Its invasive potential, aggressive growth, reproductive biology, and association with fire make the prediction of spread important in California. Two modeling simulations, Climex and Maxent, will illustrate the distribution and potential growth range of E. globulus in California based on climate and presence. Modeling the potential range of growth will predict invasive spread. The anticipated result is the continued spread of E. globulus in coastal regions with adequate moisture and suitable climate. Predicting the range of E. globulus in California dictates management strategy and is key for preventing further introduction, …

Reinventing The Medical Request Process In A Correctional Healthcare Setting, Leah Murphy

Master's Projects and Capstones

This project was developed as part of a Clinical Nurse Leader course of study with the goal of gathering and evaluating microsystem data, and the creation and implementation of a process improvement project. The project was conducted in a correctional setting which houses male and female detainees with a wide variety of medical needs. The project addressed long wait times for detainees who have submitted a request for services from the medical department. The goal of this project was to reduce wait times for medical requests, and provide service for a greater number of patients. This project is needed because …

Patient-Driven Vs. Evidence-Centric Decision Models In The Treatment Of Hemophilia, Christopher C. Lamb

Student Scholarship

Physicians treating hemophilia face difficult decisions related to complex bleeding disorders. To understand how physicians in the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK) make critical, life-saving decisions, a qualitative study was performed involving a series of interviews with treatment experts from each country. A total of twenty-four (24) physicians from the US and the UK were asked about their experiences treating hemophilia and how they made certain decisions. American physicians tend to be patient-centric; they are more influenced by a patient's specific preferences and unique, individual conditions. British physicians are more evidence-centric where they approach the patient based …

Plant Toxins Influence Diet Selection And Intestinal Parasites In A Specialist Herbivore, Marcella Rene Fremgen

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Herbivores select plants and patches that generally maximize nutrient intake and minimize intake of plant secondary metabolites (PSMs). Protein is important for growth, reproduction and maintenance, but maximizing intake of protein is often limited by concentrations of PSMs that are potentially toxic to herbivores and energetically expensive to process. However, the consequences of ingesting PSM are often dose-dependent. At high doses, PSMs generally have negative physiological effects and are avoided, but some PSMs can be therapeutic against parasites at low doses and could therefore be selected. We used Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus, hereafter, sage-grouse) to test how PSMs influence …

Investigations Into The Cross-Infectivity Of Nematode Parasites Of Cattle And Sheep, Eva Marie Wray

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The existence of anthelmintic resistance is not singular in parasite species, host species or geographic region. It has become a problem of worldly stature, especially when considering sheep nematodes. Recommendations have been modified from chemical-based control to multipart, managerial intervention. Compared with nematodes of cattle, the worldwide resistance of sheep nematodes to anthelmintic remedies is much more pronounced and urgent. As the resistance to essentially all anthelmintic classes approaches a cautionary level, the implementation of non-chemical controls has grown increasingly essential. Six-6 to 8 month old Holstein steer calves, six-5 month old Katahdin ram lambs and eight-5 month old Suffolk …

Systematic Review Of The Global Epidemiology, Clinical And Laboratory Profile Of Enteric Fever, Asma Azmatullah, Farah Naz Qamar, Durrane Thaver, Anita Km Zaidi, Zulfiqar A. Bhutta

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: Children suffer the highest burden of enteric fever among populations in South Asian countries. The clinical features are non-specific, vary in populations, and are often difficult to distinguish clinically from other febrile illnesses, leading to delayed or inappropriate diagnosis and treatment. We undertook a systematic review to assess the clinical profile and laboratory features of enteric fever across age groups, economic regions, level of care and antibiotic susceptibility patterns.
Methods: We searched PubMed (January 1964-December 2013) for studies describing clinical features in defined cohorts of patients over varying time periods. Studies with all culture-confirmed cases or those with at …

Efficacy Of Galactooliosaccharide (Gos) And/Or Rhamnose-Based Synbiotics In Enhancing Ecological Performance Of Lactobacillus Reuteri In The Human Gut And Characterization Of Its Gos Metabolic System, Monchaya Rattanaprasert

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Probiotic L. reuteri has potential to produce antimicrobial compounds and secrete immunosuppressive factors. These metabolic attributes could benefit the human host by providing colonization resistance (competitive and metabolic exclusion) against enteropathogens and mitigating inflammation. As metabolically active cells are fundamental to such probiotic properties, synbiotic approaches that supply L. reuteri with a source(s) of carbon, energy, and/or external electron acceptor for cell growth in the gut environment could therefore prompt the probiotic to engage in beneficial activities. In this study, the efficacy of GOS and/or rhamnose-based synbiotic approaches in promoting colonization persistence and metabolic activity of L. reuteri was evaluated. …

Environmental Impacts And Carry-Over Effects In Complex Life Cycles: The Role Of Different Life History Stages, Nnaemeka F. Ezeakacha

Dissertations

A challenge faced by organisms with complex life cycles is how environmental factors experienced at an earlier life stage affect the fitness at that stage or are carried over to subsequent life stages. I used container-inhabiting mosquitoes: Aedes albopictus, Aedes aegypti, Aedes triseriatus and Culex quinquefasciatus to study the interactions and performance of life history stages under specific environmental factors. I investigated the effects of egg-desiccation tolerance on egg viability and larval performance in the Aedes mosquitoes. I found increase in egg hatch rate with relative humidity and interaction between relative humidity and egg storage period. Larval performance …

Intrastate And Interstate Travel Requirements For Horses, Karl Hoopes, Barry Pittman, Cody James

All Current Publications

This fact sheet describes the requirements for transporting horses within Utah and to other states.

Vaccine Access And Affordability In A Coordinated Market Under Stochastic Reservation Prices, Galo Mosquera

Theses

Ensuring vaccine affordability and accessibility are major challenges for the fulfillment of the immunization goals of the Global Vaccine Action Plan for the decade 2011 – 2020. Four of the five immunization goals in this plan are currently delayed because of limitations in vaccine affordability. The use of combination vaccines can help to make vaccines more accessible as long as their pricing becomes more affordable. Procurement mechanisms, such as tiered pricing and pooled procurement, have generally been used for reducing the cost of vaccine purchases, but they have not been used to ensure overall market affordability. This study extends the …

Banning The Handshake From Healthcare Settings Is Not The Solution To Poor Hand Hygiene, Herbert L Fred

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

No abstract provided.

Girls In Emergencies Collaborative—Catalyzing Action-Learning: Meeting Summary, Girls In Emergencies Collaborative

Adolescents and Young People

Brief report prepared by the members of the Girls in Emergencies Collaborative: International Rescue Committee; Mercy Corps; Human Rights Program, Arnold Institute of Global Health at Mount Sinai; Plan USA; the Population Council; and the Women’s Refugee Commission.

Systematic Approach To Food Safety Education On The Farm, Angela Shaw, Catherine Strohbelhn, Linda Naeve, Paul Domoto, Lester A. Wilson

Journal of Extension

Food safety education from farm to end user is essential in the mitigation of food safety concerns associated with fresh produce. Iowa State University developed a multi-disciplinary three-level sequential program ("Know," "Show," "Go") to provide a holistic approach to food safety education. This program provides knowledge on GAP (Know); guides development and documentation of food safety practices (Show); and aids in grower's readiness for third party auditing (Go). Evaluations suggest this program is effective in changing long term food safety knowledge, attitude, and behaviors. The multi-disciplinary sequential approach can be used by other Extension programs to reach.

Zoonotic Diseases—Fostering Awareness In Critical Audiences, David C. Van Metre, Paul S. Morely

Journal of Extension

Zoonotic diseases are infectious diseases that are shared between humans and other vertebrate animals. Extension professionals often serve as consultants and educators to individuals at high risk of zoonotic diseases, such as participants in 4-H livestock projects. Effective education about zoonotic diseases begins with an awareness of the multitude of challenges that health care professionals face in diagnosing zoonotic disease. This review describes the factors that influence diagnosis of these diseases, as well as potential methods that the Extension professional can use to convert those challenges into effective educational messages.

Berry Exotic: Alternative Therapies, Marissa Willimann

University Honors Program

Exotic berries are beginning to be investigated for their preventative properties such as antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, and hypocholesterolaemic levels. Berries consisting of these factors have been shown to reduce the risk for cardiovascular complications, acute or chronic diseases and other metabolic disease processes. These natural remedies are used to create a more holistic approach to medicine. The question raised is if the natural antioxidants and antiinflammatory properties that acaí, maqui, and blackthorn berries produce are more effective, less effective, or have no effect compared to medications that can be used. Research shows that reduction of glucose, total cholesterol and low density …