Digital Commons Network^™

Characterization Of Hiv Diversity, Phylodynamics And Drug Resistance In Washington, Dc., Marcos Pérez-Losada, Amanda D Castel, Brittany Lewis, Michael Kharfen, Charles P Cartwright, Bruce Huang, Taylor Maxwell, Alan E Greenberg, Keith A Crandall

Epidemiology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Streptococcus Pneumoniae Intracranial Abscess And Post-Infectious Vasculitis, Alexandra Lucas, Ko Ko Maung, Ryan Ratts

Dartmouth Scholarship

Intracranial abscesses are rare complications of Streptococcus pneumoniae infections, and to our knowledge, there have been no case reports of post-infectious vasculitis developing in such patients. Here we describe the case of a 48-year-old post-splenectomy male who developed post-infectious vasculitis following S. pneumoniae otitis media complicated by mastoiditis, osteomyelitis, meningitis, and intracranial abscess. Clinicians ought to be aware of the possible adverse outcomes of invasive S. pneumoniae and the limitations of current treatment options.

Potency And Properties Of Hydrazide Compounds That Inhibit The Growth Of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, Ronald Bartzatt

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Aims: To examine the properties of hydrazide compounds shown to inhibit Mycobacterium tuberculosis. To identify properties that affect efficiency of bacterial inhibition.

Study Design: Utilizing data from previous studies of compounds that inhibit Mycobacterium tuberculosis, then statistical and pattern recognition methods are applied to identify interrelationships.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Chemistry, Durham Science Center, University of Nebraska at Omaha, from January 2016 to July 2016.

Methodology: Interrelationships of pharmacological properties were identified by use of various pattern recognition techniques, such as hierarchical cluster analysis and path analysis. Molecular properties and descriptors for all compounds were …

Malnutrition In Eastern Indonesia: Does Food Access Matter?, Arina Nur Fauziyah

Jurnal Ekonomi Kesehatan Indonesia

Meningkatnya prevalensi kekurangan gizi dan kelebihan berat badan di Indonesia Timur menimbulkan dugaan bahwa keterbatasan akses pangan, baik dari sisi akses ke pasar maupun akses secara ekonomi berpengaruh terhadap beban ganda malnutrisi. Studi ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis pengaruh akses pangan terhadap kekurangan gizi pada balita dan kelebihan berat badan individu dewasa serta kemungkinan terjadinya beban ganda malnutrisi dalam satu rumah tangga di Indonesia Timur. Dengan menggunakan data IFLS East tahun 2012 dan metode estimasi probit serta probit with sample selection, hasil studi menemukan bahwa keterbatasan akses pangan secara ekonomi, dari sisi pendapatan dan harga pangan pokok tidak hanya meningkatkan kemungkinan …

Aria 2016: Care Pathways Implementing Emerging Technologies For Predictive Medicine In Rhinitis And Asthma Across The Life Cycle, J Bousquet, P. W. Hellings, I. Agache, A. Bedbrook, C. Bachert, K. C. Bergmann, M. Bewick, C. Bindslev-Jensen, S. Bosnic-Anticevitch, C. Bucca, D. P. Caimmi, P. A.M. Camargos, G. W. Canonica, T. Casale, N. H. Chavannes, A. A. Cruz, Carlo G De, R. Dahl, P. Demoly, P. Devillier, J. Fonseca, W. J. Fokkens, N. A. Guldemond, T. Haahtela, M. Illario, J. Just, T. Keil, L. Klimek, P. Kuna, D. Larenas-Linnemann

School of Psychology

No abstract provided.

Influence Of Maternal Breast Milk Ingestion On Acquisition Of The Intestinal Microbiome In Preterm Infants, Katherine E Gregory, Buck S Samuel, Pearl Houghteling, Guru Shan, Frederick M Ausubel, Ruslan I Sadreyev, W Allan Walker

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: The initial acquisition and early development of the intestinal microbiome during infancy are important to human health across the lifespan. Mode of birth, antibiotic administration, environment of care, and nutrition have all been shown to play a role in the assembly of the intestinal microbiome during early life. For preterm infants, who are disproportionately at risk of inflammatory intestinal disease (i.e., necrotizing enterocolitis), a unique set of clinical factors influence the establishment of the microbiome. The purpose of this study was to establish the influence of nutritional exposures on the intestinal microbiome in a cohort of preterm infants early …

Antitumor Activity Of 2,9-Di-Sec-Butyl-1,10-Phenanthroline, Dongsheng Wang, Shifang Peng, Arm R. Amin, Mohammad Aminur Rahman, Sreenivas Nannapaneni, Yuan Liu, Dong M. Shin, Nabil F. Saba, Jack F. Eichler, Zhuo G. Chen

Pharmaceutical Science and Research

The anti-tumor effect of a chelating phen-based ligand 2,9-di-sec-butyl-1,10-phenanthroline (dsBPT) and its combination with cisplatin were examined in both lung and head and neck cancer cell lines and xenograft animal models in this study. The effects of this agent on cell cycle and apoptosis were investigated. Protein markers relevant to these mechanisms were also assessed. We found that the inhibitory effect of dsBPT on lung and head and neck cancer cell growth (IC50 ranged between 0.1–0.2 μM) was 10 times greater than that on normal epithelial cells. dsBPT alone induced autophagy, G1 cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis. Our in vivo …

The Replication Initiator Of The Cholera Pathogen’S Second Chromosome Shows Structural Similarity To Plasmid Initiators, Natalia Orlova, Matthew Gerding, Olha Ivashkiv, Paul Dominic B. Olinares, Brian T. Chait, Matthew K. Waldor, David Jeruzalmi

Publications and Research

The conserved DnaA-oriC system is used to initiate replication of primary chromosomes throughout the bacterial kingdom; however, bacteria with multipartite genomes evolved distinct systems to initiate replication of secondary chromosomes. In the cholera pathogen, Vibrio cholerae, and in related species, secondary chromosome replication requires the RctB initiator protein. Here, we show that RctB consists of four domains. The structure of its central two domains resembles that of several plasmid replication initiators. RctB contains at least three DNA binding winged-helix-turn-helix motifs, and mutations within any of these severely compromise biological activity. In the structure, RctB adopts a headto- head dimeric configuration …

The Oral Health Status And Hygiene Of The Dependent Elderly In Muang, Phitsanulok, Thailand, Supaporn Sangouam, Kietsuda Wongsriya, Sawittree Ratanadheeradhorn, Awatsada Channetikit, Awatsada Channetikit

Journal of Dentistry Indonesia

To assess the oral health status and oral hygiene habits of the dependent elderly in Muang Phitsanulok, Thailand. Methods: 70 dependent elderly with an activity of daily living score of 0 - 4 were selected for this study using a convenience sampling technique. Both participants and their caregivers were interviewed and an oral examination was carried out on all subjects. Information regarding demographics, oral health care habits, and oral health status including dental caries, remaining dentition, and occluding pairs of teeth was collected. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics. Results: Results showed that 82.1% of the participants had at …

Using A Novel Partitivirus In Pseudogymnoascus Destructan, Vaskar Thapa, Gregory G. Turner, Susan Hafenstein, Barrie E. Overton, Karen J. Vanderwolf, Marilyn J. Roossinck

KIP Articles

No abstract provided.

Factors Related To Diagnosis Of Community-Acquired Pneumonia In The Elderly, Elza Febria Sari, C. Martin Rumende, Kuntjoro Harimurti

Jurnal Penyakit Dalam Indonesia

Introduction. Diagnosing community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in the elderly remains a clinical challenge for various reasons. The clinical manifestation in the elderly is not frank and atypical manifestations, e.g. falls, decrease of functional status and food intake or urinary incontinence, may be present. These reasons may be associated with under or over diagnosis, which consequently contribute to the higher observed mortality rate in the elderly population with CAP. Study about factors related to diagnosis of CAP in the elderly was ra rely performed.

Methods. From January to October 2010, 158 elderly patients suspected of having pneumonia at RSCM were registered. Relationship …

Phase I Dose-Escalation Trial Of Intravaginal Curcumin In Women For Cervical Dysplasia, Leda Gattoc, Paula M. Frew, Shontell N. Thomas, Kirk A. Easley, Laura Ward, H-H Sherry Chow, Chiemi A. Ura, Lisa Flowers

Environmental & Global Health Faculty Research

Background: This is a Phase I trial demonstrating safety and tolerability of intravaginal curcumin for future use in women with cervical neoplasia. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of intravaginal curcumin in healthy women. Study design: We conducted a 3+3 dose-escalation Phase I trial in a group of women aged 18–45 years. Thirteen subjects were given one of four doses of curcumin powder (500 mg, 1,000 mg, 1,500 mg, and 2,000 mg) packed in gelatin capsules, which was administered intravaginally daily for 14 days. The primary end point for this study was …

3-D Microwell Array System For Culturing Virus Infected Tumor Cells, Umut A. Gurkan

Faculty Scholarship

Cancer cells have been increasingly grown in pharmaceutical research to understand tumorigenesis and develop new therapeutic drugs. Currently, cells are typically grown using two-dimensional (2-D) cell culture approaches, where the native tumor microenvironment is difficult to recapitulate. Thus, one of the main obstacles in oncology is the lack of proper infection models that recount main features present in tumors. In recent years, microtechnology-based platforms have been employed to generate three-dimensional (3-D) models that better mimic the native microenvironment in cell culture. Here, we present an innovative approach to culture Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) infected human B cells in 3-D using …

How To Select Change Agents In Organizations? A Comparison Of The Classical And Network Approaches, Anita Zbieg, Dominik Batorski, Błażej Żak

European Management Studies

The dynamic business environment forces companies to change and adapt constantly. The process can be organized with help of change agents. We develop a simple network approach to spreading information and delivering feedback in organizations. We suggest selecting employees with a role of change agents, focusing on the coverage they can obtain in the network – minimize the number of involved agents and maximize the size of their overall communication area. To explore and pre-verify the proposed approach, we compared and examined several network and classical methods of selection. Data includes networks of collaboration from three medium-sized companies. Agents selected …

Comparative Genomic Analysis Of Two Serotype 1/2b Listeria Monocytogenes Isolates From Analogous Environmental Niches Demonstrates The Influence Of Hypervariable Hotspots In Defining Pathogenesis, Aidan Casey, Kieran Jordan, Aidan Coffey, Edward M. Fox, Olivia Mcauliffe

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

The vast majority of clinical human listeriosis cases are caused by serotype 1/2a, 1/2b, 1/2c, and 4b isolates of Listeria monocytogenes. The ability of L. monocytogenes to establish a systemic listeriosis infection within a host organism relies on a combination of genes that are involved in cell recognition, internalization, evasion of host defenses, and in vitro survival and growth. Recently, whole genome sequencing and comparative genomic analysis have proven to be powerful tools for the identification of these virulence-associated genes in L. monocytogenes. In this study, two serotype 1/2b strains of L. monocytogenes with analogous isolation sources, but …

Predictors Of Patients’ Adherence To Public – Private Mix Dots (Ppmd) Treatment, John Carlo Divina

CNU Journal of Higher Education

This study determines predictors of adherence to PPMD treatment. Grounded on Pender’s health promotion model, the descriptive correlational method is used. Thirty five adherent and 35 non-adherent respondents are chosen through simple random sampling. A validated and reliable researcher-made tool is administered and processed using discriminant analysis of the SPSS version 16. This study finds out that quality of health services (b=0.476, p=0.007) directly influences while income (b=-0.381, p=0.030) and perceived social stigma (b=-0.376, p=0.032) both inversely affect adherence. Patients’ adherence towards PPMD treatment is an interchange of the health care services, social and economic factors.

A Single Dose Of Epidermicin Ni01 Is Sufficient To Eradicate Mrsa From The Nares Of Cotton Rats, Samantha Halliwell, Peter Warn, Abdul Sattar, Jeremy P. Derrick, Mathew Upton

School of Biomedical Sciences

No abstract provided.

Immunogenicity And Protective Efficacy Of The Dar-901 Booster Vaccine In A Murine Model Of Tuberculosis, Timothy Lahey, Dominick Laddy, Krystal Hill, Jacqueline Schaeffer

Dartmouth Scholarship

The development of a novel tuberculosis vaccine is a leading global health priority. SRL172, an inactivated, whole-cell mycobacterial vaccine, was safe, immunogenic and reduced the incidence of culture-confirmed tuberculosis in a phase III trial in HIV-infected and BCG immunized adults in Tanzania. Here we describe the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of DAR-901, a booster vaccine against tuberculosis manufactured from the same seed strain using a new scalable method.

The Vibrio Cholerae Minor Pilin Tcpb Initiates Assembly And Retraction Of The Toxin- Coregulated Pilus, Dixon Ng, Tony Harn, Tuba Altindal, Subramania Kolappan, Jarrad M. Marles, Rajan Lala, Ingrid Spielman, Yang Gao, Caitlyn A. Hauke, Gabriela Kovacikova, Zia Verjee, Ronald K. Taylor, Nicolas Biais, Lisa Craig

Publications and Research

Type IV pilus (T4P) systems are complex molecular machines that polymerize major pilin proteins into thin filaments displayed on bacterial surfaces. Pilus functions require rapid extension and depolymerization of the pilus, powered by the assembly and retraction ATPases, respectively. A set of low abundance minor pilins influences pilus dynamics by unknown mechanisms. The Vibrio cholerae toxin-coregulated pilus (TCP) is among the simplest of the T4P systems, having a single minor pilin TcpB and lacking a retraction ATPase. Here we show that TcpB, like its homolog CofB, initiates pilus assembly. TcpB co-localizes with the pili but at extremely low levels, equivalent …

The Vibrio Cholerae Minor Pilin Tcpb Initiates Assembly And Retraction Of The Toxin-Coregulated Pilus, Dixon Ng, Tony Harn, Tuba Altindal, Subramania Kolappan, Jarrad Marles, Rajan Lala, Ingrid Spielman, Yang Gao, Caitlyn Hauke, Gabriela Kovacikova

Dartmouth Scholarship

Type IV pilus (T4P) systems are complex molecular machines that polymerize major pilin proteins into thin filaments displayed on bacterial surfaces. Pilus functions require rapid extension and depolymerization of the pilus, powered by the assembly and retraction ATPases, respectively. A set of low abundance minor pilins influences pilus dynamics by unknown mechanisms. The Vibrio cholerae toxin-coregulated pilus (TCP) is among the simplest of the T4P systems, having a single minor pilin TcpB and lacking a retraction ATPase. Here we show that TcpB, like its homolog CofB, initiates pilus assembly. TcpB co-localizes with the pili but at extremely low levels, equivalent …

The Role Of Dpsir Diagram In The Analysis Of Ecologic And Social Conditions Of The Aral Sea In Uzbekistan, M. P. Reimov

Irrigation and Melioration

The paper dealing with application of DPSIR diagram approach to Aral Sea ecosystem problem. DPSIR diagram, a causal framework for environment-society interaction, represents complex connections between the shrinking of the Aral Sea as the and various social and ecological problems in the region. Examination of the components of this interdisciplinary approach – driving forces, pressures, states, impacts and responses, could roughcast an arrangement of a conjoint answer for the environment, social and economic challenges in the Aral Sea region.

Multiplex Drug Screenings To Discover Host Oriented Therapies Against Infectious Diseases, William Leonardi

KGI Theses and Dissertations

Drug resistance is a longstanding and still-increasing threat to the effective treatment of infectious diseases. Discovering drugs that target host proteins involved in pathogenicity is a strategy that could address this problem. Unfortunately, there are currently no FDA-approved infectious disease therapies that specifically target host proteins. Our goal is to develop a method to i) quickly discover new drugs for the treatment infectious diseases, ii) identify the specific host protein target of the drugs, iii) investigate the broad spectrum application of the drugs. To find these types of drugs, we employed a novel multiplex drug screening method in which we …

Mechanistic Plug-And-Play Models For Understanding The Impact Of Control And Climate On Seasonal Dengue Dynamics In Iquitos, Peru, Nathan Levick

Mathematics & Statistics ETDs

Dengue virus is a mosquito-borne multi-serotype disease whose dynamics are not precisely understood despite half of the world’s human population being at risk of infection. A recent dataset of dengue case reports from an isolated Amazonian city— Iquitos, Peru—provides a unique opportunity to assess dengue dynamics in a simpli- fied setting. Ten years of clinical surveillance data reveal a specific pattern: two novel serotypes, in turn, invaded and exclusively dominated incidence over several seasonal cycles, despite limited intra-annual variation in climate conditions. Together with mechanistic mathematical models, these data can provide an improved understand- ing of the nonlinear interactions between …

Geographical Incidence Of Antimicrobial Resistant Gonorrhea, Christofer A. Rodriguez

Master's Projects and Capstones

Evolving throughout the last century, Gonorrhea has become a superbug, becoming difficult to treat. As the second most commonly reported notifiable disease, gonorrhea rates have been increasing, despite efforts in prevention and treatment. Populations at risk are mainly MSM and FSW. In 2015, men’s gonorrhea rates in the United States were higher compared to women, at 140.9 and 107.2 per 100,000 population, respectively. Illinois has consecutively had higher rates of infection compared to the US, at 133.5 per 100,000 population compared to the US rate of 123.9 per 100,000 population. The surveillance of gonococcal isolate resistance to current antimicrobials began …

Brief Encounters, Alexandra E. Reisner

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This collection of essays meditates on connection and how it is formed and severed. Several pieces consider lasting or arbitrary connections, like those holding together members of a family or the bridges joining two sides of a city. Some consider more tenuous bonds, such as the chance meeting of near-strangers or the moment shared between a child and a dying mouse. Indeed, many pieces consider the ways in which characters are bound to life – and to death.

Role Of Cbl-Family Ubiquitin Ligases As Critical Negative Regulators Of T Cell Activation And Functions, Benjamin Goetz

Theses & Dissertations

Adaptive T cell immunity is essential for defense against foreign antigens and immune surveillance against cancer. Tight regulation of T cell activation is required to avoid autoimmunity to self-antigens or protracted inflammation after foreign antigens are cleared. Incomplete or inappropriate stimulation leads to an active shutdown of T cell activation called anergy. The Casitas B-lineage Lymphoma (CBL)-family of ubiquitin ligases (E3s) are essential negative regulators of T cell activation that impinge on thymic selection as well as anergy induction programs. Single gene studies show that CBL is critical during T cell development while CBL-B plays an essential role in peripheral …

Barriers To Pediatric Triage Guideline Compliance: A Survey Of Nebraska Emergency Departments, Jonathon J. Gruba

Theses & Dissertations

Nebraska emergency departments may be underprepared for a mass casualty event involving a large number of children, as indicated by the results from the 2013 Emergency Medical Services for Children’s (EMSC) Pediatric Readiness Project (PRP) report. This was primarily evident by the lack of existence of a pediatric triage policy among Nebraska emergency departments. Utilizing a survey, this study attempted to identify the emergency departments in Nebraska that followed the EMSC guideline of having a pediatric triage policy, as well as to identify possible barriers to guideline adherence among those that did not have the policy.

It was found that …

Utilizing Pre-Education Assessment And A Targeted Education Module To Enhance Nurse Knowledge Of Standard And Transmissible Precautions, Deborah A. Ard

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

The aim of this project was to protect patient safety and prevent healthcare acquired infections by improving nurses’ knowledge of infection prevention practices. A second practical benefit was creating a pilot for an RN education program.

I propose that the reason compliance with hand hygiene is low at any facility can be explained by Rosenstock’s Health Belief Model. Nurses may not believe that 1) There is a high chance of spreading or themselves contracting infectious illness, 2) That the illnesses they are exposed to would be just as serious in them as they are seeing in patients, 3) They …

The Political Economy Of Conflict In Liberia, Sierra Leone, And Côte D'Ivoire: Foreign Economic Intervention And The Spatial Distribution Of Violent Conflict, Sarai-Anne N. Ikenze

Master's Theses

Between 1989 and 2011, the three neighboring West African countries of Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Côte d’Ivoire each experienced at least one major civil conflict; and the combined devastation of the conflicts claimed over a million lives, generated millions of refugees, and crippled infrastructure in ways that continue to impact the development of the sub-region today. The occurrence of conflict in the three countries and the fact that they share borders has raised questions about whether the conflicts were caused by domestic factors or were the result of transborder processes of conflict diffusion. This paper will assess the causes of …

Staphylococcus Aureus Biofilms Interfere With Macrophage Antimicrobial Responses Through Differential Gene Regulation, Toxin Production, And Purine Metabolism, Tyler D. Scherr

Theses & Dissertations

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is an opportunistic pathogen that is a leading cause of both nosocomial and community-associated infections. Armed with a myriad of virulence factors and the propensity to form a biofilm on native tissues and implanted medical devices alike, S. aureus infections represent a very real public health threat, the treatment of which results in an excessive economic burden. S. aureus biofilm infections are notoriously recalcitrant to antibiotic therapy and adept at evading and neutralizing the host immune antimicrobial response. Previous studies from our laboratory have shown that S. aureus biofilms are able to cause persistent …