Digital Commons Network^™

Unusual Indolent Course Of A Chronic Active Epstein-Barr Virus-Associated Natural Killer Cell Lymphoproliferative Disorder, Arwa Z. Al-Riyami, Khalil Al-Farsi, Murtadha Al-Huneini, Mohammed, Ibrahim Al-Hadabbi

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Natural killer (NK) cell lymphoproliferative disorders are uncommon and the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) plays an important aetiological role in their pathogenesis. We report a 20-year-old male with a chronic active EBV infection associated with a NK cell lymphoproliferative disorder which had an unusual indolent course. He presented to the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital in Muscat, Oman, in December 2011 with a history of intermittent fever and coughing. Examinations revealed generalised lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, leukocytosis, transaminitis, diffuse bilateral lung infiltrates and bone marrow lymphocyte involvement. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test revealed a high EBV viral load in the peripheral blood cells. …

Can We Walk? Environmental Supports For Active Travel In India, Deepti Adlakha

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Background: Rapid rates of increase of obesity, diabetes, and associated chronic and co-morbid non-communicable diseases (e.g., cardiovascular diseases and some cancers) are being documented in India, yet in-country evidence-based research of associated risk factors is lacking. Physical activity has been identified as a preventative factor to counter the risk from obesity-related non-communicable diseases. Built environment supports for physical activity represent promising strategies to curb the rise in non-communicable diseases. Mounting research evidence suggests that the built environment can facilitate or constrain physical activity. However, a majority of this research has been conducted in developed nations. Built environment correlates of physical …

A Novel Ultrashort Pulsed Laser Method For Pathogen Inactivation, Shaw-Wei David Tsen

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Emerging viral pathogens represent a constant and prominent threat to human health worldwide. There is a dire need to develop new pathogen inactivation techniques that can be used to safeguard the blood supply and to generate inactivated vaccines against these emerging viruses. Unfortunately, current techniques are inadequate because they introduce toxic/carcinogenic chemicals or alter the structure of the products, leading to loss of safety and efficacy. We have developed a novel, chemical-free ultrashort pulsed laser treatment system capable of inactivating a broad spectrum of both enveloped and non-enveloped viruses. We found that ultrashort pulsed laser treatment targets the vibrational modes …

Role Of Atg16l1 In Uropathogenic E. Coli Pathogenesis, Jane Symington

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common infectious diseases and are primarily caused by uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC). Given the greater incidence of antibiotic resistance among UPEC isolates, it is vital to determine factors and pathways important for an effective host response to UPEC in order to improve therapeutic options for combating UTIs. Autophagy is a cellular degradation pathway that plays important roles in pathogen control and modulation of innate immunity. One essential autophagy protein, ATG16L1, has been further implicated in controlling inflammation due to a common variant of ATG16L1 being associated with increased risk of Crohns disease, …

Omcp Mediated Cowpox Virulence And Its Dependence On The Immune Receptors Nkg2d And Fcrl5., Michel Muzi Sun

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Viruses with large DNA genomes, such as cowpox virus, encode many open-reading frames involved in the modulation of the host immune system, facilitating escape from immune detection or downregulation of specific aspects of the host immune response. Investigation of virally-encoded immunoevasins has been instrumental in understanding host-pathogen interactions. Here, we focus on the cowpox virus immunoevasin Orthopoxvirus MHC Class I-like Protein (OMCP) and demonstrate for the first time that OMCP facilitates cowpox virus virulence in vivo. We have previously documented that OMCP binds the activating receptor NKG2D on NK cells as well as the orphan receptor FCRL5 on innate B …

The Resolution Phase Of Nk Cell Proliferation And Ifn Production Following Viral Infection Are Highly Regulated Processes., Leslie Abigail Fogel

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

In response to MCMV infection, NK cells undergo three distinct phases of proliferation: the non-specific phase mediated by pro-proliferative cytokines; the specific phase mediated by recognition of an MCMV-encoded protein by an NK cell activating receptor, Ly49H; and the resolution phase, whose mechanism is unknown. MCMV infection of RAG mice, which lack all adaptive immune cells, results in prolonged proliferation of NK cells despite similar viral titers compared to wildtype mice. Interestingly, there are different kinetics for Ly49H+ and Ly49H- NK cells. We have identified several additional markers that may distinguish NK cells that have been specifically activated through their …

Synthesis And Evaluation Of Biological Activity Of A Potential Immunomodulatory Zwitterionic Polysaccharide, Vikram Basava

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The gram-negative anaerobic bacterium Bacteroides fragilis is an integral component of the normal gastrointestinal flora. The bacterium colonizes the intestinal tract of human beings as it has no reservoir other than mammals. An unprecedented proportion of the genomic DNA of B. fragilus is involved in the production of capsular polysaccharides. These capsular polysaccharides are important virulence factors in most extracellular bacterial pathogens. Eight of these polysaccharides have been identified thus far, out of which two were found to be zwitterionic polymers, PSA1 and PSA2. PSA1 was found to stimulate T-cell lineage of the immune system because of the dual charge …

The Mysteries Of Your Blood, Alexandra J. Mauer

BU Well

Did you know that your blood type can be useful for determining disease susceptibility and even creating a diet that works best for your personal metabolism? The Mysteries of your Blood is an article that delves into the science behind the ABO blood types and explains why your body can handle certain foods, stress, and illness differently than someone with a different blood type. It proposes a new, perplexing way to determine how to avoid certain health problems while at the same time offering suggestions of what to eat or, rather, what to avoid eating.

Conference Program, Kathy Chan

Cell Culture Engineering XV

No abstract provided.

Foraging Choices Of Vampire Bats In Diverse Landscapes: Potential Implications For Land‐Use Change And Disease Transmission, Daniel G. Streicker, Jacob E. Allgeier

KIP Articles

In Latin America, the common vampire bat Desmodus rotundus is the primary reservoir of rabies, a zoonotic virus that kills thousands of livestock annually and causes sporadic and lethal human rabies outbreaks. The proliferation of livestock provides an abundant food resource for this obligate blood‐feeding species that could alter its foraging behaviour and rabies transmission, but poor understanding of the dietary plasticity of vampire bats limits understanding of how livestock influences rabies risk. We analysed individual‐ and population‐level foraging behaviour by applying δ 13 C and δ 15 N stable isotope analysis to hair samples from 183 vampire bats captured …

Mycobacterium Cavitary Pneumonia - Not Your Tb Type - A Case Of Rare Mycobacterium Szulgai, Dhwani Pandya Md, Harshal Shah Do, Nicholas Dalessandro Do

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Development Of Chemically-Defined, Animal Component-Free Medium For Suspension Mdck Cell-Based Influenza Vaccine Production, Jenny Bang

Cell Culture Engineering XV

Cell culture-based vaccine production is advantageous over chicken eggs-based production because it does not rely on the availability of eggs and can be performed on a larger scale in a timely manner. Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells are favorably used for vaccine production, particularly for influenza vaccines. However, there are several drawbacks to the traditional method of culturing MDCK cells. MDCK cells require undefined supplement for culturing, such as serum or hydrolysates which pose regulatory concerns especially when making pharmaceutical products for human use. Furthermore, MDCK cells grow in adherent culture which requires significant surface area or the use of …

Immune Function In Amazonian Horticulturalists, Aaron D. Blackwell, Benjamin C. Trumble, Ivan Maldonado Suarez, Jonathan Stieglitz, Bret Beheim, J. Josh Snodgrass, Hillard Kaplan, Michael Gurven

ESI Publications

Background—Amazonian populations are exposed to diverse parasites and pathogens, including protozoal, bacterial, fungal, and helminthic infections. Yet much of our understanding of the immune system is based on industrialised populations where these infections are relatively rare.

Aim—We examine distributions and age-related differences in 22 measures of immune function for Bolivian forager-horticulturalists and US and European populations.

Subjects and Methods—Subjects were 6,338 Tsimane aged 0–90 years. Blood samples collected between 2004–2014 were analysed for 5-part blood differentials, C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and total immunoglobulins E, G, A, and M. Flow cytometry was used to quantify naive …

Zombie Apocalypse: Using The Unreal As A Pedagogical Tool, Crystal A. Evans, Lorin Mayo

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

The following paper opens with a first person account illustrating how “the Unreal” was used in a classroom setting as a class management tool by one of the authors. This method had the benefit of resetting a classroom environment that had become hostile by creating a fun atmosphere that encouraged lively debate. Next, a faux journal article is provided to the students as a way to introduce this method. Finally, sample discussion questions are provided for classroom debate followed by a conclusion.

Genomics Reveals Historic And Contemporary Transmission Dynamics Of A Bacterial Disease Among Wildlife And Livestock, Pauline L. Kamath, Jeffrey T. Foster, Kevin P. Drees, Gordon Luikart, Christine Quance, Neil J. Anderson, P. Ryan Clarke, Eric K. Cole, Mark L. Drew, William H. Edwards, Jack C. Rhyan, John J. Treanor, Rick L. Wallen, Patrick J. White, Suelee Robbe-Austerman, Paul C. Cross

New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station Publications

Whole-genome sequencing has provided fundamental insights into infectious disease epidemiology, but has rarely been used for examining transmission dynamics of a bacterial pathogen in wildlife. In the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE), outbreaks of brucellosis have increased in cattle along with rising seroprevalence in elk. Here we use a genomic approach to examine Brucella abortus evolution, cross-species transmission and spatial spread in the GYE. We find that brucellosis was introduced into wildlife in this region at least five times. The diffusion rate varies among Brucella lineages (∼3 to 8 km per year) and over time. We also estimate 12 host transitions …

Rising Temperatures, Rising Stakes: The Role Of International Policy Negotiations In The Climate Crisis, Sarah M. Davis

Student Theses 2015-Present

During the last two decades, a perceived lack of scientific consensus coupled with a trivialized need for environmental accountability has led to the entrenchment of a global phenomenon: political apathy. The principal forum for international climate change action has been the United Nations’ International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which has led to the Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and numerous international meetings of stakeholder nations. Although climate change agreements emphasizing carbon emission reduction have been reached through these international approaches, the standards intended to meet the obligations and objectives set by such agreements have failed repeatedly to be …

Health In Hartford: A Community-Based Participatory Research Project Identifying Solutions To Health Inequities, Karen A. D'Angelo

Doctoral Dissertations

Overall poor health status and unfair, disparate health outcomes for vulnerable population groups are of grave concern in the United States. Rooted in unequal access to and the disparate quality of the social determinants of health, health inequities disproportionately affect people of lower socioeconomic status and people of color. Defined as the willingness of people to intervene for the good of the community and associated with positive health outcomes, collective efficacy has the potential to reduce health inequities for urban Americans. Hartford, Connecticut is one urban city which unduly suffers from health inequities.

Photovoice was the primary methodology used in …

Evaluation Of Methods Predicting And Preventing Clostridium Difficile Infection, Samuel John

Research Day

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a rising concern in hospitals and long term carefacilities due to exposure to high risk antibiotics and organisms. Hospitals in particular are utilizing various methods and procedures to control hospital acquired CDI. This study evaluates the process in predicting and preventing CDI to assess benefits.

Shut Out: How Barriers Often Prevent Meaningful Access To Emergency Shelter, Suzanne Skinner, Sara Rankin

Homeless Rights Advocacy Project

Most cities fine and even jail homeless people for living outside on the assumption that their alternative is to access homeless shelters. This brief finds that assumption deeply flawed. This first-ever study of shelters discloses that shelters have insufficient beds to meet the demand, and rules that bar entry to many homeless people. Most shelters only serve single males or females — they automatically exclude families, LGBTQ youth, and couples. For many then, shelters are not an alternative. The brief offers several recommendations to encourage cities to stop criminalizing homelessness and to instead pursue non-punitive alternatives.

Keywords: Shelter, Homeless, Constitutional …

The Germ Of Death Itself: A Study Of Tuberculosis And Community Education In Ghana, Brittany T. Peterson

Graduate Theses & Dissertations

Background: Tuberculosis remains a significant threat to global public health, despite advancements in treatment and detection in recent decades. Treatment regimens are unpleasant and time-consuming, particularly when the disease-causing strain is partially or completely drug-resistant. Approximately one-third of the global population is currently infected with tuberculosis, but the majority of these cases are dormant and non-contagious. These dormant cases are more difficult to diagnose, but if the immune system is compromised, as in the case of HIV/AIDS, the individual will transition to an active and contagious case of tuberculosis. Resistant strains are increasing around the world, making treatment of a …

Challenges Developing Biologics For The Prevention And Treatment Of Infectious Diseases Impacting Global Health, Steven Hadley

Cell Culture Engineering XV

Biologics have enjoyed tremendous success as products in high income countries of the world. However the high cost of these products today prevent their use in low income countries and with the notable exception of palivizumab there has been little commercial interest in developing biologics for infectious diseases that are prevalent in these geographies. Recent advances in the study of HIV, malaria, pertussis and Ebola highlight the potential of monoclonal antibodies (mAb) for prevention or treatment of these diseases. The evolution of the industrialized CHO process over the past 30 years to satisfy market demands for mAbs is remarkable. The …

Turning The Tide: The Future Of Hiv Criminalization After Rhoades V. State And Legislative Reform In Iowa, Brian Cox

Northwestern Journal of Law & Social Policy

No abstract provided.

P2x7r-Panx1 Complex Impairs Bone Mechanosignaling Under High Glucose Levels Associated With Type-1 Diabetes, Zeynep Seref-Ferlengez, Stephanie Maung, Mitchell B. Schaffler, David C. Spray, Sylvia O. Suadicani, Mia M. Thi

Publications and Research

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) causes a range of skeletal problems, including reduced bone density and increased risk for bone fractures. However, mechanisms underlying skeletal complications in diabetes are still not well understood.We hypothesize that high glucose levels in T1D alters expression and function of purinergic receptors (P2Rs) and pannexin 1 (Panx1) channels, and thereby impairs ATP signaling that is essential for proper bone response to mechanical loading and maintenance of skeletal integrity. We first established a key role for P2X7 receptor-Panx1 in osteocyte mechanosignaling by showing that these proteins are co-expressed to provide a major pathway for flow-induced ATP release. …

Handwashing: A Study Of The History, Methods, And Psychology Surrounding Hand Hygiene, Daniel J. Remillard

Senior Honors Theses

This paper covers three different areas concerning handwashing. First a review of the history of handwashing is done, going from ancient times to its introduction into modern medicine via Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis. This section gives a sobering reminder not to instantly reject data that comes in conflict with prevalent thought.

Then current medical knowledge about handwashing is examined, and the conclusion reached states that handwashing is best done with non-antibacterial soap.

Finally, a review of the psychology of handwashing shows that medical professionals often tend toward neglect if unwatched and unmotivated by an outside source. However, those suffering from obsessive …

A Yellow Fever Epidemic: A New Global Health Emergency?, Lawrence O. Gostin, Daniel Lucey

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

The worst yellow fever epidemic in Angola since 1986 is rapidly spreading, including the capital, Luanda. In Angola, the epidemic began in December 2015 and the laboratory-confirmed outbreak was reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) on January 21, 2016. Angola has had 2023 suspected cases and 258 deaths as of April 26, 2016. China, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Kenya also have reported cases arising from infected travelers from Angola. Namibia and Zambia also share a long border with Angola, with considerable population movement between the countries. Similar to other recent epidemics, quick and effective action to stop …

Establishment Of Comprehensive Training Center In Tajikistan, Umeda Sadykova

Theses & Dissertations

There is a notable increase in the number of natural and manmade disasters all over the world in the past two decades. Emergency preparedness is a field that is drawing increased attention in many countries. Tajikistan is a disaster prone country with unforgiving nature and weak preparedness infrastructure/system. Tajikistan’s weak emergency preparedness system can be attributed to two main reasons; lack of coordination between the government and international emergency organizations, and the paucity of well trained and organized network of emergency professionals. This study drafted a proposal to establish a comprehensive training center in Tajikistan. This training center will be …

Using Homeland Security Exercise Evaluation Program To Execute A Mass Prophylaxis Exercise In A Rural Community., Brian K. Smith

Theses & Dissertations

This project explores the execution of point of distribution exercises in a rural community. Harrison County Iowa is a rural county with a population over 15,000 located approximately 45 minutes north of the Omaha metro area. The project explored the existing point of distribution plans and inventory for the Harrison County Home and Public Health Department. Prior to this project, many staff at Harrison County Home and Public Health Department had no experience with table top or full scale exercises. The mass prophylaxis point of distribution plan had not been updated, and staff had not received training on the point …

Defining The Role Of Interferon Regulatory Factor 4 In Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia., Vipul Shukla

Theses & Dissertations

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) represents the most common adult leukemia in the Western hemisphere. Despite considerable progress in our current understanding of CLL, this disease remains incurable and the molecular events underlying the complex pathogenesis of CLL are not fully elucidated. Interferon Regulatory Factor 4 (IRF4) belongs to the IRF superfamily of transcription factors that has been shown to play critical roles at multiple stages of B cell development. Interestingly, a Genome Wide Association Study identified Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) mediated IRF4 down regulation, as a major predisposing genetic event during the development of CLL. However, whether low levels of …

Exploring Emergency Communication Experiences In Response To The 2010 Haiti Earthquake: Lessons Learned From International Donors And Local Government Agencies, Pierre Marie Barbara Roussel

Theses & Dissertations

Background:

In almost every disaster situation, the use of standardized communication procedures among humanitarian relief agencies has been identified as one of the efficient practices to minimize the mismanagement of resources and thus to maximize the response effort among actors to reduce the incidence impact on the public and to increase their resilience capabilities.

Agencies have access to several guidelines to follow during domestic disasters, but there have been very few manuals developed to guide relief organizations on best practices during international large and complex natural disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

Haiti has experienced over its history several …

Physical Activity Levels And Related Factors In Midwestern Rural Hispanic Or Latino Adults, Alison K. Clevette

Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to examine physical activity levels and specific intrapersonal, interpersonal and community physical environment factors that influence physical activity in Midwestern rural Hispanic or Latino adults. Instruments used in the study included: Self-Efficacy for Exercise Behaviors Survey, Social Support for Exercise Survey, Short Acculturation Scale for Hispanics (SASH), and Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale (NEWS). Physical activity was measured by 7-Day Physical Activity Recall and ActiGraph^® accelerometer data. In the study of 54 participants, it was found that there was a very low level of physical activity. For example, 97% of the time was spent …