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Evaluation Of Interleukin-3 In Blood-Stage Immunity Against Murine Malaria Plasmodium Yoelii, Haley E. Davis

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Malaria is a mosquito-borne infection caused by the parasitic protozoan Plasmodium. This disease infects over 200-300 million people and causes nearly 400,000 deaths every year. Our laboratory previously examined malarial infection caused by Plasmodium berghei NK65, a lethal rodent strain that induces symptoms similar to those observed in humans. The results of this previous study indicated that the hematopoietic growth factor and immunoregulatory cytokine interleukin-3 (IL-3) suppressed protective immunity against infection with P. berghei NK65. However, the extent to which IL-3 contributes to host defense against blood-stage malaria infection caused by other Plasmodium species remains to be determined. In …

Role Of Interleukin-3 In An Experimental Model Of Mouse Cerebral Malaria Caused By Plasmodium Berghei Anka, Brendon R. Perry

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Malaria is a life-threatening mosquito-borne disease caused by parasites of the genus Plasmodium, with about 200 million new cases reported each year. In rodent models of malaria, a variety of immune proteins called cytokines have been noted to either promote or suppress protective immunity. While the cytokine interleukin-3 (IL-3) clearly promotes host defense against some intestinal nematode parasites, few studies have reported a similar function for IL-3 in the pathophysiology of malaria. In this study, we investigated the role of IL-3 in a mouse model of cerebral malaria caused by Plasmodium berghei ANKA. We infected wild-type (WT) and IL-3 …

Internalized Stigma Among Hiv-Positive Men On Antiretroviral Therapy In Urban India, Mitchell L. Irving

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Physicians’ Perceived Roles In And Barriers To Identifying, Evaluating, And Managing Intimate Partner Violence, Adam F. Pennarola

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Long-Term Feeding Ecology Of Early-Stage Striped Bass (Morone Saxatilis) And American Shad (Alosa Sapidissima) In The Hudson River Estuary, Michael G. Smircich

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Assessment Of The Pharmacodynamic Effects Of Cyclosporine In Dogs, Claire Fellman

Theses and Dissertations

Cyclosporine is a commonly used immunosuppressive drug in dogs, but dosing is often empirical and based primarily on clinical response. Pharmacokinetic monitoring of blood drug concentrations can be performed, but target blood concentrations for various disease states in dogs are not well described. Pharmacodynamic assays measuring the effects of cyclosporine on target cells are being used to evaluate immunosuppressive effectiveness in humans, but have been minimally explored in veterinary medicine. This dissertation describes the development of pharmacodynamic assays for measuring the effects of cyclosporine on canine T cell cytokine production and surface antigen expression. Incubation with cyclosporine in vitro caused …

Ecology And Epidemiology Of West Nile Virus In Mississippi, Wendy Carol Varnado

Theses and Dissertations

Since its introduction in 2002, West Nile virus (WNV) persists in Mississippi with dozens of cases and a few deaths each year. Little is known about the epidemiology and ecology of WNV in our state. This is the first study of the dynamics of West Nile virus in Mississippi utilizing both mosquito and human case surveillance. Herein I showed that the primary vector for WNV in MS, Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus, is associated with anthropogenic urban environments as opposed to rural wooded areas. I also found that other potential WNV vectors in MS are likely involved in enzootic transmission among natural …

Effect Of Toxoplasma Gondii On Altering Dopamine Levels And Neuroinflammation Contributing To An Increased Risk Of Developing Schizophrenia, Derek Lee Bramlett

Theses and Dissertations

Toxoplasma gondii infection is common in humans and is a significant risk factor for developing the disease schizophrenia. Genetic risk factors are likely required for the disease of schizophrenia to develop. Nurr1 – heterozygous (+/-) mice and wild-type (+/+) mice were evaluated using immune activation of astrocytes within the prefrontal cortex, dopamine levels within the striatum, and measuring the acoustic startle response reaction time by using prepulse inhibition (PPI). T. gondii infected heterozygous (+/-) mice exhibited increased GFAP expression within the prefrontal cortex. Dopamine levels within the striatum were measured and T. gondii infected wild-type (+/+) mice exhibited increased dopamine …

Developing Assisted Reproductive Technologies For Endangered North American Amphibians, Cecilia Jane Langhorne

Theses and Dissertations

An alarming number of anuran (frog and toad) species are facing the threat of extinction in the wild. In efforts to address this conservation crisis, captive breeding programs are rapidly being established at zoos and research institutions worldwide. However, the captive management of anurans can be challenging, as their reproduction is a tightly regulated hormonal response to environmental stimuli, often unknown or absent in captivity. Consequently, ex-situ breeding efforts tend to be greatly hindered by a paucity of knowledge in anuran reproductive physiology and, for many species on the brink of extinction, time is running out. Assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs), …

The Effects Of Implementing Best Practice On Clostridium Difficile Infection Treatment, Melissa A. Craig

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

For many years the number of Clostridium difficile infections (CDI) has steadily risen. This common cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea can have variable clinical presentations ranging from mild diarrhea to severe cases complicated by the development of pseudomembranous colitis, electrolyte abnormalities, dehydration, sepsis, and even death. The resistant nature of the spores produced by the bacteria and the emergence of hypervirulent strains have made treatment challenging. Previous studies have demonstrated clinician non-adherence to CDI clinical treatment guidelines may result in poor patient outcomes. This evidence-based practice project was implemented at a 311 bed academic medical center in the Midwest. The project …

Uab Hospital Recognized For Decreasing Inappropriate Use Of Antibiotics, Alicia Rohan

Browse All News

No abstract provided.

Vaccination For Prevention Of Postherpectic Neuralgia, Erik C. Burke

Nursing Capstones

No abstract provided.

Development Of A Novel Self-Propagating Prssv-Vsv G Hybrid Replicon As A Vector For Inducing Broad Prrsv Protection, Asit K. Pattnaik

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Throughout successive cycles of Pork Check-off funding, our laboratories (Pattnaik’s and Osorio’s labs) have consistently produced new and fundamental information on: (i) the immunologic mechanisms that are important for protection against PRRSV infection, (ii) the structural basis for induction of PRRSV-neutralizing antibodies which are significant for conferring protective immunity, (iii) the possibility of producing a rationally-designed new generation DIVA vaccine that would offer more efficacious protection, and (iv) the presence of conserved B- and T-cell epitopes in the structural and nonstructural proteins (NSPs) of PRRSV.

Efficacy Of Benzimidazole Anthelmintics In A Managed Equine Herd In Northeast Texas-- Strategies For An Evidence-Based Targeted Parasite Control Program, Cortney Stewart

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

How Infectious Was #Deflategate?, Megan Eberle, Eric A. Eager, James Peirce

Spora: A Journal of Biomathematics

In mid-January 2015 the National Football League (NFL) started an investigation into whether the New England Patriots deliberately deflated the footballs used during their AFC Championship win. Like an infectious disease, the initial discussion regarding Deflategate grew rapidly on social media sites in the days after the release of the story, only to slowly dissipate as interest in the NFL waned following the completion of its season. We apply a simple epidemic model for the infectiousness of the Deflategate news story. We find that the infectiousness of Deflategate rivals that of many of the infectious diseases that we have seen …

White Blood Cell Count Versus Temperature As Predictors Of Pediatric Bacteremia, Ashley Ashby, Loren Moscinski

Physician Assistant Capstones, 2016 to 2019

Introduction: Although the prevalence of bacteremia has largely declined with the development of the Haemophilus Influenza Type b (Hib) and pneumococcal vaccines, it continues to be a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children. Thus, it is crucial to differentiate bacteremia from other illnesses via the clinical picture and laboratory test results. Objective: The purpose of this research was to determine whether there is a clinically significant difference between temperature and white blood cell (WBC) count as determinants of bacteremia in the pediatric population. Methods: A PubMed search was conducted utilizing the following terms and filters: temperature, WBC, pediatrics, …

Fecal Transplant Vs Vancomycin For Recurrent Clostridium Diffile, Lauren M. Taylor, Todd E. Edwards

Physician Assistant Capstones, 2016 to 2019

Objective: To compare fecal transplant and vancomycin in the treatment of recurrent clostridium difficile to determine which has the higher cure rate. Design: Systematic literature review. Methods: Pubmed, Google Scholar, and TRIP database using the search terms “recurrent clostridium difficile.” Filters were implemented in the Pubmed database including: randomized control trials, English, and published in the past 5 years. Records were screened for RCT with fecal transplant and full-text. Results: van Nood et al. revealed an initial cure rate of 81% for the infusion group, and a re-treated cure rate of 94%, compared to the vancomycin alone group of 31% …

Effect Of Early Intervention With Combination Ledipasvir/Sofosbuvir (Harvoni®) In Patients With Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection, Jamie Taylor, Caitlin Johnson, Sharon Maiewski, Susan Adamson, Joey Powers

Physician Assistant Capstones, 2016 to 2019

In the United States, hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the most common bloodborne infection with an estimated prevalence of 3.2 million people. Although new cases of HCV are declining since the 1980s there are still approximately 17,000 new cases diagnosed each year.

There are multiple risk factors, however, in the United States the most common mode of transmission is intravenous drug use. Among infected individuals, approximately 55-85% will develop a chronic HCV infection. In this population, the risk of cirrhosis of the liver is 15-30% within 20 years and morbidity can be significant. HCV infection has become the most frequent …

Next-Generation Sequencing Of A Multi-Drug Resistance Plasmid Captured From Stream Sediment, Kevin G. Libuit

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Plasmids in agriculturally-impacted bodies of water may play a significant role in the dissemination of antibiotic resistance. Previously, Erika Gehr, as part of her M.S. thesis work in our laboratory, captured environmental plasmids without cultivation of host bacteria from stream sediment into Escherichia coli. Individual plasmids were capable of conferring resistance to a surprising array of antibiotics including aminoglycosides and extended-spectrum β-lactams. In this study, we developed a method to sequence multi-drug resistance plasmids using both Oxford Nanopore MinION and Ion Torrent Personal Genome Machine sequencers. Plasmid pEG1-1 was sequenced on both platforms and a hybrid assembly utilizing data …

“Going Viral” By Stealing Content: Can The Law Cure The Problem Of Viral Content Farming?, Sara Gates

Fordham Intellectual Property, Media and Entertainment Law Journal

Part I introduces the concept of viral content farming, examines its origins, points out how it differs from aggregation, and consid-ers the purpose behind the practice. The Part looks at how compa-nies such as Google and Facebook have responded, and examines the overall impact on journalism and the Internet. Part II presents a possible ethical solution within the journalism industry and consid-ers resolutions in the law by describing the “hot news” misappro-priation doctrine and copyright law. Part III scrutinizes three pro-posals and discusses why copyright law is the most appropriate solution to the problem, then analyzes content farming within the …

Germline Defects Caused By Smed-Boule Rna-Interference Reveal That Egg Capsule Deposition Occurs Independently Of Fertilization, Ovulation, Mating, Or The Presence Of Gametes In Planarian Flatworms, Jessica Kathryne Steiner, Junichi Tasaki, Labib Rouhana

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Few animals are known to lay eggs in the absence of ovulation or copulation, as it is presumably energetically wasteful and subjected to negative selection. Characterization of Smed-boule, a member of the DAZ family of germline RNA-binding proteins, revealed that egg capsule (or capsule) production and deposition occurs independently of the presence of gametes in the planarian flatworm Schmidtea mediterranea. Reduction of Smed-boule expression by RNA-interference (RNAi) causes ablation of spermatogonial stem cells and the inability of ovarian germline stem cells to undergo oogenesis. Although animals subjected to Smed-boule RNAi lose their gametes and become sterile, they continue …

Counseling Refugees Of Middle Eastern Descent In The United States, Jennifer Semaan

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Refugees of Middle Eastern descent in the United States face a countless number of challenges throughout their journey. Many of these obstacles are overlooked or unaccounted for. This research paper serves to help mental health counselors identify the unique challenges of each phase during the refugees’ migration process, as well as provide information on evidence-based practices that can be useful when working with this population. This project also speaks to the different roles that counselors play in a therapeutic relationship, including direct therapy, advocating on behalf of refugee clients, and educating other counselors and the public on the specific needs …

Environmental Conditions Associated With Elevated Vibrio Parahaemolyticus Concentrations In Great Bay Estuary, New Hampshire, Erin A. Urquhart, Stephen H. Jones, Jong W. Yu, Brian M. Schuster, Ashley L. Marcinkiewicz, Cheryl A. Whistler, Vaughn S. Cooper

New Hampshire EPSCoR

Reports from state health departments and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that the annual number of reported human vibriosis cases in New England has increased in the past decade. Concurrently, there has been a shift in both the spatial distribution and seasonal detection of Vibrio spp. throughout the region based on limited monitoring data. To determine environmental factors that may underlie these emerging conditions, this study focuses on a long-term database of Vibrio parahaemolyticus concentrations in oyster samples generated from data collected from the Great Bay Estuary, New Hampshire over a period of seven consecutive years. Oyster …

A Strategy To Increase Vaccination Rates Of Hpv, Jenna Mazour

Nursing Capstones

No abstract provided.

Fluctuating Survival Selection Explains Variation In Avian Group Size, Charles R. Brown, Mary Bomberger Brown, Erin A. Roche, Valerie A. O'Brien, Catherine E. Page

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Most animal groups vary extensively in size. Because individuals in certain sizes of groups often have higher apparent fitness than those in other groups, why wide group size variation persists in most populations remains unexplained. We used a 30-y mark– recapture study of colonially breeding cliff swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) to show that the survival advantages of different colony sizes fluctuated among years. Colony size was under both stabilizing and directional selection in different years, and reversals in the sign of directional selection regularly occurred. Directional selection was predicted in part by drought conditions: birds in larger colonies tended …

Learning From Geographic Variation And Change In Preparedness: The 2016 National Health Security Preparedness Index, Glen P. Mays

Health Management and Policy Presentations

The 2016 release of the National Health Security Preparedness Index tracks the nation's progress in preparing for disasters and other emergencies that create health risks for large groups of people. Recent improvements in the Index computational methodologies and measures allow results to be compared validly across states and over time. The Index aggregates more than 130 individual measures from nearly 60 data sources into valid composite measures for 6 domains and 19 subdomains that reflect core functional areas of emergency preparedness and response. Improvements in normalization, weighting, imputation, and confidence interval construction enhance the validity and reliability of Index estimates …

Saudi Arabians’ Health Beliefs Pertaining To Middle East Respiratory Syndrome – Coronavirus (Mers-Cov): Knowledge, Attitudes, And Practices (Kap) Assessment, Zahrah Alnakli

Graduate Theses & Dissertations

Background: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) causes respiratory illness and has been linked to high morbidity (N=583) and mortality (N=1359) since it was first found in Saudi Arabia in 2012. Camels have been identified as the likely source of the infection of MERS in Egypt, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. Currently, there is no available treatment for MERS; however, prevention and education have been established as the best practices for prevention by the World Health Organization, United States (U.S.) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and The Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia.

Purpose: This study explores awareness and health behaviors …

Utilization Of Hiv-1 Envelope V3 To Identify X4- And R5-Specific Tat And Ltr Sequence Signatures., Gregory C Antell, Will Dampier, Benjamas Aiamkitsumrit, Michael R Nonnemacher, Jeffrey M Jacobson, Vanessa Pirrone, Wen Zhong, Katherine Kercher, Shendra Passic, Jean W Williams, Gregory Schwartz, Uri Hershberg, Fred C Krebs, Brian Wigdahl

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: HIV-1 entry is a receptor-mediated process directed by the interaction of the viral envelope with the host cell CD4 molecule and one of two co-receptors, CCR5 or CXCR4. The amino acid sequence of the third variable (V3) loop of the HIV-1 envelope is highly predictive of co-receptor utilization preference during entry, and machine learning predictive algorithms have been developed to characterize sequences as CCR5-utilizing (R5) or CXCR4-utilizing (X4). It was hypothesized that while the V3 loop is predominantly responsible for determining co-receptor binding, additional components of the HIV-1 genome may contribute to overall viral tropism and display sequence signatures …

The Rider (2016-05-02), Jesus Sanchez

The Rider Archives

Vol.1 No.28

Occupational Stressors And Health Outcomes For Nurses Working In Correctional Or Non-Correctional Settings, Alyssa R. Zabin

University Scholar Projects

Due to the nature of their work, nurses often face unique occupational stressors and health outcomes. It is important to understand the source of this occupational stress and its affect on health, so that improvements can be made. This study sought to examine occupational stress and health outcomes for both correctional and non-correctional nurses across the continental United States. A survey regarding occupational stressors, community characteristics, individual beliefs, and health outcomes was completed by the nurses (N=459). Predictors including demographic factors, work related stressors, community/network factors, individual beliefs, and health conditions were investigated using linear and Poisson regression …