Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

2016

Discipline
Institution
Keyword
Publication
Publication Type
File Type

Articles 27481 - 27510 of 29042

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

Characterization Of Boundary Element-Associated Factors Beaf-32a And Beaf-32b And Identification Of Novel Interaction Partners In Drosophila Melanogaster, S. V. Satya Prakash Avva Jan 2016

Characterization Of Boundary Element-Associated Factors Beaf-32a And Beaf-32b And Identification Of Novel Interaction Partners In Drosophila Melanogaster, S. V. Satya Prakash Avva

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Regulatory elements are DNA sequences which have specialized activities that coordinate the functions of the genome. Promoters, enhancers, locus control regions, boundary elements (or insulator elements) are examples of DNA sequences that have regulatory properties. In transgenic assays insulator elements have been shown to block communication between regulatory regions, such as enhancers and promoters, when placed between these sequences and also protect genes from position effects when bracketing them, thereby affecting gene expression. Insulator sequences are bound by insulator proteins that direct the function of these sequences. One such insulator protein is the Boundary Element Associated Factor-32 (BEAF-32), a 32 …


Do Female Elk Select Hiding Cover For Their Calves At Birth Sites?, Dillon T. Fogarty, Chadwick P. Lehman Jan 2016

Do Female Elk Select Hiding Cover For Their Calves At Birth Sites?, Dillon T. Fogarty, Chadwick P. Lehman

Western North American Naturalist

In light of local population declines and poor calf survival, we investigated visual obstruction as potential elk (Cervus elaphus) calf hiding cover at birth sites. We hypothesized that female elk would use hiding cover (i.e., visual obstruction) in order to conceal their calves at the birth site and reduce vulnerability to predation. Selection of hiding cover has been well documented at calf bedding sites subsequent to parturition; however, because of variably reported results from prior studies, it is unclear whether hiding cover is selected at the immediate birth site. We estimated visual obstruction of hiding cover, measured understory …


The Representation Of Disability In The Music Of Alfred Hitchcock Films, John T. Dunn Jan 2016

The Representation Of Disability In The Music Of Alfred Hitchcock Films, John T. Dunn

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Several of Alfred Hitchcock’s movies feature characters with disabilities. Often, these characters are protagonists, and Hitchcock systematically manipulates his audiences to identify with these characters through the editing process, sound effects, and music. This dissertation will analyze the ways music represents various disabilities in three Hitchcock films. Vertigo (1958) addresses obsession and phobia as its main themes, whereas Psycho (1960) investigates obsession and madness. Finally, The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) explores muteness, hysteria, and identity in the context of two pieces of diegetic music. Hitchcock made careful notes for the music in his films; songs represent disability through …


Human Norovirus In Artificial And Environmental Marine Water: Development Of Antibody Based Rapid Methods, Morgan Maite Jan 2016

Human Norovirus In Artificial And Environmental Marine Water: Development Of Antibody Based Rapid Methods, Morgan Maite

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Norovirus (NoV) is the principal cause of viral gastroenteritis in the United States. It has been linked to filter-feeding molluscan shellfish, that bioaccumulate the virus from contaminated surrounding waters. The consumption of raw or undercooked contaminated oysters may result in acute gastroenteritis. We investigated the occurrence of NoV GI and GII and microbial indicators of fecal contamination in oysters and harvesting water from areas along the Louisiana Gulf Coast. We developed a filtration and concentration method for the detection of NoV from oyster harvesting waters. Lastly, this body of work compares commonly used molecular techniques (RT-PCR) and a commercial enzyme …


Synthesis Of Functional Polypeptides And Development Of New Synthetic Strategies Toward Polypeptides, Jinbao Cao Jan 2016

Synthesis Of Functional Polypeptides And Development Of New Synthetic Strategies Toward Polypeptides, Jinbao Cao

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The objective of this work is to develop a new synthetic strategy for synthesizing advanced functional polypeptides or polypeptides in general. Polypeptides are amino acids based polymers with appealing properties for different applications. One of the key challenges in polypeptide research is the synthesis of functional polypeptides under mild conditions. We developed a system based on ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of N-thiocarboxyanhydrosulfides (NTAs) to synthesize polypeptides with wide range of molecular weights under mild conditions. Owing to NTAs’ good stability, our system serves as an excellent alternative to the traditional ROP of N-carboxyanhydrides (NCA). In Chapter 1, the fundamental knowledge and …


Ant Diversity And Community Structure In Coastal Dunes And Wetlands, Xuan Chen Jan 2016

Ant Diversity And Community Structure In Coastal Dunes And Wetlands, Xuan Chen

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

How do many species live in a certain place? How does species composition changes among habitats? And what mechanisms decide species distribution? These are fundamental questions in community ecology. I first investigated ant diversity in two coastal ecosystems (dunes and wetlands) in the northern Gulf of Mexico, and then used the distribution patterns to infer assembly processes that structure ant communities in coastal areas. Specifically, the following hypotheses are tested: (1) coastal systems support lower ant diversity due to the unsuitable environment; (2) species living near the seashore are a subset of those exist near inland; (3) deterministic processes are …


Serum Glomerular Albumin Permeability Activity: Association With Rapid Progression To End-Stage Renal Disease In Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis., Sudhindra Pudur, Tarak Srivastava, Mukut Sharma, Ram Sharma, Sergey Tarima, Hongying Dai, Ellen T. Mccarthy, Virginia J. Savin Jan 2016

Serum Glomerular Albumin Permeability Activity: Association With Rapid Progression To End-Stage Renal Disease In Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis., Sudhindra Pudur, Tarak Srivastava, Mukut Sharma, Ram Sharma, Sergey Tarima, Hongying Dai, Ellen T. Mccarthy, Virginia J. Savin

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is a major cause of renal failure. Sera of some FSGS patients increase glomerular albumin permeability (Palb) during in vitro testing and cause proteinuria in experimental animals.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether permeability activity of FSGS serum (Palb activity) is associated with rate of progression to renal replacement therapy (RRT).

DESIGN: This is an observational study based on medical and demographic information and Palb activity testing.

SETTING: Studies were performed at Medical College of Wisconsin.

PATIENTS: Serum was submitted by patients' nephrologists for measurement of Palb activity. Each patient had had a biopsy diagnosis of FSGS, …


World Allergy Organization-Mcmaster University Guidelines For Allergic Disease Prevention (Glad-P): Prebiotics., Carlos A. Cuello-Garcia, Alessandro Fiocchi, Ruby Pawankar, Juan José Yepes-Nuñez, Gian Paolo Morgano, Yuan Zhang, Kangmo Ahn, Suleiman Al-Hammadi, Arnav Agarwal, Shreyas Gandhi, Kirsten Beyer, Wesley Burks, Giorgio W. Canonica, Motohiro Ebisawa, Rose Kamenwa, Bee Wah Lee, Haiqi Li, Susan Prescott, Lanny Rosenwasser, Hugh Sampson, Michael Spigler, Luigi Terracciano, Andrea Vereda, Susan Waserman, Holger J. Schünemann, Jan L. Brożek Jan 2016

World Allergy Organization-Mcmaster University Guidelines For Allergic Disease Prevention (Glad-P): Prebiotics., Carlos A. Cuello-Garcia, Alessandro Fiocchi, Ruby Pawankar, Juan José Yepes-Nuñez, Gian Paolo Morgano, Yuan Zhang, Kangmo Ahn, Suleiman Al-Hammadi, Arnav Agarwal, Shreyas Gandhi, Kirsten Beyer, Wesley Burks, Giorgio W. Canonica, Motohiro Ebisawa, Rose Kamenwa, Bee Wah Lee, Haiqi Li, Susan Prescott, Lanny Rosenwasser, Hugh Sampson, Michael Spigler, Luigi Terracciano, Andrea Vereda, Susan Waserman, Holger J. Schünemann, Jan L. Brożek

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of allergic diseases in infants, whose parents and siblings do not have allergy, is approximately 10 % and reaches 20-30 % in those with an allergic first-degree relative. Intestinal microbiota may modulate immunologic and inflammatory systemic responses and, thus, influence development of sensitization and allergy. Prebiotics - non-digestible oligosaccharides that stimulate growth of probiotic bacteria - have been reported to modulate immune responses and their supplementation has been proposed as a preventive intervention.

OBJECTIVE: The World Allergy Organization (WAO) convened a guideline panel to develop evidence-based recommendations about the use of prebiotics in the prevention of allergy. …


The Challenge Of Analyzing The Results Of Next-Generation Sequencing In Children., Isabelle Thiffault, John Lantos Jan 2016

The Challenge Of Analyzing The Results Of Next-Generation Sequencing In Children., Isabelle Thiffault, John Lantos

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

In recent years, next-generation sequencing technologies have revolutionized approaches to genetic studies. Whole-exome or whole-genome sequencing allows diagnoses in many patients who have complex phenotypes and unusual clinical presentations. As genomic and exomic testing expands in both the research and clinical settings, pediatricians will need to understand the technology of next-generation sequencing and the complexity of interpreting genomic variants relevant to patient phenotypic features. This article briefly explains the technology by which genomes are sequenced and discusses some of the complexity related to interpreting genomic variants. We conclude with some thoughts on the clinical applications of such testing.


Alcohol Expectancies Mediate The Relationship Between Age Of First Intoxication And Drinking Outcomes In College Binge Drinkers, Amy L. Stamates, Cathy Lau-Barraco, Ashley Linden-Carmichael Jan 2016

Alcohol Expectancies Mediate The Relationship Between Age Of First Intoxication And Drinking Outcomes In College Binge Drinkers, Amy L. Stamates, Cathy Lau-Barraco, Ashley Linden-Carmichael

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: While prior research has shown that age of first intoxication (AI) is associated with negative alcohol outcomes, limited research has examined factors accounting for this relationship. Alcohol expectancies, or beliefs about the effects of alcohol, may explain such associations as both positive and negative expectancies have been shown to be key predictors of drinking outcomes.

Objective: The present study examined expectancies as mediators between early AI and alcohol-related outcomes.

Method: Data collection occurred in 2012 and 2013. Participants were college students (N = 562, 65.8% women) who completed an online survey including measures of alcohol use history, alcohol expectancies, …


The Course And Interrelationship Of Maternal And Paternal Perinatal Depression, James F. Paulson, Sharnail D. Bazemore, Janice H. Goodman, Jenn A. Leiferman Jan 2016

The Course And Interrelationship Of Maternal And Paternal Perinatal Depression, James F. Paulson, Sharnail D. Bazemore, Janice H. Goodman, Jenn A. Leiferman

Psychology Faculty Publications

The aims of the study were to describe course of depression in both mothers and fathers from the third trimester of pregnancy through 6 months postpartum and to examine the relationship between maternal and paternal depression. Hypotheses were as follows: (a) Depressive symptoms would be correlated between parents and (b) earlier depressive symptoms in one parent would predict later increases in depression in the other. Eighty cohabitating primiparous couples were recruited from prenatal OBGYN visits and community agencies and enrolled during pregnancy, between 28-week gestation and delivery. Participants completed measures of depression on four occasions: baseline and 1, 3, and …


Early Adverse Experiences And Health: The Transition To College, Kelly B. Filipkowski, Kristin E. Heron, Joshua M. Smyth Jan 2016

Early Adverse Experiences And Health: The Transition To College, Kelly B. Filipkowski, Kristin E. Heron, Joshua M. Smyth

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objective: This study cross-sectionally and prospectively examined the impact of adversity experienced prior to college on the health and well-being of students adjusting to their first college semester. Methods: Two-hundred sixteen (216) first-year students completed measures of adverse life experiences, perceived stress, physical symptoms, and health-related behaviors during the first 2 weeks of college entry and again at the end of the first semester. Results: Reported adversity prior to college predicted greater perceived stress and physical symptoms at college entry and an increase in physical symptoms over the semester; perceived stress mediated the prospective changes. Early adversity …


Initiation And Retention In Couples Outpatient Treatment For Parents With Drug And Alcohol Use Disorders, Abbly L. Braitman, Michelle L. Kelley Jan 2016

Initiation And Retention In Couples Outpatient Treatment For Parents With Drug And Alcohol Use Disorders, Abbly L. Braitman, Michelle L. Kelley

Psychology Faculty Publications

The focus of the current study was to identity mental health, relationship factors, substance use related problems, and individual factors as predictors of couples-based substance abuse treatment initiation and attendance. Heterosexual couples with children that met study criteria were invited to attend 12 sessions of outpatient behavioral couples therapy. Men were more likely to initiate treatment if they had a higher income, had greater relationship satisfaction, were initiating treatment for alcohol use disorder only, were younger when they first suspected a problem, and had higher depression but lower hostility or phobic anxiety. Men attended more treatment sessions if they reported …


Acceptability Of Aggression Among Children Who Reside With Substance-Abusing Parents: The Influence Of Behavioral Dysregulation, Exposure To Neighborhood Violence, And Interparental Violence, Michelle L. Kelley, Abby L. Braitman, Robert J. Milletich, Brittany F. Hollis, Rachel E. Parsons, Tyler D. White, Cassie Patterson, Brianna Haislip, J. Matthew Henson Jan 2016

Acceptability Of Aggression Among Children Who Reside With Substance-Abusing Parents: The Influence Of Behavioral Dysregulation, Exposure To Neighborhood Violence, And Interparental Violence, Michelle L. Kelley, Abby L. Braitman, Robert J. Milletich, Brittany F. Hollis, Rachel E. Parsons, Tyler D. White, Cassie Patterson, Brianna Haislip, J. Matthew Henson

Psychology Faculty Publications

The present study examined how interparental violence, neighborhood violence, behavioral regulation during parental conflict, and age predicted beliefs about the acceptability of aggression and the acceptance of retaliation against an aggressive peer among youths. Participants were 110 families (mothers, fathers, and children) in which one or both parents met criteria for substance use disorder. Results of a bootstrapped multivariate regression model revealed higher exposure to neighborhood violence predicted greater acceptability of general aggression, whereas higher father-to-mother violence perpetration predicted lower acceptability of general aggression. Higher exposure to neighborhood violence, behavioral dysregulation during parental conflict, and older child age predicted greater …


The Eff-1a Cytoplasmic Domain Influences Hypodermal Cell Fusions In C. Elegans But Is Not Dependent On 14-3-3 Proteins., Jessica H Shinn-Thomas, Jacob J Del Campo, Jianjun Wang, William A Mohler Jan 2016

The Eff-1a Cytoplasmic Domain Influences Hypodermal Cell Fusions In C. Elegans But Is Not Dependent On 14-3-3 Proteins., Jessica H Shinn-Thomas, Jacob J Del Campo, Jianjun Wang, William A Mohler

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Regulatory and biophysical mechanisms of cell-cell fusion are largely unknown despite the fundamental requirement for fused cells in eukaryotic development. Only two cellular fusogens that are not of clear recent viral origin have been identified to date, both in nematodes. One of these, EFF-1, is necessary for most cell fusions in Caenorhabditis elegans. Unregulated EFF-1 expression causes lethality due to ectopic fusion between cells not developmentally programmed to fuse, highlighting the necessity of tight fusogen regulation for proper development. Identifying factors that regulate EFF-1 and its paralog AFF-1 could lead to discovery of molecular mechanisms that control cell fusion …


Towards A Participatory Netnography: Collaborating With Children In Virtual Worlds Research, Ashley Donkin, Donell Holloway, Lelia Green Jan 2016

Towards A Participatory Netnography: Collaborating With Children In Virtual Worlds Research, Ashley Donkin, Donell Holloway, Lelia Green

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The new sociology of childhood has encouraged social researchers to incorporate children in as much of the research process as possible. However, whilst some success has been achieved within traditional ethnographic studies, netnography has been slow to make this a reality. This article discusses the previous online research into children’s virtual worlds, which has rarely incorporated young children into the data collection or research analysis processes. The opportunity for researchers to use participatory approaches to collaborating with their child participants and collecting online data is limited due to ethical constraints. The ethical challenges of conducting netnography are compounded by a …


Impaired Energy Metabolism: Involvement In Neurodegenerative Processes And Cns Ageing, Veer B. Gupta, Vivek K. Gupta Jan 2016

Impaired Energy Metabolism: Involvement In Neurodegenerative Processes And Cns Ageing, Veer B. Gupta, Vivek K. Gupta

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

World is experiencing a consistent and steady increase in the ageing population with even higher proportional differences in the developed countries. Increase in ageing populations is directly correlated with the increased prevalence of age-related degenerative diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) such as Alzheimer’s disease and various other forms of dementias, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, retinal degenerative disorders, Huntington’s’ disease, multiple sclerosis, psychiatric and behavioural disorders amongst others.


Diversity And Host Prefference Of Tephritid Fruit Fly Species Infesting Cucurbit And Major Horticultural Crops In Coastal Kenya, Carolyne W. Kambura Jan 2016

Diversity And Host Prefference Of Tephritid Fruit Fly Species Infesting Cucurbit And Major Horticultural Crops In Coastal Kenya, Carolyne W. Kambura

All Master’s Theses

Tephritid fruit flies are among the notorious pests of horticultural crops in Kenya and have been documented to cause yield losses of 30-100%. Tephritid fruit flies from the Bactrocera and Dacus genera have been identified on cucurbit farm traps, however, their losses have not been quantified. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the occurrence, diversity and host preference of tephritid fruit flies infesting cucurbit and other horticultural crops in coastal Kenya. Infested cucurbit and major horticultural crops were randomly sampled and incubated in the laboratory. The emerging adults from the pupae recovered were identified based on their morphology. Host …


Effect Of Temperature On The Synchrony Of Stem Borer Pests And Their Associated Larval Parasitoids, Kevin K. Sambai Jan 2016

Effect Of Temperature On The Synchrony Of Stem Borer Pests And Their Associated Larval Parasitoids, Kevin K. Sambai

All Master’s Theses

This study was undertaken to establish the effect of temperature on the development and survival of B. fusca, S. calamistis and C. partellus and their larval parasitoids The stem borers and the larval parasitoids were reared at 200C, 250C, 280C and 300C and their development time, survival, fecundity and longevity were recorded. These parameters were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) in General Linear Model (GLM). Results showed that development of stem borer larvae varied among different temperature regimes (F3,367=105.3; P< 0.0001), B. fusca (F3,451=66.43; P< 0.0001), S. calamistis(F3,540=887.8; P< 0.0001).C. partellus. Development time of B. fusca larvae decreased with increase in temperature with the longest and shortest time recorded at 200C (78.30 days) and 300C (36.8 days) respectively. In S. calamistis larvae, the development time reduced with increase in temperature with mean larval duration ranging between 34.6 days (300C) to 48.1 days (200C). In C. partellus there was a decrease in larval development time (days) as the temperature increased. The longest development time, 57.4 days, was observed at 200C while the shortest, 22.2 days, was recorded at 300C. There was a significant influence of temperature on the development of C. sesamiae Kitale (F3,139=125.6; P< 0.001), C. Sesamiae Mombasa (F3,148=246.1; P< 0.001) and C. flavipes (F3,187=719.7; P< 0.001). Among C. sesamiae Kitale, mean total development time ranged between 17.8 days (280C) to 29.7 days (200C), while among C. sesamiae Mombasa, the highest and lowest mean total development time varied between 29.4 days (200C) and 17.0 days (280C) respectively. In C. flavipes, mean total development time varied between 15.0 days (300C) and 31.4 days (200C). Temperature affected the host-parasitoid synchrony between stem borers and their associated larval parasitoids as reflected in the variations in respective life table parameters. Biological control of B. fusca, S. calamistis and C. partellus is likely to be affected by changes in temperature. Due to the increased development rate and survival of the stem borers coupled with reduced survival rates of the parasitoids associated with increase in temperature, biological control is likely to be less effective in areas with higher temperatures ranging between 250C to 280C.


The Uyghur Population And Genetic Susceptibility To Type 2 Diabetes: Potential Role For Variants In Capn10, Apm1 And Fut6 Genes, Feifei Zhao, Dolikun Mamatyusupu, Youxin Wang, Honghong Fang, Hao Wang, Qing Gao, Hao Dong, Siqi Ge, Xinwei Yu, Jie Zhang, Lijuan Wu, Manshu Song, Wei Wang Jan 2016

The Uyghur Population And Genetic Susceptibility To Type 2 Diabetes: Potential Role For Variants In Capn10, Apm1 And Fut6 Genes, Feifei Zhao, Dolikun Mamatyusupu, Youxin Wang, Honghong Fang, Hao Wang, Qing Gao, Hao Dong, Siqi Ge, Xinwei Yu, Jie Zhang, Lijuan Wu, Manshu Song, Wei Wang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Genome-wide association studies have successfully identified over 70 loci associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in multiple populations of European ancestry. However, the risk attributable to an individual variant is modest and does not yet provide convincing evidence for clinical utility. Association between these established genetic variants and T2DM in general populations is hitherto understudied in the isolated populations, such as the Uyghurs, resident in Hetian, far southern Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China. In this case–control study, we genotyped 13 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at 10 genes associated with diabetes in 130 cases with T2DM and 135 …


Motor Subtype As A Predictor Of Future Working Memory Performance In Idiopathic Parkinson's Disease, Andrew R. Johnson, Romola S. Bucks, Robert T. Kane, Meghan G. Thomas, Natalie Gasson, Andrea M. Loftus Jan 2016

Motor Subtype As A Predictor Of Future Working Memory Performance In Idiopathic Parkinson's Disease, Andrew R. Johnson, Romola S. Bucks, Robert T. Kane, Meghan G. Thomas, Natalie Gasson, Andrea M. Loftus

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder associated with reduced spatial and verbal working memory ability. There are two established motor subtypes of PD, tremor dominant (TD) and postural instability and gait difficulty (PIGD). This study used structural equation modelling to explore the longitudinal relationship between the two subtypes and working memory assessed at a 2-year follow-up. The study comprised 84 males and 30 females (N = 114), aged between 39 and 85 (M = 64.82, SD = 9.23) with confirmed PD. There was no significant relationship between motor subtype at Time 1 and working memory at Time 2. Postural …


Potential Application Of Variable Surface Glycoproteins In Diagnosis Of Trypanosoma Brucei Rhodesiense, Simon Ngao Mule Jan 2016

Potential Application Of Variable Surface Glycoproteins In Diagnosis Of Trypanosoma Brucei Rhodesiense, Simon Ngao Mule

All Master’s Theses

Sleeping sickness, also known as human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), is a neglected tropical disease caused by two subspecies of Trypanosoma brucei namely T. b. gambiense and T. b. rhodesiense. Trypanosoma b. gambiense causes chronic form of HAT (Gambian HAT) in West and Central Africa while T. b. rhodesiense is responsible for the acute form (Rhodesian HAT) in East and Southern Africa. In both cases, the disease evolves through clinically distinct stages namely early/stage 1 and late/stage 2. The early stage is haemolymphatic, in which parasites develop in the blood, lymph and peripheral organs. The parasites then spread to the central …


Key Biogeochemical Factors Affecting Soil Carbon Storage In Posidonia Meadows, Oscar Serrano, Aurora M. Ricart, Paul S. Lavery, Miguel-Angel Mateo, Ariane Arias-Ortiz, Pere Masque, Mohammad Rozaimi, Andy D. L. Steven, Carlos Duarte Jan 2016

Key Biogeochemical Factors Affecting Soil Carbon Storage In Posidonia Meadows, Oscar Serrano, Aurora M. Ricart, Paul S. Lavery, Miguel-Angel Mateo, Ariane Arias-Ortiz, Pere Masque, Mohammad Rozaimi, Andy D. L. Steven, Carlos Duarte

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Biotic and abiotic factors influence the accumulation of organic carbon (Corg) in seagrass ecosystems.We surveyed Posidonia sinuosa meadows growing in different water depths to assess the variability in the sources, stocks and accumulation rates of Corg. We show that over the last 500 years, P. sinuosa meadows closer to the upper limit of distribution (at 2-4m depth) accumulated 3- to 4-fold higher Corg stocks (averaging 6.3 kgCorg m-2) at 3- to 4-fold higher rates (12.8 gCorg m-2 yr-1/ compared to meadows closer to the deep limits of distribution …


Inactivation Of Cytomegalovirus In Breast Milk Using Ultraviolet-C Irradiation: Opportunities For A New Treatment Option In Breast Milk Banking, Megan L. Lloyd, Nurul Hod, Jothsna Jayaraman, Elizabeth A. Marchant, Lukas Christen, Peter Chiang, Peter E. Hartmann, Geoffrey R. Shellam, Karen N. Simmer Jan 2016

Inactivation Of Cytomegalovirus In Breast Milk Using Ultraviolet-C Irradiation: Opportunities For A New Treatment Option In Breast Milk Banking, Megan L. Lloyd, Nurul Hod, Jothsna Jayaraman, Elizabeth A. Marchant, Lukas Christen, Peter Chiang, Peter E. Hartmann, Geoffrey R. Shellam, Karen N. Simmer

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Pasteurized donor human milk is provided by milk banks to very preterm babies where their maternal supply is insufficient or unavailable. Donor milk is currently processed by Holder pasteurization, producing a microbiologically safe product but significantly reducing immunoprotective components. Ultraviolet-C (UV-C) irradiation at 254 nm is being investigated as an alternative treatment method and has been shown to preserve components such as lactoferrin, lysozyme and secretory IgA considerably better than Holder pasteurization. We describe the inactivation of cytomegalovirus, a virus commonly excreted into breast milk, using UV-C irradiation. Full replication was ablated by various treatment doses. However, evidence of viral …


China Suboptimal Health Cohort Study: Rationale, Design And Baseline Characteristics, Youxin Wang, Siqi Ge, Yuxiang Yan, Anxin Wang, Zhongyao Zhao, Xinwei Yu, Jing Qui, Mohamed Ali Alzain, Hao Wang, Honghong Fang, Qing Gao, Manshu Song, Jie Zhang, Yong Zhou, Wei Wang Jan 2016

China Suboptimal Health Cohort Study: Rationale, Design And Baseline Characteristics, Youxin Wang, Siqi Ge, Yuxiang Yan, Anxin Wang, Zhongyao Zhao, Xinwei Yu, Jing Qui, Mohamed Ali Alzain, Hao Wang, Honghong Fang, Qing Gao, Manshu Song, Jie Zhang, Yong Zhou, Wei Wang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background:

Suboptimal health status (SHS) is a physical state between health and disease, characterized by the perception of health complaints, general weakness, chronic fatigue and low energy levels. SHS is proposed by the ancient concept of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) from the perspective of preservative, predictive and personalized (precision) medicine. We previously created the suboptimal health status questionnaire 25 (SHSQ-25), a novel instrument to measure SHS, validated in various populations. SHSQ-25 thus affords a window of opportunity for early detection and intervention, contributing to the reduction of chronic disease burdens.

Methods/design:

To investigate the causative effect of SHS in non-communicable …


Coastal Connectivity And Spatial Subsidy From A Microbial Perspective, Christin Säwström, Glenn A. Hyndes, Bradley D. Eyre, Megan J. Huggett, Matthew W. Fraser, Paul S. Lavery, Paul G. Thomson, Flavia Tarquinio, P. D. Steinberg, Bonnie Laverock Jan 2016

Coastal Connectivity And Spatial Subsidy From A Microbial Perspective, Christin Säwström, Glenn A. Hyndes, Bradley D. Eyre, Megan J. Huggett, Matthew W. Fraser, Paul S. Lavery, Paul G. Thomson, Flavia Tarquinio, P. D. Steinberg, Bonnie Laverock

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The transfer of organic material from one coastal environment to another can increase production in recipient habitats in a process known as spatial subsidy. Microorganisms drive the generation, transformation, and uptake of organic material in shallow coastal environments, but their significance in connecting coastal habitats through spatial subsidies has received limited attention. We address this by presenting a conceptual model of coastal connectivity that focuses on the flow of microbially mediated organic material in key coastal habitats. Our model suggests that it is not the difference in generation rates of organic material between coastal habitats but the amount of organic …


Blood Feeding Pattern Of Malaria Vector Reveals Malaria Transmission Dynamics In Three Islands Of Lake Victoria In Kenya, Edwin Ochieng Ogola Jan 2016

Blood Feeding Pattern Of Malaria Vector Reveals Malaria Transmission Dynamics In Three Islands Of Lake Victoria In Kenya, Edwin Ochieng Ogola

All Master’s Theses

The Lake Victoria region of western Kenya is malaria endemic with a suitable environment throughout the year for the transmission of Plasmodium parasites by its primary mosquito vector, Anopheles gambiae sensu lato (s.l.), as well as other secondary vectors. Malaria control largely depends on vector control using long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) that protect humans from infectious bites while sleeping. However, the success of this strategy is greatly threatened by resistance to insecticides and changes in mosquito feeding pattern that alter disease transmission dynamics. Therefore, adequate knowledge of mosquito feeding patterns and population structure can inform the efficacy of and allow …


Characterization Of Xenorhabdus Spp. Xptb1 And Xptc1 Toxin Genes And Effect Of The Bacteria On Chilo Partellus And Busseola Fusca., Lorine N. Nyongesa Jan 2016

Characterization Of Xenorhabdus Spp. Xptb1 And Xptc1 Toxin Genes And Effect Of The Bacteria On Chilo Partellus And Busseola Fusca., Lorine N. Nyongesa

All Master’s Theses

Xenorhabdus spp. (Enterobacteriaceae) are endosymbionts of entomopathogenic nematodes from the Steinernema genus. They cause insect mortality by producing potent insecticidal toxin complexes composed of XptA1, XptA2 (class A), XptB1 (class C) and XptC1 (Class B) proteins. However, the use of only the bacterium as a biopesticide is limited as they depend on their nematode hosts for survival in the environment. The XptAs exhibit different spectra of activity, requiring XptB1 and XptC1 for full activity. Studies of their tccC homologues from the related Photorhabdus sp. revealed that class C proteins have enzymatic activity. The objective of this study was to characterize …


Genome Sequence Of Tsetse Polydnavirus: Insights Into Symbiotic Virus Evolution, Kelvin M. Kimenyi Jan 2016

Genome Sequence Of Tsetse Polydnavirus: Insights Into Symbiotic Virus Evolution, Kelvin M. Kimenyi

All Master’s Theses

Tsetse flies are the sole vectors of African trypanosomiasis in humans (sleeping sickness) and animals (nagana). The whole genome sequence of the tsetse fly Glossina morsitans morsitans revealed the presence of putative bracoviral sequences (n = 310) widely spread in the genome. These sequences are similar to those identified in parasitic braconid wasps. Bracoviruses (family Polydnaviridae) encode proteins that lower host immunity allowing for the development of parasitoid larvae in the host. The study aimed to determine the presence, prevalence and genetic diversity of Polydnaviruses (PDVs) across five tsetse fly species genomes (Glossina austeni, Glossina brevipalpis, Glossina fuscipes fuscipes, Glossina …


Root Knot Nematodes (Meloidogyne Incognita) Interaction With Selected Asteraceae Plants And Their Potential Use For Nematode Management, Sydney Mwamba Jan 2016

Root Knot Nematodes (Meloidogyne Incognita) Interaction With Selected Asteraceae Plants And Their Potential Use For Nematode Management, Sydney Mwamba

All Master’s Theses

The southern root knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) is one of the highly polyphagous species of many cultivated plants. The losses associated with RKNs in small holder vegetable farms are not quantified but may range between 30-100% in tropical and subtropics. Application of broad spectrum nematicides is the common method of control and are to be highly toxic to humans and pollute the environment, hence the need for safer alternatives for small scale crop production systems. Biological control especially the use repellent plants is an environmentally safe option. Plants from the Asteraceae family have phytotoxic for nematode management. Investigations were conducted …