Digital Commons Network^™

Effects Of Non-Digestible Fiber Of Common Beans And Dietary Selenium On Gut Microbiota, Hsin-Yi Lu

Theses and Dissertations

Dietary composition can impact colonization and composition of gut microbiota. The first aim of this dissertation was to evaluate the effect of dietary Se deprivation, sex and, aging on taxonomic composition of gut microbiota in mice. We have previously shown that long-term dietary Se deprivation promotes health span deteriorate including type-2 diabetes like symptoms in later state Terc-/- mice carrying humanized telomeres. In the present study, the data suggested that the dietary Se deprivation and aging significantly and comparably altered the gut microflora composition. The ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes was decreased by dietary Se deprivation or aging in both sexes. Abundance …

Utilization Of Buffered Vinegar To Inhibit The Growth Of Listeria Monocytogenes On Marinated-Cooked Chicken Breast, James Leland Butler

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of buffered vinegar in a marinade solution on inhibiting Listeria monocytogenes growth on cooked broiler breast meat. Broiler breasts were vacuum-tumbled for 30 min in a marinade consisting of dry (0%, 0.4% DV, 0.6%DV, and 0.8%) or liquid vinegar (1.5%), sodium chloride, sodium tripolyphospate, and water. The chicken breasts were then cooked to an internal temperature of 75°C. The breast meat was inoculated with L. monocytogenes, placed into modified atmosphere packaging, and stored at 2°C plus/minus 2 for 0-60 days. L. monocytogenes growth was stable on treatments for up to …

A Study Of A Turn Of The 20th Century Skeletal Collection From Memphis, Tn, Stephen Michael Davis

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a comparative and descriptive study of a turn of the 20th century human commingled skeletal collection from Memphis, TN. The Memphis Regional Forensic Center (MRFC) collection is over four hundred elements recovered in various states of fragmentation. This study focused primarily on the occurrence and prevalence of anatomical cutting and osteoarthritis of the MRFC collection in comparison to contemporary osteological samples to provide insight into a subset of people living in late 19th/early 20th century Memphis, TN. In the framework of biocultural theory, it was discovered that the MRFC collection likely represented individuals subjected to “structural violence” …

Elucidating Perforin-2 Mediated Killing Mechanisms Against Pathogenic Bacteria, Ryan M. Mccormack

Open Access Dissertations

The World Health Organization estimates that more than seven million individuals succumb to infectious disease annually and are the leading cause of mortality in the young. At a fundamental level each of these cases stems from a combination of two factors—the inability of the innate immune system to eliminate the offending pathogen and the ability of the infectious agent to capitalize on this delay before the adaptive immune response takes effect. A potential explanation for how the effectors of this response interact at the host-pathogen interface was recently discovered with the characterization of macrophage-expressed Mpeg1—hereafter referred to as Perforin-2. It …

Friends, Enemies, Or Hitchhikers? Exploring The Relationship Between Fungus, Butterfly, And Rest Plant At Fort Jackson, South Carolina, Miranda F. Hannah

Senior Theses

This study was undertaken to investigate the relationships between butterflies as pollinators, host plants, and fungi. Euptoieta claudia (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) butterflies were captured on flowers at McCrady Training Center, Fort Jackson, South Carolina and the fungi isolated from the legs and abdomens of these butterflies was identified and analyzed. Butterflies were found to carry a variety of fungal species including Penicillium, Cladosporium, Curvularia, Fusarium, and Aspergillus. Butterflies carrying the highest quantity of different species of fungi were captured on Passiflora incarnata flowers, and the number of fungal species per butterfly seems to be due to chance. The most common species …

Characterization Of The Binding Thermodynamics Of Metal Cofactors To Burkholderia Pseudomallei Ispf, Krystal T. Do

Honors Capstones

The characterization of the binding properties of the Zinc ion, a metal cofactor, for the IspF enzyme can reveal details of critical interactions that allows to better understand IspF function. The use of Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC) was used to determine the binding affinity of the Zn2+ cofactor to the IspF enzyme. A sample of IspF was titrated with a Zinc solution, using a Zinc to Buffer titration as a control. This was done to isolate ligand and protein interactions from the interference of buffer solution. The titration of the Zn2+ cofactor can reveal insight into the binding thermodynamics with …

Effect Of Activity Trackers And Text Messaging On Exercise, Fitness, And Physical Activity Self-Efficacy Of Middle School Students, Alison F. Pittman

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

A decrease in physical activity as children age is a contributing factor to the U.S. obesity epidemic. Middle school children are particularly vulnerable to sedentary activities. Activity trackers show promise as a means to motivate children and adults to increase physical activity (PA). This study examined the effect of a text messaging intervention and use of activity trackers with a companion social website on the body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage, physical fitness, and PA self-efficacy of middle school children. Children aged 11-14 (n=102) were randomly assigned to one of three groups for a 10-week intervention: activity tracker group; …

Hairy Leukoplakia, James E. Cade, Richard P. Vinson, Jeff Burgess, Sanjiv S. Agarwala, Denis P. Lynch, Gary L. Stafford

School of Dentistry Faculty Research and Publications

Oral hairy leukoplakia (OHL) is a disease of the mucosa first described in 1984. This pathology is associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and occurs mostly in people with HIV infection, both immunocompromised and immunocompetent, and can affect patients who are HIV negative. ^{[1, 2]} The first case in an HIV-negative patient was reported in 1999 in a 56-year-old patient with acute lymphocytic leukemia. Later, many cases were reported in heart, kidney, and bone marrow transplant recipients and patients with hematological malignancies. ^{[3, 4]}

The Nephrotoxicity Of Vancomycin., Edward J. Filippone, Walter K. Kraft, John L. Farber

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

No Stigma, No Shame: Reducing The Stigma Of Mental Illness In College Freshmen Dorms, Ashley R. Reynolds

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

With a rise in college students who report symptoms of mental illness and the high number of college students who do not seek professional help because of the stigma of mental illness, it is evident that the stigma of mental illness on college campuses needs to be addressed. A health campaign that seeks to reduce the stigma of mental illness on campus was designed, implemented, evaluated. The Model of Stigma Communication, which explains how stigma is developed and reinforced, is a sound framework for exploring the stigma of mental illness and was used to guide the campaign. First, a survey …

Distribution Of Plethodon Cinereus Color Morphs In New England: 40 Years Later, Mariah Fossella

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Global climate change is threatening species with habitat loss and extinction, but specific mechanisms driving changes in species abundance are unclear, partly due to a lack of time-series data sets documenting population changes. In order to study these effects on amphibian species, we revisited Lotter and Scott’s 1977 study of color morph frequency in relation to climate in Plethodon cinereus (eastern red-backed salamander). 25 Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont localities were resampled during summer 2016, to quantify any changes in morph frequency since 1977. At 19 of the 25 localities, we were able to find ≥100 salamanders, and of those …

Cranberry Juice Vs. Placebo As Prophylaxis For Recurrent Urinary Tract Infection In Adult Women: A Systematic Review, Donald S. Trawick, Hinda Mezaache

Physician Assistant Capstones, 2016 to 2019

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of cranberry juice consumption as prophylaxis for urinary tract infection (UTI) in women with a history of recurrent UTI. Methods: Systematic literature review using Google Scholar with search terms “cranberry juice prophylaxis.” Results: Our search resulted in three randomized-control trials (RCTs), two of which demonstrated no benefit of cranberry juice in preventing recurrent UTI. Conclusion: Because of the significant heterogeneity among published studies, there is no definitive proof that cranberry juice is effective or useless as UTI prophylaxis.

Pediatric Intrafalcine Empyema From A Sinogenic Origin: A Case Report., Kyle Mueller, John Myseros

Neurological Surgery Faculty Publications

Sinusitis and otitis are common within the pediatric population. If left untreated, these can extend intracranially and lead to the development of infections in the various intracranial compartments resulting in a high rate of morbidity and mortality. We report the first case of an intrafalcine empyema, absent subdural purulence, in a patient with the likely spread from a sinogenic origin. This case illustrates the novelty of this as a pathological entity as well as the surgical considerations for intrafalcine purulence in the absence of expected subdural collections.

Ebola The Enemy: How The U.S. Media Militarized The 2014 Ebola Epidemic, Sarah Chamness

Symposium on Research and Creative Expression (SORCE)

The 2014 Ebola outbreak shocked the world. In western Africa, the scale of the tragedy was surprising. But equally surprising was the excessively fearful response of the international public to a disease that most public health experts agreed was unlikely to significantly impact countries with strong healthcare infrastructures. This included the United States, where the intensity of fear with which the American public responded was disproportionate to the actual threat. Because the outbreak is still recent, most research into America’s response to Ebola has focused on trying to characterize or quantify the extreme reaction that the epidemic produced, with only …

Oxytocin Mitigates The Negative Consequences Of Chronic Social Isolation In Prairie Voles (Microtus Ochrogaster), Elyse Kathleen Mcmahon

Master’s Theses

Chronic stressors, such as chronic isolation in social mammals, can elevate glucocorticoids (CORT), which may affect cellular aging mechanisms such as increasing levels of oxidative stress and shortening telomere lengths. Prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) are a useful model species to study chronic isolation due to their social and pair-bonding behaviors. Recent work in prairie voles suggests that oxytocin and social support may mitigate some of the negative consequences of social isolation, possibly by reducing CORT levels. We investigated the influences of isolation, oxytocin or social support on stress physiology, behavior, and cellular aging. Voles were divided into six groups: isolated …

Re (Civic) Function The Cultural Value Of L’ Aquila, Ogechi Nwoko

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

I want to start by exploring with you the meaning of you these numbers. From 2000 to 2012 natural disasters have caused 1.7 trillion dollars in damage and affected 2.9 billion people. Nearly 50% of the fatalities caused by natural disasters were due to flooding or earthquakes events. If we also look at the regions affected, these are usually facing social, cultural and environmental difficulties; therefore, the process of recovery of the communities in most of the time is slowly effective or unsuccessful. In order to face better future calamities, this research aims to analyze the displacing effect of the …

The Effect Of Staphylococcus Aureus On Stiffness Of Cortical Bone, Ariel N. Kunde

Graduate Theses

Osteomyelitis, a term for bone infection, is a common cause of hospitalization in the United States. Infection leading to osteomyelitis is almost always a product of bacterial origin. Although polymicrobial presence is seen at infection sites of osteomyelitis, Staphylococcus aureus is most commonly isolated and found to be the cause of more than 95% of bone infection in adults. This organism is a common commensal of humans that is carried by an estimated 60% of the US population. S. aureus is transferred by infected asymptomatic individuals, and its ability to proliferate under a variety of environmental conditions contributes to the …

Chromatin-Modifying Agents Convert Fibroblasts To Oct4+ And Vegfr-2+ Capillary Tube-Forming Cells, Anita Wary, Neil Wary '18, Jugajyoti Baruah, Victoria Mastej, Kishore K. Wary

Student Publications & Research

Rationale
The human epigenome is plastic. The goal of this study was to address if fibroblast cells can be epigenetically modified to promote neovessel formation.

Methods and results
Here, we used highly abundant human adult dermal fibroblast cells (hADFCs) that were treated with the chromatin-modifying agents 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine and trichostatin A, and subsequently subjected to differentiation by activating Wnt signaling. Our results show that these epigenetically modified hADFCs increasingly expressed β-catenin, pluripotency factor octamer-binding transcription factor-4 (OCT4, also known as POU5F1), and endothelial cell (EC) marker called vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2, also known as Fetal Liver Kinase-1). In microscopic …

Fungus And Frogs: Preliminary Analysis Of A Survey Of Chytrid In Kansas, Ariel Snyder

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Amphibians are one of the most threatened groups of organisms worldwide, per the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A disease known as chytridiomycosis has been linked to population declines worldwide. Incidence of the fungus has recently been reported at three locations in south-central Kansas. The objective of our study was to assess the status of chytrid throughout the state of Kansas. In 2015-2016 we conducted surveys at multiple locations. We used real-time PCR to analyze swabs collected at each location. Preliminary results show chytrid present at 4 locations in Kansas. We will continue to analyze samples to determine aspects …

Do Desperate Times Really Call For Desperate Measures? The Ethical Dilemma Behind The Regulation And Use Of Experimental Drugs, Lauren Kuehn

Notre Dame Journal of International & Comparative Law

This Note will argue that, unlike what many patients believe, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) plays an invaluable and imperative role in seeking the efficacy and safety of new treatment options and drugs. The balance of interests between those who are terminally ill, who wish to see increased access to unapproved medicines; the general public, who has an interest in preserving the drug approval process; and the FDA, who has been mandated by law to safeguard the safety of the general public, creates a tension that will continue to go unresolved. Thus, the patients who continue to advocate …

New Research Unit Opens In Birmingham To Advance Treatment Of Childhood Disease, Staff

Browse All News

No abstract provided.

Network Modeling Of Infectious Disease: Transmission, Control And Prevention, Christina M. Chandler

Honors College Theses

Many factors come into play when it comes to the transmission of infectious diseases. In disease control and prevention, it is inevitable to consider the general population and the relationships between individuals as a whole, which calls for advanced mathematical modeling approaches.

We will use the concept of network flow and the modified Ford-Fulkerson algorithm to demonstrate the transmission of infectious diseases over a given period of time. Through our model one can observe what possible measures should be taken or improved upon in the case of an epidemic. We identify key nodes and edges in the resulted network, which …

Comparative Analysis Of Immune Checkpoint Molecules And Their Potential Role In The Transmissible Tasmanian Devil Facial Tumor Disease, Andrew S. Flies, Nicholas B. Blackburn, Alan Bruce Lyons, John D. Hayball, Gregory M. Woods

School of Medicine Publications

Immune checkpoint molecules function as a system of checks and balances that enhance or inhibit immune responses to infectious agents, foreign tissues, and cancerous cells. Immunotherapies that target immune checkpoint molecules, particularly the inhibitory molecules programmed cell death 1 and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4), have revolutionized human oncology in recent years, yet little is known about these key immune signaling molecules in species other than primates and rodents. The Tasmanian devil facial tumor disease is caused by transmissible cancers that have resulted in a massive decline in the wild Tasmanian devil population. We have recently demonstrated that the inhibitory …

Gendered Lived Experiences In Urban Cape Town: Urban Infrastructure As Equal Opportunity, Social Justice, And Crime Prevention, Becky Jacobs

Journal of Comparative Urban Law and Policy

No abstract provided.

1912 - Report Of The Commissioner Of Indian Affairs For 1911

US and Indian Relations

Detailed report on the efforts by the US government to manage Indian affairs, educate the Indians, and legislation regarding the Indians. In part, issues covered relate to employees, farming, health, schools, specific tribes, irrigation, forestry, supplies, finances, and statistics.

Safety And Immunogenicity Of The Na-Gst-1 Hookworm Vaccine In Brazilian And American Adults., David J Diemert, Janaína Freire, Vanderson Valente, Carlos Geraldo Fraga, Frederico Talles, Shannon Grahek, Doreen Campbell, Amar Jariwala, Maria Victoria Periago, Martin Enk, Maria Flávia Gazzinelli, Maria Elena Bottazzi, Robert Hamilton, Jill Brelsford, Anna Yakovleva, Guangzhao Li, Jin Peng, Rodrigo Correa-Oliveira, Peter Hotez, Jeffrey Bethony

Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications

Necator americanus Glutathione-S-Transferase-1 (Na-GST-1) plays a role in the digestion of host hemoglobin by adult N. americanus hookworms. Vaccination of laboratory animals with recombinant Na-GST-1 is associated with significant protection from challenge infection. Recombinant Na-GST-1 was expressed in Pichia pastoris and adsorbed to aluminum hydroxide adjuvant (Alhydrogel) according to current Good Manufacturing Practice. Two Phase 1 trials were conducted in 142 healthy adult volunteers in the United States and Brazil, first in hookworm-naïve individuals and then in residents of a N. americanus endemic area in Brazil. Volunteers received one of three doses of recombinant …

Genetic Metabolic Complementation Establishes A Requirement For Gdp-Fucose In Leishmania, Hongjie Guo, Natalia M. Novozhilova, Giulia Bandini, Salvatore J. Turco, Michael A. L. Ferguson, Stephen M. Beverley

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Faculty Publications

To survive in its sand fly vector, the trypanosomatid protozoan parasite Leishmania first attaches to the midgut to avoid excretion, but eventually it must detach for transmission by the next bite. In Leishmania major strain Friedlin, this is controlled by modifications of the stage-specific adhesin lipophosphoglycan (LPG). During differentiation to infective metacyclics, d-arabinopyranose (d-Arap) caps the LPG side-chain galactose residues, blocking interaction with the midgut lectin PpGalec, thereby leading to parasite detachment and transmission. Previously, we characterized two closely related L. major genes (FKP40 and AFKP80) encoding bifunctional proteins with kinase/pyrophosphorylase activities required for salvage and …

A Novel Agonist Of The Trif Pathway Induces A Cellular State Refractory To Replication Of Zika, Chikungunya, And Dengue Viruses., Kara M Pryke, Jinu Abraham, Tina M Sali, Bryan J Gall, Iris Archer, Andrew Liu, Shelly Bambina, Jason R Baird, Michael J. Gough, Marita Chakhtoura, Elias K Haddad, Ilsa T Kirby, Aaron Nilsen, Daniel N Streblow, Alec J Hirsch, Jessica L Smith, Victor R Defilippis

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

The ongoing concurrent outbreaks of Zika, Chikungunya, and dengue viruses in Latin America and the Caribbean highlight the need for development of broad-spectrum antiviral treatments. The type I interferon (IFN) system has evolved in vertebrates to generate tissue responses that actively block replication of multiple known and potentially zoonotic viruses. As such, its control and activation through pharmacological agents may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for simultaneously impairing growth of multiple virus types and rendering host populations resistant to virus spread. In light of this strategy's potential, we undertook a screen to identify novel interferon-activating small molecules. Here, we describe …

Efficacy Of Herpes Zoster Vaccine, Kayla M. Stremick

Nursing Capstones

No abstract provided.

Inhibition Of P70 S6 Kinase (S6k1) Activity By A77 1726, The Active Metabolite Of Leflunomide, Induces Autophagy Through Tak1-Mediated Ampk And Jnk Activation, Xiulong Xu, Jing Sun, Ruilong Song, Michelle E. Doscas, Ashley J. Williamson, Jingsong Zhou, Jun Sun, Xinan Jiao, Xiufan Liu, Yi Li

Faculty and Staff Publications

mTOR activation suppresses autophagy by phosphorylating ULK1 at S757 and suppressing its enzymatic activity. Here we report that feedback activation of mTOR in the PI-3 kinase pathway by two p70 S6 kinase (S6K1) inhibitors (PF-4708671 and A77 1726, the active metabolite of an immunosuppressive drug leflunomide) or by S6K1 knockdown did not suppress but rather induced autophagy. Suppression of S6K1 activity led to the phosphorylation and activation of AMPK, which then phosphorylated ULK1 at S555. While mTOR feedback activation led to increased phosphorylation of ULK1 at S757, this modification did not the disrupt ULK1-AMPK interaction nor dampen ULK1 S555 phosphorylation …