Digital Commons Network^™

The Diet And Subsistence Methods Of The Maya: Their Health And Cultural Consequences From The Pre-Classic Era To Today, Rachel E. Watson

Honors Undergraduate

The Maya, a once great civilization, seemingly vanished without an obvious reason, before the Spanish landed in the region. Some say that their downfall was a result of famine and inadequate nutrition. Surprisingly, most of the archaeological evidence surrounding the Classic Maya diet and subsistence methods indicates that they both adequately sustained the population to the point where there has been practically no change over hundreds of years. Change did not occur to the Maya diet or the classic subsistence methods until the late twentieth century when the tourism industry exploded in the area of the former Maya empire. The …

Sickle Cell Anemia: Current Treatments And Potential Advancements, Vanessa Martinez

Selected Honors Theses

Sickle cell anemia is a disease that affects red blood cells, specifically the hemoglobin protein. An amino acid mutation in the gene that encodes β-globin leads to malformation of the β subunit of hemoglobin.3, Valine becomes glutamic acid in the mutated β-globin gene.9 The mutation malformation leads to the red blood cells becoming sickle shaped, or crescent shaped.3,4 The sickle shape of red blood cells in individuals with sickle cell disease leads to vaso-occlusive crisis.9 Vaso-occlusive crisis includes complications such as blood clotting, chronic pain, organ failure, organ death, and possibly early mortality.9 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention …

A Comparative Analysis Of The West African Hemorrhagic Fevers Caused By The Lassa And Ebola Viruses, Emiene E. Amali-Adekwu

Selected Honors Theses

Lassa fever (LF) and Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever (EHF) are viral diseases endemic to West Africa.The etiological agent of Lassa fever is an enveloped virus from the Arenaviridae family and was first discovered in 1969 when two missionary nurses died of a mysterious illness in the town of Lassa in Borno state, Nigeria.1 This virus is animal-borne (zoonotic) and is carried by the animal vector Mastomys natalensis (multimammate rat). The Ebola virus is also zoonotic originating from fruit bats belonging to the Pteropodidae family.2 The first reported case of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) was a principal who was believed to have …

Evidence Based Practice For Soap And Water Handwashing, Brittany Carpenter, Mikalea Buckler, Carsey Campell, Natalie Thompson, Shannon Morgan

Celebration of Student Scholarship Poster Sessions Archive

No abstract provided.

Host-Selected Mutations Converging On A Global Regulator Drive An Adaptive Leap Towards Symbiosis In Bacteria, Molly Sabrina Pankey, Randi L. Foxall, Ian M. Ster, Lauren A. Perry, Brian M. Schuster, Rachel A. Donner, Matthew Coyle, Vaughn S. Cooper, Cheryl A. Whistler

New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station Publications

Host immune and physical barriers protect against pathogens but also impede the establishment of essential symbiotic partnerships. To reveal mechanisms by which beneficial organisms adapt to circumvent host defenses, we experimentally evolved ecologically distinct bioluminescent Vibrio fischeri by colonization and growth within the light organs of the squid Euprymna scolopes. Serial squid passaging of bacteria produced eight distinct mutations in the binK sensor kinase gene, which conferred an exceptional selective advantage that could be demonstrated through both empirical and theoretical analysis. Squid-adaptive binK alleles promoted colonization and immune evasion that were mediated by cell-associated matrices including symbiotic polysaccharide (Syp) and …

2017-April-27-Editorial Board, University Marketing And Communications, East Tennessee State University

ETSU News

No abstract provided.

Multiple Large Lung Cavitary Lesions Due To Streptococcus Intermedius In An Otherwise Healthy Young Male., Deepika Jain Md, Matthew Miles Do, Andres Zirlinger Md

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Volume 54, Number 37: April 26, 2017, University Of North Dakota

University Letter Archive

No abstract provided.

An Examination Of Medicinal Ethnobotany And Biomedicine Use In Two Villages On The Phnom Kulen Plateau, Taylor Walker

Undergraduate Research Awards

Cambodians address symptomatic illness in two ways: they use traditional medicine, including medicinal plants, and biomedicine. Despite various attempts to quantify medicinal ethnobotany in Cambodia, no national ethnopharmacopoeia exists, and there is a gap in the literature regarding the mechanisms through which traditional medicines are prepared and used. This report presents an examination of the ethnopharmacopoeia of two villages within Phnom Kulen National Park, a study site chosen for its unique ecology and status as one of Cambodia’s last remaining regions with lowland evergreen and semi-evergreen forest. The report also investigates the mechanisms through which villagers make decisions regarding illness …

Opinion: Inhibition Of Blood-Brain Barrier Repair As A Mechanism In Hiv-1 Disease., Monique E. Maubert, Brian Wigdahl, Michael R. Nonnemacher

Kimmel Cancer Center Papers, Presentations, and Grand Rounds

No abstract provided.

Can Global Health Governance Contend With Transnational Corporate Activities? A Case Study On The Chinese Tobacco Industry, Xing Gao

Geography Honors Projects

In the past two decades, China’s state-owned tobacco enterprise (CNTC) has expanded its operation and influence abroad under the “going global” strategy. These globalization activities directly and indirectly impact the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the first international treaty signed under the WHO auspices. In this project, I explore how certain CNTC expansionary strategies undermine FCTC articles, as well as the ways in which FCTC articles have failed to curb the tobacco industry’s transnational growth. Using international political economy as an overarching framework for the analysis of global health governance, I argue that the FCTC fails to halt the …

Evidence Based Practices For Increasing Flu Vaccine Rates In Native Americans, Jennifer A. Magpie

Nursing Capstones

No abstract provided.

The Malaria Testing And Treatment Landscape In The Southern Lao People's Democratic Republic (Pdr)., Kathryn A. O'Connell, Vamsi Vasireddy, Megan Littrell, Andria Rusk, Actwatch Group, Saysana Phanalasy

Collected Faculty Scholarship

BACKGROUND: In the context of national and regional goals to eliminate malaria by 2030, the Center for Malaria Parasitology and Entomology in the Lao PDR is implementing strategies to ensure all malaria cases are detected and appropriately treated with first-line artemisinin combination therapy, artemether-lumefantrine (AL). Timely and relevant evidence to inform policies and strategies is needed to ensure the most effective and efficient use of resources, and to accelerate progress towards elimination goals. A 2015 outlet survey conducted in five provinces of the southern Lao PDR was the first of its kind to study the total market for malaria treatments …

The Mechanism Of Sex Trafficking And What You Can Do About It, Benjamin J. Huebner

Senior Honors Theses

Awareness for sex trafficking is on a steady incline. Many organizations and events help to raise awareness for sex trafficking and often collect money to combat the issue. However, the unfortunate reality is that the public has gained a non-functional awareness of the issue. The public knows about the problem, they know that the number affected is astronomical, and they know that it is ugly, but they know of no tangible way to work toward the solution. Nothing is wrong with donating to an organization that is working to resolve the issue, but people need to be made aware of …

Ticked Off: An Analysis Of The Inadequate Diagnosis And Treatment Of Lyme Disease, Virginia P. Yoder

Senior Honors Theses

Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States and has a high prevalence among people in the northeast. Lyme disease can be a debilitating illness if not diagnosed early, and can lead to long-term health problems for many patients. This thesis serves as a review of scientific literature on Lyme disease, with the prevalence, symptomology, the bacterial mechanism of infection, the diagnostic process, transmission, and treatment therapies. Further research and development could lead to better primary care for those suffering with Lyme disease.

Non-Capsular Virulence Factors Of Cryptococcus Neoformans, Kirk Nickish

Senior Honors Theses

Cryptococcus neoformans is an emerging pathogen that kills hundreds of thousands every year, especially in underdeveloped areas with little access to modern medical care. New treatments for the disease are needed to shorten treatment and decrease the side effects and costs associated with the drugs currently in use. Many C. neoformans genes have been identified that are necessary for full virulence in the host. Cir1, a regulatory protein associated with iron regulation, and Zip1, a surface zinc transporter, are both necessary for full virulence in the host. Anti-fungals targeted at these proteins or the proteins produced by other genes discussed …

Infection Prevention And Control In Baccalaureate Nursing Education: Identifying Content, Teaching Strategies And Gaps, Mary Lou Manning, Phd, Crnp, Cic, Faan, Monika Pogorzelska-Maziarz, Phd, Mph, Cic

College of Nursing Posters

Background

Healthcare-associated infections (HAI) are a major risk to patient safety. In the US, on any given day, 1 of every 25 inpatients has at least one HAI, resulting in significant health, social, and economic consequences.¹ It is estimated that up to 70% of some types of HAIs are preventable through improved infection prevention and control (IPC) practices of health care providers.²

Additionally, antibiotic resistant infections and emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases represent ongoing threats to population health.

Integrating IPC concepts and content in baccalaureate nursing education is crucial to ensure that nurses have the essential knowledge, skills …

Fungal Infections From Human And Animal Contact, Dennis J. Baumgardner

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Fungal infections in humans resulting from human or animal contact are relatively uncommon, but they include a significant proportion of dermatophyte infections. Some of the most commonly encountered diseases of the integument are dermatomycoses. Human or animal contact may be the source of all types of tinea infections, occasional candidal infections, and some other types of superficial or deep fungal infections. This narrative review focuses on the epidemiology, clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of anthropophilic dermatophyte infections primarily found in North America. Other human-acquired and zoonotic fungal infections also are discussed in brief.

Accumulation And Expression Of Multiple Antibiotic Resistance Genes In Arcobacter Cryaerophilus That Thrives In Sewage, Jess A. Millar, Rahul Raghavan

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

We explored the bacterial diversity of untreated sewage influent samples of a wastewater treatment plant in Tucson, AZ and discovered that Arcobacter cryaerophilus, an emerging human pathogen of animal origin, was the most dominant bacterium. The other highly prevalent bacteria were members of the phyla Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes, which are major constituents of human gut microbiome, indicating that bacteria of human and animal origin intermingle in sewage. By assembling a near-complete genome of A. cryaerophilus, we show that the bacterium has accumulated a large number of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) probably enabling it to thrive in the wastewater. We also …

Aspergillus Fumigatus Trehalose-Regulatory Subunit Homolog Moonlights To Mediate Cell Wall Homeostasis Through Modulation Of Chitin Synthase Activity, Arsa Thammahong, Alayna K. Caffrey-Card, Sourabh Dhingra, Joshua J. Obar, Robert Cramer

Dartmouth Scholarship

Trehalose biosynthesis is found in fungi but not humans. Proteins involved in trehalose biosynthesis are essential for fungal pathogen virulence in humans and plants through multiple mechanisms. Loss of canonical trehalose biosynthesis genes in the human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus significantly alters cell wall structure and integrity, though the mechanistic link between these virulence-associated pathways remains enigmatic. Here we characterize genes, called tslAand tslB, which encode proteins that contain domains similar to those corresponding to trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase but lack critical catalytic residues for phosphatase activity. Loss of tslA reduces trehalose content in both conidia and mycelia, impairs cell wall …

Interacting Effects Of Land Use And Climate On Rodent-Borne Pathogens In Central Kenya, Hillary S. Young, Douglas J. Mccauley, Rodolfo Dirzo, Charles L. Nunn, Michael G. Campana, Bernard Agwanda, Erik R. Otarola-Castillo, Robert M. Pringle, Kari E. Veblen, Daniel J. Salkeld, Kristin Stewardson, Robert Fleisher, Eric F. Lambin, Todd M. Palmer, Kristofer M. Helgen

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Understanding the effects of anthropogenic disturbance on zoonotic disease risk is both a critical conservation objective and a public health priority. Here, we evaluate the effects of multiple forms of anthropogenic disturbance across a precipitation gradient on the abundance of pathogen-infected small mammal hosts in a multi-host, multi-pathogen system in central Kenya. Our results suggest that conversion to cropland and wildlife loss alone drive systematic increases in rodent-borne pathogen prevalence, but that pastoral conversion has no such systematic effects. The effects are most likely explained both by changes in total small mammal abundance, and by changes in relative abundance of …

East Meets West: Cultural Values And Duty To Care For Disaster Response, Tracy J. Nash

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

Nurses’ readiness for disaster response has assumed front and center-stage in recent years, due to the heightened number of natural and human-induced disasters across the globe. Scientific literature affirms that without nurses’ personal and professional readiness for disaster situations, patient and public health outcomes will likely decline. Three research manuscripts presented in this dissertation portfolio targeted this significant, but overlooked public health issue. First, a quantitative pilot study addressing nurses’ personal preparedness for disaster response was considered. Findings from the study not only justified personal readiness as a significant concept, but also prompted review of the scientific literature to further …

Role Of Modern Immunotherapy In Gastrointestinal Malignancies: A Review Of Current Clinical Progress, Zin W. Myint, Gaurav Goel

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are a group of highly aggressive malignancies with a huge disease burden worldwide. There is clearly a significant unmet need for new drugs and therapies to further improve the treatment outcomes of GI malignancies. Immunotherapy is a novel treatment strategy that is emerging as an effective and promising treatment option against several types of cancers. CTLA-4 and PD-1 are critical immune checkpoint molecules that negatively regulate T cell activation via distinct mechanisms. Immune checkpoint blockade with antibodies directed against these pathways has already shown clinical efficacy that has led to their FDA approval in the treatment of …

Eight Arts & Sciences Faculty Awarded Ohio Research Seed Funds, Ohio University College Of Arts & Sciences

All Forum Articles

No abstract provided.

Pharmacodynamic Activity Of Fosfomycin Simulating Urinary Concentrations Achieved After A Single 3 Gram Oral Dose Versus Escherichia Coli Using An In Vitro Model, George G. Zhanel, Kate Parkinson, Sean Higgins, Andrew Denisuik, Heather Adam, Johann Pitout, Ayman Noreddin, James A. Karlowsky

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

We assessed the activity of fosfomycin simulating urinary concentrations achieved after a single 3 gram oral dose against Escherichia coli using an in vitro pharmacodynamic model. Eleven urinary isolates of E. coli were studied. Isolates were ESBL-producing or carbapenemase-producing. The in vitro pharmacodynamic model was inoculated with an inoculum of (~1 × 10⁶ cfu/mL). Fosfomycin was administered to simulate maximum free (ƒ) urine (U) concentrations and a t_1/2 obtained after a standard single 3 gram oral dose in healthy volunteers (ƒU_max, 4000 mg/L; t_1/2, 6 h). Sampling was performed over 48 h to assess …

The Cowl - V.81 - N.23 - Apr 23, 2017

The Cowl

The Cowl - student newspaper of Providence College. Volume 81, Number 23 - April 23, 2017. 20 pages.

Mexicans In The U.S And Hiv: Reviewing Social And Cultural Factors, Eduardo Alvarez

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

Mexican immigrants in the United States continue to struggle with disproportionate incidences of HIV infection. Behaviors that contributed to the development of AIDS among Mexican immigrants were the lack of condom use, engaging in risky sexual behavior, and not having HIV testing (Martínez Donate, et al., 2015). While these risk factors are preventable, religious and social stigmatization present within the Mexican community generate shame and embarrassment. This discourages Mexican immigrants from seeking health services, such as HIV testing. An estimated 20% of HIV positive Mexican immigrants are unaware of their condition, and contribute to the spread of the virus (Hall …

Point Of Care Technology For Underserved Populations, Anna Maloney

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

Point of Care technology is an emerging healthcare field. This technology allows for rapid, inexpensive, on-site testing for otherwise lengthy and costly laboratory tests. Leading infectious diseases can be tested immediately in non-invasive ways similar to using a pregnancy test. This inexpensive, highly portable, and extremely accurate technology should be used for populations that have historically lacked access. Such access would result in immediate cost savings and life savings.

Underserved populations in America such as migrant workers or people living in poverty rarely receive the testing they require. Although clinics for illegal immigrants exist where they are protected and cannot …

A Comparative Analysis Of Infection Control Processes And Outcomes Between The United States And Ireland, Yaritza Grant, Samantha Haug, Sarah Purcell

Academic Festival

After studying abroad in Ireland, infection control rates were compared to that of the USA.Through experiences with Irish nursing faculty and nurses, we learned about, as well as observed, the differing and innovative methods for infection control. The clinical differences between each country were analyzed alongside healthcare associated infections. The goals of this project are to shed light on the variability of infection control approaches from the USA and Ireland and how these procedures affect the actual rates of infection in each country.

Wright State University's Celebration Of Research, Scholarship And Creative Activities Book Of Abstracts From Friday, April 21, 2017, Wright State University

Celebration of Undergraduate & Graduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities Materials

The student abstract booklet is a compilation of abstracts from students' oral and poster presentations at Wright State University's Annual Celebration of Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities on April 21, 2017.