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Revisiting The Global Governance Framework In History And Understanding Its Contemporary Potential For The European Union, Olivia Christine Anderson

Graduate Thesis Collection

This study investigates the historical development and implementation of global governance theory, recognizing its collaborative framework as a critical tool in global politics. While the theory, alongside its epistemic foundations, offers productive and useful guidance for approaching transnational affairs, the question remains whether or not the application of this theory to reality has been successful and advantageous. In order to evaluate this translation, three key structures for transnational relations are examined: the Entente Cordiale, the League of Nations, and the European Union. By consulting key global governance theorists, academic assessments, as well as news reports, this paper analyzes and evaluates …

Alcohol Use And Immune Reconstitution Among Hiv-Infected Patients On Antiretroviral Therapy In Nairobi, Kenya, Anthony Cagle, Christine Mcgrath, Barbra A. Richardson, Dennis Donovan, Sameh Sakr, Nelly Yatich, Richard Ngomoa, Agnes Chepngeno Langat, Grace John-Stewart, Michael Chung

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Studies on the effects of alcohol use on HIV disease progression have been contradictory, with at least one study finding a positive effect of low alcohol consumption on CD4 count. In addition, most such studies have taken place in the developed West. We investigated the association between alcohol use and immune reconstitution through CD4 count response among HIV-infected individuals on antiretroviral therapy (ART) at an urban sub-Saharan African clinic. This was a retrospective cohort study of treatment-naïve HIV-infected adults initiating ART in Nairobi, Kenya and followed for 12 months between January 2009 and December 2012. At enrollment, a standardized questionnaire …

N-Acetyl-D-Glucosamine-Reactive Natural Antibodies: Roles In Suppression Of Autoimmune Diabetes And Environmental Factors Influencing Their Development, James Stewart New

All ETDs from UAB

Type 1 Diabetes suppression in diabetes prone mice following immunization with Group A Streptococcus correlates with the B lymphocyte response to N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (GlcNAc) present in the Group A Carbohydrate cell wall polysaccharide. GlcNAc-specific B cells recognize cryptic GlcNAc-epitopes in beta cells. Following exposure of GlcNAc-modified antigens on beta cells during cellular apoptosis, GlcNAc-specific IgM antibodies opsonize these epitopes and mediate classical complement pathway activation. In vitro, opsonization of apoptotic beta cells with GlcNAc-specific IgM increases their uptake by dendritic cells, while suppressing the subsequent presentation of beta cell-derived antigens to diabetogenic T lymphocytes. Passive administration of Group A Streptococcus antisera …

The Use Of Web Computing To Solve Modern Data Problems In Science And Medicine, Alex M. Dussaq

All ETDs from UAB

Modern day research in science and medicine has become dominated by the ideas of 'Big Data'. Life science data have become progressively more complex and the rate at which it is generated continues to accelerate. This combination of complexity and genera- tion speed creates a multitude of informatics problems to solve. We believe that among the many issues facing modern data scientists, there exists a substantial subset that can only be satisfactorily solved utilizing web computing. Of these web specific issues, we have chosen to focus primarily on data storage and retrieval, data privacy, and data visualization. We present here …

Activation Of Ampk To Diminish Sepsis-Induced Lung Injury, Nathaniel Bone

All ETDs from UAB

Sepsis is the most frequent cause of death of hospitalized patients in modern ICUs. Severe infection, trauma, hemorrhage, burns, and surgery are significant causes of multi-organ injury and immune dysfunction that in turn primes for a high risk of secondary lung infections. In addition to detrimental inflammation, sepsis is linked to loss of metabolic plasticity due to mitochondrial dysfunction in immune cells and lung tissue. In particular, mitochondrial failure in lungs of critically ill septic patients is correlated with high mortality rates. We proposed that AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation, a major bioenergetic sensor and metabolic regulator, is a plausible …

A Commitment Contract To Achieve Virologic Suppression In Poorly Adherent Patients With Hiv/Aids, Marcella Alsan, John Beshears, Wendy S. Armstrong, James J. Choi, Brigitte C. Madrian, Minh Ly T. Nguyen, Carlos Del Rio, David Laibson, Vincent C. Marconi

Faculty Publications

Objective—Assess whether a commitment contract informed by behavioral economics leads to persistent virologic suppression among HIV-positive patients with poor antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence.

Design—Single-center pilot randomized clinical trial, plus a non-randomized control group.

Setting—Publicly-funded HIV clinic in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

Intervention—The study involved three arms. (i) Participants in the provider visit incentive arm received $30 after attending each scheduled provider visit. (ii) Participants in the incentive choice arm were given a choice between the above arrangement and a commitment contract that made the $30 payment conditional on both attending the provider visit and meeting an ART adherence threshold. (iii) The …

Rediscovery Of The Nearly Extinct Longnose Harlequin Frog Atelopus Longirostris (Bufonidae) In Junín, Imbabura, Ecuador, Elicio Eladio Tapia, Luis Aurelio Coloma, Gustavo Pazmiño-Otamendi, Nicolás Peñafiel

Neotropical Biodiversity

We report the recent finding of four adults of Atelopus longirostris, a Critically Endangered species that was last seen in 1989, when catastrophic Atelopus declines occurred. The rediscovery of A. longirostris took place in a new locality, Junín, 1250–1480 m asl, Provincia Imbabura, Ecuador, on 28–31 March 2016. The four frogs were found in two isolated small patches of native forest in a fragmented area heavily modified for agriculture and livestock; one patch protected by the Junín Community Reserve, and another non-protected private patch near the reserve. We found high prevalence of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) in the amphibian community of …

Thinking And Acting Both Globally And Locally : The Field School In Intercultural Education As A Model For Action-Research Training And Civic Learning., Douglas D. Perkins, Benjamin W. Fisher, Holly L. Karakos, Sharon L. Shields, Elizabeth D. Gilbert, Meaghan M. Patterson

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

We present the Field School model of intercultural civic education, service-learning, action research training, and collaboration (with local academic and community partners) based on field work in applied anthropology. Theoretical and methodological foundations of the Field School also include experiential learning and immersive pedagogy, multiculturalism and cross-cultural communication, international education and study abroad programs, collaborative international development, participatory research, and in-depth knowledge in one’s own specific discipline. The primary goals of these intensive, short-term action research projects in other, less-developed countries or regions are benefits for community partners that are as sustainable as possible and to foster and assess learning …

Detection Of Antibiotic Resistance Loci In Wastewater And Fresh Water Samples, Mohammed Hamed Almalki

Masters Theses

Proper treatment of municipal wastewater is important not only for prevention of eutrophication but also for public health concerns. One consideration for wastewater treatment is the presence of organisms carrying antibiotic resistance genes. If these organisms survive the wastewater treatment process and are released into the streams, they can pose significant risks to public health. In addition, their presence also raises concerns for lateral gene transfer events at the wastewater plant. The spread of antibiotic loci has a major impact in public health and clinical therapy because resistant organisms render conventional treatments of important illnesses difficult. Beta-lactam drugs are known …

The Free Exercise Of Religious Identity, Lauren Sudeall

Vanderbilt Law School Faculty Publications

In recent years, a particular strain of argument has arisen in response to decisions by courts or the government to extend certain rights to others. Grounded in religious freedom, these arguments suggest that individuals have a right to operate businesses or conduct their professional roles in a manner that conforms to their religious identity. For example, as courts and legislatures have extended the right to marry to same-sex couples, court clerks have refused to issue marriage certificates to such couples, claiming that to do so would violate their religious beliefs. Similarly, corporations have refused, for reasons grounded in religious identity, …

Downregulation In Ifngr1 Increases Suspectiblity To Mycobacterium Avium Subspecies Paratuberculosis Infection In Crohn's Disease, Zin Mar Htun

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: Crohn's disease (CD) is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and has been associated with Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP). MAP has been detected in stool, tissue and blood samples from patients with CD. Gamma interferon (γ-IFN) is an inflammatory cytokine that plays a crucial role in killing intracellular pathogens like MAP, and its receptor (IFNGR1) mutations cause immunodeficiency and severe disseminated mycobacterial infections. The role of MAP in association with IFNGR1 mutation in CD patients have not been investigated. METHODS: In this study, we investigated blood samples of 79 human subjects for MAP infection in association with IFNGR1 gene …

Discovery And Characterization Of Novel Antimicrobials Against Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, Carolina Rodrigues Felix

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Tuberculosis disease is currently a global health emergency, causing the most deaths worldwide due a single infectious agent. Eradication of TB is hampered by lack of an effective vaccine and poor treatment options. During infection, host-derived cues such as hypoxia and starvation induce Mycobacterium tuberculosis to halt replication and become dormant, which leads to tolerance to front-line antibiotics used in the TB treatment. This dormant phenotype causes delayed clearance of M. tuberculosis, therefore a long treatment time is required for stable cure without relapse. Poor patient compliance increases the emergence of drug resistant strains, posing yet another challenge for the …

Development Of Molecular Diagnostic Tools For Mycobacterium Species, Hillary Bengtson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on the development of diagnostic tools for mycobacteria using hybridization based technologies including binary deoxyribozyme (BiDz) sensors and microarrays. The genus Mycobacterium, is a diverse group of bacteria containing 150+ species including M. tuberculosis (M.tb) and non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) which exhibit a range of pathogenicity, drug susceptibility and growth characteristics. M. tuberculosis (M.tb) is the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB) and the leading cause of infectious disease related deaths worldwide. The control of TB is limited by the lack of sensitive and specific diagnostic tools available at the point of care (POC). The studies presented here illustrate …

Transferrin Receptor Targeted Delivery Of Sirna For Gene Therapy, Yuran Xie

Wayne State University Dissertations

Gene therapy is thought to be a solution for various difficult to treat diseases such as cancer. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) as a promising anti-sense molecule can specifically silence disease related gene have been exploit in different diseases. However, lack of safe and efficient siRNA delivery systems limits the application of siRNA therapy in clinic. Transferrin receptor (TfR) is an essential transmembrane receptor involved in iron uptake. TfR universally express in most cells/ tissues but upregulated in certain cells, for example, many cancer cells and activated T cells (ATCs). To overcome the biological barriers and increase siRNA delivery efficiency, in …

Advancing The Right To Health: The Vital Role Of Law, Lawrence O. Gostin, Oscar A. Cabrera, David Patterson, Roger Magnusson, Helena Nygren-Krug

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Effective laws and an enabling legal environment are essential to a healthy society. Most public health challenges – from infectious and non-communicable diseases to injuries, from mental illness to universal health coverage – have a legal component. At global, national and local levels, law is a powerful tool for advancing the right to health. This tool is, however, often underutilized.

This report aims to raise awareness about the role that public health laws can play in advancing the right to health and in creating the conditions for all people to live healthy lives. The report provides guidance about issues and …

Ces Involved Inhibition And Regulation, Yuanjun Shen

Open Access Dissertations

Sofosbuvir has been widely adopted for Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection therapies through its effect as HCV non-structured protein 5B (NS5B) inhibitor, which is essential for HCV particle assembly. Sofosbuvir, as a prodrug, is activated through the hydrolysis by carboxylesterase 1 (CES1) and is reported to have limited interactions with cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYP450) and p-glycoprotein, which results in less clinical drug-drug interactions. However, reports showed fatal or nephrotoxic cases that utilized a co-therapy of Sofosbuvir with an anti-Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) agent, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF). This study was designed to give one explanation for these case reports. Interestingly, …

Designing Effective Messages To Promote Future Zika Vaccine Uptake, Jeanine Guidry

Theses and Dissertations

The Zika virus is associated with the devastating birth defect microcephaly, and while a vaccine was not yet available in early-2017, several were under development. It is imperative to identify effective communication strategies to promote uptake of a new vaccine, particularly among women of reproductive age. Moreover, though the Zika outbreak has received much social media attention, little is known about these conversations on Instagram. The purpose of this dissertation, therefore, was to understand current Zika-focused communication on Instagram and to inform effective communication strategies to promote future Zika vaccine uptake intent.

The study aims were: (1) explore Zika conversations …

Discovery And Characterization Of Cytomegalovirus Inhibitors Using Reporter-Based Antiviral Assays, Amine Ourahmane

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

DISCOVERY AND CHARACTERIZATION OF CYTOMEGALOVIRUS INHIBITORS

USING REPORTER-BASED ANTIVIRAL ASSAYS

By Amine Ourahmane, MS

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Virginia Commonwealth University, August 2017

Major Director: Michael McVoy, Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Pediatrics and Microbiology and Immunology

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), a member of the herpesvirus family, causes significant disease in immunocompromised patients and is the major infectious cause of birth defects when acquired congenitally. Current HCMV antivirals are suboptimal due to modest potency, significant toxicities, and emergence of resistance. Because HCMV does not infect …

Depressive Symptoms Among College Students: An Exploration Of Fundamental Cause Theory, Peter A. Carrico

Theses and Dissertations

Fundamental Cause Theory suggests that socioeconomic and demographic factors are causal to various illnesses, including depression. However, no known previously existing research has used Fundamental Cause Theory to create a model of depression among college students. To do this, the present study conducted a stepwise binomial logistic regression to examine how socioeconomic status and the sociodemographic variables of Gender, Race, and Sexual Orientation, and others predict depressive symptoms in a large sample of undergraduates when controlling for stressful life events and social support (N = 2,915). Results support the hypothesis that socioeconomic disparities in depressive symptoms are the result …

A Systems Biology Approach For Predicting Essential Genes And Deciphering Their Dynamics Under Stress In Streptococcus Sanguinis, Fadi El-Rami

Theses and Dissertations

Infectious diseases are the top leading cause of death worldwide. Identifying essential genes, genes indispensable for survival, has been proven indispensable in defining new therapeutic targets against pathogens, major elements of the minimal set genome to be harnessed in synthetic biology, and determinants of evolutionary relationships of phylogenetically distant species. Thus, essentiality studies promise valuable revenues that can decipher much of biological complexities.

Taking advantage of the available microbial sequences and the essentiality studies conducted in various microbial models, we proposed a framework for the prediction of essential genes based on our experimentally verified knowledge of the pathways involved in …

Health Aid In Africa: Placement, Service Utilization, And Benefit, Carrie Dolan

Theses and Dissertations

While the health sector has attracted significant foreign aid, evidence on the effectiveness of this support is mixed. This dissertation examines the allocation of health aid within the context of placement, service utilization, and benefit. The first paper examined the sub-national allocation of Chinese development aid projects across Africa. I determined how political preferencing of Chinese aid specifically, allocating aid to the birth region of the current political leader differs across sectors such as health, education, and transportation. I find some evidence that aid, more broadly defined, is subject to political preferencing in recipient countries, which could potentially limit its …

Risk Factors For Hypoxia And Tachypnea Among Adolescents With Vertically-Acquired Hiv In Nairobi, Engi F. Attia, Noel S. Weiss, Elizabeth Maleche Obimbo, Christine J. Mcgrath, Anthony Cagle, Eoin T. West, El Antouny G. Neveen, Attwa Mena, Crothers Kristina, Michael Chung

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background: Chronic lung diseases are increasingly recognized complications of vertically-acquired HIV among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa and may manifest with hypoxia or tachypnea. We sought to determine the prevalence of and risk factors for hypoxia and tachypnea among adolescents with vertically-acquired HIV in Nairobi, Kenya.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional analysis of 258 adolescents with vertically-acquired HIV who were initiating care at the Coptic Hope Center for Infectious Diseases. Adolescents with documented pneumonia were excluded. Hypoxia was defined as resting oxygen saturation ≤92%, and tachypnea was based on the 99th percentile of age-appropriate respiratory rates. Logistic regression models adjusted for …

L-Tryptophan Hydroxamic Acid Derivatives As Burkholderia Pseudomallei Ispf Inhibitors, Chante Ashley Muller

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Burkholderia pseudomallei is a Gram-negative bacterium that can cause a severe and potentially deadly infection called melioidosis. Typically found in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, this bacterium is considered a Tier 1 Select Agent by the CDC. A Tier 1 Select Agent can pose a severe threat to plants, animals, and humans. This bacterium utilizes the isoprenoid biosynthetic route called the 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate, or MEP, pathway. This pathway is used by most bacteria, plants, and apicomplexan protozoa to produce two isoprenoid precursors, isopentyl pyrophosphate (IPP) and dimethylallyl pyrophosphate (DMAPP), which are used by the bacterium to synthesize molecules …

Prevalence And Transmission Of Cryptosporidium And Giardia Infections Amongst Lemurs, Humans, Domestic Mammals And Invasive Rats In Tsinjoarivo, Madagascar, Laurie Spencer

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Cryptosporidium and Giardia are ubiquitous enteric protozoan pathogens that infect humans, domestic animals, and wildlife worldwide. These pathogens are known to cause gastroenteritis in their hosts, often being fatal in immunocompromised individuals. Both parasites are zoonotic and cross-species transmissions have occurred between humans, wildlife and domestic animals. Cryptosporidium and Giardia infections are reported in young children in Madagascar; however, the extent of these infections throughout the Malagasy population is relatively unknown and unstudied. The rainforest of Tsinjoarivo, Madagascar, contains areas with pristine forests as well as fragmented forests which have been created by human encroachment and deforestation. Since protozoan parasites …

Lost Opportunities: Ecuador's Yasuní Itt Initiative, Julianna Hitchins

Pomona Senior Theses

In 2007, President Rafael Correa of Ecuador proposed the Yasuní ITT Initiative at the United Nations General Assembly in an effort to contribute to the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions and the local preservation of biodiversity. The initiative proposed enacting an indefinite ban on oil exploration and extraction within the Ecuadorian Yasuní National Park so long as the developed world was willing to contribute to half the forgone costs of drilling. However, despite initial support, the Yasuní Initiative was unsuccessful, and due to a lack of financial support, Correa terminated the proposal in August 2013.

With the increasing threat of …

Development And Evaluation Of An Evidence-Based Educational Process To Reduce Post-Transplant Infections, Erica Vanessa Henderson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The targeted transplant center's abdominal organ transplant unit had difficulty providing

adequate education to patients prior to discharge, which had resulted in a 24% readmission rate within 30 days due to infections. Patients and caregivers were unavailable to receive education despite multiple attempts, which made it challenging for health care providers to complete this aspect of their job, resulting in a negative impact on patients' long-term outcomes. A more structured educational environment was needed to provide appropriate and effective patient and caregiver education to increase adherence and positive outcomes. The health promotion model served as a foundation for the development …

Knowledge Of Malaria Infection And Treatment-Seeking Behavior Among Tanzanian Pregnant Women, Emebet T. Derjew

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the availability of effective drugs to prevent malaria during pregnancy using intermittent preventive treatment with Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine or Fansidar and insecticide bed net, use of these methods are still little used in Sub-Saharan Africa, including Tanzania. As a result, many pregnant women are at risk of malaria consequences such as maternal anemia and low birth weight babies, which increase the rate of infant mortality. Data from the Demographic Health Survey for Tanzania HIV/AIDs and the Malaria Indicator Survey 2011-2012 were used in a cross-sectional design guided by the health belief model. Logistic regression examined the association between (a) preventive treatment-seeking …

Factors Impacting Hiv Post Exposure Prophylaxis Among Health Care Workers, Ulunma Njemanze

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Health care workers are at risk of contracting HIV as a result of occupational exposure while treating infected patients. HIV postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) is an effective antiretroviral treatment course used in preventing potential HIV infection following an accidental occupational exposure to HIV. The objective of this cross sectional study was to identify the factors that impact the practice of HIV PEP among health care workers at the National Hospital, Abuja, Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey using self-administered, structured questionnaires was conducted on 182 health care workers at the National Hospital comprising of medical doctors, nurses, and laboratory scientists. A chi-square test …

Monitoring Insecticide Resistance Mechanisms In Culex Tarsalis From Sutter County, California, Bridgette Danielle Hughes

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Culex mosquitoes are known for carrying several harmful viruses in the United States. Culex tarsalis is found in rural as well as some residential areas in the Western United States, so they are under insecticide pressure from both agricultural spraying and vector control. In response to insecticide pressure, mosquitoes can evolve two primary resistance mechanisms: target site insensitivity, as a result of DNA mutation, and elevated levels of detoxifying enzymes (GST, alpha and beta esterases, and P450 oxidases). The two types of target site insensitivity studied here in Cx. tarsalis are kdr, which is a mutation in the para-type voltage …

Shinrin-Yoku (Forest Bathing) And Nature Therapy: A State-Of-The-Art Review, Margaret M. Hansen Edd, Msn, Rn, Reo Jones, Kirsten Tocchini

Nursing and Health Professions Faculty Research and Publications

Background: Current literature supports the comprehensive health benefits of exposure to nature and green environments on human systems. The aim of this state-of-the-art review is to elucidate empirical research conducted on the physiological and psychological effects of Shinrin-Yoku (or Forest Bathing) in transcontinental Japan and China. Furthermore, we aim to encourage healthcare professionals to conduct longitudinal research in Western cultures regarding the clinically therapeutic effects of Shinrin-Yoku and, for healthcare providers/students to consider practicing Shinrin-Yoku to decrease undue stress and potential burnout. Methods: A thorough review was conducted to identify research published with an initial open date range …