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Synthesis And Characterization Of Targeted Bar Encapsulated Polylactic-Co-Glycolic Acid Nanoparticles To Inhibit Porphyromonas Gingivalis Biofilm Formation., Ranjith Radha Krishnan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Periodontal disease is one of the most prevalent infectious diseases worldwide. Between 30-50% of the global adult population suffers from periodontal disease. Some form of periodontitis is present in 46% of American adults, corresponding to annual expenditures in excess of 14 billion dollars for treatment and prevention. Current treatments for periodontal diseases involve mechanical removal of plaque, correction of risk factors, gingival surgery and/or antibiotic therapy. To our knowledge there is no effective therapeutic approach that aims to limit pathogen colonization of the oral biofilm or re-colonization after treatment. Interaction of the pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis with oral streptococci is critical …

Intratumoral Sting Activation Sensitizes Poorly Immunogenic Cancers To Checkpoint Blockade Immunotherapy, Casey Ager

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Unprecedented durable tumor regression can be achieved in patients with checkpoint blockade immunotherapy, yet these responses are rare and are not observed in all tumor types. Castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) and pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) are two common lethal cancers that remain refractory to checkpoint blockade, requiring development of new therapeutic approaches to promote responsivity in patients with these diseases. Both CRPC and PDAC are characterized by an immunosuppressive tumor milieu rich in cells of the myeloid lineage, which regulate T cell activity in many ways independent of the coinhibitory receptor axis. We investigated whether activation of acute inflammatory signaling …

Painted Ferocity: The Social Behaviors Of African Wild Dogs, Threats To Survival, And Resulting Conservation Initiatives, Alexis Valdes

Senior Honors Theses

African Wild Dogs (Lycaon pictus) are an endangered species of canid from Sub-Saharan Africa. They are very social communal hunters, and are capable of chasing down prey for long stretches of time. Wild dogs benefit a savannah ecosystem by regulating the populations of their prey so that it does not become unhealthy and overgrown. Like many organisms, wild dogs are also in competition with other predators for resources, namely lions and hyenas, who are capable of stealing their kills and occasionally injuring and killing them. Due to the depletion of their wild prey, wild dogs may also prey …

Understanding Consumer Attitudes Towards Antimicrobial Risk Reducing Practices, Sabrina Gulab

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance is a natural evolutionary reaction to antimicrobial exposure. However, the misuse and overuse of antimicrobial drugs in human medicine and in agriculture are speeding up the process. Antimicrobials have been used in food-producing animals for therapeutic purposes as well as to promote growth by applying low concentrations in animal feed. Antimicrobial resistant pathogens can enter the food chain through food containing residues of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and cause infections in humans. In the United States, millions of people are infected every year with antimicrobial resistant bacterial diseases causing approximately 23,000 deaths (CDC 2013). This …

A Preliminary Study On Diversity Of Midgut Microbiota In Aedes Aegypti (Linnaeus) And Culex Quinquefasciatus (Say) Collected From Bangkok, Thailand, Sonthaya Tiawsirisup, Jirinnut Sirijutalak, Mananya Sondang, Manunya Supol, Nut Ansusinha, Ranida Tuanudom, Channarong Rodkhum

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus are important mosquito vectors for many infectious diseases. A number of factors affect the vector competence of these mosquitoes for a specific pathogen. The bacteria harbored in the midgut are known to influence mosquito physiology and can alter the response to various pathogens. Bacteria from the midgut of Ae. aegypti and Cx. quinquefasciatus were cultured and identified using bacteriological and molecular techniques in this study in which two groups of mosquitoes were examined. The first group was laboratory- reared, and the second group were field- collected mosquitoes from Bangkok. Twelve bacterial genera ( i. e. …

Effectiveness Of Sentinel Rodents For Surveillance Of Exposure To Undocumented Bacterial Pathogens In Animal Research Facility, Shih-Keng Loong, Haryanti-Azura Mohammad-Wali, Nurul-Asma-Anati Che-Mat-Seri, Nur-Hidayana Mahfodz, Dzuzaini Mohd-Ghazali, Pooi-Fong Wong, Sazaly Abubakar

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

The use of sentinel animals in animal research facilities is the cornerstone of animal health monitoring for exposure to natural pathogens of laboratory animals. This is because infection with these pathogens produces no overt signs of disease yet the infection may affect the outcome of research utilising these animals. One of the important pathogens includes Klebsiella pneumoniae, whose prevalence can be high in laboratory animals. This study sought to document the prevalence of K. pneumoniae and other undocumented bacterial pathogens in laboratory rodents for a 3- year period. K. pneumoniae and Chryseobacterium gleum were isolated from sentinel ICR mice housed …

Rapid Separation Of Bacteria From Blood For Sepsis Diagnosis, Mahsa Alizadeh

Theses and Dissertations

Sepsis is a severe blood infection caused by bacteria entering the blood stream. Sepsis caused by antibiotic resistant bacteria is very dangerous with a high mortality rate. The current clinical diagnostic methods for sepsis require culturing the blood sample prior to other steps of the diagnosis procedure. Culturing the blood samples is a time-consuming step which increases the time required for the diagnostic procedure. Considering the fact that the mortality rate of the sepsis increases as time passes, it is essential to find methods for sepsis diagnosis that do not require culturing the samples. The first step of a new …

Mastering Mycological Mysteries With Explorations Of Harpellales Associated With Culicidae And Other Dipterans In Idaho, Michael Mccormick

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Presented is the first field survey and laboratory-based study focused on Harpellales gut fungi found in Culicidae (mosquito) larvae collected from various parts of Idaho. Overall, 34 sites were sampled ranging from urban storm drains and irrigation puddles to pristine stream-side puddles. These sites yielded 17 different species of mosquitoes and three previously described species of gut fungi. Three species of mosquitoes were the first recorded observations as hosts of the following gut fungi: Culiseta alaskaensis was infested with Zancudomyces culisetae (from Renwyck Creek), Culex tarsalis with Smittium culicis (from Cottonwood Creek), and Ochleratus sp. with Smittium minutisporum (from Bear …

War Against Respiratory Syncytial Virus: An 8-Year Experience At A Tertiary Hospital

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To assess the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection incidence rate through the analysis of data collected before and after implementation of a new palivizumab dosing regimen customized for a high-risk Saudi population. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study performed at Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia between November 2009 and April 2017 on 1704 high risk Saudi young children and comparing 3 palivizumab regimens: a 4-week interval dosing regimen starting in either November or mid-September and a 3-week interval dosing regimen starting in mid-September. Results: Despite a decrease in the incidence rate of RSV infection with …

Screening For Q Fever: A Tertiary Care Hospital-Based Experience In Central Saudi Arabia, Abdulkarim F. Alhetheel, Khalifa Binkhamis, Ali Somily, Mazin Barry, Zahid Shakoor

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To evaluate the presence of Coxiella burnetii ( C. brunetii ) infection among patients presenting with fever of unknown origin (FUO). Methods: A cross-sectional study of 100 patients (54 men and 46 women; mean age: 34.3 ± 19.2 years) with FUO was conducted at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia between March 2015 and June 2016. Phase 1 and phase 2 C. burnetii -specific antibodies in serum samples were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Coxiella burnetii phase 1 and phase 2 antibodies were detected in 16% of the patients. Phase 2 IgM was present in 2% of …

Knowledge And Attitude Toward Hemoglobinopathies Premarital Screening Program Among Unmarried Population In Western Saudi Arabia, Safia M. Binshihon, Manal O. Alsulami, Wed M. Alogaibi, Asmaa H. Mohammedsaleh, Hayfa N. Mandourah, Bushra S. Albaity, Mohamad H. Qari

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To assess the knowledge and attitude toward hemoglobinopathies premarital screening (PMS) program among unmarried population in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1039 unmarried males and females from the general population who fulfilled the eligibility criteria. Data was collected from July-December 2017, using an electronic questionnaire to assess the socio-demographic data, knowledge and attitudes of the participants regarding PMS. Results: Approximately half of the participants had poor knowledge scores (51.1%), while 28.4% of them had fair and 20.5% had good scores. Individuals with an educational level of “university degree and above” had significantly …

Non-Neutralizing Antibodies Elicited By Recombinant Lassa-Rabies Vaccine Are Critical For Protection Against Lassa Fever., Tiago Abreu-Mota, Katie R. Hagen, Kurt Cooper, Peter B. Jahrling, Gene Tan, Christoph Wirblich, Reed F. Johnson, Matthias J. Schnell

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

Lassa fever (LF), caused by Lassa virus (LASV), is a viral hemorrhagic fever for which no approved vaccine or potent antiviral treatment is available. LF is a WHO priority disease and, together with rabies, a major health burden in West Africa. Here we present the development and characterization of an inactivated recombinant LASV and rabies vaccine candidate (LASSARAB) that expresses a codon-optimized LASV glycoprotein (coGPC) and is adjuvanted by a TLR-4 agonist (GLA-SE). LASSARAB elicits lasting humoral response against LASV and RABV in both mouse and guinea pig models, and it protects both guinea pigs and mice against LF. We …

Development Of Onchocerca Volvulus In Humanized Nsg Mice And Detection Of Parasite Biomarkers In Urine And Serum., John B. Patton, Sasisekhar Bennuru, Mark L. Eberhard, Jessica A. Hess Ligas, April R. Torigian, Sara Lustigman, Thomas B. Nutman, David Abraham

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: The study of Onchocerca volvulus has been limited by its host range, with only humans and non-human primates shown to be susceptible to the full life cycle infection. Small animal models that support the development of adult parasites have not been identified.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We hypothesized that highly immunodeficient NSG mice would support the survival and maturation of O. volvulus and alteration of the host microenvironment through the addition of various human cells and tissues would further enhance the level of parasite maturation. NSG mice were humanized with: (1) umbilical cord derived CD34+ stem cells, (2) fetal derived liver, …

Risk Stratification Of Febrile Infants ≤60 Days Old Without Routine Lumbar Puncture., Paul L. Aronson, Marie E. Wang, Eugene D. Shapiro, Samir S. Shah, Adrienne G. Deporre, Russell J Mcculloh, Christopher M. Pruitt, Sanyukta Desai, Lise E. Nigrovic, Richard D. Marble, Rianna C. Leazer, Sahar N. Rooholamini, Laura F. Sartori, Fran Balamuth, Christopher Woll, Mark I. Neuman, Febrile Young Infant Research Collaborative

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Video Abstract: media-1vid110.1542/5840460609001PEDS-VA_2018-1879

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the Rochester and modified Philadelphia criteria for the risk stratification of febrile infants with invasive bacterial infection (IBI) who do not appear ill without routine cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) testing.

METHODS: We performed a case-control study of febrile infants ≤60 days old presenting to 1 of 9 emergency departments from 2011 to 2016. For each infant with IBI (defined as a blood [bacteremia] and/or CSF [bacterial meningitis] culture with growth of a pathogen), controls without IBI were matched by site and date of visit. Infants were excluded if they appeared ill or had a …

Investigating Possible Scurvy In The Postclassic Maya Of Tipu, Emmalea Gomberg

Master's Theses

Although residing in a tropical environment, numerous researchers have posited the possibility of scurvy in the Maya in recent years. The historic population of Tipu in western Belize dating to AD 1541-1638 is one of the largest and best preserved Maya series, and was therefore evaluated for possible presence of scurvy since the diet appears typical of the pre-contact Petén populations. The temporal bones and greater wings of the sphenoid were analyzed for scorbutic activity in 143 individuals, along with periodontal disease and antemortem tooth loss to determine if there was a co-occurrence with scurvy.

Overall, 27% of the sample …

Evaluation Of Bioactive Compounds On Different Extracts Of Linum Usitatissimum And Its Antimicrobial Properties Against Selected Oral Pathogens, Ummu A. Fadzir, Khairani I. Mokhtar, Basma E. Mustafa, Deny S. Darnis

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Antibacterial agents from natural sources have been suggested as alternatives for treating infectious diseases due to their low side effects. Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum) exhibits some antibacterial properties, but its effects against oral pathogens are poorly understood. This study investigated flaxseed extracts' antibacterial effects against such pathogens. Methods: Non-polar and polar extracts of flaxseed, with n-hexane, dichloromethane (DCM) and methanol (MeOH), were prepared by sequential Soxhlet extraction. All extracts were qualitatively screened through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to detect bioactive compounds. Antibacterial activities of flaxseed extracts with different volumes per disc (Oxoid, Badhoevedorp, Netherlands) (5, 7, 10, 12 and 15 µL/disc) …

Assembly And Display Of Surface Proteins In Actinomyces Oris, Sara Siegel

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Bacteria are an integral part of human health and disease. In the human host, dental plaques form as a result of up to 700 individual bacterial species colonizing oral surfaces and forming a multispecies biofilm. These biofilms are the cause of prevalent human diseases such as dental caries, gingivitis, and periodontitis. The microbes present in the oral biofilm are highly spatially and temporally structured and require a primary colonizing species to adhere to host tissue. As an important primary colonizer of the oral biofilm, the actinobacterium Actinomyces oris utilizes cell wall anchored proteins and glycoconjugates to initiate adherence to host …

Il-1Α Blockade Reduces Immune Suppression In The Early Tumor Micro-Environment, Brenda Melendez

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

IL-1α Blockade Reduces Immune Suppression in the Early Tumor Micro-Environment

Brenda Melendez, B.S.

Advisory Professor: Gregory Lizee, PhD.

Immunotherapy against melanoma has shown great promise in the clinic for treating advanced-stage patients. However, a major barrier against effective T cell mediated cytotoxicity is immunosuppression in the tumor micro-environment. It has been described that tumors secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines capable of modulating immune responses that favors the growth of tumor cells. Specifically, IL-1 plays a critical role in myeloid cell recruitment and activation, which can in turn inhibit T cell activity in vivo. Moreover, IL-1 is also known to up-regulate immune inhibitory …

Heme Peroxidase Hpx-2 Protects Caenorhabditis Elegans From Pathogens, Yi Liu

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Heme-containing peroxidases are important components of innate immunity. Many of them functionally associate with NADPH oxidase (NOX)/dual oxidase (DUOX) enzymes by using the hydrogen peroxide they generate in downstream reactions. In Caenorhabditis elegans, a ShkT-containing peroxidase, SKPO-1, and the dual oxidase, BLI-3, contribute to resistance against the human pathogen Enterococcus faecalis, likely functioning in conjunction with each other. However, the exact mechanism(s) by which peroxidases and NOX/DUOXs contribute to pathogen resistance remain unclear. Here, we demonstrated that another peroxidase, HPX-2 (Heme-PeroXidase 2), is required for resistance against some, but not all pathogens. Tissue specific …

The Role Of Non-Neuronal Acetylcholine In Urogenital Chlamydial Infection, Jessica R. Lockhart

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chlamydia trachomatiscauses a bacterial sexually transmitted infection, Chlamydia, that is often chronic and casues reproductive complications in women. We hypothesized that Chlamydia infection increases local acetylcholine (ACh) production, which regulates the host’s inflammatory response to the infection. Female mice infected with C. muridarumwere sacrificed at days 3, 9, 15, and 21 post-infection, genital tract tissues harvested, and immunohistochemistry performed to enumerate ACh-producing cells. Infection increased the number of ACh-producing cells in cervical tissue at days 3,15, and 21 post-infection (pi), uterine tissue at day 3 and 9 pi, and ovarian tissue day 3, 15, and 21 pi. These …

The Impact Of Surfactant On The Transport Of Toxoplasma Gondii Oocysts Through Unsaturated Soil, Erin N. Kinsey

All Theses

Toxoplasma gondii is among the most prevalent parasites affecting warm-blooded animals, including humans. In humans, it poses health risks for immunocompromised populations and for fetuses including damage to the eyes brain and other organs. Humans may come in contact with T. gondii through the consumption of infected animal flesh or accidental contact with cat feces. Its life cycle includes numerous intermediate hosts and felids as the definitive host, which has allowed for its spread through nearly the entire world. T. gondii has been detected in open water, soil and animal feeds. Its transport has not been well studied to this …

The Effects Of Late Gestation Supplementation Of Rumen Protected Fat On Cow And Calf Serum Fatty Acids, Passive Immunity Transfer And Growth In Beef Calves, Ralph Earl Ricks

All Theses

The primary objective of the cow calf sector of the beef industry is to market live calves after weaning. One component to profitability in this sector is to wean healthy, productive calves with as low of an input a possible. This means not only efficiency of preweaning growth of the calf, but the dam needs to produce a more than adequate supply of milk as it is the primary nutrition of the calf. Production of an animal that can convert the milk supply offered and turn it into pounds of gain efficiently is ideal. The calf, ideally, should be born …

Halted Innovation: The Expansion Of Federal Jurisdiction Over Medicine And The Human Body, Myrisha S. Lewis

Faculty Publications

Modern medical innovations are blurring the line between medical practice and medical devices and drugs. Historically, many techniques have been developed in medicine, without any interference from the federal government, as medical practice is (and has historically been) an area of state jurisdiction. Over the past two decades, however, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been exerting jurisdiction over the human body and the practice of medicine by targeting new medical techniques for oversight and subjecting the continued use of those treatments to onerous and legally questionable regulatory requirements that hinder the use of those treatments in practice. …

Co-Infection Of Zika And Dengue Virus In Aedes Aegypti And Aedes Albopictus Mosquitoes, Felicia Vazquez

Theses and Dissertations

The term co-infection describes an event when multiple pathogens infect a single host. For vector-borne diseases, a vector may become co-infected by feeding either on a single host that has multiple pathogens or feeding multiple hosts, each of which may be infected. Co-infection in non-vector hosts has been shown to influence immune response and eventual outcome of disease, and is likely to have a similar impact on vector species. With multiple vector-borne diseases circulating in South Texas, the potential for co-infection exists. We examined when mosquitoes are infected with one virus and subsequently infected with another. We hypothesized that the …

Evaluation Of A Sequential Pond System For Detention And Treatment Of Runoff At Skypark, Santa's Village, Elizabeth Caporuscio

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Understanding the extent to which human activities impact surface water resources has become increasingly important as both human population growth and related landscape changes impact water quality and quantity across varying geographical scales. Skypark, Santa’s Village is a 233.76-acre tourism-based outdoor recreation area located in Skyforest, California residing within the San Bernardino National Forest. The park is situated at Hooks Creek, the headwaters of the Mojave River Watershed, and is characterized by a diverse landscape that includes forest cover and human development, including impervious surfaces, a restored meadow, and recreational trails. In 2016, Hencks Meadow was considered degraded by human …

Assessing The Effects Of Genetic Selection For Porcine Circovirus Type 2 Resistance Or Feed Additives On Nursery And Grow-Finish Pig Performance, Dana Michael Van Sambeek

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The swine industry is ever evolving as it strives to produce healthy, wholesome pork for consumers. As such, the industry is constantly looking for ways to improve production and reduce costs. This includes using novel feed ingredients to reduce cost and improve animal health, genetic selection for increased performance, and vaccines to attenuate or prevent illness. Research plays a significant role in assessing the effectiveness of these strategies. Overall, the objective of this thesis was to assess how genetic selection, vaccines, and feed additives may impact growth performance, health, nutrient digestibility, and the microbiome.

In Chapter 2, pigs were either …

Factors Associated With Follow-Up Compliance Among Clients Referred By A Local Health Department For Hiv Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, Lauren R. Cirrincione

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Background: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a public health strategy to limit HIV infection among at-risk populations. Local health departments (LHDs) promote PrEP initiation by referring patients to private and academic specialty care centers. However, low follow-up compliance remains a challenge in this setting. Between January 2016 and September 2018, Douglas County Health Department, a LHD in Omaha, Nebraska, externally referred 126 clients for PrEP at an academic specialty care center, and only 20 (15%) clients completed a PrEP initiation follow-up appointment. The purpose of this study is to describe the characteristics of clients referred by …

Examining The Impact Of Hiv Medical And Social Case Management Program On Viral Load For Clients Living With Hiv/Aids In Nebraska, Abdulla Munir

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Abstract

Case management (CM) is one of the standard practices that has been implemented since 1990 to help people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in the United States. The program is designed for low-income populations and it aims to address the barriers related to access to health care and improve the HIV outcomes. Previous studies identified a positive association with the provision of CM and improvement in viral outcomes. Increasing the viral suppression rates among HIV diagnosed individuals proved to reduce the risk of transmitting the infection, and disease incidence. Although CM program is provided to Nebraskans diagnosed with HIV, but …

Burden And Risk Factors Associated With Hcv Infection Among People Living With Hiv Infection In Nebraska: Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study From 1997 To 2017, Issaka Kabore

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Background: Previous studies have shown high prevalence of HCV infection among people living with HIV infection. Coinfected people are at risk of developing liver diseases resulting an increase rate of mortality. Several risk factors for HIV/HCV coinfection have previously been identified with injecting drug users (IDU) as the common route of exposure.

Methods: This was cross -sectional study using HIV and HCV registries maintained by Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (NE DHHS) from1997 to 2017. A descriptive analysis was used to characterize the sample. Chi-squared test and Fisher exact test were selected to compare the different groups. …

Development And Application Of A Reverse Genetics System For Zika Virus, Jordan C. Frank

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Zika virus (ZIKV) has emerged in many regions of the world, with infection outcomes spanning from no apparent illness to crippling nervous system disease. ZIKV and its close relatives, West Nile virus, Japanese encephalitis virus, dengue virus, and yellow fever virus are primarily transmitted by mosquitoes. Three ZIKVs were selected: MR-766 (Uganda, 1947), P6-740 (Malaysia, 1966), and PRVABC-59 (Puerto Rico, 2015), whose place of origin and time of isolation differ substantially. Stable, complementary DNA (cDNA) copies of the three ZIKV RNA genomes were cloned to examine the significance of viral and host genetic variations in directing ZIKV infection outcomes. Using …