Digital Commons Network^™

Adapting Low-Cost Drone Technology To Cubesats For Environmental Monitoring And Management: Harmful Algal Bloom Satellite-1 (Habsat-1), Richard Beck, Hongxing Liu, Richard Johansen, Min Xu, Catharine Mcghan, George Thomas Black, Ou Ma, Uc Cubecats, Molly K. Reif, Erich B. Emery, Richard Stumpf, Greg Emerick, Ryan Nelson

Small Satellite Conference

HABsat-1 is designed to improve our understanding of algal bloom dynamics and their causes on land by addressing several current limiting factors for this application using existing satellites. For example, there is suboptimal imager design for water, insufficient spatial resolution for precise co-registration of surface observations, and too few satellites with such capabilities to defeat cloud cover in maritime, tropical and temperate climates. We will overcome these problems by merging a new low-cost multispectral imaging technology with a low-cost CubeSat bus. CubeSats cost roughly 1/100th to 1/1000th of most current long-life imaging satellites. Such cost decreases are necessary to improve …

Evaluation Of A Hydrogel-Based Diagnostic Approach For The Point-Of-Care Based Detection Of Neisseria Gonorrhoeae, Sumudu R. Perera, Ali Taheri, Nurul H. Khan, Rajinder P. Parti, Stephanie Stefura, Pauline Skiba, Jason P. Acker, Irene Martin, Anthony Kusalik, Jo-Anne R. Dillon

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Eleven primer pairs were developed for the identification of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The sensitivity and specificity of these primers were evaluated by Real Time (RT)-PCR melt curve analyses with DNA from 145 N. gonorrhoeae isolates and 40 other Neisseria or non-Neisseria species. Three primer pairs were further evaluated in a hydrogel-based RT-PCR detection platform, using DNA extracted from 50 N. gonorrhoeae cultures. We observed 100% sensitivity and specificity in the hydrogel assay, confirming its potential as a point-of-care test (POCT) for N. gonorrhoeae diagnosis.

Impact Of A Documented Penicillin Allergy On Pre-Operative Antibiotic Prophylaxis Selection At Lehigh Valley Health Network, Eryn Fitch, Amy Slenker Md

Research Scholars Poster Presentation

No abstract provided.

Serum Proteins In Healthy And Diseased Florida Manatees (Trichechus Manatus Latirostris), J.W. Harvey, K.E. Harr, D. Murphy, M.T. Walsh, M. De Wit, R.K. Bonde

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

A major goal of this study was to determine whether serum protein fractions of healthy Florida manatees differ with age, sex, or living environments (wild versus housed). A second goal was to determine which serum protein fractions vary in diseased versus healthy manatees. Serum protein fractions were determined using agarose gel electrophoresis. Healthy adults had slightly higher total serum protein and total globulin concentrations than younger animals. This largely resulted from an increase in gamma globulins with age. Total serum protein, albumin, alpha-1 globulin, beta globulin, and total globulin concentrations were slightly higher in housed manatees compared to wild manatees, …

Vol.46 N.02 August 2nd 2018, Voice Media Ventures

Black Voice News

No abstract provided.

Health In Surroundings: Application Of The Theory Of Environment In Nursing Practice, Nasreen Rafiq

School of Nursing & Midwifery

Nursing practices are guided by theoretical frameworks which provide functional basis to nursing care. This paper discusses the application of Nightingale’s theory of environment in nursing practices. The theory highlights and explains 13 environmental cannons which include ventilation, cleanliness of walls/rooms, light, noise, personal cleanliness, bed and bedding, and taking food. Florence exquisitely explains the influence of environmental health on patients wellbeing. The application of the theory in nursing practices will help to understand and reflect the direct relation of environment on patients health.

Establishing Hematology And Serum Chemistry Reference Intervals For Wild Hawaiian Monk Seals (Neomonachus Schauinslandi), Angela C. Kaufman, Stacie J. Robinson, Dori L. Borjesson, Michelle Barbieri, Charles L. Littnan

United States Department of Commerce: Staff Publications

Hematology and serum chemistry reference intervals have been previously established for the endangered Hawaiian monk seal (Neomonachus schauinslandi) as an imperative measure for health assessments. Monitoring the health of the wild population depends upon reference intervals that are context specific; hence we developed reference intervals from fresh samples, as opposed to frozen, from wild monk seals. This study builds on the number of parameters from previous efforts by using samples collected between 2004 and 2015 from wild monk seals. Blood samples were analyzed by a single veterinary diagnostic laboratory within 24 hr of collection from apparently healthy, wild …

Genome Analysis Of Multiple Mycobacteriophage, Emily Kerstiens, Kari Clase, Yi Li, Gillian Smith, Sarah Bell

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Bacteriophage are viruses that infect and kill bacteria. They can be used as treatments for antibiotic resistant bacterial infections, but more knowledge is needed about phage and how they interact with bacteria in order to develop safe and effective phage therapy treatments. This study examines the genomes of eighteen mycobacteriophage that were isolated from the environment on and surrounding Purdue University. Phage genomes were annotated using several bioinformatics software, including DNA Master, GeneMark, and PECAAN. Evidence was examined to determine the correct location within the genome and the potential function. Approximately two thousand genes were annotated in this study. A …

Poultry And Beef Meat As Potential Seedbeds For Antimicrobial Resistant Enterotoxigenic Bacillus Species: A Materializing Epidemiological And Potential Severe Health Hazard, Kamelia M. Osman, Ahmed Orabi, Anthony D. Kappell, Khalid S. Al-Maary, Ayman S. Mubarak, Turki M. Dawoud, Ihab M.I. Moussa, Hassan A. Hemeg, Ashgan M. Hessain, Hend M.Y. Yousef, Krassimira R. Hristova

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Although Bacillus cereus is of particular concern in food safety and public health, the role of other Bacillus species was overlooked. Therefore, we investigated the presence of eight enterotoxigenic genes, a hemolytic gene and phenotypic antibiotic resistance profiles of Bacillusspecies in retail meat samples. From 255 samples, 124 Bacillus isolates were recovered, 27 belonged to B. cereusand 97 were non-B. cereus species. Interestingly, the non-B. cereus isolates carried the virulence genes and exhibited phenotypic virulence characteristics as the B. cereus. However, correlation matrix analysis revealed the B. cereus group positively …

Immunogenicity And Protection After Vaccination With A Modified Vaccinia Virus Ankara-Vectored Yellow Fever Vaccine In The Hamster Model, Justin G. Julander, Marco Testori, Cédric Cheminay, Ariane Volkmann

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

The highly efficacious live-attenuated 17D yellow fever (YF) vaccine is occasionally associated with rare life-threatening adverse events. Modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA), a non-replicating poxvirus, has been used as a vaccine platform to safely deliver various antigens. A MVA-based YF vaccine (MVA-BN-YF) was tested with and without a non-mineral oil adjuvant in a hamster model of lethal YF disease and protective efficacy of this vaccine was compared with the 17D vaccine. The vaccine candidate MVA-BN-YF generated a protective response in hamsters infected with YFV that was comparable to protection by the live 17D vaccine. Similar levels of neutralizing antibody were …

Does Use Of A Molecular Rapid Pathogen Kit Improve Outcomes In The Bacteremic And Critically Ill?, Julie P. Gedalecia

Yale School of Medicine Physician Associate Program Theses

Sepsis is a pervasive condition that carries a tremendous burden of disease in the form of financial cost, morbidity, and mortality. Culturing methods slow clinicians’ ability to begin focused treatment, and increased antimicrobial resistance only intensifies the need for improved diagnostic tools. Rapid molecular diagnostic tests can shorten time to identify organisms, reduce inappropriate antibiotic treatment, and improve patient outcomes. A newly approved test has proven fast and accurate for identification and susceptibility, but has not been studied in regard to clinical outcomes. Our study will compare the effect of the Accelerate™ system versus standard identification and susceptibility tests on …

Progress Notes, Lehigh Valley Health Network

Progress Notes

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Light At Night On Laboratory Animals And Research Outcomes, Kathryn M. Emmer, Kathryn L. G. Russart, William H. Walker Ii, Randy J. Nelson, A. Courtney Devries

Clinical and Translational Science Institute

Light has substantial influences on the physiology and behavior of most laboratory animals. As such, lighting conditions within animal rooms are potentially significant, and often underappreciated variables within experiments. Disruption of the light/dark cycle, primarily by exposing animals to light at night (LAN), disturbs biological rhythms and has widespread physiological consequences due to mechanisms such as melatonin suppression, sympathetic stimulation, and altered circadian clock gene expression. Thus, attention to the lighting environment of laboratory animals and maintaining consistency of a light/dark cycle is imperative for study reproducibility. Light intensity as well as wavelength, photoperiod, and timing are all important variables. …

Barriers To The Administration Of The Influenza Vaccine, Lauren Babb, Heather Bishop, Carrie Dozier, Renea Hopple, Hannah Marlin, Jennifer Sartin

MSN Research Projects

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that since 2010 influenza has caused between 9.2 million and 60.8 million illnesses. Numbers from the 2015-2016 influenza season indicate that influenza vaccination prevented approximately 5.1 million influenza illnesses. Though most healthy individuals recover from the flu within 2 weeks, there is great concern for those who do not as this can lead to serious complications. Vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, children, pregnant women and individuals with chronic disease that contract influenza, are at risk for more severe illnesses such as sinus infections or bacterial pneumonia. Influenza can lead to …

Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic Handbook - August 2018, Department Of Audiology And Speech-Language Pathology, East Tennessee State University

Speech-Language Pathology Handbooks

No abstract provided.

Evaluating Climate Change Policy Through The Endangered Species Act, Richie Donahou

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research sets out to address a growing knowledge gap of climate change science in regards to the state of Arkansas. Within the coming chapters, the goal of this research is to examine climate data and to identify if any evidence of climate change can be detected and what are the policies in place to adapt to these potential changes. Furthermore, the scope of this research will be narrowed to a few counties over the southwest Arkansas, and a specific endangered species, the Leopard Darter. Upon examination of previous environmental and ecological climate change related research it became clear that …

Efficacy Of Listeria Phage In Reducing Listeria Monocytogenes Under Both Experimental And Food Processing Conditions, Jia Liu

Open Access Theses

Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) is a foodborne pathogen able to flourish in different food processing environments. Bacteriophages are viruses that target bacteria and may be effective in controlling bacterial contamination in different environments. In 2006, the US Food and Drug Administration approved a six-Listeria phage product for use as a food additive in controlling Listeria contamination in ready-to-eat meat and poultry products. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of bacteriophages in controlling Listeria monocytogenes growth on non-food contact surfaces under different conditions.

Stainless steel coupons or sterilized bags were inoculated with Listeria monocytogenes (LM94 or LM-GFP) and a cocktail …

Research News. Publications, 2018. Volume 1, University Of Mississippi. School Of Pharmacy, Soumyajit Majumdar

Publications (2015-)

Publications that appeared during the period January 1 through June 30, 2018

Effects Of Carbon Nanotubes On Microbial Growth And Horizontal Gene Transfer, Ran Chen

Open Access Theses

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have widely studied in various fields since its discovery. The wide research and application of CNTs may result in the occurrence of CNTs in natural environment and their nanotoxicity has been widely recognized. Moreover, a less frequently studied effect of CNTs is the promotion of spread of antibiotic resistance. CNTs may function as a reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and pose additional health risks associated with the spread of ARGs in natural environment, but no previous studies have been reported on the effects of CNTs on horizontal gene transfer. The objective of this study was to …

Environmental And Genetic Considerations For The Conservation Of An Arboreal Species: Phascolarctos Cinereus, Kendra C. Hodge

Open Access Theses

Many factors have been shown to affect mating behavior (e.g. day length, age, genotype). For instance, genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) are known to influence mate choice in a wide variety of vertebrate species. The genetic management of captive populations can be confounded if intrinsic mate choice reduces or eliminates reproductive success between carefully chosen breeding pairs. For example, the San Diego Zoo (SDZ) koala colony only has a 45\% copulation rate for matched individuals. In order investigate if MHC had an effect on mating success in this population, we first had to characterize it in the koala, …

Modeling Plant Virus Propagation And An Optimal Control, Mark Jackson

Mathematics Dissertations - Archive

Plants are a food source for man and many species. They also are sources of medicines, fibers for clothes, and are essential for a healthy environment. But plants are subject to diseases many of which are caused by viruses. These viruses often kill the plant. As a result, billions of dollars are lost every year because of virus related crop loss. Most of the time, virus propagation is done by a vector, usually insects that bite infected plants, get themselves infected and then bite susceptible plants. To combat the vectors, and ultimately the viruses, pesticides are often used as a …

Perceptions Of Missouri School Superintendents And School Resource Officers Regarding Preparedness For Multi-Hazard Events, Jennifer Renae Wheeler Lofton

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to garner the perceptions of superintendents and school resource officers in regard to district preparedness for multi-hazard events. Nationwide, schools are facing dramatic changes in the area of safety and security due to natural disasters, and more commonly, manmade hazards (Schaffhauser, 2013). Routinely, school personnel do not have the mindset, nor are they equipped, to respond to a major crisis (Trump, 2012). Recent mass murders and natural disasters in the United States have prompted districts to reach beyond the walls of their schools and into local communities for support (Gereluk, Donlevy, & Thompson, 2015). …

Sodium Pyruvate Alters The Immune Response To Influenza A Virus Infection In Macrophages, Hazzar Abysalamah

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Pyruvate is the end product of glycolysis. It can either be transported into the mitochondria for use in the TCA cycle or be used to regenerate NAD⁺ during fermentation or aerobic glycolysis (also called the Warburg Effect). I recently discovered that addition of sodium pyruvate to the culture medium during infection of macrophages with influenza A virus affects the production of cytokines involved in immune signaling. While infection of macrophages with influenza A virus resulted in high levels of cytokines (IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α) in the absence of sodium pyruvate, the addition of sodium pyruvate significantly impaired cytokine …

Hemocyanin-Like 1 Protein, Unique To Planorbid Snails, Supports Reproductive Output Of Biomphalaria Glabrata, Vector Of Schistosomiasis, Janeth Julieta Peña

Biology ETDs

The Neotropical freshwater snail, Biomphalaria glabrata is a major intermediate host of the parasite Schistosoma mansoni, causative agent of human intestinal schistosomiasis. Disease control efforts consist mainly of mass drug treatment but it is recognized that targeting of the snail vector is essential to prevent parasite transmission that leads to rapid (re)infections. This dissertation combines the knowledge of basic snail biology with modern molecular techniques including protein analysis, next-generation sequencing, proteomics, qRT-PCR and RNA interference to: (1) characterize hemocyanin-like genes in B. glabrata, in particular with further description of the egg mass fluid (EMF) protein hemocyanin-like 1 (Hcl-1), (2) …

Temporal Trends And Predictors Of Antimicrobial Resistance Among Staphylococcus Spp. Isolated From Canine Specimens Submitted To A Diagnostic Laboratory, Julia G. Conner, Jackie Smith, Erdal Erol, Stephan Locke, Erica Phillips, Agricola Odoi

Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Faculty Publications

Background

Resistance to commonly used antimicrobials is a growing concern in both human and veterinary medicine. Understanding the temporal changes in the burden of the problem and identifying its determinants is important for guiding control efforts. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate temporal patterns and predictors of antimicrobial resistance among Staphylococcus spp. isolated from canine specimens submitted to the University of Kentucky Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (UKVDL) between 1993 and 2009.

Methods

Retrospective data of 4,972 Staphylococcus isolates assessed for antimicrobial susceptibility using the disk diffusion method at the UKVDL between 1993 and 2009 were included in the …

Usf Women's Club Yearbook, 2018–2019, Usf Women's Club

USF Women’s Club Collection

Yearbook of the USF Women's Club. Inside is a list of past presidents, officers, committee chairmen, and members for 2018–2019. The booklet also includes a tribute to Grace Allen, interest groups, calendar of events, and a copy of the constitution and by-laws from the handbook.

A Model And Measure Of Parental Vaccine Hesitancy: A Basis For The Development Of Future Health Campaigns, Jessica Hample

Open Access Dissertations

The “anti-vaccination,” or vaccine hesitancy, phenomenon has attracted the attention of many researchers in recent years. A significant amount of research has focused on identifying, categorizing, and measuring the beliefs common to vaccine-hesitant individuals. However, prior attempts to identify these beliefs have suffered from potential biases that call into question both the validity and comprehensiveness of our existing understanding of vaccine hesitancy. This dissertation project attempts to improve our understanding of vaccine hesitancy by systematically collecting beliefs held by vaccine-hesitant parents in the USA and using those beliefs to create a measure and model of vaccine hesitancy. Exploratory and confirmatory …

Stochastic Optimization Models For Perishable Products, Zahra Azadi

All Dissertations

For many years, researchers have focused on developing optimization models to design and manage supply chains. These models have helped companies in different industries to minimize costs, maximize performance while balancing their social and environmental impacts. There is an increasing interest in developing models which optimize supply chain decisions of perishable products. This is mainly because many of the products we use today are perishable, managing their inventory is challenging due to their short shelf life, and out-dated products become waste. Therefore, these supply chain decisions impact profitability and sustainability of companies and the quality of the environment. Perishable products …

Catch Up On Emerging Diseases - From Aids To Zika - During Symposium Aug. 17, Haley Herfurth

Browse All News

No abstract provided.

Detecting A Probiotic Product Within The Gut Of Broiler Chickens, Anneka Pisula

Master's Theses

As of January 2017, the U.S. poultry industry banned the use of antibiotics and now relies on alternatives such as probiotics to help protect animal health. Although probiotic use is not a new concept in the poultry industry, identifying the best combination of bacterial strains to generate an effective probiotic formula requires further investigation. This study aimed to detect a probiotic product of four bacterial strains (Pedioccoccus acidilactici, Pediococcus pentosaceus, Lactobacillus plantarum, and Bacillus subtilis) in a feeding trial with broiler chickens. Birds given the probiotic were predicted to show an improved growth performance with …