Digital Commons Network^™

The Structure Of Pila From Acinetobacter Baumannii Ab5075 Suggests A Mechanism For Functional Specialization In Acinetobacter Type Iv Pili, Leslie A. Ronish, Erik Lillehoj, James K. Fields, Eric J. Sundberg, Kurt Piepenbrink

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Type IV pili (T4P) are bacterial appendages composed of protein subunits, called pilins, noncovalently assembled into helical fibers. T4P are essential, in many bacterial species, for processes as diverse as twitching motility, natural competence, biofilm or microcolony formation, and host cell adhesion. The genes encoding type IV pili are found universally in the Gram-negative, aerobic, nonflagellated, and pathogenic coccobacillus Acinetobacter baumannii, but there is considerable variation in PilA, the major protein subunit, both in amino acid sequence and in glycosylation patterns. Here we report the X-ray crystal structure of PilA from AB5075, a recently characterized, highly virulent isolate, at …

Early Prediction Of Soybean Traits Through Color And Texture Features Of Canopy Rgb Imagery, Wenan Yuan, Nuwan Kumara Wijewardane, Shawn Jenkins, Geng Bai, Yufeng Ge, George L. Graef

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Global crop production is facing the challenge of a high projected demand, while the yields of major crops are not increasing at sufficient speeds. Crop breeding is an important way to boost crop productivity, however its improvement rate is partially hindered by the long crop generation cycles. If end-season crop traits such as yield can be predicted through early-season phenotypic measurements, crop selection can potentially be made before a full crop generation cycle finishes. This study explored the possibility of predicting soybean end-season traits through the color and texture features of early-season canopy images. Six thousand three hundred and eighty-three …

Antibiotic Resistance Gene Profile Changes In Cropland Soil After Manure Application And Rainfall, Morgan Meyers, Lisa Durso, John E. Gilley, Heidi Waldrip, Lana Castleberry, Amy Millmier Schmidt

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Land application of manure introduces gastrointestinal microbes into the environment, including bacteria carrying antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Measuring soil ARGs is important for active stewardship efforts to minimize gene flow from agricultural production systems; however, the variety of sampling protocols and target genes makes it difficult to compare ARG results between studies. We used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods to characterize and/or quantify 27 ARG targets in soils from 20 replicate, long-term no-till plots, before and after swine manure application and simulated rainfall and runoff. All samples were negative for the 10 b-lactamase genes assayed. For tetracycline resistance, only source …

The Effects Of Management Practices On Grassland Birds: An Introduction To North American Grasslands And The Practices Used To Manage Grasslands And Grassland Birds, Jill A. Shaffer, John P. Delong

Papers in Ornithology

Summary

The Great Plains of North America is defined as the land mass that encompasses the entire central portion of the North American continent that, at the time of European settlement, was an unbroken expanse of primarily herbaceous vegetation. The Great Plains extend from central Saskatchewan and Alberta to central Mexico and from Indiana to the Rocky Mountains. The expanses of herbaceous vegetation are often referred to as native prairie or native grasslands. Native grasslands share the characteristics of a general uniformity in vegetation structure, dominance by grasses and forbs, a near absence of trees and shrubs, annual precipitation ranging …

Distribution Extension Of Aspiculuris Americana Parasite Of Peromyscus Difficilis In Hidalgo, Mexico, Griselda Pulido-Flores, Scott Monks, Jorge Falcón-Ordaz

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

English: As a part of an ongoing project to inventory the helminth parasites of rodents in Mexico, 30 individuals of Aspiculuris americana were collected inhabiting the intestine from three specimens of the rock mouse Peromyscus difficilis, collected from Cerro Xihuingo, Municipality of Tepeapulco, Hidalgo State, Mexico. This species of nematode parasite different species of the genus Peromyscus (P. gossypinus, P. leucopus, P. maniculatus, and P. floridanus) distributed from Yukon Territory in Canada to Florida in the United States of America. This is the first report of Aspiculuris americana in a Mexican endemic rodent, widening …

Damage Assessment Of A Sixteen Story Building Following The 2017 Central Mexico Earthquake, Yijun Liao, Richard L. Wood, M Ebrahim Mohammadi, Kanchan Devkota, Christine E. Wittich

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

The 2017 M7.1 Central Mexico Earthquake caused significant infrastructural damage in the Mexico City area. The earthquake contained a significant pulse in the long period, resulting in numerous buildings severely damaged or collapsed. This paper discusses a reinforced concrete building which was still partially occupied post-earthquake. The building’s interior walls were examined to have substantial damage, including some extensive cracking. In January 2018, the authors visited the structure and collected detailed assessment data. The data collection included ground-based lidar scans and recorded ambient vibrations of the damaged structure using accelerometers. Eleven scans were collected from the four exterior facades to …

Taking The Bait: Species Taking Oral Rabies Vaccine Baits Intended For Raccoons, Betsy S. Haley, Are R. Berentsen, Richard M. Engeman

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Raccoon rabies in eastern USA is managed by strategically distributing oral rabies vaccine (ORV) baits. The attractiveness, palativity, density, and non-target species bait take affect ORV effectiveness. We examined raccoon and non-target species differences in investigating/removing fish-meal polymer and coated sachet baits applied to simulate two aerial bait distribution densities. Bait densities of 150 baits/km2 and 75 baits/km2 were evaluated, respectively, in zones expected to have high and low

Racc oon densities. Three primary non-target species visited baits: coyotes, white-tailed deer, and feral swine. The proportion of bait stations visited by raccoons during 1 week observation periods ranged from 50 …

Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles For Bird Harassment On Fish Ponds, Ciera A. Rhoades, Peter J. Allen, D. Tommy King

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The effects of aquaculture decline on piscivorous birds in the Mississippi Delta concern catfish farmers, with possible increases in fish loss and disease transmission. Piscivorous birds quickly habituate to most current methods of harassment (loud noises and visual disturbances) leading to increased depredation and disease. Our study was designed to test the efficacy of using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to effectively control piscivorous birds at fish farms. We hypothesized that a UAV would be more efficient at reducing the number of fish-eating birds on fish ponds than current forms of harassment. We conducted pre-treatment bird surveys, harassment observations, and post-treatment …

Consumer Perceptions Of Brand Mention In Magazines By Level Of Involvement, Charles J. Quigley, Sharmin Attaran, Elaine M. Notarantonio

Marketing Department Faculty Journal Articles

Consumer perceptions of different methods of information delivery in magazines were studied. Three information delivery methods (advertisements, advertorials, editorials) and two types of consumer products (high involvement, low involvement) were used to evaluate reader perceptions of selling intent, source credibility, and purchase intention. Significant differences between high and low involvement products and between editorials, advertorials, and advertisements in perceived selling intent, perceived credibility, and purchase intention were found. Gender and prior knowledge of the product were also significant. Implications for marketers and policy-makers are also discussed

Analysis Of Femoral Fracture Post Motor Vehicle Accidents, Abdullah A. Alturki, Khalid S. Alaqeely, Turki S. Almugren, Ibrahim S. Alzimami

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To identify the prevalence of different types of femoral fractures post-motor vehicle accident (MVA) based on fracture location: proximal, middle and distal. Methods: A cross-sectional study of all femoral fracture post-MVA x-ray charts carried out at the National Guard Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between November 2007 to December 2013. Results: Among the 471 patients reviewed, most fractures were in male (87%) compared with female (13%) victims, with breaks more in the right femur (56%) than the left femur (44%). As for location of the femur fracture, middle fractures (64%) exceeded proximal (26%) and distal fractures (10%). The …

Burden Of Non-Communicable Diseases In Iraq After The 2003 War, Ashraf M. Hussain, Riyadh K. Lafta

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To figure out the burden of chronic non-communicable diseases in Iraq on the health system through measuring the incidence and trend of these diseases. Methods: This descriptive study that was conducted between January 2016 and 2017, involved treatment data of chronic non-communicable diseases (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, stroke, asthma and epilepsy). The data was collected from the registry of the Department of Health and Vital Statistics in the Ministry of Health, Babylon, Iraq, between 2000 and 2016. Results: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus had significantly increased from 19.58/1000 in the year 2000 to 42.27 in 2015 ( …

Comment To: Are Fetuin-A Levels Beneficial For Estimating Timing Of Sepsis Occurrence?, Irene Karampela, Maria Dalamaga

Saudi Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

Borderplex Business Barometer, Volume 3, Number 1, Thomas M. Fullerton Jr., Aaron Nazarian, Steven L. Fullerton, Sergio Olivas

Border Region Modeling Project

No abstract provided.

Borderplex Economic Outlook To 2020, Thomas M. Fullerton Jr., Aaron D. Nazarian, Omar Solís, Steven L. Fullerton

Border Region Modeling Project

No abstract provided.

Physiological And Genomic Evidence That Selection On The Transcription Factor Epas1 Has Altered Cardiovascular Function In Highaltitude Deer Mice, Rena M. Schweizer, Jonathan P. Velotta, Catherine M. Ivy, Matthew R. Jones, Sarah M. Muir, Gideon S. Bradburd, Jay F. Storz, Graham R. Scott, Zachary A. Cheviron

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Evolutionary adaptation to extreme environments often requires coordinated changes in multiple intersecting physiological pathways, but how such multi-trait adaptation occurs remains unresolved. Transcription factors, which regulate the expression of many genes and can simultaneously alter multiple phenotypes, may be common targets of selection if the benefits of induced changes outweigh the costs of negative pleiotropic effects. We combined complimentary population genetic analyses and physiological experiments in North American deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) to examine links between genetic variation in transcription factors that coordinate physiological responses to hypoxia (hypoxia-inducible factors, HIFs) and multiple physiological traits that potentially contribute to …

Hiv With Opportunistic Neuroinfection, Rahul Vyas, Rajendra Prasad

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

No abstract provided.

Differential Spatial Gradients Of Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus Into Winter Wheat From A Central Mite-Virus Source, Abby R. Stilwell, Donald Rundquist, David B. Marx, Gary L. Hein

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The wheat curl mite (WCM), Aceria tosichella Keifer, transmits three potentially devastating viruses to winter wheat. An increased understanding of mite movement and subsequent virus spread through the landscape is necessary to estimate the risk of epidemics by the virus in winter wheat. Owing to the small size of WCMs, their dispersal via wind is hard to monitor; however, the viruses they transmit produce symptoms that can be detected with remote sensing. The objective of this study was to characterize the spatial dispersal of the virus from a central mite-virus source. Virus infection gradients were measured spatially by using aerial …

Advances In Molecular Research On Bed Bugs (Hemiptera: Cimicidae), Sanjay Basnet, Shripat T. Kamble

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

With the resurgence and increase in infestations of the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius L. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae), across the world, there has been renewed interest in molecular research on this pest. In this paper, we present current information on the biology, medical importance, management practices, behavior and physiology, and molecular research conducted on bed bugs. The majority of molecular studies are focused towards understanding the molecular mechanism of insecticide resistance. Bed bugs are hematophagous insects with no prior record of vectoring any disease organisms. An improved understanding of how bed bugs lack vector competency may provide information to prevent disease …

Mental Health Outcomes Of Discrimination Among College Students On A Predominately White Campus: A Prospective Study, Joseph C. Jochman, Jacob E. Cheadle, Bridget J. Goosby, Cara Tomaso, Chelsea Kozikowski, Timothy Nelson

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Racial discrimination is a social stressor harmful to mental health. In this paper, we explore the links between mental health and interpersonal discrimination-related social events, exposure to vicarious racism via social media, and rumination on racial injustices using a daily diary design. We utilize data from a racially diverse sample of 149 college students with 1,489 unique time observations at a large, predominantly white university. Results show that interpersonal discrimination-related social events predicted greater self-reported anger, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and loneliness both daily and on average over time. Vicarious racism from day to day was associated with increased anxiety symptoms. …

Evaluation Of A Brief Sodium Screener In Two Samples, Christy C. Tangney, Heather E. Rasmussen, Candace Richards, Michelle Li, Bradley M. Appelhans

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

The Sodium Screener© (SS©), as developed by NutritionQuest (Berkeley, CA, USA), was designed to reduce the burden of repeated dietary or urinary sodium measurements, but the accuracy of daily sodium intake estimates has not been reported. Associations were examined between sodium intakes derived from the SS© scores and repeated 24-h recalls (24DR) in two studies with different administration modes. In one study, 102 registered dietitians (RD) completed three Automated Self-Administered 24DRs (ASA24©), version 2014, followed by the SS©; both were self-administered and web-based. In the second sample, (the Study of Household Purchasing Patterns, Eating, and Recreation or SHoPPER), trained dietitians …

Necrobiome Framework For Bridging Decomposition Ecology Of Autotrophically And Heterotrophically Derived Organic Matter, M. Eric Benbow, Philip S. Barton, Michael D. Ulyshen, James C. Beasley, Travis L. Devault, Michael S. Strickland, Jeffery K. Tomberlin, Heather R. Jordan, Jennifer L. Pechal

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Decomposition contributes to global ecosystem function by contributing to nutrient recycling, energy flow, and limiting biomass accumulation. The decomposer organisms influencing this process form diverse, complex, and highly dynamic communities that often specialize on different plant or animal resources. Despite performing the same net role, there is a need to conceptually synthesize information on the structure and function of decomposer communities across the spectrum of dead plant and animal resources. A lack of synthesis has limited cross-disciplinary learning and research in important areas of ecosystem and community ecology. Here we expound on the “necrobiome” concept and develop a framework describing …

American Government 2e, Glen Krutz, Sylvie Waskiewicz

Open Access Textbooks

Since its founding, the United States has relied on citizen participation to govern at the local, state, and national levels. This civic engagement ensures that representative democracy will continue to flourish and that people will continue to influence government. The right of citizens to participate in government is an important feature of democracy, and over the centuries many have fought to acquire and defend this right. During the American Revolution (1775–1783), British colonists fought for the right to govern themselves. In the early nineteenth century, agitated citizens called for the removal of property requirements for voting so poor white men …

Low Albumin And Mortality, Judith L. Dedeker

DNP Research Projects

Sepsis is a major epidemic worldwide and is a large unmet medical need in this country. Annual costs for the treatment of sepsis are over $3.4 billion dollars, and over 1.7 million people die each year from sepsis. Effective treatment of sepsis has two major obstacles: failure to recognize the early stages of sepsis and misjudging the severity of the disease. Identifying patients who are at higher risk for mortality and morbidity related to sepsis would be beneficial in keeping the numbers of deaths down, as well as decreasing the overall cost to the hospitals, as well as to the …

An Assessment Of Attitudes And Perceptions Of College Students Toward A Suicide Program On A College Campus: A Descriptive Study, Rachel Tolliver

DNP Research Projects

OBJECTIVE: A baseline assessment examines the status of attitudes and perceptions about the suicide prevention program of a small, private, southeastern, Christian university. Gaps in the literature include the lack of baseline evaluations at universities before evidenced-based practice (EBP) interventions.

PARTICIPANTS: A purposive sample of sixty-nine sophomores classified as first-year students for the 2016-2017 school year. The study sample lived on campus both semesters of the 2016-2017 school year.

METHODS: Participants completed the retired Suicide Prevention Exposure, Awareness and Knowledge Survey (SPEAKS) – SV (Student Version) by the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for the Garrett …

Lipids, Reactive Oxygen Species, And Health, Heather Bowen

DNP Research Projects

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States. Coronary artery disease (CAD), where plaque builds up to create atherosclerosis, puts patients at risk for heart attack or stroke. Mitochondrial Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) have been implicated as a source of oxidative stress that can lead to the development of CAD, and diets high in fat potentiate this occurrence. As certain fats are heated and experience chemical and physical degradation, they cause an increased risk of obesity, diabetes, various forms of cancer, and CVD. This research study, based on CREATION Health ideals, aimed to evaluate the …

Accuracy In Reporting Of Kentucky Certified Nurse-Midwives As Attendants In Birth Registration Data, Kendra Marie Chesney Adkisson

Yale School of Nursing Digital Theses

Abstract

Introduction: Birth certificate data is used nationally to determine healthcare policy, allocation of funds, and to demonstrate the legitimacy and value of Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs) in maternal and neonatal outcomes. However, the validity of birth certificate data is questionable, in part because of the data collection process. This data is particularly crucial for midwife-attended births as the correct birth attendant is not always accurately identified. The purpose of this project was to examine the number of CNM reported births as compared to the number recorded by the Kentucky office of vital statistics and to look at the process used …

Development And Implementation Of A Simple Wound Care Guideline For Minor Skin Lesions: A Quality Improvement Project, Alexandra Bates

Yale School of Nursing Digital Theses

Purpose: The purpose of this QI project was to use the best available evidence and expert opinion to develop and implement a simple inpatient nursing care guideline for minor skin lesions.

Participants and Setting: This wound care guideline was developed for nurses working on inpatient adult acute care units. The setting was a large community hospital in southwest Minnesota.

Approach: The guideline was validated for its clarity and appropriateness by external and internal expert wound care nurses. It was implemented through in-person unit rounding on the nursing units, distribution of badge cards with the guideline, and a required online education …

Implementing Real-Time Computerized Clinical Decision Support During Trauma Resuscitations: Lessons Learned From Simulation., Nathan Arnold Miller Christopherson

Yale School of Nursing Digital Theses

Through the combination of clinical expertise, research, and patient values evidence-based practice (EBP) is becoming the new standard of patient care. Despite the main benefits of EBP medical providers are hesitant to implement based on a multitude of barriers. In order to increase adoption of EBP we need to develop deliver systems that bring best evidence in an easy to use format to the bedside.

We tested the implementation of a computerized clinical decision support documentation platform during trauma team resuscitations. The simulation sessions were geared to help identify opportunities for improvement in our implementation methodology.

During the simulation sessions …

How The Five Rights Are Wrong: Development Of A Nursing Medication Safety Science Curriculum, Melissa Ann Davis

Yale School of Nursing Digital Theses

Medication errors, now thought to be four times greater than previous estimates, pose a serious threat to nurses, patients, and health care institutions. Current nursing education lacks any coherent medication safety framework other than the classic “Five Rights” construct. This project piloted an educational intervention with senior nursing students based on systems-thinking safety principles. Students evaluated the learning experience positively and improved pre- to post-testing scores by 74%. This study demonstrates students’ ready acceptance and comprehension of systems thinking medication safety theory, an alternative to the “Five Rights” construct.

Comparison Of Surgeon Perception Of Preoperative Patient Risk With The Acs Nsqip® Surgical Risk Calculator, Jeffrey Scott Cudd

Yale School of Nursing Digital Theses

Introduction

Surgeon perception of surgical risk varies. The American College of Surgeons (ACS) National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP®) Surgical Risk Calculator (SRC) estimates risk of postoperative outcomes and can assist with communicating risks to patients preoperatively. We compared surgeon risk estimates with calculations of risk from the SRC.

Methods

In this project in 2 medical centers, 10 surgeons completed a tool in which they estimated the risk of complications for patients undergoing elective surgical procedures. A NSQIP-trained reviewer determined SRC estimates for the same patients. Agreement was determined using Bland-Altman and Lin’s concordance statistics.

Results

In the evaluation of …