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The Effect Of A Trehalase Inhibitor, Validamycin A, On The Growth Of Aspergillus Flavus, Napasawan Plabutong

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Aspergillus flavus is a fungus found in the environment causing keratitis, cutaneous infections, sinusitis, invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in humans. Although this fungus can be treated with antifungal agents, these main antifungal agents have many side effects. Trehalase is an enzyme for digesting trehalose into two glucose subunits and is essential for virulence in many fungi. A trehalase inhibitor, called validamycin A, has been used effectively against a rice fungal pathogen, Rhizoctonia solani. In this study, we observed that validamycin A increased trehalose levels significantly in A. flavus spores and delayed the germination of those spores. In addition, to further investigate …

The Role Of Chromatin Structure In Cellular Responses To Bacterial Cytolethal Distending Toxin In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Model, Siriyod Denmongkholchai

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Cytolethal distending toxin subunit B (CdtB) is a DNase I-like bacterial genotoxin that causes DNA damage leading to cell cycle arrest and cell death. Previous reports demonstrated that CdtB has low level of DNase activity in vitro. Besides, a mutation at histone H2B phosphorylation site required for chromatin condensation during apoptosis (S10A) conferred partial resistance to CdtB in Saccharomyces cerevisiae model. Therefore, we hypothesized that chromatin structure may affect CdtB function. In this study, we identified chromatin regulators required for CdtB cytotoxicity in yeast. We found that deletions of certain components of SWR-complex (SWR1, SWC2, SWC5, SWC6, and ARP6), INO80-complex …

Characterization Of Mait Tcr Repertoire Of Gastrointestinal Tract And Peripheral Blood Mait Cells, Thidarat Kongkaew

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are an innate-like T cell that rapidly respond to infection. MAIT cells are αβ T cells that possess a Vα7.2 (TRAV1-2) TCR with mostly pairing to TRAJ33, TRAJ20 or TRAJ12 and predominantly TRBV20-1, TRBV6-1 and TRBV6-4. MAIT T cell receptors (TCR) repertoire have been previously studied in peripheral blood. However, data on MAIT TCR repertoire in gastrointestinal tract are lacking. We studied 2 individuals who are underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and colonoscopy. Blood and biopsies were obtained. PBMCs were isolated from blood and LPLs were isolated from biopsies. Due to the low number of MAIT cells …

The Efficacy Of Vitamin C Oral Supplement On Wound Healing After Tooth Extraction, Nanthanut Pisalsitsakul

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect and proper dosage of oral vitamin C supplement on post-extraction wound healing. Methods: This study was a split mouth, double-blind, randomized-controlled clinical trial of 42 patients who underwent symmetric bilateral non-infected premolars extraction. The patients were randomly divided into 3 groups (14 patients for each group); 1.placebo vs vitamin C 600 mg/d, 2.placebo vs vitamin C 1,500 mg/d and 3.vitamin C 600 mg/d vs vitamin C 1,500 mg/d. Each group was prescribed placebo and/or vitamin C three times a day for 10 days after each tooth extraction. The assessment …

Insect Profiles, Eric Honerlaw

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Profiled species: Aerial Yellow Jacket • American Carrion Beetle • Black Imported Fire Ant • Blue Mud Dauber • Camel Cricket • Case Making Clothes Moth - Done • Colorado Potato Beetle • Dark Eyed Fruit Fly • Downy Yellow Jacket • Eastern Treehole Mosquito • European Hornet • Evergreen Bagworm • Four-Lined Silverfish • Fruit Fly • German Yellow Jacket • Gray Silverfish • Great Golden Digger Wasp2 • Ground Yellow Jacket • Hister Beetle • Kissing Bug • Larder Beetle • Larger Yellow Ant • Lesser House Fly • Margined Blister Beetle • Masked Hunter • Mason Bee …

Functional Analysis Of Bacillus Anthracis Aspartate Transcarbamoylase And Dihydroorotase, Katelyn Leigh Schwager Silva

Wayne State University Theses

There are many enzymes required for efficient and proper pyrimidine biosynthesis. The two that are most important and were discussed in this thesis are aspartate transcarbamoylase (ATCase) and dihydroorotase (DHOase). Both play an important role in not only pyrimidine biosynthesis production, but also mechanistic regulation of de novo synthesis. Anthrax is an infection caused by Bacillus anthracis. Here we studied ATCase and DHOase in Bacillus Anthracis. In this thesis we understood the effects of the enzymes ATCase and DHOase on pyrimidine biosynthesis. Adequate inhibitors of these enzymes would result in cell death and could pose as a cure to infection …

Symptom Profile Of Patients Receiving Antibiotics For Upper Respiratory Tract Infections In General Practice: An Observational Study Using Smartphone Technology, Moyez Jiwa, Catherine Krejany, Epi Kanjo, Alan Leeb, Ian J. Peters

Medical Papers and Journal Articles

Background: Upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) are a common presentation in general practice and are linked to high rates of inappropriate antibiotic prescription. There is limited information about the trajectory of patients with this condition who have been prescribed antibiotics.

Objective: To document the symptom profile of patients receiving antibiotics for URTIs in Australian general practice using smartphone technology and online surveys.

Methods: In total, 8218 patients received antibiotics after attending one of the 32 general practice clinics in Australia from June to October 2017: 4089 were identified as URTI presentations and were the cohort studied. Patients completed the Wisconsin …

James Annesley Of Madras Medical Service (1800-1838) On Cholera In Madras Presidency In 1825, Ramya Raman, Anantanarayanan Raman

Medical Papers and Journal Articles

James Annesley from Ireland spent nearly four decades in Madras, first as an assistant and later as a senior surgeon attached to the Madras Medical Establishment. During this span of service he published the book in 1825 on the most prevalent diseases of India comprising a treatise on the epidemic cholera of the East. This paper recounts the epidemiology of cholera and the efforts made to manage it in the Madras Presidency in the 1820s, keeping in view the life of Annesley and the contents of his book.

'Links2healthierbubs' Cohort Study: Protocol For A Record Linkage Study On The Safety, Uptake And Effectiveness Of Influenza And Pertussis Vaccines Among Pregnant Australian Women, Mohinder Sarna, Ross M. Andrews, Hannah C. Moore, Michael J. Binks, Lisa Mchugh, Gavin F. Pereira, Christopher C. Blyth, Paul Van Buynder, Karin Lust, Paul Effler, Stephen B. Lambert, Saad B. Omer, Donna Mak, Thomas Snelling, Heather A. D'Antoine, Peter Mcintyre, Nicholas De Klerk, Damien Foo, Annette K. Regan

Medical Papers and Journal Articles

Introduction: Pregnant women and infants are at risk of severe influenza and pertussis infection. Inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV) and diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis vaccine (dTpa) are recommended during pregnancy to protect both mothers and infants. In Australia, uptake is not routinely monitored but coverage appears sub-optimal. Evidence on the safety of combined antenatal IIV and dTpa is fragmented or deficient, and there remain knowledge gaps of population-level vaccine effectiveness. We aim to establish a large, population-based, multi-jurisdictional cohort of mother-infant pairs to measure the uptake, safety and effectiveness of antenatal IIV and dTpa vaccines in three Australian jurisdictions. This is a first …

Characteristics Of Gay, Bisexual And Other Men Who Have Sex With Men With Multiple Diagnoses Of Infectious Syphilis In British Columbia, Canada, 2005-2014, Stephanie Konrad, Donna B. Mak, Troy Grennan, Bernadette Zakher, Bobbi Brownrigg, Gina Ogilvie, Muhammad Morshed, Mark Tyndall, Mark Gilbert, Mel Krajden, Jason Wong

Medical Papers and Journal Articles

Background: Infectious syphilis has increased substantially over the past decade. Targeting limited public health resources toward subpopulations with multiple reinfections may have a large impact in reducing onward transmission within a community.

Methods: A chart review was conducted for individuals with 4 or more infectious syphilis diagnoses between 2005 and 2014 (the top 1% of all syphilis diagnoses in British Columbia, Canada). We characterized the sociodemographics, partner notification outcomes and social network.

Results: Between 2005 and 2014, there were 30 individuals with 4 or more syphilis diagnoses, accounting for 139 diagnoses. All were men who have sex with men and …

Adrenal Crisis, R Louise Rushworth, David J. Torpy, Henrik Falhammar

Medical Papers and Journal Articles

Glucocorticoid replacement therapy, available since the 1950s, has prolonged the survival of patients with adrenal insufficiency. However, adrenal crises, which are life-threatening medical emergencies, still develop in many affected patients. Adrenal crisis appears to be increasing in frequency, despite the availability of effective preventive strategies. This review examines the definitions, pathophysiology, epidemiology, and treatment of adrenal crises.

Eliminating Hepatitis C: Part 2. Assessing Your Patient For Antiviral Treatment, Chloe Layton, Jacqui Richmond, David Baker, Louise Owen, Gail Matthews, Erin Oliver-Landry, Jessica Howell, Joseph Doyle

Medical Papers and Journal Articles

With the introduction of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) in Australia in 2016, most people with chronic hepatitis C can be cured of this infection. GPs and suitably qualified nurse practitioners working in all areas of primary care have a key role in identifying, testing and treating their patients with hepatitis C. The previous article in this series discussed how to identify your patients with hepatitis C. This article provides practical advice on assessing a patient after diagnosis in preparation for DAA therapy. This includes determining whether they can be safely treated in general practice or require specialist referral.

Treatment, Prevention And Public Health Management Of Impetigo, Scabies, Crusted Scabies And Fungal Skin Infections In Endemic Populations: A Systematic Review, Philippa J. May, Steven Y.C Tong, Andrew C. Steer, Bart J. Currie, Ross M. Andrews, Jonathan R. Carapetis, Asha C. Bowen

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

We conducted a systematic review of the treatment, prevention and public health control of skin infections including impetigo, scabies, crusted scabies and tinea in resource-limited settings where skin infections are endemic. The aim is to inform strategies, guidelines and research to improve skin health in populations that are inequitably affected by infections of the skin and the downstream consequences of these. The systematic review is reported according to the PRISMA statement. From

1759 titles identified, 81 full text studies were reviewed and key findings outlined for impetigo, scabies, crusted scabies and tinea. Improvements in primary care and public health management …

National And Local Antibiotic Prescribing Trends And Prescribing Appropriateness In Older Adults, Fawaz M. Alotaibi

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Antibiotic overuse/misuse has been documented in several reports to increase the risk of Clostridioides difficile (C.diff) infection and antibiotic resistance. The older adult population is more prone to use antibiotic medications than any other age group due to decreased immune function, use of urinary catheters, ventilation during hospitalization and other factors. Antibiotic resistance and C.diff are major public health problems. However, studies examining the trends of antibiotic use and the association between the antibiotic use and negative health outcomes among older adults in the outpatient and emergency department settings are limited.

Objectives: The main objectives of this …

Regulatory T Cells Promote Breast Cancer Progression Through Inhibiting Classical Activation Of Macrophages, Nicholas M. Clark

Theses and Dissertations

Transient ablation of regulatory T cells has been shown to be effective at hindering tumor growth and metastasis in murine breast cancer model. Based on our lab’s previous work, we have demonstrated that NK cells and CD8+ cytotoxic T cells were not required for the protective effect of Treg cell ablation. However, we also reported that CD4+ helper T cells and IFN-γ were required for the protective effect of Treg cell ablation. Furthermore, we observed that CD11B+ cells responded to Treg ablation therapy by up-regulating target genes of IFN-γ. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the connection between the myeloid …

Fluvastatin And Microrna-146a Alter Interleukin-33 Mediated Mast Cell Functions., Marcela Taruselli

Theses and Dissertations

Mast cells are tissue-resident immune cells known as effector cells for the innate and adaptive immune systems. Mast cells contribute to host defenses against parasites such as large roundworm parasites, bacterial pathogens, and toxins, and participate in wound healing, but they are mostly known for their role in allergic diseases. It has been well established that during allergic diseases, mast cells are stimulated by IgE cross-linkage to release proinflammatory mediators. However, a newly discovered cytokine, IL-33 has also been implicated in allergic disease. Recently, IL-33 has been implicated as a driver of several Type I sensitivities and previous studies have …

Erasure: An Additive And Subtractive Act, Margaret Davids

Theses and Dissertations

MOTIVATION In the simplest form, a pencil mark on a page is removed by a traditional rubber eraser. However, the marks are often never fully removed, and the paper thins with each attempt to rub out an old idea.

But how does one erase a chair? A pilaster? A room? A building?... More importantly, how does the subtractive act of erasing become an additive one?

The historical fabric of a building is important; it is also imperative that it does not remain stagnant. Erasing is an opportunity to design an interior environment that both acknowledges the traces of the pencil …

Assessing The Impact Of Incorporating Residential Histories Into The Spatial Analysis Of Cancer Risk, Anny-Claude Joseph

Theses and Dissertations

In many spatial epidemiologic studies, investigators use residential location at diagnosis as a surrogate for unknown environmental exposures or as a geographic basis for assigning measured exposures. Inherently, they make assumptions about the timing and location of pertinent exposures which may prove problematic when studying long latency diseases such as cancer.

In this work we explored how the association between environmental exposures and disease risk for long-latency health outcomes like cancer is affected by residential mobility. We used simulation studies conditioned on real data to evaluate the extent to which the commonly held assumption of no residential mobility 1) affected …

Fluoxetine Attenuates Mast Cell Function By Targeting Purinergic Signaling, Tamara T. Haque

Theses and Dissertations

Mast cells are tissue resident, innate immune cells that provide protection against parasitic and bacterial infections and venom poisoning. Mast cells also play a pathogenic role in atopy and allergic diseases. Atopy and allergic diseases are increasing in the developed world and are predicted to continue to increase at an alarming rate. Current treatment options include corticosteroids, anti-histamines, anti-IgE and avoidance of allergen. These interventions have limitations: some patients are steroid resistant; anti-histamines have low efficacy since they need to be administered early during allergen exposure; and anti-IgE is costly. Thus there is a clinical need for new treatment options. …

Illumination Of The Golgi Apparatus Of Pathogenic And Nonpathogenic Naegleria Species, Tyler M. Poe

Theses and Dissertations

In this study, Naegleria fowleri, a pathogenic amoeba and the causative agent of Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM), was utilized to determine the presence or absence of classically conserved Golgi molecules featured in the expression of a Golgi apparatus. Previous studies concluded no Golgi expression via light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, but a recent report on Naegleria gruberi indicated the presence of dispersed Golgi tubules. Non-pathogenic species of the Naegleria genus such as Naegleria gruberi 30540 and Naegleria lovaniensis 30569 were utilized in Western immunoblot analysis compared to reduced whole-cell lysate proteins of two strains of N. fowleri and …

Preconditioning Of The Tumor Microenvironment By Means Of Low Dose Chemotherapies For An Effective Immunotherapy Of Breast Cancer, Hussein F. Aqbi

Theses and Dissertations

Breast cancer mortality is mainly due to distant recurrence of the disease arising from dormant tumor cells established by cancer therapies. Patients who initially respond to cancer therapies often succumb to distant recurrence of the disease. It is not clear why people with the same type of breast cancer respond to treatments differently; some escape from dormancy and relapse earlier than others. In addition, some tumor clones respond to immunotherapy while others do not. We investigated how autophagy plays a role in accelerating or delaying recurrence of neu overexpressing mouse mammary carcinoma (MMC) following adriamycin (ADR) treatment, and in affecting …

Stat5b And Stat5 Tetramers Are Essential For Ige-Mediated Mast Cell Function, Kasalina N. Kiwanuka

Theses and Dissertations

Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription (STATs) are latent transcription factors that mediate several cellular responses. This protein family consists of seven members, STAT1 – 6 including two closely related molecules, STAT5a and STAT5b, that show 96% amino acid sequence homology and are critical for lymphoid, myeloid and erythroid cell development and function. Activated STAT proteins dimerize and translocate to the nucleus, where they bind to high-affinity DNA motifs to modulate gene expression. We recently identified STAT5b as the critical regulator of IgE-mediated cytokine production in mast cells. STAT5b knockout (KO) cells show decreased sensitivity to IgE-mediated passive systemic anaphylaxis …

Adaptation Of The Streptococcal Collagen-Like Protein 1, Scl1, Of Group A Streptococcus To Recognize Fibronectin Type Iii Repeats, Dudley H. Mcnitt

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: Group A Streptococcus (GAS) is responsible more than 700 million infections worldwide each year. Most of these infections start with initial colonization of the throat and skin, which is augmented by surface adhesins. The streptococcal collagen-like protein 1 (Scl1) is a major adhesin expressed by GAS that contains an N-terminal sequence-variable (V) domain, protruded away from the cell surface by the collagen domain. The Scl-V domain is comprised of three pairs of anti-parallel α-helices interconnected by surface-exposed loops. For attachment, GAS adhesins require a portal of entry, such as a wound or breach in the epithelium, to enter …

The Effect Of Feed Manufacture Techniques On Pathogen Reduction And Feed Nutrient Value, Timothy Paul Boltz

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Experiments were conducted to evaluate how differing feed manufacture techniques, such as varying conditioning times and new equipment, can affect pathogen mitigation, feed manufacture metrics, amino acid digestibility, and enzyme recovery in feed. Feed hygienics are of increasing importance in providing safe feed to animals, and ultimately safe food for consumers. Salmonella has been identified as a major microbial hazard in animal feed that has been linked to animal and human illness. In chapter 2, the effects of standard pelleting and more thermally aggressive techniques were utilized to determine pathogen mitigation potential. Use of antibiotics has decreased in recent years …

Analysis Of User Preference With N95 And Powered Air-Purifying Respirators In A Healthcare Work Environment, Brittany Renee Carver

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

For those working in the healthcare field, personal protective equipment is vital. Healthcare workers are often first responders when it comes to dealing with patients who are infected or when a disease outbreak occurs. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires all healthcare operations to provide employee protection against blood borne pathogens. With the increase of life-threatening disease outbreaks, such as SARS in 2003 and Ebola in 2014, it is of the upmost importance to make sure respirators are best suited for users and acceptable for long term use. It has been shown through previous studies that due to …

Distribution Of Sea Star Wasting Disease Symptoms In Pisaster Ochraceus In The Rocky Intertidal Zone, Jana N. Litt

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Beginning in 2013, many species of sea stars (phylum Echinodermata) along the Pacific coast experienced severe mortality due to sea star wasting disease (SSWD). The ochre sea star, Pisaster ochraceus, experienced one of the highest mortality rates during this outbreak. To test the hypothesis that the intertidal distribution of ochre sea stars influences the incidence and progression of SSWD symptoms, I documented the occurrence of symptoms and survivorship in adult and juvenile stars in the upper and lower portions of the mid-intertidal zone. I also chronicled the progression of SSWD symptoms among individually tagged adult stars to assess changes in …

Stockmanship Education And Evaluation, John K. Yost

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation documents two separate works. The first is an evaluation of WVU SFMS/SOIDC Large Animal Module and the second is the development and use of the Stockman’s Scorecard. The WVU SFMS/SOIDC Large Animal Module provides foundational information on food animal husbandry and veterinary procedures to SOF Combat Medic candidates. A quasi-experimental design was used to determine if the module content resulted in an increase in food animal production knowledge for the participants. Seventy-five percent of the subjects had no previous livestock exposure and only seven percent had previously participated in 4-H or FFA. Matched pair analysis determined that the …

Untangling The Reciprocal Relation Of The Behavioral And Physiological Immune Systems, Baris Sevi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In the past decade, there has been an exponential increase in the study of the Behavioral Immune System (BIS), a suite of psychological processes that serves an infectious disease avoidance function. The BIS is proposed to be inherently intertwined with the physiological immune system. However, very few studies have actually demonstrated this fundamental, theoretical assumption. The purpose of this thesis was to test the possible relation between the physiological and behavioral immune systems in two studies. In Study 1 (N = 388), the relation between implied activation of the physiological immune system and BIS sensitivity was examined. Participants who reported …

All Aspects Of The Toxic Effects Of Lipopolysaccharide On Rat Liver And The Protective Effect Of Vitamin E And Sodium Selenite, Di̇lek Pandir, Sedat Per, Züleyha Doğanyi̇ği̇t, Fati̇h Oğuz Bekdemi̇r, Gülşi̇fe Gök, Ali̇ Demi̇rbağ

Turkish Journal of Zoology

This work was planned to research the effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and/or vitamin E (VE) and sodium selenite (SS), which have antioxidant properties, administered to the liver tissue of male rats. For this purpose, histopathology, immunohistochemistry, antioxidant capacity, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) dUTP nick-end labeling assay, liver function, and DNA structure tests were performed. The lipid profile was also evaluated in this study. Rats that were administered LPS were treated with VE and/or SS. The liver function tests and lipid profile parameters showed statistically significant changes and histological alterations in the LPS treated groups. The number of cells entering apoptosis …

Relationship Between Tissue And Serum Eosinophilia In Children Undergoing Adenotonsillectomy With Allergic Rhinitis, Nur Yücel Eki̇ci̇, Özgür Külahci

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Previous reports suggested that allergic/eosinophilic inflammation affects the adenoid and tonsillar tissue. The aim of this study is to evaluate and compare the tissue and serum eosinophilia in children undergoing adenotonsillectomy with allergic rhinitis.Materials and methods: The clinical registers of 125 children undergoing adenoidectomy/tonsillectomy due to adenoid/tonsil hypertrophy were examined and reviewed retrospectively. Fifty-seven children with positive skin prick test and symptoms of allergic rhinitis were included in the study as the atopic group, whereas 68 children with no allergic symptoms and negative skin prick test were included as the nonatopic group. Consequently, the total immunoglobulin E level and …