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Synthesis Of New Aliphatic Pseudo-Branched Polyester Co-Polymers For Biomedical Applications, Zachary Shaw

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

In this study, a hyperbranched polyester co-polymer was designed using a proprietary monomer and diethylene glycol or triethylene glycol as monomers. The synthesis was carried out using standard melt polymerization technique and catalyzed by p-Tolulenesulfonic acid. The progress of the reaction was monitored with respect to time and negative pressure, with samples being subjected to standard characterization protocols. The resulting polymers were purified using the solvent precipitation method and characterized using various chromatographic and spectroscopic methods including GPC, MALDI-TOF, and NMR. We have observed polymers with a molecular weight of 29,643 kDa and 33,996 kDa, which is ideal to be …

Maternal Diet During Lactation And Breast-Feeding Practices Have Synergistic Association With Child Diet At 6 Years, Jacob P. Beckerman, Emily Slade, Alison K. Ventura

Kinesiology and Public Health

Objective: Children breast-fed during infancy consume more fruits and vegetables than formula-fed children. This pattern is likely due, in part, to infant learning from flavours of the mother’s diet transmitted through breast milk, but more research is needed to understand associations between early flavour exposures and later dietary patterns. We examined whether breast-feeding and maternal fruit and vegetable consumption during nursing were synergistically associated with higher child fruit and vegetable consumption.

Design: Prospective cohort study of breast-feeding duration, maternal diet postpartum and child diet. Complete breast-feeding and maternal diet data were available for 1396 mother–child dyads; multiple imputation was used …

A Bayesian Adaptive Marker-Stratified Design For Molecularly Targeted Agents With Customized Hierarchical Modeling, Yong Zang, Beibei Guo, Yan Han, Sha Cao, Chi Zhang

Faculty Publications

It is well known that the treatment effect of a molecularly targeted agent (MTA) may vary dramatically, depending on each patient's biomarker profile. Therefore, for a clinical trial evaluating MTA, it is more reasonable to evaluate its treatment effect within different marker subgroups rather than evaluating the average treatment effect for the overall population. The marker-stratified design (MSD) provides a useful tool to evaluate the subgroup treatment effects of MTAs. Under the Bayesian framework, the beta-binomial model is conventionally used under the MSD to estimate the response rate and test the hypothesis. However, this conventional model ignores the fact that …

Volume 56, Number 47: July 10, 2019, University Of North Dakota

University Letter Archive

No abstract provided.

Intratypic Genetic Variability Of Human Adenovirus Type 4: Implication For Viral Pathogenesis, Camden Roy Bair

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Human adenovirus type 4 (HAdV-E4) is a causative agent of acute respiratory disease and conjunctivitis worldwide. Two major lineages of HAdV-E4 genomic variants have been identified by their distinct BamHI restriction profiles: prototype-like (p-like) strains and the a-like genomic variants. Recent molecular epidemiology studies have shown a predominance of a-like genomic variants detected in association with disease which suggests a-like strains have a fitness advantage or they may be more pathogenic. The impact of HAdV-E4 intratypic genetic variability on in vitro and in vivo phenotypes relevant to pathogenesis is a major gap in knowledge. I hypothesize that HAdV-E4 comprises two …

Experiences Of Nurses Working In A Triage Area: An Integrative Review, Yong-Shian Goh, Violeta Lopez, Julienne Mae Reblora

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

The purpose of this review is to explore the understanding of triage nurses' experiences in hospital emergency departments (EDs). An Integrative review of the Literature is done to help the team to understand this phenomenon.

Obesity Stigma And Women's Health: Challenges Of Decreasing Healthcare Provider Bias To Improve Outcomes, Mary Ellen A. Burke

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

The primary aim of this presentation is to describe strategies and challenges in decreasing bias toward obese women by healthcare providers including nurses, nurse-midwives and medical staff. Best practices for creating a more welcoming environment for obese patients receiving gynecological and obstetrical care will be discussed.

Brain Bioenergetics, Cognitive Activity, And Menopausal Vasomotor Symptoms, Sharon L. Dormire

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

The relationship between menopausal changes in brain bioenergetics, cognitive activity, and vasomotor symptoms (VMS) will be detailed. VMS were effectively stimulated in symptomatic women through cognitive activity. Activation of the anterior cingulate nucleus and corpus callosum was noted during VMS with functional MRI. Implications will be discussed.

The Role Of Nurse Advocate In Cesarean Sections On Maternal Request, Julia Imanoff, Cynthia Mannion, Graham Mccaffrey

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Women's choice for cesarean delivery is complex. This choice challenges maternity care provider given the difference in values between patients and care providers. The findings of this study suggest that nurses can provide supportive care in the role of an advocate to promote positive birth experiences.

Problem Solving Therapy Reduces Burden In Caregivers Of Family Members With A New Cognitive Diagnosis, Linda J. Garand

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

We examined whether problem-solving therapy (PST) would prevent or treat burden among family caregivers of persons with a recent diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or early-stage dementia (AD). Relative to caregiver's receiving nutritional training (NT), PST improved caregiver's perceived burden (worry) and dementia-related behavioral burden levels, over time.

Examining Patient Engagement With Clinical Technology: Demographic Patterns Of Pediatric Patient Portal Activation, Ruth A. Bush, Vijaya M. Vemulakonda, Andrew Richardson, Sara Deakyne Davies, Genesis R. Bojorquez, George J. Chiang

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

EHRs of more than 42,000 patients at two geographically diverse pediatric specialty clinics were analyzed to identify 1) patients approached for patient portal access and 2) activated the portal. There were moderate activation rates (18.7%); primary language, race/ethnicity, and site were significantly associated with portal adoption (p<0.001).

Families In Transition: The Lived Experience Of Parenting A Transgender Child, Linda D. Wagner, Elizabeth M. Armstrong

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

This qualitative study explored parent's experiences of their child undergoing gender transition. Data analysis yielded themes that begin to identify the complex nature and struggles parents face as they encounter the emotional and physical aspects of this transition. Implications for holistic nursing practice, policy and education will be discussed.

Heritage College Research Team Finds New Adaptive Trick Used By Staphylococcus Bacteria (July 10, 2019), University Communications And Marketing

OHIO News Articles Archive

No abstract provided.

Genome-Wide Blood Dna Methylation Profiles For Cognitive Declines Among Professional Fighters, Hyunhwa Lee, Jacob White, Sijung Yun, Jonica Estrada, Laura Salado, Charles Bernick

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Cognitive decline variabilities after head injuries may be regulated by altered DNA methylation. We successfully profiled genome-wide blood DNA methylation associated with cognitive declines among professional fighters. Our key network findings confirmed the effect of axonal dysfunction, altered dopamine feedback in cAMP signaling, altered methylation of BDNF promoters on cognition.

Feeding Practices And Beliefs Of Hispanic Mothers Of Preschool Age Children, Nancy Ann Innella

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore maternal feeding practices and beliefs of Hispanic mothers of preschool-age children. A convenience sample of 6 mothers were interviewed. Overall, mothers who perceived they had control over feeding practices and strong support systems had children with healthier weights.

Improving Proton Pump Inhibitor Prescription Practices As A Means To Decreasing Nosocomial Infections, Jens Langsjoen

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are commonly prescribed to treat stomach acid related illnesses, but increase the risk of hospital acquired infections. Measuring hospital PPI overuse trends and provider willingness to adopt PPI reduction interventions can inform the feasibility of reducing PPI overuse. We: (1) interviewed physicians, pharmacists and IT leaders to determine options for hospital PPI reduction, (2) analyzed electronic health record data to determine patterns of PPI overuse, and (3) surveyed providers regarding their willingness to adopt PPI reduction interventions. PPI use was inappropriate in 32% of inpatient encounters locally and 38% nationally. ICU exposure increased the odds of …

In Vivo Effectiveness And Safety Of Probiotics On Prophylaxis And Treatment Of Oral Candidiasis: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Lijun Hu, Mimi Zhou, Andrew L. Young, Weiwei Zhao, Zhimin Yan

All Dugoni School of Dentistry Faculty Articles

BACKGROUND: To systematically review and assess the in vivo effectiveness and safety of probiotics for prophylaxis and treating oral candidiasis.

METHODS: A literature search for studies published in English until August 1, 2018 was conducted in the following databases: PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. Randomized controlled clinical trials and experimental mouse animal model studies comparing probiotics (at any dosage and in any form) with control groups (placebo, blank control or other agents) and reporting outcomes of the prophylactic and therapeutic effects were considered for inclusion. A descriptive study and, potentially, a meta-analysis were planned.

RESULTS: Six randomized …

Experimental Evidence For Adaptation To Species-Specific Gut Microbiota In House Mice, Andrew H. Moeller, João C. Gomes-Neto, Sara Mantz, Hatem Kittana, Rafael R. Segura Munoz, Robert J. Schmaltz, Amanda E. Ramer-Tait, Michael W. Nachman

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

The gut microbial communities of mammals have codiversified with host species, and changes in the gut microbiota can have profound effects on host fitness. Therefore, the gut microbiota may drive adaptation in mammalian species, but this possibility is underexplored. Here, we show that the gut microbiota has codiversified with mice in the genus Mus over the past 6 million years, and we present experimental evidence that the gut microbiota has driven adaptive evolution of the house mouse, Mus musculus domesticus. Phylogenetic analyses of metagenomeassembled bacterial genomic sequences revealed that gut bacterial lineages have been retained within and diversified alongside Mus …

Paired-End Mappability Of Transposable Elements In The Human Genome, Corinne E. Sexton, Mira V. Han

Life Sciences Faculty Research

Though transposable elements make up around half of the human genome, the repetitive nature of their sequences makes it difficult to accurately align conventional sequencing reads. However, in light of new advances in sequencing technology, such as increased read length and paired-end libraries, these repetitive regions are now becoming easier to align to. This study investigates the mappability of transposable elements with 50 bp, 76 bp and 100 bp paired-end read libraries. With respect to those read lengths and allowing for 3 mismatches during alignment, over 68, 85, and 88% of all transposable elements in the RepeatMasker database are uniquely …

A Method For Improving The Accuracy And Efficiency Of Bacteriophage Genome Annotation, Alicia Salisbury, Philippos K. Tsourkas

Life Sciences Faculty Research

Bacteriophages are the most numerous entities on Earth. The number of sequenced phage genomes is approximately 8000 and increasing rapidly. Sequencing of a genome is followed by annotation, where genes, start codons, and functions are putatively identified. The mainstays of phage genome annotation are auto-annotation programs such as Glimmer and GeneMark. Due to the relatively small size of phage genomes, many groups choose to manually curate auto-annotation results to increase accuracy. An additional benefit of manual curation of auto-annotated phage genomes is that the process is amenable to be performed by students, and has been shown to improve student recruitment …

A Method For Improving The Accuracy And Efficiency Of Bacteriophage Genome Annotation, Philippos Tsourkas, Alicia Salisbury

Life Sciences Faculty Research

Bacteriophages are the most numerous entities on Earth. The number of sequenced phage genomes is approximately 8000 and increasing rapidly. Sequencing of a genome is followed by annotation, where genes, start codons, and functions are putatively identified. The mainstays of phage genome annotation are auto-annotation programs such as Glimmer and GeneMark. Due to the relatively small size of phage genomes, many groups choose to manually curate auto-annotation results to increase accuracy. An additional benefit of manual curation of auto-annotated phage genomes is that the process is amenable to be performed by students, and has been shown to improve student recruitment …

Training And Development Of Undergraduate Researchers To Address Diabetes Health Disparities Using Geographical Information Systems, Barbara Ann Graves

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

This presentation will describe faculty perspective of innovative and interprofessional development and training of undergraduate researchers focused on addressing social determinants of diabetes health disparities. It will discuss use of geographical information systems as emerging technology for nursing research, student research mentoring, and the scope of student research involvement.

How Vision Governs The Collective Behaviour Of Dense Cycling Pelotons, J. Belden, Mohammad M. Mansoor, A. Hellum, S. R. Rahman, A. Meyer, C. Pease, J. Pacheco, S. Koziol, Tadd T. Truscott

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

In densely packed groups demonstrating collective behaviour, such as bird flocks, fish schools or packs of bicycle racers (cycling pelotons), information propagates over a network, with individuals sensing and reacting to stimuli over relatively short space and time scales. What remains elusive is a robust, mechanistic understanding of how sensory system properties affect interactions, information propagation and emergent behaviour. Here, we show through direct observation how the spatio-temporal limits of the human visual sensory system govern local interactions and set the network structure in large, dense collections of cyclists. We found that cyclists align in patterns within a ± 30° …

Microwave Assisted Sol-Gel Synthesis Of Silica-Spider Silk Composites, Abul Bashar Mohammad Giasuddin, David W. Britt

Biological Engineering Faculty Publications

This study introduces a simple and environmentally friendly method to synthesize silica-protein nanocomposite materials using microwave energy to solubilize hydrophobic protein in an aqueous solution of pre-hydrolyzed organo- or fluoro-silane. Sol-gel functionality can be enhanced through biomacromolecule incorporation to tune mechanical properties, surface energy, and biocompatibility. Here, synthetic spider silk protein and organo- and fluoro-silane precursors were dissolved and mixed in weakly acidic aqueous solution using microwave technology. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Atomic force microscopy (AFM) images revealed the formation of spherical nanoparticles with sizes ranging from 100 to 500 nm depending, in part, on silane fluoro- or organo-side …

Tauopathies, Novel Optogenetic Tools, And The Future Of Artificial Intelligence In Medicine, Jessica Lee Binder

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

To this day, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related dementias (ADRD). With the daunting rise at an exponential rate of ADRD burden and related deaths, the necessity to find a new line of attack is vital. Pathological accumulation of microtubule associated protein tau in neurons is a major neuropathological hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related tauopathies. Attempts have been made to promote clearance of pathological tau (p-Tau) from neurons via autophagy. Transcription factor EB (TFEB) has shown to clear p-Tau from neurons via autophagy. However, sustained TFEB activation and autophagy can create burden on cellular …

Character Strengths Of Ninth Grade Students In Accelerated Curricula: A Mixed-Methods Investigation, Hannah L. Gilfix

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Students in accelerated curricula tend to have greater stress when compared to students in general education (Suldo, Shaunessy, & Hardesty, 2008). It is important for stakeholders to be able to help these students reach their goals and attain happiness. One potential method to help these students is to attend to their character strengths. People who effectively utilize their character strengths have achieved numerous positive outcomes including greater levels of well-being, self-esteem, and positive affect (Proctor, Malby, & Linley, 2011; Quinlan, Swain, Cameron, & Vella-Brodrick, 2014; Wood, Linley, Maltby, Kashan, & Hurling, 2011). Unfortunately, there is a lack of research on …

Gender And The Voir Dire Process, Tasha Ann Lane

Dissertations and Theses

The jury selection process (also known as voir dire) has been examined previously in many ways, including racial impacts. Previous research suggests the need for more examination of how and if gender impacts the voir dire process. The lack of knowledge about how gender impacts voir dire might also have implications for public respect and trust in the court system. For example, theories of procedural justice suggest that individual experiences with the legal system affect whether they view the entire legal system as being legitimate. This is important because this perception then impacts how the public interact with the system. …

A Molecular Reconstruction Approach To Sitebased 3d-Rism And Comparison To Gist Hydration Thermodynamic Maps In An Enzyme Active Site, Crystal Nguyen, Takeshi Yamazaki, Andriy Kovalenko, David A. Case, Michael K. Gilson, Tom Kurtzman, Tyler Luchko

Publications and Research

Computed, high-resolution, spatial distributions of solvation energy and entropy can provide detailed information about the role of water in molecular recognition. While grid inhomogeneous solvation theory (GIST) provides rigorous, detailed thermodynamic information from explicit solvent molecular dynamics simulations, recent developments in the 3D reference interaction site model (3D-RISM) theory allow many of the same quantities to be calculated in a fraction of the time. However, 3D-RISM produces atomic-site, rather than molecular, density distributions, which are difficult to extract physical meaning from. To overcome this difficulty, we introduce a method to reconstruct molecular density distributions from atomic site density distributions. Furthermore, …

Translational Control Of Antibiotic Resistance, Anne Witzky, Rodney Tollerson Ii, Michael Ibba

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Many antibiotics available in the clinic today directly inhibit bacterial translation. Despite the past success of such drugs, their efficacy is diminishing with the spread of antibiotic resistance. Through the use of ribosomal modifications, ribosomal protection proteins, translation elongation factors and mistranslation, many pathogens are able to establish resistance to common therapeutics. However, current efforts in drug discovery are focused on overcoming these obstacles through the modification or discovery of new treatment options. Here, we provide an overview for common mechanisms of resistance to translation-targeting drugs and summarize several important breakthroughs in recent drug development.

A Stem-Cell-Derived Platform Enables Complete Cryptosporidium Development In Vitro And Genetic Tractability, Georgia Wilke, Lisa J Funkhouser-Jones, Yi Wang, Soumya Ravindran, Qiuling Wang, Wandy L Beatty, Megan T Baldridge, Kelli L Vandussen, Bang Shen, Mark S Kuhlenschmidt, Theresa B Kuhlenschmidt, William H Witola, Thaddeus S Stappenbeck, L. David Sibley

Open Access Publications

Despite being a frequent cause of severe diarrheal disease in infants and an opportunistic infection in immunocompromised patients, Cryptosporidium research has lagged due to a lack of facile experimental methods. Here, we describe a platform for complete life cycle development and long-term growth of C. parvum in vitro using "air-liquid interface" (ALI) cultures derived from intestinal epithelial stem cells. Transcriptomic profiling revealed that differentiating epithelial cells grown under ALI conditions undergo profound changes in metabolism and development that enable completion of the parasite life cycle in vitro. ALI cultures support parasite expansion > 100-fold and generate viable oocysts that are transmissible …