Digital Commons Network^™

Measles, Chickenpox, And Other Preventable Diseases: Why Stricter Vaccine Exemptions Are A Must-Proposed Legislation For Stricter Vaccine Exemption Standards, Eleanor H. Sills

Florida State University Law Review

The outbreak of measles in 2019 was the largest measles outbreak since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared it eliminated in 2000. With measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases on the rise, there is growing concern that vulnerable populations will be exposed to these diseases, which can lead to death. One major factor in this increase is the lackadaisical vaccine exemption policies that are implemented in the United States. If vaccine exemption policies were more like those of states that have lower exemption rates and included some inquiry into the sincerity and genuineness of the requesting parent's religious beliefs, …

Two Cases Of Infantile Botulism In Virginia That Highlight The Importance Of Early Clinical Diagnosis And Proper Reporting, Treatment, And Prevention, Scott Keel Md, Lisa Uherick Md

Virginia Journal of Public Health

Infantile botulism is a rare condition that primarily affects infants under the age of 6 months. This disease is caused by ingestion of Clostridium Botulinum spores that are found in soil or honey. Once ingested, the spores germinate into bacteria that colonize the infant’s immature intestinal tract and synthesize a toxin. This toxin irreversibly binds acetylcholine receptors, leading to the clinical presentation of progressively worsening constipation, weakness, hypotonia, poor feeding, weak cry, and decreased activity. If enough toxins are released, life-threatening flaccid paralysis with respiratory failure can ensue. Fortunately, with high clinical suspicion, a physician can gain access to life-saving …

Bioaerosol Effect On Safe Use Of Bathroom Appliances For Drinking Water Consumption, Dwight Bland, Shobha Subedi, Hueiwang Anna Jeng

Virginia Journal of Public Health

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the bioaerosol effects on the use of bathroom appliances (a fountain faucet and a reusable cup) for drinking water consumption.

Methods: A mechanically pressurized hydraulic spray nozzle was used to generate bioaerosols containing non-pathogenic E. coli. These bioaerosols became airborne and came in contact with a fountain faucet (NASONI, Inc.) and a reusable cup. 10 mL and 100 mL of water samples from the cup and the faucet stream, respectively, were collected at intervals of 10 secs, 30 secs, 1 min, 2 mins, and 5 mins. A Tryptic Soy Broth (TSB) …

Regulating Care Robots, Valarie K. Blake

Scholarly Works

Care robots are already assisting the elderly in some nursing homes around the globe and could be in widespread use in hospitals and homes sooner than we think. These robots promise great hope for patients: to help them remain independent, to provide assistance with daily living, to comfort and distract during procedures, to educate, and to be companions during the vulnerable and lonely times in patient lives. Yet, care robots will have unprecedented access to personal lives, combined with designs aimed at winning patient trust and affection, and with recording and sensory capabilities beyond any human. They pose significant risk …

Neighborhoods And Mental Health: Understanding The Social, Environmental And Structural Factors To Better Support Our Youth And Communities, Meghan Murtagh

Community Engagement Student Work

The social, structural and environmental characteristics of neighborhoods can have a significant impact on the social, emotional, behavioral and cognitive development of children and adolescents. The Center for Disease Control reports every 1 out of 5 children (22%) living below 100% of the federal poverty level have a mental, behavioral and/or developmental disorder (CDC, 2019). Through the utilization of ecological frameworks and a “place” based framework called The Social Determinates of Health, research was conducted to examine the link between neighborhoods and health outcomes in children and adolescents. These findings were then shared through a workshop with the target audience …

Engineering A Switchable Nanosystem For Customizable Therapeutics, David Diebold, Hanzhe Chen

Bioengineering Senior Theses

Exosomes are nanovesicles that are naturally secreted by mammalian cells in vivo for intercellular communications. Due to their inherent targeting ability, exosomes have a potential for therapeutic applications. However, due to their physiological derivation, the isolation of engineered exosomes has been a major obstacle to their therapeutic application, and successful disease-targeting has been difficult to control. Recently, we have developed an exosome technology that borrows from switchable Chimeric Antigen Receptor (sCAR) T-Cell Therapy and Strep-tag engineering to overcome these obstacles. Here, we describe the development of a de novo method to produce genetically modified exosomes with switchable targeting ability and …

Dipl 6130 International Security, Richard M. O'Meara Phd

Diplomacy Syllabi

This is an interdisciplinary course which seeks to answer the question what do we- states, international institutions, groups, and individuals-want when we seek security and what steps can we take to accomplish security goals? A recent summary of the discipline summarizes it as follows:

“International security, also called global security , is the measures taken by states and international organizations, such as the United Nations. European Union, and others, to ensure mutual survival and safety. These measures include military action and diplomatic agreements such as treaties and conventions. International and national security are invariably linked. International security is national security …

Effects Of Alpha- And Beta-Adrenergic Receptor Blockade Upon Inflammatory Responses To Acute And Chronic Sleep Fragmentation, Nicholas David Wheeler

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Generally, sleep is viewed as a recuperative process and its dysregulation has

cognitive, metabolic, immunological, and inflammatory implications that are largely deleterious to human health. Epidemiological and empirical studies have suggested that sleep fragmentation (SF) as result of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and other sleep abnormalities leads to pronounced systemic inflammatory responses, which are influenced by the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). However, the underlying molecular mechanisms contributing to SNS regulation of SF-induced inflammatory states are not fully understood. To assess the effects of the SNS system, C57BL/6j female mice were placed in automated SF chambers (12L:12D) and subjected to either …

Usa V. Calvin Roeder

2020 Decisions

USDC for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Microfluidic Liquid Biopsy For Cancer Prognosis, Brendan Heap, Anthony Ramirez Guerrero, Sam Nichols

Bioengineering Senior Theses

Leukemia is a deadly and common cancer, especially in children and adolescents. The misdiagnosis and unexpected complications during the treatment are some factors that increase the mortality rate of leukemia. The goal of our project was to create a device that would quickly and accurately assess these complications. While there are existing tests that can perform a single test for either metastasis or sepsis, there are none that can test for both simultaneously and rapidly. We propose to modify and combine some of these existing microfluidic designs as well as create a new component to perform a combinatorial assessment. While …

The Intellectual Property Of Vaccines: Takeaways From Recent Infectious Disease Outbreaks, Ana Santos Rutschman

Michigan Law Review Online

In late 2019 and early 2020, a new strain of coronavirus, a family of pathogens causing serious respiratory illness, began infecting populations across the globe. A quick uptick in COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel pathogen, prompted the World Health Organization to declare the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on January 30, 2020. By mid-February 2020, with 26 countries reporting cases of COVID-19 infection, the global case count had surpassed 50,000, and had resulted in over 1,500 deaths. The World Health Organization elevated the status of the outbreak to a pandemic in mid-March. As of early …

Student Note: Finding The Positive In A Positive Drug Test: How Narrowing The Definition Of An Individualized Pre-Employment Assessment Under The Ada Can Encourage Recovery From Opioid Dependence, Sarah Ferraro

Belmont Health Law Journal

This note will address the disparities in the way courts have analyzed the direct threat exception to ADA protection, and why a uniform application of the exception is crucial to both employers and those in recovery. Part I examines how opioids have devolved from an effective pain management tool to a national enemy. This section will answer common questions about why opioids are so addictive and why doctors prescribe them in the first place. It also addresses the scope of the ADA and the direct threat exception used to justify a decision not to hire a prescription drug user, as …

Cd300lf Is The Primary Physiologic Receptor Of Murine Norovirus But Not Human Norovirus, Vincent R. Graziano, Forrest C. Walker, Elizabeth A. Kennedy, Ebrahim Hassan, Arthur S. Kim, Megan T. Baldridge, Et Al.

Open Access Publications

Murine norovirus (MNoV) is an important model of human norovirus (HNoV) and mucosal virus infection more broadly. Viral receptor utilization is a major determinant of cell tropism, host range, and pathogenesis. The bona fide receptor for HNoV is unknown. Recently, we identified CD300lf as a proteinaceous receptor for MNoV. Interestingly, its paralogue CD300ld was also sufficient for MNoV infection in vitro. Here we explored whether CD300lf is the sole physiologic receptor in vivo and whether HNoV can use a CD300 ortholog as an entry receptor. We report that both CD300ld and CD300lf are sufficient for infection by diverse MNoV strains …

Public Health Research Day 2020, George Washington University

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

No abstract provided.

The Gw School Of Medicine And Health Sciences Medical Student Research Day, George Washington University

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

No abstract provided.

Itihas Vol. 20 Issue No. 2, Sastra Univ

ITIHAS

NEWSLETTER FROM SASTRA DEEMED UNIVERSITY

Search, The Jackson Laboratory

Search Magazine

No abstract provided.

Identifying Indicators Of Compassion Fatigue: Bridging The Gap From Professional To Familial Caregivers, Adam Luther

MOT Student Capstones

Compassion fatigue has been defined as feelings of anger, inefficacy, apathy, and depression, resulting from a caregiver's inability to cope with devastating stress (Day, 2015). Historically this topic has been explored in the realm of professions such as nurses, nursing assistants, social workers, and doctors but little research has been performed on the prevalence and effects of compassion fatigue within familial caregivers. As aging in place and deinstitutionalizing elderly adults becomes more common, the risk for compassion fatigue within familial caregivers increases. Unfortunately, the lack of research is indicative of a lack of action to address this potential health risk. …

Wsu Research News, Spring 2020, Office Of Research And Sponsored Programs, Wright State University

WSU Research News

A thirty-two page newsletter of the WSU Research News. The WSU Research News was published monthly beginning in June of 1968 and issued by the Office of Research Development. This newsletter was created to provide information to the WSU faculty about the availability of outside funds for research and educational programs, new developments that may affect availability of funds, and general information on research and educational activities at Wright State University.

Christian Higher Education Faculty's Perceptions Of Occupational Stress, Job Demands, And Job Resources As Predictors Of Job Burnout, Michelle E. Shelton

Doctor of Education (EdD)

The aim of this study was to explore the extent to which faculty perceptions of occupational stress, job demands, and job resources are predictors of job burnout for faculty at Christian universities, specifically at CCCU institutions. The desire was to gain an awareness of these variables as they relate to the well-being of Christian higher education faculty. The hope was that administrators and leaders in academe will consider making changes to provide an environment that is more supportive of faculty. This research study could help administrators and leaders at universities to take a critical look at what is being asked …

Suffering Matters: Nepa, Animals, And The Duty To Disclose, David N. Cassuto, Tala Dibenedetto

Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires the federal government to disclose potential environmental harms arising from agency actions. Animal suffering is an environmental harm, yet no court has ruled that its infliction triggers a reporting obligation under NEPA. This Article argues that animal suffering should be a cognizable environmental harm under NEPA, that considerations of animal suffering should factor into whether an agency must prepare an EIS--and should be discussed in the content of the EIS.

Part II of this Article introduces and explains the procedural requirements of NEPA. Part III discusses animal suffering--how it is defined, how laws …

The Usefulness Of The Left Atrial Dilation Rate In Determining Severity Of Heart Failure, Laura B. Snyder

Senior Theses

Hypertension and vascular stiffness are two physiological conditions that strain the left ventricle (LV) and cause it to gain muscle mass. Eventually, the LV is unable to fill correctly and the patient develops Heart Failure with a preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF). Clinically, a patient’s left atrium (LA) area is measured as a diagnostic parameter of HFpEF severity. However, this doesn’t offer a prognosis or threshold of LA size necessitating hospitalization because of variation in patient demographics, genetics, and lifestyle which affect rates of HFpEF progression.

Since there are no medications or effective treatment options for HFpEF patients, there is a …

A Broadly Distributed, Novel Class Of Diiron Enzymes Involved In Para-Aminobenzoate Synthesis, Joseph M. Zambelas

Senior Theses

The overall structure and ligand arrangement of diiron enzymes influence their function and catalytic potential, allowing for them to catalyze an expansive breadth of high energy transformations. The diiron enzyme CADD from Chlamydia trachomatis is involved in a novel biosynthetic pathway for p-aminobenzoic acid (pABA), a precursor for tetrahydrofolate. The unique ligand structure and reactivity of CADD and homolog NE1434 provide an intriguing means to contrast structure function relationships with other known diiron enzymes that activate dioxygen. In this work, studies of CADD and NE1434 orthologs and comparison to other diiron enzymes reveal several sequence motifs that are likely critical …

A Scenario-Based Analysis On The Impact Of Covid-19 On The Public Sector, Private Sector, And International Business, Charles Nastopoulos

Senior Theses

Drawing on four years of academic education received from the #1 International Business Program at the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina Honors College, this is a comprehensive and forward-thinking strategic thought piece addressing the international business world and its potential post-pandemic reality. This thesis will answer the overarching question: What are the short- and long-term impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on international business?

Educational Session To Improve The Knowledge And Confidence Of State Agency Surveyors In Deficiency Citation Of Immediate Jeopardy Findings In Nursing Homes, Aileen Renolayan, Msn, Ma, Rn, Phn

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: The oversight of nursing homes is a shared federal-state responsibility. Under the agreement with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS, 2018), state survey agencies assess nursing homes using standard surveys. Several studies indicate that the type of deficiencies issued to nursing facilities varies significantly by state, suggesting inconsistency in the survey process for issuing deficiencies. For example, variation in Immediate Jeopardy (IJ) citations among state agency surveyors has been the subject of reports from the Government Accountability Office (GAO, 2019) and the Office of the Inspector General (OIG, 2014).

Objective: To determine if a 1-hour educational session about …

Genetic Removal Of Toxin And Integrase Genes From A Staphylococcal Bacteriophage, Hannah Sparks

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that specifically infect and kill bacterial cells. Phages are the most numerous biological entities on Earth, with an estimated population size of 10³¹ (1). Discovery, purification, and characterization of phages illuminate the composition of the microbial world and provide potential applications in medicine. To combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria, phages are being investigated as supplements or alternatives to antibiotics. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a commonly acquired infection in hospitals that has become difficult to treat due to its resistance to antibiotics commonly used to treat ordinary S. aureus infections (20). Bacteriophage, JB, isolated from dairy …

Novel De Novo Genome Of Cynopterus Brachyotis Reveals Evolutionarily Abrupt Shifts In Gene Family Composition Across Fruit Bats, Balaji Chattopadhyay, Kritika M. Garg, Rajasri Ray, Ian H. Mendenhall, Frank E. Rheindt

KIP Articles

Major novel physiological or phenotypic adaptations often require accompanying modifications at the genic level. Conversely, the detection of considerable contractions and/or expansions of gene families can be an indicator of fundamental but unrecognized physiological change. We sequenced a novel fruit bat genome (Cynopterus brachyotis) and adopted a comparative approach to reconstruct the evolution of fruit bats, mapping contractions and expansions of gene families along their evolutionary history. Despite a radical change in life history as compared with other bats (e.g., loss of echolocation, large size, and frugivory), fruit bats have undergone surprisingly limited change in their genic composition, perhaps apart …

Mercury And Other Trace Metal Analysis In Bat Guano, Amanda Lee Houchens

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Heavy metal pollution in the environment pose risks to ecosystems and the populations that reside in them. Mercury, lead, and cadmium negatively impact humans by way of neurological disorders, various cancers, and damage the reproductive organs, kidneys, and lungs. Bats have been studied as a bioindicator species to identify possibly elevated levels of these metals in the environment. Previous studies have identified correlation between metal concentrations within bat tissues and fur. Many bat species are endangered or at risk due to white-nose syndrome so collection of tissues and fur for analysis can impose stress on bat colonies. This study investigates …

Urban Outbreak 2019 Pandemic Response: Select Research & Game Findings, Benjamin Davies, Kaitlin Rainwater Lovett, Brittany Card, David Polatty

Urban Outbreak 2019

This document is a summary of 16 key research and game findings focused specifically on the characteristics of civil-military response to a pandemic scenario. The numbered bullets below correspond to more detailed explanations of findings presented later in the document. While these findings are in no way definitive or complete, they are a sampling of relevant guidance based on research, gaming and expert opinion. It is our hope that these 16 findings will contribute to improving civilian and military effectiveness in humanitarian assistance and disaster response operations

Assay Development For Isolation And Characterization Of Anticancer Properties Of Marine Fungi, Kyra Ricci

Honors Theses

Metabolites from fungi have potential use in the drug discovery process and have been used in the past to develop therapeutic agents for human use. Initial characterization of potential therapeutic properties of fungi is thus an important first step in identifying novel therapeutic compounds. In the present study, marine fungi were isolated from Myrtle Beach and assayed for anticancer properties using the soft agar colony formation assay in a 3D in vitro cellular environment. Many species were isolated from environmental samples, displaying unique morphologies and growth patterns. To optimize the soft agar assay in a six-well cell culture plate for …