Digital Commons Network^™

Chemokine Receptor Gene Polymorphisms And Covid-19: Could Knowledge Gained From Hiv/Aids Be Important?, Rajeev K. Mehlotra

Faculty Scholarship

Emerging results indicate that an uncontrolled host immune response, leading to a life-threatening condition called cytokine release syndrome (also termed “cytokine storm”), is the major driver of pathology in severe COVID-19. In this pandemic, considerable effort is being focused on identifying host genomic factors that increase susceptibility or resistance to the complications of COVID-19 and translating these findings to improved patient care. In this regard, the chemokine receptor-ligand nexus has been reported as potentially important in severe COVID-19 disease pathogenesis and its treatment. Valuable genomic insights into the chemokine receptor-ligand nexus have been gained from HIV infection and disease progression …

Donor And Transplant Candidate Selection For Solid Organ Transplantation During The Covid-19 Pandemic, N Thao N Galvan, Nicolas F Moreno, Jay E Garza, Susan Bourgeois, Marion Hemmersbach-Miller, Bhamidipati Murthy, Katherine Timmins, Christine A O'Mahony, James Anton, Andrew Civitello, Puneet Garcha, Gabe Loor, Kenneth Liao, Alexis Shaffi, John Vierling, Rise Stribling, Abbas Rana, John A Goss

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), a novel coronavirus responsible for a worldwide pandemic has forced drastic changes in medical practice in an alarmingly short period of time. Caregivers must modify their strategies as well as optimize the utilization of resources to ensure public and patient safety. For organ transplantation, in particular, the loss of lifesaving organs for transplantation could lead to increased waitlist mortality. The priority is to select uninfected donors to transplant uninfected recipients while maintaining safety for health care systems in the backdrop of a virulent pandemic. We do not yet have a standard approach to evaluating …

Improving Therapeutic Potential Of Non-Viral Minimized Dna Vectors, Lirio M Arévalo-Soliz, Cinnamon L Hardee, Jonathan M Fogg, Nathan R Corman, Cameron Noorbakhsh, Lynn Zechiedrich

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The tragic deaths of three patients in a recent AAV-based X-linked myotubular myopathy clinical trial highlight once again the pressing need for safe and reliable gene delivery vectors. Non-viral minimized DNA vectors offer one possible way to meet this need. Recent pre-clinical results with minimized DNA vectors have yielded promising outcomes in cancer therapy, stem cell therapy, stem cell reprograming, and other uses. Broad clinical use of these vectors, however, remains to be realized. Further advances in vector design and production are ongoing. An intriguing and promising potential development results from manipulation of the specific shape of non-viral minimized DNA …

Chronic Ulcers And Malnutrition In An African Patient\, Timothy G Singer, Monica A Bray, Audrey Chan, Saki Ikeda, Brittany Walters, Maren Y Fuller, Carla Falco

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

An 11-year-old female with a congenitally malformed left hand, sickle-cell trait, asthma, and history of appendicitis was transferred from Zambia for evaluation and treatment of widespread suppurative and ulcerative skin lesions that typically appeared following trauma to her skin. The ulcers first presented 3 years earlier but had markedly worsened in the 9 months prior to transfer, spreading circumferentially on her extremities and abdomen at the site of an appendectomy. They were painful and did not resolve with multiple courses of intravenous (IV) antibiotics and close management by a Pediatric Infectious Disease specialist working for a non-governmental organization (NGO) in …

Genetics Of Smoking Behaviors In American Indians, Jeffrey A Henderson, Dedra S Buchwald, Barbara V Howard, Patricia Nez Henderson, Yafang Li, Rachel F Tyndale, Christopher I Amos, Olga Y Gorlova, Collaborative To Improve Native Cancer Outcomes (Cinco), A P50 Center For Population Health And Health Disparities Program Project Sponsored By The National Cancer Institute

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: The smoking behavior of American Indians (AI) differs from that of non-Hispanic whites (NHW). Typically light smokers, cessation interventions in AIs are generally less effective. To develop more effective cessation programs for AIs, clinicians, researchers, and public health workers need a better understanding of the genetic factors involved in their smoking behavior. Our aim was to assess whether SNPs associated with smoking behavior in NHWs are also associated with smoking in AIs.

METHODS: We collected questionnaire data on smoking behaviors and analyzed blood and saliva samples from two Tribal populations with dramatically different cultures and smoking prevalence, one in …

Writing Standards-Based Lesson Plans To Standards For Technological And Engineering Literacy, Scott Bartholomew, Thomas Loveland, Vanessa Santana

Faculty Publications

While written lesson plans may seem like a lot of work, with little purpose or benefit to new teachers, a well-written lesson plan is quite valuable for many reasons. The process of writing lesson plans at the beginning of one’s teaching career can be very time-consuming (Arnett-Hartwick and Cannon, 2019); however, the development of sequenced lessons that result in effective learning must be organized and articulate, not done haphazardly. Designing a lesson through a written document can help a teacher see the pattern, flow, and implications of a lesson and how it will help all students; this can be especially …

Engaging Students In The Virtual Classroom: A Mixed-Methods Study Of Teacher Leaders Creating Connections Through Virtual Learning Communities, Michaine Suzanne Ashley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The core problem that drove this study was high attrition rates and low student academic growth in virtual students when compared to their brick and mortar peers. To investigate this issue, the study focused on one issue related to the core problem: student engagement. The purpose of the study was to determine what pedagogical practices and instructional strategies were utilized by teachers in their virtual learning communities (VCLs) in order to engage students in the virtual classroom. This explanatory-sequential, mixed methods, single case study was conducted through the collection of archival data and through a teacher questionnaire and follow up …

Characterization Of Glycan Determinants That Mediate Recognition Of The Major Wuchereria Bancrofti Circulating Antigen By Diagnostic Antibodies, Marla I Hertz, Amy Rush, Thomas B Nutman, Gary J Weil, Sasisekhar Bennuru, Philip J Budge

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The Global Program to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GPELF) relies heavily on a rapid diagnostic test (RDT) to a Wuchereria bancrofti circulating filarial antigen (Wb-CFA) to identify endemic areas and for determining when mass drug administration can stop. The antigen contains a carbohydrate epitope that is recognized by monoclonal antibody AD12. Og4C3, a monoclonal antibody that is used in a commercial ELISA for Wb-CFA recognizes the same moiety. Despite its diagnostic importance, little is known about the structure and function of this "AD12 epitope". It is also present on other W. bancrofti glycoproteins and on glycoproteins of other filarial worms, but …

November 2020 News Releases, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of University Relations

University of Montana News Releases, 1928, 1956-present

No abstract provided.

Seed-Shattering Phenology At Soybean Harvest Of Economically Important Weeds In Multiple Regions Of The United States. Part 1: Broadleaf Species, Lauren M. Schwartz-Lazaro, Lovreet S. Shergill, Jeffrey A. Evans, Muthukumar Bagavathiannan, Shawn C. Beam, Mandy Bish, Jason A. Bond, Kevin A. Bradley, William C. Curran, Adam S. Davis, Wesley J. Everman, Michael L. Flessner, Steven C. Haring, Nicholas R. Jordan, Nicholas E. Korres, John L. Lindquist, Jason K. Norsworthy, Tameka Sanders, Larry E. Steckel, Mark J. Vangessel, Blake Young, Steven B. Mirsky

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Potential effectiveness of harvest weed seed control (HWSC) systems depends upon seed shatter of the target weed species at crop maturity, enabling its collection and processing at crop harvest. However, seed retention likely is influenced by agroecological and environmental factors. In 2016 and 2017, we assessed seed-shatter phenology in 13 economically important broadleaf weed species in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] from crop physiological maturity to 4 wk after physiological maturity at multiple sites spread across 14 states in the southern, northern, and mid-Atlantic United States. Greater proportions of seeds were retained by weeds in southern latitudes and shatter rate …

Single-Particle Chemical Force Microscopy To Characterize Virus Surface Chemistry, Xue Mi, Caryn L. Heldt

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Two important viral surface characteristics are the hydrophobicity and surface charge, which determine the viral colloidal behavior and mobility. Chemical force microscopy allows the detection of viral surface chemistry in liquid samples with small amounts of virus sample. This single-particle method requires the functionalization of an atomic force microscope (AFM) probe and covalent bonding of viruses to a surface. A hydrophobic methyl-modified AFM probe was used to study the viral surface hydrophobicity, and an AFM probe terminated with either negatively charged carboxyl acid or positively charged quaternary amine was used to study the viral surface charge. With an understanding of …

Scorpions Of The Horn Of Africa (Arachnida: Scorpiones). Part Xxv. Description Of Pandinurus Awalei Sp. N. And The Male Of Pandiborellius Somalilandus (Kovařík, 2012), With Remarks On Recent Synonymies (Scorpionidae: Pandininae), František Kovařík, Graeme Lowe, Hassan Sh A. Elmi

Euscorpius

A new species Pandinurus awalei sp. n. is described from Somaliland. The male of Pandiborellius somalilandus (Kovařík, 2012) is also described for the first time and sexual dimorphism of the species is defined. The habitus, morphology and habitats of both species are illustrated in detail with color and UV fluorescence images, including both live and preserved specimens. The species Pandinurus intermedius (Borelli, 1919) and Pandipalpus lowei (Kovařík, 2012) of Pandininae that were synonymized by Prendini & Loria (2020) are reinstated as valid species.

Level Of Science Achievement: Basis For The Production Of Strategic Intervention Materials (Sims), Febbie C. Verano, Sheena Mae T. Comighud

UBT International Conference

This research used the descriptive method to determine the level of Science Achievement of Grade VI Pupils: Basis for Production of Strategic Intervention Materials in Bayawan City East Central School, Bayawan City Division during the SY 2019-2020. The quantitative data were gathered from 134 pupils of Bayawan City East Central School, Bayawan City Division during the SY 2019-2020. Also, the researcher conducted a survey questionnaire. Descriptive method was used in this study. The statistical tools used in the analysis of the data were percentage, frequency, mean, weighted mean, and z-test. The study found out that the level of Science Achievement …

Awareness And Implementation Of Solid Waste Management (Swm) Practices, Emerson N. Lalamonan, Sheena Mae T. Comighud

UBT International Conference

This research used the descriptive-correlational method to determine the level of respondents’ awareness and extent of implementation of Solid Waste Management (SWM) Practices in District 2, Bayawan City Division, Negros Oriental, Philippines for SY 2018-2019 in terms of the areas of segregation, reduce, reuse, recycle, and disposal. The quantitative data were gathered from 81 teachers and 189 students. Also, a survey questionnaire was utilized by the researcher. The statistical tools used in the analysis of the data were weighted mean, mean, and spearman rank correlation. The results revealed that the level of respondents’ awareness on SWM Practices as both perceived …

Determination Of Vitamin A And E In Fodder Concentrates And Cow Milk From The Region Of Gostivar, North Makedonia, Ilmije Vllasaku

UBT International Conference

Given the importance of oxidative effects on the health of dairy cows and their milk production, a study has been carried out on the concentration of antioxidants, vitamins A and E. The main objective of this research was to determinate the vitamins A and E in fodder concentrate and raw cow milk from the region of Gostivar, North Macedonia. The amount of vitamin A in fodder concentrate was 23.92 mcg/100 g, while the amount of vitamin E was 35.7mcg/kg. The amount of vitamin A in raw cow milk was 38.25 mcg/100 g, while the amount of vitamin E was 1.09 …

"Some Statistical Data On Urban Waste Collection In The City Of Prizren And Ways To Evaluate Them In Useful Products", Sami Gashi, Besa Veseli, Vehebi Sofiu

UBT International Conference

The development of society is related to the high consumption of a variety of food products, the use of electro-household appliances, furniture, and its furnishing, clothing, plastic materials, etc. The increase of urban waste is considered both from the social development and the increase of the population, for example, Prishtina 1,116,355 tons/year, Prizren 90,858 tons/year, Peja 41,748 tons/year, Mitrovica 64,663 tons/year. The increase in urban waste will affect our environment (soil, water, and air). Even though our city is endangered by their lack of treatment, their quantity is constantly increasing. We need to change the concept that waste is worthless. …

Water Reuse In Collective And Business Buildings, Blertë Retkoceri, Skender Bublaku

UBT International Conference

Kosovo is estimated to have limited surface and subsurface water resources and is classified as such in a group of water stress states. To meet the shortages of these resources but also for environmental and economic reasons, water reuse is now considered as a good opportunity to meet the shortages. Reuse is defined as the reuse of water used by objects, water that can be collected from roofs, other surface and groundwater in and around objects. This paper deals with Object IV on the UBT Campus in Lipjan and analyzes the feasibility of meeting the water requirement from the facility's …

Investigational Anti Sars-Covid 19 Medication, Gazmend Temaj, Kumrije Sopi Xharra, Shefki Xharra, Angelika Moder, Jasmin Nurkovic, Hilada Hefic, Rifat Hadziselimovic

UBT International Conference

The newly identified severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV- 2) that originated in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. By July 2020, the WHO reported over 17 million confirmed cases in over 200 countries around the globe. This review discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic may affect healthy people, structure and replication cycle of SARS- CoV-2; targets and therapeutics SARS- CoV-2 and anti-COVID drugs: strategies and perspectives.

Oxidative Stress And Methods Used For Hydroxyl Radical Determination, Bashkim Misini, Imri Demelezi, Wolfhardt Freinbichler, Laura Della Corte, Wolfgang Linert

UBT International Conference

Understanding the role of oxidative stress in brain as well as developing medical strategies to reduce its damaging potential in the aging process and pathogenesis of cancer, neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s diseases and Parkinson’s diseases and other incurable illnesses is an important direction in medicine and biochemistry over the world. This review outlines the processes by which hROS may be formed, their damaging potential and determinations methods. Also, the questions upon the nature of reactive hROS in a Fenton (like) system plays a crucial role will be addressed on this part and several lines of evidences will be presented in …

Sustainable Management Of Water Resources In Urban Areas As An Integrated Part Of Urban Planning, Drenushe Fidani, Violeta Gesovska, Valentina Zileska Pancovska

UBT International Conference

Urban planning plays a key role in the global response to climate change and its impact on water resources. Therefore, the management of water resources and their consideration in sustainable urban planning is a challenge for planners, which will be increasingly emphasized in the future. In this paper, by comparing the current situation in the city of Gostivar in R.N.Macedonia and the planned situation with the General Urban Plan, the possibilities for greater respect for water resources in urban development are perceived. It is concluded that, for the specific case in urban planning, there are opportunities to improve water resources …

Understanding The Process Of Dying Among Young And Old Adults, Tringa Lajqi

UBT International Conference

This qualitative study aimed to further understand and explore the different perspectives that young and old adults have regarding the process of dying , respectively how young and old adults perceive and understand the process of dying, their thoughts, feelings and beliefs regarding the personal death and the death of loved ones, the connection between life and death cycle, their insights regarding the pivotal role that culture has on the way how people approach death, different coping mechanisms when facing loss, the idea of afterlife and perspectives for the idea of being immortal. In this research study participated 8 young …

Diversity And Inclusion In Automation, Ines Bula, Mary Doyle Kent, Peter Kopacek

UBT International Conference

Diversity and inclusion are the vital to the long-term success of any business. In Industry 4.0 and 5.0 there is a requirement that engineering firms have the best talent to foster innovation, entrepreneurship and growth. The best talent means offering engineering education to all members of society, including minority groups. Traditionally automation is not an engineering sector that attracts a diverse cohort. This paper looks at why science, technology engineering and math (STEM) in general, and automation in particular, flourishes when opened up to a more diverse and inclusive community and it offers insight as to how to attract this …

Water Quality Analysis In Batllava Lake With Physico - Chemical Methods And Organic Materials, Florent Dobroshi, Faton Maloku, Krenar Dobroshi

UBT International Conference

Water is one of the most important sources of life that cannot be replaced by other matter, so without water no form of living on our planet can be thought of. Worldwide demand for potable water rises by 4%, which challenges not only quantity but also quality. Depending on the origin, natural waters have different characteristics. In addition to meeting the needs in many vital processes, biological and physiological needs of the organism, water is an essential substance for the development of industry. There are almost no industries that for one reason or another do not use water. Water is …

Ethics In Clinical Research On Application Of Virtual Articulators In Dentistry, Dugagjin Sokoli, Merita Sveqla, Burim Kiseri, Kujtim Shala

UBT International Conference

Just like any other medical research field, the investigation on the use of virtual articulators in dentistry has its ethical implications. Research ethics in oral and medical investigations are critical internationally. The privacy of any participant in the research is a non-negotiable and justice is crucial at all times during the research. We researched on various online research platforms and selected 12 research papers, out of 197, that treat the ethics in research in medical and dental clinical research. We identified 10 ethical issues that needs to be considered while doing clinical research on application of virtual articulators in dentistry. …

The Importance Of Digital Genealogical Coding For Family Medicine, Naser Kamberi, Hyzer Rizani, Festim Kamberi, Smajl Rizani

UBT International Conference

This study was conducted on a sample of 8000 individuals interviewed in 97 households in some settlements, such as: Presevo, Zhunica, Rahovica, Miratovc, Raince, Norche and some other villages. The material is sorted by generations in order to detect the type of inheritance in the family. In this paper we followed genetic diseases, inheritance of biomorphological traits, blood groups, and all these qualities are presented with codes. For example, birth order, generation, adjective code, personal code of wife and husband identifying spouses. Based on this data, a computer program is formed to form genetic trees in the family. Therefore, this …

Pharmacogenetics- Gene And Sars-Covid 19 Medication, Gazmend Temaj, Kumrije Sopi Xharra, Shefki Xharra, Angelika Moder, Jasmin Nurkovic, Hilada Hefic, Hilada Hefic, Rifat Hadziselimovic

UBT International Conference

An analysis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) genomes collected from the patients worldwide has identified mutations in the virus that could aid in drug and vaccine development. The researchers found that the virus’s genetic diversity in most countries is similar to what it is globally, suggesting that it was introduced repeatedly by many infected people in each country rather than by a “patient zero.” The genetic analysis found 198 mutations that have occurred more than once. “Mutations in themselves are not a bad thing it is nothing to suggest SARS-CoV-2 is mutating faster or slower than expected. …

Microbiological And Physicochemical Parameters Used For The Analysis Of Water Quality In Gjakova Watershed, Arianeta Nura, Veton Haziri, Rrona Resyli

UBT International Conference

This study aimed to estimate the microbiological and physicochemical characteristics of water in Gjakova watershed in different months of the year. In the six months, from January 2020 to June 2020 are defined changes of these parameters such as total coliform bacteria, fecal coliform bacteria, aerobic mesophilic bacteria, pH, temperature, NTU, NH3, and NO2. The object of the study was treated water and untreated water from the lake. The results showed that the microbiological and physicochemical parameters of the treated water samples were within the ISO Standards for drinking water, while the parameters of the lake water samples were shown …

Study On Gender Biased Language Usage In Spanish Secondary Learning Regulations, Manuel A. Bejarano Bache

UBT International Conference

Currently, Society past mistakes about gender discrimination are being recognized. Social and civic strife are achieving to take out barriers, pre-established by means of hard pressure and control from male chauvinism. One of these barriers is that which is set through non-inclusive and sexist language, frequently biasing the message to the masculine sector, neglecting or keeping women down or on invisibility. This language is widely used and we can see it nowadays in official administrative documents. In spite of to-the-change tendency which is important and realizable, and the hard efforts which are being carried out, incomplete attempts to carry out …

Waste Pollution Analysis Medical In Rural Parts Of Kosovo, Faton Maloku, Florent Dobroshi, Besa Veseli

UBT International Conference

Medical waste poses a greater risk to human health compared to other types of waste. Environmental pollution caused by medical waste can be large and can spread various diseases and epidemics, but pollution can be classified according to the most important components of the environment that are polluted and as the main component are: air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution. The practical work was carried out in the regional general hospital of Gjilan, hazardous waste that is generated in rural areas is managed in a controlled manner in the waste management plant which is also within the city hospital. In …

The Production Of Biodiesel Using Waste Cooking Oil In Kosovo, Laura Nushi, Sami Makolli, Agron Millaku

UBT International Conference

The need for energy, fossil fuels and the emissions generated from these fuels are increasing daily. In recent years, biodiesel has attracted significant attention from worldwide researchers, governments, and industries as a renewable, biodegradable, and non-toxic fuel. Its production from waste cooking oil (WCO) provides an alternative energy means of producing liquid fuels from biomass for transport uses. Biodiesel production by recycling WCO and methanol in the presence of kaliumhydroxide (KOH), offers several benefits such as economic, environmental and waste management. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the pre-treatment and the usage of WCO for the production of biodiesel …