Digital Commons Network^™

Psychological Distress And Susceptibility To Disease In The Infant And Early Childhood Mental Health (Iecmh) Workforce In The Time Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Ashley Sexton

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Chronic stress, anxiety, and depression can have many adverse effects on physical health, including immunosuppression and increased susceptibility to disease. For the last year, the world has endured sustained stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic which has had its own impact on mental health. Stress from COVID-19 will likely have an even greater impact on the Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) workforce due to the stressful nature of their work. Self-care has been shown to improve overall wellbeing and act as a buffer for stress. Therefore, the current study aims to investigate if IECMH workers with clinically significant …

Synthetic Viral Pyrogen Induces Behavioral Fever In Plethodon Glutinosus Salamanders, Nicholas Britt

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Behavioral fever is an essential coping mechanism across ectothermic phyla to aid in combating pathogenic threats. Ectotherms lack internal temperature regulation associated with fever in endotherms; thus, ectotherms can exhibit a behavioral fever response when immunocompromised to thermoregulate by moving to warmer locations. The salamander order Caudata, tend to be keystone species in their resident ecosystems through their role as secondary consumers of invertebrates to maintain the food chain. With growing interest about ecology and conservation of salamanders as species diversity declines, this study was designed to determine if salamanders use their environment to take advantage of behavioral fever. The …

The Role Of Pag1 In The Activated B-Cell Subtype Of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma, Jared Henderson

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common aggressive hematologic malignancy in adults, but despite recent advances in treatment, many patients today still face poor outcomes. Of the two types of DLBCL, activated B-cell (ABC) and germinal center B-cell (GCB), patients diagnosed with the ABC subtype especially face a lack of effective treatment options. Unlike GCB-DLBCL, ABC-DLBCL is characterized by chronic antigen-driven signaling by the B-cell receptor (BCR), indicating an escape from immunologic tolerance mechanisms that normally regulate self-reactive B cells. While recent therapies have focused on inhibiting the kinases that propagate BCR signaling with mixed success, we …

An Evaluation Of Activity In A Colonial Maya Cemetery Using Femoral Cross-Sectional Analysis, Casey Lejeune

Master's Theses

Cortical bone formation in the population of Tipu, a colonial visita site in Belize, was examined here to reveal factors of their activity and address the possibility of a status-based burial plan. To answer this question, this research examined the endosteal surface of the midshaft femur using digital imaging methods. The femora from 70 individuals were photographed and examined using the BoneJ plugin in ImageJ software. The cortical bone area was compared to additional variables, including sex, age, stature, pilastric index, and burial location. It was hypothesized that sex, age, and stature would correlate with cortical bone area similarly across …

Design During A Pandemic: Application Of The Well Building Standard To Historic Engel Stadium, Laurel Getty

Honors Theses

Can buildings prevent the spread of disease through their design? This study argues that by employing the WELL Building Standard to an adaptive reuse project during the COVID-19 pandemic, human health and wellbeing is increased. Research shows that adapting existing buildings to the WELL Building Standard improves air quality, promotes clean contact, and strengthens immune systems (The International WELL Building Institute, 2020). Additionally, adapting existing historic structures maintains cultural significance within the community. This thesis creates a hypothetical adaptive reuse plan for adapting Engel Stadium in Chattanooga, Tennessee into Engel Concourse, a gathering place for students, UTC faculty, and community …

Human Lactoferrin And The Siderophore Aerobactin Independently Impact Intestinal Invasion By Neonatal Escherichia Coli Bacteremia Isolates, Susana Chavez-Bueno, Joshua Wheatley, Jennifer Tabakh

Posters

Background: E. coli is a major cause of neonatal sepsis. After ingestion, E. coli translocates the neonatal gut causing bacteremia. E. coli virulence depends on iron acquisition mechanisms, including siderophore systems. Lactoferrin (LF) protects against neonatal sepsis through immunomodulatory and antimicrobial effects which include iron chelation. However, it is not known whether siderophores in neonatal E. coli strains have an impact on LF’s effects on bacterial invasion and survival in intestinal epithelium.


Objective: To investigate the effects of human LF and the siderophore aerobactin on intestinal invasion and survival of septicemia-producing neonatal E. coli.


Design/Methods: Neonatal E. coli septicemia isolates …

Going Viral?: Discouraging The Premature Use Of Civil Liability Strategies As A Response To Covid-19, Michelle L. Richards

The University of New Hampshire Law Review

In addition to the myriad of issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, the virus has also placed our legal system in a position of creating problems that can contribute to the spread of this pandemic. Despite the fact that the United States has been mired in the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccine strategies have been recently developed to provide protection from this virus, much is still unknown about the etiology of this virus and how to effectively control its spread. As a result, public health agencies at the federal, state, and local levels have only been able …

Assessing The Level Of Perception Of Knowledge About Ticks And Tick-Borne Diseases Among The Residents Of Several Cities In The Transboundary Region Of U.S.-Mexico, Consuelo Aguilar

Theses and Dissertations

The transboundary region of U.S.-Mexico possesses similar weather conditions and habitats favoring insects (vectors) like ticks. Several tick species found in the transboundary region of U.S.-Mexico can transmit pathogens. In the last three years, a total of 40 cases of Rickettsial infections, 28 in Tamaulipas and 12 in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, have been reported. A low level of knowledge about diseases that ticks can transmit along with a lack of appropriate protection practices can severely affect human health. Limited surveys on ticks and tick-borne disease are available. Our goal was to (1) assess the perception of knowledge of …

Changes In Immune Activation During Pregnancy And The Postpartum Period In Treated Hiv Infection, Samuel R. Schnittman, Helen Byakwaga, Yap Boum Ii, Jerome Kabakyenga, Lynn T. Matthews, Tricia H. Burdo, Yong Huang, Russell P. Tracy, David Bangsberg, Multiple Additional Authors

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background. Pregnant women with HIV (PWWH) have high postpartum morbidity and mortality from infections like tuberculosis. Immunologic changes during pregnancy and postpartum periods may contribute to these risks, particularly the immunoregulatory kynurenine pathway of tryptophan catabolism, which contributes to both HIV and tuberculosis pathogenesis and increases in the early postpartum period. Methods. Women with HIV initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the Uganda AIDS Rural Treatment Outcomes (UARTO) cohort who were pregnant at enrollment or became pregnant during observation were studied (n = 54). Plasma kynurenine/tryptophan (KT) ratio, soluble CD14 (sCD14), sCD163, sCD27, interferon-inducible protein 10 (IP-10), D-dimer, interleukin-6, and intestinal …

Molecular Characterization Of Galectin From Amblyomma Americanum In Context Of Α-Gal Syndrome, Sumar Beauti

Honors Theses

The lone star tick Amblyomma americanum is a vector of various disease-causing pathogens and tick-borne alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) with rapidly expanding populations in the south- and northeast regions of the United States. This study aimed to molecularly characterize galectin and determine its involvement in galactose-α-1,3-galactose (α-gal) synthesis, transport, reproductive fitness, and microbial homeostasis in this tick. The lone star tick galectin possesses two conserved carbohydrate recognition domains and shares homology with other Ixodid tick galectins. Time and tissue-dependent expression data shows that galectin is constantly expressed in salivary glands, midgut, and ovary tissues. An RNA interference approach was used to …

The Role And Challenges Of Cluster Randomised Trials For Global Health, Louis Dron, Monica Taljaard, Yin Bun Cheung, Rebecca Grais, Nathan Ford, Kristian Thorlund, Fyezah Jehan, Etheldreda Nakimuli-Mpungu, Denis Xavier, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, Jay J H. Park, Edward J. Mills

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Evaluating whether an intervention works when trialled in groups of individuals can pose complex challenges for clinical research. Cluster randomised controlled trials involve the random allocation of groups or clusters of individuals to receive an intervention, and they are commonly used in global health research. In this paper, we describe the potential reasons for the increasing popularity of cluster trials in low-income and middle-income countries. We also draw on key areas of global health research for an assessment of common trial planning practices, and we address their methodological shortcomings and pitfalls. Lastly, we discuss alternative approaches for population-level intervention trials …

Engineering Controls For Bioaerosols In Non-Industrial/Non-Healthcare Settings, David Krause, Cheri Marcham, Bill Mele, Jack Springston, Rob Strode, Donald Weekes, Neil J. Zimmerman

Publications

The list of disease pathogens that can be transmitted in the air is extensive. This list includes the common cold, SARS, measles, Hansen’s disease (leprosy), polio, influenza, Legionella (Legionnaires’ disease and Pontiac fever), and tuberculosis (TB). TB, SARS-CoV-1, avian influenza, varicella, and now SARS-CoV-2 all have received public notice due not only to their known or assumed ability to be transmitted in the air rapidly from one individual to another, but also for their virulence. Other bioaerosols that can be transmitted through the air include bacteria, fungal spores and fragments, dust mites, and pollen. This document was developed to address …

Food Insecurity And Risky Sexual Behaviors Among College Students, Bertille Octavie Mavegam Tango Assoumou M

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Food insecurity and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are growing public health problems in the United States. Young people in general, and particularly college students, exhibit high prevalence of food insecurity, STIs, and risky sexual behaviors (RSB). Food insecurity and STIs among college students can have short- and long-term impacts on their academic success and their lives. Several studies have reported an association between food insecurity and some risky sexual behaviors among specific populations including HIV-infected people and homeless people. However, little is known about the relationship between food insecurity and RSB among college students. Given the high prevalence of food …

Covid-19 Disease Severity And Death In Relation To Vitamin D Status Among Sars-Cov-2-Positive Uae Residents, Habiba Alsafar, William B. Grant, Rafiq Hijazi, Maimunah Uddin, Nawal Alkaabi, Guan Tay, Bassam Mahboub, Fatme Al Anouti

All Works

Insufficient blood levels of the neurohormone vitamin D are associated with increased risk of COVID-19 severity and mortality. Despite the global rollout of vaccinations and promising preliminary results, the focus remains on additional preventive measures to manage COVID-19. Results conflict on vitamin D’s plausible role in preventing and treating COVID-19. We examined the relation between vitamin D status and COVID-19 severity and mortality among the multiethnic population of the United Arab Emirates. Our observational study used data for 522 participants who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 at one of the main hospitals in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Only 464 of those …

Influenza Surveillance: Comparative Analysis Of Influenza Cases Data In Nebraska, Anna Carpenter

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

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Alteration Of Perceptions Of Safety Before And After Fit Testing Among College Of Dentistry Students, Tanner H. Clark

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed how hospitals and healthcare academic programs operate. This change has restricted services provided as well as educational opportunities for those training to be in healthcare. Further, personal protective equipment (PPE) has been required to help protect workers potentially having contact with patients who may have COVID-19. Dentistry workers are at particularly high risk due to repeated and continuous aerosol generating procedures. Healthcare students have traditionally been restricted to areas with minimal risk during clinical experiences; however, with the exposure occurring ubiquitously, avoiding the risk is nearly impossible. There is no uniform inclusion of students in …

The Migration Of Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter Baumannii From The Battlefields Of Iraq And Afghanistan To The Healthcare Facilities Of The Veterans Health Administration, Jeffery Rogers

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) pose a great threat to health across the globe. That threat is also felt in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Wounded warriors returning home from the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan may have brought with them MDROs, such as the bacterium Acinetobacter baumannii, as they have transitioned from military service into the VHA facilities. This study investigates the interconnectedness of military service in the Department of Defense (DoD) and a lifetime of care at VHA through a longitudinal tracking of a linked cohort of combat veterans with battlefield injuries and subsequent MDR infections of A. baumannii. …

Analysis Of Bacterial And Human Epitranscriptomic Writers And Rna Modifications, Kamana Devkota

Biological Sciences

Translation is a key step in protein synthesis in which the codons in messenger RNA (mRNA) are decoded by the corresponding anticodon in transfer RNA (tRNA). Prior to translation, tRNAs are modified by epitranscriptomic writers in order to ensure accurate decoding. During the previous semesters, different strains of Escherichia coli (E. coli) were used where genes corresponding to a tRNA modification enzyme were deleted from the genome. These strains were from the Keio E. coli gene deletion library and included the epitranscriptomic writers: CmoA, CmoB, Tgt, MnmE, QueA, ThiL, MnmC and TtcA. These strains were used to test the role …

Educational Intervention For The Chinatown Homeless Community To Stay Safe From Covid-19, Guillermina Martinez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

CSUMB’s Community Health Engagement program provides social support services for low-income and homeless people who live in the Chinatown area in Salinas; including counseling, case management, housing navigation, and street outreach. The macro level health problem is that individuals who live in the homeless community have a higher exposure risk to illnesses (including COVID-19) and have a shorter life span compared to the general population. The micro level problem is that the homeless people in Chinatown lack education and awareness of their risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus. The purpose of the project was to increase the knowledge of the …

Stoichiometry And Parasitism: Changes In Nutrient Concentrations In The Three-Spined Stickleback-Schistocephalus Solidus System, Megan Braat

Honors Scholar Theses

Ecological stoichiometry is a rapidly growing field of study that assesses the elemental composition of organisms in ecosystems and the impact that changes in these elemental compositions have on populations. Parasitism is widely studied for its role in altering the physiology and behavior of hosts within a population. However, the interaction between parasitism and the stoichiometry of the host-parasite system has not been well-established. To determine the impact of parasitism on stoichiometry of host, we measured the elemental composition (%C, %N, and %P) and ratios (C:N, C:P, and N:P) of a population of parasitized and unparasitized Gasterosteus aculeatus (three-spined stickleback) …

Clinical Outcomes Of Covid-19 Patients Treated With Convalescent Plasma Or Remdesivir Alone And In Combination At A Community Hospital In California’S Central Valley, Jered Arquiette, Regine Padilla, Yvonne Mai, Gurinder Singh, Kristine Galang, Edward Liang

Pacific Faculty Work

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare how treatment with convalescent plasma (CP) monotherapy, remdesivir (RDV) monotherapy, and combination therapy (CP + RDV) in patients with COVID-19 affected clinical outcomes. Methods: Patients with COVID-19 infection who were admitted to the hospital received CP, RDV, or combination of both. Mortality, discharge disposition, hospital length of stay (LOS), intensive care unit (ICU) LOS, and total ventilation days were compared between each treatment group and stratified by ABO blood group. An exploratory analysis identified risk factors for mortality. Adverse effects were also evaluated. Results: RDV monotherapy showed an increased chance of …

Status, Distribution, And Conservation Of The Black-Spotted Newt (Notophthalmus Meridionalis) In South Texas, Padraic S. Robinson

Theses and Dissertations

The Black-spotted Newt (Notophthalmus meridionalis) is a chronically understudied species, with much information on the natural history, ecology, and distribution of this species poorly known. Previous studies using traditional methodologies have had limited success detecting N. meridionalis. A novel eDNA assay was designed and implemented with the goal of better understanding N. meridionalis distribution in south Texas. Primers were designed to amplify N. meridionalis DNA and tested against DNA from sympatric amphibians. This assay combined with traditional methods was implemented at 62 sites throughout south Texas, and N. meridionalis was detected at eight localities. At each site …

Vertical Transmission Of Zika Virus In An Opossum Model, Dionn Carlo Silva

Theses and Dissertations

This study will identify Brazilian ZIKV infection in the offsprings of mated, inoculated Monodelphis domestica females. Unlike non-human primates (NHP) and transgenic mice, M. domestica provides an opportunity to study ZIKV infection in a novel animal model possibly useful for in-utero studies. M. domestica has also been used in cancer and dietary research with varying degrees of success. ZIKV infection will be identified using antibody staining and in situ hybridization. The expected result of this study is that ZIKV will be identified in various tissues and reveal that ZIKV is transmitted vertically in this animal model. The significance of this …

System For Hiv-1 Treatment To The Brain, Caroline Rose Garcia

Theses and Dissertations

While HIV-1 treatment has been revolutionized by combination antiretroviral therapy in the past two decades, HIV-1 remains persistent in organs that don’t allow easy penetration of anti-HIV drugs (e.g., brain) and cause persistent HIV-1 infections and inflammation. Researchers have turned towards nanotechnology-based drug carriers to combat this challenge, such as nanodiscoidal bicelles (ND) and liposomes. Bicelles entrap the drug in their interior hydrophobic core until metabolized by the body, and the payload can be released at the desired location in a controlled, long-lasting dosage. This study investigated the toxicity and extended-release of an anti-HIV drug-loaded within ND and liposomes for …

Inoculation Of Juvenile Monodelphis Domestica With Zika Virus Using Various Routes Of Infection, Juan Garcia Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Monodelphis domestica is a small marsupial from South America that has been previously been used in human metabolism research. However, their suitability as models for Zika virus (ZIKV) research, is currently unknown. Preliminary studies have shown M. domestica susceptible to ZIKV through the intracerebral route. We utilized immunohistochemistry, and analyzation of serological responses to show that juvenile Monodelphis domestica can be infected with ZIKV by using various routes of infection that include subcutaneous, intraperitoneal, and intramuscular. ELISAs performed on sera confirmed that juveniles injected with ZIKV by all three routes generated anti-ZIKV antibodies. Additionally, ZIKV nonstructural protein 1 was detected …

Assessing The Effect Of An Electronic Health Record Order Entry Guideline On Duration Of Outpatientantimicrobial Therapy Prescribed For Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infections, Kasey Rubin, Chelsea Houshour, Christine Doran

Providence Pharmacy PGY2 Program at Providence Medical Group 2021

Background

• Fifty percent of antibiotics prescribed in the outpatient setting are unnecessary1. •Outside of unnecessary prescribing, the antibiotics chosen can be incorrect with an inappropriate duration of therapy1. •It has been estimated that resistant infections affect nearly 3 million Americans annually and are the cause of 35,000 deaths each year with added costs up to $33.2 billion dollars1. •The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that outpatient antimicrobial stewardship programs identify “high priority conditions.” •Examples of high priority conditions include acute respiratory infections, urinary tract infections (UTI)and skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI).2 •Antibiotics are not associated with a …

Cryptococcoma From Disseminated Cryptococcus Neoformans Infection In An Immunocompetent Patient, Megan Block, David Hotchkin, Amy Dechet

Providence Portland Medical Center Internal Medicine 2021

Background Cryptococcal infection is an infection caused by encapsulated yeasts of the Cryptococcusfungi that primarily manifests in the CNS or lungs in immunocompromised hosts. Our case describes disseminated Cryptococcus neoformansinfection and cerebral cryptococcomain an immunocompetent individual.

Case History •A 64 year-oldmale with no pertinent medical history presented to his PCP for worsening headaches for the past 2 months. •MRI: new ring enhancing lesion of the left thalamus •CT chest: bilateral upper lobe tree-in-bud nodules and a right upper lobe nodule with stippled calcification. •Lung biopsy, complicated by pneumothorax, was unremarkable. •2 days later developed headaches and nausea, became non-verbal, and …

Harnessing The Power Of Trained Immunity In The Setting Of Pancreatic Cancer: A Novel Mechanism Of Immune Trafficking And Tumor Control., Anne Elena Geller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite the success of immunotherapy in many types of cancer, pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has yet to benefit. Innate immune cells are critical to antitumor immunosurveillance and recent studies have revealed that these populations possess a form of memory, termed trained innate immunity, which occurs through transcriptomic, epigenetic, and metabolic reprograming. Though trained innate immunity has mostly been investigated in the context of infection, the induction of trained innate immunity could also protect against tumors, and specifically pancreatic tumors. Here, we demonstrate that yeast-derived particulate β-glucan, a known inducer of trained immunity, traffics to the pancreas following IP administration. This causes …

Particulate Matter Exposure And Community-Acquired Pneumonia Mortality Among Hospitalized Adults With Pneumococcal Pneumonia: Incidence Study (Happi) Participants., Jack Anthony Pfeiffer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The role of air pollution as an agent of elevated morbidity and mortality has come under increasingly intense scrutiny in recent years. As the body of literature grows, so too does our understanding of how extensive the harm of such pollutants can be. Particulate matter (PM) particularly harmful due to its small size, ability to travel great distance while airborne, and capacity to infiltrate numerous bodily systems, often to the detriment of those exposed. Besides being associated with increased mortality risk in more heavily exposed populations, PM exposure has also been associated with complications in the respiratory, cardiovascular, and nervous …

Lessons From The Pandemic: How A Children’S Hospital Responded To The Challenges Of Covid-19, John Lantos, Paul Kempinski, Laurie Ellison, Jennifer Watts, Angela Myers

Presentations

The COVID-19 pandemic challenged doctors and hospital administrators as did no other event in our lifetimes. Leaders needed to develop a pandemic command structure with the agility to respond to rapidly evolving situations. They had to deal with drastic financial implications, develop new methods of delivering health care, and collaborate regionally. They learned the importance of communication with staff, policy makers, the local medical community, and the public. They had to allocate of scarce resources internally and externally, and balancing rational policy making against irrational fears. For children’s hospitals, some specific challenges included determining our role in a pandemic that …