Digital Commons Network^™

A Novel Way To Describe Variation In Antibiotic Use, Adrienne G. Deporre, Troy Richardson, Jason Newland, Mark Neuman

Posters

Background: A broader understanding of antibiotic variation can inform stewardship efforts. Diversity indices are frequently calculated in ecologic studies to measure the variety of species in a given habitat, however they have not yet been used to study variation in antibiotic use in the healthcare setting.


Objective: To develop a novel assessment of antibiotic variation, based on the breadth of an antibiotic’s associated conditions as well as its use, measured by days of therapy (DOT).


Design/Methods: We assessed antibiotic use in children aged 60 days-18 years hospitalized at a US Children’s hospital included in the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) …

Outpatient Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs In Children’S Hospitals: Status, Needs, Barriers, Rana El Feghaly, Elizabeth Monsees, Alaina N. Burns, Brian Lee, Ann L. Wirtz, Adam L. Hersh, Jason Newland

Posters

Background: Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) are an essential tool to combat the increasing threat of antibiotic resistance. ASPs traditionally reside in acute care settings with a focus on inpatient prescribing. However, in 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention affirmed the importance of outpatient ASP through its 4 core elements. Incorporation of these elements requires time, personnel, and funding, which may not be available in many institutions.


Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the current state of outpatient ASP in a large network of children’s hospitals and inform a programming agenda.


Design/Methods: This cross-sectional study used an investigator-developed survey …

Study Of The Role Of The Msaabcr Operon In Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle Activity And Persister Cell Formation In Staphylococcus Aureus, Karsen Motter

Honors Theses

Staphylococcus aureus is an important human pathogen that causes wide arrays of infections ranging from minor skin infections to lethal systemic conditions such as infective endocarditis, osteomyelitis, sepsis and pneumonia. These systemic diseases are often difficult to treat due to the presence of persister cells. Persister cells are a phenotypic variant of the bacterial population that exhibit extreme and transient antibiotic tolerance accompanied by a transient halt in growth. Upon cessation of antibiotic treatment, however, persisters resume growth which results in recurrence of infections. This characteristic of persister cells therefore displays high clinical significance. In this study, we show the …

The Role Of Gac/Rsm Signal Transduction Pathway In The Biology Of Antagonistic Marine Bacterium Gynuella Sunshinyii 449, Anhthu Truong

Honors Theses

Gynuella sunshinyii is a newly characterized bacterium with a remarkable ability to produce multiple secondary metabolites that act as potential antibiotics for medical applications. Currently, little is known about gene regulation in this unusual microorganism. In 2018, studies conducted of rhizosphere microbiomes of tidal marsh grasses on Deer Island, MS, resulted in multiple isolates of halophilic, aerobic, Gram-negative bacteria with antagonistic properties. One of the most active antagonists was identified as Gynuella sunshinyii 449. The genome of strain 449 was sequenced with Illumina MiSeq, assembled with Unicycler and SPAdes, and annotated with RASTtk. The annotation revealed a 6.09 Mb genome …

Cheese, Please! Depression Curing Cultures: How Diet Can Alter Your Mood, Julia Borys

Scientific Kenyon: The Neuroscience Edition

No abstract provided.

Media Framing, Moral Panic And Covid-19: A Comparative Analysis Of China, South Korea, And The Us., Deena Devore, Sinyong Choi, Yudu Li, Hong Lu

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

COVID-19 is perhaps the single most impactful event defining 2020 globally. Drawing on theory on media typology involving freedom and responsibility, media framing and moral panic theories, this paper examines media coverage on COVID-19 in three countries, China, South Korea and the United States. Data were obtained from six news outlets, Xinhua News, South China Morning Post, Chosun, Hankyoreh, CNN and Breitbart, two from each of the three countries. More than 1,000 COVID-19 related reports, spanning six days (the last day of January to June, 2020) were selected and coded based on common priming themes such as tone, the othering, …

Assessing The Outcomes Of Blocking Ccl2-Ccr2 Signaling Axis On Breast Cancer Brain Metastasis, Yutao Qi

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Breast cancer brain metastases have remained one of the most intense challenges for precision cancer therapeutics, but current treatment options are limited and not curative. Recently, our lab reported that adoptive PTEN downregulation in metastatic breast tumor cells activates PI3K/NF-ƙB signaling and increases the secretion of the chemokine CCL2, which enhances the chemotaxis of CCR2⁺ myeloid cells, a major subpopulation of bone marrow-derived myeloid cells (BMDMs), from peripheral blood into the brain tumor microenvironment (TME), eventually promoting brain metastasis outgrowth by driving immune suppression. Here, in this project we have been aiming to develop effective therapies by immune-modulating the …

Unraveling Host-Gut Microbiota Dialogue And Its Impact On Response To Immune Checkpoint Blockade, Alexandria Cogdill

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Cancer is a disease with only one degree of separation, affecting one in two men and one in three women in their lifetimes; accounting for 1 of every 6 deaths. While cancer mortality rates continue to improve, incidence rates are expected to rise and shift through 2050 due to epidemiological and demographic transitions worldwide. As such, it is imperative to continue to investigate and improve our understanding of both disease etiology and hallmarks of response to treatment. Currently, conventional therapies include, but are not limited to, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. However, within the past decade, major advances have been made …

The Development And Applications Of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy In Surface Interaction Of Nanoparticles, Hui Xu

All Dissertations

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is one of the most powerful analytical tools and has been widely used to quantitively and qualitatively analyze compositional and structural information of various molecules. Since the first discovery of NMR, its applications have been continuously expanded into various fields including chemistry, biology and medicine. For example, NMR has been widely used to elucidate structure for organic and inorganic compounds and also provide structural, kinetic, and dynamic information for biological macromolecules, such as proteins, DNA and RNA. One important application of NMR spectroscopy is to investigate the interaction between nanoparticles and biomolecules owing to its …

Caring Against The Carceral: How Families Mediate The Social Death Of Incarceration, Jessica Claire

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Incarceration, especially in the United States, is deeply related to issues of racism, poverty, and citizenship. These particular experiences are the result of a history of biopolitical control affecting Black and brown communities and have a quintessential origin in enslavement. Those who are incarcerated are isolated, dishonored, and powerless as a result of the criminalization of race and poverty. These observations led to questions surrounding the particular impact families may have on the experiences of those who are incarcerated. Families of Incarcerated Loved ones, or FOILs, mediate incarceration through intentional socialization which has the potential to counteract the realities of …

Resources For Supporting Mathematics And Data Science Instructors During Covid-19, Eduardo C. Balreira, C. Hawthorne, G. Stadnyk, Z. Teymuroglu, M. Torres, J. R. Wares

Mathematics Faculty Research

In late May of 2020, a few months after the raging COVID-19 pandemic forced university faculty to quickly switch to online teaching, the Associated Colleges of the South (ACS) released a call for grant applications to support working groups "to help faculty within our consortium who will be teaching during the pandemic (e.g., from hybrid courses with some remote/online components to fully remote/online courses; socially distanced face-to-face courses)." We replied to this call and the ACS awarded the six of us (from four ACS schools) a Summer Rapid Response Grant in early June. The grant funded our efforts to create …

Perceptions Of Pediatricians On The Sars-Cov2 Vaccine, Karl Khandalavala, Kari Simonsen, Jeffrey A. Robinson

Child Health Research Institute Pediatric Research Forum

Introduction: The novel SARs-CoV2 coronavirus has infected approximately 30,000,000 people in the USA. To date, approximately 146 million doses of SARs-CoV2 vaccines have been administered. Perceptions of rapid vaccine development have resulted in reported vaccine hesitancy and refusal. Though not currently FDA approved for use in pediatric populations, but pediatric vaccination may contribute to herd immunity. Previous study demonstrates that physician recommendations significantly impact perceptions of routine pediatric immunizations among parents. Given this historical data, this study aimed to describe the strength of recommendation by pediatricians for the SARs-CoV2 vaccine for pediatric patients and their parents.

Methods: A …

No Star State: What’S Right And Wrong About Criminal Justice Reform In Texas, Marie Gottschalk

Seattle Journal for Social Justice

No abstract provided.

Being Female And Indigenous: Barriers To Reducing Bolivia's Maternal Mortality Rates Under Evo Morales, Channell Cole

Honors Theses

This thesis seeks to answer the question: What are the barriers to attempts to reduce Bolivia’s maternal mortality rate under Evo Morales? While Morales’ presidency began in 2006, the timeline is from 2004 to the present to account for changes due to his policy. Using activity theory and social capital theory, I argue that machismo and racism are two social factors that are barriers to efforts to reduce the maternal mortality rate. Machismo manifests itself uniquely in Bolivia, as I argue through a comparison to Paraguay. Machismo is also riddled with a history of anti-indigenous racism. I examine the Rockefeller …

Social Environment Changes During Covid-19 Quarantine, Aileen Jimenez

Honors Theses

The purpose of this research project is to understand perceptions of the psychological, behavioral, and social impacts of COVID-19. Students at the University of Mississippi were invited to participate in an online questionnaire administered through Qualtrics. The questionnaire was composed of questions concerning health behaviors, including questions from the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21, Perceived Vulnerability to Disease Scale, Fear of Coronavirus-19 Scale, and the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Snapshot Monitoring study. 274 students participated in the study. Overall, the results of this study suggested moderate distress across the sample, differences in sleep, exercise, and alcohol consumption during quarantine conditions, …

Sprint Kinematic Performance Changes Upon Returning From A Declining Period In Track And Field Sprinters, Joshua Del Rio

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Sprinting is a key component of many competitive sports. Coaches regularly seek ways to improve their athletes’ sprint performance in order to improve their sports game performance. Sprinting is a complex movement pattern that has many different subcomponents to be properly trained in order to become faster. A sprint event has three major phases (acceleration, maximum velocity/constant speed, and deceleration). Coaches are constantly looking to improve their athlete’s performance. This is done by a strategic training regimen that extends throughout the entire year. During the off-season, the coaches’ main focus is to maintain conditioning and performance adaptions. Previous studies have …

Potential For Unseaworthiness Claims Based On Covid-19 Transmission, Blaine Payer, Read Porter

Sea Grant Law Fellow Publications

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Environmental Health Indices On Antibody Responses Against Streptococcus Agalactiae In Bottlenose Dolphins, Tursiops Truncatus, Kursten A. Anderson

All Dissertations

The common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus, is one of the most recognized marine mammal species. These mammals now serve as a sentinel species to evaluate and monitor ecosystem health in critical coastal regions. For example, the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin health and environmental risk assessment project (HERA) has studied these animals over the past 20 years from the Charleston harbor in South Carolina (CH) and the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) in Florida, USA, as part of an overall approach to understanding links between Oceans and Human Health (OHH). Environmental pressures, assessed as a combination of pollution exposure, habitat quality, and …

Spatial Planning To Examine Regional Racial And Ethnic Disparities In Obesity And Diabetes By Analyzing The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Snap) Retail Environment: Applying A Machine Learning Approach, Michelle Eichinger

All Dissertations

In the United States, food insecurity has been an ongoing concern nationwide, with over 17.4 million Americans affected. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as “food stamps,” aims to improve food security by providing financial assistance on food purchases to income-eligible households. SNAP participants redeem their benefits at SNAP-authorized retailers, including supermarkets, small discount stores, convenience stores, corner stores, and pharmacies. The retail food environment influences food purchasing behavior, thus contributing to poor diet. In the United States, low-income residents, including SNAP participants and minority residents, are more likely to have diet-related …

Sex-Based Differences In Microbiota Composition And Metabolomic Profiles Associated With Altered Macrophage Function And Protection From Lupus In Bwf1 Mice., James William Harder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex and an insidious disease that is still not completely understood, and has very few treatment options. Those that are available are ineffective and/or have serious side effects. Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to the susceptibility and resistance to SLE, and understanding the environmental factors underlying this disease could lead to more effective prevention and/or treatment strategies. Like most autoimmune diseases, SLE is much more prevalent in females than males. While there are numerous factors that contribute to this lupus susceptibility, there is increasing evidence that the microbiota can strongly influence lupus progression, …

Comparison Of Conjunctive Probiotic Use Versus No Probiotic Use In Outcomes Of Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea, Samantha L. Simley

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Papers

Antibiotics are utilized in the medical community for the treatment of bacterial infections. Consequently, the use of antibiotics may result in certain gastrointestinal side effects. Antibiotic-associated diarrhea is one side effect that can be seen in patient populations that are on an antibiotic regimen. Due to this side effect profile, patient compliance on an antibiotic regimen may be compromised. This lack in patient compliance led to increased interest to determine if there are treatment options available to prevent or reduce instances of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. One treatment option of interest includes the use of probiotics. The purpose of this literature review …

In With A Runny Nose, Out In A Body Bag: Why Is It So Difficult For Black Women To Leave The Hospital Alive?, Chelsea Carter

Liberal Arts Capstones

In the Black community, there is an unspoken understanding about going to the doctor with a runny nose, and leaving in a body bag. A recent article published by The Oprah Magazine demonstrates that racism is rampant in the United States healthcare system, and it is taking the lives of Black women at an alarmingly disproportionate rate (Stallings, 2018). When seeking medical treatment, many Black women are at the mercy of doctors who hold an implicit bias against Black women. Simply put, implicit bias describes when people behave and treat others based on negative preconceptions they have about other people, …

Exploring Equity In Health And Poverty Impacts Of Control Measures For Sars-Cov-2 In Six Countries, Sedona Sweeney, Theo Prudencio Juhani Capeding, Rosalind Eggo, Maryam Huda, Mark Jit, Don Mudzengi, Nichola R. Naylor, Simon Procter, Matthew Quaife, Lela Serebryakova

Community Health Sciences

Background: Policy makers need to be rapidly informed about the potential equity consequences of different COVID-19 strategies, alongside their broader health and economic impacts. While there are complex models to inform both potential health and macro-economic impact, there are few tools available to rapidly assess potential equity impacts of interventions.
Methods: We created an economic model to simulate the impact of lockdown measures in Pakistan, Georgia, Chile, UK, the Philippines and South Africa. We consider impact of lockdown in terms of ability to socially distance, and income loss during lockdown, and tested the impact of assumptions on social protection coverage …

Developing A Microdialysis Sampling-Based Biofilm/Macrophage Co-Culture Model, Alda Diaz Perez

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The host immune system and bacterial cells are known to interact during the human lifetime. Bacteria secrete a wide variety of signaling molecules, known as quorum sensing (QSC) molecules, that modulate the host immune system. While immune-biofilm interactions involve this chemical signaling network, the mechanisms through which this occurs are not well understood. This work aimed to develop a new method that can be used not only in vitro settings but also in vivo. The microdialysis sampling technique has widely been used in in vitro and in vivo settings in humans, mice, and rats for the collection of neuropeptides, cytokines, …

Exercise-Induced Alterations In Phospholipid Hydrolysis, Airway Surfactant, And Eicosanoids And Their Role In Airway Hyperresponsiveness In Asthma, Ryan C Murphy, Ying Lai, James D Nolin, Robier A Aguillon Prada, Arindam Chakrabarti, Michael V Novotny, Michael C Seeds, William A Altemeier, Michael H Gelb, Robert Duncan Hite, Teal S Hallstrand

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The mechanisms responsible for driving endogenous airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in the form of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) are not fully understood. We examined alterations in airway phospholipid hydrolysis, surfactant degradation, and lipid mediator release in relation to AHR severity and changes induced by exercise challenge. Paired induced sputum (

Brave New World Reboot: Technology’S Role In Consumer Manipulation And Implications For Privacy And Transparency, Allie Mertensotto

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Most consumers are aware that our data is being obtained and collected through the use of our devices we keep in our homes or even on our person throughout the day. But, it is understated how much data is being collected. Conversations you have with your peers – in a close proximity of a device – are being used to tailor advertising. The advertisements you receive on your devices are uniquely catered to your individual person, due to the fact it consistently uses our data to produce efficient and personal ads. On the flip side, our government is also tapping …

The Awakening: The Impact Of Covid-19, Racial Upheaval, And Political Polarization On Black Women Lawyers, Tsedale M. Melaku

Fordham Law Review

No abstract provided.

Bighorn Sheep Demographics Following Pneumonia Die-Off Events, Kylie Sinclair

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Bighorn sheep populations across the Intermountain West are subject to disease pressure from the respiratory bacteria Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae. Although the effects of M. ovipneumoniae-associated disease die-offs are well documented, less is known about the factors driving long-term differences in post-die-off population responses. While many herds experience years to decades in which recruitment is less than 20 lambs per 100 ewes, some herds’ lamb survival rates are able to rebound rapidly following die-off events. The reason why these herds recover quickly while others do not is currently unknown. Here, we assess the roles environmental, demographic, and pathogen-associated factors could …

The Effects Of Differences In Vaccination Rates Across Socioeconomic Groups On The Size Of Measles Outbreaks, Elizabeth Hunter, John D. Kelleher

Conference papers

Vaccination rates are often presented at the level of a country or region. However, within those areas there might be geographic or demographic pockets that have higher or lower vaccination rates. We use an agent-based model designed to simulate the spread of measles in Irish towns to examine if the effectiveness of vaccination rates to reduce disease at a population level is sensitive to the uniformity of vaccinations across socioeconomic groups. We find that when vaccinations are not applied evenly across socioeconomic groups we see more outbreaks and outbreaks with larger magnitudes.

Pandemic Emotions: The Extent, Correlates And Mental Health Consequences Of Personal And Altruistic Fear Of Covid-19, Melissa M. Sloan, Murat Haner, Amanda K. Graham, Francis T. Cullen, Justine T. Pickett, Cheryl L. Jonson

Criminal Justice & Criminology: Faculty Publications

COVID-19 has had unprecedented effects on populations around the world. Given the political context of the pandemic and the nation’s response to it, this study sought to assess the extent of Americans’ personal fear about the virus as well as their fear for others (altruistic fear), identify potential predictors of these fears, and examine the mental health impact of heightened COVID-19 fears. Overall, a majority of respondents worried about various aspects of the virus, from being exposed to dying, and reported often worrying about others, including family, the elderly, and healthcare professionals. Building on the fear of crime literature, we …