Digital Commons Network^™

Serologic Surveillance For Sars-Cov-2 Infection Among Wild Rodents, Europe, Vincent Bourret, Lara Dutra, Hussein Alburkat, Sanna Mäki, Ella Lintunen, Marine Wasniewski, Ravi Kant, Maciej Grzybek, Vinaya Venkat, Hayder Asad, Julien Pradel, Marie Bouilloud, Herwig Leirs, Valeria Carolina Colombo, Vincent Sluydts, Peter Stuart, Andrew Mcmanus, Jana A. Eccard, Jasmin Firozpoor, Christian Imholt, Joanna Nowicka, Aleksander Goll, Nathan Ranc, Guillaume Castel, Nathalie Charbonnel, Tarja Sironen

Publications

We report results from serologic surveillance for exposure to SARS-CoV-2 among 1,237 wild rodents and small mammals across Europe. All samples were negative, with the possible exception of 1. Despite suspected potential for human-to-rodent spillover, no evidence of widespread SARS-CoV-2 circulation in rodent populations has been reported to date.

Esitämme tulokset serologisesta tutkimuksesta, jossa seulottiin SARS-CoV-2 tartuntojen varalta 1,237 luonnonvaraista jyrsijää ja piennisäkästä eri puolilta Eurooppaa. Kaikki näytteet olivat negatiivisia, yhtä näytettä lukuun ottamatta. SARS-CoV-2:n läikkymisen ihmisistä jyrsijöihin on arveltu olevan mahdollista, mutta todisteet viruksen laajamittaisesta leviämisestä jyrsijäpopulaatioissa puuttuvat.

Effects Of Α And Β-Adrenergic Signaling On Innate Immunity And Porphyromonas Gingivalis Virulence In An Invertebrate Model, Renata Mendonça Moraes, Maíra Terra Garcia, Fabio Stossi, Patrícia Pimentel De Barros, Juliana Campos Junqueira, Ana Lia Anbinder

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

To investigate the role of adrenergic signalling (AS) in the host immune response and Porphyromonas gingivalis virulence, we compared norepinephrine (NE) and isoproterenol (ISO) responses in Galleria mellonella. P. gingivalis infection was evaluated by survival; humoral immune responses (i.e. melanization and cecropin and gloverin mRNA expression); cellular immune responses (i.e. haemocyte count, nodulation by histology); and P. gingivalis recovery (CFU/mL). P. gingivalis was cultivated in the presence of ISO (PgISO) or NE and injected into the larvae for survival evaluation. Finally, we co-injected ISO and PgISO to evaluate the concomitant effects on the immune response and bacterial virulence. None …

Comparing Antigenaemia- And Microfilaraemia As Criteria For Stopping Decisions In Lymphatic Filariasis Elimination Programmes In Africa, Wilma A. Stolk, Luc E. Coffeng, Fatorma K. Bolay, Obiora A. Eneanya, Peter U. Fischer, T. Déirdre Hollingsworth, Benjamin G. Koudou, Aboulaye Méité, Edwin Michael, Joaquin M. Prada, Rocio M. Caja Rivera, Swarnali Sharma, Panayiota Touloupou, Gary J. Weil, Sake J. De Vlas

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Mass drug administration (MDA) is the main strategy towards lymphatic filariasis (LF) elimination. Progress is monitored by assessing microfilaraemia (Mf) or circulating filarial antigenaemia (CFA) prevalence, the latter being more practical for field surveys. The current criterion for stopping MDA requires <2% CFA prevalence in 6- to 7-year olds, but this criterion is not evidence-based. We used mathematical modelling to investigate the validity of different thresholds regarding testing method and age group for African MDA programmes using ivermectin plus albendazole.

METHODOLGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We verified that our model captures observed patterns in Mf and CFA prevalence during annual MDA, assuming that CFA tests are positive if at least one adult worm is present. We then assessed how well elimination can be predicted from CFA prevalence in 6-7-year-old children or from Mf or CFA prevalence in the 5+ or 15+ …

Effects Of Glucose On Early Development In Zebrafish Embryos, Angelica Manuel Fernando

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In women with gestational diabetes, various hormones are secreted during pregnancy, such as estrogen and cortisol, which blocks insulin from activating the receptors to let glucose travel through the cells. To help adjust to the high glucose levels in the blood, pancreatic beta cells are used to uptake glucose to release insulin, to lower the concentration of the amount of glucose in the blood. When a fetus is indirectly exposed to high glucose throughout the bloodstream, it can lead to early-onset Type II diabetes in children. Zebrafish are an excellent animal model to use as they are aquatic and make …

Recombinant Simian Varicella Virus-Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Vaccine Induces T And B Cell Functions And Provides Partial Protection Against Repeated Mucosal Siv Challenges In Rhesus Macaques, Bapi Pahar, Wayne Gray, Marissa Fahlberg, Brooke Grasperge, Meredith Hunter, Arpita Das, Christopher Mabee, Pyone Pyone Aye, Faith Schiro, Krystle Hensley, Aneeka Ratnayake, Kelly Goff, Celia Labranche, Xiaoying Shen, Georgia D. Tomaras, C. Todd Demarco, David Montefiori, Patricia Kissinger, Preston A. Marx

Faculty and Student Publications

HIV vaccine mediated efficacy, using an expanded live attenuated recombinant varicella virus-vectored SIV rSVV-SIVgag/env vaccine prime with adjuvanted SIV-Env and SIV-Gag protein boosts, was evaluated in a female rhesus macaques (RM) model against repeated intravaginal SIV challenges. Vaccination induced anti-SIV IgG responses and neutralizing antibodies were found in all vaccinated RMs. Three of the eight vaccinated RM remained uninfected (vaccinated and protected, VP) after 13 repeated challenges with the pathogenic SIVmac251-CX-1. The remaining five vaccinated and infected (VI) macaques had significantly reduced plasma viral loads compared with the infected controls (IC). A significant increase in systemic central memory CD4+ T …

Montclair Magazine (Fall/Winter 2022), Montclair State University

Montclair: The magazine of Montclair State University

No abstract provided.

Fitness Of Interspecific Hybrids In The Genus Cyprinella: An Evaluation Of Swimming Performance In North American Stream Fishes, Jessica Wilks

Biology Theses

Due to anthropogenic pressures, freshwater ecosystems are being rapidly destroyed worldwide. Accordingly, human impacts have also resulted in the loss of native aquatic biodiversity. In particular, the introduction of non-native species to aquatic habitats is of great concern. Historically, the introductions of many non-native freshwater fishes are the result of commercial baitfish aquaculture, food industries, and private aquarium release. The red shiner (Cyprinella lutrensis) is a small stream fish that is endemic to the Central U.S., and its natural range is restricted to East of the Mississippi River. Since the 1950’s, red shiner have been commercially raised and transported …

Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity Is Mediated By Neutrophils Through Release Of Neutrophil Elastase, Anchit Bhagat

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Doxorubicin (Dox) is one of the most effective chemotherapy agents that is used for the treatment of childhood cancer. Unfortunately Dox treatment can cause damage to the heart. Indeed, childhood cancer survivors are at a higher risk of developing a cardiovascular disease at an earlier age. The mechanisms by which Dox causes acute and late cardiotoxicity are not completely understood. One understudied area in Dox-induced cardiotoxicity is the contribution of inflammation and innate immune cells, in particular neutrophils. Recognizing that neutrophils have been implicated in a number of heart diseases, we evaluated the role of neutrophils in Dox-induced cardiotoxicity. Here, …

Nasty Bird, Jessica Marinaro

Gandy Dancer Archives

No abstract provided.

A Thruway Ramble, Noah Rust

Gandy Dancer Archives

No abstract provided.

Ode To A Cowboy, Ashley Halm

Gandy Dancer Archives

No abstract provided.

Gandy Dancer 11.1, Gandy Dancer

Gandy Dancer Archives

No abstract provided.

Dismembering Monstrous Metaphors In Latinx Speculative Fiction, Danielle Garcia-Karr

Theses and Dissertations

U.S. public discourse and popular media are rife with monstrous metaphors of Latinxs. This thesis argues that these gothic monstrous metaphors construct an affective economy of fear, which results in material violence and the devastation of Latinx lives. I further argue that to intervene within this affective economy, Latinx authors write speculative fiction, employing critical race methodologies, to negotiate monstrosity in relation to citizenship. In other words, speculative Latinx authors disidentify with monsters and enact epistemic disobedience, problematizing the known and naturalized and delinking Latinx people from monstrous metaphors to interrupt cycles of fear and violence. In exploring this metaphoric …

Effects Of Glp-1 Receptor Agonists On Cardiovascular Outcomes In Patients With Type 2 Diabetes And Chronic Kidney Disease: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Michael Kelly, Jelena Lewis, Hindu Rao, Jessica Carter, Ivan Portillo, Richard Beuttler

College of Pharmacy Faculty Papers

AIM: To evaluate the cardiovascular outcomes of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP1-RA) in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and chronic kidney disease (CKD).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Web of Science databases for randomized controlled trials reporting event rates for a composite cardiovascular outcome of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, and stroke in patients with T2DM and CKD receiving GLP1-RA or placebo. Studies were restricted to those reporting specific event rates for patients with CKD separately from the overall population. We conducted a meta-analysis using a random-effects model. This meta-analysis was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42022320157). …

Dietary And Complementary Feeding Practices Of Us Infants, 6 To 12 Months: A Narrative Review Of The Federal Nutrition Monitoring Data, Regan L Bailey, Jaime S Stang, Teresa A Davis, Timothy S Naimi, Barbara O Schneeman, Kathryn G Dewey, Sharon M Donovan, Rachel Novotny, Ronald E Kleinman, Elsie M Taveras, Lydia Bazzano, Linda G Snetselaar, Janet De Jesus, Kellie O Casavale, Eve E Stoody, Joseph D Goldman, Alanna J Moshfegh, Donna G Rhodes, Kirsten A Herrick, Kristin Koegel, Cria G Perrine, Tusarebecca Pannucci

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Complementary foods and beverages (CFBs) are key components of an infant’s diet in the second 6 months of life. This article summarizes nutrition and feeding practices examined by the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committees during the CFB life stage. Breastfeeding initiation is high (84%), but exclusive breastfeeding at 6 months (26%) is below the Healthy People 2030 goal (42%). Most infants (51%) are introduced to CFBs sometime before 6 months. The primary mode of feeding (ie, human milk fed [HMF]; infant formula or mixed formula and human milk fed [FMF]) at the initiation of CFBs is associated with the timing …

Randomization, Design And Analysis For Interdependency In Aging Research: No Person Or Mouse Is An Island, Daniella E Chusyd, Steven N Austad, Stephanie L Dickinson, Keisuke Ejima, Gary L Gadbury, Lilian Golzarri-Arroyo, Richard J Holden, Yasaman Jamshidi-Naeini, Doug Landsittel, Tapan Mehta, J Michael Oakes, Arthur H Owora, Greg Pavela, Javier Rojo, Michael W Sandel, Daniel L Smith, Colby J Vorland, Pengcheng Xun, Roger Zoh, David B Allison

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Investigators traditionally use randomized designs and corresponding analysis procedures to make causal inferences about the effects of interventions, assuming independence between an individual's outcome and treatment assignment and the outcomes of other individuals in the study. Often, such independence may not hold. We provide examples of interdependency in model organism studies and human trials and group effects in aging research and then discuss methodologic issues and solutions. We group methodologic issues as they pertain to (1) single-stage individually randomized trials; (2) cluster-randomized controlled trials; (3) pseudo-cluster-randomized trials; (4) individually randomized group treatment; and (5) two-stage randomized designs. Although we present …

Second-Best Free Exercise, Christopher C. Lund

Fordham Law Review

The future of the Free Exercise Clause is up in the air. Thirty years ago, in Employment Division v. Smith, the Supreme Court held the Free Exercise Clause only protected against religious discrimination and did not require exemptions from neutral and generally applicable laws.

Yet despite having an official rule against religious exemptions, the Roberts Court has somehow managed to give religious exemptions in case after case. This illustrates Smith’s waning power—the case has become more of an obstacle for courts to work around than a precedent for courts to obey. But these victories have also come to …

The Prison Mailbox Rule: Can Represented Incarcerated Litigants Benefit?, Nico Corti

Fordham Law Review

In 1988, the U.S. Supreme Court created the “Prison Mailbox Rule,” which assesses the timeliness of incarcerated litigants’ filings based on the day they hand them to prison authorities. The rule reduces the structural barriers to filing while imprisoned. Although Houston v. Lack highlighted the unique challenges that pro se incarcerated litigants face, the Prison Mailbox Rule’s subsequent federal codifications did not limit its benefits to pro se litigants, despite purportedly “reflecting” the Houston decision. Federal circuit courts of appeal today are split on whether represented people in prison can benefit from the Prison Mailbox Rule, leaving both litigants and …

Towards Reinterpreting Neural Topic Models Via Composite Activations, Jia Peng Lim, Hady Wirawan Lauw

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Most Neural Topic Models (NTM) use a variational auto-encoder framework producing K topics limited to the size of the encoder’s output. These topics are interpreted through the selection of the top activated words via the weights or reconstructed vector of the decoder that are directly connected to each neuron. In this paper, we present a model-free two-stage process to reinterpret NTM and derive further insights on the state of the trained model. Firstly, building on the original information from a trained NTM, we generate a pool of potential candidate “composite topics” by exploiting possible co-occurrences within the original set of …

The Effect Of Video Model Dosage And Self-Monitoring On Parent's Use Of Language-Promoting Behavior, Kacie Marie Mcgarry

Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has found a disparity between the language trajectories of children within a high, medium, or low-economic-status family. A relationship is reliably found between the language trajectory of toddlers and success throughout school. This study will evaluate a training package to teach parents to engage in behaviors that promote language and assess the training's short-term effect on the trajectories of children (i.e., growing language) within low-socioeconomic backgrounds. Specifically, experimenters will evaluate the impact of the dosage of video modeling, self-evaluation, and self-monitoring on the acquisition of the targeted skills. Data may suggest that the more accurate the individual is …

Brief And Extended Effects Of Modified Competing Stimulus Assessments, Soray Nicole Castro

Theses and Dissertations

Competing stimulus assessments (CSA) are pre-assessment tools that systematically identify stimuli associated with reduced problem behavior. The current study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an augmented CSA containing components of prompted engagement and response blocking. Results indicated the augmented CSA effectively identified two additional competing items for two of the three participants following prompted engagement. We also evaluated the extended effects of the competing stimuli on item engagement and stereotypy for two participants. Stereotypy reductive effects are maintained for one of the four competing stimuli for Participant 2 and two of the six items for Participant 3.

Importance Of Light Activation For Plant Cryptochrome And Antibacterial Drug Delivery Strategies, Merfat Ahmed Hammad

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this project is to investigate the benefits of applying light in different systems. In the first part, the magnetoreception process that occurs in the light activated cryptochrome of Arabidopsis Thaliana was investigated. In the second part, photo-carbon monoxide releasing molecules (photo-CORMs) were investigated for their antibacterial effect to develop biomedical strategies. Overall, this has been achieved in three different studies. The first study investigated if the forward lightdriven reaction is involved in the magnetoreception process or not in cryptochrome (CRY). To accomplish this, the plant seedlings were tested for 90 minutes as follows: 5 minutes in the …

Investigating The Role Of Cryptochrome Activity In Arabidopsis Plant And Blue Light Exposure In Saos-2 Cell-Mediated Mineralization, Maria Nijr Albaqami

Theses and Dissertations

Cryptochromes (CRYs) are flavoproteins that absorb blue light and are associated with the perception of electromagnetic stimuli in a variety of organisms including animals and plants. When exposed to blue light, CRYs undergo flavin redox cycles and form radical pairs intermediates that are assumed to be magnetically sensitive as predicted by the radical-pair hypothesis. However, it is unknown if CRYs fulfill the criteria to act as biological magnetosensors. In the first aim, Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings were exposed to blue light and a time-dependent weak magnetic field at radiofrequency (RF) of 7 MHz as a diagnostic tool to test the radical-pair …

On Clinical Use Of Infrared Cameras For Video-Based Estimation Of 3d Facial Kinematics, William Mackenzie Harrington

Theses and Dissertations

Neurological and neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and stroke can cause speech and orofacial motor impairments with devastating effects on quality of life. Analysis of orofacial movement provides vital information for early diagnosis and tracking disease progression, but current clinical practice relies on perceptual assessments performed by clinicians, which are unreliable and insensitive to early symptoms. New methods in machine learning have enabled automatic and objective assessment of orofacial kinematics from color and depth videos, hence we introduce MEADepthCamera, a mobile application for RGB-D video and audio recording and automatic estimation of 3D facial …

Application Of Stable Isotopes To Study Movement Ecology And Diet Variation In A Migratory Songbird, Andrea Contina, Allison K. Pierce, Scott W. Yanco, Eli S. Bridge, Jeffrey F. Kelly, Michael B. Wunder

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

Whether and how migratory organisms exhibit interindividual behavioral and/or physiological variation across movement strategies remains an open question. The Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) is a migratory songbird known for its intraspecies variation displayed in relation to morphology, song repertoires, and migration. Thus, studies focusing on juncos can reveal how migratory strategy may covary with other individual-scale factors and, therefore, identify the selective forces driving intraspecies variations throughout its distribution. We used Dark-eyed Junco hydrogen stable isotope feather values (δ²H) and implemented a Bayesian framework to infer the breeding and molting origin of migratory juncos captured on their winter grounds in …

Exploring Dante’S Sources Online: Interactive Reading, Visualizations, And The Study Of Dantean Intertextuality In The Digital Age, Julie Van Peteghem

Publications and Research

Dante’s Commedia is a highly allusive text, and readers throughout time have noted the many parallels between Dante’s verses and those of others. Now that the text of the Commedia and various scholarly and artistic interpretations of the poem (commentaries, translations, illuminated manuscripts) have become accessible online, also the concordance, the lists of parallel passages in Dante’s poem and other works, has become a digital resource. In this essay I explore the study of Dante’s sources in a digital environment mainly through the Intertextual Dante project and its Dante-Ovid edition, published on Digital Dante. Intertextual Dante visualizes moments of …

Characterizing The Cutaneous Microbiome Of Eurycea Lucifuga As A Potential Defense Against Chytridiomycosis, Madeline Key

Senior Honors Theses

Chytridiomycosis is an emerging infectious disease that is significantly reducing global amphibian populations. The disease is caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), a fungus that lethally modifies amphibian skin. Recent research has suggested that the cutaneous microbiome of individual amphibians may play a role in susceptibility to the pathogen. In this study, twelve cave salamanders (Eurycea lucifuga) were collected. Cutaneous bacteria from each salamander were isolated and identified using Sanger Sequencing. Additionally, a Bd-challenge assay was performed to determine each isolate’s antifungal activity. Results indicated many microbial isolates possessed inhibitory capabilities against Bd, which may …

Worried Sick: Understanding The Implications Of Stress On A Physiological Level, Julia Saia

Senior Honors Theses

Stress is prevalent among many individuals in today’s society. A literature review was conducted to investigate the physiological effects of stress, including the biomarkers of stress and how these interact with various body systems. The stress response is a protective mechanism to prepare the body to adequately respond to a perceived threat. However, when this response is prolonged, it begins to have a maladaptive effect on the body and can cause more harm than good. This literature review sought to compile what is known regarding the general effects of chronic stress and its impact on the nervous, immune, digestive, and …

More Than A Single Story: Culturally Diverse Literature And Social Inclusion In Elementary Classrooms, Amanda Works

Senior Honors Theses

This paper aims to consider the existing literature regarding culturally diverse literature, social inclusion, and children’s literature as mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors. These three concepts form a conceptual framework that supports the research study, which explored the use of culturally diverse literature and any correlation with social inclusion. Four elementary teachers participated in semi-structured interviews focused on two research questions: “What impacts the use of culturally diverse literature in elementary classrooms?” and “Does culturally diverse literature affect social inclusion in elementary classrooms?”. Through thematic, qualitative analysis, the study identified three central themes: (1) levels of choice based on …

A Strategic Social Media Marketing Plan To Launch A New Tabletop Role-Playing Game, Josiah Mork

Senior Honors Theses

The boardgame industry is thriving through independent (“indie”) publishers crowdfunding on platforms such as Kickstarter. However, the tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) fanbase is resistant to digital media. Indie publishers are then in a dilemma. They lack money to gather supporters through traditional media and cannot crowdfund the money without supporters.

Free social media platforms are natural solutions, if indie creators can circumnavigate fans’ reluctance to engage digital media. Therefore, a strategic social media plan is required to market new TTRPGs successfully. By compiling research on industry and audience, this thesis proposes key observations for indie TTRPG publishers and an example …