Digital Commons Network^™

Prevalence Of Antimicrobial Resistance And Association With Patient Outcomes In A Rural Kenyan Hospital, Ian C. Drobish, Immaculate K. Barasa, George Otieno, Moses Odhiambo Osoo, Solomon K. Thuo, Kaya S. Belknap, Arianna Mclain Shirk, S. Taylor Mcclanahan, Elizabeth Irungu, Felix Riunga

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Data on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and association with outcomes in resource-variable intensive care units (ICU) are lacking. Data currently available are limited to large, urban centers. We attempted to understand this locally through a dual-purpose, retrospective study. Cohort A consisted of adult and pediatric patients who had blood, urine, or cerebrospinal fluid cultures obtained from 2016 to 2020. A total of 3,013 isolates were used to create the Kijabe Hospital’s first antibiogram. Gram-negative organisms were found to be less than 50% susceptible to third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins, 67% susceptible to piperacillin–tazobactam, 87% susceptible to amikacin, and 93% susceptible to meropenem. …

Impact Of Gamma Secretase Activating Protein On End-Organ Dysfunction In The Aftermath Of Pneumonia In A Novel Gamma Secretase Activating Protein Knockout Rat, Meredith S. Gwin

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

Pneumonia elicits the production of cytotoxic beta amyloid (Aβ) that contributes to endorgan dysfunction, yet the mechanism linking infection to production of cytotoxic Aβ is unknown. Here, we tested the hypothesis that γ-secretase activating protein (GSAP), which promotes Aβ production, contributes to end-organ dysfunction following bacterial pneumonia. First-in-kind GSAP knockout rats were generated. Wild type and knockout rats possessed similar body weights, organ weights, circulating blood cell counts, arterial blood gases, and cardiac indices at baseline. Intratracheal Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection caused acute lung injury and a hyperdynamic circulatory state. Whereas infection led to arterial hypoxemia in wild type rats, the …

A Study Of Gold Nanoparticles Of Different Sizes With Raman Labels For Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopic Detection, Melissa M. Hader

Undergraduate Honors Theses

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the second leading cause of death in the United States is cancer, with 602,350 cancer deaths in 2020. With the current cancer detection techniques, the detection of cancer is often at a stage when the cancer has progressed to dangerous levels. Therefore, being able to detect cancer at its early stages is pivotal and can be life altering for millions. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been widely explored in developing surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) techniques for early detection of cancer biomarkers. Using gold nanoparticles conjugated with Raman reporter molecules, SERS is a …

Cyclic-Di-Gmp Regulates Salmonella Typhimurium Infection Of Epithelial Cells And Macrophages, Abdulafiz Musa

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Regulation of the bacterial second messenger cyclic-di-GMP in Salmonella Typhimurium allows it to delicately alter phenotypes to optimize invasion and survive intracellularly in epithelial cells and macrophages to become virulent and cause infection. Cyclic-di-GMP concentration is regulated by the presence of external stimuli, sensory diguanylate cyclases (DGCs) and phosphodiesterases (PDEs), and cyclic-di-GMP binding effectors. Previous studies established that maintenance of low cyclic-di-GMP concentrations is required for survival in macrophages, and that deletion of 3 active PDEs reduces this survival. Here I showed that these 3 PDEs also influenced the infection of epithelial cells. Further studies re-established the decreased survival in …

Incidence Of Myopathy In Post Covid-19 Patients Undergoing Statin Therapy, Jithin John, Eduardo Leon, Ramin Homayouni

Posters

Statin-associated myositis has been documented since its first use, causing an increase in Creatinine Kinase levels. While some suggest avoiding statins in individuals with COVID-19, recent literature suggests that statin use is protective against SARS-CoV-2 infection due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The role of statin therapy in COVID-19 cases, especially regarding myopathy, remains scarce. We hypothesize that different statin therapies prior to SARS-CoV-2 infection are associated with an increased risk of myopathy and an increase in blood CK levels.

Carbon Quantum Dots' Effects On The Structure And Function Of Neurodegenerative And Non-Neurodegenerative Associated Proteins, Shima Masoudi Asil

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Protein folding is an important physical process in which the sequences of polypeptides fold into a three-dimensional biological active structure. Misfolding is the conversion of a protein molecule into a structure unlike the native form, and therefore misfolded proteins have a strong tendency to aggregate and make fibrils. Amyloid aggregation is constituted by misfolded amyloidogenic proteins. Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), stem from the abnormal accumulation of harmful proteins, including Amyloid-ß peptides, tau protein, and the presynaptic protein α-synuclein in the nervous system. Alzheimer's disease is the most common neurodegenerative disorder that causes memory and learning deficits and …

Modeling And Predicting Emerging Threats Using Disparate Data, Ismael Villanueva Miranda

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Early detection is crucial to mitigate the impact of emerging threats. This work proposes four innovative frameworks that build machine learning and deterministic epidemiological models using multiple domain-specific datasets to detect the onset of emerging threats in two domains: infectious diseases and cybersecurity. Our models are designed to detect infectious disease outbreaks, model their spread, detect malware activity, and analyze the relationship between software/hardware weaknesses and attack techniques.

First, we present a novel framework to detect multiple infectious disease outbreaks by integrating standardized disease-specific domain knowledge and public search trend data. Our framework showed high performance in identifying infectious disease …

A Clinical Reference Guide To The Treatment Of Common Oral Lesions, Janet Zalucha Dds, Felipe Nör Dds, Ms, Phd, David Tindle Dds, Ms

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This special MDA Journal pull-out is created as a quick reference for practitioners to assist their patients who present with some of the most common oral pathology manifestations. When encountering these conditions, please consider coordinating care and collaborating with practitioners who have had additional, specialized training in the respective fields. Treatment recommendations for each condition described are included. Note that many of these are considered off-label use of the listed agents. Full prescribing information is beyond the scope of this quick reference guide, so practitioners should thoroughly familiarize themselves with each agent chosen for use.

Alleviating Irinotecan-Induced Diarrhea Using Locally Bioavailable Naturally Occurring Flavonoids, Imoh Etim

Dissertations (2016-Present)

Chemotherapy-induced diarrhea is a frequent side effect that occurs with several chemotherapeutic agents. However, it is an understudied area in the management of cancer. This concern is significant with irinotecan, a camptothecin derivative. Irinotecan hydrochloride (CPT-11) is a prodrug that is hydrolyzed to SN-38, a potent topoisomerase 1 inhibitor used as the first-line agent for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. However, there is a concern regarding gastrointestinal toxicity, especially diarrhea. Many patients have reported experiencing diarrhea, and severe diarrhea episodes (grades 3 and 4) have been recorded in about 40 % of patients (J. J. Lee & Sun, 2016). …

Inflammatory Comparison Of Raw 264.7 Cells, J774a.1 Cells, And Murine Bone Marrow-Derived Macrophages, Dylan Shuster

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

Parallel examination of bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) to the viral transformed murine RAW 264.7 and J774A.1 cell lines provides a basis for comparison for experimental models of inflammation. Equivalent inflammatory responses would allow the substitution of the RAW 264.7 or J774A.1 cells for BMDM, reducing the use of animals in experimentation. The mammalian cell lines are maintained in Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle’s Medium (DMEM) complete with passage by scraping every 72 hours. BMDM are generated by culturing bone marrow cells from femurs of female Swiss mice (Hilltop Lab Animals, Inc.) with murine macrophage colony-stimulating factor for 7 days. The two cell …

Rural Appalachia And The Opioid Epidemic: Overcoming Current Barriers With New Solutions, Olivia Croft

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

The opioid epidemic has damaged the lives of many Americans since the early 2000’s. As America continues to look for ways to fight the opioid epidemic and save this country, the idea of providing the rescue drug, naloxone, to the general public has been discussed and implemented in some areas. An overdose from opioids causes a person to have respiratory depression and eventually stop breathing. Without intervention, this quickly leads to death. Although the opioid epidemic is nationwide, some of the most significantly affected populations are the rural communities tucked away in the Appalachian Mountains. In rural areas of America, …

Factors That Impact Prevention Therapy For A Person(S) Living With Hiv In A Conservative, West Texas City, Madison E. Reyna

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is well known for being a sexually transmitted virus that will result in Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) if left untreated. Some individuals are unaware of the other risk factors that can result in the transmission of HIV. The transmission of HIV can occur through the spread of HIV-positive blood, oral, anal, and vaginal sex without a condom or protection, sharing injection drug equipment, and perinatal transmission (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). Despite advances in Antiretroviral treatments (ART) for HIV, there are still factors that are preventing individuals living with HIV/AIDS to maintain or suppresses …

Investigating The Role Of Cnag_05113 In The Carnitine Biosynthesis Pathway In Cryptococcus Neoformans., Jasmine Meltzer, Rodrigo Catalan-Hurtado, Perry Kezh, Kerry Smith

Honors College Theses

Cryptococcus neoformans, the leading cause of fungal meningitis, is a fungal pathogen that causes severe infection of the central nervous system in patients with compromised immune systems, typically caused by HIV/AIDS. C. neoformans infections are present in developed countries including the United States, but most fatalities occur in sub-Saharan Africa where antiretroviral therapy, the treatment for HIV/AIDS, is less accessible. Current treatments for severe cryptococcal infections are extensive and outdated. There is a critical need for an improved understanding of the fungus and new targeted therapies. Our goal is to identify metabolic pathways important to the survival of C. …

The Relationship Between Upper Body Muscular Power And Objectively Measured Physical Function In Healthy Older Adults, Jordan Stroope

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The population of older adults is growing rapidly worldwide. There are significant challenges associated with an aging population, many of which are related to declining physical function. Muscular power has previously been postulated as an important physical characteristic for preserving physical function, however, much of the research has measured lower body muscular power against functional outcomes. The importance of upper body muscular power (UBMP) for physical function outcomes is less clear, thus, this study sought to examine that relationship. Forty-two older adults between the ages of 50 – 70 (avg = 60.5 years  5.7) were recruited for the current …

The Perceived Needs Of First Responders To Identify And Support Sex Trafficking Victims: A Case Study, Raja Kumar

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Researchers have found that sex trafficking in the 21st century is a growing human rights atrocity. This qualitative case study investigates law enforcement professionals’ perceived needs as first responders to identify and support sex trafficking victims. Specifically, this study examines resources, training, and support that they perceive to be critical to their success. The primary research question that guides this study is what do first responders need to identify and support sex trafficking victims? To answer this question, the following sub-questions facilitate the inquiry: A) What resources do law enforcement professionals need to identify and support victims of sex trafficking? …

Nuclear And Cytoplasmic Spatial Protein Quality Control Is Coordinated By Nuclear–Vacuolar Junctions And Perinuclear Escrt, Emily M. Sontag, Fabián Morales-Polanco, Jian-Hua Chen, Gerry Mcdermott, Patrick T. Dolan, Dan Gestaut, Mark A. Le Gros, Carolyn Larabell, Judith Frydman

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Effective protein quality control (PQC), essential for cellular health, relies on spatial sequestration of misfolded proteins into defined inclusions. Here we reveal the coordination of nuclear and cytoplasmic spatial PQC. Cytoplasmic misfolded proteins concentrate in a cytoplasmic juxtanuclear quality control compartment, while nuclear misfolded proteins sequester into an intranuclear quality control compartment (INQ). Particle tracking reveals that INQ and the juxtanuclear quality control compartment converge to face each other across the nuclear envelope at a site proximal to the nuclear–vacuolar junction marked by perinuclear ESCRT-II/III protein Chm7. Strikingly, convergence at nuclear–vacuolar junction contacts facilitates VPS4-dependent vacuolar clearance of misfolded cytoplasmic …

Translational Studies Using The Malt1 Inhibitor (S)-Mepazine To Induce Treg Fragility And Potentiate Immune Checkpoint Therapy In Cancer, Mauro Di Pilato, Yun Gao, Yi Sun, Amina Fu, Carina Grass, Thomas Seeholzer, Regina Feederle, Irina Mazo, Samuel W Kazer, Kevin Litchfield, Ulrich H Von Andrian, Thorsten R Mempel, Russell W Jenkins, Daniel Krappmann, Peter Keller

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) play a critical role in the maintenance of immune homeostasis but also protect tumors from immune-mediated growth control or rejection and pose a significant barrier to effective immunotherapy. Inhibition of MALT1 paracaspase activity can selectively reprogram immune-suppressive Tregs in the tumor microenvironment to adopt a proinflammatory fragile state, which offers an opportunity to impede tumor growth and enhance the efficacy of immune checkpoint therapy (ICT).

Methods

We performed preclinical studies with the orally available allosteric MALT1 inhibitor (S)-mepazine as a single-agent and in combination with anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) ICT to …

Hard To Swallow: A Review Of Interventions To Improve Swallowing Solid Medication, Caryn J Vandenberg, Alyssa Adams, Robyn Bockrath, Sanghee Kim, Giselle Rodriguez, Andrea Fawcett, Ravi Jhaveri

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Solid oral medications are preferred over intravenous or liquid formulations; however, difficulty swallowing solid medication remains a common barrier to adherence. Previous reviews have demonstrated limited evidence on interventions to improve solid medication swallowing abilities. PubMed, Medline (OVID), CINAHL, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched for interventions to improve the pediatric population's ability to swallow solid medications. We included studies in English published after the latest review, from January 2014 through April 2022, with pediatric patients not having comorbid conditions affecting swallowing ability. The authors independently reviewed each study's sampling strategy, study design, and the strength of outcome …

Synthesis, Radiolabeling And Evaluation Of A Suite Of Tracers With 44Sc For Detecting Extracellular Dna, Zhiyao Li

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Neutrophil extracellular traps involve the rapid translocation of DNA to the outside of the cell under certain stimuli. This structure forms a fibrous network that is able to limit the spread of pathogens and to kill microorganisms. It has also been shown to be present in various pathological processes such as inflammation, autoimmune diseases, and cancer metastasis. Currently, the formation process of NETs in vivo is being extensively studied. However noninvasive detection and quantitation has yet to be achieved. A class of PET tracers are described here that consists of a DNA dye as the backbone that is labeled with …

Relationship Between Rehabilitation Counselors’ Experiences, Burnout, And Professional Collaboration During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Sharika Lawanda Sproling

Dissertations

Sharika L. Sproling, for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Rehabilitation, presented on [March 31, 2023], at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.TITLE: RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN REHABILITATION COUNSELORS’ EXPERIENCES, BURNOUT, AND PROFESSIONAL COLLABORATION DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMICMAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. Thomas UptonThe purpose of this quantitative study is to explore the relationships between rehabilitation counselors’ experiences, burnout, and professional collaboration during the COVID-19 pandemic. These counselors represent an understudied population at risk of burnout, especially regarding its relationship to collaboration. Prior research has established how burnout can occur at the individual and organizational levels, and those who provide direct care have a greater risk …

Opportunities And Challenges From Major Disasters Lessons Learned Of Long-Term Recovery Group Members, Eduardo E. Landaeta

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

Natural hazards caused by the alteration of weather patterns expose populations at risk, with an outcome of economic loss, property damage, personal injury, and loss of life. The unpredictability of disasters is a topic of concern to most governments. Disaster policies need more attention in aligning mitigation opportunities with disaster housing recovery (DHR). The effect of flooding, which primarily impacts housing in coastal areas, is one of the most serious issues associated with natural hazard. Flooding has a variety of causes and implications, especially for vulnerable populations who are exposed to it. DHR is complex, involving the need for effective …

Permanent Local Housing Allocation Grant, Angela Goncalves

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Pacific Grove, California is experiencing a lack of affordable housing. A Permanent Local Housing Allocation Grant was submitted to the California Department of Housing and Community Development on behalf of the City’s Housing Division. The funds will be used to provide rental assistance to alleviate the lack of affordable housing. The contributing factors include land use restrictions also known as zoning, a high demand for affordable rentals, and the high construction costs associated with the development of affordable housing. The consequences are homelessness, financial impacts, and poor health. A survey to determine the communities housing needs and priorities determined that …

Fight For Housing, Gema Hernandez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

California Rural Legal Assistance (CRLA) is a law firm chain that resides in 22 counties here in California. Focusing on the issues of housing, education, transportation, workers’ rights, and benefits. Monterey County is facing a housing crisis resulting in residents being displaced. The project implemented to address this issue is an outreach presentation program. To advise students of fundamental tenancy rights in California. Using this method, the hope is that they can advocate for themselves and avoid exploitation in the future. The students and mentors from CRLA created the outreach program. Some recommendations to aid the housing crisis are to …

Effects Of Covid-19 On Classroom Behavior Of Elementary School Students, Emma Ballesteros

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The purpose of this capstone project is to inform parents, current and future educators about the harms that COVID-19 has brought into the classroom after the period of isolation. During this period, families were forced to stay indoors for their safety. Parents had to juggle between their jobs, their children, and themselves. All of these were going on while a child should be focusing on learning in the classroom. Through extensive literature review and interviews with elementary school teachers, the result finding indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic is the cause of student behaviors in the classroom that have affected many …

Landscape Genetics Of The Gulf Coast Tick, Amblyomma Maculatum, Sara Simmons Benham

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Connectivity among populations helps to maintain genetic diversity, population stability, and resilience. The Gulf Coast tick, Amblyomma maculatum, is a vector of the pathogen Rickettsia parkeri. Persistence of tick populations with high rates of R. parkeri infection poses health risks to humans and animals. Mitochondrial haplotypes were characterized by sequencing a fragment of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene. A comparative study of A. maculatum and Amblyomma americanum was conducted to identify similar and unique patterns between the species within the same region. Next, I compared A. maculatum sites across three different regions of the United States. This work …

Poop! There It Is! Anti-Germinants And Biological Variables As Modulators Of Clostridioides Difficile Infection (Cdi), Jacqueline Renee Phan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is a major cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Due to its insidious nature, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has declared CDI an urgent threat. A key characteristic of C. difficile is its ability to form dormant spores that act as the infectious vehicles for disease. In the gut, spores recognize bile salts to germinate into toxin-producing cells.Dysbiosis of the gut microbiome is a key factor in allowing the C. difficile spores to germinate. Normal gut microbiota naturally protects from CDI. However, biological variables such as diet and sex have been found to modulate to …

Gendered Bodies, Engendered Lives: Bioarchaeological Exploration Of The Intersectionality Of Gender, Health, And Trauma At Turkey Creek Pueblo, Arizona (Ad 1225-1286), Claira Elizabeth Ralston

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This dissertation examines the relationships between sex, gender, and health at Turkey Creek Pueblo (AD 1225-1286), the earliest aggregated Pueblo community in the Point of Pines region of east central Arizona, to better understand their roles in producing differential health outcomes. To gain a view of these interactions, I use osteological, mortuary, and ethnohistoric data to explore how gender, as a social institution, informed divisions of labor and experiences with traumatic injury at Turkey Creek Pueblo, because this site was occupied during a socially dynamic and important period in the pre-contact American Southwest. Using these data, I explore how sex, …

Sting Agonist-Loaded Mesoporous Manganese-Silica Nanoparticles For Vaccine Applications, Cheng Xu, Hannah E Dobson, Mengjie Yu, Wang Gong, Xiaoqi Sun, Kyung Soo Park, Andrew Kennedy, Xingwu Zhou, Jin Xu, Yao Xu, Andrew W Tai, Yu Leo Lei, James J Moon

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Cyclic dinucleotides (CDNs), as one type of Stimulator of Interferon Genes (STING) pathway agonist, have shown promising results for eliciting immune responses against cancer and viral infection. However, the suboptimal drug-like properties of conventional CDNs, including their short in vivo half-life and poor cellular permeability, compromise their therapeutic efficacy. In this study, we have developed a manganese-silica nanoplatform (MnOx@HMSN) that enhances the adjuvant effects of CDN by achieving synergy with Mn2+ for vaccination against cancer and SARS-CoV-2. MnOx@HMSN with large mesopores were efficiently co-loaded with CDN and peptide/protein antigens. MnOx@HMSN(CDA) amplified the activation of the STING pathway and enhanced the …

Prone Vs. Supine Position Ventilation In Intubated Covid-19 Patients: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Mohamed Fayed, Wissam Maroun, Ahmed Elnahla, Nicholas S. Yeldo, Jessica R. Was, Donald H. Penning

Anesthesiology Articles

Whether prone positioning of patients undergoing mechanical ventilation for COVID-19 pneumonia has benefits over supine positioning is not clear. We conducted a systematic review with meta-analysis to determine whether prone versus supine positioning during ventilation resulted in different outcomes for patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. We searched Ovid Medline, Embase, and Web of Science for prospective and retrospective studies up through April 2023. We included studies that compared outcomes of patients with COVID-19 after ventilation in prone and supine positions. The primary outcomes were three mortality measures: hospital, overall, and intensive care unit (ICU). Secondary outcomes were mechanical ventilation days, intensive …

Themes And Participants’ Role In Online Health Discussion: Evidence From Reddit, Massara Alazazi

Theses and Dissertations

Health-related topics are discussed widely on different social networking sites. These discussions and their related aspects can reveal significant insights and patterns that are worth studying and understanding. In this dissertation, we explore the patterns of mandatory and voluntary vaccine online discussions including the topics discussed, the words correlated with each of them, and the sentiment expressed. Moreover, we explore the role opinion leaders play in the health discussion and their impact on participation in a particular discussion. Opinion leaders are determined, and their impact on discussion participation is differentiated based on their different characteristics such as their connections and …