Digital Commons Network^™

Assessing Impact Of Image-Based Immunization Education On Pediatric Vaccine Uptake Within Families Of Low English Literacy, Ahmed Ali, Mariam Bassalious, Sharfaa Chowdhury, Coral Hufnagel, Salwa Bajjey, Amaal Haimout, Nelia Afonso, Raouf Seifeldin

Posters

• Vaccinations have been hailed as the most effective public health strategy in mitigating infectious diseases. Since the advent of vaccines at the end of the 18th century, the incidence, prevalence, and mortality of vaccine-preventable diseases have markedly decreased.
• Vaccine hesitancy has been increasing within the last decade due to various reasons including misinformation and a lack of understanding. 2 This is especially true amongst patients with limited literacy skills as traditional vaccine education material is not optimal for their understanding.
• Several studies across various healthcare disciplines have shown that the use of picture-based health education for patients with limited literacy …

Aged 539 Graduate Internship Report - Clovis East High School, Kaylee C. Santos

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

This internship/project report includes documentation required in meeting the quality criteria for secondary-level programs of instruction in agriculture. The documents are concurrently used for the Agriculture Incentive Grant review process at Clovis East High School conducted by representatives of the California Department of Education. The supporting material includes information to receive state and local funding, outline the goals and objectives of the program, along with an overview of Clovis East High School, the agriculture program and the community. The project includes the revision of the Agrisciene Pathway Capstone Course Curriculum and Pacing Guide. This pacing guide will allow educators to …

Relative Impacts Of Varroa Destructor (Mesostigmata:Varroidae) Infestation And Pesticide Exposure On Honey Bee Colony Health And Survival In A High-Intensity Corn And Soybean Producing Region In Northern Iowa, Frank D. Rinkevich, Robert G. Danka, Thomas E. Rinderer, Joseph W. Margotta, Lewis J. Bartlett, Kristen B. Healy

Faculty Publications

The negative effects of Varroa and pesticides on colony health and survival are among the most important concerns to beekeepers. To compare the relative contribution of Varroa, pesticides, and interactions between them on honey bee colony performance and survival, a 2-year longitudinal study was performed in corn and soybean growing areas of Iowa. Varroa infestation and pesticide content in stored pollen were measured from 3 apiaries across a gradient of corn and soybean production areas and compared to measurements of colony health and survival. Colonies were not treated for Varroa the first year, but were treated the second year, leading …

Kat8 Beyond Acetylation: A Survey Of Its Epigenetic Regulation, Genetic Variability, And Implications For Human Health, Lindsey Yoo, David Mendoza, Allison J. Richard, Jacqueline M. Stephens

Division of Basic Science Faculty Publications

Lysine acetyltransferase 8, also known as KAT8, is an enzyme involved in epigenetic regulation, primarily recognized for its ability to modulate histone acetylation. This review presents an overview of KAT8, emphasizing its biological functions, which impact many cellular processes and range from chromatin remodeling to genetic and epigenetic regulation. In many model systems, KAT8’s acetylation of histone H4 lysine 16 (H4K16) is critical for chromatin structure modification, which influences gene expression, cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Furthermore, this review summarizes the observed genetic variability within the KAT8 gene, underscoring the implications of various single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that affect its …

Cellulose Nanofiber As Mask/Personal Protective Equipment Surface Agent For Enhanced Anti-Bacterial Performance, Sophia Jackson, Jonathan Chen

Faculty Publications

The utilization of face-covering masks as an extended form of personal protective equipment has led to exponential waste measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, with estimations of up to 7200 tons of medical-type waste daily. A primary cause of this waste is surgical layered disposable masks that are constructed by melt-blown nonwovens usually made of non-biodegradable thermoplastic polymers like polypropylene. To increase widespread sustainable options to the public, commercialized or do-it-yourself-based fabric masks serve as a solution, but their resistance to harmful molecules is less than that of the medical-grade masks due to the fabric structure that leaves space for penetration. …

Investigating And Modeling The Rate Of Syncytia Formation In Respiratory Syncytial Virus (Rsv), Emily Hope Landwehr

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common virus that infects humans and causes a range of symptoms similar to a common cold. Severe cases result in pneumonia and hospitalization. A critical mechanism for RSV spread is lateral cell-cell transmission that can result in the formation of multinucleated syncytia, a single cell containing multiple nuclei. Syncytia formation is known to influence RSV transmission in vitro. Previous studies have contributed to the development of a current viral kinetic model that shows a representation for the progression of viral infections. A limitation to this model is that it does not account for syncytia …

Long-Term Healthcare Utilisation, Costs And Quality Of Life After Invasive Group B Streptococcus Disease: A Cohort Study In Five Low-Income And Middle-Income Countries, Farah Seedat, Simon Procter, Ziyaad Dangor, Shannon Leahy, Sridhar Santhanam, Hima John, Quique Bassat, Celine Aerts, Amina Abubakar, Carophine Nasambu

Institute for Human Development, East Africa

Introduction There are no published data on the long-term impact of invasive group B Streptococcus disease (iGBS) on economic costs or health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in low-income and middle-income countries. We assessed the impact of iGBS on healthcare utilisation, costs and HRQoL in Argentina, India, Kenya, Mozambique and South Africa.

Methods Inpatient and outpatient visits, out-of-pocket (OOP) healthcare payments in the 12 months before study enrolment, and health-state utility of children and caregivers (using the EuroQol 5-Dimensions-3-Level) were collected from iGBS survivors and an unexposed cohort matched on site, age at recruitment and sex. We used logistic or Poisson …

Effect Of Short-Term Exposure To Pesticide Mixture On Tissue Architecture, Body Fluid Conditions, Nitrative Stress And Osmoregulation Of American Oyster, Crassostrea Virginica, Asif Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations

Pesticides are used widely to control weeds and pests in agricultural settings but harm non-target aquatic organisms. We examined the effect of short-term exposure (one week) to pesticide mixtures (low dose: 0.5 μg/L Roundup®, 0.5 μg/L 2,4-D, and 0.4 μg/L atrazine; high dose: 1 μg/L Roundup®, 1 μg/L 2,4-D, and 0.8 μg/L atrazine) on American oyster (Crassostrea virginica, an important shellfish and seafood species) under controlled laboratory conditions. Histological analyses demonstrated the atrophy in oysters' gills, digestive glands, and connective tissue. The protein concentrations and glucose levels dropped significantly in the high-dose treatment. The number of hemocytes in connective tissue …

Cell Type-Specific Production Of Amyloid Precursor Protein During Infection Is Dependent On The Strain Of Herpes Simplex Virus 1, Mia Elias

Honors Theses

Cleavage of amyloid precursor protein (APP) generates the antimicrobial peptide amyloid beta (Aβ), the accumulation of which is linked to Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) pathogenesis. Whether processing of APP contributes to anti-viral responses is debated. Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 (HSV-1), a neurotropic double-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) virus, establishes lifelong latency and can cause a range of outcomes, from asymptomatic infection to herpetic encephalitis (HSE). Whether disparate outcomes are dependent on HSV-1 strain is unknown. Using three differentially virulent HSV-1 strains, we compared the regulation of APP-associated proteolytic processing in both a corneal infection murine model and an in vitro model. …

Screening For Potential Swine-Origin Probiotics With Antimicrobial Activities, Christina Lim

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

The prevalence of antibiotic resistant bacteria is a leading issue worldwide. Recently, there was a new law banning the use of antibiotics within the swine industry. For decades swine producers have mixed subtherapeutic amounts of antibiotics in swine feed to prevent potential infections and to increase growth rate. However, due to the constant exposure of antibiotics to these ever-evolving pathogens, the population of antibiotic resistant bacteria has increased exponentially. Currently, the swine industry is scrambling to find a suitable alternative to antibiotics that possesses antimicrobial activity and potentially promotes growth. The objective of this study was to investigate the ability …

Water Justice And Equity: The Disproportionate Effects Of Pollution On Black, Indigenous, And Other Communities Of Color, Rae Cade

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Access to clean drinking water is a basic human right, regardless of an individual’s background. Yet, discriminatory practices in the United States have disproportionately burdened Black, Indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC) with contaminated sources of water. Understanding how and why water is disproportionately contaminated in areas with increased diversity, and identifying and targeting areas of environmental injustice, are essential steps for ensuring future water equity. Here, I examine the drivers of inequitable access to clean drinking water within the northeastern United States. In chapter one, I look at the historical drivers of land inequity within the United States. …

Comparative Population Genomics Of Bloodstream-Derived Staphylococcus Aureus From Disparate Geographic Origins In The United States, Milan Pfister

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Staphylococcus aureus is a commensal and an opportunistic pathogen that causes a variety of diseases in humans, from minor skin and soft tissue infections to life-threatening invasive diseases. The emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) complicate treatment options, which can lead to significant morbidity and mortality of patients. In this study, we compared the clonal lineages and genomic features of bloodstream-derived S. aureus populations from different locations. We leveraged 957 previously published genomes derived from bloodstream infections across six hospitals located in Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, and New York, USA. We carried out pan-genome analysis, …

Species Distribution And Logistic Regression Analysis Of Nosocomial Legionella Detection And Infection In New York State, 2017 – 2023, Roxann Brna

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Healthcare facilities are high-risk areas for legionellosis infections, as they have large, complex potable water systems ideal for Legionella proliferation, and they host susceptible populations. New York State regulation 10 NYCRR § 4-2: Protection Against Legionella in Healthcare Facilities was implemented in July 2016 to reduce healthcare-acquired legionellosis. This regulation mandated environmental surveillance of healthcare facilities’ potable water systems via culture. Data from these environmental reports were paired with data for cases of healthcare-acquired legionellosis infections for the years 2017-2023. Using these data, geographic Legionella species and serogroup distributions were described, and logistic regressions evaluated facility attributes associated with potable …

State Policies On Maternal And Infant Health In The United States, Heeun Kim

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

In the United States (US), state-level policies are critical structural determinants of maternal and infant health outcomes. State policies profoundly affect prenatal care utilization and pregnancy outcomes, particularly among marginalized pregnant persons with stigmatized health conditions. In this three-paper dissertation, I focus on two closely interrelated policies that aim to address significant public health concerns in the US: prenatal syphilis screenings and the criminalization of prenatal substance use. My research revolves around two central questions: First, do these policies effectively improve the pregnancy outcomes of high-risk populations, or do they cause unintended consequences? Second, if challenges in policy design and …

The Role Of B Cell Activation State And Sex In Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Mediated Induction Of Chemokine Receptor 9 And Alpha4beta7 Expression In Vitro, Logan Bauerle

Master's Theses

Defense of mucosal tissues from microbial infection and allergy is reliant on continual production of antibodies. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is known to regulate B cell development and is associated with suppression of systemic humoral immunity. Recent attention has been paid to the role of the AhR in altering expression of cell adhesion molecules (CAMs). B cells express CAMs and chemokine receptors to migrate around the body for localized secretion of antibodies. AhR agonists promote B cell migration to the small intestine through upregulation of chemokine receptor 9 (CCR9) and integrin α₄β₇. Both the AhR …

Nebline, May 2024

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Weed Control in Pastures and Hayfields by John Nelson

Navigating Nutrition Information: Separating Fact from Fiction by Alyssa Havlovic

Recipe of the Month: Pepper Steak Sandwich by Alyssa Havlovic

Care for New Bedding Plants by Sarah Browning

Garden Guide: Things to Do This Month

Cash Rent Survey

No Matter Where You Live, Submit a Request Before You Dig! by Becky Schuerman

4-H Achievement Celebration

8 Lancaster County 4-H’ers Modeled Their Sewn Garments at Omaha Fashion Week

4-H Events Open to All Youth

Support 4-H by Eating Out, May 1 & 2

Support 4-H During “Give to Lincoln Day,” May 30 …

Development Of A Cost-Affordable Thin-Layer Chromatography Testing Kit For Falsified And Substandard Pharmaceuticals In Tanzania, Eleanor Hatcher

All Theses

A significant number of pharmaceuticals supplied to Tanzania are falsified or substandard. A majority of these inadequate pharmaceuticals are medications to treat life-threatening conditions. This problem not only causes mistrust in the healthcare system but also prolonged illness and potentially death for the patients. This calls for the need for the development of a cost-affordable testing kit for falsified and substandard pharmaceuticals in Tanzania. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) was used as the testing method since it is inexpensive and requires a low skill level to complete. Malaria, human immunodeficiency virus, hypertension, tuberculosis, and diabetes are five of the most prevalent diseases …

An Examination Of Missing Person Social Media Engagement Through Data Mining And Experimentation: An Application Of The Crisis And Emergency Risk Communication Model, Cailin M. Kuchenbecker

Communication (PhD) Dissertations

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), approximately 600,000 individuals are reported missing each year in the United States (2022). When missing person cases do not meet alert (e.g., AMBER) criteria, law enforcement often utilize social media to crowdsource information to ultimately return the missing home. Therefore, guided by the crisis and emergency risk communication model (CERC; Reynolds & Seeger, 2005) and its recently clarified propositions (Miller et al., 2021), the purpose of this dissertation was to (a) identify strategies law enforcement use to crowdsource missing person information and (b) experimentally test message characteristics that facilitate prosocial sharing of …

Investigating The Antibacterial Properties Of Capsaicin In Synergy With Antibiotics Against A. Baumannii, Jack Guffey

Undergraduate Theses

As the ever-increasing issue of antibiotic resistance looms, naturally derived compounds have been increasingly investigated as possible synergists with antibiotics. One of these compounds, capsaicin, is a potent vanilloid that is the dominant cause of Capsicum peppers’ spiciness. Capsaicin’s intrinsic ability to inhibit a wide array of bacterial growth has been well documented. The focal organism of this study, Acinetobacter baumannii, has become an increasingly common hospital acquired infection due to its persistence on fomites. Capsaicin, however, is able to inhibit this growth at higher concentrations as well as reduce the necessary minimum inhibitory concentration while decreasing biofilm formation …

Characterization Of Ato Family Transporters In The Fungal Pathogen Cryptococcus Neoformans, Will Betsill

All Theses

Fungal pathogens are a significant threat to public health as they are becoming increasingly common and more resistant to treatment. Cryptococcus neoformans contributes greatly to this threat annually by causing an estimated 278,000 cases of cryptococcal meningitis resulting in approximately 181,000 deaths globally according to the CDC. C. neoformans is ubiquitous across most of the globe and can be found in such places as in trees or soil. Exposure to this fungus is especially dangerous to individuals who are immunocompromised or immunosuppressed. In these cases, inhalation of spores can lead to infection in the lungs. Once in the lungs, C. …

A Revised Synthesis Of The Cationic Lipids Dmri And Mlri, Benjamin A. Kostic

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are an increasingly utilized method of intracellular delivery for nucleic acids. The COVID-19 vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech have used LNP technology to combat the recent global SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, saving millions of lives.^1,2 These vaccines consist of a lipid formulation that binds to the anionic phosphate groups of mRNAs and serves as an effective way to transport the nucleic acid across membranes into cells.⁹The mRNA encodes a viral protein. When introduced to cells, the viral protein is produced so that the immune system then can generate an appropriate antibody response.³ However, this approach …

Spatiotemporal Assessment Of Pathogenic Leptospira In Subtropical Coastal Watersheds, Ronell Bridgemohan, Matthew J. Deitch, Emily Harmon, Matt R. Whiles, P Christopher Wilson, Eban Bean, Puran Bridgemohan, Joseph H. Bisesi, Jodel Nicholas, Aaden Redhead, Dave S. Bachoon

Faculty and Staff Works

The World Health Organization classifies leptospirosis as a significant public health concern, predominantly affecting impoverished and unsanitary regions. By using the Pensacola Bay System as a case study, this study examines the underappreciated susceptibility of developed subtropical coastal ecosystems such as the Pensacola Bay System to neglected zoonotic pathogens such as Leptospira. We analyzed 132 water samples collected over 12 months from 44 distinct locations with high levels of Escherichia coli (>410 most probable number/100 mL). Fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) concentrations were assessed using IDEXX Colilert-18 and Enterolert-18, and an analysis of water physiochemical characteristics and rainfall intensity was …

Analysis Of Antibiotic Sensitivity Patterns In Pasteurellaceae Family Isolates: A Microbial And Molecular Investigation, Jillian Barron

Honors Scholar Theses

Bacteria in the Pasteurellaceae family are known to cause disease in both human and animal species. Like all species of bacteria, the pathogens in the Pasteurellaceae family evolve and acquire antimicrobial-resistant traits. Antimicrobial resistance of bacteria is a significant public health concern, as treatment of resistant pathogens becomes more difficult, if not impossible, with current medical capabilities. In this project, phenotypic and genotypic analyses were performed on Pasteurellaceae family isolates sourced from the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory. Phenotypic antibiotic sensitivity patterns of each isolate were assessed against a panel of antibiotics through a Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion test. Disk diffusion …

The Association Between Aerobic Exercise And Changes In Hdl Quality Induced By Egg Consumption – A Post-Hoc Analysis Of A Randomized, Controlled, Crossover Dietary Intervention Study, Rachael Woodruff, Catherine J. Andersen

Honors Scholar Theses

Abstract

Objective: Daily intake of whole eggs and aerobic exercise have independently been shown to increase high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and measures of HDL function, suggesting cardioprotective effects of these lifestyle interventions. However, it is unknown whether exercise volume can synergistically or differentially impact diet responses and egg effects on HDL. Therefore, we evaluated whether exercise volume was associated with distinct effects of consuming different egg-based diets on measures of HDL size, function, and composition.

Methods: Twenty-six healthy men and women completed a 16-week randomized, controlled, crossover intervention study which aimed to investigate the effects of egg-free, egg-white, and whole-egg …

Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substance Exposure Risks In Us Carceral Facilities, 2022, Lindsay Poirier, Derrick Salvatore, Phil Brown, Alissa Cordner, Kira Mok, Nicholas Shapiro

Statistical and Data Sciences: Faculty Publications

Objectives. To assess the US incarcerated population’s risk of exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). Methods. We assessed how many of the 6118 US carceral facilities were located in the same hydrologic unit code watershed boundaries as known or likely locations of PFAS contamination. We conducted geospatial analyses on data aggregated from Environmental Protection Agency databases and a PFAS site tracker in 2022 to model the hydrologically feasible known and presumptive PFAS contamination sites for nearly 2 million incarcerated people. Results. Findings indicate that 5% (∼310) of US carceral facilities have at least 1 known source of PFAS contamination …

The Implications, Magnitude, And Development Of Traumatic Brain Injury For Individuals Undergoing Treatment For Opioid Use Disorder, Hannah G. Mitchell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is an established bidirectional relation between substance use and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Despite the high rate of prescribing opioids for pain management following a TBI and the epidemic of opioid use disorder (OUD) in the United States, scarce research has specifically analyzed the association between TBI and OUD. In a series of three interrelated manuscripts, the present study will first examine the prevalence and features of TBIs among persons seeking treatment for OUD. Next, the present study will evaluate the association between TBI and indicators of risky health behaviors and OUD severity, including the risk of overdose and …

A Comparative Analysis Of Hiv/Aids In France And The United States: Historical Context And Preventative Actions, Rebecca A. Liebsack

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The HIV/AIDS pandemic is the result of transmission of a zoonotic disease known as simian immunodeficiency virus. The pandemic has had profound social and economic consequences and continues to be present today. France and the United States’ response to the discovery of HIV will be compared and the impact that HIV/AIDS had on their countries and future responses. They had rather similar responses, however, the United States had a slower initial response compared to France. Both had similar takeaways such as aiming at improving prevention and utilizing tactics developed during the start of the pandemic like frequent testing and vaccines.

Evaluation Of Wogonin And Chrysin In Alleviating Mycophenolate-Induced Diarrhea And Its Pharmacokinetics Profile, Abasifreke Sunday Benson

Theses (2016-Present)

Medication-induced diarrhea is a common adverse effect experienced by patients taking immunosuppressant medications used in Organ transplants. However, Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) is the first-line drug to prevent organ transplant rejection. (Van Gelder & Hesselink, 2015) . MMF’s mechanism of action involves inhibition of inosine-5'-monophosphate dehydrogenase. It is used for the treatment and management of a variety of autoimmune diseases as well as to prevent organ rejection in patients with bone marrow and solid organ transplants; however, over 50% of its adverse effects have been reported to be diarrhea. (Arslan et al., 2007; Farooqi et al., 2020). However, few options exist …

Approach For Defining Human Adenovirus Infection And Disease For Central Review Adjudication In Clinical Studies., Brian T. Fisher, Jesse Blumenstock, Craig L K Boge, Sydney Shuster, Alix E. Seif, Michael Green, Marian G. Michaels, Jessie L. Alexander, Monica I. Ardura, Tamara P. Miller, Diego R. Hijano, William J. Muller, Jennifer E. Schuster, Abby M. Green, Daniel E. Dulek, Adriana E. Kajon, Lara Danziger-Isakov

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Pediatric allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (allo-HCT) recipients are at risk for morbidity and mortality from human adenovirus (HAdV). HAdV can be detected in an asymptomatic state, referred to as infection or with signs or symptoms of illness, referred to as disease. Standardized case definitions are needed to distinguish infection from disease and allow for consistent reporting in both observational cohort studies and therapeutic clinical trials.

METHODS: A working group of experts in virology, transplant infectious disease, and HCT was assembled to develop HAdV infection and disease definitions with the degree of certainty (i.e., possible, probable, and proven). Definitions were …

Enhanced Resolution Profiling In Twins Reveals Differential Methylation Signatures Of Type 2 Diabetes With Links To Its Complications., Colette Christiansen, Louis Potier, Tiphaine C. Martin, Sergio Villicaña, Juan E. Castillo-Fernandez, Massimo Mangino, Cristina Menni, Pei-Chien Tsai, Purdey J. Campbell, Shelby Mullin, Juan R. Ordoñana, Olga Monteagudo, Perminder S. Sachdev, Karen A. Mather, Julian N. Trollor, Kirsi H. Pietilainen, Miina Ollikainen, Christine Dalgård, Kirsten Kyvik, Kaare Christensen, Jenny Van Dongen, Gonneke Willemsen, Dorret I. Boomsma, Patrik K E Magnusson, Nancy L. Pedersen, Scott G. Wilson, Elin Grundberg, Tim D. Spector, Jordana T. Bell

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) susceptibility is influenced by genetic and environmental factors. Previous findings suggest DNA methylation as a potential mechanism in T2D pathogenesis and progression.

METHODS: We profiled DNA methylation in 248 blood samples from participants of European ancestry from 7 twin cohorts using a methylation sequencing platform targeting regulatory genomic regions encompassing 2,048,698 CpG sites.

FINDINGS: We find and replicate 3 previously unreported T2D differentially methylated CpG positions (T2D-DMPs) at FDR 5% in RGL3, NGB and OTX2, and 20 signals at FDR 25%, of which 14 replicated. Integrating genetic variation and T2D-discordant monozygotic twin analyses, we identify …