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The Synthesis And Purification Methodology Of An Intermolecular Pyrophosphate Sensor: Applications For The Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction, Ethan Gevedon

Honors Projects

The optimized synthesis and purification methodology for an intermolecular pyrophosphate sensor scaffold molecule was performed: high performance liquid chromatography afforded the scaffold in excellent purity and yield. The applications of the sensor assembly in the quantitative polymerase chain reaction were discussed, and preliminary results show that

Aeromonas Phage Research And The Public Health Impact Of Antibiotics In Aquaculture Workers, Madelyn Merchant

Honors Projects

One of the most common fish diseases in aquaculture is Aeromonas infection. The most common way to treat this infection is through antibiotics. The bacteria in the fish can become antibiotic-resistant and perpetuate the disease. The diseases in fish create a huge financial loss and the industry loses $6 billion per year due to diseases in fish. An alternative to antibiotics is bacteriophage which causes less environmental degradation and is better for human gut flora. In aquaculture there have been examples of aquaculture workers becoming sick from the water in aquaculture ponds as well as from people eating the fish. …

Diversity Of Bacteriophage In Burkholderia Species, Abigail Price

Honors Projects

Bacteriophages are viruses that infect and replicate within bacteria and offer the potential of a therapeutic alternative to chronic infections that do not respond to antibiotic-based therapies. B. vietnamiensis is one of a number of Burkholderia species involved with chronic drug resistant infections in the lungs of individuals with compromised respiratory systems, as found in those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and, most especially, are of particular significance in patients with cystic fibrosis. The diversity of the Burkholderia species is explored by using online databases and looking at bacteriophage or phage-encoding viruses found in B. vietnamiensis. The open reading frames …

Photoacoustic Imaging In Medicine – A Review, Mohammed Gadallah, Abd El-Naser Mohamed, Alaa Hefnawy, Hassan Zidan, Ghada El-Banby, Samir Badawy

Mansoura Engineering Journal

This photoacoustic imaging (PAI) in medicine paper started with an introduction to PAI and the famous photoacoustic techniques including photoacoustic tomography (PAT), multispectral optoacoustic tomography (MSOT), photoacoustic microscopy (PAM), raster-scan optoacoustic mesoscopy (RSOM), and photoacoustic elastography (PAE). A modest review about non-contact laser ultrasound (LUS), having the advantage of operator-independent image quality, has been also demonstrated. A concise review of most of PAI’s medical applications is demonstrated including cancer screening (for breast, thyroid, ovarian, prostate, lung, and skin), tissue oxygenation measurements, brain imaging, imaging-guided surgery (IGS), and the guidance of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). Some safety considerations contributed with …

A Gardener's Tale: Confronting Racial Discrimination At The Intersection Of The School-To-Prison Pipeline And Adolescent Health, Sogand Falahatpour

Richmond Public Interest Law Review

Racism is a public health crisis and it is killing Black youth. Systemic racism

in education is a root cause of a long list of inequities faced by Black

youth. These inequities compound over the years and create extreme hurdles

to academic success and, in many cases, are hazardous to overall health.

The school-to-prison pipeline is a severe health equity issue affecting

Black children and adolescents. Racism is a core social determinant of health

that has a profound impact on child and adolescent health. Moreover, health

is not just an individual matter; institutional and structural forces influence

who has access …

Periodic Spatial Disturbances Alter The Expression Of Quorum Sensing Virulence Factors In Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Laura García-Diéguez

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen associated with severe acute and chronic illnesses. Current antibiotic-based approaches fail to effectively treat P. aeruginosa infections due to the effectiveness and robustness of the quorum sensing signaling system (QS). Pathogenic bacteria, such as P. aeruginosa, employ this population density-dependent communication mechanism to confer antimicrobial resistance, propagate infection, and coordinate the expression of virulence factors, through the production and detection of autoinducing signaling molecules (AI). As such, there is a growing interest in developing novel non-antibiotic-based techniques to attenuate the pathogenicity of P. aeruginosa by disrupting the functionality of its QS system. Previous …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Alkyne-Functionalized Photo-Cross-Linkable Polyesters, Warrick Ma, Xiaochu Ding, Ying Chen, Yadong Wang

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

An alkyne-functionalized elastomer derived from sebacic acid, 1,3-propanediol, and alkyne-functionalized serinol is synthesized via melt condensation. A low-power UV lamp triggers the cross-linking rapidly via thiol-yne click chemistry. The cross-linking behavior is studied by photorheology and NMR spectroscopy. The resultant elastomer possesses mechanical properties similar to those of human soft tissues and exhibits in vitro degradability and good cytocompatibility.

A Periplasmic Cinched Protein Is Required For Siderophore Secretion And Virulence Of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis., Lei Zhang, James E Kent, Meredith Whitaker, David C Young, Dominik Herrmann, Alexander E Aleshin, Ying-Hui Ko, Gino Cingolani, Jamil S Saad, D Branch Moody, Francesca M Marassi, Sabine Ehrt, Michael Niederweis

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

Iron is essential for growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis. To acquire iron from the host, M. tuberculosis uses the siderophores called mycobactins and carboxymycobactins. Here, we show that the rv0455c gene is essential for M. tuberculosis to grow in low-iron medium and that secretion of both mycobactins and carboxymycobactins is drastically reduced in the rv0455c deletion mutant. Both water-soluble and membrane-anchored Rv0455c are functional in siderophore secretion, supporting an intracellular role. Lack of Rv0455c results in siderophore toxicity, a phenotype observed for other siderophore secretion mutants, and severely impairs replication of M. tuberculosis in mice, demonstrating …

Genetic Covariance In Immune Measures And Pathogen Resistance In Decorated Crickets Is Sex And Pathogen Specific, Corinne Letendre, Kristin Duffield, Ben M. Sadd, Scott K. Sakaluk, Clarissa M. House, John Hunt

Faculty Publications – Biological Sciences

1. Insects are important models for studying immunity in an ecological and evolutionary context. Yet, most empirical work on the insect immune system has come from phenotypic studies meaning we have a limited understanding of the genetic architecture of immune function in the sexes.
2. We use nine highly inbred lines to thoroughly examine the genetic relationships between a suite of commonly used immune assays (haemocyte count, implant encapsulation, total phenoloxidase activity, antibacterial zone of inhibition and pathogen clearance) and resistance to infection by three generalist insect pathogens (the gram-negative bacterium Serratia marcescens, the gram-positive bacterium Bacillus cereus and the fungus …

Appendix A: February 25 Institutional History Email From President Crutcher

Richmond Public Interest Law Review

No abstract provided.

Future Of Biomedical, Agricultural, And Biological Systems Research Using Domesticated Animals, Thomas E Spencer, Kevin D Wells, Kiho Lee, Bhanu P Telugu, Peter J Hansen, Frank F Bartol, Leann Blomberg, Lawrence B Schook, Harry Dawson, Joan K Lunney, John P Driver, Teresa A Davis, Sharon M Donovan, Ryan N Dilger, Linda J Saif, Adam Moeser, Jodi L Mcgill, George Smith, James J Ireland

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Increased knowledge of reproduction and health of domesticated animals is integral to sustain and improve global competitiveness of U.S. animal agriculture, understand and resolve complex animal and human diseases, and advance fundamental research in sciences that are critical to understanding mechanisms of action and identifying future targets for interventions. Historically, federal and state budgets have dwindled and funding for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) competitive grants programs remained relatively stagnant from 1985 through 2010. This shortage in critical financial support for basic and applied research, coupled with the underappreciated knowledge of …

Indie Illness: An Evaluation Of The Orphan Drug Act, Nicholas Castellanos

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the Orphan Drug Act of 1983 by subtracting the cost of incentives for drug development from the estimated value created by each drug in the form of quality-adjusted life-year gains. Data regarding costs of incentives is retrieved from the FDA as well as a report released by the National Organization for Rare Disorders. Data regarding value created by each drug is retrieved from a Freedom of Information Act request to the FDA, the CEA registry, and a report released by the US Department of Health and Human Sciences. Sufficient data was available …

Circadian Pacemaker Neurons Display Cophasic Rhythms In Basal Calcium Level And In Fast Calcium Fluctuations, Xitong Liang, Timothy E Holy, Paul H Taghert

Open Access Publications

SignificanceDaily rhythms in the molecular clock, in calcium, and in electrical activity all interact to support the functions of circadian pacemaker neurons. However, the regulatory mechanisms that unify these properties are not defined. Here, we utilize the cellular resolution of the

Neuromorphic Computing Using Electrostatic Mems Devices, Fadi Alsaleem

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

A continuous - time recurrent neural network ( CTRNN ) is described that exploits the nonlinear dynamics of micro electro - mechanical system ( MEMS ) devices to model a neuron in accordance with a neuron rate model that is the basis for dynamic field theory . Each MEMS device in the CTRNN is configured to simulate a neuron population by exploiting the characteristics of bi - stability and hysteresis inherent in certain MEMS device structures . In an embodiment , the MEMS device is a microbeam or cantilevered microbeam device that is excited with an alternating current ( AC …

Independent - Apr. 26, 2022, Monty Stites

The Independent (1988-present)

No abstract provided.

Is The Zebrafish Speed Bump Mutant A Mutation In Wee1? And Is It A Complete Loss Of Function?, Nathania Karyadi

Honors Theses

Every cell has to undergo the cell cycle process before it can divide or differentiate. The cell cycle is an error-prone complex process where mutations could happen. This study aimed to characterize the nervous system and blood cells of the speed bump mutant in zebrafish. This study also aimed to do gene characterization of the wee1 CRISPR mutant. The speed bump mutant is due to a mutation in the wee1 gene. Lack of the wee1 gene will cause no Wee1 Kinase, which inhibits the MPF, causing cells to go into mitosis too early. To fulfill these objectives, this study used …

Combating Global Warming: Modeling Enhanced Rock Weathering Of Wollastonite Using Density Functional Theory, Brian Luan

Theses

Negative emissions technologies target the removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as a way of combating global warming. Enhanced rock weathering (ERW) is a vital negative emissions technology that applied globally could remove gigatons of carbon dioxide per year from the atmosphere. In ERW, silicate minerals exposed to the atmosphere trap CO2 via mineral carbonation as thermodynamically stable carbonates. To obtain an atomic scale understanding of the weathering process and to design more reactive silicates for enhanced rock weathering, carbon dioxide adsorption on low Miller index wollastonite (CaSiO3) surfaces was modeled using density functional theory. Atomic scale structure of …

Evolution, Yajing Yan

Theses

My work is about how, as microplastic invades the earth, humans begin evolving, following the laws of natural selection. Plastic is attached in visual relationships to represent future mutations after decades of absorbing microplastic into the body. Many contemporary films and books discuss cyberpunk and steampunk from an evolutionary perspective. Technologies such as artificial intelligence and mechanical organ transplantation allow humans to evolve. However, I do not want to discuss the impacts of external technology. Instead, I am concerned with how the intrusion of microplastics influences humanity’s slow self-evolution. I divide my work into different stages to explore how humans …

Exploring Arts Based Assessments For Relevancy In Art Therapy Research, Anjelica Cortés, Denielle Dominguez, Hayoung Lee, Naomi Nessim, Ciera D. Olson

LMU Theses and Dissertations

This paper explores the integration of art assessments with cancer patients as a tool for determining potential scholarly value. Qualitative data was collected from two clinicians who ran weekly art therapy groups with women who are undergoing or who have survived breast cancer treatment. Both groups were 10 week modules structured as open studio groups, and each clinician was subsequently interviewed by the researchers who used a series of formatted questions to assess how the four art assessments were offered to participants, how participants responded to the invitation to engage in assessments, and how the clinician’s reflected on patients’ experiences …

Accessory Genomes Drive Independent Spread Of Carbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella Pneumoniae Clonal Groups 258 And 307 In Houston, Tx, William C Shropshire, An Q Dinh, Michelle Earley, Lauren Komarow, Diana Panesso, Kirsten Rydell, Sara I Gómez-Villegas, Hongyu Miao, Carol Hill, Liang Chen, Robin Patel, Bettina C Fries, Lilian Abbo, Eric Cober, Sara Revolinski, Courtney L Luterbach, Henry Chambers, Vance G Fowler, Robert A Bonomo, Samuel A Shelburne, Barry N Kreiswirth, David Van Duin, Blake M Hanson, Cesar A Arias

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKp) is an urgent public health threat. Worldwide dissemination of CRKp has been largely attributed to clonal group (CG) 258. However, recent evidence indicates the global emergence of a CRKp CG307 lineage. Houston, TX, is the first large city in the United States with detected cocirculation of both CRKp CG307 and CG258. We sought to characterize the genomic and clinical factors contributing to the parallel endemic spread of CG258 and CG307. CRKp isolates were collected as part of the prospective, Consortium on Resistance against Carbapenems in Klebsiella and other Enterobacterales 2 …

April 26, 2022 Ereporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

eReporter (campus newsletter)

No abstract provided.

College Of Education News, Georgia Southern University

College of Education: News & Publications (2003-2023)

• Georgia Southern Receives $1.1M National Science Foundation Grant to Support Development of Regional Mathematics, Science Teachers

The Relationships Between And Among Parental Perceptions Of Family-Centered Care, Parental Beliefs, And Parental Stress In The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Kelly Keefe-Marcoux

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Children hospitalized for critical care require increasingly complex and technical care, which can be very stressful for parents. Awareness of the importance of parents’ role while their child is receiving critical care is vital to deliver care within a family-centered philosophy that is mutually beneficial to parents and nurses. This descriptive correlational study examined the relationships between and among parental perception of Family-Centered Care (FCC) nursing practices, parental beliefs regarding their role and their hospitalized child, and parental stress during their child’s admission to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). This study utilized the Family-Centered Care theoretical framework to examine …

Cyclophosphamide Induces Durable Molecular And Clinical Responses In Patients With Relapsed T-Lgl Leukemia., Zachary Braunstein, Eric Mclaughlin, Anjali Mishra, Jonathan E Brammer

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

Accumulation Of Persistent Organic Pollutants In Marine Mammals: A Case Study On Cetaceans, Pinnipeds, And Sirenians, Alydia Moorhead

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are lipophilic semi-volatile organic chemicals that present a range of challenges to marine biota, specifically marine mammals that often occupy a high trophic position in the food web. POPs have become a global problem since they have been shown to cause immunologic, teratogenic, carcinogenic, neurological, and reproductive complications in living organisms due to their resistance to biodegradation and their lipophilic nature. Marine mammals can accumulate these toxic substances through direct ingestion, trophic transfer, adsorption, and maternal offloading. They are susceptible to both bioaccumulation and biomagnification of POPs. Accumulation of POPs is affected by many variables, including …

Antiviral Activity Of Olanexidine-Containing Hand Rub Against Human Noroviruses, Khalil Ettayebi, Wilhelm Salmen, Kaoru Imai, Akifumi Hagi, Frederick H Neill, Robert L Atmar, B V Venkataram Prasad, Mary K Estes

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Human norovirus (HuNoV) is the leading cause of epidemic and sporadic acute gastroenteritis worldwide. HuNoV transmission occurs predominantly by direct person-to-person contact, and its health burden is associated with poor hand hygiene and a lack of effective antiseptics and disinfectants. Specific therapies and methods to prevent and control HuNoV spread previously were difficult to evaluate because of the lack of a cell culture system to propagate infectious virus. This barrier has been overcome with the successful cultivation of HuNoV in nontransformed human intestinal enteroids (HIEs). Here, we report using the HIE cultivation system to evaluate the virucidal efficacy of an …

Future Climate Change Conditions May Compromise Metabolic Performance In Juveniles Of The Mud Crab Scylla Serrata, Elina Apine, Madhu K. Mani, Praveen Rai, Indrani Karunasagar, Lucy M. Turner

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Research characterising the effects of future climate change on the marine environment remains heavily focussed on that of temperate regions and organisms. Furthermore, little is known of these effects on the early life stages of many marine species. Tropical regions are already experiencing an increase in sea surface temperature and decrease in sea surface salinity, conditions favoured by pathogenic bacteria such as Vibrio spp. The early life stages of crabs are known to be particularly vulnerable to both the direct physiological effects of climate change and exposure to harmful microorganisms, yet there are limited data on these effects on juveniles …

Types Of Personality And Stress Coping Approaches (Contrasting Fci And Cwc Organisations), Luxmi, Sandeep

Management Dynamics

Today the world is changing with-changing business environment .To keep a pace with this changing business environment one has to go through physical, mental, emotional and social stress. It has become important for an individual and the organization to keep them free from stress. For this purpose different kind of stress coping strategies are available. A comparative analysis was conducted on FCI and CWC organaisation to test stress coping approaches used by different personality type. For this t test, ANOVA and correlation analysis was conducted on a sample of 70 employees each from FCI and CWC organizations. Results indicated that …

An Exploratory Study Of Working Conditions Of Medical Representatives In India, Neeraj Dixit

Management Dynamics

Medical representatives are responsible for promotion of drugs to doctors, on behalf of their pharmaceutical organization. In India there are about 0.3 million medical representatives. There are believed to be 20,000 pharmaceutical organizations in India out of which the top 250 companies contribute to 70% of the Pharmaceutical industry turnover, which was around 21 billion dollars in 2010. The present study focuses on working conditions as well as compensation and other benefits ojfered to medical representatives. The study involved a survey of 91 medical representatives (or 91 pharmaceutical companies). Literature review has not given any significant results in this study. …

The Ecology And Evolution Of Phenotypic Plasticity: Insights From Amphibians, Rick Relyea

Sustainability Seminar Series

Nearly every species on the planet exhibits traits that are the product of the genes they possess and the environments in which they live. Dr. Relyea will examine the ecological and evolutionary insights from more than two decades of studying amphibians as a model system, including the many different predator, competitor, and contaminant environments that induce changes in behavior, morphology, and life history. He will also explore the phylogenetic patterns in how plastic traits have evolved, including how traits and trait plasticities can exhibit dramatically different evolutionary patterns.