Digital Commons Network^™

Synthesis Of Leishmania Spp Antigens For The Development Of Vaccine Candidates, Dipesh Budhathoki

Theses and Dissertations

Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by the protozoan parasite of the genus Leishmania. Presently no vaccine against Leishmaniasis is available, so there is a need for new anti-leishmanial treatments, including an effective preventive vaccine. We focus on developing vaccine candidates based on leishmania’s cell surface carbohydrate antigens. Saccharides heavily envelop the cell surface of Leishmania, lipophosphoglycan (LPG) becoming a significant glycan in most leishmania species. Its intrinsic antigenicity makes this polysaccharide a useful target for developing conjugated vaccine candidates against all leishmaniasis variants. In this report, we present our progress towards the synthesis of the fragments of LPG …

Locus-Specific Differential Expression Of Human Satellite Sequences In The Nuclei Of Cancer Cells And Heat-Shocked Cells, Christina Rabeler, N. Paterna, Rajiv Potluri , '20, Lia R. D’Alessandro , '21, Anusha Bhatia , '24, Shu Yi Chen , '24, Johanna Lee , '23, Bereketab Abeje , '23, Benjamin Lipchin , '25, B. R. Carone, Dawn M. Carone

Biology Faculty Works

Human satellites (HSats) are pericentric, tandemly repeating satellite DNA sequences in the human genome. While silent in normal cells, a subset of HSat2 noncoding RNA is expressed and accumulates in the nucleus of cancer cells. We developed a FISH-based approach for identification of the distribution of three subfamilies of HSat2 (A1, A2, B) sequences on individual human chromosomes. Further, using the HSat subfamily annotations in the T2T completed centromere satellite (CenSat) sequence, we isolated, defined and mapped differentially expressed sequence variants of nuclear-restricted HSat2 and HSat3 RNA from cancer cell lines and heat-shocked cells. We identified chromosome-specific and subfamily-specific expression …

The Iglon Family Of Cell Adhesion Molecules Expressed In Developing Neural Circuits Ensure The Proper Functioning Of The Sensory System In Mice, K. Singh, M. Jayaram, A. Hanumantharaju, T. Tõnissoo, T. Jagomäe, K. Mikheim, S. Muthuraman, Scott F. Gilbert, M. Plaas, M. K. E. Schäfer, J. Innos, K. Lilleväli, M.-A. Philips, E. Vasar

Biology Faculty Works

Deletions and malfunctions of the IgLON family of cell adhesion molecules are associated with anatomical, behavioral, and metabolic manifestations of neuropsychiatric disorders. We have previously shown that IgLON genes are expressed in sensory nuclei/pathways and that IgLON proteins modulate sensory processing. Here, we examined the expression of IgLON alternative promoter-specific isoforms during embryonic development and studied the sensory consequences of the anatomical changes when one of the IgLON genes, Negr1, is knocked out. At the embryonal age of E12.5 and E13.5, various IgLONs were distributed differentially and dynamically in the developing sensory areas within the central and peripheral nervous …

Course Catalog 2024-2025, Csusb

CSUSB Course Catalog

No abstract provided.

Noise And Light Pollution Elicit Endocrine Responses In Urban But Not Forest Frogs, J. A. H. Smit, R. Vooijs, P. Lindenburg, Alexander T. Baugh, W. Halfwerk

Biology Faculty Works

Urban areas are characterised by the presence of sensory pollutants, such as anthropogenic noise and artificial light at night (ALAN). Animals can quickly adapt to novel environmental conditions by adjusting their behaviour, which is proximately regulated by endocrine systems. While endocrine responses to sensory pollution have been widely reported, this has not often been linked to changes in behaviour, hampering the understanding of adaptiveness of endocrine responses. Our aim was, therefore, to investigate the effects of urbanisation, specifically urban noise and light pollution, on hormone levels in male urban and forest túngara frogs (Engystomops pustulosus), a species with …

Testing The Relationship Between Per-Pupil Expenditures And Demonstrated Mastery Across Biology And Literature, Nina Braum-Bharti

NERA Conference Proceedings 2024

Because inquiry-based, resource intensive Biology instruction is more costly than Literature instruction, a relationship between district-wide per-pupil expenditure and performance differences between Biology and Literature exams is hypothesized. Using Pennsylvania’s Keystone exams, analyses reveal a small but significant effect, with higher expenditures associated with smaller gaps in mastery between Biology and Literature.

Strategies For Integrating Aging And Older Adulthood Into Counselor Training, Matthew C. Fullen, Jordan Westcott, Kailey Bradley, Natese R. Dockery, Jungeun Lee, Rumbidzai Mushunje, Afroze N. Shaikh

Adultspan Journal

Following recent changes to Medicare mental health law, counselors will have expanded opportunities to work with older adults. Historically, there has been a dearth of counselor training dedicated to counseling older adults, necessitating greater attention to understanding and applying best practices for preparing counselors to serve older adult clients. Looking to professions that have a longer history of serving older adults, specifically gerontology, social work, and geropsychology, we describe approaches to training counselors to work with older adults that may prove helpful for the counseling profession.

2023 Celebration Of Faculty Scholarship, University Libraries

University Libraries: Faculty Publications and Other Works

A bibliography of works featured in the 2023 Celebration of Faculty Scholarship event sponsored by Loyola University Chicago Libraries. The event featured articles, books, and other materials created by Loyola faculty members in the academic year 2022-2023.

Catalog | 2024-2025, Jacksonville State University

Announcements, Bulletins & Catalogs | Undergraduate

(2024-2025). In its early years as the State Normal School, JSU produced a variety of publications (announcements, bulletins, and catalogs) that contain course information combined with the types of information that would later be found in yearbooks. Examples include historical information about the school, lists of enrolled students and club officers, photographs of athletic teams and literary clubs, notes on alumni, faculty and campus facilities, and more.

Graduate Bulletin & Catalog | 2024-2025, Jacksonville State University

Bulletins & Catalogs | Graduate

Jacksonville State was granted University status in 1966 and began adding graduate programs to its curriculum at that time. Graduate bulletins and catalogs contain information on the academic calendar, policies and procedures, faculty, scholarships and tuition, and degree requirements for graduate programs.

Lyme Disease Ecology In The Eastern United States: An Overview, Aliya C. Aguirre

Biology Student Work

Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States of America (USA). In North America, Lyme disease is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.) and vectored by the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis. Historically, Lyme disease has been primarily restricted to the northeastern United States, despite I. scapularis occurring throughout the entire eastern region. There are genetically unique northern and southern populations of I. scapularis. The differences between these two populations have been hypothesized to be driving the difference in Lyme disease case incidence in the northeastern and southeastern United States. This review will examine …

Unm Pathology, Pathfinder Winter 2024, Unm Department Of Pathology

Newsletters

No abstract provided.

2024 Program, Belmont University

Humanities Symposium Programs

No abstract provided.

Evidence Informed Practices In Sober Living: Implementing The Social Model

The Graduate Review

No abstract provided.

Assessing The Environmental Footprint Of Alternative Green Biorefinery Protein Extraction Techniques From Grasses And Legumes, James Gaffey, Andres Arce Martinez, Thalles Allan Andrade, Morten Ambye-Jensen, George Bishop, Maurice N. Collins, David Styles

Publications

The significant grasslands of Europe and its member states represents a significant feedstock opportunity for circular bioeconomy development. The development of green biorefineries (GBR), to supply protein for the feed industry from grass, could help many European member states to address significant deficits in protein availability and reduce imports. The current study assesses the environmental footprint of alternative GBR protein extraction techniques from grasses and legumes using life cycle assessment. The focus is on comparing feedstock and technology pathways that could displace soya bean imports. The study finds that leaf protein concentrate (LPC) produced from grass had an improved environmental …

Cancer Care Annual Report 2022-2023, Children's Mercy Kansas City

Cancer Center Annual Reports

Annual report of cancer care and oncology services at the Children's Mercy Kansas City, a pediatric medical center. This year’s report focuses on Brain Tumors.

Building A Pipeline For Transfer And Scholarship Through (Virtual) Honors Research Partnerships, Lauri B. Cockfield

National Collegiate Honors Council Monographs: Chapters

Excerpt:

At the start of the 2020 academic year, I was approached by the president of the Barry Goldwater Foundation, who invited the Perimeter Honors College to participate in a new initiative they were undertaking with the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation to identify excellent candidates for the Goldwater scholarship from groups underrepresented in STEM. We were already establishing a framework in research that included appointment of a new Research and Scholarship Coordinator in the honors college, a campus-based research showcase, and a new research partnership with an interdisciplinary bachelor’s program. Because one of the goals of these structural changes …

Plant And Soil Effects Of Alternative Sources Of Phosphorus Over Three Years Of Application, Anna Karpinska, Thomais Kakouli-Duarte, S M. Ashekuzzaman, John Byrne, Achim Schmalenberger, Patrick J. Forrestal

Publications

Plant growth and food security depend heavily on phosphorus (P). Recovering and recycling P from animal, municipal, and food waste streams can significantly reduce dependency on traditional mineral P. This is particularly pertinent in the EU regions with limited native P supplies. The agronomic performance of including P-based recycling-derived fertilisers (two struvite and two ashes) or cattle slurry was compared to a conventional mineral P fertilisation programme along with no P and no fertiliser controls over three years. A field-scale experiment was set up to evaluate the perennial ryegrass dry matter yield (DMY), P uptake, and soil test P effects. …

Adversarial Hidden Link Threats In Meta Computing, Junjie Xiong, Mingkui Wei, Zhuo Lu, Yao Liu

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

In the emerging field of Meta Computing, where data collection and integration are essential components, the threat of adversary hidden link attacks poses a significant challenge to web crawlers. In this paper, we investigate the impact of these attacks on data collection by web crawlers, emphasizing their evasion of traditional detection methods. Through empirical evaluation, we uncover vulnerabilities in existing crawler mechanisms, particularly in code inspection, and propose enhancements to mitigate these weaknesses. Our assessment of real-world web pages reveals the prevalence and impact of adversary hidden link attacks, emphasizing the necessity for robust countermeasures. Furthermore, we introduce a mitigation …

The Efficacy Of Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy: A Literature Review, Erica Thiem

Counselor Education Capstones

Equine-assisted psychotherapy (EAP) is a growing form of psychotherapy that has yet to establish a solid research base. The present literature review sought to determine for which adult population(s), if any, this method is the most recommended. This author completed a literature review that involved reading twenty-one studies on a variety of adult populations. Studies were found about veterans and/or people diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder, patients with substance use disorders, survivors of interpersonal violence, psychiatric patients, college students, older adults, women with eating disorders and more. Zero incidences of harm were found by using EAP. However, the literature was …

Limitations Of Invasive Snake Control Tools In The Context Of A New Invasion On An Island With Abundant Prey, Shane R. Siers, Melia G. Nafus, Jereid E. Calaor, Rachel M. Volsteadt, Matthew S. Grassi, Megan Volsteadt, Aaron F. Collins, Patrick D. Barnhart, Logan T. Huse, Amy A. Yackel Adams, Diane L. Vice

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In October 2020, a new population of invasive brown treesnakes (Boiga irregularis) was discovered on the 33-ha Cocos Island, 2.5 km off the south coast of Guam, United States. Cocos Island is a unique conservation resource, providing refuge for many lizards and birds, including endangered species, which were extirpated from mainland Guam by invasive predators including brown treesnakes. We sought to evaluate the usefulness of toxic baiting with acetaminophen-treated carrion baits and cage trapping, common tools for the control of brown treesnakes on mainland Guam, as potential eradication tools on Cocos Island. We evaluated multiple bait types and …

Site-Specific Space Use And Resource Selection By Black Vultures (Coragyps Atratus) In The Southeastern Usa, Betsy Evans, John S. Humphrey, Eric A. Tillman, Michael L. Avery, Bryan M. Kluever

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

North American populations of Black Vultures Coragyps atratus have increased and expanded their distribution in the southern and eastern USA. In conjunction with these patterns has been a rise in human–vulture conflicts. To improve our understanding of space use patterns and better inform management, we evaluated the movements of Black Vultures (n = 23) in the southeastern USA using a long-term GPS tracking database. Our specific objectives were to: (1) quantify home-range sizes in relation to season and geographical study location and (2) examine within-home-range resource selection to identify landscape and anthropogenic factors influencing roost and diurnal space use. …

Antipredator Blood-Squirting Defense In Horned Lizards (Phrynosoma): Chemical Isolation Of Plasma Component(S), Pogonomyrmex Ant Dietary Origin, And Evolution, Wade C. Sherbrooke, Bruce A. Kimball

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

North American horned lizards of the genus Phrynosoma are largely myrmecophagous and squirt systemic blood from circumocular sinuses during encounters with certain mammalian predators. The predators react with distinct revulsion. Using bioassay-guided fractionation of blood plasma, we endeavored to identify the source and characteristics of the active chemical compound(s) responsible for this negative oral response. Our results of coyote bioassays and a series of novel mouse bioassay experiments were largely concordant. The active compound(s) was likely plasma-borne with a molecular weight (mw) of between 800 and 1,600. To identify the source of the active compound(s), we noted bioassay responses …

Eradication Of Feral Swine From A Barrier Island In Florida, Usa: An Examination Of Effort And Multi-Method, Multi-Species Population Indexing, Richard M. Engeman, Eric A. Tillman, Betsy A. Evans, John C. Griffin, Garrison Grobaski, Bradley S. Smith, John Stark, Bryan M. Kluever

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Feral swine (Sus scrofa) were targeted for and successfully eradicated from Saint Vincent Island (SVI), a National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) along the coast of Florida’s panhandle to protect its habitats and uncharacteristically high diversity of wildlife species for barrier islands in the region, including federal and state-listed threatened and endangered species. The eradication effort was initiated in early 2015 and concluded in 2019. A total of 438 feral swine were removed from the Island, 417 by federal control experts and 21 by recreational hunters. In general, the amount of effort needed to eradicate each feral swine slowly increased …

Downed Wood Removal Effects On Survival And Site Fidelity Of Woodrats In A California Oak Woodland, Timothy J. Smyser, Michael A. Hardy, Amy J. Davis, William L. Preston, William D. Tietje

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Owing to the increasing intensity and frequency of wildfires in the western United States, the removal of woody debris (downed dead wood and snags) from fire‐prone landscapes is being evaluated for wildfire mitigation. Consequently, the study of the ecological value of coarse woody debris to sustain dependent species has become of foremost importance. From 2004–2009, we used a before‐after control‐impact (BACI) study design to assess the effects of downed wood removal on a population of big‐eared woodrats (Neotoma macrotis) in an oak woodland (Quercus spp.) in coastal‐central California, USA. Using Pollock's robust design mark‐recapture analyses (with 12 …

High Thermal Quality Rookeries Facilitate High Thermoregulatory Accuracy In Pregnant Female Rattlesnakes, Haley A. Moniz, Jack Henry Buck, Hayley L. Crowell, Scott M. Goetz, Trevor D. Ruiz, Emily N. Taylor, Scott M. Bobacks

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Temperature is a primary factor influencing organismal development, and the fluctuating daily and seasonal thermal regimes of temperate climates may challenge the ability of viviparous reptiles to optimize body temperatures during gestation. Testing how viviparous reptiles navigate highly variable thermal conditions (e.g., relatively cold nights and/or highly fluctuating temperatures) is a powerful way to understand how they use microhabitats for thermoregulatory benefits. We assessed the thermal ecology of pregnant and non-pregnant female prairie rattlesnakes (Crotalus viridis) inhabiting a high-elevation, montane shrubland in northwest Colorado throughout their short summer active season, addressing the thermal consequences of microhabitat selection with …

Characterizing Feral Swine Movement Across The Contiguous United States Using Neural Networks And Genetic Data, Rachael M. Giglio, Courtney F. Bowden, Ryan K. Brook, Antoinette J. Piaggio, Timothy J. Smyser

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Globalization has led to the frequent movement of species out of their native habitat. Some of these species become highly invasive and capable of profoundly altering invaded ecosystems. Feral swine (Sus scrofa × domesticus) are recognized as being among the most destructive invasive species, with populations established on all continents except Antarctica. Within the United States (US), feral swine are responsible for extensive crop damage, the destruction of native ecosystems, and the spread of disease. Purposeful human-mediated movement of feral swine has contributed to their rapid range expansion over the past 30 years. Patterns of deliberate introduction of …

Bayesian Integrated Species Distribution Models For Hierarchical Resource Selection By A Soaring Bird, Ryo Ogawa, Guiming Wang, L. Wes Burger, Bronson Strickland, J. Brian Davis, Fred L. Cunningham

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Migratory birds exhibit seasonal geographic range (hereafter, range) dynamics during the annual cycle. Few studies have examined how migratory birds select their habitats for range occupancy at the species level and space use at the individual level simultaneously. We hypothesized that environmental variables directly related to fitness components would affect the range occupancy probabilities of migrants, whereas environment variables related to movements and flights would affect the space use intensities of migrants. We built Bayesian integrated species distribution models (ISDMs) to evaluate the effects of climate conditions, wind conditions, and landcover compositions on the seasonal range dynamics of American white …

Raccoon Density Estimation From Camera Traps For Raccoon Rabies Management, Amy J. Davis, Wesley C. Dixon, Richard B. Chipman, Amy T. Gilbert, Jacob E. Hill, James C. Beasley, Olin E. Rhodes Jr., Guha Dharmarajan

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Density estimation for unmarked animals is particularly challenging, yet density estimates are often necessary for effective wildlife management. Raccoons (Procyon lotor) are the primary terrestrial wildlife reservoir for Lyssavirus rabies within the United States. The raccoon rabies variant (RRVV) is actively managed at landscape scales using oral rabies vaccination (ORV) within the eastern United States. To effectively manage RRVV, it is important to know the density of raccoons to appropriately scale the density of ORV baits distributed on the landscape. We compared methods to estimate raccoon densities from camera‐trap data versus more intensive capture‐mark‐recapture (CMR) estimates across 2 …

Evaluating Functional Inhibitors Of Acid Sphingomyelinase As Potential Negative Modulators Of Microvesicle Particle Release In Response To Skin Stressors, Taskin Sabit

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Many diseases including lupus erythematosus, atopic eczema, and rosacea can be associated with photosensitivity, which is an abnormal response to sunlight. Recent studies by our group have implicated microvesicle particles (MVP) as playing an important role in causing inflammation and systemic immunosuppression. Previous studies show that functional inhibitors of acid sphingomyelinase (FIASMA) can block MVP release in response to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation or Platelet-activating Factor (PAF) agonist, which are skin stressors. However, more research needs to be conducted to evaluate the role of PAF, UVB and FIASMA in MVP generation and to formulate a therapeutic medication to be potentially …