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Articles 151 - 180 of 1476

Full-Text Articles in Microbiology

Understanding Cellular Dynamics: Investigating A Yeast-Two Hybrid Protein-Protein Interaction, Riok3:Cse1l; Also By Investigating Trogocytosis Of Cd4+ T Cells From Rhog-/- Mice, Brittnee N. Crane Jan 2024

Understanding Cellular Dynamics: Investigating A Yeast-Two Hybrid Protein-Protein Interaction, Riok3:Cse1l; Also By Investigating Trogocytosis Of Cd4+ T Cells From Rhog-/- Mice, Brittnee N. Crane

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is a negative-sense virus that was first described in 1930 when it was isolated from sheep during an outbreak. In the last 25 years there has been a spread in the geographical range into the Middle East. The most susceptible animals are cattle, goats, sheep, and camels. The most overt symptom of livestock infection is that infected pregnant animals experience spontaneous abortion. Humans are susceptible as well and symptoms range from mild febrile illness to liver necrosis, blindness, hemorrhagic fever, and death. An important player in the cellular innate response to RVFV infections is the …


Sars-Cov-2 Immunogenicity Models Inform Novel Strategies That Can Improve Mrna Vaccines, Katherine S. Lee Jan 2024

Sars-Cov-2 Immunogenicity Models Inform Novel Strategies That Can Improve Mrna Vaccines, Katherine S. Lee

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The onset of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, issued a call to action in the fields of biomedical science and public health to implement strategies to contain and protect against the viral threat. In record times, pharmaceutical companies produced antiviral therapies and novel mRNA vaccines that were approved by the FDA for human use. With time, these vaccines were able to assist in ending the pandemic. However, time also showed the limits of mRNA vaccine induced immunity. Despite antibody responses being initially robust, titers dramatically wane with time and are limited in cross-neutralizing ability. As …


Investigating The Role And Mechanism Of Host Cell Death In Porcine Reproductive And Respiratory Virus Infection, Michelle Steyn Jan 2024

Investigating The Role And Mechanism Of Host Cell Death In Porcine Reproductive And Respiratory Virus Infection, Michelle Steyn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.


Tim/Tam Receptors: A Potential Biomarker For Predicting Sensitivity To Zika Virus-Induced Oncolysis In Non-Small Cell Lung Cancers, Shankari Somasekar Jan 2024

Tim/Tam Receptors: A Potential Biomarker For Predicting Sensitivity To Zika Virus-Induced Oncolysis In Non-Small Cell Lung Cancers, Shankari Somasekar

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) constitute 80-85% of lung cancers and are the leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally. The most common cause is prolonged smoking. Current treatment options for NSCLC include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, targeted drug therapy, and immunotherapy. Although these medications are effective in the short term, patients often face issues of drug resistance and debilitating side effects with prolonged use. Currently, the use of Zika virus (ZIKV) is being researched as a possible alternative treatment for cancer, which minimizes side effects and the risk of drug resistance. TIM/TAM proteins are identified as the putative ZIKV receptors on …


Understanding The Effect Of Chikungunya Virus Infection On Bone Homeostasis, Enakshi Roy Dec 2023

Understanding The Effect Of Chikungunya Virus Infection On Bone Homeostasis, Enakshi Roy

Theses & Dissertations

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne virus that causes Chikungunya fever (CHIKF), characterized by high fever, headache, rash, and joint pain. With global travel on the rise, infections caused by CHIKV have emerged in new regions, expanding their geographic range and infecting susceptible hosts. Currently, no approved prophylactic or therapeutic measures exist to prevent or treat these infections, with prevention strategies primarily focused on vector control. However, these measures have proven inadequate due to the emergence of mutations that enhance viral transmission or vector range. Therefore, urgent attention is needed to develop therapies to treat the infection. Although CHIKV has …


Establishing A Novel Lipid-Polyamine Metabolic Connection To Virus Replication, Yazmin Edith Cruz Pulido Dec 2023

Establishing A Novel Lipid-Polyamine Metabolic Connection To Virus Replication, Yazmin Edith Cruz Pulido

Dissertations

Polyamines are small positively charged alkylamines found in all living cells. These ubiquitous molecules have been found to play a variety of roles ranging from stabilizing nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) to cellular proliferation. Studies have also identified roles for polyamines in viral packaging and viral enzyme function. However, the role of polyamines on cellular components and their effect on viral replication is less known. In our efforts to identify the lipid-polyamine metabolic connection to virus replication we utilized a human hepatocyte cell line in which polyamines were depleted via pharmacological or genetic approaches and studied the effects on lipid …


Increased Coding Potential Of Bovine Herpesvirus 1, Victoria Jefferson Dec 2023

Increased Coding Potential Of Bovine Herpesvirus 1, Victoria Jefferson

Theses and Dissertations

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) costs the cattle industry millions of dollars in costs in treatment and loss every year in the United States. A significant pathogen often contributes to BRD is Bovine Herpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1), a double stranded DNA virus with the ability to establish latency in the trigeminal ganglia and neurons. Primary infection with BoHV-1 results in immunosuppression that increases the risk of secondary bacterial infection and pneumonia. Because herpesviruses infect their hosts for life and can be reactivated in times of stress, BoHV-1 can present a recurring risk of BRD. The following research aims to expand the knowledge …


Ecohiv-Infected Mice Show No Signs Of Platelet Activation, Hammodah Rawhi Hammodah Alfar, Dominic Ngima Nthenge-Ngumbau, Kathryn E. Saatman, Sidney W. Whiteheart Dec 2023

Ecohiv-Infected Mice Show No Signs Of Platelet Activation, Hammodah Rawhi Hammodah Alfar, Dominic Ngima Nthenge-Ngumbau, Kathryn E. Saatman, Sidney W. Whiteheart

Saha Cardiovascular Research Center Faculty Publications

Platelets express several surface receptors that could interact with different viruses. To understand the mechanisms of HIV-1′s interaction with platelets, we chose the EcoHIV model. While EcoHIV is an established model for neuroAIDS, its effects on platelets are ill-defined. Our results indicate that EcoHIV behaves differently from HIV-1 and is cleared from circulation after 48 h post- infection. The EcoHIV course of infection resembles an HIV-1 infection under the effects of combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) since infected mice stayed immunocompetent and the virus was readily detected in the spleen. EcoHIV-infected mice failed to become thrombocytopenic and showed no signs of …


Developing Disinfection Strategies For Controlling Human Norovirus, Sars-Cov-2, And Clostridioides Difficile Endospores In Long-Term Care Facilities, Jinge Huang Dec 2023

Developing Disinfection Strategies For Controlling Human Norovirus, Sars-Cov-2, And Clostridioides Difficile Endospores In Long-Term Care Facilities, Jinge Huang

All Dissertations

Long-term care facilities (LTCFs) provide an environment favorable for the transmission of three critical human pathogens: human norovirus (HuNoV), severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and Clostridioides difficile. Given residents in LTCFs are susceptible to infections due to their advanced ages and compromised immune systems, effective environmental surface disinfection plays a crucial role in controlling the spread of human pathogens within these settings and, therefore, mitigates the risk of infections caused by these pathogens. This dissertation aimed to assess the efficacy of various types of disinfectants against two HuNoV surrogates [feline calicivirus (FCV) and Tulane virus (TuV)], two …


Microbial Stimulation Of Oxytocin Release From The Intestinal Epithelium Via Secretin Signaling, Heather A Danhof, Jihwan Lee, Aanchal Thapa, Robert A Britton, Sara C Di Rienzi Dec 2023

Microbial Stimulation Of Oxytocin Release From The Intestinal Epithelium Via Secretin Signaling, Heather A Danhof, Jihwan Lee, Aanchal Thapa, Robert A Britton, Sara C Di Rienzi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Intestinal microbes impact the health of the intestine and organs distal to the gut. Limosilactobacillus reuteri is a human intestinal microbe that promotes normal gut transit, the anti-inflammatory immune system, wound healing, normal social behavior in mice, and prevents bone reabsorption. Oxytocin impacts these functions and oxytocin signaling is required for L. reuteri-mediated wound healing and social behavior; however, the events in the gut leading to oxytocin stimulation and beneficial effects are unknown. Here we report evolutionarily conserved oxytocin production in the intestinal epithelium through analysis of single-cell RNA-Seq datasets and imaging of human and mouse intestinal tissues. Moreover, …


The Developmental Process For Adenoviral Vectored Canine Influenza Vaccines, Nicholas Jeanjaquet Dec 2023

The Developmental Process For Adenoviral Vectored Canine Influenza Vaccines, Nicholas Jeanjaquet

School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Canine Influenza Virus (CIV) is a recently emerged branch of Influenza A virus that is highly infectious in dogs. The first strain was isolated in 2003, and it has quickly become endemic in areas with dense dog populations, most notably in Asia. The proximity of dogs to humans, along with their potential to serve as mixing vessels for reassortment, raises concern for possible zoonotic transmission and a potential human pandemic. Available vaccines are not frequently updated and struggle to prevent the spread of currently circulating strains. This highlights the need for a new and more effective vaccine. We outline the …


Lactic Acid Bacterial Surface Display Of Scytovirin Inhibitors For Anti-Ebolavirus Infection, Joshua Wiggins, Ngan Nguyen, Wenzhong Wei, Leah Liu Wang, Haley Hollingsead Olson, Shi-Hua Xiang Nov 2023

Lactic Acid Bacterial Surface Display Of Scytovirin Inhibitors For Anti-Ebolavirus Infection, Joshua Wiggins, Ngan Nguyen, Wenzhong Wei, Leah Liu Wang, Haley Hollingsead Olson, Shi-Hua Xiang

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Scytovirin (SVN) is a lectin from cyanobacteria which has a strong inhibitory activity against Ebola virus infection. We engineered scytovirin as the inhibitor for surface display of lactic acid bacteria to block Ebola virus infection. Two different bacterial strains (Lactobacillus casei and Lactococcus lactis) were successfully engineered for scytovirin expression on the bacterial surface. These bacteria were found to be effective at neutralizing pseudotyped Ebolavirus in a cell-based assay. This approach can be utilized for prophylactic prevention, as well as for treatment. Since lactic acid bacteria can colonize the human body, a long-term efficacy could be achieved. Furthermore, …


Distinct Transcriptomic Profiles In Children Prior To The Appearance Of Type 1 Diabetes-Linked Islet Autoantibodies And Following Enterovirus Infection, Jake Lin, Elaheh Moradi, Karoliina Salenius, Suvi Lehtipuro, Tomi Häkkinen, Jutta E Laiho, Sami Oikarinen, Sofia Randelin, Hemang M Parikh, Jeffrey P Krischer, Jorma Toppari, Åke Lernmark, Joseph F Petrosino, Nadim J Ajami, Jin-Xiong She, William A Hagopian, Marian J Rewers, Richard E Lloyd, Kirsi J Rautajoki, Heikki Hyöty, Matti Nykter, Teddy Study Group Nov 2023

Distinct Transcriptomic Profiles In Children Prior To The Appearance Of Type 1 Diabetes-Linked Islet Autoantibodies And Following Enterovirus Infection, Jake Lin, Elaheh Moradi, Karoliina Salenius, Suvi Lehtipuro, Tomi Häkkinen, Jutta E Laiho, Sami Oikarinen, Sofia Randelin, Hemang M Parikh, Jeffrey P Krischer, Jorma Toppari, Åke Lernmark, Joseph F Petrosino, Nadim J Ajami, Jin-Xiong She, William A Hagopian, Marian J Rewers, Richard E Lloyd, Kirsi J Rautajoki, Heikki Hyöty, Matti Nykter, Teddy Study Group

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Although the genetic basis and pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes have been studied extensively, how host responses to environmental factors might contribute to autoantibody development remains largely unknown. Here, we use longitudinal blood transcriptome sequencing data to characterize host responses in children within 12 months prior to the appearance of type 1 diabetes-linked islet autoantibodies, as well as matched control children. We report that children who present with insulin-specific autoantibodies first have distinct transcriptional profiles from those who develop GADA autoantibodies first. In particular, gene dosage-driven expression of GSTM1 is associated with GADA autoantibody positivity. Moreover, compared with controls, we …


Vaginal Microbial Dynamics And Pathogen Colonization In A Humanized Microbiota Mouse Model, Marlyd E Mejia, Vicki Mercado-Evans, Jacob J Zulk, Samantha Ottinger, Korinna Ruiz, Mallory B Ballard, Stephanie W Fowler, Robert A Britton, Kathryn A Patras Nov 2023

Vaginal Microbial Dynamics And Pathogen Colonization In A Humanized Microbiota Mouse Model, Marlyd E Mejia, Vicki Mercado-Evans, Jacob J Zulk, Samantha Ottinger, Korinna Ruiz, Mallory B Ballard, Stephanie W Fowler, Robert A Britton, Kathryn A Patras

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Vaginal microbial composition is associated with differential risk of urogenital infection. Although Lactobacillus spp. are thought to confer protection against infection, the lack of in vivo models resembling the human vaginal microbiota remains a prominent barrier to mechanistic discovery. Using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing of C57BL/6J female mice, we found that vaginal microbial composition varies within and between colonies across three vivaria. Noting vaginal microbial plasticity in conventional mice, we assessed the vaginal microbiome of humanized microbiota mice (


A Novel Subcluster Of Closely Related Bacillus Phages With Distinct Tail Fiber/Lysin Gene Combinations, Rachel E. Loney, Veronique A. Delesalle, Brianne E. Chaudhry, Megan Czerpak, Alexandra A. Guffey, Leo Goubet-Mccall, Michael Mccarty, Madison S. Strine, Natalie T. Tanke, Albert C. Vill, Gregory P. Krukonis Nov 2023

A Novel Subcluster Of Closely Related Bacillus Phages With Distinct Tail Fiber/Lysin Gene Combinations, Rachel E. Loney, Veronique A. Delesalle, Brianne E. Chaudhry, Megan Czerpak, Alexandra A. Guffey, Leo Goubet-Mccall, Michael Mccarty, Madison S. Strine, Natalie T. Tanke, Albert C. Vill, Gregory P. Krukonis

Biology Faculty Publications

Bacteriophages (phages) are the most numerous entities on Earth, but we have only scratched the surface of describing phage diversity. We isolated seven Bacillus subtilis phages from desert soil in the southwest United States and then sequenced and characterized their genomes. Comparative analyses revealed high nucleotide and amino acid similarity between these seven phages, which constitute a novel subcluster. Interestingly, the tail fiber and lysin genes of these phages seem to come from different origins and carry out slightly different functions. These genes were likely acquired by this subcluster of phages via horizontal gene transfer. In conjunction with host range …


Investigations Of Emerging Zoonotic And Vector-Borne Viruses At The Juncture Of Environmental, Human, And Animal Health, Erik A. Turner Nov 2023

Investigations Of Emerging Zoonotic And Vector-Borne Viruses At The Juncture Of Environmental, Human, And Animal Health, Erik A. Turner

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Reemerging and emerging zoonotic viruses are some of the most important public and One Health threats facing the world. Understanding the transmission dynamics of these viruses is vital to reducing the disease burden, and one of the key aspects to these transmission systems is the environmental vertex of the One Health triangle. SARS-CoV-2 has only recently emerged as a global public health threat, and within 4 years, over 700 million cases have been reported. As a novel pathogen, many aspects of transmission, including environmental fomite transmission and disinfection, were initially a glaring gap in knowledge. Additionally, while chikungunya virus (CHIKV) …


Comparative Analysis Of Swine Antibody Responses Following Vaccination With Live-Attenuated And Killed African Swine Fever Virus Vaccines, Hung Q. Luong, Huong T. L. Lai, Lam Q. Truong, The N. Nguyen, Hanh D. Vu, Hoa T. Nguyen, Lan T. Nguyen, Trang H. Pham, David Scott Mcvey, Hiep Vu Nov 2023

Comparative Analysis Of Swine Antibody Responses Following Vaccination With Live-Attenuated And Killed African Swine Fever Virus Vaccines, Hung Q. Luong, Huong T. L. Lai, Lam Q. Truong, The N. Nguyen, Hanh D. Vu, Hoa T. Nguyen, Lan T. Nguyen, Trang H. Pham, David Scott Mcvey, Hiep Vu

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

African swine fever virus (ASFV) is circulating in many swine-producing countries, causing significant economic losses. It is observed that pigs experimentally vaccinated with a live-attenuated virus (LAV) but not a killed virus (KV) vaccine develop solid homologous protective immunity. The objective of this study was to comparatively analyze antibody profiles between pigs vaccinated with an LAV vaccine and those vaccinated with a KV vaccine to identify potential markers of vaccineinduced protection. Thirty ASFV seronegative pigs were divided into three groups: Group 1 received a single dose of an experimental LAV, Group 2 received two doses of an experimental KV vaccine, …


Bactericidal Effects Of Chlorine And Bacteriophages On Mycobacteria In Conventionally Treated Water., Max Kevane-Campbell Nov 2023

Bactericidal Effects Of Chlorine And Bacteriophages On Mycobacteria In Conventionally Treated Water., Max Kevane-Campbell

ORBioM (Open Research BioSciences Meeting)

Introduction

Mycobacteria are members of the order Actinomycetales and the only genus in the family Mycobacteriaceae. The distinguishing characteristics that are found in mycobacteria include acid-fastness and the presence of mycolic acids. Mycobacteria can be commonly classified as non-spore-forming, aerobic, slender rod-shaped, and are slow-growers. Natural reservoirs that mycobacteria can be found in are aquatic and terrestrial environments. Recent studies have shown that mycobacteria that can cause skin lesions, immune and/or pulmonary dysfunctions and chronic diseases, i.e., Mycobacterium avium subsp. Paratuberculosis, M. kansasii, and M. xenopi, can be isolated from common household tap water. Tap water can originate from …


Mycobacteriophage: A Demonstration Of The Reduction Of M. Smegmatis In Various Matrices., Laura O'Connell Nov 2023

Mycobacteriophage: A Demonstration Of The Reduction Of M. Smegmatis In Various Matrices., Laura O'Connell

ORBioM (Open Research BioSciences Meeting)

Background

Mycobacterial disease is a major cause of fatality worldwide, with approximately 1.5 million deaths for every 10 million infections. These infections are difficult to treat due to the intrinsic resistance of its mycolic acid rich cell wall to many antibiotics. There is potential for mycobacteriophage (MP) to be used therapeutically for multidrug- and extensively-drug resistant infections. Mycobacterium smegmatis mc2 155 is a useful substitute for slow-growing pathogenic mycobacteria, as it propagates quickly under lab conditions. This feature of M. smegmatis increases the pace of analysis, by ensuring the quick isolation and characterisation of MP and acting as a …


Cell Surface And Plasma Biomarkers Of Kaposi Sarcoma, Sara R. Privatt Nov 2023

Cell Surface And Plasma Biomarkers Of Kaposi Sarcoma, Sara R. Privatt

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus is the etiological agent of several pathologies including Kaposi sarcoma, primary effusion lymphoma, and multicentric Castleman’s disease. Here, we investigated both the tumor microenvironment (TME) in KS lesions as well as plasma from KSHV-infected individuals and how metabolic dysfunction and dysregulated cytokines might have a systemic effect on KS tumorigenesis. Based on previously published KS tumor transcriptomics, one aspect of our investigation involved characterizing cell surface glycoproteins with potential to serve as therapeutic targets against KSHV-infected cells or KS tumors or as biomarkers for disease. Expression patterns of such markers may also suggest the cellular origin of …


Gastrointestinal Infections Modulate The Risk For Insulin Autoantibodies As The First-Appearing Autoantibody In The Teddy Study, Maria Lönnrot, Kristian F Lynch, Marian Rewers, Åke Lernmark, Kendra Vehik, Beena Akolkar, William Hagopian, Jeffrey Krischer, Rickhard A Mcindoe, Jorma Toppari, Anette-G Ziegler, Joseph F Petrosino, Richard Lloyd, Heikki Hyöty, Teddy Study Group Nov 2023

Gastrointestinal Infections Modulate The Risk For Insulin Autoantibodies As The First-Appearing Autoantibody In The Teddy Study, Maria Lönnrot, Kristian F Lynch, Marian Rewers, Åke Lernmark, Kendra Vehik, Beena Akolkar, William Hagopian, Jeffrey Krischer, Rickhard A Mcindoe, Jorma Toppari, Anette-G Ziegler, Joseph F Petrosino, Richard Lloyd, Heikki Hyöty, Teddy Study Group

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

OBJECTIVE: To investigate gastrointestinal infection episodes (GIEs) in relation to the appearance of islet autoantibodies in The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) cohort.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: GIEs on risk of autoantibodies against either insulin (IAA) or GAD (GADA) as the first-appearing autoantibody were assessed in a 10-year follow-up of 7,867 children. Stool virome was characterized in a nested case-control study.

RESULTS: GIE reports (odds ratio [OR] 2.17 [95% CI 1.39-3.39]) as well as Norwalk viruses found in stool (OR 5.69 [1.36-23.7]) at(OR 0.48 [0.35-0.68]). GIE reports at any other age were associated with an increase in …


Simian Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Rhesus Macaques With Aids Co-Develop Cardiovascular Pathology And Encephalitis, Kevin S. White, Joshua A. Walker, John Wang, Patrick Autissier, Andrew D. Miller, Nadia N. Abuelezan, Rachel Burrack, Qingsheng Li, Woong-Ki Kim, Kenneth C. Williams Oct 2023

Simian Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Rhesus Macaques With Aids Co-Develop Cardiovascular Pathology And Encephalitis, Kevin S. White, Joshua A. Walker, John Wang, Patrick Autissier, Andrew D. Miller, Nadia N. Abuelezan, Rachel Burrack, Qingsheng Li, Woong-Ki Kim, Kenneth C. Williams

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Despite effective antiretroviral therapy, HIV co-morbidities remain where central nervous system (CNS) neurocognitive disorders and cardiovascular disease (CVD)-pathology that are linked with myeloid activation are most prevalent. Comorbidities such as neurocogntive dysfunction and cardiovascular disease (CVD) remain prevalent among people living with HIV. We sought to investigate if cardiac pathology (inflammation, fibrosis, cardiomyocyte damage) and CNS pathology (encephalitis) develop together during simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection and if their co-development is linked with monocyte/ macrophage activation. We used a cohort of SIV-infected rhesus macaques with rapid AIDS and demonstrated that SIV encephalitis (SIVE) and CVD pathology occur together more frequently …


Co-Infection And Co-Localization Of Kaposi Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus And Epstein-Barr Virus In Hiv-Associated Kaposi Sarcoma: A Case Report, Peter Julius, Guobin Guobin, Stepfanie Siyumbwa, Jane Musumali, For Yue Tso, Owen Ngalamika, Trevor Kaile, Fred Maate, Phyllis Moonga, John T. West, Peter Angeletti, Charles Wood Oct 2023

Co-Infection And Co-Localization Of Kaposi Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus And Epstein-Barr Virus In Hiv-Associated Kaposi Sarcoma: A Case Report, Peter Julius, Guobin Guobin, Stepfanie Siyumbwa, Jane Musumali, For Yue Tso, Owen Ngalamika, Trevor Kaile, Fred Maate, Phyllis Moonga, John T. West, Peter Angeletti, Charles Wood

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Kaposi sarcoma (KS), a multifocal vascular neoplasm frequently observed in HIVpositive individuals, primarily affects the skin, mucous membranes, visceral organs, and lymph nodes. KS is associated primarily with Kaposi sarcomaassociated herpesvirus (KSHV) infection. In this case report, we present a rare occurrence of co-infection and co-localization of KSHV and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in KS arising from the conjunctiva, which, to our knowledge, has not been reported previously. Immunohistochemistry (IHC), DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and EBV-encoded RNA in situ hybridization (EBER-ISH) were utilized to demonstrate the presence of KSHV and EBV infection in the ocular KS lesion. Nearly all KSHV-positive …


A Single-Dose Intramuscular Immunization Of Pigs With Lipid Nanoparticle Dna Vaccines Based On The Hemagglutinin Antigen Confers Complete Protection Against Challenge Infection With The Homologous Influenza Virus Strain, The N. Nguyen, Sushmita Kumari, Sarah Vitosh-Sillman, Jayeshbhai Chaudhari, Danh C. Lai, Hiep Vu Oct 2023

A Single-Dose Intramuscular Immunization Of Pigs With Lipid Nanoparticle Dna Vaccines Based On The Hemagglutinin Antigen Confers Complete Protection Against Challenge Infection With The Homologous Influenza Virus Strain, The N. Nguyen, Sushmita Kumari, Sarah Vitosh-Sillman, Jayeshbhai Chaudhari, Danh C. Lai, Hiep Vu

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

The Influenza A virus of swine (IAV-S) is highly prevalent and causes significant economic losses to swine producers. Due to the highly variable and rapidly evolving nature of the virus, it is critical to develop a safe and versatile vaccine platform that allows for frequent updates of the vaccine immunogens to cope with the emergence of new viral strains. The main objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of using lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) as nanocarriers for delivering DNA plasmid encoding the viral hemagglutinin (HA) gene in pigs. The intramuscular administration of a single dose of the LNP-DNA vaccines …


A Retrospective, Observational Study Of 12 Cases Of Expanded-Access Customized Phage Therapy: Production, Characteristics, And Clinical Outcomes, Sabrina I Green, Justin R Clark, Haroldo H Santos, Kyle E Weesner, Keiko C Salazar, Saima Aslam, J William Campbell, Sarah B Doernberg, Emily Blodget, Michele I Morris, Gina A Suh, Karam Obeid, Fernanda P Silveira, Andrey A Filippov, Katrine L Whiteson, Barbara W Trautner, Austen L Terwilliger, Anthony Maresso Oct 2023

A Retrospective, Observational Study Of 12 Cases Of Expanded-Access Customized Phage Therapy: Production, Characteristics, And Clinical Outcomes, Sabrina I Green, Justin R Clark, Haroldo H Santos, Kyle E Weesner, Keiko C Salazar, Saima Aslam, J William Campbell, Sarah B Doernberg, Emily Blodget, Michele I Morris, Gina A Suh, Karam Obeid, Fernanda P Silveira, Andrey A Filippov, Katrine L Whiteson, Barbara W Trautner, Austen L Terwilliger, Anthony Maresso

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is undermining modern medicine, a problem compounded by bacterial adaptation to antibiotic pressures. Phages are viruses that infect bacteria. Their diversity and evolvability offer the prospect of their use as a therapeutic solution. Reported are outcomes of customized phage therapy for patients with difficult-to-treat antimicrobial resistant infections.

METHODS: We retrospectively assessed 12 cases of customized phage therapy from a phage production center. Phages were screened, purified, sequenced, characterized, and Food and Drug Administration-approved via the IND (investigational new drug) compassionate-care route. Outcomes were assessed as favorable or unfavorable by microbiologic and clinical standards. Infections were device-related …


Sars-Cov-2: Tale Of A Microscopic Murderer, Josiah P. Garner Oct 2023

Sars-Cov-2: Tale Of A Microscopic Murderer, Josiah P. Garner

Quest

Independent Study

Research in progress for BIOL1406: Biology for Science Majors I

Faculty Mentor: Amina Tassa, Ph.D.

I am delighted to introduce Josiah Garner’s “SARS-CoV-2: Tale of a Microscopic Murderer.” This independent study assignment explores the impact of a novel, deadly, and worldwide virus. The assignment also examines the fast development of vaccines to control the spread and reduce the symptoms of the virus.

Josiah’s paper focuses on the early history of the emergence of COVID-19, the world response, and vaccine development. He demonstrates critical thinking skills and effectively utilizes various research methods to obtain and communicate his information. Josiah …


Report Of The Assay Guidance Workshop On 3-Dimensional Tissue Models For Antiviral Drug Development, Robert Jordan, Stephanie L Ford-Scheimer, Rodolfo M Alarcon, Anthony Atala, Jeffrey T Borenstein, Kyle R Brimacombe, Sara Cherry, Hans Clevers, Mindy I Davis, Simon G P Funnell, Lee Gehrke, Linda G Griffith, Abigail C Grossman, Thomas Hartung, Donald E Ingber, Nicole C Kleinstreuer, Calvin J Kuo, Emily M Lee, Christine L Mummery, Thames E Pickett, Sasirekha Ramani, Edwin A Rosado-Olivieri, Evi B Struble, Zhengpeng Wan, Mark S Williams, Matthew D Hall, Marc Ferrer, Sarine Markossian Oct 2023

Report Of The Assay Guidance Workshop On 3-Dimensional Tissue Models For Antiviral Drug Development, Robert Jordan, Stephanie L Ford-Scheimer, Rodolfo M Alarcon, Anthony Atala, Jeffrey T Borenstein, Kyle R Brimacombe, Sara Cherry, Hans Clevers, Mindy I Davis, Simon G P Funnell, Lee Gehrke, Linda G Griffith, Abigail C Grossman, Thomas Hartung, Donald E Ingber, Nicole C Kleinstreuer, Calvin J Kuo, Emily M Lee, Christine L Mummery, Thames E Pickett, Sasirekha Ramani, Edwin A Rosado-Olivieri, Evi B Struble, Zhengpeng Wan, Mark S Williams, Matthew D Hall, Marc Ferrer, Sarine Markossian

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) Assay Guidance Manual (AGM) Workshop on 3D Tissue Models for Antiviral Drug Development, held virtually on 7-8 June 2022, provided comprehensive coverage of critical concepts intended to help scientists establish robust, reproducible, and scalable 3D tissue models to study viruses with pandemic potential. This workshop was organized by NCATS, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. During the workshop, scientific experts from academia, industry, and government provided an overview of 3D tissue models' utility and limitations, use of existing 3D tissue models for antiviral …


Predicted Structure And Analysis Of The Glycoprotein From Sars-Cov-2 Variants Of Interest, Boris Shabaltiy Oct 2023

Predicted Structure And Analysis Of The Glycoprotein From Sars-Cov-2 Variants Of Interest, Boris Shabaltiy

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

SARS-CoV-2 has had a devastating effect on the world, and while the public concern and severity of the diseased caused by it have decreased, it is still crucial to monitor the virus for mutations so we can rapidly identify new variants of concern, and then rapidly prepare new vaccines and treatments. The SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein from the first isolates of the virus (root variant) was structurally characterized in early 2021. The spike protein structure, designated 7CZW, was uploaded to RCSB Protein Data Bank (RCSB PDB). All subsequent mutations the S protein has accumulated are based on the amino acid …


Functional Characterization Of The Human And Murine Schlafen Family Group Iii, Carlos A. Valenzuela Oct 2023

Functional Characterization Of The Human And Murine Schlafen Family Group Iii, Carlos A. Valenzuela

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The Schlafen (SLFN) family of proteins are known for being encoded by interferon stimulated genes. The family is divided into three groups (I, II, III), for which the largest in size belong to the subgroup III. In humans, group III has the most members (SLFN5, SLFN11, SLFN13 and SLFN14); there is no member of group I and only one member of group II (SLFN12). All human SLFNs belonging to group III have been reported to impair viral protein expression or infection across a variety of viruses. The antiviral function is mediated in SLFN11 and SLFN13 by their tRNase activity, and …


Human Intestinal Organoids As Models To Study Enteric Bacteria And Viruses, Grace Adeniyi-Ipadeola, Hephzibah Nwanosike, Sasirekha Ramani Oct 2023

Human Intestinal Organoids As Models To Study Enteric Bacteria And Viruses, Grace Adeniyi-Ipadeola, Hephzibah Nwanosike, Sasirekha Ramani

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Laboratory studies of host-microbe interactions have historically been carried out using transformed cell lines and animal models. Although much has been learned from these models, recent advances in the development of multicellular, physiologically active, human intestinal organoid (HIO) cultures are allowing unprecedented discoveries of host-microbe interactions. Here, we review recent literature using HIOs as models to investigate the pathogenesis of clinically important enteric bacteria and viruses and study commensal intestinal microbes. We also discuss limitations of current HIO culture systems and how technical advances and innovative engineering approaches are providing new directions to improve the model. The studies discussed here …