Other Immunology and Infectious Disease Commons^™

Sars-Cov-2: An Investigation On Mutagenicity And Its Effects On Infectivity And Mortality, Tyler Elliott Silverwood

Honors Theses and Capstones

SARS-CoV-2, the etiological agent of the COVID-19 pandemic, has rapidly become a worldwide public health concern. Classified as a betacoronavirus, it is the third human coronavirus (HCoV) to emerge in the 21st century that causes severe disease, alongside SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. The genome consists of open reading frames encoding accessory proteins and four structural proteins, including the spike protein which is a key determinant of host cell tropism. Mutations within the genome, particularly the spike gene, have been linked in-vitro to increased binding affinity to the human receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2), increased fitness in human hosts, and immune evasion. …

Regulation Of Osseous Healing By Macrophage-Derived Wnt Ligands, Jefferson Overlin Abaricia

Theses and Dissertations

Osseous healing is regulated by various classes of cells and signaling mechanisms. Of these, Wnt signaling has long been known to be critically important in directing the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into osteoblasts during bone healing. However, the source of these Wnt ligands is not known. Recently, a body of literature has arisen finding both beneficial and detrimental effects of macrophage-derived Wnt ligands on the regeneration of other tissues (liver, kidney, heart, and intestine), often by regulating inflammatory activation and stem cell behavior. As macrophages have been well-characterized as orchestrators of healing, their use of Wnt signaling to …

Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Vaccine Development Using Dual-Species Whole Cell And Subunit Vaccines, Catherine Bell Blackwood

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative opportunistic pathogen which can cause severe, recurrent, and chronic infections. The pathogen is highly adaptable, and pneumonia caused by it is associated with high morbidity and mortality, especially in individuals with the genetic disorder cystic fibrosis. Antibiotic resistance amongst clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa is steadily increasing, and multi-drug resistant strains are prevalent. There is currently no vaccine available for commercial use against P. aeruginosa. For these reasons, we sought to understand the immunity to P. aeruginosa induced by whole cell vaccination and identify antigens for development of future subunit vaccines. In this dissertation, …

Prenatal Alcohol Exposure Alters Transcriptional Expression Of Stress And Tlr4-Related Immune Signaling Factors In The Brain Following Early Life Stress, Chaselyn D. Ruffaner-Hanson

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Background: Depression and anxiety disorders, believed to be caused by stress-related neuropeptides and pro-inflammatory molecules in the brain, are prevalent comorbidities of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD).

Methods: Brain tissue was collected following a 4-hour maternal separation stress during the early postnatal period, postnatal days 10 and 12, from mice subjected to 1^st and 2^nd trimester prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE).

Hypothesis: We hypothesized that PAE leads to glucocorticoid receptor insensitivity, stress molecule overexpression, and potentiated toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) pathway inflammatory responses in the brain following early life stress.

Results: PAE and stress increased mRNA expression of TLR4 …

Prevalence Of Snake Fungal Disease Caused By Ophidiomyces Ophiodiicola In East Texas, Alan Lizarraga

Biology Theses

Fungal pathogens and resultant disease are credited with the decline of many species across all branches of the tree of life. Fungal diseases such as Snake Fungal Disease (SFD), primarily caused by the fungus Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola (Oo), have been strongly associated with the cause of the decrease/disappearance of many snake populations in North America. To date SFD in the wild has been described as far southwest as central Louisiana. Due to similar conditions and the proximity of East Texas to central Louisiana, a survey of local snake populations provided crucial information about the spread and presence of this emerging pathogen. …

Immune Activation Induces Telomeric Dna Damage, Reduces Memory Precursors, And Promotes Short-Lived Effector T Cell Differentiation In Chronic Hcv Infection, Lam Nguyen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection exhibits persistent high viral load, inducing T cells differentiation and dysfunction in chronically infected individuals. Recent longitude studies in both HCV specific- and bulk T cells reveal that chronic immune stimulation is the driving force for the impaired T cell functions, however, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we show that peripheral CD4⁺ T cells from chronically HCV-infected patients exhibit lymphopenia with the reduction of naïve population and expansion of effector memory T cells. CD4⁺ T cells from HCV patient also display elevated activation markers. including HLA-DR, GLUT1, Granzyme B, and short-lived …

Bifurcation Analysis Of Newcastle Disease Eco-Epidemiological Model In The Presence Of Vaccination: A Case Of The Backyard Chicken, Furaha M. Chuma, Gasper G. Mwanga

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Journal of Education, Humanities and Sciences, Volume 9 No. 2, 2020: 42–59 © Dar es Salaam University College of Education (DUCE), 2020 Bifurcation Analysis of Newcastle Disease Eco-epidemiological Model in the Presence of Vaccination: A Case of the Backyard Chicken Furaha M. Chuma Dar es Salaam University College of Education University of Dar es Salaam [email protected] Gasper G. Mwanga Dar es Salaam University College of Education University of Dar es Salaam [email protected] Abstract Newcastle is an infectious disease caused by the avian paramyxomovirus-1. It occurs most frequently as a disease of Avians (e.g., chicken, ducks, pigeons, guinea fowls and other …

Modeling And Preparedness: The Transmission Dynamics Of Covid-19 Outbreak In Provinces Of Ecuador, Carlos E. Bustamante Orellana, Jordy Cevallos-Chavez, Cesar Montalvo, Jeff Sulliavan, Edwin Michael, Anuj Mubayi

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

Mobility Impact In The Spreading Of Covid-19 In Ecuador, Jordy Cevallos-Chavez, Carlos E. Bustamante Orellana, Cesar Montalvo, Anuj Mubayi, Edwin Michael, Edwin Michael

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

Seroprevalence, Biochemical Investigation And Risk Factor Assessment For Hbv & Hcv Infection In Hospital Based Patients Of Islamabad, Pakistan, Narmeen Adnan Rana, Bushra Munir, Nazeer Hussain, Nazia Imtiaz, Muhammad Asif Gondal Dr., Fahed Parvaiz Dr.

Journal of Bioresource Management

Viral hepatitis poses a serious threat to mankind. Hepatitis B and C Virus are blood borne pathogens that affect millions of individually globally. This study was conducted on a hospital-based population in Islamabad, Pakistan over a period of 4 months, utilizing ELISA as the diagnostic technique which suggested a higher seroprevalence rate for both HBV and HCV i.e. 2.07% and 8.24% respectively. A correlational analysis of the biochemical parameters of these individuals with HBV and HCV infection was carried out and the results indicated a positive correlation of HBV with Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP), HCV with Total Bilirubin (TBil) and both …

Coronavirus Food Assistance Program For Livestock Producers, Bradley Lubben

Extension Farm and Ranch Management News

United States Congress and the President have approved multiple phases of COVID-19 assistance to date including the $2.3 trillion CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act passed in March that provides financial support for agricultural producers as a small part of the overall relief.

While agricultural producers and agribusinesses are eligible for two programs administered through the Small Business Administration, including the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs), the primary support for agriculture is coming from USDA through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). The CARES Act provided $9.5 billion directly to the Secretary of …

The Class Of 2020, Srinivasan Ragothaman

Creative Work

The is a poem written in honor of the class of 2020. The coronavirus pandemic has robbed them of many fun activities in their final semester in college. The graduating seniors missed out on so many rites of passage such as march madness, commencement, award banquets, sports, labs, practice, face-to-face classes etc. for the last two months. Seniors are encouraged to have fortitude, practice patience, be grateful and show grit. The class of 2020 will conquer the world in due course. It is hoped that graduates will have imagination, will innovate and transform the world.

Design And Synthesis Of Novel Analogs As Potential Antitubercular Agents, Peggy Mccluggage

Honors Theses

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious, airborne disease which primarily infects the lungs. One-third of the world’s population is currently estimated to be infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the causative agent for TB [1]. Current treatment for this disease requires at least six months of taking multiple antibiotics with undesirable side effects [2]. Difficulty in complying to this regimen as well as the prevalence of HIV/AIDS has led to antimicrobial resistance seen in Mtb. In order to combat the Multi-Drug Resistant and Extensively-Drug Resistant strains of the disease-causing bacteria, preventative care and novel antibiotics are urgently needed [3]. The purpose for …

Grain Marketing 2020: Survival And Covid-19, Robert Tigner, Jessica J. Groskopf

Extension Farm and Ranch Management News

First paragraph:

Let’s state the obvious: this isn’t a typical year and we all know it. For farmers, it is a survival year. Why? And what might be done to make it through to the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic? This article will discuss how to build a marketing strategy to assure that the farm continues to the next crop year.

Conclusion

This year is shaping up to be a survival year for crop producers. Crop producers need to know at what crop price they will recapture all of the cash they will spend this year. Implementing a marketing …

Has Covid-19 Impacted Price-Weight Relationships And Value Of Gain?, Elliott James Dennis

Extension Farm and Ranch Management News

First paragraph:

In the beginning of COVID-19, much of the attention was focused on managing the redirection of meat product from food service to retail stores. This past month has keenly focused on packing plant closures due to COVID-19 cases among workers and how to manage the supply of fat cattle already ready for slaughter. Fat cattle available for slaughter either cannot get bids or bids are significantly below breakeven prices leaving feedlots with decisions to be made about marketing and placements. The April 2020 Cattle on Feed report (https://usda.library.cornell.edu/concern/publications/m326m174z) revealed March placement decisions. Placements were down about …

Live Cattle Basis Due To Covid-19: Deviations And Convergence, Elliott James Dennis

Extension Farm and Ranch Management News

A Fundamental Review on Basis

Basis is defined as the cash minus futures. Cash market reflects today's supply conditions and price. Futures market reflects upcoming supply and demand conditions. If it is anticipated that there will be a period of increasing supplies, futures prices will decline to reflect that information. Likewise, periods of time with expected decreasing supplies, future prices are expected to increase.

Since cash and futures prices can move simultaneously, basis will fluctuate through time. In periods where basis becomes more positive (i.e. basis is said to be strengthening/narrowing) it implies that cash prices are increasing more relative …

Pre Covid-19 Market Conditions Persist & The Stocker Industry Can Dampen The Damage, Elliott James Dennis

Extension Farm and Ranch Management News

First paragraph:

The effects of COVID-19 on the livestock market are well known and felt. Some effects include depressed futures and cash prices, unusual basis patterns, decreased packer bids and sale barn volume, packing plant closures, consumer hording of meat products, and shifting food service products for retail consumption. All these effects occurred as market participants grappled with everchanging government and industry policy which reduced consumer demand and resulted in bottlenecks and increasing supply gluts upstream. Simultaneously reducing demand and increasing supply always cause prices to plummet, and in the case of COVID-19 very rapidly. Some segments of the market …

Influenza Vaccination Coverage In Pediatric Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Kelly Brown

Senior Theses

Background: Children with chronic health conditions, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), are at especially high risk for influenza infection and complications. The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation and American College of Gastroenterology recommend that IBD patients should receive annual influenza vaccination. The aims of this study were to evaluate influenza vaccination coverage over time and identify predictors of flu vaccination in pediatric IBD and non-IBD patients.

Methods: We utilized longitudinal data (2000 to 2016) from South Carolina Medicaid to conduct a matched cohort study. The primary exposure of interest was IBD diagnosis based upon ICD-9/10 diagnosis codes. Children with IBD were …

Cysteine Dioxygenase Enzyme Activity And Gene Expression In The Dimorphic Pathogenic Fungus Histoplasma Capsulatum Is In Both The Mold And Yeast Morphotypes And Exhibits Substantial Strain Variation, Melissa Adams, Glen Shearer

Faculty Publications

In the dimorphism (mold/yeast) Histoplasma capsulatum (Hc) literature are reports that yeast (the so-called pathogenic form) uniquely expresses a cysteine dioxygenase (CDO, approx. 10,500 dal) activity which the mold morphotype (the so-called saprophytic soil form) does not express (C.F., Kumar et al., Biochem 22, 762, 1983). This yeast-specific CDO activity is postulated to play a critical role in the mold-to-yeast shift. A number of years ago, our lab isolated the gene encoding the Hc cysteine dioxygenase (CDO1, Genbank accession AY804144) and noted significant expression in the mold morphotype of several Histoplasma strains and also determined that the predicted protein would …

Fine, Elaine - Covid-19 Journal, Elaine Fine

Personal Journals

COVID Diary submitted by Charleston/Coles County, IL resident and musician, Elaine Fine