Relative Adrenal Insufficiency In Sepsis,
2023
University of Kentucky
Relative Adrenal Insufficiency In Sepsis, Dan Hao
Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences
Sepsis is a leading cause of death in children. Glucocorticoid (GC) therapy had been strongly recommended for the pediatric sepsis (grade 1A). However, the recommendation was changed to grade 2C in 2020 due to weak evidence. Relative adrenal insufficiency (RAI) is a condition characterized by impaired inducible glucocorticoid (iGC) production in response to stress. It develops in 32.8% of pediatric septic patients. Unfortunately, little is known about the pathogenesis of RAI in pediatric sepsis, and whether GC therapy should be based on the status of RAI is controversial. In this study, we utilized 21-day-old SF1CreSRBIfl/fl mice as the first …
Receptor Usage And Infection Biology Of Influenza D Virus,
2023
University of Kentucky
Receptor Usage And Infection Biology Of Influenza D Virus, Tirth Uprety
Theses and Dissertations--Veterinary Science
Influenza D virus (IDV) utilizes bovines as a primary reservoir with periodical spillover to other hosts. We have previously demonstrated by the traditional hemagglutination assay coupled with sialoglycan microarray and functional assays that IDV can recognize and bind both 9-O-acetylated N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5,9Ac2) and 9-O-acetylated N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc9Ac). Agricultural animals such as cattle can produce both Neu5,9Ac2 and Neu5Gc9Ac, while humans are genetically unable to synthesize Neu5Gc9Ac. The bifunctional enzyme, glucosamine (UDP-N-acetyl)-2-epimerase/N-acetylmannosamine kinase (GNE) is a master regulator of de-novo sialic acid synthesis while 9-O-Acetylation of sialic acids is catalyzed by …
Investigating Mirna Regulation Of The Human Apobec3 Enzymes,
2023
Minnesota State University, Mankato
Investigating Mirna Regulation Of The Human Apobec3 Enzymes, William Dietrich
All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects
The human apolipoprotein B mRNA editing enzyme catalytic polypeptide 3 (APOBEC3, A3) are a family of proteins consisting of seven enzymes, A3A, B, C, D, F, G and H, which function as cytosine deaminases. The enzymes’ purpose in the cell is to mutate viral DNA during infection hindering or stopping replication of viruses such as human papillomavirus, herpes simplex virus, and HIV-1. Several of the A3 enzymes have also been implicated in contributing to cancers such as head and neck and breast cancers by mutating cellular genomic DNA, making the ability to control A3 expression an attractive target for cancer …
Vitamin D Enhanced Vitamin D Receptor (Vdr) Inhibition Of Nlrp3 Inflammasome Activation Can Attenuate The Development Of Autoimmune Thyroiditis,
2023
Arcadia University
Vitamin D Enhanced Vitamin D Receptor (Vdr) Inhibition Of Nlrp3 Inflammasome Activation Can Attenuate The Development Of Autoimmune Thyroiditis, Alexzon Mandac
Capstone Showcase
Autoimmune Thyroiditis (AIT) is a prevalent autoimmune disease affecting approximately 2% of the population. Characterized by the gradual loss of thyroid function through an autoimmune attack on the thyroid gland, the disease manifests symptoms that negatively affect one’s quality of life. The mechanisms behind the disease’s pathophysiology are not fully understood; however, researchers are examining the involvement of the NLRP3 inflammasome in the disease. This thesis will address the question of whether Vitamin D can act as an inhibitor of the NLRP3 inflammasome and attenuate the progression of AIT in mouse model. Current investigations explore the effects of NLRP3 inhibition …
What Costimulatory Domains In Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells Induce The Strongest Killing Response And Increase Serial Killing Efficacy Against Pediatric Rhabdomyosarcomas And Osteosarcomas?,
2023
Longwood University
What Costimulatory Domains In Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells Induce The Strongest Killing Response And Increase Serial Killing Efficacy Against Pediatric Rhabdomyosarcomas And Osteosarcomas?, Kristen Wilkins
Longwood Senior Thesis Proposal
No abstract provided.
The Psychology Of Science Denialism And Lessons For Public Health Authorities,
2023
King & Spalding
The Psychology Of Science Denialism And Lessons For Public Health Authorities, Brenna Moreno, Molly J. Walker Wilson
All Faculty Scholarship
As it wreaked tragedy on the world, the outbreak of COVID-19 helped expose a pandemic of a different kind, one steeped in distrust and contrarianism. This movement, termed science denialism, has been lurking and undermining public health efforts for decades. Specifically, it is “the employment of rhetorical arguments to give the appearance of legitimate debate where there is none, an approach that has the ultimate goal of rejecting a proposition on which a scientific consensus exists.” Unlike skepticism, which is “doubt as to the truth of something” and works to progress both science and society, denialism is characterized by individuals’ …
Complex Narratives Of Individuals Living With Alpha-Gal Syndrome (Ags). A Mixed-Methods Investigation: Examined Through Self-Reported Data, In-Person Interviews, And A Group Body Mapping Art Therapy Intervention,
2023
Dominican University of California
Complex Narratives Of Individuals Living With Alpha-Gal Syndrome (Ags). A Mixed-Methods Investigation: Examined Through Self-Reported Data, In-Person Interviews, And A Group Body Mapping Art Therapy Intervention, Sylvan Streightiff
Art Therapy | Master's Theses
Alpha-gal (galactose-α-1,3-galactose) Syndrome or AGS is an under-recognized chronic condition which coincides with tick-bite exposure, resulting in a unique allergy to non-primate mammalian products and byproducts (in addition to other items caring the α-gal epitope such as carrageenan, agar-agar, and nori). This paper explores the experiences of individuals with this illness, establishing psychological context for expressed symptomatology, while emphasizing the complex trauma rooted in the population’s experiences of the life-altering and life-threatening contexts associated with managing AGS. This research is structured with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) theory and utilizes a mixed-methods approach to arts-based research with the goal of …
Intestinal Parasite Infection In Tibetan Macaques (Macac Thebetana) In Eastern China,
2023
Central Washington University
Intestinal Parasite Infection In Tibetan Macaques (Macac Thebetana) In Eastern China, Miarisoa Ramilison
All Master's Theses
Grooming is one of the crucial social behaviors of primate species that functions to remove parasites and maintain social bonds. Although, much data exists to support the idea that grooming is essential in forming and sustaining social bonds among individuals, there is a lack of information about the extent to which it removes ectoparasites or contributes to the spread of internal parasites. To fill this gap in the literature, we investigated the relationship between social contact behavior including grooming and intestinal parasite infection in Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana). This species lives at Mt. Huangshan in China. We used …
Meta-Narrative Review Of Pd-L1 By Immunotherapy On Triple-Negative Breast Cancer,
2023
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Meta-Narrative Review Of Pd-L1 By Immunotherapy On Triple-Negative Breast Cancer, Hannah Lazo, Tyler Harris, Hao Truong, Alina Masroor
Research Methods Poster Session 2023
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive form of subtype breast cancer and there are currently new treatments being discovered such as the combination of immunotherapy and chemotherapy. In immunotherapy against triple-negative breast cancer, checkpoint inhibitors like PD-1/PD-L1 treat TNBC by blocking the “off” signal that prevents T-cells from killing cancer cells. As a group, we conducted a meta-narrative review collecting results from primary sources such as clinical trials and human experimental studies to support our research question on how PD-L1 inhibitor treatments compare to other treatments in patients with TNBC. The review included articles searched from Embase, Pubmed, EMBASE, …
Evaluation Of Leishmanicidal Activities Of 4-Thiazolidinones Against Leishmania Major, The Causative Agent Of Human Cutaneous Leishmaniasis,
2023
Central Washington University
Evaluation Of Leishmanicidal Activities Of 4-Thiazolidinones Against Leishmania Major, The Causative Agent Of Human Cutaneous Leishmaniasis, Kiera Bush
All Master's Theses
The leishmaniases are a group of vector-borne parasitic diseases that affect many developing countries including parts of Africa, India, and the Middle East in addition to Southern Europe and the Americas. It is estimated that worldwide, there are about 3 million new cases of leishmaniases each year leading to as many as 50,000 fatalities annually. The parasites that cause leishmaniasis belong to the genus Leishmania spp and are transmitted by the female phlebotomine sand fly. There are three clinical forms of the infection: visceral, mucocutaneous, and cutaneous. However, the focus of this paper is on cutaneous leishmaniasis that causes skin …
Generation Of Chimeric Rhinoviruses Presenting Sars-Cov-2 Broadly Neutralizing Epitopes And Their Antigenicity Characterization,
2023
University of Texas at Tyler
Generation Of Chimeric Rhinoviruses Presenting Sars-Cov-2 Broadly Neutralizing Epitopes And Their Antigenicity Characterization, Danish Ansari
Biotechnology Theses
The global COVID pandemic is not yet fully under control as there were over 21 million new cases of SARS-CoV-2 infections and over 50,000 deaths globally as of January of 2022. A heavily mutated variant of concern, Omicron is responsible for most of these cases which demands an urgency for a new vaccine. NIH reports over 180 vaccine candidates that use various strategies currently in development. However, a recurring concern with these vaccines is that the continuous viral mutations decrease the efficacy of vaccines. Therefore, we proposed to construct a human rhinovirus (HRV) based chimeric virus containing highly conserved, broadly …
Mechanistic Insights Into The Therapeutic Potential Of Adjunctive Thymosin Beta-4 Treatment In Pseudomonas Aeruginosa-Induced Keratitis,
2023
Wayne State University
Mechanistic Insights Into The Therapeutic Potential Of Adjunctive Thymosin Beta-4 Treatment In Pseudomonas Aeruginosa-Induced Keratitis, Yuxin Wang
Wayne State University Dissertations
Tβ4, a naturally occurring 43-amino acid protein, has been found to promote wound healing and reduce corneal inflammation. Topical Tβ4 as a therapeutic agent in conjunction with ciprofloxacin improves the outcome of Pseudomonas aeruginosa-induced keratitis by regulating the cellular functions of PMNs and MΦs and enhancing the production of SPMs. Understanding the mechanisms of Tβ4 provides valuable insights and novel therapeutic potential for resolving disease pathogenesis not only in the cornea but also in other infectious and immune-regulated inflammatory conditions.
The Development Of A New Pertussis Booster Formulation Via The Implementation Of New Adjuvants And Utilization Of Alternate Routes Of Administration,
2023
West Virginia University
The Development Of A New Pertussis Booster Formulation Via The Implementation Of New Adjuvants And Utilization Of Alternate Routes Of Administration, Megan Ashley Dejong
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)
Pertussis (whooping cough) is a respiratory disease caused by airborne transmission of the Gram-negative bacterium, Bordetella pertussis. Prior to the development of the first pertussis vaccines (whole cell (wP) vaccines), the incidence of pertussis was in the hundreds of thousands of cases per year, which led to the death of many children, as the infection is most severe in younger populations. Thankfully, the wP formulation resulted in a dramatic decrease in the number of annual pertussis cases, nearly eradicating the disease. However, as wP contained the whole B. pertussis bacterium (and its lipooligosaccharide (LOS)), reactogenicity issues became apparent, leading …
Localized Delivery Of Gm-Csf In The Regulation Of Breast Tumor Oxygen And Anti-Tumor Immunity Through Macrophages,
2023
West Virginia University
Localized Delivery Of Gm-Csf In The Regulation Of Breast Tumor Oxygen And Anti-Tumor Immunity Through Macrophages, Nicole E. Mihalik
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)
GM-CSF has been employed as an adjuvant to cancer immunotherapies in solid tumors due to its ability to drive immune stimulatory macrophages and other myeloid cells that promote anti-tumor responses. However, GM-CSF does not always exert immune stimulatory effects on myeloid cells, and sometimes even drives immune suppressive phenotypes. GM-CSF effects on myeloid cells and the tumor microenvironment (TME) appear to vary across dosages and even cancer types. However, an optimal dosing regimen for GM-CSF has yet to be determined to-date, and this is further complicated by the fact that GM-CSF is often administered via oncolytic viruses or tumor vaccines …
Cluster Homolog Of Immunoglobulin-Like Receptor Genes In Chicken Immune Responses,
2023
West Virginia University, Western University of Health Sciences
Cluster Homolog Of Immunoglobulin-Like Receptor Genes In Chicken Immune Responses, Brandi A. Sparling
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)
This dissertation explores the identity and role of immunoglobulin-like (Ig-like) receptors in chickens, with focus on their implications in disease and disease progression. These receptors, wisely expressed across immune cells, interact with the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules to modulate immune responses in mammals. Due to the insufficient representation of chicken Ig-like receptors in online databases, this study systematically annotates the chicken Cluster Homolog of Immunoglobulin-like Receptors (CHIR) genes using advanced bioinformatic techniques, aligning with the release of the 7th edition of the chicken genome assembly that comprises builds for a broiler and layer chicken. The analysis identifies …
Intercontinental Comparisons Of Subterranean Host-Parasite Communities Using Bipartite Network Analyses,
2023
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Intercontinental Comparisons Of Subterranean Host-Parasite Communities Using Bipartite Network Analyses, Altangerel Tsogtsaikhan Dursahinhan, Sebastian Botero-Cañola, Scott L. Gardner
Scott L. Gardner Publications
Rodents living in a subterranean ecotope face a unique combination of evolutionary and ecological pressures and while host species evolution may be driven by the selective pressure from the parasites they harbour, the parasites may be responding to the selective pressures of the host. Here we obtained all available subterranean rodent host-parasite records from the literature and integrated these data by utilizing a bipartite network analysis to determine multiple critical parameters to quantify and measure the structure and interactions of the organisms present in host-parasite communities. A total of 163 species of subterranean rodent hosts, 174 parasite species, and 282 …
Host-Genetic-Based Outcome Of Co-Infection By Pcv2b And Prrsv In Pigs,
2023
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Host-Genetic-Based Outcome Of Co-Infection By Pcv2b And Prrsv In Pigs, Christian W. Eaton, Hiep Vu, Arabella L. Hodges, Seth P. Harris, Stephen D. Kachman, Daniel C. Ciobanu
School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications
Replication of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2), an important worldwide swine pathogen, has been demonstrated to be influenced by host genotype. Specifically, a missense DNA polymorphism (SYNGR2 p.Arg63Cys) within the SYNGR2 gene was demonstrated to contribute to variation in PCV2b viral load and subsequent immune response following infection. PCV2 is known to induce immunosuppression leading to an increase in susceptibility to subsequent infections with other viral pathogens such as porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). In order to assess the role of SYNGR2 p.Arg63Cys in co-infections, pigs homozygous for the favorable SYNGR2 p.63Cys (N = 30) …
Promiscuous Feeding Across Multiple Honey Bee Hosts Amplifies The Vectorial Capacity Of Varroa Destructor,
2023
University of Maryland, College Park
Promiscuous Feeding Across Multiple Honey Bee Hosts Amplifies The Vectorial Capacity Of Varroa Destructor, Zachary S. Lamas, Serhat Solmaz, Eugene V. Ryabov, Joseph Mowery, Matthew Heermann, Daniel Sonenshine, Jay D. Evans, David J. Hawthorne
Biological Sciences Faculty Publications
Varroa destructor is a cosmopolitan pest and leading cause of colony loss of the European honey bee. Historically described as a competent vector of honey bee viruses, this arthropod vector is the cause of a global pandemic of Deformed wing virus, now endemic in honeybee populations in all Varroa-infested regions. Our work shows that viral spread is driven by Varroa actively switching from one adult bee to another as they feed. Assays using fluorescent microspheres were used to indicate the movement of fluids in both directions between host and vector when Varroa feed. Therefore, Varroa could be in either …
Frankenbacteriosis Targeting Interactions Between Pathogen And Symbiont To Control Infection In The Tick Vector,
2023
Old Dominion University
Frankenbacteriosis Targeting Interactions Between Pathogen And Symbiont To Control Infection In The Tick Vector, Lorena Mazuecos, Pilar Alberdi, Angélica Hernández-Jarguín, Marinela Contreras, Margarita Villar, Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz, Ladislav Simo, Almudena González-García, Sandra Díaz-Sánchez, Girish Neelakanta, Sarah I. Bonnet, Erol Fikrig, José De La Fuente
Biological Sciences Faculty Publications
(Summary) Tick microbiota can be targeted for the control of tick-borne diseases such as human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA) caused by model pathogen, Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Frankenbacteriosis is inspired by Frankenstein and defined here as paratransgenesis of tick symbiotic/commensal bacteria to mimic and compete with tick-borne pathogens. Interactions between A. phagocytophilum and symbiotic Sphingomonas identified by metaproteomics analysis in Ixodes scapularis midgut showed competition between both bacteria. Consequently, Sphingomonas was selected for frankenbacteriosis for the control of A. phagocytophilum infection and transmission. The results showed that Franken Sphingomonas producing A. phagocytophilum major surface protein 4 (MSP4) mimic pathogen and reduce infection …
Dna Methylation And The Response To Infection In Introduced House Sparrows,
2023
Georgia Southern University
Dna Methylation And The Response To Infection In Introduced House Sparrows, Melanie Gibson
College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations
Epigenetics is the study of molecular modification of a genome without changing its base pairs. The most studied type of epigenetic mechanism is DNA methylation, which is capable of turning a gene “on” or “off.” Epigenetic potential is the capacity to which an individual can have methylation on its genome. The more CpGs available, the greater the epigenetic potential. In invasive species, genetic variation has been observed to be paradoxical: not much of it exists on a genomic level, but epigenetically, phenotypic variation can occur. The focus on shift in gene expression in this study is on Toll-Like Receptor 4 …
