Organisms Commons^™

A Potential Klebsiella Bacteriocin With Efficacy Toward The Enterbacteriaceae Family, Kasey Barber

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Drug resistance is unfortunately becoming a prevalent issue in the course of patient treatment, ranging from chemotherapy resistance to antimicrobial resistance. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated in 2016 that at least 23,000 people die every year in the United States from an infection with an antibiotic-resistant organism (Munita, et al, 2016). Carl Friedlander was the first scientist to describe Klebsiella pneumoniae in 1882 as an encapsulated bacillus after isolating the bacterium from the lungs of patients who had died from pneumonia (Ashurst and Dawson, 2022). Klebsiella pneumoniae is the type species for the Klebsiella genus and …

The Pam-1 Aminopeptidase Protects Against Neurodegeneration In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Caleb Coil

Honors College Theses

The deteriorating effects of neurodegenerative conditions seem inescapable for many as they age. The experimental exploration of the molecular and cellular mechanisms responsible for neurodegeneration is aided using animal models. For instance, genetic screens have identified the puromycin-sensitive aminopeptidase (PSA) as a novel effector of neurodegeneration, as mutations in PSA in fruit flies result in perturbations of neuron anatomy and an accelerated onset of neuron death. We have tested the hypothesis that PAM-1, the Caenorhabditis elegans ortholog of PSA, plays a similar role in governing neurodegeneration in nematodes. Genetic strains were created that express the green fluorescent protein (GFP) in …

Evaluation Of The Efficacy Of Remdesivir For The Treatment Of Coronavirus Disease 2019, Alexandra Flannery, Anastasia Knecht, Koravangala Sundaresh

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by a novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, has accounted for more than 1 000 000 deaths in the United States alone. In May 2020, the Food and Drug Administration issued an Emergency Use Authorization to allow the investigational use of intravenous remdesivir for the treatment of suspected or confirmed COVID-19 in hospitalized children and adults. Several other agents, such as hydroxychloroquine, dexamethasone, and tocilizumab have been investigated as potential treatment options; however, dexamethasone is currently the only agent that has been proven to reduce mortality in patients who require supplemental oxygen. The purpose of this study …

A Developmental Exploration Of The Role Of Catp-6 Gene In Model Organism C. Elegans Relating To Parkinson’S Disease, Kaiser Kate Weafer

Undergraduate Theses

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is considered a common and complex neurogenerative disease characterized by the complete loss of dopaminergic neurons located in the substantia nigra pars compacta. With the incomplete understanding of this neurological disorder, Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), a microscopic nematode, could serve as a model organism of study due to specific gene analogs, relating to PD, present in both C. elegans and humans. The gene of interest for this project is catp-6 in C. elegans an ortholog of the human ATP132A gene. Mutations in the ATP132A gene correlate with an abnormal form of early onset PD called Kufor-Rakeb Syndrome, …

Headache And Vision Loss As Initial Symptoms For An Acute Invasive Rhino-Orbital-Cerebral Mucormycosis, Thanh Le Od, Gregg Wentworth Od

Optometric Clinical Practice

Background: Acute invasive rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis (ROCM) is a rare fungal infection commonly caused by Rhizopus species. It occurs in immune- compromised individuals who have acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), leukemia, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, or organ transplant patients who are on immunosuppressive therapy. Diagnosing invasive ROCM is challenging because its clinical presentation can be nonspecific, and it is not frequently observed in ophthalmic practices. Case Report: A 66-year-old Hispanic male with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus presented with the complaint of severe headache and retrobulbar pain in the right eye. An ophthalmic examination revealed normal ocular health in both eyes. Computerized tomography …

Comprehensive Guidance For The Prevention Of Periprosthetic Joint Infection After Total Joint Arthroplasty And Pitfalls In The Prevention, Javad Parvizi, Yonghan Cha, Emanuele Chisari, Kangbaek Kim, Kyung-Hoi Koo

Rothman Institute Papers

Total joint arthroplasty (TJA) is a surgical procedure, in which parts of damaged joints are removed and replaced with a prosthesis. The main indication of TJA is osteoarthritis, and the volume of TJA is rising annually along with the increase of aged population. Hip and knee are the most common joints, in which TJAs are performed. The TJA prosthesis is composed of metal, plastic, or ceramic device. Even though TJA is the most successful treatment for end-stage osteoarthritis, it is associated with various complications, and periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is the most serious complication after TJA. With the increasing volume …

Evaluating The Importance Of Biosecurity In Swine Operations, Lindsey Lemley, Lilly Rogers, Austin Calhoun

ATU Scholars Symposium

Swine health is critical to maintaining a profitable and productive swine operation. Biosecurity and sanitation are important practices that help maintain herd health. This study aimed to discover how biosecurity protocols and management practices differ between swine operations of different sizes. With diseases such as Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV), Brucellosis, and Porcine Circovirus type 2 (PCV2) being common in the swine industry, a strong biosecurity protocol protects swine farmers from financial losses associated with disease outbreaks. In 2004 alone, the estimated financial loss to PRRSV was over $761 million. Data concerning biosecurity and sanitation was collected from …

Typhlitis In A Neutropenic Patient, Alice He Bs, Wern Lynn Ng Md, Lay She Ng Md, Si Yuan Khor Md, Chandi Garg Md

Tower Health Research Day

No abstract provided.

Screening Environmental Soil Samples For Antibiotic Production, Paige Mattick

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Antibiotic resistance is a detrimental worldwide challenge, producing bacterial infections that are progressively more difficult to treat and cure. To attempt to help alleviate this issue, we screened soil samples for the presence of antibiotic-producing microorganisms. Soil samples were collected and diluted to 1:100 and 1:1000 ratios of soil and distilled water. These soil mixtures were then streaked onto tryptic soy agar (TSA) plates and incubated at 30℃ until colonies developed. These colonies were then selected and plated on a lawn of Serratia marcescens, which was utilized as the target organism.

Serratia marcescens was selected due to its known resistance …

Education Of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia Prevention In Adult Intensive Care Patients, Carlin Morgan

Scholars Week

The purpose of this project was to improve knowledge related to evidence-based ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) preventative measures that decrease the prevalence of VAP in adult patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). An educational presentation was provided to twelve critical care nurses at a 349-bed hospital in western Kentucky. A pretest was obtained to measure the nurse’s knowledge prior to the presentation. A PowerPoint and pamphlet containing VAP prevention techniques were presented to the twelve critical care nurses during each meeting. A posttest was then administered after the presentation to measure the efficacy of the educational presentation. The mean of …

Novel Insights Into The Autoimmune Mechanisms In Coxsackievirus B Infections And Their Prevention By Vaccination, Mahima Theresa Rasquinha

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

Coxsackievirus Bs (CVBs) are RNA viruses of the genus Enterovirus belonging to the Picornaviridae family. CVBs commonly infect humans, and multiple CVB types can induce similar diseases such as myocarditis, pancreatitis, and type 1 diabetes (T1D). Although CVB infections can lead to the generation of autoantibodies, their role in disease is poorly defined, and vaccines are not available to prevent or minimize these infections. To fill these gaps, we first analyzed the autoantibody repertoire in mice infected with CVB3 by Phage ImmunoPrecipitation Sequencing (PhIP-Seq) and identified autoantibodies for several novel antigens not previously reported. The data were validated using enzyme-linked …

An Ecological Analysis Of The Elevational Gradient Effect On Mushroom Community Diversity Near Andasibe, Madagascar, Zoe Garver

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The effect of elevational gradients on biodiversity has been widely studied in the field of ecology (Rahbek, 1995). The evidence supports a trend for highest biodiversity at mid latitudes and decreasing biodiversity as elevation increases (Rahbek, 1997; Grytnes, 2003; Hariharan and Buckley, 2022). This effect has primarily been explained by variation of temperatures and resource availability at different elevations. However, the effect that elevation plays on fungal communities is relatively underrepresented in the literature (Dahlberg, 2001). This study analyzes changes in mushroom diversity across an elevational gradient in Mitsinjo Reserve and Analamazaotra National Park found in Madagascar. Using the Braun-Blanquet …

Mushroom Composition Across An Elevational Gradient During The 2024 Wet Season In Mazumbai Forest Reserve, Tanzania, Christopher Brady

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Mushrooms are key bioindicators that contribute greatly to ecological health, and their diversity is indicative of a healthy ecosystem. However, even with the vital role they play in ecological health, there are few studies which measure the diversity of mushrooms in Mazumbai Forest Reserve (MFR), Tanzania, Africa, and none which focus on diversity along the elevational gradient within the reserve (1300-1900m). This study measures the diversity and equitability of mushrooms growing in six elevational zones within MFR during the rainy season of 2024. A species checklist of mushrooms growing in MFR during the 2024 rainy season was created, tracking the …

An Analysis Of Conventional And Modern Packaging Approaches For Cut Flowers: A Review Article, Nahed M Rashed, Saba Ambreen Memon, Saleh M Al Turki, Tarek A Shalaby, Mohamed M El-Mogy

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Fresh-cut flowers are considered to be one of the most delicate and challenging commercial crops. It is important to take into consideration how to minimize loss during storage and transportation when preserving cut flowers. Many impinging (bad effect) forces can interact to shorten the flowers' vase life. In the flower industry, effective methods need to be developed to extend freshly cut flowers' life. Fresh-cut flowers' vase life can be shortened by a variety of interlocking causes. The flower industry must develop new techniques to extend the flowers' vase lifespan. This review provides comprehensive, up-to-date information on classical, modified atmosphere packaging …

Dopamine Lesions Alter The Striatal Encoding Of Single-Limb Gait, Long Yang, Deepak Singla, Alexander K Wu, Katy A Cross, Sotiris C Masmanidis

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The striatum serves an important role in motor control, and neurons in this area encode the body's initiation, cessation, and speed of locomotion. However, it remains unclear whether the same neurons also encode the step-by-step rhythmic motor patterns of individual limbs that characterize gait. By combining high-speed video tracking, electrophysiology, and optogenetic tagging, we found that a sizable population of both D1 and D2 receptor expressing medium spiny projection neurons (MSNs) were phase-locked to the gait cycle of individual limbs in mice. Healthy animals showed balanced limb phase-locking between D1 and D2 MSNs, while dopamine depletion led to stronger phase-locking …

Development Of Solitary Keratoacanthoma From A Cutaneous Wart, Joshua M. Ninan, Veronica Salazar

Research Symposium

Background: Common cutaneous warts, referred to in medicine as verrucae vulgaris, are proliferative lesions caused by human papillomavirus. These lesions are mostly benign and usually resolve without incident, except in the case of the patient mentioned in this report. Our patient developed a solitary keratoacanthoma, currently accepted as a clinical variant of squamous cell carcinoma, as a result of several risk factors and traumatic exposure. The current literature does not have an established association of HPV with solitary keratoacanthomas. This case report explores the presentation and pathogenesis of solitary keratoacanthomas within the setting of HPV.

Case Presentation: 48-year-old Caucasian female …

Single-Cell Analysis Of Age-Related Changes In Leukocytes Of Diabetic Mouse Hindpaws, James M Nichols, Hoang Vu Pham, Eric F Lee, Rajasekaran Mahalingam, Andrew J Shepherd

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Complications associated with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, such as diabetic peripheral neuropathy and diabetic foot ulcers, are a growing health-care concern. In addition, this concern increases as diabetic patients age due to their increased susceptibility to complications. To address this growing problem, it is important to understand fluctuations in physiology which lead to pathological changes associated with the metabolic disturbances of diabetes. Our study explores dysregulation of immune cell populations in the hindpaws of healthy and diabetic mice at 12 and 21 weeks of age using single-cell RNA sequencing to provide insight into immune disruptions occurring in the …

Convolutional Neural Network Based Analysis - An Aid To Diagnose Bacterial And Fungal Osteomyelitis, Saiprasad Alva, Dominic Augustine, Sowmya Sv, Mukul Saini, Sanjana Shetty

Annual Research Symposium

Osteomyelitis may be classified as Bacterial (Actinomycotic), Fungal (Mucormycotic), or combined based on the etiological agent. During histopathological examination, there is a high chance that bacterial colonies or fungal hyphae may be missed by the human eye, especially when there is a paucity of organisms. This may lead to a faulty diagnosis of the type of osteomyelitis which along with an improper treatment plan would cause further progression of the disease and various other complications. Therefore, the diagnosis of the exact etiological variant of osteomyelitis is of prime importance to design an appropriate treatment plan. In the present study, bone …

Assessing Pattern Of The Pediatric Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (Pmis) In Children During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Experience From The Emergency Department Of Tertiary Care Center Of A Low-Middle-Income Country, Saleem Akhtar, Iqra Anis, Kumar Nirdosh, Muhammad Ihsan Tayyab Ihsan, Ahmed Raheem Buksh, Surraiya Bano

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: Pediatric Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (PMIS) is a hyperinflammatory condition affecting multiple organs in children, often resembling incomplete Kawasaki Disease during later phases of COVID-19 infection. Data on PMIS in low-middle-income countries, particularly in emergency department settings, is limited.
Objectives: This prospective observational study at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, aimed to determine the frequency, clinical presentation patterns, and laboratory parameters of children with PMIS visiting the emergency department during the COVID-19 pandemic. Secondary objectives included assessing factors associated with in-hospital mortality.
Methods: From March 2020 to September 2021, patients meeting World Health Organization PMIS criteria were enrolled. COVID-19 testing …

The Influence Of Incubation Temperature On Offspring Traits Varies Across Northern And Southern Populations Of The American Alligator (Alligator Mississippiensis), Christopher R Smaga, Samantha L Bock, Josiah M Johnson, Thomas Rainwater, Randeep Singh, Vincent Deem, Andrew Letter, Arnold Brunell, Benjamin B Parrott

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Maternal provisioning and the developmental environment are fundamental determinants of offspring traits, particularly in oviparous species. However, the extent to which embryonic responses to these factors differ across populations to drive phenotypic variation is not well understood. Here, we examine the contributions of maternal provisioning and incubation temperature to hatchling morphological and metabolic traits across four populations of the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), encompassing a large portion of the species' latitudinal range. Our results show that whereas the influence of egg mass is generally consistent across populations, responses to incubation temperature show population-level variation in several traits, including …