Moraxella catarrhalis is a gram negative commensal bacteria that is a primary cause of otitis media in infants and severe exacerbations of COPD in adults. M. catarrhalis treatment has become increasingly difficult and expensive over the past half-century due to the emergence of beta-lactamase producing strains. There are currently no vaccines available to protect against infections. In this paper, we propose a transcriptomics-based approach for identifying potential vaccine targets. Additionally, a novel method was used to create bacterial vaccine polypeptides composed of sequence conserved peptides secreted through the outer membrane. Polypeptides were tested for immunogenicity and protective capacity in mice. We show that relative abundance of outer membrane proteins does not correlate with immunogenicity. We also show promising results for polypeptide protection in a mouse pulmonary clearance model.

The purpose of this cookbook and ingredient index is to simplify the reasoning behind eating a plant based diet--including how it can be beneficial to your health, and what benefits each ingredient provides. These recipes have been cultivated and modified over time to provide nutritious meals that are also tasty. I was introduced to healthy eating at a young age, and have been fascinated by it ever since. The recipes and information conveyed about a plant based diet have come from the many books read and research I have done on the subject. This paper will walk you through how I started this journey, and go on to show a basic overview of what makes up the foods we consume and why we need them. The cookbook portion of my Thesis contains recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, sauces, and dessert. Following the cookbook is an ingredient index that goes through the majority of ingredients used in my recipes, and what health benefits they provide. I hope that by reading this, others will be inspired to use more plant-based whole foods in their diet, and realize the healing that can come from them.

Optometry is an important field in medicine as it allows people a chance to have their vision corrected and it serves as a health screening opportunity for those who receive a dilated eye examination. One of the largest barriers to receiving a dilated eye exam is insurance coverage. Most health insurance policies have limited optometric coverage. By expanding health insurance plans to be more inclusive of optometric care, people who use these health insurance plans will have a better access of care.

Bermuda Land Snails make up a genus called Poecilozonites that is endemic to Bermuda and is extensively present in its fossil record. These snails were also integral to the creation of the theory of punctuated equilibrium. The DNA of mollusks is difficult to sequence because of a class of proteins called mucopolysaccharides that are present in high concentrations in mollusk tissue, and are not removed with standard DNA extraction methods. They inhibit Polymerase Chain Reactions (PCRs) and interfere with Next Generation Sequencing methods. This paper will discuss the DNA extraction methods that were designed to remove the inhibitory proteins that were tested on another gastropod species (Pomacea canaliculata). These were chosen because they are invasive and while they are not pulmonates, they are similar enough to Bermuda Land Snails to reliably test extraction methods. The methods that were tested included two commercially available kits: the Qiagen Blood and Tissue Kit and the Omega Biotek Mollusc Extraction Kit, and one Hexadecyltrimethylammonium Bromide (CTAB) Extraction method that was modified for use on mollusk tissue. The Blood and Tissue kit produced some DNA, the mollusk kit produced almost none, and the CTAB Extraction Method produced the highest concentrations on average, and may prove to be the most viable option for future extractions. PCRs attempted with the extracted DNA have all failed, though it is likely due to an issue with reagents. Further spectrographic analysis of the DNA from the test extractions has shown that they were successful at removing mucopolysaccharides. When the protocol is optimized, it will be used to extract DNA from the tissue from six individuals from each of the two extant species of Bermuda Land Snails. This DNA will be used in several experiments involving Next Generation Sequencing, with the goal of assembling a variety of genome data. These data will then be used to a construct reference genome for Bermuda Land Snails. The genomes generated by this project will be used in population genetic analyses between individuals of the same species, and between individuals of different species. These analyses will then be used to aid in conservation efforts for the species.

There is a lot of variation in health outcomes when it comes to individual states in America. Some states, such as Hawaii, have the life expectancy equivalent to that of developed countries, whereas states like Mississippi have the life expectancy equivalent to that of third world countries. This raised the questions of which states are doing well in health and why, and if their health has to do with their performance in the primary, secondary, tertiary, and/or quaternary prevention levels. The purpose of this research was to investigate if there is a correlation between performance in any of the prevention levels and the overall health status of a state, and if there is, which prevention level would be most beneficial for states to prioritize. The hypothesis of this research was: states that prioritized primary and secondary levels of prevention would have better health than states that prioritized tertiary and quaternary levels of prevention, since basic health measures contribute more to health outcomes than advanced medicine. To investigate this question, indicators were chosen to derive the ranking of each state in health and each of the four prevention levels. Six states were then chosen to represent the high, average, and low health statuses respectively. The six states were ranked for all indicators, and the data was analyzed and compared to determine a potential relationship between the prevention level rankings and the overarching health ranking. It was found that there is a correlation between performance in the primary and secondary prevention levels and a state’s overall health status, whereas there was no such correlation for the tertiary and quaternary levels. A model for health was proposed for states looking to improve their health status, which was to invest in primary prevention, followed by secondary, tertiary, then quaternary prevention and only moving to the next prevention level once the previous level reached a satisfactory threshold.

Neurological manifestations may be more prominent and have a larger role in ankylosing spondylitis than previously thought. Ankylosing Spondylitis is a rheumatic disease primarily identified by its autoinflammatory characteristics and is highly associated with the HLA-B27 gene. While it’s cause is not yet fully understood and it’s symptoms widely vary, neurological impairment is not uncommon. The neurological manifestations of Ankylosing Spondylitis include but are not limited to pain sensitization, altered brain phenotype, and disrupted cardiac conduction. Central and peripheral nervous system involvement may be more significant than previously thought and have the potential to cause demyelinating diseases, spinal cord, and nerve root injuries. Altered connectivity throughout various regions within the brain further exemplify the need for a better understanding of the disease and better treatment development. Higher instances of depression and dementia were also reported and coincide with not only a less active lifestyle, but altered brain activity. Studies on cardiac conduction and arrhythmias in AS patients revealed parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system dysregulation. These studies have explored the possibility of new targets for treatment involving cardiac mechanisms. Treatments for diseases of a similar suspected pathology, new prospective targets for therapy, and a more thorough understanding of current treatments for the disease may be the key in providing more substantial relief. By further investigation in the role of the nervous system in Ankylosing Spondylitis, the disease may become more manageable for patients and greatly increase quality of life in the future.

The Philippines relies on a vast biodiversity of fishes as a staple food, but like many countries around the globe, experiences severe “leakages” of contaminants and pollutants in the environment. In order to better understand the relationship between environmental pollutants and public health, this research project measured the concentration of pollutants in a commonly consumed local fish (Siganus fuscescens), and then evaluated the potential health risks of eating this fish based on estimated average consumer weight and consumption levels. Fish sampled from four different sites located in Negros Oriental, Philippines were analyzed for organic contaminants using gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy. Pollutants quantified included polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pesticides, phthalates, and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs). Across the four study sites, fishes from Manjuyod showed the highest frequency of detection of different pollutants. However, phthalates and PAHs were found in similar concentrations in all four sites, with fishes from Dumaguete showing the highest level of PCBs compared to the other sampled sites. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s guide for fish contaminants pinpoints several health risks associated with the chronic ingestion of these contaminants. Based on estimated average body weights of Filipino adult men, adult women, and children, and various consumption levels, people who eat the fish at or above the national average consumption level may be at increased risk for chronic health outcomes, such as cancer and/or other adverse effects. Specifically, due to the high concentration of PCBs in Dumaguete, selected populations who eat local fish from this site may be at higher risk than the citizens who eat the fish from other sites at similar consumption rates. These results can help to inform local and national policies on water quality, waste disposal, and fish consumption advisory programs.