The purpose of this thesis was to quantify sperm acrosome associated 3 (SPACA3) protein expression in the ovaries of young (3.0±0.9 months, n=11) and adult (10.4±2.8 months, n=11) queens. It was hypothesized that SPACA3 expression would not differ between age groups. Immunohistochemistry was performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded feline ovarian sections...
Mycobacterium avium subspecies hominissuis (M. avium) is a ubiquitous, acid-fast organism found in water and soil. This opportunistic pathogen is a common causative of pulmonary diseases in immunocompromised individuals and prevalent infection in HIV/AIDS patients. As a primary defense response against infection, immune cells such as macrophages phagocytize M. avium...
Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. While 90% of lung cancer is due to tobacco smoking, the next major risk factor is pre-existing disease. Cardiovascular disease is reported in 23% of patients diagnosed with lung cancer. A systematic review was conducted to...
Clostridium perfringens is a Gram-positive, anaerobic, spore-forming bacterium that can produce as many as 17 different toxins and are responsible to cause a wide array of gastrointestinal (GI) and histotoxic diseases in humans and animals. As individual strains produce a subset of these toxins, C. perfringens strains can be classified...
The sexually transmitted disease gonorrhea, caused by the Gram-negative bacterium and obligate human pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae, remains a significant health and economic burden worldwide. In the absence of a protective vaccine, antimicrobial agents are the only pharmacological intervention for patients with gonorrhea. However, due to the remarkable ability of gonococcus...
C. perfringens is a spore-forming, gram-positive, anaerobic pathogenic bacterium capable of causing a wide variety of diseases in both humans and animals. However, the two most common illnesses in humans are C. perfringens type A food poisoning (FP) and non-food-borne (NFB) gastrointestinal (GI) illnesses. Interestingly, these two major diseases are...
A fundamental problem that emerges during the planning of a city or neighborhood is how to prioritize sustainable development criteria and where to focus efforts. Solving this problem is a complex task requiring an integrated approach, which considers environmental, economic, and social criteria, as well as stakeholder preferences. Given the...
Ulcerative dermatitis (UD) is a common condition in C57BL/6 mice that is poorly understood and challenging to treat. Inconsistently there have been reports of an increased incidence of the disease in female mice, mice exposed to certain diets, mice of advanced age, and in several seasons. These inconsistencies indicated a...
Blastocystis spp. is a common intestinal parasite in humans and animals that has been associated with acute or chronic digestive disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome. Serotonin mediates intestinal motility, sensation, and secretory function in the normal intestinal tract. Serotonin (5-HT) signaling is decreased in animal models of colitis, as...
Multiple drug resistance (MDR) Tuberculosis (TB), leads to increased use of “second-line” drugs; one of the most effective is ethionamide (ETA). ETA is a prodrug metabolized by a mycobacterial flavin-containing monooxygenase (EtaA) as well human flavin-containing monooxygenases (FMOs). Of the five functional FMOs of humans, FMOs 1, 2, and 3...