Athena Commons - Digital Repository of Mississippi University for Women
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Enterococcus Faecalis: The Bacteria that Survives Snake Venom
No full textEnterococcus faecalis is a bacterium responsible for many infections each year due to its virulence or its ability to withstand extremely harsh conditions. Not only can E. faecalis withstand evironmental and antibiotic stresses, but it has also been found to survive in snake venom. This has created a number of issues for the thousands of snake bite victims in the United States each year. The spx gene in E. faecalis has been found responsible for the bacterium\u27s virulence, however, it has not been specified which part of the gene is responsible. Therefore, I propose that the spx gene should be mutated in its entirety to determine the specific parts responsible for the virulance of E. faecalis
Comparative Genomic of Aeromonas
No full textCatfish farming in the US and carp farming in China have been affected in recent years by virulent Aeromonas hydrophila. This causes disease in fish, humans, and other species. We will review this strain of bacteria and find out what is causing it and how to keep it from happening to ensure safety and health of animals and humans. Future work is needed to help decide what is the best way to prevent this bacterium and use any known factors to help determine how to go about the best way to ensure health. We will compare these two strains to find the differences between them and possibly figure out how mutations are occurring, and different strains are being developed. We will focus in on comparing the major differences in the myo-inositol degradation because they show differences. In doing this, we will hopefully determine if targeting this pathway in both strains will make the virus more lethal or less lethal to animals
Understanding the Strain-Specific Pathogenicity of Streptococcus Pneumoniae
No full textStreptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) is the leading causative agent of infections like pneumonia, otitis media, and meningitis. It is also becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics. Therefore, this study aims to investigate strain-specific pathogenicity in the virulent TIGR4 and avirulent R6 strains of S. pneumoniae by comparing differences in virulent factors, like Pneumococcal Surface Protein A (PspA)
Why is speech language pathology considered a gendered profession amongst male college students in health related majors?
Full text linkA gender disparity exists in the field of speech-language pathology, and it is recognized in the American Speech and Hearing Association’s demographic report. In Mississippi, 98.4% of SLPs are female and 1.6% are male (ASHA, 2022). Given the numbers presented by ASHA, awareness of speech-language pathology amongst male college students comes into question. According to ASHA’s Strategic Pathway to Excellence, objective #6 is to increase diversity/equity/inclusion within the Association and the discipline (ASHA, 2023). A goal of this research study is to identify the barriers and awareness level of males in health-related undergraduate majors. This information would better facilitate how recruitment and stereotypes should be addressed in speech-language pathology. An online survey will be used for this study to gather information from male college students who are enrolled in health related majors at The Mississippi University for Women to gain more insight on why the ratio of men to women in the speech-language pathology department is so vast and what may deter males from majoring in speech-language pathology. We will reach out to the head of the department of each of these health related majors to get permission to give the survey using the website “Qualtrics” as our method. This method is easy to use and is customizable because there are different themes, images, and other features to choose from. The questionnaire will be made prior to January 2024 and will be passed out and collected over a two-week period at the beginning of spring semester
Doxorubicin-Induced Nuclear Localization of SCUBE3 Essential for Cell Survival in TNBC
No full textMediation of Doxorubicin-Induced SCUBE3 Nuclear Localization by A Functional NLS Involved in Pro-Tumorigenic Actions in Breast Cancer.
Signal peptide-CUB-EGF-like domain-containing protein 3 (SCUBE3) is a glycosylated secreted and cell membrane-associated protein considered a signature gene in cancers and known to mediate its actions in the cytoplasm where its localizes prior to its secretion. However, our study observed that SCUBE3 protein localized to the nucleus following doxorubicin (DOX) treatment. In this study, we investigated SCUBE3 nuclear localization in triple-negative breast cancer, intending to dissect the mechanism of its nuclear trafficking induced by DOX treatment. Bioinformatic analysis of the SCUBE3 protein sequence with PSORTII and NLStradamus identified two different candidate nuclear localization sequences (NLS) at 532- RKGKGRRARTPP-543 (referred to as NLS-1) and 836-PPPKRKILIV-845 (referred to as NLS-2) within SCUBE3 domain. The mutagenesis of the NLS-1 abolished SCUBE3 nuclear import in the presence of DOX treatment. Consequently, mutation of the NLS-1 resulted in a significant reduction in the percent number of viable cells following DOX treatment compared to the cells transfected with the control or wild-type constructs. Altogether, these data show for the first time that SCUBE3 has a functional NLS and actively localizes into the nucleus by a classical nuclear import mechanism involving the formation of SCUBE3 complexes with importin-α. The localization of SCUBE3 to the nucleus promotes cell survival in TNBC cells
Electronic Health Record Use Among Older Adults in Primary Care
Full text linkThe use of Electronic Health Records (EHR) has transformed the way healthcare providers deliver patient care. EHRs enable quick access to patient records from various providers, leading to a more comprehensive approach to healthcare. They have become an essential tool for both healthcare professionals and patients. The patient view of an EHR is often referred to as a patient portal. This study aims to explore the significance and advantages of patient portal utilization by examining previous research and highlighting the outcomes. It also seeks to identify barriers that prevent patients over the age of 65 from using their EHR, with the goal of addressing modifiable barriers to increase utilization rates. The data for this study was gathered from 166 paper surveys completed by patients at two primary care clinics in Mississippi and across several towns in the state. The collected data was entered into Qualtrics and analyzed using IBM SPSS statistical software by a statistician. The results indicated that among the seventy-two participants who reported having a primary care provider (PCP) offering a patient portal, less than half (45.8%) had ever accessed their patient portal. Additionally, the study concluded that in this sample population, there was no association between the use of EHR and patient satisfaction. The most common barrier reported by participants was their preference to talk to someone on the phone rather than using an online system, with the second most reported barrier being that 42.8% of participants were unaware if their PCP offered a patient portal. Interestingly, this study found that some barriers were not as prevalent in this patient population as they were in previous studies
Genomic Exploration of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: Unraveling Complexity for Effective Intervention
No full textMycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis, is most often found attacking the lungs. We searched into the genomic aspects of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, addressing the need to understand its genetic complexity and implications for effective intervention. We explore the genomic landscape of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, shedding light on key genetic features. Emphasis is placed on recent developments in microbial genomics that contribute to our understanding of the organism\u27s biology and pathogenicity. Focusing on the genes that exhibit variations within the Mycobacterium tuberculosis genome is crucial for advancing our knowledge and devising targeted strategies in the fight against tuberculosis
Sexual Wellness and Knowledge of College Students
No full textThis research project aims to conduct further research using a questionnaire developed by the fall 2022 FSC 330 class to assess the sexual health knowledge of W students. I plan to study their use as a potential educational tool to provide sexual health knowledge to W students in addition to assessing their sexual health knowledge. The revised survey consists of topics that cover: contraceptives, women’s/ men’s sexual health and anatomy, gender/ sexual orientation, sexual coercion, STIs, and lastly love/ communication. The survey we are currently making will have three different versions that are: feedback on incorrectly answered questions, feedback on correctly/ incorrectly answered questions and no feedback. This is to test if feedback will improve test scores. To start the experiment, I will give the participants access to versions where feedback is given. One week after the surveys are finished, I will release the final version with no feedback to evaluate the knowledge of the explanations that were given. The hypothesis is those given the most information will perform better on a posttest of sexual health knowledge. Although the data collection is incomplete, preliminary results will be provided at the time of the conference with most recent results. Analysis will not be available by the time of the presentation
Language Interpreters in School Systems
No full textIn many classrooms across Mississippi, the number of English Language Learners, also known as ELL students, are increasing each school year. The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) has 12,000 ELL students just within our state. Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) must rely on a firm understanding of the culture, the case history obtained for the client, and assess normal communicative patterns of the client’s dominant language as well as normal patterns of the client’s second language acquisition. With this information in mind, it is evident that SLPs need to acquire a certain subset of diagnostic skills prior to engaging in language assessment with bilingual children. This current study is aimed to determine the possibility for SLPs to be accompanied by language interpreters in school systems across Mississippi with large populations of ELL students. This study will consist of two surveys. The first survey will analyze the number of verified interpreters working in Mississippi, or within a 30-mile radius. The second survey will evaluate the school’s SLP’s perception on the need for a Language Interpreter based on the number and languages of the ELL students in their school system. The goal for the research study is to show if it would be beneficial for each school system to have an interpreter, what languages need to be targeted for each individual school system, and if the possibility is even an option
Closing Remarks and Award Announcements
No full textHillary A. H. Richardson - Closing remarks
Amanda Clay Powers - Community Read Essay Contest Award Announcement
Dr. Scott Tollison - 2024 URC Award Announcements
This event will be live-streamed from the Tiered Classroom in Fant Memorial Library