Thesis (M.S.)--University of Oregon, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 75-81).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 102-109). Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 102-109).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Nebraska at Omaha, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 84-89). Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.

Proponho-me, nesta Tese, explorar como se constrói e se perpetua um grupo de pesquisa básica comportamental em modelo animal a partir de um laboratório universitário de neurociências voltado para o estudo da memória. Em particular, através do rastreio das práticas científicas e de suas várias ramificações, procuro entender o processo de produção de pesquisa básica comportamental no Sul do Brasil, levando em consideração desde os recursos materiais escassos até os custos emocionais elevados dos seus pesquisadores para manter um laboratório multiespécies. Travo diálogos antropológicos com humanos, ratos e drogas – aqui considerados os principais atores desse local específico de produção de conhecimentos. Nesse caso, para produzir a (neuro) ciência de base é preciso mobilizar parceiros multiespécies, incorrendo em um tipo de aprendizagem mútua planejada e, ao mesmo tempo, inesperada. Junto a cientistas e ratos, as drogas funcionam como um terceiro ator fundamental na viabilidade de relações produtivas. Rastreando parcerias institucionais, artefatos de laboratório, protocolos e práticas ligados à experimentação e à gramática usada para compor a ciência nesse lugar, investigo a maneira com que elementos heterogêneos demandam cuidado constante na manutenção de sua associação voltada a produzir conhecimento. Também considero a forma processual e contínua da aprendizagem exigida para coordenar esses elementos heterogêneos em nome da promessa que a ciência encarna. / Through the ethnographic study of a university neuroscience laboratory in Southern Brazil, I propose in this thesis to explore how a behavioral research group focused on the study of memory is built and perpetuated. In particular, by following the various ramifications of certain scientific practices connected with animal experimentation, I seek to understand the production of basic research, taking into account the full array of inputs – from scarce material resources to high emotional costs for researchers – required to maintain a multispecies laboratory in this Latin American setting. My dialogue engages with humans, rats and drugs - considered here the major actors of this specific site of knowledge production. To produce this basic (neuro) science one must mobilize multispecies partners, engaging in a kind of mutual learning that is both planned and unexpected. Together with rats and scientists, drugs act as a third fundamental actor in the definition of productive relationships. Tracing institutional partnerships, laboratory artifacts, protocols, and practices linked to experimentation and the grammar used to compose science in this laboratory, I investigate the way in which heterogeneous elements demand constant care in maintaining their association aimed at producing knowledge. I also consider the processual and continuous forms of learning required to coordinate these heterogeneous elements in name of the promises embodied in science.

Proponho-me, nesta Tese, explorar como se constrói e se perpetua um grupo de pesquisa básica comportamental em modelo animal a partir de um laboratório universitário de neurociências voltado para o estudo da memória. Em particular, através do rastreio das práticas científicas e de suas várias ramificações, procuro entender o processo de produção de pesquisa básica comportamental no Sul do Brasil, levando em consideração desde os recursos materiais escassos até os custos emocionais elevados dos seus pesquisadores para manter um laboratório multiespécies. Travo diálogos antropológicos com humanos, ratos e drogas – aqui considerados os principais atores desse local específico de produção de conhecimentos. Nesse caso, para produzir a (neuro) ciência de base é preciso mobilizar parceiros multiespécies, incorrendo em um tipo de aprendizagem mútua planejada e, ao mesmo tempo, inesperada. Junto a cientistas e ratos, as drogas funcionam como um terceiro ator fundamental na viabilidade de relações produtivas. Rastreando parcerias institucionais, artefatos de laboratório, protocolos e práticas ligados à experimentação e à gramática usada para compor a ciência nesse lugar, investigo a maneira com que elementos heterogêneos demandam cuidado constante na manutenção de sua associação voltada a produzir conhecimento. Também considero a forma processual e contínua da aprendizagem exigida para coordenar esses elementos heterogêneos em nome da promessa que a ciência encarna. / Through the ethnographic study of a university neuroscience laboratory in Southern Brazil, I propose in this thesis to explore how a behavioral research group focused on the study of memory is built and perpetuated. In particular, by following the various ramifications of certain scientific practices connected with animal experimentation, I seek to understand the production of basic research, taking into account the full array of inputs – from scarce material resources to high emotional costs for researchers – required to maintain a multispecies laboratory in this Latin American setting. My dialogue engages with humans, rats and drugs - considered here the major actors of this specific site of knowledge production. To produce this basic (neuro) science one must mobilize multispecies partners, engaging in a kind of mutual learning that is both planned and unexpected. Together with rats and scientists, drugs act as a third fundamental actor in the definition of productive relationships. Tracing institutional partnerships, laboratory artifacts, protocols, and practices linked to experimentation and the grammar used to compose science in this laboratory, I investigate the way in which heterogeneous elements demand constant care in maintaining their association aimed at producing knowledge. I also consider the processual and continuous forms of learning required to coordinate these heterogeneous elements in name of the promises embodied in science.

Listeria monocytogenes e Yersinia enterocolitica são agentes zoonóticos e têm capacidade de transmissão através dos alimentos, inclusive carne suína. O presente estudo avaliou, mensalmente, de maio de 2007 a abril de 2008, alguns pontos da cadeia produtiva da carne suína em abatedouros e açougues do Estado de São Paulo. Foram avaliados ambientes dos estabelecimentos visitados e amostras de línguas, tonsilas e cortes de carne suína. Listeria monocytogenes foi isolada de todos os tipos de amostra, com presença dos sorotipos 4b, 1/2b, 1/2a e 1/2c. Estes isolados demonstraram grande similaridade, sugerindo até que haja persistência do agente em ambiente, de acordo com a PFGE, reforçando seu potencial de transmissão para humanos. Yersinia enterocolitica 4/ O:3 foi detectada exclusivamente em abatedouros, principalmente nos animais, apresentando, portanto, menor potencial de transmissão para humanos. Entretanto, Yersinia enterocolitica 1A, considerada não patogênica, foi isolada de todos os tipos de amostras, e a maioria apresentou fatores de virulência, devendo este fato ser melhor investigado. Os resultados apresentados indicam a necessidade de se tomar medidas para controle e prevenção da disseminação dos agentes, principalmente da Listeria monocytogenes. / Listeria monocytogenes and Yersinia enterocolitica are zoonotic agents with capacity of transmission through foods, including pork. The present study evaluated, monthly, from May 2007 to April 2008, several points of swine meat productive chain in slaughterhouses and butcheries from Sao Paulo state. It were evaluated the environments of visited establishments and samples of tongues, tonsils and pork cuts. Listeria monocytogenes was isolated from all kinds of samples and the serotypes 4b, 1/2b, 1/2a and 1/2c were present. These isolates showed great similarity, even suggesting that there was persistence of the agent in the environment, according to the PFGE, reinforcing its potential of transmission to humans. Yersinia enterocolitica 4/ O:3 was exclusively detected in slaughterhouses, mainly in the animals, presenting therefore, low potential of transmission to humans. However, Yersinia enterocolitica 1A, considered no pathogenic, was isolated from all kinds of samples, and the majority presented virulence factors, suggesting that this observation should be better investigated. The results presented indicate the necessity of measures of control and prevention of agents dissemination, mainly of Listeria monocytogenes.

M.Tech. (Chiropractic) / This study aimed to compare the immediate effects of a cervical spine adjustment on gait in participants who had asymptomatic cervical spine dysfunction. Method: This study consisted of 1 group of 60 participants between the ages of 18 and 50 years of age. The group was mixed unevenly in terms of gender. The potential participants were examined and accepted according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Each participant underwent a pre adjustment gait analysis followed by cervical spine adjustment and then a post adjustment gait analysis. Procedure: Treatment consisted of a single treatment. The objective data was recorded via the Win FDM system pre and post cervical spine adjustment. The measurements were taken this way to give a reliable, dynamic analysis of gait in an easy to read print out. Analysis of collected data was performed by a statistician. The manipulative techniques used were directed towards dysfunction cervical spine joints which were identified via motion palpation. Results: The results of the gait analysis were obtained from the WinFDM analysis and analyzed by STATKON. Objective data was collected from 60 participants of both genders. All participants underwent a pre and post adjustment gait analysis for comparison...

Abstract Dentin forms the hard tissue portion of the dentin-pulp complex, while the dental pulp is soft connective tissue that retains the vitality of the dentin. Odontoblasts form the outermost cell layer of pulp and play a central role during dentin formation by producing and mineralizing the dentin matrix. The understanding of the defensive reactions in the dentin-pulp complex is limited. Information about the transcriptome and proteome of pulp tissue and odontoblasts would facilitate understanding of their functions during health and disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression profiles of human pulp tissue and odontoblasts in vivo and in vitro using large-scale expression analysis methods. Also, the suitability of these methods in pulp biological research in vivo and in vitro was evaluated. cDNA microarray revealed only minor variation and 2-D electrophoresis combined with mass spectrometry revealed no differences between healthy and carious teeth pulp tissue in vivo. The effect of transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) on pulp and odontoblasts was studied in vitro using oligonucleotide-based microarrays, and marked changes in the transcriptome were revealed, especially in the expression of chemokine- and cytokine-related genes. Transiently increased interleukin expression was confirmed at the protein level by antibody array. DNA microarray analysis of native pulp tissue and odontoblasts was used to search for potential odontoblast markers. Only one gene related to extracellular matrix organization and biogenesis, matrilin 4, and two expressed sequence tags (ESTs), which represent transcribed sequences encoding possibly unknown genes, were identified in odontoblasts but not in pulp. Analysis of mature native odontoblasts and cultured odontoblast-like cells by DNA microarray revealed a high similarity (84%) between native and cultured cells. Also, differential expression levels of selected neuronal proteins were observed and confirmed at the mRNA and protein levels. In conclusion, microarray is a powerful tool for pulp biology, especially for in vitro studies. TGF-β1 was revealed as a potent regulator of proinflammatory responses in the dentin–pulp complex. In addition, several potential odontoblast markers were identified by microarray, and the similarity of cultured odontoblast-like cells used in the study with native odontoblasts was confirmed.

The work presented focuses on bacterial zoonoses in northern Nigeria, and more specifically on brucellosis in the Kachia grazing reserve (KGR) - rangeland set-aside by the government to sedentarise Fulani pastoralists. The objectives of the study were to 1) undertake demographic and socioeconomic profiling of the KGR community; 2) review the evidence for brucellosis burden in Nigeria; 3) assess the suitability and performance of brucellosis diagnostic tests selected for use; 4) compare burden of brucellosis across different species (animal and human) and determine Brucella species present in KGR; 5) explore social or environmental factors which may promote or prevent brucellosis transmission; 6) make recommendations for brucellosis control in the KGR and Nigeria; 7) explore community perception of disease and determine household expenditure on animal health; 8) critically evaluate the system’s, integrated, disease cluster, ‘One Health’ approach applied in this study. Three surveys comprising animal (cattle, sheep and goat) and human sampling, administration of questionnaires, focus group discussions and key informant interviews were undertaken in March, June and October 2011. A population census was undertaken in June 2011. Comparison of 2010 government census data with June 2011 census data showed that a mass immigration event occurred in April-May 2011 as a result of post-election violence, with cattle and human populations increasing by 75%. Questionnaire and census data demonstrated the diversity and heterogeneity of the Fulani community in terms of wealth status (roughly corresponding to livestock assets), household size and composition and livelihood diversification strategies. While Fulani in grazing reserves were assumed to be sedentary, KGR households were found to practice wide-range dry and wet season transhumance. Cattle productivity parameters and herd dynamics were similar to those reported by other authors for the extensive pastoralist systems in the sub-humid zone. Herd increase over a one-year period was found to be low or negative for most households in this low input, low output system. Brucellosis epidemiology in the KGR involves B. abortus biovar 3a with low individual and moderate cattle herd prevalence and occasional spill-over into small ruminants. No human brucellosis was detected despite over 80% of the KGR population consuming raw milk and engaging in risky behaviours, raising questions about the potential lower virulence of the local biovar. Low infection rates in livestock, disease-reducing intuitive behaviours or immunity may also be at play. The RBT was found to perform well under field conditions, despite poor concordance when applied in different laboratories and under different conditions. Prospects for control/elimination of brucellosis in the KGR are poor, but low animal burden and absence of human disease render vaccination uneconomic. A review of the literature in Nigeria suggests that brucellosis burden is higher in intensive livestock production systems, which should be targeted first. A laissez-faire approach to brucellosis control in the nomadic pastoralist domain may appeal to policy-makers, as interventions in migratory populations are difficult. Brucellosis is perceived by the KGR community as the number three-priority disease, after trypanosomiasis and Fasciola gigantica/clostridial infection and this was reflected in household expenditure on chemotherapeutics and prophylaxis. Finally, the value of the One Health approach is the ability to see the whole picture, including disease impacts in the animal reservoir as well as the human population, without which erroneous epidemiological and economic conclusions may be drawn; for example, presence of brucellosis in the animal reservoir does not necessarily indicate presence of human disease. This work shows that moving from disciplinary silos to a more holistic or system’s approach spanning epidemiology, evaluation of diagnostic and control tools as well as socio-economic, cultural and institutional aspects can lead to more appropriate recommendations for disease control.