Life Sciences Commons^™

Associations Of Adiposity And Diet Quality With Serum Ceramides In Middle-Aged Adults With Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Margaret A. Drazba, Ida Holaskova, Nadine R. Sahyoun, Melissa Ventura Marra

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Rates of adverse cardiovascular events have increased among middle-aged adults. Elevated ceramides have been proposed as a risk factor for cardiovascular events. Diet quality and weight status are inversely associated with several traditional risk factors; however, the relationship to ceramides is less clear. This study aimed to determine associations of adiposity and diet quality with circulating ceramides in middle-aged adults (n = 96). Diet quality was estimated using the Healthy Eating Index 2015 (HEI-2015). Serum ceramide concentrations were determined by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. A ceramide risk score was determined based on ceramides C16:0, C18:0, and C24:1 and their ratios to …

Cooking And Meal Planning As Predictors Of Fruit And Vegetable Intake And Bmi In First-Year College Students, Andrea J. Hanson, Kendra K. Kattleman, Lacey A. Mccormack, Wenjun Zhou, Onikia N. Brown, Tanya M. Horacek, Karla P. Shelnutt, Tandalayo Kidd, Audrey Opoku-Acheampong, Lisa D. Franzen-Castle, Melissa D. Olfert, Sarah E. Colby

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The objective was to determine if cooking skills and meal planning behaviors are associated with greater fruit and vegetable intake and lower body mass index (BMI) in first-year college students who are at risk for excessive weight gain. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using baseline data from a multi-state research project aimed at preventing weight gain in first-year college students. Cooking type, frequency and confidence, self-instruction for healthful mealtime behavior intention, self-regulation of healthful mealtime behavior, and cup equivalents of fruits and vegetables (FV) were measured using validated surveys. BMI was calculated from measured height and weight. First-year students (n …

Educational Intervention Improves Fruit And Vegetable Intake In Young Adults With Metabolic Syndrome Components, Rashel L. Clark, Oluremi A. Famodu, Ida Holásková, Aniello M. Infante, Pamela J. Murray, I. Mark Olfert, Joseeph W. Mcfadden, Marianne T. Downes, Paul D. Chantler, Matthew W. Duespohl, Christopher F. Cuff, Melissa D. Olfert

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The FRUVEDomics study investigates the effect of a diet intervention focused on increasing fruit and vegetable intake on the gut microbiome and cardiovascular health of young adults with/at risk for metabolic syndrome(MetS). It was hypothesized that the recommended diet would result in metabolic and gut microbiome changes. The 9-week dietary intervention adhered to the US Department of Agriculture Dietary Guidelines for Americansand focused on increasing fruit and vegetable intake to equal half of the diet. Seventeen eligible young adults with/or at high risk of MetS consented and completed preintervention and postintervention measurements, including anthropometric, body composition, cardiovascular, …

Development Of The Icook 4-H Curriculum For Youth And Adults: Cooking, Eating, And Playing Together For Childhood Obesity Prevention, Lisa Franzen-Castle, Sarah E. Colby, Kendra K. Kattelmann, Melissa D. Olfert, Douglas R. Mathews, Kathryn Yerxa, Barbara Baker, Michelle Krehbiel, Tracey Lehrke, Kimberly Wilson, Sue M. Flanagan, Amber Ford, Trina Aguirre, Adrienne A. White

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The objective was to describe the development process of a curriculum (iCook 4-H) targeted to low-income, rural, and/or diverse youths and their adult primary meal preparer to promote cooking, eating, and playing together. Lessons learned highlighted the importance of grounding the curriculum in Social Cognitive Theory and applying the experiential 4-H learning model using a multiphased, community-based participatory approach with cyclical development and evaluation, and key modifications made for dissemination and distribution. Findings across 4 testing phases over 6 years and 5 states demonstrated the time-intensive, cyclical process that required flexibility with fidelity to form a hands-on, interactive …

The Icook 4-H Study: Report On Physical Activity And Sedentary Time In Youth Participating In A Multicomponent Program Promoting Family Cooking, Eating, And Playing Together, Kendra K. Kattelmann, Jessica R. Meendering, Emily J. Hofer, Chase M. Merfeld, Melissa D. Olfert, Rebeca L. Hagedorn, Sarah E. Colby, Lisa Franzen-Castle, Jonathan Moyer, Douglas R. Mathews, Adrienne A. White

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Objective

To report physical activity and sedentary time outcomes of youth in iCook 4-H.

Study Design and Setting

iCook 4-Hwas a 5-state, randomized, control–treatment, family-based childhood obesity prevention intervention promoting cooking, eating, and playing together.

Participants and Intervention

Youth aged 9–10 years and the main preparer of their meals participated in the 12-week program followed by monthly newsletters and biyearly booster sessions until 24 months.

Main Outcome Measure(s)

A total of 155 youth were fitted with an Actigraph GT3X+ accelerometer, which they wore for 7 days at baseline and 4, 12, and 24 months to measure mean daily …

Dissemination Using Infographic Reports Depicting Program Impact Of A Community-Based Research Program: Eb4cast In Icook 4-H, Melissa D. Olfert, Rebecca L. Hagedorn, Makenzie L. Barr, Sarah E. Colby, Kendra K. Kattelmann, Lisa Franzen-Castle, Adrienne A. White

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Objective

To evaluate barriers to dissemination and implementation and perceptions of the Evidence-Based Forecast Capture, Assemble, Sustain, Timelessness (eB4CAST) dissemination infographic tool as part of iCook 4-Hdissemination.

Design

Online surveys and phone interviews.

Participants

Experts (n = 35) in community research completed the survey; 13 completed the interview.

Main Outcomes Measure

Experts’ perceptions of eB4CAST reports used for iCook 4-Hdissemination.

Analysis

Frequency and thematic analysis.

Results

Survey respondents agreed (85%) that the eB4CAST infographic provided a clear understanding of iCook 4-Hand relevant information (83%). Statistics included in the infographic were reported as easily understood (66%). Respondents (83%) …

The Icook 4-H Study: An Intervention And Dissemination Test Of A Youth/Adult Out-Of-School Program, Adrienne A. White, Sarah E. Colby, Lisa Franzen-Castle, Kendra K. Kattelmann, Melissa D. Olfert, Tara A. Gould, Rebecca L. Hagedorn, Douglas R. Mathews, Jonathan Moyer, Kimberly Wilson, Kathryn Yerxa

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Objective

To describe outcomes from intervention and dissemination of iCook 4-H.

Design

Five-state, community-based participatory research and a randomized, controlled trial followed by a 5-state, nonrandomized dissemination test of the iCook 4-H curriculum with control and treatment groups.

Setting

Community and university sites.

Participants

Youths aged 9–10 years and their adult food preparer; 228 dyads in the intervention and 74 dyads in dissemination.

Intervention(s)

Theoretical frameworks were Social Cognitive Theory and the experiential 4-H learning model. Six 2-hour, biweekly sessions on cooking, eating, and playing together followed by monthly newsletters and boosters until 24 months, expanded to 8 sessions …

Development And Testing Of Program Evaluation Instruments For The Icook 4-H Curriculum, Douglas R. Mathews, Zachary J. Kunicki, Sarah E. Colby, Lisa Franzen-Castle, Kendra K. Kattelmann, Melissa D. Olfert, Adrienne A. White

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Objective

To develop and test the validity of program outcome evaluation instruments for cooking, eating, and playing together for obesity prevention during iCook 4-H.

Design

Instrument development for both youth and adults through pre-post testing of items newly constructed and compiled to address key curriculum constructs. Testing occurred throughout program intervention and dissemination to determine dimensionality, internal consistency and test-retest reliability, and validity.

Setting

A 5-state out-of-school program in cooperative extension and other community sites.

Participants

Youths aged 9–10 years; adults were main food preparers; the first phase involved 214 dyads and the second phase, 74 dyads.

Main Outcome …

Ripple Effect Mapping Outcomes Of A Childhood Obesity Prevention Program From Youth And Adult Dyads Using A Qualitative Approach: Icook 4-H, Melissa D. Olfert, Sina J. King, Rebecca L. Hagedorn, Makenzie L. Barr, Barbara A. Baker, Sarah E. Colby, Kendra K. Kattelmann, Lisa Franzen-Castle, Adrienne A. White

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Objective

Design

Setting

Participants …

Feasibility Of A Mhealth Approach To Nutrition Counseling In An Appalachian State, Melissa D. Olfert, Makenzie L. Barr, Rebecca L. Hagedorn, Dustin M. Long, Treah S. Haggerty, Mathew Weimer, Joseph Golden, Mary Ann Maurer, Jill D. Cochran, Tracy Hendershot, Stacey L. Whanger, Jay D. Mason, Sally L. Hodder

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Abstract: West Virginia is a rural state with an aging population that may experience barriers to accessing nutritional and lifestyle counseling. This study examined feasibility of an online personalized nutrition tracking application, Good Measures (GM), with patients at seven health care clinics throughout the state. Fourteen healthcare providers and 64 patients 18 years or older with a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 and access to the Internet were recruited for this 12-week feasibility study. Patient participants logged meals and exercise into the GM application via smart phone, tablet, or computer and virtually engaged with a …

Climatic Trends Of West Virginia: A Representative Appalachian Microcosm, Evan Kutta, Jason Hubbart

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

During the late 19th and very early 20th centuries widespread deforestation occurred across the Appalachian region, USA. However, since the early 20th century, land cover rapidly changed from predominantly agricultural land use (72%; 1909) to forest. West Virginia (WV) is now the USA’s third most forested state by area (79%; 1989–present). It is well understood that land cover alterations feedback on climate with important implications for ecology, water resources, and watershed management. However, the spatiotemporal distribution of climatic changes during reforestation in WV remains unclear. To fill this knowledge gap, daily maximum temperature, minimum temperature, and precipitation data were acquired …

Genome-Wide Association Study Identifies Genomic Loci Affecting Filet Firmness And Protein Content In Rainbow Trout, Ali Ali, Rafet Al-Tobasei, Daniela Lourenco, Tim Leeds, Brett Kenney, Mohamed Saleem

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Filet quality traits determine consumer satisfaction and affect profitability of the aquaculture industry. Soft flesh is a criterion for fish filet downgrades, resulting in loss of value. Filet firmness is influenced by many factors, including rate of protein turnover. A 50K transcribed gene SNP chip was used to genotype 789 rainbow trout, from two consecutive generations, produced in the USDA/NCCCWA selective breeding program. Weighted single-step GBLUP (WssGBLUP) was used to perform genome-wide association (GWA) analyses to identify quantitative trait loci affecting filet firmness and protein content. Applying genomic sliding windows of 50 adjacent SNPs, 212 and 225 SNPs were associated …

Cooking Frequency Associated With Dietary Quality In Icook-4h Youth Participants At Baseline, Amber D. Ford, Sarah E. Colby, Marissa Mcelrone, Lisa Franzen-Castle, Melissa D. Olfert

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background: Increased intakes of ready-made and fast foods paralleled with decreased homemade food consumption have been associated with increased rates of obesity. Researchers have shown associations between cooking self-efficacy (SE) and cooking frequency (CF) with dietary quality and weight status. Some cooking interventions have shown positive associations with dietary outcomes, such as increased fruit and vegetable intake and decreased fast food consumption. There is still much unknown about SE and CF, especially among youth. Objective: Determine baseline SE and CF and the associations with dietary quality and body mass index (BMI) of youth enrolled in iCook 4H. Methods: Youth (n=228, …

The Identification Of Differentially Expressed Genes Between Extremes Of Placental Efficiency In Maternal Line Gilts On Day 95 Of Gestation, Shanice K. Krombeen, Vijay Shankar, Rooksana E. Noorai, Christopher A. Saski, Julia L. Sharp, Matthew E. Wilson, Tiffany A. Wilmoth

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background: Placental efficiency (PE) describes the relationship between placental and fetal weights (fetal wt/placental wt). Within litters, PE can vary drastically, resulting in similarly sized pigs associated with differently sized placentas, up to a 25% weight difference. However, the mechanisms enabling the smaller placenta to grow a comparable littermate are unknown. To elucidate potential mechanisms, morphological measurements and gene expression profiles in placental and associated endometrial tissues of high PE and low PE feto-placental units were compared. Tissue samples were obtained from eight maternal line gilts during gestational day 95 ovario-hysterectomies. RNA was extracted from tissues of feto-placental units with …

Characterization And Localization Of Cyclin B3 Transcript In Both Oocyte And Spermatocyte Of The Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss), Wenzhi Guan, Liangjie Qiu, Bo Zhang, Jianbo Yao, Qing Xiao, Gaofeng Qiu

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

B-type cyclins are regulatory subunits with distinct roles in the cell cycle. To date, at least three subtypes of B-type cyclins (B1, B2, and B3) have been identified in vertebrates. Previously, we reported the characterization and expression profiles of cyclin B1 and B2 during gametogenesis in the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). In this paper, we isolated another subtype of cyclin B, cyclin B3 (CB3), from a cDNA library of the rainbow trout oocyte. The full-length CB3 cDNA (2,093 bp) has an open reading frame (1,248 bp) that encodes a protein of 416 amino acid residues. The CB3 transcript …

Apple Pomace As A Novel Aid For Western Diet-Induced Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease In Young Female Sprague Dawley Rats, R. Chris Skinner

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Apple pomace is a “waste” byproduct of apple processing that causes environmental pollution and is costly to dispose of. Yet, apple pomace is rich in dietary fibers and antioxidants. Analysis of apple pomace’s nutritional profile indicates suitability as a potential dietary treatment for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and the more severe non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). NAFLD is the most prevalent liver disease in the world with prevalence and severity expected to increase in both adults and children. Currently, there is no approved drug treatment for NAFLD and therefore, dietary intervention is the primary treatment. The study objectives were to determine …

Prevalence And Correlates Of Food Insecurity Among U.S. College Students: A Multi-Institutional Study, Aseel El Zein, Karla P. Shelnutt, Sarah Colby, Melissa J. Vilaro, Wenjun Zhou, Geoffrey Greene, Melissa D. Olfert, Kristin Riggsbee, Jesse Stabile Morrell, Anne E. Mathews

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background: College students may be vulnerable to food insecurity due to limited financial resources, decreased buying power of federal aid, and rising costs of tuition, housing, and food. This study assessed the prevalence of food insecurity and its sociodemographic, health, academic, and food pantry correlates among first-year college students in the United States. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among first-year students (n = 855) across eight U.S. universities. Food security status was assessed using the U.S. Department of Agriculture Adult Food Security Survey Module. Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and Eating Attitudes Test-26 were used to …

The Effect Of Sodium Selenate Biofortification On Plant Yield, Mineral Content, And Antioxidant Capacity Of Culinary Herb Microgreens, Rachel G. Newman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Selenium (Se) biofortification of plants has been suggested as a method for enhancing dietary Se intake. Popular herbs such as basil (Ocimum basilicum), cilantro (Coriandrum sativum), and scallions (Allium fistulosum) are used for enhancing flavors. Microgreens are young seedlings harvested with one to two true leaves and are increasingly popular in the consumer marketplace. In this study, basil, cilantro, and scallion microgreens were treated with various concentrations of Se as sodium selenate in hydroponic conditions to investigate the effect on plant yield, mineral content (selenium, sulfur, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, manganese, zinc, and boron), total phenolic compounds, …

Wish4campus: Evaluating College Food Insecurity And Promoting Solutions For Student Wellbeing, Rebecca L. Hagedorn

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Introduction: Interest in college food insecurity has increased in previous years, however, little research focuses on the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States resulting in limited understanding of food insecurity’s impact on college students in these regions. Additionally, resources to help food insecure students are often sparse with universities lacking evidence-based programming to implement for student benefit.

Aims: This dissertation aims to (1) investigate the correlates and behavioral consequences of food insecurity on college students at an Appalachian university, (2) expand college food insecurity research to a regional investigation in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions, and (3) develop …

Characterization Of Major Flavonols In Ramps (Allium Tricoccum), Wijdan M. Dabeek

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Ramps (Allium tricoccum) is a traditional plant in the eastern Appalachian Mountains. Ramps have been used in Appalachian folk medicine for its health promoting roles in lowering blood pressure and cholesterol. Information on the chemical composition of bioactive components responsible for the potential health benefits are scarce. Analysis of the chemical composition in similar Alliumplants showed that flavonols, induced similar health benefits. Therefore, the aim of this work is to characterize major flavonol conjugates in ramps. The secondary aim is to develop a preliminary quantification protocol. Flavonol glycosides were extracted in 50% methanol and 3% acetic acid. …

Learn First, Practice Second Approach To Increase Health Professionals’ Nutrition-Related Knowledge, Attitudes, And Self-Efficacy., Madison E. Santella

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a “learn first, practice second” intervention on the nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy of multidisciplinary health professionals in West Virginia, specifically highlighting the Mediterranean Diet. Data was captured via online surveys at four time points (Baseline, Post-education, Post-immersion, Follow Up). All information was self-reported. This approach consisted of 16 weeks of online education, 2 weeks of cultural immersion in Tuscany, Italy, and a 7 month return to practice period. Data were analyzed using JMP Version Pro 12.2 and SAS Version 9.3 for Windows. Repeated measures ANOVA with irregular spacing …

Choice Architecture In Appalachian High Schools: Evaluating And Improving Cafeteria Environments, Melissa D. Olfert, Rebecca L. Hagedorn, Emily N. Clegg, Shannon Ackerman, Cheryl Brown

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

School meals are a primary source of nutrition for many adolescents. Determining factors that influence the selection of various foods can provide insight on strategies to improve students’ cafeteria choices. This evaluation and observation was conducted at three Appalachian high schools to assess the cafeteria environment. The study developed and implemented an assessment tool created using principles of choice architecture and behavioral economics building on the work of the Cornell Center for Behavioral Economics in Child Nutrition Programs (BEN Center). The assessment tool scored eight components of the lunchroom—the exterior, hot serving area, cold serving area, salad bar, beverage area, …