Digital Commons Network^™

Analysis Of Serum Exosome Metabolites Identifies Potential Biomarkers For Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Tingting Zhao, Yan Liang, Xiaolan Zhen, Hong Wang, Li Song, Didi Xing, Hui Li

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Currently, the clinical cure rate for primary liver cancer remains low. Effective screening and early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain clinical challenges. Exosomes are intimately associated with tumor development and their contents have the potential to serve as highly sensitive tumor-specific markers. A comprehensive untargeted metabolomics study was conducted using exosome samples extracted from the serum of 48 subjects (36 HCC patients and 12 healthy controls) via a commercial kit. An ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) strategy was used to identify the metabolic compounds. A total of 18 differential metabolites were identified using the non-targeted metabolomics approach of UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS. …

Teacher Implementation Profiles: A Response To Top-Down Mandate Of Movement Integration, Zack Beddoes, Jeanne Barcelona, Darla Castelli

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

This study examined teacher implementation practices to meet a state mandate requiring 135 minutes of student physical activity (PA) weekly. Teachers were required to implement a video-based movement integration (MI) program. Using an embedded mixed-methods design, provider characteristics of 42 teachers and the organizational capacity of six schools were developed from interviews, surveys, observations, and artifacts. Data analysis revealed three teacher profiles (a) Dynamic Experientialists, (b) Coachable Constructivists, and (c) Cautious Behaviorists, and three school profiles (a) Whole Child Approach, (b) Grade Level Champions, and (c) Back to Basics. Findings suggest that school, teacher, …

Association Of Social Determinants, Lifestyle, And Metabolic Factors With Mortality In Chinese Adults: A Nationwide 10-Year Prospective Cohort Study, Jieli Lu, Mian Li, Jiang He, Yu Xu, Ruizhi Zheng, Jie Zheng, Guijun Qin, Yingfen Qin, Yuhong Chen, Xulei Tang, Zhen Ye, Min Xu, Tiange Wang, Lixin Shi, Qing Su, Xuefeng Yu, Li Yan, Zhiyun Zhao, Qin Wan, Gang Chen, Zhengnan Gao, Guixia Wang, Feixia Shen, Xuejiang Gu, Zuojie Luo, Li Chen, Xinguo Hou, Yanan Huo, Qiang Li, Hong Qiao, Yinfei Zhang, Tianshu Zeng, Chunyan Hu, Qiuyu Cao, Xiaojing Jia, Chao Liu, Youmin Wang, Shengli Wu, Tao Yang, Huacong Deng, Hongyan Qi, Xueyan Wu, Di Zhang, Meng Dai, Donghui Li, Shenghan Lai, Lulu Chen, Jiajun Zhao, Yiming Mu, Weiguo Hu, Guang Ning, Ruying Hu, Yufang Bi, Weiqing Wang, 4c Study Group

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Nationwide estimates of the impact of common modifiable risk factors on mortality remain crucial. We aim to assess the influence of social determinants, lifestyle, and metabolic factors on mortality in 174,004 adults aged ≥40 years from the China Cardiometabolic Disease and Cancer Cohort (4C) Study. We reveal that 17 modifiable factors are independently associated with mortality, accounting for 64.8% of all-cause mortality, 77.4% of cardiovascular mortality, and 44.8% of cancer mortality. Low education emerges as the leading factor for both all-cause and cancer mortality, while hypertension is predominant for cardiovascular mortality. Moreover, low gross domestic product per capita and high …

Effect Of The Implementation Of A Multiple-Behavior Self-Monitoring Intervention On Dietary Intake In Type 2 Diabetes: Secondary Data Analysis, Jisook Ko, Jing Wang, Ngozi Mbue, Susan Schembre, Stanley Cron

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: An electronic diary embedded in a mobile device to monitor lifestyle can be as effective as traditional methods. However, the efficacy of self-monitoring multiple behaviors for dietary intake has not been well studied in people with diabetes.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the effect of using technology-assisted self-monitoring versus paper diaries on changes in dietary intake.

Methods: This is a secondary analysis of data collected from 39 people with type 2 diabetes as part of a 3-month pilot clinical trial. Changes in energy intake and the contribution of total fat intake and total carbohydrate intake to total calories …

Forest Defoliation By And Invasive Outbreak Insect: Catastrophic Consequences For A Charismatic Mega Moth, Richard L. Lindroth, Mark R. Zierden, Clay J. Morrow, Patricia C. Fernandez

Aspen Bibliography

Earth is now experiencing declines in insect abundance and diversity unparalleled in human history. The drivers underlying those declines are many, complex, and incompletely known. Here, using a natural experiment, we report the first test of the hypothesis that forest defoliation by an invasive outbreak insect compromises the fitness of a native insect via damage-induced increases in toxicity of the forest canopy. We demonstrate that defoliation by the invasive spongy moth (Lymantria dispar) elicits an average 8.4-fold increase in foliar defense expression among aspen (Populus tremuloides) genotypes. In turn, elevated defense dramatically reduces survivorship, feeding, and …

The Anti-Inflammatory Properties Of Exopolysaccharide From Bacillus Subtilis, Nikolay Todorov

Master's Theses

Commensal microorganisms can be used therapeutically to ameliorate a variety of diseases. The laboratory of Dr. Katherine L. Knight studies these therapeutic properties in the commensal microorganism known as Bacillus subtilis. Previously, the Knight lab has demonstrated that B. subtilis can protect against colitis caused by Citrobacter rodentium suggesting that B. subtilis possesses anti-inflammatory properties. These properties are specific to the polysaccharide capsule of the microorganism known as exopolysaccharide or EPS. EPS can be produced and purified for study. EPS has been demonstrated to be protective in a variety of diseases such as allergic eosinophilia, sepsis, Graft versus Host disease, …

Tame Your Inner Flame: A Sample Nutrition Intervention Protocol For Firefighters, Rachel Keating-Fleming

Department of Nutrition Student Projects

Firefighters are an essential part of every community that perform life saving duties and critical work to sustain everyday life. These individuals perform strenuous work every shift and are under larger amounts of job stress compared to other professions. It has been found that firefighters have increased risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality by sudden cardiac death. Studies have found that this risk comes from factors such as shift work, increased job stress, lack of time to eat a proper diet, and lack of time to engage in physical activity. A Mediterranean diet plan shows promise as an improvement strategy …

Challenges In Assessing Repellency Via The Behavioral Response By The Global Pest Tribolium Castaneum To Protect Stored Grains, Leslie Catherine Rault, William R. Morrison Iii, Alison R. Gerken, Georgina Bingham

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Background: Food security is an increasingly pressing global issue, and by 2050, food production will not be sufficient to feed the growing population. Part of global food insecurity can be attributed to post-harvest losses, including quantity and quality losses caused by stored-product pests like insects. It is thus timely to find management strategies to mitigate these losses and counteract food insecurity. The red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), a global stored-product pest with a wide range of food sources, was used in this study to assess repellency to a selection of essential oils. Methods: Multiple behaviorally relevant methods …

Documenting Food Insecure U.S. Children In The Wake Of The Pandemic, Courtney Bir, John Lai, Nicole Olynk Widmar

Department of Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

Many households experienced significant negative economic impacts from job or work opportunity loss during the COVID-19 pandemic, including loss of income, loss of employer-provided health insurance, possible housing insecurity, and increases in food insecurity. Results from a sample of 929 U.S. households show that 53% of households with children reported some indications of food insecurity in 2020. The food security score divergences between households with and without children are stark, with food insecurity being worse among households with children. Food insecurity for households with children was exacerbated by pandemic-era disruptions; the societal costs of these food insecurity challenges are only …

Sex- And Age-Specific Differences In Mice Fed A Ketogenic Diet, Kenyon W. Sprankle, Mya Knappenberger, Erica J. Locke, Jack Thompson, Madison Vinovrski, Kaylin Knapsack, Stephen C. Kolwicz Jr.

Health Sciences Faculty Publications

The ketogenic diet (KD) is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that results in the elevation of serum ketone bodies, known as ketosis. This metabolic consequence has been suggested as a method for treating neurological conditions, improving exercise performance, and facilitating weight loss for overweight individuals. However, since most research primarily uses male populations, little is known about the potential sex differences during the consumption of the KD. In addition, the effects of the KD on aging are relatively unexplored. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore sex- and age-specific differences in mice fed the KD. Male and female C57BL/6N …

Modulation Of Neurodegenerative Disease Progression By Antioxidant Status, Elena Kelety

Theses and Dissertations

Neurodegenerative diseases, including Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease, profoundly impact the brain and nervous system. In 2019, the United States reported the highest global prevalence of neurological disorders. This thesis approaches neurodegenerative diseases by emphasizing the critical role of a well-maintained antioxidant system, its intricate relationship with dietary patterns, and proposes an alternative fate of the antioxidant urate.

Neurodegenerative disease pathogenesis involves a complex interplay of neuroinflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, misfolded proteins, and oxidative stress. Oxidative stress arises from an imbalance in the antioxidant defense system and the production of reactive oxygen species. Synergistic antioxidant interactions are vital …

Estuarine Microbial Community Composition And Efficiency Changes In Response To Vibrio Parahaemolyticus Exposure, Sarah Mulligan

Theses and Dissertations

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a pathogenic bacterium whose full impact on natural estuarine phytoplankton communities has not been fully resolved. The primary goal of this research was to test how the addition of V. parahaemolyticus to a natural estuarine microbial community would impact the other microbes present. We hypothesized V. parahaemolyticus exposure would reduce phytoplankton biomass and alter the composition of phytoplankton and bacterial communities. Experimental bioassays (60h) were used to assess the effects of the presence of V. parahaemolyticus . Samples for measurements of chemotaxonomic photopigment concentrations, 16S sequencing-based community composition, photosynthetic efficiency, cell density, and V. parahaemolyticus abundance were …

Histories Of Stress: A Life Course Approach To Population Health In Late Medieval And Early Modern Berlin, Emily Brennan

Theses and Dissertations

Given our current climate crisis and urban population increases, researchers are increasingly interested in the health outcomes at the intersection of climate change and urbanization. Since climate change and urbanization affects human health in a variety of ways, more work is needed in diverse cultural contexts to understand temporal and geographic variations of such phenomena more fully. Using skeletal individuals from 13^th – 18^th century Berlin (n = 387), this project analyses demographic and health trends from the founding of the city in the late medieval period (c. 1200 – 1500) to the early modern period, when the …

The Experience Of Homelessness And Its Effects On Gut Eubiosis, Kamerin Villagomez

University Honors Theses

Microorganisms which populate the human gastrointestinal tract (GIT) have a profound effect on overall human health. The relationship between host health and eubiosis, or balance, of the GIT microbiome is symbiotic and can have reciprocal relationships with quality of sleep, quality of diet, stress and mental health, and the experience of pain. These specific aspects of health are unique in populations experiencing homelessness due to the multi-dimensional and complex nature of their lived experience. Very few studies explore populations experiencing homelessness, with even fewer investigating the intersection between this population and the human GIT microbiome. It is important to do …

Developing Tools To Study The Effect Of The Mechanical Environment On Plant Cell Growth And Morphogenesis, Ryan Calcutt

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Mechanical forces are omnipresent in life on Earth and responses to force can be found across all three domains of life. The colonization of land by plants approximately 500 million years ago, an event that shaped life on Earth as we know it, involved adaptation from a relatively homogeneous fluid mechanical environment to a highly heterogeneous and mechanically diverse terrestrial environment. Evolution of multicellularity would present new mechanical challenges for land plants, not only from externally generated forces, but also from mechanical linkage to neighboring cells through the cell wall. Coordination of cell growth and an indeterminate body plan requires …

The Relationships Between Upper And Lower Extremity Muscle Strength, Rate Of Force Development, And Fatigue In Adults, Matthew Langford, Kyle J. Hackney, Sarah Andrew, Joshua Batesole, Maren Berntson, Kennedy Black, Tyler Hoang, Lukus Klawitter, William J. Kraemer, Ryan Mcgrath

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 17(4): 1155-1166, 2024. Electronic handgrip dynamometry allows for multiple muscle function aspects to be feasibly measured, yet their relationship with lower extremity muscle function is unknown. We sought to determine the relationships between upper and lower extremity mechanical isometric muscle strength, rate of force development (RFD), and endurance by limb dominance in resistance trained adults. The analytic sample included 30 adults aged 32.1 ± 13.5 years. An electronic handgrip dynamometer ascertained upper extremity strength capacity, RFD, and endurance. Lower extremity strength, RFD, and endurance were collected with the isometric feature on an isokinetic knee dynamometer. …

Do Surrogate Markers Of Cardiorespiratory Fitness Predict Individual Changes In Vo2peak? A Randomized Controlled Trial, John R.M. Renwick, Nicholas Preobrazenski, Michael Del Giudice, Brendon J. Gurd

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 17(4): 1134-1154, 2024. The purpose of the current study was to test the hypothesis that individual response classification for surrogate markers of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) will agree with response classification for VO_2peak. Surrogate markers of CRF were time to fatigue on treadmill test (TTF), time trial performance (3kTT), resting heart rate (RHR), submaximal heart rate (SubmaxHR), and submaximal ratings of perceived exertion (SubmaxRPE). Twenty-five participants were randomized into a high-intensity interval training (HIIT: n = 14) group or non-exercise control group (CTL: n = 11). Training consisted of four weeks of high-intensity interval …

Preventive Effects Of Quercetin On The Leaky Gut By Suppression Of Il-1beta-Induced Transcription Factors Involved In An Inflammatory Pathway In Colonic Epithelial Cells, Wannaporn Chayalak, Sumpun Thammacharoen, Chatsri Deachapunya, Sutthasinee Poonyachoti

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Flavonol quercetin (Q), found in vegetables and fruits, demonstrates the most potent anti-inflammatory effect. The preventive effect and cellular mechanisms of Q (Q1, Q10, and Q100 µM) on IL-1β induced leaky gut via the signaling molecules of inflammatory pathway, NF-κB p65-iκB/or p38/ERK1/2/MLCK/phospho(p)-MLC were investigated in Caco-2 cells. The cytotoxic effect of Q was initially determined by MTT assay. Transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) and apical-to-basolateral fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled dextran (FD-4) flux were used to determine paracellular permeability. The protein expression of signaling molecules was examined by Western blot analysis, and their target MLCK mRNA expression was determined using real-time PCR. All Q …

Declined Lawsonia Intracellularis In Feces By Phytogenic Feed Additive Supplementation In Fattening Pigs In Different Herds System, Morakot Nuntapaitoon

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

The objective of the present study was to determine the efficacy of phytogenic feed additives on the number of L. intracellularis in feces and incidence of diarrhea in fattening pigs in different herds system. The present study was carried out in two commercial swine farms located in the northern (Herd A) and western (Herd B) parts of Thailand. In total, 80 fattening pigs (12-week-olds) were randomly allocated into two groups, including the Control group (n=40) and the Treatment group (n=40). The pigs in each group were fed with a conventional diet (Control) and the same diet supplemented with 2 kg/ton …

Productivity Of Young Broilers Fed Phyllanthus Niruri Linn And Melaleuca Cajuput Leaf Meal As A Phytogenic Feed Additive, Listya Purnamasari

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Feed additives from medicinal plants can be used as alternative antibiotics to optimize productivity, growth, and health of livestock. Medicinal plants Phyllanthus niruri Linn (Meniran) and Melaleuca cajuput (Kajuput) as alternative growth promoters contain antioxidants and antimicrobials to improve the quality of animal products. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of medicinal plant leaf meals as phytogenic feed additives on broilers’ productivity and internal organ parameters. For 21 days fed, 80 1-day-old Loughmann broilers (MB202) unsex were distributed in 4 treatments with 4 pens per treatment and 5 birds per pen. The dietary treatments were: T1 …

Image Processing And Machine Learning Approach For Yolk Color Evaluation, Supreeya Thepparak, Chusak Pulmar, Chanwit Kaewtapee

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

The objective of this study was to develop a predictive model for yolk color measurement using machine learning. A total of eight hundred eggs were randomly collected from thirty laying hens (Lohmann brown, 28–35 weeks). The experimental diets were formulated based on broken rice or corn, and further supplemented with canthaxanthin from 10 to 150 mg/kg. The Digital YolkFan™ was used to classify yolk color scales from 0 to 15, whereas the Hunter Lab was used to measure color values. Furthermore, yolk images were obtained from a digital camera and then extracted into red color, green color and blue (RGB) …

Alternative Approaches To Live Attenuated Oral Rotavirus Vaccines, Makoye Mhozya Kanyema, Junhong Wang, Gui-Lian Yang, Xin Cao, Chunfeng Wang

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Oral attenuated rotavirus vaccine is safe and effective in developed countries but, however, it is less effective in low income countries such as African and Asian countries. Low vaccine effectiveness in low-income countries is arising from a variety of sources such as maternal antibodies, chronic enteropathy and other enteric diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and parasitic diseases, as well as the microbiota. There is increasingly evidence related to the risk of intussusception for the oral vaccine. The development of effective and safer rotavirus vaccines, particularly, non-living candidates, is critical. The aim of this review therefore is to explore some of …

Microbial Hydrolysis Process To Improve Anaerobic Digestion For Biofuel Generation, Caleb Michael Jensen

Theses and Dissertations

Human development results in billions of tons of waste per year, which contributes to major issues such as pollution, climate change, and habitat destruction. In this study, we explored the impact of bacterial inoculation on volatile fatty acid (VFA) production, volatile solids (VS), and gas output in anaerobic digesters under different substrate treatments. Our results reveal that bacterial inoculation significantly boosts VFA levels, especially acetic acid, with both Caldicellulosiruptor bescii and mixed Caldicellulosiruptor, cultures showing notable differences compared to controls, especially in untreated manure and WAS treatments. Acetic acid and VS/TS increased in untreated WAS when inoculated with C. bescii …

In Vitro Antibacterial, Antibiofilm Activities, And Phytochemical Properties Of Posidonia Oceanica (L) Delile: An Endemic Mediterranean Seagrass, Ertugrul Ozbil, Mehmet Ilktac, Sultan Ogmen, Ovgu Isbilen, Jesus M Duran Ramirez, Jana Gomez, Jennifer N Walker, Ender Volkan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

In the antibiotic resistance era, utilizing understudied sources for novel antimicrobials or antivirulence agents can provide new advances against antimicrobial resistant pathogens. In this study, we aimed to investigate antibacterial and antibiofilm activities of Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile against Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 700603 and several S. aureus clinical isolates obtained from medical devices, including patient urinary catheters and breast implant infections, with varying antibiotic recalcitrance profiles. The ethanolic and methanolic extracts from P. oceanica rhizome exhibited significant antibacterial activity against E. faecalis and S. aureus, as well …

Comparison Of Olympic And Safety Squat Bar Barbells On Force, Velocity, And Rating Of Perceived Exertion During Acute High-Intensity Back Squats In Recreationally Trained Men, Noah Staheli, Jeffrey C. Cowley, Marcus M. Lawrence

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 17(7): 1120-1133, 2024. This study examined using a traditional Olympic (OL) or safety squat bar (SSB) barbell on force, velocity, and perceived exertion during an acute session of high-intensity back squats in adults. Twelve recreationally trained men (23.0±2.6 years; 88.3±19.1 kg) randomly completed two sessions of 3 sets of 6 repetitions at the same absolute load using the OL barbell or SSB barbell. Force and velocity were measured on every repetition and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) was assessed for each set. A two-way ANOVA (set x barbell) with repeated measures and Sidak post-hoc test …

Knockdown Of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Ii Receptor Impairs Ovulation Rate, Corpus Luteum Development, And Progesterone Production In Gilts, Amy T. Desaulniers, Rebecca Cederberg, Clay A. Lents, Brett White

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Reproduction is classically controlled by gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH-I) and its receptor (GnRHR-I) within the brain. In pigs, a second form (GnRH-II) and its specific receptor (GnRHR-II) are also produced, with greater abundance in peripheral vs. central reproductive tissues. The binding of GnRH-II to GnRHR-II has been implicated in the autocrine/paracrine regulation of gonadal steroidogenesis rather than gonadotropin secretion. Blood samples were collected from transgenic gilts, with the ubiquitous knockdown of GnRHR-II (GnRHR-II KD; n = 8) and littermate controls (n = 7) at the onset of estrus (follicular) and 10 days later (luteal); serum concentrations of 16 steroid hormones …

Regulatory Complexity Of Cellular Differentiation In Candida Albicans Revealed Through Systematic Screening Of Protein Kinase Mutants, Michael C Lorenz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

A recent study in mBio reports the construction and preliminary screening of a library containing mutants of 99 of the 119 predicted protein kinases in Candida albicans (the majority of the remaining 20 are probably essential) (J. Kramara, M.-J. Kim, T. L. Ollinger, L. C. Ristow, et al., mBio e01249-24, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1128/mbio.01249-24). Using a quantitative competition assay in 10 conditions that represent nutritional, osmotic, cell wall, and pH stresses that are considered to model various aspects of the host environment allowed them to phenotypically cluster kinases, which highlight both the integration and specialization of signaling pathways, suggesting novel functions …

Personalized Nutrition: Tailoring Dietary Recommendations Through Genetic Insights, Saiful Singar, Ravinder Nagpal, Bahram H. Arjmandi, Neda S. Akhavan

Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences Faculty Research

Personalized nutrition (PN) represents a transformative approach in dietary science, where individual genetic profiles guide tailored dietary recommendations, thereby optimizing health outcomes and managing chronic diseases more effectively. This review synthesizes key aspects of PN, emphasizing the genetic basis of dietary responses, contemporary research, and practical applications. We explore how individual genetic differences influence dietary metabolisms, thus underscoring the importance of nutrigenomics in developing personalized dietary guidelines. Current research in PN highlights significant gene–diet interactions that affect various conditions, including obesity and diabetes, suggesting that dietary interventions could be more precise and beneficial if they are customized to genetic profiles. …

Metal(Loid) Uptake And Physiological Response Of Coix Lacryma-Jobi L To Soil Potentially Toxic Elements In A Polluted Metal-Mining Area, Qun Zhao, Hongyan Liu, Longhua Wu, Peter Christie, Xuewen Wang, Ghulam Rasool, Guilan Peng

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Coix lacryma-jobi L. is a traditional medicinal plant in east Asia and is an important crop in Guizhou province, southwest China, where there are elevated levels of soil mercury and arsenic (As). Exposure to multiple potentially toxic elements (PTEs) may affect plant accumulation of metal(loid)s and food safety in regions with high geological metal concentrations. Field experiments were conducted to study the effects of PTEs on metal(loid) accumulation and physiological response of C. lacryma in different plant parts at three pollution levels. Total root length, number of root tips, number of branches, and number of root crosses increased with increasing …

Gnotobiotic Mouse Models For Characterizing The Role Of The Microbiota On Undernutrition And Early Postnatal Brain Development, Alexandra Elizabeth Byrne

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Undernutrition is a serious global health challenge; it accounts for nearly half of all mortality for children under the age of 5. Worse, undernutrition is compounded by intergenerational inheritance and can be transmitted from mother to offspring. The burden of undernutrition is unequally distributed around the world, with South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa accounting for almost 60% of the global childhood stunting. Undernutrition is detrimental to many aspects of development, including long-term deficits in neurodevelopment, and current interventions rarely ameliorate long-term cognitive and motor deficits. Therefore, other causes of undernutrition need to be elucidated in order to treat this epidemic …