Digital Commons Network^™

Place Is Power: Investing In Communities As A Systemic Leverage Point To Reduce Breast Cancer Disparities By Race, Matthew Jay Lyons, Senaida Fernandez Poole, Ross C Brownson, Rodney Lyn

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Racial disparities in breast cancer present a vexing and complex challenge for public health. A diverse array of factors contributes to disparities in breast cancer incidence and outcomes, and, thus far, efforts to improve racial equity have yielded mixed results. Systems theory offers a model that is well-suited to addressing complex issues. In particular, the concept of a systemic leverage point offers a clue that may assist researchers, policymakers, and interventionists in formulating innovative and comprehensive approaches to eliminating racial disparities in breast cancer. Naming systemic racism as a fundamental cause of disparities, we use systems theory to identify residential …

The Varieties Of Spiritual States Triggered By Sex: A Systematic Review Of The Empirical Literature, Jenny Wade

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies Advance Publication Archive

This systematic review integrates the empirical evidence of spiritual experiences triggered by sexual activity, including studies by 10 authors. Despite venerable sexual meditative traditions of embodied spiritual practices, such as Hindu Tantra, Vajrayana Buddhism, and Taoism, empirical studies of sexual spiritual experiences are in their infancy. This review presents the range of sexual altered states experiences identified to date and how they qualify as spiritual experiences phenomenologically and in terms of their lifechanging effects. Seventeen distinct sexual-spiritual states have been identified across authors, with 4 others identified at significant levels in qualitative studies by individual authors. As an emergent area …

"It Will Help Him Wonderfully": Placebo And Meaning Responses In Early Medieval English Medicine, Rebecca Brackmann

Faculty Peer-Reviewed Publications

Many early English medical remedies have been dismissed, even by sympathetic scholars, as “mere placebo,” with the implication that therapeutic benefits to the patient, if any, are thereby insignificant. My article challenges such dismissals of placebo responses in Old English medicine. I draw on current research demonstrating that in certain conditions, a placebo effect, or “meaning response” (to use Daniel Moerman’s term), can have striking success in bringing about healing. I describe contemporary clinical practices shown to enhance patient responses to pharmaceutical treatments both inert and active, and demonstrate that these strategies are also visible in early English medical practice. …

Bill Gatton College Of Pharmacy Viewbook - 2022, Bill Gatton College Of Pharmacy, East Tennessee State University

Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy Miscellaneous Publications

No abstract provided.

The Role Of The Nlrp3 Inflammasome In Alzheimer's Disease, Ethan Terman

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

This study examines the consequences of Alzheimer’s in rat and mice test subjects. The goal is to identify the effects of certain NLRP3 inhibiting drugs and to see if there are any noticeable effects in regards to impeding the pathological development of Alzheimer’s disease. The results are visualized by implementing the immunohistochemical process to identify neurodegeneration in the brain and to assess the expression levels of amyloid beta as an indicator of Alzheimer’s pathology. Other tests are also conducted on these transgenic mice to gauge cognitive functioning levels during the onset of their disease, those being behavior tests, but not …

An Ayurgenomics Approach: Prakriti-Based Drug Discovery And Development For Personalized Care, Zoufang Huang, Vivek P. Chavda, Rajashri Bezbaruah, Vladimir N. Uversky, Sucharitha Palagati, Aayushi B. Patel, Zhe-Sheng Chen

Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

Originating in ancient India, Ayurveda is an alternative medicinal approach that provides substantial evidence for a theoretical-level analysis of all aspects of life. Unlike modern medicine, Ayurveda is based upon tridoshas (Vata, pitta, and Kapha) and Prakriti. On the other hand, the research of all the genes involved at the proteomics, metabolomics, and transcriptome levels are referred to as genomics. Geoclimatic regions (deshanupatini), familial characteristics (kulanupatini), and ethnicity (jatiprasakta) have all been shown to affect phenotypic variability. The combination of genomics with Ayurveda known as ayurgenomics provided new insights into tridosha that may pave the way for precision medicine (personalized …

Understanding The Role Of Race In American Medicine, Fariel C. A. Lamountain

Honors Theses

Long running inequity in health care and outcomes in the United States stem from failure to acknowledge the underlying role of the Transatlantic slave trade as it manifests in all facets of American society and commerce. This paper focuses specifically on the American medical system and its foundations to understand the precursors to generational trends in lack of access to healthcare and poor health for Black communities. This paper uses a three-pronged approach to understand the racist cycle of inequity, highlighting the history and origins of racism in American medicine, personal accounts and statistical evidence of inequity, and community and …

How Exercise Affects The Musculoskeletal System In The Biological Sexes: A Literature Review, Lauren Connolly

Honors Program Theses

Exercise has countless benefits for the human body. Physical activity increases overall health and reduces the risk of developing many chronic diseases. While the entire body is impacted by exercise, the musculoskeletal system is perhaps targeted most directly. Muscle contraction is required to complete any form of exercise, which helps build muscle mass and consequently strengthens bones. The physiology of musculoskeletal growth after exercise is the same for all individuals. However, the magnitude of this growth is not the same for men and women. Men have a profound ability to gain muscle mass that most women are not capable of …

Stroboscopic Augmented Reality As An Approach To Mitigate Gravitational Transition Effects During Interplanetary Spaceflight, Ethan Waisberg, Joshua Ong, Nasif Zaman, Sharif Amit Kamran, Andrew G. Lee, Alireza Tavakkoli

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

During interplanetary spaceflight, periods of extreme gravitational transitions will occur such as transitions between hypergravity, hypogravity, and microgravity. Following gravitational transitions, rapid sensorimotor adaptation or maladaptation may occur which can affect gaze control and weaken dynamic visual acuity in astronauts. A reduction in dynamic visual acuity during spaceflight could possibly impact or impair mission critical activities (e.g., control of extraterrestrial machinery/vehicles and other important tasks). Stroboscopic visual training is an emerging visual tool that has been terrestrially observed to enhance visual performance and perception by performing tasks under conditions of intermittent vision. This technique has also been seen to increase …

Disparities In Cervical Cancer Survival Amongst White And African American Women, Lucius Amandi-Tasie Ogoke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cervical cancer disproportionately impacts racial and ethnic minorities in the United States. The continuum in the disturbing morbidity and mortality trends declined markedly in 2020. However, there are more than 13,000 diagnosed cases, and almost 4,300 related deaths, and significant racial disparities in cervical cancer survival persist. The socio-ecological model served as the theoretical framework. Chi-square tests and binary logistic regression analyses were used to analyze data from the National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Ends Results Summary. The purpose of the study was to assess the association between race/ethnicity-related disparities in sociodemographic, histopathological, and treatment-related factors and cervical cancer …

The Interrelationship Between Treatment, Ethnicity, And Structured Exercise In Clinical Populations, Amanda M. F. Lopez

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Cancer is the second leading cause of death, with about approximately 1.9 million Americans being diagnosed each year. Yet, it has high survival rates with the help of advancing treatments like radiation therapy. Cancer patients and survivors are contingent on experiencing a decline in physical functioning, quality of life, and physiological parameters. Treatment is effective and can prolong life expectancy but can be deleterious to a patient’s health. Parallel with cancer's impact on Americans is cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease is responsible for 1 in 4 deaths. The development of cardiovascular disease is not spread accordantly among all ethnicities. Hispanics are …

Head-Mounted Digital Metamorphopsia Suppression As A Countermeasure For Macular-Related Visual Distortions For Prolonged Spaceflight Missions And Terrestrial Health, Joshua Ong, Nasif Zaman, Ethan Waisberg, Sharif Amit Kamran, Andrew G Lee, Alireza Tavakkoli

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

During long-duration spaceflight, astronauts are exposed to various risks including spaceflight-associated neuro-ocular syndrome, which serves as a risk to astronaut vision and a potential physiological barrier to future spaceflight. When considering exploration missions that may expose astronauts to longer periods of microgravity, radiation exposure, and natural aging processes during spaceflight, more severe changes to functional vision may occur. The macula plays a critical role in central vision and disruptions to this key area in the eye may compromise functional vision and mission performance. In this article, we describe the development of a countermeasure technique to digitally suppress monocular central visual …

Study Of Saliva Transcriptome And Proteome In Thai Patients With Dental Fluorosis, Patcharaporn Gavila

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

The purpose of this study was to examine the expression profiles of RNA and protein in Thai individuals with dental fluorosis and compare them with those without fluorosis. Additionally, the study aimed to establish a correlation between the severity of dental fluorosis, urinary fluoride levels, and water fluoride levels. Methods: Schoolchildren in areas endemic for fluoride in Lamphun and Ratchaburi provinces of Thailand were screened for dental fluorosis severity and then enrolled in the study. Fluoride concentration in 24-hour urine and drinking water samples was measured using an ion-selective fluoride electrode. Saliva samples were collected in sterile tubes and stored …

Identification Of Circulating Plasma Ceramides As A Potential Sexually Dimorphic Biomarker Of Pancreatic Cancer-Induced Cachexia., Jeffery M Chakedis, Mary E Dillhoff, Carl R Schmidt, Priyani V Rajasekera, David C Evans, Terence M Williams, Denis C Guttridge, Erin E Talbert

Oncology Articles

BACKGROUND: Cancer patients who exhibit cachexia lose weight and have low treatment tolerance and poor outcomes compared to cancer patients without weight loss. Despite the clear increased risk for patients, diagnosing cachexia still often relies on self-reported weight loss. A reliable biomarker to identify patients with cancer cachexia would be a valuable tool to improve clinical decision making and identification of patients at risk of adverse outcomes.

METHODS: Targeted metabolomics, that included panels of amino acids, tricarboxylic acids, fatty acids, acylcarnitines, and sphingolipids, were conducted on plasma samples from patients with confirmed pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) with and without cachexia …

Oscillations Of The Circadian Clock Protein, Bmal-1, Align To Daily Cycles Of Mechanical Stimuli: A Novel Means To Integrate Biological Time Within Predictive In Vitro Model Systems, Hannah K Heywood, Laurence Gardner, Martin M Knight, David A Lee

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: In vivo, the circadian clock drives 24-h rhythms in human physiology. Isolated cells in vitro retain a functional clockwork but lack necessary timing cues resulting in the rapid loss of tissue-level circadian rhythms. This study tests the hypothesis that repeated daily mechanical stimulation acts as a timing cue for the circadian clockwork. The delineation and integration of circadian timing cues into predictive in vitro model systems, including organ-on-a-chip (OOAC) devices, represent a novel concept that introduces a key component of in vivo physiology into predictive in vitro model systems.

METHODS: Quiescent bovine chondrocytes were entrained for 3 days by …

Systematic Profiling Of Dnmt3a Variants Reveals Protein Instability Mediated By The Dcaf8 E3 Ubiquitin Ligase Adaptor, Yung-Hsin Huang, Chun-Wei Chen, Venkatasubramaniam Sundaramurthy, Mikołaj Słabicki, Dapeng Hao, Caroline J Watson, Ayala Tovy, Jaime M Reyes, Olga Dakhova, Brielle R Crovetti, Christina Galonska, Minjung Lee, Lorenzo Brunetti, Yubin Zhou, Katrina Tatton-Brown, Yun Huang, Xiaodong Cheng, Alexander Meissner, Peter J M Valk, Lionel Van Maldergem, Mathijs A Sanders, Jamie R Blundell, Wei Li, Benjamin L Ebert, Margaret A Goodell

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Clonal hematopoiesis is a prevalent age-related condition associated with a greatly increased risk of hematologic disease; mutations in DNA methyltransferase 3A (DNMT3A) are the most common driver of this state. DNMT3A variants occur across the gene with some particularly associated with malignancy, but the functional relevance and mechanisms of pathogenesis of the majority of mutations are unknown. Here, we systematically investigated the methyltransferase activity and protein stability of 253 disease-associated DNMT3A mutations, and found that 74% were loss-of-function mutations. Half of these variants exhibited reduced protein stability and, as a class, correlated with greater clonal expansion and acute …

Steroid Receptor Coactivators – Their Role In Immunity, Yosi Gilad, David M Lonard, Bert W O'Malley

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Steroid Receptor Coactivators (SRCs) are essential regulators of transcription with a wide range of impact on human physiology and pathology. In immunology, SRCs play multiple roles; they are involved in the regulation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), macrophage (MΦ) activity, lymphoid cells proliferation, development and function, to name just a few. The three SRC family members, SRC-1, SRC-2 and SRC-3, can exert their immunological function either in an independent manner or act in synergy with each other. In certain biological contexts, one SRC family member can compensate for lack of activity of another member, while in other cases one SRC can …

Child Dietary Patterns In Homo Sapiens Evolution: A Systematic Review, Lora L Iannotti, Emmanuel A Gyimah, Miranda Reid, Melissa Chapnick, Mary Kate Cartmill, Chessa K Lutter, Charles Hilton, Theresa E Gildner, Elizabeth A Quinn

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Dietary patterns spanning millennia could inform contemporary public health nutrition. Children are largely absent from evidence describing diets throughout human evolution, despite prevalent malnutrition today signaling a potential genome-environment divergence. This systematic review aimed to identify dietary patterns of children ages 6 months to 10 years consumed before the widespread adoption of agriculture. Metrics of mention frequency (counts of food types reported) and food groups (globally standardized categories) were applied to: compare diets across subsistence modes [gatherer-hunter-fisher (GHF), early agriculture (EA) groups]; examine diet quality and diversity; and characterize differences by life course phase and environmental context defined using Köppen-Geiger …

An Investigation Into The Use Of An Herbal Labor Induction Tincture Containing Black Cohosh, Cramp Bark, Partridgeberry, And Motherwort On Contractile Responses Produced From Isolated Strips Of Mouse Uterine Tissues, Clayton Neuenschwander, Katrina Wu, Teresa F. Degolier

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Introduction: Alternative solutions in the form of herbal remedies meant to ease or expedite the process of labor have often been pursued and administered but have seldom been quantitatively tested for efficacy. Published research has shown some validation for some commonly used herbs such as blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides), red raspberry (Rubus idaeus), castor bean (Ricinus communis) and evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) on isolated mouse uterine strips. Methods: This study tested an array of herbs used by midwives in a labor induction tincture, which included black cohosh (Actaea racemosa), cramp bark (Viburnum opulus), partridgeberry (Mitchella repens), and motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca). …

Acute Consumption Of A Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Impairs Microvascular Function In Midwestern Hispanic Males, Emma Hirshman, Anne R. Crecelius

Health and Sport Science Faculty Publications

Hispanic males are at risk for cardiovascular disease and consume high levels of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB); yet, their acute vascular response to SSBs is unknown. Ten healthy Hispanic men (18-45 years old) consumed a SSB and reactive hyperemia was performed prior to, immediately following, and 1-hr post-consumption. Both peak and total (area under the curve) forearm blood flow were attenuated immediately following consumption but returned to at or above pre-consumption levels at the 1-hr test.

20-Degree Elevation To Reduce Swelling And Pain After Lower Extremity Open Reduction And Internal Fixation Surgery, Eni Purwanty, Riri Maria, Masfuri Masfuri

Jurnal Keperawatan Indonesia

Surgery for open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) causes tissue swelling and pain in the surgical area. Swelling and pain can be reduced by performing distal elevation in the area of surgical ORIF. This study aimed to determine the effect of a 20° elevation on swelling and pain level of patients after surgery for ORIF of the lower extremities. A quasi-experimental design with one intervention group (pretest and posttest) and one control group was implemented. Thirty-four post-operative ORIF patients treated in one hospital in South Sumatera met the inclusion criteria and were divided into intervention and control groups. Swelling circumference …

Exclusive Breastfeeding And Professionals From The Family Health Strategy, Marialda Moreira Christoffel, Ana Leticia Monteiro Gomes, Cássia Leoneuza Augusto Julio, Julia Florentino De Barros, Elisa Da Conceição Rodrigues, Fernanda Garcia Bezerra Góes, Ana Maria Linares

Nursing Faculty Publications

OBJECTIVES: to analyze the perception of health professionals about exclusive breastfeeding in Family Health Strategy units in the city of Macaé.

METHODS: qualitative study carried out in four units of the Family Health Strategy in the city of Macaé, Rio de Janeiro. Thirty health professionals were interviewed from March to May 2019. Textual contents were processed in the IRaMuTeQ^® software by the Descending Hierarchical Classification.

RESULTS: professionals use different strategies for actions to promote, protect and support breastfeeding in prenatal consultations, but social and cultural determinants are important issues that interfere in this process, the involvement of the family …

Forecasting The Prospects Of Female Judoists Of Youth Age Based On Indicators Of Their Functional State, Umid Abduhamidovich Alimov

Eurasian Journal of Sport Science

Purpose: To justify the prediction by long-term training in women's judo. The article presents a functional analysis of the problem of the prospects for the development of female judoists of 17-18 years of age. The content of the presented work is fundamentally different from most generalizing works. The material of general scientific and special nature is presented, providing an individual approach to forecasting, working capacity and restoration of physical fitness of athletes. The content of the article is based on the research of female judoka in the period of the formation of sportsmanship.

Methods: Harvard step test - to determine …

Medical School Watercooler Newsletter - November 18, 2021, Lindsey Lyle

Watercooler Newsletter

This is the November 18, 2021 edition of the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine's newsletter - Watercooler.

Contents include:

• Medical student chosen for national AAMC advisory task force
• Foot and ankle surgeon joins Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
• Video online: 'Skull Base Neurosurgery and Brain Tumors'
• Nicotine weakens immune system, USA researchers find

Maintained Elevated Systolic Blood Pressures In African Americans And Hispanic Individuals Following Maximum Oxygen Consumption Test When Compared To Caucasians: A Pilot Study, Zaria S. Opara, Heysel Morales, Michael Diaz, Allan Knox

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

PURPOSE: There is robust evidence presenting higher incidences of hypertension experienced by the African American (AA) population when compared with matched cohorts. Exercise has been shown to reduce the prevalence of hypertension, however, the cardiovascular recovery of exercise is associated with mortality. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the cardiovascular recovery between AAs, Hispanics (HSPs), and Caucasians (CAs). METHODS: VO_2max was measured by indirect calorimetry. Body composition was measured by air displacement plethysmography (BODPOD). Brachial blood pressures were captured by automated cuff before exercise, immediately after exercise, and every 2 minutes following exercise for a total …

No Sex Differences In Common Carotid Artery Stiffness Response Following Maximal Oxygen Consumption Test, Heysel Y. Morales, Michael Diaz, Zaria Opara, Allan Knox

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

PURPOSE: Previous investigations have reported sex differences in the time course of age-related arterial stiffness, with postmenopausal women presenting increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Using sex as a biological variable has identified differences between males and females in physiological responses to equivalent doses of exercise. The purpose of this study was to determine if sex differences exist in arterial stiffness response to a maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max) exercise test. METHODS: VO2max was measured by indirect calorimetry. Body composition was measured by air displacement plethysmography (BODPOD). Indices of common carotid artery (CCA) stiffness (Peterson’s elastic modulus [Ep], Beta stiffness [B1], …

Maximum Aerobic Exercise Induces Common Carotid Vasoconstriction And Increased Vascular Resistance, Michael Diaz, Zaria Opara, Heysel Morales, Allan Knox

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

PURPOSE: Low-to-moderate intensity aerobic exercise has been reported to elicit changes in systemic hemodynamics. Recent evidence suggests that the cerebral circulation reacts independently to systemic circulations to the same physiological stimuli. The aim of this is to determine the influence of high-intensity aerobic exercise on common carotid artery (CCA) hemodynamics. METHODS: Hemodynamic measurements were recorded before and following the cessation of a maximum oxygen uptake test (VO_2max). One minute video of the CCA by Doppler ultrasound were recorded and used to determine peak systolic velocity (PSV), end diastolic velocity (EDV), time averaged mean blood velocity (TAMEAN), timed …

Hubungan Tingkat Kebisingan Di Lingkungan Kerja Dengan Tekanan Darah Pada Pekerja Di Unit Utilities Dan Oil Movement Pt Pertamina (Persero) Refinery Unit Vi Balongan, Jawa Barat Tahun 2020, Cheryl Khairunnisa Miyanda, Ema Hermawati

Jurnal Nasional Kesehatan Lingkungan Global

Background. This study aims to analyze the relationship of noise levels in the work environment, factors of worker characteristics (age, length of work, duration of work, hereditary history, and BMI), worker behavior (use of PPE, smoking behavior, and physical activity) with blood pressure on workers in Utilities and Oil Movement Units of PT Pertamina (Persero) Refinery Unit VI Balongan in 2020. Methods. This study uses quantitative research methods with cross sectional study design. The number of samples of this study are 72 workers in the Utilities and Oil Movement Units. Data of noise is obtained from direct measurements using a …

Immunometabolic Dysregulation At The Intersection Of Obesity And Covid-19, Collins N. Khwatenge, Marquette Pate, Laura C. Miller, Yongming Sang

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Obesity prevails worldwide to an increasing effect. For example, up to 42% of American adults are considered obese. Obese individuals are prone to a variety of complications of metabolic disorders including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and chronic kidney disease. Recent meta-analyses of clinical studies in patient cohorts in the ongoing coronavirus-disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic indicate that the presence of obesity and relevant disorders is linked to a more severe prognosis of COVID-19. Given the significance of obesity in COVID-19 progression, we provide a review of host metabolic and immune responses in the immunometabolic dysregulation exaggerated by obesity and the …

Kinematic Analysis Of A Series Of Jumps In First Position In Professional Ballet Dancers, Jessica Smith, Kevin Robinson, Pat Sells

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Few ballet-specific studies in the literature examine kinematics during dance activities. Sports studies have identified injury risk in athletes by observing kinematics during specific activity, but this has not yet been explored for ballet. Evaluating kinematics in dancers has the potential to identify injury risk and influence treatment for prevention and rehabilitation. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the landing kinematics of professional ballet dancers during a series of 16 ballet-specific jumps. Methods: This study was a multi-factor repeated measures design. Participants (3 males, 16 females aged 19-33 years; first or second company members) performed 16 …