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The Utility Of Visual Supports To Reinforce Healthy Dietary Behaviors In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Narrative Review, Allie Steffensen

Health and Nutritional Sciences Graduate Students Plan B Capstone Projects

Purpose
The purpose of this narrative review is to synthesize the current literature on both eating/mealtime behaviors of children with ASD and visual support interventions in the same population. This narrative review aims to establish a rationale for the use of visual supports as a dietary behavior intervention for children with ASD.

Methods
This narrative review was conducted between September 2022 and December 2022. Because this narrative review has such a broad scope, a variety of articles were reviewed in the search, including primary research, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, literature reviews, observational studies, single-case studies, cohort studies, and cross-sectional studies. Articles …

Carotenoids And The Associations With Gut Microbiota Bacterial Populations In Chronic Kidney Disease Hemodialysis Patients, Andrea Kendall

Theses and Dissertations

Background: With increased prevalence and mortality of chronic kidney disease (CKD), treatment by renal replacement therapy using hemodialysis (HD) has increased in parallel. Emerging evidence suggests that gut microbiota play an important role in the progression of CKD; influential dietary factors have not been studied exhaustively to date.

Objective: To explore the relationships between dietary carotenoid intake, the abundance of specific gut microbiota, and symptom-related outcomes in patients with CKD on HD.

Methods: This cross-sectional study investigated the gut microbiota characteristics relative to carotenoid intake in CKD subjects on HD in central Illinois (n = 20). The Block Dialysis …

Factors Associated With The Prevalence Of Iron Deficiency And Anemia In Women Of Reproductive Age In The U.S.: Nhanes 2015-2020, Catherine Wise

All Master's Theses

Iron deficiency (ID) is well recognized as the most prevalent nutrient insufficiency and a leading cause of anemia. Women of reproductive age (WRA), females 15 to 49, are at an increased risk of ID and anemia. This is due to the heightened iron demands of this life stage, including puberty, menstruation, and pregnancy, which require iron intakes ranging from 15 to 27 mg/day. Poor health and nutrition increase the risk of ID and progression to anemia. Consequences of ID and anemia range from exhaustion and decreased cognitive function to an increased risk of mortality. This study aimed to assess the …

Nutrient Intake, Performance, And Body Composition In Preseason Wrestlers, Gregory Coapstick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: College athletes, especially in weight class sports, often experience energy deficits. Weight class sports such as wrestling are at greatest risk for deficiencies, and little is known about the relationships between body composition, nutrient intake, and performance in these athletes.
OBJECTIVES: The purposes of this study were to quantify macronutrient and micronutrient intake of pre-season male collegiate wrestlers and compare to recommendations, and examine relationships among nutritional intakes, body composition, and performance measurements of strength, anaerobic, and aerobic capacity.
METHODS: Male Division I wrestlers (n=11, mean ± SD age: 21.3±1.7 years, wrestling experience: 14.9±2.5 years) were recruited during preseason. …

Modifying A Health Education Program By Utilizing Methods From Community-Based Participatory Research Framework, Tashara Grandys

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Purpose: This study determined the use of Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) and guided the modification of the Whole Body Approach (WBA) health education program. The modified program was pilot tested and implemented among neighbors at Northern Illinois Food Bank. The impact of the modification was assessed via pre and post surveys. Background and significance: WBA is a 10-week program developed by faculty at Northern Illinois University and has been taught by graduate students in collaboration with the Northern Illinois Food Bank since 2016. The program is based on the Satter Eating Competence Model and Health at Every Size and …

Student Attitudes Towards Their Program Area Of Study In A College Of Health And Human Services, Melanie Regan

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Poor retention rates can be an indicator of systematic problems within a university’s culture of academic affairs and administration. Improving student retention rates requires an understanding of why students are not returning to campus. This research aimed to develop and implement a survey analyzing students' sensory comfort, relevance, reaction to their area of study, sense of belonging, and self-efficacy within a College of Health and Human Sciences. A descriptive research design was utilized for this study to obtain information on the study population to survey participants' overall attitudes towards their experience in a program of study in a college of …

The Effect Of Intermittent Fasting, Caloric Restriction And Exercise On Aging And Longevity: Systematic Review, Romi Hardin

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of the effects of caloric restriction, intermittent fasting, and exercise on human longevity and aging, and explore their practical applications and inclusions into a healthy lifestyle. By reviewing the existing research and studies, this literature review focuses on identifying and explaining the biological mechanism behind these practices and exploring whether combining practices can be advantageous in extending not only lifespan but health span. The results generally indicate that following either caloric restriction or intermittent fasting and participating in regular exercise have immense results on promoting healthy aging in an …

Descriptive Report On Dietary Remains From Aztec And Salmon Ruins Coprolites, Karl J. Reinhard

Karl Reinhard Publications

This report focuses only on dietary results from the Aztec Ruins and Salmon Ruins coprolites. The parasitological analysis was completed in 2018 and was the focus of several papers that were summarized by Camacho and Reinhard (2020). This did not include DNA analysis. The coprolites from these sites are not appropriate sources of DNA testing.

The main conclusion of the analysis are:

1) Two very distinct plant spectra are represented in Aztec Ruins West (ARW) room 219 and room 225.

2) The three contexts of ARW room 219 show interesting variation in food selection, however these are small samples.

3) …

Improving Nutrition Screening Practice In The Hospitalized Heart Failure Patient Population, Amanda J. Bourgeois

DNP Projects

Background: Heart Failure is a disease known to affect nearly 6.5 million adults in the United States. Characterized by recurrent hospitalizations, heart failure significantly contributes to morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs in the United States and worldwide. Because malnutrition is prevalent in the heart failure population, healthcare providers must perform nutritional assessments on admission to intervene in the case of malnutrition, prevent deterioration, and improve patient prognosis. Without intervention and early identification of malnutrition, heart failure hospitalizations will remain a significant problem.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of an evidence-based educational program for cardiac …

Catalyzing Communities Of Research Rigour Champions, Audrey C Brumback, William X Q Ngiam, Dana M Lapato, David B Allison, Christin L Daniels, Michael Dougherty, Haley F Hazlett, Kara L Kerr, Susan Pusek, Naomi Schrag

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

The biomedical sciences must maintain and enhance a research culture that prioritizes rigour and transparency. The US National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke convened a workshop entitled 'Catalyzing Communities of Research Rigor Champions' that brought together a diverse group of leaders in promoting research rigour and transparency (identified as 'rigour champions') to discuss strategies, barriers and resources for catalyzing technical, cultural and educational changes in the biomedical sciences. This article summarizes 2 days of panels and discussions and provides an overview of critical barriers to research rigour, perspectives behind reform initiatives and considerations for stakeholders across science. Additionally, we …

A Comprehensive Review Of Advances In Hepatocyte Microencapsulation: Selecting Materials And Preserving Cell Viability, Hailian Wang, Lebin Wen, Fengdi Jiang, Pengyu Ren, Yixin Yang, Siyuan Song, Zhengteng Yang, Yi Wang

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Liver failure represents a critical medical condition with a traditionally grim prognosis, where treatment options have been notably limited. Historically, liver transplantation has stood as the sole definitive cure, yet the stark disparity between the limited availability of liver donations and the high demand for such organs has significantly hampered its feasibility. This discrepancy has necessitated the exploration of hepatocyte transplantation as a temporary, supportive intervention. In light of this, our review delves into the burgeoning field of hepatocyte transplantation, with a focus on the latest advancements in maintaining hepatocyte function, co-microencapsulation techniques, xenogeneic hepatocyte transplantation, and the selection of …

Sustainability Via Active Garden Education (Sage): The Process Of Incorporating Watering Into Structured Preschool Curriculum, Rebecca E Lee, Anel Arriola, Elizabeth Lorenzo, Erica G Soltero, Jacob Szeszuski

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

School gardens provide rich outdoor learning opportunities for young children. Practical considerations about garden maintenance, in particular, watering, can impeed success. This manuscript chronicles the development of garden maintenance strategies in Sustainability via Active Garden Education (SAGE). SAGE installed raised-bed gardens and provided a complete curriculum focused on increasing children's active time and improving healthy eating habits while fostering garden stewardship. SAGE was implemented by trained research personnel in four early care and education (ECE) facilities in Houston, Texas (SAGE 1, Summer, 2013), one ECE facility in Phoenix, Arizona (SAGE 2, Spring, 2017), and 24 ECE facilities in Phoenix, Arizona …

Adjusting For Covariates Representing Potential Confounders, Mediators, Or Competing Predictors In The Presence Of Measurement Error: Dispelling A Potential Misapprehension And Insights For Optimal Study Design With Nutritional Epidemiology Examples, Roger S Zoh, Diana M Thomas, Carmen D Tekwe, Xiaoxin Yu, Colby J Vorland, Nikhil V Dhurandhar, David M Klurfeld, David B Allison

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Background: Variables such as dietary intake are measured with error yet frequently used in observational epidemiology. Although this limitation is sometimes noted, these variables are still often modeled as covariates without formal correction or sincere dialogue about measurement unreliability potentially weakening the validity of statistical conclusions. Further, larger sample sizes increase power (bias) to detect spurious correlations. Counterintuitively, recent work suggested a non-monotonic relationship between confounder unreliability and how much controlling for the confounder reduces (or induces) bias when testing for an exposure-outcome association. If true, such non-monotonicity would be especially concerning for applications such as nutrition, where measurement reliability …

Objective Assessment Of Shared Plate Eating Using A Wearable Camera In Urban And Rural Households In Ghana, Christabel A Domfe, Megan A Mccrory, Edward Sazonov, Tonmoy Ghosh, Viprav Raju, Gary Frost, Matilda Steiner-Asiedu, Mingui Sun, Wenyan Jia, Tom Baranowski, Benny Lo, Alex K Anderson

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Background: Shared plate eating (SPE), defined as two or more individuals eating directly from the same plate or bowl, is a common household food consumption practice in many Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). Examination of household engagement in SPE remains largely unexplored, highlighting a gap in research when interpreting dietary information obtained from these settings. The dearth of research into SPE can be attributed to the inherent limitations of traditional dietary assessment methods which constrain their usability in settings where SPE is common.

Objective: In this expository narrative, we describe what SPE is when it is practiced in an LMIC …

Combinatorial Atoh1, Gfi1, Pou4f3, And Six1 Gene Transfer Induces Hair Cell Regeneration In The Flat Epithelium Of Mature Guinea Pigs, Yujie Liu, Lin Yang, Sunita Singh, Lisa A Beyer, Diane M Prieskorn, Donald L Swiderski, Andrew K Groves, Yehoash Raphael

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Flat epithelium (FE) is a condition characterized by the loss of both hair cells (HCs) and supporting cells and the transformation of the organ of Corti into a simple flat or cuboidal epithelium, which can occur after severe cochlear insults. The transcription factors Gfi1, Atoh1, Pou4f3, and Six1 (GAPS) play key roles in HC differentiation and survival in normal ears. Previous work using a single transcription factor, Atoh1, to induce HC regeneration in mature ears in vivo usually produced very few cells and failed to produce HCs in severely damaged organs of Corti, especially those with FE. Studies in vitro …

Advancing Kidney Xenotransplantation With Anesthesia And Surgery – Bridging Preclinical And Clinical Frontiers Challenges And Prospects, Xiaojian Zhang, Hailian Wang, Qin Xie, Yang Zhang, Yixin Yang, Man Yuan, Yuqi Cui, Si-Yuan Song, Jianzhen Lv, Yi Wang

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Xenotransplantation is emerging as a vital solution to the critical shortage of organs available for transplantation, significantly propelled by advancements in genetic engineering and the development of sophisticated immunosuppressive treatments. Specifically, the transplantation of kidneys from genetically engineered pigs into human patients has made significant progress, offering a potential clinical solution to the shortage of human kidney supply. Recent trials involving the transplantation of these modified porcine kidneys into deceased human bodies have underscored the practicality of this approach, advancing the field towards potential clinical applications. However, numerous challenges remain, especially in the domains of identifying suitable donor-recipient matches and …

Promoting Trustworthiness Of Science: Reproducing And Verifying Agarwal Et Al's (2022) Findings Through Collaborative Endeavors, Yasaman Jamshidi-Naeini, Nicolas Escobar Velasquez, Lilian Golzarri-Arroyo, Sumayyah Ali, Luke R Howard, Stephanie Dickinson, David B Allison

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Novel, Pathogenic Insertion Variant Of Gsdme Associates With Autosomal Dominant Hearing Loss In A Large Chinese Pedigree, Jingliang Cheng, Ting Li, Qi Tan, Jiewen Fu, Lianmei Zhang, Luquan Yang, Baixu Zhou, Lisha Yang, Shangyi Fu, Alora Grace Linehan, Junjiang Fu

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Nonsyndromic hearing loss (NSHL) is a genetically diverse, highly heterogeneous condition characterised by deafness, and Gasdermin E (GSDME) variants have been identified as directly inducing autosomal dominant NSHL. While many NSHL cases associated with GSDME involve the skipping of exon 8, there is another, less understood pathogenic insertion variant specifically found in Chinese pedigrees that causes deafness, known as autosomal dominant 5 (DFNA5) hearing loss. In this study, we recruited a large Chinese pedigree, conducted whole‐exome and Sanger sequencing to serve as a comprehensive clinical examination, and extracted genomic DNA samples for co‐segregation analysis of the members. Conservation …

Instructions For Authors, Discovery Editors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Contents, Discovery Editors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Rose Nourish To Flourish Obesity Prevention Program Targeting Children At Risk For Food Insecurity In Jacksonville, Florida, Jamie Marchio

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Nourish to Flourish study aimed to decrease the prevalence of obesity among food insecure children in Jacksonville, FL. Specifically, the program focused on nutrition education and access to healthy foods. The study consisted of a 4-week nutrition education series emphasizing the major determinants of healthy weight known as 5-2-1-0! This includes expanding knowledge of fruit and vegetable intake to achieve a target intake of five servings a day, screen time reduction to no more than two hours a day, achieving a physical activity goal of one hour a day outside of school hours, and limiting sugar sweetened beverage consumption …

Through The Lens Of Tiktok: A New Perspective To Improving Food And Nutrition Literacy In Adolescents, Devin Kathleen Ebeling-Hammond

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Understanding food, nutrition, and physical activity is essential for everyone, and is important to learn from a young age to foster healthy, lifelong habits. Research indicates that 50% of adolescents do not consume the right amount of fruit, vegetables, or protein, and often consume excessive amounts of fats and sugar. Coincidentally, type 2 diabetes and other non-communicable diseases are on the rise, which can be improved through modifiable health determinants. The purpose of this study is to provide insight into innovative ways to teach adolescents about food, nutrition, and the importance of physical activity. An exploratory pilot study was selected …

Estimating South Dakota’S Capacity To Meet K-12 School Meal Fruit And Vegetable Requirements With State-Grown Produce, Bridgette Bienias

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objective: Quantify South Dakota (SD)’s capacity to procure locally-sourced fruit and vegetables (FVs) for K-12 school meals.
Methods: Secondary analysis of 2017 SD agricultural census and school meal data. Yields were converted to edible cups of FVs using school meal guidelines provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Student enrollment and meal redemptions were used to estimate the number of FV cups needed.
Results: Estimated SD FV production met minimum total K-12 cup requirements, except for total fruit (66%) and dark green vegetables (80%). Legumes supplied 77% of the total cups of vegetables produced in 2017, whereas dark green vegetables …

Polygenic Scores And Mendelian Randomization Identify Plasma Proteins Causally Implicated In Alzheimer’S Disease, Davis B Cammann, Yimei Lu, Jerome I Rotter, Alexis C Wood, Jingchun Chen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: An increasing body of evidence suggests that neuroinflammation is one of the key drivers of late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD) pathology. Due to the increased permeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in older adults, peripheral plasma proteins can infiltrate the central nervous system (CNS) and drive neuroinflammation through interactions with neurons and glial cells. Because these inflammatory factors are heritable, a greater understanding of their genetic relationship with LOAD could identify new biomarkers that contribute to LOAD pathology or offer protection against it.

METHODS: We used a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of 90 different plasma proteins (

RESULTS: We identified …

Autophagy Determines Distinct Cell Fates In Human Amnion And Chorion Cells, Mary Elise L Severino, Lauren Richardson, Ananth Kumar Kammala, Enkhtuya Radnaa, Kamil Khanipov, Leslie Michelle M Dalmacio, Indira U Mysorekar, Marian Kacerovsky, Ramkumar Menon

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Human fetal membranes (amniochorion) that line the intrauterine cavity consist of two distinct cell layers; single-layer amnion epithelial cells (AEC) and multilayer chorion trophoblast cells (CTC). These layers are connected through a collagen-rich extracellular matrix. Cellular remodeling helps support membrane growth and integrity during gestation and helps to maintain pregnancy. Preterm prelabor rupture of the human amniochorionic (fetal) membrane (pPROM) is antecedent to 40% of all spontaneous preterm birth. Oxidative stress (OS) induced activation of the p38 MAPK due to various maternal risk exposures and the amniochorion cells' senescence are reported pathological features of pPROM. Our transcriptomics analysis implicated dysregulated …

Branched-Chain Amino Acid Accumulation Fuels The Senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype, Yaosi Liang, Christopher Pan, Tao Yin, Lu Wang, Xia Gao, Ergang Wang, Holly Quang, De Huang, Lianmei Tan, Kun Xiang, Yu Wang, Peter B Alexander, Qi-Jing Li, Tso-Pang Yao, Zhao Zhang, Xiao-Fan Wang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The essential branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) leucine, isoleucine, and valine play critical roles in protein synthesis and energy metabolism. Despite their widespread use as nutritional supplements, BCAAs' full effects on mammalian physiology remain uncertain due to the complexities of BCAA metabolic regulation. Here a novel mechanism linking intrinsic alterations in BCAA metabolism is identified to cellular senescence and the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), both of which contribute to organismal aging and inflammation-related diseases. Altered BCAA metabolism driving the SASP is mediated by robust activation of the BCAA transporters Solute Carrier Family 6 Members 14 and 15 as well as downregulation …

Critical Dialogue And Capacity-Building Projects Reduced Alcohol And Substance Use In A Randomized Clinical Trial Among Formerly Incarcerated Men, Liliane Cambraia Windsor, Ellen Benoit, Carol Lee, Alexis Jemal, Kari Kugler, Douglas C Smith, Rogério M Pinto, Salma Musaad

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background:

Rates of alcohol and/or substance use (ASU) among residents of predominantly Black and marginalized communities are similar to ASU rates in White communities. Yet ASU has worse consequences in predominantly Black and marginalized communities (e.g., higher incarceration).

Objective:

We randomized participants to one of 16 intervention conditions using a 2⁴ full factorial design to optimize a multilevel intervention reducing ASU among 602 formerly incarcerated men with substance-use-disorders (SUD). Candidate intervention components included (1) critical dialogue (CD; six weekly 2-hour-long group sessions vs. no CD sessions), (2) Quality of Life Wheel (QLW; six weekly 1-hour-long group sessions vs. no …

Citrulline And Adi-Peg20 Reduce Inflammation In A Juvenile Porcine Model Of Acute Endotoxemia, Caitlin Vonderohe, Barbara Stoll, Inka Didelija, Trung Nguyen, Mahmoud Mohammad, Yava Jones-Hall, Miguel A Cruz, Juan Marini, Douglas Burrin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Arginine is a conditionally essential amino acid that is depleted in critically ill or surgical patients. In pediatric and adult patients, sepsis results in an arginine-deficient state, and the depletion of plasma arginine is associated with greater mortality. However, direct supplementation of arginine can result in the excessive production of nitric oxide (NO), which can contribute to the hypotension and macrovascular hypo-reactivity observed in septic shock. Pegylated arginine deiminase (ADI-PEG20, pegargiminase) reduces plasma arginine and generates citrulline that can be transported intracellularly to generate local arginine and NO, without resulting in hypotension, while maintaining microvascular patency. The objective of …

Measures Of Feed Efficiency In Beef Cattle: Biological Basis And Effect On Response To Dietary Supplementation, Modoluwamu Idowu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

During the feedlot receiving period, newly weaned beef cattle face various stressors, including weaning, transportation, vaccination, and exposure to pathogens. Additionally, changes in diet and low dry matter intake contribute to nutrient deficiencies, heightening susceptibility to disease and performance declines. Therefore, we examined the effects of dietary supplementation with a multicomponent blend of prebiotics and probiotics on the health, immune status, metabolism, and performance of newly weaned beef steers during a 35-day receiving period. Our results showed that compared to the control group, the supplemental additive (SYNB) increased average daily gain (ADG), dry matter intake, and meal events during the …

Leds For Controlled Environment Agriculture: Leveraging Light To Optimize Crops, Tristan D. Sanders

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Indoor agriculture is a growing industry with many of its benefits being recognized. Light emitting diodes (LEDs) reduce production costs compared to traditional light sources. LEDs emit narrow bandwidths of light that allow growers to easily change the wavelengths plants are being grown under by using different combinations of wavelengths. Manipulating the light that plants are grown under is a method to change their physiology which is the basis of this thesis. The goal of the first two studies was to investigate how different light spectra can be used to enhance the nutrition content, growth, and morphology of kale and …