Digital Commons Network^™

Multiorgan Development Of Oxidative And Nitrosative Stress In Lps-Induced Endotoxemia In C57bl/6 Mice: Dhe-Based In Vivo Approach, Bartosz Proniewski, Agnieszka Kij, Barbara Sitek, Eric E. Kelley, Stefan Chlopicki

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Detection of free radicals in tissues is challenging. Most approaches rely on incubating excised sections or homogenates with reagents, typically at supraphysiologic oxygen tensions, to finally detect surrogate, nonspecific end products. In the present work, we explored the potential of using intravenously (i.v.) injected dihydroethidine (DHE) to detect superoxide radical (O2∙-) abundance in vivo by quantification of the superoxide-specific DHE oxidation product, 2-hydroxyethidium (2-OH-E+), as well as ethidium (E+) and DHE in multiple tissues in a murine model of endotoxemia induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). LPS was injected intraperitoneally (i.p.), while DHE was delivered via the tail vein one hour before …

More Than Fast Food: Development Of A Story Map To Compare Adolescent Perceptions And Observations Of Their Food Environments And Related Food Behaviors, Kristin A. Riggsbee, Jonathon Riggsbee, Melissa J. Vilaro, Lauren Moret, Marsha Spence, Elizabeth A. Steeves, Wenjun Zhou, Melissa D. Olfert, Lisa Franzen-Castle, Tanya Horacek, Elizabeth Hall, Sarah Colby

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The purpose of this convergent, multiphase, mixed methods study was to better understand the perceptions of adolescents’ food environments and related food behaviors using grounded visualization and story mapping. Adolescents from one high school (13–16 years) in the southeastern United States were evaluated via data from health behavior surveys (n = 75), school environment maps, focus groups (n = 5 groups), and Photovoice (n = 6) from October 2016 to April 2017. Data from each phase were integrated using grounded visualization and new themes were identified (n = 7). A story map using ArcGIS Online was developed from data integration, …

Abnormal Mtorc1 Signaling Leads To Retinal Pigment Epithelium Degeneration, Jiancheng Huang, Shun Gu, Meng Chen, Shu-Jie Zhang, Zhichun Jiang, Xue Chen, Chao Jiang, Guohua Liu, Roxana A. Radu, Xiantao Sun, Doudlas Vollrath, Jianhai Du, Biao Yan, Chen Zhao

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) degeneration is potentially involved in the pathogenesis of several retinal degenerative diseases. mTORC1 signaling is shown as a crucial regulator of many biological processes and disease progression. In this study, we aimed at investigating the role of mTORC1 signaling in RPE degeneration.

Methods: Western blots were conducted to detect mTORC1 expression pattern during RPE degeneration. Cre-loxP system was used to generate RPE-specific mTORC1 activation mice. Fundus, immunofluorescence staining, transmission electron microscopy, and targeted metabolomic analysis were conducted to determine the effects of mTORC1 activation on RPE degeneration in vivo. Electroretinography, spectral-domain optical coherence tomography, and …

Comparative Genomic Analysis Of Six Glossina Genomes, Vectors Of African Trypanosomes, Geoffrey M. Attardo, Adly M. M. Abd-Alla, Alvaro Acosta-Serrano, James E. Allen, Rosemary Bateta, Joshua B. Benoit, Kostas Bourtzis, Jelle Caers, Guy Caljon, Mikkel B. Christensen, David W. Farrow, Markus Friedrich, Aurélie Hua-Van, Emily C. Jennings, Denis M. Larkin, Daniel Lawson, Michael J. Lehane, Vasileios P. Lenis, Ernesto Lowy-Gallego, Rosaline W. Macharia, Anna R. Malacrida, Heather G. Marco, Daniel Masiga, Gareth L. Maslen, Irina Matetovic, Richard P. Meisel, Irene Meki, Veronika Michalkova, Wolfgang J. Miller, Patrick Minx, Paul O. Mireji, Lino Ometto, Andrew G. Parker, Rita Rio, Clair Rose, Andrew J. Rosendale, Omar Rota-Stabelli, Grazia Savini, Liliane Schoofs, Francesca Scolari, Martin T. Swain, Peter Takáč, Chad Tomlinson, George Tsiamis, Jan Van Abbeele, Aurelien Vigneron, Jingwen Wang, Wesley C. Warren, Robert M. Waterhouse, Mathew T. Weirauch, Brian L. Weiss, Richard K. Wilson, Xin Zhao, Serap Aksoy

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background: Tsetse flies (Glossina sp.) are the vectors of human and animal trypanosomiasis throughout subSaharan Africa. Tsetse flies are distinguished from other Diptera by unique adaptations, including lactation and the birthing of live young (obligate viviparity), a vertebrate blood-specific diet by both sexes, and obligate bacterial symbiosis. This work describes the comparative analysis of six Glossina genomes representing three sub-genera: Morsitans (G. morsitans morsitans, G. pallidipes, G. austeni), Palpalis (G. palpalis, G. fuscipes), and Fusca (G. brevipalpis) which represent different habitats, host preferences, and vectorial capacity. Results: Genomic analyses validate established evolutionary relationships and sub-genera. Syntenic analysis of Glossina relative …

Influence Of Climate Change And Postdelisting Management On Long‐Term Population Viability Of The Conservation‐Reliant Kirtland's Warbler, Donald J. Brown, Deahn M. Donner, Christine A. Ribic, Carol I. Bocetti

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Rapid global climate change is resulting in novel abiotic and biotic conditions and in‐ teractions. Identifying management strategies that maximize probability of long‐term persistence requires an understanding of the vulnerability of species to environmen‐ tal changes. We sought to quantify the vulnerability of Kirtland's Warbler (Setophaga kirtlandii), a rare Neotropical migratory songbird that breeds almost exclusively in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan and winters in the Bahamian Archipelago, to pro‐ jected environmental changes on the breeding and wintering grounds. We devel‐ oped a population‐level simulation model that incorporates the influence of annual environmental conditions on the breeding and wintering grounds, …

Pro-Con Debate: Nitrous Oxide For Labor Analgesia, Manuel C. Vallejo, Mark I. Zakowski

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

This Pro-Con debate will provide the practitioner with an evidence-based knowledge approach to assist the clinician in determining whether to employ (Pro) or not to employ (Con) this technique in the obstetrical suite for labor analgesia. Nitrous oxide has been used safely in dentistry and medicine for many centuries. However, accumulating preclinical and clinical evidence increasingly suggests previously unrecognized adverse maternal and fetal effects of nitrous oxide, which warrants reconsideration of its use in pregnant women and a more detailed informed consent. Nitrous oxide is associated with metabolic, oxidative, genotoxic, and transgenerational epigenetic effects in animals and humans that may …

Global Climate Change And Invariable Photoperiods: A Mismatch That Jeopardizes Animal Fitness, William H. Walker Ii, Olga Hecmarie Meléndez‐Fernández, Randy J. Nelson, Russel J. Reiter

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The Earth's surface temperature is rising, and precipitation patterns throughout the Earth are changing; the source of these shifts is likely anthropogenic in nature. Alterations in temperature and precipitation have obvious direct and indirect ef‐ fects on both plants and animals. Notably, changes in temperature and precipita‐ tion alone can have both advantageous and detrimental consequences depending on the species. Typically, production of offspring is timed to coincide with optimal food availability; thus, individuals of many species display annual rhythms of reproductive function. Because it requires substantial time to establish or re‐establish reproduc‐ tive function, individuals cannot depend on the …

Development Of Multifunctional Overhauser-Enhanced Magnetic Rresonance Imaging For Concurrent In Vivo Mapping Of Tumor Interstitial Oxygenation, Acidosis And Inorganic Phosphate Concentration, Artem A. Gorodetskii, Timothy D. Eubank, Benoit Driesschaert, Martin Poncelet, Emily Ellis, Valery V. Khramtsov, Andrey A. Bobko

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Tumor oxygenation (pO2), acidosis (pH) and interstitial inorganic phosphate concentration (Pi) are important parameters of the malignant behavior of cancer. A noninvasive procedure that enables visualization of these parameters may provide unique information about mechanisms of tumor pathophysiology and provide clues to new treatment targets. In this research, we present a multiparametric imaging method allowing for concurrent mapping of pH, spin probe concentration, pO2, and Pi using a single contrast agent and Overhauser-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging technique. The developed approach was applied to concurrent multifunctional imaging in phantom samples and in vivo in a mouse model of …

A Role For Regulator Of G Protein Signaling-12 (Rgs12) In The Balance Between Myoblast Proliferation And Differentiation, Adam B. Schroer, Junaith S. Mohamed, Melinda D. Wilard, Vincent Setola, Emily Oesteich, David P. Siderovski

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

• Regulators of G Protein Signaling (RGS proteins) inhibit G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling by accelerating the GTP hydrolysis rate of activated Gα subunits. Some RGS proteins exert additional signal modulatory functions, and RGS12 is one such protein, with five additional, functional domains: a PDZ domain, a phosphotyrosine-binding domain, two Ras-binding domains, and a Gα·GDP-binding GoLoco motif. RGS12 expression is temporospatially regulated in developing mouse embryos, with notable expression in somites and developing skeletal muscle. We therefore examined whether RGS12 is involved in the skeletal muscle myogenic program. In the adult mouse, RGS12 is expressed in the tibialis anterior (TA) muscle, …

Modeling Human Cancer-Induced Cachexia, Erin E. Talbert, Maria C. Cuitin˜ O, Katherine J. Ladner, Priyani V. Rajasekerea, Melissa Siebert, Reena Shakya, Gustavo W. Leone, Michael C. Ostrowski, Brain Paleo, Noah Weisleder, Peter J. Reiser, Amy Webb, Cynthia D. Timmers, Daniel S. Eiferman, David C. Evans, Mary E. Dilhoff, Carl R. Schmidt

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Talbert et al. developed an inducible mouse model of cachexia caused by pancreatic cancer. This model exhibits features of the human condition, including the progressive depletion of muscle and adipose tissue associated with tumor progression.

H2o2‐Induced Microvessel Barrier Dysfunction: The Interplay Between Reactive Oxygen Species, Nitric Oxide, And Peroxynitrite, Xueping Zhou, Yan Qian, Dong Yuan, Qilong Feng, Pingnian He

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Elevated H2O2 is implicated in many cardiovascular diseases. We previously demonstrated that H2O2-induced endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activation and excessive NO production contribute to vascular cell injury and increases in microvessel permeability. However, the mechanisms of excessive NO-mediated vascular injury and hyperpermeability remain unknown. This study aims to examine the functional role of NO-derived peroxynitrite (ONOO) in H2O2-induced vascular barrier dysfunction by elucidating the interrelationships between H2O2-induced NO, superoxide, ONOO, and changes in endothelial [Ca2+ ]i and microvessel permeability. Experiments were conducted on intact rat mesenteric venules. Microvessel permeability was determined by measuring hydraulic conductivity (Lp). Endothelial [Ca2+ ]i, …

The Role Of Sirt1 In Skeletal Muscle Function And Repair Of Older Mice, Mathew J. Myers, Danielle L. Sheperd, Andrya J. Durr, David S. Stanton, Junaith S. Mohamed, John M. Hollander, Stephen E. Alway

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) is a NAD+ sensitive deacetylase that has been linked to longevity and has been suggested to confer beneficial effects that counter aging-associated deterioration. Muscle repair is dependent upon satellite cell function, which is reported to be reduced with aging; however, it is not known if this is linked to an aging-suppression of SIRT1. This study tested the hypothesis that Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) overexpression would increase the extent of muscle repair and muscle function in older mice. Methods We examined satellite cell dependent repair in tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius, and soleus muscles of 13 young wild-type mice (20–30 …

A New Transgenic Reporter Line Reveals Wnt-Dependent Snai2 Re-Expression And Cranial Neural Crest Differentiation In Xenopus, Jiejing Li, Mark Perfetto, Christopher Materna, Rebecca Li, Hong Thi Tran, Kris Vleminckx, Melinda K. Duncan, Shuo Wei

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

During vertebrate embryogenesis, the cranial neural crest (CNC) forms at the neural plate border and subsequently migrates and diferentiates into many types of cells. The transcription factor Snai2, which is induced by canonical Wnt signaling to be expressed in the early CNC, is pivotal for CNC induction and migration in Xenopus. However, snai2 expression is silenced during CNC migration, and its roles at later developmental stages remain unclear. We generated a transgenic X. tropicalis line that expresses enhanced green fuorescent protein (eGFP) driven by the snai2 promoter/enhancer, and observed eGFP expression not only in the pre-migratory and migrating CNC, but …

Metabolic Deregulation Of The Blood-Outer Retinal Barrier In Retinitis Pigmentosa, Wei Wang, Ashwini Kini, Yekai Wang, Tingting Liu, Yao Chen, Eric Vukmanic, Douglas Emery, Yongqing Liu, Xiaoqin Lu, Lei Jin, San Joon Lee, Patrick Scott, Xiao Liu, Kevin Dean, Qingxian Lu, Enzo Fortuny, Robert James, Henry J. Kaplan, Jianhai Du, Douglas C. Dean

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) initiates with diminished rod photoreceptor function, causing peripheral and nighttime vision loss. However, subsequent loss of cone function and high-resolution daylight and color vision is most debilitating. Visual pigment-rich photoreceptor outer segments (OS) undergo phagocytosis by the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), and the RPE also acts as a blood-outer retinal barrier transporting nutrients, including glucose, to photoreceptors. We provide evidence that contact between externalized phosphatidylserine (PS) on OS tips and apical RPE receptors activates Akt, linking phagocytosis with glucose transport to photoreceptors for new OS synthesis. As abundant mutant rod OS tips shorten in RP, Akt activation …

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 …

Using Ripple Effects Maps To Identify Story Threads: A Framework To Link Private To Public Value, Jane E. Haskell, Barbara A. Baker, Melissa D. Olfert, Sarah E. Colby, Lisa D. Franzen-Castle, Kendra K. Kattelmann, Adrienne A. White

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Extension professionals must demonstrate organizational value to garner public awareness and support. Measuring and communicating outcomes that have public value can be challenging. In this study, Ripple Effects Mapping incorporating the Community Capitals Framework was used to evaluate a childhood obesity prevention study, iCook 4-H, of youth-adult pairs in Maine. The objective was to describe the process of generating impact statements through story threads about program benefits to the participants and the potential benefits to nonparticipants, such as family members, friends, and other community members. Extension professionals can use storylines, or story threads, as a qualitative research technique to generate …

Development Of A Cx46 Targeting Strategy For Cancer Stem Cells, Erin E. Mulkeans-Hubert, Luke A. Torre-Healy, Daniel J, Silver, Jennifer T. Eurich, Defne Bayik, Emily Serbinowski, Masahiro Hitomi, John Zhou, Bartlomiej Przychodzen, Renliang Zhang, Samuel A. Sprowls, James S. Hale, Tyler J. Alban, Artem Berezovsky, Brent A. Bell, Paul R. Lockman, Babal K. Jha, Justin D. Lathia

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Gap-junction-mediated cell-cell communication enables tumor cells to synchronize complex processes. We previously found that glioblastoma cancer stem cells (CSCs) express higher levels of the gap junction protein Cx46 compared to non-stem tumor cells (non-CSCs) and that this was necessary and sufficient for CSC maintenance. To understand the mechanism underlying this requirement, we use point mutants to disrupt specific functions of Cx46 and find that Cx46-mediated gap-junction coupling is critical for CSCs. To develop a Cx46 targeting strategy, we screen a clinically relevant small molecule library and identify clofazimine as an inhibitor of Cx46-specific cell-cell communication. Clofazimine attenuates proliferation, self-renewal, and …

In Vivo Gene Essentiality And Metabolism In Bordetella Pertussis, Laura A. Gonyar, Patrick E. Gelbach, Dennis G. Mcduffe, Alexander F. Koeppel, Qing Chen, Gloria Lee, Louise M. Temple, Scott Stibitz, Erik L. Hewlwtt, Jason A. Papin, F. Heath Damron, Joshua C. Eby

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Bordetella pertussis is the causative agent of whooping cough, a serious respiratory illness affecting children and adults, associated with prolonged cough and potential mortality. Whooping cough has reemerged in recent years, emphasizing a need for increased knowledge of basic mechanisms of B. pertussis growth and pathogenicity. While previous studies have provided insight into in vitro gene essentiality of this organism, very little is known about in vivo gene essentiality, a critical gap in knowledge, since B. pertussis has no previously identified environmental reservoir and is isolated from human respiratory tract samples. We hypothesize that the metabolic capabilities of B. pertussis …

Systemic Inhibition Of Tissue-Nonspecific Alkaline Phosphatase Alters The Brain-Immune Axis In Experimental Sepsis, Allison L. Brichacek, Stanely A. Benkovic, Sreeparna Chakraborty, Divine C. Nwafor, Wei Wang, Sujung Jun, Duaa Dakhlallah, Werner Geldenhuys, Anthony B. Pinkerton, José Luis Millán, Candice M. Brown

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP) is a ubiquitous enzyme present in many cells and tissues, including the central nervous system. Yet its functions at the brain-immune axis remain unclear. The goal of this study was to use a novel small molecular inhibitor of TNAP, SBI-425, to interrogate the function of TNAP in neuroimmune disorders. Following intraperitoneal (IP) administration of SBI-425, mass spectrometry analysis revealed that the SBI-425 does not cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in healthy mice. To elucidate the role of TNAP at the brain-immune axis, mice were subjected to experimental sepsis and received either vehicle or SBI-425 (25 mg/kg, …

Pediatric Testicular Torsion: Does Patient Transfer Affect Time To Intervention Or Surgical Outcomes At A Rural Tertiary Care Center?, Tyler Overhoolt, Morris Jessop, Osama Al-Omar, John Barnard

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background: Testicular torsion (TT) is a urologic emergency that requires prompt surgical intervention. In rural Appalachia, patients are often transferred from surrounding communities due to lack of urologic care. We hypothesized that those transferred would have delayed intervention and higher rates of orchiectomy when compared to those who presented directly to our hospital. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of patient charts with an ICD-9 diagnosis of TT from 2008 to 2016. Patients met inclusion criteria if diagnosis was confirmed by operative exploration. We compared rate of testicular loss and time until surgical intervention between groups. Results: Twenty-three patients met …

Enhancement Of Immune Response Against Bordetella Spp. By Disrupting Immunomodulation, Monica C. Gestal, Laura K. Howard, Kalyan Dewan, Hannah M. Johnson, Mariette Barbier, Clare Bryant, Illiassou Hamidou Soumana, Israel Rivera, Bodo Lina, Uriel Blas-Machado, Eric T. Harvill

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Well-adapted pathogens must evade clearance by the host immune system and the study of how they do this has revealed myriad complex strategies and mechanisms. Classical bordetellae are very closely related subspecies that are known to modulate adaptive immunity in a variety of ways, permitting them to either persist for life or repeatedly infect the same host. Exploring the hypothesis that exposure to immune cells would cause bordetellae to induce expression of important immunomodulatory mechanisms, we identified a putative regulator of an immunomodulatory pathway. The deletion of btrS in B. bronchiseptica did not affect colonization or initial growth in the …

A Multi-Year Examination Of Gardening Experience And Fruit And Vegetable Intake During College, Daniel Staub, Sarah E. Colloy, Melissa D. Olfert, Kendra Kattleman, Wenjun Zhou, Tanya M. Horacek, Geoffrey W. Greene, Ivana Radosavljevic, Lisa Franzen-Castle, Anne E. Mathews

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Gardening has been positively associated with fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption based on short-term studies among children, but long-term data among adolescents and young adults are lacking. This investigation sought to elucidate the association between gardening experience and FV intake among college students over a two-year period. Students (N = 593) from eight universities were assessed at the end of their freshman (Y1) and sophomore (Y2) years during the springs of 2016 and 2017, respectively. At each time point, participants completed the NCI FV Screener and questions related to gardening experience and FV-related attitudes and behaviors. Students were then categorized …

Caspase-11 Mediates Neutrophil Chemotaxis And Extracellular Trap Formation During Acute Gouty Arthritis Through Alteration Of Cofilin Phosphorylation, Kyle Caution, Nicholas Young, Frank Robledo-Avila, Kathrin Krause, Arwa Abu Khweek, Kaitlin Hamilton, Asmaa Badr, Anup Vaidya, Kylene Daily, Hawin Gosu, Midhun N. K. Anne, Mostafa Eltobgy, Duaa Dakhlallah, Sudha Argwal, Shady Estfanous, Xiaoli Zhang, Santiago Partida-Sanchez, Mikhail A. Gavrilin, Wael N. Jarjour, Amal O. Amer

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Gout is characterized by attacks of arthritis with hyperuricemia and monosodium urate (MSU) crystal-induced inflammation within joints. Innate immune responses are the primary drivers for tissue destruction and inflammation in gout. MSU crystals engage the Nlrp3 inflammasome, leading to the activation of caspase-1 and production of IL-1β and IL-18 within gout-affected joints, promoting the influx of neutrophils and monocytes. Here, we show that caspase-11−/− mice and their derived macrophages produce significantly reduced levels of gout-specific cytokines including IL-1β, TNFα, IL-6, and KC, while others like IFNγ and IL-12p70 are not altered. IL-1β induces the expression of caspase-11 in an IL-1 …

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 …

Determinant Roles Of Dendritic Cell-Expressed Notch Delta-Like And Jagged Ligands On Anti-Tumor T Cell Immunity, Elena E. Tchekneva, Mounika U.L. Goruganthu, Roman V. Uzhachenko, Portia L. Thomas, Anneliese Antonucci, Irina Chekneva, Michael Koenig, Longzhu Piao, Anwari Akhter, Maria Teresa P. De Anquino, Parvathi Ranganathan, Nicholas Long, Thomas Magliery, Anna Valujskikh, Jason V. Evans, Rajeswara R. Arasada, Pierre P. Massion, David P. Carbone, Anil Shanker, Mikhail M. Dikov

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background: Notch intercellular communication instructs tissue-specific T-cell development and function. In this study, we explored the roles of dendritic cell (DC)-expressed Notch ligands in the regulation of T-cell effector function. Methods: We generated mice with CD11c lineage-specific deletion of Notch Delta-like ligand (Dll)1 and Jagged (Jag)2. Using these genetically-ablated mice and engineered pharmacological Notch ligand constructs, the roles of various Delta-like and Jagged ligands in the regulation of T-cell-mediated immunity were investigated. We assessed tumor growth, mouse survival, cytokine production, immunophenotyping of myeloid and lymphoid populations infiltrating the tumors, expression of checkpoint molecules and T-cell function in the experimental settings …

Pyometra Due To Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Nathan Mcleod, Allison Lastinger

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Pyometra is an unusual presentation of uterine infection, this condition is characterized by purulent fluid within the uterine cavity. In this report we describe pyometra due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a 90-year-old woman who presented with abdominal pain, nausea with emesis and diarrhea. She was evaluated at an outside emergency department and computed tomography (CT) revealed a large, complex, cystic mass measuring 9.2 cm (cm) in greatest diameter. Given her age, the diagnosis of malignancy was entertained. She was referred to gynecologic-oncologyservice for evaluation and underwent exploratory laparotomy with total abdominal hysterectomy and lysis of adhesions. Intraoperative findings …

Salmonella Neck Abscess In A Diabetic, Nathan Mcleod, Allison Lastinger, Nicole Bryan, Theodore Kieffer, Trevor Wolfe

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Salmonella is known to cause invasive illness. However, head and neck abscesses are an unusual presentation of extra-intestinal infection with this organism. We describe a case of Salmonella neck abscess in a diabetic patient. An 18 year old diabetic male was admitted with increasing left sided neck pain and swelling approximately four weeks after gastrointestinal illness. Imaging revealed a left sided neck abscess. Surgical drainage was undertaken. Cultures grew non-typhoid Salmonella species. He was treated with intravenous antibiotics and did well clinically. Salmonella infection should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with immunocompromising conditions presenting with neck abscess …

Development And Validation Of The Policies, Opportunities, Initiatives And Notable Topics (Points) Audit For Campuses And Worksites, Tanya M. Horacek, Marlei Simon, Elif D. Yildirim, Adrienne A. White, Karla P. Shelnutt, Kristin Riggsbee, Melissa D. Olfert, Jesse S. Morrell, Anne E. Matthews, Wenjun Zhou, Tandalayo Kidd, Kendra Kattlemann, Geoffrey Greene, Lisa Frazen-Casstle, Sarah Colby, Carol Byrd-Bredbenner, Onikia Brown

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background: Workplace or campus wellness/obesity-prevention policies and initiatives can improve health. Research tools to assess worksite or campus policies/initiatives are scarce. Thus, the aim of this research is to develop and validate the policies, opportunities, initiatives, and notable topics (POINTS) audit. Methods: POINTS was developed and refined via expert review, pilot-testing, and field testing. Trained researchers completed a web-based review from a student-focus or employee-focus regarding 34 health-promoting topics for colleges. Each topic was evaluated on a 0–2 scale: 0 = no policy/initiative, 1 = initiatives, 2 = written policy. When a written policy was detected, additional policy support questions …

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 …

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 …