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Effectiveness Of A Group-Based Culturally Tailored Lifestyle Intervention Program On Changes In Risk Factors For Type 2 Diabetes Among Asian Indians In The United States, Rupal M. Patel, Ranjita Misra, Sudha Raj, Ashok Balasubramanyam

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

This study used an experimental, pretest-posttest control group repeated measures design to evaluate the effectiveness of a community-based culturally appropriate lifestyle intervention program to reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes (T2DM) among Gujarati Asian Indians (AIs) in an urban community in the US. Participants included 70 adult AIs in the greater Houston metropolitan area. The primary outcomes were reduction in weight and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and improvement in physical activity. Participants were screened for risk factors and randomly assigned to a 12-week group-based lifestyle intervention program () or a control group () that received standard print material on diabetes …

Topical Application Of The Anti-Microbial Chemical Triclosan Induces Immunomodulatory Responses Through The S100a8/A9-Tlr4 Pathway, Nikki B. Marshall, Ewa Lukomska, Ajay P. Nayak, Carrie M. Long, Justin M. Hettick, Stacey E. Anderson

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The anti-microbial compound triclosan is incorporated into numerous consumer products and is detectable in the urine of 75% of the general United States population. Recent epidemiological studies report positive associations with urinary triclosan levels and allergic disease. Although not sensitizing, earlier studies previously found that repeated topical application of triclosan augments the allergic response to ovalbumin (OVA) though a thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) pathway in mice. In the present study, early immunological effects following triclosan exposure were further evaluated following topical application in a murine model. These investigations revealed abundant expression of S100A8/A9, which reportedly acts as an endogenous ligand …

Identification Of Snps Associated With Muscle Yield And Quality Traits Using Allelic-Imbalance Analyses Of Pooled Rna-Seq Samples In Rainbow Trout, Rafet Al-Tobasei, Ali Ali, Timothy D. Leeds, Sixin Liu, Yniv Palti, Brett Kenney, Mohamed Salem

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Coding/functional SNPs change the biological function of a gene and, therefore, could serve as “large-effect” genetic markers. In this study, we used two bioinformatics pipelines, GATK and SAMtools, for discovering coding/functional SNPs with allelic-imbalances associated with total body weight, muscle yield, muscle fat content, shear force, and whiteness. Phenotypic data were collected for approximately 500 fish, representing 98 families (5 fish/family), from a growth-selected line, and the muscle transcriptome was sequenced from 22 families with divergent phenotypes (4 low- versus 4 high-ranked families per trait).

Results

GATK detected 59,112 putative SNPs; of these SNPs, 4798 showed allelic imbalances (>2.0 …

Effect Of A 12-Week Summer Break On School Day Physical Activity And Health-Related Fitness In Low-Income Children From Cspap Schools, You Fu, Timothy A. Brusseau, James C. Hannon, Ryan D. Burns

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a 12-week summer break on school day physical activity and health-related fitness (HRF) in children from schools receiving a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP). Methods. Participants were school-aged children (; 624 girls and 608 boys; years) recruited from three low-income schools receiving a CSPAP. Physical activity and HRF levels were collected during the end of spring semester 2015 and again during the beginning of fall semester 2015. Physical activity was assessed using the Yamax DigiWalker CW600 pedometer. HRF measures consisted of body mass index (BMI) and the …

Stimulated Hyposalivary Flow Rates In Healthcare Students In An Interprofessional Awareness Educational Program Curriculum, R Constance Wiener

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Purpose. Hyposalivation influences quality of life and medication compliance. However, oral health knowledge (in general) and knowledge about hyposalivation (in particular) are often lacking in nondental healthcare professional’s curricula. Additionally, hyposalivation has not been adequately studied in young adults. The purpose for this study is twofold: to use an interprofessional educational curriculum to increase nondental healthcare students’ knowledge about oral health and salivary testing and determine whether hyposalivation is different between sexes in young adults. Method. First-year medical and pharmacy students () learned the process of saliva collection and provided samples in an interprofessional program. Results. There were 14.4% of …

Temporal Changes In Sphingolipids And Systemic Insulin Sensitivity During The Transition From Gestation To Lactation, J. Eduardo Rico, Sina Saed Samii, Alice T. Mathews, Jacqueline Lovett, Norman J. Haughey, Joseph W. Mcfadden

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Reduced insulin action develops naturally during the peripartum to ensure maternal nutrient delivery to the fetus and neonate. However, increased insulin resistance can facilitate excessive lipolysis which in turn promotes metabolic disease in overweight dairy cattle. Increased fatty acid availability favors the accumulation of the sphingolipid ceramide and is implicated in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance, however, the relationship between sphingolipid metabolism and insulin resistance during the peripartum remains largely unknown. Our objectives were to characterize temporal responses in plasma and tissue sphingolipids in lean and overweight peripartal cows and to establish the relationships between sphingolipid supply and lipolysis, hepatic …

Apparent Sixth Sense In Theropod Evolution: The Making Of A Cretaceous Weathervane, Bruce M. Rothschild, Virginia Naples

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Objective

Two separate and distinctive skills are necessary to find prey: Detection of its presence and determination of its location. Surface microscopy of the dentary of albertosaurines revealed a previously undescribed sensory modification, as will be described here. While dentary “foramina” were previously thought to contain tactile sensory organs, the potential function of this theropod modification as a unique localizing system is explored in this study.

Method

Dentary surface perforations were examined by surface epi-illumination microscopy in tyrannosaurine and albertosaurine dinosaurs to characterize their anatomy. Fish lateral lines were examined as potentially comparable structures.

Result

In contrast to the subsurface …

Using A Social Ecological Model To Explore Upstream And Downstream Solutions To Rural Food Access For The Elderly, Lauri Andress

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

A social ecological model is applied to the secondary analysis of qualitative data to study the impact of place on rural food access for older adults in West Virginia. The use of a social-ecological model to review the senior’s coded narratives provided a clearer picture of higher impact, upstream levers to address food security for older adults in a rural region. The elderly have restricted access to food in rural West Virginia because of an indirect relationship with place that acts through the social ecological domains of the built environment, macrosocial factors, stressors, the natural environment, and social support. The …

Characteristics Of Successful Puma Kill Sites Of Elk In The Black Hills, South Dakota, Chadwick P. Lehman, Christopher T. Rota, Mark A. Rumble, Joshua J. Millspaugh

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Elk Cervus canadensis nelsoni in the Black Hills, South Dakota, have been declining since 2006 and there is concern by resource managers and hunters that puma Puma concolor predation may be contributing to declining herds. We evaluated characteristics at sites where puma successfully killed elk in the Black Hills of South Dakota. We evaluated characteristics at coarse (79-ha plots) and fine (0.2-ha plot) scales across the landscape. Our primary objective was to obtain a better understanding of vegetation and terrain characteristics that may have facilitated greater susceptibility of elk to predation by puma. We evaluated effects of road density, terrain …

The Effects Of Skin And Seed Removal Of Tomato Fruits For The Home Canning Process On Texture And Nutritional Value, Emilie Sjostrom Burgess

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Tomatoes are consumed all over the world, but mainly after the tomatoes have undergone processing. Approximately three quarters of tomatoes consumed within the US are processed. A review of the scientific literature was conducted to investigate nutrient losses caused by the current tomato canning process. The bulk of tomatoes nutrients and health benefits are within the skin and seed components, and currently both are removed for home and commercial canning process. Studies showed that the current tomato canning protocol used by home canners and industries resulted in substantial nutrient loss due to removing the skin and the seeds before placing …

Improving Osmo-Convective Dehydration As A Processing Technique To Food Preservation, Quality Enhancement, And New Product Development, Felix Umaizimede Akharume

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Improving Osmo-convective Dehydration as a Processing Technique to Food Preservation, Quality Enhancement, and New Product Development Felix Umaizimede Akharume This thesis is organized into five chapters. Chapter 1 contains a contains background information review of literature on osmo-convective drying of fruits, as well and nutrition, microbiology, and sensory attributes, Chapters 2 through 4 are three journal articles presented in the manuscript style. While chapter 2 is already published chapters 3 and 4 are prepared for submission to scientific journals. The chapter 2 addresses the use of apple juice concentrate as an alternative to the conventionally use of sugar solution in …

Comprehensive Analyses Of Mirna And Dna Methylation In 17beta-Estradiol Exposed Juvenile Rainbow Trout Skeletal Muscle, Prasanthi P. Koganti

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Reproductive development in female teleosts like rainbow trout starts with release of the sex steroid estrogen, necessary for synthesis of the egg yolk protein vitellogenin. Increase in estrogen secretion during these reproductive phases results in increased energy demands. Skeletal muscle serves as an immediate endogenous source to address energy demands during vitellogenesis and spawning due to which it undergoes rapid degradation resulting in water accumulation, poor fillet and low egg quality. An imbalance in protein turnover is observed not only because of rapid increase in degradative pathways but also due to decreased protein synthesis. These changes in protein metabolism in …

Intimate Partner Violence-Related Hospitalizations In Appalachia And The Non-Appalachian United States, Danielle M. Davidov, Stephanie M. Davis, Motao Zhu, Tracie O. Afifi, Melissa Kimber, Abby L. Goldstein, Nichole Pitre, Kelly K. Gurka, Carol Stocks

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The highly rural region of Appalachia faces considerable socioeconomic disadvantage and health disparities that are recognized risk factors for intimate partner violence (IPV). The objective of this study was to estimate the rate of IPV-related hospitalizations in Appalachia and the non-Appalachian United States for 2007–2011 and compare hospitalizations in each region by clinical and sociodemographic factors. Data on IPV-related hospitalizations were extracted from the State Inpatient Databases, which are part of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project. Hospitalization day, year, in-hospital mortality, length of stay, average and total hospital charges, sex, age, payer, urban-rural location, income, diagnoses and procedures were …

Incorporating Basic And Applied Approaches To Evaluate The Effects Of Invasive Asian Carp On Native Fishes: A Necessary First Step For Integrated Pest Management, Quinton E. Phelps, Sara J. Tripp, Kyle R. Bales, Daniel James, Robert A. Hrabik, David P. Herzog

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Numerous studies throughout North America allege deleterious associations among invasive Asian Carp and native fishes; however, no empirical evidence on a system-wide scale exists. We used Mississippi River Basin fish community data collected by the Long Term Resource Monitoring program and the Missouri Department of Conservation to evaluate possible interaction between Asian Carp and native fishes. Results from two decades of long-term monitoring throughout much of the Mississippi River suggest that Silver Carp relative abundance has increased while relative abundance (Bigmouth Buffalo [F 3, 8240 = 6.44, P0.05). To this end, this study provides evidence that Silver Carp are likely …

Centennial-Scale Reductions In Nitrogen Availability In Temperate Forests Of The United States, K K Mclauchlan, L M Gerhart, J J Battles, J M Craine, A J Elmore, P E Higuera, M C Mack, B E Mcneil, D M Nelson, N Pederson, S S Perakis

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Forests cover 30% of the terrestrial Earth surface and are a major component of the global carbon

(C) cycle. Humans have doubled the amount of global reactive nitrogen (N), increasing deposition of N onto forests worldwide. However, other global changes—especially climate change and elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations—are increasing demand for N, the element limiting primary productivity in temperate forests, which could be reducing N availability. To determine the long-term, integrated effects of global changes on forest N cycling, we measured stable N isotopes in wood, a proxy for N supply relative to demand, on large spatial and temporal scales …

The Effects Of Environment, Feed Form And Dietary Caloric Density On Broiler Performance; And Effect Of Variable Catp Ratio And Phytase On Growth Performance And Mineral Deposition In Corn-Soy Diets Fed To Straight-Run Broilers, Brian G. Glover

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The objective of the first study was to assess the effect of variations of feed form and dietary caloric density on production and immunity parameters in broilers reared on clean shavings and built-up litter. Treatments were arranged in a 2 x 2 factorial randomized block design within a split plot. Whole plot treatments considered one room (11 x 7.32m) of either clean shavings or built-up litter; divided into 16 treatment replications of either standard (30%) or improved (80% feed form), and 16 replications of either commercial or increased (+110 kcal/kg) dietary caloric density comprising the 2 x 2 factorial arrangement. …

Leakage Evaluation Of Three Endodontic Sealers Used In A Single-Cone Technique: A Study Using Bioluminescent Bacteria, Sean M. Horan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction.;After proper chemomechanical disinfection and obturation of a root canal system, the next important goal in endodontic therapy is obtaining an adequate coronal seal. If the coronal seal becomes compromised, it is difficult to decide whether the root canal system should be re-treated. This decision should be made based on the ability of the root canal filling to resist bacterial contamination and on the length of time the seal has been compromised.;The root canal system should be filled in three dimensions, typically with a combination of gutta percha and sealer. One obturation method that has seen a revival in recent …

Effects Of Chronic Electronic Cigarette Use On Glucose Metabolism, Hannah Hoskinson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Traditional cigarette usage has been linked to a number of nefarious metabolic effects, including insulin resistance; however, the effects of electronic cigarettes (E-cigs) are not currently known. Advertised as a safe alternative for traditional tobacco cigarettes, E-cigs still contain some of the same harmful chemicals as tobacco cigarettes. Through this study, we hope to gain perspective on whether e-cigs play into the development of altered glucose homeostasis. C57BL/6 mice were divided between E-cig (n=15) and control (n=15) groups and exposed to either cappuccino flavored E-cig vapor or filtered air for 4 h/d, 5 d/wk for 8 months. Fasting blood glucose …

The Role Of Somatostatin In The Regulation Of Gonadotropin Secretion In Sheep, Richard B. Mccosh

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Two modes of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion are necessary for female fertility: surge and episodic secretion. However, the neural systems that regulate these GnRH secretion patterns are still under investigation. The neuropeptide somatostatin (SST) inhibits episodic luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion in humans and sheep, and several lines of evidence suggest SST may regulate secretion during the LH surge. Neither a SST receptor 2 (SSTR2) agonist (octreotide) or antagonist (CYN154806; CYN) altered the amplitude or timing of the LH surge. Administration of CYN to intact ewes during either the breeding season or anestrus increased LH secretion and …

Effects Of Chronic Electronic Vapor Exposure On Body Weight, Appetite, And Metabolism, Matthew J. Breit

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Cigarette smokers weigh less than non-smokers and gain weight upon smoking cessation. Electronic cigarettes (E-cigs) have been used as a smoking cessation tool among many, however, their effects on metabolism, appetite, and energy balance are virtually unknown. This study compares the effects of chronic E-cig vapor exposure on body mass, food intake, metabolism, and body composition in mice. We hypothesized that E-cig exposure would elicit similar changes on body mass, body composition, food intake, and metabolic and appetite-regulating markers as conventional cigarettes (i.e. 3R4F reference cigarette). Female C57BL/6 mice were exposed to filtered room air (n=15), mainstream smoke from 3R4F …

The Effect Of Implant Prostheses Complications On Patient Satisfaction, Jessica Elyse Canallatos

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Objectives: To evaluate patient satisfaction with regards to implant prostheses and compare those who have experienced self-reported implant prostheses complications to those who have not. Through this observation, we intend to determine how and if implant-related complications affect the patients' self-reported quality of life.;Methods: In this retrospective study, data were gathered from 176 edentulous and partially dentate patients who have received implant prostheses including implant-supported crowns, implant supported overdentures, and hybrid prostheses from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2014 at West Virginia University School of Dentistry (Morgantown, WV). Demographics and complications with implant prostheses were self-reported via a survey, …

Development And Evaluation Of A Patient Decision Aid For The West Virginia Physician Order For Scope Of Treatment (Post), Jarred V. Gallegos

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Decision aids have been shown to be helpful for patients making medical decisions. The use of decision aids can increase patient knowledge, decrease decisional conflict, and increase overall satisfaction with the treatment decision made. The purpose of the study was to develop and evaluate a novel video decision aid for the West Virginia Physician Orders for Scope of Treatment (POST). There are no known decision aids developed to assist patients completing POST forms, thus there is a paucity of research investigating the nature, quality, and outcomes of the decision-making process of patients completing a POST form. Fifty English-speaking, community-dwelling older …

Factors Associated With Health-Related Quality Of Life In Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Ellen M. Manegold

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Youth with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) experience poor health-related quality of life (HRQOL; e.g., Cunningham et al., 2007; De Boer et al., 2005; Greenley et al., 2010). Previous research has demonstrated that factors such as problematic family functioning and increased general anxiety are associated with decreased HRQOL in pediatric IBD (e.g., Guilfoyle et al., 2014; Gumidyala & Greenley, 2014; Herzer et al., 2011a; Kilroy, Nolan, & Sarma, 2011). However, little was known about how specific aspects of the parent-child relationship are related to HRQOL. Furthermore, there was a gap in the literature about the relation of gastrointestinal (GI)-specific anxiety to …

Influence Of Sex And Blood Collection Method On Innate Immune Response Following Lipopolysaccharide Administration In Sheep, Hoda Nikpour

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Wethers and ewes were used to study the effect of catheter or repeated venipuncture on circulating cortisol and leukocyte concentrations and physical behaviors following administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a gram-negative bacteria cell wall component. Animals were injected with LPS or saline, as a control, to induce an innate immune system response. In addition, blood leukocytes and cortisol levels were studied to determine the effect of sex on immunological and stress responses. Thirty-eight mature Dorset and Suffolk wethers and ewes were assigned into one of four treatment groups: 1.) no-catheter + LPS treated ewes (n=5) and wethers (n=4) that were restrainted …

Investigating Stress Response Across Integrated Biological Systems, Alice A. Han

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The impact that a stressor has on a living system, whether it is on a cellular, organ, or even a whole organism level, can affect the overall health of the system. Monitoring the biochemical response resulting from a stressful experience offers insight into the numerous potential outcomes ranging on the spectrum of survival and death. Accessing this information not only provides a heightened understanding of the biochemical adaptions that occur, but also allows for the development of prediction models (to assess prospective influences of the stressor) or potential therapeutic treatments (to alleviate adverse effects) using measurable, quantifiable, and comparable metrics. …

Co-Constructing Food Access Issues: Older Adults In A Rural Food Environment In West Virginia Develop A Photonarrative, Lauri Andress, Sunah Hallie

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

This photovoice study examined the hypothesis that photos and narratives produced by older adults would facilitate the co-construction of a shared narrative about the food access issues in a rural county in West Virginia. For older adults, living in rural areas, several factors decrease access to healthy, nutritious food relative to the general population of older adults. Methods: Qualitative data from interviews, written narratives, dialogues, and photos from older adults living in a rural county of West Virginia. Was collected. Using directed content analysis, transcripts of written data were broken down into meaningful quote segments. All written data and …

Efficacy Of Nutritional Interventions To Lower Circulating Ceramides In Young Adults: Fruvedomic Pilot Study, Alice T. Matthews, Oluremi A. Famodu, Melissa D. Olfert, Pamela J. Murray, Christopher F. Cuff, Marianne T. Downes, Norman J. Haughey, Sarah E. Colby, Paul D. Chantler, I. Mark Olfert, Joseph W. Mcfadden

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The 2010 USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) recommends a diet largely composed of fruit and vegetables. Consuming a diet high in fruit and vegetables and low in refined carbohydrates and saturated fat may reduce an individual’s risk for type 2 diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, low-grade chronic inflammation, and metabolic syndrome (MetS). Several recent studies have implicated the bioactive sphingolipid ceramide as an associative and causative biomarker for the development of these conditions. Considering that the intake of fruit and vegetables is frequently inadequate in young adults, we performed a pilot investigation to assess the efficacy of a free-living …

Exercise And Cancer-Related Fatigue In Adults: A Systematic Review Of Previous Systematic Reviews With Meta-Analyses, George A. Kelley, Kristi S. Kelley

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background

Conduct a systematic review of previous systematic reviews with meta-analysis to determine the effects of exercise (aerobic, strength or both) on cancer-related-fatigue (CRF) in adults with any type of cancer.

Methods

Systematic reviews with meta-analyses of previous randomized controlled trials published through July of 2016 were included by searching six electronic databases and cross-referencing. Dual-selection and data abstraction were conducted. Methodological quality was assessed using the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) instrument. Standardized mean differences (SMD) that were pooled using random-effects models were included as the effect size. In addition, 95% prediction intervals (PI), number needed-to-treat (NNT) and …

Effects Of Starch Concentration On Calcium‐Enhanced Black Bullhead Catfish Protein Gels, Ilgin Paker, Kristen E. Matak

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Calcium‐enhanced protein recovered from black bullhead catfish was used to develop gels containing increasing amounts of potato starch (0–20 g/kg protein paste) and the effects of starch on functional, textural, and color properties were tested. Energy required to unfold protein groups was greater with the addition of 5 g starch/kg protein paste. Gels containing starch were harder, chewier, and less springy (p < .05) than gels without starch. For most measurements, regression analysis showed that increasing the starch concentration beyond 5 g/kg did not contribute to further significant textural changes. Torsional shear stress and strain along with Kramer shear force increased as the concentration of starch increased (R2 = .79, .79, and .53, respectively). The addition of ≥10 g starch/kg protein paste resulted in darker gels and gels got darker as more starch was added (R2 = .71). Results showed no …

Associations Between Sleep, Infant Feeding Methods, Brain Development And Behavior: A Multimodal Approach To Assess Plasticity In The Brain, Christopher Edward Bauer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Purpose: Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is a spectrum disorder that is estimated to effect a significant proportion of the pediatric population (1-3% in USA). SDB is able to disrupt and fragment sleep through frequent arousals and intermittent hypoxia. In addition, the long term effects of SDB in pediatrics have been well-documented; decreases in intelligence quotient (IQ), executive function, school performance, and alertness have all been observed. Although surgical treatments can be quite effective, there are no widely accepted prophylactic measures to prevent SDB development. Recently, breastfeeding duration in infancy has been demonstrated to be correlated with reduced SDB (lower AHI, RAI, …