Digital Commons Network^™

Creating Healthful Food Environments Through Policy Change: A Toolkit For Faith-Based Organizations, Marjorie Freedman

Faculty Publications

Creating Healthful Food Environments Through Policy Change: A Toolkit for Faith-Based Organizations provides practical information to members of the faith-based community for use when developing, adopting, and implementing a food and beverage policy within their organization. For the purposes of this Toolkit, the term “food and beverage policy” refers to a policy officially adopted by a faith-based organization (FBO) (e.g., a church, parish, temple, mosque) requiring that the food it purchases, provides, or sells to members and guests meets guidelines established by public health authorities. Such a policy might, for example, indicate the types and kinds and relative amounts of …

The Serotonin Transporter Gene Linked Polymorphic Region Is Associated With The Behavioral Response To Repeated Stress Exposure In Infant Rhesus Macaques, Simona Spinelli, Melanie L. Schwandt, Stephen G. Lindell, Markus Heilig, Stephen J. Suomi, James Dee Higley, David Goldman, Christina S. Barr

Faculty Publications

The short allele of the serotonin transporter linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) moderates the effects of stress on vulnerability to mood and anxiety disorders. The mechanism by which this occurs may relate to differential sensitivity to stressful life events. Here we explored whether 5- HTTLPR and sex affected behavioral responses to repeated maternal separation in infant rhesus macaques. Behaviors were collected during the acute (Day 1) and the chronic (Days 2–4) phases of the separation, and the effects of duration of separation (acute vs. chronic), genotype (long/long vs. short allele), and sex (male vs. female) on behavioral responses were analyzed across …

Effect Of Six Weeks Of Oral Echinacea Purpurea Supplementation On Nitric Oxide Production, Tyler D. Martin, Michael S. Green, Malcolm T. Whitehead, Timothy P. Scheett, Michael J. Webster, Geoffrey M. Hudson

Faculty Publications

Echinacea purpurea, a purple coneflower plant of the compositae family (Asteraceae), is native to North America and commonly used as an herbal supplement to enhance immune function. Echinacea purpurea has been shown to stimulate macrophage activity which is a known stimulator of nitric oxide (NO) production. Echinacea purpurea supplementation (8,000 mg·d^-1) in untrained (42.5 ± 1.6 mL·kg^-1·min^-1) males was shown to elicit a 63% increase (p < 0.05) in serum erythropoietin (EPO) following two weeks of supplementation. This is supported in part by earlier findings which indicated that four weeks of Echinacea purpurea supplementation demonstrated a non-significant increase in maximal oxygen uptake (VO_2max). It is plausible that Echinacea-induced EPO production may stimulate physiological responses independent of …

Team Approach To Female Athlete Triad Care, Karen S. Hostetter, Susan Hubble-Burchell, James T. Johnson, Nancy C. Speed

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Several Steps/Day Indicators Predict Changes In Anthropometric Outcomes: Hub City Steps, Jessica L. Thompson, Alicia S. Landry, Jamie M. Zoellner, Catrine Tudor-Locke, Michael Webster, Carol L. Connell, Kathy Yadrick

Faculty Publications

Background: Walking for exercise remains the most frequently reported leisure-time activity, likely because it is simple, inexpensive, and easily incorporated into most people's lifestyle. Pedometers are simple, convenient, and economical tools that can be used to quantify step-determined physical activity. Few studies have attempted to define the direct relationship between dynamic changes in pedometer-determined steps/day and changes in anthropometric and clinical outcomes. Hence, the objective of this secondary analysis was to evaluate the utility of several descriptive indicators of pedometer-determined steps/day for predicting changes in anthropometric and clinical outcomes using data from a community-based walking intervention, HUB City Steps, conducted …

Silicon Reduces Brown Spot Severity And Grain Discoloration On Several Rice Genotypes, Anne S. Prabhu, Morel P. Barbosa Filho, Lawrence E. Datnoff, George H. Snyder, Rodrigo F. Berni, Fabricio A. Rodrigues, Leandro J. Dallagnol

Faculty Publications

This study aimed to investigate the effect of silicon (Si) on the reduction of brown spot severity (BSS), caused by Bipolaris oryzae, and grain discoloration in several rice genotypes. An experiment was conducted in a greenhouse where eight genotypes were evaluated for their response to Si rates and decrease on BSS. The relationship between Si rates and BSS was linear negative. Additionally, a field experiment was conducted including forty-eight genotypes which were grown in upland conditions and evaluated for their response to Si rates and reduction on grain discoloration. The relationship between Si rates and grain discoloration was quadratic negative. …

Mortality Rates Across 25-Hydroxyvitamin D (25[Oh]D) Levels Among Adults With And Without Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate <60 Ml/Min/1.73 M2: The Third National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey, Holly Kramer, Chris Sempos, Guichan Cao, Amy Luke, David Shoham, Richard Cooper, Ramon Durazo-Arvizu

Faculty Publications

Background: Previous studies exploring the association between 25[OH]D levels and mortality in adults with and without kidney disease utilized 25[OH]D thresholds that have recently been scrutinized by the Institute of Medicine Committee to Review Dietary References Intakes for Vitamin D and Calcium. Objective: We explored all-cause mortality rates across the spectrum of 25[OH]D levels over an eighteen-year follow-up among adults with and without an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) /min/1.73 m2. Design: The study included 1,097 U.S. adults with eGFR /min/1.73 m2 and 14, 002 adults with eGFR ≥60 ml/min/1.73 m2. Mortality rates and rate ratios (RR) across 25[OH]D groups …

Social Information Changes The Brain, Russell D. Fernald, Karen P. Maruska

Faculty Publications

Social animals live in complex physical and social environments requiring them to attend and rapidly respond to social and environmental information by changing their behavior. A key social influence is rank or status, a ubiquitous element in animal societies. Rank typically regulates access to reproduction and other resources, among other consequences for individuals. Because reproduction is arguably the most important event in any animals' life, understanding howreproduction is regulated by social status and related physiological factors can instruct our understanding of evolutionary change. This article reviews evidence from a model social system in which reproduction is tightly controlled by social …

Maternal Pre‐Pregnancy Body Mass Index Is Not Associated With Infant And Young Child Feeding In Low‐Income Mexican Children 1–24 Months Old, Eva C. Monterrosa, Edward A. Frongillo Jr., Lynnette M. Neufeld, Kelsey A. Egan, Usha Ramakrishnan, Kathleen M. Rasmussen

Faculty Publications

Pre-pregnancy overweight and obesity is associated with shorter breastfeeding (BF) duration. Whether pre-pregnancy overweight and obesity is associated with other aspects of infant and young child feeding (IYCF) hasnot been investigated. We used data from 370 children born January 1999–September 2001 in a semi-urbancommunity in Morelos, Mexico, where information on how they were fed was available at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24months of age. We modified the World Health Organization’s dietary diversity indicator to assess the quality ofthe complementary foods. An index that included BF, quality of complementary foods and other behaviours wasconstructed to measure IYCF. We …

Late-Life Body Mass Index And Dementia: An Integrative Literature Review, Sarah Slade, Patricia K. Ravert

Faculty Publications

Dementia and obesity are significant public health concerns. Alzheimer's disease affects 5.3 million adults, while 72.5 million adults are obese. Emerging evidence linking body mass index (BMI) and dementia suggest that, although a high BMI in midlife is associated with a greater risk for dementia, a high BMI in late life is considered protective and should not necessarily be considered a risk factor for dementia. Beginning in midlife, practitioners should trend patient BMI numbers. Major fluctuations during this time should be monitored and nutritional counseling and cognitive screenings offered to help patients maintain a healthy BMI and detect early cognitive …

Cytokinesis-Based Constraints On Polarized Cell Growth In Fission Yeast, K. Adam Bohnert, Kathleen L. Gould

Faculty Publications

The rod-shaped fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, which undergoes cycles of monopolar-to-bipolar tip growth, is an attractive organism for studying cell-cycle regulation of polarity establishment. While previous research has described factors mediating this process from interphase cell tips, we found that division site signaling also impacts the re-establishment of bipolar cell growth in the ensuing cell cycle. Complete loss or targeted disruption of the non-essential cytokinesis protein Fic1 at the division site, but not at interphase cell tips, resulted in many cells failing to grow at new ends created by cell division. This appeared due to faulty disassembly and abnormal persistence …

Reducing The Discount Rate, Ben L. Trachtenberg

Faculty Publications

This article presents two arguments against the “discounting” of future human lives as part of cost benefit analysis, or CBA. Our first argument is that because CBA has thus far ignored evidence of rising health care expenditures, it underestimates the “willingness to pay” for health and safety that future citizens will likely exhibit, thereby undervaluing their lives. Our second argument is that until recently CBA has ignored the trend of improved material conditions in developed countries, and most agencies continue to ignore it entirely. As time advances, residents of rich countries tend to live better and spend more, meaning that …

Effect Of Prebiotics On Lactobacillus Acidophilus Growth And Resulting Ph Changes In Skim Milk And A Model Peptone System, D. W. Olson, K. J. Aryana

Faculty Publications

The effect of Raftiline® GR, Raftiline® HP-Gel, and Raftilose® P95 prebiotics on growth curves of the probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-K and resulting pH changes in skim milk and a model system consisting of 0.1% peptone was investigated. Skim milk (100mL) and 0.1% peptone (100mL) each containing either 1% or 3% Raftiline® GR, Raftiline® HP-Gel, or Raftilose® P95 prebiotics were autoclaved, cooled to 37°C, and inoculated with 0.132mL of L. acidophilus LA-K. Both the growth of L. acidophilus and the changes in pH were followed for 16h at 37°C. The growth was determined by measuring the optical density (turbidity) at 600nm. …

Pyrosequencing-Based Analysis Of The Microbiome Associated With The Horn Fly, Haematobia Irritans, Azhahianambi Palavesam, Felix D. Guerrero, Andrew M. Heekin, Ju Wang, Scot E. Dowd, Yan Sun, Lane D. Foil, Adalberto A. Pérez De León

Faculty Publications

The horn fly, Haematobia irritans, is one of the most economically important pests of cattle. Insecticides have been a major element of horn fly management programs. Growing concerns with insecticide resistance, insecticide residues on farm products, and non-availability of new generation insecticides, are serious issues for the livestock industry. Alternative horn fly control methods offer the promise to decrease the use of insecticides and reduce the amount of insecticide residues on livestock products and give an impetus to the organic livestock farming segment. The horn fly, an obligatory blood feeder, requires the help of microflora to supply additional nutrients and …

Genome-Wide Selection For Tropical Maize Root Traits Under Conditions Of Nitrogen And Phosphorus Stress, Roberto Fritsche-Neto, Julio César Dovale, Éder Cristian Malta De Lanes, Marcos Deon Vilela De Resende, Glauco Viera Miranda

Faculty Publications

The objective of this study was to verify the accuracy of the Genome-Wide Selection (GWS) method in tropical maize breeding for root traits under conditions of nitrogen and phosphorus stress. Forty-one single-crosses were evaluated in two experiments. The first experiment considered low nitrogen availability, and the second experiment considered low phosphorus availability. A randomized block design with two replicates was used. The lateral and axial root lengths were measured using WinRhizo software. The analysis of deviance was calculated using the Restricted Maximum Likelihood/Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (REML/BLUP) method. Eighty microsatellite markers were used to genotype the estimation population. The Random …

Resource-Based Habitat Associations In A Neotropical Liana Community, James W. Dalling, Stefan A. Schnitzer, Claire Baldeck, Kyle E. Harms, Robert John, Scott A. Mangan, Elena Lobo, Joseph B. Yavitt, Stephen P. Hubbell

Faculty Publications

Summary: 1.Lianas are a conspicuous element of many tropical forests, accounting for up to 40% of woody stem density and 20% of species richness in seasonal forests. However, lianas have seldom been surveyed at sufficiently large spatial scales to allow an assessment of the importance of habitat variables in structuring liana communities. 2.We compare the association patterns of 82 liana species and an equivalent sample of tree species on the 50ha Forest Dynamics Project plot on Barro Colorado Island, Panama, with topographic habitat variables (high and low plateau, slope, swamp and streamside), and thirteen mapped soil chemical variables. In addition, …

A Conserved Two-Component Regulatory System, Pids/Pidr, Globally Regulates Pigmentation And Virulence-Related Phenotypes Of Burkholderia Glumae, Hari Sharan Karki, Inderjit Kaur Barphagha, Jong Hyun Ham

Faculty Publications

Burkholderia glumae is a rice pathogenic bacterium that causes bacterial panicle blight. Some strains of this pathogen produce dark brown pigments when grown on casamino-acid peptone glucose (CPG) agar medium. A pigment-positive and highly virulent strain of B.glumae, 411gr-6, was randomly mutagenized with mini-Tn5gus, and the resulting mini-Tn5gus derivatives showing altered pigmentation phenotypes were screened on CPG agar plates to identify the genetic elements governing the pigmentation of B.glumae. In this study, a novel two-component regulatory system (TCRS) composed of the PidS sensor histidine kinase and the PidR response regulator was identified as an essential regulatory factor for pigmentation. Notably, …

Sperm Cryopreservation In Live-Bearing Xiphophorus Fishes: Offspring Production From Xiphophorus Variatus And Strategies For Establishment Of Sperm Repositories, Huiping Yang, Rafael Cuevas-Uribe, Markita G. Savage, Ronald B. Walter, Terrence R. Tiersch

Faculty Publications

Cryopreservation of sperm from Xiphophorus fishes has produced live young in three species: X. hellerii, X. couchianus, and X. maculatus. In this study, the goal was to establish protocols for sperm cryopreservation and artificial insemination to produce live young in X. variatus, and to identify needs for repository development. The objectives were to: 1) collect basic biological characteristics of males; 2) cryopreserve sperm from X. variatus, 3) harvest live young from cryopreserved sperm, and 4) discuss the requirements for establishment of sperm repositories. The 35 males used in this study had a body weight of 0.298±0.096g (mean±SD), body length of …

Oncology Nurses' Obstacles And Supportive Behaviors In End-Of-Life Care: Providing Vital Family Care, Renea L. Beckstrand, Joan Collette, Lynn Callister, Karlen E. (Beth) Luthy

Faculty Publications

Purpose/Objectives: To determine the impact of obstacles and supportive behaviors in end-of-life (EOL) care as perceived by hospital-based oncology nurses.

Design: A 69-item mailed survey.

Setting: National random sample.

Sample: 1,005 nurse members of the Oncology Nursing Society who had provided EOL care for patients with cancer.

Methods: Three mailings yielded 380 usable responses from 912 eligible respondents, resulting in a 42% return rate.

Main Research Variables: Size and frequency of EOL care obstacles and supportive behaviors for patients with cancer in a hospital setting.

Findings: Results of this research demonstrate the need for more EOL education and help in …

Revitalizing Nutrition Education Through Value Enhanced Nutrition Assessment (Vena): Skill Building For Cultural And Linguistic Competence Final Report, Erika Lichter Scd, Diane Friese Mlis, Bridget O'Connor Mpp, Kay Dutram Ms, Rd

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Body Mass Index Trajectories From Adolescence To Midlife: Differential Effects Of Parental And Respondent Education By Race/Ethnicity And Gender, Katrina M. Walsemann, Jennifer A. Ailshire, Bethany A. Bell, Edward A. Frongillo

Faculty Publications

Objectives: Race/ethnicity and education are among the strongest social determinants of body mass index (BMI) throughout the life course, yet we know relatively little about how these social factors both independently and interactively contribute to the rate at which BMI changes from adolescence to midlife. The purpose of this study is to 1) examine variation in trajectories of BMI from adolescence to midlife by mothers' and respondents' education, and 2) determine if the effects of mothers' and respondents' education on BMI trajectories differ by race/ethnicity and gender.

Design: We used nationally representative data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth …

Tfiiic Localizes Budding Yeast Etc Sites To The Nuclear Periphery, Shin Ichiro Hiraga, Sotirios Botsios, David Donze, Anne D. Donaldson

Faculty Publications

Chromatin function requires specific three-dimensional architectures of chromosomes. We investigated whether Saccharomyces cerevisiae extra TFIIIC (ETC) sites, which bind the TFIIIC transcription factor but do not recruit RNA polymerase III, show specific intranuclear positioning. We show that six of the eight known S. cerevisiae ETC sites localize predominantly at the nuclear periphery, and that ETC sites retain their tethering function when moved to a new chromosomal location. Several lines of evidence indicate that TFIIIC is central to the ETC peripheral localization mechanism. Mutating or deleting the TFIIIC-binding consensus ablated ETC -site peripheral positioning, and inducing degradation of the TFIIIC subunit …

Il-6 Regulation On Skeletal Muscle Mitochondrial Remodeling During Cancer Cachexia In The ApcMin/+ Mouse, James P. White, Melissa J. Puppa, Shuichi Sato, Song Gao, Robert L. Price, John W. Baynes, Matthew C. Kostek, Lydia E. Matesic, James A. Carson

Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND:

Muscle protein turnover regulation during cancer cachexia is being rapidly defined, and skeletal muscle mitochondria function appears coupled to processes regulating muscle wasting. Skeletal muscle oxidative capacity and the expression of proteins regulating mitochondrial biogenesis and dynamics are disrupted in severely cachectic Apc^Min/+ mice. It has not been determined if these changes occur at the onset of cachexia and are necessary for the progression of muscle wasting. Exercise and anti-cytokine therapies have proven effective in preventing cachexia development in tumor bearing mice, while their effect on mitochondrial content, biogenesis and dynamics is not well understood. The purposes of …

Development Of The Rural Active Living Perceived Environmental Support Scale (Ralpess), M. Reneé Umstattd Phd, Stephanie L. Baller, Erin Hennessy Mph, David Hartley Phd, Mha, Christina D. Economos Phd, Raymond R. Hyatt Phd, Anush Ms, Ma Yousefian, Jeffrey S. Hallam Phd

Faculty Publications

Background: Evidence supports the role of physical and social environments in active living, including perception of environment. However, measurement of perceived environments in rural settings is lacking. This study describes the development of the Rural Active Living Perceived Environmental Support Scale (RALPESS). Methods: Premised on social ecological and cognitive perspectives, 85 initial items were generated through a literature review and a mixed-methods investigation of "activity-friendly" environments. Items were organized by resource areas town center, indoor and outdoor physical activity areas, schools, churches, and areas around the home/neighborhood-and submitted for expert panel review. In 2009, a revised questionnaire was disseminated to …

Controlling A Master Switch Of Adipocyte Development And Insulin Sensitivity: Covalent Modifications Of Pparγ, Z. Elizabeth Floyd, Jacqueline M. Stephens

Faculty Publications

Adipocytes are highly specialized cells that play a central role in lipid homeostasis and the maintenance of energy balance. Obesity, an excessive accumulation of adipose tissue, is a major risk factor for the development of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), cardiovascular disease, and hypertension. A variety of studies suggest that obesity and T2DM can be linked to a breakdown in the regulatory mechanisms that control the expression and transcriptional activity of PPARγ. PPARγ is a nuclear hormone receptor that functions as a master switch in controlling adipocyte differentiation and development. Also important in controlling glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity, PPARγ …

Larval Mosquito Habitat Utilization And Community Dynamics Of Aedes Albopictus And Aedes Japonicus (Diptera: Culicidae), Kristen Bartlett-Healy, Isik Unlu, Peter Obenauer, Tony Hughes, Sean Healy, Taryn Crepeau, Ary Farajollahi, Banu Kesavaraju, Dina Fonseca, George Schoeler, Randy Gaugler, Daniel Strickman

Faculty Publications

Aedes albopictus (Skuse) and Ae. japonicus (Theobald) are important container-inhabiting mosquitoes that transmit disease agents, outcompete native species, and continue to expand their range in the United States. Both species deposit eggs in natural and artificial containers and thrive in peridomestic environments. The goal of our study was to examine the types and characteristics of containers that are most productive for these species in the northeastern United States. In total, 306 containers were sampled in urban, suburban, and rural areas of New Jersey. Multiple biotic and abiotic factors were recorded in an attempt to identify variables associated with the productivity …

The Gift Of Guidance: Establishing Publishing, Health, And Education Ministries, Merlin D. Burt

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Survival, Growth And Reproduction Of Non-Native Nile Tilapia Ii: Fundamental Niche Projections And Invasion Potential In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Michael R. Lowe, Wei Wu, Mark S. Peterson, Nancy J. Brown-Peterson, William T. Slack, Pamela J. Schofield

Faculty Publications

Understanding the fundamental niche of invasive species facilitates our ability to predict both dispersal patterns and invasion success and therefore provides the basis for better-informed conservation and management policies. Here we focus on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus Linnaeus, 1758), one of the most widely cultured fish worldwide and a species that has escaped local aquaculture facilities to become established in a coastal-draining river in Mississippi (northern Gulf of Mexico). Using empirical physiological data, logistic regression models were developed to predict the probabilities of Nile tilapia survival, growth, and reproduction at different combinations of temperature (14 and 30°C) and salinity …

Rethinking Microfinance, Lan Cao

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Were Multiple Stressors A "Perfect Storm" For Northern Gulf Of Mexico Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) In 2011?, Ruth H. Carmichael, William M. Graham, Allen Aven, Graham Worthy, Stephan D. Howden

Faculty Publications

An unusual number of near term and neonatal bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) mortalities occurred in the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGOM) in 2011, during the first calving season after two well documented environmental perturbations; sustained cold weather in 2010 and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (DWHOS). Preceding the stranding event, large volumes of cold freshwater entered the nGOM due to unusually large snowmelt on the adjacent watershed, providing a third potential stressor. We consider the possibility that this extreme cold and freshwater event contributed to the pattern of perinatal dolphin strandings along the nGOM coast. During the 4-month period starting …