Digital Commons Network^™

Reducing Visual Deficits Caused By Refractive Errors In School And Preschool Children: Results Of A Pilot School Program In The Andean Region Of Apurimac, Peru, Sergio Latorre-Arteaga, Diana Gil-Gonzalez, Olga Enciso, Aoife Phelan, Angel Garcia-Munoz, Johannes Kohler

Articles

Background

Refractive error is defined as the inability of the eye to bring parallel rays of light into focus on the retina, resulting in nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (Hyperopia) or astigmatism. Uncorrected refractive error in children is associated with increased morbidity and reduced educational opportunities. Vision screening (VS) is a method for identifying children with visual impairment or eye conditions likely to lead to visual impairment.

Objective

To analyze the utility of vision screening conducted by teachers and to contribute to a better estimation of the prevalence of childhood refractive errors in Apurimac, Peru.

Design

A pilot vision screening program in …

Socioeconomic Differentials In The Immediate Mortality Effects Of The National Irish Smoking Ban, Patrick J. Goodman, Sericea Stallings-Smith, Ariana Zeka, Z. Kabir, Luke Clancy

Articles

Background: Consistent evidence has demonstrated that smoking ban policies save lives, but impacts on health inequalities are uncertain as few studies have assessed post-ban effects by socioeconomic status (SES) and findings have been inconsistent. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of the national Irish smoking ban on ischemic heart disease (IHD), stroke, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) mortality by discrete and composite SES indicators to determine impacts on inequalities. Methods: Census data were used to assign frequencies of structural and material SES indicators to 34 local authorities across Ireland with a 2000–2010 study period. Discrete …

Economic Valuation Of The Mortality Benefits Of A Regulation On So2 In 20 European Cities, Olivier Chanel, Susann Henschel, Patrick J. Goodman, Antonis Analitis, Richard W. Atkinson, Alain Le Tertre, Ariana Zeka, Sylivia Medina

Articles

Background: Since the 1970s, legislation has led to progress in tackling several air pollutants. We quantify the annual monetary benefits resulting from reductions in mortality from the year 2000 onwards following the implementation of three European Commission regulations to reduce the sulphur content in liquid fuels for vehicles. Methods: We first compute premature deaths attributable to these implementations for 20 European cities in the Aphekom project by using a two-stage health impact assessment method. We then justify our choice to only consider mortality effects as short-term effects. We rely on European studies when selecting the central value of …

Melatonin And Other Factors That Promote Rooting And Sprouting Of Shoot Cuttings In Punica Granatum Cv. Wonderful, Eirini Sarrou, Ioannis Therios, Kortessa Dimassi-Theriou

Turkish Journal of Botany

The agricultural and medicinal plant pomegranate (Punica granatum L. cv. Wonderful) was studied to examine the effects of wounding of cuttings and to test the effects of different concentrations of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), gibberellic acid (GA_{3}), hydrogen peroxide (H_{2}O_{2}), melatonin (MEL), and ascorbic acid (ASC) on rooting of the shoot cuttings under mist. The data indicated that IBA had a positive influence on the rooting percentage in wounded and nonwounded cuttings. The best rooting was achieved with very thin cuttings (3-4 mm in diameter). The percentage of rooting (100.0 ± 0.0) and the number of roots per plant (15.2 ± …

Protein Mobilisation And Proteolytic Activities In Root Tubers Of Asphodelus Aestivus, Serap Kirmizi, Gürcan Güleryüz, Hülya Arslan

Turkish Journal of Botany

We studied protein mobilisation in Asphodelus aestivus Brot. (Liliaceae) during a 1-year period. The activities of 3 proteolytic enzymes, endopeptidase (EP), leucine aminopeptidase (LAP), and carboxypeptidase (CP), together with soluble protein levels and total nitrogen and water content in root tubers were investigated. We found that protein mobilisation continued throughout the year. The highest levels of the 3 proteolytic enzymes were found in different months: LAP in December (1.19 ± 0.19 µmol pNA/g FW), CP in February (14.19 ± 1.13 µmol Leu/g FW), and EP in May (5.18 ± 0.12 U/h). Activities of LAP and CP generally reached their higher …

Treatment With 24-Epibrassinolide Mitigates Nacl-Induced Toxicity By Enhancing Carbohydrate Metabolism, Osmolyte Accumulation, And Antioxidant Activity In Pisum Sativum, Muhammad Adnan Shahid, Rashad Mukhtar Balal, Muhammad Aslam Pervez, Francisco Garcia-Sanchez, Vicente Gimeno, Tahira Abbas, Neil Scott Mattson, Atif Riaz

Turkish Journal of Botany

A pot culture study was performed to evaluate the differences between salt-stressed pea (Pisum sativum L.) plants of tolerant (Climax and Samarina Zard) and sensitive (Ambassidar and PF-400) genotypes, and to determine whether treatment with 24-epibrassinolide (EBL) could enhance the accumulation of osmolytes and antioxidant activity and thereby induce tolerance in salt-stressed plants. Three-week-old seedlings were subjected to +NaCl (5 dS m^-1) and -NaCl conditions (0 dS m^-1). After 4 days of salt stress, the plants were sprayed with Milli-Q water or EBL (0.125 mg L^-1). The plants were sampled at 32 days after sowing and at the final maturity …

Molecular Variability Of Plantain Ecotypes From The Genus Musa (Musaceae), Rakeshkumar Choudhary, Raghunath Keshavachandran, Rema Menon, Ganesh Khalekar, Nirbhay Singh, Divya Maruthiyottu

Turkish Journal of Botany

Twelve plantain ecotypes were characterized for molecular variability using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. Out of the 60 RAPD and 40 ISSR primers tested, 16 RAPD and 14 ISSR primers were found polymorphic, and were used for molecular profiling of the plantain ecotypes. The average number of bands per primer, average number of polymorphic bands per primer, mean polymorphic information content (PIC) value, resolving power (Rp), and marker indices (MI) for RAPD primers were 8.63, 3.25, 0.87, 15.49, and 2.86, whereas the respective values for the ISSR assay were 7.93, 4.14, 0.85, 12.49, …

Exogenous Proline And Proline-Enriched Lolium Perenne Leaf Extract Protects Against Phytotoxic Effects Of Nickel And Salinity In Pisum Sativum By Altering Polyamine Metabolism In Leaves, Muhammad Adnan Shahid, Rashad Mukhtar Balal, Muhammad Aslam Pervez, Tahira Abbas, Muhammad Anjum Aqeel, Muhammad Mansoor Javaid, Francisco Garcia-Sanchez

Turkish Journal of Botany

Pea plants (Pisum sativum L.) were exposed to NaCl and/or NiCl_2 stress to investigate whether pure proline and Lolium perenne L. (LP) leaf extract could efficaciously protect against the phytotoxicity generated by nickel and/or salinity stress in pea. Both stress factors (salinity and nickel) significantly inhibited growth, total chlorophyll content, photosynthetic activity, stomatal conductance, intercellular CO_2 level, relative water content (RWC), and membrane stability index (MSI). However, superoxide, hydrogen peroxide, proline, glycine betaine, total free amino acids, total soluble sugars, total phenolic compounds, tocopherol contents, lipid peroxidation, and electrolyte leakage were significantly increased. Similarly, free, soluble-conjugated, and insoluble-bound polyamine contents …

The Farmer In Chief: Obama's Local Food Legacy, Sarah J. Morath

Akron Law Faculty Publications

As criticism over America’s food policy has grown, many scholars have offered suggestions for reform. Complementing this body of scholarship, The Farmer In Chief identifies and assesses recent changes to federal laws and policies as they affect ‘local food’ and describes local farmers’ awareness of and reaction to these changes. These changes and the farmers’ responses show greater recognition of local food by the President and federal government in three ways: increased inclusion of local food in legislation and policy discussions; increased awareness of the benefits of local food production and consumption; and increased consumer access to local food. But …

Humidity And Gravimetric Equivalency Adjustments For Nephelometer-Based Particulate Matter Measurements Of Emissions From Solid Biomass Fuel In Cookstoves, Sutyajeet Soneja, Chen Chen, James M. Tielsch, Joanne Katz, Scott L. Zeger, William Checkley, Frank C. Curriero, Patrick L. Breysse

Global Health Faculty Publications

Great uncertainty exists around indoor biomass burning exposure-disease relationships due to lack of detailed exposure data in large health outcome studies. Passive nephelometers can be used to estimate high particulate matter (PM) concentrations during cooking in low resource environments. Since passive nephelometers do not have a collection filter they are not subject to sampler overload. Nephelometric concentration readings can be biased due to particle growth in high humid environments and differences in compositional and size dependent aerosol characteristics. This paper explores relative humidity (RH) and gravimetric equivalency adjustment approaches to be used for the

pDR-1000 used to assess indoor PM …

Multimorbidity, Management Of Copd And Health Outcomes Among Medicaid Beneficiaries, Mayank Ajmera

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is characterized by persistent and progressive airflow limitation caused due to chronic inflammation in the lungs. Approximately 15 million adults in the United States (U.S.) are estimated to be diagnosed with COPD and an equal number may have undiagnosed COPD. Challenges to COPD management include high prevalence of inflammation-related multimorbidity among individuals with COPD. The association between multimorbidity, existing COPD management and role of novel therapies with anti-inflammatory properties (e.g. statins) in improving COPD-specific outcomes is not well researched. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to use real-world observational data to provide a comprehensive …

Effects Of Salinity And Dissolved Organic Matter On Cu Toxicity To Americamysis Bahia In Estuarine Environments, Rabia Nasir

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

As salinity increases the geochemical speciation of Cu is altered as a result of organic/inorganic complexation/competition. Such salinity changes may further challenge the osmoregulatory capabilities of euryhaline organisms. This chemical-biological interaction complicates the understanding of the impacts of Cu in estuarine waters. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) has been widely established to be an important modifier of Cu toxicity in freshwaters however its effectiveness in modulating Cu toxicity across the range of salinities that occur in estuarine conditions has not been studied in a systematic manner. Site to site differences in DOM quality with respect to the potential for toxicity mitigation …

Greater Sage-Grouse Response To Season-Long And Prescribed Grazing., Seth J. Dettenmaier, Terry A. Messmer

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Association Between Latent Toxoplasmosis And Major Depression, Generalised Anxiety Disorder And Panic Disorder In Human Adults, Shawn D. Gale, Bruce L. Brown, Andrew Berrett, Lance D. Erickson, Dawson W. Hedges

Faculty Publications

Latent infection with the apicomplexan Toxoplasma gondii (Nicolle et Manceaux, 1908) has been associated with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and self-harm behaviour. However, the potential relationship between T. gondii immunoglobulin G antibody (IgG) seropositivity and generalised-anxiety disorder (GAD) and panic disorder (PD) has not been investigated. The associations between serum reactivity to T. gondii and major depressive disorder (MDD), GAD and PD were evaluated in a total sample of 1 846 adult participants between the ages of 20 and 39 years from the United States Center for Disease Control's National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Approximately 16% of the overall …

A Comparison Of Middle School Students Steps Per Minute (Spm) In Five Physical Education Curriculum Units Utilizing Pedometers: An Overall Contribution To Attaining The Recommended Step Counts Per Day In Children, David C. Barney, Francis T. Pleban, Jenny Pleban, Justin Dekupier

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to compare pedometer steps per minute from five different curriculum units (basketball, volleyball, indoor soccer, pickle ball, and fitness activities) in middle school physical education classes as they relate to contributing to the recommended 12,000 to 16,000 steps per day for healthy children. Two hundred and thirty-two male and female middle school students participated in this study, 115 males and 117 females, respectively. Steps per minute were measured with pedometers in five curriculum units in middle school physical education classes; over 36 minutes of activity time. Overall, physical education classroom activities such as basketball, …

Governing By Guidance: Civil Rights Agencies And The Emergence Of Language Rights In Schools And Workplaces, Ming Hsu Chen

Faculty Scholarship

On the fiftieth anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, this Article asks federal civil rights laws evolved to incorporate the needs of non-English how speakers following landmark immigration reform (the 1965 Hart-Cellar Act) that led to unprecedented migration from Asia and Latin America. Based on a comparative study of the emergence of language rights in schools and work­ places from 1965 to 1980, the Article demonstrates that regulatory agencies used nonbinding guidances to interpret the undefined statutory term "national origin discrimination" during their implementation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Their efforts facilitated the creation of language …

Which Facets Of Mindfulness Are Related To Problematic Eating Among Patients Seeking Bariatric Surgery?, Michael E. Levin, Kristy Dalrymple, Susan Himes, Mark Zimmerman

Psychology Faculty Publications

There has been growing research indicating the potential positive benefits of mindfulness-based interventions for obesity, but few studies have examined the relationship of mindfulness processes to obesity-related behaviors, particularly among clinical populations such as bariatric surgery candidates. The current study examined the relationship of specific mindfulness facets to a variety of problematic eating behaviors assessed through diagnostic interviews in a clinical sample of 820 patients seeking bariatric surgery. Results indicated that greater mindfulness on specific facets, particularly acting with awareness, were related to less binge and emotional eating. Greater mindfulness was also related, though less consistently, to less habitual overeating …

Social Impact, Edward F. Lawler, Patricia Anagos, Leslie Mccarthy, Ann Kittlaus, Terry Mcclain, Roslind Early, Timothy Poor, Anne Milford, Mary Margaret Mcmiller, Brittany Jewel Bethea, Toky Branding + Design, Michael Austin

Social Impact Publication

No abstract provided.

Burden Of Colorectal Cancer Among The Elderly Medicare Beneficiaries In West Virginia A Comparative Analysis With National Data, Pallavi Balwant Rane

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

West Virginia (WV) which is one of the most rural states in the nation, had the highest colorectal cancer (CRC) mortality rate in United States (US) in 2009. There is a paucity of epidemiologic studies that have decrypt the reasons for this high CRC mortality, or have systematically examined the burden of, and disparities among the population of elderly with CRC from a rural settings such as from WV. This series of retrospective cohort studies was conducted to examine the receipt of CRC treatment and the associated survivorship, comorbidity burden, and healthcare expenditures among Medicare beneficiaries with CRC identified from …

Predicting Opioid Prescribing Behaviors: Influence Of An Expert Opioid-Risk Evaluation, Alison M. Vargovich

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Opioid analgesics have been shown to be effective for short-term pain reduction; however, chronic opioid therapy does not improve functioning, and may lead to problems with dependence and abuse. Physicians report having difficulty discerning substance abuse or drug diversion, which can lead to over- or under- prescribing, poor pain management, and may contribute to the growing number of opioid-related overdose deaths. The primary aim of this study was to determine if a psychological opioid risk evaluation influenced opioid prescribing in physicians at the West Virginia University (WVU) Family Medicine Clinic. For this retrospective study, participants were 151 (89 female) adult …

Microbial Communities Colonizing Leaves During Early Decomposition Stages, Stephanie Harper

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Microbial communities associated with decaying leaves play an important role in the cycling of nutrients in stream ecosystems. In headwater streams that are deemed as heterotrophic, bacteria and fungi are main drivers of organic matter decomposition and thus partly responsible for facilitating the cycling of nutrients from leaves that fall into the stream. The main objective of this study was to compare microbial community composition between different leaf types during breakdown in stream ecosystems. To achieve this objective, I used a combination of field and laboratory trials. Field experiments were performed at the Luquillo Experimental Forest using Dacryodes excelsa and …

Kids Playing For Keeps: A Feasibility Study Of Coronary Heart Disease Intervention In A Rural African American Community, Carla Allen Noah

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The prevalence of Coronary heart disease (CHD) and the associated modifiable risk factors, combined with the known health disparities that exist in the African American (AA) community, increases the significance of prevention exponentially. Theories involving genetic and environmental factors and their interaction are gaining popularity as relevant influences on both modifiable and fixed risk factors for CHD. Innovative and targeted strategies of health promotion and preventative measures are needed to combat the growing trend of modifiable risk factors for heart disease within the southern rural AA population. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness …

The Effects Of A Happiness Intervention On Measures Of Psychological Well-Being And Motivation To Quit Smoking Among Smokers With Depressive Symptoms, Kelly A. Bailey

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Depressed smokers are a group of individuals whose health and overall functioning can benefit from interventions aimed to enhance well-being. Researchers have recently found significant relations between positive affect and smoking cessation success, and between low affect and smoking relapse, and unsuccessful abstinence (Cook et al., 2010; Leventhal et al., 2008, 2009; Niemiec, 2010). The examination of the effects of happiness interventions for a population considered to be “underserved” has only just begun (Borrelli, 2010, p. 2; Kahler et al., 2013). In this study, the independent variable was a happiness intervention and the outcome variables were psychological well-being and motivation …

South African Critical Care Nurses' Views On End‐Of‐Life Decision‐Making And Practices, Gayle Langley, Shelley Schmollgruber, Paul Fulbrook, John W. Albarran, Jos M. Latour

School of Nursing and Midwifery

ABSTRACTBackgroundCare of patients at the end‐of‐life (EOL) may be influenced by the experiences, attitudes and beliefs of nurses involved in their direct care.AimTo investigate South African critical care nurses' experiences and perceptions of EOL care.DesignCross‐sectional survey.MethodsSouth African critical care nurses completed a modified version of the ‘VENICE’ survey tool. Data were collected concerning: attitudes towards EOL care; involvement in EOL decision‐making; and beliefs about EOL practices.ResultsOf 149 surveys distributed, 100 were returned (response rate 67%). Seventy‐six percent stated that they had had direct involvement in EOL care of patients, but a minority (29%) had participated in EOL decision‐making processes. Whilst …

Repositioning For Pressure Ulcer Prevention In Adults, Brigid M. Gillespie, Wendy P. Chaboyer, Elizabeth Mcinnes, Bridie Kent, Jennifer A. Whitty, Lukman Thalib

School of Nursing and Midwifery

No abstract provided.

Greater Professional Empathy Leads To Higher Agreement About Decisions Made In The Consultation, Tracey Parkin, Looy A De, Paul Farrand

School of Health Professions

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Dietary Β-(1,3)(1,6)-D-Glucan Supplementation On Growth Performance, Intestinal Morphology And Haemato-Immunological Profile Of Mirror Carp (Cyprinus Carpio L.)., H. Kühlwein, D. L. Merrifield, M. D. Rawling, A. D. Foey, S. J. Davies

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

In recent years, aquaculture research has focused on probiotics, prebiotics, and β-glucans, in order to improve health status and growth performance. Information regarding the effects of β-glucan on growth performance and intestinal immunity of mirror carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) is scarce. An experiment was therefore conducted to investigate the effects of a yeast β-glucan preparation (MacroGard(®) ) on growth performance, intestinal morphology and haemato-immunological indices of mirror carp. Carp (initial weight 11.1 ± 0.0 g) were fed highly purified diets supplemented with 0% (control), 0.1%, 1% or 2% MacroGard(®) for 8 weeks. Fish fed diets containing 1% and 2% MacroGard(®) …

Variable Response Of Three Trifolium Repens Ecotypes To Soil Flooding By Seawater., Anissia C. White, Timothy D. Colmer, Greg R. Cawthray, Mick E. Hanley

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Despite concerns about the impact of rising sea levels and storm surge events on coastal ecosystems, there is remarkably little information on the response of terrestrial coastal plant species to seawater inundation. The aim of this study was to elucidate responses of a glycophyte (white clover, Trifolium repens) to short-duration soil flooding by seawater and recovery following leaching of salts. METHODS: Using plants cultivated from parent ecotypes collected from a natural soil salinity gradient, the impact of short-duration seawater soil flooding (8 or 24 h) on short-term changes in leaf salt ion and organic solute concentrations was …

Factors Affecting The Levels Of Protection Transferred From Mother To Offspring Following Immune Challenge, Christina M. Coakley, Vincent Staszewski, Katherine A. Herborn, Emma J.A. Cunningham

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Dissolved And Dietary Microcystin On Clearance Rates Of Wedge Clams (Rangia Cuneata) In The Tidal Fresh James River, Spencer Tassone, Paul Bukaveckas, Joe Wood

UROP Posters

Benthic filter feeders are important organisms in estuaries due to their ability to remove algal and non-algal particulate matter from the water column. Microcystin (MC) is a cyanotoxin that is known to have adverse effects on diverse consumers, though its effects on benthic filter-feeders are not well-studied. In this study, we examine the effects of microcystin on the filtering activities of Rangia cuneata, a common and often dominant filter-feeder in tidal freshwaters. Clams and seston obtained from the James River were used along with commercially-available microcystin to measure clearance rates of Rangia across a gradient of dissolved microcystin concentrations. We …