Digital Commons Network^™

Evaluation Of Glycated Albumin (Ga) And Ga/Hba1c Ratio For Diagnosis Of Diabetes And Glycemic Control: A Comprehensive Review, Sara Yazdanpanah, Mohammad Rabiee, Mohammadreza Tahriri, Mojgan Abdolrahim, Asodollah Rajab, Hossein E. Jazayeri, Lobat Tayebi

School of Dentistry Faculty Research and Publications

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by chronic high blood glucose concentrations (hyperglycemia). When it is left untreated or improperly managed, it can lead to acute complications including diabetic ketoacidosis and non-ketotic hyperosmolar coma. In addition, possible long-term complications include impotence, nerve damage, stroke, chronic kidney failure, cardiovascular disease, foot ulcers, and retinopathy. Historically, universal methods to measure glycemic control for the diagnosis of diabetes included fasting plasma glucose level (FPG), 2-h plasma glucose (2HP), and random plasma glucose. However, these measurements did not provide information about glycemic control over a long period of time. To …

Current Medical Research: Summer/Fall 2016, Richard J. Fehring, Qiyan Mu

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Fertility Care Services, Richard J. Fehring

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

The Catholic Church calls married couples to responsible parenthood; this includes both openness to new human life and the avoidance of pregnancy when serious reasons present themselves. Natural methods of family planning respect the dignity of the person and the integrity of the sexual act. They treat fertility as a natural process rather than a disease. Natural family planning (NFP) works with a woman’s menstrual cycle; it uses awareness of fertile and infertile times to achieve or avoid pregnancy and allows married couples, through their awareness, to respect and maintain both the unitive and the procreative aspects of the sexual …

Stage-Specific Timing Of The Microrna Regulation Of Lin-28 By The Heterochronic Gene Lin-14 In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Jennifer Tsialikas, Mitchell A. Romens, Allison L. Abbott, Eric G. Moss

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

In normal development, the order and synchrony of diverse developmental events must be explicitly controlled. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, the timing of larval events is regulated by hierarchy of proteins and microRNAs (miRNAs) known as the heterochronic pathway. These regulators are organized in feedforward and feedback interactions to form a robust mechanism for specifying the timing and execution of cell fates at successive stages. One member of this pathway is the RNA binding protein LIN-28, which promotes pluripotency and cell fate decisions in successive stages. Two genetic circuits control LIN-28 abundance: it is negatively regulated by the miRNA …

Identification Of Multiple Functional Receptors For Tyramine On An Insect Secretory Epithelium, Haiying Zhang, Edward M. Blumenthal

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

The biogenic amine tyramine (TA) regulates many aspects of invertebrate physiology and development. Although three TA receptor subtypes have been identified (TAR1-3), specific receptors have not been linked to physiological responses in native tissue. In the Malpighian (renal) tubule of Drosophila melanogaster, TA activates a transepithelial chloride conductance, resulting in diuresis and depolarization of the transepithelial potential. In the current work, mutation or RNAi-mediated knockdown in the stellate cells of the tubule of TAR2 (tyrR, CG7431) resulted in a dramatic reduction, but not elimination, of the TA-mediated depolarization. Mutation or knockdown of TAR3 (tyrRII, …

H+- And Na+- Elicited Rapid Changes Of The Microtubule Cytoskeleton In The Biflagellated Green Alga Chlamydomonas, Yi Liu, Mike Visetsouk, Michelle Mynlieff, Hongmin Qin, Karl F. Lechtreck, Pinfen Yang

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Although microtubules are known for dynamic instability, the dynamicity is considered to be tightly controlled to support a variety of cellular processes. Yet diverse evidence suggests that this is not applicable to Chlamydomonas, a biflagellate fresh water green alga, but intense autofluorescence from photosynthesis pigments has hindered the investigation. By expressing a bright fluorescent reporter protein at the endogenous level, we demonstrate in real time discreet sweeping changes in algal microtubules elicited by rises of intracellular H⁺ and Na⁺. These results from this model organism with characteristics of animal and plant cells provide novel explanations regarding …

Cytoprotective Activated Protein C Averts Nlrp3 Inflammasome–Induced Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury Via Mtorc1 Inhibition, Sumra Nazir, Ihsan Gadi, Moh'd Mohanad Al-Dabet, Ahmed Elwakiel, Shrey Kohli, Sanchita Ghosh, Jayakumar Manoharan, Satish Ranjan, Fabian Bock, Ruediger C. Braun-Dullaeus, Charles T. Esmon, Tobias B. Huber, Eric Camerer, Chris Dockendorff, John H. Griffin, Berend Isermann, Khurrum Shahzad

Chemistry Faculty Research and Publications

Cytoprotection by activated protein C (aPC) after ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is associated with apoptosis inhibition. However, IRI is hallmarked by inflammation, and hence, cell-death forms disjunct from immunologically silent apoptosis are, in theory, more likely to be relevant. Because pyroptosis (ie, cell death resulting from inflammasome activation) is typically observed in IRI, we speculated that aPC ameliorates IRI by inhibiting inflammasome activation. Here we analyzed the impact of aPC on inflammasome activity in myocardial and renal IRIs. aPC treatment before or after myocardial IRI reduced infarct size and Nlrp3 inflammasome activation in mice. Kinetic in vivo analyses revealed that Nlrp3 …

Active Site Structures Of Cyp11a1 In The Presence Of Its Physiological Substrates And Alterations Upon Binding Of Adrenodoxin, Qianhong Zhu, Piotr J. Mak, Robert C. Tuckey, James R. Kincaid

Chemistry Faculty Research and Publications

The rate-limiting step in the steroid synthesis pathway is catalyzed by CYP11A1 through three sequential reactions. The first two steps involve hydroxylations at positions 22 and 20, generating 20(R),22(R)-dihydroxycholesterol (20R,22R-DiOHCH), with the third stage leading to a C20–C22 bond cleavage, forming pregnenolone. This work provides detailed information about the active site structure of CYP11A1 in the resting state and substrate-bound ferric forms as well as the CO-ligated adducts. In addition, high-quality resonance Raman spectra are reported for the dioxygen complexes, providing new insight into the status of Fe–O–O fragments encountered during the …

Amiodarone-Induced Loculated Pleural Effusion Without Pulmonary Parenchymal Involvement: A Case Report And Literature Review, Amer Hawatmeh, Mohammad Thawabi, A Jmeian, Hamid Shaaban, Jihad Slim

NYMC Faculty Publications

Amiodarone is an extremely effective antiarrhythmic drug that is known to cause many adverse effects such as pulmonary, thyroid, and liver toxicities. Of these, pulmonary toxicity is most serious. Pulmonary toxicity can present as interstitial pneumonitis, organizing pneumonia, pulmonary nodules and masses, and very rarely pleural effusions. We present a case of a 73-year-old male who presented with progressive exertional dyspnea, nonproductive cough, generalized fatigue, and weakness. He was found to have multiorgan toxicity secondary to long-term treatment with high doses of amiodarone. This case illustrates that amiodarone may cause toxicity involving multiple organs simultaneously in patients receiving long-term therapy …

Molecular Analysis Of The Mating System Of A Population Of Fantail Darter (Etheostoma Flabellare) In Bates Fork, Greene Co., Pa, Ashley Seitz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In May 2013, we examined the mating system of the Fantail Darter, Etheostoma flabellare, from a population inhabiting Bates Fork, a small tributary of the Monongahela River in Greene County, PA. Guarding adult male Fantail Darters excavate an area under a flat rock in moderately flowing rifles. Females select a male or his territory and deposit clusters of eggs on the underside of the nest rock. The guarding male provides all parental care. The locations of 23 nests were mapped over a 139m² stream segment before collecting embryos and attending males for a genetic parentage analysis. DNA was …

Parents Of Children Who Had Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy: A Mixed-Methods, Exploratory Study, Natalene Kramer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: There is scant literature addressing the parents of children who had hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). therefore only inferences may be made as to issues of that experience affecting parents.

Purpose: The purposes of this study was to uncover the lived experiences of parents of children who had HIE, evaluate issues of stress, depression, coping, and impact of neurologic disability in order to better care for them and thus their families

Methods: A parallel, convergent mixed-methods design was used to explore experiences and perceptions of these parents regarding their experiences and life changes. The quantitative strand addressed four research questions which …

Maine Medical Center Research Institute: 2017 Year In Review, Maine Medical Center Research Institute

Annual Reports

Annual Report: Bench to Bedside to Community, Basic Research->Translational & Clinical Research->Patient-Centered Outcomes Research

How Can The Use Of Human Enhancement (He) Technologies In The Military Be Ethically Assessed?, Philip Andrew Taraska

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

War is a terrible price to pay for the prospect of peace. Yet every nation has a moral obligation to protect its citizenry from unjust aggression and threats to security. To be sure, war is always a failure. It is a failure of mankind to come together in mutual respect for the inherent dignity of the human person. The issue of the use of HE in the military is relevant today because the Global War on Terror (GWOT) and the rapid rise of emerging technologies have led to a never-before-seen type of asymmetrical warfare. The rise of these technologies can …

Does Training Enhance Entraining? Musical Ability And Neural Signatures Of Beat Perception, Kira Pinard-Welyczko

Honors Papers

Perception of beat and meter is a nearly universal human skill that requires little to no conscious effort. However, the extent to which music training influences this perception in the brain remains unknown. Music performance requires high sensitivity to timing and physical entrainment to external auditory stimuli. Additionally, compared to untrained individuals, musicians show higher performance on a number of auditory and speech tasks, as well as different brain morphology and fiber connections. Beat and meter perception are thought to be subtended by oscillations of groups of neurons at corresponding frequencies. Here, electroencephalography (EEG) was used to examine the magnitude …

Digital Morphologies: Environmentally-Influenced Generative Forms, Sage Jenson

Honors Papers

We present a generative method to grow triangular meshes with organically-shaped features. Through the application of simplified forces, millions of particles develop into complex 3D forms in silico. These forms interact with external environments in a variety of ways, allowing for the integration of the proposed technique with pre-existing 3D objects and scenes. Large simulation sizes were computationally achieved through the massively parallel capabilities of modern Graphics Processing Units (GPUs).

E-Cigarette Use Among Individuals Diagnosed With An Eating Disorder, Alexa Mary L'Insalata

Honors Papers

BACKGROUND. E-cigarette use has increased exponentially in recent years. Prior research suggests that some adult e-cigarette users vape to lose weight. The current study examined whether rates of vaping to lose weight are elevated among American adults diagnosed with an eating disorder (i.e., Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder, or Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder [OSFED]).

METHODS. American adult e-cigarette users who reported vaping at least weekly and who either had a history of an eating disorder (n = 205, 86.3% with a current diagnosis, 75.2% female, 83.0% White, 33.54 [SD = 8.90] years, 71.4% cigarette smokers) or …

The Life And Times Of Transgenics, Hugh Lacey

Philosophy Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Average Shortest Path Length In A Novel Small-World Network, Andrea J. Allen

Honors Papers

We study a novel model of random graph which exhibits the structural characteristics of the Watts- Strogatz small-world network. The small-world network is characterized by a high level of local clustering while also having a relatively small graph diameter. The same behavior that makes the Watts-Strogatz model behave like this also makes it difficult to analyze. Our model addresses this issue, closely mimicking the same structure experimentally while following a constructive process that makes it easier to analyze mathematically. We present a bound on the average shortest path length in our new model, which we approach by looking at the …

Experimental Biomechanics Of Trinucleid Fringe Pits (Trilobita), Kirk Pearson

Honors Papers

The morphometric uniqueness of the trinucleid family of fossil arthropods, known as the trilobites, has led to a considerable amount of attention in paleontology literature. In particular, the distinctive hourglass-shaped pits that dot their anterior have been the subject of debate for over a century. Though anatomically well understood, their function remains unknown. Many proposals have been suggested, including its use as a sieve for filter-feeding, a strong shield for defense, and a sensory mechanism to compensate for their blindness. Despite the wide range of speculations, no study has attempted to model these hypotheses experimentally. Flume experiments and mechanical strength …

At The Edges Of Queer: Navigating Ambiguity In Identity, Community, And Politics, Madeline Mccray Batzli

Honors Papers

When queer took the world of AIDS activism and the academy by storm in the late 20th century, activists and academics leapt to understand and define this reclaimed word and predict its trajectory. Some academics claimed that queer would avoid obsolescence, remaining an anti-assimilationist beacon for activists, while others worried that lumping anyone with non-normative sexualities or lifestyle practices under the same umbrella would inaccurately homogenize disparate groups and detract from specific causes. This study aims to understand the meanings of the word queer among students at Oberlin College today, over a quarter century after the beginning of the word’s …

Predicting Risk Of Adverse Outcomes In Knee Replacement Surgery With Reconstructability Analysis, Cecily Corrine Froemke, Martin Zwick

Complex Systems Faculty Publications and Presentations

Reconstructability Analysis (RA) is a data mining method that searches for relations in data, especially non-linear and higher order relations. This study shows that RA can provide useful predictions of complications in knee replacement surgery.

About The Authors, Yolander Youngblood

Pursue: Undergraduate Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Elemental Trauma: A Case Study Of Living With Contaminated Water Near Sites Of Marcellus Shale Gas Extraction, Christopher John Mccann

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative research study examines the experiences of individuals living with contaminated water near sites of unconventional Marcellus Shale extraction (commonly called “fracking”) in western Pennsylvania. Five individuals across three households were recruited following IRB approval. Fieldwork was completed in a small town in western Pennsylvania from July of 2013 to April of 2014. This project examines how participant’s relationship to the materiality of water undergoes a drastic transformation. Water is explored as a dynamic, elemental substance that creates the conditions for both life and disease and death for participant-households. Water becomes a re-animated character in participant lives that restructures …

Outlook Magazine, Spring 2017

Outlook Magazine

No abstract provided.

Whitworth University Catalog 2017-2018, Whitworth University

Whitworth Catalog

No abstract provided.

Taking It To The Bank: Creating A New Constitutional Standard And Using Blue Carbon Banking To Compensate The Miccosukee Tribe For The Federal "Taking" Of Their Tribal Lands, Amy Judkins

Florida A & M University Law Review

The typical remedy for a property owner whose property interests have been diminished from government regulations—as is the case with the federal government's regulation of the Miccosukee's tribal lands—would be compensation sought under the Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution. The last clause of the Fifth Amendment— the Takings Clause—provides that "private property [shall not] be taken for public use, without just compensation." The Supreme Court has explained that the purpose of the Takings Clause is to prevent the government from "forcing some people alone to bear public burdens which, in all fairness and justice, should be borne by …

The Effects Of Perinatal Oxycodone Exposure On The Stress Axis And Neurobehavior, Thitinart Sithisarn

Theses and Dissertations--Physiology

Opiate addiction is now a major public health problem. Pregnant women continue to use opiates during gestation; up to 5.4% of pregnant women report using illicit drugs during pregnancy. Previous studies have shown that perinatal insults and exposure to opiates such as morphine in utero can affect the development of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis of the offspring and are associated with higher risk of developing neurobehavioral problems. Oxycodone, a semisynthetic putative kappa opioid receptor and partial mu opioid receptor agonist is now one of the most frequently abused pain killers during pregnancy, however limited data are available regarding whether and how …

Mitochondrial Transplantation After Spinal Cord Injury: Effects On Tissue Bioenergetics And Functional Neuroprotection, Jenna L. Gollihue

Theses and Dissertations--Physiology

Contusion spinal cord injury (SCI) results in devastating life-long debilitation in which there are currently no effective treatments. The primary injury site presents a complex environment marked by subsequent secondary pathophysiological cascades involving excessive reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) production, glutamate-induced excitotoxicity, calcium dysregulation, and delayed neuronal apoptosis. Many of these cascades involve mitochondrial dysfunction, thus a single mitochondrial-centric therapy that targets a variety of these factors could be far reaching in its potential benefits after SCI. As such, this dissertation examines whether transplantation of exogenous mitochondria after SCI can attenuate secondary injury cascades to decrease the spread and …

Nonsense You Say, Nicholas W. Allard

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of Dialog Surrounding Animal Testing In Vaccine Research, Natalie Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzed the scholarly discussions surrounding the topic of animal testing for vaccine potency and safety in humans. The primary stakeholders in this discussion are the scientists, medical professionals, and researchers who are involved in animal models and alternative testing methods, specifically related to vaccine development. The debate among these professionals regarding alternative methods, which encompasses any testing approach that does not involve animals, has been analyzed. This project looks at the argument from a historical perspective, which provides background context for the current debate and an understanding of how the current arguments originated. The changing mindset over time …