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Assessment Of The Serum Amyloid A Assay For Diagnosing Disease In Neonatal Foals, Samantha W. Strouss

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Diagnosing disease in equine neonates poses a challenge for the equine industry because of the nonspecific manifestations of many diseases and the rapid deterioration that occurs. The differential diagnostic procedure requires many laboratory tests, whose results take days to receive. Serum amyloid A (SAA) is the only major acute phase protein identified in the horse; it exists in low levels in the healthy horse and increases over 100 fold in response to inflammatory stimulus 6-8 hours post stimulus. A point of care test allows veterinarians to obtain a SAA concentration within minutes that indicates the existence of infection. Being able …

Whole-Body Protein Metabolism In Mature And Growing Horses Receiving Predominantly Forage Diets, Sophie A. Stratton

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

There has been limited investigation as to whether a predominantly forage-based diet can provide adequate amounts of limiting amino acids (AA) to horses. The first objective was to determine if AA supplementation of AA believed to be limiting to protein synthesis in forage-based diets would affect measures of whole-body protein metabolism in sedentary mature horses. The effect of forage type (timothy or alfalfa) and AA supplementation (lysine, threonine or histidine) on plasma urea nitrogen (PUN) and AA concentrations and measures of whole-body phenylalanine kinetics were evaluated. There was no effect of either forage type or AA supplement on rates of …

Neuroprotective And Anti-Inflammatory Effects Of Rhus Coriaria Extract In A Mouse Model Of Ischemic Optic Neuropathy, Saba Khalilpour, Ghazaleh Behnammanesh, Fouad Suede, Mohammed O. Ezzat, Jayadhisan Muniandy, Yasser Tabana, Mohamed B. K. Ahamed, Ali Tamayol, Amin Malik Shah Majid, Enrico Sangiovanni, Mario Dell'agli, Aman Shah Majid

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Modulating oxidative stresses and inflammation can potentially prevent or alleviate the pathological conditions of diseases associated with the nervous system, including ischemic optic neuropathy. In this study we evaluated the anti-neuroinflammatory and neuroprotective activities of Rhus coriaria (R. coriaria) extract in vivo. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) for DPPH, ABTS and B-carotene were 6.79 ± 0.009 µg/mL, 10.94 ± 0.09 µg/mL, and 6.25 ± 0.06 µg/mL, respectively. Retinal ischemia was induced by optic nerve crush injury in albino Balb/c mice. The anti-inflammatory activity of ethanolic extract of R. coriaria (ERC) and linoleic acid (LA) on …

Parental Ptsd, Emotion Regulation, And Behavior Problems In Toddlerhood: Unique Associations Among Families In Urban Poverty, Hasti Ashtiani Raveau

Wayne State University Dissertations

Parental posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been shown to negatively impact children’s socioemotional development (Schwerdtfeger et al., 2014) and increase children’s risk for later psychopathology (Scheeringa & Zeanah, 2008; Yehuda, Halligan, & Bierer, 2001). Less is known about this topic among minority and poor mothers and fathers of toddlers, and the critical role parents’ emotion regulation may play in mediating the associations between PTSD and toddlers’ socioemotional problems (Beck et al., 2009). Parental emotion dysregulation has been linked with children’s socioemotional problems (Coyne & Thompson, 2011), especially during toddlerhood when children are beginning to learn how to regulate their own …

Exploring The Short-Term Effects Of Probiotic And Prebiotic Supplementation On The Microbiota And Physiology Of Male C57bl/6 Mice, Miguel Angel Rivas

Wayne State University Theses

The gut microbiome may play a role in the development of chronic diseases like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Diets including prebiotics or probiotics can alter the abundance of gut bacterial groups and have subsequent health effects. In this study we wanted to establish a method for comparing the benefits of commercial supplements that alter the microbiota by monitoring fecal microbial profiles in male C57BL/6 mice (n = 24) exposed to 15 days of dietary supplementation. A probiotic diet (VSL#3) and a prebiotic diet (potato starch) were compared to a standard diet (n = 8 for each group). Microbial profiles …

The Relationship Between Childhood Trauma And Special Education: A Literature Review, Andrea E. Becker

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Each year as many as ten million children witness or experience domestic violence in the United States (Winder, 2015) and have shown to experience greater struggles in school. This type of trauma has no boundaries, it can occur in all socioeconomic levels, across all ethnic groups, and all education levels. The National Child Traumatic Stress Network of the United States reports forty percent of students have experienced some form of adversity or trauma (Brunzell et al., 2015). Trauma can be a life shattering experience that can forever alter your biology and view of the world being a safe place (Brunzell …

The Impact Of Outdoor Education On Health, Tessa A. Leake

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

I studied the effect that outdoor education and experiential learning has on health by interviewing students who participated in the University of Montana’s Patagonia study abroad course during winter-session 2018. I interviewed participants before and after the course and asked them a series of questions about their health. Questions included how they defined health, what the greatest determinants of health are, if they have control over their health, and if they considered themselves to be in good health. Students were also asked to rate their levels of health overall, mentally, and physically in regard to both themselves and in comparison …

Healthy Heart Project, Emily Hurst

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

The Healthy Heart program has been offering fitness testing, cardiovascular and chronic disease testing and education, and clinical experience for students in the course KIN483: Exercise, Disease, and Aging for a number of years. The program offers an important service to the Missoula community by providing each participant with accurate health indicators and results, such as ECG (heart) rhythms, cardiovascular fitness, flexibility and strength measures, body composition, and peripheral artery disease screening. The program gives students experience learning practical skills by performing a 2-hour exercise testing session, communicating with a community member, analyzing testing data, and compiling then discussing results. …

Regional Variations In Physical Fitness And Activity In Healthy And Overweight Ecuadorian Adolescents, Cheryl A. Howe, Sharon Casapulla, Jay H. Shubrook, Pablo Lopez, Mario Grijalva, Darlene E. Berryman

Faculty Publications & Research of the TUC College of Osteopathic Medicine

Background: Insufficient physical activity (PA) and excessive sedentary behavior (SB) are the main contributors to adolescent obesity. However, it is uncertain whether recent economic growth and urbanization in Ecuador are contributing to an obesogenic environment. This study assessed the relationships among fitness, PA, SB, and perceived social support for PA in adolescents from urban (Quito) and rural (Loja) Ecuador. Methods: Fitness was estimated using 3-min step test and PA and SB participation and social support for PA were self-reported in 407 adolescents. T-tests and analysis of variance assessed differences by sex, obesity status, and region of Ecuador. Pearson correlations …

The Association Between Physical Activity And Metabolic Syndrome In Older Adults With Obesity, Furong Xu, Steven A. Cohen, Ingrid E. Lofgren, Geoffrey Greene, Michael J. Delmonico, Mary L. Greaney

Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Background: Physical activity reduces the likelihood of developing metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, the association between different physical activity levels and MetS remains unclear in older adults with obesity. Methods: This cross-sectional study used four waves of data (2007-2008, 2009-2010, 2011-2012, 2013-2014) from two datasets: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and United Sates Department of Agriculture’s Food Patterns Equivalents Database. The sample included adults 60+ years of age (n= 613) with obesity who had physical activity and MetS data. Physical activity was assessed using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire and categorized into three physical activity levels (low, …

The Association Between Adolescent’S Weight Perception And Health Behaviors: Analysis Of National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey Data, 2011–2014, Furong Xu, Mary L. Greaney, Steven Cohen, Deborah Riebe, Geoffrey Greene

Kinesiology Faculty Publications

The association between adolescents’ weight perception and their physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviors remains unclear. Therefore, these associations were explored using data from 2438 adolescents aged 12–19 years who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination 2011–2014 Survey. Respondents reported weight perception, and their weight perception accuracy was determined by examining whether the measured weight and perceived weight were concordant. Respondents also reported sedentary time (sitting time and screen time), PA, and intention to lose weight. Linear and logistic regression models were conducted to determine whether adolescents’ PA, sedentary behaviors, and weight loss intention differed by weight perception …

Relationship Between Diet Quality, Physical Activity And Health-Related Quality Of Life In Older Adults: Findings From 2007-2014 National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey., Furong Xu, Steven A. Cohen, Ingrid E. Lofgren, Geoffrey W. Greene, Matthew J. Delmonico, Mary L. Greaney

Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Background: A growing body of research shows that diet quality and physical activity (PA) are associated with health-related quality of life (HRQOL). However, no study to date has assessed this association using the Healthy Eating Index-2015 as a measure of diet quality. Furthermore, few studies have examined the association between PA dose and HRQOL among a nationally representative sample of older adults. Objectives: To investigate the relationship between diet quality, physical activity, and HRQOL.

Objectives: To investigate the relationship between diet quality, physical activity, and HRQOL.

Design: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data obtained from 5,311 adults aged 60+ …

Application Of Machine Learning Methodologies For Predicting Corn Economic Optimal Nitrogen Rate, Zhisheng Qin, D. Brenton Myers, Curtis J. Ransom, Newell R. Kitchen, Sang-Zi Liang, James J. Camberato, Paul R. Carter, Richard B. Ferguson, Fabian G. Fernandez, David W. Franzen, Carrie A. M. Laboski, Brad D. Malone, Emerson D. Nafziger, John E. Sawyer, John F. Shanahan

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Determination of in-season N requirement for corn (Zea mays L.) is challenging due to interactions of genotype, environment, and management. Machine learning (ML), with its predictive power to tackle complex systems, may solve this barrier in the development of locally based N recommendations. The objective of this study was to explore application of ML methodologies to predict economic optimum nitrogen rate (EONR) for corn using data from 47 experiments across the US Corn Belt. Two features, a water table adjusted available water capacity (AWC_wt) and a ratio of in-season rainfall to AWC_wt (RAWC_wt), were …

Statistical Analysis In Cancer Survivorship, Zhiyun Ge

Statistical Science Theses and Dissertations

The advance in cancer early detection and cancer treatment have led to the rapid growth in the number of cancer survivors. It is good news that cancer is more survivable than ever, however, it also brings new challenges. Cancer survivors are exposed to the risk of a second primary cancer. In Chapter 1 and Chapter 3, we investigated the survival of lung cancer patients with a history of previous cancer. Another challenge that cancer survivors need to face is the follow-up care. Many survivors found that they are “lost in transition” from cancer patients to cancer survivors. In Chapter 2, …

The Rise Of Noncommunicable Diseases In Kenya: An Examination Of The Time Trends And Contribution Of The Changes In Diet And Physical Inactivity, Edward Michieka Onyango, Benjamin Moranga Onyango

ETSU Faculty Works

This study examined correlations of historical changes in diet and physical inactivity with the rise of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in Kenya. Historical data on diet, wage jobs by industry, urbanization, gross domestic product (GDP), and morbidity due to NCDs were extracted from Kenya Statistical Abstracts, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAOSTAT), and the World Bank online database. These data were plotted and correlations between these factors and the incidence of different NCDs over time were evaluated. There was a rapid rise in the incidence of circulatory disease starting in 2001, and of hypertension and diabetes starting in 2008. The rise of …

The Immigration-Welfare Nexus In A New Era?, Andrew Hammond

UF Law Faculty Publications

The Trump Administration’s immigration policy is one of the most hotly contested areas of American law. However, few have explored the Administration’s interest in using the obscure doctrine of public charge to further its agenda. Public charge determinations allow immigration authorities to prevent individuals from entering the country as well as deport immigrants who use public benefits. What’s more, individuals who sponsor family members to enter the United States are liable to pay the federal government back for any public benefits the sponsored family member uses once in the United States. A leaked draft Executive Order and proposed regulations suggest …

Benefits Of A Nutrition Education Program On A Community Of Developmentally Disabled Adults, Rory Kathleen Coleman

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The number of adults diagnosed with developmental disabilities in the United States is increasing; this population is underserved and underfunded, especially in the area of nutrition education. Health concerns for adults with developmental disabilities include obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and disordered eating, all of which could be alleviated or prevented with proper nutritional care and education. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a nutrition education program in a community of developmentally disabled adults. The intervention took place in an adult day center in Bergen County, New Jersey, where a group of adults with …

The Stability Of Tea Polyphenols As A Food Additive And Its Effect On Streptococcus Mutans, Chia-Liang Huang

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Dental caries is one of the most concerning chronic diseases, Streptococcus mutans is one the most prominent contributing bacterium. S. mutans metabolizes sugar in processed foods to demineralize the tooth’s surface leading to tooth caries. This study focuses on whether green tea polyphenols epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and/or its modifications, palmitoyl-epigallocatechin gallate (P-EGCG) and epigallocatechin-3-gallate-stearate (EGCG-S), can reduce the number of S. mutans in different concentrations of sucrose. A colony forming unit assay was utilized to test viability. Results suggested that the tea polyphenols were efficient in inhibiting S. mutans up to 5 grams of sucrose per 100ml of artificial saliva …

Green Tea Polyphenols As Potential Food Additives, Danxia Shi

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

As time has progressed, companies have increasingly produced foods for longer term storage. This has led to an increased use of food preservatives in processed foods. People have now come to expect many foods to have a significantly longer shelf life, and this is a matter of government concern for public health due to foodborne contaminations. Foodborne illnesses have become a common problem caused by bacteria (i.e. Escherichia coli). Finding an effective natural preservative source might be better received by the public and alleviate some health concerns over chemical sources. The most important active ingredient found in green tea is …

Music Training As A Neuro-Cognitive Protector For Brain Aging: Cognitive And Neuropsychological Profiles In Professional Musicians, Catherine E. Schneider

Theses and Dissertations--Gerontology

The proportion of older adults living with cognitive impairments is increasing rapidly. This shift will likely increase mortality rates, reduce perceived quality of life, and cause economic burden to patients and health care systems. Currently evidence of highly effective and noninvasive interventions that prevent or slow the onset of cognitive impairment are limited. This study aims to better understand what drives cognitive aging variability among musicians versus non-musicians. Music playing has been shown to improve brain and cognitive functions by engaging networks of brain areas, simultaneously involving cortical mechanisms associated with executive, high-level cognitive and motor functions, and multiple sensory …

The Constitutional Law Of Incarceration, Reconfigured, Margo Schlanger

Cornell Law Review

As American incarcerated populations grew starting in the 1970s, so too did court oversight of prisons. In the late 1980s, however, as incarceration continued to boom, federal court oversight shrank. This Article addresses the most central doctrinal limit on oversight of jails and prisons, the Supreme Court’s restrictive reading of the constitutional provisions governing treatment of prisoners — the Cruel and Unusual Punishments Clause and the Due Process Clause, which regulate, respectively, post-conviction imprisonment and pretrial detention. The Court’s interpretation of the Eighth Amendment’s ban of cruel and unusual punishment, in particular, radically undermined prison officials’ accountability for tragedies behind …

The Effects Of Pre-Pregnancy Tobacco Use On Food Cravings And Weight Gain In Pregnancy, Lauren E. Blau

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Smoking cessation is associated with greater frequency of food cravings, even when controlling for body mass index. Recent studies have indicated similarities between obese women and women who smoke tobacco in mood states and food craving frequency. This is consistent with the common substrate hypothesis, which postulates that shared neural pathways mediate craving across multiple domains, and could explain why it is common for women attempting to quit smoking to gain weight. Smoking cessation prior to pregnancy is strongly encouraged due to the adverse effects of tobacco use on the developing fetus. Studies have shown that women who quit smoking …

Testing The Effectiveness Of A Sct-Based Peer Wellness Coaching Training Program In Enhancing Health Self-Efficacy And Outcome Expectations Among Undergraduate Peer Educators, Abigail Dubovi

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Peer health education (PHE) is a widely implemented approach to health promotion on college campuses. Based on its emphasis on vicarious learning and social persuasion, social cognitive theory (SCT; Bandura, 2000) is frequently cited to account for the proposed mechanisms of PHE. However, to date, no prior studies have developed and tested the utility of a SCT-based PHE training program in improving theoretically consistent outcomes among peer educators. Thus, the purpose of this study was to develop, implement, and test the effectiveness of a 15-week, SCT-based peer wellness coaching (PWCTP) training program in enhancing health self-efficacy (HSE) and outcome expectations …

An Exploration Of Care Coordination And Management For The Medicaid Hiv Population Within Upstate New York Health Homes, Esemikelu Oghenejobo

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Within the U.S. healthcare system, there has been a renewed focus to improve the delivery of care services, to increase the quality of care, and to decrease costs. The Affordable Care Act introduced the health home (HH) model to serve vulnerable, Medicaid populations who are experiencing difficulty managing their care and navigating complex healthcare systems. The HH was a voluntary state option; of which New York State (NYS) chose to participate. Additionally, NYS was granted a Medicaid 1115 waiver to fully implement an ambitious re-design of NYS’s Medicaid program. NYS invested in the HH as a key model to address …

The Independent And Joint Effects Of Prenatal Depression And Mercury Exposure On Infant Birth Size Outcomes : A Preliminary Analysis, Meredith Spivak

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Prenatal exposure to depression and mercury have been independently linked to adverse infant outcomes. Though results specific to birth size remain inconsistent, they are generally associated with smaller infant anthropometrics. Increasingly, research has shifted towards examining co-occurring, cross-disciplinary exposures, and thus more studies are examining if and how psychosocial and environmental exposures jointly contribute to health. This study examines the independent effects of prenatal depression and mercury exposures on infant birth size, and also whether these exposures jointly contribute to adverse infant birth size outcomes. This study uses data from the Albany Infant and Mother Study (AIMS), an ongoing birth …

Polychlorinated Biphenyls, Thyroid Hormones, And Neuropsychological Function Among Older Adults From Upstate New York, Eva M. Tanner

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a class of persistent organic pollutants linked to changes in cognitive function and thyroid hormone (TH) levels. However, most studies of PCBs and cognitive function were conducted among children. No studies among older adults have prospectively collected PCB and cognitive performance measurements to evaluate the association over time, and no longitudinal studies have evaluated the association between PCBs and THs over time among a non-occupationally exposed population. Further, the biological mechanism by which PCBs impact cognitive function is unknown, but may be mediated by THs. In addition, reliable self-reported survey data is necessary to obtain precise …

The Differentiated Impact Of Early Entry Into Head Start On Social Competence And Literacy : An Applied Propensity Score Analysis, Kimberly Speerschneider

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Family poverty is associated with children’s health, achievement, and behavior (Brooks-Gunn & Duncan, 1997). Less than half, 48%, of children from low income homes are considered school ready by the age of five compared with 75% of their peers from middle to high income homes (Isaacs, 2012). Researchers have linked school readiness to long-term outcomes like success in grade school, lower drop-out rates in high school, and higher earned income as adults (Duncan et al., 2007). Although children in poverty experience greater deficits in areas of school readiness, participation in a quality childhood education can serve as a protective buffer …

A Later Life Without Children In China : A Cross-Sectional Examination Of Moderators And Mediators Of The Effects Of Childlessness On The Well-Being Of Elders, Junrong Shi

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Adult children played a primary role in support and caregiving for the fast-growing older population in China because of the core value of “filial piety” and underdeveloped formal services in the country. However, an increasing amount of Chinese people will end up with having no children in their later years, either nonparental or no children survived. It is important to understand that how the absence of children affects the health and well-being of older adults to better serve this growing vulnerable population. Limited previous studies focused on the childless older people in China, and little is known about the mechanisms …

Economic, Cognitive, Academic, And Attendance Characteristics Of Elementary Students Receiving Special Education Services : A Program Evaluation In One District, Jaime M. Haas

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Public education, at present, is focused on ensuring the success of all students and has tasked educators with producing positive results. Despite this political climate, research has indicated that some learners, such as those considered economically disadvantaged and those requiring special education, tend to face higher adversity, making it more difficult for them to reach achievement markers. As these subgroup differences have become concerning for districts aiming to close the achievement gap, program evaluation has emerged as a useful tool to determine the effectiveness of educational practices. In the current investigation, a program evaluation was utilized to examine an elementary …

In Their Own Voices : A Mixed Methodology Study Of An Independent Living Program For Foster And Homeless Youth, Emily Elizabeth Delorenzo

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of an Independent Living Program in upstate New York on foster and homeless youths’ ability to successfully transition to independence. The quantitative portion of this mixed methodology study examines whether or not the program as a whole had any effect on the progress of youth in the domains of employment, housing and education. The results indicate that greater number of days in the program and a thorough discharge plan were associated with positive outcomes for youth. The qualitative portion of this study provides much needed descriptive data on youths’ attitudes …