Digital Commons Network^™

The Cost Of Improving Nutritional Outcomes Through Food‐Assisted Maternal And Child Health And Nutrition Programmes In Burundi And Guatemala, Jessica Heckert, Jef L. Leroy, Deanna K. Olney, Susan Richter, Elyse Iruhiriye, Marie T. Ruel

Faculty Publications

Evidence on the cost‐effectiveness of multisectoral maternal and child health and nutrition programmes is scarce. We conducted a prospective costing study of two food‐assisted maternal and child health and nutrition programmes targeted to pregnant women and children during the first 1,000 days (pregnancy to 2 years). Each was paired with a cluster‐randomized controlled trial to evaluate impact and compare the optimal quantity and composition of food rations (Guatemala, five treatment arms) and their optimal timing and duration (Burundi, three treatment arms). We calculated the total and per beneficiary cost, conducted cost consequence analyses, and estimated the cost savings from extending …

Pathologic Gene Network Rewiring Implicates Ppp1r3a As A Central Regulator In Pressure Overload Heart Failure., Pablo Cordero, Victoria N Parikh, Elizabeth T Chin, Ayca Erbilgin, Michael J Gloudemans, Ching Shang, Yong Huang, Alex C Chang, Kevin S Smith, Frederick Dewey, Kathia Zaleta, Michael Morley, Jeff Brandimarto, Nicole Glazer, Daryl Waggott, Aleksandra Pavlovic, Mingming Zhao, Christine S Moravec, W H Wilson Tang, Jamie Skreen, Christine Malloy, Sridhar Hannenhalli, Hongzhe Li, Scott Ritter, Mingyao Li, Daniel Bernstein, Andrew Connolly, Hakon Hakonarson, Aldons J Lusis, Kenneth B Margulies, Anna A Depaoli-Roach, Stephen B Montgomery, Matthew T Wheeler, Thomas Cappola, Euan A Ashley

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Heart failure is a leading cause of mortality, yet our understanding of the genetic interactions underlying this disease remains incomplete. Here, we harvest 1352 healthy and failing human hearts directly from transplant center operating rooms, and obtain genome-wide genotyping and gene expression measurements for a subset of 313. We build failing and non-failing cardiac regulatory gene networks, revealing important regulators and cardiac expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs). PPP1R3A emerges as a regulator whose network connectivity changes significantly between health and disease. RNA sequencing after PPP1R3A knockdown validates network-based predictions, and highlights metabolic pathway regulation associated with increased cardiomyocyte size and …

From Fitbits To Pacemakers: Protecting Consumer Privacy And Security In The Healthtech Age, Justin Evans, Katelyn Ringrose

Et Cetera

As wearable and analytics technology continues to be aggressively adopted, there is a congruent rise in data collection from wearable healthtech devices. This unprecedented rise in data collection poses massive privacy and security issues. This note addresses the benefits of IoT healthcare wearables and implants, as well as identifies where the privacy and security of data accrued by such devices could be improved. In an effort to better encapsulate the issue surrounding wearable device data collection, the authors analyze the many benefits of wearable healthcare devices, as well as look into the false sense of trust consumers have in the …

Physical Activity And Its Association With Depression In The Diabetic Hispanic Population, Sukaina Rizvi, Ali M. Khan

School of Medicine Publications

Introduction Hispanics are the largest ethnic minority group in the United States. The prevalence of depression and co-morbid depression in the Hispanic population is well-recognized. The positive association between physical activity and psychological health improves mood, emotional well-being, and prognostic outcome.

Objectives There are two aspects of our research paper. First, it critically reviews the available literature showing the correlation between physical exercise and depression. Second, it analyzes the association between exercise and depression in uncontrolled diabetic Hispanics using data collected from the local community intervention program.

Method A chi-square analysis was conducted to examine whether levels of physical activity …

Algal Remediation Of Wastewater Produced From Hydrothermally Treated Septage, Kyle Mcgaughy, Ahmad Abu Hajer, Edward Drabold, David J. Bayless, M. Toufiq Reza

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is a promising technology to convert wet wastes like septic tank wastes, or septage, to valuable platform chemical, fuels, and materials. However, the byproduct of HTC, process liquid, often contains large amount of nitrogen species (up to 2 g/L of nitrogen), phosphorus, and a variety of organic carbon containing compounds. Therefore, the HTC process liquid is not often treated at wastewater treatment plant. In this study, HTC process liquid was treated with algae as an alternative to commercial wastewater treatment. The HTC process liquid was first diluted and then used to grow Chlorella sp. over a short …

Week Of June 24, 2019, New York Medical College

InTouch

• NYMC Announces New Clinical Leadership in the School of Medicine
• Conference Addresses How the Microbiome Impacts Health and Wellness
• Robert B. Nadelman, M.D., Research Fellowship Pays Tribute to Esteemed Professor

Topological Dna Damage, Telomere Attrition And T Cell Senescence During Chronic Viral Infections, Yingjie Ji, Xindi Dang, Lam Ngoc Thao Nguyen, Lam Nhat Nguyen, Jaun Zhao, Dechao Cao, Sushant Khanal, Madison Schank, Xiao Y. Wu, Zheng D. Morrison, Yue Zou, Mohamed El Gazzar, Shunbin Ning, Ling Wang, Jonathan P. Moorman, Zhi Q. Yao

ETSU Faculty Works

Background: T cells play a key role in controlling viral infections; however, the underlying mechanisms regulating their functions during human viral infections remain incompletely understood. Here, we used CD4 T cells derived from individuals with chronic viral infections or healthy T cells treated with camptothecin (CPT) - a topoisomerase I (Top 1) inhibitor - as a model to investigate the role of DNA topology in reprogramming telomeric DNA damage responses (DDR) and remodeling T cell functions.

Results: We demonstrated that Top 1 protein expression and enzyme activity were significantly inhibited, while the Top 1 cleavage complex (TOP1cc) was …

Lessons Ably Learned, Dave Moore

UNH Today Archive

No abstract provided.

A 24-Week Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study Of The Efficacy And Safety Of The Ampa Modulator S47445 In Patients With Mild To Moderate Alzheimer's Disease And Depressive Symptoms, Eileen M. Bulger, Sylvie Gouttefangeas, Sylvie Bretin, Stéphanie Galtier, Philippe Robert, Vjera Holthoff-Detto, Jeffrey Cummings, Maria Pueyo

School of Medicine Faculty Research

Introduction S47445 is a novel positive allosteric modulator of alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionic acid receptors that may emerge as a favorable candidate for the symptomatic treatment of cognitive and depressive disorders in patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease (AD) of mild to moderate severity and with depressive symptoms. Methods For this double-blind, placebo-controlled 24-week phase II trial, 520 outpatients aged between 55 and 85 years, with probable AD at mild to moderate stages (a Mini-Mental State Examination score of 24-15 inclusive) and exhibiting depressive symptoms (Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia [CSDD] ≥ 8) were recruited in twelve countries and randomized to 3 doses …

The Role Of Atp-Sensitive Inward Rectifier Potassium Channels In The Regulation Of Reactive Oxygen Species In The Western Honey Bee, Apis Mellifera L., Christopher J. Fellows

LSU Master's Theses

Colonies of managed honey bees are annually being lost at an unsustainable rate, partly due to reduced immunocompetence that leads to acute viral outbreaks and mortality. To aid in restoring honey bee health despite the myriad of environmental stressors, this thesis focuses on identifying novel physiological pathways that can mitigate virus-mediated mortality through increased immune function. Previous work has demonstrated that a family of potassium ion channels, termed K_ATP channels, mediate the survival of honey bees during infection from a model virus, suggesting K_ATP channels may drive antiviral immunity. Interestingly, these channels have been linked to the regulation …

Summer 2019

Common Knowledge (2013-2019)

Keep Learning; The "Aha" Moment; Sharing Knowledge and Expertise; A Look Back ... A Look Forward; A Shining Light

Increasing The Accuracy Of Molecular Biomarkers Via Evidence-Based Algorithm Selection, Stephen R. Piccolo

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In making medical decisions, physicians need observable criteria that they can use to make accurate diagnoses, determine optimal treatments, and estimate a patient’s prognosis. The promise of precision medicine is that molecular-level observations can more accurately predict such information than traditional observations. I worked with undergraduate students at Brigham Young University to develop ways to improve the accuracy of such predictions by optimizing computer algorithms to handle the complexity of large, molecular data sets.

A Combined Computational/Experimental Approach To Stabilize Proteins With Unnatural Amino Acid Modifications, Joshua Wilkerson, Dr. Thomas Knotts

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Proteins are versatile biological molecules that catalyze chemical reactions, provide cellular structure, and transport materials throughout the body. Proteins have been adapted for use in a wide variety of industries including food processing, medical diagnostics, and therapeutics. However, proteins must often be modified to enhance their utility in these operations. One method that can be used as an initial step in protein modification strategies is replacement of a naturally occurring amino acid with an unnatural amino acid (uAA). Previous research has suggested that it is very difficult to predict the stability of a uAA-modified protein based on any individual factor. …

Parent Entrance And Adolescent Outcomes Using Longitudinal Family Structure Data, Matthew Usevitch, Mikaela Dufur

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The effects that a parent entrance, such as the marriage of a single parent, has on child outcomes are currently not well documented. Since literature suggests that children living in single-parent families tend to have worse educational outcomes on average than children living in married-parent families, a logical hypothesis would be that a parent entrance would benefit children. Data from previous studies do not provide solid support for this hypothesis. Part of the reason for the variety of findings may be that there are opposing variables affecting children who experience this transition. An additional parent typically brings more economic resources …

Guided Evolution To Expand The Host Range In Phages, Jamison Walker, Sandra Hope

Journal of Undergraduate Research

My project proposal included the use of Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection to determine if genetic mutations will arise in Bacteriophages that would allow them to infect related strains in a species of bacteria. Bacteriophages naturally have a target host range that they can infect. Within species of bacteria, the phage has tail receptors that allow it to infect specific strains. The other strains of the bacteria will be unaffected by the phage. In phage therapy, multiple phages with varied host ranges are chosen to combat this problem. Some phages are more effective than others in killing a …

Determining The Role Of Cd5 In Regulatory T Cell Function, Charles Teames, Scott Weber

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) inhibit the immune response and play a key role in preventing autoimmunity. Unfortunately, Tregs also often prevent an effective immunological response against cancer. CD5 is a T cell surface protein known to regulate the threshold for T cell activation. CD5 is known to influence Treg development, but it is unclear exactly how CD5 impacts the function of Tregs.

Past studies have indicated that mice lacking CD5, known as CD5 knockouts, produce more Tregs than wild type mice (1). It is thought that Tregs from these CD5 knockouts may be more effective in preventing T cells from …

Chemokine Receptor Ccbp2-V41a And Its Role In Inflammation And Alzheimer’S Disease, Allen Weinert, Scott Weber

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The leading cause of dementia in elderly patients is Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a degenerating and fatal neurodegenerative condition. AD is a proteopathic disease caused by extensive accumulation of amyloid beta plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. A recent genomewide association study analyzing 59 AD-associated cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples statistically associated chemokine receptor mutant CCBP2-V41A with increased CSF protein levels of the proinflammatory chemokine CCL2. CCBP2 is a known binding partner of CCL2. We hypothesized that CCBP2-V41A receptor alters CSF levels of CCL2 and that raised CCL2 levels alters immune cell function, resulting in amyloid beta deposition in the brain (Figure 1).

Combating Obesity Through Gut Microbiome Targeted Bacteriophage Therapy, Gongze Zhao, Dr. Laura Bridgewater

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The human gut consists of approximately 1.5 kg of bacteria, and 50% of the biomass in our fecal matter is bacterial cells (Nicholson, 2005). Diet is a major factor in shaping the composition of the gut microbiota, (Zhang, 2010) which in turn influences the body by producing metabolites that enter the circulation through different pathways. In 2013, by using Koch’s postulates, scientists were able to demonstrate that the gram-negative opportunistic pathogen E. cloacae B29 can cause obesity and chronic inflammation in its host (Fei & Zhao, 2013). Bacteriophage (phage) are viruses that infect bacteria. Phages bind to their bacterial host …

The Role Of Nrf2 In Prevention Of Oxidative Stress Caused By Valproic Acid, Madison Wilson, Jason M. Hansen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Valproic acid (VPA) is a common drug used to treat epileptic seizures as well as bipolar disease. Over the past decade, the use of these drugs has increased dramatically as they are now being prescribed as antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, and are currently being tested as chemotherapeutics and for managing human immunodeficiency virus infection. VPA also leads to birth defects when pregnant mothers take this drug. The most prevalent of these birth defects is spina bifida, a defect resulting from improper neuronal development, leading to deformation of the spinal cord. However, because of the effectiveness of the drug for some expecting …

Fmri And Qeeg Imaging Of Auditory Function And Source Localization, David L. Mcpherson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of the MEG was to mentor students into an active research environment where new neuroimaging techniques were being developed and utilized to describe the auditory system. Approximately 18 undergraduate and graduate students participated in the project. In addition, approximately an additional 38 students were trained, by students from this MEG proposal, in this technique from Physiology and Developmental Biology and Psychology. Results helped define the role of the right hemisphere in language plasticity. Likewise, further protocol development and adjustments to the current protocol have been implemented.

Evolutionary Dynamics Of Influenza Type B In The Presence Of Vaccination: An Ecological Study, Lindsey J. Fiedler

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Understanding the evolutionary dynamics of influenza type B in human hosts is a public health concern as we strive to minimize the disease burden in seasonal epidemics. Vaccination is considered the best defense against contracting influenza, and everyone over the age of 6 months is advised to get vaccinated before each season. The effect that vaccine-acquired immunity has on the evolution of influenza B remains unclear. In the U.S., vaccine-uptake is irregular across the states, and the differing coverages present an opportunity to study how vaccination influences viral evolution. This thesis analyzes the evolutionary patterns of influenza B in the …

Pollination Of Scutellaria Mexicana (Lamiaceae) In Southern Nevada By Anthophora Bees, William D. Wiesenborn

Western North American Naturalist

Scutellaria mexicana (Lamiaceae) is a common shrub in the Mojave and northern Sonoran Deserts in North America. The plant produces small tubular and bilabiate flowers that are nototribic by enclosing 2 pairs of stamens and a style within a hooded upper corolla lip. I investigated the pollination of the species in southern Nevada during April 2018 by aspirating insects from flowers. I estimated amounts of S. mexicana pollen on the front of the head and dorsum of the thorax, determined proportions of conspecific pollen on the head, thorax, and middle and hind legs, and examined correspondence between measurements of insect …

Herbivory And Inbreeding Affect Growth, Reproduction, And Resistance In The Rhizomatous Offshoots Of Solanum Carolinense (Solanaceae), Chad T. Nihranz, Rebecca L. Kolstrom, Rupesh R. Kariyat, Mark C. Mescher, Consuelo M. De Moraes, Andrew G. Stephenson

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Resource sharing within clonal plant networks can occur via the translocation of water, nutrients, and photoassimilates through rhizomes and stolons. Similar mechanisms may mediate the sharing of information (e.g., about herbivory or other environmental stressors) among ramets via molecular or biochemical signals. The storage of such information in belowground structures could facilitate the transmission of appropriate phenotypic responses across growing seasons in perennial species. However, few previous studies have explored the potential transfer of ecologically relevant information within such networks. This study addresses the effects of foliar herbivory and belowground overwintering on the growth and flowering, physical defenses, and herbivore …

Evidence For Differential Diel Activity Patterns In Two Co-Occurring Species Of Burying Beetles (Coleoptera: Silphidae: Nicrophorinae), Lindsey M. Cook, Ashlee N. Smith, Peter J. Meyers, J. Curtis Creighton, Mark C. Belk

Western North American Naturalist

Multiple mechanisms have been suggested to facilitate coexistence among species of burying beetles, including differential use of habitat and food resources. Nicrophorus marginatus and Nicrophorus guttula are similarly sized burying beetles that co-occur in many parts of their range. We used observations to quantify and compare their diel activity patterns and tested for possible niche partitioning between the species. We monitored activity of individuals of each species over four 24-h periods. Both species exhibit bimodal activity patterns with peaks of activity in the morning and evening. Nicrophorus guttula is active earlier in the morning and later in the evening …

Tactics Of Surgical Treatment For Rectal Prolapse, A.E. Rustamov, B.S. Navruzov, E.X. Egamberdieva, A.B. Babajonov

Central Asian Journal of Medicine

Objective: To study the results of surgical treatment of the patients with rectal prolapse. Materials and methods. During the period from 2003 until 2018, at the Coloproctology department of 1 st Clinical hospital of the Ministry of health of the Republic of Uzbekistan 426 patients was operated with the diagnosis of rectal prolapse, the average age of the patients was 45,2± 3,8 y.o. Analysis of the results of treatment revealed the absence of postoperative mortality. Relapse was observed in 4 (0.94%) cases, however, the number of patients with constipation decreased from 28% who noted constipation prior to surgery, to 4% …

Life-History Parameters Of Striacosta Albicosta (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Under Laboratory Conditions, Débora G. Montezano, Thomas E. Hunt, Alexandre Specht, Priscila M. C. Luz, Julie A. Peterson

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Striacosta albicosta (Smith) is a key pest of maize and dry beans in North America. It has expanded its distribution from the western Great Plains of the United States to the Great Lakes region in the United States and Canada. There has been limited research on the baseline biological aspects of this insect under controlled conditions. The objective of this study was to detail the biological parameters of S. albicosta feeding on an artificial diet under laboratory conditions. Overall survival from neonate to adult at 26.6 ± 1°C was 36.72% and the total developmental time was approximately 110 d. Survival …

Effect Of Acute Ingestion Of Green Tea Extract And Lemon Juice On Oxidative Stress And Lipid Profile In Pigs Fed A High-Fat Diet., Xi Fang, Michael Azain, Kristi Crowe-White, Jennifer Mumaw, Janet A Grimes, Chad Schmiedt, Michele Barletta, Srujana Rayalam, Hea Jin Park

PCOM Scholarly Works

Green tea and its catechins have been shown to ameliorate high fat diet-induced oxidative stress and hyperlipidemia. However, low bioavailability of catechins limits their therapeutic potential. Lemon juice (LJ) has been suggested to enhance the bioavailability of catechins in vitro. This study investigated the antioxidative and hypolipidemic efficacy of a single dose of green tea extract (GTE) or GTE plus LJ (GTE + LJ) in high-fat diet fed pigs. Sixteen pigs ingested a single dose of GTE (190 mg/kg/day) or GTE + LJ (0.75 mL/kg/day) mixed with low-fat (LF; 5% fat) or high-fat (HF; 22% fat) diets and blood samples …

Confronting Models With Data: The Challenges Of Estimating Disease Spillover, Paul C. Cross, Diann J. Prosser, Andrew M. Ramey, Ephraim M. Hanks, Kim M. Pepin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

For pathogens known to transmit across host species, strategic investment in disease control requires knowledge about where and when spillover transmission is likely. One approach to estimating spillover is to directly correlate observed spillover events with covariates. An alternative is to mechanistically combine information on host density, distribution and pathogen prevalence to predict where and when spillover events are expected to occur. We use several case studies at the wildlife–livestock disease interface to highlight the challenges, and potential solutions, to estimating spatiotemporal variation in spillover risk. Datasets on multiple host species often do not align in space, time or resolution, …

Evaluating Oyster Aquaculture’S Cost-Effectiveness As A Nitrogen Removal Best Management Practice – A Case Study Of The Delaware Inland Bays, Jefferson F. Flood

Journal of Ocean and Coastal Economics

Disease and overfishing have led to a dramatic decline in wild populations and subsequent harvests of the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica over the past few decades in Delaware and other states along the Atlantic Coast. However, in addition to their value as food to consumers, oysters, whether wild populations or cultured stocks, can provide ecosystem services such as nutrient removal, which may result in localized water quality improvements. Consequently, recent policies in Delaware have sought to establish and grow an oyster aquaculture industry. However, a key challenge to achieving efficient levels of industry growth and water quality improvements is that …

"I Used To Be Fat": A Qualitative Analysis Of Bariatric Surgery Patients, Steven W. Fife

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the Caudill College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at Morehead State University in Partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts by Steven W. Fife on June 22, 2019.